(ACE) The FARAWAY Team

"...er... A Chimchar. His name's Oliver, he has a blue scarf," the strange Ninetales answered. Ah, that explains why he called out to two strangers. Abby realized.  She was glad that the Ninetales didn't find out that this was the same scarf since the implications would be be heart-rending.  

"Uh, that is... really kind of you, but, uh, I'm just passing through. Really," Caine responded to her offer.  He almost seemed to be panicking.  She thought about taking the offer back just to calm him back down, if traveling with them seemed that scary. Then Oracle's curiousity got the better of him, and he asked,"What's your name?"

The Ninetales seemed to stare at the young Eevee for a moment, and he flinched at something that only he could see. "...Caine," he answered quietly after a pause. He seemed to calm down, and the fight or flight look left his eyes.  I wonder if that has to do with the Chimchar he mentioned earlier... If Oliver was a child that he was looking for, then that doe-eyed stare that all Eevee posessed would remind him of his friend. She prayed to the legends that his friend was alright, no matter how unlikely.

Oracle continued with his request, his eyes brighteninging with optimism as he spoke."We could share what we end up coming across. Um... We have a lot of mouths we need to find food for, but... We carry more this way, and having an extra pair of eyes would be useful. Everyone needs to eat." Abby smiled at the young Eevee's attempt at convincing Caine to come along. The Ninetales seemed to be resigning himself as Oracle talked, and this encouraged Abby.

Caine dragged his eyes back to her, after apparently making his decision.  "...Sure. I'll help you guys." Relief graced her features at his answer. She had hoped that Caine would agree to come along, if anything, so that he wouldn't be alone. The scars on his forelegs seemed far too neat and orderly to have been inflicted by an attacker, and she worried about leaving the Ninetales alone.  She had seen scars in a similar pattern once, and she had sensed a great and terrible sadness in that person.

"Thank you, Caine," Abby beamed, "Oracle is right! We need all the hands and paws that we can get." As she finished her encouragement, she thought she heard something in the bushes further off the path.  She turned her head to get a better location on the sound, and she whispered, "I think I hear something..."  She debated leaving the group behind to investigate, but she didn't like the idea of leaving them behind for multiple reasons. "Caine, did you see anyone else around here?" she inquired quietly.  Her wings were prepped for immediate take off in case a fight came to them, and her eyes bore a look of determination.  She'd protect these two as best as she could.

((OOC: Nyra, if you don't think Abby would have heard Marvin, just message me, and I'll edit.))

If Oracle noticed the Fire type's flinching, he didn't draw any visible attention to it, instead smiling brightly at the unfamiliar Pokemon. Perhaps it was naive of him to be so trusting towards an individual he had just met, but he was alive, and he wasn't infected, and the Eevee had spent so long wandering aimlessly and hiding from the dead that he found himself tentatively trusting towards anyone with a pulse. "It's nice to meet you!" He said, dipping his head ever so slightly- just as his Mother had taught him to, of course. The very thought caused something to twinge painfully inside of him, though he tried his hardest to ignore it. He had been groomed to become a benevolent leader of his clan, and not only had he abandoned his fellow Pokemon in a moment of weakness, but it was uncertain whether Oracle would ever manage to find his way back home again. ... If that's the case, then maybe it's better this way. Goddesses, I wouldn't have been a very good leader. Not like this...

"...Sure. I'll help you guys." The response managed to shake him out of his thoughts, and he blinked, expression cheerful. It was a relief, not only because there was power to be found in numbers, but because he genuinely wanted to help another Pokemon, even if he was only passing through the area. "Thank you, Caine. Oracle is right! We need all the hands and paws that we can get." Because Abby had already thanked him, he settled for nodding in agreement with the statement.

Of course, his cheerful mood couldn't last forever.

"I think I hear something... Caine, did you see anyone else around here?" The niggling need to decide between fight or flight rose back up in his consciousness again at the first sign of danger, and Oracle inhaled sharply, hating his cowardice. "Do you think something could have been disturbed by... What happened yesterday?" Images of vicious, undead monsters flashed through his head- he had barely explored even a fraction of the island thus far, after all; who knew what could have been lurking about.

"The gible..." Feeling the fur along his spine twitching Lone can only wonder what has come of his dragon friend. Could he blame her? Did he blame her? Was he going to say anything? Was it irrelevant or being withheld? He grits his teeth, still surprised by new size of them since evolving. Evolving.. Phantom pain runs down the length of his body. The Togetic had since healed his wounds but the aching still lingers in a form which he does not hold. Wounds didn't last forever and in this day neither did death. So what if he got someone killed? Not like the curse hasn't done that many times over already.

"Understood." A massive breath puffs out of the Vaporeons lungs but her scales are still flaring and sensitive. Did that mean he believed her, he knew she had done nothing wrong? The hard vibrations of her pounding heart pulse through her body. Is it audible..? The feeling was overwhelming for her but she doesn't even know if it makes a noise.. "Well? What do the rest of you have to say about this?" While her eyes had never left Javolt TD was forcibly brought back to full focus upon his face. He.. that did seem like he believed her willingly. Another weight starts to crush her shoulders.

The Manectric comes closer, too close for comfort then further until the stressed Water Type must skitter out of the way with a squeak. He was not coming for her, thankfully, but Rokai instead. The Houndoom was completely innocent what could he want with him! Javolt says something she can not catch. "You said something earlier when Miss Dragon was testifying. What was it?" Feeling the cramped space once more the Vaporeon takes another step back and is careful not to bump into Katyusha as best she can. "Tiny Dragon did nothing to hurt, much less kill him." The tiniest smile creeps along the corners of her mouth. Katyusha believed her, just like before she knew she had only tried to help! "I, I had healing berries!"

Lone growls, finding himself pacing uncomfortably along the entrance of the cave. This reminded him so much of before.. the conversation, or in this case trial, just going in circles with nothing new being added. His stomach growls. The other members of their group were off finding food but what is they never come back? What if they dipped and wanted no part of this? Im starving.. It had been well over two, maybe three days since he had eaten. Couldn't they put this bullshit on hold and eat first? No, 'justice must be served' and to ask for it to wait would be suspicious. The Phanteon forces himself to sit. Oh how he wanted to scream 'so whats the verdict' but keeps his jaws shut. It would end one way or another.. he just hoped everyone had the stomach for it.

The longer this dragged on, the more jumpy Rokai got. His posture was stiff as he watched Javolt, his emerald eyes almost burning holes into the cave wall behind the Manectric. "Understood." Blinking, Rokai forced himself to relax as Javolt looked at their small posse of five. "Well? What do the rest of you have to say about this?" The Houndoom clenched his jaw. Should he mention the meteors?

"You said something earlier when Miss Dragon was testifying. What was it?" Startled from his thoughts, emerald eyes met icy blue ones. He had said something..? Oh, right. Rokai took in a deep breath, looking over at Tiny Dragon for a moment, then over to Katyusha. "Tiny Dragon did nothing to hurt, much less kill him." So, it seemed they were all mostly on the same page, Kat, TD and Rokai were all sure that they were all innocent, while Lone still believed one of them was guilty and Javolt... Who knew what was going through the old canine's mind.

"I, I had healing berries!" Finally Rokai's mind started on a set track. He still needed to say something to Javolt. Finally after what felt like an eternity, Rokai took a deep breath to start his 'testimony', so to speak.

"I don't know how helpful this'd be, but before TinyDragon took Lone, there was some sort of an attack, and there were meteors, raining down everywhere. As far as I can tell, none of us have the ability to summon these meteors, and from what little I saw, they might of been the things that killed Lone." He said, gaze unwavering as he stood a little taller. Surely Javolt would see the fact that none of them could use the move that had brought those deadly fireballs down, and they would be declared innocent.

"Understood." The aging manetric stated and with that, everyone seemed to go silent and wait with bated breath for what would come next. Would he agree with TD's testimony? Did he have a theory of his own? "Well? What do the rest of you have to say about this?" Again, nothing. No one wanted to be the one at the stand it seemed. Katyusha gulped, over thinking every possible comment she could make until the electric-type spoke again and decided himself where to take the conversation next. "You said something earlier when Miss Dragon was testifying. What was it?"

The ninetales' eyes follow the canine as he comes to stand directly in front of Rokai. Beside her, the vulpine notices Tiny Dragon is backing away from the confrontation. Katyusha herself stiffens from the tension in the air. "I don't know how helpful this'd be, but before TinyDragon took Lone, there was some sort of an attack, and there were meteors, raining down everywhere. As far as I can tell, none of us have the ability to summon these meteors, and from what little I saw, they might of been the things that killed Lone."

"I-I only know of one move involving meteors--draco meteor. If that was the cause of death, it would be illogical for any of us to be the killer. It can only be learned by dragon-types, which none of us are....just like the title..." The fire-type trails off, unsure how to finish her thought and worried she rambled.

---

Marvin's ears twitch at the sound of muffled voices. Perhaps he had strayed farther than he thought...The skuntank pauses in his forging, hoping to catch some of the words. However, nothing can be discerned. Wait--did that last phrase sound different? More than one 'mon maybe? Creeping with his belly closer to the ground, the poison-type stalks closer. He had to know what he was up against. Perhaps it was a bit foolish, this guys could be anyone, but the risk was outweighed by the anxiety of uncertainty.

The closer he gets, the more he can make out, but only in fragments. along with a sharp inhale and the flutter of wings. Heard something did they? Guess I need to be more careful. The closer he gets, the more familiar one of the pokemon in particular becomes even while lacking grandiose tails...Long time no see one-tail and I thought you weren't the friend-making type.


((ooc: Feel free to sense/smell/run into/notice Marvin.))

The Manectric weighs the evidence.
So far it appears reaching a verdict was going to be difficult. Everything depended on the testimony of others; if there were no further points to be made he would have to execute Tinydragon as the main suspect.
"I don't know how helpful this'd be, but before TinyDragon took Lone, there was some sort of an attack, and there were meteors, raining down everywhere. As far as I can tell, none of us have the ability to summon these meteors, and from what little I saw, they might of been the things that killed Lone." The Houndoom speaks up. He stands tall and confident in front of Javolt, speaking with conviction.
He wants to tell the truth.
Lone has been struck from behind by an unidentified assailant and approached by the Vaporeon while dying. It appears that her attempt to render aid was mistaken as an attempt to finish him off by the strange ghost. However the real killer...
"I-I only know of one move involving meteors--draco meteor. If that was the cause of death, it would be illogical for any of us to be the killer. It can only be learned by dragon-types, which none of us are....just like the title..." The Ninetales with the strange fur markings begins to babble in her eagerness to share. Her voice has none of the composure of the Houndoom's but it also sounds like an honest statement.
Javolt had not served in forensics but he knew enough to know that the other Fire Type's statement was entirely correct. Draco Meteor was a move with a wide destructive area and enough power to kill. However none of the party were Dragon Types and thus could not have been the ones that summoned it. The Gible mentioned earlier was the only party capable of such a move.
Things were not settled however. Manslaughter was still a crime and if this Gible was responsible they would have to be hunted down and put to justice. Until then there was nothing else he could do here.
"If no-one has anything else to add then Court is adjourned." He stands and pads over the entrance of the cave.
"I will need to closely examine the crime scene before I can make a final verdict but for now there's no compelling evidence for me to detain you and we all need to eat."
He draws himself up like a military hound.
"Dismissed!" He barks.

The soft sounds of movement continued, and this helped Abby to get a better idea of where they were coming from. She focused on the direction they were coming from, and her downy feathers started sparking with electricity.  If it was something that planned on attacking, she was going to paralyze it immediatley. Near her, Oracle inaled sharply, and asked "Do you think something could have been disturbed by... What happened yesterday?"

"It's possible," Abby quietly answered. There were multiple things that it could be. There was even a chance that this was just a pokemon that had been displaced by the fire.  Unfortunatley, until the unknown was revealed, it was better to assume something was an enemy unless proved otherwise. She kept her eyes on the area where the sounds were coming from when they suddenly stopped, and she saw a flash of purple and beige in the spaces between the foliage.  There was also a glint of a pair of eyes, but she couldn't distinguish much else. "Not glowing red..." she whispers to herself.  That was promising, at least, but the undead weren't the only threats to the living.

She quietly requested of her two companions, "If this thing attacks, run. I'll try to paralyze it and fly off, and we can meet back at the cave."  She didn't want them getting hurt unnecessarily, and it would be easy for her to find the cave again from the sky. However, she couldn't make herself attack for no reason. There was a chance that this thing was just lost and scared because of the fire. "We know you're there." she says loudly enough for the hidden creature to hear, but not so loud it would attract other things. "If you come out peacefully, I won't attack you."

Oracle was scared.

He was getting a bit sick of being scared all the time, to be honest; it was becoming less of a fleeting emotion to experience when it was strictly necessary and more of a state of being. A part of him wished he was stronger, so he wouldn't have to be afraid anymore, but his pessimistic side felt the need to remind him that, with the way the world had become, such a thing was all but impossible. "If this thing attacks, run. I'll try to paralyze it and fly off, and we can meet back at the cave." He blinked in response to that, glancing at the Togetic with an uncertain frown on his face. It seemed like a relatively sound tactic in theory, and the Eevee certainly knew if there was one thing he was good at, it was running away, but there was one thing so glaringly wrong with the plan that he couldn't possibly ignore.

"I don't want to leave you alone to fend for yourself if it's hostile." Oracle muttered, ears and tail drooping ever so slightly as he spoke. "What if you end up getting hurt?" What if someone couldn't find their way back to the cave? There were a million ways he could see things going terribly wrong- which was probably in part due to the fact that he was nervous and thinking harder about things than he really needed to. "If there's only one thing there, only one Pokemon, wouldn't we have a better chance if we took it on together? There's three of us and only one of them, and I'm sure if things go wrong, we could always run away, but..." He had just found a group of nice Pokemon again after being alone for so long, and quite frankly, he was terrified of losing them.

"... I hope they're friendly." He muttered to himself with a sigh.

Abby smiled at him. "Thank you, Caine," she seemed to praise him. Odd. He had not done anything right. Distrustful eyes grew more wary than hostile. What could a bleeding heart Togetic and a baby Eevee do to him anyway? He just nodded numbly. "Oracle is right! We need all the hands and paws that we can get."

"Glad to help," he murmured, but his mind was far away. Oliver. Where are you?

Suddenly, though, they all froze. "I think I hear something," Abby whispered as Caine lifted his head up high. Perking tall ears, he heard little, but could scent something. The smell of... illness. A poison type. His lips curled even before the Togetic asked him, "Caine, did you see anyone else around here?"

"Oh, I saw someone before alright," he huffed unhappily. "A Skuntank. Coward must still be hiding."

Oracle, though, grew fearful, asking in a hushed tone, "Do you think something could have been disturbed by... What happened yesterday?"

Caine frowned, shaking his head. No, no he doubted that... The skunk had seemed just as put off by the surroundings as he had been. "I doubt it," he said bluntly.

Abby was staring behind him, her eyes sharp. The Ninetales slowly turned, stepping to block the pair from whatever it was, if it were the Skuntank or not. Despite his protective stature, though, the fairy had other plans: "If this thing attacks, run. I'll try to paralyze it and fly off, and we can meet back at the cave."

Cain whips his head around, staring at her with surprised violet eyes as Oracle protests before the fire type could speak. "I don't want to leave you alone to fend for yourself if it's hostile. What if you end up getting hurt?" He narrowed his gaze, eyes hardening as Caine nodded, agreeing with the Eevee.

"I ain't leaving you to some fuck alone, Abby," he growled.

"If there's only one thing there, only one Pokemon, wouldn't we have a better chance if we took it on together? There's three of us and only one of them." Caine looked to Oracle from the corner of his eye, nodding again approvingly.

"We stand together," he agreed.

"We know you're there. If you come out peacefully, I won't attack you." After Abby's call out to the stranger, Caine waved his tail in the air, feeling heat accumulate around it in the breeze behind him. He would have a heat wave ready, though the fox would have to jump forward, in front of his companions, to avoid harming them.

"You're outnumbered," Caine added his thinly veiled threat with Abby's.

"I don't know how helpful this'd be, but before TinyDragon took Lone, there was some sort of an attack, and there were meteors, raining down everywhere. As far as I can tell, none of us have the ability to summon these meteors, and from what little I saw, they might of been the things that killed Lone." The Phanteon stops pacing. His gaze grows distant as once more the scene flashes across his ruby eyes. The rainstorm of fire and death, the Linoone's turning to fluid as the massive stones obliterated their rotten bodies. The ground caving beneath the might of the meteors before they vanished and all turning to death. Then they hit.. him..

"I-I only know of one move involving meteors--draco meteor. If that was the cause of death, it would be illogical for any of us to be the killer. It can only be learned by dragon-types, which none of us are....just like the title..." Slinking his line of sight slowly across the room Lone stares at the Ninetales. Illogical is it. He had seen stranger things then a Pokemon knowing a move it shouldn't naturally be able to use. I freaking died and then evolved, coming back to life in the process! However, he was not angry anymore and didn't scoff at the Ninetales words. Something washed over the male similar to relief as he watched the Vaporeon let go of a giant breathe that was too big for her tiny chest. Doing the same he can assume they are thinking the same thing- She's safe, at least for now.

"If no-one has anything else to add then Court is adjourned." The Manetric concludes. "I will need to closely examine the crime scene before I can make a final verdict but for now there's no compelling evidence for me to detain you and we all need to eat." "Do you need me to go with you?" He asks unenthusiastically. Seemed this court thing wasn't going to die until a proper conclusion is reached. So be it. He tells himself as he turns to leave. "Dismissed!" With a small sigh the Ghost Type muses quietly to himself, "Funny her name is TinyDragon." and he walks out of the cave, letting the sunlight pierce his purple, spectral form.

The Vaporeon looks to both her friends with the biggest eyes ever. Thank you..! They say so earnestly that her tail starts to wag slightly. Javolt seemed to finally understand that she was innocent, that this was all a big misunderstanding like they had explained to Lone before so many times over!
Her paws start to shake once more. She.. was lucky. It seemed so often that she couldn't help herself and needed others to do it for her. But, I have others who care. A warmth swells in her chest and TD beams a smile at her dark-furred companions. They were all friends and, if she could, she would do the same for them!

Javolt dismisses them but her mind is still swirling with thoughts on what just happened. Staying low to the ground the Water Type skitters out of the cave and into the small clearing. Her stomach was nothing but knots and the idea of eating hadn't even crossed her mind. Without looking back she pelts into the shrubs she takes in a deep breath, grateful that last nights fires hadn't quite made it this far. Racing along through the trees she can not stop her paws as she is wrapped up in her thoughts. I could of just died.. The thought is as heavy as a stone. And it wouldn't of been the undead but my.. companions..

Icy claws tickle at her scales and without thinking the Vaporeon slows to a halt. "They wanted to kill me.." The whine barely whispers out of her mouth but the words are as clear as day. It hits once more that death was moments away and the youth squashes herself to the ground, huddling into a small ball. A new thought pulses through her thats even scarier.. Why Lone.. why do you hate me so?

((OOC:Skip, lost my post and can't get it back. Chrome refuses to work and I have to redownload it.))

"We know you're there."

Marvin tenses. The skuntank had known they were there and cautious, but it appears they have sensed him as well...At first, he makes no movements to either reveal nor conceal himself. Still as a rock, the skunk watches the small party more closely. The eevee sure looked ready to sprint. Wasn't that species known for that? The poison-type focuses on Oracle, straining his ears to hear the hushed, nervous words he speaks. Run...fighting...more of us... He repeats to himself mentally as he gleams information.

Any hope Marvin might have had of the party simply losing interest and moving on evaporates as Caine adds his input. "We stand together." Ugh. "You're outnumbered." Now he didn't need to be a genius to know what the canine meant. 'Don't do anything stupid' along with a 'show yourself' and the most important part 'I'll kick your ass.' There really was no nice way out of this one, so picking the lesser of two evils, the skuntank steps out of the foliage. "So then, I'm a coward for not buddying up right away?" Marvin comments, bringing himself out fully to stand before the three pokemon.

His stance was as relaxed as it could be when facing three strangers in the post-apocalyptic hell. They could technically be anyone. However, as he looks to each of the 'mon in turn, he doubts at least 2/3 of them are really interested in brawling with him. The togetic wore a symbol he remembers seeing on medical devices and buildings, a healer if anything. Eevee ready to bolt and his 'acquaintance' one-tail who would be the other 1/3. "I'm not here to waste energy on a fight." Marvin sits down, as if to emphasize the point though his eyes remain coolly on each movement made by the others...just in case...

---

"Dismissed!" And like that, it's over. At least, for the moment. There is no evidence against any of them, and as the weight of the trial starts to slide from her shoulders, Katyusha lets off a sigh of relief. The ninetales has to fight the urge to flop to the ground. The relief and dropping adrenaline really reminding her how little sleep she actually got and how yesterday played out...had it only been one day ago this all happened?

A gurgling from her stomach wins over against fatigue. When was the last time she ate...? Katyusha couldn't recall, but out of reflex, as TinyDragon charges out from the cave and into the woods, she follows. Surely they would go together to look for food, right? The thought of getting cornered alone with an undead...it sent shivers up the vulpine's spine despite the warm tropical air. "TinyDragon! Slow down I'm-" As if on cue, before she can finish her sentence, the vaporeon is slowing to a halt. "TinyDragon...?" Katyusha asks softly, though she wonders if the other 'mon is listening. Something was off... "They wanted to kill me.."

Completely lost for words, the fire-type grits her teeth against the uncomfortable truth. She considers moving closer, telling TD it will be alright, offering an encouraging nod or shoulder touch, but her paws remain firmly rooted. This was serious...they might have tried to kill her. Javolt could have taken any one's side, they didn't know him, but here he was as their judge. "I would have battled on your side...if it came to that..."

The grizzled Manectric steps out into the morning light as well. The cave was not the most comfortable place to rest and his old bones didn't react well to a night on cold stone but that was the complaints of an old body and there was nothing that could cure that.
The air still smells of wet charcoal. The fire has burnt out in the night, leaving the formerly green little island with a scar at its heart. Some of the largest trees, by benefit of their thick bark, will grow on but for the others the blankets of leaves was their kindling. It is a scene of grim death, the old ashes left after a great fire. It'll be many years before the forest heals.
"Funny her name is TinyDragon." The strange ghost mentions as he leaves the cave.
"The trial isn't over yet." The Manectric is quick to reassure the ghost. "There may be an execution yet. Currently food is our priority."
The Electric Type stands tall to address the group.
"Be wary; there will embers sheltered by ash that will flare up if exposed. Don't go poking at anything." He warns with a growl. Most of the fire has burnt out but they aren't prepare to handle flareups. Stepping in the wrong place could cause a painful burn.

Abby wasn't sure if she should feel relieved or scared that her companions refused to leave her. "I don't want to leave you alone to fend for yourself if it's hostile. What if you end up getting hurt?" Oracle quietly inqured as his ears and tail drooped. Frankly, as long as these two weren't hurt, she'd be perfectly okay with getting injured. However, the fact that the Eevee wanted to stay, even though it looked like he wanted to run so badly, gave her pause.

Caine nodded at Oracle's statement and question, and his violet eyes took on a determined look. "I ain't leaving you to some fuck alone, Abby," he added. These Pokemon wanted to stand with her, even if the fight could be dangerous... Her training had never really accounted for that, and the idea warmed her heart while simultaneously worrying her. It had always been that she was supposed to protect her charge at all costs, but here were two Pokemon that she didn't know well who were worried about her well being.

If there's only one thing there, only one Pokemon, wouldn't we have a better chance if we took it on together? There's three of us and only one of them, and I'm sure if things go wrong, we could always run away, but..." Oracle continued, though a little unsure. He had a logical argument, and also, he seemed scared at the idea of losing her. She couldn't disagree with his sentiments.

"We stand together," Caine stated with a finality that left no more room for argument and nodded in agreement with the Eevee. Then, he directed towards the unknown thing that was stalking them, "You're outnumbered." Standing near the Ninetales, she could feel the heat building up behind his tail in preparation for an attack. Probably a fire move of some sort. Considering that her feathers were still sparking, she couldn't blame the fire fox for preparing a move as well.

"... I hope they're friendly." Oracle mutters, and Abby can't help but feel the same on the whole matter. "I hope so too..." she murmurs back to the nervous Eevee.

Eventually, she hears the foliage move as the unknown thing moved towards them. A purple skunk walked out calmly, and he commented, "So then, I'm a coward for not buddying up right away?" Okay, good, not infected or undead, and he's not attacking immediately.He moved carefully, as if trying to make himself not  threatening. Which, considering the situation, was a really good idea.
"I'm not here to waste energy on a fight," He placated and sat down. He kept his eyes on them, probably to guage their reactions.

"I don't want to fight either," Abby began, and she then explained, "Lurking around like that put us on edge." She wasn't getting any feelings of wrongness from this Pokemon either, and that helped make her decision. She dropped the sparks from her wings in a show of peace. "You don't seem like a bad sort, but we needed to make sure," she carefully walked forward with her hands where the Pokemon could see them. "We're just looking for food and water right now."

"Oh, I saw someone before alright. A Skuntank. Coward must still be hiding." Oracle's ears pricked up at the unfamiliar word. A Skuntank? Living in relative seclusion with his clan had left the Normal type completely clueless about other species of Pokemon save for a small handful. He had encountered a few here and there on his travels, of course- though only a portion of those were friendly and didn't try to harm him, and even fewer took pity on the Eevee long enough to try to stay with him for more than a couple days at a time- but that was apparently only a fraction of the innumerable types living in the world outside of the bubble he had been raised in. "Were they... Friendly, at least?" Oracle asked tentatively. He hoped so; dealing with the vicious and diseased was difficult to begin with, and conflicts with the living only served to complicate things.

They were all trapped on the same island together, after all. The Eevee knew what it was like to have to rely on a small group of other Pokemon in order to survive; he had grown up under such conditions. Conflict was inevitable- dealing with it was the difficult part.

"So then, I'm a coward for not buddying up right away?" He glanced over at the sound of the unfamiliar voice, blinking curiously at the Poison type. He didn't look sick. That was good, wasn't it? And from the sound of things, he seemed to be the very same Pokemon the Ninetales had encountered- certainly his words implied a sort of familiarity, though Oracle couldn't quite go so far as to call it friendliness. He allowed himself to relax a fraction despite himself; seeing what they were dealing with was a lot less stressful than facing down a mysterious foe. "I'm not here to waste energy on a fight."

"I don't want to fight either. Lurking around like that put us on edge."

"Well, that's good then, right?" Oracle blurted, taking a step closer while the bones on his necklace clicked from the movement. "Neither party here is looking for a fight; we're just looking after our own- all of us. We don't want to hurt you and," he hesitated, "you... Don't want to hurt us." The Normal type could only hope. "So there shouldn't be a problem, then. We can... Relax. A little." As much as one could, anyways.

The one who came out both dissappointed and irritated the Ninetales, watching as the stupid skunk he had anticipated indeed waltzed out of the bush. "So then, I'm a coward for not buddying up right away?" Caine curled his lip, the hot air around his flared tail popping. But the Skuntank stood down almost immediately, dashing his chance of burning the stupid purple fur off his body. "I'm not here to waste energy on a fight."

Caine continued to glare. "Getting a little comfy, fucker." The fox did not at all like the way he sat down like there was not a care in the world. He would have taken on the poison type one on one if he thought Abby would allow it.

"I don't want to fight either," The Togetic amended, causing Caine to give a sullen look towards the fairy. She was totally ruining the fun. "Lurking around like that put us on edge."

As Abby dropped the thunder wave, Caine gave an exaggerated sigh. "Can't I at least singe his whiskers off?" he begged, but he dispersed the heat wave technique without really waiting for a response, already knowing well enough she wouldn't allow it. His violet eyes were hard as he watched the show of peace from the fairy.

"We're just looking for food and water right now," Abby explained, showing her paws as to try and quell any more hostility from the skunk. Caine half dared him to attack the gentle flying type. Give me a excuse to burn you to a crisp after last night, you dick.

"Well, that's good then, right? Neither party here is looking for a fight; we're just looking after our own- all of us. We don't want to hurt you and..." Oracle naive desperation for someone else to join them was almost painful to the fox's ears. "You... Don't want to hurt us." Did the Eevee just act like that with every living soul they came across? Growing sullen, the fire type dropped his tail low, flicking unhappily along the ground like a cat. "So there shouldn't be a problem, then. We can... Relax. A little."

"I wouldn't relax around someone we just found, Oracle," he pointed out gruffly, knowing just how hypocritical he sounded. "How do we know what his intentions are? So far he just looks like a lazy ass who likes creeping on a girl and a child," he growled, in a low tone, the challange clear.

TD can not relax her breathing, can not stop her scales from creeping, her mind from racing. She was just in a trial discussing her innocence over a murder! A murder of a Pokemon who was present and told the truth so many times over. Her thick tail sweeps across the grass, as the fire hadn't made it to this part of the island it seemed, and came close to her shaking body. Why.. What had she done to make the Phanteon resent her so..? Did he, did he want to di- With a small squeak she can't even finish such an awful thought. Suddenly the feeling of being watched tickles in her mind and the anxious Water Type turns her head and see Katyusha. Not expecting the fox TD jumps, visibly flinching as she half stumbles to her paws. How long had she been standing there? "Kat.." Is all she can mumble, her mouth feeling like it was full of stones with all she had inside.

"I would have battled on your side...if it came to that..." TinyDragon lets out the tiniest breath. Another wave of anguish pressing down on her. "k-ka.. t.." Tears bulge at the corners of her aqua eyes, jaw trembling hard as she can no longer hold the feelings in. Crumpling to the ground the delicate flowers cries and wails while her forepaws cover her eyes. The little salty water drops roll down her cheeks and merge into a the grass. "What ded I do wrong!" The words are surprisingly clear. "He wants me dead I dedn't do anyfing!" He had to hate or something but the Vaporeon didn't have the answer to the most important question. "Why?" She sobs at Katyusha, peaking out from behind her paws, "Why does eh want to kill meh?" There was no way he still believed her to be a murderer.. and he couldn't after the trial. So then what was his motive..?


The Phanteon lets his mind slip until he is focusing on nothing. Shrugging, he concludes he is not needed and starts to wander off in a random direction. The crisp smell of morning should of piqued his interest along with the raw knotting of his stomach but Lone's thoughts just couldn't focus on food. Leaves and ash crunch underfoot, wind whipping in the trees. What the fuck am I doing? He lets out a small sigh, staring blankly at the treetops and sky above. This was such a peaceful place, why was he insistent on making it no more then a land of death and suffering? How many have died to my Curse in the last day..? He doesn't wish to count.

He paws at his muzzle to keep the sick thought at bay. New, much larger claws scratch the delicate skin on his face and are stained red once more with blood both new and old. Yelping with pain the Phanteon bucks, backing up a few steps and bumping into a tree. The touch is unsettling and he turns with a jump back, hissing loudly at the tree. Who the fuck was- his tail brushes against another tree. Was nature ganging up on him?! Increasing the volume of his hiss the Phanteon raises a paw and slashes at the cedar tree before him only to watch his paw move harmlessly through the bark. "What the fuck?!" He speaks harshly with a sibilant tone under his breath, backpedaling away from every tree before stopping to look at his paw. It.. looked completely normal for his new evolution (for what he knew at least) and the tree had not a mark on it. Waving the foot a bit in the air there is nothing strange about it but he just saw it go through a tree. "That's not fucking normal."

A bird takes off from the branches above and Lone flinches, stiffening into a defensive stance. "Spying on me you little shit?!" He barks but the bird is too far already to even see what species it was. A growl rumbles in his throat and the Phanteon starts to move on from his position, head down and eyes dark.

((OOC: Skip, I need time to get back into the swing of posting after a few familial issues.))

Marvin observed with an internal sigh of relief as one by one the others dissipate their attacks. Of course, the fox was the last to do so. That fire-type would probably kill to get a blow in...at least judging by his glaring and pointed comments. "Getting a little comfy, fucker." Great, now with that off his chest, was he free to go? Next it was the fairy, "I don't want to fight either," A despairing look is sent the togetic's way at the comment, one the skuntank does not miss. "Lurking around like that put us on edge." Slowly releasing a pent-up breath, the skunk speaks again. "There's more dead things on this island than living. I'll take my chances lurking instead of charging through the bushes."

Seriously, if it weren't for mother of all explosions and fire storms yesterday, how many undead would be dragging themselves after this little gathering? "Well, that's good then, right? Neither party here is looking for a fight; we're just looking after our own- all of us. We don't want to hurt you and..." A purple ear twitches at the unfamiliar voice pulling him from his own thoughts. For the first time, Marvin looks to the eevee for more than a quick glance. He practically oozed uncertainty.

"Neither party here is looking for a fight; we're just looking after our own- all of us. We don't want to hurt you and," But despite this, and to Marvin's great surprise, the normal-type advances towards him. "you... Don't want to hurt us." The poison-type's eyes fall instinctively to the bone necklace at the gentle chiming it makes. "You said you're looking for food? Aren't you a hunter or something with all those bones--"

"How do we know what his intentions are? So far he just looks like a lazy ass who likes creeping on a girl and a child," Right on queue. The closest thing to amusement the skunk's felt all week rises inside him, spreading maw into a small grin. "I didn't know you three were so close. How long have you known them fox? Since dawn maybe? Why are you more trustworthy than me? I'd love to know."

---

"k-ka.. t.." The vulpine's heart wrenches as the water-type crumples before her. Tears streaming down her face, jaw trembling...briefly she wonders how she made it through the trial without such tears. The most likely cause was likely shock..."He wants me dead I dedn't do anyfing!" The words rang surprisingly clear through the morning air, easily doubling the ninetales' unease with their current predicament. "I know you didn't." She was not a lawyer nor by any means very skilled in social circumstances but...she needed to do something, say something...

"Why?" Katyusha bites her lip, sitting down carefully beside TD so not to misplace a tail. "He...he needs someone to blame I think...I imagine becoming a ghost to be a very stressful event." Bowing her head emphatically towards the water-type attempts again to find words of comfort to say. "He's just not right...in this physical event nor mentally by my observations.."

The grizzled Manectric looked out on the burnt woods. The linger scent of charred wood makes tracking difficult. He will need guidance to investigate the scene of the crime. For now he raises his greying muzzle upwards and sniffs the air. Where were the others, Abby and the little eevee? He had promised to find them when the trial was over and, though it was merely on hold, he couldn't let any ills before pokemon under his charge without it being a miscarriage of justice. He had a duty to protect them.
"I am going to locate Abby and Oracle." He informs the group. "If anything untoward happens while I am gone, expect punishment. Until then, Ninetales, Houndoom, stay with the Vaporeon to make sure she's safe. I don't know where the ghost has gotten to but for now you're under protective custody."
He tosses his head so his golden badge gleams.
"Take care while I am gone. I advise against being alone. There is still a killer after all."
With his advice dispensed the Manectric gives a curt nod to the group and walks off among the burnt trees. The fire had raged most ferociously, the bed of needles that had been there only a day before had become a layer of grimy ash that clung to his paws. The electric canine sneezed.
Ash, ash was a strong smell. His handler had explained how criminals were fond of fire for destroying evidence. The thick smell of smoke masked incriminating scents and the flames themselves would burn up nearly anything. Too many times they had tracked a criminal to find the trail ending in a barrel of ashes. Javolt growls under his breath. Now the smell is making his skin itch. Fire, fire was the enemy.
An image flickers in his mind, open jaws dribbling molten rock as a glow like a pilot light flickered in a cavernous throat then...
The elderly Manetric flinches at the remembered frames then grows under his breath, snapping at his foreleg to berate himself for such a flight of fantasy. The fire was out now, all that mattered was trying to find the scent of a Togetic among the heavy scent of burnt woodland.
He walked deeper into the woods.

Despite the Skuntank's show of peace, Caine was still on edge. "Getting a little comfy, fucker," he spat. It was likely this was definitely the same Skuntank Caine had mentioned earlier. Since the Ninetales didn't outright attack him and was choosing to be snide with the skunk Pokemon, she guessed that their previous meeting was antagonistic, but not one that came to blows. Unless the skunk outright attacked, there was no need to actually fight. "Can't I at least singe his whiskers off?" Caine whined. However, he already seemed to know the answer as he dispersed the heat that had been accumulating behind his tail.

The skuntank completely ignored Caine's outburst and question and instead addressed Abby's own statement. "There's more dead things on this island than living. I'll take my chances lurking instead of charging through the bushes." Honestly, she couldn't argue the poison/dark Pokemon's logic there. It was easier to deal with a fight that never happened than being surprised and attacked. She guiltily realized that she and Oracle had not been careful when they had walked away from the cave, and the idea that her foolishness could have gotten the young Eevee killed hurt a lot. The legends had been favorable to them in that the only Pokemon they had run into had been living ones that didn't wish harm upon them.

Oracle stepped towards the Skuntank, "Well, that's good then, right? Neither party here is looking for a fight; we're just looking after our own- all of us. We don't want to hurt you and, you... Don't want to hurt us. So there shouldn't be a problem, then. We can... Relax. A little." He seemed so nervous as he tried to convince everyone to calm down. It almost looked like he was trying to convince himself just as much as the other pokemon

The Skuntank focused his gaze on the Eevee, Oracle's words and movement catching his attention. He inquired, "You said you're looking for food? Aren't you a hunter or something with all those bones--"

Caine interrupted, "I wouldn't relax around someone we just found, Oracle." Considering that they had just met the Ninetales as well, Caine really didn't have much room to talk on that matter. However, he had already proved he meant no harm when the fire type's first reaction to danger was to stand between them and the sound. "How do we know what his intentions are? So far he just looks like a lazy ass who likes creeping on a girl and a child," he snarled at the skunk Pokemon.

Instead of making the purple skunk angry, the comment seemed to amuse him. He had a smile when he retorted, "I didn't know you three were so close. How long have you known them fox? Since dawn maybe? Why are you more trustworthy than me? I'd love to know."

If they kept going like this, one of them was going to snap and attack the other. Given the smug look on the Skuntank and Caine's hostility, Abby was willing to bet that Caine would be the one to attack first.   Legends... I need to stop this before it gets out of hand.... While she was usually all for making friends, she got the impression that the Skuntank didn't want that. Since he wasn't attacking nor trying to be friendly, Abby figured that he preferred to be on his own. "My apologies for bothering you, sir. If you wish, we shall leave you alone," she tried to placate the Skuntank. "We will take our leave."

Walking so that she was standing next to Caine's head, she quietly whispered, "Caine, please don't start a fight here. He might rub you the wrong way, but that's not a good reason to fight each other now. What if you get hurt?" The plea was full of concern, and she hoped that he understood that needless fighting was bad when there was a chance of something dangerous coming out of nowhere. Like that Volcarona.. The thought brought back memories of fire and screaming, and she had to quickly focus on something else before she lost herself to those memories. She unconciously reached out to pet the fire fox's head to calm her thoughts. The action had helped humans before, and she had adopted the habit herself. She also hoped the kind touch would snap him out of his foul mood towards the Skuntank.

After a few seconds, she glanced up at the morning sun and realized that they had spent a fair amount of time just talking and standing around. "We really have to be on our way since we have lots of mouths to feed," she stated aloud.

((OOC: Permission granted by renegade for Abby to pet Caine))

"I wouldn't relax around someone we just found, Oracle. How do we know what his intentions are? So far he just looks like a lazy ass who likes creeping on a girl and a child." He already knew that it was probably foolish to be so trusting; his kindness could have very well turned out to be his downfall. And though he was terrified of the idea that maybe he was wrong, and maybe he was making a terrible decision, the Eevee forced something resembling a smile onto his face. He had seen so many innocent Pokemon on his travels, bitter and twisted with hate, and though they had scared him at the time, he was also coming to recognize another feeling they invoked in him- pity.

"I don't really believe in fighting with the living." Was what the Normal type said after a moment of thought. "I know that not every Pokemon is good, and that some are really horrible individuals out there that are rotten down to the core, but they aren't the real enemy. There's always been bad Pokemon, hasn't there? Even back home." Of course, the problems he was accustomed to dealing with at home paled in comparison to how the outside world was, but it was still something. "But, um... What I'm trying to say here is that we're all just trying to survive now, aren't we? The living shouldn't have to fight the living because there's already enough monsters in this world, and unless he does or says something that gives us reason not to trust him, I don't really see why we shouldn't at least treat him with some kindness." A pause, followed by the Eevee shrinking back slightly. "I know it's probably really naive of me to think like that, but it's honestly how I feel."

"You said you're looking for food? Aren't you a hunter or something with all those bones--" Perking up almost instantly, Oracle's entire demeanor changed in the blink of an eye. "They're jewelry- they're artifacts to show my status! Well they were back home... I was important..." For a brief moment, he seemed to have deflated. "We used the bones to tell the future- not these, but larger ones."

"We really have to be on our way since we have lots of mouths to feed." It was that line that brought the Eevee back to the reality of their situation- they weren't there to befriend strangers, but to gather food. Right. "Oh... We've been gone for a while, haven't we?" And they still hadn't found much of anything.

Oh, this dumb skunk was irritating. The smug rodent turned to Caine, grinning, as if he had not a thing in the world to fear. "I didn't know you three were so close. How long have you known them fox? Since dawn maybe? Why are you more trustworthy than me? I'd love to know."

Oh. Oh this mother fucker. It was only made worse by the fact that he was right. The vulpine had been with them all of ten minutes, not even the allotted sunrise as the poison jackass had chosen to specify. In reaction to the inner hypocrisy whirling within the Ninetales, Caine reared his head back, staring down his nose at the admittedly taller poison type. Why am I so fucking short. "Fuck you too, sir," he scoffed out. "I don't know, maybe they like me more because I did not stalk them from a fucking bush until being called out, asshat." The only thing that silenced the fox was Oracle, the Eevee stepping forward and beginning to speak. Caine fell silent, still glaring.

"I don't really believe in fighting with the living." The kid was so naive... it physically hurt the fox. Caine flinched, his ears flattening as he recoiled. What... the-- Oh no. Not again. The smaller vulpine's voice fell into the depths of his mind, Caine suddenly swamped into a vision, a memory, something, an occurrence that was all too common as of recent for the fox.

---

"...Are you really sure about this.... Oliver?"
Caine couldn't look at him. Wouldn't look at him. On the edge, they both stared into the water.

"Yes." Beside him, the word was far too sure. But the fire type did not even flinch.
"I'm sure at least my birth mother is alive, but she hates me, even if I did find her.  My father thinks I'm a disappointment.  My siblings either don't really care or also don't like me.  That l-little girl and h-her father..."
Oliver started tripping over the words, his throat threatening to make him lose again. Caine could hear the tears forming in his voice.

But Oliver held them back, his words stronger. "They were my real family... but they're gone now.  It's over.  There's no point anymore.  And I don't want to die alone..."

I don't want to die alone, either, is what he should have said.

Instead there was just silence.

"I know they're waiting for me, though.  In the afterlife.  Why keep them waiting?"
Waiting... At least you have someone to look forward to, Oliver. Again, he remained silent. The words of the other just washing over him.

"Maybe you can meet them too... They'd like you, I'm sure.  Annie's so nice; she likes everyone.  Except jerks.  But you're not a jerk.  I hope we wind up in the same place in the afterlife so you can meet them..."

Nice?

The only one who was ever nice to me is you, Oliver.

---

Caine was thrust back into reality without any warning, the memory echoing in his head like a horrible dream. Snapping violet eyes open, the Ninetales half snapped his head to the side, looking at both Oracle and Abby. So much like... The Girafarig was in his head at that point, as well as the chocolate eyed Chimchar. Oliver. Milo... Caine's throat was constricting at that point, but forced himself to look back at the poison type.

Anger. Channel it. Don't lose it. Don't you dare cry in front of this asshole. Still, though, it took the act of clenching his jaws until his teeth ached to remain silent.

"My apologies for bothering you, sir. If you wish, we shall leave you alone." It was Abby's voice that finally got through to him, somehow the innocence of Oracle's too much like Oliver, thrusting his head into madness from before he was alive again. "We will take our leave." She was trying to calm the situation. The words in his head were slow, robotic, though he failed in his continued venom towards the Skuntank; instead his gaze hit the ground, desperate, haunted almost, as the memory of Oliver faded.

Caine did not even hear the Togetic approach him until she was so close, able to whisper to his ear. He flinched at first, on edge after the waking dream, but quickly pulled himself together enough to process what she was saying. "...he might rub you the wrong way, but that's not a good reason to fight each other now. What if you get hurt?" She was worried for him? Again, the Girafarig flashed into his head. Milo kept trying to stop me... those times. He kept trying. But then, out of nowhere, the Togetic reached out with one paw to gently touch the top of his head.

Tensing at first, Caine quickly found the horror of the memory fading with the kind feeling of Abby's petting him. Almost instantly his body relaxed, tail falling down to a neutral position as he rubbed his forehead back in a gentle nuzzle in return to the pat.

All too soon, it ended, and Caine blinked as Abby's voice brought him fully back to reality."We really have to be on our way since we have lots of mouths to feed."
Oh. Food. That was right.
"Oh... We've been gone for a while, haven't we?"
Shaking out his pelt, Caine took an awkward step back, his ears burning from the embarrassingly intimate moment being shared in front of the stupid Skuntank. Clearing his throat, he nodded, feigning any sense of pride as he slipped back to his gruff outer shell. "...Fine. And. Yes. Food. I think there were berry bushes nearby." He glanced everywhere except anyone's eyes.

TD blinks her eyes several times but the stream of tears refuses to stop. Katyusha was not a touchy feely Pokemon but she could not stop her overwhelmed display. "I dedn't do et.." She squeaks again. Each breath she took in felt like a massive effort, her entire form shaking on the exhale. If they had to continue the trial.. she just couldn't take any more of that. There was just no way she could hold her composure again in such a situation even if it seemed things were leaning toward her safety.

"He...he needs someone to blame I think...I imagine becoming a ghost to be a very stressful event." For a few seconds the Vaporeon is silent, eyes wide and searching the Ninetales blue gaze. "Stesful?" Lone was being cruel, outlandish, and cold. Was this simply his way of coping with the mass amounts of stress suddenly put on him? TinyDragon sniffles again, the sobbing continuing. He's in just as much mental torment as the rest of us...? She.. she hadn't thought of that. A fresh wave of nausea pulses through her stomach and TD must resist gagging. She hadn't considered how Lone felt, only that he must have something against her that fueled his actions. "How could'I beh so blind..?" The words come out unintentionally as a whisper.

It was clear. Suddenly everything was clear. "He's just not right...in this physical event nor mentally by my observations.." The Vaporeon takes in a deep, sobby sounding breath, rubbing one wrist across her face. A strange ripple tickles its way down her body and her ear fins quiver for several moments before she makes them fall. "I get et..." She whines struggling to breath through the sticky saliva building in her throat. Hot embarrassment burns under her scales and the Bubble Jet Pokemon pushes herself shakily back into a sitting position as she attempts to regain herself- oh how she must look so pathetic and gross to Katyusha. Taking slow, steady breaths the Vaporeon calms her break down down to no more then just tears.

When she finally felt composed enough she removed the one arm covering her eyes and looked at the Ninetales. "He's scared." It made sense. It just made so much sense how had she not seen it, thought of it? "He's scured of somefing!" Everything, the weird twitches, the unneeded anger, blaming others. It just fit so well. But yet one thing was still blank in the map she had just made. "But of.. what?"


Stupid island. The Phanteon curses to himself. Padding faster and faster the hound was running through the trees, blazing though them like a spectral bullet. Fucking trees. That damn fire destroyed so much of the island but this side was st- a bush clips his side, the spindly branches snagging his lavender fur. The Phanteon forces himself to skid to a halt, leaves scattering around his paws. Hissing wildly he charged the shrub, Frustration glowing around his paw and fueling the strike as he attacked the bush. "Bitch!" He cries, staring at the noticeable damage he had caused it before lowering his head and continuing the path he had been taking.

The soil turned to grit then to sand. The forest was thinning out once more and the fire could not be blamed. Lone slowed himself, taking in short breaths that burned with an unexpected salty tang. A sandy beach and ocean came into view and Lone stopped dead in his tracks. The ocean? Grisly claws curl in the dirty sand. It wasnt even a good beach; it was mostly massive boulders and stones. Salty water cant clean my paws.. Gritting his teeth he pads completely out of the trees, across the sand, and up to a rocky area of the beach. Climbing nimbly onto their slick surface the Ghost Type is grateful for his new and improved claws. "Might as well stay here until its time to head back." He sighs to himself, settling down at the edge of a rock that overlooked the water.

Waves crashed against the beach and flowed less then a foot beneath him. Lone's head cocks slightly. He had only seen himself in a puddle of blood and even then it wasn't a very good picture. Nudging himself forward he leans over the edge of the rock and stares down at his reflection. The image had a blue tint instead of red but otherwise was much clearer then last time. The structures and shapes.. his self made tear stains.. the way he held his mouth.. "Look at that Lone, you've grown up." It was definitely himself, just.. bigger and darker. Reaching one paw out he attempts to touch the shifting water.
The Phanteon stiffens at what he see's.

"Dismissed!"

Blinking his emerald green eyes, Rokai flinched at the Manectrik's orderly bark. They were... Dismissed? That mean they were safe, didn't it. Sighing the fire hound breathed out a small trickle of smoke that wafted up and dissipated into the air. They were not in any major danger at that point in time. Falling back onto his haunches, Rokai stared at his paws, eyes tracing over every scar that riddled up his paws, over the bone on his ankles and up his legs. "Funny her name is TinyDragon." Snapping his head up, Rokai's green eyes narrowed a hair, his gaze turning into a glower as he stared at Lone. Was he trying to get TinyDragon killed?

"The trial isn't over yet." Rokai parted his jaws to say something, but no words would form, so the dark furred hound just got to his paws, following TD and Katyusha outside. "There may be an execution yet. Currently food is our priority." At the mention of food, Rokai's stomached twinged in pain. How long had it been since he had last eaten? I don't remember when the last time I ate was... He thought, yawning as he blinked to clear his blurry vision.

"Be wary; there will embers sheltered by ash that will flare up if exposed. Don't go poking at anything." Rokai knew all too well the dangers of fire. There were a few times when he was still a pup that he accidentally burnt something he shouldn't of and ended up getting beaten for it. The corners of the Houndoom's mouth twitched as he frowned at the memory. "I dedn't do et.." Looking over at TD, Rokai's gaze softened. Now was not the time to dwell in the past. They still had a long day to trudge through.

"He...he needs someone to blame I think...I imagine becoming a ghost to be a very stressful event." Ah. That would do it, he supposed. When Rokai had first spotted Lone he was disoriented, confused and angry. It was no wonder that he would be stressed out over dying, then coming back to life. "Stesful?" Looking over at TD, Rokai's eyes widened as he heard the Vaporeon sobbing. Stepping forward, the dark hound's emerald gaze looked over to Katyusha, who had their head bowed to give the Vaporeon their sympathy.

"How could'I beh so blind..?"
"He's just not right...in this physical event nor mentally by my observations.."

It was true, Lone was not right by any stretch of the word. The Phanteon was disgruntled, traumatised and confused. After all, dying then coming back to life as a ghost was bound to put someone in an emotional state. "I get et..." Blinking in confusion, Rokai tilted his head to the side. Get what?

"He's scared."

Rokai's eyes widened. Scared..? Of what? What would he be scared of? Of death? But he just died and came back alive, didn't he? Then if it isn't death, then what? He thought, frowning slightly. "He's scured of somefing!" Humming quietly in thought, Rokai stared at the morning sky. "But of.. what?" What, indeed. What on earth could the ghost be scared of, that made them wish the death of another living pokemon?