It irked him. To a great length, it irked him. The way she walked, the way she swayed, the way she would often give a sassy vile chuckle. The way how her eyes were glaring in a friendly manner at him. It irked him so much he was ready to pound the girl into the snow. Murkrow knew that wouldn't accomplished anything so he remained silent, letting his eyes wander to the exotic ice type, gaining levels of self-control. Trying everything in vain to not get irked by her breathing.

He was failing. ["I take it you aren't going to answer me then."]

Murkrow tried not to widen his eyes. She was talking? ["Of course I won't."]

["Such a shame. I could probably help you with it too, ah well~"]

What did she ask him? ["Hiks… sassy witch."]

["Disgrace."] Murkrow turned his head towards her. Was she attempting to insult him? ["You call yourself a Tamer's Pokémon and yet you cannot even save your Master."] Murkrow felt his heart get stabbed. ["Disgrace."]

This was pushing all the wrong buttons. The flying type so desperately wanted to attack her, but the only thing stopping him was that he knew she was right. He was a disgrace, he had failed to save his Master. There was no excuse, he failed, it was his fault he was dead. He couldn't even bare looking at Sneasel's reaction when realization dawned on him. He was a coward, a cowardly disgrace. The Murkrow lowered his hat, trying to void himself of all emotion. He blocked out his memories, but unfortunately, a couple of them had slipped through.

He remembered the first time the redhead petted his head. The awkward tension and how the pale hand of the human boy was trembling so much. He wasn't sure why, nervousness? Fear? He remembered the time where Silver tried to give a compliment, the way he forced out the words in a stutter, it was always as if something was physically stopping him from being nice to another being. The last memory that sneaked in his mind was when Sneasel had invited him into their little meeting, in Sneasel's words, family meeting. Of course, Silver was always excluded, since the topic was almost always about him. It made him feel accepted, which scared the flying type. Right now, looking at that memory, all he felt was dread in the pit of stomach.

["It would be almost too easy to kill you right here and now."] The Glaceon's voice snapped the flying type back into reality. His wings ached with the cold winds and his lungs started feeling like he was breathing in fire. ["If you don't higher your guard, who knows what might happen to you."]

Murkrow gritted his beak, if he could just replace all his emotions with anger towards this witch, he would be okay for now. ["Was that a threat?!"]

Snowflake scoffed and shook her head with distaste. ["What a brainless bird."]

["What was that?!"] Murkrow flapped his wings hard, the mini icicles were forced to break apart as he flew towards her.

The Glaceon let a breath laugh escape. ["He even comes closer."] This only made him even more angrier, a blush of anger pooled over his beak. If he said something, she would laugh, if he moved, she would laugh, if he didn't say anything she'll most likely laugh. ["Now he's lost for words."] Snowflake giggled with a hint of malice. ["What a brainless bird indeed."]

Murkrow's head was filled with angry marks of all sizes, yet he remained silent hoping she'll stop talking too. The mere thought of her breathing just pissed him off senseless. This would be one long day. Murkrow lowered his hat-like feature to help his eyes blink correctly, and partly because he didn't want the ice type to see the heat on his face, she might get the wrong idea.

Ataro and Sneasel walked, both taken back that the cave at the cliff side was this deep. Since there was possible way for the two of them to climb back up the mountain, they had to find a way back to Feraligatr and Explotaro. Though Sneasel was more focused on finding his Tamer instead of the Ultimates. The pain from his bloodied claw halved his other abilities in half, as if the pain was blocking his radar from working correctly.

Which is why, Sneasel did not sense they were being followed. Ataro on the other hand, was freezing. Gold could never stand the cold and so he spent most of his life under the sun or near the fire place, the purple Pokémon was starting to regret that greatly. Ataro shivered for the tenth time and forced his legs down to wake them up. Last thing either of them needed was to carry the other out of the cave.

By the time Ataro and Sneasel noticed the presence of another Pokémon, they had been surrounded by the sounds of flapping. ["Ah… crap."] Ataro sweat dropped as he spotted all types of Zubats. Some were smaller and some were larger, wide or tall. Most of them, the taller ones, were smiling deviously. While the smaller ones were acting as backup. ["You guys are obviously lost."]

Ataro gritted his teeth, from the tone the Zubat used, it was clear they weren't going to help. Sneasel made no movements, or gave any reactions. His claws were at his side, dangling. His back was slightly arched as his right foot kept him balance. Though it may look like he was standing normally, Ataro knew better than that.

. . .

Yes, he definitely knew better than that. Ataro took a step forward so that the attention was on him. ["We are lost, and we're just trying to find a way out."] At this, the crowd of Zubats giggled out, glancing at each other. Ataro knew that wasn't a good sign, at the very moment he didn't want to have to deal with this. He didn't want to deal with anything, his heart clenched with every beat, it took everything he had from letting his mind fall into despair.

["This is our territory and you're trespassing!"] One of the Zubats spoke, he was quite large, and annoying, he must've been the leader of the pack.

Sneasel made no movements, but Ataro could see his eyes spark up a flame of violence. ["Okay, well, if you can just tell us how to get out we'll leave your territory…."] The monkey Pokémon found it increasingly difficult to keep up his gaze, his voice had faltered as well. -This is so a bad time for this to happen…-

More laughter was heard from the Zubats. They all came closer, smiling at the two intruders. ["Oh we'll tell ya. But first you'll have to survive your punishment, Heeheeheheeh."]

Ataro took a step back. ["Punishment?"] He was both annoyed and worried at how this would play out. When he glanced at Sneasel, he got even more worried, the ice type hasn't made a single movement since they were stopped! The Zubats came closer, at the same time, Ataro took a step back, but realized he was surrounded at all sides so it was pointless. Ataro suppressed a whimper in his throat, this was not the time to lose it, Gold would frown at him if he let his fear show. -That's right…. Gold wouldn't let these punks know he was scared….-

His sudden burst of courage diminished when one of the Zubats sent out an air cutter. Ataro yelped out and hopped near Sneasel, the Zubat's laughter grew louder. At any other circumstances, the purple Pokémon would have been angry at them for mocking him. But the clench beating in his chest made his emotions become unstable. The Leader Zubat had ran out of patience and lifted up his wing for another Air Cutter, this time, aiming for Sneasel. ["What's this this Pokémon anyways, standing there looking stupid."] He chuckled and yanked his wing back, adding power to the attack. ["I'll wipe that dull look from your face."]

Ataro widen his eyes, he knew he should do something but for some reason he couldn't feel his legs anymore. The Zubat yanked his wing forward, letting his green highlighted wing form an Air Cutter.

Slash!

All Ataro could do was squeeze his eyes shut. He waited for the thud of Sneasel falling, for the slashing pain to hit him as well.

But that…

Never came.

["…?"] Ataro opened his eyes, Sneasel was still in the same position, same relaxed stance, same expression. Claws still dangling, back still arched, left leg still holding him balanced. And yet he was sure the Zubat had released an Air Cutter, his wing was still in that position. The Zubat seemed surprised, just like everyone else. And he clearly heard a slashing sound. No, Sneasel wasn't in the same position, his left claw was swaying as if he had lifted it and let it fall again. ["Did… you…?"]

Fwomp.

Ataro widen his eyes further and looked at the fallen Zubat, it wasn't they he fell that had surprised him. It was the small Zubat behind him who, too, had his wing stretched out and a faint green glow. Ataro quickly glanced at Sneasel for an reaction, he saw the Ice Type frown and his right claw twitched. The other Zubats directed their attention at the tiny one who had just betrayed them, half of them were shocked while the other half planned on getting even. Finally, the purple starter regain feeling in his legs. It wasn't like he could just stand by and watch this happen, how could he? After all, the Zubat did just help them out.

Quickly in a sprint, Ataro went on his paws and outstretched his tail. With a jump he balled up and spun, letting his tail grab a hold of the Zubat and forcing the other Zubats to scatter apart. Sneasel nodded, seeing his chance and raise up his right claw while his left went to cover his chest, creating a crooked 'X'. The moment Ataro landed on the ground, holding the Zubat close, Sneasel twirled, summoning an Icy Wind to envelop his body and hit at all directions. Since there was a soft blizzard just outside, his Ice was mixed with the natural substance of the White Leaves Forest, giving him an extra boost.

As if that wasn't bad enough, the Zubats were all part flying. Within three seconds, all of them were down. Once Ataro heard all the thudding come to a stop, he uncurled his back and shivered from the sudden increase in temperature. ["… Wow… all this in one hit…"] Some of the Zubats were frozen, others were rammed against walls. So much damage with only one attack. Sneasel was truly something. They haven't known each other for long, just had a few battles here and there.

Sneasel walked on ahead, ignoring Ataro and the wiggling Zubat in his arms. Ataro just remembered about the Zubat and released his grip, looking at him. ["Hey, why did you help us?"] Sneasel kept walking, since the cave went one day, the purple monkey didn't worry about losing track of him.

The Zubat was small, puny even. His wings looked like plastic, so he was short due to being young. Yet, he was able to easily take down the ring leader of his pack? It flapped his wings so and hovered near Ataro. ["O-oh… I thought… that.. This would be my chance…"]

Yes, definitely young. Ataro made note of the timid boyish voice. The way the little Zubat couldn't look at him was also another indicator. ["Chance?"]

["Yeah! See I always wanted to leave this place!"]

Yes, definitely not timid. The Zubat smiled at him, his guard totally down. He apparently had trouble keeping himself balance. Ataro doubted he would survive in a place like this. ["Uh… why?"] Ataro got up, and motioned the Zubat to follow him.

The Zubat did and had some difficulties catching up. ["Well…! I don't like it here, I don't have any friends or family either. I always wanted to see how a Forest would look like when not covered in snow!"] The young Zubat giggled childish, probably getting lost in his own world. He was losing his breath, as if he was running. For the Zubat's point of view, he probably was. Realizing this, Ataro slowed down his pace greatly, feeling like he's walking in slow motion.

["Why not wait for spring? Or summer?"]

["Oh well, it's always snowing here."]

-Always… snowing…?- ["Oh.."] It irked him just a bit at how slow they were going. At this rate, they might actually lose Sneasel. ["So.. Why help us? Couldn't you just leave on your own?"] While he was grateful, it didn't add up. A child such as this Zubat taking down the ring leader of it's own pack, and succeeding in the process too.

The Zubat huffed, trying to get ahead. ["I don't know which way is out. We Zubats were banished into these caves and were told we aren't allowed to leave."] Ataro didn't quicken his pace, it would be pointless since the Zubat was puffing and falling behind again. ["They separated us into two major packs, and banished us into two separate caves. I was born in these caves so I never knew how to get out."]

It all clicked. ["So you helped us so that we would have a debt to pay and that debt is taking you back with us out the Forest?"] He made note on how Zubat seemed confused by the word 'forest'. He couldn't do, he couldn't imagine a life of being in a cave and never seeing the sunlight. Never climbing trees, never see species of Pokémons other than his own. The Zubat thought about it and then nodded, this only made Ataro sigh, he wasn't sure how Sneasel would take this, and they didn't plan on leaving the forest anytime soon. ["Well… what's your name?"]

By this point, Ataro had to stop and let the Zubat catch a breather. ["Oh… we don't… have names… hah.. Just letters carved."]

-Letters carved..?- As if he to answer his mental question, the Zubat stretched out his wing completely, revealing the letter 'K' being roughly carved permanently into his skin. Ataro widen his eyes, just where the hell where they?

The sudden dull ache in his tail made him regain his ground. It seems the death grip he had on the edge of the cliff left him more wounded than he actually felt. Since he was an American, saying the letter would mean another word entirely. Yes, giving the Zubat a name was the clear choice. ["How about I call you uhh… mm… Zuku!… at least for now."]

For a Zubat, he was rather cute. And definitely emotional. The youngling now known as Zuku smiled brightly at the Aipom. Ataro couldn't help but notice he was facing oddly, as if he was smiling past him and not at him. ["Okay! Does this mean you are my trainer now?"]

["Huh?"] Ataro turned back to the path, walking again and trying to look ahead for the ice type.

Zuku the Zubat, again had trouble keeping up but was more interested in the conversation to let it bother him. ["They say you get a new name from something called a trainer."]

["Oh."] The monkey Pokémon figured his pack didn't tell him everything about the outside world. ["Trainers are humans, not Pokémons."]

["Humans?"] Zuku tilted his head slightly, never hearing such a word before. Knowing this, Ataro didn't bother to explain it, he had more concerns at the moment. -Though… if I let him follow us it'll jus slow us down… maybe one of us should carry him.- ["Hm?"] The two Pokémons saw the back of the ice type just up ahead. They both picked up the pace, not wanting to lose Sneasel again.

Ataro was the first to notice what had made the ice type stop. The path ahead was cut off by a hole. ["This path leads downwards…"] Sneasel said, hearing the other two enter hearing range. ["It gets dark so there's no telling how deep it is or if it leads to anywhere."]

The purple Pokémon went next to his companion. It was true, the hole seem endless and grew darker the lower it got. It was impossible to tell if it stopped or continued, lead to another place or not. What was worse is that the hole was rather small. Only one of them would be able to fit in at a time. If they went back out the way they came, they wouldn't be able to climb back up the mountain with their injuries. Ataro doubted Zuku could carry either of them for more than five seconds so there was no point in trying that. Ataro's train of thought paused when he heard shuffling and realize Sneasel was no making movements as if he was going down the hole. ["H-hey! What are you doing?"]

["You stay up here. I'll check if this path leads anywhere."] With his working claw, Sneasel started to lower himself and tried his best to climb down very slowly.

Ataro did not like this idea at all. ["What? Don't be stupid, you don't know what's down there!"] Zuku hovered above the purple Pokémon, not saying a word as he did so. Sneasel glanced up to give his companion a glare, as if saying 'Which is why I'm going down there' or something along those sarcastic obvious lines. Ataro just rolled his eyes and began to crouch in attempt to climb down as well. ["Whatever, you can't go alone so…"]

Sneasel didn't waste anymore time looking up, making him unaware of Ataro climbing down. ["Fine, then let the Zubat come with me-"]

["Gah…"] Ataro had trouble finding a solid grasp. He didn't realize the entire hole was made of pure ice, slippery ice.

["-that way it'll be easier-"] Sneasel kept talking, not hearing Ataro's movements due to the enclose space making his own voice echo around him. Zuku however heard both of them, but knew Ataro wasn't listening, or couldn't hear Sneasel all that well over his own difficulties. He decided to help Ataro back up, and follow after Sneasel like he wanted. ["-to get back up. A furry like you would-"]

Still completely oblivious to what was happening above him, Sneasel lowered himself more. Zuku had offered his assistance which had been misunderstood on Ataro's part. The monkey like Pokémon thought Zuku would help him gain a better grasp on the ice, which is why he lost his balance after letting his tail go of the edge of the entrance hole. Zuku could hear the sudden shift, knowing that wasn't exactly a good thing and flinched. ["-just be constantly-"]

["GAH!"]

Sneasel paused in his sentence, letting the last word slip off his tongue breathlessly. ["…Slip…"] When he looked up, he saw Ataro rapidly sliding down towards him which made the level-headed ice type flinched with widen eyes and an agape mouth. Zuku had flinched again when he felt the edge of his tail get yanked down. ["AHH! WHAT ARE YO-GEECK!"] Sneasel couldn't finish his yelp as Ataro had rammed against him, making him loose his grasp and slide down the hole as well.

["AHH!"] ["IYEEAAAAHH!"] ["WHA~AA!"]

["WHY CAN'T YOU HANAMURAS LISTEN WHEN SOMEONE'S TALKING TO YOU?!"] The screams of all three Pokémons echoed throughout the cave above them and vibrated around the ice enclosed around them. Sneasel, as you can tell, was rather upset in the situation he was suddenly placed in all because Ataro -despite his large ears- could not listen. Zuku, in fear of getting his wings scraped, had folded up his arms and tried to bury his head between them.

Quickly, Sneasel tried to think fast, looking for a way to stop them being they met with something worse at the end of the ice slide hole. At some point, knowing Zuku didn't have any fur and this would probably hurt him like it would to a normal human, Ataro had yanked his tail towards him and held the younger Pokémon as they continued to slide down. Both of the starters quickly understand they were getting faster by each nano second that passed. Sneasel gritted his teeth and outstretch his claw, attempting to ram it against the ice to slow down their fall.

However.

-He could hear yelling, and roaring. He could hear the Typhlsion of Gold's roaring about something burning him. He found it odd, a fire type being burned, he didn't think it was possible. Though, he was an ice type and he could feel cold some times so he guessed fire types were like that too. But still, he remember hearing Silver talk about how Typhlosions were made of lava or something along those lines…

But then he saw it. For a split second, the jacket Silver wore had riddle up, he saw what was happening. The Typhlosion was attacking his Master and Gold. Feraligatr was just standing there, looking shock at something. He saw Murkrow having the same shocked expression growing on his face. He realized that his Master Silver must be falling, but he fell lots of times, why would this be any different?

But then, he felt it. He felt the sudden yank of gravity, and then the slam of a hard surface. Sneasel looked down at his Pokéball and saw no ground below him. He had fallen off a cliff. For the ice type, he felt like time was moving so fast that everything looked like it was going in slow motion. He didn't have time to think, he just knew he had to do something. Forcing himself out of his Pokéball, Sneasel used his Master's shoulders and jumped up to the ledge. By the time he had done so, his master had let go for some reason.

He didn't understand why until he sunk his claw against the rocky walls.

Master Silver was not this heavy. Master Silver's weight would not force his claw to rip through the rocky surfaces of the cliff. He instantly understood the situation just before pain erupted throughout his entire body. Closing off any coherent thoughts, everything was just filled with agony. His eyes had darken, every single nerve in his body felt like someone had set them on fire. It was worse than getting hit critically with a fire attack, no, it was much much more worse. His ears pounded with a dulling ache, he didn't even know he was screaming out the tiny fraction of pain he felt.

Sneasel the pain had somehow numbed him, and yet all he felt was agony. He couldn't feel the blood tainting his fur. Or the blizzard freezing up his claw. Once he felt the fall get slowed down, he clamped his mouth shout, opening his eyes and regaining some vision. He was only barely aware of what a familiar voice had told him. Something about ground just below, and that it was safe to let go. He wanted nothing more at the moment than to let go, and so, he did so.

Just as he did, he caught a solid look at his right claw, all dented, chipped, bloody. Scratches everywhere, his nerves being just that close to exposure. The image lasted just about two seconds, however it was permanently burned into his brain.-

Sneasel widen his eyes and on instinct retracted his claw to his chest. Letting his broken up claw cling to his good one. Fear had overwhelmed him, the pain of his Master's death slipped into his brain, causing tears to burst from his eyes but sounds to clog up in his throat. With that, he squeezed his eyes shut, causing the memory to reply in his head on a loop, and awaited for whatever was at the end of the tunnel slide.

Who knows, maybe his Master was awaited him just below.

["WHAAA~AAAHH"]

["Hm?"] A metal talon stomped in a halt. The snow jumped a bit from the weight being pressed. The metal talon led to metal legs, and soon red, navy blue and silvery metal wings. The wings led to an armored neck and to a metallic beak. ["Well now."] The metal bird-like creature gave an eerie smile. His eyes were shadowed by the position of his head and body being different. ["Such indecent screams."]

With another step, this time much lighter than his first one, he turned his body around to look at the mountain next to him, away by a couple of miles. ["Strange to hear them coming from the Death Drop cliff."] Another step and the creature had decided he would change his course of path towards the mountain. He didn't walk though, he instead let his head glance around, looking for any clues or signs.

He noticed the fog seeping from the betweens of the White Pillars. His level-headed confusion look grew dark and eerie in the matter of seconds. He gave a sinister chuckle under his breath and lowered his beak down, trying to stop himself from throwing his head up and laughing. ["I see then. In that case, I'll personally handle these indecent guest of ours~"]

The armored up bird-like creature chuckled again, this time walking towards the mountains with malice filling his eyes.

He couldn't see the ground. He felt like he was in heaven, trying to look past the clouds. But he wasn't in heaven, he wasn't the one dead. It was Gold who was dead and rotting below on the ground he could not see. Explotaro sat on the edge of the cliff, laughing at himself. Letting everything sink in. no matter how many times he thought it over, he just couldn't understand one simple thing. Or at least he thought it was a simple thing to understand.

Why did he lost control?

Here he was, looking at the ground he could not see, where his trainer and his friend were laying dead. He didn't even have the courage to slip off the cliff and join his trainer like a loyalist he thought he was. Pokémons and humans weren't all that different when he thought about it. -We all value our lives. No matter how shitty, how boring. No matter how much pain we're in, we still value our lives… hah… hah…- ["Hahaha…. Hahha…!"]

["'Taro?"]

Before his laughing grew in volume, reality snapped back to him. He looked down at the ground he could not see. Trying to picture his trainer below. For some reason it was hard to do so, hard to believe. But he knew it to be true, nothing could survive a fall like that. Prepared for it or not, a drop like that was an instant kill. Explotaro looked to the side at the snow, not having it in him to face the Feraligatr behind him. ["What are you still doing here?"]

He didn't see him, but he could hear him shrug. ["Can you give me a reason why I shouldn't be?"]

["Tch."] Explotaro looked back down. He didn't understand why he was still alive. Feraligatr, out of all Pokémons, should have already taken his life by now. He didn't understand, for some reason the water type was fiercely loyal to the redhead. Distanced as he seems, Feraligatr was actually very lively once past that fear of getting maw by him. If the fire type were to be true to himself, he wouldn't mind getting killed by the water type. He was too much of a coward to slide off the cliff anyways.

Why?

-"Oh but come on! It was funny on some level right?"

"No."

Explotaro could feel his stubborn trainer cross his arms on top of him. He himself only rolled his eyes and continued to plow through the growing snow. They were headed to some forest, but he didn't think there would be this much snow. It wasn't that cold out yet. "At least we have a funny story to tell the others when we get back?"

"What makes you think I want to do that."

The fire type could hear the Murkrow snicker just slightly. He always seem to do that whenever his trainer made a demand that should be a question. It was as if the redhead didn't know how to ask something. He heard Gold grumble, after a few more seconds he throw his hands up in a slight hissy fit. Something that happened often when Silver was being difficult. "Maaaaaaan! Why'd I get stuck with you as a partner for this mission?"

Gold sighed out annoyed, Silver returned the sight back at him. "Possibly because someone needed to make sure you don't die…?"

He had a point there. Gold was always reckless but the redhead didn't seem the type to dive in without a plan so in a way, they were quite a perfect pair.

"Pft. As if!" The titled Hatcher sounded offended. Explotaro didn't know why, it was true after all. "I'm not reckless ya know!"

Explotaro held in all his laughter and focused harder on the road in front of him. "Biggest lie of the century."

At this, both Murkrow and himself laughed and then quiet down to a snicker. He could hear the grumble of his trainer when he heard him laugh, knowing he had lost the conversation. That was something Explotaro never quite understood as well, their need to make everything into a competition. He knew it wasn't one-sided, Silver too accepted the hidden challenges and handed out his own. Yet somehow Silver doesn't seem to give back any sign of friendship.

Talking about that, Silver had yet again avoided answering whether or not he was planning on coming to something Gold called a 'Sleepover'. He was only briefly explained to by Sintaro, all he knew was that a sleepover was an event friends did together to express their trust in one another and how comfortable they are. The moment those words slipped off Gold's mouth, he remember the absolute horror that filled the redhead's eyes.

Either Gold didn't see it, or he didn't want to acknowledge the crap load of fear he had brought the redhead with just that word. Explotaro knew Gold din't mean to let it slip, but since it did he impulsively invited the redhead over for one. It had been a couple of days and the redhead still hadn't given him an answer. In those days Explotaro and the others had to watch their trainer fret over it. Trying not to call the redhead every five seconds to ask if he decided or not.

Since he was a Pokémon, he didn't understand why it was such a bi-

Thump.

-… What?-

Thump. Thump… Click.-

["Tch."] Anything after that was in pieces and definitely blurry. But he knew one thing for sure, he had killed his trainer. Explotaro stood up, not letting the thought finish in his mind and started to glance around. Feraligatr was looking at the spot where his 'Master' had let go of the cliff. He could see a faint something in his eyes. He felt the need to pull it out to the light for all to see. He always felt like that, but this time, the sparkle in his eyes felt more… dark.

He shuffled towards the pathway where he had plowed through. He saw where the runt he made had stop, and many footsteps were scattered everywhere. The boots were Silver's, the sneakers were Gold's. the tiny little dents was that odd looking Vaporeon's. He could see Feraligatr's prints scattered about as well. And then there was his paws. The really deep ones were caused when he was on a rampage. Why did he went on the rampage?

Why did he lose control?

He didn't understand why. He wanted to know why. He just had to know, it didn't make sense, there's a giant blur in his memory and he wanted to clear it up. He had nothing to lose, Ataro, Gold, Silver and that Pokémon that always clings to him, they were all dead. Chances were that Vaperon would take Murkrow's life once he snapped. Everyone was… dying. Before he was forced to work for Darkrai, he needed to know one simple thing. Why did he lose control?

Thump.

Explotaro froze. This feeling in his chest, it was familiar. He look down to see he was in the runt he created to get through the snow, he had taken a step further in an subconscious attempt to continue the path. His eyes widen, his pupils had shrunk. The fire type lost his ability to hear, but he barely registered that in his mind. He was more focused on what he was feeling. Something was pushing him down, something was boiling inside of him.

Thump… Thump…

His vision tripled, his mind suddenly felt like someone had tossed it out a window. It was like the ground escaped his feets, he didn't feel the ice pinching him, he didn't feel the grief in his heart. One by one, everything was getting paused or numbed. Almost like nothing else mattered expect for the sound of silence and the vision of red. -Wait… red…?!-

And that's when he remember.

The reason he lost control, the reason why Gold and Ataro are dead. The reason for his sudden rampage, he remembered why it happened, he remembered why he did it. With the remaining sanity left in his mind he shot his gaze over to Feraligatr who was just watching with confusion and concern. Right after, everything darken with the scent of blood, and the sound of silence.

Thump-thump…. Thump… click.