I'm Not Walking In That [Mickey]

[Alexander Vox Knight]

Sildios Swamp lived.

Alexander Vox Knight reached up silently and pulled his yellow tinted shades away from his face, folding them up and stowing them in a pocket. He cocked a brow slowly, not amused. The swamp bubbled and bloomed with sounds on various levels. Pokemon calls, creatures wading through the muck, the wind brushing along the tops of the lanky tree tops. What little leaves were on the trees wavered, a shade of wet green, and the trees were tall, often withered. Branches reached up into the sky like splayed fingers, hoping to touch the clouds.

Most swamps weren’t nearly this crowded, however. Plants crawled up the trees and clung off the surface of branches, connecting one heavy trunk to another. Species of trees had mutated over the years, some had grown closer together and shorter in stature. Their leaves slumped down instead of up. Black infected the brown wood occasionally, swirling with the bark or decorating a good trunk or branch. Plants that were naturally small were large and vibrant here. Flytraps were humongous, snapping at creatures twice the size of what they should be eating. The water was a murky brown, black and slimy green. Algae covered the surface, and occasionally the land rolled with the flow of the water and created mounds of solid ground to walk on, like miniature islands in the muck.

Radiation, experimentations gone wrong, pollution…there was no end to the amount of junk that was brewed into the swamp on a daily basis as a result of the war. It could very easily be said that some of the species of Pokemon here were recent additions. Many were horrible mutations of the originals.

“This job is pointless,” he growled, finally showing a tinge of annoyance as his blue eyes narrowed into the distance. He glanced down from a seven foot, two inch height. Being tall had its quirks, but this tall was just an annoyance. He stuck out in crowds, it was inconvenient for undercover status. The only perk to his height thus far had been intimidation, but even that fell useless when he was say, facing Enigma.

“It’s a sad day in Pravus when a Lieutenant General is forced to do grunt work,” a slow, low voice said.

The man felt his brow twitch in irritation as his eyes moved down, off to the side.

A little Natu with half closed eyes watched the swamp covered environment ahead with the same kind of irritation, if not more. He actually seemed bored, however. He sighed and stretched his wings out, the vibrant red, black, green and yellow feathers stretching out to either side of his circular body. He cocked his head. A blue glint entered his eyes. “Yup.” He paused. “Sad.”

“Joker. Have you analyzed the area yet?”

The little Natu fluffed his feathers up, looking like a fuzzy ball for a minute before his black eyes glowed a bright, dazzling blue. An aura surrounded his small body before he closed his eyes and suddenly dropped his wings. “Yup.”

Alexander sighed. “Obviously this environment produces mutated species. What of the content of the water?”

”It’s not merely the water. The underground soil has been tainted with radioactive waste. Local Pokemon know this. They drink from it anyway. They live here as well.”

“Obviously. Do you sense any failed experiments, or recent escapees in the immediate area?”

“No.”

“Master, is it truly necessary to explore in this muck and filth? It’s hardly suitable for the populations of Pokemon established here, much less for our standards. It’s…disgusting. And a waste of precious time. No pun intended, sir.”

Now, Alexander sighed as he turned and cast a glance over his other shoulder. A larger, experienced Mothim hovered there, his wings sweeping down occasionally to keep him floating. The vibrant orange markings on his oval shaped wings stuck out against the background of the swamp greenery. His brown would have meshed with the trees, but his insect eyes seemed to share the distaste for the environment, just as much as his words did.

“We’re in a cease fire at the moment. Analyzing the various environments that have resulted from the-“

Booooorrrrriiiiinnnnng.

Alex shook his head as the telepathic, very familiar low voice entered his head. Now, more than ever, Joker was not focused on what was going on. He wanted something to do. This was just…horrible. After all, the Natu had a hard time playing mind games and acting creepy, when Alexander understood every aspect of his personality.
We don’t even get to kill anything.

Knight felt his blue eyes narrow as that last statement came across his mind as an afterthought. The Natu was still staring dismally into the swamp.

Yup. Boring.

[Mickey]

<sub>Dull emerald hues observed the twice folded, damp (from being left in the washer by accident) piece of scrap paper with a few words written on the surface; however, since being through such harsh treatment, the wording was fading and the cracks from it being folded were beginning to tear through the ink, separating the letters so they look rough and worn out. All in all the lettering was indecisive, but the problem was: the user holding the paper, Mickey, was the one who had written whatever on it earlier and now she can’t even read it.

The girl scrunched her nose, her eyes narrowing from the process and her brows knitting together. She gazed deeply onto the paper and no matter how she lifted the paper, tilted her head, tilted the paper, either way she couldn’t read what she had wrote. Not that, that was a problem. Michelle was at the place she had needed to be, that was all she could really remember. But she is on a mission. Sort of. Well, she’s supposed to actually be meeting her boss. Her own boss, and to be working with him. Now the paper, Mickey remembered, had the man’s name written on it, but even now the name had been worn away. Michelle then shoved the paper back into her lint-filled jean pocket.

Mickey shrugged her shoulders, in the process shifting a bundle in her arms. The bundle moved, revealing Raisin’s pale face and smiling mouth. The girl rolled her eyes, how could that pokemon be so happy-go-lucky in such a place like this? The swamp is filthy, disgusting, and just really—it was hard for Mickey not to double over puking. Togepi literally kept her from doing so (since he was stuffed underneath her chest), but even his happy demeanor made the horrible environment somewhat decent. Mickey bounced the bundle, Raisin giggling madly, but when Michelle took the initiative to take a step forward, the heel on her left boot dug deep into the mud, sucking into the soil causing Mickey to tug roughly, the sudden bounce consequently bolted Togepi out of her hands in a swift rolling motion. This was not the time to be thankful for Raisin’s easy-to-carry round shape, simply because now his round shape was causing the pokemon to dip into the mud and then just simply glide across the muddy surface.

Mickey’s visage went from calm to panic in second spans, all the while Raisin was now rolling down a hill not too far ahead giggling. The girl hissed between clenched teeth, and violently snapped back to her leg caught in the mud. She tugged twice before her foot budged, and when finally giving her shoe another tug, her boot popped out of the mud causing Mickey to stumble back. Quickly the girl pointed a shaky index finger at the rolling pokemon before yelling, “Can’t you stop rolling? Omigod! Make my life harder why don’t you!”

Michelle gripped her mud-like hair before sprinting off, careful of her weight and the mud, after Raisin. The girl cleared through leafless trees and lifeless plants before finally finding what looked like ‘rolling-Togepi-prints’. How the hell did that pokemon get so far? Was unknown to Mickey, and so the girl continued to head the direction she originally aimed for. Once finding a trace of white racing across the muddy surface, Michelle jumped forward gaining a slight advantage in the chase unlike before when the mud was slowing her down because of her boots. However, to Mickey’s disadvantage there was a gathering of pokemon surrounding this pillar… like…thing dressed in red. Not really thinking the pillar was anything, when Mickey reached the gathering careful to dodge the pokemon, she simply went to push the pillar out of her way, but had sadly more-so repelled herself off the pillar tripping over her right boot and collapsing sideways into the mud.

Raisin seized in rolling, his triangular feet digging into the ground as he pushed himself to stand. The pokemon giggled twice as he rounded in circles gaining levelness with his head. Once the pokemon realized his master wasn’t in eye sight, but a strange man and his pokemon were, the Togepi’s eyes began to glaze over in tears. Suddenly the Togepi fell back, and began to cry. Mud splattering his decorated shell.

“My life sucks!” Mickey yelled, her words half-muffled from the mud covering her right side of her visage. The girl dug her elbow into the ground, and brought her left knee in so she could pick herself and shift her body weight so she could gather herself back into position. Once Michelle finally was back on her feet, she stretched her arms out observing the mud and then observing the mud on her pant legs. “Hell! Why don’t I just bathe in this, huh? Fuc—“ Mickey’s profanity caught in her throat as she turned, her flashing orbs glancing upon a, very tall, man clad in scarlet. At first Michelle furrowed her brows, her eyes narrowing at the giant, not really sure how the hell he just morphed out of no where, but when it finally registered that the “red pillar” was actually this man, a slight shade of pink caressed Mickey’s cheeks. She had just attempted to push him out of the way, but instead sent herself flying: HOW embarrassing.

Mickey bit her lip, conjuring hatred so her flushing cheeks would die, and once her blood was boiling her skin regained its pale complexion. Michelle huffed, “Who the hell are you?” But before she could really wait for his answer a certain cry filled Mickey’s ears, a cry far too familiar to just pass up. When Michelle averted her attention to the little mud-covered pokemon shedding tears, the girl marched over scooped the pokemon and rocked it gently in her arms.
“Shut up you idiot… You can’t cry forever…” Even though her voice was smooth, her words couldn’t match in warmth, but oddly enough the Togepi cried out in joy and attempt to hug his master.

Michelle turned on her heel and placed shifted Togepi so she could now placed on fist on her hip—her left one more specifically. And then gave the man a more demanding look. Even though Michelle was no where in comparison to his height, the girl never let that intimidate her, because the larger they are the harder they fall.

“So are you going to answer my damn question or what?” Michelle snapped, now lifting her hand to gather and drain some mud from her hair while her eyes remained locked on his large physique.</sub>

[Alexander Vox Knight]

Seven foot, two inch tall men don’t fall over easy. Even if they do fall, it’s like knocking over a giant. The bigger they are, the harder they fall. Fortunately (for Mickey in this case, seeing as how Alexander was her employer) the girl did not push off of him in the manner that she meant to. In fact, it felt more like somebody reaching out to nudge him than actually pushing off of him.

At the exact moment that she fell forward, he turned his head, brows rising in a slight question. His blue eyes lit up and he stepped back once, watching with slight amusement as the person in question went barreling past him and down the slippery slopes of the swampland. Hmm. That wasn’t good. Without even thinking, his Natu pounced backwards in order to avoid being stepped on in the confusion. The psychic little bird blinked once before he threw up all the defenses he had within him; his eyes grew a blinding blue-white, his wings spread out from his small body and he squawked in frustration. A visible, frustrated blue aura surrounded his body and spread outwards with tendrils of navy blue and shining white. They bubbled and grew, stretching out into the air before the splayed out like fingers.

“Joker!”

Alexander’s sharp interruption threw the little bird off. Five, spiraling psychic waves spewed off into different directions. None of them hit their mark. The little bird fluffed up his feathers in frustration, shaking his head from side to side and hopping on his little feet to glare up at his master. Blue still sparked in his dark eyes.

They attacked us.

“That’s enough,” he growled back, almost snappishly. It was a rare occasion when his psychic Pokemon was startled, but the little bird was caught off guard, and he absolutely hated it. Mickey’s unfortunate stumble down the slope scared him to death, though he would never admit it. She had nearly stepped on him after all. Impulse taught him to counterattack. His only regret was that last interruption. It threw off his focus and made him stop.

But his glare wasn’t nearly as lethal as his trainer’s. Alexander’s blue eyes were far colder and stern. The little Pokemon breathed and said nothing more for a few minutes, waiting for some kind of scolding. But it never came. Joker wasn’t certain if he should be wary of that fact or thankful.

So for now he turned away, sticking his beak into the air and glaring off into the distance like a child that was pouting after a parent took a toy away.

“….That was unexpected,” a cool voice said behind them. Alexander turned to glance over his shoulder and shook his head. The flying bug Pokemon was the only one that appeared slightly concerned. He had a caring nature, and acted as a sort of second consciousness for his master. His large, flaming orange eyes were staring down at the woman that went tumbling down the slope after the ball of white and brown (a mud covered Togepi). He cocked his head, one of his antenna twitching. “….Master Knight. Wasn’t that-“

“Just…” The man sighed and shook his head.

Yes, the recognition did hit him. He stood there and watched as she tried to brush off the layers of muck that covered her skin. His blue eyes flashed before he reached up and ran a hand through his golden blonde hair. Unfortunately, the action tousled his usually kempt hair, creating a few bangs at the front that hung low. Obviously, there was something to be aggravated about.

“Hmm. So I suppose…she is?”

“Yes,” the man growled. “Michelle Livingston. Pravus. Recent initiate. Assigned…”

Joker snorted. “Her?” He shook his head. “That girl. Down there. Is your..most recent…”

“You know, as a respected officer within Pravus, it perhaps would be an excellent idea to welcome her into your ranks. You are, after all, the Air Squad official. It’s only proper to know the soldiers under your command, or at least keep up moral by-“

“She just fell into a pool of radioactive mud,” the little bird interrupted, strangely calm. He blinked as he watched the pair. “She’s completely useless now, doesn’t matter who she works for. Let’s wait for her to start melting. Or growing extra limbs. Or-“

“Joker. Enough.”

The little bird snorted again.

You know it would be amusing, he grumbled telepathically. When nothing was said, he added, It would. Really.

But Alexander was paying no heed to the invading thoughts of his psychic Pokemon. He was watching Mickey, stepping forward to the edge of the slope in front of him while he frowned. “Do you realize what you’re standing in?” he called down to her. “You need to get out of there!”

Hmph. I don’t think she can hear you.

The man shook his head, growling under his breath now. Finally, he resorted to something he didn’t want to do. Joker ruffled his feathers in a flustered manner, blinking furiously as he watched his trainer begin to descend down the slope. Was he mad?

I am NOT going with you.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Huttser said, following Alexander closely. “This is one of our own. We can’t leave her down there to herself. It’s dangerous.”

I’ll tell you what it is. It’s disgusting. I’m not following.

“Yes. You are.”

The little bird glared at his trainer’s receding back before he grumbled and winced a little. He jumped at the last second, using psychic energy to extend his flight (talk about a lazy little guy) so that he landed quite calmly on Alexander’s shoulder. The man snorted, finally stopping at the bottom of the hill and his frown deepening. Damn. These boots were expensive…and he was wading through this shi-

“Michelle. Are you alright?” Huttser was the first to reach her. “Our sincerest apologies for not reacting sooner. We were perhaps confused by what exactly had happened.” He paused, extending little arms to help her before he stopped. She was, after all, covered in the muck of the swamp. “Ah…forgive me. It’s rude to speak without giving introductions first.”

“What are you doing out here, Livingston? This was meant to be a reserved mission,” Alexander said calmly. “At best, a solo. They couldn’t spare any grunts…a Lieutenant General is normally enough for something as simple as this.”

[Mickey]

<sub>Michelle paced back, puckered her lips and spat a few times. Suddenly she could feel the mud enveloping her, though it actually wasn’t. Maybe it was just because she wasn’t comfortable with something smothering her, especially mud, from a not-so-safe swamp. Actually, Michelle remembered reading the files of this place – surprisingly – and if she could remember correctly, was this swamp supposed to be radioactive?

The girl blinked twice, her dull kelp colored-hues fixating on the soft mud that looked harmless on the surface, but who knows what could happen if it got into your system. Quickly, Michelle tucked Togepi under her left arm, violently patting her right arm to get the mud off. Raisin closed his semi-oval eyes, his mouth spreading to a wide smile as he giggled at his master, because to him it looked like Mickey was doing a silly dance, but once the thought registered in his mind that the brown muck spreading over his master’s arm was foreign and needed to come off-- immediately Togepi raised both of his triangular arms in the air, his smile never fading as he chanted, his mouth glowing blue before a jet of water shot out completely spraying Mickey, and from the pressure of the Water Gun, Raisin was propelled from her arms once again rolling in the mud.

Michelle closed her eyes just before the stream of water shot at her visage, washing any foreign substance from her body, but also drenching everything it sprayed. The girl bit her lip, raising both of her glistening, pale hands to her eyes before wiping droplets from her lashes. Kelp orbs flashed wildly as they searched for Raisin, who was once again rolling in the mud thinking nothing harmful of it. Mickey rolled her eyes, her golden-brown hair and clothes sticking to her body like paste.

“I don’t know whether to help you, or to leave you to be eaten by Radioactive goo…” Mickey mumbled, but being the generous lady she is, she marched over to her pokémon, scooped Raisin up while cleaning off his shell from any sight of mud. “Can you be still for once?” Raisin giggled, which caused Michelle to simply lift the pokémon over her head and place the ball into the hood of her vest.

Michelle lifted her gaze to once again meet the man from before, except now he was descending from the top of the hill with a large Mothim following him and a spherical shaped pokémon perching solely on the man’s shoulder. However the pokémon were not what Mickey was interested in, she kept all eyes on the man dressed in scarlet as he approached her. The girl never budged, yet her eyes followed the Mothim as he reached her first out of the group.

“Huh?” Was all Mickey could conjure before actually relaxing, which meant sticking her hip out and crossing her arms over her stomach, water still dripping from her hair, “Heh, I'm just peachy, but mind if I ask who the hell are you and how the hell do you know my name—?"

Just then the human spoke out of the group, his voice stern yet collected. He didn’t sound so uptight like normal Pravus Leaders, the man seemed more down to earth than a leader, but the way he stated out Michelle’s last name like some military brute, the girl cringed and her lips tugged back in a slight grimace. “Look… man, call me Mickey--if anything, no one calls me by my last name, and besides it’s just plain weird.”
Michelle then released a scoff, her brows lifting at the man. Did he say he was a Lieutenant General? Great, that must mean he’s actually her squad leader. So what was his name again? Mickey bit her lip in thought, but could not find any matching names with his face. “Uh, yeah, so guy, what’s your name again?” So much for not being rude. “And besides! I needed to get some fresh air; being cooped up in Pravus HQ isn’t really a delight.”

Michelle paced around lifting her hands to the cloud-layered sky, her eyes observing the mess of a swamp before her as she spun around and rested her narrowed eyes on her squad leader, “Not if this is any better, but yeah. I’m not leaving, that’s final, and besides. It’ll give us a chance to get to know each other, Mr. Squad-Leader-Man.” Even though her smirk was vivid, it was seemingly unreadable.

“My, my, what a tiny pokémon for a large man,” Mickey stated, jerking her thumb the Natu’s direction. “The doll got a name?” Even though her words feigning kindness.</sub>

[Alexander Vox Knight]

(Hm. I say we get them lost. o3o I think Raisin should run off or something. And Mickey would naturally run after her and Vox would be all "GUH" and follow after his private to save her ass. xDDD And they should get lost. But lol. It's up to you. :3 Cause they're your characters...we just need a way to get them further into the swamp. o3o )


Why that impudent little- Joker’s chest puffed up as he sat on Alexander’s shoulder, his feathers ruffling in a manner not-quite-pleased, before they settled against his body again. No. He wouldn’t lash at her. Not yet. However, this private was quickly crossing the line between blatant ignorance and sheer stupidity. He absolutely hated grunts. They were no fun at all. And sadly, because of the rules of Pravus, he was not allowed to torture, maim, destroy or otherwise harm them. They were after all, loyal soldiers to the cause. And every man counted.

That and, when he fluffed up his feathers and prepared a witty, if not dangerous, retort, he received a solid glare from someone close by that made his small body relax. Alexander’s glare, even when it was only a small dosage of one, was not a friendly sight to behold. And Joker knew better than to stampede on this man’s territory.

Fine, the little bird spat telepathically to Vox, I won’t hurt her. After announcing this fact he averted his gaze, pupils narrowed and yellow beak stuck up in the air. This way, he only seemed to take the insult in and not react so aggressively on it. It was more than enough to satisfy Knight, because the man grew less tense as he glanced back at Mickey.

He gaze softened a tad, but his voice was still stern. “It’s Knight. Alexander Vox Knight.” And he paused as if that should reawaken some dim memory in her mind. If it didn’t, he added drily, “Lieutenant General of the Air Squadron. Your superior.” He hardly noticed how stressed that last word was, but now he was a little aggravated. Normally, he wouldn’t stress that his troops know this. It was a dead given that he was usually lenient and decent towards those under his command, but he hadn’t expected Mickey to come tripping up out of nowhere and landing in the one place he didn’t want her to be.

In his mind he was hoping that none of the radioactive muck that touched her skin (or her unfortunate Pokemon, for that matter) would come back to haunt her. She had to have longer exposure to it, right? …. He wasn’t certain what the duration of such a thing would be, but surely the activity in the mud was not nearly as high as it used to be. Since the ceasefire, Pravus hadn’t dumped much of anything here any more. And as for experiments…

He knew that there was the possibility that one or two remained in the swamp. Joker sensed living entities within the dark and wet environment, but he wasn’t certain as to what they were exactly. Obviously, some things could eek out an existence here, but the unnatural chemicals in the mud would affect whatever tried. These days, Pravus had no need to dump living things out here anymore. Technology had taken a leap during the war (as it usually does due to necessity) and biological experimentation and DNA mutations, pokemorphs and so on were much easier to handle and create now. It decreased the chances of them finding anything…but he was still wary.

After all…they had sent him out here for a reason. There was a good possibility that they suspected something could still be here. It had bugged him why they sent a Lieutenant General way out to the swamp when a grunt could easily have done the same job. Even if they couldn’t spare a grunt…they would make time for something as simple as this. Alexander would never be called out on a mission to test water, soil and plant samples. He wasn’t a scientist for one thing, and he could be used for so much more for the other.

…

Perhaps there was something they expected him to find out here. Something they wanted him to locate or bring back. But there had been no details into it….and now it bugged him immensely.

Maybe that was why he cleared his throat and turned his glacier blue eyes back to Mickey and her Pokemon. “I didn’t give you an order to stay, Livingston. I’m giving you an order to-“

“That’s quite rude, Master Knight.” The interruption made Alexander hesitate, staring at a tree not far behind Mickey before he lost his temper. He counted to ten in his head while Huttser continued. “What he means to say is, of course, that we are more than happy to have you aboard our team, Ms. Livingston. It’s quite an honor to accept help from you. And -forgive my colleague’s rudeness- my name is Huttser. And that genteel (he slurred this word in a sarcastic manner) fellow perched on my trainer’s shoulder is Joker.”

Of course, this resulted in an intense glare from the psychic little bird still sitting on Alexander’s shoulder. However, it was the man who spoke again. “That’s enough. Mickey. You’re leaving. This isn’t your mission for one, two, I didn’t send for help and three, you aren’t qualified to be out here.”

That should have been more than enough for her to take the hint and leave. He merely wanted her out of the swamp really…his concern was somewhat of a mix between her health and his own mission. If they sent him out here to deal with something secretly…then he couldn’t expect Mickey to be able to handle it with him. She was after all, only a private, and very new to Pravus.

[Mickey]

((Dayumn girl, look at that scroll bar! You and your long ass posts, lmao!))

<sub>Two beady spherical eyes peaked through a massive fur barrier that rimmed the lining of Mickey’s coat. The eyes averted from one distracting scene to the next, all the while a smile spreading further and further along the egg. All the mud, all the bubbles, everything look so welcoming to the baby pokemon. He could cry joyfully, wanting his master to place him down, but no matter how hard he cried he would only receive a ‘hush’ or a series of ‘shut the hell up’ all in which he didn’t register the fact that he was indeed annoying Michelle, but Raisin only raised his hands and continued to smile. The pokemon finally understood the way things were being carried around here—he was simply not being given the necessary attention (or the attention he wanted). Togepi fell back, collapsing onto his bottom as he attempted crossing his arms, a frown phasing over his features. Raisin looked around in the hood, the fur lining his vision of the sky, but as he pondered as in what to do the Togepi finally blinked his eyes in thought. He could easily leave! Of course he’ll come back, but Michelle wouldn’t mind a little trip in the mud and then back, right?
The pokemon lifted itself from the fabric, pulling along the fur lining. His master was so use to him moving, that when Raisin had leant so far over the fur lining to where he fell over, Michelle didn’t once turn back.

The pokemon landed delicately in a heap on the ground, causing it to smile gratefully. Raisin soon picked himself up from the soft soil, balancing himself as he set his eyes on a direction set past the mud, large plants the size of Michelle bent over causing an arch. Togepi cried excitedly before wondering off in that direction, his light weight keeping him from sinking too far into the mud.

Michelle bent an un-amused brow at the bird, its little chest plate rising as if it were infuriated. The girl almost scoffed, but she kept it in her throat. Her emerald hues then averted to Alexander as he addressed himself, his voice almost annoyed, which caused Michelle to finally release that scoff of hers. When he followed his introduction, leaving the word ‘superior’ lingering from his lips, Michelle parted her stance and placed her right fist on her hip and rolled her eyes.

“Come, come, no need to be stingy…” Mickey smirked, her brows narrowing automatically, “So, uh, I’m going to call you Al—what’s that birds problem? Dropped one too many times on its head or something?” Mickey hushed her voice at her last sentence, but her tone didn’t dwindle from harsh humor.

A long sigh escaped Mickey’s slightly parted lips, her eyes forcefully averting from Alexander’s mesmerizing eyes. He was, so, getting ready to lecture her and lectures weren’t Mickey’s daily cup of tea. She lifted her pale hand, her nails catching her interest at the moment, but when Alexander’s voice was interrupted by the familiar—higher sophisticated sounding—voice butted in. It belonged to his pokemon, the earlier one that had helped her before. Sure he was nice, and proper, but someone like that only gains annoyance under their reputation not too long after they are introduced to Michelle.

“Hmm?” Mickey pressed, her brow raising to the pokemon Huttser’s, “An honor? Well I’ve never heard that one before. Al, you should be more like your pokemon, you know that? Especially that, uh, Hooter guy over there.” Michelle jerked her thumb Huttser’s way, obviously pronouncing his name completely wrong.

“Joker?” Michelle grinned, her eyes now dancing upon the little bird. The girl brought a hand and ran her fingers through her hair, “Aww! Isn’t that so cute.”

The girl’s eyes darted back to Alexander, his voice more stern and his eyes rock hard. His words slapped Michelle hard in the face, he obviously wasn’t used to giving the point out so clearly, and so when he did so to Mickey—the girl bet it was ten times harsher than he means it to be, or… this could just be how Alexander acts. The girl, however, stepped back her arms falling limb at her thighs as she watched Alexander with a twitching smirk and wide eyes. She never was good at listening to orders…

“Uh, you really need to get to know your grunts more, you know my name but do you know my reputation?” Michelle rolled her eyes, “I don’t take too well to orders, uh, Al. So, uh, how bout’ I say no to your little demand and be on my way—through the swamp, hm?”

The girl didn’t wait for Alexander to reply, she couldn’t stand his glacier colored hues. As Michelle spun on her heel; the light weight of her hood caught her step. The girl hesitantly lifted her hand to the back of hood, patting the fabric but no round form rubbed against her palm. Michelle’s kelp orbs widened dramatically, her lips parting softly as she suddenly dropped her head her eyes searching the ground for any source of evidence of her missing Raisin. Yeah, she treated that thing like it was nothing, but when it came down to it… Raisin was probably one of the only things in Remoor that tolerated her. Michelle bit her lip, her throat hurting. The grunt then noticed a flash of white wobbling in the distance. How the hell did that Togepi get so far ahead?

“Shit,” Michelle cursed, her pale hands gripping the fur lining as she pulled her hood over her features in hopes of blocking any mud from hitting her face. The girl then darted forward, after Raisin, but to her disadvantage a fountain of radioactive mud sprouted not two feet away from her, causing it to speckle on her jeans. The girl stepped back, her eyes fixed hard on the nearly fading Togepi. Hell, Fuck, Shit.

“Raisin! Raisin!” Michelle yelled, her voice was blocked by the simultaneous bursts of mud. The girl cursed loudly before turning around, towards Alexander, and instead of stopping in front of him, stomped past him—shoulders knocking—as she found harder, sturdier mud that lead around the bubbling pit. Michelle then balanced herself on the narrow strip and crossed the bubbling pit, all the while holding the fur lining close to her cheeks.

“Ow, what the hell?” Michelle paused in step, her knees were suddenly burning. She glanced down, her eyes widening. The mud had cleared, eaten through Michelle’s jean fabric and was now burning her skin. The girl gasped, bit her lip, and patted her knees like crazy. The burning suddenly stopped, which allowed Mickey to finally inhale shakily. What was she going to do? How was she going to get Raisin back..?

As much as she hated to admit it, Alexander was her only way of getting through there. He had more pokemon, and they could do far more than she. Mickey paced back, her eyes hidden within the shadow caused by her hood. The girl stood stalk still, her eyes not meeting her superior. “Look, I- Well, you- Pokemon can- uh, so yeah. I need to get Raisin.” Saying apologies weren’t her forte, and so naturally Michelle stumbled over words.</sub>