(ELITE) The SINJOH Team

Khan's heart ached with sympathy as he listened to the Ralts. It was true that their kind were able to feel the emotions of others, and the Lucario could understand what he was saying to some extent; reading auras was similar. It was sometimes a gift he wished he did not have, or at least one that he could turn on and off at will. He could control his sensors, but sometimes there was far too much going on at once and they sprung to life without his say-so.

He nodded as Prince stared back down at the berries. "I understand. My kind have the ability to read auras, like so." His sensors buzzed to life behind his head. "I can tell whether a Pokemon is healthy or not just by the colour. Legendaries like Azelf have a stronger aura than other Pokemon; I suspected that he was not a Ralts before he even broke his disguise." He picked up another berry and rolled it around his palm. "If I concentrate, I can sense emotions as well, but not in the same way you can. It's the feel of the aura that gives me the indication of how others feel."

He wasn't sure why he was telling Prince all of this. Maybe it was to distract the little Ralts from Famaer's hateful glares, or to simply make conversation. Either way, it felt good; it had been a long time since he'd had a normal conversation with anybody. Besides himself, on occasion, but that was a story best kept unwritten.

"Sounds like you're just going to have to deal with it," Famaer suddenly snapped from his spot in the corner. "I see no reason to abandon my convictions now. You and your master are Evil, and no amount of shivering and stuttering will change that. The others do not see, but they will. That 'Legend' already proved himself a coward enough by flinging an old man against a wall for little less than a taunt-- what mature creature of ages throws a tantrum like a child? One not worthy of the title of 'Legend' is your answer! if it takes my life to open their eyes to your filth, Demon, then I gladly give it." Khan was finding it increasingly difficult to resist blasting this fool through a wall, choosing to pay particularly close attention to the berry he was chewing. His tongue took in every flavour, every sensation, while his brain reviewed it all. Anything to stop him from losing his temper; he knew that Cynthia would not want a fight to break out, and he aimed to respect her wishes.

"I will not abandon them. Not while breath is still in these old lungs." Famaer wasn't going to be on his feet by himself; Khan stood as well, spitting a seed into his paw and throwing it to the ground. "Your beliefs are your own," he said to Famaer, "but you would be doing everyone a great justice by keeping them to yourself from now on. You're going to make a lot of enemies."

He wandered to the edge of the corridor, looking down the path that Cynthia and Azelf had disappeared down. "I hope they're doing all right down there..." He turned to Prince. "You should eat, if you can. You too, Famaer," he added to the Glaceon. He was a blasphemous fool, but there was no excuse for him to go hungry. "We're all going to need our strength.

Khan's heart is full of sympathy, the feeling warm as it settles into his head.  "I understand. My kind have the ability to read auras, like so." The boy's eyes widen in surprise and amazement as the sensors buzz to life.  That isn't hair?  He thought that was hair... "I can tell whether a Pokemon is healthy or not just by the color."  Oh wow that's fascinating...  "Legendaries like Azelf have a stronger aura than other Pokemon; I suspected that he was not a Ralts before he even broke his disguise."  Azelf won't be pleased to hear that, but at lease Khan was a good person.  The notion that his disguise is not completely foolproof will worry the Legend, though... "If I concentrate, I can sense emotions as well, but not in the same way you can. It's the feel of the aura that gives me the indication of how others feel."

"That's an incredible a-ability," the fairy murmurs.  "I-I'm glad you don't g-get the direct emotion... i-it's... overwhelming."  To put it mildly.

"Sounds like you're just going to have to deal with it."

Prince jumps, scared out of his skin, eyes wide with fear as he twists his body to look behind him.  Immediately, he regrets everything.  While he can feel the hatred even from where he sits, the angry emotions penetrating the bubble Khan's more positive emotions put up, nothing prepared him for that stare.

"I see no reason to abandon my convictions now. You and your master are Evil, and no amount of shivering and stuttering will change that.  The tiny psychic's mouth drops open, stunned by the accusations.  Evil?  Azelf?  Never!  Azelf is far too kind and loving!  The pixie is everything he wishes he could be and more!

As for himself, oh, he's a worthless waste of air.  Prince is very much aware of that.  But evil?  He... he's been mean on occasion, he's sure of it, but everyone has been.

Master?  Azelf is his caretaker.  And more than he'll ever deserve.  Where did Famaer pick this kind of twisted thinking up?  It sounds like something out of a grim parody!

"The others do not see, but they will. That 'Legend' already proved himself a coward enough by flinging an old man against a wall for little less than a taunt-- what mature creature of ages throws a tantrum like a child?"

There's a reason.  He knows there must be.  Turning around properly, because keeping himself twisted around to look over his shoulder like that is starting to strain, Prince chews on his tongue.  Azelf never does such things without a reason.  I'll have to ask him later.  He may not be willing to share.  Prying the explanation out of him could be difficult.

"One not worthy of the title of 'Legend' is your answer!"  Okay that one makes him grit his teeth, but fear still chokes his voice into silence.  "If it takes my life to open their eyes to your filth, Demon, then I gladly give it."

The hatred in his eyes freezes the Ralts in place, his breathing quickening and now dangerously close to hyperventilation.  Oh gods.

"I will not abandon them. Not while breath is still in these old lungs."

If he's really that serious, might he attack?  Instinct has Prince scooting closer to Khan, whose emotions have now changed to simmering rage.  They're so intense that if not for his terror (that recieves a lovely boost when Khan stands up and moves away from him) the fairy would be shocked at the calmness with which he speaks.  "Your beliefs are your own, but you would be doing everyone a great justice by keeping them to yourself from now on. You're going to make a lot of enemies."

Prince's eyes stay locked on the canine as he peers down the hallway the others disappeared into. "I hope they're doing all right down there..."

The fairy swallows.  Please, please let them be okay.

"You should eat, if you can. You too, Famaer."  Wait what.  Azelf didn't offer the food to the Glaceon.  Why is Khan? "We're all going to need our strength.

Nausea hits hard and fast.  For Famaer to eat, he has to...  No no no NO NO I DON'T WANT HIM OVER HERE!

Panic is crushing his chest, oh god, he has to do something, anything.  What can he do to make sure the ice fox won't walk over to where the berries are?  What!?

An idea hits and bypasses any kind of "good idea, bad idea" filter he has.  With uneven breaths, the fairy scoops up the berries in front of him and lifts them into the air with Confusion, throwing them at the Glaceon, eyes wild.  "DON'T COME ANY CLOSER!"

"Ah, yeah, they're in there."  Azelf watches with curious eyes as the Typlosion digs through the backpack, drawing closer to see what may lie inside.

"Ahaha, and some other things I'd -hahaha!- I'd rather not-- AhahahahHAHAHAHA THAT TICKLES!"  The pixie's eyes widen in horror as the boy slaps at what must be the parts that are feeling the tickling effect, only to lose his hold on the ledge and plummet into the darkness below.  As soon as the glow around him drops he darts forward to grab him, jewel glowing; he can make it in time, he can grab the boy before--

"OW MY BUTT!"

Azelf stops at the edge of the pit, eyes still wild with panic as the cry rings out.  "Hey, so I fell? But I'm ok."  With a deep breath, he grips the ledge and peeks over to stare into the abyss.  Even with his bright clothing, he still can't see the human.  How in the world is it so shallow!?  "Looks like the pit wasn't very deep. Ahahaha! So, uh, I guess you can lift me now!"  

The Typlosion had done the same, rushing to the edge to peer down; Azelf failed to notice until she moves, the pixie starting slightly as her huge form rears back onto her hind legs to throw the hat at where she presumably must think her human is.  From the disgust on her face, she's not doing it out of kindness.

"Yay, my hat! Bitey! Bitey! I found my hat!"  

He sighs, exhaling a slow breathe between his teeth as he raises a now-glowing hand and reaching with his psychic abilities along the bottom of the pit, the equivalent of someone groping for an object in their dark room.  "... Your Typlosion did, actually.  Please hold still this time."  Ah, there he is.  His psychic senses can feel a shape, one too large to be a rock.  Carefully, he grabs hold, the blue glow that surrounds the boy as he does lighting up the area below and allowing him to see he has, indeed, grabbed the right thing.  Gesturing upwards with his hand, he psychic-lifts the human out, setting him down safely beside his Pokemon.

"There we are."  Task accomplished, he allows himself to relax a little, a tired smile creeping into his features.  "Is there anything else you need, or shall we return to our group?"

(Shitty post is shitty but also done motherfucking finally.)

Bitey watched with nothing but fury written on her face as Gold was hauled back up by the combined efforts of the floaty blue thing and the scary ghost face. She had had to remind herself that it was helping, otherwise, she would have already attacked and tried to destroy it. Gold's frustratingly chipper face was soon visible, to which Bitey bared her teeth at him. Of course, Gold just grinned straight back at her, waving as he was gingerly placed back on their side of the hole.

"Are you OK? You're not hurt, are you?" the woman asked, to which Gold laughed and shook his head. "Is there anything else you need, or shall we return to our group?" "Ahaha, naw, not really. Y'all are sweet to ask, though!" He reached a hand back to his ass, rubbing it a little. "Just sore." Bitey reared up to her hind legs and bit -more gnawed, really- on Gold's head, quietly venting her frustration, but once more, Gold laughed it off, patting Bitey's neck as the pressure from her very capable teeth slowly increased.

"We were just passing through, actually-- mind if we tag along?" Gold asked, which caused Bitey to pause in her gnawing to stare down at him --or rather, in the general direction of his face, since her own face was sort of in the way. He patted Bitey's neck again, this time enthusiastically, and continued, "I'm actually a pretty good trainer myself. I could help!" Bitey gave an audible groan, her eyes rolling even as she still had Gold's stupid fucking head in her jaws. Of course he was going to drag them on some other nonsensical quest. Even with the fucking world ended he found a place to stick his stupid nose in and find some favor to do. Eugh.

Her clawed hands grabbed Gold's arms to prevent him from moving, and, after years of this being the routine, Gold was more than happy to keep still for her. Bitey's mouth moved from his dumb head to his dumb neck, her teeth enclosing around it in a vicious snarl, the only noise coming from her a low growl that was more felt than heard. But, as always, Gold's ignorance was far too strong. He just kept smiling and laughed, grinning at the two likely horrified onlookers. "See? Even Bitey's excited!"

The boy laughed heartily and shook his head. "Ahaha, naw, not really. Y'all are sweet to ask, though! Just sore," he added with a small grimace, rubbing his backside. Bitey then stood up next to him, reared and... began gnawing on his head? Cynthia stood still, looking slightly alarmed as the boy chuckled and patted her neck.

A display of... affection? Her own Braviary had occasionally nipped at her hand or neck with his sharp beak to get her attention, or to greet her; different Pokemon had different ways of communicating, but a Typhlosion chewing on a skull? That was a new one.

"We were just passing through, actually-- mind if we tag along?" the boy asked, patting his Pokemon's neck again, clearly not giving many hoots about the sharp pair of jaws clamped around his cap. "I'm actually a pretty good trainer myself. I could help!" Cynthia couldn't conceal the small gasp as Bitey's mouth moved downwards to his neck. "See? Even Bitey's excited!"

Cynthia thought Bitey looked a little more murderous than excited, but she giggled away her worries and held a hand out for the boy to shake. "Well, now that's all settled and nobody's hurt, I'd say it's time for introductions. My name is Cynthia, and this is my Spiritomb," she added, gesturing to her ghost who had retreated back inside her hollow rock. She whipped out a Poke Ball and recalled her.

Time was pressing on. Cynthia sucked in a breath as she stored Spiritomb's Poke Ball safely back inside her coat. The longer they tarried the more anxious this trip was making her. Her mind swam with images of the shrine she'd seen in books, depicted by artists who hadn't even seen it for themselves. Artists' impressions were all very well and good, and fueled her already hyperactive imagination, but she wanted to see it for herself.

"All right then," she said brightly once everyone was acquainted, clapping her hands together. "Let's get back to the others and see if we can carry on, hm? This way." She gestured Gold and his Pokemon to follow, sweeping off down the corridor in the direction they'd come.

In no time at all, they'd rounded the corner towards the little alcove where Khan and the others were resting. The Lucario was standing by the wall, looking anxiously in their direction. "All's well!" she announced cheerily. "This young man here was in a spot of bother, but everything turned out just fine. We can be on our way now." She smiled at Khan and gave him a nod. "Thank you for watching over things here. Was everything all right?"

He should have known better than to think that Khan's opinions would have swayed. The Evils always worked quickly, and with two Psychic monsters infiltrating his mind, what other outcome would there have been? The Lucario stood as well, despite Famaer's obvious weakness, and replied in an even voice. "Your beliefs are your own, but you would be doing everyone a great justice by keeping them to yourself from now on. You're going to make a lot of enemies."

Famaer's face stayed in its pained grimace, masking the despair that was beginning to creep into his heart. Even if he gave his life for them in defense against these Evils, would anyone care? Khan certainly was over on the Evil's side, making Cynthia his only ally... and even she, too, was already being taken by the Evils. The fox sat back down, easing his legs back to the ground in shamed relief. Though he knew in his heart when he finally did fall, he'd be at the Maker's side, but what about the poor souls he'd be leaving behind? Was there truly no way to stop this "Legend" and its familiar? "I hope they're doing all right down there..." Khan's musing does little to deter Famaer's thoughts as he stared forlorn to the wall beside him, away from the others.

"You should eat, if you can. You too, Famaer." The glaceon's ear twitched at his name and the rest of his head followed, confused. None of the food had been offered to him in the first place-- why now? "We're all going to need our strength.

But before he could even open his mouth to decline, the Familiar's mind seemed to snap as it shrieked at the top of its lungs, "DON'T COME ANY CLOSER!" Berries were suddenly airborne, hitting the glaceon square in the face.

Famaer blinked, stunned and mostly insulted by the display. It wasn't even the lash at him that was so demeaning and offensive; it was the fact that the little demon wasted food to do it. He glared at the little imp, quietly getting up and lightly sweeping the few still intact berries back in the demon's direction. "...I've lost my appetite." He took a few steps away from where he'd been sitting to only plop tiredly back down, beginning to groom himself free of the sticky berry juice and bits that had splattered on his coat.

Distinct footfalls were soon heard, breaking the tense silence between the three remaining pokemon before Cynthia returned, damned Legend in tow, along with two strangers. The typhlosion looked like he felt, but the human boy seemed excited. Famaer looked them over before going back to cleaning; he couldn't stand being sticky. "All's well!" she announced cheerily. "This young man here was in a spot of bother, but everything turned out just fine. We can be on our way now." The old glaceon didn't look up, as he knew they were likely about to head out. "Thank you for watching over things here. Was everything all right?" Famaer merely gave an indignant scoff as he licked his spattered fur, the question almost cruel irony.

"DON'T COME ANY CLOSER!" Prince cried, psychically hurling a few berries in Famaer's direction. Khan frowned, rubbing his ear; maybe inviting the Glaceon to eat with them after Prince very clearly stated just how nervous he made him was a little careless. His mind was attuned only to survive, and it had been so long since he'd been in the company of others he was clearly losing a grip on his social skills - not that he had many to begin with.

Khan sighed, trying to figure out how to handle this situation when that all-too familiar feeling of dread gripped at his chest. The tips of his appendages flinched as they homed in on a collection of blood-red auras, his senses zooming through the walls to identify their owners. "Wait--"
"...I've lost my appetite."
"Ssh!" Undead were here in the ruins, cramped in the same dark, dank walls as they were. The corridors suddenly felt like they were closing in on him; Khan's eyes were wide as he looked at the others. "We need to--"

"All's well!" A very cheerful voice - a little too loud for Khan's liking - echoed towards him as Cynthia returned with Azelf, the Typhlosion and a very excited-looking human. "This young man here was in a spot of bother, but everything turned out just fine. We can be on our way now." Yes. On their way. That was a fantastic idea. "Thank you for watching over things here. Was everything all right?"

"There are infected here," Khan finally managed to blurt out. His sensors continued to monitor their movements; figure out where they were. There were so many walls in this place it was difficult to tell if they were near or far; they could be around the next corner, for all they knew. "I-I'm not sure where they are, but they're here. I can see their auras." He looked up at Cynthia desperately. "We need to move."

((I had permission from Cynthia for Khan to detect some undead to move the team along a bit.))

"Wait--"

Oh no.  Eyes still wide with fear, Prince turns his head to stare at Khan.

"...I've lost my appetite."

"Ssh!  We need to--"

"All's well!"  Khan's emotions are spilling fear and apprehension into Prince's head; even Cynthia's cheerful return is not enough to chase away the building terror.  "This young man here was in a spot of bother, but everything turned out just fine. We can be on our way now."

"Prince...?"  Azelf floats up and over over her shoulder, approaching the shivering Ralts and scooping him into his arms.  The quiet resolve that the Legend's emotions carry envelop him like a blanket, giving him an anchor to latch onto-- as well as a physical being to cling to.  The psychic's voice enters his mind; telepathy is a blessing. "What's wrong?  What frightened you?"

"Thank you for watching over things here. Was everything all right?"

Unable to put together a coherent enough thought between the recent scare and Khan's constant sense of dread, the most the fairy can do is wave a hand in Famaer's general direction.  Azelf's emotions dump a bout of fury into Prince's head, but the pixie takes a deep breath to bring himself under control before he can lose his temper.

It's not until Khan's words reach them that they pay attention to the conversation.

"There are infected here!"  Now!?  Here!?  Oh no oh no oh no it's happening; they're coming they're coming and they won't be able to stop them and-

"I-I'm not sure where they are, but they're here. I can see their auras.  We need to move."

"We're gonna die, we're gonna die." The barely audible whimpers slip out.  "Azzie we're gonna die.  They're coming, just like they always do."

Azelf's initial inward reaction of fear calms, determination taking its place.  One hand lets go of Prince to pet the top of his head.  "We're not going to die.  I will protect you and the others.  You're going to be just fine."  Prince swallows hard, pressing himself closer to the Legend.  "Breathe.  In, out.  You'll be all right."

The pixie emulates the deep breathing, the fairy eternally grateful for his patience as he follows suit.  Azelf is here.  As long as Azelf is here, we'll be okay.  That was a fluke last time, with the Tyranitar.  It won't happen again.

Right?

Azelf nods to the Lucario.  "Lead on, Khan."

"Ahaha, naw, not really. Y'all are sweet to ask, though!  What a nice boy.  Azelf's tired smile eases into something wider, happier, unable to resist the young man's contagious enthusiasm.  "Just sore."  Well than goodness for thaaaaa- what the hell?

The Typlosion rears up and begins to carefully gnaw on his head.  The human definitely noticed, patting the fire bear's neck, but took no issue with the look of frozen shock and fear on Azelf's face.  "We were just passing through, actually-- mind if we tag along?  I'm actually a pretty good trainer myself. I could help!"  The teeth moved from the boy's head to his throat; the possibilty flashes through his mind that perhaps this is just how Typlosion show affection, as Bitey is taking great care not to cause any actual harm.  But she also looked far closer to furious than tender; that's a snarl on her face.  "See? Even Bitey's excited!"

"... I... um..."  

"Well, now that's all settled and nobody's hurt, I'd say it's time for introductions."  She seems eager to move on.  Azelf can't disagree.  Anything to stop this uncomfortable display.   "My name is Cynthia, and this is my Spiritomb."  The Legend blinks, realizing he'd neglected to notice the Spiritomb retreating into their rock.  At least they're not looking at him anymore.

"Azelf.  My name is Azelf."

"All right then," Once introductions are made, Cynthia claps her hands together once to bring attention back to her, her voice bright and cheerful.  "Let's get back to the others and see if we can carry on, hm? This way."  Azelf follows behind, floating near the boy.  I'm going to need to look after this one very carefully...

It doesn't take them long at all to arrive back to where they left the others, every fiber of Azelf's being on high alert as he spots his charge shivering and struggling to breathe properly.  "All's well!  This young man here was in a spot of bother, but everything turned out just fine. We can be on our way now."  

"Prince...?"  He floats over Cynthia's shoulder and over to the fairy, taking the scared Ralts into his arms.  He latches onto Azelf immediately, curling into him.  "What's wrong?  What frightened you?"

The Legend doesn't hear Cynthia's question; he has eyes only for Prince right now.  The Ralts doesn't attempt speaking, instead waving his hand over in Famaer's direction.  The pixie stiffens but draws in a few deep breaths.  Calm.  You can't get too angry.  Prince does not need the negativity and you can't pound the ice fox into the dirt even if you want to.

He's reminded there are others there when Khan's strained voice speaks up.  "There are infected here!"  Infected!?  Oh no.  He was afraid of this, oh no... "I-I'm not sure where they are, but they're here. I can see their auras.  We need to move."  This can still go wrong, dear Father.  And he has Prince to take care of; what if they have to fight?  What if Prince gets hurt?  

"We're gonna die, we're gonna die." Prince's words are so quiet Azelf can barely hear them, the whimpers stabbing his heart.  "Azzie we're gonna die.  They're coming, just like they always do."

Azelf's face hardens.  Now is not the time for fear.  He's needed.  The Legend pats the top of Prince's head.  "We're not going to die.  I will protect you and the others.  You're going to be just fine."  The fairy huddles further into him.  "Breathe.  In, out.  You'll be all right."

Mimicking the deep breathing not only helps Prince follow his example, but soothes his own nerves a little, too.  We can do this.

Steeling himself for what could come their way, he nods to Khan.  "Lead on, Khan."

[[skip. Lost my goddamn post again. I swear to God.

Gold just kinda nods and smiles, despite the danger, because he's a fucking moron. Bitey remains quiet. As usual.]]

"There are infected here." Khan's chilling, immediate response was the last thing on earth Cynthia wanted to hear. Dear legends, no... Why...why couldn't the infected have just left them alone for one day? Why now? She was so, so close, and for them to arrive and start creating problems now was like a personal insult to her. One thing was for certain: she was not going to tolerate it.

"I-I'm not sure where they are, but they're here. I can see their auras," Khan went on. Cynthia nodded, thankful to have a Pokemon with an ability like this on her side. Her own Lucario could do it as well, but Khan's senses seemed to be more refined, more attuned. She guessed that it was because her Lucario lived safely in his Poke Ball and that Khan had to have gotten himself into the habit of checking his surroundings every few minutes. The sanctuary of something as simple as a Poke Ball was a mere memory to many Pokemon out there these days.

"We need to move." Cynthia met Khan's eyes once more and nodded firmly. Hitching her bag scrap further up her shoulder, she turned to the others. "Yes, we do. Everybody, up on your feet please. We don't have time to waste."

Azelf, who was holding a terrified Prince in his arms, nodded towards the jackal. "Lead on, Khan."

"Brilliant idea. Khan, if you could take the lead for me and see which directions are clear from infected, that would be fantastic." She subconsciously pulled out a Poke Ball and held it close to her chest. Even with all of these Pokemon around her, Cynthia only felt truly safe when one of her own was nearby. This one in particular was her best bet if any infected did decide to show their faces, although she wasn't sure that poor Famaer would agree.

"All right, everyone. Stay close, do what Khan and I say and try to keep your voices down." Her eyes turned to Azelf and Prince; the poor Ralts was in a fit of worry and the legend was doing his utmost best to calm him down. She couldn't afford for Prince to lose his nerve now, and she was certain that Azelf wouldn't dream of leaving him behind.

Cynthia bent down to the two small Pokemon, and held out her hand to the trembling Ralts. "It's all right, little one. Just keep close to us and everything will be fine. Khan knows where the infected are, and he's going to try and lead us away from them." She looked at Prince for a moment; his tiny legs and short posture would make keeping up with them difficult for him.

"Azelf," she said to the pixie, "would it be all right if I carried him? Just to save his poor little feet. Only if he is comfortable with that, of course." Her eyes flickered to the side, a subtle hint that the decision needed to be made quickly; they needed to get moving.

Thankfully, both of them seemed comfortable with the idea. Cynthia gently scooped the little Ralts into her palm, holding him close to her chest as she stood up. Khan still seemed to be trying to figure out the best way to go, so she waited quietly for his confirmation.

"Yes, we do," Cynthia said, springing into action right away. "Everybody, up on your feet please. We don't have time to waste." Khan stood with his back to them all, eyes tightly closed as he strained to examine the surrounding area. A few of the undead were a little further in the direction that Cynthia and Azelf had gone to rescue Gold, but there was something in the middle of the path that separated them; a pit of some sort? Either way, unless any of them could fly or exceptional jumpers, they couldn't get to them.

The rest of them seemed to be dotted around in various areas. Their numbers seemed to range from just one to a small group of around five. Khan opened his eyes and looked down the corridor ahead, flickering ominously in the torchlight. The path was not as straightforward as it had been before; it was beginning to branch out, with several adjoining corridors all going in different directions. If he went down one, it could easily twist and lead them right into the infected areas. He would have to be vigilant.

"Lead on, Khan."
"Brilliant idea. Khan, if you could take the lead for me and see which directions are clear from infected, that would be fantastic."

Turning back to the group and locking eyes with Cynthia, Khan nodded. "I will do my best." All he could do was hope that this wouldn't end up like the other instances when he'd been left with the lives of others in his paws. The jackal shuddered at the thought of anything like that happening again.

But it wouldn't; he would guide Cynthia and the others through the tunnels without any issue. The undead would not find them, everyone would be safe and Cynthia could accomplish her goal. That was the plan, and Khan was adamant that he would stick to it or die trying.

"All right, everyone. Stay close, do what Khan and I say and try to keep your voices down," said Cynthia. She then knelt and tried to console poor Prince. Khan bit his lip as the guilt of having scared him in the first place returned. He would have to try and make up for it later.

Cynthia was trying to coax Prince into her hands, asking Azelf for his approval. Khan knew that she was only offering to carry the Ralts for the sake of time; his tiny stature would quickly fall behind. He stayed where he was, waiting for the chance to get moving. His aura sensors hummed as they constantly scanned the environment.

"Please allow her, Azelf," he said, eyes still closed. "She does not mean him harm. But either way, we must begin to move as quickly as we can."

He peeked an eye slightly open to see Azelf nodding his head and Cynthia taking hold of the young Prince on her palm. Once everyone appeared to be ready, Khan did one final sweep of the area and chose their path. "All right ... this way."

"Brilliant idea. Khan, if you could take the lead for me and see which directions are clear from infected, that would be fantastic."  Clinging to Azelf, Prince buries his face in the pixie's shoulder, trying to focus every fiber of his attention on Azelf's hand, still petting his hair.  He said we'll be okay.  He said we'll be okay.  He said we'll be okay.  He has to believe it.  He has to.  There's no other choice; it's either cling to this with everything in him, or fall apart so much he'll be too much of a liability to take along.

He'd rather die than be alone in the dark, but he'd deserve death if he got Azelf stranded, too.

"I will do my best."  Prince peeks up to look at him; Khan is frightened, shaky, but still grounding himself in sheer willpower.  He's strong.  And he has that aura ability.  He'll keep us safe...  A knot in his chest loosens.

"All right, everyone. Stay close, do what Khan and I say and try to keep your voices down."  The knot tightens again; oh Legends above, they're actually going to do this.  His breathing hitches.  How are they gonna survive this; what if there is a huge group of undead out of Khan's range of detection and they come swooping in all of a sudden?  What if--

She turns to them.  Azelf is floating at about half her height, and she crouches down so that they're eye level with one another.  "It's all right, little one. Just keep close to us and everything will be fine. Khan knows where the infected are, and he's going to try and lead us away from them."  Her eyes move from Prince's face to Azelf's as she addresses the Legend.  "Azelf, would it be all right if I carried him? Just to save his poor little feet. Only if he is comfortable with that, of course."  Azelf opens his mouth to speak, but Khan beats him to it.  "Please allow her, Azelf.  She does not mean him harm. But either way, we must begin to move as quickly as we can"

"I personally have no problem with it.  But it's Prince's permission you should ask, not mine."  Azelf's emotions are tainted with a touch of disgust.  Why?  

"I... y-yes, ma'am."  His tongue feels like rubber, but she needs an answer.  The thought of leaving Azelf's arms makes him feel sick, but this is more convenient for them.  "Y-you c-can carry m-me."

Azelf heaves a mental sigh of relief when Cynthia seems to take charge easily.  Selfish as it may be, it's a load off his own shoulders not to be the one giving orders.  "Brilliant idea. Khan, if you could take the lead for me and see which directions are clear from infected, that would be fantastic."  Stroking Prince's hair, he watches as she fishes out a pokeball and clutches it close.  He frowns.  Perhaps she is more nervous than she would like to let on.  It's not a thing he can begrudge her, but...

She seems the leader type.  She should be able to navigate through this, even while afraid.  He can hope, anyway.  

"I will do my best."  The Lucario is standing with his eyes closed; he must be scanning the area.  What a remarkable ability.  Not something I would expect of a fighting type.  That tends to be a psychic type ability, sensing things that are far away.  It's too bad I don't have it...  It would make protecting people so much easier.

"All right, everyone. Stay close, do what Khan and I say and try to keep your voices down."  He will do what he wants, thank you very much.  But Khan has his radar and Cynthia has sense.  It's not likely he'll need to defy anything they say.

He blinks when the woman turns to him, crouching down to look him eye-to-eye.  "It's all right, little one. Just keep close to us and everything will be fine. Khan knows where the infected are, and he's going to try and lead us away from them."  Well, that was sweet.  The pixie allows himself a tiny smile, which vanishes as she addresses him next.  "Azelf, would it be all right if I carried him? Just to save his poor little feet. Only if he is comfortable with that, of course."  

He moves to answer her, but Khan speaks up, first.  "Please allow her, Azelf.  She does not mean him harm. But either way, we must begin to move as quickly as we can"

Why ask him that question?  Prince is not doing well, but he is not incapacitated.  Do they truly think Prince so inept that he cannot make his own decisions?  They must, or they would not ask him for permission...

Careful to keep his face calm and blank, Azelf nods.  "I personally have no problem with it.  But it's Prince's permission you should ask, not mine."  

It takes the fairy less than a minute to give his answer.  "I... y-yes, ma'am.  Y-you c-can carry m-me."

Carefully, Azelf hands his greatest treasure to the human woman, feeling every nerve prickle.  Be gentle with him...  Besides just being small, the boy's physique is pitiful.  His bones are far too easily felt.  He hopes Cynthia will not fuss too deeply over it.  Done in front of everyone, this would only embarrass Prince.

"All right ... this way."

Time to set out.

"All right ... this way."

"We're right behind you, Khan." Cynthia stood up slowly, carefully holding little Prince in her hands. She cupped her right hand underneath him and placed the left on his middle, holding him close to her chest so he wouldn't fall. "You all right there, sweetie?" she asked him quietly. "You comfortable?"

It was several minutes until they reached a branch in the path. Cynthia pointed down the right-hand route and shook her head. "We can't go that way - the floor gave in," she informed the others. She could only pray that the corridor where poor Gold had gotten stuck was not the one they needed to travel down. Still, the ruins were getting far more complex now; no doubt they would come across one or two branching paths along the way.

As they walked on, Cynthia traced the wall hieroglyphs as she passed them, keeping an eye out for any interesting inscriptions. Most of the walls were reciting verses of ancient prayers, songs or rituals, so she knew what to look out for. The wall she needed would have something a lot more specific written on it, such as directions, a mural or maybe even a riddle of some kind. The ancient people of Johto were a very meticulous and cunning race; she'd learned that by giving herself headaches just by trying to figure out what some of their writings meant.

With the right-hand path a no-go, Cynthia turned her attention to the path on the left. Squinting at the wall through the flickering torchlight, she ran a finger over the indentations. After a moment, she nodded. "Let's try this way," she said, stepping aside to let Khan take the lead. "Is the way clear, Khan?"

[[gah, skip. There's not much else to say other than Famaer quietly kept up with the others.]]

"We're right behind you, Khan." Behind him ... they were such simple words but they struck a nerve in Khan's mind, and he clenched his fists as he walked. Cynthia was relying on him to get them through here safely, and already trusted him enough to let him do it. She even had her own Lucario she could've used to do exactly the same thing, and yet had chosen him to be their guide. Khan picked up his pace, marching down the corridor as waves of inspiration blossomed in his heart. He would do this; he would keep them all safe and he would help Cynthia to reach her goal. That was his new purpose, and the Lucario was eager to learn what would be the next adventure would be once this part of the quest was over.

He hadn't felt so excited for a long time. Maybe it was the atmosphere of being inside the ruins of an ancient, underground city, but Khan was getting the feeling that today was going to be special. If he could've seen his own aura, he guessed that it would be even brighter than Azelf's.

Cynthia was giving off a powerful aura as well, one that burned with determination and passion. Khan guessed that even if they did run into danger, she would not allow it to get in her way.

When they reached the next junction, Cynthia informed them that the path on the right was inaccessible, and suggested they go left. "Is the way clear, Khan?" A quick scan of their surroundings proved that they were indeed safe to go that way, but the distant, angry red auras dotted in various spots in the distance kept Khan on the alert; it could only take a few seconds of carelessness for everything to do terribly wrong.

"Yes, but we will have to be cautious - I still see them in the distance," he said, padding carefully past Cynthia and down the next corridor. Not long later, the Rhydon statues were beginning to reappear, one greeting them with its hard, empty stare every few steps. "There are more of these than there were before..." Khan observed quietly. Did they have some sort of significance?

"We're right behind you, Khan." Cynthia's hands carefully move to hold him close to her chest, one hand beneath him and one against his middle.  He can't help but curl close, tears pricking at his eyes-- when was the last time a human held him this way?  It must have been Jamie's mother, but he can't recall that last time...  "You all right there, sweetie?" she asked him quietly. "You comfortable?"

"Yes, ma'am," he whispers, wishing his voice weren't so husky with emotion.  "I'm fine."

The next several minutes are a blur, the exhausted fairy finding himself nodding off despite his terror.  Cynthia's arms are safe and warm, and he's so tired...  Everything is blurry, like a dream; maybe it is a dream; he sure wouldn't be able to tell the difference.  

I wish I could go home...  Oh, if only the last four years could be a nightmare... if only...

His eyes droop closed, phantoms wandering across his sleepy mind, disturbing his dozing state with whispers of horrors to come.  Before sleep can fully claim him, Khan's voice pulls him from his doze, chasing away what threatened to become bad dreams.

"Yes, but we will have to be cautious - I still see them in the distance," His voice sounds calm.  Good.  Calm is good.  Prince lets out a rattling breath.  "There are more of these than there were before..."

Calm is gone.  "M-more!?" he squeaks.  Oh gods no, have more infected found their way into the hallways!?

Prince's quiet assurance that he's doing well makes Azelf wince-- the boy's eyes are shining with unshed tears.  The Legend can only guess at what Prince is thinking, but given that he's being cradled by a human, that guess is probably not far off.  Oh, Prince...

As they set out, Azelf finds to his disgust that the hallways continue to look the same.  Why would Father not interject when they were building this place?  Surely he can't have thought making all the corridors look alike was a good idea?

Time passes, though how much of it, he can't say.  The torchlight flickers--how are there even torches still lit!?--and cast eerie shadows.  The silence is smothering, and the pixie finds himself rubbing his arms for comfort.  It's times like these he wonders how ground types can survive.  How can anyone stand to live in the dark, with walls on all sides?  I'd rather die than be trapped underground for days on end...  He notices Prince, eyes closed, though his breathing is not deep enough for sleep.  Good... he needs the rest.

"Is the way clear, Khan?"  Cynthia's voice breaks the silence, though Prince's eyes do not open.  He must be dozing too deeply.  Hopefully sleep will soon claim him and he can miss most of this adventure.

"Yes, but we will have to be cautious - I still see them in the distance."  Prince's eyes open.  Shoot.  "There are more of these than there were before..."

"M-more!?"  Oh no.  

"No, no," Azelf speaks up, knowing exactly where the fairy's train of thought was heading.  "He means the statues.  The Rhydon statues."  Glancing at them once more, he adds.  "Despite how unsettling they look, I assume that's a good thing.  We must be getting close if there are more of them, correct?"

Gold and Bitey hadn't made much of a fuss when ordered to run, both eager to get away from the approaching danger. Gold himself seemed a bit too pleased, as he wore a giant, dumb grin, but only out of glee that he'd found company. And, you know, watching a beautiful lady like Cynthia run was always a welcome sight. Bitey, on the other hand, could only guess -correctly- why her trainer had been so quiet-- it wasn't hard to follow his line of sight, after all. "Ugh." Stupid boy. But Gold's attention snapped up once Cynthia spoke, "Is the way clear, Khan?"

"Yes, but we will have to be cautious - I still see them in the distance." Gold glanced at the dim halls as he ran; that must be pretty cool to see the Infected so easily in the dark. "There are more of these than there were before..."

"M-more!?" the little ralts shouted, completely terrified. Bitey herself couldn't help her hackles raising and her wreath of fire igniting for a split second. She didn't like fighting the zombie bastards; when she lit them aflame, they just kept running toward her.

"No, no," the floating psychic elf assured, soothing both the ralts and Bitey. "He means the statues. The Rhydon statues." Gold's eyes stayed on one as he ran past it, feeling an odd sense of deja vu. "Despite how unsettling they look, I assume that's a good thing. We must be getting close if there are more of them, correct?"

"I don't know, but it smells better down here!" Gold chirped in reply, still cheerily bounding along beside the others. "Maybe there's an opening nearby~"

"Yes, but we will have to be cautious - I still see them in the distance," said Khan, padding past her and starting to make his way down the next corridor. Cynthia followed, glancing down at Prince to check that he was still comfortable and offering him a reassuring smile. She wondered if Lucario could go on seeing auras for as long as they wanted, or whether it would eventually drain their stamina. She'd seen her own Lucario do the same of course, but never for too long. Besides, Khan's ability seemed to be more refined than her's; a skill no doubt honed by years of living in constant danger out in the wild.

She wanted to know more about these Pokemon. She wanted to learn where they were born, what they used to do, where they lived. Did they have Trainers? What were their lives like before the epidemic? She didn't dare ask, though, in case she upset anybody; she knew that pulling out memories of times gone past was a painful experience.

Several minutes passed, and the group moved slowly but surely through the narrow, dark halls of the ancient city. Cynthia looked up to see that several more of the Rhydon statues were starting to appear, stone guardians of a civilization long extinct. "There are more of these than there were before..." Khan mused, mirroring her thoughts exactly. This was a good sign.

"M-more!?" Prince suddenly squeaked, startling her to a stop.
"No, no," Azelf quickly reassured him. "He means the statues. The Rhydon statues. Despite how unsettling they look, I assume that's a good thing. We must be getting close if there are more of them, correct?"

"That certainly makes sense," Cynthia replied, glad that the little Ralts hadn't panicked and put them in danger. She understood and sympathised with his fear, of course, but could've done without him making more noise than necessary and attracting unwanted attention. "According to what I've read, the ancients built the statues as guardians to the inner sanctum, their sinister appearances designed to frighten intruders away." Looking into the Rhydon's black, empty eyes, she couldn't help but think that this was working as planned. They looked as though they'd burst to life at any moment. "So yes, more of them is a good sign. It means that we are getting closer."

Closer. Closer to the shrine; the place of legend; and most importantly, her chance to try and end this nightmare for good. The thought that, after months of studying, traveling and more than her fair share of sleepless nights, she was almost there sent her heart fluttering happily in her chest. She wondered if Prince could feel it.

Gold seemed to be enjoying himself to, but clearly for different reasons. Cynthia turned and offered the boy a kind smile as he bounced happily alongside her. His intentions were still a mystery to her. Not only that, but she was sure she had heard his name before somewhere. Maybe now was a good time to talk to the boy and see for herself.

But as she inhaled to speak, a sudden noise halted her to a stop. "Wait." What was that? It was a horrible sound, like something was choking on its own blood. Whatever it was suddenly coughed, a gargle rising in its throat as it audibly spat out what was choking it. This was followed by breathless, ragged gasps of pain.

"Does...anyone else hear that?" she whispered to the group, hoping it wasn't just paranoia getting the best of her. The Rhydon guardians staring at her weren't helping.

[[gonna skip FamFam one more time D:]]

"M-more!?"
"No, no. He means the statues. The Rhydon statues. Despite how unsettling they look, I assume that's a good thing. We must be getting close if there are more of them, correct?"

Khan dipped his head and squeezed his eyes shut in shame. That was twice that he'd accidentally frightened Prince. If he was going to gain the little Ralts's trust anytime soon, he really needed to be more careful. Not everyone had disciplined themselves as much as he had.

"Y-Yes, that's right, I meant the statues," he said hastily. "Sorry if it was unclear..." He listened as Cynthia began to explain the purpose of the Rhydon sentinels, fascinated by just how much this woman knew. She must've studied for a long time to have so much knowledge of the ruins and their history. The more she spoke, the more he wanted to hear. He almost wished that he could travel back in time to when these ruins were being built by the ancient people of Johto, when the beautiful, eternal relationship between Pokemon and humans blossomed. He briefly thought of the legend, Celebi, and wondered if Cynthia had heard of it. Azelf probably had; perhaps he could ask him later.

A sharp pain suddenly crept into the back of Khan's skull, his sensors tingling painfully behind him. Rubbing his head and wincing, he realised that it had been a long time since he'd used his ability for an arduous amount of time; it was usually only in short bursts to scan new environments. He let his sensors rest against his head, having already confirmed that they were in the clear. Perhaps in a few moments he'd get enough strength back to continue.

"Wait." Cynthia abruptly stopped beside him, looking tense. Khan was silent, squinting through the darkness and listening for the faintest of sounds. Something was there, indeed, but it was just barely audible. Was that what had spooked Cynthia? "Does...anyone else hear that?"

Khan's ears slowly rotated as he nodded. "Yes, I do." Whatever it was was clearly still alive, judging by how it gasped desperately for breath. Khan crept forward, one of his fists raised just in case, letting the blinking torchlight guide him. Looking down at the floor, it was splattered with a trail of blood that led into a break in the wall near to one of the statues.

A Quilava lay curled up inside the hole, its emaciated form quivering as it gasped for breath. Blood trickled down the side of its mouth as it looked up at Khan, wet, bloodshot eyes bulging in terror. A pool of blood was still spreading from the mangled mess where one of its back legs used to be.

"It's all right," Khan soothed as he knelt next to it, honestly not sure if there was any point in trying to help the poor thing. It had had a limb ripped off and it had already lost a lot of blood. It shivered and whimpered and gagged as Khan rested a paw gently on its side, feeling slightly sick at the feeling of its ribs almost jutting clear out of its fur. He'd had it bad, yes, but it could always be worse. So much worse.

Seconds later, the Quilava gave one final gasp and went still, its eyes glazing over into foggy glass orbs as it died. Sighing woefully, Khan stood and turned round to face the others. "Too late," he said. "It's dead."

(Skip)

He listens to Cynthia ramble about the statues, scowling at the stone entities as she recounts how their sole purpose was to scare away intruders.  Well, they may not be frightening him into wanting to flee, but he doesn't appreciate the scare they're giving Prince.  The little fairy shudders and huddles against the human holding him, hiding his face to avoid looking at the statues.

Poor child...  While thoroughly creepy, the pixie fails to see what is truly frightening about them.  Who would they scare away, besides small children or the mentally fragile?  The type who would sneak in here with harmful intentions should be more than capable of ignoring things that can't even move.  Curious indeed...

"Wait."

Azelf does, skin crawling at her tone.  In the silence, he can hear it; a gurgling, gasping, choking noise that makes him sick to his stomach.

"Does...anyone else hear that?"  Oh no.  This can't lead anywhere good.  In fact, he can guess with a sinking feeling, this will lead somewhere very bad.

"Yes, I do."   

"As do I," the pixie whispers.  He watches Khan approach the source of the sound and follows, floating close to the canine, shuddering at the trail of blood that led into the hole in the wall.  Azelf peers over Khan's shoulder, heart dropping.

Dear Father.  The Quilava curled up in the tiny space is so emaciated, that their ribs jut out in sharp spikes against their fur and skin.  That could be fixable, potentially at least, but that leg, oh dear Father... the poor child's leg is a bloody mess, completely unsalvagable.

"It's all right."  Khan tries to soothe the little one, laying a hand on the Quilava's back.

"Oh, child," Azelf whispers, placing a hand on the little thing's head.  "I'm so sorry."  His hand moves to stroke the fire type's head.    "We're here now; you're not alone."

The death follows immediately after that promise, the eyes glazing over as the last of the Quilava's life leaves them in a final, broken gasp.  Khan turns away, but Azelf finds he cannot, the canine's words distorted as if hearing him from far away as he addresses the others.

Why all this death?  His throat is tightening, his eyes burning.  They never deserved to suffer like that... to die just as help arrived...  Without a word he reaches forward and closes the dead Pokemon's eyes for them.  He can't break down here.  He can't.  Later, perhaps, when alone.  But not now.

Ruhe in frieden, mein kleiner.  Though still burning and misty, his eyes harden.  We will take care of the rest.

(Yes, Azelf knows German.  There's a long weird reason behind it and I'm not gonna leave it here because long.)