The NUVEMA Team

Buck marched along back towards Nuvema, grunting a little as his scar began to itch. He patted it, knowing that he'd open up the scab again if the tips of his claws got anywhere near it. But he quickly drew his hand away as something wet and thick came into contact with it. Buck pulled a face of disgust as he looked at it. Is that ... pus?

Closing his good eye and frowning at his half-blurry vision, he found that the pus had been seeping from the eye itself, not the scar. That morning he had woken up with slightly uneven vision - the scarred eye was less focused than the good one - and that still hadn't improved. Am I going blind? No, just one eye. But why is it happening now? Either way, being half-blind was not something that would benefit him, and so he tried to tell himself that it had just gotten something in it, like a tiny piece of bark from the tree or something, and that it would go away soon. That's definitely not going to help when there's a load of zombie crazies running around ... and Jacques.

((OoC; Still can't do anything... Skip T.T))

Keeping guard at the waterhole had left Flame with a deep sense of unease. Things were quiet around here, far too quiet. Normally places like this attracted as many undead and infected as living but...
The Infernape isn't sure exactly why but she just feels uncomfortable.
The sensation was eerily like someone, somewhere was watching them and it makes the white fur at the base of her neck stand on end.
In an uncharacteristic silence Flame carefully walked behind the rest of the ground, faking a smile but inside as tense as a coiled spring.
It makes her stomach hurt and again her hand unconsciously flits to the cloth tied around the wound on her arm.
She had taken the time at the waterhole to slip a bit away from the others and wash out the wound.
If anything it seemed to getting worse. The area around it was defiantly the deep purple of the disease and worse it seemed to spreading. The bite marks themselves had started to develop a crust of rancid green pus.
With care she had washed it out where it couldn't recontaminate the water supply and retied the now completely clean bandage.
She had taken barely a sip of water for herself.
Somehow she just didn't feel that thirsty anymore...

Flame sighs to herself, crossing her hands behind her flaming head in a laid back sort of way as she strolls along beside the others. Honestly, what did she have to complain about? They had the water, quite a few yummy berries and she was sure than with a couple of battles at their side these new pokemon could be good friends.
It was this silly wound making her paranoid about everything for no good reason.
With a small chuckle under her breath the Infernape relaxes for the first time in a while and smiles.
If they were here let the good times role~!

Nuvema Team/Afternoon(34)

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AH! Where are they? Why haven't they arrived? The show was going too slow and I was the only actor or the set. All the other actors had decided to skip the scene. I would have none of it!

I stood up and stretched. I rumbled low in my throat and lumbered over to the destroyed remains of the Pokemon center. The burnt pieces of wood, the shattered neon letters, the broken glass. Truly a glorious sight to behold. I smiled at my handiwork and at the memory of what followed. The plot twist had occurred and all the suspense had led up to this moment, when the curtain rose and Act 2 began. I revealed the agenda of my character and destroyed what little technology could've helped them.

Hmm. Why was I thinking of this as a movie...no not a movie, something much better and far from the triteness that a movie contained. What I was thinking of was a play. I wondered, was I a playwright in my past. Psshhh. How absurd. Humans treated us as ignorant animals. There was no way I was ever a playwright. Perhaps, for some foolish reason, I wished to be one.

I don't know what I had done prior to awakening just outside of Nuvema, surrounded by the corpses of who I had deduced to be my traveling companions and atop a cold, unforgiving earth. All I really remembered was my name.

I absconded my thoughts and peered upwards where the sun flew. It was only halfway to Night. I cursed under my breath. When I had left this morning it felt like I had been gone for a couple of months but in reality, only a few hours had passed. At this rate, Night will never come. With a impatient sigh I made my way back to the opening of Route 1. I crouched beside Woe's grave. After several seconds, I said quietly,almost to myself,

"I hope they get back soon..."

Saphalom and Flame were oddly quiet as the little group trudged their way back into Nuvema Town. Buck didn't mind one bit; personally he appreciated some time to think about what would happen if he did lose half of his sight and how much easier he would be to target. But as they passed the sign that had once welcomed Trainers and their Pokemon into the quaint little town, Buck stopped walking for a moment. Somehow the air of the quiet town had ... changed somewhat. Buck knew that it had nothing to do with the ash from the smoldering remains of the Pokemon Centre nearby. The atmosphere carried a tension that hadn't been there since Jacques was still around. B-But that idiot wouldn't dare to come back here! Buck told himself, forcing out a laugh as he carried on, still holding the leaf containing the berries carefully between his claws. After all, aren't serial killers just big cowards in reality?

"Hey, we're back!" he called up the window of their little hideout as they approached it. "We got berries and water!"

---

Panthera had been flicking her tail from side to side with worry for the past ten minutes. Here she was, stuck inside with wounds that could potentially kill her if she moved around too much and let the poison spread while her friends were out risking their lives for her. It could be worse I suppose ... at least Unique is here. She fondly looked up at the Ditto, still disguised as Buck, as he sat near to her. Panthera sighed and rested her head on the cushion she lay on. Starting up a conversation was not something she felt like doing. Only when Buck and the others returned safely would she be able to relax.

"Hey, we're back!" called an upbeat and wonderfully familiar voice from outside. Raising her head with a start, Panthera beamed in relief and would've jumped to her feet if it wasn't utter agony to move. "We got berries and water!" Those two words were like music to Panthera's ears.

"Unique, they're back!" the shiny Liepard said, the pure relief in her voice evident to all who heard it. "Would you go and see if they're all right for me?" She involuntarily started to claw at the cushion in excitement; her predictions about Jacques or that horrible Charizard coming back had been incorrect. I have my friends back with me for a few more hours at least.

The purple-flaming Infernape smiled as she strode onward and shook a few stray droplets of water from her long hair.
Refreshed by her short contact with the water Flame felt a bit more optimistic about dealing with her disease. The prickling feeling of apprehension still rises up inside her but she desperately fights it down. Desperately she wishes for the reason they encountered no trouble on their journey to be that the forest was simply peaceful but inwardly she knows that is not so.
There were undead in the forest, that was simply logical, but it would take something, or someone pretty intimidating to keep them away.
Although she appears to relax inwardly she starts to tense as they get closer to the township and the still lit-up remains of the torched pokecentre.
It is still a fearsome intimidating sight.
The silent and rather creepy figure of the Dusclops at her side still carrying the bucket full of precious water the Fire Type is not at all glad to be among the circle of human structures once again. Too many places for things to hide and the fur on the back of her neck still prickles with the feeling of being watched, the sensation far stronger than it was beside the pool.
Instinctively her dark-skinned hands are balling themselves into fists.
'Awwww is little Flamey scared?' The mocking voice echoes with laughter inside the Infernape's head and she grits her teeth as she tries to drive it back.
Wildfire, as the voice of her madness had named itself, resisted the force enough to let the infected Inernape know she was getting stronger.
With the bite wound oozing further poisons into her bloodstream Flame's other half was getting stronger.
Before Flame had managed to keep her caged, preventing her darker half from surfacing for so long it was almost like the menace that was Wildfire was nothing more than a bad dream...
Until that fateful fight where Wildfire had wrested control of her body from her and not given it back until fighting tooth and nail Flame had driven back into the recesses of her mind.
It seemed once uncaged Wildfire had gotten stronger, now her mocking sickly sweet tones haunted Flame in moments of unease, letting her know that as soon as she couldn't handle a battle her other half would take over to raze everything to the ground, whether friend of foe.
'If you need my help you know where to find me' Wildfire tells her with a last burst of her constant mocking laughter before her other half fades away yet again.
Closing her eyes in a apparently carefree smile the Infernape follows closely at Buck's side, raising one arm to wave towards where she knew the other two members of their band waited.
Inwardly she prays to Arceus that the two are still o.k.

Nuvema Town/ Afternoon(35)

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My ears lifted up frantically, as if being blown by the wind. I turned my head in the direction of a voice that I could now recognize by heart. A hideous grin full of jagged teeth appeared on my face. Time to play.

I moved to the side and made my way around the house until I was parallel to where the voice originated. Using my powerful legs, I leapt up onto the roof of the house.

The tiles shattered. Good, I wanted them to hear me coming. I crawled down until I was crouched above Buck, Saphalom, Panthera and Flame, my humongous bulk causing a shadow to mar the earth below. The skulls draped around my neck hung down, swinging slowly in the small breeze.

Then in case they hadn't noticed me yet I said from above, with a malicious smile,
"So oo's ter fiery lass? Is she garn ter play along tonight?"

With an almost playful skip in his step, Buck kicked open the door and crossed the threshold into the house. After awkwardly limping up the steps his face lit up at the sight of Panthera and Unique still there, alive and well. "Here we are, tuck in." Buck placed the leaf full of berries on the ground and opened it, letting the bulging contents roll out. He took a Pecha Berry and held it towards Panthera's mouth. "Eat that."

"Thank you, Buck." The Liepard plucked the berry from his hand and chewed it gratefully, almost feeling its nutritious juices flowing through her bloodstream towards her wound, calming it with a faint but pleasant tingle. "How is your leg?"

Buck had almost forgotten about the cut on his knee since the pain had calmed down somewhat after he had consumed that Oran Berry before leaving. He flexed it out, bending it back and forth with a slight wince. "It's not bad. Just annoying really. Better fix that." He took a plump Sitrus Berry and popped it into his mouth just as Saphalom plodded into the room and set the bucket full of water down on the dusty wooden floor. "Oh yeah! We got water too. Have some." Jumping to his feet, he pushed the heavy bucket towards Panthera's head and she accepted it gratefully before dipping her mouth in for a drink.

Just then, Buck thought for a moment that a small meteorite had landed on the roof. He nearly choked on the berry he was eating after jumping so violently that he almost knocked the water bucket over. "What the - hell was that?!" he spluttered, tossing his half-eaten berry aside and hopping up to the window and leaning outside, turning his gaze to the skies, to try and see what it was. His eyes widened in fright and shock and his mouth hung open in disbelief as a horribly familiar shadow loomed over him. He was just starting to fathom who had arrived when two skulls, suspended on a string, suddenly dropped down and dangled right in front of his face.

With a screech of terror, Buck jumped backwards and fell off the window ledge onto his back. His wet gaze was wide with the horror of the gruesome sight as he scrambled backwards towards the wall. The empty eyes of the Sneasel skull bore into him and he soon found himself retching, leaning against the wall and doubling over, holding his stomach.

"So oo's ter fiery lass? Is she garn ter play along tonight?" rumbled a terrifying voice that literally sent a cold chill through the open window. Hiding her worried expression under a hard scowl, Panthera pushed herself onto her feet and glared straight at the set of jaws that were floating in their view. "Jacques, whatever you think you are not going to get your way. And..." Unable to keep up her I'm-not-scared-of-you act, her voice fell into a soft, almost emotional plea. "...Why can't you just leave us alone? We've done nothing to you."

How filthy his empire had become.

Gliscor glided over the skies of Nuvema Town, the afternoon sun beating down on his large, leathery wings as his gaze followed a small group of pokémon. Vermin! Weak, pathetic little creatures. Their disgusting pumping hearts, the tiresome breath that needed to fill those fragile, meaningless lungs. They were better off dead rather than tarnishing his perfect world with their inferiority.

He made his descent.

Swooping down at an alarming rate, slicing through the air with an eerie elegance, the Harbinger burst through the window of the house they’d sought refuge in. The glass, shattering and flying blindly on impact, Gliscor was unfazed. He barged through; giant form dwarfing the group of living that he was so intent on exterminating. His attention latched onto one of two weavile, something very slightly off about its appearance to pique the Harbinger’s interest.

“You’re impure,” He hissed, lunging at the screaming creature. His pincer sliced off the creature’s legs effortlessly, a spurt of blood flying into the bat’s face as the limbs fell as a gory, pink, jelly-like substance. Snarling, disgusted to find his victim a ditto in disguise, Gliscor’s fury immediately heightened. Disgusting…

Wasting no time in disposing of the squirming, screaming eyesore gradually shifting into the image of the Harbinger, Gliscor refused to have his image tainted by such a lowlife. Throwing the creature to the floor, he ruthlessly slammed his pincers into his target. Each hit evoked a cry of agony, a spurt of crimson as the Harbinger remained intent on making such an imposturous creature suffer for its pitiful existence.
“How,” A furious hit. “Dare,” Another powerful punch as Gliscor hissed furiously at the bloodied pulp of a ditto. “You,” It was virtually unrecognisable, its transformation abilities rendered useless as the pink mass was stained a vibrant red, its smashed face non-existent. The Harbinger, keen to ensure zero chance of survival soon sliced the remains in powerful pincers, bloody slithers of ditto splashing about the room as Gliscor finally turned away, satisfied.

Pleased to have eradicated a ditto, the lowliest of the low in his grand world, Gliscor forgot about the other impurities sharing his company. He hadn’t time to waste his undeniable skill on tearing them limb from pathetic limb. Their time would come soon.

Slipping silently out of the broken window, Gliscor disappeared into the skies.

Nuvema Team/ Afternoon(36)
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A rumbling growl emerged from my new throat which now passed for my laugh. I was amused at the expressions of all present. Buck was enveloped in horror from my newest accessory. Panthera was trying to pass off a facade of bravado. I quickly got serious when Panthera started talking. I dropped the last few feet from the roof and landed on the ground causing a tsunami of dust to rise and settle slowly.

"Get my way? Oh no, I just came to say hello. After all, I promised not to kill you all till tonight, when Buck evolves. As for why I won't leave you alone.."

I had to ponder that. After all, she was right they had nothing to harm me but I still felt that I had to kill them. It was the only thing I really remembered liking. It was the only thing I could purposely do.

"It is my purpose to kill any living or undead creature who should cross my path. My life would be meaningless without you're deaths."

I looked up to the sun, which was almost directly above me. A dark shadow rose over and swooped down. It was dark, purplish blur. It toar through the glass and the sound that followed were horrendous. The sounds of sliced flesh being torn asunder. The gurgling blood filled cries of whoever was inside. If I wasn't used to those sounds I would've screamed in fear and fury. As it was, it was unsettling to listen to the sounds when I wasn't the cause of them. Then the sounds stopped and a pleased looking Gliscor appeared in the shattered window. He ascended and disappeared in a few seconds, leaving the others to try to comprehend and let loose their emotions. I peered into the house where the others stood in horror.
As time returned to normal instead of the slow motion format it had been in, I realized that Saphalom had been knocked away. I saw him in the distance. He picked himself up and as he looked back at us his eye filled with barely controlled insanity. I felt the kinship I had previously acknowledged feeling once more. He was trying to reclaim his sanity or at least control the madness within him. Then he gave in or perhaps accepted it and rushed after the Gliscor, leaving us behind.

I felt lost. Abandoned. Still I managed to stay focused. Unique was dead and Saphalom was gone. I felt something resembling remorse for Unique. I would have made her death quick, perhaps painless. I had no need to torture the living, or spit on the dead. Still I turned back to the remaining members of Nuvema Town. The fiery lass, Buck and Panthera.

"...I...I." I almost said sorry but that wasn't my role. For the first time I was at a loss for words.

Without another word I sat down and a pile of dust rose up. Then finally, disregarding my role I said,

"I'm sorry."

It went wrong. Even more wrong than it was now. So wrong that Buck knew that his fragile will couldn't take much more. As if Jacques's reappearance wasn't bad enough, an undead Gliscor suddenly burst through the window and threw itself at Unique, murdering him in cold blood. Buck could do nothing but press himself firmly against the wall and watch the horrid scene unfold itself. No... The Sneasel clutched both of his ears and pulled on them, shaking his head vigorously and squeezing his eyes shut. "No, no, no, no, NO, NO NO!" He couldn't take it, he just couldn't. First Woe, then that Lairon and now this. All three of them, torn to pieces by a crazed undead - a trio of undead like he had never seen before - for absolutely no reason other than to quench an infinite bloodlust. Three perfectly innocent and good-natured Pokemon, who never deserved any of it.

A loud wail escaped from Buck's throat as he made a beeline straight for the window and leapt straight out of it, landing with a groan and a slight stumble on the ground below. Not stopping for a moment, not even thinking of the others he had left behind, and the fact that Saphalom had been launched through the wall by the attack, Buck fled into the surrounding forest. Justgetawaygetawaygetaway--

---

A loud scream erupted from Panthera's throat as the Gliscor burst through the window, sending sharp shards of glass flying in every direction. The Liepard dropped down and covered her face with both paws, only to uncover her eyes and spot with a gasp that Unique was promptly being torn to pieces by the undead heathen. "NO! STOP!" Gathering her strength she dashed forward, but by this time the Gliscor had finished hacking Unique to shreds and had slipped out of the open window.

For a moment, Panthera stopped, her breath coming out in heavy, shuddering pants as tears began to pour down her face. Why...? Letting out a soft sob she lowered her head towards the ground, feeling herself getting angrier by the second. That bastard! He had the nerve to burst in there, kill Unique and then barely even look at anyone else? Why not come in and kill everyone? Why just Unique? She wasn't sure, but the fur on Panthera's back began to bristle and she pulled back her lips into a furious hiss as she darted towards the stairs and awkwardly bumped herself down them.

Once outside she looked about frantically for any signs of the Gliscor, but he was well and truly gone, barely even leaving a single clue as to where he had gone. How DARE he!

Her anger wasn't exactly soothed when Jacques jumped down from the roof. Whipping her head round she glared at him, daring him to even try and make a remark of some sort without receiving a good Night Slash to the face. But what the Nidoking said startled her greatly. "...I...I...I'm sorry." Panthera simply stared at him for a moment before arching her back and spitting at him. "You're sorry? You have the nerve to attempt to murder us and stalk us and then you tell us that you're sorry?! Yes, I suppose that you're 'sorry' that you didn't get to kill him yourself!"

Usually being a calm individual, it wasn't like Panthera to get this angry. As she looked out over the forest to where Buck and Saphalom had disappeared into, she limped towards the trees with a defiant swing of her head. "I'm going to look for Buck and Saphalom."

Nuvema Team/ Mid Afternoon(37)
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If what I had seen had only shaken me a bit I could scarcely imagine what was going through Buck's mind. He fled past me into the field surrounding us as Panthera turned slowly to look at me. Her fur bristled as the anger that she couldn't release at the Gliscor built up and exploded from her maw, focusing on me.

"You're sorry? You have the nerve to attempt to murder us and stalk us and then you tell us that you're sorry?! Yes, I suppose that you're 'sorry' that you didn't get to kill him yourself!"

Ah, anger. An emotion I can deal with, comprehend and use. Also a opportunity to save face. I leapt to my feet and with a hollow, toothy smile on my face.

"You're prolly wite! the bloomin' only fin' i'm sorry abaht is lettin' 'im turn ter gelatin before I devour the flesh off his bones!"

I turned around and stalked toward one of the other abandoned homes. I rip the door off the hinges and throw it into the field opposite of where Buck had ran. As I stalked into the shadows of the house. I looked over my shoulder and unleashed yet another toothy smile. In a quiet voice that I knew that a Pokemon with Panthera's hearing could discern I said,

"I shall try ter kill ya aw tonight...but I do 'ope this fahn of ours doesn't end, daan't ya? anyha, I won't be 'oldin' back, so if ya can't fight, get aahhht of me way and i'll save ya for dessert."

Without another word I walked into the house and the shadows swallowed me like a hungry monster.

(OoC: Did not know Kaze was in the safehouse. I would've posted alot sooner sorry.)

((I'm going to skip I'm afraid. Buck is going crazy in some tree somewhere and Panthera is looking for him. There's not a lot I can really do without Flame to join her.))

The Infernape's purple tinting eyes open wide as the Gliscor glides down and scatters buildings like they are tissue paper, brutally attacking and killing before flying away without bothering to turn on them too.
The flaming monkey grinds her pointed teeth as her head flame flares up, its purple hue deepening in her anger.
These were her new friends and she was not going to just sit around and watch them get hurt like this.
Her long agile fingers flex and she calls forth sparks of bright golden electricity to crackle across her fur.
She doesn't know the Nidoking with the twin skulls wrapped across his chest like a war prize but she remembers being told about some crazy Nidoking burning down the Pokecentre and the injured Liepard explodes at him with built up anger.
The Gliscor is long gone with no chance to try and avenge their fallen comrade but the sassy shining dark type still seems determined to take out her anger on something and the Nidoking is providing a perfect target.
Though the faint quiver of emotion in the Nidoking's apology could be genuine it returns swiftly to a curt aggression.

This guy needed to be dealt with but before Flame can ask about some sort of organized assault plan the Sneasel, broken by the death of his friend, flees off into the forest.
Even though Flame is sure that the little Ice Type just wants to be left alone for now he is running straight into the forest and that's a bad place to be stuck.
For now, even though he is irritating the Fire Type greatly Flame's concern for the Sneasel outweighs her desire to destroy any threat to her new friends.
Buck had always seemed the in control one, he was a leader Flame could trust but now the shock of seeing such a sudden death had unhinged him. They needed to fix that, to get all the grief and fear and anger out before it destroyed them all.

Nuvema Team/ Mid Afternoon(38)

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I had sat down several feet from the doorway. The darkness enshrouded me as I looked outwards. The dust floated and settled with each breath I took and the rotted floorboards strained and somehow retained my weight. I tensed up and untensed. I did this several times.

I wasn't satisfied with the way I had reacted to the sight of bloodshed of the ditto. The one named Unique. In fact I was angry at myself for even letting myself even speak those words I head sad afterwards. I had killed many, I was sure. When I woke up I was surrounded by the bodies of my travelling companions and covered in there blood. Since arriving at Nuvema Town, I had killed others, but they had no names. None that I asked for anyway.

The Ditto was different. I knew it's name, although that was it. Could I bring myself to kill the others, knowing their names? I was sure I could. After all, I must have asked those I traveled with their names. Didn't I?

I stood up and walked farther into the dark house. My brow was furrowed and my eyes squinted. I was trying to remember anything, anything at all about my past. I closed my eyes and slowed my breathing. Images flashed before my eyes and shattered as I tried desperately to hold them.

I remember a place. It was dark sometimes.Other's very bright and noisy. Either way, there was always the metallic scent of blood. I remember words spoken by...somebody. I just don't remember who or what spoke them.

I slammed my fist through a wall and bellowed in anger.

"SCREW THIS! THIS AIN'T GETTIN' ME ANYWHERE!"

I sat down heavily and folded my arms across my chest. Was it ever going to be night?

Buck was sure that he had never moved quite so quickly as he barreled his way through the undergrowth, desperate to just get as far away from that town as possible. That cursed, wretched place. The place that had brought him so much pain since he had arrived. Except for claiming his prize, his precious Razor Claw, none of that trouble had been worth it.

When he figured he was a good distance away, Buck clamped his Claw between his teeth and scaled a tall tree, climbing its truck with little effort despite his injured knee. He ignored its persistent sting as he reached the highest branch possible and sat on it, bringing his legs close to his body and wrapping his arms around them. Woe... His bottom lip trembled and a sniffle escaped his throat as he thought of the fallen Chandelure and how violently, mercilessly and randomly he was killed. That Lairon girl... He'd only shared a few words with her - all of which had been rude and sarcastic - and then she was dead as well, murdered by that crazy Lucario. And now Unique... The Sneasel knew that he couldn't take much more of this. He'd been in this town for little more than a day and already he felt like he was losing his mind. He wrapped his arms around himself and sobbed into his knees, looking up for a brief moment to catch sight of his Razor Claw tucked between his two fingers on his left hand.

"What ... are you doing?!" he spoke aloud, quickly covering his mouth and eyeing the surrounding area for any undead that might've heard him. Realising that he was safe, he stared down at his prize with trembling hands. You have it ... You have the Claw! It's exactly what you came here for. Norma Jean was right about the whole thing. What are you still doing here? Take the Claw and go before ... before you're next! In between his frantic thoughts he vented his frustration by raking his claws on his free hand on the truck of the tree, leaving long, thin marks in their wake.

But as he took a look over to the rooftops in the distance, knowing that by leaving he would be abandoning Panthera and the others, Buck cursed under his breath and shook his head. "Get over yourself, Buck," he mumbled. "They need your help." Images of Jacques and his tyrannical, murderous grin flashed through his mind and he felt himself shiver with revulsion of the vile creature, but if he left and made the journey back to Johto knowing that he'd left the only friends he'd managed to make throughout this nightmare with that ... thing, Buck knew he would never forgive himself. It's not just you anymore.

The weight of what had happened still held supreme over the Sneasel's mind and he slumped back down again, telling himself to just have a few minutes alone before heading back. You fled like the coward you no longer are. Huh ... are they even looking for me?

---

Panthera flicked her tail defiantly and marched off into the forest to look for Buck. The anger that had been bubbling on her usually soft surface was starting to ebb away as she placed her priorities on Buck and finding him before he got himself into trouble. She knew that the Sneasel's already fragile mind would've been cracked even further by that incident, and she reckoned that, if anyone else died today, she might not be able to take it.

Noticing that Flame was behind her, she cast the Infernape a sorrowful gaze. "I'm ... sorry for dragging you into this. I never would've done so if I'd have had the choice. If ... if you want to go then you can go. I don't want you to end up getting hurt, or worse. Also, I--"

"What ... are you doing?!" Panthera stopped in her tracks as she heard a stricken voice from somewhere above. Looking up, all she could see was the thick canopy broken only by the occasional gap of sunlight. Head raised high in the air, ears perked up and alert, she glanced at Flame. "Did you hear that? It sounded a little like Buck. I think he's in one of these trees."

The Fire/Fighting Type stands tall, her blazing headflame twitching faintly in the breeze. The scarf tied tight around her arm is a sign of what she has lost...and what she could still gain.
"Listen...Panthera." The name seems curiously clear in her mind. "I'm not being forced to help you guys out, you're my friends. Survivors gotta stick together because all we've got is each other."
It takes all her effort not to let her hand drift to the armband of twisted cloth around her wound, the bite mark slowly oozing poisons into her blood stream.
She isn't going to be a survivor for much longer.
Flame tries not to shudder. Lately it felt like misfortune was dogging her every step.
The ape-like Fire Type feels the slow creeping sensation of someone walking over her grave...if she ever got one.
"[b]Maybe if our friend Buck has cooled down a bit we can take the Nidoking down once and for all." She strategizes outloud.
One ear flicks in tandem with the large shining furred feline's at the sound.
Tracking was never her thing, her fists solved most problems, but there was every chance the Liepard was right.
Her bare tough skinned feet with their agile gripping toes crunch on the thin bed of fallen leaves as Flame carefully looks up towards the noise.
If it isn't Buck it may be something a good deal less friendly.
The Infernape sighs as she dwells on the Sneasel's dramatic but hardly groundless breakdown.
It was the fault of the times they lived in and Flame hated an opponent she couldn't beat, especially when it did such things to her friends.

Nuvema Town/ Late Afternoon(39)

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Almost immediately after sitting down I stood up again. I was bored. Very bored. I would have to become different. Change the game. I wasn't as evil as the act I played. As the others believed me to be. Fine.

They perceived me as evil, when we were all just part of the play, then I'd act the part. But to act the part, I'd have to look the part. I looked down at my crude skull necklace with the Sneasel and the Arbok skulls. They were a nice touch but they could be juxtaposed much better. I went upstairs where a bed lay. I went to the closet across from the bed and splintered the moldy timber of the sliding door to timber with a flick of my tail.

Inside were rags and cloth. Some filthy and frayed, others more preserved. I smiled. These would work finely. I began my work.

((OoC: Sorry for the short, crappy post. Holiday stuff.))

((OOC: My post rather depends on what Night's doing so skip for now ^^;))

Nuvema Town/ Late Afternoon(40)

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As I ripped and tore clothes from the closet, making a patchwork of swirling bits of fabric spray out across the room, I changed my mind. Not about what I was doing. No, I changed it to reflect the new views.

I was no longer the actor playing the part. No, now I was the character. I killed parts of my personality and devoured them and from the sustenance, gathered, created new parts to replace those consumed. I shuddered and roared as my mind ripped itself apart and built a new psyche. I fell to the ground convulsing as the pain subsided.

I opened my eyes. Everything looked slightly different. As if I was looking at things in a new light. I got to my feet and swept one of the larger pieces of torn cloth onto my shoulders. My protruding spikes tore through the cloth. I stooped and picked up the skull necklace that had been torn free in my convulsions. I died the leftover leather onto each wrist. Next, I tossed the Arbok skull out the window and pierced the Sneasel skull through my back spike, causing the lower job to splinter off.

"What to do. What to do."

I paced back and forth with my hands curled and held behind my back.

"Hmph. I have already committed arson. Atrocious showmanship on my part really. I could have done so much better."

I stopped. Looked up at the dirty, dust covered roof for answers and began pacing again.

"Hmmm. I used to so enjoy the destruction of property but now..."

I walked down the molding stairs and started at the front door.

"Now destroying property all feels a little lack luster...Hmm . Have I been speaking aloud? Did I used to talk to myself?"

The old personality would've jumped at the prospect of property destruction. He wouldn't have talked to or second guessed himself. He was like a sadistic, little child really.

"All valid points. But I plan to be a little more refined. A little more precise. Why destroy property when I can just go over and snap that little flaming monkeys neck?"

Well, my old personality had made a promise to the Sneasel and the others that he wouldn't kill them until night. Do his old promises apply to you now?

"What a aggravating nincompoop. I guess I must inherit the debts of my predecessors. There's other Goldeen in the sea anyway."

I walked out the open doorway. My predecessor had torn it off and thrown it inside. I ventured out into brilliant sunshine. I turned my ears slowly in 360 motion. I picked up Buck talking, perhaps to the others. I rotated them slightly to the left.

"Vere is man who stole pelt? Vere he is!! VERE! VERE! VERE!"

Whoever it was, he was about half a mile to the place Buck was speaking. If I got there fast enough, I might be able to kill the weird speaking creature without alerting the others.

I leapt onto a roof. With another bound, I was two houses over. With another, I sailed into the trees in pursuit of the creature whose pelt had been stolen.

((OoC: Sorry for the long post.))

((OOC: Oh damn that is awesome but there's still nothing I can say until Night gets back ^^;))

Nuvema Team/Late Afternoon(41)

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I tore through the brush like one of those large metal contraptions humans use to ride. Only I didn't have little parts breaking off me. No the only things being ripped off were the frail branches that got in my way.

I half wondered why I was charging towards the creature crying for it's pelt. Did I seek a fight? Did I want to watch something convulse in agony as it uttered it's last breath? Did I want to end this boredom? Yes. Yes on all accounts. But more then anything else, I wanted to be the one that killed everything. No one would be killed without my permission and certainly not those I had already claimed to kill this eve.

I roared loud, hoping to attract the attention of the peltless one. I could hear it's movement me cease as it heard my scream. I burst from the trees over it and what I saw...
It was an undead Ursaring. I knew this easily because I knew nothing could look like it and truly be alive. It was peltless in a sense. It's fur was gone, that much was true. But under the fur, where there should be skin, was none. I could see his leather like muscles which had small tears in them and some of his exposed unmoving arteries. Yet somehow he could move freely. The only thing betraying his discomfort was the occasional grunt.

I gave a smile. "Don't worry I'll put you out of your-"

He moved faster than I could track. Perhaps I just wasn't paying that much attention. His fist collided with my face making a sound not unlike that of wet cement falling onto the ground. I flew backwards, smashing through several trees and then landing in an circle of open space.
I could hear the others behind me. If they got caught up in this they might try and fight the Ursaring. I couldn't have that. They might do something stupid. Like die. They could probably hear the Ursaring and me fighting. I'd have to end this quickly.

The Ursaring crashed through the brush and into the circle. It looked at me, it's eyes bulging and crusted with grime, unable to blink it out without eyelids. It's mouth foaming with saliva. It opened it's grotesque maw and roared,"DO YOU HAVE PELT!"

Shit, they definitely heard that.

((OoC: Thank you. And here's something you can join in on if you want.)