If Irvine had anything to complain about in all of his admittedly short time traveling with Jack, the lack of challenge was likely topping his list. While he held no fondness for losing and the consequences it carried, the fact that he hadn't had an even remotely thrilling fight since their arrival in Kanto worried him. He needed to keep his skills sharp, and human children evidently made very poor trainers. If he ever lost his edge... he didn't know what would happen, but he never wanted to find out. He never wanted to be discarded for not being good enough again.<br/><br/>Jack had assured him that Brock was a real threat. Whether that was an overestimation of the Gym Leader's capabilities or an underestimation of his own, he didn't know. It was insulting all the same - he had beaten Brock's Onix until it was frozen stiff, and then continued until it stopped trying to move. As it was the second of a mere two Pokemon, the fight was over before he even had a chance to become tired. Just as well, the night was only beginning when they had left for their next destination. Jack knew his companions well; they would have much less energy for fighting if he had departed when the sun was up, although that didn't mean Irvine was willing to waste it on another ignorant child and whatever wild beast they called "friend". One came running towards him through the grass with a Pokeball already in hand, caught a single look at the murderous glare on his face, and began crying on the spot.<br/><br/>â€œHey Irvine, listen, I know you like terrifying small children and all, and thatâ€™s great, but if you could not beat up this guy with a campfire up ahead thatâ€™d be fantastic. I canâ€™t keep Shades from biting people and stop you from freaking out on some guyâ€™s Charmander or something at the same time.â€<br/><br/>Sure enough, there was a small fire slightly off the path they were taking. He hadn't seen the Boss or her Pokemon in months, but the scar she had given him during his first "lesson" was a permanent reminder of his former life. Without thinking, he began to touch it and growled as he stared at the three trainers gathered around the small camp. He was uncomfortable in any kind of heat, but the sight of fire easily brought out the worst in him. Jack had been with him long enough to know that growling was rarely a good sign.<br/><br/>â€œI donâ€™t know, I guess if youâ€™re good I can get you something in the next town? Iâ€™ve got a little extra money, so I think I can cover most anything reasonable... You seemed to like taking candy and stuff from those kids back in Pewter City, so maybe you like sweets, then? Iâ€™ll get you some.â€<br/><br/>The truth of the matter was that Irvine simply liked<span style="font-style: italic">stealing</span>. It was one of the few things that the Boss needed him for that no other member of her team was particularly good at. Wild Sneasels were already notorious enough thieves without being offered any encouragement for the act, and he had been raised by criminals. He was already sizing up the group of humans they were approaching for anything particularly valuable from his place of hiding in Jack's shadow. As they got closer, he stopped making noise and stepped ahead in the hopes of closing distance with one of the three before his trainer or anyone else caught onto him.<br/><br/>He didn't get very far before the child in the group caught sight of him and let out an ear-piercing screech. Not knowing what had happened, he jumped several feet backwards and extended his claws in preparation for an attack. However, the child simply disappeared without a trace, leaving Irvine on high alert and hopelessly confused. There was no way anything could move that fast, and he didn't even have an impression of where the kid had gone. Having no desire to leave himself exposed, he dashed into the foliage to hide, only to hear a voice coming from the treetops. He hadn't even heard the leaves rustling, yet there Odd was.<br/><br/>"Kill it! Find it and kill it, please!"<br/><br/>His claws dug into the nearest tree only to have them pulled away before he could climb it. He snarled and spun around to find himself face to face with Jack and Shades. He just barely managed to refrain from seriously injuring either of the two, although it didn't help that Shades had clamped onto his shoulder with no clear intentions of letting go. Why were they stopping him when he hadn't even done anything to provoke the kid?<br/><br/>Odd appeared once again, this time in front of the fire. He looked about as shaken as Irvine was.<br/><br/>"I apologize for that," he stated directly to the Sneasel before addressing Jack himself. "I... It startled me. I have never... seen a-anything like that."<br/><br/>Before Jack or anyone else could respond, a bird swooped down and ripped the badge straight off the child's shirt, causing him to disappear yet again. Irvine didn't let his guard down, though the Sandile was throwing him off balance more than he would have liked to admit. He winced as it resisted his attempts to remove it by biting down harder before delivering a punch to its jaw, freezing it over just enough to give him the space he needed to pull his shoulder free. It fell to the ground as if paralyzed, gnashing its teeth in discomfort. Shades' inability to read a situation was nothing short of unbelievable.<br/><br/>His heart was still racing, but Irvine took the time to find a comfortable spot away from the campfire and sat down. He didn't want anything to do with the others if they were going to be as loud and erratic as the last one, and he was more than a little annoyed at his own trainer for interrupting him. Given the chance to take a breath, he closed his eyes, perked up his ears, and listened for the bird that had just spared him a painful forced apology. Its squawking reminded him of Othello, but that couldn't be right. It probably would have attacked him instead if it had been. He listened for it again, but it had either gone quiet or flown out of reach. All he could hear was the crackling fire and the trees blowing in the wind.<br/><br/>...Until the child started shouting for help a short distance down the road. He pinned his ears down and scowled. Whatever Jack was bribing him with wouldn't be nearly enough.