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 swinub was silent, "W-What? Jok? You're kidding right? Jok couldn't be dead, he can't die..." Kin seemed to begin to shake as tears began to form at his eyes.

Mirage took a step away from the swinub, here these pokemon were crying about this business again. What had even happened while she was gone? She looked to Sova, wondering if they were going to leave. She thought it would be stupid to go off on her own, especially if it meant leaving behind a friend, she would probably just freeze to death just like she almost just did.

Sova glanced at Mirage momentarily, guilt clearly written on his face. Literally, someone wrote "GUILT" in permanent marker on his forehead. "I'm....sorry. We ran into trouble, those "friends" of the froslass from what I could tell. They're dead too, if that helps at all...." He said quietly, still staring at his feet.

He didn't technically know for sure if the enemies had died, but logically, they would have had to have been very lucky to live through such severe damage. Besides, this swinub probably didn't need to hear doubt on such a topic at the moment anyways.

The swinub remained silent for a moment before finally speaking, "I would very much appreciate it if you both left..." in a sorrowful tone. He turned to the escape orb and began to roll it to the stash of items that had been both his and his friend's possessions.

Mirage, having no clue who this "Jok" pokemon was, was merely a bit confused and uncomfortable. She felt like she should have done something for the Swinub, but she had already been a bit TOO nice today with comforting Sova with his dead parents and murderer and all. Her fear of her fate had overcome her conscious, and she merely waited for Sova.

Sova nodded and turned towards the exit, looking over to Mirage to signal her to follow. "Alright. Thank you, for everything....I'm sorry I couldn't save him." He spoke quietly, sounding as if it was a chore to say such things.

As he exited the cave, hanging his head low with his ears flat, he tried to think of SOMETHING to say that could possibly ease the swinub, even a little bit. "He died fighting." Was all he could think to say. Was there really nothing better he could think of? He couldn't say anything better than that to someone so deserving of kind words?

The swinub did not seem to respond to the Glaceon, instead shuffling mindlessly through the items and waiting for them to leave before he broke down.

Mirage followed the Glaceon without complaint, though she regreted to leave the welcoming flames, the fire would not last long and it would be more beneficial to just try to get out of this death trap of a dungeon. The vixen moved ahead of the glaceon, stopping once she was at a distance before turning to make sure the glaceon was following, "Things just aren't goin so great today are they?" she huffed, "Not for anybody.."

Sova raised his gaze from the ground and perked his ears slightly at the sound of Mirage speaking. Figuring she was trying to start up a conversation as they were now alone once again, the glaceon responded, "Yeah....guess everyone's got their own problems. Speaking of which, I guess I should tell you what that was about. That swinub has....had a friend, an avalugg. You came down with hypothermia so I was carrying you, when they showed up and offered to take us to their cave. In return, I went out with Jok, the avalugg, to get an item for them....we ran into friends of that psychotic froslass and you know the rest." He spoke a bit monotonously like he was tired.

He definitely wasn't enjoying remembering the events of the day.

Mirage fell silent, not sure on just what to say, she was silent as they walked, "You just wanna go home now?" she asked, wanting to get out of this icy pit of hell herself. She figured it would be best to leave with the glaceon, seeing as it would not only be less dangerous, but if she were to relapse back into that state she wouldn't have anyone to assist her, and she guessed that the glaceon was her friend now. The thought was strange, she had 'friends' before, but they didn't do the same strange stuff this Glaceon did. She figured it was because of the recent events, and shoved the topic aside.

Sova took a moment to consider, then shook his head. "I....I wanna leave here, but I don't really wanna go home. I don't want to see anyone in Grassveil, or the guild. I don't want to take any missions. I don't want to sleep in my lonely room on my team of one." He monologued, getting progressively quieter as he spoke. "Can we just go somewhere else? Together? I don't like the idea of being alone right now...." He admitted. The last thing he needed was to be alone with his thoughts. Who knows what he could think up to make himself miserable. That is, more miserable than he already was.

Though....being back with Mirage made him feel....better. Even if just a little bit.

"Yeah, this place is a bit too cold.." Mirage spoke, meaning both in the physical sense and the way this area seemed to act towards inhabitants. The swinub's only friend died, Sova had to face his dead parents, and she nearly died. This place was definitely not one of the places she wanted to return to anytime soon if at all. She huffed and continued forward, looking down at the snow before her, "Anywhere you wanna go?" she asked, having no place in particular herself.

Sova shrugged. "Anywhere with you is good." He paused for a moment and considered how misleading that comment probably sounded.... He didn't mean....definitely not....not like that.... Just....like....with a friend.... He needed to fix this before it got awkward.

"Somewhere warm. That way at least we can get heat strokes together." He joked, though he was serious about the warm part. The cold didn't effect him any more, but he definitely didn't want Mirage to almost die again.

Mirage nodded, "Sounds like a plan..." she decided not to pry about the trip up the glaceon spoke of. She went silent, deciding to just let her go wherever her paws take her. She was not in the mood to go about taking things from other pokemon, she was still rather weak from the hypthothermia and really just wanted another nap. Besides, she had Sova with her, she couldn't risk getting her friend into trouble. She wondered if she would have to use her illusion herself once they were near town, to avoid him being associated with her.

Sova nodded and continued walking. He then got to thinking on possible ways to lighten the mood and continue the conversation. They likely had quite a long trip ahead of them, they would need something to do. "Hey....you can turn into others, right? Like....look like them....sooo....can you look like me?" He asked, moreso requested. He was curious how exactly it worked and moreso, how he currently looked. He was doing his best to look....alright, but obviously he currently had no way to see his face, no way to tell for sure if he was doing a good job.

In reality, he looked....very tired. Even though he wasn't tired.

"I can LOOK like others, but I can't actually turn into them. It's a fool of the eyes," she spoke, a red mist beginning to form around her until it completely obscured her from sight. She felt her ability kick in, and the red missed dispersed and revealed that the zorua now looked like Sova. The "glaceon" looked at the other, looking similar to the Sova even with wounds Sova had himself upon him. She blinked, "See?" although to her she still looked like her normal old self.

Sova waited intently as the mist surrounded the zorua, stumbling back a bit in surprise as the mist cleared to reveal what seemed to be a perfect copy of him. He stared, awestruck, and couldn't help but hang his mouth open in surprise. He didn't expect it to be so....flawless. He hadn't really gotten a good look at her last transformation after all, nor had he wanted to. "Yeah, I see....So....is it....like....real? Like if I touch you....what happens...." He said as he reached out a paw in an attempt to touch Mirage. He for some reason was extremely interested in knowing how real this illusion was.

Not like that you sick bastard.

The paw moved forward, and poked Mirage right in the eye. The zorua gave a yell and reacted quickly by taking a bite of the Glaceon's paw, latching onto it has hard as she could with no intention of letting go. The illusion disappeared in a puff of red fog and quickly dispersed as the zorua reacted on instinct, biting onto the paw that had poked her eye so suddenly. Mirage released when she realized what she was doing, and pulled her paws over her harmed eye, "Ow!"