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Post by Sleepy on Nov 23, 2019 4:42:28 GMT
The gardens were as good as abandoned this early in the morning, the sun rising to give Feilong Peak a blood-rimmed halo, weak gray light filling the cemetery. Rime and dirty slush crusted the tombs and withered the autumn flowers, now glittering beneath the weak glow of the sun. Murkrow spread his feathers not far away from her as she walked through rows upon rows of graves, trainers and their Pokémon, hopping from headstone to headstone. Its shrill caws pierced through the mists, the only sound beside the scrape of skeletal branches in the icy breeze. Alone? But there was something else.
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Post by Sleepy on Nov 23, 2019 21:01:46 GMT
She froze, fog wreathing around her mouth as she exhaled long and slow, dark eyes flicking back and forth from underneath the brim of her hat. Finally, she caught a glimpse of movement behind one of the headstones. A Cubone, glaring suspiciously at her. Murkrow cocked its head at the wild Pokémon, but Astrid just kept moving forward, into the older and more shaded gardens, flanked by tall sentinel cypresses and drooping willows.
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Post by Sleepy on Nov 24, 2019 1:49:38 GMT
Murkrow was just a dark shape far behind her as she ventured forward. In the cool shadows of the glade, the fog still hung heavy, a gray curtain. The headstones here were older, some overgrown with ivy. Drawing up to a lopsided memorial at the roots of a barren hawthorn, Astrid knelt down to clear away the brush and leaf litter.
Her breath billowed out in a frosty cloud, and to her acute alarm, exhaled out as black as smoke. The fog around her opened flaming eyes and a small red mouth, letting out a hideous shrill screech. Astrid tumbled backwards over the dewy grass as a Misdreavus apparated from the mist, shrieking with malicious laughter. For a heartbeat, she laid there, paralyzed, the Pokémon swooping in close to her.
Murkrow flashed out from the fog, talons outstretched.
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Post by Sleepy on Nov 24, 2019 1:51:29 GMT
As quickly as the Misdreavus appeared, it dissipated again, and Murkrow wheeled around with a raucous screech as his target escaped.
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Post by Sleepy on Nov 24, 2019 1:53:51 GMT
Murkrow found purchase on the dropping hawthorn branches, angrily shrieking, but there was no sign of the Pokémon for the moment. Gritting her teeth, Astrid bunched up clumps of grass in her fists and pulled herself up to her feet, just in time for the Misdreavus to appear from behind her and sharply yank her braid.
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Post by Sleepy on Nov 24, 2019 1:55:24 GMT
Astrid went flying back onto her back, Murkrow jumping from its perch to to the Misdreavus again as it began to fade back into the fog.
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Post by Sleepy on Nov 24, 2019 1:58:59 GMT
Murkrow swooped in on the Misdreavus as it tried to slip away, as Astrid pulled a Poké Ball out from her coat and flung it with wild desperation.
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Post by Sleepy on Nov 24, 2019 2:01:07 GMT
The throw went wide, the Poké Ball busting against a stone cross. Astrid flinched, watching Murkrow chase her attacker from between spaced fingers.
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Post by Sleepy on Nov 24, 2019 2:04:57 GMT
Astrid rolled another Poké Ball into her palm. The Misdreavus led her Murkrow round and round in circles, flitting back and forth like a feather on a string. When it abruptly stopped, sending her Murkrow flying recklessly against another grave, she threw the second ball.
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Post by Sleepy on Nov 24, 2019 2:06:53 GMT
It bounced once before rolling harmlessly across the damp grass, the Misdreavus still cackling with delight.
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Post by Sleepy on Nov 24, 2019 2:08:47 GMT
Her Murkrow still laid plucking flower petals out from its feathers. With a sudden burst of rage, Astrid rushed up, kicking the fallen Poké Ball up from the ground with a decisive strike toward the Misdreavus.
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Post by Sleepy on Nov 24, 2019 2:11:59 GMT
The Misdreavus simply ducked, bobbing away as Murkrow once again went flying into the action, wings flapping noisily. Astrid watched the Poké Ball bounce off a knobbly root and roll into an elaborate flower wreath, and with a low hiss of exasperation, drew a third Poké Ball from her coat.
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Post by Sleepy on Nov 24, 2019 2:14:39 GMT
The laughter lingered, but there was no sign of the Pokémon. Astrid sighed, extending her arm out for Murkrow to perch.
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Post by Sleepy on Nov 24, 2019 2:15:58 GMT
Through the mist, a Natu sat perched on a crooked tombstone, its eye fixed firmly on Astrid. She broke off the stare and kept walking.
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Post by Sleepy on Nov 24, 2019 2:17:19 GMT
She paused after another rustle behind her. The Cubone from earlier, peering from around a grave, about twenty feet back. Astrid gave it a pitiful glance and kept forward.
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