Guild of the Morning Star
Mission:
Diablo---"I cant believe these ruffians. Sheesh. Hey? Mind lending us a hand in apprehending some hoodlums?"
Task: Capture the four Ariados gang members!
Dungeon: Mystic Woods
Floors: 19
Rewards: ??? + ???
Luna & Gary
THE BULLETIN BOARD
Luna raised her eyebrows questioningly, reading through the sheet. Gary remained clinging to her back like a knapsack, staring off into space as though there wasn't anything important going on. It was a good thing that Gary wasn't very big, or she'd have fallen over by now. Surely.
"This looks like a good mission to me, Gary." She told the Slowpoke calmly, reading it through. "It'll be rough with my type-disadvantage, though. Ariados are Bug and Poison. My attacks will only do regular damage at best."
Gary yawned.
The Cubone have him a long look, thinking. "Well, their Bug-type attacks will hurt you, too. I might leave you behind, little one. It wouldn't be safe to bring you into battle with me." She sighed quietly, still thinking.
The Slowpoke, for once, seemed to understand. About a minute after she said this, his expression changed to sorrow, silently pleading as he tilted his head.
Luna ran a clawed hand over her smooth, skull helmet. The bone was mildly warm from being out in the sunlight. She didn't say anything in response, just watching the Slowpoke for a little while. That expression was weirdly heart-breaking for a creature with such a normally emotionless face.
"No. You can't come. It's far too dangerous for you in that forest. I don't care how many times you beg. You'll stay put, and be good for the rest of the team, okay?"
She waited patiently for about three minutes, and then the Slowpoke nodded his head. "Sloooowww..." He yawned in agreement.
Luna smiled, and headed off for the shops. It was about time she got herself a little more battle-ready.
THE TOKEN SHOP {{ Please note that this part is actually also mentioned within the shop itself. }}
Luna ambled quietly into the shop, a pouch strapped tightly to her side, and Gary clinging to her back with his forearms wrapped around her neck for balance.
She peered around the shop, her good, dark hazel eye flickered with unknown emotions as she examined each of the TMs on display. Tokens. That was an interesting method of payment.
However, it was also a method of payment that she could afford to use.
She summoned over the strange Gardevoir with a flick of her pale, tan fingers. "Blast Burn TM." She told the Psychic type firmly, but not unkindly.
She dropped 30 Tokens down on the counter, and took the TM in her hands.
It melted into her body. Almost instantly, she felt an intense, sizzling heat sink in. Her heart pulse with a fire she'd never known to exist.
The Cubone smirked. This would do just fine.
She strode toward the doorway, tapping her helmet lightly with her club in a sign of farewell. Gary belatedly turned his head and waved hello at the Gardevoir, just as Luna and himself disappeared out through the doors.
KECLEON BROTHER'S WARES {{ This part of the mission is also written elsewhere in the Guild, as it includes purchasing items. }}
Luna paused in the doorway, looking around the shop. It was much different than the previous. A little warmer, perhaps? It would make sense for the reptilian shop-keepers.
The Kecleon Brothers were bustling around the shop, arranging their wares as quickly as they good before the afternoon rush came.
The Cubone tapped her club gently on the glass counter. "I'd like a pair of X-Ray Specs, please."
The older brother scampered off into the back room, and returned with a small, wooden box. He set it on the counter and lifted the lid. Luna peered inside as the Kecleon brushed aside a piece of protective fabric.
Contact lenses. That would do just nicely. Luna grinned.
It took a few minutes for the Kecleon to show her how to put it on her eye, and for her to learn exactly how it worked, but soon it was done. She passed over the 9000PD, and shut the contacts back inside their protective case.
She waved a thanks to both brothers as she left, feeling far more prepared for her mission.
TEAM STORMCLOUD'S ROOM
Luna slipped inside the quiet room, roughly shoving her Slowpoke partner onto their bunk. "Don't give me that look. I eat small children for breakfast." She snapped sternly, irriated by the Slowpoke's pleading expression. She was lying, but who said that Gary had to know that? She turned and strode out without another word to the young boy on the bed, pretty much ignoring the Water-type as much as possible.
About half an hour after Luna's departure, Gary's eyes widened in shock. He'd only just realized what Luna had said. His lack of brain-power made it nearly impossible for him to recognize humor. Poor Gary.
MYSTIC WOODS
Meanwhile, Luna was beginning her journey into the Mystic Woods, looking both determined and alert. Her blind eye would make this mission tougher than it had to be, but maybe that was the point in taking it.
She could feel her skin crawl at the idea of running into one of the Ariados, but she knew that she'd have to face them eventually. It was the entire purpose of the mission to bring them to justice. To slip past them would be pointless.
The forest seemed shadowed and empty, it's usual noise and chatter hushed to a dull whisper on the wind. It was as though the forest was dormant and in hiding. The air smelled musty and stale, unlike the fresh, misty air that normally floated through the trees here. It was clear that in some way, the forest was ill.
The Cubone narrowed her eyes, the X-Ray Spec contact lenses already in place. Her blind eye was still useless, but her good eye more than made up for it. The leaves on the trees above were clearly outlined. In some of the lighter areas, she could even make out the patterns and veins of the plants over twenty feet away. The X-Ray Specs had been well worth the PD she'd used up. She could only hope that her new move would prove to be just as useful.
As she continued on, a faint glimmer of white attracted her attention. A thin, glistening piece of spider's silk hung limply from a leaf, dangling loosely. Luna ran her fingers over it, inspecting it closely. She yelped in surprise as it sliced a thin scratch across her finger, a drop of blood leaking out. She licked the blood off her hand, shaking it vigorously to let the cut air out. Only the silk of an Ariados or Spinarak could produce silk capable of bringing injury. Any other silk-producing Pokemon just didn't need to. They were herbivores, not hunters, like Spinarak and Ariados. On top of that, Caterpie were the only Pokemon native to this forest who even produced silk, and they didn't normally live this close to the ground...
She held up her finger to the light, squinting as she inspected the little cut. It was small, and clean, like a paper-cut. It would heal quickly, and without scarring.
Luna turned, and continued along the path, being sure to remain calm and slow-moving as to not attract unwanted attention. Silken threads hung everywhere, now. It was obvious that she'd entered the Ariados' main hunting grounds. They'd been here for longer than the Guild of the Morning Star had thought to mention, clearly. She couldn't help but feel a sharp stab of irritation that they hadn't thought to mention how long the Ariados had been hiding out here. It made all the difference in her strategy, and the mission as a whole. If they'd been here long enough to establish hunting grounds, and produce this much silk, they knew the area far better than she did. That wasn't a good thing, considering what deadly predators Ariados could be. The were quick-moving, and had were full of sneaky, generally underhanded tricks and ploys.
A sharp cry nearby attracted her attention, and she hurriedly dove into the bushes to avoid being spotted. A large, muscular-looking Stantler raced past, followed by another, and a massive Ariados. It was the size of the Stantler, hissing and spitting. It shot razor-sharp silk threads from it's jaws, catching the Stantler around the hind legs. The deer-like Pokemon cried out in pain and fear, dropping helplessly onto the ground. Its friend turned, unwilling to abandon it.
The Ariados was big. Bigger than normal, that was for sure. It was a dark gray, and bright red. Scars covered its head and body, marring the spider's once-beautiful body. The most striking thing about the Ariados, however, were it's eyes; it had none.
The second Stantler shot a Psychic into the Ariados' face, and it flinched, backing up with a sharp hissing noise. Suddenly, it let loose a spray of tiny, poison-tipped needles. They showered over everything within range, and Luna had to scurry backward for cover, losing track of the battle as a whole.
When she deemed the timing to be right, she shot out of the undergrowth, leaping into the fray of battle, and swinging a Bone Club down on the Ariados' head. She was sure that this was one of the Pokemon she'd been sent here to capture. After all, how many Ariados could one forest hold?
The Poison-type recoiled with a sharp hiss, shooting off a stream of silken threads at her. She dodged sideways, and rolled along the forest floor. The threads sliced through the undergrowth with ease, making deep gouges in the nearby rocks and trees. It wouldn't be good to take a hit from an attack like that.
The fallen Stantler had no time to dodge, and it's body fell limp, no longer struggling against the silken threads that had bound it's legs. It's companion darted away into the bushes, leaving the battle behind, and Luna was forced to follow, driven back by the vicious attacks of the Ariados.
It's powerful jaws snapped at the air where Luna had been standing only moments ago, spitting a Pin Missile at the Cubone's retreating back.
Luna dodged sideways, tearing after the path of the fleeing Stantler. The Normal-type, however, moved too quickly for the Cubone's stubby legs to keep up with.
The Cubone could hear the ominous clicking of the Ariados behind her, but she didn't slow, trying to take the quickest path she could to get through the dense undergrowth. She felt a sharp, stinging pain in her shoulder and stumbled, diving in behind a tree for cover. She swiftly pulled the needle from her shoulder to keep any poison from spreading. Even a Pin Missile could be dangerous.
She heard a loud hissing noise, and flattened herself instinctively against the ground. The tree cracked, leaning back and forth, until it finally toppled, falling straight down over her head.
Luna's eyes widened, and she dug into underneath the tree roots, taking shelter underneath the stump. As it landed, sawdust, dirt, and leaves went flying everywhere, and she coughed, trying desperately to clear her lungs.
She was snapped out of her shock when the Ariados leaped at her side, slashing underneath the tree with a deadly claw.
The Cubone cringed, taking the full blow to the top of her head. She could feel the claw dig into her helmet, leaving a deep gouge in the bone. Luna shrieked loudly in surprise, before parting her jaws and focusing her energy on the little ball of fire beginning to form inside her mouth.
Her body twisted to get a decent shot at the Bug-type, and she suddenly shot a Blast Burn off at the powerful Ariados.
Fire blasted into its face, flame licking greedily at its body as it released Luna. It staggered around, before darting off through the forest, screaming eerily as it left.
Luna turned to examine the wound on her shoulder, breathing hard. It oozed blood, dark crimson liquid dripping slowly down her arm. She'd have to be more careful from then on. If an Ariados could bring down an entire tree, there was no telling what it could do if it got a proper shot at her.
She slipped out of the scorched, smoldering tree trunk, looking around. She'd located one of the Ariados, and she' done it considerable damage. Now her task was to track it down again and finish it off.
She kneeled, examining the spider-like Pokemon's footprint. Ariados footprints were small, jagged lines in the ground, made by their slim, claw-like legs. She stayed near it, memorizing the shape for future use, before rising up and following the path after the Ariados. She moved slowly and quietly, paying strict attention to her surroundings, in case she ran into the spider sooner than expected.
As she spotted more webs, she quickened her pace, moving faster and faster through the underbrush. She could feel the thorns scraping her tough skin, but it didn't matter. Cobwebs hung from the branches, draping across the path. She swung sharply through them with her Club, brushing them away from her body.
The underbrush thinned out, and she sped up to a full sprint, racing through the grasses. She spotted a flash of red, and leaped, swinging her club as hard as she could at the Ariados's head. The Bone Club, quickly followed up by a Double Kick, dispatched the Bug-type, and it lay still on the forest floor.
Luna crouched, breathing hard. One of the Ariados was out for the count, but she still had to locate and defeat the other three. She felt a little bit queasy at the thought. If the first had been this tough, who was to say that the other three weren't worse? She gulped, remembering that the four Ariados were members of a sort of gang. They might be more closely knit than she'd originally thought; and if that were true, she could've just put herself in great danger. She had to stay alert if she wanted to stay alive.
She moved off quickly, diving through the undergrowth on the other side of the clearing.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Luna's fingers dug into the crevices in the rock as she clambered upward. The cliff-side was steep, and anything but stable, but she had to keep moving. Looking up, she could see the trail of cobwebs continuing, bits of fine, white silk fluttering in the breeze. It was a rather eerie sight, but it was heartening to know that she was on the right track to finding the last three of the Ariados gang.
She hauled herself up onto the top of the cliff, and knelt there, turning her head to stare down at the ravine below. Arceus, she wouldn't want to fall from here...
She wondered for a moment how something as large as an Ariados could've gotten up such a slope. Surely its body weight would've prevented it from climbing? Those scrawny little legs seemed just too delicate to support it.
A faint rustle in the leave behind her made her jump. Her good eye watched the underbrush warily. A flash of green and black. Luna lunged, chasing the thing off through the bushes. She could hear it's tiny claws scraping the earth as it ran.
Luna felt suspicion echo through her mind, her stomach twisting with dread. Something wasn't right. Not right at all.
A flash of spider's silk. She leaped high into the air, diving at the Ariados' back with her club raised to strike.
She flew through open air, over the spider's head, and crashing hard into the ground. Shaking her head, she looked around, dazed. A young, green and black Spinarak scuttled backward. Something about it made her skin crawl. She watched for a moment longer. The eyes. It had none. Just like the Ariados from earlier. It's eyes had been gouged out somehow.
Luna blinked. Undoubtedly the two spiders were related in some form, but the question then became... How many more of these would she have to deal with?
A sharp, angry clicking noise began near her ear, and she rolled away, hurriedly trying to escape. A massive Ariados stood where she had been lying. It too, lacked eyes.
Luna shuddered, rising to her feet. She twirled her club threateningly, waving the spider back. The Spinarak scuttled under it's parent with a startled hiss, and the Ariados screeched at her. Luna backed away, well aware of what damage a protective parent could do.
"Ssssssstay awaaayyyyy...." It hissed angrily. It's voice was dry and raspy, as through it's vocal chords had been damaged somehow. "You are not welcommmme herrrrrrre."
The Spinarak echoed the hissing tones of it's parent, though too young to speak properly.
Luna twirled her club. "That makes two of us, b****." She growled in reply. This Ariados was bigger and more dangerous than the male she'd battled earlier. Crossing this one with it's young so close by was a dangerous tactic. One that could possibly get her killed. But turning back was no longer an option. She had to fight, now that her presence was known.
"Thhhhen we besssssst make it one!" The Ariados snarled, leaping at Luna with it's dagger-sharp fangs aimed at the Cubone's throat. Luna dove underneath the massive Bug-type, swinging a Bone Club up into it's jaws.
The spider shrieked in pain, staggering. Blood splattered from it's mouth, dappling the ground with liquid crimson.
Luna leaped toward the Spinarak, focusing her energy tightly. She could feel the heat building up inside her body once more, Fire magic flowing heavily through her veins. She clamped her jaws tightly shut, holding it back.
The Ariados wheeled around, spitting a String Shot her way. Luna cringed as she felt the silk cling to her body, pinning her to the ground. But she didn't cry out. She focused her entire focus on the magic building inside of her.
The Ariados reared up, opening it's jaws to spit Acid at it's new prey, and Luna let go.
The Fire building inside her body exploded outward, bathing both the Ariados and the Spinarak in flames. Luna could feel her strength drain drastically from her body.
Through the roar of the flames that writhed around her body, she could hear them screaming. It tore at her heart, but she forced herself to keep it up. Fire licked over their bodies, but she didn't stop until she heard the Ariados drop to the ground.
She released the magic, letting the fire die.
The forest around her was scorched beyond repair, charred spider's silk hanging from the barren, black branches. The Spinarak's body was badly burned, and the little child lay still, barely breathing. The Ariados, too, was badly burned; out completely cold.
She shone her badge, transporting them both back to the guild.
Luna rose from her place, staggering from the exhaustion that was folding over her in waves. The Blast Burn, far stronger than her previous one, had left her completely drained of energy. She dug out an Oran Berry, swallowing it whole. She immediately felt energy beginning to rush back into her body. It felt soothing. Relieving. She dug out a second berry, and swallowed it a moment later. After several minutes of resting and waiting for her energy to return, Luna rose from her place, stretching her weary legs carefully.
She was not fully rested, but she was far better than she had been.
Feeling stronger, she continued on through the forest, hoping to death that the next opponent wouldn't be an over-protective parent.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Luna awoke the next morning, crawling out from underneath the tree trunk she'd been sleeping in. It had started to rain late the day before, forcing Luna to take shelter from the worst of the storm. Trying to track down the final two Ariados would have been even more dangerous in poor weather.
Munching on one of her apples for breakfast, she wondered silently what challenges the day would bring, and what dangers were waiting for her out there.
After a short, rather rushed morning meal, Luna set off through the rain-dampened forest. The dew on the grass clung to her body, cold and damp. It felt both refreshing and uncomfortable. An odd combination, but true.
It took a while to pick up the trail of her next target, but when she did find it, she wasn't pleased. The spider was obviously male, but it smelled... off. Diseased. Something was terribly wrong with the Ariados. She didn't recognize the smell of it, but clearly something was wrong. Then, after a few moments of examining it, she realized that it's scent was very similar to that strange Bellossom she and Kaiyou had met days before. She'd been mutated. And judging from the strange scent, so had the thing she'd come to destroy.
She tracked him, feeling extremely unnerved. What sort of mutations had it developed? Was it more deadly than the others? She didn't know.
The forest around her began to grow less lush, and Luna's worries began to dim. It was not a strong fighter if it had been forced to choose a section of the forest as poor as this.
A scuttling in the trees made her look up, but there was nothing to be found.
Rustling leaves behind her. She spun around only to face open air.
Over and over again, she spun and twirled and search, but she couldn't find the source of the noise. Thouroughly nervous, she carried on, heading deeper and deeper into the stretch of dying forest.
Even as she walked, she could hear scratching in the trees, and rustling in the leaves. Nothing would leap out to face her. Only silence would greet her as she turned to meet the mystery creature that haunted her at every step.
It made her feel nervous. Flighty. Her muscles tensed with every sound, expecting to find an Airados leap out at her at every turn. But it never came. Not once did she see whatever it was.
She settled down, nervously eating an apple. Her stomach felt queasy, but she forced it down anyway. Food would bring up her energy level, and with her twitching at every little sound, having some extra strength on hand was a good plan.
A soft rustle attracted her attention, but this time she pretended not to hear. She continued to eat, her good eyes nervously scanning the brush ahead of her. More rustling next to her; this time, closer. Still she pretended not to notice. Moving would cause whatever it was to leave again. She could hear it digging through her bag, and felt a spark of anger. Whatever it was, it's time was up!
With a sharp cry of fury, she leaped on it, pinning it to the ground.
The startled Pidgey flailed it's wings, clearly unhappy with the turn of events. "Let go of me! Please, I beg you!" It cried out pleadingly. It didn't want to be hurt. It was just scared.
Luna released the bird, clutching her bag tightly. "What do you want?" She asked sharply.
The Pidgey winced at her harsh tone. "I-I was just hungry. The Ariados here have been eating anything I might be able to catch." It admitted, embarrassed.
Luna realized this was true; both Ariados and Pidgey were predators, and they had similar ideas as to what would make a decent meal. With four, massive new predators in the area, any smaller, weaker carnivores would go hungry.
"I guess that makes sense. But you know... If you wanted some of my food, why didn't you just ask? You didn't have to keep following me like that." She replied, more calm now that she didn't feel threatened.
However, her nervousness returned as the Pidgey spoke again. "...What are you talking about...? I just got here..." The Pidgey replied, eyes wide with shock and fear.
A sudden flash of green and black, and a string shot from the tree tops. The Pidgey screamed in terror, and Luna dove out of the way, just in time to see the true mystery creature land before them. Pidgey flinched, fluttering hurriedly backward.
The Spinarak was... disgusting. An awkward, extra pair of legs stuck out behind the original ones, tipped with deadly claws. Bleeding, deep gouges existed where its eyes had once been. Pale, undoubtedly toxic spikes jutted out along it's sides, identical to the one on it's forehead. Finally, it's body was surrounded in a nearly transparent cloud of foul-smelling gas. Flecks of Arceus-knows-what floated around in it.
Luna backed away, feeling sick to her stomach as she strapped her bag tightly to her back. The Pidgey next to her had turned positively green.
As the clearly ill predatory stepped closer, Luna shuddered. The stench was... horrible. It caught in her lungs, making her cough to try and clear her airway of the smell. It screeched, the sound hollow and frightening. It didn't even sound... alive. Luna hated it, whatever it had become.
"HEHEHEHEHE!" It cackled. "I'LL HAVE LUNCH TONIIIIIGHT!" It added, in a disturbingly excited shriek. It sounded positively demented. Like it had been hit in the head one too many times.
Pidgey fluttered nervously behind Luna, trembling in fear. "Oh Arceus, we're going to die, we're going to die...." It squeaked rather unhappily.
"Shut it, Pigeon. I need to think." Luna hissed back, spreading her arms protectively in front of the bird.
The Ariados stepped closer, and Luna blinked, zeroing in on the joints of it's legs. The added pair of legs may have given the freakish creature more stability, but the joints were still just as weak as they were on any other Ariados. It would take only a few strikes to take out each joint!
The spider leaped, letting out an earsplitting shriek as it did so. Luna ducked, dragging the Pidgey with her as she dove into the bushes. She could hear the Pidgey chirp in protest to being dragged around in such a manner, but she ignored it. She pushed it off into the bushes, hiding it in the thorns where it would be safer.
She would have to defend it from the Ariados, but it would be easier to fight without it there.
Luna felt a sharp jab in her already sore shoulder, and yelped, twirling to send a Bonemerang flying at the spider behind her. She followed up with a Double Edge, hitting the Ariados hard in the stomach. She felt pain spiral up her arm on impact; she'd forgotten. Double Edge also hurts the user.
The Ariados spat silk at her, and using Constrict, tightened it around her body. Luna grunted, inhaling sharply and holding her breath as the silken bindings tightened. She could feel her energy draining slowly, like sand through an hourglass.
A sharp, primal cry, and the Pidgey was diving down at the Ariados' head, swooping and screeching at the top of it's lungs. The spider backed away, waving it's claws futilely at its assailant.
Clearly, the Pidgey was terrified, but Luna felt a jolt of gratitude at the bird's bravery.
Luna exhaled sharply, and hurriedly squirmed out of the bindings. Having held her breath, her body had taken up more space when the silk had tightened. Now that the Ariados was too busy to continue tightening it, all it had taken was to release the air to be able to slip out into the open air.
The Pidgey let out a cry as it was pinned down by the Ariados' claw. Sharp, deadly fangs neared the bird's neck, and it squirmed, horrified.
Luna charged toward the massive spider, hammering into the delicate joint between it's head and neck with a Skull Bash.
Luna screeched in pain as she felt fangs sink into her wounded shoulder, and used Bone Rush, smashing her club repeatedly at the joint until she felt something snap.
She slammed her club down in a final strike, and staggered back with a sharp squeal as she was splattered with blood.
The spider's head rolled silently to a halt several feet from it's body, and Luna staggered back, falling down onto her butt.
The sound of fluttering wings echoed through the little clearing as the Pidgey flew away, praying never again to encounter another spider.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Luna staggered on, clumsily gripping her wounded shoulder. It had been several hours since she'd began searching for the final Ariados. She felt dizzy and confused. Her mind was clouded and her reaction time was definitely slowed. She couldn't help but worry as to how she'd fare in the final fight.
She decided that finding water was far more important in the immediate future than finding her enemy. If her judgment was clouded and and her body was weak, fighting an opponent as powerful as an Ariados could end in disaster.
After another hour or so, she stumbled into the icy water of a stream, falling to her knees. She drank greedily, and splashed water into her wounded shoulder. It hurt like hell, but it certainly helped to clear her head. She stayed there, breathing hard. Her shoulder was throbbing, and Luna suddenly realized the source of her troubles. Poison. The Ariados venom had kicked in.
She gasped for breath, closing her eyes as she tried to focus. Food and water would do her no good this time. She needed medical attention. She rose shakily to her feet, only to find herself eye to eye with the most massive Ariados she'd ever seen. It had to be nine feet tall!
Luna stumbled back, falling backward into the water with a sharp cry or surprise.
The Ariados, like the others, had no eyes. This seemed to be the oldest, it's eyes gouged out long ago, as the tissue was thick and scarred. Red and white web-like designs spread across it's body, and it's legs were striped white and red to match.
In a way... it was almost... beautiful. So much unlike the previous one.
As it bared it's deadly fangs, Luna took back all thoughts of it's appearance. It's fangs were massive, stretching nearly a foot in length. 'Arceus, help me now!' She pleaded silently, struggling to get to her feet. She slipped on the wet riverbed, falling back down onto her back.
It aimed it's deadly, venomous fangs for her chest, and she rolled, barely escaping stab wounds to the heart. She struggled once again to her feet, this time managing to stay upright.
She waved her club weakly, swinging it dizzily in the Ariados' face in hopes to drive it back. Arceus, this wasn't good!
It snapped at the club, and ducked easily, avoiding the weak, poorly-aimed blows with ease.
Suddenly, it's clawed foot shot out, hitting her hard in the shoulder, and knocking her off her feet, her pale belly exposed.
Luna screamed as the Ariados' fangs cut deeply into her gut, tearing at her insides. It felt like fire burning in her blood, and icicles stabbing at her heart. The pain was blinding!
Her body reacted in the only way it knew how, and she began to glow a brilliant white, her veins glowing bright blue in reaction to the toxins in her bloodstream.
The Ariados leaped back with a startled screech of surprise, leaving Luna on the ground, still glowing as her form changed completely.
As the light receded, the Marowak's new form was revealed, untouched by the deadly venom and critical injuries inflicted on her as a Cubone.
Her body had lightened to a brilliant white, and luminescent aqua swirls coloured her entire body. Her eyes glowed a brilliant aqua, lit by the fury that engulfed her mind.
But the most dramatic change, was her sight. She whipped out the second contact lens, sticking it to her eye. She could see in both eyes, now! Blind? AS IF!
Luna swung her club straight into the Ariados' jaw instinctively, hitting it repeatedly with a Bone Rush. The tactic had worked on the weaker spider, but this one was clearly far stronger than it's mutated counterpart, or the far smaller Ariados closer to the forest's edges. Possibly equal in strength to the first; but now the tides had turned. Her new, more powerful body made fighting a breeze.
It swung at her with a Poison Jab, but she dodged swiftly, her lithe body avoid the blow with ease. Her body burned with an intense heat, and she fired off a weak Blast Burn, not taking the time to fully charge it.
The flames seared the Ariados' body, and she circled, twisting and diving around her opponent. She let her magic flow freely, the fire weaving it's way all the way around the spider. The flames were blue, like the blue of Luna' fierce, bright eyes.
The Ariados screeched in pain, and let loose a Psychic blast, making Luna cringe back. She cut it off, attacking again before it could continue to counter her attacks.
She twirled her club, but instead swung her other arm back, sending her fist forward in a brilliant blue Fire Punch, followed up by an Earth Power, causing the ground underneath the Ariados' body to erupt, sending fire, dirt, and rock flying across the clearing.
She charged straight into the mess, slamming her head into the Ariados' with a powerful Skull Bash. She felt the spider's exoskeleton crack from the sudden impact, and the Ariados writhed, hissing in pain.
As she retreated back again, she breathed an Icy Wind into the spider's face, satisfied by the new, more powerful magic running through her veins.
The Marowak smirked, twirling her club and sending a final Bone Club down onto it's head. The Ariados took one staggered step forward, and collapsed down.
Luna held up her badge, her face splitting into a brilliant smile. Her blind eye was no longer blind. She could see. SHE COULD SEE! Joy bubbled up inside of her. There would be a celebration tonight, if she had anything to say about it!
In another brilliant flash of light, the newly evolved Marowak and her latest Ariados catch were transported back to the guild.
{{ -2 Oran Berries, -6 Big Apples }}
Mission:
Diablo---"I cant believe these ruffians. Sheesh. Hey? Mind lending us a hand in apprehending some hoodlums?"
Task: Capture the four Ariados gang members!
Dungeon: Mystic Woods
Floors: 19
Rewards: ??? + ???
Luna & Gary
THE BULLETIN BOARD
Luna raised her eyebrows questioningly, reading through the sheet. Gary remained clinging to her back like a knapsack, staring off into space as though there wasn't anything important going on. It was a good thing that Gary wasn't very big, or she'd have fallen over by now. Surely.
"This looks like a good mission to me, Gary." She told the Slowpoke calmly, reading it through. "It'll be rough with my type-disadvantage, though. Ariados are Bug and Poison. My attacks will only do regular damage at best."
Gary yawned.
The Cubone have him a long look, thinking. "Well, their Bug-type attacks will hurt you, too. I might leave you behind, little one. It wouldn't be safe to bring you into battle with me." She sighed quietly, still thinking.
The Slowpoke, for once, seemed to understand. About a minute after she said this, his expression changed to sorrow, silently pleading as he tilted his head.
Luna ran a clawed hand over her smooth, skull helmet. The bone was mildly warm from being out in the sunlight. She didn't say anything in response, just watching the Slowpoke for a little while. That expression was weirdly heart-breaking for a creature with such a normally emotionless face.
"No. You can't come. It's far too dangerous for you in that forest. I don't care how many times you beg. You'll stay put, and be good for the rest of the team, okay?"
She waited patiently for about three minutes, and then the Slowpoke nodded his head. "Sloooowww..." He yawned in agreement.
Luna smiled, and headed off for the shops. It was about time she got herself a little more battle-ready.
THE TOKEN SHOP {{ Please note that this part is actually also mentioned within the shop itself. }}
Luna ambled quietly into the shop, a pouch strapped tightly to her side, and Gary clinging to her back with his forearms wrapped around her neck for balance.
She peered around the shop, her good, dark hazel eye flickered with unknown emotions as she examined each of the TMs on display. Tokens. That was an interesting method of payment.
However, it was also a method of payment that she could afford to use.
She summoned over the strange Gardevoir with a flick of her pale, tan fingers. "Blast Burn TM." She told the Psychic type firmly, but not unkindly.
She dropped 30 Tokens down on the counter, and took the TM in her hands.
It melted into her body. Almost instantly, she felt an intense, sizzling heat sink in. Her heart pulse with a fire she'd never known to exist.
The Cubone smirked. This would do just fine.
She strode toward the doorway, tapping her helmet lightly with her club in a sign of farewell. Gary belatedly turned his head and waved hello at the Gardevoir, just as Luna and himself disappeared out through the doors.
KECLEON BROTHER'S WARES {{ This part of the mission is also written elsewhere in the Guild, as it includes purchasing items. }}
Luna paused in the doorway, looking around the shop. It was much different than the previous. A little warmer, perhaps? It would make sense for the reptilian shop-keepers.
The Kecleon Brothers were bustling around the shop, arranging their wares as quickly as they good before the afternoon rush came.
The Cubone tapped her club gently on the glass counter. "I'd like a pair of X-Ray Specs, please."
The older brother scampered off into the back room, and returned with a small, wooden box. He set it on the counter and lifted the lid. Luna peered inside as the Kecleon brushed aside a piece of protective fabric.
Contact lenses. That would do just nicely. Luna grinned.
It took a few minutes for the Kecleon to show her how to put it on her eye, and for her to learn exactly how it worked, but soon it was done. She passed over the 9000PD, and shut the contacts back inside their protective case.
She waved a thanks to both brothers as she left, feeling far more prepared for her mission.
TEAM STORMCLOUD'S ROOM
Luna slipped inside the quiet room, roughly shoving her Slowpoke partner onto their bunk. "Don't give me that look. I eat small children for breakfast." She snapped sternly, irriated by the Slowpoke's pleading expression. She was lying, but who said that Gary had to know that? She turned and strode out without another word to the young boy on the bed, pretty much ignoring the Water-type as much as possible.
About half an hour after Luna's departure, Gary's eyes widened in shock. He'd only just realized what Luna had said. His lack of brain-power made it nearly impossible for him to recognize humor. Poor Gary.
MYSTIC WOODS
Meanwhile, Luna was beginning her journey into the Mystic Woods, looking both determined and alert. Her blind eye would make this mission tougher than it had to be, but maybe that was the point in taking it.
She could feel her skin crawl at the idea of running into one of the Ariados, but she knew that she'd have to face them eventually. It was the entire purpose of the mission to bring them to justice. To slip past them would be pointless.
The forest seemed shadowed and empty, it's usual noise and chatter hushed to a dull whisper on the wind. It was as though the forest was dormant and in hiding. The air smelled musty and stale, unlike the fresh, misty air that normally floated through the trees here. It was clear that in some way, the forest was ill.
The Cubone narrowed her eyes, the X-Ray Spec contact lenses already in place. Her blind eye was still useless, but her good eye more than made up for it. The leaves on the trees above were clearly outlined. In some of the lighter areas, she could even make out the patterns and veins of the plants over twenty feet away. The X-Ray Specs had been well worth the PD she'd used up. She could only hope that her new move would prove to be just as useful.
As she continued on, a faint glimmer of white attracted her attention. A thin, glistening piece of spider's silk hung limply from a leaf, dangling loosely. Luna ran her fingers over it, inspecting it closely. She yelped in surprise as it sliced a thin scratch across her finger, a drop of blood leaking out. She licked the blood off her hand, shaking it vigorously to let the cut air out. Only the silk of an Ariados or Spinarak could produce silk capable of bringing injury. Any other silk-producing Pokemon just didn't need to. They were herbivores, not hunters, like Spinarak and Ariados. On top of that, Caterpie were the only Pokemon native to this forest who even produced silk, and they didn't normally live this close to the ground...
She held up her finger to the light, squinting as she inspected the little cut. It was small, and clean, like a paper-cut. It would heal quickly, and without scarring.
Luna turned, and continued along the path, being sure to remain calm and slow-moving as to not attract unwanted attention. Silken threads hung everywhere, now. It was obvious that she'd entered the Ariados' main hunting grounds. They'd been here for longer than the Guild of the Morning Star had thought to mention, clearly. She couldn't help but feel a sharp stab of irritation that they hadn't thought to mention how long the Ariados had been hiding out here. It made all the difference in her strategy, and the mission as a whole. If they'd been here long enough to establish hunting grounds, and produce this much silk, they knew the area far better than she did. That wasn't a good thing, considering what deadly predators Ariados could be. The were quick-moving, and had were full of sneaky, generally underhanded tricks and ploys.
A sharp cry nearby attracted her attention, and she hurriedly dove into the bushes to avoid being spotted. A large, muscular-looking Stantler raced past, followed by another, and a massive Ariados. It was the size of the Stantler, hissing and spitting. It shot razor-sharp silk threads from it's jaws, catching the Stantler around the hind legs. The deer-like Pokemon cried out in pain and fear, dropping helplessly onto the ground. Its friend turned, unwilling to abandon it.
The Ariados was big. Bigger than normal, that was for sure. It was a dark gray, and bright red. Scars covered its head and body, marring the spider's once-beautiful body. The most striking thing about the Ariados, however, were it's eyes; it had none.
The second Stantler shot a Psychic into the Ariados' face, and it flinched, backing up with a sharp hissing noise. Suddenly, it let loose a spray of tiny, poison-tipped needles. They showered over everything within range, and Luna had to scurry backward for cover, losing track of the battle as a whole.
When she deemed the timing to be right, she shot out of the undergrowth, leaping into the fray of battle, and swinging a Bone Club down on the Ariados' head. She was sure that this was one of the Pokemon she'd been sent here to capture. After all, how many Ariados could one forest hold?
The Poison-type recoiled with a sharp hiss, shooting off a stream of silken threads at her. She dodged sideways, and rolled along the forest floor. The threads sliced through the undergrowth with ease, making deep gouges in the nearby rocks and trees. It wouldn't be good to take a hit from an attack like that.
The fallen Stantler had no time to dodge, and it's body fell limp, no longer struggling against the silken threads that had bound it's legs. It's companion darted away into the bushes, leaving the battle behind, and Luna was forced to follow, driven back by the vicious attacks of the Ariados.
It's powerful jaws snapped at the air where Luna had been standing only moments ago, spitting a Pin Missile at the Cubone's retreating back.
Luna dodged sideways, tearing after the path of the fleeing Stantler. The Normal-type, however, moved too quickly for the Cubone's stubby legs to keep up with.
The Cubone could hear the ominous clicking of the Ariados behind her, but she didn't slow, trying to take the quickest path she could to get through the dense undergrowth. She felt a sharp, stinging pain in her shoulder and stumbled, diving in behind a tree for cover. She swiftly pulled the needle from her shoulder to keep any poison from spreading. Even a Pin Missile could be dangerous.
She heard a loud hissing noise, and flattened herself instinctively against the ground. The tree cracked, leaning back and forth, until it finally toppled, falling straight down over her head.
Luna's eyes widened, and she dug into underneath the tree roots, taking shelter underneath the stump. As it landed, sawdust, dirt, and leaves went flying everywhere, and she coughed, trying desperately to clear her lungs.
She was snapped out of her shock when the Ariados leaped at her side, slashing underneath the tree with a deadly claw.
The Cubone cringed, taking the full blow to the top of her head. She could feel the claw dig into her helmet, leaving a deep gouge in the bone. Luna shrieked loudly in surprise, before parting her jaws and focusing her energy on the little ball of fire beginning to form inside her mouth.
Her body twisted to get a decent shot at the Bug-type, and she suddenly shot a Blast Burn off at the powerful Ariados.
Fire blasted into its face, flame licking greedily at its body as it released Luna. It staggered around, before darting off through the forest, screaming eerily as it left.
Luna turned to examine the wound on her shoulder, breathing hard. It oozed blood, dark crimson liquid dripping slowly down her arm. She'd have to be more careful from then on. If an Ariados could bring down an entire tree, there was no telling what it could do if it got a proper shot at her.
She slipped out of the scorched, smoldering tree trunk, looking around. She'd located one of the Ariados, and she' done it considerable damage. Now her task was to track it down again and finish it off.
She kneeled, examining the spider-like Pokemon's footprint. Ariados footprints were small, jagged lines in the ground, made by their slim, claw-like legs. She stayed near it, memorizing the shape for future use, before rising up and following the path after the Ariados. She moved slowly and quietly, paying strict attention to her surroundings, in case she ran into the spider sooner than expected.
As she spotted more webs, she quickened her pace, moving faster and faster through the underbrush. She could feel the thorns scraping her tough skin, but it didn't matter. Cobwebs hung from the branches, draping across the path. She swung sharply through them with her Club, brushing them away from her body.
The underbrush thinned out, and she sped up to a full sprint, racing through the grasses. She spotted a flash of red, and leaped, swinging her club as hard as she could at the Ariados's head. The Bone Club, quickly followed up by a Double Kick, dispatched the Bug-type, and it lay still on the forest floor.
Luna crouched, breathing hard. One of the Ariados was out for the count, but she still had to locate and defeat the other three. She felt a little bit queasy at the thought. If the first had been this tough, who was to say that the other three weren't worse? She gulped, remembering that the four Ariados were members of a sort of gang. They might be more closely knit than she'd originally thought; and if that were true, she could've just put herself in great danger. She had to stay alert if she wanted to stay alive.
She moved off quickly, diving through the undergrowth on the other side of the clearing.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Luna's fingers dug into the crevices in the rock as she clambered upward. The cliff-side was steep, and anything but stable, but she had to keep moving. Looking up, she could see the trail of cobwebs continuing, bits of fine, white silk fluttering in the breeze. It was a rather eerie sight, but it was heartening to know that she was on the right track to finding the last three of the Ariados gang.
She hauled herself up onto the top of the cliff, and knelt there, turning her head to stare down at the ravine below. Arceus, she wouldn't want to fall from here...
She wondered for a moment how something as large as an Ariados could've gotten up such a slope. Surely its body weight would've prevented it from climbing? Those scrawny little legs seemed just too delicate to support it.
A faint rustle in the leave behind her made her jump. Her good eye watched the underbrush warily. A flash of green and black. Luna lunged, chasing the thing off through the bushes. She could hear it's tiny claws scraping the earth as it ran.
Luna felt suspicion echo through her mind, her stomach twisting with dread. Something wasn't right. Not right at all.
A flash of spider's silk. She leaped high into the air, diving at the Ariados' back with her club raised to strike.
She flew through open air, over the spider's head, and crashing hard into the ground. Shaking her head, she looked around, dazed. A young, green and black Spinarak scuttled backward. Something about it made her skin crawl. She watched for a moment longer. The eyes. It had none. Just like the Ariados from earlier. It's eyes had been gouged out somehow.
Luna blinked. Undoubtedly the two spiders were related in some form, but the question then became... How many more of these would she have to deal with?
A sharp, angry clicking noise began near her ear, and she rolled away, hurriedly trying to escape. A massive Ariados stood where she had been lying. It too, lacked eyes.
Luna shuddered, rising to her feet. She twirled her club threateningly, waving the spider back. The Spinarak scuttled under it's parent with a startled hiss, and the Ariados screeched at her. Luna backed away, well aware of what damage a protective parent could do.
"Ssssssstay awaaayyyyy...." It hissed angrily. It's voice was dry and raspy, as through it's vocal chords had been damaged somehow. "You are not welcommmme herrrrrrre."
The Spinarak echoed the hissing tones of it's parent, though too young to speak properly.
Luna twirled her club. "That makes two of us, b****." She growled in reply. This Ariados was bigger and more dangerous than the male she'd battled earlier. Crossing this one with it's young so close by was a dangerous tactic. One that could possibly get her killed. But turning back was no longer an option. She had to fight, now that her presence was known.
"Thhhhen we besssssst make it one!" The Ariados snarled, leaping at Luna with it's dagger-sharp fangs aimed at the Cubone's throat. Luna dove underneath the massive Bug-type, swinging a Bone Club up into it's jaws.
The spider shrieked in pain, staggering. Blood splattered from it's mouth, dappling the ground with liquid crimson.
Luna leaped toward the Spinarak, focusing her energy tightly. She could feel the heat building up inside her body once more, Fire magic flowing heavily through her veins. She clamped her jaws tightly shut, holding it back.
The Ariados wheeled around, spitting a String Shot her way. Luna cringed as she felt the silk cling to her body, pinning her to the ground. But she didn't cry out. She focused her entire focus on the magic building inside of her.
The Ariados reared up, opening it's jaws to spit Acid at it's new prey, and Luna let go.
The Fire building inside her body exploded outward, bathing both the Ariados and the Spinarak in flames. Luna could feel her strength drain drastically from her body.
Through the roar of the flames that writhed around her body, she could hear them screaming. It tore at her heart, but she forced herself to keep it up. Fire licked over their bodies, but she didn't stop until she heard the Ariados drop to the ground.
She released the magic, letting the fire die.
The forest around her was scorched beyond repair, charred spider's silk hanging from the barren, black branches. The Spinarak's body was badly burned, and the little child lay still, barely breathing. The Ariados, too, was badly burned; out completely cold.
She shone her badge, transporting them both back to the guild.
Luna rose from her place, staggering from the exhaustion that was folding over her in waves. The Blast Burn, far stronger than her previous one, had left her completely drained of energy. She dug out an Oran Berry, swallowing it whole. She immediately felt energy beginning to rush back into her body. It felt soothing. Relieving. She dug out a second berry, and swallowed it a moment later. After several minutes of resting and waiting for her energy to return, Luna rose from her place, stretching her weary legs carefully.
She was not fully rested, but she was far better than she had been.
Feeling stronger, she continued on through the forest, hoping to death that the next opponent wouldn't be an over-protective parent.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Luna awoke the next morning, crawling out from underneath the tree trunk she'd been sleeping in. It had started to rain late the day before, forcing Luna to take shelter from the worst of the storm. Trying to track down the final two Ariados would have been even more dangerous in poor weather.
Munching on one of her apples for breakfast, she wondered silently what challenges the day would bring, and what dangers were waiting for her out there.
After a short, rather rushed morning meal, Luna set off through the rain-dampened forest. The dew on the grass clung to her body, cold and damp. It felt both refreshing and uncomfortable. An odd combination, but true.
It took a while to pick up the trail of her next target, but when she did find it, she wasn't pleased. The spider was obviously male, but it smelled... off. Diseased. Something was terribly wrong with the Ariados. She didn't recognize the smell of it, but clearly something was wrong. Then, after a few moments of examining it, she realized that it's scent was very similar to that strange Bellossom she and Kaiyou had met days before. She'd been mutated. And judging from the strange scent, so had the thing she'd come to destroy.
She tracked him, feeling extremely unnerved. What sort of mutations had it developed? Was it more deadly than the others? She didn't know.
The forest around her began to grow less lush, and Luna's worries began to dim. It was not a strong fighter if it had been forced to choose a section of the forest as poor as this.
A scuttling in the trees made her look up, but there was nothing to be found.
Rustling leaves behind her. She spun around only to face open air.
Over and over again, she spun and twirled and search, but she couldn't find the source of the noise. Thouroughly nervous, she carried on, heading deeper and deeper into the stretch of dying forest.
Even as she walked, she could hear scratching in the trees, and rustling in the leaves. Nothing would leap out to face her. Only silence would greet her as she turned to meet the mystery creature that haunted her at every step.
It made her feel nervous. Flighty. Her muscles tensed with every sound, expecting to find an Airados leap out at her at every turn. But it never came. Not once did she see whatever it was.
She settled down, nervously eating an apple. Her stomach felt queasy, but she forced it down anyway. Food would bring up her energy level, and with her twitching at every little sound, having some extra strength on hand was a good plan.
A soft rustle attracted her attention, but this time she pretended not to hear. She continued to eat, her good eyes nervously scanning the brush ahead of her. More rustling next to her; this time, closer. Still she pretended not to notice. Moving would cause whatever it was to leave again. She could hear it digging through her bag, and felt a spark of anger. Whatever it was, it's time was up!
With a sharp cry of fury, she leaped on it, pinning it to the ground.
The startled Pidgey flailed it's wings, clearly unhappy with the turn of events. "Let go of me! Please, I beg you!" It cried out pleadingly. It didn't want to be hurt. It was just scared.
Luna released the bird, clutching her bag tightly. "What do you want?" She asked sharply.
The Pidgey winced at her harsh tone. "I-I was just hungry. The Ariados here have been eating anything I might be able to catch." It admitted, embarrassed.
Luna realized this was true; both Ariados and Pidgey were predators, and they had similar ideas as to what would make a decent meal. With four, massive new predators in the area, any smaller, weaker carnivores would go hungry.
"I guess that makes sense. But you know... If you wanted some of my food, why didn't you just ask? You didn't have to keep following me like that." She replied, more calm now that she didn't feel threatened.
However, her nervousness returned as the Pidgey spoke again. "...What are you talking about...? I just got here..." The Pidgey replied, eyes wide with shock and fear.
A sudden flash of green and black, and a string shot from the tree tops. The Pidgey screamed in terror, and Luna dove out of the way, just in time to see the true mystery creature land before them. Pidgey flinched, fluttering hurriedly backward.
The Spinarak was... disgusting. An awkward, extra pair of legs stuck out behind the original ones, tipped with deadly claws. Bleeding, deep gouges existed where its eyes had once been. Pale, undoubtedly toxic spikes jutted out along it's sides, identical to the one on it's forehead. Finally, it's body was surrounded in a nearly transparent cloud of foul-smelling gas. Flecks of Arceus-knows-what floated around in it.
Luna backed away, feeling sick to her stomach as she strapped her bag tightly to her back. The Pidgey next to her had turned positively green.
As the clearly ill predatory stepped closer, Luna shuddered. The stench was... horrible. It caught in her lungs, making her cough to try and clear her airway of the smell. It screeched, the sound hollow and frightening. It didn't even sound... alive. Luna hated it, whatever it had become.
"HEHEHEHEHE!" It cackled. "I'LL HAVE LUNCH TONIIIIIGHT!" It added, in a disturbingly excited shriek. It sounded positively demented. Like it had been hit in the head one too many times.
Pidgey fluttered nervously behind Luna, trembling in fear. "Oh Arceus, we're going to die, we're going to die...." It squeaked rather unhappily.
"Shut it, Pigeon. I need to think." Luna hissed back, spreading her arms protectively in front of the bird.
The Ariados stepped closer, and Luna blinked, zeroing in on the joints of it's legs. The added pair of legs may have given the freakish creature more stability, but the joints were still just as weak as they were on any other Ariados. It would take only a few strikes to take out each joint!
The spider leaped, letting out an earsplitting shriek as it did so. Luna ducked, dragging the Pidgey with her as she dove into the bushes. She could hear the Pidgey chirp in protest to being dragged around in such a manner, but she ignored it. She pushed it off into the bushes, hiding it in the thorns where it would be safer.
She would have to defend it from the Ariados, but it would be easier to fight without it there.
Luna felt a sharp jab in her already sore shoulder, and yelped, twirling to send a Bonemerang flying at the spider behind her. She followed up with a Double Edge, hitting the Ariados hard in the stomach. She felt pain spiral up her arm on impact; she'd forgotten. Double Edge also hurts the user.
The Ariados spat silk at her, and using Constrict, tightened it around her body. Luna grunted, inhaling sharply and holding her breath as the silken bindings tightened. She could feel her energy draining slowly, like sand through an hourglass.
A sharp, primal cry, and the Pidgey was diving down at the Ariados' head, swooping and screeching at the top of it's lungs. The spider backed away, waving it's claws futilely at its assailant.
Clearly, the Pidgey was terrified, but Luna felt a jolt of gratitude at the bird's bravery.
Luna exhaled sharply, and hurriedly squirmed out of the bindings. Having held her breath, her body had taken up more space when the silk had tightened. Now that the Ariados was too busy to continue tightening it, all it had taken was to release the air to be able to slip out into the open air.
The Pidgey let out a cry as it was pinned down by the Ariados' claw. Sharp, deadly fangs neared the bird's neck, and it squirmed, horrified.
Luna charged toward the massive spider, hammering into the delicate joint between it's head and neck with a Skull Bash.
Luna screeched in pain as she felt fangs sink into her wounded shoulder, and used Bone Rush, smashing her club repeatedly at the joint until she felt something snap.
She slammed her club down in a final strike, and staggered back with a sharp squeal as she was splattered with blood.
The spider's head rolled silently to a halt several feet from it's body, and Luna staggered back, falling down onto her butt.
The sound of fluttering wings echoed through the little clearing as the Pidgey flew away, praying never again to encounter another spider.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Luna staggered on, clumsily gripping her wounded shoulder. It had been several hours since she'd began searching for the final Ariados. She felt dizzy and confused. Her mind was clouded and her reaction time was definitely slowed. She couldn't help but worry as to how she'd fare in the final fight.
She decided that finding water was far more important in the immediate future than finding her enemy. If her judgment was clouded and and her body was weak, fighting an opponent as powerful as an Ariados could end in disaster.
After another hour or so, she stumbled into the icy water of a stream, falling to her knees. She drank greedily, and splashed water into her wounded shoulder. It hurt like hell, but it certainly helped to clear her head. She stayed there, breathing hard. Her shoulder was throbbing, and Luna suddenly realized the source of her troubles. Poison. The Ariados venom had kicked in.
She gasped for breath, closing her eyes as she tried to focus. Food and water would do her no good this time. She needed medical attention. She rose shakily to her feet, only to find herself eye to eye with the most massive Ariados she'd ever seen. It had to be nine feet tall!
Luna stumbled back, falling backward into the water with a sharp cry or surprise.
The Ariados, like the others, had no eyes. This seemed to be the oldest, it's eyes gouged out long ago, as the tissue was thick and scarred. Red and white web-like designs spread across it's body, and it's legs were striped white and red to match.
In a way... it was almost... beautiful. So much unlike the previous one.
As it bared it's deadly fangs, Luna took back all thoughts of it's appearance. It's fangs were massive, stretching nearly a foot in length. 'Arceus, help me now!' She pleaded silently, struggling to get to her feet. She slipped on the wet riverbed, falling back down onto her back.
It aimed it's deadly, venomous fangs for her chest, and she rolled, barely escaping stab wounds to the heart. She struggled once again to her feet, this time managing to stay upright.
She waved her club weakly, swinging it dizzily in the Ariados' face in hopes to drive it back. Arceus, this wasn't good!
It snapped at the club, and ducked easily, avoiding the weak, poorly-aimed blows with ease.
Suddenly, it's clawed foot shot out, hitting her hard in the shoulder, and knocking her off her feet, her pale belly exposed.
Luna screamed as the Ariados' fangs cut deeply into her gut, tearing at her insides. It felt like fire burning in her blood, and icicles stabbing at her heart. The pain was blinding!
Her body reacted in the only way it knew how, and she began to glow a brilliant white, her veins glowing bright blue in reaction to the toxins in her bloodstream.
The Ariados leaped back with a startled screech of surprise, leaving Luna on the ground, still glowing as her form changed completely.
As the light receded, the Marowak's new form was revealed, untouched by the deadly venom and critical injuries inflicted on her as a Cubone.
Her body had lightened to a brilliant white, and luminescent aqua swirls coloured her entire body. Her eyes glowed a brilliant aqua, lit by the fury that engulfed her mind.
But the most dramatic change, was her sight. She whipped out the second contact lens, sticking it to her eye. She could see in both eyes, now! Blind? AS IF!
Luna swung her club straight into the Ariados' jaw instinctively, hitting it repeatedly with a Bone Rush. The tactic had worked on the weaker spider, but this one was clearly far stronger than it's mutated counterpart, or the far smaller Ariados closer to the forest's edges. Possibly equal in strength to the first; but now the tides had turned. Her new, more powerful body made fighting a breeze.
It swung at her with a Poison Jab, but she dodged swiftly, her lithe body avoid the blow with ease. Her body burned with an intense heat, and she fired off a weak Blast Burn, not taking the time to fully charge it.
The flames seared the Ariados' body, and she circled, twisting and diving around her opponent. She let her magic flow freely, the fire weaving it's way all the way around the spider. The flames were blue, like the blue of Luna' fierce, bright eyes.
The Ariados screeched in pain, and let loose a Psychic blast, making Luna cringe back. She cut it off, attacking again before it could continue to counter her attacks.
She twirled her club, but instead swung her other arm back, sending her fist forward in a brilliant blue Fire Punch, followed up by an Earth Power, causing the ground underneath the Ariados' body to erupt, sending fire, dirt, and rock flying across the clearing.
She charged straight into the mess, slamming her head into the Ariados' with a powerful Skull Bash. She felt the spider's exoskeleton crack from the sudden impact, and the Ariados writhed, hissing in pain.
As she retreated back again, she breathed an Icy Wind into the spider's face, satisfied by the new, more powerful magic running through her veins.
The Marowak smirked, twirling her club and sending a final Bone Club down onto it's head. The Ariados took one staggered step forward, and collapsed down.
Luna held up her badge, her face splitting into a brilliant smile. Her blind eye was no longer blind. She could see. SHE COULD SEE! Joy bubbled up inside of her. There would be a celebration tonight, if she had anything to say about it!
In another brilliant flash of light, the newly evolved Marowak and her latest Ariados catch were transported back to the guild.
{{ -2 Oran Berries, -6 Big Apples }}
Chaos Divide
Diablo
"AH HA! Excellent!" A voice laughed when the Marowak appeared, her culprit's in tow.
"I like your spunk, girly! Very nice, very nice. You seem like the kind of Pokemon who can help me out. This here is my nephew."
The huge Arcanine pointed to the small Growlithe next to him.
"He could use some toughening up! Mind helping him along?"
The Growlithe stepped forward, tail wagging and dropped a small bag at the ground type's feet.
Her rewards:
3000PD and a small green and black egg. Looked like a Spinarak egg!
Luna
Luna paused, taking her rewards in silence as she looked over the Growlithe. His body still had the soft-ness of a puppy, but he had potential. With a bit of training...
"...He'll do just fine. Thank you." She dipped her head to the higher-ranking Arcanine.
Then, turning back to the Growlithe, she nodded.
"You'll shape up good, kid." She told him, carefully shoving her rewards into her bag. "Come on; let's introduce you to the rest of the team."
With that, she led him off toward her team's room, more than ready to introduce them to their new teammate, and her new form.
