The CELESTIC Team

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Celestic Town | Noon || Shaka ~ 36 -- Tsukiko ~ 17

As he lay upon the ground rather comfortably, Shaka could feel the condition of his legs improving. The pain was receding and he could shift them now without having them hurt too badly. Thank goodness he was making a rather quick recovery, since he did not want to look vulnerable when Sade got back from searching for Narron. From his peripheral vision he saw Tsukiko make a sudden jarring movement and freeze in place. Curiously he raised his head up to get a better look. He could see a rigid caution in her posture, as she stared towards one of the few buildings that loomed over the town field’s plateau. Her fixated gaze told him she had seen someone, or something.

“Th-there’s someone else here.” Tsukiko nervously turned and said to him, backing away from the outside light and receding into the dark cover of the shrine’s underside. Shaka was already one step ahead of the nervous Pikachu. “What was it? Did you get a good look?”

“No. It was in the shadows of the town buildings.”

Feeling somewhat better from the rest, Shaka rose up into a hover and floated to the edge of the cover’s darkness. He glared about the town. He was certain he could feel the presence of something, but he could not pinpoint it. Tsukiko walked up beside him and looked about worriedly, until she noticed something strange in the distance. “That.... that looks like the thing I saw.”

Shaka’s sharp eyes focused upon a distant building, where a strange figure could be seen floating. Its dark form seemed to blend in with the shadows that shaded the building but he could at least define the shape of a sheetlike form. He has never seen such a being before. Tsukiko, however, made a suggestion. “It almost looks like a Shuppet, a species of Ghost pokémon.”

Shaka questioned her suggestion quietly without averting his gaze from the ghostly creature. “Are you sure?”

With Tsukiko’s recommendation in mind he stared directly towards the ghost’s location with his sharp eyes. “You, ghost!” Shaka spoke, making sure to keep his call as low as possible to allow it to echo quietly about the utterly silent town. “Are you living or infected?”

Tsukiko looked up to the shuppet, worried that they would be scared off by Shaka’s hostility. But Shaka had a point--if the shuppet was living then it should come out of hiding or at least reply to them. If it was hostile, then they will have to destroy it....

((OOC -- Sort of a cruddy post. I will try and edit it later on this morning. Not sure if this posting style will work, anyways.))

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Celestic town/noon
(2)

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Celestic Town | Noon || Shaka ~ 37 -- Tsukiko ~ 18

Tsukiko thought she could see the shadow tilting its head, as if it was confused by Shaka’s warning. The shuppet replied in a young male voice. “I’m alive...” Floating slowly from the shadow of the building, it asked them a question. “You won’t attack me.... Will you?” Since the ghost was revealing itself to them, Tsukiko also did the same by emerging from the shade of the shrine’s underside. As she did so the ghost spoke again.

“I keep thinking I find someone nice.... But they end up being monsters...”

Tsukiko stopped just a foot or so after emerging from the darkness, saddened. The comment left her feeling concerned for the shuppet. Not to mention the pitch in his voice revealed him to be only a mere child. Tsukiko bit her lip in worry--she understood that same feeling of paranoia. In the past, anyone in the Epidemic that she has tried to get close to always ended up disappearing or was killed.... And this ghost has had similar sufferings? As the ghost drifts closer to them it suddenly stops. A black hollow that at one time probably held the child’s right eye was opened wide in fear. He begins to back up as he questions Tsukiko and her companion. “... You’re not monsters.... are you?”

The question was certainly not unexpected, Tsukiko supposed. The ghost is mentioning monsters, so he was probably asking whether they themselves were infected. She does her best to lift up her nervous frown into a modest, warm smile. She was worried that the ghost would be scared even further if she sounded too kind, but with a newfound concern she shyly replies to him. “W-well, shuppet, we are not monsters. I can promise you that. I am Tsukiko and,” she gestures back to Shaka, who was currently busied with watching the skies and town around them, “that is Shaka.” She turned back to the ghost. “I--we won’t harm you.”

~*~

As Tsukiko began to take over the work of introducing them both, Shaka had remained outside of the shrine’s shade. He was enjoying the feeling of the cool wind and the rather warm sunlight that was descending upon the town. It felt refreshing in the wake of the vicious blizzard that had ripped through the town earlier this noon. Knowing that Tsukiko should not need his help in speaking with the shuppet, Shaka rotated about in the air to look up towards the sky. Aside from a few thick clouds and a pretty blue sky, he could see no aerial threats. For now, he and Tsukiko were safe from any flying creatures. They would need shelter from nightfall, and a plan to get through the night. Oh, and he almost forgot about the berry bag stashed at the town’s large northern building.

As he turned about and started to survey the town, his ears had idly caught the words traded in the conversation between Tsukiko and the shuppet. He looked over his back at them both when Tsukiko introduced him and herself to the spirit. Though the ghost seemed rather harmless, he wanted to know for sure that it would not be a threat to them. Shaka crossed his arms and turned around to face the ghost as he stared at it with his sharp eyes. Though it did not look too harmful and its voice revealed it to be nothing more than a mere male child, he debated whether they should really have it follow them around. Shaka observed Tsukiko’s eagerness to get the ghost to trust them, and how she seemed so easily affected by the things that it has already spoken. His stare descended to the electric mouse standing to his left momentarily. Her gaze met his for a second, but she shied away from it and quickly redirected her attention towards the ghost.

Tsukiko sure was eager to get on the ghost’s good side, Shaka considered with slight interest. His own stare returned to the shuppet. He maintained his gaze for a while, but had slowly begun to relax the stare’s harshness as he saw no realy threat in the ghost. Ultimately Shaka dropped his wariness and shrugged his shoulders in acceptance. “It’s fine with me if you wish to follow us. Just don’t cause any trouble.”

Since Shaka was high enough to clearly see the town’s western exit, he decided to redirect his attention towards it. Though he had no way of telling how Narron was doing, he still hoped his friend would be fine. Secretly, he only hoped that Narron was safe--Shaka still had his doubts about Sade. There was just something unusual about the sceptile’s personality. Sade was behaving exactly as if he were playing him and Tsukiko like some sort of smart predator. Shaka knew from experience how to counter predators, and Sade displayed a few strange behaviors that roused the raichu’s natural instinct. To say the least Shaka felt uncomfortable around him, as if he was planning something dangerous. But if Sade really was a predator and not simply acting naturally, Shaka could still not completely tell. He shall just have to remain cautious when the reptile is about, and remain even more cautious when he leaves his sight.

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Celestic Town | Late Noon || Shaka ~ 38 -- Tsukiko ~ 19

She felt the burden of her fears lighten when the ghost’s expression brightened greatly. Her efforts to gain the child’s trust were not wasted, it would seem. In fact, she noticed she was smiling herself! But then another presence entered the area. The ghost saw the stranger and appeared frightened.

Her smile began to fade as well, when she followed the ghost’s gaze. A certain voice reached her ears as she looked up towards the field’s western ridge. At its top, Sade was now standing. “I can’t seem to find them,” Sade started sincerely, “that Gardevoir must have teleported them both away.” He could not find Narron? Out of immediate concern, Tsukiko looked up towards Shaka. He seemed to be taking the news calmly, without even the faintest trace of sorrow in his expression. But within her sensitive heart, she knew all too well that he must be suffering inside. She understood all too well of the grief of losing a friend. He did not show even the slightest bit of grief for the loss of his friend, but she knew from experience that there was something happening inside of him. However, maybe she was just desperate for someone to trust and she was just imagining these things to comfort herself.... It was a horrible thought, but it could possibly be true.

Tsukiko was isolated in her thoughts when she picked up the words of Sade as he introduced himself to the newcomer shuppet. She turned to look at the ghost, and became troubled when she saw that he was scared. She hurried over to the ghost’s side, offering him some support. “It’s okay, Shuppet. Sade’s just scary because he’s so big.” She looked up at Sade, attempting to restrain her own fears and speaking as clearly as possible. “Right, Sade?” Though she herself was scared of Sade, that did not mean she would not try to be brave for the shuppet. Even though she felt so small in his tall shadow and wanted to shudder every time that odd smirking face and those stabbing reptilian eyes focused upon her. She did not want him to flee if he felt too scared by Sade’s rather intimidating company. And she was not sure if she wanted to ask the shuppet for his name just yet. He seemed to nervous to share that just yet, and she did not want to pressure him while he was so nervous.

~*~

When Shaka saw Sade returning to the town without Narron, he already knew what the sceptile was going to say before he said it. “I can’t seem to find them, that Gardevoir must have teleported them both away. Poor little Ivysaur....” Shaka maintained his welling anger upon hearing the words. Not a single trace of emotion crossed the raichu’s face, a perfect expression to fake his inner mood. He spoke flatly in response to Sade. “Yes, poor Ivysaur.” Shaka knew that within some way he was still going to hold out hope that Narron was at least safe. What a foolish belief, the Raichu denied to himself; Narron shall never return. Just like mom and dad shall never return. They are both dead, after all, and he cannot do anything to bring them back.

Shaka watched in silence as Sade went over to greet the newcomer ghost. He was startled by the gecko’s presence--which was a surprisingly good thing. At least the kid has some good wits about him. He idly thought was he observed the conversation. Tsukiko was showing a bit of bravery, by standing up for the nervous Shuppet and asking for Sade’s cooperation. Her humble determination made him crack a smirk. After Tsukiko and the shuppet were done talking with Sade, Shaka hovered over to speak to them all.

He remained suspended in the air near them, and spoke with a tone that suggested leadership. “Since Narron and the Gardevoir cannot be found right now, we should get back to looting that house that we entered earlier.” Shaka turned and nodded his head towards the mentioned building. It was a rather large and wide house, which rested on the northern side of town. It sits a good distance from the edge of the center field’s ridge, straight above where the entrance to the town’s cave is. “We need to clear it out and prepare a temporary shelter for the night.”

“And Sade--“ he turned to face the sceptile with a stolid stare--“You proved effective in detecting and fighting that Golbat earlier. You can help me search out and kill the few Undead that are likely still in the building. Are you up for the task?” Shaka’s last sentence was an invitation made just for Sade--not only that, but it was a challenge. He was expecting the gecko to not turn it down. For a moment, he believed that he had even found an idea the both of them could agree upon. They both needed shelter, and he knew he was not the only one who wanted to lop a few heads off.

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Celestic town/noon
(2)

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tvt | Celestic Town [Center Field] | Late Noon | Shaka ~ 39 -- Tsukiko ~20 tvt

Sade was helping to confide the shuppet, much to Tsukiko’s gratitude. “It’s okay buddy.” The sceptile cheerfully said. “I’m not going to hurt ‘ya, I’m one of the good guys. I never had this trouble when I was a treecko.” She drew a small smile at Sade’s good-natured statement.

It would seem Sade’s attempt to calm down the ghost was working somewhat. The ghost tried to show courage. However, he was overcome by a visible shudder and hurried behind Tsukiko. She looked behind herself at the ghost, and she gave a respectful smile to the shuppet. “It’s okay; I’m also a little scared of him.” She quietly said. A small spell of anxiety bothered her, but when she turned to look towards Shaka and Sade she did her best to let the feeling dissipate. She was almost dragged away by her own thoughts when she heard Shaka speak out about a plan for the group. They were going to try and clear out the rest of that house from earlier, where the undead Golbat had been encountered.

She listened to Shaka’s ideas intently. Yes, they will need shelter soon. Even Sade had agreed to the plan so far. Tsukiko looked up to the clear noontime sky as she listened to Shaka talk. The sky was bright and clear, with not a single cloud in sight. The light was brightening as the noon went on. And dare she think it--the town actually looked quite beautiful. She imagined what this place would be like if it was just abandoned--not infested by Undead, just abandoned. The town is uninhabited and the place is permeated by silence. It was a good silence, though, and for once she really wondered whether the silence was a good thing or a bad thing. It made it easier to sense the Undead, and in that moment where there were few people around she felt a certain peace. It was the peace of clarity of mind, where disruption was the only true danger....

....She was suddenly broken from her thoughts by a slightly irritated Shaka. “Tsukiko, are you even paying attention?” His voice was still calm but revealed signs of impatience. She broke her drifting gaze, which had lowered from the sky to browse over the town. A small smile was previously on her face, but it was now drooped into a nervous frown. She stuttered to the raichu, her hands clasped together in nervousness and her tail drooping low to the ground. “Y-yes? Sorry, so sorry--“ she looked to them, and the skin under her cheeks warmed up from the embarrassment--“I got distracted.”

Shaka stared at her for a moment, impatience visibly disturbing his stern face. “We don’t have time for distractions right now, Tsukiko.” He bluntly--and to her interest, surprisingly patient--told her. The last thing Shaka needed right now was for someone to drift off, especially when they were about to clear out an entire house. She needs to remain very attentive, to prove her worth. She saw Shaka’s irritation and changed the subject quickly. “About your plan--I mean, wh-what about us two, Shaka? Should we possibly stay outside the building, so that we can watch out for any Undead that might try to enter the building? I-it’s a quiet town, but we don’t need anything surprising us while you two clear the house.” Tsukiko turned to look to the shuppet, who seemed slightly worried about the plan himself. The raichu drew his attention to Tsukiko. He looked to her and the shuppet multiple times, his gaze struck with interest. “Yes, that is a good idea.” He said, honestly surprised that she had thought of the same thing he was planning to have them do. The doubt he had harbored for her just moments ago was suddenly put to question.

Tsukiko raised her tail back up slightly in relief, as she nodded in gratitude to Shaka. “Thank you.” Shaka nodded back, though he said nothing in return. He then turned his attention to Sade. “Alright then. Let us go.” Shaka turns and hovers up the field’s staircase, leading the way around the town towards the town’s northern side where the house lay.

Tsukiko looked to the shuppet as they walked up the stairs. “Do you want to keep watch with me?” She could not conceal the slight concern in her voice, as she did not want to be the only one on sentry duty. The shuppet seemed rather troubled by the idea of going into the house just like her, so maybe he shall agree to stay outside with her?

((OOC -- I just thought I would bump the time a little, since it has been Noon for quite a while :b))

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tvt | Celestic Town [Northern House] | Late Noon | Shaka ~ 40 -- Tsukiko ~21> tvt

Well, here is the house. The large building stood tall, with only a few breaches to its front face. The front doors were still partially opened from when he and Sade had attempted to enter earlier. As he hovers towards the doorway, Sade steps up by him. After observing the building the giant reptile turned to look at him. “More golbats I would say.” That was true; the Undead do tend to group up with their own species to kill prey. “We can catch them off guard while they are sleeping otherwise at night they will swarm out and probably scour the town clean. That would be why it’s so quiet around here.” Shaka agreed with his observation about the town. “That would make sense. That would be why not a single flying Undead has come by after all that earlier chaos.”

“I’ll go in first, my eyes work well enough in the dark. Follow close behind and try not to disturb them. The zubat line relies on strength in numbers to defeat their opponents.” As if Shaka did not know those things already, of course. He could see in the darkness very well himself, but now was not the time for arguing. Besides, now he could keep an even better eye on the sceptile. Sade flicks his giant tail in a following gesture, and enters the building with Shaka behind him. As they entered the building, Shaka descended to float just above the floorboards to the floor to lower his profile. His ears flicked about as he heard for any sound of other threats. The only sound to be heard was the mute beating of his heart. Even in the dim darkness of the building, when other threats were present, he still held a suspicion for the Sceptile and gave regular, vigilant glances to him.

The front room is devoid of threats. An odor of rot lingers in the stagnant air, but it is so faint that it was likely from the room’s departed Golbat occupant. Ahead of the front room is a hall with two different entrances; one leads upstairs and the other forward into a black corridor. They come to the hall, but Sade avoids the stairs. That was understandable; the stairs looked worn and would probably not hold the large reptile’s weight. “This way first.” Sade says, indicating to the long, dark corridor.

Shaka stops in the hallway as he hears the sound of breathing, and of calmly shifting wings. His eyes could track the silhouette of teardrop-shaped creatures against the dull backdrop of broken windows. Shaka freezes in his hover, before moving backwards with a suspicious glare. The creatures, no doubt undead Golbats, were suspended upside-down from the ceiling, their wings folded about them comfortably as they slept shallowly. Shaka could hear yet more shifting in the unseen rafters of the room’s ceiling, their tired sounds echoing through the hallway. And although they seemed to be sleeping, he felt a certain unease at watching them. They did not look at rest, but rather as if they were--

One of the furthest Golbats slowly unfolded its large wings from around a body that was worn with rotting wounds. It looks around with a pair of empty red eyes. Shaka stands as still as death, to conceal his presence within the intense shadows of the hallway. But the Golbat notices the presence of himself and Sade and fixates upon them. Fury wells in its increasingly livid eyes, and it descends from its perch and booms out in a large voice to alert the other Golbats. Shaka backs up in aggression, his cheeks sparking as he fired a thunderbolt towards the chanting bat. ”Ka mate, ka mate! ka ora! ka ora!” It was able to say, before the bolt struck its forehead and killed it. The other Golbats are called to action by the call. The ones visible from the hall look upon the Raichu and Sceptile in the hallway as if they were expecting them both. Their eyes glow with an intense lividness, and they repeat the same phrase that the previous bat said. At their call, more descend from the exposed rafters of the room. Some were flying and others were scrambling--all with the same hungry intentions. Sade and Shaka had been led into an ambush.

The swarm of red-eyed, furious bats filled into the hallway, a reckless decision on their part. Shaka did not hesitate to back up and release a bolt of electricity into the closest one, causing the unfortunate bat to convulse with electricity and fall to the floor harshly. Two others are taken down with it, stuck for a while beneath their fallen companion’s corpse. The other golbats begin to try and surround him and Sade, but Shaka kept himself focused. He remained in his spot, listening, watching, waiting for one of them to dare an attack. One of the bats attempted to divebomb him and snatch him up, but they were met with an electrical bolt. Another golbat came in from the side and attempted to Air Slash Shaka’s stomach, but he raised his arm before it hit and recieved a small gash. He then grasped its upper head with his other arm as it came close. He smashed in the face with a solid punch and follwed up with a direct burst of electricity, causing it to go spastic and collapse. He heard another golbat coming forth to clamp down into the back of his neck, but he lashed an Iron Tail backwards into its open jaw. The tail impaled its throat and zapped the bat simultaneously. Shaka withdrew his tail from the fried corpse and continued fighting. The bats were easy to kill, but they were numerous. Each death subtracted from what could be assumed to be about fifteen or so bloodthirsty undead Golbats, all chanting and hissing as they surrounded the duo and waited for the perfect moment to strike.

Shaka was too distracted to see Sade drawing the Golbats towards him, but he did not really care. The golbats were still chanting in a furious, distorted tongue. He understood it only through their tone, marking it as a battle chant to rouse their determination. And he responded by killing each one that dared to come close to him.

~*~

Tsukiko remained outside the building, keeping watch over the town. She was unsure if the shuppet had made his decision to remain in her company or not, but he seemed to be staying with her for now. Soon the sound of fighting came from inside the building. She could hear multiple Undead from inside chanting a strange and unnerving language, and for a second she worried about both Sade and Shaka’s well being. But she curbed her worry with a nervous smile. She wanted to remain confident for everyone in this time. “I’m sure that Sade and Shaka can take out whatever is inside.” She said to the shuppet, her gaze still wandering over the town and through the sky. “They’re the strongest people in our group right now.”

I just hope Shaka doesn’t get infected, her heart worried. He was harsh, yes, but she felt she could trust him more than anyone else in this group right now. And she would be horrified if he turned into one of the Undead that he was fighting right now.

((OOC -- Sorry for the wait >_<; I was not sure if you wanted to prolong the fight for a few posts and have Sade get included, so I did not end it yet. Just tell me if you want me to edit anything.))

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Abandoned House | Celestic Town | Noon | (26)

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Celestic town/noon
(3)

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◊◊◊ | Celestic Town [Northern House] | Late Noon | Shaka ~ 41 -- Tsukiko ~ 22 ◊◊◊

~*~ Tsukiko ~*~

What a relief it was to her, to know that the shuppet decided to stay by her side. His choice makes her feel safer out here. After listening to her words, he nodded agreeably to her optimistic statement. He was still afraid of the brutal sounds fighting of their friends against the Undead, as was she. But he was brightened by some of the same positivity as her. The positivity that the others may and will win, and come out perfectly fine. “Yeah, I think they’ll be okay.... they seem really big and strong.” She intently listened to him, showing a mild but unmistakably friendly smile as she did so. “The demons and monsters are often falling apart.... Some aren’t that smart either.... But they’re scary...”

The response caused her smile to waver as she gave thought to it. What he said was all true; the Undead were frightening, and one of the few things more horrifying than them were the Infected. People who are still somewhat sane, who are forced to kill because the illness that afflicts them wants them to. Victims trapped within nightmare bodies. Her mind was falling into another place and her gaze began to drift over the town. The shuppet was continuing the conversation, and Tsukiko’s mind was still open to the conversation even as they both wandered into their own thoughts. “It’s alright though.... My sis protects me...” His voice drifted mid-sentence, and she saw that he hovered lowerto the ground as if he was somewhat disheartened. “Mom and dad too I guess...”

His sister protects him, as does his mother and father....

Once more, rare thoughts were seeping into a mind that had long forgotten them. Tsukiko remembered the gravestones of both her mother and her father, which were interred within the Pokémon Tower back in Kanto. Then there was the bullet wound marring the head of her adoptive Human, from which his blood flowed out onto the Hoenn earth.... In the moment of the situation she forgot she was keeping watch over the town. Her heart was hardened against the grievances of her past, but they stell felt as fresh as the corpses that are interred within her memory. These things were lost forever to her, and it disturbed her always and forever to know that she would never gain them back.

But the ghost’s ambition brought a smile to her face, as bittersweet as it was. Maybe her own father and mother were watching over her right now? “And I am sure my parents are watching over me, too.” She said with a soft happiness, before looking to him.

“Erm, by the way--I do not think I ever got your name.” She stepped to face him. Her tail drooped a little from worry, as she faintly expected him to be offended or even shy away from her inferred question. But her tone conveyed a simple, innocent curiosity. “W-would you not mind me asking for such a thing?”

~*~ Shaka ~*~

Corpses continued to fall about the corridor as Shaka fought against the dark-winged horde. Their flesh was tender and their intelligence was dismal; with the more intelligent Golbats killed, the duller minded ones decided to simply charge forward without a plan. They were met by a murderous wall of electricity, a lethal iron tail, and an outmatching opponent. The few bats that did not suicidally charge in to attack him were brutally crushed by an awaiting Sade. A dazed golbat, kindly delivered to by Sade to Shaka, was met with a coiling iron tail. Its neck was bound tightly, and electricity ebbed through its frame which burned away the fragile flesh of its neck. The now headless corpse slides out of its binding, giving the whipping weapon the freedom to turn in front of Shaka and stab a Zubat straight through the mouth.

He heard Sade call out to him as the battle began to reach its climax. “Shaka how are you holding up?”

“Too busy, kicking ass!” He managed to hastily shout out as he grasped a charging Zubat by its face and electrocuted it to death. There were only a few bats left, and their deaths were inevitable. Shaka was heavily invested in their killing, as his mind was fully thrilled by his fighting passion. The blood of his Frostclaw Clan heritage was pulsing through him with a vigorous intensity. His expression was wrenched with aggressive fury, a wide eyed and glaring snarl on his face as each and every golbat that dared to attack him was slaughtered.

Five Golbats left. Four Golbats. Three Golbats. Back of neck sliced open; wings torn off and skull electrocuted; death by overcharge. Two Golbats. And now only one. These things were too weak, a pitiful replacement for true opponents. Their flesh tore like water and their spines snapped like sticks. Shaka’s nostrils were flaring, even as the disgusting miasma of rot cluttered his sensitive nose. After the battle, he stood there sighing heavily. His head was filled with engrossing adrenaline. His firm limbs did not quaver with weakness, and his body looked as if it was going to leap and attack something else in its battle-lust. When he noticed nothing was left moving around him, when the only echo to be heard was the sound of retreat, he calmed down. His fur smoothed out gradually, and he hovered down onto the ground, onto all fours. But his peace was interrupted when he felt the distinct sensation of a pair of two-clawed feet grasping at at his back. A particularly clever golbat had managed to grip onto his coat from behind. Apparently it was too frail to break through the thick fabric, though. Shaka felt his coat sliding up and from his back, as the bat used all of its strength to attempt to carry him off with it. His arms slid out from the sleeves, and he fell onto all fours upon the ground. When he realized his precious coat was no longer upon him, a slight change came over him. He felt the very realization of his coat absent from his back, the comforting strange energies that flowed through it disconnected from his very soul and his fur naked to a cold wind drifting through the house.

Shaka’s leer dragged its way down the bloody, corpse-filled hallway, towards the large room where the Golbat horde once lived. And there it was--fluttering in the dappled light of a window flew the golbat who had dared to steal his precious coat. The coat of his father, the only thing left to his possession other than his flesh and blood. And his heart was filled with fury once more, his cheeks sparking with energy.

He leapt out of the ring of corpses and chased after his enemy on foot. He ran through a hall of destroyed bodies, and leapt into a wide room with mouldy old carpeting and worn wooden furniture. The golbat’s body and the cloak it was toting were silhouetted by a broken window. It wanted to flee. Shaka’s limbs launched him forward with incredible speed. In its small mind, the golbat saw the window as its only remaining chance of survival. It was so fixated upon its desitation that it remained horribly oblivious of how valuable the item that it carried in its claws was. That it was holding an item which marked it for a horrible death.

The cloak was just within Shaka’s reach now. The window was close. Kicking up powerfully and rising magnetically, he latched onto the golbat’s upper back with his clawed hands, his sharp back feet planting into its lower back. The golbat loses altitude and smashes into the windowsill, with Shaka safely cushioned from the impact. The bat fell onto the shaggy floor. It flailed beneath him, but Shaka held its swinging wings tight. His cheeks were primed with energy, and he discharged massive amounts of it into his flailing victim. The bat squeaked as its body was lit up with power, as its innards were roasted. The golbat was so heavily electrified by the attack that it continued to live even after its body began to burn from the static. Its body was convulsing violently and its screeching was convulsing. Its flesh was beginning to turn a bloody black. Shaka was using far more electricity than was necessary. As soon as his cheeks began to hurt from the massive discharge, he stopped. He took the cloak from the roasted corpse’s talons, and hovered up to see it in the window sunlight.

There was nothing wrong with it. He gripped the cloak tightly to his chest, like a Human would do to a long-lost lover. For a moment he forgot the constant threat of Sade, and of the intense battle that had just happened. Shaka just levitated there in the dusty air of the room, framed by the window’s light, gripping his cloak. He was so happy it was safe. He saw the blood that marred it from the battle, knowing that its nigh-unstainable fabric would not be permanent. A good wash-up would remove the taint. The ghostly energy that lived within the cloak returned into him, a surge of reassuring power to his distressed heart. Even as he breathed in calm fatigue from the battle he let a small smile slip on his face. A possessive peace returned to his distressed mind. The battle had triggered a strange emotional spell in Shaka, when his euphoric fighting high mixed with reactions too fast for his mind to control.

Shaka was defying the very principles of instinct he worked so hard to follow. His back--no, his whole attention--was turned away from the threat of Sade.

((OOC -- Sorry for the long wait ;w; Been very busy lately.))

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Celestic Town | Noon | (27)

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Celestic town/noon
(4)

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◊◊◊ | Celestic Town [Northern house] | Late Noon | Shaka ~ 42 -- Tsukiko ~ 23 | ◊◊◊

~*~ Tsukiko ~*~
To her concern, Tsukiko had managed to strike an emotional spot in the Shuppet. He began to weep from his single eye. But even though he was sorrowful, he gave a long smile and gave her his name. Morpheus. She thought it was a beautiful name, and she nodded thankfully for his reply. His reply was kind, but he was still collapsing into a quiet, tearing sorrow.

She looked to him as she felt ready to say something, but she hesitated was too scared to speak of her own past. In a moment of sudden weakness, she almost looked as if she herself was going to weep; her kind gaze was disturbed by fear as she shyly walked to him. Though her words were ready to be spoken, she had to bring them out slowly to keep herself from tearing up as well. She was showing so much emotion in so short a time.... She questioned whether she could bear having it all emerge too quickly.... or, a stray thought troubled, if she has already revealed too much. Her mouth did not obey her thoughts. “I-It’s okay Morpheus. I.... I know what it’s like.” Her voice was strong with surety, but weak with sadness. ”If you ever need anyone to talk about it with, then just tell me.” Her emotions spoke of the deep empathy she had for the ghost. But she was startled away from her thoughts and words when she heard sade Sade boast about something from inside the building. It was then that she also noticed the absence of all other noises; there were no more battlecries, no more fighting. They killed all of those Undead?

“Well that was a close one, eh buddy? I think that they’re all gone but let’s explore the basement just to be sure....” She walked to the door, but did not look in because of the horrible stench that was drifting out of the opening. It smelled of burning flesh and bloated guts. It was an odor so revolting, that she nearly gagged. She turned herself away to take in some fresh air, enjoying the odorless outdoor air. She soon mustered the courage (and the nose) to turn back and call into the building. She could not see what was happening inside from her angle.

“Are you both safe? That sounded like a very violent battle.” A small fear disturbed her with the possibility that something was wrong. Please, let them be safe. Please, let Shaka be safe. She wished to some unknown, random deity. If they were lucky, the basement would be the last place that would have to be cleaned out before they could all go in.

~*~ Shaka ~*~

Shaka was so blind to the world around him that he did not hear Sade’s approach. Only the sound of a quickly thrusting arm reached his awareness, and he was too late to react to it. A strong, gripping force closed around his lower back. The attack was painfully strong, and the agony that followed it was indescribable. Shaka felt he was going to scream loud enough to wake the dead, but no such sound came forth from his silently contorted face. A surge of pain ripped its way up his spine. Within seconds it had traveled upwards and doused his brain with a numbing agony. His limbs locked up, fixed into a gesture of stiff pain. His cloak fell from his embrace, falling in a heavy slump near the fried corpse of the Golbat. His mind lost its sense of awareness, and became disoriented. Shaka’s stiffened arms were bound behind his back with thick vines. Meanwhile, his tail impulsively writhed about behind him. Weak pulses of electricity were jumping through it as it tried to desperately swing at Shaka’s attacker. The live wire was quickly apprehended and looped about him, rendering it immobile. The attacker was working fast, too fast for Shaka to think. As he tried to shout from the pain that resulted from having his legs bound together, another thick set of green rope was lodged in his jaws to seal in the outcry.

He was then unceremoniously planted facefirst into the ground. The suffering that his legs were going through was too indescribable. It was unlike anything he felt before. He could not even heed the words of his attacker, the words forgotten in his trance of pain. With a half-conscious mind he realized he had a faint idea of who did this to him. He made a weak and muffled growl, his face still being flattened onto the dusty floorboards by a heavy foot. He muttered an unintelligible curse to the Sceptile. A good curse was all he could really think of to say. Shaka did not even care if Sade did not understand what he was saying: He just wanted to get some words out to the traitor. At least he now knew Sade’s true intentions now. It was sort of his fault for trusting the lying gecko in the first place. The only problem now was that he will likely not live to tell the others of their murderous friend. Or, if he would bait them into the same situation and kill them all. All he could do now was just lie there, burning in the inferno of his pained legs as he tried to conserve any energy he still had left.

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Celestic Town | Noon | (28)

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Celestic town/noon
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◊◊◊ | Celestic Town [Northern house] | Late Noon | Shaka ~ 42 -- Tsukiko ~ 24 | ◊◊◊

“Hey Tsukiko, little ghost, Shaka found something awesome down here! Come take a look.” Somehow, Sade’s excited voice had affected Tsukiko the wrong way. A slight hesitation was urging her away from the doorway. The way Sade phrased his words, even the way he spoke them, did not feel right. How could anyone be so happy in the Epidemic? He sounded so gleeful. But her paranoia was slowly guilting her at the same time. This suspicion could simply be her being overreactive, and she did not want to fear Sade just because she thought he sounded suspicious. It wasn’t right. But somehow, somehow, the way he spoke just sounded so.... predatory?

“Th-there are no m-more monsters.... right?” Tsukiko looked to Morpheus as he floated close to her. Though she did not let go of her gentle frown she compassionately whispered to him. “No. I don’t think any are left.” If the horrid stench was telling anything to her nose, it was that the Undead were definitely all dead. But she kept herself wary just in case. Her hands clutched the door’s side as she leaned inside to peer. There was no movement, no sound. She braced herself. “Just stay close if you feel unsafe.” Tsukiko’s voice was tense with nervousness but she was prepared to go in.

Entering the living room cautiously, Tsukiko made her way around the furniture until she could see a nearby hallway. One side of the hall led the way up a staircase to house’s second floor, and beside the staircase was a long hallway. As soon as she navigated through the stray furniture in the room, she could see the right hallway. That was when she stopped moving and stared with widening eyes.

“O-oh Legends.” She gasped, holding a hand over her mouth in disgust. Not far ahead of her, was a revolting scene -- the hall was buried in corpses. There were things that could be barely described as dead Golbats and Zubats which were scattered around everywhere. It shook her to see so many corpses in one place, even if they were all dead. There were so many of them; there was so much death. And the bodies were not just brutally scarred and burnt; no, there was also a miasmatic stench which rose from the massacre. It hit her nose with enough force to make her stomach burn with disgust. The scene was starting to make her nauseous. She put an arm to her nose while she reached out for a dusty old cloth sitting on a short nightstand. She threw off the dust which was blanketing the cloth. After a few good slaps against a worn leather couch beside the nightstand she threw the fabric against her nose. It smelled of mildew, but it was rather comforting for that moment.

Just to her best luck, Sade had called from the very place she did not want to go through. Amidst the bloody scene she could see the dull frame of a doorway, illuminated by a very low glow coming up from the basement’s interior. The entrance of the basement just had to be here, of all places. The stench was so foul it bothered her eyes. She tried quickening her pace. She whimpered quietly as she tiptoed around and over the corpses, avoiding stale blood pools and spilled organs. She’s never seen so many corpses in one place, not since the beginning of the Epidemic. She winced at the old hills of bodies which crawled through her mind. The touch of something damp upon her left foot chilled her thoughts and made her look down, startled. Tsukiko gave a quavering sigh to try and ward off her fearful disgust. She continued to walk, hoping the light bloodstain would wear away as she walked towards the doorway. The doorway, which was so close and yet so far....

It took all of her strength to not tear up from her building fear. Both eyes were focused upon the door ahead, refusing to take any lengthy glances at the bodies which decorated the surrounding area. Upon reaching the glorious worn frame which would save her from the horrid scene, she tossed the fabric to the side. A light sense of pride filled up in her for braving her own anxiety. And for a moment she smiled. But it faded as she prepared to walk down the basement stairs.

She descended into the basement carefully, going one stairstep at a time. She heard the sound of heavy items being placed gently down onto wood. Before she could look down and peek under the wooden railing at what was going on, a sensation of lightly cracking wood underfoot disturbed her. The next stairstep she was going down was bending just a little too much. She tried to withdraw her foot from the step, but the one she was still standing on broke as well. She tumbled down the stairs on her rump. When she reached the bottom she was ejected off by her momentum, skidding. And so she tumbled and fell flat onto her stomach upon the concrete. Tsukiko’s eyes were beaded with tears from the bruising pain on her rump. Whimpering from the fall and cursing her luck, she pushed her front self up with her arms and looked around. To her right, she thought she saw something in the darkness near the stairs. It was out of the corner of her eye, and she could only make a vague guess as to who it was. “S-Sade?” She innocently asked, wanting to know if it was really him. She saw Sade, but she could not see the tools. She was completely unknowing of what would happen next.

((OOC -- No post for Shaka this time around, since I want to avoid getting on the Warnings list. I’ll just say that he is still in the spot he was dropped at in the basement by Sade. He is not moving, as he is trying to quiet himself and gather his senses while he tries to overcome his intense leg pain.))

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Celestic Town | Late Noon | (29)

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Celestic town/late noon
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Basement | Celestic Town | Late Noon | (30)

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