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**Luna and Thief

The Orange Isle's Chapter Sixteen: Bonds**

She was never fond of snow. It always drained now, when she had been younger - Seo knew snow had been a wondrous thing.

The first time she saw anything like it, she cried.

Now, it lost its luster and love of its beauty for her. The region hadn't been the worst terrain she'd been in - the mountain could easily pass for more of a forest's meadow then anything else. She simply dredged in the snow; enraged thought-full energy filled her head to tail.

By Arceus did she focus all that energy in her tail.

_You're all dead when I get there. You shot Griffin? I wanted to kill you all long before this. I have a chance finally, and it was worth the last three bloody decades.

And this last one had been the most important _

Her eyes slowly welted up - stained red, stung in every direction. The Beedrill's poison had finally stemmed low. She had Seviper to thank for that, but her Bind had faltered through the two days of fighting alone. Seo had been sure to cripple the move by then... with a Growlithe in tow... She pushed her large paws into the snow. I'll free Bandit, and we'll snap out your joints like a wishbone. The Absol forced her body to move, the sting against her side.

Her broken rib hadn't helped with the slowly growing pain that had been her swelling liver.

It made her lick her lips; she'd trade a world of well-deserved justice to any human being she found with them. Thief hobbled through the cold beside her.

"Heat up. I can't cover you out here." Seo commented; her words seemed mixed at first. She wanted to leave the tattered mutt behind. All he had done was sniff the air endlessly. The frosted wind shot out in any direction; it felt like the pressures changed rapidly.

"S - Seo? I think there's something is charging ahead?" Thief muttered, exhausted - his white plumy breath resembled a campfire smoldering in water. "Or... I don't know. It's gone. I don't sense anything now." The Growlithe continued to say as Seo spat.

Blood, but luckily it was from a blow to her jawline. "W - what were you talking about before? D - during the fight?" Thief muttered out meekly.

"Just hold Endure, understand? Hold Endure and find an ember to use. I need your fire." Seo said back to him. "Are we clear on that?" Thief nodded again, sagged his creamsicle tail in the snow as though to drag it behind him.

Idiot. Idiot, idiot. Thief, pay attention. "Look up." Seo sharply barked. "I swear, one bloody whine from you." Thief gently recoiled

"O - okay..." He'd say back, the poor thing still looked pale. "We'll find Bandit. She has to be alive. She needs to be alive." Thief continued to mutter aimlessly. "There h."

They both went quiet. A Pokemon made a noise.

"That's an off-key Vulpix." Seo looked around. "Strange." Thief only glanced about.

"I don't see anything." Thief swallowed. "W - what did you mean by... 'lucky?'" Seo continued to move, quiet... as Thief was going to open his rather annoying muzzle - Seo shoved her paw in it.

"I still have some of my sanity." She returned to him gently. "I got lucky because they cared enough to keep me alive. As easy as it is for us to kill humans. Humans have ways to kill us even more quickly." The elderly Absol commented. "It's... easier if no one did. Especially needless ones." She'd gently huff.

"W - wait..." Seo froze as Thief sniffed around. "I smell... Bandit?"

"What?" Seo took her nose into the air.

"It's droppings..." Thief repulsed; Seo didn't care what it was. "Old, maybe a few days."

"Is she out here then?"

"If she is, all those bad people are dead." Thief felt a little giggle come on. "She'd beat all of them. Let's find her; she has to be somewhere nearby." The Growlithe said happily that had been the usual thing he'd say. "We need to go." Thief muttered with a mix of emotions; Seo was much the same.

The Absol couldn't fully understand how, but these horrific monsters that dared to call themselves human broke a Pokemon that literally couldn't be. The urge to gag - yet she whipped her usual weapon of choice back... and continued to mutter horrific curses in her now utterly open and conscious mind. She raggedly drew in air and pushed into the forest with an unsteady wobble. Thief continued to sniff around, whining from time to time.

"Thief."

"Y - Yes?"

"Shut the whining," Seo commented. "I'm much older than you. I'm not complaining." Thief swallowed dryly and continued to wander as silently as he could. _For the love of Arceus, don't tell me all males are that weak these days. It was two broken ribs. Two!

I've had a broken femur, a cracked sternum, and three ribs done in following one night. That had been months in a recovery pod eating paste._

The Absol gently spat and winced.

Her joints hadn't given her any praise for all the day's action. The snow continued to swell up as Thief continued to sniff anything and anywhere. There had been a lapse of silence from him after a moment.

"What is it?"

"... Thyme and Rosemary?"

"It grows through winter."

"It's fresh."

"Focus, Thief." Seo commented back as Thief drooped his ears. "If these Pokemon are even a lick like Scarf is, then you know they have herbs of all kinds." She'd say. "Calm down." Thief partially growled; it made her bat an eye. His had been teary. "What are you going to do about it is my answer. I'll focus my emotions when I'm cracking in a human with this tail of mine." Seo firmly told him, "Get angry at them." She'd say. "Get really, really angry." Her tail had the urge to spark.

The Growlithe's constant annoying back and forth had been pissing her off. He didn't know the bare-bones definition of stress. Seo focused on the snowy black landscape around them; there hadn't appeared to be anything in the distance.

"There must be a building somewhere; they'd have her underground," Seo said back. "Sniff around for concrete or treated wood." The Absol commented to him. "Aside from that, follow me." She continued to say as Thief glared around the woods. He still seemed dazed and paled. Seo could take wild guesses at what the Growlithe thought

She made plenty of those thoughts too.

"Don't forget what I said, Growlithe," Seo remarked sharply as she'd wander through blanketed woods. "Endure, Ember, and Rage." The Absol stated and narrowed her eyes - the snow howled at them and lashed their ghastly whips down their backs. Then she halted.

"Gunpowder..."

"Quiet, I think I get my first kill. Bushes. Now." Seo nearly whipped Thief's hips with her hind leg as she'd tenderly hunker down into a nestle of thick, dead branches. They lowered until they had been in a fallen divet - the snow had simply fallen until a mound buried a side of an overgrown hill. She simply watched the two strangers, one with a cigarette precariously in their mouth, the other had idly looked over their firearm.

It had been a long, bolted kind.

"Seriously, though. That Abra did that?" The voice seemed uneasy...

"I can show the video again." They replied as Seo watched the sickle curl and twist around from their mouth.

"I'm... quite content with never seeing that again."

"Good, shoot the thing when you see the thing." The voice said. "Twenty-five minutes. Twenty freaking five."

"Whatever, it's not the worst thing... it could've been in a proper room with everyone. At least that guy helped out with that woman and her kid." They mentioned, "I wanted nothing to do with the idea of getting them back to the city."

"Me too, that is out of my department." The other man stated, Seo just bided her time.

"Yeah. I'm happy I'm out here - that freaking thing is still going." Thief tugged her tail; Seo had been ready to make a move. She glared viciously at him, but the Growlithe didn't let go. "I can't believe the IV check. What the hell is that about?"

IV Check? Seo had half a mind to grumble as she laid in the snowy mountainside. I haven't heard that one for a while; they're still on about that? Bastards. Absol fought the urge to snarl if she jumped now - the humans were undoubtedly ready. On guard, it seemed that whatever Abra that hurt Luna, Yuny, Akamaru, and Thief came from them too.

"I haven't a clue, but I'm glad I'm not Security Team. I haven't any idea why they started rerouting Pokemon here." They said.

"You think it has something to do with Japan?"

"I never liked that from the start..." They commented back and sat down. Seo wanted to grumble and nearly pout. "What they push a bunch of guys down that way? A lot of trainers - some of our best trainers too." They expressed and rubbed their gloves together. "You don't just move people like that. It's like a full assault."

"I know the feeling." The other said again, and both jolted. One... Two... Five. Five full rounds went off in the woods.

"What the?"

"Crap, that's back our bearing. They must've found it - go."

"Great... What I wanted today - talk to the complete dick of the compound."

"He did help with them, though - it's just the stress."

"He always says that." The other spoke as they both went on the move back the way they came. It's as though they tried to follow their own footsteps - but they hadn't moved very quickly with those weapons in their hands.

Seo gave Thief the notion while she silently pushed out of the spot they found. Her throat held a whine in it... that hadn't been a sound she had heard in a long, long time.

I knew it... I crippled the damn move - I can't wholly numb the pain...

Seo felt the wind curse across her cheeks, but she didn't let that sway her. The Absol followed the white-clothed humans, bundled in their camouflage and snow gear.

Those humans... They didn't seem much like Underworld.

It had been how they stood, how they walked in the deep snowline. Seo saw the guns; the long rifles hadn't looked poor.

They looked clean, respected, and crisp. A wrap had been around both the firearms - Seo hadn't known the reason for the cloth.

That made her wary; Underworld didn't seem to know or attend to them often. Those two - they had been much... much different. She dropped her following distance to a treaded stalk. Thief only stared.

"Don't lose sight of them, and don't be seen," Seo commented and shook her head.

The world felt and twirled... It left her to wince. The frost buffeted around her fur as Thief stilled his breathing... It looked like all he tried to do was hold his breath.

What good would that do him? Just turning to look at the thing annoyed her. All he did was focus on the strangers, stopping when they did.

If he's trying to keep his nerves down, it's just his survival instincts telling him he's safe if he's unseen. Seo narrowed her eyes. I think you need more time to assess the situation. Seo felt the burn touch around her gut, the flare of abdominal pain - she wanted to bite down on a tree.

The sudden pain left her eyes to water. It came in soft waves - hot... Not only that, there had been the tenderness in her side.

The broken rib... Seo slowed her pace and growled silently into her fur. This isn't good. I'm not bleeding internally; I know that. The bruise and the bone, a bad move...

Thief had slowed his pace to a stall.

"S - Seo..." Thief muttered quietly... The Absol pushed a lame paw out, brought it to her maw.

She bit down until she drew blood.

The firmer grunt slipped from her throat as Thief shook his head.

"S - she's right here. She needs us..." Seo had half a mind to bite him; she already knew that. She hadn't been a fool - but that blow Chansey had given her?

If it didn't screw with her blood, it certainly tapped her bile ducts.

She couldn't assess the damage aside from stomach pain. Her entire torso had been mangled. The only grace she really had was her tail and Bind.

Bind was half working as Seo figured she would've gone into shock if it hadn't been. The Absol panted wastefully and stared herself down. Absol had fought a Chansey much too long ago

That had been the biggest mistake of her life. She always agreed not to mess with one because just like Moonlight had a basic understanding...

A Chansey had been fully capable of understanding any given structure within the body of any given patient.

One tap, in the perfect spot, was all it would take. Seo knew, aside from the pressure points... that the Chansey would beat her into complete submission - any Pokemon that completely snapped did just that.

Seo felt that urge and slowly pushed to her feet. She had not any desire to retch - she had already done too much of that. Seo stared around at the water...

Water?

It made her crisp eyed as she glanced at it. Thief had tilted his fuzzy scalp, and for a moment - she pictured the worst thing that came to her head. But, the Growlithe had actually pulled out a dried line or groove of bark. However, the hell he found it baffled her - either that or she had been there longer then she could recognize.

Anything that could work as a bowl and the Growlithe found that and the little ember he needed...

He actually wasted it on her?

That made her furiously thankful... at least his little 'pilot light' had been enough to melt snow. Her eyes made a little dance back to Fuschia as her tongue touched the water.

"Thief?" She commented, "Remember, Fuschia?"

"S - sort of..."

"You used Flame Blitz, remember? One is defensive; the other is offensive."

"Y - yes. Flame Charge-"

"Why did you use it? Didn't you yell that it was your fight?" Thief's back had trembled. "Why?"

The Growlithe bit his tongue and glossed a look her way. "Why? You fought injured then. Why? What went through your head?" Seo growled lowly to herself.

Get motivated kid, the longer I'm out here, the more screwed I am. I need medicine; a Max Restore couldn't even help stabilize me. Seo bit her lip sharply and huffed, watched the little drops of blood run down her paw.

The extra pain would ironically dull the rest. Bind may only be able to kick in for a fresh injury; it left her in emptiness. That bitch of a human didn't beat me. She hasn't yet. Her forepaw hit the ground.

"S - Seo, you need a rest." Thief protested quietly and frantically, but the Absol had none of it.

"I stop; I die." She began to say. "I hope you have enough fuel to spare... or you'll die out here too." She replied, her growl had suppressed into a whimper. It hadn't been intentional, but it had been enough for Thief. He stared and continued another deep breath - held it.

What had holding done for him? It had driven her nuts. He'd be out of breath and hyperventilating before she'd know it. Absol only stared down at the Growlithe gingerly exhale - the wind plumed from his maw.

"It's my fight... too." The Growlithe muttered. "L - let's go. Bandit has to be nearby. I can follow their tracks." Thief breathlessly said and continued to wander into the woods. The Growlithe sniffled, bit by bit...

But there hadn't been another word out of him.

She paced along with his slow tread - a mild jog to her in that condition. Seo had to watch her movements, restrict her body motions. That ever-lasted desire and overused way of description touched her stomach. There had been every pressure to hold back hurls. A sting shot down her sides - the nerve pain; The intense burnt sensation grew into her skin like galvanized nails. There hadn't been much time left, and as she stared down at the Growlithe in front of her...

The very thought of loving pain had never been in her head - It always had been the opposite.

In some ways, it made her desire everything to break down there. The name pelted her head... repeatedly.

Always and forever.

Seo pushed against the snow - the dredge left it to part the ground.

"Of course, I'm freaking serious! Get the security detail up here, all of them!" A voice explained. "I'm okay with everything but being mind-controlled by a FREAKING Abra!" They continued to say "F... It cut him in half."

"God... He was a bit of a Cocktail sure, but..." The other voice commented.

"Hey, man - out of all the guys from Underworld, you're honestly the only one I like. You listen; keep listening. Cycle the bolt - safety off; get to the tree line." He ordered, but it didn't seem firm - it felt more cautious and stressed. "Do not freaking shoot unless you know you see an Abra, triple-check that target. Not a single round, got it? I'm wearing camo; you could kill me."

"Like the Abra did to him too?"

"Do you think a gunshot wound would look any different? Anyways, that's the definition of freaking Overkill. Wasted energy - I don't think a person could do that!"

"I... Right." Thief gently narrowed his eyes and wobbled on his feet. "I doubt they'd send a Sociopath with us. See it, shoot it - hey, you got orange?" Then there was a shuffle. "The hunting markers - t - tie it around your arms."

"Nice thinking; Freaking Boy Scout." The man commented, and Seo blurry looked past the wind and how it all swayed. They talked incandescently into a walkie-talkie; it felt as though they raised their voices to contend with the wind. "I'll finish the perimeter check. Keep some of the guys out here." One of them swallowed.

"A question, I bet."

Silence came in as Seo stared at the two humans at the edge of a snow mound.

"Seo...?"

"Sh."

"Luna." Seo blinked and narrowed her eyes, tried to focus on them from a distance.

"Wha... No, I... I never heard it. Never even thought twice about them. They're well trained, Abra." The voice returned; the damn Growlithe ruined her chance to hear them. "Security and a Trainer out here."

"Exactly..." The other voice mentioned in return. "... Five times the regular pay..."

"Five?" The voice mentioned back

"Oh... right. If we like you, you'll get paid appropriately."

"I've already been able to cover my..." They commented back quietly. "Five... times? I'm already getting paid twice as much for a security job."

"Five." The voice replied. "Don't doubt yourself - you're motivated as hell and attentive. We like that. We want that. Go."

"Y - Yes, Sir." Seo heard the footprints move past a snowy bank - she lost sight of one of them. Thief idly swallowed and coughed gingerly.

"A...h Ow..." He'd mutter with a firm swallow, frowned when she stared him down. Yet... in some ways, she couldn't blame him.

What they all had been through was extraordinary for any Pokemon trainer.

"G...?" The Growlithe jolted and coughed. Seo felt white when the Growlithe staggered aimlessly out of the bushes - in this wind, she couldn't sense much with her nose. It made her furrow her brow.

You blasted fool; it's just his residual scent on her fur. She bitterly swallowed and watched Thief wander... further in than she wanted. An odd beep came from somewhere.

"So what? Yay a Growlithe!" There had been a while of waiting. "Huh... I thought Growlithe's were everywhere. Don't they migrate or travel? Well, 'Yeah, Sure...' doesn't help. Bandages...? Okay, a stray mutt got hurt, and someone kept it till it healed. Focus, thanks for the heads-up." There had been a laugh. "Weird tail. Alright... you got me." They'd comment as the voice wandered around the wood. The radio pinged. "I see... Bibarel. Are those common? Yes? Okay, that's a relief. Thought another Ranger would be out here." They'd sigh. "That lot is trouble... Good thing we don't cause ecological disasters."

They continued to talk aimlessly into the radio.

"Bearing, One Twenty-Five, Southeast.... .... Sealeo..." They took a cautious look around, the radio pinged at him as Seo watched the collection of other uniforms walk outward. The outfit she had seen them before.

Each one had a vest that looked heavily ceramic-lined, concussive cushions blotched the outfit. Some makeshift Pokemon armor - GPD and their Riot Teams had plenty of them. This outfit hadn't been like that; it looked foreign or manufactured for just the cause. The heavier, bulkier vest they wore and each one had firearms of their own, but they ranged more into a smaller machine gun to handguns. The only real goal and security suppression they needed had been inside the building. It felt like a squad of twenty strangers, each one with batons...

"You better have a... fu... what the..."

"Holy... Alright. That's you... YO! GET OVER HERE!" They made a sharp wave and assessed the damage... Thief had nearly crossed by one of the human beings. She saw him crest the hill.

"Get outta here!" The man kicked his boot against the snow and washed Thief over with a wave. He didn't stutter and stumbled from them. The humans wouldn't care for a Growlithe. As he scampered back, lagged in the snow...

"S - Seo! I can smell them."

"Griffin?"

"It's fresh; they went into the building; I know they went into the building!" He mentioned with complete and utter excitement.

"Shh..."

"N - No, Bandit! The one guy that kicked snow at me! He smelled just like Bandit does!"

"Really?"

"Yeah! And whatever she's doing, she HAS to be fighting them!" The Growlithe spoke with a sense of frantic attentiveness. "I don't get why either, but I can smell her all over the place. There's Dark Energy everywhere!" Seo twitched her ear and... it made her wince.

Damnit, Bind... I don't care if you sizzle out after; I told you my resolve.

What else do I need to prove to you?

She clenched her jawline - the blow had left her to wince again. Hardly even allowed to grit her teeth. A cloudy haze tinged around her when she stared at the bite in her paw.

No... Don't back down. Seo sharply frowned narrowly inhaled.

"S - Seo?" Thief softly muttered. "O - Oran Berries, I'll find Oran Berries. You'll be okay; it'll help numb the pain."

"Bring... a log load then..." Thief huffed and frowned.

"I - I'll do everything I can. J - Just hold on for me... okay?" Seo twitched her ear as the Growlithe darted away. Again, that had been an over-statement. It left her to roll her eyes.

"J - Just hold on for me... okay?"

His words ran through her head; the linger of a pout crossed her mind, but she felt too weak to move her cheeks.

I could say the same thing for Bandit. She's right... right there.

Thief had been gone for only seven minutes. In fact... it shocked her at how effective he indeed was at finding berries. The little thoughts trickled in, their way to Vermillion City stuck in her mind.

Griffin had looked at the sky; I did with him. It made her just find the strength to crack a smaller grin. He talked about his mother with me. I don't think I've met a human that has ever done that before... wanting a moment alone to chat.

If I had any human like that back then, I never would've questioned a single order.

Seo felt the desire to push her shoulders into the ground, that constant glow of inflammation. It left her to pant. Thief refused to touch a single measly one - it hadn't matter how small.

"Thief..."

"Y - Yeah...?"

"Eat, Rindo."

"Huh?" The Growlithe tilted his head, "I can't be weakened by a Grass Type move..." It made her chuckle.

"Grass is weak to fire. That Berry may not just help those Pokemon. It may help you stoke a little." Thief swallowed gently.

"I mean... I didn't want to show you, but I remembered something from Hoenn - Griffin tried to feed it to me. I hated it after the first bite..."

"It's bitter, isn't it?"

"Y - yeah..."

"I like bitter. Give me the root." Thief tilted his head as if he thought she wouldn't know at all. The Growlithe pushed the gnarled root at her. It seemed like he tried to use his tail to wipe off the soil. Seo ate it entirely.

"Finish the berries." Thief swallowed

"T - These are Oran and R... Razz."

"All because one tames a wild Pokemon doesn't mean it can't make a tame Pokemon more ferocious." Thief twitched an eye. "Eat them. It's your fight too." Seo murmured back to him as the Growlithe swallowed down a berry.

"Do you think Scarf and Marill are..."

"You're damn right; they're alive."

"M - Moonlight too?" Thief's voice wavered; she rolled her eyes.

"Yes, I have a feeling he won't just up and quit like he has none left to give." Seo sighed, "He did protect Griffin from a gun, after all." Thief's ear twitched. "And I doubt Seviper will back down easily either."

"I... tried to protect him..." Seo glared back.

"He's alive, you smelled so yourself. They're alive. Let's go... I feel numb all over - like Scarf just tased me." The Absol commented and huffed wearily. "We should move ahead."

"Y - yeah..." The Growlithe muttered back and shook his ears. "We'll help too."

"Why?" The question made the Growlithe stutter.

"I don't know, but I feel like I'm closer to them through him."

Seo huffed and pushed herself ahead.

"If that's your resolve, then fight like hell." She commented, gritted her teeth as she moved - a partial limp ran through her. Two bloody days. This short succession... I'm seeing her. I'm breaking her out of that monstrosity of a place. Seo continued to say, swallowed - it hadn't been dry. She found it utterly strange that she had a Growlithe of all things to thank for that. The chilly air seeped down her lungs; the bitter-sweet and even spiced scent ran down her lungs.

Energy Root hadn't been the worst thing to eat in her situation. Again... she had a Growlithe to thank for that. It made her clench her jaws and glance down at him, looked in austere wonder. Seo shook her scalp and continued on the move; those men had spread out through the wood.

"Over there." She huffed, blinked furiously to see anything past the snowy fog ahead. "We'll keep to the dense brush; I know that building is further in. We cross this way; we'll find them." Seo swallowed again.

Don't tell me this isn't from the berries - that my body is willing to rest here. It may have tagged my stomach, ribs, hips, and head but I'm not backing down. The pain in her stomach hadn't been there; that was the strange thing.I've eaten so many Energy Roots over the years that... they can't adhere to me like this.

I couldn't fight in Kanto because my tail had been long injured.

How could Luna of all Pokemon fix that...? Seo rolled her shoulders, a waft of Luna's scent shot by with this vicious Dark-aura. A murderous intent lingered with her scent; she had to have been desperate and emotional enough to mistake her a stance in a move. Seo worried... "Thief, you hear thumping, right? When the Chesshira comes about?" Thief stalled his paws.

"Yes, same as Luna and everyone."

"Scarf, and I don't," Seo mentioned. "If you hear it tell me." Thief nodded frantically. "And don't lose your head; you're safe until spotted."

"Or sniffed out, you know." A female? "Hmmm? What a weird little tail on a weird little Growlithe. That's new~"

"Yeah! I got curious about the smell. A Vulpix that knows Dark Pulse...? She didn't do it right - her emotions will be screwed." A male voice, Seo narrowed her eyes - Luna had to have been desperate. Thief had already faced them... a scared look in his eye. Seo looked ahead. "You both smell just like her, ya know."

"Exactly like her. We were on our way back." The female voice continued.

"And to our surprise, some little bitch killed our ill trainer." The other voice finished in. The two hadn't been of 'prime' age, but she could tell by their tone... that they had been trained.

Seo half-bit her tongue, her world hazily dulled. She took in a sharper breath; Thief hadn't moved. Barely swallowed. "You know, I like the idea - she went right for the Ninjask nest." The Pokemon expressed. "I like it almost as much as I enjoyed hiding our owners pills! That always made him more fun and loyal to us."

"You're just lucky; my two cousins aren't here either." The male voice softly cackled. There had been a partial growl that hung in the tone. "When we all get in there together, we'll find something to put it in. It's what you're after - the new Level D bitch? I can smell her on your Bandana too."

Seo felt her eyes widen... her heart had fluttered for a moment - It stirred her.

"I can't believe the IV check. What the hell is that about?"

The words ran through her skull - the ache in her stomach.

That cracked rib meant complete and utter crap to her now as the anger flooded from her chest.

Seo let her mind take over in a flurry of curses; she stared at Thief, but the terrified Growlithe hadn't made a move. His defensive stance and pose held a firmer line of submission.

"Come along, little Growlithe." The female snapped a jaw as Seo's eye twitched. The battlefield had been a divet that led towards a narrow trench line of snowbanks. A creek-bed.

The forest swallowed them ravenous for leaves - not much light came into the woods. It resembled a more full opening - the river ran into a pond.

It dried for the winter. The ice had been, from her guesses, seventy-five meters away from them. Around them, it felt like a wide trenchline-divet with dead trees along the snowbanks and branches that littered the snowy floor no different than brass.

"I'm a quick shot; I'll make it as painless as I can for you." Thief went wide-eyed, uncomfortably swallowed as the female continued her soft-foot print tread. "I also have the trainer that's with her to track down." His vision softly twitched until he narrowed his eyes. The look subtly changed. Thief ended up fangs bared, nervously held his stance.

Fight or flight.

"Cuuute! The cutest Intimidate I've ever seen!~" That made the Pokemon partially squeal, the change of tone unnerving. "Make it more often, Eunuch~ You get the hag."

"Not my taste."

"Neither is he; I'll have to cram a stone down his gullet after I shatter his ribs and tear off his testicles." Thief uncomfortably snarled back, a blue line shot by him - repulsed. "It's adorable. I get the little cotton cloth cub out for a walk with granny one day~ he'll make a fine plaything." Thief held his fangs; he hadn't much of a clue of what to do - a paralytic fear ran through him.

"Fine Fi-" The male stalled the cheeriness in his tone. "Hey... the scar on her shoulder - what number were you?" He giggled frantically after a moment. Lycanroc had gently, courteously chuckled with it. "No, a letter - you gotta be. You're what... Old, brittle... Utterly worthless." The voice replied harshly. Seo noticed them in her peripherals now; the pair began to circle - the direction of the creek had seemed cone-like. The further away from the pond, the narrower the trail and brush became - complete with fallen tree's and thick sticks. The terrain hadn't felt like it would often shift; the snow seemed hard - glossy. The painfully uncomfortable shift in her paws left Seo grimaced, fangs bared, and a firmly asserted growl in her throat. That cut the chilly wind.

"Eleven."

The voices stopped as Seo turned to face them - Thief uncomfortably nestled underneath her like a cub under their mother. The Houndoom treaded to her right; the Lycanroc curiously focused on her left - eye'd underneath. Thief hadn't realized; with all sense of instinct - he found himself staring at Seo, begging for an answer.

I remember a story because a mother had been willing to read it aloud for me.

I remember many wonderful ones she told; some had felt more real than others.

Seo parted her legs and dug them into the frosty snow - her claws sank in.

_Can I find that anger yet? One that burns brighter than any other?

Or am I just being selfish in playing the part? _

Seo clenched her jawline and showed her ferocious teeth, tail held back to guard as she faced the Houndoom and Lycanroc. Every bit of intensity shot through her liver and stomach-lining. The pain demanded that she stood down as she grit her sore mandible.

But that's all pain had been suitable for in the first coming second.

Both the Lycanroc and Houndoom shot in, a flurry of Foul Play darted for Seo's right flank and torso. The Absol went to move, her tail focused on Lycanroc. She had naturally been a rock type. That was a more substantial threat, nature alone than the Dark Fire-type. Shocked, she watched Thief jump into the Houndoom's Attack on her flank - snarled and yelped as the black smog lines slammed against his hips, head, and chest. Thief drew in air sharply while Seo shot her tail upward - slammed it down mid-rotate. The quick redirection of her fore paws put pressure on her torso and reminded her of the pain she had quietly suffered in.

The Lycanroc used Accelerock. Seo only knew the shock down her gut, left her a tinge of breathlessness while she narrowly redirected herself from the blow. Thief roared in a fit of sharp shock, adrenaline coursing through his veins - Seo noticed that.

_"You used to train the thing?"

"You mean Chew-Toy? Of course, I did; I taught him a thing or two!"_ Bandit's voice ran through Seo's scalp - her tail flickered with embezzled dark outlines. "You'll be surprised by what he learns. Being around Shadow helps him touch a bit of his 'wild side.'"

Night Slash. That had to be her base - yet her hip didn't move the way she needed it to. Seo had deflected the shotgunned spray of jagged stones; it left her open as flames splayed around her - the heat to her back had been a dry one. Thief had been holding Endure - she realized the technique the Growlithe used now.

_"Griffin does a lot of texting before bed, it's not just messages you know"_Thief's voice from the other night touched her mind.

Foul Play used the opponents' strength to draw from. The cold air shot down her lungs; the tail focused on moving as the snow bellowed. A form darted at her - aimed straight for her ribs.

In the middle of her broken guard, Thief proved that the only reason his intimidate seemed 'cute' was that he was born Flash-Fired.

The Growlithe cut in with Flame-Wheel, terrified of what to do. It left him in a coughing fit - but he slammed the target he needed to full force. Lycanroc had near-missed Seo's shoulder with Accelerock. A curl of pyre shuddered down Lycanroc's pelt. The Flame Wheel burned her and singed Seo. Wearily, Thief pushed the snow and panted. A wince crossed his muzzle as the Lycanroc went low - forepaws planted upfront and ass up high. Half presented to the Houndoom as she stared down Thief. The stance looked playful, a wiggle of her hind-quarters and the flicker of her tail - it left the Growlithe uneasy while the Lycanroc snapped her jaws loud enough to flinch him.

"Oh? So you are going to make it fun for me!~" The Lycanroc snarled - giddily laughed. "I want to see how far you can go, forcing consciousness. I'm glad you're trying not to bore me; I get pissed when that happens." Thief stayed his feet; Seo had caught her guard when a sound touched her grimaced ear and muzzle. The shudder of dark energy shot by her - Seo deflected the blow... Putting all she had to attack and deflect the enemy's incoming onslaught.

Even with her speed, dexterity, and handling, the Foul Play shot down her sides. The sickly churn touched her stomach as Seo felt her hind legs slide back.

"Well, come on then! I thought you're the one that escaped!" The Houndoom roared at her, his whip of a tail swung by her brow - the shield-splitter stabbed and swung outward. The Houndoom had a strange style of fighting. "I've heard stories of the coward that left everyone." They remarked as Seo bared her fangs - a spark of Electricity shot past her muzzle but fizzled.

The snow made one hell of an insulator; Electricity, along with Psychic, Poison, Water, and Ice, was worthless to her now. Agility, Speed, Confusion, and finally, the quick set turn or dance to rotate around their target; that's how the Houndoom fought.

Seo felt the desire to comment, but she had been in no condition to take care of an opponent that had been pissed rather than believing they had the upper hand. That left Seo to nimbly parry the first two whip shots that darted for her. Turn her forepaws to meet them but refused to give chase.

There never had been an upper hand; anything could happen. The desire to buckle crossed Seo's mind, yet her blade settled his cobra tail that shot for her throat. A nimble deflection - yet the opponent whipped back; it caught her brow and slit across it.

An unexpected move from a literally hooked whip.

Bind kicked in like an impromptu medicine pump. The shock of natural morphine chased through Seo's body - another swing from Houndoom's tail and Seo flicked hers - redirected his tail with her own. In his rotation, like Golem, Seo simply forced the lead. The issue had been Lycanroc when the Houndoom had his guard remotely open.

The partners switched quickly as Lycanroc marked with Quick Guard. Seo sharpened

"HOLD!" She roared out, Thief had been in the mix to move; but like any good cheat...

He skipped his turn; therefore, Quick Guard only pertained to her.

The Houndoom's Quick Attack followed, and if Thief shot in - the Growlithe would've been hit by both of them. Seo took the blows; she realized something when Thief's eyes widened while he focused on her.

He actually had a plan, and that plan had been to let her outplay them - only cut in when her guard faltered. Her tail had shot back at the Houndoom - the lack of a second element placed the Attack no more effective than a concerned wack from a meter stick. The move barely disrupted the Houndoom, Yet since Lycanroc shot in with her fangs - Seo met them with the Scythe on her scalp. Immediately, the moment Seo felt the canines grapple her... she tossed herself to the earth. The forced dead weight took the Lycanroc by surprise. It spun them as Seo yanked back - the attempt to pull her horn away. Flames shot down at her, again - Thief jumped in, an eruption of heat-shocked down his sides and scorched down his chest...

Expanded his lungs.

Thief panted again; with Endure, it felt like the weight of any resolve physically rested on the user's shoulders. A burden that naturally got heavier over time. His speed had slowly reduced...

But his Attack sure as hell went up.

Seo felt her paw slide - she dug it in and tossed the Lycanroc once more intending to flip her. Seo's tail whipped ahead - aimed for the Lycanroc, but the Midday formed beast had a plan of its own.

Counter.

She flipped Seo as Seo had meant to flip her. The blow left her stomach with a burn of swollen intention. Seo had to move, force herself to, but the Lycanroc planted her paws first and tossed her to the wall.

Frozen dirt, roots - Seo struck it harder than she wanted to.

Either that or she really hadn't anything left. Her ragged breath plumed in the air - another shot struck down her. Each time it faded in and out...

The world turned black and white. It hadn't been Seo's usual grey shades; the splay of solid silhouettes swallowed the entirety of her snow ridden world. The flurry of ghastly angels sparkled past her nose as an outline shot at her - bellowed the fluttered blizzard.

Any second later, and the Lycanroc would've put her through the wall, a torso shattering compression. Seo's legs haphazardly tossed to avoid the Lycanroc. It really had been an 'impromptu' morphine shot. It left Seo to swallow sharply. The pain flooded down her jaw before numbness touched her sides.

My vision is worsening. Not improving... Does Bind cost me my eyes? I've never heard anything of that before.

I don't understand... because it's not fear I'm feeling.

The Houndoom's tail shot past her neck, Seo half-bladed and tackled into the blow the moment her vision caught the movement. Exhaustion had slowly fluttered in for her. Every wave of pain became more and more intense; their tail wrapped around hers and slashed down her hind leg. Seo swiftly rotated, crested on the hill with the Houndoom.

His 'high' ground hadn't meant much when she pulled him from it. The kick hit her again - a wash of painlessness sputtered down her spine when she found herself on the ground.

At least with the added momentum and height, she threw the Houndoom too. A patter of foot-falls sputtered across the snow... Flames sparked over her as currents of sharply licked razor wire - full arched whips shot past her back. The flutter of stones bombarded across her face and slammed her shoulder. The Lycanroc used Rock Throw, and the shotgun had dug clean through her.

Her flesh ripped from the shockwave of rapidly ejected stones. That Lycanroc had been their artillery.

It only took her a moment to realize that Thief's strange move crackled against the stones on impact.

Like any amateur tactician shown a nifty clue from a trickster - Thief used his 'Firecracker' of an ember and tied it with his flamethrower. The result had been a whip - one with sensitive charcoals that timed and detonated on impact, which he swung with a jolt or hop of his body.

This satisfying click of 'Flint Teeth' struck the frosted air around them.

The expulsion peppered past the Lycanroc, who only snarled back - it hadn't been a move that affected her. Absol found herself on her feet, expecting a moment to take in air when something gnarled around her chest. The Houndoom's Quick-Attack launched her back; the full charge tackle had been no different than being shield-rammed. Seo saw her hazy blur of snow and shadow cross around all sides - a spear shoved into the ground.

A tree branch, which she clamped her broken jaw around and tightened on. The Houndoom shot for another Quick Attack.

So Seo planted her shoulder and head on the ground, the branch anchored by Snow as the Houndoom nimbly slammed into her.

The blow sent her back again - the stick clenched firmly in her jawline. She bit down to dull the pain, but that had been nothing but a comfort long forgotten. Her hind legs faltered and dangled as her abs hit the icy, snowy ground.

She found herself biting down a lot harder on the stick - divided from the Growlithe now as Houndoom shot in for another blow. This time, she put her tail into the mix to cover her hind legs. A giant two-pronged pitchfork that the Houndoom couldn't just tackle through. Thief staggered and sparked his muzzle again; the residual heat from the Houndoom rushed past her - cracked her skin under the scald of heat and steam.

Seo sharpened her gaze... Steam?

The snow had bellowed past and through the trench line - an air current? Seo's canines rolled to cradle invisible thread - Seo sparked her muzzle. Even if the snow had been an excellent insulator, freezing rain had been a better alternative. The warmer the water, generally, the better it conducted electricity. She remembered that from taking care of a cub. Seo learned plenty of herself then - she learned of choices, and it was her choice to stand, her muzzle gathering energy against them. Flare Blitz, the cloak of the pyre, sputtered around her... Seo went sharp-eyed - two attacks connected together. Seo put the weight on her forepaws to turn, her eyes stung with tears, the gust of wind, and she felt the gut-wrenching strain on her abdominal cavity.

Seo pulled off Aerial Ace defensively. The added dead weight branch assisted her with deflecting Lycanrocs Rock Throw.

The Houndoom swapped from a Quick Attack to a Flare Blitz, and Thief had been close enough to counter it with his own. The Growlithe snarled back, his Attack had been increasing; but his speed rapidly dropped. Endure wasn't meant to be held for so long.

At least he had thrown himself in, finally.

"That's it!" The Houndoom cackled out, "Come along, little 'guardian!' Let's see what you have in you..." His voice lulled down into a violent, near cat-like snarl. A low, guttural, and lethal sound. Thief's pelt shuddered or shifted like the fluff decided to show itself. "Christ Lycan, I'll need to break him in first!" Thief snarled lowly, spat, and lowered his haunches.

He's breathing the way he should be. I wonder how Bandit trained him?

The Elder roughly pushed to her feet; the sense of grimness shocked her abdomen as she stared down Lycanroc. This odd sense of realization shuddered over her.

He was still conscious at the Hospital. The image played through her head over and over again. Thief had been wide awake...

In fact, he had been more worried about Yuny, Luna, and Akamaru than he had been himself.

Seo found a chilly exhale shot pass her muzzle. Her mind and age had played tricks on her - of course, a Growlithe couldn't learn Bind...

But it didn't explain why, how, or when he learned Endure.

An Offkey sound tinged her ears - a Pokemon? She couldn't let it distract her; Seo felt something yank her jaw - she instinctively released while whipping her half-sworded tail up. The splay of darkly-purple shock ran underneath the Lycanrocs jawline amid her retreat. Seo landed a blow, finally - but it had been no different than the one that hit her jawline.

She simply slammed the move against Lycanroc's, adapted to the Houndooms little tricks. The two had been Sparring Partners, and switching her style quickly would confuse them.

The younger female stumbled back in a daze as Seo snarled in return. Her shield-splitter turned more into a whip than it did a blade. The Elder pushed her forepaws inward, kept the weight off her hind legs. Off-balanced, but aside from the minuscule tear in her shoulder. The Absol held her ground... A loud crack came from her side - Lycanroc snapped the stick in half. Seo held her ground and bared her fangs - eyes a startling red...

A calm celestial rose.

The Lycanroc spat out and snarled.

"The bitch just cracked my jaw..." They commented in a firm, aggressive tone.

"Definitely not one of those." The Houndoom said back, "I heard one; kill them and be done with it." The Lycanroc huffed.

"Even the Growlithe? He's a specimen to train properly!" The Lycanroc commented as Thief bitterly growled. "Either my way or theirs." The Growlithe appeared blue, green, or just plain sickly. His pelt shuddered as flames sparked out from his smaller muzzle. The Houndoom shot in as Seo sparked her Nightslash. With the rising temperature - the Absol's electrical attack charged in her muzzle - between her canines. The two sparked webs flickered in the black chill and frost - snow rapidly turned to drops.

The snowflakes are still too cold. The Absol snarled and focused that Elemental tail against the Lycanrocs sputter of shrapnel. The snowy mist bellowed, and Seo forced her stance to half-blade.

She hazed her opponent with NightSlash

Her Accelerock, although fast, had been much lighter than Golem. His tail, although skilled and self-trained, had nothing compared to SandSlash. It all came down to her exhaustion and the pain that forced its point home. The Lycanroc gave a little limp and growled viciously.

"Maybe she is a number..." The Lycanroc commented as Houndoom snarled.

"No, she's just proficient." The Houndoom expressed in return. Seo had been stuck back to back with Thief.

"I bet double team and Agility. Do you know Iron tail, Thief?"

"No..." the Growlithe commented and snarled lowly again. "But Bandit loved testing my defense." Thief wearily panted, the Houndoom snickered and rolled his shoulders - cracked his neck. The Houndoom jested in going one direction before it shot in another.

A Zig-Zag!? The Houndoom shot for Thief, Seo knew the maneuver.

He's found the partner more suitable to fight. Seo twitched an eye as Lycanroc shot rocks down her bearing. The only time she had ever seen Thief fight had been at mid to long-range. Even Fuschia ran through her head. The Growlithe only needed fire...

Bandit had all of Hoenn - since Seo knew Thief was Griffin's first actual Pokemon - to train or play rough with the Growlithe.

With how Bandit pushed Luna, something that Seo had witnessed Luna take full-heartedly - the same as Thief did here. Even if the Growlithe trained half-heartedly at the time... Seo knew that it only meant Bandit took twice the amount of time to train Thief at all. The shock of a tail whipped by her shoulder; even if the Growlithe could evade the move - it ran the risk of impaling her. A glint caught her vision in the pace-kept flurry of black-white fuzz. Her tail whipped around effortlessly - the muscles along that side had been like that for many Pokemon.

In every comparison, the way their appendages could be swung had been no different than any ancient tool a human would.

The pepper had shocked down her rear side - a clatter of stone slammed along her tail. Agitated, she growled and spat. The blood still dripped from her chin and filled her nose with a scent that ruined her already weak stomach. A burn of tears touched her eye-sockets. A pant flicked past her in the chilly wind. Snarls, yips - growls... roars... it all rocked behind Seo as the Lycanroc playfully swung her tail in various spotted sections of the white sheen. A misty fog that left Seo in a second of intensely growing pain. The giggle.

"I see... you've gone through so much fighting doll." Seo lowered her haunches and bared her cougar-like teeth. A thump tinged by her - a flutter of black and orange fur.

"Th-" Seo bit down on her tongue; the burn in her lungs felt carpeted with soot. Her breathing had gotten erratic; saliva drizzled to the warm ground below her.

Something slammed her hip and lower abdomen. The already swollen injury shuddered and writhed from the back-wrenching blow. Houndoom's Quick Attack had been a real thorn; the curl of painlessness shocked down her murky disposition - Seo completely dazed.

"Gotta admit! I'm glad we get to kill one number!" The Houndoom rolled his shoulders and snarled lowly "I can finally admit I got a piece of 'twenty-seven'" The Houndoom growled as Thief went to push for his feet.

Aside from his Persian torn shoulder, the Houndoom added another clean chunk from the Growlithes lacking side. Thief had his own tears stinging down his cheeks; the Grimace and hyperventilation he went through left the Lycanroc in a fit of giggles.

"Kill the bitch; I'll show Growlie~ why a knife-sharp mane is the worst thing to have between his legs." The Lycanroc playfully stuck her tongue out, licked her lips, and then snapped the air with her jaws - another unsightly gesture that left the Growlithe green, blue, any distasteful color.

The Houndoom ignited his fangs. A flurry of blood-fiery daggers sprung from his canines.

"I'll agree; just keep the tail end hiked." The Houndoom replied, Seo sputtered out blood and saliva. A patter of warm spring rain smoldered over her. It left her sharp as Thief took a position. The Lycanroc curiously coo'd.

"I... think I like him. A perfect little chew-toy." Thief lowered his haunches, snarled back in return - a backfire spew of flame cracked against his lips. It made the Lycanroc shrilly giggle. "By Arceus, it's adorable~ I want a few more like it," Lycanroc commented. "I'll make you evolve, maybe with some luck... If you're larger than my friend here. I'll consider keeping you." The Lycanroc rolled her dusty-pale grey shoulders, angled her mane with the dribble of her tongue hanging outright. The smaller giggles ran through her muzzle as Seo focused her eyes on the Lycanroc.

Another spray ran by her, the wave of tropical heat-shocked past her pelt - Between Thief and the Houndoom, a hot pocket of tropical air collected around the basin of the creek bed. A delighted yip and an eerie howl racked the air with demonic intent, Seo drew in breath - quick and low.

The Houndoom shot in with FireFang the Lycanroc close in tow; Seo's Muzzle sparked and flickered as a spray of chalky - red-white embers flicked in the air.

The snow passed heavily through the humid bubble; it turned to rain rapidly - the thinned crystals divided them. Seo rested her posture, adjusted for the change of climate, and angled her tail - a quiver of blackened gold. Pain gravely grimaced her as the slam of chilly wind shuddered across her chest and between her legs in the closing second. The odd embers popped ahead of her - splicing through all sets with bluish-white spray. The viscous fluids in Houndoom's eyes had pierced and 'popped' from the pressure of Thief's firecracker. The flood of pain, a blur of Black and White, followed as Seo shot into both of them - her tail rampant.

A spiral Slash shot by them as she landed shoulder first in the snow - absolute agony filled her body.

She had no fear looking into both their off-colored eyes as a sound no different than thunder shot through the woods and illuminated the blizzard in a glorious blackened-gold hue.

The ground below them quickly scattered the sparks. Seo felt her leg twitch aimlessly; blood came from... somewhere. "S - Seo!" Thief called out frantically, his distraught three-legged run and the incoherent screeching from Lycanroc put Seo's grin on.

With only the necessary movements she could pull, the dexterity of her tail, and the change of temperature around them... The pool of static let Seo pull off a move she learned from a Pikachu.

Seo stored energy and used NightSlash, Charge Beam, and the last of her reserves for Aerial Ace to create a rudimentary Electric/Dark-type slice.

Her hind leg still twitched unwillingly... she found that her body felt heavy. The pain flooded in quickly now. The black and white filter hadn't been from her colorless world. She used the move without Bind to guide her. A raspy breath cut through Seo's body as fuzz barely pressed against her side. The screaming, growling...

Seo dispelled the entirety of her Electric tail on Houndoom - her blade drew across his snout and through his neck. The Lycanroc hadn't been as lucky with Seo's chain-linked Night Slash.

A flush of colorless static dared to touch her sides, the frantic whining over her head - she hadn't the strength to push a paw against it. A muzzle touched her ear. Growls, whines - whimpers... It faded.

"You don't need to tell me a name. You'll live through this."

The voice seemed too distant, comforting - until flames scorched her left flank. The scent of cooking flesh touched her nose, but the pain left her stomach in tassels. A bellow of static roared down her eyes - the flames licked over her pelt as her world went dark.

An exasperated sigh passed a pair of lips.

The shade of a spring-time sun hat. The ribbon had been a delicate translucent cherry shade. Seo always wondered how the blood got on it. Why it never faded or dried away. Having been Nineteen, nearly fourteen years away from a wonderous flower-ridden meadow. Salt lingered by her nostrils - carried away from the wind into the mainland. It had been a woman with a studious appearance - dazzled in a spring-time blouse and jeans. The woman spent her time with the book in hand, having finished the last page to shut it. Even with the minor comments, what she liked and hadn't, Seo only stared at her and him.

The younger lad with a bundle of aimless flowers in hand, the hair had been a darker brown - like the beautiful grain of wood, short and wavy. They only giggled, waved in the cloudy-sunlit sky.

Like his mother, they both had wonderfully ocean blue irises.

That child would always lightly pet her before he tugged at the fluff around her neck - comment about her 'strange marks' and tell her to follow. Seo had...

She followed a human child as they'd aimlessly show her all sorts of things - pointless little knick-knacks.

From the 'pattern' in flowers to leaves and 'pretty' rocks. Pointless things, all questionable meaning. Everything ran through her head.

The Pokemon here aren't like there. The odd robots eat the people, bring them places... She hadn't any clue what the car behind them had been called. The beige-sandy monstrosity to her had been a comfort to them. The humans wore odd colorful cloth and other things aside from thick-padded armor and labcoats. The human woman had always been cautious with her around, especially around the human child.

The scent is protective... it's not fear.

Seo watched the young lad tug his mother's arm, the point at the harbor, and tell her about dad.

I met my parents. I had been lucky enough not to be born there.

That 'lost luck' sigh crossed her lips as Seo aimlessly stared at the cloudy grey sky with a sunhat gently wrestled in her muzzle and her legs close beside the woman.

The human gave orders, and in turn, she had to follow them - not knowing of the bonds she'd learn of in a single, peaceful day.