Freyr: *I waited in the shadows, hidden from the greater darkness of a powerful evil. I was shielded, patient enough to hold for the perfect opportunity to avenge those who had fallen before me. I had heard rumors of my enemy in the mountains in which I was raised, She had taken refuge in the very places that I had sworn to protect. It was my duty to remain true to my word. I may be a pacifist first, a healer, a mediator between the borders created by politicians...but I was trained to be a killer if necessary to protect those who cannot do so themselves. Her tyranny could no longer remain to plague this Earth. Her minions were said to be chasing down a group of rebels that fled to the Sinnoh region, this presented the perfect opportunity to sneak behind her defenses to cut her throat as she looked the other way. If successful I will head to Sinnoh in order to search for my allies to protect them from the fiends sent their way. I could only hope that I would not be too late to offer my aid in defeating such opponents. I had to leave for the mountains right away, lest my enemy become aware of my presence. I suited up my armor, a silver helmet and chest plate to protect my head, the back of my neck, and my upper torso. Along with this I armed myself with an enchanted fiery spear known as "Fureur", my signature enchanted trident that came to be known as "Aurelius", and a large rectangular steel shield known as the "Peacekeeper". These particular items were very powerful when used together, enchanted and given to me by none other than Master Orion of the Rising Sun Enchanters Guild. With these items I will kill her where she stands*
Freyr: *On that note I took to the skies, my powerful wings carrying me high above the ground in search of the warmer winds. I need to be able to get to the mountains as silently as possible, if I ride the warmer winds then stealth would be in my favor as It would limit how much I would have to flap my wings. Of course that was only assisting with the noise, the factor of night in the kanto region would make my tail stick out like a mega pidgeot in a flock of pidove. However, with any luck, if she is watching she will mistake it as a star in the night sky. I slowly approached the mountain, only being able to see it in the darkness as the stars disappeared in the skies behind its great stature. As I grew closer, a mixture of apprehension, grief, and anger swelled inside me. I hadn't dare return to the mountain since the battle, I didn't want to remember what had happened there. Yet, how could I ever forget. I alighted from the sky, descending quickly before, with a strong thrust of my wings, I slowed myself enough to land at the entrance outside of the cavern without a sound. I observed my surroundings, it was on this very ledge that the battle had ended. It was spotless, cleared of all memory of the blood that was spilled here, life had moved on, yet those who were present could not forget. The silence was deafening, before the battle this place was vibrant...full of life. These memories were distant; yet they were still vaguely present. However, any attempt for me to grasp these, even if just for a moment, seemed fruitless in return. I shook my head, breaking away my fixation on the past*
Freyr: *Before I continued forward I raised my shield, hid my tail behind my body, and pulled out Fureur. I had no intention of confronting Faranth directly, she was too dangerous for one to face alone. An assassination attempt will be my best bet, and if I failed...I will have to fight her until one of us dies as she would easily outmatch me in speed in her mega form, meaning there was no chance of escape. As I passed through the arch of the collapsed entrance I encountered a chilling sensation, like the first winter winds had violently passed over my body. This brought with it a unnerving fear that unwillingly sent me into past memories. As I stepped forward the stony entrance suddenly collapsed behind me, the force of the impact kicking up dust that was thrust into my eyes as I had turned my gaze to the sound. I stumbled backwards dropping my spear and shield as I began to feverishly rub my eyes, clearing them of the stinging debris that had blinded my sight. As I did so I bumped into something that was behind me before I had regained my vision. I stopped, my heart beating rapidly as a thought entered my mind...in a large cavern like this I shouldn't have run into anything. I opened my eyes slowly, still facing away from whatever was behind me. The cave was now pitch black, the only light coming from my tail which illuminated only enough to see the dust that had yet to settle. However, from this I could see fureur glistening in front of me on the floor, I quickly glanced to make sure that the Pokémon was still there before I made my move. I jolted forward, grabbing my spear from off the floor before spinning around to point it at whoever was there. My grip tightened upon my realization of who had appeared. A young Charizard who had blue and red markings that were in the shape of a feather on his forehead appeared in front of my spear. His eyes were closed, his posture slouched in a state of hypnosis, I knew him, I remembered what had happened. "Jay?" I stated his name in disbelief, he was dead, I remembered. He didn't respond, instead he simply shuffled forward tiredly, his chest glowing with a familiar purple aura. My hands began to shake as images of an explosion entered my mind, this was all too real. I dropped fureur to grab my discarded shield before I collapsed to the floor, planting my shield above my head to protect myself from the blast that I knew was going to happen. A voice entered my mind that mirrored my own "This can't be real! You're dead! I saw you die!" I called out fearfully as tears streamed down my snout...But, when I opened my eyes the cavern appeared as it did before...moonlight was pouring in from the entrance.
Lily: *I proceeded up onto the platform as Drake barged through the door with Stella, passing the dragon type as I pressed a button to activate the large door to open, revealing the first floor living area. It was the most homely of the rooms, consisting of a large wooden table with green cushioned chairs that matched the couches that rested by the kitchen counters in the corner of the room (best to consult that document I shared with you about the house). I wasted not time to go to the kitchen, opening a spice cabinet containing many healing herbs that often went well with meals. I pulled out a jar of aloe, which would soothe Kamaria's wound. I would sneakily give it to her before setting off to find Seraphina. I needed to take Xeno and Maxine to help find her. Drake and Aeron would stay and look after Kamaria, Lunar, and especially Stella. Her bond with Seraphina could cause her harm to herself in the condition she is in*
Lily: *I bounded over the entrance, stopping only briefly next to Kamaria to place the jar at her feet* "I'll treat the wound personally when we get back, until then I'll need you to stay here with the others" * I whispered to her before continuing to approach the others* "Xeno and Maxine, I'll need your help to find Seraphina. Stella, Aeron, Drake, Kamaria, and Lunar I'll need you to stay here. Make yourself at home, watch for Seraphina and Asteria if they find this place"
Aeron: *As I finally made it up the stairs I was suddenly confronted by the rather ecstatic Lily, a complete contradiction to what I felt right now* "Thank you" *I gave her a respectful nod in response to the invitation to her home. Right now I greatly appreciated any offer in which I could find somewhere to sleep, but Lunar probably needs it more than I do. I padded over to my brother, who unfortunately was still fighting to simply stand* "Let's find a place for you to rest, you deserve it" *I said softly before guiding him into the house. Luckily, I didn't have to search very long to find a room as the first door on the right contained a single bed. Presumably what previously was Drake's room while he lived here. I let Lunar take the bed, while I lay on the wooden floor next to a circular window at the opposite end of the room*
Drake: "That doubles for you" *I stated before lowering my body, placing my snout close to the ground in order for Stella to hop off* "Upstairs, on the right will be a room for you and Asteria, since you two seem to fancy one another" *I winked at the bird Pokémon, knowing well that she had no recollection of what I was talking my about. Something told me however that she would soon find out what I meant* "don't even think about going out to search" *I remarked, knowing that Stella wouldn't be happy with Lily's statement*
Stella: *She crouched over, slowly stepping off the Tyrantrums snout, her eyelids drooping as she let out a pathetic croak. She's was irritated with the proposition of staying behind but knew deep down that her current status condition would hinder their mission to find Seraphina. She sighed as she staggered her way to the room, resigning herself to a comfortable corner. She was deeply troubled by not knowing Seraphinas whereabouts, and yet, was sound asleep in mere seconds due to sheer exhaustion. Her injured wing was sore and would have kept her up had she not been so tire*
Asteria: *I flew over the forest in search of the group, using my keen eyesight to observe every detail of the area below. I had made up my mind and was finally prepared to confront Stella on her previous actions. Though her presentation was a bit...unorthodox. I accept her proposition. As I continued to fly, I noticed a large tree that stood far off to my right. It appeared fairly natural; yet, somehow out of place compared to the rest of the trees in the forest. I banked right, heading straight for the tree. Once I grew closer, I realized that my intuition had steered me correctly, the tree appeared to have a large stairwell encircling it. From a window that poked out of the lush canopy I could see Aeron laying on the floor. Above it, another window could be seen, this time, Stella could be see faintly in the background. I made a direct flight to the room, stopping short to peer through the window, Stella was asleep; however, this couldn't wait. I knocked on the glass for her to let me in*
Kamaria: *She peers down at the small, familiar Leafeon as she bounded away, a 'raised eyebrow' blank expression on her face. She crouches over to pick up the small jar, peering at the peculiar green substance. It smelled familiar, like what her mère used to keep around the den. She made her way over to what appeared to be an indoor well. Using her sharp sense of smell (big nose lol) she locates Lily's storage of moss and uses it to wash the wound carefully before liberally spreading the healing ointment. Relief washed over her body as she let out a hearty sigh, taking no time to make herself comfortable and locate Lily's snacks*
Stella: *She was slightly slouched over, her beak hanging open slightly as she let out a soft hum with each breath. Though her highly acute senses were currently dulled, she could faintly detect a nearby tapping sound, ripping her out of a peaceful dream . She jolted awake, her feathers all ruffing up at once before she composed herself and located the source of the sound. Asteria! She scuttled over the window, using her beak to remove the latch. It took every last bit of her willpower (which she had a lot of) not to embrace the Talonflame immediately. Her smile wavered when she attempted to recall the terms of their last engagement, but her memories were blurred and unclear. Nonetheless, she was pleased that her companion had finally returned. No one would tell her why Asteria had left when she asked, leaving her concerned and perplexed.* "Asteria! Welcome back! How did you find us? Are you alright? Why did you leave?" *She typically wasn't the type to be wordy and scatter brained but given the current circumstances she was more prone to displaying her inner emotions*
Asteria: *I flew past the rambling Stella to land on the wooden floor. I didn't even respond to her questions, just waved a wing coolly in dismissal* "shush Stella, just let me speak" *I said in a rather unusually calm tone. I took a deep breath to steady myself, my eyes closed as I began to speak once more* "You said that you knew of the flock of Talonflame in which I came from, you would that this is accurate?" *I asked the question, though I didn't really need a response, I remembered it clearly when Stella asked what I was doing so far away from my home. I continued the statement before Stella got the chance to speak* "if so, I shouldn't have to tell you how important traditions are to our way of life. If you accept this, there is no going back. Don't..." *I paused for a moment to figure out what I wanted to say as I lost my train of thought due to nervousness that began to rise in my chest* "...Just don't rush your decision please" *I lifted my left wing slowly, displaying it to Stella as I reached for one of the flight feathers with my beak. I clasped it around the quill, stopping for a moment to think about what was at stake here. My pride would once more be in peril if I had assessed the situation incorrectly. It was worth it. I swiftly plucked the feather out, flinching at the sudden pain that the motion had caused. I then lowered my wing to rest at my side and dropped the feather in front of Stella as I awaited her response* (this ceremony is sacred among Talonflame flocks. It is a ritual performed to unify a couple as mates. The feather is symbolism. Since flight feathers are needed for mobility, it is symbolic for the pair that they will never leave one another. The process of plucking the feather is painful of course; however, this is also symbolic that even in hard/painful times, the two will still remain loyal to one another. The proper response if accepted would be to pluck a flight feather and place it over the heart before laying it over the others feather on the floor. This is symbolic for giving ones heart away to the other. If rejected as the other bird doesn't share the same feelings. The one that proposed the unification is often shunned for a short duration due to their possible shortcomings that led them to the improper judgment. Thus, that Talonflame loses some of their pride in the process, a very important thing for them)*
Stella: *She was overtaken with a powerful wave of emotions, as she peered down at the small Talonflame. She felt nothing and everything all at the same time. Excitement, eagerness, shock, confusion, hesitance...love. Her mind was flooded with thoughts, questions, desire... How was she to know that Asteria had been planning this the whole time? What in Arceus name had happened that everyone was hiding from her? Her heart was pounding hard against her chest as her beak hung slightly ajar. And yet...It all felt so right. Throughout the duration of Asteria's companionship with her she had become aware of a pang growing in her heart, an adoration that differed from anything she'd ever perceived before. She was usually quite detached from her emotions, typically exuding a calm and thoughtful persona. She was raised to muffle her emotions because she had been raised to view them as a hinderance in battle. All at once they were nearly bursting out of her as her typically stagnant expression was glowing with joy. Her knowledge of Talonflame tradition was little, but she recalled briefly what she had observed about this particular ceremony. She peered down at the Talonflame, reflecting the longing that she felt through her crimson eyes. She accepted. She inhaled deeply as she slowly extended one large, powerful wing. She took great care as she clasped her beak around a rather sizable primary feather. She heard a pop as she tore it out, flinching slightly at the stinging sensation that followed before pressing the feather against her chest and closing her eyes momentarily. She opened them slowly, the feathers on her cheeks raising slightly (bird blush) as she returned the gesture and placed the feather over Asterias*
Maxine: *The days events occurred one after another like a whirlwind- how could so much happen in a single day? As nightfall drew nearer and the sun began to fall beneath the horizon, she thoughtfully peered out a window from the cavernous tree, wondering why all of his was happening. Not long ago she was living out her days tending to her berry orchard in solitude, longing for something more to life as she went from relationship to relationship. No one ever stayed long and she couldn't say she'd ever really had friends before. Her ideals were flawed at the time, seeing others as mere pawns to getting what she wanted from life. It wasn't her fault, after all, it was in her upbringing. As the days went on traveling with the unconventional group she learned to empathize with others and understand their emotions. Though she still had her..."manipulative tendencies", she was much improved as a Pokémon and snickered at the thought of how her life had changed so drastically from what it had been before. Though her life is much more at risk now, her previously life had left much to be desired. She genuinely cared for those around her and finally felt like she was...home. She had a strong psychic and mind warping abilities and was quite privy of the brains of others. No ones innermost thoughts ands desires were safe until recently. She could easily "get into" the heads of even the strongest willed Pokémon, despite her small stature and physical weakness in comparison. However, her improved understanding of others increased the discretion in which she used these abilities. She took a moment to recall the circumstances of their travels and exhaled deeply as she brought to mind the image of a solid ball of hot energy striking her down (Draco meteor). She closed her eyes for a moment before perking her ears up to the sound of the approaching Leafeon. She simply nodded in response to her request, looking to Xeno for any further direction. Silence was not typical of her nature but she too, had a breaking point*
Xeno: *As I finally made my way up the stairs it seemed that I had missed many important details of the situation around me. Stella had disappeared along with Kamaria, Aeron, and Lunar without me noticing. I was too wrapped up in my own thoughts to give my full, undivided attention. Something that was unusual as I always watched the group carefully. I was confused by the whole situation, what had even happened after we ate those berries? And why was Seraphina so hostile all of the sudden? It was all beyond what I could perceive, even through the usage of aura. Overall this was a frustrating situation, I prided myself on my perception, but as of this moment a combination of the berries and low amounts of sleep led to a state in which I had little control. I looked over at Maxine, her expectant gaze seeking something from me. I simply shook my head and shrugged, unaware of what she wanted of me* "is everything okay?" *I asked her, unsure of what possible problem had arisen...or whether there was a problem to even begin with*
Maxine: "Oh the poor dear, you look simply exhausted, Xeno. We're off to find your girlfriend before she finds trouble or -distant thunderstrike- trouble finds her. Oh how troublesome this is...I am simply starving over here but I can't bear to eat with all the worry" *She says over dramatically. She approaches the exit, her hooves fairly tapping on the hardwood floors. Her tail drooped low between her legs, it's face seemingly uninterested in the coming events*
Lily: *I walked down the first set of steps as I went to lead the small search party for Seraphina. My ears perking as I listened in on the conversation between Maxine and Xeno. It may have been a few years since I last spent time with the Lucario but even so I could tell something was up with him, his behaviour was a bit more sporadic than normal. I was curious to find out what was troubling him when I suddenly heard the word 'girlfriend' from Maxine. This peaked my interest, I never would have thought of anything like that could possibly be the source of trouble for Xeno. Not now anyways* "A girlfriend huh? I never would have expected for you to settle down after the whole incident on the mountain, you always were on the move after that, especially when my sister came" *I stated jokingly, trying to lighten his mood*
Aeron: *I rested on the floor, basking in the warm sunlight as I watched Lunar. I couldn't believe how fast everything had happened. It already felt as if an eternity had passed by, but the reality was that all of the events only happened over a matter of days. Sometimes I felt that all of this was some kind of dream; after all, only a couple of days ago I was begging for berries to sell for Faranth. Now, I was part of a rather dysfunctional group of Pokémon. They were as close of a family as I would have previously imagined, but then again one of them actually turned out to be just that. I hadn't known Lunar for long...but, in such a short time I felt closer to him than anyone. It was a bond that I could never allow Faranth to destroy. He...I just couldn't...I wouldn't be able to survive without him now. It was an odd sensation to feel, I barely knew him as my brother. Yet, I knew I would be willing to sacrifice myself for him. After all, he is everything to me now... and I've had a tough life that he is now having to experience. I would do anything to make sure he continues being the way he was before these recent events*
