(ACE) The FORTREE Team

"It'd be a good idea if we started heading out of the city now, I think?" Acht nervously suggested, looking round at them all. "We can um, talk while we walk?" Gregory and Eris both nodded and began to wander after her, but the Lucario, Anubis, and his Blaziken friend had other ideas. Eris scoffed and nudged her brother as they walked. "Looks like the Aerodactyl isn't quite as in charge as she thinks she is," she said, briefly directing a nasty smirk in Acht's direction. "I wonder if anyone actually is in charge here?"
Greg stopped and faced his sister as an ambitious, rather mischievous grin spreading on her face. "Don't go there, Eris."
"Fiiiiine." Eris mocked a pout and moodily folded her arms. "You're so booooring, Greggie. Lighten up, eh?"

Gregory dismissed the black dragon's remarks with a light chuckle and then turned his attention to the two conversing 'friends'. Suzaku was carefully trying to explain and prove to Anubis that he was actually there, but the young jackal didn't seem to be any more accepting or understanding of the situation. How intriguing ... if this is indeed some new information about the virus, then staying here a while would be beneficial to us both ... No, to us all.
He went to raise his hand to his chin, but it was slapped back down by Eris. "Stop doing that! It annoys the fuck out of me."

"Hey there, everyone. I-uh... I know him." Suzaku had apparently only just noticed that he had an audience, and his remark received a snort of laughter from Eris. "You are joking, she gasped, clinging to her face and hanging her mouth open in pretend shock. "I had no fucking clue!"
Gregory lightly bumped Eris on the back with his tail before approaching Suzaku with a friendly smile. "It is nice that you two have had the chance to reunite. Truly special." He offered the male Blaziken a polite nod. "I'm Gregory, but you can call me Greg if you wish. And this is my sister, Eris."
"Charmed." The shiny Charizard looked unimpressed as she regarded the weirdo. Even McChu's remarks seemed to make sense, even if just the sound of that little shit's voice made her want to barbecue him. But then, Suzaku followed McChu without a word. Eris, angry that the Blaziken had not even retaliated, received a pleasant surprise when Suzaku's foot pushed that Raichu's flabby ass straight back down the hill. She couldn't hold it in. The female howled with laughter, clutching her belly with one hand and pointing at the wriggling mass of fat with the other. "Holy shit, that's -- AHAHA! -- fucking brilliant! Suzaku, you're all right!"

Greg had to admit that the sight of McChu thrashing and swearing on the ground was rather humourous, but he doubted that his sister's roars of laughter would go unchallenged. He began to head towards the fallen Raichu so he could help him up, but Lexa beat him to it.
The female Blaziken then wandered over to Eris, who was wiping away a tear on her cheek, and pointed a thumb over her shoulder. "Think the rest of us will get a turn?"
"Piss off, I'm next," Eris replied, but there was not a hint of aggression in her voice as she grinned back at the fellow Fire-type and offered a sly wink.

Gregory smiled as he and Eris began to follow Suzaku and Acht. Maybe things were going to be OK here after all.

Suzaku was grateful that at least one of the other pokemon wasn't completely against his presence, the normal-looking charizard already introducing himself and his sister as Gregory and Eris, respectively. He gave them a humored grin as they and the other Blaziken exploded in what seemed to be a much-needed laugh, each appreciative of the fat raichu's downfall.
came up to the fat bastard Suzaku already had him rolling down the hill. "Okay, maybe you aren't so bad. Think the rest of us will get a turn?"
"Piss off, I'm next."

"Ladies, I'm sure there's enough of him to go around... Probably quite a few times," he retorted with a chuckle, glad that the initial hostilities had come to a cease. That was always a good way to win the heart of the group: assaulting one of their own. It had been a risky move, but dammit he hated people like that. But as the others followed the angry rat downward, he heard Anubis whimper from behind him.

"Suzaku..." the younger male whispered timidly as he fell in step with Suzaku. "What happened?"

He opened his mouth to reply, but at first, nothing came. He wasn't even sure, and he was supposed to convice the guy that actually killed him in the first place? Abandoning hope of finding an explanation that wasn't there, Suzaku heaved a heavy sigh before speaking. "I don't know, Anubis. I remember... what I asked for... and then there was blackness... and then... I just... woke up." He shrugged as he spoke, the words tasting even more unsatisfying as they rolled out on his tongue. "I know it doesn't make a lick of sense, but it's the only information I have. There wasn't anyone else around me, so I wasn't even sure it had actually happened until I found you just now. But..." He placed a taloned hand on his chest, feeling the rhythmic thumps of his heart. "But I am alive now... That much is obvious." He looked down, trying to give Anubis a reassurring smile. "So... who's the other blaziken? Is there a reason she's so protective of you?"

--

McChu could only roll more into a ball to protect his face and belly, cursing the eternity it took to reach a stop. Dizzy, confused and very, very pissed off, McChu lay on his back, staring upward and trying to make sense of the still-moving world around him. A small snarl graced his plump features, his little nubby paws curling into fists. That faggy fuck is gonna pay for that cute little prank, he growled in his mind, tail lashing against the grassy terrain. But as he lay, a shadow blocked out the too-cheerful sun: a sexy, curvy shadow.

“You’re just pissing everyone off today, aren’t you?” Selina mused, offering her own delicate paw to help him up. He smirked, taking hers with his own and pulled himself upright.

"It's what I'm good at, Pussy Cat," he chuckled, brushing his fury beneath his smirking facade. "But that flaming bastard isn't going to get away with that. I don't get humiliated. Let 'em laugh, right? Who knows when the same thing'll happen to them?" Smug smirk on full once more, he playfully smacked Selina's rear before looking back up to the group that was now travelling toward him. "Maybe he should kick you all downhill-- you'd get here fucking faster!" he called before releasing a loud guffaw.

The Aerodactyl blinked a little in surprise as the Smeargle anxiously shuffled closer to her. Her bright, emerald eyes looked the normal-type over, before her gaze rested with concern on the Pokemon's severed tail tip. It looks as if it was cauterized shut--the flesh painfully sealed with perhaps an attack of some sort, a fire punch? Slowly, Acht became increasingly curious about the wound, mentally debating on whether or not she should inquire as to what happened to him. Acht, no. He just fell out of the sky and probably had a hard time--asking him about something seemingly traumatizing won't help him at all! But... She watched carefully as the male sniffed the air, did he perhaps scent something? She cursed a little at the fact that her nose wasn't as good as a mammal's, detecting the hordes would be so much easier if her sense was smell was as sharp as a dog's.

Once again, her sights snapped back to the Lucario, and then slowly to the foreign Blaziken. The steel-type had claimed that he killed the fire starter, which still confused the Fossil Pokemon to no end. If he had really killed the fire-type, then that would mean the Blaziken had rised back up from death as an undead--which in turn means that Anubis had killed a living survivor. The stranger's coloration suggested this theory was correct, too. His hands and wrists were a deep purple while his eyes burned a bright crimson, but if he was undead, wouldn't he have attacked them already? The tension in the air was thick, almost suffocating as she took a step forward. "Should we...?" the canine muttered, and hastily she attempted a smile. "It'd be a good idea if we started heading out of the city now, I think?" she squeaked, nervously. "We can um, talk while we walk?"

Glad that the group began to move a little more now, Acht happily trotted around the massive roots and small wreckages of the city, slowly making her way closer to the Route. For a moment, she craned her head around to survey the group, catching sight of the Blaziken striding towards the electric rat. The fire-type had utilized one large, taloned foot to shove the Raichu forward, causing McChu to roll -rather ungracefully- down the hill, a stream of curses flowing from his mouth. The Aerodactyl stopped to watch the amusing sight, fighting to suppress a laugh as she watched the splash of yellow become more distant. A wide grin erupted on her lips, quiet snorts emitted from her nose as she covered her face with her tattered wings. She looked towards the male who had committed the act, flashing him a makeshift thumbs up and mouthing the word "Nice."

Although it felt like several minutes, it took Acht a couple of seconds to regain her composure, a amused smirk still on her grey lips as she walked. She still giggled slightly, a short, relieved sigh escaping her. It certainly had been a while since she had laughed like that, the act having shrugged off some stress from her tiny shoulders. She tilted her head back slightly, listening in on the other's conversations. "Think the rest of us will get a turn?" she chuckled at the thought of more hilarious antics regarding the tubby Raichu. "Ladies, I'm sure there's enough of him to go around... Probably quite a few times," she faintly wondered if she herself would ever end up doing something of the sort in the future. It was a little bit of a distant idea, admittedly, she couldn't exactly imagine herself purposely trying to humiliate the electric-type...or any of them, really. Although McChu specifically had been with her for longer than the others--he had been great company and still was, the Aerodactyl simply couldn't see herself doing anything that would even slightly impair their friendship. (At least, she hoped they were friends!)

She quickened her pace, feet gliding along the dirt and grass as she skipped down to McChu, who had already been helped up by the Mienshao. The electric-type has shouted for everyone to come down faster. Stopped beside the Raichu, the fossil Pokemon gave a sweet smile, albeit with a little concern in her eyes. "Are you alright? No injuries? No bruises?" she asked. "That was a long roll."

[OOC: timey wimey wibbly wobbly shenanigans confuse me. orz First two paragraphs are a repeat, while everything else is new.]

"It'd be a good idea if we started heading out of the city now, I think?" Acht nervously suggested, looking round at them all. "We can um, talk while we walk?" Gregory and Eris both nodded and began to wander after her, but the Lucario, Anubis, and his Blaziken friend had other ideas. Eris scoffed and nudged her brother as they walked. "Looks like the Aerodactyl isn't quite as in charge as she thinks she is," she said, briefly directing a nasty smirk in Acht's direction. "I wonder if anyone actually is in charge here?"
Greg stopped and faced his sister as an ambitious, rather mischievous grin spreading on her face. "Don't go there, Eris."
"Fiiiiine." Eris mocked a pout and moodily folded her arms. "You're so booooring, Greggie. Lighten up, eh?"

Gregory dismissed the black dragon's remarks with a light chuckle and then turned his attention to the two conversing 'friends'. Suzaku was carefully trying to explain and prove to Anubis that he was actually there, but the young jackal didn't seem to be any more accepting or understanding of the situation. How intriguing ... if this is indeed some new information about the virus, then staying here a while would be beneficial to us both ... No, to us all.
He went to raise his hand to his chin, but it was slapped back down by Eris. "Stop doing that! It annoys the fuck out of me."

"Hey there, everyone. I-uh... I know him." Suzaku had apparently only just noticed that he had an audience, and his remark received a snort of laughter from Eris. "You are joking, she gasped, clinging to her face and hanging her mouth open in pretend shock. "I had no fucking clue!"
Gregory lightly bumped Eris on the back with his tail before approaching Suzaku with a friendly smile. "It is nice that you two have had the chance to reunite. Truly special." He offered the male Blaziken a polite nod. "I'm Gregory, but you can call me Greg if you wish. And this is my sister, Eris."
"Charmed." The shiny Charizard looked unimpressed as she regarded the weirdo. Even McChu's remarks seemed to make sense, even if just the sound of that little shit's voice made her want to barbecue him. But then, Suzaku followed McChu without a word. Eris, angry that the Blaziken had not even retaliated, received a pleasant surprise when Suzaku's foot pushed that Raichu's flabby ass straight back down the hill. She couldn't hold it in. The female howled with laughter, clutching her belly with one hand and pointing at the wriggling mass of fat with the other. "Holy shit, that's -- AHAHA! -- fucking brilliant! Suzaku, you're all right!"

Greg had to admit that the sight of McChu thrashing and swearing on the ground was rather humourous, but he doubted that his sister's roars of laughter would go unchallenged. He began to head towards the fallen Raichu so he could help him up, but Lexa beat him to it.
The female Blaziken then wandered over to Eris, who was wiping away a tear on her cheek, and pointed a thumb over her shoulder. "Think the rest of us will get a turn?"
"Piss off, I'm next," Eris replied, but there was not a hint of aggression in her voice as she grinned back at the fellow Fire-type and offered a sly wink.

Gregory smiled as he and Eris began to follow Suzaku and Acht. Maybe things were going to be OK here after all.

Suzaku was grateful that at least one of the other pokemon wasn't completely against his presence, the normal-looking charizard already introducing himself and his sister as Gregory and Eris, respectively. He gave them a humored grin as they and the other Blaziken exploded in what seemed to be a much-needed laugh, each appreciative of the fat raichu's downfall.
came up to the fat bastard Suzaku already had him rolling down the hill. "Okay, maybe you aren't so bad. Think the rest of us will get a turn?"
"Piss off, I'm next."

"Ladies, I'm sure there's enough of him to go around... Probably quite a few times," he retorted with a chuckle, glad that the initial hostilities had come to a cease. That was always a good way to win the heart of the group: assaulting one of their own. It had been a risky move, but dammit he hated people like that. But as the others followed the angry rat downward, he heard Anubis whimper from behind him.

"Suzaku..." the younger male whispered timidly as he fell in step with Suzaku. "What happened?"

He opened his mouth to reply, but at first, nothing came. He wasn't even sure, and he was supposed to convice the guy that actually killed him in the first place? Abandoning hope of finding an explanation that wasn't there, Suzaku heaved a heavy sigh before speaking. "I don't know, Anubis. I remember... what I asked for... and then there was blackness... and then... I just... woke up." He shrugged as he spoke, the words tasting even more unsatisfying as they rolled out on his tongue. "I know it doesn't make a lick of sense, but it's the only information I have. There wasn't anyone else around me, so I wasn't even sure it had actually happened until I found you just now. But..." He placed a taloned hand on his chest, feeling the rhythmic thumps of his heart. "But I am alive now... That much is obvious." He looked down, trying to give Anubis a reassurring smile. "So... who's the other blaziken? Is there a reason she's so protective of you?"

--

McChu could only roll more into a ball to protect his face and belly, cursing the eternity it took to reach a stop. Dizzy, confused and very, very pissed off, McChu lay on his back, staring upward and trying to make sense of the still-moving world around him. A small snarl graced his plump features, his little nubby paws curling into fists. That faggy fuck is gonna pay for that cute little prank, he growled in his mind, tail lashing against the grassy terrain. But as he lay, a shadow blocked out the too-cheerful sun: a sexy, curvy shadow.

“You’re just pissing everyone off today, aren’t you?” Selina mused, offering her own delicate paw to help him up. He smirked, taking hers with his own and pulled himself upright.

"It's what I'm good at, Pussy Cat," he chuckled, brushing his fury beneath his smirking facade. "But that flaming bastard isn't going to get away with that. I don't get humiliated. Let 'em laugh, right? Who knows when the same thing'll happen to them?" Smug smirk on full once more, he playfully smacked Selina's rear before looking back up to the group that was now travelling toward him. "Maybe he should kick you all downhill-- you'd get here fucking faster!" he called before releasing a loud guffaw.

    “Oh, he’s fine. He’s a big boy,” Acht managed a relieved sigh, glad that her companion hadn't sustained any injuries from his long roll down the hill. She turned her sights upward to watch the clouds above her, squinting slightly at the harsh light from the sun. Behind them the city still smoked, which soon rose into a pillar of dark against the bright sky. From about a route or so away she could already hear the faintest of roars, which she assumed was an undead alerting the other infected of the beacon forming inside Fortree City. The sounds of rushing paws and hooves alike were heard thundering in the far distance.
    "Sounds like they're starting to come to the city." she mumbled, a slight concern in her voice as she unknowingly quickened her pace, setting foot deeper into the route. Looking back to the path ahead, she stared in slight awe at the massive amounts of overgrown flora. The grass had grown to a ridiculous height, standing a few inches above Acht's own height while the bushes and brambles extended their limbs and thorns in disarray, some blocking the old path. Peering over the masses of green she could spot the now-murky waters of the lakes below, the liquid now turned a nauseous dark green and decorated with what she assumed were rotting bodies. Feeling her stomach twist in disgust, the Aerodactyl quickly turned away, trying to avoid retching at the sight of black, waterlogged flesh surrounded by hordes of flies and maggots.
    The untamed wilds before her almost seemed to consume whatever dared to step foot in it, the branches around them beckoning travellers to enter it's maze. She hesitated to step into the grass, craning her neck around in hopes of finding some kind of alternate route, but was disappointed to know that her only other choices was to either navigate through a dark forest or slide down the rocky slope and into the waters below. At least with the grass she could cut it. Warily she parted the long blades, pushing them down in order to make a path.
    "Does anyone know some kind of cutting move?" she asked, realizing it would just be easier to slice their way through then having to deal with pushing the grass away.

[OOC: Man it's been a while. |D Tried to make a good-length post with what I had to work with, sorry it's kinda shitty lmao.]

Anubis didn't know what to make of the apparition approaching him, nor of the two firm hands that grabbed his shoulders and held him firmly. Basically at this point the Aura Pokemon was absolutely certain he had lost his mind. What in all creation had he done to deserve this endless nightmare? It had all started when Mother got sick...then everything went to hell from there. He had thought meeting Suzaku to be the one bright spot in his bleak world without Mother but the event soon spiraled him to a whole new level of hell. Now here he was to do it again...

"No...."

"Look, Anubis... I don't know what happened after... that," The blue canine refused to look up into those lying eyes, denied his inner demon the pleasure of seeing him cry at the blatant reminder of what he had done. "But I do know now that I'm actually here. See?" He barely opened his eyes, mere slits as his head slowly turned to look down at the warm fist bumping against his chest. "Here." As he felt the heat from the Blaziken his mind began to reel, legs nearly giving out from under him as the possibility of the phantom being truly alive making his head spin.

And as something rippled through his body the Lucario was suddenly very aware that he had felt this heat before. His body froze as the warmth spread through him and for some reason, he wasn't sure how, he knew that this was familiar. This has happened before and without question he should believe that Suzaku was here, and in front of him. His eyes sought Suzaku's as he struggled to understand what was going on around him.

Lexa didn't stop glaring at the new Blaziken the entire time, Anubis's reaction to her male counterpart making her more than suspicious. The normally sweet boy seemed absolutely terrified by this 'Suzaku' so she wasn't ready to believe she should just trust him right off the bat. And as his hands reached out to grab the Lucario she took a protective step forward, huffing angrily as a warning for him to let the hell go. He seemed to get the hint because it looked like a light went on in his head as he realized there were others staring at this odd newcomer's behavior. "Hey there, everyone. I-uh... I know him," he offered with a pathetic wave. "I don't care if you know Santa and the Easter Bunny too, back off of Anubis," Lexa warned.

McChu was more than happy to give his own opinion of the affair, making some lewd comment about the underlying homosexuality of the friendship the Blaziken claimed with her companion, and Lexa was ready to smack him in the face. She was about to march over to where McChu was when it felt like an electric shock hit her, making her freeze. Something told her that there was no need to go over there and as the other Blaziken came up to the fat bastard Lexa watched as the sparkplug began rolling down the hill. "Okay, maybe you aren't so bad," she commented with a smirk, eyes lighting up in amusement at the sight of the Raichu getting what he deserved. "But I'm still keeping my eye on you." She wasn't sure how she knew but the same bolt that struck her had her thinking that the strange male was good for Anubis, that the Lucario would open up for him. Still, she was going to be protective no matter what weird feelings told her to do.

Spotting Acht walking away with the others Lexa took one glance at Anubis, who waved her off, before nodding and joining the other female. Approaching the dark female Charizard she offered a smile and pointed with her thumb to McChu, "Think the rest of us will get a turn?"

Anubis watched as the others left, only Suzaku trailing behind, and he forced himself to calm. Closing his eyes he reached out with his Aura Sense and for once registered the aura of the other male before him. He was real. And alive. The swirling colors looked just like they had when he had first met Suzaku...but how was that possible? Shaking his head clear the Lucario willed himself to move and walked towards the other male, falling into stride beside him. "Suzaku..." he whispered finally, gathering the courage to actually speak. "What happened?"

********************************
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"I don't know, Anubis. I remember... what I asked for... and then there was blackness... and then... I just... woke up." Suzaku's answer told everything and nothing all at the same time. It answered his question, certainly, but came no where near to giving him any insight. Though it seemed the revived Blaziken thought of this as well if the frown as he spoke was anything to go by. "I know it doesn't make a lick of sense, but it's the only information I have. There wasn't anyone else around me, so I wasn't even sure it had actually happened until I found you just now. But...But I am alive now... That much is obvious."

Anubis's gaze followed Suzaku's hand as it went up to his chest, the Lucario's own ears picking up the sound of the dull, repetitive thuds echoing from within their chamber. It was comforting. The Aura Pokemon timidly raised his own paw to lay over Suzaku's hand, returning the soft smile of reassurance with one of his own. He didn't care how, or why, all he knew was that this was real and Suzaku was here. And if the fiery bird could forgive him for what he did then maybe Anubis could learn to forgive himself as well.

"So... who's the other blaziken? Is there a reason she's so protective of you?" He let out a small chuckle at the strange question. Lexa had been protective of him ever since Mother hatched him, he was used to her domineering behavior so it never occurred to him that others may find it strange. "She's...family," was his only answer. And honestly it was the best one. What other way could the canine think of her as other than as his elder sister? He smiled as he looked back at her, for the first time since their reuniting able to see her as not a Suzaku replica, and saw the strained scar on Lexa's hip twitching as she walked. The old wound...it was giving her trouble. But she refused to let the others see or know of her discomfort as she spoke casually with Acht and laughed easily with the Charizards. So like Mother's Pokemon...always able to put on the tougher front to keep everyone else safe and at ease.

___

At the darkly colored female's reply Lexa let out a hearty laugh, one arm raising up and bending behind her head as she allowed the laughter to flow easily. It had been a while since she had a rough mannered female around, and it made her feel a lot more like she was back at the gym with Fenix. "Tell you what, how about we tie his tail from a branch then you and I can have a speed bag to practice with." She shot a glance back to Anubis and relaxed when she saw the boy smiling. It looked like he was finally starting to come out of that shell he had wrapped himself in, which was good. If he kept it up then Lexa could see herself finally going easy on the new guy, but only as long as the Lucario was happy.

The group was easily able to catch up to the duo at the bottom of the hill, Lexa ignoring the remark from McChu, and made her way over to Acht. The girl was stressing about some of the taller grass and the Blaziken wanted to see if there was way to help. "Does anyone know some kind of cutting move?" Hmm...Lexa went through her moveset and the one she knew of Anubis and shrugged sadly. "Sorry youngling, I can't say either of us do. But if we don't have one among us we may be able to come up with another plan. I know the route back to the city from a few old trips my Gym Leader used to take me on." There were several fire types in the group and certainly a couple of air moves among the avian ones, surely there would be some kind of combination they could accomplish if there was no one with Cut.

"Tell you what, how about we tie his tail from a branch then you and I can have a speed bag to practice with."
"Yeah, and after that, we can have a barbecue. I'll happily do the honours."

Gregory chuckled softly to himself as he listened to the two females laugh behind him, glad and somewhat surprised that Eris had opened up so quickly. Usually she was so cold and distant around strangers. Maybe, he thought, that his sister had just needed someone who had something in common with her, and she seemed to have discovered that somewhere within Lexa. Hoping that this would become a turning point for her, the Charizard raised his head and sniffed the air as the group entered the wilds once more.

"Sounds like they're starting to come to the city," Acht muttered as she quickened her pace. Gregory stopped momentarily to listen, and soon realised what she meant. "Well," he said, catching up to the Rock-type, "it seems that we left at the right time, hm?" Gregory inhaled to let out a sigh and sucked an insect up his nose. Spluttering, he rose his head and noticed that they had walked into a vast field of overgrown wildlife, with thorn bushes, nettles and tall grass directly in their path.

"Maybe we should fly ahead," said Eris, wafting a cloud of flies away with her tail. "Find a better route."
"That may be a good idea," said Greg, nodding to his sister as she caught up with him. "But maybe..."

"Does anyone know some kind of cutting move?" Acht then asked, and Greg immediately stepped forward, chuckling amicably. "You read my mind," he smiled at the Aerodactyl. "I have Air Slash. I believe that, if aimed correctly, I could create a decent path for us. I have yet to try it for such a task, though."

Unfurling his great wings, Gregory rose a few feet into the air, creating a dust cloud below him and scattering any flying insects nearby. Both of his wings began to glow in a bright blue light, and he briefly wrapped them around his body. Quickly extending them again, several saw-like blades of wind zoomed towards the tower of grass in front of them, severing it halfway down and shortening it to just a couple of feet high for several metres beyond.

"I will make sure that the path is maintained, and look out for any enemies," Greg said, beating his wings and flying upwards and over the group, occasionally letting loose more Air Slashes to clear the path and surrounding grass for improved visibility. His blue eyes remained latched on the group and their surroundings at all times, ready to shout out should any undead be on the prowl.

"She's...family," Anubis softly replied, earning a small smile from Suzaku. The revived blaziken turned his eyes to the female walking in front of them, noting her powerful presence. No doubt she'd be a hard opponent to fight should something happen. It seemed that she'd allowed his presence near Anubis for the time being, but it was likely only a matter of time before she'd push him away from his current only friend. These other pokemon seemed decent enough, with a couple of exceptions, but Anubis was the only pokemon he felt comfortable around... he had no desire to get separated from the little canid so quickly after reuniting.

"...Family, huh?" he spoke quietly, turning his attention away from his feminine counterpart to Anubis. "Must be nice... Can't say I blame her for being so protective, I guess. You are kind of useless..." he chuckled, ruffling the top of Anubis' head fluff with his large, taloned hands. It was nice to be able to relieve the tension that had been choking him since finding the mismatched group.

Meanwhile, McChu waddled along with the others at the group's helm, his pudgy form not emitting an ounce of fear. The jungles of Hoenn were no match for his electricity; just about any and everything in this area was either susceptible or weak to his lightning. His eyes were trained on the treeline for berries, not enemies, as they walked; his stomach was already announcing its eagerness to fill itself once more. His ears tuned out the conversation behind him concerning the undead moving closer onto their trail, as his senses were more attuned to his eyes and nose for hints of food. These weaklings could worry about the ragged dog pack on their trail-- he'd worry about keeping the same weaklings going.

They came to a stop near a cluttered span of vegetation that blocked the path, his Chickie Poo's sweet voice bringing him out of his strange silence. "Does anyone know some kind of cutting move?" McChu looked past her to the obstacle itself, and frowned.

"What, you scared of the grass, Chickie Poo?" Sure, the dark, claw-like branches likely held some level of danger within its shadows, and light seemed to be a stranger to the sprawling forest surrounding them, but again, McChu knew he was bigger and badder than anything they could find in these parts. This was the easy shit. But it seemed the others were in the same sort of mindset as Chickie's.

"Sorry youngling, I can't say either of us do," Xena explained. "But if we don't have one among us we may be able to come up with another plan. I know the route back to the city from a few old trips my Gym Leader used to take me on." McChu frowned. "And backtrack through all that bullshit and the scary pack of rotters that Einstein over there says is coming along on our tail? Pfft. It'd be easier on us and our supplies to cut through this shit."

Einstein seemed to take his cue, though. "I have Air Slash. I believe that, if aimed correctly, I could create a decent path for us. I have yet to try it for such a task, though."

McChu smirked, flashing a grin at Xena. "Well, lookie there. He is useful for something other than putting us to sleep." He began waddling after him, enjoying the freshly cut path with his grin still fully ablaze. "My fuckin' hero."

"I will make sure that the path is maintained, and look out for any enemies," he continued, which McChu rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, that's great and all, but you're gonna be able to make sure you're slicing the forest up in the right direction to Lilycove, right?" he asked, still keeping an eye out for berries. "Or do you also have a compass built into your head, Magellan?"

    "What, you scared of the grass, Chickie Poo?" she could feel her cheeks growing hotter in embarrassment, cracking a light chuckle. "N-No! Well, it's just, it would be a lot easier to get through if the grass was short. I mean, less chance of getting tangled or lost." she stammered.
    "Sorry youngling, I can't say either of us do. But if we don't have one among us we may be able to come up with another plan. I know the route back to the city from a few old trips my Gym Leader used to take me on." despite the news, Acht still smiled, giving in understanding nod. She paused, furrowing a brow in thought as she went through her own moveset again, wondering if she could somehow form a solution.
    "You read my mind. I have Air Slash. I believe that, if aimed correctly, I could create a decent path for us. I have yet to try it for such a task, though." immediately her expression brightened, the Aerodactyl shuffling happily in place as she watched the Charizard take flight. Admittedly, she was jealous, gazing as the massive, flawless wings beat the reptilian off from the ground, small clouds of dirt forming beneath him. Her eyes reflected her awe as the fire-type's wings glowed a bright blue, several Air Slashes raining down onto their obstacle to crop off half of it's height. "I will make sure that the path is maintained, and look out for any enemies,"
     "Thank you!" she called, beginning to tread through the grass. It felt silly having to walk through the foliage, still not yet used to being bound to the earth as she looked at her wings with a frown. Despite having healed over for the most part, they still stung. The burnt tips were still a light, faded red, the small tatters in the webbing seeming to grow larger from her neglect in caring for the wounds. I should probably look for something to make it better when we reach Lilycove.
    "Yeah, that's great and all, but you're gonna be able to make sure you're slicing the forest up in the right direction to Lilycove, right?" she looked over to the Raichu, who brought up a good point. "Or do you also have a compass built into your head, Magellan?"
     "Well," she hesitated, recalling how she had arrived in Fortree in the first place.  "When I first flew to Fortree, I had passed by Lilycove." Or at least, I think it was. Still walking through the grass, she pointed vaguely to the direction of where the city lay.  "It's south-east from here, so if we just follow that general direction I'm sure we'll get there!"

[OOC: sorry for the lateness--I almost forgot that it was my turn for the team. ;v; thank god I re-read the warnings lol]

Thankfully the male Charizard had a move that would prove useful and Lexa sighed in relief. It would be awful if any fire attempts lost control and set the forest ablaze, leaving them fleeing for their lives and announcing to any undead in the area that something was around. However, true to form, McChu had to put his two cents in. "Yeah, that's great and all, but you're gonna be able to make sure you're slicing the forest up in the right direction to Lilycove, right? Or do you also have a compass built into your head, Magellan?" Lexa walked up slowly behind the electric type and stood there for a moment, leering down at him, before her hand came up and slapped the back of his head firmly. "How long are you going to keep making those jokes?"

"Well," Acht gently began, almost afraid of interupting.  "When I first flew to Fortree, I had passed by Lilycove." Or at least, I think it was. It's south-east from here, so if we just follow that general direction I'm sure we'll get there!" Lexa nodded in agreement to try and reassure the female that she was indeed right about the location. "But it is a ways from here yet and we will have to cross some dangerous territory. Everyone should be prepared." Looking to Anubis and Suzaku she made an extra effort to assure the Lucario she did know they were there. "Will you be okay with that?" The Lucario gave a soft smile and nodded, "I'll be fine Lexa." The female's eyes softened at the slight return in her young charge's personality.

Anubis's grip had lessened on Suzu but he still made sure to keep near the fire type as they rejoined the group. Suzaku had made no effort to pull away from his killer and the genuine acceptance of his friend made all the difference to the blue canine. "How long do you think it will take to get there on foot? I don't remember making this trip with Mother." The female Blaziken shrugged, not really sure since there were a lot more obstacles this go around. "You hadn't hatched yet then. With this group it may take a day, two at the most, assuming we don't have to run for our lives every ten minutes. It's a long walk with almost no cover other than grass over your head, but who knows what else is hiding in that. We should keep to what remains of the path but it will leave us somewhat exposed." Anubis swallowed hard but steeled his resolve to follow the group and keep with the two fire birds he trusted. He needed them. "Okay."

((Permission from Sil to Gibbs-smack DiNozzo *coughcough* I mean McChu XD))

Gregory continued to hover a few metres above the group as they moved their way through the path he had created. His blue eyes scanned the surroundings very carefully, ready to alert the others of anything suspicious. He soared above everybody's heads, wings glowing as he fired another Air Slash to clear the way.

Eris, meanwhile, was finding walking with a group of strangers without her brother to accompany her a little awkward. While normally she wouldn't have hesitated to fly with him, she doubted that she would be much use - the only attack she had that could clear the grass was Flamethrower, and she was sure that the group didn't want long grass, insects and a wall of fire to deal with. So instead she kept her mouth shut and trudged on, walking just behind Lexa.

"Well, lookie there. He is useful for something other than putting us to sleep." The top of Eris's lip twitched and she growled quietly, eyes swiveling upwards at Greg as he soared overhead. "My fuckin' hero."

"Well at least he's doing more than you," Eris snapped, unable to hold it back. "All you've done so far is fucking complain. Maybe it would be a good idea if-- AHAHA!" Bursting with laughter as Lexa gave the fat little lump a good smack on the head, Eris felt the tension rising in her head simmer down. "Nice one," she grinned to the Blaziken, playfully nudging her on the arm with her fist.

"Well at least he's doing more than you," The bitchy black charizard snapped back, earning a sideways glare from McChu. All he'd done? All he'd done?! She could fuck right the hell off and forage her own food, then. "All you've done so far is fucking complain. Maybe it would be a good idea if--

WHUMP!
"AHAHA!"
"The FUCKING SHIT!?"
"How long are you going to keep making those jokes?"

McChu whirled around on his assailant, tail lashing and cheeks sparking dangerously, only to see Xena in all her butchy glory glaring down at him. But he soon saw the trap-- the opportunity to lose his cool and get absolutely everyone against him, even his little Chickie Poo. No... he needed to be cooler than that. He remembered those same traps that fucking dragonite used to set for him, and he fell for them then. Not now. No, no... he'd have to be patient. Wait his turn, be sneaky-like. Maybe they'd find themselves in trouble and that butchy scarred bitch would get in the way of a stray bolt of lightning... Her and precious Xena. His glare soon turning into a cruel smirk, the sparks suddenly stopped and his tail flicked back to the position it'd been in. These fuckers were really pushing their luck with him.

"You shouldn't hit me while my back's to you, Princess," he chortled, the anger suddenly rolling off his buttery back. "Kinda... cowardly, isn't it? Might spook me into shocking you something silly." He cast a nonchalant glance over his shoulder to Scruffy and Faggy behind her, shrugging his shoulders as he continued walking. "Who knows? Might accidentally hit your little couple back there."

He waddled further, catching up with Chickie Poo and snatching a few berries along the way, popping most of them into the satchel, then one or two into his mouth. Shit was hard work. But he listened to the rest of the conversation, secretly entertaining electrocuting all the nosy bitches that had crawled their way into his little group with Chickie Poo. The aerodactyl had said something about Lilycove, but it'd been drowned out by his quiet threats. Oh well. She was a girl-- she'd probably end up repeating herself anyway. May as well act like he was listening though. "So where exactly are we going to be holing up in the city?" he began, glancing to the aerodactyl. "All the bigger buildings will probably be overrun."

In the back, though, Suzaku had been merely enjoying the ride. Walking at a comfortable pace, Anubis still at his side, it was a moment that he'd not had the pleasure of experiencing since... Well, it'd been a while. Surrounded by -mostly- friendly faces and a good friend, walking down the pleasurable scenery. While he knew and was alert that there was potential danger around every corner and lurking in every darkened shadow, it was still a peaceful enough moment to relax for a small fraction. Besides-- he'd just died or something; that sort of experience makes you really look at the world with different eyes.

His reverie was broken when Anubis began making conversation with his "sister", his small voice barely reaching the other blaziken. "How long do you think it will take to get there on foot? I don't remember making this trip with Mother." Lexa shrugged in reply.

"You hadn't hatched yet then. With this group it may take a day, two at the most, assuming we don't have to run for our lives every ten minutes. It's a long walk with almost no cover other than grass over your head, but who knows what else is hiding in that. We should keep to what remains of the path but it will leave us somewhat exposed." While her response was pretty informative, Anubis still shrank a little. "Okay."

Suzaku gave a small frown, glancing around himself. "I didn't travel much myself when I was with my trainer, but he spoke of Lilycove often. From the way he and everyone else that's been there talks about it, it's a fairly large, populated city. That means well-used travel routes and markers to guide us. We shouldn't get too lost. And everyone here looks like a pretty able-bodied battler-- we should be fine." He gave Anubis a reassuring smile and light nod, reiterating his point.

((Skip me, I haven't got much to work with. Greg's still clearing the path and Eris is just walking with the others.))

((Ah, go ahead and skip. This past turn never happened XD))

Lexa smirked at the dark Charizard as the female nudged her encouragingly for knocking McChu, giving a small thumbs up gesture she had seen Fenix do many times when she wanted to express confirmation without words. McChu, however, was less enthused by her actions. "You shouldn't hit me while my back's to you, Princess," he practically snorted, making Lexa crinkle her face in disgust. "Kinda... cowardly, isn't it? Might spook me into shocking you something silly. Who knows? Might accidentally hit your little couple back there." The large female merely shook her head. "Your little sparks don't frighten me Thunder Thighs." She might be a bird but his typing only did normal damage to her, unlike her other feathered brethren. The overly round Raichu should probably remember that before going around threatening others bigger and faster than him.

Looking back to Anubis she was happy to see him and the male version of herself chatting happily, leaving her to follow the path set out by the male Charizard. To Lexa it was like being back in the Gym, surrounded by trainees and Apprentices. It gave her a sort of contentment she hadn't had since vanishing from the Cinnabar Gym. Thought that brief thought of home did stir an ache inside the Blaziken that wasn't going to quickly go away, especially when she thought of all the apprentices that she had been protecting at the time that likely didn't survive her disappearance. A solemn look crossed over her features as she offered a silent prayer to the dead, hoping that in some small way she could offer her charges a bit of comfort in the afterlife.

Anubis felt much better with both Suzaku and Lexa with him. The two fire birds offered a sense of home and belonging he hadn't felt since letting Mother slip through his fingers due to the virus. He'd give anything to have her back the same way the Suzaku was back, but even he wasn't lucky enough to believe that Fenix, despite her name, could rise as easily as the male who bore the foreign half of her name. Though... it was odd that they died in the same place and only he came back. What of Cathal? Shouldn't the gift have extended to him as well? Such troubling thoughts caused Anubis to frown, brow creasing as he looked to his elder sister for guidance only to see her own inner struggle surfacing.

Perhaps no one in the world was safe from pain anymore. Even those who had fought valiantly for others their entire lives had lost something to the plague, be it a friend, family, or even a sense of moral and ethic. Nothing was sacred anymore it seemed. Anubis ground his teeth together in nervous tension, his paws reaching for Suzaku's hand like they did not so long ago when they first met, hoping for some sort of comfort. Who cared what the Raichu said? Anubis needed his friends.... That wasn't wrong, was it?

Eris wasn't happy. Walking alongside a group of complete strangers without her brother's company was making her feel uneasy, especially when one of them was a fat little prick whose voice made her want to tear her own brain out. She kept warily glancing up at Greg as the male Charizard soared above them, a sharp SWOOSH zooming over her head as he repeatedly fired Air Slashes at the long grass, shredding it to just a couple of feet in height. She wanted to be up there with him, helping him out and not having to worry about being judged. None of them were saying anything, but she knew that their eyes were scanning over her ashy scales and scowling face, ready to throw something spiteful at her later on.

Eris growled and swatted away a cloud of flies just as Gregory flew over her head and started to descend. She eagerly joined his side as he landed softly in front of the group.

"The way up ahead is clear," he said, gesturing over his shoulder. "The grass clears up and joins onto a path. However, I spotted movement in the trees nearby." His expression grave, he folded his wings against his back. "I couldn't see what it was, exactly, but they were not far from the path. As soon as we leave the cover of the grass, we will be within their view unless they move."

"How about me and you ambush them while the others move on?" Eris asked, but Gregory shook his head.

"No, the trees will mean that we cannot attack them from the sky." He looked to Suzaku, who was currently at the head of the group. "As far as I have seen, there are no other paths. This one leads to a bridge above a river, but getting there will be a problem if whatever is hiding in the trees is hostile. How would you like us to proceed?"

"Your little sparks don't frighten me, Thunder Thighs, Xena replied behind him, generating a smirk on the plump rat's face. He shrugged, taking note of the fact that she didn't seem all that impressed with his power-- she really did think herself as tough shit. Well, she could fan her own ego all she wanted; the fact remained that if shit hit the fan, she wouldn't be wearing that pretty little smirk for long.

"You's just too stupid to be scared, Toots," he muttered under his breath, pausing when the normal charizard began spouting something off.

"The way up ahead is clear," Magellan quipped, gesturing over his shoulder. "The grass clears up and joins onto a path. However, I spotted movement in the trees nearby." His tone and expression grew grave, which only succeeded in making the fat raichu scoff. With the amount of competent fighters they had, they'd be fine. The fuck was he all jittery for? "I couldn't see what it was, exactly, but they were not far from the path. As soon as we leave the cover of the grass, we will be within their view unless they move."

"How about me and you ambush them while the others move on?" Bitchy asked, to which her brother solemnly shook his head. Was it that big of a fucking deal? What, was an army ahead?

"No, the trees will mean that we cannot attack them from the sky." The charizard's eyes went further back, toward one of the gay little retards bringing up the rear. McChu turned to try and figure out who the hell he was talking to, only able to reason it was the other blaziken. Legends knew that the little flaming pup holding his hand (fucking AGAIN?) couldn't make a decision. "As far as I have seen, there are no other paths. This one leads to a bridge above a river, but getting there will be a problem if whatever is hiding in the trees is hostile. How would you like us to proceed?"

"Who the fuck are you talking to?"

The pudgy vermin's question brought Suzaku out of a light trance he'd found himself under, as well as becoming aware that his hand was being held again. While it didn't bother him, it was a little surprising-- but not nearly as much as the fact that all eyes seem to be rested on him... for some reason. "...Uh," he stuttered, looking around uneasily. "...Come again?"

A scoff sounded before the rat's voice saturated with disdain followed. "You wish. No, Sherlock," McChu continued as Suzaku bristled silently from his spot, "that question would be better posed to Chickie Poo here." He gestured happily to the aerodactyl, tail high in the air. "She's the one that's been leading us, for you newbies. Not that half-dead scarecrow over there."

         Acht began to wonder if this group of theirs would ever get along.
    "The FUCKING SHIT!?" she visibly winced as McChu seethed in anger, Eris's raucous laughter an uproar as the Aerodactyl watched the scene in concern. She was at least relieved that the Raichu didn't fight back, not wanting to deal with any feuds. She smiled when the electric-type waddled up to her, though, giving a short, grateful nod as he placed more berries into the bag. "So where exactly are we going to be holing up in the city? All the bigger buildings will probably be overrun."
    "It's a big city, so there's bound to be viable shelter somewhere--and there's plenty of smaller houses that we could check out too. Although if we really end up not being able to find anything, we could set something up on the outskirts of town, I guess?" she replied, furrowing her brow in thought. "Though I doubt we'd have to do that. Lilycove's pretty huge."
    "The way up ahead is clear," Acht felt a cool breeze at the back of her head as the male flew together with them. "The grass clears up and joins onto a path. However, I spotted movement in the trees nearby. I couldn't see what it was, exactly, but they were not far from the path. As soon as we leave the cover of the grass, we will be within their view unless they move." she looked up to the fire-type, nodding her acknowledgements. She could hear his sister from the back suggest an ambush, which was turned down. "No, the trees will mean that we cannot attack them from the sky. As far as I have seen, there are no other paths. This one leads to a bridge above a river, but getting there will be a problem if whatever is hiding in the trees is hostile. How would you like us to proceed?"
    Acht frowned, pausing for a few moments on the cut grass to think, barely registering any other voices but perking up slightly at the sound of her nickname. "Well," she hesitated. "If there's no other way forward then we'll have to risk it, but keep in mind a plan in case whatever is waiting for us does spot us." she nodded. "If it does, then we'll either have to start running or start fighting, depending on what it is." she looked back up to the Charizard. "You don't have any hint as to what it is, right?"

"Who the fuck are you talking to?"

Gregory just blinked at McChu's rude question, only to chuckle lightly when Suzaku finally tuned in to the conversation. He couldn't blame him for not listening - he was sure that the Blaziken had a lot on his mind. "I was referring to Suzaku, but anybody's input would be helpful," he said, glancing at the fellow Fire-type with a little nod.

"Well," began Acht, "if there's no other way forward then we'll have to risk it, but keep in mind a plan in case whatever is waiting for us does spot us. If it does, then we'll either have to start running or start fighting, depending on what it is." Greg nodded slowly, his mind buzzing with possible solutions. "You don't have any hint as to what it is, right?" He shook his head. "Only vague characteristics - I know that one has a long neck and the other can climb trees, and as for the third one, I don't know."

"So there's only three of them?" Eris asked, scoffing. "Against all of us?"
Greg flicked his tail uncomfortably. "I see your point, but I'd rather if we avoided conflict wherever possible so that--"
"Look, stop panicking. We've taken down more than that on our own!" Seeing her brother's nervous expression, Eris sighed. "All right then. How about you and me fly overhead while the others carry on onto the path? If whatever's hiding attacks, we can swoop down and ambush 'em."

"That could work, but it would mean baiting the others." Gregory looked at everyone in turn, anxiously scratching the side of his neck. "I'm not sure if you're all OK with doing that?"

Da Vinci seemed a little off-put by McChu's reasonable inquiry, as the dragon had the very mistaken notion that the kung foo chicken in the back was in the lead. No one was gonna shoulder-in Chickie Poo's lead in this outfit, not while he had a say. "I was referring to Suzaku, but anybody's input would be helpful," he backpedaled, nodding to the mentioned bird. McChu threw a glance backward; was there something already between them? Was a coup already being devised?

Shit, son, he reprimanded himself, shaking his head free of the idea. Magellan over there's too chicken shit to stage anything, and no one's even against Chickie Poo. Guy's just a dick-- chill your fuckin' tits.


"Well," Chickie Poo began, her voice bringing him away from his silent paranoia, "if there's no other way forward then we'll have to risk it, but keep in mind a plan in case whatever is waiting for us does spot us. If it does, then we'll either have to start running or start fighting, depending on what it is." There was a pause as the dumb dragon pondered her words, and McChu could hear the sound of rusty gears turning. Guy was overthinkin' the whole fucking thing. "You don't have any hint as to what it is, right?"

Magellan shook his head, grave tone still firmly in place. Was this guy for fucking real? "Only vague characteristics - I know that one has a long neck and the other can climb trees, and as for the third one, I don't know."

"So there's only three of them?" Bitch-face asked, scoffing; for once, the plump raichu agreed wholeheartedly. "Against all of us?"

Chicken Shit seemed unconvinced. "I see your point, but I'd rather if we avoided conflict wherever possible so that--"

"Look, stop panicking. We've taken down more than that on our own!" When Chicken Shit Magellan's face didn't change, she let out a hard groan. "All right then. How about you and me fly overhead while the others carry on onto the path? If whatever's hiding attacks, we can swoop down and ambush 'em."

"That could work, but it would mean baiting the others." Gregory looked at everyone in turn, anxiously scratching the side of his neck. This was fucking stupid. Tip-toeing around three fucking infected when they had a whole party full of powerful, eager, healthy fighters? "I'm not sure if you're all OK with doing that?"

"Or we could get our tails from in between our legs and just fucking go," he commented, long tail flicking about him, sharing his annoyance. "I mean, look at us, Magellan-- we're all healthy, decent fighters. We don't need to sneak around like a bunch of church rats. But if you want to bash your head against the wall about it, here's what we could do-- a few of us, three or so, could cut down anything in route to the city. The others just follow in the blazed trail. Quick, easy; you're worrying 'bout the wrong fuckin' part. The city'll be ten times worse than anything we can find out here in the sticks."

Suzaku, who had been patiently listening to the conversation, frowned as the rat gave his opinion. He preferred stealth in situations like this, where a great, terrible void of unknown surrounded them. The careful were the ones who lived, not the brazen morons... but apparently, there's exceptions to every rule. The raichu's way would certainly be quicker, if they didn't stumble on some horrible, gargantuan horde... and that was a big "if".

"Even if we're lucky enough to come by some few stragglers," Suzaku began, his voice tempered with caution, "the noise alone from fighting maybe a dozen or so would attract more and more, possibly creating a never-ending horde. I'm sure all of us would be able to hold our own in at least maybe a 30-or so numbered party, but I've seen a horde reach into the hundreds. And then, we would be staggering into the city, potentially calling out hundreds, thousands more." He looked at each of them, striding closer to the group to be a better part of the discussion. "The senses don't stop at city limits. If any of us had wounds, we would be exposed, a red flag for any Infected in the area. No... While I see your point, I think it would be better to keep in the shadows as long as possible."

McChu scoffed, turning to face the flaming chicken with a condescending glare. "Are you shitting me? What else do you think is in those shadows you're trying to fucking hide in, asshole? The same things you're trying to avoid! News flash, Fuck-off: we're not gonna avoid them. Not with a party this big, and with pokemon this heavy. It'll take days for us to move quietly, and even without someone bleeding, the Infected can pick up anyone's scent here. They can pick up our fucking voices right now, even if we fuckin' whisper. That's the thing about the Rotters, Suzaku," he growled, tail lashing angrily being him, "They're. Inevitable. There's no fuckin' way we can make it to Lilycove without runnin' into at least ten of 'em, no matter how long you ponder and scratch yer fuckin' heads. So put on your fuckin' big girl panties and saddle up for the battle."

    "Only vague characteristics - I know that one has a long neck and the other can climb trees, and as for the third one, I don't know." she nodded her acknowledgement to the Charizard's knowledge, a little disappointed that they didn't know more. She grew quiet listening to the others, absentmindedly nodding to their input as her gaze was directed to the edge of the forest she could just see when she craned her neck.
    "Or we could get our tails from in between our legs and just fucking go," as expected, McChu added his own words to the cauldron. Most of his words were white noise, the Aerodactyl too zoned out to actually register what he was saying.
    She did, however, turn back when the Blaziken spoke. His voice was even, steady, and something that wasn't littered with crude language. "The noise alone from fighting maybe a dozen or so would attract more and more, possibly creating a never-ending horde. I'm sure all of us would be able to hold our own in at least maybe a 30-or so numbered party, but I've seen a horde reach into the hundreds. And then, we would be staggering into the city, potentially calling out hundreds, thousands more." she nodded. "He has a point."
    The Raichu was quick to argue back, his tail lashing as he growled his words. "They're. Inevitable. There's no fuckin' way we can make it to Lilycove without runnin' into at least ten of 'em, no matter how long you ponder and scratch yer fuckin' heads. So put on your fuckin' big girl panties and saddle up for the battle." Her eye twitched, an almost annoyed glance directed at the electric rat. Was all this arguing really needed?
    Without warning, the Aerodactyl began to trudge forward through the thick grass, barely looking behind to the others. "You know what? Let's just go. It's better than sitting here and arguing all day." she grumbled. "If we fight 'em, we fight 'em. If we don't, that's great too, but the more time we spend snarling at each other the less time we actually have to finish this trip. I don't know about you, but I'd rather not be stuck in the grass at midnight listening to more bickering."

[ooc: Acht is 800% done with McChu's shit lmao]

"Shut. UP!"

Anubis had been content being beside Suzaku, walking down the path, but he couldn't take the Raichu and his mouth any longer. The electric type was always arguing and if anyone said anything it just spurred a new round of badmouthing. He had enough. "If you are so desperate to keep Miss Acht in charge why don't you shut your face and let her say something once in a while?" The Lucario pulled his paw from Suzu's hand and pointed it at McChu, eyes narrowing in a dangerous glare. "Despite the fact you are large enough to have your own gravitational pull I have to remind you that the world doesn't revolve around you!"

He tried to move towards Lexa but the fighter was already storming away herself and for an instant Anubis realized that he may have gotten a little carried away himself. She was obviously angry, even at him, so rather than follow and make her angrier he moved back towards Suzaku again. "I think..." he muttered, "I may have done a bad thing. She's going off alone and I don't think I can stop her." He didn't want his childhood mentor getting ambushed because of him but neither did he want her any angrier at him. "What should I do?" he asked the other fighter.
____________________________

Lexa was done. Just fucking done, with all of this. Between McChu's constant verbal battling and the other Blaziken always trying to play the 'noble' roll, they were getting nowhere in a hurry. Even Acht was fed up if her sharp tone was anything to go by. And now Anubis was caught up in the yelling and she needed to get away. Lexa had her own moral codes but she didn't feel the need to correct McChu at every turn. All he needed was to be told he was a dick and the argument should be over, but everyone just kept bitching. It was giving the seasoned fighter a migraine and she was not going to keep going with it.

Breaking free from the group Lexa went on ahead, intending to just get the hell out of there and make sure the path was clear. Anubis was her concern at the moment and since Acht was growing on her the female Blaziken was determined to keep them both safe. She wasn't going to argue any more and she was almost hoping whatever was rustling in the grass would come out and fight her because she really needed to hit something.

Gregory allowed his gaze to veer off to the side as he awkwardly scratched the back of his head. He had not expected this to cause such a ruckus. As the group began arguing among themselves, the Charizard wondered just what he could say to calm them all down; at this rate, the undead would hear them before they'd even made their plan to avoid them.

McChu's mouth, which was nearly the same size as his belly, was moving far too much for Eris's taste. The female felt a low growl rumbling in the back of her throat as the Raichu ridiculed Greg's idea, making him out to be an idiot and a coward. Knowing that he was neither, Eris allowed the threatening growl to escape as she raised her lip into a snarl, her crimson eyes narrowed onto the fat, noisy little lump. "He is trying to keep us safe," she snapped, involuntarily flicking her tongue along her top fangs. She stole a glance to her brother, who looked disheartened. "I haven't seen you doing that! Maybe if your brain worked as hard as your mouth, we'd have been out of this mess before now! So shut up or I'll--"

"All right, everybody, that is enough!" With a snort, Gregory fanned his wings, sending a short but sharp gust of wind into everyone's faces. "All of you, this is not helping. With the noise we're making, we'll be spotted before we can-- oh dear..."

Watching with an exasperated sigh as Lexa pushed past them and marched on by herself, Gregory had just about given up. Knowing that it was rare for her brother to lose his patience, Eris shot a glare at everybody before tapping Greg's shoulder. "I'll go with her and watch her back. You guys ... fuck, I don't know. Figure something out."

A quick jog put her at the angry Blaziken's side. 'Sweet Entei, I've just about had it as well. That chubby little fucker is one more word away keeping me and Greg fed for weeks." Feral snarls and grunts reached her ears from the dense forest ahead, and without the cover of the grass, Eris knew that they were both vulnerable. "Best be on our guard," she muttered darkly.