FSE

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"That doesn't sound like a good in any circumstance. What you thinkin' Serena...? Something bad...?" Kyn crossed his arms, hoping that he wouldn't have gotten bad news about Syrup.

Her nose twitched "Her scent is too...muted for her to have been here recently, it's almost completely gone...and Skuntank scent...well, I'm sure you realize...it takes a long time for a Skuntank's scent to fade." A shake of her head accented the next set of words. "No...Mike and Maple would have told me...they would have...maybe she just moved..." Regardless, there was a kernel of worry, HAD the old lady finally met her demise? Had she just gone out hunting one day and not come back? Such was the nature of such things here in Gambitville...and they didn't have anything like Kyn's area's system, they weren't just pronounced dead...She ground her teeth for a moment. "If she's not here, then we have no business here."

"Well... then I suppose it's up to you. If you want to go look for her elsewhere, I can wait a while. If not, then still lead the way." Kyn hadn't really seen either Maple OR Syrup before, but... considering how long she'd survived with her currently lifestyle, he wouldn't be surprised if she just unfortunately was finally overcome, but he didn't really want to consider that possibility...

She closed her eyes and snorted, clearing thoughts of Syrup from her mind, and then she turned towards the town. "Syrup's a big 'mon, if she's gone, then she's gone, looking after her like she's a hatchling wont do any of us any good. THIS is the sort of thing that someone with a long lifespan will have to endure, this is the hardest part...If you're honestly considering this Kyn, you're going to have to learn to let other beings go. Be they your own family, Pokémon or human, or friends, should they not want to come with you...and the least people that know, the better off everything is. I resigned myself to the fact that those that are older than I will eventually die before me, most even that are younger than I am now will die before I do."

"Hm, well, if that's the case, then I guess they'll just live their lives. Just look at Alder. Barely any of his Pokémon are still alive. It's just something that has to be faced. This is why it would be difficult with so many Pokémon, and part of the reason why I believe the league only designates parties of six." Kyn said, having made the choices as to which would be the easiest, and the most difficult to let go of.

"Alder..." She took refuge in Kyn's mind for a bit, trying, if nothing else, not to think of Syrup, even as her claws bit into the rock, she opened her eyes. "Yeah...not sure that I would be able to tolerate Alder in my presence unless he's matured a bit. There's no way I could think of someone so old as still being a hatchling."

"Ha, when Gambitville freezes over Alder will be matured. OR when pigs fly. I think I'll stay here for a few years. Let's... switch worlds for a bit. With that portal in the basement, after they show you how to work it, you'll be able to freely move back and forth, I guess." Kyn said, scratching his chin. "But... the timing of the distortion my be difficult to get right. Ah, well I guess the humans are smart enough to be able to compensate, WITH SCIENCE."

"...You just got finished saying not a week ago how you wanted to stay in your world and become well known again, and now you're stepping back away from that yet again. I don't think you know WHAT you want, Kyn...Also, I'd like to bring this up to you...how many times have I watched Miru tear the fabric of space in front of me?"

Kyn sighed, "This is what happens when I don't speak linearly. I was talking about after all the things were set up back in my world. As for the tearing space thing, probably... thirty or more."

"I only have to see things twice to be able to use them on my own. I've not out of respect for Miru, and because before you returned...I hadn't seen it in too long, I wouldn't have had any way to know...and I don't have the proper knowledge of all the different universes. When I was younger Jasmine said that since I was a Bagon, I was either a Trinity or a Serena, and that since Marlow was a shiny Duskull, he was a Marlow... which means there's more than one stream of us...both you and I included."

"When dealing with the multiverse, Serena, there is always that to consider. Which is why teaching temporal mechanics is difficult. Hm, is that one of the ways that you break my world's laws of physics? Also, I'm surprised that in all this time, both Miru haven't met each other. Or hell, maybe they have. You have a strange way of showing respect for things Serena. So then, would you like the quickest way to identify the path between your world and mine?"

"My way of showing respect is strange to you? Heh...You can equate me calling Tenshi the White One as a title, like Mister or Miss, yet you can't see how refraining from imitating another Pokémon such as Miru might be a sign of respect? Do you honestly think that any 'mon that you have spoken to, had you not instinctively gone into at least SEMI-respectful body posture, would have even remotely considered conversing with you?" She tilted her head as she turned it to look at him. "They would have more than likely attacked you."

"Yeah, I think I do. Unless of course, you look in my memory, see all those time I only changed one thing about the way I approached Pokémon. Maybe I don't even recognize body postures. I don't know about semi-respectful... just, non-confrontational. Perhaps since you are obviously more in touch with your feral side, you would be able to tell ME what I was doing, from their point of view. I'm curious, because if that's how I was able to recruit this many Pokémon so easily, then it's rather ridiculous that that type of thing isn't taught. Which is something I may have to work on in addition to the translator. Body language classes for the stupid humans." Kyn sighed.

"I believe that I just DID tell you what you were doing." She shot back at him. "But it's not something that can be taught in classes, not really, you either have it through instinctual means, or you don't. You can be trained to understand what something means, but your behavior when you understand it might not change, your smell at the time also has something to do with it. Like that trainer we encountered in Clair's gym. He wasn't impressed with you, but when I stepped into the ring, there was a more primal fear than he'd ever felt before. Perhaps because he thought I'd kill his Pokémon...strangely possessive over something he was going to throw into the lava anyway. Hmph...but back on topic...each emotion has a specific smell to them, Fear and panic are among the strongest, Arousal is a close third, followed by Happiness. At least to MY nose, I'm not sure what's strongest to an herbivore."

"Bah! I couldn't TALK to Pokémon until I was sixteen anyway. I'm less human than N at this point. Of course we joked about the whole caveman thing but it's beyond that point. Ah, speaking of him, I did see that little bastard again. He tried to challenge Clair's Gym next year. Apparently you DID scare him straight, in some ways. As for the whole emotion thing... well, that's a bit interesting. I suppose another part of my craziness is a lack of fear in certain situations."

There was something about the way he worded it that made her stop in mid-stride. "Wait...what? How can he attempt something next year and you have seen it since I haven't left your side for you to go into the future...?" She looked back at him completely now that she wasn't walking forward and trying to keep at least one eye on where she was going.

"Ah... hm, well, I guess I sort of peeked into the future a few times. As well as when we were transferring to go meet Anana." Kyn explained, with a light chuckle and a rubbing of the back of his head.

Serena was hardly amused. "Just don't look at your own future, that would be bad, I've known a few Psychics who used Future Sight upon themselves...they reduced their brain matter to the consistency of applesauce." She turned her head away, and began walking into town....by the time they reached it; the sun had risen before them, and decently into the sky. It would be easy to find the Kec, she was sure...if she was here of course.

"Considering what you've introduced me to... looking into my future might be troublesome since... well, y'know practical immortality. Though technically I don't HAVE to follow the suggested time line... it might change things up a bit though if I don't see him again but still. I suppose I should probably just follow the recommended time line..." Kyn said, after a long while of being silent.

"....Kyn, do you have duct tape in your backpack? If so, I'm going to use some, on your orifices to keep those thoughts from spilling out like that." She sighed, keeping her voice low so that no one else but their group would be able to hear her.

"Serena... by any chance... does duct tape exist in YOUR world...? I mean... it's not like you all actually HAVE ducts. At least, not to my knowledge," Kyn said lowly.

"We do have ducts, in Steel city, yes...actually in the bay as well, air duct systems are common, you should have noticed how it wasn't too hot nor too cold there with our favorite Slowking." She chuckled to herself. "but no, we don't have tape for our ducts, most Pokémon are capable of fixing things by other means, we have no need for such a thing."

"Hm. Awesomesauce." Kyn said quickly. "I suppose Tao and Steel City will be some more things close to home that I have in this world..." He said even quieter than the first statement.

"...If I didn't know that that was a phrase in your world that would have brought your total up to 20, Kyn." She commented idly. "I'll be collecting after the flight northward, just to let you know." She ducked inside the tavern and inn and slipped up to the bar, whistling to catch the Cacturne's attention--as if she had to, right? "Morning Donahue, how're you?"

"I... don't think... I've ever actually been drunk in my time here, Serena." Kyn said, figuring that since they WERE in a saloon, it wouldn't have exactly been out of the ordinary to hear something along those lines.

She gave him a look like 'why in the world would you want to be drunk if you weren't in pain?' then asked the Cacturne about Mago, of course, he nodded and pointed out that she still had a room rented there, and if they wanted to stay for breakfast, that she would more than likely be dawn soon. Serena's stomach of course grumbled in protest, as she had only had a 'snack' on the way here, and had intended on hunting...but of course she'd gotten sidetracked with Kyn on her back and that plan had gone awry.

<Serena... you kinda gave me a look after my statement about being drunk. Would you like an explanation? Also, since Mago's got a room... eh, I guess we'll see. Wait a minute... I don't even know what the illusion is on me right now. Should be a Blaziken.> Kyn sighed, and figured that he should go hunting with Serena sometime soon.

<For non Poison types, alcohol is a painkiller Kyn...and getting drunk here doesn't mean you just get hungover...not to mention that -I- don't want the slowed reflexes or repercussions of your drinking habits.> She grumbled at him. <Time to go over those 'forbidden' comments. -No telling her about us going into the past, -If she doesn't remember that you come from a different world, don't insinuate that you do, she's a bit paranoid since there have been...heists from the store in the past...and some attempts made on her life. She hasn't been...a very good Anana substitute, as you can imagine, even mentioning her mother can send her into tantrums of one type or another...definitely do NOT show her that pin.>

<Well then. I suppose I'll just have to bring alcohol from my world and do it away from you. Oh my. Never mind then, I ain't drinking anything from this place then. Next question. Smoking. You've probably seen it before in my world. What... effect do you think it would have on Poison types HERE? So then... I'm not exactly sure what I'll be able to say to her. But I'll try my best not to piss off this particular Kecleon.>

<Drinking is okay in moderation, in fact I'm sure I have a much higher tolerance to it than you do...after all; I drank that sake last night...mostly to sterilize my wounds, but I still did ingest it...if you would like to try some, go for it. Smoking...heh, not sure really, Syrup always said if it was a type of poison then poison types could handle it just fine...> She twinged at the name, and of course forced herself to ask Donahue about Syrup, and then closed her eyes as she was told that she hadn't been seen in YEARS, and that her house had long been stripped of belongings.

<Serena... did PK have any children? I mean, of all things Alomomola bay is my second home, and not TAO, but still. It'd be interesting to know what happened on the other side of the family.>

She was quiet for the longest time, finally she turned around and walked out of the saloon. Guilt...that was the main thing that overtook her, not anger, not fear that Syrup had suffered, but the GUILT that she hadn't visited ONCE in since the time after she had evolved...that was what was focused on. <She married and had child yes, more out of consummating the marriage than actually having a child...turned out to be a defaulted dark type...You can stay if you want, I'm going hunting...I NEED to hunt.> She answered when she was essentially standing in the middle of the street.

<I'm not exactly going to hunt but... I mean, I haven't hunted a Tauros in a while, are there any nearby?> He didn't really care much when the child was born, since it wasn't a major issue since he wasn't even familiar with that side of the family.

<I'm going to be honest with you Kyn, this form's version of hunting is less like hunting and more like swooping down on something and dropping it from a good ways up, IF I don't get a good hit at the neck or stomach.> She waited then, if he was coming, he may as well get a free flight out of it.

<Ah Serena. It's not that different than what some eagles do. Probably even some Braviary in your world here. So then, I'll be awaiting your choice of prey.> Kyn said, not really seeing why she needed to add the 'going to be honest' part.

<You already made a suggestion on the type of prey, and I haven't really eaten in a day, the snack doesn't count either.> She knelt down a bit. <If you're coming, you better get on my back soon or I'm leaving without you.>

<Well, then I'll be getting on.> He quickly hopped up onto Serena leaving whatever Pokémon were on the ground behind.

She, unlike Kyn, did think about the others, and tossed Tensa her bag of coins. /Here, find something to do, spend that on something...surprise me. We'll be back in 3 hours at the most, just a hunting trip./ She rattled off even as she ran away from them, and by the time she was finished, she was in the air. She had only risen just beyond the clouds when she sighed. <I'm an idiot...I should have came at her last letter.> He'd probably notice that her scales were warmer than usual.

<Stop. Serena, I don't want to hear it. If you're going to dwell on this... please, for my sake, do it out of my head...> He didn't want to find out what exactly that last letter contained, considering the nature of what had happened to the house and belongings it was seeming like the thing he hoped didn't happened had happened and that.... Syrup was gone.

Serena growled, more at herself than at him, but flying wouldn't help her, even if she could let herself go autopilot, it would just leave her to dwell further. <As you wish...but realize that with us in close proximity, that will be more difficult than you know...She IS dead...there's no doubting that now.> she answered his train of thought without really meaning to do so.

<Actually. Never mind. We will share that with each other.> Kyn said, once again, changing his mind on the spot which may or may not annoy Serena.

Even after he'd told her that it was okay, she still tried to keep it to herself, until finally it washed over the link, that sadness, and while she might have been okay to glide, she couldn't see to be any semblance of a decent hunter, and was forced to land. <I'm...sorry. She was just...she was the closest thing that I had to a mother, what with Jasmine taking me from mine in your world...she still didn't give an explanation for that either...and to think that Mike and Maple didn't even...make mention of it to me...Opal should have, if nothing else, she knew that his mother had taken me in as one of her own...> She wiped at her eyes with one clawed limb.

<Serena... that was really insensitive of me.... I do apologize for that. Not very gentlemanly at all...> He approached her and gave her the best hug he could. The power of a simple hug in this situation should not be underestimated.

<Don't...> She warned, but she did little to stop him, if he was insistent upon giving her a hug, then she wasn't going to deny him that. Of course, by that time her scales would almost be to the temperature of a REALLY hot bath--in other words he'd have a stinging sensation wherever he touched her--another reason for the impromptu landing--even as she tried to keep herself from soaking his shirt with tears. <Don't worry about it, I've never really known you to be the gentlemanly sort anyway.>

<Serena... there is something you once said to me. You do not have to hold back for my sake.> He said, mirroring the time that he first finally accept that fact that he had lost Anana, even though this situation was far different than that.

<I...don't want to hurt you...I'm going to get very hot if I...3rd degree burns hot. Maybe I shouldn't have brought you with me...>

<Alright Serena. Just know that the hug still stands. You do not wish to burn me so I will get to a non heated distance.> He stopped that semi-painful hug, and then sat down about fifteen to twenty feet away. <Serena... would you like me to tell you another story from my world?>

<P-please.> She sniffled, and then laid down, her head in her claws. The grass around her immediately began to crackle and hiss, withering away to nothing, and marked the radius of the dangerous heat levels with dead grass. Still where he was sitting wouldn't be the most comfortable, but at least it wouldn't BURN him by sitting there. The sobs that wracked her frame were hardly Salamence like, more suited to a Bagon.

<About five hundred years ago, there was a major battle in the Johto region. This battle was one of the more bloody battles in our history. Several thousand good men lost their lives in battle. The fighting was actually so long, that it continued through the generations in a very odd case. Meaning, Fathers died for their sons, Sons died for their fathers when they were old enough after having children of their own. The war was thought to be never ending. However, one day, a miracle happened. Our Ho-oh, who actually is not the same color as Prosphora, decided that... well, I believe this one is also male, decided that he was tired of all the fighting. So he used his Sacred fire to burn all of their weapons. The miracle is considered such because the Ho-oh did not burn the combatants. The second miracle was that there was a tree on that particular battlefield, that burned and burned and burned. No matter what happened to it, rain, or anything. The Ho-oh's flame, just kept burning. Eventually, they decided to take the flame from the tree before it burned down, and they stored it. That original flame, is what is now used to light the Opening Ceremony at the Silver Conference of the Johto League. They have runners who carry the torch of that particular Ho-Oh flame, and believe me, they know if it's not the original flame as well, as you probably would be able to identify. But that, that is how the legend of the League Flame goes. As far as Johto is concerned, which is why they hold Ho-Oh in such high regard.>

About half way through the tale he probably would have had to shield his ears from the roar that sounded very much like a wounded animal...she could only hope that they were far enough away from Gambitville that the others didn't hear. By the time he had finished recounting the tale, she was ready to move on. <Thank you...I rather hate getting like this...> she licked her cheeks and cleared the scent of tears from her nose. She could do nothing about her red eyes, but at least she was safe to be around now.

<You're welcome... I have plenty more stories... if you ever need them. Though what did you think of this one?> Kyn said, feeling a bit warm after that event.

<It's...interesting...> She stood and walked to him, nudging his shoulder. <To think that a Ho-oh would spare the humans that were killing one another instead of just ending it in one fel sweep.>

<Perhaps it served his purpose more to have them worship it, so that there would be no more fighting. Either that or maybe... our Ho-oh preferred to be more marveled than feared. Either way, the same result would have been achieved yes... but apparently this one lasted so long that it carried into modern times. I would like to meet that Ho-oh. You mentioned different versions of us. Would you like to see some of them?>

Her immediate thought was of the version of herself that had given into that darkness, and she bared her fangs, understandably so. <No, I don't think I would like to meet those that would be like me, or everything that I am not either...> She sighed <It's a pity, this...I was planning on learning to spend more time with Tensa, and then this happens...come on then, I wasn't lying when I said we were going hunting.>

<Ah, I definitely felt THAT one. Alright, let's go hunting then.> Kyn said, moving back to Serena.

She waited until he was up on her back and took off again. Her head felt lighter, hell, the weight on her shoulders felt a lot lighter too. When she spotted the first Tauros she transferred her vision to his, and showed him the herd before beginning her dive, the break through the clouds as her wings tucked, streamlining her body, and then uncurling her wings at the last moment and flipping the bovine up into the air with her tail, chasing after it in what might be considered a 'playing with your food' style. It didn't last long, even as the Tauros flipped and tried to squirm away, she grabbed it in her claws and waited until it had ceased moving before lowering herself to the ground a little ways away from that spot, in the opposite direction from the way the others had ran, knowing that they would come back for revenge, the bulls usually did.

<Hm. Y'know, Heji could probably drop all of these Tauros with a single Discharge. Considering that he's been training with you, he's more than likely stronger than he was before.> Kyn's thoughts shifted to Inferno as well, and of course since he was used to both cooked and raw meat, how much damage a Blast Burn from him would do, if toned down in power.

<He and I probably BOTH could...I doubt that you want to watch this from my perspective, so I'm going to drop the double eyesight.> She did, and then started in on the creature, using her razor sharp fangs to pull the skin open, and when the guts were spread before her, she devoured the major organs before actually starting on the muscles themselves. It was anything but the precise, even cuts that he would have made as a butcher. If he was in the mood to eat, he would have found that she no longer had the food issues.

<OH! Serena. Speaking of the double eye sight... Miru has done that with me before. Back during the times before I knew it though. I believe.... Miru saw the world through my eyes, and I saw the world through its.> Kyn said, remembering his younger days.

Serena snorted, keeping an eye out for the returning Tauros, her face stained red with the creature's blood. <I suppose that explains why he came to your rescue when I was...rampaging...that was before I spent 16 hours in your head...which brings me to MY question...what do you remember from that period in time?>

<I remember my pure, unadulterated rage, for one thing. But, mainly I just remember being with Miru. That was the first time Miru has ever hugged me, Serena.> Kyn said, trying to recall more.

<Tit for tat then, since earlier the same day I gave my first legendary a hug.> the voice had a bit of a chuckle to it, and then sobered. <Do you want to know what happened?> She was picking the carcass clean by this point, something that was probably a little unsettling to most people, watching an entire Tauros disappear that quickly.

<Well... I suppose the memory gaps would be filled one way or another. Do you have some news for me regarding that subject...?> Kyn wondered just how many Tauros Serena would be able to consume in a single day if she was REALLY hungry, considering what she'd told him a long time ago.

<Mmm...perhaps...> she tried to put it into words. <When I got there, Miru was still holding you; I don't think that he would have let you go, had I not shown up to take over, and even then he didn't leave, I think he did help keep the others away from us though...Your mind at that time was swirling illogically...just a total mess...at first I tried to reroute it, to work with it and untangle it to be logical...> She trailed off, licking the blood from her claws and her face; only bones were left on the ground before her, and she even took her time gnawing on those.

<Serena. This is probably going to go against everything you've probably known about me when I tell you this. Here goes. I think that I loved Anana. That's the only reason that I can think that I would ignore all the logical evidence that was given about the things she did, and the way she was. It just... isn't me normally. What are your thoughts on this matter?>

She tilted her head off to the side, her earfins were splayed allll the way out, the Membranes even covering the very tips of them. <I THINK that it took you long enough to come to that conclusion> There was a slight tease in her words. <Why in the world do you think that I caved and let you go back? Despite what Royce calls me, a term he got from you I believe, I am NOT a cruel Mistress anymore than I am a butcher.> She went back to gnawing on the ribs. <But why tell me?>

<I had no idea why you let me go back, honestly. Other than to prevent an apparently possibly paradox. Secondly, why NOT tell you? My thoughts on the matter are very clear. IT SHOULDN'T have happened.>

<You keep saying that as if you think you can control falling in love with someone. You can't. Your personalities mesh right and you fall harder than a ton of bricks. As for why not telling me...am I really the one you're going to have to face when it's all said and done? I'm not the one who might be shocked by something like that; and really Kyn...it wouldn't matter if you fell in love with a Muk, I'd still accept you.>

<What in the hell type of answer is that? Why in the hell would all this time, the one that I would fall in love with...> and then it hit him. <Serena. Us two. I fell in love with someone from your world. Who did YOU fall in love with? Someone from my world. What in the hell type of link to us is there more than THAT? I believe I have a small taste of what it was like for you with Heji initially. Although... mine is more permanent.>

She waited, watched the recognition, closed her eyes as he went on his little mental excursion. <Love doesn't fade, even after death, only lust fades. It's not 'initially', and if it wasn't permanent I would have called you a liar right where you stood. Understand? Love blossoms, repetitively, over and over, but it doesn't die, it only gets stronger until you can't bare it anymore and you have to do something about it. It's why I looked so hard for a way to keep Heji by my side, where he wouldn't leave, where he wouldn't...Where he wouldn't have to go, not again.> Despite herself, her eyes were wet with tears at the thought. <You don't know. Or maybe you do now...what it's like to be separated from that one, and having to live with that ache, and accepting that he may never have come back.>

<I do know... on all accounts. That's another feelings that was just unlocked from that time when you were in my head, I remember it now. I was thinking about it then. As for knowing that feeling well, because of you now, and before when I delved into your mind a few times... is how. But, there's also another difference. Yours is not one-sided.>

<You're forgetting something Kyn. This isn't my world. I came from yours, or one like yours. I was raised here, but I never really fit in here. Marlow loves me, and that...is very one-sided.> She could have told him that Anana might have loved him back, but she didn't know if that would be a lie, and she couldn't even let an accidental one slip through her lips, metaphorically speaking.

<What makes you think you'll fit in my world any better? Also, as far as I'm concerned, and most humans, where you were born or hatched is your home in the sense we are talking about. Serena, I've also got another odd thing to say. Of course, I mean REALLY odd. I want to add Marlow to my team. Despite the thing with Heji. I realize how complicated it could be with the triangle in place. But... I just can't resist the allure of befriending a Duskull like him.> She would more than likely be able to tell that he was partially trying to change the subject for his sake as well as possibly for her sake.

<That's all well and good, if you can find him. He's not in Tao anymore, he told me that he was going to go to a place that didn't remind him of me, that means someplace that I've never been.> She paused, then shook her head at the idea. <He doesn't need me anymore, he long closed off the link with me because it hurt him too much. Every once in a while, every 5 years or so, I feel a twinge of it opening, him checking to make sure I'm still alive, and then it closes off before I can say anything. I'm afraid that that wish is impossible for me to help you accomplish...besides...I believe that's the one thing that you never did help him with' I'm not sure he'd even want to see you.>

<Seems I did a lot of things wrong by staying for two years my time. So that brings my total up to two. Can this possibly get any worse? For fuck's sake. I just might be crazy enough to kill myself so that I'd be able to experience the other world in which I had. Had been by Anana when she died, had been at her funeral.>

She twitched at his words, and by the time he got to the end, she was growling at him. <Stop that. Just. STOP. You want to die, you REALLY want to die? You want to leave everyone behind, here? If Heji and I hadn't spent the time you were talking to Kasib trying to find ways to keep all four of us together I would...> Her pupils slit for a moment, and then a less hostile tone, and with her eyes closed. <If you want to die...get it over with, but leave me out of it...because I've already told you, I work hard to keep those that I care for alive.> She pulled herself to her feet. <So much death...in one day. I'm not going to watch this, one way or the other.>

<I wasn't referring to myself. I was referring to another version of myself from one of those worlds, Serena. I also wanted to see how you'd react to me saying that. It... actually makes this easier on me.> Of course, almost immediately afterward the tears began flowing, and then he sighed while they did.

She wasn't quite sure if she should have felt ashamed of herself, like she'd been trapped into saying something she shouldn't have, or if she should have been angry, but she leaned her head down, nudging him. <....I suppose...my instincts aren't the best ones to rely on for these matters...> She swept the bones away, and positioned him between her forelegs, giving him a shoulder to cry on, even if he didn't want it. <I can't even take the words back...if you really wanted to die, I would let you; but I can't let you cry without a shoulder to bury your head against.>

<I just... need to get this out, before I meet Mago. So many things wrong... I just feel like a poison to this world sometimes... Well I'll not make the same mistake again. There will be no time distortion anymore. No... if anything... No... not even that will help me now.> He leaned into Serena, dampening her scales, and then collapsed to the ground.

She exhaled through her nose, one limb holding him against her. Had he taken that in the way she had meant it? She wondered, craning and ignoring the sharp pain for the tight curve required for it, licking his ear, his neck, his hair, trying to soothe, any flesh she could reach. <You are not a Poison, I -KNOW- poison, if anything you're a guardian angel, it's no wonder so many Pokémon love you, look after you, and are honored to be able to put a claim on you. Little human...we have our legends of your kind too, and not all of them are bad--make no mistake though, I had to dig long and hard to find it.> She always thought of herself as being bad at storytelling, but he had told her one, if he wanted to hear one as well...she could do that for him. THAT wouldn't be as inappropriate as what she had just said.

<The favor... is being returned... Serena... please tell me a story.> Of course then the topic of family came to mind again... a mother reading their child a story during a thunderstorm... a sister helping her brother cope with a break up... many things. But then he just focused on Serena.

<When this world was new, when there were only Pokemon here, when none of us were civil, and there was only disorder and chaos. The legendaries were upset with this state of unrest, but not even they would be heeded, instead the Pokémon sacrificed one another in their name, and war broke out among them. Dialga and Palkia saw this as fruitless, and so they worked together, to find a creature to help them, from another world. A creature that's heart was pure, a Brilliant white...and they transformed that creature, that human, into the Pokémon that would serve their personality best, even gave it an accessory of it's soul color. The accessory was taken as a sign from the gods, and many joined him--though not even he knew what he was, they took his memory as well. Of his own free will, this human decided to help those who were trying to work for peace... It took work, but that human turned 'mon helped to stop the needless bloodshed, and made many friends along the way to aide him, that would guard him with their life, with their very breath. So long that he was safe. The accessory became common place, and when the human was sent home, the friends he had made broke apart into the three guild divisions. The Rescuers, the Merchants, and the Rogues. In times of Crisis the three would band together and face the opposition, proving that the bonds that they had made while under the human's leadership was still there.>

<Ah... that does sound like a very nice legend. Though, knowing my luck, we probably have a legend about a human disappearing and reappearing later. Thank you Serena...> He used his sleeve to clear his tears, though those with a good enough nose would still obviously be able to smell them. <I'm ready to go and try to set things right with Mago now, I think.>

Serena removed her arm from around him; and licked his cheeks where she could still smell them. <You've done nothing wrong with Mago.> She honestly didn't feel entirely ready...but she did hope that the boys had at least found something that they wanted to spend her money on. When she uncoiled her neck from that position, she ignored the popping joints, and when he was either smiling again, or when he no longer smelled like tears, she would let him up onto her back.

Despite everything, he actually chuckled when he was licked by her. <Da-damnit Serena... not everyone's nose is as sensitive as you or Heji's...>

<That's better. Frowns don't belong on your face when you're rejoining part of your family.> The licks were for a more selfish reason than cleaning tears, but if he wouldn't ask, and she thought that that answer would make it so that he didn't...if he didn't corner her again...she refused to think about it, and when he was seated on her, she took off again, this time back in the direction of Gambitville.

Kyn remained quiet on the way there, and continued to focus purely on thinking about Mago. Though occasionally his thoughts drifted to how much Serena had been essentially ferrying him around. But she enjoyed flying, as he could imagine, since she'd waited for evolution.

She was nearly back to Gambitville when something in their previous conversation bugged the heck out of her. <Hey, Kyn? Marlow's a Dusclops now, just thought you should know; cause you said Duskull earlier.>

<Even more reason for me to want to him on my team. Like you said though... I suppose the fact that I was not able to help him overcome the issue at hand. This is one of those things that I wish I could have been around to help with, you see.>

Serena touched down, faltering on one claw at the words, those that stung her more than ever, she barely noticed the pain from spraining her right forelimb. 'Even more reason for me to want him on my team.' twice he said things like that without meaning to, without thinking, she was sure, still it made her want to sulk. <Go find the rest of your team then, I'll wait here.> it was the last thing she said before she clipped off the link. She didn't need to put MORE pressure on him, and she didn't need to be angry for what she planned on doing later, still, it smoldered there. 'Heji will be there with you in the Dragon's den' 'Us three...' even her own words haunted her. 'You're rather uncomfortable with putting me in my ball.' this last one was just one more log on the ember.

Kyn rather used his own link with Tensa to find them, and few was glad that of all things that Tensa had seemed to enjoy himself. He did feel the link with Serena sever again... as he was getting more in tune with when it was and wasn't active... something that he was sure that the thought of them separating for even longer periods of time is not something she wanted to think about, especially since the likelihood of the link being able to cross dimensions was very low, except in extreme circumstances.

Serena was careful to wait until Kyn was far enough away to slip around the corner into the shadows of the buildings, and let, if only for a split second, that darkness, that sickness swallow her concerns about not being accepted by him, what did it matter that he didn't want her with him, as a part of his team? It was a war with herself, so to speak, something that she wanted so very much, and yet, in some regards she was unsure; and the voice even taunted her with Kasib's words as well. 'You're closer with the human than you are with your own mate, doesn't that bother you?'

"Serena should be here by now though... but, based on what she said... I have the feeling that it was more than just a simple suggestion and was more sort of type of dismissal in away." Kyn said, still waiting.

Five minutes more she made them wait, five minutes more, she allowed herself that refuge, and then she fought herself free of it, and shoved that darkness back up against the back of her mind with the negative thoughts that it had fed off of. This time was to be focused on Kyn and Mago, not her own petty problems. Cleansed, vowing that she wouldn't linger in that mood anymore. Still it made her mood almost stormy, and she might almost seem to materialize behind them, rather than showing them where she had been. "Boo."

"...." At first Kyn didn't say anything, and then he said. "Well, that's one way to make an entrance Serena Mence," using her full name for the first time in the history of like, ever. He wasn't expecting it at all, and the fact that she was rather silent about it, rather impressed him a bit as well.

Serena took her time shaking the three legs that were still dipped in the shadow, out of it, the sprained one she held up in the air, not that it altered her stride much at all, but it was something of note, as well as the fact that she hadn't re-established connection with him through the link. Well, she didn't see any reason to do so. "You do remember what we spoke about, yes Kyn, our -hunting- trip didn't knock my rules out of your head, did it?"

"No, I believe I remember them all." He stated clearly. No talking about Anana, no showing the hairpin, and NO insinuating that he was from another world, if she didn't remember it.

"Well then, did you guys find something to do with the money I gave you for the time we were away?" She referred to Tensa, Heji and Lacu, there was no doubt that both she and Kyn both smelled like tears, but there wasn't much more that could be done, of course they likely knew it wasn't just a hunting trip anyway; she did hope the smell of blood on her would at least cloud the scents though.

"No. We did not, really. We're all to indecisive." Tensa admitted. He had spent some time going through various amounts and counting though.

She chuckled a little. "There's enough there that you could have bought anything you wanted and still have had half of it left over, when I said that my hoard was too big to be counted, I suppose I should have told you that it was mostly 100's with only a few 20's in the mix. I just grabbed a clawful from the past piles too, even then they were quite big." She didn't ask for it back, but if he wanted to give it back, she'd take it "Lets see..it's about 8, maybe 9, right? Mago will probably be in her room still...lets see if we can catch her." She slipped back inside the saloon and without addressing Donahue again slipped up the stairs to the second floor, actually having to put her tender claws down to spread out her weight on them so that she didn't damage the wooden slats.

"I'm still following, and you're leading me to this. Also, Serena, what did you mean by... YOU AND MAGO helped raise the twins...?" Kyn wondered, thinking of what types of things that they may have inherited both trait wise from Anana, and trait wise from Serena.

"Mago is a growing girl, she has the right to spend half of a week behaving like a kid should; I admit I am not a very good...merchant, but the customers understood, and if I broke something by accident I either repaired it on the spot or bought it from them...She liked to call it practice, I was more than capable of having children by that time...even had a few suitors myself in the time you'd been gone...I just turned them away--I wasn't ready for their assumptions, or anything of the sort..." 'besides, they wouldn't be able to handle me.' she added to herself, and then knocked on the door where Mago's scent was the strongest, with her tail, of course, not her claws.

"What exactly did that first part have to do with my question? Eh... well... anyway, guess I'll see how she's changed in this time too." Kyn said, with an uber sigh.

Serena tilted her head at Kyn, slightly amused. She was about to knock again when the door opened, and there was a flash of pink-orange that clung itself to her neck. "Ack, Mago..."

"Serena~! Come for a visit have we? How were my brothers, you did stop in on them before you came here, right? How else would you know I was here, of course you did." She had bounded up and stood on her tail to even be able to reach the dragon's neck. She was still wearing the tribal artwork, but it had changed over the years, no longer pure black, but some were a deep blue, others were red, and it became clear why, as she hugged Serena's neck--the markings lined up with hers.

"Oh. I see... Hm, that looks rather cool, though I don't think that's the point of them though." Kyn said, rather lowly. He was waiting for Mago to finish greeting Serena, as it seemed that she and her seemed to get along more so that her and Kas.

"We did, yes...I brought an old friend, you don't happen to remember him, do you?" She grunted at having to put down her claws down against the wood again to balance out the added weight. "Mago, get down if you don't mind...I landed rough the last time I flew, stupid, I know, but it still happened."

Mago dropped down to her claws with a curious glance as Serena picked back up her right front, tsking. "Just a sprain; I'm sure you'll be fine in a few hours, but I could heal it up if you wanted? I'm sure I'll remember them, I rarely forget a-" What might have been a singsong sentence died as she turned to face the three of them, and her color blurred to were she all but disappeared against Serena's legs, aside from the blue markings which melted into Serena's hide and the red stripe, she was invisible. "I...haa...It would figure it would be you...ten years, it's been ten years, and you step back into Serena's life? I bet you made her fly you up here too, didn't you?" Aggression, pure aggression--it was only Serena's tone that held her back.

"No... I did not make her fly me up here. She offered, I accepted. Yes, there is always the option of me having walked as well. I see that even in ten years I can still screw things up. See Serena... I knew this type of thing would happen..." He said, not looking Mago in the eye yet.

Serena growled at Mago. "That is NOT how you greet a friend, Mago, especially when it's a friend who's been gone for so long." She lowered her head down to whisper to her. "...and if you want to visit my hoard room again for an -extended- stay, keep it up, I have plenty of ways to keep you sore in places you didn't even know existed. I'm sure they'll understand that you're a few days late in Steel City." She opened the link to Kyn and gave him a mental thwap, but otherwise gave no indication that she had even heard the last part of his statement.

There was almost a whimper, almost, and she pulled her claws behind her at Serena's words. "I'm sorry, it's just...business has me all stressed, I hate being a merchant; can't leave it to my brothers yet though." She faded back into existence, and had her tail wrapped possessively around Serena's left front leg.

"Serena... is there any possibly way I'd be able to help with that type of thing? I mean, I do have SOME experience in this like this just... I don't quite think on the scale that I've seen." He didn't know what he was doing right now, and was just thinking of ideas. He of course, couldn't give any indication that he knew about that various things about Mago that Serena had told him either.

She looked at Kyn, and then nudged Mago as she sat back on her haunches. "So Mago, you've proven that you remember Kyn, why don't you go give your UNCLE a hug? That's the proper way to greet family."

"Family?" The voice was a squeak. "What has HE done to deserve that title, don't tell me that even after all he's done you still..." The words died on her lips as she turned to look Serena in the eye. "Ah...I see...you do. Okay...for you then." She unwrapped her tail from Serena, wringing it between her fingers as she walked over to Kyn, waiting for him to kneel down, being clear that she wasn't going to be the only one making concessions for this.

"Serena... this feels forced, and I believe she's right. What could I possibly have done to deserve that title?" Just because Kas and Sal were willing to accept it so easily doesn't mean that things could be solved that easily with Mago.

Serena snorted, her tail wrapped around herself, she had her elbows on her knees. "Lets look at that, since you brought it up Kyn. "You were a good friend of the family, you've saved lives with your trade. You have done everything you could to help, and only took time to put yourself first when you absolutely needed to." She paused, "Not to mention that one doesn't have to earn a position as family, when mateship and marriage are involved." She pointed out.

Mago looked away from Kyn, not really looking at either of them. "Yet on the other hand, you weren't quite the same, you didn't even remember coming to see us, you were distraught and insisted that you hadn't been to the bay in months...and you hadn't seen him in fifteen years when I described him to you. That it was all a cruel joke we were playing on you, yet somehow we knew what he looked like...you even forbade me from talking about him...It wasn't until I started reading the stories about humans for myself that you even told me that they weren't true." She folded her arms. "Well, you may as well come in, it's not a big room, but it's better than standing out in the hall." She didn't wait for an answer, simply walking back into her room and leaving the door open. She took a spot on the bed, sitting on the edge of it.

"I'm getting two different sides of the same story here, it's getting rather difficult... to really understand when I'm only getting bits and pieces." He then walked into the room and continued, "I would really like to try and understand... why two different angles are coming at me."

Serena was the last one in the room, and of course closed the door behind her, she remained by the door, leaning back on it. She tried to avoid looking at Mago, but that only seemed to make things worse.

She was getting good at reading Serena's face, her face twitched into a smile. "You haven't told him yet Serena? How torn up you were when you found out that HE had visited not only before he took your precious lion away, but to find out that he had come here with someone who claimed to be you, who my mother and I both recognized to be you, how heartbroken you were at that point in time?" Her tail twitched in amusement. "There's only one angle here, Kynexn...how easy it is for someone else to notice what a possessive dragon doesn't even see in herself, and what she refuses to see. Ah, if I my brother didn't have heal pulse, I would have several scars from when I made an offhanded comment about your relationship. Even when it came to my mother, she was protective of you...Oh stop looking at me like that Serena, I'm doing you a favor here."

"Then no matter what Serena says to try and change my mind... everything is still my fault. One way or another." He twitched when Anana had be mentioned, as he was sure anyone in the room would have noticed. So many ways the consequences of his time travel had been coming back to him.

"It's only your fault, if you fail to open your eyes." Mago said sagely, she wondered if anyone else had noticed Serena meld in with the shadows, she was still there, of course, but hiding. "Why do you think Serena is so protective of you, human? Even of the idea of you and my mother? Oh sure, she was gone by that point, when Serena decided to pay us a visit again...even tried to step in AS my mother. Life's at fault here, Kynexn, no one should try to take the blame for anything." Of course, she noticed the twitch, didn't comment on it. "Why did you come here...did Serena insist upon it or something?"

"No... I was the one who insisted to her. If anything..." he then thought about what he was going to say next, because it would make a mention of the initial time travel, but instead he figured he'd be able to pull it off as him cutting his thought short as merely trailing off. "Serena... this situation... reminds me highly of something. It reminds me of... one of the ways I initially treated you when you were a Bagon. Well I am not a hatchling, if only with your lifespan I would appear to be. Well Mago, since you seem to be the most... FORWARD about things... perhaps... you'd be able to tell me the unfortunate effects of the damages that I caused." He still tried his best again to avoid vocabulary that would indicate time travel, but if worse came to worse, then he supposed that at the most he could just do his best to forget about most of the things of this world, at let this world play out the way it was supposed to have (to his best understanding), without additional human influence.

"Sorry, do you have hero complex or something? Aside from what I already mentioned, there weren't any 'effects' of your absence. Shame though, I would have liked to get to know you better before I had to give up my dream of being a doctor to help my brothers, I'll be ancient before I could even begin training now."

"Serena, if you have anything to contribute, say something before I say something I shouldn't at least according to you. But then again, in this current situation, almost nothing has turned out the way I thought it would." He said, actually starting to get rather annoyed, if anything, at the whole situation. In some ways he was reassured that his disappearance had such a minimal effect, either that or there was more that BOTH of them weren't telling him. He just... didn't know anymore...

Ha! if there was anything she had to contribute. "Anything I might have had to say, has already been said, but you were asked a question, you haven't answered it, not completely. I picked up your place as the meat dealer, once I evolved, I couldn't just let...HIM take back over that department after all...The only ripples you made in this place's ocean, was in the people you knew from here, and those who knew you, and I mean REALLY knew you." The voice seemed distorted, since it was coming from a shadow. "If you haven't gotten what Mago said otherwise, I'm not going to correct you, it's not appropriate anyway."

It was Mago's turn to be quiet, but the look on her face was rather incredulous.

"The only one... who I can say REALLY knew me from this world... is you... The answer to your question Mago, is more than likely yes. I suppose it might be in my nature." Kyn said, trying to hold two conversations at once.

"That's not the question I meant, but it doesn't matter. Yes Mago, he came here of his own free will, because he wanted to see you again, because he wanted to see how you might have changed, and how that visit changed you, if it did at all." She paused. <That's right, I'm the only one here who grew to know you, I was the only one who missed you here. The others didn't know you well enough to miss you, aside from her, and she had passed away when I re-entered their lives. I tried to smooth things over with the children of an event I didn't know about at the time, but I could guess what happened...and your visit to the past changed the future you see here, rewrote a LOT of my memories actually...we are never doing that again, I don't like having my memory altered, even if it was my own doing.> One could tell from the way she was speaking in his mind, that the topic was not the best for her, things were hard for her to say, but had a hint of acceptance as well, as if she was still getting over them. <For the record, I know you're not a hatchling, it's just in my nature to protect those that I care about.> That phrase, it was her only loophole in the case of not being able to lie.

"Well, if he came to see me to see how I've changed, I don't know how to answer that, we didn't exactly get beneath the scales of details before you two went off to have...relations with Anana, she did tell me by the way, even if it was way too much information, she always believed in being open with everyone."

"Mago... did anyone ever tell you... how old I am...?" At this current point in time, the fact that only Serena had missed him troubled him. He should have figured that such a long disappearance would have an effect... after so many goodbyes during his first few visits.... one that long... "Serena... Mago... I... I'm sorry for leaving you."

"Why should it matter how old you are? No, no one ever bothered to tell me, doesn't really make a difference to me either way. You're just a stranger who never visits, while you were...intriguing and spurred a child's quarry of information about humans, it was never anything more. I don't even know why you're apologizing to me. I will tell you that you're blind though, if you still don't understand after everything I've said." She paused, rested one hand on her temple and rubbed it in a circle. "Today's to be my last day in this town, I'm going to start my journey up to Steel city from here on foot at sundown."

<You had things to take care of, I told you, I understood that you needed to go, I don't know why you chose to leave the distortion so high, but I didn't question it, you've nothing to apologize for on my end either.>

<The distortion must have... naturally went back to the way it was defaulted when we met, only a bit more.> "The point is... I should be older than you see me now. I didn't want to be a stranger to this family. Especially... not after your mother saved my life. But in the end... it seems I wasn't able to repay her for it, and yes, I am blind in understanding." Kyn said, sitting down.

<Then don't worry about it, none of it is your fault, not the fact that you were away for so long...blame this world if you must blame something.> She sighed verbally. "Mago...It's okay that he doesn't understand, really." She had taken the time to rematerialize against the wall, but she was still the inky black with sharp green eyes. "I don't want him to understand..." She said quickly, then trailed off for a moment, only to continue a few seconds later in a tired voice. "...but it's become obvious that you don't need me here to keep the peace, you're doing that fine on your own. So unless you have a reason for me to be here, I'm going to go see about getting a drink for this pain in my right foot."

Mago raised a ridge at Serena, she KNEW that even Serena could have healed her claws in a second with a heal pulse, she was using it as an excuse, and she knew Serena well enough to know that when she didn't want someone enlightened, she wanted to be the one to break that storm later. She shrugged at him. "Supposed to be, not supposed to be, doesn't really matter, as I said. I don't know how ANANA could have saved your life, she didn't even bother to think of any of her kids before she threw her own away."

"When you put it that way. It might as well be extrapolated into her not thinking about me or Serena either. These have been some of the most trying years of my life. I'm surprised I'm not even more insane than I already am with all the shit that keeps happening to me and around me." Kyn sighed.

Since no one had bothered to stop her, she slipped out the door and let it click closed behind her; slipping down the stairs rather quietly, and yes, using a heal pulse on that ankle of hers. She didn't even bother to act like she was going to the counter for a drink, although in order to pull that one off, she actually HAD been planning on getting a drink, and then thought better of it as she reached the stairs. Instead she slipped out the door to the front, and laid down.

"She didn't, what she did was a selfish decision, she proved how little she cared about everyone that day; and that while she might have been my dame, she was never truly my mother." She snapped at the word mother. "Yeah, Serena mentioned that you think yourself insane. I don't know why you keep coming back here if they're so hard on you, you don't -belong- here. That's why Dialga and Palkia took the other human back in that one legend, after he regained his memory, because humans don't belong in this world."

"I personally do not believe that is why that human was taken back. However, what I will tell you is... that I am less human than you can imagine. Serena believes that I belong here more so than where I come from." He sighed heavily again. "As for the reason I keep coming back... it is for the most part because of Serena. As for my insanity, I AM insane, be it one way or another. Tell me, did Serena ever tell you how many times I've nearly killed Royce?"

"Not as many times as she has, I'm sure, and yes, I know about all of them, who do you think has been cleaning up your messes, both of yours? Certainly not my brothers." She paused. "Huh, maybe you're not as blind as I thought, either that, or you're about as unwilling to admit that as she was. At least, if you keep coming back 'for her'. Really though, most Pokémon would LOVE to be able to get revenge against him as you and she have done, and just as many would want to kill her for killing their kids. Of course she blames that on Royce, it's always Royce's fault that they die, never her, never her bloodied claws that are to blame, after all, it's not the blade's fault that he tortured the kids in the first place." She snorted. "That's the explanation she keeps giving when I've asked."

"That sounds like bullshit human logic. She should know better than that. Perhaps Serena has not yet learned what it truly is to kill something in that way yet, and the only way she can deal with it. Which if that is the case... is rather pathetic, actually... because, that means that in a way... she's become like him." Kyn said, folding his arms and thinking deeply yet again.

Had Mago been there for the earlier conversation, she probably would have asked him why that was such a bad thing, as it was, she raised her eye ridges at him. "To not like killing children makes her like him? It's not like she's denying having a hand in it, she's just saying that she's not at fault with their deaths." She pointed out. "In fact, when returning the bodies to their parents, she even volunteered to let them vent their anger, using her. She DID kill them, and yes, some of them do try to kill her for killing their child, even though they were too far gone, even though they couldn't be saved, some ask her why she had the right, even. To judge that they were to that point...quite frankly...I agree with them. Who IS she that she should be able to decide whether or not someone who has been tortured lives or dies? If Anana had made those decisions, Serena wouldn't even be alive right now."

"Interesting. That part about returning the bodies... However! To me... returning the bodies... is even worse. Mago... interesting that you should mention Serena being alive... are you familiar with something called the Butterfree effect?" At least... he was getting to talk to her about things that he doubted Serena would be talking about.

"Would you feel that way if it was Anana's body that was returned to us for a proper burial, rather than given to a butcher somewhere to allow them to make a meal of?" She shot back. "It gives them closure, at least they know what did happen to their child, in the end." She shook her head at the question. "No, and I don't care, as a matter of a fact, if you don't care about any of those families getting closure, get out of my room. What Serena has done is better than anything Anana ever did for those kids."

It was then that Kyn was reminded of what Serena said about needless killing. "I don't know how I feel about her now. However, Serena has always been like that... She was willing to die to repent for those she killed, back when she was a Bagon... I suppose she never lost that particular aspect. The times have changed... the process has changed... but one thing that I suppose I'll have to get used to in this world... is the process of death. I have... always thought about closure in this world. What now, Mago? My promise to give Royce one mark for everyone he's killed... No. Why does it have to be in private DAMMIT, WHY does it always seem to be in private!?" He was ranting now, and he figured that if anything Serena would be the one who could answer these questions more so than Mago, but if she had listened all the way...

She wasn't listening. "GET OUT of my room. This might not hurt you as much as one of Serena's would, but you better believe that it will make a nice deep gash." She already had a Shadow Claw glowing on her hands, giving him ONE last chance to leave, and her tail was coiled up, ready to spring towards him if he didn't make SOME effort to move, to leave.

"Tch, why did I even bother. You're a stranger to me, and I'm a stranger to you now." Of course, he did stand up, but he also had his hand on his sword, ready to defend himself if necessary, as he headed to leave.

She had her eyes narrowed from the moment that he began to move, waiting until he was well out of the room, and even until the door had clicked closed for her to lower her claws, and even flop back on the bed. "Ah, Serena, your love interests are ten times stranger than any of mine have been."

Of course, Serena hadn't much moved from her spot outside, she had allowed herself to nap with her eyes 'open', well, technically the second eyelid was closed, but most didn't even notice that she was zoned out as they went in and out of the saloon.

Kyn went back downstairs to find the cactus thing, or Serena, whichever came first. He was annoyed, more than anything. However, what she'd said did make him think about living here again.

Donahue was back in the back cooking breakfast, so he'd likely find Serena first, at least if he looked out the window, her wings and back would be rather visible, blocking out the view of the town that way. She of course, with the link open, could feel his annoyance as well as she could have told you his name. It was enough to shake her from her little doze. <Something wrong I take it?>

<You could say that. Please do your best to make sure that Mago and I are never in the same place together, because if you don't I will do my very best to decapitate her the next time I see her.> He sat down against a wall, which he figured would put him in closer proximity to Serena.

On the physical side, she turned her head to look at him, on the mindscape however, she all but wrapped herself around him. <I really do wish I could say that that would be possible, considering the fact that she RUNS the shop that you just signed a lifetime contract with, but it probably wont be so you'll just have to find another outlet for your discontent with her.>

<Bah! Screw this. Why the fuck should I give a shit about this stupid contract anymore? A contract is useless if the one you made it with is dead! Why the fuck should I care about this world anymore? I do belong here, I don't belong here, same story different shit. I don't care what happens. The next time I see her, she will be the next one that tastes my blade one way or another if things stay they way they currently are, and it looks like they will!>

Serena was quiet for the longest while, she could FEEL his anger, but wasn't letting it bounce back and forth this time, just trapping it, absorbing it. <I don't have an answer for you, Kyn. I've been wondering that for a while now...why you care about what happens here, why you came back at all. It's not to say that I'm not happy you did...in fact, I was ecstatic to know that you did...that you hadn't forgotten about me in whatever you had to do on the other side. Do calm down though, we don't want another episode like what happened with Royce.>

<I suppose that is why Royce has turned into for me nowadays. An outlet for frustration.> He took out his hunting knife, pulled down his sleeve and then dragged a huge line across his upper forearm to the point in which he was in tears.

<Mmmf. stop that, that's no better than when I used to do that to myself; and at least I had the sense to do it in private.> She pulled herself to her feet and walked inside, the sun had warmed her scales, but it wasn't the same as when she had been emitting heat herself. She didn't make comment to the others, merely moved to sit beside him against the wall. <Unless of course, you'd like me to make a line for every one that you do.>

<This... these... this time, these are for all the times I've been given reason by you to stay, only to have it contradicted later.> He made another mark in his arm, lower this time.

She looked at the other three, grinding her teeth and forcing herself to be still, her claws bit into the wood. <...It doesn't matter if you stay here anymore, I'm living on the other side now, I can throw this world away in its entirety, and so can you. I have no reason to stay here at all. I don't even have a reason to visit now that we've found another way to make Heji's lifetime and my own match without me cutting mine to shit.> She tried to think of something to take his mind off it. <Even if you don't want me, I'm not going to stay in this world alone anymore.>

That last line got his attention. <What was that.... about me not wanting you?> He immediately stopped, before he had made another line into his skin, and the turned to Serena.

<Oh please, don't bother acting surprised. I got the hints well enough, you don't want me hanging around you all the time, I understand; you LIKE having a party of all males, having me around would cramp your style.> She didn't bother to look at him, even saying that was hard enough; but she had managed to make it sound very offhanded, as if it didn't bother her at all...too bad her emotions could, and would have told him different.

<Serena, I believe you have misinterpreted me yet again, which is understandable since I'm me. So it's the simple things that have absolutely NOTHING to do with what you just said. I have some idea as to how you'd come to that conclusion, but it's wrong.>

She snorted at him, both physically and mentally. <If I'm so wrong, why are you so uncomfortable putting me in a ball? Surely it couldn't be that nerve-wracking to have on your belt.>

<Do you wish to know the true reason behind my reluctance to doing that? It would be better than you to continue to have to speculate.> He sigh, after she snorted, countering the action.

<You may as well.> Her tongue flicked out, an action she immediately regretted as it increased the smell of his blood in her nose, she snorted again, this time to try to clear the scent from the orifice, it didn't work. <Ah, it's a good thing I've eaten, you smell good.>

<I'll pretend I didn't hear that, since I'm not covered with Tauros blood this time, plus you've already eaten some of my kind. Anyway, the reason for it is because of... the fact that you became held in the same regard as Tensa. Yes, I mean that in both ways completely. Do you understand what it means, for a Pokémon to be allowed to walk outside of their Poké Ball by their Trainer? Point being, I also felt ashamed of, after every single thing I said about the reason why we have Poké Balls. For more than a few split seconds I wanted you purely because of the color of your golden head plates. Then, fast forward whatever the hell years, we're in the room, those Master Balls, I, as you said, tried to save you from that fate the only way I knew how, bringing you even closer, then later that same day you basically said the equivalent of, 'nah it's alright, you can claim me, as I've claimed you' type thing or whatever. Can't you see how that would make me feel?>

She looked at him, quite blankly at first, and then she closed her eyes, part in disbelief, part because of the astonishment showed plainly on her face. <It wasn't...I didn't...> Frazzled. <Ah, fuck...What I had intended was 'What's one more symbol of our bond' not 'It doesn't matter'. I would never...but no...I don't have a concept of what it means for a Pokémon to be kept outside of it's ball.> She questioned the thing about being the same as Tensa in both ways, and her nose twitched. <...and I suppose that I should always say you smell that good...even when you're covered with that false scent of yours...which isn't going to cover the scent of your blood by the way...and that I didn't mean that I would eat you...well, not in the food way.>

<In the case of most Pokémon Trainers, y'know the traditional order giving type Trainers... to be kept out of a Poké Ball by them... is one of the ultimate signs of trust and friendship, and the fact that they are walking besides you is seen as a symbol of that as well. Also, if you keep comments up like that last one, Tensa is going to want to spank you in the Bagon stage... heh. Speaking of which you still owe me one of those in the Bagon stage. I could do a playful one later though.> He did managed to keep himself at least semi on topic, and now that he knew what Serena meant by their bond, he felt a bit more comfortable of the concept of having her in one, and it being an even greater extension of her trust.

<Mmm, the same way you owe me one...at least he wouldn't have to worry about his claws with me, my hide can take more of a beating than yours in that regard, and I rather enjoy the blood in the other regard anyway...ah, this is rather awkward, talking about them like they're not here, and yet with them standing right in front of us.> She took the time to nuzzle his shoulder. <We should probably also stop the bleeding...if you're done tearing holes in your hide with a knife.>

<I suppose. Serena... this is one of the differences between me and most humans as well... I give my Pokémon the same disciplinary privilege over me that I have over them. If he deemed me needing correction, Heji could definitely use his paws on my rear. Imagine that... a human spanked by a Luxray. Though... I'm going to protest the others... I really think that you should only be allowed to for that smart ass comment.> He said, letting her in on another aspect of his relationship with his Pokémon.

She gave him a mental lick. <You'd probably only need five anyway...you did see the force that I hit Tensa with in that spar, yes? Sorry, you prefer to call them battles.> She said with a bit of amusement. <3/4 of my full strength...for punishments I'd be using 5/8> She lowered her nose to his arm, and gave the wounds a lick.

<No... Serena, there is a difference between battles and spars. But yes, I did see.> That set the scene for a whole new mode and Kyn finally spoke out loud. "They probably wouldn't like the alcohol anyway. I prefer wine though." Which was completely unrelated to their mental conversation.

<Not much of one, one stops when they're beat to the point of fainting or not being able to get back up, the other you just stop when the other 'mon has had enough.> She asked carefully. "Rice or berry wine? I'm sure Donahue has quite a few different types if you'd like to try some." She tended the skin around the wounds, cleaning up the blood, then pulling her head away to get to her feet. "Though if you think that these boys wouldn't like something to drink...I don't think they've ever had our sort of alcohol...unless they swiped some of the whiskey while I was sleeping back when I was a Bagon."

"Vodka. 180 proof Vodka. I'd love to see them try that, is what I mean. Hell, y'all probably have some of the better cocktails, since ye have so many different berries to make things from. Prolly got about all the colors of the damn rainbow available ter ye." He said, taking on another accent.

"Every color the Kecleon hide can take, so is a color cocktail we can make." She flicked her earfins out at the mention of Vodka. "Eesh, that stuff would get -me- drunk, I'm not sure these lightweights could handle it." She teased, flicking her tongue at Tensa and Heji to indicate the two of them. "So, got a preference, Long hair?" She remembered that he was supposed to be a Blaziken, and of course made it seem like that was -all- he was.

"Then I suppose I get one over on em eh? No I said I ain't drinking anythin' from here, remember? Ha, that reminds me. I got a bit o' a chaotic idea. Though it might not be the smartest. It be involvin' spiking that there Lugia's drink. Though, hopefully she won't have her servants beaten fer it but, I figure it'd be quite a sight ter see."

"Spike her drink? Nah, she usually only drinks her private stock of wine anyway, couldn't get anything other than Merlot past Merlot's nose." She chuckled at her pun, pulling herself to her feet. "I suppose then, that I should get you outta here, before Donahue catches wind of the fact that you're not going to buy anything, his pin missile is no joke!"

"Ah hell. I forgot about that. Well then, thar goes that idear out of the water. Fine then, let us depart before that cactus thing comes back. Where are we headed next then. Are we going back to the Bay?" Kyn wondered, figuring that now that he was going to be ridding himself of Mago, he might as well at least stay in good regards with the other two.

"North first, for the Charge stones while we're here, then back to the bay." She picked up the human 'round the middle, and pulled him to his feet, then let him go, walking out the door and waiting, kneeling down in a rather, well, if one was looking at it from the back it might almost be called an offering position. She did take her money back from Tensa then, sticking it back under her scarf so that he would be able to hold on when he was on her back. <And then once everything's done, maybe back to my cave to show Miru where he can put the portal at later on.>

Tensa and Kyn climbed onto Serena, and then prepared for the journey. "If I didn't keep getting distracted, maybe I'd eventually remember the charge stones. Bloody hell." Kyn said, sighing, and then laying against Serena.

"Mmm, it's a good thing that we're taking care of that -now-. So that you will only have to remember them again when it's time to put them in the cave." Once everyone was seated, she took off in her usual fashion, and spiraled up into the sky. "Ah, I love flying~ While you're in the air, you can forget all of your worries, just leave them on the ground." She hadn't missed the fact that Kyn had laid down to relax on her. "It's a 2 hour flight by air, if you'd like a nap, take one now; not sure how well you boys slept in the bay, what with the going ons with Royce and all that."

"Serena, when it comes to Royce... please remind me not to stop until I have completely cut off half his tail the next time I see him." Kyn said, and then he closed his eyes and finally drifted off to sleep.

Serena snorted with approval, glancing back at the lizard. She supposed that she would have to learn to love him too, hell, they already had one thing in common, probably more, she gave them both the chance to go to sleep, and if Tensa didn't take it, she struck up a conversation. |So...there's different divisions of contests, right? Which did you partake in, if not all of them?|

|There are for the most part.... five subcategories that one can choose to specialize in, if one does not just participate in general. Winning five ribbons as they are called, allows you to participate in a much more exclusive one called the Grand Festival. Of all things... I specialized in Cool, Cute, and Beauty. However, I did pretty good at the others too. In other words, I DID participate in them all. You're going to see a contest, Serena, we are not teasing the Dragon here. Hearthome City has DAILY Pokémon contests, and when the time comes around, they have official ones that are for qualifying in the Grand Festival. Kyn almost won the Grand Festival... but decided he wanted to stick to battling, and such. That is where the move Energy Storm and others we've combined come from. His experience as a Pokémon Coordinator, which is what those types of Trainers are called.|

|I believe you.| she answered, after funneling through the information he had just poured into her head. |I didn't really work on combining moves when I was growing up, we didn't really have a use for them you see...unless you wanted to look 'cool' to your friends, and such things never bothered me, Most of what I did was more intimidating than to impress. Still, I suppose that I'm in the unique case of not needing to limit myself for such a thing...I could just see me stacking three dragon type moves with Night Shade...actually, this was something that I brought up with Kyn when we were working on combining the two moves...I'll be taking you at your word, so try not to abuse that--when you DO talk, I should say.|

|Alright, I think I will take the option for that rest for a bit. If you do have anymore questions about things like that, feel free to ask.| Tensa said, and then he laid HIS head down on KYN's shoulders and took his sleep.

She smiled at his words; well, perhaps it wouldn't be that hard to get along with him swimmingly at all. She bid him sweet dreams, and let him rest, leaving herself to her thoughts in the meantime. She used the air currents more than her wings, just using her tail to keep them on track.