RP

[loafingdragon]

The snake turned to the little electric mouse, hissing. The ice had made him cold, stiff, and rather ill-tempered, but his attention wasn't on her for long. He tried to shake off the cold, concern in his eyes. To where had Whimsy been blown away?

The marowwak landed with a dull thunk on the ground, it's skull-helmet blackened. It struggled to its feet looking around, searching for something specific. It seemed to find what it was looking for and looking up to the Doctor, tapped the bone it held to its head, making a loud and hollow CLACK CLACK. "Away, hound." It called to Don.

Cherri put the hand she wasn't holding Vivi in up as if a gun had been pointed at her. "Sometimes I say misleading things, sorry for any miscommunication."

Something Vivi had seen had her frozen. "Note!"

The little cubone was standing on the fallen trainer's chest. It had come up as the blizzard subsided, and was now pressing the sharp tip of a bone to his throat. Tears still dripped from its skull mask, but it seemed to be over its previous dilema.

"In case you can't tell, these Pokémon are mine."

[subtleAssiduities]

The fur on Don's shoulder's stiffened, and he turned to his trainer as he realized his situation. "Note!"

"Eli!" Tunes cried, her hands flying to her mouth.

Lemondrop's ears drooped as she saw the boy. "Uh oh."

[loafingdragon]

Dr. Cherri stroked Vivian's head. "You can't be a scientist for Team Magma without being smart." The mutant was looking up at the scientist fearfully.

Joey pushed himelf upright as he heard Tune's cry. When he saw Note's situation, he literally held his breath. He habitually reached his hand to the top of his head, and terror came to his eyes when he realized Whimsy wasn't there. his eyes darted around the room, stopping on the Doctor. With a sharp tinge of regret, he realized that the villain holding Note hostage was the one who he had talked to after the contest; She had told him to pursue EV, and he had trusted her.

The cubone seemed frozen in the stance, looking up at its trainer and waiting for an order.

Marowak rubbed its hand over the mask, wiping of a bit of soot. Still, the skull seemed permanately blackened. It seemed entirely relaxed now that the enemy was subdued.

Samuel didn't have any interest in the trainer, he was looking all around. "Whimsy!"

Dr. Cherri lifted a brow. "What will it be? Return your Pokémon to thier pokeballs and hand them all over, or your friend dies... Or..." A third option occured to her.

[subtleAssiduities]

Tunes and Note stared at the scientist fearfully, waiting for her third option.

[loafingdragon]

"...I don't really have the authority to offer but... Maybe you could work for Team Magma?"

Joey stared at the woman with wide eyes.

She seemed to notice him. "Under surveillance, of course." She smiled as if she was remembering a funny joke. "Isn't ironic that this is a testing room? You've all already proven yourselves."

[subtleAssiduities]

"I don't think so," Tunes growled, narrowing her eyes dangerously at the woman.

Note turned away, letting his head fall back and his eyes closed. His sister had spoken for him.

[loafingdragon]

"Hnph." She seemed unimpressed. "Parting with your Pokémon isn't too hard for you two then... Joey?"

The boy shook his head, but he looked entirely uncertain. "Where's Whimsy?!"

A lightbulb burst behind Dr. Cherri, and she flinched. Margot growled from the doorway above the doctor. She had dragged the unconscious techie back down the hall.

"Sherman?" Cherri gasped, looking back.

Margot growled, crouching over the young man.

"Heh..." Dr. Cherri couldn't hide her concern, though it was obvious she was trying. "Don't make a move, Jolteon!" She pointed at Note and her cubone.

The cubone rubbed the tearline in its mask with one paw, lifting the bone a small distance from Note's neck. "Now?"

"No!" The marowak said.

The cubone's eyes got misty with tears and it blinked them away, cursing its own babyish nature.

Margot curled her lip, snarling at the doctor. But she glanced at the trainer, then his Pokémon, and backed away from Sherman, whose hands were a bloody mess, impaled with spines.

[subtleAssiduities]

"Wh-What if we make a deal?" Note said, looking at Cherri uncertainly.

Tunes turned to him, her eyebrows raising. What was he thinking?

Donetello turned toward his trainer as well. A pit was forming in the Doberman Pokémon's chest.

[loafingdragon]

The doctor glowered down at the trainer, weighing options and waiting.

Margot looked expectantly at Note, realizing she might be necessary for whatever deal he was formulating.

[subtleAssiduities]

Note bit his lip as he realized that he had actually gotten her attention. He had had absolutely nothing planned. "Uh... W-What if we battled for the Pokémon?" he said at last. "One Pokémon each. Winner takes all!"

Tunes stared at her brother blankly. Was he insane?

[loafingdragon]

The marowak tapped something out with its skull plate and hurriedly dissappeared.

She considered the battle. "A double battle. Joey and I battle you two."

Joey looked up indignantly. "I-I don't want to work with you! I-" But he stopped short as the marowak returned. It was holding fainted whimsicott.

Rage spred across Samuel's face. "Let her go!"

The marowak stuck out its tongue.

"She's just messing with us now!" Margot snapped.

Joey looked hopelessly at Note.

[subtleAssiduities]

Note looked back at Joey, unsure what to do. He had no idea what kind of trainer Joey was.

"This needs to end," Donetello growled.

Suddenly Lemondrop shot from behind Samuel, her tail aglow in an Iron Tail attack. She jumped into the air spinning and slammed her tail into the Cubone's hand, sending the sharp bone flying from his hand. She landed on Note's chest and glared at the cubone, ready to attack again.

Note stiffened, staring at the Pikachu in shock.

"Lemondrop!" Tunes gasped.

Donetello started in surprise. "She's going to get him killed...!"

[loafingdragon]

The cubone fell backwards squealing. It landed on Note's stomach and stood up, glaring at Lemondrop. It couldn't hold the expression long, as it broke into tears.

Dr. Cherri stumbled back. Her plan had failed. She muttered a curse under her breath. "And I was really looking forward to these Pokémon." Margot crouched, ready to leap and knock her of the ledge.

"No!" Joey's voice seemed to mix with Samuel's cry. "She still has Whimsy!" The snake slammed his own teammate away from the Doctor, knowing the marowak would act independantly if its trainer was injured. Margot crashed against the back wall, knocked unconscious, just like the techie..

Dr. Cherri stumbled aside as the snake Pokémon slithered back off of the ledge from his fast attack. "What the-?!"

Vivi struggled in her grip. "What are you doing!?"

"I won't let them hurt Whimsy!"

[subtleAssiduities]

Donetello turned sharply to Samuel, his eyes on fire. "Do you think at all?" he snarled.

Lemondrop snorted and tackled the Cubone, sending him tumbling off Note. As the weight lifted from him Note sat up, cupping the tiny Pikachu in one hand. She squirmed indignantly, zapped his hand, and then climbed onto his shoulder. He jumped, rubbing his electrocuted hand, and he got to his feet quickly.

[loafingdragon]

Samuel glared back. His eyes were piercing, but this was obviously not intentional; It was just the way he looked. Still, the gaze was unimaginably cold. He didn't seem to hear the houndoom at all, like he was listening to something else.

Dr. Cherri smiled nerously. "Joey,"

He looked up. He was standing, but his knees were wobbly.

"Do you agree to the double battle?"

He was shaking his head, but felt overwhelmed with shame that Samuel, a strange Pokémon was protecting Whimsy more than he was. "Okay... Yes."