(ACE) The FROST Team

"Shelter should be a little further in. Yuri's kinda holed up in a crevice right now and...where's Formaldehyde?"
Spot sniffs the air. His tail whips from side to side. He doesn't know where they went.
"Wasn't he with you and your trainer?"
"The human the human with the metal stick!" The aron chimes.
His ears droop. It wasn't his human. They prick up again soon after at the prospect of meeting any human. Perhaps they will have treats for him.
"Name's Dal. My trainer Yuri--she's further in."
"Nice to meet you Dal."
"Spot!" He barks again in introduction, in case the purple Pokemon hadn't heard before. It was big and had red eyes and spiky ears. G-Gengar! He wags his tail, happy he had remembered his Pokemon identification lessons.
"You all coming?"
He grins and wags his tail.
"Yeah, lets go meet Yuri."
"I want to go see her." He barks and lets the tongue of his middle head hang out happily.
His right head sniffs at the air and turns towards the entrance to the cave. His spaded-tipped tail whips around.
"Someone coming." He says and turns his body to greet the newcomer, only his keen nose separating the fluffy white fur from the snowdrifts until the other dog steps onto the rocky floor of the cavern.
He remembers what that pokemon is as well. His master's mother had five of them he saw sometime from his master's side. They looked very pretty with their white fur all done up in fancy styles with different colors in them. This dog's fur was thick like the snow and he smelt wet but he looked the same as them.
"Hello, fellow survivors! "
"Hello~" His left head says back cheerfully.
"I have arrived to assist you against the Undead tyrants! HUZZAH! It is an honor to be among the living. Now, do enlighten me, where are you headed?"
"It's cold and dangerous outside. We're looking for a place to rest until my human comes." Spot's right head says, still looking deeper into the cavern.

Cory shrinks back as far as he can without drawing attention to himself. His golden claws rub over each other nervously and his pewter colored eyes flit around the icy cavern walls like flies.
He hasn’t been recognized but his heart is thumping faster and faster in his chest. He wanted to run but the cold is harsh and biting. His tail twitches and out of the corner of his eye he sees something in the snow.
At first he doesn’t believe it but his grey eyes widen when he realizes that there is a fireball coming straight towards him. He opens his beak-like mouth to call out but the word feels like a burr stuck in his throat. He chokes and coughs before managing to draw his head up.
"Fire!” He squeaks but the fire is already dying down and becoming an orange furred pokemon.
"Hiya folks! My name's Sharon, and I just so happened to notice that you might be aiming to set up a shindig over in these parts." The Flareon introduces herself far more loudly than Cory’s warning had been.
The Breloom scrambles backwards. Fire and ice; two things a grass type like him could do without.
Not bothering to check whether the group is friendly the Flareon leaps forwards and trots over to the Houndoom.
"By the way, I'm loving the conjoined siblings, you three simply look smashing."
The canine merely barks and one of the heads sticks out its tongue. Ridiculous.
"By the way, have you seen a giant buzzy bug around here recently? Should be red with purple blotches, giant pincers that can crush boulders, generally very deadly. Anyone? Ohhhh. I think you have. Terribly sorry about that. Anyhow! How're you all doing?"
Cory doesn’t answer the question. His heart can’t take any more surprises. He presses himself to the cold rock wall and struggles to draw breath. Arceus, what a mess he has gotten himself into. These pokemon, these pokemon were all so strange. What was he going to do?!

(( yeah I can't think of anything at the moment for them to do, nor feeling a post right now. Family stuffs come up that needs my attention, pass)

Reaper sighed. There wasn't much here for him to do. With a quiet growl, the Absol turned and started walking the other way, shooting back a grin, Reaper giggled. "It's been fun here my lovelies, but this Reaper must be off! There are other more interesting morsels out there. Though I will be baaaack~" He cackled, Bounding off through the snow. As the Absol ran, he stopped at a clean patch of snow, rolling in it to clean off some of the more prominent blood patches. Scaring off his next prey wouldn't be the best idea, now would it? Now sure he was presentable, Reaper chased snowflakes down the route, his mad giggling loud enough to be heard from the cavern. He would be back - this group was far to fun to leave alone!

"One thing at a time Reaper, you need to get yourself some food first, then come back here and play with them a bit more." He told himself, dancing through the snow as he left the Frost Cavern.

"Hi kid did you get lost out there?"

Lancelot scoffed in slight dubiety at the rodent's words. He began to reply; the word "no," was on his tongue when he snapped his mouth shut. This was done with such force that his ears resonated with the sound of his clacking teeth. (You really were lost, don't lie Lancelot, oh 'kid' he says, you were lost like a 'kid' you were passed out and lost like a)

"I was not lost, silly child!" Despite the Pikachu being a grown adult, Lancelot had always felt that smaller Pokemon were stuck in a constant juvenile faze that was unwavering due to their stature-and this Pikachu was not exempt from this opinion. He padded towards him with purpose, and cuffed him on the ear with a faternal glance. Then, suddenly, he spoke, making inconsistent, extravagant movements with each interjection, " I was venturing out to search for more of the evil Undead! I have killed many, you know! Call me a knight in shining armor, if you wish! I am here to be of aid!"

(like a kid) That thought almost stopped him cold; cold like the snow numbing his paws and matting his glorious pelt with its dewy consistency. Cold, cold, cold...

"Hello~ It's cold and dangerous outside."

"Indeed," concurred Lancelot, blankly staring at his dampened feet, then turning his head to the speaker numbly. He realized he had become impassive, and covered this up with a dainty grin.

"We're looking for a place to rest until my human comes."

(Oh, he still has his human...w-wait, do my eyes decieve me? Three heads?)

Lancelot knew the appropriate reaction would be mild intrigue, but he couldn't help but feel astonished at the sight. He had seen a Houndoom only thrice--they were a rather unpopular choice in the Show Dog world due to their sinister appearance, but they attended nonetheless, the were canines after all. But in all the ones he had seen, they had possessed a single head, never two, and certainly never three!

Lancelot pondered for a moment on the mechanics of tri-headed Pokemon. How did they work? This Houndoom seemed to speak in a uniform fashion, was there only one brain controlling them all, was there only one Spot in there, using three heads, three mouths to speak?

No, no, no, the heads weren't dead weight, the left had been the one who greeted him, the right had been the one who spoke to him about them...his...its...'human.'

He had a fleeting vision of the three Houndoom's he had seen fusing together, and he shook his head.

Lancelot nodded to be polite to Spot; he didn't want to embarrass him by appearing tongue-tied and awestruck. He was a glorious specimen, certainly, no matter how he functioned. (But not as glorious as I!)At this, the flustered Furfrou swallowed to briefly regain his composure. (I have to be honest with myself--that's slightly attractive. Three in one, that is luck!) He swooned for a moment, his eyes twinkling a sultry crimson as promiscuous thoughts berated him. "F-forgive me for inquiring, Sir Spot, but prior to this dastardly apocalypse, were you ever a Show Dog? I mean, you certainly don't lack the...the..." Lancelot fished deep in his vocabulary for the proper word, but the only thing he caught was the word, "beauty?" Immediately after he uttered this word, he mentally smacked himself in the face. (Beauty? Really? Of all the words to describe a male, you used beauty?)

A sooty scent, much like a wildfire, enveloped him suddenly, catching him off guard. "Hiya folks! My name's Sharon and I just so happened to notice that you might be aiming to set up a shindig over in these parts." The new voice was charming and deliciously euphonious. (Though the speaker should practice their linguistic skills, those words are dreadfully...primitive.) Lancelot sighed in relief at the timing of the words--hopefully they had been spoken soon enough to override his humiliating mistake.

But as Lancelot turned his head and the attractive feline met his eyes for the first time, his outlook drastically changed, and his thoughts of Spot and his unique deformity and the cold and his damn soaked paws faded into nothingness.

(oh no no no no, those words are fine, her lexicon is so wonderfully, beautiful...her! Goddess! His tongue went dry at the notion, and he fought the urge to approach the Flareon and bow to her radiance. Lancelot stood slackjawed as she approached Spot, eyeing her fluid movements and quirky behavior, completely deaf to her words until she spoke to the group as a whole once more, "By the way, have you seen a giant buzzy bug--"

(Adorable, lovely Sharon...how alluring are your adjectives! I sure hope you stay--)

"--around here recently? Should be red with purple blotches, giant pincers that can crush boulders, generally very deadly. Anyone?" Her exquisite gaze fell to the mutilated vulpine that Lancelot had overlooked before somehow; he could not allow himself to recoil in disgust now, he was in the presence of regality.

"Ohhh. I think you have. Terribly sorry about that."

(how devilishly naive is your humor! How heavenly your voice! Goddess!)

"Anyhow! How're you all doing?"

(Now is your chance, Lancelot the Great!)

"Goddess!" he exclaimed aloud this time, bowing his head to Sharon with a cordial flair. "Allow me to introduce myself! I am Lancelot the Great! The bravest of the brave, the robust warrior, the legend who has obliterated many Undead and lived to relay the tale! Huzzah!" He jerked his head high and ogled her through half-lidded, coquettish eyes before speaking again--this time providing a more flirtatious spice to his tone. "So, you must be a Fire Type, because you are positively smoking m'lady." He gave her a wink, hoping he appeared as deliciously irresistible as she did to him. (And why wouldn't she?! Oh Arceus, if you keep blessing me with such attractive companions, I...I might just faint! Oh, I'm definitely sticking around!)

He perked his flaccid ears at the sound of Reaper departing, but gave no farewell--in his short time here, he deduced that the Absol had a menacing vibe. Inwardly, he gave a sigh of relief.

He continued to stand idly, deeply enveloped in infatuation. He allowed his tail to flourish behind him and panted in ecstasy. Spot and Sharon were his two (or five, given Spot's malformation) slices of bliss, and Lancelot knew this was the closest to Heaven as he was going to get in this catastrophic world.

[[OOC; Hey Shadow, I couldn't find the text color for your Pikachu so I just guessed. ^-^; Would you mind PM'ing me the text color? Speaking of text colors, is Lancelot's straining anyones eyes? If so, I'll change it.]]

She had attempted to ignore the flamboyant Froufro for the moment, as she had not yet inspected the entire party that she had just joined. But that proved to be impossible however, as the fluffy dog pranced over to her, half shouting, half crooning. "Goddess? Wait, are you talking to me?" His praise caught the cat entirely off guard, and took a long, good look at the Fancy one, taking a moment to make sure she had heard him correctly. Aside from attempting to analyze the emotions of what he had just said, she took the time to inspect his physical aspects, aside from his vocalizations. He was lean and wry, healthy enough but far from an athlete. His fur was long and silky, though it needed some attention. His frame was long, but lanky, some proportions oversized compared with his overall structure. That and a slight crack in his voice as he belted out his complements tipped her off to what she was dealing with. Ahh, he's a teenager. Her poise went jaunty, relaxing quite a bit. "Well that's a new one." Fluttering her eyelashes and putting forth a confident smirk, she idly flicked away a lock of her mane that fell over her face.

'So he considers himself a monster slayer?' Definitely going to have fun with this one. She chuckled at his attempt at a joke, finding the rest of his demeanor to be much more comical. "Well aren't you the charmer? You sure do know how to talk lovely. As much as I like talking to you Lancelot, If you don't mind I'd like to get to know everyone else hanging around here also. It's just the kind of girl I am. So just hang on a moment." Flipping her flowing blonde hair as she turned her head, she addressed the Pikachu's question with a friendly smile. "Glad to meet'cha Jackeroonie! Welp, I can't much say which particular region I'm from since I didn't hang around humans much, but I can tell you it was in the mountains. And it got cold a lot, though not like here, whoo-whee! But I found out mostly about zambies through good old fashioned research. Anyhow," Strutting over to look at the small and heavy pokemon, she gave them a quick glance and nodded respectfully in their general direction, her gaze catching on the patch of gold in the corner. "Mm? Who do we have here? Aw come on out, I can't vouch for a bunch of folks I just met, but I don't bite."

Spot's tail wags happily as the other canine takes a step towards him. The other Houndoom he found had left, the Breloom kind of reminded him of the timid-looking dark type, but now he had new friend to play with! His master was going to be so surprised when he came back and saw all his new friends~
"F-forgive me for inquiring, Sir Spot, but prior to this dastardly apocalypse, were you ever a Show Dog? I mean, you certainly don't lack the...the..." Spot pricks up his ears."beauty?"
"I'm a Guard Dog." He barks cheerfully.
Spot's three heads grin. He was pretty? He'd never been told he was beautiful before. What a nice thing to say. His tail wags. He should say something nice back.
"Are you a show dog?" He asks.
He had heard of Dog Shows before of course. They were places where the prettiest dogs got prizes for how pretty they were. This was a pretty Furfrou; he'd probably got prizes.
"If you are I bet you win lots of prizes." He smiles.
His spaded tail wags from side to side. His middle head keeps an eye on the conversation while his left and right heads turn towards the opening of the cavern and deeper inside the cavern. A few fluffy flakes are already cascading down from the slate grey sky. Soon the howling snowstorm would come back and there was ever chance that for every cheerful Flareon and fancy Furfrou there would be something much, much worse like that bug.
Spot makes up his minds.
"Let's get going. The snow's making me uncomfortable." His middle head says.

Cory swallows. His throat feels dry. There were eyes on him, drilling in to him, questioning, wondering eyes.
He can't confess and he can't give them reason to be suspicious of him
"You okay, Cory? You seem like your panicking."
He forces his face to relax and tries to force his tongue to work. "Its okay, Cory we're all friendly here."
"I'm fine, I'm fine.” He tries to laugh it off but even to him the laughter sounds forced, fake as the plastic rose he still clutched.
He rubs the back of his red cap with a golden claw.
"I'm just...a little nervous around Fire Types.” He inwardly prays they didn't notice the way his words caught halfway through the sentence.
"Mm? Who do we have here? Aw come on out, I can't vouch for a bunch of folks I just met, but I don't bite." The Flareon's words are sweet but Cory can't vouch for the sanity of a pokemon that set themselves on fire. On instinct he curls his tail. The bulbous hardened spores that form its tip are a powerful bludgeon if swung at high speed and he really wants there to be something in between him and the pokemon that only moments before was a giant fireball.
"I'm a Grass Type you know.” He tries to defend himself. "Fire and Ice aren't good to me so I guess I luck out either way.” This time the laugh sounds more genuine and less like he is making excuses.
He catches the three-headed thing looking at him. Each of its three necks are twisted to look in different directions but the head in the middle with its sharply sticking back horns seems to be looking right at him. He draws a claw over the petal of the flower to try and calm his rapidly beating heart.
"Give the Breloom a bit of space." His tail curls. "I'm a Guard Dog and that means I will keep everyone safe. If you don't feel safe then I'll make sure we don't come too close. Is that o.k?"
The small Grass type carefully nods. The wagging of the three-headed fire type's tail picks up the pace as the canine bounds forwards.
"Let's get going then!"

"I was not lost, silly child!" Did Jack's ears hear him right? Was he just called a silly child? Jack started chuckling at the Furfrou. As much as the pikachu wanted to correct him he thought maybe, he'll find out for himself. Then, what the Furfrou said made Jack laugh a bit inside seeing how naive the furfrou is on his tale. " I was venturing out to search for more of the evil Undead! I have killed many, you know! Call me a knight in shining armor, if you wish! I am here to be of aid!"  The Pikachu laughed out thinking that a teenager could survive this long alone. "So, just how many did you kill?" Jack turned away from the Furfrou and looked behind them. The Absol had left and thank arceus it did. Reaper gave Jack bad feelings about him and yet, a sigh of relief came over his head. Thank Arceus the absol's gone, but this Furfrou seems to be a little confused from what is really going on. I mean yeah the undead are evil, but the way he sounded like he was looking for trouble. The Pikachu thought to himself.

As they continued deeper into the cavern Dal turned and faced Jack. "Where we're from?" Following the Gengar as he talked, Jack wondered what has become of the shop back in Johto."Technically we're not from any of the regions, we were from a land far west and across the sea from your usual Johto-Kanto-Hoenn-Sinnoh. Although when Yuri was still a kid we ran away from home and went to start anew in Johto. So they must be nomads then. That must of explained how they ended up here in Kalos, but Jack felt his home was in Johto near the mountain. "So, I guess you could say we're from Johto." The Pikachu thought was wrong about the Gengar, it must of been a different one he seen then. Jack took a look back at Flareon talking to him. "Glad to meet'cha Jackeroonie! Welp, I can't much say which particular region I'm from since I didn't hang around humans much, but I can tell you it was in the mountains. And it got cold a lot, though not like here, whoo-whee! But I found out mostly about zambies through good old fashioned research. Anyhow," The Electric type was humored thinking this was someone that he could trust knowing about undead as well. "Ah, so you take the close and personal approach, I respect that." The Pikachu said.

Then, Jack took a look at the Breloom who nervously spoke. "I'm just...a little nervous around Fire Types.” The Pikachu didn't know about that he's never had to fight a ground type. "Mm? Who do we have here? Aw come on out, I can't vouch for a bunch of folks I just met, but I don't bite." The Flareon said to the Breloom. Jack didn't want to pressure him into doing something rash. The only thought was to give him a little space to be relaxed. "I'm a Grass Type you know.” The Breloom said. "Fire and Ice aren't good to me so I guess I luck out either way.” The Electic type remembered ground type moves aren't good to him either, but since he was around a steel type and a rock type, Jack never had to worry about getting nervous around them. "Give the Breloom a bit of space." Jack nodded to the Houndoom. "I'm a Guard Dog and that means I will keep everyone safe. If you don't feel safe then I'll make sure we don't come too close. Is that o.k?" The pikachu then thought to himself. No wonder why he was barking at the scizor when it showed up. His trainer must of trained him to be a guard dog. Jack believed that was the case.  "Let's get going then!"

They finally reach where Yuri is and the Gengar started to introduce them to Yuri.  "Uh, a lot more than we started with, I know...give me a moment, there's...Jack, Gabriel, Jeriah, Spot, Cory, Lancelot...Sharon?" The Pikachu remembered Yuri, but he seemed to gotten used to her a little. The Gengar then introduced his trainer to the others.  "For those who don't know, she's Yuri, my trainer." Jack looked at Yuri and spoke to her attempting to communicate with her. "Hi Yuri, nice to meet you." But, with little to no success as she didn't have anything to hear what he's trying to say. The Pikachu looked at the Furfrou then learned his name from a little talk with the Flareon a little while back. Lancelot huh, sounds like a knight's name from those fairy tales that my trainer read to me when I was a kid. Jack thought to himself. He then, spoke to the Flareon. "Sharon, how long ago did you encountered the undead?" The Pikachu was interested in how she encountered them and how she survived all this time. Then, Jack thought about how he survived this whole time and telling survival stories would make time pass by.

"It's been fun here my lovelies, but this Reaper must be off! There are other more interesting morsels out there. Though I will be baaaack~" the Absol chirped as Gabriel turned around and looked at the gore covered nutcase. That was one pokemon gone that was the clearest threat to him and his little brother. But just as Reaper bounds off other pokemon raised from the snow seemly. For the most part the aron remains oblivious to what was going on around him just wanting to play and eat.

The mention of the human trainer made Jerieah jump for joy more and more. As the white dog like pokemon speaks, "I was not lost, silly child!" Gabriel rolls his eyes. Jack seemed more older this this pup, Gabriel would have put him at their age with the brains of a small child like Jeriah.

" I was venturing out to search for more of the evil Undead! I have killed many, you know! Call me a knight in shining armor, if you wish! I am here to be of aid!", Gabriel raised his eye brow as he followed Jeri in front of the group not really acting on anything being said. Jeri running around plowing through the snow drifts, giggling as snow packs into the holes on his head and sides.

"Well aren't you the charmer? You sure do know how to talk lovely. As much as I like talking to you Lancelot, If you don't mind I'd like to get to know everyone else hanging around here also. It's just the kind of girl I am. So just hang on a moment." Gabriel paused and looked back trying to see what the white dog saw in this female flareon. Seeing only a egotistical nature, he didn't like her already and wouldn't fall into the group. Walking up with the Aron still listening.

Listening to Spot and Cory talking now as Gabriel looked back seeing the grass types discouraged face with both fire types. Gabriel would have laughed if it wasn't so pitiful. " Hey Gabby Gabe Gabriel turned to Jeriah, "Why they picking at Corrry?" rolling the name longer then it needed to be. Gabriel just shrugs his shoulders, patting the aron on the head who just then dismissed it.

As they walked deeper into the cave where the ghost type had said he left his human. The human in question comes out then into view. Jeriah perked up seeing the human again, " I FOUND HER! he bounds forward running a tight circle around the human's feet bouncing a little. Gabriel sighed, "you're going to freak her out Jeri came over here eyeing the human in case she did try something. The aron looked up with a glitter in his eyes and moves away.

"Uh, a lot more than we started with, I know...give me a moment, there's...Jack, Gabriel, Jeriah, Spot, Cory, Lancelot...Sharon?" The ghost type then tries to introduce them. " I didn't think humans could understand us." pointing out bitterly turning toward the ghost. Jack started talking with Sharon some more asking where she came from.

As Gabriel waked by Yuri and down deeper into the cave paying no mind to the human, "Will she be alright spending this much time in a cold cave?" Gabriel asked the phantom as he turned back. Jeriah going back to the main part of the group, his little legs sliding a little on the slick ground. Running under spot to the flareon, "Pretty!" chirping before going over to the white dog. Laughing childlike " White poof!, is it warm under all that fur? running around. Gabriel clears his throat as the aron looked over "Bye bye" running back over to his brother.

Gabriel looked back at the human then back to the group, the grass type seemed a little skittish already and maybe a weak link other then his little brother. He trusted Spot enough to keep his promise, the two new comers seemed a liability and trouble waiting to happen. Gabriel sighed heavy his breath a fine fog, looking back at Jeriah who still had snow packed in the holes. Gabriel started digging out the holes from snow before they freeze up inside and make the aron sick.

"Hold still" his small arms digging at the holes digging out pellets of snow, getting to the stone fragment wedged in and tried to pull at it again "Owie" the Aron gave a soft cry. Gabriel stopped and looked at it muttering a soft sorry.

The Pikachu, of whom he picked up was named 'Jack,' laughed in what Lancelot supposed was incredulity.  Lancelot narrowed his eyes into scathing slits. He was doubting him. Luckily, he didn't catch sight of the Larvitar rolling his eyes at him.

"BOAUF BOAUF!" he barked suddenly, his lips curling back in a snarl, his tongue pressed between his canine teeth. "RRRRrrrAWRF! You dare jeer at me!" His voice oscillated between low and so high it cracked. He would have cringed at his own frequencies if he weren't so livid. "At least I have the decency to-"

"So, just how many did you kill?"

Oh. Perhaps he wasn't doubting him. He better keep his guard up just in case.

He relaxed slightly, but kept his hackles raised. He raked the snow below him with his claws, not particularly caring if he got wet or not at this point.

"I've killed far too many to count. Oh, kids these days. So self-entitled," he sniffed, swiping a damp paw over his ear, then cringing in realization of what he had just done. He got his fur wet.

"I'm a Guard Dog," barked Spot, and Lancelot was thankful to keep his mind off the Pikachu and his soaked fur for a moment. Oh, so the Houndoom had heard his error. He swallowed a whine of embarassment. However, Spot didn't seem insulted, in fact, his unorthodox compliment seemed to tickle his fancy. His trio of heads all beamed and his spaded tail whipped behind him in delight.

But maybe Spot didn't know that Lancelot was being flirtatious. Despite his alarming appearance, Spot appeared relatively guiltless. He probably had never had a licentious thought in his life. The chase was still fun, however, Lancelot reasoned. His flattering remark wasn't a lie either, he truly did believe Spot had a unique type of beauty about him. Even if he didn't possess the three marvelous heads, he'd still be a gorgeous specimen. For a Guard Dog, anyways.

Lancelot snapped himself back to reality, his mind fuzzy from musing. He realized he had been staring at the orb in Spots' collar which radiated with a mauve shimmer. The shine almost made it as attractive as its beholder was; almost, but not quite.

He raised his eyes back up to Spot, who's middle head simpered down at him. "Are you a Show Dog? If you are I bet you win lots of prizes."

Lancelot nodded in response, his cheeks becoming balmy. His stomach churned with feverish butterflies. He loved being praised; he never had to fish for compliments, he earned them! "I certainly was a Show Dog, before this travesty began. I used to win all kinds of prizes for my elegance and remarkable posture." He pompously raised his head, then divulged what he was truly thinking on accident. "I bet you would win all kinds of prizes as well." Although this time, he didn't recoil at his mistake. He felt strangely safe to flirt with Spot, he believed the tri-headed canine thought his compliments were merely compliments, nothing more.

He felt a snowflake fall on his nose, and he sneezed in discomfort, frantically shaking the melting liquid out of his coat. His eyes bugged wildly as if he had witnessed a Harbinger.

"Let's get going. The snow's making me uncomfortable."

"I second that!" agreed Lancelot, preparing to venture into the cave just far enough so he wouldn't be afflicted by the weather, but then became distracted by another alluring individual. Sharon. How could he forget the goddess herself?

"Goddess? Wait, are you talking to me?" She appeared to be caught off guard by his prior compliment. He met her perplexed, viridescent gaze for a moment. Yes, she was certainly ethereal.

Her emerald eyes scanned and analyzed him for a short moment. (Ohoho, checking me out, are you?) He resisted the overwhelming urge to flaunt himself like he used to do in contests. He didn't have to maintain his self-control for long, however. Not much time transpired before she spoke again, her voice honeyed and endearing, "Well that's a new one."

(Oh, she has been flirted with before, then? No surprise really. Oh Goddess, how I adore being in your regal presence.)

Sharon batted her lashes, accenting her green eyes with each rise and fall of her eyelids. She grinned smugly; stylishly flicking away an idle strand of her mane that had draped over her darling face. Lancelot loved the frivolous air of the Flareon.

"Well aren't you the charmer? You sure do know how to talk lovely. As much as I like talking to you Lancelot, If you don't mind I'd like to get to know everyone else hanging around here also. It's just the kind of girl I am. So just hang on a moment." Lancelot nodded, speechless as he watched her flip her mane with spunky aptitude. (Guess I gotta give a girl, a goddess, some space, hm? Ohohoho, but she liked me, I can tell.)

"You okay, Cory? You seem like your panicking." The voice of Jack made him whip his head around and take up a superior posture, raising his head high. The Pikachu wasn't going to get the best of him. Wait, who's Cory? "Its okay, Cory we're all friendly here." He shot a glare at the rodent, but said nothing more.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," said who he assumed was Cory, giving out an obviously forced laugh. He clutched a plastic rose close to him.(Oh, that's a gorgeous rose, he surely knows elegance when he sees it. I'm not much into the shy types though.) He grinned toothily at Sharon before turning back to the Breloom. "I'm just...a little nervous around Fire Types.”

"Understandable!" barked Lancelot, slightly louder than he meant to. "Why, even I tremble a bit when a Fighting Type is in my midst! But I push past that fear, you see?" He flourished his tail.

"Mm? Who do we have here? Aw come on out, I can't vouch for a bunch of folks I just met, but I don't bite." Lancelot's heart thudded hard at the sound of Sharon's delightful voice, his chest writhing as if a bunch of Butterfree were fluttering about within him. The Breloom coiled his tail around him tightly.

"And I will not harm you! I only wish for the best for my fellow survivors!" Lancelot stretched his jaws into a wide, consoling grin, although it looked more sinister than kind due to his canine teeth. "I'm a Grass Type you know. Fire and Ice aren't good to me so I guess I luck out either way," he concluded with an authentic laugh.

"Give the Breloom a bit of space. I'm a Guard Dog and that means I will keep everyone safe. If you don't feel safe then I'll make sure we don't come too close. Is that o.k?" How seductively booming Spot's voice was. (Oh, how I love when someone is willing to protect his underlings!)

"Yes, the great Sir Spot will keep us safe! I have faith in his abilities as a Guard Dog! I'm excellent at seeing potential in others, and Spot is full of potential!" Lancelot interjected in a vociferous fashion. Just then, the Gengar--of whom he only caught sight of once since he had arrived--gestured towards the group with a human at his side. His heartstrings were pulled taut at the sight of a person, oh, how he missed his terribly. Lancelot whined softly, then perked himself up into his regal posture again. He couldn't show how torn his heart was, especially with Spot and Sharon and that damned Pikachu watching. He didn't suspect Jack to be the type to find pleasure in others pain, but still. He couldn't afford to be laughed at. Lancelot was a warrior. "Uh, a lot more than we started with, I know...give me a moment, there's...Jack, Gabriel, Jeriah, Spot, Cory, Lancelot...Sharon?"

Lancelot barked at the sound of his name, picking up on all the other aliases. The only ones he didn't know already were Gabriel and Jeriah, and those were simple to remember. "For those who don't know, she's Yuri, my trainer."

"Greetings, Yuri!" bayed Lancelot.

He caught sight of Jeriah waddling towards Sharon.

"Pretty!" he squeaked.

"She certainly is," mumbled Lancelot beneath his frosty breath. It was so cold out here, he was anxious to venture into the shelter of the cavern. It was so frigid his pelt wasn't even helping mu-

White poof!, is it warm under all that fur?" Lancelot smiled down at the Aron.

"Why, yes, it certainly is, cherub," he fibbed in a charming voice. He adored children; they were so pure despite the macarbe goings-on. He perked his ears as he heard Gabriel's impatient cough. (They must be siblings. What a good, protective brother.)

"Ohoho, you better run along now, little one."

"Bye bye" chirped the Aron, bolting back to the Larvitar. He watched the reptile unpack the snow from the hollows in the Aron's epidermis for a moment, before turning back to the group.

"Let's be off! I am itching to explore the caverns and roads ahead!" barked Lancelot. He tightened his muscles to cease his shivering. In truth, he wanted to press onward because he was freezing, but he'd never admit that. Lancelot idly began shifting from side to side to get his blood flowing, although the action could pass for the nervous jitters of anticipation.

"Well, you can just do what makes you comfortable mister mushroom." Shaking her head at the Breloom's skiddish nature, The Flareon trotted off to go find something more intimidating. Making a small ohhhing noise when she sighted the Gengar, she took the time to look him over. He looked quite capeable, more so than anyone else there. Unfortunately because of his typing, unsuitable for her poking practices. When the Gengar mentioned a human, her expression darkened considerably, though not loosing her smile for a second. Shaking it off quickly she wandered around a little, drifting from one group of pokemon to the other. While she was listening to the barrage of questions that Jackeroonie was giving Lancelot, she was surprised by a little Aron running up to her. She knew that it was coming up to her, but what took her off guard was what it said, though not to the extent of Lancelot's initial greeting to her was. Eh? Pretty? Jeez, what's with all the compliments today?

To be honest it was a little overwhelming for the cat to try and keep up with what everyone was saying, but the degree to which it bothered her was marginal. The only lines of dialogue she was used to was unintelligible screaming and growling noises, coupled with her own excited shouts and delighted narrations. But, she was adaptable. Besides, a group this large isn't going to last long anyhow... Getting out of the delve of her thoughts quickly, she trotted back over to Spot and Lancelot, having properly seen and addressed the whole of their party. Well, aside from the mentioned human, but Sharon was not interested in seeking them out. "Hah! You said it Lancelot! Let's get this show on the road. I'd prefer not to get murdered in my sleep so I'm feeling up for some recon." Licking off a stray bead of water that had landed on her nose (a snowflake that had melted when it came in contact with her face), she turned her head for a quick glance behind them. With all the noise that they were making, she was expecting an infected to be making an appearance any time now.

Oh how long had it been since he had last fed? Alakazam did not bear to think about it. Clearly coming to this region was a big mistake, since he'd found practically nothing to feed on - living or dead - for several weeks. His stomach roared for flesh, his emaciated form hovering in midair as an unseeable force carried him along.

But he wasn't just hungry. He was bored too.

The Harbinger reached out with his psychic powers and tried to pull any nearby presences into his consciousness. He reached as far as his weary mind could manage, desperate to find something. He longed to kill; to torture and savage and feel the hot droplets of blood splattering onto his face. He longed to feed, to fill his empty belly until it was bulging.

He reached and stretched and strained for a presence...and eventually found one. No, several. Nearby. The Harbinger let out a burst of hysterical laughter in relief.

He latched onto the nearest mind and, in a flash and a gust of air, teleported to its location. He floated in the middle of a group of living survivors - one of them a human, he noted - looking round at their shocked faces.

"My my...what a pleasant surprise," he mused, his burning eyes narrowing as he grinned. "To find such raw, fresh meat in a place like this..." He rotated slowly, choosing his prey. When his eyes latched upon the monstrosity of a Houndoom, he knew he'd found what he was looking for - not only food, but a game as well.

He held out his palm, lifting the yelping canine up off the ground and held him in midair with Telekinesis. "What--what--what is this?!" he cried in mock surprise, his other hand snapping out to the side and forming a barrier around them that the others could not penetrate. "Oh no, no, no, no! You're not supposed to look like that..." All three of the Houndoom's heads yelped and snarled while its body writhed beneath them. The others pounded at the barrier around them, their voices muffled by its walls.

"Let's fix you up a little, shall we?" Alakazam said cheerfully, watching the terror begin to arise in the Houndoom's six pairs of eyes. He clenched his fist, an aura of purple psychic energy buzzing off of it, and yanked it suddenly to the left. Surely enough, the freak's left head snapped off the body like a grape, and fell with a splatter to the floor.

The two remaining heads screamed in agony, looking down at the lifeless skull with bulging, streaming eyes. "Oh don't worry; it'll be over shortly," the Harbinger said, clenching his other fist and doing exactly the same to the right head. It bounced across the snow, leaving puddles of blood in its wake, and came to a stop at Alakazam's feet.

The Houndoom, now with only its middle head still intact, went limp in Alakazam's grasp. Two gaping holes on either side of its oozed blood, jutting with the remains of the snapped spinal cord. His tongue hung limply out of its mouth, its eye rolling back into its skull.

"See?" Alakazam said happily as he gently lowered the half-dead dog to the ground, where it immediately collapsed onto its side. "All better now. You no longer walk as a freak." He wasn't surprised that the Houndoom did not respond, twitching and bleeding in the remains of his other two heads. The Harbinger grinned, levitating off the ground once more. "Ah...my apologies. Perhaps I was a little too rough." He held out both hands and lifted the dying canine up into the air once more. "Well...nothing else for it, I suppose..."

And with a snap and a waterfall of blood, the final head detached itself from the body and fell into the snow. Alakazam nodded, satisfied, and turned to the rest of the group, waving his hand and diffusing the barrier.

But alas, an assault such as this one couldn't be expected to go ahead without retaliation. The oddly colored Breloom, who had thus far been stood a fair distance away from the group, let out a cry of grief and charged towards the Harbinger. The psychic fox grinned from ear to ear, calmly watching his attacker come closer. "Fool."

Surely enough, the Breloom was soon thrashing and twisting in the air as Alakazam held him aloft. How he expected to get away with an attack when he'd just watched him decapitate his friend - three times - without laying a finger on him, Alakazam did not know. These mortals were certainly a strange bunch.

"Your final mistake, weakling." The Harbinger held his hand in the air, and slashed it downwards. From it, a blade of psychic energy shot towards the terrified Breloom. The final moment of sheer horror flashed through his eyes as the Psycho Cut attack ripped right through his body, renting him vertically in two.

Alakazam let his blood and organs splatter down onto the ground before letting both halves of the dual type drop as well. "If you all have quite finished, he said, pulling his chosen meal, the headless corpse of the Houndoom, close to him with a wave of his hand, "I shall take my leave." And with a blinding flash and a sound like the crack of a whip, the Alakazam and his prey were gone.

The ground type having got all the snow from his brother as he seemed eager to bounce off again quickly. Half hearing the white dog "Let's be off! I am itching to explore the caverns and roads ahead!" as he looked over. Gabe rolled his eyes, ' Someones maybe a little to happy with all of this' he thinks to himself as the aron then bound off again ahead.

"Hah! You said it Lancelot! Let's get this show on the road. I'd prefer not to get murdered in my sleep so I'm feeling up for some recon." agreed the primped fire type. Gabriel would watch her over all of them, she had to be hiding something. Narrowing his eyes before walking again ahead of the group behind the ghost type.

A blinding light suddenly filling the cave, a twisted pokemon suddenly appearing as the ground type quickly moved ahead pulling the steel type back who seemed frozen for a second, "My my...what a pleasant surprise," it spoke then. Gabriel growled a little rumbling his chest, it's sickly appearance was a good sign it meant trouble. A bubble went up then blocking everyone but Spot and that Cory fellow outside. "No don't hurt spot please don't hurt spot! Jerieah cried out as Gabriel looked over then back to the bubble and the contents inside.

Aron trying to break into it with a headbutt then, Gabriel watched in a mixed calmed horror as spot was the first to be claimed victim by this creature. 'Why spot, shouldn't I be trying to help him. No, there is nothing that can be done now...' watching. "Well...nothing else for it, I suppose..." letting the headless hound drop to the floor. The aron beside him letting out a wail of crying, Gabriel blinked again slowly looking over seeing everyone else trying to get inside.

Cory, the brave grass type who not seconds before was timid attacked the creature now having nearly the same results of death. Then it was gone, over just like that. Gabriel stood there not sure what to do, it as normal means of life and death. He had seen it all before, the fight between titans. Agony and pain, it was normal. Something was shaking him, coming out of his mind he saw Jeriah in his face shaking him.

Slowly sounds and voices came back around him. All in grief and rage to what just happened, no one did anything nor could. " Gabby! Gabby!? Spot gone Spot gone" the Aron still crying then as Gabriel simply patted it's head. "It's okay Jeriah, it happens you're safe and alive that's all that matters to me..." he calmly said as he lead the steel type away from the carnage.

"I'm not letting you become a fucking bloody mulch on the floor, damnit!" Gabriel looked over then seeing what all the yelling was about. Seeing the phantom and the human now fighting. "We lost both of them and to say the least I want to hunt down the one that killed Spot and Cory." Gabriel then looking over to Jack. "Then by all means go for it, you'll be just as dead as both of them. But I am not, I have other Living pokemon to protect. So if you want to throw you're life away you do it on you're own." growling.

The aron looking toward the ghost type and the human now as well. " No don't hurt her meanie!" still upset and tears dripping out of his mask running over to try and help.

Lancelot chose to ignore Jack, setting his focus on Sharon instead. "Hah! You said it Lancelot!" Lancelot beamed at the sublime sound of her voice. She had agreed with him; it felt marvelous to feel like part of something grand again, like a true addition to a team. "Let's get this show on the road. I'd prefer not to get murdered in my sleep so I'm feeling up for some recon." Lancelot nodded a little too vigorously at her macabre humor. "Oh, but of course! Being torn limb from limb is not in my agenda!" The words tumbled from his lips before he realized what exactly he was implying. "Not like I would be torn limb from limb anyhow! Why-"

His words caught in his esophagus as a figure instantly materialized before them. The alarmed Furfrou attempted to growl, but it never came to fruition--his lips remained ensnarled, however, in sharp contrast to his crazed eyes. The creature stared at him for a moment with a blank expression, obviously reveling in his shock. (I've never seen this species before...but it...the blood...) He was flabbergasted, and far too petrified to chuckle at the tragic irony.

It was a real Undead. They were really going to get torn limb from limb. He was going to get torn limb from limb. He had a reeling thought of his pelt drenched in his own lifeblood, his decapitated head undergoing emulsion on the pallid snow. He shivered.

"S-Stay back everyone! Lancelot is here to protect you and, and, Spot is Guard Dog. We...we," his words descended from a bellow to a choked whisper, and he capped them off with a gasp. Not only were they going to die, but his pride would perish too.

"My my...what a pleasant surprise," mused the Harbinger, its crimson eyes narrowing into gleeful slits as an unnerving smile plastered itself on its face. "To find such raw, fresh meat in a place like this..." The Undead pondered something as he gyrated; causing Lancelots heart to pummel wildly and his pulsebeat to pump outrageously quick. His breath came in shallow gasps, and his eyes began to water in paranoia.

He thought of his epitaph. What would they say? What would they miss him for? In that moment, Lancelot The Great was reminded of what he truly was. A fraud. Lancelot discerned that he would be the one the Harbinger would choose to leave the mortal coil. It was punishment for his sins--it was justified. He shifted his gaze from Sharon to Spot. (And in my final moments, they are going to see what I truly am. Oh, they'll laugh at my grave.)

No.

If he were going to go out, he was going out like a warrior. There would be no lies in his final moments. He had nothing left to live for but to feel the suffering of guilt. What kind of worthless life was that? It was okay. It would be alright if he were to die today. Maybe he would be remembered as the one who actually took a stand--a martyr, perhaps. That single word, martyr, made him smile internally.

With a shaky breath, he stepped forward, remembering to keep his tail aloft as hot tears streamed down his face. He braced himself as the Harbinger lifted up its hand...

And lifted up Spot.

"Oh, FUCK!" cried Lancelot, shattering his regal facade. His mind whirled between the present and the past, giving him a mental whiplash. (Comet...Spot...Comet...Spot...) Comet had died because of him, to the paws of his father, no less. And Spot was to die too, because he was too frail to lift a paw to a real Undead. (Can't live with myself if someone else were to die on my watch...)

"HEY! Hey you, you...you damn heathen! Over here!" snarled Lancelot, his nostrils flaring as he raked the snow with his ebony claws. He didn't care about his appearance in this moment; how out of character this was for The Great Lancelot. But if Spot were to perish while he was primping himself, why, that wouldn't make him look 'Great' at all. He slung many strings of curses at the Harbinger whilst the back of his mind screamed about how uncouth his newfound vocabulary was. "PUT HIM RIGHT THE FUCK DOWN!! FOR ARCEUS SAKES!!"

(i'm scared)

"What--what--what is this?!" cried the Undead, eying Spot intently. Lancelot wouldn't have been surprised if his tongue slithered out in a serpentine hiss.

(so scared. sharon do something. goddess. somebody. dal. do something. i cant i cant i cant.)

The Harbinger raised his hand nonchalantly, and Lancelot could see the faint rippling of an impenetrable barrier. Lancelot gasped in feverish hysteria as he sauntered towards the wall in a daze. He knew it wouldn't help, but he shakily threw a Return at the barrier. His heart sang with hope as it made impact; but the wall seemed to practically devour the hit. It didn't even move. He cried out in frustration. It was impossible for it to give way.

He cocked his head to the side and saw that the Pikachu, of whom he had previous quarrels with, was trying his hardest to penetrate the wall too. He felled a Thunderbolt, but it failed to break the barrier. (I'm assuming he's a seasoned fighter, despite being just a kid...if he can't break it, nobody can...)

The exchange between Spot and the Harbinger were muffled by the psychic barricade. Lancelot saw how terror-stricken Spot was; he writhed beneath the Undeads' invisible grip as his fight-or-flight response kicked in, but to no avail. He was done for. Lancelot pressed his paw to the barrier waveringly, mouthing an apology to the Houndoom. There was nothing more he could do. (He's gone Lancelot. Gone...gone...gone...)

His heart was hanging by mere tendons as the Harbinger charged an attack. The aura was violet, rippling like mydestopia before his watery eyes. (Oh Spot, elegant creature, I'm so sorry. Comet, you perished due to my lies too. I said I could destroy anything and I lied. I'm a fraud.)

"N-Never fear! Get behind me! Make haste!" he barked as he backpedaled, shielding himself and whoever took heed of his command with a Protect. He quivered, struggling to hold the defensive cupola as sweat began to form on his brow. Lancelot watched with weary eyes as one of Spots gorgeous heads fell to the ground with a heavy thump that was audible despite the snows frothy texture. Blood geysuered from the sinewy remains of his neck. Spot shrieked. "Sh-shield the childrens' eyes! Spare them the sight!" he cried out, wishing he could spare himself the sight, but he couldn't tear his petrified eyes away. He remained paralyzed as Spots' other head fell to the ground, its lifeless eyes bulging, and sobbed as the final head was tore from his limp body. Through the barrier, he heard the sickening sound of skin tearing and Spots final, agonized scream. He began to sweat with more intensity as the wall decimated with a wave of the Harbingers hand. He was going to target someone else; he was going to choose a new meal. This was frighteningly easy to decrypt due to the sadistic gleam in his eye.

At the most inopportune moment, Lancelots' Protect began to falter. "No, no..." The Harbinger was grinning wide, oh Arceus, was it looking at him? He initiated another Protect, but it failed to come to fruition. (!!!FUCK!!!) He began to gasp in desperation; he felt bile rise in his throat, and he made no effort to hold it down. In the aftermath of his humiliating vomiting, he began to dry heave. (Oh, Arceus, my...how disgusting, can't worry about it now! I'm gonna die! Fuck, c'mon, C'MON!) And finally, after a excruciatingly long moment, his Protect was up again. Though it was substantially weaker than the last, Lancelot assumed his sigh of relief was worth warranting.

But during his panicking, he failed to notice that Cory was being held high by the Undeads' invisible grip, and he gulped. (You have time. Shield your eyes this time.) He closed his eyes tightly shut, welcoming the blackness beneath his lids. The final sound he heard before he lost consciousness was the sound of another attack being charged.

There were colors everywhere. Spectrums of hues known and unknown to the Furfrou were surrounding him, consoling him. They lifted him up, higher and higher, until he was rising heavenward. Oh, he was flying to the light. It brought him peace to know his suffering was over. But it wasn't his time yet, he had merely lost consciousness, he knew. But the elegant Furfrou was also an expert in the art of pretending. How deliciously entertaining it was. For once, he pretended he died.

He saw Comet. He saw Spot. He saw Cory. He saw Carol. He saw all of his friends, close or not, approach him and evanescence away until they were nothing but colors in the soft, warm pallet. It brought him peace; he didn't have to live a lie. He knew he was home. He knew he didn't have to pretend. He could play here, he could be the true Lancelot. Only pretend for play, not to survive.
But it wasn't his time yet.

And now, I shall take my leave...

"I shall take my leave."

And his world screamed.


He gained his alertness with a deep inhale, followed by a sputtering cough that assailed his lungs. Lancelot knew that his Protect had diffused, and he knew that his beautiful pelt was getting soaked due to him laying in a haphazard position in the snow. He knew many things, but there was one thing he didn't know for certain. Was he alive?

He rose to his paws, panting happily at the prospect of the painless grasp of Heaven, but there he saw the earthbound Goddess herself.

"-bloody mulch on the floor, damnit!"

"-hunt down the one who killed Spot and-"

"-then by all means go for it-"

"-don't hurt her meanie-"

Without any acknowledgement to the voices whirling around him, he fell to the ground and wept.

[[OOC; Forgive me for the extremely long post. Wanted to showcase Lancelots' change in this grim situation.]]

In an extremely cruel sense of irony, the powers that be decreed that one of the many physical manifestations of death made their appearance after Sharon made her cheerful statement. Her new line of speech a harsh snarl, an understandable contrast from earlier."Fuckin'ell. That didn't take long." Cringing as Alakazam brought up Spot to be mauled, her eyes were transfixed in anticipation for the bloodbath. She felt sick with how The Harbringer mutilated the poor hound however, his methods were slow and agonizing, no fun or beauty to be taken from it. Taken off-guard by the sudden arrival, The Flareon felt an evergrowing sense of dread as she attempted to assess just what they were up against. Her face shone with a excitement and a touch of rage as she realized how absurdly powerful the ungodly creature truly was, her fellows attacking The Alakazam's Barrier in their insolence. Her legs twitched to run, but her better judgement rooted her feet to the floor. No way in hell could she run away far enough from this psychic, and attacking was suicide, which was later proven when The Harbringer bisected The Breloom. Noticing when Lancelot decided to be useful and throw up a Protect, she edged slowly closer to the hound to fall under its protection. The duration of The Protect was pitiful at best, but even a single second of protection was valuable.

To Sharon's immense relief, The Monster seemed to take its fill of flesh on the other Pokemon and took its leave. Sighing loudly and sagging to the side, but still remained standing. Taking a glance over the canarge, her gaze fell upon the mangled remains of Spot and she grimaced. The effect of the murders had much more of a dramatic effect on her company, and the cat simple shook her head at the sight of Lancelot being reduced to a blubbering mess. There was one major thing she wanted to correct though. Trotting over to The Pikachu with a Mean Look adorning her features. "That was fucking stupid Jack. I thought you knew about these monsters." Turning her head back to look at Lancelot to check if he was still concious she snorted and continued in her frank address. "I take it that was your first Harbringer. I'm going to say it upfront, it was sheer luck all of us didn't end up splattered on the walls. If it weren't for more choice targets that might have been you. Same goes to Lancelot." Turning off with a huff, she stalked forwards over to Lancelot lying on the ground. She hated this, why the hell had she gotten to know these Pokemon first if she expected them to die. Now she felt like shit. "Ahh shit." She forgot to not give a fuck.

Jeriah watched the ghost type, "I'm trying to keep her alive, damnit!" it hissed at him. The teary eyes still running as it slowly turned into a mad face. His eyes squinting,  " You're being a bully!" he tried raising his voice only sounding like metal on metal screeching. "Hurt is what I'm trying to keep her away from! Yuri means the world to me and I'm not letting her get fucking dragged down and killed--even if that means giving my own life!" he continued. His eyes went wide then a slight hicup rattling his Armour, " then how will you protect her? his voice soft and back to normal.

" That's enough Jeriah" Gabriel snapped a small sand storm whipping around him. Ready to fight the ghost type if it came down to it. Walking in front of the steel type, putting his arms out. " I have someone to protect as well and you dare hurt him I don't care, I'll make you regret it." growling as the sand slows and fades. "Damnit. Arceusdamnit, Yuri. If you're going to stay, then this is going to be your responsibility. You're choosing to stay, so you're going to be responsible for whatever happens." Dal said as Gabriel moved Jeriah out and away from everyone now.

"I have a confession to make. I knew about the harbingers, but I didn't want to tell you guys because I didn't want to start a panic." Jake said then. The ground types eyes narrow down then into a leering glare, " Spot could have been ali-" the aron making a sobbing sound again as He looked over holding the aron between his tiny arms. "Sharon, can I talk to you in private I need to get something off my chest." Gabriel looked over then back to the aron. " I'll protect you Jeriah no mater what" holding the plated head close to his chest. Blue eyes look up at Gabriel then over at Dal. " Sorry Mister Dal.

"I take it that was your first Harbinger, I'm going to say it upfront, it was sheer luck all of us didn't end up splattered on the walls. If it weren't for more choice targets that might have been you. Same goes to Lancelot." Lancelot glanced up at Sharon with exhausted eyes, but said nothing as she approached. (Harbinger, well, now the terror has an alias.) The word replayed itself in his mind, over and over again.

"It wasn't my first, but yes your right we could of been killed easily I do owe an explanation."

"First...Harbinger", he thought as he shifted his gaze over towards the gore littering the snow ahead; the entrails of what once was Cory thrown haphazardly on the frothy surface. Harbinger, he thought as he visualised all that transpired, his failures, and the impending sense of doom that continued to berate him, despite the fact that the threat--the Harbinger--had long since gone. Nonetheless, he couldn't resist tearing his eyes away from where Spot was decapitated--thrice--as if the Harbinger would teleport back to finish what it had started.

He wouldn't feel as paranoid if he was still swathed in the warm light of Heaven. There were no facades in the afterlife, it seemed. But was he truly wearing a mask now? The only thing he had lied about was his accomplishments. And this group probably gathered that he was a fraud, anyhow. Was everything else the real Lancelot? He sure loved being regal, and he adored his fancy linguistic skills. Was that the real him? Or just a part of the lie?

Was Spot and Cory's' untimely death his milestone to self actualization?

(No. How selfish that thought is.) He had never come so close to despising himself as he did in that moment.

"Lancelot, can you hear me?" No, no he couldn't hear him. Not while he was in a typhoon of whirling self-pity. He despised that he grieved for himself. Lancelot felt a tear fall numbly down his cheek, and he wiped it away in disgust.

But then, Yuri reached down and stroked his fur with a gentle consideration, and though it stung his pride, it comforted him. He swished his tail gently to show his gratitude; he was certain humans wouldn't be able to comprehend his barks and whines. (What a benevolent soul...)

"Ahh shit," cursed the Flareon--the Goddess--and oddly, as Lancelot looked up at her and Yuri, he couldn't help his lips curling into a smile. He compared them to a blazing ray of sunlight in his now dreary world. And even when she was frustrated, Sharon still carried with her that ethereal flair.

"Goddess? Are you quite alright?" he inquired, and the words felt princely on his tongue; he shivered in egotistical adoration. He was in love with his lexicon, that had to be a true part of himself.

As he rose to his paws, he kept his eyes locked on Sharon. In the fuzziness of the attack, he hadn't registered that she had taken shelter beneath his Protect. Was that really her, or was it a figment of his imagination? Nevertheless, the thought of the Goddess allowing him to shelter her, even for a fraction of a second, caused him to smile.

"Damnit. Arceusdamnit, Yuri. If you're going to stay, then this is going to be your responsibility. You're choosing to stay, so you're going to be responsible for whatever happens."

"Nothing unfortunate is going to transpire!" Lancelot interjected, a fiery bite to his tone. "And forgive me, Dal, but--but how dare you pin responsibility on her; if someone gets a mere splinter, she's automatically going to feel the blame!" Lancelot cast a gaze towards Yuri, then turned back to Dal, his crimson eyes ablaze. He was tired of laying low, and he wasn't technically lying. Somehow, standing up for something made him feel right--it made him feel whole. "I may have not been of much assistance with Spot and Cory, but I'll be--I'll be damned if I let someone else perish on my watch. I'll fight with everything I have." It felt wondrous to let out his anger in a civilized manner.

He noticed the sobbing Aron in the Larvitars' arms, and curled his lips up in a snarl towards Dal. "See what you've done? You've frightened the children. Lancelot glanced down right into the Arons' vibrant blue eyes and whispered, "Hush, child. There is nothing to be afraid of now. Your brother--and I--will make sure no harm comes to you, especially at the expense of Dal.

"Sharon, can I talk to you in private I need to get something off my chest." He shot a glare at Jack, but his gaze softened as he thought. The Pikachu was probably upset as well, there was no need to be furious; after all, Jack had inquired about his well-being just moments before. But frustration still fizzed beneath his pelt. (My Goddess. Mine.)

He began stalking towards the cavern in a huff. "Let's do what we should have done in the first place. Let's go into the cave." This is what he needed--a small dose of courage to get him back on his feet.

But somehow he knew this dose wasn't a permanent fix.

Ahhhh, they sure did get off lucky. This was the first time Sharon had ever seen a harbringer up close, but even from a distance of 2 miles away felt way too close for her. Her ear twitched and her eyes went wide when she heard Jack stating that no, it wasn't his first encounter with the destructive force of a Harbringer. "Ehhhh?!?" It was a somewhat ungainly sound of surprise, coupled with the shocked expression on her face proved to be somewhat humorous. This cartoonish look straightened into that of a dour expression when she sighted the human, and put forth a humorless smile as she heard the gengar fuss over the girl while she offered her condolences. Nodding her head, the red fox-cat got off her haunches and swished her tail. Some of the mess made by the undead beast had gotten into her fur and she did her best to flick it off her fluff. Forest green eyes glanced around at the multiple pokemon speaking, her gaze quickly settling on the goggled Pikachu. A small frown made its way onto her visage, but she understood Jack's decision to keep quiet. Not that it mattered anyways.

"Goddess? Are you quite alright?"

Sharon's ear twitched backwards when they detected Lancelot's voice and she felt like groaning. Goddess, no way in hell would she ever get used to that nickname. There wasn't even any ironic comedy that she could take from the word being applied to herself, and it was far from reality. That kid really had no idea who she was. Cooly she tossed her head over her shoulder and said her reply. "Yep, I didn't get hurt. Nice of you to throw up a protect, that helped a bit. Might want to work on that strategy though." Taking a deep breath, The Flareon calmed her nerves with little effort. She almost died, again. But it probably would have been really cool. Nodding that familiar easy going smile graced her lips once more. Lancelot seemed to have regained his previous composure also and Sharon's smile quirked a bit. Said smile dissipated quickly when she noted that general hostilities towards the Gengar were mounting, so she voiced some concern. "I wouldn't be too mad at Dal, he's just got his priorities that's all." When Jacked addressed her by name, she turned to look with some mild surprise when he asked to speak in private with her. "Huh? Sure Jack." She had no idea as to why these pokemon were being friendly to her, but she wasn't going to try and actively ruin it any faster than she had to.