[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/cSvfqoW.png[/img][/center][center][b]-> [@Shadeflare123] [@Deos Morran] <-
GM: [@MechonRaptor][/b][/center][hr]	The group continued on their way down the route, the ruins slowly starting to rise above them as they got closer and closer. The trees and bushes started thinning out as they approached the carved slabs of rock and rubble, the scientists like insects to the eroded walls of the ruins. The amount of the structure missing was disappointing though, as any clue to the past was a valuable one to the variable horde of researches crawling about the ruins. Novis couldn't remember an awful lot about the Zamak Ruins' hypothesized history and what said researchers were even looking for, but it sure did look cool with its cool grey contrasted with the ocean of muddy green and sand. Apparently there were ruins very similar it in other regions, but Novis didn't care enough to think too hard about that.

	It was as the group was standing there like all the other tourists, soaking in the view of the ruins, that they were at their most vulnerable. Before anyone even knew what was happening, a band of Mankey burst out from the woodwork and rushed the three trainers. Nier started barking at the monkeys before the wild Pokemon could get their hands on anything, but one of them blindsided Nov just as he ordered Nier to use Ember. It leaped onto Nov's shoulders and covered his eyes, and in a blind panic, stumbled backwards. Another Mankey pushed out Nov's legs from behind, sending the teen crashing into the ground. A cloud of dust whipped up from all the commotion, further obscuring the action. By the time Nov could get back on his feet, throwing off Mankey after Mankey to do so, the mugging was already starting to end as some of the monkeys started high-tailing it. Nov let out an angry yell and kicked a Mankey off of Nier's back, the small dog growling with vitriol. [color=red]"Shove off, you pieces of...!"[/color] Nov called out after a particular Mankey that was laughing at them. But as they focused on the taunt, another one of the Mankeys dashed out from behind them again, this time knocking into Nov and swiping his backpack right off his shoulders.
	
	While it dashed away, it pulled out the Fire Stone that he had just [s]stolen[/s] acquired and looked at it for a second. It was pretty cool looking, but upon noticing Nov's old sandwich, it threw away the stone and Nov's backpack before scampering off with just the sandwich. Having ransacked all their belongings, the horde of Mankeys scampered off faster than trains, fighting with each other over the food scraps they had stolen. Aiden was still trying to futilely fight back, but Nov just huffed and ran over to the pile of his belongings on the ground. Just as he picked up his backpack out of the sand though, he realized the Fire Stone was missing [i]again[/i]. He looked around for a second only to notice a Yamask gliding away into the ruins, disappearing behind the first corner. Normally, he wouldn't have thought too much about it after such a kerfuffle, but Nov couldn't mistake the brilliant gleam of a Fire Stone in the sun. That little thief...!
		
	[color=red]"I can't believe this! We just got jumped, and that stupid ghost thing stole from us too!"[/color] Nov shouted to nobody in particular, gritting his teeth a bit. All the tourists standing around in awe of what happened, taking pictures and muttering among themselves, pissed Nov off. He wasn't sure what the other two were feeling, but he was sure as hell not about to lose something as valuable as a Fire Stone! Running off in impulse, Nov took one step into the ruins before he realized... that he had no clue where the thing went. Luckily, there was a lady standing nearby, scribbling something on a clipboard. With a lab coat and goggles, she certainly seemed like she would know at least [i]something[/i] about the ruins.
			
	[color=red]"Hey, lady,"[/color] Nov said as he walked up to here, pulling her clipboard away from her face. From a quick glance, the papers were filled with scattered notes and sketches about the Pokemon of the ruins, a scratchy line sliding down from the last word the researcher had written. [color=red]"Hate to interrupt, but you got any idea where that Yamask just went? It just stole some stuff from us, if you didn't notice. I'd really appreciate some help!"[/color]

[center][b]| Route 13 (Ruin Side) - > Zamak Ruins |[/b][/center]