Resurgence | Medieval Pokemon 1x1

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It was good to lay back and rest a bit, even if they were in the company of the enemy. Takashi was very much like the other Phoenician soldiers; slightly tense about the situation, but not letting it bother him to the point that he was edgy about every move that they made. The young warrior sighed, taking a seat not far from Suzume and setting down his bag. Opening the satchel, he noticed that his water pouch was running low. He would have to refill it-- he could even take a drink now and refill it once more before they set off. Running a hand through his knotted, dark-brown hair, he got to his feet and looked at Suzume. "I'm going to go and fill up my pouch at the creek," he stated, the small sack hanging from his hand. Ciel, who had gotten to her paws as soon as he got up, looked back at Caius and Suzume with a cat-like smirk. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Alright," Suzume replied, her voice soft as she pulled Caius away from her. "Try not to get eaten."

Takashi chuckled as he turned away from the two, patting Ciel on the head. "Come, Ciel. The water's waiting for us. I don't know about you, put I'm parched."

The young swordsman and his Luxray made their way into the woods, the sounds of nature soon engulfing them both. The whisper of wind through the branches, the chattering of Pidgey as they squabbled over the sparse nuts and berries... It was interesting to watch. Takashi found himself wondering if Pokemon lived for other reasons other than to fight. Then again, did Pokemon look at them and wonder why humans were so full of violence? The thought made him feel slightly sick to his stomach; they couldn't possibly seem that monstrous, right?

Takashi and Ciel reached the creek before he could fully register where he was. The sound of rushing water snapped him back to his senses, and he shook his head, trying to get rid of the philosophical thoughts. He rubbed the back of his head, heaving a sigh. "I almost gave myself a headache..." he told Ciel, who opened her jaws wide in a yawn. The Luxray swayed her tail, her red eyes flicking to and fro the bank of the creek before resting on another male and his Aegislash. Her ears twitched slightly as the tip of her tail thumped against Takashi's leg. He looked up to protest, having bent over to retrieve the water from the creek, but paused when he saw that they had company.

He straightened up, blinking at the man in greeting. "Hello," he began, slightly nervous. "You're one of Argent's men, aren't you? I saw Suzume speak to you and... I don't think she mentioned anyone like you in her squadron of the Phoenician army." Takashi rubbed the back of his head, looking a bit lost. He felt like he was being a little hostile, but how was he supposed to speak to someone who was on the enemy's side? Remember. We're supposed to be working together. He's not my enemy anymore. "Ah, forgive me if I'm being too forward. My name's Takashi. I'm from Phoenicis." he motioned toward Ciel, who looked at them with a cool expression. "And this is Ciel, one of my partners. Might I ask who you are?"
 
Haku barely took a few steps from the creek before his breath hitched in his throat. His heart began to race as he stood there, frozen. Before him was a Luxray, along with a tall, dark-haired soldier fully clad in crimson armor. 'Crap, this isn't good...' he thought, his gaze never once leaving the other man and his Pokemon. If there was one place in the whole of Atlas he wouldn't want to be in, then it would be in a forest, with a Phoenician...right next to a creek that drowned out all noises. If anything happened between them, then he doubted that he would be able to call for reinforcement.

The Phoenician seemed surprised to see him, and in one lucid moment, Haku could calmly deduce that he wasn't here to ambush him. He allowed himself to relax somewhat, giving the other male a nod in return to the greeting. "I'd be surprised if she did. I belong to Argent, and Lugia is the only god that I will praise," he told him, pride filling his voice where tension hadn't touched it. For a moment or so, he had to think about who he was talking about here. Considering that he had only spoken to one woman from the Phoenician army, he had to assume that it was the blonde soldier. 'Suzume... So that's what her name is.'

He was aware that his response had been anything but friendly, but by Lugia... if anyone thought of him as a Phoenician again, he might have a difficult time keeping calm about it. As the other man apologized and went on to introduce himself, Haku leaned his naginata against his shoulder as he shifted to a more comfortable position. "My name is Haku, and this is Gardi," he motioned towards the Aegislash with his head. "He's not much of a talker." And indeed, as if to prove his point, Gardi remained silent as his purple eye shifted down to the Luxray. At most, the Ghost-type seemed to be neutral about the unexpected meeting.

A pause entered the air between them, and Haku raised his head a little. "This Suzume... You seem to be well-acquainted with her," he stated, his brows furrowing into a slight frown. "You may tell her not to make any jokes about the dead. It's dishonorable."
 
The first thing Takashi noticed about the man was that he was a bit too serious. Even though he gave him whatever kindness he could, tension was still present between them. His dark eyes looked the man up and down when he spoke about Lugia. It was then that his voice became much more relaxed. He was a proud man serving his nation... he was much like the other men and women who gathered in the camp. The Argentian man was a true soldier of Lugia's land-- and he knew that nothing would change that. After announcing his devotion to his god, he introduced himself as well as the silent Aegislash beside him.

Takashi shifted his feet, warily eyeing the creature. He wasn't appreciating the presence of the Aegislash. To him, and the rest of Atlas, Gardi was a demon. He didn't understand why-- or how --Haku had trained such a thing. Ciel, however, stepped forward and sniffed at the floating Pokemon, her ears swiveling backwards. Even she was wary about the thing... but he was sure that it wasn't because she thought he was a demon. She was probably worried about him being on the opposite side of the war-- he was an enemy.

He tipped his head when Haku spoke about Suzume. "She doesn't make any jokes about the dead when I'm around," Takashi replied, crossing his arms in front of him. "But I'm not surprised that she did such a thing. Suzume isn't known for keeping her emotions, or tongue, under check. I'll speak to her about it," he sighed, leaning on his other leg. This Haku character didn't seem to like Suzume much... but who was he to judge? Suzume was a bitch to him the first time that he met her...

"How do you know Suzume? You two seem to be... fond of each other," sarcasm laced Takashi's voice as he laughed.
 
The man before him struck him as earnest and dependable...perhaps a bit on the light-hearted side. Haku knew people like that. He had grown up with them, trained with them-- lived his life with them. But nevertheless, he was still uncertain of how he should behave around this person. What if this was all a facade? What if he attacked him as soon as he lowered his guard? What if his Luxray was planning something? What if there were other Phoenicians hiding somewhere? What if, what if, what if...

Haku noticed that Takashi seemed to be uneasy about the Aegislash. But then again, most people were. He couldn't imagine a life where almost every person avoided you, threatened you with harm if you didn't go away. And then, there was this...other thing. Every since that day, Gardi had never been the same, and Haku could very well be the only person in Atlas who knew what this Pokemon must going through. He himself was carrying a similar burden, but, it wasn't even worth comparing them. As Ciel had approached the Aegislash, sniffing him, Gardi had tilted his body downwards slightly-- as if to get a better view on the other Pokemon over his shield. His eye blinked a few times, radiating of curiosity as it cntrasted the much warier Ciel. If anything, the Ghost type seemed to be acknowledging her presence.

As Takashi spoke again, this time about Suzume, Haku lifted a hand to rub his neck. 'No, she definitely isn't...' he responded somewhat wryly in his thoughts, his gaze having shifted towards the creek. It did however put his mind to rest when Takashi mentioned that he will speak to her about it. The less he had to experience that stuff, the better. "I see. I'd appreciate it if you did," he answered, and at that moment, it seemed as if a knot had been unraveled in his chest. He felt...relieved? No, the issue was still there somewhere. It had merely been turned into something of a lesser degree.

As the other man had laughed, Haku shifted on his feet as his face took on a troubled expression. "I...wouldn't go as far as to say that," he replied with some difficulty, only then growing a suspicion that the man may had been sarcastic. Deciding to shrug it off, he went to fold his arms lightly over his chest. "We met on the battlefield during the war," Haku began, hesitating for a short moment when he thought about it. Closing his eyes, a mild frown was draped over them. "...I'm sure that she could tell you more about it if you asked." His reply had at most been evasive, but he was certainly not doing it to avoid taking responsibility for everything that happened that day--far from it. He did not regret a single thing, but if this Takashi was a close ally to Suzume, then he didn't want to be anywhere near him when he finds out about all those extra details. From their conversation, Haku could safely guess that he and Takashi probably wouldn't be on their best terms with each other, and he sure wanted to be prepared for whenever that day would come.
 
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Takashi noticed that Haku wasn't being that friendly with him. At the very least, he was being evasive; he was treating him as an enemy, no more, no less. Then again, he should probably be as distant as he was acting towards him. The Pheonician warrior shifted his feet, looking away from both Haku and Gardi. Instead, he gazed at the brook, noticing how swiftly it was moving. Maybe it had been overflowing with storm water just a few days ago and was now expelling the excess where ever it emptied out. Haku continued to speak, making him look up once more. He stated that Suzume and him had met on the battlefield, and that he should ask Suzume about how the battle went. I have a feeling she won't answer. Takashi thought, letting his arms fall to his sides again. She'll bite my head off, instead.

'You're an interesting fellow,' Ciel smirked at Gardi, her golden pupils focused solely on the Aegislash. It wasn't often that she was face to face with a Ghost Pokemon. Humans were fearful of such Pokemon-- they were dubbed demons and slain on the spot if no one was there to protect them. But she knew better than to call the other Pokemon a demon. In fact, he was kind of attractive, in a sense.

Before the Luxray could say anything else, Takashi grumbled under his breath. "I guess I'll see you around, then?" he turned toward Ciel, motioning towards the path. "The rest might be wondering where I am."

With that, Takashi and Ciel walked back onto the main path of the forest. As he made his way back to the camp, he wondered what exactly had transpired between the two warriors back on the battlefield. The wind tugged on his clothing, snapping him out of the daze that he was in. By the lord, he thought, exasperated with himself. What's wrong with me? I don't think this often... maybe it's because I'm in such aggressive company.

As soon as he made it to the camp, Suzume focused her attention on him. Takashi noticed that she was still tending to her Pokemon; she had always been someone who cared deeply for her companions. "It took you long enough to get the water," she scoffed, ruffling Mauve's fur. She did not make eye contact with him, and it rubbed his feathers in the wrong direction. He glared at her and gave her a scowl.

"Whatever," he snorted as he walked away.

Suzume watched as he left, her already present frown deepening. "What's wrong with him?" she mumbled aloud, glancing down at Mauve. The Umbreon blinked up at her, his tail swishing slightly. Seraph, who had been curled up beside her, raised his massive head.

'It's mating season for the humans,' he said through a yawn. 'That's why the males are all riled up.'

Mauve sighed and shook his head. 'Then you must be going through a never-ending mating season, Seraph. You're always riled up.'

Caius cackled at Mauve's reply, only stopping when Seraph tossed him a glare. The Arcanine growled at the small Pokemon, wrinkling his nose angrily. 'Shut up, furball. I can make a quick snack out of you.'

'True. But then what would you do without me?'
 
A long silence entered between them, the sounds of rapidly flowing water replacing what conversation was left. Haku knew that he might be treating Takashi unfairly. The war had long since ended, and they were all here to save their nations from those savage Pokemon. His cautiousness towards him wasn't especially helpful in this area. The Phoenician could very well be a decent person, however, Haku couldn't afford to make any mistakes that could ultimately cost him his life. Not with a soldier from Phoenicis, and certainly not so soon after the war. Should they wish for his kindness, then they would need to prove themselves trustworthy. Until then...basic politeness would have to do.

The comment from the Luxray had been so unexpected, Gardi was frankly taken aback by it. 'Interesting...?' he replied, albeit in a rather questioning way. Of all the Pokemon he encountered during the years, Ciel has so far been the only one to have called him interesting. It mystified him really. No demon, no monster, no creature...just interesting. He would have thought that Ciel may have been sarcastic and insincere, but he didn't exactly detect any hostility from her. Indeed, the way she looked at him, her earlier wariness seemed to have been replaced with a pure interest. Gardi wasn't certain how he should react. This was new, this was...highly unusual. It made him feel something he hasn't felt in many years: appreciation, acceptance...happiness. Before he could ask her more about it, her master had spoken up, causing the Aegislash to pause and look back up at the two men.

As Takashi spoke again, it took a moment for Haku to process the words, having been completely in his thoughts beforehand. By the time he had looked back at the man, Takashi was already on his way towards camp with his Luxray trailing after him. "I guess we will," he responded, although he doubted that the Phoenician would have heard him. And right beside him, Gardi seemed to be in some sort of a daze as he stared after Ciel. The Aegislash would normally have gone back to stare at him by this time...but not today it seemed. Then again, Haku couldn't claim that he was in his regular spirits either. Lifting the naginata from the ground, he glanced back at the Pokemon. "We should return as well, Gardi...before Heisuke makes a scene like the last time." The expression on his face was anything but amused when he returned onto the forest path, the Aegislash only then snapping out of it and hurriedly floating after him.

~~~~~~~


"Sachi, don't eat your food that way. You'll make a mess over yourself."

"Aaamp?"

"Ugh...you naughty girl. Come here."
​
Sitting close to a group of laughing Argentians, Heisuke reached out with a napkin as the Ampharos stood there, cluelessly blinking, and with a half-eaten riceball between her small paws. Yang was sitting in a flowery patch not too far away from them, nibbling on his own food as he seemed not to pay them any mind. Having cleaned away the mess she caused, the brown-haired man had leaned back to his spot, fan calmly beating as his gaze swept across the camp like a broom against the floor. "Hm...no Haku in sight. Where could he be, where could he be?" he asked no one in particular, completely lost in his own thoughts. He was running out of things to do, and his only plaything wasn't even here. A pair of emerald-tinted eyes swayed to the side before they rested on the Volcarona. "You didn't happen to have seen him anywhere, have you, Yang?"

The Pokemon paused as he held his food, but he merely looked up at Heisuke, a wing twitching somewhat. Heisuke sighed as he propped his head on his palm. "So you haven't seen him either...such a shame." He remembered that day a few weeks before Argent went into war with Aurios. Haku had been late for his sparring session, driving their instructor absolutely mad. And when the old grump went on to yell at the other soldiers, Heisuke had simply slipped up to him, and he told him...that Haku simply must have gotten down and dirty with a girl in the stables. And when Haku finally arrived, completely out of breath, never in his life had he seen such a beetred hue on the dark-haired man's face. It was a fond memory really, the edge of his mouth curling up into a smirk as he stared off into the distance.

Before his mind had the opportunity to register it, a tall Phoenician with dark-brown hair had come out from the forest, continuing up to the blonde woman from before. Heisuke watched their exchange with a muted interest, and soon enough, the man seemed to have left in a bad-tempered fashion. A slight hum came from him as he tapped the fan against his chin. 'It seems that there is a dispute between those two...' he thought as he watched her remain by her Pokemon. After a while, a smile spread across his face as the fan was closed with a click. "...Sachi, Yang, it has come to my attention that a certain Phoenician may need a bit of our sympathy."

As Yang flew up to perch on Heisuke's head, Sachi had tilted her head before she too went up, skipping along towards the blonde soldier and her partners. Before long, the Ampharos reached them, her beady eyes blinking up at Suzume before she peered at Mauve. After a moment of shyness, she gave the darker Pokemon a beaming smile. 'Pleasure to meet you!' she chimed to him. And the longer she stood there, she gradually realized that something was very different with this Umbreon. She leaned closer. 'Oh... Your eyes...'

"You seem to be troubled," Heisuke addressed her, a pair of azure-colored eyes staring down at her from atop his head. "Anything I can help with?" he queried, although, his voice had a rather unconvincing tone to it.​
 
Suzume didn't know what had gotten into Takashi-- it seemed that something had bitten him straight in the ass when he went to get that water of his. It certainly was unusual; he was in a good mood with her before the made camp. Had she done something wrong? The Phoenician woman sighed, scratching the back of her head. I really should bathe soon. I'm starting to smell like a musty Tauros. If she really did, then she felt as if she should be embarrassed. Though she couldn't really smell that bad; her Pokemon didn't cringe away when they smelled her, which meant that she probably only smelled like a normal human soldier-- of sweat and steel. She rested her head on her hand, frowning slightly as she watched a couple of Phoenician soldiers wrestle with one another in the shade of the surrounding trees. Sometimes she wondered whether the men of the army were really men or if they were simply a bunch of rowdy Poochyena.

A few and somewhat new faces approached the woman and her Pokemon. The most talkative one was the Ampharos, who had greeted Mauve after slight hesitation. The first thing she commented on was the Umbreon's eyes; they were indeed strangely colored for a Pokemon of his kind. He perked up, blinking slowly at the Electric type. 'What about them?' he questioned, confused about what she meant. It was strange to be told something about his eyes after being with Suzume for so long.

Caius grinned, walking up to Mauve and the Ampharos. 'They're pretty odd, aren't they?' he said, prodding Mauve with one of his wings. 'Nice to meet you as well! My name's Caius, and this is Mauve. The grumpy one behind us is Seraph, but you don't wanna bother him,' he paused for a moment, peering at the visitor with curious eyes. 'Who're you?'

Suzume looked up at the man with the Volcarona on his head. She recognized him as the one who had made the announcement when the Argentian and Phoenician soldiers met at the border. He must be a friend of that blue-eyed Argentian man. she thought, and with that, she crossed her arms. "Why do you care for a Phoenician woman like me? I'm supposed to be an enemy. You should be caring for your own countrymen instead." she sassed at him, a hint of malice in her voice.
 
As the Umbreon went to ask her what she meant, Sachi had opened her mouth to respond, but her attention was diverted to the Noivern when he had joined them. Her beady eyes blinked. 'Odd?' she repeated, albeit in a rather confused way. In Sachi's mind, she had found them to be pretty to look at, as if they were a pair of rare gems hiding among the leaves of a densely-grown bush. Her confusion was short-lived, however, the Ampharos already having regained her smile. 'I think they suit him!' she piped happily.

And as the Noivern introduced himself, as well as his comrades, the Arcanine definitely had the bulk of her attention at that moment. He was big-- much bigger than herself. It seemed as if he could snatch her up and have her for a meal if he truly wanted to. And then all those scars didn't help to diffuse her impression of him. The canine was pretty intimidating, and Sachi found herself shuffling herself closer to Caius. 'O-oh...I see,' she mumbled, her ears having tilted themselves backwards. As Caius had stopped talking for a brief moment, the Ampharos had turned her glittery gaze back to him. 'I'm Sachi,' she replied, the orb on her tail swaying somewhat as a small hand was pointed towards Heisuke's head. 'And that's Yang! He's scary when he's angry.'

Sachi's voice was unmistakable in the midst of their conversation, and Yang had shifted his azure-tinted gaze towards her. 'Sachi! You know better than to say such things in my presence,' he reprimanded, his wings twitching.

Heisuke couldn't help but to smile at the woman. Her tone had been sharp enough to make even the sturdiest Lairon scurry away, but he had of course been prepared for such a response. "That is all well and true, but as you can see..." he paused as he looked towards the group of Argentians who were laughing earlier. "My fellow countrymen seem to be in high spirits," he had continued, his attention returning to the blonde. "Whether you are from Phoenicis or from Argent, that simply does not change the fact that we will all have to find a safe route through Leonias,' he said, tapping his folded fan against his chin lightly. "Because you do have a plan, don't you? I hear many rumors that Leonians are a brutal folk. It'd be a shame if anything...happened."
 
Mauve blinked in surprise when his differently colored eyes were complimented upon. Most others would probably just stare and state that they were not unlike any other Umbreon's ruby-- or perhaps even yellow --gaze. But Sachi had told him that it suited him, and that made the black foxlike Pokemon shift his feet, somewhat uncomfortable about the strange feeling that washed over him. 'Thank you for the compliment,' he mustered a soft mumble, glancing over at Caius to avoid looking at Sachi. It was quite obvious he was embarrassed.

'Keke, I'm pretty sure that you're gonna make Mauve turn as pink as an Espeon if you continue to praise him about his looks,' Caius butted in, grinning like an idiot. 'It's quite nice to meet both of you, Sachi, Yang. Your partner seems pretty nice!' he chirped as he mentioned Heisuke, their human master. It was true that the long-haired man seemed friendly-- he was even speaking to Suzume. Then again, she didn't seem to happy about him doing so...

Seraph's sharp gaze flicked toward the rest of the Pokemon, his lips curling backwards to show Caius his pearly whites. 'Can it, you flying Doduo. Can't you see I'm trying to sleep?'

'Oh, Seraph, you pile of fluff. Your bark is certainly scarier than your bite!' Caius chuckled.

Heisuke's words were true... yet Suzume found it hard to accept the flamboyant man as an ally rather than a simple Argentian soldier. They would have to work together, however, which meant that they all had to get along. "I see," she scratched the back of her head, turning her gaze to watch the rest of the men. They would have to be careful as they went through Leonias, much like he said. One couldn't be sure what the Leonians would do once they saw both Argent's and Phoenicis' men in their nation. "Sadly, I'm not the leader of this bunch. You should tell that black-haired Murkrow of your 'friend' to explain the situation to your countrymen."

Suzume turned toward Seraph after a moment's pause, patting the Arcanine on the nose. "Seraph, go and hunt. See if you can snag us a Stantler or two. The men look like they're hungry."

The large, striped beast got to his paws, grumbling, before turning away and stalking into the forests. She smiled; she knew that they were going to eat well. Seraph was an amazing hunter, and he was sure that he was to bring them some fat, juicy prey.
 
Sachi almost didn't hear Mauve thanking her-- his voice having been soft like a whisper. For a moment or so, she pondered the possibility that she might have said something that had rubbed him the wrong way, especially when he looked away from her. The Ampharos was not too unfamiliar with this. It happened far too often that when she spoke or asked questions, other Pokemon would suddenly get annoyed and chastise her for it. That always made her feel bad, as if she didn't belong among them, but...Sachi couldn't help it. She loved talking to other Pokemon and she loved learning about them. But whenever she does those things, she is constantly pulled back by either Yang or Heisuke. What was she doing wrong?

When Caius interjected, Sachi looked at him, and relief washed all over her being. Thank goodness...Mauve was not mad at her; he was just shy. And when Heisuke was mentioned, the Ampharos perked up as a giant smile spread across her face. 'Heisuke really is nice! He makes his own food, and we often travel to places!' she piped, her tiny hands clasping together at the thought.

Remaining silent, Yang swept his gaze over them one at a time as he studied the three Pokemon. They all appeared to be fairly strong... The Volcarona could only hope that Heisuke wouldn't do anything thoughtless and anger the woman. He was already in a deep enough mess with the dark-haired man. Why couldn't he just keep his thoughts for himself like the other humans did? As the Arcanine went on to bicker with Caius, Yang couldn't prevent himself from rolling his eyes. It sure seemed that he wasn't the only one here who could do without all this interacting.

"Black-haired Murkrow..." Heisuke repeated in a hushed tone, and it didn't take long at all until an amused grin was plastered all over his face. Why hadn't he thought of that before? There was indeed an uncanny resemblance between Haku and the dark bird. Perhaps he should use that next time he saw him? The brown-haired man stared off into the forest as he pondered all those options, completely oblivious when the Phoenician had stopped talking to him. In fact, he didn't even notice when Seraph, a fairly large Arcanine, had risen up and gone into the very forest he was gazing at.

Nevertheless, Heisuke did eventually notice that something was missing, and he promptly returned his focus to the blonde woman. A sharp flap later and the fan was opened as Heisuke lowered himself in a mock bow. "I shall certainly inform Haku of our flawed perception," he replied to her, a displeased sound coming from Yang as the Pokemon had been forced to shift onto his back. The man was not at all bothered by her seemingly unfriendly behavior. It was on the contrary: he was utterly delighted. As he straightened up, the Volcarona was left hanging in a rather unfortunate position as Heisuke fanned himself. "Our conversation was rather enlightening," he remarked as his emerald-tinted gaze fell upon her. "With you in our company, I can tell that this journey shall be most enjoyable."

"Vol..."

Climbing up on his shoulder, the Volcarona appeared quite miffed as Heisuke peered at him. Lifting a hand, he went to rub under the Pokemon's chin. "Hm? Is anything the matter, Yang?" As he waited for a response, his attention had once again shifted towards the forest when he spotted Haku and his Aegislash return to the camp. A smug smirk had curled up, and Heisuke once again turned to the blonde woman. "I'm afraid that I'm running short on time. I bid you farewell...until next time, that is," he chuckled, mostly to himself, as he turned to walk away. Shooting a glance towards the Ampharos, he soon began to head off. "Sachi, it's time for us to leave."

And indeed, hearing him, Sachi had blinked as she watched him walk away. Turning back towards Mauve and Caius, she waved goodbye to them before she was skipping after Heisuke.
 
Caius continued to grin at Sachi, his golden eyes glittering with friendliness. To anyone like Mauve and Seraph, it was annoying. But to everyone else... it was downright contagious. The Noivern was pleased to hear that Sachi liked her partner-- at least he was not like the rest of the humans who abused their Pokemon. He had heard many stories before; the tales of Mightyena tearing themselves apart for bets, the sounds of screeching as a Altaria was bound and decapitated, their fluffy, expensive feathers plucked from their bodies as if they were no more than a mere Rattata that got in humans' ways. At first, he was wary of Suzume... but she showed him friendship when he expected to be harmed. 'It's good that you like him so much!' the wyvern-like Pokemon said, flicking his tail as to add emphasis onto what he stated.

'Indeed,' Mauve echoed Caius's opinion after he had regained his stature. 'You have no idea how many humans mistreat their partners. Especially when you're called demon or spirit.'

Suzume realized that Heisuke didn't speak immediately. He appeared to be deep in thought... so much that he seemed to forget that he was speaking to someone. The Volcarona that was perched on his head was somewhat interesting to watch, she thought; she hadn't gotten so close to a Pokemon with such unusual typing. Both of the Argentian man's Pokemon looked rather strong, and she wondered if she would one day face him in battle. If so... she wasn't sure what she was going to do with that Ampharos. Caius couldn't take that much damage from the bipedal Pokemon, she knew that for a fact. She really didn't have anything to counter it with. It was then that she found herself dazing off, thinking about type match-ups and how to pummel his Pokemon to the ground before she was killed. Rubbing the back of her head, she allowed a loud sigh to escape her lips. I gotta relax a bit. It's not all about fighting and killing, is it? The thought remained in her mind as she forced herself to calm down, a frown crossing her lips.

"Haku... is it?" she said to herself, her light brows furrowing together as she said the warrior's name. Suzume didn't like the way that it rolled off of her tongue. It was sour-- bitter, even. Her brown gaze darted to Heisuke as he bowed, deeming the journey was going to be enjoyable with her company. She felt herself tense up as the frown on her face deepened. What was that supposed to mean..? Before she could lash back at him, he gave her a bow, explaining that it was time for him to leave. Her gaze remained planted on the back of his head as he walked away, leaning back on her lands.

'Bye bye!' Caius called after Sachi, raising a wing and waving it back at Sachi. He continued to do it until she was out of sight and turned back to Mauve. 'Nice folk, aren't they?'

Mauve hummed in agreement, his ears swiveling around slightly. The Umbreon padded closer to Suzume, resting his paws on her shoulders. 'Bre!'

Suzume looked at the black Pokemon, smiling softly as she patted him on the head. His fur was soft against her callous palm, worn from gripping spears and swords. "So his name is Haku..." she told Mauve, who blinked at her slowly. "We better keep an eye on them both, don't we?"
 
As soon as Haku left the forest behind him, Ryou had trudged over to him, his snout lowering as he grumbled a greeting. The man gave the Pokemon a slight smile as he patted his head. "Sorry Ryou. I guess I took longer than what I had planned," he apologized before his gaze sought its way towards the skies. And Nene was strangely absent. He hadn't seen her since the camp had been set up. Lowering his eyes back towards the camp, they swept over the mingled groups of Argentians and Phoenicians as laughter was heard from one of them. How would he ever get used to this? Whenever he glanced at a Phoenician, all he saw was a soldier...a soldier which could turn on them at any point if they weren't careful.

Ryou's long horn swiveled around as he gazed down at Gardi. 'Did anything occur in the forest?' he questioned the other, curiosity and a hint of concern seeping from his usually authoritative voice.

Giving the Samurott a sidelong stare, Gardi tilted his body towards the other. 'Soldier from Phoenicis approached us,' the Aegislash began, silence entering between them as he paused to remember exactly what happened back there. 'No conflicts occurred,' he concluded, and he slowly turned himself back towards Haku. The Ghost type was still thinking about what Ciel had said to him. He wished to meet her again...to ask what she truly meant.

'Hrm...' Ryou had rumbled, appearing to be deep in thought as his attention was shifted away from Gardi. He did not hold any high opinions about Phoenicians, but if nothing truly happened in the forest... that would be unusual to him. Was it possible that they could have changed so soon? Remaining beside Haku, the large Pokemon eventually grew aware that Gardi was shuddering. And indeed, he was glaring too-- his whole aura having turned to one of malice. Shifting on the spot, Ryou's eyes followed the other's scowl, and in turn, he felt his lip curl up involuntarily as he spotted the Ampharos and her distasteful master. Them.

"Hey, black-haired Murkrow!"

In an instant, Haku felt every single muscle in his body tense up. The less-than-pleasant greeting had been so sudden, he was at first staring blankly at Heisuke while the other approached him. Facing the other man, his brows furrowed. "...What was that?" He wasn't too certain if he heard him correctly, but just now, it sure sounded as if he had been insulted.

"You heard me, Haku. I know you did. It's rather fitting, isn't it?" Heisuke remarked as he fanned himself leisurely, seemingly proud of himself. "Now what were you doing alone in that forest, hm?" he queried as he peered at him from over his fan. "One could think that you're up to no good...that you simply must be planning something."

As his hand tightened around his naginata's warm staff, Haku's frown deepened into a death stare. "That is none of your damn business," he glowered at him. By Lugia...did he honestly think that he would give him a full report of what he did?! The idiot!

Heisuke released a chuckle at this, folding his fan before he attached it to the belt around his waist where it hung freely. "Oh, but you're wrong, Haku. It is my business," he replied as he rested a hand on his hip. His other hand was rubbing lightly against his chin as the brown-haired man appeared to feign deep ponderment. "Or perhaps...is this like the time when you ran off with that girl?"

All sounds of chatter and laughter around him disappeared...and a look of pure fury materialized on Haku's face. He lost it, bolting past Gardi and Ryou as he charged towards the other. "God Damn you Heisuke!" he roared, his fist swinging through the air until it promptly slammed against flesh and bone.

It was clear that Heisuke had been stunned by the blow; the man was staggering backwards and bending over slightly as he held his nose. Before long, droplets of blood ran down between his fingers. Yang had thrown himself into the air as he buzzed angrily-- his hostility instantly reciprocated with Gardi's as he swiftly moved to Haku's side. A low chuckle came from Heisuke as he reached for the yari on his back and unsheathed it from its holder. "...So we are playing that game then. Very well, Haku...very well," he breathed, blood leaking from his face as he straightened himself up.

People and Pokemon were watching them now, the camp having descended into a confounded silence. A few were staring without doing anything while others stood up to shout comments in hopes to egg them on. Haku gritted his teeth as he raised the trembling naginata. Had two Argentian men not sprung towards him and desperately held him back, he would have-- he definitely Would have engaged Heisuke in a bloody fight. "Curse you!" he spat as he struggled to break free-- to wipe every ounce of that smugness off the other's face.

As if growing aware of the unwanted attention, Heisuke narrowed his eyes and swept them around the crowd. His mouth was a thin line as he left in silence, men and women moving aside to let him past. With her ears pressed against her head, Sachi's gaze darted from him to Haku before she hesitantly went after him, leaving Yang and Gardi to glower at each other before the fiery moth decided to leave as well.

Haku scowled at him the whole time, the grip around his naginata loosening as the men released him--albeit unwillingly. Rubbing his shoulder, Haku gave them a nod before they both deemed it safe to leave. Ryou was now standing by his side, a slight rumble coming from him before he felt his shoulder be nudged with his snout. The dark-haired man shifted his cold eyes to the Samurott as he went to stroke his neck. "Bastard..." he muttered, feeling himself calm down as he felt the familiar smooth skin under his calloused hand. At least he managed to get a hit on him. Perhaps it would teach the idiot a thing or two before speaking to him again.
 
There was a short time of peace; both sides continued to mingle together, chatting idly about the weather and how they thought their travels around Atlas were going to be like. Suzume found her tense muscles relax slightly as she listened to the chatter and laughter between men and women. It was almost as if she were back at home-- the men usually chit-chatted in the town square much like they were doing now. Women giggled as they discussed nightgowns and kimonos that they saw before leaving their hometown. Some even explained where they came from and what they left behind... and who they left behind. Children, brothers, aunts, fathers, sickly mothers... they certainly were a colorful bunch.

Suddenly, the murmuring and laughing died off as two men prepared to fight in the center of camp. Suzume jumped to her feet, peering over the heads of the people who had surrounded the "fight". She caught sight of Heisuke, who was bleeding heavily from his nose. She blinked in surprise; did he really pick a fight that quickly? The one who had landed a blow was the warrior from before-- Haku.

Suzume's eyes narrowed to chocolate-colored slits, her frown returning to her face in an instant. Haku certainly did appear to love to fight. First it was the fight against her in the midst of battle... and now he was punching his friend in the nose. And hard, too. Caius watched the battle with wide eyes, his tail flicking with apprehension as he approached her side. She patted his head, lowering her hand to rub at the back of his ears. Tensions were still present, even if there were hidden by a cover of false friendships and joy.

---​

A few days later...

​
The group had been travelling for the past few days, making their ways through the many forests of Phoenicis. The late winter breeze pushed past the branches, making them shiver and wave like human arms. Suzume watched the skies as time passed; she loved the reddish hues mixing in with the ambers and grays. Dusk and twilight were her favorite times of day. The harsh summer suns made her swelter and pant. Even the winter suns could be unbearable at times, especially when she had put on multiple layers of clothes in preparation for a cold day. Her warm gaze remained on the pale blue sky as they approached the border of Leonias. Seraph padded between the men and women of their little group, making little to no effort in carrying her. Caius flew low beside the large beast, his wings creating more wind than there was already.

Suzume yawned, covering her mouth with the back of her hand. The journey had been tiring, and they hadn't even reached Leonias... "Gwaahh... I'm so tired. I didn't get any sleep last night..." she complained to Seraph, who simply grunted as they approached the mountainous kingdom's borders. The Arcanine simply grunted in reply, his ear flicking slightly. She chuckled and patted his neck; he was never one for many words. He never was-- not even when he was a Growlithe. Her eyes, somewhat watered because of the huge yawn she gave off, raised to the path they traversing. The ground was already getting rocky; was Leonias really that craggy and dry? She had heard that the nation was a dry one with nothing but cliff edges and valleys. "Are we already in Leonias?" she questioned, tipping her head slightly in confusion. "It took a short while to get here."

Caius beat his wings, grinning over at Seraph. 'Are you excited to see the mountains, Seraph?' he asked him.

'I'm not fond of heights, and it seems we'll be walking on cliffs and such.'

'So?'

Seraph looked at Caius, deadpanned. 'I don't have wings to use if I fall.'








​
 
A cold breeze ruffled through his hair as Ryou marched along with the group. Haku was leaned forward in the saddle with his head propped on his hand, a lethargic expression on his face while his unfocused gaze rested on the path before them. For the past few days, they had seen nothing else but forests. There were still traces of color on the trees, but not enough to be treated as extraordinary. Nevertheless, Haku was certain that it would have been an entirely different story-- had they been journeying through the country during the summer or autumn. He had heard enough tales about Phoenicis from merchantmen to have grown a curiosity about the supposed golden sheen the trees were said to possess. It would have been a change from the silvery landscapes he was used to during the winters and springs.

As they traversed further ahead, Haku allowed his eyes to shift to the side, towards that one ash-blonde soldier he had seen by the creek a few days earlier -- Gennai, if he remembered correctly. Along with his burlier comrade, the man had approached him back in the camp, complimenting him for having shown backbone against Heisuke. The man then continued, saying that he wished he had the courage to have done the same. A few other Argentians seemed to hold the same approval for what he had done, and those who didn't...well, they resorted to stay away from Haku, not giving him any more than a cold stare. He wasn't completely sure how he should feel about that, but at least it gained him some peace. So far, Heisuke has not been bothering him and that was a nice change for once.

Feeling small puffs of wind from nearby wings, Haku's attention had gone towards Nene who flew beside him soundlessly. He always considered that a strength with her; her wings may be large enough to cast noticeable shadows, but the way they cut through the air completely cancelled any noise that would otherwise have been typical for Flying types. Casting a glance towards him, the Crobat hovered closer until she landed in his arms, nuzzling into him as she made herself comfortable. Haku felt himself smile as he stroked her soft, velvety fur, his gaze seeking its way back to the increasingly craggy path. "It sure looks as if we have arrived in Leonias, doesn't it?" he asked, and Nene squirmed around in his hold to stare up at him. "...Let's hope that we won't have to travel on narrow cliffs." Ryou would surely have difficulties, not to mention all the stories Haku had heard about people plunging to their deaths from a single misplaced step.

The Samurott turned his narrow head towards them as he peered at the Crobat from the corner of his eye. '...I take it you have made yourself comfortable up there.'

'Oh Ryou, if you want a cuddle, you only need to ask,' Nene grinned, her wings neatly folded against her body as she remained snuggled against Haku.

Ryou rolled his eyes as he turned his attention back to the road, releasing a peeved-sounding rumble as Gardi floated beside him. Although he seemed rather amused, the Aegislash was wise enough not to join in with any comments.

As time passed by, more and more rocks and boulders seemed to replace the trees as the forests grew less and less dense. Over the heads of the many soldiers, Haku managed to spot that blonde woman again-- Suzume. His brows furrowed as he watched her and her Arcanine pad along ahead of him. He still held the same low opinion about her, ever since that day when she had dared to insult him to his face. But regardless of that, he was all too aware that she was someone who shouldn't be ignored. He had seen too much of what she was capable of during the war between Argent and Phoenicis. He pulled the reins lightly. "...Ryou, take us closer." The Samurott hesitated, as if unsure what Haku had just told him, but nevertheless...he did what he was asked. His large, azure-colored body weaved carefully through people and Pokemon until he gradually caught up to the striped canine. His scarlet gaze locked on Seraph as he trudged a small distance from him.

"I hope you are not troubled by heights," Haku addressed to Suzume, a tinge of bitterness filling his voice as he spoke. "Leonias will have plenty of them."
 
No one really said anything-- everyone traveled in silence. A few cautionary glances were shared amongst the soldiers; it was obvious that they were not very excited to see the perilous cliffs of Leonias. Not only that... but Suzume had heard stories of bandits ambushing caravans that passed through the cliffs, pushing poor merchants off of the ledges and watching them fall to their doom. She shuddered at the thought of encountering merciless men and women who would do such a thing to the innocent. They were worse than any type of soldier she fought. At least the Argentians, the Leonians, the Aurians... they all fought for a purpose. Not for greed or bloodlust, but for their people, their country.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Seraph uttered a low warning growl, tensing his muscles up as if he was about to pounce. Suzume blinked in surprise, rubbing the Arcanine's shoulders as if to massage the tension away. It was then that she heard a voice that she didn't want to hear. She admitted that she was somewhat surprised that Haku had approached her; she had not expected him to talk to her for the whole journey. Seraph's eyes locked with Ryou's, his sharp, brown gaze matching the Samurott's crimson one. "I'm not the type of person to be daunted by heights," she returned, her voice very much like the winter itself. "There are many more important things to be troubled about."

Suzume paused for a moment, her eyes shining mischievously. "Maybe you are the one who is worried about the height of the mountains?"

The striped beast glowered at the mounted warrior, noticing that he was bringing forth negative emotions from his partner. 'Keep yer distance, fish-breath,' he snarled, making sure that Ryou had a clear view of his sharp teeth.

Caius said nothing; it was rather unlike him. He did, however, give Seraph a warning glance. Mauve peeked his head out from the large satchel connected to the saddle, his eyes wide. His ears twitched as he gave the Arcanine a frown. 'Easy now, Seraph. You wouldn't want to get into a fight with a Water-Type.' he explained. Mauve looked back at the Samurott, narrowing his eyes slightly. Even though he was usually a calm Umbreon, he didn't like the fact that their enemy approached. 'Greetings. Mind if you tell us why you are walking so close to us? It invades our space.'
 
'Hm. Maybe you aren't,' Haku answered in his thoughts as he kept his eyes on the dusty road ahead of them. Not that he had expected her to be, but regardless of that, her response had given him what he wanted to know. Should he have to travel with the Phoenicians, then the least he needed was someone who couldn't deal with their problems. And it sure seemed that he now had one less of those people to concern himself with. Beneath him, Ryou was the epitome of discomfort; his head was arched downwards as he sent sullen stares towards the Arcanine in return for much more fierce ones. Even Nene was unusually quiet. Her wide, golden eyes were pinned on the striped beast as if expecting a disaster to occur at any moment.

Hearing Suzume speak again, Haku ended his silence with a scoff. "Heights don't bother me," he replied matter-of-factly, which was half-true at most. While he personally didn't have any issues with being on high altitudes, he knew all too well that Ryou was not too fond of them. The Samurott had lived most of his life near the waters and lowlands and consequently didn't belong in the mountains.

Ryou narrowed his eyes at the canine's comment, his mouth prying itself open into a dry chuckle as he flaunted his own sets of canines. The Arcanine hardly smelled any better, but Ryou was certain that if he openly said that, it would undoubtedly provoke the other even more than he already was. He was not quite sure what Haku was planning with this, but there were plenty of what he didn't approve of here -- including the way the canine glared at him.

'I don't like this...' Nene mumbled, only her long ears and part of her face visible from where she buried herself behind an arm.

Raising his head somewhat, the Samurott gained a better view of the source of the new voice: an Umbreon. Distracted, he spent a moment to study the smaller Pokemon, noticing that his eyes had a rather peculiar coloration. Nevertheless, this was not the time nor place to wonder about details. Ryou kept his gaze on him, almost able to relate with the other's displeasure. 'Hmmm...you may want to take that with my master,' the Samurott returned, his deep voice coated with sarcasm. 'Had I been in control of this, we wouldn't be having this conversation.'

Listening to what they said, the Aegislash floated upwards slightly to Ryou's side as he kept an eye on all three of them, appearing to be just as uncomfortable with this as the rest were. 'Our intentions do not match with our master's.'
 
Suzume felt Seraph pull at his reigns, snorting angrily. It was obvious that the canine was not happy in the company of the other creature. There was nothing than she could do about it other than trying to avoid a fight. If the Arcanine leapt on the sea lion-like Pokemon, a lot of people would get hurt. The Samurott's horn was longer than any others, and if he swung it around while surrounded by both humans and Pokemon alike... it would be a disaster. She yanked back at the reigns harshly, grinding her teeth angrily. Keeping Seraph under control when he was calm was easy-- he only lazed around and growled lowly at anything he disliked. But keeping him calm when he was angered was another story...

'I'll rip your throat out, you smug piece of crap,' Seraph snarled at Ryou's laugh, his eyes becoming furious slits.

Caius frowned, prodding the striped beast with a talon. 'That's enough, now,' he advised. 'If you were smarter, you'd see that you're at a disadvantage,' his eyes flicked toward the purple bat in the black-haired man's arms, his frown deepening. It was obvious that he looked upset.

The blonde woman sat straight in her saddle, giving Haku a sidelong glance. "Really now?" her lips curled upwards into a smirk. She doubted what he said was true. "The more that I think of it, one should be more afraid of the bandits that roam Leonias. They're blackhearts, that's what they are," she sighed, her smirk falling off of her face just as quickly as it had appeared. There was no reason for them to walk in silence. They were supposed to work together, after all. Suzume knew that she shouldn't treat him as a friend, per say... but at the very least, a permanent ally.

"I'm afraid I haven't properly introduced myself," she continued, another sigh escaping from her as she tied up her hair with a small piece of rope. "Name's Suzume. And my partners are Seraph, Caius, and Mauve," Suzume motioned to each of her Pokemon individually. She said nothing else, waiting for his reply, as they crossed the border into Leonias. The ground became more craggy and dry, lined with rocks and dried leaves that had blown over from Phoenicis.

Mauve, however, was not worried or aggressive towards the other Pokemon. Sure, he would prefer if they left, but... simply speaking to them was better than baring fangs or tossing around threats. 'It's a shame, isn't it?' the purple-eyed Umbreon said, perking up his ears slightly. 'It seems that we have to get used to this closeness between us. We're travelling through all of Atlas, after all.'

Caius bobbed his head, moving closer to Haku and Ryou. 'Yeah! We don't have to hate each other, right? I think we have to work together, instead!' he sang in his usual voice as he peered at Nene.
 
Keeping a hand on Ryou's reins, Haku was not too fond of the canine's growing aggression. He could trust that Ryou wouldn't get them into a fight, but could he do the same for the Arcanine? Feeling the Samurott tense up under him, he pulled the reins as he increased the distance slightly between the Samurott and the canine, all while he watched Suzume struggle to keep the enraged creature under control. Casting a glance around him, Haku ensured that they would have at least one escape route...should she lose control of the Arcanine. Retreating to a more open area would be better than staying and endangering the other soldiers. It was only the beginning of their journey; if the other men became injured, it would only cost them in the long-term and slow down their progress.

On a regular day, the Samurott would have just ignored Seraph. But he was weary from the travels, and the onslaught of insults were tearing a hole through his patience. Uttering a quiet growl, Ryou's scowl darkened. 'How I'd like to see you keep those words...'

Looking back at Suzume, he could hear the doubt in her voice. Furrowing his brows, Haku forced himself to swallow a comment as he remained in a grudging silence. As she continued, his frown gradually switched from an irritated one to a more uncertain kind as his gaze sank towards Ryou's back. Bandits...he hadn't really given them much of a thought until now. Their group was just as susceptible to an ambush as any other-- be it merchants or passing villagers. And bandits, they were ruthless-- people with no honor. Taking in a deep breath, Haku then released a sigh. "I see," he said, his eyes lifting up as they once again returned to her. "Then we only need to be more careful."

As she went on to introduce herself and her partners, Haku spent a moment to look at each of her Pokemon accordingly. His attention lingered over Caius the longest-- noticing the unusual amount of fur the Noivern possessed. That had surprised Haku, but he managed not to stare at the Pokemon. "...My name is Haku," he began, soon motioning towards each of his partners. "And this is Ryou, Gardi and Nene." The Aegislash had glanced over to them when his name was mentioned, but the Ghost-type remained silent this time. Haku wasn't too big on being overly friendly with a Phoenician, but if they introduced themselves to him, then at very least, he would do the same. It was only common manners really. In the not-so-far-off distance, mountains could be seen piercing the increasingly dark, reddish sky as their group passed by the beginnings of some hills. From what he heard about the bandits, Haku did not look forward to travel through those crevices and ledges.

Hearing Mauve's reply, Ryou had merely grumbled a response. Whether he was agreeing or disagreeing--it was not clear, but one could safely assume that the Samurott was at least acknowledging the truth in that statement.

Getting braver, Nene's golden eyes blinked as she emerged from her hiding spot, gazing at them both as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing. 'I...I couldn't agree more!' she shot in, her ears perked up. 'There is more to life than fighting! Oh, when will everyone realize this?' the Crobat sighed as she shook her head softly. 'Working together is more effective than working against one another.'

'Together, we stand...divided, we fall,' Gardi mused to himself, appearing to contemplate what they all claimed. And beside him, Ryou rolled his eyes.
 
Suzume eyed each of the Pokemon as Haku introduced them. The names certainly were interesting ones... But she had thought about what she was going to name her Pokemon for a while as well. She thought that Nene was the cutest one of them all, all cuddled up to Haku like that. The poor Crobat appeared to be nervous of what was going on around her. At least she wasn't as aggressive as Ryou or as cautious as Gardi. She turned toward the Aegislash in particular, blinking at the sword-Pokemon. The blonde was wary around Gardi, especially since he was a Ghost-type Pokemon. While she never believed that ghosts were demons, she knew that he could cause severe damage if he attacked them, even if they were at a type disadvantage.

"Bandits are the worst type of people," Suzume continued on about the bandits, her hands tightening around the reigns until her knuckles burned white. Her eyes rested on the horizon in front of them, her lips turning into a straight line. Her brows furrowed slightly as she thought about the encounters that they would face. "They don't care if you are young or old, have brothers and sisters... they'll kill you either way, especially if you have a heavy coin purse."


'I know,' Caius agreed, offering the Crobat a smile. 'Maybe we could watch each other's backs.'
 
As the lands of Leonias eventually surrounded them, Haku listened as she had continued about the bandits, nodding in agreement as he watched the looming mountains. He had personally never met a bandit, not even in one of his past missions. Having only ever heard about them and their less-than-dignified raids, he could only imagine what it might be like. When Suzume spoke again, Haku shot a glance towards her, noting the change in her expression. 'She must have encountered them in the past,' he thought as his gaze once again returned to the road, brows furrowed. "Bandits are a worthless bunch. They hold no honor and walk the roads without a single ounce of conscience," Haku responded, soon staring up towards the darkening sky. "...I don't wish for anyone to run into such scum." And if their group did, then well...he would wish for Lugia's protection and hope that they would all get out of it alive and in one piece.

Turning towards Caius, a grin curled up on Nene's face. 'Yes, I wouldn't have anything against that,' she responded, looking pleased that someone was on her side for once. He was a rather furry fellow, but he certainly seemed to be a kind one.

As the hours passed, the reddish hues of the sky eventually turned to dark-grey, and ultimately to pitch black. Many different stars were scattered across it as their faint light made the craggy surroundings somewhat more visible in the darkness. The sound of a Noctowl was heard in the distance, echoing through the crevice their group was currently passing through. The deeper into the mountains they ventured, the more quiet it became. Haku couldn't shake off the feeling of uneasiness he had. From the flickering lights of the many torches, he could have sworn that he saw movement somewhere in the shadows behind the rocks, and once-- the red, glowing eyes of a Drifblim inside the narrow opening of a cave. 'If only the moon was out...' he thought as Nene remained snuggled up against him, her long ears twitching at every strange sound the night threw at them. Haku was not the type who was afraid of the dark; he simply disliked it, knowing how easily one could get pounced on if they weren't vigilant. Beside him, the Aegislash was quite an unnerving sight himself the way his cold, lavender eye was glowing. In the beginning, Haku would have hated to see something like that during the dark, but now...it provided a sense of comfort.

As they exited the crevice, the group narrowed into a thin line as they continued along a cliff, and at that moment, Haku sure was glad that they had torches with them. The cliff was steep enough to have caused the bottom to be swallowed into the shadows. Ryou grumbled quietly as he walked along, every muscle in his body tense as he kept his head low. Patting his neck, it was the only comfort Haku could give him right now. "I know Ryou...It will be over soon," he assured the sea-lion, the restricted cliff eventually widening as it became somewhat safer.
 
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