(ACE) The FROST Team

"No, if there is any chance it leaves us be that will disturb it." Tossing and bobbing his head the tomcat agreed with her, but he had assumed that risk when making the suggestion. If the Pokemon saw them as trespassers getting off their territory quicker could help, or if they sought to strike moving out of range could save their skins. Or perhaps they would walk out of [or in to] an ambush, but be fast enough to avoid trouble. With a deep breath and a sigh he put it aside; the trainer knew better, and who was he to argue. "Keep your wits about you." She warned them sternly, and the cat lost interest in perusing the matter any further.

Instead his eyes were locked on Clover's filthy shape. She weaved through the field with ease, her hobbled steps not slowing her down in the slightest as her ruby eye eyed and avoided each hole like a machine. He wondered, were her wits always this sharp? Her awareness had taken a shape turn in this cold place, but the slight altitude change had really helped perk her back up. As the molly once again put space between them he worried she was getting a bit too into it, that her impulses would return with full force even under the sedation of the cold. With a leap and hop the distance increased further, and giving the smallest meow to recall her the cat only responded with a flick of her good ear.

"We're almost there, last thing we need is to mess up and put all of us in danger. At least Maka is using that sense of smell to his advantage. If he was to find something, he'd say it." Kolven gave a quiet groaning grunt. He was also smelling for anything suspicious, legends they all were, but the canine had the best sense of smell among them and was also used to scenting in the frozen environment. He'd be the first to detect something but not the only. There was point in defending his position, but the Meowth's tongue was held moreso by the unnerving silence that surrounded them. This desolate plain was growing more foreboding by the moment, and his paws still itched to sprint out of it.

Mimicking that very silence the cat walked with his ears primed. The field seemed endless, much more vast than it had from their starting point, but finally he could see their destination growing in the near distance. The remaining length was no better looking, the fur along his spine standing on end, and with his claws primed Kolven kept himself aware.

While tense, the rest of their walk was thankfully uneventful. Green remained on edge, all her senses open and primed to the space around them. The ground felt strangely alive despite how dead the field was, and while she could not see or feel any movement something made her uncomfortably aware of the presence of beings just beneath the soil.  

"We're almost there, last thing we need is to mess up and put all of us in danger. At least Maka is using that sense of smell to his advantage. If he was to find something, he'd say it." Could the canine hear as well as scent beneath the earth's surface? Try as she might Green knew it was futile to listen for herself; she was no canine, and while sharp her senses were nothing compared to those around her. With each cracking twig and crumbling stone she wondered what the tripping point was, how much they would take before investigating, but with each second she could only pray for another.

As the farm came to light the human raised a hand to her eyes. Shading them, and narrowing her field of view, she got as good of a look as possible at the small spot. It.. was in rough shape, but it held promise nonetheless. If this so called Beedrill was managing the place, though legends knows how with those needle arms, perhaps some plants and seeds had survived all these harsh years and were easily collectable. "Here goes nothing. Green, if worst comes to worst, promise me that it would be quick and painless for him." Was he giving her permission to put the pest down? Geez, the guy was quick to bend despite it being a Pokemon he was familiar with. "We're very accustomed to that." She sighs, knowing both she and her Pokemon had had more than their fair share of euthanasias.

OoC)) Skip, Jack is silent again and listening to everyone while Finn is placing firewood into the fireplace to keep the mansion warm.

OoC)) Skip, Drake and Maka are silent this round.

Despite how on edge he felt their proximity to the farm gave Kolven a sense of ease. Even if an undead attacked they were within running distance of something other than this field, and through it wasn't ideal having that out was huge. Yet the quiet persisted, broken only by the crunch of their pawsteps and the small trills Clover had started to make. "Hush," he warned her, flicking the end of his tail across her back. The molly gave a small growl, turning her head back and glaring at him before bounding beyond the group. Twitching his whiskers the tomcat was about to copy her steps, but hearing the trills come to an end he decided against it.

"Here goes nothing. Green, if worst comes to worst, promise me that it would be quick and painless for him." Drake sighs, his nerves betraying him as accepts murder as an option. "We're very accustomed to that." Green responds just as dryly, the action no longer shocking to the accustomed veteran. With his tail lashing behind him Kolven felt a ball of disgust build in the back of his throat. Had they no humanity, morality, sympathy for these poor Pokemon? The world they lived in was cruel, but even the Diggersby putting them on edge deserved respect for the life they had been given.

With a sigh the Meowth dared to ignore his better judgement. A soft smile broke across his face and he spoke lightly, "Have any of you ever farmed before?" He asks, thinking back to the days he spent lazing in Saffron. "I watched my kids plant several things, but tending them is a whole 'nother matter." Clover snorted in front of him, a raspy laugh making its way from her throat. "Dont say it.. like that." She breaths heavily, but hearing a coherent sentence was enough to get a pity laugh from the tomcat.

(Skip me this round.)

Finn looked at the wood after placing it in the fireplace. It made him wonder what it would be like to live in a nice house like this with loving, caring trainers that care for their pokemon and servants to get their every need. "What I would give for to have a better life style but I know that I can't change my past. I'll have to make my proof even if it kills me." Even then, he knew that the words he said could turn and bite him. If it did come true then Finn would know but for the time being, he shrugs it off like usual. Not like anyone would come and kill him for backstabbing his trainer for the robberies he committed.

The Pikachu seen the barn with the doors shut. Looks like the owner wanted to keep the equipment inside safe but if Drake said beedrills, then they can just get in through the openings. "Wonder if the doors are chained up? If Johto taught me anything, farmers usually chain them up and sometimes put some key lock on it." If it was then maybe either Drake or Flamey could melt the lock off. Then he thought of the risk of accidentally setting the building ablaze. Then he got an idea of maybe the lock could be picked or snipped if a tool was laying just outside. "Hey Green, have you ever picked a lock before?" Jack asked out of curiosity.

Maka took his attention off the ground and sniffed the air again. The moist scent was closing in and that meant that the blizzard would be soon arriving in his old home in the mountains. "It is getting closer, I can only guess that it would be here just as we get back to the big human den." It was only guessing but time is something he is not familiar with in human terms.

Drake looked at Maka and tried to think. It took them almost twenty minutes to get here and if they got the seeds and headed back, it would be almost thirty minutes if not more. they'd be cutting it awfully close. "That would leave us just enough to get inside the mansion again before the blizzard sweeps in. Luckily, I have hot cocoa still." It did sound good and perfect for a cold day.  First though was Kolven's question. "I have once, it was a watermelon but it didn't go so well. Kind of hard to grab something with these claws. My human helped me out as much as he could but the watermelon didn't make it unfortunately. So we did a different one, onions. The greenhouse should have some if they wasn't taken." Now Drake wondered if there was any canned soup left that they could have that wasn't opened. so they could put some onions in the soup or if there was enough stuff to make a type of chili that doesn't need meat. Regardless, he'd have to look once they get back.

For all his concerns, they made it to the pasture without any more events, and he released a held breath. In his travels Kolven had seen many farmlands in differing states, land designed to withstand the cold climate felt strange and hardened. Piles and of snow and long dried plants, to stalks of scrubby life that were reclaiming parts of the land for themselves. It looked.. oddly like the rest of the land they had past; cold, hardy, and tough as they come. Leaping atop a fence and watching Clover crawl under it, he wondered what it had been like in its prime.

As the approached the closest and most prominent building Kolven could really see how it had aged. Clear signs of wear and disrepair not withstanding he was more impressed by how well it had held up given the environment and lack of maintenance. Discoloration and age showed clearly across the barn, but the craftsmanship was clear, and with it locked up tight they had would have to find a way to break an entry rather than take advantage of holes and damage.

"Wonder if the doors are chained up? If Johto taught me anything, farmers usually chain them up and sometimes put some key lock on it." Sniffing the corners for any signs of intense wood rot Kolven thought of his own traipses along farms. He recalled sliding beams and moveable beams, but chained locks certainly sounded more secure. "Those would probably survive longer than wooden slats." He mused, though it did little to help them.

Clover also sniffed along the line of the building, swatting at grown and dead weeds as she searched for scents. Her tail flicked, ear twitching for sounds though Kolven could see nothing to have caught her interest. In another life, would they have made for good farm cats? The tiniest shuffle from the weeds was enough to wiggle her haunches and get the molly pouncing, though nothing appeared as her paws flattened the dead plants to the ground. A piece of splintered wood stuck out from the structure, a curl of peeling paint coming along with it just above the plants. As something of visual interest Clover swatted it, her paws breaking it off and leaving small scratches along the wooden surface. "We could always try going upward if the locks become an issue." Kolven suggested, though they were not a collection of aerial Pokemon.

"Have any of you ever farmed before? I watched my kids plant several things, but tending them is a whole 'nother matter." Phrasing not withstanding, with the female Meowth commenting on it, Green was not surprised that the feline Pokemon had not farmed before. All Pokemon were naturally capable of consuming and surviving on berries, but different species had preferences for sustaining themselves on some or mostly meat diets. "I have once, it was a watermelon but it didn't go so well." Drake disclosed, that being more reasonable, though conversely it seemed odd such an... indoctrinated Pokemon hadn't been taught the art in full. Maybe they didn't want fire near young sprouts. Unintentional scorching would spell disaster for new shoots, even those of hardy winter plants. Yet the Charmeleon seemed apt and comfortable around human equipment, so perhaps it was simply overlooked.

"I had some plants at home when I was young, but nothing exotic." She says idly, her eyes glazing over as she recalled such old, faded memories. "The only produce we grew were tomatoes though." Still, a plant was a plant, and most berries did not need special treatment or care to bloom. As they walked onto the farmland, Green let out a tense breath. In such a cold climate, were spicy tamato berries popular, were they the same concept as the juicy, sweet cousins in growth?

Whatever they found, if anything remained, they would have to make due. The land itself was as to be expected; abandoned, overgrown, and rundown, a liminal space that was once bustling with life. An old tire was propped against the side of the barn, long stems of some kind of weed taking over as they grew through and around it. Such a toxic, chemical material, it was sickening to think it would never be used or return to nature.

"Hey Green, have you ever picked a lock before?" Jack called to her, his high voice hard to miss even as her thoughts attempted to wander. "Im something of an expert, though these days its hardly needed." Her devious past had many useful skills, but this one had fallen to the way side with most places having broken doors or windows, and force proving to be the easier way in when stealth was not needed. So far, she heard no buzzing, and with the keeper unaccounted for force could easily be the simpler route. Moving toward the barn door she gave it a quick look over, and tried to pinpoint a weak spot. Barns were designed to be sturdy, to withstand the elements and contain brutes. Even after years alone it would be a strong yet humble structure.

"We could always try going upward if the locks become an issue." With a callous glance at the other Pokemon Green could have laughed at Kolven's suggestion. Again, Flamey remained the only Pokemon with wings among them, and even if Ditty assisted the effort would all be from her team. Shaking her head she ignored it to continue examining the doors. "Modern barns have sliding doors, so there are no hinges we can strike." A locking mechanism lay between the doors, a sliding piece falling in place to hold them together and fastened by a lock. "I could try picking it but breaking it would be faster."

OoC)) Skip, Jack waits to see what Drake thinks and Finn is just lazing around.

Kolven stared absently at the loft above, his mind quickly wandering into a 'what if' should that option come to pass. Via a lift, wings, a ladder, force, whatever got them to the higher level would make for a difficult descent. They would be forced to head inside and explore, and pray they did not need to make a hasty getaway. Though he heard nothing the possibility of something unsavory being trapped inside was always possible, and throwing themselves from the top or banging themselves against the door on the bottom sounded like a horrible and impractical out in a life or death confrontation. "Smell of fresh blood, not from an evil spirit but someone alive." Maka discovered, pulling him from his daydream. "That can't be good." The response was obvious but concern edged his tone nonetheless. Had the Pokemon locked itself in to hide, or gotta trapped from above? Or had they been there a while, and the blood was from attempts to escape? Both seemed unlikely, the rusted lock looking settled in and undisturbed, negating some scenarios.

"They might need help." He worries, sympathy for this Pokemon already growing. Whatever brought them into this barn must have been a desperate situation, and his heart broke at the idea. However, a hurt Pokemon could feel cornered from their entry, or even just their presence. Unknown Pokemon claiming to be peaceful or want to help while looting the joint?  Breaking the door open, barging in, coming in numbers with man and undead alike.. I wouldn't trust that. The Meowth frowned, letting one paw run slowly down the wood facing. His heart went out to the Pokemon already, and he pitied, "We're probably going to frighten them."

Clover continued to pad around the barn, sniffing and searching for anything of interest. The faintest scent of blood whiffed through a crack in the wood, perking her interest and inciting the cat to drag her claws across the boards. She couldn't get to it from here, from beyond this wall, but her mind was already firing and alert by the idea. With a quick trot she made her way back to the front of the barn but came to a sudden halt as sight and scent of flames hit her at once. She had grown bitterly accustomed to the crackle and smell of Drake's flame but the thick smoke taste of fresh fire that flicked at his maw made her pelt tingle. Old memories of hated canines assaulted her mind's eye, phantom pain twitching through her missing body parts as they recalled the event.

A growl started to rise in the throat, but before it became a full scream the meager flames died back. "I shouldn't. If something went wrong, I'd risk burning the barn down with the seeds and food we need. Breaking the lock it is then." Twitching her tail with over stimulation the cat's mind started to buzz. She still wanted the blood, the prey, the thing inside, and the literal burning memory of the Arcanine's hunt blurred together with her desire. "Do it." She provoked the lizard, airy voice quiet but serious. "Smoke it out, bring it here." "Clover." The tom growled back at her, his voice just as serious though hushed as though he did not wish for the unknown Pokemon to hear. With a wave of one paw the molly did not apologize, and continued her badgering, "Catch it unawares."

"Smell of fresh blood, not from an evil spirit but someone alive."

Fresh blood? Green had not seen any signs of recent battle nearby. Other than the field they had crossed this place looked rightfully neglected and ignored. "The 'evil spirit' may claim them soon then." She grunts realistically. Regardless of the reason a lone Pokemon, wounded, locked away in a barn wreaked of suspicion. "We're probably going to frighten them." Cornering a wounded animal? Damn right they would frighten it. Even if the thing could use aid their safety would come first. Again, thinking realistically, Green would not hesitate to put down a Pokemon that could be infectious.  "It may also hide deeper in the barn, if it thinks we are unaware of its presence." They hadn't been that loud, and there was a good chance their words were not coming in clearly through the sturdy wooden building.

Well, they weren't turning back from the plan. "Just stay alert. We don't know which option it'll choose." Hiding seemed more likely as its first choice, but survivors of this thing were crafty. Drake stood close to the lock, a fire attack teetering at the edge of his maw though it was not set free. Instead, he backed away, and gave in to the plan of breaking the lock itself. "Do it. Smoke it out, bring it here." The hellspawn cackled, its sentience unnerving. There was no reasoning with it, nor did she want to, but Green still grunted, "We'd burn down what we came here for."

Letting her fingers glide over her Pokeballs, Green took in a stiff breath. Her Pokemon were ill suited for this task, even counting her lost companions. Blasty could easily smash through the barn with brute strength, but breaking a small lock with precision? Giving a quick look around them she knew locating tools for the job would take too long, and resigned herself to the 'easier' path. I'm sorry to call upon you again so soon, she apologizes as she gripped her warmest Pokeball and threw it up in the air.

The flash of light broke away as her brilliant bird flew high and dove back down into the group, eyes primed and looking for enemies he did not see. The urgency in his gaze faded as he took in the calm and quiet of his surroundings, and while he did not land his flaps grew slightly more relaxed. "What can I do?" He cawed, the normally humorous Pokemon remaining serious as he sought his objective. Greeting him with only a slight nod Green pointed to the old old and uttered her command. "Break it with a Steel Wing."

With his task clear Flamey flew back, arching in a tight circle to come at the barn perpendicular. His wings shimmered with the powerful steel might, and with precision flying let his hardened feathers scour across the metal lock. A loud chime of ringing metal could be heard for just a moment before the broken lock hit the ground and was silenced. Green reached for her Pokeball, ready to let her partner resume his rest, but the Talonflame flew up to the top of the barn and out of reach. Though she waited he did not come back down to be recalled, and did not fight him to do so.

Unfurling the chains and shoving the sliding piece upward Green stared at the collection of wide-eyed Pokemon. "Stay aware of your surroundings." She warned, the unknown threat inside never leaving her mind as she pushed the sliding panel doors open.

Finn looks up at the ceiling wondering what the others are doing and what they'll bring back. Laying down didn't feel the same without Ark around. A frown had appeared on the Braixen's face as if it was a sign he was defeated. He was a fool to not trust another human. Sitting up, Finn looked at the window that looked over the grave of Ark. "Who am I kidding, I'm nothing more than a drongo. No, I shouldn't think like that. They would need me to let them in and I'm going to do it." Standing up afterwards, Finn walked over and looked outside. The snow was still coming down lightly but if Maka was right, then it'll become harder to see. This might be his chance to help if they don't get back in time before the storm gets bad.

OoC)) Skip. Can't think of anything for Drake and Maka to say.

"We'd burn down what we came here for." Clover's red eye shot daggers at the girl, irritation prickling along her spine and only adding to the other stimulus. No one here knew how to have a good time, how to enjoy the thrill of the hunt. She heaved a dead breath, hunger licking at her dry tongue as she stood poised with no objective, no purpose. They knew not the need to hunt, to feed, to kill, but as the cat bared her fangs a flash of light sought to give her distraction, and with a trashing tail found herself backing up a few steps as the massive bird returned to their side. It was prey, food, meat, but the undead Pokemon's meager reasoning told her better than to strike the known Pokemon with talons bigger than her paws.  

With the most simple of instructions Flamey removed their barrier with absolute ease. As the locked clanked to the ground and the chains and lever rattled as Green moved them out of the way Kolven couldn't help but feel misgivings about this once again. They were truly breaking an entry, a building locked with someone inside, but their was no sense of private property in todays reality. "Stay aware of your surroundings." She warned them, but it was not their group the tomcat worried for. Maybe we shouldnt. The voice would not come to fruition, dying long before it reached his breathe and Green pulled the doors open. They could not turn back at this point, their efforts wasted with empty paws, and the damage done with the meager protection of the lock stolen. Even if they were to walk away the being here was changed, aware of them, perhaps afraid, and something would be set in motion one way or another.

Forcing his way in front of Clover Kolven made sure she was in the back of the group. Whatever they found it would not do them well to have her.. condition, be the first thing this Pokemon saw among them. Priming his ears he listened intensely for any noise or presence, not wanting to be caught off guard or walk straight into trouble more than he already was.

(Skip me this round.)

Hearing Green had made Jack nod. Whatever’s inside might be in the process of turning or is could be dying and would be hostile in a way to defend itself or its hoard. The idea of killing another living pokemon never crossed Jack’s mind but if they became a threat then Jack would not hesitate. Jack moved around to see what the condition of the doors was. It didn't look to great but the rail looked sturdy enough to slide the doors open.

Finn stretches out a bit before walking around the mansion and exploring it a bit. He was in amazement when he seen the room with the billiards table. Drake’s owners had pretty much a fun time when they was around.

The Pikachu moves over to help Green with the door. ”Ready Green, on your count.” What will they find inside and whoever Maka was referring to will likely be there as well. There was a chance that they might attack the minute the door opens out of fear of an intruder wanting to attack them.

OoC))Short Post.

The Pokemon came a bit closer, milling about with tense apprehension as she stood before the door. ”Ready Green, on your count.” Not about to offer the unknown Pokemon a cue Green placed one hand on the handle of the door and raised the other beside her. Pausing for only a moment she flicked the hand on a steady beat, flashing her fingers in a countdown of three, two, one. On the last beat she grabs the handle with her second hand, and pulls the heavy door open firmly and quickly.

It creaked with neglect but slid open nonetheless, taking effort but not strain to pull open enough for them to enter. The smell of the air inside rushed toward her, the faint smell of long dried and rotten straw lingering heavily in the enclosed space. Tiling her head and shoulders past the edge of the door she peeks inside and casts her gaze across what she could see. Nothing moving, nothing glowing, but a trail of blood did not escape her sight as he traveled further into the recesses of the barn.

Well, it didn't jump us. Its wounds could be too grievous and hiding its best option, or it could simply be too meek and afraid, or dead. That'd make it more unpredictable. Squaring her back Green took a tense step inside, her hand cautiously hovering over the handle of her machete. "It went further in." She whispers to the others, free hand pointing to the red streaks. Taking more steps Green stays painfully aware of her surroundings while looking about for these alleged seeds. "Look for storage tubs, lots of labeled jars, or small boxes with lots of little dividers."

Jack along with Drake opened the other door. The sound wasn't to fun to hear but it was open. Odd, where was the pokemon that Maka was mentioning? "It went further in." Looks like the wounded is still inside and likely hiding. The Pikachu listened around but nothing was getting his attention. They must be keeping silent in order to avoid being detected from the undead but if they're bleeding, then it would be pointless. Going in, he could see some blood but didn't look like a struggle or signs of chunks of insides. He did look up a bit seeing a gardening scythe with some blood dripping off it. "Look for storage tubs, lots of labeled jars, or small boxes with lots of little dividers." Jack nods and starts looking around for them. Nothing so far but maybe Drake knows where it is.

Finn continued to explore around a bit more. Wondering around a bit more, he went into another room that had five arcade machines. Some was old games but the cabinets was well taken care of. "He's got everything doesn't he? Now I'm envious of Drake. That Charmeleon lives the high life but why does he bother with us? Something to ask him later." Afterwards, he moves on to the next room and when he opened the door, he saw nothing but towels and well kept clothes. Looks like he found a closet.

Jack continued searching and he still hasn't found anything. "Nothing here. Anything on your end Green?" The Pikachu asked as he jumps up to the shelf. Though along it was a few sacks that has pretty thick material but they looked tied up tightly to prevent anything from getting in or spilling out. "What's this?"

As the doors slid open Kolven couldn't help but feel on edge. It didnt feel like they were waltzing into a trap per-say, but this certainly felt wrong, or even taboo to break where someone was hiding. When nothing immediately launched an attack at them the tomcat braced himself and made his way inside. It only took seconds for Clover's red eye to go wide, the pupil narrow as her mind latched onto the semi-fresh smears of blood across the far end of the floor. Her mouth parted, drinking in the smell and concerning her brother as her tail began to thrash with interest. With a hard stamp of his foot his claws clicked against the floor, distracting her for just a moment and bringing the cat bitterly back to them.

"It went further in." Green was quick to comment on the stains, the whole of their team thinking of the other being that was somewhere around them. "They're still here, losing more blood from moving." Grimacing, Kolven feared they were causing the creature further harm. What if, in an attempt to get away from them, it broke something or got trapped? Clenching his teeth the tomcat ignored the fears and instead focused on the space around them. "Look for storage tubs, lots of labeled jars, or small boxes with lots of little dividers." With a fervent nod the Meowth trotted off course, sniffing around the edges of the main space for anything earthen or planty.

Clover was quick on his heels, and while her good eye kept lingering on the curving streaks upon the wood it was the tap of Kolven's paws that kept her attention. He leaped onto a workbench, moving out of sight aside from the flicking of his darkly colored tail. Though she could not see what he was touching the sound of his paws against wood and metal formed pictures of tools and wood instead of the spoils they came for. Letting her own tail twitch impenitently the molly weaved about beneath the bench. A dust covered can lay forgotten underneath, and she swatted it with one paw, watching it bounce and clunk across the floor.