The PYRE Team

The sound of a loud CRACK took Pierce away from the distraction this... clone, had made. He would deal with it later. But that... that was the sound of bones breaking. Whipping around, he looked back through the trees. As he inched closer, covered barely by the brush, he could see the Dragon's body, in a heap near Suzaku. And Suzaku... Was he back in his rage, fighting again? No... He stood there as if waiting for something. Waiting for what?

...Oh.

Pierce was just close enough to hear what they were saying, or at least understand the bits and pieces. He could see Anubis charging an attack, holding a ball of radiating power in his paws. It was a terrible scene. As he watched, memories of the past few hours rushed into him, as they had several times already. The bird's timely rescue from the Swampert, the escape, the crushing of the mountain, the dragon's arrival... all of it. "I'm so sorry..." Pierce felt a single tear fall down his face, and he knew he should look away.

But he couldn't.

Kikor heard a loud crack, and realized that the giant dragon had just been killed, while the dog was charging an energy ball in it's palm. It then threw the energy ball towards the red and yellow Pokémon, killing it.

The deaths had the impostor distracted, which gave Kikor-no, Pierce-the opportunity to try to attack, in hopes of injecting poison directly into the impostors bloodstream, and knock it out, he stabbed forward with his horn, remembering that Nidorinos horns are poisonous.

((OoC:Sorry about the crappy post, I haven't been able to really get into this character very well. I love his idea, but I just can't connect with him.))

He had only been gone for a minute. Minus stopped by a small bushel of Oran berries to pick them for little Isavi, but when he turned back to her, she was gone. The berries forgotten, the rabbit dropped them hastily to the ground and dashed forward in the way her scent came from. Endin up on all four paws for better speed, he still could not reach out in time. “Minus..?” Isavi's voice hit his overly huge ears like a kick in the gut. She was scared. She was scared. And it was all his fault. He swore to protect her no matter what, always to care and protect her, but now he had let her get away from him again.

The Liepard gangster flashed behind dark eyes, words of karma and abandoning him with the undertone of a threat echoing through Minus' head.

"Isavi!!" the Minun cried out in desperation, fear making his already sunken in gut clentch. How could he have let her from his sights? It was against all things moral in his world! The Plusle came first. Always. No matter what happened. When finally coming upon the sad sight of his adoptive sister, the Minun almost crumpled. "I-Isavi?" he whispered, walking slowly up to her curled up form. Worry made his eyes all too bright as he gazed at her.

[ooc: Rainbow gave permission to post before her due to plot and all dat. After me, she will post, then Sil, righting the cycle. c:]

She didn't know how much time had passed since she had gotten herself lost. In fact, it wasn't long after she decided to just curl up and wait for her brother, that she found herself feeling rather drowsy, and had shut her eyes, in hopes that she would wake up and find her brother berating her for getting lost. Not that it was her fault, at all. No, not at all. Nope. She just hoped her brother would believe that...

Her dream was strange. Where she usually had dreams that held vibrant colors, and cheerful faces, and people- people she hasn't seen in so long- but, no.. not in this dream. In this dream she never found Minus. She was by herself, and had no one to look for her. She was lonely, sad, and the world around her was dark.

Where the dream ended, Isavi had no idea. She was awoken before a real ending could be determined, by an all too familiar voice- one she felt she appreciated more than she had when she was younger. She heard his voice call out for her, heard his footsteps getting closer, and heard the worry in his tone when he barely questioned, "I-Isavi?".

"Minus!" She shouted, glee in her high, bell like voice- a far cry from the broken tone she had used earlier. She leaped out of her balled up position, and tackled her brother, hugging tightly around his waist. "Minus! You found me!" Her voice was cheery, and her bright smile had returned with the presence of her brother.

A shaky breath escaped the Blaziken as he watched Anubis struggle with the task the former had so selfishly asked of him. Suzaku, having only known Anubis for the better part of the day, already knew the Lucario as one that took friendship seriously. The avian fighter knew that this was already a terrible day-- fighting monsters, the dragon he somehow knew... himself... but... deep down, even through the bloodlust and sadness, they both knew that this was the right thing to do.

That this was the only thing to do.

After what seemed an eternity, Anubis finally nodded, aquiescing to the duty before him. An attack built in his paws, and as it grew, Suzaku saw his own death. In the back of his mind, voices were screaming, calling for blood and meat and to feast upon them both. But the Blaziken remained as he was, planted on the ground on his hands and knees, watching his Reaper shape and form in the palms of his friend's paws. Swallowing, he closed his eyes for a moment, taking note of those he held closest to him.

Their faces, their voices, he relished in the memories that he'd just regained, so that they would be with him until the end. Fear gripped him, and for a moment, he shivered with the emotion. Never in his life had he thought it would end like this: a mercy killing from a pokemon he'd only just met. But he'd failed... He'd failed himself, his friends... and Taiv. The thought stung, the memory of the pidgeot he'd held closest almost precious to him as he opened his eyes once more to see the now mature attack hovering above him.

Resolve settled on him, staring into that attack. His body settled, the voices screamed as harpies, and in the reaches of his subconscious, he was glad for it. 'I'm so sorry, Anubis, to give you this burden...' he thought, pity washing over his face. However, he soon discarded the expression; Anubis would persevere, somehow. He would be able to go on... "...Thank you." The thanks was soft, almost inaudible under the roar of the attack.

And then, the attack released.

Suzaku didn't feel the attack, nor the impact of his body against the earth, crumpled beneath its form. It was so sudden, so immediate, that his mind was already lingering before it hit the ground. But as the world faded, Suzaku did not fight the blurring images, the muffled sounds. Not this time. He embraced it, feeling himself numb and still as if sleep were taking hold. In that last moment, as the un-life left him and his mind wandered, he spotted a pidgeot flying up into the setting sun. Whether it was actually there or not didn't matter; but with it, Suzaku finally found what he'd really been searching for, what had driven him all that time...

...Peace...


((And he's gone. ;u; It's been a pleasure, folks.))

Anubis watched in horror as his attack left his paws and engulfed his friend, seeing him tossed back into the ground and crushed beneath the force of his Focus Blast. Though the words were swallowed by the roar of his attack he could see the bird mouthing his thanks as his body was crushed, all life leaving it for good. That was all it took to crush the soul of the Aura Pokemon.

He broke down, collapsing to the ground and crying out his pain. Burying his paws in his hands he wept over the lifeless forms of his friends, feeling that gaping hole Mother's death had left get bigger with the pieces of his heart torn out by these two. It felt like the world was trying to swallow him, like an endless shadow was closing around him and there was no way out. He couldn't face the world like this, knowing that he was not only a coward but a murderer as well. He let his Mother die, he let Cathal die, and he himself had taken Suzu's life.

"What have I become...?"

The duplicate had tried to attack him, but Pierce continued to move forward on a constant rate, narrowly dodging. In truth, his attention was no longer at the thing at all. Suzaku was gone. Truly gone, this time. Pierce had known him for maybe half a day, and yet... The amount of times the bird had risked himself to save him. Anubis was on the ground now, sobs shaking his body. Approaching slowly, so as not to startle him, Pierce brushed up against him with the side of his body.

"You saved him. Both of them." He said, voice low and shaky. His body shook slightly as well, the full impact of the events rushing through his mind. Whatever was happening in this world, it wasn't good. He needed to be in a place he could get help from others. Turning his head to Anubis, he couldn't bring himself to say anything else. The poor hound had just killed the closest thing he had to a friend, and whatever his relation was to the dragon as well. There were no words he could find.

((Ooc- Well, Isavi is going to continue on without her dear brother, at this point~ ;u;))


The sun was hot on Isavi's back as she scurried through the thick underbrush of Mount Pyre. She remembers hearing stories of this mountain from her father. He would tell her that there were evil Pokemon who lived up on this mountain, evil Pokemon that eat other Pokemon; her mother would laugh and tell him not to scare little Isavi or Minus. She never believed the stories her father told her when she was younger and more naive, but now... Well, now she just hoped not to run in to any.

She wasn't sure, anymore, where her family is. Her mother and father had disappeared long ago without a breath of goodbye, nor a destination spoken. Her and Minus traveled for quite some time by themselves after their parents disappeared, before they were separated. They found each other, though, out of pure luck. But maybe the world didn't want them to be together- at least, not right now- for she hadn't a clue as to where her brother is. She lost him when they reached the mountain, and has been searching since.

Isavi was searching now, though, not only for her brother, but for the causes of the loud noises she had heard not long ago. She had been in despair, tears running down her plump cheeks, and matting her fur. She was so alone, and so lost, and she just wanted someone to keep her company until her brother came. She was startled by the noises, but, after swallowing a lump of fear, she decided to go in search of their origins.

A sound of anguish had her stopping dead in her tracks, peeking her head out from the brush, and scanning the area. If it was an injured Pokemon, she wanted to do her best to help the poor thing; it was only right. The sight that she found, however, was worse than an injured Pokemon. She found herself cautiously stepping out of the brush, and towards the group- two were... well, she preferred not to think about it. The other two were alive, though, and she nearly cried for joy at the sight of two living Pokemon. However, the sight of them- sadness evident in their postures and shaking bodies- had her stifling her joy, and eager to help cheer the poor guys up. She sped up a bit, approaching the two at a steady pace.

"'S-'Scuse me?" She called in a quiet and nervous voice. She wasn't sure if they heard her, but she continued toward them, nonetheless.

((Skip please, post kind of requires anubis for any substantialness, and was kind of stalling. XD))

((I'm also going to have to skip, as nothing has happened since my last post, lol. ^^ Glad you're feeling better Phoenix! c:))

Anubis heard nothing, saw nothing, everything was a white empty space. Any thought or sound washed out like white noise and slowly faded into silence as he reflected on everything that just happened. He could sense Pierce by his side but he couldn't speak, hell he could barely move. The poor hound was almost in a catatonic state. He kept replaying the deaths of his two friends over...and over...and over...

His tears finally ran dry but Anubis was still in utter despair. Without uttering a sound he slowly rose to his feet and began to walk down the path away from all the horrors of this mountain. He never looked back, he couldn't, knowing that he would only see the faces of those he loved shaped into the stone face of the mountain. Mother, Cathal, and Suzaku...they all made the mistake of caring for him and it got them all killed. He killed them. All of them.

He was a monster himself now.

Anubis was gone.

Suzaku was gone.

He was alone.

Whatever that copycat from before was, it seemed to be gone now. Pierce stood alone on the cliffedge for a while, watching the sun. Relaying through everything that had happened... Pierce wasn't sure there was anything that could surprise him anymore, anything that could grieve him. He had seen as much pain as his mind could contemplate, anything worse would simply be lost on him. His thoughts continued to spiral darker and darker.

Until he heard the voice.

It was small and timid, and definately female. The only female he had traveled with was Thorn, and she was long gone. Whipping around, he saw a small red rat walking up the trail Anubis had gone down. Sighing heavily, he stalked down the path towards her, his steps heavy and mournful. He didn't say anything at first, when he caught up to her, just eyed her, checking for any signs of wounds or otherwise infection. When he saw none, his eyes softened. "So, what's your story then?" He asked softly, only a little curious. He could use something to take his mind off recent events.

Isavi beamed brightly at the approaching Nidorino's despondent face. She knew it might have seemed a little insensitive, because he was obviously sad- well, he looked more than sad, actually; he looked broken. She didn't like seeing unhappiness, because unhappiness led to so much more pain- hopelessness, loss, anger, grief, and nothing. She feared the the latter more than anything. The thought of being so far broken that you feel nothing? She feels that that would be a worse fate than death... to feel nothing anymore. She shudders.

"So, what's your story then?" She could tell he was in pain, and she vowed she would try to make him happier. Everyone should be happy, especially when there's so much sadness.

"My story? Well, I'm looking for my brother, Minus, if that's what you mean." She smiled, even though her heart was thrumming wildly in her chest, and tears threatened at the corner of her eyes thinking of her brother. "Are you looking for somebody, too?"

Poor little thing, searching for her brother. Pierce knew the pain of loss well, even before coming to this mountain. And yet... Her question threw him off a bit. Was he looking for his trainer? No... Looking back, there would be nothing he could do to help him, or vice versa. He had loved his trainer, but that world was gone. There was nothing left for him to hunt, nothing to strive for. Was there a reason for him to survive? Unable to look the mouse in the eyes, he turned his head to answer. "Not anymore." He said sadly, his eyes dried completely.

And yet... Something about this little mouse made it difficult to be upset. She was cheery, and it was infectious. Sighing softly, he turned around. "Well, let's not stay on this cliffside all day, we're running out of light. Let's try to find some shelter." He'd keep this one safe, he would. He wouldn't let anything worse happen on the remenants of this mountain. It was his domain now.

Isavi waited in silence for his answer, knowing he was already in pain, and that she may have made it worse- possibly adding to the pain. She didn't think she would be able to take it if she was the cause to more pain. She didn't want to cause anybody pain; she wanted to take pain away! She eyed him as he seemed to contemplate. Her eyes drifted skyward, and she tried to focus on the slowly darkening sky.

She isn't allotted much time to get lost in thoughts, however, as he is soon speaking again. "Not anymore." His voice sounds sad in her ears, and one day she'll ask for the story behind that answer. For now, however, she nods slowly in understanding, and lets him continue on talking. "Well, let's not stay on this cliffside all day, we're running out of light. Let's try to find some shelter."

Isavi's eyes automatically go back to the sky, where the sky was a pink-orange color, and she agreed with him that they should find some shelter soon. She looked back at him, and smiled, her burgundy eyes lighting up. "Lead the way~" She said cheerily.

((Sorry for the late post, I hadn't seen you had posted yet. >.<))


Pierce coughed softly when the chipper youngster told him to lead. He supposed he knew that he had to, but he wasn't sure he was comfortable or suitable to. Regardless, there wasn't much choice in the matter. Looking around a bit, he thought for a moment. Thinking out loud, he muttered, "I'd like to get off this island completely, if we could..." He wasn't sure if it was safe to swim however. He had been lucky the first time he had come over. Then again, he doubted that this happy young mouse lived her whole life on this depressing mountain.

"How did you get here?" He asked softly, trying not to pry. Waiting for a response, he thought of other ways they could get off the island. They could build a raft, but that would leave them floatimng while they waited. Their safest bet was to take the short trip to the south. He knew there was land there, and it was closer than to the north. He didn't like the option, but he also didn't like being stuck on a seemingly deserted island. If they were to survive, they would need to find more help.

Isavi decided after his stand-offish comment of wanting to leave the island, that his momentary silence was the result of deep contemplation and concentration. She couldn't be one hundred percent sure, she knows, but she could at least guess that was the case. She hoped it wasn't because of her, at least. She knew she could be annoying sometimes, but she didn't think she'd annoy somebody that quickly. Although she was always told by her mother that she was "to cheerful for your own good," and that she should "tone it down a little". She never quite grasped onto that concept, and it was unlikely for her to start now.

So instead she let the Nidorino think, while she played with her little paws in the dirt, making prints before wiping them away, and drawing little pictures and minus symbols in the dirt. She knew she'd find her brother, someday. For now she'll look to this lost Nidarino for guidance. She considered letting him know that, even though they just met, he was her only friend, right now. Well, technically Minus is still her friend, because he's still alive, and out there somewhere. He just simply lost his way.

Her silent reverie- that couldn't have been much longer than a minute- was cut short by the Nidorino's soft voice, "How did you get here?"

The Plusle had to think for minute. How did she get here? Well, she got here with Minus, of course! On a raft, she thinks. Or maybe Minus swam with her on his back? She didn't remember, necessarily. All she remembers was Minus' soothing voice, and being very tired. She wasn't sure what answer to give the Nidorino. She knew she would just run on, and on, and on trying to explain that she didn't remember, and trying to explain what she did remember... It would just take far too long. So she stuck with a short, simple answer; it was getting dark, after all, if they wanted to find shelter any time soon, she'd need to give a short answer.

"My brother and I were on a small raft we found. I was asleep, mostly, and woke up when we got to the mountain." She smiled at him, hoping the answer would suffice before asking, "What about you? How did you get here? And, I'm sorry, I don't think I asked what your name was yet..." She looked at him apologetically, before smiling again, and awaiting his response. Avoiding the urge to draw a twelfth minus symbol in the dirt while they were conversing. She'll wait until they are leaving to draw it.

Pierce listened intently to the mouse's story. A raft... He thought, thinking ahead. She has a brother, and he's here, somewhere. So that's what she had been looking for... "My name is Pierce." He said, after her story was finished. He would ask after the brother later. For now, however, they needed to locate that raft.

"Do you remember where you landed? Where did you wake up?" He didn't want to freak her out, make her think she was leaving her brother behind. Once they found the raft, he would help her look, of course. The more people they had to work with the better.

((Short post. >.<))

Hm.. Pierce? A nice name, she supposes. It wasn't a bad name or anything, no, not at all! Her name isn't the most normal name, either. She wasn't expecting it. She figured him more for a Kevin, maybe. Possibly Joe... Or Nick? He could pass as a Mark, as well. Besides the point, though. Fact of the matter was, he has a nice name. She would have replied with her own, but she opted for drawing that twelfth minus in the dirt, while listening to Pierce ask more questions.

She still wasn't sure how she did, in truth, get onto the island, as it was late at night, and she was just blindly following her brother. Perhaps she could lead him to the place where she originally lost sight of Minus. But then that left the question of where she landed, as where she first got lost, and where Minus and her landed where two very different places.

"Uh.. well. I think that it was..." She looked over to where she had first entered. "That way. East I think that is?" Her response was nonchalant, and lackluster compared to her other comments and replies.

"Yeah. Yeah, I think it was that way." She turned back to Pierce, and smiled cautiously, hoping he would trust that answer. She hoped nothing bad came out of this small lie. She didn't even know if it was a lie.

[ooc: Skip. I will bring him back next turn.]

East... Something in the mouse's voice seemed less chipper than normal, but Pierce payed it little mind. They needed to get to that raft, if there was anything left of it. They could get off this damned island, and find somewhere self. Once again, Pierce found himself daydreaming about the past, and about an uninfected future. Shaking his head clear, he looked at his new companion again. "Let's head that way, then. Maybe we'll find your brother along the way."

Thinking for a moment, he closed his eyes, thinking over the last conversation. She hadn't mentioned her name, as far as he could remember. If she had, he couldn't recall. He always had been bad at names. "What'd you say your name was, again?" He was getting tired of thinking of her as just 'the mouse'.

Isavi nodded, looking in the direction she had indicated the "raft" to be. She wasn't sure if there would even be any evidence of a raft there. She could only hope those little flashes from when she woke up leaning against Minus. She wondered Pierce would think if it turned out she was lying about the raft, and they were just heading off to no where. What if there was nothing but danger waiting for her? She is not a fighting pokemon. There would be nothing she could do...

"What'd you say your name was, again?"

She wasn't expecting the question, and it quickly, and easily, distracted her from her thoughts of what might lie ahead. "Isavi." She said softly. "It was my mother's name, too." She paused for a moment, thinking what else she could add. In the end, she settled for, "I'm ready when you are boss." Her smile was back on her face, little dimples in the red circles on her cheeks forming, and her eyes closing.

((Would have posted yesterday, lol. Went and saw Dark Knight Rises, instead. |D ))

Isavi... Even her name sounded happy to Pierce. Perhaps having someone cheerful around for once would do him some good after all. Boss... He thought, when Isavi honored him with the name. He did like the sound of that... Turning around, he began walking in the direction the raft was said to be. After taking a few steps, he flicked his head forward in a gesture for the mouse to follow. It was time they got moving.

The sun was nearly down by the time Pierce stopped again. They hadn't made much progress, still about halfway to the shore. Something bugged him still, however. Other than Isavi, he had seen no other signs of life along the way through any of the trees. No ghosts, as he would have expected from a graveyard this big. Come to think of it, the only ghost he had seen at any point was the Sabeleye devil that had plagued them with that Swampert. He was dead though... There had to be others living on this island. So where was everybody? A soft rustling in the bushes near him caused him to stiffen considerably. Something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong. "Isavi..." He whispered, hoping she could hear him. "Whatever you do... Don't, move."

The colors in the sky were pretty, Isavi noted. Pinks and oranges and some red, too. They all blended together to make such pretty patterns, and Isavi found herself getting lost in looking for little images in the puffy clouds. She followed behind Pierce at a leisurely pace, wanting to stick close to him, but not wanting to get ahead of him. She feels they've been lucky so far. Or, well, she's been lucky. She doesn't know about Pierce. She hasn't encountered any of the "infected"- as she had once heard the creatures called. She has yet to see one, though, and she's beginning to wonder if it's a scare tactic. Like, maybe the humans just wanted to get rid of Pokemon, or something like that. She hoped there were no undead or infected nearby. Or on this mountain. Or anywhere.

Pierce and her had hardly any conversation the entire way, just silence. It wasn't uncomfortable for Isavi, though. She just followed behind him with a smile on her face, a cheerful song in her mind, and her eyes fixed up at the clouds. And then Pierce stopped walking.

"Isavi... Whatever you do... don't move." Isavi's eyes widened at the rustling sound, and she knew she should have knocked on some wood. Because of course here's some undead and they were both going to die! This was it! It was over! No more! They were done for, and she hadn't even got to say goodbye to her brother. She felt like crying.

"O-okay, Pierce." She knew she couldn't argue this, and that she'd have to listen to him on this one, and trust him.

Pierce's breath was haggard as he watched the bushes rustle. Whatever was in there, he couldn't let it get to Isavi. He wasn't about to lose anyone else on this mountain. In a flash of red and white, he saw a blur shoot out of the bush towards the red mouse. He moved at the fastest his body would allow, ramming into the side of the creature, throwing it over his back with a flick of his neck. Whatever it was, his horn had pricked its side. It wouldn't be able to do as much with poison coursing through its veins.

But he would.

As the thing stood back onto its legs, Pierce could finally see what it was. A pale cat, with a red gem on its forehead. Purple splotches dotted its body, and its eyes were the color of the gem. The color of blood. A long red scar fell down the side of its body, indicating that however it had died, it had been brutal. "Isavi..." He said, his voice tense and short. "Forget what I said. Run!" He didn't think he could hold something like this off alone. He had never been very good at fighting, and had mostly damaged the Dragon from before by accident. But if she could get away... At least his death would be worth something.