The ALPH Team (PLOT)

The small weasel had barely noticed when Latias went surging forward in a burst of energy to end the Krookodile. He had been so tired that he collapsed for half a moment, staring at the dirt. His sigh was laden with fatigue, and he blacked out for several moments, his mind a swirling vortex. When he finally emerged from the limbo his mind had created, he saw the Doctor rushing forward, towards the treeline. Tails could barely realize that his hearing was muffled, but he followed the Doctor mindlessly. The weasel's legs trembled as he clumsily ran after the Abra, his ears were full of static from the rush of blood to his head.

“... m the Doctor, and these are my friends! Come on out, we’re not going to hurt you! We’re friends! Friends!”

Tails had just then noticed the human curled up behind the tree. He paused a moment, but then followed. That's right, that's the human Lalita defended!
"We won't hurt ya!" he called out, oblivious to the fact the human could not understand him. He was naive when it came to humans, and he did not understand the concept that humans could not understand pokemon language. Nonetheless, the exuberant young Buizel tried his best, running into the brush with the Doctor as his bag rattled.

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(OoC: Auuugh guys, I'm sorry I dropped the ball like that. ;-; But I'm back now at least, right? <3 This is a "getting back into the groove of this team" post. xD; I apologize. I promise I will write PARAGRAPHS more of post when I get into plot again. lol)

Buck begrudgingly voiced his own opinion on the group’s dynamics, provoking a small smile from the legendary at his attempts to seem agreeable. He wasn’t fooling anyone. Perhaps she had been too harsh on the guy? Latias watched him carefully, his quiet alienation starting to gain a certain clarity in the dragon’s eyes. Resolved to give the weasel a break – he had fought after all, fought well in fact – Latias made a mental note to attempt to remedy their fractured relationship.

"How quickly you all seem to bounce from one interest to the next. Perhaps the next human that shows up, assuming there are any, would get a little more sympathy."

Latias was hurt by the fox’s venom more than she’d liked to admit, a sense of guilt infecting the widening wound of ineptness. She felt responsible, unwittingly parading in the spotlight whilst the battle’s prize cowered at the side-lines. Such praise had gone to her head, her ego pampered at the attention of these survivors when she deserved nothing but their contempt – if they only knew.

Legendary…

That same eerie scoff echoed somewhere in the back of her mind as she realized where the extent of her pride, no matter how temporary, had taken her. She would not be an idol; she was merely another survivor. I am no legend.

Shaking herself out of the emotional slump that had momentarily overcome her, Latias turned to regard the human with a fresh outlook. This was exciting – right? Humans were a dying breed; curious things that clearly weren’t aware of the power they themselves could harness. They had fascinated Latias once, delighted her younger self as she remembered seeking them out against her brother’s wishes. Latios… She silenced the memory before it had time to flourish, her mind instead shifting to the matter of the epidemic. Humans had caused this. At the end of the day they couldn’t be trusted no matter how pitiful the charade, and this man certainly wore a faultless disguise.

Silent as the group loudened around her, Latias’ attention continuously shifted from speaker to speaker until the Doctor trotted forward to comfort the clearly-terrified human. She watched the psychic’s approach, admiring his sympathy towards a species she herself remained particularly apprehensive of. It was somewhat refreshing past the surrealism.
"We won't hurt ya!" Even with the young water-type’s cry of support, Latias became aware that she wasn’t the only one betraying signs of discomfort. The houndoom. She couldn’t remember him being that close to the man before – when had he moved? What had spurred it? The dragon shifted on the spot, instinctively attempting to analyse the behaviour of a creature she barely knew before suddenly halting her internal pondering. It wouldn’t help anything; a better option seemed to act.

Remembering Buck’s earlier attempt to coerce the group into settling down for the night, Latias saw an opportunity to give the human a moment to recover. In her mind, it seemed best to welcome him into a group with those truly thankful to see him – Lalita, the bird, the Doctor and his young companion. The man didn’t need to be smothered with the distrust of Hannibal, Buck and her own natural instinct.
“Buck, perhaps we should scout on ahead?” She started, voice significantly softer than before. ”Find somewhere to sleep and bring the others over when they’re ready? I-I don’t want to upset the human…” Forcing a sheepish smile, the dragon glided towards the ice-type before looking back to beckon the dark canine to follow. “Hannibal, won’t you join us?” It was an order concealed in an airy question.

Amber eyes flicking first to Lalita and then the Doctor, Latias hoped she had made the situation easier. Her dangerous appearance wasn’t going to help, but maybe her absence would.

“Lead on, Buck,”

(If there’s any problem with the group separating for a while, please do let me know!)

Gyrlass scowled at all of them. Each and every one. When Vincent ordered him to protect the boy he didn't realize he was going to have to deal with such a mangy lot after spending weeks trying to find the man again. Oh his trainer was going to have hell to pay for this one. Because, after all, who was going to get pampered and cooed at? Hushed and coddled and told everything was going to be okay? Not Gyrlass, that was for damn sure. Nope. The Master only had eyes for his submissive and would placate to anything the boy whimpered for. It was a clear advantage the fragile human had and most of the time he didn't even realize it so he never took advantage. Idiot.

“Oi, hold onto your feathers Fluffy, we're not a load of rubbish! A little thanks would be nice! The lady was kind enough to throw herself into battle for you two, not to mention the rest of us!”
Gyrlass's eyes narrowed at the Abra and he had to resist the urge to stick out his tongue. "Rubbish or Trubbish you'll get no sympathy from me Snoozy. The only one who did less than you was the dog over there. Even the Pipsqueak and Glitter here did more than throw a Protect up. You think I couldn't have done that? Beh!" But his words seemed to have fallen on deaf ears as the fox tottered off to go pamper the sub. "Scared? Scared?!  You don't know him like I do. The kid is two threads shy of slitting his wrists every minute of the day. He's always scared! He only chills his tits when his Dominant is around." But again, no response. Git.

Lalita was more confused than ever. Did the Pidgeotto just call her Glitter? Her natural timidness was starting to rise back through the waning anger as she realized that everyone was staring at her after the outburst. It was not her intention to draw the focus to her but to the human. Thankfully the human bolting for the trees grabbed their next focus and with the 'Doctor' following she breathed a sigh of relief. Now the only one who paid her any mind was the bird on her head. "Hey little darlin', you aren't gonna fall for him to are you? Because, you know, he is already taken." What was this bird always rambling about? She watched the interaction between the human male and Doc and when she heard the Abra open his mouth she nearly had a heart attack.

“Ah...hallo! I'm the Doctor, and these are my friends! Come on out, we’re not going to hurt you!”
He could speak human language?!

Alein himself was having a hard time with this realization as well. He had kept his main focus on the Houndoom even as he watched the Abra approach from the corner of his eye. There hadn't seemed to be anything off about him but Alein couldn't stop himself from tensing as the other came to a stop right before him. But when he spoke, actually spoke, he had no idea what to do other than stare with his mouth open. “We’re friends!” It kept saying, clear as day to him. “Friends!” Eyes darting from the hound to the open paws beckoning him forward Alein managed to choke out at least one sound. "Fr-frie..." but his attempt quickly snapped quiet along with his jaw as the
small water weasel chirped some kind of response and came rushing forward. "NO!" Alein cried out, scrambling back behind his tree and only allowing himself to peer back around it.

"Wh-wha....what d-d--do y-you want f-f-from me?" he questioned, voice laced with fear and the thought that these creatures simply saved him so that they could have him for their own meal. Gyrlass began laughing his ass off as Alein cowered, finally giving up on the boy and tapping Lalita's head with his foot. "Hey!" she quipped, only to have Gyrlass bend him body near in half to peer at her from between his legs. "Get stepping Glitter, I need to get over to the brat before he gets himself in trouble." The shiny shook her head and her body to try and get the bird off of her. "I am not your Pontya you feathered menace!" she growled half halfheartedly, not really in the right mind to argue at her fullest. "No. But with my wing I can't fly and since I am already up here I may as well use you. So mush!" Mush? Now she was a sled dog? Great...

Alein watched the other in the group as they seemed to bounce back and forth on whether or not to approach him. The hellhound had already made his sideline approach and his mere presence caused the fair haired youth to reconsider his option of hiding behind wood. But the Abra was persistent and as he saw the shiny Ninetales approach with his lover's Pokemon upon her back he nearly fell faint from relief. "Gyrlass..." he sighed happily, reaching out to try and coax the comforting reminder of his Master forward only to receive a near snort in response. "Yeah. Now ya want me." Sighing heavily the Pidgeotto hopped out to Alein's feet and nudged his stomach with the blunt of his beak. "Alright sub, calm down and let's see what mess you've gotten us into this time." It was times like this he wished the human could actually understand him.

((It should be fine for a small break up but not for long. Lalita is about to realize that a whole other day has been wasted and she hasn't moved very far from where she started once again so it is going to make her a little agitated. Also the break up might give Garth something to do.))

Buck had no idea what was going on when the Doctor approached the human and started to speak in complete gibberish. Could he speak their language or something? He didn't really care - all he wanted was for someone to take note of his request to find somewhere to settle down. After the afternoon he'd had, a pile of juicy berries and a good lie down was exactly what he needed.

To his surprise, Latias was the first to respond. Buck couldn't help but flinch a little as she approached, but her voice had almost completely transformed. She sounded ... sane now. "Buck, perhaps we should scout on ahead? Find somewhere to sleep and bring the others over when they’re ready? I-I don’t want to upset the human…" Buck snorted with laughter but quickly covered his mouth. He smirked as he glanced over at the quivering mess of a human. "I think the Doc's already got that covered," he said. "But yeah, I guess you're right."

His spirits dropped when Latias invited Hannibal to join them. There was just something about that dog that wasn't right - from the way he was skulking around the human, Buck wasn't sure whether he was curious or homicidal. Still, he wasn't one to complain (out loud) so he kept his mouth shut for now. He'd keep an eye on him though...

"Lead on, Buck." "O-Oh, er, me?" Quickly masking his surprise, Buck turned his back on them and pointed southwards. "The rest of the park is that way, right? Maybe there's something there." He tentatively started forward, rubbing his arm nervously. "Or ... would you rather stick to the trees? I think the park is pretty open."

---

Garth was finding it rather incredible how much he had learnt in just a few minutes.

Firstly, it seemed that the Abra could speak human language, or at least communicate with the creature in one way or another. He could vaguely recognise some of the dialect from his own days in their company, so concluded that the former was the case. He thought it intriguing just how he had learned such a skill, but doubted it would be much use or matter to him. He wondered if the Doctor knew how to say, "Run, that Grovyle wants to tear all your organs out and roll around in your blood like a Hippopotas in mud!" Garth couldn't help but chuckle at the thought.

Secondly, that Houndoom's behaviour was beginning to fascinate him. While he seemed to be trying to feign a non-violent interest in the quivering wimp of a human, Garth wasn't too convinced. The canine's posture was a dead giveaway - in fact, for a moment, Garth had thought that he was going to attack. He was tense and rigid, his eyes not leaving the human for a second. If, indeed, he and the Fire-type did share a hatred for mankind, he could perhaps allow that to work to his advantage. He did have the inkling of an interesting, amusing idea for after nightfall regarding the hellhound, but he'd have to investigate further before he tried anything.

Garth was starting to get a little tired of watching them babying the human when Latias suggested to Buck that they split up to find somewhere to rest for the night. No. The Weavile agreed, and wandered off out of the clearing with the dragon and the Houndoom in tow. No, no, NO! This was not what Garth wanted. Now he had to choose who to follow, and what's more, there was the chance of another undead attack which could separate the group even further, or even kill one of them off - a dangerous possibility when they were low on numbers.

The Grovyle drummed his claws on the bark as he weighed his options. The group that immediately jumped to mind were Buck's. Not only were they the smallest and most vulnerable group, but, as far as he knew, none of them were aware of his existence. Not only that, but this gave him a great opportunity to scan them for any weakness, as well as figure out just what that Houndoom was up to. It was settled - Garth ran his tongue along his top lip hungrily as he finally left his perch, silently slithering through the trees after the Weavile and his odd companions.

Maybe he could have a little bit of fun while he was at it.

"Fr-frie..." The boy stuttered, his eyes wide with incredulity.

“Yes, that’s right- frien-!”

"We won't hurt ya!" The weasel chirped, scampering towards the Doctor in a sudden rush through the brush. Right brow raised, the Doctor shook his head at him, muttering under his breath. “No, no, don’t do that. He can’t understand y-” His momentarily critical stare was torn from the child and back to the human as he wailed in terror.

"NO!" The Doctor shuddered and staggered back, confounded by the explosion of fear from the boy. His aura flared wildly around them, assaulting the foxes’ senses. "Wh-wha....what d-d--do y-you want f-f-from me?" He stuttered, cowering and trembling behind the trunk. Suffocating fear bombarded the Abra, the green flux seeping deeper against his will as his hearts began to thud erratically. The Doctor hunched over, his quivering elbows against his knees as he held up his paws. He took a shaky breath, trying to regulate his heartbeats and calm the boy.

“Oh, no no! Don’t be scared! We only want to help you! This here’s Tails, he was just saying hello!” The Abra smiled softly at the human, nodding towards the Buizel at his side. A ruckus began to grow louder behind him as he turned on the ball of his foot. His purple gaze locked on the ridiculous bird, riding the white Ninetails’ head like a knight atop a steed. The Doctors’ mouth twisted itself into an annoyed smirk, his brows lowering as the parrot approached.

"Gyrlass..." The human gasped in relief, earning a confused frown from the Abra. But the black fear subsided, releasing the fox from its' grip. As the bird stepped into the humans’ embrace, the Doctor glanced back at the others, just to see half the group disappearing into the forest. His lips tightened and his brow furrowed as he watched them go, but decidedly let the matter drop. His sapphiric gaze fell to the Ninetails, who had thus far been mostly silent. Her aura seemed sluggish, and the color had all but dropped to subdued hues. Her nagging and passive fear began to eat at the fox, his shoulders pulling together in apprehension as he crossed his arms over the umber armor.


"Alright sub, calm down and let's see what mess you've gotten us into this time." The Doctors’ smirk deepened into a frown as he glared at the bird atop her head.

“Sub!? Is that all you’re going to keep calling him? Why do you even do that, a bit dirty, isn’t it? Doesn’t he have an actual name?” The fox snapped his attention back to the human, not allowing the bird to respond with his rapid-fire speech. “Subs’ not a very good nickname, is it? What’s your real name? And how do you know Polly, here? He sounds like he really fancies you.”

(guh, this damned formatting. okay, trying new stuff again. emotional whirlwind for him. sorry for taking so long, i've just been offline a lot recently. lol also. snoozy. XD)

“No, no, don’t do that. He can’t understand y-”

Tails halted his prancing run, hearing the human shout in fear. Oh… did he scare him? His blue eyes scanned over the boy’s face, seeing the apparent horror written all over it. The small weasel frowned, his heart starting to sink in guilt. He continued slowly, still afraid of frightening the young man.

“Wh-wha....what d-d--do y-you want f-f-from me?"

Tails paused, staring at both of the forms a distance before him. The Doctor kneeled over, looking the boy in the eyes. The Buizel could almost feel some sort of calming aura from him…. The Abra really was something else. Escentric, yes, but… genuine.

“Oh, no no! Don’t be scared! We only want to help you! This here’s Tails, he was just saying hello!”

Cheerfully, Tails perked up again at the mentioning of his name. He smiled bashfully and raised his paw as a sign of hello.
“I really didn’t mean to scare you,” he chuckled nervously, “I just like helping others.”
The Pidgeot he had failed to acknowledge earlier made his way into the boys arms, and he seemed to be calmed somewhat. Tails’ blue eyes settled on them both, and his stomach felt a stabbing pain suddenly. Until now, he had really not thought about Amy…. He had just assumed she was ok. After seeing how Latias had killed that… thing… so easily…. His young mind scrambled, trying to push down the feeling that she may just be dead… and it suddenly became very aware to him how… lonely he was. He subconsciously pulled his paws in and held his own arms, as if he were cold, which he was; he felt the breeze brush his fur in his hyperaware state. In desperation, he tried to push it away by listening to what the others were saying. Of course… Sonic wouldn’t be crying right now, he’d be strong. Right? Like he always was….

“Sub!? Is that all you’re going to keep calling him? Why do you even do that, a bit dirty, isn’t it? Doesn’t he have an actual name? Subs’ not a very good nickname, is it? What’s your real name? And how do you know Polly, here? He sounds like he really fancies you.”

He looked at the Doctor in question, but then grinned curiously.
”Why is that name dirty? Aren’t subs those… those… Ah! They were human sandwiches, right?” Tails inquired gleefully but less than excited, clueless to the obvious information. But of course, an innocent kid wouldn’t have known what a ‘sub’ could have possibly been.

"O-Oh, er, me?" Latias was sure she heard a flicker of surprise somewhere in Buck’s response, a small smile brightening her naturally harsh features at glimpse of a softer soul. Perhaps she truly had got the guy all wrong… "The rest of the park is that way, right? Maybe there's something there."

As he dismissed the break in his icy charade, turning away to point towards the park, Latias decided that perhaps she had. She was in no position to pass judgement on anyone, it was just unfortunate that he had caught her in a notoriously bad mood – which was becoming increasingly common these days. But alas, there was still time to make amends. Her spirits were being lifted, new company providing a distraction from her inner demons and instead focusing her attention on something far more constructive.

"Or ... would you rather stick to the trees? I think the park is pretty open."
“I… Well,” She pondered his question for a moment, amber gaze wandering across to the shady treeline as the dragon hovered alongside the leading male. It did seem wiser to avoid open spaces. The trio – soft footfalls from behind indicating that Hannibal had chosen to accept her offer – would stand out like a sore thumb, a beacon for undead of the sky. Whilst Latias did not fear this exposure, always one to welcome the challenge of the world’s vermin, she thought of her companions. Buck, although unscathed, must have been wearied by battle. Hannibal, muzzled, was practically a walking skeleton.

“The trees,” Latias decided, the bite of the order lessened by her amiable mood. “I must admit though, I’m a stranger to this region. I can’t say how useful I’ll be,” She added half-playfully, headed towards the shade of the surrounding foliage as vibrant eyes already began their search for shelter.

(Of course, Phoenix. We’ll have them reunited again shortly.
Also I messaged Snitch about whether Hannibal chose to follow or not, to which she replied that he did. If there’s any issue with my post don’t hesitate to let me know, dear. :)
Also also, super sorry for the delay. Christmas and New Year have been a little crazy!)

“Sub!? Is that all you’re going to keep calling him? Why do you even do that, a bit dirty, isn’t it? Doesn’t he have an actual name?” The obnoxious bastard! Who the hell did he think he was questioning the brat's title like that? "Because he is one you overseas twat! He's a human who willing submits himself to another in a relationship! What would you call him?" But the jerk just kept right on ignoring him in favor of the sub, causing Gyrlass's brow to furrow as the arms of his counterpart wrapped tighter around him.

Alein wasn't sure what to make of the strange conversation happening between Gyrlass and the Abra but as the bird's warmth began to seep through his shirt and spread across his chest he found it much more difficult to care. He was safe. Smiling softly to himself Alein wrapped his arms around the large Pidgeotto and allowed the two to talk while he willed his rapid heartbeat to steady. He was content until he once again began hearing the strange accent wafting through the air but clearly speaking english, again emanating from the Abra. “Subs’ not a very good nickname, is it? What’s your real name? And how do you know Polly, here? He sounds like he really fancies you.” Sub? Was that what Gyrlass called him? Well, it was appropriate...

"Because...that's...what I am?" He replied, his response more the form of another question than an actual answer. He wasn't sure exactly what the implied meaning was for the psychic fox's query. He was a submissive, that was his role and his life for as long as he could remember. But the fox did ask for a name, though rarely anyone called him by it anymore. Usually it was something only Vincent called him, though he had tried to insist that others use it as well. "My Master calls me....Alein," he offered meekly, eyes still darting back and forth from Gyrlass to the fox. What was going on?

”Why is that name dirty? Aren’t subs those… those… Ah! They were human sandwiches, right?” Lalita couldn't help but giggle at the silly question, the lighthearted feeling almost foreign after these last two days of pain and struggling. She thought for a moment how Fuzzy would have looked out for the child but immediately the crushing weight of her pain smashed into her and it was like watching him die all over again. Her eyes drifted over to the small downgrade where he had been lain to rest, the setting sun catching the horizon and making his memorial look deathly quiet as the shadows began to stretch across the ground when the sight made her stop.

The sun was setting, Clyde had died that morning, and they still hadn't gone anywhere. She was still stuck in the same place where she lost literally everyone she knew and now there was no time left to move the group. She would have to take them back to the gate unless someone knew of a quicker route. She moved to try and get the group's attention which now revealed that half of the group was missing. Missing with a sadistic Grovyle still on the loose. "What the hell is happening?" she suddenly shouted, startling herself with the outburst. This was the second longest day of her life and if she got caught outside after dark it was likely to be her last.

(im sorry guys, im just not feeling good. thought i could muster something, but no dice. skip me, i promise ill have a response next round. just say that the doctor was happy to hear aleins' real name)

(OoC: I think I'm gonna have to jump on the bandwagon too. Doctor is essential to Tails at the moment, so without him he really has nothing to say right now.)

Gliding aimlessly aside the shadows of the trees, Latias felt the evening’s cool gradually envelop her as the strips of light that had once struck her body soon faded into darkness. Night was approaching. How long had she been wandering? The dragon was unsure, yet a glimmer of concern sparked in her wide, amber eyes. She hadn’t felt such a sensation in so long. A worry, a fear, for someone else. A whole group of them in fact that had unwittingly burrowed their way into the female’s heart.

She paused in her search for shelter, craning her neck to catch sight of her quiet companion.
“Any luck?” Latias called softly, hoping to hear some good news. She herself had only seen the potential for a personal shelter, nothing substantial enough to cater for a small pack of pokémon.

The female was soon at the weavile’s side, a tired smile flickering momentarily across her features in synch with her newfound desire to appear half-approachable. As her eyes once more took in the lonely sights around her in a vain bid to spot a diamond in the rough, a faint shouting in the distance stole her attention. It was unintelligible at this distance, yet close enough not to ignore. She looked to Buck for confirmation that she wasn’t hearing things.

“I suppose we should head back…”

(I can’t apologize enough for the delay in posting. Life has been tough recently but I’m pretty sure the worst of it is over. Post is short and poor because I really needed Nightfall or Snitch to form something substantial.
Again, I am so sorry for holding the team up for an unfair amount of time.)

Gyrlass jumped in surprise at the delicate fox's outburst, startling Alein in the process who had only just begun to calm down. As the human curled in on himself once more and began to whimper the Pidgeotto let out a great exasperated sigh. "And what the heck did you do that for missy? Are you trying to give the sub a heart attack? Or me for that matter?" Lalita's expression turned sour and darker than the Ninetales ever thought herself capable of, ruby eyes glaring daggers at the pompous guardian. "Well excuse the fuck out of me," she hissed. "I'm sorry if my nightmare of a day interfered with the love fest you and the trembling leaf have going on right now but in case anyone cares....

I'm still only ten feet away from the slaughtered mess that used to be all of my friends!"

And the truth of the horror indeed still lay at her feet. Anywhere eyes could see there was signs of intense struggle, soil overturned and plowed through leading to twisted and broken trees that still bore the smoldering signs of intense heat and flame. The bodies of Circe and Calamity still lay at the bottom of the slope while the mound that was her dear friend Clyde, her Fuzzy, was a scant couple yards from her paws. As she turned towards the pile of earth covering the only other living being she treasured as much as Little Miss the lavender fox's eyes began to gloss and spill over with fresh tears. Her chest clenched tightly as her breathing became shallow and rapid, the pain threatening to do her in once more as this group of total strangers attempted to drag her down that painful path once more.

Gyrlass saw all of this and for once, felt like the total prick he had been behaving as. But it wasn't him who moved to comfort the fox. Much to his surprise, and if anyone here actually knew the kid they would be shocked as well, Alein was the one to move out from behind his feathered companion and sit alongside the fox, one hand reaching up to gently stroke the fur on her neck in a small gesture of comfort and reassurance. The sub was acting on his own and that was something he had never seen before. It took the broken heart of a young female to make the kid realize he actually had a pair and could do things for himself. Vincent would be proud of his sub.

"Well excuse the fuck out of me. I'm sorry if my nightmare of a day interfered with the love fest you and the trembling leaf have going on right now but in case anyone cares....I'm still only ten feet away from the slaughtered mess that used to be all of my friends!"

The pale fox snarled, her fur bristling. The Doctors’ face grew dark and grim as her stunning gaze moved from one patch of disturbed earth to another, clenching his teeth against the onslaught of her pain. Intense loss, guilt, indescribable suffering. Emotions that mirrored the Doctors’ own battered hearts. Emotions that the Doctor never even knew how to fix in himself, let alone in others.

His knowing gaze fell on the fox as tears streamed down her face, his lips pursed tight against any betrayal of emotion, even as the human moved to show her affection. But he knew deep in his hearts that nothing could fill that terrible void within. Nothing could stop it from spreading and destroying everything- not affection, not love, not companionship.
She fears us all…
The Abras’ shoulders fell as he looked to the young Buizel at his side, the childs’ large eyes bright with life and the promise of adventure.
Why do I do this to them. Always to the innocent. They love to follow me straight into the mouth of death and terror that I fling myself into. It's not enough that I taunt death- I can't even muster the courage to go alone. I’m the one that asks and pulls them in with wild promises and childish boasting...why do I want them to follow me?...why? I always regret it...always.
The Ninetails’ emotions quivered in the Abras’ chest, resonating with his own like a wounded butterfly.
At least she is pushing us away...she’s doing what I couldn't…
Never could…
...I’m a pitiful creature.
I can’t stand to be alone, even at the expense of those around me...

With a quiet resignation, he mentally reached out to the mourning Ninetails.
...I’m so sorry.
A gentle comfort was projected towards her, but with the silent consolation, concealed shards of the psychic were carried along with it. Regret, great loss...and behind it all, a sliver of a bright memory, warm with love and belonging.
A crimson field of long grass rippled like an ocean. The crisp winds rolled gently over the two young Abras, dashing through the meadow in a game of chase. The childrens' laughs echoed off the sheltering mountains surrounding the garnet valley.
"Haha-! Koschei, not so fast! Come on, you're cheating, you can't use powers!"
"Koschei!"
"You're never gonna catch me, better just give up now!"

THUD-THUD-THUD-THUD! slammed his hearts in protest, threatening his collected facade. As the childs' voice reverberated in his mind, the Abra severed the link with a violent snap.
K-Koschei... The Doctor swallowed hard, shakily mustering his voice to speak.

“...Right. We should probably look for the others, it’s getting dark.” He said to the fox softly, forcing his usual cheer as he glanced up at the sky. Turning to the human, a bright smile lit up his face. “Alein!- that’s a fantastic name, by the way, I am just loving it- Alein…” He mused, rolling the boys’ name off his tongue before continuing. “Oh, I have so many questions to ask you! Where did you come from? You couldn’t possibly have survived on your own with him, could you? Out here in the wilderness of...Unova? No, no, no! There’s got to be more humans about, right? A camp, maybe? Erh…” He paused, his voice lowering as he drew closer to the humans’ ear. “Hey, could you tell me- cuz I’m an idiot- what year it is?” He asked, dropping the question with his ears perked and a sly gleam in his eye.

(let me know if i need to change anything, phoe dear. also if you want your char to see a little bit in the brief mental link, feel free to pm me. doc doesn't usually do that because he runs the risk of others seeing parts of him he doesnt want anyone to see.)

"Well excuse the fuck out of me. I'm sorry if my nightmare of a day interfered with the love fest you and the trembling leaf have going on right now but in case anyone cares....I'm still only ten feet away from the slaughtered mess that used to be all of my friends!"

Tails had been shocked by her sudden keen before, and had actually cowered over for a moment after sensing why she must have done that. Dead. And his mind didn't want to go back to that, really. Pictures of Amy flashed over his vision. He was startled even further and hesitant to look. But he was almost terrified as the others began to move, but realized they were going to assist her.

Tails tried to lift the weight off of his heart, for her. ... No, for both of them. ... And then he asked himself why he had forgotten this the entire time. ... Maybe it was a shattered piece of his past life that he tried to hold onto, but slipped away when he needed it most.

The weasel had padded up next to Lalita while pondering, and the Ninetales still much bigger than him. His eyes scanned over her faintly purple-hued fur, then to her face, which by the sniffling he hear earlier was indeed over the fact she was crying. Blue eyes trailed to look at her neck. Yes, it was just hung over enough. Slowly, but at once, his small, orange arms wrapped around her neck in a hug. He avoided looking at the frightening blood to instead glare sadly at the buried body.

"... Chaos will be with them." he muttered, remembering the point of him walking over. The Buizel was young, but still had child advice he could easily give. And he knew not many knew of it. "Chaos.... Chaos is the god of Destruction," he unwound his arms from her neck, instead letting them rest on her shoulder in a comforting touch, "That sounds bad, I know, but.... Chaos is everything, it unites all living things, it's a pure power. Which is enriched by the heart." he recited from memory. Yes, he had believed in this since he was young. It was one of his team's ideas, and they had stuck to it since he had been old enough to comprehend such thing as a god. Arceus even so seemed vague in comparison, that he had tried but it never fulfilled him.

"It means... that they're still here. Chaos and energy and power is all around us. In everything." he eyed a single yellow weed flower that grew next to the mound of dirt, as if that was like their regeneration. "But most of all... it means that they're still in your heart. And that power can be used to give you strength. They live with you, on with you, in your memories." ... Maybe... Maybe Amy is all around me too.... She's still here.... the thought finally probed his brain, and his paws fell slack at his sides. Sea blue eyes took another look at the mound, but then he turned away.

“...Right. We should probably look for the others, it’s getting dark. ... Alein!- that’s a fantastic name, by the way, I am just loving it- Alein… Oh, I have so many questions to ask you! Where did you come from? You couldn’t possibly have survived on your own with him, could you? Out here in the wilderness of...Unova? No, no, no! There’s got to be more humans about, right? A camp, maybe? Erh…"

The Abra kept babbling, and it was reassuring to Tails. He replaced the frown with a soft smile, and forgot his pain as well. Now that he remembered Chaos, he suddenly felt a lot better.

"Hey, could you tell me- cuz I’m an idiot- what year it is?”

"Haha, I would give you the answer, but I'm not exactly sure.... I lost track a while ago." he admitted, and he didn't really like to share unless he was sure.

-----

(OoC: Or maybe it's just my shitty way of saying "I don't know I'll let someone answer because im not sure either" hahaha
Finally, a post I'm ok with.
*cue He Lives in You music* HE LIVES IN YOU, HE LIVES IN ME, HE WATCHES OVER EVERYTHING WE SEE.
No but here let me give you some childish comfort haha)

(Please skip me. I apologize for holding the team up.)

Maybe he'd been a little bit too hasty...

Garth's mind was struggling to think of something to do that wouldn't blow his cover. So far, he had nothing. He had followed them with the intent of perhaps scaring them, or at least putting them on edge. He simply couldn't think of a way to do either of those things without giving some sort of hint of his location. He'd considered making noises or saying disturbing things, but they'd just follow the sound and find him. Likewise, throwing things at them wouldn't work - they'd just look to the trees, and Garth wasn't sure whether his new red eyes glowed in the dark or not.

The Grovyle grew frustrated, easing his anxiety by clawing at the bark underneath him, as Latias asked, "Any luck?"

Buck was somewhat aimlessly wandering ahead, his arms swinging idly by his sides. "I don't even know what the hell I'm looking for," he sighed, poking his head into a rotting log on the ground. "Like ... there won't be any caves around here. I guess..." he paused, folding his arms in defeat, "we'll just have to see what the others think."

"I suppose we should head back…"

"Yeah..." Buck looked weary and bored as he spun himself around and followed Latias back the way they had come. "That was pretty pointless..."

Silently as a snake in the grass, Garth followed. He could feel the tension rising; his urge to sink his bladed leaves into their flesh was becoming stronger by the minute. His burning eyes and rotting skin ... it wouldn't be long now. His lust for blood would overcome him soon enough, and then he wouldn't even be able to enjoy these kills as he made them. Lalita's screams as he spilled her guts; Latias's begs for mercy as he sucked out her blood; that human's decapitated head bouncing along the ground ... he wouldn't even know they were happening.

No! It was almost too much to bear. Garth wasn't sure if he could make it past sundown without his urge to kill overpowering him. He needed to get away for a while. Crawling down the tree trunk and onto the ground, he slid away through the dark, damp undergrowth, looking for a small appetizer to keep him satisfied until the main course.

And won't it be delicious.

---

Buck, meanwhile, was feeling more fed up and tired than ever as he slouched back the way he had come. Disgruntled from their useless five minutes away, the Weavile's impatience with this group was growing. By the sounds of it, as they approached the clearing where the others were, they were too interested in arguing and over-dramatising to look for a shelter. "Let's just let the new guys do it while we fuck about and look like we're doing mega-important stuff," he bet they were saying. Buck wasn't exactly a hard-worker himself, but if they expected him to be a lackey again, they had another thing coming.

Oh shut up. It was your idea to find shelter in the first place, he reminded himself, grumpily kicking aside a small stone. Maybe it's best I just keep my mouth shut for now. The arguing voices were getting closer, and Buck arrived back in the clearing just as Lalita had another go at gathering an army of sympathizers. Bitch, we all have a sob story. What makes you think that people are going to care about yours?

"We're back," he loudly announced, his arms still crossed tightly against his chest. "Couldn't find anywhere. Wanted to see what you guys had in mind. Also," he added, nodding his head towards the human, "what're we doing about him?"

Alein was warm against her, the gentle heat of his hand as fingers stroked through her fur began to soothe the rage in her heart. The shiny was reminded of not so long ago when Little Miss would massage her neck as a Vulpix, even though the last week had seemed like years to the once gentle female. And sadly the comfort lasted only for a moment. Lalita was jerked back to attention as a voice invaded her mind, an apology echoing brazenly against the walls of her skull and making the lavender fox jump back in alarm. She jerked free of the human's grasp and sent Alein tumbling forward, his cry of alarm lost to her as a misty haze filled her mind and the distorted laughter of children filled her mind.

~~~~
A small golden vulpix laughed gleefully as she ran alongside a human girl. The small white dress of her companion fluttering in the spring breeze as short blonde curls bounced with the steps of their owner.
Little Miss....this was her favorite game.
They ran through the gardens joyful and carefree, the blanket of soft green grass beneath their bare feet cushioning them as they darted around the topiary maze.
red...the grass was red as wine....
mountains....cliffs.....not the green maze...
The golden Vulpix stopped running as the memory in her own mind began to shift and warp. Little Miss's laughter became distant and scratchy, a hollow echo as another laugh joined in.
"What's wrong Lalita?"
Young Lalita turned to look at her dear mistress, black satin collar rustling gently against her fur as her tag gleamed in the morning sun.
But Little Miss....her face.....it was changing. The face of a strange creature kept flashing in place of her mistress, a face she thought she almost recognized....
The world began melting around her and the golden image of Lalita melted away into the battered and tired Ninetales the outside world knew. Green twisted into crimson as Little Miss's face and body stretched and reformed to be the shape of an Abra but still wearing the human girl's skin.
"Haha-! Lalita, not so fast! Come on, you're cheating, you can't use powers!"
Powers? What powers? Little Miss never battled with her. She was a pet!
"Lalita!"
The cry of her name slowly became a shriek of agony. The red oozing out of the leaves and grass to form a mass under Little Miss, the bubbling pond then surging up in a monstrous geyser engulfing the abra-like human and swallowing her screams. The Ninetales bit and fought at the liquid but had to jump back when the coppery taste of blood filled her mouth, the female beginning to cough and heave in the vain attempt to keep from vomiting.
In an instant the geyser descended and vanished into the ground, leaving a broken and bloody female child frozen in terror on the ground at the shiny's feet. Lalita's eyes widened in horror as the deafening echo of heartbeats became the only sound in the hollow of her mind. Her eyes unable to leave the broken body of her mistress once again left desecrated before her, unable to save her. Unable to even move.
THUD-
THUD-THUD
THUD-
THUD-THUD-THUD.....
~~~~~~~

The human was just pushing himself up off of the ground when ear piercing cry hit him, Alein covering his ears quickly even as the Abra began to speak to him. Did he not hear the purple fox crying? What was wrong with her that she was silent one moment then panicking to death the next? She sounded like something was trying to kill her. “Oh, I have so many questions to ask you! Where did you come from? You couldn’t possibly have survived on your own with him, could you? Out here in the wilderness of...Unova? No, no, no! There’s got to be more humans about, right? A camp, maybe? Erh…” Unova? With who? What was this guy babbling about? He asked so many questions that the submissive instantly began to recede into himself unsure of what to answer or which to answer first. Gyrlass, however, was not so timid.

"We're in Johto you twat! Not Unova! And what do you mean by 'couldn't have survived with him'? You got something to say to me? You calling me out? 'Cause I'll let ya have it! You don't scare me Narcoleptic Nancy!" The Pidgeotto was practically seething at being accused of being unable to protect his trainer's lover, the bird literally hopping mad as he forced himself not to just lunge for the obnoxious fox. "And will someone please shut Glitter up? She's gonna attract every dead for miles around she keeps having these episodes. Girl's more bi-polar than a magnet."

Alein just wanted the arguing to stop. Gyrlass was always getting attitude at the weirdest times and he couldn't make heads or tales of the angry squawking but was sure it had something to do with him when the bird's wing kept pointing towards him. Had he done something wrong? He wasn't sure how to respond but then a voice kept close to a hush by his ear nearly made the human jump out of his skin. “Hey, could you tell me- cuz I’m an idiot- what year it is?” Alein's hand moved to scratch behind the back of his neck nervously. "The year? This year? ....ummm.....2014? I think... It's been hard to keep up with all the traveling but it had to have been a couple of years ago now. Vincent usually keeps track of those things."

"... Chaos will be with them."
Lalita felt her tumbling word go utterly still at the small child's words. He held is arms up as if to reach for her but the fox skittered back, tails wrapped around her side defensively as though she could hide beneath their bulk. "Chaos.... Chaos is the god of Destruction," the child continued, the Ninetales's gaze absolutely fixated on him as he spoke. "That sounds bad, I know, but.... Chaos is everything, it unites all living things, it's a pure power. Which is enriched by the heart. It means... that they're still here. Chaos and energy and power is all around us. In everything." Her eyes widened as though a final link was being closed on a chain of thought, the pieces fitting together to finally form a solid ring of understanding. "But most of all... it means that they're still in your heart. And that power can be used to give you strength. They live with you, on with you, in your memories."

He was right. Chaos. Her life, the world, everything...
It was utter Chaos.
"Chaos..."

((Foxy love the idea hit me as I was typing and after our PM convo I realized this was the perfect way to make her start on her journey against Doc. She can't tell her own memory from his! It's going to drive her insane!))[/color]

"Haha, I would give you the answer, but I'm not exactly sure.... I lost track a while ago."
The Abra winked at the small weasel, ignoring the bird and the panicking fox. 
"The year? This year? ....ummm.....2014? I think... It's been hard to keep up with all the traveling but it had to have been a couple of years ago now. Vincent usually keeps track of those things."

“Humans, they’re so amazing, with their vestigial mode of telling time! Love it!” He gushed as he pat the boy on his shoulder and  turned to the others.
2014. That’s quite a ways away from the outbreak. Never been in Johto to see what happened there. Not so different from other times and places, minus the flesh-eating zombies of course. Everyones’ still lost as ever. Fascinating to see Latias though, she’s certainly not a native. Wonder why she’s here...Legends usually don’t travel outside of their own region, from what I’ve heard. Though I suppose a global instance of this sort would change the rules a bit. Still doesn’t explain that blip in time, though...the others didn’t seem to even notice. Though I suppose it would make sense for them not to, after all...

“Wait, hold on! Johto then, eh? Well, that changes everything!” He said, his brilliant eyes on the fussing bird. “And I was only saying that- well. You’re a bird. You can’t help it!” He scoffed, crossing his slender arms over his chest and leaning back with a smirk. “And really, how much fighting experience you got under those wings, anyway? Not sure how you’ve even survived this long, with all that screeching of yours.” The Doctors’ eyebrows furrowed as he drew closer to the Pidgeotto, a critical eye on his plumage and crest. “No, no, no, I wouldn’t want to scrap with you. I’m a Time Lord, birdy, and I’m clever. You wouldn’t last two minutes.” He hissed as his voice got lower, the Abras’ eyes narrowing with the promise of his defeat. Something dark crept into his gaze as he glared at the bird, but disappeared as quickly as it had shown up. “Besides, no point in fighting with each other, now is there? There’s plenty of things that want to gut us out in the dark, so I say we shove on, before night falls.”


"We're back," came the loud reply from the returning  ice type. "Couldn't find anywhere. Wanted to see what you guys had in mind. Also," he added, nodding his head towards the human, "what're we doing about him?"
The Doctor spun around, a smile growing on his maw.
“Ahh, just in time!” He said, glancing at the human, then back at the Weavile. “And he’s coming with us of course! He’s a traveler, just like us. Isn’t that right, Alein?” He shouted at the human, his slender form bouncing lightly on his feet. “B’sides, isn’t it useful to have a human about? Always helpful! Love them, with their thumbs and their stamps and those odd little noses of theirs!” The Doctor mused, his eyes lighting up as spoke and his gaze raising to the darkening sky. “Just think, this one tiny planet in this tiny galaxy, filled with billions and billions of creatures, all living and breathing with each other, and you know what? That’s amazing! Because there’s not another, anywhere else in all of space and time, that can be you! Nowhere! Out of those countless beings out there, there’s only one of you! How brilliant is that?!” He chirped, his gaze locked on the pinpoints of light above. The Abras’ voice softened as his gaze drifted down to the water weasel, a warm smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “...Everyones’ important, no matter how small.”

“Right! Off we go, come on! Time to run!” He shouted at the group, cutting the sentiment short with a clap of his paws. His dark eyes darted over the orange horizon uneasily. With long strides, he turned from the setting sun and dashed across the clearing, his lithe form quickly disappearing into the long grass.

(okay, they’re now heading off to the east, and will come across Route 36 soon? the plan I’ve talked out with team lead is that we’re gonna be heading to Violet City, to find some shelter. also, doc will be phasing between the two languages often. not sure if all the chars understand human speak)

(OoC: I gotta skip I'm so sorry)

Alein couldn't help but lift his frown into a small, nearly invisible smile. The Abra was so strange yet his boisterous happiness was nearly infectious, giving the human male a small comfort that reminded him of his Vincent. His lover had such an incredible smile that no one could help but smile back, it was one of the things he loved most about the man. Doc was a lot like him, at least in his personality, as Vincent was certainly no Pokemon, but it did help Alein feel a little more trusting of him. Gyrlass, however, didn't seem so easily taken.

"What the ever-loving FUCK is a Time Lord?" the bird hissed angrily. "You're just making shit up now! And I'll thank you to know that I have plenty of experience and have traveled all over the goddamn world so shut your face before I decide to shut it for you. I can protect the kid Just. Fine." By myself, without you, he added mentally. This lot was crazy and he didn't want Alein getting swept along with them because it would just make it harder to get back to Vincent where they both belonged.

Lalita was still lost in her mind as the others began to regroup, the seed of Chaos sown so strongly in her subconscious that it wouldn't let go of her waking mind. If the world was Chaos then the only way to put the world back to right would be for everyone to give in, right? To surrender to the virus and rejoin the ones they loved in another realm, another life. She could be with all of her friends again and not have to face the nightmare that greeted her every time she opened her eyes. Chaos made everything so simple...

Gyrlass was frowning deeply. Once again the stupid 'Doc' just went off and did his own thing, corralling up the strays and acting like the head honcho as he began running his mouth once again. Gyrlass really hated that guy. Yet no matter how he tried to keep the douchebag away he kept drifting towards Alein and making him sound like the Abra's pet. “And he’s coming with us of course! He’s a traveler, just like us. Isn’t that right, Alein?” The human offered a small smile and a nervous blush in response, causing alarm to rise in the Pidgeotto as he recognized the signs of the sub connecting to a stronger male. Nope. Nopenopenopenopenope. Wasn't going to let that happen. "Well its been just peachy but we really better-"
“Right! Off we go, come on! Time to run!”
"Goooo.....FUCK! If that guy thinks we are following him he is nuts. Right Sub? Sub? Goddammit!!!"
Alein was already walking the way the Abra went, gently nudging the Ninetales to follow suit, to which she just began walking even though her eyes didn't seem to be actually looking at anything around her.

They were all fucked.

"Ahh, just in time!" The Doctor's constantly cheerful demeanour wasn't doing its job; if anything, it was making Buck feel uneasy and ... just downright awkward. Just what was he so damn happy about all the time? He then went on to reply ... apparently. He'd started speaking in the human tongue again, and Buck had to wait until he'd finished rambling so he could cut in before he could start again.

"Mate, I don't have a clue what you're talking about," he said with a scowl, idly pulling on the ring in his ear. "I don't know human speak, OK? Try answering normally when I ask you something." Honestly, if this was going to become a regular thing just to make this human feel welcome or whatever, then Buck had a feeling that it was going to get annoying really quickly.

Speaking of annoying, the Pidgeotto that had been with the human had one hell of a mouth on him as well. He squawked and protested when the Doctor suggested that they move on. "Goooo.....FUCK! If that guy thinks we are following him he is nuts. Right Sub? Sub? Goddammit!!!"

"Shut up," the Weavile hissed as he grudgingly started to follow, deliberately pulling on his earring harder just so he had a distraction from the bird's incessant yelling. He was somehow glad to see that the human was ignoring his angry Pokemon, but kept his distance from him all the same - maybe frying pans could be fold-away these days.

"So where exactly are we going?" he asked, scowling harder than ever as a branch hit him in the face. This was going to be one hell of a long night.

The Abra dashed through the long grass, his long strides sounding with light thuds and a soft clink. A broad grin was plastered across his face as he glanced back, his smile only growing larger as he caught a glimpse of the human following. The air flowed through his fur as he ran, fresh and cool with the coming of night.
“Come on! Allons-y!” He shouted to the others from over his shoulder. The Abra burst out of the grasses, his paws touching hard bricked road. He slid to a halt, his ears perking.

Something was wrong.

“Sh-sh-sh-sh-sh-sh!” He hissed, his claw to his lips as the others came to a halt behind him.
A low humming was fast approaching. A thick scent of flowers filled the air.
“Aahh--aaah, aaahh…not good.” The fox protested, the humming growing louder and louder. Up rose a cloud of buzzing bugs, aggravated and angry. “Something must have upset their nest. Or maybe they just don’t like visitors? Either way. Um...Basically...Run!” He shouted as he stared up at the approaching swarm, before grabbing the small weasels paw and fleeing across the abandoned plaza.

(woo, just thought of randomly putting in some bug types, to make the run interesting!~)

“Come on! Allons-y!”
The weasel that had been internalizing his thoughts for the moment came around after hearing the familiar call. Whoa, what did that mean? He hadn't heard a word quite like that before. Nonetheless he took the invitation and turned from the Ninetales to sprint off towards his Abra friend, tossing his woes behind him for the time being.
"Where are we going, Doctor?" he chirped and caught up easily with the use of his handy propeller tails. But right at that moment, he screeched to a halt as the Doctor shushed him suddenly.
“Sh-sh-sh-sh-sh-sh!”

Tails held his breath at the command and the silence didn't last for long. Loud humming reached his ears with the overbearing smell of flowers.
“Aahh--aaah, aaahh…not good.”
"Ooohhh...." he said anxiously along with the Doctor, his fur prickling as the bugs started to group together. They were obviously not pleased.
“Something must have upset their nest. Or maybe they just don’t like visitors? Either way. Um...Basically...Run!”
Before Tails could turn tail and run, his paw was snatched in the psychic type's grasp and he was tugged away. Tails made a noise of uncertainty and raced behind the Doctor, struggling to keep up at first.
"W-Whoa!" he gasped, suddenly feeling a gust of breeze behind him as a bug pokemon raced by his head. Oh shoot, they were going to attack them, weren't they? The Butterfree that attempted to hit them flipped back to come and strike again.
"Doctor! Look out!" Tails shouted and pointed his claws at the other bugs that looped in front of them and prepared their attacks. Their eyes bore into him and his legs threatened to stop moving.

Skulking a generous distance behind the irate legendary and the equally as blunt Weavile, Hannibal had subconsciously, in fact quite naturally, strayed away to follow his own path.

His mind was swimming with nightmares of the past, flashing images that wore down his steely defences in regular, disorientating blows – effectively widening the cracks he had once thought healed. Now left frantically patching together a broken mind, Hannibal had taken the opportunity to escape the group to soothe and calm his fractured psyche.

He needed time to collect himself, distract himself from the memories that the human had unwittingly provoked. Hannibal’s hatred for their kind had only strengthened with this latest injury as he limped further and further away from the fiend responsible; the human safely nestled amidst a cohort of friendly faces. The very idea of the group’s protection of the man left a foul taste in the Houndoom’s mouth. He would need to re-address the matter of travelling with such misguided creatures.

Whilst his primary motive was the removal of the muzzle, Hannibal’s own boredom was proving enough incentive to return to the group. It was a lonely existence, often ideal for a solitary creature such as Hannibal – but alas, a twisted mind needed its source of entertainment. Survivors were rare, as was the opportunity to watch them, understand them, even change them. Hannibal, despite his reservations, decided it was an opportunity not to be missed.

He paused in his escape; taking a deep inhale, maroon eyes momentarily masked as his world stilled. He would find the group. But that human…

The human would have to go.

His countenance falling back to its natural state deprived of emotion, Hannibal’s discomfort – his anger and reawakened pain – had been buried deep beneath the surface. He knew such memories would continue to haunt his dreams, but conscious, he was the master of his demons.

Becoming aware of just how far away he’d wandered from the group, a flicker of a frown appeared over the canine’s eyes. He didn’t like the word ‘lost’, but couldn’t deny he was unfamiliar with his surroundings. The group’s scent had slipped beyond his range and whilst he had every intention of a reunion, he realized that it was a feat easier said than done. Yet oddly, Hannibal couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being watched.

Instincts told him he wasn’t alone.

Buck’s response was hardly reassuring, instead emerging as dreary confirmation that they had ultimately failed to find shelter. Although a slight disappointment, Latias dismissed the matter without a second thought – it had never truly been her aim in the first place, merely an added bonus were they to succeed.

They had wandered aimlessly, long enough – Latias thought – to give the human enough time to calm. It had been her intention all along. She herself wasn’t comfortable around the species, the hound had looked ready to gut the stranger and the man in question wasn’t exactly composed at the time of their departure. But the dragon was confident the company of those left behind would be enough to quell his turmoil.

"Yeah... That was pretty pointless..." Buck muttered somewhere from behind her, the male apparently choosing to follow. Latias’ lips tugged in a small, knowing smile as opposed to her natural aggression.
“It was worth a shot,” It lacked her common venom, the legendary instead shrugging off the matter as the duo began the trek back towards the main group. The dragon silent, but oddly content.

Her contentment, however, was short-lived, dashed at the mixture of noise emanating from the group. Lalita’s cries stood out. They struck the dragon with an intensity she was reluctant to admit, her pleasant mood crumbling as the fox’s heartbreak worked to provoke her own. It hurt. The stinging jab in her chest that reminded her of her own losses. Lalita’s outbreak was simply the melody to a generation of lost souls.

Legendary…

She pretended she hadn’t heard the voice; betrayed no signs of alarm or upset beneath a blank complexion. Latias was stronger than that. Banishing such thoughts from her mind, she tore her gaze from the grieving fox – now comforted by the young buizel – and instead distracted herself with the polar opposite. The Doctor’s cheer had infected her once before; she was already craving a second dose and the opportunity to escape the monsters lingering in her periphery.

He was happy – at least on the outside. Latias had learnt well enough that appearances were cruelly misleading. But he wore his smile with such sincerity that she was inclined to believe it to be genuine. She wanted to believe it more than anything, bask in something she had long been deprived of. Her mood, constantly swinging between the extremes, was lightened merely at the sight of the psychic’s conversation with the human. She cared not for their words, instead delving into the details of the abra’s expression – ignoring those tiny creases of pain he strived to conceal. It was surprisingly easy to colour the truth.

Latias had managed to drone out the hum of conversation, so tuned in to the psychic’s subtly-shifting features that she started when the male suddenly dashed away. Amber eyes darting between those equally as slow on the pick-up, an almost charming confusion accompanying the blush in her cheeks lingered on her face.
"Goooo.....FUCK! If that guy thinks we are following him he is nuts. Right Sub? Sub? Goddammit!!! Despite the bird’s indignant cries, the human had chosen to follow the spritely duo of the Doctor and Tails, Lalita – now strikingly vacant – following suit. Latias could only blame herself for her current alienation to the matter, and yet her pride wouldn’t permit her to ask the question of what exactly was going on.

But with Buck reluctantly turning to follow, the legendary gave a small shrug of her shoulders and drifted silently behind. She was mainly charmed by the group – admittedly uneasy of some; clashing with others – but the legendary saw no reason to abandon such survivors. Besides, they could be useful. Latias knew her destination, yet remained a foreigner in the region. She made a mental note to ask of the ruins at a later point.

But clearly, that wasn’t going to appear anytime soon.

She saw the blurred shapes of the Doctor and Tails up ahead, but the sound of buzzing arrived a moment too late; her mind seemingly struggling to fully process her surroundings. She was struck in the neck, a surprised hiss leaving her as her body recoiled away. The offending butterfree was met with no mercy, practically torn apart by the strength of Latias’ retaliation.

It’s sudden, brutal death was met only with the anger of its brethren.

The dragon thrashed wildly within the flurry of insects, snarling and snapping at the wings that flitted within her reach. Her blood, fast-boiling and further tinting her reddening eyes, was itching to provoke a darker side of the legendary. Latias knew what would come next. The visions, that voice – she would not let herself slip into that state.

With a screech, Latias demonstrated her species’ talent. She burst forth from the swarm at an exhilarating speed, streamline body a flickering shimmer, almost mirroring her surroundings as she tempted the feat of invisibility. But a pang of nausea disrupted her escape. Her flight faltered, the legendary forced to a halt a good distance ahead of her companions as she cringed away at the brief but terrible pain that rocketed up her neck; poison.

(I apologize for the long post, but I wanted to catch up thoroughly. I hadn’t realized just how many rounds I had missed.)