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It has been nearly an hour since Scorch disappeared into the depths of the Cinnabar Volcano, and there has been no sign of him. What could be taking him so long? His plan to endure inside the hot air of the volcano seems to be dragging out longer than expected... Nothing has been heard except the occasional bubble of the boiling magma far below the walkways, but that is about to change. From the caverns deeper into the earth comes the sound of running feet... Well, not quite running, more shuffling and stumbling, as if the owner isn't quite used to his legs. Through the passage leading from the interior caves stumbles an unfamiliar shape, looking over his shoulder frequently. The figure is about four feet tall, reptilian, with vivid red scales and a flame on the tip of his tail. A Charmeleon. <I think I lost them...> he mutters, looking over his shoulder once again. He certainly seems relieved to be inside the entrance cave, whoever he is...
After finishing a large meal, consisting mostly of a few Pidgey, and the rare but always appreciated Mankey, (even with her traps those pesky pokemon are hard to capture), Dakshi lies sprawled out on the rock floor by the pool of magma that bubbles and steams below. Her belly is round and taut, and occasionally a loud rumbling sound emits from its depths as the food inside is digested. Parting her jaws, she lets out a yawn that echoes its way through the cave, rebounding off the walls that surround the winged beast. Then the voice interrupts the relative silence of the cave, the noise of it making its way toward the Charizard's fine tuned sense of hearing. With a grunt, the fire-dragon jerks up her head and neck, beady eyes alert and narrowed. On all fours now, swinging her head from side to side, sweeping her gaze over every inch of the cave, Dakshi spots the strange Charmeleon as he comes running into the entrance area of the cave. With a loud "Char!" she makes her presence known, rushing towards the intruder to her territory with blinding speed. Not willing to give the Charmeleon the chance to explain himself, Dakshi leaps in the air, coming down on the reptilian pokemon with a bellowing roar that completely shatters the air with its thunderous vibrations. "Charizard!" she growls deep in her throat, drawing scaly tiers into a feral snarl. <You're trespassing!> she hisses into his face, fangs glistening dangerously.
Thanksgiving is coming! Hide the Pidgeys! (Saving) the bird-pokemon!
The Charmeleon's head swings around quickly to face the Charizard who resides here, his eyes wide with surprise. An expression of recognition comes to his reptilian face, and he opens his mouth to utter a greeting. Unfortunately the Charizard isn't quite as friendly as he expected, and her maneuver of pinning the Charmeleon to the floor is successful, with the newcomer completely unable to move. <T...trespassing? What are you talking about? It's me!> he stammers, blinking up into the fearsome face of Dakshi. For a second, he says nothing, not quite sure of what is going on. <Umm... It's Scorch... What's the matter?> he blinks, fear making its way once more onto his face. Today hasn't been a very coherent one, with everything seeming to happen in a blur since he met that group earlier.
Dakshi continues to stare down at the intruding pokemon, lowering her enormous head an inch or two, breathing gusts of hot air into the Charmeleon's face. The Charizard glares at the fire-lizard hatefully, staring daggers at the evolved pokemon underneath her. Her round nostrils are flared wide, little wisps of smoke swirling out from them in blackish plumes. Her dark eyes glow with heated fury, and her mouth is twisted into a hungry grin. Then Scorch speaks. For a moment, with her head less than two inches from Scorch's face, rows of meat shredding teeth bared angrily, it looks as if the Charizard plans on eating the smaller pokemon whole. A few seconds pass, an expression of disbelief etched into her dragonesque visage, while the Charizard stares hard at Scorch. Still pinning the Charmeleon down, Dakshi leans closer and takes a giant whiff of air, taking in the other pokemon's scent. Suddenly, her jaws snap shut, the enormous head sides back up, and the Charizard releases her hold on him, stepping off and away from Scorch. A minute later, her eyes widen with mixed awe and surprise. <Scorch? What happened? How? When?> It seems that even Dakshi, who usually knows everything, doesn't have all the answers in some situations.
Surprise is right... It seems that the ex-Charmander doesn't even know what has happened himself. At least his introduction passes, and he is free once again. Scorch pushes himself into a sitting position, but he remains there, not wanting to get up for some reason. Dakshi's enquiries bring only a blank expression and a shrug from Scorch, and the Charmeleon just looks down at his feet. <I... I don't know how it happened... but I just... Everything went wierd, then slower, then smaller, then faster, and I landed on her! I was like this and she was like me only before, and when I got up she wasn't moving... And I ran away...> Scorch's explanation may seem a little incoherent, but he hasn't yet had time to recall things properly. <I hope she wasn't hurt... too much...> he finishes, looking incredibly guilty. It seems that his triumphant evolution wasn't quite triumphant in his own eyes.
Thanksgiving is coming! Hide the Pidgeys! (Saving) the bird-pokemon!
Dakshi grumbles approvingly, seemingly happier with Scorch's evolution than the Charmeleon appears to be. However, this happiness fades with Scorch's blank expression and jumbled up explanation. Once Scorch is through speaking, Dakshi is silent a few minutes, lost in her own thoughts. Hesitating, and a little unsure of what to say, the Charizard chews on her lower lip with the tips of her fangs. <Shhhhh.> Dakshi murmurs, crooning to Scorch like a mother might do to a distressed child, <Shhhh.> Lowering her arm, and as long as the Charmeleon doesn't mind, she'll place a padded paw on the dinosaur looking pokemon's scaly shoulder. If she succeeds in accomplishing this small task, Dakshi will pat him gently, working to reassure him. There are times for being tough, and then there are other times for being sympathetic. This time, it looks like Dakshi must offer up some of the latter. <Wait,> she grunts, trying to help the Charmeleon sort all of this out, so that she can better understand his story herself. <Who is she? Another Charmander?> she asks coolly and calmly, trying her best to soothe the guilty looking Charmeleon.
Scorch takes a deep breath, as if trying to lift a huge burden from his shoulders. He scrambles to his feet, dusting his knees off before putting a clawed paw on his forehead. As the Charizard places a gentle paw on his shoulder, the Charmeleon seems to shiver slightly. He sighs, as if attempting to let his troubles go along with his breath. <This isn't how I wanted it to be... I wanted to be happy, but I can't be if I've hurt someone...> he says, shaking his head. Another deep breath follows, and with each one, he seems to become calmer. <Yeah, she is... Sorry, I'm not telling this very well, am I?> Another emphatic inhalation. <Well, I... Er, after I'd gone as far as I could and stayed there for a while, I was getting pretty tired so I came back... But I got stopped by this group of Charmanders... They said they were the 'security' around here, whatever that means...> Taking another breath, Scorch looks up into the face of his friend, grateful of her presence. Whatever happens, having Dakshi around always seems to make things better.
Thanksgiving is coming! Hide the Pidgeys! (Saving) the bird-pokemon!
<Security? Hmmm. I don't like the sound of that.> Dakshi declares, grimacing and making a face that goes along with what she says. <I'd like to see those Charmander, and teach them whose the /real/ security around here.> Dakshi grunts angrily, crossing her arms in front of her chest. The Charizard glances once to the ground, before raising her eyes once again, and locking them on the Charmeleon. <Scorch,> Dakshi takes a deep breath herself, trying to figure out how to put her thoughts into words, <You had to do what you had to do. You may have hurt that other Charmander, but,> she pauses here, arms finding their way to her sides, <You did it in self defense. What other choice did you have?> Dakshi grins. <I know you feel guilty about what you've done, but you shouldn't. You fought back. I would have done the same in your situation.> Dakshi explains, growling in her throat, though the sound has a pleasant quality to it, and doesn't carry its usual threatening tone. <So, you shouldn't worry about that, anymore. They got what they deserved. Maybe you taught them a lesson that they needed to learn. Besides, better they learn it from you, than from me, hmmm?>
Scorch continues to look up at Dakshi. At least now he doesn't have to look up as far. As the Charizard declares her sovreignty of the island in not so many words, Scorch smiles, chuckling slightly. Once again, the dragon knows exactly what to say, even if it wasn't intended to make the Charmeleon laugh. The seriousness of the situation isn't as bad now, although Scorch's guilt isn't completely gone. <Oh, I don't care about the others. They were nasty-looking, and they didn't like me so I didn't like them, but the one that I... Well, I jumped at her and before I knew what was happening, I was like this and I dropped on her... And she didn't move when I got up... She seemed... I don't know, encouraging, maybe. As if she -wanted- this to happen,> he finishes, the Charmeleon's shoulders sagging as he looks sadly at the ground. <I really, -really- hope she's okay... I didn't mean to hurt her...>
Dakshi watches Scorch, her beady eyes dark, and observant. Even though her words hadn't really been said with a comical intention, the sight of the Charmeleon laughing is a good one. Nodding her head up and down while Scorch retells his tale, this time so that Dakshi is better able to get the gist of it, the Charizard says nothing more for the moment, chewing on her thoughts. When Scorch appears to become guilt ridden with worry, Dakshi's expression turns solemn. Poor fella. <Well, I think you may have 'injured' her,> Dakshi starts off, deciding to be blatantly honest with the Charmeleon. <However,> she interjects herself, thrusting a clawed fingertip into the air, <I don't have reason to believe you 'really' hurt her. I think,> she stops again, looks at the ground then presses on, <You may have scared her. You know, she might have fainted.> Dakshi explains, shutting her eyes, and letting her tongue loll out of her mouth for a visual effect. <That, or she may have been faking it. So that, you would leave. She sounds smarter than the others, and she may have known that as a Charmeleon, you could have done some serious damage. But,> she stops, and nods her head towards the interior of the cave, <If you'd like, I will come with you and we can check to see if she's all right, if that's what you need to do.>
So why should Scorch care? She was just an opponent, like any other. Or so the average Charmeleon would reason, but Scorch isn't the average Charmeleon. Maybe it was the fact that the Charmander was stronger than him, or maybe it was her encouragement, her words that kept him from giving up. Or maybe it was just because she was female. Scorch shakes his head, as if shaking these thoughts from his mind. <No, I can't do anything about it now... She looked as if she knew how to take care of herself. They wouldn't want me going back, and they'd -run- at the sight of you. I suppose it's best if I don't think about it.> Now -that's- a typical Charmeleon talking, putting past problems behind him and walking away, pretending they don't exist. But is this just a front? Perhaps, but it seems like Scorch doesn't want to talk about the matter anymore. Shaking his head once more, Scorch looks up at his friend with a triumphant expression on his face. <So what's next? I've got a lot more training to do before I'm like you!> Talk about putting the past behind you...
Thanksgiving is coming! Hide the Pidgeys! (Saving) the bird-pokemon!
Well, like my buddy here says, you gotta put your behind, in your past. Sigh. No, no, it's, 'you gotta put your past behind ya.' And, it seems that Scorch has that down, without Dakshi having to say another word on the subject. Instead of pressing on Scorch for details on his evolution, (her curiosity is getting harder and harder to ignore,) the Charizard pushes these nagging thoughts to the back of her mind, and nods her head approvingly. Chuckling a little at the Charmeleon's sudden change in behavior, Dakshi's lips are pulled into a reptilian grin, fangs flashing in the dim light of the cave. As winter draws nearer and nearer, even on Cinnabar the temperature is dropping. Luckily for the two inside the cave, the heat from the magma, and the nearby volcano should be enough to keep them warm all the way through winter. <What's next? Well, we've been over hunting,> she notes, counting off the first thing on one of her claws, <And, we've battled.> she adds, ticking off the second on another talon, <We really should run you through some obstacle courses. Hmmm. We might have to see what we can find, here. Panya had some tires, but I haven't seen any of those around since I left.>
Scorch does his best to match the Charizard's grin, but his teeth aren't quite as impressive. <Obstacle courses? Sounds fun!> he says, becoming more energetic than ever before, hopping from foot to foot as if he is stepping in imaginary tires already. After a few seconds of this, he stops, raising a claw towards the cave ceiling. <Ooh, I've been thinking of something else! You know how it gets cold on the land over the sea? Well, I thought that now I've been in the heat, maybe I should be in the cold? Like in the rain, only nastier,> Scorch grins, his ideas bubbling through his mind like the lava through the streams and tunnels of the volcano. <Also I've got a favor to ask, if I can... If you're going to that land over the sea, you know, where you found me, would you take me along too? You know, only for the day, or something. I've got some friends over there, and I wanna show them how much stronger I've become! Maybe I'll get some battle experience over there too...> the Charmeleon grins hopefully. While his idea isn't ridiculous, Dakshi may be too much of a 'guardian angel' to let him out of her sight, even if it is only temporary.
For a moment Dakshi appears to be considering the Charmeleon's suggestion carefully, jaw stuck out firmly, eyes shut in concentration. <Yes, it does get cold over there, across the sea.> Dakshi agrees, nodding her head curtly. <And, yes, perhaps we should go over there. You're stronger now. Perhaps a few hours in the rain, maybe even the snow, would do you some good. It would certainly test your endurance.> She grunts, thinking to herself, tap tapping her chin with her claws. Decisions decisions. What with her scales, leathery wings, and the horns that grow out from the back of her rounded skull, Dakshi isn't exactly what one might see as a 'guardian angel'. Nevertheless, it's apparent while she thinks, that she harbors a great deal of concern for her foundling, that hasn't dissipated with the younger reptile's evolution. Maybe that just comes with her newfound maternal instincts. <Of course, I will take you over there for a day if you'd like. I see no harm in that. However,> she waves a padded finger at him, <Don't go thinking you're going to spend the whole winter over there, that'd be awfully dangerous.> Dakshi knits her brow. <Who are these friends? They aren't humans, are they?>
<Oh no, not -humans-, I'm not going near -them- again! No, it's friends like at the farm, and... Well, all over the place, actually. Don't worry, I'm not going to -stay- over there, just visit,> Scorch explains, trying to lay all of Dakshi's concerns to rest in one swoop. Whether or not Dakshi believes him, Scorch isn't going to abandon the home that has been so lovingly provided, nor is he going to desert a good friend that is to thank for his evolution. There is only one place in the world that he has ever called home, as his previous, adventurous lifestyle prevented him from staying in any one place for long. <You've been the best friend I've ever had, and I'm not going to just turn my back on you like that. My home is here, for as long as you allow it to be.> Heartfelt words indeed.
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