Hunter blinked. "Er... well, you're good company and all but it's
been a while since I've had a friend. I'm not too sure I would be a
particularly good one." He said, grasping for some way out of the
situation. The easy thing would have been to say yes. However he
was afraid that, with the way that Blaze's mind worked, that may be
seen as an invitation for the Fennekin to pester him constantly. It
wasn't that he particularly minded the Pokémon. He was set a bit on
edge by his... excitability.
"Perhaps you could go see if any of the other Pokémon here have
more... experience?"
4. It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.
Turning at the noise, Tenshi blinked. After a while of staring, she
turned around again, shrugging it off. It was probably a ratata or
something. She began to head towards Route 53. Now that she was
calm again, she started to consider returning to the others, then
she remembered Blaze and growled again. "Not until he learns to
grow up."
"You think we should head for the forest now?" Katu asked Hunter,
as soon as Blaze was off entertaining himself with chasing a
butterfly. The young Fennekin seemed to have completely forgotten
the troubles of the past hour or so, which only frustrated Katu. He
was supposed to learn something about this whole mess, not forget
about it!
A human covered in the same biohazard body armor stepped into view
of Tenshi. He regarded the Absol for a few moments, seemingly
confused, before realizing the situation he was in. Without further
ado, he turned around and sprites away, headed for the forest.
The human messed with some device on his forearm, muttering curses
under his breath. A glowing green portal appeared in front of him,
showing a clearing near a wall of Earth - it could have been a
cliff, or a man-made structure. Either way, the man dashed into it.
The portal closed as soon as he did, giving no room for his
pursuers to enter. It had disappeared.
Tenshi skidded to a halt. "That clears up some things." She turned
and headed back to the town. If a human was awake, that meant that
not everyone was asleep, which confirmed her suspicions that a
human of some sort had sent the fog, and it was unlikely they meant
well. But how was she going to stop it? She was on her own against
something she didn't even understand. Arriving at the town, she
realized the bio-hazard guy was a clue, and decided she would
commit herself to getting to the bottom of it, even if alone, she
was an Absol, that was supposed to be her thing, after all.
"It's as good a place to go as any." Hunter nodded, getting up.
"But, and I don't want to be pessimistic here, this fog and
sleeping thing may be a little beyond anything we can handle." He
said, glancing over at Blaze.
4. It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.
"Well, those of us who decide to join will have to be enough." Katu
answered, picking up Blaze. "Come on, troublemaker. We're
leaving."
She dropped him back onto the ground, just glad to have his
cooperation right now. He really was quite a burden, but at the
same time, his eagerness was rather amusing. Also, he was way too
young to be left alone. She walked through the trail, and into the
town. Once there, Katu paused.
"What the heck?!" Katu yelled,bloud enough to be heard across town,
seeing sleeping Pokemon everywhere. "This is ridiculous! Why are
the Pokemon also asleep?!"
Hearing Katu's voice, Tenshi looked around. "What?" she muttered.
"Maybe that's why the bio-hazard guy looked so confused." She made
her way across town, heading back to the neighborhood. She wasn't
quite ready to explain herself just yet, if at all.
Hunter sprinted to her and skidded to a halt. He narrowed his eyes
and looked around. "Can't be the fog..." He muttered to himself.
"Some Pokémon have moved which allow them to put others to sleep.
Maybe..." He suggested. "Hold on, that Absol stormed into town.
Maybe she was around, saw what happened?"
4. It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.
Katu scowled. "So there are two routed towards the forest... Which
one would be better? No, wait. Is she even headed towards the
forest at all?" She asked Hunter, since she assumed he would be the
most knowledgeable about the two routes. Katu herself had arrived
by ship to Emera Town, a stowaway among crates and crates of
luggage.
"Hey, don't look at me. I was down at the beach trying to explain
why I'm a terrible friend." Hunter shrugged. "I'm sort of a
stranger myself. I guess I came in via Route 53, but who knows what
she was thinking?" He sighed and looked around at the sleeping
Pokémon. "This is a fine mess." He muttered.
4. It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.
"Thats definitely one way to put it." Katu agreed. "It seems like
we're the only ones not sleeping right now." She sighed. They
passed by the trainer's neighbourhood. Katu did check to see if
there was anyone there - but before she could move on, Blaze had
darted past them and into the rows of houses.
She watched him go.
"Can we just... Not go get him?" She wondered, more than a little
tired of his dangerous shenanigans.
Tenshi made her way back into the neighborhood, picking up the pace
as she moved across town. Now that she knew what she was looking
for, somewhat, nothing and no one would stop her.
"Your words are wise." Hunter said, watching the Fennekin run away.
He stared at the place Blaze had disappeared before glancing to the
heavens for support and letting out a sigh. "Come on." He groaned
and jogged after the Pokémon.
4. It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.
Aino was lazily flying with his trainer nestled securely on his
back when he spotted the others either going through the forest or
through town. "someone must have found something." He concluded,
diving down low to match pace with Hunter. "So.... What have you
guys found?" He drawled, having to angle himself as to not hit
anything.
Hovering over the ground, Albafica made a slow move towards the
forest. He wasn't used to not being in water and the new experience
was a little difficult for him. Nonetheless he tried his best and
kept moving
Tenshi ran through the neighborhood, sniffing her way through the
fog, she knew human scent well, and if she could find one that
isn't asleep, that would lead her in the right direction, at least,
she hoped.
"Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Hope you've had more success?" Katu
grunted to the Altaria, going after Blaze and Hunter. The
neighbourhood was eeriely silent, with even Pokemon passed out in
the streets.
Blaze skidded to a stop at the end of an alleyway, directly visible
from Tenshi. In fact, she was almost running straight through it.
He doubled back, slipping away through they same alleyway, hoping
that Tenshi hadn't seen him.
Three men used portals to get to the neighbourhood, holding strange
devices that resembled large Geiger counters. They were speaking,
but all anyone without a helmet would hear would be Burt's of
static here and there. Two were armed with guns, and pokeballs.
Tenshi kept going, the fog was so thick here she might as well be
running with her eyes closed. She relied on scent more than sight,
and didn't see the humans at all. But she smelled Blaze and slowed
down to a walking pace before turning around. "Fenniken? Show
yourself! It's all right now, I'm sorry I snapped before, I've
calmed down."
Blaze hesitated. Then he saw Hunter and Katu chasing after him, and
decided that if the Absol was lying, he would probably not be hurt
too much. Blaze turned and went to Tenshi, but stayed a good
distance.
"I'm sorry I tried to attack you." Blaze offered, slightly
afraid.
The humans were surprised when they saw another Pokemon through the
fog. They were all supposed to be asleep. Why did these Pokemon
have immunity against the chemicals they had placed in the air.
A burst of static, and the two men released their Pokemon - a
Psyduck and a Vulpix. Both Pokemon were clad in full body armor,
just like their trainers, to prevent them from falling asleep.