The PHENAC Team

"Polnareff? Did you ever do something that left a... bad mark on you?"

The question was a bit shocking at first, but Polnareff answered nonetheless. "... I once dropped a bioloigist-- they study living things, if you didn't know-- in the desert to die. I waited for him to die while circling overhead. When he eventually passed out, I gave him to the Cacturne. They stalk desert travelers, you know? Watch your back in Hoenn and Unova, they're native there. Don't know about here, though. I'm a tourist." Polna paused. "Why did you ask? Did you do something that bad too?"

The Skarmory seemed shocked by the inquiry, but he still answered, "... I once dropped a bioloigist-- they study living things, if you didn't know-- in the desert to die. I waited for him to die while circling overhead. When he eventually passed out, I gave him to the Cacturne. They stalk desert travelers, you know? Watch your back in Hoenn and Unova, they're native there. Don't know about here, though. I'm a tourist."

Polnareff paused for a moment. Artemis sighed. So she wasn't alone. Maybe there was more out there like her, just trying to live through this Epidemic one day at a time, trying to forget what they have done. "Why did you ask? Did you do something that bad too?"

Artemis sighed, then swallowed nervously. I guess if he's told me what he's done, I might as well... She felt bonded to Polnareff, even though she just met the avian, not in an affectionate way, more in a relatable sense.

She swallowed again, and then looked straight into the birds eyes. "I've killed a human."

((OOC: It's okay, even without the picture I can still feel Polnareff's smexiness.))

The sentence was straightforward and direct. "I've killed a human." Artemis's making eye contact with him made Polna think she couldn't have been lying.

Polnareff was surprised at this. Artemis didn't seem the type to do those kinds of things. She seemed to be more of a submissive kind of personality. "Go on... What did you do? How did they die? Did you have a motive to need to do that? Maybe this can be applied to attacking the Undead."

(OoC: That's the greatest comment ever. xD)

Polnareff seemed rather shocked, and Artemis bit her lip. "Go on... What did you do? How did they die? Did you have a motive to need to do that? Maybe this can be applied to attacking the Undead."

Artemis liked that he was thinking strategically instead of persecuting her. However, he wanted to know the motives. Maybe she could tell the story without including her hydrophobia?

No.

They were both trying to survive. And Artemis didn't want her having to share her fear at the wrong time, what if water was needed to fight the undead? That would be an inappropriate time to state her fear. She had to be honest. It had to be now to avoid problems in the future, if she stuck around with Polnareff long enough. She was planning to only stick around until they found the blue-flamed Ponyta, but something in the back of her mind told her to stay.

"I trained in the Pokelathon for a long time. If you don't know what that is, they're contests. Jumping and running...showing off your skills. Someone was competitive. Eric was his name. Eric...well...to tell you the truth, he thoroughly pissed me off," she arched her back and gritted her teeth, unpleasant memories flooding back to her as she recalled her past.

"He was overly competitive...a little bit too competitive. He said he would find my weakness, since he was jealous of...how I kept winning. I didn't believe him, but he did. My weakness...," she paused, then became nervous, her breath caught in her throat and her mind spun. Suddenly, she felt herself become defensive. Maybe it was because she had told no one about her fear. Something in her mind screamed that Polnareff would use her fear against her...

She had a silent argument with herself, but the latter won.

"Agh! Never mind. Sorry to waste your time. It's none of your business what my past is anyways! You creep! Prying into a childs life like that!"

She immediately felt regret after her outburst. She trembled, and her eyes became hazy. She stood shakily on her paws, and then thought that maybe she was making this more dramatic than it should be. She prayed to Arceus that Polnareff wouldn't retaliate or feel overly offended, or then she would be known as the Vaporeon who's death was all because of her dramatic, big fat mouth.

((OOC: Sorry I post so fast, I'm just bored and have nothing to do. :/))

"I trained in the Pokeatlhon for a long time. If you don't know what that is, they're contests. Jumping and running...showing off your skills. Someone was competitive. Eric was his name. Eric...well...to tell you the truth, he thoroughly pissed me off," Artemis stretched out her back and gritted her teeth. "He was overly competitive...a little bit too competitive. He said he would find my weakness, since he was jealous of...how I kept winning. I didn't believe him, but he did. My weakness..." She paused. There was an awkward silence. "Agh! Never mind. Sorry to waste your time. It's none of your business what my past is anyways! You creep! Prying into a childs life like that!"

"..." That did it. Polnareff was too big and scary for anyone. Only an infected or someone insane would bother to interact with him fearlessly. His expression dimmed. "... I'll be at the Pokémon Center." A bit depressed, he walked over to the building; his feet causing slight but moderately detectable vibrations in the floor with every step. ... Why is everyone afraid of me?... Why does everyone else hate me?

Polnareff was silent for a long moment, and Artemis felt her heart plummet. His proud expression turned to a depressed, saddened one. "... I'll be at the Pokémon Center."

As she watched him walk away, her heart sunk even lower with each step he made. She cursed herself for her hostility. She could've found a friend in Polnareff; but no, she had to ruin that too. Like everything...

Debating whether she should follow him, she laid down and curled her tail around her body. She sniveled pathetically.

"Maybe this is why Eric had it out for me..." she thought, and her mind processes slowed, and she entered a light slumber.

((OOC: Aw, poor Polnareff. :C *hugs* By the way, welcome back! ^^))

"Welcome back, Oliver."
"Come and get me, you fuckers!"
"YOU LITTLE TWERP!!"
"Please... Just let me go."
"Easy Polnareff. She's just being cocky so we can respect her. That's all."
"Ah... I apologize. My temper often gets the best of me."

It had only happened an hour ago, but it still felt like it was happening at the moment.

"I'm Lithium by the way, and you must go by...?"

Polnareff winced and recoiled, holding back tears.

"You creep!"

A lone tear rolled down his metal beak. He didn't belong in society. He grew up in a twisted household in an awkward grip from a crazy lady obsessed with the occult, no one raised like that deserves to make friends, not that they could or should. Trying not to leave a puddle, he ran inside the abandoned stone building. He didn't care if he died now... He had even been called a "creep" by Artemis. Even others he thought he made a good impression on cast him in a bad light.

Her nap, her only rest from this cruel world, was short-lived. Artemis opened her bright cyan eyes and sat up, her muscles aching from the uncomfortable position she had slept in. She stared down at the ground, and minutes upon minutes went by as she immersed herself in thought.

Her throat clenched as she thought about Polnareff. What has she done? She sighed. It was time to come to terms with her fears; and herself. She didn't want Polnareff upset, although she just met the hardy steel-type, he seemed like the type of Pokemon who could persevere through anything. And it made her heart sink to know that she had made him upset.

She rose to her paws and padded over towards the Pokemon Center with her head hanging in guilt and her tail tucked between her legs. She poked her head through the entrance, but she couldn't see anything in the darkness. There were no sounds.

"P-Polnareff? Are you okay?" she murmured into the shadows.

Polnareff looked around in the abandoned center. Artemis called out behind him, asking if he was OK; Polnareff merely turned his head in the dark to look near the stairs going towards the basement. An eerie blue glow was flickering under there. "Lithium?! I-Is that you?" The flicker approached, bearing red eyes. "... Lithium?" He asked weakly. Realizing it wasn't Lithium, but one of the Zoroark from earlier, he flew into a panic. "Shit... Shit, shit, shit, shit... CRAP, SHIT, AND TOILET CAKES." He fluttered frantically towards Artemis. "GET OUTTA HERE! THERE ARE ZOROARK IN HERE!"

When Artemis inquired if he was alright, Polnareff merely turned his head in indifference. Artemis, a little saddened by this gesture, looked down at her paws. She screwed everything up. Everythi-

"Lithium?! I-Is that you?" Polnareff stated quizzically. Artemis shot her head up. Huh?

Where Polnareff was looking was an eerie blue fluorescence, soft and bright against the darkness. Enthralled by the light, Artemis took a cautionary step forward. Two glowing ruby eyes accompanied the blue light, and Artemis whimpered quietly, but remained where she stood. Maybe the strange blue Ponyta had red eyes too and Polnareff had neglected telling her, and she did not want want to make the avian even more upset by being rude to his friend.

"...Lithium?" Polnareff asked again. Artemis looked at the Skarmory, and his eyes widened with shock and his wings fluttered in panic. "Shit... Shit, shit, shit, shit... CRAP, SHIT, AND TOILET CAKES." He glided frantically towards her, and her breath caught in her throat as he screeched, "GET OUTTA HERE! THERE ARE ZOROARK IN HERE!"

"H-huh?!" Artemis stammered, and the Zoroark yowled a battle shriek. Artemis swallowed her fear, and did the same, letting loose a long howl. "You go, I'll stay here and fight this bastard."

The Zoroark's eyes blazed with fury, and he took a step closer to her. His tail lashed furiously behind him, and his teeth gleamed sharp in the dim light.

"Y-yeah...Um...On second thought," she backed up slowly, then screamed, "RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!! as she bolted out of the Pokemon Center as fast as her paws could carry her. She heard noises of the angry canines behind her, and she prayed to Arceus they weren't following her.

"H-huh?!" The Zoroark yowled in anger. "You go, I'll stay here and fight this bastard." It stepped forward with fiery anger alight in its eyes. Its tail burned in its eerie blue color and its teeth gleamed although it was still disguised as Lithium. "Y-yeah...Um...On second thought," she backed up slowly, then screamed, "RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!!"

Polnareff looked behind him to see a fake Nora, a fake Polnareff, and a fake Artemis, all with red eyes, joining in the chase with the fake Lithium as well. "Shit! There's more!" Polnareff fluttered away in fear. "Artemis! Hurry, hop on! I'l fly up to the local Colosseum from here!"

(OoC: Nora was the Sneasel, in case you didn't know)

Her heart beating like a war drum, Artemis heard the cries of the Zoroark behind her, and Polnareff screeching, "Shit! There's more!"

Artemis felt the presence of Polnareff beside her as she ran, flying with an agility she couldn't even muster. Years of practice in running had honed her muscles, but her skills from the Pokelathon were rusty from lack of use. She didn't know how long she could last without becoming-

"Artemis! Hurry, hop on! I'l fly up to the local Colosseum from here!" Artemis, shocked, didn't consider her weight possible being an issue and lept, fear clouding her thoughts. Her paws fumbled to get a grip. Finally, she got on the avian's back, and screamed, "Oh, Polnareff, I sure do hope you know what you're doing!

His metal feet scratching across the stone floor, Polna turned towards the Colosseum and began to fly there. Looking back while flying, he found the Zoroark were trying to grab onto his feet. "Gaah!" Pseudo-Nora was able to slash at his foot, not only creating a large scratch in his feet but making Polna shriek in pain. He picked up his pace while heading towards the Colosseum, trying not to be caught again.

Polnareff's feet screeched against the floor, and Artemis was frightened that they wouldn't remain aloft, but Polnareff climbed higher into the air. He turned his head back while he flew, and there was a Zoroark coming after them. "Polnareff! LOOK OUT!"

Polnareff screeched as the fake Sneasel attacked his feet, and Artemis observed that the cut was quite large. He flitted along faster, trying to increase his speed with her weighing him down.

Artemis narrowed her eyes, and conjured up a Shadow Ball, and with satisfaction saw the globule of darkness in front of her. She slung it at the Undead, and it faltered a bit in its tracks. "Hopefully that will buy us some time..." she thought frantically.

Noisily skidding down onto the top of the Colosseum, Polnareff promptly gave a noisy sigh as he looked down onto his feet. "... CRAP." Pseudo-Nora had not only dented and scratched his foot, but he was also starting to bleed. He sighed and looked towards the horizon. "Oh, if only Mandola hadn't forgotten." He flopped down to the floor. What will happen next? Let me guess... My curiosity made me become one of them. Oh, PLEASE, Arceus... Why do you hate me so?

Polnareff skidded onto the roof of the Colosseum, his steel feet making an unpleasant scratching noise. Some sparks flew from the impact. When the Skarmory stopped, Artemis quickly hopped off of his back and examined the wound the Zoroark had given him. Polnareff looked down, then frustratingly sighed, "CRAP..." Artemis could see the reason behind his concern, the wound was deep, and blood was gushing out of the incision with a slow and steady pace. That's more than just a papercut.

"Oh, if only Mandola hadn't forgotten," the injured Skarmory stated with lachrymose. Artemis suddenly pitied the avian as he flopped down on the floor.

"H-hey...it's okay," Artemis whispered, trying her best to comfort the bird. "I could find something that can fix that wound...I'm no Chansey when it comes to medical things, but, I could try to help you." She offered a wry forced smile.

Artemis starred worriedly at the wound Polna recieved. "H-hey...it's okay," She whispered, trying her best to comfort Polna. "I could find something that can fix that wound... I'm no Chansey when it comes to medical things, but, I could try to help you." She forced a smile.

Polna sighed. "Really, what I'm worried about is me turning." He closed his eyes. "I'd hate the thought of me leading... them. I'd just... no." Looking to the horizon, he sighed again. Raising his head, he asked, "Did you see any potions or berries in the Pokémon center? Though, I don't think it would be safe to go down there now." He looked over the edge, straight into the hungry and waiting eyes of the Zoroark. Pseudo-Lithium was still there. "Do you believe in Lithium now, after we've been attacked by a doppelganger of hers?"

"Really, what I'm worried about is me turning." Artemis's intrigued expression turned to one of concern. Who would help me through this stupid creepy stuff if he got infected? Dumb zombies... Polnareff closed his eyes, then spoke again.

"I'd hate the thought of me leading... them. I'd just... no." Artemis nodded. The Undead were strong, but they used their strength for bad things. She knew Polnareff couldn't lead them with his soft heart that he tried to hide behind an emotionless wall. Polnareff raised his head and inquired, "Did you see any potions or berries in the Pokémon center? Though, I don't think it would be safe to go down there now." He looked over the edge, and Artemis did the same, clutching the edge of the roof with her claws. The Zoroark's ruby eyes bore into hers, seeming to search through all of the depths of her soul with their sadistic gaze. She shivered as she saw the Zoroark mimicking the blue-flamed Ponyta. "Do you believe in Lithium now, after we've been attacked by a doppelganger of hers?"

Artemis nodded, then sat there in an awkward silence. She didn't really know what to do at this point, Polnareff was injured and they could not escape from the top of this building. She sighed, and muttered, "Got any ideas?

"Got any ideas?" Artemis said this without any emphasis at all, it wasn't anything triumphant and hinted at defeat. Then again, the apocalypse couldn't be won against in all honesty.

With a loud groan, Polnareff realized something worthy of a facepalm, not that he could with bladed feathers instead. "I forgot to take the berries in the gym with us!" He sighed. "I don't know what we can do now, seeing as we've got no supplies and that I'm bleeding -- to the point where I could soon be one of them... We mustn't give up, though! It's been, what, a year since the infection came out? If we can survive this long, we should go on until we die of old age! Those zombies won't get us today!..." At least, I hope not.

Polnareff groaned, and Artemis felt her face fall. Her saddened expression seemed plastered onto her face when Polnareff exclaimed, "I forgot to take the berries in the gym with us!" Her heart plummeted.

"I don't know what we can do now, seeing as we've got no supplies and that I'm bleeding -- to the point where I could soon be one of them... We mustn't give up, though! It's been, what, a year since the infection came out? If we can survive this long, we should go on until we die of old age! Those zombies won't get us today!..."

Those zombies won't get us today!

They won't get me today.

Artemis had a gleam in her eye as she studied the infected below her. There weren't that many...maybe she could fight one off and they all would flee? Without putting much thought into what she was about to do, she looked at Polnareff. She hoped to Arceus she could aim this correctly. She closed her eyes, and conjured up another Shadow Ball. When she believed it was large enough, she shot the dark globule at the fake Sneasel, which growled in rebuttal, slashing at the shadow after it had already hit her and had evanescent into the air. The Sneasel yowled, and Artemis trembled as the pseudo-Pokemon tensed their muscles and looked as if they were prepared to attack.

Swallowing a lump in her throat, Artemis realized something. There was a fake Polnareff as well...Polnareff is a bird...

"And birds can fly...That zombie can fly...Fuck..."

Her heart pounded like a war drum as the pseudo-Polnareff's eyes caught her gaze, spread its steel wings, and let out a battle screech as it prepared to go aloft.

((OOC: I wasn't sure if Zoroark could fly if they transformed into a flying type, so I left that scene open.))

Artemis fired a Shadow Ball attack at pseudo-Nora before stopping. There was a silence. Polnareff was uneasy. Artemis finally spoke up. "And birds can fly... That zombie can fly... Fuck..." Polnareff watched it take a great and very acrobatic leap into the air when he sprung into action.

"Giving up is for PANSIES!" He dived from his rest after being wounded to an aerial battle with a distorted clone of himself. Pushing it onto the stone awning covering the sidewalk going inside, he slashed at it while landing on the Zoroark unceremoniously; accompanied by a loud and resonating thud. Pseudo-Polna's illusion wearing off, it grasped at Polna in attempt to immobilize him. Handing it his wings, it pulled back its paw, leaving yet another trail of fresh blood to coat his feathers as well as a hallmark slash in its rotting paw. He slammed into it, bringing it to the ground and falling onto pseudo-Nora as well. Polna looked at the buildings to see the rest of the swarm coming. Unafraid, he bellowed his little war-cry at the top of his lungs while beaming a fearless smile. "Giving up... is for PANSIES!"

(OoC: I'm not sure about that either... so... jumping will work, I guess?)

"Giving up is for PANSIES!"

Artemis watched in utter shock as Polnareff dived, despite his injury, and watched him push the Zoroark onto the stone awning. She bit her lip worryingly, her paws shuffling beneath her as she watched the battle.

Their spar was intense. The Zoroark's illusion was fading, and it slashed at Polnareff, but Polnareff slammed into the Infected and causing a domino effect with the Sneasel. Artemis relaxed, but then she witnessed more Zoroark approaching. She gasped.

"Giving up... is for PANSIES!" Polnareff bellowed. Artemis smiled, and narrowed her eyes.

And I'm not a pansy.

Taking a deep breath, and praying to the first stars coming out in the sky that she would make it, she jumped off the building. She landed perfectly on her paws, to her glee. The practice in the Pokelathon must have prepared her for the Epidemic.

She poised herself beside Polnareff, lashing her tail and snarling. "The Zombies won't get us today, she growled, and prepared herself for the battle.

The Zoroark tore into Artemis, slashing and howling at the tops of their lungs. Before anything could be done, Polnareff was on the ground; his screams were ear-piercing as he was ripped to pieces. Both of their shrill screams lingered in the air, exuding unfounded pain until his little bubble was burst and he woke up, both screaming and crying.

That's not how the day ended. There were no hoards of Zoroark to fend off, just Polnareff taking Artemis to the gym and Artemis running off elsewhere because she was probably afraid of poor Polna. He sighed. "Ah, why do I even bother. I know that most of what I do will just end up a big fluke. Perhaps I should just kill myself now, and save the trouble of me going through all this stress. It's not like Mandola will come back anyway." With another sigh, he hopped off the metal bar he deemed as his sleeping perch. He has had these kinds of nightmares recurring lately; it deeply disturbed him. "... but that means that I'm giving up..." You're a pansy. You ran.

Her paws trudged heavily across the pretty stone ground as Artemis blinked tired eyes.
After the fight had settled down she had taken a chance to run away from Polna, thinking to herself that she'd be better off away from the bird, the city, and those Zoroark. She hadn't gone far though before regret welled deep in her chest. It was getting dark, and undead like the dark. Without the Skarmory, she had lost a huge advantage; he had been here longer, knew at least a few hiding spots, and was a good battle partner. Now she was alone, injured and tired, in the dark with angered Zoroark prowling the streets.

The shelter she had found was a drafty house near the edges of the city, hardly a safe haven from the masters of illusion. The cuts on her back stung like fury, Stupid Zoroarks.. Artemis' head hung low over her paws and her fins drooped as she slumped to the floor in a sloppy sleeping position. What a stupid idea this was. Polna hadn't done anything wrong, yet she had just ditched him without a say. He had been a good friend to her. Now she was alone, unable to sleep in fear of being picked off without her companion. Just great.

By the time the morning sun shone threw the holes of the house the Vaporeon had only caught miniscule amounts of sleep. Her body felt stiff and paws heavy, but she was more then ready to go back to the pre-gym where she desperately hoped the Skarmory remained. Her stomach growled loudly begging for food as she remembering the berries Polna had shared with her just the day before. Shame threatened to choke her as she pressed her fined head against the door and entered.

"Polnareff? You in here?" She called out cautiously, approaching the place he had surprised her before. Guilt, shame, and regret filled her heart and mind as she tried to think up a way to explain herself. Nothing came to mind.