(ACE) The SHIPWRECK Team

Saferi hesitated, a look in her golden gaze revealing she had forgotten vital information of some sort. What could she, the master of intuition, of possibly hindsighted? "Well.. We're going to have to move all this, quickly so they stay fresh." A rugged snort and stifled chortle scurry their way out of his snout. "Alright princess, and how do you suppose we're gonna do that?" He scoffs with a wave of his fin. Ah yes, the accursed sea beast dilemma that he had already overcome today. "Cause, I dunno about you, but it fucking sucked ass carrying the shit here." The eel shot daggers at him, a clear sign to stop that, had she not started taken, he would have ignored. "Thorn, you could make him carry the Seaking. With the size of your mouth you'd probably have an easiest time carrying the bait. We'll need to go across the bay so the Phione don't pick up the scent too early. It won't be hard; I know the fastest routes, but we'll have to be quick so the Seaking doesn't fall apart or something."

Throwing the job on the Gyarados got another snicker out of him. Saferi had a good point; none of them were adapt for carrying things past one. Even if they divided it up evenly having to go across the bay with it would be the slowest damn trek ever. Thorn however, did not seem as keen to do so, and was about to protest."Ey bud, good luck with--" Sanngetall starts, but finds himself interrupted as well. ”Sorry I’m late.” The Flaotzel called to them as she swam up, her plus one not accounted for.

She took the kid away? But why? She'd be the perfect cherry on top of their bait. Unless she was actually a member of this misfit menagerie and not just a morsel in waiting? "She okay?" Thorn asked, the theory of the brat's life mattering growing stronger. "'Da fuck you take her?" He piqued grouchily. What was the appeal of kids anyway? Nothing but bottomless feeding pits that whined. "If you're trying to keep her safe or something wouldn't it be better for her to be, you know, where you can fucking see her?"

The Poliwag wept into her toes, her drumming heart pounding against her numb chest and bumping her locket forward and back. "All those things.." They weren't okay, were they? No, how could they be when they fell so listlessly. "Ms. Bell, I’m so sorry…” The weasel starts, the sympathy felt but doing little to quell the child. She had seen dead things before, how could she not, but not like that. Not so many so fast from someone she had been grouped up with. "Why Aqua?" She pleads, daring to peak her brown eyes up from her feet. ”There is a lot to explain, but sweetie right now they need me…Please, please stay here and do not follow me.”

"Bu-but Aqua..!" She snivels while starting to unfurl from her ball, but the Floatzel was much faster than she. Already she was heading for the cave entrance, every motion acquiesced. ”I will come back for you.” She gives the last bit, all the reassurance she could, and then she was gone. Gone... Hanging in the water the Poliwag was pushed side to side by the current before she completely sank to the bottom again. Sobbed meekly into her feet she prayed Aqua was telling the truth. She prayed things would be okay.
She prayed no one else had to die.


For a moment the eel thought she had to strong arm the boys, but a different voice drifted in from afar. ”Sorry I’m late.” She had made it back already? That simplified things. Even if Aqua couldn't hold all of the catch having something with hands could string things along. Literally. "She okay?" Thorn asked, quickly realizing Bell was not here. For the best, of course, as the kid gave no services to the plan. "'Da fuck you take her?" Sanngetall snapped, leaving off the initial where. "If you're trying to keep her safe or something wouldn't it be better for her to be, you know, where you can fucking see her?"

The question had been directed at Aqua, but Saferi wasn't about to let their only member with hands get harassed. "Piss off it you soddy sack of chum." Ice spiked up from her teeth as she roared, the cold crystals flaking away into the water around them. "A battle field is no place for a child. If we could see her so could the Phione and Kyogre knows they can swimmer faster than her." How she had managed to make it away from them the first time was a mystery to her. Maybe the kid had more in her then they all thought, but that still didn't validate the risk of bring her along. "Aqua," she spoke with unintentional venom, still ready to pounce the seahorse. "We need some help moving the prey. Do you think you could carry it all, or even some? If it's quick maybe kelp tries could help."

"She okay?" Aqua didn't know how to answer that. She turns to look at Thorn, hesitating before responding. "I'm not sure..." She says, trailing off with a troubled expression. "But there's nothing we can do about it right now." Aqua adds resolute. "'Da fuck you take her?" The seahorse complained about this missing piece of knowledge. Why did he care? Purposefully averting her eyes from him, she keeps her lips sealed. For all she knew, he was looking for another meal... "If you're trying to keep her safe or something wouldn't it be better for her to be, you know, where you can fucking see her?" Aqua scoffs. "Seriously? Ms.Bell has no business being out there when we do this. Those phione are nastier than primape with a stubbed toe."

Beside her, Saferi voices her own concerns. The water chilling slightly around them as she snarls out the words. "Piss off it you soddy sack of chum." Despite not being on the receiving end, Aqua feels her back stiffen at the obvious threat as the ice flakes and drifts around them in the current.  "A battle field is no place for a child. If we could see her so could the Phione and Kyogre knows they can swimmer faster than her." At least she wasn't the only one who thought so....she thinks as her chest tightens regardless thinking of the child they left behind. Alone in the cavern, frightened...what if she didn't actually make it back-- "Aqua." Aqua turns sharply to face the vemon-laced voice. "Yes!"

"We need some help moving the prey. Do you think you could carry it all, or even some? If it's quick maybe kelp tries could help." Carefully, the floatzel lets her shoulder go slack and the loops of kelp collected earlier drift into her waiting hand. "Probably! If we tie the fins and such together I reckon I could keep a hold on all of them--or at least give y'all kelp to hold on yourselves if we need to separate them and move." As she speaks her plans, she starts putting it into motion, taking the ends and tying them securely around the decaying ends of the one in front of Thorn first. The form is fragile compared to the others, the waters doing a good job at decomposing the fish. However, she finds enough solid mass left to loop several times around. "I'm putting on a few here in case one of the strands happens to snap." Aqua explains before moving on to give the other corpses the same treatment.

Aqua turned to look at him as she responded, "I'm not sure..." Her words trailed off uncertainly, but she added in a firmer voice, "But there's nothing we can do about it right now." While the unsure answer had worried Thorn, she was right. Even if he really wanted to, he couldn't just abandon the plan to check on her. Once the Phione were taken care of, however, he would likely beeline to the cave he had encountered the group first. He really didn't like the idea of leaving her alone for too long.

"Da fuck you take her?" Sanngetall demanded. "If you're trying to keep her safe or something wouldn't it be better for her to be, you know, where you can fucking see her?" Either the sea dragon was severely underestimating what they were dealing with, or he really didn't care about Bell's safety.

"With what we're about to deal with? Yeah... no," the Gyarados snarked.

"Seriously? Ms.Bell has no business being out there when we do this. Those phione are nastier than primape with a stubbed toe," Aqua shot the idea down as well.  With a colorful metaphor too.

The top reaction, however, went to Saferi whose fangs turned icy as she verbally assaulted Sanngetall, "Piss off it you soddy sack of chum." As the temperature in the water dropped, Thorn held no doubts that the attacks would become physical if things didn't calm down soon. At least Saferi agreed with them, "A battle field is no place for a child. If we could see her so could the Phione and Kyogre knows they can swimmer faster than her." Hopefully that explanation satisfied the poison type. Thorn just hoped that she would be safe where she was, and that they would make it all back...  Saferi moved on by barking at Aqua, "Aqua. We need some help moving the prey. Do you think you could carry it all, or even some? If it's quick maybe kelp tries could help." Oh thank the gods, maybe he wouldn't have to touch that disgusting thing with his mouth anymore.

At the question, Aqua shouldered off her burden of kelp and cheerfully said, "Probably! If we tie the fins and such together I reckon I could keep a hold on all of them--or at least give y'all kelp to hold on yourselves if we need to separate them and move." Thorn nodded along as she explained, and she quickly came over to the Seaking that was still in front of him and started working on it. The Gyarados watched her as she nimbly threaded the green strands around the big fish, and he wished he could do such a thing. Humans and Pokemon with hands were so lucky. It took a few seconds for her to find a place that wouldn't just fall apart, but soon she had one strand looped and started adding more. She explained, "I'm putting on a few here in case one of the strands happens to snap."

In an attempt to lighten the mood, he jested, "Yeah, wouldn't wanna get all the way there only to realize that we dropped it somewhere."

"With what we're about to deal with? Yeah... no,"
"Seriously? Ms.Bell has no business being out there when we do this. Those phione are nastier than primape with a stubbed toe,"
Sanngetall just grunted, a stream of bubbles racing upward from his snout. "So? Kids gotta grow up some time. If it can't even handle seeing some fresh food it ain't gonna survive." Undead aside, hunters were ruthless. The brat was too loud, too trusting, and too naive to know what was good for it. Would it stay where they left it? Sanngetall grunts again. It'd be just her luck for her babbling to attract a predator. "Piss off it you soddy sack of chum." Saferi snapped back at him, an Ice Fang barely being restrained. "A battle field is no place for a child. If we could see her so could the Phione and Kyogre knows they can swimmer faster than her."

The Dragalge, dumbfounded, did not reply. Why would Saferi defned her? The cold, heartless eel had a soft spot for the most annoying of children? The other two he could understand, but Saferi? What the hell is this, the most fucked up kind of family? No, no this wasn't some indentured servitude. This wasn't saving a treat for later. This was the saddest excuse for a family unit he'd ever seen. This was.. some sort of fucked up adoption and preservation of ignorance.
And it was utterly repulsive.

No longer an annoyance to her the eel changed the subject back to their previous dilemma to which Aqua was already devising a plan. "Probably! If we tie the fins and such together I reckon I could keep a hold on all of them--or at least give y'all kelp to hold on yourselves if we need to separate them and move." Swiftly, she tied more strands of kelp around the decaying Seaking, but Sanngetall was still rattled. He had already learned this shit was not what he had signed up for, but any opportunities for humor were fading fast. He'd keep his word, if only for the rightful tail he would earn, but gods the faster this shit was over the better. "Might be better if we each take a couple." He grumbled with a shrug, looking at the pile they had to move. "Then you won't be slowed by drag."

Aqua started to tie up the fish without protest, her deft hands a godsend to the other sea creatures, and as she attaches extra strands to the Seaking she explains, "I'm putting on a few here in case one of the strands happens to snap." Though Saferi said nothing she gave a slow blink of her golden eyes. "Yeah, wouldn't wanna get all the way there only to realize that we dropped it somewhere." A small spurt of water pushes through her gills, the closest she would come to a restrained chuckle. "I would hope one of us would notice its putrid smell was gone." The thing could be a million times worse, but with how close they all had to be to it the Seaking was sure rough on her palate. "Might be better if we each take a couple." Sanngetall groaned, his usual banter faded off into annoyance. "Then you won't be slowed by drag."

"Not bad logic there," she agreed with him, albeit reluctantly. "but its Aqua's call on how much tying she can do. That'd probably be fastest for travel though." With a flick of her tail Saferi circled their spoils and sized up the group. A distribution would probably be best; if nothing else it would prevent it all from tangling into a massive clump that would surely lag behind. While Aqua worked the eel peered across the kelp beds and pictured their path within her head. They would have her home back by the time the sun reached its peak.

"We will be heading out in a diagonal across the kelp." She explained, her long body facing the direction she was referring to. "It wont take long. Once we get close we'll need to drop the prey off, turn it to chum, and provoke the swarm." Would it be better for them to split before or after the drop off? She could easily tatter the fish herself. No, as a safety precaution it'd be better for everyone to know where it was. "I'll take the honors for that. They've wanted to rid of me for a while. Once they emerge we'll split." The further they were spread the more likely the Phione would mindlessly chase the blood scent.

"I'll head toward the cavern with Thorn. If we jam something into the Seaking's gullet there is no chance of them resisting it." She paused to take in a breath, remembering their concern from earlier as she turned to face Thorn. "Lead them off and I'll break off short of the cave. The blood will draw them away from you so you can get on the land.... however you're going to do that." Was he going to sprout wings, or just wait by the surface? Irrelevant, she thought, as long as it worked. "I'll give the signal once they are in place."

That would take care of the main pack. Turning forcefully toward the other dual type the eel's voice grew even more firm to make sure shitface was listening. "Sanngetall, you'll be at the ship with Aqua to pick off the stragglers. If it turns out there are more than just straggles then lead them away so they cant swarm you. Shouldn't happen though. Should just be a killing spree." At that point there would only be a few left, and a schooling creature left on its own was about as harmful as algae. "If this all works out we should be able to infiltrate the ship without much resistance."

Aqua completes her work, doing a quick once over before nodding and counting out how many they now have. "Yeah, wouldn't wanna get all the way there only to realize that we dropped it somewhere." Her face breaks out into a smirk at Thorn's comment as she continues to count and half listen. "Might be better if we each take a couple." She hears Sanngetall grumble as she feels his eyes on her once again. "Then you won't be slowed by drag." Aqua finishes and looks up in surprise. No smart remark? She knew better then to vocalize this and risk bringing his former attitude back. Maybe Saferi was finally getting through to him.

"Sounds like a good plan." She comments and straightens up more confidently when she hears Saferi agree as well. Grabbing a couple strands at a time, she physically sorts and moves. Placing a few in front of each pokemon to grab and drag while being careful to have the strands/bundles far enough away from each group that hopefully they would not be too hard to grasp. As she quietly accomplishes this, the floatzel listens carefully to Saferi's re-cap of their plan.

"Sanngetall, you'll be at the ship with Aqua to pick off the stragglers. If it turns out there are more than just straggles then lead them away so they cant swarm you. Shouldn't happen though. Should just be a killing spree." Although the thought of being alone in a battle with those undead and Sanngetall was making her stomach churn with unease she had to admit, he would be effective. If the amount of prey he brought back was any indication of how he would do on a head-on-head fight she thinks to herself, stealing a quick glance at the pokemon in question. "If this all works out we should be able to infiltrate the ship without much resistance." And then what? "You can count on me. I reckon we're ready to get started then?"

Sanngetall seemed strangely subdued, "Might be better if we each take a couple. Then you won't be slowed by drag." Given the sea dragon's earlier attitude, it was odd to see him not snarking at whatever was going on. Was it because the three of them had shot down his idea? Or maybe it was because Saferi shot it down with incredible ferocity. Whichever it was, the Gyarados was glad that he had stopped trying to argue for the moment.

Thankfully, at least the other two took some amusement at his joke, and at this point, Saferi laid out the full plan. "I'll head toward the cavern with Thorn. If we jam something into the Seaking's gullet there is no chance of them resisting it." She paused in her explanation and faced him, Lead them off and I'll break off short of the cave. The blood will draw them away from you so you can get on the land.... however you're going to do that. I'll give the signal once they are in place."

He nodded to acknowledge that he heard her speak and added, "I can leap pretty high out of the water if I need to." There were a lot of days that he was grateful for the TMs his trainer had bestowed on him. With Waterfall, even if he had to somehow jump over a cliff, it wouldn't be impossible.

Saferi then explained what Aqua and Sanngetall needed to do, and Thorn worried for the Floatzel. Sanngetall hadn't done anything yet to them, but something about the way he had blatantly stared at Aqua had rubbed him the wrong way. Hopefully the sea dragon would be too distracted by the Phione to actually do anything. Aqua at least seemed optimistic as she said, "You can count on me. I reckon we're ready to get started then?"

"Not bad logic there, but its Aqua's call on how much tying she can do. That'd probably be fastest for travel though." Sanngetall's crest brow quirked, unsure if he had actually heard that. Did Saferai just say he was right? Yeah, acknowledge it girl. His snout crinkles into a crooked smile, his interest in the conversation coming back ever so slightly. As Saferi went over their 'plan' he forced himself to listen, the details boring him until his own name came up. "Sanngetall, you'll be at the ship with Aqua to pick off the stragglers. If it turns out there are more than just straggles then lead them away so they cant swarm you. Shouldn't happen though. Should just be a killing spree."

A short stream of bubbles filters its way from his snout. "Gotcha." He says flatly. So she hadn't lied to him when she said he would be on pest control. Guess its better then other shit I could be doing. He grunts, and the tips of his fins tingle, ready for the blood to be drawn. They wouldn't have to wait much longer, unless the Sea Fury wanted him to snap. Drifting so he his body curved toward Aqua the sea dragon shrugs, nonchalantly muttering as he looked at the weasel. "Guess we're partners."

Any joy quickly fades, his displeasure at the entire situation coming back. Well... least it wasn't the Gyarados. Of his short list of options she would probably be the most enjoyable to be stuck with.
With the overview concluded Aqua speaks up. "You can count on me. I reckon we're ready to get started then?" Wiping his fins beneath his set of strands Sannge churned his arm until the seaweed wrapped around them. It wouldn't be the most comfortable, nor the most secure, but it would work for their purpose. "Yeah, let's stop wasting time."

The others murmured in agreement, and with nothing else to hold them back each took up their tethers to show their readiness. "Right," she huffs, her tongue tired from all the talking. "Then let's move." Snatching her own kelp strands, and being careful not to shred them with her razor-edged teeth, Saferi dove head first into the kelp forest with cargo in tow. The initial drag pulled at her jaw, causing a moments twitch from her neck, but did little else as she swiftly adjusted to its weight and pushed forward.

Across the beds. She told herself, keeping a keen eye out for anything she could use as a landmark. Never was the eel lost despite the scenery seeming to repeat and be endless. Semi-shallow water overtaken by kelp was easily a jungle for the unknowing, but every unusual rock formation, bits of coral, and other kinds of plant were noted and recognized by the huntress. Even as it started to change, an increasing number of rocks interrupting the calm white seabed, she knew her direction without fail. A cluster of small brain corals clung to jutting stone, their position confirming their own to be closing in on their target. "We're close." She informed the others, though the thinning of the massive kelp strands would hopefully of given that away. Soon there would be no kelp to hide in, and only rocks and crevices in the drop off would shelter them.

When the forest had all but vanished behind them the eel slowed her pace, though she did not stop. They were entering the point of no return, and if they went much further the Phione would surely be attracted to their group of warm bodies. Dropping the kelp from her jaw Saferi spat out green flecks from between her teeth with all the grace of a beast before speaking. "Alright." She started, her tongue still feeling numb from earlier. "See that dark mark over there?" Jerking her head Saferi gestured to a dark area on the water off to the west. "That's the Anne. This distance should be safe to pass by it, but draw your bait in close if you can so they dont drop anything."
Turning herself back around she snaked her way to the east, the stark rise of the shore cliffs darkening the water despite the high sun. Her gold eyes scanned the rocks, looking for the old den she had passed by many times before. How far away is the Gym? It should be right under it, but as a creature bound to water it was often hard to tell what lay on the surface.

Luckily for her the dark cavern came into view before her curiosity of the world above grew too bold. "It's there." She grunts, bolting forward to investigate it first. Though she could tell from a distance the place was abandoned it became ever apart the closer she got. The walls of the cavern her rough and crumbled at a slight touch. Not enough to fall apart, but enough that they would carve away without much effort. Roots and stones jutted from the dirt, and darkness swallowed the back of the cave. It was perfect. Once more Saferi dropped her tether, but this time she had no intention of grabbing it again. "Alright. Let's flay this bitch." Her instructions barely made it from her mouth before she started on her own prey, her sharp teeth making short work of the scaly catches. Her senses buzz from the taste of blood, and only a thought at the sight of the Seaking forces her to pause. "Aqua, your hands would work best for stuffing the Seaking."

Without much more left to be said, they take off. Saferi leading their small group as they continue to weave through the kelp and nondescript landscape. Aqua grips the kelp wrapped around her paw tightly as they swim, though she can see the others individually struggling or having to adjust their own kelp strands no one complains. It's not long before the floatzel starts to lose her bearings. If it weren't for the huntail leading them, she'd surely be swimming around in circles. Everything just looked so...similar. That didn't seem to slow Saferi down in the slightest, though this was her territory after all. As the scenery slowly starts to change, the ground underneath becoming rocky and thinning the kelp forest around them she hears a hiss from in front. "We're close."

She starts to look more closely at their surroundings, trying to remember passing by this way before. "Alright." Saferi calls, having slowed her pace before coming to a stop outside of the kelp "See that dark mark over there?" Aqua squints in the direction the eel jerks her head. The dark smear on the horizon clearly visible in the otherwise light morning sunlight. "That's the Anne. This distance should be safe to pass by it, but draw your bait in close if you can so they don't drop anything." Aqua nods, giving nervous glances towards the Anne as she listens. She waits patiently as there is a pause in Saferi's instructions, her eyes moving to the cliff wall as if looking for something before she seems to find...whatever it is.

"It's there." Before Aqua can register what she found, the eel has darted off, making a beeline for the cliffs. Bubbles escape her mouth in a silent expression of surprise. Hastily, she uses her free hand to hold down her hat as she takes off after Saferi, not wanting to be left behind. The closer they get, the more obvious where they are heading become. A dark cavern she had overlooked before comes into view. Its walls where split by roots and jutting rocks that stuck through loose soil. As soon as Aqua puts a hand to the rim of the cavern, she can feel some of it crumble and float loose. Was this even safe to be near...?? She didn't have time to ask before Saferi was inside and speaking again.

"Alright. Let's flay this bitch." The words were barely out of her mouth before her teeth were sunk into the closet corpse. Sharp fangs easily tore through and shredded scales and flesh alike. Halfway through, she pauses to look at Aqua, who seems unsure of what to do. "Aqua, your hands would work best for stuffing the Seaking." Of course...her favorite job.

"...Right." She offers reluctantly, giving a distasteful look at the dead seaking. Carefully, she uses her hand to reel in the corpse, wrapping the excess kelp around her wrist while her free hand drifting chunks from the others' flaying. Thankfully, there was little current here to drag the pieces out of reach as she holds onto the torn bits by one end, doing her best to have to touch the disgusting seaking as little as possible. It was impossible to not have to touch it at all and when her hand did collided with the creature's decaying mouth and face the floatzel scrunches her muzzle up and turns to the side, sticking her tongue out and making a grunt with disgust. Thankfully the creature had a rather gaping mouth in life and in death decay has only made the opening bigger. She continues to stuff it until no more will reasonably fit in without threatening to crack its delicate, mushy hide. "Ugh, it's stuffed." She calls, undoing the kelp wrap around her arm to put some distance between her and the body.

Once everyone was ready, they picked up their designated kelp strands and followed Saferi through the kelp. Thorn greatly appreciated that Saferi knew exactly where they were going; while he vaguely knew how to find the Seaking, actually navigating this strange forest was incredibly difficult. Landmarks blended together far too well, and noticing subtle differences weren't his strong suit. Soon the kelp began thinning out, and Saferi confirmed, "We're close." It wasn't much longer until they were no longer under any cover, and Saferi slowed down, dropped her mass of fish, and started talking. "Alright," she began. She jerked her head over towards a dark blur towards the west and said, "See that dark mark over there? That's the Anne. This distance should be safe to pass by it, but draw your bait in close if you can so they dont drop anything."

She lead them in the opposite direction towards the cliffs, and soon she found the cave she had been talking about. "It's there." Thorn looked at it, and the unstable tunnel definitely looked like it wouldn't need much to collapse. Strange that humans would build something as vital as a gym over this. It wasn't long that the Huntail dropped her catch for the last time before saying, "Alright. Let's flay this bitch." Then with a fervor that slightly unnerved the Gyarados, Saferi dug into the pile of corpses. Even though he didn't want to, he figured he should probably help out here. He got reminded of his earlier mishap with the kelp, and it struck him how similar this seemed. His job probably wasn't nearly as thorough as Saferi's... She paused long enough to tell Aqua, "Aqua, your hands would work best for stuffing the Seaking."

The Floatzel's reluctance was obvious, but she agreed, "...Right." She did the distasteful task as quickly as possible; he couldn't blame her for that. That thing was disgusting. "Ugh, it's stuffed."

Figuring they were getting close to setting the trap, Thorn took the opportunity to bow out. "Alright. Unless you need me for anything else, I'm gonna get into place up there." He headed further west along the cliff face so that he could give the group some room from where he needed to jump.

((I'm sorry. I wasn't sure if he was supposed to leave before now or later, so I guess it's now. Please just let me know if I need to change anything.))

Though her own enjoyment was a powerful sensation Saferi could feel the discomfort coming from her companions. Except the one that was snickering, of course. "Ugh, it's stuffed." Aqua shuddered, and while Saferi didn't feel sympathy she did realize her resilience on the weasels hands was a bit unfair. Not that that would change anything. "Good," she comments brusquely, the second it took to make the sound too much time away from snapping her fangs. The feeling of breaking fish bones, the cloud of skin, scales, and blood that billowed around them.. it was a shame such a treat was going to the dead.

All too soon though the pile of bodies had turned to bleeding, reeking chum and Saferi had to force her pulsing blood to slow. "Alright. Unless you need me for anything else, I'm gonna get into place up there." Thorn told her before turning tail away from the mess. For such a massive predator the eel was surprised by how soft he was. Had he even eaten a piece of prey since they met? "I'll make the signal as clear as I can." She called after him as the massive red shape vanished past the lip of the cavern. If he was moving out they needed to as well. "Alright," Saferi gurgled, licking the blood from her lips and fangs. "Let's move into position."

Drinking in one last breath of the prey rich scent the eel pulsed her way out of the cavern and back into open water. With Aqua and Sanngetall in tow again doubt started to pry at her mind. This area wasn't too far from the ship, what if the Phione knew about it? What if the scent of blood on them all over powered their hate or notice of an easy meal? Shut up. Gritting her teeth she must remind herself its too fucking late to wimp out now. While she was afraid of nothing Saferi was not a naive Pokemon. With these other Pokemon it would be possible. This would be their only shot, her only shot to redeem what belonged to her.  

All too soon the ship loomed before them again, faint, fleeting shimmers appearing here and there around it to reveal wandering Phione. "They did stick by the ship.." She grumbled, revealed that her assumption had turned out right. Pausing to hang stiffly in the water Saferi steeled herself. Once they hit the ship, much like shaking a beehive, the swarm would be on them in an instant. "Ready yourselves." She warned the pair as she started to head closer. The boat's details came into focus of her sensitive eyes, the scent of rot hitting her gills. The drifting shapes of Phione were still unaware, their distance just enough that the bloodied Seaking did not draw them in prematurely.

Let's get on with it.. Parting her massive  jaws the eel formed a shimmer purple sphere before her fangs. Her Hidden Power would be enough to rock the hull, but not enough alone to truly cause a ruckus. Golden gaze darting between the others she was unsure if Aqua had a ranged attack that would work. "Shitface, make sure they feel the disturbance." She growled tensely to the Dragalge. She knew the guy to be a metal freak, and if this wasn't his time to shine then nothing was.

With one more breath flushing through her gills Saferi shot the powerful beam forward. The dragonic power was intense, and as it collided with the hull a hard vibration could be felt even at there distance. Jerking her head the strike raced up the side of the ship, the areas with possible air pockets rumbling slightly more. As her breath ran out the attack waned and the laser faded. The vibration still shook the water around them, and, for a few heavy moments, it seemed like nothing would happen. Then, suddenly, the water seemed to buzz. The air around them was filled with something akin to fury, and a shimmery wave poured from any and every opening on the ship's hull. "They come!" The Huntail roared, a Water Pulse shooting out in front of her and she shot into the heart of the swarm.

Aqua looks up from her work as the shiny gyarados takes his leave. “Good luck, be careful!” She calls after his retreating form. They were almost at the point of no return now…. With the seaking finished, the floatzel checks its kelp strands one last time to make sure they are still on strong. Nodding with grim satisfaction at her handiwork, she jets off from the unstable cave entrance in silence after Saferi. The final stretch of the journey to the Anne is wrapped in the same uneasy silence. Up ahead, darting flashes of light alert them to the phoine’s presence. So they are still here…the whole swarm of them. She thinks to herself, watching the momentary flashes for any sign that they have been spotted, but none comes.

As Saferi starts readying her attack, Aqua braces herself, hands balled into fists at her side and eyes focused intently at the sunken ship. Even expecting it, it still surprises her as a brilliant flash of light erupts from Saferi’s mouth, striking the metal hull and causing it to shudder. No immediate attack follows so the eel moves her jaws slowly, striking the ship in an even line along its side. Aqua draws in her own attack, letting the energy boil inside her until bursting outward and burning the water in front of her in the blast of energy. The beam of scalding water strikes the ship nearby Saferi’s own attack, heating the metal and causing a flurry of bubbles to erupt long the path it takes through the water.

As both of their attacks die down, more bubbles start to escape from the cracks in the ship. Aqua steels herself again as the very water around them begins to hum and shake with increasing intensity. This was it. Then all at once the shimmering dots swarm together and dart outward from their nest in unison. Beside her, Saferi roars something, but it is lost as the pounding in the weasel’s ears gets louder and louder. Re-activating her agility, the floatzel charges another scald as she sees the eel blast the center of the swarm with a water pulse and aims her own attack to attempt to catch the ones dodging her teammate’s blast.

Before Thorn left the group entirely, he heard Saferi and Aqua call out, "I'll make the signal as clear as I can," and “Good luck, be careful!” From the sounds of things, he was getting the easier job. He felt bad about leaving the smaller Pokemon to deal with the swarm, but they desperately needed something to bring the gym down. He still feared for his... he was hesitant to call Saferi a 'friend,' and he wasn't sure he liked Sanngetall. 'Allies' would probably fit better. They were all good fighters, and hopefully Bell stayed safe...

These thoughts preoccupied him until he was a fair distance away from the cave. He wanted to give the others room, and he also wasn't sure if the cave would collapse just from him landing a jump. He raised his head out of the water to better gauge how high the cliff was and to see if there was anything in the way. Other than some overgrown bushes and trees, nothing seemed amiss. Afterwards, he dropped back into the water and swam in a straight line away from the coast. Once he was far enough back, the Gyarados lunged back towards the cliffs, and water began forming around him as he used Waterfall to increase the power of the upcoming jump. Before he would have slammed face-first into the cliff face, his body suddenly coiled, and his tail slammed the ocean floor. This caused his huge form to rocket out of the water. From the land, it would seem as if a fountain of red colored water had suddenly erupted from the ocean.

He was able to control the attack so that once he was over the lip of the cliff, he slithered across the top safely. Once he was fully on the ground, the water that had accompanied his attack splashed to the ground. It had been a while since he had traveled on land, and it took him a moment to reorient his body to the sensation. Large magenta eyes glanced over the ruined city, and the nagging fear that the ones he was looking for were probably dead resurfaced. He couldn't think on it long, and once he relocated the gym, he headed straight towards it. With more respect than one would expect of a Gyarados, he tried to avoid the buildings in his path. If he could help it, there was only one human building that would be destroyed today.

Staring at the once majestic vessel that stood before them Sanngetall couldn't help but have his thoughts wander just slightly. Though his homes had always been seaweed and sand getting to carve out his own place in a metal fortress just sounded riveting. Saferi couldn't do that, so whatever 'home' she had made from this ship would have some seriously wasted potential. "Ready yourselves." The eel growled, confirming that he was out of time to ponder such silly ideas.

While the seahorse was always ready for action watching Saferi charge a powerful attack almost sent him on the defensive. Usually such strikes were meant for him, and taking such a blast before combat would not server him well. Luckily, this hit had another much further target, and kept his muscles within their current tension parameters. "Shitface, make sure they feel the disturbance." She says with a shudder through the surplus of energy. Nodding, the dragon threw back his fins and started to charge his own attack. Toxins from throughout his body started to build and collect, bulging in his snout as they formed a huge, gloppy mass. The excess poisons dripped in the back of his throat, nearly making the creature gag had his body not already been filled with water. Beside him he can see Aqua prepping something as well, and on Saferi's signal each Pokemon's strike is let loose.

Both ladies attack's slam the hull of the ship and send massive vibrations radiating out into the water. The feeling rattles the dragon's body, his lungs ceasing for a moment, but his own attack takes just a moment longer to hit its mark. Tossing his head back and thrusting it forward the giant Sludge Bomb rolls forward and slams the ship. Between Aqua's Scald and the toxins eating away the metal the water was filled with loud hissing. The cloud of poison dispersed, spreading out across the hull as it ate away the metal beneath. Sanngetall snickered, the sound of degrading metal sending chills through his spine, but aside from that the air is still for several moments as the vibrations die back.

"They come! Saferi roared as the swarm appeared. Without another word of instruction she launched herself into the fray, an attack going off and her eyes dilating to that of a creature in combat. Finally. Sanngetall could feel his pulse starting to race with excitement and he tore after Saferi. Truthfully, he didn't need to move in close, but where was the fun if you couldn't make physical contact with your victim? Saferi let out a Water Pulse, and another Scaled whizzed overhead from Aqua. Some of the Phione broke from the pack, disorientated, and the sea dragon launched himself toward one. Diving in close he spun and slapped his poison-slathered tail across one, sending it hurtling toward the seafloor. It faltered, drifting awkwardly as it tried to move back up to the others, but Sannge had already come after it and caught it in the vice of his body. "Just like vermin," he whispered to it before sending his one Scaled through its watery head at point blank. The sudden heat bore a hole through its head, the rest of its body nearly bursting as it fell apart, and the creature was no more. With a small grunt the Dragalge shook himself out and charged toward the next closest pest.

Everyone one of Saferi's senses were firing off as combat started to flood around them. The smells of the watery undead, like tainted pond water and blood, washed over her tongue and gills. It was thick and heavy, but the taste of prey beneath it was enough to make her muscles twitch with a hunters glee. Her Water Pulse fired off without a hitch and blasted through the stream of Phione. Many were swiped and thrown aside, their formation broken and movements slowed by the force of the water, while others had enough sense left to dodge. Either way, those who were out of range of her attack were not out of danger; a loud hiss could be heard behind her, and a beam of wavy, super-heated water shot toward them.

The stunned droplets mustn't of expected such tactical maneuvers, and the hot blast scored hits across the flustered group. Much like the water itself they hissed, hostility growing, and scurried to escape the burning environment. Quick breaths streaming in and out of her gills the Huntail shot forward once more, her powerful icy jaws meeting any Phione that was unfortunate enough to be too slow. Between the heat and ice the mostly water Pokemon's skin could not handle such changes. Saferi's razor sharp and ice coated fangs easily tore through him, gimping the liquid sacs like the insides of an oyster. Their thin blood, though heavily diluted and rotten, still sent her into her own sort of feeding frenzy. Soon her home would be surrounded by corpses... what a fantasy.

But she couldn't let her instincts take over. Saferi spun to slow herself, though her heart and gills still pulsed rapidly, and looked over the swarm. They were well into the fight, their minds completely on the aggressing Pokemon and possible kills while reforming from their loses. So far her group had been lucky not to sustain any heavy damage and poor blood into the water, meaning.. This is my chance. As much as she would of loved to kill them all herself Saferi knew that was a pipe dream. Flicking her head around, and her long body following, the eel cast her eyes about to find the corpse. She had let it go before attacking, and while the body was long since dead its rotting tissues must of had some gas in them as it had drifted only slightly downward.

Diving for it the eel snatched the trailing kelp nimbly in her jaws and preyed it held through her abuse. Shooting back up she snaked right through the a chunk of the swarm, the blood-soaked and oozing Seaking making an immediate impression. The vermin perked, their ribbons whipping them around to move after what must have been easy prey, and they charged after her. Though Saferi could hear moving in unison after her she still dared to look back, and while she saw the majority trailing behind her many still buzzed around her battling companions. Watch yourselves. She thought, turning her head back and swimming as fast as her finless body would let her.

Beside her, Aqua catches the glint of her teammates readying their attacks. The reflection if the light off splinters of ice and the movement of Sanngetail’s poisonous kelp-like appendages. Swimming in a serpentine pattern through the approaching horde, she tries to keep as much distance between her and the undead as possible. The pain in her leg from the last time she got hit with a grass knot still fresh. She continues to shoot scald attacks in short, precise bursts. The boiling liquid tearing through bloated and decayed flesh like a hot knife through butter.

The water around them runs hot and cold on and off as she and Saferi alternate attack, the sudden drops of temperature welcome as the floatzel’s temperature soars with scalding blast after scalding blast. Twisting to avoid phione who were able to slip by her attack and move into close range, Aqua momentarily catches sight of both her companions. Though it was a fleeting look, she can’t help but think the poison-type is actually enjoying this as he blasts through an ensnared phione with a scald of his own. Saferi cuts through the battlefield to retrieve the abandoned bait. She only has enough to see the eel begin to pull away before she has to take a sharp left to avoid a charge. “Be careful Saferi!” She calls after her.

The effect is almost immediately felt. Phione stream away from the battle in front of the Anne. They beeline blindly after the trail of fresh blood and the promise of an easy meal. Aqua barely has time to celebrate this fact as the ones already engaged start to close in. A jet of water catches her off guard, narrowly missing her as she tries to turn to make sure Saferi makes it out of the clearing already. Aqua rebuttals with her own blast, not bothering to watch if it hits before diving the opposite direction. The floatzel dodges and weaves through the group, they were getting too close for comfort...Halting her attack, she goes on the defensive, buying time to get off another agility.

He really should have thought this through. Unfortunately, the city, despite appearing empty, still had plenty of undead in it. Any care he had for going through the town peacefully was interrupted with the moans and growls of undead that hobbled out of alleyways to see him. "Awww shit." Instead of the usual fear he inspired of other creatures, the undead simply looked at him with hunger. Now he remembered why he stuck to the ocean. Even if it was far away from what he had known for most of his life, it was so much easier to hide.

Panicking, Thorn slithered with a lot more speed than one would expect for a beast his size. Ice gripped his heart when he felt something latch onto his tail, and he had to pause to slam it into the ground. He didn't stop to see the results. He had to get to the gym as soon as possible. Once he could see what he was sure was the gym, he quickly glanced back to see how big the horde was. It wasn't too large... he fully turned around and swept his tail across the front lines. None of the Undead had a firm grip on the ground and were sent flying into nearby buildings. Afterwards, Thorn continued his journey to the gym on the cliff. He had to keep an eye on the approaching horde and the sea for Saferi's signal.

The Dragalge cackled, his maroon eyes wide and shining. Oh this is what he had been waiting for! The ladies were attacking, their watery attacks something he could join in but not before his other ideas. The Phione he was holding struggled in his grasp, its body slipping until its ribbon was caught in his vice. "Shouldn'ta done that." He laughs as a shiny purple hue pulsed out from his tail. The toxic, vile skin quickly because even more hazardous, and as Sanngetall shook and rattled his body he could see each touch leaving a chemical burn on the Phione's body. It gurgled and screamed, the dark blue and purples of his body swiftly turning reddish and inflamed. Releasing his grip, he used the stunning momentum to his advantage. With a somersault he slammed his tail down on the pest, and the harsh stabbing toxins flooded a large surface area. The Phione twitched as though drowning, then fell still.

How could Saferi not of taken care of this herself? Sure, there were a lot of these things, but picking them off could of been a daily game! A little warm up before going hunting. Her loss. Above him he could see Saferi barrelling through the Phione, Seaking in tow and speed at a maximum. Like the flip of a switch the undead change targets, the smell of fresh blood changing their frenzy from attack to feed. As Saferi charged away most of the water drops followed, though enough remained to keep Sanngetall entertained. Huffing, he recharged his Poison Tail, the purple shine bright and illuminating. Taking in a deep breath the Dragalge charged upward, his body spiraling like a torpedo through the Phione so he could score hits along as many as possible. Between his attack and his Poison Touch he knew the Phione were feeling his toxicity. "Drink up, binches!" He scoffs, giving a hearty laugh and he focuses energy before him for a Dragon Pulse.

There was something about the sensation of being chased by a pack of bloodthirsty, mindless undead that Saferi couldn't put a fin on. It was akin to being cornered by two mass predators and prey fleeing for its life, not that she would know the latter. A storm cloud of doubt billowed in her mind. What if she could not keep up this speed? She was a strong Pokemon, and could probably escape with her life.. but her health? This is not the time. The dark shape of the bay cliffs came into focus through the salty sea water, the scent of blood already hitting her from the cave. If she could smell that the Phione had to be in a frenzy.

Her muscles screamed as she tried to go faster, a hissing, droning sound coming through the moans of the undead. Did they think she was the source or just the closet kill? The cave grows closer and Saferi makes a hard dive. She could make it, she would. As her eyes lock on the shapes of the tattered prey her own system starts to pound with excitement and she knows its time. Jerking her head from one side to the other her teeth quickly meeting further up the tether before the reverse motion thrusts it forward. With the last little burst of energy the Seaking is thrown forward under its own force, tether released, but Saferi's momentum is too great to stop dead.

With a hard, tight ark, she spins around just above the bloody bait pile, stirring the water up as she goes to dash back out. The taste of fresh prey bathes her tongue, begging her to stay, but the eels fights and veers sideways out of the cave. In the corner of her golden eye she can see the reddened chunks float upward and back down, disturbed. A hurried panic hits her, had she gotten the blood on her, was the scent going to stick to her scales? A heartbeat later a hard undertow is formed as the swarm floods into the cave, her existence forgotten.

Hanging limply in the water the Huntail is both shocked by the creatures stupidity and amazed that her plan was working. Her dark, slithering form was all but forgotten, and the sounds of bumping bodies and shredding meat bump against her ear slits. It was.. quite something. Knowing there is no time to spar she kicks, forcing her attention away and as she starts to snake toward the surface with a dark sphere forming at her jaws. Breaching, her eyes blur, the air-filled world a mess of color as she tries to focus without her watery shield. Which way was Thorn? She had to right next to the gym.. turning herself where there was less blue she blasted the Hidden Power straight into the air, the dark purplish beam bright and whirring in the open air.

"Now, Thorn!" She yells, unsure if her voice could even carry above the water before diving back beneath the surface. Sucking in a breath she gives the cave entrance one last glance. The once shadowed area had grown very dark with blood and bloated bodies. They are still feeding. They could only pray things remained that way. With that solemn hope she swam away from the scene, her body anticipating a shock wave strong enough to kill en masse.

A couple more streams of her scald attack, several more downed phione and Aqua’s ranged attacks teeter off. Her mouth burns from the repeated blasts, forcing her to change tactics as the undead close in. Keeping her limbs in close, her tails spin in a blur behind her, propelling her out of the way of another of the enemy’s bubblebeams. Frost begins to spread over her fangs then ice forms in sharp points as she charges an ice fang. The cold is initially a welcome change to her raw mouth, but the relief fades as she whirls on a phione that comes too close. Ice fangs sink hard and fast into the bloated flesh, tearing through the damaged skin easily.

Dropping the first once she is sure it is too injured to swim back up, she releases it and lunges for a second then a third. As her teeth sink into the last, the flesh seems to already be liquefying. The rotting skin gives easily enough to her attack, but doesn’t break. Aqua drops her jaw in shock and the creature slips from between her ice fang. It whirls on her suddenly, its acid armor distorting its form as it swims, but not slowing its movements.

Water begins to churn around Aqua, slowly at first, but then violently. Aqua brings up her arms to guard her face against the rush of the whirlpool though it does little to keep the water from bludgeoning her. Shadows of other forms trapped in the current flash past her as she lunges for the last place she remembers seeing the one that attacked her, her fangs barred. They only close around rushing water, frustrated, the floatzel as she lunges again and comes up empty a second time.

With no more pauses, he made it to the gym overlooking the sea. Thankfully there weren't any Pokemon pouring out of the gym, at least not yet. He glanced back at the horde that had chased him through the town, and despite his attempts at thinning it out, it had grown in size. A sudden thought occurred to him. What if there were living pokemon or humans hiding in there? The building didn't have large windows, and he couldn't take time to find a small one. His eyes had to stay on the approaching horde and the sea. The thought wouldn't leave. He had to know he wasn't a monster for doing this. He took a deep breath and let out a roar that rattled the glass in the few windows that still had it. The sound was met with several shrieks from within the gym, and he realized his mistake when he saw something... several somethings attempt to clamber out of the shattered doors and windows.

He never thought he would be so relieved to see an attack shoot out of the ocean as he was when the purple beam of light erupted not too far from the gym. He could faintly hear Saferi's voice shouting, "Now, Thorn!" The horde on both sides fueled his fear, and when he slammed his tail down for an Earthquake, it was with all the force he could muster. The initial shaking immediately threw almost all of the undead to the ground as they lost their footing, and even the ones who had been crawling had to stop as they endured the shockwaves. Deciding not to take any chances, Thorn used Earthquake again even though the ground was still heaving from the first.

Whatever integrity the cliff had was immediately compromised with the first attack; the cave's weakness was unable to withstand the tremors and started to collapse. The second attack sealed the gym's doom as the cave couldn't take anymore and immediately crumbled. Topside, this caused the gym and a good portion of the cliff to collapse with it. The shrieks that escaped the building were silenced when the building fell in on itself and sunk into the sea. As the cliff continued to shake and heave and not under the effect of his attack, Thorn took the opportunity to take a flying jump back into the water. He wasn't sure how much of the horde that had followed him had survived, but there were way more of them than there had been Phione to begin with. And if this plan worked out, then there should be far fewer to deal with.

((I think that's enough? If you need more, I'll happily put in some more mayhem.))

Watching the shower of casualties the Dragalge gives a hearty, bellowing laugh. Those he had scored direct hits to were writhing in pain while others were already festering from the toxins. "Oh what'sa matter?" He cooed as a Phione darted at him. Ducking nimbly, he finishes, "Still feel poisons even when your a corpse? Gods, that must suck." One of the Phione he had hit stared at him, livid. It's red eyes were seething as it shook and roared, its ribbon standing up high as it prepped some sort of attack. With a wave of his fin Sanngetall sucked in a breathe and felt the water quickly coming to a boil inside him. Whatever this wise-ass was about to do his Scald could easily counter.

The heat rose in his chest and snout, ready to launch the moment his opponent did, but his fun came to a sudden halt. A whirring, cracking sound calls out from behind him and races toward the still dragon. Sanngetall's eyes catch the two strips of the pale color and dark blobs in the distance before his body has time to react. shit. The dual Ice Beams were coming fast, and while the seahorse sinks in the blink of an eye the sudden drop was not enough. The rays met his outstretched fin and exploded outward in frozen spikes at the touch of something solid.

Losing control of his Scald the super heated water flitters out of his snout in a stream of hot water and bubbles. They fly upward, the burning water and air spheres blinking blinding the dragon as pain shoots through his arm. It both stings and burns in a way he can only imagine his victims feel, an odd appreciation and enjoyment blooming beneath the wealth of super effective pain. The ice crawled over his fin and borrowed into his scales, the lost heat doing nothing to weaken it. "You bitch" He roars while flailing to remove the cold. It drags, the weight off balancing him as it tried to float resisted his pull.

A cackling brushes his ear slits, the seahorse's maroon eyes flying to the side to see his original target enjoying the show. Had it baited him?! The pinkish sphere it held races toward him in a ray of a Dazzling Gleam. Kicking his tail hard Sannge knocks himself away but the attack still slams his shoulders with most its force. "fuck this." He growls, huffing as he spits a weak Scald at the ice. It cracks, weakening, but does not let go. A thin trail of blood drifted out from the torn scales on his back and Sanngetall can feel his own blood boiling. "Y'all fucks are gonna wish you didn't do that." Eyes flashing with rage the Dragalge sends a Dragon Pulse forward without warning, the attacking whatever didn;t manage to dodge as it pulsated out.