Welcome to Gaia! ::

The world seemed serene. Too serene. But there she sat, beneath the shade of an outstretched, riverside willow tonguing the end of her smoke and drawing the wonderful, addicting taste of nicotine. A graceful gale shook the world, causing the branches above to rattle like a womanly giggle. Cetus flicked the edge of her cig and into the wind the ash bits danced away. It was too serene.

The unnamed lake lapped the edges of her shore, licking away the soil of Earth and upchucking bits of branches and leaves higher up onto the bank. Algenubi cluttered his beak, crunching into his just caught meal. He had already disemboweled the Rattata's carcass and stripped away the delicious innards, plucking out the bones and tossing them aside. Everything was too serene.

But still, she waited for him. He said he'd take a while. Though extremely peaceful, it was a bit dull just relaxing there smoking her umpteenth coffin nail. Suddenly, her voice raised into a little ditty and her first Pokemon glared at her stagnant pitch. It was terrible. Why were humans ever gifted the talent of song?

"I've heard there was a secret chord
That David played, and it pleased the Lord . . . "

She turned to her Pidgeot's scowl and simply smiled.

"But you don't really care for music, do you?"

Alegenubi did not reply.

"It goes like this
The fourth, the fifth-"

"The minor fall-" Her voice tumbled. "The major lift-" Her voiced climb towards the heavens. "The baffled king composèd . . . Hallelujah."

"Hallelujah." Again. "Hallelujah." Again. "Hallelujah." Again. "Halleluuu~jah."

"Well baby I've been here before.
I’ve seen this room and I've walked this floor."

Hasn't everyone? Everyone's felt grief. Depression. Complete sadness. Human beings like to run because conflicts and confrontations are slow on their feet. However, walking it quite easier.

"I used to live alone before I knew ya."

The very curse of adulthood -- loneliness. Every grown-up finds solitude. It's inevitable. But kindergarten teachers like to hide the word "lonely" with "responsible." She knew. "Oh, she'll become such a responsible adult!" Never a lonely one. They knew too.

"I've seen your flag on the marble arch.
Love is not a victory march!"

She had certainly treated it that way. She was a woman with power, money. He was a man of good looks. She fit well into the crook of his arm once against her waist. She had taken him for granted. It was why she waited now. Cetus knew not to repeat those feelings again.

"It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah."

Next thing Cetus knew, her Pidgeot snapped. Algenubi set his wings straight, lowered her beak, and began a running dash towards the Seviper. Cetus rolled out of the way as the Pidgeot took a leveled flight into the air. Summoned energy glowed about Algenubi's form, striking the air with a bright orange streak, as he rocketed towards the snake.

The wild Seviper surveyed the attacking bird, searching out a weak spot, boiling with a Poison Tail when the moment were to grow too hot. When he caught the open arch of Algenubi's wing, it lunged its tail out, but was too slow. Cetus's Pidgeot managed a direct hit straight on the Seviper's middle, scraping the strong hide and marring a long scar where blood bubbled. The serpent cried out in pain, twisting and contorting away, as Algenubi looped around and landed a small length's away.

Cetus arched her eyes, watching on with gilded satisfaction, to know that her Pidgeot had not lost his strength after so many years under her ownership. She never battled nor trained her Pokemon, unsurprisingly, unless it came to relishing and releasing their beauty. To know Deneb Algenubi was so strong only warmed her with admiration. However, that happiness died as quickly as it came as she saw her Pidgeot's wings slump. He had used up all his energy than and needed a moment for a breather. Unfortunately, he didn't seem to have that moment, as the Seviper had already regained his bearings and was striking a Poison Tail towards the bird.

Realizing that Algenubi had not caught it perfectly in its middle, the Seviper favored its longer length and used his strength to thrust his body upward. It coiled itself around its enemy's neck and squeezed the muscles of its entire body. Algenubi suddenly let go of its middle, gasping for breath. His wings began to suddenly flap wildly from panic, talons scratching the air under the mist of beige colored feathers.

Cetus panicked along with her bird. She had not expected that! Grappling for the nearest weapon, a broken off branch, the grunt pushed herself to her feet and ran towards the battle. Dark teal eyes tried their hardest to search for somewhere -- anywhere -- for her to strike. However, the struggles of her Pidgeot made any attempt at analyzing impossible. When her Pidgeot whipped around another way, a few drops of blood splattered on Cetus's face, and than she recalled the snake's wound. Switching the branch around with its pointed side out, she rounded the end searching for the marred flesh, and thrust it out before her when it was in view.

Cetus felt her death than. It seemed evident. The Seviper was too quick. But, her Pidgeot was much quicker. Deneb Algenubi forced himself into the space separating the knife-like tail of the Seviper and Cetus, wings spread out wide if the snake tried to maneuver to side. It didn't. Instead, its tail was kept pointed and straight until it stabbed straight through the larger bird's downy breast and deep into chest.

The moment fell into a silence. Cetus could only look on in utter horror. Likewise, Algenubi would not budge from the pain of both the intrusion past his flesh and the burning pour of poison entering into his bloodstream. At once, through his tension, Algenubi opened his beak and shot a Hyper Beam at point blank range onto the Seviper. The world swirled, drowned under a ray of intense golden light, until fantasy crumbled and left only reality in its wake.

The Seviper was blown away tangled into the branches of a tree. With its blade tail removed, Algenubi was bleeding heavily. The earth drank his blood and eventually, the bird fell to the soil to feed it. Cetus, panicking, rolled her Pidgeot over. He only squawked at her, sneering. She wasn't particularly gentle.

"Damn it, don't give me any attitude now," she mumbled firmly under a strained breath. "You're bleeding, you idiot. The least you can let me do is take a took!"

The wound had only been a puncture, but blowing the Seviper away had caused its tail to drag against the Pidgeot's torso, leaving a nasty look scar the length of Cetus's forearm. The stab was pretty deep, but the scar ran shallow as it was distanced from its center point of impact. For now, Algenubi seemed as though he would survive . . . if he didn't bleed to death or become overtaken by the poison in the next moment. Oh wait, never mind. Algenubi's chance of survival seemed slim.

About five minutes later, Cetus tumbled back into the area. Deneb Algenubi just rolled his eyes. It wasn't a surprise she wouldn't be out for longer than a few minutes. Hell, five was a new record.

"I didn't find anything," she huffed, raising to her feet. Her hand slipped smoothly into the base of her pocket and she withdrew a cigar. It was her only one until she could snatch one off of Osmond again. She had planned to only use it in case of an emergency. This was an emergency. Sort of.

Cetus pressed the long coffin nail to her lips, inhaled as a blaze burned the tip from her lighter, and breathed the smoke out in one sigh. She was contemplating the moment, wondering how the hell she was going to figure this out, and wondering how she'd tell Osmond if Algenubi did happen to die. Osmond'll be pissed at her for letting their first Pokemon die, likely breaking off their secret affair. She didn't care if the angry bird bit the bullet, but Osmond was another tail. He was a very giving lover, especially with the member between his legs. That kept her happy, at least.

The middle-aged grunt walked to the lakeside and kicked a rock out of rage. "Damn it!" she bellowed, frustrated from too much thinking. The bit of stone landed with a low bloop! However, something rose from the waters after it. A Pokemon, no less, but something gorgeous enough to draw even a gasp from Cetus.

The Milotic stared at her blankly for a small moment before suddenly turning and diving back into the depths of the lake. Cetus's mouth dropped in a deep chagrin and she reached through the air, cursing loudly when she was too late.

"s**t!" she screamed, huffing than folding her arms. Damn thing ran off before she had a chance to catch it! Damn it!

Algenubi rolled his eyes. Really now. Was she already thinking of replacing him? Hello! He wasn't dead yet!

Cetus's booty hit the grass and she crossed her legs, glancing sideways at Algenubi's rear. She flew back down onto her back though when the Milotic returned, splashing out of the lake waters quickly, than lightly placed something near the water's edge. Tilting her head, Cetus crawled over gently and reached her gloved hand out. It was a Pecha berry.

"Huh." she breathed, staring at it. "Where did you get this?"

The Milotic didn't answer. Instead, it silently urged her with a swing of its neck to feed it to her Pidgeot. Oh, that's right, Algenubi. He was poisoned. Better give it to him quick . . .

Cetus forced the berry into her Pidgeot's mouth. He chewed and swallowed defiantly. He wasn't fond of sweet things, but he could feel the berry's juices at work as soon as it hit his gut. He wasn't going to die anymore, but now he was going to have to deal with Cetus's fawning as she tried to catch this new potential partner.

The tense air lingering between the two snapped come the sound of ripping. The Milotic's attention diverted away from her and Cetus's dark teal gaze followed. It was only Deneb Algenubi, who was tearing away the tough hide of the Seviper like he would fabric from an old chair. He paused from his actions, peering at the two that just so happened to be peering at him, than returned to his preparation to get at his meal's soft, interior meat.

Cetus glanced back to the Milotic, who was still staring. It seemed perplexed, even though its fair face was utterly expressionless. Great! Sliding a hand against her side, she clutched a Pokeball and slowly brought it leveled to her bosom. Her hand than shot out, like the springing Seviper before, and the tip of the Pokeball pressed against the underside of the Milotic's jaw.