Prologue: Dissension

The sun was close to sinking behind the horizon, its light spreading across the sky, coloring it a rainbow hue. Though there should have been much chattering between everyone, there was not. The large group of Pokémon moved all but swiftly over the dry, cracked ground of the endless desert. Leading the group was a large, blue four-armed beast who circled out front.

"Come on, you guys, kick it into high gear! We've only got a few hours left to arrive on time, and I'm sure you all are going to want to make it there in time so that you're guaranteed a place to stay!" the Machamp shouted, his deep voice reaching the ears of all but one Pokémon.

A dust-covered canine shook his pelage, or at least, what was left of it. His once-white fur was now nearly the same color as the ground he stood on, and it was falling out, leaving some places without anything there, his black skin showing. He solemnly dragged his claws on the ground, his head hung low, swaying a little due to a minuscule limp that he had for some time now.

This is what it had been like for months on end for the Absol: seek refuge in a camp, move to another camp, seek refuge once more, and so on. He had not much food or water, explaining the barely visible lines where his ribs showed through. The other refugees didn't exactly appreciate his presence either, so he had to carry on alone.

The Absol let out a rough sigh, and began thinking. I don't know the last time I was ever this hungry or thirsty. Actually... I've always been hungry and thirsty, it's just at its peak right now. His stomach growled, making the Disaster Pokémon wince. If anything, some food would be nice to come across. And not the normal stuff, like half-eaten scraps and expired items. I need fresh food, stuff that can supply me with desirable satisfaction. Perhaps I could find something when we arrive.

Attempting to shift his focus away from food, the Absol took a short look around him. The group seemed to be filled with people that all had their own problems with suffering, much like him. But to what extent? Were they as separated as he? Did they have the same troubles as him? Did they even have troubles? He shrugged. He couldn't be sure.

The Dark-type then let out a vehement huff. I mean, yeah, we're all on the run, and I'm not sure how many of us know what we're running from, but there has to be something. Even then, at least we're getting food to eat. Or, at least, most of us are.

Aside from that, there has to be at least a few Pokémon here that have no troubles at all. That's just the way of life, so I've come to learn. But who they are? Different story. Could they be the ones that seek my discomfort? Could they just be putting up a mask of being weak and poor just to rise higher society? Nobody probably knows, sadly.

He shook his head in disappointment. Well, whatever. It just seems that every time I transfer to a new one of these groups, it gets worse than the last one I was at. I mean, at first, the separation and making fun of me was like a joke to everyone, but now it's like it's become a routine. It's like they have a mental schedule where they make fun of me at least once a day. It really gets frustrating.

Just then, a Gengar appeared out of thin air above the group, causing everyone to pause and listen. Frowning, he said, "Alright, listen up you worthless fools. We're nearing our destination, so make sure that your scrawny asses are ready to get settled in. But, seeing as Influxes have become a major problem as of late, you should keep up whatever guard you can, in case we somehow get hit." With his message now delivered, he disappeared into thin air once more, allowing everyone to breathe once more.

The Disaster Pokémon looked to the sky while watching where he was going, to make sure he was not going to bump into anyone. This whole fiasco... Why do I even go along with it, anyway? Do I truly believe that I am better off here than anywhere else? What is it that makes me desire to be within these groups? After all, I'm only treated like crap.

He shifted his gaze back down, and through the conglomeration of Pokémon in front of him, he was able to make out their destination—another refuge camp, looking quite different from all the others he had seen. He couldn't count how many he had been to in his life, but it was certainly a lot.

I can understand why they make these camps. But, even then, there's no way to know exactly where to put them, considering the danger of the Influxes. The Absol's whole body shuddered at the thought of the occurrences. Man, I just can't believe how long I've been on the run. Ever since that fateful day...

The Dark-type closed his eyes and shook his head slowly. Bah, it doesn't matter anymore. He opened his eyes, squinting in the dim sunlight. I just wonder, though... The name my parents gave me, it sounds so surreal to even me, it's been used so little over the years. I guess not having anyone worth sharing my name with doesn't help much.

For a few seconds he paused, reminiscing. Pathos... I remember being called by that name only a few times before. Certainly not recently, but I guess that really doesn't matter, either. I mean, it's not like it needs to carry meaning with it now. After all, many of these people are probably nameless, so I fit in quite well.

Within a half hour more of walking, the group arrived at the camp, each member going through an attendance check. After that, they all scurried away to do their own thing. Pathos, on the other hand, was left out of it all.

After going through attendance, he looked around, hoping to locate what he was seeking. It took him a few minutes, but eventually the Absol found a suitable open space, he wandered off towards it.

Sitting down, he glanced off towards the sunset. It somehow had made him a little calmer each time he looked at it, but there were times were it had the complete opposite effect on him. He tended to isolate himself from the other Pokémon in the group, seeing as all hanging around them did was push him closer to the edge.

He closed his eyes once more and lay down. Sleep was about the only thing he could get on a daily basis, and on top of that, it was a nice comfort for him. It raised the walls around him, separating him from the horrible truth of the world.

However, no matter how much he tried to lock out the sounds around him, they managed to snake their way into his eardrums, rattling his mind. Frankly, it was driving him insane, and he wanted to find a way to make it end.

Growling, Pathos let light flow into his eyes once more. What was it with everyone that made them think disturbing him was alright? The only guess Pathos had was that they were in some way mentally deficient, but he couldn't be sure. All he knew was that most everyone here was most likely out to see him suffer.

"You know, I have been wondering just why you always stay away from everyone. Couldn't ever guess what exactly it was. Well, I suppose that doesn't matter," proclaimed a voice Pathos had never heard before. Shifting towards the direction it came from revealed its owner to be an approaching Shiftry.

"Oh, great, just what I needed..." The Absol bared his teeth at the Wicked Pokémon. "What do you want? I haven't done anything that would cause you to seek me out, right? You know, it would actually be much better for everyone if I was left alone, don't you think? Because I sure do."

"See? This is exactly what I'm getting at! Your hostility just turns everyone away, you know. Maybe if you opened yourself up a little more, you'd learn a little more about those that surround you," he said, making various gestures throughout.

Pathos viciously hissed in response. "And why should I lower my hostility? What good would it do me? If you knew what I've been through, if you by chance have any kind of sympathy within you, you'd realize why I am like this. But, let's be honest with each other, buddy. You don't really mean any of that, do you?"

The Dark-type snickered a little, shaking his head. "I mean, come on, you've got to try harder than that to even sound convincing in the slightest. I may not be that social or anything, but at least I have the decency to be outright. You, on the other hand, just like anyone I've met, mask your true intentions with a retarded façade, believing that you can get through my defenses. Well, as it has been made quite clear, I am not fooled. So take your shitty lies and get out of my sight, before either of us starts something grand."

"You—fine! Just know that you can no longer say that anyone hasn't tried to make peace! You've just now abandoned that right! And I guarantee you, it's going to come back to bite you in the ass, just you see!" With that, the Shiftry stomped off back towards the camp.

Pathos scoffed and said, "Yeah, sure. If it hasn't happened yet, there's no reason for it to happen now," and he simply returned to laying on the ground. His actions coming back to get him? Nonsense! The only things biting him in the ass were the annoying pricks that he traveled with, like that Shiftry.

His stomach roared at him, desiring for nourishment, causing him to flinch. "Ugh... I guess I'm in such need for food. So much for getting some rest." Pathos lifted himself off the ground. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to look around for something to at least fill me up enough to last me another day," he said, weakly shaking some dust off and heading back to camp.

The nice thing about this certain encampment was that it had a mesh canopy above, which kept out enough of the sun for it to not be blistering hot, but also allowing some natural light to weave through the canopy, which was suspended by the supporting poles used for the tents, effectively using as little material as possible. But none of that really mattered to Pathos with his hunger. What he was looking for was a place that had an ample supply of food.

Come on, there should be a cafeteria around here, yeah? If not that, at least a food storage. After that, somewhere with water. A well? No, they can't have one, not out here... The Absol was profusely trying to come up with a decent plan, but he couldn't help but overhear what everyone was saying about him.

Under muffled whispers, he was able to make some of the things they were saying out. Amongst other things, he heard things like, "Wow, just look at that mess over there. How can he even bring himself to stand like that?"; "Arceus, what if he does something? Just look at his gaze! Surely he's plotting something!"; and, "Don't Absol bring disaster wherever they go? What if he calls a deadly storm upon us? What if he's brought... an Influx?"

That last sentence made him tense up, but he managed to hide it. Slightly stumbling, he managed to slowly leave that particular area, and leaned against a support pole, trying to catch his breath. Why... Why would I ever want to do that...? Nobody wants that, not even me.

Pathos managed to lower his breathing back to normal levels, and after a few more minutes of sitting to make sure nothing else was to come, he continued his search. Left and right, there were tents, and still no signs of where he could find food. It surely couldn't be that hard, could it?

It took him a while to realize it, but signs were sometimes hung on the support poles that gave directions where something was, although it was only when one was directly next to the destination of the signs. He found it rather pointless, but what did he know about setting these things up? For all he knew, they could be funded only by the leaders' allowances, and built by their hands.

Despite that fact, however, he could not for the life of him find where the food was at. Maybe it was not labeled to keep people from stealing some of the provisions, but that was no reason to not provide a location for the cafeteria. Food was an essential part of surviving, and so was water. So why, for the love of Arceus, could he not find either of those two things?

"Well, you sure do seem to be an intriguing someone," said a voice in the shadows between tents, causing Pathos to jump and face its owner, who turned out to be a Scrafty. "What're you looking for? Wealth? Food? Or even water? Cause I can give it to you, as long as you somehow manage to repay me for it."

Pathos almost laughed. "Are you serious? What is it with everyone and trying to make themselves out as generous? First that Shiftry guy, and now you? I'm going to tell you the same thing I did him: Take your shit and shove it so far up your ass that it doesn't reappear for the next ten years. You need to stop trying to gain prestige and find a real way to—"

Pathos was cut off as the Hoodlum Pokémon somehow produced an exceptionally delicious-looking berry. It was bulb-shaped, and was yellow with small orange dots scattered around its skin—a Sitrus berry.

The Disaster Pokémon was dumbfounded. How had he gotten his hands on such a rare item? Sitrus berries were essentially the single most rare food item around. That meant that the only place here to get that would have to be wherever the food was stashed.

"Where the hell did you get that?" Pathos demanded under an angry whisper. "I hope you know that just one of those is easily worth a fortune these days! For all I know, this establishment is the only place that would be able to have access to such an item." The Absol inched closer. "Tell me where you got it."

Pathos' adversary made a confused face, and lifted the berry up to eye level. "Oh, you want this, and possibly even the rest of what there could be? I totally understand that notion. However..." The Scrafty chuckled and tossed the fruit to the ground, where he stomped on it so hard its juices went everywhere. "I can't just let you demand of me whatever you want, that's just unacceptable. I thought we would be able to make good business, but I guess not."

As Pathos stood there in disbelief, the Fighting-type said, "You have no one to blame for this but yourself, Absol," and began to walk off, quietly snickering, but just enough for the Absol to hear him.

Pathos was stupefied. There's no way that just happened, right? If I hit myself as hard as I can, I'm going to wake up, and he will still be standing there, berry in hand... However, he knew the truth. That Scrafty had just wasted easily the most precious piece of food he ever had the chance to have, and it was ripped away right in front of him. He looked over in the direction the Hoodlum Pokémon. They were simply strolling off, and Pathos knew he was grinning. Well, if that was how he wanted to play, then Pathos would play that game too.

"Hey, hold on!" The Scrafty looked back, his attention having been grabbed by the Disaster Pokémon's sudden voicing. "Come back over here, I think that maybe my reaction was a little short-sighted. Let's try that again," he said, plotting his course of action.

Pathos' adversary slowly turned and made his way back, swaying his walk. When the Scrafty had made his way back over, he voiced, "Alright, let's hear it, your proposal. Come on, now, don't be shy."

Pathos walked closer, staring intently at the Hoodlum Pokémon. At this point, he no longer cared what happened, he just wanted to get it over with, and so, Pathos shot him a grin in response. "Oh, I've got an offer that you can't refuse."

Pathos lunged forward, baring his teeth. The Scrafty jumped back in surprise, but had no time to pause as he was under attack, ducking as Pathos launched himself at the Hoodlum Pokémon's head. "What the hell? Now what's your problem?!" he questioned, a little bit of fear present in his voice.

The Dark-type hissed. "What else would my problem be? You just demolished perfectly good food, and costly stuff at that! I'm over here starving and desiring to quench my thirst, and you're just juggling my emotions around like it's some game! You can't just show someone the one ting they want in life, and then take it away before their very eyes! It's not right, and we both know it."

"Yeah? Well, just because it's morally wrong, doesn't mean I can't do it! Because you know what it's called? Business! Sometimes, to make a profit, you have to go against morals, just so you can benefit from what you're doing!" he said in response, getting into a fighting stance.

"What, so you think destroying your merchandise, wherever you got it, is business? If you ask me, that's not making money, that's losing the potential to make money. So do yourself a favor and stop your 'business', and start helping people out for real!" Pathos retorted angrily.

"Well, look at you! You're not even heeding your own advice. You're telling me to help others, but you're doing the exact opposite! You're over here stuck in a bout with me! So why don't you do yourself a favor, and leave me alone while I do whatever it is I want to do?" the Scrafty responded soon after, also circling around Pathos.

"And so what? Right now what matters is not that I'm not listening to my own words, rather, the fact that you didn't! I'm trying to survive, and you're over here just taking away what I need to do so! I'm starving and I'm thirsty. I'm fairly sure that you have those same problems at times too. If so, put a little empathy into your actions and do something right!" Pathos finished off, lurching forward unexpectedly, raking his claws against the chest of the Fighting-type, drawing small lines of blood in the process.

Surprised, the Scrafty stepped back and patted a hand on his chest and brought it in front of his face to reveal a now blood-covered palm, causing his expression to change to one of of disbelief. "Why you..." In his own act of revenge, he lurched forward, trying to land a good punch to the ribs. However, Pathos wasn't having it, and he dodged swiftly, even in his condition.

Huffing, Pathos was concentrating on more than just the fight. I... I haven't felt this much power flowing through my body since... Well, forever. I suppose it may be adrenaline rushing through my body, or something else. Whatever it is, taking hits will still be an issue, no matter what I may do. I need to be careful.

By now, a bit of a crowd had formed, wondering what the ruckus was, with Pathos' yelling, the now very audible grunts the two opponents made, and the sounds of their quick shuffling from their duel.

"You know," the Scrafty said through short breaths and swift dodges of oncoming attacks, "I really thought you had made the decision to make a nice deal with me, but I guess I was wrong about you. I suppose that's just one more thing to add to the list about Absol: they're liars."

What gall he had, to not only deprive him of nutrition, but to also further insult him! That was practically signing his will off! Now fuming, Pathos no longer felt the need to respond, only attack. Quickly dashing around his foe, he managed to catch him off guard with a quick slash from his blade, causing the Scrafty to emit a shriek of pain.

Growling, the Hoodlum Pokémon rapidly turned clockwise and successfully landed a blow with his elbow to the side of the Absol's head, sending him flying. Pathos managed to right himself before he slammed into a nearby spectator, and returned to his fight, although a little disorientated.

A tar-black energy gathered around Pathos' scythe, a low hum present with it. The energy drew iteslf mostly near the edges of his blade, and even extended another foot and a half, creating the illusion of the edge now being nearly three times as long. While it was building that up, the Absol had to evade the merciless punches and kicks thrown at him. He even had to dodge the Scrafty trying to latch on to his leg with his teeth.

When he was in a suitable position, Pathos turned his head to the right, leaned his head back, and charged after his adversary. When he was up close, with a heave and a ho, he whipped his head to the side, launching his Night Slash at the Scrafty's defending arms, cutting deep, bringing forth a disturbing hiss.

Despite his obvious pain, the Scrafty flashed a grin and taunted Pathos. "Just look at you! You're struggling to even use a built-in weapon of defense! If you can't even so much as do that, then why are you trying?" He shoved the Dark-type off of him and readied himself for assault once more.

The malicious comment, however, was left unheard by the Absol. He was too focused on creating a good plan of attack. Where do I even start? He has the advantage over me, and he's obviously in much better health than I. In better shape, as well. He seems to have some kind of strategy worked out as well. This is, in a way, primarily a one-sided fight.

Due to his incessant thinking, the Scrafty managed to disappear from sight without Pathos knowing. Astonished, the Absol looked around, canning the crowd for his position. "Where did he...?" Pathos managed to voice before feeling something crash into his left side, burst it into excruciating amounts of pain, sending him flying and into the onlookers, knocking a multitude of them over.

The Abosl groaned, trying to get a grasp of his situation. He pushed himself up and away from the Pokémon he had fallen on, and ignored their angry cries. Pathos couldn't be sure, but his right side felt... different. It didn't exactly hurt, but it didn't feel normal, either. He figured it wasn't that large of a problem, and trotted back onto the battlefield, only to be briskly greeted by the Scrafty charging at him with his hand drawn back, ready to chop down upon its prey. However, Pathos just barely managed to dodge the stray Brick Break, but when he tried to retaliate with his own attack from the right, his ribs exploded in agony, and he keeled over in pain.

"Arceus..." Pathos voiced before rolling out of the way of a swift stomp, albeit not without excruciating pain. In a prompt bout of energy, Pathos kicked the Fighting-type's legs out from under him, causing him to fall face-first into the dirt. He quickly righted himself, seething with hatred for the Absol.

By now, there was more than a a crowd, far from it. It seemed like hundreds had come to witness the fight that started when the Absol had finally snapped. Many cheered on either side, but many also shared hushed whispers, all of which could not be heard over even the slightest sound, due to both combatants' high awareness of their surroundings.

"You know, had you never smashed that delectable item, this never would have happened! But what did you do? You crushed it to smithereens, yet you're still able to get up and walk away like nothing happened?" Pathos said, ignoring what his body said and launched forward again, managing to rake the backside of the Scrafty.

Through muffled cursing, he managed to reply, "Why wouldn't I? Unlike you, I have the strength to accept the truth and walk away! I realize that things have been done, and can't be undone! I've accepted my actions with courage!"

"But at what cost?! Yes, I do not accept that it has been done, but that does not lessen the fact that you destroyed something valuable, and not just to me! Once again, I have my reasons. Being hungry, thirst, whatever. Just because it's part of your 'business', doesn't mean I should just lie down and deal with it!"

Pathos was getting extremely aggravated with his foe at this point. He just would not stop his incessant fulminations about how it was "business", and that it was all part of making a profit. He didn't care about all that.

Crepuscular energy began to collect once more around his blade. This time, however, instead of letting it collect entirely, he charged straight for the Scrafty. The pain in his side... he could still feel its presence, but he no longer reacted to its physical drawbacks, like it was being numbed by some ethereal force.

He shook his head, bringing himself back to reality. However, it was then that he realized that he let his emotions get the best of him once more, and before he could respond in time, the Hooldum Pokémon landed a clean Brick Break to the back of his left rear leg. He could hear the sickening crack released by his leg, but he felt little to none of the pain. He wasn't complaining, but in the end, it was a disability.

Whether he could feel it or not, Pathos knew that he was visibly crippled. He wondered just how in the world the odds could be turned in his favor. Well, if this has truly become my final hour, then I'm going to put up one hell of a fight, even more than I already have!

With some difficulty, he managed to ignore his body's pleas to stop and balanced on his front left and rear right legs, and waited for his opponent to close in, seeking the absolute perfect moment to strike, be it expected or unexpected.

"Come on, man, just look at your current condition," the Scrafty proclaimed, making a gesture that encompassed the present situation. "You're losing. Nobody is rooting for you anymore, if they ever were. I've had a great time during our fight, but I don't particularly think this should go on any longer. So, just do us a favor and let me end this."

Pathos closed his eyes and took in and let out breaths of air slowly, knowing that it was all-in or all-out. He heard the Fighting-type approach slowly, the audience quiet with suspense, wondering if this was truly the end for the Disaster Pokémon.

As soon as he heard his adversary raise his foot high in the air, ready to crush the Absol to the ground, Pathos nailed the Scrafty in the gut as hard as he could with the Stygian energy that quickly clouded his paw, causing the Hoodlum Pokémon to hunch over and dry heave. The Disaster Pokémon grinned, gleeful that his Sucker Punch had worked.

Finally grasping his chance, Pathos continued his fresh assault by ramming his foe backwards and onto the ground. He was done actively thinking during the fight. Right now, all that mattered to him was finishing the fight. To do so, he initiated another Night Slash, and cut diagonally from top right to bottom left, leaving a large gash in the chest of the Scrafty.

"What the hell is wrong with you, you idiot? Get off!" the Scrafty exclaimed, struggling against the Absol, but to no avail. Pathos had him pinned down, and was not planning on letting him have the upper hand.

With his position now secure, the Absol continued his onslaught. For a good few seconds, the Absol mauled his foes face, leaving cuts on either side. Pathos felt so alive in that moment... The satisfaction finally getting to fight back against his oppressors.

The Scrafty grimaced, and scanned for an opening to do something, anything. When he found one, he jabbed the Dark-type's underside, provoking him to hunch over and move off to the side, allowing the Fighting-type to get on his feet again.

By this time, Pathos was getting exhausted, and was looking for ways to end the conflict quickly. He searched and searched for an aperture in his adversary's defenses. When he finally found one, he said, "Look this is getting to go on for a bit too long for my liking, so let's end this, just like you wanted!"

Pathos was about to rush forward and deliver his last attack when a rough voice boomed, startling anyone within the premise. "Is that all, Absol? Is that the last of your words to him? Whether it is or not, I would absolutely love to hear more about your plans. Please, go on. I'm waiting."

The Dark-type whipped his head around to pick out whoever it was that spoke up, but instantly recalled the thought when he laid eyes on the towering behemoth in front of him. The creature had dark splotches scattered about, those being the only things visible beneath a tough green hide that acted as armor. The Pokémon's crimson gaze looked over those gathered. "A bit of a show you've created here, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to interrupt your final cut."

The Tyranitar absentmindedly shoved various onlookers out of the way to approach Pathos. "All of you, leave at once before I have someone take care of you for me," he proclaimed, the audience universally agreeing and dispersing, including the now terrified Scrafty that Pathos was fighting, which he was not happy about.

The Disaster Pokémon glared up at the Armor Pokémon. Why was it that whenever something was finally going in his favor, someone had to come right in to ruin it? In an attempt to find out, he said, "What do you want? I was only going to give this guy what he—"

"You were going to give him what? What he deserves? What does that mean to you? Finishing him off? Paralyzing him? Disabling one of his legs? Just look at the poor bastard! He's bleeding from his chest and looks like he's about to pass out from nausea. If anything, you've done more damage here than he has."

"Are you kidding me?! Even you're on his side? He stole food from somewhere—valuable grub, at that—and outright destroyed it! Anyone could have enjoyed the meal with grace, and yet he obliterated it. Look around you! We're in the middle of fucking nowhere, and you want me to calm down about losing the one thing I could have gotten to eat after three days of starvation?" Pathos retorted in vexation.

"Is that your reason for attacking him? Stealing? Just look at yourself! You look like a skeleton wearing skin! You're telling me that you haven't ever stolen anything? And even then, you were willing to actually take the stolen item and eat it!" He shook his head in disappointment. "I understand that you're mad at him. But for Arceus' sake, don't take it so far as to make the guy regret even being born. You're acting like everyone is against you, but just think about it: maybe it's your personality that is the reason they hate you."

Pathos was furious, but not only because of the Tyranitar's claims. His body was exiting fight-or-flight, and it wa sjust now sinking in how his decisions weighed in. nevertheless, he was still mad at everything that had occurred.

Despite it all, he managed to say, "And what makes you think you can understand me at a passing glance?! We have problems, yeah. But has anyone you met ever been denied even a peaceful thought their whole life?"

The Rock-type closed his eyes and huffed. "Then learn to change the opinion of others. You're just hiding in some kind of cocoon, wondering just why you're treated like some kind of bandit. Get out and make a reputation for yourself!" He turned and let out a deep sigh.

"But even then... As the leader of this complex, I can rightfully say that you have now become a threat to the safety of the many others seeking refuge here. So, do me a favor and leave. Now."

Pathos couldn't help but laugh. He walked away a few steps, and faced the Tyranitar with a skeptical look, disregarding the fact that he was the one in charge. "You're joking. You said it yourself, I'm a skeleton given skin. I need nourishment. You can't say that and then deny me the one thing I desire."

He shook his head, moving away slightly and turning his back to the Disaster Pokémon. "Well, I do apologize, Absol. But as I said, you are now a threat to everyone here. I can no longer keep you safe in this haven. So, I'm going to tell you one more time: leave."

"Look, I may go through tons of pain travelling through the lands in these groups, but at least I have a way of getting food and water that way. You expect me to leave that behind and just walk away? Do you not understand the severity of such an action?"

The Tyranitar turned around, his face no longer exhibiting mercy. "Yes, I do quite understand. And that is why I'm sending someone like you out there, to learn. So leave now, or else I will have to get serious and do it myself."

"And what makes you think that I'm going to just up and go? As I've already said, I'm not leaving, at least not until I'm given an ample supply of provisions to take with me. so if you'd be so kind as to—"

The Armor Pokémon interrupted him by stomping over, and clasping around the Dark-type's throat and lifting him several feet into the air. "Listen here, and listen well. I've told you that I am the leader of this place, and that means any order I give to one of you worthless piles is absolute. But you certainly are one rebellious fella, yeah? Then that means I shall treat you as such."

Pathos struggled as much as he could to get out of the hands of the Tyranitar, but it was too much for him. "Look at you, you're one step closer to becoming me, aren't you? You're here strangling me, much like something I could have done to that Scrafty!"

The Rock-type gave off a low growl. "Oh, so you want to be smart with me, eh? I might need to start writing down all the things you're doing, to make sure nobody does it again!" He threw the Disaster Pokémon to the ground so hard Pathos heard multiple cracks originating from his body, sending spikes of pain throughout his body, causing him to yell in agony.

"I want you to examine yourself some more, and I want you to do it well. You're in desperate need of an attitude adjustment, and it shows fairly well. I'm making sure it happens." he stomped ever closer to the Absol, who was now forcing himself to suck up the pain and get a move on to evade any attacks.

This pain is so damn excruciating, but anything like this would be far easier to take than a direct hit from this guy. Probably three good hits from him and I'd be done for. I need to force myself to live with the pain and get away from him, as soon as possible.

"Look, I don't want to be the one to tell you this, but the world is full of idiotic fools who have nothing but hatred to share with others! I can tell you from experience! But, looking at you, I suppose that you're one of them, yeah?" Pathos called back while scampering weakly away from his opponent.

"If that is what you believe, then sure. But I've already told you that I'm ensuring the safety of those present, which obviously conveys the fact that, hey, what do you know, I'm not the bad guy," the Armor Pokémon replied. He sprinted forward and tried to slam Pathos into the ground with a powerful fist, but moving against his pain, Pathos jumped out of the way.

So, here he was. Broken ribs, a very likely broken rear left leg, and maybe even more broken than just that, and on top of that, he was being chased by a Tyranitar. He felt miserable, like he would shatter to pieces if he so much as fell over.

"Will you just stand down?! You still need to learn the bigger picture. It's not all just you, you, you! Give yourself the taste of defeat, and look into it, figure out what it means to be defeated, take it from me!" the Armor Pokémon voiced.

Once more the Tyranitar shot a fist down towards Pathos, who miraculously managed to dodge once more. However, he was not unharmed, for a piece of shrapnel from the ground lodged itself into Pathos' left side. Once more he yelled in pain. Never had he thought he would deal with so much pain at once. However, despite this, his body was engaging its hormones once more, and pain was dwindling, but it wasn't as stable as before; he was losing energy.

"Don't do this to yourself! You have the choice to make it easier on yourself, yet you deny it and take the hard path. Why is that? No matter how much I think about it, I cannot come up with an acceptable reason as to why," the Absol's foe inquired.

Huffing, Pathos weakly managed to spout an answer. "It's not that I chose to take the hard road! I've already told you! What is it about being mistreated from the very start that you don't grasp? I never wanted it to be this way!" Pathos pathetically shot himself at the Tyranitar and attempted to hit him with a Night Slash.

However, he wasn't thrilled, and nonchalantly caught the blade in his hand. He towered over the Absol and said, "Do you not realize it yet? You're losing this fight. You may have confidence in yourself now after what happened previously, but there's a broad line between you and me." The Rock-type grabbed Pathos' blade and threw him down the path. When the Absol landed on the ground and skidded for a few feet, causing him to falter in his movements afterwards.

For a while after, the Tyranitar continued to push the Absol down multiple corridors and paths, sometimes even through tents, until they neared the outside. Pathos was aching all over by now; he not only had to deal with his previous injuries, he also had to bear the pain of his new ones, as well as the fact his body was no longer providing him with the supply of adrenaline that he needed.

When Pathos emerged outside, he paid no heed, and simply kept his focus on the Tyranitar, waiting for his foe's next move. However, after about a minute of waiting, the Rock-type just stood there.

The Disaster Pokémon was confused. Why was he just standing there? Why wasn't he showing his extreme bloodlust from before? "Come on, what are you waiting for? I'm right here, in the open for you to deal with! So why not take your chance?"

He lowered his head and shook it slowly. "I'm sparing you." He turned around, hunching over, his tail swaying a little. "Have you not seen it yet? Get out there. Make something out of yourself. Take on a new lifestyle. Do whatever you like. Don't beg for freedom, work for it. I mean, come on, you have suffered a lot from staying here, that much is obvious. Me fighting you should have stood for what you will experience if you decide to stay here." He turned around, tilting his head. "What's your name?"

Pathos had to sit and take in all the information he had just been given before he could answer. Him? Spared? Why? What did he mean by making something of himself? Surely there was no way of doing that! And how could he take on a new lifestyle if this is all he's known? It was all very foreign to him, and it was obvious that the Tyranitar wasn't going to give him the answers. But why was he interested in his name? When he thought about it, though, it really didn't matter. His name carried little meaning, so he figured it wouldn't hurt. "P-Pathos."

The Tyranitar nodded briefly. "Interesting name, Pathos. I'll be sure to keep that one logged in my mind." Again, he made an about-face, but this time, he began to make his way down the hall. Before leaving from sight, he paused to say one more thing. "Basileus, if you ever need it." After that, he disappeared into the dark, leaving Pathos outside alone, his only company being his pain.

Pathos just wasn't sure how much time had passed since he began to fight with the Scrafty. His injuries made it feel like it was only five minutes, but the experience made it feel like a few hours.

He groaned as he thought, Right, my injuries... I've got something lodged into my right side, most likely some broken ribs on the left, I'm entirely unsure what's going on with my left rear leg, but that's probably broken as well. My head is throbbing, and my back aches, among other things. But, despite all of that, I need to push forward, find somewhere to go, or, if only to get away, wander with slim hopes of locating something of importance. Influxes are, horrifyingly, a worry I need to keep in mind. However, I cannot pay heed to that if I wish to keep going.

With his new mission in mind, he meekly stood up, and chose a random direction to wander in, and made off, a strong limp affixed to his stride, and occasionally cringing at the movement of his left side and rear leg. With a new goal in mind, he attempted to push forth once more, and try to find new residence.

However, after a few hours of mindless travel, he began to feel slightly weak. But, he simply brushed it off as him needing rest, as he felt tired. He walked more, and it got worse, until he deicded that despite where he was, he would lay down and get some rest.

And so, he sat there, looking up into the now night sky, wondering what he would wake up to the next day, or even the day after, he wasn't sure. He lay down, resting his head on the ground. In due time, he figured, he would finally find somewhere to settle.

"Man cannot remake himself without suffering, for he is both the marble and the sculptor." - Alexis Carrel