Fiona sat beside the lake, a checkerd pattern sat underneath her upon the ground. She'd decided to take a short break and have a piknik, with no one other than her adorable, little Vulpix, whom sat beside her eating as she did. It was always nice to take a break from traveling and have time for one's self for the simple things, even if the simple things included eating. The girl looked down at her Vulpix, smiling at her softly, "enjoying your food?" she asked her as the Vulpix nodded in return, it's stripped blue bow moveing around slightly.

Fiona reached down to adjust her Vulpix's bow back the way it was before, but as soon as she tried she heard something swimmping across the lake, and fast at that. Was it a pokemon? someone out for a swim? Whatever it was thought, it worried her a bit and decided to investigate the sound. Picking up her things she packed them into her bag and begane to walk around the lake, through the many trees that surrounded it. The wind started to whip her mutiple colored pink dreads around and into her face, her hand quickly grabbing it to stop from the happening.

Soon the girl made it to the area the Spalshing had stopped at, and to her surprise she saw nothing, but how? It wasn't like she was imaging the sound she'd heard just a moment ago, or maybe something was hidding. Either way her curiosity had gotten the best of her as she shouted, "hello?! Is anyone here?!"

Jasmine crossed her arms and tilted her head to one side. She raised one of her eyebrows at the mention of a gym competition. It was the perfect opportunity to hone Luxray's skills. She was strong, that Jasmine knew. It couldn't hurt to train some more, though. She suddenly wished she had her motorcycle. 

"Let's not waste our time, eh?" she said, grinning. "On the way maybe I can find that punk Egdan." Jasmine hadn't forgotten about the kid. She didn't plan to. She motioned to the others as she began walking again. Jasmine let out a small laugh as the thrill of adventure began to sprout. 

"Well, let's roll, you guys!"

Victor grinned inwardly. Fortune favored him this day. Destiny’s lively hopefulness would have been infectious had his heart not been toughened by war, time, and a naturally staid personality. Shy as she was, she seemed willing to both learn and give him a chance, and he had to wonder why. It was an unusual feeling.

“Good company never hurt,” he said.

Victor was glad to get on the move again. Hoping to blend in, perhaps accomplish something more meaningful than picking off those weaker than himself. Although Destiny’s request was what he wanted, some small part of him was also apprehensive about traveling as part of a team. It was safe in many regards, but also meant that they were bound to each other. If Destiny and Miku had not yet tasted their first battle, how could they be expected to travel lightly and cover their tracks? It would be a challenge, and there were risks involved in traveling more slowly, but Victor believed they were worth it.
He ignored the very faint voice in the back of his mind that warned him of the possible risks to his two new companions if they were caught with him. He could handle this. He’d take care of whatever issues arose, just like he planned.

Victor nodded in a teasingly ceremonious manner to Jasmine’s spirited and matter of fact eagerness for adventure. She was tough, but perhaps was not aware of what she didn’t know. This competition may not have been entirely what either girl was expecting, although the rewards could be immense. Perhaps she would learn something, and he decided that it would be as good a place to break in for Destiny as any.

“Roll away,” he commented as he fell into step behind Jasmine.

Feeling his Pokeball vibrate lightly, Victor placed his right hand on it. Kadabra was able to sense an approaching threat while still inside. This did not happen often and made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. It meant that the threat was either very close or very strong. Or both.

Always the good soldier, his eyes quickly darted from side to side behind his shades to take in the surrounding area as they walked. Victor was suddenly very aware of every forest sound his ears could detect, searching for that one minute sound that gave away an unnatural presence.

He tried not to think about what it might be – that terrible, vicious creature they sent to track down deserters and thieves, almost as bad and vicious as its master. If it was here now, Destiny would get her first lesson sooner than expected.

Destiny glances over towards Jasmine, who had so far been silent. But now, she was filled with vigor and was excited to continue on their journey, as Destiny was as well. With a small nod, she begins following behind the two, their foot steps in the sandy dirt almost in time with each other. They walked for quite some time, in silence, and it gave her a bit of an edgy feeling. It was awkward, having nothing to say, although she felt she should. At that moment, though, her eyes gaze up to see the far expanding lake.

It's clear blue waters were shimmering off the warm sun's rays, and it looked so beautiful. Destiny wasn't the only one excited, though. Miku may have been ten times more happy, letting out loud yelps. Trotting up towards the water, Miku leaps from Destiny's shoulders, landing into the cool water with a loud splash. Of course Miku would want the water more than anything. She was a water pokemon, after all, and had been forced to stay out in the dry sun. Surely her skin was becoming slightly agitated and needed to be moistened. Miku pops her head from the water, paddling back up to land and crawling back out.

Destiny giggles and jumps up and down, her blue hair bobbing as she did. "That must have been refreshing, huh, Miku?" She asks, as her pokemon gives a soft purr in response. But something catches Destiny's attention, and she stops leaping, seeming to gaze silently at the horizon across the lake. There was clearly a city there, with large buildings. But they needed to find away across...Destiny turns on her heals to look back at her group, pointing over the horizon. "Hey guys, I see the city. How are we gonna get across the lake and over there?" She asks with slight curiosity, noticing, at that moment, the tension in Victor's body.

Raising an eyebrow, Destiny tilts her head. "Hey, are you ok?...You seem...tensor than usual.." She mumbles, slightly concerned for him once again.

Not particularly talkative by nature, Victor was untroubled by the silence and took advantage of it to pay more attention to what was around them. There was never a good time or place to run into a Hunter, the military slang for those hired to track down offenders of the state and bring them before government officials.

When they reached the lake, he might have spared a smile at Miku’s playful joy. As it was, he directed his gaze first to the city when Destiny pointed it out, then at the various trees and plant life that grew thickly a few feet from the lake. It was here that the beaten trail ended, and the lake was a glorious large drop of azure surrounded by a sea of green.

Yet Victor was troubled, staying on guard. Instinctively taking in all major landmarks, he tried to determine where said trouble might be coming from. He snapped back when Destiny spoke.

“Fine,” he said, once more placing his hand on the Pokeball at his waist, as if to sooth the creature inside or prepare to release it. For now. “It just seems . . . quiet. We’re the only ones here. There’s usually a bit more life around water, especially on a day like this. When there’s not, it’s a sign that something is off.”

Sweeping the edge of the lake, he noted a few scraps of what looked like abandoned human food among bent grass and reeds.
“Stay on guard . . .” he added quietly.

Moments after he said this, the peaceful scene was broken by the resounding echo of a Pokemon using Hyper Voice. It sounded a bit rough, as if it did not have full command of the ability, but it was still strong. Anything and everything in the surrounding area would at least hear the sound, if not be affected by it. On his part, Victor scowled and shuddered as the sound with a growling cry of pain and frustration as the waves hit him, instinctively bringing his free hand to his ear in a vainly protective gesture.

Egdan saw the girl below and hung upside down in front of the girl " Hello miss I am Egdan , Dan for short and you are?" He looked the girl head to foot " Strange look " He thought to himself then he saw the vulpix and he winced a little but tired not to show it . He hated fire types on account of him being a grass , dark trainer this was a small Pokemon but it still looked like it could mess his best friend up. "She doesn't look like a trainer though "he thought maybe a cordnator or whatever they were called. Just that second he heard a loud screech which knocked him out of the tree and onto the ground . "Oh shit " he screamed as his partner fell on him doing the same.

Fiona stepped back away from Egdan, startled a bit after seeing him hang upside down from the tree infront of her. "I..I'm Fiona..." she stuttered softy, replying to his question of who she was, the vulpix on her shoulder gently pressing it's face against her's. "What are you doing up in the tr..." Fiona started to say before getting cut off by Egdan whom had fallen down from the tree, his pokemon falling onto him and the sound of a rather loud screech. Her question soon changed to fit the situation at the moment, "are you.. ok, Egdan?" she said, leaning over him and the treeko to see if they were alright.

He rubbed his head and sat up " Yes fine and please call me Dan " he sat up and his Treeko climbed up onto his shoulder and sat " do you know what that sound was that hurt ."

Victor took barely a moment to recover as his brain reverberated inside his skull (at least that's what it felt like), and even that was too long. The Hunter and his beast had finally caught up, and he didn't have time to spare.

As if to prove this point, a Deino charged its way out of the lavish green undergrowth surrounding the lake even before Victor released Kadabra . It paused upon reaching the open area, sniffed the air, and continued its destructive course in the small group's general direction. The pause was long enough for Kadabra to fully materialize before Victor.

"Kadabra, Reflect!" he commanded, knowing that this was the best defense against a Dark type Pokemon.

Closing its eyes, the Pokemon did so. Placing its clawed hands before it, a sudden flash of sunlight against the otherwise invisible psychic barrier indicated that a defensive shield had been placed.

Damn! They really knew who to pick to use against him. His Kadabra could do very little, if anything, against a Deino, as it was immune to Psychic type attacks.

And now the two people with him were in equal danger of suffering at the hands of the Hunter. However, the Deino's human trainer wasn't anywhere in sight. They might have split up to find him, but Victor knew that he would follow shortly now that the Hyper Voice alerted everyone and everything that something was going on.

"Oh umm, sorry, Dan," Fiona said, watching him sit up. The girl shrugged her shoulders at Dan's question, making sure she didn't knock her little Vulpix from her shoulder. "I've no idea what that sound was, but we can always go find out." She smiled softly towards Dan, offering her hand so she may help him up from the ground.

Egdan took her hand and pulled himself up "sounds like a plan " he said then he started to sprint in the direction of the noise. " You coming or not" he said as he turned around quickly.

Fiona looked over at him as he sprinted off in the direction the sound had come from before quickly realizing she needed to follow him. "I'm coming!" she exclaimed to him, running as fast as she could to catch up to him.