The SLATEPORT Team

((Skip me too please. Shadow's not doing much; he's just still watching quietly from a short distance. Also Seeeeeeeeeeeeem! D'X))

(( Oh dear, I’m going to have to join the club and skip too. Joey’s just being awkward and staring through the window, lol. ))

"Huh. That was weird, huh?" Say, Nally, why am I wet?" Nalin blushed madly at the question, not really wanting to admit he had panicked when Darron had passed clean out. "And thanks for opening that window. And for the berries. Didn't think you'd wanna share." He cleared his throat and forced his blush down, staring at the floor as Darron collected himself. "They were poffins, actually. A treat my boy used to get me to evolve. They're...my favorite." He looked up at the serpent but his eyes seemed to move behind him, gazing into the room where his boy's parents lay. They never deserved that fate.

When he heard commotion at the door Nalin was a little surprised to see the hound and Joey there. He had thought only Amalthea had followed him. Speaking of which..."Thank you miss...for helping Darron." The Serperior probably hadn't noticed that she was actually the one to get him up, Nalin had only followed directions. The same thing Darron had always accused as being the only thing he was good at. Well, at least this time that 'skill' had saved the snarky bastard's life.

"You're both quite welcome. I can't stand to see a fellow creature felled, especially by something as simple as hunger." She looked over to Darron and gave him a smile. "Are you feeling any better now? Or did you need more? I'm sure we can find something for you to eat." Seeing Nalin's surprise she followed his gaze to the door and whinnied happily. "It's good to see everyone together and not bickering! Shadow, I am proud you left your own sanctuary to try and help. There is a good soul under all that gruff."

She tossed her mane back and trotted out of the kitchen, silver hooves clicking delicately on the tile floors. The white Rapidash went over to Joey and checked him over, making sure that he was standing alright on the injured leg. "And what about you, Joey? I'm sure we can find something around here to bandage you with if you need." Her head turned back to Nalin who nodded slowly, shy demeanor returning as he realized that everyone was in his home, his sanctuary. It was a little unnerving for others to be near to the things he held so dear.

They were poffins, actually. A treat my boy used to get me to evolve. They're...my favorite." Darron's amaiable smile fell a little at the sudden aversion of Nally's gaze, the milotic caught with a small fit of embarrassment, the floor seemingly much more interesting. He blinked; why was he getting so flustered? Honestly, this milotic was so... weird. However, the mare's voice brought the snake out of his reverie, content at the fact that he was all right. At the notion of possibly getting more, his stature brightened. "Really? Thanks!" Turning to suddenly see the others, his mind was a bit blown. Had they all come to check on them?

"Hey, guys, it's all right-- just a fainting spell, I think," he stated with a happy bounce in his voice. "I'll be ok. Thanks for the concern, though. Let's get back into that crowded shack, though, eh?" He turned to look back at Nally, who'd once again gone the shy route. He sighed, then remembered he hadn't gotten his question from before.

Nally, what are you doing here?" he asked, his voice low for only the snake to hear. "I came to make sure you weren't getting yourself into trouble."

"Shadow, I am proud you left your own sanctuary to try and help. There is a good soul under all that gruff." Shadow looked at Whatshername for a moment, blinking lamely in surprise at her words. What had she expected him to do, just sit there minding his own business while a member of their odd little posse was possibly dying a few yards down the road? What does she take me for?! While it was true that he barely gave two fucks about Darron - arrogant bastards didn't deserve sympathy - he wasn't about to just kick back and ignore the fact that something was wrong with him. Just what would the other more decent folk, like Sem and Joey, think of him then? If he had any chance of redeeming himself he had to stay with this lot for as long as possible. Alone, he would only continue to get worse.

He offered the white Rapidash a small nod as he turned his head behind him to check on Sem. "Wha--?" Shadow shot to his feet and whirled round, whipping his head from side to side. "I could've sworn that ... where the hell has he gone?!" By this point he was practically spinning round in circles, frantically looking for the Murkrow that had been lying on his back just seconds ago and now was nowhere to be seen. "Did any of you see where Sem went?" he asked, failing to keep his voice firm to hide the panic that was building up inside of him.

Joey was pleased to see Darron’s recovery through Nalin and Amalthea’s quick thinking, a small smile playing on his scarred features as he watched the scene. Perhaps there was more to serpent duo’s odd relationship after all – perhaps there was some kind of friendship buried beneath all that unnecessary malice. Content in watching the tranquil scene unfold, his demeanour a pleasant backlight to the happenings, it took a moment for Joey to realize he’d been addressed.

"And what about you, Joey? I'm sure we can find something around here to bandage you with if you need."

Shaking his head, snapping himself out of his fond musings and back to reality, his attention finally honed in on the pristine equine checking him over and asking of his health. Joey’s jaws moved but the words remained silent, her words not fully processed within his mind to offer an intelligible answer. But as he flexed an injured leg nervously, he flashed a reassuring smile, catching up with her query.
“I’ll be okay,” He answered kindly, genuinely. “I’ve got through worse,” A light chuckle brushed away the darker undertones of his admittance, the equine unwilling to dwell on the matter having suffered such a hideous episode only a few minutes earlier. His mind simply couldn’t take another trip back into no-man’s land. “Honestly, don’t worry about me,”

"Wha--? I could've sworn that ... where the hell has he gone?! Did any of you see where Sem went?"

Joey felt his stomach drop. Eyes wide, feverishly scanning the room for glimpse of the sickly avian, he backed up nervously at the complete disappearance of the creature. Shaking his head in response to Shadow’s panicked question, his concern contagious enough to mar the equine’s earlier high spirits as the fear and sorrow seeped into replace it.
“Sem?” He called out, poking his head through the open window in a bid to catch sight of the avian. Surely, the Mightyena wouldn’t have dropped him. Although grouchy, Shadow had proven himself a careful creature – which only left two options. He’d made a startling recovery and fled, or he’d been snatched, helpless. Gulping uncomfortable as he scanned the skies for glimpse of either the Murkrow or an undead attacker, Joey sombrely returned his gaze to Shadow.

Nally, what are you doing here?" Nalin was only half listening to Darron at first, but when that question came up he turned his head to the grass snake in disbelief. Had he really followed him here not knowing where he was going? "I came to make sure you weren't getting yourself into trouble." Nalin hung his head low, sadness creeping in once more as his tail coiled, pulling the water serpent into himself. "Darron this...this is my home..."

What would Darron think of this small little shack compared to the luxury he surely lived in? Would he laugh, ridicule the poor Milotic for not being pampered? Or would he, for once, accept fact and let it just be? It was hard to tell what Darron would say since Nalin was still staring at the floor, but he just couldn't bear to look up and face his rival. He wasn't that strong yet.

___________________

Amalthea smiled as Shadow offered her a nod in compensation for her words, and was happy in the small amount of success in breaking through his icy facade. “I’ll be okay, I’ve got through worse. Honestly, don’t worry about me,” Joey's words caused Amalthea to frown at the confession and she stomped one hoof delicately. "That's not the point Joey," she scolded gently. She wasn't going to let her fellow equine suffer just because he had done it before, that was silly.

Continuing to check him over she was about to ask Nalin if he could get her something when Shadow began to ask about Sem. Turning to him she realized that their feathered friend had indeed gone off somewhere. "Oh dear...I hope he hasn't wandered off somewhere. Poor thing. Do you want help going to look for him Shadow?" She would prefer to help Joey but she couldn't just leave a young one out on their own like that. The Meowth and her companion had already wandered off, the didn't need Sem disappearing too.

"Darron, this... this is my home..."

Nally's reply was, of course, quiet, but the words themselves took the serperior off guard. He took another glance at the bloodstained tidings, each detail making Nally out to be in a new light. Surely he'd lived better than this? A small frown crossed his features. His own owner had been of moderate wealthiness; nothing to truly brag about, but certainly wasn't living in shambles. Perhaps all the blood and death made the place look worse than it really should have. His eyes went back to Nally, who had his head down in... was that shame? A smile brightened his own features, in hopes that it would catch with the water-type. "Well, that explains it. It's nice, considering." He took another look around when Shadow suddenly erupted in concern.

"I could've sworn that ... where the hell has he gone?!" Shadow spun arond in circles, which would have been hilarious if the situation weren't so dire. "Did any of you see where Sem went?" It was all Darron could do to shake his head, not remembering having seen the greasy bird in the first place. He'd barely even known that Shadow was there, much less quiet Sem.

"...Should... we go after him? Maybe he disappeared for... you know... a reason." Darron frowned at his own suggestion. Maybe the bird'd felt some sort of change coming on him and lit out while he still had the capacity and decency to do so. It... may have been better that he'd gone.

As he had expected, nobody had a clue where Sem had gone either. Shadow growled in frustration and snapped his jaws. The Murkrow had been on his back the whole time; how could he have missed him leaving? He paused his tantrum for a moment and began to think. What Darron had said about Sem leaving for a reason was making him very uneasy. They all knew that he was infected; what if he had felt himself changing and had fled before anything bad happened? Or had he simply decided that he didn't want to be here anymore? Either way, Shadow knew he had to find him in case he was in danger.

"Yeah ... c-come and help me look," the Mightyena murmured, vaguely turning back to the door and wandering outside, looking towards the direction they'd come from and scanning the scenery carefully for any signs of movement. He suddenly recalled the obvious fact that Sem was a Flying-type, and turned his gaze upwards to the darkening sky. "But if he's flown away we've got no chance of finding him." His ears drooped against the side of his head and his expression turned into one of genuine concern. "Why did he leave?" he asked no one in particular.

"Oh dear...I hope he hasn't wandered off somewhere. Poor thing. Do you want help going to look for him Shadow?"

Joey, his demeanour shifted to one of suppressed alarm, shuffled uncomfortably on the spot as the group considered Sem’s disappearance. He hated the word. People couldn’t just disappear into thin air; many he times he’d wished such a feat was achievable but the reality of simple vanishing tricks were far darker. Joey knew well that a missing comrade was as good as dead.

"Yeah ... c-come and help me look,”

Distressed as foul images manifested within his mind, the equine practically leapt at the opportunity to escape the building. Ever since he’d entered, the walls seemed to be closing in, trapping and suffocating him with each passing second. Nodding his head, too distracted by the opportunity of freedom and quelling his growing fear, the Rapidash hastily trotted after him with a rushed, mumbled apology to his company.

Thankful for the cool air of evening that seeped into his tensed muscles, Joey took several deep inhales to balance his erratic condition before turning his attention to Shadow. The blunt Mightyena seemed just as stressed as him – for different reasons, of course, but the sight of the dark-type feverishly scanning the skies provoked a flipping of the equine’s stomach. The question was the final blow. Fiery mane flaring as he sought to avoid the canine’s saddened features; Joey hobbled further away from the building. As much as he wanted to fight his beliefs, the equine knew Sem wouldn’t be coming back.

Unable to lie to Shadow, Joey remained silent.

Nalin was a little surprised to hear Darron almost complimenting his home, emphasis on the almost, and felt himself smiling slightly. But everyone seemed worried about the missing bird from before, not that they ever worried about him that way when he wasn't around. But the bird had defended him once, even if he did wind up going with Shadow in the end, so he couldn't feel himself to ignore the fact that the little guy was gone. He was one of the few nice ones.

"...Should... we go after him? Maybe he disappeared for... you know... a reason." Amalthea shook her head sadly and looked down at the Serperior with sad eyes. "And maybe he was taken from us and desperately wants to find his way back. We have to at least try..." Looking to Shadow she followed him outside and fell into trot beside Joey. "I know we could cover more ground separately, but it may be safer to stick together. What do you think?"

Nalin slithered out quickly after the others, not wanting to be surrounded by memories a moment longer. "I'm coming too!" he cried. "I might be able to help..." He knew he and Shadow weren't exactly fond of each other, but that didn't mean he couldn't offer a lending hand. If someone was lost or in trouble he wanted to find them just as he hoped the others would try to find him if he ever got lost. But so far Darron was really the only one to ever come after him when he vanished. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea...

But no turning back now.

((D| I have nothing.. Skip, please))

((Skip me too please, I don't have much. Just say that Shadow was too busy looking around to answer Amalthea's question. Might we have that undead party you referred to before? :3))

"I know we could cover more ground separately, but it may be safer to stick together. What do you think?"

Joey started at Amalthea’s sudden appearance beside him, quickly soothed by her angelic voice. Smiling weakly, he gave a slow nod his head, the pennant attached his to bridle habitually flopping into his face. Shaking it away with a quick jerk of his head, he was careful not to endanger his last reminder of Tom to his fiery mane.
“Good idea,” Looking to Shadow and the recently arrived Nalin expressing his wishes to assist in the situation, it was only Darron who remained absent. Blue eyes lingering on the building a moment, the equine dismissed the Serperior’s hesitance as nerves, rather than any potential for indifference towards Sem’s disappearance. “Stay in pairs? Shadow and Nalin, me and Amalthea. Darron could watch the house, i-in case Sem comes back?”

(( Sorry, short. :B ))

“Stay in pairs? Shadow and Nalin, me and Amalthea. Darron could watch the house, i-in case Sem comes back?”

Amalthea, while uncomfortable with splitting up at all, agreed that it was more sensible to search that way. "How about Nalin and I take the north end of town and you two can start at the south? We should meet back here at a set time, though, to make sure everyone is alright." Nalin looked back at the house to where Darron still resided and nodded slowly. "What about...an hour? Two? It will be dark soon..." Again the white Rapidash could only agree. "We don't want to search after dark, it could be dangerous."

Looking to Shadow for confirmation the Fire and Water duo began to make their way past the dark hound to head north. It wasn't long, however, before trouble caught up to them. A strange buzzing sound started to plague Nalin's sensitive hearing, the serpent keenly aware of high pitched noises and their frequency. Something was wrong and it was putting the water snake on edge. The closer they got the louder the buzzing sounded and Amalthea soon began to make out the irritating hums. She paused, hooves clicking delicately as she backed up, and then it hit.

A swarm of Pinsir leapt from behind and from within trees, causing the lithe female to let out a high pitched whiny before turning tail. She had no fire with which to defend against bugs! Nalin couldn't help but follow suit, shooting an Ice Beam to try and slow them down. They fled as fast as they could back into town, trying to get to the other duo before the bugs could tear them apart. "Joey! Shadow! HELP!" Amalthea's terrified voice raised as high as it could over the clatter of her hooves, trying not to leave Nalin behind as her speed outmatched his.

((Undead party! These bugs are assholes and Amalthea has ZERO fire moves so she is not gonna be happy with all the bugs. All she can really do is Stomp and Nalin is a big baby, lol. So Shadow, Joey, jump in there! Make it last a couple of rounds at least.))

"Stay in pairs? Shadow and Nalin, me and Amalthea. Darron could watch the house, i-in case Sem comes back?" Shadow huffed his disapproval at being paired up with the whiny wimp, but couldn't be bothered to protest. "Whatever. Come on." But then Amalthea suggested that he and Joey should cover the south end of the town and to meet back up again before dark. "Look, I don't care!" Shadow snarled, showing his teeth and flicking his tail in frustration. "Let's just go already!" Without another word, he glanced at Joey and then marched off down the road.

He had barely been walking for a couple of minutes when a cry for help reached his ears from behind. Shadow whirled around to spot Amalthea and Nalin running away from a large swarm of Pinsir making a beeline straight for them. "Shit!" Shadow turned and charged past the white Rapidash and the Milotic towards the nearest bug. Leaping through the air towards it, he kicked its body and used it to gain a height boost. From there, he fired a Shadow Ball into its rotting hide and sent it flying through the fragile wall of a nearby building. Grinning in triumph, Shadow stood tall with his tail upright and decided that it was about time he reminded these inferiors exactly what he was.

A trained killer.

Sem ... I can be strong as well. He charged for another Pinsir, tackling it to the ground from behind and clamping his jaws around the back of its neck. All the while he couldn't help but wonder ... that strength that Sem had possessed, that willpower ... was it really the same as the power to conquer his enemies? Nonetheless he carried on, determined to protect his acquaintances-- no, his friends. These are my friends. He could almost feel his old, sadistic, violent self starting to die away as he felt the Pinsir's icy cold blood start to seep out of the wound he had made. Sakura, Sem ... thank you.

But then something hit him against his side with enough force to knock all the breath out of him. Shadow found himself flying through the air and crashing into a wall. Spitting out a mouthful of blood, he glared at the Pinsir that had sneak attacked him from the side, possibly trying to protect its compatriot. He tried to get up but pain surged through his torso, and he was forced to flop back down again. "Damn it!" The Pinsir that had attacked him started to advance, clicking together its huge pincers threateningly. The Mightyena barely even had the energy to conjure a Shadow Ball; the pain was getting worse and now traveling down his spine. His vision started to blur as he lowered his head onto the ground, panting in the exertion to stay awake. "Damn ... it..."

“How about Nalin and I take the north end of town and you two can start at the south? We should meet back here at a set time, though, to make sure everyone is alright."

Joey, hiding his disappointment in what he considered Amalthea’s rejection of his company, gave a nod of his head at her new suggestion. Feigning a weak smile, almost apologetic in its nature at his delusion into thinking she would want to accompany a beat-up war horse, he turned to his more disgruntled partner with a sigh. Whilst he liked Shadow, he couldn’t help but feel he’d drawn the short straw at having to deal with the canine’s snappy temperament. Hobbling obediently after the canine, Joey looked over his shoulder to catch a final glimpse of Nalin and Amalthea’s retreating forms.

"Shit!"

All too soon however, they were drawn back to the scene at the sound of screaming.

Whipping around, flames instinctively flaring at the cry of terror, Joey, forgetting the ache of his legs, galloped after Shadow. The sight of the bug pokémon alone drove him onwards, the terror etched onto that ethereal, shiny equine’s face enough to persuade him he had something worth fighting for. The old sensation of fighting to protect rather than out of some horrific need for bloodshed alighted in the Rapidash’s eyes, as a hungry fire built up around his body in a Flame Charge. Stampeding through the bulk of the amassing undead, Joey blocked out the pain of their deadly claws tearing at his body, the flames surrounding him soon spreading to leave the fiery insects writhing in pain. On emergence at the end of the mass, the pain finally hit him. Heaving a breath, nostrils flared, Joey craned his neck to find crimson gashes decorating his white form to add to his collection of aged scars. Still, he hadn’t time to dwell on his own state.

Shadow was launched through the air, Joey’s wide blue eyes latching onto the canine after skimming across the collection of burning Pinsir he’d trampled over. Bucking wildly to deter a pair of the charred bugs, kicking one of which directly in the face to produce an unpleasant crack, Joey legs began propelling to his companion’s aid. Eyes on the Pinsir approaching the felled Mightyena, the Rapidash met the attacker with a powerful Take Down. The bug was launched a distance away on impact as Joey lost his footing, tumbling to the ground with a surprised whinny.

Whilst his aching, bloody body protested, Joey forced himself back to his hooves. A pool of blood splashed the ground where he’d fallen, the equine abruptly looking away in order to preserve his confidence. He’d been through worse, there was always worse times. The adrenaline was a godsend at these times, blocking the pain, the rationality, as the equine lived up to a history of gruesome battles. But it was his comrades he fought for. Rushing to Shadow’s side, the equine, eyes constantly flitting about the area for advancing enemies, gently nudged him with a bloodied hoof.
“Shadow,” He spoke urgently. “You need to get up. I can’t do this alone,”

The Rapidash looked concernedly over to Amalthea and Nalin. Where was Darron? Surely he’d come in handy in such a dire battle. Nalin had shown some potential with those Ice Beams, but Amalthea, he hated the idea of seeing her pretty form in distress. Nalin would take care of her.
“Get out of here!” Joey called to the duo, momentarily leaving Shadow’s side to fend off an approaching Pinsir. Bucking, hooves crashing down atop the creature’s head, the equine didn’t want to admit that at this rate, things looked bleak. He was prepared to die for this group, but he wasn’t willing to see any of them joining him in the afterlife.

Amalthea whinnied in pain as one of the bugs scratched her with its horns, causing her to rear back and Stomp on its head in retaliation. She had to cast a couple of Protects just to keep her and Nalin from getting hit but it wasn't driving them back. Soon she was with the fallen Shadow and Joey, surrounded on all sides by the wicked Pinsir. "What do we do?" She didn't have enough power in her Protect to block all the moves they would encounter, and with so many opponents the move itself would likely fail all together. So what hope was there?

As Nalin watched Shadow actually jump in to defend them he was floored. Maybe...maybe he had been wrong about the asshole mutt? They guy sure had his wires crossed but he was still trying to help, and that counted for something didn't it? When the Pinsir went for the Mightyena Joey was the first to jump in, trying to nudge the hound back to reality, and Nalin knew what he had to do. Jumping in front of the pair he shouted a warning to Joey and Amalthea before letting loose a massive Hydro Pump, blasting a huge hole in the group surrounding them. "Get to where we aren't cornered!" he called breathlessly, trying to recover from the powerful attack. 'Recovery moves would come in handy right about now...'

Nudging Joey slightly to get him moving Amalthea cast a Protect, leading the charge through the hole Nalin made. Nalin waited until Shadow and Joey got away before he started to move, still recovering from his own attack, but as soon as he had the energy that's when the bugs regrouped and swarmed the water serpent. Screaming in terror Nalin had to slap them away with Aqua Tail and a few Ice Beams, but they kept coming back. With no one else to turn to he screamed the first name to come to mind. "DARRON!"

((Don't get too comfy guys, lol. These Pinsir have a wicked leader that I will reveal next round. But for now still go after the big ugly bugs we already have!))

Darron frowned as the others fussed over Sem's absence, desperately trying to come up with a suitable plan to find the bird. While Darron had no qualms with Sem, he wasn't sure the search was really called for. They all knew he was infected, they all knew he'd only be a temporary companion. Why were they so upset that he was suddenly missing? Sure, if one of the others disappeared, it would make more sense. But Sem was already gone in a sense, his infection marking him amongst the ranks of pokemon that had tried killing them multiple times in that day alone. It was like crying over spilt milk... Spilt milk that was rotting and trying to claw out your liver for lunch, at least.

Uncomfortable with the turn of events, Darron silently made his way out the back, not wanting to be a part of the search for Sem. He had never been one to really indulge in things like this, and didn't want to bring up his hopes of finding anything worthwile in this mess of a city. He sighed once he was outside, glad for the sun's dimming rays.

He stared into the sunset, somewhat comforted by its unchanging state. What was he to do now? What was his purpose? He had survived this long, but while his words to Nally earlier to bring the milotic out of his depressive stupor, Darron couldn't help but wonder himself. Was it just to survive? Was it just to keep breathing? Was the only reason he was here because of his self-preservation instinct? Or was it all for naught, all his struggles in this new world to simply become like Sem? An agonizing, terrible fate of unrest and... well, Hell. He didn't know... Was it worth it to survive like this, or to simply die peacefully and naturally while he still had a chance?

The macabre thought shook him, causing him to take a small breath to steady himself. He had never thought of such things before, never delved into that line of thinking. Was this it? Was this going to be the rest of his life? Did he even want that...?

A sound caught his attention, the all-too-familiar groan of undead echoing a little too close for comfort. He turned, spotting a group of pinsir making their way around to the front of the house. Instantly thinking of the others, he made his way around the other side when a thorned vice snatched his middle, piercing his sides. A cry of pain escaped him, and he turned to see one of the pinsir holding him by the large mandibles, squeezing together with a terrible force.

Darron quickly threw a Sunny Day out, trying to ignore the pressure on his quickly giving ribs. It blinded the bug some, but it did little help as the pinsir had already caught him. He fired a Leaf Tornado at the pinsir's limbs, severing them from their mounts and he fell to the ground with the now limbless shell, a groan of pain sounding from him. "Shit..." he whimpered, glancing to the many puncture wounds the pinsir had caused. His sides were even already bruising. But another sound caught his attenion, pulling him away from his own wounds.

"DARRON!"

Nally.

Immediately, he slithered back around the house, finding a terrible amount of pinser fighting the rest of his group, earning a grimace from the serperior. Where the hell had all these useless bugs come from?! He spotted his fellow serpent, writhing in vain against his own personal horde of bugs. His eeys widened, and he acted quickly. "NALLY, GET DOWN NOW!" With the aid of his Sunny Day, he fired a Solarbeam right to the horde, careful not to hit the milotic.

"Shadow ... get up. I can't ... alone."

Even though his struggling consciousness didn't managed to catch the entirety of what Joey had said, he'd gotten the idea. The Dark-type growled as he shakily raised his head from the ground. "Shut up ... I'm trying, damn it!" Even though being hit with such force and being thrown into a brick wall had shaken most of the breath out of the Mightyena, he was feeling the pain start to ease a little. His limbs shaky and his face contorted, he staggered to his feet just as Darron let loose a Solarbeam at the horde, sending most of them flying.

Shadow didn't feel confident enough to try any moving yet, so simply stayed where he was and fired a few Shadow Balls at any remaining stragglers.

"Shut up ... I'm trying, damn it!"

Joey, guilty to have provoked such a vicious reaction, was distracted from the emotion only by the undead’s undying determination spill his blood. His white fur was already stained red, the countless gashes acting a beacon to the hungry creatures swarming the area. His whinnying growing more erratic as the insects’ advanced, his body growing fatigued by blood loss with each passing minute. Bucking, barely keeping the creatures at arm’s length, he stood protectively before the recovering Mightyena, praying for a miracle.

Thankfully, he got Darron.

"NALLY, GET DOWN NOW!"

Flinching at the Serperior’s below but heeding his warning, Joey was awed as the Solarbeam literally ripped through the heart of the horde. Giving a victorious whinny, a smile brightening his scarred face as the spectacle instilled a greater sense of determination in the battered equine, Joey made the most of the adrenaline. Shadow was fending off his attackers with well-aimed Shadow Balls; although unwilling to part with the felled canine, Joey knew his gradual recovery would do a world a good.

It seemed that the odds were finally swinging in their favour.

Amalthea was afraid when everyone escaped the ambush but Nalin, but before she could do anything the boy was already calling for their missing companion. Darron had stayed back at the house, surely there was no way he could hear- "NALLY, GET DOWN NOW!" Well then maybe he could. A brilliant beam of light struck through the insect horde and narrowly missed the Milotic, who had ducked just in time. Seeing that Nalin had his help the white Rapidash turned her attention to the felled Shadow, who was still trying to help by firing attacks into the insects he could reach.

He needed help.

Rushing to Shadow's shack she hoped the hound would forgive her for raiding it, after all she was doing it for him. Digging through the stash off food and berries she came across one last precious Sitrus berry. Not wanting to crush the delicate berry she found a small tin cup and held it in her teeth, scooping up the berry and taking off back to where Joey and Shadow were still hard at battle. As she charged forward she let loose a Protect, guarding her and knocking attacks and their users to the side as she made a path to her companions.

She reached Shadow in moments and skidded to a halt, using Stomp on an encroaching Pinsir. Setting the cup down she looked to see the berry rolling around at the bottom and sighed in relief. "I found it in your things Shadow. It will help you." She then left the Mightyena to his own devices and turned to join Joey in defending the downed creature.

______________

Nalin was as surprised as Amalthea that Darron not only came to his rescue but thought to call out the warning ahead of time to move out of the way. It was almost too close to matter but he did manage to avoid the devastating Solar Beam, which would have hurt like hell had it hit. But upon seeing a clear path to his rescuer the Milotic took leave off all his senses and rushed to Darron, tackling him in a coiled hug. "Thank you!" he cried, completely oblivious to how awkward this was for either of them. Especially in the middle of a battle.

It took a few moments but it finally dawned on him what he was doing and he ripped himself away in embarassment. "Uh...I..." what the hell was there to say to that? "Sorry..." It was pathetic but it would have to do, because at that moment an x-shaped light crashed into his side and knocked the water serpent away. Dazed and injured he looked up to see a red blob hovering over him, barely coming into focus in time to see its claws glowing once again for the same attack. It was a Scizor! Terror gripped Nalin as he threw an Aqua Tail to bat it away and slithered just out of reach. "The hell is a damn Scizor doing here?!" But when he saw the Pinsir gathering around it he knew the answer.

He was leading them.

There was one thing Darron now knew to expect from Nally: unpredictability. The milotic he'd known for so long had an infamous knack for doing or saying things that the serperior could never expect or understand, and what happened after he'd knocked some of the pinsir down would very easily fall into that category of "the fuck just happened" that suited Nally so well.

"Thank you!" Nally cried, launching himself through the window of the horde Darron had just created to tackle the latter, catching him in a hug of coils. Caught completely off guard, Darron could only let it happen, his own body only tense because of his own surprise and the pain throbbing from his twin wounds from the pinsir behind the house. Scarlet eyes wide with shock, he could only stare at Nally as the other very... enthusiastically expressed his gratitude.

It took a small moment for the milotic to come upon the same conclusion Darron had --that this was really, really weird. "Uh...I..." Nally coiled away, seemingly unsure of how to proceed. "Sorry..." Darron could only let out a soft snort, smile growing on his face, despite the pain from his wounds. "Sure thing, buddy." However, the smile was soon replaced with shock as Nally was knocked away by a glowing "X" attack, Darron's eyes following him to make sure he was all right. When Nally regained his composure, his words sunk Darron's boat completely. "The hell is a damn Scizor doing here?!"

He turned to see the dreaded red bug, pinsir swarming around it like some demonic horde of minions. Panic and almost grief came onto Darron's mind, his scales paling a tinge as he knew there was no way he could even harm that thing. No... His best attack wouldn't even make the terrible thing flinch. He looked down to his body, the twin wounds oozing blood. Add the fact that he was already wounded... Oh... FUCK. There was no doubt in his mind. He wasn't making it out of this alive.

Joey hadn’t the time to witness the touching embrace shared between the two serpents, his attention focused on an particularly stubborn Pinsir. He’d stamped on the feral bug enough to render its face as a bloody, unrecognisable pulp and yet it still had the drive to kill. A slash to the equine’s shoulder evoked a shrill whinny, Joey’s patients wearing thin as a Flame Charge ripped through its ungodly form. The Rapidash staggered away, the flames dying down as he turned back to find the threat finally downed.

Darron’s attack had destroyed the bulk of the swarm and now, Amalthea had appeared to offer assistance to the wounded Mightyena. Joey, seeking a moment to catch his breath, hobbled towards the latter, eyes concernedly skimming over the grumpy hound before finding the equine’s pretty features. A smile instantly lit his features, words looking to fall from his mouth when glimpse of a flying, red creature halted his admiration of the female. Staring past her as the Scizor attacked Nalin, its undead followers soon gathering about its form, Joey turned pale.

Whilst fire was a good shot at bringing the demonic creature down, Joey was exhausted. He had a good few Flame Charge attacks left in him, but he was unsure whether his body could withstand it. Unlike the bloody scratches littering his sides, the gash on his shoulder was relatively deep – the blood feverishly oozing down white, weary legs. Still, he couldn’t do nothing. Nostrils flaring, he looked concernedly over to the others, not wanting to barrel into battle whilst the enemy regrouped. It was their patience, the fact they were patient in their attack that unnerved him. Undead weren’t known for their tactics but this leader triggered alarms bells in the Rapidash’s pounding head – it had risen to power amongst the group for a reason.

Mane flaring, Joey took a step in front of Amalthea, not wanting to see her hurt as he awaited the swarm’s first unified move.

As the large red insect backed off, calling his horde to him, Nalin wasted no time in returning to Darron's side. "We have to move while that thing is busy," he hissed in warning, his gaze never breaking from the rusting and cracked armor. The red of its armor was beginning to dull from the damage of battles past, painted in the blood of its victims. Not willing to be the next one to decorate those steel plates the Milotic nudged Darron with his tail before slithering off to the others.

They came across Amalthea trying to get a wounded Shadow to recover and a terror stricken Joey. The female was trying her hardest to comfort both males but was finding herself trapped. There wasn't enough of her to go around. Seeing the stallion taking stance in front of her the white Rapidash felt her heart breaking for him. "Joey, please don't worry about me. You need to take care of yourself." She looked to the ground and her hoof gently scraped against the stone road, a sign of the female's nervousness. "I don't want anyone getting hurt because of me."

Nalin saw how run down Joey was and worry filled him. Amalthea had mentioned before how she had no fire attacks so that would mean that her male counterpart was the only hope they had against the steel bug. "Got your back." Not wanting to waste their only fire power he positioned himself beside the fire horse and waited for the Scizor to make his move. He didn't have to wait long. With an ear piercing screech he ordered his minions to attack and they came in a wave, so while Nalin was busy trying to keep them from getting to Shadow and Amalthea the Scizor used the opportunity to move around the group and head for the downed canine, his arms crossed to form another glowing X.

((Since Night is back I figured I would give her something to do other than whether or not to eat that berry Amalthea got, lol. Scizor coming for you Nighty! <3))