(ACE) The LAVERRE Team

The slight bit of light offered by the moon into Laverre City was negated by the dark thunderclouds slowly, ominously passing in front of it between earth and the otherworldly skies. A crackle of lightning would brighten up the town every once in a while, the sound of thunder even louder than the rain that poured down relentlessly.

Rain collected on the roof of the Boutique and slowly crawled down and through a crack in the ceiling, running down a wooden beam and finally dripping down to the floor.
A tiny, pink form shuffled a little in her sleep, the unwelcome cold, wetness of the rain landing on her nose waking her from a cold, dreamless blackness. She rolled from her back onto her side and peeked an eye open. The lanterns Knightly had found were still lighting up the Boutique, however dimly due to the dying batteries.

Alirah’s eye slid shut and she sighed, shifting uncomfortably on the floor to fall back asleep. And then something hit her. Not literally, but one of those Oh-My-God moments that leave you shuddering. She didn’t see her best friend anywhere. ”Knightly?” she called into the shadows stretching beyond the light of the lanterns. ”Kniiiiiiightly!”

She quickly grabbed the pink frilly dress that had served as her blanket and pulled it over her form, peering out with her muzzle placed on the cold floor. A long, terrified wail left the Umbreon’s lips as she fell into a full-blown panic attack. Her teeth chattered and her fluffy pink body shook, the ivory rings on her body not shining even a little. She felt as though, if Knightly didn’t burst through that door at that exact second, she would die. She. Would. Die.

But alas, the fluffy black Furfrou did not appear, and gathering everything within her, Alirah crept out of her dress-fort and shuffled along to the door.

Where is she? What if something attacks while she‘s gone? What if she‘s gone for good? What if she‘s out there and needs my help? What if… she rattled off so many of these questions in her mind, unsure of exactly the proper course of action. She wanted Knightly back, now, but she didn’t know how to bring her back to safety.
The Boutique lit up for a brief second, bright, blinding white. As the following thunder rumbled, Alirah found herself running for her life and diving underneath a table. ”Knightly, why did you leave me?!” she cried, tears forming in her baby blue eyes.

She trembled in place for what must’ve been ten minutes, eternities for the Umbreon. It didn’t seem like Knightly was coming back. ”Oh God…” Ali whispered, ”She‘s gonna die! I... I have to save her!”

Bringing all of her bravery into her feet, she padded to the door with her tail between her hind legs and lantern in her teeth. She truly thought when she peered out the door, something horrible and hideous would be staring back. Alirah steadied her breaths, slower and calmer, and jumped up to the sideways doorknob and tried to pop it open.

Due to her short stature, this did not work well. She completely missed the first try.

Giving a sigh, Alirah’s tail swept along the floor behind her and she jumped again, grabbing the metal handle with her front paws and hanging awkwardly from it. Once the handle released it’s hold on the doorframe, she flew backwards against the floor as the wind and rain blew it open and soaked her. She cared little about her pelt-- what if something heard that!? She would be SO dead SO fast.

A split second decision had her rushing out the door and into the storm. Her fur blew around wildly and her rings glowed weakly, just enough to light her way - as she was an idiot and forgot the lantern. Oh God, this was such a bad idea…

Alirah held herself close to the ground as she moved, looking around her for any traces of a monster out for her flesh. But more importantly, looking for that fluffy, black pooch that seemingly fell off the face of the planet. ”Knightly? Kniiiightly?” she called in a hushed tone, ”Where are-- AAAH!””

The Umbreon took a faulty step forward, slipping on a slick, muddy spot and sending herself tumbling forwards. She rolled butt-end over her shoulder and then sideways down the road in a fast-moving, chest-deep-on-her current of water dragging her along. Alirah flailed wildly, her tiny body reaching for anything to grasp onto, finally catching a fence post with her small white claws. Her short legs shook with the effort it took to hang on while water washed into her face and nose.

She gave one last-ditch pull and was able to roll to the side of the current and make it to her paws. Needless to say,  she was not walking. She was not trotting. She was running, booking it back to the Boutique. By the time she reached the door, she was covered in gray mud and dirty water, shaking from the cold, fear and exertion. She slammed the door shut, running for the dressing room and slamming the curtains closed. It was Hell out there, and Knightly was in it. She was in it, and Ali had failed her and ran miserably back to their safehouse.

The back of Ali’s throat ached and tears formed in her eyes, rolling down her magenta cheeks and dripping to the floor.

Knightly, why…?

((OoC - Ali, you're such a basket-case. Laverre is pretty flooded due to the storms, most of the undead are either being washed away or hiding. Let's do this, guys! ^^))

From his perch atop a random building, the Honchkrow ruffled his feathers defiantly against the rain. His hatlike crest kept his eyes dry, though water dripped from his beak as he looked around. The town was covered in a dreary fog, and it bored Sly. It he wanted, he would leave, but where would be the fun in that? The building he sat upon was purposeful, as below the bird there were faint lights coming from inside one building. It had caught his attention, and so, of course, he had to investigate. It could be something shiny! The thought caused a joyful chill through his feathers even as the youth narrowed his eyes. Something was happening, catching his attention.

What he hadn't expected, was a frilly pink Umbreon. Sly could not help the half curl of his beak in disgust. What kind of dark type could deal with being so... so... bright and pink? But he clicked his talons on the soaked roof, watching curiously. He made no move to help the vulpine, through the rain he was only able to keep watching the Umbreon due to the brightness of the fur. ”AAAH!” The Eeveelution screamed, the only thing he heard the other say, and Sly made no attempt to hide his snickering. Idiot. Within another minute, though, the Umbreon fled back into the same house and the bird was half tempted to Heat Wave the door just for a reaction. Shaking the water from his wings, he was instantaneously soaked once more. Maybe getting out of the rain would be a good idea. Lightning cracked overhead, only reinforcing the thought.

The black Furfrou’s wet, wavy hair stuck to her face like a thick veil as rain poured down on her, making it so she could barely see or breathe as she strained every muscle in her body to move upwards through Laverre. She saw the city Gym in the illumination of a frayed lightning strike, goosebumps chilling her bones and running down her legs as she thought about going there to find Chalice.
Chalice was a cruel Mismagius feared before the Epidemic for her powerful incantations that often brought misery upon her foes and the innocent alike. She was well-known for giving rogue Pokemon whatever they wanted in return for doing whatever she wanted, and if Knightly had it her way, the Mismagius would somehow give her the strength to fight better and protect Alirah… at what cost, she didn’t know. But if she could truly keep Alirah safe throughout this gruesome Epidemic, she would give her own life if she had to.

  Upon entering, the Gym door closed behind Knightly with a loud metal slam. She froze in an alert stance, her squinted eyes slowly sweeping the area. It was too dark to even see the floor. The air was thick and cold, giving the room an eerie stillness as the only thing that could be heard was the echoing water droplets rolling off her fur and plopping onto the frigid marble floor that felt like ice against her pawpads. Somehow, despite the raging storm outside the Gym, things felt more gravely ominous to Knightly inside the dark, soundproof building. She wondered if she ought to turn back… but perhaps she was being childish, letting thunder and shadows scare her away like some coward. And I’m no coward… she thought.
She saw a warm orange glow coming from a sizeable hole in the ceiling, illuminating the tops of the blood-stained walls just enough for her to see the silhouette of a round figure floating. Knightly instinctively let out a single gruff bark and growled deeply at the startle, but abruptly stopped herself when she came to her senses.

“I’m looking for Chalice,” she said in a low, wary tone. The name Chalice echoed like a harsh whisper.

The air around the figure exploded into cyan-blue fireballs that danced in luminous circles, revealing an ordinary Drifloon that stared down at Knightly. But as the Drifloon silently floated down from the ceiling and extended a cord-like arm to Knightly, there was just something unsettling about those little round eyes that innocently blinked at her. Knightly looked longingly to the hole in the ceiling leading to another room, likely where Chalice was, and cut her eyes at the Drifloon. Reluctantly, she raised a front paw up towards the Pokemon.

  “If you even pull a hair of mine out…” she warned, “I’ll squeeze you ‘til you pop and rain from the sky…Got it?”

Drifloon’s arm whipped through the cold air with a loud crack and tightened around Knightly’s wrist, snatching her off the ground and jerking her through the ceiling opening to the room above. The Drifloon’s arm immediately unrolled from Knightly’s and she dropped face-first onto a rugged hardwood floor that scraped and burned her skin as she slid sideways across it. Knightly jumped to her feet with a snarl, splinters pricking and stinging her face.
The room seemed to whirl like a flame in the night as her vision dizzily adjusted to the darkness lit only by a soot-stained, cobblestone fireplace, which was blocked out near-completely by a tall, pointed silhouette. The figure and their shadow stretching across the entire room vanished in an instant when Knightly’s vision straightened out. The room was empty besides two cherrywood hope chests on either side of the fireplace, both in spotless condition, and two monstrous velvet drapes on each wall beside her, shredded in thick claw marks and billowing out in an eerie dance despite the air being as still and icy as the room below. A voice behind Knightly broke the silence.

  “My, my…”

Knightly spun around, face-to-face with Chalice. Thick shadows cast from her wide-brim, hat-like appendage shrouded her face as she looked down at Knightly, her piercing red-and-gold eyes seeming to float in the darkness as they gazed at her. Knightly’s chest heaved with a silent, inner gasp when she noticed her size. Chalice was at least twice the height of a normal Mismagius, with the hat-like area of her head being as long as Knightly’s tail and her flowing body looking more like a small, sheer blanket than a cloth. Her thin mouth curved into the faintest smile.

  “You’ll have to excuse the Drifloon, deary…” Her feminine voice was quiet and silky, like a sinister whisper that chilled Knightly’s bones. “It isn’t that often we get a guest…”

  Knightly scoffed with a flick of her tail. “I can’t imagine why...” she said gruffly, her skin still burning from the wooden floors.

  “Tell me, why is it you’ve decided to pay Ms. Chalice a visit?” She turned her back with a swish of her cloak, slowly drifting off towards the fireplace and becoming a silhouette again. “I certainly hope you aren’t here seeking shelter… I’m afraid I’ve helped all the survivors I can, and you should be well aware that--”

  “Cut the crap, Chalice, I know who you are.” Knightly said. “I’m here to make a deal and I don’t have much time.”

  Chalice’s silhouette floated silently in the thick, cold air. Knightly would’ve much preferred angry shouting over the tense, quiet moment where nothing could be heard but dripping water and her own pounding heart.

  “What’s the matter, pretty girl?” Chalice turned and moved forward with a low chuckle, just close enough for her gleaming eyes to contrast with her shadowy figure in the flickering firelight. “All bark and no bite?”

  Knightly brooded in silence, assuming the question rhetorical. It wasn’t.

  She cut her eyes at the Mismagius. “What do you want?” Strength was everything in the cruel, chaotic world she now lived in, worth more than gold or diamonds had ever been before… and the price, she imagined, was just as steep. But was it a price she and Alirah could afford to pay?

(OoC - I have plans with the Gym in my next post, just FYI. But then I'll be done with it, so please avoid Chalice's part of the Gym (floor directly above the entrance, the other parts are fine) until I'm done with it please <33 Also just FYI, Knightly does not yet have her Silk Scarf on her tail but will in the next post. :3 )

The downpour was roaring, the bullets of rain descending in turbulent sheets. The stratus clouds rocked the moon in their vaporous arms, opening them occassionally to allow a few milky rays to shine below.

A Murkrow, her feathers waterlogged and disorderly, hovered above the slick ground in a daze. The night rain was gelid against her being, and she fought back the urge to shiver and chatter her beak. "It's fucking disgusting out here," she thought aloud, climbing higher in the sky to find a place to roost and preen her untidy feathers. Her scarf, damp with rain, hindered her flight slightly, but her wings were well honed for this situation.

At last, her eyes caught the welcoming roof of a diner; a monstrous tree was growing behind it, branches twisted and overgrown with the lack of care. She landed with a haphazard lurch beneath an unkempt branch, and laid down, tucking her wings to her sides. A thunderclap screamed in the night, but Winter was unmoved. Her face remained stoic as she planned her next course of action. She could always steal food from the diner that sat beneath her, but what was the fun in that? Winter was itching for the rush of pursuit, she wanted to fight, she wanted to chase for her meal. "I haven't seen another Pokemon in weeks. Fucking pansies, hiding from the scary widdle monsters outside." Winter cackled at her own joke. At least it left more of the world for her. She adjusted her scarf with an educated beak.

"AAAH!”

Winter didn't even think, she mechanically unfurled her wings and shot down below at the sound of the caterwaul. (Oh, please let me find someone weak or dead. I'm dead tired of not having a damn soul around to mess with, ha!)

Her wish was confirmed when she saw what appeared to be a small, pink sillohuette bolting within a nearby building. She usually was disgusted at the sight of such a weak specimen, but this time, a smile crept along her beak. Winter ignored the thunder that boomed; she had work to do. Her eyes, pure as snow, gleamed mischeviously as she clasped her wings to her sides, spiraling down. Before she hit the ground, she snapped them open and landed silently outside of the safehouse in which the weakling had retreated in. She was just in time to see the door slam. How pathetic. How wonderfully pathetic.

"Little Grumpig, Little Grumpig, let me in!" she cackled, scratching her talons along the door. She pitched her voice into a mockingly high frequency, "Not by the hairs on my chinny chin chin!" Lightning flashed behind her, illuminating the building in front of her. A Boutique. This was going to be smashing.Winter was already scheming of all the devilry she could cause. Plus, Boutiques were always home to shiny things. She was unlike the rest of her species due to the fact she didn't completely swoon over scintillating objects, but they still dazzled her to see.

"Then I'll HUFF, and I'll PUFF!" she cried, pausing for emphasis. She raked her talons on the door again, causing diminutive trenches to engrave themselves along the surface. Winter giggled, the intense glee of the chase causing her to shiver."Then I'll BLOW YOUR FUCKING HOUSE IN!" she cackled, striking the door with an imposing Wing Attack. It didn't give way at first, but with another determined smack, the wood splintered and cracked, leaving a gaping hole that was just large enough for Winter to squeeze her way in."Where are you, little Grumpig?" she shrieked, ambulating along the floor in a purposefully slow manner so her victim could hear her talons clack."C'mon out, don't be shy, you damn pansy!" her voice grew more irritated. Her eyes were still adjusting to the darkness within the Boutique, she really couldn't find where the unknown Pokemon had went. No matter, no matter. She'd flush her quarry out somehow. "It's not like I'm going to rip you to shreds, at first. Like I always say, no guts, no gory!" she snickered, her beak clacking as she laughed.

Oh, how long had it been since she had felt the glory of the chase. She could barely wait to shoot a Thunder Wave at her prey. Winter opened her pale yellow beak slightly, allowing the electricity to crackle against her cheeks as she prepared her attack. It hurt a little bit, as it always did when she charged it, but she was too deriliously euphoric to feel the pain.

[[OOC; Guys, I'm so so excited for this new team! <3 Let's do this!!]]

A shadow dashed past one of the buildings, stopping just outside an archway that was decorated with pokeball statues. A single glowing red eye looked back to where they had come from, a smile creeping up onto the quadruped's face as he watched an orange and black furred biped push itself out of the overgrown grass. The darker furred quadruped turned to face the Riolu, a smirk on his face.

"Come on Hide! I know you can be faster than that." The Phanteon cackled, shaking out his fur and trotting back over to Hide. From his dash through the grass, the black, white and red Phanteon's fur was absolutely soaked. It wasn't as though he really cared about the rain, he didn't actually feel the cold raindrops most times. The same could not be said for his companion, who's fur was spiked up in an attempt to ward off the cold.

"Says the one who can phase through the grass." He said, sneezing as a stray raindrop hit him on the nose and bothered the fur there. "Come on, we need to find somewhere to get out of the rain. I'm freezing." Hide added, crossing his arms and using his paws the rub his upper arms. The friction created a little bit of heat, but it was barely enough to keep him warm. A red gaseous tail surrounded Hide, and through you wouldn't expect it, the tail at least radiated a little heat.

"As much as I'd love to tease you on that, you're right. You'll catch a cold if you're out here too long. Lets find a place to take shelter for tonight." Kaneki said, walking forwards. Hide scrambled forwards to keep up with the mutated Phanteon, not wanting to lose the embrace that Kaneki had given him by wrapping the Riolu in one of his two red gaseous tails.

Kaneki looked around, his bi colored eyes flickering from the large tree that made up the gym, to a few of the other buildings. "Yo Hide, I'm going to scout up ahead. We'll meet up at the boutique, try not to get yourself into too much trouble, 'kay?" Kaneki said, and a soft sigh emitted from beside him.

"Okay. I'll meet you back at the boutique once I'm done."

With that, Kaneki used intangibility to phase through Hide, snickering at the glare that the Riolu sent him. After making a cliché love heart with his tails, Kaneki raced off, leaving Hide to examine things at his own pace.

While Hide was off examining things at his own pace, Kaneki was looking into things at his own pace as well, which admittedly, was a lot faster than Hide's. A quick look in each building was enough for the Phanteon, before he moved on. At least, until he got to the boutique.

"Little Grumpig, Little Grumpig, let me in!"

It was a Murkrow, and one that obviously was not right in the head in a few cases. Kaneki chuckled at the irony. He was far from being alright in the head himself. "Not by the hairs on my chinny chin chin!" With a groan, Kaneki ducked behind a building and watched the exchange from afar, waiting to see if he should intervene.

"Then I'll HUFF, and I'll PUFF!" Now Kaneki was having a few problems with how the bird was acting. A low growl formed in the back of his throat. "Then I'll BLOW YOUR FUCKING HOUSE IN!"

The door bowed in on itself as the Murkrow attacked it, getting into the building. If there was another pokemon in there, having the Murkrow in there was most definitely not a good thing. Kaneki had made his decision, and after making sure his claws were sharp, the ghost phased into the building.

He hid under the cover of the shadows, closing the eye that he had replaced, since it had a tendency to glow when he didn't want it to. With only one eye to watch them, Kaneki found himself looking between the two, waiting for the first move.

"It's not like I'm going to rip you to shreds, at first. Like I always say, no guts, no gory!" Okay, that was just sick. Kaneki grimaced, making a face. The Phanteon charged up a Shadow Ball, watching the Murkrow as they charged an electrical attack of some sort. The Phanteon muttered something under his breath, before sending the Shadow Ball flying towards the Murkrow, but his aim was slightly off for a warning shot.

"Didn't your mother ever teach you to be nicer towards others?"

It was so quiet, so quiet to the Umbreon. Her mind had begun to block out the sounds of the storm, the only noise coming into her ears were the pitiful sound of her sobs bouncing off the wall back to her. She was so pitiful, so pathetic that every sound she made reminded her of what a nuisance she must’ve been to Knightly, and that’s why she left. The Furfrou was sick of her, how she relied so heavily on her and needed her protection from everything that moved. ”I‘m so worthless, she couldn‘t stand me in the end.” Alirah laid on her side, murmuring as she freely let tears stream down her cheeks onto the floor where her muzzle rested. ”It was selfish of me to think she‘d be here forever…”

Alirah’s eyes trailed up the wall to the mirror that hung across the room. Faint images flooded her mind of herself and Knightly; however much she hated it, the Furfou always played dress-up with the Umbreon in the Boutique, taking her mind off the horrors of the Epidemic and letting her be playful and innocent like she always was at heart.
Her eyes quickly diverted away from the mirror with inner disgust towards herself. She deserved this, I really do.

And then everything came rushing back at her all at once, like a train crashing into her small pink form. The storm carried on it’s rampage in the city, thunder clapping as lightning struck things in the night. It almost overrode the sound of scratching at the door of the Boutique, and God how Ali wished it would’ve. A chill ran down her spine, though she tried it ignore it but the voice that accompanied it could not be so easily dismissed. "Little Grumpig, Little Grumpig, let me in!" The voice had such a tone that seemed to be making fun of her as she shuddered in place, Ali’s breaths coming out fast and erratic. "Not by the hairs on my chinny chin chin!"

The soft white rings on Alirah’s body began to light up, blinking quickly and randomly as her control on her body was lost to her.
"Then I'll HUFF, and I'll PUFF!" Oh God, was it going to come in?! There‘s no lock on the door! I… I have to do something! Anything! Alirah’s mind raced for anything she could do to get away. The back door. There was a back door! She could still get away! Despite her mind urging her to do so, she couldn’t move. She was absolutely frozen in place as the voice continued, "Then I'll BLOW YOUR FUCKING HOUSE IN!"

A crash even louder than the thunder rattled the walls in the Boutique, the weak door taking a massive blow from whatever was lurking at it. Oh God, it was going to come in. That door would not hold against it for long and once it broke through, Ali was dead. She didn’t even have the slightest of a chance. You stupid idiot! Get up and run!

She managed to her paws, racing passed the curtain and through the Boutique. She could see the hallway to the back door and she was home free - until the door gave in from a second attack. Alirah’s head whipped around to see the gaping hole left, immediately taking control of herself and dimming her rings so as to not be seen. She was nearly to the hall, just mere feet away when she brought her sight back forwards a bit too late; the spare lanterns were sitting directly in front of her and her front legs caught them, sending her tumbling onto her chest with hind legs in the air. Her butt end crashed painfully into the floor and she laid sprawled out for a moment, until the voice spoke again, "Where are you, little Grumpig?"

Alirah held herself close to the floor, her furry chest dragging along the ground as she moved backwards in an attempt to make it away. The hall was only a few feet… she was so close. So close, she couldn’t give up now. "C'mon out, don't be shy, you damn pansy!" The voice sounded more aggravated behind Ali as she rushed down the hall away. "It's not like I'm going to rip you to shreds, at first. Like I always say, no guts, no gory!"

Did they really expect Ali to jump out with open arms? Heck no, Ali’s psycho-radars were going off the charts and she could only think about getting away… but those hopes were dashed and destroyed the moment she reached the end of the hallway. A mannequin laid in front of the door and blocking her escape route. Oh God no… It wouldn’t have been a problem, except the mannequin was easily three times the size of Alirah and she was not known for being strong. The Umbreon wedged herself between the door and the mannequin and tried pushing it out of the way.

Alirah kicked fiercely with all her might, but the mannequin was there to stay and she had cornered herself within the hallway. Dang it! What now-- Ugh! Her legs buckled underneath her as an intense agony shot from her chest all the way to her toes. Breaths came out fast and pained, and she couldn’t help but fall onto her haunches. She wanted to curl up and die already. She didn’t want to be butchered by this beast, she didn’t want to be in this pain, she didn’t want to be without Knightly. Her tail wrapped around her legs and sobs began to shake her body in utter hopelessness.

The loud, echoing sound of a move colliding with something made the building shudder. "Didn't your mother ever teach you to be nicer towards others?" A.. another voice!? It wasn’t Knightly, but it wasn’t the monster terrorizing her either! She bounded down the hall and round the corner, calling out to whoever fired the move in what seemed to be in her defense, ”Please help me! I‘ll… I‘ll do anything…”

(im sorry, skip me. sly hasnt met up with the group yet and i feel too sick to my stomach to feel okay posting @@)

Chalice smiled. “Well, darling, if it is indeed protection you want--”

  “I don’t need your protection--”

  “But you need it for your pink friend.”

   Knightly flinched back. How does she--

   “I’ve seen you two, hopping around from place to place like scared little Joltiks…” Chalice chuckled lowly, “Pathetic. But lucky you, I’ve got just the thing to put an end to all that…”

  Chalice glided over to the chest on the left of the fireplace and immediately the lid shot open, slamming against the wall with a crack like thunder. A shabby Banette sat inside, looking more like a bloody pincushion than a Pokemon. Its wide-eyed face turned to Knightly with a loud snap and it jumped out of the chest, its hands and feet slapping the wood floor like a baby as it skittered away on all fours to hide behind a velvet curtain. The chest was otherwise overflowing with a variety of Potions, rotting Berries with black holes and gray fur, colored discs Knightly assumed were TMs, and other assorted items she couldn’t identify at all. Chalice lifted a long, tattered white cloth from the chest with her Psychic power and took it over to Knightly.

  “This is one of my personal favorites…” Chalice smiled. “It’s quite a peculiar scarf, imbued with a special power that enhances the strength of those who wear it in battle. And it only lends its power to Normal-typed Pokemon…” She tilted her head to the right and then to the left, admiring the scarf. “Pity I could never wear it… but it would look quite nice on you. Adds a nice contrast to the black, don’t you think?”

  The scarf was suddenly wrapped around the base of Knightly’s tail, all tied up in a large and flowing bow somehow without her noticing.

  Knightly shivered with a snarl. “Enough! What do you want for it, Chalice?”

   “Well, darling, if I give you the power to protect yourself and your friend…” she said, “then it’s only fair that you in turn use that power to help me.”

   “Help you?” Knightly scoffed. Chalice was the last Pokemon that needed help in the Epidemic.

   “Yes, help me. I have enemies too, you know. Is that really so surprising?” Chalice chuckled. “Maybe not the undead… but close enough. There is a Dusknoir roaming the vicinity who has been snatching up the lives of Ghost-types ever since this Epidemic began. Him and his vermin Umbreon friend would like to take my soul as well, you see… And it just so happens that I’ve been looking all over for a Normal-type to wear that scarf and... help me… What do you say?”

  Knightly scoffed, her whole body flinching forward and her eyebrows raising up as her mouth hung open. “You want me to murder two people for a scarf?”

  Chalice silently moved to float in front of Knightly, staring down at her as she had before. “Is that such a problem nowadays? Perhaps it may seem unfair to someone as blind and weak as yourself, but in this world-- in this Epidemic, this is as fair as it gets; Protection for protection…” Chalice slowly circled Knightly once, stopping just behind her right ear. Knightly growled lowly as she whispered into it. “If you think you’ll never have to kill anyone in this new world, you’re a fool, Knightly, and I don’t pity you but your little friend…”

  Knightly slowly but surely turned her head to the left, so close to Chalice’s face that her slender black-ringed eyes were blurred in the Furfrou’s vision. “What do you know about Ali?”
  Chalice didn’t move a muscle. “I know you’ve been running in and out of pathetic shelters since this thing began… but what happens when your luck runs out? Do you really think she’ll stay alive forever? And certainly not if you’re the one to die first…”
  Knightly felt the scarf jerked loose from her tail. Chalice took it over to the chest with her Psychic power, her back turned to Knightly in the darkness.
  “And if she’s the one to die first, you’ll have to be the one to put her down; You can’t escape that… Certainly you’ve seen what happens to the Infected.” She spun around with a swish of her cloak. “So, tell me, Knightly… are your selfish moral obligations and fears really worth the innocent life of the only friend you’ve ever had? Would you rather be responsible for your little bestie’s death because you were too weak to protect her, or would you rather be responsible for the death of Dusknoir; A death that would not only protect you and Alirah, but countless Ghost-types in Laverre city?” Chalice scoffed. “Quite the little hero you’d be then, wouldn’t you… and isn’t that what you’ve always wanted?”

  Knightly grit her teeth, shifting where she stood. “All I want is to protect Ali--”

  “Then do it!” Chalice snapped. A Griseous Orb flew out from the chest, unlit by the glow of any Psychic power, and rolled to a stop perfectly under Knightly’s right-paw as she shifted onto it. Chalice’s voice became deeper, firmer, with a chilling urgency to it. “Make the deal, Knightly… and swear to me you’ll hold up your end of it.”

  Anxious thoughts zoomed through Knightly’s mind as her heart pounded against her chest like a Hitmonchan. Dragging Alirah away from their old house as their Trainer was torn apart… Alirah being shredded right before her eyes… Knightly herself being murdered as Alirah watches on helplessly… Knightly abruptly let out a half-sigh, half-snarl. “If you give me that scarf…” she said, “I’ll take back this city like a warrior and protect all the survivors in Laverre!”

  Knightly shivered with a sudden, fierce all-over chill. Chalice’s slender eyes grew wide and she let out a quiet, open-mouthed cackle. “Arceus bless you, child…” she said with a smile, her voice silky as ever. Suddenly the scarf was on Knightly’s tail again, wrapped up into the bow it was before. “You have a lot of work to do now, I suppose…” Chalice said, “I suggest you get to it.” Her eyes flashed with a Psychic glow and Knightly shot across the room and fell through the hole in the floor, smacking down hard against the first-floor marble. Knightly groaned as she got to her feet, shaking all over from the pain of the fall. But she knew she had to get back to Ali as fast as she could, before something happened while she was away.

But it already had. After racing down the flooded streets with the wind gusts pushing her along even faster, she saw the Boutique and slid to a stop. The door was covered in raking claw marks and had been busted through by some strong attack. The same heavy adrenaline that had rushed through her veins when their Trainer died took over her once again, and mindlessly she charged into the Boutique and right into the middle of tense exchange between a Phanteon and a Murkrow. But she gave it no thought; The only thing she took notice of was the absence of Alirah, and with a heaving chest and wild hair stuck to her face she immediately snapped into interrogation mode.

"Where's the Umbreon!?"

(OoC - omg I am so sorry for the length of this, please forgive me plz ;__; I just wanted to hurry up and start interacting with the rest of the team, so I decided to just post all of the Gym scene right away.<33)

A glob of--well, she wasn't exactly certain what, although she knew it was intended to harm her--whizzed past Winter, causing her feathers to ruffle."Didn't your mother ever teach you to be nicer towards others?"

Oh for fuck sakes. The new voice didn't alarm her, but it still caused her to lose her focus. The electricity (of which prior to the distraction was crepitating loudly within her maw) was now fizzling out with a dull hiss. Winter turned angrily, her ghostly eyes squinted in vexation. "Hasn't your mother ever taught you not to interrupt? This is serious fucking business! For all you know, I could be chasing after an Undead," she lashed out, taking in the appearance of the attacker for the first time."Wait, wait, hold up. What the hell are you?"

Though the light was dim, she was still unable to discern exactly what the stranger was. It had the sinister look of an Umbreon, but Winter could tell that it wasn't--there were wisps of crimson cuffing its ankles, that certainly wasn't normal. She slitted her eyes, studying the newcomer in the dark. Just when she gave up identifying the species of them, another voice cried out.”Please help me! I‘ll… I‘ll do anything…” Winter immediately clacked her beak in amusement, hoping the noise would frighten whoever was prating. She assumed the begging was coming from the weakling she was after. With a wink, she turned back to the matter at hand, cheekily remarking, "Ahem, hopefully your mother has told you to keep your nose out someones' business when they ask twice. In case you aren't aware, I'm basically telling you to 'fuck off,' 'kay Sweetcheeks?" The exact moment she had turned to search for her prey, yet another Pokemon burst into the Boutique. Winter sighed, pressing an unfurled wing to her brow in irritation.

"Where's the Umbreon!?"

"Alright, alright. Where the fuck are you all coming from? I've been in this damn city almost all day, and suddenly every single Pokemon in Kalos decides to show up when I'm busy?" Winter clasped her wing to her side, sauntering up to the Furfrou with a pompous sway of her hips. "You may take your leave whenever. There is no Umbreon here," she fibbed, one ivory talon tapping the floor impatiently.


[[OOC; Excellent plotline/story so far Kitty! <3 Hope you feel better soon, Ricxs! By the way, is Winters' text color hurting anyone's eyes?]]

The Zoroark holds the wine glass up to the light. The crystal is sparking, pristine, after the recent washing he's given it. Finally it looks its value.

Turning the valuable thing over in his paws he sets it on the table. The cafe resembles as much as it did in life; simple yet elegant with a good view of what is admittedly a dismal day through the windows of the terrace. The glass remains unbroken and trickles of the rainfall run down it. The small bridge over the river is probably flooded and he wouldn’t be able to cross it without getting mud in his fur.

What a pity, he had been looking forward to seeing what stylish fashions were in the Boutique.
The kitchen where he prepared his meal is fully in order with only the finest of devices for food preparation. The long wooden counter top gleams. A curl of fragrant steam wafts up from the coffee machine, bringing with it the alluring scent of fresh ground Kalosian coffee.

The Dark Type had been pleasantly surprised to see the refrigeration systems worked on a separate generator to the now defunct main grid. It was only to be expected of a restaurant renowned for its berry juice. It seemed a pity to have to tip it out but the Gourmet knew it would not be to the tastes of his altered tastebuds. He had a far better use for the device.

The ovens were defunct but he was a gentleman who understood how to prepare his own meals in this never before explored world of cooking.

The violins swell courtesy of his powers of illusion as he uncorks the deep green glass bottle and fills his prized glass with deep red liquid.

"Bon appétit.” He declares magnanimously and places the glass beside the one already on the table.

The sleek black table of the terrace already has been set with plates and a variety of sparkling silverware; a beautiful contrast against the table’s sleek modern design. The dish laid on it is still steaming from his cooking, filling the air with a delightful aroma of intermingling scents.
The Zoroark pulls up a chair and sits with baited breath.

His dining companion politely applauds his efforts and surveys the dish laid before them.
Leaf green claws carefully close around the frail stem of the glass and tip the dark contents into his mouth. A tongue stained red with the same fluid swipes over the edge of a hard beak to catch the last drops.

“A fine vintage.” He compliments and swallows. “Charmander, if I'm not mistaken."

The lizard-like grass type’s flared tail sticks through the space in the back of the seat, his tattered white coat draped in part over the back of the chair as he reaches for the dish.

The Gourmet has immaculate presentation.

The body of the Pumpkaboo had been roasted thoroughly until its skin hardened and its insides became soft and fluffy. Into that softness he had mixed diced Foongus cap and rolled the combining insides into a roasted leaf of Carnivine for an artisitic salad course. The hollowed corpse of the Pumpakboo held the rolled and flame roasted leaves on a bed of the sharper green leaves of a Weepingbell. The Pumpkaboo, a lost wanderer from past the Brun Way, was a small and juicy thing that had roasted well. With the black fur of its head removed the shell looked almost like an Oddish.

The largest dish on the table held an even juicier dish. A whole flank of Liepard, lightly roasted and served on its own skin, the purple and yellow patterned hide serving as a macabre and garish counterpoint to the tan meat.

The Zoroark watches him closely with glistening red eyes.
Sade holds up his wine glass in acknowledgement of the Dark Type's artistry in arranging corpses.

“A meal to die for.” He puts perverse emphasis on the joke. “I’m afraid I don’t have the elegant table manners such a feast deserves.”

He flexes his claws. They are cruel killing points almost the size of the human implements he is expected to grasp with them.

The Zoroark’s form flickers and grows a few inches. His bright claws retreat into his paws as they split into fingers. His bright purple fur becomes a suit of the same bright shade.
The ‘human’ picks up one of the forks and skewers the rolled roast leaf on it. He holds out the bundle to the Sceptile. Sade playfully bites the salad off the fork and smiles.

“Delicious.”

From the corner of the room the Liepard growls at them and tries to stand. Its declawed paws struggle for a grip on the slick, polished floorboards.

"Oh, be quiet. You’re ruining the moment.” The Gourmet scolds.

Weak from its missing leg and unable to stand properly the large cat tumbles over. The metal restrained Sade has shaped keeps it chained to the counter and unable to free itself. It opens its mouth to roar.
Sade has with care plucked out every one of its teeth and without them it’s protests are slurred animal noises against swollen bloodied gums.

"Now then, please tell me.” The Zoroark disguised as a human’s eyes widen with a hunger that has nothing to do with food. "How does it taste?”

The Gourmet’s knife falls, cutting into the roasted shank of meat. The thin layer of cooked skin breaks and hot juice pink with blood oozes from the incision.
The music plays, the cafe is warm and welcoming and the food divine...at least for as long as he is here to give the illusion depth.

Sade, who has heard this question many time in the recent past, begins to describe the exquisite taste in the way the Gourmet wishes to be praised. In the Kitchen those who had part of them taken to form the meal whimper and cower in fear that soon their tormentor in the white coat will return.

The Servine moves steadily across the soggy soil, his eyes on the ground as he listens in to the sounds of the rain falling around him. Quiet. He notes but is not surprised. With rain like this most Pokemon would of sought shelter long ago. Each of his steps are slow, casual but careful as they avoid making huge splashes. A hostile red gaze sweeps across the way, looking as far as it can first to the left then the right but picking up nothing. Fog was coming in and soon it would be too thick to travel safely in such uneven terrain. He would either have to take to the trees or bunker down until it passed. Rush sneers. These trees were rather slimy and foul, coated in moist, slippery algae and mosses. Sure, he could probably travel in the trees without much problem, but it would be safer to just find somewhere to wait things out and actually get some rest for a bit instead of being risky.

Giving a casual shrug the Grass Type continues his silent march when a city looms before him. He does not divert his path but finds it exceedingly strange as he entered. Usually these abandoned human towns were in awful states of disrepair and plants would spring up in weird places, untested by man, but this place seemed almost in tune with nature. It was almost pleasant.. but the Servine still regarded it neutrally as just another human settlement. Human cities were good places to find.. interesting things. Their Pokemon clung to the homes, liabilities on a good day but good information holders on locations within the city limits. Undead that wandered in often couldn't find their way out either, hostile and lost in the weirdest places. This natural based town however offered him a chance to use the skills he had gained over the years properly. Maybes its worth staying here after all. Now all he had to do was find a decent place to stay. As he rounds another house though a sound rumbles in his earslits. Voices? Something was happening nearby, and while he didn't wish to get mixed up in trouble his instinct to investigate got the better of him.

As he moved closer Rush could tell it wasn't a physical fight but a verbal one. One or two attacks, warnings or a show of skill, but no screaming, just arguing. There is no outward change to the Servine's visage but his teeth grind and press against one another. Such bickering, foul-mouthed children. Such insolent squabbling would attract even the most braindead of undead and get them killed. Could they not learn to simply keep their damn voices down or at least take shelter before getting into a heated, worthless argument? Marching straight up to the strange collection of Pokemon as they come into sight his gaze curves upward and one of the Servines steps is hesitant. They are being watched. He can not see what it is but can feel the eyes watching him as he finishes his approach. They had already attracted unwanted attention. "What seems to be the problem here." It is not a question but a command and he looks at each Pokemon for a moment. A Murkrow, a Furfrou, and.. what the hell is that thing? No words seemed to describe the last Pokemon aside from hellish. That thing cant be natural.. only one of them is of normal coloration then. He notes the latter thought casually. It was nice to see other Pokemon of unusual color that were still alive but it want often he saw them in unfavorable palettes like himself. "Id advise you to squabble elsewhere or perhaps inside. You should know you are being watched."


the Leafeon ran, her body low the ground and she pelted southward. Each rhythmic beat of her paws sends a shower of water drops upward as they splash through puddles of pooling water. Was it this way? She heard a scream and it didn't quite sound like a death cry so someone had to be in trouble. Then again.. maybe it did sound like a death cry but waking up to a scream means you might miss some important details like the type of wail. Someone needs help. she reassures herself, blinking the last bit of sleep from her blurry eyes. Whatever it was she had to at least investigate and see if she could do something.

Slowing to quick trot the Verdant Pokemon can see a collection up ahead of golden and black shapes. Undead? If it was undead then why were they all so.. still. It didn't look like an undead fight or even a fight at all as she got closer. Was it them? It sounded like a female scream..  were these her knights in dark but shining armor? "Who screamed?" Xana asks, halting herself roughly several feet from the other Pokemon, not daring to get any closer yet.

When the bird came into view, Kaneki opened the other eye, a single red orb that glowed only slightly as he prepared a Detect. "Hasn't your mother ever taught you not to interrupt? This is serious fucking business! For all you know, I could be chasing after an Undead," With a quiet scoff, Kaneki paced out into view, the white spectral gas that made up his ears tilted slightly over at the Murkrow. They didn't seem all that threatening. But then again, looks were deceiving. "Wait, wait, hold up. What the hell are you?" Both of the Phanteon's eyes narrowed as he glared.

"What I am is not of your concern. as for the idea that you're chasing an undead, your loud and obnoxious voice is enough that any undead would of either already attacked you, or ran away. In this case however..." He trailed off as a voice cut him off. "Please help me! I'll… I'll do anything…" Kaneki looked over at the source of the voice, a pastel colored Umbreon. With a scowl, he moved so that he was blocking the Murkrow from the dark type by using himself as a shield. The Phanteon glanced back at the smaller eeveelution, his muzzle curving into a kind smile. "Don't worry, I'll keep them away from you." He said, before both eyes locked back on the bird, narrowing into a dangerous glare.

"Ahem, hopefully your mother has told you to keep your nose out someone's' business when they ask twice. In case you aren't aware, I'm basically telling you to 'fuck off,' 'kay Sweetcheeks?" A toothy grin found itself on Kaneki's face. "Sorry darling but I don't swing that way. However, I am more than happy to knock you out for terrorizing innocents." He purred, both tails flicking upwards in a sickle-like shape. Before Kaneki could attack the pesky featherbrain, another pokemon burst in, demanding for one in particular.

"Where's the Umbreon!?"

Immediately, Kaneki shifted so that his form was blocking the view of the shiny that had taken refuge behind him. His eyes transferred from the bird to the newcomer, another shiny by the looks of it. "Alright, alright. Where the fuck are you all coming from? I've been in this damn city almost all day, and suddenly every single Pokemon in Kalos decides to show up when I'm busy?" The Phanteon rolled his eyes.

"I already said it once. Terrorizing others is not acceptable." He snapped back at the bird, a growl forming in the back of his throat. "You may take your leave whenever. There is no Umbreon here," Kaneki scoffed and rolled his eyes, addressing the Furfrou directly.

"That depends on who's asking. What do they look like? Do you know them?" He called, not quite willing to show that he was currently shielding an Umbreon from the crazed Murkrow.

A white gaseous ear flicked as the sound of more footsteps became apparent. Soon, two others appeared on the scene. Kaneki didn't catch what the Servine had said, however the eeveelution certainly got his attention. "Who screamed?" With a sigh, Kaneki shifted one of his tails, revealing the pastel Umbreon. "It's fine. We're just setting a few scores here. I think were were just about to finish, isn't that right?" He growled to the Murkrow, glaring venomously.

---

Hide jumped over a fence and into the longer grass around it, creeping past the cafe. When the shiny looked into the window he could see two figures. The Riolu couldn't quite make them out, but from what little he sensed of their auras, he didn't want to mess with them. Rubbing his hands up his forearms, Hide turned and kept walking. He would need to talk to Kaneki about that later.

The Riolu opened his jaws in a wide yawn, his sharp teeth on display for only a few seconds. "Kaneki if I get a cold it's your fault." He muttered to himself, checking a few more buildings before turning and heading back towards the boutique. It was probably warmer there anyway.

As the fighting type passed over the bridge, he heard the sounds of a scuffle and fight. His sensors lifted slightly as he looked around, sensing his beau's presence and a few others. From the sounds of what he was hearing, Kaneki had gotten himself into a bit of trouble. "Goddamn it Kaneki. I can't leave you alone for even a few seconds, can I?" He muttered to himself, quickening his pace and racing towards the boutique.

The taller male, like a ghostly knight to Alirah, placed himself between the Umbreon and Murkrow, looking down to the submissive Alirah with a gentle smile. "Don't worry, I'll keep them away from you." he assured as Ali's eyes trailed up his facial features. She met his red and white gaze just before he turned away, his crimson orb enough to frighten her into cringing. Her tail promptly curled against her stomach in anxiety, listening to the duo but daring not to speak. "Ahem, hopefully your mother has told you to keep your nose out someone's' business when they ask twice. In case you aren't aware, I'm basically telling you to 'fuck off,' 'kay Sweetcheeks?" What... business?! The phrase alone was enough to skyrocket the Umbreon's blood pressure, feeling herself rattle beneath her fur.

"Sorry darling but I don't swing that way. However, I am more than happy to knock you out for terrorizing innocents." the Ghostly Eeveelution spoke calmly despite the less than subtle warnings flying. All at once, a warm feeling of safety fell onto Alirah, her voice softly thanking the stars for this Pokémon's arrival to help her. She watched between his paws as lightning struck outside, silhouetting something rushing at the door paw after paw. ”Eep!” Alirah cried, followed by stuttering words trying to warn the Phanteon of another visitor. "Where's the Umbreon!?" the night-colored hound replied in Knightly's voice. ”Oh my God...” the Umbreon whispered, struggling to see the form of the black Furfrou. It's not Knightly, it must be something pretending-- masquerading as her... Ali panicked, assuming the worst that... Knightly must've... became infected and came back to get her.

Oh, this wasn't happening. No, it was another nightmare. She'd had them before, dreams of the worst happening but she'd always woken up to Knightly watching over her. The Phanteon moved to protect her, shielding her form and eyes away from the Poodle Pokémon. "Alright, alright. Where the fuck are you all coming from? I've been in this damn city almost all day, and suddenly every single Pokemon in Kalos decides to show up when I'm busy?" Ali could barely even acknowledge the raven anymore, a much bigger weight on her shoulders as her legs gave out and she crashed into the floor in a heap. ”No...” she murmured, ”She's not the real Knightly...”

The voices whirled around in a mental blur, the Umbreon's ears hearing and not hearing at the same time. Nothing clicked in her mind, except one phrase she spat at the Furfrou as she came back into view from behind the Ghost, ”You're not the real Knightly!!” Alirah's toes dug into the floor and her neck curved towards the ground, only for a second before she disappeared into the invisibility granted by her Feint Attack.

As her hind legs leapt her forward, she reappeared beside Knightly, but her chest crippled her and her bones cracked as she hit the ground beside the Furfrou. She yelped out, her legs struggling to pick herself back up. Alirah rose, making no effort to attack or run, but lifting up to stand up and wrap forelegs around Knightly's neck. ”Forgive me...!” Ali's grip tightened, her chest soaking wet with rain from Knightly's pelt. Her ivory nose twitched, sniffing past the rainy scent and picking up... Knightly.

She'd made a huge mistake.

Alirah took a step back, rings flashing at total random, but enough to look over none other than Knightly herself. The Umbreon jumped at the black dog, crashing into her with a sob and rolling overtop of her in a canid hug. ”K-Kni-ightly!” Ali squeaked, ”Sorry... I'm so sorry... I didn't... think it was you...!”

((OoC - I had permission for Ali to tackleglomp Knightly.<33))

"Alright, alright. Where the fuck are you all coming from? I've been in this damn city almost all day, and suddenly every single Pokemon in Kalos decides to show up when I'm busy?"

Busy? What exactly did busy mean?

"I already said it once. Terrorizing others is not acceptable."

Knightly flinched back. "'Terrorizing others'?"

Thoughts of Ali flashed through Knightly's mind. Tiny, sweet, pink, paranoid little Ali, the Umbreon that shook whenever it stormed too loudly and couldn't fall asleep unless Knightly was right beside her. Guilt, shame, and blinding rage pulsed through Knightly's veins with every swift pound of her heartbeat. How could she have just left Ali all alone? Had she really been "terrorized" while Knightly was off on the opposite side of the city, selling herself out as a hitman for strength?

Arceus... what is wrong with me?

Knightly almost didn't notice the Murkrow approaching her, swaying her hips pompously.

"You may take your leave whenever. There is no Umbreon here," the Murkrow said, impatiently tapping a single talon against the floor.

Knightly was suddenly shaking with rage, a deep growl feeling as if it had pushed its way through every vein in her body and was now forcing its way out of her mouth through her vibrating teeth. There was no room in her mind to think up a response; All she could repeat to herself was: Get ahold of yourself, you're not an undead... get ahold of yourself, you're not an undead... One more word from this Murkrow and Knightly was certain she would snap, just rip the feathers right out of the Pokemon and paint the room red with her blood. But there was no time for something as selfish as feeling emotions; it was Knightly's fault that Ali was missing, and she had to stay composed enough to find her.

Knightly stared down at the Murkrow through the wild black fur over her face, gritting her teeth together in fear her jaws might snap open and clasp around the Pokemon's neck. "Where...is...the Umbreon...?"

"That depends on who's asking. What do they look like? Do you know them?"

Suddenly there were two new voices in the Boutique, but Knightly didn't take her piercing gaze off the Murkrow.

"What seems to be the problem here."

"Who screamed?"

"It's fine. We're just setting a few scores here. I think were were just about to finish, isn't that right?"

"Get out of my Boutique!" The words exploded from Knightly's mouth with a snarl, water flying from her bangs and foam from her shaking mouth as she snapped around to face the new Pokemon. One of them was an orange Servine, the other a Leafeon, but she couldn't have cared less; Neither of them was Ali, and that was going to change, now.

"Find shelter elsewhere, go drown in the storm, I don't care! If you don't know where Ali went, then get lost!"

As if using her name was a summoning spell, the tiny Umbreon popped into view from behind the Phanteon, who had from the looks of it been hiding her all along.

”You're not the real Knightly!!”

Knightly flinched back. What...?

Ali disappeared, clearly using the Feint Attack move Knightly had seen before...but... why? She failed and reappeared beside Knightly on the floor in a pathetic ball of pink fluff. Knightly could only stand frozen as the Umbreon rose back up and wrapped her forelegs around Knightly's neck.

”Forgive me...!”

Ali's grip tightened, but she quickly released her grip and stumbled back. Her white rings swiftly blinked on-and-off as she then tackled Knightly once more, this time sobbing deeply.

”K-Kni-ightly!” she squeaked, ”Sorry... I'm so sorry... I didn't... think it was you...!”

Knightly was speechless. Had... Ali thought she was a monster, one of those Infected Pokemon? What had happened to her while Knightly was gone? What had Knightly let happen to her?

She carefully lowered to the ground and forced the Umbreon off her. "Get behind me..." Knightly said to her, her voice just barely above a whisper as a growl began to form in her throat.

"Look..." she addressed everyone with a piercing glare and a quiet voice, "I don't know what happened here while I was gone, but let me tell you all what's about to happen: Anyone who even raised their voice at the Umbreon behind me, or has any plans on acting hostile towards anyone in this room, is being given a fair warning now to leave this Boutique. My Boutique. Just walk away..." She paused when her glare reached the Murkrow, certain the Pokemon had caused chaos and planned to cause more.
But then her eyes met the interesting Phanteon who seemed to have tried to protect Ali. "Otherwise... you can stay... but here are the ground rules: I'm in charge around here, and I won't be taking anyone's crap. I like to keep things fair and nice, but if any one of you touches Ali here or threatens her safety in any way, you will envy the fate of those monsters." She inclined her head back towards the doorway, referring to the Undead. She then gazed into the cold eyes of the Murkrow, her voice now far more audible and her tone quite challenging. "Any objections?"

(OoC - That awkward moment when Knightly has a breakdown. xD I have permission to say what I have about Ali ~ <3)

"What seems to be the problem here."

(Damn it.) Winter should have assumed that with their loud voices that others would arrive, but she wasn't expecting them to show immediately--especially considering she hadn't seen a soul in Laverre until now. She brandished her wings with a disgruntled squawk. "Great, another one to join the circus," she snapped, the odd coloration of those surrounding her not eluding her keen eyes. "Id advise you to squabble elsewhere or perhaps inside. You should know you are being watched."

"I don't give a damn," replied Winter snarkily, growing more impatient by the moment. Her stomach growled, furthering her irritation. (I'm not going to be able to get this weakling today. Might as well get used to it. Besides, this group could have something of use...some food, perhaps?) She grinned with an amused clack of her beak. It had been far too long since her last beguiling. The chase would have to wait. Sometimes psychologically preying on others was far better than physically pursuing them.

"Who screamed?"

Another voice, and by the faint light of the moon she could make out the shape of a Leafeon. She had seen a few of those in her lifetime. They were usually basking beneath sunlight; it was odd to see one whilst the moon was shining above. But it was so damn annoying to have another stranger show up, no matter the species.

"It's fine. We're just setting a few scores here. I think were were just about to finish, isn't that right?" Winter nodded, still fuming. She had mixed feelings towards him already; it would be nice if he weren't trying to protect the weak, he seemed capable enough not to do so. She didn't understand some mindsets--if you have strength, why not exercise it for a cause? Winter raked her talons along the floor in contempt. "Why certainly, Sweetcheeks," she chimed, her voice kind as if it were dripping with sugar. "Whatever you say," she stated this with a sarcastic, gentle tone.

Get out of my Boutique!" snarled the Furfrou of whom Winter had forgotten, and for a moment Winter admired the strength the canine seemed to possess. But it wasn't her Boutique, as she had claimed, and that caused Winter's eyes to turn cold and narrow. "Find shelter elsewhere, go drown in the storm, I don't care! If you don't know where Ali went, then get lost!"

"Your Boutique?" rebuked the Murkrow, raising her brow with a questioning gaze.

"You're not the real Knightly!!" Oh, here we go. This was going to take a while; this Umbreon so fucking brainwashed by the Epidemic that she was believing in glamour spells. Winter watched as the interaction between Knightly and Ali transpired, huffing in impatience.

"Get behind me..." Knightly growled, and Winter could have swore her teeth were shining with angry foam.
"Look...I don't know what happened here while I was gone, but let me tell you all what's about to happen: Anyone who even raised their voice at the Umbreon behind me, or has any plans on acting hostile towards anyone in this room, is being given a fair warning now to leave this Boutique. My Boutique. Just walk away..." Her crimson eyes bore into Winters'.  This Furfrou was rather irksome--oh, how she'd love to exterminate her, but it would be a waste of strength this miserable world so desperately needed. Yet, as Knightly glared, Winter couldn't help but imagine sinking her talons into her fleshy neck...

"Otherwise... you can stay... but here are the ground rules: I'm in charge around here, and I won't be taking anyone's crap. I like to keep things fair and nice, but if any one of you touches Ali here or threatens her safety in any way, you will envy the fate of those monsters." The Furfrous' eyes glinted with a daring gleam, glaring into Winters' again. As Winter grew steadily more irritated, her eyes flecked with a milky tint. "Any objections?"

"I have quite a few," Winter chimed, sashaying towards Knightly. She spoke in a brusque tone that could be compared to a snarl, "Listen. I must say I admire the power you radiate. You and Sweetcheeks both." She paused for emphasis, casting a casual glance towards the Phanteon--his species still remained a mystery to her, however. "So I will speak from power to power here. I'm staying. And I'm not the type to be led around like some." Winter began sputtering faux coughs, wheezing the name, "Ali," in between each, gesturing towards the Umbreon with a single outstretched wing. She could tell that was a 'button' for the Furfrou, it would be interesting to see how far she could push the "Ali" thing until Knightly snapped.

"I'm staying, because you all need to learn that weak creatures are parasites. For fucks sake, look how one little Umbreon tethers your strength back," she seethed, her voice dour and acidic. "Now, I don't want to sound like a preacher here, because I'm far from it. But I am laying some of my ground rules down, right now. Rule number one, I am not to be bossed around. Rule number two, this is not your Boutique. If it is, let me see your deed," she held out a wing, making a 'come-hither' motion with the tip, then furling it back to her side again. "Now, see, at least I was being cordial about it. The Undead won't give a fuck if its my boutique, your boutique, fuckin'--I dunno--but what I do know is that if we stay here, they'll hear us. They're attracted to large groups, which would be much smaller if someone would have let me finish my business." She glanced at the Phanteon for an accusing moment before continuing. "Anyways, I for one am always up for a fight, and I'm sure you are too. But as of right now, I'd rather not fight a horde of zombies, it might be a dead end for you, get it?" Winter let out a chuckle that sounded more forced than intended, then snapped back into a stony seriousness again; standing face-to-face to the Furfrou, so close that she could feel her natural body heat.

"You aren't my leader. But by Arceus, judging by you and Sweetcheeks' will, I'd like to keep both of you fuckers intact, and it seems like I won't be able to do that without having her along, so I'll have to deal with it."

(For now.) She added in her head, smiling grimly, then snapping her gaze back into Knightlys', glaring at her like she had Winter moments before.

"Now, let's fucking bail."

[[OOC; You have full permission to say whatever you want to Winter, slap her, I don't care. xD]]

The rain came hammering down. It gleamed on the windowpane like lines of shining diamonds, refracting the faint evening light into a gloss of rainbow. Ah, what grey dull weather.

The Gourmet returned to the kitchen. The plates and dishes from their evening meal he left in the sink to soak. His interest now in in the coffee engine.

With care he twisted the knobs and spigots, the machine puffing out a small plume of white smoke as he focused his Flamethrower to get the water boiling. His beans he crushed by hand (or rather claw) and packed carefully into the filter.

His condition left him with a different palate to before. Many of the dishes he had once found enchanting turned bitter and rotten in his mouth but for the wonderful range of new flavors that had opened up to him it was a worthy sacrifice. Even the most delectable of gourmet dishes had started to lose their spark of creativity.

Coffee was the exception. For him a good coffee simply must have bite, that edge of bitterness that drew in the rich depths of flavor. A truly bitter coffee in a small cup was his usual after-meal indulgence. The warm liquid on such a miserable, grey evening re-energized. Monsieur Sade, as usual, did not partake for he had his duties tending to the stock.

Ah, what a dedicated worker he was. While his table manners were lacking the Gourmet could forgive his rude upbringing for the sparkling conversations they had. The Sceptile was, in his own way, an artist. An artist of agony. They'd had a few disputes about that.
The Gourmet had, of course, argued that a fearful prey lowered the quality of the meat. Sade in return had argued that his research into the physical limits of the body was more important. It would have nearly come to blows, had Sade not been quick to admit he disliked eating his test subjects. They had then come to a happy agreement regarding the hunting; food and pleasure were to be kept separate up until the moment of butchering. Sade's experiments continued in peace and he had a well stocked larder in his glorious new lair.

“Ah, may I have a brief word?”

Well, speak of the devil.

"Have you decided to join me for coffee at last, monsieur?” The Zoroark chuckles.

“I'm afraid not." The Sceptile smiles back. “I have some business to attend to before the rain stops, apparently we have some poor lost souls sheltering over the bridge. I do hate to be low on supplies."

The Grass Type rests his claws against the glass. His red eyes sweep over the wet ground below.

"Ah, well, if that's the case I'm sure we can invite them back here for dinner." The zoroark comments

“You've read my mind." Sade declares in delight. “Come, let's get going while the dregs are being washed away. I feel in the mood for a spot of fun to work off a most excellent meal."

The Sceptile strides towards the exit with the Zoroark putting down his now empty cup and picking up his mask as they go. Outside the wind howls but their dead bodies can't feel the chill. The scent of fresh coffee serves to mask the smell of decaying flesh.

Sade's claws twitch. The hunt, the hunt was more fun together than alone and in the Illusion fox he had found a most useful ally for his mischief.

The air around both their forms starts to ripple as the shiny zoroark begins to project his favored disguise around both himself and his companion. As they step out of the Cafe the Gourmet shuts the door behind him. A small ripple of disturbance runs across the illusion he put in place to disguise his lair, making the cafe seem more warm and welcoming than it was.

Sade smiles, his eyes changing from red to yellow and his tattered coat seemingly repairing itself. Where the two infected once stood there were now a regular Sceptile and Zoroark heading past the flooded river.

"It's fine. We're just setting a few scores here. I think were were just about to finish, isn't that right?" Xana's brow furrowed with disdain. That wasn't an answer. Hell it seemed they all but ignored her question or even her presence as she stood panting before the arguing Pokemon. Maybe they were answering someone elses question? That didn't seem right, maybe... Are you the ones antagonizing whoever screamed?! The Leafeon's sodden pelt vainly tries to prickle, too wet to stand but her skin was still rippling with the attempt. "Hey?" She hisses, toes twitching in the muddy water as they continued to ignore her.

The Servine's lip curls with each word the Murkrow scoffed out. Arrogant, boastful, Straight-A prick. The instigator for sure. That much he could safely assume but before he can investigate further the Furfrou snaps, "Get out of my Boutique!" and his long body shifts backward a handful of centimeters. Your boutique? So this was a territory squabble? The feeling of eyes on the back of his head wasn't leaving- whatever was around was still here and Rush was on high alert. It would only be so long before it either lost interest or took its chance on them. He focus's on the feeling, his mind wandering away from the present Pokemon as the two female voices talk, and searches for the source. The patter of the rain was too great to hear anything and too heavy to properly see through. His head shifts ever so slightly so not to allude to his search while his red eyes sweep all around. No eye reflections. But, no. No is knows he is being watched, the feeling is too great to ignore.

The Leafeon's ears were tall, the water rolling off their slick leafy surface as she took in the sound of the Umbreon's voice. It was you! She smiles with each pant, her tail starting to wag but then stops as a shiver runs through her body. She's okay after all. Well.. the Umbreon was safe and by the look of things with her friend once more. Im not needed here. Why did that thought feel so disappointing? She shifts one paw, about to turn and leave, when the Furfrou begins, "Look..." Xana stops moving. "I don't know what happened here while I was gone, but let me tell you all what's about to happen: Anyone who even raised their voice at the Umbreon behind me, or has any plans on acting hostile towards anyone in this room, is being given a fair warning now to leave this Boutique. My Boutique. Just walk away..." Xana's head pops back. Damn. The word screams in her head. Well, she hadn't done anything wrong and she was planning on leaving anyway instead of standing out in the rain and catching death, so that didn't really concern her.

"Otherwise... you can stay... but here are the ground rules: I'm in charge around here, and I won't be taking anyone's crap. I like to keep things fair and nice, but if any one of you touches Ali here or threatens her safety in any way, you will envy the fate of those monsters." Her tall ears turn toward the other Pokemon, ready to hear anything they have to say. Mentally the Leafeon notes that the strange colored Servine hadn't shifted a muscle the whole time he had been standing there. "Any objections?" Xana shivers, her thin pelt meant for warm weather and sunlight. The rundown old shack she has been sleeping in was clear across town, no to mention drafty, cold, and wrecking of mold and mushrooms.. "So we.. can come in out of the rain?"

Rush was staring right at the Furfrou. Someone doesn't mess around. He could respect that, by the looks of things a mass group of strangers suddenly appeared in her territory and started causing commotion and problems. She had all the right to be angry. Yet still courteous enough to allow us shelter. So far the hound was the only Pokemon here he could get behind.  

Then that damn bird went off again like a scratched CD.

Was she fucking serious? A half-groan, half-hiss rumbles deep in his throat as she continued her unsavory spiel. There was no chance he could walk away now. This bitch was going to cause problems for the civil folk and he was not about to stand for that. He was going to wait out the rain anyway, it might as well be keeping this feathered fool in check. "Now, let's fucking bail." A dark orange vine slips out from behind his neck and snaps with a booming sound like a crack of thunder in the air. "You need to learn when to shut your damn mouth and show some gratitude when someone offers you shelter right after you harassed another Pokemon on their stoop." His gruff, bitter voice is seething but calm, venomous as his red gaze borrows into the bird. "Thank you," He says to the Furfrou, calming himself, "I would be grateful for the shelter."

"Get behind me..." Alirah, back on all fours, scrambled behind her Furfrou friend knowing she was in serious-mode now and that was a scary thing. "Look..." Knightly drew the moment out in a deathly emphasis,  "I don't know what happened here while I was gone, but let me tell you all what's about to happen: Anyone who even raised their voice at the Umbreon behind me, or has any plans on acting hostile towards anyone in this room, is being given a fair warning now to leave this Boutique. My Boutique. Just walk away..." It was absolutely frightening; Ali didn’t want any unnecessary violence and she knew Knightly would fight each and every one of these Pokémon with unwavering bravery if she needed to. And Ali… It would be my fault if she got hurt.

"Otherwise... you can stay... but here are the ground rules: I'm in charge around here, and I won't be taking anyone's crap. I like to keep things fair and nice, but if any one of you touches Ali here or threatens her safety in any way, you will envy the fate of those monsters." The Furfrou’s voice dared anyone, absolutely anyone to step up, "Any objections?" And of course, that pesky Murkrow would be the one to start spouting her self-righteous Tauros-crap. "I have quite a few," She walked toward towards the Umbreon and Furfrou duo, stepping with, what did they call it… swagger? Was that even a thing anymore or just a move?

"Listen. I must say I admire the power you radiate. You and Sweetcheeks both." The Murkrow tossed a general glance to the ghostly male. Alirah was fond of pet names, but this was derogatory! She was sure he had a name! "So I will speak from power to power here. I'm staying. And I'm not the type to be led around like some." The hint flew right by Alirah’s mind, until the point the bird went as far as to murmur her name in the middle of a shamefully fake hacking fit. Ali’s teeth clenched, ”You don‘t have to hint it. I know I‘m weak. But that doesn‘t give you the right to--”

"I'm staying, because you all need to learn that weak creatures are parasites. For fucks sake, look how one little Umbreon tethers your strength back," Alirah… what? The Umbreon’s attention snapped up from the floor to the Murkrow’s eyes. She… she was a parasite? Was that how Knightly saw her? Was that why she always looked after her?
"Now, I don't want to sound like a preacher here, because I'm far from it. But I am laying some of my ground rules down, right now. Rule number one, I am not to be bossed around. Rule number two, this is not your Boutique. If it is, let me see your deed," As if a ‘deed’ would be enough to get rid of this bird. If it were, Ali would seriously consider figuring out how to get one.

"Now, see, at least I was being cordial about it. The Undead won't give a fuck if its my boutique, your boutique, fuckin'--I dunno--but what I do know is that if we stay here, they'll hear us. They're attracted to large groups, which would be much smaller if someone would have let me finish my business." the bird continued rattling her beak off, "Anyways, I for one am always up for a fight, and I'm sure you are too. But as of right now, I'd rather not fight a horde of zombies, it might be a dead end for you, get it?" … Alirah didn’t quite get it, narrowing her pastel blue eyes at the bird’s laughter. The noised stopped all at once, the Murkrow taking the moment to step uncomfortably close the Knightly and yet again make her thoughts known; "You aren't my leader. But by Arceus, judging by you and Sweetcheeks' will, I'd like to keep both of you fuckers intact, and it seems like I won't be able to do that without having her along, so I'll have to deal with it."

’Her‘? If Alirah had been born more outgoing, a lot braver and infinitely stronger, she might’ve sent a Shadow Ball on it’s way for that comment. But of course, she couldn’t do much more than stand behind her Furfrou protector, glaring towards the bird but saying nothing. "Now, let's fucking bail." the Murkrow commanded. Alirah eyed the bird with disbelief. She could go out there hunting for whatever it is that floats her boat. She could go drown in the torrential rain pounding down. She could get attacked by whatever stalked the night.

A loud crack! resounded nearly loud as thunder itself, sending the pink Umbreon jumping almost comically. "You need to learn when to shut your damn mouth and show some gratitude when someone offers you shelter right after you harassed another Pokemon on their stoop." the red eyed Servine shot at the bird, "I would be grateful for the shelter."

”We‘re not gonna leave, are we, Knightly?” Alirah padded beside the Furfrou and looked curiously into her eyes. They had been staying in the Boutique so long… It was safe, Alirah liked to think. Not as much now that the bird knocked the door clean off the hinges, but that might be able to be fixed. ”… I… I‘m afraid, Knightly…”

((OoC - I’m about to write some stuff on the discussion thread, be sure to read it. ^^))

The Leafeon spoke up, but Knightly could focus solely on the Murkrow.

"I have quite a few," she said in a brusque tone.

"Listen. I must say I admire the power you radiate. You and Sweetcheeks both." she shot a glance to the Phanteon, "So I will speak from power to power here. I'm staying. And I'm not the type to be led around like some." the Murkrow faked coughing and gestured towards Ali as she wheezed the Umbreon's name.

”You don‘t have to hint it. I know I‘m weak. But that doesn‘t give you the right to--”

"I'm staying, because you all need to learn that weak creatures are parasites. For fucks sake, look how one little Umbreon tethers your strength back,"

Knightly was shaking again with pent-up rage, her claws digging into the hard Boutique floor. Tethers my strength back...? Oh, this Murkrow was about to see her strength tethered back, alright.

"Now, I don't want to sound like a preacher here, because I'm far from it. But I am laying some of my ground rules down, right now. Rule number one, I am not to be bossed around. Rule number two, this is not your Boutique. If it is, let me see your deed," she reached out a wing and motioned with it, as if waiting for Knightly to literally whip out a deed to the building. How childish.

"Now, see, at least I was being cordial about it. The Undead won't give a fuck if its my boutique, your boutique, fuckin'--I dunno--but what I do know is that if we stay here, they'll hear us. They're attracted to large groups, which would be much smaller if someone would have let me finish my business."

Knightly muttered through a growl, "Your business--"

"Anyways, I for one am always up for a fight, and I'm sure you are too. But as of right now, I'd rather not fight a horde of zombies, it might be a dead end for you, get it?" the Murkrow cackled shortly before snapping back into a serious composure and standing nearly as close to Knightly as Chalice had not long ago.

"You aren't my leader. But by Arceus, judging by you and Sweetcheeks' will, I'd like to keep both of you fuckers intact, and it seems like I won't be able to do that without having her along, so I'll have to deal with it."

Knightly's throat felt thick and swollen shut as she could just feel the muscles in her body constricting, her face contorting until she was the embodiment of rage itself.

"Now, let's fucking bail."

Knightly 's mouth had just opened to speak - or perhaps to kill the Murkrow, she wasn't quite sure - when a loud crack filled the air and snapped her attention to the orange Servine.

"You need to learn when to shut your damn mouth and show some gratitude when someone offers you shelter right after you harassed another Pokemon on their stoop."

Well, that made two people on her and Ali's side then, assuming the Phanteon was as concerned about the Umbreon as it seemed.

"Thank you," he says to Knightly,  "I would be grateful for the shelter."

"Great," Knightly replied, forcing the half-sarcastic, half-serious words from her mouth like a growl through her gritted teeth. She slowly but surely cut her eyes back at the Murkrow, but once again someone else spoke before she could.

”We‘re not gonna leave, are we, Knightly?” The soft-spoken, tiny Umbreon moved closer to Knightly and looked up into her eyes with a pale-blue, innocent gaze that burned through Knightly's freezing heart more than any angry attack ever could. ”… I… I‘m afraid, Knightly…”

At those words, Knightly glanced at her reflection in a mirror and saw herself, her wild hair hanging over her face as she shook with rage and vibrated with a snarl.

Arceus... I'm a monster...

Her furious demeanor instantly faded. It was no wonder Ali was scared, it was no wonder Ali didn't believe she was the real Knightly - because she wasn't. When had Knightly become a cold-blooded fighter? How was it that one minute the tiny Umbreon could turn her into a killing machine ready to fight and defend, and the next minute have her shaking to hold back tears of guilt?

Knightly's eyes were narrowed in disgust and she continued growling in anger, but was far more composed about it than she had been before.

"No," she said to Ali without looking at her, "No, this is our shelter, and no one is taking it from us..."

She turned her attention back to the Murkrow, speaking in the calm-but-firm, quiet-but-icy tone she had used when speaking to the crowd before.

"You're right...you are speaking to power... my strength has been tethered back while dealing with you... and I am always up for a fight..." Knightly's lips curled into a smile as her eyes remained fearsomely narrowed, though she wasn't sure why as she definitely was not happy, "And I'm not your leader ; I'm your freaking goddess, and so long as you're in this building with me, you're under my authority and will listen to everything I say, or you'll see what happens when my strength isn't 'tethered' back, you hideous, walking rotisserie." Knightly spat on the ground dangerously close to the Murkrow, just barely missing her pretty fur scarf. "If you wanna fight then quit snapping that beak of yours and come at me. Otherwise, well, you know where the door used to be."

With the infuriated din now reverberating loudly throughout the Boutique, a headache began to form in Winters' cranium. She rolled her eyes and pressed an exasperated wing to her lobe in an attempt to try and figure out what the fuck was going on; the orange Servine, of whom didn't appear to be the violent type, cracked a citrus vine in the air.

"You need to learn when to shut your damn mouth and show some gratitude when someone offers you shelter right after you harassed another Pokemon on their stoop," he reprimanded, a low simmer in his calm voice. Winter couldn't stifle a loud, boisterous cackle in reply. She was astonished that the Servine possessed such a snarky attitude, and while he did need an adjustment that she was more than willing to dish out, she couldn't help but admire the bipedal serpent's will. She fed off this kind of tension, and she was content by being surrounded with such epitomes of power; excluding the Umbreon and Leafeon, of course. "Arceus sakes, I absolutely adore how you all get your titties in a twist over a--"

"Thank you. I would be grateful for the shelter." The Murkrow sighed; just when she was beginning to like him, he went all sappy with gratitude. What a suck-up. He was probably acting all brave to get on Knightlys' side; she was obviously the one in control here, and that made Winter's whole body clench in annoyance.

"We're not gonna leave, are we, Knightly? … I… I‘m afraid, Knightly…” The pitiful Umbreon just made Winter want to slash her across the throat, and then slash Knightly's in the same fashion for being so blind. She could have the whole damn world if she wanted--why did she stick around this terrible excuse for an Umbreon? There was no emotion powerful enough between a pair to deny the chance of absolute power.

Right?

What the fuck was between these two?

"No, this is our shelter, and no one is taking it from us..."

And Winter could have bashed her own face in for her next emotion; she felt envious of their bond. But why? She had never given anything like that thought before. No, she was much too superior to have those petty feelings hold her down, and that was how she settled it.

"You're right...you are speaking to power... my strength has been tethered back while dealing with you... and I am always up for a fight..." The canines' lips became ensnarled in a grin that Winter thought could either pass for insanity or fury. "And I'm not your leader ; I'm your freaking goddess,"

"BAH!" Winter continued laughing through the extent of her next sentences. Goddess, psah. Only Winter was strong enough to be considered a deity.

"--and so long as you're in this building with me, you're under my authority and will listen to everything I say, or you'll see what happens when my strength isn't 'tethered'back, you hideous, walking rotisserie." Knightly spat, and Winter eyed her saliva as it came close to coming in contact with her prized scarf; and in reflex, she scampered back to keep it from the impact. "If you wanna fight then quit snapping that beak of yours and come at me. Otherwise, well, you know where the door used to be."

"Alright, I thought I liked you, but your attitude is piss-poor. I'd like to rip that fucking ribbon off, your tail along with it. Lay off my fucking scarf, or I'll use your entrails to craft myself a new one. And damn, that's really a way to liver it up!" Her own pun did not cause her to laugh, however she clamped her beak down like it had. The Furfrou had given her two options, to fight or flight, and it was obvious which answer Winter would choose. Beneath her viced beak, electricity crackled in her cheeks as she charged a Thunder Wave--hopefully unbeknownst to the others. Her eyes were ablaze with cold fury, and were peppered with an icy tint.

Because even Winter, as rude as she was, knew you never messed with a ladies' scarf.

[[OOC; I'm sorry Winter is such a bitch ;A; everyone still has my full permission to attack her.]]

The two watched slowly as the firm ground turned to sludge, the grassy banks besides the ornamental bridge swallowed by the glutted grey waters of the muddy river, dips in the hills and holes that could swallow you whole alike in the shimmer layer of water that lay over them.
As the two perch a whole tree, one of the small spindly ones with dark branches that gave the town some of its beauty, passed down the bloated river crossing and out of sight.
Mist covers the grey buildings in the distance like the clouds had come to settle on the ground.
Everything smells of damp and dirt.
Sade's illusioned yellow eyes overlook the waterlogged mess. The rain hisses like an ekans with its tail cut off as it pour down.
What a miserable mess. The rain would wash away the scents he loved; the smell of blood and fear.
His pink tongue swipes along the hard edge of his beak. His captives whetted his desire for entertainment but it was nothing compared to that sweet hot pleasure he got when he had a live one on the ground underneath him with his fingers in its eye sockets.
His companion disagreed. Hunting together, especially due to the Zoroark's illusion abilities, gave them enough subjects for food and fun.
He had already had his food. Now he wanted his fun.
“I spy with my little eye~" He croons as his claws dig into the blue tiled roof of the move tutors. The rain slips over his scales without much bother but that glutton river will pose some trouble...

The Gourmet stands in the rain. A thunderous boom echoes from the clouds above and in the flash of lighting his charming facade fades and he stands on the wet roof in his full glory.
His fur is a bright violet, almost blue shade that burns the eyes and his long stabbing claws are the same virulent shade. The color of the disease. His wolfish face is hidden behind a mask like that of a crescent moon in an abstract artistic style.
"Anything interesting, monsieur?" He asks, turning to his companion as his illusion restores itself.
His shape is unchanged but instead of the bright purple shade of the infection his fur now appears a bright red; it is a disguise with twofold genius, with his illusion so close to his real form it is harder to disrupt. Anyone who grabs his arm would feel fur the same as they saw in nearly every detail and secondly no-one would suspect a zoroark of using their illusions to disguise themselves as the exact same pokemon.
"To the boutique first I think, I have been dying to pick up some fresh kalosian fashion. Then we can stop by the pokemon center to see what equipment you might find useful." He suggests with his face set in a cheery smile.
“Very well." The seemingly living Sceptile smiles. “Lead the way."

"Great," It was a simple, curt response but Rush was satisfied with it. The Furfrou was not naive and he could respect her wants. ”We‘re not gonna leave, are we, Knightly?” "No. No, this is our shelter, and no one is taking it from us..." Nodding the Servine muses to himself that he was right; it was a territorial dispute.
A feeling, a weight even is lifted from his shoulders. That eerie 'being watched' feeling had faded. Whatever had been looking at them had either been put off by the bitching or lost interest. Either way, he didn't care; they were better off not being spied upon. Still, the perpetually alert Servine scanned the roofs and corners for anything suspicious. They were making way too much noise not to attract attention and he was not going to be surprised by whatever showed up.

The argument escalated while his interest drifted quickly away. Pointless, roundabout, needless arguing. Retracting his vines the Servine considers smacking the Murkrow with them but concludes that the canine desired to do so much more. She even spits in defiance which clearly pissed the bird the fuck off, electrical sparks crackling from her black feathers. Since when could birds use lightening? That was a question for another time. It looked like the pair were about to get too heated for his liking. Taking several steps forward the serpent attempts to make himself into a physical barrier but does not stand directly between the Pokemon for obvious reasons. "Are you quite finished?" He groans, sick of this waste of time already.


The Leafeon shifts uncomfortably between each of her paws, wanting nothing more but to get out of the rain. Flicking her ears forward she uses her leafy appendages to keep the drops out of her eyes. But while she could see this wasn't going to stop her from shivering in the windchill. Can we go inside already? She begs mentally, tracing the path back to the ramshackle shed in her head. She would have to go back to it if the Furfrou reconsidered and she really didn't want to go back to that drafty dump. The black tinted Pokemon continued to argue and Xana grimaced. She really didn't give a fuck what these Pokemon were arguing about but it was making her really uncomfortable. Maybe she should just leave or, even better, get inside while they continued bitching.

Taking a couple of cautious steps back the Leafeon starts to make her exit when a creeping feeling runs along her spine and immediately sends her into a state of alarm. Tilting her head to the side her brown gaze locks onto an ice cold stare. W-why was the Servine looking at her so seriously?! Snapping back into her previous position Xana can feel her heart thumping in her chest again. She hadn't done anything to get such a death stare! Did he want her to wait out in the cold and rain or something? Was it that suspicious to not want to be drenched? She swallows dryly. This group wasn't shaping up well for her..

God this group was going to give him a headache.

The Phanteon watched with a serious eye as the two canine's conversed, but his mind was set on that Murkrow. Oh how he wanted to teach that bird a lesson... "We're not gonna leave, are we, Knightly?" One spectral ear flickers towards the Umbreon, and his eyes slide over to observe the two converse. "… I… I'm afraid, Knightly…" Who wouldn't be? With the crazy bitch-bird and the angry poodle, Kaneki could see where someone would be afraid of the current situation.

"No," This time his bi-colored eyes lock with the Furfrou's orange-red ones. They certainly calmed down from the snarling mass they were earlier. "No, this is our shelter, and no one is taking it from us..." With a quiet sigh, Kaneki lowered his Detect, his red and grey eyes sliding over to keep an eye on the bird as the Furfrou addressed them. "You're right...you are speaking to power... my strength has been tethered back while dealing with you... and I am always up for a fight..." With a barely covered smirk, Kaneki's claws unsheathed and sheathed in preparation for any sort of fight. He needed to release some pent-up aggression anyway. Just don't go overboard Shironeki. Try not to break them too much. Kuroneki's thoughts broke through his busy mind, and almost unconsciously, Kaneki nodded in agreement. No need to frighten the others in the group, after all.

"And I'm not your leader ; I'm your freaking goddess," Kaneki blinked at the Furfrou's declaration. Goddess? He wouldn't go that far, but hey, whatever lets them sleep at night, he supposed. "And so long as you're in this building with me, you're under my authority and will listen to everything I say, or you'll see what happens when my strength isn't 'tethered' back, you hideous, walking rotisserie." A quiet snicker escaped the Phanteon. Oh yes, this was a group worth sticking around with.

"If you wanna fight then quit snapping that beak of yours and come at me. Otherwise, well, you know where the door used to be." The ghost's white gaseous ears flickered to the side, monitoring the door while he stayed glued to the spot, his two red tails swishing back and forth like a cats.

"Alright, I thought I liked you, but your attitude is piss-poor. I'd like to rip that fucking ribbon off, your tail along with it. Lay off my fucking scarf, or I'll use your entrails to craft myself a new one. And damn, that's really a way to liver it up!" Kaneki snapped to attention, his claws unsheathing as his paws glowed with a Payback. Things were about to get interesting. A flash of orange showed up in his vision, and he glanced to the side quickly to see the Servine standing just off to the side of the Furfrou and Umbreon. "Are you quite finished?"

"Give me just one moment." He said, stepping forwards towards the bird so he was in striking range, before rearing up and landing on his front paws, using the momentum to spin around and deliver a well-aimed kick to the birds face with a Payback. Using the momentum from the kick, Kaneki then jumped out of the birds reach, standing next to the Furfrou and glaring at the Murkrow.

"Now I'm finished."

---

The small Riolu shivered, rubbing his paws together and breathing on them to ward off the cold, without much luck. It didn't help that his fur was absolutely drenched, which made him even colder. With an exasperated sigh, he looked around, catching sight of a pair of pokemon out in the rain. From this distance, Hide could make out the forms of a Sceptile and a Zoroark. Trying once more to warm himself up, he jogged over to them.

"Hey! 'Scuse me!" He called, waving a paw as he approached. Suddenly he stopped, the two aura sensors on his head were tingling, but he wasn't sure why. Closing his eyes and taking a breath, he tried to focus on it, but his inexperience and current form didn't let him view the auras from this distance. He just had an odd sense of dread around these two pokemon.

I can't let them get to Kaneki

The thought was instant. If these two came across his friend, there would most definitely be trouble. I need to lure them away, but how? He thought, finally getting within talking distance, he stopped just out of reach, smiling at the Zoroark. "Hey there! Um, I'm looking for a good friend of mine, and I'm not quite sure where he went." Well, I know where he is, but I'm not telling you that. He said, the added thought was just so that he could reassure himself. "Have you seen a black and white four legged fox, canine thing with two red tails made of gas? About yay high? He and I got split up in the storm, and I'm really worried about the trouble he could get himself into." He asked, raising a paw to show his friend's height compared to his, which was, regrettably, a little taller than him. If he could stall these two for a bit longer, maybe he could get Kaneki to back him up if things turned sour.

The taller canine’s eyes didn’t waver from the narrow glare directed away from Ali, but Knightly made a promise to her; "No, this is our shelter, and no one is taking it from us..." Alirah had full faith in Knightly’s words, if she said no one was taking it, then that’s what she believed. But… but at what cost would it be to keep their shelter? Would they be better running? Those… terrible monsters were out there though, and Ali would just weigh Knightly down. Part of her wanted to turn and run herself, just escape it all and meet her fate face-to-face without the guilt of getting Knightly hurt.

But she was too afraid. She was such a coward, she needed Knightly.

"You're right...you are speaking to power... my strength has been tethered back while dealing with you... and I am always up for a fight..." Knightly’s freezing words shot icy daggers down Ali’s spine, even more so when the Furfrou’s lips curved into a smile, one of not joy nor amusement. "And I'm not your leader ; I'm your freaking goddess, and so long as you're in this building with me, you're under my authority and will listen to everything I say, or you'll see what happens when my strength isn't 'tethered' back, you hideous, walking rotisserie."

Whoa.

The bird’s laughing ended the second Knightly spat towards her precious scarf, coming just a hair’s breath away from nailing it. Winter scrabbled back, apparently not thinking it was funny anymore. "If you wanna fight then quit snapping that beak of yours and come at me. Otherwise, well, you know where the door used to be." Knightly was not kidding, that much Ali was sure of. And she was also sure this couldn’t happen. Her eyes darted back from Knightly, to Winter and then to the Ghost-type. He’d help, right? Right!? Or… was it two against four?

"Alright, I thought I liked you, but your attitude is piss-poor. I'd like to rip that fucking ribbon off, your tail along with it. Lay off my fucking scarf, or I'll use your entrails to craft myself a new one. And damn, that's really a way to liver it up!"
Alirah took a step forward, her teeth clenching so hard it hurt when they grinded left to right. The pacifistic Umbreon had begun to fall into the violent ways she never thought she would. A Shadow Ball was nearly formed in front of her teeth, but she paused. The move disappeared and she lowered her head in defeat. ”Knightly…? Let‘s… just go. This Boutique isn‘t worth you getting hurt…”

Her soft blue eyes lifted from the floor just within the moment a cold, crackle of a Thunder Wave shot towards Knightly. ”Knightly!” Alirah cried, jumping between the duo of feuding Pokémon. The move struck her pelt and she shuddered in place with the blankest of gazes towards the floor. Her legs gave beneath her and she crashed into the floor, electricity bouncing around her form. Her breaths were shaky, but she was able to move her head slightly in Winter’s direction. ”You won‘t hurt my Knightly. You won‘t.”

"Are you quite finished?" The Servine paced forward, placing himself near-but-not-quite in the middle of it all. Alirah’s ears picked his voice up, but she didn’t move her eyes away from the ground where her chin laid now that her point was made.

Ali tried to stand, her flimsy legs getting her high enough that she were crouching, but everything felt heavier now, more painful as dull aching shot from her toes through her joints. I‘ll die before I let something hurt Knightly!

"Give me just one moment." the Phanteon sauntered up harmlessly enough and Ali didn’t think for a moment he’d attack them.

‘Them’ being herself and Knightly. She didn’t and wouldn’t vouch for Winter.

The ghostly male moved in such a way, he was able to land on his forepaws and then give a precise kick with his hind legs into the Murkrow’s face. He jumped from that formation into a perfect landing beside Knightly. Following a death glare towards Winter, he added, "Now I'm finished."

((OoC - I have permission from both Kitty and Vanilla to have Ali take the Thunder Wave. ^^))

"Alright, I thought I liked you, but your attitude is piss-poor. I'd like to rip that fucking ribbon off, your tail along with it. Lay off my fucking scarf, or I'll use your entrails to craft myself a new one. And damn, that's really a way to liver it up!"

”Knightly…? Let‘s… just go. This Boutique isn‘t worth you getting hurt…”

"No, Ali!" Knightly snapped, though more firmly than aggressively. The Boutique wasn't worth anyone getting hurt, no, but Ali was. And not even Ali herself was going to stop Knightly from defending her. She snapped her attention back to the Murkrow, her face wrinkling back into a snarl. "Do it then, feather-face!"

Knightly heard the crackling of a Thunder Wave and instinctively flinched, but it was too quick to dodge in time.

”Knightly!”

Ali jumped between Knightly and the Murkrow, taking the electricity and crashing to the floor with a shudder.

”You won‘t hurt my Knightly. You won‘t.”

Immediately Knightly flashed back to her days in Lumiose, watching her siblings flail and burn within the confines of their shock collars. Knightly knew the pain of a shock all too well, and now so did...

"Ali!"

Knightly rushed over to the tiny Umbreon and shook her.

"Ali, get up!" she urged her, "Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Once she saw Ali was at least conscious, she took a quick step back and tried to calm herself, though she was brimming with anger now at the Murkrow and frustration at Ali's attempts to protect her.

"Why did you do that!?"

Ali shakily tried to stand, but could only crouch lowly.

The Servine took several steps closer to the Murkrow and Knightly, but definitely didn't stand directly between them.

"Are you quite finished?"

"Give me just one moment."

The Phanteon stepped over to the Murkrow, though Knightly wasn't paying much attention to the two until the Phanteon landed a hard mid-air kick right on the Murkrow's face with Payback. He landed his jump out of the Murkrow's reach, standing beside Knightly and glaring at the bird.

"Now I'm finished."

Knightly shifted her gaze from the Murkrow to the Phanteon, looking the latter up and down in an impressed manner. She was beginning to like this guy, whoever he was. Not only had he protected Ali and continued to seem concerned for her, but he had kicked that big-mouthed Murkrow square in the face, and right now that was a surefire way to get on Knightly's good side. She lightly nodded in the Phanteon's direction, thankful for his help while she was checking on Ali.

Knightly looked back to Ali and crouched down. "Here, get on my back. I have to get you help."

Knightly addressed the other Pokemon firmly and clearly, all but the Murkrow whom she skipped over without eye contact. "I'm taking her to a Pokemon Center, or some place where she can get  medicine. If you're wanting to stay, be my guest..." She continued addressing the Servine, Leafeon, and Phanteon, but looked specifically to the Ghost-type now, "But ghost boy here calls the shots while I'm gone; If he's wanting to hang around, anyways." She looked to each of the Pokemon again, excluding the Murkrow. "This place better be  intact this time when I come back, because I'm not about to play games with someone again." She shot a glare to the Murkrow, finally making fiery eye contact with her and keeping her gaze there for several seconds.

With Ali on her back, heavier than she expected, Knightly let out a sigh and walked slowly towards the Boutique exit. She stopped right next to the Murkrow, but kept her gaze on the floor in front of her.

Her voice was just barely above a whisper, eerily sounding both playful and malicious at the same time. "You just earned yourself a death sentence... And I hope you know that every second that I'm gone, I'll be thinking of you, and hoping you're still here when I get back..." She turned her face to the Murkrow, a wide smirk stretching across it as her eyes squinted together into devious red slits. "Bye bye, birdy."

Knightly stepped out of the Boutique and went on her way, briefly making a comment to the Leafeon outside as she did, though her voice this time was quite monotonous and her expression difficult to read. "You'll catch a cold out here, kid. Go inside." And with that, Knightly trudged through the flooded streets with Ali on her back, struggling with the weight of the Umbreon and walking slowly because of it. But still she repeatedly stopped to glance back at Ali, or try to anyways, and make sure her best friend was okay. Because as long as Ali was safe and sound, Knightly would carry the weight of the world if she had to.

(OoC - I have permission from NightDaze to write what I have about Ali! Also if you haven't seen it yet, please be sure to check Dazey's new post in the discussions thread! <3)