An Outlaw's Shenanigans, an Explorer's Horror

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(Energy - 5)

The Icy Lands were just as cold as Sova remembered them. Actually, it was colder since this time he was much farther in, nearing Mt. Frostmeer. Luckily, the snow wasn't obstructing vision, or he might have gotten lost trying to find it. Why was he even here? He thought about turning around, but the idea was quickly discarded as he was reminded of a voice echoing through his head.

His recent hallucinations brought on by the peak of Black Mist Mountain hadn't lasted with him for more than one day, yet he was still hearing the voice in his head, insulting him, calling him weak. Not because of any drug, but just because he couldn't forget it. The only thing he felt would ease his mind of the voice was to prove it wrong. What better way than risking death to climb a mountain for no sensible reason?

Even though he felt exhausted already just getting there, he didn't let up even for a break. He had to prove to himself that he wasn't weak. Though....proving something that isn't actually true in the first place usually isn't easy.

The zorua was still completely ignoring Sova's questions. If she was so upset by the accusations, surely she'd make some effort to prove them wrong. She understood strategy in the fight. She was a capable fighter who faced down a mamoswine yet claimed to be afraid of an eevee. She refused to defend her self. And he had just the way to prove it. Clearly this zorua wanted something from him. Something she couldn't get if she was left alone.... This was his chance to force her into telling the truth.

"Well, I'm gonna keep going up the mountain. You're more than welcome to come if you start telling the truth." He said calmly as he began walking away. Perhaps he looked cruel for what he was doing and perhaps he was being cruel, but he had it all thought out. Only one thing could ruin his plan now....that would be an enemy.

Now she had a choice, she could continue to try and pull on his heart strings, or she could "fess up" and conjure another lie to go in place of the truth. The zorua thought for a moment, continuing her crying at the same time, before deciding to stay put and continue bawling, getting to the point in where she could barely speak in her crocodile tears. Her sobbing was rather loud, as she couldn't respond to the Eevee, other than saying, "I....just...want....my....mommy..." in between sobs.

As Sova walked farther away, he doubted himself more and more. He couldn't imagine that someone wanting something from him badly enough to lie for it would give up so easily. He was sure that if the zorua was lying, she would come back. There were still so many inconsistencies in the zorua's claims, but she passed his test....he couldn't just leave.

He sighed and turned towards the zorua. "Alright. Lets go find her then." He sounded a mix between sad and disappointed. Was he wrong? There was still one more thing he could do to make sure.... "I'm sorry." If he was wrong, more than apology was necessary. He'd have to make sure to get this lost zorua back to her mother. But if he was right....he could still test without hurting the zorua's feelings if she was telling the truth. "She just left you down there and went up the mountain, right?"

Mirage's choice had worked, she had recovered from her mistakes and convinced the Eevee she was telling the truth once more. She sniffled, now that the eevee was apologizing, "Yes..." she said in a quiet and sad voice, sitting up at last and staring at her feet below, her feelings being "extremely hurt" by what the eevee has done, "She said something about just wanting to see daddy again up there..." she mumbled, staring at the top of the mountain.

"Who's your father? Why's he up here?"  Sova asked almost instantly, still very hesitant to trust the zorua.  He still had his doubts about the zorua's claims.  After all, no amount of being sad would make  the claims seem more believable.  But just in case the zorua was really telling the truth, he wanted to avoid hurting her feelings any more.  He began walking up the mountain with no particular destination other than the top in mind.  He didn't really know where to look for the zorua's supposed mother.  Perhaps this fox would take the lead....if she knew where to look.

"He's a weavile...mommy always said he had to stay close to the sky or else bad things would happen. She didn't want me to see him yet, so she told me to wait there while she went to see him just one more time...I don't know if she was planning on leaving the mountain with me or what though..." Mirage spoke, attempting give innocent hints that the "father" was actually dead and the mother had gone off to join him. If she could catch this eevee off guard in some kind of state of being nervous or even sad, then it would be the perfect opportunity to strike.

Sova was gathering the hints in the sob story just fine. Only they weren't effecting him as much as they normally would. If this zorua wasn't telling the truth, he couldn't let himself fall for it. "Well then....lets...." He was having trouble keeping his voice clear and his attitude normal. If the story was true, the entire situation would be too much for him to handle. He would hate himself on so many levels. He could feel it already, the immense sadness approaching.

Then he remembered his vow to be strong. He couldn't be seen so sad. He couldn't BE so sad. It would be weak and would be bad for his current situation. If the zorua was telling the truth, it would be demoralizing. If she was lying, it would be easy to take advantage of him. He took a moment to clear his head before speaking. "Alright, lets go find them." No matter what, it was clear to him that this journey was not going to end well...but he wouldn't worry about that until he had to.

Mirage, some tears still lingering from her "bawling" from earlier, followed behind the eevee, allowing it to lead her towards the tip of the mountain that might as well been an iceburg at these temperatures. Mirage and heard a bit of a falter in the eevee's words. He must have gotten the message of what might have "happened" to her mother and father. The zorua followed the Eevee, contemplating when to strike. She hadn't been lying about half of it at least. Her mother and father really were a Zoroark and a Weavile. Both were likely dead by now due to their refusal to do the only thing they could do in order to survive. She faltered, the thought of her parents being deceased a bit depressing. She shoved the thoughts out of her mind and continued onward, now wasn't the time to get depressed.

"Mind if we get to know each other?" Sova said to the zorua following him. Before she even had a chance to answer, he introduced himself appropriately. "I'm Sova, I'm an eevee as you see. I'm a member of a Grassveil Guild rescue team. Actually, I'm kinda....alone. Team of one....heh." He tried to make a joke out of his lonely "team", but his tone of voice made it clear that he didn't like it. Actually, "Team of one" meant more than just his rescue team. He didn't really have anyone, not even family. Sure, he had some friends, but no really good friends.

"How about you? What's your story, nameless zorua?"

Lord E V carried out 2 launched of one Mt. Frostmeer :

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"I'm a Zorua, named Zorua I guess since I was never really given a name. I've lived with my mom and that's about it...we just walk around looking for something to eat most of the time. My mom's really skinny..." Mirage trailed off in "worry" for her "mother". She continued following the eevee, "Must be pretty lonely on a rescue team, I once heard my mother mumbling something about the guild. She talked about some archen she had met a while ago that had attacked her and about him probably being an archeops by now."
The zorua was glad to hear he was a part of the guild, maybe she could leech some information on it from him. She decided to talk about an archen she had tricked a while back, she had tricked him into opening a box for her within the guild, giving her Dark Dust which helped against Special Attacks.

"Huh. I know an archeops, but he's really nice. What's the name of the archen that attacked your mom? Maybe I can find him and have a "chat" with him. Pretty sure I could take an archen." Sova joked. He probably wouldn't be able to find such a specific pokemon anyways and after today, something as trivial as that probably wouldn't even matter.... Whether from a backstabbing liar or very depressing reveal, he knew the day was not going to end well. He was pretty much willingly walking into misery.

"Arko or something like that?" Mirage spoke, trying to remember the Archen's name, "She was really mad one time because he attacked her for no reason..." The zorua seemed to have calmed herself now, the tears drying up. She considered herself lucky that the Eevee didn't seem to feel the effects of Fake Tears, which had a status effect of lowering special defense harshly, a large benefit to a pokemon who's moves were half special attacking moves.

"Arko...." Sova muttered. Then he realized what that sounded like and hesitated before speaking again. "A....Acro? Was his name Acro?" He sounded worried. Of course he was worried. Then he began thinking about the situation. He had plenty of time to get to know Acro. The guy wouldn't hurt anyone who didn't deserve it. He knew this for sure. So, if it was Acro the archeops that this zorua was talking about....surely, she was lying. Either that or her "mother" was lying. Either way....this was looking like another inconsistency in this zorua's story. Perhaps she really was just this good of a liar to make him doubt himself so much. But he'd never been blatantly outsmarted by anyone but his parents....he wasn't going to let today be the day that stopped being true.

"Yeah! I think so," Mirage spoke, looking to the Eevee, "was he the guy you knew?" she asked. So, that dope she had fooled a while back had evolved now eh?
"Why did he attack mommy for no reason?" she asked, tilting her head, "Are most guild members mean like that?" she decided to have herself be a bit scared of the eevee now, for if he knew these "mean" guild members, then maybe he's going to start being mean himself. Mirage wondered when the opportunity would arise, this was a waiting game, but the waiting game was becoming more intricate as she had to weave more lies.

Are most outlaws liars like you? Sova thought. He was absolutely sure this zorua was lying now. No amount of inconsistencies about her past could compare with accusing someone the eevee trusted of wrongdoing. He knew Acro was good. Now he just had to figure out how to trick this zorua into messing up. Eventually she would have to get confused and let something wrong slip out.

"Nope, it's just....I was attacked by that same archen. He was a really mean guy. And yeah, some guild members can be really crooked. But hey, at least I'm not." He had decided to try his hand at lying, paying close attention to the zorua's reaction. His voice was completely calm the entire time and he didn't hesitate at all other than when he wanted to, to make it seem more real. If his zorua wanted to play the lying game all day, he'd just join in on the fun. And if she really wasn't lying and was as daft as she'd led on....no harm done.