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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Vice Captain
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 Posted: Sat May 13, 2017 7:45 am
Riley & Ivilon Ivilon felt a surge of gratitude toward Keiran as the Riolu spoke of a plan of action, rather than adding to the mass of raw emotion that still bubbled in the air. The group's collective energy had made it hard to think--when your world was awash in feelings, it fought the mind's ability to focus. Fortunately, there was one important commonality he and his vice captain shared: the ability to find clarity in problem-solving. It would steady them both, keep them calm, as they worked on their own. And it would help numb the worry that gnawed at their insides as the time passed.
The Beldum's eye brightened in understanding at Keiran's demonstration, and he nodded, watching the lily wither and blacken as it drowned in the toxins. "That seems the safest method, I concur." It wasn't a necessary comment, but it seemed right to say. The sound of Keiran's voice, sure and steady, made Ivilon feel better; he hoped to return the favor.
As Keiran separated the samples from their containers, Ivilon carefully dismantled the pile as the Riolu created it. It was a methodical process and something to do with his Psychic that he could focus on and tune out everything but the task at hand. Pick up a set of like samples; send them over the water' dismantle the petals, stems, leaves, roots; then let the pieces drop and start again. It was cathartic and might have been pleasant to watch, if he weren't aware that the juices trickling down the plants would be deadly if they touched a friend. As he did Ivillon part, eye on his process, he listened to Keiran's words, considering their options methodically as he dissected the samples.
"A dry area..." Ivilon chewed on the phrase, pondering it. "The village is one, but that is not an option under the circumstances. On both sides of the swamp there are places further in from the water, though there are puddles and pools almost everywhere. I would be inclined towards the trees, but that could work to our disadvantage as well." He sighed. "It is likely best if we find an open space--a clearing in the grass away from the river's edge. Or perhaps..." He paused, balling up a collect of shredded roots and tossing it further out as he thought. "There may be an area with stone. That would be the ideal setting. Any liquid would run off it, it would be warm from the direct sunlight--if there is a place like that." He didn't recall seeing more than miscellaneous stones in the direction they'd come from, but they'd also split up during their search, and he'd been focused on his teammates rather than their surroundings. If it was there, it was in the background of his mind, but Keiran might have seen something.
~~~~~
Clive's lungs were on fire and Riley's, too, from the look of things. Once they'd started running they hadn't stopped, knowing there was no time to waste. Clive had eyes only for Riley as they ran, mind running through a hundred impossible scenarios. It was easier to think of that than of what horror might be waiting for them ahead.
"I think--" Riley's voice was forced through his panting. "I think--we'll be--okay."
"What?"
"My guess is--whatever--that guy--is planning--he'll want--all of it--before he starts."
Clive shuddered, shaking his head. "You're--probably right.--He seemed--methodical--like--he had--a plan for this." Riley nodded, eyes fixed straight ahead. It was hard to do much else when you could hardly breathe you were sprinting so fast.
"There!" Riley's cry was triumphant as they burst through the grass to find the bridge in their sights. Both pairs of eyes turned toward the village across the way and Clive felt his heart beat painfully against his ribs as he scanned it for any sign of-- His face lit up as he spotted a small figure adjust the curtains in a window. It was such a normal, unhurried thing; surely that meant there was still time.
"We're going to make it!" He forced the words out and beamed at Riley, who perked up in surprise and then hard determination.
"Let's do it."
They were almost upon the bridge, breakneck pace never slowing, when a familiar figure caught Clive's eye. A look of bewilderment crossed his face and he slowed, stopping to catch his breath as the figure hurried onward. Riley screeched to a halt, expression flashing with concern as he circled back to his friend's side. "What's wrong, Clive? Are you alright? Are you hurt?"
Clive shook his head, drawing in as many breaths as he could stand as he pointed to the oncoming figure. "Sh--Shopkeeper." He said, pointing to the Seviper that had spotted them. "Sephia."
Clive
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Posted: Sat May 13, 2017 11:14 am
Keiran Keiran quickened his pace as he worked, the repetition and simplicity of each movement quickly becoming cathartic and calming. Slice the stems, remove the bindings, stack them for Ivilon. Said Beldum seemed to find solace in the same, carefully dismantling each of the toxic plants with small, purposeful bursts of psychic energy. He was doing his best to push back the unease that had settled over them, to just focus on what they needed to do.
He considered Ivilon’s words, mulling them over for perhaps longer than necessary as he continued stripping down what samples that he could. ”It’d be ideal,” he agreed, though his brow furrowed into a frown. ”It might not be a safeguard we can afford. The nearest place I can think of is much further downstream- the terrain is likely quite rocky there where it blends into the cliffs. But it’d be a two-hour trip just to get there, and that’s providing we could take a direct route. I can’t fly, so we’d have to circumvent the peat bog-“
”Swamps don’t have enough rock for this! It’s just layers of mud and soil scraped down off the mountains.” The exclamation was hushed; a hiss of frustration between gritted teeth.
It was a fairly one-sided conversation as Keiran narrated his thoughts aloud to his steel-bodied companion. His words were rapid, spilling into each other as he considered their options. Ivilon was right to suggest a rocky area, but this far into the swamp they weren’t likely to find one by accident. It could take more time than they had or, worse still, lead them directly into Keiran’s death. Either option was liable to end badly for the village. ”We may have to opt for trees. If there’s nowhere dry to stand, I can at least work with something solid underfoot. I’ll fight from the branches if I have to.”
”Ivilon, do you remember passing anywhere along the river that might have trees large enough for climbing?” Ivilon had superb memory, from what little he did know of his teammate, but whether or not he’d been paying mind to his surroundings as Keiran did would be another story entirely. ”If we can make it there within half an hour, we’ll have to make do.”
Roughly, he turned and helped Ivilon toss the last of their samples into the water, watching with a narrow-eyed stare as the leaves turned black and gnarled. Stars, that was still disturbing to think about. The memory of that water against his throat brought a full-bodied shudder to his frame.
- - - - -
The long, serpentine form of the Seviper slipped easily over the grass. It might have been alarming, given the great size of her species (and herself fairly robust in light of having borne a brood of eggs), but the massive snake paid no mind to any of this. Her glittering scales were sleek and strong, carrying her over the ground with the lithe and silent grace of a predator. It did not match her expression, given that anxiety was written over every scale.
”Clive!” Her heavy accent rang out across the bridge. She could catch the silhouette of the Vaporeon on the far bank, an Espeon poised tensely beside him. ”Clive; where is Ivilon?” They were far enough from the village that she could not be heard, and yet she still fought to temper the volume of her voice. She had to move quickly.
Winding her way over the worn wooden planks, she ignored the splinters that stabbed at her skin. ”I must see him! Please! Understand lack of trust, but require his help!” Her speech was stilted as always, but the urgency in her coarse hiss seemed to slur her words more than usual. Bright eyes looked pleadingly at Clive as she slowed to a stop before the Eeveelutions, lifting her head to regard them properly. ”Is urgent! Life, death-“
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Vice Captain
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Posted: Sat May 13, 2017 1:58 pm
Riley & Ivilon Ivilon listened to Keiran's musing quietly, mulling over his words with frustration similar to the Riolu's own. If only they had the time needed to get to safer ground, he'd feel much better about the situation. A direct route wouldn't have been a problem--the Beldum was strong enough and Keiran small enough that he could be carried--but two hours was too much. He sympathized with Keiran's short outburst, having similar thoughts of his own. "It would appear that is not an option," he murmured, sadly. "The environment leaves us at a most unfortunate disadvantage that we cannot overcome."
Keiran's question sparked Ivilon's mind to action, the Psychic's mind working furiously as he helped toss the last of the samples into the murk beyond. He tugged at the strands of backdrop from his monitoring in the hours before, looking to separate what he'd then deemed inconsequential. It took him a few moments after they'd watched the last of the plants darken and drown before he spoke. "There was an area. It was Riley's path that crossed it. I had to navigate him through the rivulets around it, as he had spotted a flower on our list." Ivilon turned, his body swiveling like the needle of a compass. "In this direction," he said, simply, beginning to lead the way as he spoke. "It was densely thicketed--I could not see inside it from above, but fortunately the specimen was visible from the outside."
Ivilon's eye was focused straight ahead as his mind continued to tug at the problem. "It was dense enough you could travel from tree to tree without issue," he said, the words taking some time as he picked his memory of the place. "However the ground is riddled with strands of water that should be avoided." He didn't like the way this was shaping up--Riolu were close-combat fighters. How Keiran would be able to handle the Quagsire without getting close was...problematic. "I do not think I would have an easy time navigating in such a place," he continued. "My bulk is unsuited to it. I could do what I can from outside or above the grove, but if our adversary is clever it would not be hard for him to evade me." His Psychic would allow him to see what took place, but as for combat he would be useless. Unless he broke a way into the area he couldn't attack, as his body was his only weapon. He didn't like the thought of leaving Keiran alone in there, fighting a madman in his own element. Then again, they didn't have much of a choice.
After picking up speed, the pair would arrive at their location within the quarter hour. It was as dense as Ivilon claimed, gnarled roots crisscrossing the ground amidst the vein-like streams of water. The Beldum was relieved to note that Keiran would likely be able to stand on them instead of the ground, but equally concerned to note that his concern had been justified: Ivilon wouldn't be able to reach the heart of the mangrove. As Keiran advanced further in, he made his way up and over the area, and found that the branches weren't as thick from above. It would be hard to break through them, but theoretically possible, if the need arose. He searched for Keiran through the shadows and found it nigh impossible to find the dark-furred Riolu. It took a pulse of Psychic to pinpoint the Fighting Type's location, and even then he wasn't sure where the shadows stopped and his friend began. What do you think, Keiran? he probed tentatively, setting up the telepathic link pre-emptively. If it was good enough, no time should be wasted in filling out their strategy and calling Aric. Otherwise they should move on to another place. Each second was precious, a fact that both were keenly aware of as the sun dipped lower, toward the horizon.
~~~~~
When it was clear that Clive was alright, Riley turned to look at the approaching Pokemon, eyebrows shooting up at her impressive size. He felt the spike in his friend's tension at the sight of the rapidly approaching snake and stepped closer to the Vaporeon, lending him his body for support. The way Clive collapsed into him made it clear the gesture was needed. Unlike Riley, who'd spent months training alongside Keiran in preparation for Guildwork, Clive hadn't been subjected to such things yet, and was clearly the worse for it.
In a moment, the Seviper was upon them, her gaze filled with a similar haunted look that reflected in both Eeveelution's eyes. Riley was the first to speak, though Clive was the one addressed. "Ma'am, Ms. Sephia, I'm told? We don't have much time, but please, take a breath, collect your thoughts." His tone was slow and reassuring, though he shot a brief, anxious glance at the bridge nearby. From the sound of it, whatever the Seviper needed was important, but their own task was life or death as well.
Clive's mind reeled as he looked up at Sephia, his hind claws digging into the soil to keep him steady. The relentless approach of a Poison Type did little to put him at ease, and the way she delayed them only made matters worse. He listened to Riley's voice, and drew comfort from the place where their shoulders touched--where Riley's tail brushed against his legs. "Madame Sephia," he said. There was a tremor in his voice, but he dipped his head respectfully. "I'm--I'm very sorry, but I can't take you to Ivilon. He's--" he glanced at Riley, and the Espeon nodded gently. "Listen." He locked eyes with the Seviper, trying to ignore the chill that ran down his spine. "There's a life and death situation that Ivilon's dealing with as we speak. It's why Riley and I are back, to warn everyone in the village. There's a dangerous Quagsire who's been given large quantities of poison. We're here to warn everyone before someone gets hurt."
Riley nodded again, leaning into Clive encouragingly. The Vaporeon seemed as though he could collapse at any moment. The Espeon looked to Sephia. "I'm sorry, ma'am, this must be overwhelming. We introduced ourselves as performers to everyone in town, but to keep things brief let's say there's more to our job than that." He stepped forward, careful not to leave Clive entirely though his eyes were on Sephia. "That said, it's not safe here, so we're going to evacuate the village. No one can stay--the toxins he has can be spread by consumption or touch--even through the air. Our first priority is to get everyone away from here before they can be exposed to it." It was far too much information to give a civilian, but it was important that she comply with them. "If we can help with your urgent problem on the way, we'll gladly do it. Our other two companions are working to divert his attention as we speak, to try and buy us time, but we don't have any time to spare--this man is erratic and irrational, and he could act at any moment." Hopefully that would be enough. There were so many 'mon to warn and Aric was so unpredictable...there was no time.
Clive
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Posted: Sun May 14, 2017 10:28 am
Keiran Keiran stepped smoothly across the rough bark of the tree roots, taking care to arrange his paws away from any moss or algae that might cause him to lose his grip. He could easily see the water below him, with faint swirls of (likely toxic) sludge lurking underneath. Ivilon had warned him about the standing pools of water that he might encounter, but this was easily worse than expected. Slipping too far off the roots or branches could easily be the death of him. With poison catching on the dense plant matter, it was liable to be as dangerous as the bog. Even the river itself would be less harmful than this. The realization that Riley had already been through here made his skin crawl, but he knew the Espeon to be fairly sure-footed when he focused.
Riley hadn’t tried to fight here; however, and Keiran would have an interesting time trying to manage the terrain with the Quagsire working against him. He felt Ivilon’s pulse of psychic and fought the instinct to hide himself, instead allowing his aura to pulse and call him in turn. The dappled shadows of the canopy above him hid him quite well. In terms of terrain and cover alone, this would have been the ideal place for hunting or sparring. ’…I… actually feel quite safe here,’ he admitted sheepishly. ’If it weren’t for certain death lurking a foot and a half below my paws or the fact that it smells like rotting flesh, I imagine it’d be quite pleasant.’ More relaxed now that he was settling into old habits and tasks, he allowed the dry laughter to slip into his voice.
’It is riskier terrain than I’d like, but it will be very difficult for Aric to move freely here. If he wants to swim, he’ll be fighting tree roots and plant fibers at every turn.’ He palmed the bark of the mangrove tree, looking hesitantly at the patterns of the leaves above him. He could make out the distinctive glimmer of silver steel through the canopy where Ivilon hovered to listen.
A glimmer of silver aura swirled at both palms and wrists, looking much like the Riolu had smoke rising off his skin. More importantly, Ivilon would see very clearly where he stood. ’We can do this one of two ways: I can call him myself and rely on our abilities to keep him at a distance, or you can call to him and I may be able to strike unseen. Quagsire have thick skin and his will be drenched in poison. The first plan is obviously safer, but we risk being put on the defensive or allowing his escape. The second puts us both closer to him, but we’d would have the luxury of striking first and locking him into combat between us.’ He summarized the strategies as neatly and simply as he could. Keiran was likely much more aggressive than Ivilon would be, and less liable to permit his own shortcomings. He knew instinctively which of the two plans that he’d prefer on his own, but he could not endanger his teammate without his consent to do so. Ivilon was immune to poison, but water would still be threatening and neither one of them could entirely predict what attacks Aric would wield against them. If Ivilon opted for a defensive approach, Keiran doubted he’d find it in him to think poorly of the wise little psychic.
- - - - -
Sephia wasn’t terribly reassured by the Espeon’s voice, frustration lighting in her eyes as the psychic tried in vain to appease her. The matter was worsened when Clive refused her outright, every muscle tensing in confusion and unease. She tilted her head to the side; a reflex she’d gained from living life outside her own kind. To show that her fear was not aggression- she was scared, angry and worried but she refused to snap at either of them.
The tension instantly heightened as the Quagsire was mentioned, locking eyes with the flighty Vaporeon. She looked sharply between the two, eyes instead locking to the unfamiliar Espeon as he continued Clive’s explanation. They were here to warn them, and Ivilon had gone after Aric. Her stomach was twisting, sending ripples through the powerful muscles that ran the length of her near-nine-foot body. ”I find you for same!” she urged sharply, her scarlet eyes dark with the gravity of their situation. ”One of mine, in past. Odd child- very shaky, easily frightened. Could not dissuade him from river. He very sick, left us. Is how I know river dangerous.”
Her voice was full of sorrow and anxiety, desperate to explain. ”Tried help him, would not listen. Breached village wall, came here- half hour, hour ago. As you say; very erratic, irrational. Try to force me from shop. Would not- village home. He attack nest, endanger eggs and flee for river. Jealous, angry. No longer himself.” There was a definite note of anger there. She had might have been Aric’s adoptive mother while he was small, but this was no longer her baby. The sweet, shaky-legged Wooper she’d raised would never have harmed another person, would never have gone after her nest the way he had today. This desperate battle to help him had gone on long enough. He was beyond her reach, perhaps beyond anyone’s.
”He my son. My responsibility. If anyone to end madness, should be me,” she choked, a strained hiss from her throat. She would not cry, would not mourn him. He was not her child now. ”Wise to warn village, but I not leave. Not abandon children. Must stop him before he tries again. If Ivilon to fight him, will aid your friend. You take eggs to safety, take with villagers.”
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Vice Captain
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Posted: Sun May 14, 2017 8:57 pm
Riley & Ivilon Ivilon found Keiran's claim difficult to believe, though sincerity rang in the Riolu's thoughts. This place was anything but pleasant, as far as the Beldum was concerned, but if Keiran found it suitable that was the most important thing. Very well. His concern was apparent, but deferred to his vice captain's judgment without hesitation. At least our adversary will be likewise impeded, this is a piece of good fortune. Keiran's mention of that fact helped to put his mind at ease; as much as it could be on the precipice of danger.
He considered the strategies posed to him, weighing both options on his mental scales. If he called for Aric what would he say? 'My teammates are waiting for you in the grove I cannot access?' That would raise so many red flags, even to a Pokemon whose mind wasn't altogether there. If Keiran called for Aric and led him to the grove it would be less odd but then again... A few facts clicked into place in the Beldum's mind, and his mind settled on the obvious solution. If Keiran were to go to the water and summon Aric, he'd be giving up every advantage this place offered him, and he would likely be forced to travel through the water to avoid rousing the Quagsire's suspicions early. That thought was utterly unacceptable, which left only one option. I will go. Ivilon stared down through the branches at the aura-silhouetted Riolu, feeling a rush of nervousness begin to surge through him that he choked back as quickly as it can. He will not be eager to answer to me, but I will give my best effort. I will keep contact with you while I am gone, and bring him back. If I can succeed in sending him within, however, much of the remaining work will fall to you. I will ensure he does not escape this place, as much as I am able, but that is the closest I can be. This assumed that nothing went wrong before that point of course, but it had to be made for the sake of strategy. With a soft chime like a sigh, Ivilon turned his gaze downward and made his way from the sky to the ground. He sought out the Riolu with his Psychic and sent a surge of assurance toward him. Good luck to us both.
The Beldum turned and made his way quickly toward the water, carefully planning and rehearsing his words. The five minutes the journey took went by far too quickly, but there was no delaying things when he found himself at the edge of the purple rapids. Ivilon closed his eye and channeled his Calm Mind, steadying himself as he raised his voice to call across the open water: "Aric! Aric, we have fulfilled your request!" Then, there was only need to wait, but not for long.
It couldn't have been more than a few, painful moments before a splash was heard and a familiar Quagsire crawled onto the land on all fours. He quickly stood and blinked slowly, his eyes only focusing on Ivilon after he'd taken in everything else in the surrounding area. "You are... One of the members of Team Synchronicity. You have called for me." His expression was somewhat bored, which Ivilon assumed was because he wasn't viewed as an important member of the team. The Quagsire clasped his hands together, staring through the shiny Beldum. "You say my request is fulfilled, yet most of your team is absent, as are the samples I have asked for." Aric tilted his head, ever so slightly. "What is it you want with me?"
Ivilon shook his head slightly. "I apologize, yes, it must seem quite odd," he said, doing his best to placate the Pokemon before him. "What I say is true, we have fulfilled your request. Your samples are clearly quite valuable--it was quite the task to collect them all--so, to ensure they remained safe, my leaders thought it best to sort them in a safe place where you could come to retrieve them. When I left, they were almost finished, and as I can travel most easily through this area they sent me to bring you to them." Several parts of his story came from the truth, and he combined them with flattery and respect to craft the best lie he could think of to satisfy Aric. Ivilon watched him closely, searching for any sign of the success or failure of his plan; if he had the ability to breathe, the Beldum would have been holding his breath.
Aric processed the information for a long time, so long Ivilon feared he would short-circuit with anxiety. The Quagsire's gaze narrowed and grew more focused, looking at him with a newfound interest from the moment he mentioned the samples. He beat the ground with his tail once... Twice... And he stared some more. Ivilon felt as though the man could see into his very soul, and he fought the urge to say something--anything that might make his story more convincing. He hesitantly tapped into his Psychic, noting Keiran's distant presence in the back of his mind and scanning Aric's energy before him. It was still--terribly still. Ivilon felt the electricity within him spark uncertainly. What did that mean? Then, just when he feared the worst, Aric's posture relaxed and his gaze grew unfocused and dreamy, matching the gentle smile that turned the edges of his mouth. "I see. Yes, I understand. Your leaders are most wise. It is wisest not to jeopardize the integrity of the samples. Yes." He tilted his head at Ivilon. "You will lead me to them." It wasn't a question.
"Of course." Ivilon dipped his head, a feeling of relief coming over him. Somehow it had worked. Thank the Light it had worked. He turned and began to head toward the mangrove, Aric toddling after him. We're coming. He telegraphed the warning to Keiran as they traveled, warning the Riolu in advance.
Turning to their client slightly, Ivilon noted the wobbly way he walked,
as though his feet weren't secure on the land. That would be helpful.
"They aren't far away," he assured Aric. "I've just alerted them that we will be arriving shortly."
"Good. Good." Aric said no more, and Ivilon took the silence as a gift. The more he had to talk to this creature, the harder it would be to keep his story straight. "...should have listened to me. Foolish." Ivilon's eye widened but he stared straight ahead. It seemed Aric wasn't aware he was talking out loud. That, or the Quagsire thought so little of his presence that he didn't believe he'd pick up on the hushed and hurried words. "No matter though. No matter. It will be arranged. I have set up the arrangements. It will be over soon." Ivilon felt very cold. Soon. When was soon? Did Aric have to be present to start his arrangements, or would they start on their own soon? It was terrifying how many possibilities he could think of.
He relayed the information to Keiran as they came up on the treeline and the Beldum stopped his movement. Aric stopped several steps after, turning slowly on his heel to face Ivilon. "You have stopped."
Ivilon nodded. "Yes, my teammates are beyond. I cannot proceed, however. They chose this location because it would keep less dexterous Pokemon away from the samples.
"Mmm..." It was almost a singsongy sound. The Quagsire blinked several time and turned back to the treeline; Ivilon noticed he stood firmly in the center of one of the rivulets, purple water collecting around his feet. "Tell me. Why have you not called for them?"
Ivilon froze. "I beg your pardon?"
"Perhaps the better question is why have they not called for us. Yes. Or come to meet us here if you were sent to bring me to them." Ivilon felt his circuits freeze as the Quagsire turned back toward him, something dark and dangerous in his eyes--more alive than anything that he'd seem from Aric before. "You have the look of a Pokemon who has been caught in his own trap." Aric smiled slowly, benignly, and took a step forward. "It is a shame, it is. When you work so hard to plan something and yet it is for nothing. When other people do not believe the things you say and turn on you. What a sad feeling, yes." He was getting closer, and Ivilon backed up involuntarily. "I think that, perhaps, you are a terrible liar. Your team is not here, and you wanted me alone. Which means you know." The Quagsire's gaze was positively hypnotic, and Ivilon found himself unable to move as a purple Haze seeped out from Aric's body. He was so close now. "You thought you could be a hero, you did," Aric whispered hoarsely, a laugh catching in his throat. "Do not worry, hero. It will all be over soon."
~~~~~
There was a moment of extreme tension between the three, when Sephia locked eyes with Clive. The Vaporeon felt light-headed, his vision darkening with anxiety. Maybe there was something in the air already too, it would explain why it was so hard to breathe. The information Sephia gave them didn't help at all, explaining so much and yet so little about the situation. Aric had been to the village, attacked someone's--Sephia's?--eggs and tried to help her escape. She'd raised him when he was a child, felt responsible for him even now, and he'd apparently tried to save her from the fate he intended for the other villagers. Of course, that also confirmed their suspicions that the village was his target, and the danger was very real. Clive's head was spinning and his breaths came with great difficulty--this was too much and the snake was too close and the poison from the swamp was getting to his head.
"Clive." Riley. The Vaporeon turned to look at the Espeon, wobbling unsteadily. "Aqua Ring." Obedient as a child, Clive drew on the water in his body to create veil that separated him from the outside world. The moment he breathed water instead of air it came easier, his gills taking over. It began to slow and his thoughts began to slow to a more manageable pace. He dipped his head low and concentrated on listening to Riley's voice. He couldn't focus enough to make out what was being said, but it was soothing to hear the timbre of his friend's tones.
As Clive recovered himself, Riley turned his gaze back to Sephia. "Forgive him," he said empathetically. "Clive is ill-suited to this sort of environment, and it gets to his head in high-stress situations. Makes him shut down entirely if it isn't addressed in a timely manner." And it hadn't been--couldn't have been under the circumstances.
"More importantly, thank you for all you've told us. That explains so much of what we didn't know." Riley's mind was working furiously, strategizing and putting the pieces together simultaneously. "We can talk more as we go. Ivilon and Keiran should be--" he hesitated. "Well if they haven't engaged him already, they should be doing so soon. That was the best plan we had to keep him from attacking the village." Riley looked toward the village, then back the way he'd come. "You'll need me to guide you to them. I know where we left them last and I can find them with my Psychic when we're close enough." He bit his lip nervously, knowing what else that implied. Clive was just now raising his head, looking pale but steady, as though he'd just undergone an earthquake. There was no question of what needed to be done but...
"I know." Clive shook his head, stepping out of his mental haze. The meaning of Riley's words caught up with him slowly, but he'd already determined it himself. He wasn't the better-suited of them to find the others, and even if he was it would've meant keeping company with the Seviper that caused his paws to prickle: there wasn't any question of how the division of tasks would go. The Vaporeon felt surprisingly calm when he arrived at the conclusion, the water he breathed helping return him to a level-headed state. "I'll keep going, warn everyone in the village and take them somewhere safe," he said. "I won't stop until I get everyone out of there." He turned to look at Sephia, his eyes aglimmer with newfound strength. "I'm sorry for that just now, I lost myself," he admitted with utmost humility. "Please don't worry though. I won't let it happen again, and I will be certain the eggs are kept safe." He had no love for Poison Types, but the Vaporeon would never desert a child that could be saved. He shot a glance at Riley. "I'll keep the Aqua Ring up to help me breathe and everything should be fine."
Riley looked at Clive, stomach churning with a thousand emotions. The Vaporeon looked so strong and yet so vulnerable beneath his thin layer of water. Riley could smell the chemical scent in the air, stronger than it was before with the late afternoon heat, and his mind blazed with concern. He wanted Clive to get out, away from all of this--he wasn't even a Guild member yet, there was no obligation--but he knew the Vaporeon would never do such a thing. Legends, this was terrible. He felt his eyes burning and was surprised to find tears blurring them again. He dipped his head, unable to look at his friend. "You're--you're sure?" The words were impossibly hard to say.
"Absolutely." Clive stepped closer, the damp scales of his head pressing into Riley's shoulder. Riley swallowed past the lump in his throat, biting back the concern that made his chest feel like it was about to burst. "Hey." His chin was turned up and there were Clive's eyes, bright and full of warmth and life. "We'll get through this one too, don't you worry."
Riley laughed, a weak sound that died in his throat. "Just...be quick, okay?" It was more of a plea than anything else, and he searched Clive's eyes trying to find every part of their depth in the few moments they had.
Clive chuckled. "Don't have to tell me twice." A look came over the Vaporeon's face and he looked at Riley steadily for a lingering moment. Then he leaned forward and planted a quick peck on the Espeon's cheek. "For good luck." He said, his cheery tone replaced with utmost seriousness. Then he turned and was gone, bolting across the bridge toward the village and leaving Riley and Sephia alone.
Riley raised a paw to the place where Clive had kissed him, touching it as though it wasn't real. Then he shook his head, snapping from his daze, and turned. "Come on, follow me!" he called over his shoulder, already springing ahead of Sephia to lead her back to the others.
Clive
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Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2017 10:03 am
Keiran Keiran murmured his agreement to the Beldum’s soft-spoken prayer for luck. He was experienced enough to know what he was doing here, and Ivilon certainly clever enough to hold his own in a dangerous situation, but there were any number of variables that could ruin everything they worked for. Whether it was the first mission or the hundredth, luck could still turn the tides of battle.
He watched in silence as Ivilon floated outward toward the gaping brightness of the tree line ahead, and quickly slunk back into the shadows. He would have to quickly get into position, close enough that he could monitor them, but far enough away that any rasp of his paws against the bark would be mistaken for the wind in the canopy. If he ventured too far, he would be unable to cross the striking distance in time to protect his teammate. That sort of risk, given how unstable and potentially violent the Quagsire was, was far too great. His heart clenched and twisted at the whispers in the back of his mind, the ones that sounded too much like the frightened cries of his teammate. He had to get this right, for Ivilon’s sake as much as the civilians they were trying to protect.
The Riolu slunk through the shadows, brushing his charcoal fur briefly against the mossy tree trunks to collect some of the less offensive dirt and grime that might disguise his shape from view. As long as Aric didn’t look directly at him, he would simply be another shadow in the mangrove.
Ivilon’s form was quickly returning, as Keiran failed to follow the Beldum all the way to the water’s edge. The roots of nearby trees were too widely-spaced to follow safely without detection, and so he forced himself to wait. His breathing slowed, though his heart was racing with nervous anticipation. He fought to conceal his aura, the natural stillness of a frightened figure shifting naturally into the subtle swaying motion that might better disguise him among the tall stalks of plants that poked up from between the tree roots. His hind claws were blunt, but strong enough to grip the root he crouched on as Ivilon and Aric passed him by.
He crept after them and moved a little higher into the trees. He was still within the lower branches and found himself stretching to step from one to the next as he walked on all fours above his teammate and their target.
”You have the look of a Pokemon who has been caught in his own trap,” floated up to him among the branches and Keiran could feel his skin crawling as Aric took a step toward Ivilon. He was posturing, rambling on to distract the Beldum from the way that he shifted to block the Beldum’s escape back toward the river. His throat tightened as he glared down at the Water-type, picking his way close enough to both protect Ivilon and block Aric’s escape as they’d planned. He could not rush. He had to be patient. Aric’s posture was still wary enough that he could easily shift his focus if Keiran moved too quickly. "It is a shame, it is. When you work so hard to plan something and yet it is for nothing. When other people do not believe the things you say and turn on you. What a sad feeling, yes."
Ivilon was backing away now, looking surprisingly anxious. It still caught him off guard that a mechanical eye could form such expressions but he hadn’t the time to dwell on it now. Muscles rippling as he readied himself and shifted his stance to put more power behind his jump.
"I think that, perhaps, you are a terrible liar. Your team is not here, and you wanted me alone. Which means you know. You thought you could be a hero, you did.” Keiran frowned slightly, still glaring down at the other Pokemon as his gaze shifted to identify the best way to immobilize the thick-skinned Pokemon. The underlying layer of fat would make this difficult.
"Do not worry, hero. It will all be over soon."
Anger lodged into his heart like ice and Keiran sprung from the branches above Aric, bursting through the wispy Haze to press a Force Palm into the back of his neck. His paws pressed roughly into skin and he quickly realized that although Aric’s body was indeed soft to cushion the blow, he was also disturbingly solid. He twisted to stay behind Aric as he turned to face the unexpected opponent, using Quick Attack to lash out at the softness around his hips and dragging his much sharper foreclaws against the Quagsire’s skin.
Unfortunately for Keiran, Aric looked more angry than pained. He threw his weight sideways to check his heavy, bulkier form into Keiran’s and the Riolu was nearly Slammed back into the neighbouring trees. Keiran didn’t flinch, his Inner Focus driving him back to Counter the attack and striking out with both palms aglow with aura. Mud seeped up over the tree roots, splashing dangerously close to their feet as the Riolu ducked and dove around the infuriated Quagsire. Unease prickled at the back of his neck and he pressed outward in a blast of aura, pushing both himself and Ivilon further from harm’s way.
The water abruptly burst upward in a wave, crashing over the tree roots where Keiran had been standing only moments before and burying the Quagsire in a torrent of muddied poison. His solid build and spongy feet held him firmly to the tree roots, but Keiran would not have been as lucky. His eyes were all teal, glowing with aura as his pupils were narrowed into minute specks against the brightness. If he was trapped under the roots, he would have nowhere to go- Aric could pin them against the water underneath. Even if he didn’t kill them, didn’t drown them, the poison would catch up to them later.
”Another, playing hero when you do not understand,” Aric spat at the Riolu, his speech more warbled and broken in the midst of his anger.
Though obviously wary, fear and anger still grasping at his heart, Keiran was undeterred as he spat back: ”Another sadistic freak, hurting people who don’t deserve it!”
Aric had them clustered together, with Keiran poised and snarling between the Quagsire and the anxious Beldum at his back. It wasn’t particularly advantageous for combat, but he was quickly realizing that Aric had no intention of running now. As long as they could work their way back around him before he began to weaken, they could still pull this off.
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2017 8:57 pm
Ivilon Terror.
There were few things in Ivilon's life that had stirred such a primal, selfish emotion in his circuits, but at the moment Aric stood before him--haze seeping from his pores and eyes blank as standing water--Ivilon felt enough fear course through him he feared he would short circuit. A hero... He wasn't a hero. He was a Beldum who'd overstepped his bounds, who thought he could help real heroes save lives. And now he was going to die, wasn't he?
And then, in another moment, as Ivilon's eye began to glaze over with panic, the Quagsire before him lurched forward. Aric stumbled forward from the blow of a familiar figure, who burst from the shadows like an avenging angel, his eyes bright with anger and aura. The Beldum was overwhelmed with gratitude for his savior, who was quickly engaged in combat with the Quagsire. All but forgotten by the Water Type, Ivilon watched Aric lashed out at Keiran with the insatiable outrage they'd only seen glimpses of before. Now it had reached the surface, and it was terrible to see. Ivilon felt the waves of toxic hate radiating off their client, and his stomach churned at the sensation. It was terrible: he couldn't imagine anything worse. What sort of creature had this much anger--this much destructive energy that just being near him could make a Psychic sick? How could a Pokemon live like that?
Aric's Muddy Water was what finally brought Ivilon back to his senses, the Beldum growing conscious of the Riolu that jumped between him and the villain before them, who spun around to face them with a broken smile on his face. "A sadistic freak..." the Quagsire laughed, his tail thumping against the roots he stood upon. "Is that the worst you have I wonder? You cannot even come up with more effective insults after all this time?" The last word was accented by a sudden shaking of the ground beneath them as an Earthquake threatened to snap their safety net in two.
Ivilon felt the tremor rush through the air and lunged forward, thrusting his body beneath Keiran just as the roots the Riolu stood upon burst into dangerous splinters. They fell from the Beldum's metal body harmlessly, though the Psychic's head reeled from the impact of the Earthquake attack's aftermath. His metal felt rattled, as though it were suddenly malleable like flesh; if this was how he felt, it was of utmost importance Keiran not be allowed to receive the same level of impact. Do not be afraid to use me, Keiran. The words rang strong in the Riolu's mind, though Ivilon wasn't able to look at his vice captain atop him. Even if I cannot aid much in the fight, I will help you keep to your paws. Let me be your stepping stone.
As the offer was extended, the Quagsire across from them sprayed a Mud Shot their direction, forcing Ivilon to move and Keiran to leave his back to dodge the attack. "Pathetic!" Aric spat, the murky water beneath him churning as it rose up in yet another wave. "You called me that. Do not think I have forgotten. You all called me that." As Keiran came in for another close attack, Aric met him head on, raising an arm to take the impact of the Riolu's fists. "You never understood. You never listened. Now it is too late to listen, yes. Not that liars like you ever would listen, even when it would be the only way to save your pitiful lives."
Ivilon darted this way and that across the battlefield, positioning himself in advantageous places for Keiran when he could and dodging Aric's projectiles when they came his way. He stared at the Quagsire in quiet dismay, watching the Water Type's Psychic twist more and more, folding in on itself and fraying out in disarray. The things he was saying didn't make sense, not entirely. It seemed like he was talking to someone other than Keiran, seeing things and Pokemon that weren't actually there. The thought was further evidenced by the way Aric would sometimes miss his attacks, shot wildly into the water or the branches of the trees--his aim was deliberate, but there was nothing he could be meaning to hit. The Quagsire was really losing it.
"Aric, you are mistaken!" Ivilon shouted, his voice high with nervousness as he evaded a wall of crushing water that surged below him. In desperation, he reached out his Psychic, but found the animosity that greeted him too strong to handle. Reeling from the emotional impact, Ivilon floated higher, thoughts momentarily scattered. "I... don't know why you'd think we won't listen. We've only listened to you until now, haven't we? We helped you."
"And you turned on me, you demons." Aric hissed the words, squinting up at Ivilon for a long moment, enough to give Keiran an opening. "The tides will turn too, hm? They will come and pull you under, yes. And I will hold you there until you drown." Bursts of water shot up at Ivilon, and he found himself caught in one, forced back into a tree trunk. He heard Aric's laugh without seeing it through his dazed vision--a sound of warped, child-like glee. It made him feel sick, more than any of the physical damage he'd taken.
But Keiran had taken his chance and the laughter was cut short. Ivilon couldn't see well through the shadows but he saw the shadows locked in close combat again when his vision steadied. The Quagsire was talking again, his eyes locked on Keiran. "No, a watery grave is too good for you." Aric was breathing hard but his eyes glowed with maddened determination as he locked fists with the Riolu. "That is why I will take your life with my own hands, yes. Your filthy blood will never mar this water. Not while I still live."
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Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2017 10:50 pm
Keiran Keiran did his best to adjust as Ivilon swept him up from behind, lifting him fully from the mossy tree roots as they quaked and shattered from beneath. Scraps of splintered wood caught in his fur, scraping a little at the skin, but went no further. Ivilon seemed to waver beneath him, disoriented and struggling to support the weight of another Pokemon. Still, his aura was strong and his voice stronger. It rang in his mind with a chime of urgency and dedication.
A thrill of pride burst in his chest for his teammate.
Moments later he was sliding off Ivilon’s side, dropping neatly onto a broken chunk of tree root and springing ahead to more stable ground. The Earthquake had shifted a great deal of the terrain, changing it and reshaping it to something less familiar. He could easily find himself cut or impaled if he were to slip or become clumsy, but that felt a great deal less dangerous than the water lurking further down. He dodged another Mud Shot and jumped up to slam his glowing paws once more against Aric’s body. The Quagsire met his blows with a study arm and Keiran was forced back again as Aric lashed out against his arms and shoulders. He was too thick-limbed and heavy to catch Keiran on the move, but his reach was long enough to be damaging if he wasn’t careful.
Unlike Ivilon, Keiran had quickly learned not to try reasoning with the Quagsire. Perhaps it was a difference of experience, or perhaps it was the difference between Ivilon’s compassionate idealism and Keiran’s righteous anger. He didn’t particularly care. Aric’s aura was twisting violently. It filled his mind with flashes of deep crimson and swirls of sickly greens as he tried to ignore the sickly feeling in his chest at such close proximity with the hateful Water-type. He continued their deadly dance, moving between tree roots and low-hanging branches, even passing over Ivilon’s study back when he could to evade the deadly swaths of water and mud that was flung his way.
He could only watch as Ivilon was slammed hard into the weakening trunk of a nearby tree, the sound ringing sharp in his ears. Metal on wood was not a sound he’d ever associated with pain before, but now his heart bled with concern and anger. He used the moment of distraction to strike clean at the back of Aric’s neck once more, this time throwing as much aura as he could muster and raking his claws hard into the thick tissue. Aric’s laughter abruptly caught in the Quagsire’s throat, the rasp of surprise replacing what should have been pain. It occurred briefly to Keiran that Aric no longer had sensation even in the core of his body, and suddenly the two Pokemon were grappling with each other over the tangled, broken tree trunks.
Keiran snarled in pain against the tightening grip of the Quagsire, lashing out with aura when he could not free his hands or wrists. As Aric grasped both arms to restrain him, Keiran lifted his hindpaws off the ground and twisted. He kicked hard into his enemy’s face, digging his heels in between his eyes and wrestling his arms free of the bruising hold on his body.
"No, a watery grave is too good for you." Aric wheezed, spit bubbling at the corners of his mouth and eyes alight with murderous intent. Keiran purposely ignored him, meeting his eyes in spite of the chill that such expressions cast along his spine. They met again, testing the brute strength of their bodies against each other and Keiran struggled under the force of the much larger, heavier Pokemon. "That is why I will take your life with my own hands, yes. Your filthy blood will never mar this water. Not while I still live."
Keiran ripped himself away again, twisting hurriedly out of the way before a Mud Shot blasted over his shoulder. He could feel the splattering mud slick against his shoulders, sickening him with the contact, but it hadn’t hurt him this time. He used Copy Cat, flinging mud hard against Aric’s own face with a flare of angry silver aura, and the fight suddenly dissolved into a tangle of limbs that was more clawing and snarling than actual combat. Aric was faster than they’d originally suspected, and with the mangrove in tatters, Keiran was cornered against the splintered roots. He twisted around Aric, trying to be free of his reaching hands.
Water blasted him hard against a root and he scrambled to keep his grip on the sodden wood. He could not fall, he could not fall! Momentary terror flashed in his eyes and suddenly there were thick hands grasping at his neck and throat. They pressed sharply downward, trying to choke him against whatever solid surfaces they had left. He struck back, his vision quickly blurring and spotting at the edges. It was disorienting, painful. He couldn’t breathe and the fear was so primal that it stole what little breath he had. But he could still feel his teammate’s fear in turn, his frustration. That burst of silver-white starlight in the darkness, and it anchored him. He had no idea where Ivilon was, what he was trying to do or if he could do anything at all. His hearing seemed to leave him, a dull ringing in its place as he started to black out, and he squirmed desperately to escape before that happened.
He twisted, Crunching down on the edge of Aric’s wrist. Aric lifted him again in an attempt to slam him against the trees. The pressure lifted, Keiran took what little chance he had. A Reversal had Aric instead dropping hard against the roots, giving Keiran that much-needed escape. His lungs burned, throat throbbing in protest to the abuse as he struggled to pull in enough air through the bruised passage.
Amazingly, and unfortunately, Aric struggled back to his feet. He glared venomously at Keiran and the Riolu glared right back. He was saying something; Keiran couldn’t even hear it. His ears were ringing and the former assassin just snarled aggressively back at him. Doing so certainly hurt. He imagined it wasn’t a pleasant sound, either, given the way it had burned against his throat. If it made any sound at all. But it spurred Aric to action and the Quagsire was sprinting unsteadily back at him.
At a loss and quickly tiring, Keiran side-stepped as he cracked a punch hard into Aric’s jaw. It rocked him back, breaking his momentum, and Keiran regained the upper hand as the pair faced off again.
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Vice Captain
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Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 9:50 am
Ivilon Keiran and Aric were at each others' throats--the clash of teeth and claws more animal than civil. This wasn't a fight, it was a struggle for survival, and the feral instincts of both men were taking over. Ivilon watched it from the side, his mind a fog of confusion and fear. He was worried for Keiran, worried for his own life, worried that the light would go out in his mind, just as it seemed to have done for Aric.
And then the worst happened. Aric got the upper hand, pinning Keiran to a tree with a burst of water, then standing before him with impossible speed, hand pressing into the Riolu's throat. Ivilon balked, warning signals shooting off like fireworks in his mind. He felt the pressure on Keiran's throat like it crushed his own neck, and he dove down without thinking, doing the one thing he could do and throwing his whole body into the Quagsire that was killing his friend. The Beldum felt his insides shake from the impact and his head spun, but Aric hadn't moved--hadn't even noticed, he was so engrossed in his murderous act. But, as Ivilon watched, blood sprang from the place his head had pierced the Quagsire's sick--a purple, brackish blood that looked unnatural. The Beldum felt his stomach turn for the umpteenth time and pulled back, just as Keiran lashed out and sent Aric flying back. Ivilon stared at Keiran's eyes and felt his fury, and in spite of himself, the Beldum was afraid; gasping for breath as he was now, back against a wall, the Riolu looked like he was fit to kill.
There was little time to reflect on it as Aric forced his way back to his feet from the mess of roots he'd landed on. The Quagsire was drenched in sweat and poison water, and his breathing was labored as he stared the Fighting Type down. "You..." He rasped the word, taking a step forward with little more than malice driving his acts. "You are nothing." He stepped forward again and his eyes glowed as he raised his arms heavenward and thunder answered. "It feels good," he murmured, as raindrops began to fall, thick and fast on top of them. Raindrops the color of acid. Aric closed his eyes and breathed a shaking gasp, taking in the rain against his skin. "It feels so good to taste the air from your lungs." His eyes snapped open. "I want it all."
Keiran responded with a growl and sprang forward, surprising Aric and sending the Quagsire reeling back. And then they were caught in a deadlock again. Ivilon watched the grapple desperately, feeling helpless on the sidelines. With his vice captain so close to their adversary, any attack the Beldum could make had just as much chance of hurting as helping. Perhaps this feeling was even worse than all the others: being a captive witness to something he should have been able to help. Things were desperate now, the erratic energy of Keiran and Aric charged the air enough to make the electricity in Ivilon's veins crackle in response. This would end soon--not even the air could take it anymore. Ivilon could only pray it didn't end with mutual destruction--if he could do nothing else, he would try to make sure of that.
The pair were arm in arm, claws to skin and water to sweat. The roots were slick and both were struggling to stay standing--ironically it seemed the only thing keeping them both upright was their hold on each other. Blood tricked down their sides and flowed with the rain down into the tainted water below, and neither one would back down.
And then--just when it seemed like everything was about burst--a miracle.
"Here!" The familiar voice caught Ivilon by surprise, and he spun himself around to find a figure that made his heart lift for the first time in what felt like hours. The Espeon burst through the branches with a pulse of Psychic energy, his cloak flaring behind him from the speed of his sprint. Riley's eyes were wide and his breaths were haggard, but his paws were sure, claws digging into the slick bark. The Espeon's eyes found his friend almost immediately, and Ivilon could almost feel the Psychic that guided his captain's gaze. "Keiran!" the shout was given with all the air left in Riley's lungs. Another instant and he sprang forward with the swiftness of a Quick Attack, his eyes narrow. "Get your hands off him!" the words were a growl and were accompanied by a vicious push of Psychic that split the two apart, each leaving lacerations where they'd been latched together. Riley's tail lashed back and forth in outrage. "Don't take another step."
Aric paused, turning around to face the Espeon with his hands shaking. A deep, throaty laugh bubbled up from his throat. "You..." the Quagsire shook his head in disbelief, "You think you can stop me. Truly." The water beneath Aric began to seethe, the rain that coated his skin mingling with the foam that came from the angry waves, ready to be released at any moment. "You cannot though. But if I must persuade you" he smiled, "then I would like to see your eyes when you realize there is nothing left." Aric thumped the ground with his tail and an Earthquake shook the mangrove, the trees groaned, branches beginning to splinter and fall around them. The Quagsire turned back, sending a barrage of Water Guns at Keiran for good measure. "Come... Can't you see it? Can't you show me those eyes I want so desperately to see?"
Riley
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Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 10:52 am
Keiran The rain was burning, a cascade of fire down his neck and flanks that clung to his blood-matted fur and stung in his eyes. Even the rain could be toxic. He couldn’t afford to pay it heed, still locked in a desperate struggle against Aric. Though he no longer held the poorer position in their fight, Keiran was still a far cry from winning. This sort of battle would go on for much longer than he was used to.
Verdant aura burst against his black-and-silver, sparking bright with valor of gold and brooding violets. It melded with Ivilon’s in a rush of relief and determination, but he hadn’t needed that to recognize his captain. He knew the Espeon’s heart long before his ears caught the sound of his voice. Hope struck him numb for a moment, and the slightest pause was enough to bring Aric’s stubby fingers raking down his face as Keiran cried again for the pain of it. He returned the gesture with a stubborn vengeance.
The call of his name and the sound of sharp claws on slick bark was all the warning he’d get before the warring males were forced away from eachother. Pain seared at his face and shoulders from the release of Aric’s grip. Acidic rain splashed and dribbled across the open wounds. The stinging brought him back to focus, shifting his stance to posture at Riley’s side. His chest heaved with the effort to breathe, a hoarse rasping in his throat as he tried to regain his composure. Riley challenged the battered Quagsire, eyes lit with psychic and burning with rage. He was a sight for sore eyes and Keiran could only be grateful in spite of the rising stakes.
That shifted to horror as Aric’s skin began to bubble and seethe like a living poison. The toxic sludge of the river and the burning acid of the rain mingled on his thick skin. It ate at his wounds in a bloodied, darkened mess, and Aric seemed not to notice at all. ”Stars,” he croaked painfully, looking disgusted by the display as Aric smiled crudely back at them.
”… then I would like to see your eyes when you realize there is nothing left,” and Keiran choked on his breath, throwing a burst of aura back at the Quagsire in an effort to disrupt the powered shots of Water Gun that came sailing at his face and chest. He was lucky to dodge the first few, scrambling over broken branches and splintering vines that with a grace that belied his exhaustion. He felt acrid water splash against his heels and ankles as he evaded the infuriating barrage at his back. Splinters snagged on his leg, tearing through charcoal fur to splatter blood against the broken wood, and he would have been forced down by a second round of attacks had a flash of vibrant ruby interceded to save him.
”Aric!” came the sharply-hissed reprimand. The serpent was large, much larger than any of the Pokemon surrounding their chaos. Her glittering scales were slick with mud and thick enough to dispel the worst of the water as her body balanced over great gaps in the roots. The broken branches were still a danger, but at least the smaller splinters would fail to piece such hide. Her bladed tail and oversized fangs gleamed crimson in the quickly-fading shadows of the broken forest canopy. Keiran didn’t stop to stare, retaking his position on what stable ground he could find.
”Aric! Cannot stand for this!” Sephia scolded, though anger and agony sparked in her eyes. ”Will not condone murder!”
Keiran risked a shocked glance to Riley. He’d brought a villager back with him? She certainly seemed angry enough.
Aric recoiled at the sight of her, hissing and snarling in wordless fury until he regained sense enough to speak. And when he spoke, he screamed. ”IT IS JUSTICE!” His words were full of a hysterical fury, eyes glazed as he argued against the Seviper. ”I have told you time and again and even you have failed to hear me. Even you! He gulped as he ranted, steadying his harsh breathing through the venom of his words. Keiran knew from his aura that the maddened Quagsire was fully convinced of his words, water still bubbling and splashing around his legs and hips as he struggled in vain to bring the forest around him to ruin. ”You who raised me. You who I thought worthy of saving. I would have spared you from the water's wrath, yes, but you did not listen! You were always only trying to control me. I did not want to see but now my eyes are open. It is as the water said to me. You are just like the rest.” The last words were hissed, and their stilted accent mirrored he Seviper's own peculiar tongue--it was clear her influence still lingered even now, and he was using it to hit her where it hurt the most.
Keiran took advantage of the fading Haze, his thoughts quickly darkening in turn with his aura as he worked to plot against the rampaging Quagsire. It was difficult to think, his mind and body on the verge of overwhelmed, but a Nasty Plot might be the difference in whether or not he was able to inflict damage in such a ragged state.
Sephia rallied against the toxic Quagsire, looking angrier than ever as she fought to deflect the worst of his attacks. Disappointment and grief flashed in her eyes as his final scream struck home. ”And you are not my son! she screamed back, her hissing tones broken by the grief of losing her child.
She shot forward, snapping venomous fangs at her once-beloved child. She was much slower than he on such terrain, but her balance was better. He could only attempt to hurt her, unable to knock her aside as he’d done with the smaller and lighter opponents. Biting jaws met air, the lash of a bladed tail striking hard into the roots of the tree where Aric had been standing and catching firmly into the wood. She twisted to free herself, squeezing shut her eyes and mouth as toxic sludge splashed against her delicate face.
Keiran interceded to help her in turn, Countering the succeeding strike with aura-swathed palm strikes. He was calmer on the defensive than in leading the attack, able to focus on one task alone than in balancing his strategies. But that didn’t make him strong enough to stand alone now. ’Ivilon!’ he pleaded with the Beldum for aid, hoping that the psychic still held strong to their bonds through the midst of battle. His knee buckled under the force of a heavy-handed strike and Keiran rolled into the debris to save himself another painful encounter with Aric’s chokehold.
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Vice Captain
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Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 1:21 pm
Riley & Ivilon "That's a look you're never going to see." Riley sprang forward, heedless of the Quagsire's skin, a Psychic surge sending Aric reeling backward and choking on his own Water Gun. Their enemy spluttered in outrage, hurling a Mud Bomb at Riley's face that tore at his side, riddled as it was with splinters and stones. The Espeon winced but stood firm, digging his claws further into the wood below him as he glanced over at Keiran, relieved to find his partner had found his footing on one of the thicker roots across the way. The Riolu looked terrible--Riley had to get to his side.
The screaming match between Aric and Sephia went on for what felt like an eternity, the entire battle paused as the mother and son split the air with their screams. There was light streaming through the holes from the fallen branches, that caught on Sephia's scales and Aric's skin, and the rain poured down ever harder. Riley's gaze darted about the battlefield, his heart pounding in his chest as he looked for an opening. The water was rising, flecks stinging his paws whenever he stood still. They needed to stop Aric at all costs, but at this rate...
Sephia struck first, but Aric dodged, slipping into the water and sending a wave back at her. Keiran was there then, his paw meeting Aric's tail as it raised to slam the snake. The Riolu was barely standing as he took the brunt of the blows, jaw locked against the pain he surely felt. There was no time, no time.
The Fighting Type's psychic plea did not fall on deaf ears. As Keiran ducked, knees buckling beneath him, Ivilon shot forward, throwing his whole body into a Take Down that sent the Quagsire toppling over backward. The Beldum shook, his circuits overheating as they jumbled about, but he didn't stop. Before Aric could stand again, Ivilon rammed him a second time, forcing his head under the water. It wouldn't hurt him, by any means, but it would be disorienting enough to buy a bit of time. Aric writhed against him, pitiful Slams hardly phasing the metal-bodied Psychic, but a moment later a purple wave crashed against him, sending Ivilon flying back. He stopped himself before colliding with the trees this time but couldn't find his focus. His head reeled from the impact of such fighting and his body steamed from the contact with water. It was getting difficult.
As Ivilon created his distraction, Riley leaped across the roots as fast as he could, sending Swift cards flying at Aric as he passed. He stopped at Keiran's side, crouching defensively beside him in the muddy patch his partner lay in. Before the Riolu could say anything, he hissed a curt hushing sound,
placing a firm paw on Keiran's chest. "Breathe." The Espeon seemed to glow suddenly, a light that started in his eyes and ended in his paws. His cloak swept around them and the rain scattered as beautiful streams of orange and gold spun outward from the Espeon to his partner, veining across the Riolu's body to find his minor wounds and heal them in short bursts of light and warmth like the Morning Sun. As the healing energy left him Riley faltered, feeling the pull of exhaustion on his paws in exchange for the healing.
The Espeon's tail and eyes drooped and he shook his head past a wave of dizziness only to refocus as a Mud Shot skimmed just past his ear. With a hiss, Riley jumped away from his partner, sending Swift cards back at Aric to try to force the Quagsire's attention. "The one person who cares for you comes to save you and you attack her?" Riley spat the words with a stage actor's venom: his heart didn't have the anger in it, only sadness. "Your mother told me about you. About how she cherished you. About how she searched for you after you left her."
Aric bristled, Riley's ploy working just as planned. "Lies!" The Quagsire spat, sending a wave crashing towards the Espeon that he barely evaded, landing precariously on the end of snapped branch that began to fall beneath his feet. He jumped again, directly into a Water Gun that smacked him back against a tree, the air knocked from his lungs in the process. "How could you know anything? You could not." The Quagsire slipped down through the roots and landed in the water with a splash, his skin oozing terribly with blood and toxins as foam began to form at the edges of his mouth. "I found it, yes I did. The one thing that no one else could. I found the truth that was waiting in the water and I learned all there was to know about the world and now!" Aric was panting, his silhouette scarred with shadows from the roots and branches above him, and the ground began to shake again. "Now I am cleansing the world of evils! The water will purify those who listen and eliminate those who never cared!" Tears sprung up in the Quagsire's eyes as he spoke, and several of the trees nearby began to sway dangerously as their roots were unearthed by the quake. Another strong push and any one of them could topple, though Aric paid this no mind.
"The cleansing of the others is already underway," he said, his voice level, and barely audible above the screaming trees and raging waters. "It is not as potent as I would have liked, but it will be sufficient." The Quagsire smiled, a thought occurring to him. "And you will not ever find it. Not ever. So my task will be completed, it will." He smiled, a pure, radiant expression like a happy child. "So, I have done well? He paused, apparently listening to something, then a look of joy came over him. Yes. I have done well by the water." Another wave was sent in his adversaries' direction, this one stronger than the one before. "Now it is your turn."
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Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 3:44 pm
Keiran Ivilon’s defense had bought Keiran more time than they expected, and his plea for help had been in more ways answered than he’d expected. His shaking paws reached to touch the Espeon’s fur, dizzily grasping but never quite holding him. He took comfort in the touch, even as he instinctively knew not to restrain his captain.
Warm sunlight rippled on his skin, visible in glittering golds and burning oranges. It gleamed like fire against his fur but did not burn. Instead it soothed, like basking on a summer’s day, and his aura raced to welcome that psychic touch as much as his paws had stretched for Riley himself. The cuts in his pelt became shallow, some sealing entirely in a ripple of magic and charcoal fur. The healing brought his mind to focus and mended the worst of his lacerations. Even the bruising along his throat felt significantly better. Gratitude poured through him, even as he felt the creeping sensation of cold mud on his skin.
His aura stretched to encourage the weary psychic, only to snap back as the pair were forced apart by Aric’s attack. He was slightly slower to move than the Espeon was, taking a moment to find his footing and fully regain his balance. Now stronger, less likely to trip and stumble amongst the wreckage of the forest, Keiran would stand a better chance at fighting the demented Quagsire alone.
His maddened ranting sounded for the most part like nonsense to Keiran. He’d been bullied, perhaps abused by some, but in his madness he’d mistaken the actions of a few for the treatment of the whole. He aimed to enact vengeance on so many that Keiran couldn’t imagine they were all responsible. Too many of their hosts within the village seemed unable to rile that kind of cruelty in each other for that to be true.
The Riolu ignored the wave as it came his way, leaping gaps in the fallen branches and shattering root systems as he charged toward Aric. His palms alit with silver aura and his Quick Attack carried him the rest of the distance as he returned to the spar-like combat with the Quagsire. If he could keep him distracted, there would be less of the broad-scale destruction that threatened to tear the ground out from under their paws. The miniature wave crested above them and his aura flared out across his skin to protect him from the force of the wave’s impact. The Detect gave him the burst of strength he needed to evade the worst of the wave’s impact, cutting through the water though the weight of it still seemed to knock him senseless. His claws cut sodden wood as he forced himself to stand firm.
Taken aback to find his adversary still standing, Aric blinked. Keiran smacked his face with an open palm. The sound of the strike was surprisingly loud, and the Riolu could privately admit to something like satisfaction when Aric’s anger was abruptly and entirely redirected. Without the discipline of a practiced fighter, Aric was more prone to loss of focus than the members of Team Synchronicity. Keiran lashed at him again, rocking back on his heels to dodge the returning swipe of Aric’s thick arms and side-stepping to avoid the following Tail Whip. For Keiran, it was a much calmer version of the battle preceding it. For Aric, it was an experience in frustration as he struggled to land a hit on the rejuvenated Fighting-type. Keiran was weary still, but with Riley’s healing Aric did not have the composure left to match him.
They exchanged blows as best they could, Keiran beginning to force back the younger Pokemon with practiced steps and precise strikes. He might have eventually won, taking advantage of his opponent’s exhaustion to force him off his feet, had the Quagsire’s skin not begun again to bubble and seethe with poison. The Water-type lashed back with poison-covered hands, forcing Keiran to make a hasty retreat from the dangerous opposition, and a twisted grin crept up at the corners of Aric’s mouth.
He launched forward in a Slam and Keiran rolled to dodge him, catching fresh splinters in his fur and clawing upright in an instant. The momentum had carried Aric too far and the Quagsire staggered, his back to Keiran. He didn’t wheel to face him as Keiran expected; instead, Aric's form crumpled as he clutched at his abdomen. Something dark spilled over his hands and arms. Keiran’s fur prickled, disturbed at the sight and mind racing to catch up with reality. The slick of darkened blood was splattered across the wood, rapidly oozing from the wound that now gaped across Aric’s stomach. Aric seemed finally to register his own pain, unable to speak as he gradually dropped to the ground. He struggled against it, his jaw slack with a gurgling cry as he sputtered what might once have been a monologued curse. It didn’t sound like speech anymore.
Aric’s thick skin was still soft against the sharpened edges of the broken branches and upturned roots. The water had quickly swept off the inky violet of Aric’s blood, but Keiran could see where the debris in his path would have caught him up in his charge. Keiran had gotten lucky, avoiding severe damage in his fall. That could have been him. That could have been Riley. He’d struggled so hard to bring down a maddened killer without killing him in turn, and yet Aric’s fate had been decided by accident.
The chill of unease crept through Keiran’s spine as he watched empty eyes turn glassy. The torn, ugly gash across the Quagsire’s stomach was hidden from view and he was grateful for it, watching as the wounded mother slithered quietly to hold her lost son.
Keiran stood tense. She curled to cradle what was left of her baby. Neither one of them said a word.
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Vice Captain
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Posted: Fri Aug 04, 2017 11:18 am
Riley & Ivilon It was horrible.
There was a brief moment of brilliant intensity, Keiran and Aric locked in hand-to-paw combat that made the roots beneath them shake. The Quagsire cried out in defiance of Keiran's advance, his skin seething with water that seemed to bubble up from below its surface, and Riley and Ivilon both felt a rush of fear for their comrade. The Espeon clung tightly to a falling branch, looking desperately for a clear path to the pair and finding nothing but water-drenched pools blocking his path; the Beldum hovered near Sephia defensively, but his vision had tunneled in on the sight before him and he only felt the snake through Psychic, her energy spiking with anxiety, outrage, and pain. There was nothing they could have done--there was nothing anyone could have done.
It seemed to happen in slow motion--these things always do. Aric lunged for Keiran and the Riolu rolled out of the way, leaving the Quagsire to careen forward, balance lost from lack of impact. Riley didn't have a good view, but Ivilon saw the inevitable all-too clearly. A fallen branch had splintered off one of the nearby trees, and the place it once had met the trunk was sharp and pointed as any blade. Aric's forward rush led him straight into it, the wood easily piercing his too-soft flesh, and the Quagsire's eyes widened in a mix of outrage and surprise. Ivilon felt, rather than heard the cry escape his body--or maybe that cry had come from Sephia. The Beldum's eye was wide as he watched the murky blood pool around the point of impact, as he stared at Aric's eyes and saw the pain that overwhelmed them. The Beldum couldn't look away.
Aric turned around, wrenching himself from the branch with a shuddering gasp, his body heaving as it dripped with water, sweat, and blood. One hand was pressed to his stomach and he stared down at it in disbelief--perhaps even now he couldn't comprehend what had happened. He took a lurching step, then another, then toppled to the ground, unable to balance on the roots. He landed on his stomach with a sharp cry, his hand pinned beneath him as his blood mixed with the water he'd spoken of so fondly. His mouth opened and soft gurgles came from it, confounded by the liquids that mingled inside it. It seemed deliberate, and his lips moved as if trying to form words, but whatever might have been spoken fell as nonsense on the ears of his listeners. The Quagsire head head was turned toward Ivilon and Sephia, so they were the only ones to see him blink his eyes once--twice--and the tear that trickled down the right side of his face--a tear as purple as the water where he lay. Who knew how long he lay there, the water rushing around him, cleansing the blood from his body as he struggled to speak, but there was a moment when the sounds were gone, and another where the light behind his eyes followed.
It wasn't until that moment, Ivilon felt the blaze of emotions rush through him like venom. Revulsion, dismay, disbelief, anger, despair--there were too many words and too many thoughts and he couldn't ignore it this time when his stomach wrenched inside him. Turning around, the Beldum relieved himself of its contents, sickness flooding over him in waves of nauseating disbelief. To see a life, even a madman's life, lost in such a painful way... Ivilon's constitution couldn't handle it. He felt a prickle of embarrassment through the illness, though he knew no one would be paying him any mind now. He was the weakest one among them, it was true. Even if he was made of the strongest stuff.
Riley's eyes were wide with horror, something painful twisting in his heart as he watched Sephia slither forward, her eyes dull with hurt as she wrapped her tail around her child, cradling his body to her with all the care her explanations had suggested she felt for the once-bright Wooper Aric had been. She'd told him how she'd found the boy abandoned in the shells of his egg on the riverside; how she'd taken him in and raised him, but he'd been slow to develop and was mocked for it; how he'd had a fascination with the river that she'd tried so many times to stop, keeping him from toddling inside where the poison could hurt him. She didn't know what set it off, but one day he left on an errand and never come back. Worried sick, she'd traced his path and found small footprints in the mud by the river: for a long time she'd assumed he'd drowned, or died to toxins at the very least. He'd come back to her only recently. She'd been overjoyed at first, but quickly realized there was something wrong, when he wouldn't stay and spoke of nothing but some strange cleansing he had to perform. He'd tried to bring her with him, even by force the last time, so she chased him out, afraid for the eggs he'd threatened to destroy.
"If this is all that is holding you back, do not worry. I will take care of it and you can be with me, yes. You can be saved and need not worry. I will take care of you."
Now, Riley's fur prickled with unease, his mind racing in the brief respite. There was something Aric had said, about his task being completed... The Espeon's face grew pale and he jumped down from his perch to a lower point, expression grim, but certain of his path. "My dear lady," he said to Sephia, his tone soft and sympathetic, "I am so sorry for your loss. But we must go. This mangrove isn't safe and I won't see anyone else here harmed under my change. Please, we must hurry." He swung his head towards the hole they'd made to enter, waiting for her to move before he leaped past to Keiran.
He spared a moment to look his partner up and down, grateful to find he seemed relatively unharmed, and ever unshaken. Leaning forward, Riley whisper urgently in the Riolu's ear. "There is no time to waste, the village is still in danger. We need to figure out how as soon as possible so we can stop it. Ivilon and I will be out in a moment--try to see if Sephia has any idea what he could be planning." Riley pulled back and locked eyes with Keiran, feeling grateful to see the way his chest rose and fell as he breathed. He pressed his head into his vice captain's side. "Thank you." Then he was off, eyes set on the glimmer of metal in the shadows.
Ivilon didn't respond to his arrival, but Riley was undeterred. He politely averted his eyes as his teammate retched painfully, nothing left for his stomach to surrender. He raised a gentle paw to the Beldum's side and began to rub it slowly, rhythmic strokes from front to back. "Hey... It's okay, Ivilon. Take a moment." Ivilon's body was hot to the touch, almost painful, but Riley continued stroking him nonetheless.
The Beldum forced down his heaving, assisted by the waves of quiet reassurance from Riley. His captain's energy felt sad, but resigned, the feelings of someone who'd been through this before. "...it was awful." His voice rasped and grated on his sore throat, and he closed his eye, trying to suppress the image that wouldn't leave his mind.
"I know." Riley felt nothing but empathy for the Beldum beside him. Death was difficult, but unnatural death through battle was harder--no one ever really got used to it. It was exceptionally hard for Psychics and empaths, and Ivilon was both of those, meaning the pain would cut very deep. All the metal in the world couldn't protect him from that. "We need to get you some water," he said, gently. "And we need to finish our mission. And later we can work through this together, okay?" He patted the Beldum gently on the head. "I wish I could help you now, but there are still others we have to save. Will you be alright?"
Ivilon took a shaking breath and nodded, swallowing past the residual bile in his throat. "I have no choice," he replied, his voice heavy. "I will not let anyone else die if it is in my power."
Riley nodded. "I feel the same." Turning, he took the careful leaps that led him across to where Keiran and Sephia had gone before, feeling Ivilon following behind him. When they reached the safety of the ground outside, the magician tilted his hat back, looking at the clouds that lingered though their rain was spent. "Did you come up with anything?" he asked, looking from Keiran to Sephia. "Something that could be endangering the village? We're already working on evacuating them but we should stop it if we can." A thought tugged at his mind, raising his heartbeat as it took hold. Clive...he'd still be there. And Aric had confirmed their fears that the plan was already in action. What if... He shook his head. No. Nothing could happen to Clive. He wouldn't allow it.
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Posted: Fri Aug 04, 2017 2:01 pm
Keiran Sephia lifted her proud head, underbelly smeared with the violet blood of her first child. Her eyes seemed hollow and defeated, as if her grief had faded to weariness in the space of a moment. She looked at Riley and regarded his words with hesitance. ”I will go with you,” she answered him softly. ”I must make amends for… this. Child I knew would not have wanted this. Would have wanted to help.”
She gave the cradled body one last glance, as if pleading in her heart for the boy to lift his head and call her, and turned away to slither past Riley for dry land. She couldn’t carry him as he was, but perhaps the mangrove was among the better places for him to rest. The river would carry him with the next great storm, and maybe his body and soul would find each other in the silt of the marsh. Yes, that would be best.
Keiran grimaced in sympathy, watching Ivilon promptly lose his lunch into the river. He felt a sort of sickened irony in that his stomach contents might be cleaner than the actual water, but he purposely shut down such lines of thinking. There was no need for both of them to be ill.
”Riley,” he greeted very quietly. He tilted his head to better catch the whispered orders, and nodded. He could feel the frantic pulse of aura from the Espeon’s chest and throat, so close to his own. It was a tangled web of emotions that would take hours for Keiran to name and recognize. He only allowed their auras to merge for those precious moments before he withdrew into himself. They still had work to do. ”Help Ivilon; I’ll try to glean what I can from the Seviper,” he urged back with a murmur. He wasn’t the best choice for this particular conflict, given all that he was. It… was better left to Riley.
He departed after Sephia with swift and silent steps, leaving Riley and Ivilon to the quiet of the broken clearing of trees.
When he reached the mourning female, she simply watched him with wary eyes. ”Perhaps used to this?” she asked him vaguely, though the flicker of her gaze back to where they’d come from was more telling.
He nodded. ”Unfortunately so,” he told her, words weighted by the gravity of their meeting. ”My name is Keiran. My job is protecting the rest of our team.” An introduction was a good start, and Sephia seemed to take well to it as she responded in kind. That was relieving. It would be easy enough to become subject to her grief and anger, given the circumstances of Aric’s death. He himself could feel the mantle of that guilt across his shoulders, but he’d borne that burden before. He just hoped her civility was lasting enough to save her people.
”Aric said that his plan was already in motion,” Keiran began seriously, eyes locked to the great serpent’s. ”We know he had access to a variety of toxic plants from different parts of the swamp- most of them quite lethal to other Pokemon. Our teammate is trying to evacuate your village but we need to know how he’s hurting them if we’re going to help. I am sorry, for what you have lost. But we need your help.” His tone was stern, despite the placating words. He didn’t have the time to help her cope and he hadn’t the confidence to be of any comfort.
Sephia’s eyes narrowed as she pushed through the grief again. ”Would have seen him in the village if using water, food,” she offered tentatively. ”Most poisons lethal within body, not outside.”
Keiran quite agreed with that assessment. He didn’t mention that knowledge, but she was on the right track. ”Airborne, perhaps? Perhaps he’s burning them to use the smoke?” He was speaking half to himself, struggling with how Aric might have intended to spread his lethal weapon. But no, using smoke wouldn’t make sense. Surely they’d have seen it rise over the canopy somewhere. And there wasn’t a guarantee of wind direction either. The swamp was too stagnant and humid for that. ”There’s not much wind here; he’d have to have gotten close to the village to do it. What did he do?”
Sephia twitched, feeling as though something was quite familiar about that thought. ”Perhaps…” she interrupted suddenly, leaving Keiran to jolt upright and meet her gaze. He looked expectant, very closely focused on her expression. ”Perhaps use pure stones. Swamp air cleaned by stone formation at fork in river. Wind channeled against the rocks, brings clean air to us. If poison burned at stones, would funnel smoke through village, though whole of swamp.”
The Riolu’s pupils were specks against his teal irises. It was a horrifying method, for certain, but if it was true than they were looking at a much larger area under the poisons’ effects than they’d realized. It could very quickly leave them without any place for the village to evacuate to. It could wipe out Pokemon for miles around them. Their whole team would suffocate on burning lungs. ”Stars, no.” At this moment, he was very much relieved to have left Aric for dead. A stronger dose of poison would have been all the worse.
Riley and Ivilon joined them at the bank and Keiran looked sharply between them and Sephia. He motioned with a hand for Riley to pause. ”Can you take them to the stones?” These pure stones?” he rasped, almost not bothering to wait for her response. ”Good. Riley, take Ivilon and go with her. We think Aric’s poisoning the village air supply. Cover your faces and keep your distance. Clear out the stone formation as best you can.” He rapidly untied the thick silk from around his arm and stepped close to wrap it snug around his captain’s neck. ”Breathe through this. Ivilon will have better resistance than you will.”
Sephia looked somewhat dismayed. ”And just what will you do?” she demanded fiercely.
As far as he was concerned, he didn’t have to answer her. But he would- Riley and Ivilon would likely ask the same. They did deserve his answer. ”I’m going back for Clive. It’s not safe there, not on his own.”
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Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Vice Captain
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Posted: Sat Aug 05, 2017 7:24 am
Riley & Ivilon Pure stones? Riley and Ivilon exchanged a glance, uncertain of Keiran's meaning. It didn't seem meaningless to Sephia, however, who stared at the Riolu, aghast, as he offered his orders to his teammates. Soon their expressions matched the snakes, when they heard what Keiran had to say.
"The air supply?" Ivilon felt light-headed, whether from lack of hydration, the terrible news, or some combination of all that had happened. The Quagsire had found a way to poison the air?! It was undeniably and unbelievably cruel, and his overwhelmed processes hummed as he tried to run the probabilities of success under these conditions. Even with what limited information he had, things looked grim.
Riley looked as though Keiran had slapped him in the face, his claws digging into the ground despite the water it made to pool around them. The Espeon felt as though his head would split in two. They couldn't even breathe the air? It was the worst possible scenario--he'd considered it but he'd foolishly hoped it wouldn't end up this way. Now he was paying for that hope. "Son of an Arceus," he swore softly, registering the arm band Keiran was wrapping around him only when he felt the fabric against his mouth. His eyes widened in protest as he saw the resignation in the Riolu's eyes. What are you doing?" he said, voice muffled by the fabric, "Just what are you going to breathe through, then?" With an irate huff, he reached into the folds of his cloak and removed a silver handkerchief; there was no show to it at all--he could have pulled it from an easily visible pocket it was so unceremonious. Gruffly, he stood back and tied the fabric tight about his partner's muzzle with a practiced Psychic. He turned from Keiran a moment later and produced a larger, gold one that was shortly offered to Sephia "If you would wear this, it would make me feel much better," he told her, "but I won't force it on you if it worries you to cover your fangs." Whatever Sephia told him, he would follow through with, either tying it tight around her mouth or returning it to his pocket with a look of visible frustration.
The Espeon didn't turn to look at Keiran, his eyes fixed on the ground below as his tail thrashed. Clearly, he was beside himself, the wheels of his mind turning almost visibly behind his eyes. His head snapped up to look at Keiran and his eyes were sharp. "It's not safe even together. I'd rather you didn't go, but I understand I can't stop that." He hissed a breath of frustration, shaking his head. "So go, as fast as you can, and make sure you come back, alright?" His expression wavered for a moment and his face fell. "Please." He didn't wait for Keiran to respond before turning to Sephia. "My lady, we are in your care now."
Ivilon felt the anguish pouring off of Riley and his eye glimmered softly with sympathy. The Espeon was allowing both of his partners to head to the front lines while he hung back--that was no easy feat, and things were so emotional now it was little wonder he'd had to retreat to something like anger to cope. The Beldum turned his eye on Keiran and sent him a wave of encouragement. "Good luck, and take care." He said softly, waiting for the Riolu to turn before he joined Riley and Sephia, ready to follow where they were led.
- - - - -
The village was a scene of chaos and disarray, Pokemon moving this way and that in a mill of limbs and objects. There were hundreds of worried faces and tearful children being ushered along the roads as the adults of the town hurried to gather their most prized possessions and bustle down the paths outside of town.
It had been quite the process, sorting all this out. He'd burst into the center of town, wide-eyed and hackles raised, having amassed all manner of odd and concerned looks from Pokemon he passed as he called out that he had an announcement to make, deflecting any other questions with the insistence he had urgent news to deliver. It would be hard to persuade them it wasn't an act when he spoke of the oncoming threat: he'd just left them as a performer and returned as someone else--it wouldn't be an easy pill to swallow. Jumping onto the edge of a fountain near the town's center for height, Clive cleared his throat, mind racing as he worked through the words of his announcement.
"Everyone, I have an announcement! It's of the utmost importance that you listen to me so please--your lives are in danger." That had done enough to quell the excited murmurs, turning them into concerned, suspicious silence. "You know me from earlier today--my partner and I came to you as magicians. Now I come to you as a Guild member." There were hushed murmurs from the crowd and the exchanging of glances. News of the Guild had spread everywhere it seemed, even here. "We came here on official Guild business, and we discovered after our departure, that your village is being targeted by a dangerous criminal." The noise grew loud and Clive's tone increased. "Everyone, please! he shouted, commanding their attention with the urgency in his plea. "There isn't any time to waste. This criminal has been preparing a poison since noon today, and we don't know how he means to dispense it, only that your village is his target. We've decided it's safest to evacuate you while we identify the poison's source. Everyone needs to leave as quickly and safely as possible."
There was silence, as was to be expected; then it had been Evelyn, that wonderful Marill, who stepped up first. "So what you're saying, son, is you're not a magician?"
Clive shook his head. "No, I am, but I'm also a Guild member here on a mission. We stopped in town for supplies and didn't want to concern anyone unnecessarily. Everything I've told you today has been true." There were murmurs of disbelief and a number of suspicious stares that made Clive's skin prickle uncomfortably beneath his Aqua Ring. There had to be something that could help persuade them--if only he was an official member he'd have a badge to present, but as it was... The Vaporeon lifted his eyes to the horizon, trying to think of anything to help his case. What he found was perhaps the worst thing imaginable. In the distance, the Vaporeon spotted a haze, a place where the air seemed to boil with odd-colored smoke. His jaw dropped and he stared for a moment before regaining his senses. "There!" He pointed his paw at the sky, intent etched in every straining muscle of his body. "That haze... it isn't normal, is it?"
The group turned as one, eyes widening and whispers catching like wildfire. Evelyn turned back and shook her head, confusion turning to concern. "No, I don't suppose I've seen anything like that before.
Clive nodded, both relieved and terrified. "Then!" He nodded to them. "I don't know what it is either, but we need to treat it as though it's toxic. Everyone, gather your loved ones and evacuate immediately. Leave town to the north and travel at least as far as the swamp's edge--hopefully the wind stays on our side and it can't reach you there." Legends willing, that would be the case. "If you can, cover your face with some fabric. Don't take anything you don't need--airborne toxins spread fast but shouldn't damage any of your possessions. If all goes well you'll be able to return for them." Exactly when that would be was unknown, but it wasn't the time for that. "I'll be spreading the message throughout town. Thank you for your trust--I'll be sure I see everyone out of this place before I go."
Clive leaped down from the fountain and the crowd began to disperse with all manner of words being exchanged. Some of them were far less quick to move than Clive had hoped, but everyone was gone from the square within minutes. Evelyn had joined him, Kelby at her side--both of them had questions in their eyes. "I'm sorry to spring this all on you, I know it's a lot but please"--the Vaporeon begged--"please believe me."
Evelyn clicked her tongue. "You seem like a good boy, son, but this is quite the tall tale." Clive opened his mouth to protest but she raised a paw. "Ah! I didn't say I wouldn't be believing you, now did I?" She gave him a stern look. "I want to know if there's anything I can do to help. If what you're sayin' is true, we need everyone to know right quick. I can alert the guard to tell folks to run, if that'd help you."
Clive could have kissed the Marill. "Evelyn, you angel!" he purred. "As quick as you can. We need this message spread faster than wildfire." He glanced around the paths leading outward from him quickly. "If you ever need me, send a signal straight up. A Water Gun, a Thunderbolt--anything. I'll keep my eyes on the sky and do the same." He bit his lip. "If you could direct me to Sephia's shop as well, I would appreciate it. I promised her I'd look after something for her."
"What happened to Sephia?" Kelby's voice was dark with concern, the boy's tail thrashing nervously.
Clive offered the boy his best smile, charmed for a moment by how cute the worry was on his face. "Don't you fret, we found her on the outside of the village." He told the Raichu. "She's with Riley now, he won't let anything happen to her."
"And what are your other friends doing?" There was a twinge of suspicion in Evelyn's voice that Clive didn't miss.
"Ivilon and Keiran are hunting down the criminal as we speak. I guess they were too late to stop him from deploying his toxins if that haze is what I think it is." He refused to think about the other reasons why Aric's plan hadn't been stopped. "Sephia is with Riley--she came to find us--to find Ivilon really--because the same criminal we're after attacked her." He saw their faces light up with concern and quickly backtracked. "She wasn't harmed, don't worry, but she was pretty shaken up. She thought that Ivilon would be able to help her protect her eggs..." Seeing the looks of surprise on his companions' faces made him wonder if he should have kept quiet. With a frustrated sigh, he nodded. "That's why I need to get to her place--I promised I'd protect her eggs so please--!"
"I understand." Evelyn's voice was shaken, but resolute. "Kelby, go let the guards know what we talked about. Make sure everybody here is moving on out, and stop in at the tavern to grab some of Verne's tablecloths for face masks. Be quick, and send someone to my Kiya, straight away." The boy nodded, and she patted him on the back. "There's a good lad." As Kelby scurried off, Evelyn turned to Clive. "Come on then, let's go fetch Sephia's eggs."
Clive
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