A New Town!

Avaritia looked around Cherrygrove City, with excitement. They had made it through the first route without any troubles, but the rain had gradually picked up, and now it was at a gentle downpour. Ignire had long retired to his Pokeball, and her other Pokemon were becoming restless because of the weather. Ava saw a familiar red building, and burst into the Pokemon Center, trying to get away from the weather.

Once inside, she gave Manu to the friendly nurse, then took her place at one of the chairs in the corner of the room. She let Ignire out of his Pokeball, and they awaited to see how the weather will hold. "I guess we'll just have to wait out this storm," she told her Pokemon, "Manu should be healed soon, you guys mine as well rest." Cladis curled up at her feet, and the other Pokemon huddled around each other, falling asleep in the warmth of their own body heat.

Across the room from her was a man dressed from head to toe in traditional Native American garb, including the head dress with Braviary feathers and beads. He looked to clearly be a member of a tribe, though which one specifically was very uncertain. He looked up at Ava, his deeply colored skin and strong facial features making him look very ominous. His gaze went from Ava, down to her Pokémon. Specifically though, her Absol. With all the old legends of Absol, it was no wonder he might be eyeing the creature really. Whether they brought disaster, or merely warned of it, Absol were generally not a site you hoped to see.

He leaned over to the seat next to him and whispered something, without taking his eyes off Ava and her Absol. It wasn't clear what he was doing until a sleek black canine Pokémon made its way out from under the chairs. It had red eyes, and golden rings across its body. Clearly, it was an Umbreon. It too examined Ava and absol, walking over and circling the group once before returning to his master. It sat beside him, giving a single nod.

"Midnight Vow says you are to be trusted, and so I will trust you," the man spoke suddenly, his deep voice seeming to boom as he stood. He took a step toward Ava, and held his hand out for her to shake. "I am Running Wolf among my tribe, but you may call me Wolf if you wish," he introduced, awaiting reciprocation.

Ava, who was dozing at the time, was woken fully when the man spoke. She looked at his extended hand, and shook it. "I'm Avaritia, but you can call me Ava," she told the man,"It's nice to meet you." She then looked down at his Umbreon,"It's nice to meet you too," she told the Pokemon. "Was there something you needed?"

The man paused suddenly, then looked out the window to the rain. "You know, in my villiage it is said that some Sableye bring disaster, and some warn of the mischief. My Umbreon seems to think yours is of the latter." Looking back, Wolf's Umbreon came to his side. "I came out this way tracking an Absol suspect of causing the fire which destroyed half my village. There were many casualties. I need to find this Absol, for Midnight Vow to see if it is the true cause or not. The Elders entrusted me with this. However, as good as Midnight Vow is at telling intentions, he is not a good tracker. What of you? You came across this absol, surely you could help me track another?"

Ava's first instinct was to heartily agree to help, but then she felt a sense of concern radiate off of Cladis, so she voiced these concerns. "What are you going to do with the Absol once you catch it? I'll gladly help you find it, but if you can't prove that it is the direct cause, you have to promise not to hurt it in any serious way." She awaited a response from the man.

The man raised one hand to his chest, the other in the air palm outward. "I would never harm that which is innocent, and hasn't been proved otherwise. That is why my tribe sent me for this job. Midnight Vow has never been wrong about these sorts of things before, and seeing your reaction now only tells me that he was right once more," the man said, looking to his Umbreon. He merely sat there, looking innocently cute, yet mysterious at the same time. "So it is agreed then, that you will help me track down this suspect?"

Ava glacned out the window before responding, and saw that the heavy rain has now slowed to a light mist. "I will help you," she said. "My Absol, Cladis, is a good tracker. He should be able to find the other Absol's scent as long as the rain hasn't fully washed it away." She stood up, and retrieved Manu from the nurse. All of her Pokemon awoke, and they gathered themselves around her. Cladis walked over to the Pokemon Center's door, awaiting the group to leave.

"Then let us leave now, while the storm has subsided," the man said, holding his arm out toward the door. Midnight Vow joined Cladis at his side, and nodded to the Absol quietly. "I will let the two of you lead, Midnight and myself will simply find the best way around the obstacles. Last I saw, the Absol's trail lead north of here."

"Then we'll head north," Ava said, opening the door for Wolf and their Pokemon, then walking out herself. They quickly made it through the town, and walked north. Cladis was sniffing the ground the entire walk, trying to find a scent. Ava sensed excitement course through him as he caught some sort of scent, a little ways away from town.

Wolf watched Cladis and Midnight Vow closely. Every twitch of their noses, flick of their ears. Even the excitement rippling across their fur, it was all a sign to Wolf. As Cladis seemed to catch wind of something, Wolf clutched a small charm in his fist tightly. "Is this it?" he asked, looking to the Umbreon, to which he merely glanced back to the man. "You don't know if it's the same one?" Wolf asked solemnly, looking from Midnight back to Cladis. "Well, it's the best lead we have," the man said, giving a nod as he began to follow the Absol's nose.

The duo led the team up to a secluded area at the base of a mountain. It was more than likely an extension of that which "Dark Cave" was bore out of, but this was definitely not the usual entrance. The trail led into an opening, where inside was dark. Very light trickled into the area, and even the Cyndaquil's flames seemed to put off little to no light in the damp area.

A small gleam of light flickered deeper, when the light clicking of claws against the hard, damp ground could be heard. It was hard to see in the dark, but what was prominent were a pair of bright blue eyes staring at the group as they moved closer. When it was close enough, the shape was unmistakable. With the scythe on its head, there was no doubt that it was an Absol. However, this one didn't look like Cladis. Instead of the usual black markings and red eyes, this one had blue eyes and its skin and claws seemed to be red.

Ava gasped when she saw the strangly colored Absol. It brought back memories of the Zoroark that saved her life, and she took an involuntary step forward, forgetting that the Pokemon may be dangerous. She seemed to regain control of her thoughts, and turned toward Wolf. "Is this the Absol?" Cladis stood perfectally still, watching the other Absol cautiously and curiously, while giving off a friendly vibe.

The look on Wolf's face said it all as he stared at the Absol, clutching the amulet tightly and clenching his teeth. Midnight Vow's fur was standing on end as he took an aggressive pose, baring his teeth at the Absol. This was clearly the Absol they were after, seemed Ava wasn't going to get a shot at this one. The man took out an odd looking black and green pokeball, also known as a Dusk ball. "I will weaken you, then capture you and take you back to the village you destroyed. There you will make your repremands by acting as our disaster warning," the man said, a few tears in his eyes. It could be seen upon closer look that the amulet was actually a woman's, perhaps the man had lost someone in the accident prior.

"Sol," the absol said, glaring at the group. It reared its head back, scythe glowing before it slashed, blades of winds hitting Midnight Vow and sending him tumbling. The black and gold Pokemon was dirty and scuffed up, laying weakly after the Razor Wind attack. "Absol," the Absol said in a husky voice, as though saying "You're no threat".

"Um...bre..." Midnight said weakly, body shaking as he tried to move to no avail. The Pokemon was down for the count, clearly.

"M-Midnight..." The man stuttered, looking to his trusted Pokemon. He then glared back at Absol with his tear stained face. "You..." he growled out, before looking to Ava. "You need to weaken him for me. Please, I beg you," he said, picking up his weakened Umbreon gently in his arms.

Ava nodded toward Wolf, and Cladis stepped foreward, growling. "Use Megahorn!," Ava commanded, and Cladis rushed at the Absol.

The Absol bared its teeth, making an almost "Tsk," noise as it jumped off to the side, avoiding the Megahorn by a hair. Quickly, it retaliated by raising it claw back, then bringing it down in an attempt to scratch the other Absol. It was fast, and seemed to be rather dangerous.

"Be careful," the man said, holding his umbreon close to him. "It is no ordinary Absol, and seems to be at a higher level. You'll have to use strategy to win," the man said, fingers burried in Midnight's fur.

*Absol, Female. Level 17.

Ava nodded toward Wolf, her focus on the enemy Absol. Cladis took the scratch attack, and jumped out of range before another attacks could ensue. Ava seemed to have formed a plan in her head, and silently signaled her Pokemon. Getting the message, all four of her Pokemon attacked, Cladis using Megahorn, Cicatrix using Tackle, Manu using Scratch, and Ignire using Tackle. The Absol would have a hard time dodging four attacks at once!

Wolf merely nodded, serious eyes staring forward at the battle as he carressed his injured Pokemon. Midnight was clearly very dear to him, and not just a tool. The enemy Absol, however was much less amused by the attack from the gang of Pokemon. Swiftly, she jumped up, landing on top of the enemy Cladis as he attempted to attack, jumping off again as the Pidgey, Cicatrix attempted a tackle. She quickly side-stepped to avoid the Aipom, Manu's scratch, then felt a little ping in her rear leg. Glancing down, she noticed the small Cyndaquil had hit her with a Tackle attack. Seemed it truly was impossible to dodge them all at the same time, regardless of how talented she was. "Tsk," she said again, hopping back so that all the enemy Pokemon were in her site, before rearing her head back, swinging her scythe and releasing another dangerous Razor Wind attack!

All Pokemon but Ignire jump away in time, and in realizing this, Cladis jumped in front of the Cyndaquil, taking the hit. He then jumped out of the way, and waited for instructions from Ava.
"We need to render cut her stats!" she told her Pokemon, and they all nodded. They rushed at the Absol again, Cladis using Leer, Cicatrix using Sand Attack, Manu using Sand Attack, and Ignire using Leer.

The enemy Absol closed its eyes upon feeling the first Leer, causing the sand to just cake around in her fur. When the assault paused, she shook her entire body, a cloud of dust dissipating from her fur before settling back to the ground. Opening her bright blue eyes, she glared menacingly at the foes. Deciding the Cyndaquil was the easiest target, she quickly launched into a sprint nearly disappearing with speed. She lunged, using her Quick Attack on Ignire!

As the Absol rushed at Cyndaquil, Cladis readied a Flamethrower, and waited. When Ignire was hit, he sent the flame directally at the two Pokemon, Ignire trying to keep a grip on the Absol. The flamethrower would hurt her more than him. Manu and Cicatrix seemed to have disapeared when the sand attack cleared.

Even if the Flamethrower attack would injure the Absol more than the Cyndaquil in effectiveness, Absol was a much higher level than Ignire. Between the two attacks, he was bound to faint. So, the Absol changed her target. Unable to locate the Aipon or Pidgey, she targeted the other Absol. She reared her head back, sending a Razor Wind attack aimed for Cladis!

"Good job Ignire, return," Ava said, returning the Cyndaquil to his Pokeball. She then got a determined look on her face, and simply said, "It's on."

"Cladis, dodge it!" She shouted to her Absol, who barely managed to evade in time. "Now use Flamethrower!" A ball of fire formed in Cladis's mouth, and he unleashed it at the enemy Absol. There was still no sign of Manu or Cicatrix.

Absol ducked, the flamethrower stinging and singing her fur. When the attack was over, she stood again. Shaking the ash from her fur, she began to walk slowly toward Cladis. In an instant, she vanished in a blur of speed, headed right for the other Absol! Wild Absol used Quick Attack!

The attack would have been dead on, but suddenly, a quick blur headed right toward the attacking Absol, intercepting its path. It was Cicatrix, suddenly reappearing and using tackle!
Cladis was then able to focus himself, and he too rushed at the Absol, using Magahorn.

Wild Absol took the attack to te side, causing her aim to go off, missing her target. She pressed against the ground, quickly hopping into the air and spinning around. She landed, sliding back across the cave floor a bit as she glared at the bird. She reared her head, whipping it again with a dangerous Razor Wind attack!

Cicatrix was fist, but not fast enough. The Razor Wind hit him dead on, causing him to fall out of the air, an easy target to attack. Cladis noticed this and used it to his advantage, he ran at the Absol from the opposite side that Cicatrix was on, using Magahorn. She could either attack Cicatrix and risk getting hit by Cladis, or dodge Cladis, but risk letting Cicatrix get away unharmed.