Spirits of the Misty Hill

First topic message reminder :

A Burmy, clad in his cloak of autumnal leaves that originated from his home in Fallen Leaf Copse and carrying a bag of various belongings, approached the base of the hill, looking up into its vast mists. He had been here once previously, and his entire time had been fraught with attacks from territorial Pokemon that lived within the fog. He's also assigned someone an entry challenge here, although he had yet to hear back from that particular Tepig.

Russell turned to the Absol that was accompanying him, looking up at the much taller Pokemon, "So was your entry challenge your last trip to Pricklemist?" He asked curiously, knowing that Deimos had been here at least once before because he had personally assigned the Absol's entry challenge. The fact that they both had experience with the place would likely be at least a small advantage, as they'd know just what to expect from the misty hill.

The house at the top however would be another matter entirely, as rumours had recently surfaced about a malicious spirit that was haunting the abandoned building, plaguing anyone who dares visit. Russell had a few of his own theories about what the true cause of the attacks were, but it was important to keep an open mind after all. You never knew what you might find and it was worth investigating nonetheless.

Deimos glared down at the Spoink he'd slammed into the earth, before walking forwards and over it. He didn't know if it did have some move that could harm him if it quickly regained conciousness. Closing his eyes and quickly scanning, behind his form he felt a rock being thrown and the same small imprints he'd sensed not long ago. Recognizing that it wouldn't be the Zangoose due to the imprint, he bet on it not being a normal type.

Quickly turning around, Deimos saw the insect running at him with the intent to bite him. Remembering the last time, Deimos wasn't just going to let himself get bitten like that again. Raising his left paw, spectral energies began to form around it, mimicking an extension of his own clawed paw. Slamming towards the Kricketot, the size and intensity of the spectral energy rapidly increased beyond normal levels of potency.

As the insect attempted to bite the claw, it was slammed into the earth with a great deal of spectral force... A critical strike. Though in the past his ability was less prone to activating, it, combined with the effects of Shadow Claw itself made the chance of these blows increase greatly. As he rested his paw back on the ground, the Spectral claw vanished as the move subsided.

The critical strike had knocked the Kricketot out cold, enabling Deimos all the time in the world to turn his attention to Russell, to check if his Companion was ok.

As Russell spotted Deimos taking care of the Kricketot, he breathed a small sigh of relief. His little rock throwing seemed to have done the trick after all. However he would soon regret that small moment of distraction as it gave the Zangoose the opportunity to charge him with a plain old Scratch attack.

Russell was bowled over by the Zangoose, but quickly fought back, using his psychic type Hidden Power to fire a small ball of psychic energy towards his opponent which hit it in the stomach and allowed Russell to scramble away whilst it was winded.

As the Zangoose recovered itself, Russell charged back towards it with his Tackle move, practically headbutting the Cat Ferret pokemon in the stomach once again. Despite the Burmy's small size, the force of the move managed to knock the Zangoose over and Russell once again began throwing small stones using his levitation abilities.

The Zangoose finally seemed to think that enough was enough, recognizing that it was fighting a losing battle. It's two companions had already been knocked out and there was nowhere it could turn for assistance. Plus these rocks were giving it one hell of a headache. Finally giving in, the Zangoose parted it's jaws and hissed at Russell before turning tail and scampering off into the undergrowth.

Russell kept a few of the remaining stones hovering in the air for a few moments after the Zagoose disappeared into the undergrowth, before dropping them all at the same time where they clattered against one another. The Burmy knew he wasn't all that strong and he had to use every trick in the book to win his fights, especially whilst he was so small. He breathed another sigh of relief, glad that this particular incident was over and looked to Deimos.

"Well that was certainly something..." he commented wryly.

Deimos held still and let Russell continue to fend the Zangoose off, ready to jump in with Sucker Punch when needed. He wanted to see what Russell could truly do in a fight, not wanting to over or underestimate the Burmy. He noticed that the Burmy had taken a hit, but it didn't seem to be too bad and not the type that would overly cause hinderance. The Absol knew the pain the Pokemon amongst the mists could cause from his prior incisions.

The Absol for a moment rose one of it's paws, ready to strike with Stone Edge as the ferret fled. Seeing it as a waste, Deimos let loose a faint sigh and rested his paw slowly and gently back to the earth. He knew this might not be the only conflict, best not waste what strength he had. The Absol walked over towards Russell with a calm and calculated demeaner, merely nodding in agreement with it's words.

"Right, though it could have been worse... It could have been more Sevipers. Shall we resume?" Deimos spoke, ready to be scaled once more so they could effectively reach their target. He intended to set off as soon as the Burmy had clambered aboard and given the go ahead.

The Burmy blinked at Deimos's words, but figured that he must have had a not-so-great run in with a Seviper, or perhaps even more than one based on the statement, in the past. Nevertheless he clambered back up onto the Absol's back once again and they were soon off, heading once more in the direction of their intended target of visitation.

The small wood that adorned the hill began to get clearer and clearer as they got closer, less silhouettes against the mists and more defined trees, with their leaves swaying in the winds that whipped around the top of the hill. Russell could not yet spot the house that had been mentioned in the rumours they were following up, and so assumed it to be slightly deeper within the forest.

As they entered the forest, Russell kept a keen eye out, his guard up and senses alert for anything that might come out of the trees. As a Burmy who was used to forested areas, he was much more comfortable here than he had been in the open expanse of the breadth of the hill, and so he fell into an almost easy and instinctual pattern that had been honed over his species's existence.

As they were moving through the forest, Russell spotted something that caught the light in one of the trees. He could not see it clearly until the drew closer, and as Deimos passed beneath the branches of said tree, Russell used his psychic type Hidden Power to levitate the shiny object away from the branches and into his clutches so that he might examine what it was. The blue sphere was very clearly an orb, and upon closer inspection, the tint and colour, as well as the pattern of the material within told him that it was likely to be a Trawl Orb. Certainly an interesting find, and an item that would likely come in handy somewhere along the line.

OOC//:

Having been the means of Russell's advance into the forest, Deimos had been advancing forward at a moderately quick pace. It was slower than before due to the change in environment. The Absol's mind was racing, scanning around constantly to try and keep both himself and Russell guarded. He could only do so much on his own after all in a fight, best to avoid one entirely than slowly be whittled down.

The forest felt somewhat different than the Close to him, at least in regards to the ground. There was less a feeling of leaves crunching underfoot, more so soft soil. It was a nice feeling when compared to cold stone or crunching leaves, one he didn't mind getting used to. As he kept advancing, he felt a slight change now and then, but nothing threatening.

Eventually pausing, Deimos looked down to a seed that was underfoot. From what he could tell, it appeared to be a Reviver Seed, a useful type of item. Lifting the item in his grasp, he carefully placed it into the makeshift bag he'd brought along as of late. Once he was ready, he began his careful advance once more into the wood. The Structure couldn't be too far off.

There appeared to be no more disturbances on their journey through the woodland, although Russell had noticed when Deimos had found some sort of seed. Soon enough, the Burmy spotted something ahead. It was a definite structure, and likely what they were looking for. A few more paces from the Absol and the mists almost seemed to be pushed aside so that they could see it more clearly.

It was a rather derelict looking building, but one could clearly identify the features that would have once upon a time made it a rather quaint looking home to live in. He wondered if the original inhabitants had built it from scratch just so they could live in this particular location.

"Well, I think this is the place," the Burmy smiled, glancing around at their current surroundings. The forested area had thinned out quite a bit to make way for a large clearing that surrounded the house, the majority of the clearing being situated at the front of the building, although there was still some treeless space behind it.

"Do you reckon we should go straight on in?" Russell asked the Absol, the Burmy silently wondering just what they would find inside now that they were here.

As the Absol had stopped before the old derelict structure, Deimos had immediately began glancing around the area. He knew that ghost types lived in the region and that there was a blind spot in his ability to detect... He wanted to cover it. He had been shown before that a being using a move to enable themselves to move as a pure shadow was near undetectable by mind alone. Though he'd never encountered something akin to a Spiritomb here, the Absol was still being quite cautious.

As Russell spoke up, asking about if they should head on in, Deimos shook his head to indicate a no. ""Check the perimeter first... Some ghost types and spirits can abuse a blind spot in my sensory ability. We need to be ready for if this ends up being a trap" Deimos spoke. He knew of the flaws of his own ability well now, just as well as he knew he had to take this slowly and carefully for Russell's sake.

The Absol summoned forth another pillar of stone by slamming one of his paws down upon the ground, providing a means for Russell to get down quickly and safely for this... They could cover surface area quicker here from different levels.

Russell nodded at the Absol's words, waiting as Deimos summoned the stone platform so that the Burmy could hop neatly down from the white furred pokemon's back and onto solid ground.

"Alright so, you go that way and I'll go this way?" the Burmy suggested, his tone questioning but it seemed like he'd already made up his mind as to where he was going to check as he promptly started moving off in the direction he'd indicated for himself, "We can meet back up after we'e checked our side."

The Burmy re-adjusted his bag before he began moving away from Deimos, keeping his senses alert and glancing around as he checked out the area.

Deimos had waited patiently for the Burmy to descend to the earth beneath him, remaining perfectly still. Once the Burmy reached the earth, Deimos quickly glanced around, wanting to double check their immediate surroundings. In a world of white where vision is a weak tool, one should never rely purely on first impressions. Deimos knew that there were beings that could create illusions thus he knew he always had to be cautious here.

Deimos nodded at Russell's suggestion, moving around to the other flank of the structure, eyes and mind constantly darting back and forth as he moved. Maybe it was just a gut feeling of distrust of this area but he felt that something was wrong. It felt somewhat too quiet, even more so than the eerie silence of traversing the mist's alone as he had done before.

The Burmy made his way around the structure, eyeing it critically. So far he hadn't encountered anything that would be considered dangerous, but he knew he needed to stay alert as one wrong step could be disastrous.
Honestly he was most surprised that the derelict house on top of the hill was even still standing. There were vines and plants curled all through the woodwork, pulling parts of it apart. Then again, perhaps those particular plants were the entire reason it was still standing, the plants themselves supporting the wood that should have rotted from lack of care and use long ago.

Russell even poked the wood at one point, and though it sounded dull when he knocked on it, it didn't yet seem to be rotten enough that it would flake or fall apart. With this in mind, the Burmy continued his round of the structure until he reach roughly the middle of the other side. It was then that he turned his gaze to the forested area around the clearing. He hadn't spotted anything from there either... perhaps the disturbance truly was coming from within the derelict structure itself.

Instead of completly circling around as Russel did, Deimos remained on the side he had moved around towards. He was focusing upon the architecture of the structure primarilly, figuring out what little nooks and gaps between the woodwork and the greenery could potentially be used by a pokemon. He understood that a large pokemon would be unlikely to be one that could hide in such locations, however much smaller beings might not have as much trouble, if they can find a suitable area.

He also understood that this free space between the structure and the wood that was slowly being pulled away by plantlife could also be a sensible access point for ghost type pokemon such as the Gastly line, enabling one to get in and out without ever using the main entrance. It wasn't the primary focus of their investigation, but every detail could prove useful, or so he thought.

He didn't dare test the strength of the structures walls, understanding that, as a physically powerful species it might not be a good idea. Letting off a faint sigh, Deimos moved around towards the rear of the structure. He wanted to know where would be safest for himself to enter, from the front, or forging a passage through the rear wall. He understood that both options had their own advantages and weaknesses. Blindly walking through the front door was just asking for some form of ambush by those lurking in the dark. Creating a path oneself however would risk structural integrity, especially if that path involved tearing away at the supporting vines and roots.

After carefully looking at the back wall, occasionally prodding and poking without a great deal of strength, he shook his head. He quietly walked back around to the front of the structure, figuring he should discuss this before deciding what path to take.

Turning to head back the other way, Russell got closer to the outside of the building, investigating it up close. He prodded further at a few promising sections of the structure until he stumbled upon a loose panel. Taking a few steps back, the autumn-cloaked Burmy tugged gently at the panel and the few surrounding it with his psychic Hidden Power. Must to his elation, the panels neatly pulled apart from the side of the building.

Although camouflaged from view when one was merely looking at the structure, one could easily find it if they were poking around enough. Gently placing the panels nearby, Russell got closer to the newfound entrance, peering inside.

The Burmy didn't spot anything immediately as it was dark inside the structure. He shrank back as he heard a loud set of creaks and footsteps, not wanting to be caught snooping without alerting Deimos beforehand.

Backing out, Russell gently replaced the panels and continued around the side of the building until he rejoined the Absol at the front. If he'd had arms, he would have waved. For now, Russell just got up close before whispering.
"I think I've found somewhere else we can enter from. It sounds like there's definitely something inside though," he explained quietly.

Deimos had taken a seat, taking a short moment to think of ways around the clear advantages the natives would have within the structure. A prior encounter with a Spiritomb had made clear a sizable weakness in his sensory net, one that could most certainly be employed by a variety of spectral entities and to potent effect. He couldn't track beings that rendered themselves part of the shadows themselves, rendering himself and those under his care quite vulnerable to any kind of move similar to the ghost type 'Shadow Sneak' ability. This specific weakness of his ability meant extreme caution was a necessity.

So lost in his thoughts, Deimos didn't even notice Russel's approach, only catching on to his boss's presence upon him speaking. Quietly turning and looking down to his shorter companion, Deimos gave a curt nod. Russel had clearly had better luck than the Absol, something he could personally attribute to his partner's stature. Deimos was forced to be quite careful regarding the structure, due to the risk of inflicting damage to the building that wouldn't be easy to repair. He wasn't a Gurdurr or any kind of Pokemon with construction expertise after all, if he broke something, he absolutely wouldn't be able to fix it.

"Alright, lead on, i'll follow. I confess i didn't have much luck on my end. I didn't want to risk breaking anything. Once we get in there, we need to stay close. There's definitely a possibility that whoever's in there can hide from my ability to track. Safety's gotta come first" Deimos spoke quietly, now returning to his feat with a clear look of conviction upon his face. It was truly time, time to finally peer into the world of mysteries first hand. It was undeniable that he was excited to get this show on the road.

Russell nodded lightly before heading back the way he'd come, leading Deimos to the hidden entrance. Upon reaching the planks, he turned to the Absol.

"The planks here are easily moveable, and there's enough space for you to fit as well as me," the Burmy explained quietly and concisely, "I did peek in there though, so we should be careful just in case anyone saw."

With that in mind, Russell once again utilised his psychic hidden power in order to grasp the loose wooden planks. Using psychic energy instead of physical features to move them minimised the sound they made, hopefully keeping their entrance on the down low.

When the planks were placed a little ways away, Russell edged closer to the entrance, letting his smaller form scope the area first so as not to draw as much attention. He could still hear the creaking, but reasoned that it may just be a result of how old the wooden structure was.

The autumn cloaked Burmy swept his yellow gaze over the darkness of the interior. What awaited them within the house? Was the rumour true? He couldn't help the small smile that graced his features. This is what he made the Windrose Scouts for after all: to investigate the unknown and, in doing so, ascertain the truth.

Russell glanced back to Deimos. "Ready?"

Deimos followed his small companion without delay, intending to see just how large this entrance would be. With their difference in size, he merely hoped that it would be large enough for him to pass through, otherwise they'd have to separate and enter from different locations. Such an idea would hold some merit, having one draw attention while the other sneaks around, but it would also prove dangerous to split up. Safety was still the top concern.

Upon the entrance being revealed however, those worries soon faded. it would be safer this way, even if the Burmy had gotten itself spotted. Moving an ambush from one location to another takes time after all, especially if only one person is aware of the situation. With that in mind, Deimos was fairly confident that they wouldn't be set upon immediately as they entered, giving them some time to grow accustomed to the darkness within.

Upon being question on if he was ready, Deimos nodded with clear enthusiasm. The first Windrose operation was one he was excited for. No longer were the days of just travelling aimlessly, now was the time to forge a new story to tell. There would have clearly been something wrong with him if he wasn't excited.