Id est damnum innocentiae 2.0

AH! Revival!!! Last day that a non- GM can bring it back.

[warning: this post is by no means complete and definitely subject to editing, perhaps heavy editing]

ooc: -I hate myself so much for writing drabble-ish stuff but there you go-

Delphinus was already awake when the first rays of sunlight began to inch themselves over the horizon; he was situated on a conveniently nearby rock, admiring the heavens, flute in hand. The morning star, the light-bearer - lucem ferre, as the Latin goes - was fading from the celestial firmament already, however, as increasingly large amounts of light burst from the sky, heralding the dawn of the day.

And this day we shall shine gloriously in the way that we have always done.

On a whim he reached for the flute in his hands, taking it in both; and slender fingers dancing over it, he blew on the mouthpiece.

And played.

A hauntingly beautiful melody floated into the crisp morning air, audible for several hundreds of metres around as Delphinus reveled in the brilliant song that emanated from the metallic cylinder in his hands.

A light breeze picked up, carrying the notes into the distance.

-elsewhere-

Amelia lay awake under the heavy folds of the space blanket shelter that she had constructed, the previous evening, with the help of her Pokemon. My precious companions, who are eternally helpful to me; for them I must be grateful. She smiled lightly, cheerfully, to herself.

She could hear the melancholic tune of a flute in the distance; it was soft, but clear. Blinking to make sure that it wasn't a figment of imagination, she made a motion to get up, then abandoned it, content to lie for awhile, basking in the resonance.

I ... I suppose that is proof that there are others here.

Then, what beautiful music.

And so listening to this, she fell back into sleep's embrace.

-tbc.-

word count: 265 words

Pain and discomfort woke Jean. The inconsistent coolness of the dessert had turned into a sweltering heat. It was a dry heat, much like that which he had faced at the volcano a few days prior. His cheek was gently swept by the grass that was able to survive in this transitional terrain, his upper body lay on the grass, while his legs rested uncomfortably on the rocks. It was the bright flash of light, however, that brought him to this place and also woke him.

He had not yet opened his eyes but his curiosity sooner got the better of him than his urge to remain asleep. His eyelids fluttered open. He felt like he should close his eyes because of his body's natural want to rest, but the surprise of what happened in the split second that both his dreams and reality were flooded with the bright light sent by the harbinger kept them open. He was, after all back at the volcano. He sat up being careful to use only his right hand to support him; his left was badly wounded and bandaged. His right leg was also wounded but unattended to due to his bags absence. He swiftly and almost nervously took in his surroundings. Like a building being lift from his shoulders, there was instant relief. He saw his blue bag sitting at the end of his outstretched legs. He reached for it rummaged through, found all of his pokeballs, one of them hollow without its regular inhabitant, Kramer, and dressed his leg wound in gauze. It hadn't bled overnight and was becoming glossy like a bad brush burn. The blood was drying.


Jean lied nonchalantly in the grass for a while, for there was no beeping coming from his watch, which would regularly be signaling a new challenge. He could hear the chirping coming from the bird Pokémon flying overhead. It really was a beautiful place when there was no life risking challenges in the picture. This place was reminiscent of a landscape painting to Jean, with its seeming emptiness of people. No, it was this only in real life. This thought lasted seconds; it was interrupted by the rustling and grunts coming from the forest that could be made by none other than a human being.

Day 2
~~~

"Beep beep....BEEP!"

In reaction to the sudden and irritating noise emitting from her wrist, she slammed down like she normally did with her alarm clock. But when a sharp, crushing pain followed after, she couldn't help but groan. With her right wrist now in mild pain from being slammed down on, she propped herself up on one elbow and rubbed her eyes. "What a way for a wake-up call..." She muttered as her eyes came to focus down on her indestructable watch. The screen was alit with a new challenge. She swore under her breathe. Couldn't the Harbinger wait twenty-four hours between challenges?!

Scanning through what the message said, she immediately slammed her index finger on the 'decline' button, and rolled onto her back. Her vision broadcasted waves of bird Pokemon flying overhead, with a borderline of greenery as though like a picture frame. Far past the loud birds, was the soft blue sky. "...." She redirected her attention to her bag which was safetly secured to the ground. The previous night, she had worried about Pokemon running off with her supplies, but...

She rolled herself over to the bag, and pulled out a can of soup from underneath the flap. Her mind rolled back to the message that was once on her watch, as she stripped the can of its label over habit. The Harbinger had wanted her to meet up with some trainer over by the PowerPlant....PSH! Holding back the urge to chuck the shiny can at a nearby tree, she closed her eyes tightly. She declined the challenge for the complicated fact that she didn't want to see any humans in this paradise. Although, she wasn't too close with Pokemon either. She especially hated male humans. She glanced over to her bruises on her arms as she raised the can into the sunlight. She always loved doing this to reflective objects. It always reminded her of shiny jewels.

And blood glistening under her eyesight.

She shook her head and quickly scrambled around to make a fire. No, she couldn't think back to those time. He was gone now. She was fine now, right? Hold in all emotions. No emotions. That's what he had taught her. Hold in your pain, or your pain will multiple.

Sitting across from the small flame that was her second-made fire, her shaking fingers prepared her veggie soup within minutes. Along with pain, she had also gotten used to eating less, because of him. A headache arose as soon as the chilled soup touched her tongue, and she immediately chugged the entire thing down. No. She wasn't going to think anymore. She needed to loss her thoughts before she went insane. Her fingers searched her bag after stomping out her feeble fire, and she released Rosetta with the click of a single button. A red beam took the form of the Gardevoir, until her actual being stood before Bernkastel with a worried expression.

"No questions." Bern rose her hand up before the Gardevour could attack her mind with horrible grammar. "Put me to sleep. Now." She commanded.

Rosetta hesitated for a moment, before her eyes glowed a soft pink with her Hypnosis. Instantly, Bern fell asleep into artificial sleeps arms.

End: Day 2

Peaceful. The one word that could describe this realm. Unlike yesterday where Xavier awoke to noise, he woke up to a solemn silence. A gentle wisp flew through the air causing nearby trees to slightly sway. The forest he was in was close by and only had a few pokemon awaking with cheerful chirps. Near Xavier was a small fire made from a few sticks and logs which Omega had started to heat his master. Said pokemon nodded at his now awake master with a small smile. Xavier could only nod back and fell back into the cool embrace of the grass beneath him. This place simply was........peaceful.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He soon found himself staring at the watch on his wrist, awaiting yet another challenge. Usually a challenge would already be up and would wake him, but now......all he saw was the compass feature on it. "Come on....." Xavier tapped the watch many times before jabbing at it with his fist. It's obvious that the watch had broken......stupid harbinger. With one more jab Xavier stood up, tired of awaiting a challenge.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After about an hour to wake up Xavier packed up camp and headed back to the forest to set it up once more, so they weren't exposed. Omega hummed silently, and for once, Xavier enjoyed it. It wasn't Omega's usual loud and obnoxious hum, it was one where a swift melody ruled the sound. 'Maybe this solemnness will do us all some good.' Xavier smiled to himself at this and found a right spot to set up the campsite.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After the setting up of camp Xavier reached out for an apple in his pocket and took a satisfying bite out of it with his mouth. The juice filled his mouth with the bite, which tempted Xavier to take another. 'I can't.' He handed the fruit to Omega who also took a bite from the apple. And just when he reached for his pokeballs to feed the others, a figure entered his eyesight. A teenage girl was lying in a tree sleeping.

Day 3

The only one awake now on the third day, Rosetta heard the approaching hum of a Pokemon, and human-like footsteps. 'Got to get my lady up in a tree...' Was the Gardevour's first response. Gathering up Bern's belongings and trashing her ashes away, the psychic Pokemon hid Bernkastel as best she could among the leaves in a trees top.

However, it all seemed useless when she saw from afar that the human had spotted her. A human male. Not good. Preparing a small barrier around Bern's tree, Rosetta teleported over to Bern's side on the tree branche. However, the sudden movement seemed to be too much, and Bern snapped awake. "....." She slowly looked around, as she knew why she was up in a tree. Danger. Her eyes looked down to the ground, to see a boy with his Charmeleon. "...." She adjusted herself on her tree, and tuched a leg up against her body to let the other swing down. "I was really hoping not to run into any humans here, but...Hrm...Maybe that trainer I was suppose to fight tracked me down? Highly doubted, but..." She was muttering to herself as she glanced at Rosetta. "Who are you?" She called down.

Xavier shielded his face from the leaking sunlight between the forest trees while Omega had paused his peaceful hum. Why he stayed in that one spot, we'll never know (xD). After a couple seconds his vision cleared and he took in the sight before him. . A girl his age with emerald green eyes, jet black hair, a slim body, and just the right pale skin with big.......um........chi chi's. Some could say she fit the view of a goddess, but Xavier being Xavier didn't care. For she was a human. A pitiful,pitiful, human. Just frikkin great.

Xavier stepped out until he was a couple meters from the tree. He onlooked the girls from the base with an emotionless face - mu ch like the human female's own expression. He then answered her with a tone matching his face, "My name is Xavier Ray Harrah. May I ask your name?" Beside the teenage boy, Omega onlooked the girl's with a cautious expression. For all they know she could be some sort of psycho freak!

Day 3

"Formal enough..." She mumbled in reply. She didn't seem too thrilled about meeting him either. Hopefully she could just be on her way without any trouble---

Her wrist beeped.

Surpressing the disgust she felt, Bern flicked her watch experimently, before reading her new challenge. She swore softly when she finished it.That Harbinger sure liked torturing her, didn't he? I guess that comment back at the Powerplant was not overlooked.

"Wins: 1
Loses: 1

Your third challenge is before you now. A trainer by the name of Xavier will cross your path. Objective is to successfully keep Xavier at your campsite for minimum three days."

Even worse, when Bern tried to decline, it immediately accepted the challenge. Oh joy...

But there was no way she was going to miss this easy chance of a challenge. She can handle this, just not whole trainer battles. She'll do this for that any day!

Lowering her arm away from her face, Bern realized that Xavier was still waiting for a reply. Better get on his good side, as he doesn't seem too friendly. "My name is Bernkastel Vermillia. Have trouble pronouncing? Bern." Her lips stayed flat; no frowning nor smiling allowed. Just because she got this challenge, didn't mean she had to express emotion.

Pressing her right palm against the branch she had been perched on, Bern flung herself off with one swift motion. For the brief moment she was in the air, her long skirt rided up to what would normally by an embarrassing height, but to Bern? People seeing her panties was nothing. Especially if that person was someone she hardly knew. Landing on her one knee while her left hand kept her balanced, Bern looked up before straightening herself to stand before this boy. Equal height. Very interesting. With her deep, bottomless emerald eyes staring into his chocolate brown pair, Rosetta actually thought that maybe Bern was going to attack him. But, without her expression wavering one bit, she held out her hand at a respectable distance from Xavier. "Can't say it's nice to meet. Though, you don't seem too happy yourself." Her hand was out to be shaken.

DAY 3

Jean's torso sprang up to a sitting position. He saw a flash of red through the trees, and a bluish flame illuminated a face. The face was partly hidden behind a tree and it had sandy-blonde hair that was swept over one eye. The Pokémon that the blue flame belonged to was an oddly colored Typhlosion. Heedlessly, Jean rustled through his bag and grabbed one of the many smooth pokeballs. He stood up using his good leg to support him. Limping forward, he moved towards the person, they now had a nervous expression. They stayed firmly grounded. Jean was uneasy. He didn't know whether to think this person was friend or foe. He felt it best to assume him a foe.

"Wh-Who are you?" The voice sounded from the person, it was a quavering voice.
"Jean Roan. What, are you? Are you sent by the Harbinger?" The person put on a snarl.
"Why would I ever help him!?" They bit back aggressively.
BEEP! Their watches beeped simultaneously. Jean's read: By now you will have met Kris Kollins. Another trainer brought here by me. You must both ascend the gorge I have created. Once you reach the bottom alive, you have succeeded.

Jean looked up at the bewildered face in front of him, who had apparently read the same message. They were staring at the ground behind Jean. Jean swiveled his neck with a fear among him. Inches away from his heels, there was a gorge. The walls were rock, but certainly not ordinary rock. It was darker than black, an abyss. The walls were about five feet away from each other. But they were smooth but lusterless. The rock had NO texture, how could they climb down there…

I sat up as I woke, accidentally pushing Yorkie off of me in the process. "Oops...sorry." I said, tired. It seemed that Yorkie was still asleep though, one of the few times he was quiet and still. I stood up, recalled all of my pokemon except Cinder, and grabbed my stuff. I took a look at my watch, which oddly didn't have a new challenge on it. Right then, I heard what sounded like another human. I turned to see a boy, probably a few years older than me. He had white hair, which was a little longer than mine, and red eyes. Wait, could people have red eyes? Uh...oh! Albino people could. Though, he didn't look extremely pale, but that might have just been me.

"Wh-Who are you?" I asked, my voice quavering. Why? I had no idea. Maybe I was still just a little tired, and surprised at seeing a possibly albino person.

"Jean Roan. What, are you? Are you sent by the Harbinger?" He questioned.

"Why would I ever help him!?" I countered, a little angry at the assumption.

I heard a loud beep, which seemed to be emanating from our watches. Did they do that when we got new challenges? I'd gotten my other two when I was asleep, so I hadn't noticed.

"Any ideas?" Jean said with a dumbfounded tone. There was long pause between the two. "Nope."
Then Kris replied, yelping as if he just got branded with a hot iron.
"I saw it in a movie once as a little kid!" He paced back and forth, his head following his feet as they brushed the tall, green grass; fingers stroking his chin in an all too cliche manner, the way a thinking person always does. "The two people linked their arms together and pressed their legs up against the walls of the cliff." He dazed off again, "Then they just... climb."
"Okay," Jean said, his vocals fading away at the end of the word. "So, how do we do this? I'm pretty sure that if we fall we die. Which could mean..." Jean paused thinking about home, the real world. It could mean that everything would be gone. "Anyway," continued Jean while he snapped back to his contemporaneous being, "It would be your fault." Jean finished coolly.

"I don't know." Jean said as he looked sidelong at Kris's pokemon's vain attempts to chip the rock. "Maybe, I have two water type pokemon, a Starmie and a Kingdra," Jean said listing them, "A Kanghaskan, and a Houndoom, who is missing." Jean finished his sentence on a less than good note.
"No help at all. Those are heavy-duty, they can't really do much." Kris said, obviously disappointed. Jean slapped him. "AH! What the hell!?" He felt his cheek. It wasn't a hard slap, but it was probably a shock.
"That's what you think." Jean said trying to regain ground. "Star, my starmie, can use icebeam on the sides to make a sort of staircase, then, we can walk down. It's risky but it'll work."

"Well," Jean said correcting himself. "It would be more of a slope I guess,"

"A slope?" Kris said in a questioning tone. He laughed, "I should slap you." This caused Jean, who was until then exploring the contents of his bag for Star, to look up at him. His head was parallel to the ground and he looked at Kris sideways for a second before saying, "Don't. Otherwise this gorge won't be the only thing getting frozen." At that he released Star who upon her release did a side-flip. Kris knew, or at least thought he knew, that Jean was kidding. He wasn't fully serious though.

"Star, could you make an ice slope for us there please?" Jean seemed a whole lot nicer to his pokemon than to people. He pointed to the spot and his pokemon seemed more than eager to listen to Jean. She set to work and got about as far down as she could reach when Jean grabbed his bag and commanded. "Hey, Kris." He got Kris's attention and said, "Get whatever you want to bring with you. We're going." Kris did this and Jean did a weird sort of thing. He hugged Star's back to his chest and said, "As we go, you're going to do what you did before. That way we don't fall." Jean thought he heard Kris murmur something but he ignored it. They began to slide standing like they were snow boarding and glided over the transparent ice and into the dark of the gorge.

As the trio moved further into the gorge it started to get cooler. And eventually, time seemed to slow and to speed up at weird times, not like it usually would. What was at the bottom of this gorge?

Bern gave a blank look as her hand continued to be shaken by the boy. What was his problem...? Her hand slowly retracted, and she held in the motive to immediately wipe off on her skirt. "..." She lifted up her opposite hand, to expose her challenge towards Xavier. She didn't feel that lying to the boy would be very good, nor easy. He seemed hesitant as it was. "Challenge. We set up camp together, alright?" She said, monotoned. She spun around and threw her bag against the trunk of her tree.

Rosetta looked down to see that Xavier's Charmeleon was..Waving at her? She smiled and teleported herself to the ground, where she more or less towered over the fire-type. "Pleasure to meet as well. Rosetta is my name."
Xavier leaned his head towards her watch, narrowing his eys to see clearly. It read:

" Wins: 1
Losses: 1
Your third challenge is before you now. A trainer by the name of Xavier will cross your path. Objective is to successfully keep Xavier at your campsite for minimum three days."

The said boy felt an urge to snort at the girl. Like she thought he would just stay with her. Please. 'How arrogant to just expect me to stay with her.' "No. We will not build camp together nor will you stay at mine. Go away." To say the least this shocked Bern.

Omega took a look at Xavier noticing his body language. Xavier was annoyed. 'Well......I should've expected this.' He turned his gaze back to the towering Psychic type and held out a hand. "My name is Omega!"
Bern's eyes gleamed. "The challenge didn't say you had to do this on free will..." Rosetta let out a soft groan as she saw Bern's thoughts. 'Oh God...Not again...'

Before Xavier knew anything, Bern flipped around him, tied his arms together, and pushed him down to the grassy, somewhat damp floor. "I don't like this any more than you do, but I'm not going to lose another stupid challenge. It's to your advantage, anyhow..." She pulled him up and against a tree, pressing a palm against his chest. "I'll supply your food and water. It doesn't get any easier. You help me, I let you relax. The Harbinger probably isn't going to give you any challenges."

Rosetta shook her head in disbelief, before turning to Omega, the Charmeleon. "Omega. Looks like we're gonna be hanging out for the next three days."

Xavier glared at Bernkaestel and all of a sudden - smirked. He wiggled his body and three Pokeballs fell on the grass and released the Pokemon in them. A steel type; Guardian, a poison type; Nuclear, and a psychic type; Kinetic. The said Psychic had flung Bern away from Xavier and untied the rope due to his psychic abilities. Guardian and Nuclear had stepped in front of their master in a defensive stance. A calm composure had returned to Xavier as he stared at her. "You really thought that I'd be easy prey?"

A look of extreme pain flashed onto Bern's face when she hit a nearby trunk with her back, and she collapsed. She didn't make any noises, just her expression. Rosetta immediately perked up and teleported to her lady's side; examining her back with extreme care. Anger washed over her face, and she grabbed some medicine from Bern's bag. One being a pill for pain, and another to wipe across her back. "What the hell is wrong with you human males..." She growled lowly, tending to her speechless trainer with careful hands. Once Rosetta was finished, she propped Bern against the tree and closed her eyes with a soft touch. "I'm pretty sure she ASKED nicely. Even for her...You're all the same! Always hurting my lady!" She swiped her arm in a semi circle, and Guardian's body slid slightly off away from Xavier and bumping against a tree. Nuclear was then flung upwards into the tree.

"Rosetta...Stop." Bern mumbled, forcing herself to stand up and lean against her tree for the support she needed. "I think I was...Too harsh anyhow..." Rosetta frowned and lowered her arm slowly.

Xavier turned to Kinetic and frowned. He was always taking things to far in battle and out of battle. 'Kinetic, you know that was too far even under my former circumstance.' Although his sudden compassion turned to anger as Guardian was flung into a tree, but landed with no pain being shown. Or existing for that matter. And Nuclear sort of divided and re-assembled on the tree sticking his tongue out at Rosetta. Xavier took a look at the trainer across from him and frowned. Even she didn't need to be hurt. He walked over to her and took out some fresh oran berries and handed them to her. "Sorry for Kinetic....my Abra......he's a little.....rash at times."

Bern was hesitant to accept them, but slowly did and chewed on a few. "...." She swallowed, and winced as she straightened herself. "It probably wouldn't have hurt if it wasn't for-- Never mind. It's my fault for appearing hostile." She paused to look at Rosetta, whom seemed a little nervous about Xavier. "Rosetta. Go take a hike." Immediately, the Gardevoir teleported, but appeared again in a faraway tree. Bern took a deep sigh. "Thanks, for the berries, I mean."

Xavier took a deep sigh also, he was going to have to carry her. After returning his Pokemon - other than Omega, he picked her up by her pits and held her bridal style and began walking to the campsite. " I decided........I'll let you 'win' your challenge."

As soon as he picked her up, she flinched. She hated to be touched. She bit her lip to hide her pained expression. "Alright, but you don't have to carry me...I think I can walk, anyway..." She mumbled, peering at her legs. "Uhm...Thanks, I suppose..." She glanced at Omega with suspicious eyes. Wasn't he supposed to NOT be easy prey? Well, she wasn't going to object. All she would ask for is SPACE.

Xavier looked at her and stared with suspicious eyes. Hmmm. Maybe he could prove a point. "Then I'm going to drop you. Walk. Straight, no limping, and no signs of pain."

Bern winced. He was smart. "Uhm...Alright?" As soon as she was plopped to the ground, she closed her eyes in pain. It was her back that was killing her. Not her legs. Wouldn't walking be an easy task? Just don't lean over. Bern took in a huge gust of air, and stood herself up. "I can walk." She announced, taking a few, slow steps forward. No noticable limping, and she was walking straight. She didn't have any signs of pain on her face, but her fingers were flinching every time she strained her back. She didn't think he'd notice either way, and took a few more steps. "See?" She gave an unconvincing look.

Xavier at first thought she wasn't in any pain and was about to give her an apology for holding her, when all of a sudden he looked down. Her fingers were twitching. He shook his head at her and reacted by picking her up. Before she could glare at him he told her what he saw. "It's now obvious your back is hurting. Your fingers were twitching and you sent a look that didn't look right. Enjoy the ride."

Bern groaned. "What if that finger twitching is just my way of saying I hate being looked at? Besides the point, why do YOU even care?" She didn't look too satisfied with his confirmation, and with really anything-even him carrying her- it was gonna hurt. Simple fact of life. "Why can't we just set camp RIGHT HERE?"

Xavier stared at her and due to her position his calm chocolate orbs could be looked at. "Because you are like me. We both don't care of what other's think and detest people. Am I wrong?"

Her own emerald eyes looked up into his chocolate ones suspiciously. "No, you're not..." She mumbled, hardly being heard among the chatter of bird Pokemon. "...Fine. Whatever...I don't care." She curled up in defeat, and grumbled a few things under her breath. "Detest...More like, extremely hate."

'I swear to God. If he makes me do anything more than be carried, I'll tie him to a tree branche and throw his Poke'Balls into a nearby river...I hate this.'

Xavier looked down at the grumbling mass and frowned. Yeah, that was pretty rude. He immediately set her down by a tree so she had support and turned the other cheek. He finally had a choice to not deal with this kinda crap and he was gonna use it!

Before she knew it, she was being set down to her surprise. Her first reaction, was to follow him. It wasn't about the challenge now. She was now angered that he couldn't make up his freaking mind. No, she needed to be calm...She took a few deep breaths, and followed after him. However, the way he walked showed that he wasn't just letting her walk. He was leaving. Trying to ditch. She winced at her pain, but she managed to deal with it and catch up. She stayed silent for a moment. "I didn't mean that I 'extremely hated' you as well. Honestly, I'm just surprised. I didn't know how to respond, alright?"

Xavier stopped in his tracks and felt like glaring his heart out. Doesn't she see he doesn't want anything to do with her. Well, now he was going to make SURE she knew! "Surprised? Really? Do you expect me to fall for that trick?! The only reason you came up to me is because of that watch on your wrist! Why don't you just leave me and my Pokemon ALONE!" His face was slightly red from his sudden outburst.

Bern winced and stepped away. That hurt. Ouch. She really had to word things better. "I was SURPRISED because you CARRIED me." She was raising her own voice now, as she attempted to pull off her watch. "Whenever humans talk with me or touch me, they're always cussing, or calling me a freak! They throw me around, because I'm weaker than them! So THATS why I was surprised. I was SURPRISED that you were being NICE to me. I didn't know how to react, because...Because..." Bern looked around for Rosetta. What horrible timing to not return! She just wanted to get out of this. Have Rosetta explain everything in a better way. "Because nobody ever cared for me! Not even a little!" She finished, tightly squeezing her eyes together. Her fingers were shaking even more.

Xavier felt the urge to clutch his head in the dieing frustration he was in. He thought this would be his paradise, his way into a living peace, but no. Like always someone had to RUIN IT. Every. Single. Time. "......." He was keeping himself from talking to keep in another outburst.

Bern took in a few deep breaths to calm herself, and her fists relaxed. "......" She glanced down at Omega, and slowly pulled out a few berries from her bag. Oran berries. She threw the exact amount he had given her at them; landing nicely at their feet. "I'm sorry." She mumbled. "I don't know what I did first to anger you, but I'm sorry."

Xavier took a look at the Oran berries and back at Bern, talking with clear sarcasm. "I'm sure your sorry." Omega took a nervous glance at Xavier, his trainer could usually control his emotions in front of people.

"I am." Her eyes cleared out, and she fixed her posture. "I AM sorry. I mean it. Get me hooked up to a lie detector if you have to." She was actually serious. She looked down at the oran berries, and blinked. "You might wanna pick those up before they're eaten by wild Pokemon. I'm going to find your camp and get a fire going..." She mumbled, her emotionless expression coming back, as she turned away and began looking around.

Xavier finally took the chance to look into her eyes. Looking in one's eyes was the only true way to find out if someone was lying. 'She's........telling the truth...' His expression immediately softened and he took a look at her with apologetic eyes. "I'm sorry I didn't believe you. I'll carry you again...." Before she could respond she was back in his arms as he fast-walked to the campsite.

This time, she did not complain one bit. She curled up and simply stayed still in his arms. "It's fine...Thanks..." She closed her eyes and awaited further instructions. "...."

Xavier looked down at the girl and smiled as she curled into him. It felt nice to have this girl in his arms. I mean her body was absolutely stunn- Wait! What was he thinking! As his face turned dark pink he began a faster pace so he could hide his colored expression.

Bern glanced up when she felt his pace change. "Something wrong?" She asked, confused as she looked around. Were they being chased? Probably not. That's when she saw his face. He was just removing a smile from his lips, and his cheeks were flushed pink. Sunburn? More than likely. "You're gonna get sunburn. Is the camp out in the open?"

"Huh?" She gave a suspicious look at Xavier. "What do you mean by that? Is that just your normal skintone or...?" Her eyes gave on a perplexed look as she looked at his face. "Hm....Well, never mind. Are we at camp yet?"

Xavier quickly flushed darker as he realized his thought was said out loud. "N-n-nothing. And yes we're at c-camp."

Bern still wasn't convinced. "Hm..." She moved her attention to the camp, and mentally groaned. "This is it? Uh...I guess...I'll fix it up...Mind letting me go now?" Her eyes looked back on his face, which was much darker now. "No, seriously. Get in some shade and treat that. It's looking bad. I'll get the fire going."

Xavier couldn't fight back the urge to prove to her it wasn't a sunburn. He just wanted to prove that she was wrong.......by a long shot. He quickly tapped her shoulder and he rubbed around his face to prove that he was in no pain, proving he didn't have a sunburn. 'Crap.'

Bern stared for a moment, before flushing red as well. "...Let me go, please." She mumbled, painfully attempting to push out of his grasp and onto her feet. "Just...Go do something."

Xavier quickly put her on the ground as he practically jumped into his sleeping bag and zipped himself in it. He has never been as embarassed in his life!

Bern took in a breath of air, before moving on to the pile of wood that would be their fire; which was also out of hearing range from Xavier. "He didn't seem like one of those types..." She mumbled, taking out her lighter and carefully making the fire. Soon, her own blush subsided.

To Be Continued.......

Ummmm, I don't know who's job it is to decide on this. Because there isn't one GM only but... it doesn't seem like your done either.

After a few minutes for Xavier's blush to go away he peeked his head out of the sleeping bag to watch Bernkaestel. The girl had formed a pile of sticks in the middle of the campsite. She was going to make a fire. Almost instantly another blush was beginning to creep it's way up Xavier's neck.

'The least he can do is set up the rest of the camp...' Bern thought to herself. She had managed to get the fire started without her Growlithe's help, and that was an accomplishment in of itself. She sat back and poked at the growing fire with a twig. "....." She looked back to find him watching her, and her eyebrows settled. "What? Feel like helping?"

Xavier's body slowly began to get out of the sleeping bag as he nodded; ready to get his mind off things. Come to think of it he needed to set up a tent for Glacier. "Sure." He pressed the middle button on one of his pokeballs and a Spheal appeared; not looking older than two weeks. It blinked a little before jumping on Xavier's head and staying on there, mumbling happily. The teen went over to his bag and pulled out a tent, beginning to set it up.

Sighing heavily, Bern watched Xavier with suspicious eyes as he set up the tent. She had to put up with him for three days! Well, hopefully Rosetta could just have him sleep for the entire time...Once the fire was at a reasonable height, Bern dumped te contents of her bag beside her. Her usual food supplies, and other things...Poke'balls. Four of them, rolled out. One was of course empty. Where was Rosetta, anyhow? Whatever. She'll find her way back after her little exercises...Bern turned her head around to find that Xavier's tent was fully made, and the Spheal was perched up on his head. "So, you share a tent with your Pokemon?" She asked, waving to the tent. She was already thinking how impossible that was, because his Lairon would take up most if not all the space inside.

Xavier turned back to her with blank eyes and tone. "No. This is for Glacier." Before she could ask what Pokemon was that he pointed to the ice type perched upon his head. "Me and my other Pokemon prefer to stay outside to sleep." He took a seat across from her and patted the Spheal on his head, staring intently at the fire.

Bern paused, but didn't say anything more. Neither of them really felt like making conversation, she supposed. After a moment of staring into the flame, she began to pick up on pictures the flames made. Like, they weren't purposely made, they just seemed to make objects she recongnized. Rosetta suddenly teleported beside her, huffing as though she had just outrun a schoolbus. "What's your problem?" Bern mumbled, still staring at the base of the flame. Rosetta caught her breath before replying. "Sorry. Ran into trouble, but it's all good now." Bern scrunched her eyebrows together, but didn't say anything more; feeling the snares with her fingertips. She was getting low on canned goods, so she would have to go hunting soon. Taking a sip of her water, she stood with all her hunting supplied packed into her bag. She was just beginning to leave the campsite, when she remembered Xavier. "Want me to catch some fish?"

Xavier looked at her and nodded seeming to be in his own little world from staring in the flames. Honestly though, it didn't really matter whether she did or not. He didn't mind a little physical labor.

Bern was about to say more, but she bit her lip and turned. "I'll be back in about...Two hours. Pokemon food is in my bag, if they get hungry before then." She then ran out, and into the darkening forest; leaving everyone behind. Rosetta immediately perked up once her master was gone, and looked at Xavier curiously. 'I'm sorry about Lady Bern's behavior. She's not a people person.' Her thoughts were sent to Xavier via telepathy, before she looked around for Omega.
-meanwhile in the forest-
"I hate this, I hate this..." Bern muttered to herself. She was already far out from the camp, and she couldn't even see the glowing flame anymore. The forests were apparently dangerous at night, but...She didn't care. The night was hers only. She spread out her arms as though to embrace the air, and took in a deep breath. The outside world was everything she had hoped for. No crowed, clausterphobic places, except maybe that cluster of trees off to the left...Nobody to boss her around. But, her lovely little vacation had been interupted by this one, STUPID challenge!" She pushed her teeth together angrily. The harbinger must have known about her history to put forth such a challenge...

Xavier perked up slightly at Rosetta's voice and replied to her. 'It's not a problem.' Smiling to himself he layed back on the ground while Glacier scampered off to be with Guardian. His thoughts wandered untill he thought about Bernkaestel and her elegant black locks, pure emerald eyes, a petite figure made for a -- WAIT! Why was he thinking this stuff! Obviously to Xavier somebody had to be playing a mind trick on his and he closed his eyes thinking randomly to drain the thoughts out of him with a bright cimson blush.

Rosetta smirked at Xavier's thoughts, and made herself comfortable. Omega can wait. 'If you like Bern-sama, you'll have to do better than what you're doing now. You haven't exactly impressed her, now.' Rosetta let out a laugh, and reached for a pack of food. 'She doesn't like humans, and especially not human males. Bad past. But yes, she is quite beautiful, isn't she? Well, for what you see her for, anyhow. Can't see any of her skin thanks to that long skirt and shirt...I'm surprised she didn't black out from that boulder hitting her back.'

Xavier's eyes widened and he covered his cheeks, feeling the heat radiating from them. 'What's wrong with me? I can't like her. I don't like anybody. Even if she is quite beatif- STOP IT!' He rose out of his laying position with wide eyes that suddenly calmed as he hung his head in defeat. 'I guess I do......like her.' His face turned towards Rosetta in shame and embarassment for feeling such a useless emotion.

Rosetta let out a laugh of amusement, and teleported beside Xavier. "You said it, not me. Anyhow, if ya like her, don't you think it was rude of you to just let her go hunting in her condition? Last time I checked, she was in pain. It'll be entertaining watching her haul back her catches...Did you SEE all the stuff she brought? It looked like she was gonna catch a Wailord!' She opened the pack of food, and began taking a bit into her mouth hungrily. 'You look strong. You should go out and help her.'

Xavier nodded in her direction finding everything she said to be true. Even the rude part of her words. Getting up, he went over and told Omega they were going to help Bern. After grabbing a few supplies and his backpack he turned towards Rosetta and said, "We should be back through 1 to 3 hours. See you then." With those final words Xavier and Omega left the campsite.

SNAP!. The arrow flew at blinding speeds from Bern's perch in the tree; directly hitting a Stantler that was about to become trapped in her snare. That, or the male would have broken the darn thing with his weight. Dragging the Pokemon away and hiding it under a pile of leaves, Bern took her place again in the branches of an oak. The shot had been perfect; straight through both eyes like she had been taught. If you shot the Pokemon there, the fur could be used for other resources without having holes. Already she had gotten that Stantler and a pair of Rattata with her snares. Only one more, and then that should be enough...SNAP! The arrow narrowly missed it's target, and was lodged into a nearby tree. "Damnit..." She muttered, shuffling down to collect her arrow, only to find Xavier. Her face turned pale, as she slowly hid her bow. Crap. She almost killed him.

Xavier felt air swish right by him and he fell to the ground in shock. He checked the tree next to him to see a projectile that was an arrow. An arrow! Xavier looked at where the object came from and saw a pair of emerald eyes boring into him. Bernkaestel. He decided to shake it off quickly and talked up to her with a clearly uncomfortable voice. "Umm...er..I came to help you out...." His gaze was attracted by a pile of leaves and he just barely see the skin of a Pokemon. "It appears I don't need to do that......I'll help carry the load for you."

Bern stared at him for a moment, and without giving an answer, yanked the arrow from the tree. "One more. And also, watch where you step. You just about stepped in my snare...Climb a tree and wait, please." She mumbled, eyeing the two with almost glowing green eyes. Without waiting for an answer, Bern went back, climbed the tree, and took her place among the branches; hardly within eyesight.

Xavier found himself in a trance seeing the radiating green eyes bore into him, but quickly knocked himself out of it as he scaled the tree next to him and layed down on one of it's branches while Omega barely made it up himself. Xavier unknowingly moved his hair out of his eyes due to him being so used to seeing through it.

Bern gave a slight nod his way, and slid further into the leaves of the tree. Fifteen minutes later, a Pokemon finally walked past; a Mightyena. Before it could even lift his nose to smell the air...SNAP. An arrow shot directly into his right eye; instantly killing the dog. Bern paused, before decending down and pulling the arrow out; which was drenched in blood. "...Now we're finished. Should last us all three days." Bern mumbled, leaving the corpse there as she dragged out the Rattata and Stantler; looking as though she was going to try dragging all the kills.

Xavier flinched when the Mightyena was shot and he shivered slightly. He hated seeing Pokemon die....even if it was his pure survival. He and Omega jumped down from their tree and he gently moved Bernlaestel's hand from the Stantler and he stacked the Rattata's on the Stantler and began carrying it on his shoulders with only a small amount of difficulty. When he saw her staring at him, he said "Do you wanna carry the Rattata's so I can carry the Mightyena too?"

Bern shook her head slightly, put her bow and arrows away, and picked up the limp Mightyena. She carried him as though it was still alive; front paws in left arm and back ones in the right, with the body leaning against her. She heaved slightly, and began her way to the campsite. Halfway there, she muttered. "Thanks for the help, though I could have made two trips..."

Xavier was concerned with the slight heaving sounds she was making and after she asked the question he calmy took the Mightyena and put it on his left shoulder, wincing from all the weight he was carrying. When he saw her looking at him again he said, "Uh....your welcome. I feel bad for being rude to you earlier today.....sorry..."

Bern watched on as he took on even more weight. Now she felt weak, but...He wasn't superman either. He even seemed to be struggling with the weight. "It's fine. I was the first to be rude and hostile, so it's only natural that you would be rude back..." She mumbled, carefully taking the Rattata by the tail to help lighten his load. "I'll skin them, so I guess we're even..."

Xavier smiled at her with his chocolate brown eyes seeming to seep into her. But as soon as he realized these facts he blushed darkly. "Uhh...y-yeah..even." Omega watched as his master did this and smiled excitedly. Xavier smiled at a human! A HUMAN!

Bern paused as he smiled at her, and that was the first time she noticed that he had chocolate brown eyes. Since he had always had his hair covering his eyes, she had always expected him to have no eyes at all. But, his eyes were actually...Really pretty. She felt herself blush, so she quickly hung her head down and coughed. "L-let's get back before Rosetta causes a forest fire." Quickly, she sped up her walking and ahead from Xavier.

Xavier eyed a blush creeping up on her neck and once she went ahead of him he smiled again shyly, not feeling as embarassed now. Omega was enjoying just watch Xavier smile at the girl. He never smiled with other people. NEVER. Not even if they brought him a cake 50 meters tall.

Twenty minutes later, they finally arrived at camp. Amazingly, Rosetta had not set the place on fire, and was 'chilling' with the Spheal. Bern sighed, and took her place in front of the fire. It was now...About eight in the evening. She was starving. Slowly. she got to work on skinning the Rattata; cutting off the unedible parts such as their head, tail, and paws, before carefully cutting the fur off of them with her knife. "Can you clean my arrows for me?" She asked, not looking up from her work as she began the second Rattata.

Xavier nodded and got up to grab her arrow case and had his Spheal come over to him. He took out a rag and ordered Glacier to spray water continuously and he began to scrub off the crusted liquid that was blood.

After finished the two Rattata, and taking away their bones, she carefully placed them in her bot, and poored some of her precious water in to boil the meat. She then set it directly in the flame, and began cleaning her knife. "How do you like your meat?" She mumbled, poising her knife under the flame to shine it. Rosetta was now curiously watching Glacier and Xavier. 'How did it go? What happened?' Rosetta repeated into his mind.

Xavier turned to look at Rosetta with a tiny pink blush sprayed on his cheeks and thought, 'It went well...when she saw my eyes.......she blushed.' Quickly after he shifted his gaze to Bern and muttered, "Medium Well please..."

'Ooh~? Maybe you should keep your hair out of the way more often!' Rosetta chimed in, taking a seat beside him. Bern nodded at him; unaware that Rosetta was secretly having a conversation. "Alright..." After a little while in silence, Bern finally had Rosetta use her Psychic to take the burning-hot pot out. Checking the meat, Bern nodded and tossed Xavier a makeshift plate, and then handed him the pot to serve himself. Some pieces were cooked fully, while some had a small amount of pink.