[RAID] Tricksters in the Dark

[TRHQ Harvard]

Harvard turned to approach Aulus and his find as well. The hollow was shallow, but the bed of leaves suggested something had definitely been using it as a sleeping place-- Correction, something WAS using it as a sleeping place. The three Ratata blinked blearily in the sudden light that shone on them. Waking up more, they hissed defensively. "Leave 'em," Harvard said, standing straight again. "Save our resources for when we find the target." In other words, all their strength for any battle that may ensue.

Meanwhile, Jace might find himself onto something. A rise in the ground led to a natural flat rock face that sloped further up into the mountain. A faint draft leaked out from around a decently sized boulder, one gap near the base being just large enough for a smaller Pokemon to slip through.  

[Rocket Agent Tambrey]

Treestar was frowning at the eaten berry plants. It being dark, there wasn't a lot of energy to feeding his leaf and he felt slightly hungry himself. A berry would have been nice.
He let out a little 'chee' noise to both complain, and let Tambrey know the whole bush they were near seemed empty.

It was something Tambrey was beginning to suspect when she'd started checking, with her own torch/flashlight, upon recognising the bush.
"Good boy." She told the grass type, then blinked upon hearing Aulus call out.
"Uh, and if it's about, it might still be pretty full and, maybe, sluggish..." She hoped "I mean, 's whole bush is kind 'f emptied. Wild pokémon don't tend t' empty out their own larders... Unless they're actually, uh, keeping a larder. Do we know if Mesprit stores food?"  

[TawnyAngel]

Aulus nodded and pushed himself back to his feet, catching hold of the scruff of Tortie's mane. "That means you too, murder beast," he muttered under his breath; somebody who knew him well would pick up on 'fondly gruff' rather than just gruff in his voice.

He had to admit that so far things were looking so good; there weren't any leads but there was also a distinct lack of people trying to kill or torture him. His nerves were beginning to settle a little, enough that his hands didn't feel clammy anymore and that his heart was beating at a more normal speed. He was still alert though, eyes flicking to every strange shadow, and he was quite aware that his heightened fight or flight response was only one sudden noise away from kicking into gear but for now... for now things were good.

She could have eaten all three of them whole in less than thirty seconds, but fine, whatever. Tortie huffed and padded off beside her trainer, brushing her body lightly against his leg in a subtle return of his affection.  

[LexThetaSigma]

Jace continued looking, moving his tail around to see better by the light of his tail flame. He noticed the ground started to change, to rise, and walked closer to get a better look. As he got closer, he noticed the temperature seemed a bit colder there than it did before. He looked back and did his best to spot his trainer as he gave out a 'char' to get his attention.

Hearing the call of his pokemon, Rory turned his attention from the forest to the lizard. He walked over and knelt down beside him. "What did you find?" he asked before hearing Tambrey's voice and looking back at the group. "It would make sense if it was storing food somewhere, probably where ever its hiding."

Jace tugged at the fabric of Rory's pants to get his attention back to the gap he had found. With the help of the blue flame, the grunt was almost able to get a peek inside the gap.

"There might be something here."  

[TRHQ Harvard]

Harvard nodded at Tambrey's find. "Good observation. Unfortunately, it's hard to say what Mesprit's food habits are."

She stopped to address Jace and Rory's find when they called. Standford bolted ahead of her up the slope and quickly sniffed around the base of the boulder. As she approached, the Furret bounded back and swiftly climbed the uniform to Harvard's shoulder. He trilled lightly in what his owner would recognize as a positive. "Only one way to find out." She turned back to the group at large. "Let's have some Pokemon move this boulder aside."  

[Rocket Agent Jerome]

Definitely not what they were looking for, though, seeing as what they were looking for was a Legendary, he couldn't imagine it was going to be that easy.
While Aulus took control over his pokemon, Jerome shifted, wandering over toward Boss who he smacked on the shoulder in greeting.
"Got a job f'ya." He said, glancing around. "Got lots a rats round here but we're lookin' fer one that's different from the others."

Boss arched an eyebrow at his trainer, but jerked one shoulder. lifting his head and taking in a deep breath.

"Atta boy." Jerome replied, staying close by the Emboar while he sniffed around.

Jerome turned to Tambery and Aulus. "When yer lookin' fer someone on the streets, S'best to know their pattern, er' know the people they know." he crossed his arms "Sometimes shakin' someone down for info s'the best way. Might wanna see bout that with some pokemon round here." He suggested to the two, though looking to the others in the group as well.

Bro popped up behind him, his arms also crossed, and some twigs sticking out of the tangle of ghost hair.  

[TawnyAngel]

Aulus studied the large rock, scratching the back of his neck thoughtfully. "None of mine are all that physically strong," he said after a pause, "I'll keep them back, only pitch in if there's trouble shifting it." Char would be his best bed in that event and if they really ran into issues he could get Paul to make some web harnesses to attach to whatever pokemon could even vaguely make a difference and have them pull from one side while other pokemon pushed from the other.  

[Natsuko-neko]

Conrad darted through the trees, poking his head into some bushes every so often. Nothing had stood out to the Eevee just yet though he did find a few sleeping Pidgy's in one bush a bit back.

Xander walked over to stand not too far from Harvard and Rory, eying the boulder. "Would be nice to have a fighting type right about now." He almost reached for Nico's pokeball to have the psychic try an move it but quickly changed his mind and called out Zack. "Zack, help push the boulder out of the way." He told the Arcanine. Said dog pokemon wagged his tail and stepped closer to shove at the rock, careful not to step on Rory or Jace.  

[Rocket Agent Tambrey]

It would have been nice to go and 'aw' at the Ratatas, she missed her mother's Ratta' sometimes, but they weren't what they were here for.
She nodded, hoping, in a way, that Mesprit wasn't storing food and was just eating it; a sluggish and full pokémon sounded like a slight advantage, but at least it was some more proof of something new in the area.

Tambrey approached the rock where the others were standing, tilting her head.
"I could see if Ella wants t' try eating it a bit? She, uh, eats metal sometimes- not sure how she'd deal with rock but... maybe?"
Her eyes turned to Rory again, wondering how his shoulder was feeling, wanting to ask, but keeping it to herself for the moment.

Treestar frowned and huffed a 'chee' again. He wanted to be helpful but something like this boulder wasn't anything he had a move for and he wasn't big enough to move it for the humans... He'd probably just get in trouble if he tried to go on in without them.  

[Rocket Agent Jerome]

"Boss knows Strength" Jerome told the people trying to move the bolder. Cuing the Emboar to hunker over toward the bolder, giving it a few big whiffs first with his Oder Sleuth
Holding his massive arms out to give assistance as he snorted almost impatiently at the other pokemon, not wanting to hurt them.  

[Natsuko-neko]

Zack wagged his tail more when the Enboar came over and moved to give the pig more room knowing the move would be more useful then him just pushing.  

[LexThetaSigma]

"Jace can help light the way but that's pretty much it," Rory commented and contemplating letting his Absol out to see exactly what it could do. He still wasn't too sure about that thing. He could feel a set of eyes on him and did his best to ignore it, knowing which of the ones out here that would be watching him like a hawk.

When the Arcanine and Emboar came over to see what they could do, Rory and Jace stepped back to give them space.  

[TRHQ Harvard]

The team up would be a success. As the boulder was rolled aside, scraping against the rock face as it went and causing some rocky dust to fall, what looked to be a cave opening was gradually revealed. The entrance was tall and wide enough for everyone to walk through. Harvard stepped forward first, flicking on her own flashlight and shining it into the dark. The entrance was deceptive. Beyond the initial opening, the cave opened up into a wide and rounded tunnel. Nothing stirred within.

Stanford chattered in her ear. "Clear." As she was debating following this lead or not, something a few yards away and on the ground reflected the light of her flashlight. A twig of berries. Harvard gave a breathy chuckle. "Good work, everyone. I think we're onto something."

If any other Pokemon were to take a whiff, they would pick up recent scents of various small Pokemon having hidden in the entry area. The draft suggested other openings further in, and carried other scents that would suggest the cave was indeed inhabited by something. But by what was the question.  

[TawnyAngel]

Up on Aulus' shoulder Paul shivered. Instinct made him like the idea of caves, but this cave-type place looked as though it might contain things that could eat him. This, however, was Paul's opinion of most places down to an including a cleaning cupboard.

As ever Tortie was as rather more relaxed than the jittery bug, mainly because she was pretty sure that she could eat the occupant of almost any place ever.

Aulus himself nodded to Harvard, ready to head inside after her if that was the next thing on the agenda.  

[Rocket Agent Tambrey]

Treestar hmmphed, but stayed near Tambrey's heels.
Tambrey meanwhile, was looking to the sky. Pygi being up there, dark or not, was probably still useful, she thought, in case they chased the legendary out into the open. She offered a thumbs up, hoping Pygi would see it and remember it to mean 'good'.

Treestar was allowed to stay out as it seemed they were about to enter a cave but Ella was to join him as Tambrey immediately let the little iron type out beside him.
Ella was likely to be quiet and follow along- she always followed orders, thus Tambrey didn't say a word, ready to follow along into the cave with the others.