Welcome to Gaia! ::

(( Do note: This solo roleplay is a continuation of Magnolia's journey with Altais and takes place just after she separates from the caravan at the Rinaul Mountains. ))

There was a clatter and crash that suddenly jolted the fourteen year old awake. Sighing to herself and bobbing her bedhead, Magnolia rose from the hotel room's bed and stretched herself awake. Rho, who was also awakened by the shatter, raised his head to her and let out a bedraggled yawn. Magnolia gave the feline a small smile and approached him, reaching a hand out to pat the Glameow's head.

"Good morning," Magnolia told Rho.

"Glamrrrow," he returned as he pressed his head into the warmth of her hand.

"Bit of a rude awakening, eh?" she sighed again. "I'll see what he's up to..."

"Mrrow," the Glameow agreed as he watched her walk off. As the door out and into the bedroom opened and closed shut behind his trainer, Rho arched his rear into the air and stretched just as Magnolia had done before. '' Rho mentally warned to himself as he curled himself back onto the armchair to get another fourteen hours of rest.

As soon as Magnolia entered into the next room, she was greeted with the sight of an overturned metal tray and a broken mug near the kitchen corner of the hotel room. As soon as Altais heard her approaching, the legendary jerked his head about and his body followed as he bolted up to her. He wore an angered frown and balled his little fists at the trainer.

"It's about time you woke up!" the wishmaker telepathically shouted, causing Magnolia to wince. "You've been asleep for far too long! We have to go! Right now!"

Magnolia blinked. "What's the hurry, Altais? It's-" Her eyes glanced up to the clock and noted that the hands rested on nine o' clock in the morning. "It's actually quite early..."

"Early? Early!?" Altais shot an erected finger to the clock Magnolia was just looking at. "We should've been traveling by EIGHT! You slept in!"

Magnolia pursed her lips. "If you were in such a haste to get moving, why didn't you wake me up? Or, I should say, why did you have to break a cup to do so?" She slid passed the legendary and bent down to the pieces of porcelain strewn across the carpeted floor. Gently, she picked each of the pieces off of it and placed it atop the tray before fixing it back onto the kitchen's counter. "Well, I'm awake now... I'll dress and we can go, okay?"

"We better!"

"So where are we headed first..." Magnolia asked aloud to no one in particular. Before she could reach into her bag and withdraw the map within, the zip to her carrier slid open and out floated the parchment. It unfolded itself next and, as she took it within her hands, she noticed the sparkle of Altais's peeking eye within the darkness of her bag.

"We're obvious headed for the Moteore Freezeland, idiot!" Altais grumbled.

"That's a bit of a walk, though," she replied. "How about the Howling Forest instead? It's one of the closest landmarks."

"No!"

For once, Rho agreed with the Jirachi. Just the name alone made the feline shiver with fright. "Glamrrow," he mewled into his trainer's ear.

Magnolia pursed her lips. "We're heading there first," she finalized. "Unlike you two, I will be the one lugging both of you there, so neither of you have any say in the matter."

"Hmmph."

" . . . "

The two silenced at Magnolia's reasoning. Folding the map back in quarters, she tucked it into the space in front of where the Jirachi sat and zipped her bag shut. Trudging off, she made her way to the border between Motterossa and the wilderness.

"Oh, har har har," Magnolia mockingly laughed at her companion. "Grow up."

"I'm older than you," Altais replied. "I've a few thousand years on you, thank you very much!"

"And yet you still act like a four year old."

"Hmmph!"

The fourteen year old, after filling her stomach of the entirety of her convenience store lunch, rocked back and laid down on the blanket. With arms locked behind her head, she closed her eyes, and considered taking a nap within the flora-filled area. Altais floated above her, his arms wrapped about his bosom.

"You're going back to sleep?" he asked incredulously.

"No, I'm just... resting my eyes," she replied, muffling a yawn as well. "Watch everyone while I do so, okay?"

"Magnoli-" She turned from him in a dismissing manner, cutting off the legendary's speech. Altais huffed to himself and parted from her. Approaching the Pokemon that were milling around or playing with each other, he eyed them all. Since he was in charge, they were going to listen to him. "Everyone, c'mere!"

None of the Pokemon minded him. Eta continued to nibble at flowers of the valley, Phi played with Zeta as Theta looked on, Rho napped atop a sunlit stone, and Nu stared at the sky as if it had revealed some really distressing news to her. Again, Altais called, but his bellow fell on deaf ears. Grumbling, he raised a hand and snapped a finger. Suddenly, all six of the Pokemon glowed blue with the use of Psychic and were dragged and positioned in a straight line in front of the legendary. They all fought and flailed in surprise at the sudden force; except Nu, who was so lost in her own world she didn't even feel herself moving. When they were all in front of Altais facing his way (again, except the Bibarel, who was faced backwards; the Jirachi ignored her), he stabbed a thumb into the center of his bosom and proclaimed, "Magnolia put me in charge here, so all of you is to listen to me until we leave!"

The group audibly groaned. Rho rolled his eyes and was tempted to bolt, but knew doing so would only waken the legendary's endless surge of anger. He would save the rest of the group from Altais's wrath. But being the only one willing to speak up during their little congregation, he asked, ""

"I was just getting to that," Altais said sharply. Clearing his voice, he continued, "As all of you know, I have been tasked with keeping everyone out of trouble and that is a bit of a challenge when you have to keep your eyes on Pokemon like a mangy cat-" He eyed Rho. "And a clueless dolt." Altais's eyes slid to the Bibarel's rear. "So I want everyone to be on your BEST behavior while under my guidance. Don't cause any trouble!"

"" Phi mentioned timidly. ""

Altais glared at her. "Don't speak back!" he shouted, causing the Buneary to shrink back. Shifting his hands to his hips and considering six bodies again, the Jirachi finally proclaimed, "I want everyone to remain in the valley and don't wander far from me or Magnolia. Got that?"

The group listlessly agreed.

When Altais flocked back to his original position, Eta returned his attention to Nu. The fidgeting Bibarel chattered her teeth at the buck offensively, causing him to take a step back. Twitching his horns, a soothing fragrance drifted from the orange bushels. Suddenly, Nu's fighting halted and even her eyes fixed straight. She stared wide-eyed at the deer as if it were about to pummel her face in. Eta considered it because of the trouble the beaver Pokemon was causing the others, but shook the intrusive thought aside and waited patiently for Altais to return.

The Jirachi only had one Pokemon in mind. Approaching the feline who had went back to sleeping on the rock, Altais snapped his finger and, as before, Rho was forced from his napping spot and fixed before the legendary. He squeezed his eyes shut and opened them sleepily to the Jirachi.

Altais said, "Hypnosis. You know it."

Rho rolled his eyes then yawned. "" the Glameow asked sarcastically. When the Jirachi folded his arms across his bosom impatiently, the cat let out a sigh and added, ""

"Nu."

"Arceus,>" the Glameow relented. "but her. Please. That shag rug is on a whole other level of existence. Just let her do whatever.>"

"Not if she's going to cause me trouble! If anything happens, Magnolia will take it out on me!"

""

"S-Screw you! Are you going to help me or not!?"

The Glameow arched his back and scratched behind his ear. "" Rho's face suddenly grew serious. ""

The Jirachi visibly shivered. Despite being a legendary with the power to turn a mountain into an umbrella, the Kangaskhan's intense atmosphere made Altais shrivel into a ball from fear. "F-Fine, fine! I'll behave. Now come with me... We're gonna get down to what is really driving that Bibarel's mind."

The problem with Nu wasn't resolved after Altais passed out from either horror, shock, or possibly both. Eta released his hold on the Grass Knot about the Bibarel's limbs and let her rest until Magnolia awakened. When Altais had slightly recovered from his catatonic state and the fourteen year old asked, he responded with a stiff, "Everything went well." Magnolia did not question the legendary's response (despite her doubt) and let it be as she prepared to head off to the Howling Forest.

Just as Magnolia withdrew the last item -- the blanket she slept upon -- back into its item ball and packed it away, she felt something nab her sleeve. Turning toward it, she tilted her head at a nervous looking Altais.

"How... How about we stay in the Seatance Valley for the night?" he insisted. "Or w-why don't we avoid the forest altogether? Why don't we just head to the next place instead?"

Magnolia blinked. "Did something happen, Altais?" she asked, but immediately got swift shakes of the head from the Jirachi. "Then why?"

"Just because."

"Because?"

"Because."

Magnolia pursed her lips. "Do recall you're not calling the shots here, Altais," she replied sharply. "We're heading to the Howling Forest as per my words, all right?" Picking up her team's Pokeballs, she withdrew the rest of her party and replaced them back into her messenger bag as Rho took his place across her shoulders. "If you can't follow my directions, feel free to travel on your on." And with that, Magnolia turned on her heel and began walking. Rho flashed the Jirachi an amused smile. It was great when Magnolia put him in his place. Altais balled his fists and reluctantly drifted after the duo.

However, much to Rho's satisfaction to the Jirachi getting his just desserts, the two were wrapped about each other shivering in fright when Magnolia reached the border to the Howling Forest late in the evening. She peered into the dark thickets of the trees and puckered her lips in thought. "It's quite dark..." she thought aloud. "While it would be shorter to traverse, there's no direct path through."

"T-Than we should turn back... Or go around." Altais mentioned with a shiver.

"Glamrrrow," Rho agreed.

Magnolia glanced at both of them on her shoulder and shook her head as she took her first step in.

Knives of light pierced through the canopy of the Howling Forest, signifying morning despite the darkness being akin to night. Of the three, Altais was always the first to rise and stretched his arms upward and hummed when his muscles were pulled taut. Deciding to start on breakfast, the Jirachi hovered Magnolia's bag over and helped himself to a few Oran berries the lavender-haired girl kept in a pouch. Finding a spot where the sunlight hit the brightest, Altais took a seat in the circle of warmth and began nibbling on the blue fruits. He chewed slowly, savoring the sweet taste before they had to return to the road again.

Halfway through his second berry, there was an unusual itching that began bothering the Jirachi on the nape of his neck. It started off as any other itch, but as soon as he scratched it, it worsened. Frowning as his nails dug onto the curve of his body, he wondered what caused it, and at first thought it was a Joltik. Using Psychic to hover Magnolia's bag over, he spilled the contents of the carrier out into the sod and searched for a mirror. Finding a pocket one, he pried it open and shined both halves onto the area of skin. His eyes widened to several points protruding from it. Running a finger over them, Altais realized all too well what it meant.

"It has started..." Altais muttered to himself. "The crystals are beginning to form..."

The Jirachi swallowed thickly because it wasn't a good sign -- it meant his days were numbered. For how long, he didn't know, but once the chrysalis began to form, it did not stop. He clicked the mirror shut and threw it back into the pile of things from Magnolia's bag, not even exerting extra effort to clean up after himself. He slumped down back into the sunlight and let out a heavy sigh.

"Why now? Of all times, why now?"

"Altais?"

The Jirachi stiffened when his name was mentioned. Turning his head over his shoulder, he noticed Magnolia was half upright rubbing the tiredness out of her left eye. Letting out a yawn, she gently removed herself from a still sleeping Rho and approached him. Her eyes shot from the legendary to the mess he had made of her things and they widened in questioning.

"Did you do this?" she asked, to which she got a nod in reply. "Why?"

"B-Because..." he stammered. Should he tell her? His heart kept vouching for yes, but his gut told him otherwise. "Because... You took long getting up! So I decided to get my own breakfast."

"Oh, you pain in the butt!" Magnolia huffed as she knelt down, grabbed up her bag, and began scooping things back into it. "All you do is cause me trouble!"

The Kangaskhan's speedy voyage was stopped prematurely a third through the start of the grasslands. Magnolia tilted her head up and noticed the Parent Pokemon's face had grown doleful. Rising from Theta's pouch, the trainer examined her surroundings carefully. As the scenery -- decrepit, downed trees and the patches of sod where the yellowing of bones picked clean by buzzard Pokemon sprouted like the blades of grass intermingled between them -- was scanned, Magnolia realized where they were. Even Rho's ears drooped to the familiarity. Altais was the only one to appear indifferent to the area although he was the first to realize where they were.

Magnolia reached a hand out and placed it upon her Pokemon's side emphatically. "Are you all right, Theta?" she asked her.

The Kangaskhan raised her head to the scene where the memories of countless murders flooded her mind. The tears that wanted to burst forth never came and, with a few blinks, she glanced back down to Magnolia and nodded her head solemnly. Releasing herself from her trainer's touch, Theta took the time to look around and take it all that happened. She looked to Altais expectantly, wondering if the legendary would protest her liberty and cry about his need to get to the Kesfas Mountains, but he just folded his arms across his bosom and pursed his lips in stubborn acquiesce under her stare. Taking this as a respectful, "Do whatever you want," Theta continued forward from the three bodies she was carrying.

Visions flashed by as she tracked the steps she had ran with her mother when the poachers had chased them down. The smell of blood and gunpowder was strong in the air as adrenaline pumped through every capillary and vein. Under the glare of the setting sun, the grasslands were painted red, and fear intermingled with sadistic joy. Theta recalled the shock that froze her form when her mother dropped like a stone by her side. She recalled how all of her screams and beats to her shoulder would not bring life back into her unblinking eyes.

"Kan!" Theta blinked and looked down to the sudden rustle in her pouch. Zeta's head popped from the flap of skin and looked up to her with a smile. "Kan, kan!"

It was here small tears filled her eyes. Her last memory was grabbing her wailing brother from her mother's pouch and hiding in the only dead thicket of trees until Altais and Magnolia showed driving the poachers off. She raised a hand and placed it upon her younger sibling's head as she wiped away a tear with the other. Zeta blinked in confusion, and then suddenly whipped her hand away as he flailed his arms in annoyance. Magnolia rounded her way in front of Theta and pulled him from her Pokemon's pouch.

Bouncing him up and down and patting his back as if he were a human infant, Magnolia sighed, "I guess he's hungry. You can continue to take your time, Theta. I'll feed him."

"You... Y-You will at least tell him about her, yes?"

"Kanga, kangaskhan..."

"If he asks about her, yes."

Magnolia wasn't too content with the answer (and would've advocated that Theta tell him about her anyway), but kept her opinion to herself. Zeta was Theta's responsibility and she was quite too young to determine how to raise an infant, Pokemon or otherwise. When Zeta sucked the last of the Pecha milk, he unclasped his teeth from about the bottle's rubber tip and turned inward to the warmth of Magnolia's bosom and slipped into a snooze. Hefting him up again, she approached Theta and gently settled the baby Pokemon back into her pouch.

Casting a glance to the grave of Theta's mother, Magnolia said, "How about we clean up her grave a bit? Pull some of the weeds, plant new flowers... How about it?"

"Kanga," the Kangaskhan replied with a nod of her head.

Everyone helped out with the task. Rho and cut away stray bushels of dried grasses with Slash while Phi piled the sheared blades into a pile (which took an arduous effort because of her constant tripping), Eta used Nature Power to help grow in new flowers, Nu watered (more like drooled) water onto them, and Theta, with the help of Altais's Psychic to move it, cleaned moss from the large stone with Magnolia. Eventually, the grave that once looked desolate was renewed with vigor. The group's trainer smiled at their hard work.

"Nice work, everyone! You guys did great!" she said before withdrawing all of them save Rho and Theta. Rolling her shoulders after the feline hopped on them, she approached her Kangaskhan and climbed back into her pouch. "Guess we should get going now?"

"Kanga," the Parent Pokemon nodded.

After Altais took the spot next to the teen, the two set off through the Zatao Grasslands until night fell. They set up camp halfway through the fields when stars marred the heavens above. Magnolia withdrew Theta so she wouldn't be battered by the cold gales that suddenly gusted across the lengthy prairie, but didn't pardon the same for Rho. She knew the Glameow would ignore her if she even mentioned putting him in her Pokeball. Instead, like before in the Howling Forest, the three bodies snuggled into the tightness of her sleeping bag and found rest. But not for long, as Altais soon woke and rose from the trainer's arm wearing a bothered expression.