(ACE) The MOUNTAIN Team

"Is that whar we'are? Shoot, I had no idea. Naw, I know next to nuthin' 'bout this neck of the werld. I'm frem Orre m'self, but I'n also spent sum time in Hoenn. Don't... really know how I got 'ere 'n the first place." Aqua's trot slowed as the sandslash admitted he had no clearer idea of where exactly they were. He doesn't know how he got here either...? Her eyes clouded as a memory came back to her...the sudden flash, a teleport attack? She's never heard of such a thing, but new things -are- discovered all the time..."...Maybe that one's still got sumthin?" His sudden question snaps her out of her daze. Confused, the floatzel looks every which way until her eyes find to what he is referring.
"What now--oh...I guess it's worth checking out though it looks like it's seen better days."

Walking closer to examine, the water-type reaches out to touch several small branches only to find them brittle and have them snap underpaw. Surprised, the sea weasel leaps a pace back and curses under her breath. Realizing she is not alone she promptly clears her throat and tips her hat as a swift, nervous apology.
"But, ah, as I was finding my way to before, you don't know how you got here neither? I was figuring we were in Kanto before of Mr.Khan's story. They said...that...happened all in Pallet Town. How could they have traveled far from that in their condition?" Looking back to the bush Aqua gives it another go. More carefully this time she approaches, reaching her paw into its branches to move them aside. Frowning, she shakes her head slowly as her initial search produces nothing put rotted fruit.
"Aw nuts."

(im so sorry, Im getting a migraine. please skip me. sil, we shoudl talk about what we want ghost and dis to do next)

Zakai grew nervous as the kitten he lay beside grew frightened and curled into her companion, his murmuring the only thing keeping her relatively calm. Tension unnerved the small child who was sensitive to the moods of those in charge of him, which since mother's disappearance meant these two were. At least in his mind it made sense. Adults were in charge, Momma outranked all adults, but since Momma wasn't here that meant these adults were in charge. Right? Looking up at the blue canine Zakai gave a soft whinny and shifted his legs to lean his body closer to the grown ups. "Momma come back?" he forced out, the question hard to form since he didn't understand most of what adults said anyway. He hoped it would make sense to them at least.

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'Where am I?' Armonia wondered to herself, looking around at the smoldering trees. The forest fire had eventually reached living, damp wood and started to burn itself off, the scorched area around her testifying with its green tops that it had survived the inferno as it passed through. She wasn't sure how far from the resting spot she had traveled but thanks to the fire any landmark she had spotted on the way there was long gone or deformed. It would be difficult finding her way back to Shadowfax and Zakai. Zakai....he was all alone with a group of strangers and it had been two days since they had eaten. Her baby was probably hungry and wondering where his momma went!

She had to find her way back, so following the tracks behind her she made her way to a small grove of trees that hadn't been touched by the flames when suddenly the tracks stopped. There was no more ash or broken branches to lead her back, she would have to find the resting spot a different way now. Searching carefully Armonia tried to spot something familiar but she didn't even recognize the area she was stopped in even though her own tracks led her there. She had been in such an emotional state at the time she stampeded through there was no way she could pick out any specific landmark. If there even was one. It would take more luck than skill to find her way back to her children at this point.

After several minutes she was still no closer to finding her way back and the Rapidash was beginning to panic. How could she have been so stupid? Rushing off in a tantrum and leaving her young foal alone with strangers? What kind of a mother did that? Surely only the kind of mother Shadowfax already believed her to be. The kind that she swore she wasn't even though the evidence was staring her in the face. She had failed not only him but Zakai as well. An infant in a world of fear and death never meant for one so young, whose only comfort was what his mother could provide, and she had all but abandoned him. She could deny that word all she wanted but it was essentially what had happened. She left him. She left. And even if she came back what comfort would that bring if he was dead?

Shadowfax was right.

Armonia fought against the tears that began stinging her eyes, shaking her head violently as if to throw away the terrible thoughts plaguing her. Regardless of whether or not she was a bad mother she had to get back to her baby, he needed her, so get back she would. It took time but eventually she stumbled across what sounded like hushed voices in the brush. Hopeful it was one of the others or even someone who knew the area the musical mare made her way cautiously towards the voices until one of the whispers made her stop and duck. "Then kill her." It sounded like one of those demonic Eevees! Crouching low and moving in closer to hear better she caught just the end of the conversation but needless to say it made her blood run cold. "-- just a quick bite to the throat will kill her. You've hunted, surely. Just wait until she's alone, without her guardians. Then kill her. She'd be a good meal."

Her. They had to be talking about her. Those two were devils in disguise and the grey one had already markedly showed his displeasure at having her around and the glee he would feel at her death. Nerves fraying the mare didn't dare listen to another word before moving away from the plotting duo and heading through the trees to get around them. She knew that Ghost had stormed off from the camp so they had to be between her and the others. If she could get around them without them noticing her then maybe she wouldn't have to worry about them executing their devious little plot.

The cat moved to stand on her own paws as she watched Aqua and Jack wonder off in search of more food. An odd feeling tugged at her heart as they felt. There was something odd about them just.. leaving. As though it wasn't the proper time and going now would cause bad things to occur. However, Arsi did not follow. Watching until the Foatzel's twin tails were out of sight her brown paws remained rooted to the spot. Gone. The Meowth blinked, muscles tense and breathing labored. Pressing her forepaws against her chest they grabbed at eachothers wrists. Will there be trouble? Blue eyes going wide her heart skipped a beat. Why was she waiting here? They could need help. The presidential fear build even more, one ear flicking and the brown tip of her tail twitching slightly. Taking one step forward the cat froze as a voice came to her ears. "Momma come back?"

Arsi did not move as her mind completely shut out its previous thoughts to make room for the new ones. Her claws slowly sheathed and unsheathed themselves a few times as her thought pattern changed. She had to pay attention to now.. Khan was here and he needed her. Blinking her blues eyes at the Lucario Arsi resolved to focus on the present Pokemon. She couldn't concern herself with her missing group members now.. it'd be too much. With a deep breath she relaxed her body and turned to face the colt with a gentle smile. "Soon, sweetie." When had the Rapidash left? Had she even noticed when she did? The Meowth couldn't remember. Something else comes to mind that she can not remember, or never learned. It is unclear. "What is your name dear?"

Although Khan's eyes were closed, he was listening carefully to what was going on around him. The Sandslash, Jack, was telling Aqua how he was originally from Orre but had no idea how he had made it here. He opened his eyes and sat up straighter against the rock, watching the two wander off and start looking for berries on a bush a few metres away.

Khan suddenly frowned; come to think of it, he didn't know where he was either. His hopes rested on being back in Johto, but he had no way to be sure - what if all of these Pokemon had gotten caught up in the Teleport attack? For that to happen, he realised, it would've had to have been one heck of a powerful Pokemon to not only use the move itself but to give it the impact that it did. Maybe even a legendary...

"Momma come back?" The soft voice of the little Ponyta snapped Khan out of his musings, and he saw that the child was looking at him. The Lucario nodded, wishing that he could smile at the colt just to reassure him. Sometimes, a smile made all the difference. But Khan had not smiled in a long time, so once again he relied on his gentle eyes to make that connection.

"Soon, sweetie," Arsi beat him to it. Khan briefly cast his gaze down to the feline, proud and a little surprised that she had stepped up. Something was keeping her going, at least. Khan nodded again, looking back to the colt just as Arsi asked him what his name was. "My name is Khan, and this is Arsi," he said kindly. "Your momma will be back very soon, and she's left us to look after you. We're your friends."

Suppressing a growl, Aqua grabs hold of one of the nearby branches and shakes it  vigorously. However, the sea weasel is once again met with disappointment as only rotted fruit falls from the bush before her.
"I'm coming up with nuthin'! Say, Mr.Jack how's--" The water-type starts, turning around to address the sandslash that had followed her. When she does, the armored shrew cannot be seen. Had she ventured further than she intended? Or perhaps he had simply gone another direction without her noticing? Aqua squints her eyes for better visibility and looks around again. "Huh....Now where'd he go to?" Holding her breath, the floatzel listens intently next, but no blood curdling screams come nor growls or even rushes in the bush. By the time her lungs her to inhale again she forces herself to calm down. They came out here with a mission. Surely, nothing sinister had happened while her back was turned...leaving her alone. Not that I can't handle myself of course.

Continuing her search with a huff, the water-type abandons that bush to find others. However, finding ones after the forest fire that had just occurred was proving difficult. Although it was now no longer spreading and engulfing everything it left a large scar on the land. Traveling around what is burnt, several more trees and bushes come into view. An apricorn tree with fruit far above the floatzel's head. But the fruit looks so large...if it's edible it'd surely be quite a meal...As Aqua looks up at the prizes, subconsciously circling below and considering a way up, her foot connects with one that had previously fallen. "Gah!" flailing her arms the sea weasel desperately attempts to regain her balance, and, at the last moment, she is successful. Panting slightly from the effort and shock, Aqua looks down with distrust at the surprisingly hard acorn and travels on to easier options.

(Skip me for now, I needa work stuff out. Sorry guys)

((Erm ... skip, I guess. There's practically nothing for Khan to do.))

((ooc: Skip.))

"Then kill her."
The gray Eevees' narrow shoulders fell at his cold, simple command. His normally scornful sapphiric gaze grew wide with lust at the thought.
 "-- just a quick bite to the throat will kill her. You've hunted, surely. Just wait until she's alone, without her guardians. Then kill her. She'd be a good meal."
Yeah... Ghosts' mind raced with zeal as he listened to the cool, enthralling chill of this poisonous creatures' voice, imagining the thrill of sinking his teeth into her jugular. Of ripping out her insides with his claws and drenching himself in her blood and guts. Yes, this.
This was a beautiful vision.
This...was art.

A slow, maniacal grin grew on his maw as he stared off into the brush. But a quick flash of blue flames darted through, followed by the soft thp-thp-thp-thump of a horses' hooves. A very familiar sound to the young fox.

Ghost took a deep breath, closing his eyes as his intuitive senses took over. Thud-thud! went his paws on the ground, shoving him forward. Nothing else existed but his prey. Thud-thud! The prey sprayed with blood. Thud-thud! The prey that hurt his friend. Thud-thud! Thud-thud! The prey that will stop. Thud-thud! Thud-thud! Stop and bray in terrified fear as her organs are torn from her soft belly, before her lights go out.

Thud-thud! Thud-thud! Thud-thud! Thud-thud!

And then there will be no more blue light. He thought gleefully.

___________________________________________

"Momma come back?"
The little colts' tiny voice shocked him out of his rare and pleasant flashback.
A pang of what might have been considered guilt ran through the dark horse as he realized the young one was now left on his own. He gazed at the blue foal with a despaired longing, seeing nothing but the one he was unable to save. With a slow and heavy sigh, he pulled himself to his hooves.
"Soon, sweetie." the pale cat replied, her voice almost inaudible.
He hated it.
It had a disgusting slather of dishonesty upon it. Shadowfax' lip twitched in cold fury as he trotted closer.
"My name is Khan, and this is Arsi," the hound said gently. "Your momma will be back very soon, and she's left us to look after you. We're your friends."

"No." Shadowfax retorted with a snarl and a stomp. "She fled. She may never come back. You do not know our mother. You don't have the right to say that. Do not lie to the child." He growled. "Lies kill."
His silver gaze fell on the warrior canid and child cat, a deep pain and betrayal welling in them.

Turning to the young cyan foal, his gaze softened only minutely. "You will stay close to me, if she does not return. You are not to trust these ones, as you trust me." He commanded. "They are not of fire. They are not like us..." He shot a challenging glare at the others, before continuing. "Do you understand, child?"

(phew, okay. prepped ghost. he's gonna kill her next round. let's make it nice and scary and bloody, right in front of the group)

"My name is Khan, and this is Arsi," The felines smile did not falter as she listened to Khan's gentle words. "Your momma will be back very soon, and she's left us to look after you. We're your friends." Was that true? She couldn't recall for the life of her the Rapidash leaving or her saying anything about responsibilities. Then again.. that was kind of a given when children this young were present. "She fled. She may never come back. You do not know our mother. You don't have the right to say that. Do not lie to the child." There was a sting in his words and the cat recoiled. She wanted to fight back, she wanted to defend the foal but any words that could of been spoken died on her lips. People change.. time has passed and things are very different now. No, the cold, hard look in the Ponyta's silver eyes was enough to make the fur on the back of her neck stand and silence her. To even think about speaking was enough to be blasted with a flamethrower..

"You will stay close to me, if she does not return. You are not to trust these ones, as you trust me. They are not of fire. They are not like us..." Arsi gritted her teeth. "You.. dont talk to a child like that!" She growled though there was little fight to her voice. "No one here is going to hurt him, why shouldn't he trust us.." "Do you understand, child?" She took a step back. Protecting the baby was one thing, and she would give so much to protect a child but.. as the much larger, more violent Ponyta loomed over her the feline could only think of fear. She... she couldn't face him.. She was pathetic.

"No," the black Ponyta snorted as he appeared in front of them. "She fled. She may never come back. You do not know our mother. You don't have the right to say that. Do not lie to the child." Khan said nothing, only staring fixedly at Shadowfax with cold, unblinking eyes. "Lies kill."

The Lucario's tongue burned with the response he so wanted to give, but remarkably he held it back. It would only cause an argument, and if he was to remain in the deal he needed to be careful; Arsi's safety depended on his performance in this group.

As the equine lowered his head to the child and told him that he wasn't to trust them, Khan reached behind him and grabbed the rock. Slowly, stiffly, he got to his feet. Once he was upright, his limbs stretched and his bones felt whole again. He didn't feel perfect - his ribs still twinged and the skin beneath his fur tingled uncomfortably, but he could walk, at least.

"You seem to have this under control," he said to Shadow, as coolly as possible. "I'll leave you to take care of your brother. I'm going to find Aqua and Jack and make sure they're OK." He started walking, with a slight limp, before turning back to the Meowth. "Can you walk, Arsi?"

((skip please.))