The Stream of Time Carries Memories; Farther and Farther Away [Closed-Join With Permission]

"It's a long story.  I...I'm not sure if I can leave..."  Jonathon said, blushing and looking at the door.  "Do you think you could get us both out of here?  If Dark's in trouble, I think the only way to save him is to get you back in control."

MEANWHILE

The shadow saw the opportunity to make it's move.  Standing up it cracked it's neck and chuckled.  "How touching, I almost hate to ruin the moment."  Taking a step towards the two the shadow conjured an aura sword.  "Now if you don't mind, the appeal of a hybrid's power is vastly superior to this pathetic excuse for an aura user."  He then took a stab at Evangeline from behind.

Arceus groaned a moment, looking to the two pondering their escape. "It seems I have a lesson to learn," the pokemon spoke to Evangeline. He was pondering the events that had been transpiring. "Consider this a gift girl... But I will be back for my representative momentarily." The pokemon seemed to make a small way out for the two before he disappeared from Evangeline's mind; the lesson he was speaking of would be left unknown.
-

Dark, meanwhile, directed his paled eyes to Evangeline as she encased him in wings. They were warm and comforting, something odd amongst it... The darker Evangeline seemed to show no caring towards him, but now she wanted to save him and admit that Evangeline cared for him and did in fact love him over Jonathan? He didn't thoroughly understand, but he felt his wounds recover, the bandages dissipate from Evangeline and his own aura since they were no longer needed. Of course, that wouldn't fix the holes in his clothing or jacket, the dark aura trainer sitting up after she had let him go.

"Th... Thank you," he told her, putting a hand to his forehead; it seemed to be a bit at peace as well from the calming effect of the girl's aura. He didn't seem much upset, rather accepting, as he looked to her and noticed the darker Jonathan showing up behind her. "Evangeline!?" He grabbed the girl and pulled her forward, one of the manifestations dragging Nev with it as he rolled back a step or two. He ended up accidentally rolling to where he was face to face with Evangeline, smiling lightly as he blushed. "I owe you," he told her, giving the darker side a kiss; after all, she was a part of Evangeline, correct?

He then stood up, looking to the darker Jonathan as he began to think, accessing the knowledge he yielded from studies as a child. "You pinned me to a window last time," he told the aura trainer as the clouds thickened, blocking the sun from view. "Left me to burn in the sun... And now you threaten what I love?" He put his hand at his side, his aura having seemed to recooperate from Evangeline's magical wings (magical, hipee~). His own black blade formed in his hand, the trainer swerving it a bit before holding it down at his side in a diagonal angle. "Claws didn't do much for me before... Let's try a blade you pathetic excuse for another personality."

I-I'm not sure, Evangeline replied to Jonathon, looking around the empty room. I... I tried, before. Made my fingernails bleed, but they seem healed now, things don't work properly here... they shouldn't have just gone back to normal. And then I was alone, alone in these walls as they tried to consume me. There still seemed to be a hint of darkness at the edge of her mind, but with Jonathon in the room, she was herself for the moment. I don't know how to open the door... only the other me does.

---

"You are different than the other boy," the other Evangeline mused out loud, looking toward the evil aura without much concern. "It isn't insanity, nor do you seem like the same person, just the same body. Stronger, but of no concern." With the way Dark reacted, she could feel his bloodlust, and she determined it to be his fight. If he died in the process, it wasn't her problem. If the other one died, no concern either. Instead, she conjured her own sword of ice and stood guard next to Nev. She would not bother risking her own safety and interfering unless directly attacked. It was in her best interest to let the other two fight, stepping in would just cause unnecessary risk. Of course, one move from the creature of aura and he'd be skewered by her own blade.

Jonathon realized he still had his hands on Evangeline's shoulders, despite her not noticing, and quickly removed them.  "Hey...it looks like Arceus gave us a way out. Come on, let's get out of here." He said, tugging her towards the god's exit.

MEANWHILE

"You aren't the one I want mutt." The shadow said, spitting on the word mutt. "If you stand down now I might be tempted to let you live...No, alright then. Your funeral." The shadow rushed forward and launched a stab toward Dark's open side.

[So we have three swords in the topic? Where's the fourth (game allusions~)]

The exit seemed to still be shining. It was only wide enough for one person to pass at a time, though it did seem to show what was happening on the outside to those inside. As of the moment it would be the two beings of aura about to face off.
-

"I'm not a mutt," Dark spoke to the shadow. He quickly turned and thrust his blade upwards, pushing up the shadow's to effectively prevent his stab. "Isn't that a low blow," he questioned, his manifestations seeming to tie together as he thrust them towards Jonathan's shoulder in his own stab of sorts. He wasn't sure who yielded the upper hand during this fight, but it looked a bit like it was his since he had extra 'hands' of sorts. "Giratina," Dark thought, not looking to his pokemon. "I'm sorry... I almost got you hurt because I've been careless and injured. Pardon me for such... I could use your help against this fiend. Could you sneak into the shadows and attack him from behind?" (Shadow sneak)

The true Evangeline still felt the tinge of madness stinging her mind, urging her to close her eyes. Just͘ ĺet ͞go it seemed to whisper, ̵̡W͞e'̷ŕe m̴ean͞t t̀o ͢aw͝a͜k͢e̷n̶ ̕yǫu, t̡h͏e͜r̢è is n̕ó ńe͟ed̶ for̵ ͜f͘e̢a̵r.̨ No née̢d́ t͠o ͏p͏uşh͜ ̷us͠ ̶away.̢ The fact that the madness was creating comprehensible sentences were enough for the girl to worry, but she pushed the overlapping whispers away and followed closely behind Jonathon. We need to get out of here quickly, she said, it's stronger than I thought it was. She was too focused on hanging onto her own sanity to notice too much of the battle that was displayed in front of them through the doorway.

---

I'm sorry as well... Giratina said, I should have held my promises more to heart than I have been. Of course I will fight by your side. With Dark's plan in mind, Giratina suddenly became translucent, shadow-like. Now in the form he found himself in, he quickly sped from on the ground under the aura trainer's feet to a spot behind him and erupting into reality with a mighty roar, lashing out at Jonathon. If anything, blocking this attack could leave an opening for Dark to attack.

Jonathon nodded at the girl. "Alright, it's time to go home." He said, smiling at her. He pulled her further into the light and they left her mind.

Jonathon's body suddenly jolted as his mind joined back with his body. "Wha..." He said as all the aura that the shadow had conjured dissipated. "Did he take over again? Oh no..." He said, looking at Dark. "I'm sorry for whatever just happened. I wasn't in control." He then remember what else had happened. "Evangeline!" He said, running and kneeling down by the winged girl. "Evangeline, please tell me your back. Please tell me it worked. I don't want to lose you."

Dark found that his stab and attack was somehow avoided, finding that the same could be said for Giratina's professional attempt to swipe the aura trainer. He found Jonathan apologizing to him before he rushed away from his vision, leaving Dark's aura manifestations to hang limply behind him like a thin cape as he lowered his arm to his side. He turned and witnessed as the trainer of aura knelt by Evangeline, the girl apparently unconscious from whatever feat had transpired. "Did he... Just apologize to me," he mumbled to himself as his hand tightened around the hilt of his aura-manifested blade. "After nearly killing Evangeline... After calling me a mutt..." He lowered his head lightly as his arms began to shake lightly with frustration. "There he is... Kneeling at her side after it... Control or not..."

He lifted his head again. "Giratina," he spoke to the pokemon in mind. "Being a legendary, commoners won't really take kindly to you being here... I hate to suggest it, but I'm not keeping my friend in a pokeball; stick to the shadows... Be my shadow." He turned his head to look at the pokemon. "If that's fine with you. Pokeballs must be cramped." After finishing, he dropped his sword, the blade dissipating into aura before it even collided with the ground. He moved towards Jonathan, raising one of his clawed feet prior to thrusting it forward with force, attempting to kick him in the shoulder in such a manner he would be pushed away from Evangeline and Nev. "Back off," he spoke to Jonathan, voice a bit cold and demanding as he himself knelt down, grasping Evangeline's arms as he stood up, attempting to hold her up in turn.

Realizing after a few moments that probably wasn't the best way to help her considering she was unconscious, he swept her up such that one of his arms was holding her back and the other was under her knees. It was very reminding of the way a warrior would hold a princess after defeating a monster in a castle to rescue her. "Control or not, you've threatened her life... You've threatened my life twice..." He looked at Evangeline's face before directing his hardened gaze to Jonathan. "You've freed my mind, yes, and let me remember things isolated by the half you now possess insanely, but let's get something straight here..." He tightened his grip lightly. "I owe you nothing... Evangeline is mine, light and dark, and the insanity I now bear is more natural and protective of her than yours will ever be... She's mine; I love her."

A small thought then rose in his head. "My words were false before, she does love you as you love her. It baffles me..." Those had been the darker Evangeline's words prior to nearly starting a fight with the insane Jonathan...

[Talk about cheesy heroism? o3o]

And not one goodbye to me. the other Evangeline mused before her world faded into blackness. The steady handle of her weapon turned to moisture before evaporating into the air as she fell to her knees, then flat onto the ground once her body had fully fallen limp. It remained that way for mere heartbeats before it stirred once more, now in Dark's tight embrace. She touched her cool palm to her forehead, trying to use the temperature to fight back a now growing headache.

"Fighting already?" she groaned, feeling all of her strength depleted due to her own fatigue and the actions of her other self. Looking toward Jonathon through half shut eyes. "I don't recommend dying to anyone, it's not all it's cut out to be. And apparently I can't even do the damn thing right." She was trying to lighten the mood, but the raspy strain in her voice betrayed the exhaustion she was trying to hide. At least it did hide the wavering doubt burrowing deep within her mind. Though she searched, there didn't seem to be any presence from her other half like she had expected. When she awoke again... there was nothing, it wasn't like before, when she could feel her other side on the fringes whenever she felt her power rise, whenever the air grew cold. It was empty now, she was alone. Thinking of the other voice that spoke in her mind, it was cause for alarm, but now wasn't the time to mention anything.

"S-So what are the plans now?" They had to look to the future, after all. Arceus may still be a threat, though a confusing one. He did leave the doorway from her mind open, and there didn't seem to be a sign of his presence anymore, so she could only hope that the God was satisfied with the way things were for now. But they had to look toward the future, and it was a fair question. What could they do now?

---

As you wish, my great friend. Giratina replied. He had taken physical form after his unsuccessful attack, but relaxed as he sensed the malice and energy fade from the other aura trainer. His massive form turned dark and translucent before fading entirely. At Dark's feet, his own shadow elongated, seemed to take a life of its own, almost as if it was staring back at the group with thoughtful contemplation but could no longer show any signs of living. I will always be by your side, his voice whispered in Dark's head, I will not leave you again.

"I agree with Evangeline. Let's not kill each other and put the claws away Fang." Jonathon said, still seated and rather tired. Clearly, Dark's connection to Giritina had given him more stamina then the other halves of Jonathon and Evangeline. "I'm all out of ideas. So unless you have any Dark, I vote that we just camp out here for a while til Evangeline gets her strength back." He motioned towards her but drew no attention to his own rather exhausted state. "And knowing our luck, something will happen soon enough around here."

Dark, in his own way, felt Giratina's physical shape melt into that of a translucent one, looking down at his shadow momentarily prior to Evangeline's waking. He could see Giratina's eyes, though it was possibly just his own hallucination; however, he could definitely tell his shadow was darker, elongated by Giratina's presence... And Dark kinda liked it. "I can see that," Dark spoke a bit happily to Giratina in thought. "It's like your feet will touch against mine when I walk... Creepy, but elegant. I like the feeling that we're one and the same in our own manners." The last statement was a bit of a joke, but it was an interesting concept to him.

Upon seeing Evangeline awake, holding her hand to her head as though avoiding a headache, Dark let a small smile wipe his face. "No, not fighting," he told her as he held her tight. "Establishing a line... One that should've been established a while ago." He, without second thought, finally gave Evangeline a deserved kiss, permanently making a statement towards Jonathan that his prior words were true, and if he wanted to fight, Dark would take his stance to the grave. He then heard Jonathan's inquiry about ideas and spoke. "I don't know what you want to do or what Evangeline wants to do... Nor do I really have my own thoughts..."

He thought momentarily. "As I see it, Arceus is still a threat, wherever he is... And knowing how he's thought, he's definitely not happy with any of us." He felt a small shiver down his spine when thinking of what Arceus could do if given the chance. "I suppose we should get rooms in a nearby motel or something... Thinking of going back to a lab is just a forbidden..."

"No matter what context or personal relation it yields," he thought to himself, though clearly his thoughts were not just to himself anymore. He stepped over towards Nev, still holding Evangeline as he offered the pokemon the chance to climb up to sit with her, or rather, on her given she was in his arms. "Giratina, where should we go? You'll always be my shadow, but we can't run forever... We can't face Arceus again though... Is it best to just take refuge and think from there?" He could feel rain starting to drip lightly from the sky, the clouds having darkened if they hadn't been.

"And, what can we do about him," he then asked, just for personal thought in reference to Jonathan. "I don't like him... After everything that's happened, it seems roles have changed; he's more of a threat now than I was even to myself... What if he threatens one of our lives again? I can't just kill him... It'd be wrong."

"Renting a room might be a good idea," Evangeline agreed with Dark. She was grateful to still be in the support of his arms, no matter how weak it made her feel. She wasn't quite sure if her own legs could fully carry her weight... but that was the least of her worries. There were so many other things crossing her mind. The silence, Arceus, everything that had gone on in her life. Things were so easy before, but she wasn't truly living. Now, she seemed to be fighting just to live. And in the end, what's the point to all of it? she thought. W͢h͝a͘t̷̡ ͝i̡s ̡t͟he ̢͠p̛̀͢o̡͘í͟n̡͡t ̵o͟҉f̨͟ ̷́͝i̡t̛̀͟ ̶̵͜ą͠ļ̀́l̕͢͜?̀ Her mind seemed to only encourage the darker thoughts, she closed her eyes and leaned further into Dark's chest. Her jaw clenched. This was something she'd have to deal with on her own, both Dark and Jonathon had gone through enough already, and it was probably only a reminiscent effect of being trapped within her own mind. Her own demon to slay. A̴̕ ͠d́e̷͘m̴҉o҉n͜ ̸̷̡t҉͏ơ ̡͠ę͜m̷͜͠b͏r̕á́͡ć͢e͏̧̀.̵

---

I cannot tell you that everything will be okay, nor can I offer you a solution of how to deal with Him. He is absent for now, but I don't yet know of his plans, or how he will now go about things... the dragon's thoughts grew quiet for a moment, as if hesitant to speak what he was leading toward. I believe there is greater things to fear at the moment... the girl. I sense something different. She has returned, but I advice caution, no matter how much you love her.

"Well...I guess we should get going then." Jonathon said, working his way to his feet. He had to use a tree for support at first, his legs still shaky. Out of body experiences were something that took a lot out of a person apparently and he made a point to never do them again. "You can just keep posing stoically Dark if you feel the need, I'm gonna get moving though." He started off towards the town but quickly collapsed. Cursing to himself he tried to get back up. "Come...on guys..." He said, but the strength to stand just wasn't there.

MEANWHILE...In Jonathon's head.

"Now this is rather pathetic, isn't it." The shadow said, appearing in Jonathon's mind in the form of the aura trainer. "Can't even stand. I thought you were stronger then this boy."
"I got rid of you." Jonathon responded coldly. The shadow just chuckled at this.
"I got better, what else can I say. Now, there are two options that I can see for you. Continue to fight me and repeat the cycle we have over and over and over. Or, join me. Together I could give you power over your aura like you could never imagine. Enough to even defeat that foolish mutt and have the girl all to yourself. The choice is yours boy."
Jonathon pondered this for a minute. It was a trap, most certainly and probably a trap. However, he could feel the temptation of it. The power, the control, the secret to his powers. Evangeline. The shadow knew what Jonathon wanted and would use that to it's advantage, yet the appeal was too strong. "What do I need to do?" He said, looking at the shadow.

Dark listened to Giratina's words, the trainer staring down to Evangeline a bit calmly. "Something different," he thought to himself in his own little corner of his mind. "How so..." He was partially tempted to ask, but defeated the urge as to not cause any further distress at the time. He thanked Giratina for the warning regardless, lifting his head as he stepped forward upon seeing Jonathan on the ground again. "Get on me about a pose, when you can't even stand up to consider one yourself," he mocked Jonathan. He wasn't happy with the aura trainer.

"I have my mind made up about him," he spoke to Giratina. "If he threatens my life again, let him... Evangeline already disapproves of our fights; I'm not going to keep fighting and disappointing her." He walked past Jonathan, hoping no new fight was going to arise between them for a while. He carried Evangeline, and perhaps Nev if he had accepted the offer to sit with the angelic girl, a few yards forward, stopping to look back at Jonathan. "My hands are full... If I could offer you assistance I would, but at least you can stand; if I set Evangeline down, she may not even be able to. I'm sorry."

The last phrase wasn't completely sincere, but it sounded that way. Dark then turned his head forward again, a light amount of pink showing in his face. "Evangeline, when we get there," he spoke to her. "Would you like a room to yourself, or would you like to have a room with two beds? Being in your condition, I'd like the latter so I could look after you should you need it."

"Whichever is cheaper," Evangeline replied to Dark. She wasn't too keen to fuel the fire by taking any side room-wise, and she was truly concerned about their budget. They hadn't had time to get any money in their travels, and they were no doubtably running low. Money hasn't quite been a major concern between the three though, considering. She winced when Jonathon fell to the ground, and though she wanted to roll to her feet and help her friend up, her own legs couldn't carry her forward at the moment, so she could only shoot his a look of concern. "We could always camp around here, too, if it's too much to make it back to town..." Unlike Dark, she didn't hold contempt toward Jonathon... and he had saved her mind, back in the room with Arceus. Most of my mind, anyway.

Her pressing headache built, and she could feel exhaustion weighing down her eyelids, but now wasn't the time to give in to sleep, not while she was worried that Dark would set her down and lunge toward Jonathon's neck. Or that Jonathon might, for that matter. It's almost like I'm actually the third wheel in Dark and Jonathon's relationship of hate, the thought made her audibly chuckle to herself, though she didn't care to explain. At this point, she instead wrapped her arms around Nev, who now seemed inexplicably in the girl's arms after climbing into her lap unnoticed to the group. At least he's not in love with me. her eyes glanced toward Dawn for a moment, making a smile stick on her face. He deserves to be happy.

---

I cannot explain it, Giratina replied, she is the same person as before, the same you fell in love with. The malice is gone, but it feels like there is something stirring. What transpired here changed her... as if all of the shards that make up the being Evangeline, not just the one currently here, are merging together once more. The mosaic as a result can either be beautiful or terrifying, but I can't fathom the results on my own. This is only my dread, however, and it may yet to be true. The dragon's focus was on Evangeline, as a result, he had no warning of what was transpiring in Jonathon's mind at that instant.

"No...I can make it." Jonathon said, pulling himself up to his feet. He felt a sudden rush of new found energy, a gift from the shadow. "Come on, let's get going." He said, walking past them and towards the city. Dawn however stood by Dark's side. Not for him though, for Nev. She watched her trainer walk off and felt something odd about him. He was still clearly her trainer, but there was a new energy in him, something else. A white blur dashed from the trees and landed next to Jonathon. "There you are, welcome back." He said, smiling at the absol. He turned and looked back at everyone. "You guys coming?" He grinned at the rest of the group and waited for them to follow.

[Cause Mist left me the room to make more drama between the characters; woot woot... On a more serious scale, I love improv, and I love this topic and all the evil that's going on in it... *high-fives Mist and Ava* o3o]

"Neither is really cheaper," Dark chuckled a bit to Evangeline. "And camping outside isn't an option... At least, not while we're all like this. Should something happen we'd be sitting ducks..." Or so he felt. He heard the angelic girl's light chuckle and looked to Nev, finding he had finally climbed to his friend and was now in her grasp. Dark then changed focus to Giratina's words, listening to his message and feeling as though it were some sort of majestic poem.

"The pieces are lining up... Hers and ours..." He closed his eyes a bit in thought. "After finally coming to the realization that all sides of her are her... The one that I spoke to earlier is likely gone, another piece fixating itself in the puzzle..." An image of the darker Evangeline showed beside the normal, and a third of Evangeline's more, well, insane half. "After they all fixate in place, what will remain but the real Evangeline? What will the one whos mind, put together again as one, be like? Will she still be the same, or a fully-changed person the likes of which we cannot fathom?" He opened his eyes lightly. "I have confidence she'll be the same as she is now, perhaps a bit different, but still her Giratina... If they are all her, then by assumption, we could assume she'll be the same after the pieces align..." It was a few moments after his thoughts that he heard Jonathan stand, the trainer a bit confused as per how exactly he could've gotten up with the minimal energy he had.

It wasn't until he felt Jonathan pass that the trainer felt a shiver in his spine, Dark's air taken away as he came to a darkened realization. "He..." He knelt down lightly, taking a moment to breathe in again as he felt a light tingle on his face, a small portion of his neck and face lightly burnt given the new-found radiation of Jonathan's aura. As if by hallucination, he looked up and saw what he viewed as a wicked grin, an outline of his past personality present over Jonathan for just a second. He locked gazes with the aura trainer, feeling as though he was wiped out all over again. The trainer would've spoken out; however, his energy was almost gone until Giratina's took hold. "You," was the only word he managed to snarl out prior to his eyes shutting, the trainer dropping aside as he was left to unconsciousness, arms holding Evangeline a lot more loosely than when he had been upright.

Evangeline felt the sudden fall as Dark lost consciousness, narrowly managing to catch herself with one arm as Dark's own grew almost limp. She tumbled to the floor, holding Nev protectively to her chest in her other arm. Groaning, she took a moment to survey the damage. "One's already off on his merry way and the other is passed out. I can barely move. Well, sucks to be me." Shaking off the sting of the arm that broke her half-fall, she then used it to sit herself awkwardly up.

"You only just realized that?" Nev joked, wagging his tail in an attempt to lighten the mood. Both he and Evangeline had noticed Dark's cryptic snarl, but it seemed they thought it not directed toward Jonathon, but instead of an unseen force that could have knocked him out. "I-Is anyone there?" Nev bravely called out. Since Evangeline could barely move, he'd have to be the one to defend them if things went south. Electricity crackled across his cheeks.

---

Puzzle pieces are simple nondescript colors, Giratina commented, but once put together, they blend to create an entirely new picture that neither could achieve to make on their own. Whether that picture is more beautiful than the smaller pictures that create it is up to the observer. Once put together, though, the pieces interlock and they're much more difficult to break apart. And they're all meant to create a bigger picture. Now it seemed as if the great dragon was musing, though this was cut short as Dark lost consciousness...

"Dark? Dark!" Jonathon said, surprised at the wolf boy passing out as he ran over to them. "That's really...weird..." He said, surprised that Dark would suddenly pass out. Sure the shadow and him had reached an agreement, but that shouldn't have mattered too much to Dark. "Uh...I have no idea how this happened, but we can't leave him here." He turned to the absol, "hey Evangeline, can you help." She snorted but she walked over and started lifting Dark up. Dawn followed suit and ran over, doing the same. "I...I want to help too!" She said, wiggling in next to the absol. "Alright...they've got him...I guess I'll help you, come on then." He helped Evangeline the girl up, putting her arm over his shoulders. "We'll go as fast as you feel you can go." He said, smiling lightly at her.

Dark didn't awaken in the physical plane; rather, he found his consciousness waking up in Giratina's mind, given they had a connection and were capable of meddling about each other's scattered memories. "Where am I," he groaned in complaint, the dark aura trainer wielding a nasty headache, the likes of which were probably not similar to Evangeline's from minutes before. He looked around where he was, finding pretty dark memories there before he spotted Giratina sitting before him. "Giratina... He knocked me out," he complained. "That d***ed aura in his mind! It burned my face and stole away my breath and energy on purpose!" He stood up on the odd ground of Giratina's mind. "Giratina, it's helping him! Their after Evangeline..." He then sat down again; what exactly was he going to do about it unconsciously?

"Giratina, do you think she really cares about who gets her," he questioned after a few minutes of silence. "Her... The other half of her told me she does love me, but it's just... I feel a bit clingy towards her and such because she doesn't really seem to admit anything over it." He then laid back and sighed. "Maybe I should just let Jonathan have her... Perhaps I'm not suited enough for her..." He put his hands over his eyes, covering his vision as he swallowed any pride to say it. "What do I know of her history? What power do I have to even convince her I'm worth a dime or two? All I've done is gotten injured and somehow made a comeback with confidence. Jonathan's sat there and grown closer to her as the time goes."

Dark fell silent again as he began to chuckle lightly. "I'm insane... I'm just insane... I fell in love with someone that's going to be taken from me before we could even have a first date... Perhaps that's just fate and Arceus' way of mocking me."

(Due to me not knowing what fully to do at this moment, I'm bringing back a blast from Evangeline's past I doubt Fang even remembers from the old topic :p Besides, it may be fun to see how the two quarreling loverboys react to a guy who's more similar and understanding of Evangeline than they are...)

Feeling the support of Jonathon's body, Evangeline felt a small relief creep down her own sore body. Everything still hurt, but at least she could attempt some semblance of walking. She was worried for Dark, but in her current situation, couldn't find much to do to help, and Jonathon's Pokemon seemed to do a better job than she possibly could, so she just slumped against Jonathon, putting most of her weight onto his shoulders as she tried to keep steady. She started to slowly walk, keeping a creeping pace that allowed her to walk with as little pain as possible.

You're not looking too hot, are you Wings? A voice asked in her head, amused.

Dear Arceus, she thought, I don't need any more voices in my damn head.

Is that how you treat the guy who saved your life? The other guy's too. It then clicked in Evangeline's mind, memories of the facility she ultimately destroyed. With help, it was the hybrid from then, the Ninetales. It seemed so insignificant that she hadn't even remembered the name he used, and yet, if it weren't for him helping in their escape, she and Dark would be locked up somewhere being tested on. Or being weapons. Now there's a good detective.

Reading minds isn't nice, you know, Evangeline shot back, and how the hell did you find us? Why are you here?

Now you're an interrogator. I'll be out of your head in a moment, I just needed your attention... I was worried, but you seem to be able to pull together a logical thought, so I worried for nothing... but I have to ask, do you feel them? The voices?

He knew. Whatever was eating at her mind, changing her thoughts, the hybrid knew. And just running through this in her head was enough to answer his question... enough to make her mind feel fully her own once more, he had ceased whatever psychic connection he created. Is that a good or bad thing?

Unsure of what she should say, or even if she should mention what just transpired, she showed no signs of just having talked with a subject similar to herself, and just kept up her limping pace, mind reeling. A nervous cough escaped her as she cut off her voice after trying to muster something to say out loud. "Er-," she managed to croak out, "n-never mind..." she finally sighed, finding it impossible to muster up what she wanted to say to Jonathon or the Pokemon around them.

---

She cares for you, Giratina replied after some thought, even her other self said as much. If you love her as well, then it is something you should fight for. Your fears are only justified if they are true, but they'd be for naught if you sat and allowed time to take its hold. With intervention, you know the outcome, if you sit and do nothing, perhaps it will work out for you, perhaps it won't. Regardless, you'd have no impact on the outcome and no one to blame but yourself. I will support you, whichever path you decide to take. The dragon couldn't offer much more than that, feeling helpless to take action against Jonathon before knowing what sort of spell could have been done to Dark's consciousness. He didn't want to leave him helpless, so instead, he waited to see how things played out. The boy didn't seem to be posing a physical threat, and seemed benevolent, though it could be an act. Something was off about the girl, as if her attention were elsewhere, but he did not want to speculate just where her mind currently found itself, lest it be thinking of lust.

"Hmm?" Jonathon said, surprised by Evangeline's sudden little outburst. She brushed it off though and Jonathon figured it was probably for the best if he didn't dig. "Uh...Alright, if you insist." After a while he eventually got the group to the edge of the woods. "Stay here, I'm gonna go see if I can get us a place to stay." He carefully laid Evangeline against the tree. "Keep an eye on them." He told his pokemon as he headed out into the city. "Are you sure you want to leave the two of them alone like that?" The Shadow piped in, chuckling a little.
"Shut up, he's out cold. Thanks for that by the way...I guess." The shadow just laughed at this response, clearly it was not expecting that.
"I didn't even leave your mind. I didn't even make myself at all apparent. Whatever made him pass out, I can't take credit for it." Jonathon was just confused, but he figured whatever happened would be explained layer. Eventually he made it to a hotel and tried to see if there were rooms available for the group.

[Take my monologue Mist xP]

Dark had no choice but to consider Giratina's words, his chuckling and mockery of himself fading as the pokemon spoke. The dragon was clearly old and wise, offering blunt words, but words that were true. If Dark were to laze around, he wouldn't know the future; it would be unpredictable; however, if he worked towards what he wanted, the probability of having what he desired would be increased a great portion. He groaned in complaint; while true, why did Giratina make everything seem so difficult? Or was it, perhaps, a bias upon Dark's part? "I've got to make a resolution," he thought to himself. "Looking at myself, looking at this behavior, I'm pathetic." He sat up, looking around the blank space that was his conscience shared with the legendary pokemon. "I'll do better..."

He eyed the pokemon before forcing himself to consciousness. He found himself waking, laying on the ground near the tree; obviously Jonathan's pokemon (absol Evangeline) had decided to not loaf him around on its back anymore for the current time. He twitched a finger, Giratina's energy giving him the ability to even be awake for the current time. He opened his eyes, feeling a bit blinded by the sun as he slowly got up and crawled over to Evangeline, leaning her aside so she'd have a shoulder to rest her head on as opposed to a tree's base. "Evangeline," he spoke, rubbing his eyes looking towards the ground. "It seems we've gone through way too much, doesn't it?" The trainer noticed that Jonathan wasn't around. "I know what he wants, and to what extent he has gone to get it." His gaze turned to her. "He's after you; I won't let him have you. I'll be killed before he tries to take you away." He then fell silent, letting his energy slowly recover from the sudden wipe.

- - - - -

At the hotel, there was someone standing outside in a darkly-colored outfit. Based upon his dress and how still he seemed to be standing, it was apparent that this individual was the one that took vehicles for people and parked them while they walked inside to register; it was either that or the person who would help move in packages and so forth. Further in, towards the front desk, there was a woman, her hair tied back as she greeted Jonathan with a light smile and phrase. "How're you today," she asked, the desk afront her bare exempt a bell, clock, and small nameplate. "I take it you're here to look into registering for a room?" She, after coughing, took a look at a computer which had a monitor linked to it behind the counter. It took her a few moments, but she eventually looked up, pulling out a clipboard from a drawer prior to setting it on the counter. "Here you are," she spoke to him. "Room 505. It's connected with 506. If you'll sign and write the number of visitors, I can get you the keys to the rooms."

Evangeline had been lost in thought, pondering what the telepathy had said. The insanity building inside of her, the hybrid she had barely met, why had he shown up now of all times? And asking that of all things? She didn't have long to stir in her own mind, however, as Dark blinked awake. She heard his words and saw the worry on his face, but at the same time, he seemed resolved. Whatever inner thoughts he himself had been succumb to seemed to have created this new emotion, but she didn't want to pry. "I love you Dark," she said, "I don't think a silly aura user can change that." But can I? This pressing madness? She didn't dwell on the notion, now wasn't the time for it. "We've been through so much..."

Jonathon pondered the room choice for a bit. "I'll take 3 keys for both please." He said, scribbling a signature down on the pad. Taking the envelope full of room keys he thanked the woman behind the counter. "I'll be right back, I just have to grab my...friends, they're outside." He wasn't quite sure what to call them. Making his way back over to where he left them he noticed that the Shadow was quieter this time, planning something perhaps. "I got us two rooms, everyone gets a key to both rooms." He held up the envelope. "I didn't put a move out day so we can stay as long as we need to."