The Uprising: Fighting the Pokémon Extermination

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(OOC: Liacri, don't read this ;))

Isabel spun around, kicking the legs out from under the PXS member and slicing down on him with the katana. He fell to the ground with a sickening thud and the gun clattered out of his hands. Isabel picked it up and shoved it into her bag with the rest (after making sure it was on safety, of course) and ran back into the battle, Fay keeping pace with her and making sure no stray bullet would catch them off guard.

Isabel saw a man run up to them, gun aimed at Isabel's chest. The gun was yanked from his grasp, but he continued toward her. Isabel turned and held the katana in front of her, surprised when the man moved out of the reach of the blade and slammed his fist across her face. Isabel fell back into the snow and heard the clatter of the katana against the ice and tried to roll over and grab it, but the man was upon her in an instant. His huge body was pressed over hers, crushing the breath out of her and casting black spots across her vision. Isabel kneed him in an unfortunate place and felt him crumple to the side. Isabel slipped away, gasping when her ribs sent out a wave of pain as she reached out to grab the katana. A hand wrapped around her ankle and she was pulled away from her weapon. Isabel lashed out and felt her foot come in contact with his face, crushing his nose. He yelled in pain and released Isabel, allowing Isabel to jump to her feet. He reached to pull a knife from his belt, keeping one hand over his bloodied nose and staring at her with pure hate.

"You and your worthless little Uprising are going to die," he said, his words distorted by his injury. "Frosty Gorge and the entire Katsu region shall fall to PXS!"

He lunged forward, the silver knife in his hand gleaming. Isabel twisted to the side to avoid the strike, screaming in pain when the metal clipped her shoulder. Her shirt was almost immediately drenched with the warm sticky fluid despite Isabel gripping the cut in an attempt to stop the flow. The man's palm struck Isabel's face and she was thrown backwards, once again pinned to the ground. The PXS member brought the knife to the side of Isabel's face, allowing the cold metal to press against her cheek. Isabel felt the blade slowly glide against her skin, making an ever-so-shallow cut as the man grinned down at her with triumph, his nose pointed at a wrong angle and covered in blood. He raised the knife to stab her when it was yanked out of his grasp. Isabel reached over and grabbed hold of the katana, letting out a cry as she brought it down on his shoulder. He screamed in pain and reached down, his hands searching for her neck. Isabel slashed at his side, forcing him to roll off her, his eyes frantically looking around as he screamed. His knife came down on him repeatedly, wielded by an invisible attacker until long after his screams had ceased. Isabel crawled away from the body, tears streaming down her face as she fought back a sob. She wasn't sure whether they were tears of relief or shock, but either way Isabel knew that she didn't have time for them.

Fay sat beside Isabel, her solemn eyes meeting Isabel's. Isabel looked around and saw bodies of PXS members surrounding her in an eerily perfect circle, their guns lying in the snow beside them. Fay had done all that she could to save Isabel, and yet she had almost been taken out by a single PXS member. Isabel shivered. Her clothing was wet with blood and she knew that more members of PXS would soon be there to replace the ones that had just been killed. The Uprising and Guardians were too far outnumbered to be fighting like this.

Isabel cupped her hands around her mouth and called out her Pokémon's names, immediately relieved when she saw them running through the snow toward her. Isabel returned them to their PokeBalls and slung her back bag over her shoulder and began a tedious walk back to the walls of Frosty Gorge around the fights that were continually breaking out. The whirr of a helicopter overhead forced Isabel to duck behind a snowdrift, but when she looked up the helicopter wasn't all she saw. A Pidgeot was flying low over the battles and Isabel recognized it as Chris's Pokémon, Silver.

"Silver!" Isabel called, giving a whistle.

The bird spotted her and swiftly descended, motioning for her to climb onto its back. It quickly took off, the sudden burst of icy wind almost enough to knock Isabel off. Silver flew high above the battle, allowing Isabel to see what was going on below. But all that Isabel could see was that the PXS ranks were slowly driving the Guardians back against the walls of Frosty Gorge. Silver began to descend and Isabel saw a ditch filled with Uprising members attempting to hold back the oncoming PXS members. Silver landed behind the mound of snow and allowed Isabel to get off.

"Hey, Chris!" Isabel shouted, hoping her voice didn't sound quite as strained as it felt. "What's up?"
 

"Pid- Pidgeot!"

Chris looked up to see Silver flying in the sky above him. "Silver!" He shouted, signaling the Pidgeot to land next to him, which it instantly did. As much as Chris was glad to see his Pokemon, he was just as glad to see who was on him, Isabel.

"Hey, Chris!" Isabel shouted in a somewhat hoarse voice. "What's up?"

Chris ducked down as another barrage of bullets zoomed over his head. "Nothing much." He shrugged, focusing on reloading his handgun, before blind-firing over the bank. "Just holding back possibly thousands of PXS that want to kill us. You know, the usual." Suddenly, there was a break in the bullets, and Chris took the time to pull Silver's Pokeball off his belt.

"Thanks Silver, you did great." He complimented, returning Silver to his Pokeball. It was only then he got a good look at Isabel. Christ; and he thought he was a wreck. Her clothes were soaked in blood, more then Chris' hair was from the Raticate. Along with a gash on her shoulder, she also had a cut down the side of her cheek. Both wounds were oozing blood. But perhaps the most disturbing feature were the dried, frozen tears running down her cheeks. Chris had never seen her cry before, and could only imagine what could of made her. "You got something..." Chris mumbled, picking up some snow and washing the tears off her face.

He quickly recoiled his hand back, his mind snapping back to the battle. "But... uh... That aside, we need a plan." Chris stuttered, regaining his poise. "Right now, we've got Beo. Yassan, and Greg here with us, as well as a few guardians." Chris paused as a volley of bullets hit the bank before quickly shouted to Dile, "Use Ice Beam! Slow them down!" Dile nodded, jumping up and firing his attack as Chris turned back and addressed Isabel. "It's your call. Retreat to the walls or stand here and fight. If we stay, we may die, but at the same time, if we can hold, we may be able to push forwards." Chris paused again, reloading the pistol. "I once talked to Steven, the Elite Four champion of Hoenn, and had the chance to ask him what was his secret to success. He told me, "In order to be known you need to do something spectacular, in short, a miracle."" Chris glanced away from Isabel. "This is our chance to make one, to be known, or die trying. I'd rather not die here, hell, I haven't done half the things I've wanted to do. But what we have the chance to do now, can change everything. It's your choice, and whatever you choose..." Chris slammed the cartridge in the pistol. "...We will follow."
 
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"You think they're going to send any more, or do you think they've learned their lesson?" asked Chris.

"I'd say they might want to save more of their vehicles from destrustion," Greg began, whilke trying to figure out how to reload the gun he was holding, "but to be honest I think they'll keep trying until we make a mistake..."

Greg eventually managed to slam another round of bullets into his weapon. He took the opportunity to scan the sides of the battlefield to see if there were any enemy units ambushing them. He found a couple of figures in PXS uniform, and shot, preventing them from coming sny closer. King was still pumping out the Sludge Bombs and Greg could see Krow by the trees picking out any enemys. No danger yet.

"Pid- Pidgeot!" Greg looked up and saw Chris' Pidgeot, but someone was on it's back...

"Hey, Chris!" Isabel shouted in a somewhat hoarse voice. "What's up?"

At least she's here... wait... what's up?! What do you think...

After having a look at her, Greg was surprised she was still standing: she was blooded up something terrible and she looked a wreck. How could she keep going?

"We need a plan." Chris stuttered, "Right now, we've got Beo and Greg here with us, as well as a few guardians." Chris paused as a volley of bullets hit the bank before quickly shouted to Dile, "Use Ice Beam! Slow them down! It's your call. Retreat to the walls or stand here and fight. If we stay, we may die, but at the same time, if we can hold, we may be able to push forwards." Chris paused again, reloading the pistol. "I once talked to Steven, the Elite Four champion of Hoenn, and had the chance to ask him what was his secret to success. He told me, "In order to be known you need to do something spectacular, in short, a miracle.", This is our chance to make one, to be known, or die trying. I'd rather not die here, hell, I haven't done half the things I've wanted to do. But what we have the chance to do now, can change everything. It's your choice, and whatever you choose..." Chris slammed the cartridge in the pistol. "...We will follow."

Greg nodded in agreement and waited on Isabels reply. What they chose to do now would surely affect the entire situation...
 
Sitting in the ditch with wags and Blaze bullets firing overhead Beo saw Is for the first time since they first met up int Frostygorge.. It was a sigh of relief and then he heard something that made him realize this was what he wanted to be doing.

"In order to be known you need to do something spectacular, in short, a miracle." Chris shouted to Is.

This made Beo feel like this was his one shot to prove that he was worth something to the world, and that everything him and Blaze had worked for wasn't in Vain. "Well guys lets make our stand here, if this is our last fight lets go down swinging at least we know we tried!" He shouted to his pokemon

"Chari-charzard!!"

"Wags poli poli!"

The two of them agreed and then Beo turned to Chris.

"Hey man were with you one hundred percent you can count on us!"
 
Sar woke up sluggishly, her body barely able to respond to her will. Then the pain coursed back through her leg and she let a whimper escape, still dazed by sleep. Curling up in to a ball and hugging her knees with one arm, she used her free hand to wipe away the dirt, sweat and ice from her face, muzzily trying to figure out what was happening through a veil of pain and weariness. Then the memories snapped back - of war and desperate fighting, guns and blood. She bolted upright instinctively, aware that this was no time to be lying around, only to fall back with a hiss of pain. Sar bit her lip, placing her hands over the crudely bandaged wound. Blood had seeped through the fabric of her shirt but she didn't know what more to do for her injuries. She didn't have the slightest clue when it came to healing things more than a scrape or bruise.

A hoot sounded dismally from beside her and she turned to see the red, round-eyed regard of her Hoothoot. Sar glared back, an accusatory look in her steely-gray eyes. Tock didn't even have the decency to look guilty, instead turning back to inspecting the architecture of the gym, unruffled. Tock acted as if there were no war outside, as if she wasn't smeared with blood, as if she wasn't at all exhausted by the fighting and carrying Sar around. As if she wasn't in a private frenzy over her friend's health and fretting over the paleness of her skin.

Running a hand through her matted hair, Sar accepted the fact that it would be wiser for her to stay there and seek attention for the leg. Even so, it didn't make it any easier for her to stay in safety while gunshots raked the snowy forests outside the town. Damn, damn and damn. Sar rubbed her eyes, tried to ignore the constant fiery pain that disrupted her thoughts and tried to calm her rising hysteria. People were dying. A group of mere teenagers were killing, trying to be ruthless adults in an effort to regain peace and freedom, to show a region of the wrongs being committed, day-in and out. All at once, Sar realized that the girl she had talked to just hours before must have been haggard with stress and decisions and responsibility and everything that teenagers were against. Perhaps, if they ever met again after this, she could try to look past the shadow her father left on her and see the person behind the war-torn leader.

Or perhaps this was delirium talking. She felt dizzy, even just sitting there on the floor, waiting for somebody to come. Tock had gone, presumably to either look for help or study the other rooms of the gym. Sar was sweating, cold as it was on the icy gym floor. She couldn't just stay there, nonetheless. If there was nobody in the gym, she would have to go back outside and do whatever she could. After all, Uprising needed all the help it could get.

*

Raichu couldn't do anything about the bullets; hell, he would probably just make them more dangerous by lending them the ability to electrocute people as it ripped through their insides. He shuddered at the thought. One thing he had learnt in his time at PXS, however, was that his electricity was very useful in igniting fuel engines and blowing things sky-high, or, failing that, overloading the system in whatever complicated machinery PXS might use. Of course, the tanks had their weird electric-proof, metal coat, but as for all the other vehicles...

Raichu determinedly ran a little to the front lines, charging electricity in his cheek pouches. All at once, he let go, letting it soar to the nearest truck and watched in a pride tinged slightly by guilt as it exploded. Raichu looked around for Burr, ready to gush in his excitement but found that his companion wasn't there. Frowning in a slight disappointment, and briefly wondering about Sar's condition, he built up another charge in his cheeks. He was completely oblivious to the fuss they made behind him of the girl who came down in the Pidgeot.

*

Obviously, the blood-soaked Raticate had gone in the wrong direction to find Sar. He had lost her trail amid the teeming confusion of battle. Burr paused for a moment to get his bearings again and put his capable nose back to the ground. Instead of catching a whiff of his trainer, however, he got another familiar scent. One of a boy who had been reportedly missing for a while. A boy who Sar had somehow managed to strike a friendship with in a surprisingly short space of time. Josh.

Burr made a decision based on the fact that the scent led behind enemy lines and scampered off to find the Uprising member. Burr dodged under vehicles to avoid being caught sight of and shot at, doing his best to follow the scent. He finally arrived to see Alex and Bon fighting a PXS member and a Nidorino. Without even slowing down, he shot from beneath another truck, scrambled over the snow, leaped onto the man's back and reached the back of his neck where he bared his fangs further and plunged them in. Within moments and after several spasms, the man was dead and fresh blood splashed Burr's brown coat. He disentangled himself from the guy and greeted them cheerfully.

<Hey, Bon, Alex, Josh-person. What's up?>
 
On his way back to the wall Paul saw a trail of blood leading towards the gym. Someone must be hurt maybe I should go see if they need help. Paul looked back towards the wall again, he would be useless in a gun fight all his Pokemon needed to be at close range in order to attack. He could even get in the way and get himself or someone else shot. Yep it would be much better for him and his Pokemon to stay inside the walls and wait.


"Go, Slash!" Paul yelled, throwing Slash's ball into the air and watching him come out, for a moment he thought about letting the Rhyhorn he had taken off the man that tried to kill him out but the blood trial led right in to the gym and Paul thought the Rhyhorn could have trouble getting round inside. Slash was looking at him impatiently.


"Oh, right!" Paul said his attention snapping back to Slash. "I think someone is hurt inside the gym, I need you to help me find them." Slash looked slightly disappointed that he had no one to fight but nodded his head. Slash led the way towards the gym at the entrance he turned to Paul.


"Scyther, scy, scy, ther, scyther." he said to Paul waving his scythes, Paul got the general gist of what Slash had said. He wanted Paul to wait her while he found whoever was hurt, Paul nodded in agreement. He took of his back pack and began to look through it.


Inside the gym was a maze of some kind but Slash navigated through it easy enough, it took him several minutes to find the girl. He though that he had met her before but now was not the time to get reacquainted, she looked in pretty bad shape, he had better get Paul. Slash rushed quickly back out side.


Paul was looking through his bag, he hoped that whatever was hurt inside the gym was a Pokemon because he didn't have a lot that he could use to treat a human being. He pulled out two potions and shoved them in the under his belt on one side. Next a full heal, two chocolate bars and a torch joined them. Finally he pulled out an old t-shirt and a bottle of drinking water. Now he was just about ready to do whatever he could, he zipped up his bag and put it by the entrance to the gym.


When Slash reappeared from the entrance to the gym Paul was ready to go, without saying a word Paul and Slash set off towards the center of the gym. Paul was unsure what he would find but he readied himself for the worst.


There in the center of the gym was a girl lying on the ground, she didn't look well, Paul rushed over to her. Placing the bottle of water on the icy floor Paul looked at her face, it was Sar, she was sweating heavily and her fore head burning up. Paul began to take the items off his belt, he glanced down at her leg that was bleeding heavily and almost threw up.


"Sar can you here me? Slash go get help." Paul said as he began to tear up his t-shirt, yet again it seemed that he was losing another good t-shirt to help some one at this rate by the end of the month he would have none yet. Behind him he heard Slash leaving, he unscrewed the lid on the water, he took the chocolate off his belt and put it down beside the water. Then chucked the full heal away it would be of no use here finally taking a potion off his belt he read the label. Load of jargon, antibiotic blah blah, antiseptic something or other, healing for Pokemon, good nothing about not using on humans. Wait antibiotic doesn't that mean it kills germs and it didn't say anything about not using on humans. Paul opened the potion, sprayed some of it on his hands, then he sprayed the rest on Sar's wound and hoped for the best.
 
Yassan swore as the assembled Full Restores and Potions did nothing. The amount of damage Scyther had taken was too much, a fact attested to the blood that lay spattered across the snow from the missing wing. And as much as a Pokeball could staunch the wound temporarily, this was beyond the skill of a nurse. Yassan grabbed the rifle and turned the safety off.
"Sorry, old friend."
Three succinct cracks of fire echoed through the trench.
 
Tock had done a bird's-eye view circuit of the gym, disregarding her tiredness. She came back to find a boy, strangely spraying a Potion on Sar's wounded leg. She landed on his shoulder, giving him her trademark baleful hoot.

At first, the spray from the Potion stung her leg and almost made her pass out, but slowly a numbing sensation stole over it. It wasn't going to make a gunshot wound better, but it was making it so that she could stand the pain. Sar opened her eyes to see a slightly unfocused shape looming over her. Rubbing her eyes, she looked again to see one of the Uprising guys watching her with concern, an empty bottle of Potion in his hands. Although she still felt overbearingly hot and a little unreasonably disgruntled that she had to have help, her eyes were clear. She cleared her throat.

'Thanks,' she told him, trying to sit up. Like always, she felt weak and rather faint. 'Do you have another one?' She asked, concerned for Tock. Even though the Hoothoot looked rather normal, she could see the sag in her Pokemon as the exhaustion got to her. Despite everything, Sar forced herself to stand up, taking the weight off of her left leg. Tock hooted again, a worried overtone apparent this time. She hadn't brought Sar to the gym just so she could go off and get herself killed. The trainer silenced her feeble protests with a look before turning back to face the trainer which had tried to help her.

*

Raichu, after five explosions, was starting to feel drained. He really needed time to recharge, but unfortunately, that was a luxury he couldn't afford. He charged up again, noticing that it was taking longer and required more effort ever to reach a sufficient level of energy. When he finally reached it and sent a bolt of electricity flying to the nearest truck... it fell short, hitting the snow in front and melting it. On the positive side, that caused the truck to swerve in the resulting slush and become stuck. Little consolation for the fact that the Raichu could barely continue on like this.

He couldn't help Sar very much, after all. He wasn't worth it. He couldn't even blow the trucks up without a twinge of guilt holding him back, even if he knew that his former masters were evil. He'd had friends - admittedly, they were few and far-between, but he hadn't been some lone soul. But... they could have been killed by the very team he was working for, or by PXS themselves. They couldn't help being PXS Pokemon; disobedience was costly. He'd only escaped because of Ikiji and Matsuko, and he was failing them by not being strong enough.

Matsu would have been able to wipe out the entire fleet, he knew. She was so strong it was scary. But he... he couldn't do anything. Worthless. His old trainer was right. He was a pathetic weakling. Even so, if he didn't try his best...

Raichu tried once more to gather up enough energy for another charge.
 
Tock landed on Paul's shoulder and hooted slightly surprising him slightly. He looked at Sar again and saw that she was starting to open her eyes. She coughed slightly to clear her throat.


"Thanks" she said as she tired to sit up. "Do you have another one?" She asked. Paul looked round for the other potion and by the time he had got it Sar was slowly pushing herself to her feet. Tock, who was still sitting on Paul's shoulder hooted in protest. Sar looked at Tock silencing the bird, before looking at Paul again.


"Here." Paul said handing Sar the full potion. "How are you feeling? Do you want something to eat or drink?" He asked picking up the bottle of water and two bars of chocolate.
 
"Here. How are you feeling? Do you want something to eat or drink?" The boy said, holding up some water and chocolate. Wordlessly, Sar sprayed some potion on Tock, wondering where and when she had dropped her bag. Given another baleful hoot, Sar figured that Tock felt more energised from the Potion and she sagged against the wall again. For a moment she contemplated saying no to the snack and drink but realised yet again how thirsty she really was.

She flashed him a small smile and gratefully took the water, gulping down several mouthfuls. Wiping her mouth on the back of her hand, she handed the bottle back because she would have nowhere to put it if she didn't. Her face was still flushed and too warm, but the overriding need to participate in the war urged her to start walking towards the exit... wherever that was.

Tock flew off from the boy's shoulder and landed on Sar, deftly pecking her on the ear. It wasn't anything more than a small sting, but it made her turn to give Tock an exasperated look. Her Pokemon didn't back down this time, refusing to let Sar go out just to injure herself further. Frustrated, Sar was tempted to take out her Pokeball and withdraw the Hoothoot. She decided against it on the basis that Tock would probably stay vaguely mad at her for months, if she didn't die. And, well, if she did die, she was dead.

She knew she wasn't thinking too clearly then. Besides, what could she do even if she went out? But it felt too cowardly, just sitting in the gym moaning about a wound when people were outside, dying or facing the most dangerous, desperate situations. Sar slid down into a sitting position again, trying to move her injured leg as little as possible. What could she do?
 
Sar set off to leave the gym leaving Paul the bottle of water, Tock also flew off his shoulder to follow Sar. Paul shrugged his shoulders, took one of the chocolate he was holding opened it stuck it in his mouth to hold it and set off after her. Paul shoved the spare chocolate bar in his belt again and then grabbed hold of the chocolate bar in his mouth so that he could take a bite. As he turned the corner in the gym to see Sar had stopped near the entrance. Still eating the chocolate bar he walked over to her.


"I was hungry." He tried to say but all that came out was a muffled grunting sound, he swallowed and started again. "I was hungry I didn't get chance to eat anything because the PXS turned up. What's the plan then? Are you heading back to the Pokemon center?" Paul said motioning at Sar's leg.


(OOC should we try to delay and stay here until every one else turns up?)
 
(ooc: about time, eh?)
The doors flew open, and Ikiji stumbled inside. His injuries had been mended, but the pain had not; he felt a searing pain throughout his body, and his thoughts were hazy and unfocused. With some difficulty, he dragged himself over to a wall and managed to lay down. He felt more exhausted than he'd ever felt in his life. He rested his head against the rough surface, closed his eyes, and tried to catch his breath.

Nothing to do now but wait...
-----------------------
A hallucination. That's what it was.

Matsuko ran after the apparition, her heart pounding. she felt a slight irritation on her arm wound, but she ignored it. Whatever that was...if he really was alive...

She saw the figure tear open the doors to the Gym, and clumsily stumble inside...she fought the icy snow drifts...she'd reached the doors, and managed to inch it open...
------------------------
He heard the distant whine of the gunfire grow briefly louder. Turning his head, he saw the door barely open.

In the crack was Matsu. Her face was blank, unreadable. He tried to keep his own expression neutral, but he wasn't sure it worked as well as he'd hoped.

She was just staring at him, unblinking, unmoving...
------------------------

It was him. Kij. He was alive. She knew she shouldn't believe it; she'd turn, or look away, and he'd disappear, this time for good.

But he just sat there, watching her. His breath was haggard, his clothes torn and bloody, but he looked fine.

It was a tense moment. Finally, she started toward him...
-------------------------
He felt a lump rise in his throat. He remembered the violent shock she'd given him at the PXS camp...and he hadn't died that time. She was getting closer....he knew what was coming. His wounds still ached, and they weren't about to feel any better.

She was almost upon him. Her eyes were soft and determined; that wasn't a good sign. She reached where he lay, and hopped on his chest...he braced himself for the shock...

<...Kij...>

She embraced him. He froze, and readied himself…

It didn't come. Seconds passed, and no shock. Was she somehow trying to torture him by delaying it?

Something startled him, but it wasn't electricity; he felt something wet run down his neck. With a start, he realized…Matsu was crying.
-------------------------
She didn't care. She held on to his neck as tight as her tiny arms could, afraid that if she let go, he'd float away, never to be seen again.

She felt her eyes water; she abhorred showing tears in front of anyone, but it didn't matter at this point. All she cared about was that he was alive, even though part of her still refused to believe it.
---------------------------
Ikiji was dumbfounded. For once, logic failed him. He tried to speak, but his voice only came out as muttered gibberish.

Suddenly, Matsu started to sob, her soft whining filling his ears, somehow overwriting the distant roar of battle. She'd never shown this kind of emotion before. She was genuinely afraid.

It scared him more than anything.

<….you…>

He started slightly at the voice. He didn't know how to reply, so he waited.

<…you….>

"…Matsu…?"

<…you…idiot…>

He let out a soft sigh. She was back to normal. Well, as normal as she could get, anyway.
--------------------------
She replayed everything in her head, over and over and over again, but it still didn't make sense. Why…? She had to know…so she asked him.

--------------------------
Her sobbing stopped. He waited, wondering if she was better now.

<Kij…>

"…yeah?"

<…why?>

The question caught him off guard. He honestly didn't know what she meant.

"I…why what?"

<Don't be stupid! You know what I mean! Why did you have to do it, Kij? Why did you throw everything away like that? Why did you die, Kij?>

He dropped his head and closed his eyes, his neck cold from her tears and the bitter draft coming from the door. He braced himself for what he was about to say…
-------------------------

"…you really want me to tell you why?"

<Yes! Please….>

"…I'm ashamed of you."

She felt her heart stop. What was he saying?

<Kij…what…>

"I'm ashamed that you haven't figured it out yet."

<Figured….figured what out?>

He didn't continue. She felt her sorrow and fear start to boil into anger.

<Kij, tell me! Why did you do it?! Why did you just throw everything away like that?! Your mission->

"Mission?!" he interrupted her. "You just don't get it, do you?!"

He forcefully sat up, Matsu still clinging to him for dear life. His voice was louder now. Almost angry. She didn't know what to say.

"Listen up. I'm only saying this once. My so-called mission? My goals? My fighting in this frozen hellhole? My entire LIFE? None of those things-NONE of them!-mean anything without you! Understand?!"

<I…wh…>

"The ONLY reason I'm still fighting is you. I lost my parents…but you're still here, and I'll be DAMNED if I let anyone take YOU from me, too! You…you're…."

He was winding down. Her tears were back in full swing now.

<…K…Kij…>

His voice was softer, hollow. He seemed like he was barely keeping his composure.

"I…I'm looking for Saiya. My sister. We both know that. But, you want to know the truth? I…I've always….kind of thought of you as my sister, Matsu. The sister….I lost…and I might never find…."

Her heart was pounding, her eyes wide, her thoughts racing.

<I…I had no idea….>
"Yeah, well, now you do. What was I going to do? Watch you, the only person who still means anything to me, die right in front of me? No. I stepped up and DID something…and I never once thought of the cost."

<Kij….>

A long silence followed. Kij settled back down on the floor, and Matsu relaxed her death grip, though she still didn't let go.

After what felt like hours, she finally broke the silence, <What now? Are we going to go back to the battle?>

He gave a soft, bitter chuckle. "Are you kidding? I died out there, and you almost did, too. No; the Uprising may be our allies, and the PXS our enemies, but nothing is worth the risk of losing you again. Besides, with our injuries, we'd only be a burden."

She looked up and met his eyes. <Didn't you buy that big shipment of Potions before the battle?>

Another chuckle. "Want to know something? I completely forgot where I hid them. They cost so damn much, too…ah, well, some old man is in for the find of his life."

They remained there, listening to the distant sounds of combat, thinking of the fate they both nearly faced. Something suddenly occurred to Matsuko.

<Hey, Kij?>

"Yeah?"

<How exactly did you survive, anyway?>

He didn't answer. She decided not to press the issue, and rested her head on him.
The cool breeze was refreshing, and had it not been for the sounds in the background, you wouldn't even know there was a war on.

For the first time in what felt like an eternity, things were peaceful.
 
((OOC: Yeah, Warden, I think we should just stall. Or I am, anyway.))

Sar barely glanced up as the boy rounded the corner, his mouth full of what she assumed was the chocolate bar he had offered to her earlier. He tried to speak, but his words came out distorted around the pieces of chocolate. After he cleared his mouth enough to talk, he explained, "I was hungry; I didn't get chance to eat anything because the PXS turned up. What's the plan then? Are you heading back to the Pokemon center?" He asked, gesturing at her leg.

For a moment, Sar didn't respond, then shook her head; both in an attempt to shake off the dizziness threatening to consume her and to answer the boy's question. She hesitantly opened her mouth to explain when the doors of the gym were thrown open and a familiar figure stumbled inside. She frowned, puzzled. Having had been certain that Ikiji had been a lost cause, surrounded as he had been by armed members and oblivious to anything except his Pikachu, Sar was surprised to see him there, in pain but alive.

The doors cracked open again, and his Pikachu slowly walked in, her round eyes fixed on her owner. Sar gave a sigh for no particular reason and looked away, feeling rather intrusive as the scene played out several feet away. For some reason, she felt as if her faintness could be washed away if she hit her head on the wall behind her, so she banged it once before realising how utterly idiotic that was. She had to hold on; war-time wasn't nap-time.

Tock hooted beratingly at her behaviour, fluttering indignantly as Sar waved a hand in a shooing motion. Her owner gave her another look and nodded her head towards the door that led outside. Tock could probably still help the cause, having been sprayed with a Potion. She would be of no use sitting there, worrying over something that she didn't really have the power to change. Besides, Sar needed to know that Burr was alright. Tock understood, even if she didn't like it. With one last hoot, she flew to the entrance and used her Confusion to open the doors enough to let her through.

Sar watched her go, letting out another almost inaudible sigh. She wouldn't be able to go to the Pokemon Centre in that condition. She could barely stand, and she wasn't going to waste the boy's time or throw her dignity away by asking him to carry her. Sar stayed silent, feeling rather like an invalid, which caused her to be rather disgruntled. She hated not being able to do something.
 
The sound of her paws softly clapping the hard ground as she paced came to a crescendo, as her agitation mounted. Finally, she let out a cry of frustration.

<I hate this! Isn't there anything we can do?!>

"What? You want to get shot again? I already told you, we're in no condition to help."

<I know that!> she spat back angrily, <but I still don't like the idea of just sitting her doing nothing, while the others are out there fighting!>

"Oh, well, I'm having a blast. I never realized how wonderful it is not to get shot at. It really is something I always took for granted."

She glared at him. <You're not helping!> He gave a casual shrug in reply.

"I know." She resumed her circuit of the floor, and he sighed. "Look, I get that recovery isn't your forte, but you have to take it easy. You're only going to tear your injuries open again." She didn't give a reply, but silently continued her anxious walking. He sighed again, and examined his clothes. Hardy survival wear, tough adn expensive...and, thanks to the multiple bullet holes and bloodstains, completely ruined. "Oh, great. These were my favorite clothes. These things cost a fortune...when I think of all the mnoney I'm blowing on this little expedition...I wonder if a thirteen-year-old can have an aneurism?"

<I wouldn't know,> said Matsu, never slowing in her feverish pacing. <But this is really getting old. I think I'm going to go train, to pass the time.>

"Are you stupid? Do I need to repeat the whole "careful with your injuries" discussion?"

<So, what? I just sit here?>

"More or less."

<That's stupid! I hate not doing anything! Alright, forget this, I'm going to go see about scrounging up some food. If we're not going to be doing anything, we might as well not be doing it on a full stomach.

"Fine. Just don't go impaling yourself on a fork or something. I'm out of Potions."

<Whatever. I'll be back.>

He heard the soft patter of her paws fade as she stalked down the halls of the gym. His mind empty, he began to softly thump his head against the wall, an act he regretted when his headache returned in full force the next moment. He let out a soft groan and rubbed his now-throbbing head, and waited for something to happen.
 
Sar heaved another sigh as she watched Ikiji continue to be in his own world. She didn't think he realised that she or the other guy was there. He seemed familiar, but she still couldn't remember his name. It was something... urban, wasn't it? Simple, like Jason. Except he didn't look like a Jason. Henry? Definitely not. George? No. Patrick? That seemed closer to the mark, but off. Sar gave up again.

"Oh, great. These were my favorite clothes. These things cost a fortune...when I think of all the money I'm blowing on this little expedition... I wonder if a thirteen-year-old can have an aneurysm?" Ikiji complained aloud. Sar scowled at the wall opposite her thinking violent thoughts for a moment before collecting herself. He was the "tough past" guy, from the look of his eyes. Although, considering exactly how snobby and conceited that statement sounded, his past had better be murderous to cause him to be so calm about almost dying.

Still, she felt it was only prudent to alert him of their presence. Sar sighed, rolling her eyes. Her hair was matted and tangled and was going to be hell to comb in the morning, she noticed dimly. It really was a bother; tiring to maintain and restrictive to her movements. She shook herself out of the slight daze.

"What's an aneurysm?" She asked in the silence following Matsu's departure. Her question came out in a bored, drawling tone. She could have asked a number of other questions, all designed to test the other person's patience. How's it going? Isn't the weather lovely? Who do you think is dead? They were all senseless, pointless and irritating, so she chose what she considered the least testing one.
 
(OOC: Yay for convenient explosions :pink_boogie:)

Isabel looked away from Chris and bit her lip, knowing that everyone in the ditch was waiting for her to answer. She looked up in the sky, seeing patches of blue begin to come through the seemingly perpetually grey atmosphere. An idea began to form in Isabel's mind.

"Chris, we need Silver. Does anyone else have a bird Pokémon that can be ridden? It might be a risk, but if we fly high enough and have Fay covering us from gunfire, it just might work," Isabel said, thoughts racing through her head as she tried to put together a plan. "We need some way to get a message through to the Guardians. Since we already know how to take out the helicopters, our best shot will be to try and take them from the skies and below the ground by digging a pitfall, if possible. If we can find a way to bury them—"

"Isabel!"

Isabel looked up to see Brad running up to their shelter, his Weavile taking care to defend his Trainer.

"Isabel! They're about to try and blast through the walls!" he shouted. "Get the Uprising out of here now!"

"Come on!" Isabel shouted, leaping out of the ditch and immediately releasing Fay to deflect any gunfire away from the group as they fled.

Brad quickly lead them to the entrance, which had been reduced to a small nearly-hidden tunnel soon after the battle began so as not to allow the PXS troupes to enter. A huge explosion erupted from the wall behind them, though Isabel didn't dare look for fear of seeing what she already knew. Isabel clenched her teeth and continued running, knowing that unless the Guardians pulled off a miracle and did it fast, the walls of Frosty Gorge would be disintegrated in a matter of minutes.

"This way," Brad said sharply, leading the group back through the streets of the town, which were now eerily silent despite the fighting taking place just outside.

Isabel heard another explosion and looked up at the wall, finding a large row of Guardians lined up with their Ice Pokémon attempting to neutralize the explosions before they could strike the walls. It seemed to be working for now, at least.

Brad brought the group to the Gym and took out his short-range communication device, the only thing that was likely to work nowadays as the Katsu region had attempted to cut off every possible type of communication with the other regions.

"Send one of the nurses to the gym with whatever supplies that can be spared immediately," Brad said.

"We're fine. We can still fight—"

"No. You've been injured and so has much of your team. The fate of the Katsu region has to be put before everything else, do you understand me?" Brad said, his words sharp and obviously not open for question. "You all must promise me that you will do as I say to restore balance to the Katsu region, even if it means losing Frosty Gorge—"

"We're not going to lose—"

"Just promise me that you will do whatever it takes!"
 
(OOC: The beginning of the End :3/ :( )

Isabel looked away from Chris and bit her lip. "Chris, we need Silver. Does anyone else have a bird Pokémon that can be ridden? It might be a risk, but if we fly high enough and have Fay covering us from gunfire, it just might work," Isabel said.

Chris checked the balls on his belt as Isabel spoke and as Dile, Cedrik, and Psy stood next to him. Silver was the only one that hadn't been in most of the fight although he had been flying around a bunch. Ivy and Sakura were injured from the bounty-hunter, and Char had just used a Blast Burn attack as well as fought the hunter. Chris gritted his teeth as he thought about his next move.
"We need some way to get a message through to the Guardians. Since we already know how to take out the helicopters, our best shot will be to try and take them from the skies and below the ground by digging a pitfall, if possible. If we can find a way to bury them—"
"Isabel!"

Chris looked up to see the Brad, gym leader he had met earlier, run up to their shelter, his Weavile running alongside.

"Isabel! They're about to try and blast through the walls!" he shouted. "Get the Uprising out of here now!"

"Come on!" Isabel shouted, leaping out of the ditch and immediately releasing Fay to deflect any gunfire away from the group as they fled.

"Psy, Cedrik, Return!" Chris shouted, pulling both of their balls out and returning both Pokemon as Dile climbed onto his shoulder. He then jumped out of the ditch, shooting the pistol at the PXS behind them as he followed Brad.

He quickly lead them to the entrance, which had been reduced to a small nearly-hidden tunnel soon after the battle began so as not to allow the PXS troupes to enter. A huge explosion erupted from the wall behind them, and Chris ears rang as he helped usher everyone through the entrance before following himself.

"This way," Brad said sharply, leading the group back through the streets of the town, which were now eerily silent despite the fighting taking place just outside. The passed the house where the old man had given Chris the rifle. He couldn't help but notice that the chair was now empty.

Another explosion forced them all to hurry past the houses. Brad brought the group to the Gym and took out his short-range communication device. The device looked so out-dated compared to the stuff that was in Kanto and Johto, but it would have to do.

"Send one of the nurses to the gym with whatever supplies that can be spared immediately," Brad said.

"We're fine. We can still fight—" Isabel said before Brad cut her off.

"No. You've been injured and so has much of your team. The fate of the Katsu region has to be put before everything else, do you understand me?" Brad said, his words again sharp. "You all must promise me that you will do as I say to restore balance to the Katsu region, even if it means losing Frosty Gorge—"

"We're not going to lose—"

"Just promise me that you will do whatever it takes!"

Suddenly, Chris realized what the gym leader was saying. Brad seemed as though he had been expecting to lose Frosty Gorge. Not only that, but he was telling them to survive. Survive in hopes that they could eventually bring everything back the region. All the Pokemon, everything. It would've been kind of flattering if they weren't being shot at. Chris stepped in behind Isabel. "We promise." he said with a nod, pulling a Pokeball off of his belt. In a flash, Silver stood before him, spreading his wings out wide. "Beo, Greg." He said turning to them. "Do you still have Blaze and your Honchcrow?"

 (OOC: Sorry. I have to cut it short. My mom just backed her car into a tree and broke her back window and now I got to follow her to the autoshop. but I haven't posted in a while and... yeah...)
 
Yassan crouched against the wall away from everyone else. All he had left was Tyranitar and Sneasel's hat. For the first time in his life, he felt like a failure. He'd survived war, running from the law, and this Uprising nonsense. But at what cost? His first ever Pokemon and Scyther, and he had a nagging feeling that he hadn't treated either of them very well at all, after seeing Isabel, Sar, and Chris with theirs. He felt sick. He could care less about what everyone else was talking.
"Hey! Yassan, come on!"
 
He started slightly at the voice. Looking around, he saw a girl in the corner. It was the girl from before.

He felt a cold sweat start. How long had she been here? Had she...had she heard everything? He tried to keep his voice level as he replied.

"I didn't...see you there. An Aneurysm is a dilation of a blood vessel, usually caused by extreme stress....uh, how long have-"

Drop the subject!

It was an odd question, but considering the circumstances, not entirely illogical. She looked like she'd received a few injuries herself, but otherwise she was fine.

Seeing her, though, finally brought the thought that had been plaguing him since his arrival to the forefront. It shoved its way to the front of his mind, and began blaring at him in a loud, piercing klaxon.

This war wasn't winnable.

He knew it, had known it to some degree ever since he saw the Uprising's young leader. When he'd seen the other members, it had grown even further. When he'd infiltrated the camp, it had become incredibly obvious...yet, still, he'd suppressed it.

The girl wasn't one of the Uprising. Not technically. She'd only arrived a short while ago. He didn't know her motivations for fighting, and he was sure they were none of his business. But she seemed intelligent enough. It was possible she was also realizing the same thing he was.

And another thought occurred to him. He was only here because of an off-lead, a one-in-a-million chance that he'd find was he was looking for. Less than an hour ago, he had almost died, and he was no closer to what he was seeking than when he first set foot in the doors of the Pokemon Center. Every fiber of his mind was screaming at him, "Run! It isn't worth it! There'll be other chances, but only if you survive! You HAVE to survive!"

But, just as before, he couldn't run. He had to stay; some unknown force within was compelling him. Something that threatened to, should he were to abandon the Uprising to oblivion, crush him into nothingness along with them. He let out a long, deep sigh.

"Matsu's gonig to try to find something to eat. I suppose you can have some of whatever she brings back, if you prefer." He looked at her again, and decided he had to say something. "So, how did you end up here?"

As he spoke, another thought came. What will SHE do? Will she follow the Uprising in a hopeless battle that will almost certainly cost the lives of her and her Pokemon, or will she run away, abandoning the Uprising in their bleakest of days?
 
"Isabel! They're about to try and blast through the walls!" the Guardian-guy shouted. "Get the Uprising out of here now!"

"Come on!" Isabel shouted, leaping out of the ditch and running back to the city.

Greg hastily returned Blade and King, put his fingers to his lips and whistled load. A few seconds passed and Krow emerged, returning to it's trainer.

"Krow, stay behind me & use protect!"

Krow flew close behind Greg with a forcefield up behind it. Not many bullets passed them, but any that did had no effect.

Greg panted as he ran - he'd just spent god knows how long in a freezing trench firing bullets and hiding from enemy fire. The only thing that kept him going was the sounds behind him and the image of explosions. It was strange, he only found the Uprising just yesterday, but it seemed to be weeks, months...

"Beo, Greg." Greg turned to see Chris, "Do you still have Blaze and your Honchcrow?"

Honchkrow flapped it's wings and came down beside Greg.

"Yupp, Krow's all good here." he replied, giving a brief thumbs up.

(OOC: Woo, more action! :D)
 
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