(ELITE) The ECRUTEAK Team

The night was black as pitch, the somber town blending into the darkness to become nearly impossible to see. The city had seen a rough time during the initial outbreak, buildings collapsing, several already demolished, and the streets painted with old blood and bodies. The scent of death was absolutely everywhere, permeating everything with the foulness that only came with decay. Though it had been a year since the first incidents that claimed these lives, most of the bodies more bone than flesh, it didn't stop the smell. It was now as much a part of the town as the flat colors and permanent feel of autumn that had always hung around it. The only building that didn't look much different than it ever had was the Burned Tower, whose blackened heights was only distinguishable by the stars it blotted out in the sky forming the shape of it's skeletal tower.

In the darkness a shuffling could be heard, the clicking sound of claws rhythmically rapping on the stone streets as something darted past a building. There was a loud scratch as the shadow suddenly dug into the ground, twisting its form to round a corner sharply yet unwilling to give up speed to do so. A smaller figure darted by and the shadow changed direction again, hot on the smaller one's tail as a glimmer of moonlight caught the purple fur of a Rattata. As the second shadow passed under the light the menacing gleam of horns and fangs caught the eye as the creature lunged, clamping down on the small Rattata's neck. The moonlight beamed down to reveal a dark hound feeding on her kill, eyes checking in almost frightening paranoia as she tore into the first meal she had in days.

This was Tisiphone, and this was the world she lived in now.

Ty ate quickly, lapping up as much of the blood as she could so that it wouldn't attract the unwanted attention of the Undead, before breaking away from the remains to head back to her shelter. Ty had been stuck in Ecruteak for weeks, trapped by the damage and the Undead that seemed to congregate in the city. The worst thing about this place was the spirits that still lingered, and after the epidemic even more had spawned from the wrongful deaths of so many innocents. Unfortunately, the new Pokemon became themselves infected and would go on random rampages before fading off into the abyss. Ty hated ghosts.

As the Direyena crept carefully back to her shelter, checking over her shoulder several times to make sure the coast was clear, a scent caught her. Pausing the hound raised her head higher into the air and took more of it in. She wasn't sure what it was, as it certainly wasn't a scent she had become familiar with during the few weeks she had been here. No, this was something new. Her brow furrowed and she lowered herself menacingly, a low growl rumbling in her chest, ready to fight anything that dared to challenge her right to survive this hell she had been thrown in. She wasn't going to die now when she had survived this long. She needed to get to the Viridian base and find Zenyt. Once she had her Admin everything would be okay, Rocket would make their move and this nightmare would be over.

And no stranger was going to compromise that.

The shadows of the hound and the unfortunate rat weren't the only shapes shifting in the dark.

Unbeknownst to the hound, she had been followed during the night. High in the far reaches of the looming skeleton of the Burned Tower, another figure watched, waited. While the large wings were folded and still, the shape was serpentine, elegant. The only way an onlooker could see it would be to spot the lavender orbs glowing dimly on the head, neck and tail. Said tail shifted slightly as the figure readjusted its weight on its precarious perch, the wood still true beneath its talons.

It was the first living he'd seen in a month, and felt a small pang of disappointment that this hound had gotten to it first. While Anton had eaten far more recently, his large form needed much sustenance to maintain itself. A small sigh escaped him as his mind wandered to his small shelter and whether or not he should engage the hound. He had never seen this kind of pokemon, and even as a strange evolution himself, he wasn't sure what kind of power this creature had. Its horns and dangerous physique were more than enough to make Anton question confronting it, and now, at the dead of night, was not the time to be territorial. Still, the question of whether they would cross paths again -whether in his sleep or its- lingered in his paranoia, staying his form. He wasn't leaving until he knew what it was and what it wanted... other than a meal.

Anton tensed as the hound sniffed around, having caught some scent. Unfortunately, dragons' senses weren't nearly as honed as canids, and it left the dragon pondering on what the hound had picked up. Anxiety settled as he quickly realized the scent could very well be him. His head darted to the side, catching which way the wind had been blowing and cursed under his breath. Of course he would have put himself upwind to a tracker! He opened his wings and let the wind take him, gliding silently above the dog to quietly land on another roof across from the hound.

'Stupid, Anton... Stupid...' he scolded himself within the confines of his own mind as he watched for the hound's next move.

The wind picked up a few times, dragging the scent closer to the hound as she looked around. Her eyes shifted back and forth quickly, trying to mark any point that a spy could be hiding. If it was one of the undead, she was going to tear its throat out. If it was alive, she would find out what it wanted and then tear its throat out. This late at night it didn't matter who you were, you couldn't be trusted. Ty thought she saw something atop one of the towers and cursed herself for not thinking to check the skies, as many of the undead where avian. Her own stupid mistake.

Ty's fur was bristling sharply, her tension rising to the point of breaking, and then another shift of the wind saw a shadow gliding above her. She let out a snarl and swiped at the creature as it passed overhead, though it was high enough over her she never would have touched it. The strange serpentine-like figure rested on a roof just before her and Ty was able to get a good look at her spy. It looked like some jacked up mutation of a Dragonair, with the same glowing orbs and long body, but this one had wings. Legit wings. If it were any other time, as in not the end of the world, she would have tried to lure the creature to Zenyt to be captured. Surely something that rare would have fetched a nice price and gotten the Boss to give a little more notice to them. She eyed the dragon carefully, and decided that he wasn't being aggressive but to Ty that didn't matter. Even if it wasn't aggressive she sure as hell was.

"What the hell are you and what do you want?" she growled, not caring if the creature was alive or dead. If it attacked her she would take care of it like she always had. She had already picked at least three escape routes should the worst happen and two corners that she could trap it in if she wound up on the offensive. This guy didn't exactly radiate amateur, but neither did he show any signs of being anything but lucky. She was a leader, a killer, and wasn't intimidated by anything, especially some fairy dragon. In fact, it was her Intimidate that usually sent her foes cowering. Hopefully it was doing its job right now on this guy, who was still not answering her. "Don't just sit there, I haven't got all night."

Yep. His own careless, stupid mistake had led her to spotting him, and she was so aggressive that she swiped up at him over the air. Well, that knocked out the option of getting closer. "What the hell are you and what do you want?" it, or rather, she, snapped. Anton's face slowly curled downward into an unhappy grimace, his situation ever bleak. Technically, he could just take wing and fly away from this monstrous bitch, but flying at high heights at night was always a bad idea. "Don't just sit there, I haven't got all night." Classy.

His high perch gave him some gusto, and even though he highly doubted she'd crumble if he handed her sass right back to her, at least he was out of range. She was intimidating, and surely had the ability to match... Yeah. He wasn't going down there. "None of your damn business on both accounts, bitch," he growled back, his orbs glowing brighter as an unconscious warning. His voice was low, as he knew the dangers of being loud in this world. "You go back to slaughtering rats, and I'll go back to whatever I was doing. Then we're both happy... relatively."

"None of your damn business on both accounts, bitch." So the fairy had a pair, not bad. Though his retort could have used a little more creativity. There was a strange, pulsing glow from the jeweled orbs around his neck that seemed to almost try and repel her. Was it some kind of warning? Ty had to stifle the chuckle that threatened to rise by the very idea. "You go back to slaughtering rats, and I'll go back to whatever I was doing. Then we're both happy... relatively." Oh that was it, now it was on!

If there was one thing in this world Ty loved more than fighting it was a verbal spar, and this guy was offering up a challenge. He kept his voice low, due to their current surroundings no doubt, so at least he was smart enough for that. With a sly grin she sat on her haunches and turned her gaze to the fairy. "Back to whatever you were doing huh?" she began, cocking her head back so that she could look more aloof. "Hiding from the world like a little bitch does seem like a better use of your time, now doesn't it? At least out here killing rats I am keeping myself sharp and fed."

She just couldn't stop the grin from spreading across her face as she waited for his response.

"Back to whatever you were doing huh?" the hound retorted, cocking her head slighty."Hiding from the world like a little bitch does seem like a better use of your time, now doesn't it? At least out here killing rats I am keeping myself sharp and fed." Eugh. Now he'd done it.

He growled softly, unsure of whether he should continue or not. She was goading him on, that much was apparent, but his height advantage gave him enough peace of mind to actually consider retorting and not running off and hiding like he should. "Yes, slaughtering weak rodents really shows off your skills, Bitch." He didn't like using the curse word, but really didn't know anything else to call her. "The Walkers should scamper out of your sights. She-Who-Murders-Rats is coming for them." Even with the low volume of his voice, the sarcasm dripped from every word he uttered. "But I'm assuming since you're still here, planted right there like a dog barking up a tree, you're not moving, huh?" He shifted his weight once more, preparing to fly. Well, if she didn't want to move, he certainly would-- away from her.

"Yes, slaughtering weak rodents really shows off your skills, Bitch." Man he really needed to get more creative. Bitch could only be used so many times before it lost its edge. There were so many other things he could call her. Demon, psycho, murderer, fiend, wraith, he didn't have to keep sticking to the same one. "The Walkers should scamper out of your sights. She-Who-Murders-Rats is coming for them." Ha! "Now that one was damn creative fairy!" She had to give him props for that, it was certainly the first time she had been called that.

"You know, us 'Walkers' have a slight advantage over you bulky flyers. You are just a sitting duck sitting there on that roof but me? I have a million places I can go." She gestured around her, drawing focus to the large buildings and rubble that could easily hide her but be difficult for someone with the dragon's girth. "But I'm assuming since you're still here, planted right there like a dog barking up a tree, you're not moving, huh?" A dark laugh reverberated in her chest, Ty more amused than she had been in weeks. She couldn't help herself, simply looking up at the dragon and offering him a sly smirk. "Woof."

"Woof."

Another groan escaped the dragumbra. The only living pokemon he'd spoken to in months and it was a wise-ass demonic she-wolf barking up at him from the ground. He frowned down at her, unsure of where to go from here. She was obviously not going to leave him alone, and if he flew, she would probably follow. No, wait, not probably. Would. She would follow and would tear out his throat once she got a hold of him. So he was stuck on his perch, and she was there on the ground, waiting for him to make a mistake.

"Eugh," he groaned, adjusting himself higher on the roof. "Look, whoever the hell you are, are you done with staring at me? Because I'm done staring at you. We can go our separate ways and forget we ever saw each other. You can go back to killing helpless little woodland creatures and I can go back to wallowing in misery. Get it? Got it? Good." He made his way to the other side of the roof to get out of her eyeline to take off; he didn't want her seeing where he was flying.

Ty chuckled at the way she ruffled the dragon, wishing he only had feathers to prove his anxiety. A little dissappointed he didn't catch the 'fairy' quip, she decided that since he didn't that was going to be his nickname from now on. She wasn't letting this entertainment get away so easily, not when she had been doing nothing but fending for survival. "Well, as it seems I have run out of...how did you say it? 'Helpless woodland creatures?' I guess I will be sticking with you." A feral grin spread over her face as she thought about how his facial expressions would play out at that revelation.

"Though wallowing in misery is boring, wouldn't you say?" she couldn't help digging a little further, her mind hungry for information currently denied to her. He couldn't really expect to dangle such an obvious plea for attention and not get her to ask about it. "Not that you should have anything to wallow about, Fairy. I mean, come on, you can fly. Smile!" Pushing this one's buttons was very entertaining. However, a snap and a rustle caught her ears, the pair twitching in response as she tracked the sounds of movement. The Direyena turned her head slowly, red eyes penetrating the darkness as she caught a very large creature moving through the shadow. "Definitely not a woodland creature," she growled.

If this guy ditched her in a fight, she was hunting Fairy down and tearing out his throat.

((OOC: Felt like throwing out some danger. Sil, feel free to make it anything you want moving through the shadows. Ty just wants some action.))

Again, his instinct proved correct. "Well, as it seems I have run out of...how did you say it? 'Helpless woodland creatures?' I guess I will be sticking with you." The retort made Anton frown, causing him to open his wings to fly away. Like hell she'd be sticking with him. "Sticking" him on a fucking pike and "sticking" him in her front fucking porch. Yeah. That was the sort of "sticking" she'd do. Unfortunately, the fact that she was still talking caused him to stay, wanting to hear what she had to say for some reason.

"Though wallowing in misery is boring, wouldn't you say?" she continued, her eyes mischevious and malicious. "Not that you should have anything to wallow about, Fairy. I mean, come on, you can fly. Smile!" Fairy? The name caught his attention, but not his anger. He'd been called worse... though he had a feeling if nothing was done, that nickname would end up being his name. His frown remained, about to retort when a snap in the very close perimeter sounded, accompanied by a low groan. Great.

"Are you always braying out looking for a fight, or is this a special occasion?" he hissed at her, angry she'd attracted far more attention to him that he'd liked. He repositioned himself on the roof to get a better vantage point when he saw what was emerging from the shadows.

It couldn't have been over three feet tall, but its bloated form jiggled with every step, snapping another twig. The smell of rot was not on it, but death was a part of its natural scent. Its eyes a wide, glowing set of staring orbs, the only thing larger than they was the mouth, an eternally grinning set of teeth. A Gengar, fallen to the abyss of the Infection that haunted the land. Its body was not rotting, but its mind and soul were. Anton tensed, reminding himself he had a type advantage over it. Unfortunately, the thought didn't sway him from the terror the gengar brought; he hated ghosts.

The ghost guffawed, as if reeling from some unheard joke and sprung forward. Anton leaped into the air, taking wing above the battle field. It was a risky shot, but it had to be done. He shot a dark pulse down at the ghost, aiming to erase the thing from existance entirely.

"Are you always braying out looking for a fight, or is this a special occasion?" Her growl ceased for a moment as Fairy spoke and their stalker made its presence known. It was a Gengar, big and disgusting as it lumbered towards them like a Snorlax. If there was one thing this town never ran out of it was freaking ghosts, though this was the first time she had run into a fully evolved one. This would be an interesting fight indeed. "It's all for you Fairy, just seeing you is a special occassion." Her companion launched himself into the air and went after the beast with a Dark Pulse, which wasn't a bad move.

But now it was her turn.

Fairy attacking first was actually perfect, because it gave her room for one of her favorite moves to do the most damage possible. She charged forward, letting Fairy's Dark Pulse hit the Gengar and knock it back a little, before she sprang into the air and used her Assurance. She landed upon the ghost, it's body solid for the moment thanks to her Dark attack, and crushed it into the ground. This beast was powerful, though, and went after her while she was atop it so Ty was forced to jump from its lumbering mass and shuffle closer to Fairy. His attack had hurt, despite it being the same type as her own, and she hissed through the sting in her ribs. She needed a better plan...

"Hey Fairy...what's your moveset? I think I have an idea." Her mind was moving quickly as she assessed both the field and the opponent, almost missing the Shadow Ball it was charging. She bared her fangs maliciously and sent a Snarl at the Gengar, the damage from it causing the Gengar to startle and his attack to miss, but she liked the move most because it caused his special attack to decrease. Gengar were notorious for a high special attack and special defense. She kept close to Fairy, knowing that whatever his answer she would be able to change the plan to suit. He just needed to hurry the hell up.

Anton landed as the beast-fiend went after the gengar shortly after his own attack had landed. The ferocity in which she battle almost surprised him --almost. He had figured her for a fighter, for one who loved being in the ring and everything along with it. However, he thought her smart enough to not jump on the ghost and get hit; she had boasted about her ability to survive, so why did she go in so closely like that? Even with his own type advantages, there was no way he was getting closer to that thing than he had to.

Not surprisingly, she got hit herself, and bounded back nearby, away from the ghost. "Hey Fairy...what's your moveset? I think I have an idea," she panted out, earning a frown of irritation from the dragon. His tail lashed, his orbs pulsed, but his mind stayed on the ghost at hand. Annoying little fuzz ball! Her persistant use of the nickname -while initially tolerated- began to ring of his brother, and that wouldn't fucking do. He had gone out of his way to claim power, an identity, a fucking place in the world, and all he got out of it was no family and some dumb war machine calling him "Fairy". It was all he could do to not just fly off right then, the thought that the gengar could just follow the only thing keeping him grounded. He glanced to his fighting... buddy... rage slowly filling him. Fuck.

"...Dark Pulse, Ice Beam, Agility and You'reAFuckingPsycho," he growled, keeping his eye on the gengar. I have an idea too, CrazyFace; to get the fuck away from you. Unfortunately, he didn't really get a chance to further express his vexation, for a Shadow Ball came streaming out at them. "What's your grand plan, and does it involve not attracting more trouble than we've already got? Because I could go for that." He turned to look at her and gave her a sharp glare. "And call me 'Fairy' again, and I'll leave you to that fucking cess pool of crazy, you get me?"

"...Dark Pulse, Ice Beam, Agility and You'reAFuckingPsycho." Ty's eye twitched at the smart ass comment that came from Fairy, and she made a mental note to get him back for that one. At least his moveset would work well with her plan. "What's your grand plan, and does it involve not attracting more trouble than we've already got? Because I could go for that." If he would just give her a fucking minute, she could tell him. "And call me 'Fairy' again, and I'll leave you to that fucking cess pool of crazy, you get me?" A loud growl was her only response.

As her eyes darted back and forth from the field and the Gengar, watching as it charged another Shadow Ball. He needed a better tactic. "Alright, I'mAPrissyDragonWithNoName, listen carefully." Ty's gaze never broke from her opponent, so the dragon couldn't really see the glare set in her eyes at her mockery of his insult. "See that dead end alley? I'm going to push him back that way and I want you to freeze his ass with your Ice Beam. Put everything you have into it, I want him frozen solid. I will use my Assurance again and break him into a million little pieces and then we haul ass out of here. Got it? Good." Not waiting for reply Ty charged forward, her Snarl causing the Gengar to falter once again and drive him back into the alley. When she had it sufficiently cornered her body began to glow with her Assurance and she called back to Fairy.

"Do it now!"

"See that dead end alley? I'm going to push him back that way and I want you to freeze his ass with your Ice Beam. Put everything you have into it, I want him frozen solid. I will use my Assurance again and break him into a million little pieces and then we haul ass out of here. Got it? Good."

The Demoness launched herself forward, leaving Anton to quickly memorize his orders. While he didn't particularly fancy obeying a cur that liked to call him "Fairy" and "I'mAPrissyDragonWithNoName", he didn't have much of a choice. Disobeying might mean that he would not only have to deal with the gengar wanting his guts, but her as well. He flapped up, perching himself on a nearby roof for a better shot, landing just before she called out for his attack. "Do it, now!"

He fired. The ice beam erupted from his throat, mist surrounding the attack from the intense temperature contrast. A flurry of shaved ice and snow accompanied it, a soft veil of cold floating down as the attack struck true. It covered the gengar quickly, spreading over its bulbous form like a hungry parasite. It was encased in a mere few seconds, the ghost struggling to escape his transparent, frozen prison.
"Hurry!" he called, not wanting to give the ghost a chance to escape and cause them more trouble.

The ghost fell for it. She watched with morbid glee as the Ice Beam slammed right into its face and began to grow around him like a crystalline prison. Unfortunately, if the stupid beast actually remembered it was a ghost it would remember it would be able to phase right through said prison. Well, Ty wasn't going to give him the chance. Her Assurance already charged she waited until the last bit of ice closed around itself before launching forward and slamming into the Gengar. The ice shattered, several bits of the ghost breaking off with it and vaporizing like mist in the morning sun. Its once massive bulk was now nothing more than several large chunks of frozen Gengar.

But it wouldn't stay that way.

Ty didn't waste even a moment as she ran back towards Fairy and skidded to a stop in front of him. "I suggest we get out of here before that thing pulls itself back together. Ghosts are assholes that way." She put her nose to the air and sniffed around for any more of the foul creatures, satisfied that they would be safe. For the moment. "You got a place to go dragon-boy? My hideout isn't far from here." She didn't want to just let him go, not yet. He had provided the most entertainment she had in a whole week, and she needed the challenge to keep her mind sharp. Though, he hadn't seemed as keen on their bickering as she had, so he might need an extra push. "I have food..."

Yeah. Bribery works.

((OOC: Sil, I think you and I are gonna take up the entire first page before we get Ana in here. Lol))

((lol, Phoe, I really think we are. XD))


The plan had worked. A little surprised, Anton watched with fascination as her attack split the ghost into a million pieces, scattering everywhere around them. But it seemed that the hound had other plans in mind rather than staring at their "victory", and so she ran back to him, skidding to a halt before him. "I suggest we get out of here before that thing pulls itself back together. Ghosts are assholes that way." She put her nose to the air and sniffed, probably to see if there were more enemies. With all the noise they were making, Anton was surprised they weren't being swarmed. "You got a place to go dragon-boy? My hideout isn't far from here."

The dragumbra's lip curled at the thought. Spend more time with her? Wasn't he just thinking to himself that he should get away from her as soon as possible since she seemed the type of pokemon to slit his throat in the night? Surely that rattata wasn't filling, not for a creature like her. As if she were reading his mind, she added, "I have food..."

"'Food'?" he asked, his skepticism tinting the quiery. If she had food already, then why was she out at one of the worst hours to hunt hunting? Why make the effort of getting MORE food when she had enough to offer him and have enough for herself back at her den or whatever? The statement only made his gaze narrow, his eyes searching her for some sort of answer to all his silent questions. But shuffling and more noises in the distance made him reconsider... Maybe it wasn't a death trap. It probably was, but maybe...

He gave a sigh and felt he was about to regret what he was about to say. "...Lead on, then..." he replied, his words nearly a groan. He didn't want to be with a girl that insisted on calling him "Fairy" all the time... nor one that kept eyeing him like a piece of meat. But as he stood there, his exhaustion from lack of sleep began to remind him it was there, and that he needed rest.

The dirty, tainted air of the environment was intoxicating the illusionist's nostrils, smell of decay and blood causing him to twitch in disgust. Already about a year into the Epidemic, one would have assumed the living was already accustomed to these scents, but Rience still felt uncomfortable. Ears still ringing in pain from the explosion he had escaped, the Zorombra furrowed his brows. He could barely hear a thing, crawling pathetically on all floors in the outskirts of Ecruteak in search for food. His hands clawed and felt the substrate below him in an attempt to possibly find another's den.

Feeling his hand suddenly slip into a hole, the dark-type reached deeper and felt around. He felt the sharp, cool edges of a broken egg, small, furry pelts of lifeless children on the burrow's floor. Pulling one out, he tentatively sniffed it, feeling its body for the cause of death. It's protruding ribs and patches without fur was a telltale sign of malnutrition, and deeming that it wasn't infected, Rience ripped the meager skin an flesh that was left with his long teeth and gulped it down. "When will I ever get a decent fucking meal..." reluctantly, he grabbed more of the bodes and devoured them, barely any of his hunger satisfied.

Slowly the Zorombra got up, his lanky, tar img figure slowly walking towards the city, bumping into the trees around him blindly. It was only when he heard voices and the presence of others hit his mind did he stop, his instincts almost immediately disguising himself as an undead Manectric. His trusty cane tightly enclosed within his jaws, Rience scampered to the source of sound. The air seemed to be colder here, feeling slow-melting shards of ice under his mangled paws. The voices were clear, defined, and somewhere in the conversation that he could hear, there was mention of food. He perked up and brightened, flashing blood-soaked, rotting teeth as he prowled closer.

Within his blurry vision e could see only dark figures, amongst the equally dark shapes of the houses and cityscape. His blindness, coupled with the calignosity of the night made it near-impossible to identify these new Pokemon, but their well-spoken words and conversing was enough to lead him to believe these two were alive. Rience was hidden past a corner, the dirt-smeared muzzle of his Manectric disguise poking around the wall. A grin appeared upon his lips, wondering his next plan of action.

[OOC: Whoo! Happy to be joining this team. c: Sorry it took a while to post, I was waiting for my turn in Ilex before leaving the team. You guys can notice Rience if you'd like. ^w^]

Her ploy worked, as Fairy decided to come with her back to her den. His uncomfortable nature and sarcastic tongue made for entertaining conversation, and if she ever got pissed off or just plain bored of him she could always kill him for some sport. Win freaking win. The female stretched briefly before trotting off towards her crumbling shelter. The house itself was a complete wreck, but it had a deep basement that had served its family well until Tysiphone had shown up. It was a little sad that a family that had survived the undead had to fall to her fangs, but she was starving and needed the shelter.

Plus, it was kind of fun.

Making her way through the dark and winding streets a thought suddenly occurred to the horned canine about the dragon following her. Who the hell was he? "So, since I can't call you Fairy anymore, what should I call you?" It seemed a decent enough time to finally ask him, and after she knew his real name she would be able to think of fun and new nicknames. As she waited for his answer something caused her to pause, and it wasn't a good something.

A strange sensation of eyes watching was causing her fur to bristle and rise. Without even realizing it Ty was beginning to growl as her eyes scanned the area. Her instincts were never wrong, and they were screaming at her that they were being watched. "On your guard," she told her companion. "We are not alone..." Crimson eyes scanned their surrounding before landing on a glimpse of yellow and blue around a corner. 'There...' Whoever, or whatever, this creature was it wasn't one of the undead. She couldn't smell the trademark death that lingered on the infected. Which made this asshole even more unlucky for crossing paths with her.

"Show yourself, coward, or face my fangs."

"So, since I can't call you 'Fairy' anymore, what should I call you?"

Strangely enough, the question came out casual, pleasant even. With their brief time together, Anton was already very sure that only venom and malice could spew out of the she-wolf's mouth, but the innocent enough query caught him off guard. Lavender eyes widening slightly in surprise, the dragumbra also noted that this was actually the first time anyone had asked him that. For a moment, he remained stunned in silence, unsure of what to do. "...Anton..." His voice was soft, but even then he was soon shushed.

"On your guard," she growled. "We are not alone..." After sniffing, she took a more aggressive stance. "Show yourself, coward, or face my fangs." Anton nodded and kept his eyes open, spotting a strange teal in the dark. "...Over there..." He pointed with his wing, trying to spy what was lurking in the shadows. "....What is that...?"

"Show yourself, coward, or face my fangs." It seemed as though the Pokemon he had discovered had found him, and although this wasnt quite his plan, Rience couldn't help but feel his lips slope upwards into a scheming grin. Crimson eyes narrowing in amusement, the dark-type shifted, flinging himself backwards in rapid movement before letting his illusion fade, scaling the dirty brick wall of the building before him. (Illusion: None) His gem-like eyes coupled with the Zorombra's bright blue and gold was what defined the shadow in the night, maneuvering his cane to get high upon the roof.

"Hello," he drawled. Lips pursed to reveal a toothy smile, his long arms rose to give a short wave. "I am known as Rience. If I may, who are you?" the Zorombra asked. The illusionist decided that he had to get to know this mutt first, especially if he were to lure the female into one of his traps. If he could get on the Direyena's good side, it would be a double win. 'I could steal whatever sustenance she has... And devour her as well.' the very thought made his grin wider. For once in all of these months, he would get his hands on living, struggling prey.

Although considered a creature of infinite wisdom with enough advice to last a lifetime, Vito was feeling particularly foolish as of late. As soon as he’d made the rash decision to voyage to the region in the grips of this chaotic epidemic, he’d quickly realized what a grave error he’d made. A hound of his age wasn’t cut out for this sort of action any more. Of course, he held his own – a good few tricks still up his sleeves as he presented keen tactics to seemingly unwinnable battles, but more than anything, he was tired. Vito wasn’t getting any younger. He noticed his stamina was beginning to falter, the greying of his ever-slimming physique reminding him of old Father Time as he found his bones cracking and groaning in protest throughout battle. It was sad really, knowing he was weakening whilst the monsters around him were only growing stronger.

He’d stumbled into Ecruteak only a day earlier, forced to hide within the shadowy streets as avian beasts had taken to pursuing him. Fortunately, he’d lost them – cheating fate again to survive yet another day in a world surpassing his own abilities. Still, he wasn’t going to complain. Vito had a knack for beating the odds, pleased that his victory streak was still running strong.

Near-black eyes eagerly scanning the empty streets through the doorway, Vito had been spending an already sleepless night in one of the ramshackle houses left standing. Hungry nightmares and the howling wind had been relentless in their attempts to awaken the hound, but the sounds of battle beyond his haven had been the final straw. Heavy circles lingering beneath tired orbs to encapsulate the creature’s growing fatigue, the Houndoom rose to his slender legs with a quieted groan. For a creature of his age, Vito retained a remarkably good physique and attractive features. Followed by an air of class and refinement, he had lost weight in recent months to reveal escape-ready ribs, but still upheld the illusion of power. Slim head extended on a scarred neck, Vito strained to catch the voices once more. When he’d first heard the noise it had been growling, the cries of the undead on the wind, but now, serenity had enveloped the area. Such calm was always misleading; the canine convinced that he wasn’t alone.

Peering out of the half-collapsed doorway, looking through the night’s darkness to catch glimpse of three figures, the Houndoom froze on instinct. He was silent, positioned a good distance from their congregation as he took a moment to observe the creatures. A dragon-creature and a pair of canines, both bearing similarities to species he was quite familiar with. Deeming their appearances down to mutation, he skimmed over his pondering at the whiff of blood in the air. Whether it came from the creatures, he was unsure, but it was rarely a good sign. He was simply thankful they weren’t accompanied by the stench of rot.

Although not entirely confident in his decision to approach the strange troupe, the Houndoom slipped out of his sanctuary into the dimly lit streets with quiet footsteps. The duo closest to him were focused on the Zoroark-like creature stood atop the roof, announcing his name with a slick grin plastered across his face. Vito was regretting moving more than ever now, the creature’s expression hardening the hound’s face as he absorbed that look of menace. In his time, Vito had seen a number of individuals share such an unsettling, fervent grin – the majority of which had been mad. Unfortunately, there was no going back now.

Clearing his throat, he stopped a respectable and considerate distance from the gathering, head high as he greeted the survivors with a restrained nod. There was no need to look too eager – he wasn’t thrilled at the youthful, unusual company he’d stumbled upon and thought it rude to mimic such joy. Vito prided himself on his honesty, unwilling to sacrifice the virtue for the sake of good manners. Instead, he regarded them with a formal, but not unkind, stare.
“You speak loudly,” Vito stated, voice clear in a sophisticated brogue of a creature far younger than he. Smiling, impressed with the guts, he continued. “I take it you do not fear the undead?”

As Tysiphone watched a strange creature made its way out of the shadows. Some kind of wispy air waved in front of him and then the weirdest looking fox appeared. The hell? "Hello. I am known as Rience. If I may, who are you?" Ty drew her lips back in a smile flashing with more fang than anything else. Whoever the hell this guy was his arrogant airs rubbed the Direyena the wrong way and she was not going to let him try and wiggle his way anywhere with that sweet talk. She openly laughed at his attempts to scale the tall building and give himself the high ground. "Oooh, Grandpa wants to show his skills!" she mocked, tossing her head back and looking down her muzzle at the male. "Nice cane old man!"

It was so weird how the fluffy creature basically looked like a paint splotched Mightyena on two legs rather than four. And why the hell did he need a cane? He was a Pokemon, a P-O-K-E-M-O-N, not a person. This guy was just weird. She shot a glance to Anton and gave him a toothy smile. "I guess he doesn't think you can get up there, despite the fact that you have wings." Ty gave a soft chuckle once again when another scent shushed her and a voice caught her ear.

“You speak loudly.” Turning to face the sound Ty spotted a large Houndoom standing near the shadows as he watched them with guarded eyes. “I take it you do not fear the undead?” Now that was a hound. Sleek, powerful frame with horns sharp as her own...now he was allowed to stay. The creepy version of her that stood on two legs could bite it, though. "I have nothing to fear so long as Old Man River up there shuts up. He's the one making all the fuss." Her last words saw her turning back to the strange creature and baring her fangs. If the guy wanted to spout nonsense he could damn well do it from the ground and put his own damn self in danger.

The fluffy thing did not look right. Clean bandages interrupted what would have been an intimidating sight, a cane in one taloned paw. Anton frowned and took a step back, orbs shifting slightly with his discomfort. Why were there so many pokemon coming out so quickly? He didn't like it... didn't like it one bit. She-Devil seemed to revel in it, taking the new presence in stride. Obviously, she didn't discriminate with her taunts and jeers.

A new voice behind them caught the dark dragon's attention, the owner finally a pokemon he could recognize. A houndoom, known for their eerie howls and ever-burning flames... It was older from what he could tell, but the large rack of horn he sported gave Anton all the more reason to be wary. Still, even with all the reasons to be cautious, he'd rather be nearer the houndoom than She-Devil and Fluff King.

Slinking away from the discussion, letting She-Devil become absorbed in taunting the fluffy one, Anton slowly and silently made his way toward the houndoom. Glancing him over, Anton's expression was carefully blank before he whispered, "...If you want to keep your skin or sanity, I'd suggest leaving." It wasn't a threat, as his posture didn't emanate any sort of danger. However, one could probably detect the eagerness to get away somewhere on him, his body anxious for solitude. With the small warning, he continued to carefully make his escape, or at least to find this stash of She-Devil's and get away with whatever food she had and get the hell out of there while she was busy barking up another building.

He paused as he repeated his options. All of them were likely to get him killed. Especially if he were caught. He glanced back to She-Devil, gauging her in his mind. She'd helped fight the ghost, when she could have just turned tail. Then again, she would have probably fought the damned thing herself. Speaking of which... His eyes went to the frozen remains of the gengar, which were beginning to shift. Eyes widening in alarm, he scuttled his way back to her, nudging her back leg.

"...I'm sure you're having fun with this guy, but you remember that reason we were leaving? It's coming back together now."

"Oooh, Grandpa wants to show his skills! Nice cane old man!" Rience rose a brow, before giving a small humph. "There's a good chance I'm probably younger than you, canine." he mused, rolling his eyes at the dog's mocking of him. It had been a while since he'd met someone so lively, and in all his time alive this was the first time he'd been called an old man. The Zorombra was grumbling under his breath in annoyance, narrowing his blind eyes at the mutt. "I'm not that old..."

Soon a Houndoom had approached them, commenting on his loudness. “I take it you do not fear the undead?” The Direyena had glared at him, speaking. "I have nothing to fear so long as Old Man River up there shuts up. He's the one making all the fuss." Rience struggled to distinguish the new canine's figure in the dark, not wanting to inconvenience himself by using his own psychic powers to sense what's around him. Defeated by his own blurry sight, he slid down the moss-covered roof and landed near the other living.

"Hm... I simply have something I fear more than being ripped open by those disgusting things," the Zorombra mumbled, shrugging. He turned his attention back to the Direyena, carefully trying to analyze and figure out what she was. "Do you happen to know what you are? There seems to be a sudden abundance in... new species of Pokemon nowadays," he asked, the question forming in his head. He had encountered a few others that were unknown to him in his adventures across the regions, and with the growing encounters of these... mutants, Rience was beginning to wonder if there was something about the infection that was causing this.

"I have nothing to fear so long as Old Man River up there shuts up. He's the one making all the fuss."

Vito smiled at the canine’s reply, amused at her snappy response as he followed her gaze up to the shiny, bipedal hound. Said hound was making his way down from the rooftop, the Houndoom’s eyes immediately fixating on what appeared to be a cane. His expression falling into a silent confusion, he contemplated whether the stranger had some kind of disability, the bandages adorning its slim frame only adding to his suspicions, but for now, Vito remained clueless. Before he was given opportunity to voice his queries, the dragon creature was at his side, whispering a warning.

"...If you want to keep your skin or sanity, I'd suggest leaving."

This took the aging hound off guard. Turning to catch the stranger’s features, catching no malice or threat in the way he carried himself, the creature was lost to a reaction. He’d always prided himself on his good judge of character – it had ensured he’d reached the infamy the family business presented, but apparently, it was another skill to be damaged with age. Shifting on the spot, face serious as he regarded the dragon, he gave a steady nod of his head.
“And leave you stuck here?” He whispered back, a small smile on his lips. Although he was unsure of where this misplaced sense of nobility had stemmed from, Vito had nothing to lose. He was just an old dog. He’d made the idiotic decision of abandoning his family, his friends, in pursuit of answers to this epidemic and felt the need to redeem himself. He’d always been a charitable individual, famed for his generosity, and he saw no good in abandoning yet another kindly soul. No, Vito would stay.

"...I'm sure you're having fun with this guy, but you remember that reason we were leaving? It's coming back together now."

Frowning, Vito had only caught a portion of the dragon’s quieted words, but soon caught glimpse of what he was suddenly so alarmed about. There was a ghostly matter shifting a little ways off which the Houndoom could only presume to be an example of unwelcome company. Although the remains were unrecognisable at the present, the canine was in agreement with the stranger’s eagerness to flee. He had no desire to see the mess reassemble itself.
“Those buildings are abandoned,” Vito gestured behind himself with a subtle jerk of his slender head. “Although, you don’t look the kind to hide,” There was no malice in his words, an honest observation rather than a jibe at their cowardice. His husky, gentle tone gave no reason to misinterpret. With a tired smile, his dark eyes wandered back to the squirming undead.