(ACE) The MARSH Team

"You would sell out your companion to a war that is not your own?" Though normally Felix would never do such a thing, something was messing with his mind. Stuff he never would have believed in, things never would have thought let alone say. "I would never allow such a thing." Seek’s right, she wouldn’t and Felix knew that all too well, but something was disrupting his thoughts and projecting another's into his head, making him say things he did not mean, intended to, or believe. In a silent plea he motioned with his feelers to tell them that something is wrong with him. Something had been messing with his cognitive thoughts and causing him to say stuff that he didn’t believe in at all. When he saw Seek’s expression he knew that this was being caused by someone or something else. What am I saying? This isn’t like me at all. This pressure in my head... Something isn’t right about this at all. I would never sell out Eleroo or anyone else! I still owe them a favor for saving me. Uxie..! Maybe he can find out what’s causing this. Felix shook his head as if trying to get water out of his ears, desperate to get rid of the intrusive feeling. With each thrust and moment of reprieve the pressure came back with more force, gripping him harder and it clung to his inner mind. His thoughts were rattled and dizzying, everything telling him to agree with East and disregard his own beliefs, but Felix's eyes had opened to the truth. Resisting as much as he could he shook his head even harder, hoping the others would notice his signal that something was wrong that he was not in control of. 

The feeling stopped again as the manipulator had it's sight blocked just enough for Felix to tell Uxie something. "Something’s forcing stuff into my head, its making me say stuff I wouldn’t believe in! Ugh, there it is again." The pressure was more than enough to force the next thought the manipulator put in his head out. ”A legend? who needs a legend when this Radeon is capable of wiping the demons off the face of the planet.” Felix couldn’t believe he said that. Someone IS messing with his thoughts. He started swaying his head, subconsciously rocking back and forth in an attempt to make the pressure stop long enough so he can make an actual cognitive thought and shut down the deliberation. ”Uxie, someone’s causing me to say this stuff, someone’s putting thoughts in my head. They’re nearby, they have to be. Make it stop, please.." Felix begged as he kept trying to resist as much as he could. He continued to shake his head, trying as much as possible to resist, to keep himself from spouting more nonsense and give them time to find out who is causing this.

---

"I would never allow such a thing." Seek gasped with amount of horror Uxie was not expecting, though the intensity was not without reason. Her eyes reflected that feeling, like she would attack Felix were he not a familiar, but whether she thought better of it or not for the situation Felix responded in the most peculiar way. It was subtle, awkward body motions, uncomfortable ear movements, eyes that struggled to focus, but it was enough to tip off the highly observant Pokemon.

"Something’s forcing stuff into my head, its making me say stuff I wouldn’t believe in! Ugh, there it is again." What a fascinating thought, and a curious one as well. Could it be the virus, had Felix contracted it in their recent fights? Emotions were usually the first thing to change but the legend doubted the Fairy type would degrade so quickly. If not, the force would have to be external.

The Eeveelution continued to speak, his words and dialect seeming completely divided and opposing his usual demeanor, like a flip had been switch. Sloppy, hasty, obvious, the pixie could only wonder what would cause such actions to be taken. ”Uxie, someone’s causing me to say this stuff, someone’s putting thoughts in my head. They’re nearby, they have to be. Make it stop, please.." Such a fervent request could not be ignored, and with his curiosity tickled Uxie was quick to scan the room. A feeling, a tingling feeling like the hum of old wiring twinged at the edge of the room. As one keen to the sensation Uxie a fellow Psychic was at work, though it probed the question of why.

Moving up slightly higher to get a better view of the crowd the legendary Pokemon was quick to spot the perpetrator, a Golduck, a faux psychic but one privy to the art nonetheless, flexing its fingers as it channeled its power. Did it mean to make its efforts obvious, or did it not consider they would seek it out once discovered? Focusing a minute portion of his own power, Uxie made a small psychic burst, enough to disrupt the duck's focus before grabbing it with his abilities. "Steady your mind." He warns the Sylveon, knowing full well the Pokemon may attempt to reestablish the link the moment he released it.

Anger was quick to swallow the young flying Pokémon. What was happening? Felix wasn't bright but this was ridiculous, and even her ire, as contained as it was, didn't seem to phase him. The others mumbled responses but neither seemed as appalled as she was, as horrified that such a suggesting was casually made. Felix seemed to stare blankly in responce, like he wasn't paying attention to her as she bore daggers into him. However, despite the anger and disgust she was overwhelmed by, the Aiveon found her visage contorted by sadness. "I can't believe you'd say that." She breathed meekly through clenched teeth, the hurt striking her more painfully than anything else. This was her companion, a Pokémon she trusted and fought beside, and he dared to forsake Eleroo after everything they'd been through as if it meant nothing to him.

It was enough to shake her resolve.
How many more circles would they talk in? How much more before her other companies changed allegiances as well, and she stood alone against the storm? The weight of her sack seemed to increase, putting pressure on her shoulders as she acknowledged she could not do this alone. With a deep breath she shot Felix another dirty look, but now he was shaking his head about. He wasn't scratching or stretching, and appeared downright uncomfortable in his motion. With her mouth agape Seek stared with confusion shimmering on her eyes. Again, she wondered what was happening, what was he on about now? Was he bored of their negotiations and making up his own thing?

"Something’s forcing stuff into my head, its making me say stuff I wouldn’t believe in! Ugh, there it is again." Seek stopped dead in her tracks, her mind coming to a sudden halt as it rebooted and processed what the other eeveelution just said. "Excuse me?!" She growled, her saucer-wide eyes flickering between both water types. "You say we're not truthful and you're messing with Felix's brain?!" Alarm passed between them, though the young Pokemon could not tell if it was because they were caught in the act or just as surprised. Felix begged the legend for repose, the situation escalating at an alarming rate. Spinning on her heels Seek stared down the pixie and orders, "Do something!" before turning back to those in charge.

A grunt sounded from the far side of the room, the surrounding Pokémon moving away from the captive as it was held in place. With the culprit revealed to be one of their own East gasped, "What is the meaning of this, Fleur?" Genuine shock filled the harsh notes as he spoke. "Do not interfere!" The Swampert bellowed with more emotion than he had ever used before, his eyes widening with outrage. Despite the yelling and use of his power Uxie's voice was as calm as always, "Steady your mind." Seek assumed the comment was not directed at her, but she was in no position to ignore sound advice. With a silent count she steadied her breathing, forcing herself to quiet her mind as the other Pokémon continued.

"In sorry, sir," they groaned as if unable to breathe properly. "I just, saw an opportunity to help..." Help? Seek bit her tongue. To help?! East's twin tails smacked the ground with a heavy slap. "Ya ain't helpin'!" He barks, hopping forward toward the edge of their platform. "You're settin' them off!" For a second Seek thought she just heard something she shouldn't have, a piece of their agenda or own plan. Her ears perked up, ready for another slip, but then she realized Uxie was technically attacking one of theirs with his restraint. "Let them go!" She squawks quickly as another grunt sounds. Any abuse of Uxie's power could be seen as a real threat, and the instance a fight broke out they'd all be done for.

The pressure continued as Felix tried to fight it. Suddenly the pressure stopped. "Steady your mind." Felix did so and with everything starting to stabilize in his mind again. Whoever did it must have used him when he was angry. Never did he like being angry but it did make him weak when he was. East revealed who the manipulator was. "What is the meaning of this, Fleur?" Amongst them was a Golduck who happened to have interfered in their negotiations. To Felix, this was a cowardly act to use him for their own gain but it might have been a rogue attempt."In sorry, sir," From what it sounded like, the Golduck was having issues breathing. It couldn't be Uxie doing this. It almost sounds like the issue as if they was caught red handed."I just, saw an opportunity to help..." This didn't sound like Uxie doing such a horrific thing. Unless there's another psychic in the room that is hiding. The Sylveon looked around to see if there was anything out of the ordinary with Uxie and so far he couldn't tell since Uxie usually has his eyes closed "Let them go!" If it was Uxie, it was basically to only break the link and disrupt the Golduck's manipulation.

Felix then looked at Eleroo. He could tell that Eleroo was still terrified. "I'm fine now Uxie, Thanks for freeing me from the Golduck." The Sylveon then turned his attention back to Seek and Shenron. Showing he's fine again. He gave Seek a warm smile and walked over to her. "I'm sorry for all that was said. I had no idea that I was being forced to say that stuff, I figured the Golduck was able to pull it off while I was angry. Lets get Eleroo free. We got to find a way to convince them. What have we got to our advantage that would persuade them?"

---

What a curious creature, the legend thought, to have the fortitude to manipulate one of their own and believe it would work in their favor. To have the gal to be so brazen, so brash to interject themselves into  the conversation under the guise of another without taking their personal traits into account. "In sorry, sir," the duck managed to croak within his grasp, "I just, saw an opportunity to help..." My, this one was privy to giving information with the tiniest amount force brought upon it.

Yet, despite his insatiable desire for knowledge the pixie was overcome by an irritation. An almost itching annoyance that it had managed to speak though his grasp, and thus did he tighten his hold upon the Pokemon. They coughed but otherwise gave a silent cry as its bill lay agape, his choking hold preventing more words from spewing forward in the most satisfying of ways. Now, to wring any such information he could call valuable f-

"Let them go!"

The young one's voice was like a sharp trill upon his eardrums, a tingle daringly similar to the one he had just sated, and forcibly made him re-access. The duck hardly struggled, its body stationary aside from the involuntary spasms he was causing it, and even its psychic had all but ceased. With a small twitch of his twin tails the light upon his crystal faded as he released his hold on his victim. It dropped to the ground, and with air filling its lungs unrestricted was quick to sit up and scurry back deeper into the crowd.

As it vanished from his line of sight the small legend felt a since of lingering disappointment. Was he dismayed to have lost out on knowledge, or that his action was not complete? His tails swayed up and down, itching was the same annoyance as before for some sense that had gone unsatisfied.

Seek clenched her teeth, the passing seconds before Uxie released the Golduck nearly too much. Was that the trigger, would they be rightly attacked now? Her body tensed up, prepping for pain as Golduck dramatically sucked in air. As it scurried away she quickly scanned the other Pokemon to get a read on the room, and by some stroke of luck they also seemed shocked by their companion's choice and remained in place. Puffing out a hard but silent gasp of air the Aiveon was grateful for a crisis averted.

"I'm sorry for all that was said. I had no idea that I was being forced to say that stuff, I figured the Golduck was able to pull it off while I was angry. Lets get Eleroo free. We got to find a way to convince them. What have we got to our advantage that would persuade them?" Felix spoke with his own voice, and while she did not like the implications she was fully glad he had his own voice again. Staring firmly into Felix's eyes for several seconds she bore into the Sylveon, trying to determine if the Golduck had any hold left on him. Though she was no expert, heck she had no idea what was happening before, it seemed like Felix was back to normal with his wits about him. "It's not your fault; it wasn't you saying those things." She spoke stiff but earnestly. That crap before wasn't him, and was not his feelings and beliefs. Despite the hurt he had caused her Seek had no choice but to forgive him, and as a sign of good faith begrudgingly answered his obvious question. "We have one thing, but..." She whispered, pushing her hips closer to her sack. Was it time, should they play their trump card? Not yet kept ringing through her ears.

After that incident there was fresh tension in the air. The water Pokémon were rattled, the disruption enough to unnerve them as negotiations found a way to continue. The young Pokémon had lost her train of thought, though it didn't really matter as it was getting them no where. They were running out of options and patience, and while their bluff seemed like the only choice left Seek still feared it was premature. Afterall, they had no backup plan if it failed. Deciding to take another approach she tipped back to her own companion's question. "Answer Shenron!" She growled sternly, daring to play onto their unease to find a peaceful way out off this.

OoC)) Skip, Felix is keeping quiet and waiting for the answer from them.

---

He felt.. unsatisfied. A lingering feeling tingled along his nerves, unrequited as he settled back into his seat of observation. The Golduck scurried off into the crowd, the gasping sounds of their breath still audible to his primed senses. If he wanted he could grab them again, bring them closer, place them before the crowd to stand trial for their crimes. It would be easy, trivial, yet what would he gain from such an action, why did he wish to continue? The legend was perplexed yet could not deny his feelings.

"Trying to help..? What could you have gained from that type of thing? Cause fighting among us or..." Shenron's words were true, and struck home upon his considerations. Was that what he truly desired, to start a squabble and bring about true opportunity? These Pokemon, he wondered, what secrets could be found among them? His twin tails twisted and waved, unsettled by what could only be described as a missed opportunity.

His empty, lidded gaze shifted between the Pokemon in front of him, their telling expressions curious and informative all on their own. Stress was obvious and stared amongst them, but tinges of disbelief, or hesitation and perhaps even fear sparkled within the eyes of those he gazed upon. Much like a plant growing too fast, or a structure not built to code, Uxie knew that if they kept the pressure on the breaking point would be at hand.

Seek stiffened her stance and angled her eyes accusingly at the large Pokemon. Between the incident that just occurred in front of them and Shenron's stern followup words the Pokemon were noticeably unnerved. They eyed her warily, as if sizing up their options on what they could say after the mini-incident. East's maw parted and closed, as though he thought better of speaking, and he looked back at his leader for confirmation. The Swampert's orange gaze gave away nothing, and it slowly moved from the other water type and became fixated on the carrier. The silence from it continued, a sullen reminder that the child at the center of this situation had been rendered unable to participate. "Sir-" East breathed tensely between clenched teeth, but the beast only responded by stepping forward, an indication he would speak. His heavy steps nearly shook the unbound floor, and with a deep exhale he let his gaze slide to their unwelcome guests.

"Well?" Seek pressed, not allowing the water type to reconsider. Whether it helped or not he finally gave an answer. "In the years we've fought to regain our marsh we've lost many. Some to wounds, some to the plague, some on the battlefield... But never have we lost a Radeon to turning." The Swampert spoke with a grave seriousness, as if speaking of taboo in the flesh, and made sure his words were clear and slow. "I can't tell you why or how, but the infected can't change them." ..what? What was he saying? The Aiveon was speechless, dumbstruck; a Pokemon that was safe from turning..? She couldn't believe it, but instead or arguing or denying such outrageous claims her mind went to one place: Eleroo was safe.

"For all our struggles only the efforts of our Radeons have made a significant and safe dent in culling their numbers." East continued, taking on a similar tone to his lead though his words were not as slow. That may have broken the trance, or the pause after provoked her to speak, but Seek found her voice again as she nearly scoffed, "Your Radeon? You mean captives? Cause I don't see any in here." East's lip curled up, offense taken, and he was quick to snap back. "They ain't captives, you presumptuous child, they were born here." With a wide hand extended forward to bring silence, the Swampert cleared his throat to announce he would speak again. "Ours are currently out in the marsh. We need this one to retrieve to retrieve them." Seek's eyes narrowed, her own lips pulling back a bit. 'This one'? Could he degrade Eleroo any further? For legends sake she had said his name enough times. With an irritated tsk East mumbled something under his breathe, though he made no effort to keep quiet. "Good for nothin's haven't come back. Least this'n will make for a safe messenger."

Despite the sass that had crept back into her voice Seek had not recovered from what the Swampert had told them. It was just.. too wild. She looked back at the legend, the 'Being of Knowledge' as he called himself. Did he know this, why hadn't he mentioned it?? But that was set aside as a sound brushed her ear drums. The weak noise was like a roaring tide to the Aiveon, an enchanting tingle she could not have missed if she tried. "Se-ee-ek..." The voice was unmistakable, her large ears primed and focused on her kin's mew. "Eleroo!" She practically squealed, elated of know he was alive, let alone awake. "Are you okay?!"

The tiny Radeon made no noise, almost as if the sound was a mistake. He did not scrape or scurry, not even a shuffle sounded from inside the tiny carrier. Short, rapid breaths whooshed in and out of his lungs, his mind desperately trying to pull itself out of his stupor. Thoughts were more than a struggle, they were physically painful, and thinking things through was just not possible. His head screamed, but with excessive effort he managed to whine on an aching breath, "Dont.. t-trust them..!"

A lot of the story sounded nearly legit but something about it was off. If they had other Radeons then why use Eleroo for a message radeon? It made no sense at all. This made Felix question whether they're being honest or if they're lying to them. Seeing Seek with Eleroo had told him enough that something is being said. He couldn't tell what was being said so why not stall for some time. Plus Shenron was right on that. The drug they gave Eleroo would not work well if he was sent now. "Either way you can't send him until whatever medicine you gave him has fully worn off so he's not groggy and confused wandering a death trap. Yes?" Felix wanted to ask them why take Eleroo who isn't from here to begin with back into the marshlands? That place is vast and he could get lost easily. Not to mention that there is plenty of spots for undead to ambush him without someone watching his back.


The Sylveon then spoke up. "You would expect Eleroo to go out there, find your missing radeons and bring them back here? I don't understand it. The marshlands is a huge area and sending him out there alone is a death wish in itself." Of course though some of the information that the Golduck had put into his head had also made a potential to strike at them with something they wouldn't expect. "Your legend says a radeon would be a savior but if you have some radeons already then why have another one? This confuses me more than before just tryng to make sense of what you and East said. Elaborate further if you can? Help us figure out what this legend means? It spoke of one did it not?"

---

"In the years we've fought to regain our marsh we've lost many. Some to wounds, some to the plague, some on the battlefield... But never have we lost a Radeon to turning."

"I can't tell you why or how, but the infected can't change them."

Oh my, was that where this was going? The legend had his interest piqued, the ramblings of these beings falling into his area of study. The swamp was ripe with undead, surely, but to have Pokemon in constant contact with them was enough to make his skin tingle. Oh, what information could he pluck from them?

"They ain't captives, you presumptuous child, they were born here."

Born here, perhaps, but on what terms? Why did he not say they are part of them, fellow survivors, community members, their friends? Such phrasing raised more, dark questions. Were Eevee's in this area destined for this warrior role, their abundant choice birthright striped from them? Did that apply to Eleroo, one who was not born here but claimed the evolution nonetheless?

For a Pokemon who was meant to adapt, to change, to be forced upon this brutal path.. it was not what was intended. "You treat the species as a means of survival, not unlike the human farms." Despicable.

The others were concerned about the logistics of clearing such a vast amount of space with a handful of mortal beings, a valid concern, and from the state of these wayward wanders Uxie concluded they were not doing a adequate job.

"What message must be put on this fumbling child rather than a speedster who knows the land?"

Don't trust them. Don't trust them. Seek already didn't trust them, but having Eleroo's meek voice reiterate that fact was enough to put her entire pelt on edge. What did these Pokemon do to him that?! Gritting her teeth Seek pulled back her lips, her blue eyes massive as she stared at the other Pokemon with a mix of disbelief and disgust. Whatever nonsense they were spouting didn't matter; what they were doing was despicable. Both her companions echoed her own thoughts; the Marsh was a huge, treacherous, tedious, maze of a hell hole. There was so much wrong with the place outside of the undead; the terrain, the weather, horrors like the Sceptile that still made her skin crawl... What good could they possibly think would come from sending poor, tiny, innocent little Eleroo into that alone?! There was no way, absolutely no chance he would come back out again. It was mind boggling, and the preteen could not fathom how a bunch of adults thought that was an acceptable plan.

"Either way you can't send him until whatever medicine you gave him has fully worn off so he's not groggy and confused wandering a death trap. Yes?" Tossing Shenron a weary glance Seek worried that he too had been gripped by the psychic and was giving in to the water types' desires, but she did not want to doubt a friends intentions once again. "Your legend says a radeon would be your savior but if you have some radeons already then why have another one? This confuses me more than before, just trying to make sense of what you and East said. Elaborate further, if you can? Help us figure out what this legend means? It spoke of one did it not?" Her eyes bugged a bit larger at the Sylveon's probing discussion. Felix's question was calm, collected, and asked politely for more. She could commend him, were it not for the crux of his question being his usual nonsense. Even so, if the others were willing to give more it would be worth asking.

"You got sedge in your ears, boy?" East grumbled, though the tone to his voice sounded more offended than defensive. "No one said anything about a single savior, and it ain't no legend. What I said was the Radeon are our best defenders, our warriors for protecting ourselves. They can kill undead without bringing disease into the colony, and the more protectors like that you have the better." Crossing his arms the Floatzel gave a disgruntled sigh, as though they had idiots bumbling about. "You treat the species as a means of survival, not unlike the human farms." Uxie pressed, and both Pokemon glowered at the thought. "How dare you compare us to man. The Radeon are our partners, not our slaves."

A sick feeling was nestling in Seek's stomach. Warriors, saviors, fighting, farms, slaves.. The Swampert kept talking around the word friend, loved ones, and without a single Radeon (outside of Eleroo) present in the room Seek could not help but feel he was deceiving her. 'Don't trust them.' What were they lying about?! Stamping her feet roughly against the ground it made the tiniest piff of defiance. "I don't understand what sort of doomsday, cruel, abusive sort of ring you're running here, but Eleroo will not be part of it. We come from Fortree, we have no debt to you for this stupid warrior garbage."

Continuing her display Seek stepped forward, moving eerily close to the carrier before East nudged it away with a rough shove of his foot and made a pitiful squeal sound from the crate. "Don't do that!" She growled, the followup noise just as agonizing to her ears. "S-stop-!" Her claws curled against the flooring; if he did that one more time... "So you have no intention of repaying the damage you've caused us? You refuse our negotiations after knowing our plight?" Stopping mid-step, Seek glared at the burly dual type. Was, wasn't that what they were doing..? Were they being played?!

"What message must be put on this fumbling child rather than a speedster who knows the land?" Uxie asked, his acute question forcing the conversation to stay apace. Eleroo cringed within his confines. While the word fumbling was starkly unkind his body dreaded hearing those words again. Would they be the same, cut down, different..? He swallowed roughly, his salivating mouth feeling so absurdly dry. The Swampert balled his large hands, a deep seeded emotion staining his gruff face. "That they must come home to their duty. The undead are closing in and the blood will be on their paws."

---

"How dare you compare us to man. The Radeon are our partners, not our slaves."

The Swampert was quick to snap back, the insulting words striking a chord as the mud fish bore daggers into him. My, my. Such a heated response was evidence of action, though if it was proof of cruelty or camaraderie was yet to be seen. To see such passion, was it subconsciously displaying guilt? He had denied his claims yet no one supported the lead Pokemon, not even his right hand.

"Slaves... I was no slave to my trainer and you do not know the meaning of partner."

Shenron's response probed a question; while Uxie had compared them to man he had alluded more to the treatment of livestock rather than governing subjugation. For the Swampert to use his selected term meant it was within his mind, likely as more than a passing thought on their treatment.

"If you claim they stand equal then why do none stand among you?"

"We already told ya that." Perhaps, the legend reasoned with himself, but he was not satisfied with such a mediocre answer. To have no members of a species present, one claimed to be vital to this community's survival, at what seemed to be an important community discussion showed both exclusion and intentional negligence. Were there truly no Radeon close enough to join as a representative, were they all cast afield?

As soon as the thought occurred to him the leader answered his prior question, and the dots started to align.

"That they must come home to their duty. The undead are closing in and the blood will be on their paws."

They had been forsaken.

Come home to their duty..? Seek did not understand, weren't they doing their duty out in the Marsh, taking out the undead and making it safer in some stupid relative regard? As much as she loathed admitting it to herself their venture from the Marsh to this town had been fairly uneventful outside of the rolling storm. Not a single undead had bothered them at that point, and while it could have just as easily been the rains doing she could now believe it was these mercenaries. "If the Radeon are partners why have you not gone looking for them? Don't spout the bile of the Marsh being too dangerous for that. A partner would move Arceus's hall and Groudon's pit to find their partner. We came to look for and retrieve the kit even at great personal risk, like one does." Shenron made a solid point and it easily followed up her prior thought. These Radeon couldn't be that far away, and their personal surroundings seemed no more dangerous than any other area with their constant purging.

What could possibly be stopping these Pokemon aside from fear or laziness? Really, it seemed like they didn't care at all. "If you claim they stand equal then why do none stand among you?" Uxie agreed, bringing all their voices to stand against the water Pokemon.  "Have you even been in the Marsh recently? Its unsafe, awful for sure, but the areas closest to this city were pretty much clear on our way in." If these Pokemon called this place home surely they were used to the conditions she abhorred so vividly. "If we made it here okay than any of your locals should make fine messenger pidgeys." Bitterness seethed on her words, her mind starting to reel again at the sheer absurdness of this situation. These were locals, Pokemon used to this environment who knew the lay of the land, and they wanted to use a foreign child who was basically a marshmallow instead of any native Pokemon with wings? She could scream, legends she was about to scream. "Sounds to me like you just want to make Eleroo into your test subject. There is no real reason that you need him for this, he's just some fodder that came by! His safety doesnt matter to you, nor would his loss."

Eleroo's breath quickened, moving to a rapid, panicked pace as his brain fog started to clear up. Why was there so much talking, why was Seek so calm in the presence of oppression? His legs trembled, afraid to bare his weight as he rolled awkwardly only his belly. The holes in the carrier were minimal, his vision wholly obscured and his sense of smell stuffed up from the wet, fishy smell that coated the gym. How much time had passed? Pressing his pads against the bottom of his crate he got to his paws, but even the small Pokemon could not stand up fully in the cramp quarters and bashed his head against the roof. With a sharp whine he stumbled, his paws fumbling and scratching at the carrier as he tried to catch himself. The clunking must have been too loud, as an angry growl sounded outside the cage before it shook all around him and through the kit back to the floor. "Quit your racket!"

Curling his paws around his snout Eleroo curled up in a sad ball. "Don't talk to him like that!" Seek barked back, but even Eleroo left it was a hallow threat. The floor shook but it was not the shaking of a weasel but the stomping of the Swampert behind him. "Don't make light of our plight with your presumptions! You had but one comrade to consider but concerns of many stand by our decisions. This is the safest option, and were you truly worried of this one's safety you would offer to join him."

(OoC: I shall pass this round.)

He felt wet. Eleroo was so used to his thin, patchy pelt letting in constant moisture that he should be used to it, but his new, thicker, evolved pelt was another story. He felt soggy, like he needed to groom, and the squick was enough to force him to stand once more. There was not enough to shake out his fur, and reaching around to groom was also too difficult given the space. His throat ached, his head fog finally clearing as the other Pokemon bickered. Why wasn't he saying anything..? This was about him, because of him, he should have the most say of them all. But he just.. couldn't. The meager amount he had squeaked out had taken all his courage, and the hollow feeling in his stomach was enough to swallow him as the others continued to argue without resolve.

"Safest option or not, you get to live with knowing you sent comrades to their potential deaths while you sit here twiddling your thumbs. Immune to infection but not to being savaged to death. They will not rise from that death. You wouldn't even know since you won't even go looking for them." Relentless feelings of dread and panic riddled Eleroo's body, racking his lungs with uneven breaths. These Pokemon wanted to use him practically as live bait, weren't his companions slightly more concerned about the predicament?! Had Seek agreed to civil discussion? He couldn't believe that. Legends she would be ripping him away from these Pokemon at the first moment..


"Indeed, the way in was clear almost unnervingly so. Does the water kit not possess the brain power to avoid danger? To run if he feels unsafe? Aqua Jet would move him around the Marsh faster then the Staraptor flies." Seek's lip curled in a snarky grin, her paws tingling as she finally felt they had the upperhand in this. "Yeah, you were real quick on the kidnapping East. I'm sure you could bolt through that swamp with no trouble." Her teeth glinted, flashing and noticeable visible as she talked freely with wide lip movements. Of all the Pokemon here he would make a cakewalk of it. If they were worried, why not a group, why not scouts, why not a team accompanied by Radeon? It was so stupid that they would resort to this, that anyone would think this a good idea.

The Floatzel returned her glint with even more visible fangs, his eyes fuming. "You wanna see the speed youre dealing with?" The words were cold, the threat real as it crept from his tongue. Was she getting under his skin? The Swampert growled, his amber eyes widening as he left out a deafening rumble. Was it working on him too?! While the aggitation laced his voice was not nearly as tilted as she hoped, his words talking down but not unsolicited. "Ambush predators, sink holes, sudden and deep water... the terrain is not built for ground-based speed on the run. Wings would allow for quick travel of messages were it not for the overwhelming infected flocks our home houses." A shudder ran down Seek's spine. The past few days had treated with more birds, more infected birds than she ever wanted to see in life. Her first few memories of the forsaken swamp was filled with swarming feathers, and she nearly felt faint recalling it.

---

Uxie could feel the shift in the atmosphere. The tension was as taut as ever, but it had drastically morfed from reasonable discussion to personal jibes. Aside from Shenron, these Pokemon were no longer trying to come to a reasonable conclusion, and instead sought to attack one anothers choices per a lack of intelligence. It was pitiful, more than beneath him as the Pokemon bickered like children over the same things. Did they not see this was futile?

"Very well, if I roasted those birds, would you send a messenger? I can not guarantee getting every last one but I'm a very big attackable target and the infected aren't smart enough to shy away from a trap if they see one."

The dragon would offer himself as both bait and an ace? To sacrifice oneself for the younger generation was commendable, but it did not sound as though the Charizard planned to throw his life away. To help one's enemy to gain their favor, as long as the bargain was upheld it would be a fair play. Yet he had to wonder, what would they count as a completed job? Every bird, every undead, a certain number or proximity. Such open-ended rules increased loss and risk factors immensely.

Eleroo's breath was fast, his paws vainly trying to block out the noise as he covered his ears. Yet no matter how firmly he pressed the voices of those around him still made it through and were unnaturally loud. They knew the danger, had it notarized, memorized, yet they sought to return, sought to send him into this peril that they refused to stride into?! Petrified as he was the small child could not catch his breath, nor could he cry out in distress anymore.

Shenron's voice was so reasonable, so wise, the child desperately clung to that calming sound, but even that could not last as the dragon made a suggestion. "Very well, if I roasted those birds, would you send a messenger? I can not guarantee getting every last one but I'm a very big attackable target and the infected aren't smart enough to shy away from a trap if they see one... But I'm not doing it if you insist on sending the kit into the Marsh regardless..." No! He wailed in his mind, You musn't! Parting his jaw only a pitiful whine came forth, words dying before they could be born. Seek was the one who feared the Marsh so but it was he that would cause them to return...

For the first time Seek dared to back away from the Floatzel. Her stomach tightened, sickened at the very thought of even moving a step back from Eleroo when he was so very close, but while her very bones screamed at her but Aiveon managed to just barely keep her composure as she stepped closer to Shenron. "You can't put yourself at risk for these jerks." She reasoned, her voice tense but calm and betraying the stress that dared to make her paws quake. "..Not without backup, at least." With a rough swallow Seek swore she was about to gag on her own saliva as she spoke such a cursed thought. Birds.. why did it always have to be birds...? But... I'd do anything for Eleroo. Even as she thought those words they seemed hallow. Wasn't their bickering, their conversation proof enough that she wouldn't put up with crap? Yet, as she took in several deep steadying breathes, she admitted that facing trauma meant nothing compared to Eleroo's safety.

Felix questioned another train of thought, something that was not mentioned or noticed while they were out. "They never marked where the sinkholes were and never thought of using those for traps. I suspect cowardice in them. Makes me wonder if they forgotten what fighting as a team means." Her eyes bugged out for a moment, teeth clenched and a paw going to her brow as she fought back a snarky retort. As if a marsh dweller would be stopped by a sinkhole, even if they're undead. But she paused, taking another breath as she pushed that aside. It didn't matter; that wasn't their job to worry about. Moreso, it was the other thing Felix said that caught her attention. "We don't know about markers for sure, we could have just missed them, but acting as a team...?"

Seek let her voice trail off, her eyes widening even further as she realized Felix was on to something. The treatment of the Radeon by these Pokemon was deplorable, cruel even, but what of each other? Without their proxies, their faux shields, why did the Pokemon present not fight for one another? Why did they talk such a big game of valuing safety and protection yet they let undead run through the city that they had to deal with? Why was their nursery guard by lowly bats and not protective mothers and sturdy guards?! "Cowards.." She whispered on a heated breath. Seek's head snapped back toward the water type pair, her eyes narrowed. "You want your Radeon back, yeah? But a bunch of birds are gonna stop you, terrain you all lived in? You'd rather make us do it. What about the undead that were IN the city? Legends, the whole time we've been here only East that dared to grace us with his presence, let alone deal with the undead that would have been a very real threat to you."

Seek regained her footing and took that step forward again. For just a moment she looked back at Felix, as if confirming that this is what he had meant though she was in no mindset to stop. "Legends, if you ask me you're all a bunch of cowards. Deal with your own problems and leave all of us out of it!" As she spat those words the room took to life for the first time since they had entered. Finally, as if a spell had broken, the Pokemon about them weighed in with heat and concern, though they were too numerous to make out what anyone was saying. The presence of the crowd was not palpable, reminding Seek how deep and dangerous they were really in.
The two Pokemon before them had something akin to hate or ignominy burning in their eyes, and while Seek felt herself shrinking a bit toward the ground she did not regret what she had said. "You little bitch- I should have let that undead deal with you sorry lot!" East spat, a burst of water quick to follow that scored the Aiveon's cheek. It seared, a drip of blood staining her pale lavender cheek as the Swmapert roared with the same heat. "Watch your tongue you foolish child- You have not lived enough summers to understand true leadership, let alone how to protect anyone you love! Have you forgotten where you stand? You curse me but my people have learned how to be strong and survive this savage world, while your actions will only lead your 'friends' to their dooms. We offer your little friend a higher purpose in life; you would only condemn him with your folly."