The Tale of Seven

[Rikugurl]

Axel's eyes widened as he heard the word 'accident' but before he could comment, the story was playing out in front of him. He listened intently and nodded, shaking his head at the story. That must of been pretty bad.
However when she mentioned the damage, he could only frown. "Sora's leg..?"
He remembered that Sora was laying down...instead of rushing up and....hugging them.

That was very unlike him and even if he only knew Sora for little under a week, he caught on pretty well.
"Did he..." He winced before continuing. "break it...?"


Gethin looked up as he suddenly heard some yelling over by the triplet's side of the camp. It seemed like... it wouldn't be a peaceful night tonight either.
Umbreon's ears lowered as he stepped closer to his master, not liking the yells that came from the three.

"Grooss..." The heavy Pokemon blinked as he looked over as well, his conversation cut short from the yelling. Why couldn't humans get along? We they all Sevipers and Zangooses?
"Meta?" He looked back down at Jolteon, some concern in his eyes.


"If he doesn't want to talk to me, he doesn't fucking have to!" Ven snapped back, not looking at either. The ghost by him blinked, slowly floating away to get out of reach from his angry master. It was...bad to be around him when he was angry.
Then again....when wasn't he angry?

He wanted to back up why but....he was so angry....and frustrated....and....and emotional wreck that he couldn't say anything else....

[Reno]

"No," Aqua said sighed. "He's walking on it but he's limping. He said it was... an old injury but Ven doesn't seem to know a thing about it and it seems to be bothering him." She glanced back hearing some yells. "That's his voice now." She joked. "Or maybe Roxas', they're both pretty short-tempered eh?"


Terra rolled his eyes hearing the triplets, ignoring them well. He'd been around lots of yelling in his childhood, he'd learned well how to tune it out.

Jolteon's ears flopped and he whined, seeing his master angry as well. That did not happen very often...

Luxray looked over curious, smirking at the animosity happening between the three. Would they have a Pokemon battle?!


Sora frowned, looking over at Ven at his words but the blond refused to look up. He could feel the emotions raging in the other...
"See?" Roxas said looking away and crossing his arms. He hated being treated like the bad guy... he didn't do anything. "He's fine with it."
"No he's not." Sora said softly, his voice cutting into both twins. He sighed picking up Raichu and setting him down on the sleeping bag. "And you can feel it too so don't pretend like everything's okay."

"Well I'm sorry Sora but I'm not going to forgive him as easily as YOU seem to do for everything!" Roxas growled.
"I NEVER FORGAVE HIM!" The words echoed loudly in the forest, leaving nothing but silence behind. Even down by the river, the two opposite elemental trainers froze and glanced back.

Shock... and then pain was all Sora could feel from Ven now. He sighed his throat hurting now from the yell, his leg throbbing with pain.
"You... you didn't?" Roxas asked hesitantly, his voice full of surprise and confusion. He looked hurt as well, as if Sora did something he didn't understand.
There was a long pause as Sora looked at Ven, seeing how little he appeared. He looked between his two brothers and sighed. "No I didn't... but I know I WILL. You know why Roxas? Because Ventus is my brother and friend and I love him." He looked towards Ven, "When I think about it, sure it makes me mad - makes me furious really." He stood suddenly, much to everyone's worry. Roxas especially looked worried at the limp, not having known of it.

Sora took a few uneven steps then turned and faced them, waiting for them to look up at him. when they did, he continued, "But I know those feelings won't last forever once I start to understand better. Those will pass... but the ones that are real and permanent... like my love for my brother, I know that'll never go away. Those are the feeling that count and so those are the ones that I keep close to my heart. I'd rather not tarnish my good memories with my twin brothers - like the time we once skateboarded down to the pier to see the sunrise or that time we saved the Meowth that was stuck in the pipes and found it's owner - with a year's worth of being angry at him or something like all these other families seem to have. I don't want to lose those memories by over-shadowing them with stupid anger, so I'm not going to." He could see a confused look on both their face at the memories he had mentioned. "Don't remember them, do you?"

He huffed. "So tell me something you two: What's all your anger really amounting too? It's it worth screwing up your relationships with people you know who have always cared about you?" He asked Roxas, speaking of Ven. "Or is it worth destroying what bonds you have of formed with someone... or possibly still might?" He asked Ven, speaking of Roxas and Aqua... and Terra.

He made sure to let those words sink in before he sighed, looking to Ven, as if he was sending him some sort of message. "I'm going for a walk." He turned on his heels and walked off, leaving the two to stew over his words.

Terra blinked, watching Sora limp off in the opposite direction of the stream before looking at Luxray. "Can he do that?"
"Lux..." The lion said, shrugging. He obviously was going to anyways.

[Rikugurl]

Axel sighed as he shrugged. "He never really got---" He cut himself off when he remembered last night... how angry Roxas was because he hadn't told him about Moltres but he could understand that... to a point.
"I think he...assumes things too quickly? He has...low self esteem...which makes him doubt himself a lot." He looked back at his reflection and smiled. "But... I'm trying to help him find that inner strength... and so isn't he. He's...doing much better and--"

He was cut off as he and Aqua froze, looking back as if they would see something.
"Or....so I thought."


"Metaa..." He bowed slightly at Jolteon before he walked over to his master, his heavy legs making the ground shake but everyone seemed to disregard it. The hooded teen looked up, seeing the look on the Metagross's face and nodded before taking out the dusk ball that was his. The heavy pokemon was recalled and placed back onto the belt.
He knew that Metagross never liked it when anyone fought.


Ven sighed as he heard his brothers, the feeling of something overwhelmingly bad seemed to drop like a brink in his heart. But as he listened more... it....slightly got better. No... Sora didn't forgive him yet but... he nodded in agreement.
His blue eyes looked up at the brunette, the same time his blonde brother looked up as well.

When it was done and Sora was limping away into the forest, Ven looked away and just sighed. He looked at the dirt for a moment before getting up and running after Sora. "Come on!" He called, his ghost getting it and floated after him.
When they broke into the forest, Ventus called again. "SORA! WAIT UP!"

He ran down the path and wrapped an arm around his brother to help him walk better. "D-don't strain it..." He said softly... and silently they walked until they came through to a clearing.
They found a spot before the two sat down, the blonde helping Sora sit as he sat right next to him. Haunter quickly preoccupied himself with trying to catch fireflies, hearing faint laughing in the background as they went through him.

A few minutes after their silence, Ven let out a shaky sigh and looked up at the moon.
"I....I'm sorry Sora....I... I know....what I did....who I became....was wrong....and....I'm sorry that....I lied to....you and....Roxas and mom and....dad." He swallowed as he pulled his legs up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them.
"It's really...a pathetic excuse...pathetic of...what I did and....what I thought. Y-you see...when we firs split up...I...I really was having a hard time adjusting to being alone... even with Eevee with me. But, I...I thought I was the tough one...so I had to be tough and...pushed myself to try and be that....tough person."

He let out another shaky sigh as he closed his eyes. "I was all talk... all bark and no bite. I wanted it to just be me and...Eevee, that I didn't need any other pokemon to win anything! I would try to fight anyone I bumped into...and we would battle and....I would lose. I spent all the money mom and dad gave us on potions for Eevee...and Nurse Joy knew me by name. No matter what... I lost every battle I pushed. So... I stopped and decided that....I need to battle wild pokemon to make Eevee stronger...and maybe start forming a team."

Tears started to form in his eyes as he continued. "But...I lost all of those too. I couldn't....I couldn't catch a single Pokemon. All my poke balls broke... and I was broke. Now I had no money, no pokemon, and no pride...and I was...so lonely. I wanted to go back home but I had to keep being tough...for...some reason or another."
He opened his eyes, a tear falling down his cheek. "One day while we were walking back home... I saw a Team Rocket member gang up on this bug catcher and stole his pokemon right in the middle of a battle, getting away as if it was nothing. It was just so....easy, so effortless and.... I wanted Pokemon." He swallowed and close his eyes again, his eyelashes getting damp from the tears.

"So...I joined the Team... and once I got a partner and some Rocket balls...I barked at trainers...and stole their pokemon....and...it felt so....good to have another pokemon on my belt. I....told myself that it was just another way of catching them... like...it was okay... but I knew...deep down....that it really wasn't. With the help of Aqua... I never backed out of becoming a Rocket...and with my help....neither did she. We thought that if we kept catching more and more Pokemon... we could get better and better ones and...I could be...a tough trainer...like I always wanted to be."

He sighed out, shaking a bit.
"I...know it's pathetic....and stupid....and wrong....and...I wish I did just go home that day...that I never stole these pokemon that are on my belt and... that I never stole Moltres. I am going to tell you one thing though Sora... I never...ever....killed anyone....or any Pokemon...I wasn't a member for the money...I was in it for the Pokemon...and even the ones I stole...I always...made sure they were happy to the best of my power."

He slowly looked over and choked, more tears coming down his cheek. "I-I'm sorry about what happened to your Furret!"

[Reno]

Aqua chuckled softly, capping the last of the canteens and nodded. "Maybe we better make sure the camp didn't explode." She joked before standing. She stood sighing some, nodding to her two Pokemon before she headed back towards camp. Glaceon and Buizel were quick to follow.

When she wandered back to it she found Sora and Ventus both missing, Roxas staring towards the grass as if he was pondering something very hard, Terra making dinner and Gethin being... well Gethin. Jolteon had wandered close to the hooded male, seeming sad without his master close by. Raichu had his little arms crossed looking very much like a mother who had found out her son had done something wrong. Flygon was still napping, skarmory was up in the trees, Umbreon was next to his brother, Luxray was watching the food with Terra, and Arcanine was resting her paws.

She shook her head, chuckling. "If this becomes a regular thing I think I'll start putting people in time-out." She said, setting the waters back by everyone's rightful bags.


Sora sighed, counting the seconds in his head. 10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1...
"SORA! WAIT UP!"

He smiled. Right on time. He was going to joke that, with the way he was walking, 'waiting up' was going to become a hobby of his. He didn't though, just smiled as Ven came to his side and, being the good brother he was, helped him walk. He quietly accepted, leaning against the other some as they traveled further into the forest until they came to another small clearing. This one was marked with several broken stumps, signifying either a Pokemon or, more likely, a human came and deforested this area at one point for some reason.

Sora let the other aid him, chuckling some - he felt like an old man getting help from a nurse! - as Ven sat as well. He sighed contentedly, leaning back a little and just waited.

And just like he knew he would, Ven started to talk. His voice started shaky and unsure, full of more fear than he had shown in years, as if Sora was a python ready to strike, not his dear older brother who couldn't harm a fly. The brunette just watched his brother, watching him curl up as if to protect himself as the story spilled out, quicker and quicker and before Ven knew it, the story couldn't be stopped.

Sora stayed quiet listening to it all. He listened to Ven tell him of his doubts and fears - ones that Roxas had had, that he had had as well - at the beginning, at the mounting losses and discouragement felt, unable to beat a trainer or even a wild Pokemon. He did not move, even as his brother started to cry as he told the tale of his encounter with a Rocket... and the sudden desire to join, the motivations behind it and the feelings he had felt. It was a lot to take in all at once, but Sora did. Then finally came the regrets that spilled out, the wish for a 'What If'... and the pleading for him to understand that he had never done anything TOO terrible.

Sora sighed slowly shutting his eyes, his heart thrumming hard in his ears from Ven's emotions and his own. But it was that last bit that got him.

"I-I'm sorry about what happened to your Furret!"

Sora's eyes snapped open and he looked at Ven, first in shock... then in sadness as his lips trembled, tears spilling down his cheeks as well. His heart was twisting hard, aching from the old scarred pains of his fallen comrade that his own brother had cut open once more, just by the presence he had brought. "Oh Ven..." He rasped, before suddenly reaching over for him. "Come here."

He tugged the other into his arms and up against him, hugging him tightly. He sniffled, struggling to gain control of his self because he knew he had to say something back but he was too choked up. So for a few minutes they just sat there, crying. Sora slowly whispered softly, unable to hide the pain in his voice. "The minute I saw that god damn R... I felt so hurt Ven. Betrayed. Furret was a great friend of mine, I loved her... and to see you had joined Team Rocket... I felt like you were spitting on her memory... spitting on me. Like we didn't matter to you at all..."

He took a deep, shaking breath. "Thank you... for telling me that's not true... it means the world to me... and her."

Feeling better, he softly tugged his sibling away, smiling shakily at the other as he rubbed some of the tears on the blonde's face. "I wish those trainers you took those Pokemon from could of known you more. Then at least they would of known that they had a great trainer taking care of them."

He got a dull look, knowing Ven didn't believe him one bit. He smiled sadly, before he rubbed his eyes sighing shakily. He struggled to de-scramble his thoughts, making them in an order he understood. When he felt confidant enough, he rose his head, looking towards the other. "Ven... don't even call yourself pathetic again, you hear me?" He said softly. When the other tried to turn his eyes away he reached out, catching his chin to halt his head. "No look at me. I mean it Ven. You want me to tell you whose pathetic? Those who continue on in that life all their lives, becoming less and less of a person with no thoughts or feelings or morales... You Ven, you're not like them. You're stronger... and that's not pathetic. All you did... was make a mistake. You took the easy way out. Now... now you know that what you did wasn't right and you're trying to FIX it... that's far from pathetic."

He let go of the other, sighing and laying his hands in his lap. "... It's going to be hard though." He said softly. "There aren't any easy routes to take anymore - everything you do now is going to be gained from hard work, determination, persistence... no half-assing stuff like you did when you did your chores." He joked softly, remembering half-washed dishes and toys shoved in closets and under carpets and beds. "Most of all Ven... it's going to take time. Lots of time for everything and everyone. You might have to say 'I'm sorry' a million times before you're forgiven, but it'll be worth it in the end. It's going to take more than one speech from me to make it all better, sorry." He chuckled faintly, but his smile turned softer, more caring. He laid his hand on Ven's, giving it a reassuring squeeze though. "I'm always here though for you. Whenever you need me, I'll always be there. To listen and to help... to bash your and Roxas' heads together. Whatever."

He grinned suddenly. "Trust in your heart okay? I know you can do this Ven."

[Rikugurl]

Ven swallowed as his brother called him over and his arms wrapped around his brother, burying his head in his shoulders. From the tenseness and his movement, he knew Sora was crying as well.

The ghost stopped chasing the bugs as he looked back, hearing the muffled crying. He blinked, looking around a bit out of place and awkward.

When Sora pulled away, Ven went back to holding himself like his brother and sighed, tears still running down his face but listened quietly. Sora always knew the right thing to say... It was like he was always meant to be a big brother...even if it was by minutes...
His mom or dad or Roxas could say the same thing... but he wouldn't let it sink in like he would if Sora said it.

He nodded slowly and sniffed once more before looking over. "I...I want to return the Pokemon I stole...They should..." He sniffed. "They should be with the people who took the time to catch them..."


Axel sighed as he slowly walked into camp, recalling Rapidash to rest. He blinked though when he looked around... realizing that he didn't have a companion Pokemon and that... felt really....weird. He pulled out another ball and called the Pokemon out, a happy mermaid dog running over to his brothers.
That was much better.

Slowly he walked to Roxas and smiled softly. "Is everything ok?"

[Reno]

Sora smiled at the others words and nodded. "Yeah that... that would be best. You and Aqua are going to have a long road ahead of you, but now that you know that you've at least made friends with the Pokemon you took... it won't be so bad." He agreed. It was the right thing to do, and of course it would help Ven repent...

"But first... we're going to need to take care of Sky Pillar..." He chuckled softly. He looked down, thoughtfully. "And if we all make it past there..." He hesitated, then grinned. "Then everything else will be easy in comparison!"


Roxas sighed as Axel came over glancing at him. Sora's words were still racing through his mind, festering like a disease that he refused to take medicine for. He was still so enraged each time he thought about that big red R slapped on his twin's chest. Why couldn't he get OVER this anger? Was it was because he was seeing a mirror of himself become something he hated more than anything? Was it because of his firsthand experiences with Teams and his own witness of what they did to Pokemon? Was it... because of Linoone? Sora? Furret?

... Axel?

"Do you think..." He started quietly, eyes troubled. "Do you think I'm being too hard on my brother?"

[Rikugurl]

Ven sniffled and rubbed his tears away, taking a deep, shaky breath before letting it out. "I am....really sorry... about everything and...I'm really proud of you...and Roxas...for becoming great trainers... and...your catches. I hope that when I return everyone's Pokemon...Espeon and I can catch wild pokemon...and I can start anew."

Just as he finished, his eyes widened as a large ghost floated in front of him.
"Hau, haun, haun." The ghost started, making them blink.
"Huh?"
"Haunter... haunter, haun, haun!" He smiled as he pointed to himself, and then to Ven.
"Y-you don't want me to return you?"
The ghost nodded and smiled happily. "Haunter! Haunter!"

Ven smiled as he nodded, his tears drying away. "Really? Thank you so much Haunter!"


At the question, Axel looked down and frowned a bit. "Well... like you know...I never...really had a sibling so close like your brothers. I know what Ven did was wrong... and horrible and... unthinkable... and you...have the right to be angry. We all are... but... that anger will wear off. Maybe not now...and maybe not for awhile... but one day. He is still your brother...and he is trying to correct what he did but...I really can't tell you what to feel or think because...I really don't know how I would feel...if my own brother had done that to my friends..."

He sighed and looked up at the sky. "I probably wouldn't forgive him for a long time... but deep down inside... I would always love him..." He shook his head and smiled down at Roxas before reaching out...and ruffled his hair gently.

[Reno]

Sora smiled at the other's words, but he didn't need to respond because something amazing happened. He watched the lavender ghost approach his twin and asked to... stay with him.

He smiled and laughed. "Somehow that pair up doesn't surprise me." Out of all the partner Pokemon Ven had ever walked beside, none of them connected quite like Haunter and him - they were just so similar...

A lot of psychologists said you often became like your closest Pokemon. Someone who owned a Gardevoir for example was often beautiful, graceful and noble. Those with Aipom with often playful and adventurous...

He looked at the prankster of a ghost and smiled. Yeah, Ven and him made a lot of sense.

They all looked up though when they heard a rustling, and an orange mouse jumped from the bushes looking ticked. The electric Pokemon ran over to Sora, glaring up at him. "Chu! Rai, Rai chu!"

Sora blinked but laughed. He knew that look it was the 'You get back to bed right now or I'll shock you' look. "You would not."
The mouse's cheeks started to spark.
"Okay you will!" Sora yelped, picking up the mouse and hugging him, grinning towards Ven. "He wants me back in bed~"


Roxas listened to Axel, hearing the same words Sora had told him as well. He sighed, and just shook his head, legs crossing. But he blushed when he got the ruffling, chuckling a little and pushing his arm away. "Hey don't mess with the hair." He joked.

[Rikugurl]

Ven smiled and laughed. He wished he could hug the ghost. However, the thoughts were interrupted when they heard a rustle and looked over, seeing the mouse rush over to them. Ven had to smile softly as he watched the sparks and then Sora's lovable attitude. He had to nod in agreement... but Haunter was still smiling and---

"A-AA! H-H-AUNT----ER"
The blonde was licked by the happy, making Ven paralyzed as he fell over.
The ghost blinked.... then flailed as he floated all around his master. "HAUNTER! HAUNTER!!"


Axel smiled at the blush, blushing as well. He looked away, trying to hide his smile behind his hair as he watched Vaporeon watching the meal cook.
He finally... seemed really happy.


When Sora and Ventus came back, the camp started to eat, all praising Terra's cooking. Even the Pokemon seemed pleased with the bits they got but helped themselves with the Pokefood that Axel had brought.

When they finished eating, they decided that it would be best to get a early sleep... hoping that they WOULD tonight.
They got out their sleeping bags, Aqua was given the blanket and pillow back as Ven cuddled up with his brunette brother. Pokemon were called back and some welcomed to come and sleep as others kept a watchful eye on the camp.

Ven sighed as he wrapped his arms around his brother's waist, not finding it weird because they slept like that when they were little. "I need to get my own sleeping bag... Arcy's heartbeat keeps me up." He mumbled as his eyelids grew heavy.

[Reno]

Sora looked up... then burst into laughter as he found his brother shaking all over from a lick attack. "Well at least I'm not the only one who gets accidentally attacked by Pokemon!"


It wasn't long before the two missing members of the group returned, everyone noticing the visible changes in Ven. He seemed... brighter somehow, almost lighthearted. And Sora seemed as happy as ever, as if the anger had never been in the forest at all.

So they ate and Terra bitched about the compliments, trying to hide the fact he was pleased. Luxray was incredibly pleased when he got to lick what was left from everyone's bowls. After all was said and done, the dishes were cleaned and placed away and everyone decided it was time for bed.

Roxas slept close to Axel, snuggling in his sleeping bag with Flareon while Vaporeon slept across the red-head's shoulder blades. Terra was staring up at the sky tiredly, sighing. Gethin was completely silent on his end of the forest, Umbreon curled close to him. Aqua was sleeping as close as possible to the fire this time. And Ven and Sora were curled up close under the covers of their make-shift bed. Jolteon was sleeping on top of the large tiger dog.

The brunette smiled happily, nuzzling his head under the other's chin. At the comment though he chuckled. "Yeah sure... whatever you say..." Her looked up at Ven and grinned finding the blonde already asleep. He snuggled closer and shut his eyes.



"Ugh this is just fucking PERFECT!" Terra screamed to the open air. Thunder boomed through the air, a torrent of air lashing down in waves.
"Terra you ---- get down closer ------ trees!" Sora called through the communicator, the machinery crackling badly with all the electrical currents. "You don't want -- be up there when a bolt comes down, tr--- me!"

The brunette scowled, but nodded. Sora was right of course. It would kill them both. He tugged at the reins he had bought in the last down. It was something Axel had spotted for him actually - it was like a large brown collar that locked around Flygon's neck and the thick leather reins were connected to it, making it easier for him to sit up and guide the other. After some lessons with the red-head he had learned how to use them quite well. "Flly!" Cried the dragon, wings curving before he dipped lower flying just bare inches of some of the trees.

"We're--- need cover!" Roxas voices crackling through.
"Yeah ---- --ow that!" Aqua snapped back.
"We--- fi----!" Sora tried to encourage but his words were lost.

Terra groaned softly, leaning his head against Flygon's neck, hearing the Pokemon struggling to keep up with the others. They were pushing their Pokemon as hard as they could, needing to get out of the thunderstorm as fast as they could. Rapidash and Arcanine were slowing up too much though, the rain pelting them and weakening them more and more by the minute.

The morning had been so clear...

It had started as normal as could be. Cranky Axel got up and made coffee, Sora hobbled around camp to stretch out his leg. Gethin started to make breakfast, Roxas found firewood and Ven checked up on the hover bike. He just glared at everyone, feeling no more rested than he had the last morning.

After they had all ate, did their business and such, they all packed up and moved on, covering the last few miles to the next town in less than an hour. There wasn't much they could do their except have their Pokemon checked... and he bought those reins of course.
Of course, the peaceful morning hardly lasted as of course Terra and Ven got into ANOTHER fight. It was just such a simple comment...

"So when we get there what are we going to do?" Sora asked innocently enough. They had to start making plans on how they were going to go about it when they got to the pillar.
"Well... me and Ven have only been to the pillar a handful of times." Aqua explained.
"We don't really know the layout as well as I wished we did..." Ven added, sighing. "We're going to need to get a general idea of where they might of stored the three Pokemon and then some of us will create a distraction so the rest can infiltrate the building, collect the Pokemon and then we'll get the fuck out of there."
"What kind of distraction though?" Axel asked.
"I know what we can do." Terra said, his bitter voice breaking into the others thoughts as they turned to him. He turned his smoldering gaze towards Ven, and said heartlessly, "You can always dress up as fucking VenITA and ask every man there on a god damn date. It's fucking low enough to work, eh?"
Ven's mouth gaped open for three seconds, and then his face turned red and he scowled. Then the shouting started... it was bad enough Nurse Joy through them all out.

He shouldn't of said it, but he had. Ven was in such a state over it that Aqua decided to drive when they started moving again, grumbling about him being so angry he might run them into a tree.

They had been traveling nearly all day and for the whole way both he and Ven had been completely silent as the others talked around them. Even the times they stopped to give water to the Pokemon the two kept their distance from one another, not even LOOKING at each other...

And it bothered him. He knew... if he could just swallow his fucking pride and apologize everything would be okay again. But he didn't wa-

"FLY FLY!!" Came a panicked cry of his Pokemon, his flight becoming uneven as he tried to get his trainers attention.
Terra rose his head, hands tightening on the slippery reins. "What is it?"
The dragon flapped his wings even harder in the downpour, trying to speed up. "GOOOON!" He cried in the downpour, but it was lost under the noise of thunder.
Terra recognized the cry, knowing it was a sound of warning. He rose himself up and looked around for the source of his comrade's panic and fear.

It took only a one look to figure it out. His heart stopped. No...

Aqua sighed as she leaned over the bike more, feeling Ven doing the same as she kicked up the speed more, hearing mud splashing under the wheels and puddles kicking up little waves as they sped through the storm. Both of them were desperately looking from side to side, looking for some sort of cover from the rain knowing they had to find it soon before Rapidash and Arcanine became ill... or themseleves. The temperature had dropped incredibly and the wind was fierce, making travel hard on all of them.

Behind her, she could hear the faint pounding of hooves and paws, getting more and more distant as the fire types weakened under the onslaught of rain that had started as a drizzle about an hour ago... and grew into this. She threw a quick glance over her shoulder, seeing Axel with his head low as if he was trying to cover the unicorn, a poncho flaring out behind her as well courtesy of Roxas. They were doing the best they could to keep the rain off her.

Even farther back Sora was holding onto Arc's collar tightly, his face determined as he spoke quiet words of encouragement to the tiger dog, words that barely made it over the communication lines. The dog was exhausted. Gethin's expression was hidden as always.

And above the trees, flapping hard, was Flygon, obviously struggling in the vicious winds to keep up. Low on his back Terra lay, the reins wrapped around his arms do to keep himself from slipping off the other's rubbery skin.

No one could keep this up much longer. They had to stop soon.

She sighed looking ahead seeing the land ahead of them dropping in a hill. That was good, they could pick up some speed going downhill like that. Lightning flashed lighting the area for a moment, and she saw something black far in the distance but the second the light faded she saw it no longer. What...?

The communicator crackled in her ear and a voice screamed through. "A---! V-N!!" Her muscles tensed, recognizing Terra's voice. "ST--!!!"
"What?!" She called back.
"---OP!!! YOU'RE HEADED ------- - CL---!!!" Came the crackles.
Her eyebrows knitted together, trying to understand. "Te-" She tried to say. There was some confusion over the lines as Roxas and Sora both called for the brunette.
"THERE'S A C---------!!!!!"
"WHAT?!" More than one voice cried.

They were approaching the hill.
Lightning flashed.
She caught a glimpse of that yawning darkness once more.
The scream came through, clear and loud.
"CLIFF!!!!!"

The warning registered... but it was too late. The bike soared over the rise giving Aqua and Ven both a terrifying aerial view of what Terra was seeing. It wasn't a cliff... it was much worse.

It was a hill. It sloped down steeply. But at the bottom of that hill was a large crack in the ground, breaking open the earth and separated by nearly a half-mile wide berth from the continuation of the trail. The crack itself was nothing but blackness, speaking of how deep it must be.

Gravity came back, Aqua and Ven both grunted in pain as the bike connected back with the ground, jolting both their bodies and they continued to speed... right to their deaths.


At Terra cry Roxas' heart stopped. A cliff? In front of them?! "Axel-" He started to cry, trying to tell the other to slow up, just as he saw the bike in front of them sail on nothing but air... and then disappear. His eyes widened as fear struck his heart. No... No NO! "VEN!!" He screamed brokenly, voice lost in the storm.

But he barely had time to dwell on the loss of his twin as they were approaching the 'cliff' as well. Right as they hit the edge, Axel yanked on the reins hard and Rapidash gave a loud, snorting neigh her speeding race suddenly pulling short, quickly, smacking Roxas into Axel and then she reared up on her hind legs at the abruptness of pull. The two riders gave a cry as they fell over, Roxas giving a painful cry as he hit the ground and then Axel landed on top of him.

Sora's eyes were wide as his second brother suddenly went missing right before his eyes, as if he was suddenly a magician doing a disappearing trick. Btu he knew it was no trick... not from what Terra had screamed. "NOOO!!!" He yelled kicking his heels in hard to force Arcanine to pick up her speed. They needed to get there, needed to save him!!

But she did just the opposite as Rapidash reared up, her voice wailing in warning. Arcanine understood and disobeyed her master's kicking heels, giving a loud bark as she slid messily to a stop, nearby the horse, head lowering as Sora fell into it with Riku but thankfully did not topple off her.
Sora's struggled to sit up and saw the bike speeding down the hill... and what the were headed for. He sat there, frozen in horror, knowing in his heart it would be impossible to reach the blonde in time.

"FLLLLLLLLLLLY!!" Came a scream right from above, Flygon passing overhead with Terra holding on tight. The dragon swooped, down the hill, diving quickly after the bike that was on a suicide slide.

Terra grit his teeth as Flygon pumped his wings as fast as he could but at the rate they were going, Flygon wouldn't have enough speed. The weight...
He knew what he had to do. To save them... "You can do it Flygon." He hissed softly... before he let the reins go and fell off.

Aqua could hear Ven screaming for her to break, to pull up, do SOMETHING but her eyes just stared ahead, knowing it was impossible to save themseleves. The dirt of the hill had turned all the mud under the vicious rain and was sliding at an unstoppable rate, making all attempts at stopping useless. It she break they'd just continue to slide anyways. If she pulled they'd still be taken away under the moving land. Ven knew this too. They were going to die, no matter what she tried.

"Ven..." She gasped... before breaking into a scream as they hit the break in the ground. The hit over and sailed for a few terrifying moments in midair like before, but gravity again was a malicious mistress as the bike started to tilt until Aqua got a very clear view of the canyon of blackness below. She stared at her death. and felt her stomach plummet... as the bike did.

Ven was holding her tightly, screaming possibly in her ear - or was that her - as their bodies unlatched from the bike. Her slippery and wet hands fell from the handles... and she felt like she was punched in the gut as she was suddenly yanked hard by another force, body being closely crushed to Ven's. She coughed hard struggling as adrenaline and fear still were at the forefront of her mind, until she heard it.

"Flygon!"

The cry was so out of place it made her freeze... and realize she was no longer falling. Her fingers clutched hard around the thick light green flesh - a tail - that was wrapped around her ribs, looking up hesitantly at the face of their savior. "F-F...?" She tried to speak, her voice raspy from fear.

But another scream drew their attention and the Dragon turned around in mid-air. She saw a terrible sight as Terra, sliding and rolling by the uncontrollable force of the mud slide... went sailing off the cliff as well... right past them.

Terra, at a loss of breath from hitting the ground and unable to stop himself as he went rolling downhill. He shut his eyes as mud splashed everywhere, hearing the rumbling noise of the land shifting, thunder roaring, screams echoing...

It wasn't until he suddenly had nothing under him that his eyes snapped open with a gasp on his lips as he fell with the mud down towards nothing but black. He screamed at this nightmare in front of him, his heart hammering hard.

And then their was a flash of lightning and he saw a strip of brown. His hands flailed for it desperately like it was a life preserver in the ocean. He felt the rough material and his fingers clenched instinctively and his body jerked to a halt swinging from side to side.

"GON!" Was the cry, all of them losing a few feet of air as Flygon's body was yanked by his master's unexpected added weight as the reins, which had flipped from laying across his back to in front of his stomach, were grabbed. He flapped his wings hard, tossing his head some as the collar constricted his neck. He knew he could not give in, knowing this was the most important thing he would ever do in his life. He struggled there for a few moments, but soon they started to lift up slowly, foot by foot, climbing higher towards the sky, two humans dangling from his tail and one from the new reins.

It was slow and exhausting work, but the Pokemon didn't give up, forcing his body to turn and flap towards were Sora, Gethin, Arcanine, Roxas, Axel, and Rapidash were still waiting.

[Rikugurl]

The sound of the thunder covered the blonde's growls as the conversation of this morning still brewed in his head. What a fucking jack ass. What a fucking jerk! How could be even...KISS that fucking mouth of his!? How could he even blush at every muscular detail, crave those rough hands and needed to feel that...

NONONONONO! He was an asshole! Remember!?

He shook his head, the water in in getting all over his face but it didn't matter much as his face was already drenched. This was one of the few times where him and his brothers hair laid flat on their heads, their stubborn spikes doing nothing in protest as the rain beat down on them.

The roar of the bike made him sigh, looking around to see if there was maybe some overturn rocks or maybe a cave they could take shelter in. This storm just seemed to come out of no where... but was taking a toll on those in tow.

The fire unicorn was huffing harshly as she continued to run as fast as she could. Her hooves dug deep into the mud below, trying her best not to run into puddles but that was becoming harder and harder to do. With knowing that she was top heavy, a careful step could be over looked and she could slip, having a high possibility of breaking a leg. She couldn't help save Moltres with a broken leg...

However, now that she decided to run through puddles, the flames on her legs had gone out, making her substantially slower. Her mane and tail flames were also becoming weak and Axel knew what would happen if they went out...

"Come on, Rapidash...you can do it. We can beat this storm." The redhead tried to calm the horse before a clash of thunder made her uneasy... but still she followed the bike up ahead.

However, when Terra started to call above, the redhead frowned, slowly looking up but his glasses were instantly hit with the hard rain. He tried to wipe them off but it only smeared the water about, making him growl. He needed to get contacts... His long, wet hair wasn't helping much either.
They continued, hearing Roxas calling back, trying to understand the brunette better. Whatever it was, it didn't sound like it was a good---

"CLIFF!!!!!"

His naturally narrow eyes widened as he looked around, trying to locate it and not putting two and two together until he saw the bike in front of them go....flying!?
"NOO!!"
He heard Roxas's cry and his reaction time became slow as he went into shock but quickly pulled the reins, making the horse neigh in terror as well, unable to calm herself as she reared onto her hind legs and kicked up her front.

"Cl----IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!"
The blonde cried as they went soaring over the hill, meeting gravity hard as they fell back down, the bike moaning as something was busted off it. His blue eyes widened in horror as he saw what was coming fast... a cliff.
"AAAAAAQUAAAAAA! STOOOOOOOOOP! STAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!" He screamed in horror, even if his logic told her that even if he was driving, there was no way from stopping the bike from falling into the death gap.

He sucked in a deep breath and.... they were.... falling.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" He clenched onto Aqua as if she was some big fucking Drifblim that would soar out of the gap.... but they only continued to fall.
"SOOOORAAAAAAA!! ROOOOOOOXAAAAAAAAAS!" He screamed as he closed his eyes. Hopefully... he wouldn't feel the bottom of the cliff...

"AAAH!" Axel called as he fell off the horse, landing on someone else.
Roxas.
He winced but froze as he heard a blood curtailing scream... When it all registered, he fumbled back onto his two feet, helping Roxas up and quickly ran to the edge of the hill, seeing... something relieving. Flygon... was pulling all three to safety.
"THAT'S IT FLYGON! YOU CAN DO IT!"

Ventus continued to scream until his voice and breath was pushed out of him, being crushed into Aqua. Even of he felt something secure around them, he wrapped his arms around Aqua's neck as he started to hyperventilating from the fear still running through his body. His horror stricken eyes looked down, seeing Terra dangling on for dear life as well as thunder clashed above them and rain continued to beat down on them.

He...wanted to reach out and secure him but... he couldn't let go of Aqua... like if he did...he would fall again.


Axel smiled slightly as he saw Flygon slowly but surely flying over to them...but something else started to happen.
"RAAAA!" His horse cried next to him, making him look over to see a horrible sight.
Rapidash had sunk into the mud and now was slowly slipping down the hill, an able to climb back up.
"Rapidash!" Axel called as he rushed for her, slipping some himself and almost falling before he grabbed her reins and started to pull.

She neighed as he pulled, knowing that wasn't going to help any. She continued to try and climb up but she was too heavy as her hooves continued to slide down the hill. Axel knew that if he recalled her now... he couldn't recall her again for she would be too weak.
"COME ON!" He cried as he continued to pull, making her neck stretch out as far as she could.

The hooded teen saw the scene and quickly grabbed a dusk ball from belt and threw it out, a flash coming out the same time a flash of lightning broke through the sky.
"META!" The heavy pokemon cried as he hit the muddy ground hard, also sliding down the hill. When he realized this he slammed his claws in so deep that he could find solid ground and stop easily.
"HELP RAPIDASH UP!" Gethin called and the Pokemon nodded. He climbed up the hill, his heavy legs making the earth rumble as he suddenly picked up two very muddy claws as...pushed up on Rapidash's butt.

"RAAAAA!" The horse called, highly insulted as she looked back at him... but he slowly walked up, pushing her up the hill slowly. The flames from her tail made him wince but he continued to push her until Axel's pulling brought her back to safe grounds and away from the edge.

[Reno]

Terra, like Ven, was hyperventilating. But that was because he couldn't stop looking down at the gaping darkness like it was the mouth of a shark, opened wide and ready to devour him. The height... who knew how great it - he heard a crash and screech of metal... knowing it was the bike being torn to piece.
His shaking hands tightened harder on his little life line, shutting his eyes tightly glad the rain was hiding his tears.

Roxas was at a loss of breath but he wasn't deaf as he heard... his name screamed through the air. Ven... he never even got to... say he was sorry... he never even...
He felt numb as Axel helped him up, his face frozen in a mask of anguish. His fear was stopped short however when he saw... Flygon. When... how?
He was still frozen, just staring blankly at the struggling dragon not noticing the rain still pelting down, the thunder still roaring like a furious monster... and not even Axel's cry and Rapidash's panicked neighs. His mind refused to work at all.

Sora watched the whole scene with wide eyes, hearing the screams of his brother call his name... watching Terra jump off of the dragon to give him more time... watching him go falling off as well...

-and watching as Flygon flapped his wings, appearing over the edge of the canyon, two people one yellow and the other blue wrapped up tightly in his curled tail. And then as he gained more air... he saw Terra, dangling from the reins. At Axel's cry his shoulders started to loosen some, realizing everything was okay... it was all okay!

He heard an odd sound though that made him finally looked away from the dragon to see something that made his heart freeze again. Rapidash... was slipping...
"Ar!!" Cried Arcanine in panic, tossing her head nervously and taking several steps away from the edge, her wide eyes on the horse.
"No!" Sora cried just after Axel did, seeing the red head running for his friend and trying to PULL her back up. Sora let go of his dog's collar and pulled his leg over her body, jumping towards the ground, intending on running over and helping...
But he forgot about his leg, so without thinking he jumped down on the left one first. The pain was instantaneous, white flashing in his vision as he stumbled and fell into the mud.

Luckily, Riku/Gethin was still in his right mind and quickly went to aid the slipping Pokemon and with some teamwork on Axel and Metagross' part, the fire horse made it back up the hill.

Flygon panted softly as he made it up the hill, seeing all the trouble the rain had caused. He struggled between the two fire Pokemon and the steel type, losing altitude quickly. Terra's feet touched down first, his feet moving reflexively backwards as he kept a tight hold on the reins, pulling the other further onto the hill to avoid falling off it again. The dragon gave a soft cry of weariness before his wings gave under the onslaught of rain. His feet and Ven and Aqua touched the even ground, before the Pokemon himself fell with quite a sound onto the mud, panting tiredly. His tail unwrapped slowly from the two former Rockets, laying on the ground limply.

Terra, with shaking legs, slowly sat down his eyes wide as his brain tried to catch up with himself and reassure him he was safe. He ran his hands along the dragon's head, realizing how exhausted the other was. "Thank you... good job Flygon..." He leaned down, kissing the other softly on the nose.

Aqua and Ven were both also sitting in the mud, Ven still holding onto her tightly. She hardly noticed at first, struggling with herself to let go of the insect's tail. That was until she felt Ven yanked away from her. Her heart stopped, fearing the worst but when she turned her head, it was... an interesting sight. But one that filled her with the pain of longing...

It was Roxas who had taken Ven from her. He had the identical blonde in his arms, holding him tightly against his body. The younger twin buried his head in the others wet hair, sobbing softly and mumbling over and over, "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry Ven... I love you..."

Aqua watched them for a few moment more, before tears suddenly filled her eyes as she realized that they were alive. She took a shaky breath and buried her head into her hands, quivering from head to toe as she struggled not to cry.

Sora stirred to the feelings of a hand on his back and another on his shoulder, shaking him carefully but enough to rouse him. When had he fallen asleep? He made a soft noise, turning his head some and grunting as rain fell on him from above.

... R-Rain?

His eyes snapped open, a noise of panic escaping his lips. He couldn't be back there... no not again!

There was a soft utterance of his name, breaking him out of his long ago memories, and he blinked away the haze. Scrambled and confused, he took a deep breath, reassuring himself further so and he moved his hands slowly, whimpering a little as he noticed how badly his leg was hurting. As he started lifting himself up, he felt an arm curl around his chest, helping him in sitting up.

Sora took a glance at his aid and smiled shakily. "T-Thanks Ri..." He was still a little disoriented but soft noise made him look towards the trail... and everything came back in a flash. "Ven..." He said in relief, starting to shift to go and hug the blond like Roxas was but he remembered why he needed Riku's help in the first place.

His fingers dug into the earth and he leaned against the silverette, finding it took off some of the pressure - oh and it felt nice too. He surveyed the area silently, seeing Flygon's exhaustion, and Arcanine and Rapidash's weakness, not to mention how traumatized Terra, Aqua, Ven and even Roxas were acting right now... they would be going no further.

He ran a hand through his hair, not used to having so much in his eyes, and whispered softly, "We need to find shelter now..." He whispered. But there was nothing... but if they could just... "We can make one."

[Rikugurl]

Even as he was pulled more and more away from the cliff, the blue eyes were as wide as ever as his breath caught, getting to ahead of itself. Where... had that come from? There was no warning signs... no nothing!
Of course, if it wasn't down pouring the cliff could of been easy to jump over by Pokemon... but even then it would still be dangerous.

Before he knew it though... he was sitting in something freezing...his arms still wrapped around his partner as he slowly closed his eyes.
"AAAAAAAAAaaaaah!!" He cried as he was pulled away, feeling like he would still fall without her but he was secure in someone else's arms now.
His brother's.
"R-roxas..." He breathed shakily as his arms wrapped around him, starting to cry as well as he realized that he was...safe.

"Good girl..." Axel said as he pet Rapidash's face and recalled her. There was no way they could continue... this storm wasn't giving them a chance.

He looked back to see the sight but what caught his eye first was...Aqua... alone in the mud by herself...crying.
He quickly hurried to her side and knelt down, wrapping his arms around her should. "Aqua... it's alright..." He said softly before rubbing her back.

Metagross had no problem walking back to his master, seeing him kneeling down next to the brunette. His eyes narrowed as he watched his master unzip his jacket and pull one side around Sora to cover him from the rain.

"Y-yea..." The silverette nodded as he pulled Sora close. He looked out at the group, his hood still covering his face before slowly helping Sora up, making him lean on him for balance. "EVERYONE! GET INTO THE FOREST!" It was still cover...

[Reno]

Roxas sniffled some, feeling the other shaking against him as he sobbed. But it was a comforting feeling, just knowing he was alive.

Aqua gasped softly as she felt arms wrap around her, making her look up in confusion, tears streaked on her cheeks but unseen in the rain. "A-Axel...?" She whispered, her voice quivering some. At his words though, the blues in her eyes softened and she leaned against him, murmuring softly, "Thank you..." She didn't know if she was thanking him for the reassurance... or just for caring.

Sora grunted softly as he was helped up, his arms encircling the other for added support. It was kinda of nice... to have the help for once.

He sighed at the other's call, knowing that the trek itself was going to be interesting. He carefully reached for his Pokemon, pointing it at Arcanine. "Thanks girl, return." The wet and weary tiger dog disappeared in a flash of light. with a light tug from the other, they started towards the forest.

Terra looked up when he heard Gethin as well and he took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. His trembling fingers grabbed Flygon's Pokeball, returning the dragon as well. He was going to need a long rest. He clenched his hands tightly before he stood, mud dripping off of him everywhere, glancing towards Ven and Aqua who were slowly being coaxed to their feet by Roxas and Axel.


"Y-Y-You... s-sure this is gonna h-hold?" Roxas chattered uncertainly, looking up at the 'ceiling'.
"Mmm..." Terra just sounded noncommittally, too tired to think of a snappy response.

Sora's idea was a good one. Make a shelter - a lot of them had the Pokemon and the means. With Torterra and Metgaross they were able to cut down trees and vines, tying them together in a small fort and with some ground attacks, they were able to seal the spaces in the trunk together with mud. They had a small... very small, little door in which an over-large leaf was covering, doing its best to keep out the cold but everyone was sure it would rip right off.
They didn't have much space unfortunately. They were in a very close circle with a small fire built in the middle, which was of course having a hard time burning with wet wood.

"For now we're okay." Sora said softly. "It's better than nothing." His brought his good leg close to his chest, wrapping his arm around it and shivered all over.

There was a pause around the circle, and Sora ran his eyes along everyone. First he passed over Riku, who was at his left and still hooded, then looked to Terra who was leaning back on his hands, eyelids drooping with weariness, then to Axel who was attempting for the third time to dry his glasses, then to Aqua who was sitting curled up and staring blankly into the fire, then to Roxas who was looking nervously around their surrondings as if it might give at any seconds...

Finally he looked to Ven... who still seemed freaked out. The brunette sighed some, moving his hand and placing it on Ven's shoulder reassuringly catching his attention. when the blonde looked up he gave him a big smile.

[Rikugurl]

Everyone was rather exhaused, huddled together under a shelter that could be ruined in a second due to a large wind. Everyone was shivering... and they were in too small a place to get out blankets, fearing that any move as well could bring the shelter down. They could only hope that they wouldn't catch a cold in their drenched clothes.

Axel sighed as he placed his glasses on his face once more and looked out at the fire. They had at least made it to Route 123... the only bad part was... they wouldn't get to the next town for a couple days. At least Lilycove City had a large department store where they could stock up on things before their journey across the waters began.

However... would they and their pokemon be alright before they got there...? What if another storm hit them? He started to become less and less worried about how they would manage at the Sky Pillar and more and more concerned about how they're even going to MAKE it there...

The group did manage to fall asleep, not from comfort or warmth... but from their exhaustion.


"HEY! Don't look at me like that." The redhead frowned as he got an eyebrow raised at him the next morning.
Axel's clothes were hanging over a branch as he cuddled naked under his blanket. He NEEDED to get out of those wet clothes.
Luckily, everyone seemed to agree... and followed his lead.

Unfortunately for Aqua, her new equipment was lost with the bike... but knowing Axel had a second blanket, it was passed over to her and she had to hide herself even more as they sat around the larger camp fire now in the middle of the trail.

The storm had passed and the sun was out, birds singing and everyone moaning from another horrible night sleep.
Ven sighed as he watched the flames dance as he sat next to the fire, his Haunter blowing on everyone's clothes to make them dry quicker.

Another larger fire was made for Rapidash and Arcanine to warm up, even lay IN to get their strength back to normal.
The horse stood in the fire until her hooves caught on fire once more and her mane and tail filled out again.

Gethin of course pulled his blanket over his head to make a shadow hide his face.
"Now with the bike gone... who is Aqua and Ven going to travel with?"