(ELITE) The SINJOH Team

Anubis channeled the swirling energy into a bright white light, concentrating it into a a sphere and drawing it close to him so that he could push it out with as much force as possible. However, he didn't get the chance. "BLAZIKEN!" A high, feminine voice cut through the battle like a lightning bolt. "BEHIND YOU! LOOK OUT!" The sheer force of her warning caused the Lucario to drop all of his focus and let the blast split into random steaks of energy. Silver, who had been ready to defend him and Lexa as he prepared his attack, was quickly pulled aside by his Alakazam as a Togekiss with a maniacal laugh hovered over the hoard to watch as the human was nearly crushed by a powerful paw swiping down.

"Lexa, Anubis, run!" The pair quickly dodged the onslaught thanks to Silver's warning but Lexa's luck was about to go from bad to worse. It seemed as if Murphy and his law was making the Blaziken his bitch today as she once again ended up the victim of a misguided attack, winding up right in the path of an Aura Sphere. The move ended up hitting her square in the back and knocking her down before continuing to its original target, a massive Ursaring with murder in its eyes. "Lexa!" Anubis cried out in alarm, seeing his friend go completely prone for several moments before finally sitting up and rubbing he back of her head. "Son of a bitch!" she growled out, wincing at the massive headache she now sported. "First a surf in an underground chamber that could rip the walls down and now a critical move that can damage multiple opponents aimed at an opponent behind someone else. Who the hell is running this team?!"

While the question was rhetorical the Ursaring in front of her didn't leave time for an answer even if she wanted one, Lexa quickly having to roll out of the way of another Hammer Arm. She popped up swiftly and barely made it back to her feet before the world suddenly got very wavy. She reached back to her head again and this time, when she brought her taloned hand back into view, there was blood coating her fingers. That wasn't good. At the sight of Lexa's injury Anubis felt something in him snap as a quick mental barrier crashed into place to block his emotions from overwhelming him. His eyes went dark and cold as he put himself between his friend and the demon bear, his aura growing around his body as the energy of it surged into his palms. He would not let this thing near her. He wouldn't let any of them near. In all her efforts to help all these creatures had done was get the fire bird hurt and now she could barely stand without a wave of nausea striking her down.

Images of Suzaku flashed rapidly in Anubis's mind, his death replaying over and over again as he watched Lexa lurch against a wall to brace herself. This was going to end one way or another, even if he had to bring the whole damn ruins down on top of this monstrosity. As his Aura Sphere grew larger he stared down the hulk of a beast and shifted his weight to his back leg, ready to push his attack with all his might. "I won't let you have her," he warned, voice flat and empty. "And I won't give you mercy." Without another word he unleashed his fully charged Aura Sphere right into the path of the Ursaring.

This Ursaring was a menace. Its massive form practically absorbed the shadows, its thunderous roar loud enough to shatter stone. Thankfully, her warning had been delivered at the right time, and the Blaziken managed to avoid the incoming attack. But as she stood back up, Khan's Aura Sphere hit her square in the back, knocking her down once more. Cynthia held her breath, but could hear more angry yelling and deduced that she hadn't been knocked out.

But Gold's Togekiss was beginning to grate on her nerves; he was roaring with laughter. What could possibly be so funny? "GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN, SILVER. DON'T TURN AROUND!"

"Silver!" At that moment, a red-haired young man appeared in a flash of light not far from her, safely in the arms of an Alakazam which she could only assume belonged to him. Cynthia did not have time to mull anything over though; this Ursaring was on the warpath. It bellowed again, swiping this way and that with its deadly clawed hands.

"Lexa, Anubis, run!" Craning her neck, Cynthia finally got a good view of the Blaziken and saw that, indeed, she did have an accomplice; a Lucario by the looks of it.

"Cynthia!" Her Roserade's panicked voice sent a jolt of panic through the Champion's chest. Her Pokemon had dealt with the majority of what was left of the horde single-handedly, but the Ursaring's sheer amount of brutality was proving too much for her. She ducked out of the way of the bear's claws and looked desperately to her Trainer. "This one's not going to be easy. What do you want me to do?"

A flash of light briefly blinded her as the third Lucario, Anubis, engaged the beast in battle. Her own Lucario stood perfectly still by her side, loyally waiting for a command. With three Fighting-types with them, realistically this should be a piece of cake. But as the Ursaring thrashed and roared, it collided with the walls and central statues, sending chunks and shards of stone clattering all over the place. Given how structurally unsound this place already was, this was a big problem. If it struck the wrong pillar or area of wall, the whole place could cave in on them. Cynthia pulled out Roserade's Poke Ball; it needed to be dealt with quickly.

"Come back," she said, recalling her Grass-type as she flailed out of the way of a shard of rock heading straight for her. She did notice the glimmer of blood resting on Roserade's leaves and felt sick at the thought that her Pokemon was injured, but she would deal with it later. Right now, this Ursaring needed to die. "Lucario, you stay here. Don't move unless I say so." The jackal nodded as Cynthia swapped the Poke Ball she was holding with another; one with a sticker baring the winged emblem of a dragon.

Times were desperate, she realised, as the massive bear thundered out another roar and charged towards them, its claws swallowed by a darkness that could only be a Night Slash.

Once more, Khan had found himself staring into the mad eyes of something he'd never see again: an undead Ursaring. He could see it now; the one that had pinned him to the ground; snapped at his face; swiped a chunk out of his cheek ... all while Eva's head had been sliced off her shoulders. He could see the beast now; smell the smoke; feel the pain of its claws; hear his own screams of grief--

He couldn't. Howling out his torment, Khan backed himself into the wall. If he attempted to kill the beast now, the same thing would happen all over again - he'd be pinned, unable to do a thing as the horde swarmed in on his new friends and killed them one by one. Cynthia, Azelf, little Prince, Gold, Bitey ... they'd all die. All because of him.

No. What had he trained for, what had he survived for just to stand sniveling on the sidelines? Nobody would die, because he was there to throw his life on the line to protect them. He already had nothing to lose; what other reason did he need to fight? He might as well show that undead scum what he thought of them.

The entire battle blurred, distorted, as Khan shot forward. The first in his path was an unfortunate Growlithe, and the pup barely had time to react before the Lucario was upon him. Slamming a Force Palm into its face, Khan screamed. He screamed for the dead, whether they were still moving or not, and for what was left of the living. He screamed for the world he loved as it fell apart all around him. Khan screamed for his own dying sanity.

The Growlithe was flung backwards into the base of one of the statues, its face horribly disfigured from the attack. Khan did not stop there; his balled fist struck the undead canine again and again. Its face, neck, belly, ears, body ... it wasn't long before it stopped moving, what was left of its body now a disfigured, bloody mess. But Khan kept going until there were no intact bones left to shatter, and hearing the thunderous bellow of the Ursaring behind him, knew he wasn't finished yet.

Panting, covered in gore, Khan stood and faced their new foe. It seemed that the giant bear was the only one left now; their only obstacle in their way of their goal. Whatever Cynthia was doing here, whatever her goal was, Khan would live to see it though. That was a promise.

"Come and get me," he growled, his teeth grinding together so hard his jaw ached. "You damned monster. I'll turn you inside out."

So many noises now.

The sounds of battle are reaching a crescendo, echoing around the packed area.  More people.  A young man with red hair.  A togekiss with a scary voice and scary emotions and oh god go away.

"GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN, SILVER. DON'T TURN AROUND!"
"Silver!"
"Lexa, Anubis, run!"
"Cynthia!"

Toomuchtoomuchtoomuch.  Too much noise, too much feeling.  Too much everything.

IneedquietIneedQUIET!  

But that's impossible.

He buries his face as deeply as he can into Azelf's back and whines, shuddering, clinging for all he's worth, like the little leech he is, as Azelf wrecks undead after undead with his extrasensories.

A roar splits the air, so loud and thunderous that for a moment there is silence inside his head, the tiny fairy struggling to process what exactly he just heard.

And then he screams as realization crashes in, and that demon--because that's not normal even by undead standards, oh no, it must be something else--is getting closer, and closer, and its rage and sorrow and pain wraps around his fragile little mind and seeps in.  

NONONONO GET OUT OF MY HEAD GET OUT GET OUT--  He doesn't even realize when he begins screaming aloud. "OUTOUTOUTOUT!  MAKE IT STOP MAKE IT STOP IT- IT HURTS I--"

Azelf glances over his shoulder.  Pressing his forehead to Prince's head, he whispers a soft apology.

Merciful darkness claims him as the legend knocks him out.

There are so many newcomers, suddenly.  A Lucario and Blaziken duo.  A new human.  For a moment he is sure he must be dreaming.  So many new people in such a short amount of time?  That can't be true!  But it is, and he coordinates his attacks to stay out of their way and help them where he can.  

He breaks his concentration only when a bone chilling roar erupts, shaking him to his core.  And, apparently, someone else as well.

"OUTOUTOUTOUT!  MAKE IT STOP MAKE IT STOP IT- IT HURTS I--"

The screech cuts through straight to his very soul and he glances over his shoulder, staring in fear at those wild pink eyes.

He can't- he can't go on like this; it will destroy his mind to where he can't recover!

He has to make a choice.

"I'm sorry, little one."

He reaches into Prince's mind and overloads it, feeling the youth go limp.  Psychic energy grabs onto him before he can fall, holding him to the legend's back as Azelf turns his full attention back to the battle.

He can't lose.  Staring at the enraged Ursurang, he grits his teeth.  The final push, and he is going to make it through this.  So will everyone else.

It was utter chaos.

Gold quickly returned Gizmo at the sight of the Ursaring; he knew the Vaporeon was too slow and not bulky enough to handle the Hammer Arms the Ursaring was flinging around, not to mention two of his attacks were now useless. Everyone was shouting at each other, screaming, but Gold himself felt a strange inner calm. He had to think of something to do. Pushing aside all other thoughts -the noise, Nedry's laughing, the sight of a familiar red head- and focused on the battle at hand. He needed someone sturdy, that was for sure. Nedry was honestly his best bet, but the Togekiss didn't seem to be enough for this Ursaring. He face alighted with a smirk as an idea came to him. He was quick on the draw with another pokeball, a Scizor soon materializing.

"Nedry, use Psychic to keep it still as best you can!" he cried before turning to Ms. White. "Ms. White, use Swords Dance three times, then attack with Feint Attack!"

Silver blinked as he heard Gold give commands to his pokemon, his harried mind trying to focus on the battle at hand and not on the friends that were currently in danger. If Gold of all people could keep his head in a time like this, surely Silver could too. Breathing out a steadying huff, he grabbed another pokeball. "Cacus, use your own Psychic powers to help keep the Ursaring still," he ordered evenly. Tossing the ball, a Weavile then appeared-- one of his oldest friends. "Trick, use Fake Out!" Hopefully, between the two Psychics holding the Ursaring and Trick's Fake Out, that would be enough to keep it still to give the Fighting Types time to kill it.

Despite making direct contact the Aura Sphere seemed to barely faze the beast, making it pause for only a moment before it began charging. With so many distractions, however, it instead bypassed the Lucario and instead went for a shock of blonde he hadn't noticed before on the other side of the horde. The quick flash of yellow sent a rocket of emotion flooding the Aura Pokemon, a similar scene placing over the reality as he watched a horde descend upon Mother. The wounds she got from that encounter had been what infected her, killing her slowly as the former Riolu watched with no power to stop it. He could only soothe what aches and fevers he could, watching as her aura faded to nothing and her hand went limp in his.

Reality came crashing back with a wicked howl from the monster bear and Anubis turned to find himself standing remarkably near another Lucario. A flicker of shock flashed across his face before another curtain fell across his eyes, his gaze once again becoming empty. Now was not the time for idle memory, Lexa needed him. Shifting a quick glance from the corner of his eye he saw the Blaziken lurch and threaten to start heaving, her disorientation getting slowly worse. Gritting his teeth he scanned the area and spotted Silver giving orders to one of his Pokemon, the creatures dutifully moving in tandem with another set getting their orders from another young man.

As waves of psychic energy began to tendril their way through the field of battle he saw Silver's Weavile and a Scizor going in for a pincer movement and all became clear. They were going to stall the bear. Without hesitation he began charging his strongest fighting move, his Focus Blast, and briefly glance to his fellow canine standing near him. "Whatever your strongest type advantage is, I suggest you get it ready," he warned. "We will likely only get one shot." He wasn't going to bother asking if the other fighter knew what was happening, though it should have been obvious. And if the combined blast attacks there was also a very good chance that when they hit their target any of the smaller undead would get caught in the blast and would no longer be an issue. They would have to wait until Silver and the other boy's Pokemon were clear but they would also need to act fast before the target broke through its psychic constraints. It was risky, but a good strategy from the two boys.

You can do it. Her strongest Pokemon; her one true faith...if Garchomp couldn't do it, who could? This dragon simply refused to lose, and Cynthia prayed that this time wouldn't be any different.

All around her the chaos of the battle reigned; Khan and Prince both screaming, having lost their nerve; the new boy, Silver, throwing his best efforts into keeping the beast still. That was working, at least; the Weavile's Fake Out flinching it in its tracks and the Psychic from his Alakazam keeping it still for a moment. The monster howled out its rage, thrashing its body this way and that to try and break out of the mental hold, its huge arms smashing into the walls and pillars, sending chunks and shards of stone everywhere.

These old ruins couldn't handle much more of that. This Ursaring needed to die, and it needed to die now.

"Garchomp! Battle dance!" The Poke Ball bounced off the floor, exploding in red light as her signature Pokemon appeared. Garchomp took one look at their foe and thrashed her head with a roar, snapping her jaws. "Hold your ground," Cynthia ordered, noticing that Anubis had run to Khan's side. Yes...two Fighting-type moves together would be a superb combination, maybe even enough to defeat it...

There was an ear-splitting crash as one of the Rhydon statues on either side of the Ursaring fell off its column, shaking the ground as it landed. Cynthia's heart lurched as she had an idea...those statues weighed in at several tons each. If they could time this just right, they had surely won.

"You two," she called to the two Lucario, "prepare your attacks and get ready. Strike when I say so. Garchomp, when I give the order, deliver a strong blow the statue to the Ursaring's right."

Her dragon nodded, latching on to the plan. "Got it."

This was it; their one chance. If this wouldn't kill it, nothing would.

"Lucario, join them." Her jackal had stood loyally by her side all this time, but now dashed over to join Khan and Anubis, an Aura Sphere crackling to life in his paws.

Silver's Alakazam's Psychic was doing its job, and the beast thrashed and flailed as it tried feebly to put a foot forward. Cynthia held her breath, her heart hammering so hard against her chest that it hurt. Just one more moment...wait for the dust to clear so they had a clear shot--

"Everyone! Clear the way!" she called over the racket, turning to the three Lucario stood nearby. "You three! Are you ready?"

The Ursaring bellowed again, a chunk of the ceiling crashing to the ground beside it. It was now or never.

"NOW!"

The beast was barely moving now, the combined attacks of the others and the Psychic attack from Silver's Alakazam rendering almost completely immobile. It still found enough energy to swing its huge arms, battering the statues and pillars on either side of it, and bellow angrily at them. Khan's paws crackled with energy; while it was hardly moving, he could strike it easily.

"Whatever your strongest type advantage is, I suggest you get it ready." The sudden voice from his right startled him, and he turned to see the fellow Lucario standing beside him, readying an attack of its own. Cynthia's Lucario also joined them, and the three stood ready to combine their attacks. Three Fighting-types against one Normal-type ... Khan could only hope that it would be enough. "We will likely only get one shot."

"I'm ready!" Of course he was. He had the strength of three of his kind on his side. This hulking lump of flesh didn't stand a chance... Arceus, please, grant us your fortune. Don't make me the fool again.

A flash of red light briefly illuminated the chamber, and he turned to see that Cynthia had released a massive Garchomp. "Prepare your attacks and get ready. Strike when I say so," she ordered, and Khan nodded obediently as she gave a set of instructions to her dragon. This woman had a plan, Khan could feel it. The end of this battle was nigh.

"Everyone! Clear the way!" Khan pressed his paws together, channeling every bit of aura energy he could into them. "You three! Are you ready?"

"I am!" The ball of power between his paws was still growing, consuming him in azure light. Beyond it, the Ursaring roared and gave the pillar beside it one last smack, and Khan felt his stomach lurch as a section of the stone ceiling fell down with a deafening crash. It's going to cave us all in--!

"NOW!"

The room exploded into light as their attacks launched.

Dark.  Quiet.  Peaceful.

The darkness claims him as he settles into unconsciousness, pulling him away from the screams of the undead and the shouts of the living.

It carries him away from the rage and despair of the undead, the desperation of the survivors.  Like an old friend, it cradles him and wraps him in warmth and safety, and now maybe finally, he can rest.

Sleep, when it's being enjoyed, wipes all meaning from Time.  Time does not matter; it has no purpose and no real sense of presence.  As he lingers on the edge of unconsciousness, sinking deeper into darkness, he wonders how long he'll be out.

Forever?  He'd like it to be so.

To never have to worry or fear again.  No more pain, no more screams.  No more blood or terror.  No more dragging the weight of everyone's sorrows, sorrows he doesn't even know fully about because he doesn't need to know, in order to feel empathy.

Feeling.  

His greatest asset.

His deepest curse.

The ability to love without ever having exchanged words, because he knows another's heart nearly immediately.

It means he can do so much good... but be hurt so much in return.

And he's so very tired.

But he hasn't slept in so long and... Azelf does want him around, whether he understands it or not.

And, he reminds himself, he is losing consciousness, not dying.  In a while he'll wake.  Assuming the others aren't wiped out here.  It's the only way he'll wake up later; if he doesn't, then they'll have all died, and it will be his turn.

If waking up later means they survived, then... I think I can face later.  Because regardless of his own feelings about death, how he waffles back and forth on it, he knows they don't want to die, and they don't deserve to. Sorry 'm useless.

Good luck.

The darkness carries him the rest of the way to sleep.

(I WAS GETTING THAT GODDAMNED BRONZE BADGE COME HIGH OR HELL WATER; WHAT THE FUCK WAS I THINKING, ENDING THE LAST POST THE WAY I DID WHEN IT WAS HIS 34TH)

Mrs. White danced beside Gold, her attack increasing each time she spun and twirled. Gold took in a deep breath as he kept his gaze on the struggling bear ahead of him. It was getting close now. A quick glance over his shoulder revealed Nedry's grin gone with the strain of keeping the bear still, the entire fairy's body shimmering with the ethereal light of his power. Silver had apparently caught on to the strategy quickly, his own Alakazam focused on keeping the bear still as well instead of outright attacking. Silver was also sending out his weavile over and over again for Fake Out attacks while everyone else charged their attacks. Gold couldn't help but grin. With four fighting types, three of them being Lucario -how did that even happen- Mrs. White and a freaking Garchomp on their side, there was no way this thing was living through this next attack. Well... "living".

"Everyone! Clear the way!" Cynthia called to the trio of Lucario. "You three! Are you ready?"

Gold and Silver visibly flinched as the Ursaring flailed in its rage, a portion of ceiling crashing to the ground as a result. "On her mark, Mrs. White!" Gold ordered over the bear's bellowing roar. "Just a little more, Cacus!" he heard Silver cry, returning the Weavile a last time before sending it right back out.

"NOW!"
"Ice Punch!"
"Nedry, target its head!"

It was a flurry of movement as all the pokemon moved together as one, straight at the imprisoned undead bear. Mrs. White flew from Gold's side to join, a Feint Attack going into an open spot next to the Lucario trio. Silver's Weavile moved in tandem, able to maneuver around the other larger pokemon with ease to find her own opening. The result was a resounding BOOM of attacks colliding, and both Gold and Silver had to look away as dust and blood flew out from the epicenter. The boys both quickly looked back, however, alarm written on their faces.

Was it gone?

As the orb of light continued to pull in more and more power Anubis couldn't spare more than a glance at the two Lucario that joined him, not willing to risk letting the unstable attack go free at such a volatile stage, but he did give them each a brief nod as the readied their own attacks. "I'm ready!" Called out the first, responding as the female voice called out in an all too familiar tone to the second. A trainer, a confident one at that.

He could sense the will of the other two Aura Pokemon as he felt his Focus Blast become stable, his eyes focused sharply on his target as he waited for the go signal, not willing to risk their one chance on an early slip. The beast flailed angrily, using what little range of motion he had to crash into the walls and pillars, threatening to collapse them all into the tunnels and bury them alive. They had to move quickly or they would all die, but no one had given the signal. "You three! Are you ready?" Anubis's exhaled slowly, shifting one leg back and bringing his paws close to his chest. This was it...

"NOW!"

In unison the three Lucario unleashed their full power, benefited by the addition of a few more Pokemon as the combined attacks fused into a large sphere of destruction and slammed into the Ursaring as it roared. The impact was intense, the air forming a vacuum and then exploding outward like a bomb had gone off, a mist of blood and fur following the wake. He wasn't sure if it was dead, but it certainly wasn't going to very threatening after a hit like that. Anubis looked around to find Lexa but felt an icy cold run down his spine when he realized her couldn't spot the familiar red, yellow, and cream feathers anywhere.

Unbeknownst the the fighters as they charged their attacks and unleashed hell on the bear, Lexa had found herself dazed and wandering too close to the point of impact. She had been trying to feel her way down the wall to get back around the corner and out of the fight, her vision too blurred and movement too impaired to fight back, but ended up going the wrong way. She felt the vacuum of air but was too late to move out of the way before it pushed back outward, getting caught in the shock wave and thrown back several feet. She landed with a heavy thud near the two human males and slid until she was just before Silver's feet, groaning in pain before going silently still. The world was black and cold around her, and no matter how hard her mind screamed at her to get up she could not claw her way back out of the darkness into the waking world.

Cynthia was forced to cover her eyes from the blindingly white light from the blast, the sheer force of the combined attack almost knocking her over. It was as though a bomb had gone off. She was worried for a second that they'd used too much power; what if this was enough to bring the roof down?

But as the light started to fade, Cynthia turned to her Garchomp, stood perfectly still at her side. They weren't going to even wait to see whether the Ursaring had survived the blast; she doubted it, but couldn't afford to wait and find out. The second that the chamber became visible, Cynthia shouted, "NOW, GARCHOMP!"

Her dragon shot forward towards the statue, and Cynthia only caught a glimpse of what little was left of the beast's rotten body before Garchomp's tail struck its target. The Rhydon statue groaned and creaked as it keeled over, landing with an earth-shattering crash.

The silence that followed was haunting. The clouds of dust slowly parted as Cynthia held her breath...surely that was it? Countless stones, chunks of flesh and fur and droplets of dark blood littered the ground as she finally caught sight of the collapsed statue...and a very dead Ursaring underneath it.

It was over. They'd done it. Cynthia slumped against the wall, a hand slapping up to her forehead. Her head was numb with sheer relief, her vision clouding as tears sprung into them out of nowhere. All the tension, the terror, that she'd been concealing for the last few minutes poured out of her as she burst into tears.

"Cynthia?" A gentle arm draped over her shoulder as Garchomp comforted her Trainer.

"I'm fine," the Champion said, quickly wiping her eyes. "I just...I'm so proud of you all. We did it! We, we actually did it!"

"We sure did," said Garchomp with a smile. The dragon looked up at the others, then back at her Trainer. "How about we make sure everyone is all right and get out of this mess so you can get me acquainted with your new friends?"

"Y-Yes...yes, you're right." As much as she wanted to, she couldn't stand there blubbering all day. Cynthia stood up, wiping her face and dusting the dirt from her coat. "No-Nobody is hurt then? Anybody need treatment? I have a couple of Potions left."

The combined force of the attacks and the deafening blast that followed almost sent Khan flying off his feet. But the silence that followed suggested that the battle had finally ended. The Lucario took a deep breath for composure, trying to calm his erratic heart. They'd done it. They'd near enough brought the ceiling down while doing it, but that beast of a Pokemon was dead, and that was all that mattered.

A sob from behind startled him. The last few minutes had caught up with Cynthia, it seemed, and she started to cry. Her Garchomp immediately rushed to her side to comfort her. "I just...I'm so proud of you all. We did it! We, we actually did it!" Khan felt himself swell with pride. Now they could carry on at last.

He took a quick look around him to confirm that the others were safe. One of the first things he noticed was the unconscious Blaziken lying near to Gold and Silver, and turned to inform Cynthia when she asked, "No-Nobody is hurt then? Anybody need treatment? I have a couple of Potions left."

The back of his jaw still pulsed with pain from where he'd lost his tooth, but the Fire-type clearly needed attention more than he did. He nodded, and pointed a paw in her direction. "The Blaziken has been knocked out."

Their combined power being used all at once-- the flash is blinding.  In fact, for a minute, he nearly wondered if this were real; for a moment, he could almost pretend it wasn't.

But then the ceiling crashed in and the light faded and... and...

It's still not dead...

But his horror is short lived and Cynthia's Garchomp destroys it, the Rhydon statue falling onto it in an enormous crash.

"Cynthia?" The Garchomp moves to comfort her, and Azelf floats over, cradling Prince in his arms.

"I'm fine," she tries to assure her dragon. "I just...I'm so proud of you all. We did it! We, we actually did it!"

"We sure did," She smiles at Cynthia and then looks up at the rest of them, Azelf giving her a weary smile in return. "How about we make sure everyone is all right and get out of this mess so you can get me acquainted with your new friends?"

"Y-Yes...yes, you're right." She stands up and moves to straighten herself out, dusting her coat and wiping her eyes. "No-Nobody is hurt then? Anybody need treatment? I have a couple of Potions left."

"I am fine," the legend says quietly.

"The Blaziken has been knocked out."  Azelf turns in alarm to see where Khan is pointing, his heart leaping to his throat as he moves to float near Lexa, shifting Prince slightly in his arms.

Oh no oh no...

The movement of red and cream caught Silver's attention immediately as the dust settled and cleared to reveal nothing more than a bloody spatter on the ground that was only seconds ago a rampaging monster. Cursing under his breath, he immediately ducked down and searched his pack for a revive as the others gawked and gaped at the freshly destroyed corpse.

Gold sighed in relief when he saw the slaughtered body, leaning against the wall as Mrs. White and Nedry came to him. He hugged them close, grin broad from their victory. "You two did so well... Thank you so much..." As he held them, he opened his eyes and tried to spot Silver, suddenly remembering his old rival had been there in the battle. His eyes locked on the form of the red-head's Alakazam, but he blocked any bit of Silver that was visible. Damn. Feeling the room a bit crowded and wanting to give his pokemon a hard-earned rest, Gold returned them to go and see Silver when Cynthia let out a wail.

"Cynthia?" Her Garchomp drew closer to her, wrapping a finned arm around her for comfort. She seemed to recover, apparently forgetting herself for a moment. Gold blinked in confusion; what an odd thing to do.

"I'm fine," she replied as she wiped away the moisture from her face in an attempt to placate her dragon. "I just...I'm so proud of you all. We did it! We- we actually did it!" Gold's face broke out into a large grin once more, sharing her sentiment. They'd overcome an impossibly hard Undead and that was definitely something to be proud of.

"We sure did," the Garchomp agreed, her weird head craning at them all before going back to her trainer. Man, what a cool dragon. Gold had a dragon of his own, but Santa couldn't compare in looks and aesthetics to a freaking shark dragon. Even though he was freaking adorable. "How about we make sure everyone is all right and get out of this mess so you can get me acquainted with your new friends?"

"Y-Yes...yes, you're right." She righted herself and Gold drew closer to Silver, eager to reconnect with his long-lost rival only to stop when he saw the downed Blaziken. "No-Nobody is hurt then? Anybody need treatment? I have a couple of Potions left."

"I am fine," Azelf answered quietly.

"Uhm--"

"The Blaziken has been knocked out."

Silver's head whipped up, his expression absolutely livid. "Oh, you mean someone else noticed? That's nice. You know what would be even better? If I could find the one bit of medicine I can use on her," he snapped, sticking his head and arm back into his bag. "But no, no, don't mind the unconscious fire bird on the floor-- please, keep talking. Don't mind us."

Gold stepped forward, the other man's anger causing him to rethink his strategy of diving in and hugging the ever-living shit out of Silver. "Silver, you seem really mad--"

"Do I, Gold? DO I? I wonder what gave that away."

"The yelling and the sarcasm, probably."

Silver slammed his hands into the bag, his head rolling back a bit as he fought the extreme urge to wring the dumb out of Gold's neck. "Well, you're right, Gold. Absolutely fucking right-- GOLD STARS FOR YOU. Astute detective work-- as always. Do me a favor and stand over there and face the wall or hand me a goddamn revive because I can't seem to find my own-- nevermind," he finished, holding up a small tannish diamond-shaped item. "Just go stand and face the wall." With the aid of his anger, he pried the bird's mouth open and stuck the revive into her throat, then waited for her to spring back to life.

Anubis shielded his eyes from the white light of the connecting blast, ducking his head to try and avoid the spray of dust and debris that threatened to choke him if he dared inhale. He prayed that it was over, that the beast was dead and gone, and that the group surrounding them proved friendly once the common foe was no longer a concern. He heard the female shout, the statue crumble and fall, and then finally all was blissfully silent. It was dead. He peered out from beneath his arm as he scanned the hazy tunnel for a sign of where Lexa had gone off to and froze when he saw her prone beside Silver.

He didn't hear the human wail, nor the pokemon comforting her. He didn't hear any of the friendly assurances that everyone was fine. He could only hear his heart pounding in his ears as he slid to a stop beside the red headed human, gingerly resting one of his paws on Lexa's chest as he checked to feel if it still rose. The Lucario saw the blood slowly pooling around the back of her head and his mind went dark, shadowed images playing in the background of a friend lost in battle with an undead. 'Suzaku....' Anubis's mind replayed the death of his friend at the claws of his former mentor, Cathal, and as he gazed down at Lexa his mind kept overlapping the images of the two Blaziken until they appeared to be one and the same.

Panic gripped him tightly as Silver began to grow more and more irate, digging through his bag forcefully. "Silver...Silver do something..." Anubis whimpered, each moment that passed morphing Lexa into that of his friend. He watched as his mind tricked him into seeing the purple tinges darkening cream feathers, the deep red seeping into ruby feathers and turning them crimson. "Silver..." He could hear Cathal's roar in the background as the battle in his mind drew to a close and the Lucario put his paws over his ears to try and drown out the sound. "Make it stop! Please make it stop!" He begged and pleaded for the human beside him to do what he could not, to not let him suffer the loss of another friend, but the others kept distracting him. "Dead...dead...everyone's dead... Momma, Suzu, Cathal...everyone dead. Lexa..."

He was lost as Silver force fed the Revive to the fallen Blaziken, too lost in his own panic to think clearly. He rocked back and forth rapidly as his traitorous mind went over every personal death he had witnessed over the last several years and was only broken from it by the loud gasp for air Lexa took as she awoke. The female rolled over on to her side as she began to choke and cough, a tangy, metallic taste resting on her tongue for the effort. Lexa groaned loudly as she placed one taloned hand on the back of her head, sitting up and taking a moment to let the fog clear from her mind. "The hell hit me? I feel like I took on a Body Slam from a Wailord."

Seeing her move and hearing her speak overjoyed Anubis and he launched himself at his companion, hugging her tightly. "Whoa! Anu- Hang on," she laughed, wincing as Anubis's grip squeezed on what was likely a set of very bruised ribs. "I'm fine, just a little beat up. Really. I've taken worse at the Gym." Anubis pulled away slightly and shook his head violently. "You were out cold. Bleeding. If Silver hadn't-" Lexa held up one hand to stop the canine from rambling. "I'm a professional fighter, I'm usually bleeding. But as for being unconscious, it seems I have you to thank for waking me Silver. So I will. Thank you." She looked around at the group currently staring at her as she continued to sit on the ground, smirking. "So which of you morons let loose a Surf down here?"

"The Blaziken has been knocked out." Cynthia followed Khan's gaze with an unpleasant jolt in her chest; perhaps they did have a casualty after all. But the young man, Silver, was already on the case, albeit rather rudely. Cynthia's jaw clenched as she watched him use a Revive on the unconscious dual-type; he was irate, but at least he was helping.

"So, you two know each other?" she asked when he and Gold had finished arguing. "That's fine, and I thank you both for aiding us in that battle, but I must ask that you keep the bickering to a minimum. I don't know about you, but I'd rather not deal with another horde today."

"You've certainly gathered a collection of little helpers," Garchomp observed with a smile. "Care to introduce me now it's quiet?"

"Of course!" Cynthia was enthusiastic to do just that. She was excited to see her Pokemon's reaction to one member of the group in particular. "This is Khan, the little Ralts is Prince, that young man over there is Gold, and that's--"

"Azelf?!" Garchomp almost keeled over at the sight of the legendary, her mouth agape in shock. "Is that-- no. I must be seeing things. It can't be--"

"It is." Cynthia felt herself swell with pride. "The legend of Lake Valor was true. This is the Being of Willpower."

"Azelf." The Champion saw her Pokemon's lip quiver with emotion as she respectfully bowed to the pixie. "It is truly an honor."

It was so nice to have things back to normal...well, as 'normal' as things could get these days. Heaving out a sigh, Cynthia turned to the angry red-haired boy and the new duo nearby. "And from what I've heard, your name is Silver. You two, I'm afraid I don't have the pleasure of your names just yet." With a smile and a hand respectfully held to her chest, she said, "My name is Cynthia, and I am the former Champion of Sinnoh. It's lovely to meet you."

Khan felt an increasingly warm comfort around Cynthia's Garchomp. For such a big, fierce-looking Pokemon, she was just as sweet as her Trainer. "You've certainly gathered a collection of little helpers," she said, looking around at them all with a smile. He froze when her gaze met his; despite her gentle nature, she was still a frighteningly well-trained fighter. Her fierce aura told him that all too clearly. "Care to introduce me now it's quiet?"

Cynthia happily obliged, introducing them all individually. Garchomp's mouth dropped open at the sight of the blue pixie. "Azelf?! Is that-- no. I must be seeing things. It can't be--"

"It is. The legend of Lake Valor was true. This is the Being of Willpower." Cynthia's aura blazed then, a warm feeling blossoming from her and encapsulating Khan's own heart. He instantly felt so much more relaxed.

"Azelf. It is truly an honor," Garchomp said, politely bowing to the legend in awe.

From the moment he had met Cynthia there had been something ... special about her; her aura was nothing like he had felt before. It radiated a power, a determination, that not many humans had. He mused silently to himself at a moment while she introduced herself to the newcomers, her words sliding the pieces of the puzzle into place: "My name is Cynthia, and I am the former Champion of Sinnoh. It's lovely to meet you."

Champion! That explained it all; her fierce aura and strong Pokemon. Khan did not know an awful lot about Champions except that most regions had one, and they were the most powerful Trainers in that land. The Champion of Sinnoh ... here to seek out the aid of Arceus Himself ... Things were beginning to make sense now.

"I didn't know that you were a Champion," he said, rubbing one of his ears and suddenly feeling a little awkward. He was almost as significant as a rock on the ground when in the presence of both a legend and a Champion. He felt as though he was shrinking in size all the time. "That's amazing..."

Silver breathed a sigh of relief as Lexa came to, his frustrations at the limit with not only Gold's presence but Anubis' anxiety. He sat back on his feet and let her sit up on her own. "The hell hit me? I feel like I took on a Body Slam from a Wailord."

"Close," Silver quietly remarked. But Lexa was soon overwhelmed by Anubis' fierce and speedy hug, clamping her in a vicegrip that might have broken something were she not as sturdy as she was.

"Whoa! Anu- Hang on," she pleaded in a laugh. "I'm fine, just a little beat up. Really. I've taken worse at the Gym."

Anubis' panic was still very much there, however, his eyes still wide with fear. "You were out cold. Bleeding. If Silver hadn't-"

Lexa held up one hand to stop the canine from rambling. "I'm a professional fighter, I'm usually bleeding. But as for being unconscious, it seems I have you to thank for waking me Silver. So I will. Thank you." Silver gave her a nod as he got to his feet, happy that she was more or less back to normal and not hideously concussed. He returned Trick, but left Cacus out just in case. "So which of you morons let loose a Surf down here?"

Gold's hand shot up as he stared at the wall; Silver almost didn't believe Gold actually listened to him. Almost. "Ooh, me! Me!" he answered with his normal, aggravating enthusiasm. "That was me."

"So, you two know each other?" Silver turned to finally look at the others of the group and balked when he realized who the woman was. Of course Gold had found the Sinnoh Champion while he was wandering. Of course. Just his luck. Silver merely nodded at her question, but Gold gave out a thrilled, "Sure do!" Still facing the wall, no less.

"That's fine, and I thank you both for aiding us in that battle, but I must ask that you keep the bickering to a minimum. I don't know about you, but I'd rather not deal with another horde today." Silver fought the urge to fight her gentle scolding, but he had to remind himself that she was a Champion. The last time he'd taken on a Champion, well... it didn't turn out so well for him. But again, Gold took no shame in her words, simply replying with a "Kaay!" God, Silver already wanted to choke him.

"You've certainly gathered a collection of little helpers," Cynthia's Garchomp mused. "Care to introduce me now it's quiet?"

"Of course!" she cheerily replied. Silver shifted uncomfortably away from her, more toward Lexa and Anubis. Though he knew Gold, at least, social interactions were still difficult for him. It wasn't like he'd had much practice in the apocalypse, after all. "This is Khan, the little Ralts is Prince, that young man over there is Gold, and that's--"

"Azelf?!" the dragon cried, and Silver almost kicked himself for not seeing the Legend earlier. Gold had found both a Legend and a Champion. Probably just stumbled across them, as he did everything. Silver's frown etched itself deep in his face as he had to shove his jealousy back down into his gut-- now wasn't the time for petty envy, even if it was deserved. "Is that-- no. I must be seeing things. It can't be--"

"It is." Cynthia confirmed with pride. "The legend of Lake Valor was true. This is the Being of Willpower."

"Azelf." The dragon spoke the name with such a reverence, it made Silver feel as if he were intruding on a more intimate and private moment. While Silver wasn't pious himself, he knew that many pokemon deemed Legends as lords and gods. Cynthia's Garchomp likely felt that way. "It is truly an honor."

Silver had assumed the introductions over, as he and the two fighters beside him weren't a part of their group and he had been content to leave it at that. But she turned to him and he felt his limbs go rigid beneath her gaze. "And from what I've heard, your name is Silver. You two, I'm afraid I don't have the pleasure of your names just yet." She placed a hand to herself and spoke pleasantly; the gentle way she spoke did nothing to placate Silver's nerves, as they were already shot. "My name is Cynthia, and I am the former Champion of Sinnoh. It's lovely to meet you."

"I didn't know that you were a Champion," the Lucario remarked. But for Silver, that wasn't the interesting part of her introduction; he'd known she was a Champion from seeing her on TV. "That's amazing..."

"'Former'?" Silver echoed, his tone revealing his suspicion. "Aren't you still?"

"You're a Champion?" Gold asked, finally turning from facing the wall, forgetting Silver's command as his curiosity overruled everything else. "I was too, once! Neat!" He held up a hand for her to high-five, his smile wide. "I didn't want to stay at the big League place-"

"--You mean Indigo Plateau?" Silver growled in irritation. Gold, of course, didn't notice the thinly veiled frustration.

"Yeah that-- I didn't want to stay there, so I gave the title back to uh... that... dragon... guy..."

This was infuriating. "Lance. His name is Lance." Silver had all but carved that name into his very soul from when he was traveling, trying to beat Gold at his own game. Lance had humiliated him, scolded him like a snot-nosed stupid brat, and left. And what was worse, everything Lance had said had been true. Silver had treated his pokemon horribly, cruelly forcing them further and further like slaves. Like Team Rocket had. With that epiphany, Silver hadn't been able to face the Champion again, knowing that even with his new stance on training and power he'd still likely lose. Lance had changed Silver's entire world and here Gold was, unable to even remember the man's name. Cacus, feeling the distress in his trainer, placed a hand on his shoulder, to which the latter relaxed a bit.

"Yeah, that's him!" Gold chimed back, hands on his hips. "But your Garchomp is so cool-- I've never seen one up close before!"

Lexa eyed the group for some kind of response to her inquiry, and for a moment she thought she wasn't going to get one since others were having their own conversations, but then a hand shot up into the air like one of her pupils back home. "Ooh, me! Me! That was me." Lexa was confounded at the rather enthusiastic reply, almost able to picture the dopey grin that surely accompanied the happy voice and waving hand despite the fact their owner was facing a wall. Wait, why was he facing a wall? She shot a sideways glance to Silver who merely rolled his eyes at the display.

The darkly clad blonde approached them and questioned Silver about his connection to the waving dork in the corner, and Lexa and Anubis were both surprised to learn that he knew the enthusiastic youth. "Small world," she muttered as she tried to pull herself up, Anubis's paw locking down on her shoulder to keep her pushed into a sitting position. His eyes were frozen on the waving locks of blonde hair. He didn't hear the introductions or the conversation about the Legendary in their midst, all he could see was blonde. The pale shades of autumn wheat kept morphing into bright flashes of yellow and the Lucario felt a stab of pain in his chest at the comparison.

The Blaziken beside him noticed the shift in his demeanor when the paw gripping her shoulder tightened incredibly, turning around to see the look of pain flashing across Anubis's face. He whimpered and Lexa pulled him close, letting the young canine cry against her as his heart broke for their fallen trainer once more. She didn't have the heart to move him even as the conversations continued around them. "And from what I've heard, your name is Silver. You two, I'm afraid I don't have the pleasure of your names just yet." She would have responded but Anubis was far more a priority than names at the moment. "My name is Cynthia, and I am the former Champion of Sinnoh. It's lovely to meet you."

A Champion, well at least that explained her strong Pokemon. "'Former'? Aren't you still?" The skeptical tone of his question did not go unnoticed by Lexa and she gave a puzzling look to Silver, silently asking for some kind of clarity, but his attention was diverted by a certain dork. "You're a Champion? I was too, once! Neat!" This kid was a Champion? When? Where? "I didn't want to stay at the big League place-"

"--You mean Indigo Plateau?" Lexa's jaw dropped. "You're kidding me. He was a the Plateau? I don't remember fighting this kid." She surely would have remember him challenging the Cinnabar Gym, unless he was the Johto side of Indigo. Then...well even that seemed like a stretch but there were no other options for him to have been Champion otherwise. "Yeah that-- I didn't want to stay there, so I gave the title back to uh... that... dragon... guy..."

"Lance. His name is Lance." Yep. Johto then.

"Yeah, that's him!" Lexa rolled her eyes and went back to focusing on the Lucario in her arms, bringing him into her lap so he could curl against her. She tuned out the rest of their conversations to try and bring Anubis out of his emotional turmoil, but he was in deep this time. The stress of the previous situation was probably a trigger forcing him to lock down, and now that the trigger was gone all the emotion he had buried up until that point was spilling over. How she wished she was an aura reader like him so she would know how to comfort him better. "Momma..."

"I didn't know that you were a Champion," Khan said, staring at her in awe but then quickly looking away as she turned to him. Was he just shy or did her position intimidate him? She hoped that the latter wasn't true; she could only imagine how daunting it must be for some Pokemon. "That's amazing..."

Cynthia nodded with a smile. "It's a title that I've managed to maintain for quite a few years now. It wasn't easy, let me tell you; I had some remarkable Trainers challenge me at the Sinnoh League, but I couldn't be prouder. I'm not shy to admit that."

"'Former'?" Silver said, his tone leaking with suspicion. Cynthia felt herself tense up. "Aren't you still?"

She took a steady breath before replying. "I was never dethroned in battle, if that's what you mean. I am still, by all rights, the Sinnoh region's Champion, but sadly my title doesn't hold as much meaning as it used to." She gazed silently at the wall and its hieroglyphs, feeling Garchomp shift uncomfortably beside her. She knew how much her position meant to her Pokemon as well. "Right now, I am simply using my power as a Trainer however I can to help others; help the world. To be honest, that's all I can do."

"You're a Champion?" Gold perked up, immediately draining the room of the melancholy she'd breathed into it. She found that it was an easy trap to fall into these days.  "I was too, once! Neat!"

Cynthia couldn't high-five him back as she gawped at him in surprise. Gold, a Champion?! How had she not recognised him? Perhaps he was from a region far from here, one that she hadn't visited-- "I didn't want to stay at the big League place-"

"--You mean Indigo Plateau?"

"Yeah that-- I didn't want to stay there, so I gave the title back to uh... that... dragon... guy..."

"You defeated Lance?!" This was the Trainer that had battled against Lance that time and won? Even Garchomp's mouth was agape as she stared at the young Trainer with newfound respect in her eyes. "You're the Trainer who-- that time-- my goodness, that's impressive!"

"Indeed," said Garchomp, smiling at the boy as he gushed over her. The dragon lowered her large head to Gold so he could pet her if he wanted to. "And, my! You are an enthusiastic one!"

Happy to let the others catch their breaths and converse for a moment, Cynthia wandered over to the new pair of Fighting-types. The Lucario had not let go of his companion since she'd woken up, his head buried firmly into her chest. Concern was evident in her face as she knelt down in front of them, speaking gently. "Is everything all right, here? Do you need anything?"

"It's a title that I've managed to maintain for quite a few years now," Cynthia replied, her aura fluttering with pride. Even when he wasn't concentrating, it was unmistakable. "It wasn't easy, let me tell you; I had some remarkable Trainers challenge me at the Sinnoh League, but I couldn't be prouder. I'm not shy to admit that."

"You shouldn't be," Khan said, his eyes shining with a respect he hadn't had before. She was so very humble. "A truly legendary title, certainly. One, I'm sure, that is the envy of many."

Had that been what Eva had in mind when she'd begun her journey with him, to become a Champion? If things hadn't gone so horribly, horribly wrong, would they be Champions now? Khan felt himself starting to shiver as he violently pushed the memories of his former Trainer out of his mind. Now was not the time.

"'Former'?" Silver said suspiciously. Khan narrowed his eyes at the young human; he did not like his tone. "Aren't you still?"

"I was never dethroned in battle, if that's what you mean. I am still, by all rights, the Sinnoh region's Champion, but sadly my title doesn't hold as much meaning as it used to." Khan watched her silently as she gazed at the letters on the wall, seemingly deep in thought. Everyone had lost so much, but at least this was something she could hold onto. Everybody needed something to be prideful for. "Right now, I am simply using my power as a Trainer however I can to help others; help the world. To be honest, that's all I can do."

"That is an admirable goal," Khan said quietly, sinking into the shadows. Isn't that what he'd trained so vigorously for, to protect others? What use was power if you couldn't use it for good? He was beginning to see that he and Cynthia were of more similar minds than he thought.

He stood in silence while everyone calmed down from the chaos of the battle, too buried within the earths of his own mind to join in.

So much activity.  As Anubis pleads for Lexa to be okay, for Silver to make it stop, Azelf floats by helplessly, using telekinesis to levitate Prince so that he can hold him with just one arm, placing the other hand on the canine's to try to comfort him.  Unfortunately there is little he can offer in the form of verbal comfort-- the strange, diamond shaped medicine that Silver forces Lexa to consume means nothing to him, the legend having no name for it.  He can't even recognize it.

He lets out a nervous little sound as Cynthia's Garchomp greets him, giving her a shy wave.  His eyes glance up to meet hers for a moment before darting back down to Anubis, worried about his mental state.

I will never be used to that.  Why is it such an honor to meet him?  What good has he done anyone; what luck has he brought anyone?  He is simply... there.

The thought makes him swallow and look to the exhausted, unconscious Ralts in his arms.  He could see if Silver has another one of those wake-up diamonds but...

But best to let the boy sleep for now.  He could use the rest, and goodness knows when they will get it again.  Yes, for now, he will take advantage of Prince's unconsciousness.  And so will Prince's body.  Hopefully some healing can be done.

And then the talk of Champions!  The word sounds... formidable.  Strong.  Full of determination.  I will have to ask about that when Anubis is calmer.  A member of the group suffering a breakdown precedes his curiosity.

"You defeated Lance?!"  Hmmm.  That's also something to note.  Whoever Lance is, he must be quite powerful.  And definitely human, so the power most likely comes mostly from his team.

Not that this is anything to snub.  Staring around at the dead horde is proof enough of what humans and Pokemon can accomplish together.

"You're the Trainer who-- that time-- my goodness, that's impressive!"

"Indeed. And, my! You are an enthusiastic one!" She lowers her head so Gold can pet her.  Azelf looks over to Cynthia as she kneels in front of them.

"Is everything all right, here? Do you need anything?"

"I have seen Prince suffer episodes like these before," Azelf offers quietly.  "They are brought on by sheer panic; judging from what he said earlier, Lexa being hurt brought a trauma he'd suffered back to the forefront of his thoughts.  There likely isn't anything we can do until he calms down on his own, but I, too, would love to assist if possible."

"You defeated Lance?!" Cynthia exclaimed, earning a giant, proud grin from Gold. "You're the Trainer who-- that time-- my goodness, that's impressive!"

"Yup, that was me!" he happily declared, eyes still on the magnificent dragon in front of him. Man, dragons were cool.

"Indeed," the Garchomp chuckled, lowering her head toward his eager hands. They immediately went to her rouch skin, carefully tracing over the hide as he looked over her in wonder. This was SO COOL. "And, my! You are an enthusiastic one!"

Silver was content to stay out of the conversation as they gushed about Gold's power; he no longer felt any... real hate for his rival for all his success, but it was certainly still a sore spot. His eyes did snap up as the Champion went from Gold's side to the fighters', watching the interaction carefully. He hadn't known them long, nor did he expect Cynthia to cause any actual harm. His instincts on distrust, however, were always hard to ignore. "Is everything all right, here? Do you need anything?"

"I have seen Prince suffer episodes like these before," Azelf began in a quiet voice. "They are brought on by sheer panic; judging from what he said earlier, Lexa being hurt brought a trauma he'd suffered back to the forefront of his thoughts. There likely isn't anything we can do until he calms down on his own, but I, too, would love to assist if possible."

Gold turned at the quiet conversation, easily becoming distracted by the soft words being muttered around him. "What's happening?"

"Nothing," was Silver's quick and deadpan reply.

"Kay!" Satisfied with the answer, Gold went right back to petting the giant dragon before him.