





"NO."
"But M'am..."
"I said NO."
"I heard you M'am, but I just...."
Noodles raised a silencing limb. "No. And that's all there is to it. I'm not risking my family for another of your madcap missions."
The office was dead silent for a minute and a half, while Noodles and Sheriff Matt D. stared each other down across Matt's desk. In the other room, Oodles, Lorn, and Festus the Mudbray could be heard laughing heartily. They were occupying themselves with some game or the other and, by the sound of it, getting on famously. Noodles was happy for them. They'd done a good job on last night's raid, and deserved some time off while that Skiddo rotted in jail with his minions.
Finally, Matt broke the silence. "M'am, if we're able to arrest this Beartic, it could put a serious dent in this area's crime rate. He's..."
"If I remember correctly, you sad something similar yesterday."
"That was before we'd arrested the Skiddo, and before the Skiddo spilled the beans." Matt shook his head. "Criminals always do that in the hopes we'll go easy on them afterword."
Noodles shook her head too, but for a different reason. "And after we arrest the Beartic? What if HE does the exact same thing? Rats out some bigger, badder crime lord, I mean?" She sighed heavily and brought her face closer to Matt's. "I don't want any part of it. I don't want The Hodgepodge Gang on some Mafioso's hit-list. That's not what we DO. I know we're friends, Matt, but come on!"
The Braviary spread his wings in defeat. "Ok, OK! I get it! I guess Fstus and I will have to handle it on our own."
Now that the pressure was off, Noodles allowed herself to relax. She felt bad about leaving Matt in the lurch, but that'd already helped him out as much as they could - Lorn wasn't a battler, and as much as Oodles wanted to be tough, they hadn't gotten enough training in to be truly GOOD in a dust-up. It wasn't fair to ask them to take on a BEARTIC that clearly knew the ropes! And it wasn't fair for Matt to ask her to get them involved again.
"Sounds like they're having a good time int there, eh?"
Matt's comment interrupted Noodles' train of thought, and she looked up to find him smiling weakly.
"You're a rotten actor, Matt. You'd never last on the circuit."
The Braviary threw his heads back and laughed, the sound mingling tunefully with another outburst from their friends in the other room.
"Look. I know it's a stretch, but I may have an idea. Didn't you tell me this criminal has such a nasty reputation that even his own men are afraid of him...?"
"Yeah?"
"Well, listen up: It's a long-shot, but it may just work...."
Noodles' plan was thus: use the Beartic's reputation against him. After all, the bigger they are, the harder they fall! After talking to the Cherrium they'd captured what felt like a lifetime ago, it became abundantly clear that there were plenty of Pokemon who wanted this Beartic out of the picture. He was cruel, violent, and paranoid - prone to replacing his minions on a whim. Thus, operating through slightly less than legal connections, strings were pulled, and the Beartic fell. Even better, in return for the reduced sentence that the Skiddo had been wanting, the frozen fiend was delivered right into Matt's jail cell.Two long days of travel separated The Hodgepodge Gang from Stoneville, and it would still be three more before they hit the next stop on their route. This meant that they were a full day behind - the folks in Crum would be wondering where they were! Nevertheless, when their wagon drew abreast of a small turnoff, everyone ground to a halt.
While they'd been hung up in town waiting for their rear axle to be replaced, Oodles had overheard an Ursaring chatting to her neighbor about a mutual Swirlix friend who'd been 'nutty enough' (their words, not Oodles') to go off by themselves on a camping trip during the height of the rainy season. Given the tendency of the area's steep cliffs to give way in a deluge... well. Both Pokemon were worried. Oodles being Oodles, it wasn't long before the Shellos had interjected themselves into the conversation and offered to check up on the wayward Swirlix. After all - the Gang was going to go right past the bluffs on their way out of town!
Hesse the stop by the turnoff.
"I think this is it."
"Are you sure...?"
"No - but did any of the OTHER turnoffs we passed have dead willow trees next to 'um?
"I'd feel better if there were a sign. I don't want to waste our time barking up the wrong tree."
"I didn't know you barked..." Oodles grinned lopsidedly as they clambered down from the wagon, only half paying attention to the conversation. The rest of their attention was focused on the surrounding wilderness.
"Figure of speech."
"Riiight...." The Shellos winked at their mother. "We all know you're working on a new act!"
Noodles simply rolled her eyes and began poking about in the bushes for a signpost.
Meanwhile, Lorn had appeared on the driver's bench,. He'd emerged from the rear of the wagon the instant it had stopped, and was currently ignoring both Noodles AND Oodles in favor of kicking back with a book he'd traded for in Stoneville. The group had already worked it out - he'd stay behind and watch the wagon, Noodles and Oodles would go looking for the Swirlix. SOMEONE had to make sure the gear staid safe!
"Nothing." Noodles straightened up and eyes the dead willow suspiciously.
"It's fine! Just comeon, mom!" And with that, Oodles all but charged down the path.
fifteen minutes later found the pair walking into a cozy little campsite. And sitting there, beside the fire, was Swirlix - as happy and content as any Pokemon could be. Where Noodles explained why they'd come, the Swirlix simply laughed. Yes, she knew all about the bluffs. Yes, she was being careful.
Nevertheless, countered Oodles, her friends were very worried about her. The first big storm of the season was blowing in from the south! This entire area, as she must know herself, would become a wash.
At this point the Swirlix hesitated. She was only out here because she was trying to find a rare sort of wildflower. She needed it for her potions. If only she could find a few bouquets, she'd have no reason to stay anymore...
Oodles and Noodles sighed simultaneously, and the Swirlix smiled.
They'd just recieved a NEW new mission.In the stress filled days since they first established the guild, Axton and Icarus had done quite a bit for their region despite it not being that long. It felt as though everyday they had one problem after the other to solve and decided together that it may be best to have a sort of vacation. Though luckily for them, a request from a Floette gave them an excuse. Shaymin were actually one of the mythical Pokémon Icarus especially loved and idolized above others. He loved to take care of the berries and flowering plants atop the dormant volcano they call home. Though there is no proof, he likes to believe that one day in the distant past, a Shamin in its’ sky form rested atop the barren land and through its’ power brought life to this island. Maybe it had help from the great Xerneas. But no one knows the true reason why the islands greenery seems to pour from the top of the Iverfast Archipelago Volcano. “Of course we’ll take you to the Shaymin village!” Icarus said, barely able to contain himself as he thought of meeting the mythical Pokémon himself. Axton had to real him in and actually finish the negotiations with the Floette as Icarus quickly packed, leaving their young Sandshrew in charge of the guild while they were gone.
It took less than an hour for them to be off, hiring a Corviknight they were friends with to carry them in a basket to the far away village. Dense clouds with strong gusts of wind protected the village so once arrived they had to continue on foot, climbing the steep cliffs surrounding the village while protecting Floette on the way there. The journey there took all day so after reaching a cave the trio decided it would be best for them to take a break for the night and continue on in the morning. As the dusk turned to night the seemingly unassuming cave stung to life, bioluminescent flowers blooming and the soft moss they lay upon glowing a soft green as well. It seemed to mark an unknown path and as Axton stood, he cold feel a faint breeze tussle his fur. “I think it goes through to somewhere. You don’t think?” He asked turning to Icarus though as he did, Icarus was already gone, eyes sparkling with excitement as he carried Floette on his back. As they came to the exit of the cave, he had to shield his eyes from the bright moonlight above, landing on the soft grass. Behind him Axton panted as he had to run to catch up, collapsing onto the grass as he did.
Together they looked up and saw the Shaymin village, stone buildings with moss on the tops, vines and plants growing everywhere. There were homes up high on the mountain and even a waterfall in the center of the plaza. Floette looked amazed as she floated on her own towards the center of the village, her flower a gracidea brought to her homeland by a trainer who once visited this island and found the field the Shaymin used to transform. This was a place she always felt drawn to and as she was finally here she wept.
As Icarus felt star struck he had trouble talking to the Shaymin he met without stuttering, while the Floette made fast friends with a Shaymin who used her flower to transform and fly her around on its’ back. Axton just relaxed next to his partner and they both fell asleep under the moonlight surrounded my soft sweet smelling Shaymin. Together they all enjoyed a few relaxing days together before the Shaymin Floette transformed flew her home and a delighted Icarus flew Axton home on his back. 





Users browsing this forum: Amazonbot [Bot], chaoticaura, Fleckihund, lixinon and 2 guests