Luna and Thief
The Orange Isle's Chapter Seventeen: Any Faded Ghost

The seconds. Luna counted as many as her head could focus on as she hid underneath a bed-side. Griffin had taken the fastest shower she thought he could after warming himself with her help. All he did was clean – dress in their outfits and hide Luna anywhere underneath his bulkier jacket. Griffin tossed on the same ski-mask and goggle set up… Exhaled raggedly and inhaled shaken. Luna sat in the spot on his shoulder, clung into it with her claws hidden behind her flesh.
Paper-thin. The words played on repeat as Griffin swallowed and wandered into the hallway. Humans are paper thin… Think… Griffin, what are you doing? You're going to kill yourself. She's dead… Bandit is gone; we need to go now. Calm down, please.
Luna wanted to scream or yip that in his ear – bite him for being stupid… but the young man walked down the hall casually as he could. Best as he could. Luna could hear his breath quicken.
You've gone through two wild temperature changes. Three? You're going to vomit again unless you calm down.

What's going on? What aren't you telling me?

Luna stayed silent – rested her chin under the bundles. She was on his bare and thankfully warmed skin.
The hospital time alone for you. Luna narrowed her eye. Damnit, you stupid… stupid idiot. Damn you. She had no move to play. Even with the extra clothes – undried and uncleaned? No new replacement or a place to warm up… they'd have to walk into the building anyways. Luna felt a falter in her breath. His shoulder is relaxed; why is his shoulder… relaxed? Luna swallowed bitterly. Don't tell me…
Don't tell me you're going in here 'just because.'
Luna focused on the funny signs above her. Thief had plenty of time to listen to her talk… She stared at the upcoming symbols as dread shocked down her spine.
The language had been different.

The smaller English text, she couldn't read that. She barely understood the written language that Thief tried to tell her about. Griffin continued until he noticed anything.
An elevator? Are you kidding? No way are you getting on that. Luna tucked herself lower, behind Griffin's spine, and to rest her… The young man put his arms behind his back. Stiffly relaxed against the door wall. It opened… Griffin had been thankful he had been tall enough to pull off the average height for a young man.
A man posted at an elevator door didn't attract much attention but the remnants of a conversation caught Luna's ear.
“Screw that."
“Hitting her with that amount of chem is cra-" They fluttered in and out when they stared at Griffin. He just stood at ease. “Did they unlock the… top?" Griffin nodded
“Yes, sir." The scientist spoke English; the two colleagues had, and Luna felt the desire to sigh with relief.
“Would… you know how to tap a vein?" Griffin blinked behind the ski goggles, this little chuckle.
“I'm willing to learn." He'd reply as the researcher gestured to him.
“Follow me… you have your handgun… right?" Griffin wearily dropped his hand over Luna's hind leg… tapped it lightly.
“I do, sir," Griffin mentioned back. A bead of his sweat touched Luna's nose.
“Not… that you'll need it, we'll tranquilize the subject first. Come with us." They mentioned, Luna wanted to bite Griffin by then; whatever went through his head hadn't made sense to her.
The luckiest freaking idiot in the world. But he hasn't missed a beat – I'm confused about that. There isn't any stall in his tone. He hears the question in English and replies without much hesitation. Luna blinked softly - Cinnabar ran through her head; Griffin's brother played riddles on him. These people aren't like it… Police officers. I don't think these people are as quick-witted as Team Rocket are either. Luna swallowed feebly, the light cut out – Griffin stood in the back corner. They… feel disorganized, like two packs butting heads over territory...
“Everything, alright? Wait, you haven't been down there before!"
“A new guy?"
“Probably, they keep sending them…" One of the other men said, “Either way, you're from… States, I think."

“Unova," Griffin mentioned back; in fact, they got into a conversation. Luna felt a chill down her back as she listened to them go back and forth. The occasional mutter from one of the strangers to the other and back to Griffin.
Did you just use some of the things Brad talked about to… A gentle frost touched her back while Luna felt the weight shift.
“That's great! Give us a quick hand, and you'll climb the ropes! I bet… Gerald… Jerry?"
“I don't know; that loon probably talked you into the Abra hunt." Luna felt pale, Griffin stretched.
“Was that his name?" Griffin tried to make it sound curious or confusing. It came out a mix of things.
“It's fine; people sometimes go missing on those things – Abra is a pain in the ass. He is just…"
“I avoid him. I swear to god he's fine until he touches booze or… sleeps in. Get's panicky and yells."
“Maybe he's an addict?" Griffin lightly shrugged.
“You got me on that. I haven't a clue."
“You're like twenty."
“Yes, sir." Griffin didn't change the pitch of his tone – he hadn't altered it from his usual voice. Luna could hear the 'hints of it' Maybe it was enough to confuse humans. Too many questions pelted her head. The elevator moved to pass a floor but kept going.
How many floors? It smells like nothing but steel and sanitizer in here? Luna barely peaked. Griffin lulled behind them.
“These are our Offices." Griffin felt the urge to keep pace. Luna uncomfortably leaned and curled around him… inspected him closely. Maybe Quilava and I both warmed him properly? Better than a doctor but… his hands…? Griffin had gloves on now but hadn't outside. Those are frostbitten to hell. Keep calm. Think, there's always another choice.
The Vulpix pondered the ideas, ran anything through her head that would make sense. Where the hell had I been…? Upstairs, not underground. Sound won't travel in here quickly; it feels sunlit white and cozy. She had the urge to shake her head, but there had been no other word she knew to describe it. The cold, however, it's odd. Like the walls aren't insulated well. The bustled sense of a busy office surrounded Luna, yet there had definitely been more floors.

Luna replayed her memory of the elevator, but she hadn't smelled any Pokemon – Griffin scent masked it. Dumbass, I was upstairs. You found the staircase down. Go. Back. Up. Griffin. Luna wanted to nip his ear – he had been acting…
“Right, so I've been going over these charts – we got this pain in the ass to deal with." The person spoke. Griffin inhaled as Luna wanted to poke her head from his jacket – but there had been too much risk.
“The Pokemon in the picture clearly. We need you to go in there with this needle. We're going to tranq her first – of course." He'd say as Luna felt the weight shift, Griffin stirred on his heel. “You go in; have a look – distract it; I don't know." The voice said, “But, stick her in the paw, like this, after we shoot her."
“I understand. I'll go immediately."
“Fiesty! I like him; let's get this Pokemon into proper stock before it wastes all our resources." The voice commented, Fiesty hadn't been the word – but Luna felt they adored some sense of respect. That left a bad taste on her tongue as their voices hushed while Griffin stood quietly – focused on the door with her heart pounding out of her chest. They clearly eyed him up.
“What did you think?"
“Not bad, straight to the point. Attentive. I mean – what he's talking about you gotta live there to know. I've spent a lot of my time in Unova."
“Yeah… Let's finish this shift, get sleep… we got tests in the morning."
“Al – already, again?"
“Schedule bumped, twice a week against the Sim."
Luna shook her head lightly; Griffin adjusted and walked to the Elevator door.
“Hey! Hold it for me." Griffin nodded, obediently held the door as the lab-technician caught up. “Alright, Floor D…" They exhaled.
“Something wrong, Sir?" Griffin asked
“It's a tough floor. Absolute hell at the moment. The Underworld boys up top told us she had a hell of a spreadsheet. Larry told us that, A perfect IV check."
“It."
“What?"
“It has a hell of a spreadsheet, sir."
“R – right…" That made the Lab Technician uncomfortable as the elevator opened. Luna cursed. She could only hear things and not see her surroundings effectively as they went down the chute.

Luna slammed her nose against Griffin's shoulder, buried it as they came to an otherwise chemical-laden floor.
I want to hurl. God, it smells horrid; do they clean any of these? Luna firmly swallowed and stayed silent – her stomach queasy.
“We tranq her… but our exact problem." The man mentioned, “She doesn't stay freaking tranquilized long." They sighed, “I've never met any Pokemon with… with whatever the hell she has. Half the time I can't tell if she's male or female."
“It."
“You get what I mean." The man stuttered hesitantly, but Griffin didn't move – he felt sure of what he said and firm with it. Luna could feel the teen's heart rate, however, which in itself was paralytic for her. “Okay. Get in there; I'll grab the rifle." Griffin opened a latch as Luna covered her nose – a huff shot past her fluff; Griffin leaned around a kennel – a Pokemon could easily smell her.
It's like kennels that have been stacked and shoved together. This is an all-female kennel – the first room… Luna's spine curled. I got the way I did with Shinx, his den is too commonly like a Vulpix's… but this – I'm doing nothing close to anything remotely like this. Nope.

Akamaru can be lonely for all I care about.

Luna caught herself double guessing; this mixture of Pokemon scents crossed her nose as thoughts ran by her.
There's definitely a Mightyena, but one or fifty? Or… Bayleef… there's a hundred Pokemon in here. How big is the room? Enough Griffin is walking in it.
“It's impressive," Griffin said and looked over his shoulder; Luna felt the muscles pull him to glare around. Pokemon could smell him, but the introduction of a Vulpix stalled any noise. “This is a lot of Pokemon from every region, at least."
“Yeah, got some Galarian too… did the security guys leave ANYTHING?" The voice muttered and got louder. “How much can one thing go through!? Don't tell me they moved her ahead of schedule! Idiots! I'm going to kill Gerald or Jerry or Whatever his name was."
“He did the Schedule?" Griffin's voice wavered while Luna stiffened her snout
“He was best at it! For like… three months!"
“Bring that up with HR?"
“Yeah, they sent more of you pricks. Granted… you could be a good lab hand. You were steady with that syringe." Griffin blinked and waited to contemplate
“Thank you." Luna found herself blank, steady? She ran through the nights she spent around him…
Don't you practice… writing? I think you do. In fact, I see you sketch them before getting into bed and looking at your phone after. Luna sighed. I can't remember clearly; we barely look at you, but… Bandit does. She always does. Luna bared her nose and sniffed; she regretted every second of it – but Bandit's scent…

She narrowed her eyes, her tail twitched.

That scent, buried underneath all the others, had been a fresh one, a kennel they walked by had her.

Luna trembled softly. Who in the world had been in the freezer? It left her ill to her stomach. The Vertigo flooded through her; Luna half shut her eyes and drew air calmly in.

Even the taste of the air made her grossly writhe underneath the layers of slowly warming fabric.

Keep calm… especially here. Griffin keeps calm. Help Bandit and keep Griffin alive.
Somehow keep calm. Don't think of anything.
“Hey," A voice whispered at her; Luna didn't make a yelp – her eyes dilated in silence until… she looked behind her. An indent? A muzzle had pushed against her from outside her confined space, Griffin's clothes dipped in to partially match the nose.
“…Hi?" She whispered back.
“You smell like a Vulpix and that Mightyena. Luna… I think? There's a plan." The voice said again.
“What? Bandit…?" Luna muttered back.
“Bandit said you'd say something like that, but more… annoyingly?" Luna went quiet; she had the urge to blow the fluff over her head away from her eyes.
Of course, she would… “She's nuts, we're getting her out quietly. Those Humans have guns – bad guns."
“Guns…?" A mutter went over the crowd. “I didn't know there were… They have tranquilizers."
“No… bad guns," Luna whispered back. “They'd…" Luna felt her eyes welt up a chilly paralytic thought stopped her words dead in their tracks, a painful thought dug against her temples... I've killed a human, and now I'm… killing their hopes at freedom." Luna swallowed bitterly, realized her mistake in the fit of her soft panic, and urged herself to show enough light to see the room. What else can we do? We can't prison break this – these are old fashioned lock and key kennels. A gate into the office here too. Luna swallowed softly and hid inside Griffin's jacket.
“We don't need the key." A voice muttered. “Just trust that wild family. I know it's what you're thinking of; those sods don't know they're here too." Luna blinked
“What? Wild…?" Luna urged herself to get into more detail. But Griffin turned away, consumed by a different conversation.
“Alright, we're going to take her from the floor. Tranq her and bring her - " The floor rumbled underneath their feet, it even made Griffin unsteady – Luna felt the weight shift as she clung close against him. Her hot fur against his otherwise environmentally confused flesh.
“What the hell?"
“There's a floor below?" Griffin commented, a mix of confusion, daze, and certainty.
“Yeah, The Combat Floor. What could get underground? Not many Pokemon would go through a rock layer here."
“A Pokemon?" Griffin blurted out.
“Sure… That be one big Pokemon, though…" They commented, waved with the rifle in hand. “I'll check it out."
“Did you get that?" the female's voice shot at her ears.
“ Huh? No… I care more about that human with the tranquilizer." Luna commented, “He sees me your plan is screwed. I don't even know the plan." She said back and cursed herself silently for her tone. The Vulpix fought the urge to move.
Griffin's back is going to swelter. I'm doing damage to him if I stay under these layers for too long. His frostbite to this? If… if Quilava didn't help him well. Griffin is going to pass out but… when is the question, I know he is.
“Stay here." He said and walked off to the elevator. “Hey, bud? You felt that, right?" The static came over a two-way radio.
“Yep…"
“The Security team?"
“A good way out. They have a missing Pokemon and one Pokemon dead."
“Ours?"
“Both are Gerry's or…"
“Shit… great, this day is getting better – Hey, where is Gerry or Jerry or… whatever? He knows what half the schedule is for this crap, he also knows most of our security breach protocols better than half of us do!"
“… Guy's dead." There had been a second of silence.
“… Alright, I'll… go up."
“Yep, out of your paygrade. Hey, is that a Perimeter boy? Give him the rifle and send him down. Later."
“Alright… H – Jesus…" The Labcoat went utterly stiff; Griffin held out his gloved hand – stood behind him when the teen had been near the kennels before.
“Yes, Sir," Griffin mentioned and presented a gloved hand as Luna glanced around daringly. Her eyes went wide to the sound of a voice, a growl down a hallway.

“We've been over this." A usual tone spat back at someone with a ferocity of sass and bitter snarls.
“I know! If I don't, I get in trouble."
“O – Oh, Y – you… Really? I didn't think THAT would happen! It's a no brainer!! If you can't even figure that one out, you shouldn't be TRYING to force anything at all!"
“I get in terrible trouble."
“You've screwed both ways to Sunday."
“Sund… what?"
“Wow… Is there anybody competent here? Send your pissed-in-their-kibble Houndoom again. He can try his luck finding the right damn spot again!" Luna's eyes teared up; a flood of adrenaline shocked her legs and stilled her.
She's harnessed in – head to toe. Neck… stomach tail – paws. It's like tree branches are sticking from somewhere. I see those lightning poles in the street with them. Luna had the mind to retch, but she kept her stomach and sound low. Bandit's voice had been across a polytene glass. Thick, air-holed safety glass. Luna could see the scorch marks across sections of the walls. She incinerated the room countless times prior, or something did.
“I need that gag…"
“Why? So you can see me bend it with my jaws?" Bandit snapped, lowly growled, and stared down a different Mightyena in the room.
“Nope. Not doing that again, nope." There had been another male Mightyena cornered further away. “She's Darkrai incarcerated. I am NOT going near that – they can beat me for all I care. Stun-baton and all. I don't care."
“Smart." She remarked fang-bared, bent down on the metal encasing, which kept her jaw-line harnessed. “I'll snap out of this one too – you think because… Minimal sleep, water, food… Really? That I'd fold – you're all tools and the wrong ones for this 'project'"
“We've been at this for nearly TWO WEEKS."
“Wow, that much time already! You still haven't done your job either; some higher up is sure to be pissed about that! First the battles, then the battles… then the shock that I didn't lose ANY battles. I've gone through Team Aqua Gravel-pelt." The Mightyena snarled back at them. “But right here, right now, ain't that simple." She'd snap viciously. “So back down pipsqueak, you've seen what I've done so far – It'll be beneficial to your long-term health and care." Bandit lowly snarled. “So I suggest if you want me to try on a new kind of lipstick, maybe the jewels you're using shouldn't be so easy to shred."

The urge of laughter wanted to catch in her throat - Bandit had been alive, and like Luna expected of her, she gave that gesture outright. Yet this strained look in the spotty Mightyena's eye left her worried. A plan in the background? Luna wanted to yell or whisper. Anything, but she found herself in the elevator going down. Griffin partially let go of Luna; it made her cling to his tucked-in shirt as the elevator door opened.
“Hello?" Griffin nervously but firmly called out. “How the hell do I use this thing? I've never even held anything like it… The bad end, pointer end? … trigger? Sure…" He nervously pointed the barrel of the dart-gun out of the elevator. Luna didn't have a clue, either. “Hey! Anyone out there?" Luna stuck her head out again.
The debris, the dust already settled – a Pokemon dug a hole in.
“Hmm?" Luna yipped and turned her head to a shadow above her. “You beat us here!"
“A Zangoose!?" Griffin had nervously stared upward at it. Luna muttered the name as he would nod. His light mossy-white fluff fluttered snow and dirt from his pelt.
“Then, you're a threat?" Luna took a defensive pose, still stuck underneath his clothing.
“N – Now wait." Zangoose held up his paws; Griffin nervously fumbled the dart-gun and pointed it at something.
He pointed it down just as quickly as Luna felt a familiar shudder of shock run down him.
“What the hell are you doing here? If it was anyone else, they'd shoot you!" Griffin muttered, a strain of adrenaline finally shot through. He did anything to stay calm – Luna knew that. The young trainer with Steel hair partially shrugged.
“My Father's Boltund." They replied, Griffin ran all the Pokemon he saw through his scalp – Luna knew he did. Boltund hadn't popped into his head – Luna hadn't a clue what one had been. “Let's say, I noticed your Mightyena on an advert in Viridian and overheard some gossip." They tossed a hand in their pocket – the accent had been light, but Griffin knew it. “Saw someone leave a Pokemon hospital with a Pokeball I've only seen on you."

Natasha was quite fond and well versed in it.

 “I didn't think you'd make it out this far this quickly."
“I don't… I woke up in a snowstorm." Griffin muttered back. “I'm still questioning… fucking everything. Last I checked, I was at a police station and they… they attacked it… I still want to throw up."

“They made a lot of the wrong people angry at once; you're just caught in the middle of everything."

It had been all he said as he showed off a little odd fishing weight. Griffin blinked precariously, fought the urge to point the rifle in suspicion. His breathing had been burdensome; Luna stayed calm – she felt it calmed him.
“You…"
“Followed you a bit. Had to skip that nice dinner you offered everyone – I heard that a lot of people enjoyed it. Your company too." Griffin tensed and exhaled.
“I don't get what… you're not gonna throw that smoke bomb at me, are you?"
“I honestly only added powder… Actually, I think I added cheap baby powder."
“It stung!" Griffin said, anxious as they shrugged.
“I just mix them how I feel and toss them – maybe it had been Cayenne pepper; I can't remember – labels aren't my thing." They commented back. “It affected your Pokemon? Yeah, that's the art of 'potion-making' utterly harmless to people unless I want them to be." They used their fingers to emphasize the word they strained on. “Let's go find my Boltund."

“Floor D…"

“Oh?"

“You'll know it when you see it…" Griffin sighed heavily. “Honestly… I want to point this thing at one of them." They only nodded and followed Griffin. Luna took in a deep breath and held it for the elevator ride. Griffin swallowed; the stranger simply stood behind the door as Griffin walked out of the elevator first.
“Hey! Did you find anything?" The Lab Technician commented, Griffin found it unnerving that the man seemed, acted, and appeared no different than any usual Lab Technician. Griffin swallowed.
“Nothing there, I think the integrity of the… further wall – left side is weakened." Griffin swallowed in his hesitation, “I believe there are Gravelar in the region, right? It looks like one tunneled and caused a cave-in somewhere along the outer wall."
“Uh… yeah." The Lab Technician went on the radio. “It hasn't touched the inside."
“Good, I need you here – that freaking external camera loop is just… Even hardwired, it's a pain! I have a feeling the weather broke another line. It's out again."
“I'll go up. I guess you stay here; lock the cage." They pointed a finger as Griffin glanced at a camera and went for the cage. Closed it but hadn't fully locked it down. The scientist walked into the elevator. Griffin swallowed - noticed a maintenance panel above close shut.
“Be safe, Sir." The man, confused, had smiled and put his arm on the back of his scalp. It had been scary; Griffin met all sorts of laboratory workers – he really had been like any other.
When the elevator closed, Griffin softly paced… leaned against Bandit's kennel and sighed.

“Hey, buddy?"
“Jesus fu… Hi?" Griffin's heart leaped – Luna could feel that while she leaned against his side.
“Yeah, you okay? I know it's a first for you, ain't it?" An intercom? “You shouldn't lean on the glass, though! Those Pokemon get freaking scary – especially just after fighting or whatever they do."
“Right," Griffin said back and pulled away from the mirror. Aside from the rapid changes in temperature and his outfit, it had been sure to get hot as hell. Griffin bared with it. Luna softly blurred her eyes.
A convenient change in temperature would be good.
She didn't know if it would help; it certainly didn't change her types like a magical wish or a thought outright. Luna stared around and glared at the cages. She could barely see it, but now that there had been a camera she knew of. Her teeth bared low.
This is too convenient.
“So, a battle floor?"
“Yeah, they all have a set schedule – some are selected for breeding, fighting, testing, etcetera." The voice commented. “I'm glad you ain't Terry." Griffin went quiet at the name, swallowed, and sighed. “Sucks he's dead, you only met him… once. Yeah. Piece of work, be glad you didn't meet him twice; he'd rotate schedules for battling and everything else. Put his own Pokemon in here even."
“You think the Pokemon understand us?" Griffin commented it made the intercom hum as Griffin glanced at the camera more than the cage.
“God no, but they don't let me do the Intercom for this floor – that guy would sit here for hours saying random crap into the microphone. I doubt they do; they'd be mortified – they'd think the world is just a snowstorm outside!" There had been laughter, calm laughter. “How do the pens look?"
“How are they supposed to look?" Griffin shrugged softly – laughter came from the Intercom.
“You get some good material; I think I'm going to enjoy you, new guy – Hey! You think that joke HR complaint actually made them consider it? Well, he thumbs up – I figured they'd give us an express severance package." There had finally been a breath as Griffin looked through the pens, Luna had hidden far down into his shirt. Aside from Bandit, the long hallway of glass dens and metal cages had been silent.
They're born, live… and follow a schedule solely. Nothing else? Whatever those two Mightyena's are doing to Bandit, they might not understand it at all…?

Luna swallowed dryly, her paws lightly pushed against Griffin's warm flesh. He hadn't been pudgy, not like when he first carried her. Her breath became ragged – a leg dared to bury her nose, but she squished it against his back.
The smell, I want to hurl. Why in Arceus would they do this?
“Anything I need to look for?"
“Well, the Psychic types try to mess with the locks. With all the Abra traffic, it's hell for them to calm." Griffin stayed quiet, but Luna still felt his heart race; desperately, she put a paw to his shoulder. Felt the soft glove against her paw.
“Shoulder?"
“It got injured…" Griffin said out loud, Luna had to twitch – this honesty fluttered into his voice. “Acts up."
“Ah, right, you are an Underworld boy. At least I hope so – well… actually, you'd be long dead!" The man laughed; Griffin forced a chuckle in return.
“That be a thought…" He spoke empty in return. “The Pokemon here?"
“Ah, right. The IV Check. They're… good." The voice chuckled. “Well, if you're down on this floor – someone likes you already!" He commented, “Be sure to check the locks – don't touch the glass." They made that imperative. “Those Psychic types are nuts; a lot of them don't want to be here." Griffin nodded. “Right side, there's a corridor. Griffin nodded again and hesitantly made his way from Bandit's cell. The Mightyena, as Luna dared to pop her head out, glared at them.

Mortified at the sight of them both.

Of course, Bandit would've been, Griffin had been right there with Luna.
At this rate, he's going to overheat, but I don't know how to change my type. It just… I just did.
Luna swallowed bitterly as Griffin casually wandered the hallway. The room temperature is about eighteen degrees. With that gear he's in, he's bound to be overheating by now.
Luna fanned out her tails – it curled around Griffin's bare chest. She had to disperse her heat slowly. If I widened my range, it's harder to hide… but Griffin will heat up less quickly. His leg staggered, Griffin swallowed.
“Incline much?" Griffin chuckled
“Who leveled the floor?"
“I got no clue on that, there's no 'bad guy's construction' company I've seen. Everyone looks like you." Griffin stalled a little, swallowed again, and continued to walk down the hall.
Luna tugged him as Griffin hesitated. “You okay?"
“Are they awake?" Griffin asked.
“I don't… think the Abra is." Luna swallowed to the voice from the Intercom. She could hear them.

They were definitely awake.

Luna tugged him more firmly – a squeeze. Griffin looked at the door.
“I can see the lock," Griffin mentioned in return. “Why let them think they have a chance of getting free if I walk over there." He and slowly unslung the rifle from behind him. Even if it had been a tranquilizer rifle… it looked dangerous enough. “They'd kill one guard and think there's a chance to escape." The intercom went quiet. “The lock is still in place; I believe it suicidal if I walk to close."
“Damn, you're not bad for a new guy. Alright, check back at the pens. It's just ensuring they haven't figured the cursed lock."
“Do people… go in there?"
“Hell, not anymore. Honestly, we lose more Abra than we keep." Griffin stalled as he turned to see the smaller offices… Luna looked over a strange – nightmare induced silhouette. Like a ghastly image on peculiar paper. “You can't do much with one – can't breed them to listen." Griffin moved his shoulder to holster the rifle. “It's messed up; we've all said it." The voice had been oddly casual but grim in some regards. Luna felt Griffin's stomach churn; she rubbed it – urging him to calm down.

“So… The good doctor and his staff perform an operation to make them more... understandable of our interests," Luna felt confused by their oddly somber words.

Griffin half-whispered the word 'operation' shook his head and walked to the pens. A sharp, violent shudder ran down his spine as he did. Luna focused on the direction he walked, daring to stare at the ghastly apparition of an Abra.
Funny black-clear paper. “Yeah… The good doctor is a stretch, sure." They commented back; a crackle came over the microphone.
“Is… that a Soda?"
“Uhm… yeah, actually." They cleared their throat uncomfortably. “Y – You're not from HR, are you?" Griffin didn't say no, or move much. Just… shrugged. “Right… W – well, if those Psychic types are awake – stay away." He'd say, “The doctor had to find a lot out about them to effectively block transportation. Did you know those things have like.. .wildly capable lungs? I don't get all the details – but a deep breath for them is like… eighty for us – but their lungs are smaller. It's crazy!"
“You learn a lot about them?" Griffin mentioned, “That's good." His voice had been as stoic, calm, and clear as he could make it. Luna felt him shiver, however. He held back his rage best he could, whatever he had been seeing – Luna had this odd sense of safety with him.
“… I find it fascinating. It also makes me sick – I heard someone tell me..." The man sighed. “Just, when you sometimes wished your patients were dead, that your work as a…"
“I get it," Griffin mentioned in return; Luna didn't understand a word of it. “A traded weight," Griffin said back to the voice. Luna felt her temperature dropping slowly. Calmly, it made Luna swallow as Griffin came closer to a glass pen. “Everything is like that."
“Oh-oh! Philosophical!" The man chuckled back. “I don't mind it from time to time; just don't have a habit – people freaking hate that here." The static came in, his voice distant. “You cheeky shit! I hear that! Come back here and tell me that. Hey! … Two Cream; Decaf!" They called out, chuckled. “Right,  Victor–Eleven She came in right when our last Mightyena passed. Age. Jerry dealt with that too." The voice in the Intercom spoke; the casual tone like any office worker had still been unnerving.

Luna felt her back shudder. Just a tired voice, a soft laugh, and the desire for newer conversation. Her stomach churned, and it hadn't been from the utterly confusing scents – male, female… it had to be a kennel. In her head, it was a kennel. The Vulpix felt repulsed, either way, shoved her nose back against Griffin's flesh. The human scent wasn't any better, but it beat anything else at that moment. Luna kept her tails fanned – lightly held his chest. She had been afraid to grip him; her mind had only tried to fight off the thoughts.
They're paper-thin. It made Luna ill to her stomach, just the picture of it. Luna had been lucky she'd been too scared – she only had the flicker in her memory. It happened too quickly, too much adrenaline and panic around. No… hold on. Don't break down here; they both need you also – I'm needed here. Her paws shuddered, recoiled when the soft bean rolled around Griffin's lower back. It hadn't been that easy; she forced air down her lungs and held – kept her breath in hopes of clarity or sense.
“…" Griffin tilted his head. “His name was Mike, by the by, lived in Kalos." Griffin commented at the speaker.
“Oh f… Right! Sweet god, yeah, we had another guy before - went into the boiler room. Got no clue what happened. He… was a case too." The voice held an odd pitch as Griffin narrowed his eyes from behind those fogged ski goggles. Luna felt her heartbeat. “Couldn't handle the fact that his mother was dying -"
Maybe it was a trap… maybe… perhaps they're less organized than we take them for. If the person on the speaker isn't part of Underworld.

Everyone would know the pain in the ass by now; I mean… Luna shook her head and coiled her tails tighter. She knew that Griffin had second-guessed himself plenty… this had been strange, however. Like waves of physical pain. Luna twitched her ear; she realized it then that Griffin had been humming quietly to himself. The song felt… familiar. At least the tune. The hotel room…? When you sat down for the minute. You're humming that tune, is that good or bad… Griffin?
“Have you thought about changing the environment they're in?" He said after a moment.
“The Pokemon? For what reason?" Griffin sighed softly.
“Breeding." Luna went stiff, repulsed. That couldn't have been the reason why Bandit was harnessed as she was. “Last I checked, Pokemon are picky with their partners."
“As accurate as that is, we have protocols to stick to. A deviation in the current method would change the desired result." Griffin paused and breathed in steadily… shaken.
“I hear that phrase often; what is our desired result? I understand, 'More violent, Obedient." Griffin mentioned, “But what's the difference between this and a regular breeding clinic? Wouldn't we have a better chance of using a legal place to do the same?" The voice chuckled
“If we were going for that, yes. But… in truth, I got no freaking clue what they specifically want. We're given out guidelines, protocols, and our paycheques – never asked to ask any questions." They mentioned back. “If I and any other worker knew prior that this is our shit for the next couple years? Ooo…" The voice went distant. “Right, chatting too much on the Intercom. Well, we had our doubts; glad you knew Mike's name." Griffin chuckled, but it hadn't been a noise he'd expect. “I guess you're from the further boundary markers."

“Yes, sir… and naturally." He made an odd laugh. “How can I forget Mike?" Luna's back trembled. A chilly breath desperately ran past her lungs – her eyes settled on Bandit. Bandit glared a look at her, snarled at the male as Luna had a good look.
They're covered head to toe in burn marks;  it looks like lashes. They're both skinnier than Shadow – I can see their rib cages. They might have a meal every two days…? This repulsive urge crept along her throat – it reminded her that pain lingered. It made her wince as she pushed her paws down Griffin's back; her tails still extended around his Abdomen. The constant mix of emotion squeezed her stomach; there had been too many scents in the air – one from the glass room they passed by.

Whatever happened on that funny device had clearly been that Abra's doing.

The eerie scent pocket crossed her nose - left Luna to narrow her eyes. She stared intensely at the glass habitat that Bandit had been kept in; glared at the box-lock on it. They needed a key – Griffin hadn't any. Luna felt that urge to cough; her throat hadn't felt much better from her stunt in that freezer. The desire to snarl crossed her lips.
I don't even understand how I used Dark Pulse. There was something off when I used Façade. Luna, for even a moment, tried to mentally chart out a pathway.
It felt like the corners of her eyes strained with the sides of her head. A terrible earache. A residual wince came from it. Luna couldn't risk using her Ghost either as the Pokemon Center's deck… even intensively, she still needed proper rest. I don't understand how I could use Ice if I could – that lock is metal. A grit of her teeth. The glass is sturdy – Bandit hasn't punched out of it; I haven't a chance against that safety glass. Luna huffed, swallowed dryly as she stared at the strange room. Any scent there had been worse than the cluster of kennels, her stomach churned.
Thank god I haven't had lunch… There's a scent somewhere that… It nearly made her eyes water, just how foul it had been. Griffin even winced from underneath the mask and goggles he wore. The human's left tightened – his shoulder to arm flexed.
“I'll need to know how to unlock the door, for when the other researcher comes back."
“He's got the key." The voice replied. “Electronics are just too risky. Have been for a while."
“Oh? Abra?"
“No, Electric types." Something stirred while Griffin bit his lip. “We have a few out of our region here. One female screws our electrical systems daily." Intercom continued to say. “Whatever, she'll be gone, but you know, I heard one of those strange Underworld fellows say something." Griffin swallowed as Luna's ears dared to touch her tails.

“We're always underneath your feet."

She didn't like the sound of that. The very thought left her mind to wander towards the Chesshira. Luna had been left in a sharp wonder.
The Chesshira could be here… That Arcanine too – if they both find us like this…
Something felt the urge to squeeze her, her mind chased back to Granbull.
Please tell me something absurd or stupid or… anything. Granbull better not be dead – that damn Shinx better had found him. I can't… Luna felt her back ripple softly; tears dared to creep up. Stress hadn't been good in any situation.
“Well, we do have some secrets we keep." The Intercom made a sound in Griffin's response.
“Damn, that bugs me." Griffin subtly shrugged; Luna buried her nose into his skin.

No… I know why you're calm. You wouldn't be if Bandit was dead. You risked looking for yourself, the dust settled. Luna swallowed calmly, looked at the rimmed goggles over his face. Endurance. Luna felt her tail twitch.

Her ear twitched.
Endurance… I… is that your gift? Luna swallowed; the strange revelation washed over her – She hadn't known Griffin long.
Clearly.
Yet she did remember seeing him asleep with Absol in Fuschia – the conversation in Vermillion. She remembered the amount of patience he had in finding just the right restaurant for them to eat at in Saffron. Even Maiden's Peak… Stubbornness had been a weakness. Luna felt her eyes twitch at the race of thoughts. It's shy, anxious – scared, or nervous. Just how you say hi. I remember that with Brad and Aura in Pewter. He knew that Flint was a Gym Leader…
“Look up at the stars and follow them. If you can't find your way out any other way, find the sky and follow them."
Luna felt her skull twitch. Hex nipped at her sporadically – her thoughts everywhere as though she stood up too quickly. Her heart rate had slowly stilled as Luna kept hidden in Griffin's sweltering jacket. It's like in… Luna's eyes dilated in the dark… her tails fanned across his stomach – wrapped like Seviper skin. She exhaled. It's just like Maiden's Peak. Everything looks like a cheap black and white filter… ripped and torn.

There's… They're… everywhere…? Luna felt the pressure in her eyes lessen – as though a weight fell off. Her breath became sharp and narrow – slow breath. The lights had been like the smallest of blue fireflies. She thought nothing of them at Maiden's Peak – only a few had been around that strange insect she saw. It had been clear to her now. Like looking at thousands of fading ghosts. I don't remember extensively using Hex; I don't know why I could use it…? Luna stared at the broad ripple - sound waves like static. The static. Luna remembered the static as Griffin ran through a maze of endless pine trees. A trail that always looped that spelled out letters she had no knowledge of reading. I thought I heard that song again. Luna pushed her nose up against his shoulder. She only knew the few little hums she heard here and there – simple ones.

Why wouldn't she pay attention when she could? If she had been panicked and terrified enough to notice, that's all that mattered.

Griffin:

The chirping.
It had been an early fall morning, a chilly one – a warning to come. The chirping…
“Hey, Griff! We're going out to play; come on!" He tossed on clothes, yawned, and found himself outside eventually. It was when he walked outside that the world turned snowblind. Silhouettes… shadows in a dark-splay of pure white. Only the etches of a started post to a soon be fence had been in his vision.
The only horizon he knew.
“… ……" A voice said something.
“…. . ……… ….!" Droplets fell into a void of water; the grey ripple ran through him. Wind… chirping.
The shadows splayed differently, as though the whole day disappeared.
The disorientated spin and Griffin finally ran to those sounds. His hand let go of another's, in all actuality – the sound filled him with adrenaline. Just a morning bird that would sing nearby their window, a flush of embarrassment or anger flooded his shoulders and arms. Of course, it was distressed; how couldn't he understand that? Everyone else always seemed to. The footsteps behind him – the wind crossed by his smooth cheek; the bushes seemed huge. The distance felt longer than it had to be. Griffin knew the sounds that they had grown weaker – hidden in external memory; the thoughts that rushed by too quickly to keep track back then. The edges of silhouettes lined the tops of bushes and trees. Everything had been a wash of snow otherwise. Those edges, the detail filled in slowly.

A Pidgey chick had gotten its wing pinned by a branch – divided from its clutch.
A putrid heat surrounded him – the kind that made his head spin more and more. In many ways, he felt as though he could physically walk through the glass in front of him.
A Pidgey…? His legs squatted, the desire to move the branch…
And a hand that held the back of his when he tried.
“Notice that?" The voice had been quiet, calm. Natural. “If you yanked the branch, you'd injure his wing."
“It's a boy?"
“You can tell by the subtle changes in its feathers." That voice mentioned. “It's only sprained." The voice continued; Griffin remembered that his head tilted. Sprained? That was a new word. The closer Griffin got to it, the more the Pidgey squirmed. It made a sound that left Griffin's hand to draw away. It continued to make weird frantic noises… until… He sat down? Cross-legged? His hair had been a dark chestnut, medium-long if uncut. A hint of shadow clung around his chin and lips. Standing, he was six foot two and fully capable of moving his own body weight.
A sturdy build – a Herculean build… But very odd for a man of pure Japanese Ethnicity. Both his parents, Griffin's Grandmother, and Grandfather – the ones he never knew… he only understood that they were Nihonjin.
All in all, there had been exceptionally little he knew of the man that oddly wore clean, pressed trousers, a colorful undershirt, and a sweater vest on their days off. Griffin never understood why or how he had been able to untangle the branches so easily.
“It's hurt!" Griffin made his little outburst.
“Evidently, let's go home for dinner; I'll help the Pidgey." He replied with a gentle smile… But Griffin found the word odd.

Sprained. It must've been a really, really bad one.
“How?" A hand pressed against the back of his scalp, but not a word seemed spoken between them. Griffin felt his head tilt.
“… …. ….!"
“…. …. …."
As the voices tuned out… Griffin's entire world went silent with the much too familiar crossing trails between his home and the sea-edged forest beyond them. Something dared to hum in Griffin's ear, a wisp of a voice. Just a hum… a soft one. Worrisome. Concerned. Scared.
Caring with every desire to understand and be understood.
Griffin saw a Pidgey with its wing bandaged so neatly that he swore the Pokemon had been born like that.

“Luna." Griffin muttered, and he felt that odd hot fluff-ball churn around his gut nuzzle out of the ring in his shirt. It felt strange to him how she felt wary of the camera behind them. Hesitant to show her face. “Use Façade on the lock and time it with one of Bandit's moves. It'll look like she broke free." He continued to whisper that left Luna's pelt to rile, a shudder of fright or something else.
“……? … .. …. …..?" Griffin's thoughts trailed off while he talked to the intercom. The vague question of 'That other fellow still out there?' And 'I got the remedy here, do you have any way to unlock the cage? I could hit her with the vial and get this done now.' Griffin could hear the idle static from the intercom, a few random comments that hadn't seemed directed to him.

Even if I use Luna like I plan to, they could shut the Elevator down. I assume they can; it's a simple safety. I can't scale the ropes even alone… but if Bandit has enough in her – like she did while getting to Cinnabar; I know we can make it to the top.

I know we can.

“It doesn't have to be a smart idea; we're fighting with time, aren't we?" Griffin said back to the voice on the intercom. Griffin partially sighed with their reply
Yeah, real chain and lock. I need to break it, or that weirdo in the elevator needs to. Just get outside. He felt the inclination to drive his middle and pointer finger through his temple – the headache… that concussion still left him woozy. The stifling temperature and his now parched lips hadn't helped either. I don't have any tools with me, aside from my hands and their uniforms. Griffin stalled a little. Her Pokeball, find her fucking Pokeball. The glass has air holes in it – I can receive her and find a way out. I got no clue where that hole underground could lead… I think it's better… Griffin swallowed uneasily. I think it's better to transfer Luna and Bandit out of here. Griffin looked back at the laboratory; the x-ray'd images of lobotomized and surgically changed things had stuck on the walls. From the picture of an Abra's Amygdala, Griffin remembered the strange mass in a human's brain from school – images from textbooks – Griffin scanned the laboratory for anything that seemed like a Pokeball case.. An Abra's and many other Pokemons, had been different. The simple thing remained, though. They cut out what they needed to alter Pokemon's emotions to suite them.
That thought remained in his skull until he noticed the smaller trunk in the distant corner. Metal, near airtight. If they needed to cut off the receiver from a Pokeball… that be the way to do it.

Brad talked plenty with Griffin in their off time if he even considered it as such.

Griffin continued to glare at the laboratory.
“There a key in there?" Griffin mentioned, “Can't be just one key, who makes that up? Be hell trying to get anything done." He continued to say and began to idly walk; the intercom and cameras eerily watched him. Some comment about 'maybe.' And 'it's you're arms and legs being pulled out by it.'
Hey, if I'm going thanks to a two hundred pound Mightyena; that's fine. Better than getting shot. “I'll figure it out, the female is cabled in, locked up – two males with them. What do they know?"
“What don't they know? They got lashes for a reason." Griffin shrugged off the comment.
“Obviously, that doesn't tell me what they know. They got lashes for a reason, after all." He pulled the condescending bullshit out of his tone, terrified they'd pick up on it. His reply left that intercom hesitant.
“Yeah, I get what you mean – they're usually too dumb to figure out a move."
Always the trainer's fault on that, Natasha says that plain and simple.
“Either way, your funeral just don't bloody touch anything? The good doctor hates it when anybody touches anything."
“I'll find the key, stick her with the needle, and put the key back." Griffin tossed back a half-assed wave to the 'all-seeing eye' in the sections of the roof above him. He wanted to pull off anything remotely similar to a 'Yeah, I work with my hands.' Kind of attitude. Someone that fits in there, yet that utterly creepy feeling stuck in his spine that they knew.

Why would they play a game however? That made no sense to him. Two organizations? Two bad guys, two different agenda's. Or they want the same thing and are fighting over it. Griffin pushed aside a glass sliding door. The door was heavy – like a freezer door that freshly closed and adhered to well with its sealant. Even the wind rushed in as the door opened.

Even the sound felt different. Muffled… quiet… as Griffin glanced over more statics and data sheets, which felt utterly alien to him.
Logan could figure that out in a heartbeat, categorize, and color code it. Griffin had to stare at the phrase T.O.D on most of them and second guess what it meant. A key… there definitely hadn't been some key to a basic lock in the entire room. Just various things that contemplated illegal activity.
Copies of medical identification cards – blank slated caught his attention just as much as the box had.
It's a heavy-duty tote; it has to be for Pokeballs. They have everything I can see they'd need for 'mad science experiments' or whatever. But that box? It's not film equipment, medical equipment. It can't be a sanitation device… and what better place to stick stolen or unique things then right in front of a lab technician's eyes? Especially if they figure out what they do. Griffin felt a little smile underneath the balaclava.

They really thought no one could get here; even if Griffin got there through means, he still had to question.
He quietly popped the locks and opened the box. There had been an array of Pokeballs.

He only recognized his own. Bandit's. Every other type had been a different coloration, size… even one with the second half made of glass or quartz. It vaguely left Griffin to wonder if they could see the habitat the Pokemon was in with the right tools.
A mythical? That looks like a laboratory Pokeball to me. There's no use for it in training. Griffin swallowed, pocketed the now shrunken black gold and red Pokeball – edgy… flashy…
Griffin still cringed slightly at the sight of the little thing, but his fingers tediously rolled the ball around in his pocket. Locked the box behind him while he did.
The surface feels the same, save for some scratches on the finishing polish. The moment it gets connected, they might know – but so will the police. If we've pissed off the right people just by being us
Griffin felt the mind to chuckle again, and narrowed his eyes.
The blurriness is getting worse. I need to get to her.

Just go.

“Just go."

Griffin felt his gloved sweltered hand squeeze against the glass sliding door as it sealed shut. He'll see on the camera… Griffin felt Luna move and fan out her tails. It helped earlier – it didn't feel that way now. The way his rib cage throbbed from how his heart raced. I need to time it, I need him to look away… I need…
“Hey bud."
“Hm? Yeah?" Griffin swallowed.
“You said you had soda up there, right? What do you got? I mean, if you're concerned about me and whatnot – I didn't find a key in there anyways. I'll come to say hi and help out where I can until you need me down here." Griffin spoke it casually as he could, but he felt faint. The temperature, dehydration… all of it was crashing on him now.
“Huh? Yeah sure. I'll see what I got. I mean…" Griffin was about to pocket his hand, trying to envision a fellow in a chair staring at a security screen. Panting softly. “Well, we got whiskey, vodka… I shouldn't say, but I think we got scotch and gin somewhere if that's your game. We ain't supposed to on time, but you look a little exhausted."
I only know rice wines – most for cooking. Griffin softly swallowed. There was that bottle of red wine in my father's study; my grandfather liked rum…
“Rum, none of that? I swore I heard someone mention that."
“Ah… Mike was a big rum guy! He… may have one somewhere. Well… Used to anyway. Hey! New guy want's to know if" Griffin hit the return on Bandit's Pokeball. It still sparked the way it should. A Pokeball was designed to save and protect Pokemon's life, after all.

No expense was spared on that.

The glass had taken a severe beating from Bandit's consistently stood ground. He noticed the chipping on one part of the glass – the minor cracks and holes punched through. All it took was a simple click, the beam touching Bandit to the shock of the other Mightyena's that were much too terrified to make a move, to entirely dissipate.
Returned, safely. Griffin swallowed anxiously – the bead of sweat followed down his brow while he went back to the elevator going downward.
I'll sneak out through the back, I bet that guy is… gone? Griffin clicked the elevator button the moment he got on. They went down. Griffin muttered half coherent nonsense and shook his head. Get outside, it'll help regulate the… no. I'm sweating. I'd need to dry and change my outfit or my temperature would drop too quickly. Griffin shook his head idly I don't have the time regardless. Move. You have her. Griffin softly clenched Bandit's Pokeball. Then we all can sit down and eat. All of this will be over – it'll be normal. Like everyone else. Griffin found himself, Luna finally free from his sweater and into that strange tunnel Zangoose created. He discovered that he stared back at the tunnel, gritted his teeth, and finally broke into a dark howling world of snow. The frost slapped the Balaclava in a way that made him flip the hood of the jacket over it.
Damn them. Bandit's Pokeball is okay, I can see the status light is green. Griffin felt the urge to collapse into the snow, Luna muttered and whined frantically at him as Griffin found himself leaned against a tree – vomiting after who knows how long of a walk. Luna got louder and louder with him.
A lakeside…? There's a lakeside…? His eyes felt wide while a scent of blood flushed past the wind. “Luna…?" His feet tossed up snow – a large disemboweled stump tripped him over a trench line and onto the snow-covered ice. A river…?
A beautiful clearing into a lakeside. More frantic whines shocked by them while Griffin felt the weight of his legs buckle in.

“T… Thief…?"

Blood.

When he stepped forward, his bootprint unveiled yellow and white speckled cloth with that sickly brown-red splattered across it. A Houndoom? The bandages? Pawpads…

Something or someone survived the scuffle. The Bandana, Griffin picked it up and began to move into the snow… But Luna sparked smoke at him – she seemed frantically happy. Griffin took the second to stare.
Granbull? Thief… and Absol. A den with one Pokemon was freezing, but three? And a fire type to boot – it kept them warm. “How did… I don't understand what the hell is going on; I have Bandit. We gotta go home." Thief just stared at him blankly. Wide… blank as those sap eyes could go. Like every sense of vertigo went through them. That whirring got louder behind him, Luna and Thief perked ears. In a panic, Griffin put the Pokeball in the den with Luna.
She can't fight, but if I play my cards right. They'll be okay. “Luna, the Pokeball is like an egg; keep it warm. It'll break in the cold." Griffin muttered, swallowed, and heard Luna's frantic… quiet squeaks. Griffin went low, wary of the snow below him. No, I don't need to worry. I have two fire types, a psychic, a dark, and a god damn Comet. Everyone's still alive. They just can't fight. Play it…
Griffin focused his eyes against a silhouette; it prowled towards him. A Pokemon? The shadow felt dense and tight, but they lacked the photoreceptive sheen that most canine and feline types had. The eyes had been a near laser light. A robot? Griffin tilted his head, dazed – confused… swallowed as the near photo-copied Houndoom stared him down.
There was a slight problem. The Houndoom had been massive hexagonal plates over a mesh lining – it weighed it down like well-fitted chainlinks. The snow parted underneath its paws; a faux lining of fur rested only at the tufts to obscure tracks. All in all, it left Griffin absolutely uneasy.
Twice a week against the sim? Like a Simulant? A robot? The Pokemon fight that thing? Griffin, the world sharpen, the blur and haze struck him just as hard. The claws extend and retract – the muzzle is intricate along the jawline. The Houndoom went low, an all too territorial and battle stance Smokey would take up. What concerned Griffin was how fluid the motion actually was. A robot had been an amusement park attraction or a toy one.

Something about big teeth, sharp claws, and a personal flamethrower assured Griffin that it hadn't been.

I've seen custom robot fights on Television back home; some people make decent Pokemon ones. But that? That's like a drone with a budget – a big budget. His leg flexed with the dare to cramp that made Griffin tighten his hand along his thigh. Stared it down. If it can train those Pokemon in there. If it can kill Pokemon in there. The snow-laden ground and the tossed around debris from the earlier fighting were all that remained. Frozen blood, a foul stench from wherever and the strange whirring sound. If Absol and Thief are both here, they both got into an altercation with something. Just pick up a stick. Griffin stalled, chewed his lip, and stared. There's something else. Something else is out there along the snowbank. The wind didn't feel right.
Burnt flesh, but Absol smelled like that too – but Absol is back there, what is it?
Griffin quickly scanned the ground; there was nothing that could protect him from the immediate threat but that other creature. Either his head had been playing tricks on him, or that strange scent of burning flesh and the sound of light breathlessness which danced around the snowbanks had been something alive and violent.
“Never take your eyes away." Griffin's breathing became shaky. “Promise? I'm too sure for those." A gentle exhale crossed his lips.
The robot can spew fire sure; it looks real and not some cheap Hollywood gimmick. It nearly moves like a real Pokemon. But it lacks strength in the jawline. I need to trap the teeth with a thick log. Griffin swallowed again; something pushed the wind in an odd direction – he sharply turned but not enough to turn his head away.
There was something else, and Griffin wondered if it thought he had something to defend himself with. Aside from gloves. Nothing. He shook his head again, queasy as the metallic beast lowered its muzzle, tail flicked high. The wind chased and cut across the frozen air; his face felt sticky against the partially sweat-drenched balaclava.

Freezing.

Griffin tried to force air through his nose within that murky mess of a world. His blurry vision decided to focus past the cold wind, the goggles slowly fogging.
My stomach. My whole body just feels overheated. I'm not tingly warm; it's a dead heat. Griffin felt half a mind to step back, but his whole body felt staggered – weighted at the knees and shoulders. That odd mechanic beast built of curved thin steel and mesh lowered. The sound of bearings lightly ground against his ear with that strange jet-like hum. A sputter of water or oil. A lubricant of the machine coursed through it's fake veins to power two gemstone blood eyes. The muzzle crackled and spit – refracted against a howl of intense snow; illuminated the field. Griffin staggered, his vision still hazed; the urge to vomit crept upon him. A patter.

Footprints in the snow, and like any faded ghost, they threw themselves at the beast, which certainly aimed to rip a family apart.