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The Crystal [pg-16]

Talulah watched Blade run out of the trees just as Jen spoke. It seemed he'd been gathering medical supplies-- smart guy.

Talulah took a deep breath, marveling at all the blood that'd managed to escaped from Leon's body. She'd never stopped to look on the battlefield-- forging ahead was far more important. Killing the enemy was what she lived for, to protect... to protect what? Her land? Her people? But wasn't Leon one of her people? What was this war even about anyway?

She'd grown up hearing the tales of her father's amazing feats on the battlefield, and hearing the rumors of her people's pain and suffering under the oppressive attack of the Arleons, but in the last few hours she'd seen almost every member of her team turn their backs on each other. If you couldn't trust your own people, perhaps it was time for a change of power. What kind of King would assemble a team of psychopaths to work together?

Lise waddled over to stand next to Talulah, waiting for Blade to be done and his chance to hoist up Leon's shoulder to arrive. Talulah placed her hand on his head. Did Lise deserve to be here? What was it that kept him close to her? He most definitely hadn't been put under the delusions of the grandeur of war his entire life, yet the creature followed her everywhere, going so far as to follow other human's orders to help Talulah.

Blade finished, standing up and surveying his work. Talulah stepped forward, ready to help lift Leon, but suddenly had an idea. For the first time, she was seriously questioning her place in battle-- in the kingdom even-- and she wasn't about to forge ahead with these crazies until they'd answered a rather important question.

"What," she mumbled, not knowing if the others heard or not, "are we doing here? What's the point?"

At her side, Lise looked up and cocked his head to the side quizzically.

The other two seemed busy with Leon, or not to have heard her. She looked up, this time directing her words at them, practically screaming them-- a change in volume that surprised Lise a bit.

"What the hell are we doing here?! What's wrong with you people?!"
 
"What the hell are we doing here?! What's wrong with you people?!"

Blade heard Talulah scream this at the group.

"Calm down! We're here to..." Blade didn't know how to answer. "What are we doing here?" Blade asked. "Everyone is turning on each other..."
Unsure why he was here, Blade set Leon down gently.
"Does anyone know why we are here?" Blade asked calmly.
"Unless we know, we aren't going to get anything done." Blade waited for a response, not moving until he got one.
 
"What... are we doing here...?" Jen pondered it. She hadn't thought about it clearly, merely following instructions. The cruz of the entire issue had been 'we are invading Arleon' but the reason had never been supplied. Jen sighed; perhaps it was time she shared her personal history with the rest of her team. She put Leon's shoulders down and made one last check on his injuries, but Blade's supplies seemed to have done enough for now; he would be stable.

"I have my reason for being here," she began, making eye contact with no one. With Spoink not present, she hoped he was safe, but was glad that he was not present; their recent relationship suggested that he would be angry at her for telling this story. "Before I joined the army, I was raised by my teacher, Edgear. Both my parents... they both were killed during an Arleon raid. I was spared, but I was too young to understand, and ended up living on the streets. Edgear found me and took me in, and then trained me. But not too long ago, he left and he never... never returned. He was killed by Arleons. I am here to avenge their deaths. That is what I am doing here."

[And you are wrong to be.] Spoink's voice spoke into the mind of everyone present, even Pokémon; Jen could tell by the volume and the tone he took. [I needed to tell you before, but you did not listen.] Spoink's tiny, broken body tensed with every hop he took, and Jen could see his pain. He moved closer to the group, casting a furtive gaze at Leon's body, in a similar state.

"Spoink... what do you mean?" Jen stepped closer. She frowned, wondering what Spoink would do to her, having confessed her reasons.

[Edgear decieved even you, Jen. Edgear was not killed in battle against the Arleons. He was killed for treason against the kingdom and royal family of Wither. Edgear was an Arleon spy.]
 
Talulah stood, listening to Jen's explanation, but not a moment later, the small Spoink came limp-hopping into the clearing. Talulah's eyes grew wide-- it looked terrible! What had happened in the short amount of time since he'd run off and left them for dead?

It was then she heard the speech in her mind-- the same speech the creature had used earlier. She hadn't questioned it then, due to the severity of the situation perhaps-- and the fact that moments after she'd heard the sentence, they'd been attacked by a deadly flying fagot.

[And you are wrong to be. I needed to tell you before, but you did not listen.]

Next to Talulah, Lise tensed at the sound, before glancing around, trying to pinpoint the location of the wounded pokemon. His eyes fell on Spoink, badly beaten, practically passed out. He made as if to run to the creature, but Talulah stopped him for the moment, pressing her hand down on the top of his head to pin him down.

"Priiiiin" he whispered up at her, but she didn't let up. Instead, she hushed him as Jen spoke, stepping forward a few feet towards the wounded Spoink.

"Spoink... what do you mean?"

Now Spoink spoke in their minds again.

[Edgear decieved even you, Jen. Edgear was not killed in battle against the Arleons. He was killed for treason against the kingdom and royal family of Wither. Edgear was an Arleon spy.]

Talulah cocked her head in surprise, much as Lise had done only moments before. Not knowing this Edgear person, she didn't feel any particular personal betrayal, though the fact that he was Arleon was enough to bring forth an involuntary growl. She swallowed it down, instead thinking of how much pain Jen must be in, having heard something so obviously detrimental to the memories of her past.

Before Talulah could make a move, Lise broke free, dashing for the wounded Spoink. Reaching Spoink, Lise glanced him over, making an effort to help the creature stand. He turned towards Jen, pointing one flipper out towards her. Talulah felt the area near her begin to chill noticeably. Lise's eyebrows turned inward in supreme anger, and all at once he began chirping in a high-pitched growl.

"Prinp! Prinplup prinpluuuuuuup! Prinp!"

The sound was choppy and full of rage. It was pretty obvious what Lise was saying-- how could you do something like this to someone you consider your friend? Look what has happened to him thanks to your friendship!

"Lise..." Talulah mumbled, stepping forward and reaching out a hand towards the bird.
 
Jen gasped in a combination of surprise and anger - the numbness of what Spoink had said was cut through by Lise's chatter.

"Prinp! Prinplup prinpluuuuuuup! Prinp!"

Talulah stepped, but Spoink held out a stubby arm.

[What happened to me was mainly my own fault; I provoked Jen's reaction before, and then taunted Kabutops at my own risk. And due to my winding up of the brutal thing, Leon, our lieutenant, is injured and at risk of death.] Spoink took another hop towards Jen, who lunged forwards and grabbed Spoink in a tight grip, weeping into Spoink's head.

"Spoink, I'm sorry! It was my fault too; if I hadn't thrown you out, you wouldn't have tried to hurt Talulah and Lise, either," she sobbed, clutching at him. She turned back to Leon. "And we do have to help him. We need to help him so that we can carry out our mission, and so we can protect Wither." And avenge Edgear, she thought, but didn't say it aloud.

[So, Lise, take your anger away from Jen. Let her go about helping Leon, and may you and I, and perhaps the Pokémon of our team mate, Blade, go into the forest and find and calm that Kabutops. Let the humans care for the human, and we for the Pokémon.] Spoink finished with a sigh, tensing against his pain and returning Jen's hug.
 
Lise wasn't so sure about all this. Where he was from, you were either able to trust the people who cared about you, or you weren't. It seemed ever since he'd met Talulah, the only people he'd met were ones who betrayed each other. Besides Blade-- who hadn't done much of anything to warrant Lise's opinion on him one way or the other-- Talulah was the only one Lise felt he could trust anymore.

But on the other hand, Lise felt that if Spoink and Jen were willing to forgive each other, perhaps second chances should be allowed. He kept an angry face though-- Jen wasn't the one who'd gone out and risked her life in an effort to help Spoink. It was he who'd done that, in no small part thanks to Talulah. If Talulah hadn't been there, and Kabutops hadn't been hunting Spoink down... Lise shuddered.

<Fine then,> he chirped in a monotone to Spoink. <But perhaps your the one who needs to, 'learn to control your human,' and yourself.>

With that, Lise walked back over to Talulah. Lise was mentally exhausted-- it'd never been this hard alone in the forests. He brought his beak up beneath her hand, pushing up gently until the top of his head slid gently into place beneath her palm.
 
Blade called Lametto, assuming that he might be needed.
Lametto came rather quickly awaiting orders.
"Listen to the other pokemon here, I think they have a plan.

"Now we should get Leon back to the cave..." Blade said, starting to pick up Leon again.
 
Jen nodded harshly, letting Spoink drop. He hopped a little way away from her and greeted the Ralts with a wave of his stubby arm.

Jen moved over to Leon and moved to help Blade pick him up. She was struck with an air of familiarity, but from what, or whom, she was unable to place. Perhaps it had been a smell, or the air of something, but it was gone in a flash, and Leon was her greatest concern. She even managed to temporarily put out of her mind the revelation that Edgear, her most beloved mentor, had been working for the other side. She let out the slightest of whimpers as she squeezed her tear-filled eyes shut, blinking them away, and picked up Leon's shoulder, being careful to keep it level to prevent further pain or damage on his part. She looked up at Talulah expectantly.

Spoink, on the other hand, was preparing himself to go after Kabutops, but knew he wasn't in the best condition to do so. He gestured for all the other Pokémon to join him, but before addressing them, he used the move Rest to heal his body a little. True, many of his wounds faded, and his breathing levelled more, but he was now asleep, and would be for a short while longer. He hoped the Pokémon would be ready when he woke, and perhaps one of them would wake him.

[[OOC: HINT HINT HINT!! :3 ]]
 
Talulah noticed Jen looking up at her, tears in her eyes, as they lifted Leon's limp body. She seemed to be expecting something of her, but what exactly, Talulah couldn't even begin to imagine. The brat better not expect any sympathy from her. Thanks to this girl's hissy-fit, and her psychotic-ness rubbing off on her surprisingly strong telepathic pig, Lise was put in danger. Talulah didn't give a spit for her own safety, but Lise was more than important to her now-- she loved the creature, and it was the first time she'd ever found herself feeling this way.

So she returned the look of sadness with a death-glare-- something well polished from her time on the battlefield. Talulah still didn't know why she was here, or why any of them were there really. All she was doing now was going through the motions, doing what came naturally to her. Ponder the answer to an unanswerable question-- a little much for Talulah at this moment. Follow orders-- that she could do.

They lugged Leon's body toward the cave, and Talulah turned back to see Lise standing with Blade's ralts. They were staring at Spoink, who was now asleep. Talulah frowned-- was it okay to leave them there? She'd never actually seen Lametto in battle, though she knew Blade was fine in a fight. Lise had powers, but once again Talulah wasn't quite sure how strong he was. The pig looked a little worse for wear, but was actually healing thanks to his sleeping. They disappeared behind the trees, and so Talulah's choice was made for her-- the pokemon were going to be staying behind, alone.

"Bye Lise," she mumbled, turning back to focus on where they were going. "I love you."

XXXX

Lise didn't like leaving Talulah, or rather, having Talulah leave him. Spoink was now asleep, and Lise was looking at him now with indifference-- forced indifference. He didn't want to be mad at the creature, but he couldn't help it. This Spoink was pretentious-- who was he to risk everyone else's lives by pulling a silly little prank? What was he-- a God or something? He thought so highly of himself that he should be teaching others the meaning of right and wrong through his immature mind-games?

Lise sighed, feeling something slip away. He'd never been this bitter in the forests. Living alone had been lonely, but never this frustrating. If you could get along with yourself, and your neighbors, and help those who needed help, then your life was perfect.

Lametto floated next to him. He was a handsome Ralts, and looked used to being with humans-- or at least Blade. Lise wondered if Lametto was used to the immaturity and deceit of these people. His owner seemed nice enough. Besides Talulah, the only human to have not betrayed all those around him. That Kabutops!

Lise sneezed, taking on a silly face, thoroughly contradicting his mood. He brought his flipper up to run across his beak. Should they wake this thing up? How long did he want to sleep.

<How,> he chirped, mostly to himself, <are we supposed to catch that Kabutops? He's really fast, and from the looks of Spoink, really strong.>

Leaning forward, he batted the bouncing gray blob, knocking it to the side.

<Hey!> he chirped loudly, <If you got a plan, you should hurry it up! He's going to get far away, really fast.>
​
 
Spoink was knocked aside by Lise, and awoke immediately, bouncing up to face the Prinplup.

<Hey! If you got a plan, you should hurry it up! He's going to get far away, really fast.> Lise chattered. Spoink frowned.

[Did I not make my plan clear? We are to try our best to find Kabutops, calm him and return him to the group. If we are unable to do so, Kabutops is a free reign and Leon is at risk due to the soul bond.] Spoink puffed himself up pretentiously. [And I, clearly the smartest here...] He cast a sardonic gaze over Lametto, [as the strongest Psychic type, may be the most able to locate our brutal aquaintence. It seems he is north-west of here, and it would be in our best interests to head in more to the west, to try and block him off before more damage is done. Does everyone here understand? Good. Then let's go.]

Barely even waiting for reply, Spoink hopped forwards on his spring-like tail and turned to the west, parting the leaves and grass before him and disappearing through the foliage. He didn't even look back to check if the others were following, but was sure to place an abnormal pressure upon the clearing in which they were stood, which should have been more than enough pursuasion to get them moving.

~#~#~

Jen looked back at the trees where the Pokémon had left, and could see from the corner of her eye that Talulah was mirroring her sentiment. That glare, back at the clearing... Jen understood it completely. She was out of her mind, and she knew it. She had never felt this way before. Her thoughts were in turmoil and her body seemed to be full of raging chaos that burst out every so often, no matter how much she tried to surpress it. She swallowed hard, trying her best to support Leon's shoulder, and that single thought surfaced again.

Edgear was a traitor. He spied on Wither for the Arleons. He was killed for treason... by the people you are fighting for! Edgear was Arleon... Edgear was a spy... Edgear was a traitor... Edgear was Arleon... Edgear was a spy... Edgear was a traitor... Edgear was Arleon...

Edgear was your teacher. He was the closest thing you had to a parent.

Jen swallowed again and shook her head clear. The chaos was building again, and she suddenly felt insanely angry - but not at anyone present. Instead, she was angry at Edgear. She was angry for his deciet, and angry at the whole of Arleon. She hoped that when next the anger surfaced, and she felt the need to release her chaos and fury upon someone, that someone would be Arleon, and she would kill them. She would kill every one of them.
 
Kabutops sat in his new tree, and watched the humans carry Leon back to the cave. That fool got what was coming to him. This wasn't the first time either. Kabutops looked back from the medic team, to the pokemon they had left there. Spoink was in the middle of them. They were doing, or about to do, something. None of that mattered now. Kabutops had his own agenda, and first up was keep the Arleons away.

Kabutops stood up, and let out a half howl, half roar that spread through the city infront of him, and echoed off the mountains behind. If anyone had heard them battling in the forest, they might come looking. But it could also help Kabutops. He charged at the city.

He ran down the center street, hitting the floor as loudly as he could to draw attention. Anyone who had heard them a few minuets ago would now he had come. Kabutops made it to the town's center. He stood the, surveying the land.

The moon shown down on the small town. The streets where diserted, and barren. Any push carts that the wandering merchants had had out earlier where gone. No lights were lit, despite the numerous lanterns strewn about. The full moon above was all the light that came down on the small town.

One street lead right through the town's core, and out the other end. The street was lined with stores and alleys. Off the main street were much smaller lanes. One story houses flooded out from the center.

Kabutops let out one last roar to frighten everyone in the small town. That should keep them indoors after sunset. He turned back to the cave, not knowing whether to go back or not, not knowing if he could go back or not.
 
Lametto waited to hear the plan from this cocky Spoink.
[And I, clearly the smartest here...]
I resent that Lametto thought to himself
[as the strongest Psychic type, may be the most able to locate our brutal aquaintence.]
If your the strongest, why did you get beat by Kabutops? Lametto thought to himself again, not wanting to say anything.
[ It seems he is north-west of here, and it would be in our best interests to head in more to the west, to try and block him off before more damage is done. Does everyone here understand? Good. Then let's go.]
Lametto stayed quiet and followed orders.

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

As everyone was carrying Leon back to the cave, Blade noticed that Jen was full of anger, but trying not to show it.
I'll say something later, when we get back to the cave... Blade thought.
For now, Blade stayed quiet and focused an carrying Leon
 
Spoink hopped into the woods, and for the first time in his life, Lise felt as if he wanted to punch someone for no reason. Or maybe there was a reason-- it just wasn't as cut-and-dry as the typical problems he ran into on his own. Around him, Lise could feel a strange pressure on himself, and knew instantly that it was the work of that blob.

Lise turned to Lametto, who seemed as if he was about to follow Spoink blindly, though with a rather solemn look on his face.

<Why,> he mumbled, <should we follow the orders of such a pompous creature? Does he even really know where he's going?>

As if to answer his question, a roar ripped through the tops of the trees above them. Lise jumped, then tensed, preparing to fight. Glancing around, all he could see was a brown blur, which slid across his vision of the dark sky before disappearing into the treetops once more in the direction of the town.

He shuddered, and a moment later let down his guard. That had most definitely been Kabutops-- there was no doubt about it.

<Well,> Lise chirruped loudly, hoping Spoink could hear him from the trees. <I don't think I need psychic powers to know which direction Kabutops just went in.>
 
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Spoink blinked off Kabutops' roars as if they were nothing, but internally, he was quaking. He ignored Lise's comment and turned back to them.

[No, even an idiot like you could see him now.] He said loudly, glaring. He crossed his stubby arms and followed the brown blur in his mind's eye, tracking him psychically to the outskirts of a small town. [So our location, should we wish to find the brute, is this way,] Spoink pointed, [and we should find him soon, if he hurry. Otherwise, who knows how many may die at this savage's claws?]

Still with a 'holier-than-thou' air to him, Spoink pointed his snout at the sky and continued to bounce.

[[OOC: Seriously, someone punch this guy. ¬.¬ ]]
 
<Hey!> Lise chirped now, gripped all at once with a passion he didn't quite understand. <Why the heck should we listen to you again?>

He took a step towards the Spoink, making angry chirps in the back of his throat.

<Just cause you think you're the smartest thing in the world doesn't mean it's true. When I was a young Piplup, my mother once told me that idiots always think they are right, while wise people listen to advice. My advice to you,> with this he stepped forward once again, bringing out a flipper to point at the bouncing pokemon, <is to stop being such a jerk, before you lose everyone you care about, and who might have at one point cared about you! There's no chance we'll reach Kabutops if we don't work together!>

He really hoped Lametto was backing him up on this, cause it was taking Lise a lot of his guts to say it. Of course, he knew he was right, but Spoink had almost killed him earlier...
 
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Kon~ said:
[[OOC: Seriously, someone punch this guy. ¬.¬ ]]
Click to expand...
(OOC: If you say so...)

[No, even an idiot like you could see him now.]
>:| I'm getting kinda fed up with this guy...
[So our location, should we wish to find the brute, is this way,] Spoink pointed, [and we should find him soon, if he hurry. Otherwise, who knows how many may die at this savage's claws?]

Still with a 'holier-than-thou' air to him, Spoink pointed his snout at the sky and continued to bounce.

Lise had spoken up, right before Lametto was going to.

<Hey!> Lise chirped now, gripped all at once with a passion he didn't quite understand. <Why the heck should we listen to you again?>

He took a step towards the Spoink, making angry chirps in the back of his throat.

<Just cause you think you're the smartest thing in the world doesn't mean it's true. When I was a young Piplup, my mother once told me that idiots always think they are right, while wise people listen to advice. My advice to you,> with this he stepped forward once again, bringing out a flipper to point at the bouncing pokemon, <is to stop being such a jerk, before you lose everyone you care about, and who might have at one point cared about you! There's no chance we'll reach Kabutops if we don't work together!>

He really hoped Lametto was backing him up on this, cause it was taking Lise a lot of his guts to say it. Of course, he knew he was right, but Spoink had almost killed him earlier...
Click to expand...
Lametto, assuming that Lise wanted back up, held Spoink in place with a Psychic.
[Lise is right, and I for one would like to know what your darn problem is. We aren't going anywhere until you tell us.] Blade said, fed up with this overly annoying pig.
 
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Spoink growled low in his throat as he felt himself being held in place by Lametto. Lise's put-down still reeling in his mind, he launched himself into an explanation.

[You all think you need me to care about you, but the truth of the matter is, I don't. The only thing I care about right now is Wither, the country I serve, and Jen, the person with whom I am bonded - and I am only with Jen so that I can protect Wither. If you all stand in my way, I will be rid of you so that I can continue my attempt to save a nation from deadly warfare. Lise, yeah, I attacked you before - because you wanted me to care about something that I don't care about at all. You cannot change my views. And you, you piddly Ralts, you I have to battle with, and yet you still hold me so? Rather than striving to stop this Kabutops that may be rampaging through troops both Arleon and Witherian as we speak? And his destrictive nature must be stopped, lest he break the bond with our leader, and send him spiralling into darkness. This is why I am here. If we calm that damn beast, we can return Leon to health and continue to smite this inferior land to allow Wither to reign supreme. That was my original plan. I apologise if my personality or my way of doing things clashes with your own, but I don't see any of you coming up with plans, or perhaps do you want the lieutenant to die? So unhand me, Lametto, and shut your beak, Lise, and follow me so we can take down that freaking beast of a fossil once and for all, and perhaps prevent unnecessary deaths on the sides of both Arleon and Wither. Do you half-witted freaks understand? Well? Do you?!]

Spoink was breathing heavily, and tensed up.

He knew he was going to get punched for this. ¬.¬
 
Lise couldn't take anymore. This creature was obviously out of his mind. If he hadn't instituted his ridiculous plan to "fix" Jen, NONE of them would be in this situation. A glow lit up the right side of his vision, stemming from his wing. Spoink was obviously stuck where he was-- too weak to fight the Ralt's powers.

<If,> Lise screamed, beginning to step forward, <you weren't such an ass, we wouldn't be in this situation!!!>

He dashed forward, everything lost behind the rage that engulfed him. He wasn't used to this feeling-- of being so overwhelmingly angry and frustrated with a person. The world was red to Lise, except for the spot of gray that claimed his death-glare.

His flipper was coursing with energy. Lise's mind was racing, but he wasn't thinking. It was all painful pressure, pushing against his temples and eyes. Flying forward, closer and closer.

He was within a foot of Spoink now, and as he had been taught to do, Lise swung his right flipper forward, watching with satisfaction as the light collided with Spoink's small body, making a loud noise part clashing metal, part smashing rocks.
 
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Spoink felt the flipped smash into his side, and send him flying. He tensed his entire body up and let out a sound not unlike screeching metal, a squeal right from the centre of his body. He hit the ground a foot or so away, sending up dirt, but made no move to retaliate.

[Heh,] he laughed, uncharacteristically. [It's just like you troglodytes to think you can beat the sense into someone. If that were true, surely Kabutops would have done the job by now.]

Spoink didn't make a move to get up. He simply lay on his side, facing away from the others, his tail bouncing weakly to keep him alive and a sad little smile on his angry face.
 
<Kabutops stopped because he knows how to listen to others,> Lise practically hissed. <If he didn't, you'd be dead.>

He looked towards Lametto.

<You should let him go. He can't help that he's a pompous idiot. Maybe when he's left on his own, he'll realized how easy it is to do everything he wants to do.>

Lise turned, as if to walk towards where Kabutops was left.

<Earlier,> he mumbled, sure that Spoink could hear him in thought and speech, <I came to help you because I thought your friend had abandoned you. But you were right-- she wasn't your friend. No one as spiteful and pompously ignorant as you could ever appreciate someone enough to claim them as a friend.>

Lise stalked towards the trees, hoping Lametto would follow him-- and hoping just a bit that Spoink would swallow his pride and follow them as well.

Pfft, he snorted to himself, entering the trees, fat chance of that...

[[OOC: BTW, that was Brick Break Lise just used. :3 ]]
 
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