On the Outskirts of Sonata [mod]

[Raeoki]

Vixen Tessel's hair wasn't in its usual jaw-like appearance. The heavy snowfall had made it limp and soggy and now her drooped around her face like a limp rag, but Vixen didn't mind: she never cared about such things.

She was so close to Sonata, all she had to do was stick her hand past the gate and Vixen would technically be inside it. But Vixen didn't bother. She was leaving her home-town, not coming back. Maybe Vixen will come back, but not now. Maybe I won’t come back ever... she thought rather exuberantly, but didn't dare crack a smile.

It was not Sonata City that made her want to leave and never come back, but it was two people living there: her parents; Arctic and Red Tessel. Hopefully, she won’t see hide nor hair of those two ever again.

<"Vixen!">

"Glameow!"

Vixen did not understand Pokémon-ese, but she turned to glance over her shoulder at her Glameow, Wrath. Wrath was shaking her wet paws around, trying to get the damp snow off of it. <"Can we go now?"> she pleaded. Vixen stared at her for a moment, then silently strode over to pat her purple head, then drifted away as silently as a spirit.

<"Do you think we'll catch a Pokémon tonight; maybe a girl?"> Wrath purred. Vixen stopped to poke Wrath's pink nose, then continued walking.

<"I sure hope it's a girl..."> Wrath mused, thinking about how wonderful it would be to think of someone as a sister. Vixen was sort of like a sister, she supposed, but Wrath wanted a more happy one.

Chatty thing... thought Vixen as she shoved her hands deeper into the pockets of her black jacket. But really, she didn't mind. Wrath was probably the only thing in the world that Vixen really tolerated.

(ooc:

...thinking about how wonderful it would be to think of someone as a sister. Vixen was sort of like a sister, she supposed, but Wrath wanted a more happy one.

AND THEN THEY STUMBLE UPON AN AXE-WIELDING MURDERER!)

[Jay]

Not far off, the snow had made for a large slope of sorts. Several small pokemon were using the slope to sled down. A Snorunt and a Sneasel could be seen sliding followed by a Prinplup who was calling out happily and sliding down on his chest instead of his back.

[Raeoki]

Wrath and Vixen suddenly stopped. "Oh, jeezus... Vixen muttered. "Laughter..."

Wrath scurried up ahead, with Vixen a few feet behind. Wrath's ears swiveled this way and that, nose twitching as the scents of other Pokemon wafted into it. The noises became louder and louder every step. Wrath stopped and looked up a slope, watching as a Sneavel and a Snorunt slid down it on a Prinplup, stopping at her paws. <"Having fun?"> Wrath meowed cordially.

Vixen hurried to Wrath's side. "Found some friends, Wrath?" She crossed her arms, and stared down the trio of wild Pokemon.

[Jay]

The Prinplup was the first to take notice of the Glameow and gave a light wave and smiled. <Indeed, how are you today m'lady?> he asked with a smile. The Snorunt was the second who seemed to grin and call a greeting as well. The last was the Sneasel who suddenly looked very wary of someone being there besides the other two.

[Raeoki]

Wrath perked up. <"It's very nice to meet you too!"> she mewed, sitting down.

Vixen slouched. Crap; it sucked having to hear a conversation in a language you didn't understand. She tucked her hands protectively into her pockets. Vixen, unfortunately, didn't have the heart to grab Wrath by the scruff and drag her away, nor she could attack Wrath's new trio - or duo, she wasn't sure about the Sneasel - of friends. Maybe with somebody else, but not to Wrath. Vixen sighed, submitting. "Wrath, I'm gonna go check out that slope," she said, though Wrath didn't seem to hear.

Vixen strolled nonchalantly over to the slope, and started climbing up. In a few moments, she was on the top and started walking a few yards from.

Meanwhile, Wrath lay on her stomach, white paws tucked under her chest. "My name's Wrath, by the way. So, have long have you known each other?" It wasn't much, but Wrath couldn't think of a good conversation starter.

[Jay]

As Vixen continued on, she could see the sight of a Bibarel half buried in the snow. Hm... odd. What was it doing? Digging perhaps? Or maybe sleeping....who knew.

The Prinplup nodded at the name and then looked towards the Snorunt and Sneasel for a moment. <Since I was a Piplup which was... um.... about two winters ago> he answered back with a nod. The Snorunt grinned a bit. <Where are you from?> she grinned. The Sneasel was quiet but seemed to be lightening up a bit.

[Raeoki]

Oh, now that was odd.

Vixen stared at it, pondering. Gawd, what was that fat thing doing? Committing suicide by drowning in snow? Stupid thing. Vixen let out a huff and hesitantly crossed over to the Bibarel.

Vixen wasn't really sure what to do now that she was there. Maybe...poke it with a knife? Yeah...sure. That'll definitely work.

Vixen took in a long breath as she brought out her pocket-knife. She hesitated once more, and prodded the Bibarel.

-~*~-

Wrath pointed in the city's direction with her tail. <"I come from Sonata. I met my trainer, Vixen, when she went into a program to reform delinquents."> Wrath mentally winced. <Okay, maybe I should start thinking before speaking.> she thought, knowing Vixen would disaprove of giving out personal items to strangers.

[Jay]

The Bibarel twitched but didn't seem to show any other sort of reaction. Maybe it really was just asleep.

The Sneasel raised an eyebrow and turned his head to one side. Ok..........? That was odd. The Prinplup blinked at then sweat dropped. Only the Snorunt appeared not to get it and continued on with the conversation rather blindly.<What does that mean?> was the question posed.

[Raeoki]

Wrath flattened her ears, more flustered then angry, as the feline body-language experts might have supposed. <"...Nothing; it means nothing."> If Vixen were here, she'd probably be in the mood to stab her. And to tell the truth, Wrath didn't blame her.

-~*~-

Vixen furrowed her brow. "Stupid," she hissed, giving the Bibarel a good kick. Stuffing the pocket knife back into her pocket, Vixen turned her back towards the large Pokémon.

Maybe I'll just go back to Wrath... Vixen thought with an inner sigh. She really didn't want to hear a bunch of, "Glam Glameow!", "Sno Sno Snorunt!", "Sneasel Snease!" To Vixen, it would be nothing but a bunch of stupid Gibberish that always ended with an exclamation point.

[Jay]

The Snorunt blinked confused for a moment before nervously laughing and rubbing the back of her head. <Oh ok~> she answered back. The Prinplup half laughed at his friend's comment and then looked at the Glameow for a moment as though thinking about something. The Sneasel seemed to suddenly decide that he didn't feel like holding up the conversation anymore and picked up some snow before pelting it at the Snorunt who was surprised at first but then grinned and began the game of snowball war. The Prinplup half laughed as he too was pelted. <Do you want to play with us?> he asked.

The Bibarel remained motionless but seemed to sink into the ground more as though it were trying to burry itself even more than before.

[Raeoki]

Wrath nearly let out a sigh of relief when the Snorunt accepted her response, making the others just shrug it all off. Wrath shrugged, trying to act snooty. <"No. I will not hold myself to childish games."> She turned their back on them, trying to be silent as possible. Suddenly, Wrath whipped around and launched a snowball at the Snorunt.

-~*~-

Oh, jeezus. More laughter.

Vixen grimaced as she peeked over the slope, watching the four Pokemon below get pelted by snowballs. Vixen sighed and turned back to Bibarel, who seemed to be deeper in the snow. Slightly confused, Vixen crawled on top of the Bibarel's back and squatted, waiting for something to happen.

[Jay]

The Snowrunt had frowned when the Glameow had not accepted the snowball fight, yet after the ball was launched at her, the ice type grinned and took it before launching yet another ball of snow at the cat's general direction. The Prinplup was rather pleased that the cat had decided to play and began to throw snow in different directions. The Sneasel was by far the best in aim and speed. He had the skills to easily dodge the snowballs and launch his own.

Suddenly the Bibarel feel straight through a hole in the snow, and if Vixen wasn't careful, she would fall right in where the Bibarel had. Oh dear....

[Raeoki]

Oh, dear indeed. The gawd dam beaver muvva...

Vixen clawed at the snowy, icy rims of the hole, clinging for dear life. A normal person would call for help, but Vixen wasn't that type. Her usually squinted eyes were open into their usual glare, not a lick of surprise in her, though Vixen was mumbling profanities in her mind. Vixen pushed herself skyward, and was about to let her stomach fall flat onto land when she slipped on a rather small patch of ice hidden by the snow. She fell on her stomach, legs kicking the dirt walls of the hole.

Vixen found herself sliding into the hole, her fingers making claw-marks in the snow. She managed to get a hold on the rim. Vixen gasped in a few breaths, her adrenaline rush slightly ebbing away.

Then she lost her hold.

-~*~-

Meanwhile, Wrath was totally unaware of Vixen's predicament.

She was given two snowballs from the Snorunt and Sneasel to the face, and one from the Prinplup that hit her chest. Either way, Wrath was giggling, and hunched over to make another one. Wrath stood on her hind legs, using her fronts to create and toss the snowballs.

Wrath collected some snow and lunged at the Sneasel, meaning to smother his face with the stuff.

[Jay]

The group remained blissfully unaware of the predicament of the trainer as the Sneasel continued to masterfully throw snowballs at everyone. The Snorunt was hit several times and finally giggled and fell over. The Prinplup seemed to retaliate with more snow in all directions. This was rather fun~

However, there was one that had noticed what had happened to the trainer. A large mammalian creature with white fur and dark skin had been watching as the human fell into the hole. The Absol jumped down through the hole with powerful legs going after the human girl.

[Raeoki]

Wrath was pegged in the face again, and fell flat next to the Snorunt. <"I wish this day never ends!"> she laughed heartily, rolling back onto her paws and forming another snowball. Wrath suddenly lost her happiness. This day WAS going to end. She would have to leave these Pokemon, and probably never see them again. Wrath scrunched up her nose and sniffled, quickly wiping away a forming tear. <"There's a fifty-fifty chance of seeing each other again...I think..."> she muttered.

-~*~-

Vixen was ninety-nine point nine percent sure that she had broken a rib.

Vixen had fell on a root jutting out of the wall. Vixen couldn't help it: she groaned in agony. Vixen cocked her head up, noticing a white figure coming down to her. There was a crack noise, then she continued her decent. Vixen's eyes widened, slightly still in their average glare. The root fell, carrying Vixen down with it. She let out a yelp of terror, and shut her eyes tight.

[Jay]

The Snorunt seemed to giggle to herself for a moment but then frowned when the Glameow talked about the day ending. <We can play more!> she suggested happily. The Snseasel who had finally seemed to come to terms with his snowball excitement was starting to calm down again. Walking towards a tree, he leaned on it and sighed outwards. The Prinplup frowned at the Glameow's words and found himself unsure of how to answer.

The Absol jumped and seized the girl by her shirt as the root fell. Digging his powerful legs into the ground, the Absol managed to keep himself from slipping down the hole. His entire muscular form was tense as he tried to hold the girl up. After a few seconds, he began to try and drag the girl up back out of the hole. It was tedious, but he was making it none the less.

[Raeoki]

<"Yeah..."> Wrath sighed, fiddling around with the snow. She looked up and glanced about. <"Where is Vixen, anyway?">

-~*~-

Vixen was surprised when she was caught. She was even more surprised when she contorted around a bit, and saw that it was an Absol. "Uh...thanks...?" Vixen looked down at her skull pendant, tapping one of its eyes. Hope you saw what you're stupid program got me into... she thought, grudgingly.

"That retarded Bibarel got me into this," she told the Absol, squirming slightly as she did not like her position.

[Jay]

The Snorunt brought up a hand and seemed to think before looking around. The Sneasel shrugged to himself. The Prinplup looked around a bit worriedly now and then made a directional point towards where he had last seen the human.

The Absol said nothing until finally getting back to the surface and setting down the human away from the hole before finally laying down and sighing outwards. "Sol," he stated quietly to himself.

[Raeoki]

Wrath looked up at the slope, where the Prinplup had pointed. She looked over her shoulder. <"I'll be right back!"> she meowed, and then scurried on.

-~*~-

Meanwhile, Vixen crawled over and plopped down beside the Absol. "I hear that," she muttered, even though she had no idea what it had said.

That was when Wrath scrambled up the slope and poked her head, grinning widely at Vixen. "Glam!" she chirped, and then looked downward at the foot of the slope. "Glam! Glameow! Meow meow!" Vixen rightly guessed that Wrath was calling up her new friends, Prinplup, Sneasel, and Snorunt.

[Jay]

The Prinplup watched as the Glameow moved off towards her trainer and looked at the Snorunt and the Sneasel. The Sneasel was surprisingly the first one to move off towards the cat pokemon as she called them up After that, the Snorunt followed, and following that was the Prinplup.

The Absol seemed to blink slowly before nodding at the human as he noticed the other pokemon that had come as well. "Ab-sol..." he stated aloud before starting to walk away with his work done.