Cheated by death- Or rather, assisted by it- Tybalt's true purpose
For something that not one of the mostly sub-human creatures had noticed upon their arrival to the dingy, crumbling courtyard that unwittingly every last member of the group had accumulated in, the foreboding Dome of pure evil wasn't that far away. Like magic, it had erected itself less than two hundred yards away from where the furthest of them stood, Yuki and Yohaku undoubtedly, who stood huddled together a fair distance away from the likes of the rest of them, without even addressing the concern to disguise their preferred isolation from everyone else. As mentioned before, the most recent addition to the consipration of oddballs, Lila, a rather insignificant and harmless little weed in comparison to the rest of them, had been the first to volunteer her apparent suicidal tendencies by charging gallantly to the scene of sinisterhood, an offbeat little soldier toddling unknowingly to the patient jaws of death. Atton was quick to follow, not due to a particular affection for the strange girl, but more out of fascination, compelled to the situation like the ordinary person to a grotesque yet intriguing video.
Before Lila had gone too far, a wisp of a smile graced her face, for Atton was immediately at her side, a feat which had required only a couple of bounds for himself to complete, for, in his mind, while his human counterpart had been dawdling with clumsy footsteps, and a stance just as awkward, he, in all the fine grace and precision of a large feline, had delicately sprung to her side in mere seconds. Even if the others, Yuki and Yohaku, Konan and Skye, and Iris and Lance only blinked dumbly after the duo, and continued in their light banter, Lila felt that she wouldn't mind in the least. For as long as she knew that somebody would be fighting alongside her, striving for the same motive of good conquering and triumphing over all evil, then she would have something to fight for. As the Lion Anthropomorph strode fiercely, a determined note pressed meaningfully into his notably regal step of feline grace, Lila tried to keep both their spirits up.
"So what kind of Pokemon do you have?" She asked innocently, the sad thing being that she wasn't out to make small talk with the mighty presence at her side. In her single month of being, Lila had figured, alongside millions of local coexisting trainers, that she wanted to be the best, but not only the best, but the best there ever was. However, instead of a grinning Charmander, a Pokedex, and ordinary companions, a devious Shuppet with a sharp tongue and an affinity for appearing as a human had been thrust onto her, a magical book the likes of the Neverending story she felt would only end when the likes of all of them were cremated by the interiors of this fishy dome, and eight traveling buddies in total, all equipped with impressive powers, adorable features, deity-like beauty, and even legendary Pokemon, none of which Lila found she contained. Naturally, she would favor the simpler and much less complex creatures that trainers often embraced with open arms, and she was curious as to what kind of creature Atton shared his heart with. Konan had a Starly, Lila was aware. But what of the others?
" Whatever she is, surely she has to be better-mannered than Bane. Life would be much simpler if he just kept his mouth shut, or better yet, if he didn't have any words to speak at all. He gets into your head, literally, and i'm just thankful that I scrounged up a Pokeball in time to be able to recall him before he gets it into his head to start reciting anything too incriminating.. His little expose would be the ruin of me, and i'd have to take up Fishing as a recluse in the Viridian Forest- Are there even streams in the Viridian Forest?" Lila chattered on easily, somehow managing to have a dual conversation, one with Atton, and one with herself, at the same time, though the likes of the second one couldn't really be classified as conversation. It went more along the lines of, "What in the name of Arceus are you rambling on about it now? C'mon. Konan already thinks you have more than friendly intentions with her, that little "girl of my dreams" quip didn't help you along too much, so you'd think that given the chance to start over fresh, you wouldn't screw it up by more incessant rambling. Geeee. Shut up already.
Deflated by herself, Lila instantly silenced, two twin drops of cherry flushing her already rosy cheeks a deeper fuschia color as self-consciously, she giggled, surveying their surroundings as she awaited Atton's response in humiliation. Unbeknownst to her, she had started jogging to keep up with the Cat-like boy's ferocious pace. Startled by her spontaneous question, and then the comment following, Atton let loose a string of appreciative chuckles, pale eyes flickering to the petite girl to, for the first time, seriously take her into consideration. He had regarded her presence as confusing and temporary on first impression, but now that he was doing a double take, found her appearance no less confusing, but found that he had instilled in himself a familiar place for her, along with each of the other Anthropomorphs.
"Her name is Veil. She's a Ponyta.." He explained, tapering off unintentionally, as thoughtfully, the fiery and feisty little filly came to mind. Envisioning her a knowing smile graced his lips as out of the corner of his eye, he examined Lila. She had no type, and if she had to be a type, of Anthropomorph of Pokemon, he would reckon for her a Normal type. Though, at the same time, he felt in her undaunting presence a mixture of dormant power, and potential power, so as he deliberately slowed his pace so that she wouldn't become short of wind, he though her as a parallel of an Eevee. Young and naive were the visual words brought to mind when he considered her. Still, he bet she would like Veil.
"And even if there weren't streams in the Viridian Forest, i'm sure you could fill your days with, Er, other meaningful endeavors, like Hut building, Twig Trap construction and weaving?" He offered, trailing off once again as he laughed, this time at himself, sure that there was nothing more a recluse could occupy herself with, unless she wanted to throw in Barbarian hunting via homemade spears, but at her earlier hinting to Pokemon passions, he knew she wouldn't be up for that suggestion. Not that they were being serious anyways. Just exchanging playful banter, more or less.
This short conversation had given Atton and Lila more than enough time to arrive at the Dome of Doom, what Lila had taken to calling the odd construction inside of her head. Flanking them, were Iris and Lance, and Yuki and Yohaku, both couples of whom were engaged in similar conversation ,but not covnersation that was similar. Lila sweatdropped to hear that Iris was describing Skye in full, exqusite detail, elaborating his "Sparkling and ever-so delicate and dashing features and charm", exaggerating them with broad hand gestures, much to the discomfort of Lance, who was squirming, face twisted in excruciating pain at all the mushy girl talk, rendered silent for once as he glanced around, helplessly, pleadingly. Yuki and Yohaku murmured quietly amongst themselves, abreast Lance and Iris, their tones so low and dark to Lila's ears that she couldn't pick up on more than a few snippets of phrases. Somehow, Konan and Skye had wormed their way to the front, determination present in their unified being as Konan stalked, plunging fearlessly into the veiled dome. Skye lingered, though, ushering Konan, Lance, Yuki, Iris, and Yohaku inside, then shoving Lila back lightly, saying to her two words only.
"Stay here."
Smiling sympathetically, but knowing at the same time that it was best that Lila did stay put, for fear of her unknowingly endangering herself with her apparent inability to retaliate and defend herself, Atton came back only, withdrawing Veil's Pokeball gently, and summoning Veil. With a low nicker, and a toss of her flaming head, Veil emerged, first as a transparent crimson silhouette, then as the glorious little steed she was. Humbly, she loped over to Lila, immediately snuggling her sultry face into her shoulder, warming the her flesh on contact. Another nicker resounded, and Lila reciprocated the charming greeting instinctively, letting the equine lull her into a drowsy relaxation, as cheek to cheek, she and the Ponyta pressed together.
"This is her. Veil, say hello." Atton stated feebly, in an introduction he felt was a major understatment in response to the instantaneous affection present between the two beings. Speaking of Veil's wavering loyalty, why had she opened up, just after springing out of her Pokeball to Lila? She had never before met Lila in her life, had she? Atton scratched the top of his head dumbly, standing still for a moment and watching the primary interactions between the girl and the Ponyta, something her had heard, or read somewhere flickering across his mind, that a Pokemon was a good people indicator. If the Pokemon in question warmed immediately to the person it was made to encounter, then that person's soul was genuine, her compassion true.. Did this mean that it was double that in Lila's case? Veil had, after all, upon catching Lila in her sights, had pranced immediately over to the girl, ignoring him completely. Shaking this out of his head, a dumbfounded smile was present on his face, as he shook his head in sheer disbelief. He felt that he should interject something playful here, as what was common with his attitude, light humor in all the right spots, but such an innate familial bond was indicated by Lila and Veil's rapid likings to one another, the moment, if he didn't know any better, just a repeated dejavu, ties of the past, something in each of their ancestors, in their origins, that hinted that both Equine and Human girl had roamed together, in some faraway place, and in some faraway time that maybe they weren't even aware of.
"Thanks alot, Veil. Ditching me is all good and well, but when it comes to battling her, you better be right back on my side!" Atton shouted out lightly without again turning around, without another word or gesture to Lila and Veil disappering again into the murky veil that comprised the Dark Dome. Lila wrinkled her face up in dismay, and in response to the girl's agitation, Veil immediately offered a haughty snort of disgust. She raised her delicate cashmere face, eyes narrowing as her pupils were forced to retract in response to the harsh sun, and after confirming something in her mind, it seemed, she let losse a shrill whinny, tucking forelegs and charcoal hooves to her selnder chest as she arose anxiously, though her face was still tuned to Lila, her body tugging urgently towards the Dark Dome.
Was somebody in danger? Who knew what sorts of devious things lurked around the interiors of the Dome, and despite all the potential slimy and rotten things, no, due to, Lila was itching to have a peek inside to find out. Exchanging a glance of worry with Veil, Lila calmy draped a thin arm across the Ponyta's back, speaking to the Equine as much as to herself.
"He hasn't spoken a single word to me this whole time, and now the .5 seconds of attention he gifts me with is to give an order. Last time I checked, he wasn't anymore a part of this group than I was, so what gives him the right?" Lila harumphed irritably to the Ponyta, letting out an exaggerated huff, one that, constructed for dramatic effect, sent her spasming ungracefully into agitated coughs. Veil peered over, seemingly concerned, but Lila only immediately erected herself, replacing her expression of shock into one of hard determination again, as she took a single step toward the dome in rebellion.
"And what if I don't?" She spoke playfully, a mischevious grin eminant on her heart-shaped face, the hint of the tip of her tongue peering shyly around the corner of her lips. She was coping with being saddled with a direct order, the likes of which she didn't like, and didn't understand why was deserved. Skye didn't know her. Heck, she didn't even know herself. And it was apparent that Konan didn't give a hoot either way, whether she stayed inside or out. Besides. What if any of them were placed in peril, that only she seemingly magically somehow could combat? The chances of that being truth were far-etched, and a million to one, Lila knew, but still. There was always the chance that Konan would be pinned bythe point of a sword to her heart, against the floor, a surefire death ready to be impaled, with the other eight rendered helpless to assist her, each otherwise occupied in his or her own way, and Lila was her only hope, to come charging in on a charging Veil, destiny itself played out by the cards handed to her, this time Lila's time to repay the good deed Konan had done her by removing her immediately from the Square. As hard as it was to picture Konan in a Damsel in Distress sort of fashion, Lila relished the thought of achieving some type of worth in the group.
"Besides, neither one of us are going to be put to good use waiting until kingdom come around her, and three more fighting on the side of justice is sure to give them a better fighting chance. So, Veil, shall we?!" Lila cried out, all in one breath, hoping secretly that what she was dragging herself into wasn't as bad as some of the previous scrapes the gangly gang had landed themselves into. Veil neighed in agreement, bobbing her head quickly up and down, nudging Lila onto her back as gently, she swung up on the Equine. The creature was narrower than Lila had expected, and Lila found that she had to wrap her entire being around the Pokemon's girth so as not to be sent toppling off of her. Just as Lila had envisioned her, Veil broke into an immediate canter, her zest and utter passion for life carrying her fearlessly into the Dome to seek out her trainer, with Lila, on the other hand, clinging fearfully to the animal for dear life.
"Whoa, Veil! Not so fast!" She hissed, burying her face into the Equine's neck, the roar of flames lapping the surface of her skin, and even gracefully singing the surface there as the flames ignited even further in excitement, fanning past the cringing flesh of Lila's face, and courting the Honey-blonde strands comprising her hair teasingly. The Ponyta only nickered in response, the muscles of her chest contracting, and then retracting as she gained speed, plunging past the first hundred feet or so of the entrance of the dome with ease, past Iris, who huddled uselessly behind Lance, who, in turn, was clumsily thrusting a special axe that momentarily caught Lila's eye as clumsily, he struggled to make the hefty weapon land a blow against the sinister creature he was fighting.
Dashing forth on Veil, Lila felt Atton's incredulous eyes upon her as he halted briefly in his strife just long enough to gawk at her clinging to the back of his Pokemon. Veil neighed enthusiastically, and Lila only waved sheepishly.
"How do I control this thing?!" She shouted, beginning to grow perplexed as the Ponyta suddenly stopped, forelegs again dancing with the free air as she arose on her hindquarters again, swiveling feverishly into a different direction entirely, bringing the battered Lila on the scene of something personal, something life-changing. Something, due to the naughty spontaneous throwing on the brakes of the eager Ponyta, sent Lila catapulting on her rear straight into the middle of the scene. Instantly, hanging her head as a small child might, ashamed of being the sole responsibility for Lila's tumble, trotted submissively to the side of the girl, until her soft, dark-chocolate eyes settled on the luminescent figure adjacent to a startled Konan, and she reared in fright, sound the alarm in a fierce whinny as she boldy charged Aetherion, who, in past times, had meant threat. But as Aetherion was but a mere fragment of Konan's soul, the effect only sent Veil crashing through the mirage, the Equine mistakenly crashing into a fierce battle Yuki and Yohaku were engaged together in, taking out the mutant creature on the opposing side as she did so. Unfortunately, in performing this mistaken brave deed, Veil also succeeded in konking herself out. Meanwhile..
"Love didn't exist. Everyone was matched up in arranged marriages. Me and a man did manage to fall in love. My father would not allow us to be together and wanted me to marry someone else whom I did not love. So I made a wish to the Goddess of Happiness..." Aetherion trailed off thoughtfully, a wistful expression written out across her dainty face. Lila drew in a sharp breath, balling her fists up abruptly, shining eyes hypnotized by the beginnings of Aetherion's woeful tale, riveted already to the divine words she spoke. Slowly, painfully, she was remembering something.. A glimmering star, cast aside, sparingly, lovingly, but not spitefully from the heavens...
To be able to destroy anyone who comes between me and my love. Unfortunetly the wish was not all I had hoped for. The goddess wanted me to learn that violence isn't the answer so she turned me into a goddess of great beauty." Lila's eyes squeezed shut as painfully, a throbbing began, deep in the innermost temples of her untouched mind, her drawn in breath escaping her in jagged bursts as the star merged, melting as one, into the eyes of a plain little girl, transforming every molecule it touched, coursing through her with energy divine and pure, making her into an image nearly as striking as the pale golden-haired one who had cast it down.
" I remember that Star.. I know it, from somewhere.." Lila recalled, these words escaping her mouth before she could rethink them.
"Anyone who gazed upon me would fall in love with me. And sicne war was the only way to settle disputes back then... I caused so many wars that it wasn't sick it was downright awful. I felt so guilty about it and I begged the goddess to stop it but she still thought I needed to learn that violence never solves anything so the one I love was killed, and any suitors and there men fought over me." This time, a bloody war, blood coating the think, the air, the trees, the waters running red with it, the earth collecting it to regenerate into itself, and use for itself again, too much, so much that the earth was drowning, drowning and blood, and a miserable, desolate beauty standing amongst it, a younger Aetherion, standing warily amid all the bloodshed, all the bloodshed meant for her. Had she caused this? Had Aetherion caused it, that is? Or in somehow, some way, had.. Had Lila caused it? That couldn' be! Lila squeezed her lilac eyes, and her throbbing mind against the barbaric memories, refusing to accept responsibilty for so much life, so much gore, spilled over the span of a few months, so mcuh that, in fact, it was killing, not aiding the natural world. But she had remembered casting the star...
"Eventually I grew tired of the war and asked for power to destroy the fighting in the most aweful way possible. To kill them all... And with this staff I did it. I killed thousands of men and became cold. The few that survived told the generations of my power and eventually the war tribes of the anthros got hold of the tale. Causing the war between the tribes. The story had been so distorted however and they all thought retrieving my power essence would make them powerful. " Aetherion told Konan her story, bitter tears falling from the icey eyes of the women, who, as preordained hadbeen labeled as heartless and souless by Lunar Rosa, had now exposed herself, her soft, vulnerable human core. Overwhelmed with sympathy and remorse, Lila wanted but tocaress the cheek of the Goddess, and whisper something to her in comfort, something which, she hadn't needed to think over. She already had the words for. Gently, a crescent Moon of a smile marring her pale face, Lila peered up at Aetherion, barely showing teeth as she whispered,
"He waits for you.. When all of this is done, and you shall have peace, he will be waiting for you, as he has always been."
Where did that come from? Lila thought immediately after uttering these forseen words, blinking away their mystique, and again, this time with an unquelled suspicion, began interrogating herself. Human rationality had again washed the possibility of an ulterior connection with the group from her mind.
"Maybe I am 'effing crazy'." Lila thought dejectedly, from earlier. "A Schizoid who fails to keep her big mouth of of conversations it doesn't belong to!" Lila scolded herself, discreetly scuffling out from underneath Konan and Aetherion, but not before pausing to watch them engage in another short conversation, in which Aetherion announced that they would merge, in order to stop the Rise of Darkrai together. The sight itself was indescribably, and felt only as invigorating toLila, as the light, and celestial energy given off by the duo's combination touched her, filling the Human girl to the core with tingling energy. Physically, Konan's feline features vanished, shedding and yielding way to a more natural and inconspicuous human formed. Sparkling Cerulean eyes danced dazzingly at Lila as momentarily, they caught her awkward, splayed form in their sights, and then turned them toward the man responsible for this whole fandango, one whom Lila didn't seem to recognize, but one regardless, who was in the midst of wearing Andrew down, who, this whole time, had been fighting him gallantly without signaling that he needed any type of assistance. Avian-like wings shone with a definite flim of sweat, and his tawny feathers were slicked down by the moisture, but he showed no immediate signs of giving in. Whilst Atton, Lance, the cowering Iris, Yuki, and Yohaku cut away at the mutant creatures Lila could never hope to best, she instead loped over to a fallen female, one sporting wings identical, save for varying spectacled designs on the feathers of her broken appendages, who looked ravaged by the fighting.
Lila could feel the life ebbing from the life force of the Avian's soul, and glancing around to notice that none of the others had realized this Falcon's rapidly deteriorating condition, Lila immediately closed her eyes, willing herself to look away, at least until she could get a better grip on things. But this grip wasn't coming along anytime soon, as instead, she felt a unfamiliar stirring inside of her, a maternal kind of sympathy, and strange remorse tugging at her heartstrings, as, in her mind's eye, she saw this girl perishing. Her light dimming before inevitably distiguishing, and her anguished brother, himself exhausted from the brutal fight, collapsing at her side in agonizing realization.. The last member of a dying species. Lila's eyes snapped open. No longer the hue of an Orchid's, they were now that of a Golden Hawk's, as gently, she lay a selnder hand to the center ofthe fainted girl, her heart. She didn't know any chants in unfamiliar tongues, she didn't even know any chants period. She only uttered,
"One of the last of a dying species, your time hasn't even begin to spend itself yet. You have been touched by me, long before this, and remember this, Elisa, single standing female of the Falcon trive. Good always vanquishes the dark, and as of now, it has vanquished the existing evil in your heart. Be fruitful and multiply, so that the likes of your great tribe will thrive ad bedazzle the human race once more."
With this, Lila's Iris' faltered, and just before they again shifted to that of their pale lavender color, a golden light had pulsated in three rapid sucessions from her hand, as she had exchanged some of her own meager human life source for the survival of the Falcon, and, as of late, was an incredibly sleepy girl. The climax of the battle was fast approaching as Lila glanced up just in time to see Andrew defiantly fire a wind blade, desperate to rise above and beyond in this struggle, this latest conquest, and succedding as the dark man lunged at him, distracted from his Pokemon counterpart, an undersized Manectric charging an attack teeming with diabolical energy, the sheer blackness and soulessness of the attack zapping even more energy from Lila as, like a caged Butterfly, she weakly curled up beside Elisa, shutting her eyes to the darkness falling on her, consuming her, engulfing her. Unbeknownst to her, she was a Goddess of incredulous and awe-inspiring power, pure, Arceus-given power, but her Human form, Lila, had only truly experienced the natural aptitudes she had potentioal for twice, and unaccustomed to so much spirit, and raw, holy power coursing through her veins, exhausting her human organs to the max, it was only natural that she would at first, feel fatigue until she grew stronger. If she made it through this to grow stronger...
"Goddess, have I done well?" Aetherion stood before a woman, despite her bone-chilling beauty, powered the the iciest death-grips of Winter, of which the Goddess herself had borrowed the Ice Crystal Star in order to create, appeared the vulnerable, grief-ridden woman she had been on the night she had prayed to her, and, wordlessly, the Goddess watched as she shed layers of soft, smooth as silk ivory skin, ebony hair, and impatient, fiery ice-encased flickering irises to reveal her true form, a disheveled and down on her luck girl, one with good, but foolish nevertheless Human intentions, one, that as for every other existing soul the Goddess herself had watched Arceus create of his own divine energy, customizing it to the noble creature he foresaw, love had paved her path. All one needed was love, and Aertherion wasn't wrong in realizing that from the start. Her intentions had just been misguided. Smiling, the Coppery Honey-golden curls swaying as she moved effortlessly toward the meek Aetherion, the Goddess gathered the surprised less Goddess into an affection hug, closing her arms around the fellow female.
"Perfectly, Aetherion, and in this life, it won't be vanity that paves your destiny. It will be true, hard-earned love. Take out for Konan, will you? And for Lila, as well. For Goddesses come in all shapes and sizes, and the prophecy, whil discreet in mentioning who exactly is involved, has a definite place for this little girl. One without the other is nothing, so all of you, stick together, no matter what. And remember, your reward, your eternal bliss, he is waiting for you, with us.." The Goddess then trailed off, her eyes filling with unseen pain, her throat contracting as if being restricted before, bound by waves of crushing darkness, she was driven to her knees, before succumbing completely, lapped up by a grinning, dark-haired, dark-eyed man.
"The games have only just begun." He spat.
Lila awoke with a start, head again throbbing. She had felt the ominous presence of the man, and now felt a smilar one leaning over her in earnest, though this one was less ominous, and more earnest. Lila's strained eyes shot open to reveal Atton, who, for some reason or another, stood leaned over her fallen body in a dark room.
"Atton." She stated simply, weakly, struggling to right herself, her eyes peeling open to reveal only the ghostly face of the boy, one who, if she wasn't mistaken, was etched in genuine worry.
<Ooc: I'll finish this later tonight, I just don't want to lose the entirety of this post. So don't reply until I get the Hospital thingy done. Oh, by the way, Lila didn't heal all of Elisa's injuries, still requiring her to go to the Hospital. She just lent her some of her own life force to give her the strength to make it so that she wouldn't die. She's not strong enough yet to use Uber Healing powers without completely killing herself, because her human body is still too weak and too young. And healing powers take alot of her energy.. So in short, she kept Elisa from dying by giving her the will to survive, but didn't heal her directly. And sorry for skipping the Hospital ride, but this thing is getting lengthy. It'll be done within the hour, I hope. -_-;>
