(ACE) The MARSH Team

Despite the endless noise around them Seek could hear her own heartbeat drumming in her ears. Looking at every tree, rock, plant, and stick she desperately tried to piece their path together. Had they come this way already, did she recognize it any of these tree? Was that even Eleroo's implication?? Try as she might everything looked the same. Between the rain and the dim light she could barely see where they were walking, and making a mental path when everything looked the same was near impossible. Legends help her if that cursed building popped up.. Groaning at the thought a shudder runs along her spine, the distress souring her face until Eleroo gave a comforting nudge with his shoulder. Biting her lip the Aiveon did her best to relax; their guides never fumbled a step or gave reason to doubt them.

With calmer steps Eleroo walked alongside her. He kept looking for specific things they had passed, as there was no way that pinecone was a fluke, but he had to let the search go. The Radeon ahead of them continued on, never turning back or pausing to think of a direction. Was it a methodical path they could not understand, someone only a local would know? Suddenly the pair switch places, the signal completely lost to the young poison type, and their pace quickens even more so. Since evolving Eleroo's lungs felt much stronger, even this near running pace wasn't enough to push him to the brink. His head remained clear as he chased after his kin, eyes locked on Reed's brilliant white paws instead of the passing fauna around him.

Suddenly they came to a stop, the tree-covered spot no different than the rest of their journey. Eleroo almost expected the Ranger Station to show in the treeline behind them, but turning his head back he saw nothing but marshland. Even a flash of lightning showed nothing out of the ordinary in the inconspicuous spot. Turning his head forward once more he can see a large thicket of brambles growing around between the nearby trees with thorny gorse plants weaved throughout, its yellow flowers drowned out destroyed by the rain. With a concerned whine his paws inch backward, weary of the nearby thorns. Furrowing his brows the child does not want to imagine why they stopped here, as he can not see or smell anything strange, but before he could ask Reed drove head first into the prickly plants and vanished. With a squeak of alarm Eleroo stares in horror, his eyes quivering as they dart to Johvani for answers. With a gentle smile she waits beside the thicket, undeterred, ushering them forward with a sweet, "Hurry inside."

A knot builds in Seek's belly. Was this some sort of joke, or trap? Had they truly been searching for a prickle bush in the woods this whole time? With a glance at the other Pokemon she can see Eleroo biting hard on his lip while squishing closer to the ground. Their guide did not reappear from the shrubbery, and the other continued to wait patiently. Seek takes a tender step forward, not fully convinced, and while still staring cautiously Eleroo takes the plunge.
With his belly dragging against the ground the small child inches forward, squeezing beneath the thorny shrub into the unknown. It snags and pulls at his delicate pelt, screaming bad idea in his head, but with no sign of Reed being claimed by the plant the child continues forward. Practically sliding against the mud to avoid the thorns he moves inch by inch until the branches give way. A large hollow tree draped overhead, fallen and blocking out the rain and sky as it casts a shadow on the space in front of him. In the dim, stormy light Eleroo is surrounded by shadows and thorns and feels panic rise within himself. Another flash of lightning gives ambient light, just barely enough to watch Reed's muzzle appears from the shadows and call him forward. The child realizes the ground sloped upward, and a burrowing cave was extended before him in the gloom.

Creeping in to the hollow the small Radeon stays low. Reed's scent lingered on the walls, and after a few feet the space started to open up into a more cave-like room. The darkness was broken by glowing mushrooms, their soft blue and green light giving the hollow an almost magical feeling. Slowly his head starts to rise, eyes twinkling in the curious space. With a sudden gasp Seek charged in from behind him, her cloudy pelt fairing much worse against the thorns with several still snagged in her fur. "Where are we?" She gasps again, posture stiff and uncomfortable from her prickly ordeal. "What is this place?" The air in the space was shockingly dry, not warm but much more comfortable than that of the outside. The floor was firm and not seeping water, a welcome reprieve for their paws. "Is this.. your den?" Eleroo asks, his voice a subtle whisper as if he did not mean to ask as he spots bundles of moss on the floor.

OoC)) Skip, Felix goes in without a word as he was in deep thought.

Taking in the scents of their den and listening for any usual noises Reed was satisfied that the location had not been compromised since their last visit. For an environment filled with water above and below it was distinctly dry, with no scents or tracks from wet visitors. While the bio-luminescent light showed him the way the Radeon walked with confidence, his muscles relaxing slightly as his paws guided him down the well known path to the main area of the den. While dim, the light was comforting and familiar, and making his way to a raised nest in the back of the room Reed settled and allowed himself a moment to steady himself.

With a final glance at the outside Johvani watched for any would-be followers. The land and sky remained barren, with only the crack and boom of another lightning strike answering their search. Ducking inside Johvani followed along behind the other Pokemon until they made it to the main area. It was plenty large enough for their Charizard companion, though not the most comfortable. Lit by the mushrooms and moss, Reed's red gaze practically glowed from the back as he kept watch, but the taller Radeon could his focus was elsewhere. While they expected everyone to need a quiet moment after all the traveling and fighting, the childrens curiosity was stronger than their fatigue. "Where are we? What is this place?" Seek mewled, and with a light laugh Johvani dips their head down to eye level to speak. "It's a safe space from the wind, rain, and prying eyes." With a stone base and sloped floor, and not even a flood could drive them out.

Finding their own space within the den Johvani settled down as well along the far wall. They were well accustomed to fighting and running, but the excitement of the day was another story. With a deep inhale and heavy exhale they let their body relax. "Is this.. your den?" The other child asked, his interest light on his voice. "Somewhat." They tease, unable to give him a yes or no. "One of many." Reed responds on a grunting sigh, the tip of his tail flicking. His eyes slid toward the other Radeon, an unspoken question of trust passing between them before he looks back toward their unexpected charges. "We won't be bothered here," he continues while accepting his moment of calm was already over. "So let's start things from the beginning; who are you? Each of you."

"It's a safe space from the wind, rain, and prying eyes." A safe space? Johanvi's voice was gentle, comforting as they explained this place, but Seek's lips pursed with an annoyed huff. The station they just escaped from was supposed to be a 'safe space' and it sure wasn't. Though this place was more covert it did not make the Aiveon feel any more secure than the last. The dim ambient light and lack of visual made her feel closed in rather than cozy, and her puffed up face did not dissipate as she found a place to settle down beside Eleroo.

The tiny Radeon stared at the mushrooms with wide, amazed eyes. "One of many." With a quick glance around the young one had to admit he was overzealous to assume otherwise; aside from places to settle down their was not much to this spot to make it homey. Well, a den did not need much more than that, but this place still didn't feel that 'lived in' compared to other places they had stayed. Tucking his paws beneath himself on the soft pile of moss Eleroo cuddles into a small loaf as Seek pressed herself protectively against his side. A reprieve from the wind was more than enough to make this place a luxury, and already the child's head lulled to the side in the calming quiet. Seek rested her chin on top of him, her blue eyes still weary of this place.

"We won't be bothered here, so let's start things from the beginning; who are you? Each of you." Turning her head but keeping it atop Eleroo's Seek held her gaze firmly upon the pointed purple Pokemon. For once, he did not seem threatening with his question, though his voice was still gruff and unpleasant. Curious more than suspicious while they repeated this song and dance. "You said that about the last place," with a devious smirk the Aiveon grills the older Pokemon as she recalls their last chat. Sure, she had derailed that one, but it started more or less the same. Was he playing at the same games, the same tricks, or was it truly a restart? Something about his demeanor had changed, the aggro dropping as he stared with half-lidded eyes. "We're family," Eleroo speaks before she can make another scene, his tone uneasy as he tiptoed around the painful past, "we traveled from another region after some.. losses."

Felix shook his fur out of the rain and shook his head a bit to get any excessive water out of his ears. "We won't be bothered here, so let's start things from the beginning; who are you? Each of you." The eeveelution wondered why he wants to know their names? Are they in danger other than the threat from someone else? Regardless, their in a more safer area. "Felix, I'm from Kalos. I was raised by a son of a baker and took up psychology." Admitting that his trainer was a baker's son was not something he liked to talk about. He didn't hate his trainer but the loss against the elite four made him feel that giving up on fighting was just him being weak.

Reed wasn't sure what he was expecting in terms of responses. Curt, short things from a guarded Pokemon, a modest amount from a comfortable being, or a full life story from a foolish, trusting idiot. He could assume who would give which type of answer, but it mattered not. They had built a certain amount of camaraderie after their battle, and if that trust remained true he would receive true enough answers. "You said that about the last place," the big mouthed Pokemon put up thick walls, giving no response despite demanding them herself. Reed snorted but held his tongue while allowing a truce.

"See here? I was a trainer's Pokemon. Shenron was the name I was given and the name I go by if it pleases you." Eyeing the item upon the dragon's arm Reed was certain he had not seen such a thing before in their stores. Little trinkets could be easily dug up or brought in, but the well-seasoned look of the wristband told of a cherished and well cared for item. "Despite my trainer's absence I am still loyal to the ball I call home. Technically I still am, in my travels many desperate trainers attempted to catch me but they were unable to. I was born in Kanto but I've been pretty much everywhere." Kanto and trainers.. perhaps such a large dragon had that potential, but yet-

"Felix, I'm from Kalos. I was raised by a son of a baker and took up psychology." Reed's expression flattened out, almost as if he was disappointed after the last answer, but Johvani seemed to peak with interest. "Fresh bread was a true joy." Xe cooed, the treat something xe only experienced a few times in xer life. The daycare workers had been kind in some regards, and the bread was one of the few pleasant memories xe had of that place. "And Kalos has beautiful countryside." Xer time there was also pitifully short, as Hoenn had a better contest scene, but the flowers and oceans were a fantastic sight.

But gentle reminiscing could not last, as Eleroo found a chance to speak. "We're family, we traveled from another region after some.. losses." Reed's head rises as the child finishes his short intro. Each Pokemon had something quirky in their short story, but one note rang true of them all; Each one, despite their origins, hailed from different regions..? Digging his pads into the ground the Radeon sits with wide eyes, his thoughts churning. "So none of you are from this region?" The Radeon practically gags on his own question, the disbelief compounding with prior statements into something he was forced to believe. Trainers, losses, places they called home.. who the hell were these Pokemon?

The more he  considered the factors the less sense it made. A fire Pokemon coming to a region of rain and mud? A fairy wading around with poison types? Wandering children who were not wild raised surviving not only the world but this place? "Why would you come to this forsaken Marsh?!" Any Pokemon who was not accustomed to it would have turned tail and ran long ago. To stay took guts, but this lot made even less sense than that. "And you two- You both have wings y'all waded a river. What the hell? Both of y'all have barely been off the ground, if at all."

"And Kalos has beautiful countryside." Seek flicked her ears uncomfortably. Why were these Pokemon being so uptight about outsiders if they also left the region? In their travels they met more Pokemon that had traveled or been displaced than native, wild ones! It was pretty much normal these days. "So none of you are from this region?" The persistence and fervor on the Radeon's voice was disconcerting, out of place given the question and enough to make Seek's skin crawl. "No," she mutters uncomfortably, her flank wedging closer to Eleroo, "we've been trying to tell you that all day!" Legends help them, nothing about this Marsh made sense.

Nuzzling the Aiveon's chin a smile had formed along Eleroo's muzzle. Despite her unease he was comfortable in the other Radeons presence and thankful for a new opportunity to speak. Just, some things really didn't wan to cross his maw. "We come from Fortree City off in Hoenn." He followed up Seek's response as well as his own. It'd been a while since they were in Fortree, and while their personal home was not one of the iconic tree houses that visual was deeply nostalgic and dearly missed. A knots forms in his stomach; the last time they were home was right before... "Why would you come to this forsaken Marsh?!" Reed snaps before the child can get too lost in his memories. With a wet gaze he peaks at Reed, confused by the angst in his tone. Did he really feel that way about the Marsh?

Fluffing up her pelt Seek flicks one paw about as she scoffs. "Hard to know where your going in a new region. Even more so when Psychic undead just love to teleport Pokemon around with no warning." Thinking of the sensation was enough to send chills down her spine. As awful as it was, she was still thankful it had grabbed both of them before teleporting. Settling a bit Seek recalled their first moments in this swampy place. It had seemed alright for a little, but once it soured it sure showed its true colors. "By the time we got our bearings it was too late. Other Pokemon attacked us, some helped us." Not everyone remained, but those that did were good Pokemon. ".....and there was this sicko.." Had these two run into that Pokemon sense? It scurried off, disappearing before being brought to justice. Just thinking about it made her legs shake, and a rattling sigh pushed helped push past the memory.

"And you two- You both have wings y'all waded a river. What the hell? Both of y'all have barely been off the ground, if at all." She wouldn't speak for Shenron, but a fire type having trouble in this weather just made sense. The scary wind would make quick work of her meager weight, but the Aiveon shifted uncomfortably knowing that was not the issue. "..I hurt myself fighting with East and Swampe-- Salem?-, trying to get Eleroo away from them." The words were bitter on her tonguem the truth a hard thing she had yet to admit. If she could still fly, maybe they could have flown out of this place like they planned, but three passengers was far too many for their dragon friend.

"I'm surprised you know of Kalos. Though I've heard that Alola has some nice scenery as well." With a small set of nods Johvani tries to picture the landscapes in her mind. They were her best memories of that region, and while visiting Alola had been too much for their budget accessories and decor from that far off place made their way in to her trainer's hands. "My trainer took us their on business for a short while." She explained, the rolling flowers still vivid in her mind. "Though Sinnoh has always been my home." Had she abandoned that life while in another region, would she have still found a way home? Would her paws have been able to overcome the ocean? "Teleported like the others, I recall seeing some undead just appearing out of thin air before suddenly teleporting me away." Felix finished, drawing the Radeon out the 'what if' cycle. It was a story she heard often, and a sympathetic nod is all she can answer with.

"We come from Fortree City off in Hoenn." Eleroo explained after a quick snap from the Aiveon, the distant region not high on Reed's list of possibilities. Foreigners perhaps, eeveelutions that were seeking shelter and became trapped, or worse, but to simply be traveling through as is? What would possess them to come here, to stay here? "By the time we got our bearings it was too late. Other Pokemon attacked us, some helped us." Too late for what, to leave? Shaking his head Reed refused to accept such a dismissive answer. There had to be something. He knew little about Fortree, just what he heard in passing, but the key points were always homes in trees and constant rain on the nearby routes. Were they attracted to this place because of the weather, the environment? Flexing his claws he had to wonder if it was an Eevee thing to be attracted to awful places, to adapt as their species was designed to..

".....and there was this sicko.."

Seek continued, and Reed's weak ear twitching with interest though the child did not give more detail. Was this Pokemon what kept them here? Was the situation handled, were they still worried? Her dismissive gaze told more than her words, and his claws curled in the moss beneath him. "No 'sickos' will reach us while you are with me." He assures her, his control of the swamp absolute. If nothing else, he was good at cleaning house, and if they had not already dispatched this Pokemon then they would at the first opportunity. Still, while he would have preferred more information on what to look for Seek did not continue the subject, and he chose not to pry.

"..I hurt myself fighting with East and Swampe-- Salem?-, trying to get Eleroo away from them." Just hearing the name was enough to curl Reed's lip. Disgusting, both of them, and to go through their plans after everything.. "Kids, you're truly lucky to have escaped that place." Though the Aiveon spoke he barks specifically at Eleroo. "You've got some real friends here to have pulled it off." Reed could only assume what happened after defecting, but some things were pretty logical. "I'd guess their security measures were.. highly increased after being humiliated. And you did it without wings?" Even with wings the little friend they just handled would have made that difficult, let alone the weather.

Still.. things didn't line up as he expected. How much time had these Pokemon spent in these parts? The rain and swamp washed away the scents of other places, but they didn't act like prisoners or guests. Their wounds were minimal, their comments and attitudes telling of Pokemon that had not been indoctrinated to its twisted ideals. Hell, not once had they ordered him around like some mutt. "Did you two evolve recently?" Johvani asks, interrupting his ponderings. "You're so young, and unconventional eeveelutions tend you spring up when you least expect it."

"We were born and raised in this marsh. I missed out on so much of what happened after a trainer caught me, but it used to be such a beautiful place." The tall Pokemon purred, her memories still light in her mind. Letting out a long grunt Reed cut her off before she could head into triggering territory, but follows up with something that had not been relevant. "I've always been here. I'm Lu'req, but you will call me Reed." Only a chosen few were still aloud to use his given name, but it was not a secret.

"I'm going to be blunt, you all seem pretty ignorant to life in these parts."

"No 'sickos' will reach us while you are with me."

The young Pokemon blink and stare at the older Radeon, their attention firmly grasp. The statement was oddly comforting, as if he was finally calling himself their ally. With wide eyes and a tiny smile Eleroo lets his head sink back upon his paws while Seek turns her muzzle to the side. Their experiences with 'sickos' had been vastly different, but the sentiment of a responsible adult was welcome either way. "Kids, you're truly lucky to have escaped that place. You've got some real friends here to have pulled it off." Reed continued, the sly information added to Seek's growing repertoire of information. A weird mix of warmth and nausea spread from Eleroo's belly, an instant reminder of how grateful he was to everyone. He had been unable to show it after the incident, but the small Radeon was painfully aware of how perilous the situation had been. "We wouldn't have made it out without Uxie's help." Seek admits on a weary sigh, her voice heavy knowing the rescue would have been impossible without the legend.  

Seek's head remained turned, her sights firmly on the ground. Without Uxie they had no exit strategy, no backup plan. They had been integral to the mission but still found it acceptable to dump them all off inside the marsh, not far from these weirdos? It didn't make sense. The kit had ran things over in her mind again and again and could not piece the Legend's thoughts together. "Did you two evolve recently?" Johvani asks, their voice curious as they shift the subject to a more positive one. "You're so young, and unconventional eeveelutions tend you spring up when you least expect it." Eleroo's head perks up from his paws, the smile growing as he spoke. "Yeah! It was a total surprise!" He quips, the quick motion enough to tap his necklace against the floor. "This giant spider was attacking us and I fell in some gross swamp water." The entire battle was kind of a blur to him. Between his weak body and the pulsing adrenaline the specifics were all but lost. "Im not really sure how it happened."

Seek shuffled her paws, her memory of those events bitterly clear though she wished they were not. "I got attack by a.. bird, in that same fight." The squawks and fluttering still rang in her ears, her pulse quick to race. "The spider was dead by the time I made it back to the ground." She never got to learn what happened to it. Between the sudden influx of Pokemon, the yelling, her new form, that information just wasn't important. Soooo much happened afterword, it sort of got forgotten. "We got in another fight with some undead not long after that too. It was the final straw that pushed us to travel to the city. Hard to believe that place was even worse than this." So often she called this marsh a hellscape, yet one glance at Eleroo told her which place he found to be worse.

Readjusting her paws and taking in a deep breath the Aiveon settled her nerves. Watching with a worried eye Eleroo could see she wasn't keen on continuing, and followed up for her. "We were in the city for less than a day before more undead showed up, and East found us and kidnapped me." With another deep breath Seek cut him off, a wing extending carefully over his back. It twinged a little, but not as much has it had the rest of the day. "And what of you two? Just a couple Radeon too cool for the city?" The pair were too aloof, too secretive about everything. While Johvani answered Seek was not satisfied- it didn't explain anything, it didn't give reason to their smug attitudes. "I'm Lu'req, but you will call me Reed." Even offering his given name did not satisfy her. Why even say it if he didn't wish to hear it? A muffled laugh wheezes from her lips- She had long since renounced her old name, and were it not for Eleroo's slip ups would be free of its hold. "Thats great and all, but who are you? You act like you know everything, or that we're so stupid and beneath you."

OoC)) skip for now, my mind is drawing blanks on what to type for Felix at the moment.

Eleroo practically squeaked with excitement, his evolution story quick but clearly vivid in his memory. Johvani nodded along, taking note of what both he and Seek said. They knew no giant spider Pokemon that was affiliated with the town, and by the sound of the fight it was likely a fresh or wandering undead. Locations in the Marsh spring to mind, places they had not been recently, areas things liked to wander. "Different evolutions from the same fight must have been exciting." They comment, though mental notes tugged them in another direction. The pair evolved but only a handful of sunrises ago if that, and it was before reaching the town and its inhabitants. Their evolutions had been natural and not dictated by Salem. Though their face remains soothing Johvani gives Reed a glance, and can see deep, strained thoughts he had to consider.  

"You could say that... Not many places have such terrain. Specific places in Johto and Kalos perhaps but there is a reason this place is called the Great Marsh even to tourists." Johvani gives a fervent nod, a positive glean on the marsh uncommon for outsiders. "This Marsh is truly unique, even compared to surrounding boggy routes. Its a wonderful place if you get to know it, though its understandably hard on those who are not accustomed to it." It was a harsh life, but the humid and wet environment encouraged growth and life to flourish. So many things that were common in their home Johvani saw no where else in their travels.

"We wouldn't have made it out without Uxie's help."

Reed's whisker's twitch, the legends name enough to make his skin crawl. Of all the Pokemon, of all the legends, a lake spirit? Pokemon from other regions could not phantom the significance to these parts. Divine intervention.. He had played the possibility off when they mentioned it the first time, but if they were truly hicks taken into Salem's clutches it was one of the few viable explanations he could muster. So many clues, signs, aligning dots that proved them innocent.. His claws flex and work the bedding beneath him as he thinks. Was it a sign? Were these Pokemon meant for something more, were they meant to run into each other like this..? "And what of you two? Just a couple Radeon too cool for the city?" Seek pries for information, her approach poor though he expected nothing more. "More like the city thinks its too cool for us." Reed practically cackles while rising to his feet, his decision finally made.

With a nudge of his head he signals for Johvani to come, and the lankly Radeon slowly made their way to his side. "Thats great and all, but who are you? You act like you know everything, or that we're so stupid and beneath you." As they settle beside him and sit once more Johvani shakes their head. "You're not beneath us. I'm sorry if you felt belittled." Giving an earnest apology Johvani speaks while moving one paw. "Even if you're children we had to be cautious for our safety." Reed nods, the end of his tail twitching impatiently. "Our kind can't trust those around here. Not anymore." With a deep exhale Reed calms himself before speaking. "But y'all are involved now, so cards on the table, eh?"

"Who are we? I am Reed. The founding member of Pastoria's Radeon Guard. It was our duty to protect that town with our lives, to purge this place of undead and let Pokemon live in peace." A noble cause, one he had been proud to be a part of for a time. "I brought normalcy back to those Pokemon. Its the reason so many living beings are living there." All the harsh rules that kept them safe, the sense of community that kept them sane..

"I don't know if Salem spun his twisted tail to you," his gaze slides toward the smallest among them, his body squirming comfortably though his eyes were attentive, "but things degraded. We were only tools in his eyes, and when he wanted.. corrupt, unethical change." The Radeon pauses, his blood boiling. Both had their eyes on the floor, unspoken words ready to snap though their target was not present. They speak at the same time, voices overlapping.
"I absconded." "I defected."

The Radeon were being cooperative yet Seek still felt her hackles raise. They were uncomfortably secretive, restrictive in all they said even when being open, and it made her skin crawl with unease. What was she missing, what were they hiding that was so important? Gods, they asked for trust yet they were not offering anything.. well, aside from safe havens, directions, and protection of course. Were they being babied? No, even that didn't seem right when only half of them were children. "You're not beneath us. I'm sorry if you felt belittled. Even if you're children we had to be cautious for our safety." Johvani apologized as if they were all a threat to the pair. It didn't seem patronizing but the way she spoke felt similar weirdly similiar to the way the Swampert sewed his words. Being outnumbered didnt seem like a concern to these two, heck they had a type advantage on one of them, so what could they need to protect? Out of curiosity she sniffs and scents from her spot, but doesn't pick up any scents of kits or milk. If it wasnt kids.. what else?

"Who are we? I am Reed. The founding member of Pastoria's Radeon Guard. It was our duty to protect that town with our lives, to purge this place of undead and let Pokemon live in peace." Eleroo squirms within his skin, his attention firmly on Reed's voice no matter how hard to tried to drown it out. It was like they said, it was like he said. His paws worked the bedding uncomfortably, Salem's soothsaying voice still ringing in his eyes. Biting his lip the youth does everything he can keep the whine buried inside his throat. Curling his claws into the bedding he kept them away from his eyes and ears, knowing painfully well he could not hide from the memories or Reed's voice.

"I brought normalcy back to those Pokemon. Its the reason so many living beings are living there." Clenching his teeth to keep himself silenced Eleroo buried his nose into arms as Seek narrowed her gaze at the Radeon. Already her head started to swim, the heated, circular argument with Salem and East coming back to her in waves. Something about warriors for the town, and Radeon keeping it safe; these two were part of that? They were so standoffish, and they barrage against the horde was Golbats was anything but friendly. "But, you practically killed that Crobat?" She gurmbles, trying to make sense of things. If they didn't like the others why were they here still?   

"I don't know if Salem spun his twisted tail to you, but things degraded. We were only tools in his eyes, and when he wanted.. corrupt, unethical change..." "You.. became wanted." Seek's voice trails off as she attempts to finish their thought, her question already answered by the Pokemons presence here; a falling out. "I absconded." "I defected."

Her thoughts raced and screamed, and with a jerk the Aiveon leaped to her paws. They abandoned all those Pokemon to their fate?! They weren't criminals, they were mongrels. East called them warriors, protectors, but they were meandering around the swamp! Her breath hitched, eyes wide with judgement. "You left them defenseless?!" She seethes, the memory of the empty nursery clear in her mind.

Yet, no matter how tense she was the Aiveon did not feel unreasonable. After the actions of those two water types she wanted nothing to do with them. Any Pokemon whos treatment of a child could stoop so low was a monster, and the audience letting it happen was no better. Tools, Reed had said, an objectifying term to say the least. "I don't understand. Those Pokemon were monsters, but they only said good things about you.."

Felix listened in and everything that was said sounded like not of deception from the two radeons. "I don't know if Salem spun his twisted tail to you, but things degraded. We were only tools in his eyes, and when he wanted.. corrupt, unethical change..." That explains why that reason wasn't working. Once corruption in power happens, they'll feed on it like parasites. The Sylveon had enough of that Swampert and the fact his mind was muddled by the golduck, trying to force him to betray his allies was not even the half of it. "I absconded." "I defected." Judging the way they mentioned it, they had a good reason too and for the right cause. "I don't understand. Those Pokemon were monsters, but they only said good things about you.." Seek said but Felix could tell that what they was saying was deception. Even if they found them and brought them back, they'd be killed by Salem and East. 

At first, Felix even fell for the deception that those two had spun. Finally Felix decides to speak up. "That's because Seek, Salem and East was playing the deception card. They're by far from defenseless. They didn't waste any time when it came to Uxie freeing me and the fact we freed Eleroo in attacking us. Though the other pokemon, they're afraid of him and East. Chances are if we get close to Pastoria again, we'll be attacked on sight." Then he looked over to both Johvani and Reed. "His deception almost worked but when we brought up the undead, he knew we was on to him and East." After that, he looks at Shenron. nodding to the charizard. "Deception from a standpoint, its cunning but also dangerous if used for malicious intent."

"But, you practically killed that Crobat!"

"Practically," He repeats her choice of words with a firm, cold tone. "But I didn't, nor did I intend to." The two of them were not on good terms, and it would be a lie to say he did not relish every time his claws scored her body, but Reed knew damn well murder was not a solution or replacement for reform. She would return to base and tell them of her finds, setting the toxic wheels in motion. Even if he had killed her, nothing would have changed; one of the countless Golbats would deliver the information, and he would have been painted an even bigger monster.

"You left them defenseless?!" She continued to squeak, completely missing his point. "Kid do you hear yourself? An entire village of Pokemon, many of which are well trained and fully evolved, are the furthest from 'defenseless'." A vein pounded on the side of his head, the futility of the situation growing by the moment. Was this entire endeavor a mistake? Tossing a paw over his snout and dragging it down he groans as he finishes, "Losing two meat shields does not take away their own prowess, it just means they cant sit on their laurels like a bunch of entitled bastards." Felix was quick to follow up, defending his point with their own experience. "That's because Seek, Salem and East were playing the deception card. They're far from defenseless. They didn't waste any time when it came to Uxie freeing me and the fact when we freed Eleroo they attacked us." She had seen with her own eyes the power that group boasted yet she spoke as if they were mewling Littens.

Digging his claws into the bedding Reed breathed deeply to keep himself calm. "I don't understand. Those Pokemon were monsters, but they only said good things about you.." Was the brat really that naive? Reed's brow deepens upon his face, harsh words of reality readied on his tongue, but the gentle touch of Johvani's paw kept him at bay. Forcing himself to pause Reed reminded himself that these two eeveelutions were children, and even if they masqueraded maturity (poorly) and leadership, ignorance was to be expected. "Now kit... Seek. They likely view these two that way as they fit a niche. Even humans are guilty of this." Shenron soothed, his words much more poetic as he explained the harsh word to the kid. "You two I am sure could word it far better and perhaps more personally. If I have misspoken then please do correct me."

With his blood at a tepid boil Johvani took the chance to speak. Though Reed certainly experienced more of the injustices they too had lived their fair share. "We were praised for our ability but little else. They like Radeon as a concept, what we could do for them, but they treated us as little more than tools, or objects." Pushing her paws closer to her belly that point hit a little too close to home. "Honored as a hero, but treated like something to be replaced. Our only purpose was to fight, we didn't have a choice to do otherwise, and if someone got injured beyond recovery, they were cast aside without a second thought." Festering wounds that they didn't want to treat, bitter glances from other Pokemon, disrespected, left to suffer and die, used as bait.. "Those Pokemon would do anything to replace those they lost-. Forcing Eevee's to evolve, no matter the risk, having young ones fight instead 'risky' adults.... or kidnapping Eevee and Radeon to replace their lost."

"Kid do you hear yourself? An entire village of Pokemon, many of which are well trained and fully evolved, are the furthest from 'defenseless'." Flinching from the Pokemon's tone Seek wanted to explain herself, to reiterate that they lost their defense system, but the point was moot. Pokemon knew how to defend themselves, and many of those Pokemon certainly looked battle-worn. "Losing two meat shields does not take away their own prowess, it just means they cant sit on their laurels like a bunch of entitled bastards." Lowering her eyes the Aiveon looks away, her mind whirling for a comeback. "Yeah but.. if they don't have any Radeon.." but her words die back on her tongue upon realizing she's defending the Pastoria Pokemon.

"That's because Seek, Salem and East were playing the deception card. They're far from defenseless. They didn't waste any time when it came to Uxie freeing me, and the fact when we freed Eleroo they attacked us." Felix explained, the trickery having probed her mind more than she thought. Salem's words still echoed as if they were in need, as if he was not a grizzled fighter. To rely on the Radeon solely when he could protect his own people, wasn't that.. pathetic? "Chances are if we get close to Pastoria again, we'll be attacked on sight." Legends help them. After wandering the Marsh again Seek had little faith of finding their way out. If they somehow made it back to Pastoria, there was no doubt in her mind those Pokemon would be waiting. "We don't have Uxie this time," she gasps sharply on an inhale, her voice practically squeaking from shrillness as she finishes, "We'd never get away!"

"Now kit... Seek. They likely view these two that way as they fit a niche. Even humans are guilty of this. Such a life only fitting only a single need, a single use. To those who place the value, yes they sing the praises, but to the praised it is often... Uncomfortable and far too heavy a burden to bear. To know if someone else could take your place and do it better or worse be more malleable then the idolizing you receive would be gone..." Shenron's words were gentle, an explanation fitting a trainer or parent to their child. Looking up with pitiful eyes Seek shook her head, disappointed by her own outburst when Eleroo had remained uncomfortably silent. "Pokemon are not replaceable." He finally mumbles as she glances at him, his ruby gaze unreadable but clearly pained. He didn't.. think she meant him too, right?

With a heavy swallow Eleroo pushed his frame up from the ground. With weak knees he moved into a sit with legs pressed firmly against his frame. It was.. a bizarre feeling. Being trapped in that place, treated like a personal attack from Pokemon he didn't know. Honeyed words and things that didn't effect him, and now to hear the aftermath, what he assumed verse what was told. "Honored as a hero, but treated like something to be replaced. Our only purpose was to fight, we didn't have a choice to do otherwise, and if someone got injured beyond recovery, they were cast aside without a second thought." Is that how it happened...? The version those water Pokemon told was so.. twisted. So hard to believe as they lied through their teeth to a Pokemon they assumed was aware and naive both.

Try as he might to push the memories away they only come back, the sickly sweet words before the unbridled rage. He whines, teeth clenched at his own recollection. "...They lost Sedric." He gasps, the Pokemon unknown to him but the little they told him was unforgivable. "And Warren.. couldn't go on." He didn't need the details to know these Pokemon suffered. "What are you saying..?" Seek gulps, eyes wide with disbelief. East's snarling screams had made every hair on his pelt lie flat, the crazed look in his eyes as though he was merely an object to be kicked. That death was a crime, that he wished to punish them from beyond for 'slacking' and allowing this to happen. That it was all 'those two's doing'. That his parents were sick.. and it was only fair that he was next..! "They're still after you!" He blurts out, practically sobbing as he recalls the strike against his cheek. "They are so, so mad and want you to pay it back tenfold." Every death, every loss, every Pokemon that dared to venture out. "They said that.. if you came back with me... they would go.. easy.." His shaky legs refused to hold him up any longer and the kit shrunk back to the floor. "They think you told Johvani to run.. and you're even more heartless to have left the others."

The Pokemon jabbered swiftly back and forth to one another, an emotional cord struck. The pair of Radeon paused for the sake of their discussion, but tidbits were not lost on the Pokemon. "We don't have Uxie this time. We'd never get away!" How did they get a guardian to cooperate, was it the missing key? Reed would put a pin in it, his curiosity still lingering as tone shifted once more.

"...They lost Sedric."

Johvani let out an audible gasp, their eyes wide and mouth agape. Narrowing his gaze Reed shifted his eyes toward the floor, claws curling in the bedding. "....Damn it all." He curses, a heavy weight growing upon his shoulders. No one needed to say it [not that that Pokemon would]; he knew he was both directly and indirectly responsible for his death. It would be a challenge to have someone fill his shoes, and the young, forced Radeon was never up to the task. Johvani's tail swished to their other side and laid across Reed's flank, a silent, its not your fault, that the male would hear none of.

"And Warren.. couldn't go on." The child continued, his choice of words speaking volumes to the 'truth' he must have been told. The fur along his neck rises with a bitter frustration. Warren had been wounded to the point of retirement, for better or worse. To have lost him, to bother mentioning his death to this child meant they forced him back into field work. He could hardly walk. He seethes, a bitter rage boiling in his belly worse than it ever had before. "What are you saying..?" Seek asks, seemingly lost despite the Eleroo being one of her party. "He's saying those monsters forced two innocent Pokemon to their deaths," his lips draw back, fangs bared and a growl in his throat as he hisses, "....because I abandoned them."  

"That isn't your doing." Johvani warns as they see their fellow Radeon get worked up. He may have left but it was on Salem for pushing two Pokemon who were out of service into the danger zone. It was on the Pastoria Pokemon for not seeing the error in their way. For the others to not follow their lead in leaving. .... No, they would not blame the victims; escaping that place had worked for them but it was not an easy or viable solution for them all. That community had become complacent, blinded, and did not realize the error of their ways any longer. Ignorance does not make them innocent.

"They're still after you!" Eleroo squealed, transgressions mounting for the sickened water Pokemon. "They are so, so mad and want you to pay it back tenfold." Fear nearly sparkled in the lad's eyes as he recounted what he was told. Legends above, what had they done to the boy? Of all the things they had heard from these Pokemon, his side had been very lacking, and while they would not pry Johvani could only imagine the horror he faced in that time alone. "They said that.. if you came back with me... they would go.. easy.." His voice grows meek, had he realized that wasn't true, or that they would not agree?

Reed snorts, a maddened cackle escaping his throat at the mere thought of leniency from that old bastard. The other Pokemon gently explain how asinine that offer was, but Reed is not in the mood for games. "Oh yeah, so I sooo believe that! That 'the beatings will be shortened', but now they are also multiple times a day! Ahahaha, yeah fucking right." Radeon's received no justice, no leniency, no kindness from those Pokemon. He would be attacked on sight, and not plucked from the clutches of the mob unless he was an itch from death. That would be their idea of kindness. Eleroo's voice grew quieter, as if ashamed or saddened by his own words, and Reed almost missed it over his own outburst. "They think you told Johvani to run.. and you're even more heartless to have left the others."

Settling himself, Reed clears his throat and draws in a deep breath. "Kid, raise your head. You haven't told us anything we didn't already know." The boy was not as accustomed to their shit like he was, that much was clear, and Reed would not punish the young Pokemon for being free of that burden. "Those bastards will lie to you with a smile. They will argue, swear, and promise you that things will be better and fair, as they throw you to the undead and lock the door behind you." He paused, looking over the trembling kit. How long was he kidnapped before his friends came? "I'm sure that became clear to you."

"You both have been here for a while, what's the chances that East would have others spying on any outsiders?" Reed raises a brow; he made it sound like they had simply stayed a while, but it was not worth snapping at. "In the city? Between the surveillance team and scouts, one hundred percent." He states bluntly. Patrols guarded the city on all sides, with the most vulnerable having constant watches. The gates and west exit saw the most traffic, with living Pokemon usually being turned away and undead being eliminated before they could become a bigger issue. "Outsiders are not welcome in most cases so they don't fuck around. The fact you lot made in it at all, while hilarious to me, was likely due to slip ups from the harsh weather."

"Heh, that had to piss them off. 'Spying' would have been the least of your worries."

Eleroo tried to control himself but the recount left him shaking. With short, quick breaths he struggled to hold back the sob to his voice, and even fighting the thin line of tears was a losing battle. "They said this to antagonize you Eleroo, true or not they were hoping to pluck at your heartstrings as a kit." So they wanted to upset him? The entire situation made his head hurt, they spoke like victims yet the did horrible things to scare him like bullies. He was a kind-hearted Pokemon, giving others the benefit of the doubt no matter how they wronged him. Did believing these Pokemon at all make him naive or just foolish? "Eleroo, it may come as a shock but they were only saying that to manipulate you." He knew better than to trust the water Pokemon, but the grain of truth they spoke had come true. These two were real, they were here! But he realized upon their first meeting they were nothing like he was told. He was lied to, yet, he wasn't..?

Burying his nose in his paws the kit squeezed his eyes shut to prevent any further tears. "I know they were liars," he admits, their horrible actions speaking volumes, "but they are doing horrible things to other Pokemon!" Makeshift defenses, pushing those two to death, kidnapping! Cruel actions spawning from good intentions and a want to protect. Did that make it better, did it make it okay? Did he make him a bad Pokemon for not doing anything about it?! "Kid, raise your head. You haven't told us anything we didn't already know." Reed sighs, his tone almost calming and not at all shocked. "Those bastards will lie to you with a smile. They will argue, swear, and promise you that things will be better and fair, as they throw you to the undead and lock the door behind you." His head lifts slightly, eyes wide and lip quivering. He was kidnapped, attacked, forced to sleep, and thrown in a cage on top of all the lies and deceit they fed him. They attacked his friends, said he couldn't leave, and sent a swarm after him. "I'm sure that became clear to you."

Another tear rolls across Eleroo's cheek as he looks away. Seek curled her claws deeper into the moss, her flank pressing protectively against Eelroo's side. Licking his forehead she swears on her own life that nothing like this would ever, ever happen to him again. But her heart was not at ease. Much like her own dark encounter those brutes were still out there, still unpunished for their cruelty. "So you knew that they're doing awful things? You knew and yet you're just twiddling your paws out here in the swamp!" Eleroo had someone to protect him, or try her damnedest, but what about other Pokemon, what about a lone traveler seeking shelter from the storm? "You didn't 'leave' them, you're still here in the backyard! You might not see it now but you know and allowing them to continue!"

"Thats- That's just as bad!"