[PKMN FULL] Darker than it Seems... [IC]

[FullMetal_Ashheart]

Annabel

Annabel was nodded when she had started to head to the house. Inside of her, she could sense something was happening, but she couldn't really tell what was going on. Then, she started to feel a cold shiver going down her spine. That feeling.. it was as if someone was watching her. She was turning around to see who it was, but she didn't see anyone. She was then starting to feel uneasy. 'Whoever is following me.. must be the same people who might have followed me here. I had a feeling I was being watched when I had gotten on the boat to get here.. but why would they follow me here? What makes me important? I may be a Hybrid, but why would they still want me?' Anna thought to herself as she was then shaking her head at the thoughts and then tried to smile. She knew she was in danger because of what she is, but she didn't think she would be in bigger danger now.
​

 

[shatteredxfrost]

Arryn; Ice & Dark

---

Will probably be late. Currently in tournament.

Arryn reads the text from Darren and taps a quick reply; We're on our way to the house. Come when you're ready.

The bubble of worry forms in the pit of her stomach as it always does when the group is separated. Gray ran off to give Tulip a lecture about putting her heart first, Shadow sensed something weird and flew off, Darren is currently in an underground tournament... what the hell could go wrong?

"We're here," she points to the house, secluded from the few other houses on the street. There was a fair distance between the only neighbour and the road had a pretty convenient right turn to lead to other neighbourhood houses. We got lucky this time.

She skips up the driveway, fishing the front door key that she found in a bowl of spares on the kitchen counter out from her back pocket. Arryn inserts the key and looks back at Rex, a little unsure. "Uh, you might fit through the doorway... If not, there's a gate in the garage just to the side that you could use instead. The back-door is a sliding one, pretty wide. They're both unlocked."

Arryn opens the front door and leaves it ajar for Anna and Rex, if he can fit. Her Absol trots past her, straight for the fluffy carpet and rubs her body into it. Madox looks up from his spot on the couch, yawning.

"All you do is sleep," she chuckles and reaches over to scratch his head.

 

[Iceshadow3317]

Shadow:

Shadow made his way through the darkening woods. Twigs snapped underneath. Leaves crunched under his feet. He tripped over roots and small plants. He kept his eyes forward, but his vision was starting the blur again. His head was pounding like a Rhyhorn was racing in his head, trying to get out. He heard Hoothoots starting to wake. He caught one looking at him, watching him form below. He thought he heard a massive flock of Zubat, Golbat, and Crobat, but thought nothing of it. Shadow trips over a Sentret. He falls hard to the ground turning quickly in the air so that Gray didn't get hurt more than he was. He laid there for a minute or two, catching his breath in forest air.

He heard a pack of houndour in the distance, probably hunting for food. Luckily they were going away from him. He struggled to his feet and put Gray back over his shoulder. He looked at Lucario who was looking at him with slight concern. Jason was still in the Lucario's arms, still fainted from the battle with Gray. He was positive that at least Gray might be out for a day or so, even with healing. Unless Gray decided to wake up. He wasn't sure about Jason.

'Cario. Car car Lucario.' Lucario said.

"No Lucario, I'm fine... We should be getting close now." Shadow lied, slowly starting to move again.

'Cario.' Lucario said. Shadow was pretty sure that Lucario was calling him an idiot.

He couldn't stay quiet. His speed boost wasn't working. His pure power was out of juice, even with his sister's pendant cracked. His legs burned like the mane of a Rapidash. His back was hurting worst then it ever had. He couldn't feel his arms, they were like a Ditto's body, limp and rubbery or slimy. He had never touched a Ditto before, so he didn't know what it felt like. This was the first time in a long time that he had become this weak. He was pretty sure that he was close to fainting, but he knew in his mind that he could not let them fall out in the woods. It would be dangerous or even deadly. He caught a glimpse of the house that he thought was the Arryn had picked for them. but he was still a good walk away.

The only thing he liked about the walk was the singing of some bug type pokemon who sung at night.

 

[ElBurrito]

Darren

Darren and Houndoom stood and watched a Swellow and Talonflame fight. Darren looked down at Houndoom. "Ready for the last fight?" Houndoom looked up and gave a nod. Darren looked back at the two Talonflame as he thought about his previous battles. Honedge put up a good fight against Scyther but is slightly worn out and Arbok barely took down that Eelektrik. I need Aerodactyl on backup in case I need to escape. And I don't think Ariados is battle ready yet. Guess that does leave Houndoom for this last fight. Both bird pokemon locked talons and spiraled into the ground. Talonflame slowly flew up as Swellow fainted on the ground. Well, guess we know who got third place now. Darren and Houndoom walked up to the ring as the two bird trainers left. A man walked into the middle of the ring and looked at the crowd. "And now for the final round! Darren and Houndoom versus Kyle and his Houndoom!" The man walked out of the ring and Kyle sent out his Houndoom. Darren stared at his opponent, So my Houndoom gets to fight another Houndoom. Just the opportunity he's been waiting for. Darren looked down at his Houndoom as he thought about the past.

*Ten Years Ago*​

Darren and Houndour ran through an alley as a group of men chased them. "Why did you have to do that Houndour?" Darren said as he looked back at the angry mob. Darren and Houndour ran into a dead end and turned around. Darren pressed his back against the wall as he watched the mob block off his only exit as Houndour dropped food from it's mouth. "Next time try not to get caught stealing." Darren said as he looked down at Houndour. One of the men stepped out and tossed a pokeball into the air, sending out a Houndoom. "Houndoom, get them." Darren's hands burst into flames as his whole body began shaking in fear. The man smirked, "So the kid's a hybrid. Guess that explains why he sent his pokemon to steal from me". Houndoom stepped closer to Houndour and bared it's fangs. Houndour barked and spit out a flamethrower. Houndoom stepped to the side and dodged the attack then sprinted forward and grabbed Houndour by the throat. Houndoom slammed Houndour into the ground, pinning it down. "Hey! Get off him!" Darren yelled as he ran up and started punching and kicking Houndoom. Houndoom turned and launched a flamethrower at Darren. Darren stepped back and crossed his arms in front of his face. Houndour bit Houndoom's leg in an attempt to get free. Houndoom grabbed Houndour and threw it into a wall, nearly knocking it out. "Houndour!" Darren ran to Houndour but got tackled by Houndoom. Houndoom pinned Darren down and held it's teeth around Darren's throat. "Houndoom, return." The man returned his pokemon and walked up to Darren. "Hybrid or not I won't have a child's blood on my hands." The man said, looking down at the terrified kid. "But if I'm lucky something else will come along and kill you for me. Especially since you don't have a pokemon capable of defending you now." The man glanced at Houndour then turned and walked away. "Hope you learned your lesson kid. Humans don't like your kind stealing from us let alone even being around us." Houndour glared at the man then passed out.

*Present Day*​

A loud crash of thunder rang through the room, bringing Darren back to reality. Darren looked around the room then back to Houndoom. "Let's do this Houndoom. This time you'll be the one walking away." Darren looked back to the ring as both pokemon entered. This won't be easy. But after all these years of training, Houndoom can finally hold his own in battle. The bell rang and both Houndoom began moving in a circle, staring each other down and growling. Both Houndoom leapt toward each other, snarling and ready to kill.

​

 

[Stingray]

Lydia; Psychic Fairy of the Forest​

Lydia lightly stepped through the forest, her footsteps like a gentle breeze upon the soft earth. Looking up at the vast trees that towered above her, the woman frowned, she could feel she was close to the border that led to the human's territory. This area of the forest was filled with sorrow, pain, fear, anger, and hatred. The wind carried the smells of "civilization" that drowned out the natural scents of the forest. Indications of the humans that lived nearby.

Lydia stopped as she looked around, her heart was filling with sorrow at the state of her forest. The pokemon here were hunted, beaten, and enslaved more often than in the deep forest where the Haven was located. There was sorrow from broken families of the pokemon left behind when their parents, children, siblings, or friends were enslaved in those horrific spheres. Pain from the brutal fights that left many wild pokemon broken and battered purely for the sick thrill of battle the humans seemed to enjoy. Fear of the humans who brought the pain and sorrow filled most of the life here. Some this fear had been twisted in feelings of anger by the inhabitants of these woods. This anger would grow into a burning hatred toward the oppressors that not even Lydia could hope to calm. This hatred would drive many wild pokemon to try in exact revenge upon the local populace with reckless bloodthirsty attacks.

Stopping in her tracks Lydia looked around as she felt things other humans were blind to. This area was so twisted with dark emotions it made Lydia's spirit sink. How could they be so blind to the pain their actions caused? Did they know the evil of their actions and were just so heartless that they continued them anyway?

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted when she heard a distant human voice combined with the sounds of careless stomping through the forest. Lydia made the quick decision to investigate these noises, and took off in swift silent steps toward the source. Was it a trainer seeking to cause more damage to the forest? She would soon find out as she approached the increasingly loud noises. Within a few minutes, she had spotted the intruder and his pokemon as they moved carelessly through the underbrush. Insuring she stayed out of sight (which is not easy considering her bright choice of clothing), Lydia closed the distance gap carefully moving from tree to tree until she was close enough to discover the human and his servant were each carrying another human. Watching closely for a minute Lydia wondered what she should do. Should she leave them be? Or help? She considered the fact the two knocked out humans might be victims of the conscious human, but she wanted to believe he was helping them instead.

Lydia hid behind a tree for a minute as she formulated a plan. Once her course of action had been decided, she cupped her hands together as her palms began to glow white. She focused energy into a concentrated orb before she adding an additional detail in the form of small dragonfly like wings sticking out the sides of the sphere. Glancing from behind her hiding spot, she focused her powers, and teleported the orb of pure energy in front of the small group.

There was a sudden flash of light five feet in front of Shadow that quickly condensed itself into a glowing orb that fluttered in place with the "aid" of small wings made of a similar energy. Lydia then tried to telepathically communicate with the man from her hiding spot, but found it difficult due to his dark nature. A shutter went down her spine as she felt his darkness, and doubt of his character quickly entered her mind. She had no choice but to continue her plan at this point so she focused harder so her voice could entered the man's mind.

"Dark one, what is your intentions with the two humans you and your servant carry?" Echoed in Shadow's head as the orb of energy pulsed to give the illusion it was the one communicating with him.

 

[Iceshadow3317]

Shadow:

Shadow was getting to his collapsing point when a small yanma like orb floated it front of him.

"Dark one, what is your intentions with the two humans you and your servant carry?"

Shadow stopped as the voice entered his head. Lucario growled at the orb that hovered in front of them. Shadow sense the aura of someone near by, but gave no indication of it.

"Calm down Lucario. I don't think this thing means any harm." Shadow said as he slowly put Gray on the ground. Lucario did the same thing with Jason. Although Lucario stopped growling, Shadow still knew that Lucario was on guard.

He looked at the orb and took a knee so he could rest while talking. Lucario remained standing looking around the area.

"We aren't humans. We are hybrids. And these two are my friends. We are taking them back to the house we are currently using." Shadow said as he put a hand down on the ground to keep from falling over as best as he could.

"Please don't call my pokemon servants. I don't make them do what they don't won't to do. My pokemon are my friends." Shadow said, taking in deep, controlled breaths then exhaling.

Shadow could hardly sense the person who was somewhere near.
The person is like a fairy in the woods. She blends in with the forest so well, much like Jason did when he had an aura of the plant. She is either a pokemon or a hybrid, no normal person can use telepathy. It seems like a lot of energy is going to making contact with me. Focusing more than she has to.

Shadow closed his eyes to feel his mind's eye. Which was a trick he had picked up from the old man on the train who had given him those black glasses. It allowed the user to see without using his eyes. And was fairly easy for him to learn even though everyone could learn it. Was probably do to using it in the past. Although he could see in the dark, being a dark type, he couldn't focus on that at the moment. With his mind's eye, he searched the surrounding area. He could feel the wind and other things better now with his eyes closed.

"You seem to be focusing harder to use telepathy with me. Possibly because I am a dark type. Why don't you come out so we can talk normally. As normal as I can talk at the moment at least. Don't worry, I am not going to hurt you, I can barely walk as is." Shadow suggested with a kind voice.

Damn it. Why did I not bring my bag...

 

[Stingray]

Lydia; Psychic Fairy of the Forest​

Hearing that he was a hybrid, like her, took her off guard for a second and explained the darkness Lydia had to deal with to communicate with him. The asking her to come out and talk tempted her to drop the plan and retreat. Shaking her head, she would keep the illusion going, despite the hybrid not being fooled by it. Hopefully he would not be able to find her.

After floating in front of Shadow for several seconds without doing anything, the orb began to pulse once again as Lydia spoke to him mentally, "I will trust that you do not mean these others harm." The orb then began to float toward Shadow as the soft echoing voice returned, "You make them sit in little cages for your convenience. When you want their help you summon them, much like a master would summon a servant. Their freedom is at your whim. Friends do not create such prisons and limitations for each other like thus. Thus they are your servants, and your definition of friend has been twisted by human lies."

The orb did not stop as it got close to Shadow, instead impacted his body and filled his weakened form with strength. This strength was temporary, but it would help him reach his designation easier. As the hybrid felt the strange power fill his body the voice returned, but as it spoke it faded in volume, "Now go, you are not welcome in this forest. It sees you as its enemy and those who live here would seek to do you harm."

 

[Iceshadow3317]

Shadow:

Shadow felt so strength return. He was slightly annoyed by the voices words, but he kept calm as he could understand somewhat.

"Thank you. But I must tell you that I was the one who stopped these two form wrecking this forest. if I had not, they would have possibly killed many pokemon and anyone else who may have been caught up in their fight. One had already been knocked out. I made sure to knock out the other one instead of fighting him." Shadow said as he stood, feeling his body return somewhat to normal, but still wore out.

"My pokemon are not servants, if they didn't want to be in their pokeballs, I would let them out. I ask them for help. I do not demand it. We eat together. We play together. We train together. If my Lucario didn't see me as a friend, he would have never evolved from a Riolu. It is because of that bond why my pokemon stay with me. And there are some forms beyond evolution that require the strongest bond between a trainer and a pokemon. I ask my pokemon if they want to join me, I don't force them. They join willingly." Shadow said.

"I understand your concern. Unova had a group just like you. Only half of them turned evil. The other half worked and seek to understood why trainers and pokemon wanted to be with each other. They strive to find homes for all the pokemon who were abandoned with other trainers. If the forest truly sees me as an enemy, then why have I not been attacked? Why have the pokemon not thrown me out?" Shadow asked picking up Gray.

'Lucario?' Lucario asked.

"No my friend. There is no threat here. Come on, let's get home. I know you are probably getting hungry along with me." Shadow smiled at his friend.

Shadow and Lucario walked with Jason and Gray toward the house. He didn't seek to find the woman as it was her way of life and he understood her concern well. He didn't like being in houses. He didn't like being in most towns. He loved being with nature, under the star lit sky and moon. Something in which he would probably do tonight.

"I cannot force you into a new life style. Nor can I convince you. That is up to you. I understand your ideals, I am Yin and Yang after all. Dark and Fighting. But I must warn you that there are people out there who do not like hybrids. They probably have a profile of us all. Nothing will stop them from hunting us down and that is why we have formed a group. To protect each other from their evil. Some of my group are not as understanding as I, like the one that I carry now. But think about it. We are in the house up ahead. If you happen to change your mind." Shadow finished as he walked away from the area with Lucario.

"Thank again." Shadow said one final thing as he waved with his empty hand.

 

[Stingray]

Lydia; Psychic Fairy of the Forest​

Lydia shook her head as she listened, but she did not respond. No, the fact he kept them in such cages showed they truly lacked freedom. He was like the others, and put up a wall of self-told lies and hollow justifications to convince oneself that what they were doing was fine. She felt more pity than anger toward the man as he spoke of how his servants were his "friends."

"You are truly blind… You cannot see what is in front of you. You call others evil for an action you have done yourself. The forest fears you that is why it does not kill you. Only those whose fear has turned into hatred will seek your life here. I see no reason to come to your house which is surrounded by those who hate and might hunt me, when I have a haven that welcomes and protects me," replied the soft echoing voice.

Lydia started to gather energy to teleport herself away, but suddenly stopped. She could not make changes continuing her path of isolation. She had to reach out to others and show them the way. Taking a deep breathe she mentally said to the dark one, "I can heal your friends, and offer a place of rest that is not surrounded by those who seek to harm you. If you desire this gather your other friends and return here. I can watch over the wounded." Lydia was afraid of the man accepting her offer, but it was a risk worth taking.

(( If Shadow refuses the offer I will find other ways for the group to meet her.))

 

[Iceshadow3317]

Shadow:

"You cannot hide from those who seek to hunt us. The forest will not stop them. Look what they have already done to us! Look at what those who are truly evil are already capable of! They turned us into hybrids. I do not hate being I hybrid. However I hate what they did to all of us. What they forced us to do. The pain they inflicted on us. The pain the brought when they ripped those away who we care about! Those are the ones who are evil! And nothing will stop them from ripping the forest to shreds to find every last one of us!" Shadow yelled, starting to become angry.

"I did not cause this forest any pain! I caused a crater yes, but I had to to stop further destruction of the forest from these two idiots! That crater can be filled with water for the pokemon!" Shadow yelled, he felt his anger against Team Rocket.

Shadow was about to yell something else, but he bit his tongue. He took a deep breath, fearing that what he cannot control may take over even with as little energy as he had.

"I am sorry. I shouldn't have yelled, but when I talk about Team Rocket. When I think about what they did to us. How they took my sister's life for nothing but their own greed, it pisses me off." Shadow said.

"I can heal your friends, and offer a place of rest that is not surrounded by those who seek to harm you. If you desire this gather your other friends and return here. I can watch over the wounded." The voice entered his head.

Shadow looked around, thinking about the offer, "I am sorry, that is not my choice to make. Not at this moment. My friends deserve to know what happened. And although I sense no evil intentions within you, I cannot allow you to watch over my friends. I cannot trust someone who doesn't trust me. Surely you understand that. Let me talk to my group and then we will make a choice based on what we think is the correct line of action. These two do not need to be healed. Not right now. Not in this forest. Their murderous intent against one another would just cause another battle which will cause this forest more harm. They must sleep off that intent. I don't won't them to hurt the pokemon, plants, and any other livings things in the area that might be around. So I will return to my friends first. If by some chance you have another idea to approach us, be my guest. We will have an answer in time."

Shadow walked away from this psychic fairy of the forest. He didn't know what to say nor did he know what to do. He had to ask his friends. He had to ask Arryn what she thought. Not everyone liked to live in the forest. He looked up at the now darkened sky. It was a little pass dusk. As he made it to the street he had to cross in order to get to the house. He could see Anna, Arryn, and Rex. He looked around more, hoping she was here.

"Tulip must already be in the house." Shadow said as he started across the road. With Gray on his shoulder and Lucario following close behind with Jason.

 

[Groc]

Rex

Goldenrod City is a nice place. The birds, the buildings, the parks, even the people are all just... nice. Rex finds himself enjoying the walk through the streets, and ignores the bad feeling in the back of his mind.

"We're here." Arryn points to the house, a surprisingly large home, even for an uptown suburb. Rex nods appreciatively, thinking that things are finally going their way.

"Uh, you might fit through the doorway..." Arryn sounds doubtful, looking at the entrance. "If not, there's a gate in the garage just to the side that you could use instead. The back-door is a sliding one, pretty wide. They're both unlocked."

Rex just sighs, watching Arryn head inside with her Pokemon. He shakes his head at the miniscule entryway, heading for the back. "It's fine. I'll go around back. See you inside." He notes that the fence is pretty tall, almost unnecessarily so, but even he can hide behind it.

When he reaches the back yard, he notes that the sliding door is big enough to accommodate him. Perhaps the owners regularly hold large parties in this yard? Rather than go inside right away, he lets his Pokemon out. Hawk and Blaze look around for a moment before heading inside, curious about their new digs. Tyrant just sits down, letting out an annoyed snort.

Rex pats the T. rex on the nose fondly, giving him a smile. "You're just too big, buddy. Stay out here and keep watch, huh? I'll bring you something to eat." The dinosaur just rolls his eyes, gently chomping down on Rex's hand. Rex just laughs and pulls his hand free, heading inside.

His birds are roosting on a couch, and Rex points out to the yard. "Outside, you two. Keep the big lug company." They comply, while Rex gingerly walks through the house, careful not to break anything. Once again he feels like his size is more hindrance than help to the party, and honestly considers sleeping outside with his Pokemon.

"This is a nice place, Arryn. You did good finding it. I especially like the yard. Very private, and cozy."

 

[Stingray]

Lydia​

As the other Hybrid left, Lydia stepped out from behind the tree she had been hiding behind as some of his words began to haunt her thoughts. Her brilliant teal eyes watched the man leave and took note of which house he was moving toward, as she summoned two brilliant orbs that she quickly combined. Pulling the single large orb toward her body it grew in size until it engulfed her and in a blink of an eye she was gone.

Reappearing in her secret haven in the forest, the nature loving hybrid looked around with nervous eyes. Lydia walked over to a massive root that grew over the small creek that flowed playfully through the grove. Her mind was in turmoil over what she needed to do, and she felt the need to meditate in order to focus her mind on making the best decision she could. She easily hopped up on the top of the root where it arced over the stream, forming a natural bridge. Slowly sitting into the lotus position with her legs crossed and her arms resting on them, she closed her eyes and began to meditate.

"You cannot hide… the forest will not stop them… nothing will stop them from ripping the forest to shreds."​

These words evoked the thoughts of everything around her burning and dying as the enemy hunted her. She knew many of the pokemon would give their lives to protect her, and this only made the thought worse. No! She could not leave! This was her home, here she felt safe, and here she felt peace. Out there was nothing but monsters, enemies, and him. A chill shot down her spine as she shuttered at the thought of seeing that cruel traitor again. If that other hybrid was correct however, they would seek her out here and bring they darkness to this small corner of hope. Not only would the darkness try to consume her, but it devour this place as well.

They had not sought her out here yet, or at least that she knew of. The fact remained that they could seek her out here. Suddenly she felt the weight of a small bird land on her shoulder. Opening her eyes she looked at the Fletchling that had landed there. She could sense its concern for her, as it sensed the turmoil that filled its friend. Looking around Lydia suddenly realized she had drawn a crowd of pokemon that called this section of the forest their home. Suddenly the last words of her mentor ran through her mind.

"Lydia you have a great gift. This world is suffering, as a darkness is consuming it. The balance and beauty of this world is being eroded away by both the blind and dark in heart. You have been given a gift that allows you to protect others from the evil ones, and guide the blind into the light and open their eyes to the truth. This will not be an easy task, but in you is a greatness I had not seen until now. You have both the kindness of heart to help others, and the strength to fight the darkness. I believe in you… Please do not let these gifts go to waste." ​

Lydia continued to look at the various pokemon as she realized that her mentor meant for her to do more than create a small pocket of hope in a dark world. Standing up tears began to flow from her eyes as she quickly moved toward the tree that her home was grown into. Walking through the entrance made from living vines, the woman looked around at her humble home as she began to break down. The Fletchling on her shoulder chirped with concern as the hybrid quickly grabbed several items including spare clothes, food, and a few memoirs. Wrapping the few items into her one sundress, she tied the dress so it acted like a bag after taking some vines to create straps. Looking around one last time at the home she would likely never see again her heart continued to sink. She then stepped out of her home, tears streaming from her eyes as she silently sobbed.

She found a dozen pokemon had gathered outside her home curious at what was disturbing their guardian. Looking around at the pokemon then the forest, Lydia focused her mind and spoke to everything around her. "I must leave… I see now where my path must lead. I cannot heal the world from here and I need to go out and follow my path. I thank you all for the good memories, friendships, and care however this is a perilous journey that I must make alone," Telepathically spoke the woman. She then gently held out her finger to the Fletchling on her shoulder, who hopped on the inviting perch. Lydia then moved her hand to a nearby branch for the tiny robin to hop on. The flying pokemon moved on the branch as instructed and waited to see what the hybrid would do next.

Lydia summoned forth energy to teleport herself with a heavy heart. A part of her believed she would never see her home again, as she began to envelope herself in energy. Realizing the woman was teleporting away the Fletchling opened its wings and took off. It picked up speed as it desperately flew toward the woman. As the tiny bird approached her, he too was enveloped by the light and teleported to her destination.

After finishing her teleportation onto a large branch overlooking where she had met the other hybrid, Lydia lost all control. Falling to her knees she began to cry, she was already homesick and she had not left the forest yet. The thought of venturing into the human city only drove her deeper into despair. What began to bring her out of despair was the sudden feeling of the Fletchling rubbing against her cheek with his tiny head to try to comfort her. Looking over at the bird Lydia could not help but smile a little, and at that moment she knew her decision was the right one. It still filled her with sorrow to know she was leaving everything she had built behind, but if she could create a better world it was worth the sacrifice. Still crying, she drew her legs into her meditation position and began focusing while tears flowed from her eyes. Her body began to levitate in place as she entered a state of mind that would allow her to focus and steel her mind for the challenges to come. She had to tap into her inner strength and prepare herself mentally for the darkness she would have to face. She had to bring light and harmony to this world or die trying…

 

[Iceshadow3317]

Shadow:

Shadow could feel the rest of his energy slipping away. He slowly walked across the road. Anna was a little behind the others, so he went ahead and went in. He didn't have the energy to talk, otherwise he would have said hi to Anna.

He walked through the doors and into the house. He didn't see anyone right away, but he saw Arryn scratching the top of Absol. He was so glad to see them again. It felt like it had been days since he had seen them. He slowly walked into the nice house. His breath started to get faster as he struggled to keep Gray on his shoulder. The pain increased 10 fold of what it had felt like in the forest.

"A...Arry-" He struggled.

His feet gave out first. His legs followed as they stopped moving, turning to jello. The weight of his upper body and Gray had too much momentum. He fell forward, crashing to the floor with a loud THUD! Another thud followed as Gray flipped over his shoulder and slammed into the ground, hitting his head on the floor. Shadow's head also hit the ground.

Shadow gasped for breath trying to recover, but the strain of pure power was too much. Shadow was down, gasping, barely conscious.

'Cario!' Lucario cried, dropping Jason without a word. Lucario ran over to Shadow turning, him over so that he could breath a little better.

Lucario found Shadow's bag that Rex had been carrying and quickly pulled out an Oran Berry, running back over to Shadow.

'Cario. Lucario cario.' Lucario said, holding up Shadow, trying to offer the berry to him.

Shadow didn't say anything, nor did he go for the berry. Lucario became aggravated and forced the berry into Shadow's mouth and then moving Shadow's jaws to chew it. Shadow use the last of his power to swallow the oran berry and his breathing started to return to normal.

'Cario cario. Lucario' Lucario said with a grin.

 

[Groc]

Rex

Just when he was letting himself think things were working out alright...

Rex had barely entered the house when Shadow trudges in, carrying an unconscious Gray. Rex is understandably upset about this, but Shadow chooses that moment to pass out. His Lucario, carrying an unconscious Jason, drops everything (meaning Jason), to feed him a berry. Rex stands there, clenching his fists in anger hard enough that his knuckles pop.

Rex pushes Lucario out of the way, grabbing Jason and putting him on a couch. "What happened." He almost manages to sound calm. He grabs Gray and puts him on another couch, before turning to face Shadow. "What the HELL HAPPENED, SHADOW?!"

Normally he would offer Shadow a hand up, but in this case he just stands over him, gesturing to the unconscious pair on their couches. "I'm gonna go out on a limb, and say Gray started something, and you finished it. Tell me I'm wrong. I would LOVE to be wrong about this! Tell me you got jumped, and I need to go take care of someone for you!"

 

[shatteredxfrost]

Arryn; Ice & Dark

---

"A...Arry-"

Arryn whirls around to see Shadow collapsing, an unconscious Gray following suit. His Lucario is holding an equally unconscious Jason and drops him the second Shadow hits the ground.

Her eyes remain wide, barely able to believe what she's seeing.

Rex retrieves Jason from the ground, setting him on one of the couches and does the same for Gray. "What the HELL HAPPENED, SHADOW?!"

It's been awhile since Arryn was rendered speechless, but here she was, standing like an idiot in the living room, mouth agape and her eyes start to sting as she doesn't blink.

"I'm gonna go out on a limb, and say Gray started something, and you finished it. Tell me I'm wrong. I would LOVE to be wrong about this! Tell me you got jumped, and I need to go take care of someone for you!"

Arryn kneels between the couches - more so because her legs start to give out - and her gaze flicks between Gray and Jason. Was this Team Rocket? Or was this their own doing?

Enough sulking, do something.

She looks both of them over for injuries. Gray had a thin red mark across his cheek, something that could be caused from a whip. Not to mention the tiny cuts that tore rips in his clothes - well, what was left of his shirt - leaving bloody welts in it's path. Jason's arm seems to be the most pressing matter, as if it was mauled by a Pokemon for a good five minutes.

"What the hell..." she mutters and stands to run to the bathroom upstairs in search of a first aid kit.

 

[Iceshadow3317]

Shadow:

Shadow nearly chokes on the berry's way. Shadow coughs roughly, causing his throat to become sore. After a few seconds the coughing dies down as he recovers his breath from the coughing. He closes his eyes while he looked up, trying to relax. He was almost asleep when, Rex starts to yell. He hears Lucario growl, but didn't yell.

"What the HELL HAPPENED, SHADOW?!" Rex yelled.

So much for sleeping... Shadow thinks, as he opens his eyes.

He sees Rex standing above him, looking for like a mountain than he ever did. Shadow closes his eyes again and rolls over with a lot of effort. His body still ached.

"I'm gonna go out on a limb, and say Gray started something, and you finished it. Tell me I'm wrong. I would LOVE to be wrong about this! Tell me you got jumped, and I need to go take care of someone for you!" Rex continues his rant.

Well... he hit the nail on the head. At least it will be easy for them to believe me, at least Rex. Shadow thought.

Shadow struggled to get up. He used both of his fore arms to help him get up in a crawling position. He saw Arryn checking Jason and Gray and the run out of the room.

Yeah... thanks soooo much for the help guys. Shadow said, becoming slightly annoyed.

He stayed in the position for a little longer. He was tired and he could feel his whole body throbbing. He winced in main as he tried to get to his feet, but he fell. He used one hand to catch him and hold him up as both of his legs were bent in a squatting position. Lucario quickly aided Shadow, helping him stand and helped him to another couch. Shadow sat and Lucario stood beside him.

What a very comfortable couch. I really just want to sleep here... Shadow thought as he let his head fall back on the head rest of the couch, closing his eyes.

Shadow relaxed some more and the brought his head up, reluctantly opening his eyes looking at Rex.

"Forgive me... But unfortunately you are right. These two idiots were fighting one another." Shadow said taking a moment to rest before talking again.

"The mansion was destroyed. I am not sure if anyone was injured inside or not. I think they were honestly trying to kill each other, I don't know why." Shadow said as his voice got lower.

He was still feeling the effects of the strain on his body from keeping pure power in control. The power that had been given to him by the hybrid, that he had talked to on the way here, was completely gone.

"I got there before Gray could use a killing blow on Jason. After going against Gray, telling him I wasn't going to allow him to kill Jason, he attacked me. I was forced to knock him out before anyone or anything else got hurt." Shadow took another moment to rest.

He didn't want them to know that he had nearly lost control, cracking his sister's pendant. He would have to lie or tell the truth, but he wasn't sure what. He closed his eyes again to relax as he waited for a reply.

 

[shatteredxfrost]

Arryn; Ice & Dark

---

Arryn rifles through the bathroom cabinets and finds what she needs; needle, thread, bandages and peroxide. The chemical will be used for Gray's surface cuts as he didn't sustain any serious injuries. A blow the ego might be what he's most worried about.

The wound on Jason's arm is too much for a simple rub of chemicals. He would need a few stitches and the wound had to be cleaned out with cold water.

She rushes down the stairs two steps at a time, setting the supplies on the living room coffee table and rushes to the sink. She runs the water for a few moments, retrieving two empty plastic containers from a cabinet.

While the container fills and Shadow relays what happened, Arryn fetches one of the many potions from her bags, discarded just behind the couch and hands it over to Shadow on the third couch, across from Jason.

"Here, drink it slowly."

Arryn takes the full container of water and the spare, then sits beside the couch to inspect the area around Jason's arm for any pus or swelling. Nothing so far, she's glad for that - more glad that he's knocked unconscious for what she is about to do; being awake and receiving stitches can be shocking.

She holds her hand above the container of water, focusing on chilling the liquid, enough so that it's cold but doesn't turn into a block of ice. She gingerly takes Jason's ruined arm, steering it away from where it rests on his chest and instead, hovers in the air away from the couch. She places the empty container underneath his arm and gets to work; running the cold water onto the wound of his arm, careful to make sure the water cleans it properly.

Never thought I would be thankful for the skills I had to learn while on the run...

Shaking slightly, Arryn directs the thread through the needle and holds onto Jason's arm tightly. Don't wake up while I do this, please... she begs in her head, and pushes the needle into his skin, making the first stitch.

 

[UnnecessaryLongName]

A wide variety of dreams came to Jason as he as passed out.

The first, Jason was younger, around the age of 5 or 6. He was hooked up to a machine. Two scientists hovered over him, examining younger Jason and his vitals, writing down everything on clipboards. An IV was stuck in his arm, pumping a green liquid into his left arm. The wall facing Jason had a hude window covering most of the wall itself. The window hid dozens of watching eyes, including Giovanni himself. Head buzzing, Jason didn't exactly catch on to what was happening around him. In his little innocent mind, he believed that he was in the dentist - but that was sadly far from the truth. Instead, poor little Jason was in the basement of Silph Co., being a part of an involuntary experiment that would change his life forever. The second dream was a blur, not much to remember. A few things did stick out. A Cottonee, alone, cornered in a dead end. Surrounded by three Houndooms and their owner, the Cotton Puff Pokemon cried out for help. The next thing that stuck out was the Houndoom's trainer along with one of the Houndroom passed out, and the rest running away. Covered in scratches and burns, a slightly older Jason approached the Cottonee. "Hey there little guy, I won't harm you. Come with me, I'll heal you up in a more isolated place." Jason said smiling, holding out his arms to carry the Cottonee.

The third dream was possibly the worst he ever had, and that is saying a lot. It started out sweet - it was just Tulip in her room. The point of view switched over to third person right over her shoulder, focused on the paper she was writing on.

Jason,
I love you.
Much Love, Tulip

Suddenly, everything became pitch black except for the piece of paper. the paper was lit on fire. Slowly falling downwards, Jason could feel himself attempting to reach for it as it burned. When he finally snatched it, it combusted in his hands and became a pile of ashes. An eternity passed as Jason stood there, staring into the pile. Out of no where, a gust of wind blew away the ashes and then the scene changed into a foresty one. A shadow approached Jason, which he responded by standing still, trying not to draw attention to the person before they came out into eyesight - it was Tulip. He cried out her name, but she didn't hear her. He saw her hunch over, as her leg got stuck in a metal trap. He tried to run over to her, but his legs didn't work properly. Instead, he tripped over his own feet. Now on the ground, he cried out Tulip's name again and began a crawl towards her. Due to the tall grass, Jason couldn't see much at all. A new voice came out of nowhere, but Jason couldn't understand her for some reason. Come to think about it, he couldn't understand Tulip either. Alas, he didn't think nothing of it, he just wanted to be with Tulip once more.

Almost within reach of the two, Jason finally understood something that the woman said.

"Goodnight Precious." She said.

Jason lifted himself up with his arms to look at what was happening. Laying on the forest floor was Tulip, passed out. Jason watched in horror as the woman threw away Tulip's stuff. He heard the woman say something once again, but this time, Jason was either too focused on Tulip or simply couldn't understand. From the sky, hundreds of Zubats and evolutions came flying down, scooping up the two and flying them away from himself. Closing his eyes, tears streaming down his face, Jason yelled Tulip's name.

"TULIP!" He screamed out. Opening up his eyes, he suddenly found himself facing Ayyrn. "Tulip...?" He asked to himself. Blinking a few times, and calming his breathing down, Jason realized he just had a nightmare. Sighing heavily, he closed his eyes. "Oh, thank Arceus.." he whispered to himself.

 

[Groc]

Rex

Rex wants to be angry. It surprises him, but the red hot rage in his stomach feels really good right now. But he can't be mad at Shadow. Shadow actually did the right thing, and knocking out Gray has been on Rex's to-do list for a while now.

"Dammit... So much for keeping a low profile. What is wrong with everyone lately? Can't we just stick to a plan?" His anger is starting to fade, but a new target presents itself.

"TULIP!" Jason bolts upright, breathing heavily. Rex turns to him, a low growl rising in his chest. And there's the primary source of anarchy: Tulip. Where is that girl, anyway?

"Thank Arceus? No, thank Shadow. He saved you from Gray, he saved you from yourself." He spots Arryn trying to tend to Jason's wounds, and leans against a wall in frustration. Perhaps a little too hard, as he puts a slight dent in the wall from the impact. "And thank Arryn for saving you from me. What were you thinking, destroying the mansion? Don't tell me all this fuss is over Tulip! ...Where is she, anyway?"

 

[shatteredxfrost]

Arryn; Ice & Dark

---

Jason wakes up and her heart almost slams out of her ribcage. The needle slips from her fingers and hangs off the thread that has been used for the first stitch.

"Oh, thank Arceus..."

Arryn raises a brow - what a weird thing to thank Arceus for.

"Jason, stay still," she cautions, taking the needle. "You need a few more stitches..."

"Thank Arceus? No, thank Shadow. He saved you from Gray, he saved you from yourself." Rex snaps, leaning against the shoulder. The wall dents under his weight. "And thank Arryn for saving you from me. What were you thinking, destroying the mansion? Don't tell me all this fuss is over Tulip! ...Where is she, anyway?"

Arryn stares at the needle, where is she? Tulip didn't come back with them and wasn't at the mansion? She taps on her C Gear, scanning through contacts and then through her empty messages.

"No messages from her..." Arryn's finger hovers over Tulip's name for a second and then scrolls up to message Darren.

Darren, is Tulip with you?