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The Crystal [pg-16]

Spoink hobbled as far as he could, and then decided he was in need of recuperation, and used Rest again, falling into a deep, calming slumber and feeling his body heal beneath him. His skin, which had been broken by the force of him being slammed against the trees, knitted together, forming protective bumps around the new skin, and then flattening as they healed completely. Bruises retreated to whence they came, turning from angry purple to sickening yellow to pale grey, the colour of Spoink's own skin. The ribs that had been broken clicked noisily into place, expanding Spoink's sunken chest and returning to a position of defensive protection around his organs. Spoink's eyes fluttered open; he could not tell how much time it had taken, but with no pressing matters hurrying him along, he had managed to Rest for long enough that he was back in perfect health, and back in a position to continue his mission to destroy Arleon in the name of Wither.

[Perhaps,] he thought, [It would be favourable to me to continue to be civil to these people. My cause would surely be shared by them, and my goal would be acheived much faster.] He lifted himself up and tested his bounces, and then smiled as he realised he was no longer in pain from the force of the muscles pushing against the ground. He was once again perfect, at least, in his own twisted mindset. The cave was close, surely, and the humans closer still. He smiled again, but this time, it was malicious; it was inhuman, of course; it was scheming. He would find Jen first. Once he had 'reconciled' with her, surely, the others would be more at ease, and then they would all be on his side.

Surely...
 
Lise's mind raced. He didn't want a fight-- there was no way they could win. Lametto was terrified, and running at full power as it was.

<You'll never find out if you don't try going back to him! If it's happened before, I doubt this time will be the straw that breaks his back. I mean, you even had just cause this time.>

He stepped forward as non-threateningly as possible. Lise knew that the worse thing he could do right now was provoke an attack from Kabutops. He glanced around and saw that no one was in sight.

"What's in three minutes that's so important anyway?"
 
Kabutops watched as Lise walked towards him. < Two and a half minuets now. Before the people of this town start to wonder why I'm nt trying to guy you. I suggest that you chose your words carefully. So, Ralts, did you want to come? Are you eager to help like Lise, or just following orders? > Kabutops glanced around, looking for humans in their houses. If any of them were watching they would have to cut this conversation even shorter. He knew that they needed answers, but also to be kept safe. The best way to do that is to start a fight. He hopped that they would be able to take a fight with him.
 
Lise stood stunned. The people of the village? Kabutops was worried about them coming out and suspecting something?

"Then why don't we just leave?" Lise mumbled, stepping forward. "Why does it always have to be fighting or rage or hurting someone else? Why can't it just be peace for once?"

Lise had been staring into the space in front of him, but now he looked up at Kabutops, willing him to listen.

"Why does there always have to be a reason for me to want to help one of you? You always ask why, but it would never occur to you that someone would simply desire to help another, without valid reasoning?"

Lise had only met Talulah the day before, and so had no notion of the human world outside of what he'd glanced upon along the roads. The pokemon near where he'd lived were always helping one another, or not helping one another. It was that simple. And when one did decide to help another, there was never any asking of why. Kindness was not kindness if reasoning was needed to explain it.

"Perhaps Leon will die," Lise mused. "He was in a rather bad state when we left."

Lise took a step forward again, and now he was only a few feet from Kabutops. Well within attack range of the creature.

"Then you won't have to worry about why you did anything. You can simply come back, and not have to explain yourself to anyone. Would that make it easier for you? I could go finish Leon off for you right now if you'd like, and when he asked why, I could simply do him in. And when you ask me why, I could give you a nice long explanation that means absolutely nothing in the end. Would that restore you to whatever parallels happiness in your mind?!"

Lise was becoming a bit spastic now. He took a deep breath to calm himself.

"And when you kill me," he hissed, "will you simply shrug when they ask you why, or will you expect them to expect reasoning from you? Leon doesn't, I don't, Lametto doesn't-- no one does. We simply want you to return to us without bloodshed. There isn't a reason for why I want to help you, just as there wouldn't be a reason why I wouldn't want to help you-- in the end, we should all just help one another, regardless of why."
 
Kabutops listened to the little Prinplupe go on and on about basically nothing. < Foolish young creature. I do not want Leon dead. I want him to live. I won't go back because he doesn't want me back. I do not fear anyone. I don't fear explaining anything, and Leon wouldn't either. I won't return only because I wish to respect his orders. I will take your help though, with open arms. But I don't need you do die here. When we fight in a minuet, we shall all walk away without any major injures. Now, I suggest that you let the Ralts talk. He may have something he wants to say, and you are taking up his time. > Kabutops looked at Lise, then ignored him, and turned to the Ralts who was trying to hold him.
 
< Two and a half minutes now. Before the people of this town start to wonder why I'm not trying to gut you. I suggest that you chose your words carefully. So, Ralts, did you want to come? Are you eager to help like Lise, or just following orders? >
[I'm... eager to... help.] Lametto managed to say.
will you simply shrug when they ask you why, or will you expect them to expect reasoning from you? Leon doesn't, I don't, Lametto doesn't-- no one does. We simply want you to return to us without bloodshed. There isn't a reason for why I want to help you, just as there wouldn't be a reason why I wouldn't want to help you-- in the end, we should all just help one another, regardless of why." Lise said.
[I... agree.. with..... Lise...] Lametto said.
Lametto collapsed, out of energy, and releasing Kabutops from his Psychic prison.
Lametto was then in a weird state of consciousness, where he seemed unconscious and had no control of his body, yet was fully aware of what was going on, seeing things as if from third-person...
 
They made it back to the cave, and Talulah was more than ready to drop Leon. Of course, she couldn't, and all three of them had to suffer through lowering the body gently to the floor. She stood up almost immediately, stretching her back, and then each of her arms, one by one.

"So now that we're here," she said, walking over to the cave wall to sit down and look at the two standing soldiers, "what do we do? Just watch him sleep?"

She was trying to get around to the idea of going and seeing if the pokemon needed help, but she didn't want to say it out loud. She gritted her teeth, knowing that she'd be of no use here, helping Leon.
 
Leck walked towards the castle, a little late, but better late then never... It was a nice day, but Leck was far from the castle. Rhydon, followed behind, loud as ever...
The hill they were on overlooked much of the castle, the beuaty of the Arleon kingdom that Leck grew up in. The one that he had been called personally to fight for by the queen. Leck motioned to Rhydon, who was terrorizing some pokemon in a tall tree, that it was time to head to the castle. They made their way down the path, people moving out of the way or taking longer routes to avoid the intimidating pair. It took about an hour to reach the castle, but it was a nice walk. Even though, it was obvious, Leck almost forgot why he was heading to the castle.
I've become more forgetful since the soul bind with Rhydon Leck thought...
They eventually reached the castle and started up the stairs.
The Queen could hear him coming up the steps, even before he entered palace grounds, but it wasn't Leck's footsteps she heard, it was his Rhydon, which smashed its way up the stairs. Palace servents stumbled and tripped as the ground shook from the pokemon's enormous weight. Leck bowed before the Queen to receive his orders.
-------------
Leck left the castle with his orders from the queen and headed to his first stop.
 
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"Now that we're here," Jen repeated, leaning her head back on her aching neck with a sad sigh, "we should rest up too. It's getting late - early, even - and we still have a plan to keep to, injured leader or no. Surely, that would be the best option?"

And still, Jen knew how unlikely it was that the two remaining soldiers would listen to her. She had screwed up plans enough already, all on her own, or with the malicious influence of Spoink urging her on, against her teammates. She doubted she would be allowed to remain within the squad for much longer after this; that strange, chaotic, archaic, primal feeling that constantly built and discharged inside her was to blame for that, for she never truly meant to lash out as she did; and so she felt she should spend the time between now, with the hatred of others, to the moment when Leon awoke and surely would dismiss her, enjoying as much as she could of this way of life, fighting, which she loved to do, against the Arleons, whom she loved to hate, and perhaps to avenge Edgear, who she loved as a father, as much as her heart could bear.

And with that heart, she now felt the slightest of tuggings; someone, or something, wanted her attention, her love and pain, to be focussed on them, and she realised with a jolt that it was a feeling she was familiar with. Without a second glance at either Blade or Talulah, she leapt up, passing Leon's slumbering body with a glance of guilt, and exited the cave, scanning the floor, perhaps for the crystal which she still thought to be lost, but certainly for a certain round, grey shape, his pearl glowing faintly to light her way to him, as he lay, tail lashing weakly, in the scrub. She lifted him with a stifled sob as she realised his body, which had been broken twice tonight already, had healed beyond measure, and she hugged him close to her chest; despite his evil, malicious, disgusting, morally black, sickening, undeniable wrongness, she still remembered him as the Spoink she had befriended oh so long ago, with whom she had shared meals, dreams, hopes, training, warmth, love and friendship. Despite the terrible malady his soul had inflicted upon her body, despite the sharp tongue concealed within his snout that had led to the injury of so many, despite the still-glowing pearl on his head that had in turn threatened, and yet guided them through so much, Jen truly loved Spoink.

She returned to the cave and sat back where she had done before, facing Leon and looking away from both Blade and Talulah. She didn't dare yet wake Spoink, because she knew the mood he would be in right now, and so she left him sleeping in the crook of her elbow. For the first time, it seemed, she was feeling the aches and pains of the day throbbing over her entire body; her bare feet were sore from walking so far; her shoulder was still stiff, and getting stiffer, from where that Heracross had slammed her into a tree; various other pains were emerging from places she didn't even remember getting hurt; she could feel a bruise rising on her cheek where that Arleon had slammed his gauntlet into her face, and she remembered with a jolt that it had been Kabutops who had saved her. Without knowing why, she found herself weeping yet again, and yet it was not from sadness, just from frustration; she did not know why she was acting the way she had been these last few hours; she only suspected that it was Spoink's soul influencing hers; and with a final sigh and with final tears squeezing from beneath her eyelids, she leaned against the wall and fell asleep.
 
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"So now that we're here," Talulah said, walking over to the cave wall to sit down and look at the two standing soldiers, "what do we do? Just watch him sleep?"

"If someone doesn't stay, someone might kill Leon in the middle of the night, we can't just leave him here injured..." Blade said.

"Now that we're here," Jen repeated, leaning her head back on her aching neck with a sad sigh, "we should rest up too. It's getting late - early, even - and we still have a plan to keep to, injured leader or no. Surely, that would be the best option?"
Blade wasn't sure whether or not to trust Jen anymore.
For one thing, she is pretty much the reason this is happening. But then again, Spoink pushed her to do this...
Blade watched silently as Jen ran out of the cave, and came back carrying Spoink and, before he could say anything, went to sleep.
Blade turned to Talulah, speaking quietly in case Jen wasn't asleep. "Should she really be so accepting of Spoink again? After all he did?"
"Anyways, we should get some rest, our pokemon should be fine." Blade said.
Hopefully...
"Someone should keep watch, I'll take first shift, you can go ahead and rest." Blade said to Talulah, setting up a good spot to keep watch from.
And now I begin to stare at the forest.
Several hours passed, and everyone had fallen asleep. Blade stared into the forest, thinking to himself, and it started to rain.
Ah the rain... So peaceful...
Blade liked the rain. It was always calming.

Another hour or so passed and Blade heard some rustling in the woods, followed by a shout.
"Captain! This is where the battle was reported to have taken place."
Someone had heard Leon and Kabutops' battle... Blade thought, his heart sinking. He grabbed his sword, and moved into the forest.
Blade found the patrol, a small one at that, consisting of three people.
"Lieutenant, you take the private here and move to the east. I'll move to the west. We'll circle around, and meet back here, and if nothing is found, search the cave." The captain, gave his orders to his squad, picked up his greatsword, and headed to the west.
Blade followed the Lieutenant/private team first. He followed them about halfway across their route, when the Lieutenant sent the private off the investigate a noise. Blade used this opportunity to rush in and kill the Lieutenant, quickly killing him with a stab. Blade hid in a nearby tree, and awaited the priavte's return. The private saw the body and started to yell for the captain when Blade dropped from the tree, covered his mouth and snapped his neck.

Blade retreated to the spot where the squad first stood and waited for the Captain to return. Blade decided to test the skill of an Arleon captain. After about ten minutes, the Captain returned and started to wonder where the rest of his squad was.
"Your squad is dead" Blade said. "I killed them."
This set the Captain off, and he charged Blade, full of anger, and brandishing his greatsword. Blade sidestepped the blow and went to strike, but was blocked by the hilt of the greatsword. The captain swung again, but Blade ducked under it and got a good cut on the soldier's abdomen, cutting through the thin leather armor the captain was wearing. The captain flinched, but swung again, filled with rage. This time though, Blade was hit with a glancing blow on the lower leg. It didn't hurt much, but it surprised Blade and sent him crashing to the ground. The captain sent one final swing down at Blade, who blocked with his sword. The captain was surprised, and Blade used this split second opportunity to take his hidden shortsword out and stb the commander in the chest. The man fell, lifeless. Blade got up, and made his way back to the cave, where his patched up his leg, woke Talulah up to stand guard, and went to sleep.
 
Blade had returned from outside the cave a mess, shaking Talulah awake and then immediately walking away to go patch up his leg, which had somehow gotten busted up during his guard duty. Talulah stretched, and thought about asking, but decided that if he wanted her to know, Blade would have told her.

Outside the cave, rain was falling at a steady pace. Talulah walked to the cave entrance, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and checking herself over. Standing guard was always boring, but she'd learned to deal with it. On the battlefield, you either did a good job standing guard, or you and everyone else were dead.

Talulah sat in the tree Leon had chosen earlier. Climbing up it was simple, and it did indeed have a good view of the area around the tree. She settled into place and attempted to keep her mind busy, to avoid falling asleep. Of course, as per usual, her thoughts drifted to Lise, and she reached out with her mind, wondering if the bond made it possible to perhaps feel him, and see if he was... what? Still alive she supposed...

XXXX​

Lametto collapsed next to Lise, and the prinplup knew it was all over. They were going to have to fight, and he wouldn't be able to do anything about it. Kabutops let out a scream, and Lise braced himself. His eyebrows turned in, a sign of deep concentration.

If they were going to do this, he might as well start it. A wet cough escaped his beak, and then the sound of pulsing water could be heard. Lise lowered his head, prepping his body for what would happen next. His feet spread ever-so-slightly to hold him in place.

Eyes clenched, Lise reared his head back, then slammed it out with beak wide. A pulsating jet of water burst forth from the gold and made a beedrill-line for Kabutops.
 

Kabutops watched as the Ralts fainted. Pathetic. He felt the field holding him vanish. He was free, but to do what? He couldn't go back to Leon, and he alone couldn't topple the Arleons. Once again Kabutops was free, but completely lost in the world. Leon had given him something to do, and Kuabutops taught him how to control his rage. Leon had been such an angry young man. Kabutops shared his elder's knowledge with Leon, and showed him how to control, and focus his rage.

Kabutops refocused his vision, and saw that Lise was doing something. He was lowering his head, and a blue beam shot out from his beak. Kabutops jumped to the side, and was clipped by the water. He spun 360, and came out running. It started to rain slightly. Kabutops used the small puddles to sprint up to Lise, water flowing behind him.
 
Kabutops spun when grazed by the hydro pump. Lise jumped back, avoiding the falling water that now filled the air. The creature burst out of his spin at a sprint, skipping along the puddles and bringing water along behind him.

Lise waited until Kabutops was almost on him, prepping himself. He felt his pulse rising as he started the Double Team, and a blinding light filling the corners of his vision. his body flicked, and then vanished, appearing behind Kabutops the next instant.

"Prinp!" he screamed out-- almost as loudly as Kabutop's previous roar. Lise braced himself once again and let loose another Ice Beam, aimed squarely for the center of Kabutop's back.
 

Kabutops was a foot for hitting Lise, but he disappeared. Kabutops panicked for a second, but then calmed. Lise had appeared behind him, and launched a ice beam into his back. Kabutops' forward used his forward momentum and rolled to his knees, shaking off the ice. Kabutops stood, and turned to Lise. Kabutops focused, and started to pull life in to himself. He focused the pull in on Lise. The rain fuelled the pull, and sped up the movement green orbs. Kabutops looked over at the Ralts. It was better that he didn't have to deal with this. Getting the life pulled out of you was one of the most painful things in this world. Lise had brought this on himself by attacking him first.
 
Lametto watched from his odd state of semi-consciousness as Lise and Kabutops fought. He wanted to help Lise, but there was no way he could regain enough power before the battle was over. [Maybe I could draw enough power to call a lucky chant for Lise. Kabutops started to absorb life from Lise and everything around him. At the same time, Ralts brought enough energy to call a lucky chant around Lise, eliminating the chance of Kabutops doing large amounts of damage to Lise.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Blade woke up quickly from his sleep, with his leg starting to hurt more and more. At this point, the pain was enough to keep Blade from sleeping any longer.
I've gone with little sleep before... Heck, I've gone with no sleep...
Blade limped out of the cave, his leg starting to hurt more with each step, and leaned against the outside wall of the cave. Blade stared out into the forest, and thought, while slowly lowering himself to a sitting position.
Blade thought about his childhood as an orphan. About his training. About his missions. About the people he had to kill. Then he started to think about the Arleon squad he just killed.
That private...
The private that was killed was a really young person...
Why are people that young being pulled into the war?
Blade started to think about the war...
Why are these kingdoms fighting? What is the point in all this? I guess it's not my place to wonder about this.
Blade looked up and saw Talulah sitting in the tree, keeping watch but seeming bored.
"Hey!" Blade said, loud enough for Talulah to hear him, but quiet enough not to disturb anyone else. "What's up?"
 
Despite Blade's gentle cry, Jen woke anyway. She had been sleeping lightly, and now sat up so fast she dropped Spoink on the floor. He let out a soft grunt, and opened his eyes fuzzily.

[Jen? What the heck?] He asked, seeming puzzled. Jen opened her mouth to speak, but remembered that Spoink could read her thoughts anyway, so closed it promptly.

You were passed out. Didn't you go after Kabutops? And where are Lise and Lametto? she thought. Spoink merely shrugged.

[I tried to go with them, after Kabutops, but they beat me up again and then followed my plan anyway. With any luck, they'll be getting beaten up by the brute in the hope that he comes to his senses, the blockhead.] Spoink again srugged nonchalently. He really didn't care. Not one little bit.

Sighing a little, Jen got up, pushing against the wall to help herself, and wandered outside to where Blade and Talulah were. With a jolt, she noticed Blade's limp.

"Hey, what happened out here?" she asked quietly.
 
Talulah looked down at the sound of Blade's voice. She pushed the idea of contacting Lise out of her mind-- it had been silly anyway. Jen followed Blade out, and for a moment Talulah wondered why they'd bothered taking shifts anyway, if everyone was going to pop out here at once. The vicious little Spoink brat was in her arms, looking well rested and ready to be a jerk to everyone again. Seems the pompous thing had decided ditching his comrades would be the best course of action. Figured.

"Hey," Jen said in the darkness, "what happened out here?"

Talulah shrugged, starting to say something, but was interrupted by a pain erupting in her body. It started at her heart, than pulsated outwards, magnifying with each pulse. She gasped lightly, falling from her position in the tree.

XXXX​

Lise felt his ability to properly function evaporating as quickly as the green orbs flowed from him. They drifted at a lazy pace towards Kabutops, taking Lise's energy and thoughts with them. He gasped, chirping in the back of his throat. His eyes grew wide. This was it.

But all at once, a warmth surrounded him, breaking the stream of the pain. Lise felt his thoughts drifting in and out, but his movements still stiff and painful. He tried to move his feet, and found that almost unbearable. His next attack would have to be still, and would have to count-- it would be taking away all his remaining energy. He glanced towards Lametto, but the Ralts was still lying still, unmoving. But it must be something the creature had done that was helping Lise.

Lise had little time to think about it. With the pressure on his chest let up a bit, Lise let out a wet cough, painful and deep within his throat. He peeped once, then charged for his last chance-- a Blizzard attack. The air around him chilled, slowing the orbs, and turning the falling water into ice instantly. It fell to the ground with a clatter.

Lise could feel pain rising up like a bubble from within his being. Opening his mouth wide, he prayed the attack would do something to help. Lametto was out, and Lise himself was done for, whether or not this attack did anything to Kabutops. A tear slid from his eye, and with a final burst of effort, he clenched his throat to release the Blizzard. It clouded the air with snow, mixing with the water to form snow and hail all around them.

With this, Lise projected his thoughts as well as he could. He focused on Talulah, on her being, and on the bond they shared. Lise felt his body pitching forward, and before the ground had met him, the Prinplup had fallen into a deep state of Rest-- not knowing how Kabutops had fared, and in all reality not really caring.
 
Jen walked out of the cave quietly, and said "Hey, what happened out here?"
Talulah shrugged, about to reply, but instead, started to fall.
We've already got two injured members of the squad, we don't need anymore...
Blade leaped up, and started towards the tree to catch Talulah. Mid-stride, Blade's injured leg gave out, and Blade spun awkwardly to catch Talulah or at least break her fall.

(OOC: this post is shorter than I intended it to be.... I really don't know how to make it much longer......)
 
As the Prinplup fell before him, Kabutops felt a pang of guilt. He was battling the one person in the world who was trying to help him. It must be done of course, to keep the town away from the cave, but it didn't make it any easier. Their battle had started off great, Kabutops returning the pokemon's blow, now he just felt like he was mercilessly slaughtering the poor thing. Kabutops felt his shoulder's browse heal, and then disappear. He felt as the energy of the world flowed back into him. He tried to draw most of it from the rain, but Lise had to be caught in the cross fire.

Kabutops watched with all his might, not turning away for fear of something going wrong, and the battle being in vain. The orbs started to act strange, the no longer flowed from Lise, but everything around him. Like a bubble protected him, Lise rose up, and prepared another attack. Ice flowed around him, then flew towards Kabutops. He braced himself, and rolled backwards with the wind and ice pelting him. It all started to fade, and Kaubtops opened his eyes. The floor was covered in snow and hail, and Lise lay in the road passed out. There was only one thing left to do.

Kabutops walked over to Lise, and knelt by his friend. His pulse was weak, but still beating. Lise's breathing was slow and deep. He must be asleep. Kabutops jumped up, and ran to the Ralts. His vitals were the same as Lise's. He scooped both of them up, and ran out of town. Kabutops awkwardly ran with his passed out allies in his arms. He ran as fast as he safely could to the cave.
 
Jen watched in a mixture of surprise and horror as both of her remaining teammates fell to the floor. She hesitated, not quite knowing what to do, her eyes widening at the sight. Spoink peered out from between her legs, taking some sort of sadistic pleasure in witnessing their pain.

"What's going on? What's wrong?" she said loudly, wondering what on earth had been going on while she had been asleep. "What the heck just happened to you, Talulah, and when the heck did you get injured, Blade?"

There was a sudden rustling nearby, and Jen jumped in another burst of surprise as Kabutops appeared, carrying Lise and Lametto, seemingly unconcious. She drew her kukri in preparation, but Spoink held out his stubby arm.

[It's okay now. He's back,] the grey pig explained simply. Jen dropped her battle stance and returned her attention to Blade and Talulah.
 
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