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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Crew
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 Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2011 4:13 pm
Era's face brightened at their Riolu companion's agreement, clasping her paws together in a brief moment of delight. "Glad to have you with us," she replied cheerfully, "My name's Era by the way, and these two are Ethfael and Riley." She gestured to each in turn, who both gave a nod of greeting to the Fighting Type. As she'd spoken, Era's eyes had begun to gleam with a sense of adventure that had become foreign to them as of late. This brief sparkle didn't evade the notice of either of her Teammates, both of whom exchanged a glance of unveiled relief. Something good was here, they could sense it, and whatever it was had returned their Leader to her usual self for the moment; they could only hope that it would last. In that brief moment that the two made eye contact, the Pikachu had nodded briefly to the Riolu's words and began to lead the way forward, undaunted, to the bizarrely distorted door that held who knew what behind it, leaving the others to follow.
She tread the pure white ground with a sure step, and her wings sparkled in the light as she stopped before the most distorted door, a glimmer of resolve in her eyes. "This is it," she murmured to herself, no going back if she went through this door, not even if the troubles were too difficult to face. Still, Era put on her bravest face and didn't pause for more than a moment to look at the myriad of splintered colors and lights that danced and swirled within the door. Taking a deep and stabilizing breath she looked back only to ensure that her companions were close behind before stepping through the door and vanishing into the distortion without a trace. The only remnant of the Pikachu having traveled that way was a flash in which the colors began to take on a yellow hue, one quite similar to the shade of Era's wings when they were their usual color. In another instant, Riley bounded forward and through after the Electric Type. He remembered what had happened to the door Solaris had gone through, and how they couldn't follow after it had taken on the Espeon's coloring, and he wasn't about to let her go through alone. As he vanished, the portal flashed and its colors shifted again, faster than before, this time a warm brown and the glimmer of gold joining the yellow.
The two left standing outside the door were Ethfael and the Riolu, the Dragonair waiting patiently to take up the rear. He turned his eyes on the pink colored Fighting Type with a calculating gaze. "Go on," he said quietly, his words firm but not unkind. Time was wasting to get all of them through, he could feel it. With a solemn gaze he watched the Riolu go before him and the portal shift its kaleidoscopic pattern once more before he moved to enter as well. Little did the dragon realize that, mere moments before he touched the surface of the door, its shape solidified and there was a dull burst of light that kept him from seeing the palette of colors that comprised it which would have warned that he was too late. Instead he remained oblivious and traveled through the door swiftly, disappearing as the others had before him. Once again the portal shimmered and shifted behind him, and a blue, white, and silver mixture formed the scheme of the door, as was akin to the Dragon Type passing through it before.~~~~~ As Era blinked her eyes the scenery seemed to melt and shift within her gaze and she found herself standing somewhere as foreign as the last place. It was sharply contrasting to the former area: while that had been filled with white everywhere the eye could see, so this was filled with black, a darkness so great that not even the light cast normally by Era's wings could penetrate it and she was left in utter blackness. The Pikachu's thoughts immediately grew dark as the area around her and a whimper escaped her lips. Oh Arceus, this brought back memories that she didn't want to think about. Of a darkness that was broken by fire that had hung in the air thick with smoke and had led to the deep crimson of a friend's blood. No, no! She couldn't think about it, not here, not now... These thoughts only made things worse, they led her to despair, she knew it. ...And yet it was so hard, so hard to keep the thoughts away. "Hello?" she called out tentatively, her voice seeming to echo in the black, "Is anyone there?"
As Riley landed on his paws on the other side of the portal, he looked around curiously, adjusting to the new surroundings. He was somewhere different, this was a cliffside, or so it appeared to be, with the sun shining gently down upon his back. As he walked to the edge and looked down he found it to be true, there was a river far below and the sheer edges of the ravine were too steep to be scaled. Nearby was a rope bridge, a stable looking one, that bridged the gap and led to the other side where the Eevee's eyes spied another shimmering portal. Really? That was it? Just cross a bridge and walk right through? No, there had to be something more to it than that, he couldn't hope that it would be that easy. That was when Riley's ears caught the faint sound of whimpering and he looked back to find his Leader on the ground on all four paws. "Era?" he said softly, unsure that she could hear him, making his way over to her. As he reached her side, the Eevee looked to meet her eyes, and was forced to take a few steps back in surprise at what he saw. Her eyes, there was something unreal, unnatural about them. They were glazed over to some extent, but, more eerie than that, the light didn't reflect off of them at all. Her eyes were moist but they looked dead, a sight that caused the Normal Type a great deal of distress. "Era! What's wrong?" he said more urgently, "Era!" Clearly there was more to this than met the eye, but the Eevee didn't know what to do. He looked about quickly for any sign of Ethfael or the Riolu who had come with them, a look of panic about him.((I figured we can switch back and forth for our six, I'll do one, then you, etc. This one, in example, is about Era overcoming her fear. But they could be anything you want them to be and don't necessarily have to revolve around one character if you don't want it to, though it can. When it's your turn, you get full control of the scene, the scenario, and whatever takes place in it, does that sound alright?))
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Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2011 6:46 pm
 KeiranThe Riolu nodded sheepishly. He knew who she was; that had been established, but it was still polite of her to introduce herself properly. "I'm Keiran." The statement was rather bland, but true enough. Social behavior apparently wasn't his strong point, and the increasing pile of evidence seemed to testify this rather well. He nodded to the two strangers, finally figuring out precisely what their names were. These two he'd never heard of, but he'd seen Ethfael once or twice with his partner.
The door before them was clearly quite distorted, the shifting, swirling colours seeming to twist before their eyes. Keiran found himself mezmerized by the scene, watching the distorted shapes behind the membrane which seemed to contain the chaos behind it. The peeling white paint of the doorframe seemed to curl inward, toward the distortion. He wasn't as sure about walking through, into the most distorted of the passages anymore, but with Era having already disappeared through the portal, he supposed that he didn't really have a choice. Riley followed suit, the soft, warm browns of his fur merging with the brilliant golds of Era's wings.
Keiran held his breath for a moment, staring after them, and only snapping out of his state when Ethfael urged him onward. He bounced through the portal, startled into action, and the distortion seemed to swirl with a brilliant mix of teal and inky black. The golds and browns faded with the hues of himself, and all seemed to vanish before Ethfael could break through the worst of the distorted passage.
The sensation of going through the doorway was by far the most unusual thing he'd ever felt. It wasn't nauseating, like the quivering speed of the Extremespeed attack he'd so recently used. It wasn't even a squeezing sensation, like the feeling one got when under the effects of Teleport. It was just... strange. It were as though his whole body was numb, and the tingling, prickling feeling seemed to send icy shivers racing through his spine. His fur stood on end, and finally, he stumbled into the light, dropping down onto what he hoped to be solid ground.
Dizzily, he lifted his head, and gazed about him. He could see that they were on a somewhat barren ledge, with a simplistic-looking rope bridge ahead of them. Unlike the usual stereotype, this one actually seemed fairly sturdy, and the drop was not far, even if it weren't. Keiran staggered to his paws, and managed to find his balance, further examining his surroundings.
The sunlight was warm and soothing on his fur, which was beginning to fade a little bit from its previous, shockingly pink state. It had darkened ever so slightly, since passing through the distortion, and his eyes seemed a little brighter. Era's excitement was contagious.
He spotted both Era and Riley ahead, though Ethfael was nowhere in sight. His stomach twisted with unease, as he realized that the Pikachu ahead of him didn't seem to be moving.
He ran toward them, picking up his pace and sprinting across the bridge to reach the two teammates. He didn't know them well, but Era seemed fairly important; her safety was definitely a concern, especially since she'd been so concerned for his, without even knowing his name. He knelt beside her, glancing up at Riley for a moment, only to look away from the sight of fear in the Eevee's eyes. He looked so fearful, so concerned, that Keiran felt uncomfortable just watching the emotions in the Normal-type's eyes.
He didn't speak, his palms glowing with aura as he waved his hands slowly above the surface of the Pikachu's fur. He didn't sense anything out of the ordinary. In fact, she seemed to be fine, though perhaps a little deeper in sleep than he normally saw. He was really quite impressed with the state to which she had relaxed. Her brain was still active, however, and he sensed no injuries of any kind. "She seems to be asleep," he informed Riley calmly, staring down at Era. "I don't sense anything particularly out of the ordinary, but if it changes, you'll be the first to know."
He finally brought himself to look at the Eevee, his teal eyes dark with confusion. "I don't see Ethfael. It's likely that he didn't pass through the doorway in time.... or else he's just emerged somewhere further from our location."
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Crew
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Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2011 7:40 pm
  Era
Era stared through the darkness with worried eyes. She didn't know where she was, she didn't know where Ethfael or Riley or Keiran were, oh Arceus why? She began to breathe quickly, bordering on hyperventilating, until her ears pricked up at the sound of a voice she knew. It was vague and it was faint but she heard it. That was definitely Riley's voice. And there! Again, that was Keiran's voice! The Riolu's voice was easily distinguishable considering its disproportionate sound. "Riley! Keiran!" she called out into the empty blackness, "I hear you! Where are you?" She reached a paw out, trying to feel for anything nearby, around her, but there was only nothingness. "Where are you?" she repeated, her voice echoing back to mock her. Where are you?
Riley's eyes turned back to Era as, without warning, her body tensed and her head snapped up. "Era?" he asked tentatively reaching out an uncertain paw. At the sound of his voice her eyes snapped open, black as night and not reflecting the sunlight like they should. The worst part was though, that she was looking directly at him. The sight was so disturbing that he took a few steps backward, expression slightly horrified as those sightless, emotionless eyes turned from him to Keiran. Maybe she was asleep, but it certainly didn't seem like it. Turning his worried eyes on the Riolu as well he forced himself to speak. "Sh-She doesn't sleep like this... She's never-" His voice cut off as one of her paws reached up and touched his fur; it was cold, deathly cold. He stared from the Pikachu to the Riolu and back again. He'd never seen this before, and he had no idea what to think, no idea what to do.
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Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2011 7:05 am
KeiranKeiran nodded at his words. Ethfael seemed capable, but he merely hoped that he hadn't vanished through the same door that they had; alone. It was definitely not one of his desires, to see someone getting themselves killed for trying to include him. His stomach continued to twist, a pained grimace emerging onto his face despite himself. This team deserved some sort of medal, and he hadn't even been with them for a few minutes. What else could go wrong, at this point? Neither he or Riley were fit to lead much of anything, although Riley seemed a safer bet than he. Keiran couldn't lead his way out of a cardboard box, and he knew it well. He'd only been following orders (or else) his entire life.
Era's body stiffened, her head snapping up in a manner that was definitely beyond normal. He hesitated, shivering slightly at the eerie sight of the Pikachu. She looked as though she were possessed, but hard as he tried, he couldn't sense anything deeper in her than sleep. Her eyes snapped open; empty, black, and soulless. The Riolu cringed backward, his tail tucked between his legs and his eyes wide. Era was not herself. That much was very clear in his mind. Riley was panicked, but he didn't answer the questions thrown his way, merely staring in shock at the Pikachu. He'd never seen anything like this, not once in his entire lifetime. It was a sort of trance, likely induced for the sake of some twisted trial that the voice had set up for them. But at the same time, it was hard to imagine that the voice would bring about such awful circumstances against anything as innocent-minded as Era.
He clutched at his strange, pink fur, doing his best to set aside the gravity of his emotions. He couldn't let them get in his way, when his skills were required to salvage the situation. He stood up again, shifting and crouching low over the Pikachu once more. Trying to ignore the unblinking black eyes of Era, he pressed his paws directly against her furry flank, and shivered at the spiralling, icy cold that passed through it. "You're right. This sleep is abnormal, by all means. She's cold as ice," he hissed in frustration, trying to find something, anything which might be of help. "It's cold enough that it seems to have slowed down any functions of her body. Half her organs are probably running on a sort of "slow mode". I'll be frank; I haven't a clue what's going on. But we need to get her warm again, regardless. Perhaps it'll help."
His voice seemed a little overly-formal, as though he were nervously addressing a superior with an answer he was unsure of. In some ways, that was exactly what he was doing, and his tail twitched in a very self-conscious manner. He hesitated, trying to come up with a way of warming the Pikachu. If they made a fire, it might work. The landscape was so dry, however... even the grass beneath their paws seemed to be entirely lacking in life. It was a dull, dead brown. Any fire made here could easily consume the area; they'd have to find a way of keeping her warm that didn't involve fire.
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Crew
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Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2011 3:12 pm
Era & Riley Era frowned unhappily as the echoes of her voice continued to reverberate back at her. Their voices mingled with hers and she couldn't understand what they were saying. It was like they were mumbling or just out of earshot, and she was starting to grow a little desperate. "Guys!" she called out again, "I'm here! I'm over here!" Her ears flattened to her head as she was met with unfriendly echoes yet again. Just her own voice sounding terribly cold and alone in the darkness. Why wouldn't they answer? They had to have heard her by now, she was calling out as loud as she could. Extending her paw again she suddenly felt contact with something, and her eyes widened with surprise. It was soft and it was warm, but then suddenly it was gone. What was that?! It felt like Riley's fur, but how could it be? His voice wasn't nearby at all. "Riley? Is that you?" she called uncertainly, Come back!" She swallowed nervously, reaching where she'd brushed against it before, but touching nothing.
She quivered slightly where she stood out of fear and of cold. It was eerily chilly in here, as too cold for comfort. Riley and Keiran...they had to be somewhere didn't they? Didn't they? A laugh cut through the blackness that sent chills running down Era's spine and she looked about rapidly as though she might be able to see something though there was nothing to be seen. You're all alone again... a voice whispered in her ear. She jumped and reached a paw out to touch whatever it had been but there was nothing there, leaving her more unsettled than she'd realized. Who's going to help you now, hmm? the voice taunted again, this time in her other ear. The Pikachu was beginning to feel exceedingly nervous. Then suddenly a jolt ran through her, like a spark of friendly electricity it raced through her, causing her to feel more reassured and a little less afraid. She gasped as there was a brief flash of light in the distance and without pausing to think she began to run toward it.
Riley bit his lip with concern as he saw the effect this was having on their newest companion. He forced himself not to look directly at Era, unable to view the state that she was in. Concentrate on only one thing at a time, right now focus on the Riolu and let thoughts of the Pikachu die down. He had to collect himself somehow...someway. He nodded uneasily at Keiran's suggestion, mind racing to think of something. "Right...If we can warm her up then maybe she'll wake up," he said. He finally forced himself to look back at Era and a lump formed in his throat. They needed to do something, something fast. As he watched the Pikachu began to move again, standing up on her four paws as if she planned to walk somewhere. Her blank, staring eyes looked at him briefly and then to the Riolu whose paws were touching her. She looked at him in a way that, were the situation different, Riley would have sworn that she was looking the Riolu in the eye. That expressionless gaze then turned to the paws that were touching her and one of her paws moved slowly toward them. Riley held a breath as he watched her, raising his eyes to look at Keiran as if to say he didn't have any idea what was going on either.
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Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2011 6:30 pm
KeiranKeiran stepped back, watching the Pikachu rise onto all fours. He nervously released her side, and the Electric-type stared uselessly into his eyes. His stomach twisted, and his ears twitched back. The black, soulless gaze her was being subjected to was something entirely unprepared for. What was more, she was still cold as death itself; how could she be walking?
She seemed so frail, at that moment, and he worried more than ever for her health. "What is wrong with you...?" he murmured aloud, pressing a paw curiously to the side of the Pikachu's face. He flinched, feeling the icy cold travel back up his spine. Arceus, she was worse than a glacier.
Suddenly, he had a thought. "This might sound entirely stupid, but.... what if we just hug her? Our body heat might be able to affect her internal temperature, a little," he suggested, glancing sharply at Riley. "We just have to be cautious about it; in this state, we don't know what sort of reaction... you get the idea." His voice was nervous and a little high-strung.
He wrapped his arms awkwardly around the Pikachu, grimacing as the cold feeling spread throughout his body. Hugging. He hadn't hugged, or been hugged since he was a kid. What a shame the circumstance was so dire.
{{ Pardon the length; had less time than I'd hoped. }}
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Crew
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Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2011 7:17 pm
Era & Riley Going...going...gone. The light that had flashed so very briefly disappeared just as suddenly and left Era alone. Still the Pikachu kept running and running through the blackness, determined not to give up. She didn't know where she was going, she didn't know where she had gone, she was just running for the sake of getting somewhere, Anywhere besides this place where she was alone and didn't have a hope of finding the light again. After a time of this though, she began to slow and eventually stopped, dropping to her paws in frustration and despair as she found herself lost in the darkness and without the slightest idea where the light had gone. She wanted to cry out in hopelessness, but she didn't have the heart to do it. These were the times she hated most, when there was no one there and she had to pretend, try to assure herself that she was alright when in fact she wasn't at all. The voice sidled up beside her again with a soft and malicious laugh, You see? You're on your own. What are you going to do now?
Era tried to block it out with all her might but to no avail, the voice pounded in her ears even as she pressed her paws to them to try and shut it out, and that shrieking cackle resounded all about. Sitting on the ground, Era felt her wings fold against her back, although she couldn't see them, as she cradled her head in her hands and tried her hardest not to cry. It's alright, you've been like this before and you can pull through again. Just like you always do right? Just breathe in and out, don't think about it, don't let them see you cry... But you still want to cry, the voice said maliciously, hovering about her now that she was at her most vulnerable, You'll still cry eventually, you'll give in because you're not strong enough. The Pikachu swallowed a sob and turned her head, not bothering to try and locate her mysterious tormentor any longer. Deep deep down she knew that the voice was right. Time and time again she found that it was her fault, that she wasn't strong enough to do anything. She wasn't someone powerful and important like Tolin, she wasn't calm and collected like Ethfael, she wasn't even as useful as Solaris sometimes. A pang of guilt twisted in her stomach and she lowered her eyes to the ground, fighting back the tears.
Riley gave a start at Keiran's sudden and sharp gaze, having been formerly preoccupied with the fact that the Riolu was touching her face, something that he wasn't entirely sure he appreciated although it was for all the best intentions. The Eevee couldn't help it; being around Ethfael all the time made him want to maximize what little time the Dragonair wasn't there and Era was. Then again, Keiran was actually trying to figure out a way to help her while he was just standing back and staring. Riley's ears drooped; who was he that he'd let his own fear get in the way of rescuing his own Leader. Keiran, who hardly even knew her, was doing more. The Eevee raised a paw to his top hat and straightened it atop his head with a gleam of determination in his eyes. "Alright," he replied with a steady nod, "It can't hurt to try." Following the Riolu's lead, he approached and stood beside Era, nuzzling her and wrapping his tail about her despite the terrible cold that almost seemed to radiate from her.
As Era sat there, curled up into a ball, frightened and alone, listening to the voice that fed her deepest fears, there was suddenly that sensation again. That warm feeling that she'd felt before, but multiplied several times. It fought the voice back and caused her to look up as that dim light appeared again. Cautiously she stepped to her feet, afraid that it would vanish again but it didn't, flickering like friendly candlelight through the dark. She took a step towards it and suddenly that warm feeling hit her again, doubling the impact that there was already. She could feel it. She wasn't alone, someone was there with her even though she couldn't see them. She turned her eyes to the light in the distance again and a tentative smile crept to her expression as she saw it shine even brighter. It wasn't gone, it was still there. This time...this time she would find it.
Riley nuzzled Era's side through the chill, trying to warm her just as Keiran had suggested. Whatever this was, the sooner it was over the better it would be for all of them. Suddenly he noticed a change in the Pikachu's stance, and he looked on in wonder, still pressed against her as she stood on her hind paws ever so slowly and then leaned forward into the hug she was receiving, wrapping her arms around the Riolu and overall responding positively to it. The Eevee watched her eyes closely and found to his surprise a brief moment where he thought he saw a flicker of something akin to reaction. "I...I think it's working..." he said in disbelief, pressing against her ever more. His eyes filled with a deep sincere respect as he looked at Keiran again, "You're amazing."
((No problem~ ^ ^))
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Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2011 10:11 am
KeiranKeiran's gaze seemed to hover on Riley's expression a moment longer. He seemed jealous, perhaps depressed. He knew that how close he was to Era probably made the situation pretty difficult for him, especially with a stranger handling so much of the problem. It wasn't exactly sugar and sweets for him, either. He wasn't used to affection of any kind, so this was just awkward. Especially the idea of holding onto a female; of any species. In his tribe, he hadn't earned the right to find himself a mate. He wasn't highly ranked enough.
Still, as his expression changed to one of determination, he knew that his intentions were understood. Era needed their help, and it was only right to fufill that need. He felt a little comforted, at least, in the fact that Riley's added contribution made it a little less uncomfortable for everyone.
He shifted, moving so that Riley could wrap himself around the Pikachu's tiny form as well. None of them were particularly large Pokemon, and he could already feel the chill settling into his bones. He hoped that she would come around quickly, because for them to catch a chill would do no one a particular amount of good. Luckily, the sunlight was warm enough to keep them from getting too cold, but it wasn't comfortable, anyway.
He felt Era stirring, and she leaned away from him, against Riley's warm side. He pressed in closer, so that Era was more firmly tucked between them for warmth. She was beginning to recover more quickly than he could have hoped. "I think you're right, Riley," he replied, sighing with relief. It was good to see that she was better, and a gigantic weight off his shoulders to have earned some sort of respect from the anyone. Hopefully he'd be able to retain some sort of bond with this team; he could definitely use the comfort of having some sort of companionship. Celeste wasn't very useful, in that regard.
"If she continues like this, we should hopefully be seeing some sort of conscious state within a few minutes," he noted, his hands glowing with aura again, as his hand brushed her forehead. She didn't seem as deeply engrosses in slumber as she's been before. That was definitely a good sign, but he wasn't sure if she'd continue to fight this state of being as strongly as she was, now. Hope was all he could do.
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Crew
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Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2011 11:39 am
Era & Riley This time, as Era lowered herself to her four paws again, she set off at a slower pace trying her hardest not to be so desperate for the light. As a matter of fact, it was easier than she would have expected it to be. The warm, tingling feeling that ran through her was still there, and it was infinitely comforting and soothing. While the voice was still present and trying to get to her, it was like the warm presences surrounding her kept it at bay, muffling its words so that she could hardly hear it. The bright glimmer of the light in the distance remained strong, and she could feel it as if it too were a tangible presence, beckoning her to it. She could see a little now, a faint outline of her own paws as they touched the ground, but when she looked around to identify the cause of the voice or the warm sensation, she found there was nothing there. Nothing at all and yet both were still present, the warmth enfolding her in its embrace and the coldness penetrating only here and there but nothing intolerable.
Era looked in wonderment through the dimly lit blackness and vaguely wondered if perhaps she was imagining it all. Another voice broke through the warmth and cold with a gentle laugh that filled the Pikachu's spirit with a soft and peaceful feeling. No child, don't you see it now? the voice said in a light tone quiet enough that it could have been carried off in the wind if there was any, You're not alone. You've never been alone. Era's eyes widened in shock and she paused her walking as those words sunk in. It...was true. This new voice was right. She'd never been alone, not really. There were people...so many people who she cared about, who cared about her in return. Even when she was by herself they were still there in spirit, they cared about her even when they couldn't be there. It was a moment of epiphany, as though something that she'd never really understood in the first place was suddenly coming into focus. At that revelation, the warm feeling of those two presences from before seemed to grow and grow until it flowed through her very veins and made her feel as though she was glowing with an inner spark that restored her spirits and made a smile touch her lips again, the expression one of elation and contentment. Yes, now you see it, the voice said, sounding as though it was smiling, Go on dear, you know how to reach them. The last words of the voice faded away like a dying breath and a sweet smelling breeze blew past the Pikachu as she was left to herself again. By herself but not alone. "Thank you..." she murmured quietly to the friendly voice, an idea flickering across her mind before she dismissed it quickly, turning back to the light. Yes, she knew how to reach it now. She didn't have to go far, because the light, this brilliant bright light, was inside her and outside. She wasn't alone and she didn't have to worry about being too weak because she could always rely on others and help them in turn. Era's smile settled gently across her features and she began to walk toward the light that was growing more and more every moment, embracing the brightness as it surrounded her.
Riley nodded in agreement with Keiran's analysis as the Riolu brushed her head with his aura encircled paw. He was pleased at the easily visible change for the better in the Pikachu. Come on Era, I know you're in there, he thought as he pressed his fur against her, curled like a dog around his Captain, Come back to us. As he rested there against her he visibly felt when her breathing altered and instead of the soft and swallow breathing from before, her breaths became heavier and more rapid, making it evident that she was fighting against the sleep. The chill of the Pikachu was hopefully growing less, though it was difficult to tell as he was shivering a little from all the heat that had sapped from him to her. Then the breathing suddenly came to a quick gasp and the Pikachu's unblinking, dark eyes widened and a flash of shock ran through them before they closed and she fell limp in Keiran's arms, halfway lying on Riley.
The Eevee gaped in astonishment, about to start to worry yet again when he noted something that he'd almost overlooked. "She's breathing..." he said, releasing a breath and speaking almost reverently, "She's just sleeping normally now." Riley could feel her steady heartbeat from the awkward position she had fallen to atop him and, when he looked, he saw a gentle smile in place on her face that definitely hadn't been there before. Not only that, but she was surely warmer than he was now, he could almost feel it. He looked at her with a slight smile of his own, thoroughly relieved. "We should probably wake her and move on," he said to Keiran quietly, despite being reluctant to disturb her in such a peaceful state, "Who knows if there's something on the other side of that portal." He nodded to the shimmering colorful portal nearby though he couldn't do much more, considering he was pinned down beneath Era and unable to move without the risk of causing her to fall.
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Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2011 9:37 am
KeiranKeiran could feel his body shivering, and he knew that Riley likely was as well. Era's temperature was steadily on the rise, but she wasn't near warm enough to stop sapping the heat from their bodies, as well. It was like pressing yourself up against an ice cube, and waiting for it to melt. Her breathing was quickened, and he could tell from the subtle shiftings that she was beginning to wake from her slumber. She seemed to jolt to reality with a gasp, but somehow he found it disappointing that she remained asleep.
Her body warmed almost instantly, and he sighed with a secret breath of relief, enjoying the sudden burst of heat against his side. Both he and Riley were still trembling, but with any luck, they wouldn't be so cold for very long. Era, the living ice cube. What a sick joke that was; he scolded himself inwardly for it, and vowed not to ever say it aloud.
Keiran didn't seem bothered by the sudden weight that fell into his grasp, and ever so slightly shifted her so that she wasn't leaning so much on Riley. The Eevee needed to breathe, as well. He listened in silence as the Eevee suggested that they wake the Pikachu. It sounded logical, peaceful as she looked. They had to keep moving, to hopefully find Ethfael, and to get back to the others.
As the portal was mentioned, however, he felt a jolt of surprise. He hadn't realized that it had reopened, or that it had been there at all, really. He guessed it was because of the initial panic of Era's health, that he hadn't really been concerned about it. Still, he'd have to be more aware of such things, from now on. It wouldn't do to miss something as obvious as a shimmering, brightly-coloured portal. It seemed less distorted, somehow, than it had before.
How unusual.
Era began to stir again, this time simply from the beginnings of her waking state, and he shifted her again to ease her out of slumber. "C'mon, Era. Rise and shine." The Riolu's voice was low and patient, his tail curling loosely around his hindpaw as he crouched. "Wake up; Riley wants to get up, now." A soft chuckle followed his words, and the tip of his tail twitched in amusement. This day had been ever so slightly unusual, for him. Shame that he didn't have much in the way of tact.
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Crew
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Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2011 6:20 pm
Era & Riley The sleeping Pikachu's ears twitched a few times in response to Keiran's words, as she registered their sound. She seemed to struggle groggily against the sleep for a moment before blinking her eyes open blearily and looking up at the Riolu who held her. It took a moment for the whole situation to register, but once it did her eyes widened in surprise and she promptly all but jumped on him in a hug. "Oh thank goodness!" she said, not bothering to think that she'd only just met the other Pokemon and it might be a little awkward. "I thought...No, nevermind. You're both here now, and that's what counts." As Riley wriggled out from under her and his fur fluffed out again she smothered him in a hug next, which caused the Eevee to be grateful for his fur that hid the blush that touched his cheeks. "Thank you so much," she said, though what the thanks was for wasn't quite clear.
Riley forced back his surprise at how exuberant she was, and found to his mild surprise that she was warmer than he was now, so her hug brought a welcome feeling to the chill that still lingered on his skin. "We're just glad you're alright," he replied, "You had us worried there. Era, you should have seen Keiran! He was really brilliant in figuring out what to do." He wouldn't begrudge the Riolu his actions, especially now that things were back to less stressful levels; Riley was never one to make himself out to be the hero when it wasn't true. He nuzzled the Pikachu in return to her embrace and then looked onward as she let him go. "We should probably be moving on," he said for the benefit of Era, who hadn't heard him before, "Who knows what comes next."
Era nodded in agreement, but then paused and looked around. "...Where's Ethfael?"
Riley felt a twinge of guilt yet again as he thought about the Dragonair who surely was alone and battling through something all by himself. Arceus, he hoped the dragon ended up okay. "He...didn't make it through the portal in time," Riley said, looking at her remorsefully, "At least, he hasn't showed up yet so it doesn't seem likely he's here. We figure we'll find him once we get through this... Whatever 'this' is."
Era's expression grew worried as she thought of the dragon alone in a distorted portal of his own, but that gave her the incentive to keep going forward even after all that had happened here. "Alright," she said with a nod, "We'll keep going until we meet him at the end. Knowing Ethfael he's probably already waiting for us." Looking at the glimmering portal nearby them, the Pikachu noted that it seemed a little different than before. Slightly more in focus if she had to hazard a guess. Could that mean that they were moving in the right direction? She thought of the words of the friendly voice from within what must have been her dream and she couldn't help but think that that was exactly what it meant. "Are you ready?" she asked, looking back at the other two.
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Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2011 2:02 pm
KeiranKeiran let out a muffled cry of astonishment as he was hugged, his body tensing considerably. Hugging her for warmth was different than receiving an actual, honest-to-Arceus embrace. He twitched nervously, before forcing himself to relax a little bit, and settling almost entirely as Era pulled away to hug Riley as well. His face felt hot with embarrassment and discomfort, and he could hear the steady thrumming of his heart in his ears.
He rose to his paws a little more quickly than he likely should have, swaying unsteadily as the blood rushed through his system. His dizzy spell was quickly controlled, however, and the dark little Riolu stood in silence as Era and Riley exchanged their explanations and ideas. He felt his face burn again, as Riley noted his actions. He hadn't done that much, really. He'd just suggested that they keep her warm. Then again, the young Eevee was far more emotionally involved in the whole mess, so it might seem like more to him, he supposed. He mumbled a "I didn't really do that much..." under his breath, and turned awkwardly to face the portal.
His heart sank a little as he was reminded of Ethfael. The Dragonair seemed nice enough, and the others were very clearly worried for his safety. Era in particular was quite broken up about it, and he suddenly realized that the two were partners. They'd started their team together. He'd forgotten what it was like, with most teams. One's partner because your best friend. He wished that Celeste could be that, sometimes, but she was cold enough that he didn't really want to get to know her. He'd feel terrible, understanding how her mind worked.
He wondered exactly what had happened, but felt it not his place to ask. Era needed time to recover, and if she wanted to tell them, she would have. He merely nodded, already prepared to dive through the next portal. He wasn't sure what was ahead, but it was certainly time they got moving again. "Let's go." His voice was quiet and somewhat far away. He hoped the next trial ahead wouldn't bring as much fuss and bother.
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Crew
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Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2011 5:19 pm
Era & Riley With the consent of Keiran, who seemed a little off his guard about something, Era led the way through the portal. The colors began to swirl and shimmer just as before at the first portal. They continued on blindly into the place beyond the lights, soon to find what they would be facing next.~~~~~ As the dazzle of the portal faded from the group's eyes, they would come to find themselves standing in the middle of a bright light that formed a ring around the three of them. It seemed to come from somewhere high above, as though someone was shining it directly upon them. The floor was smooth and black with nary a tarnish upon it, and it was clear that it extended out further than their circle of light, but it was difficult to see where it led to or where it ended. Era blinked back the bright light, looking up at it with some confusion, while Riley stood silently beside with an odd look upon his face. Something about this seemed...familiar.
Resolving himself to finding what it was that so intrigued him, Riley walked forward, almost out of the light, but before he was lost in the darkness a second, though smaller, circle popped up around him and followed his path as he walked forward, looking all about. As he walked, he came to a ledge before too long and backtracked a few steps before he fell. "Watch out for the edge guys, you wouldn't want to fall off of here!" he called back to them, peering over as he did so. This was an odd place, and yet...and yet it seemed nostalgic. He closed his eyes to think more clearly, piecing the parts together: a smooth black platform, lights that followed where ever you went, and was that faint music he could hear in the background? Suddenly it clicked in an instant; his mother had told him stories about these sort of places, although he'd never actually seen any like this one, his grandfather had once performed on the greatest of them in his career as a well-known magician. "We're..." he began softly, scarcely daring to say it because the whole thing was like a dream come true. "We're on stage."
Those words seemed to be a cue to some invisible stage manager, for they had scarcely left the Eevee's mouth when the full stage lights came on, and the entirety of the area was illuminated. Once Riley's eyes had adjusted it was all the Eevee could do to keep from letting out an exclamation of pure delight; scattered all about the stage were props, tools of a magician's trade that only the best of the best used, and they all seemed to be waiting for use. As it was, he hurried over to the nearest object, a cabinet that was used for vanishing tricks, and his eager eyes drank in the sight of it. "I've only ever heard about these in stories!" Riley said with relish, eyes shining with excitement, "What I wouldn't give to perform with something like this." It was a magician's dream to see all these things collected in one place, and on a stage no less. For Riley, it was more than he could ever have hoped for.
Era watched the Eevee wander about, entirely clueless as to what the items were that he was fawning over. "Riley's a magician," she explained to Keiran, "He's pretty good too. I don't know what all this is, but I'm guessing that magic probably has something to do with it. It's the only thing that gets him this excited." Still, there was nothing here to really hint at what they were supposed to do, nothing at all. Not even any sign of another portal, just an assortment of foreign-looking items. Then she caught sight of something out of the corner of her eye; a chest that had a bright gold lock on it, and sticking out from under it, something white. The Pikachu walked over to it and pulled the white thing out, finding it to be a sheet of paper with a set of ornately written words on it:
I'm hiding under lock and key
But you will find you're after me
Ace of Hearts and Ace of Spades
Come accept your accolades
You'll find nothing's as it seems
Once inside magicians' dreams
Find the key from in the past
And then you'll see the way at last
Era frowned with confusion and re-read the words several times over before looking back toward the other two. "Umm...Do you have any idea what this-" The lights suddenly went black and Era cringed slightly with surprise, "Is?"
Then the lights were up again, without any warning whatever, but these weren't stage lights, in fact they were- "...Sunlight?" Era looked around in surprise as she found that they now were standing in the middle of a forest without any particular explanation. "What is going on?" she murmured with evident confusion. Looking down, she found that the paper was still in her hand, and she beckoned the other two over to her. "Riley, Keiran. What do you think of this?"
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Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2011 4:54 pm
KeiranKeiran stood in the center of the lit ring, his expression blank with shock. He wasn't really sure where they were, or what was going on, but at least it couldn't be too bad... could it? The light from above was really quite bright; it made the reflection off the shiny black floor sort of... blinding. He made a conscious effort not to look up into the light, instead focusing on the black of the floor beneath his paws. It felt heated, too, as though they were beneath a heat lamp... or stage lighting? He was really disliking how bright and warm it felt.
He watched Riley shift from their circle of light, and was astonished to see a smaller circle follow him around the stage, shining down on his little form as he wandered across the sleek, black surface. It was a stage light, alright. He agreed with Riley's deduction entirely. "They question is why? Why are we on stage?" he muttered softly. Being on stage, with all the focus on you, was definitely a dangerous thing among lower ranks of his tribe. You were either taking a huge step up in rank, or about to be punished publicly. The latter was never a pretty sight.
Still, Riley sounded excited. It was best to remember that the guild Pokemon had a different view on life. The stage around them began to brighten, various objects around him. Objects that he didn't recognize, and he felt a little anxious about. Some of them seemed rather ordinary, but still brightly-coloured or sleek and satiny. It was just a showy bunch of stage props, apparently.
He turned to glance at the Eevee, but the expression of delight on his face made him hesitate to question. His expression softened, and he just stood in silence, watching the Normal-type dart about in his excitement. Era's words in his ears were calm and somewhat... proud. She was obviously proud of her friend's talent, and happy for him that he'd come to find this treasury of magic.
He heard her move, however, and turned to watch. He raised a paw to caution her, but she'd already pulled something white from among the props. He read the poem over her shoulder, feeling anxiety ball up in his stomach, for some reason. Something was about to get very confusing and full of riddles. Riddles were a bad thing; it meant that some sadistic source liked to watch them misinterpret things a lot.
Keiran didn't answer Era, merely standing in unsurprised silence as the lights shut down. Yeah; that was predictable. He felt his fur prickle, expecting an ambush to be launched at any moment. He mentally steeled himself, trying to seek out other forms in the darkness with a wave of aura. He found nothing, and was ultimately taken by surprise when their world became light again.
Sunlight streamed from the heavens, shining down through a thick, green canopy. It felt peaceful. He liked this better than the stage, admittedly. "I'm right behind you, Era." His voice was calm and somewhat amused; she hadn't noticed him standing right there, until she'd said that, likely.
"....I am not sure, to be honest. Riddles have never been my strong suit. I think I get the last lines, though. I think it's asking for us to remember something important. That memory, something we've seen, heard, or encountered in the past will be the "key". And whatever it is under a "lock" is obviously supposed to be our goal..."
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Crew
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Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2011 7:07 pm
Era & Riley Riley watched as the lights blackened on his fantasy and then came up again in an entirely different scene, his face falling ever so slightly as he realized that it was gone. The grass felt nice beneath his paws but he wished that they still were pressed against the smoothness of the stage, he'd hardly gotten the chance to look around at all it seemed like. Still though, it was better than nothing. So he told himself as he peered up through the lush green leaves and toward the sunlight that shone gently down upon them and felt a warm spring breeze ruffle his fur and wisp under his cloak to unfurl it behind him. To have even seen those rarities that he'd dreamed about for years was a treasure in and of itself, even though he'd had to leave them behind. The Eevee stared off into the distance, reminiscing, until he heard his name called and turned to find Era and Keiran looking over what looked to be a sheet of paper rather intently. Without further hesitation, Riley walked over to join them, perusing the sheet over Era's shoulder when he took his place beside the other two.
As the Normal Type looked over the words of the poem on the sheet, he read them a few times over with interest. "I'd have to agree with Keiran," he said after a pause, "Something from the past is sure to be the key, like the riddle says, and it could be a memory, an item, anything. The only question about that would be whose past this is..." He looked off idly about, as if searching for some sort of hint whether any of it was familiar to him. It didn't seem like it, but he couldn't be sure unless he saw something that was or wasn't from one of his own memories. With a sigh he sat back and a pack of playing cards appeared in his ready paws. He shuffled through them in many various ways, sending the deck flying every which way but always under the control of his careful paws. It was just to pass the time really, until they could figure things out or something happened to change what was going on there was no point in wandering blind.
"That chest I found this under..." Era said pensively, looking at the elegant and curved handwriting that covered the ornamented paper, "There was a lock on it, a huge gold one. You don't suppose that has something to do with it do you? But it seems awfully literal for a riddle." the Pikachu frowned slightly, her brow furrowed in thought as she looked it over and over again, trying to find some sort of sense in the words. It was times like these that she wished Ethfael were around, he was wonderful at puzzles and riddles such as these. There was nothing for that right now though. They'd have to figure things out themselves and just keep going.
The Pikachu was pulled out of her thought by the gentle touch of a paw and she looked to see Riley smiling at her and holding his array of cards out to her. "Here, pick a card," he said to her, and she complied, reaching to the deck and pulling one of them out. "You too," the Eevee said, turning to Keiran and extending the cards to the Riolu as well. "You can look at them," he said, upon recieving a questioning look from Era. As the Pikachu turned her card over, she found herself to be holding the Ace of Hearts, and Keiran would find similarly that his card was the Ace of Spades. "The riddle called for them, right?" Riley said, pressing his paws together upon the remaining cards until they compressed and seemed to vanish into his very paws without a trace. "I don't know if we'll actually need them but it never hurts to try."
As Era stared down at her card, its red center seemed to gleam and out of the corner of her eye she spotted something similarly colored sticking out from amidst the roots of a nearby tree. "Do you see that?" she asked, making her way over to the glowing red end that, as she looked at it more closely, appeared to be made of fabric. She transferred the Ace that she held to one paw and then reached down to pull on the fabric end only to find it stuck firmly in the ground. "I can't get it to come out!"
"I'll give it a try," Riley offered, following after Era's path and leaning to grasp the fabric in his paw. To the Eevee's touch the red seemed to practically glow and it came free easily. It was a red handkerchief, and tied to it was a black one, then a blue, then a green, then an orange, and continuing all the way through the cycle of colors and back again. "I know this trick," Riley said with a grin, pulling handkerchief after handkerchief out of the ground, "Though I'm not doing it right now." The fabrics kept on coming until at last they abruptly ended at a purple shaded one and Riley pulled it out of the ground with a look of surprise to find the end at last in his paw. "That was strange..." he murmured, but before he could say more voices were heard nearby and the Eevee and Pikachu both pricked their ears attentively to try and hear who was coming toward them.
Era's eyes widened suddenly as she realized something. "We might be in a memory!" she squeaked as quietly as she could with both Riley and Keiran hearing, "If we're seen in a memory, couldn't it alter something? Maybe it would be safer not to be seen..." She didn't know for sure but she didn't want to take any chances that might cost them the solving of this riddle. She pulled the two males after her and hid inside the brush, eyes peering out to see what they could see.
The figure that came into the clearing was an Eevee, a bright looking lad with a look of certainty and adventure in his eyes as he walked proudly into the clearing. Close behind him was a smaller Eevee who wore a bow tucked behind her ear and was tripping over her own paws to keep up with the larger Eevee. He was a deep russet and black in color and she was a light lavender with white. "Big brother! Wait up!" the little Eevee called, her eyes wide and indignant at being left behind.
"Don't be such a Slowpoke Evelise!" the larger Eevee retorted, but a playful teasing shown in his gaze and he waited for his sister to catch up to him.
"You know it's not fair! I'm not as old as you are!" the little one whined, her tail drooping as she panted out of the effort she'd taken to run fast enough to stay behind the older Eevee. She sat promptly and put on a pouting face. "You owe me," she said, sticking out her tongue.
The older Eevee laughed. "Alright, alright," he said to Evelise's protestations, "How's this?" Almost faster than the onlookers could see he put a paw behind his sister's ear and pulled out a shining coin from behind it. She watched in delight as he tossed it about and then caught it right before it hit his sister on the head. "For you," he said with a grin, turning his paw over and dropping the coin into his sister's, "Apology accepted?" The younger Eevee laughed delightedly and smiled up at her big brother before beginning to pester him about the secret to his trick which he refused to tell.
"Vinaldio, Evelise!" a voice called from nearby, and a purple and white Jolteon made his way into the clearing, his voice low and soothing. He let out a low laugh as he spotted the Eevee pair and shook his head. "What are you two doing, dawdling so far from everyone else?"
The younger Eevee scampered up to the older one, her eyes alight with wonder, "V was showing me a magic trick daddy! You should have seen it!"
The Jolteon broke out into a smile as the older Eevee looked down at his paws shame-faced. "I'm certain it was delightful," he said, winking at his son and smiling at his daughter. "We'll see more of his tricks later if I'm not mistaken, but we need to head back now." The trio made their way off out of their line of sight, and then it was as though a spell was broken.
Era's first reaction was to look at Riley with a curious gaze, "Riley is there something...?"
"No," the Eevee replied, looking bewildered, "I don't know them. At least, I don't think I do..."
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