Dom had, frankly, been surprised that there was a company offering money to those who completed this kind of thing. This was just how he lived most of the time. Granted, the opportunity to go into town for supplies or shelter—or in an emergency—meant that his wild excursions were far safer than what they were doing here. Either way, they both had the experience to make this less a survival challenge and more an island vacation. The only thing that would have made it better would've been the typical balmy Hoenn winters.[break][break]

They located their source of fresh water and Dom suddenly found a finger in his shoulder. He gave a dramatic sigh, grinning despite himself.[break][break]

"Oh, I see, make the professional do all the work," he called over his shoulder, already wandering up and down the river's bank. Most of it was bordered by thick vegetation and steep slopes. Eventually, though, he found a spot that would work well enough. It was a decent distance from the river itself so they didn't get flooded out and was far less choked with plants. He called to Tilly to make sure she found him as he released Magnolia and Shark.[break][break]

The Scyther got to work clearing away as much of the plant life as was needed for them to bed down comfortably. When she was done, Magnolia made use of her well-controlled Earthquakes to flatten the area. With a broad gesture, he showed their campsite to Tilly.[break][break]

"Now we just need a platform." A sleeping platform would keep them up off the ground and away from (some) encroaching wild Pokemon. He set about instructing Magnolia to start the holes for the posts by pawing at the ground. "We'll need some solid logs about this long, some vines to lash it with, and some green leaves for the bed itself," he told Tilly as he began to fan out into the jungle with Shark. The Pokemon's scythes were incredibly useful for gathering the materials they'd need, and Dom knew that Vega would be able to help, too. "Grab any dry wood you see, too!" he called through the brush.

[break][break]

+ Matilda Greenlaw[break]mission: deserted island

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","credit"]milky

At his exaggerated use of 'professional', Matilda snorts. "Yeah sure, whatever helps you sleep at night, Dominic," she calls back to him, Vega already at her feet. She made sure to make her presence known to the Mudbray and Scyther, then gets out of their way as they clear out a camping spot for the group.[break][break]

Vega immediately heads for a clump of nearby berry bushes, settling comfortably in the soil. Very shortly thereafter, the berry bushes begin to rapidly grow, fruiting before their eyes despite it being the middle of winter. Matilda praises her Bulbasaur before pulling her attention away from the happy little flower to listen to Dom's instructions. [break][break]

Releasing Haedus and Mizar, she instructs them to do the first step of Dom's orders. Find the right wood, burn it or cut it down with ice shards, and bring it to the campsite. The two of them make a face at one another, but they'd been around each other long enough to know that working as a team would benefit them both far more than a petty squabble would.[break][break]

Matilda looks over at Vega for the second and third steps of Dom's process, and the small Bulbasaur sighs but she lays down in the soil and begins stretching and growing the usable nearby vines and leaves. Matilda shoots Dom a thumbs up, but as he adds the bit about grabbing dry wood, she mutters under her breath. "Yeah alright," she replies despondently, beginning to tramp through the chilly foliage around the cleared campsite to search for any wood that wasn't frozen over or waterlogged.[break][break]

A small pile of usable log pillars quickly begins and grows, Haedus and Mizar having a pretty easy time in the environment. Vega had it a little harder, but she took a few breaks and slowly the number of vines and leaves necessary began appearing in the flora surrounding the campsite. By far the slowest pile to grow was the dried wood; Tilly was out of breath in fairly short order. A decent pile had been amassed, but not nearly as much as Dom could've acquired. The small woman was scrappy and strong for her size but she couldn't hold a candle to the Ranger's abilities. In short order she was flushed and breathing heavily, but she didn't ask for help. If everyone else could pull their weight then dammit so could she.


[break][break]

Dominic Grey

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","credit"]milky

Kindling would be the hardest thing for them to find. Luckily, with two Fire types between them, they could use green wood and just deal with the smokier, cooler fire it would cause. Dom thanked his lucky stars that the winters here—unseasonably cold though they were—were nothing like the biting, bone-deep chill you could find in Kanto.[break][break]

With the help of their Pokemon, it didn't take long before the sleeping platform was built. It was only lifted a couple of feet off the ground, and the "mattress" was made simply of layered green foliage, but it would serve its purpose. It didn't take much longer to dig out a fire pit and, with help from Nova and Haedus, get a decent fire going. Just in time for the sun to go down.[break][break]

The quiet of their first night descended like a blanket. For a couple of blissful hours, there was only the distant sound of crashing waves and the crackle of the too-green logs on the fire. Soon the night began to wake, and sounds of nocturnal Pokemon filled the air. North, with his keen hearing and sharp temperament, was sent out as their nighttime security. Night one was in the bag.

[break][break]

+ Matilda Greenlaw[break]mission: deserted island

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","credit"]milky

All night, Matilda snuggled up tight to Dom. She left Haedus, Taika, and Rigel out to snuggle as well, to help them stay nice and toasty warm. Between the group of them and the large winter coat she'd worn to the island and threw over the two of them like a blanket, it was actually a fairly comfortable night.[break][break]

A ray of sun fell directly onto her eyes, and with that Matilda was awake. She looked over at Dom, still fast asleep, and smiled. He'd only been out of her life for a few months, but she really had missed him. Tilly carefully snuck out from under the makeshift blanket, making sure her friend was covered and comfortable before she carefully climbed off the platform and went to tend to the fire. Relieving North of his watch duty, she saw him sleepily climb under her coat to curl up near Dom's stomach and quickly fall asleep.[break][break]

Only a pile of coals was left in the fire pit, but once Haedus started bringing in small logs it was fairly easy to get a decent fire going again. Tilly kept herself busy plucking berries from the bushes Vega had nestled in; in all their travels, she'd learned which ones were the most ripe and therefore sweet. It wasn't enough food for the whole day, but fortunately they wouldn't need to expend too much energy; having the Pokemon with them was a blessing. She ate a few berries, but wrapped most of them in a large leaf and set them on the platform so Dom would notice them when he woke.[break][break]

"Alright guys, we're gonna look for some more food, okay?" Mattie says quietly to Rigel, Vega, and Dziban. Haedus and Mizar were tasked with staying near the fire and keeping it well lit but also under control. That wasn't too much of a chore, seeing as the winter chill would keep just about anything from accidentally burning in this weather; Matilda knew Dom would be furious if it was completely unattended, however, so she made sure to cover her bases. "We're looking for vegetables or any edible plants really, and eggs. Protein is necessary, but don't get in any fights you can't win, you understand me?" She says quietly but firmly to the group. The three nod their understanding, and she nods back in acknowledgement. "Okay, Vega, Rigel, you two go together, and Dziban you're with me. Don't travel far, okay? This is just a small walk - once Dom is up, Lotus can get us however much food we need."[break][break]

The group splits up to survey their environment, and each team is sure to stay within a five minute walk of the camp.



[break][break]

Dominic Grey

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","credit"]milky

It wasn't often he got to sleep in on a trip like this. Usually, Dom was up with the sun, taking care of morning chores and likely beginning to clean the campsite if he was planning to move on that day. Today was something special. Even with North burrowing his way into the blankets, Dom wasn't bothered. It was warm, they'd had an uneventful night, and they could look forward to a meandering day of gathering and cooking food.[break][break]

Eventually, the rustling around camp stirred him, and he squinted into the morning sun. For a moment he was disoriented; it wasn't dawn. He blinked and looked around, surprised to find their campsite relatively empty. But a glance at Haedus and Mizar by the fire (and the neat little bundle of berries near his feet) told him that Tilly and company must have left of their own accord.[break][break]

As he got up and busied himself around the camp, Dom felt a little guilty. He should've been up already, helping get the fire going again and gather breakfast. Instead, he took the time to walk the short hike to the river to get a drink and a quick bath. When he got back to their camp, air drying on the way, he roused North. The Noivern blinked groggily at him.[break][break]

"Go find Tilly so we can get some real food." North grumbled but took off into the air without much more complaint. He circled above the area in a wide swirl until he found what he was looking for. He swooped down in a lazy arc to stand before Matilda, looking at her pointedly before taking off back towards camp again.

[break][break]

+ Matilda Greenlaw[break]mission: deserted island

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","credit"]milky

Stopping short so she wouldn't run directly into North, Matilda blinks at the Noivern a couple times in surprise, but just as quickly he takes off. If he was up, Dom was up.[break][break]

A few minutes later Matilda steps out of the foliage cradling a large leaf with both arms. In said leaf was a dozen or so berries; not a lot, but they would make a yummy snack for the group later. Vega comes charging out of the underbrush twenty feet away, Rigel sitting on her back holding tight to an egg. The two Pokemon were covered in grass and streaks of dirt but they both looked elated.[break][break]

Matilda giggles at the pair, but thanks them profusely as they hand her the egg. She sets the berries down on their sleeping platform and adds the egg to the bundle, smiling at Dom. "Hey there sleepyhead," she teases. He was always awake before her - she had to get her jabs in while she could.



[break][break]

Dominic Grey

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","credit"]milky

It wasn't long until Matilda was back, with berries (and egg!) in tow. Dom was glad she'd stayed relatively close to camp. He understood she knew how to stay safe in the wilds, but he still worried, especially this far from medical attention. She gave him a snarky line and he grinned despite himself.[break][break]

"Don't have to get up when I've got someone doing all the work for me," he said, gesturing to the food they'd gathered. He reached down to pat Rigel and Vega on their heads, congratulating them on a job well done. He produced a Pokeball from his pocket: Lotus. "Let's go fishing." The Lapras' Ice Beam and Water Pulse were great for disorienting fish long enough for them to be snatched up and quickly killed. And she was a capable hunter herself, provided you could convince her to share her catch.[break][break]

Much of the week went along the same lines: a routine of foraging for food, searching the surrounding trees for firewood, and ensuring the pair didn't get too annoyed with each other. Even so, it was calm and well-controlled.[break][break]

Until the fire.[break][break]

It wasn't a fire of their own making—both Dominic and Matilda had been careful about their campfire's containment. A stray strike of dry lightning born from the edge of a passing storm found purchase on a tree not far from their camp and, despite the island climate, the surrounding foliage was happy to carry the flame.[break][break]

Dom woke to North sounding the alarm, and he was up physically before his brain really registered what was happening. The smell of smoke hit him instantly, filling his nose with acidity. A hand flew out to grab Tilly's arm—doubtless she was already awake—and he yanked her off the edge of the sleeping platform with him in an effort to get them both below the smoke. North, satisfied that his job had been completed, was up and soaring away from the smoke and flames. The Noivern was smart enough to take care of himself, but certainly not big enough to carry both Dom and Tilly to safety.[break][break]

From the ground of their campsite, Dom finally took stock of the situation. Flames roared along the western edge of the island, carried towards them by the wind. Fumbling at his belt, Dom pulled three Pokeballs, releasing their inhabitants in turn.[break][break]

"We have to put it out!" Surely Tilly already knew this, but Dom felt it should be said verbally in any case. In a red light that was swallowed up by the encroaching flames, he released Magnolia, Lotus, and Nova. The four blinked in confusion, each taking in the scene with varying levels of concern. "Nova, get along the edge of the fire and use Inferno to burn the foliage before the fire can get to it." The Vulpix's Flash Fire would keep her safe that close to the flames. If they could do a quick controlled burn, the fire wouldn't have a way to advance. Nova nodded and bolted off to do as directed. "Lotus, use Water Pulse and start dousing the fire. Mags, kick as much dirt and sand onto it was you can with Mega Kick!" The two made sounds of approval and planted themselves between the humans and the flames. Lotus sent out deluge after deluge of water while Magnolia flung dirt and sand.

[break][break]

+ Matilda Greenlaw[break]mission: deserted island

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","credit"]milky

While Tilly loved Dom and couldn't imagine her life without him, Taika did prove useful in helping keep the peace between the two over the course of the week. The survival aspect was honestly easier than she'd expected. The combination of both their teams had made it a breeze to acquire food and water, and stay warm. Even the weather was proving to work out for them - until the fire.[break][break]

The sound of North's screech woke Tilly but she was still disoriented as her body hadn't adapted to fill with adrenaline at the sound. Dom's hand on her arm yanking her off the platform with him sure did it, though.[break][break]

Looking from the fire to Dom to Haedus, left out overnight for protection, her brain tried to process everything while still sleep drunk.[break][break]

"We have to put it out!"[break][break]

Dom's orders broke through the haze of drowsiness like a rock going through a window. She fumbled at her belt for Mizar, releasing him at her feet next to Haedus. "Mizar, get some Powder Snow on that - Haedus, choke it out with Smog!" The two immediately followed directions, their distaste for each other slowly disappearing with every job they performed together.[break][break]

As soon as she gave them their instructions, she made sure she was glued to Dom's side. There was so much smoke and chaos it would've been easy for someone as small as her to get lost in it.



[break][break]

Dominic Grey[break]
Mission: Deserted Island

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","credit"]milky

In the end: they were lucky. Lucky that the fire had started far enough away that they had time to gather themselves. Lucky that the foliage was relatively green despite the unseasonable cold. Lucky that they had just the right Pokemon to be able to deal with the situation. Lucky that no one had panicked.[break][break]

As the fire died down—attacked on multiple fronts by water and earth and lack of fuel—Dom couldn't help but wonder if this challenge had been worth it. They'd get paid, sure. And the fire would have happened regardless of their presence. But competitors less experienced or less prepared might have been seriously injured or worse. He made a mental note to bring it up to the tourism company. Maybe offer his services as an on-island emergency contact.[break][break]

The fire had certainly put a damper on what was otherwise a relatively pleasant vacation. But the remainder of the week passed without incident and, before they knew it, it was time to disembark. Another challenge under their belts, another notch of survival to add to the long mental tally. Congratulations, you crazy kids.

[break][break]

+ Matilda Greenlaw[break]mission: deserted island

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","credit"]milky