(ACE) The OLIVINE Team

Foul blood had splattered up and splashed across the cats face. It dripped from her maw, staining her throat and chest in its tainted colors. Pulling her tongue up into her mouth Amber breathed, letting the metallic tang touch her tastebuds before swiping her tongue over her muzzle. It had been so long. The Ludicolo was gurgling, its throws involuntary yet instinctive as she worked her way up its arm. Pain was firing like mad in its brain but its life force was fading fast. With a rough swallow of her current mouthful Amber placed a paw on her prey to steady it as she grasped at its hide. Inside. She wanted inside.

Matted hair and a thick hide hindered progress. The dual type shuddered, weakly throwing its other arm about in a vain attempt to free itself. Foolish creature, it still thought it had a chance. Rearing up she dug both her forepaws into its fur and pulled, and just when she felt it tear beneath her weight something rushed up from beneath her. "Samba-!" A voice called from all around her as shadows blinded her on all sides. Hissing, Amber was thrown from her prey, radiating pain spreading throughout her pelt as she scrambled away from the rising shadows.

The Dusknoir came from nowhere, thrusting itself between the diseased Pokemon with readied fists. "Of all the choices you picked the illogical?!" Was it speaking to her? Displaying her fangs Amber roared and let sparks free in her fur. It did the same; electrically shrouded one fist as it swung and cleaved her shoulder. Pressure beneath her fur spread throughout her body, a creaking feeling from cracking bones audible within her ears. Flailing the cat leaped, narrowing missing the ghost as it ascended. With another roar she refused to let it go. Interruption were to be expected, but never would the insult of a disturbed meal go without punishment. "Reprisal," she hissed beneath an expelled breath. On the next inhale her eyes locked onto the ghost and a powerful Thunderbolt flew ecstatic from her pelt.

Faux crouched, her tails fanned out high as she stared death in the face. Her eyes went wide, locked on her foe, and her pupils fell to mere slits as the psychic light flooded them. Though she heard Mel's shuffling there was no time to move, to look, to hope. Within the tenth of a second it took to blink the small fox's world went dark. Debris flooded past her, her pupils swelling to take in light that did not exist as she hurried behind the larger Ninetales off instinct alone. Her heart beat and before the next a massive crash echoed behind her, the tunnel collapsing inward with a cloud of dust as the Medicham's attack crushed the spot she had just been.

Sensory stimuli was all around her. Her whiskers brushed the walls, her pads touching the cold, chewed up ground. Roars from above were no more than rumbles beneath the heavy panting and shuffling Melanie until she finally came to sudden stop. The smell and taste of blood assaulted her senses but Fuax knew it was worth it. Had they, had Mel not taken them down they would have died. Panting, the fox was reminded of her broken ribs as she wheezed and crumpled into a hunched bundle. She managed a ragged, labored sentence, "You did it Mel." Even in the total darkness the agony they were both in was apparent, and Faux didn't wish to dismiss that with half-hearted praise. They weren't out of the woods by any stretch of the mind, but at least for the moment they had a chance to rest.


Cinder smiled. A soft, genuine, utterly relieved smile that filled her from head to toe as Miyu not only seemed to recover but managed playfulness for Arry. She would be okay; Cinder could feel it in her bones. There was a peace within her mind, one that told her things would be alright somehow. She had to be delusional, or dying, but even the inappropriateness of the feeling seemed normal. Was she coming to terms with...? Even as a crash turned her head to the other side of the room and she watched the rubble collapse on where her fire fox friends had been, she just stared and felt no panic while listening for screams. There were none. Her head turned again to where the Luxray was feeding, crunching, and fighting the ghost that wished to stop her. Were they really forgotten so easily? What had happened to turn the tide? The Luxray...?

Said Lynx attacked, electrically flooding the room with some primal rage. Was it the bloodlust from its meal? The sparking sound seemed to come from everywhere, and she could see Rebel was about to do the same. Cinder's breath quickened. It was faint, but even from here she could see a look in Etincelle's eyes, a look of no going back that sent a chill throughout her body. The relief faded beneath the icy wash, and Cinder spoke with an errie still to her voice. "Guys.." The electrical charge in the room could be felt within her pelt. The lights flickered, overwhelmed. "We need to move, quick." Alarm bells rang in her head. Had she already lost that acceptance of death? "To the door-- Hurry!" It was still closed, locked, but she refused to let that stop her.

With her eyes no longer blurry from the agony of a broken leg, Miyu’s eyes scanned the entirety of the room in hopes the evaluation would be more hopeful than the ones previously. Like a deep rooted instinct, she sought out the tattered and disease ridden body of her companion. He, alongside Etincelle, were engaging the malevolent Ghost-. Then her eyes trailed to the Luxray, but they didn’t linger on that sight for long, for the gory  sight of her ripping apart and feeding on the Ludicolo was enough to make the Eevee woozy.

She angled her muzzle towards the Aron, giving a half-hearted and forced smile to the youngster. For all the suffering she had seen, accustomed to this world, this was the pinnacle of it all to her so far. The world had broken her long ago, and she had nothing but sympathy for Arry having to experience those circles of hell too.

As if a bell to snap her from her musing, the loud and merciless sound of crashing debris rang in the Eevee’s ears. Her yelp in shock was audible but drowned beneath the echo. She searched Cinder’s face for a reaction— but she was expressionless. What did that mean? Wouldn’t she be panicking if someone was caught up in it? She let the idea soothe her, telling herself none of her companions could’ve possibly been victim to that. Where is Faux and Mel?

"Guys.." The weather right before a bad storm… cold, humid, motionless… The voice Cinder spoke in subconsciously reminded her of such a storm and it filled her with dread. "We need to move, quick."
The kit knew better than to ask why— by the time she got an answer, it would be too late. Miyu pressed her good paw into the floor and rose up with a quick but clumsy motion, turning to bound alongside her companions on Cinder’s instruction: "To the door-- Hurry!"

Her leg dangled uselessly as she moved towards the door. Every leap was separated from the next by the Eevee struggling to not topple forwards, something proving both difficult and potentially fatal. She felt something akin to the lightning in the storm sending tingles across her body and it urged her ahead.

---

Of all times for the Dusknoir to will himself mobile again, of course he’d do it as Rebel soared for the dysfunctional board. His hulking fist narrowly missed the flying fox by time’s grace, but the Jolteon continued for the board— he just needed seconds. Seconds and he could help Etincelle. It crossed his mind for a second to abandon the plan and defend the Electrike - but immediately he put the idea to rest. Another power struggle versus an end-all plan? He had to take the second option and trust his friend’s own fortitude.

"You foolish-"

Rebel’s feet propelled him a second time straight for the board; and with more force than necessary for good measure, the Jolteon forced the coil into the board. "Don't touch that!" The Dusknoir bellowed, and Rebel took the utmost pleasure in the explosion of sparks, lighting up the room as if to say ‘fuck you, I did it anyways.’ Rebel dropped to the floor amongst a shower of light, landing just as the Dusknoir swung an icy fist at him. Clumsily, Rebel rolled out of the way, thanking his stars Jolteon were inherently quick little shits. The paralysis Hollo previously was inflicted helped too.

"Instead of worrying about my friend you should care about your own!" Etincelle said brusquely, and immediately the Ghost’s priorities changed. "Samba-!" Hollo hurriedly charged the Luxray as she fed on their boy Samba, releasing Etincelle from his massive hand in the process. The Electrike looked pretty dizzy, but luckily no worse.
“I bet he tastes like SHIT,” Rebel roared, raising his voice with every word to ensure he made the Dusknoir’s day just a little shittier. Asshole deserved to watch his friend get gnawed on like a rawhide bone.

"Yes. Yes!" Etin said. Reb followed his sight to see he was fixed on the coil. Oh, that was a relief. He was worried he would’ve somehow fucked up in his haste. "Now give 'er a blast of electricity!"
“Aye, aye!” Rebel’s fringes stood erect and electricity bounced about wildly as he built up a Discharge— the released the blast towards their coil lightning rod.

Etincelle stared with wide eyes at the board. The coil alone had sent it into a frenzy. The buzzing, the flashing lights and the sparking. The overhead lights were starting to flash, in pace with the showers of sparks while the board flashed cryptic patterns. Somewhere deep in his mind Etin swore it was talking, that these things had meaning, but as his vision started to blur he also guessed it was just the blood loss. “Aye, aye!” Even Rebel's bark could not pull him from his hazy random thoughts, and as electricity filled his sight Etin could only stand there overwhelmed by a sense of duty. Somehow, this was important.

The board did not enjoy its abuse. Everything from before intensified within his blurring vision. Massive electrical arcs and clouds of smoke, something boomed on the inside and set off a sort of chain reaction. He could hear it; deep within the building something was going very wrong. Panels blew out of the board, showering the space with glass and reveling something with angry gauges. A siren started to blare with a red flashing light that filled the room, but the sprinklers that tried to flick on offered on the tiniest drizzle that could not douse the flames within the room.

His pink eyes shimmered with the glow of lights and lightning. Electrical beams bounced throughout the room, spreading through the wet floor and damp surfaces. It wasn't much but Etincelle let his Thunderwave hit the board as well, an incentive, and watched as another part of the machinery burst with smoke. Between the lights and sirens, it was enough to send anyone mad, but that wasn't Etin's concern. On the far side of the room, he heard it. A soft noise form his position, but enough to turn his head to see the doors opening. Yes.. they had triggered something, a safety protocol or fail safe, whatever, but it had worked.

"Yes." He said allowed as another explosion from the board sent shrapnel toward him. Shying away from it the small hound felt his world spinning. He could hardly stand, let alone think of the consequences of his plan. Another boom and he could ear the echos of explosions deeper in. There was a rumble in his pads but a creaking in his ears that was bone chilling. "It's coming down." He whispered to Rebel before turning tail on the board. "We have to get out."


It was dark. Even to the blind fox it was darker than normal within this pit. It smelled sickly of blood, iron, dirt, wood, smoke, hair, vomit, rot, rust, dust... it was overwhelming. With so many scents Mel felt utterly disorientated. The small tunnel did little good for her hearing; rumbles from above and vibrations from all over. Touch was a wash from the only thing she could sense- pain.

"You did it Mel." There was no victory in her voice. No relief, no pride, no sense of noble sacrifice. All Mel could focus was the overwhelming pain in her leg. Had she hit machinery? The cages from early, repair stations for the battlefield? Was this dirt or wood? the hot sensation of blood in her fur told her it didn't matter; it had hurt her.

Each breathe wheezed from her maw in horrible agony. "M-my leg..." She gasped, voice shaking with pain. "It's.. it's gotta.. be broken now.." She bit back her words as she gagged on her own saliva. Tears welled beneath her ribbon blindfold. What good were they now? She wouldn't be able to move, or could do very little. She had basically trapped Faux in here with her... "We're gonna die in here....."

Arry was behind Miyu as Cinder made it clear on "Guys.." It was what Cinder said next that sent a sense of fear in Arry. [color:0e01=f9b212]"We need to move, quick." The Aron remained behind Miyu as they got up. Looking around though something had made everything all the more bad. "To the door-- Hurry!" The air was getting quite stagnant with electricity from the fighting. This really had the Aron worried. Miyu was still hurt and she wasn't moving as fast as she once was. "Miyu!" Arry shouted to Miyu panicked. The Steel/Rock type was really scared that they could be stuck in there. Yet his bravery had kicked in again and Arry used his weight to support Miyu. Miyu was his friend and he wasn't going to leave her behind. "We're almost there Miyu. After that we can play with our toys and eat yummy food again." It was his fear of losing his best friend that he just met that made him brave enough to help Miyu.

Amber watched as her new target ascended, a  look in his blazing red eye similar to her own. What was that? Fury, panic, loss, shock. A mix of all things foul. The Dusknoir seemed to lose itself beneath its emotions, as though overwhelmed by them or that which caused them. Fool. It has caused this fight yet could not commit to it. Her body shook as she hissed, skin rippling as electricity took flight and made its way toward her target. She would not let it go.

Bolts flew, darting wildly through the air before striking their foe. Hollo cried out in pain before fleeing the sizzling bolts, but Amber would not let up. Though he moved swiftly her attacks were faster. Thunderbolts rain cross the arena striking foe and otherwise in this pathetic chase. Deaf to her ears were the calls of the other Pokémon, their own electrical attacks hardly a flash in her eyes. They mattered not. Whatever caused them to scurry like vermin was non-consequential in this moment.

"No. No no no!" It started wailing as it swooped before the game board. Explosions and bursts blew him away and allowed Amber the perfect opening to strike. Bracing her body for another round of electricity Amber released another Thunderbolt straight towards the board. Completely missing the Dusknoir infuriated the lynx, but she was forced to pause her assault as explosions overtook her vision as the board gave in.

Crouching low to the ground the smoke could not hide the ghost from her X-ray vision. There was another call, another one of the Pokemon that had been here with her before. "Ayja!" Through the haze Amber could see the Medicham was struggling. Her arm hung lifeless and broken, and her steps were uneven with a limp. Her last attack had fought back, and other debris must have surprised her. Only now did Amber notice the ceiling was starting to fall. Once distant booms grew ever closer and the entire room was rapidly falling apart. Trapped. The revelation hung on her head like a church bell. Her head flung around; the other Pokémon had gone. Abandoned.

Faux wheezed, smoke coming from her maw and filling their dark cavern."M-my leg..." The other fox cried out, but Faux knew they had no other choice. Is this any better? Outside, she could hear disturbing roars and massive rumbles to what she could only assume were explosions or massive objects being tossed around. Something had happened.. were they the cause? As their chamber filled with smoke the fox could feel her pain-riddled chest tighten. "We're gonna die in here....." Mel's words were haunting but Faux would not stand for that. If they were to die they may have well been caught in the previous blast. "Not while I can still move." She snapped, and pushing past the larger fox started to dig at the dirt that barred their way.

While Faux did not have the ability to move the distance and at the speed of her light-furred friend she was no foreigner to digging burrows. Shoveling with motions of her youth the Vulpix continued the tunnel with all the swiftness she could muster. "It's going to be cramped." She warned, feeling the edges of her dig with her whiskers. Mel would either have to widen it or deal with the tight space, but regardless of her choice, at least they were moving forward.


Cinder hadn't taken three steps before the bursts and popped escalated. Daring to look she could see the board was falling apart, with panels hanging limply, lights broken, and streams of smoke and fire rising up toward the high ceiling. Below it, Etincelle seemed ecstatic. Was this his doing? A massive explosion could be heard beyond the wall, alluding to something going wrong deep within the infrastructure. Even within her flame-proof coat Cinder could feel the heat of the room rising as flames burned within the walls as well as inside the room. This was not good.

"Go go go." She ushered the kids but her own paws had frozen. Another boom of electrical panels and an alarm started to blare. A bright, white flashing light from far overhead blinked slowly, a fire alarm if her memory severed right. A noise hummed, and flicking her head around Cinder could see with a wash of relief that the doors had finally opened. A fail safe system? Finally humans had done something right, but she didn't have a chance to muse over that as a roar from above was followed with a bang as from fell from the ceiling. Jumping with fright Cinder could see it was.. a light with.. a piece of the ceiling on it? Looking up she could see the small hole, and the shimmering, darkening sky just beyond. How long had they been trapped here...?

Another piece fell, and Cinder could see ominous cracks spider-webbing throughout the room. They had to move. The others-- no, no she had the young ones to worry about. Hurrying after them she could see Arry flanking one of Miyu's sides and offering support. Extinguishing her flames she bound for the Eevee's other side and matched her pace to theirs. "Hang in there," she encouraged them while ignoring the deafening bellows of increasing booms. Another eruption sounded like that of breaking glass and a billowing but thin cloud of smoke rolled past the group. Deja vu to the burst they created in the Battle Castle flashed in her mind, but this time they were not in control of it. "No..! How..?" She heard a scream followed by a whimper, and turning her head back she could see the Dusknoir with its hands grasping its head in disbelief. The Medicham stood beside it, defeat clear in her eyes. They weren't fighting anyone- where were the foxes, the cat? Tearing her eyes away Cinder hoped that meant they had already escaped.

The floor was shaking, the walls whining as the group passed the threshold of the door and felt the foyer carpet underpaw. The fire alarm had been replaced with a new more serious siren and flashing red lights were added to the white one. "Almost there!" The entrance was still ajar, apparently some things couldn't be recharged, but Cinder only acknowledged that it was still open. A mighty roar from behind them assaulted her ears as the entire building groaned dangerously. The shuddering grew so violent it felt like an earthquake and things were falling even outside the battlefield. Smoke, dust, and debris clouded up the room and poured from the battleground as the entire edifice started to fall in on itself. Cinder refused to slow her paws, and even quickened to hurry the others along. "Get away from the building!" She roared until her paws met pavement and she burst into the night.

Running was nothing new to the kit, but the extra effort from being one leg short had her winded early on. "Miyu!" Arry’s small, frightened voice was a bell in her mind and she snapped her head to the Aron, expecting the absolute worst. "We're almost there Miyu. After that we can play with our toys and eat yummy food again." She was speechless from how defied her expectations were, but she was absolutely not complaining and muttered a quiet and breathless “Thank you,” to her friend as he used his body to help her sprint.

The ceiling above them was coming down in pieces and countless cracks stretched across the surface - almost seemingly racing each other in their rapid advance. She looked above, subconsciously counting to eight cracks before Cinder’s presence helping her along on her other side restored her attention to the task at hand. "Hang in there," Cinder urged, meanwhile every thud and echo sounded like the one that would bring down the entire building. Behind her, she could hear the Dusknoir bellowing in despair. The Eevee dared not turn to look, lest she might actually feel sorry for them. They deserved this "Almost there!"

The entrance was in sight now, and Miyu could see the outside through the exit. It was so close and yet the situation seemed it’s most dire, with the entirety of the structure giving a dying roar as it collapsed, sending debris and dirt down like a beige waterfall in the narrow halls. The dirt crunched between her teeth every time she clenched then but despite all of it, the trio slipped through the exit and into the fresh air, triumphing once again. "Get away from the building!" The Eevee didn’t hesitate to heed Cinder’s words and stuck with her two companions as they fled the crumbling building.

Miyu dropped to her belly, watching the building intently in between her wheezing. Even a safe distance from the ruining facility felt too close to the evil aura she would always get from that hellhole.

---

The explosions rained down torrents of white-hot sparks around them as the board gave its death throes. Smoke filled the air and everything was constantly either blinding or totally dark. There was no in-between and the transitions were practically epileptic. Sirens kicked on, flooding everything in a red glow and the room began emitting a low, threatening rumble from no place specific.
"It's coming down." Etin’s voice was quiet, but yet so clear even over the constant noise. "We have to get out." Rebel nodded his silent agreement and scanned the area one last time, checking for trapped companions. Around the room he caught the sight of Amber, and then the two facility Pokémon still remaining but seemingly no one else. He would’ve loved to have been the hero that saves the supposedly irredeemable souls and guides them to a better path but… he was not. He booked it for the exit as the entire building groaned, the very ground beneath his paws quaking.

“We really fucked this place,” Rebel deadpanned as he sprinted. “It’s a shame. Could’ve been a neat-ass home.”

The halls seemed even more narrow than before, with fallen ceiling crowding the path and dust obscuring their sight.
Rebel screeched to a halt on his paws just short of a sizable piece of the ceiling, having come down onto his projected path at a terribly coincidental time. He used the bit of momentum he had to leap on top and beyond it, sprinting harder than ever. “Exit! Hurry!”

Rebel gave a huge bound through the door and outside, clumsily rolling across the pavement and getting back up without missing a beat, once again running from the collapse. He could see fire in the distance and beside it, more figures coming into view. He heaved a sigh of relief.

The escalation of the collapse was amazing. It happened so quickly, a chain reaction of intense power and neglected infrastructure. The small canine would have purred be him feline but instead resided to just wag his short tail with pride that his makeshift idea had come to fruition. “We really fucked this place,” Rabel said with a stony coldness. Yeah. Etin looked at their work with shimmering eyes. Everything rumbled, shaking free large pieces of drywall, ceiling bits, metal, glass.. a shower of debris that only added to lack of support within the walls. A loud 'woah, woah woah' of a screeching alarm spoke volumes of the severity of the damage, and every so many moments the Electrike could hear another explosion go off further inside the building. If he had to guess it was probably that back room they were in before with all the machinery, but he had no proof of that.

"It won't last much longer." He announced with the same flat tone Rebel had spoke in. With their lair demolished would the attacking Pokemon disperse, or at least allow of them all to escape? ..Was that the goal of his plan? The Electrike wheezed, wobbling on his paws. He hadn't really thought it through. “It’s a shame. Could’ve been a neat-ass home.” ...Oh. He hadn't thought about that. This place was very different from the other facility. In some way it felt homier, even though he didn't even get to see the good side of it. It didn't hold the pain of Rosco's loss in it, though this battle definitely felt worse than the last. A huge explosion blew out part of the wall behind them and revealed a massive fire within. They had to leave; it wasn't safe here. "Next time," he breathed, breaking into a weak trot as the electric pair headed toward the far away door.

Adrenaline was still pumping through Etin's veins, helping block the pain he felt as he hurried along out of the room. But something wasn't right. As he ran the small hound didn't feel like he was moving, like time was moving. The distance to the door seemed impassable, like he'd never make it, and soon he was panting as though he had run the length of the Battle Frontier. Cold trickled through his veins, nagging at him to stop and curl up, and while he slowed his pace the Electrike did not stop following after Rebel. "No..! How..?" He heard his past enemy roar before another section of the room erupted with smoke and flames.

Without stopping his paws the drowsy electric type looked back at the distraught Pokemon. He could see its partner Medicham was beside it and that neither seemed to be giving chase or even considering it. They had won, but his heart did not relish any sort of victory. The Medicham hobbled, her words practically indistinguishable beneath the cacophony of noise. "At least.. we're together." Something about the quiet words struck him as though a last farewell, a death sentence as they stood in the chaos. Would they not even try to preserve themselves?

As he made it to the door, smoke filling the room, his pink gaze caught sight of the Ludicolo. The cat had vanished from its body but the thing was.. starting to move. Reanimation was creeping into its corpse, the cycle starting anew. With the utmost tranquillity he watched the two living Pokemon approach their friend before massive pieces of the ceiling caved in and completely blocked his view of the battlefield. Though the sight was cut off it did not leave his mind as he hurried across the foyer to the land waiting outside.

The building roared angrily as it collapsed inwardly like a funnel. Smoke and grit flew everywhere, a deafening roar piercing his ears as he broke the threshold door and charged several more yards before collapsing in the surrounding grass. The fresh night air was instantly a relief compared to the stuffy, blood filled gas, and though only slight Etin could feel his mind clearing. Looking to his companions he wheezed a quiet, "It's over," before flopping his head down to catch his breath.

The ghost left her for a moment, seemingly having realized this was her catch and he'd have wait his turn. Damn scavengers. Amber finished the arm she was working on, relishing in the crunch of bones and marrow from within. It had been a long time since she had tasted flesh that was still alive so this moment was extra savory. When she reached the shoulder the real work would begin, but the cat was once again distracted from her meal. Horrible rumbles like earthquakes shook the very foundation of their battlefield and made her bites awkward and unstable. The scent of wet smoke clung heavily in the room, and as Amber turned her head from her catch she could see this place was no longer safe.

Growling at the noise the lynx felt her hackles rise. What was happening? Did these creatures not have the decency to leave a feasting hunter in peace? Suddenly the destruction escalated; explosions and collapsing parts of the structure burst into life in a very real display of ruination. Amber jumped back, shocked by the swiftness of the danger. Hurrying to the other side of her meal the big cat gripped it in her powerful maw and started to drag it away. Regardless of what the other Pokemon had done to this place this was hers.

The dead beast continued to fight as its heavy body moved ever so slightly and kept getting caught on debris. Was everything against her? The call and spark of free electricity brought her eye upward and Amber could see this fight was pointless. She continued to growl as she turned away from her prize, but even as she debated the loss she was forced away from it by the collapsing ceiling. Narrowly avoiding the rubble Amber crept away. Instincts were enough to tell her to flee, that her haul was not worth what remained of her life. Saliva still dripped from her maw as she broke into a run, charging toward the nearest wall in hopes of finding some escape.

This couldn't be happening. Cinder ran, moving at their set place until she tripped over a stone or something within the darkness. Stumbling over the Quilava bashed her chin against the ground and came to a hard stop. The pain didn't even register, and with her heart pounding in her ears she looked back at their prison. If it was possible for the building to be in even worse shape on the outside, it was. Smoke and flames rose high into the nights sky, lighting it up as it reflected orange in her wide eyes. Any visible windows were alight and danced with color from the flames within, but it was the noise that stole her attention. The crackling, hissing sound of building flames and the deep roars of explosions from within were more than enough to send any normal creature running. The ground shook, daring to test any nearby structures or knock over a weary Pokemon.

With another boom the fire type watched as a massive chunk of the building started to fall inward. Ash, cinders, and other debris went falling in all directions, and the instability of the building felt all the more potent. Her horrified gaze traveled downward when she noticed two shapes escaping the wreckage, and relief flooded her when she saw the electric duo collapse in the grass. "Etin, Rebel!" she gasped, and doubled as a way of notifying their position as she struggled to get back to her paws. The smaller of the two had completely collapsed, and even in the awkward light of the fire Cinder could see the dried blood spiking up his fur. "It's over," he wheezed just as another rumble terrorized the building and another massive wall started to collapse.

Its disintegration seemed to escalate as piece by piece fall in and sent flames billowing upward. Rubble and debris scattered everywhere, but nothing moving of its own accord. It... didn't look like they were being followed. Despite having the same opportunity as them their tormentors did not appear, not even the ghost. Did they not escape the blaze? They may have been cruel, loony Pokemon, but something about that didn't sit right with the her. Several coughs suddenly wrecked her chest, making the fire type shudder as she choked on the thickening smoke. Legends, they were lucky to of gotten out then..

Suddenly, she froze up, an ice chilling her blood despite the heat that radiated from the building. Flicking between her friends Cinder realized their numbers were lacking, that they had dwindled. "W-wheres Faux? And Mel?! Did anyone see them??" Panic quickly crept into her voice, and she took several hops closer to the blazing building, but even from a distance she could feel the heat pulsing from it. "Faux?!" She roared, her voice drowned by the blaze. How could she of left her teammates?! The Quilava bound forward, prepared to barrel back into the building as a quick series of massive eruptions ruptured from inside. The Arcade couldn't take anymore, and any remaining walls fell in all directions. Shielding her eyes Cinder could barely see anything aside from fire and smoke. "Mel!" She called out again but couldn't even hear her own voice. Fear clutched her heart, but as the heat crept into her flame-proof fur she was forced to take a step back. "Get away!" She roared at the others, clenching her teeth to fight back emotion as she fled from the building inferno.

"Etin, Rebel!"

Rebel traced the call to a burning beacon of comfort, the view of Cinder’s flames bouncing in his sight as he bounded paw-after-paw towards it and happily leaving the crumbling structure in his rear view. He skidded to a stop and flopped carelessly on his belly, legs splayed out reminiscent of an Ursaring rug.
"It's over," Etin panted.
Rebel exchanged smiles with Miyu as a quick greeting, then turning his head to the hound. “Thanks to you. Gotta get you an award or something,” he praised, playful but genuine, “I’ll work on that.”

A string of violent coughs interrupted the light chat, prompting both Eevee relatives to turn their attention to Cinder.
“You okay?” Miyu asked. The question went unanswered as the Quilava stared onward towards the ruining building. Suddenly her expression was replaced with wide-eyed concern. Miyu watched as her friend’s eyes darted rapidly from one teammate to another— "W-wheres Faux? And Mel?! Did anyone see them??"

Rebel jumped back to his feet and scanned the area in disbelief. “I was hoping they were out here,” Rebel deadpanned. “I didn’t see them in the building as we were leaving. Did you?” Turning to Etincelle.
“You don’t think they’re trapped… do you?” Miyu whispered, as though she didn’t want to hear the question from her own lips.

"Faux?!" Cinder was on her feet and bursting forwards in an instant, with the sheer volume of her yell nearly enough shock to knock the kit over.
Rebel began for the Arcade once again but skidded to a halt. He turned on his heels and padded back to the two youngsters, trying his ever-damnedest to keep both the kids calm. Cinder’s yowling was audible even as the building fell in and for a moment he expected the screams of his missing comrades. He cringed, beginning to speak out of instinct to block out a sound that didn’t come. “Hey, hey, they’re probably fine—“ he babbled, “You’ve heard the saying ‘tricky like a fox,’ haven’t you?”

The sound of crackling flames brushed against Etincelle's ear fur but all he could acknowledge was the murrs of his friends. They were alive..! Somehow, his crazy idea had worked out in their favor. “Thanks to you. Gotta get you an award or something. I’ll work on that.” Rebel's praise made his heart swell, a smile tugging at his lips as he eye'd the Jolteon from his low laying position. A cough pushed its way out of his lings, reminding him of the imminent fact that he couldn't get his breathing back under control. He wheezed, grateful to be still and off his paws while this occurred. But they were out, the fight was over, they could run if they had to. At least he finally had a chance to rest..

"W-wheres Faux? And Mel?! Did anyone see them??"

The Electrike's pink eyes flashed open, his attention regained with a new clarity. No. His head lifted as he counted the four other Pokemon. No, no.. I- they had to-- “I was hoping they were out here. I didn’t see them in the building as we were leaving. Did you?” "I--- I lost sight of them in all the debris." He choked out. When did he last notice the foxes? They were fighting the Medicham but he never really spared it any attention. What a stupid, selfish- He kicked, struggling to get back to his paws and whining as he did so. "Th-they have to be  somewhere." Maybe they skipped the front door, thinking it was too obvious, or dove deeper into the building?

“You don’t think they’re trapped… do you?”

His aching heart skipped several beats. Not while I can move. Cinder screamed, completely losing any air of calm she tried to have as Rebel bound away to eerie quiet. With a single hurried step Etin forget about the pain in his side and stumbled as it shot up his leg. Collapsing in a cloud of grit he clenched his teeth in agony. Mel.. Mel I cant-- Im coming. Digging his claws into the pathway he stood once more and started again without hesitation. Careful but quick steps carried him, a shaking panic vibrating throughout his system. I'm coming! The Battle Arcade shook before him, as though it was trying to say something, to call out to them. Was it Mel, Faux? The ghost taking control again..? No sound seemed to reach his ears, even as Cinder roared for them to get back he heard nothing.
But his eyes would not be denied.

The last bit of support the building had faltered, and wall by wall it fell in on itself. A storm of dust and smoke billowed out in all directions, stinging his eyes and obscuring all vision of their previous prison. "Meeelll." He screamed, but dust filled his mouth and cut him off with horrid hacking. Behind him, he could hear Rebel keeping the peace, “Hey, hey, they’re probably fine— You’ve heard the saying ‘tricky like a fox,’ haven’t you?” Burning in his chest and breathlessness managed to hold his voice back but his mind would not stop screaming. How could I just leave without her?! I didn't even look, I didn't even try to check on her. Flames climbed to the sky, lighting up the deep bluish-black color with an array of orange and yellow. She's flameproof-- they both are. They can survive fire. But being crushed? There were no screams, no wails from any of the Pokemon that had been left inside. Melanie.... Nothing met his ears but the crackle of flames as his legs gave way and made him sink to the ground once more.

The arcade was destroyed and his snack was gone with it. This saddened him as the place was in ruins. At least everyone was safe, but there was one missing. Amber was still in there. The others still recovering though was priority. Then he noticed another was missing and it was Mel. Arry decided to help Etin find her. "Mel! Where are you?!" The Aron was crying out and a worried voice had been going on. Worried turned to fear, then fear turned to sadness, then sadness turned to crying. It was a repeating cycle that Arry has had in his life. Yet, he did not give up hope. "Mel! Please, I don't wanna lose you like I lost my mama and papa." His determination was still strong and soon he seen Amber. He had to shout to her. "Ms. Amber!" Arry called for her. Maybe she can help find Mel. It was a shot and maybe their only other chance.

Escape, she had to escape. The floor shook with every step the big cat took, making her already uneven pace quake and teeter. A growl rumbled out of her throat but the sound was completely eaten by the cry of the pained building. Where had the others escaped to? Staring up at the seats Amber reared to her backlegs and stretched out her forepaws. Her claws didn't even come close to reaching, and her short hops only made the distance more obvious. Scouring deep marks in the metal the cat hissed in frustration as she remained firmly on the ground. She had to get out.

Turning on her heels the Luxray trotted swiftly to another wall and starting clambering over the debris that had fallen before it. Was there a way out above her? Flames flickered and danced throughout the room, obscuring any escape that wasn't already shrouded in smoke. Boards and stone made for a rickety climb, and as she reached the top the panel underpaw slipped free and brought her all the way back to ground level. The flames climbed even higher, another wall falling inward as debris crashed just a few feet away. Get out. Panic pulsed through her mind, an overwhelming instinct that completely took over her thoughts. Scrambling, Amber bolted about the room, making harsh stops and zigzags to avoid trash and fire as it flared up around her. There was nothing. Nothing to salvage, nothing safe. No where to hide.

Memories of her cell, her prison, her torture obscured the battlefield. This place was the same; a deathtrap with no escape. The stone walls of the hell blurred with the man-made ones of the burning room, sending her into a frenzy. She couldn't even see the other Pokemon that were in here with her anymore. Had they been captured, or did they manage to escape? Was she the only one left to die again in that place she had lost her life? The entire building roared like a beast in a trap. She was the prey now. The walls shuddered, screaming as they collapsed from the spiderwebbing of cracks. Amber ran but could not find any safety within the smoke. Somehow, beneath the cacophony of sound, she heard it. "Ms. Amber!" The tiniest voice, only vaguely familiar, coming from some place beyond her. Immediately the cat changed paths, heading toward the doorway she only knew to be closed.  She could only see its vague shape through the smoke and nothing further, but she didn't make it to it before darkness enveloped the rest of the room in the collapse.

How? Why....? Cinder's jaw clenched tighter and tighter as she bound away from the inferno. How could she let this happen? How could she have been so foolish, so careless to not even notice?! Embers thrown from the blaze blew in front of her on a breeze, spreading the Arcade's reach further and further. What kind of leader was she?! She had lead them in there, she had gotten them trapped on the battlefield, she made them witness horror, and now.. It cost my friends their li-- Her throat knotted up, making the Quilava gag and break her own thought early. As she coughed and hacked she stumbled to an awkward stop, tears bulging in her eyes. They burned from the ash and smoke, were tense from the choking and staring, and begged to water from the emotions that dared drown her. She had caused this.

Rebel's gentle words brushed her ears so gently but felt like daggers to her heart. He was no fool; he knew their fate but didn't dare speak it as though it would make it come true. With a rocky inhale and forced grin the Quilava looked to the kids and nodded in agreement. Their fine, she was unable to say, nothing could stop those two. But behind her she could hear nothing but the roar of flames. It was something akin to a campfire. The crackling, popping, snapping of wood as it splintered and physiologically changed. But unlike that peaceful, comforting sound this was a storm of uncertainty and pain. A loud whoosh as something fell and pushed out the air beneath it forced Cinder to give a slow turn and just.. watch it burn. She was very still, watching with wide, watery eyes.

How long should they wait...?

It was surreal. They were finally far enough to feel the chill of night, the moisture of the grass and coolness of the night air. From their safe distance Cinder could watch her past fixation burn and her failures go up in smoke. With each minute that ticked by her thoughts grew more rational, more thought out as reality set in. Mel wouldn't survive alone. All her senses would falter in that blaze. Faux wouldn't leave her. Had she tried to find her a safe path? But.. the exit was obvious. What would have stopped them? Her heart lurched at the thought of teleportation, the Mecicham could have taken them! She hadn't been looking, she hadn't even thought of the Medichams abilities as a psychic type... They'd be more than just gone... Finally, her eyes started to relax, and the lids slid down as exhaustion settled into her bones. "I should have been watching." She finally languished, lips puckering with a distressed gasp. "I should've made sure everyone was out."

The duo watched onward. The flames danced with an unpredictable rhythm as they destroyed the Arcade, beautifully, but cruelly. More than once, their eyes deceived them as the blaze dancing around debris could cast something like a familiar shape only for the stony stillness to dash their hopes.
A chorus of their friends called for Faux and Mel but each went unanswered, and Arry even began wailing for Amber in a last ditch effort.

Rebel bounded for the door wordlessly. No longer was the Jolteon willing to play something like a maiden awaiting the return of her husband - those never had happy endings, and neither would this.
He could make out the shape of the Luxray - that damn cat that came an inch from killing him - but he had zero concern for picking another fight. But before they could so much as get in speaking distance from each other, the building collapsed. Rebel screeched to a halt before the now-unusable entrance and stared in disbelief for a long moment before yowling. “Goddammit!”

"I should have been watching." Cinder lamented, while visible exhaustion was settling in on the Fire- starter. "I should've made sure everyone was out."
Miyu’s ears flattened to her head. She very well could’ve checked on everyone if not for Cinder having to practically carry her out of the blaze. “Don’t say that,” The Eevee murmured, “If I hadn’t been such a burden, you…” A quiet sigh ended the sentence.

Flames licked at his fur. Even from this distance he could feel the raging heat of the fire and how it dry out his old burn. He was so far away, no more than a bystander to the inferno now, but it still pawed at him with a tantalizing heat. Etincelle's stinging eyes were glossy and wet, and his fur would have been the same had the heat of the fire not dried his sweaty, bloody pelt to a crisp finish.

With staggering steps he moved away from the flames. His limbs were unresponsive, as though they were asleep while being made of wood. Each step was a stumble of three and he barely kept up with the others as they moved to safety. The air remained hot and flustered, but when an opposing wind could finally bring the night's chill to his skin the Electrike could not bare to walk any further. His rump plopped against the ground, limbs splaying as his head hung low and shoulders sagged. How could this be happening? After he had promised, he swore to protect his friends, to make sure they never ended up like Rosco. I was supposed to be strong for them. What did it matter if he didn't use that to help them?

"I should have been watching." Cinder's voice sounded fake in his ears. Hollow, used up, clinging for answers. "I should've made sure everyone was out." She could say that. Anyone could say that and mean it too. How hard was it to look, to think for a second about someone else? Any of them could have done that. But no one did. His choking sobs turned to gags for a few moments. It may have been a 'leaders' job, she should have made sure everyone was safe, but he should have been the one to make sure his plan didn't go awry.

A bitterness clawed at his heart. Cinder was admitting blame of some sort but that didn't excuse the negligence. The lack of care to even look for her companions. To use her fire-type status to go now and help them. “Don’t say that. If I hadn’t been such a burden, you…” Miyu's words were so soft, so earnest with belief the Electrike had to lift his head at them. He would not let the poor kit think this was her doing. Turning to stare down his 'leader' Etincelle glared as he growled with an icy overtone, "You're a fire type. Why aren't you doing something?" Even if they weren't.. with them.. anymore, she could something. She could make sure they weren't abandoned.

Arry was trying to see where Amber was and the smoke made it more difficult to see her. However he did see Etin trying frantically to find Mel. There was metal all over the ground as well as most of the place collapsed and the toys that both Miyu and Arry had was crushed under the debris. He felt upset that there was nothing to go by to find the toys. His stomach began grumbling more. The Aron was hungry. but the fire was to intense for him to get any closer without getting a burn. Then he started throwing something like a fit. "I'm so hungry! I wanna have some food!" Yet he would have to eat back in the other place. With the toys now gone forever, Arry went back to the others, sad and hungry. He wanted to even tell Miyu that they'll have to get new toys. "Miyu our toys, they're...they're. Whaaaah." Arry was crying. His favorite toy that he got from Miyu was in that fire and nothing can save it.

The crumbling building fell apart, dropping things three, four, five times the cat's size. They seemed to fall endlessly, piling up in a heap of blazing fury. Amber didn't know if she was alive or not. The world was hot but dark. Was it hell? Struggling, her one eye flickered and opened just enough to squint. Black and orange blurred together, debris blocking all sight except any patch of flames she could see beyond. Could she move? Testing her limbs only her hind ones seemed to respond. Was she paralyzed? Heat scorched at her pelt so hot the lynx thought she would melt. The fiery depths of hell. ...Did she deserve this for the sins she had committed as well? Amber nearly resigned herself to such thoughts, sinking into the position she was in, when something applied further pressure on her tail.

Pain flashed up her exposed spine. She was very much not paralyzed, but as she tried to struggle and remove the pain she realized just how much pressure lay upon her. Her non-breathing chest was crushed tight and her metal leg blazed with heat from the inferno around her. She was.. still in the building? The crackling of the blaze started to reach her ears as her consciousness returned and the reality of the situation began to sink in; she did not make it out.

The same panic as before resurfaced, dilating her pupil and setting her skin ablaze with an incessant need to be free. Her hind paws clambered, scratching and tearing at whatever she was upon and under. The scorched wood and drywall fell away under her assault but the scorching heat told her she was no closer to freedom. Fear zapped through her mind and the spat a stream of Signal Beam before her. Cracking, snapping sounds echoed from breaking debris but were quiet compared to the fires beyond. Amber fought, moving every muscle in her body as though her very being depended on it.

Somehow, it paid off, as the pressure started to fade from her pelt and she could drag her way forward. Crawling, scratching, and pulling herself forward the lynx pulled herself from her entrapment and bolted as she soon as her body was free. It burned as though the fire was coming from inside and felt broken in so many new ways, but yet she could run. The big cat did not stop, pelting forward until her steps evened out and the cinders finally died out within her fur. The smoke dissipated, rising above her and allowing her vision to return. Daring to look back all she saw was an inferno with a dark base. A smouldering pile of what used to be a building. Where had she been trapped? How was she sill alive? The cat didn't care, she faced forward and continued to run throughout the night away from that hell.

“If I hadn’t been such a burden, you…”  "No!" Cinder barked back, her voice feeling raw as the tone rose. "No you are not." If anything she was, sticking her paws in other's business trying to be high and mighty. She was supposed to help everyone and instead did what she thought was important- like getting the kids out without even looking back. What if her persistence had stopped them from spotting their friends as well? Legends, why hadn't she just-- "You're a fire type. Why aren't you doing something?" Cinder spotted her breath mid-sob to slowly turn to Etincelle. "W-what?" She asked hoarsely, already knowing what he was implying. "I'm not invincible. I c-couldn't withstand that." Yet even as she said the words doubt blossomed within her. Was she lying? Why wasn't she trying? She hadn't she tested how close she could get. Etincelle's right..

Agreement was a breath away, and as her eyes broke away from Etin's gaze they fell shamefully to the ground. The doubt grew, telling her each second she wasted here was another on their lives she was squandering. But.. they're fire types too. Her teeth clenched as she choked on her thoughts. There was no point. He was looking for someone to blame. And she would gladly fill that need. "I'm so hungry! I wanna have some food!" Arry started to whine but she was in no position to console him. The change in subject was welcome yet it only harbored more indignation. Bitter words clung to her teeth, an envious yet hurt feeling that he was perhaps too innocent to realize what was happening. Or did he just not care...? "Miyu our toys, they're...they're. Whaaaah." The toys.. She gasped, having forgotten their mini adventure before all went wrong. She had worked pretty hard to retrieve those, and now...

Each beat of her heart seemed to pound against the walls of her chest. The doubt was consuming, letting her to turn back, but she forced herself to dismiss it as denial. Forcing herself to resign, telling herself it was pointless, the Quilava started to pick up her feet while her eyes remained grounded. "Come on," she sighed, "Let's get back to the Castle."

If nothing else.. if she did nothing else she would make sure her party was safe for the night. At least what was left of it. They needed shelter, rest, and medical attention. They'd have to find stuff in the morning; they had a lot of things to do in the morning. The orange light of the blaze followed Cinder as she walked, never dimming despite the distance she put between in and her group. It was haunting them.. Even the cold chill of the night air struggled to truly get in her fur and chill the sweat that coated her body. As she walked her paws grew heavier and heavier. Was it guilt, grief? The last stretch of pathway that led to the Castle door seemed as endless as the emotions that dared to drown her.

"No!" Cinder’s sudden volume brought a flinch to the kit’s pelt. "No you are not." Miyu nodded in acknowledgement— slowly and subtly, but not in agreement. Her mind wandered back to the state of her leg and her eyes followed, lamenting on the momentary distraction from the blazing Arcade and the tragedy it brought. The sight of her leg became blurry as she again snapped back into reality and what every lick of fire consuming the building meant.

"You're a fire type. Why aren't you doing something?" Etin’s voice was cold, practically sending a chill down Rebel’s pelt even as he stared down the roaring fires. The Jolteon knew what was coming and grief driven discord was the last thing they needed now.
"I'm not invincible. I c-couldn't withstand that." Cinder responded. In sharp contrast to earlier, the Quilava’s words were delivered quietly as the events began to take their toll.
“You want her to walk into the same situation they’re in?” Rebel bit back. He was reluctant to fuel the fire but also unwilling to allow the hound to target Cinder for something that wasn’t her fault. “Don’t guilt her for not walking into suicide.”

"I'm so hungry! I wanna have some food!" Arry’s small voice wailed, drawing Rebel’s attention from the Electrike. The Jolteon stared but said nothing. "Miyu our toys, they're...they're. Whaaaah."
Miyu looked up from her paws. For a moment she was unsure how to respond. The toys were the least of her concerns right now… just plastic and batteries. “Toys can be replaced, Arry,” she murmured, “they’re objects…” Granted those objects were a faint glimmer of happiness in a hellish world for a child.

"Come on," Cinder said with a heavy breath. "Let's get back to the Castle."
Rebel swept Miyu onto his back in a slow, clumsy motion, both wordlessly agreeing with their leader’s instructions. For a duo that always had something to say, they were troublingly silent.

"W-what?" The Quilava's voice shook like he had caught her off guard. Like the thought of rescue never even occurred to her. "I'm not invincible. I c-couldn't withstand that." "Excuses." He said venomously. As the only fire type left was it not her responsibility to at least attempt something? Twisting her paws around Cinder broke her gaze away first and stared shamefully at the ground. Looking away Etincelle could feel his own eyes narrow even tighter. Some leader you are. A stone seemed to settle in both his heart and belly. A cold weight that welcomed against the endless heat of the blaze. “You want her to walk into the same situation they’re in?” Rebel's voice was a clear beacon within his emotional thoughts but even his words could not strike the stones. “Don’t guilt her for not walking into suicide.”

There was a long pause, a silence from the small hound as he listened to the crackling of flames. He knew Rebel was right but could not feel the same. It might, no, would be suicide to try, but how could he accept sitting idly like this? That they were all responsible for abandoning their friends to a painful, fiery fate. The kid whined, reminding him that children had just gone through that horrible event. That death had almost claimed yet another pair of innocent lives on top of their vulpine friends. Digging his claws into the soil Etincelle left out a heavy sigh.  "You're right," he admitted,  "but that doesn't make it any better."

Before long Cinder was marching them onward yet again. He moved silently, his mind filled with a cold snow of thoughts. He was no slave to leadership. He would not leave them in there; when daylight hit he would personally find them and bring them home.


"Faux, Faux come on!" Mel whined, her hoarse voice struggling to choke out the few words. Dirt smothered her face, tumbling into her maw and choking out the fox even further. Disorientated didn't even begin to explain what she was going through. The cramped, dark space of her tunnel had suddenly shifted, flattening out as the ground rumbled. It grew hot, a most odd phenomenon considering all the factors, but Melanie didn't have time to ponder the reasoning. Fuax had continued her tunnel, digging and moving as though she knew exactly where they were. Even in the moist soil Mel could smell the thick, rich scent of iron; blood stained the very dirt she was moving.

Without any bearings Melanie had no way of telling how far they had moved, which direction, or how deep. Faux's tunnel sloped sharply and she could feel the soil loosen toward the surface. When her claws finally breached the surface a huge wash of relief hit it along with the cool air of night, but the sense was belittled by the rest of her struggles. Digging through the surface with one paw, utterly exhausted, took so long. With no perception of time the task seemed to take forever, and when she could finally fight to squeeze her body through the hole she had not the strength to stand.

But that wouldn't stop her. Crawling and sprawling awkwardly on the grass she reached back in the hole to grasp the muddy, furry scruff of her friend. The smaller fox was unresponsive and no more than a dead weight as she lifted her out of their earthen prison. "We're out," she wheezed, placing the Vulpix on the grass as she hacked out a mouthful of dirt.

OoC)) Skipping, Arry's just coming silently and very sad as well as crying.