To The Mainland

[emsiecat]

Habit woke her at dawn. Liana got up and dressed before trudging down to the entrance hall to ready Artemis. Providing Mewtwo hadn't decided that killing them all would be preferable, they'd be leaving for the mainland soon.

Liana called Artemis outside into the fresh air and taking a brush from her pack, she began giving the Rapidash a thorough grooming. The other Rapidash soon ambled over and requested the same treatment, butting her when she took too long with one of them. Their company raised a reluctant smile from the girl right before Pikachu rushed out.

The little lightning mouse, usually cheerful and sweet tempered as Pikachu go, wore a look of anger on his face as he rushed to Liana's side.

"You just had to do something stupid didn't you!?"

Liana looked down, taken-aback. She opened her mouth to protest but no sound emerged.

"You couldn't leave well alone. Now he's really upset, I've never seen him so angry. You're lucky he didn't annihilate you! It doesn't matter if you're a Druid or just a plain old human. Humans are an awful species, always poking their noses in where they don't belong!" his rant finished Pikachu scampered off, his cheeks sparking with frustration.

Liana leaned her weight against Artemis and sighed miserably. "Great now he hates me too."

Rhys and Lucinda arrived outside soon after, saddling up Blaze and Apollo. Rhys looked from Liana's miserable face, to Pikachu sparking in the distance, to some of the clones glaring at them before he spoke.

"Is it just me or do the words 'atmosphere' and 'knife' seem appropriate around here?"

"Don't start Rhys."

"Just saying is all."

She had started to wonder if Mewtwo had decided not to join them (in which case sitting on their mounts on the beach would be pretty pointless with nobody to teleport them to the mainland), when another Rapidash sidled up shyly to the others, bearing a small pack, with Mewtwo at his side.

Mewtwo didn't look at the humans. Merely nodded to Meowth and Pikachu, who both ran up to Mewtwo eagerly before jumping lightly on the new Rapidash's back.

"We're coming too!" Meowth was as friendly as always, but his eyes showed a little disappointment when they turned on Liana.

Liana cringed and looked at the floor. Artemis snorted softly to reassure her but it didn't help much.

Mewtwo didn't say anything; he looked out at the ocean steadily as his eyes began to glow with the usual blue hue. Liana felt the now familiar tugging sensation as she was teleported.

Liana wondered briefly if Mewtwo would in fact just dump the humans on the mainland and not come with them. However when she looked around she found the whole group assembled on the mainland's beach.

Rhys cleared his throat. "We should stay away from the village. Thanatos might be looking for us. I for one don't want to run into that Devourer again, right Liana?"

He tried to sound nonchalant and slightly cheerful. However it didn't really ring true and at Liana's affirmative nod he fell silent again.

Lucinda, not to be outdone, tried for conversation as well as they set off.

"So which way is it to the temple? I've never been there before."

"North from here, it's a day or two away with Rapidash."

Liana led the eager Artemis into a steady trot that Mewtwo's Rapidash matched easily. She noticed that Mewtwo didn't ride the Rapidash, Pikachu and Meowth did. Mewtwo walked or floated alongside. Liana considered questioning him but decided he'd either ignore her or just snap.

Liana took some time to speak mentally with the shy Rapidash. He was well mannered and gentle. She remembered his prank on the pier and decided that under the shy exterior he must be a trouble maker at heart.

It amused her greatly when he continuously questioned her about life on the mainland and, more specifically, Artemis. With a private mental conversation Artemis couldn't hear him, nor could anyone else. He confessed to finding Artemis quite charming, and ducked his head, the flames in his mane and tail increasing in a Rapidash blush.

Pikachu and Meowth weren't burned by the flame of course, but the sudden increase did make them squeak in surprise and question their fellow clone about his health.

Liana turned her head to hide a laugh as the Rapidash stuttered out a lie. Sometimes being a Druid and a Psychic had its advantages.

They stopped around noon to eat. Sitting in a field filled with various wildflowers. Lucinda amused herself by making a wreath out of them and placing it on a bemused Meowth's head. Pikachu was playing a game of some sorts with the Rapidash that involved stones, it looked like the game marbles in a way. Mewtwo was stood apart from the rest looking out over the field. Rhys came to sit next to Liana.

"So what's up between you, Mewtwo and the sparkly rat over there?"

"You really wanna know?"

"No dear girl I'm asking you for the good of my health! Of course I want to know you dolt."

Liana rolled her eyes at his answer and explained what happened the night before and this morning. Rhys whistled without pitch when she finished.

"Pissed them off royally then huh?"

"You're such a help when I'm feeling like crap already."

Rhys ruffled her hair in a brotherly manner. "Relax. I can't understand Pikachuese but he seems to want to come over here and make amends. He keeps looking over here all sad like, see?"

Liana looked at Pikachu in time to see him glance at her nervously before turning back to the game. "What about Mewtwo?"

"Go up give him a hug, bat your eyelashes and say that you're oh so sorry and you'll never do it again?"

"I want to be forgiven not murdered."

"Okay so I'm fresh out of ideas on this one. Anyway I think we'd better be on the move. Lucinda told me her dad contacted her a few days before we got to New Island. He says there are some pretty wild rumours going around about 'monsters' out in the countryside." Rhys stood up and stretched.

"And she didn't tell us this before, why?"

"Well we've had a lot on our minds I guess. She must have just remembered it."

Liana got to her feet and lost herself in thought. Lucinda's father worked at one of the outposts. The outposts had been set up years ago for two reasons. To monitor any attacks Mewtwo might make, and to be a safe rest point where travelers could stay for a night or two. There were many of these structures around. Each had a team of dedicated Pokémon trainers and civilians proficient in armed combat running them. They ranged from small barns to large wooden towers. These days an outpost was as close to safe as you could get. They also got a lot of trade, if people were talking about 'monsters' over the country then Thanatos might have called more creatures through than they'd first thought.

As they rode on, Pikachu and Meowth gave up Mewtwo's Rapidash to sit with Liana much to her surprise. Mewtwo's as well it seemed, he was giving them a rather superior look.

"I'm sorry I didn't listen to you Pikachu. I really should have done. I'm sorry I upset Mewtwo as well, I didn't mean to." She whispered, apologies always made her embarrassed.

Meowth elbowed the stubborn rodent in the side, giving him a look.

"Yeah I know. I'm sorry I called you awful and nosey." He lowered his ears in equal embarrassment and twiddled his paws.

Meowth purred in a satisfied manner, nuzzling Liana's hand affectionately.

"Y'know I love that sound. I wish humans could do it."

"What, purr? Oh it's nothing really." Meowth looked proud.

"Whatcha mean you love it? I find it damn annoying!" It was Pikachu.

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Well personally I like the sound."

"You're so weird Liana. It's really annoying!"

Rhys grinned as the three bickered. He couldn't tell what two of the party was saying but they seemed to be friends again. That was something at least. He turned back to Lucinda as she filled him in on her father's news from the outpost.

[emsiecat]

The moon was already high when the group stopped to make camp. The trio was used to camping out under the stars. They had moved villages a couple of times and each time had to sleep outside. Liana busied herself with making a small fire, Lucinda rooted around in the packs for food to prepare, and Rhys set out their bed rolls.

Liana muttered obscenities as the tinder refused to light. Pikachu and Meowth teased her mercilessly until Mewtwo walked up quietly behind them.

~Any luck?~

Liana briefly forgot to be edgy around him and set the flint she'd been using aside in frustration.

"No. There must have been rain here at some point. The wood's too wet."

~Allow me.~

Mewtwo stared at the noncompliant wood as his eyes glowed softly. There was a sudden spark and the pile of wood caught fire. Liana leapt back, falling on her behind, with a yelp of surprise.

She righted herself and began piling more wood onto the fire so it was an adequate size. Lucinda approached with the food and some cooking utensils.

"Nice work. Finally we can eat."

"It wasn't me it was Mewtwo." Remembering her manners Liana turned to thank him but he'd already wandered back over to the edge of the camp.

Lucinda cooked them a simple dish of noodles with vegetables. Meowth and Pikachu enjoyed it. However the Rapidash were content just to graze and when she offered a plateful to Mewtwo he answered simply.

~I don't require food at the moment, thank you.~

Rhys set up a protective barrier around the camp before they fell asleep. It obviously wouldn't be as strong as Mewtwo's but they didn't wish to ask him incase his mood was still sour. The protective barrier would keep out most humans and would warn Rhys if any tried to enter. Wild Pokémon and animals they didn't have to worry about with Liana around.

It was a while past midnight when Rhys awoke. Something was tickling at the edge of his mind. Something that was moving towards their camp and his barrier. He sat up alert and stared in the direction that the sensation was coming from. Beside him Meowth and Pikachu were stood in a defensive crouch, their hackles raised and teeth bared in a silent snarl.

Turning Rhys saw Liana was awake too. She had her bow strung and was staring in the same direction as he. She glanced at him and put a finger to her lips in a quiet command not to speak. Instead she forged a small psychic link between them and began to speak mind to mind.

~I feel it too. It's definitely one of the creatures from the Gods Realm. Listen; there are no animal calls, not even bugs. Everything has gone to ground to hide.~

~Something tells me we should be hiding too.~

A little way behind them Rhys heard their mounts begin to fidget and snort in panic. Horses were generally flight creatures and they wanted to get far away from the power they felt approaching. Liana turned to them and soothed them, though Rhys could see the girl was trembling too. Her mind was probably feeling the creature stronger than his was due to her Druid abilities.

They waited long minutes, almost an hour until the creature was close. Liana could feel it surging with raw hatred in her mind. Her ears hummed with its aura and a feeling of nausea rose in the pit of her stomach. She felt like she wanted to scream but she couldn't. Suddenly whatever was almost upon their camp turned away, Liana's keen ears picked up a sound almost like slithering on the leaves in the forest.

They waited longer still until finally the first tentative sounds of the forest began once more, and the Rapidash finally relaxed.

"Was that the thing that chased us off the cliff, the Devourer?"

"No. This one felt different in my mind. It's a good thing it turned back; we would have been in trouble if it had come across our camp."

Rhys turned back to check on the others in the camp. The Rapidash were settling back down as were Pikachu and Meowth. Mewtwo had sensed the creature but had not bothered conversing with the humans about it, merely stayed on guard at the edge of the camp. Lucinda hadn't woken at all.

"I swear an Earthquake wouldn't wake that girl." Rhys mumbled as he settled back down.

"At least she'll get a full nights rest unlike us." Liana sent her friend an envious look before lying back down herself. "G'night, Rhys."