(ACE) The MARSH Team

It was a morning like any other this season. The air was crisp, wet, and fragrant. Even under the blanket of rain the rich scents of this Marsh were powerful and plentiful. Reed walked with confident steps, the path etched in his roughened paw pads and ancient memories. They had walked most of this path already in the wee hours this dawn, yet it still felt alive and fresh the second time over. He would never tire of this place, of his home, even if others would call it an accursed land.

With sly glances back he can see the other Pokemon following along, like a mother moving her cubs around. Their steps were weary, tired, and rushed, their mental maps blank and reliance on the one in front clear. Trainer's Pokemon, Reed reminded himself, fearsome creatures without survival experience aside from battle. Adults that need caretakers. ...And he was placing his faith in their assistance? With a slow exhale through his nostrils the Radeon steadies himself, and gives one more glance at the others. The little one was trying to follow his steps, again making him think of a young cub after its mother. Such a soft creature, did humans not inspire independence for their charges?

"How far are we from that broken down train car?" Seek's voice cuts through his thoughts, her squeaky voice like a serrated fang. "Broken train car?" He repeats, though he heard her clearly the first time. Is that were these Pokemon had been hiding? Had they not been interrupted that zone would have been their next section to monitor. "There's a few of those scattered about." Johvani chirps, recalling all the spots they had seen them. "Most are fairly close to the tracks, so if you didn't see any you're likely thinking of the one east-southeast of here." Craning their neck around the tall Radeon looks off to the east with a thousand yard stare, the trees and rain doing nothing to block them. Rusted, hollow, but it offered cover for those wanting off of wet ground, a perfect attractant for travelers. "Its a fair way from here, across the tracks too. We won't see it unfortunately. Relatively, its further from here than where we found you." It was hard for the Pokemon to place a true distance or time between them and that spot. Not for lack of knowledge, but for all the variables between the weather and their travel companions.  

Reed turned their group, pushing them at a sharper angle to stay beneath the tree cover. It kept the worst of the rain off them, though the wind shook thicker drops of water from the branches onto them. Pick your poison, he supposed. Sniffing at puddles of water they passed and peering though the treeline he checked for a specific taste; it was clear. Nodding to Johvani he banks to left, a hard turn that steered them clear of flood water. Though subtle, he could feel the shift of the ground where it started to tilt upward with a slope forming underpaw. "The tracks are that way." He informs the audience, the open path easy to walk on but unsafe for those trying to stay hidden.

"What's the chances that one station is flooded now? If it isn't, maybe we can recover what we had left behind yesterday. If there is any left that is." Felix asked, another 'landmark' that had multiple occurrences throughout the swamp. "It should be dry inside. Humans built them with flooding in mind, like the ranger station." He didn't know much about human logic, but anyone building in a flood prone area should know better. "This isn't a field trip," he reminded the Pokemon firmly, "we're guiding you out of here safely so you can aid our mission."

"There's a few of those scattered about."

A deep frown settled on Seek's face, though her faze burned with annoyance. That made a certain amount of sense. There would be multiple trains, or at least train cars, right? She was no expert on such things but didn't press the point even as Johvani continued to explain and tried to pinpoint a location. "The tracks are that way." Reed says a bit more directly, though Seek still struggled to place bearings on their prior expedition. Those few days were such a painful, bitter blur to her now that those unimportant details had faded. Guess theres no point in going back anyway. The Pokemon she had met were surely gone, no one would stick around these parts for long, and worse yet, they may run into certain.. unwelcome company.  

"What are the chances that one station is flooded now? If it isn't, maybe we can recover what we had left behind yesterday. If there is any left that is." Almost instantly Seek's skin twitches, a cold wash running down her spine. Yes, unwelcome company indeed. Despite resting in that station and using it as a temporary base, it was not a welcome memory to the kit. The thought and possibility of her abductor returning to that site made her breath quicken, its pointed face and cruel eyes burned into her memory. "Did we even leave anything worth taking?" She speaks quickly and awkwardly, the words practically running together as she tried to keep her voice steady. Suddenly she felt blessed that those spots were too out of the way; there was less chance of seeing that monster again

Seek's tension did not go unnoticed as Eleroo fell in line beside her. "Just our nests, I think. Maybe a couple berries? Graves too, I suppose." The Radeon mumbles while trying to logically recall what was there. Perhaps he too was forgetting something, but making a short list seemed to calm the Aiveon down at least a smidge. "This isn't a field trip. We're guiding you out of here safely so you can aid our mission." Reed says sternly, pushing the possibily of a detour away. Were his ears perky Eleroo would have drooped them; he didn't mean to upset the other Radeon, but he wasn't enjoying his 'my way only' tactics.

Eleroo rubbed his cheek against Seek's, a gesture most welcome though she pulls away after a few moments. Having regained her composure she pouts at the older Radeon, her steps hurried so she may walk even closer to their heels. "Yeah yeah, extra paws for your coup. We know the drill." She waves one paw, flicking her nose up in the air indignantly. "Wouldn't kill you to at least humor those assisting you though."

Reed wasn't happy about Felix' comment but wasn't irritated. Yet, he kind of sounded like a stick in the mud. If Felix had to guess, Reed had been serious for a long time and never had time to actually enjoy things. Something might have been a cause from being held by Salem for a long time. In a way, Felix felt bad for Reed and Johvani if they had been captive for a while. But they're here now and fighting against the mad Swampert's rule. "we're guiding you out of here safely so you can aid our mission." Felix understood that but would they all be able to stand a chance against East and Salem? There was no way of telling until they try.

Felix then hears Seek say something. "Wouldn't kill you to at least humor those assisting you though." It would be nice but Felix had a feeling that it wasn't something so simple. "Well, we can always humor ourselves. We could even get to know each other better that way." The sylveon said as he walks alongside Seek and Eleroo. The weather did seem to start looking like it was letting up more. Even then, things could change over time. "You know, when I was a young eevee, I always thought donuts had looked like those one things that humans had for swimming. I thought the same would happen with a donut, It did before it broke apart. My trainer's mother was not happy with that." Felix said as a way to break the ice on some humor.

"Yeah yeah, extra paws for your coup. We know the drill. Wouldn't kill you to at least humor those assisting you though." Reed rolled his eyes but did not give a response. His days as a social butterfly had long since ended, and conversing with children of all things was not high on his priority list. With a snort he continues to push forward, his paws constantly moving aside from the occasional stop to sniff and check their surroundings.

Johvani was hot in his heels, though their steps were fewer and more casual as they followed along. the light rain felt good upon their fur as they refused to let the seriousness of the day weigh them down. "Well, we can always humor ourselves. We could even get to know each other better that way." Felix says lightheartedly, his conversation starters always welcome in Johvani's eyes. "You know, when I was a young Eevee, I always thought donuts looked like those things that humans had for swimming. I thought the same would happen with a donut, and it did before it broke apart. My trainer's mother was not happy with that." A donut? Such sweet treats were common in their owner's hands, though it was rare they were ever offered one. To use food for swimming seemed preposterous, but completely innocent from a child's mind. The Radeon snickered, welcoming memories of their own childhood in this very marsh.

"When I was a small Eevee," they started, though Reed came in with a swift interrupting, "You were never small." Another chuckle makes its way out their maw, along with a compliant nod. "Alright, alright, but you were." Reed snorted but did not interrupt again. "We'd have lots of little contests with our friends. Silly things; throwing stuff, collecting things, who could do something the fastest. My favorite was always who could find the coolest lost object, because we everyone won those days." A faint purr rumbles in their throat at the memory of days long past. "A certain someone, found the neatest trinket.. inside a bush full of Sticky Barbs." With a cheeking glance to the side the Radeon can feel Reed's steps tense up, but they regret nothing as the other poison type finally snorts and speaks with a soft exhale. "Yeah, but I definitely had the coolest thing that day."

"Well, we can always humor ourselves. We could even get to know each other better that way." Felix casually suggests in an effort to deflect the mornings tension. With a snort and roll of her eyes Seek doesnt say anything, letting the Sylveon spark up some chatter as only he can. "You know, when I was a young Eevee, I always thought donuts looked like those things that humans had for swimming. I thought the same would happen with a donut, and it did before it broke apart. My trainer's mother was not happy with that." Donuts were like some long forgotten memory, and speaking their name was enough to make her mouth water. Legends what she wouldn't do for a fresh baked sweet..

A small laugh made its way from Eleroo's maw, his eyes bright and cheerful. "Did you still get to eat it, or get another one?" He asks, curious of waterlogging would make a donut any less tasty. It would be a shame to lose one's treat to such an innocent misunderstanding. Johvani went next, their childhood recalled with much nostalgia in their voice. Playing with friends was a passing fancy the little Eevee's experienced infrequently. With Eleroo's delicate health as a kit and having one another, there was little reason to expose him to risky situations. With age and stability his owner set up playdates to help his social skills, but Seek was his primary influcence for a long time. "A certain someone, found the neatest trinket.. inside a bush full of Sticky Barbs." Johvani teased, and to his surprise Reed was not angry about the prodding. "Yeah, but I definitely had the coolest thing that day."

A soft chuckle comes from his maw- it sounded a lot like Seek when they were little. "The best things are always past something annoying. So worth it though." The Aiveon agrees while walking with high knees. Another chuckle comes over him, a memory of her wailing and crying for help quick to follow. "Like when you got stuck in a tree chasing a frisbee?" A sharp gasp comes the flying type, a heat flushing her face. "It was a sparkly frisbee! And you got stuck plenty of places too. Like under a flowerpot!" Her paw flails and she bounds forward to walk in line with the Radeon, but Eleroo's squeaky response can not be stopped. "Cause you dropped it on me! You got me stuck under it because I found a bigger mushroom that day!" He squeaks, voice going high though there was no offense to it.

Felix had let out a small giggle as he hears the story from Johvani. "We'd have lots of little contests with our friends. Silly things; throwing stuff, collecting things, who could do something the fastest. My favorite was always who could find the coolest lost object, because we everyone won those days." Then the best part came from that. "A certain someone, found the neatest trinket.. inside a bush full of Sticky Barbs." In Felix's mind, he could say ouch but Reed certainly had that reminder. "Yeah, but I definitely had the coolest thing that day." Either he's felt pain like that before or he's just numb to it after a while. Then there was the past thing from Eleroo and Seek. In a way, it seems very standard until the flower pot. Eleroo must have felt cramped inside it. Then there was Shenron's which was adorable. It brought a smile thinking he had the cutest one.

Felix then answered Eleroo's question. "I didn't eat it, water and donuts don't mix to well. I did get a new one that didn't have a hole in it. It did have cream in it so it was delicious." After everything was said, he still got his treat. Now, donuts are a rare thing to find and it being fresh no less.

The ancient memory tingled Reed's brain. He had been so excited, so amazed by the little trinket that none of them had seen before. Out in the marsh, trainer's dropped items all the time. Most were of no or unknown use to the wild Pokemon and were left alone, but others became quite intriguing. Hell, many species made a habit of collecting shiny and unusual objects, and stumbling upon their hordes was akin to falling into another world. With a snort Reed tunes out as the others continue; he was not much of a material Pokemon, let alone in any mood to reminisce. Yet even he had to admit the improved atmosphere was good for morale.

With a light snicker Johvani nods and repeats key words to show they were intently listening as the others spoke. The children bickered, but it was lighthearted, and the boys recalled memories of times long past. "I didn't eat it, water and donuts don't mix to well. I did get a new one that didn't have a hole in it. It did have cream in it so it was delicious." The waste of food was too bad, but at least it worked out for him. "The cream-filled kind are very tasty." The Radeon purrs with a lick of their lips. The creamy center to almost any human treat was rich and sweet, like the best kind of sickly-sweet overripe fruit. They gave the same kind of bellyache if too many were eaten, but that was hardly a problem Johvani ever faced.  

"When I was only a hatchling, my human left me with a clutch of Eevees for warmth. It was mutual but I felt I benefited from it more." For just a moment the Radeon freezes up, their paws coming to a complete halt and eyes flashing just a little bit bigger. Though the moments were few and far past, they are hit with a wash of nostalgia and the faint scent of new kits. Such innocent little ones seeking warmth and comfort.... Their lip quivers, and after straining to swallow the lump in their throat Johvani takes in a few quick breaths. "..I bet they were quite cozy." They manage to say without stuttering, their own memories still flooding their memory. Soft, fluffy, cozy, squirming little babies... their heart ached like a thorn deep in their chest. "I had a trainer once," the Radeon quickly deflects away from their own thoughts, "not a bright one, admittedly. We were fleeing from an angry Skuntank after a poor fight. We managed to get away, but she tripped and fall into a Bluk berry bush." Johvani could never forget the girl's pitiful wails for help. "The stains were so bad she dyed her hair blue to hide them! I didn't mind my extra spots though."

As the group continues to chat Reed keeps constant watch of their surroundings. There was nothing out of the ordinary so far, and as the group passes a massive boulder, its surface covered in a soft layer of algae and moss alike, he pauses to give the entire area a sniff down. It smelled fresh, healthy, like morning dew drops. There were no hints of rot or death here, but he was never one to drop his guard. A landmark. He recalled the early topic, and with the position of the sun and the trees one could easily get their barrings