Finding Some Dog Gone Apples

The air was a bit nippy, the low temperature make most shiver as the wind blew past. Winter was coming to a close soon, but spring had not come yet. There was even bits of snow here and there from a previous snowfall, stubbornly sticking around but ultimately doomed to be melted by the sun like all the rest. All in all, the day was pretty chilly, but not too cold. In the eyes of the sneasel, it was a good day. It sure beat traveling through a desert with an insane meowth that was probably dropped on his head as a child.

Crysel was here not on her own reasons, but because of the Trapinch next to her. She had caught the little pokemon face first in a bowl of apples that belonged to a fellow guild member in Grassveil. She had convinced the pokemon to own up to his theft and helped him avoid any serious trouble. However the Stoutland whose apples were eating asked if she could accompany the Trapinch on a trip to gather apples and repay his new debt. So here she was, travelling through Pecha Forest with him. She was a quiet one, not too big a conversationalist. The Trapinch on the other hand...

(26 Energy left)

“Why is it so c-c-c-cold?! My legs are freezing, C-C-Crehhhzel.. Can’t you just pick up the stupid apples and say I got ‘em? C’mon, please..?” Sinai complained loudly with an almost feminine, embarrassing sneeze; The sneeze echoed in the distance for a moment, and slightly rattled the snow-laden trees, “Ugh, the great and mighty Sinai can’t die out here with this lunatic.. Yeah, he’ll definitely die in some cool act of valor.. Like saving a cute Gardevoir maiden from the top of volcano! Yeah, that’s exactly how!" He wistfully grumbled under his breath in the third-person.

The Ground-Type certainly wasn’t used to such frigid weather due to all the time he spent in the desert, but the Trapinch glumly marched on through the half-melted icy slush of the forest floor. Oddly enough, he found himself instinctively huddling against the unsociable Sneasel’s leg for warmth after awhile. Suddenly realizing what he was doing, he quickly moved away from her with a snort of disgust. “It’s not fair.. You’re an Ice-Type, so this is just the loveliest weather to you, isn't it?"

(11 Energy)

"That would defeat the purpose of the trip. You are here to make up for the apples YOU took and ate. YOU are the one that broke the law and YOU have to take responsibility. And you won't die. Its cold, but not windy. The chill won't sink into your body for many hours as long as you keep moving which you will be doing while collecting apples. And you need to get a reality check. Gardevoirs are powerful and unlikely to get stuck on volcanoes. In fact, they avoid trouble using their emotion sensing abilities. Also the reason you'd never meet one."

At the mention of this weather being good for her, she shook her head. "Though the cold does put me more at ease, I can die from freezing to death like any other. My fur makes it harder. Though my line does use the cold inside us to power our ice type moves. The gems on we have generate cold and our feathers expel heat. Its a delicate balance and removing either of the two can make us very sick. So in all honesty, Sneasels are more effected by temperatures technically. Anyway, no time to waste. You have apples to find. I'll keep an eye out for wild pokemon. Just get to work."

Sinai faked a loud yawning noise at her LONG explanation of the 'biology of a Sneasel’. He really needed to stop asking her things. “I lost you at.. Err.. All of it. I just thought maybe you savor the coldness since it perfectly matches your personality, I mean.” He sneered lightly, but the mild chill preoccupied his efforts to keep moving forward . Looking around hazily for an tree with bright red apple fruit with growing impatience, there was something slightly comforting in knowing Crysel had his back if there were actually any foes lurking. The Trapinch did know in the back of his mind that she was a force to be reckoned with; A good and strong ally to have in an unfamiliar dungeon like this. But he definitely wasn’t going to let her know that. “Hey lady, I’m not some baby.. I could take out a whole herd of Arboks with my eyes closed if I wanted to! I definitely don’t need help from a Pokemon weaker than me, like you. But no worries, Crehzel, I’ll protect you.." Sinai puffed out his chest a bit, halting in a melted snow puddle and continuing to search around it while speaking. "Now, now.. I know what you're going to say. Really. It's nothing, and you're very welcome. Just stay close, a'ight?"

Crysel sigh more out of exasperation than annoyance. This trapinch was overly confident and childish. It was a wonder he hadn't wandered into something bigger and wasn't a steaming pile of poo at the moment. "Instead of performing amazing feats like hanging upside down from one leg with bits of apple on your face, actually pay attention. I've traveled here before a while ago. Quite a popular place for outlaws. I used to hunt them with my old team. I'm a good tracker and I spy a lot of fresh tracks coupled with markings around. that means trouble can't be too far behind. Just quickly find a few apples and we can get back to the guild member whose apples you stole and ate." She wasn't annoyed really. This pokemon was just a kid. He'd grow out of this whole 'invincible hero' thing eventually. Till then, she was pretty much baby sitting him on this trip.

Sinai snapped his jaws in mock-synch with Crysel's serious advice, nodding his big head around with each exaggerated word, but did actually happen to listen to some of what she said. Something about outlaws. That... Would be a bit problematic if his skills were put to the test all of a sudden. With an uneasy gulp, he attempted to remain focused with a confident grin on finding the apple fruit. With a careless shrug towards the Sneasel, he said, "Yeah yeah.. Outlaws, smahoutlaws. Only idiots would stay in this forest if they knew I was here. Outlaws with half a brain would have fled far from here if they knew a Pokemon of my strength was around. It's only natural, really." The Trapinch was chuckling, when all of a sudden, he completely froze. Staring stiffly and staring forward, he pointed a front foot straight ahead through the tall trees that were dripping with melted snow. There seemed to be a figure in the distance, but maybe it was simply a trick of the light; He did not have the slightest clue. "Uh.. Crehzell? What's that over there?"

"This and a place for exploration. Not a place to just act like you are tough. Rescue teams take part in missions here. I've had a few here as well." She pointed to a small pool of water. I had to battle and freeze an outlaw with my former teammate Jeremy over there. Almost snapped my arm off actually. Outlaws don't hold back. They will do more than hurt you and begging for them to stop won't get you anything but laughs and more pain." At the mention of the figure, Crysel took a sniff at the air. "Well its downwind, so I can't get its scent. Only one way to find out what it is. With that, Crysel went forward to check, gesturing Sinai to stay back.

Crytic carried out 1 launched of one Pecha Forest :

"Jeremy? Who's that?" The somewhat nosy Trapinch muttered quietly, but suddenly realized that Crysel had already gone up ahead to inspect the mysterious 'thing' without him. Rearing his big round head back indignantly, he snorted with protest, "H-.. Hey no way! I want to see what it is too!" Sinai didn't wait for her reply. He scuffled hastily after Crysel through the dirty slush, though he made sure to keep a good distance behind her; If the 'something' leaped out and attacked, at least it would go for her first. Please don't be an Ursaring, please don't be an Ursaring, please don't be an Ursaring... Sinai's jaws were clamped shut nervously as the duo neared the shadowy object.

(26/31 Energy, take away 1 for roll, 25/31 left)

Crysel picked up the berry. "Its just a Pecha berry, nothing to get jumpy about. It will come in handy if one of use get sick. A real possibility since this area is notorious for its bug type pokemon." She placed the berry in her pack before continuing. Anyway... Jeremy was the one who started Team Manga. We were mainly an outlaw hunting team. He came up with ideas, I was the tracker. The others scouted and provided muscle. He invited me to join a while back. I had a bad case of amnesia back then. He just wanted to help me out. But as you can see, things didn't work out. I've gained some of my memories back, but most of it is still a blank." She took a sniff at the air and pointed. "I smell some apples in that direction. Why don't you look around the area closer. You may find a few and then you can be free once you bring them back."

"Me? Jumpy? Puh-leazeee." Sinai mumbled, craning his head forward to see the poison-curing berry as Crysel picked it up. He listened intently for a moment as the Sneasel told him of her past teammates, and the Ant-Pit Pokemon briefly scratched his chin with a nubby leg in curiosity. "What happened to 'im? Jeremy, I mean." Sinai's gaze followed the direction of her pointed claw, and he quickly began to dash that way. Almost tripping over himself, he slid on the snowy terrain right before a tall and sturdy apple tree; Due to the cold, only about 8 or so apples hung from the still-brittle branches. "HEY! Crehzel! I found some, c'mere c'mere!" The Trapinch danced about excitably while attempting to reach for the plump red fruit, even though he was obviously way too short.

"We all went our separate ways. Jeremy went back to his home, Kuro... just disappeared. And Dex wandered off on his own. He might come back, but I doubt it." At the mention of the apples, Crysel unsheathed her claws. "I'll get them down you just put them in the bag." Sinking her claws into the soft bark, Crysel started climbing up, She made it to the ranches and cutting them off by the stem when Sinai got under her. She only stopped when they got a good amount. "Alright, that should be enough. See? It wasn't so hard. Though I don't want to see you stealing apples again you know. Next time you won't get so lucky with a punishment."

"Huh. Lame. You'd think an exploration team would stick together.. Is it even really a team anymore with just you?" Sinai shrugged and pulled the bag beneath the tree to catch each falling apple, thoughtlessly speaking aloud per the usual. He watched her snip the bright crimson fruit from the branches with each neat slash of her snowy-white claws, and after the good-sized and ripe apples piled up the bag, he took the strap in his jaws and dragged it towards Crysel for her to grab. Spitting out the strip of leather-like material in front of the reprimanding Sneasel as she made her way back down the tree, he rolled his tiny eyes with undiscerned sniff. "Yeah, yeah, okay.. Trust me, I won't! The Guild's apples taste all gross and rotten too.. Not good enough grub for a growing prodigy like me anyways! Blegh!" The Trapinch screwed up his face and faked an over-exaggerated gag, but stole one quick glance at her unsheathed claws and immediately stood back up to attention and uneasily cleared his throat.

"Things happen. Danger, family, personal business... we all have burdens to carry. Like you want to be a hero. I won't pry into why, but its obviously a good reason. You just need to work at it at your own pace." Crysel climbed down and sharpened her claws on themselves as if scratching an itch. "As for being a team... well I do need to find proper recruits before I head out on missions again. It can't just be any pokemon. Team Magna is a specialty team. Outlaw missions are our forte. So I need pokemon with skills that will help towards track, catching, and subduing criminals. Raw power alone won't help. In any case, I only got back when I found you eating the apples, so I have not had a chance to find any replacements." Crysel took the bag, having it hang on her shoulder. SHe started on her way back.

"All Team Magna does is catch petty thieves?!" The Trapinch gaped a little at his supervisor with apparent disbelief. "If I were on a team, it'd be all about the treasure and the money! Oh, oh yeah! And popularity! Stuff like that!" Sinai sighed dreamily at the thought of being a rich, respected explorer of sorts; Being an explorer to seek justice, help others in need and actual companionship didn't even register in his mind as part of the job. He'd obviously much rather reap the rewards instead of doing the job. Shaking his head presumptously, he gazed up at Crysel as he followed her back down the forest trail."You're looking for replacements, eh? I gotcha.. Before you have to ask, I'm sorry Crehzell, but I'm going have to decline your offer... Hunting outlaws is just kind of a waste of my potential. You know what I mean?"

"Just petty thieves? You must be pretty naive. There are much worse criminals out there... and there needs to be pokemon out there who stops them before they cause real damage." She rolled his eyes about how he wanted to do things. "You have a ways to go before you earn all that. You can't just get it all for nothing. I wasn't going to ask you to join, but I am surprised you'd be so against it. I mean you'd pretty much be a hero with every mission you know. Good pokemon taking on bad pokemon. Its the classic hero versus villain scenario. Though... you would have a bit of trouble. I mean..." She gestured at Sinai. "Just look at you. You are pretty small. Probably slow thanks to the short legs. What skills do you have that would even help with catching outlaws? And besides that, you'd have to enter the guild and become a member."