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It was, as she promised, late (about 3am) when she got back from her escapade with Anana, and she smelled of alcohol and of course, the lilies...as well as Anana's natural scent, and even as she very quietly clicked the door closed, she expected that if she wasn't intercepted between the door and the smallest bathroom on the opposite end, that would be where she would head first.

"Everyone... Serena has returned." Lacu announced. Kyn had occupied himself by browsing various pictures that he had taken as well as organizing his Poké. He didn't know HOW late she had meant, but he had also taken several times to exit the room and look up at the stars as the night sky shifted.

Serena snorted, identifying the source of the voice, still, she hadn't been stopped, and she soon had found her way to the smaller bathroom, not bothering to close the door behind her, but she was NOT taking the scents through any of their rooms. While she waited for the water to get hot for her shower--she wasn't sure she wanted to even sit in the filth that covered her body-- she took off the scarf, dropping the keycard on the floor. /Didn't mean to cause such a commotion./ She took the mouthwash and spat three times before she deemed her mouth even clean enough to speak. "Hope I didn't wake anyone."

"We are both night owls, and nocturnal. We've been on both ends of the spectrum. In other words, we adjust quickly." Kyn explained. "So, you did say that yesterday was Marlow's last day performing but... what about this rental time?"

She didn't look out the door to identify that they were close, at hand, in fact, she stuck her claws under the water of the shower and slipped in, wetting her hide, her tail partially tucked. "The room is ours for as long as we want it, you could easily stay here for a week or two if you wanted, I on the other hand, have to get home, and Inferno and PD will be waiting for you too." she turned the water off when she was wet enough, and took the liquid soap to her body so that only her green eyes stood out among the lather.

"Well then. I'm outta here today. How abouts would I be going abouts getting back to Tao? Do I have to walk all the way there again, or can I get some form of transportation? Also, when next I come here I will pay this lovely casino a visit." Kyn stated, folding his legs together.

"If you wish, you can get transportation to go back to Tao, There's Barty's airlift, or of course, carriages that you can set up to take you back." she pulled the knob again and the water washed away the soap that had covered her. She flicked her tongue out to taste her scent amid the water, and once she was sufficiently clear of Anana on her person, she turned the water off. Once more, she smelled unlike herself...of course though, she had chosen something different than the first time, a mild cherry blossom scent. She dried with a fluffy towel, and picked up her scarf with disgust, taking it over to the sink, and rather annoyingly, kicked up a stool to stand on to wash it. "It's a pity you didn't spend any time out on the beach."

"...Which would be the fastest? I'm certain that not even a full day has passed in my world. As for time on the beach, after I deliver the supplies to Anana, unless she has jobs lined up, then I'll be able to take a lot of breaks, and piss off Royce via something that I'll show you later." Kyn noticed that Serena had a different scent to her, and it reminded him, (not for bad reasons of course) of their discussion regarding Anana. He waited until he got an answer before beginning a new topic about Anana, the last he'd probably have in a long time. "So, Serena, that little detail you showed me regarding Anana's... taste, you remember that right?"

"Barty's." She said simply, rinsing out her scarf, she nearly dropped it as Kyn mentioned her again, and she turned to wringing it in her hands. "I remember." the words were, as one might expect, full of hatred in regards to the lizard, all she wanted was to FORGET about what happened tonight, and he seemed apt to remind her.

"Well. If that's the case, then there are some places in which I would NOT bring you to in my world. Even my weak human nose has trouble with some of those places. So then, how will YOU be getting back home?"

"I have not thought about it, whichever way you are going about it more than likely, since I did say that I was to be your guide, and I'm not certain that arriving without you would be a good idea..." She paused to blow the hot flame directly onto her scarf again, and then put it around her neck.

"There are places around here that I don't care to go to either, Kyn..." She turned around and sat on the step-stool, tilting her head at him. "I think this trip turned my life into something akin to one of your TV programs..." She dropped her voice. "Marlow's in love with me...that's why he's been so...difficult since I told you that I would look for someone like Heji..." She was probably blushing again, "He suggested...that I appeal to you to assist in finding a way to help him to adapt...he compared it to me being surrounded by all of your Pokémon in the other world."

"Very interesting. I'll have to think very hard on this matter. If this is the case then, you'll probably have a hard time keeping Marlow away from you for a while, since Heji and I will be leaving. I'll have to do some research. Perhaps some of the Ghost-Masters will be able to shed some figurative light on this for me. I currently have no idea what to do." Kyn said, standing up to his full height.

She nearly twitched at the reminder that her source of security would be leaving with him the next day, as is, her nose flared for a split second, then she got to her feet, recomposing herself so that her posture didn't give anything else away. Her eyes closed as she caught her balance. "I suppose that now, I might as well tell you how -I- go about sending memories to others, since we've circled around the topic...you could have to picture the other person in your head, and picture yourself giving the other an object...I use paper. That object will contain the memory."

"Interesting. Well, you'll have to remind me what I was going to show you since I've been occupied. You'll probably be carrying Marlow." Kyn added.

"There was nothing definitive in what you were going to show me, I believe you mentioned showing me the difference between what you were doing with the money, and what some other people were doing with it, though." She hadn't bothered to oil her scales, he might have noticed, as they looked a bit duller than normal. "....Why would I need to carry Marlow?"

"He's coming with you back to the cave isn't he? Now I'll give that memory thing a try." He brought up to the forefront of his mind all the lavishly expensive homes, as well as vehicles. Then he pictured all of these things being on a TV screen, that then stopped showing the images, once a tape was ejected. He then gave the tape to Serena. "How's that....?"

Serena looked at him strangely at his words, then opened her mouth to say something, but paused as she did successfully receive the images, and instead snorted, snapping her jaws shut with the obvious clack of teeth hitting other teeth. "There are some like that here too, Twigs and Styx, the two feline brothers that Anana mentioned, live with the equivalent of that stuff, here."

"So. Now you see what SOME people do with it, and now know what I plan to do with it. I thank you for tolerating me Serena, and after I come back, I'll give you some Poffins! So, when would I be able to arrange a flight?"

She took the time to look at his watch before aligning her clock with the strange face. "They open at 7, Barty is stationed in Tao, so it'll take two hours for them to relay the message, and for him to get here, total." She answered. "After that you can leave at any time...he's a Driftblim by the way...and I still don't see why I would need to carry Marlow, considering that he floats."

"FIREWORKS! Ugh! How could I forget!?" Kyn said seemingly out of the blue.

Serena had gotten used to his outbursts, perhaps this was to her credit, she wasn't exactly sure...She merely tilted her head at him questioningly. "Because the brain is flawed to where you forget things that aren't necessarily important." She answered, walking past him into the common area, and sitting on the couch for the time being.

"Serena... I'm requesting your presence in my world for a while, sometime in the future. Also, so, about those cars. There was at one point where we called those horseless carriages, due to the fact that they did look like them." Kyn mentioned the bit about cars in reference to the memories.

"...'kay. Since the time distortion can be changed, it doesn't matter so much if I spend some time over there..." She didn't mention the whole 'horseless carriage' thing...finally she did get the gall to ask though. "Kyn...you're not...looking at me in the same light as you look at Anana, are you?" She was skeptical that he was, but she was just looking for confirmation.

"If you are talking in terms of physical attraction, then no. At least, unless you'd allow me to. Then I guess I could maybe. However, you are my friend if you want to be. She is not." Kyn wasn't sure WHY Serena asked it, but he saw no reason NOT to answer it.

She took her time in thinking about it...She wasn't willing to let anyone near her, not in that light at the moment anyway. Her nose twitched before she replied. ".....maybe at some point, when my life isn't like a soap opera." She paused again, sharpening her dulled claws with the other hand. "...Anana wasn't happy with me tonight, if you're wondering..."

"Well, at least she didn't physically punish you Serena. At least, I don't think she did. I can't exactly tell. If you don't mind reliving it, then... why wasn't she pleased with you?" Kyn understood her answer, but the part about Anana sparked his interest even more. Learning more about the way Anana behaved... would allow him to better extract money from her.

"She apparently saw the way that I treated Terra at the restaurant, and believed that it was within her rights as a child to behave that way, because Anana is HER Mistress...erm...that didn't sound proper...I meant Mistress as in senior, Terra is an apprentice...and she tried to tell me that as a worker, I was below her apprentice...and tried to let her assert herself in that manner by letting her test her claws against my hide as one Bagon to another." She flicked out her tongue. "When her claws didn't make a scratch, even though I allowed it, apparently it was MY fault that my hide couldn't be punctured by the claws? I don't know..." Her tongue flicked out. "Of course, it could have been the fact that she tried to take advantage of the fact that to show her that I was no longer a virgin, I had to expose myself to her." She snorted. "She about got her fingers taken off by the guard scales as they closed."

"Why is it that everything about her seems so dirty now? And I mean that in all meanings of the word." He found the whole situation ridiculous. To him that would be like expecting someone to get stabbed while wearing armor made to protect them, and getting upset when they didn't get stabbed.

She leaned her head back to look at him over the arm of the chair. "She does bathe, thankfully, I don't even want to imagine what it would be like if she didn't...but she has a bad flavor...I suppose it would be the same way if I did the things she does...but no...she considers them kinks...to try to convert those that are straight....some DO find that they like it, and begin to question their gender..."

"Well, she's probably going to take my gift out of context anyway, but I still figure it'd be something. So, you made mention of the time distortion, does that mean that you're going to be visiting sooner than I think? Of course not right away though." Kyn began to check his watch more frequently, even though he knew that checking it more frequently WOULD NOT make the time pass more frequently. "Also, I do still believe that if the portal is moved to just outside the Bay, then it'll be safe for me to pop in there. Though that means I'll be out of contact with you though, I don't exactly know what the best method of going about delivering stuff is."

"Pidove Post." She answered easily ".....am I keeping you from something with your mate? You seem...anxious." She closed her eyes, realizing that if she WAS indeed keeping him from something with Tensa, she was going to have a hard morning, since after being under his tail, she was sure that it was HIS scent, and not Kyn's that had made her feel randy. "You can't exactly ever be out of touch with me completely Kyn, considering the fact that you have a link with me...of course, without training, things at a distance will be as whispers, or quieter...but time, practice, patience...But the Bay is only a quarter of a day walk from Tao, I can probably cut that in half if I run...should you wish to see me."

"No, there isn't really anything. Just, I've got to tell a few people about why I'll be unreachable at times." She was probably referring to the fact that he was checking his watch so frequently. "Serena, I can't risk setting an alarm on my watch other than vibrate so... would you be able to wake me when the time comes? Also... what's your mailbox number? You're going to have to teach me how to write letters. Here I go again... learning it all over again, for this place."

"I can read Unown script just fine, I'm not proficient in writing it, but I can read it." She answered "The most you'll need to learn to speak with me is how to spell my name in footprints...and for the time being I can convert them, give you a copy even...Have you poured the Poké out of my bag yet? I do have things to put back in it before we leave...and yes, I can wake you...even if I have to pick the lock to do so." She was telling him, of course, in a roundabout way, that if something DID occur, that she would be coming in anyway since she had permission to do so.

"Yes, I have. Go ahead and put your things back in it. My backpack will suffice for carrying the Poké for now. Serena... how exactly am I going to carry all of this Poké? The stuff that we got for the Tauros was HUGE. But if what I'm thinking is correct, trading with both Anana AND Gambitville will yield twice as much. Even factoring in the fact that she'll rip me off for a while since I claimed to be new."

"....She'll give you a better price if you can beat my time." the tone she was using would make it hard to tell if she was joking or not, but at the news, she turned to where the empty bag had set, unnoticed until now, and set the heavy things in the bag first, finishing off with her own smaller bag of poke, before pulling the drawstring tight on it.

"Serena. What is your time then? You know there is a way for me to surpass it easily. So I'm assuming that it'd work like this. She sends the letter to you, I get the stuff prepared, and deliver it I guess, then possibly send her some MORE mail saying that I've delivered it. That'd be my best guess. CORRECT ME if I'm wrong."

"..." She listened to him, then broke out laughing. "Kyn, I don't know if you realized this...but you both called yourself /skilled/ and unskilled within the same sentence. I wasn't talking about the innocent type of delivery....but you've got the gist of it...just cut off the tail end of it...you wouldn't need to send a letter to say you delivered, since the item itself will have your name on it."

"I have ten Fingers. That DOES make a difference in the things that I can do. But Serena, I'd definitely have to wash my hands after that. Though actually, if she's not too focused on it, she'd probably wonder where the extra feeling came from. Not to mention if I use my fingernails, which I guess you can call a minor variation of claws, that will make it that much better. I have thought about this before actually, though not with Anana." Kyn decided that it wouldn't hurt to reveal this information since she'd gotten the idea into his head now. Though he was slightly rambling his thoughts out loud.

"...and you'd probably be able to fit all ten of them in there without problem too," She mentioned offhandedly, "but no, she would have to know by then that you weren't a Sceptile...for one thing, she wouldn't let Lacu anywhere near her room when it was being done...for another, you wear too many clothes for her not to wonder...and you would probably not want that scent anywhere near that...Cottonee fluff? It looks like Cottonee fluff anyway...that holds a LOT of scents in it."

"This overcoat, no, probably not, however, the rest are easily replaceable if it gets to bad. Also, it's regular cotton on the inside, but leather on the outside. But still probably done the same way. I was thinking of wearing my other overcoat the next time I come here. This black one is not the only one I have. I have a green one, a white one, and a red one. The white one might suit the environment more, but it'll show dirt more. The Red one seems like a good balance between the black. Hey! If I were the green one, it'll be closer to being like Tensa. Serena, what do you think?"

Serena blinked at him, her eye ridge raised skeptically. "Would have to compare the colors when and if I see them...by the way...fingernails...down there, would probably...hurt a bit..." It was obvious that her thoughts hadn't left too much of the statements of before.

"It... depends on how long they are, if they are filed, and how they are filed. I'm not able to give examples right now anyway. So as regarding the outfits, you will see them. But it's not like I'm gonna model them in front of you. I'll just take you to them." Kyn sighed. "Anana probably weighs so little that I could pick her up just as easily as a one of the Maches could."

Serena still squirmed, if only so that it was just barely visible. "She weighs about half as much as I do." She confirmed, but she wasn't sure what the other word meant. "Um...Maht-ches?" She could have looked in his head for the answer that she was looking for, she chose not to.

"Well... I can pick up Nero with no problem, as well as you so... yeah. Maches... it's what I call that evolutionary line, since they all share a similar first part. Machop, Machoke, Machamp." Kyn clarified.

"...Ah." She flicked her tongue out. "Speaking of picking me up...I'm not sore anymore...and you seemed to be...reluctant to put me down before." She ticked her head off to the side, sitting Indian style on the couch so that her claws couldn't puncture anything, as well as any squirming would be...well, not as obvious as trying to get comfortable the other way. She did lean over and pick up the flask of the purple liquid that Syrup had given her, and take a drink of it, in hopes that whatever it had in it to prevent hang overs, would help prevent hers tomorrow.

"Serena... I think it's time we address something here... and it may make you slightly embarrassed. Maybe." Kyn said, waiting for her response, trying to reel her in. If not he'd just jiggle the line some more.

"With the fact that I had to be drunk to go down on Anana? No, I don't think that it will. If I was completely sober? Yeah, sure, it might make me embarrassed, now? Not likely, so Shoot."

"Good. So, as things currently stand, you have mated with Heji. If, when we return, you wish to do so again... there is something that I would like you to have that will make... entry easier." Kyn said, choosing the word carefully. "I highly recommend it."

"I can handle a bit of rough treatment Kyn...it wasn't the entry that made me so sore. It was because before then, I was a virgin. Understand? If, now that you know that, you still think that Heji wouldn't have done everything to make me as comfortable as possible while adjusting to him, then tell me...with the understanding that I will, put it JUST as I did to you, to him."

"My point is, even if you can handle rough treatment, I believe you shouldn't have to. Of course, there ARE those that like that type of thing but... I don't know if you're one of those at all, since as you said, before then you were a virgin. Anyway, Heji COULDN'T have done everything, due to the fact that I wasn't available at the time." Kyn said.

At this point Heji stepped in, beginning with an explanation for Serena. "Serena, I believe I know what he is referring to. As for the mere fact that I was the one to take your virginity... that is significant no matter which way you look at it."

Really, she should have figured that Heji would have still been up, since he had been sleeping in the same room as she was, but it still caught her off guard, and she snorted in response. "I don't think that I would have wanted you there regardless, Kyn." She tried not to let the words come out as a hiss, but she didn't quite make it, and the words ended in the hiss of her voice. It was counter productive, really, because the mating grounds may as well have been one big orgy, but she had never been there.

"I wouldn't have had to have SPECIFICALLY been there. Look, now that the initially contact has been made, future things will be a lot easier for you if you take what I am about to give to you. I think your world already may have something like this but... anyway.... here." Kyn pulled out a full bottle of lubricant. But not just ANY lube; a specially formulated lubricant. He then held it out so that she could see. She probably would do one of several things, of which he would be able to respond to any of them, at this point.

Serena snorted at the bottle as her mind put two and two together, the words that came out of her mouth were sufficiently unpredictable even for her. "So...You just carry that around with you all the time, eh?" Combined with a glance at HIS bedroom door, it probably would have been enough to make any normal person blush...of course, normal people were not Kyn. "I suppose this might come as a surprise for you, since you spend more time with members of your own gender than the opposite. Girls create their own based on how much they want it." She supposed that this was a decent slam, had she been trying for one.

"Oh no, I was around plenty of females. Plus I was educated on female anatomy when I was younger. It wasn't until I met Tensa that all this male stuff really happened. However, this... works a bit differently than that. I guess to you, one way of looking at it is the equivalent of... erm... basically taking those juices and sticking them in a bottle, but I mean it, this works a lot differently than that." Kyn said, trying not to stumble over his own words.

Serena was satisfied with the results of making him awkward, at least he now acted as the situation felt. She rolled her eyes, adjusting and leaning over the table to where she was stretched to look him in the eye. "Will it make you feel better if I take yet another gift from you? I already know that you padded my Poké bag, You've already given me candy, and you've given me advice on life. Now you're concerned about my sex life Kyn...I'm going to put this gently, because otherwise I'm going to bite your head off, and I really don't want to do that. Back. Off. I'm a big girl, and I can take care of myself." She pushed herself back onto the couch, leaving the bottle where it sat. Nothing had been torn that wasn't supposed to be, and he was insinuating even that Heji was willing to proceed with a relationship with her, it was too much to hope for, and she wasn't going to let him get her hopes up. Still, on the brink of tears, she closed her eyes, but he SHOULD have been able to feel why, now, with the link. Those feelings bubbled over in her mind, and spilled into the permanent links in her head.

"Very well. You're still getting those Poffins when we come back though. See you in a few hours then Serena." Kyn said, tossing the bottle back into his backpack. He was unfazed by her response.

She rubbed her temples with her clawed digits, she was very, very tired of getting gifts. In a world where everything was earned, they didn't sit well with her. She eventually did open her eyes, and slip off the couch, only stopping when she was about at Heji's shoulder, and only then did she force herself to relax, she tilted her head down with a whisper.

"I don't want to know the answer yet...because it's stupid to even ask at this point, some 'mon don't even think ones as young as I am know the meaning of the word love, and can't differentiate it from lust. What I do know, is that I enjoy your company immensely, and that it will hurt when you are gone, that I will miss you...and that you make me feel safe. I know that I clung to that feeling...because when I'm honest? This world doesn't have a 'safe'. Even when I sleep, it has to be with one eye open...perhaps I've indulged in too many luxuries this trip...It will be difficult to go back."

"The way you phrased that, you practically make it sound like we live like humans." Heji commented. Then he went over to Serena and placed a tender lick on her cheek. "You have plenty of time to decide, Serena."

Serena looked at him, and gave a meek smile. "That's the problem, I've already got my decision, I just can't, nor will I at all, force yours." She licked his nose, since it was within reach. "Part of the reason I didn't take that...was because of that...hopes...are crushed too easily; especially this kind." She moved away from him, not sideways, but further behind him. "I have to wake Kyn up in three hours so that he can arrange to take us home." She said a bit louder, obviously heading to her room. She didn't bother to even close the door, leaving him with the opportunity to choose where he wanted to sleep--if he wanted to sleep.

"I will be visiting you often though. There are some things I want to ask Kyn about, and I'll probably have some other things to tell you once I get back." Heji stated. He wasn't directly insinuating anything. However, it could almost be taken as an implication of interest.

She did allow herself the brief, if fleeting feeling of joy at the confirmation that he would be coming back with Kyn, but she forced herself to take the second with indifference, that way she had the ability to keep herself sane. Even the acknowledgment that they would be leaving tomorrow hurt, and that one stayed as she climbed up onto the bed. She curled her tail up, and let her mind wander. Of course it picked the words that Anana had said earlier that day. 'Now you're one step closer to being like me, soon you'll be bending over for that entire group, and you'll see, what you're feeling is nothing but lust. You'll be called a slut, and there will be nothing you can do about it but accept it, because that's exactly what you are.'

"Night then Serena. I will allow myself this brief amount of sleep." Heji stayed near her yet again, within a few feet, feeling not exactly obligated, just that he felt like Serena in essence deserved his company and being there. He didn't know the feelings that were going through her, or at least he didn't think that he did.

Defiance colored her dreams. It was in her nature to try to defy everything, even gravity. Her internal clock made her come to about 6:30, much to her relief. She took the time to oil her scales before bothering to try to get up, and when she did, she was glad she looked before she slipped off the bed, she would have slipped down onto the fuzzy lion. instead she dropped to the floor from the foot of the bed, taking the opportunity to lick at his cheek and mane. 10 minutes until she had to wake Kyn up, it wasn't often that she had the ability to even reach his ear, but based on his response to when she had licked the inside of his ear before, she had figured it wasn't a good place to wake him up from.

Heji woke slowly and naturally this time, as opposed to the way he was woken last time, and although it took him longer, he was more refreshed than last time. He let out a loud yawn and then blinked his eyes, before looking around for Serena. "I'm assuming it's time."

"You stayed with me..." she muttered, then nodded, pushing herself to her feet and stepping back so that he could get up. She knew exactly why she was touched that he cared enough to do that, but it just made that hollow place that recognised that he would be leaving, throb with pain. "Well...about five minutes before then, about the time that it would take to walk across the room...just didn't make sense to walk there, then back to wake you up..." She reached for Lacu with her mind, and metaphorically tapped on the glass of his Mind from the outside, then wrote 'morning' on it, before leaving it, and him be. Physically, she hadn't moved yet, she'd walked away from him last night, and felt the guilt for it.

"Serena, what exactly do you know of courting rituals? It doesn't specifically have to be for your own species." Heji said, thinking about what he was going to do in regards to Serena once he came back the second time. In actuality, it would be with a decision, but he wouldn't let her know that at this time.

[Mmph. Lacu is not available right now, please leave a message after the beep. Beep.] Lacu said. Serena probably WOULD get the reference, if she remembered a few things from Kyn's world.

[Oh no you don't you sleepy Psychic, wake up or I'll pick the lock and force food down your throat.] Serena did both mentally and physically sputter at the question. "Well...I know of Non-sentient mating rituals, of course...and I have...observed...some of them here, males giving females things like flowers, chocolates...or shiny objects like gems..." She tried not looking at him, which was difficult. "I'm not exactly sure either of those things would suit me, personally. Being given things makes me edgy...and while I enjoy the proof that someone would be able to protect me, flaunting it against anyone who would be in the area isn't..." She shook her head and closed her eyes. "Sorry, I'm rambling."

"Serena, believe it or not but, I think Kyn accidentally set us up with a date." Heji used the term without remembering that it was more human.

Serena looked at him with the question, knowing he didn't do it purposely, she held up a claw to symbolize one minute, and then abandoned the courtesy of asking permission to enter while she rifled through Kyn's mind for the definition. When she found it, she snorted, physically and mentally. <Wake up. It's 7:05 by my internal clock.> She had, thankfully, put everything back the way she found it before returning to her own head. "It...would seem so..." date...yes, she knew that definition now...and she couldn't keep her cheeks from coloring at the realization.

<I believe my alarm vibrated some time ago. So yes, your internal clock appears to be in working order.> Kyn got up and unlocked his door, before going back and gathering up the rest of his possessions.

[Force feeding me would be a bad idea don't you know that?] Lacu brushed back. He unlocked the door, so Serena wouldn't be able to pick it, but still stayed inside.

"Just make sure your ears can handle it, Serena." Heji said.

She smiled at him, and licked his nose again. "I don't think that I could ignore your voice if I was standing next to a waterfall and you were 50 foot away." [It caught your attention, that's all I needed it to do, but seriously, Kyn will be making an appointment with Barty the Driftblim and need your skilled illusion creation to cover him.] Compliments on mental skills, usually the way to a Psychic's type purr button. <Lacu and Heji are awake already, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Tensa is as well, that leaves Marlow and Striker, and Striker's internal clock is about as good as mine, if not better.>

She didn't pull back from the lion in front of her, she didn't want to have to...but she knew that it would only fuel Marlow's emotions...or lack there of, to find her lingering like this, and eventually, she did force herself to stand up. {Marlow?}

"I was referring to something else. So, what are you going to do about your Poké Ball?" Heji asked.

<Well then, when you're ready, take me there if you please.>

{Serena, I will eventually need more sleep if I'm to do what I did earlier though.} Marlow referred to his experiment where he was away from Serena during the DAYTIME for a long period of time. {It is time for the group to return home.}

She rubbed the back of her head with her claws at the question. {Come here, you can sleep in if you're tucked in my scarf.} "He 'can' keep it, if he wants to...I mean...this way....we match." She did look away from him for a moment. "For all we know, it may malfunction when he goes back through...time will tell, I suppose." She did look at him afterward though. "We've got a date with a Driftblim to set up, we can talk more later, m'kay?" <Yes Kyn, of course. Barty's isn't really hard to spot, even in this city though.> She walked towards the common area, and picked up her bag, placing it around her shoulders. [Resting time is up.]

{Your scarf is like, mega huge. Compared to Kyn you might almost be able to call that clothing. I will be there shortly.}

"Time will tell." Heji proclaimed, standing up now.

[I'm gonna take a long rest once I get back home. Kyn will only bring me out to help with the illusion, since I'll be asking for rest that SOME'mon are in a hurry to relieve me of.] He teased at the last part.

{It will have to fit me when I'm a Salamence too, Marlow.} There was a slight flick to her tail that was almost cheery. [If it were up to me you could sleep the whole day if you wanted.] She knocked on Striker's door to ensure that he was up as well. <Ready when everyone else is.>

{Assuming you're still going to be using the same scarf when you ARE a Salamence.}

[Alright, fine fine. I'm coming.] Lacu exited his room finally and made his way outside.

<I'll go fetch Striker, then we'll be on our way.> He of course did not directly mention that he would be putting Heji back in his ball, as he felt like that would be adding yet another gash in the fact that she wouldn't be seeing him for a while.

<Already at his door~> {Even if I'm not, it shall be part of my collection, Marlow. Where are you? It's never taken you this long to get to me before.} Her tail was still virtually wagging, she had almost completely forgotten that they would be leaving today.

Marlow arrived sometime afterward, not revealing where exactly he went but instead waiting for Serena.

<I will be there shortly then.> Kyn headed to Serena, and thus to Striker, to collect him.

Striker gave a silent nod, and then waited for Kyn to put him inside his Ball.

Serena gave him a smile, stepping off to the side to let him past, she didn't think she had smiled so much in her life, not genuine smiles anyway. Her body posture gave away so much, but she didn't care, didn't bother to control it either. {I thought you were tired, normally you would be doing most anything to get closer to me~}

Kyn walked out of the room, now having Striker on his belt, then he went into Serena's room to collect Heji.

Serena understood, she supposed, but still she felt her body react. No more Heji. Her tail twitched once; no, he wouldn't be that cruel, she WOULD at least get to say goodbye...she could deal with that. Still, she wasn't quite as happy as she had been previously, and if this did turn out to be a dream, if this was all just a lie her mind was telling her...well, it would certainly be one that she would remember. As he came back out, she couldn't exactly ignore him. "You wont need your keycard anymore, you can give that to me...and make sure you've got everything...this'll be the last time you see this room." Her mood had sobered considerably, it seemed, from the cheery feeling that she had had moments before.

"Yes... the keycard.... here." He took it from one of his pocket and handed it to her, then began to head towards the elevator.

"How does this transportation system work? I mean they are just kinda living balloons." Tensa commented. "Also, and how will Lacu be able to maintain the illusion?"

"Are you going to complain about a 6 hour walk being turned into about a 45 minute flight, really? Also...he probably won't have to, so long as he can get into Barty's mind, I can take the memory of what he saw, if he looks down at us...like dream eater, but not...like I took Marlow's dreams so that he wouldn't have nightmares at the start." She put the keycard with hers, in her scarf. "{Marlow. You have five seconds to get over here or I'm revoking my offer to let you sleep all the way home.}" She crossed her claws and started counting. "{One..........Two......Threeee.....}"

Marlow moved behind Serena and tapped her on the shoulder with one of his bones, but still didn't say anything yet.

"Not complaining Serena, just curious. Flight is still flight, just this is a different form, I'd consider it a fast hot air balloon ride." Tensa tried to clear up.

Of course, any hunter would have turned and swung, and that was exactly what she did, lucky for him that she didn't use a MOVE with it, making it just a normal type swipe, which went through him, per usual. "MARLOW. Damnit, Now I KNOW I told you not to sneak up on me at LEAST twice in the time we've been together." She realized her tone wasn't the best, and growled at herself.

"I'm sorry..." She held out her claws again, this time to take his skull before it could fall. She tried to recapture the mood she had had earlier when she had found out that she and Heji had just had a (Very long) date...but that only brought the reminder that the date was about to end.

"Well. I stopped talking BECAUSE I was tired. Now, please do not drop me Serena." Marlow said, reverting back to his non-cloaked form.

"I have not once dropped you." She snorted, and put the skull beneath her scarf, and now that they were all set up, she opened the door and walked out of it, leaving it open for the others, she dropped the keycards in the slot of a box, and then headed out of the lobby as well, rather dropping to all fours once she was out of the casino, and into the open air. She zigged, heading towards the beach, and then stopped just short of it to the outside of the city, where, sticking out like a sore thumb, there was a Driftblim hut.

"And I'd like to keep it that way," he retorted, resting inside.

"Oh. Uh... you're right. That's kinda hard to miss." Kyn commented.

Serena chuckled more to herself than at Kyn, she made her way to the hut and of course, stood up once inside, ringing the service bell twice before a Driftloon showed up.

'Yessss? How can I hellllp you?' the words characteristically sounded like they were air slipping from a balloon, soft and airy.

"We'd like to schedule transport back to Tao via Barty...Two Sceptile, a Bagon and a Medicham." The Driftloon hmmmm'ed at her.

'Barty is still in Tao for the moment, there will be a two hour--'

"I already accounted for the delay, it will give us time to enjoy the beach a bit and get a light breakfast, and we'll pay upon services rendered."

The Driftloon bounced once in a nod. 'Very well.'

"I don't usually see a lot of Driftloon or Drifblim." Kyn commented idly. "Look like I get to enjoy the beach After all eh Serena?"

"You're not going to take your boots off for the beach, are you? You probably don't remember the feeling of sand between your toes much do you Kyn?" Tensa said with a grin.

Serena ignored the two, really with a fresh coat of oil, the beach was the last place she wanted to be, sand in her hide, it just got in places where it wasn't wanted, still though, she dropped to all fours again as they exited. "That's awkward...really awkward...ugh..."

"Serena, uh... does Gambitville get sandstorms? I might as well not ask my next question if the first answer is no." Kyn said, changing his focus slightly, but still remaining on sand.

"Almost never, but Pokémon with the ability to cause them do come around, and stir up trouble." She answered, she had hated the look that the Driftloon had given her, he must have known the way the guilds worked, it was quite backwards that the youngest member of the team would have been talking, but what did he know? She could have been the OLDEST member with how dragons aged. She jumped a slight dune in the sand as she headed down to the water's edge, where the sand wouldn't be so prone to getting between her scales. "Go enjoy yourselves, If you feel the need to eat, go eat..I'm not sure my stomach will hold anything at the moment. I'll notify you when Barty gets here."

"Well thank you Serena. I think I will go attempt to build a sand castle from scratch. It may not be the best but... I don't exactly have my tools with me." Kyn commented, looking out further towards the water.

Serena left them there, she didn't bother to say anything. To be honest, she didn't KNOW what a sand castle was...probably most of them here wouldn't either, well, she wasn't going to ruin his fun...she laid down like a lizard might, if one saw it they might think she was a figment, as her scales matched the colors of the sea.

Once Kyn was at the waterfront, he took off his overcoat and cape, and got down on his hands and knees. He first started building the foundation, taking slippery wet sand and ... ....

"Having a bucket or anything like wouldn't really look in place here. Maybe they'd just think it was a really elaborate Sand-Attack type thing... that turned into art. I dunno, go bother Serena about it sometime. Show her some sand-castles." Tensa commented regarding what other beach-goers might think of what he was doing.

"Hm, actually maybe Lacu would also be able to assist me in this. But for now, I'm just building my foundation." Kyn said, having successfully collected one full layer that was stacked together.

Serena hmmm'ed at the water, and after a while she made her decision. Of course, she knew how to swim...just the water tended to sap her strength. She pushed herself up to her feet and slipped into the water, choosing to swim much like an alligator would, rather than anything else...and then she dived down to the sand where the decent shells were hidden.

Kyn, with the assistance of Lacu, managed to make about a 4 inch high castle by 6 inches wide, complete with towers, albeit not perfectly square towers but still pretty close.

"It took a while, like you said. However, I can feel a bit more accomplished via doing it this way than simply turning a bucket upside down. Though it would help in the later stages, like building palisades. I hope Serena comes back soon so I can show her." Kyn added, observing the tide level.

Serena did come back up a bit later, just as she predicted, the warmth was sapped from her body. She had the shells in her claws, and gingerly walked over to where they were, dripping wet, before setting the shells down, and shaking the water off. She did check the skyline with her internal clock...she had time to get her warmth back. "Having fun?"

"Sort of. Serena, take a look at that little structure made out of sand. That's sort of what a sand castle is." Kyn pointed over to it, just in case she overlooked it, since After all, it could have been taken as something else.

She tilted her head, laying out as she had earlier. "It reminds me of Merlot's castle." she said idly. She did look it over with a slight interest. "But then, we don't have many castles around here, so you can understand that, I'm sure."

"Kyn's going to show you more elaborate sand-castles too. Remember, he only had his hands and Lacu to help him with this, no tools!" Tensa explained, pointing a finger in the air and taking a professorial pose.

Serena looked over the shells, then looked up at Tensa, in a single word...she was quite weary, and it showed in her eyes, that she wasn't used to such long trips away from home. She sorted out the pristine shells from those that were subpar, and threw those that weren't up to her standards out into the ocean.

"Anyway Serena, it'll get claimed by the tide. So, I see that you've been collecting seashells. Do you have any particular ones that you'd like to show me?" Kyn asked, trying to shift the conversation towards her.

She looked at Kyn. "Hunting is a better word for it...if you see any that you like you can have them...they just...remind me of scales, I suppose you could say...I know that the artists Pal and Pallette like to break them up, file down the edges, paint, and use them in sculptures to get the feel they want..."

"Serena, that painting that Palette will paint... would it be painted more than once if I asked?" Kyn said, remembering the photograph. He'd hope that he'd be able to either give a copy to Serena, or have one for his home, and another for an archive.

"It can be." She answered. "Palette is agreeable enough, just don't ask her about others of her kind around Tao." She advised. She felt like she was still a child in their eyes, the way that they tried to look after her, tried to make her the center of attention, she wanted to tell them to stop making such a big deal about her, but instead just put her head on her claws and enjoyed the feeling of the sun on her hide.

"I probably wouldn't... Considering the thing you told me during our first meeting. So, what exactly is Palette that, I shouldn't be asking about more of her species then eh?" Kyn asked, thinking about what she might be.

"She's a Zoroark." Her green eyes had closed, if it wasn't for the fact that she was speaking, one might have thought her asleep. "Tao has had some...problems...with Zoroark and Zorua."

"....uh... this may sound a bit strange but.... I've... never heard of those Pokémon before. What do they look like?" Kyn said rather embarrassed.

Serena once more opened her eyes, and borrowed Lacu again (with a mental lick in thanks for him putting up with her borrowing him so much) and broadcast the pictures of Palette and Pal together, and then the Zorua that she had seen while doing missions. Then her eyes closed and she licked her forelimb very much like Heji might have done. "It seems that here, you have the opportunity to add more Pokémon to the human's Pokémon Index."

"....I need to find a wild Zorua and Zoroark in my world for this work Serena, but yes, I now know. That makes... two new entries to add. I wonder what others are here that are not entered in the Pokédex... I think I'll take a few hours or so later to go through the list. If I organize them alphabetically then I can easily find discrepancies." Kyn stated, now back to thinking properly again. "Serena, I have yet to see a green Kecleon here." Kyn stated out of the blue.

"You make it sound as if that's unusual...Kecleon change color, so I'm sure that if you asked...any of them would turn to be green, though they don't prefer their birth color..."

"Once again Serena, world differences. I actually prefer their coloring here. They ARE born green in our world. I wouldn't ask a Kecleon just to change color for me though." Kyn said, thinking about birth color and all that.

"Where are Kecleon found in your world?" She asked. "From what I've seen, it has something to do with WHERE they're born...for example, Anana, she was born on the beach. PK was born in the city..."

".... Oh. That might have something to do with it. A good portion of them are from my home region, the Hoenn region, and come from forests. It never really occurred to me to think about what would happen if a Kecleon was born in an area other than the forest. Now that I think about it, that probably would have a major effect." Kyn said, verbally recalling things that were in his head.

Serena stretched and stood. "I believe it is...Burmy that has multiple cloaks depending on where it is born...have you encountered those, at least?" She tilted her head, for all of the time he traveled, it was rather a unique position that he hadn't seen a lot of Pokémon. "Barty should be here soon."

"Yes. As well as Wormadam." Kyn added.

It wasn't hard to know when Barty got there, really, with all the fingers that pointed up towards the sky and the giggles at a Drifblim carrying a large basket. Serena decided that it was about time to go, and picked up her shells, putting them in her bag with all the other items. "Ready to go mess with a ghost's head then?"

"I wish we wouldn't have to. But yes, let us do so for my benefit." Kyn said, putting his outwear back on. He looked up at the sky and saw the basket and still thought about hot air balloons, and that he still would always consider Drifblim and Driftloon living balloons.

Serena managed a smile, if it was halfhearted, it couldn't be told. the walk through the sand made her want to roll when they got back to the path with grass on it, and so, she did. She walked over to Barty before she stood. "Morning Barty, thanks for putting up with us." As she spoke, she climbed into the basket, sitting on the rim until all of them were situated. "How's Tao been lately?"

-Tao has been fine, little lady, all of us have been working to repair what is left to do, the ranch is being moved, as you know.-

Kyn and the rest climbed into the basket after Serena, but not before Kyn said his own variation of a 'Morning' to Barty. "I'll be glad to be back in Tao for a bit."

Soon the Balloon was off the ground, and when Serena could no longer make out the shapes down below, she nodded her Okay to Lacu to remove the illusion from around Kyn, and from then on what Barty 'saw' when he looked down was a placeholder image. She enjoyed flying, for how little she got to do of it, Barty's bluff wasn't usually something she could afford to do, but if it made it easier on them, she could deal with it. Since she was messing with the ghost's head, she had to stay quiet...and since she was the only one used to dodging mental defenses, she was the only one for the job.

Kyn took some time to look down at the ground since he probably wouldn't get this opportunity again for another few days to a week or so. He did remember Serena saying something about going into someone's head but, he forgot the specifics of it and didn't want to mess up anything that she had planned by asking her at this current stage.

The time passed quickly for Serena, being put to use made her feel better about the fact that they would be leaving today, when she felt the basket touch down, she opened her eyes, pleased to see that Lacu had put back up the illusion before they had gotten to that point. She hopped out of the basket, and left Barty's mind behind her, digging in her bag to pay for the flight. No, she wouldn't let Kyn spend his money here, and the reason SHOULD have been obvious enough. When it was taken care of, the bag was slipped back onto her shoulders, and she felt a little relieved to be back in her home town.

"Tao Village.... could become my third home... if need be Serena." Kyn though out loud. Using Tao as a way point, considering all that pretty much all of what he would do could be found it Tao, and it was Closer to Serena than the Bay.

Serena's tail twitched at the thought. "Counter productive, your business is in the bay and in Gambitville, not in Tao."

She of course, had started walking towards the northern boundary, their lack of Pokémon in town to protect Kyn didn't seem to bother her too much now, perhaps it was an oversight on her part, but compared to the other places, Tao was calm enough to be considered...well, peaceful. It wasn't too long before they had reached the clearing that marked her cave, and she pulled the bag from her shoulders.

"I suppose you're right Serena. Where exactly would you recommend I stay then... if not at all?" At this point Kyn let out Striker and Heji.

She shook her head at the question. "I don't really have one. Windswept woods is a little more than a half a day's walk from here, and equal distance between Gambitville and the bay, really the only 'mon that live there are, as was mentioned, Twigs and Styx, So you wouldn't have to worry about them too much...that was around the area in which we encountered the Patrat." She let her voice echo as she walked into her cave, and set Marlow up on his usual place on the mantle before bothering to even look around for Inferno and Pendragon. She was annoyed, it seemed that the spirit fire had gone out without Marlow and herself around...well, it was attuned to them after all.

"Well, then perhaps I'll not have a place of residence. Anyway Serena.... once I find Pendragon and Inferno then... I'll begin heading out. So, while I'm looking, if you want to you can spend time with Heji some more." Kyn suggested.

Serena bit back the words that if he had asked, it would have been a simple matter for either Heji or herself to find them. She caught on quick enough as to what he was doing, and instead of making mention of it, she simply drew upon her inner self, her 'soul fire' as one might call it, and sparked up a proper fire in the den again. Even with it just being a tiny flame that escaped from her lips, it soon was roaring in full."Thank you." She walked past him, and approached the big lion almost in a meek fashion. "Hey, come wander around with me a bit?"

"Alright. How's the bird doing, by the way? Or have you not checked yet?" Heji stood up and waited to be lead.

"I can't check while Marlow is still asleep, It's in the area that is sealed off from most other things..." She knew the forest like the back of her claws...and while she knew they couldn't wander -too- far away from the clearing, she could take him at least across the river in which she bathed, it wasn't much bigger than a jump for either of them. "I'll have to change that if and when he leaves..." She took off her scarf and tied it onto a branch, since they had just crossed a river it would help them identify which way they had gone, when, and if the others came looking for them. "I suppose that it's a bit childish to say that I don't want you to go..."

"Serena, even if you don't want to be, you are allowed to be childish. Besides, it's not as if anyone will hold it against you." Heji bent his neck down and nuzzled Serena with some of his fluff.

She churred, she couldn't really help it, and wrapped her arms around his muzzle, she nuzzled him in return, even licking up between his eyes. "Heji..." She murmured against him, her claws in his mane. "One of those Chargestones...was intended for you."

"It would make a great gift. Even if you didn't give one to me personally Serena, I'll still remember you for it. Is that alright with you?" He figured that even if he visited Chargestone cave again, it still wouldn't have the same effect now.

"I....Of course..." She didn't let go, using her claws to essentially pet him. She was going to be covered in his scent anyway. " I don't know what effect they have in your world...but you can store a large amount of electricity in them here..." she let her green eyes close. "I'm going to miss you; miss your warmth at night..." She paused and giggled. "And that tongue of yours, of course."

Heji did enjoy the feeling of Serena's claws against him. "Well, I wouldn't be surprised. So, then..." Heji now shifted around so that he was laying down, and would be closer to Serena's height.

Serena did let go then, if only to let her claws trail down his mane, deftly untying the knot that held on his bandana so that it didn't interrupt the path. She didn't make a request, she doubted that she'd need to, unless he decided to stop her, she'd work down his back. "About how much time do you think we have before Kyn actually starts to go look for Inferno and Pendragon, do you think?"

"Probably about now. In all honesty all of us have been keeping track of how much time in relation to our world passes." Heji said, looking to the right.

"I think I would have been more surprised if you didn't keep track of the time in your own world...I didn't really mind having to wake you up." She had easily reached the base of his tail by now, and rather than letting the temptation overtake her, she stopped, and leaned against his chest, not quite in a sitting position, and a sigh escaped her.

"So... when you're a Shelgon... will you still be thinking about me?" Heji wondered.

"Yes." The answer was simple and honest. "It won't wane...you can probably look forward to being tackled to the ground even when I'm a Salamence, any time you come to visit."

"Well, then I guess it's lucky for me I can take a hit eh?" Heji said. About five minutes later, Kyn's voice could be heard in the distance calling out for Heji. They had at first followed Serena's scent, then after finding the scarf, heading in the general direction that the branch that it was tied to was pointing.

Serena could hear the voice, she turned to bury her head in Heji's mane again. "If I had to worry about breaking you when I change forms...well no, I can't say that, I'd still love you regardless of if my claws could break you....do you want to head back, or just let them find us...?"

"They've got Striker in the group. They'll be able to find us." Heji said, thinking about Serena again. There would be quite a bit of difference between their forms, if not the height which would be relatively the same, finally evening out.

She pushed on his shoulder enough to convince him to roll onto his side, and slipped up between his forepaws. "I know they're able to find us...I asked if we should -let them-." she was, if anything, sure that she could lead them on a wild goose chase for a good period of time, but that would be counter productive.

"Well... I believe it's best if we do let them find us Serena." Heji said, thinking that Serena probably wanted to spend even more time with him, which he wouldn't be surprised at.

She entertained the idea that they might think that she kidnapped him, but eventually she did put his bandana back around his neck, with a nip just under his chin, of course. "Fine...at least it's not good bye...I don't do Goodbyes well."

"See you in a little while then Serena." Heji said, mostly understanding her viewpoint. He enjoyed being here in this world, and having more ability to be in tune with his predatory side, while still maintain the side that maintained a pack.

Serena gave a weak smile, then licked his cheek before moving out from between his paws, or at least trying to. He could have easily kept her there. "See you soon." The words caught and sounded almost like a whimper as they emerged. Now she was sure that she would be crying before the day was through; and while before she had been hoping that it was a dream, now she hoped just the opposite.

Heji waited for the others to find him, and they went back to the other side.

Upon all of them returning, Miru closed the portal.