A Glimmer of Light in the Void: Chapter 8 Part 1

Story by Mouseinwolvesclothing on SoFurry

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Trevor and Steve had been hiking for a few day's now. Steve -being a city-slicker to his very core- was very much taken with the idea of talking the ear off of the wind and those within earshot. Steve would do this until some god got tired of his mouth and whisked them all back to civilization...or strike him down with a bolt of lightning, either or would have been a wonderful service.

Trevor seemed to enjoying the hike immensely despite having to hear Steve's bitching the whole time: something he'd grown desensitized to during the years the pair had been married. Was more like background noise than anything else to the both of them; something they both needed in order to not think thoughts that would make them both flee to the nearest street, flag a car down, hijack that car, and go speeding to the nearest airport, and then back home; which they would inevitably end up upgrading into a bomb shelter.

The pair did not seem to handle heading into the unknown enemy territory without various of contingency plans or gear all laid out in front of them very well it seems. Supernatural shit either. But then again, no normal, sane man would handle any of the crap being shoveled onto them so they knew their urge was quite justified.

The 'mon sleeping in their balls didn't seem to understand the duo's behavior at all. Since both had already tried hurting Steve in an attempt to shut him up. Something Trevor and Leon didn't tolerate at all. Spike however turned traitor and had sided with the enemy as soon as lines were drawn. Something that pissed of Trevor more than the slightest degree.

Trevor had forgotten how spiteful and ornery the mutt was when he was forced to go without a fight during long periods of time. The fact that it was nearly a month gap did not escape the agent's perception. Something that couldn't be fixed since wildlings and Trainers all seem to know as if power was an energy that could be radiated; the area they were in was just too weak for battles. Which was why Trevor wasn't currently giving the pooch the ass-kicking it rightfully deserved and why Trevor had been defending Spike every time the mutt had done the equivalent of spitting in their faces. This change of character from the usual lax but mischievous Pokémon was something that no amount of sex seemed to fix. Still that didn't stop the three of them -Steve, Trevor, and Leon that is- from trying.

Tensions were rather high at the moment is seems. A fact that became even more apparent when Trevor suddenly realized that Steve's bitching had became audible.

Uh-oh trouble seems to be hovering overhead...

"-stupid bugs are eating me alive. You sure we didn't pack any bug spray?" Steve didn't even give Trevor a chance to reply. "Feet are tired. Let's stop for lunch...or better yet the rest of the day."

"We haven't even been walking for a half an hour!" Trevor fired back disbelievingly. If this what the 'mons had been dealing with constantly for two days then it wasn't a wonder why they became violent.

Steve was momentarily knocked off balance by Trevor's sudden decision to humor him but a mischievous glint and wicked smirk quickly overtook his stunned surprise. "Not everyone has your unending stamina oh great one"

"Funny...your dad said something similar one time"

"What have I have I said about making rude comments about me Da!" Steve shouted as he tackled Trevor from behind, sending both of them tumbling over the crest of the hill they had spent the past couple minutes climbing. A hill that might as well have been labeled a mountain from it's sheer size. Yet the slope, overgrowth, deadly obstacles and beast that could possibly be in the agent's path seemed to be the very last thing from the agent's individual minds.

They were far too busy trying to punch each other out.

"Your mom hit's far better then you! What? Did you fail all of the self-defense classes? More worried about cheerleading practice?" snickered Trevor about a particular punch he received that would have most certainly winded a lesser man.

"Shut the fuck up punk, I got far more for ya coming don't you worry" spat back Steve during the moment he could do nothing but bark while he blocked Trevor's return strikes.

Even though it appeared the pair was out for blood during the 1/3 of the trip down the hill. When the 2/3 of the trip hit an observer would probably be wondering what kind of madness suddenly possessed the pair to suddenly start spelunking for each other's tonsils with questing tongues while hands began to gently fondle in exploration of bodies that were already well mapped out in every sense of the word. Experience that shown when both began gently teasing the sensitive areas that they knew with masterful skill.

Both immediately forgetting about the fist fight and the fact that tumbling down hills -wild or civilized- was supposed to inflict pain. Luckily though no one was around to remind them.

Three guess what was going to happen after they reached the bottom of that hill.

Yes this ridiculous game happens often.

The pair did reach the bottom if momentarily separated from momentum and gravity treating each unique individual in a different way but with the same unforgivably tough hand. Miraculously none of them was worse for wear or any less aroused than they were at the beginning of this little fumble. Took a moment for each to shake off the stars though; Trevor a bit longer than Steve since gravity was always a little meaner to big guys like him.

A fact that Steve quickly took advantage of by quickly crawling on hands and knees to other downed man to pin him while he finished kicking of his boots. Without so much as a word Steve began ripping the buttons clean off the other agents Hawaiian button-front shirt while rolling up the man's white undershirt to reveal the warm caramel colored torso; made even warmer by the light dusting of body hair...well that used to be a thing anyway. The light dusting was more of a dark forest now thanks to weeks of neglect. The same could be said about the groin that Steve's sock covered foot was sluggishly revealing to the open air; a speed that would be a lot faster if that damnable belt, button, and zipper would only cooperate.

Not that Steve minded the hair too much. Quite the opposite in fact since he -like a good sized majority of gay men- found big hairy men extremely appealing.

Trevor on the other hand was the one who found body hair to be sexy on others but sickening distasteful on himself. Won't even go to a pool or swimming hole -public or private- without shaving buck naked first. An infuriating display of unneeded inadequacy that Steve fully blames on the selfish mama bear projecting the lust of a career and lifestyle she couldn't have onto to the cubs who wouldn't have a fighting chance to fight back her hand until adulthood.

Steve was much too busy laying siege on Trevor's sensitive nibble nubs with gentle teething, twisting , licking, and a bit of suction here and there to dolt on these infuriating thoughts for more than a passing glance. Thoughts that almost immediately turned to mush however when an adorable wanton moan squeezed past the indomitable, vigilant guard of the squirming skittish bear in Steve's clutches. Then an assortment of words that Steve had come to expect to come out of Trevor's mouth at least thirty times per day. "Steve this is a bad idea."

Well at least someone in this relationship has the voice of reason.

Steve however only gave that voice a good belly deep laugh and the finger as he continued what he was doing for a few more moments till he had his fill. Then the teasing mouth did its wicked dance up Trevor's pec, up the hollow of Trevor's neck, and with a quick parting brush of lips at Trevor's temple before silencing that nagging, pessimistic but very well meaning mouth with a silent lip-lock. All that was left to do now was a small tongue lashing that was sure going to convince the fool how great idea 'this' all was. A unneeded action considering Steve had already hit all the buttons needed to reduce the large men into a puddle of submissive fluid. The only thing that Steve was trying to pull out with his tongue was more of those luscious husky moans of want that had stroked his flame of arousal past the point of no return.

By now Steve's sock covered foot was part-way successful in it's attempts at pantsing Trevor: the article of clothing in discussion was unbuttoned and chilling down Trevor's knees. The jockstrap however still had protective custody over Trevor's quickly moistening crotch. A dilemma that Steve couldn't immediately fix because his foot couldn't get into the positioning needed to get the leverage acquired to not rub uselessly against the waistband without breaking that succulent messy lip lock that had only just began.

Sure Steve could just move around those hands a little of the ways down and easily remove the offending article that way...but where was the fun in that? Besides those appendages were far too busy exploring all the places that they could reach. Still, was a very good thing Steve was a patient man or he would be rather frustrated and annoyed at this point.

...Ok maybe not so patient; but at least willing to make due with the ultimatum of not so much hear, but feel Trevor's signs of contentment that comes when a foot fetishist suddenly finds that there is a sole of a sweaty sock covered foot very gently stomping and grinding against their junk. Meanwhile silly toes thrummed, rubbed, and prodded in their best efforts to mimic fingers doing the same reliable shuffle on the engorged member; who was whimpering and drooling in anticipation as a result of the foreplay.

Slowly; ever so slowly as Steve stroked Trevor off, Steve was finally beginning to hear those adorable moans and wordless whimpers of appreciation flowing like music from Trevor's throat.

Aww did I find an itch that needed scratched? Well allow me to take care of that for ya Steve thought with a snicker as his brain ordered the tiring muscles in his foot to quit being sissies and step it up a notch. Luckily Trevor didn't notice the snicker, That mistake would have sure put a major dent in the mood and momentum that Steve was working his ass off to create.

Eventually Steve listened to the complaints of the muscles in not just his foot: but also upper arms and knees that were doing there best to keep at least a portion of Steve's crushing weight off Trevor's torso and groin. A pause was need but only one long enough to get in a much comfortable position to continue the fun in.

But Trevor had seized the moment of freedom to launch his own plans, well...more like rose to greet them.

Steve hissed as his member was lead into Trevor's greedy maw until it's progress was halted by the back of Trevor's throat. A normal person -even a pro- would have been driven into a gagging fit after having 7 inches of drooling man-meat shoved down the pipes. Trevor however was not a normal man by any stretch of the imagination even before the change. So Steve was actually surprised when the delicious but worrying tightening spasms extended from a brief moment into a few. Steve tried to rein his instinctual bucking but...well... he was never known for being a man that known for keeping a lid on his impulses. Looks like Trevor would just to have to ride out the momentary moment of discomfort unaided than.

Still once the moment passed, it was amusing enough for Steve to break the comfortable silent with his husky rasp "Take on more than you can chew? Looks like I'm not the only eager little beaver here it seems." Steve was meaning to pull all the way out so they could move onto something a little less one sided but Trevor had moved with him. An action that sent Steve's naked butt thumping noiselessly into the ticklish tall grass that surrounded them. Not only that but -as if by accidental retaliation- Steve's back slammed into the tree that he hadn't known was behind him until his skull was throbbing with an ache that wasn't bad enough to call off what they were doing; but still unpleasant enough to consider intentionally gagging the man still rapidly bobbing up and down on his shaft as if trying to apologize by dulling the pain with pleasure. More likely the action was to conceal the snickers that Steve felt anyway though the vibrations sending shockwaves of pleasure throughout Steve's body.

Steve glared as he sensed Trevor's mental signature rapping lightly onto the door of his thoughts; when Steve finally let him in he didn't even have the chance to ask questions before Trevor answered them. "Sorry wasn't done. Didn't see tree...and yes I'm a little eager myself but it's mainly your new size causing me trouble."

Steve whom had been mid-way through rolling his eyes at Trevor's little spew of unneeded apologizes ;raised both eyebrows in question as his face began to crinkle in general confusion before the question could even tumble past his fast-moving lips. "Uhhh...New size? Come again?"

That response had enough of an impact to steal a tiny bit of wind from Trevor's sails as his facial expression became one of complete surprise before that quickly warped into total disbelief "You mean to tell me you haven't noticed that both of our dicks have gained at least a half an inch in length and a few millimeters of girth?... I don't believe it. Not for a single second."

Steve ignored the screams of protest from the muscle that he pulled out of Trevor's sweet mouth; but didn't even look at it. There was an example that Steve knew much more better and was much more fun to look at. Well...that's what Steve's excuse would be if the inquisitive little bear threw another question mark at him while he forcefully rolled the big guy onto his back again.

To Steve's surprise Trevor didn't: only squirmed uncomfortably under the gentle intensity of Steve's clinical probing gaze. When Trevor folded under this compelling stare and went to cover himself like a moment later: Steve bat the attempts away like one would a fly. Steve was doing nothing but take in the sight before him with his eyes for a few moments. That is until Steve grew bored and laid down that still hovering hand onto the still very aroused uncircumcised cock and began pumping.

The simple action made Trevor's squirming worse as he quickly began to fall into that same rhythm of heavy panting, moaning, and an occasional whimper as if the brief break in the two's fun had never happened. Made Steve smile along with the side benefit of giving him time to think about what his senses were telling him about the love muscle that clearly had some added heft to it. Was still a full two inches smaller in length compared to Steve's: but that tiny bit of thickness slapped onto something with already a bit intimidating girth was quite unnerving. Was like gripping a freaking soda can. A thought that sent a tingle of excitement down Steve's spine straight to his pucker now twitching with lounging want and anticipation. Never had Steve felt this damn empty before.

Sad part was: Steve really hadn't noticed the change and it was extremely likely that he would have continued not noticing it until Trevor eventually said something. Though...he did vaguely remember noticing that both of them were leaking a lot more seminal fluid than usual. Which was saying a lot considering both were gushers in the right circumstances, like now. Steve had pegged this oddity down to their bodies getting rid of the overflow sex addicts usually have after going through a bout of cold turkey.

In reality it was most likely the transitioning into Light Ones making a few odd upgrades that made sense in a 'the more to love you with' sort of way.

Did these changes affect anything?

Doesn't make a damn bit difference to me one way or another. Even if it suddenly turns purple and spits fire. As long as it works when I want it to" Steve decided with a smirk as he began deepthroating Trevor to the best of his abilities; twas a very good thing he was a master in all of his crafts.

Oddly enough the fact that they both had missed one fact and not the other made sense in a odd sort of way: a bottom was more likely to notice the size difference of a lover, while the top was more likely to notice an easier ride. Both facts both would have noticed if Steve had allowed Trevor to top during the twenty or so times they wound up like this and if during those twenty or so times that Trevor pushed the envelope for a turn and Steve hadn't adamantly denied each request without an explanation.

A tactic that was going to blow up in his face in about...

Now.

Instead of taking part in the sixty-nine like Steve hinted at by casually shoving his junk in Trevor's face: Trevor used his muscle mass to man-handle Steve -something he had never done during the full extent of the their marriage - in sort of a comedic twirl so that both men were now face to face. Before Steve could even think about reacting: he was already being crushed in a bear hug that only lasted for the briefest of moments until Trevor had Steve's back pinned against the tree behind them and limbs pinned underneath those tree-trunk arms. Course even with his strength Trevor had to morph to accomplish all this in the speed he performed it in. But that little 'eck' moment was just that: a moment.

"I've given you plenty of time. Are you ready to talk about your problem then try this?" As if to emphasis the word this Trevor began to slowly hotdog and grind against Steve's entrance. The action causing them both to simultaneously try to -but fail- swallow moans and groans and contented rumbles.

Yes-Yes-Yes-Yes-Yes-Yes-yesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyes- YES! "No." was Steve's bland, almost dead-panned answer. Visual cues however betrayed Steve's honest answer: from his rapidly shifting eyes and head every time Trevor tried to establish eye contact to the still extremely aroused prick leaking pre-cum like a faucet down Trevor's belly; even with Trevor's gaze blasting holes into him like powerful lasers.

Another boring explanation is in order I think. So you the reader can fully understand what exactly is going on here and the reasoning behind it.

Being a proud switch by nature: Steve's current behavior was totally abnormal for him and both of them knew it. Trevor thinks it was the whole near spiritual rape incident causing Steve to become squeamish and feels like the greatest pile of shit for it.

Sadly that was only about half of Steve's problem. The other half was worse:

A corpse was trying to reanimate. Simple as that.

It was that blasted frilly dress! The one that Jayne nearly put Steve in while he was playing the role of the bitch Plusle in the dreamscape. The entire innocent incident had slammed into Steve like a sledge hammer. That one blow brought back a certain secret craving that was exclusively Lan's and put into his head by criminal kinky scumbags. The other secret that was so potent that Steve hadn't had the guts to tell Trevor yet. A secret that you can probably most likely guess by now.

During those dark days Steve acquired a fondness for wearing women's frilly underwear or lingerie underneath his clothing. Not because of a gender identity crisis issues though. Far from it. Those articles were just comfy wear... and felt fucking amazing to get fucked in...and maybe he did feel a certain thrill with the dirty talk that is usually thrown in along with those particular fucks.

Ohhh boy...he was a kinky son-of-a-bitch

Just a few days ago during the shopping trip for new supplies and clothes: Steve found himself eying a pair of frilly women's underwear that looked to be about his size. Once Steve realized what he was doing and the meaning behind it: he immediately grabbed Trevor to fuck him senseless in a public restroom stall. It's been like this ever since.

Boring explanation over.

Trevor took in a deep breath, prept his heart for pain, then asked a question during his exhale so he wouldn't lose his nerve. "Do you trust me?"

"Of bloody freaking course you massive blockhead" Steve spat with so much disbelief and anger as thrashing and demands to be let go exploded into existence. Trevor was thankful he had enough of a hold on the man so Steve wouldn't trying knocking some sense into him. Oddly enough the last bit allowed Trevor to breathe easier. Satisfied Trevor gripped the muscle between his legs, lined the tube of flesh with Steve's ring, and then stopped when he had successfully prodded against Steve's entrance.

As if Trevor pressed a button: Steve's cries of protest were immediately silenced as all thoughts and limbs became limp.

Lan: the specter of Steve's inner child, had finally seized temporary control. Despite this Steve's eyes were remarkably dry as an newly freed arm snaked to the side of Trevor's head before thumping their pair's foreheads together in a head butt that neither of them really felt during the moment Trevor's member began it's slow venture of opening of Steve's anal walls.

Lan's elation and Steve's fury was almost palpable "If you don't fuck me breathless. I'm going to fuck myself on you until you have beg me to stop because your prick hurts so bad. Afterward I'm going to do the same to your end to show you how it's really done.

Trevor flashed Steve that adorable modest grin of his: a grin that made always Steve's heart rate skyrocket even after the years the pair had spent married and said "If we had the day to wait for you to get it up again after the first few pops you mean" A quick rub told Trevor that Steve's entrance was wet with his slime as much as it was going to get. Things would get moving soon. Good thing too since the goliath's arms were about to become stiff here shortly.

"I'm more than capable of recovering and fulfilling my promise very quickly, thank you very much" Than Steve realized that he had been manipulated to say something damnably stupid and he began thrashing again with fury "Ooo I'm so going to have your ass for that when I get out of here you fucking jacka- Ngh-" Trevor had chosen that the ole' do-it-fast-like-ripping-off-a-band-aid method was best when it came to penetration. Steve hissed in irritation briefly for a moment before growling "Careful with that fucking thing will ya? We've gotten a bit more stretchy back there thanks to the change I'll admit, But that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt like the Dickens when someone shoves what feels like a beer can up the back chute." Still Steve agreed with Trevor that this method was probably for the best considering if the big guy went slow and steady: they actually would have been in that spot in the woods all damned day.

"I know." That replying statement seemed to be all encompassing. There was a lengthy pause; during that time Trevor was getting used to vice tight, burning hot, squeezing sensations he hadn't felt in weeks.

Steve made a noise that sounded like a cross between psssh and a pffft through his teeth "You talk too damn much" Seeing that they were both in the clear from all possible physical and mental repercussions: Trevor started rocking back and forth in a slow rocking motion. Steve responded to this action with an almost violent hiss of pain and tiny bit of pleasure...course the latter could have easily have been Trevor's hiss mixing with Steve's. Neither wasn't really sure.

"Says you..."Trevor was rapidly racking up speed and intensity: appearing to not to be able to help himself. "It's sadly gonna have to be a hard and fast performance.. you've round me up too much with your fucking foreplay." As if for emphasis Trevor grunted and tried swallowing to smother another moan; but the sound that escaped anyway, wasn't even dulled

"S'alright. Expect it since you're the one who interrupted my little attempt to make you cum handsfree."

"That was your end goal? You've done that plenty of times in the past"

"Not twice in one go. Wanted to attempt a third but you've also got me too round up with that damn mouth of yours "

"Arrogant asshole...Are you trying to make me have a early heart attack?"

"Maaaaaaybe. What can I say: I have a lot of love to give. Can't help that your ticker can't contain it all"

"Cute."

Both men elapsed into a wordless silence, broken only by animal noises, wet squelches, and the rapid slaps of skin on skin contact. The pleasure that set fire to each of their nerves peaked to the point of them both seeing stars. Both of them were by then wearing faces similar to that of someone trying extremely hard to fight off an unavoidable sneeze. The hammering against Steve's prostate eventually became so potent that the stars he'd been seeing had evolved into supernovas. Which was more than enough pressure to finally bust his water balloons all over his own and Trevor's chest with a few money making shots splattering both of their faces with musky cream. Neither minded the facial in the least. In fact it's exactly what sent Trevor careening over the edge. Lucky guy didn't even realizing he was positively roaring with ecstasy as Steve's back door quickly overflown with the excessive spunk that made puddles underneath them.

The pair finally came down from their out of body high when the sensation of freefall became real when Trevor's locked knees finally gave out from underneath them leaving them both wrapped around each other in an almost comfortable heap on the itchy, scratchy forest floor.

Both had just enough time to sigh in contentment before a round of applause suddenly rang in their ears causing both of their heads to pivot so fast towards the noise that both barely escaped a mild case of whiplash. Their audience was a group of people dressed in different styles and states of undress. Most of the crowd looked as if they had been forced to swallow raw limes. The other portion were grinning and was the very reason 'states of undress' had been added into the previous sentence before last. Most if not all did share one common characteristic though:Those eerie eyes that were glittering with malicious evil intent and poorly established hatred in darkness of the shadows of the shade they had remained hidden in until now.

To be honest for the briefest of moments it was like staring at a horde of Darkrai masquerading as humans.

The crowds apparent leader and most enthusiastic source of applause was a man whose clothing style and demeanor just screamed chubby biker guy. The Flygon standing next to the man wasn't much better in shape considering that the Ground-Dragon type appeared to be heftier than most of his species. Both of whom had appeared to have gotten off somewhere during the whole affair if the pants around the large male's ankles, drooling pricks, and fresh cum staining random splotches of goo on various parts of their bodies were any indication whatsoever.

This wasn't exactly how Steve pictured first contact with the enemy that was forced upon him: Clothes MIA. Gear MIA. Pokemon MIA. Both the agents covered in jizz, dirt, and Gods knew what else. Though... with their horrible luck and uncontrollable libidos Steve probably should have saw this coming.

Meh whatever. The first time was always an embarrassing fumble in the dark and a little messy. Besides, wasn't like the man had to impress anyone or something. Steve already had his dearly beloved ball and chain lying down right next to him.

Especially a group of people whose combined stench was akin to that of a Muk and Grimer breeding ground.


Still Steve was in a rather great mood.

The kind of mood one is usually in when they had just gotten their rocks off. So it was completely logical why he would flash his audience his most charming smile and say "Good-day chaps hope you enjoyed the show. The next will start shortly after a brief intermission." Every living being with their eyes open during a particular moment was momentarily blinded by a flash about the same intensity as a flash bang. But at least they could hear Steve's remark that was more of a warning than anything "Here while you wait you should take a load off!"

Everyone that wasn't the caster and not fortunate enough to be caught by the last moment by the user of the magnetic pulse had been blown head over heels backwards a good ten feet or so into the dense underbrush of the forest.

Good guys 1. Bad guys 0.

Steve knew without turning around that Trevor had already gathered his clothes and was off like a shot up the hill. Probably already reaching out for the mind's of the 'mons in the balls to use them as a locater. Not to grab and come back to fight though. Grab and make a 'tactical retreat' is more accurate. Sadly the man's massive size, tree trunk muscles, and big talk was a front to cover the little flaw of him being a well-meaning soft-hearted, chicken-shit whom had the misfortune of choosing the wrong profession and area of expertise.

Still Steve loved the man dearly though.

Besides the man held a lot more bravery than what the box's description first reads. Once Trevor realized Steve wasn't following in his footsteps: he would come back. Pissed and scared out of his wits sure, but Trevor would always come back to be Steve's wingman.

Steve just needed to buy a few minutes.

Steve was fortunate that the transformation from naked Bob-cat x human hybrid to a just plain naked human then back into Bob-cat human hybrid once he was clothed took the same amount of time as two shakes of a cat's tail. T'was a good thing because he was just in time to greet the bad guys radiating with grumpy composure with an almost dopey smile and wave. "Sorry about that...I sneezed. Got a tissue?"

"Fresh out, sorry." replied Joey (now fully clothed) with an easy going expression and shrug. While scanning his soon-to-be opponent. The man in front of him had identical identifying features as his human counterpart. Just with a non-human twist only those with imagination can dream up:

Steve's appearance was into that into of an half man/half Bobcat. A bobcat that couldn't seem to decide what costume he wanted to wear for Halloween and inevitably decided he was going mix favorite articles from both it seemed.

The man wore a leather chestplate that just ended at the midriff; was open and didn't seem to have any buttons or zippers. Steve's groin was veiled by the kilt wrapping around his midriff. Both pieces appeared to be very pantheonic in appearance. Costume would be very Greek if not for the Chinese styled ancient warrior shin guards, Arcanine and fire themed sash, and lastly the bun hairstyle. No footwear; tough feline paw pads seemed all the protection Steve needed it seems..

An odd choice for a costume considering Steve's racial background was the farthest away from any of these races.

Steve expected the five humans and 'mon to swarm him at the drop of some unseen hat.

But the Dark Ones just stood there, staring creepily at him.

"Uh...you guys do know you have the numbers over me right? What? Do you guy's have stage fright or sumthin'?"

The group of foot soldiers flicked a lukewarm glare at their fearless leader as Joey elapsed into a solitary laughing fit as if Steve told a really good joke and he was the only one that got it before calming down again and replying "Your just full of stupid one-liners aren't ya."

Steve shrugged flippantly as he said in a molasses slow drawl "Stupid is as stupid does sir." Tone switching back into inquisitive "You still haven't answered my previous question." Silver feline eyes still not missing a single twitch of the horde.

Joey mirrored Steve's flippant shrug and replied "Me and my pose is just waiting for your man to return."

Steve -whom met all types of special flowers in the span of the twenty years gardening- was positively floored for the first time in years by the behavior of what had first seemed just another asshole scumbag. Surprise that was evident when the man with a silver plated tongue became tongue tied. When the knot was finally untied Steve replied with a very understandable suspicious and disbelieving inflection "W-Why?! that makes no fucking logical sense!" The expression that the crowd shot their fearless leader showed they mirrored Steve's sententiments.

"Simple: I don't like surprises and I never fought another General before, let alone two." Another flippant shrug was added on as if as in afterthought, something that was really starting to become as irritating as an old joke.

Watching Joey's gaze was wander around the woodland scenery without a care in the world-finger in his ear as if the earlier shout had given him a earache was beginning to piss Steve off, No one on earth had a personality typing so lax that they couldn't even give life or death struggles their time of day. Granted Steve knew something was off the guy the moment he saw the man with his pants around his knees and evidence of voyeurism drying all over the man's admittedly damn nice cuddly hairy body; right in front of his troops no less.

Suddenly an epiphany hit Steve like a backhand, the news of it almost making him audibly groan before he caught himself: The guy in front of him was literally a bloody lunatic. Steve hated fighting unpredictable loonies

Steve shook his head in before rebutting "No, We're just measey foot soldiers."

Joey broke into another laughing fit before explaining the reason for his humor "Newbies eh? Huh. Nah man you two are Generals. It's what the big guy's call the ones like yourself and I. The ones that turn freaky looking when they power-up. Very powerful pieces we are. Only ones above us are the Commandos like my superior and the big scary monsters that rule over us." Joey was still snickering as he said this next bit. "I guess everyone on your side figured that with your planet sized reputations that you already know everything. Special people don't need to be told that their special" A pause elapsed before Joey added on "I think that's how the saying goes anyway."

Steve just couldn't resist correcting someone when he was given the rare opportunity; a quality Joey seemed to share with how forthcoming of information he was. "I don't think there is such a saying. Sounds like a quote though"

Joey's confusion was as evident as a beacon "There's a difference?"

Trevor chose this moment to literally blink into existence, giving those who didn't have radar dishes for ears a damn good stab fright.

Trevor's appearance was that of an half man/half panther. Trevor's weapon of choice was just a simple warhammer made entirely of solidified light like Steve's Origami; an object visible from the were-panther's belt. Apparently the squire wasn't yet ready for a sword. Or the notorious suit of armor that all knights wore. Course the man had armor but it was just the chainmail on his chest and feet; the rest was just white cloth. Probably because of the large shield clasped firmly to the man's wrist. This shield appeared to be made entirely out of slightly rounded glass; giving the shields appearance that of a bubble with foggy drawing of a closed eye at it's center. Black and white spherical jewels created a circle around the item's diameter.

Bland. Unremarkable. Boring simplistic design. Predictable. Just the way Trevor preferred all of his outfit's.

"Did you really blow that one and only surprise just because you didn't want to walk down a freaking hill." Steve growled with a note of fury.

"Yup" Trevor replied simply with a hint of an arrogant grin. Telepathically to Steve though he said "I tripped on the way down. You were close enough. It was a knee jerk reaction."

Steve had to bite his lip to keep himself from betraying his amusement which would have destroyed the false hard glare that was currently boring into Trevor's hide. Outwardly Steve said "Idiot. Ah well, It's about time you showed your lazy ass up" Inwardly however "You're such a silly bear...did you do what I told you to do?"

"Bite me" Trevor spat "Yup. Took less time than I thought it would. That coon is a very efficient digger despite being handicapped. Spike and Leon didn't need to help very much which is why I'm back so quick... Telepathy is awesome."

Steve agreed with the last statement full-heartedly.

What? Did you think Steve wasted these few minutes with his thumb up his ass? Psssh, maybe if he was drunk enough to lose a few IQ points maybe.

"You two are a cute pair. Shame you'll have to die though." Joey made eye contact with the smallest and youngest of his lackey's to follow the big bad leader as he stepped forward. A kid that looked like he should have been told that greasers were a thing of a past and be in detention spitting spitballs when the unfortunate watcher's back was turned. Despite -or because- the foolish of his youth the young man walked behind his leader with the swagger of a guy that was walking into a schoolyard brawl that was already in the bag.

Expecting that this was the start of the life-or-death fight: Steve and Trevor had already armed themselves in the same motion that they sent out Leon and Spike out as point guard.

"Put the sticks away boys. Normally you would be right to pull them out. But... I have a different battle system that I like to use when Blake isn't breathing down my neck." The pair of crooks had halted at distance of length that everyone in this world with a braincell would know as typical Trainer vs. Trainer format. After giving the area a once over Joey appeared satisfied because he continued "The rules follow a typical double battle but with a slight twist. For you it's an endurance test. All of ours vs. yours. You can't bitch and moan about having us having a numbers advantage either because with your rep: this should be a cakewalk for you."

Steve asked the question on everyone's mind "Then why do it?"

"Call me old-fashioned...that and you're 'mon are sort of in the Legendary bracket in the league booklet. I honestly don't want to fight them at their strongest." Steve and Trevor were both on the way of saying something but were cut off by Joey's sharp voiced "AND you have the side benefit of having the chance to dwindle our numbers a bit just in case we do decide to swarm. "

"Still doesn't make sense why you're being so... honorably fair" Steve's eyes were overflowing with suspicion.

Joey waved dismissively "Blake's rubbing off on me. Want the challenge. Helps that I've been bored off my ass as of late until we detected you guys meandering in the area."

It's a ploy. Both agents fired telepathically at each other near simultaneously. Yet they ushered their hounds forward. Meanwhile Xavier -whom had been strangely absent the entire time- had chose that moment to make a modest entrance.

And by modest I mean the Flygon was making an honest attempt to break the sound barrier while cleaving a path of destruction though whatever was unfortunate to cross his path as if that Dragon Claw of his was a scythe reaping wheat. As if that wasn't enough the dragon-fly like creature made a landing so rough that anyone whom had been standing found themselves rubbing the sting from their rumps once the aftershocks became dull enough to stand again.

"Great timing...show-off" growled Joey as he thanked his lucky stars for the blessing of extra cushion.

["We needed the breathing room."] Joey replied matter of factly. The tail swishing side to side and the muscles twitching erratically at the corner of his thin-lined mouth betrayed the Flygon's amusement however.

As if linked in some hive mind wave length the whole lackey group plus Joey responded to this statement dryly "The hot air leaking out of that massive head of yours makes creating breathing room impossible." A moment of stunned silence took place before the look of outrage on the Flygon's face reduced that side of the field into fit of loud boisterous laughter.

Meanwhile Trevor and Steve groaned aloud, not only because the amusement from the group camaraderie happening was lost to them: but because they realized how closely knit and familiar with each other this pack of wolves actually were. Combine that with all having the gift of Poke-tongue and it's communicative combat perks than you have a tough bunch of adversaries indeed.

With his underlings providing a great muffler Joey was able to successfully talk to Xavier without being covert "What did you find?"

["Apparently after getting dressed the man went retrieve a couple of small knapsacks. The couple's Trainer gear from the looks of it. They had another in their party I think, since a funky looking Linoone was there. But an accident apparently happened sometime ago because the 'coon was in mid-process of burying a heavy looking coffin before the man got there."]

"A base must be close by. The other side must have lost a member recently." Joey muttered as he transitioned into a deliberating posture .

[You think dumbass?] Joey immediately began to glare intently at the Flygon but was ignored "[Anyway this is where stuff gets weird. Instead of immediately rushing back here to help his partner he summoned the hounds and began to help fill the grave. Afterward the pair apparently had an argument that almost game to physical blows before the 'coon ran off in...in the opposite direction.]

"That is odd...did you hear the conversation?"

[Wasn't much of a conversation thanks to the apparent language barrier. But the general idea of it was this: man orders freshmeat Linoone to get for help for obvious reasons. 'coon says no. Man throws rock. 'coon runs away."]

"All of that just reeks of a trick. Did you follow the Linoone? Where is he now?"

["I smelled that too but turns out it was just paranoia. Apparently the Linoone is pissed enough to not see that every second is valuable because he's picking fights with wildlings. Last I checked he was fighting an Ursaring."

"Anything else strange?"

[Just that the 'coon looked blindsided about something for the briefest of instances. The two were well out of telepathy range by that time though...if either of one of them has the ability that is."

"All of that sounds like predictable nothing's. Good. No surprises than. I hate surprises" The laughter had died down ages ago so all that had been happening outside this conversation was an empty tense silence. Well...empty excluding the words of silly juvenile playground mockery being spewed by an impatient Steve and the occasional groan of embarrassment from Trevor who was showing all signs of wanting to be anywhere else but the spot he was standing in.

[Except for the one you're cooking up?] The Flygon rebutted with a snicker as he got into position next to the bored looking Donphan.

Joey didn't answer, just grinned widely before calling out towards his then opponents "Sorry for the wait! Let's begin shall we?"

#swagscenetransition

Steve didn't even let Joey finish that sentence before he bellowed "Operation: Test Drive!" As if in answer to the man's overenthusiastic order the hounds Howl'd in return and began sprinting full tilt towards their opponents.

"Why waste breath on a simple charge" mumbled the greaser, more to himself than Joey.

"Watch and learn." responded simply moving only the corner of his mouth.

The Arcanine being the faster of the two quickly surpassed the Mightyena's speed. In an apparent display of rudeness the fire dog cut in front of his darker half and met the answering snarl with a bark of laughter. The exchange didn't even need to be deciphered by a knower of Poke-tongue judging from the dual groans and face palms made by their Trainers. "Quit being an asshole Leon" Steve's angry shout went seemingly unheard however.

"No team's perfect I suppose " the greaser comment offhandedly with a chuckle.

Joey shushed him: in the same moment the Arcanine's suddenly shifted gear and accelerated into a blinding speed so intense that the air bending around the canine became clearly visible. Something that seems strangely fitting considering the Arcanine became nothing but a orange and black bullet.

ExtremeSpeed

A bullet that spontaneously combusted into a screaming flaming comet of doom for anything unfortunate to be in it's path.

Flare Blitz

"Shit" The greaser spat dumbly before the shell shock awe of watching a small sun hurtling toward them at breakneck speed finally wore off. Then the greaser finally did the mental calculations necessary to determine the Arcanine's target: the Dolphan. "Leslie Earthq-!"

Oh but it was much too late for that . Much too late for anything for that would matter anyway, since the comet by this time had already collided into the bizarre miniaturized elephant. The resulting explosion was just as deafening as it was destructive; which was saying quite a bit considering the force of the blast birthed a sonic boom large enough to pick up trees and throw them like trigs as embers backlash from the explosion danced on their corpses.

Speaking of; the corpses of the Dolphan and the greaser boy were nowhere to be seen in the large crater in which the Arcanine stood, gazing at his handiwork with a proud accomplished look on his face.

Joey exhaled a sharp whistled note, apparently impressed with the amount of destruction. Meanwhile Xavier was straining to keep his massive butt airborne. While racking the allies that had been blown backwards by the shockwave with a diagnostic gaze: Joey said almost offhandedly: "Xavier let go and move to the left just a couple of hairs" Immediately Xavier did as instructed: just in time to avoid the incoming Crunch attack whose target had been the Flygon's back. The black and grey blur's attack kept coming however and this time it's target: Joey.

The evidence of being well-ahead of the game however was the way Joey easily held back the attack with his massive sledgehammer. Joey was tutting at the snarling, barking dark hound as a parent would a baby whom had gotten the bright idea that going outside by himself was a grand idea. "Bad dog!" Then proceeded to grip the hound by the Mightyena's scruff and toss the mutt towards the feet of pair watching all this unfold with the most blandest expressions ever seen.

"Yup. Figured he would be a fan." Steve muttered offhandedly in the same moment he'd underhandedly tossed one of the Sitrus berries from out of the half of dozen he kept on hand in his knapsack. Leon snatched it out of air without even taking his glance away from the opponents that were in the process of re-grouping. A simple nod from Trevor was all the answer that was needed. Spike was finally standing back up, flattening his body, growling deeply, teeth gnashing, and hair bristling as he done so.

Meanwhile Joey wasn't at all pleased that he had to reveal one of his advantages; evidence being the bladed-edge way he told the next lackey to get ready: a nervous looking poindexter whom had vibrated all the way to Joey's side instead of walking. Speaking as he done so: "S-Sir is there anything not blatantly obvious that I need to be mindful of?" A emotionless, unfeeling Porygon2 was revealed to be the nervous looking boy's partner.

Rather cliché... but stereotypes do exist for a reason. Joey thought with a hint of amusement. Outwardly Joey replied "Yes. Don't underestimate the damage the Mightyena's teeth can do... or more accurately it's Crunch move. The teeth have been tempered into hardened steel though the abusive use of Fire Fang and small explosions. Can chew through solid rock as if it has the consistency of Skittles."

To Joey the boy rebuttled "So it has Fire Fang and Crunch than? Understandable considering it would have to have some sort of offensive STAB move even with the destruction it can encourage through the manipulation of the Arcanine's Flash Fire ability." Towards his 'mon the boy ordered "Avoid close range at all cost. Stick behind Xavier and offer artillery support. You know already know which moves to spam." The affirmative beeping the virtual warrior fired back in his native tongue held an underlying tone of sass as if saying without saying "I actually had the option of doing something else?" Still the 'mon did as instructed.

Meanwhile on the other end Steve swore aloud when he saw the Porygon2 backpedal;eyes bursting with white light in the same moment that a red reticle similar one would see in a FPS shooter blink into existence. So much for taking this guy out as quick as the last. In response Steve began barking orders to the two hounds. "Into the forest and begin running circles around them. Your dodging bullet-fire until the pixel pixie is taken down. Attack only when I say so"

The hounds shot Steve a quick nod before they began making tracks for the trees; both yelping audibly with fright when a Zap Cannon bolt reduced the poor tree that got in the way into scary splinters.

Still this was only the start of the seemingly unending barrage of Zap Cannons and Tri-attacks.

Already liking the boy's plan of attack immensely: Joey ordered Xavier to cut loose but to also to keep an eye out for attacks against the glass cannon and then offer support. Xavier took the briefest moment to nod before taking off like a shot into the forest. The dragon-fly appearing to have taken Joey's order literally since he began redecorating the forest again during his pursuit. Something that wasn't Joey's intent but pleased him greatly.

Was this moment that Joey realized he hadn't yet said the comment he had for the boy like he thought he had, "Yes and no. Trevor is one of the few Trainers that has been skilled enough to create a hybrid move. In essence the Mightyena's Crunch move has the STAB of a dark type move but it's actually most like Fire-Fang in nature."

The boy was appearing pretty exasperated at this point. Seemingly over the combination of the situation of the fact Jade had yet to hit anything other than dirt and wood; plus Joey's words. "That doesn't make any sense! Sure I give you that the two moves are almost identical both in preparation,nature, and use. IF not for the energies being used. That part I get. BUT if what you're saying is true then the Fire Fang wouldn't have enough juice to temporarily cancel out the heat from the Arcanine's Flare Blitz attack. The Mightyena would be burnt to a crip the moment it latched onto the Arcanine's tail.The only species even capable of that extreme improbability is a Houndoom who is used to combining both light and dark energy naturally without blowing their fucking head off. "

Joey grinned "Add that little statement with my two previous statements and you'll have the answer to your problem Lawrence." Lawrence took a few moments to digest this. When the boy finally figured it out the evidence was the deathly pale face becoming a lima bean shade of green.

"Impossible...no Trainer or Pokemon has the skill, time, and infinite amount of patience to create artificial Houndoom. Let alone the endurance to-" Joey waved dismissively at the rest of the boy's monologue in the same moment a grin that would made the Cheshire cat jealous began to spread across the biker's face "You haven't met Trevor."

Meanwhile Trevor's body was exploding from the force of a powerful sneeze.

"People are talking about 'cha mate. That or having naughty fantasies"

"Why do you say that?"

"I'm very familiar with that sneeze."

Trevor groaned and began rubbing his temples as if he was fighting off a headache."We really have to get you help for that sex addiction problem... shame we can't do anything about the arrogance though"

"Ah Tre-" Steve said mid-sighing like a dreamy schoolgirl "You really know just what to say to make a girl feel beutiful."

"...was that the sound of admitting you're a bitch? Trevor rebuttled with a raised eyebrow and obvious snicker.

Steve re-winded what he had previously said in his head then slapped his face with his palm "Damn it!"

"Don't worry everyone already knew"

"I hate you."

Trevor blew a raspberry while his accent became that of a perfected southern drawl "Love you too surga" Trevor cleared his thoat afterward and sniffed as he asked the question niggling at his brain: "notice anything odd yet?"

"Just that the bloated idiot is wearing all the apparel one would wear for a flying mount... except of course if it wasn't for those outlandish fucking flip-flops."

Trevor glanced quickly at the bright skyblue footwear before resuming his act of paying attention to the monsters battle. "That is odd considering the subzero temperatures at higher altitudes. How do you think guy is avoiding hyperthermia?"

"Probably transforms during flight. Form is extremely obvious I think. Dragons are so overrated...You notice anything yet?" was Steve's prodding reply

"You mean besides the fact Leon's fire attacks are getting weaker? Than no." Trevor rebuttled with a raised eyebrow.

"WHAT!" Steve transitioned his gaze back to the fight just in time to see one of Leon's flamethrowers tickle Xavier with licks that made the Dragon-type giggle hard enough to nearly miss the tail swing that bated the fire hound into an incoming Tri Attack which exploded on contact. "Why in the hell did you say something earlier?!"

Trevor turned on Steve with a snare "YOUR the one supposed to be paying the most attention to the battle. Not fucking me. I thought you were already aware of it. I'm too busy trying to figure out why its happening when Leon hasn't used it nearly enough to run out of ammo."

"...Good point. Sorry, my brain keeps gnawing on the flip-flop thing. It's like a bone it can't get enough of."

"Don't worry. Mine is the same with the decreasing fire power. I'm going to take that as a sign that their related in some way. The only question is... how?"

Trying to full-out ignore the fact that the hounds were starting tire enough that some magic blast were actually connecting: The pair didn't speak until Steve saw Spike had reached a point in battle field that he'd had been waiting on. "Spike delete that annoying virus with a Crunch attack!" The Mightyena must have heard and understood Steve's intentions because the dark hound broke through the protective underbrush and was charging across no-man's land as if the entire legions of hell were at his back and not an overgrown protective dragon-fly. Which thanks to not being forced to be slow down to avoid annoying obstacles: was quickly eating the distance separating it's Dragon Claw from digging into the Mightyena's hide.

Jade: to it's credit was already backpedaling and tossing out fierce looking Zap Cannon bolt. Still the Mightyena pushed on, intelligent enough to know that if a single touch of the nervousness made it into his pawsteps: his fight was over. Maybe for good.

The tension in this moment was making Steve's heart rate spike and clench his teeth as he thought but not spoke words of encouragements to the Mightyena, Wait for it...Wait for it..."NOW Substitute Spike!" Steve shouted with an undertone of gleeful triumph.

"What!?" Joey and Lawrence echoed with matching disbelief as the Mightyena disappeared in a puff of grey smoke, the body that was finally hit full-on by the Dragon Claw and Zap Cannon was only that of a dull-green cartoon-ish dinosaur doll.

Predicting what was coming Lawrence was desperately shouting "Levitate skyward Jade!" but it was far too late for such an order because the moves target had already reappeared behind the awestruck Porygon2 and was already attacking. The poor virtual creature didn't even see the Crunch hybrid move coming; but it did hear the howl of malicious triumph loud and clear.

That is until the sentient program's senses of sight and hearing were silenced.

Xavier was lucky that Ground types were immune to electrical attacks enough that all even powerful moves such as Zap Cannons did was tickle. Still batting away the attack that had enough force put behind it that mobility was temporarily halted wasn't instantaneous.

A fact that Steve had manipulated to it's fullest.

"Finish this Leon!" Steve's triumphant bellowing laugh along with any other sound was put on mute over the roar of the Solarbeam that Leon had plenty of free time to create unseen well past the potency of a Walrien's Sheer Cold attack. It's target: the Flygon that was staring awestruck at it's approaching demise.

Before that is: the dragon-fly suddenly vanished the moment the attack was seemingly gonna connect.

"What the hell? Did that fly just defy physics!?" Steve's shout was actually quite audible over the resulting explosion much to Trevor's surprise. Sure Trevor was standing right next to the guy but even the set of pipes with almost Legendary status had to have some limits right?

"Is it me or is the Flygon getting faster-?" Trevor began

"-while we're getting slower as the battle goes on." Steve finished as both hounds returned to their masters to receive their hyper potions and elixirs as they waited for the next Trainer to step forward. An action that was gonna take a few moments because the seemingly tight-nit group was in the middle of an argument: assumedly over the previously stated topic.

Minus the one busy demonstrating a tiny bit of medical no-how on his thankfully only unconscious partner of course.

"It's like we're fighting a Flygon with Sand Rush ability in a non-existent desert in the middle of a sandstorm." An impossibility considering not only were they in the middle of a heavily forested area. But also because the Flygon species only receive the Levitate ability no matter how great of a breeder you were. Facts that both knew without saying.

That was until Steve shifted to put his bag back on and his steel-toed boots made a very distinct noise that created a rush of epiphanies to that slammed again and again in Trevor's mind. Each one making the man grow more and more pale in complexion.

"Steve... tell me without looking down what the material below your feet is." Steve repeated his earlier foot movement but much slower as if this shifting was purely out of impatience. Eventually Steve's verdict came:

"Sand. Why?"

"Are you aware how sand is made Steve?" Steve's blank look told Trevor a rather obvious No. So the bigger agent supplied a simple explanation. "Rocks and minerals broken down into grains by the weathering process. Typically from constant water and wind abuse. Now tell me how improbable the birth of that material in large quantities smack dab in the middle of a forest in Tennessee in a area void of a large body of flowing water, wind, and sedimentary rock.."

"Given the tons of plant life around here: impossible." was Steve's verdict.

"Now tell me how and why you put out a campfire when on a beach or dessert."

"Kick sand over it because it smothers the flame."

"Exactly. Now is it a possibility that humans aren't the only ones that receive upgrades when they are turned into Light or Dark Ones. Like have an ability they wouldn't normally have in nature for instance."

"Considering our life turning more and more into a sci-fi novel? Yes it's a possibility. Just like it's a possibility for human to receive an ability that would boost the abilities of a Pokemon partner." Seems Steve had caught up with Trevor's train of thought. "Isn't there some common element in kung-fu stories about socks and shoes? Some hogwash about them muffling the link between human and earth?"

"Last I checked. Now picture this: there is a large quantity of sand that was being created right underneath our noses. Yet our opponent hasn't to use a single Ground type move to take advantage of the environmental boost of it. Despite having combat partners up to this point that could easily shrug off a few Earthquakes or with methods to avoid them entirely. As if the bastard didn't want to do anything that would clue us in of it's existence."

Steve held up a hand as if to say without saying 'don't tell me I got this' After about a minute Steve kicked a poor defenseless rock in a display of his frustration "Okay...i'm officially stumped. Tell me why the fucker would do that."

"I'll answer that question with one last question: What are Trapinch known for"

Now Steve's face was paling while he said the words they both already know "Sand traps...the asshole is planning to literally bury us alive in sand isn't he.

"That's what all the signs are pointing towards." Trevor muttered glumly.

"Which means we have to take him down before he fills the place with enough sand to accomplish that end goal. Maybe I can destroy the concentration he apparently needs to create sand with enough pressure?"

"Good idea. Three things to keep in mind though. One: this guy counters your powers and abilities immensely. Not even gonna suggest me taking him on because obvious reasons and we don't have time for the earful you'll give me. Two: the second you attack the rest will swarm all over us. Third and last thing: If my calculations and theory is correct then the guy has directed all of his focus on our area before spreading his dust across the whole area to give his side the advantage in a contingency plan of sorts. Smart guy; its what I would have done if I had the ability and enough time."

"You mean to say that nearly the whole area that is more dessert than forest at this point?" Steve gasped out loud as he saw evidence of this fact all over the place now.

"Yup"

"How in the hell did we not notice this shit earlier?" Steve growled almost savagely in his frustration

"Our primary focus was elsewhere. That... and we've been gabbing out loud instead of telepathically like a bunch of idiots for a couple of minutes. Judging from that intense expression on the bikers face he apparently mastered the ability to read lips and has discarded the slow and steady cloak and dagger tactic in favor an obvious and speedy alternative," A fact that became explosively evident when Joey stopped the lad that was the Mandibuzz trainer with a wave of that beefy bicep of his.

The pair could see the bastard's tiny thin-lined smirk from their corner of the battlefield.

Steve inhaled and then exhaled: both to communicate his sudden weariness and prep himself up for his next action. "I'm getting too old for this shit" With those parting words the foursome comprised of a anthropomorphic pair of felines and a couple of Pokemon feral mutts -whom surprised their Trainers for actually paying rapt attention for once- literally lept into action.

This just happened to be the very moment the ground the foursome had been standing on previously chose that now was as good of a time as any to reveal a pitfall whose mouth appeared gapping and unending.

Trevor and the hounds dived to the side that wasn't blocked by an allies body. The moment they regained their footing the were bull-rushing to greet the horde that saw the approach and was beginning to buzz like an angry swarm of bees. Pokemon pals were released from their capsules, thus adding more voices to the buzzing choir.

Meanwhile Steve had leapt forward shouting "Go" as he went; the abstract mass of gooey light was already done shapeshifting into a staff that fit Steve's size and wingspan perfectly before he even hit the ground at a dead sprint. That level of speed was enough that Steve was already slamming his staff into the sledge hammer Joey had used to block the blow before the others made it even halfway across the field. By that time he already had a wonderful one-liner all thought up:

"You're such a dirty boy." growled Steve as he put his back into the next dozen or so strikes.

Despite having his well laid out plan not really foiled but certainly delayed at the very least: Joey was grinning. "Guilty as charged. Cuff and take me away before my naughtiness hurts someone else officer."

"Damn tootin I will. Luckily for you I'm a little lenient on the cute ones so you'll likely get off with only a spanking"

"Will there be buggery?"

"Plenty. Have to do something fun during the paperwork or I'll go insane. Surprised you even have to ask."

The glint in Joey's eye told Steve that this idea appealed to the big guy greatly even before the hummed note of appeasement and huskily voiced reply "Can't wait."

Steve felt Trevor's psychic signature long before the man began to speak Steve it's getting a bit hot over on this end.

So call him then. I'm a little too busy at the moment.

...but I hate shouting and the summoning phrase is so cliche that it's embarrassing just to think about.

Sadly no body language can be expressed through telepathy if you didn't want to temporarily blind the other person with a mental image flash. So Steve hoped that his matter-of-fact tone would communicate the shrug he so desperately wanted to get across Then no help for you.

A few moments of fighting in radio silence passed before Trevor finally responded Fine. Another few moments passed before Steve began to grin slightly with amusement when his ears were finally graced with Trevor's very embarrassed sounding foghorn-like bellow; hence why the wallflower of a man wasn't fond of yelling: "WE NEED A HERO!"

A blur of color didn't come darting out of treeline to eliminate a foe in a single blow.

Nothing leapt out from the cover of a tree top or bush to interrupt the Dusknoir's Shadow Punch as it connected straight into Trevor's jaw.

In fact not a gosh darn thing happened besides all fighting momentarily pausing just in time to sense a rather pleasant breeze making a shrill whistle as it brushed against the the foliage of the tree's that somehow escaped both the burning flame of the Arcanine and the deadly scythes that were the Flygon's claws and the flesh and blood creatures on the battlefield.

That is until all heads turned towards the sound of a branch snapping; the only real audible sound that wasn't the shuffle of grass or leaves that you would have to be part beast with hearing keen enough to pick sounds that were out of earshot of a human. That is of course excluding the Sandslash that the Linoone casually stepped in front of to become an obstacle in the dirt rat's return trip to the fight that Trevor had booted it from.

The pair did nothing but stare at each other for brief tense moments. Both with natural defensive weapons poised in neutral angles of readiness. That is, until the Linoone slowly raised the claw that wasn't mutated into a slender blade -long enough to make critters and plant life at ground level nervous- and performed the universial "Come at me" gesture. Fury made the Sandslash see enough red to discard all logic to make room for more animalistic and primal brain functions. The evidence being the foolish way it leapt at Linoone: claws primed to slash the 'coon into ribbons.

In response Hamleck waited as long as he was able until sidestepping at the last moment before punishing his opponent with a swipe that cut the Sandslash deeply in the part of it's side that wasn't protected by sharp armor like quills. The Sandslash's cry of pain seemed to remind everyone simultaneously that a life-or-death brawl was kinda-sort of happening. So with a simultaneous shrug that struck everyone on the field and passed seemingly unnoticed: the fight was resumed as if some deity pressed some kind of button on a remote controller.

"and here I thought that only happened in movies" commented Joey offhandedly as something finally happened that broke the unending cycle of strike-block,strike-parry, strike-block.

Steve was going to comment before he felt two extremely gritty hands seize his ankles. Steve had just enough time to see that the hand's made entirely out of sand coming out of hole just big enough to hide a body just his size before the hands yanking him down before he could even utter a single curse. Acting entirely out of desperate impulse: Steve used a magnetic pulse to halt his descent enough so that only his body was buried and not his head. Still with the way things were appearing now:

Joey's face beaming like a kid who just pulled a fast one on an adult twice his age.

Steve now experiencing first hand what that plastic gopher at a whack-mole station feels like day to day. Eyes not leaving that sledge hammer glinting almost maliciously in the sunlight for a single nanosecond despite being made entirely out of shadow.

As the kids sometimes say: Steve was appearing royally fucked.

Joey was laughing pretty belly deep now "Can't believe I didn't have to morph to win this! Ah well, not gonna pass up on an easy win. Hmph" Joey grunted as he lifted up the sledge hammer until it was fully prepped for an overhead swing, the blunt head of the weapon increasing in size and diameter until it was the size of two Steve heads as he done so. As if the man could possibly miss at this range! "See ya on the other side man" Steve and Joey closed their eyes as the hammer came down.

Only to open them wide again when a metal clang rang into both their ears. Both fighters very surprised and confused why their eyes were seeing Trevor holding Joey's strike back with nothing more than his upper body strength and shield.

"Not today you fuck" Trevor growled as the shield's innate ability chose that moment to activate; exclaiming it's signature shrill mechanical note of Canary birdsong and flash of blinding light as Joey found himself flying backward as if he was the one hit the sledge hammer.

Meanwhile Trevor was pulling Steve out of the ground as they both watched Joey mimic a bird. "Gods I love this thing." grumbled Trevor, staring at his most precious tool with an expression of fondness.

Inevitably Steve's mouth recovered from it's slack-jawed surprise to burst Trevor's bubble. "Thanks for the assist Mr.Captain America. Thought I was a goner there."

The only sign Trevor made that he had heard Steve's previous comment was the slow eye roll that was seemed a bit tacked on as if in afterthought. A few moments passed before Trevor said "Try changing your weapon into something more spear-like. Execution of strikes would be a lot more faster than a blunt weapon if you stab with it."

Steve's own open-handed palm met his face "Why didn't I think of that?" Trevor only had just enough time for a small shrug before the sight of one of his other allies in a similar predicament he'd just rescued from Steve from met his attention and forced him to use that odd teleporting blink of his. The science of this ability wasn't yet known. Just that it could only be used in a moments of danger and that it didn't work right in places with alot of shade.

After a moment Steve scoffed indignantly. Sure the situation might have put a damper on anyone's humor but the previous joke was golden! How dare Trevor treat the comment like a teasing jab at his extremely useful tool. Speaking of:

"Orig" Steve still could help but watch with barely smothered wonder everytime he was gifted the rare opportunity to watch and feel weapon transform from the consistency of solid metal to a levitating liquid puddle before solidifying back into whatever weapon a simple command phrase ordered it into. This one turned Origami into a spear with three prong drills attached at both tips. What's more the length of the rod was adjustable with but a single, simple thought.

Just how awesome was that?! Plenty because it still blew Steve's mind into pieces.

Pieces that became even more pieces when a truck slammed into Steve's side. That could have been the sound of Steve's bones cracking though; luckily Steve didn't feel any actual breaks yet. The truck could have been a jet since that's what type of engine Steve's mind placed the identity of the roar that his ears only now chose to pick up on.

Steve was hit hard enough that he had plenty of time in his flight to shake off the stars and realize that part two of the Pain Train's journey was coming rather soon once his momentum was slowed down enough by the trees being split about by the missile that was his body; most likely a part three if the train's conductor kept up with his duties.

A hazy plan that was more like a desperate impulse was then launched. Knowing that trying to aim and point would just be a waste of time: Steve simply pulled the trigger for a shot in the dark. A shot in the dark that was rewarded with the tug that fishermen feel in their arms when they landed something gigantic. As a result Steve was yanked to the left just in time to avoid the blurred shape's strike that reduced a poor tree into splinters.

"Fly" Luckily for Steve's ego no one was able to hear the note of desperation in that order thanks to the jet engines blocking out all other sound. Was also another stroke of luck that Steve had chose that moment in particular to reel himself in. Any later the blurred shape would have annihilated him with strike number three. Any sooner than the blurred mass would have just simply held back from striking until the moment Steve had slowed down enough to be hit with a sledge hammer.

All thanks to the fact that Steve was somehow still airborne: the agent was able to attempt a maneuver he had pulled off in a dream once. Legs nearly going straight through the tree's bark due to the force of momentum but had luckily held together by few splinters. Steve expected that though which was why he didn't do the foolish thing using that surface as a springboard. Instead in nearly the same moment Steve's paws graced the tree's bark: the bobcat anthro finished off the tree with a quick lash of his right hindpaw as he used his right paw and left hindpaw to assist in getting him a ontop of what was now technically a log. Once that feat was accomplished he used the same left paw still gripping Origami with a tight fist, to toss a magnetic pulse over his shoulder. Thus turning his body and a log into a deadly projectile with only payback on their minds.

All this was accomplished in a succession so rapid that gravity didn't even have a snowball's in hell of a chance to throw it's two cents in. Heck with the ease the anthropomorphic Bob-cat balanced on the tree you would think Steve was riding on a freaking skate board.

Thank goodness for graceful feline agility, Am I right?

Joey might not think so though since it was his head that the log ended up slamming against with it's full weight and than some. Thankfully the helmet-like midnight black visor veiling his face dulled a bit of the head trauma so that he was only stunned by the blow. Still that didn't mean it didn't hurt enough to piss him off to the point that was willing to sacrifice the arm that was his only defensive option to lash out with his deadly claws at the location of the log that he'd glimpsed Steve being previously. Claws that were more similar to a type of a jet black dragon's then they were in comparisons of Darkrai's. The previous statement would be a correct comparison for everything about Joey's new form.

Except instead of flesh and bone however: Joey splintered wood. Apparently Steve had already vacated the premises.

Joey was quickly figuring out that Steve had been a fan of Spider-Man growing up. Not only because the way he was combining his supreme jumping abilities and gatling hook gun -that was more like a web shooter at this point- in sheer mimicry of the hero's hit-and-run fighting style. But mostly because Joey could swear every time the cat-man came close enough to jab with his lethal spear: Joey could swear that he could hear the man humming bars of an old but familiar Spiderman theme song.

Combine these facts with the fact that trying to hit Steve was like trying to punch the lights out of a feline acrobat in their natural habitat than you might be able to comprehend the rapidly climbing rage Joey was feeling at the moment.

"You're such a freaking ham dude! Face me if your god damned man enough!" For some reason this challenge made Steve laugh and shout:

"So you do get the reference then? Well that surprising. Thought bad guys were much too busy being naughty to watch movies."

Even though his spear jabs have only grazed Joey so far: Steve was feeling pretty freaking awesome at the moment. Power had a tendency to do that though; so Steve had to keep pushing that feeling of rising arrogant assurance back before it made him mess this up.

But that was becoming really haaaard.

Especially given the sight of that jet-pack made entirely out of shadow attached to Joey's back like a bad-ass backpack, making Steve almost pout under the stress of being green with envy. So far Steve was able to gather that the only controller to four pivoting thrusters on each of the thing's corners was in Joey's head. Didn't know what the man was using to fuel it yet or even where that canister even was. Which meant Steve couldn't loot the thing once he was done kicking the alligator looking thing's scaled ass. That is if Steve could get through those damn scales that were acting like natual flexible battle armor.

Ah phooey some guys just had all the luck it seems.

Luckily Steve had all the skill and experience needed to even those odds.

"I seen a few episodes while I was a kid. Haven't seen any of the movies after the first. Hated the way the real-life perspective conflicted with action scenes. Besides there are like a thousand of them." When was this fucking bug going to slow down or hold still? Joey thought as hammer swings became less and less frequent as exhaustion took it's hold over the bigger massed individual.

"Ah so it was a coincidence then. You should totally look up the Simpson's movie than man. It's a riot!" laughed Steve while easily sidestepping another blow before launching another counter-attack.

Joey wasn't as swift nor as fortunate.


Meanwhile the other members of the party were doing rather well for themselves despite being heavily outnumbered and having the environmental disadvantage. Surprisingly Trevor was tying the Flygon as the biggest game pieces on the board despite his biggest combat flaw. Simply put Trevor was basically useless in the offensive department. Unlike Joey's: Trevor's war hammer wasn't a war hammer that could be transformed into a sledge hammer whose head could be ordered to grow in size and diameter on a whim.

Believe me Trevor had tried to accomplish the same trick many times; still was trying to in fact.

Nor did Trevor have the ability to manipulate sand; which would have helped a lot since his strike executions were as slow as molasses. When these blows did finally made contact they only inflicted only tiny injuries with a massive chance to stun.

Trevor's defensive abilities were another demon altogether.

["Butt out you blasted monkey!"] bellowed the Eelektross when the only thing the eel blasted with his Discharge move was himself. A improbability made possible thanks to the small psychic barrier cube Trevor created to keep the slippery eel prisoner.

"Spike. Leon. finish that one." An order that wasn't needed since both hounds were already blasting the eel with Flamethrowers and Secret Power-Mud shots galore the second the barrier was lowered. When the smoke cleared the Eelektross was quite obviously unconscious.

The begging look on each of the hounds faces was easy enough to interpret even without knowledge of the language ["Kill?"] both hounds questioned simultaneously with mirth in their eyes as both lowered their dangerous drooling maws towards the eels vital points; Trevor was sure both would play tug-of-war with the eel if given the chance.

"No. I'm not blemishing my perfect record for these scumbags." Truthfully Trevor just detested killing with a passion borderlining obsession; a fact both hounds already knew but couldn't resist the chance to beg for a new chew toy.

"Then there was-" Trevor was already turning to meet the Flygon that appeared to be the only one smart and stealthy enough to attack him from behind. "-one."

Out of the entire horde of seven super-powered Trainers with a single Pokemon each: this lone Flygon was the only one left; somehow making it out of the entire scuffle without a single scratch. Quite a feat considering the 'mon had taken over as leader, belting out orders left and right that had caused a few close calls AND didn't falter in keeping up enough pressure to make a lesser man's head pop like a bottle rocket.

No casualties of course.

The Flygon answered Trevor's innocent statement with a furious roar; probably just annoyed that another one of his Dragon Claws was blocked by Trevor's infernal shield. This one however had long learned that the blow-back could be fought off if one kept apply pressure greater than the recoil.

Steve has a louder mouth hands down. You're not intimidating, just embarrassing yourself there buddy.

As if summoned Trevor could hear the man's big screaming mouth now. Knew without a doubt that it was going to slam straight into him but couldn't do a damn thing about it for a few reasons: Firstly Trevor's ankles were glued to the ground by gritty hands made entirely out of sand and he didn't have enough time to fight out of their hold. Lastly Trevor was damn sure if he moved out of the way and let the sand cushion the man's fall or put up a barrier: Steve would splat like a bug on a windshield.

No calculation involved, Just a dumb guess backed up by the fact both had been bad luck magnets as of late .

Trevor had just enough time to sigh with dismay before Steve's body slammed into his; knocking the shield away a few feet from his hands as a result of the momentum of the impact. Luckily Xavier was finally blown backwards before this happened or the pair would have been in a whole heap of trouble.

"XAVIER IT'S TIME TO SHOW THESE GUYS WHY OUR CODENAME IS DESERT"S MIRAGE" apparently that was the Flygon's cue to return to Joey's side that nanosecond even if he had to break the sound barrier twice over to do it; which he did.

["About time!] The Flygon chirped cheerfully as both reptiles seemed to implode with a dark black aura.

"That doesn't sound good" Trevor said turning his head towards Steve-

-Or at least where Steve had been previously...

Strangely Trevor's shield was also gone.

Trevor groan of woe was almost drowned out the next batch of words from the shouting voices.

["UHH why is that guy making a beeline toward us?!"]

"Doesn't matter! he'll never reach us even with those magnetic pulses of his. Keep charging!"

Steve leapt the highest he could with his legs and a magnetic pulse potent enough that his head began to swim and nose started to bleed. A combination that allowed him to reach an apex of a five floor building.

Too bad that was only a third of a way to his target.

That's when a grumpy looking Trevor blinked into existence behind him. Steve offered him a grin. Trevor continued to glare that said without saying: "I'm gonna make you burn for this later". Steve shrugged before using the big guy as spring board. With the help of the previously used method Steve managed to reach the two thirds of the target.

"Screw this guy! Ditch the special finisher and wreck the reckless idiot with a Dragon Rush!"

[Gotcha!] Xavier's was already bolting forward before his green antenna even started to glow with a blue so lite that it appeared almost white; the blue gradually grew more apparent when the light became brighter and began to enveloped than consume the Flygon's form. The wind was shrieking the notes the Flygon's wings naturally made as it ate the remaining distance between him and Steve like a cannonball shot out of it's namesake.

Steve waited till this moment to reveal the surprise he had hidden in the folds of leather belly-shirt he was currently wearing: Trevor's shield.

A weapon that needed Trevor's hand to make it do it's not normal shield thing.

A hand that was suddenly snaking it's way around Steve's mid-drift to give the shield the energy signature that it needed.

During the very moment the Flygon made impact.

The resulting explosion of colliding energy was monstrous in both destructive force and the deafening sonic boom that it made! Two indistinguishable black blurs flew out of the smokescreen; directions different depending what shock wave had hit them. One falling like a shooting star. One rising like a rocket.

Joey's breathed a sigh of relief when he realized the rising shape was only an unconscious Xavier. Than chuckled when he realized that this time it would be him carrying a fat-ass home because Joey couldn't really get to Joey's ball in this form. Hopefully Joey would have enough fatty tissue/ fuel to get them home. A laugh that was cut short however when his eyes caught a glint of metal reflecting the sun's rays. Metal that brought attention to the familiar looking line completely composed of light wrapping around Xavier's neck.

No...way... thought Joey as his eyes followed this line to the man whom appeared to had been protected from the explosion by the rapidly vanishing spherical barrier. Xavier's body started to fall.

When Steve's momentum carried it past and dead over the Flygon's falling body: Steve cut Fly's line with a few chomps of his extremely sharp fangs and used his final springboard. Joey was far too awestruck to move until it was far too late to avoid the overhead shield smash.

KLANG!

To Joey that sound seemed to repeat a thousand times over. Concussions have a way of messing with your head though. A bored observer would notice that Joey's visor had cracked during the impact right before Joey's form had vanished in the same black contrast of light from whence it was born.

Xavier fell like a shooting star

Joey fell like a shooting star

Steve fell like a shooting star with a malfunctioning parachute.

Trevor broke their falls with a barrier for the each of them. All shattering like glass on impact but kept them from turning into mush.

Not a single blemish tarnishing Trevor's perfect record on this day!

When all crater inducing impacts and the smokescreen of dust were said and done: an observer would have saw to their dumbstruck amusement that the two agents had crawled to each other's side to stare at the clouds together. Both battered, bruised, and bleeding from tons of minor injuries decorating their bodies but seemingly to have gotten out of that battle with the normal injuries one might get from a bar brawl.

Both agents were extremely surprised that they weren't in a way worse condition. Noses gushing rivers of blood, heart racing just a hair-line's away from a sudden onset of a heart attack as lungs heaved with the rhythm of an asthmatic attack included. The accelerated healing factor should nearly be done taking care of these weak injuries by nightfall; even less time if the pair spent that time in the sun's rays.

Which was probably why the agent's had huge smile across their faces that didn't seemed to be wiped away no matter how hard they tried.

When speaking became possible the motor mouth was first to say something to break the silence. "Rule #325: when a foe has to charge *pant pant* for special end *pant wheeze* all finisher-"

Trevor finished for his partner "-don't let them." Both basically ignoring the hound's approach and worried sounding whines and tongue lashings: both physical and verbal. Another companionable silence washed over the pair until the couple's breathing returned to normal and the motor mouth strikes again:

"Sorry about the tackle earlier, the guy was lucky enough grab ahold of me."

"S'alright, just glad he didn't kill you while he had the chance"

"Kept deflecting his weapon away with magnetic pulses. Pissed him off apparently. Think those trees gave me a migraine."

"Now you have a taste of my everyday suffering"

"Harty har asshole Harty har" This time both of them were laughing merrily until coughing fits overcame them both.

Another silence "We probably should-" But the hounds were becoming riled up again and were now standing protectively over their injured masters; Hamleck the Linoone joined them moments later.

"What?-" both began to say simultaneously before both their feline ears picked up the sounds the monsters were hearing:

The light thumps of a huge mass of boot/sneaker wrapped footsteps thumping against sand at the most dead sprint sand would allow.

Distressed and awestruck voices that said a mixture of things. One deep boom of a voice however conquering them all:

"Capture them. A wounded animal does more damage when it's cornered and all that!" Cries of outrage rage met this voice and the booming voice became ear-splittingly loud"If they're strong enough to take down Joey and Xavier with their main fighting force fighting alongside them: than we don't have a snowball's of a chance in hell to take them down even weakened as they are and with our numbers. Let Blake take care of them. DON'T GIVE ME ANY MORE LIP AND MOVE IT WORMS."

Trevor bolted upright and began to flee...but only got a few paces away when Steve's muttering became audible.

Muttering that had begun at the word "Capture"

Steve was standing, stiff as a board and shivering profusely "Not getting captured...Not running...won't work...Not getting kidnapped again...Die first...Kill as many as can..." The rest of what he was mumbling was cut off as Trevor's feline ears couldn't pick up because Steve had already ran out of earshot."Not-" L-something was all Trevor could make out.

The hound's and Linoone however heard the man's mumbling loud and clear. Kinda hard not to when the two words became a barely indistinguishable chant of birthed from approaching madness:

"NotLanNotLanNotLanNotLanNotLanNotLan"

Than Steve said two words that every single person heard. Words that made Trevor feel like he'd been dipped into subzero waters. "Fly Gami!"

"STEVE NO! THAT MOVE NEARLY KILLED YOU IN TRAINING YOU FUCKING DUMBASS!" These words didn't have the slightest bit of impact on the bobcat humanoid however.

Besides Origami had already melted into a puddle before quickly transforming into a buzzing saw blade whose design made it look like a pizza cutter in nature if not for the fact that this blade was gigantic and didn't have any kind of handle other than the palm sized axis on the very bottom. This is where a magnetically guided Fly came in to latch itself into the holes that fit into it's mouth with a perfect click; now giving the blade of death the look of some sadistic, deadly yo-yo with only one disk.

Despite being strung around: the saw blade disk didn't even wobble as if indecisive if it wanted to stay horizontal or vertical. Again this was thanks to Steve's power over magnetism both of positive and negative charges acting on the disk's horizontal sides. The problem was Steve was trying to use reserves he hadn't didn't even have when at full strength. This move was meant to be used when Steve deepened the... uhh...'mana pool' so to speak in order to be able to use moves like these without literally tearing his body apart.

Like Steve was about to do now if this attack wasn't stopped NOW!

Leon- the man's most trusted partner during throughout all of those dark days- had began to howl a single word that held the beast's blended wordless emotions of terror,panic,grief, and waves and waves of mind numbing pain like musical notes.

Trevor heard this howl and mirrored it with that fog-horn shout of his: "LANCHESTER!"

Lan froze at this shout, allowing the attack's cost to catch up and render him unconscious; cat-form disappearing with it. Trevor blinked in, grabbed Leon's ball, withdrew both hounds, told the Linoone to flee in a feral telepathic hiss that held no arguments, cradled Steve protectively in his arms and then bellowed at the top of his lungs: "It's alive! Alive I say!"

The grave at the top of the hill exploded outwards. The sarcophagus levitating down the hill so fast you think it was assisted by rockets instead of a bit of gravity and momentum. After knocking aside the foolish and unlucky alike: the living coffin opened it's doors wide to swallow the agents whole with that big gaping mouth of it's before making a beeline towards the nearby cliff that was about a good half a mile southwest of it's current position.

"Xavier pin the Confagruigus with a Sand tomb"

Not very effective...

"Again" Joey ordered. This time Xavier and Joey used Sand Tomb

It's super effective!


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