Celes walked at what Sorin considered a leisurely pace, with absolutely no fear or apprehension at all. If nothing else, it was as though her pace was an act of defiance in itself. She knew she was waltzing into another Pokemon's territory, and she didn't care if they knew.

The thought terrified Sorin more than he'd ever care to admit. His eyes scanned their surroundings warily, and the absence of another's presence was more disconcerting than if he saw them immediately. It meant that either the territory's holder was absent, which was the best thing he could hope for, or that she could emerge at any moment and confront them.

The Altaria's mind buzzed with innumerable excuses and options to address the hypothetical confrontation, but none of them seemed very useful. They were too exclusive to specific factors, or the wording of specific phrases. Yet he couldn't seem to focus his thoughts beyond the growing apprehension within his chest. It worried him just how unconcerned Celes was acting, yet her approach still seemed practical, even with the awareness that she didn't know who she was tangling with.

That was why Sorin knew he had to follow the Flareon. Unlike her, he knew who had created that territory marking, and he knew how to theoretically approach her. To let Celes and her clipped, borderline rude mannerisms and speech tackle the situation would put her at far greater risk. Alternatively, it would aid her in getting out of the area unscathed. It depended too much on factors he couldn't perfectly predict. Then again, people he had observed had sometimes rehearsed a conversation, either to a lover or a friend, or even a boss, and he doubted the actual conversation ever went remotely like how they expected.

"How much further does this go?" Celes asked, turning her head to face him, not even bothering to keep her voice down. She wasn't broadcasting her words loudly, but it was still several levels louder than Sorin would have dared to speak at in these circumstances.

"Shh!" he urged, earning an eye roll in response. "It should just be a few more minutes, but it'd help if you picked up the pace a little bit."

"You haven't given me a good reason to be so anxious," Celes noted crisply. With that, she continued walking, stubbornly keeping to her original pace. Sorin practically whined as he followed. The forested area wasn't especially thick, at least not enough to label it a proper forest, but it still provided a large number of sheltered spots that could be concealing other Pokemon, and normally would be. It wasn't what he feared was in the area, but rather the conspicuous lack of other Pokemon, that was filling him with greater anxiety.

It was just too off-putting.

"And you still aren't giving me one," Celes noted, her voice holding a touch of amusement. "So I guess my pace isn't THAT bad, huh?"

"I'm just hoping she's not here," Sorin insisted.

"We haven't seen anyone yet, so she's probably not," Celes mused.

"Oh great, you jinxed it," Sorin muttered. Celes stopped walking and fixed him with an incredulous look.

"Me?" she asked, her voice rising in volume. "You're the one who said you hope she's not here, so if anyone jinxed this, it'd be you."

"Shh!" Sorin pleaded. The Flareon winced a little and obligingly lowered her volume, but the damage was already done. "Let's just get out of here before-"

"Oh, this is going to be a good one, I can tell."

Sorin froze. The words had come from behind him, spoken with a cool, feminine tone that had been burned into his memory forever. If not for the fact he was airborne and therefore needed his wings to stay afloat, he might have stopped moving entirely.

"Celes? Could you describe the Pokemon behind me?" Sorin asked as quietly as possible, even though it was completely irrelevent whether he could be overheard. The Flareon gave him a perplexed look, but her gaze then flicked past the Altaria.

"Um...I don't know the species. It's uh...bipedal, reptilian. Red scales. Tail on fire."

Sorin cursed under his breath, earning a mild glare from the Flareon. Taking a deep breath, Sorin turned his body, taking care not to move too quickly. The last thing he needed was to trigger a violent reflex from the other Pokemon.

Sure enough, there was a bipedal reptilian Pokemon standing just a short distance away. Crimson scales covered the majority of its body, save for its stomach which was cream-colored. Unlike its pre-evolution, the Charmeleon's snout was more narrowed, and the claws on its paws and feet were sharper and more distinct. Its tail ended with a large flame that burned endlessly. Cold blue eyes studied him, and Sorin twitched on seeing the ever-familiar scar that marked the Charmeleon's left eye.

"Sorin," the Charmeleon noted coolly, but her mouth curled into an amused smirk. The mere utterance of his name sent a shiver through the cloud dragon, a perfect blend of pleasant and chilling.

"Inferna."

"If you remember my name so easily, you should have recognized my territory marking," the Charmeleon sneered. There didn't even have to be an actual threat ingrained within her tone or words for Sorin to experience a knot in his gut. Everything about Inferna indicated a threat in some form, whether it be her cold eyes, the blazing of her flame, or the vicious claws she displayed. The sneer on her face and the crispness of her tone was just a bonus.

"This is supposed to be a neutral area," Sorin pointed out. Not that he expected Inferna to give a damn about something like that. She did what she liked, no matter who might be affected by it. This mindset only served to make the Charmeleon even more dangerous. Negotiation with her was nigh impossible, and Sorin wasn't fool enough to lower his guard just because she wasn't attacking him. Then again, Inferna clearly recognized him, so her decision not to attack meant that his presence amused her. This did not bode any better than if she was pissed off.

"And it'll be neutral again when I leave," Inferna countered indifferently. Her icy eyes flicked towards Celes, but evidently considered the Flareon of little importance, for her attention promptly returned to Sorin. The Altaria twitched uncomfortably, noticing how the Charmeleon's gaze trailed over his cotton wings, admiring them the same way a hunter admired its prey before devouring it. There was no genuine fascination or fondness within the Charmeleon's eyes, but neither was there any particular desire. Sorin had nothing to go off of, no angle on how to appease the Charmeleon to prolong the time before she inevitably grew bored of his presence.

"I guess so," he conceded. "Uh, I hope you'll excuse us passing through like this..."

"For you, Sorin, I might make an exception," Inferna mused, and Sorin's stomach squirmed unpleasantly. There was no way in hell that Inferna would be that accomodating. She was vicious by nature, and no more fond of him than he was of her, although his distaste manifested itself far differently. There had to be some sort of price or condition attached, something that would provide a benefit or some form of amusement for her.

"Really?" Sorin asked, unable to keep the skeptical tone from his words. "If it's at the usual cost, I don't think I can afford it."

Inferna scoffed, waving her paw dismissively. "Like I'd make that same mistake twice."

Sorin bristled slightly, his feathers fluffing up to give his wings an even larger presence. He never really understood why his species did that - while some Pokemon puffing out their fur or feathers gave them a larger, more intimidating presence when agitated, Altaria were decidedly non-threatening in appearance, and the puffed out wings just made the softness more enticing and even adorable-looking. That said, it did provide a notable defensive advantage.

"Excuse me," Celes stated, cutting into the conversation before it could go any further. Inferna flicked her attention back towards the Flareon, her expression shifting to one of reluctant tolerance at best. The look wasn't hostile yet, but it was still as far from welcoming as one might expect.

"Need something?" Inferna snorted. Sorin glanced between the two Fire-types, anxiety gnawing at his gut. This was almost precisely the type of situation he had wanted to avoid earlier. Not only had he wanted to stay far clear of the Charmeleon, territory or not, but Celes already had a clipped and impatient tone that was almost sure to be interpreted as a challenge. Combined with Inferna's own attitude, Sorin couldn't imagine things remaining civil for long.

"Uh, Celes?" Sorin interjected, before the Flareon could speak. Celes frowned at being interrupted, but looked over at him inquisitively without complaint. "Maybe I should handle this?"

"Why?" Celes asked, looking genuinely confused by the offer.

"Um..."

Sorin searched his mind hastily, looking for the best possible response that would serve as a valid excuse without coming off as insulting. Celes had already demonstrated a stubbornness that was not easily dissuaded. It bordered on defiance, and Inferna was not impressed by defiance.

"I...just know her better than you do, so uh...I can navigate the conversation...a bit better?" Sorin attempted. Celes was giving him a deadpan look, and from the corner of his eye, he could see the Charmeleon looking mildly amused.

"Really?" Celes challenged, raising her eyebrow slowly. "You've been shaking like a leaf ever since we got near this area, and suddenly you're better suited to talking to her than I am?"

"That's because she's actually calm enough to work with, but that'll go out the window if you piss her off," Sorin hissed in an undertone, casting quick, nervous glances towards Inferna to be sure that she couldn't overhear him.

Celes rolled her eyes, but flicked her paw impatiently, as if nudging a child to go play somewhere else. "Whatever. Get on with it, then."

"You certainly have a way with females, Sorin," Inferna snickered, earning an annoyed look from the Altaria. Normally, he would consider it extremely unwise to reveal his current mood in Inferna's presence, but in the back of his mind, he was still very aware that his presence entertained her in some form, and her taunts and sneers were used specifically to amuse her at another's expense. Ignoring them entirely would cause her to either up the ante, or become bored.

If Inferna became weary of their presence, hostility would be sure to follow. And there was almost no chance that either Sorin or Celes would be able to match the Charmeleon in combat.

"Look, we were just passing through. You set up your territory on the only route towards the city," Sorin began. "But we're looking for her brother, any chance you've come across him?"

Inferna snorted. "Is he an Eevee?"

"Yeah!" Celes replied, her eyes widening hopefully.

"Of course he is, your kind inbreeds like it's going out of style," Inferna sneered. Celes flinched, and her expression sobered immediately. The Charmeleon smirked wickedly, turning her attention back to Sorin, who had frowned slightly, but hadn't commented. "You think he'd come anywhere near me? There's a whole clan of the stupid things not even two miles from here."

"Ah, well, um...I thought perhaps he might have come by uh...in the recent weeks and you'd...recall him?" Sorin explained, all but cringing as Inferna's expression slowly darkened, her icy blue eyes becoming reduced to slits. Perhaps he should have phrased that statement more tactfully, because it had become very obvious that Inferna did NOT care for his suggestion.

"I'd sooner Dragon Claw myself than entertain an Eevee or their kin during heat," Inferna snarled. "They're worthless, overhyped creatures with nothing of value but unstable genetics. Perfectly good pets for humans, but whatever appeal they have is utterly lost on me," she continued, adopting an incredibly obnoxious, false cutesy tone. "Ooh, we're so cute. We can evolve so many ways. Have our kits! We're at fifty million and counting, but call us rare, it makes us feel special!"

The Charmeleon spat on the ground contemptuously, and Sorin shuddered. The flame at the end of her tail had intensified, and she was flexing her claws aggressively. Her narrowed eyes continued to glare into Sorin's own, and the Altaria hastily looked away, chancing a glance at Celes. Unsurprisingly, the Flareon had bristled, visibly affronted by Inferna's impression of her species' evolutionary line.

"So is that your reason for passing by, Sorin? To ask if I'd seen her stupid brother?" Inferna asked, her words reduced to a dangerous whisper. Sorin twitched, his stomach churning with anxiety. He couldn't even think of a safe answer to that question, and it was obvious that Inferna didn't expect him to give one.

"He's not stupid," Celes growled. Inferna spun to face the Flareon again, and Sorin's heart plummeted. Celes had shifted her stance into a more aggressive variant. Something about the Charmeleon's words had clearly hit a nerve within her, and Sorin could tell that a mere spark would be enough to set the two Fire-types off.

"Stop it, both of you!" Sorin urged desperately, knowing that his verbal attempt was very likely to be futile. If Inferna wanted to fight, nothing short of physical intervention would stop her, and Celes was unlikely to be dissuaded easily, either.

"If he's not stupid, then he should be perfectly fine on his own," Inferna sneered. "Why even bother looking for someone who doesn't want to be found?"

Celes seemed taken aback, her mouth moving wordlessly for several seconds. Sorin cast his eyes around the area desperately, looking for something, anything, to distract from the impending conflict. As he swiveled his body around, the glint of light on metal caught his eye and he jerked his head so quickly he winced.

Now that he was aware of it, he could see that there was a golden brace of some kind fastened around Inferna's neck, much of it concealed by her chin, at least from his higher vantage point. Most interesting was the distinct gemstone set in the center of the metal piece. Natural curiosity would have directed him to move closer to inspect it, but survival instinct overruled this. Invading Inferna's personal space and getting within range of her claws and fire breath was never wise.

"What is that?" the Altaria asked, nodding towards the peculiar necklace. Inferna blinked in momentary confusion, then smirked and tapped the gemstone with the claws of her right paw.

"This?" she murmured. "Just a little gift from a suitor. Lovely, isn't it? He gave it me earlier this week, said I was sure to bring out its best."

Sorin blinked, but decided not to question the wording the Charmeleon had used. If she was actually quoting the gift giver, then he had used a really peculiar wording. It reminded him vaguely of Kaito when he was being dramatic - the Togetic had spent so much time studying outdated lore and language that whenever he was excited, he'd word his sentences in ways that sounded dramatic, but tended to also deviate so far from 'normal' speech that it begged the question of whether he was trying to give a false reassurance.

"Um...yeah, it's...nice," Sorin fumbled. Sadly, his attempt to shift the topic wasn't working out quite as well as he planned, because now he was stuck trying to say something vaguely complimentary to keep Inferna from becoming hostile. Even as he spoke, he saw the glint in the Charmeleon's eyes intensify, and she smirked, again reminding him of a predator eyeing its prey.

"Then again, your taste in gifts is appalling. This little trinket is infinitely better than the gift you gave me," Inferna sneered.

Sorin bristled, mentally cursing himself. He should have detected the shift in the Charmeleon's demeanor and just gone for some desperate attempt to leave the area unscathed. The wicked smirk she was wearing, and the fact she had turned her sharp tongue upon him could only mean that he was too late in detecting the warning signs. She was in a scrappy mood now, and there was only one real way to satisfy that craving.

The Charmeleon noted his reaction, and a triumphant little smirk flashed across her muzzle.

"That's why I gave it back a week later," Inferna continued, and Sorin could practically feel the metaphorical knife being twisted in his gut. She had him trapped, knowing exactly what buttons to push. "It was supposed to be your Christmas gift that year...but you didn't care to receive it any more than I did originally. Or were you just opposed to the notion of re-gifting?"

The Altaria's normally serene features contorted, and as he opened his beak to retort, undoubtedly intending to include some choice descriptions, the Charmeleon calmly raised her paw, and blue draconic flames erupted from her claws. The sight of the eerie blue flames sent a jolt of absolute fear through Sorin, and he choked on his sentence, producing a line of nervous gibberish before falling silent entirely.

"But I'll give you your chance, Sorin," Inferna drawled, her cold eyes focusing on the Altaria, whose own eyes were fixed on the Charmeleon's claws. He knew how viciously fast the Charmeleon was when she was pumped for battle, and he couldn't risk taking his eyes off her.

"Yeah?" Sorin retorted warily. He had no idea what she was thinking, and he didn't like the look in her eyes. "What chance is that?"

"Oi!" Celes called out loudly, her voice startling Sorin, yet he still didn't take his eyes off of Inferna. The Charmeleon allowed her gaze to flick towards the Flareon, yet her stance and demeanor didn't falter in the slightest. "That's enough. We're leaving, so back off," the Flareon ordered, her tone carrying impressive authority, but Sorin could already tell that it would have no effect on Inferna.

"If you wanted your trespassing to be excused, I've settled on my price of a battle," Inferna sneered. "If that's not bargain enough for you, then you can kiss my tail. After I've crushed you into the dust."

"Or, you can just back the hell off," Celes growled.

"Celes, just go," Sorin urged her, the Flareon blinking in confusion. "I'll be okay. I won't be able to win, but I can take the pain she dishes out. She's vicious in battle, and I don't want you to get hurt too."

"But..." Celes began, and Sorin noted that the Flareon seemed years younger now, her eyes showing uncertainty and a degree of vulnerability that he hadn't noticed in their previous interactions.

"Seriously, I'll catch up later," Sorin reassured her, managing a weak smile. "She's not going to kill me, and I can handle it."

Celes narrowed her eyes suspiciously, then made eye contact with Inferna. "You're not going to kill him, right?"

Inferna snorted. "Why the hell would I want to kill him? He's not food."

Celes growled, and her tail flicked defiantly. "I'm not just going to leave him behind."

"Celes, don't worry about-" Sorin began, but Celes whirled on him, her eyes burning with anger.

"I'm not letting you get hurt because of me!" she practically screamed. She turned back towards the amused Charmeleon, breathing harder. "Not while I just walk away unharmed. I'll fight with you, even if I take on the same pain."

Sorin just stared at her in stunned silence, then sighed. There was no changing her mind once it was set. "Just be careful," he urged.

Inferna's eyes lit up with gleeful amusement, her tail flame now burning at almost twice its usual strength. "Fine, fine!" she purred. "Just try to keep me entertained."