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Post by subtleAssiduities on Oct 14, 2013 12:13:01 GMT -5
Vivian realized her son's absence the same moment that Austin did, and while her anger, too, had been tamed recently, that did not stop a primal wave of anger from contorting her expression. Her eyes fell on Chance, and the Espeon shrank under her gaze. When no one could answer Angelo's question, she repeated it to Chance. "[Where is Austin?]"
"[I- I don't know, we got attacked, and he scattered, we couldn't fine him!]" Chance stammered, his eyes widening innocently at the mutant.
Vivian let out an enraged growl and raised a clawed paw to him, and he shrank back and cringed. The motion seemed to trigger a new wave of patience in her, and she flexed her claws, teeth grinding, and lowered her paw. "[Let's just find him,]" she sighed, her voice tense with the willpower it took to keep from lashing out. She turned away from him, quickly gathering what direction the group had been traveling in before they encountered her and Angelo, and started off.
Chance stared at her like a wide-eyed Eevee, his heart thrumming in his chest. Several times he had made Vivian angry enough to want to hit him, but for some reason he could not fathom she always showed more restraint with him than she did with anyone else. Even Austin bore the brunt of her anger more than he did; Vivian had never hit him in anger. This was the closest she had ever come, and he was terrified.
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Post by Atticus on Oct 14, 2013 12:19:41 GMT -5
Angelo, having grown up to be a usually sensible, rational Pokémon, did nothing but tense his muscles as his mate raised a claw to Chance. Maybe it was because the Umbreon and the Espeon were not very close, but Angelo wasn't watching it as much as his eyes were just following it. Austin had never been far from home - left alone for this long. If he didn't have him and Vivian, he had Chris and Chance. He...
Angelo looked through the crowd of Pokémon until his eyes landed on Chris, or... what he thought was Chris. He blinked back curiously, forgetting what it even was he was going to ask her. In the same movement, EV whisked past him, so he sent a last glare at the young Houndyena, still a bit startled, and followed after his mate.
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Post by subtleAssiduities on Oct 14, 2013 12:26:42 GMT -5
Donetello watched the two go, and then walked over to Chance, who was still crouched on the ground. He nosed his shoulder. "[Come on. You're gaining no brownie points for sitting there.]" The Espeon slowly rose, and he stayed by his side as he padded after the two dark-type -eons. Having noticed Angelo's bemused stare, he also sent a glance in Chris' direction to see if she had noticed.
Nikki watched the whole scene play out with her mouth open in surprised interest. "[She's even scarier than last time,]" she muttered, confused as to how what she was saying could even be true.
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Post by Atticus on Oct 14, 2013 12:36:26 GMT -5
Chris knitted her brows and watched the Umbreon scamper off. She generally had no problem with Angelo - more so with his mate when she was younger, but she didn't like that look. She had a long day and was well aware that losing Austin was on her shoulders, as much as she would verbally deny it. She was also surprised Vivian had almost inflicted Chance instead of herself, but she wasn't going to bitch and moan about it. The canine caught Espeon's glance and narrowed her eyes at him before bounding after EV and Ang.
Brook had caught Angelo's glare and didn't like it either. She was amused by his surprise that her child had evolved, but that last look, she didn't like.
Solitaire nodded in agreement, wide eyed from the scene that had just played out. "[This is one rag-tag group of Pokémon. I think our gang is a little less intimidating than this.]"
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Post by subtleAssiduities on Oct 14, 2013 12:51:22 GMT -5
The sun was starting to ligthen in color; Vivian's eyes were dully glowing, sometimes not glowing at all until they passed under the shadow of a building. While Donetello was still able to keep track of where they were going, the others in his party were just hoping that; Chance was too tired to speak, hardly able to keep his eyes open, and Vivian was only focused on finding any sign of Austin.
She stopped, her ears perking as she heard some kind of fight going on a couple blocks away. It was faint, mostly the clatter of trash cans being tipped and Pokémon running around and slamming into things, but she thought she caught some sign of her son's voice. She took off after it, not looking to see if anyone was keeping up with her.
She came to a halt as she rounded the corner where the fight was taking place and ended up face to face with a scruffy, worn out, but still energetic Austin. Unable to recognize her at the quick glance, he went on the offensive, skidding to a halt and firing a Shadow Ball that hit his mother square in the face and threw her on the back. While the attack didn't hurt her, it stunned her, both because of its suddeness and also because Austin had never been able to make an attack that powerful.
Still on the offensive, the Umbreon turned, ready to dash off again without thinking, when he saw the rest of the group. The fur raised along his shoulders and he bared his teeth before recognizing the group. All at once his expression melted into its usual soft-wide eyed look and his fur lied flat.
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Post by Atticus on Oct 14, 2013 13:08:56 GMT -5
Angelo had picked up what his mate had and hurried after her. When he rounded the corner, he was shocked to see Vivian get blasted in the face with a Shadow Ball, and he quickly looped around her to see how she was. She didn't seem hurt, but Angelo was still confused until he looked up and saw a very hostile looking Umbreon staring at him and the Pokémon who gathered behind him.
At the same as Austin had recognized his friends, Angelo had recognized his son. The Umbreon, without a word, bounded over to his son and nuzzled his neck, breathing out an intense sigh of relief.
Chris stood back and watched, torn between tackling Austin and between slinking off now that he'd been found. She'd never seen him look so wild, and she couldn't tell if he'd be upset with her. Normally he wouldn't be, but he had just hit Vivian in the face and she'd stumbled and that was... she kneaded the ground with her long, white claws.
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Post by subtleAssiduities on Oct 14, 2013 14:52:14 GMT -5
Austin's tail started to wag as his father embraced him. "[You found me,]", he sighed in relief, nuzzling him back. As realization set in he stiffened and hurried to his mother, who was on her paws now. "[I'm sorry, mum, I didn't know it was you! Are you okay?]"
"[I'm fine,]" she muttered, relief softening her voice as she pressed her forehead to his. "[Are you okay?]"
His green eyes danced with pride. "[I'm okay. I'm just really glad that you found me.]"
Upon hearing those words Chance allowed himself to relax, and his tail made an audible sound as it hit the dusty ground. The dress of finding Austin in a condition that would set Vivian off and kill Chance with guilt was finally gone, and what was even better that that was that they could go home now. He looked at Donetello, whose thoughts were clearly mirroring his own.
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Post by Atticus on Oct 14, 2013 17:39:19 GMT -5
"[Whoa, scruffy,]" was all Solitaire had to say as he sat down and managed a smile at the family reunion. Sometimes, admittedly, the Houndour wondered about his parents, or if he had any siblings anywhere, but he never let it eat him up inside. He had Nikki, he had his gang, and it was all he needed. Heck, one day he might even have his own family. He glanced at the Mightyena, eyes betraying nothing. Maybe one day.
The relief on the Umbreon was clear as he watched his mate embrace their son. He was glad this was another dumb chapter that could be closed.
...All they had to do now is get out.
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Post by subtleAssiduities on Oct 14, 2013 19:19:24 GMT -5
"[Come on,]" Don said with a swipe of his tail. "[Let's go home.]" As he turned down the ally everyone slunk after him, except for Austin, who had his usual spring in his step. The Umbreon must have taken a nap, or found some sort of magical potion to be so lively; he didn't seem tired at all, and though he had obviously been in quite a few fights, he didn't seem badly injured. Vivian watched him, completely bemused. She didn't know how that could be. She had expected to find him in much worse condition, tired, injured, and terrified, but this was... a pleasant surprise. She didn't know how Austin had done it, but somehow he had managed to keep his head up and do better out here than anyone had expected. She was insanely proud of him. If she weren't so tired she might have said so out loud. But as it was, she just wanted to get back to the condo.
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Post by Atticus on Oct 14, 2013 21:09:34 GMT -5
"[Finally,]" Brook growled, rolling her shoulders as the pack emerged from the slums. "[I'm going to have to bathe for weeks just to get that stink off.]" The Mightyena curled her nose and shot a look back to Solitaire and Nikki, not sure how they could live in it.
Chris was glad to be out of the maze as well, but she kept her mouth shut. Her fur was still a bit rubbed the wrong way, and she wasn't much a conversationalist to begin with. She just wanted to go to sleep.
Angelo walked alongside his family out of the maze, letting out an long sigh of relief. He was glad that it was all over, and majorly impressed with his son. His pride stretched out past the sun, and his grin said it all.
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Post by subtleAssiduities on Oct 14, 2013 21:23:49 GMT -5
Vivian let out a sigh of relief as she saw the familiar square come into view. Never in her life had she been so relieved to see a human meeting place. Arceus, she hated cities so much. She hated everything about them. She thought she had learned to hate them less since her first time in Relebrity, but no, this whole fiasco had just confirmed her rue of them. She glanced sideways at Donetello, whose gaze had turned to Nikki and Solitaire. Knowing that he would be stopping before everyone else was ready to, she took the lead again, starting into the large square.
As the others followed her Don turned to face his old gang members. "[I'm sorry we couldn't meet on better terms tonight. But thank you for cooperating tonight. I know it's not how you'd prefer to spend a night.]"
Nikki smiled at him, a warm feeling in her chest at Don's apology. "[Aw, it's okay,]" she replied.
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Post by Atticus on Oct 14, 2013 21:57:10 GMT -5
Angelo sent a glance over his shoulder and padded after his mate, not even entirely sure who those other Pokémon were. He wasn't all that interested either - they seemed to be more of Don's crowd anyway. He just wanted to get home
"[Aah, don't worry about it,]" the Houndoom smiled, putting a paw on his friend's shoulder. "[Just bring yourself next time, yeah?]" he said quietly, winking.
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Post by subtleAssiduities on Oct 14, 2013 21:59:39 GMT -5
Don smirked. "[After all this, I don't think the kids will want to be back. I'll come see you the next time I can.]"
Nikki smiled toothily. "[You'd better!]" She had been happy to see Don the little bit that they had, but she really just wanted some hang out time when they weren't running around after his family.
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Post by Atticus on Oct 14, 2013 22:23:51 GMT -5
The Houndoom smirked and shook his head. "[Alright then, man. Catch you when you do.]" Solitaire cast one final look over Don's motley crew before butting Nikki's hip with his own and starting back towards the slums.
Chris looked towards the sky, squinting her golden eyes as the sun began to peek out. When she noticed her dad wasn't anywhere near her or her mother, she shot a look over her shoulder and saw him departing from the two Pokémon he had called "gang members". She would have to tell him about that some day.
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Post by subtleAssiduities on Oct 14, 2013 22:34:54 GMT -5
Nikki, glanced at Solitaire as he headed off, and once his back was turned she hopped up to lick his cheek. "[See you soon, Don,]" she murmured, before turning and running after the younger Houndoom.
Don watched them disappear back into their domain before he turned and hurried to catch up to the rest of the crew. He glided to the front of the group, replacing Vivian as the leader, and started confidently for the condo.
By the time they got there, the sun was at such an angle that it was completely blinding the dark types, and the only non-dark type in the group was too tired to have his eyes open wide enough to notice the light anyway. Eyes narrowed, Don led the way up a flight of stairs to the second story of spacious condos in the complex, opened the door, and shouldered it open. Since Note and Ellie shared a bed it left the other king-sized one to the Pokémon, along with the couch space and of course, wherever they decided to crash on the floor.
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