The LEGENDARY Team II

In the western fields of Kanto, a flash of soft blue split through the seams of time and space, leaving in its wake a tiny blue pixie. Opening his eyes, nearly blinded by the afternoon sun, Azelf allowed himself a small smile of relief. Teleporting all the way from Sinnoh in his current condition had been no easy task, but he’d managed it.

So this is Kanto... Big golden eyes that had clearly been anticipating a much grander sight closed at the sight of the death and destruction that had wreaked havoc on the once beautiful region. Just like home... destroyed...

He flicked one of his tails, looking from side to side as he floated in place, trying to decide on a direction. The blue pixie suddenly felt very small and very lost. Sinnoh he knew every twist and turn, every bump in the road, every forest and every route. Though he rarely left the lake, his long lifespan had allotted a lot of time in which to memorize his beloved region. But Kanto? Kanto was not only enormous; it was utterly foreign. Where to even start looking...?

... That way... It was totally random, with absolutely no real thought behind the decision at all. But Azelf would rather become lost than float there doing nothing. With a deep breath, he set out, trying with all of his might to sense his siblings.

You two had better be alright. He fretted quietly as he travelled, every single fiber of his being on alert for a sign of either pixie. Please be safe.

He’d seen what this infection, this curse, was capable of. It was something he feared may have already happened to him. A fight with an infected Absol had left many nasty wounds that had bled for some time. He frequently checked on them, unsure of what the signs would be but certain that he would see something if he had contracted that horrific disease. Thankfully they seemed to be doing nothing but healing, but his paranoia had skyrocketed to astronomical levels after seeing what happened when one Pokémon caught the virus and brought it home.

Considering that “home” had been his lake, his home as well, and that it had been his dear friends who had been slaughtered or infected as a result, the incident had more than left a mark.

Something hit his senses very suddenly and very hard, like a deck to the face with a baseball bat. The presences he felt were so powerful that the energy they radiated was actually starting to give him a headache. What in Father’s name could produce so much ener-

Azelf resisted the urge to smack his palm into his forehead. Legends. Duh.

None of them were his siblings. That much he could very easily feel. Uxie and Mesprit had very distinct fields of energy that they radiated. He could tell them apart from others and each other in his sleep. There were no two Pokémon in the world he knew better.

Turning to face the direction he felt the energy flowing from, he closed his eyes, his forehead jewel flashing with a soft blue light that then moved to envelope his entire body.

One more teleportation couldn't hurt. Besides, fellow Legends... Azelf was nervous about meeting them without his brother and sister by his side, but if they could help him find his siblings, his usual shyness could be shelved.

His mind was made up. With another flash of light he was gone, and reappeared seconds later right in the midst of Legends, most of whom, thanks to the fact that he was only a foot tall, looked huge.

Dear Father, WHY did I not think to use my usual method of scouting things out first...? Deeply self conscious of the injuries, wondering now if they'd mistake him for one of the monsters plaguing the land, his face flushed . He nervously raised a hand and moved it in a very awkward attempt at a wave.

"Um... hello there... I-I'm Azelf... Didn't mean to barge in on you l-like this; teleportation is just... e-easier to travel th-these days..." The waving hand moved to scratch the side of his head. "I don’t s-suppose any o-of you have seen m-my siblings...? Uxie and Mesprit...?"

The stutter. The damned stutter. It always appeared when Azelf wanted to make a good impression.

Too late to turn back now.

Victini offered herself as a guide, suggesting a fast means of reaching Unova, until Celebi presented the far more appealing option of simply teleporting there. Managing a smile at the pixie’s plans, Latias drifted forward following Cobalion’s gesture, preparing herself for what she could imagine as a particularly odd experience. She’d never had the chance to travel in such a way, a rare excitement flourishing in the dragon as she shifted on the spot.

However, before any signs of movement, another creature drifted onto the scene – a fellow legendary. Although growing particularly impatient with her eagerness to get moving, Latias was relieved to see that another legend was determined to beat this unholy epidemic.

Smiling awkwardly at the creature she knew not the name of, the Hoenn-dragon was thankful when the friendly being introduced himself as Azelf.
“I have seen no other legends,” Latias was blunt with her words, seeing no reason to sugar-coat the bleak reality. “I’m sorry,” It was probably best to show at least a little sympathy for the guy. Latias had her brother in her sights, his siblings – at least she presumed they had some sort of relation – were still lost within this chaotic world.

"You really traveled conventionally to get here?" Celebi asked her, looking rather bemused with Victini's explanation. The small Fire-type felt her cheeks redden as she blushed in embarrassment. "But that takes so long, that would drive me absolutely batty." "But that's the only way I have," Victini whispered quietly, twiddling her fingers nervously. Still she had to wonder what Celebi was getting at here. Did she know a quicker way to Unova? "Johto is to the east of here, where I am headed. I can get you that far in a blink if you just lend me a little energy." "I can help you!" Victini immediately piped up happily, and started to float over to Celebi just as something small and blue appeared nearby.

"Um... hello there... I-I'm Azelf... Didn't mean to barge in on you l-like this; teleportation is just... e-easier to travel th-these days..." The little blue pixie scratched the back of his head awkwardly, and Victini felt a huge smile form on her face. Another legend! Somehow the more of them she met, the more powerful she felt. "I don’t s-suppose any o-of you have seen m-my siblings...? Uxie and Mesprit...?" Azelf then asked. Out of respect, Victini let her smile drop a little as she shook her head. "No, I'm sorry, I haven't. But I'm sure that if you've made it then they have too." She gave Azelf a reassuring smile and nodded to him politely. "I'm Victini, it's nice to meet you, Azelf."

As everyone finished their introductions to the newcomer, Victini turned back to Celebi. "I have a lot of power stored within me, and I can lend some of it to you for a while," she told her, floating a little closer. She held out her hand towards her. "This might feel a little strange, but don't be scared. It won't hurt you." Taking a deep breath, Victini closed her eyes and summoned the power that lay dormant within her. Slowly, gently, she reached out and touched Celebi's arm.

Her body jolted slightly as the power awakened, snaking and rippling through every fibre of her body. Her arm tingled as that power now surged through it. She focused, channeling through her veins, into her finger and finally, into Celebi. She let the power transfer to the Johto legend for about a minute or so, before allowing it to calm. The tingling stopped. Victini opened her eyes and saw with satisfaction that a fierce, red aura now surrounded Celebi.

"Don't be alarmed, that's normal! It means that it worked," Victini quickly reassured Celebi in case she panicked. "That should be more than what you need to transport us. I'm ready when you are."

((Wrote this entirely from memory of the movie, lol. [strike]And you guys are totally going to pwn any undead we find thanks to me B)))

His shoulders slumped as he recieved exactly the news he had both hoped he wouldn't, but had expected. The large red and white bird had not introduced herself, nor had any of the others, and the Sinnoh native was feeling very much out of place until one of them--one of the two who had delivered the sad piece of information reguarding his siblings--introduced herself. Victini. Azelf smiled gratefully at her, trying to hide the sleepless worry stirred up inside of him.

"A pleasure to meet you, Victini." He gave a little dip of the head in her direction, a sign of respect. Her cheerful voice and personality were so very refreshing.

Opening his mouth again to ask what in the world everyone was doing, the blue fairy was silenced before he'd even started as Victini began to glow. Touching her hand to the grass pixie's arm, the glow transferred. Azelf stared in fascination; Victini could share her power? That would be a useful skill for him to have... perhaps he should ask her later how she did that...

"I am ready as well." They were leaving, and Azelf was going with. Searching for his brother and sister as part of a group would be much easier and safer.

(Okays, let's get dis show on the road! B))

The enormous serpent reared his head, the sad, oily waters of the ocean clinging to his scales, making them appear more black than blue. His tongue hung useless underneath his decaying jaws and his fins were hopelessly torn beyond recognition. But that didn't stop the terrible dragon from spotting his next meal. Not far from the ocean shallows, was a gathering of extraordinary beasts.

A dark snarl twisted his enormous mouth as he powered up a hyper beam attack. The harbinger stayed as silent as he could, his colossal serpentine body like a pillar of ill-omen behind them. The Gyarados couldn't help but grin as his attack reached full power, and they still hadn't even noticed him amidst their chatting.

Sloth...sloth will be their undoing...
With a petrifying roar, the hyper beam shot from the great monsters' mouth, colliding with the ground at the feet of the beasts, breaking the earth apart with its' intensity. An echoing cry sounded across the shores, just as the powerful attack dissipated.

The dragon wasted no time, barreling his weight towards them, tossing his long body onto shore. Gyarados hissed and snarled as the tattered fins against his face reverberated as he faced the legendary beasts. He snaked forward with incredible speed, towards the winged blue one that his attack had felled, struggling in the rubble with a bloodied and broken wing. He could see the jet-like birds' eyes grow wide with anger and fear as his tremendous jaws drew ever closer, unavoidable.
Inevitable.

At the last second, the bird tried to roll out of the way.
SNAP!
CRUNCH!
...Too late.
Sloth. Sloth will kill you...

The Gyarados slithered on, coiling himself and raising his head up as he snapped his jaws open and shut slowly, his blood-shot eyes gazing victoriously down at the small group of legends.
With a satisfied snarl, he tossed his head viciously as he bit into the corpse, blood pouring from his jaws and the severed, partially crushed head of the blue avian flying into the air.
The skull landed with a sick splat at the feet of a very similar red avian, whose expression could only be that of sheer horror.
The dragon knowingly grinned at Latias, his fangs glistening with her brothers' blood as he spoke to them, his eyes emanating a pale light.

"'Legendary'...." He hissed mockingly, the sky growing dark as he rose to his full, terrifying height. A sudden lightning storm rolled in upon the small town of Pallet, the massive pillars of electricity striking wildly. Buildings collapsed, trees and bushes burst into flames, the ground shaking and turning violently.
Amidst the chaos and the smoke, all that could be heard was the harbingers' mocking laughter as he slithered back into the pitch-covered sea, leaving them to fend against the wrath of the storm.
"Legendary! AAHAHAAAHAHAAAHAAAA!!!"

(Thank you Gyarados. Everyone is now to make their leaving posts, to tie everything up. After everyone active has made their post, this team is to be closed indefinitely)

There had been so little time to react. A blinding light accompanied by a violent trembling of the earth hit just ahead of the group. Latias instinctively backed away to avoid the blast. Her body tensed, alert for the sudden danger engulfing the group, the female couldn’t have prepared herself for the monstrous gyarados slithering towards her felled, bleeding sibling.

The blood…

Her mind swimming, that divine aroma invading her thoughts and weakening her senses came with her brother’s suffering. It was sick, twisted, but Latias was helpless. She seemed in a trance, jaw hanging agape as she watched the brutal scene. The Harbinger crushed Latios’ skull in one brutal movement, his rich blood spraying onto her own face. Despite the horror exploding before her wide, bloodshot eyes, Latias lusted for the kill. The gash on the back of her head was burning as her tongue suddenly darted out to lick a small droplet of the liquid clinging to her face.

"'Legendary'...."

That single word was enough to bring Latias out of her trance. Latios lay dead before her, bleeding heavily as his mutilated face stared up at her. She felt physically sick, reality dawning as she did what was natural. She screamed. Her terror, fury and sorrow expressed in one devastating outburst.
“NO!” Tears brimmed in her eyes, her chest aching with a pain to rival the ongoing stinging of the wound. All her searching had been in vain. Arceus had blessed her with only a few precious minutes alongside him, her beloved brother, until that retreating leviathan had robbed his life away. This was too much to handle.

“YOU BASTARD!”

Latias, beside herself with hysterics, took off without a second glance to the group. The ferocious anger eating away at her mind was enough incentive to pursue that murderer. She hadn’t the patience or time to converse with her fellow, surviving legends; they would understand.

Flying after the gyarados at speeds thought impossible for a creature of her stature, Latias zoomed across the ocean, eyes feverishly darting for that familiar shadow beneath those dark waves. Her newfound blood-lust, the ferocious storm, nothing was going to disrupt her firm intentions.

Latias would have her revenge.

It all happened so quickly. One minute Victini was floating beside Celebi, apprehensive but also a little excited of what was to come, and the next it was all going wrong. So horribly wrong. She noticed the flash of light in the distance, but barely had time to even inhale as the Hyper Beam exploded all around them. Instinctively, Victini hid herself from view with her invisibility and darted out of the way. The undead Gyarados that was rapidly approaching was easily the most disgusting, frightening creature that she had ever seen. Invisible to everyone, Victini stayed where she was for a moment, frozen in fear. But when the enormous Water-type picked Latios as its target, she couldn't hold back. It had taken her so long to find these friends, and she wasn't about to lose any of them.

"No!" Revealing herself once again, Victini zoomed through the air, lowering her head and charging up her psychic power. "Don't you dare touch him!" The Zen Headbutt collided with the creature's scales with incredible force, but she merely bounced off like an orange rubber bullet to an Aggron's armour. She spiraled backwards, dazed and hosting a fierce headache. Just what was this monster made of? He was no ordinary undead, that was for sure.

She was just about to try again with Double Edge but it was too late. Victini screamed and clutched at her face as the Gyarados's enormous jaws tore their way through Latios, ripping off his head and chewing whatever was left to a pulp. "NOOOO!" Tears cascaded from her eyes as she stared in absolute horror at the scene. No this hasn't happened this has not happened oh no oh Arceus no please let this be a dream.

"'Legendary'...." the undead beast mocked before snaking his decayed head towards the sky and summoning a massive lightning storm. Buildings and trees all around them were destroyed in an instant. Victini wailed in terror and covered her head, darting away in whatever direction she was facing. She saw Latias take off after the Gyarados across the ocean and wanted to follow her, but her head was telling her otherwise. Go back back to Unova you made a mistake you never should have come here. Her mind was so jumbled, so numbed by the terror and grief that was gripping it that she did not stop to think of the others as she made a quick turn northwards towards Unova. She just had to get away; away from the terror, the uncertainty, the chaos.

Victini zoomed like a bullet back in the direction she came, not daring to look back at her new friends as she fled the scene. I'm sorry...

((This was a very out of character post for me. T_T))

Cobalion paid little attention to the newcomer. He was lost in thought, and his face was wrinkled in a perpetual frown. Something felt... wrong, to him. He didn't understand why, however. He was returning home, and they were about to help the cause. There was no need for him to feel so much... aprehension. And yet, there it was. The voices around him caused him little stir. The giant explosion that nearly blew his hooves off, however, shocked him out of it completely.

Eyes darting around, he found the attacker, an undead beast in the water nearby. We need to get away from the sho- His thoughts were cut off as the beast began to push its way up onto land. Wha... What in Kyruem's lifespan is that thing?! It was dangerous, whatever it was. Before Cobalion could move, it had already struck out, hitting one of the Legends. Cobalion couldn't see in time who it got. The thing was just... too fast, too strong. He stood stock still and wide-eyed, unable to move, as he watched the body get ripped apart completely. Only then did he manage to see who it was. Latios... I'm sorry.

And just as quickly as it had began, it was over. The thing slithered back into the hell-hole it called a home, and they were left alone. Cobalion stood in the same position, completely unable to register what he just watched. His own thoughts mocked him "bravery", his ability to stand there and watch his brothers die. Iron Will indead...

By the time Cobalion could drop his head, Victini and Latias had already left. The group had fallen apart, and he had let it happen. Had he truly become weak after such a long time in hibernation? He had never frozen like that before... Nothing like this has ever happened before. Looking to Celebi, his head bowed in repentance. "You were right." He could not bring himself to say anything more. Turning around, he stalked away sadly, pride and mind both properly beaten. I'm sorry.

Never, in his life, had Azelf seen anything like what he had just witnessed.

One moment he was staring in awe at Victini's ability to lend her power to another. He'd just opened his mouth to question how it worked, curious and eager to discover if it was a skill he could develop.

And the next... oh, Father, next...

An explosion rocked the very earth. Survival instincts kicked in and Azelf teleported several feet away with a cry of terror.

Coming back out of the rip in reality, his head snapped to where the attack had come from, and the sight that met his eyes froze his blood. A monster of a Gyarados, decaying badly, a murderous light in its eyes, was coming towards them.

Following its line of site, he gasped in horror as he realized the beast's target was the large blue and white bird, who was struggling with a broken wing.

Victini was the first to overcome her shock. The plucky girl seemed to appear out of no where and hurled herself at the giant water monster in a zen headbutt attack... only to bounce back off with no result.

Azelf's entire body was already faintly glowing with blue psychic power because of his habit of floating rather than standing, but the glow became much brighter as he charged an extrasensory. With a scream of "LEAVE HIM ALONE!" he unleashed the attack.

He accomplished nothing. And a second later, the monster was upon the bird. Azelf screamed again and floated backwards in shock and horror, hands clenched to his chest as he watched helplessly. The Gyarados literally bit the bird's head off oh dear Father and then proceeded to laugh and mock the group... particuarly the red bird.

Who could only be the blue bird's sister.

Azelf could feel the tears pouring down his face and made no attempt to stem the flow. Frozen, locked in a state of horror and grief and numbness, he was only jerked back to reality at the sudden arrival of a lightning storm.

The world seemed to be ending around them. Buildings vanished along with trees, and the very ground turned. The ctreature laughed, returning to the pit it had come from.

Azelf screamed and barely dodged a lightning strike to the ground, frantically glancing around. Victini was gone. The sister had flown after the monster.

There was nothing left. Having used too much of his energy reserves for temeporting, the blue pixie fled the scene by flying, shooting away like a tiny blue bullet, tears blinding his vision as he tried desperately to get away from the horrors he had just witnessed.

I never even caught your name...


How many hours had passed...? It must have been many... his whole body ached with exhaustion...

Azelf had slowed down, slowly lifting his head to stare wearily at his surroundings. A city. The crumbling buildings still bore red roofs. Had he been more savvy about Kanto, he would have recognized the place right off the bat.

Rest... I need rest... He shuddered, unable to push the sight of the other Legendary's death from his tired brain. Glancing around, he swallowed hard as he sat down on a rock at the very edge of the city, needing to at least sit down. No... don't want to sleep... Have to find Uxie and Mesprit anyway...

The fairy began to nervously wring his hands and he tucked his tails close. Before they end up like him...

(I am so sorry for the wait; life decided to jump me this week. Also, my partner in crime and I have permission to use this team for a little something we hope will knock your socks off when it gets rolling~)

---

The pixie had spent the majority of his morning and noon cruising around the western half of Kanto, finding his trip to Mt. Moon both a disappointment and a start. He hadn't been able to gather much information from the strangers that lurked inside the Kanto landmark, but at least he now knew that the virus was spreading everywhere, even within the depths of a mountain, and also that these mutated pokémon might possess the ability to think and use strategy to their advantage. That would prove to be quite a problem for the survivors, wouldn't it? But it was an advantage for the undead. There were two sides of a coin and this battle; Uxie sometimes stopped and wondered if anyone shared the same sort of opinion as him.

Such thoughts did not matter now; there were more pressing matters at hand than meaningless wonder over who was like the pixie and who was not. Uxie still had to find his siblings, other legends, and information. It was his sole duty to offer in the world, and he was to fulfill that. The sun was quickly passing across the sky, already far past noon and seeking to hide behind Mt. Silver to the west. A light sea breeze blew through the area where Uxie floated, bringing with it the smell of fresh blood. The Knowledge pokémon turned his head up, sensing several dark storm clouds gathering in the sky nearby. A faint roar echoed through the quiet, late afternoon.

There was a recent death. And Uxie had no wishes to stay nearby where blood and death lurked. Turning his back towards the direction from where the sound and smell of blood came, the pixie let his golden eyes open and stared at the still-blue sky, convinced that the sunset would be red tonight. He'd gotten too used to closing his eyes to the tragedies of the world.

---

---

---

The sun had moved further towards the horizon, the skies turning into a brilliant canvas of warm hues. The bright sun was just fading behind the great mountain to the west, and the sky surrounding it seemed to be crimson. A resting place seemed appropriate to spend the night, and Uxie found himself near the port city of Vermilion. Why did the humans build a harbour in what was practically dead center of Kanto? A more appropriate place would've possibly been on the east coast, or perhaps on the south side, where there was direct access to the outside world. Sometimes, even Uxie could not comprehend the actions of human beings. To each their own, he supposed. But at the moment, a certain presence distracted the psychic pokémon from his usual thoughts; a very familiar aura that he knew like his own.

Azelf? Mesprit? The presence of one of them was close, and it certainly did not take painfully long to find their location. Uxie almost missed the sight of his sibling out on the rock out to the sea, where the once-clear water was now turned murky and dark. He floated closer, watching the blue pixie on the rock with his usual, flat expression, though there was something like concern in the air. Azelf sat on the rock, quiet and an atmosphere of nervousness around him; very much unlike his normal self, where he would usually be rather excited and full of smiles. "Azelf," spoke Uxie, stopping when he was only a few feet away. There wasn't much else to say; he could only speak his brother's name in the familiar, almost-monotone voice of his, wondering how the other pixie would react.

Azelf fought back heavy eyelids that kept trying to close on him. Now was not the time to sleep. Resting was something he'd permit, but not sleeping...

Find something to focus on. Find something to focus on.

Sleepy golden eyes turned they way downwards. The blue pixie flinched. The ocean waters were dark and murky, like a polluted pond.

Like his lake.

He stared down quietly at the waves lapping against his rock. Who lives in you? Were these waters once as clean and clear as my Lake Valor's? Were they just as lively during the day and as peaceful at night?

Well. That was incredibly stupid. Now he was focused on something, and it was a highly depressing topic.

That was when he felt it.

An aura he knew very well. One of the two he'd been looking for.

His little body went ridged, mouth dropping open in shock as he lifted his head, tails curling closer to himself. Could it be...?

"Azelf."

Azelf about jumped out of his skin. With a gasp he shot up off the rock and spun around in the air.

And there was Uxie. Floating just a few feet away. Of course it was Uxie; who else could have that montone voice?

He was here. Alive. Safe. Healthy. Right in front of him.

He had not ended up like the blue bird. He was alive.

"UXIE!" The cry burst with pure joy, the pixie darting over to draw his brother into a tight hug, eyes squeezed shut in an attempt to hold back a flood of relieved tears.

Then reality kickstarted itself again and he broke the embrace. Holding his brother at arm's length by his shoulders, quickly scanning his body for injuries, a shaky smile spread itself over his face when he found no sign of wounds. Alive and uninjured. The pixie was overwhelmed. Slowly, he forced himself to let go of Uxie, reminding himself that the yellow pixie wasn't very fond of physical contact.

"Y-you have no idea how h-happy I am to see you..."

---

The embrace that Uxie's blue brother had to offer was nearly crushing, the yellow pixie nearly losing his breath by the force of it. Azelf wasn't quite as... 'subtle' with his emotions as Uxie was. Soon, he found himself being held at arm's length away from the familiar, blue face whose eyes seemed to scan his body quickly as if Azelf had to check again that indeed, Uxie stood there, or rather floated there, before his eyes. The smile that spread across Azelf's face was shaky and uncertain, at least this the yellow psychic could see. The tight grip on his shoulders slowly released, allowing his shoulders to relax slightly.

"And the same to you. I'm quite sure that there's a lot that we've missed, and must catch up on," he answered, studying his blue brother carefully as he had done to Uxie. It seemed Azelf was also well and relatively unharmed; surely he was, if he still had the energy to hug with such force. However, the shaky tone in his voice and the almost stupefied-like reaction of the blue psychic gave Uxie the need to investigate.

Surely, Azelf had seen some things, horrible things, during his time alone if he was this glad to see the living state of his sibling. If the blue pixie had just responded with a normal greeting, then surely it would've meant that he had not encountered any trouble. The smell of blood that had hung heavy in the damp air earlier in the day rose up again in Uxie's seemingly endless capacity for memory; did Azelf know of what had died and caused the storm?...

...For now, though, Uxie would not question about such things, and instead allow his brother to rejoice at their reunion. It would be exceptionally cruel of Uxie to brush off Azelf's happiness and excitement and start questioning about dark topics that probably haunted the mind of every pokemon that still lived. Even with Uxie's monotone sense of personality, he still had reason and logic and reason and logic told him to wait. "Where had you gone to? I've been looking for you as well..."

Azelf was disappointed when the yellow pixie did not return the embrace, but he'd more than expected it. After inspecting his brother to ensure that he truly was okay, he was reminded of his injuries when a healing slash in his tail began to sting from the salt water that had been lapped against it.

"And the same to you. I'm quite sure that there's a lot that we've missed, and must catch up on." Uxie opened his eyes and Azelf started slightly--the other pixie rarely opened his eyes--but soon understood the purpose behind the gesture as the yellow fairy began to silently look him over the same way Azelf was almost feverishly ensuring Uxie's safety. Thankfully Uxie seemed to know that none of the injuries were really all that dangerous. The tail one was the worse and if the blue pixie were lucky it would be healed within the week...

He had missed the now calculating look that was so often seen on his brother's face and was reminded that Uxie was surely placing pieces together in his head when the monotone broke the peaceful silence once more.

"Where had you gone to? I've been looking for you as well..."

Azelf's kneejerk reaction was going to be to whimper because even though Uxie's question had not been geared towards it, he immediately recalled his ill fated attempt to join the group of legendaries. Thankfully he caught himself before the sound could leave his throat and swallowed it down. Now was not the time to act like a kicked Lillipup, and Uxie deserved the truth.

"I... I stayed at my lake... for as long as I could..." He glanced away for a moment, the memory of his beloved home being overrun as painful as watching another legendary being slaughtered. "I tried to save as many as I could... I thought perhaps I could protect the entire lake... but that was impossible..." He slowly drew his hands behind his back to hide the fact that they'd started to tremble. Well, at least his voice was steady this time. "After we were... overrun... I wandered in search of you and Mesprit... I found neither of you in Sinnoh so I thought perhaps I should try another region... Kanto was a place I often heard humans talk about when they would come to my lake, so I decided to come here..." He flushed slightly. "But I know nothing of other regions so it wasn't long before I became completely lost. I've just been wandering the region, hoping I might find you or Mesprit. Wh-what of you? A-and have you seen Mesprit?"

The stutter. Oh well. At least it wasn't nearly as bad as he would anticipate it would be.

---

Uxie nodded as he somberly listened to his brother's recounting of his tale, his eyes gradually sliding shut throughout the story. Though under normal circumstances, it would've appeared as if he was falling asleep through Azelf's story (a very rude gesture that Uxie would never allow himself to do), but for the yellow pixie, having closed eyes was his default stance. The destruction of homes... the venture to find lost friends or family. With failing hope throughout. It seemed that the situation of the legends weren't so different from the dilemma of the regular mortals.

"My condolences to the residents of your lake," he began, voice slow and careful as if Uxie's words were treading on a mine field. Essentially they were doing exactly that; he knew that the lake was a very important place to Azelf, and he had already lost it once. Losing it twice must have been terrible on his morale. "It is none of your fault in any way, Azelf. Even legends have their limits, and I'm sure you did your best.

"My situation is not very different from yours. I awakened from the cave of my lake to find the outside world torn apart with destruction and a heavy atmosphere. There were survivors around, yes, but far more of these newcomers with a terrifying appearance. Locked away in the depths of my former home, I am not aware of the happenings of the current situation... which I am traveling around to figure out at the present moment." Uxie paused, allowing a moment before continuing. When he spoke, it was often more like a lecture, especially if the pixie aimed to describe or explain a subject. "Along with the information I desire, I also search for my old friends, and of course, you and Mesprit.

"I did begin with a quick search in Sinnoh. I visited both of your lakes, hoping that perhaps you were both still asleep and safe, or possibly hiding out in your respective caves for safety, or as another scenario, venturing around in the surrounding areas to help the residents. But as both of you were not there, I set my sights elsewhere. I immediately went to Kanto, where I first visited major landmarks such as Mount Moon in other to either find you, Mesprit, or other living survivors to get information from. I did find some survivors in Mount Moon, but sadly it was not of too much help. Afterwards, I simply roamed around the various landmarks of Kanto, hoping to find a hint. It was by chance that I came to Vermillion City for a rest, and by chance that I found you."

Uxie ceased talking, another long, stretching pause dividing the silence. There was one more inquiry that Azelf had given, the last one that Uxie had not responded to. He did notice the slight stutter and crack in the blue pixie's voice, and wondered if it would be all right to let him hear that their sister's whereabouts were still a complete mystery. Mysteries were frustrations to Uxie. If he couldn't figure it out, then surely no one else could. "...And I have not sensed the presence of Mesprit. But I am sure she will be fine. She is a strong girl."

The blue pixie winced and flinched when Uxie attempted to comfort him over the loss of his home and his--for lack of a more fitting term--people.

I DID do my best... but my best wasn't enough, and others died for it...

He hovered there quietly through Uxie's lecture like explaination, occasionally nodding to prove he hadn't zoned out, a frown slowly working itself onto his face. It seemed as if when the world wasn't teeming with voilece, it was unnaturally empty. How in the world had he and Uxie come across so few living...?

At least he could hopefully answer some of his brother's questions. Taking advantage of the yellow fairy's pause, Azelf begam

"I've... learned some things through observation..." He furrowed his brow and spoke slowly, trying to gather his thoughts to ensure all would be accurate. "It appears to be some kind of... disease. Like a virus almost... I'm not sure how exactly one would contract it, but it makes sense that if your DNA mixes somehow with their DNA, you would catch it... so anyone who injests one of the monsters would become it themselves... and it stands to reason that open wouds would be a danger point, too..." He sighed quietly. "I know there's a slow transformation. Anyone who contracts it doesn't become one of the monsters overnight. But I have no idea just how long it takes..."

Another pause and then Uxie admitted something that made Azelf's stomach drop.

"...And I have not sensed the presence of Mesprit. But I am sure she will be fine. She is a strong girl."

Staring straight ahead with slightly widened eyes, he forced his head to nod. He wanted to believe Uxie, but... how could he do so completely, having witnessed what he did?

---

To Uxie's satisfaction, Azelf knew some more about the causes of the epidemic than he and was willing to share it. True, the problem must be a virus; if it were simply a mishap in the genetic structure of a pokémon, it wouldn't spread and be limited to hereditary contamination. But no, that was not the case. There were too many pokémon about with the illness to prove that possibility as reality. Uxie had already worked out that it was already an external factor, and thus, the cause must be a virus, bacteria, or parasite.

"Has there been any leads to who has caused this pandemic, or any attempts to concoct or find a vaccine for it?" Somehow, the pixie doubted that it was possible to reverse the effects of the infection entirely. After all, the body was essentially dead once infected, and it would not last long. But a vaccine... A vaccine might work to prevent future infections. Unless it was an unusually durable parasite or a mutating virus.

"If it transfers by DNA contact, then I would assume it is transferred by contact through liquid; blood, in particular. Perhaps it could be caused by an adaptable virus that takes over the body's enzymes and slowly kills it. And then the virus takes the place of the substrate and keeps the body... 'alive', per say. It explains why the infection is not immediate and is rather a slow process. The speed of infection may differ on the strength of a pokémon's immunity and the conditions under which the virus need to survive, such as temperature, alkalinity, and ionic conditions..."

Uxie stopped himself before he spiraled down into a long scientific hypothesis about the properties of the virus. Now was not the time for that. He'd learned over the years that most others either couldn't comprehend him, or simply didn't want to listen. Instead, the pixie shook his head and looked back once more at Azelf. "Digressing. In any case, I am glad to see you are safe, and most definitely uninfected. Which does make me question if we legends are also susceptible to the virus. True, we are much more durable and long lasting than normal pokémon, but our physical bodies are not much different..."

That talk would make Azelf worry. The yellow pixie simply cut his thoughts short at that point. "The point is. I am glad to see you alive. And we will find Mesprit, dear brother. That is a promise. What do you plan to do from here?"

"Has there been any leads to who has caused this pandemic, or any attempts to concoct or find a vaccine for it?" Azelf blinked in surprise. A vaccine? That involved those pointy things humans called needles, right?

“Well... someone probably does know where it originated... but I’m afraid I’m not one of them. As for the second question, I don’t really know what a vaccine is, but I have heard no mention of the word, so no one I have spoken to has attempted, I would guess.”

His brother then went off on one of his speculation tangents, something that made Azelf smile. Of course he didn’t understand half of what Uxie was saying, but just hearing his voice again, and being able to witness one of his lectures again, was comforting. It meant they were both alive.

"Digressing.” No, keep digressing. I’m actually enjoying this. In any case, I am glad to see you are safe, and most definitely uninfected.” Oh, you have no idea Uxie. No idea. It took everything in me to STOP hugging you. "Which does make me question if we legends are also susceptible to the virus. True, we are much more durable and long lasting than normal pokémon, but our physical bodies are not much different..."

No! Why did you bring that up!? Shuddering, Azelf stared at Uxie with wide eyes; he was perfectly aware that even Legends could be killed by these beings, but the thought of a Legend being able to be infected themselves was something he had not really thought upon before. Oh, he’d considered it a possibility, but he hadn’t really imagined it would affect a Legend the same way it would a regular Pokemon...

"The point is. I am glad to see you alive. And we will find Mesprit, dear brother. That is a promise. What do you plan to do from here?"

Azelf swallowed. “Uxie... Uxie, we will find her. But we will we find her alive? I didn’t finish my report on what I’d done because it... hurt... but now I see I must.” His tails tucked close again. “I found a small group of surviving Legends. I was not with them for more than five minutes before we were attacked by one of the monsters, a Gyrados. It... oh Uxie; we tried to stop it, but it was as if it felt none of our attacks... it killed one of the others... a big blue and white bird... he was with a red and white bird... must have been his sister...” Azelf choked down as much emotion as he could. “It bit his head right off... Uxie, these things... none of us are safe... not from death, nor even from infection ourselves, from what you’ve just told me...”

He wasn’t sure why he was spilling to Uxie. What did he expect his younger brother to do? Make it all better? But dear Father above. He couldn’t hold it in any longer. He would force away the tears, but the words had to come out... or else he would cry.

---

The pixie listened to his brother's recounting of his own horrific tale in silence, barely even nodding yet still carrying that air of attentiveness around him. A big blue and white bird... and its sister, or, as a legendary, counterpart, a red and white bird. The only legendaries which fit such a description that Uxie knew of were two, and they were not exactly 'birds', to his (admittedly vast) extent of knowledge. However, he did suppose they had avian-like structures. Either way, knowing that Latios was gone, leaving an open gap in the ranks of legendaries was slightly disconcerting. Or as disconcerting as it could get to Uxie.

He could tell that Azelf had been bottling up his emotions, stress and memories within, and looked slightly more on edge than he had before expressing it all. Of course, Uxie had no reason to blame him. His elder brother was quite the energetic and happy legend; under normal circumstances, anyway. This must be highly stressing on the other. The thought that even the status of being higher than 'normal' pokémon was useless against the infection... the psychic supposed that could be considered 'scary'.

"You will be fine, Azelf," Uxie answered, allowing his arm to rise and give the other a small pat on his shoulder. "We may be smaller but we are also faster. It is no disgrace to run when it is needed. The only thing that matters in the end is whether we live or die. And we cannot die, else we worry Mesprit. Am I wrong?" Of course he was not wrong. Uxie had never been the type to be wrong.

"I apologise if what I've said has upset you. But do not take it too seriously to heart, Azelf. You may let the possibility linger in the back of your mind, but remember that a hypothesis is not the same as an outcome." The pixie let his arm drop to rest by his side, his twin tails floating out under and before him in a gentle curve as he stared down at his brother. Hopefully, the other would manage to calm his nerves and pull himself together.

The blue pixie stiffened and then relaxed as his younger brother patted his arm, wishing the rare moment of contact lasted longer than it had. 'We cannot die, else we worry Mesprit?' Oh Uxie. In all seriousness what the yellow fairy was saying was not at all funny, but Azelf still couldn't help but smile, even if it was a bit strained. That was just so... Uxie. "I apologise if what I've said has upset you. But do not take it too seriously to heart, Azelf. You may let the possibility linger in the back of your mind, but remember that a hypothesis is not the same as an outcome."

"You are correct of course. A theory doesn't automatically make an outcome. But the possibility is still there. I would be lying if I said that this didn't... unnerve me." Which was not the word he had wanted to say, but it sounded much better than "scares me to death."

A thought tickled at the edge of his brain. One that just begged to be voiced. Azelf saw little problem with indulging that thought in this desire. "I... I am aware you do not like physical contact that much, but I need this reassurance... If I become one of the unlucky who become infected... would you hug me? One last time? Please, little brother?"

The yellow pixie let his eyes slide open, staring straight at Azelf with bright, golden eyes. Out of the three siblings, Uxie's eyes were the only ones that matched his colour. It was a little odd, he had to admit, but it was how things were. Despite his natural thirst for knowledge, Uxie knew when things were the way they were just because. Well. They just were. His vast collection of knowledge did not mean he had an explanation for everything. But he did have an explanation for the answer he gave his blue brother.

"No," the psychic answered slowly, after taking a silent moment to think about the question Azelf had uttered. How would a promised hug be of reassurance to the other? Uxie failed to see how that was comforting, to know that he would receive a hug in the case that he succumbed to the infection. That was absurd. Perhaps Azelf was asking whether Uxie would still love him (or, at least, in the closest way Uxie could actually come to 'love') even if he were to become poisoned by the virus.

Either way, his answer was no. It may have seemed cruel, even for ever-emotionless Uxie, but for every word he uttered, the yellow pixie had a reason. "I refuse to give you an embrace under those conditions, because with how you word it, it is almost as if you are suggesting that if I agree to one, you will become infected. Which is not acceptable. You are my brother, Azelf. It would be crushing to see you in 'that' state.

"That is why I say no. I will not hug you, because you will never become infected. Is that understood? It is not out of spite, nor dislike, nor simple cruelty. It is simply the matter of you not becoming infected." Uxie stopped, eyelids hooding his eyes as he continued to quietly stare at the blue pixie.

Perhaps it was a hard concept to grab, and the former would not be surprised if Azelf was hurt at the first mention of his answer. Despite that, it was what Uxie wanted to believe would be truth. If Azelf wanted an embrace in the case that he became infected, then it would simply be a matter of Uxie never giving him one. No hug, no infection.

"No."

Wha... wha...? Azelf's mouth opened slightly in surprise; he wasn't entirely sure what to expect but it definitely hadn't been for him to put something so bluntly... and finally. The finality to it hurt as well.

He paused a moment, the other, still hovering, eyes unfocusing slightly as he retreated into his mind for a time. As if pondering. This was nothing new, and Azelf wondered in a detached sort of way what, if anything, would ever get a rise out of the unnaturally calm legendary.

"I refuse to give you an embrace under those conditions, because with how you word it, it is almost as if you are suggesting that if I agree to one, you will become infected. Which is not acceptable. You are my brother, Azelf. It would be crushing to see you in 'that' state."

Azelf tilted his head to the side very slightly. Uxie's answer, while eloquently said, seemed almost... childish. As if his younger brother had decided that a hug refusal would mean refusing the notion that infection was possible...

"That is why I say no. I will not hug you, because you will never become infected. Is that understood? It is not out of spite, nor dislike, nor simple cruelty. It is simply the matter of you not becoming infected."

Yup. Denial.

Azelf swallowed and glanced back at the gash in his tail in a moment of paranoia. No, no sign of infection... but that hardly helped; all he knew was that purple was prevalent among the infected. Unless it was turning purple he'd have no idea.

It seemed to be healing, at any rate. That was a sign that there was none of the disease in him. Right? Right!?

A deep breath. Okay. He was going to be fine. Just fine.

The blue pixie curled his tail close again and spoke. "I... understand. Thank you for at least listening to my request and giving it some thought..."

Though I wish you'd just given a simple 'yes' as your answer...

"Where do you plan to go from here, Brother?"

Hide the hurt. There was no point in showing it. He was simply being too soft, and this was a time for planning and action anyway. Not emotions.

Uxie could hear the underlying tone that Azelf's voice held, and guessed what he must have looked like at the moment though his eyes were closed. Perhaps a straightforward 'No' had been a little too straightforward. But what else could Uxie say? He was never the type to skirt around a subject. Getting straight to the point, snuffing out the root of problems, was what he stood for.

All he did was nod in response to his disappointed brother. The truth was a strong element, and could give one much power if used correctly, but simultaneously it was a double-edged sword. Knowing the truth could be both beneficial and backfire. Perhaps this one was a bit of both. It clearly stated Uxie's opinion as well as his inner hopes for his brother's survival, and yet, it probably also broke the poor blue pixie's heart. Not that Uxie knew what a broken heart was like, anyway.

"I had not made any specific plans for the future," he began to answer, voice quiet and leaving the previous topic behind, "but I was thinking of traveling around once more, exploring the area, and of course, searching for hints to the legends' whereabouts as well as more facts about the infection that I may use to my advantage. And not just limited to Kanto, but perhaps a search of the other regions, as well. Just like how you and I came to Kanto from Sinnoh, Mesprit may have moved to a different region, far away, as well."

It was probable. Mesprit was rather adventurous as well, along with Azelf. It was Uxie who preferred to stay and study the secrets of his own region, and took his first step outside of Sinnoh only due to the nagging of his siblings. Though he had to admit, he never did regret having the two 'open his eyes', figuratively and literally, to a new world.

"And you? Will you do the same?"

"I... plan to travel to other regions as well. My primary goal is to locate Mespirit, but I will see what I can learn about this disease along the way. If I find myself in a position where I can be of use to survivors, I will do that as well." Words were powerful; they build defenses around his vulnerable parts and hid them from harm by walling up a shaky confidence with a decent, logical plan. "We are in Kanto, thus Johto is nearby; just over a place called Mt. Silver, I believe. Unova is far away, much further away than the collection of other regions. Unfortunately this is all I know in terms of direction. But it's at least something."

The legend closed his eyes for a moment in thought, then opened them. "I do not know exactly where I will go. Likely I will just choose one at random. I may continue to wander Kanto for a while as well. I have not explored the whole of it yet and doing so may yield me a clue, if nothing else."

His tails stretched before curling close again; he did not want to leave his brother's side now that he had found him, but he knew expressing this would be a moot point. Even so, he could not bring himself to bid farewell and end the conversation. It was a moment of weakness, but he hoped the other would do it for him.

Of course their reunion would not have lasted very long. Uxie could practically sense the conversation slowly coming to a faltering halt. Though being able to find each other safe and without harm was reassuring, and it would've been comforting (probably more so for the blue brother) to travel in a pair, Uxie knew such maneuvers would be wasting time. And time was a rare resource that was quickly running out with no recovery. He shook his head slightly before turning up and fixing his focus on Azelf, listening to his words.

"Yes, that would be true. Johto is just west of the Kanto region, and Mt. Silver acts as their border, of sorts. Our home region is to the north... and from my knowledge, Hoenn is a little more to the south. Of course, with our ability to teleport, distance is not too large of a problem..."

The biggest problem was at hand was where to begin. Even with their legendary status, Uxie and Azelf were only two individuals. There was only so much they could do to search such a wide range, and again, being together would only slow them down. They would have to split up, as hard as that was. "If you continue with your plan to explore the Kanto region for a while longer, then that is well with me. I, on the other hand, consider turning back to Sinnoh. After all, it is the coldest of the regions and therefore where infection should move slowest, and where our home resides. There is the possibility that Mesprit has returned there, or never left."

"We shall meet again soon, Azelf," the yellow pixie added, in his own way of comforting the other even with such a vague promise. "Perhaps we should keep a date on our minds to meet once more here in Vermillion City, Kanto. After all, I do know how you worry. Would a month or two be a good margin of time?"