FSE

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Eventually the group decides that they've ran far enough and decide to stop and rest in a grotto that they'd nearly passed if not for Darkrai's sharp eye. The party spends the next few minutes panting and try to get a handle on their swirling emotions and gather their thoughts. Most of the party couldn't help but take an occasional glimpse at the boy that Paul casually places in his naked lap. After but a moment thought: Paul takes off the boy's shirt and Rai's human face is revealed. Surprisingly the hair color was the only physical feature that had been changed being an eeirily familiar fog-white.

Rai is forced to shift uncomfortably underneath the intense high beams of everyone's inquisitive gaze before a fully clothed Taz, Rose, Blake, and Cecelia cautiously approach the grotto. The latter dropping a still unconscious Hamleck at their feet. Ella and Giz quickly sprint to the Linoone's side.

Paul raises an inquisitive eyebrow at the Gabite the same moment he says "When the heck did you evolve?"

Blake shrugs and matter of factly replies "I woke up like this." Blake eyes the rest of the dumbstruck party before saying in an inquisitive tone "Same as you lot I expect."

The Mightenea lunges forward; his target obvious. The thought of having Blake's throat in his jaws was making the hound drool and blinded by tunnel vision...which is why the Mightyena didn't see Taz until the boy seized the hound by the throat and choke slammed him to the ground. Everyone was too stunned to move; Trevor was too busy shaking off stars so he didn't even feel Taz seize his left front paw.

"This little piggy went to the market!"

SNAP!

Trevor and Spike howls of pain are one, completely consumed in the agony that comes when someone breaks a bone.

"These little piggies went wee-" Snap went the right paw "-wee" there went the left hind paw "-wee" there went right hind paw "-all the way home!" The last word being punctuated by a swift kick to the Mightyena's midsection; sending the unconscious hyena rolling at least twenty yards from the grotto's entrance.

The audience was still comprehending what they'd witnessed so Taz for now had plenty of time to turn to dumbfounded Blake and say "I wasn't kidding when I said that I won't be your ball and chain. Leave now or I'll make you. I'll find someway to pay you back for your kindness someday; that's a promise."

Taz about faces his new toys at the ready."Anyone that wants a go at me-" Taz glares in mocking challenge "-come all at once. It's the only way you'll be able to touch me."

The Arcanine suddenly roars in maddening fury, Everyone instinctively ducks to avoid being burnt into cinders by the move Flare Blitz that the hound channels...right before Blake sends the hound into dreamland. No one had even seen him move! Blake whinces when he lands on the leg that he'd used to render the vengeful hound unconscious but does little else in acknowledgement of the burn as he stomps toward the teen bawking at him in the same dumbstruck manner everyone else was.

Blake seizes Taz by the collar of the shirt; the inflection of his shout the epitome of rage . "My kindness has nothing to do with the fact you've became my son. It has everything to do with the fact that I owe both you and your father a debt that can never be repaid."

Blake doesn't even seem to notice that he was producing his own air current.

"You are not the scourge of the Earth like you think you are. You are probably one of the best thing to have ever been birthed in it!"

Blake's glare increases several degrees, something that hadn't seemed possible before "Which is why if you don't stop with the endless stream of suicide attempts and trying to go down in a blaze of glory: You will not like my vision of punishment. Am I clear!?"

Taz seems only capable of hyperventilating and sputtering meaningless nonsense.

Blake's next ear-splitting roar appears to come from every fiber of his being "AM I FUCKING CLEAR YOU DAMNED SELFISH BASTARD OF A BRAT!?"

Taz shout somehow finds its way through the hyperventilating, sobs, and wordless driveil. "YES PAPA!"

The air current dies just as suddenly as it was born. Blake's fury however is not. It's evident in the way he tosses the boy to the Pangoro and venomously spits "Watch him. I have errands to run before I can take him off your hands."

With that parting statement Blake has Cecelia take to the air.

Meanwhile Taz because a sniveling incoherent mess; any barrier or effort to bring himself back to calm lucidity is thwarted by the storm of emotions swirling within him.

Gave Elliot and Giz all the opening the needed to reap vengeance for their beloved fallen hyena friend. Elliot went into the fray with only his claws. Giz a psychic blade. Both appeared angry enough to be well capable of murder. Paul was in front of Taz in the next heartbeat. In the next blink the weredoom seized both boys by the ankles and then slams them into each other several times before tossing the pair of them in opposite directions. Both rendered unconscious.

Unholy screams from Darkrai, Ella, and Hamleck was the response to this rapid fire series of actions. The appearance of the trio were far more intimidating than that of their adopted offspring. But before they could have a chance to send Taz into oblivion: Kate Discharges bolts of electricity with enough juice to knock the trio out for a good long while.

Without a word the rest of the group disperse to find something to hogtie their own comrades until tempers could be calmed to a low boil. Rose sighs wearily as she completes a quick 180 and heads into the forests thicket. Mumbling something about sateing the cub's bloodlust, hunger, and giving him a bath in stream that she'd found nearby.

No one stops the Pangoro.

---

About two hours later; Paul had just finished untying the last of his companions when Blake -human and apparently had changed his clothes while he was away- came out of the thicket. All but a few expressed wordless sounds of outrage upon Blake's return; something that trilled him immensely. They were where he last left them of course; some of them battered, bruised, and obviously pissed-off but that was the hard knock life of a warrior.

Speaking of...

Blake stares at Paul.

Paul stares at Blake.

Staredown intensifies.

Finally they both say simultaneously "Penny for your thoughts?"

Darkrai quirks a figurative eyebrow "Okay. That's creepy."

Both men laugh belly deep with similar thunderous bass vocals.

Everyone voices the same consensus "No. that's creepy."

Blake and Paul ignore the haters. Blake tosses a traveler's bag at Paul's feet. "Inside that are some helpful tools as well as some clothes. Figured you and your munchkins were tired of running around in your birthday suits."

Paul extends his bottom lip out in a pout and covers himself with faux shame"Don't like what you see?"

Blake roars with laughter for a few moments before he says "Maybe I just want to keep the view to myself?"

The blue screen of death error on all but Steve's, Marci's, Rai's, and Kate's monitors finally disappears and allows the rest of the forced audience to comprehend what their senses are telling them. Elliot turns to Kate and says "Is it just me or are they um...?"

Elliot trails off and Kate picks up with an amused snort. "Yes Elly, new couples occasionally flirt every now and then."

Blue screen of death returns. Leaving Paul free to talk uninterrupted. "That aside: I'm rather curious on what's going on in that head of yours."

Blake begins to frown.

Paul waves him off dismissively "Don't worry: I'm not asking you to reveal your personal feelings or plans in front of an audience. Just whatever you're willing to share in front of company."

Blake begins grinning again and says off handedly "Just curious if anyone's weapons changed like mine and Taz has."

Paul raises an inquisitive eyebrow, while also saying "Show me yours and I'll show you mine."

Blake rolls his eyes but he is smiling "Just gonna ignore that innuendo."

Blake summons his new and improved swords a heartbeat before Paul summons what appears to be a combat shotgun made entirely out of crimson light; the only elborate part of the gun's design was the fact that the barrel was coming out of what appeared to be a Houndoom's head..

Steve would've scratched his head if he could "Okay so they're green now. What does that have to do with anything?"

Blake frowns at Steve but speaks to Cecelia. "CC show Steve your Dragon Claws please?"

Cecelia does as instructed. Those that didn't get the big deal previously got it now.

Blake motions to his swords "Look at the tips." Everyone sees the triangular tips poking out of them at the same time. After everyone's gasp of astonishment Blake says "If you take my new and only Pokemon form into consideration: it doesn't take a rocket scientist to assume out that they're slowly turning into Garchomp scythes." Blake turns back to Paul and says "What about yours?"

Paul hefts his shotgun on his shoulder while he replies "For some reason it functions as another Houndoom maw."

Everyone yelps with surprise when Chase manifests himself. "And to swat any immediate ideas: it's not me."

The living Runt tilts his head inquisitively; expression unsure "Da?!"

Chase nods as the dead Runt manifests "We'll explain later." Runt turns to Rai. "Show them your new power."

Rai nods, after a moment of concentration: a fireball and shadow ball about as big as the average snowball appear in the boy's hands.

Elliot looks down at his hands the same moment he summons a bigger version of each ball into his hand. The only difference other than size was the fact that the ball's locations were flip-flopped probably because Elliot was left handed and Rai was right handed.

Rai begins to grin broadly "I can already think of a few games we can play right off the top of my head."

Elliot is silent but as if to wordless communicate his emotions: Elliot's hair slowly turns fog-like white.

Paul huffs exasperatedly and says "Ugh the boss isn't going to like that..."

Everyone turns to Giz; who shrugs and says "I've lost my claws. But my psychic prowess has shot through the roof. Until now I could barely lift the tiniest pebble but now-" A pink aura of energy surrounds Giz before he begins to levitate too and fro through the air with a smile of glee sprawled across his face "-now this I can get used to."

Ella giggles briefly before saying "So pretty much Giz is the typical Slowpoke."

Hamleck harrumphs, visually he seems to be pouting but chooses to say nothing.

Darkrai huffs exasperatedly "All this doesn't make any sense! Why is all this happening!?"

Paul sounds equally as exasperated " Doesn't really matter why it's happening. The only thing that matters is that change is happening and it's not the Gods or Godslayers that is doing it. Meaning the only possible culprit left is our past lives."

"So I'm not the only freak in the group. That's a load off my mind."

A groggy Rose and Taz re-join the party; every face but Blake's and Cecelia's were wearing the same level of complete and utter disbelief. Elliot is the one that expresses all their thoughts out loud "We all wanted your head on a platter and in the time you've been MIA you've been napping as if you didn't have a care in the world?"

Taz nods duly.

Darkrai shakes his head and glances at the weredoom "The more time I spend around Taz the more evident that he shares more in common with Blake then he does with you."

There is a unknown glint of something in the weredooms eyes "Let's just say that is no longer the case and leave it at that."

Kate speaks up next and her words are directed at the purple-haired teen "So what about you? What's your new spirit animal."

Taz yawns and scratches his chest before answering "Nil says I'm something called a Noibat."

Nil manifests in the next heartbeat "And I know that bit of info because a demonic Noibat was what I'd been before I linked myself with Zillian." Nil chuckles briefly before saying "All these unexpected edits leads me to believe that we were wrong in our hasty assumption that Taz's change in appearance was a way at getting back at his Dad. My new theory is that the past simply doesn't want the present to travel the same path they walked."

Everyone blinks at Nil in naked wonder for several lengthy heartbeats.

Taz kneels over, completely consumed in a boyish laugh "Why my dear rodent: I do believe you just cracked this case wide open!"

Finally Darkrai says "Is the explanation really that simple?"

Nil shrugs "Like I said it's only a theory. We won't really know for sure unless one them decides to stop playing coy and tell us outright."

Blake shakes his head as if to shake off the remnants of utter disbelief "But Nil that's literally a perfect logical explanation for everything. If you're not correct then I'll eat my left boot."

Both Runt's tilt their heads quizzically before they both simultaneously say "Why? That doesn't sound it would taste very good."

The hounds are ignored.

Paul turns to Blake. "Now all that's out of the way: I would like to hear your plans with m-" Blake growls in plain warning which forces Paul to correct himself "-our son." A pause filled with light chuckle "Sorry old habits die hard."

Blake waves him off dismissively "You're forgiven. Anyway for starters I'm going to root around some caves so I can find a Noibat egg for Taz."

Taz is armed and posed for combat in the next nanosecond "If you think-"

A well-placed kick into Taz's midsection sends the teen gasping and flying at least twenty yards in the opposite direction. Taz's attacker: a shadowy body flexes it's non-existent muscles as if prepping for a jog while duly saying "Go on."

Blake smirks at Nil "Wish we could put you inside the egg because you and Taz seem to be the perfect foil for the other. Sadly the brat is too untrustworthy to not have a constant babysitter and you are much more useful as you are."

Taz's roar suddenly cuts through the air

Nil waves him off dismissively "I actually have heard that one before." With that Nil sprints to meet a bullrushing Taz in the middle. But instead of striking like Taz was obviously going to do: Nil shapeshifts to his normal form and dives headfirst into the teens chest. The Raticate hums a nonsense tune as he calmly gathers his Master's clothes and re-joins the group.

Rose snickers bemusedly at the surprised reactions on everyone who hadn't seen the demonic possession as she says "Do you see why Nil is kept around yet?"

Everyone nods understandingly while Paul clears his throat and says to Blake "Anything else you're willing to share?"

Blake nods once before replying "After that I'm going to use various of means to force Taz to fear death again while we wait for his egg to hatch. Only when a partnership between them blooms will I even consider allowing Taz's training to begin"

Nil snorts before sardonically saying "That will take years if not decades."

Blake shrugs before blandly saying "If Taz wants to stay a hatchling forever then so be it."

Nil's mouth falls open in disbelief before a wicked grin crawls across it "That is the most devious and perfect plan I'd ever heard."

Blake's flashes Nil a smug grin "I know."

Rose whistles lowly; obviously impressed "No wonder you were chosen to be Taz's guardian. You know how to handle him as well as you do that damned sword."

Blake eyes Rose with an intense degree of caution before saying "You do understand that in order for this to work: I and Cecelia are going to take Taz under our wing without any sort of distractions."

Rose shrugs nonchalantly before saying "I'm sure Paul and I can convince the group to behave."

Paul blinks at Rose for a few moments before whispering to Blake "I don't think she understands...that or is hiding underneath a rather thick blanket of denial." Paul motions everyone to back away slowly from the Pangoro; who now is now looking at everyone in obvious befuddlement.

Blake, Cecelia, and Nil exchange a conspiring glance the moment before they slowly move to meet each other; obviously preparing to flee so they wouldn't be torn apart when what they were planning on doing was broken gently to Rose.

Taz of course threw the biggest ever monkey wrench in which took the form of stuttered words as Nil fought to hold him down. "Y-you're the b-biggest distraction. S-so T-they're t-taking me a-away from y-you Mama."

Rose's eyes widened in bewilderment as she says almost imperceptibly "Oh."

All caution was thrown to the wind; Blake, Cecilia, and Nil were up, up, and away in the next instant. During the same moment Rose roars at the top of her lungs and lunges at the spot where the trio used to be. Rose roars again, somehow louder this time before running full tilt after the Dragonite and it's frightened passengers. Apparently the Pangoro didn't know the meaning of 'avoid obstacles' since she crashed right through them.

Leaving the rest of the group no choice but to follow the path of destruction...no matter how much terror and logic screamed at them not to.

---

The only reason why Rose didn't immediately lose the cubnappers was because Taz had been fighting tooth and nail to get free. When that failed Taz had begun screaming. It was then quickly figured out that Taz could scream about as loud as any bat Pokemon's Supersonic or Screech move. Perhaps the teen was even equipped with sonar; this group wouldn't know until the fleeing foursome returns. Nevertheless, Rose quickly lost the trail because not only were Pangoros were naturally slow moving creatures: they were also not built for sprinting long distances, no matter how enraged they are.

It's why the group unanimously decided that it would be best to follow after the Pangoro until she'd lost all of her steam; which she eventually did after the twenty minute sprint. By the end of chase she couldn't even walk and her breaths came out in hyperventilating gasps. These facts didn't stop Rose from moving forward however; apparently deciding that if she couldn't run or walk; she would crawl the rest of the way.

The sight was too tough to watch even for even the most unsympathetic viewer.

Paul's sigh is clearly evident even through his winded panting "Give us privacy please."

Darkrai raises a inquisitive eyebrow "Whatever for? Especially now when this incident is likely gonna attract a swarm."

Hamlek waves him off "After the asskicking Rose and crew gave them earlier? Fat chance. Only a idiot would try their luck on something that can endure whatever Mew and Cresselia can simultaneously dish out before knocking them both out with a single punch"

The entire group gaps like fish at the 'coon. Darkrai is the one that expresses everyone's thoughts out loud "You're joking!"

Hamleck shrugs with a small frown "If only. It's truly frightening to see a creature bat away fully charged Aura Spheres and Moon Blasts like Soccer Balls." Hamlek smiles wide "Makes you glad she's on our side dunnit?"

Everyone vigorously nods. Paul steps forward while saying "Unless you all fancy watching my partner and I going at it like rabbits: I suggest you start moving."

"Ewwww!" shouts Rai, his shadow, Runt, and Elliot as they book it in the opposite direction; forcing their guardians -with the add-on of Latios and Marci- to discard their disbelief and chase after them.

This left only Ella, Hamlek, and Giz. Ella giggles briefly before muttering to herself "Well I believe we all know now which team Rai bats for." Ella turns to her: head tilted inquisitively which is also expressed in her casual speaking voice. "Well aren't you two coming?"

Hamleck and Giz don't look away when Paul gently mounts Rose from behind whispering various of soothing words when she begins thrashing. Rose is too weak to offer even a token of resistance so she relaxes into Paul's advances.

Both Hamleck and Giz were obviously aroused, which pretty much hints at their next near simultaneous response "No I think we're good here."

Ella groans and face palms but leaves the two males be to enjoy their...entertainment.

Funnily enough Rose and Paul didn't seem to mind that they had an audience.