Avery's Pokemon

Umbreon

Name: Evangeline. More commonly, Eva.

Gender: Female

Nature: Rash

Summ: Avery's first Pokemon, once a rambunctious Eevee. Loyal and excitable, Avery and Eva can't seem to get their hands (and paws) off of each other. Once they were rivals, Eva was afraid and resistant of his love. They've come far.

Kirlia

Name: Lady

Gender: Female

Nature: Modest

Summ: Once an innocent Ralts running from an abusive human, Lady was isolated from Avery during a head injury. Lady has since seemed different. Now a Kirlia, she demands different things from her 'Master' and sees it as entirely unfair that Eva seems to get all of his romantic attention.

Buneary

Name: Chastity

Gender: Female

Nature: Adamant

Summ: What is this sensual bunny's deal, anyways? Purchased from a strange man at Vanessa's mansion as a gift from the wicked mistress herself, the Buneary seems a mixture of fierce pride and fiery sexual whim. In other words, she's kinda totally topping Avery from a meta level.

Furfrou

Name: Dusty

Gender: Male

Nature: Hardy

Summ: Seemingly the only successful battler of the bunch, Dusty has proved to be a steadfast companion despite starting the journey as a total sexpest, tryna bang Chastity like that! Can you blame him? Give a guy a bone!

Surskit

Name: Sprite

Gender: Female

Nature: Quirky

Summ: This innocent, yet somehow seductive balloon, is exactly what she seems. Very fond of Avery, with a playful spirit.

last chapter: a cave in, and a fight between Chastity and Lady- this chapter...

If there was a time to be anxious about my continuous questionable decision-making, where we were, or where my missing team was, it wasn't now.

After the initial punch, it seemed like Mr. Punchy the Graveler wanted to follow up on my bloody nose by knocking my teeth out - if his expression was anything to go by anyways. The massive rock-type stopped advancing towards me, and his eyes widened as all around us the earth began to vibrate and violently tremble once again. I'm not exactly familiar with this sort of thing, but there was something odd about it. I didn't have the luxury to think about it right now- thrown onto my stomach, as I was. Eva scampered up next to me, pressing close, trying to help me find a balance while barely maintaining hers; paws flexed.

Around Eva and I; like waves crashing across a beach, a rush of anxious, frightened murmurs from tons of different voices rang out, as if a bunch of individual conversations were taking place, each discussing what was going on with fear-tinged tones. A shiver ran through my spine, and I wondered just how many wild Pokemon currently sat in the pitch-black cave with us.

Perhaps I was going crazy, but an odd melody seemed to be playing from somewhere, emanating from all around me, engulfing me in a strange lassitude. It wasn't coming from my Poketch, no. It was from somewhere else. It both comforted and disturbed me. I was scared, wondering how I was going to get out of this one. I wished I had the strength to just pull myself together, and fight through the pain in my nose instantly like some kind of invincible hero. Alas, the punch left my whole head aching, and there was something else lingering on top of that. Something I couldn't place my finger on - more than just a bad feeling, like a hollow ache at the back of my mind.

Sensing my pain, Eva crept close low on her haunches; her adorable face a divine comfort, running her body along me while I still knelt on the cave floor. Her rings glowed faintly as I firmly ran a hand across her side, enjoying the feel of her fur. Her slender, gold-ringed ears were drawn downwards, crimson eyes staring into mine intensely.

"Ummbree? Umbri" she whispered, glancing warily in every direction, her glow-rings emanating a weak pulse of gold; anxiety clear in her taut muscles and clenched jaws. She nuzzled gently alongside me as if trying to urge me up, murmuring her name again. This time more urgently.

As I managed to get my footing, another earthquake trembled all around us; the strongest one yet. If the former cries of the wild Pokemon had been like a wave, this was surely a tsunami. Panic seemed to enshroud the wild mob, and I felt various bodies brush against my legs, though I kept my Poketch trained on Mr. Punchy, who was glowering at me as if I was the source of this whole mess.

Despite how terrible it was, I was right about the habitat of these Pokemon, their architecture was surreal. While the manmade parts of the cavern up above had crashed and broken apart, the lower levels carved this way and that by the mons were holding fast. Makes one wonder about the magnitude of the force needed to cause them to fall apart as well.

Then; as suddenly as they had started again, the shakes ceased once more, like a light switch turning off, and that was when I realized it: This was no natural earthquake. No, there was something strange about its repeated rhythm, and the fact that it seemed like no one was coming to help us; at least not yet. If that really was the case, then this was not an earthquake striking the region. If any sign was to go by, it was probably artificial. Man-made. Maybe this had something to do with why there were no aggressive wild Pokemon outside. If it was intense enough, it might cause wild Pokemon to flee. My guess: someone was drilling, and it was coming from below us.

Was Hardy caught up in this as well, or had the old geezer made his way through before it all came crashing down? I tried to send him a message on my Poketch, but there was no signal. I was disconnected from the world down here.

As the worst passed, a strange voice rang out. Confident, yet gentle, with a sultry edge to that I was probably imagining. It echoed around the cave, and the number of times it echoed made me sure this haunt was big. At the sound of it, Eva glanced at me with wide eyes.

"Umbree umbreon!" When I didn't respond she nudged me violently with a dark paw. "Umbri!"

She was trying to tell me something about whatever the voice had just said.

I wanted to speak; say anything at all, but a dull ache overwhelmed my head so much that I just didn't know what to say. The pain was very peculiar. I was at a loss for words, and a cold sweat seemed to cling to me.

'What the? Seriously, what is that?' It didn't sound like the rest of the voices.

I dared to shine my Poketch around. It was a mistake, because the Pokemon nearest to me - Mr. Punchy, some Geodudes, a Machop, and some others- glanced in my direction, and yelled their own sounds back, as if in communication with the voice- about me.

What was it? Clearly another Pokemon… I tried to give an image to the cry, which had an almost feminine edge to it, but try as I might I couldn't recall what it could be. I started recalling from memory which Pokemon were common to Mt. Coronet… ugh, never been good at shit like that. I passed at HCTS because I had a great short-term memory, which wasn't necessarily useful for retaining information.

Screw it, I'd already stolen one look, I might as well look some more- no way I was going to remember. I needed to see the source of the cry myself. I scanned my Poketch light across the gathering of Pokemon, seeking the source of the cry, despite Eva shoving herself against me trying to get me to stop it, crying out her name.

As my light hit them, most of their gazes snapped toward me, and seemed to scream "We don't invade your homes. How dare you enter ours?" My light glanced across the rock-types, many more Geodudes, and others. The more I saw, the more uncomfortable I got. In this level, clearly far below, no sunlight reached. A perpetual darkness had taken hold, something foreign to the human eye, and which my Poketch could not banish, try as I might casting that beam about. There were so many different shelves of rock, and so many different places to see.

It was pretty clear I was somewhere I didn't belong right now. I was right that their home was a source of safety - though some of the Pokemon had scattered, nothing had broken or crumbled above or below us, this was a cavern built to withstand time and tremors. As my Poketch cast its illumination about, the vastness of the cave seemed to know no bounds, and there were holes, seemingly doorways and tunnels to dozens of different places, some even higher up in impossible-to-reach places, where shadows and faint outlines of Pokemon I couldn't quite see- likely Zubats and that sort. I was in a deep pocket of Pokemon territory, but the source of the cries eluded me, and they had yet to reply to the wild mons around me. Yet being the keyword here...

The underground was still the domain of Pokemon alone, but did that mean they would attack us indiscriminately? Mr. Punchy had because I'd touched him, even if by accident, and it seemed like most of them wanted to do nothing more than just lunge at me now, but they were clearly waiting on what that unfamiliar cry would say, as if waiting for permission or instructions from the said voice. I felt a tingle of something in my belly, and my heart raced. Was there a natural hierarchy to this nest? Something beyond a simple ecosystem; cross-Pokespecies perhaps? A society?

That couldn't be possible, right? My head continued to throb in aggravation.

Eva nuzzled against my leg, and glared all around us. She saw what I could not see clearly, and it was clear the little dark-type didn't like it. Her body had the same tenseness as mine and then some. We didn't exactly have permission to be here, and we both knew it. I tried not to make any sudden moves. I realized if I screwed up here and now, I would never be seen again. Wherever my team was, they would have to wait for me- and I prayed for some sort of protection. If not for me, at least for my mons.

When I opened my mouth to talk again, I retched, and almost threw up thanks to a violent spasm that took hold of me. The pain sharpened, pulsing and peculiar; I was at a loss for words, and the cold sweat that seemed to cling to me now felt like it would freeze over any second.

I grabbed at my head, shaking it, groaning lightly. Had the punch been something serious? A concussion had taken hold maybe? But it hadn't felt that bad, in fact, it seemed like the Graveler had actually gone pretty easy on me all things considered, so what the hell was this!?

It pinched behind my eyelids, and seemed to squeeze around my brain, like individual heartbeats. Finally, that strange feminine voice spoke once more, and it had a cold, dismissive edge to it- like steel chopping stone. A true silence took hold of the cave, except for that faint, strange music.

Chuckling suddenly, grinning ear to ear, a new Graveler, much bigger than Mr. Punchy decided to pick a fight with us. He had a particularly large crack in the side of his head, which almost appeared like a scar on his left eye- he slammed his massive fists together and walked straight towards me. "Graveler, grav!"

As I was accepting my highly probable kidnapping and death, Eva dashed in front of me, hissing loudly.

"Grav! Graveler!" Mr. Punchy yelled, but the large Graveler- Big Boy, merely shook his head, as if to say 'Don't worry, it doesn't matter.' He planned to kick both of our asses by the looks of it, and the angry rock-type kept approaching regardless of Eva's presence. If they fought, would Eva win? Maybe against one of them, but what about the rest of the swarm in the room? Mr. Punchy looked like he'd join in the second Big Boy was taken down. My Umbreon didn't really scare either of them, and I hated to admit it, but I wasn't sure of her strength even in comparison to a bunch of wild mons.

As if sensing my doubt, and maybe she did, Eva glanced back at me, the crimson discs of her eyes narrowed. Sensing no comfort or reassurance from my gaze, her expression shifted to something familiar. Anger.

"I-It's not that I don't believe in you, it's just- look around us… I don't think we have a-"

"UMBRI!" She hissed back shrilly, and I knew from the way she looked boldly, angrily into my eyes, that she was saying "How dare you not trust me!? Don't give up!"

Trembling, fists clenched, I stared at the massive rock-type slowly approaching… then glanced back at her. "I trust you. So get me out of this safe, 'kay?"

Nodding, Eva spun away from me and back towards the ever-encroaching ring of wild Pokemon. I glanced around, searching once more for the source of leadership. Pointless. My poketch light was practically useless, its light was just too damn dim- clearly not meant for something like this.

There was a flashlight in my bag, but I worried what would happen if I tried to dig it out, and I doubted it would do much more to penetrate this incessant darkness- more haunting than Darkrai's had been, the kind I'm sure his kind lingered in.

"Umbreon!" Eva stepped in front of me like a lone warrior, and let out an equally loud cry to the one apparently "in charge." It was a challenge, a threat, an appeal all wrapped in one- and that strange mon cried out in return, clearly angry, but Eva yipped another reply back- the Graveler stomped forward, interrupting this communication.

"Grav!" He was clearly ready to fight, not liking whatever she was saying to the leader mon. A third Pokemon, a slender Machop with a pale gray color, nudged him and shook its ridged head.

"Chop, machop!" Its voice had an oddly feminine edge. The rock-type grumbled back. The Machop persisted. It seemed less angry than the rest of its brethren were, and it was obviously trying to appeal to the Graveler's sense, nodding in what I assumed was the direction of the leader. I got the sense of watching a housewife trying to talk a drunken husband out of a bar fight.

Meanwhile… In my defense, Eva was a lot more vicious. She did not care that the third Pokemon was peacemaking. Before I could call her back, she leaped forward, swinging wildly all around her with vicious strikes, hissing all the while. She invaded their personal space, making them back up in genuine fright, but she didn't hit anyone.

Her message was clear: If they attacked, we'd go down, but she'd take some of them with us- Her slender black body dashed this way and that, so small, yet seeming like a massive barricade at that moment, agilely blocking off all approaches, and seeming strong enough that all warily stepped back when she darted before them on her dainty paws.

At first, it didn't seem like they were taking it very seriously, Mr. Punchy and Big Boy were still rearing to go.

When one of the Pokemon nearest me began to reach for me, Eva noticed right away. She spun, crimson eyes like twin blood moons.

"Umbree, umbr!" My ears rang as she literally screamed, and a visible shock, not fear, seemed to fill all nearby - myself included. I'd never heard her get so loud, and the sound echoed throughout the vast earthen chamber. It was not just the sounds Eva made, but the sight of her that enraptured me. While letting loose her vivid, shrill cries, putting on a show of being a threat, the golden rings of her body had suddenly burst to light, illuminating the cavern in a way my Poketch could never hope to achieve, and clearly in a way none of them had never seen, if the shock and terror were clues to go by.

The first thing I noticed was the excess of fungi, faintly shimmering, as well as vast, rounded tunnels, and chunks of minerals, shards of stone sticking this way and that out of all of the walls and ceiling. The entire area was not lit up, but I got a big idea about what awaited in the dark recesses, and much of what lay in front was illuminated, however, I was so focused on Eva, I couldn't pay much attention to that.

"Eva…you're incredible," I whispered, but the Umbreon was intensely focused, breathing heavily- her fur all puffed up. Eva's large, dark-furred body was tense with excitement, the muscles underneath the fur flexing with anticipation, and she crawled towards them low on her belly, pushing the crowd back, vibrating with her hisses and warning sounds. She was glowering at all of them, as if daring them to approach, demanding a fight, and I saw that her eyes were filled with a familiar cold that I'd only seen in one other Pokemon- Lady.

Glowing like the moon itself, Eva swept her paws out in rapid arcs, claws extended and fangs on display. Her rings glowered brighter than I'd ever seen them, even brighter than when we'd coupled and she'd first evolved, and every other time after. True anger and fear were roiling in her, and the vividness of her internal light shined through. The fur on her back had crept far up, and her claws seemed more like daggers. I recognized a side I have never seen before in Eva for the first time.

A will to kill.

The mons recognized it too. A strange, uncomfortable chorus of sounds spread across the room, the sounds of many different mons in discussion- and the sound of gradual rising fear. Somehow, Eva had humbled the group, and weakened their backbone- even Mr. Punchy and Big Boy were not approaching anymore.

Now I got my first clear look at… well, everything. Many of the wild Pokemon I recognized - there were massive swarms of Zubats coating the walls like an unsettling, fluttering carpet, and on the ground rested a very thick layer of Geodudes, and a dozen or so Gravelers which seemed to be leading their smaller brethren; their third evolution was nowhere to be seen; more rare and therefore a bit more exciting to me even in my pain and suffering was the line of Pokemon almost buried beneath the wall of rock-types, Chingling's. Their tiny bell-like bodies were vibrating slightly, emitting a strangely vicious hum, and I realized that was the source of my apprehension. While normally a gentle sound in the ownership of a human, the Chingling's familial hymn took on an eerily serene, though haunting echo here in the chambers of the earth. They were scattered here and there, small packs of them protected by a much smaller group of the steel-type, Bronzor, like hovering shields, their golden gazes aglow.

Those round steel-types were the scariest of the Pokemon to me, because their haunted, metallic faces were completely void of expression, yet their eyes burned like twin suns, round and golden with an unsettling pupil at each center. I'd only seen one in a handful of pictures and a couple of videos, never in person.

At the far end of the cave, various shapes emerged from a dark passage in response to Eva's challenge. I knew instantly- the mon at the front was the source of the peculiar cries. The organization of the group disturbed me, maybe because it was recognition of a society outside of ours when we treated them like animals- but all of that made sense now. It was a tall, slender figure with puffy legs, wide hips, and a blue, turban-like head that was approaching. The front tendrils of its hair were longer than usual, and its plump lips were curled into a perpetual pout. Its eyes beheld a strange light, familiar to me now as psychic potency, the light within almost as strange as the cry it had emanated from its frame- recognizable now. A Medicham, yet, something was different. Standing by its pees, which had a pink and gray hue to their bodies as opposed to its golden and blue, I recognized the difference- this was a special Pokemon, just like Jack's eevee. The Medicham must've been some kind of leader, because the group settled down around it, many approaching and asking questions, and when she answered said questions, the chorus of voices gradually died away, like they were attending court and she was their queen.

As it came to the front of the group very slowly it moved with an elegant, natural ease, as if dancing. This didn't seem like a wild Pokemon but instead a refined woman, while the other wilds amongst it did not have that same feeling to them at all. It was not the only Medicham, there were two others of its kind, but the one in the front outshined the other two in a striking way, perhaps it was the way it stared at me, or the natural swing to its hips, the curves in its form…

Alongside the three Medicham was a couple of Golems, and some Machokes. There were either not a lot of fully-evolved Pokemon or they did not come en masse. They all seemed very serious, talking to one another as they approached, save the single Medicham who kept its eyes focused on me. Against my better judgment, I let my gaze trace its natural curves, wondering how it was possible to curve in all the right ways so alluringly.

'What the hell am I thinking!? Right now is not the time for this! If it thinks I'm a perv, it'll probably kick my ass.'

An unfamiliar woman murmured in my mind, and at once I knew who it was. 'I don't mind if you stare. It has been a long time since I've felt a gaze with such breeders intent, and never before from your kind.. It's quite fascinating, though… beyond a stare is unwanted, human.'

It grinned as I stared back at it in shock. 'B-Breeders intent?'

She merely ignored me, continuing on. 'You should know, human, that Umbreon saved you. When the young ones informed me of your presence I said to simply do away with you… when I heard her shout, I knew that I had to come to see the source of the disturbance myself… I am surprised to find myself face to face with such a peculiarity.'

Cautiously, I practiced what came naturally with Lady. Like phantom limbs, I stretched my mind out, with probing words. 'What is so peculiar?'

'A Pokemon and her human mate, walking their way right into the middle of my den. I'd say that's pretty peculiar. What do you think?'

She had me there. But there was more to the story.

'I know the whole story, do not waste your energy, human. I know why you're here, and how. I know that you want me, and the things you'd do to me. I see every thought racing through your silly young mind, every image.' She was talking down to me, like the fact that I was human-made her sure she knew everything about me. Like I was scum, and that she was being kind to me, and for some reason that made me want to prove to her that I was different from everyone.

She turned away and waved a palm towards the hovering steel-types which watched us studiously from afar. The Bronzors eyes flickered. The pain in my head suddenly ceased, and the realization of where the phantom pain was coming from snapped into place. I was an idiot for not realizing it right away, but they'd had the same slight glow, the same intense focus on me that I had grown to recognize in the intense glances of my Kirlia whenever she was indiscriminately probing around my mind. I guess they and she'd been doing just that, but I hadn't felt their presence at all. I rubbed my eyes, discomforted.

"Medi, cham cham!" One of the other fighting-type elites declared, pointing further into the cave, toward where this group had come from. The leader Medicham, or at least the one choosing to engage with me more vivaciously than the others, smiled serenely and beckoned her head in the direction of a particular mouth in one of the shelves of the wall, leading even further downward. I gulped, staring at it, understanding what they both wanted.

'Come with me, human, and perhaps we can set aside our differences.'

Eva stared at her in visible suspicion, narrowing her eyes, sniffing.

"I think she's a friend," I admitted to my starter, and the dark-type lowered her hackles cautiously, suspicion not leaving her face. I rubbed her little hair tuft, wondering if we really were safe for now. Without asking any questions, knowing now wasn't the time for it, I followed after the fighting-psychic type. The Machokes stepped in line beside us as we trailed behind her, glaring at me with their beady, angry gazes. The last of this line that I'd seen had been plowing my mother, I couldn't help but glare back.

'Friend is a strong word.' The Medicham's disapproval was obvious.

'And yet it's the one I chose.' I shot back.

'Let's see if you hold up to the title.' Her challenging tone in my mind made me grin. I'd taken a chance, and I was right. She'd come to us because Eva had challenged her. She was a martial artist, had some level of high intellect, and she had some mild curiosity regarding me. Likely, she found me as fascinating as I found her, and she obviously enjoyed a subtle power struggle.

The two Golems stood on either side of the door-like hole in the cave wall. I wondered how they had evolved down here in the pits of the earth when I recognized something strange about them that I had also noticed about Big Boy and some other ancient-looking mons scattered about. Various deep "scars"- massive grooves/gouges of rocks and other damage- were taken off their frames. Their hatred and mistrust of humans was obvious. Was it beyond just being wild? The cuts, holes, and chunks missing from these mons reminded me of something, something I couldn't quite name. They looked similar to the Pokemon from those old war pictures of veterans you see sometimes.

'Much of this ancient mountain we call home is carved at the whims of your kind, but you are currently in a part of it that is not… Know that the Pokemon here have avoided human captivity for a very long time. Your Pokeballs, and your presence in general, are entirely unwelcome to most of us' The cute Medicham said matter-of-factly.

She led Eva and I into a tall, though very thin passage. It felt like the walls were closing in on us, slightly wet, and I yelped when a random zubat dashed in front of us, hovering close by, as if curious and wanting to know what was going on. Any complaints I was about to make fell quickly into silence as we stepped into the next apartment of the cavern system. Or we would have stepped into it, had the ground not stopped abruptly, transforming into a very sudden plummet of damn-near over twenty feet, murky darkness drifting down below. At my sudden stop, multiple stones were sent flying, and it wasn't a good deal of time til I heard them clatter far below.

"W-WOAH!" Gasping, I clutched onto the rock wall for dear life, never before having enjoyed the feeling of minerals and the smell of earth so much.

'Careful~' The Medicham teased. "Cham cham," the fighting type said something to Eva, and much to my disgrace, my umbreon snickered at me.

"Hey, next time Lady tries to push you off a cliff this high I'll let it happen! Sorry I don't have darkvision like you guys!" The Medicham seemed amused by my words, smiling, and as the two glanced my way- I realized neither of them would have let me fall, and my fear rapidly melted away into a kind of gentle contentment, and maybe a bit of excitement too.

Eva glanced over the edge, her pulsing light casting illumination down onto an absolutely massive, intricate system of natural waterways and tunnels, threading downward to who knows where. From this top-down view it was like staring at a map, various shelves of stone dipping this way and that, entrances all over the place just like the first chamber we'd been in, the rivers shockingly bold and glistening in her light. In the distance, I think I even saw a waterfall gently flowing, and the glitter of scales in those liquid depths. Some I couldn't make out, but the forms of countless Pokemon were scurrying about down below.

'Come along,' The medicham smiled, and stepped daintily around a corner I probably never would have noticed had I been traveling this way on my own. Glowering at me, the machokes took the very same path, which was a sharp right turn that sloped downward. This was where the Golems departed from us, and I half-choked, half-laughed as they both gathered their immense bodies up into a ball, and proceeded to launch themselves over the edge without a care in the world, rolling down the hill with a violent vigor, fast as can be and out of sight in under a minute. I almost didn't believe what I'd just seen.

We were far, far above the ground, and quite a fall lingered below. If I made one wrong step, I'd slip and I'd die but they could just up and do that!? I was almost jealous. As I followed the off-colored medicham, I half expected one of the machoke to just shove me off, or for Mr. Punchy to come running and punt me off the edge. Instead, as a group. we pressed ourselves against the wall and slowly, steadily crept along its length. A thin, treacherous, spiraling path twisted downward along the natural wall of the cave, and led to another small hole we had to crouch down to get into. The big, round cave we stepped into was warm, and spacious, and had a small, circular well of water on the right side, some strange crystal clusters glowing at the bottom of the pool.

Massive swaths of some kind of fluffy, web-like material made up warm, comfortable nests. Eggs spotted every corner, and as we entered I noticed some meditites stirring from where they were resting in those makeshift spots, as well as a dozen and more that were meditating in silence in a group on the left, as if training together. It wasn't just meditites though, I was surprised to see a small cluster of abra's as well, hovering in midair. They were training together under the lead of another medicham, this one kind of small and normal-colored. At my appearance though, they all seemed startled, and the smaller versions for the Medicham scampered out of the hollow and out into the tunnels. The Abra's did not bother doing anything physically. Their bodies glowed faintly, and before I could try to offer any reassurances to the group, they had blinked away with a flash of psychic light.

'The little ones are shy, don't take it personally.'

A few other medicham were resting on the patches of eggs, their bodies pressed warmly against them. and it was into one of these empty ones that the female Medicham settled down, gathering some of the nearby lonely eggs around her, resting them in the soft material around her, and relaxing against them. Her legs curled into a meditative bow, and the two other medicham stood at the "door", keeping watchful gazes both on us and her, while the machokes waited outside.

'Sit, we have much to discuss, human.'

There was a hole in the roof of this particular cave ceiling directly above her, and she lifted her head and hollered into it. "Medicham! Medi!" The sound of her voice trekked upwards through a seemingly far, vertical tunnel and I realized now why I hadn't recognized her sounds. What an intricate communication system…

I took this downtime to plop my bag down, digging out some snack rations for us to munch on, worrying desperately for Chastity, Lady, Sprite, and Dusty… Eva and I munched on them, and the Medicham observed us in silence. I didn't belong here, but it was awfully nice, this place- even if it had a strange, haunting silence- the silence of paths seemingly never tread by human feet, but she had granted me this boon. Was trusting me at least enough to show me all of this. All around me the underground world rustled with a faint hint of Pokemon life, the scattering of wings, and the rumble of shifting bodies in the world outside this particular hole-in-the-wall.

While I was eating, I realized the Medicham would not stop staring at the snack in my hands, a pokemon-friendly protein bar, as big as half my arm. I was eating some, and feeding pieces of it to Eva as well. Hardy had given it to me… and it was great for fighting-types, or so he claimed. The potent aroma was fitting, and I broke a piece of the choco stuff off, extending it out to the curious, ever-watchful fighting-psychic hybrid.

Immediately, the silence was broken.

"CHOKE!"

Pain exploded in my arm as a huge, gray hand came crashing down onto it in a chopping motion, the chocolate scattering across the floor. I turned, shocked to see a Machoke had darted into the cave in the blink of an eye, assuming my extended gift was some kind of danger or weapon. Frightened, various Medicham nesting on eggs startled awake, bodies tensing and eyes glowing in the swathe of faint darkness- banished by Eva's light rings. One of the guards had assumed I was doing something dangerous, I suppose. Cute Medicham interfered, raising a hand. The aggressive, frightened one backed away… and I glared at him as I retrieved the piece of chocolate from the dusty earth, handing it to her.

'Forgive my brood. They're tense…your offering is most appreciated.'

Offering, huh? Any anger I felt melted away as she plopped the candy into her mouth, eyes immediately widening. As that luscious mouth chewed away the fighting-type literally moaned out loud, and I knew then and there, it was the best thing she'd yet tasted. Her face colored, growing flushed, and she wet her lips, urgently glancing my way. Wordlessly, I extended another piece, and to avoid getting pummeled I broke off some tiny fragments for the other curious wild Pokemon as well, leaving only half of the bar left- I stowed this away in the front pocket of my leather jacket after feeding Eva her fill. With her eyes closed like that, head softly cocked, that persistent image of this Medicham as adorable did not relent. There was just something about how natural she looked surrounded by eggs like this, so at peace which stimulated a part of me.

'That kissing thing you want to do, it seems rather gross and… wet. Stop picturing it."

I wasn't trying to think about kissing that lewd mouth. "D-Don't mind me, I'm ready to hear you out!" I said and promptly pulled Eva up into my lap.

"Umb, umbri," she muttered under her breath, glaring at the relatively tall mon across from us.

'T-Time passes quickly, but the urgency of the world does not. Human, we have common interests. I know of your plight and I would have you-'

Interrupting her words, the earth began to shake again. A chorus of cries rang down through the hole, announcing the fears of all her brood up above, but she ignored them.

The Medicham seemed perturbed by the interruption, thrown off by it, and perhaps by my thoughts which I definitely wasn't making lewd on purpose now…

'...Simply… You want your Pokemon, and out of this cave. I want pests in the bowels of my nest done away with, and you out of this cave. We can assist each other. You understand?'

I nodded. "Pests…the bowels of your nest… You're talking about the humans drilling and disrupting everything down below, aren't you?" When Eva gave me a confused look, I explained my guess. That the earthquake was artificial, man-made. The Medicham's eyes widened, she seemed startled, and even suspicious of me. Like she thought I was dumb and I'd caught on too quickly. I spoke up fast. "I'm not involved with them- it's just a guess. Something was off about the pattern and feel of the quakes."

The group of nesting Medichams, seeming to all be females and lead at least this small group, glanced at each other, and entered a quiet, private mental conversation with each other- Eva and I excluded. As each mon "spoke" their eyes glowed, the only indication that anything was being said or expressed. Finally, after a few long, tedious moments of this, they seemed to reach an agreement and the cute Medicham stared directly at me.

'We have reached unity of mind . Our brood is strong, and there are many of us throughout this part of the mountain. It's likely someone already knows where your other partner Pokemon are. If not, they should be easy to find- we know these caves, every part of them. Any subtle difference we will find. We also already know the source of the earthquakes- We do not dare approach this invasive human and her ilk, for she has trained Pokemon far superior to anything we could send at her, and many others of your kind are swarming around her.'

My eyes widened. "That sounds like some sort of project. How long has this been going on?"

'For many "days". Though, never this strongly. It won't be long until they find it.'

"It? What are they looking for?"

The Medicham stared at me quite seriously for a long moment, then simply shrugged. 'I do not know. You humans are impossible to predict or understand. Perhaps you will find out for us. We just know they are going lower and lower, to reach a place even Pokemon do not go. This mountain is old, and even older things rest below it, things and places best left untouched.'

I shivered with dread. "… That's really all you know?"

'What thoughts I detected from her were obsessively preoccupied with a certain "stone". I've never felt such anger, such passion, from a human. She is searching for something with a very primal desperation.'

"And you want Eva and I to fight her?" My Umbreon nodded at me, determined.

The matronly psychic-fighting type merely sighed, running a hand across her long frame. 'I do not care. Fight, talk her out of her persistence, knock her out- do whatever it takes, human. In exchange, my kind will try to gather your partners, and bring them to you. A fair deal, is it not?''

Sure, it sounded fair, but how in the world was I going to talk a stranger out of doing something they were clearly so determined to do? They either weren't aware, or didn't care, that they were wrecking Mount Coronet up above. So they were either opportunists, or just simply careless. If they could deliver my mons right to me, and I could help them out with this cute Medicham in the process, then that sounded like a good thing to me. How would they know what Pokemon I-

'I can see your thoughts before you even have them, and you won't stop thinking about those Pokemon of yours, I could not unsee or forget them if I tried.'

"I-I see, well, alright. I can certainly try."

'Don't try. Do.' She laughed at me, a hooting, taunting sound.

"Medchami- medi cham cham, med," she muttered to one of the larger, more muscular of her kind sitting beside her. The slight figure nodded its head in response to her words, and stood, beckoning to me. The Machokes from earlier joined us once again, still pissed as hell at me.

'They will take you where you need to go.'

As Eva and I followed the group out, she and I glanced at each other. What in the world had we just agreed to? Either way, we had to get it done. I paused, looking back. "Hey - just so you know, there's no need to kill me after I help you or anything. I won't tell any humans about this place when I get to the surface again."

I wondered if she'd been thinking about doing just that because after I said it, she stayed remarkably quiet, staring at me with serious eyes and a smile until I left with the group, headed in the direction of the drillers- further down into the depths of Mount Coronet.

In an hour, Juliet would have the honor of witnessing a practice performance from the acting troupe chosen by Sullivan's people; supposedly the greatest in Kalos, according to the extremely tall, bald, pale man with the hat at the front of a makeshift stage clearly still in development. Kalos was a region the Harmon girl knew a fair bit about. It was one of Amara's ideal vacation spots, and it was also the home of one of the most thriving contest scenes around, save for Hoenn which had rightfully won its spot as the top spot to be for any coordinator year after year. Sure, Hearthome City was fantastic, a beacon of culture and art in the Sinnoh region, but it was an exception. Sunyshore City had only recently finished development, and its interests had already veered sharply away from fashion and coordination, instead becoming a blazing hotspot for battling. Hoenn and Kalos were very different stories.

A live performance? This was truly a luxury cruise, and Juliet Harmon was attending it. Years ago, she'd seen herself in this exact place. This was practically what she'd fought for these years. Now that she was here, she couldn't quite believe it. She'd imagined walking on the ship she'd feel some kind of endless confidence, but that wasn't the case at all... Dane Sullivan never kept his eyes off of her, even as he interacted with countless men and women across the wide expanse of the room, at times dancing with people, murmuring in their ears, and sometimes exchanges were made. She felt like property, and he was a jealous dog.

Viktor, the suave bartender from Galar, kept the drinks going, and despite herself, Juliet fell into an old habit- intending to only down a couple of shots, and losing count after having a handful. When the delightful, warm buzz took hold, she could finally shake off her anxiety.

Juliet tried to keep in mind Vernon's directions, and trained her eyes on everything, absorbing as much as she could. She'd grown excellent at absorbing her surroundings over the years, a survival instinct maybe, but she couldn't help noticing how despite everything, the environment of this place was just like the Fanclub's on a Friday- bursting to the brim with vibrant, wonderful people making conversation all around, jokes. There were so many Pokemon, and she wanted to go over and get absorbed in convos with all of these people and mons.

Instead, she sat at the bar, confused as to what exactly it was she was supposed to do here. Find Amara, find out stuff about Team Salvation, and wait for Jenning to arrive... but when would that happen exactly?

Cassandra, Viktor's girlfriend, came out from behind the bar, yawning profusely. She was apparently off her shift early, but Viktor was still busy as a Combee, bustling up and around the huge ring of the bar. With a backdrop of loud conversation, the beautiful redhead settled down on the stool next to her, putting a hand on Juliet's thigh with shocking familiarity. Maybe it was the warm buzz in her head, but she didn't say anything, let the firm, warm hand linger there, gulping down some water to ease up the heat.

"Screw hanging out, you want to see the musical, huh?" Cassandra mused. "Saw it on your face during the announcement."

"Musical? I've never actually been to one of those."

"If it's like what I've heard, you'll probably want to stick around," Cassandra admitted.

Cassandra, the crimson-haired Galar bartender, reached into her pocket and extracted a joint - the smell was familiar, a simple mixture of Oddish leaves, ground up with a bit of something else, something special she couldn't place her finger on what it was exactly. Cass put the joint to her mouth and took a long drag, body visibly slumping. As the smell filled the air, the people next to them shifted, sniffing and curling their faces in disgust. It was an intense smell for sure. Pale, chemical green smoke clouds hovered in the air. In Juliet's eyes, the clouds appeared elegant, majestic even, gracefully shifting in front of her; a brilliant swirling mass that glowed wonderfully under the strange light which filled the room, the various Chandelure flitting this way and that far up in the high-ceiling room.

Juliet refused it when she offered, and the redhead waved her hand at her boyfriend in the familiar gesture of "Drink now. Anything." The guy glared at her, but nodded, urgently attending to three different old women. A few minutes later, he scurried over with a drink which he deposited before rushing off again.

"Great boyfriend," Cass said dreamily.

Juliet turned to her.. "So, what have you heard about the musical?"

"You really like that kind of shit?" Cassandra raised an eyebrow in surprise as she took another slow drag.

"Well, sometimes..." Juliet muttered, embarrassed at the question. She coughed when Cass blew the green smoke right in her face.

"Hmm, well, it's starting soon so might as well just shut it, wait, and see." Juliet gaped at that reply, and the redhead chuckled, tossing back her delivered shot. The air grew robust with the smell of her drug-of-choice, and Juliet finished her own "final drink"- who knew what was final sometimes. Grabbing Juliet by the arm, Cassandra stumbled slightly, high as a kite- the pale parts of her eyes red-veined.

"Come on. My boy-toy is not off for a little while longer. Let's go dance."

Juliet was not a dancer. Her head swirled as she was led out onto the floor, but when she protested, Cassandra merely grinned. "You don't need to be good at dancing, love. Just gotta have fun~" She gathered the Harmon girl's hands in hers, dragging her to the center of the dancefloor where plenty of other people were already gathered.

Juliet was not a dancer, but Cassandra clearly was. She led Juliet by the hand, taking the role of a man in a classical dance. Juliet tried not to stumble too much, but she was a farm girl, not a ballroom dancer. There was no way- she just kept knocking her feet into the other girls, and Cassandra kept laughing right in her face, the joint dangling from her mouth.

"Come on, dancing is custom during the song parts of Pokemusicals. You better get it together."

Juliet was just starting to get comfortable in her strangely strong, feminine arms when Dane Sullivan interjected, grabbing her violently by the arm. His voice was loud and intrusive. "I'm glad you girls are having fun, but I'll be needing my bitch now."

He really liked that title for her, huh? She'd killed one of his top guys, that only made sense. He was also who Juliet was here to spy on. Even drunk, she was smart enough to know now was the time when she was supposed to go with him. "Sorry, Cass," she sighed, allowing the dark-haired man to pull her away from the redhead.

"No problem, thanks for the dance. Let's continue another time." With a worried glance, the beautiful bartender wandered off, back to her boyfriend most likely. Juliet's full attention turned to Dane, who was grinning ear to ear.

"I have someone you just need to meet."

"If it's not my big sister, I don't want it."

"Ugh, how much did you drink? You stink of booze," Dane muttered, glowering at her as if her behavior had personally insulted him. She merely burst into laughter. He lived the life he did and had the gall to pass judgment on her? "I will take you to Amara Harmon but be patient- no, it's not her."

Juliet didn't push her luck. She kept silent as the man led her to a private, curtained table in the far corner. When he threw the curtain back, it revealed an area that was dimly lit, where different swirling roils of chemical clouds curled in the air, that familiar stinky green, as well as crimson, blue, and violet… a shimmering rainbow of smoke. As they approached a circular table, the people in the big, comfy couch around – all lazy and comfortable looking- turned to stare at the pair. Juliet's eyes widened as a flash of recognition triggered in her brain. Each one of these people was relatively famous, most of them from Kalos, though she recognized a famous actor from Sinnoh who had moved to Kalos half a decade ago to pursue a better career. However, any fame that man had paled in comparison to the radiant woman who demanded all of Juliet's attention. On top of all the people, some different Pokemon she barely recognized also sat behind the curtain, and were enjoying the pipes as much as their trainers were

Sitting a bit apart from everyone else, clad in a sprawling, brilliant evening dress, was a glorious, curvy woman that practically anyone would recognize. She was leaning lazily back on the couch, curvy body clad in her signature brand all-white clothing which clung to her frame. Nearing her mid-thirties, she'd long since lost the title of champion in her region years ago, and had not yet won the title back. Housing a drink in her hand, she appeared bemused, her fine features strained.

"Ah, Dane, I wish I could say it's nice to see you." It was strange, the woman had an undeniable edge, shiver in her voice, and she bit her lip, shuddering suddenly. "O-Ohh…"

"Well I won't shy away from familiarity, my dear Diantha, it's wonderful to see you~ Will you be performing today?" Dane's eyes burned with a lustful intensity Juliet knew he had only for powerful women, but it seemed she had no interest in him..

Rather than rest on the couch alone, she was relaxing on the front of a massive, goopy looking creature Juliet vaguely recognized as a dragon-type from Kalos, though the name eluded her. It had its arms wrapped around her, and when Juliet's gaze dropped, it was impossible not to notice a subtle thrusting of its hips. Outwardly, Diantha showed no sign, but Juliet had no doubt under the cover of the table she had a poke cock thrust up into her.

Diantha's luscious lips curled into a sneer. "Your people couldn't afford me if you all put your banks together, but it's cute that you asked." She hid a nasty laugh behind her hand, and Dane sputtered. Juliet tried not to laugh, and managed to hold it back as Dane put an arm around her, shoving her forward.

"This is Juliet Harmon, surely you know of her?"

The former champion of the Kalos region, retired actress and regal beauty Diantha stared at her while sucking on a red-spewing pipe- the source of all that crimson smoke and its strange smell. Juliet's head swam, and her mouth watered. So bold… "I don't know the slightest about her... but... she's quite a pretty thing, your newest trophy?" Diantha penetrated Juliet with pale, serious eyes. "Why waste your time on a man like Sullivan?"

Juliet wasn't insulted. The woman hadn't merely dismissed her. That had to mean something.

"W-Waste?" Dane protested. "Come now, my dear, I've always helped promote you. Surely you could be a bit nicer..."

Diantha offered the red-spewing pipe to Juliet, smiling slowly. "If you want to change your life and stop wasting time on men like him... take a hit."

"What is it?"

"Part of the thrill is not asking any questions," Diantha said firmly, but gently, like a mother scolding a child. Juliet's eyes widened. Dane glanced at her.

"It's-"

"Shut it, Sullivan," Diantha ordered, "or I'll pull my peoples' performance. You guys don't mind just relaxing and saying screw the musical, right?" The troupe that seemingly performed under her answered in a weak, drunken chorus.

"Nooo," "Nah," "Wzzat?"

Dane Sullivan fell silent, seething, and Juliet stared at the proffered pipe. Diantha's eyes blazed, and pale. Her brunette locks framed her beautiful face. "One hit, Harmon, and change your whole world."

Juliet almost took it, but she wasn't here to relax, and she wasn't some helpless girl trapped under Dane Sullivan's thumb who needed a life change. She clutched onto the remains of her sobriety, and her stomach grumbled, heaving inside her. She opened her mouth to offer an explanation, but instead just shook her head.

"No. Sorry. But I'm excited to see you perform."

Diantha seemed surprised she'd refused, but kept smiling, and she glanced at Dane. "Did you two come over here to pester me for a reason?" Her eyes grew half-lidded for a moment, and immense purple Pokemon behind her groaned loudly, tossing its head back. Her body began to slowly, subtly bounce, Juliet felt a familiar tingle and bit her lip.

"I just wanted to say "break a leg" to everyone involved before their performance tonight," Dane glanced at each drunken actor in turn. "Are they going to be... able. .. to perform, anyway?"

"Maybe," Diantha said vaguely, "but it's not a real show, so what does it matter? They just need to be able to sing, dance, and fuck." Her clipped tone made it clear the conversation was over, and Dane led Juliet away by the arm. A musical with fucking?

Dane offered a vague explanation as they walked away. "It's…. Well, you'll see for yourself if you ever try it. It's rare- a delicacy. She might feel slighted that you rejected her offer." Juliet doubted that. "Diantha cares a lot about her people's reputation. The performance will be stellar. Of that I can assure... so, shall we take a seat, and wait for it to begin?"

"Amara," Juliet said softly, "Where is she?"

"I told you to stop asking and to wait for me to bring you to her, didn't I?"

"She's really alright?"

Dane stared coldly back at her. "Of course. Now... shall we sit and enjoy the musical?" His tone was harsher, more insistent this time. "Or shall I drag you back to your cage and lock you in?"

Anything was better than that. "Can I at least have Angel back?"

"No. All you do is ask for things, but you're lucky to even be out and walking around after what you did!"

Juliet finally relented. "I want to see the musical," she admitted. Dane visibly relaxed, his shoulders lowering. He toyed with the Staraptor feather in his pocket and cleared his throat.

"Good..." When he grabbed her hand and led her away, Juliet glanced back. Diantha was staring at her with vague interest, exhaling a plume of soft, red smoke. The rest of her theater troupe did the same. When Diantha caught her looking south, she shifted backwards. In that position, Juliet could see everything. A massive, impossible cock was impaling the champion- yet she was casually sitting there, thighs spread taking it as if it was just a relaxing event. Juliet almost moaned out loud as she saw the actress's cunt split apart by that veiny, big Pokecock, before the champion,sidled back down. Juliet and Dane passed through the curtain, to the other side, and back into the party. He led her to a specific spot, next to some smelly old people, but they didn't try to talk to her so that was something.

She ordered a final final drink, and sat back next to Dane, fists clenching when his arm wrapped around her waist. Instead of letting the anger get the best of her she cast her eyes on the stage, and waited. It was only when, apparently deciding to disrupt their plans for the night, Cassandra and Viktor sat down next to them -much to Dane's chagrin- that she finally relaxed, and let herself wonder just what was about to happen on stage.