A New Life.

Lusen also found a spot in the den and fell asleep quickly despite being underground. Seeing skully had fallen asleep before he could reply to her saying goodnight, he decided to be silent.

The night passed uneventfully, the night crawlers and birds of the evening all went about their regular rituals under cover of the moonless dark. Eventually, this came to an end as the sun rose above the horizon and all of the creatures of the night returned to their homes to rest. Meanwhile, various creatures which are active during the day have emerged from their burrows and hollows to go about their daily business.

Skully ears flicked and her nose twitched as the sounds and smells of the morning drifted into the burrow. She opened her drowsy eyes, slowy at first, but after a few blinks they where wide and awake. She darted up in the unfamiler surroundings with a confused and worried expression, but her gaze sofened as the memories of the day before came rushing back. She glanced at the sleeping Lusen. Skully wasn't suprised he was asleep, he was probably tossing and turning all night in the unfamilierality of a burrow compaired to a tree. Skully stretched her legs and let a shiver run through her whole body as she shook the tierdness away. Then she sat down on her hign legs to wash. Licking her paws before bringing them over her face and ears, she repeated this several times at a brisk pace. After she finished the rest of her washing, she scampered to the exit of the burrow and scuffled up and out into the morning sun.

Skully let out a curious sniff, not sure weither or not it was safe to leave. She couldn't any detect danger... So she pulled her whole body out of the root encased entrance and began walking along the path. She wasn't leaving Lusen of course, but simply looking for food. Her nose was searching for something from the seed family, but her eyes where looking for something both Lusen and herself could eat. Thats when she spotted it, a nice looking apple tree. All pokemon enjoyed apples. She dashed over with a Quick Attack, then scurried up the trunk using her teeth incase she slipped. After she made it to a branch, she bit two apples off the tree. She then jumped down, and rushed back to the burrow carrying the apples by there stems.

When she reached the burrow again she let out a sniff before entering, as if danger awaited her. Then dragged the apples down the short tunnel. When she reached the bottom, she set the apples down and shook her head in disgust at the taste of the stems. Then she called out, "Lusen! I got some thing to eat! You here?" Skully hoped he hadn't awoken and assumed Skully had left. She felt a sadness and fear creep over her that her companion had left her. She glanced around the room, her eyes searching for the Treecko.

As Skully had called to him, she was answered by a yawn. Lusen was curled up where he had been sleeping. Waking up, he was happy to see that she had brought in food, "Thanks for bringing food back! I wouldn't have asked you to do that for me, but you did so I'm grateful." He quickly went over to where Skully had the apples and took one, "These look great! So, do you know which way we should go today? We can only get deeper into the forest or out of it altogether whichever way we go." Obviously, Lusen was ready to stick with Skully for as long as was necessary. Lusen sat down and began eating the apple while listening for what his partner would say as far as the day's plans were concerned.

Skully had all ready begun to nibble on her apple in a rodent like way. But she listened to Lusen with ears pricked. After he finsihed speaking she looked up from her apple. "Well, I want to go deeper into the forest. The deeper we go, the less Flying types to pick one of us up, and more places to hide." That has been Skully plan since the begining. She began to munch at the apple again only to receive very haunting thoughts. Skully figured from the begining she'd be lucky just to make it out of the Wold. She didn't know she would get even this far. Not only that, but what would she do when they got out of the Deep Forest? If Lusen stayed her partner, they would be able to travel far and wide... The thought apealed to Skully, but what would be the point of all this?

At that thought Skully relised she had stoped eating. So she dug back in again, not sure weither Lusen had noticed or not. She glanced at the Treeko, why would he want to travel around the world with no purpose? She anxiously finished her apple, even picking the seeds out of there core and nibbling them. Then she went back to her own thoughts as she waited for Lusen to finish. She was now trying to find a reason to be going on this journey. There had to be something, any reason they could be traveling. "So... Is there any place you really want to go? Or anything you really wnat to do after we go through the forest?" she asked, maybe her partner could give her an idea.

Lusen thought for a moment, the idea of what he would do outside of the forest he had made his home had never quite occurred to him. "I remember hearing once from a pokemon that interacted a lot with the outside world that human cities look amazing, so if nothing else I'd like to be able to see what exactly is so amazing about it. I've only lived in the forest, so there's a lot out there that I haven't seen."

Lusen was about to take the last couple bites of his apple when a small commotion was heard outside. From your current position, it is difficult to clearly make out the sounds coming from above the burrow. What do you think we should do? Do you want to check it out?"

Skully squinted her eyes, she was pondering the idea. A human city? She had heard... Some times humans and pokemon became partners. Some where like pets, others like loyal companions. She didn't find the idea of being close to those scary creatures... But she couldn't judge. After all, they where just rumors. Humans couldn't even use attacks, maybe she wouldn't have to worry? "Well all right..." she said, her ears flicking at the sound of comotion out side. She nodded to Lusen. "Ya, after we figure out whats going on up there... We can set out... Come on!" she dashed up the hole, and slowly glanced out... Her nose twitched, and her ears flicked as she slowly came out of the hole.

Apparently, the sound outside was the sound of a struggle between a group of poochyena and a pair of poachers. By now, the struggle was over and the poochyenas are caged up in a wagon that the poachers had brought with them. They have not noticed your hiding spot and are preparing to move on, of the five cages they have aboard the wagon, two are unoccupied. The poachers bear light scratches from the resistance of the poochyenas.


Poacher 1


Poacher 2

Skully looked in awe. So these where humans! What strange creature, they where like furless lucarios with small stumpy ears and tiny round noses. With no tail either! How strange? Skully turned back to Lusen, who probly didn't knwo mcuh about humans either. "They fought that whole group of Poochyena! You think we should ask them if they'll give us a ride to the city? " Skully asked Lusen, completely unknowing to the fact they where poachers, or that humans and pokemon couldn't comunicate. Though she asked for Lusens advice, she doubted he would know any more then her. If less, due to the fact her fathers partner was a human from birth.

(Interesting fact: Yup, I think due to Skullys heritage being a Rattata which is known to... "Stealing food from stupid trainers." and "Can live every where" that she would feel a bit more comfortable around humans. Btw, her father was also raised by a human from an egg.)

Lusen was a little bit less certain of the situation, "I don't know much about humans either, but I'm not sure they're the type to give rides. . . I suppose it couldn't be too dangerous, since the poochyena on their wagon aren't dead, you sure you want to try it? I'll go if you do."

Skully smirked. "I they turn on us, whe'll be ready." Skully started to warm her self up inside for an emergancy Flame Wheel. Though it would take a awhile to activate, it would be a perfect last resort. "Lusen, if they do any thing trickey... Pound the skinny one, ill take the big one if there not friendly." Skully, with no real fear for humans just walked up to them. Knowing her quite loyal friend Lusen would follow. "Hey... umm... Could we get a ride to the human city?" she squeeked, unaware they would hear... "Rat? Att... Ratta ta Ra rat ta ta?" At the very last seconed, she felt a great concern and begun to build the fire in her belly again. Why was she suddenly scared? She flicked her ears to make sure Lusen was behind her,now a bit nervous.

The poachers looked at each other, "Huh, looks like this one's just hopping right up to us. Guess there's no reason to cage it up if it's not gonna fight, eh?" The thin one knelt down in front of skully, "Want to go for a trip, huh? Alright, beggars can't be choosers." That said, he picked up Skully, not paying much attention to how this rattata was significantly warmer than expected and gently tossed her onto a folded cloth. Seeing that they had not acted violently, Lusen also approached but was still somewhat afraid of them and said nothing.

The larger man saw the treecko, "Hey, looks like the rat had a friend, a treecko no less! that thing'll be worth something fierce if we treat it right, a shame burkham's security is tight as it is right now or we'd make a killing off of that one. Let's put him up in the cart too." with that, the larger poacher reached down for Lusen and picked him up in one hand a little less gently than the other had done for Skully and plopped him down on the cart next to you.

The wagon had started moving again and Lusen turned to speak to his partner, "I'm a little bit surprised they were so friendly, kinda wish that one were a little more gentle about it. . . you're okay, right?"

"Ya, I'm really suprised!" Skully said shaking her head. Though the feeling Skully got at the very last seconed still nagged her, so she kept the heat inside her belly to continue. "Oh, and I'm okay." she said awnsering Lusen's question. "I think we'll be safe from wild pokemon in here, and we can see the human city really fast now!" Skully said happily. Though the tiny nagging inside her told her something wasn't right, Why would I feel all right just before I talked to them? I must be going insane...
The constant small worrying was making her Flame Wheel start, her teeth where red with heat. She had to blow the steam out of her mouth. Only a few flames sputtered before she got it under control though. She looked guiltily at Lusen, "I must have been warming up too long!" She took a deep breathe, cooling her self down. "Im keeping Flame Wheel ready, just in case they turn on us... Okay?" she asked Lusen.

(I geuss you could probly end it with one more post.)

It wasn't long before the wagon had made its way back to the beaten path, its owners having met their quota for that particular excursion. The two men were talking amongst themselves, probably about what they would do when they got to town and the poochyena in the cages were all either asleep or otherwise unconscious for most of the trip.

"It's always a good idea to stay prepared, just make sure they don't see your fire or you might scare them into hurting you." After a few more minutes, the forest seemed to suddenly open up, revealing a somewhat pleasant landscape with a small village and a castle at the center of it.

"Yup, Firgram province, home sweet home. Poochyena's make for good fur trading, but I'm not sure we'd get much on a rattata's hide and people aren't much into fashion here so the treecko fad's not gonna be a sell, guess we could let those two go whenever they feel like leaving..."

It seems now that the poachers' wagon has come to Firgram province just outside the wold.

(From this point on, you are allowed to control Lusen's actions yourself, this thread is basically over and you may begin your next adventure anytime.)