(ACE) The MARSH Team

Seek tried not to make it so obvious that she was looking at the berry, swapping paws to clean the other half of her face. Her helmet shifts uncomfortably on her head. Maybe it'd be nice to take it off for a little, at least long enough to wash her entire head. the Eevee stiffens at her own thoughts. No, not around these guys. Not until she was completely sure it was safe would she even consider taking it off. With that thing hanging around outside the Normal Type doubted that would happen anytime soon. "Not eating?" The Cubone asked but she was unsure how to reply. 'Well duh!' Or maybe 'Not from you' seemed like decent answers.

"Well I," She hesitated, feeling the knot in her stomach grind further. "Like to wash before eating." Yes, that sounded honest enough. Reaching her paw forward the female Eevee hooks the soft berry with her tiny claws. It feels soft against her pad but she tries not to grimace. The thought of it feeling the same way as the mud outside is sickening. "We might be in here for a long time. You can't really afford to be picky." As true as that was she still had standards. However, she squashes back any ill feeling as eats the blue fruit. It tasted better then it looked and thats all that mattered at that moment.

Eleroo chewed his berry thoroughly, enjoying the juiciness of the fruit. It'd been a fair while since he'd had something so nice and after all that running this was good enough to be a drink. A sweet and sticky drink but one no less. Turning his tired brown eyes to Jerome the Eevee smiled. "You should eat something too." He mutters softly, trying to keep his gaze from the Bisharps bleeding stomach. Maybe its best if he stops eating- Jerome could use all the healing he could get at this point.

Vier sullenly examines their surroundings. Nothing here but decaying human stuff. This really was nothing but a wreck. It was a fairly stable wreck with solid walls but it was a wreck. He preferred a nest in the trees with Zhen over this sink of rotting, rusting human junk.
He pulled his satchel tightly over his shoulders and idly started to sharpen the end of his club on the ground.
"Hey Jerome how long will we have to stay here?" He asked the Bisharp with a bitter tone. "Zhen and I have things to do."
Slowly dragging the end of the club along the floor with a sound like nails on a chalkboard he makes eye contact with the injured Bisharp.
Being away from Zhen for so long put his teeth on edge. Every time the Weavile was out of sight he began to fear Zhen would forget him.
Vier stops dragging his club along the ground. He looks up and to the side where he thought he heard a noise. Cocking his head to the side he listens carefully and hears a hiss.
"That's Zhen!"

Zhen's eye reflects no shock as the dark shadow resolves itself into the shape of a bird passing overhead. The other specks follow it, drawing together and drifting apart as they beat the air with their wings.
The end of a bandage trailed through the mud as Zhen stood.
His head aches with a thought trying to form. The cold static of his mind buzzed.
Vier was inside.
The jolt of feeling that accompanied thinking about the Cubone ran down his spine. The long hooked claws twitched.
He wasn't hungry. The lumps of rotting meat rested immobile in his digestive tract. Dead blood still crusted the fur of his face.
The red eyes are piercing cry of a diving raptor didn't make him hunger or fear.
Instead the dead-eyed ice type breathes out. His breath leaves a curl of mist in the air.
Hunkering down into a defensive position he hisses loudly and bares his claws.

Jerome happily zoned out as the others started to eat. He thought of Courtney, and how he had inexplicably become some sort of role model for her. What qualities could he possibly possess to obtain that status? Arrogance? Irritability? Social awkwardness? No, she had seen something more in him on that day before her heart-aching death; something that not even Jerome could put his finger on. Or was it because I'm blue? The Bisharp's fist clenched as he scolded himself. No. There was definitely more; nothing that mundane. But what? Huh ... maybe if I hadn't let her get hurt she'd still be here and I could find out. His grip tightened on the soggy flesh around his wound, and for one barbaric second he wanted to rip the whole thing open and watch his blood and guts pour.

"You should eat something too," the sickly Eevee said, possibly just saving Jerome's life. He tore his hand away from his belly and looked down at the berries. They looked tasty, but just the thought of them in his mouth made him want to throw up. Maybe it was just the stress he'd been through or the fact that he was injured, but Jerome's appetite was nonexistent. Still, he thought, perhaps he should force one or two of them down just to ease the pain.

"I'll try." Jerome stood up and carefully bent down, picking up an Oran Berry. It felt soft and squishy in his hand; Jerome held back vomit as he popped it into his mouth. The second his teeth split it and the juice exploded out, he retched loudly. Doubling over, he spat it out, coughing and heaving. What the hell...? He stood up, wiping juice and saliva from his chin as he looked at the others with a slightly dumbfounded expression. "Sorry ... I guess I'm not ... hungry."

"Hey Jerome how long will we have to stay here?" the Cubone suddenly snapped as Jerome held his aching stomach. "Zhen and I have things to do."
Not liking the little shit's attitude, Jerome scowled straight back and snarled, "Do you see me trying to stop you? Go whenever the hell you want; I don't give a shit. Take your 'pet' and never come back, for all I care." Jerome flinched as the Cubone dragged his club along the metal floor. "And stop that; I don't want a headache as well."

Vier suddenly raised his head, alerted by a noise. Jerome listened too, and heard an aggressive hiss from outside. "That's Zhen!"
Glad of an excuse to get rid of him, Jerome said, "Better go help him then," as he reached up and opened the hatch leading outside. He fixed the Cubone with a hard, defiant stare. "Go on."

Eleroo beamed as Jerome went to eat the soft berries. Everyone was eating, that was very good, but the small feeling of satisfaction he had had was taken away as the Bisharp retched and refused the food. The Eevee tightened his body into a smaller form. Maybe that was why he was not eating.. "Sorry ... I guess I'm not ... hungry." He didn't seem angry at him and though that was comforting Eleroo was not even more worried about the dual type. At this rate he would lose energy fast and though the Evolution Pokemon hadn't known him long he was already deeply concerned for his well being. "Maybe.. you should relax then." He mutters apologetically.

Seek grimaced and took several steps back at the sight though. Disgusting.. while she was eating too! A sickly shiver runs down her spine and she turns her body a bit more away from the Bisharp. It was fine if he didn't want to eat but making her lose her appetite was a whole different matter completely. Dont ruin food for me man. Honestly.. that would be a real shame.

"Hey Jerome how long will we have to stay here? Zhen and I have things to do." The Eevee's ears perked. What kind of things was this Cubone talking about? Only the Legends would know what horrid things this demented Cubone would do with the Weavile it lugged around "Better go help him then," Oh how she loved the take charge no BS side of Jerome! With a dark smile the Eevee rose to her paws, danger dancing in her eyes. Wouldn't want your little friend to be in trouble now, would you?" Eleroo took a step forward as to help the Cubone but Seek firmly stamped her paw on his tail. Its his business, Eleroo." She warned him.

"Do you see me trying to stop you? Go whenever the hell you want; I don't give a shit. Take your 'pet' and never come back, for all I care."
Coldly Vier glared up at the injured bisharp as the tall blue-skinned pokemon lost his cool. Despite his clearly crippling injury he seemed a lot scarier when he was angry.
"And stop that; I don't want a headache as well."
Vier stopped dragging his club along the floor, instead holding it at such an angle that if Jerome tried to rush him the jagged end would end up tearing a greater hole in the Bisharp's insides. Vier found himself cut off from the two Eevees as the tall steel type stepped towards him. Jerome reached up and opened the hatch.
Beyond Vier could see grey sky and the flicker of shadow as a wing passed over his line of sight. Blood trickled down the grey skin of his his body at the stretch, running down the bright blue of a leg.
"Go on."
Vier glared at him.
Wouldn't want your little friend to be in trouble now, would you?"
Behind the bisharp Eleroo made a small motion as if to assist him and Seek clearly stood on his tail to hold him back.
Its his business, Eleroo."'
That smug tone made Vier want to whack her with his club. Eleroo was the only one of these self-justified bastards who would try to listen. The rest just saw Zhen as a threat.
Well Vier felt more comfortable with him than he did with them.
With a curt nod in their direction Vier clambers upwards and sticks him head through the hole.
"Zhen!" He calls out.
The cubone turns, jamming the door open in case Jerome changes his mind.
"Zhen, come!"

Zhen is surrounded by movement. The ground and the sky can barely be seen through the flickering of beating wings. Feathers fall around him like dirty snow.
Unable to make out anything meaningful in the noise and motion the Weavile lets mud soak into his fur.
He doesn't pick targets; anything that comes too close to him he blindly hacks at with hooked claws that are once again dripping the near black of old congealed blood. A similar dark ooze stains the once snow-white bandages over his body as talons and beak leave straight lines of black across the purple-grey of his fur. He does not feel it.
He hisses again, an instinctual response to trouble.
Without a path he is driven back and forth in front of the tram car by the flock. He ignores the harsh cries of the flock as they dart towards him and carry off mouthfuls of flesh in their beaks.
His blood-red eye scans the dull mud, searching for the familiar flash of tan.
Vier...
Where is Vier?
"Zhen!"
The cry echoes in his feather-like red ears as he turns rapidly. The images of the flock fade further. Zhen has something to focus on.
Vier!
The Weavile becomes a bullet of grey fur and sharp claws. Any bird that gets in his way is brutally cut down before it can completely obscure his view.
"Zhen, come!" Vier calls to him again.
Claws catch Zhen's shoulders as the Weavile sprints towards his target. With a powerful beat of its wings the undead succeeds in lifting him from his feet for a moment. Zhen's pupils contract in anger as Vier grows further away. He digs his teeth into the scaly leg, tearing it off. The other claw releases, unable to hold his weight and Zhen tumbles down towards the cubone.
Tan arms close around his neck and pull him inside.
Yanking free the club the hatch clatters shut once more with the noise of irritated claws scratching at where the Weavile had been.
The Weavile slowly unfolds, adjusting to the change in light. He curls his arm around Vier, holding the Cubone close against the unknown threat.
"Thanks you much for your help." Vier says in much the same tone as Seek used. "I was worried Zhen would be left outside alone."

Jerome watched, barely concealing his satisfaction, as Vier climbed up to the open hatch. Judging by the sweeping shadows and shrill screeches, there were nowhere near as many birds as last time, but still enough to keep the Cubone and his little pet busy enough for him to slam the hatch shut and trap them outside. I'm doing you a favour, runt, the Bisharp thought coldly as he watched Vier poke his head outside. Wouldn't you rather get eaten by a horde of birds than your own friend? Besides, he couldn't suppress a nasty chuckle, living idiots are nearly as bad as undead ones.

"Zhen!" What...? Why wasn't he moving? Jerome watched as Vier suddenly jammed the door open with his club, and was too late to realise what was happening. "Zhen, come!"
"NO, YOU LITTLE FUCK!"
Surely enough, quick as a flash, the undead Weavile was back on top of the tram and was being pulled inside by Vier. Jerome practically shook with anger as the hatch was closed and the two of them dropped to the ground. His expression livid, he observed Zhen as he wrapped his arm around the small Ground-type and cradled him close; he felt SICK.

"Thanks you much for your help," Vier remarked snidely, and Jerome's lip curled into a snarl as he realised what he had done. "I was worried Zhen would be left outside alone."

Jerome was sure he'd have a heart attack or something if he got any angrier. His breath heaved out of him in deep growls, and before he knew what he was doing, he had extended both of his blades. "I -- you -- did -- FUCK!" He was so overcome by trying to keep himself in control he couldn't speak properly. Frustrated, hooked his hands and swiftly clawed at his neck, the pain overriding the fury for a moment. Vivid, red scratches appeared as he lowered his shaking hands, and glared down at the pair. "Give me -- give me ONE fucking reason ... why I -- I shouldn't just take your fucking heads off RIGHT NOW!

If this was his way of putting off killing them until he could find his reason, it was good enough. But the Cubone needed to start talking, and fast - for one, chilling moment that sent ice through his veins, Jerome craved the taste of blood.

The female Eevee feels extra smug as the Cubone starts to make his way out. Shifting so that she was now sitting on her companions tail she sinks her fangs into the remainder of the berry and swallows. Her body shakes slightly at the sickly sweet flavor but it passes. There is a dejected look in Eleroo's eyes but she purposefully does not catch it. He needed to stay out of this. "Zhen, come!" Her downed ears rotate slightly. "Oh hell no." "NO, YOU LITTLE FUCK!" There isnt enough time for the shocked Eevee to react. The scrabbling and cawing from outside makes her fur instinctively puff up so she looks twice her size but the seer terror reflected in her blue eyes sets it on end as the embracing pair tumble back inside the car.

Seek let out a shrill cry and took several scurrying steps back. Amidst it she roughy crunched on Eleroo's tail with her paws and the male jumped in pain before ducking low to the floor. With her lips drawn back Seek hisses, "What the hell!" The berry in her stomach gurgles and threatens to be seen again as they embrace, the Normal Type practically gagging by the sight alone. "I -- you -- did -- FUCK!" Body quivering the Eevee jumps forward, "Are you for really??"
"I think its sweet." Eleroo murmurs softly, a smile on his face. Its plain to see, at least for him, that these two must of gone way back. Maybe.. romantically? He had no idea but it was cute to see them so happy, regardless if one of them was a violent undead. "How can you say that?" Seek hissed at him but Eleroo held his ground. "Because its true." He stated simply to her.

"Give me -- give me ONE fucking reason ... why I -- I shouldn't just take your fucking heads off RIGHT NOW! The females fur ruffled, and she stood closer to Jerome. Pelt crackling with life and electricity sparked through it she growled. "Speak, worm." Her Hidden Power wouldn't do jack to a ground type and she didn't really want to attack it but seeing the Bisharp so riled was getting her excited. "Stop it!" Eleroo begged, rising to his paws and standing as tall as he could. Seel hisses again, her blue eyes staring at him but he does not back down. A Shadow Ball started to form at his lips and he angled his head at the shiny before him. What was he doing..

What the hell!"
Vier carefully looked over the Weavile. There are several new sratches against his purple-grey fur that will not heal, merely congeal but they won't warrant covering with bandage.
Hooked talons still dig into the ice-type's shoulder where the severed leg of a flying type almost comically sticks upright in the flesh, held in place by the rigor mortis of the muscles.
Carefully Vier pries it free and holds in in one hand. The other still holds his bone club, turned so he can use the sharpened end with more ease.
""I -- you -- did -- FUCK! The Bisharp snarls, barely managing to keep his cool.
A deep growl rumbles up from Zhen's throat and Zhen carefully pats him on the shoulder.
"Calm Zhen, calm." He tries to soothe the Weavile.
Are you for really??" And there's the Eevee, always eager to follow the leader without a thought for anything else.
Zhen might not be in the right mind right now but he could tell when he was in danger. Jerome was not in his right mind...Even Eleroo could see that.
Vier felt a stab of sympathy for the boy, standing up for what was right in this situation.
"Give me -- give me ONE fucking reason ... why I -- I shouldn't just take your fucking heads off RIGHT NOW!" The Bisharp was shaking, clawing deep red gashes in the flesh of his neck as he snarled out a dire threat.
Vier looks up at him with dark eyes behind the mask of bone and presses close to Zhen. The soft dark fur behind him gives him the strength to keep talking.
"Well you don't look like you're going to listen to reason but I'll try anyway. First of all you're not fast enough to kill both of us with your guts nearly out..." Vier reaches up to the hatch.
"If you kill Zhen I let the birds in and they kill everyone in here. If you kill me Zhen gets revenge and kills everyone in here. Either way making a move isn't a wise move here."
His eyes flash.
"Secondly, you're being irrational. If Zhen's going to hurt anyone first it'll be me and it would be my fault for trusting him and you'd get away just fine, right? Well I've known Zhen all my life, even after he got sick and he hasn't done anything but care for and protect me."
He points the leg at Jerome.
"Right now you're sounding a lot more monstrous then Zhen. Hungry?"

Zhen's pupils dilated. His ears twitched.
What words were being said were nothing but snowflakes in a blizzard but he could tell their tone wasn't kind.
His hooked claws curled around the Cubone's back as if it would shelter him from the words. He doesn't feel it as the claw is pulled from his shoulder. It's mostly skin and bone so it doesn't spark his hunger.
He blinks as he tries to focus on what is actually in the room.
Fur that looks as soft as his own but in a color like tree bark. Prey. Vier color but not Vier. Unimportant. Not a threat.
He focuses on the blood, rich dripping red, starting to form a tiny pool of the floor. The scent of rich meat brings his mind into a sharper focus.
Blue skin and blades. Blue and red. Sharp and unwelcoming.
Bad. Threat.
He growls a warning at the blue bloody thing. Zhen pats his shoulder and draws his gaze down.
Brown skin. White bone. Vier.
Vier presses close to him and he can barely feel the press of the tiny body against his decaying skin. Protect.
His eye focuses entirely on the dripping red thing.
Threat...
Threat...
Threat...
His claws are ready to tear into it if it comes near his Vier.[/color]

((Skip me please. Just say that Jerome is still standing there looking livid and not saying anything. He isn't sure what to do just yet. He is disturbed by Vier's "Hungry?" remark.))

Seek growls, the static in her fur literally making it stand on end. She was getting really sick really fast of this damn Cubone and its cuddle toy. Clenching her jaws until they hurt the female Eevee tried to look as fearsome as she could, which was difficult being a tiny ball of fluffy brown fur. "Well you don't look like you're going to listen to reason but I'll try anyway. First of all you're not fast enough to kill both of us with your guts nearly out..." Gaze shifting to the Bisharp the Evolution Pokemon had to agree that Jerome wasn't in the best of shapes. "But what about all three of us?" She hisses with a flick of her tongue. "If you kill Zhen I let the birds in and they kill everyone in here. If you kill me Zhen gets revenge and kills everyone in here. Either way making a move isn't a wise move here." Taking a step back the only option the Eevee can come up with is attacking first and attacking both, but the risk kept her away from the other Pokemon

"Secondly, you're being irrational. If Zhen's going to hurt anyone first it'll be me and it would be my fault for trusting him and you'd get away just fine, right? Well I've known Zhen all my life, even after he got sick and he hasn't done anything but care for and protect me." "I dont care how long you have known him that thing is a monster now. AND if thats the case you wouldn't be the first to be slaughtered, youd be the last!" The electricity dies back though her fur is still full of static and puffy. Without taking her sight off Vier Seek pads back over to Eleroo and sits protectively in front of him. Her tail sweeps forward and hides more of his scrawny form. "Right now you're sounding a lot more monstrous then Zhen. Hungry?"

However, the male Eevee was not content with being guarded at this time and tried his best to peek around his companion to speak. "He's not being monstrous, just cautious. There is no reason to fight though, the Cubone is right, he hasn't done anything" At least, not yet.. He hated to doubt his new friend but an undead was an undead. The look in its red gaze.. it was only a matter of time before someone accidentally provoked it. At that point Eleroo wouldn't feel bad about putting it down or sending it away but for now he saw no problem with it staying nearby. Heck, it might even be better to have the undead, like a form of defensive against others. Fierce power and protective instincts.. Rising to his paws the Eevee tried to walk past Seek but is repetitively blocked by a quick shift in her shoulders and paws. "Stay back." She orders with her fangs clearly exposed.

"But what about all three of us?"
"If it had been Eleroo trapped outside to be eaten by undead would you have done anything different? Would have let your family die?" Vier asked calmly and met her gaze.
"I don't want a fight. I just want my family to be safe."
He tossed the limb away. It bounced twice then skidded to a stop halfway between where Vier and Zhen sheltered and where the Eeves and the bleeding Bisharp were. The dark blood on the talons gleamed like a warning.
"I dont care how long you have known him that thing is a monster now. AND if thats the case you wouldn't be the first to be slaughtered, youd be the last!"
Vier shook his head lightly, his helmet rattling a bit as it bumped against his skull.
"Maybe. Either way Zhen's here now so it would be best if we didn't fight. It would just end in someone getting hurt."
Zhen's eye moves to him as the little cubone stretches up to be able to pat the taller Weavile's head.
"You would hurt them would you Zhen?" He says softly. "You've already had a good meal right? We'll be just fine."
Vier smiles.
With a noise partway between a grumble and a purr Zhen leans in closer and Vier climbs onto his lap. Below the cold fur muscle and bone is stiff with the start of rigor mortis. It's more like a doll than the loving guardian who had rocked him to sleep but his fur is still light and fluffy to the touch. It was close enough to be a comfort.
Things would be alright. Zhen would keep him safe.
Stay back"
"No problem." Vier closed his eyes. "I feel safer over here."

Zhen's head is hazy. The strength seems to have bleed from his limbs. It felt nice when Vier petted him. The feeling of the stubby fingers running through his fur was familiar and he didn't know why but it made him happy.
A deep grumbling purr burbles out of his throat, a sound with all the meaning stifled.
He no longer wants to move.
Vier has dragged his attention away from the blue and red thing to the little pokemon in his lap. In a flicker Zhen forgets the threat even existed. The familiar weight in his lap is all he needs.
He reaches down, his large hooked claws wrapping around the Cubone's skinny shoulders.
This was familiar. This felt safe.
He lowered his head and waited, dormant, for the next thought to pass his mind.
A tingling sensation passed over his furred arms as he bent down and tried to lick the bone mask. His severed stump of a tongue waggled pathetically before he withdrew it.
In his mind this is the cave at home, in the woods on the mountain.

"And I sing to myself...What a wonderful world." The Sceptile crooned.
He dragged his claw slowly along the taut skin and it slices easily to let crimson red flow over his talon.
"Mmmmm. He hums as he presses down until he feels bone.
A sharp squeak of pain manages to escape from his patient's mouth and Sade slams his claws over it.
"Hush now, this is for science." He says softly.
His grin is inhuman, a stretched rictus of glee as his eyes shine like rubies. Every word is transparently a lie and he wants his prey to know this and for their fear to grow.
A pecha berry pink tongue peeks from the corner of his horned beak and swipes over the hard edge as he clacks it together.
His palm is already starting to fill with warm blood. Slowly he licks a smear off his fingers then wipes the claws on the patch of orange fur.
"You know it was a Raichu that ruined my last experiment." He said conversationally.
With a twist of his claws he cut away the layer of fat from under the skin.
He leans in close to the Raichu's remaining ear. It's dark eyes are blank and sightless from the pain. Under his claw he can feel the slowing pulse of organs. The heartbeat under his fingertips is starting to slow. The Raichu is played out on the ground like a lab rat being dissected. Using a branch Sade pins open the flaps of skin further to get a better look at the still pulsing with life bloody organs.
He can barely contain himself. The meat of the tail and paws, crunched down inch by inch to accompanying squeals...it made him so excited.
Sade leant in and ran his long tongue over the exposed viscera, slowly, deliberately, savouring every shiver of death that ran through his meal.
"Mmmmm." He hummed contentedly as he flicked his tongue back into his mouth. "That's good."
Extending one sharp-tipped claw he carefully worked it into the chest cavity and with a forceful rip snapped open the rib cage.
The Raichu isn't breathing anymore.
Its respiratory system fills with blood that gurgles wetly over the fur of its lips. It's small body twitches in its death throws.
Delighted Sade holds it tightly close to him, his breathing getting faster and sharper as the spasms slow. He licks up the blood oozing from the body and plucks out the organs with his beak.
"Ah, yes, yes, yes!" He cries out as the last movements stop and he triumphantly rips out the heart and swallows it.
Blood slowly drips to the ground as Sade collapses backwards.
His breathing rate slowly begins to equalize (not that he breathed out of anything but habit anymore). Contentedly licking the blood from the tips of his claws Sade looked up at the sky.
What a wonderful day.
The sun was shining, other undead were too stupid to attack him and after such a fulfilling dissection he felt all light and bubbly inside.
Reaching down Sade stabs his claws into the Raichu's eyes and roughly gouges them out. Sucking the eyes off his fingertips he plans his next move. He'd had some good long fun with the Raichu before he couldn't hold himself back any longer. Still it didn't quite make his heart sing like it did when he still had a heart.
He wanted bigger game.

Eleroo sits dejectedly behind his friend. Already he can imagine the feeling of her teeth in his loose skin, puncturing it easy and letting the thinnest trickles of blood flow- a common punishment for disobeying. But she hasn't been that rough to me in a while.. Had something changed? No, she was not one to change, he just knew better now. "I feel safer over here." Brown eyes blinking in a slow, non-glazed way the Eevee has an odd thought come to him. We're the same. It makes no sense and perfect sense at the same time. Vier had Zhen and he had Seek. Protectors..

"Do you think those birds will back off?" He mutters in an attempt to change the subject. "Would you like to tell them otherwise?" Seek hisses at him in a low voice, her patience with the other Eevee failing. She paces in front of him, her mind swirling with agitation. "Well," She grumbles, flicking her blue eyes toward the Cubone, "Seems we've reached an stand still." It felt like ants were crawling through her pelt at the very idea of literally being stuck in here with that thing and not being able to do a damn thing about it.

((OOC: Skipping Vier and zhen for plot reasons))

With a contented sigh Sade slipped from his relaxed posture into action. Hooking his claws into the Raichu's stomach cavity he dragged it with him as he crept across the muddy marsh. His tattered white coat billowed behind him in a faint breeze.
Casually raising the body to his mouth Sade wrenched off a meaty leg. Chewing on the slimy raw muscle his rubious eyes flickered over the moor.
He crunched the bone in his hard beak as, on all fours, he stalked across the marshy ground in a predator's unhurried gait with angular head held tilted to pick up any enticing sound.
Not too far away he head an avian caw. Flattening his frond-like tail against the dirt he crept closer.
Birds were amusing to play with, once you cut away their wings. They had such frail bones.

Subtle in his movements Sade peeks over the verge. A group of birds are squabbling in the mud around a rusting chunk of submerged metal.
Their ratty shedding feathers are touched with purple and streaked with old blood. A few bear more recent scratches lined with nearly black congealed blood. He doesn't need to check their beady bird eyes are red to tell these avians are deceased.
Tch. Torturing the undead wasn't nearly as entertaining.
Looking down at the birds with disgust Sade notices a mark in the wet mud among the forked bird footprints that greatly resembles a paw print.
Interesting.
Sade tilts his head to the side and focuses his vision on it. That is definitely not a flying type's foot print.
The Sceptile swallows his mouthful of meat and creeps closer. The jagged lumps of bone dig into his gums and increase the flow of blood from his mouth.
There had been another pokemon here; a Weavile if his tracking skills were accurate. Yet there were no footprints leading away to suggest it had left and no scraps of fur or meat to suggest the birds had eaten it. Where then had it gone?

Another harsh caw tells him the birds have finally noticed his presence. One of the disorganized flock of undead slowly advances, intent on driving him away from this spot.
Sade smiles and puts two claws in his mouth. He blows a loud whistle, attracting the attention of every member of the flock.
With every pair of red eyes on him he raises the body of the Raichu in the air and watches as, magnetically, the eyes of the birds are driven to it. With a grin he tosses the corpse high in the air and watches the birds take wing. Two sets of claws puncture the bedraggled orange fur at once and rip the body in half. Intestines dangling between the pieces both birds take off in opposite directions to enjoy their spoils. An entourage of opportunist thieves follow, eager to snatch a bite. The few stragglers Sade discourages with a handful of flung mud.

No doubt the instinct driven things would soon forget why they had congregated here in the first place. Slipping back into a predatory stance Sade finds a nice patch of thick marsh grass to conceal himself in. With the yellow seeds along his back and the flaring of his leaf-like tail he is perfectly camouflaged among the marshland plants.
Now to see if his hypothesis was correct.
"Hello? Is there anyone living around here?" He called out in a voice loud enough to carry. He knows from practice he sounds perfectly non-threatening. "The birds are gone!"

Jerome's mind whirred as his emotions ran high, the Bisharp still glaring down at the Cubone and his pet as they spoke. This was a dilemma and a half, and the only thing Jerome could think of was to just leave; say "fuck it" and get the hell out of there. Yes, that was what he would do. The second those birds fucked off, so would he.

Surely enough, the sounds of their cries and scraping talons began to cease, but before Jerome could move, a voice called out: "Hello? Is there anyone living around here? The birds are gone!"

"There's my cue," the Bisharp growled, climbing up onto one of the chairs and reaching for the hatch. "Fuck this. I'm out of here."

He pushed the door open and let it fall with a loud crash. Jerome scanned the area for whoever had called out to them, but saw nothing but the trees and shrubs of the Marsh. He frowned. "Who ... said that?"

Seek shot daggers at the Cubone with her blue eyes. The content he had with having that thing so close, with having their emotions run rampant, enjoying it even as though it was a show.. it disgusted her. Turning to Jerome for guidance the brown ball of fur was disappointed to find him being less then forceful, silent in rage. Opening her mouth to prompt him on she is interrupted by a new, distant voice. "Hello? Is there anyone living around here? The birds are gone!" Oh legends yes the birds were gone! Tail wagging Seek perks up, an unnaturally wide smile on her muzzle. That meant they could toss that wretched crea- "There's my cue," Wait, what? "Fuck this. I'm out of here." Her heart sinks. No no no, he cant just leave! He cant just leave them with that demon, no! Their leader, her leader wouldn't do such a thing.

"Piss off." She spits at the Cubone dismissively before completely turning her attention to Jerome. Scampering after the Bisharp Seek claws her way up the chair, giving a mighty leap to throw herself onto the lip of the opened hatch. She wouldn't let him get away that easy. "Who ... said that?"
She would of looked for the new comer herself but instead Seek was faced with a new problem. In her haste she had overshot the jump and found herself sliding down the side of the slimy, rusted car. Paws scrabbling for grip the Eevee flailed about, desperately clawing at the vegetation that gave way with no fight at all. With nothing to stop her the Evolution Pokemon tumbles over the side completely, a loud splash sounding as she sink deep in the mud and water below.
The female Eevee sits upright, her forepaws in the air and shaking wild. Mud flings from her toes and a look of pure disgust is clear in the grimace of her face. "Noooo!" Her fur, her beautiful fur...

The other Eevee scratches the floor in distress. He can hear her, Eloise is shrieking and she had left him. "Oh dear legends why??" What happened, was she hurt, did she forget about him? Eleroo climbs up on the chair but he is not strong like the other Eevee. He jumps from the top of it but its more of a floundering flinch and he merely fails back to the bottom of the tram car. A small tink echos in his ears as his necklace taps the ground. Pain fans across his weak form. Not poison.. not poison.. He was just hurting from impact.. Forcing himself to stand Eleroo is trembling uncontrollably. His scruffy pelt fluffs up, breath hitching. "Seek!" He cries out, climbing up the chair again and trying to jump for the opening, careful as he can as not to fall again. We have to stick together..

"Hello? Is there anyone living around here?" The cry echoed dully in the confined space. Someone was in the marsh above!
"The birds are gone!"
It wasn't a voice that sounded familiar but, cocking his head to the side, Vier could hear the scratching and squawking of the birds had stopped.
Excitedly he looked up.
"Come on Zhen, let's go!"
He quickly re-cinched the leather satchel over his shoulder, checking to make sure it wouldn't fall off. The sooner they leave the less likely they are to get attacked by these pokemon.
"There's my cue,"
Jerome stood, a stain of red still spreading over his midriff. Vier looks at him suspiciously, shuffling out of the way as he goes to the hatch. Using a chair to boost himself up he roughly opens the door.
"Fuck this. I'm out of here."
Well good riddance to bad rubbish. He didn't need the help of someone so caustic. He wasn't sure Jerome would turn on him just because of Zhen.
"But what about all three of us?" The Eevee squeaks, not seeming to get Jerome doesn't really care.
Piss off!" She spat at him and leapt after the bleeding Bisharp.
Eleroo fumbles, trying to follow her. He slips and falls from the chair and Vier winces.
"Seek!" He yelps and Vier looks down.
His hand tightens around his club.
"Zhen, give me a hand." Vier orders.

Zhen blinks slowly, Vier's words starting to percolate through the haze in his brain. His long furred limbs unfold as he stands and silently follows Vier over to the hatch.
His hooked claws reach out and close around the scruff of the Eevee's neck. Reaching up towards the hatch he puts both Eleroo and Vier outside before lithely leaping up himself.
Perched on the edge of the sunken tram he looks around the marsh and sniffs the air, ignoring the angry squalls of Seek in the mud below.
His blood red eye drags over the ladscape and sees only plants.
Vier knocks his bone club against Zhen's thigh.
The Weavile kneels to let Vier climb onto his shoulders.
Short fingers run through the fur behind his feather-like ear. It feels nice.
Zhen purrs.
"Who ... said that?" Jerome demands.
Zhen raises his head and sniffs at the air. The breeze bears a bitter note.

Sade waited patiently, his body completely still against the muck, as his cry echoed across the desolate moor.
Milky white membranes slipped over his red eyes, keeping them moist as he waited. espite his low crouched position his body did not ache. He could wait like this for hours if he had to, perfectly still and waiting to strike. This is what it meant to be an ambush predator.
He did not have to wait so long before there was movement. A scrape of rusty metal, a flicker of movement and the sunken lump of the human tram is opening up. His guess was correct; the owner of the footprint had indeed taken refuge in the muck-covered human wreck.
Quiet and still he waited for the best moment to strike as a hand rises above the hatch. It is grey and gleams metallically, smeared with blood. That is not a Weavile's clawed paw. It is a Bisharps but strangely colored. Sade's interest is peaked. Though covered by smears of blood the body of the emerging pokemon is blue.

With baited breath the Sceptile waited still as the Bisharp emerged and looked around. His perfectly frozen body and reduced breathing is enough to fool the bleeding pokemon's eyes, it squints suspicious at the marshland.
"Who ... said that?"
Sade is not inclined to answer.
His pink tongue slowly extends past his beak and draws over the edge as he concentrates. Bisharp were line-of-sight hunters. Among the twisted plants of the marsh his extended tail hid him well.
Ignoring the fading echoes of the roughly opened door the Bisharp holds one hand to the gash on his stomach, trying to stem the flow of crimson blood. One good slash would be enough to take him down but...the fun of science was in seeing them break. Sade decides to wait.

With a rustle another pokemon scrambles from the open metal door. A bright yellow blob of a rocky helmet perched precariously on her catlike ears the Normal Type overestimates its jump. Claws scrabbling uselessly on the rusted metal it tears free hanging vines in the futile attempt to avoid plopping in the mud.
The brown furred pokemon now a darker shade of brown it bewailed the state of its fur. The noise drew three more pokemon from hiding, first another Eevee no doubt investigating the sound, then a Cubone with a shattered bone club and finally the Weavile lithely leaps into the open.
Sade hissed under his breath and withdrew. It was as clear as day the bandaged thing was at least infected. Its one eye bore a quiet vacancy of expression as it obeyed the Cubone's unspoken command but it is sniffing at the air. Weavile hunted by scent, it was time to make a choice.

Like flies on a piece of meat Sade's red eyes darted from pokemon to pokemon. His claws twitch and he runs the tip of his agile tongue along the edge of his hard beak.
Choices, choices.
His tail fanned out behind him the Grass Type pressed his body low to the mud and crept forwards in a predator's crawl, slow enough to not be easily noticed.
The Weavile would have to be avoided. Undead were no fun to play with and a fight would give the others time to flee. For the same reason he couldn't target the Cubone perched on his back or the Eevee by its clawed foot. If it was travelling with living it must have retained enough wits to notice his approach. It had already picked up his scent.
Going from a sedate, near motionless crawl to a sudden sprint Sade sped from the treeline like a leafy bullet.
He leapt for the Eevee still squalling in the mud, grabbing it by the ruff of its neck before it can climb free and tearing loose himself. His hooked claws grip tightly to the rusting metal as he braces himself against it. Continuing the motion he flings the thorn-like dart of a Mega Drain at the oozing wound on the Bisharp's stomach, ready to tear open the already vulnerable wound and drain strength from it.
"That would be me." The Sceptile answers playfully looking down at the Eevee. His red eyes are alive with an inhuman joy and a thick trickle of crimson red runs down the side of his jaw as he speaks.

It was far too quiet for Jerome's liking. The only sound to be heard was the hiss of the leaves above as the wind picked up. Whoever was out there had made a point of attracting their attention and then disappeared as soon as they showed their faces. The Bisharp's arm blades extended with a fwing as his eyes scanned the Marsh's floor, once more seeing nothing but the shrubs and mud.

Frantic scrapping from above barely shifted Jerome's attention. Seek had apparently followed him, only to lose her grip on the tram's rusty surface and splash down into the oozy mud. "Noooo!" Her cry of dismay, however, did earn a sharp scowl from the shiny Bisharp.

"Ssssh!"
"Oh dear legends why??"
"I said shut--!"

Something green suddenly shot out of the undergrowth. Jerome hardly had time to raise his arms as it swept past him, nearly knocking him over. He stumbled against the side of the tram, swearing and holding his throbbing wound tightly. A sharp, thorn-like spike flew towards his stomach, but thankfully it hit his hand instead. It still hurt though, and Jerome snarled at the undead Sceptile as it stood there, smiling at him, with Seek dangling from his grasp.

"That would be me."
"You son of a bitch!" Using all of his current strength, Jerome threw himself at the reptile, his bladed hands glowing as he prepared a Metal Claw. No one outsmarted him.

His body wasn't strong enough to exert this kind of energy. Already the scruffy male Eevee was panting from the effort, brown eyes as wide as his gaping mouth. "Zhen, give me a hand." He hardly even hears the Cubone speak but the feeling of claws on his scruff brings forth a squeak of surprise. Going limp for a few moments Eleroo lets himself be lifted, grateful for the assistance and momentary rest as he steadies himself on the side of the tram. "Thank you." He pants to both the Cubone and the Weavile, making sure the pair equally knew his gratitude. Looking to Zhen for a few extra moments Eleroo fails to understand what the others were so paranoid about. He seemed so kind.. in his own way.

His mind snaps back with a start. Eloise is still whining and upset but his eyes can see the truth now: as he peaks over the lip of the car he can see that she is merely dirty and no worse for wear. She loves her fur. A small relieved sigh puffs from his muzzle and mixes into the pants. False alarm. Though he does not enjoy hearing her wail at least she is alright. "Ssssh! I said shut--!" If he had the breath to spare he would of laughed. No one could make her be quiet.

Seek thrusts her head side to side in a vain attempt to flick the mud away but the grim sticks to her like glue. "This is so disgusting.." She moans to herself, gingerly dangling her free forepaw while the other was still stuck in the muddy water. Cleaning this stuff off would be even worse, having to run her tongue across its foul.. She shudders at the very thought, blue eyes falling toward the ground, dejected. In an attempt to stand up the Eevee tugs with her hind legs, the mud holding her down with powerful suction. Icy cold water splashes on the remaining dry patches of her form, chilling the Evolution Pokemon down to the bone. She whines pathetically.

Then she is literally ripped free, the mud singing out with a sucking sound as she is torn from its grasp. The world is moving too fast, there is pain in her neck but Seek's eyes are locked on the swaying marsh as she tries to orientate herself. "What the heck is happening..!" She squeals in surprise, paws flailing about though they were quickly tiring from the weight of mud. Tossed and moved about the Eevee is utterly lost at whats happening until she sees something on the soggy ground that looks like.. A foot? Forcing her head to turn upward Seek's blue eyes go wide at the sight of the bloody-faced Sceptile. "That would be me."

All goes quiet in her mind as the Eevee stares into the pair of large red eyes. This thing... Unable to breath she simply hangs there, limp. Her mud-soaked fur cant conjure a spark to save her life and by the look of things there is no way for her to damage it like this. "You son of a bitch!" She hears vaguely from above, snapping her back. "Jerome help me!" She screams. He was her leader. He would help her..

"This is so disgusting.." The female Eeevee bemoans, coated in mud. She moves her paws lethargically, apparently stuck.
Serves her right, Vier thinks primly, that is why you look before you leap.
"Thank you." Eleroo politely ducks his head to both Vier and Zhen as he wants for breath.
"Happy to help." Vier smiles, looking out over the Marshland. It looks completely empty. "You look tired. Are you feeling o.k?"
Maybe he'd been hearing things?
No, Jerome had heard it too hadn't he?
Vier rubs at the side of his bone helmet in confusion. Then where was the pokemon that had called out? Had it gotten eate-
A sudden flash of movement catches Vier's eye as what he thought was a bush drops into a run straight towards them.
The Weavile moves before anyone else can, enfolding the Cubone is his furred arms. The soiled bandages part as Zhen opens his mouth wide, scarred and twisted lips drawing back from bloodied gums as he hissed. The severed stump of his cut tongue made the noise echo across the marsh.
Vier stuck his head over the crook of Zhen's arm to try and see what was happening.
It moves swiftly in a straight line, seemingly about to scale the sunken tram, but then it quickly darted off to the side and snatched up Seek.
It holds the mud-coated normal type by the back of the neck and wrenches it from the mud.
"What the heck is happening..!" The Eevee squeaks in surprise as she is hauled into the air.
Once it stops moving the blur of green and red isn't a pokemon Vier recognizes. Blood oozes from its mouth as it immediately turns and attacks Jerome, trying to prevent the Bisharp from getting any closer.
"Jerome help me!" Seek screams.
Ah, this was dangerous! They had to get out of here!
"Zhen!" Vier yells as the grass type opens its bloody red mouth.
The Weavile holds him tightly, putting his own body between the little Cubone and the attacker.
"That would be me." It said smugly and Zhen recognized the voice as the one that had announced the birds were gone.
An ambush and they fell for it!
"Zhen, kill it!" The Cubone orders.

Zhen's mouth stretches wider, teeth like yellow daggers gleaming in the dull light. The inside of his mouth is mottled in patches of crimson red and deep purple.
He hears Vier's order, putting the small Cubone down as his one blood red eye focuses intently on the smirking green skinned pokemon.
"You son of a bitch!" The Bisharp yells and slices towards it.
His claws slide against each other as he hones their edge, moving in a sideways crawl down the side of the sunken tram. The claws of his feet scrape against the rusting metal, nearly raising sparks.
Cold grey fur stands on end across his back, making the Ice Type seem taller than he really was. A deep rumbling growl rolls up from the back of his throat turning into another high hiss.
The static fuzz in his mind was starting to simplify, boiling down to a single point of consciousness.
Zhen is no longer adrift in a sea of snow. It is red, red, red and pulsing like a beating heart.
His clawed feet touch the mud and dig in, managing to find a solid grip under the thin layer of sludge.
The normal impassive look on his face falls away.
His single visible eye no longer stares blankly into the distance, waiting for orders. It is positively alive with anger.
"Vier!" He cries as he breaks into a run.

The dart of light hits a metallic hand instead of the oozing flesh and returns less energy to him than he would like. Oh well, these things happened.
"You son of a bitch!" The Bisharp swears, already charging forwards to attack.
Sade runs his tongue along the edge of his beak, licking up the trickle of blood that had seeped out.
His grin is predatory as he watches despair seep into his captives eyes. He was lucky, the futile struggles in the mud had drained her energy. The fear that sparked in its eyes...he was looking forward to see it grow and grow until it consumed her utterly. Then he would consume her and enjoy every second of it.
The Eevee's small mouth opened.
"Jerome help me!" She screamed.
Sade put one clawed hand on her forehead.
"Hush, kitten." He said in a low menacing tone. "Hold your tongue or I'll claw it out~" His tone is playful, his eyes gleeful and his smile terrifying in the genuine enjoyment he is getting from this scene.

His grip tight on the scruff of the normal type's neck Sade's eyes flicker to the Cubone as he makes a high pitched cry for blood.
The Weavile leave him behind, leaving both the children open to attack, but starts to come after him instead.
Sade leaps backwards so the sinking mud is between him and the attackers. His claws take a sturdy grip on the metal of the tram to prevent him from slipping.
He waves the Eevee in front of him like a human shield.
"Well it's been fun meeting you but I really have to get going now. Don't worry I'll be back soon~" He says cheerfully and leaps off the tram, moving in a swift line low to the ground as he makes a beeline for the treeline.

((Nnngh...skip me for now. My head can't do much today, lol. Just say that Jerome tried to chase Sade but tripped and fell. He's lying there in pain, smacking his fist against the ground.))

The male Eevee would of been hurt that she was calling for the Bisharp. He would of been hurt that she had forgotten him twice now. He would of whined 'what about me?' but he had much greater concerns right now. "Seek!" The youth squeals, panic filling his voice as he made a forward motion. Small claws cling and dig as deep as they can into the creeping plants on the top of the tram car, the rusted metal beneath lightly touching their tips.
What could he do? Someone as small and weak as himself would only cause problems.. Seek had told him as much so many times. "Zhen, kill it!" The Cubone is acting, sending its companion out to fight! Even Jerome was going after the thing despite his wounds. A painful feeling wells in the Eevees small heart that is a mix of pride and guilt. These Pokemon that moments ago were at one anothers throats were working together to save his friend.. While he stood rigid with nothing more then wide brown eyes. Please.. legends help us.

Her shrill cries cause a ringing pain in her throat. This couldnt be happening. This couldnt be happening. Already the Normal Types heart is racing with fear, pounding hard against her ribcage with each rapid beat. A clawed hand touches her forward much too close to her pretty blues eyes. Seek's jaw clenches before she wails, "Dont touch me!"' It spoke again, sending an icy feeling through her veins. "Hush, kitten." There was... something wrong with this Pokemon. "Hold your tongue or I'll claw it out~" The Eevee goes silent, more from pure fear then 'warning' it gave her.

"Vier!" The Weavile hisses, coming right toward her. There are no feelings of relief as the undead approaches and Seek kicks and claws the air futilely. She is already tired and that small effort is just too exhausting.. With a hop and kick the small Normal Types is trust about. Her scruff aches and screams, unused to the rough treatment. The Sceptile shakes her to the point that her head spins and eyes are forced shut. "Well it's been fun meeting you but I really have to get going now. Don't worry I'll be back soon~" After all the shaking she is too dizzy, too tired and panicked to even think of fighting back.
Tiny brown paws work their way to her head, unsure of what direction they were actually traveling. They press tight against the helmet, sharp stones rubbing her pads. It had shifted and threatened to fall, something she would not allow. The quick movements of the Grass Type are all too noticeable even in this state and Seek forces her eyes open just in time to see the other Pokemon fading in the distance while plants clog her vision. A dagger pierces her heart."Eleroooo!" She cries, praying to all the legends that this was a dream.

The cry fetters away, the last half of his name eaten away by distance. No.. That.. didnt just happen. "S-seek?" The male whispers softly, body leaning forward oh so slightly. There is no response. "Seek?!" He repeats, louder and more pronounced. Her proud voice does not come to ear, only the hush of wind in the moor grass. No...
"ELOISE!" Eleroo wails, dashing forward only to tumble and fall all the same as the female had. With a splash he hits the mud but within moments, unlike the other Eevee, he fights its grasp. Jerking himself free he trudges forward through the marsh, lopping forward with heavy mud-ridden steps. "Eloise come back!" The dark sludge coating his fur is heavy and the lethargic Pokemon does not have the energy to drag it along.
He keeps pressing forward until his legs can not continue and he collapses onto his stomach. This couldn't be happening. Not her, not like this! He had just gotten her back... The Normal Type breaks into sobs, turning his head back to the others with a sorrow-filled gaze, "We have to go get her!"