The ALPH Team (PLOT)

Gyrlass followed after the human with a determined and angry expression, wanting nothing more than to be rid of these freaks and get back to Vincent. Why were they following this psychotic Abra anyway? What was the point when he was leading them off in an unknown direction for an unknown purpose? Sadly Alein wasn't able to answer any of the questions plaguing the Pidgeotto's mind because of the stupid fact that humans couldn't understand Pokemon. It was aggravating to say the least and the fact that the stupid Abra could talk to Alein and the human actually listen drove him mad. Gyrlass wanted to scratch that smug look off of the 'doc's' face every time he looked at him.

Lalita merely followed, eyes glazed over walking on auto-pilot as she trailed after the group. When the insects swarmed she didn't flinch, barely turning her head to gaze at the Butterfree as it was torn to shreds right beside her. The others put up little resistance compared to the group she had lost. Image's of Fuzzy's ferocity as he fought to defend her and their companions against the Absol and Garth....rushing her to safety as the Haxorus ran them out of Goldenrod....these people were like they were swatting flies. None of them knew true terror. None. Her gaze suddenly fell empty as she watched a swarm of Beedrill come on the scene, hungry red eyes looking for the prey so idiotic as to disturb their hive, and didn't even blink before unleashing a monstrous Flamethrower. The insects were quickly burned to ash and blackened shells, bodies falling lifelessly to the ground before ever ever reaching the female.

Gyrlass, however, had his wings full when the insects arrived. It seemed a Whirlipede had eyes for Alein and even as they ran, fighting off what they could, the bastard wouldn't leave them alone. And it was fast too, with that wheel shaped body, to the point that the bird had trouble keeping Alein out of the crosshairs. He fought it off as best he could Fly not being very useful since it kept him far away from the human he was trying to protect, and had to settle with Protect after Protect. He was even able to whip up enough wind for a Whirlwind because every time he tried the rolly-polly bastard would launch off the ground at him and try to knock him out of the sky. But when a bright purple light surrounded the Whilipede Gyrlass prepared for the worst, cringing back with a futile Protect in hopes of keeping Alein alive, only to see the light explode into violet electricity and the pill bug fell to the ground dead. A cursory glance to the lavender Ninetales revealed the same purple glow fading from around her and he realized that the timid bitch actually just saved his ass.

He'd have to remember to thank her later.

Garth stared down at the corpse of the Nidoran he had just killed. His mouth salivated with drool, droplets of it landing on the body of what was supposed to be his 'appetizer'. But the more he thought about it, the more he wanted to be hungry for when the main course arrived. A meal was always most satisfying when one craved it more than anything. And when his feast began, he wanted to be starving.

His stomach growled in protest as he forced himself to turn and leave the corpse in a pool of its blood. This was becoming more difficult by the second; he didn't want to eat the flesh, particularly, but at the same time he didn't want anything other - the idea of eating a berry made him feel sick. His body was changing, and now his appetite was taking on a new set of rules as well. He didn't have all the time in the world anymore - he needed to slaughter Lalita and her little bunch of misfits soon. Very soon. He wanted the thrill, the pleasure, of hearing their screams as he hacked them to death; their hot blood on his skin; their hopeless begs for mercy. He'd take this whole damn forest his prisoner before he turned, he guaranteed it.

Now that he had calmed somewhat, Garth was ready to resume his stalking. He stretched his limbs and hopped up into the nearest tree, flawlessly jumping from one to the next. After a minute or so, he crossed something dark standing in a small clearing. Kill it eat it-- no, no no! Backtracking a little bit, Garth had to quickly cover his mouth to stop himself laughing - there, standing all alone and obviously lost, was the Houndoom.

Both hands clasped over his mouth, Garth wheezed with silent hysterics. He was a sitting Psyduck; a free kill, just waiting for him to jump in their and take his prize. He'd be already rid of one of them with hardly any effort. The murderer was already planning his attack. Jump down, yes ... land on the back. Grab the horns maybe? Ride him around like Buckaroo! Oh joy! Yes, then swing around to the face - must watch out for the fire - then swipe both eyes out--

A sudden realisation stopped Garth's gleeful trail of thought. Earlier on, while he'd been observing the group, a plan had formed in his head. Well, hardly a 'plan' - more of an interesting idea. He was almost certain that this Houndoom shared his hatred of humans, and his general attitude towards the group suggested that his intentions were hardly benign. My ... aren't we alike? He was going to go for it - it was one of those 'now or never' situations. Heck, if it went wrong he could just cut his throat.

Garth slid down to the base of the tree, and paused before he emerged. Hidden behind a large berry bush, he quickly figured out what he was going to do. Begrudgingly, he poked himself in the eye, and blinked until a large tear emerged. He did the same for the other eye, and even had a brief claw at the skin on his chest, leaving small open wounds. It would've been drastic if he'd actually felt any pain; his claws tearing his own skin open felt more like relieving an itch. Rotting body, changing appetite and numb to pain ... he needed to hurry.

He dashed out, crying out in fear as he deliberately collided with the Houndoom's shoulder, flailing as he fell back onto the ground. "Oh! My goodness. I'm so sorry, sir! I--" As he sat up, he widened his wet, bloodshot eyes as he looked into the canine's face. "It's ... it's YOU! NO! PLEASE!" He scrambled backwards, covering his face with his arm. He made sure to shake it into a light tremble. "Please ... don't kill me. Haven't you and your gang done enough?! PLEASE! Just leave me be!"

"Doctor! Look out!" The weasel at his side cried, his small claw pointing towards the sky. The Abras’ gaze snapped up to the two approaching Beedrills, their multi-faceted eyes locked on their targets. But the fox was undeterred, keeping his pace as he plowed across the plaza with his small companion in tow. The child had impressed him with his display of unique abilities, and the Doctors’ hearts soared as he took his forced invitation to flee in stride. But now that the danger had once more come to them, it was his turn to protect him.

“Get back!” He shouted at the bugs, his eyes glowing a brilliant blue. An identical aura flashed around their bodies as their wings stopped mid-beat. The insects floated awkwardly for a second, before they were shoved by an invisible force, far into the horizon. “Haah!” He beamed, continuing his dash. “Take them awhile before they get back here again!”

___________

As his feet pounded once more on soft earth, his pace slowed. Not far ahead of him was the legendary beast, who had been waiting for them past the thin veil of trees. A grin spread across his face as he met with her amber eyes, his breath coming in deep gasps.
“Brilliant! You never cease to amaze me!” He gushed, out of breath as he drew closer. “Super-sonic travel! How cool is that!?”

(he’s seriously having the time of his life lol. he also made it a point not to kill the bugs, only to push them far away, and didn’t think to try and help the others. i skipped ahead just a little bit, so they can be further away from the park now; maybe closer to route 36/violet city? up to you guys, if lead wants to see the dirt road or a building. not sure exactly where latias stopped)

(OoC: Skip please)

Hannibal’s itching sense of being watched had proven correct. But the nature of his company wasn’t what he had initially expected. His image of a threatening voyeur emerged in a flurry of limbs with the identity of a panicked survivor.

He was unable to react in time, maroon eyes widening a fraction as the reptilian creature ran into his side. A delicate being, the Houndoom visibly stumbled on impact but collected himself with a practiced fluidity, elegant as he avoided any further damage. His bony shoulder throbbed, quietly aching in synch with his destroyed paw – a reminder that he would need to further numb the latter before the pain could return full-force.

"Oh! My goodness. I'm so sorry, sir! I--" The stranger, now revealed to be a particularly bloodied Grovyle, stuttered out an apology as Hannibal’s glare followed each of his moves. A Flamethrower was tickling the back of the canine’s throat, the glow of its power reflecting from the crusty bars of his muzzle. But he paused as the grass-type’s demeanour changed most spectacularly. "It's ... it's YOU! NO! PLEASE!"

It threw the canine more than he’d liked to admit, a frown descending over his eyes as he watched the creature desperately stumble backwards. His attack dissipated, the hound lured into a sense of security by the fear seemingly lacing each of the stranger’s movements. It appealed directly to the Houndoom’s sense of pride; the reminder that he was a creature to be feared injecting his ego with a new lease of life. A small smile briefly tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"Please ... don't kill me. Haven't you and your gang done enough?! PLEASE! Just leave me be!"

“Friend,” Hannibal soothed him, shaking his slender head at the sheer absurdity of the Grovyle’s words. Gang? The very thought was laughable. Though he was right to consider Hannibal a killer – weren’t his curiosity piqued, he would’ve disposed of the vermin the moment their bodies collided. “I assure you, you have nothing to fear,” He did not smile, but rather spoke with a blunt, false gentility.

He looked up to the direction in which the creature had appeared from, deft nose searching the air for any signs of company. He found only that familiar pang of rot.
“Tell me, was there something chasing you?” Hannibal asked, eyes searching the stranger’s form until finally resting on eyes as red as his own. The bloodstains, a slightly darker colouration of the skin – the canine saw it all. Interesting...

He would not jump to conclusions; though his judgement was seldom wrong.

Unaware of just how extreme the distance Latias had put between herself and the group, the legendary was instead wrapped up with the incredible heat pulsing at the back of her neck. The insects’ poison, although painful, would take time to wear down her body completely; but it was its impact on her existing condition that left her struggling. The regular jab of pain worked to provoke her senses, constantly probing that newfound aggression she so vehemently worked to hide until she found her lips curling back into a snarl.

That voice was calling somewhere in the distance, muffled beyond recognition but Latias knew who it was. She also knew it wasn’t real.

Breathing deeply, her claw moved to rub at the throbbing pinprick of a wound in a vain bit to alleviate its deadly bite. But it was too late. The poison was in her system. She would need to find treatment before it could sufficiently instigate a far darker ailment in the legendary.

“Brilliant! You never cease to amaze me!” The Doctor’s panted exclamation drew Latias away from her quieted snarling. She wanted to smile, but her lips remained parted in a downturned wince, bloodied fangs peeking out. “Super-sonic travel! How cool is that!?”
“Where are the others?” She asked a little more bluntly than she’d intended, her claw still scraping at her latest injury. Guilt was simmering just past her slow-awakening hostility, her thoughts temporarily turning to the wellbeing of the group before succumbing to a bout of self-loathing; her hate directed towards herself.

What kind of example was she setting? To run, flee ahead of your comrades to leave the weak trailing behind – left for the dead? It sounded like something a legendary would do… Perhaps she couldn’t escape her heritage after all. She’d be a traitor just like them, regardless of her desire to change. She snorted aloud despite herself, half-disgusted at her own twisted humour.

Remembering that she had company, Latias made an effort to regain a less venomous demeanour and offered the Doctor and his young companion a twitch of a smile of apology. “You think they’ll be okay?”

Well so that how it was, huh? Gyrlass couldn't help but puff out his chest in anger as he watched the Abra, the entire reason the group had gone this way, just fuck off and leave everyone behind. He knew it. He knew following this jackass was going to be a bad idea and was going to get Alein killed but did the human listen? Nooooo. He only wanted to stay near the guy who for some reason knew how to speak human tongue simply because he could understand him. How were they supposed to get back to Vincent like this?

Lalita didn't acknowledge the harping bird as he grumbled and muttered to himself, she merely kept going in the direction she saw the others take off. The bugs began to disperse after the sonic boom left in Latias's wake, most of them knocked out or thrown to their doom at the hands of their fellow infected. Why should she be concerned if the mindless began killing themselves as long as it kept her alive? Her eyes drifted to the human who looked a little lost now that he couldn't see Doc anymore, Gyrlass still off muttering to himself as he flapped and hopped uselessly towards Alein like an Archen. Seemed his wing was still giving him trouble. Sighing she realized the only way to keep the human alive, which once again she seemed to be the only one who wanted to, was to lead him herself.

Alein gasped sharply as he felt a firm pressure on the back of his leg, freezing up and barely even turning as he craned his neck around to see the source. He was convinced it was going to be one of the vicious bugs from before but it turned out to be the gentle push of the lavender fox as she nudged him to turn around. Visibly relaxing he knelt down to rub the female's head and allowed her to guide him. "Thank you," he whispered, though he was sure she had no idea what he said. It seemed the girl got the idea though when she kept pace beside him and wrapped a couple of her tails about his waist to make sure he stayed with her. She didn't even complain when the Pidgeotto caught up and once again used her as a steed. All she cared about was getting Alein to the others where he was safer.

If only Doc wasn't such a prick he would have seen that a group he basically took over he subsequently abandoned.

This was one of the times when Buck had dived for cover in front of others and not felt bad about it. Those bugs were coming in by the truckload, and he certainly didn't feel like being on the receiving end of their barbs and pincers. Latias made short work of one of the Butterfree, before promptly vanishing. She can go invisible? The cowardly Weavile lowered himself as far as he could within the safety of the bush just as the Abra released some sort of telekinetic force and pushed the bugs a good couple of miles away over the trees. "Haah! Take them awhile before they get back here again!"

As the hyperactive fox bounced over to praise Latias, who had reappeared nearby, Buck slowly emerged from his hiding place. Maybe, in the thick of things, nobody had noticed his little squeal and immediate run for cover. That made it OK, eliminating any need to justify his actions. He could be whatever he wanted as long as no one was there to scorn him.

"Where are the others?" Latias asked as Buck brushed a leaf off his arm. "I'm here," he replied quietly, raising a hand as he approached. He hissed at the sight of Latias's new wound. "Ouch ... you OK?"

---

"Friend," the Houndoom soothed, his voice deep but oddly hypnotic. Garth was sure that if he was really a helpless victim he'd be immediately calmed by it, although perhaps forgotten quickly at the sight of the canine's muzzle and burning eyes. Wait, red...? Was this guy infected too? If he was then that posed another problem - what if he just dropped dead in the middle of his plan? Still, he wasn't rotting or anything, so maybe he wasn't as far along as Garth was.

"I assure you, you have nothing to fear." Garth lowered his arm and stared at the dual-type with wide, fearful eyes. Slowly, he morphed his look into one of cautious curiosity, blinking to allow another tear to dribble out of his sore eyes. "But ... but I saw you. With them! With HER." He growled the last word, raising his lip into a savage snarl, his voice radiating with hate. His loathing for Lalita, at least, was not a lie.

"Tell me, was there something chasing you?" the Houndoom asked. Garth softened his shakes slightly as he stood up, taking a good step back from the hellhound as he did so. "W-Well, I did think that, but I guess I was wrong..." He wrapped his arms around himself, doubling over as he forced a choking sob out of his throat, complete with a sliver of drool oozing from his mouth to the ground. "Paranoid ... Since what they did I'm always been chased. I can't go anywhere within thinking that one of them is going to jump out at me and finish me off! I don't know what I did ... They ... they betrayed me..." He covered his face with his hands and wailed, his muffled sobs choking out of his throat in great shudders.

After about thirty seconds, he stopped, and wiped the mucus from his nose. Damn, he was a good actor. Not many could say that they faked a sobbing fit complete with real tears and snot. His eyes carried an obsessive suspicion as he looked up at the Houndoom, his bottom lip trembling. "But ... if you're one of them ... then ... why aren't you trying to kill me? Surely she told you about me? They're all still after me. They've stolen my food, my trust ... and my life." His hand rested on his bruised shoulder, and he sighed woefully. "I did nothing to them ... nothing. I want to get my own back - punish them for treating me like they did. But I'm too weak ... I can't do it on my own."

He brightened up his face, suddenly looking to Hannibal with a sort of mad enthusiasm. "Why don't you help me? If you're not on their side then we can take them down together! Help each other out? What do you say?" He waited, mouth wide into an excited smile, bouncing up and down on his toes. At his sides, his claws slowly flexed open, ready to strike should the slightest thing go wrong.

“Where are the others? The legendary snarled at him with bloodied fangs. His broad smile faded as his euphoria did, his slender form twisting around to look behind them.
"W-..." His words faltered on his lips as he stared at the path they had taken, searching for any signs of the others. The suffocating guilt began to press in on him as the seconds turned into minutes, and still no sign of the others. The yellow aura sank into a tar-like darkness around him as he stared down at his little companion, and back to Latias.

He felt so ashamed.
How could I leave them like that? They could have been trapped by the rest of the swarm! Or maybe they ran into another undead- one much more dangerous than a bunch of insects. Or maybe one of them had been hurt and-
“You think they’ll be okay?” She asked, offering a faint smile. But despite her feigned kindness, her aura was once more dark like his. She was in obvious pain, and her fury only felt amplified by it. His mind went to the festering wound on the back of her neck. Was this the source of her pain? An unshakable will, pummeled by an unstoppable force... It was a terrible combination- one he had seen before, and all it ever resulted in was explosive devastation.
And it wasn't something he knew he could endure again. But what was the alternative? He couldn't leave her. Not when she needed his help- not when she reached out to him, with her outstretched claw and those endearing eyes.
"...Hmm?" The Doctor said distracted, his features twisted with his dark thoughts. "The others? Yes! The others! Of course, they're just fine. Wait for them to catch up." He muttered dismissively in his usual cheerful manner, but only partly convincing as he turned to the legend. 

"Latias...Are you okay?.." He asked in a hushed tone, his eyes filled with worry and a guarded knowing. 
Of course she's not okay. She'll never be okay. She's infected. Nothings' ever gotten past that. Not now, not for years and years into the future. She's going to get worse, and then she's going to turn. She'll turn on you and the others, because she won't be able to help it. She'll be an empty shell, always hungry. No matter how she fights, and oh, how she'll fight-because she's beautiful and strong and brilliant...but that won't be enough.
She'll turn.
And then you'll have to kill her, just like you did with...-
The Abra clenched his jaws and gulped hard as his slender body began to shiver against his will.

She...She needs to keep her emotions under control. The more she lets them take over, the more she'll want to hurt someone. I can't...I don't want to be forced to stop her, to protect the others.

The Doctor pulled his hands close to his chest, kneading them nervously as he gazed up at her. His amethyst eyes glistened with a deep pain, and a barely muted fear. 

"Lat...Remember to breathe."

(sorry for taking so long, I didn't know Nightfall had skipped)

The exhilaration of running away from the bugs almost left him gasping for air. And in that charge and the rush of adrenaline, he realized he had been mindlessly following the doctor. Watching Latias materialize again in front of them while running was awesome, but the fact they just left their comrades behind…. Miles blinked at the sudden sting of guilt and looked at the tangled grass under his feet, the threat of the bugs was far away yet he could still feel the vibrations in the air as if they were still by his head. Their far off buzzing was a growing warning; they were coming back. Their companions made their way over, slowly and far not fast enough to avoid the coming swarm. In a moment, he realized, the grip of his friend’s paw had left him. Suddenly the air seemed cramping and felt surreal as it brushed through his fur. The reason why he had been following the Doctor was not just because he was happy go lucky and exciting… but in fact he was still stuck, stunted.

No… No, Sonic will come back. And he had told himself that for the months he had been surviving by dumb luck. … Dumb luck. Those words sunk into him like fangs. Of course… without these others, he was helpless…. Before he had noticed, his eyes had turned weary and moist. But he didn’t have the heart to pull himself out of the quagmire…. Not now. Miles took the time to savor the moments he had before the bugs inevitably would come back to seek their revenge.

He watched the Grovyle with a muted cynicism, working to keep his expression open as the reptile rambled on about paranoia. It was almost pitiable. The tears, the drools, the sobs – it was all remarkably convincing, urging Hannibal to drop his reservations and take it as a sincere plea for help. But his instincts were difficult to deter and he rarely sympathised with the victims.  

"I did nothing to them ... nothing. I want to get my own back - punish them for treating me like they did. But I'm too weak ... I can't do it on my own."

Ah, revenge. It was an old friend of the Houndoom, one that he understood well and could always trust to treat an open wound. Whether the group was truly guilty of the crimes in which this stranger described – Hannibal was inclined to believe otherwise – the creature put forth an interesting proposition. He had sussed out the proposal even before the stranger spoke.

"Why don't you help me? If you're not on their side then we can take them down together! Help each other out? What do you say?"

As the grass-type bounced excitedly up and down before him, Hannibal’s features turned into one of genuine contemplation. The lingering scent of blood and rot reminded him of the danger, but the canine had always thrived on adrenaline. He was a risk-taker and more importantly, a sadist. That same biting desire to simply see what would happen dictated much of the hound’s existence. He wanted to push others to their limits, see their reactions to pain, chaos, betrayal…

It excited the canine more than he cared to admit.

“What’s your name?” Hannibal finally questioned, the earlier falsity of his tone forgotten as he addressed the Grovyle as if he would a business partner. A small smirk played on his lips as the concept of this twisted little game manifested in his mind. Whilst he had no true loathing of the group, he also lacked any form of loyalty. Perhaps respect – friendship even – could be earned via less conventional means. He wouldn’t watch them die, he wouldn’t kill them – he merely wanted to test them a little; perhaps test the reptile in the process too.  

“Your plight has moved me, truly,” The Houndoom purred his lies. “I can’t say I know this group all that well, but you’ve opened my eyes. Such cruel, heartless creatures… I couldn’t affiliate myself with them. But revenge... Doesn’t that seem a little extreme?”

A low, quiet chuckle tarnished his feigned innocence.

“What exactly did you have in mind, friend?”

“The others? Yes! The others! Of course, they're just fine. Wait for them to catch up."

Whilst it had been exactly what Latias had hoped to hear, a pleasant reassurance, something about his tone seemed off. It irked her, amber eyes narrowing as she attempted to uncover some masked spite she was unsure even existed.
"Latias...Are you okay?.." When the Doctor spoke next, that familiar sincerity reached out to soothe her brief bout of distrust. The question seemed to come out of nowhere however, quietly alarming the legendary as she worried just how much he knew. Obviously the injury was hard to hide. It was a gaping, oozing mess on the back of her head, skin dappled violet and providing subtle shading to other wounds reluctant to heal. Of course, he knows.

“I-I’m fine,” She managed, not anticipating the vulnerability the words accompanied. Latias had never been a good liar. Catching the Abra’s emotional stare only further distressed the female. She suddenly grew flustered, flinching away from the creature in a vain bid to escape his judgement. The fear soon turned sour though, a surge of hot rage lighting her eyes as she glared defiantly down at the Doctor, head held high. “I can fight it,” Her voice was a defiant growl, violent denial.

"Lat...Remember to breathe."

Remember to breathe…

The brutal repetition from that same cruel monster struck Latias to her very core. The pain flared as the frightening combination of hate and sheer terror touched her features. The rustling of leaves had her whipping around ready to combat the beast of her nightmares.

Fortunately, it was just Buck.

She wouldn’t admit it, but Latias was happy to see him. It tempted a smile that was unable to reach her lips; the only indication of her relief being the momentary softening of hard eyes. The dragon could do nothing more than offer a blunt nod of her head as her internal turmoil continued to further smother her identity. She calmed slower than her features suggested, casting a wary glance towards the Doctor.

"Ouch ... you OK?"
“What?” It was an automatic, biting response; the female hostile at the increasing recurrence of this question. It took her a moment to realize that Buck looked to her latest injury, the sting. Almost embarrassed, Latias abandoned her tension with a deep exhale before lazily motioning to the wound. “It’s just a little poison,” She tried to sound nonchalant. “I’m fine. I can take care of myself,”

"It's just a little poison," Latias replied, remarkably casually. Buck couldn't help but perk an eyebrow at her nonchalance. "I'm fine. I can take care of myself." The Weavile nodded, folding his arms and trying to look as relaxed as she did. "I wasn't saying you can't," he said offhandedly, reaching up and tugging on his earring. It was meant to look casual, but in reality it just helped to ease his anxiety. "Well ... I'll keep an eye out for some Pecha berries then..."

"So what now?" he asked no one in particular as the group started to regather. "Those things are bound to come back. We ought to get out of here."

---

Garth could barely contain the adrenaline that his weakening heart was pumping through him at that moment. The Houndoom was taking far too long to reply for his liking. Just say it or let me kill you already! I'm fucking starving! He managed to maintain his composure, however, as the dog's eyes bore straight into him as the gears in his head turned. Finally, he spoke, but what he asked unpleasantly caught Garth off guard.

"What's your name?" For a split second, Garth hesitated. He hadn't thought of this. Once more he'd been too hasty; if he fucked this up now... Give him a fake name. That was the only option. Yes, he'd watched Lalita and her group obsessively over the past couple of hours, but he hadn't been there the entire time - what if she'd warned them of him? In that case, if he gave his real name, his cover would be blown instantly. He considered for a microsecond to give his actual name and then twist it to make Lalita look like a liar, but that was too much work. He needed to get this sorted, and quickly.

"Tom," he replied, blurting out the first name that popped into his head. Tom? Really? He could've been a little more creative if he'd had longer than a second to reply. Ah well, too late now.

"Your plight has moved me, truly," the Houndoom then went on, his voice hypnotically smooth. "I can’t say I know this group all that well, but you’ve opened my eyes. Such cruel, heartless creatures… I couldn’t affiliate myself with them. But revenge... Doesn’t that seem a little extreme?"

Garth couldn't be sure of the hound's intentions here - it was perfectly possible that he was just playing along for the moment and was ready to backstab him later. His words, however, stumped him a little, but as he briefly fumbled for a reply, the dog's demeanour shifted instantly.

"What exactly did you have in mind, friend?" Now this was better. It seemed that the canine had the same attraction to violence as he did. Garth could've jumped for joy at his question. This can either go horribly well or horribly wrong. Keep it together. He put on a look of relief, a kind of grateful smile and a soft sigh. "This is the first time anyone has been able to hear me out ... thank you."

To be honest, I just want them to hurt, to suffer, like I did when I was a part of their group ... or so I thought. But I can't just throw myself in there and attack; there's too many of them, and in this state I'm too weak to defend myself from that many enemies. They'd kill me before I could do a thing. So ... here's what I think." He placed a hand on his chin and slowly wandered back and forth, his brow furrowing in deep thought. "They trust you, right? At least, to some extent. I'll let you return to them, but I'll be following close behind. Gather information of their plans and where they plan to go. Bring that information to me, and I'll be sure to be waiting there. When the time is right, we meet up and launch an ambush."

His mouth curled upwards into a malicious smirk, but he made no effort to hide it. So far, playing the poor soul driven mad by paranoia seemed to be working quite well; surely his bloodlust would not be much of a surprise to the Houndoom while he was in this state. His eye turned to the muzzle obscuring the dog's mouth, and he got an idea. "Of course, I don't expect this for nothing. That muzzle looks pretty uncomfortable. My claws are sharp - you help me with this, I will remove it for you, no problem."

"So ... what do you say, friend?" he finished, practically digging his toes into the ground to prevent himself losing his composure and jumping around like a hyperactive Mankey. "Of course, it doesn't just have to be the muzzle; I can offer any payment you wish." Like hell you'll get it, he silently added. My hand may just 'slip' when that muzzle's about to come off.

The Doctor flinched at the legendaries' ferocity, the overwhelming cloud of black lashing out at him as her fear and rage flared. Damn! That only seemed to have made her worse...what could I possibly do to help her...? No, no. Of course I can help her. I can! We'll find a way to help her. With a deep breath, he shoved his uncertainty and despair back and put a cheerful visage on once more.

"It's just a little poison. I'm fine. I can take care of myself." Latias retorted to the Weavile, who had finally caught up with them.  "I wasn't saying you can't. Well...I'll keep an eye out for some Pecha berries then..." He replied, uneasily fidgeting with his ear. The Abra beamed, a large smile returning to his face as he realized that one of the others were safe and back with them. "Ah, that's brilliant! Good thinkin', Buck!" He turned to the water weasel, softening his voice when he saw his distraught expression. "Oy, Tails! Why don't we both look out for some Pechas? Oh, I'll bet Miss Latias over there would really like it!"

"So what now? Those things are bound to come back. We ought to get out of here."  The Weavile said to the group. The Abra nodded, his gaze returning to the legendary. "I believe there's a town that way!" He gestured, his paw flicking eastward. Trotting over to a nearby tree, he quickly took a lick of the bark, smacking his lips together and narrowing his eyes. After a few moments, a smile crept onto his maw. "Yup! Most certainly that way!" He beamed at Latias, winking as he spoke. "Whatchu think? You wanna lead the way?"

(wooo, we're finally getting close to plot! Lat, he was referring to Violet City. We can find a little broken down house or something, close to the ruins if you want. also changed our location; sorry, i meant to do that earlier, but i guess i forgot)

"This is the first time anyone has been able to hear me out ... thank you."

Tom’s reaction was endearing, but his dedication to character was wasted on Hannibal. It had only been a matter of minutes, but the Houndoom had already decided that he couldn’t trust a single word this creature said. It was all an impressive charade that he himself had worn many a time. He admired the reptile’s handiwork, and was even more curious to how it would endure with the promise of an alliance built on rotten foundations.

Hannibal, however, merely nodded politely at the reply – dismissing Tom’s gratification and instead allowing him to explain his master plan.

“To be honest, I just want them to hurt, to suffer, like I did when I was a part of their group ... or so I thought. But I can't just throw myself in there and attack; there's too many of them, and in this state I'm too weak to defend myself from that many enemies. They'd kill me before I could do a thing. So ... here's what I think."

The canine listened attentively, biting back his twisted glee in favour of a more sober appearance. Whilst there was little doubt in his mind that his new friend was in the early stages of infection, Hannibal found his plotting both captivating and remarkably sentimental. This creature was motivated, genuinely embittered towards the group, and actively, methodically planning his revenge. The lines of thought creasing his face were genuine. Tom obliterated the stereotypes of the infected and only further ensnared Hannibal’s morbid desire to see these plans come into fruition. He would lend a helping hand, but this wasn’t his fight; it was merely a study into Tom’s.

"They trust you, right? At least, to some extent. I'll let you return to them, but I'll be following close behind. Gather information of their plans and where they plan to go. Bring that information to me, and I'll be sure to be waiting there. When the time is right, we meet up and launch an ambush."

Hannibal didn’t totally approve of the grass-type’s choice of words. It was more of an order than a suggestion. He even had the gall to give him permission to return to the group. It was hard not to scoff, but friendships required an extent of patience.
“Sounds feasible,”  The canine nodded once again. “Though I will have to work to gain their trust. I’m still essentially a stranger in this group,” He watched his smirking companion carefully before flashing a brief toothy grin. “But that’s no issue…” Hannibal felt no obligation to elaborate. He was confident in his ability to blend in with the flock whilst feeding the wolf with titbits of information – whether this information was true was irrelevant. This was all a test after all.

"Of course, I don't expect this for nothing. That muzzle looks pretty uncomfortable. My claws are sharp - you help me with this, I will remove it for you, no problem."

“Oh?” Hannibal quirked his brow, surprised at this promise. It was tempting; in fact, quite integral to the hound’s future rate of survival, and something he considered longer than he would rather admit. But rationality reminded him of who exactly was offering this prize. Tom would not be touching him anytime soon. He wasn’t daft. “How very kind of you,”

"So ... what do you say, friend? Of course, it doesn't just have to be the muzzle; I can offer any payment you wish."

The Houndoom pondered this, rising to his paws as he gestured into the trees.
“Walk with me,” He started pleasantly, waiting for some sort of obedience from Tom before commencing to stroll alongside him, quietly working to disguise his prominent limp. “I want to help you, Tom. I like your plan and I’ll do all I can to see this works out for the both of us. It might take time, but the taste of revenge is truly worth it,” He spoke from experience. “However… I must ask one, small favour of you,”

The faint but familiar scents of the group were growing stronger now, accompanied by the distant buzz of aggravated insects. Hannibal was only momentarily distracted by the noise, but soon returned to the matter of his request.
“I ask that you don’t hurt the Ninetales,” He stopped to read Tom’s response. “Lalita,”

Hannibal’s weakened sense of sympathy was awakened primarily by individuals of one description; young females, vulnerable and crumbling beneath the weight of the world. He had automatically associated the fox with Mischa not long after they had met. They shared a certain naivety and a quiet magnetism that was threatened by a world too wicked for a creature of such purity. It was an assumption of course; Hannibal didn’t know Lalita nearly as much as he intended to, but at this moment he saw her only as the ghost he’d been unable to save.

“I would like to see her safe,” He insisted before adding the chance of compromise. “For now, at least,”

(( I thought it would be best to have Hannibal and Garth move closer towards the group so that they don’t end up losing their trail, haha. If there’s any problem I’m happy to come back and edit it, Nightfall. C: ))

Latias remained silent at Buck’s offer to look out for berries, convinced that her gratitude would emerge as some unintentionally-snappy retort. She merely nodded her head, attention elsewhere as she worked to soothe her inflamed emotions. It was getting harder each time. Her temper, once non-existent, seemed to alight itself with only the smallest of triggers, exhausting the legendary as she struggled to contain a raw fury growing within. Still, she was a determined creature. Latias would not be ruled by her emotions and was soon calming.

With the Doctor’s cheery spirit on the up-and-up as he drafted the young Buizel into the mission to find Pecha berries, Latias focused her attention on the kindness of these strangers as opposed to her own demons. She was little more than an unstable stranger to them, albeit a famous one; but still, their desire to help was flattering. The dragon had all but written off the survivors as a new, hostile breed but her opinion was proving increasingly malleable. There was some hope left after all.

Unaware that she’d been softly smiling to herself, Latias straightened herself up at Buck’s question. "So what now? Those things are bound to come back. We ought to get out of here." But before she could reply, the Doctor had chipped in, indicating to an unseen town to the east. The dragon continued to watch the spritely creature as he bounded away before proceeding to lick a tree. Lick a tree…
“Did he just…?” Latias couldn’t help but mutter her disbelief aloud, casting a sideways glance to the weavile in the hope that this wasn’t some unusual hallucination. She couldn’t help but smile at the absurdity, a short chuckle escaping her before she had chance to catch it.
"Yup! Most certainly that way!” The legendary shook her head, trying to disguise her chuckling before speaking out to him telepathically. ~You are a funny one, Doctor~

"Whatchu think? You wanna lead the way?"
“Me?” Latias responded, her tone pleasant as that small flicker of amusement lifted her high from a darker place. Whilst the occasional stab of the poison kept her firmly tethered to that raw hostility, the dragon was working hard to immerse herself in those small bouts of frivolity. They were fleeting these days, and so all the more powerful. “I hardly know where I am,” She chuckled softly, slowly drifting eastward and tucking her arms in close.

A thought then struck her suddenly. The Doctor seemed to have a half-decent knowledge of the area, one that could prove useful in regards to her initial goal. Her demeanour shifted slightly as she turned to him, amber eyes alight with a genuine curiosity.
“This town…” She started hesitantly, stifling the desire to wince as the poison again reminded her of its presence. “Is it far from Alph? The Ruins?”

((Screw this. Had most of the post written and then mis-clicked something [don't even know what] and then lost it. I don't have time for this. Skip me, but I'll try to summarise:

Buck stifles laughter at the Doctor's tree-licking and says to Latias: "Yeah he did. I'll take some too if that's what's making him so damn happy." He gets bored and wanders off to the side as Doc asks Latias if she wants to lead the way. When Latias mentions the ruins, he says: "Violet City? Nah, not far. Why'd you want to go there?"

Garth walks with Hannibal and is horrified at his plea to keep Lalita alive. He barely controls himself until the Houndoom offers a compromise, after which he cheers up. "Ah ... you have a special plan for her? Ooh, trust me, so do I. That bitch will get what's coming to her." Reluctantly, he agrees to keep her unharmed for now.

He then says: "But we need to watch out for the dragon. She is quite well known in my homeland as a Pokemon of legend. Latias, her name is. We need to figure out how to get rid of her, preferably before we move on to the others. We may need to prepare a separate ambush for her..."

"Also," he adds, "the human..." He scans Hannibal for a reaction from the corner of his eye.

So sorry guys. I'll go over Garth's part in more detail next turn. It's not great, but hopefully this is enough for you to work with.))

 ~You are a funny one, Doctor~
The Abra nearly jolted from her telepathic voice in his head, beautiful and sleek as it was. 
He hadn't had another to mind speak with for a long while, and he had only heard rumors of legends having the higher speech abilities his kind possessed. He chuckled under his breath, her happiness stemming from his obviously trivial actions of licking the bark of a tree for directions. 

'Course she wouldn't understand that. Time Lord stuff, musta' looked a bit odd. Nevertheless, his face and aura was bright with her private message, sent out only for him. What, don't fancy lickin' a tree now and then? Everyone gets lonely, even trees! Gotta show 'em some love! He replied telepathically, sending some of his happiness her way, tucked in within the mental speech. 

The loneliness was something that he could never endure, and this newly-found bond between him and his legendary companion was enough to make his hearts beat with elation and...dare he think it?...love? For the first time in a long while, the soft smile on his face was genuine and revealing. It didn't matter that he could  never ever deserve such a thing, not after all he's done. It didn't matter that just being around him would probably kill her before the virus did. It didn't even matter that she was doomed to become an unthinking creature of blood and horror, not for that tiny moment in all of time and space. Not for the small moment that he had her, as she was now. No, none of that mattered.

Because he wasn't alone anymore. 

"Whatchu think? You wanna lead the way?"
“Me?"she said with kindness and amusement mingling in her voice. “I hardly know where I am,” The Doctor couldn't help but laugh at her enchanting personality as he trotted next to her, his lanky legs clinking with every other step. 

“This town…” The legend said, her demeanor shifting. “Is it far from Alph? The Ruins?” His hearts tripped at the pleasant shock of not only her inquiry, but the beauty of her brilliant gaze. But before he could answer, the Weavile chipped in. "Violet City? Nah, not far. Why'd you want to go there?" 

The Doctor beamed at her. "Ohhhh, you! Ruins of Alph! You're an explorer, you like seeing new things! Ohh, I can't believe it, that's just brilliant!"  He exclaimed in excitement, his arms going above his head, before spinning around in a sort of victory dance. "The Ruins! I haven't been to the Ruins in AGES!" He gushed, lost in his own head as he danced around the great legend before returning to a backwards trot as he spoke, waving his arms about with fervor. "Well, quite literally ages- back then they were still building the thing! And blimey, there was a whole lot more back then than what you see there now, let me tell ya! Humans, they missed all the important stuff, like usual! Can't blame them though, ya' need a bit of a careful eye and a psychic link, and you know humans. Always missing anything passed the obvious, picking up the rubbish and calling it important. Could you imagine, all those amazing little black creatures buildin' that whole thing by themselves! Amazing!" 

A thought suddenly occurring to him, he stopped and looked the great legend in the eye. His voice was suddenly lower, his face impish and fired up with the thrill. "We can go there, ya know. The Great Alph Ruins. I could show you the parts that they missed. We can see it together, after we take a rest in Violet City." 

Come on, Lat, come with me. Let's see what nobody else has seen in millions of years! I'll show you things you couldn't even imagine!

(so he's still walking/trotting as he's talking most of the time, so we can get to shelter faster. Location change, we're now close enough to see houses)

Hannibal, as he’d expected, saw the shift in Garth’s demeanour almost instantaneously at mention of sparing Lalita’s life. It took all his self-control not to smile; the confirmation that his perceptive abilities were still precise as ever only worked to stroke his ego. Still, he kept his expression muted throughout.

"Ah ... you have a special plan for her? Ooh, trust me, so do I. That bitch will get what's coming to her."

The Houndoom merely nodded his head in understanding, not wanting to explain this supposed ‘special plan’ of his or enquire to the Grovyle’s own grisly intentions. Some things didn’t need explaining; some things are better left unsaid. Hannibal simply allowed the silence to do the talking. He had no qualms with his companion’s more sinister desires, only noting the potential weakness for later use.

"But we need to watch out for the dragon. She is quite well known in my homeland as a Pokemon of legend. Latias, her name is. We need to figure out how to get rid of her, preferably before we move on to the others. We may need to prepare a separate ambush for her..."

For an infected – Hannibal had made his judgment – Tom was proving remarkably intelligent. Hannibal couldn’t help but admire the creature’s forward-thinking, his analysis of the group as he strategically found the major obstacles capable of jeopardizing his scheme. Latias is undeniably a powerful being, but regardless of what the stories may say, she isn’t invincible. Hannibal had no intentions of taking on such an opponent himself, especially one that he was growing to admire. She was strong, ruthless and above all, determined; a combination that hit particularly close to home.
“She’s unstable,” He remarked casually, the cogs of his mind silently whirring. “It wouldn’t surprise me if her own temper got her killed…” Attacking her head-on was suicidal – not that Hannibal intended to get his claws dirty anyway – but perhaps she could prove an unwitting accomplice to their mission.

He paused, intense gaze shifting to Tom’s face.
“I believe if you push her far enough – push the right buttons, say the right words – she could lose herself altogether. In a state like that, well, I doubt she’d be able to distinguish friend from foe…” He remained vague, a small grin creeping up his maw. “I’ll speak with her, see if I can… warm her to our way of thinking,”

"Also, the human..."

Hannibal had known the topic would come up eventually, but had still remained helpless to the blatant shift in his demeanor. His eyes flashed, expression growing increasingly dark as his attention fixated on somewhere in the distance. Hannibal had no real reason to disguise his loathing of their species, it was purely out of habit that he worked diligently to regain his composure. Quietly, he was enjoying the opportunity to reveal his more carnal side free from judgement.
“I intend to kill it myself,” He stated after a pause. Hannibal would not ask for any kind of permission. “Forget the muzzle – I don’t need anything in exchange other than the opportunity to rip out that creature’s throat,”

Hannibal’s mood lightened slightly then, realizing that he might be endangering the allegiance through his desire to take charge, and so sought out a distraction. “Perhaps we can make a meal out of him after this is all over? He’s slim, stringy, but their kind is so rare to find these days. The liver – now that’s something to die for,”

"Yeah he did. I'll take some too if that's what's making him so damn happy."  The legendary shook her head amusedly, chuckling despite herself. Part of her was struggling to reinforce her newly-adopted cool demeanour, trying collect herself and rise above such frivolity. But this bout of silliness was bringing a stranger out of the darkness. She hadn’t felt so much like herself in months.
~ What, don't fancy lickin' a tree now and then? Everyone gets lonely, even trees! Gotta show 'em some love! ~ The Doctor’s response broke her. Latias laughed without restraint, a melodic noise so foreign that it surprised even her. How long had it been? She didn’t know. She didn’t care. She surrendered to it; relishing in a gift that was temporarily masking all the pain, all the heartbreak, all that raw, simmering fury that dictated her existence.

In that moment, she truly knew who she was.

But it could never last.

"Violet City? Nah, not far. Why'd you want to go there?" Buck answered her question with his typical nonchalance, affirming her suspicions but producing an adverse reaction. Latias’ smile dropped, her radiance dissolving away as the weight of his query fell to her shoulders, pushing her back to reality.
“I…” Latias was hesitant. She hadn’t spoken of her brother to anyone. The legends had witnessed it, but she had never sought their pity. No, Latias had mourned alone; screaming until she was hoarse, crying until she was sick. She feared re-opening that wound. “…I mean…”
"Ohhhh, you! Ruins of Alph! You're an explorer, you like seeing new things! Ohh, I can't believe it, that's just brilliant!" The Doctor had saved her, unwittingly giving her something to hold onto. She couldn’t speak of Latios. Not yet.

“Ye-Yes,” Latias’ response came out weaker than she had liked, the smile on her face forced. The admittance that followed, however, was  sincere. “I’d always heard stories about them as a child. That they were unlike anywhere else in this world…” I wanted to see them for the both of us. She saw his decapitated head in her periphery; a lump building in her throat.

"The Ruins! I haven't been to the Ruins in AGES! Well, quite literally ages- back then they were still building the thing! And blimey, there was a whole lot more back then than what you see there now, let me tell ya! Humans, they missed all the important stuff, like usual! Can't blame them though, ya' need a bit of a careful eye and a psychic link, and you know humans. Always missing anything passed the obvious, picking up the rubbish and calling it important. Could you imagine, all those amazing little black creatures buildin' that whole thing by themselves! Amazing!"

The Doctor’s cheery gushing fell to a soothing, background hum whilst Latias worked to control her fluctuating emotions. She was too proud to submit to such biting sorrow, and too guilt-ridden to idly dismiss thoughts of Latios. After all, no matter how painful they were, that was all she had left of him.

The Abra eventually fell quiet, walking backwards in front of her and searching for her watery, amber orbs. Latias couldn’t hide from him – she saw no reason to, he saw straight through.  
"We can go there, ya know. The Great Alph Ruins. I could show you the parts that they missed. We can see it together, after we take a rest in Violet City." A tired smile tugged at her lips. It hurt her not to share his energy, when it was his passion that she admired so much.

~ Come on, Lat, come with me. Let's see what nobody else has seen in millions of years! I'll show you things you couldn't even imagine! ~

Her smile was stronger this time; her expression a bittersweet melody of emotions fighting for dominance. The dragon was torn between the past and the future; the choice to dwell in the shadows with her ghosts or step into the warm glow of a hope for something more. Latias had her goals. She would reach the ruins and let Latios go. He would be safe in their childhood castle whilst she could finally move out into the light.

And she would go there with the Doctor. His spirit was pulsing in her veins, finally providing the antidote for all the poison in her life. He could save her.

”I wouldn’t miss it for the world,”

Buck let his mind wander as the Doctor went on and on about the ruins, dancing around them like a loon. His cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and the reminder that  it was his fault he'd ended up with a pack of circus freaks didn't make him feel any better. The Abra suddenly stopped skipping and faced Latias, some kind of childish yet genuine excitement emanating from him. "We can go there, ya know. The Great Alph Ruins. I could show you the parts that they missed. We can see it together, after we take a rest in Violet City."

Do we have to?! Buck's mind howled, but he kept his tongue in check. He was in absolutely no mood to go gallivanting around some crumbly rocks after the day he'd had. Why couldn't they just find some house and let him curl up in a corner like he wanted to? Let him forget about Zack and Norma Jean; about everything that happened in Unova; let him erase the memory of that Vigoroth's arm twitching on the ground as the poor guy was literally hacked to death.

That Grovyle is still out there... Buck shivered at the thought of that demented reptile watching them right at that moment. He instinctively took nervous glances around him at the trees, but noticed that they were starting to thin out. Surely enough, rooftops began to appear in the distance. The sight of them calmed Buck's nerves somewhat; from what he knew, Grovyle were a lot more suited to forest and jungle environments; perhaps he would be discouraged from following them into the city and would move on. But he did seem pretty damn serious when he said he'd come back for Lalita-- wait...

Just where was that fox? Buck peeked over his shoulder, but neither the Ninetails, nor the human or Buizel, were there. For a second he almost stopped and alerted the other two that they were three bodies down, but Buck contently allowed his arms to swing back and forth as he decided that he just didn't give a shit. He hardly missed Lalita and her constant moaning, he'd barely said two words to Tails and the human ... the Weavile was glad to see the back of that snivelling excuse for a man. None of them meant a thing to him, so why should he waste time worrying about them when he had himself to take care of? If they were stupid enough to wander off when there was a mad Grovyle on the loose, they deserved whatever they got.

You're a nasty son of a bitch, you know that?

Buck couldn't help but wonder whether Norma Jean would share the same opinion. True, the three of them had only ever been in it for themselves, but if she were in this situation with him ... Buck found himself unsure of what she would say. The person he had known all his life, his best friend, was slipping further away from him by the day. It was as though she was just a memory after all; not a part of him anymore. The thought made Buck want to fall to his knees and weep.

But he didn't - he kept his calm, aloof composure as he listened to Latias and the Doctor converse happily a few paces ahead of him. Maybe he had time to rebuild that detached part of him in some other way. You just need to stop being a dick ... on the outside, anyway.

"Can't say I've been to Violet City before," he said, figuring that maybe they needed reminding that he was even there. "Me and my friends never did come this far west - we mostly stuck to the Mt.Silver-Blackthorn kind of area. A bit of New Bark as well. Isn't this the place with that really big tower?" he suddenly mused. "Got that funny name ... Sprout Tower, is it? Wonder if that's still there?"

---

“She’s unstable,” Hannibal said briefly. Garth nodded, his gaze never leaving the hound's face for a second, his burning eyes watching, judging, calculating. “It wouldn’t surprise me if her own temper got her killed…” He did nothing this time, deciding instead to further prompt the dog with silence. He had seen Latias's ferocity and unstability first hand, but wasn't sure whether to admit that. Not just yet, anyway.

“I believe if you push her far enough – push the right buttons, say the right words – she could lose herself altogether. In a state like that, well, I doubt she’d be able to distinguish friend from foe…” Garth nearly lost control; he had to literally bite his lip to stop himself from exploding into laughter. Yes ... this was perfect. If Hannibal was suggesting what he thought he was ... Lalita and the others were practically already dead. To have a legend on their side ... Garth almost giggled at the thought of that fox's face as her friend the legend began killing her ... all at his command.

“I’ll speak with her, see if I can… warm her to our way of thinking.” Garth's mouth tremoured as he desperately tried to hold back his growing excitement. "You, my friend, are a genius," he said, giving the dog an amicable pat on the shoulder. "Latias, thankfully, didn't come along until after my banishment, so she may not even know who I am. Lalita will twist it round, of course - make me look like the villain - so if we're gonna try and get her on our side, we need to be quick before Lalita ruins it."

Hannibal then took on a more distant expression, and Garth knew what was coming next. “I intend to kill it myself,” he said after an agonisingly long pause. Like fuck that'll happen, Garth almost scoffed.“Forget the muzzle – I don’t need anything in exchange other than the opportunity to rip out that creature’s throat.”

The Grovyle nodded, choosing his words carefully. "It seems I'm not the only one who was mistreated by those ... fiends. Justice is a strong motive, and I understand that. What does it matter whether that human has done either of us any wrong - sometimes the chance to get their blood on your claws is more than enough."

“Perhaps we can make a meal out of him after this is all over? He’s slim, stringy, but their kind is so rare to find these days. The liver – now that’s something to die for.”
"Yes." Garth had to pretend that he'd stumbled so he could quickly wipe off the saliva that was oozing from his mouth. "I'm sure it is. I've never tasted human myself, but I'm sure that it is, indeed, worth dying for."

"I can see that your thirst for human blood is great than mine," he went on, hastily changing the subject in case he got carried away. "I won't ask for personal details, but I will let you kill the human. On one condition: you allow me to do whatever I want with Lalita when the time comes. She is mine, and no one else's. Are you happy with this?" He then looked at Hannibal, his face forming a genuinely concerned look. Well, he'll have to be ... or else he's dead in a few seconds.

His hearts pumped hard at the excitement and fear and anticipation of her reply. She hesitated;  and her aura was blurring with sadness and hope.
What is she thinking? Why the darkness that mingles?
What if she says no? Am I wrong about her? He studied her face with his searing purple gaze as he awaited an answer.

Finally, a warm smile graced her pale maw. ”I wouldn’t miss it for the world,”

With a giant sigh and a hearty laugh, he bounced back, his gaze torn away from those beautiful amber eyes to the scenery around them.

"Can't say I've been to Violet City before," The Weavile said, casually. "Me and my friends never did come this far west - we mostly stuck to the Mt.Silver-Blackthorn kind of area. A bit of New Bark as well. Isn't this the place with that really big tower? Got that funny name ... Sprout Tower, is it? Wonder if that's still there?"

The Doctor nodded. "Ahh, the Sprout Tower- been there only a few times, back when it was still new. Beautiful sunsets from up there at the top, and that pillar right down the middle! Humans can be brilliant, you know?" But the Doctor stopped his content rambling, his expression gaining a sudden concern.

"Of course! We forgot about her bug sting! If I recall correctly..." His sharp gaze quickly spotted a berry bush as his lanky legs carried him over to it. After a few moments of his hunched slender form searching through the leaves, he straightened with triumph.
"Haa! Found them! This should be enough to make you right! Right as rain!" He beamed, gently pulling her paw up to place the berries in them- an intimate gesture, something he rarely expressed, and was somewhat surprised at himself for doing so. "And now it seems we're even, after what Tails' had told me about before..."

His gaze went from a gentle happiness to that of horror as he leaped back from Latias and frantically looked around them. "Where are they? Where's Tails? Where are the others?" the gangly Abra dashed a small distance from them, searching the brush and trail as he went. His gaze went to the quickly receding orb of light, offering only scarce beams fading through the trees.
"We have to go back for them!" He snapped angrily at those remaining as he came dashing back, enraged that he could have been so neglectful of those that needed him. "They won't last outside at night! Not here, not by themselves!"

"Ahh, the Sprout Tower- been there only a few times, back when it was still new, the Doctor said with a nod as he bounced ahead. "Beautiful sunsets from up there at the top, and that pillar right down the middle! Humans can be brilliant, you know?" Buck highly doubted that, but he said nothing, quite content to just pad along behind until someone led him to where he wanted to be. "Of course! the Abra cried as he spun around, making him jump."We forgot about her bug sting! If I recall correctly..."

Buck could've slapped himself for forgetting as well. He cast wary looks at Latias as the Doc bounded off towards a bush on the side of the road, as though she was going to keel over at any moment. He didn't want to imagine how he and the Doc would carry her all the way to the city. Within a few seconds though, the Abra straightened up and came back, a few little berries cupped in his hand.

"Haa! Found them! This should be enough to make you right! Right as rain!" he smiled, placing the berries into Latias's paw. Buck watched with his arms folded, a little grin plastered on his face. He didn't look like it, but the scene somehow made him want to start crying. "And now it seems we're even, after what Tails' had told me about before..."

He trailed off, a look of horror on his face as he clearly just noticed that the others were missing. Dumbass. Even I missed them before you did. Nonetheless, he pretended to look concerned, darting his head from side to side.

"We have to go back for them! They won't last outside at night! Not here, not by themselves!" The Doc was almost frantic with worry, and Buck would've sympathised if he was a nicer guy. He stopped looking behind bushes and stood up, pressing his hand to his chin and tried to look like he was thinking carefully.

"I dunno, Doc ... it's getting kind of dark. I wouldn't want us to end up getting lost out here. Besides..." he paused, his face taking on a more solemn expression. "Maybe they didn't 'get lost' - it could've been their choice to leave us." He shrugged. "They don't seem like the type to just wander off and randomly get themselves lost."

"You, my friend, are a genius,"

Oh, you don’t know the half of it…

Hannibal momentarily basked in the compliment, the comment injecting his weakened ego with a beautiful boost of energy. He made no reaction to Tom’s pat on his bony shoulder, too engrossed in silent self-satisfaction to respond to the unwelcomingly close contact. The smugness that touched his features refused to be hidden. Hannibal allowed himself the luxury for once, he wouldn’t deny this feeling.

He was only half-listening as Tom elaborated on his interactions with the unstable dragon, nodding his head lightly in agreement with something he hadn’t the patience to process. But the Grovyle’s comment about the human – Hannibal tuned in instantaneously. He watched his companion from the corner of maroon eyes, trying to find any underlying trauma in his charade but instead found himself distracted by the creature’s eloquence. Remarkable. Hannibal hadn’t encountered such intelligence in an undead before and was shamelessly fascinated by Tom’s condition. Still, he’d lose it all soon enough. They all did in the end.

"I can see that your thirst for human blood is great than mine. I won't ask for personal details, but I will let you kill the human. On one condition: you allow me to do whatever I want with Lalita when the time comes. She is mine, and no one else's. Are you happy with this?"

The Houndoom pretended he hadn’t noticed Tom’s drooling at the mention of food, and instead offered a courteous nod of his head in thanks. Hannibal didn’t want permission to kill the human, but good manners never went amiss – even if the actions were empty. But as the reptile continued, his fixation with Lalita becoming ever more apparent, Hannibal paused to consider the matter in an extended silence.

He liked the fox. She was tough beneath that pretty, damsel-like exterior and he admired that. She had potential… But alas, Hannibal would not devote his existence to the wellbeing of a stranger. It would be a shame to lose her, but if she hadn’t the skills to defend herself from Tom then perhaps she was better off dead.

“I’m happy,” Hannibal finally agreed, voice firm. He met the Grovyle’s eyes before flashing him a small, wolfish grin. Flashes of white fangs briefly visible through the crusted muzzle bars.

“The group can’t be far off,” He started, pausing to delicately scent the air only to find the scent of a legendary closer than he’d expected. His brow furrowed, the canine scanning the surroundings for glimpse of the female before honing in on a few droplets of blood. It was still wet, slightly discoloured by a foreign substance. A bitter aroma led him to the conclusion of poison. He looked back to Tom, gesturing to the stain in the terrain. “Latias. Poison, I think. We’re on the right track,”

“Now, I intend to return to the group. You can follow me from afar but keep your distance. They have keen senses – especially the Abra,” He warned. “I’ll break away from them before dawn, briefly however. Meet me then. I can update you on proceedings,” The slender hound spoke calmly and with a tone designed not to be questioned. There was no bargaining to be had. Hannibal was calling the shots here. He needed time to infiltrate the fortress that was Latias’ mind. It could take some time and Tom would need to be patient.

“You can trust me,” How many times had he spoken those words? It was truly an art to breathe such sincerity into forever hollow promises. And Hannibal did it spectacularly.

With a departing nod, he began his journey through Route 36, following the soft-lingering scents of those he had condemned. He walked alone, yet remained ever-conscious of the looming shadow that stalked him from afar.

(( Thought it was about time Garth and Hannibal separated, as my boy needs to run into Sil before finally re-joining the group in Violet City. Hope that’s all okay, guys. C:  ))

It had been so long...

Glassy emerald eyes darted to each shadow around them, as usual. Fluffy, large mint ears twitched at each and every foreign sound, as usual. Long, lithe legs strode through the dead foliage and vegetation, pausing every now and again... as usual. Sil glanced beside her, pausing once more as she realized that she was sure she'd seen this particular grove of trees before... "...Oh, shit."

The sawsbuck, frustrated at her own ineptitude in the subject of navigation, stamped her hoof in vexation. How the hell could she have gotten herself so helplessly lost so close to "civilization"? After all, she'd just left some poor excuse of a city, even if she was pretty sure she was no longer in Unova. Giving out an angry sigh, she turned around a few times, looking for another route to try. Maybe if she just picked a different direction, she'd have more luck... Tossing her head, done with traveling and ready to find a "safe" place to rest, she picked to go to her left and kept moving.

It had been so long since the events at her old farmhouse; though she was unsure of an exact amount of time, it felt like an eternity. And though the last sights of that battle still haunted her, it was less painful now. Cass' betrayed, helpless, hopeless expression was only a vague reminder of what she'd done... After all, he was likely to die anyway, even if she'd stayed. And it wasn't like he'd be able to find her again. If he did, it'd be as one of those... monsters... and it wouldn't even be him anymore, so... why bother feeling guilty? Why hold onto that when it was just something that might get her killed?

Sil tossed her head again, ridding her antlers of some stray branches. It was a secondary instinct now, since she was completely comfortable with her evolved form now. It was a good feeling to have; the confidence in her own mind and body to keep herself alive. But as she strode through the trees, a scent caught her nose, freezing her to a single spot. It was familiar; familiar enough to cause her hackles to raise, but not enough to immediately procure an image in her mind. What was that smell? Easily blending in with the trees, she stood, frozen, spying through the darkening branches for the owner of such a scent. She soon spotted a figure, one that struck her too close to home. It couldn't be...

The pokemon was easy to identify as a houndoom, but its gait, its subtle sense of superiority and pride... How its -no, his- ribs poked out stubbornly from beneath the ebony fur... And lastly, that frayed leather muzzle... It could only be one houndoom. In all the sea of pokemon, she would come across... him.

Forgetting herself, her safety and instincts, her legs moved forward, out of the brush. Her face was nothing but pure and utter shock, her mind still trying to register the sheer luck -a questionable word- of finding him, that singular dog that had been a shadow to her mind. "...Hannibal." It wasn't a question-- she knew who it was. But the name escaped her, likely in an attempt to truly understand that this was reality.



[[HOLY FUCKING SHIT IT'S MY FIRST POST IN SO LOOOOOOOOOOOONG HO YEAH]]