The CANALAVE Team

Namdnas seemed to of recovered, the old Pokemon looking as exhausted if not more then he was before. TD couldn't keep the worry from her muzzle and sadness from her eyes as she trailed after him. They were moving at a fair pace, and would probably make it to their destination in time that would please Jerome. The city was fast approaching them as the sun got higher, and hotter. Much hotter as it approached midday. Too hot for a water type.. She winced. She was so weak.. pathetic compared to these other Pokemon. They all had such severe wounds, yet she complained about the heat. Pain gnawed at her belly as raw embarrassment and humility edged at her. Her new friends wouldn't want her very long if she was always like this.. Im sorry everyone..

The Vaporeons eyes fell to the ground and her head hung low as she followed the older Pokemon. Fear of them yelling at her for her weakness weighed heavy on her shoulders. She was such a low level, and was too delicate to be much use in a fight. Am I useless to you all? Swallowing hard, TD dared to look up to watch the ever growing city as she padded along.

Courtney could see a faint image of something in the distance. It appeared to be a building of some kind, which got her all excited! Jerome had promised her that they'd train a little bit in the next town over, but due to circumstances involving her wounded torso, that would have to wait. 'Thank Arceus!' She called out to Jerome and Namdnas, who was looking worse for wear. "Hey guys! I see the city!"

The Pawniard's voice died down a little bit as she looked back at the Vaporeon, who's head was looking down at the ground. Courtney slowed her pace down so the Vaporeon could catch up. "Hey," She said, making sure TD could see her mouth, "Is something wrong?"

(OoC: Ask and you shall receive, Night!)

The aged Haunter inhales then exhales deeply as the deep pain fades from his aching head. His fingers are getting thinner and thinner, now they are simple lines rather than claws as more of his substance starts to break off and disappear.
He has overexerted himself and now he is dying more swiftly than before.
Thankfully the buildings of Jubilife have started to lose the haze of distance as the Poison/Ghost blinks away the tiredness from his one eye.
He needs some time to rest...
"Don't worry about me." Namdnas says in his voice husky with age as he tries to force a smile of good cheer onto his toothy jaws.
If he had bones they would be aching. He needs to rest, not for any physical need but to pull himself together and order his fleeting thoughts.
He has lost nearly half of the spirit he was made of to the void and his thoughts streamed away like the wisps of purple gas. A flash of memory forces itself in front of his vision.
He is smaller and different in shape. There's a ruff of fur around his neck and something on the end of a long string clutched in his hand. He remembers stepping forwards to follow the faint figure of a girl in a yellow dress outlined against the bright light. He can hear her laughter echo and water as if heard from underwater.
As swiftly as the flash had come the memory fades and leaves him dizzy and confused. He had never had a girl for a trainer. Again he clutches at the remains of his head with his one good hand.
It was only getting worse...As soon as he could locate a Trade Link in this place the better.

Namdnas looks down at the Vaporeon and offers her a cheerful smile.
"So we're finally here..." He says cheerfully, observing the buildings in front of them. The city is rather intimidating to view, the buildings towered tall and clustered thick like a forest of metallic trees. Even they bare signs of wear and tear since their humans have long since abandoned them.
"First of all we must find the pokecentre yes?"

Jerome sighed with relief at the sight of the city gates, picking up his speed so that he could get through them as quickly as possible. While he'd never entered a human city in his life prior to all of this, he didn't hesitate now - if it had something in there that could properly treat Courtney's wounds it was good enough for him. Besides, he wouldn't have minded getting something to soothe his own wounds; the scars on his belly were hurting more with every growing minute...

Shoving a piece of rubble out of their path, Jerome entered the gate and quickly found himself surrounded by tall buildings.

"So we're finally here ... First of all we must find the pokecentre yes?" Namdnas said as they began to follow the path. Jerome had never seen a city this big in his life - he had passed several in Unova and none of them had compared to this. He'd heard of Castelia, which was apparently twice the size of Jubilife, but had never seen it since he had always preferred to dwell in the north of the region.

After taking his surroundings in for a moment, Jerome answered, "If it has medicinal supplies, then yes. Although you might have to lead the way from now - I don't know what a Pokemon Centre looks like ... or what it is. Is it a hospital of some kind?"

Courtney was relieved that they (finally) got to the city. Jubilife looked so massive, it matched the description that she had heard before the infection. 'A large city that's full of life and activity.' The Pawniard could almost close her eyes and imagine all of the people going about their own lives. Her imagination was stopped by a sudden pain in her side where the wound was.

If it has medicinal supplies, then yes. Although you might have to lead the way from now - I don't know what a Pokemon Centre looks like ... or what it is. Is it a hospital of some kind?" Courtney moved towards her evolved form and explained to him what it was. "You're partially correct, Jerome. It's meant to serve as a hospital for pokemon and in some places, a rest area for trainers. You can't miss it; it's the building with a red roof right..." She looked around trying to find the red roofed building. When she did find it, she pointed in its direction "Over there!"

(OoC: Sorry for the half-assed post. Woke up not too long ago to find that I have a warning here...)

The worn ghost smiles at Courtney as he shifts his vaporous body towards the tell tale red-roofed building.
"There will no doubt be some medicines left and not only that but some food supplies too." He says, trying to reassure himself as much as the others.
"Not only that but on the second floor of the Pokecentre are trade machines." Namdnas dredges up the details from his fading memory. "If I can salvage the right parts from those machines I might be able to evolve..."
Sadly the Haunter looks down at his ever thinning claw. Soon it will completely evaporate and leave him with no limb at all on that side. Already the deep loss of his left eye is starting to affect him, he has to turn his head at extreme angles to get a good view of what is going on around him.
Evolution might be his only hope of slowing down the evaporation process...
"Still we must move carefully. We may not be the only ones seeking shelter at the Center. Enemies may be drawn for the same reason we are."

The Haunter smiles unconvincingly down at TD.
"Of course I'm sure it will be fine."
The much scarred and deafened Vapoureon seems to have been through a lot recently, Namdnas worries that if they do run into trouble she will run away. and only end up in greater danger.
The Ghost type floats along almost sullenly as with a faint hissing another large bubble of gas separates from his spirit and is dispersed in the air. His fingers now seem nothing more than the faintest of lines. He doubts he could use them to so much as open a door now...

TD was already tired by the time they made it to Jubilife City. Her paws ached touching the cement and stone of the ground here. Ive been swimming too long, my paws aren't adjusted. To say she was focused on her little toes was an understatement as she walked past her companions when they stopped to converse with even noticing. Flushed with embarrassment she padded back over to them as they talked about who knows what. Courtney pointed over in the distance, too what exactly, she didn't know, but it was probably the groups next destination. With a heavy sigh Tiny Dragon peered in over to the spot. The Pokemon Centers red roof was quite noticeable compared to the rest of the greyish city, but TD wasn't focused on that building. If her vision served right, there was a fountain over there as well.

Bits of energy came back to the water-type with her findings. If they were heading to the Pokemon Center then they would pass right by that fountain. The thoughts of dipping her pads in it was enough to bring a smile back to her muzzle. Namdnas was looking down at her with a soft grin. The ghost seemed weaker then before if that was possible, but his face left TinyDragon with an air of calm. "That fountun haus water we coood use." She told him of her idea, pointing gently with one paw. If the water was clean it could help them all recover a bit and not just herself.

Courtney saw that Namdnas was getting close to fading away completely, and that type of motivation made her pick up the pace. She ignored the pain in her side as she rushed to the Pokemon Center. "Come on Namdnas!" She said back to him. She got to the Pokemon Center to discover that the automatic doors were broken. The Pawniard tried to pry open the doors to the red roof building, but the doors proved to be too much for her.

But she wasn't ready to give up this easily. Courtney tried again, this time using all of her strength, and then some. Her small arms were laced with pain as she used them to open the doors. She was completely unaware that her efforts were making her torso wound bleed again, leaving a new red spot on her makeshift bandage. She was able to get the door open a little bit. Opening it was one thing, trying to see if she could hold it open was another. "Get in! I don't know how much longer I can hold it!" She shouted.

"Courtney!" the fading ghost cries out in shock at the young Pawniard's daring act.
With a flick of his semi corporeal form he sweeps towards the door and rather easily slips his gaseous form through the open doors.
The human mechanism that slid apart the thick glass doors at the approach of anyone who wished to enter had ceased and, with a Herculean effort, yanked apart the mechanized doors.
Swiftly the ghost looks around, his bright red eye adept at piercing even the thick dusty gloom of the unlit building.
His baleful red eye scans the area swiftly and with one decisive movement he swoops upwards as he notices a broken pipe end lodged in the machinery of the door mechanism.
Wrapping both hands around it the aged ghost pulls hard and the broken chunk of metal pulls free and flies out of his hand where it clatters noisily onto the floor.
With a loud grinding sound the door opening mechanism begins to work again, albeit nosily.
Curling his semi-corporeal tail the Haunter swiftly flies back down to look over Courtney.
New spots of red blood dabble her bandages.

Her question would go unanswered as Courtney set off to there destination. The small red Pokemons hasty actions would cost her as the doors to the Pokemon Center refused to open, causing strain to her muscles and a grimace on her face. Slowly the steel doors came apart small amounts from one another. TinyDragon took light steps toward the Pawniard, but as Namdnas rushed past her without haste anxiety pricked in her fins. It was enough to make TD hurry over to her to the possible commotion. When she got to be only a few feet away however, she stopped dead in her tracks.

Courtneys leaf-wrap bandages were soaking through until they were a deep russet. Bright red trails dripped through their bindings that matched her limbs. The Vaporeons words caught in her throat as an icy chill took over her until she was trembling. She took a few pawstep backwards but flinched back into her halt. The doors of the Pokemon Center slowly but completely opened and Namdnas seemed to be assisting the Pawniard. Her nerves were screaming at her not to approach, but the pain on her friends face brought tears to her eyes. Clenching her teeth, TD carefully picked her over to the Haunter and Pawniard. She couldn't stop shaking as the blood came more and more into focus.

Staring wide-eyed, the timid Vaporeon was quiet. If she could get herself to speak, she would of asked Courtney if she was okay, though she already knew the answer. She would ask if she wanted her Water Gun, or for her to lie down. If she could ask anything she would of.. Instead, TinyDragon stared in fear as her friends wounds bleed freely in front of her.

Thankfully, Namdnas found a way to get the doors to be automatic again. When the doors opened on their own, the Pawniard allowed herself to fall forward, landing on her hands and knees. The wound was getting worse, but the leaf seemed to be enough to stop her from bleeding out. The fading Haunter looked at her. She just looked up at him and smiled. "Get to the second floor." She said as she staggered back to her feet.

The steel type went to help her friend up the stairs. But as she took each step, she was getting more and more out of breath. By the time they got to the second floor, she was on the verge of collapsing again. Nevertheless, Courtney made it to the machines that were used for trading pokemon. "Okay, so how is this supposed to work?" She asked him.

"I need to take apart a trading machine to find the part of it that produces the necessary energy waves and firmly grasp but but my dear Courtney, you're far to injured for me to worry about that now." Namdnas babbles as he looks over the little bleeding Pawniard.

"You must get back downstairs immediately for healing." The semi-corporeal poison ghost tries to pick up the Dark Type in his arms and carry her back down the stairs.

The bleeding has gotten much worse with the effort Courtney has put into holding open the doors and the Haunter can see the wounds are now a serious threat.

An aching pain runs through his fading form as the Haunter struggles to pick up Courtney and more of his form breaks off into nothingness. He winces in pain and drops his Reaper Cloth. It floats downwards slowly as if falls from over the railing and drifts away to the floor.
Namdnas lets it fall as he tries to help Courtney back down the stairs to the human healing machines.

"TD!" He calls out, hoping the Vapoureon is in a position to read his lips. "We need your help!"

The Haunter's hand, already thinned as the spirit that forms it fades, dissolves in a flurry of purple gas bubbles as he loses all feeling in it.
The pain drives a wedge into his brain, making him stumble.

Courtney was right, he was not going to last much longer.
Praying to the spirits of death that they may pass Courtney over for now Namdnas has to leave her half-way down the stairs to return to the second floor and the trading machines.

The elderly Haunter drives a flaming fist into the canister, causing the metal casing to buckle and fall loose as he desperate shoves his fist into the opening, feeling past the electric tingle of broken wires to try and find the part that will start his evolution. The flames that dance around his claw burn the gases of his form, eating him away.

The tips of his three-clawed hand brush the required part and a sudden jolt almost like nausea comes over him as his body starts to distort and change.
It has been so long since he has last evolved that Namdnas cries out loud as he finds himself becoming shorter, the gases that make up his form pressing inwards and becoming denser.

His evaporation slows noticeably but the damage is done.
The bisected Gengar blinks his bright red eye as he hovers above the floor.

The steel floor was much kinder to the Vaporeons paws as she cautiously stepped in. The moments excitement had brought energy back to her weary form making her head droop now only from gentle apprehension. "Get to the second floor." Courtney said to Namdnas with a hard wince to her face. TD watched very carefully, walking behind the Pawniard, that her wobbly steps didn't send the wounded Pokemon toppling down the stairs. If she fell, she could catch her, right? and hopefully prevent her from further injury. Luckily, she didn't have to, as Courtney was able to make it up the stairs, deteriorating her condition in the process. Though she was about to pass out the valiant Pokemon continued to the machinery on the side of the room. TinyDragon looked at the machinery, she couldn't quite remember what it did but she knew trainers used them.

Namdnas shook his head and lead the Pawniard back to the stairs obviously concerned about her condition as well. As he tired to move her bits of his gaseous form broke off, vanishing into thin air. Pain overtook his face as well until he was forced to put the Pawniard down halfway down the stairs. "TD, We need your help!" The fading ghost directed to her. "Ye Yesh!" She whimpered to him, anxiety making her scales itch as the Haunter hustled back to the machinery with panicked movements. TinyDragon carefully supported Courtney, bringing her the rest of the ways down the steps and over to the Healing Machine behind the front desk. The dusty and worn surface told her it hadn't been used in years and it was uncertain if it even worked anymore. TD took the chance anyway, carefully moving Courtney onto it and pushing all of the buttons with her paws.

There was a very faint glow to a few lights on the machine. Was it working? Frowned, she was the one responsible for Courtney right now. She had to make sure she would be okay. All of the Vaporeons paws started to dance in place, unable to sit still as her nerves got to her. Don't just stand there, do something! Taking a deep breath she whipped over to the shelves and cabinets, looking for anything she could use to help her friend. Rummaging through, she grabbed a few items she recognized and several she didn't. Pushing them in front of the counter, she paused, unsure of what to do next. There was healing items and TMs among her haul, but the water-types focus his a small towel she had found. Gently damping it with Water Gun she cautiously padded over to Courtney and through a mouthful of cloth, "Here.. this shood halp."

(Skip me for now. I don't think I'll have time to post for the team. Besides, Melody pretty much did what I was going to do, anyway. Just say the machine is working!)

Namdnas blinks his bright red eye and looks down at himself. He has gotten smaller, the deep purple gases of his body have swirled in and compressed to become a virulent dark purple. Smaller patches of nearly black gasses swirl across his body, signs that the disease that has struck him has not yet finished.
His mouth is lined with many sharp teeth instead of simple wisps in his form.
His hand has disappeared entirely, leaving a ragged torn void where his spirit has dissolved. Its edges bubble faintly but do not break away and evaporate as swiftly as they had when he was a haunter.
For the first time in his life he has stubby legs that hover above the ground.
Swiftly he turns towards the Pawniard. TD has heard his call and helped the tiny dark/steel type to the machines but the fight was far from over.
"Courtney!"
He passes straight through the stairs, shifting his form between solid and incorporeal to reach towards her.

((Sorry, please skip me.))

The sound of the whines that escaped her muzzle were lost to the Vaporeon but the feeling they left in her throat were all too apparent. Courtney wasn't responding and there was no way for her to tell if the Healing Machine was even working. Was she going to die here? Was the Vaporeon going to lose another friend? Not only had TD failed her responsibility to her friend, but she would of lost a life. What would the others think? What would Jerome say to this scene? Random items tossed about the room as a deaf Vaporeon stared blankly at her dying friend, not assisting her as she lay still on a Machine. Watching her die.. Her head fins drooped from the weight of the thought. Im so sorry Courtney.. tears threatened to fall from her eyes. Through the blurs they caused TD could just make out the increase in light the Machine was giving off. Was.. was it working at full capacity now? Was it working? "Coorney?"

Turning to look toward the stairs she called out, "Nam das!" but as she did her skin turned to ice. A large shadow loomed over her, impossible to decipher through the tears. Panic.. panic she had to do something! Instantly crouched to the ground the Vaporeon squeezed her eyes shut and shot a Water Gun in the shadows direction. She would protect Courtney somehow.. "Nam das!" she cried out again.

As the machine did its job in healing her, Courtney opened her eyes very weakly and breathed as weakly. She turned her head to see TD, a worried look plastered on her face. Worry for her friend, obviously, and she couldn't blame her. There was a moment when the Pawniard thought that she was going to die. Thankfully, it didn't happen. "TD?" She said. "What happened?" The Vaporeon soon became scared for some reason and fired a Water Gun. Courtney looked over and smiled. "TD, stop." She recognized this ghost. "It's Namdnas. He evolved." She looked around, realizing someone was missing. "Where's Jerome?"

A concentrated spray of water hits the Ghost Type in his center and sends him tumbling backwards. The water does not punch a hole through him as it might have if he had not evolved in time and the sensation is strange to him. The hovering ghost type shakes himself, droplets of water flying from his gaseous form as he raises one hand in a gesture of peace towards the Vapoureon and realizes he has inadvertently been looming.
Though he only has one eye now he makes out a faint haze of tears in the scarred vapoureon's eyes. She hadn't seen him properly.
"Courtney!" He exclaims as the tiny pawniard regains consciousness once more. "How are you feeling?" He asks her in concern, daring to hover a little closer.
Her question makes him look around.
What has happened to Jerome?
A chill sensation trickles down his spine.
Has he come under attack outside of the centre?

While the others went upstairs to ... do something with a machine or whatever, Jerome remained downstairs in the lobby. He made his way over to the large counter that was directly in front of him, guessing that was where most of the medicine was stored. Whipping open a cupboard door and examining the contents, the blue Bisharp realised that he had no idea what he was looking for. All of these bottles, differently coloured, shaped and labelled in the human language, could've contained abolutely anything and he had no idea what. What if whatever was in them only made his and Courtney's wounds worse instead of healing them?

Grumbling to himself, Jerome grabbed a small rucksack from the counter and filled it up with as many items as it could hold. Throwing it over his shoulder, he made his way upstairs to the others just as they were questioning his whereabouts.

"You didn't miss me then?" Jerome's voice was low and sour as he marched in and dropped the rucksack down on the tiled floor. "I was downstairs, seeing what I could find for Courtney. I've no idea what any of it is though." He noticed that Namdnas had evolved but couldn't be bothered to ask how that had occurred just yet; he'd feel a lot better after knowing that the Pawniard's wound had gotten the treatment it needed instead of an old leaf wrapped around it.

With her heartbeat in her throat TD felt as though she was chocking. Stifling her nerves enough to crack open her eyes she glanced at the shadowy form across the room. Something vaguely familiar about it gave her enough courage to open them completely to let her aqua eyes take in the entire Pokemon. With the soft red eye and purple gaseous form it seemed like.. "Nam das!" she gasped with horror, rushing over to the Haunter-now-Gengar. "Ium Soorry!" Guilt stabbed her little heart with the realization she had attacked her friend. Though she wasn't very strong her Water Gun had to of hurt at least a little, and he didn't even do anything to deserve that! TinyDragon knew violence was never the answer, but her first reaction out of fear was to him was to attack?!

Well.. she was in an enclosed space and couldn't leave as she had to protect Courtney, right? What else could sh- No no! She flinched, thrusting her head from side to side. No excuses, she attacked him and that was wrong. Looking up to Namdnas with pitiful solemn eyes she mumbled again, "Im soorry.." To her surprise though, the ghost seemed as calm and relaxed as always, as though he knew it was an accident. This eased her aching heart a bit, and even more so when TD realized he was saying something to Courtney. Oh! Courtney, she was awake!

Even better yet, Jerome came out of nowhere with a sack of who knows what that he dropped down on the floor she had dirtied up. "I was downstairs, seeing what I could find for Courtney. I've no idea what any of it is though." Now that she wasn't in a panic the Vaporeon felt confident enough to look at the medical supplies they had found. She padded over to the Bisharp, her pawsteps hardly making a sound on the tiled floor. Sniffing lightly at the bottles she was looking for something particular. When its familiar harsh, bitter scent hit her nostrils and tongue she knew it was what she wanted. "This is deesunfecton (Disinfection) stuff." She told Jerome, grabbing the bottle and passing it to Namdnas hoping he would clarify encase she hadn't been clear.

With that, they needed gauze and a cloth and they would be set to fix up both the Dark/Steel types wounds. With a quick view of what she had gathered though, TD found she didn't have the gauze but did have that cloth from earlier she had put on Courtney. Maybe Jeromes bag had gauze they could use?

Courtney smiled as Namdnas came closer to her. She was more than happy to see that he was okay, and that he evolved too. "I'm fine. The machine was able to stop it from getting worse." She told him. "But this leaf is starting to get a little disgusting with the blood..." She looked at the leaf, which was soaked in red. She was in disbelief at it. To think that if Jerome hadn't put it there, she probably would have bled out.

"You didn't miss me then? I was downstairs, seeing what I could find for Courtney. I've no idea what any of it is though." Courtney opened her mouth to speak. 'I missed you...' But judging from his tone, it looked like he just didn't want to be bothered. She sighed as she got to her feet and slowly looked at the stuff in the bag he brought up. TD was the first to find what the Pawniard was looking for. "This is deesunfecton stuff." The steel type knew she meant disinfection, but handed it to the Gengar just to make sure.

Courtney dug through the bag a bit more to find more items she recognized; a gauze and cloth. "This should also help with the wounds..."

Still dripping moisture the Haunter shrugs off the attack; after all he was a trained league level fighter and carefully waves off the Vapoureon's apology, smiling to show her he is not greatly injured from the unexpected spray.
"It's o.k, you've been doing a great job looking after Courtney." He tries to reassure the damaged water type. He hadn't meant to loom and it was no wonder TD had been startled by him. He still hadn't gotten used to the changes himself. His bisected body hovering in mid-air Namdnas looks down at his stubby paws, only now attached to his body. "I have changed quite a bit."

"There you are!" The Haunter smiles, seeing the scarred Steel Type approach with a bag of useful supplies. His problem was temporarily fixed for now but even with the influence of a healing machine Courtney was still vulnerable and her wound in need of bandaging or there still ran a risk of infection.
He examines the rucksack, taking both disinfectant and gauze from Courtney.
"These will be very useful, thank you Jerome." He was hardly apt at judging the scarred Bisharp's moods but he seems bitter his absence has not been noted until then.
Namdnas's one hand closes around the bottle and he breathes in the strong scent present in all hospitals and medical centers he has visited. Disinfectant, TD's nose was sharp to detect the liquid through the other items in the bag.
The Gengar manages to undo the top of the bottle with one hand by resting it on the healing machine for stability. The liquid inside is a bright candied pink and smells almost like powerful alcohol.
A strip of cloth from the bag is folded up and the Gengar carefully tips some of the liquid onto it.
"This is going to sting but it will help keep the wound clean of germs so it can heal quicker." He tells the pawniard, setting aside a seperate similar strip for Jerome to use.

Jerome watched TD take out some 'deesunfecton' from the bag and give it to Namdnas. Courtney found a gauze and Namdnas poured some of the strong-smelling liquid onto a cloth. "This is going to sting but it will help keep the wound clean of germs so it can heal quicker," he told the Pawniard as he began to clean her wound. He had set aside a strip of cloth for Jerome to use for his own wounds. The Bisharp picked it up but didn't move - he wanted to see what this 'deesunfecton' stuff did for Courtney before he let it go anywhere near his belly wounds, although the pain was getting worse every second.

TD sat down lightly on her hunches. It seemed as though the other Pokemon had this covered and didn't need her help. Though it was revealing after the panic she had been in, ot was also a bit disappointing as being a nurse to her friends sounded like a good job for her. regardless, the Vaporeon watched Namdnas with interest as he dipped cloth in the disinfectant, and passed a piece to Courtney as well as Jerome.

Taking the moment to catch her breath TinyDragon let herself be absorbed into the quietness of her world. How did her friends get these injuries in the first place? Tentatively picking up one paw, she examined the soft pads on it. Im not very tough or strong With a small sigh she set it back down. But you all will have me anyway, so I must be worth something to you. A gentle smile crossed TD's muzzle as she looked back to the Pokemon in the room. They were all survivors, and no matter what happened they had to help each other to survive. I promise to always do my best.