Thunder rumbled in the distance as dark clouds rolled in. It was the middle of the day, yet the clouds made it look like night fall. Nightshade, who apparently didn't have anything better to do, had pulled up a chair near a window and was gazing out at the nearing storm with muted interest. "I hope lightning hits a tree and sets the house on fire," she mumbled. "Maybe then we'd actually get to do something. Or, I don't know, leave this forsaken place."
Nightshade made little effort to hide how much she hated this place. She acted as though whining would just make all of her problems magically go away. That's how it should work. She is a princess. "What if we just...leave and try to outrun the storm. That'll be fun."
"Why aren't you satisfied with peace and silence?" A tall, dark-furred Lucario paced up near the Salazzle before crossing his arms. "I thought you hated being attacked every day..." His scarlet red eyes focused on her.
"Because peace and silence is boring as fuck," Nightshade replied with a huff before sliding from her placement at the window. "I want an adventure. You know, action and peril." Her eyes brightened and she gasped loudly. "Like in a movie!" Her smile faded as she looked back at the Lucario. "And about the fighting, don't Lucario like that? Because they're fighting type Pokémon? Can't you like...jerk your dick to some fighting match?"
"You, of all people, are telling me to masturbate instead of having sex..." Hydra shook his head and scoffed lightly. "That's new." The Lucario paced near a couch and eased his way onto it.
Nightshade smiled at him. "Oh...well, since you like boring, I figured you rather jerk off then have sex." She chuckled to herself and opened her wings, gliding past him. "It might be too much for you. Wouldn't want you dying from having fun."
"I like to have fun." He laid comfortably on the couch before smirking. "I promise I won't die."
Nightshade exhaled lightly. "Yeah, right." she mumbled before raising her violet gaze to meet his. "Instead of having sex, why don't you just consider my idea?" She flew over to him and sat down next to him. "So, that storm that's coming in—me and a few of these Pokemon that I met are gonna go and see if we can outrun it. Or like, figure out why it's here." She smiled at him and playfully punched his shoulder. "See, Hydra? Doesn't that sound exciting?"
"I don't want you getting hurt, though..." Hydra frowned and placed his palm against her side. "If you're going to do it, I'm going to have to come with you..." He quickly reassured, laying on his back.
Nightshade rolled her eyes and pulled away from him. "Okay, Dad." She crossed her arms and turned her nose up, closing her wings around herself. "Why don't you go and hold my hand while you're at it?" She paused for a moment, reconsidering what she had said before heaving a sigh and letting her arms fall. "I appreciate you being my bodyguard or whatever it is you're trying to do, but really, I can take care of myself." The Salazzle offered a reassuring smile and gently laid her hand on his arm. Nightshade leaned against his chest and sighed.
Hydra chuckled and wrapped his arm around her stomach. "Do you want me to go with you or not..?" He smiled warmly at the Salazzle.
"Not particularly." Nightshade believed that she had made herself clear enough with her previous whining. "Look, Hydra, you worry way too much. Everything is going to be fine. We'll go out, and then come back like nothing had happened. Simple." She closed her eyes and was silent for a few seconds. "Your voice makes your chest rumble," she said with a small laugh. "It's kinda hot."
Hydra sighed and smiled warmly at the Salazzle. "Fine...but at least tell me when something's wrong..."
Nightshade tried her best to hide her smile, but it was to no avail. "Yeah, yeah." Before she left the house, she flew up the stairs to grab a bag that she had waiting in her room. "You say that even though you're just gonna follow me," the winged Salazzle states as she comes down the stairs. "You know, not everything in the world is going to hurt me. Or kill me. Or do bad things to me." She landed in front of the door and rose to stand on her hind legs. "I'll take pictures for you if you want~" She flashed him a teasing smile before opening the door and flying out into the storm.
Hydra chuckled and rose to his feet, pacing over to the door to wave at the Salazzle. "Have fun." He smiled and shook his head playfully at her remark.
A group of three, a Blaziken, Braixen, and Grovyle, were waiting nearby for the Salazzle to arrive. Fallon Avery—goes by both name and surname at this point—, the Grovyle, was the first to notice her arrival. "Finally!" She exclaimed with all the dramatics she could muster. "I thought you died or something!" The rain that was pelting down hardly affected the grass-type. She still had that goofy smile on her face.
"You're really funny, Fallon," Nightshade grumbled as she paced up to the rest of the group. "I had to tell Hydra I was leaving."
Avery's fern-like tail wavered behind her. "You should have invited him!" She chirped. "That way he could come with us and take better pictures than you!"
"Awe..." The Braixen, being Sam, sighed in disappointment. "I was expecting him to come..." She crossed her arms and frowned.
"Really?" The Blaziken scoffed, his tough glare locked onto the Braixen. "But we've only seen him once."
"Yeah! It was the most magical ever, Zantai!" Sam barked back.
Nightshade frowned at the Braixen. She couldn't fathom why she was even here. All she ever did was talk about how badly she wanted Hydra to come along with her. Like some kind of stalker. "Yeah, okay." Nightshade quickly brought an end to Amber's annoying statements. "My guess is he didn't want to be harassed by you, so..."
Avery stifled a giggle. "You're jealous~" she teased, causing Nightshade's tail to be surrounded by flames. "Oh my god! She's jealous!" Ignoring Nightshade's obvious annoyance, she keeps speaking. "Why don't you just tell him you like him? You already live together."
"We're friends you fucking genius," Nightshade hissed. "Stop assuming things before I light you on fire."
"No, I think she's right..." Zantai huffed and paced closer to the Salazzle. "Maybe you should tell him...instead of pushing him away..."
"But if you don't want to tell him, that's fine too." Sam winked and giggled lightly.
"We're friends," Nightshade repeated. "If he liked me I'm sure he would have said something by now. Aren't we supposed to be, you know, finding out where this storm is coming from?"
"She's right..." Sam sighed and chuckled.
"Which part of what she said was right?" Zantai crossed his arms and tilted his head at the Braixen.
"Uh...I'd like to plead the fifth." Sam giggled lightly and paced away from the group as she simultaneously waved. "C'mon! There's something I need to tell you all about the storm!"
Nightshade rolled her eyes and reluctantly flew after her. "This had better be good," she grumbled.
"Don't be mad she figured out something before you!" Fallon exclaimed, gleefully following after the Salazzle. "Hydra's not here to see it anyway."
"I know." Sam quickly changed her stare at Fallon. "Tragic, isn't it?" She glared at Nightshade for a few seconds before gazing ahead. "Anyway, I heard that if we reach the middle of the storm, there's somewhat of an 'eye' that's completely fine compared to the rest of the storm."
Zantai's eyes scrolled up to the darkened sky. "The black sky seems to be turning somewhat purple the more we walk..."
A low growl sounded in the Salazzle's throat. "Last I checked he isn't dying to live with you." A bitter hiss that was barely audible over the rain. She flew in front of the Braixen and landed in front of her so her words would be heard clearly. "He doesn't talk about you, he never asks me how you're doing. He never wants to know if you're free to talk. But you want to know what he does do? Sleep in the same bed with. me."
Fallon's eyes widened and she quickly stepped away from the two fire-types to go hide behind Zantai. "So stop fucking talking about him! He doesn't like you, Amber!" She was screaming now, her words filled with more emotions than could be named. "So just shut the fuck up!"
The Blaziken's words were nothing but background noise to the Salazzle. "Give me one shred of evidence that proves he likes a creepy obsessed stalker like you." The fury seemed to vanish from her words, but her violet eyes still glowed in the darkness of the night.
"I don't need proof for that! You already drive him away and make him stay home all the time! I wouldn't be surprised if he think you fucking hate him!" Sam grinned and crossed her arms. "It's not hard to tell you probably hate him too."
For a split second, Nightshade's resolve faltered and her eyes flashed with shock. Was that what it really looked like to everyone else? Snap. Her anger was back. It didn't matter what anyone else thought...especially not this stupid Braixen. "You don't know anything about us!" Nightshade hissed, her tail alight with pink flames. "You want to know why I told him to stay home? Because this is a stupid fucking idea. Oh, and I don't want you to rape him or something."
"Both of you." Zantai finally caught the attention of Sam. "Stop fuckin' bickering. I thought we had a goal here, and we're going backwards."
"Fine." Sam hissed and stepped around the Salazzle, angrily pacing forward.
"Maybe we just shouldn't have invited her," Nightshade muttered under her breath as Sam walked ahead.
Fallon, who was still hiding behind Zantai, managed a few small words. "You fighting with her really doesn't help your case, Nightshade."
Nightshade's gaze softened once it landed on the Grovyle. "She doesn't know anything. None of you do." Nightshade heaved a sigh. "Let's just get this over with so I can go home. With Hydra."
Sam scoffed as she faintly heard Hydra's name, but chose to ignore it.
"C'mon..." Zantai gently muttered as his gaze lowered to Fallon. "Let's just follow for now..." His talons patted lightly on her back as a gesture before he stepped away from the Grovyle and began walking forward.
Fallon nodded and stayed close to him, which was something Nightshade took notice to. "I'm not gonna bite you," she muttered, not daring to say anything else in case Amber had something to say about it.
"Uh-huh..." Sam muttered under her breath.
"It's alright...if she wants to stay near me, she can..." Zantai gazed ahead. "Hey...it looks like the storm is getting calmer over there..."
"The sky is literally purple now..." Sam's glare lifted to the sky.
"We can all see that." Nightshade pushed past the Braixen, opting to leave Fallon to do whatever she sought fit. "Don't tell me you're scared now."
"Fuck off..." Sam scoffed and stopped. "Well..." The Braixen began, but was immediately interrupted by a large wave of rain droplets flushing across the street they were walking on. "Holy shit..!" A small gust of wind caused her to reflex, her hands rising protectively near her eyes.
Zantai seemed to lean down and practically shield Fallon from the rain.
Nightshade rolled her eyes and held her wings to her side to stop her frail frame from being carried away. "Aw, I think you are scared."
"THIS WAS A HORRIBLE IDEA!" Fallon shouted over the rain, her grip on Zantai's fur tightening with every passing second. "We should go home; I think we should all go home."
"Yeah, Fallon's right. Why are we going inside the strongest parts?" Zantai now had kneeled down to wrap an arm around the Grovyle.
"I'm not scared. If you guys want to follow me, you can." Sam shook her head and stepped forward.
"Well I'm stayin' with Fallon. I'm not letting her take another step in there." Zantai frowned.
Nightshade turned to look back at the two of them, sighing when she saw the utterly terrified expression on the grass-type's face. "Do what you want," was all she said before flying after the Braixen.
Fallon's eyes widened when she saw the two of them stroll into certain death like it was nothing. "Please come back..." She whispered.
"Fallon, they'll be fine...I'll just ring up Hydra...we need to get you home safely..." Zantai gently patted her back and gazed into her eyes. "C'mon..."
Avery shook her head. "No...we should wait for them." She pulled away from him for just a few seconds, her crystalline eyes cautiously looking around the area. "If something happens and one of them gets hurt I can help." The clash of thunder and the flashing of lightning was all it took to get her clinging back to Zantai. "Nightshade didn't want Hydra coming here anyway..."
"Fallon...even standing here we could get struck..." Zantai frowned. "If anything happens, Hydra could help them. He's much more capable than I am..."
Avery looked up to the sky and shivered. "Fine..." She obliged. "But we need to be quick."
-=-=-=-=-=✿✿✿✿=-=-=-=-=-
"Why the hell are you following me?" Sam hissed at the Salazzle, wobbling a bit at the growing strength of the winds.
"Because I want to see you piss yourself." Her words were full of confidence as she walked through the storm with seemingly no trouble at all. Although she knew that all it would take was one of her wings catching even the slightest wind current to send her flying to who knows where. "You think you're hot shit but I see past it all."
"Piss myself?" Sam scoffed. "Please, won't you get an infection from breathing this air?" The Braixen continued onward.
"You don't need to worry about me," Nightshade responded calmly. "This was my idea. I know what I'm doing. And even if I do get sick...there's a doctor at home who'll take care of me." The taunting in those last words would be hard to miss.
"I see how it is." Sam grinned. "I thought you hated him, or something."
"You're really good at making assumptions. Men find that super attractive." Nightshade chuckled to herself. "Just thought I'd give you some tips seeing as you're so upset over the fact that I have something you don't."
"What do you have that I don't?" Sam shook her head. "You're not dating him."
"He lives with me." Nightshade's pale gaze slowly shifted over to the Braixen. "Need I say more?"
"So what?" Sam shrugged. "People get lucky." And suddenly, the Braixen stopped. "Why are there people?"
Like she said, a group of Pokemon were gathered at the calm part of the storm. A Machamp, Bisharp, and Empoleon seemed to be huddled around in a circle.
Nightshade scoffed. "Lucky. You don't get 'lucky' with Hydra." She was a little upset to have the topic change, but it was something she could easily take care of. "They're probably just adrenaline junkies." Nightshade stepped closer to the group and rose to stand on her hind legs. "HEY! DUMBASSES!"
The Bisharp was the first to turn and glare at the two, a grim smile tainting his features.
"Holy shit, I think you pissed him off, you prick..." Sam backed away slowly.
"I'm not scared." Bewilderment filled her gaze when she saw Sam begin to back away. "He's a Bisharp! Set him on fire!" Nightshade rolled her eyes and looked back at the steel-type. "I'm sorry. Were you guys up here selling drugs? Having gay sex? Both?"
After that, the Empoleon began to step forward, and slowly but surely, the Machamp also stepped up.
"Now what?" Sam glared at the Salazzle.
Nightshade ignored Sam and kept on running her mouth. "Are you guys mute or something?"
"Them too?" The Bisharp's deep voice rung as he gazed at the Empoleon, who nodded.
"Them too." He commanded and raised his fin, a powerful pulse of water flushing out of the tip, and was sent hurling at the Salazzle.
On impulse, Nightshade opened her wings, planning to use them to block the attack. The wind pushed back against her wings, causing her movements to be slowed, meaning the attack hit her head on.
What would have normally sent her just a few feet away hurled her up into the air. Her wings were open now and she couldn't muster the strength to force them close. For a few seconds the dazed Salazzle was tossed around by the violent winds, until finally, the storm let her go. It was a long, long fall. One not even her wings could bear the brunt of.
When she landed the snapping and cracking of bones was the first anyone nearby could hear. The air was forced out of her lungs, cutting of the scream of pain that was sure to echo around the area.
"Fuck..!" Sam gazed at Nightshade be blow away and immediately dashed away, running for her life as quick as possible. It wasn't long until another Hydro Pump was sent her direction, and it collided with her back. The wind added on the impact as she was launched next to the Salazzle, tumbling across the ground. She groaned in pain, feeling around her back. "W-Where's...Hydra?"
Nightshade's only response was a small whimper as she forced her eyes to open. She couldn't see much of anything. It was dark and blurry...and this stupid storm was still around. "I..." Pain gripped her trembling words as she tried to make out where it was they had landed. "...St-Start yelling..."
"Fucks sake..." Sam hissed and crawled onto her knees, clutching the Salazzle by the arms. She quickly rolled her across her shoulders and began walking. "I'm only bringing you with me because Hydra will be upset if I don't." Sam huffed and paced until she felt the storm die down. Slowly but surely, the two made their way across the street to finally stop at Nightshade's house. A gentle knock on the door, and a tall, dark-furred Lucario immediately answered.
"What the...Arceus, what happened?" Hydra stepped away and gazed at Sam pace in the room and drop Nightshade haphazardly onto the couch.
"We fucked up and we need your help, love." Sam crossed her arms. "Help us...but help me first!" She turned around to point at the bruises against her back.
"One second." Hydra kneeled down near the couch and focused his palms near the Salazzle's wounds, a light pink mist seeping into them.
Nightshade had a bunch of things she wanted to say, but simply couldn't. It didn't help that Sam was carrying her around like some weightless book bag. By the time they had made it to the house, Nightshade was fading in and out of consciousness. She could hear Sam whining about something before Hydra's voice got closer... Yeah, that's right. Keep crying.
"Are you alright, Shade?" Hydra placed his palm against the Salazzle's cheek upon healing all her wounds with a Heal Pulse.
"Hello?" Sam shook her head. "I'm here too!"
"I said give me a minute." All Hydra needed to do was raise his voice by a decibel and it was already back to being quiet for the Braixen.
Nightshade gazed up at him and managed a small nod before turning her attention to Sam. "...Get her out of my house..." She rasped.
Hydra sighed and stepped up, nearing the Braixen. His arms rose to heal her wounds, and after he was done—which only took seconds—he pushed against her back and into the outside.
"Have a nice day." Hydra frowned and shut the door, locking it behind him. "Now you tell me what happened. Because I told you not to go out there." The Lucario crossed his arms.
Was he really going to get upset at her now? She already had a headache from having to listen to Sam whine. "l-I don't...I don't know..." That wasn't a full lie. Some parts were hazy...just not the parts she wanted. She couldn't tell him this was all her fault. He'd never let her go outside on her own ever again! "Something just went wrong...won't happen again."
"You can't do dangerous things like that...you know I..." The Lucario hummed and stepped forward to kneel once again, cupping his paw against her chin. "I think you need some rest..."
Nightshade closed her eyes and leaned into his paw. "I'm fine..." She said softly. "Everything's okay now. It was just one mistake...it won't happen again..." Her voice shook and cracked with every word, betraying whatever semblance of strength she was trying to uphold. "I promise..."
"You could have died." Hydra huffed. "I don't want to risk that ever again..." The Lucario caressed gently. "Just go to bed...I'll make dinner again..." He rose to his feet and paced into the kitchen. Silence...it seemed like both were thinking something.
The storm continues...