Lady Vulpix

Welcome to the 22nd version of the Battle Range! Here are the rules. Please read them in order to avoid posting invalid battles and/or asking questions which are already answered here. Have fun!

GENERAL RULES

¤ Everyone will describe the battles (or whatever is required), stating the levels of their pokemon before and after the event.

¤ Each trainer can battle 2 pokemon per scenario, and may use 1 or 2 pokemon per battle.

¤ All pokemon must battle opponents that are in the same level range as they are. If two pokemon battle together, they must both be in the same level range.

¤ You can use pokemon from the Dragon Tamers Adoption Center, PokeZoo Adoption Center, Pocket Monsters Breeding Center, adopted pokemon tournaments and old adoption centers.

¤ All trainers who use pokemon from Adoption Centers other than Dragon Tamers must tell us where they got their pokemon (on the pokemon's first battle). That's to make sure you're not making them up.

¤ Unevolved pokemon learn the same moves as in GSC. For moves the pokemon can only learn in RBY/RuSa/FR/LG, use the same levels at which they would learn them in the respective games.

¤ Pokemon evolve just like in the games, except for trading/happiness-evolving pokemon, who can evolve with a Genetic Accelerator.

¤ Evolved pokemon learn the same moves as their unevolved versions, plus the new ones. Example, Metapod can't learn Confusion, but Butterfree can. Moves are learnt at the same level as the pokemon would learn them in GSC (or other games for moves unavailable in GSC). For moves only unevolved pokemon can learn, evolved pokemon will learn them at the same levels as their pre-evolutions.

¤ A pokemon can learn a free TM, HM or Move Tutor move every 10 levels (that is, every multiple of 10).

¤ Bred-On moves are allowed (1 per pokemon), but you must choose them before your pokemon battle for the first time. Once your pokemon has battled, their bred-on move can't be changed (nor added if you hadn't chosen one).

¤ Hidden Power is allowed just like other TMs. But at the moment your pokemon learns it, you must say what type it will be and not change it.

¤ If you use 2 pokemon in a battle, each of them will gain half the experience (levels).

¤ Stamps can be earned for writing interesting and descriptive battles. You can exchange them for Stones, Genetic Accelerators and other items at the Dragon Tamers Reward Center.

¤ Remember: no killing your opponents (human or pokemon).

RANDOM BATTLE RULES

¤ You can use the Random Battle Generator once a week, and it costs 7 stamps to use it. You can request a random pokemon from any of the following sections: Caledor's Nature Protection Agency, Antarctic Survivor Recovery Agency, Jungle Deforestation Recovery Agency, Professional Sports Breeding System, Electric Shutdown Retirement System, Free Range Corral, Universal Adoption Center. Your opponent will be the same level as your pokemon, and each random opponent defeated gives 1 level.

¤ You can also request a 2-on-2 random battle. In that case, it will cost 14 stamps, and you will have to wait 2 weeks before requesting another random battle.

THE CURRENT SCENARIO IS ON PAGE: 9.

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Knight of the I.N.D.E.E.D. after waiting for about 3 years to get a reply.
And how did this forum get into my sig?

Lady Vulpix

Everyone's stories will still be rated. Those who have an extension for the previous scenario can use it now. This new scenario was written by Ade.

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Here we're asked for help off a most unexpected source...

It had been several weeks now since the terrible civil wars of Team Rocket first began, and there still seemed to be no respite from the seemingly random outbursts of violence. Every time a hive of Rocket activity was dealt with, the Crimson Blades upped the ante by taking a hostage or setting fire to some important building. Every time a member of the Blades was apprehended, a trainer lost their beloved pokémon to Team Rocket. No matter how hard the Dragon Tamers and the authorities tried, there seemed to be no end to the constant state of lawlessness descending upon Ulthuan.

And then, one day, something happened to further complicate matters. All trainers affiliated to the Dragon Tamers received a rather strange message through email, requesting their presence in an emergency meeting being held by the Dragons Guild to discuss a matter of national importance. Of course, few could not respond to an invitation like this, and most dropped what they were doing to attend, if only to find out why the Guild had suddenly decided to start informing them of things for a change.

They weren't to be disappointed.

"Greetings." The Tamers were addressed by a strange sort of man, dressed from head to toe in thick black clothing that covered every inch of his body, his narrow, place face framed by long, jet black hair and his eyes hidden by large sunglasses. The man's tone gave nothing away, either. It was cold, clipped, carefully judged. "My name is Lord Absol. I am the head of the Dragons Guild's Tactical Neutralisation Unit. In layman's term, it's my job to take care of all those annoying loose ends and potential threats that nobody else thinks about." Without so much as giving anyone else the chance to speak, the man continued. "I'm sure you're all aware of the situation with Team Rocket and the Crimson Blades, and be rest assured my people are busy working on neuralising that threat as we speak. However, it does leave me rather short on manpower to deal with something else that has come up. Which is why I'm breaking with tradition and openly coming forward for help." Here Lord Absol took a sharp intake of breath, before explaining his request fully.

Mission
"All contact with a top-secret genetics laboratory situated near Unicorn Gate has recently been lost. This laboratory has been used extensively by the Guild in the past, and it probably comes as no surprise to some of you that some particularly dangerous experiments have been carried out there. Despite our best efforts we haven't been able to establish contact for several weeks. We require a group of you to go and investigate for yourselves what is going on. If either Team Rocket or the Crimson Blades have established a presence there, eliminate them. If the pokémon test subjects get in the way, neutralise their threat as best you can. Be warned, however, that cutting edge research has been taken place at the lab, and the test subjects are likely to possess strange and unexpected powers. Transport will be provided courtesy of the Dragons Guild, of course, and should you succeed in bringing this situation under control you will be well rewarded.

"We now address another matter, that of defence. As you all know, key points throughout Ulthuan are being targeted by the Crimson Blades in spite of Team Rocket's attempts to defeat them. I have received word of a planned assault upon Sector Alpha. Hence I would ask some of you stay behind and assist in stopping this threat. It won't be easy. Rumours speak of surgically enhanced soldiers engineered to be faster, stronger and possessing latent psychic powers being deployed. So, basically, it's up to you each individually. Decide now which task you wish to be involved in. A covert mission to reclaim our genetics laboratory, or staying behind to help fend off what could be the most serious assault the Crimson Blades have made so far."[/b]

Here Lord Absol looked around the room. "I know few of you trust me. But right now we're going to have to work together on this. The threats are too great for any of us to allow pride to get in the way. The party to Unicorn Gate sets of in precisely twelve hours. Myself, I will be staying behind in Sector Alpha, so if any of you feel the need to speak with me in the meantime I'll be right here. Dismissed." Here the strange man sat down and began sifting through piles of papers, muttering irritably to himself all the while. "Damn, these are all out of order! Remind me to yell at Lord Magikarp when I get back to base..."

Opponents

Under 15
L8 Slugma (+1)
L15 Eevee (+2)

Level 15.5 – 25
L19 Charmeleon (+1)
L25 Aipom (+2)

Level 25.5 – 35
L29 Ponyta (+1)
L35 Seviper (+2)

Level 35.5 – 45
L39 Swampert (+1)
L45 Banette (+2)

Level 45.5 – 55
L49 Hitmonlee (+1)
L55 Ampharos (+2)

Level 55.5 – 65
L59 Houndoom (+1)
L65 Raichu (+2)

Level 65.5 – 75
L69 Mightyena (+1)
L75 Machamp (+2)

Level 75.5 – 85
L79 Charizard (+1)
L85 Dusclops (+2)

Level 85.5 and above
L90 Metagross (+1)
L100 Gyarados (+2)

__________________

Knight of the I.N.D.E.E.D. after waiting for about 3 years to get a reply.
And how did this forum get into my sig?

Wolfsong

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Shadow Djinn

I'd like an extension for this scenario, incase it takes me a while. X_X

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classy_cat18

Here's the conclusion to Bandit's introduction!

Beacon’s POV

“Are you sure this is the place?” Lily asked me.

“Well…yes and no. I am smelling a lot of Pokemon inside here, but I’m smelling other things. Fear. Blood. And…” I sniffed in the air a few more times. “…Shonta’s wallet.”

“Shonta’s wallet? Are you sure?” She cocked her head and looked at me with disbelief.

“A piece of faux leather with her scent on it? Can’t be anything else but her wallet.” I followed the cent to a garbage can. I knocked the can over and dragged out the wallet. “See?”

“Oh. What does that have to do with Bandit? He gave the wallet back.”

“I don’t know.” I hesitantly walked up to the door. It was left ajar but it was too dark to see inside. The only source of light was a small hole in the roof. It shone on a mountain of crates. There’s no way I’m going in there. It’s dark and creepy. Who knows what may be in there waiting for us?

A hand shoved me into the warehouse. I whirled around in fear and saw Moriko with a smile on her face and the briefcase in her hand. “Whatcha waiting for? We gotta rescue Lily’s new friend!” She pushed me further in despite my struggling.

Lily ran ahead of us and into the darkness. Silence spanned for a whole minute before I heard her scream. “That’s it! I’m out of here!” I yelled and ran for the door. But I realized that I left my tail open to grab and drag, which is just what Moriko did. She dragged me to Lily, who was leaning over a bloody, dead Rattata with tears in her eyes.

“Please tell me that isn’t Bandit,” Moriko said, looking a little green in the face.

“No, it isn’t. But something happened to him.” She left the dead Rattata and went deeper into the warehouse. It didn’t take long for her to call for us.

Moriko once more dragged me to Lily. The Pokemon that we were standing over this time wasn’t dead, but he looked like he was getting there. It was a Kecleon, looking sadly at us while he panted slowly on the floor. His scales were pitch black, striped with red blood. “Bandit!” Lily cried, her voice bouncing off the walls.

“Hush, Lily! What if someone hears us? Like whoever came and hurt him?” I asked her.

Bandit looked at Lily. “Get out while you still can. He’s still in here,” he said softly.

“Don’t talk, Bandit. Moriko, Beacon, can you tell what happened to him?” Lily pleaded.

Moriko scratched her head. “I know a little bit about Kecleon so I’ll know a bit. He was hit by a Dark attack. I can tell because his special trait allows him to change into the color of the last attack that hit him. There are vicious bites around him. Looks like he’s been scratched, too. But it can’t be a cat Pokemon. The scratches are too superficial. These look like the scratch marks of a dog Pokemon.”

Lily smiled despite Moriko’s morbid explanation. “Wow, you can tell all that by just looking at him?”

“She’s right,” Bandit grunted. “And he’s still here. He’ll get you if he finds you. He’s insane and bloodthirsty. Forget about me and get to a safe place. And protect your trainer!”

Tears were now coming down my face. “Bandit…”

“No!” Lily shouted angrily. “We’re not leaving you! Moriko, pick him up and get him to the nearest Pokemon Center! Beacon, get to Shonta and get her meet Moriko at the Pokemon Center! I’ll deal with whoever did this to Bandit!”

I was shocked. Lily never took charge like this. She was never this serious outside of battle. But one of her friends was injured and she clearly was not going to let it slide. It reminded me of the time Dixie had her Sentret break Swoop’s wing.

Moriko scooped up Bandit and turned to leave, but she froze when she heard a spine-chilling howl. It was enough to, well, chill my spine. I didn’t want to do it, but I kept staring into the darkness, the source of the howl. Red eyes shone there. The red-eyed Pokemon leapt from the darkness and ran to the front door, blocking our escape route. It was a Houndoom. Memories of being nearly torn apart by packs of Houndoom before I became an adopted Pokemon flooded my mind. “So you decided to come for the Kecleon,” he said calmly, his stance neutral.

“Diablo…” Bandit gasped.

Lily stood between us and Diablo, all tears dried from her face. “I bet it was you who hurt Bandit!” she said angrily.

“I didn’t mean to. He was going to leave me for you traitors.”

“Traitors!?! We’re not traitors! We care for our trainer!” Moriko and I nodded in agreement. I didn’t like this guy from the start. My fear of his teeth and wicked Dark/Fire powers were quickly waning.

Diablo bared his teeth. “That is why you are traitors! You sacrificed your own freedom to serve under a lowly human!”

I couldn’t take it anymore! Something had to be said. “You think being a trained Pokemon sucks? You try being the next-to-bottom link of the food chain! I was constantly running from bullies like you!”

Moriko’s face hardened. This was the angriest I’ve ever seen her. “My friend has a point. Life in the wild is tough, especially when your home was constantly being trampled by Team Rocket grunts!”

Lily hopped up and down. “You have it easy! You’re a vicious predator! Humans were probably scared of you before you evolved! But put yourself in our shoes! With the exception of Moriko, just surviving day to day was a tough thing to do! And I didn’t have parents!” The tears started to come again. “Shonta and the other Dragon Tamers made sure that we didn’t have to go through that again! They gave us a chance to get strong!”

Diablo didn’t seem deterred. “And what good came out of it? Do you enjoy fighting their fights and being their precious pets? How about doing tricks like you’re circus Pokemon?”

“We choose to fight for what is right!” Lily answered. “Shonta fights with us as best as she can!”

Bandit closed his eyes. “Diablo, please. Let them go. It was me that betrayed you.”

“We’re not leaving you! Diablo, you can take your anger against humankind and shove it!

Moriko and I gasped. “Did Lily tell him to shove it?” Moriko asked me.

“Let’s just be glad she didn’t say where,” I said.

Now Diablo was pissed. He took a step forward while I unconsciously took a step back. “No one defies me,” he said in a low voice.

“Oh yeah? You should get used to it, doggy!” Lily said defiantly.

“I should punish you for that, but I shouldn’t dirty my paws on such a lowly weed.”

“You mean the way you dirtied your paws with Bandit’s blood?”

“You always hurt the ones you love.” He kept walking towards us. I noticed, as he walked towards us, that a second shadow was trailing him.

Our mouths hung over. It took a while before Lily said what Moriko and I were thinking. “Eww!” she exclaimed. “You like another boy!”

That clenched it. We had to get out of here before Diablo decided he wasn’t done with Bandit. “Let’s get out of here! Maybe there’s a back exit!” I cried. I bolted into the darkness, ignoring the pleas of the caged Pokemon. But Diablo was too fast. He sprinted ahead of us and stood in our path. I skidded to a stop, with Moriko crashing into me, Bandit still in her arms.

“Going somewhere, my tasty little sheep?” he growled.

I gulped and started bleating uncontrollably, afraid that the Big Bad Wolf standing in front of me was really going to eat me. Moriko tried to cover my mouth to stop the noise, but I bit her finger and went back to bleating. Bandit started to whimper. Moriko and Lily stood quiet, glaring at Diablo. I calmed down and turned around to head toward the other way, not caring if Diablo blocked it again, when I discovered that another Pokemon was already blocking it. It was an Eevee.

“There’s just no escaping from these guys!” I whimpered.

“Screw it! I’m just going to go through this shrimp!” Moriko said. She powered her wings and flew toward Eevee with her horn down. Eevee stood his ground, waiting for the right moment. When it came, he charged and tackled Moriko to the ground. Moriko looked up at the ceiling in surprised. “What just happened?”

“That Eevee probably almost KO’ed you. Are you hurting?” I asked her.

“Yeah. A lot.” She struggled to her feet.

“Get past my Eevee and I won’t stop you from taking yourselves and Bandit to your beloved trainer,” Diablo said, not budging from his spot.

Moriko turned to me. “Okay, Beacon. Hit that Eevee with a Thunderbolt and you won’t get chewed up by Diablo.”

Thanks for the encouragement, I thought sarcastically. I gathered up the energy in my wool and shot a Thunderbolt at the Eevee, who immediately split into two, then four. All four of them went for me and gang-tackled me before I could single them out with another Thunderbolt. “You’re right. That did hurt,” I told Moriko.

“Okay, so I couldn’t bring him down and he easily dodged your attack. Now what are we going to do?”

“Let me do it. I promise I’ll bring him down,” Lily whispered.

Moriko and I looked at each other and nodded. After all, Lily was the strongest of the group. Lily stepped forward and faced the Eevee. “You got yourself a bet. I win, you let all of us go. That includes anyone that wants to leave your gang!”

Diablo chuckled wickedly. “Agreed. But if I win, Bandit comes with me. And so do you three.”


Eevee started with a Tackle that took me by surprise. No way can Eevee be that fast! He slammed into Lily, making her roll a foot and stop standing on her head.

“Get up, Lily! Try a Solarbeam!” Moriko yelled.

“Not now!” Lily yelled back. She had a point. Solarbeam takes a while to charge up, and it also drains a lot of her energy. She would have to use it later.

Lily started off with a Sweet Scent. She spun around, spreading the sweet smelling spores throughout the warehouse. Everyone relaxed, even the Pokemon in the cages. Even Moriko stopped jumping up and down and just watched the battle.

The Sweet Scent did its job. Eevee was sitting and enjoying the smell. Lily took advantage of this and swung her leaves in his direction, spreading spores of a golden color. Eevee took one whiff of this and stiffened up.

“I think he’s paralyzed,” Moriko said calmly. She’s never calm during a battle.

Lily swung her leaves again, releasing razor-sharp leaves toward Eevee. This is it. She’s going to finish him off. The leaves sped closer, closer…

“Gotcha!” the Eevee shouted, jumping over the attack.

My jaw dropped. “I thought he was paralyzed!” I cried.

Eevee raced for Lily. In panic, Lily swung another Razor Leaf at him. He merely ducked to avoid it. Another Razor Leaf that he jumped over. Another one that he ran past by shifting to the left. He reached her and clamped his jaws over Lily’s leg.

“Stun Spore is only effective if the Pokemon inhales it. Eevee held its breath until the attack settled,” Diablo explained.

Lily squeaked in pain as she tried to shake her leg free. That only made Eevee sink his fangs even deeper. He gave her leg a sharp yank. Lily was down on her back. He proceeded to bite and scratch all over her body.

My legs were shaking. Diablo must be crazy to teach a Pokemon to fight like that. This is no different than what he did to Bandit. I stepped forward to stop this madness, but Moriko held me back. “Don’t worry. Lily will stop this soon enough.”

Suddenly Eevee stopped. He stepped back, panting and snarling. No way did he tire that quickly! Then I looked up. Specks of golden energy were floating down to Lily. It could only be one thing: Giga Drain.

“Go on, girl! That should give you your pep back!” Moriko cheered. “Now charge up that Solarbeam while he’s still tipsy.”

“Not yet,” Lily said again. She turned to Eevee and gave him a wink. Eevee blinked. She then spread more Sweet Scent. She was trying to slow him down with the combination of Charm and Sweet Scent.

Eevee shook his head to try to clear himself of the effects of Charm and Sweet Scent, but it was no use. He instead charged ahead with another Tackle attack although he wasn’t as fast as before. Lily managed to stop him with a Razor Leaf.

“He’s down for the count,” Lily informed. “Now I hit him with a Solarbeam.” She ran to the patch of sunlight that shone in the warehouse. Specks of sunlight traveled from the air to Lily’s leaves. There they concentrated and shot out at Eevee.

“Eevee…” Diablo growled.

Eevee got up on his paws to face the oncoming attack. He knew he couldn’t stop it. The beam connected and sent him flying through the air. He landed on his back, defeated.


“A deal’s a deal, Diablo. Let us go,” Lily told him.

Diablo didn’t look angry, nor did he look disappointed. He looked neutral. “Go then. But if I ever see you again, I cannot ensure either you or your trainer’s safety.” He turned around and retreated into the darkness.

Moriko hoisted Bandit onto my back and took the briefcase. She studied it for a bit. “I wonder what’s in here?” she opened it and put on a face of confusion. “What is this?”

I looked at them. “They’re called blueprints. They tell you how to build a house. Shonta looks at them sometimes when she’s looking for a new place to live.”

She grinned her famous grin. “Well, that sounds important! Let’s go give this to Shonta!”

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Lady Vulpix

It's strange to see someone request an extension for a scenario that's just been posted, but you can have it, Shadow Djinn.

Shonta, take 9 stamps for your latest battle. ¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢
Just wondering, what's Moriko's level now? I found it strange that the Eevee's tackle would almost knock her out.
And just in case you haven't noticed yet, Jewel's on the spotlight this week.

__________________

Knight of the I.N.D.E.E.D. after waiting for about 3 years to get a reply.
And how did this forum get into my sig?

classy_cat18

Moriko's still at level 7, but Eevee's supposed to have a high attack stat. I may have exaggerated, though.

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Darkfire

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AntiAsh Superstar

Darkfire gets an extenion. I gotta say, I'll be very interested to see how you'll be handling the current ructions within Team Rocket.

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TheBlueAvenger

I would like an extension; I'm not entirely certain when I'll next get some free time to write.

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The avatar was made by Orion.

The Born Legacy - On hiatus due to writer's block/school

Plushies: Butterfree, Golduck, Ditto, Armaldo, Fearow, Ludicolo, Hypno, Aggron, Pinsir, Sneasel, Vileplume, Houndour, Feraligatr, Ariados, Arcanine

My Adopted and Captured Pokemon/RP Stories

Tsuyoi's Lair... Join or your soul will forever be lost to the merciless ravages of time and space...

AC/CC items for sale/trade: Endeavor TM

Lady Vulpix

__________________

Knight of the I.N.D.E.E.D. after waiting for about 3 years to get a reply.
And how did this forum get into my sig?

Kerel

8:30 pm- Le fghrench cafe...

(french or whatever....)

K: Ok, we are close, now Bruce, remember, your name is Kerel and you are human, right?

B: No way, Theresa set you up, not me.

K: Come on, I can pay you or something...

B: I don´t think you could pay me enough.

A man dressed like a garçon (waiter) aproached us:
Monsieur garçon: Excuse me sir, are you Monsieur Kerel, a woman called saying you'd be here.

B: (You´d mean mademoiselle Kerel.)

K: I heard that.

B: I know.

K: errr...Oui... yeah, I guess, I am, hey... would you prettend to be me for a 100 bucks?

Monseur: not in a lifetime. Your table and date are waiting.

K: yeah..yeah... bring it on.

8:45 pm at the table:

Thinking to himself: ((Ok, we are good actors Kerel, just good actors, playing as if we were gaymen, and don´t talk to yourself as if I was two people ok?
ok Kerel, Let's just get the info and get outta here.))

Date: So you're Kerel, Theresa told me about you but I didn´t think you´d be so cute, you have lovely blue eyes.

Kerel: Yeah, I know, most girls love them... I mean gays...guys...

Date: In anyway, my name´s Tony, you can call me John.

Kerel: huh??

Tony/John: Actually you could call me anything you like.

Kerel: Allright, anything would do. Theresa told me you have some info on the location of BFD.

Tony/john/anything: Straight to the point it seems, and it doesn´t seem to be the only Straight thing in here, maybe I should just go somewhere else with the info.

Kerel: Oh no no, I´m gay... 120% gay.

Tony: Prove it.

Kerel: Well I collect toys, I have a cute ponyta and I borrow money from my Zangoose.

Tony: That doesn´t prove you´re gay. I want you to kiss me!

Kerel: No way!!!...er...We´re just on our first date...I´m not so easy.

Tony: Fair enough... but that means you´ll date me again...give me your number and I'll give you the info.

Kerel: allright, here it is ( I said as I wrote my cell phone number on a napkin).

All I know is that a guy at the "Old Rat Bar" who is called Jay Lucas the Drunk, heard something about him, he should be at that bar at 23 pm today.

Kerel: Is that guy reliable?

Tony: Sure he is, drunk, but honest, he'll ask you for money though.

Kerel: Allright, then I guess I should be going.

Tony: Ok then, here take my phone number (said giving me a sheet of paper).

Then I left the cafe.

5 minutes later:

Bruce: You really gave him your phone number?

Kerel: I had no choice if I wanted the info.

B: You could have given him a fake number.

Kerel: No, I hate people who do that, It'd break his heart.

B: oh, I see.

Then we went to the other bar and after Bruce paid the drunk guy some bucks he lead us to a place where BFD was supposed to have been seen.

End of Prelude to chapter 4

Shadow Djinn

This was the RBG I received..


Stats:
Zane
Level 5
Male Eevee
Attacks: Tackle, Tail Whip, Helping Hand, HP Psychic, Slash


3rd Person POV

The Eevee known as Zane continued down the path as the rain relentlessly pounded down upon the unfortunate ones to be in such weather. His fur soaked and dripping, his eyes gleaming with hate. His eyes were searching. Searching for the enemy. Voices echoed in his head, voices that drove him to fight, to cling to life as he knew it. And he would. A howl of fury tore from his lips as he continued on, a brown blur across the worn jungle path. He had left his friends behind to fulfill what he was born to do. He had dismissed his life with his trainer and had gone to seek out his enemy. He was truly the one called Morning Star.

Cling to life, as you know it, little brother. You may have defeated me in combat once , brother, but it shall not happen again. And then there was violent laughter that echoed in his hand. Zane knew it would haunt him forever. Unless he destroyed his true enemy. Something he would never be able to achieve unless he became stronger. And once again, the evil voice pounded into his ears.

Become stronger, for you will need all your strength to defeat me again! You will be Morning Star until the Black Wraiths die! But Zane fought. He drove it away. And he would do it again.

“ That won’t be so easy, Morning Star. ” A voice echoed across the jungle, alerting Zane. He whirled around, his eyes scanning the area for predators. But there wasn’t any. Growling, Zane continued his trek down the path.

Little brother, fight death, rise above the inevitable, and only then will you defeat me! But even this will be hard to do, Little Brother, because your true potential is only unlocked by rage…

“ No!” Zane said desperately. The image of the haunting shadow was imprinted in his mind. It would not leave. Unless he defeated him.

Foolish brother. If you leave the Black Wraiths, you will never be content again! We will haunt you, loom above you like a skulking shadow! The Black Wraiths do not relinquish their victims easily! Zane roared out in fury, as flashing images appeared within his mind, and he stifled a scream.

“ NO! NO!” Zane dropped to the ground, as a bloodcurdling screech echoed across the outlandish forest. As the haunting images filled him.

{Flashback}
Fire. Burning flames. Zane stared at the burning house in horror. Yet he was not the scruffy, battle scarred Eevee people knew. He was younger, with tuffs of fur sticking out in odd places, and with innocent eyes.

“ Why, Brother! Why!” Zane pleaded as the flames began to grow. From the shadows came a cruel cackle. A ghostly Umbreon emerged from the shadows, with purple flames circling around him; his yellow rings a haunting blue.

“ Learn, Morning Star. We are the Black Wraiths! We will fight the corrupted Dragon Tamers and overthrow the land of Ulthuan. We will bring this prospering country to its KNEES.” The Umbreon said crudely.

“ No! We can’t do that! We will terrorize society if such acts continue!” Zane argued, drawing back in horror as if to ward away an invisible blow.

“ Dear brother.” The Umbreon said cruelly. “ We ARE the chaos in the land, and we will topple this corrupt land! Society will crumble!” Another menacing laugh.

“ No, brother. No.” Zane said firmly. And the familiar emptiness in his eyes began to appear. Purple energy encased him, and a violet beam struck the Umbreon’s body. The black creature did not flinch.

“ You have much to learn, Morning Star. I am a Dark pokemon, resistant to your Psychic attacks. The Umbreon known as Ganglis will not fall so easily.” The Umbreon grinned, revealing his powerful and deadly teeth. But Zane did not withdraw in intimidation. Instead, he fought back. His chestnut colored body flew into the dark pokemon, sending him back a few feet. But the blow was too weak. The Umbreon retaliated with a violent slash across Zane’s cheek, drawing blood. The Eevee howled out in pain.

“ You told me the Black Wraiths were to HELP! You lied! I will never forgive you!” Zane roared fiercely. He was a blur racing across the field, colliding again and again with Ganglis’ stiff body. But the Umbreon shrugged the blows away, and batted the fox like pokemon away with his paw.

“ Oh, come brother.” Ganglis purred. “ You made friends, remember? Like Specter, and Starlight, and Xan…”

“ SHUT UP!” Zane said infuriatingly. He launched forward, lashing out with his small paws. Ganglis nimbly avoided his blows, and a ghostly aura surrounded the Umbreon. Violet and indigo strands of energy lashed out from the Umbreon’s glowing rings, striking Zane across the cheek. Ignoring the blistering pain, Zane launched forward again, savage battle cry tearing from his lips. This time, his body struck Ganglis sluggishly, knocking Ganglis sideways whilst Zane landed on his feet. Hate burned in his eyes. A scar was etched across his face, dried blood covering it like a red quilt. Ganglis regained his footing and simply stared at the small Eevee with a smug expression.

“ This is your last chance, little brother. Stay with us, and…” The Umbreon’s lips curled arrogantly.
“ And what?” Zane spat distastefully.

“ Moonlight will not be harmed.” Ganglis returned promptly.

“ What? YOU *****! *******!” Zane went through, most likely, the entire alphabet of swear words, and by the time he was done, he was panting heavily.

“ I’m sure your friend won’t mind…if she DIES because of your screw-ups.” Ganglis grinned. And his rings glowed darkly, the flames around him parting to reveal a small Eevee with a rainbow mane guarded by two bulky Zangoose with sharp, deadly claws.

“ Starlight! Starlight!” Zane said helplessly. The rainbow Eevee stared back at him with sad eyes.

“ Don’t listen to him, Zane. Please.” Starlight pleaded. “ It’s alright…I know you didn’t mean for this to happen…” And Ganglis shouted a brisk order. There was a flash of red, and a shriek went unheard in the orange sky. Blood splattered the ground. A haunting shape loomed behind Ganglis, and the Umbreon was saying something.

“ Finish him off, Specter.” He was saying.

“ Yes, sir.” Came the reply. A Shuppet glided forward, deadly lightning bolts crackling within his formless body.

“ Specter? Is that you?” Zane gasped.

“ Yes.” Specter replied curtly. “ Your time is up, Morning Star. Starlight died because of you. This is all your fault! All four of us could’ve made it into the Black Wraiths you know. But you screwed it up! YOU, AND ONLY YOU!” Lightning bolts pierced the air, and a flash of blue passed Zane’s eyes, striking the wall behind him.

“ DAMMIT! DAMNATION!” Specter snarled. Blue flames spouted from his mouth, striking Zane, making him draw back.

“ Why, Specter?” Zane croaked feebly. “ Why you? And Xan? Remember?” Specter paused for a moment. Then he howled in fury again and even more flames began to sprout from his body.

“ You ARE RESPONSIBLE! We lost Xan last night, but you won’t know. You never would care anyway. A raid…Xan saved us all. But not you. You were being nosy, and this is the cause of your idiocy. Two of us, dead…you and me left…Traitor!” Specter shouted loudly.

“ I didn’t mean to, Specter. I’m sorry.” Zane pleaded weakly. “ We can run, you and me, Specter. Us against the world. Like we were before…”

“ No, he won’t.” Ganglis interjected thickly. “ Specter will be joining me in our next raid. And you will accompany us.” The Shuppet nodded grimly. His black body darted to Ganglis’ side. Zane looked at his old friend with despair.

“ Why? Why?” Zane questioned pointlessly.

“ Because. You are the cause. You killed Starlight and Xan. They were twins. They never deserved it. You remember them. I know. It’s easy to remember them. They both have rainbow manes. And blue eyes. And you killed them, Zane. I lost all my trust in you. It was just the other day, you told me that you and Star and me and Xan would be the greatest fighters in Ulthuan. And we would have all day to do whatever we wanted. But it won’t happen now, right? Because you were always the screw-up. Always.” The ghost shook his deformed head sadly.

“ Always.” He said again. Tears flooded down from Zane’s eyes, and he wept softly.

“ I’m sorry, Specter. But if you’re going to go with them…I will have to leave you as well.” Zane said softly.

“ I don’t care. You were never my friend. Not you.” Specter growled. A violet beam struck Specter square in the chest, and the phantom squealed in surprise, careening backwards. Zane leapt up from the ground, purple energy striking the ground in different shapes and sizes, while searching for a way to escape.

“ Goodbye, Specter. I will miss you, old friend.” Zane shouted out loudly. And he was a brown streak, leaving the burnt battlefield behind him. But not his memories. His memories haunted him.

{End Flashback}

“ Specter.” Zane whispered, almost shyly. He recalled the slim Shuppet’s grinning face and jolly personality, and his quirky traits, such as his love for strange poems and riddles. He recalled the twins, Xan and Starlight, two Eevees that were born with rainbow manes. He remembered how he had fallen for Starlight, and how they bonded. But it was all over now, he then reminded himself sadly. His good times were over, and they would never come back.

“ Never.” Zane shouted infuriatingly. His voice grew louder. “ NEVER! BECAUSE OF THOSE BLOODY DAMN BLACK WRAITHS!” He threw his body against the nearest tree trunk again and again in anger, shouting out violent phrases that went unheard. But he didn’t care. He was mad. As he prepared to attack the harmless tree again, a haunting voice drifted across the jungle, making the Eevee pause.

“ Anger shall not be the solution. Perhaps the answer lies within Evolution. A stage where one shall become many stronger, such as a Gastly becoming a Haunter. If you seek this power, come to me, within this jungle with its accursed trees.”

“ Evolution.” Zane muttered quietly. “ Evolution.” He repeated.

“ Where?” He said, as if he were talking to an imaginary friend.

“ Where one shall notice the most, a scar of this shrine that is oddly shaped like toast. I wait there patiently, in the holy depths of this sacred tree.” Zane headed towards the direction of the sound, while trying to decipher the odd riddle he had been given. But by the time it was solved, he had already gotten to the said place. A large, tall, thick tree that was the size of about 10 small trees. A strange, yellow glow radiated from it like a beacon of hope.

“ Alright, come out.” Zane growled. “ Show yourself, riddle maker.” A cackle echoed throughout the desolate jungle, and a black silhouette hovered over Zane.

“ Flaming fire, envelop thee!” The shape roared. A pillar of flames rose from under Zane, singing his already beaten body, forcing him to leap out of the flaming geyser.

“ What the hell?” Zane snapped again. Indigo ribbons shot out from thin air, ensnarling him in the web like material. The eerie shape began to become visible, and Zane made out a black shape forming slowly. A horn poked out from its deformed head, and a formless body appeared, flapping in the wind.

“ I am the one that plagues your past, so run fast. I will dispose you with quickness and briskness, so prepare thee!” The voice roared. Several lightning bolts spiraled towards the trapped Zane, who took the blow angrily, struggling to free himself from the web of ribbons that the creature had woven.

“ Your poems are worse then your riddles.” Zane said grimly. The creature whirled to face him in a flash of bright light, and Zane finally faced his foe, eye to eye.

“ Specter.” He growled. The Shuppet grinned psychotically.

“ You will pay for killing Starlight and Xan. You will DIE for your actions.” Specter snarled.

“ Specter, I—” The Eevee started, but Specter cut in.

“ NO MORE BLOODY GOD DAMN EXCUSES. YOU KILLED THEM, ADMIT IT!” Specter yelled, spit flying from his oddly shaped mouth.

“ I never killed Xan.” Zane retaliated.

“ Yes you did. Xan went with me because you chose to go with Starlight. And you led them both to their doom. Xan sacrificed himself for me, as did Star.” Specter replied stiffly.

“ I was suspicious.” Zane shot back. “ How can you live knowing you are aligned with an association of bloody killers?”

“ I was born to be one.” The ghost said passionately. “ We are the right ones. The Dragon Tamers are WRONG.”

“ Ass.” Zane said shortly. “ Star might still be alive—nobody found her body. There was only blood.”

“ So what?! So you just say, ‘She might be alive’, and run off, gallivanting all over Ulthuan? YOU AREN’T A TRUE FRIEND. YOU KILLED US ALL! ALL OF US!” A swarm of embers peppered Zane, making him flinch.

“ Listen, Specter. The Black Wraiths is not the right choice. Come with me and my friends…”

“ No! No! NO!” The ghost shrieked an inhuman shriek, one that made Zane flinch again, as the indigo ribbons began to tighten, increasing the pain Specter had inflicted. He felt his bones were going to explode. And Specter knew. He eyed Zane angrily, but then, the ribbons suddenly began to loosen, and then he was free.

“ Why?” Zane questioned softly.

“ Because. I want to enjoy the pleasure to killing you in a duel.” Specter shot back. “ The twins wouldn’t be happy if I just killed you on the spot.”

“ You are obsessed.” Zane said shortly. “With the past.”

“ Am NOT!” Specter shouted back, almost childishly. Zane smirked. He had just uncovered his foe’s Achilles Heel.

~2~

3rd Person POV

“ You are.” Zane replied again. “ Admit it.” He then flashed a grin. It only enraged Specter even further.

“ No! AM NOT!” Specter shouted. He sent two pillars of fire skyrocketing from beneath Zane, but the Eevee quickly dodged.

“ So, Specter.” Zane said smoothly, leaping away from a pillar. “ How’d you come up with those crappy poems? Most and toast? Some rhyme eh? And was that stuff about evolution just random?”

“ Shut…UP!” Specter snarled. He glided forward, and a violet ball of energy twirled in front of him.

“ That won’t do any good ol’ buddy. I’m afraid-” Zane was cut off as an explosion issued, enveloping him in the purple field of growing energy.

“ Won’t do any good!” Zane said with forced cheerfulness as soon as the blast faded away. A renewed assault of fireballs hurtled through the air, peppering the ground with flickering flames. Nimbly, Zane twisted to dodge the blows, escaping with only minor burns on his fur.
“ Never call me a buddy. Ever again.” Specter shouted loudly. “ And I’ll show you what I MEAN by evolution…” As if it was magic, the Shuppet produced a bottle from thin air, filled with a vermilion liquid that fizzed and bubbled.

“ What is it?” Zane said furtively, body ready to spring.

“ Genetic Accelerator Gene.” The ghost replied crisply. The cork on the vial hovered into the air, and the vial hovered in front of Specter. And that was when Zane remembered something.

{Flashback}


“ You know, Zane, if you ever want to become an Umbreon or an Espeon…” Zane’s easygoing trainer, known simply has Djinn, or Hunter, lay outstretched in the living room with an encyclopedia stretched out on his lap, Zane hovering close by.

“ One of the easiest ways is by using an item known as the Genetic Accelerator Gene. It’s this item that only works on certain pokemon. And if you’re not that pokemon, well…” Hunter trailed off with a chuckle. “ You won’t be so happy.”

“ So watch out, alright? Lots of stuff is only for certain people, and you might just screw yourself up in the process.”

{END FLASHBACK}

The phantom used his powers to slowly raise the vial to his lips, emerald eyes sparkling with malignance.

“ You won’t be able to stop me once I drink this. I’ll be too powerful for your puny attacks.” Specter sneered. And a drop of the sizzling liquid slid down his throat. Zane solemnly looked on.

“ Do it. I don’t care. But it won’t aid you in any way.” Specter suddenly lowered the vial with his powers.

“ What? You’re lying. Lord Ganglis told me…”

“ My dear brother was trying to poison you, idiot.” Zane snapped back. Closing his eyes, he formed violet energy in his paws, taking the shape of a sword like object, and let it shoot through the air, piercing the glass bottle that Specter held, letting its contents spill on the forest ground. As the concoction plummeted to the forest earth, it began to create a sizzling sound, melting any objects it came in contact with.

“ I told you. My brother isn’t a nice guy. He plays dirty.”

“ But…He…I…” Specter was lost for words for a second. Then he suddenly shouted back a reply confidently.

“ I was tested. I get it.” Specter cackled hysterically. He glided higher into the air, doing loops around the trees and sending jets of fire in random directions. His laughter continued to go on until he reached the treetops, where he suddenly let out a piercing shriek. Zane winced, giving the Shuppet time to rocket down to the now flaming battlefield with amazing quickness. Around him and Zane were flames that continued to eat away at the forest that surrounded them, sending trees crashing to their death, annihilating any form of resistance they met. The sizzling solution lay in a messy puddle at the far edge of the field, still bubbling quietly. Specter began to laugh.

“ Well? Bring it on, puny one. It’s time for revenge.”


Zane (Level 5 Male Eevee) Vs. Specter (Level 5 Male Shuppet)

“ What are you DOING?” Zane snapped angrily, dodging random blasts of electricity or fire with grace. His opponent only continued to laugh, twirling in endless loops, while spouting flames everywhere, much to Zane’s annoyance and displeasure. But he suddenly realized the problem. The liquid the Shuppet had tasted was obviously one of Ganglis’ new ‘experiments’, as he called them, strange substances that would enhance certain skills. But Ganglis’ problem was that though his inventions were grand, there was a downside. That being that most of his potions had bizarre and queer side effects, from one sprouting purple lumps all over the body to insanity. Specter’s case was one that Zane could easily detect. Insanity.

“ Listen, idiot.” Zane said crisply. “ You’re going to kill all of us with you and your psycho idiocy. And unless I don’t do anything about it, I’m gonna die too.” The Eevee dropped to a crouch, tasting blood in his mouth from previous blows. Violet energy formed in his scratched paws, forming the shape of a needle. He let it fly. The needle pinned Specter to a neighboring tree, but in his temporary insanity he continued to spew random flames. Zane’s mind was focused on the needle, struggling to keep it together, eyebrows slanted in a sharp V.

Need a way. Zane thought. Can’t beat Specter in these odds. Or could I…? His eyes darted from the greasy flames to the sizzling concoction that lay strewn on the ground.

“ There is a way.” Ignoring the pain that burdened his light body, he stepped forward slowly.

“ Let go. Let go…” Specter squirmed uncomfortably in his psychic prison, hindered by the single needle that pinned him to the tree.

“ Stupid Eevee.” Specter cursed at the slowly moving Eevee, whose eyes were shut tight, crimson blood running down his scruffy mane.

“ I’ll get free, rabbit. I will.” The ghost vowed. “ For revenge on Starlight.” Those few words threw Zane off. The needle suddenly disintegrated, letting Specter glide freely once more. Zane leapt into the air with a mad hiss, his claws shining in the pale moonlight, brimming with indigo energy that crackled within his claws.

“ You won’t hit me that way.” Specter shouted triumphantly. He was wrong. As they collided, Zane sliced Specter’s cheek open, letting blood spray through the air. Swiping forward with his left claw, there was another spurt of blood, and Specter shot back, struggling to maintain flight with his wounds.

“ …How.” The Shuppet croaked feebly.

“ Simple.” Zane said as he landed with a soft thump. A cloud of dirt rose from his landing. “ I manipulated my psychic energy, letting it flow freely into my claws, creating somewhat of a Psychic Slash, letting me pass through your ghostly barrier that repelled solid objects.”

“ Think you’re tough, huh?” Specter said heavily, still struggling to maintain flight.

“ Yea. I do.” Zane grinned, as the ghost’s pale body collided with the earth, trapped in a ring of fire.

“ …No. I fell…for my own…trap…Lord…Ganglis…” The Shuppet stuttered.

“ Your potion is wearing off, isn’t it? Better finish this up quick.” Lilac beams lanced through the sky, striking Specter in the chest. He toppled backwards, falling into the flames, and shrieked.

“ The pain…” He muttered. Zane frowned at the pulsing shape. His frown was then replaced with an angry snarl.

“ You deserve it. You really do.”

“ Star…” Shuppet spat blood, struggling to regain flight.

“ What are you babbling about?” Zane snapped. He shifted to face the woods behind him. A ghostly shape rested there.

“ What in the name of…”

“ The Black Wraiths are coming Zane…Hurry…” The voice pleaded. “ Go!” The figure faded away, replaced by a colorful egg, resting contentedly in the clearing.

“ An egg…” Zane mused, entire focus lost. He slowly began to walk towards it.


“ Never…show your back…to the enemy!!” A shadow slammed Zane into the air, drawing blood as flaming fireballs raked his already scarred body.

“ You should be…DEAD!” Zane leapt in the air and launched a purple energy sword at the shadow, piercing it in the chest, pinning Specter to the tree trunk nearby.

“ Heh…You’ll suffer…” Zane whirled around.

“ No way!” Three snarling Rattata were behind him, hissing loudly.

“ Leave it to Specter to fail.” The scruffy rodents snickered.

“ We’ll finish this.” Electricity, fire, and water gathered in the rats’ palms, they prepared to finish the already wounded Zane. Specter ignored the cracked, dry blood on his lips, struggling to free himself.

“ Pitiful wimps…” There was an explosion, as three shapes attacked the Rattata.

“ Mist, Hazon, go!” Someone roared, and sand began to swirl around the already quickly forming dust. A Sandshrew leapt into the air, diving with a smirk and dealing bloody cuts among Zane’s assailants. A Squirtle spun into the sand within his shell, azure beams flashing from it. And last, a Larvitar raced into the sandstorm, teeth flashing as he bit down strongly. The Larvitar glowed, and the sandstorm subsided.

“ What…in the?” Specter moaned. The Larvitar emerged, glancing at Zane. He handed him a vial.

“ For your mixed up friends.” He said calmly. He glanced at the three, now injured Rattata.

“ We saw them heading here…Since we all oppose the Black Wraiths, we followed them. Zane’s face lit up.

“ Are you…Durandal?” The Larvitar was surprised.

“ Why…yes. I am.”

“ Former soldier of the Black Wraiths, am I right?” Durandal nodded again. Zane smiled.

“ I am with a trainer and several companions. Would you like to…come with us, as an aid?” The Larvitar was silent.

“ I’m up for it.” The Sandshrew called Hazonglian said calmly.

“ Same here.” The Squirtle, Mist, nodded as well. Durandal shook his head.

“ No thanks. I’m alone.” The Larvitar said, almost bitterly. Zane looked after him.

“ Alright. Thank you for the medicine anyway…” Zane glanced at Specter again, who had finally collapsed.

“ So where are your mates?” Hazonglian was cheerful.

“ Follow me.” Zane ignored the throbbing pain he felt, limping towards a path in the forest that was torn apart. Small flames still surrounded the scarred battlefield, as Zane continued on, colored egg in his paws, medicine in his mouth.

[B] Zane grew to level 6!

__________________

AntiAsh Superstar

Heh, I'll get these last two unless anyone else has already printed them out, in which case feel free to leap in before me. ^_^ Anyways, final Pandora RBG here.

"It's a shame we had to meet again like this, Pandora. Really it is." The past few hours had seemed like a blur to Pandora. One moment she was watching in dumb silence as a Team Rocket member shot one of her newest friends right in front of her eyes. The next she was gazing into the almost forlorn eyes of Adreena, the graceful Vaporeon she had once counted as one of her closest friends. Oh, how cruel time had been to have left their reunion until such a dark moment! As it was there was very little hope of making the best of a bad situation, for the situation was too cruel to even hope to make any good come from. Even nestled as the group now was in a far-flung section of the parkland Adreena and her little family called their home there was no escape from the irrefutable truth; that the hyperactive, sometimes irrational Kakusei, the Plusle who had been so helpful in Pandora's escape from the pokémon mental institution, was gone for good. Pandora found the tears welling up in her eyes just thinking about it. "Poor thing..." Adreena commented, brushing away the salty moisture with the tip of her tail. "Haven't you suffered enough?"
"Y... you'd think so, wouldn't you?" Pandora finally managed to splutter before the shock finally caught up with her, before the adrenaline racing around her system finally wore off and gave way to cold, harsh truth. Abruptly she all but threw herself into the Vaporeon's side, finally allowing herself to give way to the tears that had been bottling up inside her for the past few days. "Adreena, I'm so, so glad to see you..." the Houndour choked, finding it hard to speak though her grief. Adreena said nothing. She had grown stronger over the years, and whilst inwardly it was tearing her apart to see a dear friend reduced to such a state she knew better than to let that show. Her own burdens could be offloaded upon Tamotsu at a later time. At least he was strong enough for all of them. "I... I just don't know what to do any more..."
"Hush now, hush..." Adreena cooed, surprised at how easy it was to slip back into her old habits of mothering Pandora. If anything it was even easier now. She had been raising a cub of her own for the past few months, and her maternal instinct was still at its peak. "It's been a trying time, hasn't it? We've all felt it. All the chaos Team Rocket and those strange Crimson Blades people have been causing... we've been at our wit's end trying to keep this place safe for poor little Kay. And then to top it all off I heard from Kirei what they ended up doing to you! I'm just glad to see you're okay, Pandora. I couldn't stand to see any more of my friends get hurt."
"It's not your friends who need your concern," Pandora finally said after a moment spent sniffling in an attempt to stem the flow of tears. Eventually she seemed to be at least partly successful, for she finally spoke in a tone more coherent than any she had used for some time. "Look at her, Adreena." The Houndour nodded over to where Fushouka was sat with a dull expression upon her face, Tamotsu trying to talk to her but none of his words really registering. The Tyranitar's attention was still very much fixated upon the lifeless body of her good friend Kakusei. "I... I guess I'm alright, you know? At least I'm sure those I care about are still safe and everything. Hell, they could set off a nuclear bomb and Milliardo and Marius would still somehow manage to survive it. But Fushouka? She doesn't have anyone outside of here... what..."
"Say no more." Adreena cut Pandora off within seconds. "Let me deal with this." The Vaporeon got up and approached the forlorn Fushouka with great care, looking over at Tamotsu as she did so. "Tamotsu, let me speak with her."
"Blossom, I..."
"No." Adreena shook her head." Please, darling, just tend to Pandora and Kay for now, just this once. Trust my judgement."
"I never doubted you for one moment, my dear little rose. If you feel you can get through to her better that I, then I bow to your superior judgment." Coming from other Umbreons, Milliardo for instance, the words would have come out as mocking. But Tamotsu's voice carried no trace of sarcasm or irony at all. He simply made his bow and left to tend to his guest and his son. Leaving Adreena to deal with Fushouka.
"I... I don't know what to say," the Vaporeon began, unsure as to where to begin. Oh, if only she were half the creature Pearl was! The Ninetales that shared a house with her younger sister would have been able to deal with this in a flash! "I'm sorry for your loss, truly I am."
"What loss?" Fushouka sighed. "I don't know why you think he's a mukuro... he's not, he's just sleeping..." The Tyranitar gently picked up her fallen comrade and began rocking backwards and forwards with his limp body in her arms. "The moumou just exhausts himself. You know, it's been two weeks since he last slept... the silly little baka..." Tears began to well up within the Tyranitar's eyes. "I can't fool myself!" she suddenly wailed. "He's gone! Gone! What do I do now?"
"I..." Adreena swallowed hard. Did she have it within herself to confess the one piece of information that only those closest to her knew? "I know how you must feel, to lose the one who trusted above all others. I know that pain, that sense of hopelessness. And I also know that it's possible to move on. Myself, I lost one close to me thanks to Team Rocket's heartlessness, too." Here Adreena was referring to her one-time owner, Jackie, in her time considered the Robin Hood of Team Rocket thanks to her ideals of only ever stealing from the wealthy or the unworthy. She had defected the instant the Rockets had started on their downhill slope. She had got out before the organisation had descended into madness because of their vendettas. And as a result of her defection she had been assassinated. It still cut Adreena up to this day. After all, she had been the one to discover her mistress' corpse. "But, you know, there is life beyond this. Just imagine what he would say if he knew you were acting in this way. It's thoughts like that that get me through the day sometimes. For I truly believe that they still know, you know. The ones who have been taken from us. They still can see what we're doing. And I refuse to allow myself to disgrace myself in front of my mistress, even now. So please. Live as he would have wanted to you. Otherwise his sacrifice will have been in vain." The two pokémon looked at each other for the longest of times. And then Fushouka finally spoke.
"I understand. I can't give him a proper maisou, however. He was too restless. I think he'd like to see more of the world. I'm sorry." Fushouka sighed deeply, her normally confused eyes displaying a twinge of sorrow. "I can't leave him."
"Just understand that you'll have to one day, that's all I ask you." Adreena looked worried. "I know it's probably not my place to tell you what to do. We've only just met, after all. But I know your pain all too well, and I also know that you have to move on. Don't feel you have to go through it all on your own, is what I'm trying to say."
"Arigatou." The Tyranitar smiled for what had been the first time since Adreena had met her. "I shall try to remember that. Okay?" It was hardly a conclusion to the whole affair, but at least it was a step in the right direction. And wasn't that the most important thing?

An entire night passed. None of the pokémon was really in any fit state to press on. Pandora and Fushouka were simply too drained. Adreena and Tamotsu weren't ready to move just yet. And although Kay had spent a good hour complaining bitterly that he was perfectly capable of lending a hand nobody seemed too willing to believe him. So it was that the following day, after a night's sleep that was more fitful for some than for others, the little group of friends assembled for the final leg of what had proved to be a rather disturbing journey. Pandora, still unable to shake the terrible nightmares that were the root of her recent bouts of short temper. Fushouka, still clinging sorrowfully to the body of her best friend, Kakusei. Kay, seemingly oblivious to the terrible tragedy surrounding him and more concerned with making comical attempts to befriend Pandora. Adreena, uncertain as to what to do when her friends were obviously in such distress. And, of course, Tamotsu. Ever the leader, ever the one with the plan. Pandora was beginning to think this was some kind of common trait amongst Umbreons. Every one she had known had been possessing a remarkable knack for leadership. Tamotsu's calm nature. Amon's sound tactical advice. Hell, even Milliardo had been born with a remarkable knack for being the sort of creature who could probably talk others into walking off a cliff for him if he so chose.
"So. Here is the plan of action, and please to step in if you think I'm talking nonsense." Tamotsu was the first to speak. "I propose we all make our way over to pay Ade a visit. Pandora is no doubt needed there. And as for the rest of us, a visit over there is long ago. Don't you think, my sweet little rose?" Here he turned to Adreena. Evidently time hadn't made him grow out of the habit of referring to his mate as every kind of flower that sprang to mind!
"I agree totally," the Vaporeon nodded. "Kay hasn't even had a chance to meet his auntie Kirei yet!" Here the Vaporeon chuckled slightly. "I recall she once said how she would love the chance to play the embarrassingly youthful and trendy aunt. Well, I suppose we ought to give her a chance to live up to those words. However... I do have to ask... Fushouka, what do you wish to do now? You're under no obligation to join us, not if you don't wish. You have no ties to where we're going, after all." She locked eyes with the Tyranitar for the longest of times, and eventually Fushouka offered a weak smile.
"I come with you," she shrugged. "What else is there for me? I lack kenshi. I drift until I know what to do with myself again."
"Well then, I guess that's settled!" Kay grinned broadly. "Okay, what are we waiting for? There's a damsel in distress who obviously needs our help here, and..." The Eevee was abruptly silenced by Pandora covering his mouth his her front paw.
"Whoa. Let's not get ahead of ourselves here, buster. What did I say about you being too young to impress me with your gallantry and me already having a partner?"
"You'll have to excuse my son, Pandora," Adreena chuckled. "He takes after his father. He knows no other way to act around a lady."
"Well if you're coming to visit Ade's house he'll learn some new tricks, won't he?" The Houndour looked clearly annoyed. "I mean, let's look at our landlord for a second, shall we? I mean, he thinks the right way to treat a lady is to help her for a short while and then reveal he was only doing it so he could watch her struggle back home on her own. I'd really give him a piece of my mind when I get back, except for the fact I'm no longer so certain I trust him enough to not kill me for speaking out of line." Suddenly Pandora exhaled deeply. Now was not the time to be venting her spleen on the subject of Tsuyoi. "Sorry, he's just really pissed me off lately."
"Understandable from the tales I've heard from your friends," Tamotsu commented, looking somewhat thoughtful. "It was probably a bad idea for your trainer to get into such a codependent relationship with a creature such as that. But anyway, I digress. We really ought to be making a move now, unless anyone has anything else they need to do whilst we're here." A cursory glance around the faces of his companions in the semi gloom of the early dawn told the Umbreon all he needed to know. "Good. Then let's be setting off."

The journey across Sector Alpha was an uneventful one for the most part. Few humans had lives so carefree that they could afford to pay much attention to the odd little group. And few pokémon, no matter how badly they wanted to battle, cared much to take on a group containing a Tyranitar. Not that Tamotsu's presence alone wasn't enough to halt any rogue attacks, of course. He possessed a natural air of authority that stopped most in their tracks. So the group plodded on, passing street after street, building after building, the endless stream of greens and greys never seeming to end.
"Do you actually know where we're going?" Pandora found herself asking on more than one occasion, but whenever she did so the answer was always the same; a sly wink from either Tamotsu or Adreena and a confident affirmation of their knowledge of the area. So she had just contented herself with trotting along at the rear, grumbling to herself in the meantime. For the closer she drew to her final destination the more irritable the Houndour found herself becoming. Until the party rounded a corner, and... "Wait!" she suddenly found herself crying out with more excitement than she had originally intended to show. "I know this place!"
"You do?" Fushouka nearly tripped over her friend, so sudden had Pandora's stop been. Regaining her balance quickly, the Tyranitar stared in the direction Pandora had aligned herself in. All she could see, however, was a small corner shop of the type that was sadly long missing from most major cities. Bubblegum vending machines sat outside inviting passing children towards their garish simplicity. A rack of newspapers were neatly arranged in a row just inside the partly open door, a door that proudly displayed a large yellow sign boldly proclaiming 'Welcome!' to passers-by. It was the kind of place that had a certain cute charm, but there didn't seem to be anything particularly striking about it. "It seems as much an ikyou[i/] as everywhere else I've seen today."
"No!" Pandora cried. "No, this is the local corner shop! I know this place well, it's where Ade runs off to when we're low on the occasional thing, or when we go out to buy a newspaper! We use this place all the time, it's..."
"It's what?"
"Wait... something's wrong." Pandora frowned. "It shouldn't be so... so..."
"What is it, [i]Pandora-chan?" Fushouka seemed concerned. "Is there something the matter?"
"I just think..." Pandora never had the chance to explain what she thought. For at that very moment there was a high pitched scream and the shop window seemed to explode, shattering into a million tiny shards as a black-clad, petite figure came hurtling through it, obviously worse for wear. It was as much as the assembled pokémon could to do scramble for cover before it finally landed face down on the floor with a loud cry of pain, lifting its head to reveal a young-looking girl with midnight-blue hair tied back in a tight bun, a fresh bruise over one eye and a trickle of blood coming from the corner of her mouth.
"D... damn..." the girl finally managed to utter, slowly picking herself up from the floor.
"So you see, Miss Williamson, there's really no point in struggling. All you're doing is making more of a mess than is necessary." Evidently Pandora and her friends had come in during some major struggle, for a second figure stepped calmly out of the door. A remarkably thin man with an angular face, deep-set eyes and floppy straw-coloured hair drooping messily over his eyes. He was decked out in a tight-fitting jumpsuit of such a dark red it was almost black itself. And he was carrying a rather nasty looking rifle that he was currently pointing at his battered opponent. "Of course, don't let me stop you from trying to fight back. I like it when they struggle."
"Go to hell!" the woman finally screamed, darting at her assailant with unrestrained fury. Not that it did her any good. He simply let go of his rifle, ducked forward, planted a fist deep into her chest, let him momentum carry him into a roll forward and grabbed his rifle again before it so much as hit the floor. The pokémon witnessing all of this were speechless. Not least Pandora. For she had seen both of these people before. One had been introduced as a Crimson Blades assassin in the events that had led to Pandora's near death a few weeks ago. The other, however...
"Gina, what are you trying to do here?" the Houndour mouthed silently.
"A friend of yours?" Tamotsu whispered in her ear.
"She used to help Ade with his training a while ago," Pandora explained, watching horrified as the man introduced as Dagger began to mercilessly kick his grounded opponent. "She's a mercenary trainer, although none of us have seen her around for a while. What I don't get is why she's here at all!" Pandora's question was swiftly answered, however, as the Blades assassin finally pointed his rifle at his victim.
"We can't have the likes of you snooping around in our business," Dagger smirked calmly. "Now be a good little girl and die." The finger slowly began to squeeze the trigger of the jet black gun. And then...

"Enough!!!!" The scene was far too much for Pandora to bear. She, maybe more than any other save her old mentor Rhiannon, had seen more deaths as a result of Armand DiAnnio's orders than was bearable. And besides, Gina was a friend of sorts, even if neither could really say they knew very much about the other. "You put that gun down right now!" Quickly Pandora stepped out from the shadows in which she and her friends had been hiding. And just as quickly she felt her stomach tighten up in knots. What was she thinking? How was she supposed to take on such an obviously dangerous man?
"Oh?" An indulgent smile crossed the thin lips of the assassin as he turned slightly to regard this newcomer. "And what happens if I don't?"
"Then you'll have me to deal with." Smartly Tamotsu drew alongside Pandora, regarding Dagger with the utmost contempt.
"Interesting." Armand DiAnnio's stooge contemplated this new turn of events for a moment, and not for the first time Pandora found herself rather disturbed by the fact that he had no problems in understanding pokémon language at all. But that was a less that pressing concern when compared to the fact that he was strong, he was fast, and he had a really big gun cocked at Gina's head. "Well, if the pokémon want to play then who am I to stop them? Legosi, Vittorio, entertain them while I take care of business here." Almost too fast for the eye to follow the wiry man tossed his rifle into the air, threw two pokéballs onto the floor and then caught his rifle again in mid-descent, resuming practically the same position he had already been in at the end of this little burst of activity. Pandora found herself feeling cold again. He moved so fast that you would have missed it all if you had blinked! And that wasn't the only reason she was feeling that all too familiar chill down her spine. The other problem lay within the pokéballs. Or, rather, outside them. Dagger had unleashed two particularly grim specimens of pokémon, a Beldum and an Ampharos.
"Great," Pandora complained. "It seems like I never stop battling lately."
"These are harsh times, Pandora," Tamotsu commented from by her side. "It's likely to be like this for everyone. Anyway, how do you feel about taking on that Beldum? I know you'd have the advantage, at least in type."
"Sounds good to me!" Pandora snarled, looking over at her opponent with a building fury. There was no way she was going to let these Crimson Blades walk all over her any longer! "Let's do this!"

FIGHT!!! L15 Houndour v L15 Beldum!

"You can't win." Before Pandora had so much as started to attack these words were the first sign of any action she got from her opponent. It was said in a cool, calm, tone that was almost as metallic as the weird pokémon's blue body. "I am Legosi. I shall be victorious."
"Say what?"
"You can't win," the pokémon repeated, darting forward at a quite remarkable speed as if to prove this statement. Pandora couldn't quite get out of the way fast enough, and the Beldum collided hard into her flank, reopening the large criss-crossed scar on her hind leg as it did so thanks to its chunky, angular body. A wave of pain shot through Pandora's body as she finally ground to a halt from her attempts at evading the attack, her paws skidding across tarmac. All of a sudden she appreciated how the Steel type had gained its name. "I shall be victorious."
"Good grief, find yourself a new line would you?" Pandora had been rather on edge to begin with. The whole escapade with Tsuyoi had set her up to be in a bad mood for the considerable future. So to have this annoying creature constantly attacking her was more than the Houndour could take. Quickly she took a deep intake of breath. There was a very easy way to end this battle before it even started. Pandora knew that. So did her opponent, presumably. So why was it just floating there expectantly, as if it actually wanted to be hit? A more cautious or sensible pokémon would have taken the hint. But Pandora was riled, and she didn't spot the fact that she was playing right into her opponent's hands. Instead she just mistook it for arrogance. "Take this!" A large ball of flame was suddenly spat out from the Houndour's mouth, hurtling towards her opponent was remarkable speed and colliding with the Beldum head on. Only things didn't go as expected from there. The attack had struck home, certainly. But the Beldum just seemed to take it, its metallic body glowing red for a second thanks to the excess heat. Then the red gave way to a cold blue glow. And a sudden torrent of water erupted from its central eye, slamming into Pandora at speed and pinning her against a nearby wall with its icy terror. Pandora let out a shrill cry of pain, the sudden unexpected assault dealing out considerable damage to both her physical body and her confidence. What had gone on there?
"I told you. You can't win." Almost as soon as the water attack had eased up the Beldum shot forward once again, smashing hard into Pandora's front and knocking her to the floor, bloodied and gasping for breath. "My trainer knows my limitations as well as I do. I can do very little beyond barge into my opponents. So he had me fitted with a Double Shield to take advantage of those stupid enough to attempt any moves one would call 'super effective'." So that was it! Pandora knew about Double Shields, of course. They were designed to absorb the elemental energy of certain attacks and reflect it back in a wave of another form of elemental energy. Evidently her opponent's converted Fire attacks to Water. Although that still didn't explain how Dagger had got hold of one in the first place. Weren't they supposed to only be available through the Dragon's Guild? "I shall be victorious."
"Like hell you will!" Pandora coughed, stumbling weakly to an upright position. She hurt all over. And realistically she knew full well that she only really had one or two good attacks left in her before sheer exhaustion overcame her. That was why she had to make every attack count from here on in. "I won't let you!"
"Fine words. However, you can't win, know that." Suddenly the Beldum shot forward once again. Pandora braced herself. She only really had one obvious advantage here, and that was that as long as she stayed out of range she was safe. Yet the Beldum was so fast! What she needed to do was...

...disappear...

Without so much as a word of warning Pandora seemed to just sink into the ground mere seconds before her opponent collided with her, leaving the Beldum to sail straight through the air where she had been just moments ago. The Steel type turned irritably to look back at where the Houndour had been just moments ago.
"Nine try, using Dig, but you'll have to come up sooner or la..." The Beldum stopped short. There was no hole in the ground. Therefore that couldn't have been Dig. Then what..?
"Surprise!" All of a sudden the shadow beneath the Beldum seemed to erupt upwards, hitting it was wave after wave a jet-black energy, energy that eventually converged around a single point. Energy that finally solidified to reveal Pandora once again. A Pandora that was looking far from well, maybe, but Pandora nonetheless. "I'm so glad Milliardo took the time to explain that trick to me. He's right, it's really useful."
"Why you..." For the first time a trace of emotion crossed the Beldum's voice. "Damn you! You can't win!"
"I beg to differ," came the cool response. "Time we ended this." Watching as her opponent braced itself for yet another Take Down, Pandora concentrated all of her energy into raising the temperature around her, until it was as hot and as uncomfortable as the desert at noon. There was only one way to finish this. And that was to strike so hard that no amount of Double Shields were going to save her opponent.
"I am Legosi! I shall be victorious!" the Beldum screamed, shooting forwards at a quite impressive rate in a last ditch attempt to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Sadly this simply wasn't to be. Already Pandora was preparing her Ember. Already that flaming sphere of energy was well on its way to being hurled. So when the flame finally arrived, when Pandora finally spat out her final attack, there was precious little that her opponent could do to stop it. The fire struck hard, its intensity boosted by the Sunny Day Pandora had used previously. And this was enough to send the Beldum crashing to the ground, its single eye blinking once, then twice, then finally closing for good.
"In your dreams," Pandora spat, doing a remarkable job of stifling the urge to kick the Beldum for good measure. For that would have been a worthless gesture. After all, the battle was hers. There was no need for anything more.

Pandora wins!
Pandora grew to L16!

Panting hard, Pandora whirled round to check on how her friends were faring. Rather wisely Fushouka and Adreena were staying totally out of the whole encounter, although both seemed to have their paws full in keeping the young and irritatingly enthusiastic Kay away from danger. Then there was Tamotsu, who was just in the process of finishing off his opponent, dodging a rather panicked Thunder attack and ramming hard into the Ampharos, knocking it to the floor for what was obviously the final time. And that finally left Gina.
"Let this be a lesson to you, Miss Williamson. Don't you dare meddle in the affairs of the Crimson Blades. We possess power beyond your understanding." By now Gina had backed herself into a corner and the Blades assassin had the barrel of his rifle pointing directly at her sweating forehead. Neither his tone nor the expression on his face spoke of a man who was truly sane. "The only reason this petty little war with Team Rocket is still going on is that we've not even really been trying yet."
"You sound very sure of yourself!" Gina snarled through gritted teeth, trying very hard to sound calm even though she was inwardly petrified.
"Trust me. I have reason to be," the tall man chuckled. "Now die. You're a nuisance, Miss Williamson." His gloved finger slowly started to squeeze the trigger. And...
"NO!" Pandora sprang forward. She couldn't take it any more! How many had to die in her presence? How many more would end up suffering because of the actions of a select few? It wasn't fair, any of it! "You leave her alone, right now, you..." The Houndour never got a chance to finish whatever insult she had been intending on throwing at Dagger. For at that moment she simply froze in midair, held up high with an unnatural power. At that moment the strange man span round and brushed the tip of his gun past her snout.
"Let's not get any foolish ideas of playing the hero, little one," he said calmly in a near whisper, "Whatever sins you have to atone for, absolution won't come from you getting yourself prematurely killed." Without a further word he then smacked Pandora hard in the side with his weapon, sending her skidding painfully along the floor, her entire body hurting more than it had ever done before.
"Pandora!" Tamotsu cried, running over to the side of his friend. "Why you..."
"Don't, Tamotsu," Pandora coughed weakly. If she had her doubts before they were completely erased now. Whatever kind of being Dagger was, 'human' couldn't be said to define it in any sense. No living person she knew of was that fast, that strong. "He's too much for us to handle alone." All of a sudden she found herself regretting being angry with Tsuyoi. For all his failings in giving in to his sadistic nature he was still as dependable as they came when the crisis was actually in your face.
"You know, I think I'll leave you all to worry. I know how Mr. DiAnnio thinks, after all. He'd want at least a few witnesses alive to spread the word. It's all about making our mark on this planet, after all." The Blade smirked suddenly. "I was meant to be taking care of the agents who have so far failed us, anyway. Not some pesky mercenary who thought I wouldn't notice her following me for the past half hour." Here he shouldered his gun finally. "Take care you don't meddle in our affairs again, Miss Williamson. A supervisor of petty event displays shouldn't get ideas above her station if she wants to stay alive for more than ten seconds." With this Dagger suddenly made a jump upwards, a jump than no mortal man should have been able to make. A jump that made him vanish completely from everyone's field of vision. Gun, floppy hair and all.
"Gina!" Pandora rushed over to the rather battered mercenary trainer, who right now looked in a worse state than the Houndour. "What happened?"
"I... I'm okay. Really." The woman smiled slightly in spite of her injuries. "What are you doing here, Pandora? I know it's you. A lot of pokémon are hard to distinguish from each other if they're not yours. But you're not one of them. I know it's you because you're the only Houndour I know whose eyes look so gentle." Gina smiled, petting Pandora for a moment. "So where's Ade? Oh. Wait." Here Gina looked rather sheepish – or at least as sheepish as one could with a black eye,a split lip and countless other injuries – and pulled out a pokéball. "Wait until I've got a translator. I guess now's not really the time for half-hearted attempts to translate on my own, huh? Harmony, mind being my interpreter for a while?" Slowly she opened the pokéball to reveal a rather worried-looking Venusaur.
"Are you okay, Miss Gina?" Pandora heard the Venusaur say.
"I'm fine. Really, it takes more than that to stop me!" The woman petted her pokémon affectionately. "Now, Harmony, do you mind acting as a go-between here?"
"It's what I do best, Miss Gina," the Venusaur smiled.

In the next half hour Pandora told Gina everything through Harmony's remarkable skills as a translator. How her team had encountered the ruthless Crimson Blades. How she had nearly been killed by a crazed Rattata test subject. How she had been hospitalised, and how those at the hospital had quickly picked up on her instability. Her time in the mental ward of the pokécentre, and the friends she had made there. And finally her escape thanks to Tsuyoi. This she felt she could speak freely of. After all, Gina had been turned to stone at one point thanks to the selfish, almost demonic creature. Right now Pandora felt their opinions of him were pretty much the same. And so finally she arrived at the present time, even if the involvement of Tamotsu and his little family had been glossed over in the meantime. How she knew them was a totally different story.
"Shocking..." Gina finally murmured. "This is worse than I even imagined..."
"So what about you? Why were you tangling with that horror of a man?" Pandora asked, a question that was swiftly translated for Gina's ears.
"I... well, everyone knows about the Crimson Blades by now. I saw this guy. I saw him kill someone. I saw him battling a Rocket. He wiped the floor with him. And then he pretty much tore the guy's head off with his bare hands. How was I supposed to let that one go, huh? I followed him. I thought he might lead me to some vital piece of evidence. Turns out he was just leading me into a trap, though." Gina sighed deeply, before turning to the assembled pokémon. "Thanks for helping me out, though. Especially those of you who haven't a clue who I am. It takes a lot to stick your neck out when nobody close to you is one the line, huh?"
"If we all just waited until events affected those close to us, Miss Gina, the world would be consumed in darkness already," Tamotsu commented, bowing deeply. "I'm just glad we could be of some help."
"You mean you're glad you could be of some help, you big, brave Umbreon, you," Adreena smiled, cuddling up to her mate. "I couldn't be much use at all."
"I beg to differ, my blossom," Tamotsu smiled at the Vaporeon. "Without you to fight for what meaning has my life at all?"
"Mum! Dad! Really!" Kay complained. "You're making me wanna hurl here. Although..." Here the little Eevee caught sight of Pandora. "Sorry they wouldn't let me show you how strong I am." Here he bowed apologetically.
"What a funny little okosan," Fushouka commented. "Although, Gina-san, I did nothing. My apologies."
"What's there to be sorry for?" Gina asked, seemingly unaware that her Venusaur hadn't even had the chance to translate yet. "You stayed, and that's more than most would have done. I think you're braver than you give yourself credit for."
"I'm not brave," Fushouka sighed, holding the body of Kakusei tightly like a doll. "I am yowamisu."
"I'm not normally one to judge instantly like this, but I know this much. You're anything but that." All of a sudden Gina picked herself up from her position on the ground and strode over to the Tyranitar, reaching out to put a supportive hand on Fushouka's shoulder. "You've come this far. And sure, sounds like you've stumbled a few times along the way, but you've come further than most would. Doesn't that count for anything?"
"Well..." Fushouka considered this for a second or two. "It's all wrong. I have no igi."
"For now, maybe," Gina admitted. "It won't always be like that." The two gazed into each other's eyes for the longest of times. "If you lack direction, let me help with that. It's the least I can do."
"But..." Fushouka looked pained.
"No buts. I insist. You look like you need a good, hot meal, a decent bath and a roof over your head. Beats randomly wandering, doesn't it?" Gina grinned.
"Well if it helps swing your decision, she'll stalk you for the remainder of your days if you don't accept," the Venusaur called Harmony commented. "Really, Miss Gina takes 'stubborn' to ridiculous levels. Just please give in and save us all a lot of bother."
"Well..." A slight smile crossed the face of the Tyranitar. "Okay. Arigatou, Gina-sama. Although..."
"Although what?"
"Can he come too?" Here Fushouka thrust forward the lifeless body of her friend, Kakusei, that she had been carrying round for the past day or so. "He'd like it, I'm sure."
"Uhh... yeah! Of course he can!" Gina smiled brightly. "Remind me to take that Plusle to a taxidermist the first chance I get. It'll save us all a lot of mess later, trust me," she whispered to Harmony as an aside. "So anyway, now we have that settled, where are the rest of you headed?"
"To a mystical land where the clouds are made of cotton candy and the seas are lemonade. Where did you think, you big ditz?" Pandora snapped, much to the general hilarity of every pokémon present. "Ade's house. He is my trainer, you know." This part, at least, Harmony saw fit to translate. "And I miss everyone. I want to see them all again."
"Fair enough." Gina smiled. "I think I ought to report on what I've found out anyway, and seeing as I know Ade better than any other Dragon Tamer I guess he's the guy to approach."
"Whatever," Pandora sighed. The subtle undercurrent of 'I know something you don't' wasn't lost on her, but she was simply too tired to be curious. "Just take us home, okay?"
"As you wish!" Gina grinned, her spirits now lifted by the presence of benign faces. "Come on. Back to where you belong, I think."

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