(ACE) The STARK Team

How ... why...?

Smith watched in simultaneous wonder and horror as Nikora got to her feet and padded slowly towards her mate. George practically bounced up and down in delight. "Look, look everyone!" She's here, Nikora's still alive!" Something told Smith that wasn't quite the case ... how could she be up and walking with injuries like hers in normal circumstances? But ... it doesn't make sense...

The Aggron's heart ached as George embraced her, the blood and pus caking her fur sticking her to him. The young pup then turned and bared his teeth at him. "I told you we shouldn't have left her! You made me leave her!"

"Lad--" What could he possibly say when even he himself had no idea what was going on? Smith gritted his teeth as he looked into the Growlithe's eye, wishing with all his heart that he knew what to say. His tongue had froze, and all he could do was stand staring at the scene before him, allowing his mind to whirl.

"You." A thought struck him, and he abruptly hauled himself around to face Alhoon, his tail sweeping a cluster of stones across the ground. "Yer'd better have a good explanation fer this, wretch."

---

Death never came, no matter how Jude begged for it. He was stuck in a hell that he didn't even have the guts to escape himself. He was in the middle of an erupting volcano; even if rockfalls, lava or rampaging legends didn't kill him, he'd have plenty of ways to finish it for himself. The coward's way out ... you're even too weak to do that. He curled up against his rock, shaking and holding his head in his paws. You're not worth even an atom of air...

"Nnn-n-n-ni-Ni... kora..." Why did George sound so ... awestruck? Jude lifted his head a little, his ears rotating as he listened. "Look, look everyone!" She's here, Nikora's still alive!"

...What?! Had George lost his mind? How could Nikora possibly be alive given the state she was in? The ludicrous statement enticed Jude to turn and peek around the rock, making sure not to poke his head out too far - he didn't want to look at even a glimpse of Alhoon.

There she was, her charred, bloodstained corpse walking, albeit a little awkwardly, towards them. How--what--why is she...? Jude couldn't even begin to comprehend what was going on. His eyes turned to Smith, who looked just as dumbstruck, before angrily turning on Alhoon, demanding to know what was going on.

Jude's claws clutched at the stone as he listened, just the top of his head peeking over. Something had gone so terribly wrong.

((OoC - Sorry, skip. Sah is kinda watching in shock lol.))

The male Growlithe yelps with utter jubilation, prancing and hopping around his female as she smiled at nothing. "Oh Nikora," He says so lightly, "Im so sorry we left you there love. I shouldn't have gone, I should of stayed!" The females gaze shifts in a downward arc, heading lower from Alhoon, to Smith, then the ground before sweeping back up to the mate at her side. "No love, its alight. See? There is nothing wrong. Everythings okay." her words hold a high not that George cant help but believe entirely. Wagging his puffball tail there is a tiny sound from the others, "Lad--" Locking eyes with Smith the pup is smiling wide, tongue out and eyes shining. That is, until he see's Smith and everyone else and that they hadn't come any closer to them. The smile drops back and he stares confused at his friends. "Whats wrong?" A dark smudge of the blackish fluid from Nikora's pelt had stained his cheek but the male Growlithe doesnt know. "Why do you all look so.. disturbed?"

Nikora stood there smiling, shifting her weight slightly from paw to paw as she hummed a song to go with the buzzing noise going on in her head. Everyone was being much too high stung because of these tight caverns. "You." Blinking her mahogany eyes at the Aggron she is shocked to see, or at least here, a deep hate in his voice. "Yer'd better have a good explanation fer this, wretch." Nikora recoils, taking a step back. The words were not directed at her but they sure felt like it. Was there something wrong here? She had managed to catch up with them and now everyone seemed like they were about to explode with emotion. "There is no need for that." She mutters quietly to the dual type, tilting her head to one side. "This is a good thing." Why did she say that, was that even her making those words? "Exactly!" George quickly speaks over her, puffball tail wagging hard, "Why are you all acting like its not?"

Oh dear gods the thing would not stop talking.

Azura was frozen in fear, her legs trembling as her illusion threatened to drop. Only a quick glance to look at Crescent gave her enough courage to keep her illusion up, which gave Azura at least a little confidence knowing that all the others saw was a snarling oversized Mightyena. A part of her mind almost laughed at it.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] A very small part of Crescent pitied the Alakazam, but a quick bolt of pain from her scythe told her why they were in the situation. Her maroon eyes narrowed as she growled quietly. This thing had killed that poor growlithe and doomed them to die from a fucking legend. With a growl, her claws shimmered with a Pursuit. If they tried to escape, she'd be ready.

"Do you know what enrages me? Being preached at by a murderer!" Azura's growl was amplified by the Arcanine's words. This was a demon! And demons were unable to be civil! This thing was a murderer! A Dark Pulse flickered at her paws. No more would she run! She was going to face this demon!

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] Azura snarled. "Shut up you demon!" The word was filled with venom that Azura didn't know she had. A part of her was surprised. Where did this sudden ferocity come from? The Zorua thought, but her eyes blazed with a fury she didn't know she had. "Hell! That is enough!" She only slightly flinched at the Arcanine's words, her eyes trained in on the undead that was currently in front of them

"Love,"

Crescent froze. Azura's eyes widened, both her own and the illusion's. That was... "Nnn-n-n-ni-" The other growlithe stutters out the first few syllables on their name. "Ni... kora..." The Arcanina finishes the word, and the growlithe barks in confirmation. Azura's lgs start shaking and her illusion threatens to break again. "Legends above ... Nikora." Crescent was unable to move, her maroon eyes fixated on the advancing undead pup. "Look, look everyone!" She's here, Nikora's still alive! Crescent took in a shaky breath. "That... She's not... Alive..." Her words were strangled as her throat closed up and refused to cooperate with the words she desperately wanted to say. "She's found us, Nikora!" No, no, no. This is not right! Azura wanted to scream for them to stop, to leave them alone, that it was dangerous, that they'd be turned, but her body and refused to cooperate.
"Gggeeorrge."
"Oh... Oh no.... you shouldn't be as you are..."

Cresent's face morphed into one of disbelief. What the fuck did that freak think would happen?! "Well, yes, its dangerous to travel alone!" Oh god they were still able to talk - even giggle. "I do feel a stiff too, but I've found my group again so its alright" Crescent's words refused to cooperate. It's not them! George, that is not Nikora! Her thoughts would not form into the words she so desperately wanted them to create. "No, no she shouldn't be hurt like this because of you, but she's here now.. she's here with us.. and she should be." This was the wrong scene. This should not be happening. Azura's eyes were wide, her jaws parted as her breath came in short, sharp pants as she began to panic. Her illusion was slipping. The form of the Mightyena she had projected flickered for a moment, before completely fizzing out. All that was left was Azura, a small Zorua who was so terrified that her legs had already given out on her.

"We shouldn't of left you," Crescent took a few stiff steps towards George, drawing up beside Smith. "I told you we shouldn't have left her!" The pup was furious at them for making them leave his mate, but to have them reunited like this? This was not how things were supposed to be. "You made me leave her!"

"Its alright George," The undead Growlithe nuzzled the pup, making Crescent's fur crawl just watching them. "Because I love you." Love was certainly a powerful driver, but for Nikora to come back from the dead because of it? In a way, it was the perfect love story. The perfect love story gone horribly, horribly wrong. "I love you, to death." Something in Nikora's tone made Crescent shudder, her fur spiking up. This would not end well at all.

Azura turned her head and toned them out. From the look on Crescent's face, the Absol had done the same. Maroon eyes meet purple ones and Azura trots forward to stand by Crescent, jumping up onto the Absol's back to feel safer in the higher perch. Not that it'd do much anyway. "Crescent... What, what's going on?" She whispered to the Absol, who shook their head. "I don't know Az'." She whispered back, tuning back into the conversation when Smith spoke.

"Lad--"
"Whats wrong?"

Crescent was gobsmacked. George didn't now what was wrong with this situation?! "Why do you all look so.. disturbed?" Azura blinked, but bit back her sharp reply of 'because there's a goddamn undead standing beside you and you're doing nothing about it!' "You." The venom in Smith's voice made Azura flinch as the Aggron rounded on the Harbinger. "Yer'd better have a good explanation fer this, wretch." Crescent growled her agreement. "What the hell caused this? Haven't we been through enough pain?" The Absol growled, glaring at the eldrich horror. Azura snarled her agreement. "Have you not had your fun tormenting us, demon?!"

"There is no need for that."

Azura's eyes narrowed and her jaws snapped shut as she turned to face Nikora. "This is a good thing." Azura's jaw almost fell open. How the hell was this a good thing?! "Exactly!" Oh god even George was thinking that it was a good thing. "Why are you all acting like its not?" Crescent took a breath and glanced back at George. Something would have to be done. "It isn't good, because now we have not one insanely strong undead, but now we also have your deceased mate to be weary of now. Both are definitely not good things."

With a sense that things are not going right Frank cautiously extends a mental prope towards the skinny psychic type. His sisters had much better control; his mother had despaired while trying to teach him. You must use your ability delicately and with grace, like threading a needle, she had said but he had always prefered to do things bluntly. Why waste time trying to pick the lock if you can just smash the whole damn door down?
What he sees of the strange alakazam's mind is enough to verify he is telling the truth in his own way but there's more; a deep all envolping darkness that fills his hard heart with fear. It was like looking into the stars and seeing the lines of fate connecting them in a solid, insecapable path. To fight meant death. He breaks his trance, fearing madness if he pries any further.
"We shouldn't of left you. I told you we shouldn't have left her!"
Oh dear.
"You made me leave her!"
"Its alright George, Because I love you. "
Arceus above that was sick. He couldn't bear to watch.
"I love you, to death."
Frank's normally hardy stomach turns. He should have just thrown the bitch it the lava when he had the chance. Sure he probably would have to toss the other pup in after her but it would be better than having to witness this.
A warm paw wraps around his own purple hand and Frank looks down. Marco was definately looking green under the cream fur.
"I feel sick." He mumbles.

Frank bends down, the thick black bands of his 'skirt' collapsing into each other. His pink and white feet show for a moment as he hunkers to the Audino's eye level and wraps his muscluar arms around the normal type's shoulders, making sure his body is sheilding the grotesque display of affection from the Audino's sight.
"It's gonna be o.k." He whispers to the normal type, sensing the sparks of fear in the Audino's blue eyes without having to be told.
Marco was a medic through and through. He had seen so many bodies, bloodied, torn scraps of flesh left behind by the undead that became ravaged by the disease itself and moved in a twisted mockery of life. That was something he had to get used to but this, this was a mockery of some vile god against his profession. He had tried his best to save the Growlithe. He had seen her die, felt her blood on his hands and poured his own life into her to try and bring her back. Now she had returned in the worse possible way and he would have to watch her die all over again. The anguished howls of the growlithe echoed in his memory. He couldn't do it. He couldn't fail to save her again. He couldn't crush that last pale hope of denial. His shoulders shake and Frank keeps his comforting hands on his shoulders while he tries to bite back tears for the sake of the Bulbasaur.
It's going to be o.k. I've got you." Frank repeats.
Marco presses his face against the Gothitelle's white bow to hide the tear that managed to make its way down his face. He hated this. He hated this most of all.
"It isn't good, because now we have not one insanely strong undead, but now we also have your deceased mate to be weary of now. Both are definitely not good things."
Marco wants that to be enough to convince the Growlithe but things would never be that simple. Denial would die an uglier death than she had and then there would be despair. He wished they could simply play along, pretend that Nikora really was o.k. but that thought burned sick like acid in his stomach. This was wrong. The world was wrong and he couldn't fix anything...

Things were not going well and you quickly contemplated wether being with these guys or being alone with in the volcano was a better option. "We shouldn't of left you. I told you we shouldn't have left her!" The male Growlithe was snarling, accusing the others. "You made me leave her!"

And the response from his mate was actually worse. "Its alright George, Because I love you. " Least you now knew what his name was..."I love you, to death." A chill ran through your roots and you suddenly felt as if you would be sick. Oh god what HAD you gotten yourself into? This is why I don't do love. It drives you mad. It gives the universe something to break you with. And you only hurt yourself. The depressing thoughts made you feel even worse, your expression a mixture of awkward and pity as you watched George. The terror of Alhoon was lost for the moment.

"I feel sick,"" Marco mutters, mirroring your thoughts.

"Me too," you whisper. But as you watch, the Gothitelle, Frank, turns soft, leaning down to embrace the Audino. You suddenly felt as if you really were out of place. Does everyone here have someone they love?! George had Nikora, Frank had Marco. The Absol and Zorua had entered together. You were used to being alone, but realising just how alone you were in comparison made you wish you could just disappear.

Well, there was one you could go to. Backing away silently, she catch sight of red and black and scamper beside the Zoroark, hiding with hm behind the rock. "J- Jude? Can I stay with you," you whisper, your voice a hushed whisper. Your fear reflected behind your glasses.

You just didn't want to be alone any more.

Honestly, Sahara had seen some absolutely screwed up things since the beginning of the outbreak. She had even seen her own companions turn, and here it was happening again. Everyone saw it, except George, and that was nearly as troubling as Nikora herself. Has the hysteria brought on by her death caused him to lose his mind? And... And what if she proved hostile? What if she infected someone? What if she killed someone? What if--
Sahara's mind spun with all the different scenarios. And then one more. What if it really is Nikora?

She couldn't be sure about it and she would not kill her even if there were the slightest chance it was really her. But one thing was certain - if they didn't move, it would not matter. The ground quaked violently, a loud, gurgling roar sounding out behind it reminding that they were still in very real danger. And there was still a demented beast of an Alakazam amongst them. Taking her eyes away from the undead Growlithe, she glowered at the Harbinger. "You claim you wish to help, yes?" Sahara asked, "Very well then. But I shall warn you-- do not expect us to worry about your best interest. Remember, this is for our benefit, not because we trust you."

The Arcanine's tail stood behind her, flicking lightly as she spoke, "Who all wishes to fight this Heatran? We need to move quickly."

((OoC - I completely struggled with this lol, if anything doesn't work, let me know.))

George stood and looked at the other Pokemon hesitantly. They still looked so... petrified, like something had just scared the daylight out of them before freezing them stiff. He frowns. They weren't acting this way a minute ago. "Whats gotten in to you all.." He murmurs to himself, his one ear about to fall when it picks up a whisper, "I feel sick." Sick? Was there a noxious gas leak a few yard forward and that was what was wrong with everyone? They were getting ill from foul fumes? "Maybe you should come over here!" He barks the suggestion with a little bit more joy, forepaws stamping the ground. The Growlithe notices how warm the rocks underpaw felt, how stifling the air is. The joy turns to a sad smile, still trying to look happy for the others but failing, as he is once more reminded of his old home..

"Who all wishes to fight this Heatran? We need to move quickly." Nikora perks. Sahara! She loved anything the Arcanine had to say, but what was this about about fighting a Heat-what-now? "Heatran~?" She asks lightly unsure of what it was or why they were trying to fight it. "Yeah!" George yelps, turning back toward his mate and staring into her mahogany eyes. "We're gonna go fight a Legend! Isnt that something?" Fight a legend? Nikora had never heard of such a crazy thing. "That really is something." She hums with a nod of her head. "Count me i-" She is cut off as a bout of coughing racks her body, a few specks of blood flying from her mouth. "-In, count me in." She finishes with one last cough. Man did her head hurt.. and the stagnant air in this volcano sure wasn't helping. Why couldn't they go outside again?

"Maybe you should come over here!" Says the  Growlithe with his life but apparently without his wits.
Frank tries not to glare. Marco normally wasn't so squeamish but the female fire pup was one of his former patients right? It must be like a slap in the face to see her walking around like that; an undead reminder that he had fucked up and let her die.
And of course the poor fucking pup was delusional to boot. If they weren't about to fight a legend he would have put them both out of their misery before they ending up hurting someone.
"Who all wishes to fight this Heatran? We need to move quickly." The Arcanine points out,
Frank feels his ribbon-like feelers pull close to his body with the sweltering heat of an about to erupt volcano.
"It's gonna be o.k." He repeats more forcefully to Marco. "But I'm not fucking around in an erupting volcano without you to heal me so lets get moving."
"Heatran~?" The tiny undead asks.
"Yeah! We're gonna go fight a Legend! Isnt that something?" Well if nothing else he's in. Frank was half worried he was going to suddenly develop feelings for the thing, seeing as he seemed to be attracted to death.

"That really is something." Marco uncovers his ears. The sharp stab of nausea has largely passed. He's seen dead bodies before and he's seen undead bodies before and he's seen Frank turn undead bodies into dead bodies before. Its not the blood that bothers him its the fact that the Growlithe was acting so...normal. He hadn't even seen the bite, unless it had been hidden by the more serious wounds. The infection numbed, Marco was sure, from the way the moving corpse appeared to be feeling no pain from the wounds that killed her.
"Count me i-" The Growlithe starts to cough. Specks of dark blood dribble from her lips. "-In, count me in." She finishes her sentence.
Marco watches her with wide blue eyes. Maybe she wasn't entirely numbed. Her lungs were still trying to work, or perhaps there was a psychosomatic link between her coughing and the mangled state of her upper body.
"W-We should go." Marco manages to catch himself as his voice trembles.

Oh dear oh dear this was getting bad. Still eyeing the monstrous psychic nearby, you continued to half huddle beside the Zoroark behind the rock. Your limbs shook, but somehow you kept yourself standing, watching through the crack in your glasses."Who all wishes to fight this Heatran? We need to move quickly." What? Saharah was wasting no time, taking charge while you stared like a fool. You opened your mouth to speak, but nothing came out, your throat too dry to say anything.

"It's gonna be okay," Frank, too? "But I'm not fucking around in an erupting volcano without you to heal me so lets get moving." Well if you were honest with yourself, you really expected the Gothitelle to be a suicidal moron after the first run in with him. But he had a sharp type advantage over you, so you made a point to not look at him for more than a moment, your eyes purposely blank, if not passive.

"Heatran~?" The voice of the speaking corpse made you shiver all over again, as if if could be cold in the damned volcano.

"Yeah! We're gonna go fight a Legend! Isnt that something?" He sure seemed optimistic... Or was George just energetic now that he had his mate back? You couldn't tell.

"That really is something. Count me i-" The wounded pup suddenly gave a fit of coughing, sending your alarm bells high and alert. As you watched with round eyes, she merely continued her sentence afterwards, as if nothing had happened. "-In, count me in."

Oh Arceus we are so doomed.

"W-We should go."

Marco interrupts your thoughts, but you cannot help blurting out, "D- don't make me travel by the Growlithe." Your fear of undead was on high alert, especially since no one seemed like they were going to put her down. And you were at the worst advantage. Your trembling increased.

Oh how they still refused him.
"I'd rather be buried alive and left to rot in this mountain forever than let yer come along wi' us, yer fuckin' wretch," the Aggron snarled at the Harbinger, earning a mere sigh and the roll of his shoulders in a shrug.

"This is quickly turning into your only option, Aggron," he pointed out without missing a beat.

But things were growing more interesting the longer he stayed. The two Growlithe from earlier embraced, only got the male to turn on the others.
"I told you we shouldn't have left her!" Alhoon's eyes flickered to Smith's form. "You made me leave her!"

"I would never have done such a thing," the Alakazam assured in a gentle tone, though his expression remained unchanged.
"Its alright George." Watching the other walking corpse rub all over it's mate, Alhoon was quickly beginning to realise he would have to put it down before the group could move on. "I love you, to death."
A sigh escaped him, the bag of bones' form contorting as he crossed his limbs midair in a cross legged position.
A pity. This will truly push back the plans of killing the fire toad.

"Lad--"
"Whats wrong? Why do you all look so.. disturbed?"
It was curious to the Harbinger, as he remained silent through the exchange. Why did they care so much, to try and go the gentle route? There was a threat-- get rid of it. Move on. They were losing more and more time as the seconds ticked on by.

Finally the Aggron rounded on Alhoon himself once more, learning a single eyebrow raise. "You."
"Yes?
"Yer'd better have a good explanation fer this, wretch."
Alhoon's expression actually grew shocked, innocent really, as he started speaking very slowly, as if explaining to a child. "...There is a virus, Smith. It kills everything, but brings Pokemon back to life, as zombies. Are you still following me?"

"There is no need for that."
Interrupting him, the psychic's glowing eyes dropped their cheekiness, narrowing as George spoke.
"This is a good thing."
"Exactly!" the other, the source of the problem, added. "Why are you all acting like its not?"

"It isn't good, because now we have not one insanely strong undead, but now we also have your deceased mate to be weary of now. Both are definitely not good things."
"Oh, look, the Absol finds her tongue!"
Alhoon's eyes bore into the dark type as he waves his arms out, opening his hands in a grandiose fashion.
"The solution is easy: put the thing down, and then we can move on to our goal." His gaze turns to Nikora as he speaks, pulling the fingers of one hand to his palm as he blatantly points at the undead Growlithe.
"Stop arguing around in circles and staring like chickens-- the solution truly is that simple, if we could just move this along, I have a limited time to be here before--" Even as he spoke, suddenly Alhoon's body freezes, his eyes taking on a distant glow.

"Oh... well, that truly is a shame." Alhoon gave a sigh, lowering his head, shaking it back and forth. "Your barbaric squabbling and threats has left you to ruin the last of my time."
His eyes were harsh as he snapped his head up to glare at Smith for only a second before breaking into an ugly smile.
"Say hello to hell for me."
Without waiting for a response, the Psychic lifts one hand, his filthy fingernails making a slashing movement in the air. Where he pierced the dimensions, the void opened up, to which the Harbinger vanished into without another word. When his form was fully submerged, the portal, too, evaporated, leaving the group alone.

"There is no need for that. This is a good thing."
"Exactly! Why are you all acting like its not?"

Smith could understand George's joy, despite its naivety. In his head, this was a second beginning with his mate; more precious time with a loved one. The Aggron knew that he'd give his life for just a few minutes with his own mate and lost son.

But what George didn't understand was that Nikora was an undead. She may still have had her mind intact, but who was to say how long that would last? At any moment she could succumb to her new instincts; attack one of them. More misery, more death. Smith wasn't sure if he could handle that.

"...There is a virus, Smith. It kills everything, but brings Pokemon back to life, as zombies. Are you still following me?"
"Oh yeah? Well, explain this: she wannae even bitten, Smith growled, quickly feeling his temper beginning to unravel. "What, yer just sayin' that we magically turn into mindless drones without the proper means?! Yer need to grow a brain, lad - I ain't fallin' fer that bullshit."

"The solution is easy: put the thing down, and then we can move on to our goal."
"DO NOT tell me what ter do, wretch." One more comment from his monster and Smith wasn't sure what he'd do. He was sure it would involve a great deal of anger and destruction. "This ain't yer group, nor yer mountain. It's mine." He jabbed a thumb into his chest. "An' I'm still waitin' fer an answer. I won't wait forever."

He was speaking again, but Smith was trying so very hard not to just explode there and then that he barely heard him. He wanted this monster dead, nowhere near him or his group. He'd worked so hard to keep them all safe, and although his attempt to use the mountain as 'shelter' hadn't quite worked out, he intended to keep it that way.

But then, even if he did kill Alhoon, there was still the matter of Nikora and what to do with her. Killing her would break George's heart, but keeping her alive would put them all in danger. The thought of killing both briefly crossed his mind but the old Aggron aggressively shooed it away; he wasn't a murderer. Not anymore.

"Oh... well, that truly is a shame. Your barbaric squabbling and threats has left you to ruin the last of my time."[/color] What the blazes was he talking about? Smith stood his ground against the Alakazam as he raised his head to look him straight in the eye. "Say hello to hell for me."

"I'll meet yer there," the Aggron muttered as Alhoon once again vanished into a portal. "An' don't come back, yer wanker."

---

He was ... gone? Judging by what Smith was saying and the sudden air of calm that had descended upon them, it seemed that was so. Jude swallowed as he stood a step out of his hiding place and--

"Oh!" He jumped back as he almost stepped on poor Vincent. In his state of panic he hadn't noticed the little Bulbasaur hiding beside him. "S-Sorry. I didn't see you there." He was shivering from snout to tail, despite it being far from cold in there. His heart beat so quickly it hurt. Slowly, carefully, he poked his head out from behind the rock to indeed confirm that the Alakazam had left.

He stepped out, trying to confirm to himself that the worst was over and that there was no reason to feel so terrified. The monster was gone; everything was OK and--

"D- don't make me travel by the Growlithe." Of course - Nikora. Jude looked down at Vincent, swallowing the lump in his throat that had formed at the thought of the Growlithe's inevitable fate. All he had to do was wait for Smith to deliver the killing blow and they could all get on with their escape plan.

But he didn't. The Aggron looked really quite stricken, staring at the floor with his fists tightly clenched. Clearly he needed a moment to compose himself as well, despite how calm he'd managed to remain throughout the ordeal. Either that, or he too was thinking about Nikora's fate, trying to build up the strength to carry it out.

It was too silent; too tense, and it was going on for far too long. Creeping forward on all fours, Jude approached the others, making sure to keep his distance from Nikora. Sane as she might have appeared, he wasn't taking any chances.

"S-So, err ... what do we do now?" It was a question that could've been answered in a variety of ways. He hadn't expected Smith to respond to him so quickly; the Zoroark's words had seemed to snap him out of whatever trance he was in and he hauled himself around and began to progress down the rocky path.

"We kill Heatran and we get out o' here, as planned. Now let's move."
"B-But--" Was he seriously just going to carry on? Without doing a thing about-- "Nikora!" Jude blurted before he could stop himself. "What about--"
"I said let's move!

Flinching at the Steel-type's harsh tone, Jude took a step back towards Vincent. He looked anxiously at the Bulbasaur, and then back at the moving group. "Erm ... I guess we should just ... keep going?" What else was there to do, aside from sit around waiting for the mountain to blow up again and crush them under thousands of tonnes of rock, or let the undead come and get them? As for Nikora, Jude was getting the impression that Smith was still thinking it over. Either that, or he was trying to avoid the inevitable.

"I-I'm sure Smith knows what he's doing..." He hoped.

((OoC - I hate to skip, I am so sorry. But family issues have come up and I'll be traveling to a hospital with my mom and cousin  for the next six hours and then idek how long I'll be there. Skip me this turn, please.<3))

"Stop arguing around in circles and staring like chickens-- the solution truly is that simple, if we could just move this along, I have a limited time to be here before--" George's smile wanes until it almost appears puzzled though he is not at all. "That would be fantastic." No more statues! Onwards to meeting and putting down a legend! Turning back to Nikora he sees an unnaturally wide grin, tongue lolling and with a pups happy panting. Her eyes are wide but blank as they stare at Alhoon and say nothing. She said nothing. He feels nothing.. "Oh... well, that truly is a shame. Your barbaric squabbling and threats has left you to ruin the last of my time." Watching like nothing wrong had occurred Nikora stares absently at the Alakazam, tail wagging, even after he vanished into thin air. If anything she seemed happy, like someone was about to give her a treat though as she was looking t was empty space.

However, George's smile fully vanished. He's right. Something was clicking inside him, gears turning with determination. How long had they been standing, bickering, wandering, crying? How long had it been since they left Nikora and since she'd come back. How long were they going to waste time and do nothing? Had, had he thought this already? The pups claws curl against the stone, frustrated. No more standing around bullshitting. He was going to do something and do it now. "S-So, err ... what do we do now?" George takes one solid step forward, ready to speak, when Smith says what he was about to, "We kill Heatran and we get out o' here, as planned. Now let's move." His sturdy stance remained but it seemed his moment had been taken. Doesn't matter. The others would know soon enough he had just gained his backbone and was ready to use it. "Right, lets go." Is all he manages to bark before padding after the Aggron with solid steps and dark eyes.

"Nikora!" The Zoroark sputters and female turn a ruby red gaze straight toward him. "Jude!" She barks stamping both forepaws playfully, the creepy smile never leaving her face. Did he want to play or talk or run or do something? "I said let's move!" It seemed they wouldnt get the chance. At least not now. Tongue still lolling out the side of her mouth the female starts to follow the others, her steps much slower then theirs. Wait up! She thinks but can not get herself to say. The bulge of entrails dangling from her gut bump against her knees, making her hind legs shake. She does not know why.
Her eyes never leave the Zoroark.

"I-I'm sure Smith knows what he's doing..." The male Growlithe moved a bit closer to Jude without hesitation, "Of course he does. He's Smith. No goddamn Heatrans going to stop him and worrying aint going to Heatran. Time to do something already." Pulling away from the Dark Type George follows close to the Aggron. He was ready. Though he didn't know what a Heatran was, a Fire Type probably, he wanted nothing more in that moment then to rake his claws across its face. It was personal now, he was going to make it personal. Its Heatran's fault. He told himself, throwing the blame on yet another Pokemon. Heatran got us stuck in here, it caused Nikora to suffer. Gritting his fangs he looks back to the female. She was moving with very slow, sluggish steps, barely rising her paws from the ground with each one but she was still following along. She's still hurting. That only meant that Heatran needed to hurt more.

"Well it looks like the problem has taken care of itself." Frank snarls and raises his middle finger to the space where the disappearing alakazam had formerly been floating.
He twists his neck to the side and cracks his knuckles. An insincere grin floats across his face.
"Things can't get any worse." Marco mutters.
One cream colored curl of an ear uncoils, the sensitive pad pressing against Frank's hand where it can pick up the Psychic Type's increasing heartbeat.
"Oh, I wouldn't say that." The Gothitelle replies jovially with a little edge of self-satisfaction to his tone that indicates he wishes to make things worse for everyone around him.
"There could be more of us dead besides the pup." He leers at the undead growlithe. "Can you even feel your guts hanging out? All it takes is one drop under your skin and you're uncurable. The numbness comes first, then you start forgetting things and then the cravings start. You'd kill and eat even your friend over there to satisfy the bloodlust until the last of your mind withers away and there's nothing left of you but a rotting husk filled with desire to kill." Frank crosses his eyes and sticks out his tongue.
Marco hits him. The audino's paw is so small and plush it's like having a Pokedoll thrown at him.
"Frank stop it! You're being rude." The normal type cries in a tiny piping voice.
"What? You said it yourself, those are the simtoms"
"Symptoms and yes, they are but there's no need for that."
Frank snorts.
"Just killing time until it's killing time." He whistles a cheerful tune, his grin verging on malevolent. "Now let's go punch a legend before we spend so long talking the mountain falls in on us."

"Sorry about him, he's just being a jerk." The Audino feels obliged to apologize to the pair of Growlithe out of habit.
Just looking at the limping fire type, her bright orange fur now streaked and speckles with rust red blood rapidly drying under the heat of the volcano...
It made him a little green. He was a healer, blood never bothered him but this display was a mockery to his profession and a mockery of life itself. It sickened him and he felt guilty that it did. It wasn't the Growlithe's fault she had died. From her speech she seemed perfectly nice, as in denial as her partner that there was anything truly wrong. If they were alone the two could be happy together in ignorance until the disease took full control of her brainstem and she ate him.
The thought makes the audino break out in goosebumps under his fur.
What a cruel fate and one he was helpless to prevent. Guilt rises his vomit in his gullet but he can't bring himself to apologize so he slinks back to Frank's side.
"Stay close." The Audino advises the scared looking Bulbasaur. "I'm sure everything's going to be just fine."
He wipes his forehead with a paw, feeling the beads of sweat clinging to the pale pink fur.
"Is it getting hot in here?"

"Of course he does." Jude jumped as George suddenly appeared at his side. "He's Smith. No goddamn Heatrans going to stop him and worrying aint going to Heatran. Time to do something already." And at that the pup trotted into step beside the Aggron, leaving him alone with the Bulbasaur once again.

Jude wanted to speak to Vincent; to say all the right words and make everything OK, but he didn't know what to say. Nothing was OK, no matter which path they took. Stay and die, or fight and die. It didn't matter either way. He was screwed. Oh Arceus, why?! He was no fighter, never had been. He was a performer, an entertainer. What chance did a former circus Pokemon have against something like a Heatran?

He heard Frank mouthing off again as he too followed Smith. Jude gritted his teeth, narrowing his eyes in disgust. Couldn't he see just how delicate the situation was? Did he have no compassion whatsoever?

"Sorry about him, he's just being a jerk," Marco said to the two Growlithe before turning his gaze to him and Vincent. "Stay close. I'm sure everything's going to be just fine." Jude wished he had the Audino's optimism. All he could see in front of him was death, fire, blood and more death, in every direction; there was no alternate path, no bargains to be made. They were digging their own graves, and there was no way to stop.

But if Jude was going to die, he was going to do it well. A performer he was, and a performer he would stay. His illusions had gotten him out of trouble more than once; maybe they could be useful here as well. Maybe, he decided, he should just treat this as his greatest encore yet. It's all you've got. Now, keep at it.

"Come on," he said to Vincent, starting forward on all fours to join Smith. "Just stay close and we'll be all right." He caught up to the Aggron promptly, his heart already pounding from just a few seconds of movement. His damp fur clung to him.

"Is it getting hot in here?" Marco asked, mirroring Jude's thoughts exactly.

"It's always hot in here, lad," Smith grunted from the head of the group. The path they were on was beginning to slope slightly; they were going up. "We're in a volcano. What did yer expect?"
"Where are we going, Smith?" Jude asked, merely to try and lighten the atmosphere. It was so thick it was almost suffocating. Or perhaps that was just the stiffling air.
"There's a small cavern at the back o' this one," Smith explained, hauling his heavy body up the slope. "Right up near the top. That's where the Magma Stone was usually kept. Heatran used t'occasionally come up into that room to draw power from it or ... somethin'."
"I see." Jude stared at the ground as he walked, kicking along some little pebbles. "So we're going to-- oh wait! The Magma Stone won't be there."
"Correct."
"So how can we get to Heatran if it won't come up anymore?"
"We'll find a way down into the magma chambers," Smith said, stopping at the top of the slope and waiting for them all to catch up. "We'll ambush it there."

It took a moment for everything that Smith had said to sink in. "Wait, what?! We're going down to where all the magma is?!" His eyes turned worriedly to the warm rock beneath his feet, where the constant thud-thud-thud from Heatran's footsteps still reverberated throughout the cavern. "You're not serious..."
"Yer got any better ideas, lad?" the Aggron snarled, swiping his tail across the ground in frustration. Jude flinched as several little stones came bounced down the slope towards him. "What, dangle a piece of meat over a hole an' see if it bites?"
"No, I meant--I just--" Jude was starting to learn that perhaps just keeping his mouth shut was the best thing to do. Everything he said just seemed to annoy Smith. He doubted that the Steel-type needed any extra pressure right now. He was working so hard to get them all out of there safely, and Jude was not giving him half as much respect as he deserved by objecting to all of his ideas. "I'm sorry."

Smith heaved a heavy sigh and nodded at Jude as he too reached the top of the slope. "A'right, lad. Let's just keep movin'. We need ter get there before the volcano decides to have another tantrum." He began to move on, his head dipped low as he walked. Jude followed, pausing to check that everyone else had made it up the slope safely.

He couldn't help but gulp in unease; Nikora was staring at him.

Well, things were looking up. And by that, not a damn thing was going right. Not a thing. Sahara's ear flicked lightly as the conversation held up by the Gothitelle and Audino, scoffing in annoyance towards Frank, who she would lovingly refer to as the-guy-to-trip-while-Heatran-is-rampaging.

"Of course he does. He's Smith. No goddamn Heatrans going to stop him and worrying aint going to Heatran. Time to do something already." The male Growlithe marched along with Smith like a good little warrior, meanwhile Nikora's ever present smile was a little troubling. But damn, what else could be troubling today? Sahara cantered alongside the Aggron, "I concur with George. Lest we do something now, surely we will not see the light of day once more."

The entire group, each with their own reasons but a common goal, stamped forward which was honestly like walking into Hell itself for the final battle of wills. "Wait, what?! We're going down to where all the magma is?!" Jude barked over the sound of Heatran's stomping about. Everything that mattered, the weight of everyone's lives, were in their own hands and if they fail, the story ends.

It was a nauseating, unsettling feeling but at the same time, Sah hadn't felt so alive in so long. "A'right, lad. Let's just keep movin'. We need ter get there before the volcano decides to have another tantrum." Smith said. Sahara topped over the slope and looked for the undead Growlithe, heedless of her status as no longer living, she still regarded her as Nikora. A sentient being, even.

"... Nikora?" Sahara just above a whisper, "How are you holding up?"

((OOC: Skip, Frank and Marco follow behind Smith and Jude))

This place is a maze!

Maxwell had been flying as fast as his wings could take him looking for a way out of this mountain, because it was erupting-not something he wanted to stick around for. But there was nowhere to go, and Maxwell had no idea how to backtrack to where he had originally entered. Oh man, he was screwed...he was so royally screwed.
He looks around desperately again, hoping there was something to help someone as hopelessly lost as him. Arceus' tits, he was a bloody moron, flying right into a volcano. You're an idiot, Maxwell, and now this place is going to erupt and turn you into ashes. But there was little use in standing-er, flying-in place and cursing at himself, he had to MOVE. Or else this place was going to collapse right on top of him; nothing here was safe. The thought of being crushed or tossed into lava made him shudder, thinking about what that pain would be like.

Maxwell knew that stopping was more of a death sentence than anything, but that didn't keep him from almost forgetting to flap his wings when he saw not just one, but several Pokemon. They weren't even purple! He gave a high-pitched squeak realising he could have found his way out of this place-then promptly shut his beak, flushed with embarrassment. How stupid he must have sounded...wait, what did that matter?
Immediately flying over to the other Pokemon, Maxwell glanced from one to the next, barely caring about their species, though the Arcanine was pretty awesome looking. They must know the way out of here, they couldn't be lost like him. If they were...no, he would not think like that.

"Hey!" He called out without a single thought towards whether they were even hostile or not. "Do you guys know the way out of here?"

The atmosphere was quiet and tense as Smith waited with Jude at the top of the slope for everyone to catch up. He and the Zoroark cast nervous glances at each other as they both looked at Nikora. Just how long would it be until the inevitable arrived? Smith knew that he would have to be the one to deliver the final blow; he doubted that anyone else would, except perhaps Frank. Killing Nikora wouldn't be the main problem, but George would be. Smith's only hope was that the Growlithe would come to his senses and realise what must be done, just to lessen the sting it would have for him.

"A'right. Keep up, now," he said once they were all at the top, carrying on along the narrow ledge. He felt Jude nudge closer to him, the Zoroark casting nervous glances at the massive drops on either side. "Jus' walk in a straight line and yer'd be fine," he quietly assured him. "If it can hold my weight, it can hold yer's."

Jude nodded, rising onto his hind legs and gently gripping the end of Smith's tail for support. The Aggron let him; once upon a time, he had to get used to the heights as well. He could remember practically crawling across one of these ledges first time round. Now he could traverse any mountain without issue, but couldn't help but chuckle at the memory of a fully grown Aggron being scared of heights.

"Hey!" The sudden voice startled Smith and he quickly turned, nearly swiping poor Jude off the edge. The Zoroark's paws skittered madly across the ground as he regained his foothold. Smith looked up to see a Fletchinder flapping towards them. Yet another poor bastard who had been in the wrong place at the wrong time, it seemed. An' another body to protect ... great.

"Do you guys know the way out of here?"
"That I do," Smith replied with a grunt, carrying on along the ledge with Jude in tow. "But I doubt yer gonna like it."

There was a short pause before he heard Jude say, "Y-Yeah, it's best you come with us. I don't know if you'll get out, otherwise." There was another pause as Jude readjusted his grip on Smith's tail. "I'm Jude, by the way ... What's your name?"

The group reformed at the top of the ledge, although it seemed like some sort of accomplishment, the next part was enough to send you scrabbling back down in fear. It seemed as if Arceus mocked them, making their next task to walk across a ledge with both left and right sides lacking a wall and therefore, one faulty step and you’re gone. Sahara wasn’t religious though, so it seemed more or less just bad luck on their part. "A'right. Keep up, now," Smith carried on, comforting Jude quietly, "Jus' walk in a straight line and yer'd be fine,"

Well. That was some form of assurance, Sahara supposed. She took careful steps behind Smith and Jude, thinking to herself it was as though they were crossing some great divide to a grand paradise just beyond the suffering. It was quite the opposite though, inviting her to wonder what exactly each of them had done to deserve this. Sahara was no angel and she knew it, but these guys? What were their stories?

"Hey!"

Sahara’s ear flicked as she picked up the voice, taking a glance behind her to find a feathered Pokémon approaching quickly. The fur along her spine became rigid. "Do you guys know the way out of here?" asked the scarf’d stranger, and Sahara soon relaxed a bit. Well, as much as she could under the circumstances - another ally would prove useful. "That I do," Smith confirmed, "But I doubt yer gonna like it."

Wasn’t that the truth? The only idiot here who was actually getting a kick out of this whole ordeal was probably Frank.

"Y-Yeah, it's best you come with us. I don't know if you'll get out, otherwise." Well Jude, wasn’t that cryptic? It wasn’t like they had a very bright chance of getting out anyways. "I'm Jude, by the way ... What's your name?"

Sahara drew in a quick breath, "… Sahara." She looked to the bird with a curiosity unlike her, "If I may ask… Why did you not just fly out of here?" She sure as hell would’ve if she had wings.

The male Growlithe does not stop smiling but his sky colored eyes narrow with irritation. The Gothitelle was going off on Nikora but her only response is soft laughter with her eyes eerily wide open. Good, at least she wouldn't let this fool get her down. "Back off bro," He growls, flicking his tail then leaning over to lick Nikora's cheek. The sickly taste of ash and iron dot his tongue but he does his best to ignore it. It meant nothing. "Sorry about him, he's just being a jerk." The pink one mutters to him. Despite the foul taste Nikora's scent still clings to her fur and George rocks his head side to side at its sweet flavor. "It comes naturally." He coos. That guy was a jerk and nothing could change that.
Just like no one could change his Nikora.

His eyes relax and his pace evens out. They just had to keep moving and eventually they would get wherever Smith was leading them, right? Turning his ear toward the massive Steel type he listens for any plans he might be telling Jude, "We'll find a way down into the magma chambers," They were going in further? "We'll ambush it there." Ah, right right, cause Heatran would be near the center where all the magma is. He had forgot that for a moment. At least they had a destination and seemed to have an idea of how to get there. Yet as the ground sloped upward George questioned if they were heading the right direction. This didn't seem like they were going deeper.
He climbs without hesitation.

Nirkora watched Jude giddily, the shiny bead in his fur really eye-catching. What was it? A toy, an accessory, could she eat it? The Zoroark turned himself around at the top of the slope and she could no longer see the shiny blue ball but the Growlithe noticed something else- more shiny blue balls, his eyes were just like the one in his fur! Oh how she just wanted to play with them! Her red gaze does not leave the blue spheres until something else draws her attention. "... Nikora?" The word his quiet and with a flick of her ears Nikora turns her head toward the larger canine, "How are you holding up?" The question struggles to registrar and there is a small delay before she responds, "The Audino is right, it is hot in here." Her fur really felt like it was burning up, a lot like what she thought George's Flame Wheel felt like. Like a tiny flame at the end of every strand. Dazzling.

Looking at the slope the Growlithe's brain says not to touch it but her paws do not stop moving forward. They climb, still entranced by the blue shapes on the Zoroark's person at the top. She wanted them or a least a turn to play with them. Let me play Juudddeee. Would he let her? He was always so.. reserved? And probably wouldn't. "A'right. Keep up, now. Jus' walk in a straight line and yer'd be fine," Smith instructs as everyone makes it to the top. Blinking her ruby gaze Nikora can see they are in another one of those rooms with the perilous you-will-die-if-you-fall no walls kind of drops. It was just like the room she had been left in earlier! Speeding up her pace slightly the females moves in next to George, the male resting his chin on her head just like always.

"Hey!"
Excitement instantly floods the females body and her head shoots up, knocking George's back without notice. A voice, a new voice! Bouncing to turn she looks for the new thing, spotting the tiny shape above with with wide eyes, her tongue lolling out as she pants. Bird! She loved birds. The feathers made great bedding and once they were clean they tasted pretty good. "Do you guys know the way out of here?" The excitement was overwhelming! Why was it trying to leave them? "That I do, but I doubt yer gonna like it." "You could say that." George comments somewhat sarcastically. When you are trapped in a volcano there isn't much you would like.

The thought brings him a small internal laugh. Maybe the bird would be wowed by the chance to fight a Legend. Kill a legend even, if they were lucky, instead of the fact they would be fighting for their lives. "Y-Yeah, it's best you come with us. I don't know if you'll get out, otherwise."
"I'm Jude, by the way ... What's your name?"
"… Sahara."
"George, and this is-"
The female jumps in front of him, blocking the males view of the bird, "Little birdy!" She barks, pawing at the air much like a cat would, "Im Nikora!" He hurries to step back in front of her and not freak out the Fletchinder. Birds are timid. And she was not being gentle even if she meant no harm. "-is my mate." He finishes awkwardly.

Frank whistles long and low and starts to laugh.
"Wow bird boy, you are fucked." He gasps between chuckles and then breaks into louder laughs until a tear actually makes its way down his cheek. The psychic type's shoulders shake.
"You've got fucking wings mate. Right now you've got the best chance of getting outta here alive and you're lost." The gothitelle chuckles.
"There is no way out!" He declares in a dramatic tone like from an old t.v. show and sets himself off again.
"Frank, that's enough." Marco tries to scold him but the dark-skinned psychic just waves him away with one hand as he continues to laugh.
"Boy, you are fucked." He reinterates and slowly his laughter petters out.
He stretches and flexes his hands, his muscles moving like two arbok using Wrap on each other. His knuckles pop as he flexes. He twists his head to each side sharply, the muscles in his neck standing out like wire cables under the skin.
"As far as we can figure the only way out of this place involves murdering a motherfucking Heatran in what'll likely be the awesomest suicide ever." He grins and his teeth shine brightly against his face.

At least Frank seemed to be enjoyng himself. Marco sighed internally. Smetimes he really was bothersome, always stirring up trouble and not caring at all about what others must think. He was getting rather weary of always playing the peacemaker.
The Audino takes deep breath. His delicate ears flutter. All he knows about geology could be written on the back of one of his tiny cream paws but his hearing was very good and the rumbles and cracks of shifting stone inside the mountain were getting rather disturbing.
"You can come with us." He burbles out. "It is much safer if we stay in a group. We have a better chance of surviving that way, that is, if you can't just fly out." His ears curl.
It is certainly not just him. The caverns they are in have indeed gotten hotter. If they stand around for much longer then the area would get too hot for them to survive before they reached Heatran. Marco knows the fire type's have a high endurance rate but the others are just as vulnerable to heat exhaustion as he is. If things got too hot they would tire, faint then eventually die. This really was not the time to be standing around.

This group didn't seem too bad. They weren't trying to kill him, at least, and that was a good start. "That I do," the Aggron responded, and Maxwell's hopes soared; things were definitely going to be fine now. He had nothing to worry about, if they knew how to get out. "But I doubt yer gonna like it." Or not. That didn't sound very safe at all, but even a bad plan was better than nothing...or so he hoped. The alternative was not worth thinking about.
"Y-Yeah, it's best you come with us. I don't know if you'll get out, otherwise." That was far from optimistic. These Pokemon weren't in the business of making people feel better about a situation, were they? Death by fiery volcano eruption wasn't a cause for celebration but still, talk about discouragement. "I'm Jude, by the way...What's your name?" These two were pretty alright, despite the unsubtle pessimism. If Maxwell was going to die, it might as well be alongside Pokemon who were chill and had great accents.

"Name's Maxwell!" His attention was turned to the other Pokemon of the group as they began to introduce themselves as well.
"...Sahara." That was a cool name, way better than something like Maxwell. Jude, Sahara...what was with other people getting awesome names when he was stuck with something lame? "If I may ask...Why did you not just fly out of here?" Oh, not that question..embarrassment floods through his feathers. What was he supposed to tell them, that he was lost? Or how he'd lost track of Quentin after the rockfall, and the poor guy was probably dead? They'd leave him to die for being utterly useless if he said any of that. While lying was not something he enjoyed doing, a hasty excuse was better than the truth, in this case. The only problem was if it was believa-

"Little birdy!"
"Wha-?" Maxwell then sees the Growlithe, who is pawing in the air as if she wanted to grab him; she seemed almost crazed. That was freaky, way too freaky, and he did not want to be eaten by a small dog. "I'm Nikora!" Just looking at "Nikora" makes him feel uneasy, as if out of all of them, none were more dangerous than her, even the Arcanine or the Aggron. That's so stupid. Stop being such a coward. Maxwell glances at George, and then Nikora again. They were together? It made sense, but...wasn't George aware that she was a little bit loony? Maybe he just didn't care. That was true love, though definitely not the type Maxwell wanted.
"Um, Nikora, are you sure you're...y'know...okay?"

But even Nikora becomes irrelevant as he hears laughter. It's coming from the weird guy-girl-person-with a dress; was it aimed at him? His feathers start to itch at the thought that he was being mocked, and by a complete stranger at that.
"Wow bird boy, you are fucked." Okay, so it was a guy, and he was still laughing at him; what a dick. Humiliated, Maxwell doesn't bother to respond as the one called Frank continues his overblown douchebag tangent. Yeah, Maxwell was lost, and everything was fucked, as if he didn't know that already. Anger and embarrassment mix until it's all Maxwell can do to not start throwing insults right back at this asshole. If only he were a Talonflame, and not some small, wimpy little bird that could barely defend himself...

"As far as we can figure the only way out of this place involves murdering a motherfucking Heatran in what'll likely be the awesomest suicide ever." ...What was a Heatran? Why was this dude so excited by the prospect of dying, probably very painfully? Ugh, nothing made any sense, and frankly Maxwell didn't fancy just staying in one place while a volcano erupted around them. The cute little pink  Pokemon seemed to think the same way. "You can come with us. It is much safer if we stay in a group. We have a better chance of surviving that way, that is, if you can't just fly out." There it was again, the flying thing. He'd sure made a shoddy entrance, but on the bright side, nobody would remember it when they were dead. Being with this group was his one and only chance, and he wasn't going to pass it up.

"Well, I'll tag along," Maxwell said, "Wouldn't want to miss out on a suicide mission, right?" With a nervous chirp, he flew down closer to the group, hoping that Nikora wouldn't try anything.

"Name's Maxwell!" the bird chirped, appearing to relax a little as the others introduced themselves as well, at least until he saw Nikora. Smith was ready for the questions he was about to face; who in their right frame of mind would allow an undead Pokemon stroll around with them? But Maxwell questions were not directed at him, but at the Growlithe herself. "Um, Nikora, are you sure you're...y'know...okay?"

But of course, Frank decided to make the newcomer feel comfortable in his own unique way. Smith's lip twitched into a growl at the Gothitelle's mercilessly blunt words. He was right, to a certain degree, but the group morale was at risk of being torn to shreds every time he opened his big mouth. Smith was not about to have anybody lose their nerve and run off on him, for then they would surely die.

"Frank, do us all a favour and shut yer damn mouth for two minutes," the Aggron snarled, flicking his tail in annoyance. Poor Jude had to cling on tightly yet again to keep his grip. "If yer go along thinkin' all this is a game, yer gonna end up dead, and I won't have that." He dipped his head, visions of everyone he'd lost flashing through his mind. "I'm keepin' yer all alive even if it costs me my own life."

"Smith..." He felt Jude's eyes on him from behind, felt the warmth and sympathy in his voice. Thankfully, Marco managed to dispel the rising tension, inviting the Fletchinder along with them.

"You can come with us. It is much safer if we stay in a group. We have a better chance of surviving that way, that is, if you can't just fly out."
"I'm sure he'd have flown out by now if he could," Smith grumbled, kicking a small rock off the path so nobody tripped over it. "But he's right, lad. We need all the able bodies we can get if we're gonna fight out way out o' here." He gave Maxwell a firm look. "I'll give it to yer straight: there's a Pokemon we need to kill to stop this eruption. That's the only way we're gettin' out with our lives."

"It's name is Heatran, said Jude quietly. "It's pretty powerful but ... with all of us and only one of it, we have a pretty good chance, right?"

"That's the hope, said Smith. "Me name's Smith, in case yer didn't catch it. By the way, lad," he added, glancing back to the Fletchinder, "how are you in battle? How's yer style?" One thing he wanted to do between now and the time they got there was to find out everybody's preferred battle strategies, and perhaps form some sort of plan; it would be chaos if everyone just threw themselves in at once, and he wanted to avoid a bloodbath, if possible.

He was busy picturing the layout of the chamber and noting any decent vantage points when Jude started to rapidly pat his tail. "U-Um, Smith?"
"What is it, lad?"
"Down there..."

He followed Jude's trembling paw downwards and a little to the right and felt his blood freeze over; three undead Pokemon were gathered around a corpse, ripping and gulping down chunks of its flesh. He couldn't quite see what species they were from their high vantage point, but he knew that he certainly didn't want to get their attention. They seemed to be fully occupied with their meal; maybe they could sneak past them undetected.

"What should we do?" Jude whispered, clinging to his tail tighter than ever.
Smith watched the infected Pokemon tear their prey to shreds for a moment. "We be quiet and see if we can sneak past 'em." Moving stealthily was not something that his species were good at, but he was evenly-footed enough on these ledges to doubt that he would slip or otherwise make a blunder. He hoped the same was true for the others...
"Follow me, stay close and be quiet," he hissed, moving gingerly along the rest of the ledge, one eye on the feasting Pokemon at all times.