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**Luna and Thief:

The Orange Isles Chapter Four: A Somber Veil**

The static had driven him nuts over the last hour, just the silently obnoxious crackle of the feed just barely connecting to him; growls here and there filled his ears before a commotion had sprung up over the speakers of his headphones. By then, a few strangers came and went; those familiar strangers which Logan had gotten used to over the last few weeks - one had even handed him a crisp white lab coat; stolen from that laboratory... until Trevor had come back drenched in sweat and a muscle shirt.

"Hey, cuz... what's gone on?" He asked as his Sandslash had gently perked their ears to his voice. The Sandslash had trained with him, too, that was evident in Spirit's tan-cream face. The skin-like panels which ran down his body and the spines along his back - it made Logan narrow his eyes once more to the sight of them. Tedious blinks fluttered through him in the moments that followed.

A Pokemon with a connection to... others - a real evolutionary chainlink in Pokemon. Logan gently shushed his thoughts and fiddled with his coat; stared at the labcoat beside him.

_It's white and accented with black, blue... red, every Team color? It's like a multi-team color lab coat, subtly detailed. I feel like I've seen one just like it in stock online, where the beads just sit in the middle lip that runs down the coat.

I think I've seen this coat in labs I've worked in and thought nothing of it; damn it's obscenely small to notice from any angle, but they wouldn't figure the 'most modest' change is the one to look out for. Even if they did what evidence would there be?

If they have these jackets, what does that Underworld Team have to identify their scientists?_

Logan's mind shot down each and every single Professor he had known, every thought and angle he could muster about it. Nothing was out of place - even the tackier, custom labeled ones that he knew of. It solely matched a personality of types at times.

The entire mull over left his fingers to chase down his brown hair - his blue eyes sharpened to the ground until a more giant palm overtook his view.

"Logan, I've been talking to you for the last..."

"Sorry, I'm just..."

"Yeah, memory sucks," Trevor commented, yet again, as Logan dropped a view onto Spirit, the Sandslash only tilted its skull with curious anticipation in return. "Shadow isn't here to pet. Right?"

"Neither is Bandit. I can't let my Pokemon out here. They're much too large for the room. Yet I got this creepy feeling down my back."

"Yeah? Gonna tell me what's happened finally?" Logan made a quirked scoff as he turned the Laptop over to Trevor, as he did; that older man with the injured knee gave them both a half-glanced look before he went back to his book.

I think he has...

"No, no, no." Trevor nearly pushed Logan's skull to the side. "You ain't zoning out on me right now. I can see you're going to."

"R... right..." Logan spoke again, "Check out the Pokenav. I recorded what I could from it before it cuts out." He continued to say as he buffered a video. "I have a feeling the last few seconds, or more, got cut." Logan continued to speak as Trevor leaned into the video.

"Fullscreen it."

"No, you have to read this too." Logan expressed and showed him a highlighted paragraph on the other side. Trevor skimmed over it briefly while Logan eventually huffed.

"Give me a sec," Trevor commented again and read through it. "So, what makes you think it's a Ninetales curse? Jirohei back home always talked about Ghost-type evils. If it's a Ninetales...

Trevor bit down his lower lip, as though to stun any emotion out of him. "Everyone is already dead, but the Pokemon." He let that frigidly run through his suddenly convulsed voice.

"What?" Logan said back, "I haven't read..."

"That's something you LEARN from PEOPLE Cuz. Jiro always talked about that and many other strange old tales. The other I know about them is that Ninetales can't be forced to make a curse. I don't get what it means, but that's what he'd say; I asked about Vulpix's and one thing led to another... Gengar's and Haunters and all of them."

"I understand and..." Logan dryly swallowed in return and felt the eyes that curiously looked back at them. It's because I... speak in English around Trevor - I always have. The Mightyena's are on edge because of our voice, pitch - fluidity... all the subtle things changed abruptly.

"And...?" Trevor spoke again as Logan shook his head wildly. "You've been entirely out this whole... I can't even try to keep up the 'happy' look." The older man in the back lightly chuckled and coughed amid his lighter laughter. He hadn't said anything, yet it was enough to make Trevor's massive, broad shoulders twitch.

"More like the whipped puppy, you know kid; you could've fucked my leg. I think you knew it." Trevor hadn't said a word in reply, only silently nervous. "Hesitate like that against anybody, they'll put you down, I knew you'd kick me; every prick does."

"You knew we...?"

"Arceus on a berry, our Umbreon followed you from the cavern you passed through. Why else would you think we were even there? We intersected you both. Team Rocket keeps a close eye kid. You messed some serious plans back in Hoenn, put you on a list." A chill ran down Logan's spine as he twisted the Laptop with a swallow, then there was just this occasional turn of a page; he returned to the book.

_I already knew they... Team Rocket's been watching us since I started my Journey then. Griffin too...? If they wanted Bandit that badly, why wouldn't they have just stormed into the home and taken her?

They clearly have the resources to do that._

"It's Litwick," Trevor commented

"What?" Logan muttered in reply.

"That Will-O-Wisp is from a Litwick; it's similar enough to a Ninetales - it's how it flicks. Jiro mentioned three and a half seconds - the flicker repeats. There's a lag in the end. I can see it. That's a clear video."

"Regardless they're being sucked dry, it's fueled by life. If they stay in too long, they will all die."

"Sunlight," Trevor commented once more. "Sunlight always beats ghosts, vampires... stuff like that. It's the same with the moves - they can be much weaker during the day."

"If that was the case, the Pokenav would've clicked...?" Logan, during his speech, had noticed the taskbar kick up, which made him scramble to run his finger towards the screen. "Speak of the devil... It's pitch-black? No, it's the roof, I think...? He's lying down...?" Trevor gently coughed in reply and then narrowed his eyes.

"Hey Logan, that thing records everything, right? But it's still a phone. Can you access the voice? Can we talk?"

"I mean... I... could call his Pokenav manually with the connection I have; it wouldn't interrupt the stream much - why? I mean, he has maybe a bar and a half last I saw."

"Because the ghost is in there with them; I don't think they realize it - but a battle could knock it out and interrupt the curse." Trevor gently leaned into the screen. "It's why Litwick's aren't banned, and why Vulpix's are rarely disturbed; in fact, there are some 'no training' marks nearby my work." Trevor lightly laughed, "There's a few that have made dens. Everyone's worried about being cursed by that."

"What do they do?"

"Lord, if I know, there are all sorts of crazy stories. Like some drive people insane, others age immediately and live their lives on top of that age. I've heard a few are even turned into Pokemon forever. Those are all just rumors, though; all I know is that a Ninetales curse is one of the most threatening. Jiro was absolutely certain to tell me that, bless that old man." Trevor commented and folded his fists in front of him. "Litwicks only take life force away; their curses involve ensuring their victims follow them. There's no harm done if it's interrupted. Got the call?" Logan snapped to and shot for his phone. "He can't answer it."

"Answering machine is excellent. Griffin promised me years ago that he'd leave his Pokenav on loud - even when his phone is on silent; well, I made him promise that though he told me, he'd 'never be a trainer'"

"God those back and forth jokes and arguments."

"We were a little pushy." Logan held the phone up, and without a moment, just a glance back to the man as Trevor cupped over his ears - he planned to yell into the phone and LOUDLY.

So Logan tried to cover his ears while Trevor roared into it with the usual victory cry he made at any end of a training day.

Seo:

The voice had broken past an eerie echo of commotion with always ran through the room - a human, one that left her ear twitching.

I can't see where it's coming from...? A Litwick? If that's it - it'll be sapping one of us dry... Seo's eyes had begun to sharpen as she touched her nose to the ground.

Seo used Odor Sleuth, but it failed. Her age got the better of her in that regard. "Anyone know Odor Sleuth? That voice says we got Litwick!" Seo called out with a softer hint of agitation. She hadn't held her stance or posture for this long in a very long time.

She hadn't needed to. Her training had slowed and eased for a time of rest.

"A voice? From where?" Seviper hissed.

"A Pokenav..? Who's is that?" The Zangoose twitched his ears in the dark. "Who's bleeding too? Is that all the Machamp?"

"No one to worry about at this time," Seo replied softly and twitched her brow.This rush of thoughts, my posture is slipping or hesitating. Either that or that damn Litwick is sucked on me! "It's definitely Litwick! It's on me!" The Absol sharply called out. "Luna!" Swift as a shadow, the air sliced like a full whip above her. The sudden movement of shadows had left her tail on the defensive, even when no impact struck it down.

"Where'd it go?" The Zangoose called out a mature and almost full human accent. "I could smell it just a second ago - I know I could."

"I don't know about the smell, Zangoose - but the wind had this empty pocket; I could feel it reverberate down my scales; it made no sense until now." The Seviper expressed and grinned. Even in the dark, Seo could still see the fang. "We have a trickster indeed; I can't believe we hadn't noticed right away."

"Ninetales and Litwicks are similar." Luna's tails twitched and jolted; they all heard Luna in the darkness of the cavern. "I remember that... who told me that? That's why... Lanterns?" Luna only looked around the Cavern. "Melody... she said something to Smokey at Maiden's peak..."

"What is she babbling about?" The mossy Zangoose mentioned.

"Buddy Pass!" Seviper called out in the dark. "Sniff everyone, humans, too! That Litwick will keep sucking us dry - it's hiding somewhere in the cave!"

"Buddy... Pass?" The Zangoose twitched his head. "What is this 'buddy pass?'"

"Yes." The long elaboration on the S left Luna to twitch her ears. "A permanent freebie!"

"W - Wait, is that...!? In here? Dark....?" The Seviper hissed and cackled.

"Yes, the Knight encrusted of gold, silver, and purple! The very same Seviper. How is my delicious snack today?"

"D - don't... freak me out right now." Seo's ear twitched as Seviper had been about to go into it.

"Seviper." Seo sharply tuned, and the snake solely pouted in return.

"I'll tell you, my Zangoose friend; what 'laws' the wild Pokemon have - you're homegrown correct? I can tell that by your posture." The Seviper continued to say as Seo let out a sharper snarl.

"Tell me you have SOMETHING, Luna." The Vulpix hadn't replied to her at all. An odd pattern of sound left Seo huffed as she blew at the hair in front of her eye.

She burnt out Heal Bell. Delightful; if she needs that to hear, and keep balance, I assume... Right, it goes fine at first; it was too easy, wasn't it? I can't move lest; I fray a tendon. She can't walk or hear. Seviper and that Zangoose... They both know that a ghost is a pain to fight; disadvantaged heavily in here.

"Anyone find that blasted candle?" Seo commented into the dark, "Anyone's Pokemon? Even if your scared, look for it; it's what's responsible for this mess." Her voice pushed into the Cavern with hesitated shuffles - Pokemon began to move around. "Someone, please help the Vulpix? Just to even keep balance."

"She looks really... really hurt." A voice commented back - a meeker one.

"She's been through a bit - be thankful for not ending up like that," Seo replied as something around her began to move or jostle.

"There! There!"

"No, here!"

"Above!" Seo gently huffed and groaned

How many Pokemon does it take to find a ghost?

"It's moving around erratically and waiting until it thinks it's safe. No one has Sunny Day?"

"My trainer figured it was worthless to learn. Anyone know Flash?"

"That'll blind all of us - the Litwick wouldn't be affected as badly by it."

"Not really." The Mossy Zangoose commented, "I've kept onto Flash for years; I can illuminate the cavern, but I doubt it'll do much good against the ghost. Won't even reveal it if it doesn't want to be."

"Do try, this Cavern is stuffy and... frankly, our Humans feel... Eerie. It's so odd. I hadn't realized their hearts could slow so drastically." The Seviper hissed

"Pardon?" Seo twitched a brow in reply, still paralyzed.

"Yes, I learned that in the hospital. Some Pokemon fall asleep and don't wake up - but they're not dead. These humans, larger sure - I feel like they just feel that way now. Still, but not dead...?"

_Comatose? The curse knocks out the humans, but if left for too long...?_Her eyes sharpened wider. "Find that Litwick now!" Seo bitterly coughed at the end of her words until Luna stumbled into the wall, on the opposite side of the cave where she started at; she simply sat down as something began to flutter around all of them.

"An attack? Is that it!? Over there?"

"No, it's not! That's not a Litwick!" All Seo could do was watch the strange near sickle-like curls of Pink-Purple flame, which twirled around her tails.

Hex...? Are you trying to counter a curse with Hex? I haven't seen your eyes glow with it before. You remembered something, the moment your ears went out. Your thoughts cleared up? That's not like you. By now, you'd be panicking... I think Heal Bell effects you emotionally like Moonlight problems. "Seviper! Check on Luna!" Seo called out as the Seviper rolled his eyes and began to slither towards the small Vulpix. He got close enough that her Hex dimly lit her face.

"She...?" The Seviper curiously tilted his head, yet the Vulpix hadn't moved and solely stared back at him. "I think she's charging Hex."

"An evil eye? She's charging her Evil Eye?" The Absol gently giggled in a strange respite, "Adorable! Does she look ferocious?" The Absol found a grin in her as the Seviper tilted his head in question.

"Are you okay?"

"I don't know," Seo replied in return while she gently stilled. "Do you... hear something? The Litwick's are probably affecting me too..."

"The air is a stranger now. Wait...? She's collecting energy, right? For the move?"

"Natur...? Is she...? Where is it? Sense it!"

"I'm already on it! What's gotten you in a rush? These Humans have been like this since they hit the ground. I feel the wind change; it's near one of the humans now!" A Pokemon somewhere had nearly tackled onto something, this strange possessive or parent-like snarl ripped into the cavern. A Houndour in the corner.

There's the breaking point of stress for the first Pokemon. Every Pokemon will feel that eventually. It really isn't a battle zone. All these trainers have something in common - but what? Stupidity? That be too simple.

You'd need a bigger cave, for one.

Seo felt a lighter grin overcome her face. _Luna hit me with Hex when she charged it. I can't move for two good reasons. I'm paralyzed, and my muscles would deteriorate without this recovery - my own move would shred me apart unless I chain it.

Having her in the room is a severe detriment to our firepower now that she hit me with Hex._

Seo solely let out a light, sour look as she focused her eyes back onto the commotion. The fight still erupted outside. This swirl of wind crossed around her - leaves passed by her cheek, which left her ear to twitch.

That's right. Leafeon knows Sunny Day; Luna is going to hit me with that fully charged Hex, and I haven't a chance to move. She took enough blows that the Litwick may have used Ghostly moves to affect her without her knowing. Confusion... it all toppled her down. I hadn't considered that. Smart...? Multiple is more like it. That's why everyone's running around. "Each Wisp was a Litwick."

"What?" The Zangoose expressed with a chilly tone

"A joke... Right?" Seviper hissed sharply. "Right...? This cavern is huge! There must be a better half of thirty!"

"So they dragged all of us here to die? That makes no sense!" Zangoose had snarled sharply too; Seo swore she saw his fur under that nose bristle with his whiskers.

"Food."

Again Luna's terrified voice interrupted everyone. "I figured it out... Wingulls... I remember that Lumine told me Hex was used to read curses. We can't see the Litwicks because they've been starved to the point that their flames are nearly out... They're dying on their own, and that's why they're trying to eat humans now." Luna softly shuddered and drew herself back. "A ghost fading into nothing... but I figured it out. A flame from a Vulpix never goes out - I spent time thinking... of Lumine and everything after the... she said Lampent instead of lanterns one time; so, I charged Hex to give to them - I remember the conversation, Seo... She told me that Vulpix's can feed Ghost types without hurting themselves." Luna muttered aimlessly and panted bitterly. "I asked if they'd wake up the trainers... but I don't think I'll be able to use Hex for a while after..." Luna began to cough bitterly after that, and after a moment, the Wisps flicked on with a glorious blue glow.

Every trainer slowly began to wake up.

"Seviper, get Leafeon; I bet he'll know more of this stuff."

"Sure, boss me around, Madam." The Seviper rolled his eyes in this mix of courteous gentry-sass and shot out his forked tongue, yet he left nonetheless; agitated and desired something aside from the cavern. Right as the Seviper crossed the cavern line, every wisp light went out again. A complete sheen of darkness, one which left Seo to snarl more. A begrudged sigh passed her lips as her voice, agitated and strained called out

"Buddy Pass." The phrase passed through the entire cavern yet again.

The Pokemon haven't panicked yet. I think they're rationally clinging to their trainers...?

I hadn't thought of Griffin.

"Luna!"

"Y... Yeah?"

"Griffin! The Litwicks could be around him!" Seo hoarsely coughed as Luna trembled to her feet, the full charge of a move like that; it would have left Luna numb all through her body - as though it lost feeling.

She was solely happy with the thought that she could hear again - for that moment. The smaller Vulpix pushed herself towards the other side of the Cavern. She had even cut in front of Absol...

As she nearly struck her tail out at the silhouette in front of her. I almost lost my... thoughts for a moment. I don't like being in places like this. Cramped for long. Seo lightly angled her head. My vision is finally clearing up; it's because I hesitated - my posture changed too fluidly. I really can't move like I used to

So why can't I hate myself for not being able to?

She shook her head again and coughed. A twitched ear, the sounds had continued on and on; flames had speckled into the cavern.

I'd hate to see what Smokey would be willing to do to them. There's some uncontrollable bloodlust with him; Bandit... hers is more 'insatiable' as she puts it. I'm astonished she can hold back as much as she can.

Yet those people broke me, give it enough time, and you'll snap in half too; we must get out of here soon. I'm not losing her.

Seo slowly narrowed her eyes towards that blurry - straggled line of light that she could see; it tediously came back into clarity. Quiet voices stirred the cavern, most about the commotion beyond her, some about what had really been going on. Pointed claws, fingers, and little paws at one another in bitter protest. All of them had slumped over their trainers and flicked moves around as they bickered; Luna had simply stayed quiet, however. The Vulpix spent most of her time on Griffin's chest and stared at him oddly. Every now and then, her tails twitched as though to brush something away from her.

She's using moves, whatever she can? She's wasting her entire list of them._Seo's eye gently narrowed. The flicker of blue flame overshot her tails for just a moment. _She's sapping her own strength to give away. A strange ripple of warmth flicked and rolled into her vision, one which left a lighter array of colors and shades to slither into her greyscale world.

"Zangoose." The creature tilted his head towards her. "Have you noticed the Vulpix, she's..."

"I have; clearly she's of your team; why charge her moves so pointlessly?"

"She's helping to feed the Lithwicks."

"What? That's suicide - let me help" Seo twitched her brow.

"We all should. That way, we can feed them without anyone dying. I figured it out after she expelled Hex. Use our moves, charge, and expel them."

"None of these trainers Pokemon know of that. Most don't." It replied to her, "To hand that kind of knowledge to them..."

"That you can multiply basic moves, well..." Seo silently exhaled. "Wouldn't it be best to teach them the good it can do? All these Pokemon are much softer than it shows." Seo expressed. "Even the ones against us." She lightly tossed her head towards Luna. "Can you rally the Pokemon in this cave?"

"You can't move...?"

"Paralysis and age," Seo stated in return.

"At your age, you shouldn't be fighting; the act alone would kill you faster." The Zangoose mentioned in return. "I knew someone like that, once. I only wish I had the strength to tell him the words I wanted him to hear."

"Pleasant as they may be, those words couldn't assist me; here I am - spooked by legends only to be tricked." Seo rolled a hint of stress in her tone. "I'm sure if that Pikachu we have is remotely as true as he is faithful. Then I'm sure that someone has heard those words, seen that truth, came to hold, and guide you." The Zangoose passed a curious eye, then a softer smile.

"You seem odd, all of you. Hesitant to kill..." Seo flicked her tail. Just the tip had rotated to angle his way.

"I hold no hesitation in it. I can't afford that." She expressed as the Zangoose held up his paw.

"As I stated. If I find Bandit, I'll do everything I can to see her unharmed; I'll even attack my trainer if needed." Seo twitched her ear. "I have before to protect lives." The Zangoose softly expressed back, "Alright, hey! All of you; we're going to do a fun game - I talk, you learn." The Zangoose began to rally everyone in the cavern. It had gotten quiet now.

I haven't heard any gunshots. The commotion is still going on. In all actuality, I killed Seviper. These Litwicks are going to suck us dry. Leafeon is always our best shot here. I'd kill what...? Two if I can line up the ball.

"Zangoose."

"Yeah?"

"Use your head," Seo replied and stayed silent for the rest of the time. I know they're still trying to. Luna is over there with her Will-O-Wisp. I've never seen her bunch her tail up like that. It looks like a broom nearly. Strange...? She's just holding the move. Like Thief does when he gets too hot?

Zangoose continued to talk as Seo twitched her ear again before the Zangoose could react; the candles began to appear bit by bit. The faded phantoms slowly ignited an ember of a flame. A calm, blue-white glow, most of the Pokemon froze in response.

A Marsh light; each one left "Use it for what? Oh... Who here can hold a move for a long time? Ghost-Type would be best. Dark could work. The goal isn't to hit them; copy what the Vulpix is doing, I guess."

"It'll hurt some if not all of you." Luna lightly coughed out. "I'm just... just scared - of that. I'll probably faint after, but let me tend to them alone. It's safer. I know it has to be."

"That's crazy. You can't say you're scared and do this all alone." Luna softly twitched an ear.

"Yeah, I agree with... With... I can't really see them, but I agree with them! You can't hurt yourself like this. We can help the Litwicks too."

"T - Then, if you're weak to ghost, stay back," Luna muttered tiredly. "I can... handle this, for now, I think. If we feed them enough, we can get them out in the sunlight, and they can flee from here too, right?" Seo gently huffed and continued to stare at the crack in the cavern.

"Someone needs to tell Leafeon and Seviper if the snake isn't dead."

"No, no, they're unconscious," Luna muttered once again. The Absol could barely hear her. "The Litwicks say that making moves lethal, its taxes Pokemon. A lot more then it should... they're trying not to hurt anyone, but they're scared too." Luna made another weak whine. "I think it's what Bandit would know, just by looking at them. I can hear them, though... I can hear them. I did this at Maiden's Peak. I saw a bug." Luna went softly quiet. "I think.... Moonlight does something like that. I felt that way after the Dragonair." Her voice had been softly toned for the whole time.

By then... the entire cavern saw a full thirty candles. The wisps that saw a strand and curiously reached to touch it.

The Sneasel jumped down beside Luna at that point, his forehead touched the cavern, and he let Dark Pulse charge around his sleek black-blue pelt; then another Pokemon of his type had jumped in, and another. Seo felt her eyes narrow, just able to see it in the corner of her eye.

She has too much love to give. It's not about attention; Luna can see and feel that about others - strange she'd find strength in that. The Absol moved her paw softly as she drew in a sharper breath.

Her world had been in full color by then.

The fade back into that grayscale void let Seo's paw move more limberly. Any worry finally lifted off her chest as she hesitantly wandered to Luna and joined.

Then Seviper had shot back into the room.

"I'm tellin ya. They're trapped!"

"Why Sunny Day?" The Leafeon had watched Seviper abruptly strike into the darkness.

"I got him! You won't need to worry about that 'curse' crap now!"

"What?" Leafeon had been mid-jump when he crossed into the cavern and hit the stone in an instant - a crumple of his body thumped into the cave. Moonlight shot overtop them both and had used Morning Sun to wake Leafeon up while Leafeon followed that move with Sunny Day. The entire Cavern had flashed a bright golden white light, a warm glow that burned away any darkness that choke-held them. That creepy somber presence had been gone, and everybody woke up once more. As they did, Luna pointed towards the cavern exit; every Litwick had floated past them and scurried out the cave in some sense of victory. It took that moment to realize...

Luna helped break Griffin out of the curse early, and upon seeing her, he rotated to cover the Vulpix on reflex and evidently the Litwicks too.

In every sense, it was a reflex; Seo knew that all he saw was her injured - weary and out there alone.

"Let's go! The Litwicks are gone."

"Hey! They're still doing the buddy pass." The S had really begun to annoy her, yet Seo shrugged that off and glanced firmly at Leafeon. It left Seo to gently singe her eyes against the Sevipers for a moment, yet the Seviper did something that surprised her. He gave a smile warmer than she expected from him. This oddly definitive kind that whispered. "Thank you for seeing me as a voice worth listening to." Seo had felt her eye twitch as she gave her tail a quick whip upwards; in every way, it appeared as though that painfully wobbly thing sharpened to a point.

She held absolutely no regard for his look, not at that moment; it felt oddly pitiful in spite of its warmth. A sharp shiver ran down her shoulder blades, like an instinct that Absol prepped herself before the pressure began to loom around them.

"What is that...?" The Seviper had looked riled and ferocious in the second that followed.

"I don't know, but it worries even me; that's tough enough to do."

"You believe to be on par with me?" Seo commented back as the snake writhed it's body upwards.

"I believe I surpass you in some fields, in combat - not on my best day against your worst would I best you. It's no different than that, Mightyena, hmm?" The Seviper mentioned, and without any warning, that external pressure faded in a moment.

"It felt Ghastly."

"My goodness, I believe there to be a Chandelure beyond us." The Seviper expressed with his softened hisses. "The vibration past the cavern, it all appeared to have stopped." A human had begun to walk past them, one with a Houndour by their side. The claustrophobic one; his hair appeared like an off grey, a white.

It's like the young man dyed his hair, the color of fur. It nearly looks like that to me. The Absol found traction as the incline out of the cavern had come, then the sunlight had blinded her.

"Griffin! Hey!" Brad waved as Aura had sat on the grass cross-legged, and her Bone Rush collected across her knees - the staff just waited patiently on her lap.

"Seo, Leafeon! Is everyone alright? I saw a bunch of candles flood to the edge of the cave after a while." The Lucario mentioned softly and looked towards the Zangoose that stepped out next to his trainer.

The trainer's hair was thick, dark brown. Shortly trimmed and arguably hinted fashion, yet it seemed wild. Seo burned that trainer in her mind, along with the white-haired one.

That Houndour was the first to get protective of her trainer. She's stressed the most... I think they're members that simply got trapped in with us; I don't understand entirely -, but they must be using regular people as members.

Does that mean that they're killing other trainers by using innocent people? Or are they testing and killing off whomever they like?

It made a strong tremble run down her spine and back. Are numbers the real threats...? _They'd use their Pokemon too. How do I tell them apart...?_Seo sharply snarled to herself and solely felt a faint tremor of wind behind her, one that made her stare up at ghastly purple-blue light, which glowed through the sunlight. From her angle, she could still see the Volcano behind her. It left her lungs to fill with air as the Chandalure held something out to her. A flame much like it had yet white and sage green before it faded in an instant. The moment she looked at it, it had disappeared. That left her head to idly turn as the Pokemon floated its way towards Luna to do much the same.

Did it restore my moves? I feel well-rested Seo shook her head and focused around her in fear of being consumed by it. The only change had been the sun. That was sole because of how it rushed to set in the sky. That Chandalure did that with every human and Pokemon in the cavern before it scurried off into the woods. As the sun had set on the Orange Isle, everyone had watched a lantern covered in small candles illuminate the forest and fade into nothingness. Luna simply giggled after that, a relieved calm giggle.

"I remember a story about them. That Litwicks aren't one minded at all, I guess. Griffin's Pokenav said that one night, remember?" Luna tiredly commented, Griffin had carried the Vulpix in his arms the entire time. "It burns life as it's fuel, recycles spirits. But it can extend the lives of many living things." Luna expressed and smiled softly. "I think it's trying to say that it wishes us well and that we live long happy lives - it's a thank you." The Vulpix softly swallowed to herself.

"You think that true?"

"I don't know what to really think is true or not, but that's what I feel. As dumb as that sounds..." Luna mentioned and gave a calmer look. "I'm just happy no one got hurt." Seo let her eyes adjust. "No one did, except Scarf. He did faint after all."

"I could read the curse."

"What... is that like...? I've never heard of Hex being charged like that," Seo commented back in her usual tone as everyone spoke to one another. Luna simply let her eyes widen a little and huffed.

"Kind of scary... you hear a lot of muddled voices, and you see plenty. I could see Griffin through his eyes, I guess. It was like a nightmare, running around in the woods at night... what I didn't get was..."

"What?"

"His eye level was like mine." Luna replied, "And whenever I spoke, he'd stop look around and then follow my voice. Like one he recognized, I guess. Then I found myself in a... the house, I guess - it wasn't like Trevor's." Luna sighed softly and yawned. "I heard something thump, and Griffin walked down the stairs. It was a loud bang too... He opened the door and came out with a picture frame; it looks like it fell down. A few things did in that little office." Luna expressed. "He couldn't see me at all then, that weird room was just white out of nowhere... shadows told me what the shapes looked like, though." Luna mentioned. "And the feelings...? Don't get me started on that. It hurt me."

"What, reading a curse was like... like...?"

"Like being in their skin, seeing and hearing everything they have, feeling everything too. I just watched Griffin walk up the stairs to a room and put the picture on a bookcase."

"What was it?"

"Just white again..." Luna commented back softly. "Are... are you as hungry as I am?" Luna asked immediately after. "I feel like I haven't eaten for days. I'm nauseous, weak all over. Tired..."

"You did give the Litwicks a lot."

"And I think that one gave me much more in return." Luna idly said. "It's... getting kinda blurry or dizzy. A - Absol, it's getting blurry... like... It's like..."

"You're fainting."

"Is this... I'm scared..."

"You can't move."

"That scares me."

"It's nothing like what you went through. This is just exhaustion Luna; not blood loss." Seo sighed as the Vulpix went limp against Griffin. It left Seo to shake her head and wearily expel.

"I've felt like I've been at that point for years."

The silence had begun to follow through when Griffin made a nervous peep to all of them.

"H - hey! L - let's go to the closest Trainer's Village. I'll cook everyone something to eat. We pool some money together, and I can cook next to anything - and well. I promise that."

"Food...?" The one white-haired trainer had lightly retched and, after a moment of panting, replied. "Yeah, I think I need some food." Pockets had given a chuckle here and there, even as someone helped pull that trainer up. As for the brown-haired trainer, Zangoose and Sneasel had long left, which abandoned Seo with Griffin and everyone else.

By the end of all of it, every trainer ended up back in a town that Seo knew much of; one close by the entrance to the volcano and agreed they'd head to Kinnow Island - get away from the insanity. Over that gloss of exhaustion, eventually, Seo found herself in another Pokemon Center, one where Griffin decided to wash everyone too. Her nose dropped to Griffin's wrist as he removed her bandana and used a room in the Center to groom all of them. It felt fine, washing away the blood and dirt from the cavern - yet with the state that most of the Trainers came back in; Nurse Joy had overlooked Griffin and his team when they asked to use the room.

The only thing that entered Seo's train of thought after it all was how terribly she needed to roll around in the dirt to mask her scent. Luna adored every moment of it. It left the Absol to twitch her eye and stare at the Pokemon center until a royal purple light flickered in her vision. Here, her world had been colorful too; eventually, police officers came in to talk to them; yet Griffin passed off as little information as he could get away with and left for the motel nearby. The officer that spoke to him left Seo remotely uncomfortable - a more significant officer, foreign.

It seemed like he knew that Griffin knew much more and had been too frightened to talk to the officer at the time; she could read that on his face. Every expression had said that, and something even calmer after that. It made the Absol shake her head from the back and forth banter, the symbols

"GPPI"

Had rested on the chestnut-haired man, his accent had been thick - durable and surprisingly soft worded. She drowned out every noise around her until she questioned that name.

_I can't let this name ruin me or it. Why do I feel... that moment of hesitation now? I hadn't before.

Can't I hate myself for that? Why hesitate...? Why show me pity...

Empathy...? _

Why show me, Luna...?

Her eyes nearly jolted in contrast.

Why would Seo ever consider that as a thought...? It left her body to burn hotter and hotter until her world began to fade into a trance of colorlessness. Griffin anxiously waited as Seo ran those thoughts through her head. Then Griffin blinked.

"Right... I forgot this." He took out the Bandana, the one that had been absent for her, knelt, and tied it around her neck. Then he began to tell a fantastic story, a strangely incredible story...

Because he had a little fox to guide him and knew that they were there too. By the end, he swore he felt more himself then he had in a while.

It had gotten later into the night, food in front of her finally; this delicate bowl of rice, meat, and berries. All she could do was eat, drink... and look around at everyone there. Scarf had been awake after their venture to the center, although a terrible chilled thought ran down her spine, that idea of being confined.

I think they're warning them. But... all the trainers? What kind of anarchy are they trying to create? It'd be an all-out war between humans and Pokemon. That's the worst-case scenario. What good would that bring us? That Chesshira wants to build an empire... of food? It left her thoughts to sharpen. _The Chesshira's personal gain is that we become livestock to them. But what do the humans gain in siding with them?

What these humans want is..._

"Absol?" Luna's weary voice had come out. It left her ear to twitch for a moment.

_She called me Seo in the cavern and... Absol here? Her face looks embarrassed._It ran through her back as Griffin had wearily talked to some trainers he cooked food for. The expressive line of stress had touched his forehead long before then. Her breath crossed past her lips again as she ate quietly, quieter than any of them. The glare of Moonlight caught her eye, yet the Espeon hadn't held a gaze that cut her; it felt more weighed then that. A softer pressure told her to calm.

"You don't need to feel stressed solely because he does. Anyways, when you feel stressed, even I do."

"Tell that to your old man." The Absol commented in reply. "I don't need whatever awkward praise you're giving me." Moonlight had shaken his head lightly.

"... It's... It's more of a plea." Moonlight softened his mewl and sighed lightly. "It wasn't all that tough to tell. I knew after a bit. I know you did. I just..."

"I felt bad for a moment, a pity, if anything." Absol expressed back to the Espeon and glared him down. It left his gemstone to sharpen, right when Luna plumed a tiny spark of blue-white flame from her muzzle.

"Can we... not for... a.... minute?" Luna commented bitterly and turned away from them. Her eyes had fixed over to Thief with Scarf nearby him. It left the Absol to twitch her head, glance at the Espeon who had stepped back by then, and returned to her food all with a fully dilated...

And an unblinking eye.

The voices had begun to drown out around her as the world simply flooded by until she finally caught words that hovered in-between her ears when a treeline came by next. It had been much later in the night by then, Griffin had spoken to one person quietly, the young trainer with his Houndour - the claustrophobe.

"Yeah... I... I heard about a truck or a van... they've been looking for it forever, apparently." They had spoken with a sincere, terrified tone. "I heard that it could've ended up near Valencia; something big happened. I guess the police caught onto them." Griffin nodded back in silence.

"Speak to them. Find someone of the highest authority to speak to. Tell them what you told me. They're still here after all."

"Yeah... you're right. I'm..."

"Why... are you a member?" Griffin asked quietly, yet the younger trainer feebly swallowed in return. That apparent hesitation left Absol sharp-witted as she narrowed her eye.

"Did you see something?" Griffin had also partially turned his head. "I think the wind brushed a bush." Griffin only focused on the bushes behind them - they had only stood right at the edge of the Village, just past one of the smaller buildings.

"Y... yeah... It's dark, I feel like the forest is circling us, but we haven't moved." The young man paused... and held his stomach lightly. "Why would you care to listen? Aside from... from my dad, no one else will... or if they have it, it feels like they just don't." There was this softer, somber voice as the trainer; around fourteen had told them a story about to brotherly eggs that went to explore a cavern.

The younger egg went in first, fell, and cracked his shell while the older one couldn't move a muscle after the cave sealed around him.

All she understood out of it was a distasteful dull flavor that ran along her tongue - a familiar strong iron scent filled her nose, blood lingered in her pelt. Griffin had simply walked the other teen away from the forest while he just chatted with him. Yet, Griffin mainly stayed quiet and solely listened. Then the pair of eyes left Absol to spark at a halt with her tail twitched.

A Weavile...? No, I've seen him. Her tail adjusted and locked, but the Weavile hadn't moved; it only staggered for a moment in utter silence.

A pitch-black, spray-painted Weavile, one that knew a certain Arcanine had staggered when he heard the whole story.

It hesitated entirely. It didn't even make eye contact with her, yet Absol found herself pressing ahead towards Griffin, and her ears cocked behind her. It hadn't also tried to attack them by then, which left her eyes to widen and glisten with her usual celestial red. Eventually, she saw the eyes on her, their eyes, the hesitation that came into them from the woods before they left into the night.

Is the Chesshira here too? Great, but I haven't heard him yet... He can't conceal himself from me.

I can hear humans clearly when it's around.

Her world had become another blur of lights as that thought ran down her spine. The cold, chilly singe touched her shoulders once more; then, a pressure touched around her, and that chill faded.

"Moonlight?" Absol gently called out. "Why are you up there using Psychic? Concerned with our unexpected guest?"

"Yes and no. It's just a clear night. That's all." The Absol partially shot her eyes down.

"Well, keep staring in the wrong direction." She rebutted, and that left his ear to twitch.

"You... believe I am?"

"Clearly. Kogistune, the constellation you want; is over there."

"In different skies..." Moonlight replied with a ginger huff and began to stretch out his back. His fur had been delicately silver-pink color, one who left her head to tilt.

"Can you use dark moves?" The Espeon twitched his pelt.

"What? Not particularly, Fake Tears, Bite... Shadow ball, I guess - but that's more ghost. Why do you ask?" Moonlight calmly inquired

"Do you have a headache?" Absol started again.

"Vaguely, why?"

"Try lounging outside tonight. See if that helps you."

"You kidding? It's freezing, I'd need a qu-"

"Quizzical fur to lay on?" Leafeon had partially interrupted. "I doubt you can just bring those quilts out here. Griffin is stressed enough, anyways... You looked a little... little..." Absol gingerly sighed and glanced back towards the woods until a buzz crossed her ears. Her eye darted upward that Vibrava had been fluttering around, outside of his Pokeball.

The half-painted Vibrava gave a partially meek, hesitant trill before his wings fluttered faster and heavier until it landed near Griffin's side.

He's feeding Vibrava too? I feel like you'd make an excellent Pokemon Doctor, but I know you're too squeamish. Absol shook her head for a moment as Moonlight concerningly mewed,

"Seo, are you okay?" The name left Seo's eyes to falter. That simple change of rhythm, stance.

"I'm fine." She replied in a way that couldn't stress her throat.

"Griffin is sure to give you more food, Seo."

"Don't..." Her lungs solely filled with air. The deeper, more peaceful breath touched her stomach. "I must be exhausted." His paw went to move, but Seo dug her leg into the dirt as she glared at both.

"You have my word that we'll keep watch." Moonlight mentioned to her. "Ayumu, maybe my owner, but Griffin and Logan are both my trainer. I feel like that's why you... you... seem upset with me." She only flicked her ear and tail in response as Leafeon twitched one of his autumn singed ears.

"I'm upset because you badger me constantly with help. If I need it, I'll ask you." She replied in turn as Leafeon courteously nodded to her.

"As with Moonlight, you have my word that we will protect all of you while you rest." Leafeon expressed. "We will get Bandit back, but to do that, we all need to be rested." Leafeon softly sighed and sat down. Seo could barely take much more of their constant badgering and finally retired for the night.

Weary, in pain... And only a heartbeat underneath a warm bundle of fur to aid her brittle bones.

Only this curious thought ran down her spine, the kind that left her mind to wander back to Griffin, only to listen to the words of honest, humble advice from him in the outside light.

Moonlight:

It's what he saw, light; that glorious array of silver-white netting along every branch he saw - the ocean had been the end of his horizon.

"Handsome?" The Leafeon partially, playfully, looked down.

"A little bit, I mean, you did have this frost from morning dew stuck to your lip back at Cinnabar." The Leafeon lightly giggled, but Moonlight rolled his eyes and focused on the night sky. Then Leafeon's paw had overtaken Moonlights. The Leafeon even pushed into him.

"I think your posture is off."

"And I think you're touchy..."

"You feel uncomfortable?" He pulled back and left Moonlight to look towards his right side, all the trees... a moonlit patio.

"L - Leafeon, this isn't... the time. We need to keep watch." Moonlight mentioned in return, yet all Leafeon had done was toss his ears into the night sky and look about.

"These trees are calmer than I've seen in days," Leafeon replied and gave a softer, playful stare. "You're all stressed..."

"That isn't important." Moonlight mentioned back in an unexpected fluster. "A - any of that isn't important. N... not right now." The Leafeon quirked a brow as Moonlight went red.

Really? Just... blurt that out... stupid....

"Well, I'm curious." The Leafeon got a hint closer, as Moonlight simply adjust himself, seated proudly. "I... noticed a flower shop..."

"Ah..." Moonlight softly scoffed, "You don't normally seem so stuttered or nervous." The Leafeon gingerly nodded and gently placed his paws down to the rooftop.

"I... remember smelling these." Leafeon mentioned with a soft tone, Moonlight's eye had only run over the delicate yellow flower.

"A Dandelion...?" Moonlight swiftly sighed in reply. Wow, one! Amazing Leafeon. You found one of the most common flowers I know. The Espeon gave a roll of his eye and cocked a hip. "That's why you're stuttering? What did you do, cut it?" The Espeon light huffed as Leafeon tilted his head drastically.

"No, they were already cut; I gave one of those humans in town a stone and took the flower - it's a foreign flower." The Leafeon had replied in turn.

"A stone...?"

"Yep, red; lightly opaque. A small one." Moonlight partially stared at his forehead and realized - with Leafeon's louder chuckle...

"Yeah... you made me look..."

"You don't trust me?" The Leafeon had replied gently in turn. "I bet I can use my leaves to walk us both up there; that is if you'd like to see the sky without clouds." Moonlight shook his head no.

"We must keep watch. We can't if we're up there." Moonlight replied back as Leafeon lightly frowned.

"I am going to bend that mentality. Tonight is somber. I can even hear insects; dull night." Leafeon expressed and softly showed his tongue. "I swear that it'll be less then a minute, anyways the higher altitude; you'd be closer to the moonlight too - if you'd like to take Absol's advice," Leafeon mentioned and then gave a smaller smile. "Or if you'd prefer...?" His paw jolted higher

Something just brushed my...? Moonlight shot one look downward, and at that moment - the Leafeon pinned him to the roof. "L - Le..." It took his breath away, along with that flood of adrenaline. The softer nearly ticklish nudge dug into his neck and lightly clamped down. Moonlight's paw had felt weak instantaneously while his fur rose on stilts.

He's... biting my...? The shuddered gasp passed by his lips. The stuttered mewl left Leafeon's ear to twitch. _His paw... it's running down my chest._There was the softer release as Leafeon softly pulled his muzzle back and licked against the side on his neck.

"You know... that shade of purple looks good on you." Leafeon's paw gently rose until they stopped.

A scarf had blocked his way.

"I don't wish to see you pale or wish ill on you." He gently mentioned - the soft sandstone fur had brushed against his stomach and left Moonlight to shyly shut his eyes. "You aren't storing Psychic properly, Moonlight. I asked you to..." Leafeon went quiet as the thoughts ran through Moonlight's head. All of Kanto ran through it.

You'd just listen and give warmth whenever you can. You're... something that intimidates me."

"I can't shake it." He replied after a moment, "I'm scared around you." Moonlight softly trailed off as Leafeon tilted his head. "I'm constantly terrified of letting that go. I'm..."

"Terrified that you'd feel like you'd forget them over time," Leafeon mentioned back. "I feel I was owed a bite in return. After all - you took a decent one of me."

"I know..." Moonlight's voice wavered. His breath felt steamed in the chilly air.

"Your pain is because you're storing too much energy into a move. As powerful as that is, it'll destroy your stamina - your limits will lower." Leafeon replied. "Even your... happier days are few and far between now. It's hurting you - I've said times before." Leafeon had begun to get stern in a way that left Moonlight to fold his ears and gently open his eyes. Leafeon had only looked at him from a softer angle. The sap-like eyes caught Moonlight's attention - drew him into them. "To me, Moonlight... you remind me of someone; when I asked that question, they told me this." Leafeon softly pushed into his cheek and ear. This warmth pushed against Moonlight's cheek in a way that left a purr stuck in his throat.

He's soft... His whole body is. I... I can't move, really. My heart is... it's stupid... I can't...

"If we could see the world in their eyes, to be a part of it for any fleeted moment, I just know they can see the world through mine - and always know I'm there with them."

Moonlight softly swallowed as Leafeon gently kneaded a paw against his chest - his leg had stretched and clawed at him tenderly.

"I..."

"They'll always know, Moonlight."

"I'm..." Moonlight pushed against Leafeon's paw. "I'm uncomfortable... please get off me, Leafeon." The Leafeon had stilled and sighed. "I understand, but... I... I..." Moonlight had only stared back at him, ears pinned to the ground; Leafeon's entire weight squished him to the floor. Leafeon had softly rolled his head down, pushed his head in.

Leafeon rubbed his forehead against Moonlights.

"A little trust is all I ask... please, don't hold your moves like you are. I feel like it's how I lost that friend." Moonlight had only glanced past the scruff atop Leafeon's scalp. A cloud had rolled by them and his cheery; strong muzzle had softened in the luminant night.

"I told you! I told you I'd make it up! Now we can both see it." Those perfectly groomed tails had pushed up his chin. The forest outside gently swayed by the horizon. "The stars. There are so many here, nothing like back home. Some make shapes, haven't you seen them?" Leafeon had softly traced that muzzle down to the Espeon's chest. It left him in a soft tinge of excitement, even with the shy look across his face. _"Even the clouds do colors too."

"That doesn't make sense. The clouds don't change color - it's sunlight!"_ His voice had slithered past his thoughts as Leafeon pushed his nose right against the thin fur over his chest - it was cold and left his whole body in quakes. His heart began to quicken as his breath slipped from his lungs.

Moonlight remembered a smile, one that a crush gave him so long ago; a wondrous smile which only became relieved over time along with Leafeon there to listen to that heartbeat.

"We can do that, become stars, right?" Moonlight remembered the smaller chuckle he made, one that made Moonlight smile in return.

"It explains why there's so many... they get lost?" His voice had slowly pushed against the air, the near mew he made, which stirred the closed room behind them. The Vulpix only giggled happily in return and lightly pointed out his paw, trembled on three. _"See that one? I remember that one too! There's a place where there are stars of all sorts everywhere in the sky."_Moonlight gently huffed.

"That sounds like a dream!" He retorted and stuck out his tongue. Another stir came from the other room.

"You'll wake him up, and this late? He'll be mad... shush." He mentioned back stuck his tongue out, eyes wide open. Gentle, golden sunlight. "Then we can't see the stars tonight. He'll stay up late with his books tomorrow night..."_The voice gently crossed his ears as Moonlight drew his nose to the edges of Autumn's scarf. _"Trust me a little..."

Moonlight felt his eyes gently dilate. Leafeon had only buried his ear against his chest. The calmness hadn't handled eerie in any way.

It was genuinely calm all around them. Griffin had still been awake and spoke to the young man below, yet Moonlight's ear hadn't picked up on the gentle whisper which lingered from the Leafeon's maw. It only left his eyes wide as leaves began to nestle all around the rooftop, just silence followed. Silence, a smile came across the curious cheeks above him. The cheery white-gold moon pushed down against his ears, down to his nose.

Where only the thought, a dare; the voice which asked to say three little words and one simple name had gotten stuck in his throat.

"Let me show you something... Moonlight." It felt and sounded like a haze to him for a moment where the Espeon only nodded shyly and reluctantly; the leaves surrounded him every muscle when they lifted him upward. A shock chased down his chest, and with every sense of wonder, Leafeon had casually walked onto the air - paw after paw with leaves that gathered to hold him steady. Within every step Leafeon made, Moonlight had gone higher into the air - it left him to frantically pant.

"L - Leafeon t - this is high enough, please," Moonlight mentioned in turn, yet Leafeon had only slowed his pace, along with the leaves underneath him. "H - how...?" A smile came across his cream-grass muzzle. Those eyes had glanced at him with curiosity and trust.

"I know... I know I've been stressing you." Leafeon expressed softly. "I have been from the start. I know that... I apologize for that." His skull had turned downward towards the town while Leafeon made a curious hum. "It looks like the townsfolk heard of the Machamp. Some are at a shrine nearby. The elders by appearance."

"Of Weavile?" Espeon commented in reply.

"It appears they left and looks as though the trainer's story had startled him, strange for a Pokemon we saw with the Chesshira. There was this hesitant pressure from him even back then. It makes me wonder if he's a Pokemon from that young human. The one that was with him and the Arcanine." Leafeon passed a charismatic and toothy grin. "With a night this calm, I can feel every tree; smell them - the wind even helps me know. I could sense a threat for miles tonight." Leafeon contently sighed while his nose scrunched up with a laugh. "If your ears were pinned any further... I'd think they grew in like that." Moonlight partially hissed in reply.

"I don't find... find that..." Leafeon gently stilled the cloud of colorful leaves that carried Moonlight. All he could see going up was the clearing skyline. In some way, Leafeon had gently glanced down.

"Which... one was you...?" The question made Moonlight quake as Leafeon pulled his head back. "I'm sorry, that was... I mean." Moonlight twitched his ear as he sharpened his eyes. Right when Moonlight went to open his mouth, "It hurts, me too. I couldn't stop that from happening to them. I jumped in too late." It left an eerie shiver down the Espeon's back. "I was too late... on all of it. I'd like the chance..."

"Chance...?"

"I'd like the chance to move past it too, a little trust to move me forward as well." Leafeon expressed. "I have a constellation I know, Moonlight. One I know very well, or... A pair I should say." Moonlight gave a gentle, curious scoff.

"What? The big and little dipper?" Leafeon began to laugh in confusion and harshly - it left Moonlight confused until he said...

"No, the two bears above." Moonlight took a moment to blink before he stifled a giggle, which left Leafeon to tilt his head.

"So Ursa Major and Minor?" Leafeon hesitantly tilted as Moonlight began to laugh harder. "So, the big and little dipper?" The drastic tilt of Leafeon's skull left his ears to dangle. Moonlight just couldn't stop; it was the most he had laughed in a long while until he noticed Leafeon's ear had pinned back. "Hm? Oh, I'm... that was a little insensitive. They are human terms..." Moonlight mentioned calmly in return and sighed. "If you look up there... that's Lupus... and over... over there is Lynx - makes me think of you a bit." Moonlight awkwardly and hesitantly spoke as a collection of amber and orange-green swirled underneath them. Leafeon had made a platform small enough for them both to lay down on. "Hercules...?" Moonlight nodded. "Perseus, too, some are going to be harder to see during winter, or you just can't." Leafeon stirred after a moment.

"Hmm? Your chest breathing."

"Huh? O - oh... It's a bad habit." Moonlight replied, and suddenly, Leafeon's paw had gently brushed his stomach - that move left the Espeon a shade of crimson.

"No. You used to do this with... Autumn. Right?" Moonlight stared at the paw on his stomach until it began to softly draw in air.

"Yeah, he loved the winter sky; he could only go out during fall - the temperature was good for him then. It was rare for him to... to play with snow."

"The height...?" Leafeon softly mentioned while his nose prodded Moonlights rib; it made the Espeon jolt. "Chest breathing... calm." The words pushed against his thin pelt; every tease ran down his fur like a tidal wave.

"You're scared of Sevipers... I'm terrified of Fearow." Moonlight mentioned in return as Leafeon tossed a lighter gaze onto Moonlight's eyes. "You... I mean..." Moonlight sighed as a softer tinge of the gloss had touched his eye. "There wasn't anything I could do either... I ran..." Moonlight softly took in a breath - one that became ragged and stiff with the chilled wind as his lips parted. Leafeon only glanced down at him softly. A tender tilt came over his scalp as though he blocked out the sky above Moonlight.

"Every time I ran."