Eternals

by SquipyCheetah

Rating: mature
Tags: Drama, Random, Slice of Life, Dark, Sad, Romance
Length: 69228

6-16-2022 - Doomsday Date

Eternals

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2016-01-03 22:19:55 UTC

Uncontrollable - Steven, Kevin, Nyarth, Pikachuu, Mudkip, Sly, Aleks, and Mew

They had turned at a time when Pikachu was spending time with Mew. Mew had not seen it coming for they all were not crazy but calm and somewhat in their right minds. They were having the thoughts of both an Eternal and Team Force Update but their TFU side was more dominant than their Eternal side. Pikachuu shot a beam at Mew and had knocked the psychic Pokemon out. He had dragged the unconscious form of Mew to the others, his lover Nyarth, and his friends Kevin and Steven. A dark, black, shadowy smoke emitted from their bodies and a bright red glow overtook their eyes. They were all completely under the influence of Team Force Update.

They teleported to their base back in the Minecraft Daily world which was now under the protection of a powerful spell both supported by the magic of a Fourtellta and Dovahkiin. They were safe and there was no way the two BBFs could stop them. Sly and Aleks were not getting Mew back.

Before they were able to put the barrier up, another Pokemon had slipped in and found his way to them. First there was anger, with Pikachuu growling but Nyarth only smirked, silencing his lover as they realized who it was. Mudkip, Nyarth's loyal follower that would willingly follow him through hell and back and now, he was willing to side with TFU to protect him. No words were exchanged as Steven cackled slightly, in a way much like Master Meowth only more controlled.

Red eyes flashing slightly, the disguised wolf teleported to the top of the tower where he once fought Sly and lost, resulting in almost dying, protected by the carefulness of Kevin, the one he loved dearly with his heart. Even in their dark states, they still knew where love and friendship lay. Even though they were friends with Sly and Aleks, their hatred for them ruining their original plan was stronger than friendship. Steven knew the barrier around Mew was the strongest and no one could get through it, not even the Pokemon itself. The modder looked to their prized possession and smirked, waiting for the battle that would surely come from Sly and Aleks who would eventually come. The barrier would go down. and they would fight.

But Steven, Kevin, Nyarth, Pikachuu, and Mudkip would be the victors.

Sly and Aleks will surrender. Or die.

Kevin paced on the floor a little ways below Steven, having retaken his post from before. Now he was more prepared for the upcoming battle with Sly and Aleks. He took his Eternal side for granted and would use his poisonous abilities and get them where it hurt. He was positioned straight below Steven not because of security purposes, but because of his protectiveness for Steven. Even as TFU, his love for the wolf was strong, keeping him from being too far away from him. He had protected him before and now was going to be no different. Flashing his red eyes, he paced his floor, his eyes locked on the ladder reaching his floor. Powerful axe in hand and a seemingly endless supply of bread hidden in his coat, he stared intently.

He smirked at the thought of fighting Aleks again and this time, watching him plead for mercy or his blood once more dripping from his axe. He wanted him to feel the pain he once had to face. No friendships were here.

There was only hatred.

He was the most powerful of them all, but he respected Steven and Kevin. They were the firsts and therefore deserved to be higher on the scale of the tower. He was two floors below Kevin, and he knew he would be fine here, especially with loyal Mudkip besides him. Nyarth maintained a devious smirk, his paw gripping his revolver, imagining both Sly and Aleks falling over in pain from the bullets that came from his spiritually-attached gun.

The gun never missed a shot.

Curling his tail, Nyarth lifted his head and paced his floor, Mudkip keeping steady pace with his slow pace. He conversed with Mudkip, telling him their plans. Although Mudkip didn't hide his dislike for the situation and even spoke out against it, Nyarth still spoke energetically with him. He knew Mudkip would not betray him. Even though he had the seemingly endless supply of bread within his reach, he never truly got into Kevin and Steven's obsession with it despite being obsessed with stuff of his own.

Thinking of his lover two floors below him, Nyarth continued his pace, all the while practicing his aiming with his revolver.

This would surely be fun.

He didn't like fighting and didn't like Eternals fighting each other but Nyarth and the others were technically not themselves. Had a good portion of their minds yes and had the same bodies but not the same in form or head. But he had made a never ending-willing vow to follow Nyarth through everything. Even if he wasn't really Nyarth, Mudkip would follow him through anything.

As he began to practice his aiming with his revolver, Mudkip retreated to the side of the room, sitting down and intently watching the ladder leading up to their floor.

Even though he was dreading the arrival of Sly and Aleks, he somehow felt excited, knowing that he would be able to test out his fighting skills in a way never thought of before.

But this would be no spar.

This would be a fight. A battle.

He would be the first to see them and the first to fight them. And he was awaiting it. He stared at the entrance to the tower, waiting for the blue and orange colours of the two Bread Bandit Friends. They were not getting Mew. If they somehow got past him, they would be facing his lover, Nyarth and loyal Mudkip. Then Kevin and finally Steven, who he knew would not hold back anything to make sure they remain the victors and the two either prisoners or dead.

A low growl emitted from his throat every few seconds as he waited. Pikachuu was ready for them, static emitting from his fur, sparking from his already shadow emitting coat. The bread would definitely come in handy here. He was just imagining the blood on the bread as he defeated the Bread Bandit Friends.

It would surely be fun.

They had hours to kill and plus, he would do what Steven wanted him to do. He wasn't afraid of him, no he loved him, he just liked to please him. All leaders liked that. He had told Kevin to take a nap afraid Nyarth finished his extremely short one. Guess even with his TFU persona, nightmares still haunted his mind. It probably was about Pikachuu because he went to check up on him soon after. Sly and Aleks would soon be here in a little bit and sleep wasn't something he really wanted to do.

But he did it anyways. He had a nightmare. One that was entirely himself but still TFU. Sly and Aleks had somehow gotten through all their defenses and had gotten to Steven. They held him hostage and it was just himself verses the two BBFs. Sly seemed invincible as he attacked him, using his powerful axe but being thrown back with such force that he was sure he should've been dead by that point. Red eyes blazing with fury, he attacked once more by this time, Sly giggled his golden giggle and slammed to the floor. Aleks held Steven with his enchanted sword to his throat and before he could do anything, Kevin was forced to watch as Steven's throat was ripped open. Before it could sink in, Sly repeated the same to Kevin. Kevin didn't feel it for that was when he awoke, panting and his heart beating faster than he had ever felt before. It had felt so real but it couldn't happen, could it? Sly and Aleks surely wouldn't even be able to get through Nyarth, right?

Shaking his head, Kevin carefully slipped up the ladder leading the top of the tower where Steven was along with their prized possession, Mew. On the horizon, the sun was sinking and the sky was splattered with rays of orange and pink. A pretty scene he must say. What a strange thing to say, coming from someone of his darkness.

Noticing the one he was looking for on the far side of the top floor, he couldn't help but to smile a little, glad that his nightmare was just that and nothing more. Relief washing around him, he turned to leave but felt the presence of someone behind him. Smirking playfully, Kevin twirled around and locked his bright red eyes with Steven's narrowed wolf-like red ones. He wasn't angry or annoyed, that was clear on his face and he too was smirking with a playfulness that could only come from the leader of Team Force Update.

"Hello Kevin. I assume you slept well" Steven said with a flick of his ear.

"You could say that. I just wonder when those two will decide to show up" Kevin responded, remembering something from his Eternal mind. Why he had fallen for the disguised wolf. Why he still always felt safe no matter how dark his mind became around him. There was no real answer to the question as to why. He just loved Steven as Steven. Now even, he could see the Steven he loved, maybe more so.

Steven's smirk widened. Laughing a little bit, he responded, "Don't you worry. They'll come soon and when they do" He paused as he slipped up next to Kevin, not noticing one bit as they brushed up against each other. Red eyes glowing mischievously, he added, "They'll regret it" while gently poking His lover's side.

Despite his TFU side being dominant, Kevin felt his Eternal mind fill his brain for a few moments. They did not normally express their relationship openly. They were a couple, sure and loved each other but just never felt it was needed. But now, noticing the openness of Steven's dark side taking of their relationship. He wasn't mocking it but embracing it. Although he would not mention it, he could see the soft and gentleness of the real Steven's blue eyes whenever he stared deep into those bright red eyes. He kind of missed those eyes...

Shaking his head internally to rid himself of the thoughts, he decided to keep the conversation going. There was really no reason to stop when he oddly felt more safe and happy by his side than anywhere else, even among the Eternals. "I had a dream"

Steven obviously liked this for he lifted his hand up to quickly adjust his mask, much like a hat. "What about?" It was an innocent question and that was one reason he loved him so dearly. His innocence shined through even in the most dire of circumstances.

"Oh you know. You and the others and our victory against Sly and Aleks" he paused, a sly glow glinting in his glowing eyes. "But mostly you though" he added, tilting his head slightly to allow his own hat to fall forward a bit, covering a sliver of his top vision. The dream bit was a lie of course but he didn't care about that right now. Either way, he always dreamt about Steven and a dream without him was pretty useless to Kevin anyways.

Chuckling slightly, Steven reached up and gently fixed Kevin's hat with a carefulness someone with Team Force Update darkness should really not have. But Steven had a love for Kevin that couldn't be broken and his gentleness and carefulness was only fueled by these thoughts. He didn't smirk, he smiled a little as he said, "I dream about you too" were great sincerity as he locked their red gazes together. They stared at each other for a few good long moments, both lost in the other's gaze until Kevin broke it by gently releasing himself from the stare.

"I guess I should get back to my post. We need to all be ready when they decide to show up to lose to Team Force Update" Kevin reasoned, stealing a glance back towards his lover and could've sworn he saw a glint of sadness in his red eyes which only made more hatred build up on the two BBFs for taking away time from his lover, especially when he was prone to anger in this form.

Whatever sadness he was feeling was washed away as Steven retained his normal smirk and said, "Of course. But..." slyly as he quickly spun around and, in a mere few seconds, transformed somewhat into a wolf so his ears and tail were present, he wrapped his tail around Kevin's body and gently pulled him closer to him. Kevin felt his heart skip a beat and then pound in his chest as his lover's tail wrapped tightly but gently around him, pulling him gently to the one he had given his heart to. He smiled, his eyes flashing brown as he allowed himself to be transfixed by his eyes, the eyes he could stare into forever and never grow tired up.

Steven once more smiled and leaned towards Kevin, until he could feel his breath on his face. "When all this is over, we really need to spend some time together. Alone" he said, his voice soft and strangely, almost loving as he leaned towards him and gave him a common Eternal act of affection, a lick. Simple and quick on his head. Pulling back, Steven gently released his tail before withdrawing.

Kevin nodded to him and carefully made his way back to the ladders leading back down to his floor but he stopped to glance back to Steven who flicked his tail in a way that told him to go. But he noticed that it wasn't commanding. The flick was instead brief and gentle. Smiling to himself, Kevin slipped back down to his floor, his mind locked on what just happened with his lover and just how far he would go to protect the feelings he felt when close to him or even looking at him. How far would he go to protect Steven?

"Goddammit! Aleks come over here!" Sly yelled at the top of his lungs, gathering the attention of Aleks who immediately ran to his side. A memory trace and a portal besides it.

The memory laced into his mind, making a low growl escape him. "Those fucking assholes!" he whispered in anger, wondering how they had gotten Mew and had turned TFU at that very moment. This was bad. Very bad and they both knew it.

"I know right?! But we really can't blame the real them. They have no control" Sly answered, not wanting to hate them but really having no control of his own feelings.

"Mudkip does! He should've just turned on them, not followed Nyarth while he's out of his goddamn mind!" Aleks flashed his blue eyes with anger.

"'I'd follow him through hell and back' Mudkip would follow him through everything, Immortal. We can't blame anyone but Team Force Update. Their dark sides, I mean" Sly reasoned, poking his friend to calm him.

"Then what? Do we treat Mudkip the same?"

"Yeah, I guess it's safer to do it that way"

Aleks sighed before twisting his hand in a way to open the portal. "Where does that lead?"

Without noticing, Sly turned to his true form, a fox and sniffed his way to the edge of the rather small portal. His heart seemed to stop when he caught a glimpse of where the portal was located at on the other side. He pulled his head back, shock clouding his brown eyes.

"What? What is it?" Aleks questioned, slight fear lacing his serious tone.

He lowered his eyes to not make eye contact with his best friend. "It's the Minecraft Daily world, right near their base" he whispered, returning to his miner form. He didn't look back up.

His heart skipped a beat. No, he couldn't go back there. He was banned. His soul would suffer severe weakness bursts before he would just... Fade into nothingness and reawaken weak back in the Eternal world.

Sly noticed his discomfort almost immediately. Lifting his head, his brown eyes softened as he walked to his side and said, "I know Immortal. You don't have to go through, I can do it on my own"  It wasn't entirely true. He couldn't take the five of them on his own and rescue Mew too while he was at it. He was as good as dead if he did that.

Aleks shook his head and, shoving Sly away, silently summoned a needle. It was strangely long and filled with an acid like liquid. Needles scared him to be honest but the one he used when a druger didn't hurt, this one did.

"Aleks... What are you doing?" Sly questioned, caution in his voice as the curer stepped back towards him, not recognizing the needle.

Aleks didn't respond. He shook as he gripped the needle and then, slowly opened the back of his helmet and pressed the needle into his head, pushing out all of the liquid with an agonizing slowness. He couldn't rush it or his whole body would feel the effects. Tears rolling down his face, he pulled the needle out and un-summoned it. Shutting his helmet back up, he leaned into Sly for support who had gently held onto him, comforting him as he injected himself with the acid.

"What did that do? If you don't mind me asking" Sly asked when it seemed like Aleks had himself under control.

Breathing deeply a few more times, he shook his head and steadily answered him. "It's an injection used to make me stronger in the Minecraft Daily world. I used it once before to check up on the town a few months ago" he explained, rubbing the back of his helmet slightly. Straightening, he walked to the side of the portal. "You can't do this alone, Sly. They'll kill you and plus" He pulled out his enchanted sword as his Minecraft Daily armour materialized onto him. As Sly approached, the same happened to him.

"I have a score to settle with the Team Force Updates as well"

Giggling slightly, Sly watched as Aleks jumped through the portal. Watching him, Sly followed him, his heartbeat stopping for a split second as the portal shut behind them. As he went through, his senses went black.

He woke up to a daze, not remembering where he was until he felt himself being shaken. Snapping his eyes opened, he recognized the form of Aleks. Good, he was okay. Showing no signs of weakness, he shook Sly awake and jumped up a small hill where he stopped, his breath catching in his throat. Shaking his head to rid himself of the haziness, Sly climbed up besides his best friend where he too caught his breath.

Team Force Updates' tower, surrounded by a slight visible magical barrier. Just by looking at it, Aleks felt a part of him break. He was around Nyarth enough, them both being drugers and all that he knew his magic when he sensed it. It hurt to know he would have to fight of his best friends, especially one he continually saw as a brother.

Before Sly could realize his moment, Aleks shook his head and hopped down the hill. Sly followed, his footsteps reluctant, having accidentally caught a glimpse of his mind and his thoughts of fighting Nyarth.

The barrier wasn't harsh and only was a protection spell. But once he touched it, it came down, giving them easy access to their tower. They must've been expecting them and that fact alone meant they were not going to catch them by surprise.

Aleks narrowed his blue eyes and charged forwards, parkouring his way to the entrance. Sly hesitated. Tilting his head up, he briefly caught sight of movement on the top of the tower and before the figure moved out of sight, he swore he saw the glow of two red eyes. Maybe he was just imagining it.

Shaking his head, Sly followed Aleks, a shiver of fright creeping up his spine.

Blue and orange. Aleks and Sly. They were here, finally. The static around him intensifying and the growl in his throat becoming louder, Pikachuu carefully stopped his pacing, instead settling in the middle of the room. Silently, he sent a mental message to Nyarth and Mudkip above him that their guests had arrived. Mudkip would then send it to Kevin and then to Steven. In a way, Pikachuu was kind of hoping he would lose to them, then they would be able to lose to someone with more power than he himself had. But he wouldn't hold back when he fought them. He was loyal to Team Force Update to the end.

Then they appeared, though their enchantment didn't matter to him, he still come feel weakness radiating from Aleks' body. He was a good target and one whom he could weaken if given the chance. And he will get the chance. He just would

Why did he not think that he was going to have to fight Pikachuu, the one Nyarth loved dearly and would protect him even against the others he loved. Including him. He looked dangerous and just by posture alone, Aleks knew this would not be easy, especially since he was sure Pikachu have enough power to take him down. Gulping, Aleks positioned himself, his blue eyes focused on the Pokemon, his sword gripped in his hand as he waited for a move to be made.

No move came. "Pikachuu. What the fuck are you doing?! Snap out of it! This is wrong!" Sly yelled across the room to Pikachuu, his half fox body tense as he allowed his ears and tail to appear. He swished his bushy, white-tipped tail, his eyes locked on those glowing red eyes filled with anger and hatred.

"You're not getting Mew back. Team Force Update will be the victors this time" Pikachuu growled, taking a few steps towards the two. Aleks felt the strange urge to run. "Now leave or you'll. Regret. It." he growled in a dangerous tone, his electricity spiking on the ground around him.

Sly narrowed his eyes and, without a warning, he whipped out his sword and held it defensively in front of him. "We're not leaving" was all he said.

Aleks, ignoring the urge to get the fuck out of there, shakily grabbed his own sword in the same manner, allowing determination to fill his eyes. He had to do this. There was no other way.

Red eyes blazing with fury, Pikachuu charged Aleks, who jumped out of the way at the last second. He jumped to the side, but not far enough that electricity didn't catch him and shocked his body. He was stunned for a few moments but Sly swung his sword at Pikachuu, catching his body and flinging him backwards. Carefully, Sly pulled Aleks back to his feet before leaping up to hang onto the side of the wall, his eyes searching for the yellow form of Pikachuu. He really didn't want to fight him and would not give the battle his all. He didn't want to seriously hurt the other Eternal.

With a screech, Pikachuu leapt from the shadows, striking a beam of electricity straight at him. With only a second to react, he held his sword up to deflect it. It hit and bounced back at Pikachuu. His red eyes widened as the beam hit him, causing him to fly backwards. But his claws grabbed the flooring, keeping him from going back even further. Aleks crept forward and aimed to slam his sword into Pikachuu's side but the mouse Pokemon twirled around and leapt, winding up pinning the druger down.

"Help me, Sly!" Aleks yelled to his friend as he felt the electricity flow through his body at great lengths. Tears brimmed at the corners of his eyes as he became too shocked to fight back and he felt the energy beginning to slip from his body. With an angered yell, Sly grabbed Pikachuu's tail and, ignoring the small amounts of electricity flowing through his body, he pulled him off his friend, focusing the Fourtellta's attention on Sly instead of Aleks.

Feeling the shocks stop coming, Aleks shut his eyes for a few moments before he felt his body beginning to recover. Rolling to his side, he reached for his sword and, very carefully, he stood up and locked his gaze on the two fighting. Sly jumped and slipped past as many attacks as he could as Pikachuu shot beam after beam of electricity and magic at him. Some hit, slowing him down and the two both had small cuts on their bodies though they weren't deep enough to bleed.

Breathing heavily, Aleks narrowed his eyes and rushed forward, catching Pikachuu off guard as he flung him away from Sly and into the wall. His breath caught in his throat as he watched him. He didn't move but then struggled to stand but slumped back down in defeat and pain. He hated giving up but if he kept going, he would surely kill himself. But his lover would make sure they didn't go on. They were not getting Mew back either way.

Growling softly, his red eyes flashed black for a second as Sly walked cautiously to the ladder leading to the next floor. The half-fox stopped as he turned around to face Aleks. A sigh escaped him as he saw he was still recovering from the shocking fit. "Stay down here for a few minutes. I'll go up and see what's next" he said.

Aleks shook his head and stomped his foot to the ground, annoyed that Sly was treating him like a child. "No, you're probably going to face Nyarth and Mudkip next. You can't take them alone!" he argued but paused when he glanced back towards Pikachuu who had slumped to a sit in the corner, using the rest of his magic to create a strong bubble shield around him so he couldn't get hurt further and risk getting seriously injured.

"Just for a few minutes. Then come up" Sly giggled in a bright manner, hoping to get the mood up as he turned back around to climb up the ladder.

Sighing, Aleks turned around himself and looked to the form of Pikachuu who stared daggers at him, anger and hatred filling his red eyes. "I guess it's just you and me now..." Aleks said as he slumped to a sit in front of the other Eternal, wondering how they had let the TFU darkness grab a hold of their friends in the first place.

He was not expecting an immediate battle when he appeared up the ladder. Nyarth used his magic to hover Sly up off the ladder and slammed him into the floor without any hesitation. Groaning from the sudden pain in his head, Sly struggled to stand back to his feet but as he did, Mudkip leapt on top of him, using his paws to press onto his chest to keep him pinned to the ground. He struggled, gripping his sword and preparing to swipe at anyone or anything around him. Nyarth smirked, his red eyes blazing with hatred as he gazed at Sly. He left his friend with Pikachuu so he could run off. Well, wasn't he in for a surprise.

He strolled on over and wrapped his magic around Sly's sword and, with a strong tug, he ripped it out of his grasp. Dropping it to the ground, he kicked it away and motioned for Mudkip to remove himself from the half-fox. As he did, Sly attempted to jump up but Nyarth caught him with his magic, keeping him still. The pure evil look in his eyes frightened him and it seemed like the aura-reading Pokemon caught a hold of that feeling for his smirk only grew wider.

Unsheathing his claws, he carefully struck his claws into Sly's arm, slicing into his flesh with little effort. It sank deep and when his claws came back out into the opening, he realized the wound was deep enough to leak blood and continue to. Nyarth's three claws were dripping from his blood but he didn't notice, his smirk wide as he watched Sly try to not show his pain. But he could feel his aura. He was in pain. And he loved that.

Suddenly, Mudkip leaped to his side and telepathically told him what Pikachuu had been able to send him, from his weak state two floors below them. At first, Nyarth remained calm but a strong glint of anger filled his red eyes as his smirk turned to a scowl. Curling his tail in a certain way, Mudkip nodded and walked over towards the ladders. At first, Sly was confused as to what could possibly be happening but as the realization overcame him, his eyes widened as he broke through the mental barrier in his mind to yell telepathically to Aleks to tell him to run or prepare himself for a battle. It reached him but the barrier was once more put up.

Using his magic, Nyarth hovered Sly up into the air, so he was hovering a few inches off the ground. "Dun worry 'bout yer friend. Mudkip is just gonna get him up here ta join ya" Nyarth smirked once more and his words only sent a shiver to run up his spine.

Nyarth kept him hovered there until Mudkip appeared once more, his own magic holding the cursing and fighting form of Aleks. Mudkip slammed him to the ground, reaching a paw up to his head fin to wipe the blood from the cut Aleks had given him when he had tried to grab him. He had put up a fight but Pikachuu had insisted he stay where he was and rest for he felt too weak to actually help them in any real way. Respecting Pikachuu, Mudkip had done as he had asked.

Nyarth's smirk became larger as he ripped Aleks' sword away from him as well and kicked it to where Sly's was. Sly stared at Aleks, mentally hoping he would be able to get away and possibly free him as well so they could weaken Mudkip and Nyarth together.

Before they knew it, Aleks and Sly were released from their magic prisons but they then realized that their swords were protected by a barrier even they couldn't break. Nyarth smirked as he strode towards Sly who tensed and backed away. As he did that, Mudkip leapt towards Aleks and pinned him to the ground. Not this again. Without his sword to back him up, he resorted to using his own abilities, as weak as they were, to kick Mudkip off of him. It worked for he was pushed off but as Aleks climbed back to his feet, the water Pokemon had slipped up behind him and locked his claws onto the back of his helmet, rendering him unable to remove him from the thing that kept his heart beating. But Mudkip didn't pull on it. He just held on so that his back claws raked down his back. He ignored the pain and back flipped into the wall behind him, yanking Mudkip off of his helmet.

Sly was not having the same luck with Nyarth as Aleks was having with Mudkip. Nyarth was trained and powerful, even though he thought himself as weak and helpless most of the time. In a strange way, he feared him right now, those red eyes angered and his appearance already scared with his fights for survival. Growling slightly, Nyarth waited for Sly to attack. Sly did the same but grew impatient with himself. Adjusting himself, he instead spoke, his voice confident but hinted with a desperate tone. "Nyarth. You can stop this. Just snap out of it!"

Nyarth only seemed to become angrier as he leapt towards Sly and grabbed his arm. He struggled against him, trying to pull away but resulting in his claws slipping past his armour and slicing into his skin once more. Tears brimming in his eyes, he held himself together before he reached his leg up and kicked him backwards. This wasn't too great of an idea because his claws just dug deeper into his skin, allowing for blood to leak out faster than ever. Growling, Nyarth spun around and flung Sly across the way but he caught his balance and narrowed his black eyes with determination. Filled with anger, he pulled out his revolver and aimed at his leg. He tried to jump away but it caught his leg. Struggling to not cry out, he jumped backwards and prepared himself for his next move, hoping he wouldn't end up being filled with bullet holes by the end of this. But Meowth simply touched his charm and deposited the revolver back in before he focused back on the BBF.

Aleks was getting weakened more and more as he fought Mudkip but he realized something when he saw him stumble and his breathing intensify. He was hurting him. A lot. Scared he was going to kill him, Aleks jumped forwards and and gently hit Mudkip on his head-fin in a way that weakened him to the point of which he would be unable to fight anymore. Falling to his side, the water Pokemon focused his gaze on Nyarth and telepathically told him that he was done for and if he fought more, he would die.

Nyarth stiffened and backed away from Sly. His red eyes focused on Mudkip's sane black ones. For a brief moment, his own eyes flashed blue but when a thought struck his mind, his eyes returned to red, glowing with intenseness. Growling, he panted and began to work up the magic around him to a beam of magic that would weaken whoever it touched. He then used his other magic to hover Aleks and Sly together. Aleks attempted to break free as did Sly but Aleks was more so, fearing for his life. Nyarth wasted no time as he shot the beam in between them, attempting to get both of them but Sly was able to pull a good ways away while Aleks only took the pain that came from it.

Nyarth stumbled towards the wall as his vision blurred from the amount of energy he used but protectively put up a barrier around himself and Mudkip, his red eyes shutting as he drifted into a sleep too deep to easily wake him up.

Aleks fell to the ground, but was able to catch himself, ignoring his own blood on his body as he struggled to stand up, forcing back tears of pain as the weakness he was so scared of feeling filled his body. But his eyes were focused on Nyarth whom he had noticed while throwing that beam had been losing energy the most fast rate he had ever seen. Sly had rushed to his side but he allowed Aleks to walk himself to Nyarth. As he did, Mudkip growled at him, his black eyes saddened at having to do that to another Eternal.

"It's okay Mudkip. I just need to know he's fine" Aleks choked out as he slumped to a sit besides Nyarth's knocked out mind. Reaching his hand out, he gently touched his heart and hearing his heart beat steadily, a sigh of relief escaped him. He was fine and alive but he couldn't help but feel guilty for having to have fought and hurt those he loved.

"He'll be fine" a voice sounded a little ways next to him. Turning his blue eyes to his side, he focused his eyes on Mudkip who was resting in his protection bubble but smiling softly as he gazed at the BBFs and the one he was following. "He just was trying to protect what he thinks is right" His voice was calm as he spoke.

"But how is any of this right? If you're in you're right mind, then why side with them and fight me?" Aleks asked, his mind swimming with too many thoughts to comprehend.

Mudkip turned his head away, remembering the promise he made to himself, a promise he made to his heart when Nyarth saved his life so many months ago. Sighing, the weakened water Pokemon finally looked back to the two. "When he is under the influence of Team Force Update, he has some Eternal thoughts but he is fueled by the desire to protect. He believes that protecting everything TFU holds dear the them is right. And..." he trailed off as he thought of the reason he promised such a thing. He saw Meowth like a brother and no matter what, he felt he needed to follow him through everything to show his love and dedication. Nothing could break that bond. "Well, I made a promise to follow him through everything. Plus, I am technically a TFU member now so I was simply doing my job"

Sly seemed to understand this as he simply pushed himself to a sit as he examined his bullet hole in his leg. He winched at the touch and carefully tied his armour tighter around it to help him ignore the pain. Aleks simply remained besides Nyarth, watching him and trying to get into his thoughts. But a barrier too strong for him to break through was present. He was no way getting through that. Sighing, he adjusted his helmet before standing up, wobbling a little bit. Catching his balance, he strolled over to their swords, the barrier around them having been lowered when Meowth shot the beam. He picked up his sword and clutched it tightly. He carried Sly's with him as he walked back over.

Handing his friend the sword, Sly carefully swished his tail in gratitude before he pulled himself to his feet and shook his head to rid himself of his pain. He had to just live with it now and fix it up when this was all over.

As the two began making their way to the ladders, they heard a voice call out to them. Turning to look at Mudkip, they allowed him to speak. "I can give you a tip of advice when you face Kevin. He may be doing the same as me, Nyarth, and Pikachuu goal-wise but he is also protecting the one true thing he loves. Keep that in mind" he said calmly, his own reverting back to the one he loved most. Twilight Sparkle and Nyx and Multip whom they had adopted as their daughters.

Aleks understood what that meant. He himself loved Herobrine and continued to and he would protect him from whatever he could even using his life to keep his former arch enemy safe. Sly too understood. Although he and Nova didn't like to openly express their love, they were very much a couple. He remembered trying to protect him his hardest in the last Immortal versus Eternal battle but failing. Nova had protected him then. Yep, they were definitely a thing.

But Kevin and Steven didn't openly express their love either but was it that their relationship was instead more private and it had intensified over time. If he was going to fight the hardest of them all, then they would definitely have to be careful because they all knew that once love was messed with, whoever messed with it was as good as dead.

Ascending up the ladder, the two prepared for the worst, Mudkip's warning ringing in both of their heads.

No. How had they gotten through Nyarth, Mudkip, and Pikachuu? Had Nyarth used too much energy in a last ditch effort to declare victory? They were here and if they got through him, they would get to Mew... and Steven. The thought alone sent ripples of fear through his body. Steven would not give up in a fight and he imagined that the two he was once friends with would kill him to get what they wanted, Mew. And Kevin wasn't going to let that happen.

He gripped his axe with a power he never thought he could have and carefully, he adjusted his hat and his coat, lined with the endless supply of bread he would use in this battle. His red eyes focused on the ladder, his gaze dangerous and his posture like a wild, threatened animal.

It was Aleks he caught sight of first and he remembered the last time they fought. He had hit him off the tower and he had fallen into the lava. He had been banned from returning to the world and for some strange reason, he had saved him back there as he was sure he was going to die. But they had survived and they were here for a rematch he was sure to win.

Aleks seemed to stop dead when his eyes locked with Kevin's, seeing the emotions fueled by a feeling behind them all. Love. It took him aback. Seeing his friend so... different but fueled by the same thing that he himself felt on a daily basis, it broke his heart to know he would have to fight him. He really didn't want to but there was no other way. If what Mudkip was true that he was protecting the purpose of TFU but also the one he loved the most, then both he and Sly were not going to win easily.

Sly appeared besides him and also seemed to be transfixed by Kevin himself. He didn't attack. He just stared. Sly did the same for a good few moments before he shook his head slowly and without any confident emotions, he took a step forwards, his black eyes locked on Kevin's red glowing ones. "K-Kevin. We only want Mew. We don't want to fight. J-Just stop this" he said, attempting to reach into his heart and make him gain full control. It seemed to work for a few moments as his eyes turned brown once more but one word, one name rang in his head as he did so. He snapped. His eyes glowed red once more, his attention locked on Sly for trying to sway him away from Steven and TFU. No, he wouldn't allow it.

"Do you really think that I will just turn my back on everything Team Force Update stands for? Then you are hereby wrong" he growled with a fierceness they had never heard before coming from Kevin. He moved his hand and reached into his coat, gripping something he would not yet reveal. He stared at the two intently, waiting for a reaction.

It was Aleks that broke the silence that had taken over the three. Gripping his sword he looked to Kevin and lowered his head, his mind just wanting to give up to not feel anymore pain. He wanted everything to just be happy and normal again. But when he lifted his head, the same angered eyes filled with love and hatred filled his vision. He gripped his sword and approached Kevin, slowly. He locked eyes with him, his own blue eyes hoping to reach inside him and make him stop. But as he approached, he realized he was within two feet away from him. His hand shook as he slowly reached forwards, attempting to touch Kevin's shoulder. Kevin didn't respond until he finally reacted right before Aleks touched him. His hand clutching the bread whipped out and hit Aleks, sending his flying to the wall opposite him. He groaned as he felt the weakness return to him and then the axe hit him, the same axe that caused all of this in the first place.

Kevin held Aleks against the wall with his axe, his hatred burning through the sheer amount of force he put through holding the axe against his chest. His red eyes burned into his head, leaving a seemingly permanent mark. Aleks didn't fight him but held his sword tightly. Kevin had been too caught up in his act of attacking Aleks that he had forgotten about Sly. When he felt the presence of someone behind him, he twisted his free hand backwards and hit Sly with the same bread he had used to attack Aleks. It hit him and the half-fox found himself being thrown back, feeling droplets of blood rain off of him. Terrified of fighting his friend but also scared of his BBF getting seriously hurt, Sly gripped his sword and leapt, his sword hitting Kevin's arm. He barely reacted to the deep cut in his arm that began to leak blood, he just dropped Aleks and swung his axe around attempting to hit Sly.

Sly dodged it, barley. His hand catching it enough for his own blood to leak into the open air. His ears flattened to his head, he stared at Kevin while backing away. With a low growl, Kevin lunged towards him, hitting him again with the bread that held together with a substance he and Steven had put into it to make it unbreakable. Sly tripped and fell to the ground and when he tried to stand once more, he was hit down with the axe. The axe settled on his chest, rendering him unable to move. Aleks crept up silently behind Kevin and lifted hi sword, ready to hit him away from his BBF when Kevin kicked him back into the wall, a few droplets of blood falling off of him.

Panicking, Aleks jumped back up but stumbled much to his surprise. He was becoming more and more weaker as time went on and Kevin was surely not going to go easy on him. But before he could do anything, Kevin growled once more and dug the axe into Sly, allowing for him to begin to bleed to the point of when the tears he was trying so hard to hide streamed down his face and even his powerful kicks against Kevin weren't enough to free him.

Fear filling his body, Aleks leapt and grabbed Kevin. With as much force as he could, he pulled Kevin backwards and off of Sly. Sly groaned with pain as he opened his black eyes blurred with tears to see Aleks hold onto Kevin and not let go until he felt the power of the piece of bread hit him once more to the wall. The wall was now starting to become covered with his blood but he didn't mind it, not when he finally was pinned to the wall, unable to move and fearing for his life. As he gripped his sword, he found he was so weak his grip was barely hanging onto it. And as Kevin used his axe to push him further into the wall, he finally lost grip of the sword and it sank to the floor with barely a sound. He had no way of defending himself against his friend now. And it seemed he was becoming too weak to even begin to struggle against him.

Kevin seemed to pick up on this as he felt him beginning to feel the effects of unconsciousness. All he had to do was push a little bit harder and he would be one BBF dead. But he didn't do it.

Carefully, he pulled the axe back and narrowed his red eyes to slits as he watched Aleks weakly sink to the ground and then look up to him, blood splattered on the floor and wall and still losing blood fast. "You know, I should kill you" he said, his voice cold and dangerous. Kevin leaned down and carefully touched Aleks and transferred energy into a spell on Aleks. He thought it was poison and he was going to be dead within a few minutes but when he looked down to his wounds, he realized it was a spell to close open wounds. Still weak, he looked up to Kevin's red eyes and thought he say his true brown eyes but they were quickly replaced by the same red glowing ones.

He didn't speak for Kevin cut him off, his voice the same as before. "But it's not worth it"

Turning his back on Aleks, Kevin focused his eyes on his real enemy, Sly. He had not attacked because he had been transfixed by the sudden change of tone of Kevin. He hadn't killed him and instead helped him after he almost killed him. Was the real Kevin still there, doing what he knew was right and not killing his friend? He didn't know. Sword in hand, Sly held it up in a defensive manner, ready for whatever attack Kevin would most likely do next.

His heart stopped when he saw the energy beginning to build off of Kevin in a green, acid-like beam that he recognized all too well. Poison-beam. His signature move. Fear emitting from his eyes, Kevin took his time gathering the energy as he stared at Sly, ignoring the urge to say something to him. Once he had the beam ready, realization sprang onto Sly's features. He jumped upwards in an attempt to escape it but it hit him anyways but only a little bit he realized. The poison crawled inside his body, causing him to crash once more to the ground. He had fallen and was trying his best to hide the fact he was in pain but there was no use. He was helpless to do anything but allow the pain to flow through him. But then, it stopped.

Opening his eyes, he focused on Kevin who had reached down to touch him and did the same thing he did to Aleks but instead removed the majority of the poison from his system but he left a little bit, not going to be completely nice. Sly stared up at him for a long moment as he tried to understand what was happening. After a few moments, Sly finally pulled himself to his feet, his eyes locked on his friend as he gripped his sword carefully.

"Kevin, please. Stop this" Sly pleaded with him, lowering his sword in an act to show his dark friend that he didn't want to fight him. Kevin didn't respond but instead he gripped the piece of bread covered with both Sly's and Aleks' blood carefully. A ripple of fear snapped inside Sly as he raised the sword once more and attacked Kevin. He swung the sword, hitting him on the side of the head and knocking him to the side. Kevin had not seen it coming for he let out a rare whimper from his throat in shock and pain. Blood leaked from a wound to his head and only then he he realize just how weak he had become what with using the beam and two spells plus the multiple cuts on his body already.

Ignoring the blood leaking onto the floor besides him, he narrowed his eyes in anger and did something he knew was foolish to do. He was just too angered by the thought of Sly attempting to beat him and then possibly kill his Steven and reclaim their prize, Mew. He gripped the bread and threw it at Sly, it flying at a speed even he was shocked by. Sly had not seen it coming either and he did the only thing he could do, the only thing he could do to protect himself. He raised his sword and pushed it forward, allowing for the bread to boomerang off it's surface and fling back towards Kevin.

There had been no time to react as he felt the bread hit him in the chest, forcing him back against the wall. As soon as the momentum of the bread lessened, he found himself slipping down to the ground, his own blood leaking out onto the bread and hitting the floor. No. He couldn't be defeated. He couldn't give in. He just couldn't. For Pikachuu, Nyarth, and Mudkip. For Team Force Update itself. And what he himself truly cared about. Steven.

A cough radiated from his throat as he fought against the urge to fall unconscious. He had to fight. Slipping the bread back into his coat, he flung his axe at Sly, using the last amount of energy he could muster into the throw. He aimed it perfectly at his bullet ridden leg and as he heard the pained cry of Sly and saw his crumble to the ground much like himself. He smirked with pleasure as he felt unconsciousness overcome him. Of course he fought it but he was too weak. He was too beaten. He could do nothing but let his vision and mind go dark.

Sly panted, his breaths heavy and painful as he stared at first to the ground the  to Kevin who he could see as being unconscious but defiantly alive as his chest, although battered, rose and fell with each breath. He was hurt as was he himself but he seemed to just be needing rest. He hadn't meant to harm him in such a way, and a pang of guilt hit him with unrelenting force. What had he done? Ignoring the agonizing pain in his leg, the half-fox limped towards Kevin and, very gently, touched his chest, feeling his heartbeat and transferring a little bit of energy to close up his leaking wounds.

Smiling softly to himself, his attention snapped to Aleks as he heard movement a little ways besides him. Aleks weakly pushed himself to a higher sit. His gaze landed on Kevin as he did so. Tilting his head, he looked up to Sly, whom he noticed was just as hurt as he and Kevin were here. "Hey" he said simply, his blue eyes shifting from Sly to Kevin and back. "So I'm guessing he and you are alright?" he asked, slight concern lacing his tone. It was rare that Aleks would openly express concern but this was no time to hide his emotions. He cared deeply about everyone involved here and he wanted them to be safe when not having control of their actions.

A sigh escaped Sly as he slumped to a sit besides Aleks, resting his server oh injured leg that had stopped bleeding. It still hurt though. Of course it did. "I'm as I can be. So is Kevin. But what about you? Even with that spell, you still are pretty weak" Sly answered honestly, his attention focused mainly on the well being of his friend more than himself. As a Curer, he felt it was his job to do so but more so now that a close friend of his was hurt beyond normality.

Aleks shook his head, remembering something Herobrine had once told him when he had been injured all those months ago. He had been in a similar state and His lover had said something he took to heart and now felt like it was a good time to tell Sly the same. "Look, I'm fine but you need to focus on the present and not what could happen. Here, take my sword and go get Mew but don't do something you'll eventually regret" he stated as he gripped his sword and handed it to Sly. He hesitated at first but then gently took it from his hand.

"No. You're coming with me" Sly mused, a fearful and desperate expression in his eyes. Even determined Sly knew he couldn't take on Steven and win alone. He would be up against the Team Force Update leader who was surely the most powerful plus he had hurt his lover which would not settle well with him and now Aleks was making him to alone? He knew he was hurt too, weaken beyond normality but he didn't want to do this alone. He couldn't do this alone.

Aleks chuckled slightly, turning his head away to look up to a seemingly unknown and far away world. "Come on Sly. I can't fight Steven. Not now at least. Just go up there but be careful. I'll be up there in a few minutes" He sighed, lowering his head in a posture of defeat. "I need to rest a little bit longer"

Lifting his gaze back up to meet Sly's as he watched his friend nod and stand up, putting as little weight on his injured leg as possible. He gripped both his and Aleks' swords as he responded to his friend, "Alright. Just please be careful yourself" When he saw Aleks nod his head himself, another soft sigh escaped him as he began to slowly climb up the ladders, his mind ringing with what Aleks had told him and what he knew was true. That this would not end well and that if he failed, both he and Aleks were as good enough as dead.

Steven would not go easy on him and in his state, he feared for his life but not as much as he feared for all of their lives. None of them deserved what was surely to come.

He was sure of it. Kevin and the others had stopped the two Bread Bandit Friends and Team Force Update had had won. Every once in a while, he would glance towards the ladders, expecting to see Kevin and come to him so they could spend time together, as if the threat had never happened. As the half-wolf stared dreamily into the bubble shielded Mew, a statue now more than anything, his couldn't help but to allow his Eternal-like thoughts fill his mind. He knew Mew was his friend but more so than not, he was awkward around the psychic Pokemon, because he was terrified of turning TFU and taking Mew hostage.

The thought didn't settle though, because he immediately told himself that what they were doing was right and that Sly and Aleks were in the wrong for trying to tell them what to do and take something they didn't deserve. The the thoughts subsided as the thoughts of the other TFU members filled his brain. Pikachuu he wasn't too familiar with but he was a good fighter and loyal. He liked him despite not speaking directly to him too much. Nyarth was interesting character to him. His TFU mind was in the right place but he preferred to manipulate the world around him rather than to straight out fight his way through. He was strange. Steven's TFU mind would constantly feel something strange when he looked into the Pokemon's equally glowing red eyes. In a way, he kind of put him on edge at times. Mudkip was not one of them yet he was apart of the Team. He was the follower to Nyarth and despite not under their influence, he still put up a good fight and didn't turn his back on them. He was interesting. Steven thought this world needed more of him.

Steven didn't like the next thought, it even caused him to growl softly to himself. Sly and Aleks had once been his best friends but once they turned their backs on him and Kevin, he had snapped, allowing for the darkness of TFU take over him, and welcoming it. Sly was determined and rarely ever gave up on a fight but he more than often wanted to figure things out through words. Words were useless to him and he would much rather fight the fox than speak to him, at least now. Aleks was a different story. They had been friends but he always had called him out on things which only fueled more hatred from Steven now more than anything. Plus, he knew he was weak in this world. He had probably been taken out almost immediately.

When the thought of Kevin reached his mind, he visually became more calmer than usual. Kevin had that kind of charm on him, always able to calm him and make him feel safe, even more so when not under the influence of TFU. He was always so gentle with him and protective to everything that mattered, especially him. He gave him a sense of security no one else could bring, plus he was always by his side despite not liking to openly express their relationship around the others. Personally, Steven was fine with that. It just meant they could get along better in private, allowing for both of their feelings to come out at a more convenient time.

He was thrown out of his thoughts when his sensitive senses caught the sound of someone coming up the ladders. A smirk crept onto Steven's face as he expected to find Kevin come up but who appeared made his already cold blood run cold and his heart to skip a beat in shock. It was Sly, the half-fox and his arch enemy. But Aleks was nowhere in sight. Was it that he had been left with Kevin like the last time and this was supposed to parallel that or was Aleks and Kevin... No, he wouldn't didn't like that. Not when he was so close to victory.

Anger filled him, fueled by hatred. Red eyes narrowing, Steven swished his tail, a low growl escaping his throat. Sly was hurt, in his leg. His wolf senses reached out to that, taking note of his injury and the swords he gripped in his hands. One was his and the other was... Aleks'. Maybe Aleks was dead, but then where did that leave Kevin? Why did the possibility of Aleks being dead hurt him? He hated the druger with a passion. Curse his stupid Eternal thoughts!

"Sly... Where is Kevin?" Steven growled, taking a small step towards his enemy. Although he himself didn't notice it, a spark of fear hit his glowing red eyes. Sly seemed to pick this feeling up for a radiant of fear himself overcame him. He gulped and shook a little as he addressed Steven, feeling suddenly as though he was stuck in a nightmare. In a way, he kind of was.

"He's fine. Steven... Just release Mew and we don't have to do this. I-I don't want to fight you" Sly's voice shook slightly as he stepped towards Steven, the swords pointed downwards and his injured leg dragging on the ground a little bit.

One a moment, Steven considered reasoning with Sly but it was instantly covered up by the hatred and anger directed towards the BBFs. He growled, staring daggers at him as he answered him, "Not happening" dangerously and without a hint of hesitation.

A pain hit his heart as Sly couldn't help but drop his two swords in a slow manner before he locked his eyes with Steven, his expression calm but desperate. Why? Why was he simply giving up? The thing was, he wasn't giving up. He was simply trying to reason with him. He knew it wasn't going to work but he needed to try. He needed to try to get to his heart. As he approached him, Steven only stiffened but didn't react. It was like with Aleks and Kevin but there was something different by the way he didn't react. It was kind of like he was considering fighting back against the urges of TFU.

Two feet away from him, Sly stopped and stared at Steven, silently begging him to understand. He wanted him to stop, to let things go back to normal. "Steven..." the half-fox breathed as silence fell over the two at the top of the tower.

Then the silence was broken by the sound of someone else climbing up the ladders. Steven was the first to pull his gaze away, followed by Sly. They silently waited until they Mudkip hauled himself up to the top. He shook himself slightly and glanced back downwards until Pikachuu hopped up, followed by Nyarth who had grabbed onto Pikachuu's tail for support. He groaned a little with annoyance for he felt too weak to even climb a ladder by himself. As Pikachuu helped Nyarth by transferring energy back into him to give him strength, Mudkip glanced briefly towards Sly and Steven and, catching Steven's red glowing eyes, he looked away. Turning his attention back to the ladders, he flicked his tail next to him as he reached down to grab onto someone. He pulled up Kevin who held Aleks gently to his side as he realized just how weak he was. Once at the top, Aleks nodded gratefully at Kevin and Mudkip and shook him, ridding the uncomfortable feeling from his body.

Sly was the first to realize why they seemed to be giving off a different vibe. The TFU members did not have red eyes and the smoke around them was nonexistent. It took a longer moment for it to click in Steven's mind as he felt a strange sensation in his mind. It was strange because he was ready for a fight one second and now this second, he felt wrong, like he was making a terrible mistake. He didn't react, his eyes emotionless as the red glow began to slip away. Sly stared at him as did Aleks who was now leaning onto Sly for support. Nyarth, Pikachuu, and Mudkip stared as well, but they were more encouraging than the BBFs.

But his attention flickered from them immediately to Kevin who had approached him more slowly than the others. His eyes cast downwards at first and he refused to speak to him. Steven's mind whirled with thoughts as he felt like breaking down into nothingness. He wanted to stay loyal to Team Force Update but at the same time, Kevin and the others weren't on his side anymore. It hurt. It hurt him so much.

His thoughts were interrupted by his lover as Kevin reached his arm around Steven and pulled him closer to him. Steven didn't fight it and he simply allowed Kevin to pull him into a hug, one that made his breath catch in his throat. He didn't feel confident like before or in control anymore. But the hug, it caused something to snap inside of him. He couldn't hold it back anymore. As his red glow diminished and he returned to normal, he felt tears stream from his eyes. "I'm sorry" Steven whimpered as he felt his own tail wrap around Kevin in an act of comfort. The dark thoughts left his mind, filled only with what he had been planning to do. It hurt him to know that he had been planning to do that to his friends and being fine with it.

A sound behind him resulting in Kevin gently releasing him from his embrace, one that made him feel safer than anything else. He noticed Kevin, Nyarth, Pikachuu, and Mudkip were all staring at whatever it was in a sense of guilt and slight fear. Sly and Aleks looked to whatever it was with understanding. Taking a deep breath, Steven leaned against Kevin as he turned around to face it. Mew. He liked Mew and considered the psychic Pokemon his friend unless under the influence of TFU, which he had just been. Mew hovered in front of them and telepathically contacted all seven of them at the same time, assuring them he had no hard feelings as he knew the ones under TFU influence had no control.

"Can we go back now? I think all of us need to get some rest after this" Aleks reasoned, glancing towards the others and then at Steven with a friendly smile. Mew nodded and enveloped them all in a bubble that teleported them all back to the Eternal world. Carefully, Mew hovered up both Sly and Aleks before he began to hover them away, possibly to go heal them. Pikachuu did the same to Nyarth and, with a careful flick of his tail, Mudkip followed them, leaving Kevin and Steven alone. Kevin was injured too, but his attention was not on him at the moment. His attention was all for Steven, and Steven alone.

He didn't have to guess when he saw Steven almost break down in front of him. He gently pulled Steven into his embrace once more, holding him tighter than before but gently all the same. Once more, Steven wrapped his tail around Kevin, giving them both a sense of security. Steven cried softly as did Kevin, who was better had hiding his sorrow than his lover.

"I love you Steven" Kevin whispered to him, holding him in a way that felt like he was trying to protect Steven from every danger in the world. It definitely felt like that. Heart beating in his chest, Steven returned his words with his own.

"I love you too Kevin" sincerely as continued to hold onto Kevin.

As long as they were together, nothing could break them apart. Not Team Force Update, the Bread Bandit Friends, or Immortals.

Nothing could break them apart now.

Nothing.

Love Has No Limits - Nyarth, Roketto-Dan, Twerps, Pokemon, and Others

It was no secret that Nyarth did not listen to his heart that much anymore. No matter how far he was pushed, his fear of hurting himself or someone else he loves was too much for him to bear. He still had some of his qualities that made him, him. But he also presented himself as being a rather paranoid and scarred creature. How he represented the Element of Laughter was still beyond him. But when he questioned it, his heart had said it was right. He listened that time.

It was also no secret that those he was closest to often acted like his shadow, watching him and trying their best to protect him from whatever they could. Mainly Roketto-Dan, the Rainbow Factory Controllers, the Drugers, and Amber. Roketto-Dan especially. Their bond had linked their souls for life and when Kojiro began to feel overprotective of his best friend, it was enough to send Nyarth into a series of fits that sounded much like his old self. And when he had finally snapped, he didn't ask, more demanded that he stop being so overprotective of him. At the moment, he had not seemed scared of what would happen. He just only cared about that given moment.

That was the Nyarth they had grown to love.

But what really struck them was his most recent injury, one that had left him slipping into a very easily, a bad state. It had affected all of Roketto-Dan, especially Musashi and Kojiro, who had been with the feline longer than anyone else and, despite knowing he was unable to die, even the thought of losing him was too much for them to bear.

Was his actions foolish? Maybe, but what if he had reacted on instinct, on his heart's desire? He had reacted how the Nyarth they had grown to love would react and whether that was a good thing or a bad thing was too early to figure out.

Why the original three, the TRio, decided to just wander into the peaceful Pokemon world that morning was still a mystery to them. They just thought it would be a good idea, a good change of pace.

The entire time, Kojiro had been watching Nyarth, who rarely said a word and, with one slight nudge to his mind, realized that he was remembering. Remembering everything that had happened before... well the incidents. Multiple times, they would stop when he would stop, his eyes becoming unfocused and when he looked into his mind, came across a bad memory, normally of him being separated from Musashi and Kojiro. After they would calm him, they would continue on their way.

Silence dragged on between them before Nyarth stopped once more, them having wandered into a field with a large tree in the middle. Pausing, Musashi and Kojiro looked back to him but when they probed his mind, instead of him remembering a bad memory, he simply had placed a strong mind barrier up against them, making them unable to see his thoughts without hurting him.

His eyes were not unfocused but instead thoughtful as he stared at the tree, a memory flickering in his mind. A memory that didn't remind him too much of Pikachuu at the given moment but of the second time he came here. It had not been the time when he and Pikachuu had stayed there when they had been bound together, when their bond had begun truly. In his mind right now, nothing else existed but himself, his two best friends, and that tree. That was it.

The second time was when they had stayed there for a night and when he had let his emotions slip slightly when he realized that he had been questioning his relationship with his partners a few days earlier. He had not cried but apparently, he had made some sort of noise for both Musashi and Kojiro to soften themselves to pull the scratch cat into their embrace, comforting him in a way he had never been able to process until he felt it again years later. Now they had returned to it. On purpose, accidentally, he didn't know. And he didn't care. They were just back.

"Do youse guys miss it?" he asked suddenly, his voice deprived of emotion as he refused to avert his attention away from the tree.

His question caught both of them off guard and surprisingly, even Musashi couldn't think up a respond. Nudging Kojiro, she cast a glance between him and Nyarth, knowing that he should answer the very open minded question.

Arranging his words carefully like he did every time he spoke to Nyarth nowadays so as to not emotionally hurt him, Kojiro took a step towards Nyarth, who still refused to look at him.

"Miss what exactly, Nyarth?" he asked steadily. What else could he say?

"All of it. Every damn t'in'" Nyarth reported, a slightly annoyed glint falling into his voice. "Maybe not so much of da bad stuff but... ya know, just da t'ree of us. No worries an' our relationship rada... uh, strained" His voice grew softer with each word. His answer was more specific than either of them wanted. And his words drew a hole in their own hearts.

Musashi took it upon herself to understand why he believed their relationship had been strained. She remembered deliberately taking all her anger out on Kojiro and Nyarth, hurting them but not to a point of no return. She remembered the coldness she had felt towards them at first and then how, slowly, her heart began to soften like they were getting to her hardened heart. They had and now the evidence of the change was right in front of her.

Tearing her gaze to look at her feline partner now, she couldn't help but see what he had meant from a conversation a few months before. They had asked him if he could ever return to how he had once been before. He had said that he could be like that again but not completely. The damage had already been done and it could not be reversed.

Seeing him now confirmed that statement. Instead of just Nyarth she saw, she saw a damaged and scarred Nyarth. He had become someone thrown into a world he never knew existed until it was too late. He had received so many scars for his loyalty but the one thing he had said to them was that he would do all of it over again if it meant he could have what he had now. Friends, a life, a lover, and... a family. Love was the one key thing that made him keep going.

Love. Such a cheesy word that the hard-hearted Musashi often times brushed it off as just being that, but seeing all Nyarth had gone through and continuing on with such power and determination was inspiring, even though she would never admit that out loud. He would go through all of the pain and suffering again and again just to feel the love he felt now. Why did he need to be so badly damaged for her to finally realize this?

Crouching down next to Nyarth, she gently placed her hand on his shoulder, trying to get a further reaction from him. Nothing. He remained silent.

Kojiro may not have been as cruel to Nyarth or Musashi but he had done his fair share of it towards Nyarth especially. Of course, he not being as fragile as he was now at that point, he had not reacted too much to any abuse he would inflict onto him. But Nyarth was in fact, simply hiding such emotions. Never did he show his intense pain, whether physical or emotional. He hid it, rather well. Now even, he could see the emotions flicking in his blue eyes, though they stared, unblinking ahead of him.

He knew Nyarth cared though. If he was willing to go through his life still even with how he was now, a battle damaged and scarred Pokemon, then who was he to oppose him? He knew that even with him standing up to him about him being too overprotective, it was still clear that he cared enough to not be too angry. He more or less had been more demanding than angry.

Love was not something he thought much about, seeing as how he had trouble experiencing it himself but Nyarth had learned to feel it the hard way, far too many times. But he knew it was strong, at least in the heart of the scratch cat. He had proved time and time again that he would do anything for anything he loved. Anything. That was admirable. How could he not figure this out before he had become this badly damaged?

Following Musashi's lead, Kojiro crouched down on Nyarth's other side and very carefully and gently pet the back of his head, unsure if the friendly gesture would flip a switch or not.

Silently, they all agreed to remain in silence until Nyarth cracked it as he gently pushed his friends off of him and took a few steps forward only to stop and turn back to stare at them, his blue eyes blank but hinting with a tint of sadness and longing.

Shaking his head as if to rid himself of bad thoughts, which he most likely was, he finally spoke.

"I miss it. A lot. But we have what we can get an' I'm happy wid dat but..." He trailed off, pain filling his eyes. "But I feel like instead of growin' closa, we're only growin' furda apart" his voice grew fainter and fainter with each word. Dragging his gaze away, he finally resisted any and all eye contact with his friends.

His words were probably not meaning to be powerful but they were, cutting a hole even in Musashi's heart, Kojiro' being relatively easy.

In a way, they knew where he was coming from. Before they became Eternals, they did not have many worries and their bond had been strong yet strained at the same time. As Eternals, they had appeared to have grown closer but was that true? In fact, Nyarth's lack of following his heart seemed to be driving a wedge in their relationship. They never admitted to it though, of course, but it was still true.

The nightmares the three shared did not help either. Nyarth would normally be the one to constantly have them and, if it is that severe, would sometimes crawl from wherever he had fallen asleep and seek them out in order to receive comfort. They rarely said anything about it, but they too were having nightmares, specifically of their relationship being put to the test and then failing without so much as a kick.

But before either could react, Nyarth returned his gaze and fought with himself inwardly, finally gaining the courage to look into their eyes. He held it, no matter how much he desired to pull away and sink into a pit of his own despair. Normally, that would be exactly what he would do. But not this time. This time was much too important for that.

"But I dun care t'ough. But I must ask... What am I ta youse guys?" he asked, though his voice hinted at a tone of demanding, like he needed to know. He just needed the answer to the question.

The question, despite put in simple words, was not so easy to understand.

"What do you mean, Nyarth?" Musashi asked cautiously, catching a glint of annoyance in his blue eyes at her question.

"I mean what am I ta youse guys?" he forcefully said now, narrowing his blue eyes slightly.

The question was not the most easiest to answer, especially for Musashi. But It was a good question nonetheless. What was Nyarth to her? Was he a friend? Just a partner? Or something more? It all was so very complicated that even with her usual confidence, the intensity of her smaller partner's gaze literally sucked out any smartass answer towards him. Plus, she knew better than to ask for his opinion on them first. He would definitely take it the wrong way and push them away and probably cut his relationship with them completely off because he would believe that they didn't care about him at all.

But that wasn't true. It never was.

He was a bipedal and talking Pokemon. A Pokemon, that was what he was. Did she ever really see him as that? Maybe a few times but in normality, his species had not mattered to her. He had been smarter than all Pokemon they had ever come across and plus, he never acted like one of them, appearing more human each and every day the trio remained together. At some point, she had completely forgotten about what he was and only focused on who he was. At first a partner, then her friend.

In Eternalship, she easily concluded both Kojiro and Nyarth as her best friends, knowing very well that Nyarth needed all the support he could get in his time of need and as he began to slip away from his true self and deeper and deeper into depression, she had not just let him figure it out on his own nor did she feel the need to abandon him when he refused her help. Best friend was a good choice of words, but he also slowly began to become something even more. Something that was beyond anything Musashi could have imagined she could feel about anyone. She found it in both Kojiro and Nyarth.

Despite all she had done to them, they still remained by her side. Even when they both had had the chances to leave her and go their separate ways, they refused, standing by her side and refusing to give up. Especially Nyarth. Back then, he had rarely backed down from a fight and that was a quality he still embraced. Even when she got so angry that she just wanted to rip his head right off of his neck, she could never bring herself to do so. Something deep within her told her not to. Something always stopped her and only now was it starting to click.

Kojiro had very quickly seen Nyarth as more than just a partner and quickly as a friend. Even despite his minor abuses towards him, he would still stick by his side, just like how he did so with Musashi, though he always knew that the scratch cat was just doing what he thought he needed to do. And that was being loyal to his friends.

When he had become an Eternal, Kojiro had very quickly saw both Musashi and Nyarth as his best friends. Nyarth, who had been beginning to slip deeper and deeper into madness, was exactly why he had become overprotective of him. He needed help and was paranoid to the point where he was growing suspicious of those he was closest to. Even Pikachuu and them. Kojiro had simply wanted to protect him and in doing so, had begun to figure something out about Nyarth.

Nyarth was his best friend but with this growing realization, he began to think a little bit harder. Was it possible that he was something more? Why was it only taking now for it to finally click?

Nyarth watched them carefully, his gaze never wavering as he waited for their answer, if they even had an answer to give. Just when he was sure his heart was going to melt away into nothingness, they spoke. Not at the same time but they spoke and their words honestly surprised him, surprised him to to point that he took a step back in shock.

"You're not our friend Nyarth" Kojiro started, watching him flinch in internal pain at the words but he did not hesitate anymore. He needed to say this. "You may not be our friend but according to me, you are much more than that. I know you may not understand this but... You're like a brother to me, you and Musashi" Nyarth seemed to freeze, though his gaze remained blank. He did not speak.

Seeing her opportunity, Musashi awkwardly took it upon herself to say her thoughts. "I guess I mean the same thing as Kojiro. You and him are more like brothers to me than anything. So, does that answer your question?" She tried to make it not sound annoyed, hoping he didn't interpret it that way. When he took a step back, she instantly regretted her decision to say that last part.

It was so simple yet so filled with meaning but his mind couldn't believe their words. Sure, he considered them his family but going so far as to say that Musashi and Kojiro were his brother and sister... Could he really call them that when his own blood brothers and sister fell to his own claws? How could they think of him in such a way anyways?

Struggling against his own thoughts, he forced out a word, a question if you must call it that. "W-Why?" His voice shook as he spoke and confusion and fear filled his blue eyes. The fear was what caught the two others off guard.

"Why what, Nyarth?" Kojiro gently asked him. The scratch cat didn't respond for he had pulled his gaze away, his eyes wandering.

"Just tell us what you mean Nyarth" Musashi added, her voice strangely soft and confused.

Shaking slightly, Nyarth straightened himself as he rephrased his question entirely. "Why youse t'ink dat may not have an answa. So how 'bout dis?" he said as he stepped back forward, lifting his head to meet his friends' gazes evenly.

"If I was hurt, would ya help me? If I was dyin', would ya save me? If I was in danga, would ya risk yer life for me? If I was anyt'in' would ya die for me? 'Cause I would do so in a heartbeat" Nyarth confidently said, letting out his true emotions once more, holding his head high and not pulling his gaze away. He had said it and now all he needed to do was face whatever answers they came up with. A part of him said he should prepare for the rejection. The other part of him remained silent, telling him to stay silent.

Silence regained them, as thoughts raced through the three of their minds, The silence seemed to last forever, to the point where he began to feel his heart begin to break. But he stayed still and didn't move, a quality he had also been able to keep from his true self.

But the thing was, they didn't answer his questions in words. More like actions. They were the ones to break his gaze, and were very close to breaking his heart as they shared a glance. Smiling to themselves, they reached towards Nyarth and gently pulled him into a hug, a joint embrace of what they would normally do at night, when Nyarth needed comfort because of a nightmare.

This one was not exactly the same. It was instead more gentle and more loving than usual. It was more safe and welcoming. And he liked it. He liked it a lot.

Kojiro had removed one of his hands from the embrace and began to gently pet the back of his head while Musashi too removed a hand to trail her fingers on his chest in her way of petting him without making her seem softer than she already was. Holding back a purr, he stared up at them and, very carefully leaned upwards to gently nuzzle into them, which they welcomed almost immediately, allowing for a smile to fall onto his own face.

For the time being, none of them cared where they were. Just as long as they were together, they felt like nothing could get in their way.

"Dis is not ma fault" Nyarth grumbled annoyingly to Musashi and Kojiro as he continued walking down towards the exit to the cave.

"If it's not, then whose fault is it?" Musashi reported back to him, causing the Pokemon to avert his annoyed glare up to her.

"Hey, youse were da one who told me ta remove da stupid rock in da first place" he shot back, matter-of-faculty.

Oh how much Musashi wanted to hit him for that, but she ignored the urge, knowing all too well that it may not end well. But he was sort of right. She had been the one to tell him to remove the rather large rock beside them when they had wandered on top of the hill. But who would've thought that the rock would cause them to fall through the roof of the cave and into the cave itself? Good thing they were not too far away from the exit so they didn't have to aimlessly wander throughout the dark cave without knowing where they were going.

"Can we just stop arguing about this for once? It wasn't anyone's fault, alright?" Kojiro cut in, annoyed himself but for other reasons. Arguing was something Musashi and Nyarth always resorted to and now was no different.

"Fine" they said at the same time, Nyarth turning his gaze back to in front of them. Without thinking and not caring what the other two did or say, he raised his paw and unsheathed a claw. Carefully, he brought the claw through his soft front paw pad on his other paw and watched carefully as the blood began to seep out of the wound he himself had made. Ignoring the way his vision began to see things in blurs, he gently licked the blood off of his paw, savouring it and swallowing it whenever he began to feel his vision lose a blur or two.

But his actions did not go completely unnoticed. Even though they had seen him do this multiple other times before, Musashi and Kojiro still had trouble understanding his blood desire. It was no longer an interest or an addiction. It was now a thing he needed to survive and to prevent himself from going completely insane. Sure, he did not desire Eternal blood and would slaughter any other Pokemon or Immortal he came across but if neither were present, he had trained his mind to feed off his own blood. It was strange but not something they would question. He seemed to be rather sensitive on the subject in general anyways.

They were near the exit now and good thing too. The darkness was beginning to take their toll on them. But right when they were going to walk out, Nyarth froze, letting his paw drop slowly to his side as he looked behind him into the darkness, his aura vision having turned itself on. He had just accidentally looked back and now, he instantly regretted it. In a bright red aura was the silhouette of a not so happy Rhyhorn, a Pokemon of which lived in caves. They must've awoken it on accident.

Briefly gathering a wave of it's thoughts, he slowly flattened his ears to the top of his head, his right ear unable to fully flatten due to the nail sticking straight through it. He knew that it was planning to hurt them and no amount of talking could waver it's decision. But maybe they could convince it that they were no threat. Maybe, but he doubted it.

"Musashi. Kojiro. Turn 'round an' slowly back away" Nyarth hissed quietly to the two others, hoping that they could understand his warning. As he spoke, he slowly began to back away from the angry Pokemon, that had begun advancing on them.

Musashi would have said something to him if she did not notice the downright fear in his eyes. Following his frozen gaze, she too carefully followed his lead, Kojiro following as well. Nyarth silently thanked the Funnelers that they didn't say anything. That would have only made things even worse.

He honestly had no idea what to do but he did catch a projected, stray thought towards him from the Rhyhorn. It was then that something snapped in his mind. His mind was in a frenzy immediately while his heart remained calm, even though it was beating faster than ever before. His mind told him to stay still and to let whatever was going to happen, happen. He had the full urge to agree and do nothing but his heart... It hurt. It hurt so much to know that he had the urge to do nothing while the Rhyhorn would try to kill his partners, his best friends, his family.

And it was not a thought driven process as he thought over his options. There was no time for that. No, instead he reacted on instinct, his heart taking him over as he allowed a fire to burn in his eyes and, without a word, he shouted a dragon shout into the air that sent off a blinding white light around the Rhyhorn. It should have been enough to scare it away but the fire in his eyes was not doused just yet. With a sharp growl, he lept into the white light, very much intending to hurt it, to kill it.

But the white light also had a sound barrier up, one that prevented all sounds from outside and inside to reach the other side. Nyarth had used such a thing before so Musashi and Kojiro knew that trying to yell out to him was useless but still, the sickening silence that occurred was the worst thing ever. Whether Nyarth could take the much larger Pokemon was unknown to them. They had seen him take down dragons without so much as moving but also get completely torn up from another nyarth. So they honestly had no idea what was to happen to him. He was unable to die sure, but that didn't mean he was completely invincible.

The silence seemed to last for hours and hours when in actuality, it only lasted for a few short minutes. Suddenly, the bright white light and it's sound barrier vanished into thin air and both Pokemon jumped backwards, away from each other. Nyarth landed clumsily to his feet, his body shaking and his claws caked with blood, his blue eyes still burning with anger. The Rhyhorn was bleeding, heavily from multiple different wounds, some of which looked like some kind of power beams or something. What kind of things Nyarth had done to it were probably only ever going to be in the minds of the scratch cat and his victim.

The Rhyhorn stumbled when it tried to charge once more at Nyarth who used the energy he was given from his fury to use a water infused power beam which shot straight into the confused Pokemon. He smirked deviously as he jumped up once more and flew towards it, his most powerful dragon shout burning up in his throat. Without a second thought, he released the Fus Ro Dah, sending the rock type into the stone hard cave wall.

The Rhyhorn slowly stumbled to it's feet and immediately turned tail and fled back into the cave's darkness, intent on getting as far from there was possible, terrified of what the little normal type scratch cat could do.

Musashi and Kojiro were in complete shock. They had seen Nyarth fight before, but not to this full extent. He seemed to be the most powerful thing ever at that point but the one thing that struck them as odd was the fact that he didn't kill it. He always killed his enemy whenever he thought it was necessary. Plus, this Pokemon deserved it. So why would he let it go? Certainly not a change of heart right? Definitely not.

It was then that they noticed truly how Nyarth looked. He was not invincible and did not get out of that fight uninjured. He was shaking uncontrollably and his ears were still flattened against the top of his head. His tail only now showed it's true self; limp and blood seeping from multiple cuts. His left leg was barely had any weight on it, implying heavily that it was broken. Multiple other cuts and bruises covered his body and the soft pads on all four of his paws were bleeding. His charm was the main thing wrong though. It was a dull grey, the very faintest hint of gold still lingering but in all honesty, there was no trace of it in the other twos' eyes.

He was holding one of his paws against the ground, struggling to hold himself upright but he was failing. Slowly, he turned his eyes up to his best friends, his eyes pleading and painful, the fire having died down moments ago.

"M-Muh-sa-sa-shi... K-Ko-ji-r-ro..." He choked out, his voice weak and pained. He was hurt. A lot, and they didn't know how to help him.

AsNyarth's vision blurred to the point that he could no longer keep his balance, he was surprised when he did not hit the ground but was instead caught by the gentle grasp of Kojiro. Struggling to focus his eyes, he felt himself beginning to be picked up off of the ground. In any other case, he might have opposed it but he was just too weak to complain right now.

Nyarth's lack of response to the movement really made them worry. He would always react in some way, shape, or form. Now, he said nothing. He didn't do anything. If anything, he let out the smallest of whimpers as Musashi gently touched his severely broken tail. Even with the warmth from both his friend and the sun overhead, he still shivered, the pain in his body too much for him to bear.

"Musashi we have to help him" Kojiro said to the other, his grip on Nyarth tight yet gentle as to not hurt him further.

Even Musashi could tell the serious condition he was in and the colour of his charm was not helping. No longer was any trace of gold in it but just a dull grey. Kojiro was right, he did need help.

"How though?" she asked carefully, looking worriedly at her smaller partner. Carefully, she tried to touch his broken leg but she only received a painful whimper when she barely touched it. She pulled her hand away the moment he made a sound.

They had seen him hurt before but never had been in this condition of barely being able to speak, barely being able to react to them. He had become minorly injured before their Eternalship too but nothing this severe and they were no Curer, they didn't know how to take care of him.

"We could take him to a Pokemon Centre" Kojiro suggested.

"N-No!" Nyarth choked out, his eyes widening with fear and even more pain as he spoke loudly, catching the full on attention of both Musashi and Kojiro. "N-No P-Pokem-mon Cen-ntre" he stammered, his voice fading to a whisper.

His sudden outburst told them that he was listening to them but wasn't reacting unless he needed to. Why he didn't want to go to a Pokemon Centre could have many reasons but his was probably different than what they were thinking.

"Why not Nyarth? It could be the only way to help you" Kojiro told him, noticing the change in attitude in his eyes. They were fearful as well as pained and held a tint of annoyance at his words.

"I-I don't c-care! D-Dey will t-ake me away f-from y-youse guys" he choked out, forcing back the tears threatening his eyes. "F-Find a way t-ta get da o-ders" he added more calmly.

They knew who the others he was talking about were. The other members of Roketto-Dan, which included; Sonansu, Mudkip, Reginald, and of course, Master Nyarth and Pikachuu. What Nyarth expected them to do about his situation was not known, but Kojiro suspected it had something to do with his desire to be comforted by those he loved. So that may be just why he wanted them there along with them.

Musashi knew another reason why he hated Pokemon Centres. They treated him as a Pokemon and he hated that. He had a human mind and heart now. His Pokemonness meant little to him now. No wonder he feared being taken away from them.

"N-No signal h-here" Nyarth added weakly as he watched Musashi begin to try and get a signal for the other Eternals. He was observant, Musashi will give him that.

Sighing in defeat, knowing that he was right, she turned her attention back to Kojiro, who was still holding onto and watching their weakened partner.

"So, do you know where it is exactly?" she asked, somewhat annoyingly. If they were going to try and find a signal, they certainly were not walking there.

Kojiro didn't have to ask what 'it' was. Anyone in Roketto-Dan would know immediately what she was talking about. Carefully he shrugged, honestly not knowing where their balloon was at the moment. "How could I know?" he asked.

She wanted to make some sort of remark, she really did, but it appeared like Nyarth was once more watching them and listening to them. He blinked his eyes to focus them before he spoke calmly, "D-don't argue. I'll g-get it"

Without another word, he leaned upwards to a more sitting position in Kojiro' grip and focused his attention on an empty space in the field in front of them. Fighting with himself to remain focused, he lifted his paw and twisted it carefully in the air, magic beginning to work from his paw. He bit his tongue while doing so, as he felt the soft pad on his paw continue to bleed, the aching pain in the rest of his body coming back to focus.

Narrowing his eyes slightly, gathering more energy, he forced the magic forward from his paw, a blinding white light appearing in front of them once more though this one only lasted a few seconds. When the light subsided, he shut his eyes and slumped backwards and further into Kojiro' grasp. "D-Dere ya g-go" he said simply.

Well, he got the balloon. There was that problem. Positioning Nyarth in a more comfortable position for the both of them, Kojiro glanced towards Musashi and a somewhat surprised manner, who too simply decided not to question the logic of Nyarth anymore.

Even with being in his condition, Nyarth still continued to be the stubborn Pokemon he was. Musashi and Kojiro kept telling him to rest but he kept refusing, instead just hanging onto the edge of the balloon and looking out, enjoying the familiar feeling of just the three of them up in the air without so much as a care in the world.

But there was a care being given here. Even though he put no pressure on his broken tail and leg, his other injuries did not stop aching. He ignored it though as he tried to put on a brave face and struggle through it.

But he was no fool. He could tell that Musashi and Kojiro were worried about him. He was fighting his desire to sleep. But that was his heart talking. Yes, he was finally listening to his heart and he liked it. He always thought that he would fear it but now, despite the pain, he felt almost like the same old Nyarth he had been before he had allowed his mind to take him over.

Musashi and Kojiro were noticing it too. He was a lot more stubborn than usual ever since they had been up here in the sky a few hours ago. He would snap a little bit at them sure but he was still rather quiet at times and he would still become sensitive if something was mentioned but other than that, he really seemed like the Nyarth they had thought they had lost all those months ago.

While Kojiro was busy trying to control the balloon and find an Eternal signal, Musashi took it upon herself to try and look too. She did this for a while but eventually found herself watching Nyarth more closely, noticing his struggle with his already weak self to cling onto the edge of the basket while also holding himself up high enough so he wasn't touching the ground.

She could also see the pain and tired look in his eyes each and every small time he would glance back behind him to look at his friends, probably thinking about some sort of memory to make him look back at them for comfort, to know that they were there.

After a long silence, he finally spoke, his voice quiet and strained. It stuttered a bit but that was just him gaining control of his voice once more. "I-I love y-youse guys" It was almost a whisper, and he didn't look at them as he spoke. He just stared off into the distance.

Love was a phrase that Nyarth never joked around with. If he said he loved something or someone, he meant it, with all of his heart. His love for Pikachuu was a great example of this. When he said that he loved his former arch-enemy, he meant it. Just seeing him around Pikachuu was enough to suggest this. Anyone who called him 'cute' would receive a few good swipes of his claws but when Pikachuu called him cute, it was a different story. Musashi had no idea how many times she had seen his heart melt out of love for the other.

But for that amount of love to be directed towards them, his best friends and now his brother and sister, he must really mean it. But they honestly had no idea on how to react. He was in pain sure but not insane. He knew what he was saying and even with his quiet voice, it was filled with emotion. Was there any doubt on how they felt too then?

Sharing a glance with Kojiro and exchanging a thought, they looked towards Nyarth who had turned his head backwards to look at them, not expecting an answer.

"We love you too, Nyarth" they responded at the same time. A silence enveloped around them. It was broken when Nyarth smiled softly at them and then turned back around to continue his staring off into the distance.

Smiling themselves, Musashi and Kojiro returned to their businesses, both taking their time to look back at their injured partner, someone that they loved.

"I found a signal" Kojiro said calmly, and not too loud.

Musashi glanced towards him and used her levitation magic to hover their balloon in one place. Walking over to Kojiro side as he worked to project the signal of the others in Roketto-Dan, she noticed Kojiro looking towards Nyarth, who was still clinging onto the side of the basket. He was asleep though. Whether he was having a nightmare or not, she couldn't tell. Whenever she looked into his sleeping mind, it was cluttered and foggy, too much for her to handle without awakening him and even she knew that he needed the rest.

"So where are they?" Musashi asked simply, not taking her eyes off the battered form of their injured partner.

"Just give me a second to concentrate" he answered, not totally used to the projection magic he had been practicing for a while now.

Sighing slightly, she decided to just continue to watch Nyarth. It was not really something to do but within a few minutes they would have the help they needed.

Minutes dragged on before Kojiro finally was able to project the signal, revealing a screen that showed Pikachuu's point of view. At first it was blurry and as it began to become clearer and clearer, Kojiro noticed that the signal was getting stronger and stronger.

"Uh, where are they exactly?" Musashi asked carefully, noticing the familiar background they were in.

As if to answer their question, a voice behind the Pokemon surprised them to no end.

"Roketto-Dan! Give us back Mudkip and Pikachuu!" That voice was so sickeningly familiar, they almost closed the signal.

Satoshi. The twerp.

The Pokemon were running and as Pikachuu averted his attention behind them, they noticed that all of the twerps were there. They were running after them, very intent on getting back their Pokemon. Or their former Pokemon in this case.

"Wait, are they..." Kojiro trailed off, seeing the caretakers from which they had tricked into believing that Nyarth was a wild and injured Pokemon who was then to be handed off to their kids as their starter Pokemon. Funnelers did they give them the boot the last time they saw them.

"Hahaha! Ya'll neva catch us alive, fuckas!" a maniacal voice yelled as the focus of Pikachuu's vision showed Master Nyarth, looking rather crazier than usual. It didn't help that, in his eyes, there was a clear hint of anger. He too hated them.

As Pikachuu turned to his sides to look at the others, Musashi and Kojiro noticed something, a thought that somehow went through their signal.

'I hate you twerps!' It was Pikachuu's thought. He was thinking like them now and they could only imagine the reaction of the twerps when they heard that.

The signal pulled back from Pikachuu's eyes to do an almost third-person point of view behind them. When Pikachuu looked up into the sky, he charged up his thunderbolt and shot it upwards and on an angle. At first, Musashi and Kojiro were confused as to what he was doing but then Musashi had to look back at Nyarth who had at some point woken up.

The thunderbolt hit their balloon but instead of blowing it up like it should've, the electricity from Pikachuu held onto it like a magnet. Carefully, Kojiro watched Pikachuu use his electricity and magic to pull the balloon carefully through the air and begin to lower it into a clearing in the forest they were currently in. All the while, all of them continued to run, picking up speed as they began to dash towards the clearing in which the balloon would land.

While Kojiro watched the scene play out before them, Musashi looked at Nyarth who had remained unnaturally quiet the entire time. He was staring down at the source of the electricity with wide and pained, yet hopeful eyes. It did not surprise her when she saw his love for the Electric Pokemon sparkle in his blue optics.

Sighing, she turned her attention back to the nearing ground, the thunder of running all too loud enough for anyone for miles to hear.

The balloon landed, so carefully it was hard to believe that the one to land it was being pursued. At first, they only heard the distant running as to which they took their time to climb out of the balloon though Nyarth used what little energy he had to teleport himself out. Despite not liking it, he allowed Kojiro to hold him, for he was too weak to even hold himself upright anymore.

Suddenly, the bushes in front of them exploded and Pikachuu barged through, leaping in front of them as he spun in the air, landing in front of the three and turning to face away from them, electricity sparklingly angrily from his body. Sonansu and Mudkip followed behind them as did Reginald.

It took a few extra seconds for Master Nyarth to jump through for he had fell behind on purpose to mess with the twerps. It was something they all knew he would do and as long as he didn't get hurt, they were not going to oppose him.

Awaiting the arrival of their enemies, Pikachuu cast his glance behind him to his injured lover, the nail sticking through his own left ear sparking, as did Nyarth's on the contact.

Both Musashi and Kojiro noticed this exchange, the mystery as to how they knew Nyarth was in danger and why they were in the Pokemon world in the first place having been solved. Of course their bond through their nails would tell the other when the other was hurt, physically or emotionally.

Nyarth smiled weakly, his blue eyes longing and pained as he wanted to just hold onto Pikachuu to make the pain go away but not now. Now, he knew they had a problem. A problem he would, any other day, love to deal with. But the pain in his body right now was too much for them to bear. Pikachuu briefly smiled as well, turning his attention back to the situation at hand.

Suddenly, the bushes exploded again only for the twerps and the caretakers to burst through and stop dead, their 'leader' Satoshi, the twerp, taking in the sight before them.

Even with Nyarth's weakened state, he still refused to be seen as just that. He narrowed his blurry vision hatefully and let out a small growl. Sonansu and Mudkip were mainly protective, and even though they didn't growl, they still looked threatening. Reginald hissed angrily and Master Nyarth unsheathed his claws and swiped them through the warm air, his eyes narrowed and a maniacal grin on his face, the anger in his eyes never subsiding.

Musashi and Kojiro sure weren't happy either. Musashi was able to hide the majority of her anger but some of it was slipping out. Kojiro too couldn't help but let his anger slip out, more so with his arm wrapped protectively around Nyarth's body. At the moment, he didn't seem to care, despite the arm causing him pain. He ignored the pain though, wanting to remain strong in front of his arch enemies.

Pikachuu was probably the most furious out of all of them. The anger in his eyes never subsided and the electricity growing in his body was about to shoot towards them in a mere few seconds. Once, he had seen Satoshi as his best friend, now he didn't see that. Instead, he saw someone who would take away the one he loved, the one he would die for over and over again. No amount of talking would change that.

Silence took over them, the Pokemon standing defensively in front of their injured teammate. The twerps and the caretakers simply stood in shock at the scene. How could this be happening?

Finally, Satoshi took a step towards them, causing Pikachuu to growl threateningly, his tail flicking in a warning for him to step back and/or to just stop. Satoshi stopped and stared at his former Pokemon, his best friend. He was with Roketto-Dan? No way! He must be getting controlled!

"Pikachuu? What did they do to you, buddy?" the twerp asked cautiously, casting an accusing glare at the main three of Roketto-Dan.

Brock, despite being one of the oldest, too took a step forward, his gaze caught on his own runaway Pokemon. "Mudkip? What happened?" he asked simply, actually scared by the hatred in the water Pokemon's eyes as he narrowed his eyes and refused to move or speak.

"We did nothing to them" Sonansu spoke, shocking all of those present. Nyarth was one thing but another? What was Roketto-Dan doing to their Pokemon?

"Dey are actin' on deir own accord, twerp. Now back down or dis will turn more serious dan it already is" Master Nyarth added, slashing his paw through the air, a maniacal grin upon his face.

The twerps and the caretakers stared at them, though none made a move or speak. The only one who had the courage was Satoshi. The poor bastard had no idea what he was messing with. They almost felt bad for him. Almost.

"There is no way that's true. Pikachuu would never side with Roketto-Dan. He doesn't care about them!" Satoshi shouted, silencing them all once more.

The electricity in the Electric mouse's body was becoming overwhelming now and he could barely hold it in along with his growing anger.

"I am one of them now, and you cannot stop me from protecting them!" Pikachuu roared, breaking his truce to never speak directly to Satpshi again. But it didn't matter to him, not when the twerp was trying to say he didn't care about his newfound family.

Satoshi froze, the voice of Pikachuu ringing in his head. He... he could speak too. Was that good or bad and why would he be protecting Roketto-Dan unless he was being controlled?

Before he could react, Nyarth was growing impatient with himself. Having enough, and fighting the sudden urge to just pass out, he growled softly and clawed into Kojiro' arm, his grip loosening in slight pain. Seeing his opportunity, he lept forward, right towards Pikachuu.

"Pikachuu, look out!" one of the twerps, the little girl named Eureka yelled out.

Pikachuu did not need the warning though, for he understood what Nyarth was trying to do, and plus, he knew that he would never hurt him. Ever.

Leaping into the air, he somersaulted in the air as Nyarth clumsily landed on his feet, holding back a whimper of pain as he finally put pressure onto his broken leg. He had landed in front of where Pikachuu had been, while Pikachuu himself landed beside him, his defensive side becoming more and more clearer, especially by the way that his electrified tail wrapped around the injured feline.

It was only then did the injuries of Nyarth click in Satoshi's and the others' minds. He looked like he had walked through hell, which he had in fact done, twice, and the way that Pikachuu held his tail around him, it was almost like there was some sort of friendship between them. But how could that happen?

One of the caretakers, a young woman narrowed her eyes at the sight of the injured Nyarth, recognizing him as the one they were after. "We'll help you, Satoshi. Rhyhorn, let's do this!" she yelled as she threw the pokeball, a large Rhyhorn appearing before them.

Nyarth's breath caught in his throat and Musashi and Kojiro froze at the sight. The Rhyhorn had bloodied cuts and bruises and was relatively weak against it's own will. It looked around at it's opponents and then froze, fear crossing it's entire body.

Nyarth weakly smirked, recognizing the Rhyhorn as the one from before, the one who had done this to him. He growled in warning and, although he did not have to energy to do so, just by giving a glance to the others, they understood. Especially Master Nyarth, who narrowed his eyes even more and a crazier glint shot into his eyes.

He strode forwards, his paws pushed together as he silently began to gain energy for a spell. "Well, ya were da one ta hurt ma blood brotha, now weren't ya? Well, I'll make sure dat ya will neva hurt him, or anyone, eva again" And with that, he cackled maniacally as he shot a red hot beam of light towards the Rhyhorn. Despite it's armour-like skin protecting it, the fire still engulfed the entire Pokemon, lighting it on fire.

"Rhyhorn!" the caretaker exclaimed as she watched her Pokemon begin to get burned alive. She fumbled for the pokeball to return it but Reginald had found it first and, before she could realize it, he had crushed it with a powerful spell. Sonansu and Mudkip had then used their magic to hold the Rhyhorn in place as it burned alive.

Master Nyarth was the closest, and he wore a victory-full and pleased expression, his smirk deepening when he looked back to his blood brother and thus then went back over to his side. As he did so, Musashi and Kojiro had put a protective barrier around them, not wanting the others to get any funny ideas.

The Rhyhorn finally ceased to be alive as it was thrown to it's side by a forceful wave of magic, the combined forces of all of Roketto-Dan, even Nyarth who was now using one paw on the ground for support. They pulled it into the air and let it disappear into a beam of light, sending off into Nyarth's blood dungeon for whenever he needed blood when they got back.

As the twerps and caretakers watched in shock, Musashi had already moved towards Nyarth, who was struggling to remind standing by this point. She gently picked him up and into her arms, his eyes struggling to remain open by this point. Kojiro helped Sonansu into the balloon while Reginald and Mudkip hopped right on in. Pikachuu leapt in just as Musashi and Nyarth walked in as well.

Master Nyarth was the only one who hesitated and without so much as a paw flick, he cast a blind white light spell on the twerps and the caretakers, blinding their vision as they began to make their escape. Careful as to not their memories, he turned tail and jumped into the balloon just as it teleported away leaving behind many very confused and heartbroken twerps and caretakers behind.

There was no trace of Roketto-Dan left.

"Just leave him alone Masty" Reginald spoke calmly as he looked over to the maniac who was trying to telepathically enter the passed out from his alter ego. After they had teleported out of there, he had finally slipped into sleep. Now, Master Nyarth was trying to enter his foggy and blocked out mind, wondering what he was dreaming about, if at all.

"Hey, I just wanna see if he's alright, okay?" Masty reported back, somewhat annoyed at getting his actions questioned.

Pikachuu, who was pretending to be sleeping besides his lover, peeked open as eye to stare right at Masty, who paused to tilt his head almost innocently at him. But he was not getting fooled by him. The maniacal grin on his face that he was trying so hard to hide was not getting past him. "Back off Masutā Nyasu" he said, slightly growing with warning.

Taking a half-step back at his Japanese spoken name, he shook his head before retreating to the other side of the basket. "Alright, alright. Fine. Just stop callin' me like dat" he added before sitting down and tilting his head back in his failed attempt to fall asleep.

Rolling his eyes slightly, Pikachuu averted his attention back to the sleeping, broken form of Nyarth, who he had carefully wrapped his tail around in a protective way. In the given situation, he could only imagine what kind of nightmares he could be having right about now. Judging by what he had done to that Rhyhorn in the first place to make it terrified of him, he must have been intent of killing it for even thinking about hurting Musashi and Kojiro.

Pikachuu didn't blame him, he would have probably done the same, though probably not as passionately. He was close to the two though but his bond with them was in no one as strong as the original trio's was. If Nyarth had reacted in just a second in order to protect them, then his bond with them must be truly strong enough to show these emotions and go to these lengths to ensure their safety.

But his constant nightmares would surely take advantage of that situation. They would probably put him back in that situation where his mind would overtake him and make him watch the Rhyhorn injure or even kill his best friends as he was powerless to even try to help. Even thinking about it from Nyarth's point of view hurt Pikachuu. Who knew how much it would hurt him if and when such a nightmare occurred.

Although both Musashi and Kojiro were technically both trying to find a full on Eternal signal and keeping the balloon under control, they couldn't help but to keep looking back at Nyarth, wanting desperately for his pain and suffering to end. But they couldn't end it and thus needed to help of the other Eternals. They hated being powerless to help him but alas, it was the only thing they could do to help him.

Unhidden Secrets - Nyarth, Jeffy, Discord, Fluttershy, and Screwball

Secrets weren't hidden forever but the one secret that all the Eternals were keeping from Discord wasn't even a secret. All of the Eternals knew and it surprised many as to why he didn't know what happened to his daughter Screwball. Jeffy kept saying she ran off back to the Immortals but they didn't know what happened to her, maybe she didn't make it. But everyone knew exactly what happened to her. Jeffy especially.

He killed his sister and enjoyed it. He remembered that it gave him the rush of being a killer once more and taking in every bit of it while having the other Rainbow Factory Controllers by his side. When she was brutally murdered by both his hand and the Immortal Device, he had been in the dark of where his sister's soul went, if anywhere. He had always followed what Flippy believed to be true. That if they die by the Rainbow Factory then their soul remains trapped there to never escape ever again.

But then Nyarth became the controller of Silent Hill where he found the area in which was hidden, where only he could find it. Where the souls of those who died by the Rainbow Factory were trapped and imprisoned in some kind of cage among the deepest and darkest part of the town. What had he felt at that point? Pain, regret, happiness? So many questionable feelings but he hid them from his curious father. How did he not know that he had killed his daughter. But mostly importantly, his own sister, Screwball?

Even if Discord were to ask him, Jeffy knew he would be unable to tell his father. It would be too hard. And it had almost happened. He had asked him again and again and Jeffy attempted to change the subject and leave but this time, the spirit of chaos held him back and said he thought he wasn't telling him the truth. In an instinct-like panic, he teleported himself away and then used his flower to locate Meowth who he knew could help him. Maybe.

Nyarth was always sensitive, more than usual, about the things happening in Silent Hill and even more so with the imprisoned souls there. Jeffy had attempted one time before to get help from Nyarth with Discord in which he immediately refused, lashing out at him as he retreated deep into a part of Silent Hill even he would not venture into alone. Maybe now he may help him, maybe he could sway him with the possibility that Discord was on his trail and would eventually bring the same question up with him.

An idea in his head, Jeffy tracked down Nyarth just slipping into Silent Hill but before the portal behind him could close, the narrowing followed him through.

His mind was dazed for a few moments before he became refocused. But that didn't bring him any sense of relief once he realized just where he had followed Meowth into. This was no normal Silent Hill area and it wasn't in the normal form or who covered in fog. No, instead, it was covered in a darkness not even he could see through. Years of being a self-taught killer had given him the ability to see through the dark with little difficulty. This darkness was different in the case that it was a darkness created and controlled by one's mind. Both the monsters in Silent Hill itself and Silent Hill's now controller, Nyarth, it added a sense of fear that would scare anyone who didn't understand it. Jeffy was one of those who understood it but still often found it's eerie tone to be too much for the former serial killer to take.

This was the Silent Hill Otherworld with the darkness and rust on every building and street and no escape but through a portal only Amber and Nyarth had the advanced power to control. Just being here scared him and now he had to stay here and convince his friend to do something he had refused time and time again to do. He was stubborn, Jeffy knew, but not heartless. He knew he valued him as a close friend and he would no anything to help those he cared about. And from what Jeffy had seen, Nyarth was not a big fan of Discord despite saying he trusted him. He did trust him but he didn't necessarily like him.

It took Jeffy only a few moments to recover and only a few more moments for Nyarth to notice him. Knowing him, he expected him to irritated but he simply looked... well, devious. Jeffy was used to his devious look but it sometimes made him uncomfortable. Now, he couldn't think of a reason as to why he wouldn't be annoyed at him for following him into Silent Hill without him knowing. Maybe he knew why he had followed him but then, why would he not be angry with him? But if there was one thing Jeffy had learned about Nyarth, it was that he could not easily be predicted and one emotion could be displayed on the outside and the complete opposite on the inside.

Nyarth flicked his tail and then curled it back upwards behind him. "I know why ya're here Jeffy" he simply stated, a slightly dangerous tone lacing his calm voice, screeched slightly.

That wasn't good. But even he knew the Pokemon wouldn't even try to hurt him. They were close friends, he would never do that, even if he was on the brink of losing it. Visibility, he awkwardly shifted before taking a deep breath and lifting his black, blood-stained eyes to his friend.

"If you do then I suppose I don't have to persuade you to help me then?" he asked carefully, wondering how he could have a sudden change of mood on the subject, after last time.

Nyarth simply unsheathed one claw, long and dripping with the head blood of his alter ego and blood brother, Master Meowth. "Dun take me for a fool, Jeffy. I saw what happened between ya an' Discord an' I knew ya would come afta me. I came inta Silent Hill 'cause I knew ya would follow me an' Discord would be unable ta ovahear us" He paused to gently lick Master Meowth's blood off of his claw and then sheathed his claw once more.

Jeffy just ignored his blood need for the time being, he understood it and personally kind of liked the taste of blood himself but Nyarth's was a need not a want and even now, he couldn't help but feel slightly put off by it. So it would just be better to ignore it for the time being.

"You knew? So now what? What made you change your mind? You know after... last time" Jeffy wasn't sure if he actually wanted to help or if he was just planning to reject him and make him deal with the issue himself and probably make the situation ten times worst.

Nyarth smirked in his devious yet good-natured manner as he teleported himself next to the Fourtellta. "'Course I knew. An' as for last time..." His smirk vanished. "I was ticked off in general at da time an' plus, I... I didn't t'ink it would get so serious dat Discordia would begin ta sink ta dis serious of a level wid his questions"

Discordia. He had heard it before as being what his father would be called because he had bad aura by those who saw on a daily basis with the aura sense. He knew Nyarth normally saw in aura sense so he using the bad aura name on every Eternal every once in a while didn't surprise him.

"And by ticked off you mean depressed, right?" Jeffy good-naturely responded, smiling slightly as he gently nudged his friend. "Like when you tried to-" he got cut off by Nyarth flattening his ears to his head and narrowing his eyes at him, anger in his blue and black eyes.

"Dun say it" he warned but it seemed to pass straight by Jeffy's head as he continued to finish his sentence.

"You tried to use the abilities you learned from Pinkie Pie's and Apple Bloom's Cupcakes operat-"

Nyarth lashed his tail and allowed pain to begin to overtake his eyes. "Stop, Jeffy" he stated, taking a small step away from him, the memories of his depression coming back to him in a flash.

"Their Cupcakes operation on yourself and then lock yourself away from everyone else and-"

Nyarth had enough and snapped his eyes shut and wrapped his paw onto Jeffy's shoulder before he gripped tightly, transferring his internal pain into his friend, begging his silently to stop plaguing his mind with his depression's thoughts and memories. It was a time he just wanted to forget.

Upon feeling his friend's internal pain, Jeffy shut himself up and looked into Meowth's pleading blue and black eyes. "Too far?" he asked. When Nyarth simply gave a short nod, he sighed. "Hey, sorry about that. I kind of get carried away with things sometimes. But enough of that, what are we gonna do about Discord and..." he trailed off, unable to even say her name. "You know... her?"

Nyarth had regained his composure and simply shook himself to rid himself of his negative thoughts on the previous matter and return to the issue at paw. He turned away from Jeffy and lifted one paw to turn it in the air in a certain manner. The Otherworld's darkness and rust dissolved into a more tame state with a slight fog covering it. Nyarth was no idiot. He knew Jeffy felt uncomfortable in the Otherworld and he wasn't going to make him feel that way around him. Jeffy trusted Meowth but the darkest state of Silent Hill didn't help. He was glad he had changed their surroundings.

"I'm still not all for dis" Nyarth stated, letting a small part of his mind go into its' own little world in the darkness of Silent Hill. It wasn't his main mind so it had no effect on his thought process right now.

Jeffy knew this but still didn't know what Nyarth was trying to do with this. He looked briefly to the ground, taking a few moments to gather his thoughts. Looking back up, he looked back to Meowth who had turned back to him, his blue and black eyes calm and friendly. It relaxed him to honest that he was acting like himself truly in this situation.

"Then don't. I won't let you do something you don't want to do" Jeffy answered, remembering the many times he had forced Meowth to not do something he felt he had to do but didn't. He hadn't wanted to do it either so he simply.

To this, Nyarth giggled a little as he grinned at Jeffy, a complete change of mood than before. But that was one thing Meowth was known for, changing his moods in the blink of an eye. Was it strange, yes. But like Discord, Space, and Pinkie Pie, he knew better than to question things to a full extent, even with Meowth.

"Don't worry Jeffy. I actually wanna help ya but not in da way ya want me ta"

Jeffy briefly tilted his head to the side to this, wondering what he meant by that. He wanted Nyarth to simply help him, not do the full thing. But maybe Nyarth was one step ahead of him on this... again. "What do you mean Meowth? I just want you to help me keep Discord under control and to help me explain and show him what happened to... her" Again, saying her name was too hard for him at the moment.

Nyarth's grin slipped into more of a devious smirk once more, though this didn't bother Jeffy in the least. "Exactly dat. I'll help ya keep Discord unda control an' I'll help show him what happened but..." he paused, glancing briefly behind him to the deepest, darkest part of Silent Hill where the trapped souls resided. Looking back, he let out a small sigh before adding, "Ya have ta be da one ta explain it ta him"

Silence followed by Jeffy not believing what Nyarth was saying at first. Finally, when it clicked, he shook his head and laughed hesitantly and slowly, thinking he was just joing again. "Haha. Element of Laughter strikes again. You can't expect me to explain to my insane, chaotic father that I killed his daughter in the most slow and torturous possible way and I enjoyed it. And that her soul is now living in endless torment" He paused, meeting Nyarth's serious and calm blue and black eyes. "You're joking right?"

Nyarth narrowed his eyes in a serious manner at Jeffy, his expression losing any carefree attitude. He expected this reaction. But it wasn't his thing to mess with but leaving his friend to deal with it alone was basically him killing him. And he was going to do whatever he could to keep him safe, just not going to protect him from everything. In a way, Kojiro' overprotectiveness had given him a new light in reality. That sometimes you could get some help from others but in the end, you had to eventually deal with it yourself. It may not be something Nyarth himself had fully learned yet and he probably never will. But if he could teach someone else this before something really bad happened, then he was willing to go against what his Eternal instincts were telling him to do so.

"Okay, dat's just a new low even for ya. No, I'm not jokin'. Ya have ta deal wid dis problem. I'll help ya but I will not do it for ya" He paused, flattening his ears against his head as harsh memories and nightmares poured back through his delicate mind, Shaking his head, he looked away from Jeffy, forcing back tears as he struggled to continue. Internally, this hurt but he did everything he could to hide it. Hopefully Jeffy wouldn't notice his struggle to contain his emotions. "Trust me on dis one. I had ta learn dat da hard way"

Jeffy had not just met Nyarth, he knew how he worked and he noticed his struggle against his own emotions. Though he didn't react on it. If anything, that would only make him angry or make him break down. And either was not what he wanted right now. But Nyarth did have a point, whether he wanted to admit it or not. He had known he would have to face reality eventually but not this soon. He wasn't ready but there was no going back now. Discord was already suspicious and now he had given him every right to be even more. He had not answered him and escaped him. It had been so long since he had had a killers' urge that he had resorted to panic in a few brief moments. Yeah, going this alone, he was as good as fucked.

He let out a deep sigh, collecting his thoughts once more before he nodded. "Yeah, I know. I just didn't want it to happen this soon. But I know you've felt this before. A lot" he carefully responded, fully aware of the emotional and mental state his friend was currently in. It hurt him to know he was this hurt by his foolish choice of words.

Nyarth didn't cry. But he didn't hold his emotions back either. He took a few more moments to keep himself together and also to allow Jeffy's friendship and accepting words to sink into his mind. "Jeffy... You're a good friend" he quietly stated, turning around to gently hug him, a not so strange human motion. Jeffy only reacted in returning the hug, being careful with him, knowing of how sensitive he was with literally everything. Majority of the time, he completely forgets that Nyarth was in fact a Pokemon but his human like characteristics and non-Pokemon-likeness of him made it hard to notice non appearance-wise.

The hug only lasted a few short seconds for Meowth almost immediately, Nyarth pulled away and shook himself. Re-collecting himself, he straightened up and said, "Alright, let's get dis ova wid" before beginning to move his paw in a certain direction, trying to create a teleporting spell. He hated those spells, too hard and he often failed them. Now was one of those frustrating times.

As Nyarth struggled with his own magic, an idea snapped into his mind and once he noticed Meowth's magic beginning to respond to him, panic once more took over him. He had was careful as he grabbed Nyarth's paw and disconnected his line of magic. Before Nyarth could react however, he telepathically messaged him, being careful to not paralyze his mind, not like last time. "Nyarth, call Fluttershy. She'll be able to help keep Discord calm and under control right?"

Nyarth was in fact, about to react when the gentle telepathic message settled in his mind. He stopped trying to push Jeffy away and let the thought linger. Jeffy did come up with good ideas when he wanted to. And he had a point. He would not back out of his agreement but the extra help from the kind and gentle pegasus curer and lover to Discord would definitely help.

"Fine. I'll use ma flowa powa ta talk ta her" he verbally stated, unable to his telepathy. "I just hope Discordia isn't wid her" he added as a muttered comment but just loud enough for Jeffy to hear. He knew his friend understood him and so he tried to ignore his slightly feared aura around him. He didn't want to make this already bad situation even worse.

As Jeffy let go of his paw, Nyarth reached one paw up to his charm which glowed and slipped out his blue flower that he had kept with him all of this time, ever since he had found it in his hell of a cage in Silent Hill when he had been a Immortal, left to die by Satashi. It was also when he began to consider being an Eternal. Now, look where he was.

Nyarth's charm would always be a mystery to Jeffy. No other nyarth could do what his charm to do. He said he thought it was because he was different and more powerful while his charm acted more as a life source and now holder than anything. Nyarth treated the flower like the most delicate thing in the world, holding his link to the Eternals and all those he cared about it. Without it, Nyarth would most likely already be dead by Satashi's or Chrysalis' hand/hoof. Damn how much they all hated the Immortals...

He twisted the flower's stem and whispered something to it in a quiet voice, one filled with trust and love for the flower. He always spoke like this to it. It meant so much to him. "Siiv ahrk vothaalvut Fluttershy, lig" he spoke, shutting his eyes as he clung onto it. Jeffy knew what he said in general. Jeffy often said the same only in the ancient Eternal language. Nyarth was using his Dovahkiin tongue. 'Find and contact Fluttershy, please' was what he said. Please, a word the Pokemon barely uttered, said it to a flower.

The blue flower responded by twisted in his grasp in which he released it and allowed it to spin in the air before tilting forward and projecting a screen, showing the view of Fluttershy who had picked up her own flower and let Nyarth project his point of view from her own flower. The pink-maned pegasus sat in front of the projection, her teal eyes wide and kind and a soft smile on her face. Jeffy's fear slipped away as no sign of Discord around Fluttershy leaked into his mind. At least this would bring something good. As small as the good was, he was sure that by the end of the day, someone was going to hate him. Most likely Discord.

"Ahnok Nyarth ahrk. .. Jeffy" Fluttershy greeted, tilting her head slightly upon seeing Jeffy with Nyarth in the familiar slightly foggy world of Silent Hill. She couldn't help but wonder if there was something wrong. Now that she thought about it, Jeffy, Nyarth, and Discord weren't acting right around each other lately. She had just brushed it off as each other getting into some small argument and needing to kill off steam. Maybe there was something more that she was unable to pick up. Oh dear, she sure hoped everything was alright.

"Hey Fluttershy. We have a little problem involvin' Discord, Jeffy an' Scre-" Nyarth started to explain when he realized who was still next to him, plus he sensed the tense aura radiating off Jeffy now, silencing him. "Uh, ya know who" he added quickly, taking note of the change of expression on the other Dovahkiin.

She flattened her ears to her head upon hearing this. She knew there was something going on and she hadn't thought of Screwball? How could she forget that Discord didn't know what happened to her and that his son, friend, and lover played a large part in her death and eternal suffering? She was so stupid for forgetting.

"Oh my... Does he know?" she asked, worry lacing her soft, honey-like voice.

Jeffy was having a brain-fart right about now. He couldn't even think straight since he ran away from Discord. "What?" he asked, ignoring an annoyed look from Nyarth.

Fluttershy however, didn't seem annoyed at all. The Element of Kindness and the Element of Love really did shine through here. "Discord. Does he know... what happened?" she didn't dare say exactly.

They both shook their heads. "No, but Jeffy here needs ta tell him, now. I know what happened last time but now I'm simply gonna help keep Discord unda control an' help ta show him what happened while Jeffy explains it ta him" Nyarth responded, stealing glances at Jeffy who shrank back at his explanation again. He was not looking forward to this.

"And you want me to help you to show him and keep him calm, right?" Fluttershy ended his explanation with a brief smile.

Nyarth glanced briefly down before looking to Jeffy. He didn't speak, silently motioning for him to confirm. This wasn't Meowth's idea in the first place. If Jeffy wanted her help, he would have to confirm it, not him.

Jeffy nodded to Fluttershy, fighting back against the urge to shrink further away from Nyarth's slightly cold gaze. "Yes, I-I can't do this alone and I need all the help I can get. Nyarth could be enough but you know him the best and might be able to calm him easier. If ya know what I mean" Jeffy awkwardly answered.

Fluttershy giggled slightly, her worry slipping away but still holding on. The problem wasn't fixed yet and probably wasn't going to be over by the end of the day. She knew the spirit of chaos enough to know that. Plus, she couldn't and wouldn't pick sides in this. In a way, Screwball deserved what came to her and Fluttershy enjoyed doing what she did in the Rainbow Factory but she also knew it was wrong in a way. But her Eternal side was stronger than her shy and kind-to-everything side. Maybe she should've made it more clearer to Discord than let this stem into Jeffy hiding in Silent Hill in order to hide from his father. Oh, why did things always have to end badly?

"Alright. Meet me by the infirmary. I won't let you go to him alone, even with Nyarth" she stated, narrowing her eyes in seriousness. "Vodrem vis kos saad draaf klov ahstiid" she added with a wink to Nyarth, who smirked in response. Fluttershy gently grabbed her flower and disconnected the projection causing Meowth's blue flower to twist in the air before being sucked back into his charm as if on command. The Pokemon had so many strange things about how he worked that Jeffy would never be able to learn everything there was about him.

"Alright, let's go" Nyarth stated, spinning around and conjuring up a teleportation spell once more, this time on his first try. As he began to teleport them to the infirmary, Jeffy felt like he had to ask something despite how off topic it was.

"Uh, Nyarth?"

"Yep?"

"Uh, what did Fluttershy say to you?" Jeffy didn't understand much Dovah only the basics and that had been some advanced stuff, stuff only Dovahkiins understood.

Nyarth smirked at his confusion and curiosity. Gently, he poked his friend in the side with his free paw. "Ah, don't worry 'bout dat. Plus, trust me, ya don't wanna know"

"Actually, I kinda do" Jeffy smirked his own way. If he were still a serial killer, this would be seen as creepy or downright scary. But not anymore. Despite the bloodstains all over his body and face, Cross still said his smirk made him look cute. He didn't really like that word and neither did Nyarth. Except if it was Pikachu who said it, Nyarth would probably glare daggers at whoever called him cute. Maybe Amber was an exception too. The Eternal leader was technically his adopted mother in a way.

Nyarth only seemed to smirk more. "I'll tell ya later. Now, let's focus on your insane father, Discordia an' da task at paw" he answered, returning a more serious expression. So much for being the Element of Laughter. Sometimes he wondered why Nyarth even represented Laughter but at the end of the day, it was as clear as day as to why.

They teleported without any problem to their destination and almost immediately was Fluttershy there, worry in her eyes as she looked around. She had been hovering but landed upon seeing them. She seemed alert and on edge like she was expecting something bad to happen or she was a deer searching for a predator.

"Fluttershy what's-" Jeffy began but immediately got shut up by the soft spoken pegasus.

"Shhh. It's Discord. He came looking for me but I was able to sneak away. I don't want him overhearing us so let's go together, alright?" she asked in a whisper, her question more directed at Jeffy than anyone for Nyarth already knew the plan and what he had to do. Jeffy had the real job here. Fluttershy and Nyarth were simply helping him. Jeffy had to do the real thing and he could easily try to back out. Now though, there was obviously no going back. They were going through this whether they liked it or not.

Jeffy sighed and nodded, deciding to not give a verbal answer to not alert Discord in any way.

Breathing a small sigh of relief, Fluttershy calmed herself before she straightened herself and began to walk into the infirmary. Nyarth followed besides Jeffy. With the comfort of the two by his sides he felt slightly more calmer. But calm wasn't going to solve his problems. Dammit he was so fucked...

They walked for what seemed like an hour in Jeffy mind to the main room of the infirmary. At first, no sign of Discord was shown but then, his tail appeared out of nowhere and wrapped itself around Nyarth. He hated this. But for the sake of their mission, he resisted fighting back and simply let himself fall into Discord's trap. He knew he wanted him to fight back but his change of mood caused him to materialize before him. He pouted in annoyance as he raised Nyarth carefully into the air with his tail. Nyarth narrowed his blue and black eyes at him, curling and uncurling his tail to keep himself calm. Discord stared back, his mismatched eyes glaring with annoyance.

"Oh come on now! Why you not give your good friend Discord some fun?"

Nyarth rolled his eyes and growled slightly before answering, "I dun remember any of dese experiences bein' of much fun ta me" bitterness in his voice, his slight accent laced with annoyance.

"They're fun for me though!" Discord exclaimed, ignoring the gleam of hatred brimming in the Pokemon's eyes.

"Um, Discord? Could you, um, put him down please? We have something we need to talk to you about" Fluttershy said to her lover, flying up to meet eye-level with him.

Turning his head, Discord allowed himself to smile upon seeing her beautiful face. "Oh, I was just having some fun with him, that's all" he stated, snapping his talons and teleporting Nyarth back to the ground who still glared daggers into his brain.

Discord ignored Nyarth and focused his gaze on Fluttershy, the one and only person he truly loved and trusted. She had shown his kindness and friendship when no one else would and even with him becoming an Immortal and then their leader, the Eternals' worst enemies, she still tried to uphold their friendship and now here he was as a loyal Eternal even though he seemed to still have more enemies than friends here anyways. He considered Nyarth a friend and so did he but he more hated him than loved him. But Discord just ignored that fact and pretended the hatred wasn't there.

He was more used to listening solely to Fluttershy and would normally calm down if she reassured him. Sometimes however, even her love couldn't help him keep under control. But that had only happened a few times, not too many. It was rare and he couldn't think of much to make him snap in that way. At least, not yet.

"Hello Darling Fluttershy. Whatever could be so important that some fun can't be added to it?" he innocently asked her, his eyes not moving from her teal eyes. It was now that Jeffy glanced towards Meowth who seemed to regain his composure and now looked at Discord and Fluttershy in an understanding way. He hadn't meant to, but his mind was sucked into Meowth's current thought-process of a recent memory of him and Pikachu. In it, Pikachuu lovingly hugged Nyarth and called him cute. Instead of becoming angry, he seemed to blush under the careful protection of his lover.

Jeffy and Cross never did any of that lovey-dovey stuff. And when they saw the others act like that, it made them feel awkwardly. He had no idea why he said anything, why he made himself known to his father who somehow didn't know he was there. Pulling out of Meowth's mind, he raised an eyebrow and looked back and forth between the three before sighing in thought and said, "Can you guys stop with the romantic stuff? It's really weirding me out"

Fluttershy broke her gaze first, staring at Jeffy with slight fear as to knowing that he had just made himself known to his father. Nyarth too stopped in his memories to look at him, an obvious 'are you fucking kidding me?' look on his face. Shit. He should've known better. Well there was no going now. Plus, he was going to notice sooner or later.

Discord didn't react at first and only when his eyes caught sight of Jeffy did he begin to show emotion. Fluttershy held back the urge to rush in now to calm him. She could see the twisted and evil glint in his eyes. He was onto Jeffy and this time, he was not going to let him go.

He stared at him for a few moments before smirking and narrowing his eyes. "Why, hello there Jeffy. My son" he chuckled.

His words scared Jeffy to be frank. And by scare, he meant scare. Who knew what he would do to him to get the answers of what happened to Screwball out of him. Good thing he had Meowth and Fluttershy by his side but surely they would keep their promise and help him right? Of course they would. They were like Ze. Honest when it really mattered. Now, it surely did matter.

Jeffy regained his composure and looked his father direct in the eye, taking a short moment of thought before he decided to speak. "Discord. Father. I need to tell you something but we can't do it here" As he spoke, he took note of Nyarth moving in next to him and Fluttershy hovering back over to his side.

Discord simply tilted his head, suspicion glowing in his eyes. "Alright. Lead on!" he said.

Visually, the three were shocked for a few moments. Nyarth narrowed his eyes and flattened his ears to his skull. Fluttershy gaped her mouth open and stared at her lover. Jeffy looked between the two and then back at the spirit of chaos. "Really? That's it? You're just going to agree to this and not question it?" Jeffy asked, unable to keep the shock out of his voice.

Discord simply chuckled to himself. "Oh Jeffy. What could I possibly question about what you want to talk about? It's obviously something important to all of us or else we wouldn't all be here, correct?" he inquired as Fluttershy regained herself.

The three nodded without words. Discord hopped up into the air hovering which only made Nyarth even more annoyed for him mocking him for being unable to hover himself. "Of course now let's be on our way to adventure!" With a snap of his talons, he was teleported out of the room in a flash of light leaving Fluttershy, Nyarth, and Jeffy alone.

Fluttershy looked to her companions, worry and slight fear in her kind teal eyes. "He knows what's up. We've got each others' backs but we still need to be careful" she telepathically sent the message to them.

She paused for a moment before adding onto the message. "This is going to be a long day" somberly.

The three nodded in unison before turning around and following Discord out of the infirmary. If what Fluttershy said was true, which it most likely was, seeing as how easily and quickly he agreed to the talking elsewhere, they were indeed going to have a long, long day.

Discord could tell there was something up, he always had. Everyone would not answer his question of where his daughter was and now today when he told his son of his suspicions, he had fled him in fear. There was no doubt, he knew and they were all keeping the secret from him. So why did they need to go to this hell-hole to tell him? Silent Hill scared him to be honest though he would never admit it.

The Otherworld's darkness and rust were visible and the faint cries of the trapped souls could be heard. Meowth led the four of them forward, gradually allowing his Silent Hill side to overcome his body. His skin dissolved and the various wounds and growths of a typical Silent Hill monster appeared on his body. He walked like he knew everything in the place and spoke to various monsters they passed by. Even the most scariest monster listened to him.

Jeffy remained silent, sticking close by Nyarth without ruining his train of thought. Fluttershy walked calmly behind him, besides Discord, speaking words to him to calm him. So far, it seemed to be working but it would surely not work for too long.

Nyarth could sense the trapped souls from the Rainbow Factory already, and he sent his mind forward to catch sight of where they were. When his mind caught Screwball, he shrouded the others in a darkness and left her's visible in a dark and pain filled cell away from the others. He had done this on purpose to hide her presence from both Jeffy and Discord. But now she was no longer hidden. The others were still visible but not completely there like they were just hovering in place and couldn't move. They couldn't which made their souls in Eternal pain until he reversed the spell.

Oh how much he wanted Meowzie and his parents to return to this place. They were so close to catching them. He, Mudkip, Master Meowth, Stalin, Hitler, and the German and Russian army just needed to close in at the right moment and...

Off topic. He shook his head to rid himself of the thoughts as he brought his mind back to him. Carefully, he encased the four of them in a force-barrier and opened their way into the blocked off area of the trapped souls. Nyarth was unaffected by it and simply pretended the others weren't there and began to walk towards the place where Screwball was, knowing the other three would follow or risk him kicking them out, out of his prone to severe anger in this form. Thus why he didn't look back at them, knowing at least one of them was going to hesitate. Most likely Jeffy.

He was right. Jeffy hesitated despite being fine in this part of Silent Hill. Though he knew Jadey was here too, she was nowhere the front of his mind. Everything was of what he was going to say to his father and to Screwball, knowing he would have to face both of them. At least he had both Fluttershy and Nyarth on his side. But still, he didn't know how he was going to do this. But he had to do this and there was no going back now. Narrowing his black eyes, he followed Nyarth, sticking as close to him as he could in a way of asking for at least some comfort. Nyarth kind of responded by pulling him to his side, though he didn't speak and simply stared forward, a distant look in his blackened blue and black eyes.

Fluttershy obviously didn't like the fact of those ones who were killed by herself and the others in the Rainbow Factory were here, suffering forever with Nyarth controlling everything without even thinking. It hurt her but she knew it was for the best. Before she followed Jeffy and Nyarth, she glanced towards Discord who seemed on edge and suspicious. He didn't meet her eyes with only made her more scared for what was sure to happen. Although she would understand her lover's reaction, she knew she would be unable to side with him since she herself played a large part in his daughter's demise. Sighing, her flicked her tail for him to follow before taking off towards the others.

Discord did follow her, hovering slightly in the air as he did so. He knew of this place but never was allowed in it but what did this have to do with where his daughter was. Maybe some prisoner here had the answers or something. How could he know?

Upside Down - Steven, Kevin, Nanners, and Sky

He could feel it lurking in the back of his mind. He could feel the urges trying to take him over. Occasionally, he couldn't even control some things he did or felt. At times, he just wanted to act like his wolf-self. And he would do that, to an extent. Other times, he would be tempted to snap at or even downright attack another Eternal. But he had never been able to get that far for Kevin would always show up and somehow snap him out of his trance. What was happening to him? He was taking a drug that was supposed to control his wolf-self but now, it didn't seem to calm it at all.He felt tense around the others, feeling as though he might snap at any given moment.

Even now, with Kevin walking besides him, he felt strange, like he was keeping a caged monster locked away but it was fighting against him. And it was slowly starting to win. He knew what he needed to do, to protect himself, Kevin, and the other Eternals. He didn't want to but he felt like it was the only way. Now all he had to figure out was how to get Kevin to agree leave him there...

None of them spoke as they stepped near a small cornered area of a forest. It had a magical barrier around it that would only open for Eternals and only when two or more of them were present. Feeling the barrier loosen, they stepped through the barrier, the eerie feeling of the forest not bothered by Kevin but Steven felt strange there, like he belonged to the shadows even more now. He felt his thoughts race and his blood rush through his veins. Unknowingly, his tail reappeared and he wrapped it tightly around himself, his wolf-like urges and thoughts beginning to get the better of him once more. Even with Kevin there, he felt like he was slipping. He was losing this battle.

Kevin was not blind or stupid. He had noticed Steven's strange yet familiar wolf-like behavior and had approached him always when it seemed to be getting out of control. Noticing it now, he moved to Steven's side but his condition only seemed to get worst. This had happened once before but he had gotten control of it. And seeing him attempt to control it but fail to his own true nature, it hurt him to know he could basically do nothing to help him.

"S-Steven. just calm down. Everything will be okay alright?" Kevin said to his boyfriend, pulling him into a tight hug. It was only then was when he realized just how vulnerable the modder seemed. He was tense and his aura was scared and mixed with the auras of that of a wolf.

"K-Kevin. There w-was a r-reason why I brought y-you here" he paused, shakingly looking up to the taller man. "I-I can't control m-my urges. A-And I d-don't want to hurt anybody s-so..." He forced back the tears threatening his eyes. "U-Until this c-clears up, just l-leave me h-here" Steven felt a shudder creep through his body as he momentarily began to transform into a wolf, which slowly was developing inside of him.

"W-What? No, I-I won't just leave you here. There has to be something I can do to help you" Kevin pleaded, feeling and seeing Steven beginning to slowly lose control.

Steven was about to speak when an uncontrollable urge slipped into the front of his mind, pushing away his sanity for a brief moment. The message was not subtle and straight to the point and the thought terrified him. 'Kill Kevin'. Gaining control, he pushed Kevin away from him, backing shakingly away from him as he tried to approach him once more. A whimper escaped his throat as he struggled against himself but he had already lost. Transforming into a wolf, he felt he had to take his last sane thoughts and relay a warning to his boyfriend, before it was too late.

'P-Please Kevin.I c-can't control it anymore. Y-You have to g-go b-before.... J-Just go. I-If I h-hurt you it's b-because I have n-no control" he choked out before crumbling to his wolf-self his mind alerting in that of a wolf and turning in a greyish white wolf with familiar grey-black eyes.

But those eyes were the only thing he knew was Steven and even they were not the Steven he knew. His warning had registered in his mind but he was a stubborn person and wouldn't just run if there was any hope to snapping Steven out of this. He just had to snap him out of this!

"S-Steven. It-It's me, K-Kevin" he said warily as he approached the wolf as if it were a wild animal. He did not see a wild animal though. He saw a possessed Steven that needed to be snapped out of a trance.

The Steven-wolf did not see a friend or the lover of his real self. It saw an enemy, someone that needed to be disposed of and no matter how hard the real Steven fought against it, it was not letting him win. It growled a low and warning growl and lept at Kevin.

In a split second reaction, Kevin placed a powerful barrier around himself of which even the Steven-wolf could not break through. Kevin didn't move but stared at the wolf. It stared back. Those eyes. He could see a little bit of Steven but it was like the real Steven was trapped in his own body like prison. It broke his heart that Steven's last warning to him was to go and leave him here. But his heart couldn't go, not with Steven like this.

But he knew he had to. He had to go back to the others to possibly get help. Because he knew he couldn't do this alone. Tears slipping from eyes, he stared at the Steven-wolf before softly speaking in the voice that would always calm Steven whenever he was sad or scared. "I'll be back. I love you Steven" Without a second thought, he broke the barrier and teleported to in front of the barrier and stepped through leading to the other side, leaving the barrier to lock the Steven-wolf in there alone. He didn't know if the wolf had tried to chase him but he honestly didn't care. He just needed to get to the others and get help to release Steven from himself. It was like Team Force Update but worse.

Shaking his head, Kevin transformed himself in his jet black wolf self before sprinting as fast as he could back to the Eternals' base, his mind and heart racing as so many different emotions and thoughts filled his body.

"Kevin, just calm down and start from the beginning alright?" the gentle reassuring voice of Amber sounded as he snapped back to reality. He had returned but had seemed to fall into a denial trance afterwards. He knew the other Eternals were around him, mainly Sly, Aleks, Nova, Sky, Bashur and Amber. He recognized others but he couldn't bring a name to mind, not in the state he was in now.

Shaking slightly, Kevin took a few deep breaths as he recalled the story that had greatly affected him. "For the past week, Steven has been trying to control his wolf-like urges. I recognized this and whenever I would approach Steven, he would stop. This had happened before, so I thought it would just go away like before but it... but it didn't" he paused, remembering the moments of him comforting his lover by pulling him into a tight hug, and speaking to him softly, the way that had would calm him down in almost any situation.

With a gentle prob in his mind by Amber, he nodded and continued on with his story. "Today, he asked that we take a walk and then go to the closed off part of the forest. If I had known that he had purposely brought me there just for me to leave him... I would never have gone through with it" Kevin shook his head, tears threatening his blue eyes. How could he be so stupid? He should've known that there was something going on with him taking him to the eerie place.

Taking a deep, shaking breath, he continued. 'I-I tried to comfort him, but he only seemed to get worse in there. I-I noticed he was losing control but he pushed me away and told me to go and the 'Hurtful Oath'. Then... then he turned fully" Kevin shuddered at the memory. As if in instinct, Aleks walked to his side and comforted him just by his presence. 'I-I saw a part of Steven in the wolf's eyes but when I spoke to him- no, it, it attacked me and I put a barrier up because... Because I knew that it was a corrupted and possessed Steven and I-I couldn't hurt him" He broke once more, letting the tears fall freely from his eyes. Aleks crouched down next to him and gently touched him on the shoulder, comforting him the best he could.

"And then you left him in there, right Kevin?" Amber asked in her gentle voice. Choking back sobs, he nodded, remembering the aching pain of having to run away from and then leave the modder behind to suffer alone and in a mind he did not truly understand.

"Surely there's just a spell to reverse this right?" Kevin heard Sly ask Amber, having had walked over to Kevin's other side in a second comforting way much like Aleks.

Amber hesitated, thinking and thinking for a better answer than the only one she knew. She hated feeling and being powerless in these situations but since the Funnelers had said to not intervene in a lot of the personal problems of the Eternals, she had found that her resources and answers were limited.

"I'm afraid not. I cannot reverse it without damaging Steven. Remember, the wolf in him is not a separate entity like Lockcho in Hatty. It's a key part to who Steven is, and I can't risk that" she stated, knowing that what she said was true.

"Why the hell did this happen anyways? I thought he took a drug to control it?" Nova asked, making Kevin visably flinch, knowing the answer already which only made his already hurt heart hurt even more.

"It's like what happened to me" Jeffy spoke up, walking over carefully. "The drug can keep my killer's urges under control for a good amount of time before the urges need to be fulfilled and then it repeats. The last time I snapped was back in the Hougen battle"

"And the last time Steven snapped was against the squids when he went and saved Sky the first time" Kevin added, realization overcoming his mind. So it really had been so long ago since it had officially happened.

Amber nodded, agreeing with what they said. "Exactly but there is another way to fix this..." she said, drifting off into thought, catching the attention of the others, especially Kevin. "But it's very difficult to do" she added after a few brief moments.

Kevin visably seemed more alert and at attention. "I don't care how hard it is, I will do whatever I need to do to release Steven from... uh, his wolf-self" What was he supposed to say to that though?

Aleks tilted his head, his helmet shifting slightly after the sudden movement. "If you don't mind me asking, can't we just wait it out? Like wait until the urges blow over or it that not possible?"

Rolling his blue eyes, Kevin looked at Aleks, narrowing his eyes slightly at his best friend. "Even if it is possible, there is no way I am waiting this out" a slight tint of anger reaching into his calmed down voice.

Biting back a sharp remark, Aleks remembered the situation he was in before answering, "Well sorry. It was just a suggestion, damn dude" somewhat sarcastically.

"We can't wait it out"

Catching both Aleks and Kevin's attention, Amber took a moment to add, "We can't wait it out because if he is not broken free then he could permanently stay that way"

Fear reaching both Aleks and Kevin's minds, their sarcastic and negative mood vanishing.

"But this other plan, it can work right?" Kevin asked cautiously, the prospect of losing his Steven forever locked in his mind, blocking almost every other thought and emotion.

"Yes, but by difficult to do, I mean that you can't do it Kevin" She paused, waiting for the shock and possible anger that would come from the poison bearer.

She was right to pause for the shock filled Kevin's blue eyes immediately afterwards. "What? What do you mean that I can't be the one to do it? That doesn't make any sens-" He was cut off by Amber who spoke over him.

"Because you don't have anything to tell him that he doesn't know" It was such a simple sentence filled with true meaning yet Kevin still couldn't help but feel confused.

"What does that mean?" He asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"I mean that the only other way is for someone close to Steven somehow find Steven, keep him under control and then tell him something that means something to both him and the other. Kevin, he knows everything about you and you do not have anything to tell him that would greatly affect him. Meaning that someone else besides you has to do it" Amber stated, taking note of his desperate expression. Without another word, Kevin slipped to a clumsy sit as he pulled out their Team Force Update bread stained with both their own blood and the blood of their enemies including Sly and Aleks. He hugged it close to his chest, the one thing the two lovers had agreed to use as an object to help each other in their times of need. Now, it's only purpose seemed to be to just comfort a broken Kevin.

As silence bottled up the rest of the Eternals, one fought with his own thoughts and emotions. He, he knew he could be that someone for he was one of Steven's best friends and he also knew something that he had wanted to say to Steven all those months ago back before he became an official Eternal. Back when he had fallen in love with the younger modder. Now though, as well with his crush on Cain, his crush on Steven had faded to nothing as Nanners had taken his heart. But the fact remained that that could be the piece that could snap Steven out of his wolf-like trance. Maybe. He knew he just needed to try.

Focusing on Amber's mind he sent her a telepathic message directed just towards her. 'I'll do it. I'll tell him that I once had a crush on him and that was one of the original reasons I became an Eternal' Sky sent, receiving a message asking if he was sure. Only when he was given the 'okay' to go ahead with his plan did he glance briefly towards Nanners who was sitting beside him, and who also had eavesdropped on his and Amber's very brief conversation. Receiving a small, reassuring nod from the feline, Sky stepped forward, glancing at Kevin the whole time.

"I'll do it. I'll free Steven" he said confidently.

Raising his head, Kevin stared at Sky, knowing him as being a close friend of his lover. "What? What is it that you need to tell him?" he asked, his blue eyes barely hiding a small flash of suspicion.

Flinching slightly at his gaze, Sky stated, "I'll tell you later while we go there" which seemed to satisfy the poison bearer. For now.

Even with Nanners approaching his side, he couldn't help but feel like he was getting himself in a situation his mind would've preferred to avoid. But his heart said to go through with it. And in his heart he will trust and follow.

They were silent. All three of them. Sky walked in the middle with Nanners at his side and Kevin lingering besides him though he didn't make eye contact. In all honesty, he knew why. Kevin thought he had done something terribly wrong that would hurt Steven but it wasn't and he was sure it wouldn't terribly hurt or bother Steven but Kevin... Everyone in the Eternals knew that Kevin was very protective of the modder so when he found out what he was planning on telling Steven... Yeah, he didn't want to think about that right now.

"What is it?" Kevin broke the silence, his voice calm but hinted with suspicion. He didn't look up but he did shift slightly towards Sky and Nanners.

"What do yo-" Sky started, attempting to try to act stupid in order to possibly have Kevin's sarcastic side come out. He was instead greeted with anger.

"You know exactly what I fucking mean" Kevin growled lowly, averting his blue eyes up to meet Sky's as he shifted further away from them again. His eyes were flaming, holding an anger that he couldn't control, one he had in order to protect the childish and weaker modder that he cared so deeply about. Seeing the flame of anger and suspicion glared at him, Sky didn't know what to think and he sure as hell knew that Nanners didn't either. The feline simply remained silent for once and simply watched his lover and Kevin, knowing that this wasn't his battle to fight. But if things got hectic, he would most certainly step in.

"What is the important thing you are going to tell Steven?" It was not a question but more of a demand. He could easily refuse to tell him but then a million different consequences filled his mind, none of them good. But then, telling him would probably make the situation worse. But Sky had no choice, either way he was screwed and either way Kevin found out. He was bound to find out sooner or later. So he might as well get it finally off his chest.

Sky sighed, pausing from his walking to meet Kevin's cold blue eyes, fighting back the urge to flinch away and give in to the fear that was clouding his mind. But he was going to push through it, unable to hide it any longer.

"Before I tell you, I need you to promise me not to get angry, alright?" Sky said, taking note of the suspicion overtaking his blue eyes. Great, no going back now.

"Is this something that would get me angry?" Kevin shot back at Sky, sarcasm slipping into his voice.

"Just promise okay?" Sky said.

"Avoiding the question now, huh? Fine. I promise" Kevin glared. He promised but Sky was not trusting him too much right now.

"Pinkie Promise" the modder stated.

"Really? You're becoming more and more like Aleks everyday" He sighed as he did the Pinkie Promise in the correct motions while saying, "Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a knife straight through my eye" casually. He Pinkie Promised. Now breaking that promise would lead to Pinkie Pie... actually no one knew what she would do, but it was certainly nothing good.

Feeling Nanners sit besides him, Sky sighed once more before delving into his story, knowing that there was no going back now. "Remember before I became an Eternal? When I was captured by the squids along with Steven?" he questioned, not knowing why he asked, because he knew Kevin remembered. Maybe it was just to waste more time. Kevin nodded, not saying a word, not knowing where he was going with this. "Well during that time, I was being targeted by the squids and the others were draining Steven of his power and well... Steven and I made a promise to each other. A promise to protect each others' fan bases should anything happen to the other and he... motivated me to break free and become an Eternal" He paused remembering the good times mixed in between one of the darkest times of his life so far.

Kevin raised an eyebrow, knowing of this story for Steven had told him about it multiple times but there had to be something else here, or why else would Sky make him Pinkie Promise not to get angry. He was hiding something. Something he had been hiding until this day.

"Well, I sorta... well got attached to him and I kept it a secret because... because of you" His voice was not accusing or angry but instead calm and careful. Kevin looked like he was about to say something but he cut him off. "Let me finish. I eventually moved away from that and the same thing happened with Cain and then Nanners but Nanners actually returned my feelings. Steven is one of the reasons I originally became an Eternal and at first, I intended it to not to end with just a friendship"

Kevin was dangerously quiet, his eyes cold and almost unforgiving but his posture of that like a threatened or cornered animal. He felt threatened and even more so that this had something to do with Steven. And he knew what Sky was saying but his mind was in denial and he couldn't process anything correctly. "What-What do you mean?" he asked quietly and with a slight growl.

He was treading on very thin ice right now and Sky knew it. But there was no going back, he had to finish this and face whatever wrath was sure to come from the poison-bearer. "Kevin, one of the main reasons I originally became an Eternal was because of Steven. Because I had a crush on him" Noticing the anger beginning to writh through his body, Sky added, "But that was a long time ago. I don't feel that way anymore"

Kevin's eyes cast downwards, his body, heart, and mind all fighting against each other on how to react. He was writhing in anger, what else was he supposed to feel? But he had Pinkie Promised and breaking a Pinkie Promise was basically a suicide mission. But would Pinkie let him get away with it if he had a good reason to. But a thought lingered in the back of his mind. That he shouldn't and he needed to keep himself under control.

He felt like Steven right now. His real self which swore to be calm and not get angry was on the inside but on the outside and the side that was the most dominate, was angry, understanding that the crush no longer existed by it had existed nonetheless. Breathing in and out deeply, he attempted to calm himself, his nerves lowering with each breath.

"You okay there Kevin?" he heard Nanners ask him though he decided against looking up, for he didn't to slip back into the anger he was struggling to control in the first place.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine" Kevin stated, keeping himself under control. Finally gaining control of himself, he cast his blue eyes back up to Sky, whom his anger was directed towards but he was trying to control it. He didn't want to be angry nor did he want to hurt Sky because he didn't want to hurt Steven by doing so and plus... Sky was his friend too. Maybe not as close but still a friend.

"I will keep my promise. But if anything happens to Steven, I want you to Pinkie Promise to take full blame for it" Kevin said calmly, the smallest hint of a growl in his voice.

Sky took the smallest step back, literally thinking that Kevin would break his promise and attack him. But he didn't and he knew his friend wouldn't either. Nodding softly, he did the motions as repeated the Pinkie Promise, knowing now that if he failed in getting Steven to snap out of it, he was not going to get off anywhere close to lightly.

Starting to continue their walking, Sky noticed that Kevin had decided to linger behind him followed by Nannners. Sky didn't have to guess what the feline was doing so he simply blocked out their conversation and went about his way, focusing at the task that hand rather than anything else.

Kevin was reasonably looking away from both Sky and Nanners, not wanting to spark up any kind of anger once more but upon feeling Nanners linger backwards to his side, he had to wonder what the feline wanted. Turning his gaze to him, Kevin didn't feel the anger he had towards Sky right now maybe because he knew Nanners had nothing to do with the situation and possibly because he was grateful that he had fallen in love with Sky so that the previous conversation wasn't as awkward or anger-filled than it already had been.

"Keep you promise okay?" Nanners said suddenly, his voice in a low whisper as to not have Sky hear them through his own thoughts.

Turning to Nanners, Kevin couldn't help but to tilt his head slightly at what he said. "What, to not get angry? As long as he doesn't hurt Steven and fixes this mess, I will" in a whisper as well.

Nanners half rolled his eyes before taking a moment to think. "You want to know something? He could possibly be the first to ever break a Pinkie Promise from the way you're putting it" he added almost casually and hinted with a sign of aggression, a rare emotion coming from the feline.

Taken aback, Kevin stared at him. The first to break a Pinkie Promise and he was making it seem that way. Did that mean that Nanners thought the plan would not work and Sky would fail? 'What do you mean?" Kevin whispered, briefly noticing Sky take a few few more steps further from them. Now what was his problem?

Nanners sighed before answering, looking at Sky who he knew was trying his hardest to block out their quiet conversation. But it was not working and he was hearing them and he hated it. It hurt Nanners seeing his lover in such emotional pain but he could tell it must be much worse for Kevin and Steven. He knew this by hanging out with Meowth for as long as he had everyday when someone was deeply emotionally troubled and/or scarred. And Kevin and Steven's situation was fitting that description quite nicely.

"Before we left, Sky went to Pinkie Pie and personally Pinkie Promised to her that he would not fail this mission. Meaning if he fails, he not only has you on him but now Pinkie Pie and the Funnelers only know what she will do" Nanners whispered to Kevin, remembering the shock on Pinkie's face as she was Pinkie Promised such an important promise and before he did so, she had asked if he was sure to which he responded that it was what he needed to do.

Kevin stared at Nanners, almost forgetting he was supposed to be walking. "He did? Why though?" he asked, wondering what the older modder's intentions were when he decided that was what he needed to do.

Nanners sighed once more, casting his eyes downwards in thought before looking back at his taller and younger friend. "He did it because he knew that you would make him promise to take the blame and so that he felt the pain that came with his failure"

"Wait, then how am I putting it that way?" Kevin asked confused.

The feline looked up to Sky who was mentally trying not to listen but failing terribly. "He can hear our conversation and your anger might make him lose his confidence. All I'm saying is to just try to keep your emotions under control so he actually has a chance in winning this, okay?" Nanners asked, looking back to Kevin.

If his anger was pushing Sky off his mark, then he might as well at least try to keep himself under control. Even though he was doing this for Steven, he couldn't help but worry for Sky, despite the anger directed towards him which was slowly slipping from his main priority,

Nodding Kevin answered, "I'll try. I'll really try" carefully.

Smiling simply Nanners trotted back to Sky's side, noticing him relax by his simple presence. Smiling softly to himself, Kevin moved to Sky's other side but avoided all eye contact. He didn't want Sky to know that he was starting to forgive him. At least, not yet.

'Neva Let Go' - Musashi, Kojiro, Nyarth, Pikachuu, Master Nyarth

The nightmare was haunting him to no end, every single night. Each and every night, it would just intensify. He had no control of it and he was slowly losing the mental battle with his own mind.

His brother had been the one he was leaning on, the one who he would break down in front of and the one who would prop him back up when he fell. He had tried to tell him to tell the others, the ones in his nightmare, but each time, he refused, terrified of their possible rejection.

He had agreed to not do anything rash but the thing was, his sensitive brother never made him Pinkie Promise and thus, he had decided to help him in the only way he could.

He had woken the two from their sleep and, after a very painful conversation, had been able to drag them to the sleeping and clearly disturbed Nyarth. He had gently checked his mind to make sure he was having the nightmare before he pried him carefully off of him to go and get his adopted brother and sister.

By his disturbed side was his lover, Pikachuu, who would occasionally nuzzle the scratch cat when he softly cried out. Each gentle touch would seemingly calm him to an extend and would even nuzzle into the electric mouse when he had wrapped his tail almost protectively around him.

Musashi and Kojiro were careful as they followed Master Nyarth, recalling what he had told him earlier. That Nyarth's nightmare was consistent and it was something he was refusing to confront. The source of said nightmare was none other than them.

They had pushed the maniac on how he knew this but had received an aggressive response. They should've known that he would've become protective over his obviously weaker brother. Since they became biologically related, he had been acting more and more like that. They had eventually agreed into talking to their friend but they didn't know what to expect from him.

The maniac's eyes were saddened as he slipped to the other side of the sleeping Nyarth, noticing that he was shaking, not from the cold but from whatever ordeal he was being put through inside his own mind. One single prob in his mind made him pull back, taken aback by the severity of the nightmare. Never had he once seen to the full extent just what he put himself through every night. No wonder he was so protective of him. But this was one thing he couldn't protect him from.

Stealing a knowing glance with Pikachuu, someone he often times clashed with, he looked towards the other two, who had crouched down by them, looking at their friend, their adopted brother worriedly.

"I can wake him up, as gently as I can" Masty simply said, his ears lowering as he remembered what happened last time when he woke him up. Even though it had been gently, he still woke up to an illusion. He was going to try and prevent that now.

With a simple nod from the two of them, Masty looked to Pikachuu once more, watching him hold onto his lover tighter, knowing full well what would happen when he woke up.

Taking a steady breath in, he raised his burnt paw and placed it against Nyarth's charm, unknowingly creating no pain for his blood brother. Carefully, and with great self-hatred, he began to press against his charm, looking away as he felt him beginning to react, his cries becoming more and more clearer and the shaking in his body intensifying. No doubt that he was hurting more and more in said nightmare.

He continued to push and continued to create pain against his brother, reminding himself to hurt himself later. Then, he turned back to him and, with his free paw, grabbed his arm and slipped their minds together, his invading his nightmare. He couldn't witness it but he knew it was bad. "Nyarth, wake up!" he telepathically yelled at him.

Almost immediately, his blue eyes shot open, his black ears flattening against his head, his right ear sticking up slightly from the nail straight through it. He breathed heavily, his gaze darting around until it rested on both Pikachuu and Masty, making him somewhat relax. But when he noticed Musashi and Kojiro, his heart seemed to stop, the nightmare repeating in his brain. It was only when Pikachuu nuzzled the side of his head did he realize he was in reality and not in that awful nightmare.

Realizing that he was the cause of his friends' worries, he seemed to begin to try and pull away from his lover and his brother, tears threatening the corners of his eyes. But they held onto him, silently reassuring him that it was alright.

Gaining control of himself, he bravely glanced up to his partners, his best friends, and his adopted family. They were the source of his terrible nightmare, but they wouldn't do that to him, right?

"M-Musashi, K-Kojiro. What are ya doin' here?" he asked simply, grabbing a hold of his voice before it could become a stuttering mess.

Sharing a glance with Kojiro, Musashi reached her hand towards him, to which he made the smallest of flinches. Noticing it, she pulled her hand away and spoke. "You need to face your nightmares. We want to help you, Nyarth"

A part of him ceased to function, as if he had been hit over the head. Then, he bit his tongue and dug his claws deep into the arm of his blood brother who barely reacted and continued to hold onto him. He deserved that for hurting him before.

Narrowing his blue eyes slightly, he glared at him, a dangerous glint in his gaze. "Masty, what da fuck?" he growled lowly, causing the maniac to meet his brother's angered eyes.

"W-What do ya mean?" he asked simply. Musashi and Kojiro shared a brief glance in response. Masty never stuttered and here he was, stuttering in front of his brother. In fact, he didn't seem bothered by this fact at all.

Digging his claws deeper into his arm, he responded, "Ya promised ya wouldn't tell anyone. Ya broke yer promise ta me" His voice may have been accusing but the others noticed that he wasn't being harsh or aggressive.

Blinking once, Masty regained his composure before he said, "Nyarth, da only t'in' dat can hold me down is a Pinkie Promise, somet'in' ya didn't make me do" His voice should've been confident but it was instead firm and straight. When with his brother, Masty almost seemed like a different person.

Biting his tongue and pulling his gaze away, Nyarth recalled the conversation he had with Masty, making him promise not to tell anyone. He did, indeed, forget to tell him to Pinkie Promise. "B-But-"

"Dun brin' dat up again. For da last time, I did not break dat Pinkie Promise. I dun care how many times ya tell me I did, I fuckin' didn't" Masty cut him off, a slight growl seeping into his tone.

Pricking his ears slightly, he turned his gaze slightly behind him. "Dun even t'ink 'bout it. It's a long ass story dat no one wants ta explain right now" he growled softly to Kojiro, who he had caught a stray thought in his head. Kojiro simply gave him a small, surprised nod before he snapped his attention back to Nyarth.

"Ya're avoidin' yer fears. Ya need ta face it Nyarth. If ya won't say or do anyt'in' yerself, dan I'll do it for ya"

"What makes ya t'ink dat ya can-" Nyarth tried but was cut off again. Although irritated, he didn't attempt to stop Masty.

"I care 'bout ya. More dan I can express. I hate sittin' here every night seein' ya suffa from yer own mind. Ya need ta face it, an' not be like me. I keep runnin' away from ma problems. Me an' ya are not one an' da same. Prove dat, for me" he spoke softly, his voice deprived of it's usual spark. It was more gentle and caring, one that seemed to mesmerize his brother.

After a long moment of silence, Nyarth retracted his claws and allowed the anger to slip away. "I-I'm sorry" he whispered.

Releasing his arm, Masty stepped back, the smallest and weakest of smiles on his face. Pikachuu was careful as he nuzzled the side of his lover's head, assuring him silently that he loved him. "I have to go Nyarth. The Roketto-Dan trio needs to handle this alone" he telepathically told him. Leaning towards him to hug him, Nyarth, who had found a new burst of energy, wrapped his arm around a clearly retreating Master Nyarth, pulling him into the hug as well.

Nyarth himself was a too big fan of hugs but both Musashi and Kojiro supposed that being around Pinkie Pie all day might've triggered that.

Releasing his two friends, Nyarth allowed them to retreat together, watching them with saddened eyes as they left his point of view. Great, now he was alone with the source of his nightmares.

He wasn't meeting their eyes, which worried them. He also didn't speak which worried them even more. That sudden distant look in his eyes, that's just what sealed the deal.

Carefully, both Musashi and Kojiro moved to Nyarth's sides, very gently touching his arms, trying to show him that they wouldn't hurt him. Their touches caused a small flinch from him, but this time, they didn't pull away. Their touches made the nightmare repeat in his mind, causing none other than an emotional reaction from him.

He shut his eyes and tried to pull away from them but the moment he tried, they gently grabbed his arms, holding him there. This caused a strained whimper to escape his throat as a part of his nightmare bounced back to the front of his mind.

"Nyarth, it's alright. You're safe" Kojiro reassured him gently.

The scratch cat couldn't help but to whimper again causing Musashi to respond, "Just calm down Nyarth. We won't hurt you" gently as well, knowing all too well on how sensitive their friend had become.

Ignoring the small shaking in his body, Nyarth finally opened his eyes and looked up to his best friends, his blue eyes darkened and nervous. Very carefully, both Musashi and Kojiro moved their other hands up to his head and began to pet him, trying to show him that they wouldn't hurt him like he was probably expecting them to.

Tears welling in his eyes, he tried his hardest to hold back his shameful cries but the more and more the two next to him held onto him and continued to pet him, the harder it was to hide the fact that he was breaking. And without so much as a warning, he broke down.

Letting a choked sob escape his throat, he allowed the tears to spill from his eyes, his tail finally going limp and falling to his side. He couldn't hide it anymore. He gave up.

The tears were the only thing Musashi and Kojiro needed for they released his arms and pulled him into a hug, continuing to pet him, gently reassuring him that it was okay and that he was safe. At first, he seemed alarmed by the affectionate movement but he soon relaxed and held tightly onto them, crying into them.

Kojiro had bore witness to Nyarth's emotional breaks before and so had Musashi but she was more unused to it than anyone. She never was good with people who were crying and even worse with people crying and trying to get comfort from her. It was still hard to believe for her that the confident and tough Pokemon she had grown to love like a brother was the one right in front of her, sensitive and emotionally broken. But hidden underneath, she knew that he was still the same. And nothing would change that.

"I-I'm s-sorr-ry..." he choked out. He was sorry, not just because of him crying but because of a lot of things. Too many to list, in fact. His tears continued to flow, his emotions flying out of him as he felt his two friends hug him tighter.

Gaining control of himself again, Nyarth carefully pried himself away from his friends, a guilty glint in his eyes as he realized that he was burdening his best friends with his problems. Well, he guessed it was their problems now.

"M-Musashi, K-Kojiro..." he simply said, trying to gain his confidence up. "M-Ma nightmares, dey have n-ot-t'in ta do wid ya. De-Dey're all me. All m-ma messed up min-nd" He chose that approach. The self-hating approach. He should've known that his friends wouldn't let him sink into that pit of misery.

"It's not your fault, Nyarth. We don't blame you" Kojiro reassured him, petting the side of his head gently. The feline barely reacted to the touch.

"B-But youse guys dun need ta witness dem. I would neva wish dat onta ya" he stated, gaining control of his voice, despite the tears threatening his eyes once more.

Exchanging a glance with Musashi, Kojiro allowed himself to respond, "Nyarth, we want to help you and that means to understand your nightmares. We know it's hard for you but..."

Noticing Kojiro's trailed off pause, Musashi finished for him. "Just try, Nyarth. That's all we ask of you" Carefully, she pet the top of his head, avoiding his charm, fearing that she would create pain for him.

He seemed to notice this for he spoke clearly and simply, "Touch it"

"Huh?"

"Ma charm. Touch it. Bot' of ya. If it creates no pain, den I'll show ya, 'kay?"

His voice was so calm and different from a few seconds before and even then, they couldn't help but wonder if he was tricking them, knowing it was going to hurt and not showing them. But they couldn't not do it.

Carefully, both Musashi and Kojiro reached one hand up to their friend's charm, preparing themselves for his recoil from them in pain. No such reaction happened however.

Nyarth glanced up to his charm before he met the wondering eyes of his friends, a familiar glint sparking in his eyes. "I knew it. Not'in'"

Removing her hand from his charm, Musashi glanced at Nyarth, the spark in his eyes stopping her for a moment. "What do you mean, nothing?" she asked carefully.

A slight smirk crept onto the scratch cat's face. "Yer touches dun emit any pain from ma charm. Which means dat I trust ya an' dat also means dat I... have ta show ya ma nightmares" The smirk faded and the spark in his eyes vanished as he realized what that meant. Curse him for not thinking ahead.

Noticing his sudden change in mood, both Musashi and Kojiro gently pulled himself into another hug, having seen the tears beginning to build in his eyes once more.

Being careful, they pet the top of his head, his tears and cries muffled as he buried his face into them. Breathing deeply, he struggled to control himself once more, the tears in eyes slipping out uncontrollably.

After a few long moments, he pulled away, wiping the liquid from his eyes as he did so. "O-Okay. I-I'll try" he whispered, more to himself than anyone.

Shakingly, he lifted one paw and twisted it in the air in a complicated yet seemingly easy fashion. Magic built into his paw and he was just about to reach up to his charm when he paused, a lingering thought in his mind.

"Like, I said before, none of dis is ya're fault. It's all ma mind's but please... Please dun hate me" he stated, his voice fading to a soft whisper. Without waiting for a response, he placed his paw against his charm and allowed the projection of his nightmare to start, all the while looking away, already with tears in his eyes.

Pain. That was all he knew.

He woke up to blackness and suddenly, he was kicked to the ground, the pain erupting much like a volcano. His tormentors loomed over him, their shadows hiding them. But he could see their faded outlines.

A surprised whimper escaped his throat as he hit the ground, to which he attempted to get up. Almost immediately , he was kicked back to the ground, this time much harder. Breathing heavily, he dared a glance up but the moment he tried to, he received a sharp kick to the head. This time, the foot of one of his tormentors held him down, preventing him from seeing who was doing this to him.

**"So, look who's the weak and helpless Nyarth. Unable to protect himself from mere kicks, huh?"* A voice mockingly asked, malice dominating her voice.*

He breath caught in his throat. That voice. No, she couldn't be doing this to him...

Another voice laughed as they promptly held down his tail, stealing a soft whimper from him in the process. *"Ha, you were right Musashi. He really is just a useless little freak. So how about that great power you have Nyarth?"***

No, Musashi. Now that voice. His mind had to be playing with him. There was just no way...

"Of course I was right Kojiro. Since when has he ever been anything more than weak?'

No. Musashi. Kojiro. His partners in crime. His best friends. His brother and sister. Why? Why were they doing this to him? Surely it wasn't a sick joke, right? Surely it was Sasaki's doing. Mind control perhaps?

The pressure in his tail suddenly intensified as Kojiro pushed his foot against his bone, a familiar wave of pain washing throughout his senses. He bit his tongue as he struggled to not whimper but the more and more pressure that was put on him, the more and more he was unable to hold it.

Suddenly, Musashi removed her foot from his head and instead, grabbed one of his arms and yanked him harshly into the air. In doing so, Kojiro, who continued to step on his tail, stomped on it, causing a low screech of pain to emit from him as he felt the bone snap once more. He was used to this pain but here, it seemed like the pain was more there than anywhere else.

She dangled him there, watching him whimper softly and the tears threatening his blue eyes. Blood leaked from the wounds of his tail but she wasn't focused on that now. No, she was focused on him. He could feel her penetrating gaze and he could barely contain himself, let alone look up to her harsh eyes.

**"You know, we should've let J, Plasma-Dan, and even Sasaki have their way with you. At least then you would be out of our hair"* she growled softly.*

**"But now since we have you all to ourselves, it's about time you pay for all of the pain you burdened onto us"* Kojiro said as he grabbed his other arm, yanking him further into the air.*

Their grips were not gentle like he was used to. They were tight and hurtful and he could feel the blood coursing through his veins. He could hear his heart beating a mile a minute. He knew from experience that he was a goner at the hands of his adopted brother and sister.

He was then struck over the top of the head, hard. He held back a strangled whimper as he registered a voice filled with hatred towards him.

**"Weak and helpless"* Another hit, this time, harder.*

**"Undeserving of anything he has"* He knew it was Kojiro that hit him next. It hurt just as much.*

"A useless excuse for a Pokemon"

'Could never be anything more than a Pokemon that can walk and talk"

"Untrue to what he should be"

"Nothing but a 'powerful' weakling"

His head was aching by the time they seemingly stopped, tears having begun to run down Nyarth's face as their words hit his heart. They were right. He was in the wrong. He deserved this punishment.

Without any warning, he was thrown to the ground but was soon yanked back to the air. His head spun and his eyes became unfocused but without a second thought, he was thrown back to the concrete floor once more, this time with the every intention to hurt him.

Their tauntings continued.

"Unable to defend himself"

"The weakest link in the whole team"

"Could never be human"

"A monster waiting to kill"

"A demon without a heart"

"A brainless lunatic"

He couldn't help but to screech as he felt not just one but both of his legs snap underneath him. His one arm limply lay, bleeding heavily in Musashi's grip. He was losing this battle. But he deserved it.

With much force, they flung him to the ground, watching him whimper in sheer physical and emotional pain as he skidded across the floor. He didn't even attempt to get up. Blood leaked out of wounds all over his body, his tears mixing with the blood as he whimpered. He  carefully shut his eyes and curled into a painful ball.

"An unloved and unwanted creature"

"Someone who could never be accepted"

They kicked him, hard. They taunted him, hard. He took it. He took it all, whimpering with tears streaming down his face. He never looked up, not even when the pain suddenly intensified. But then, the pain vanished as did their voices as a familiar voice rang throughout his head.

"Nyarth, wake up!"

Fighting everything his mind told him to do, he snapped his eyes open, leaving the hell that was his own mind and left into reality.

The projection snapped shut as tears flowed freely from Nyarth's eyes. He continued to look away, unable to face the fact that he had just shown his brother and sister the nightmare that he had just had, and just how much it was affecting him. He hated appearing weak around them but that seemed to be happening a lot more often than he liked to admit.

To say that Musashi and Kojiro were surprised was an understatement. They knew that Nyarth's nightmares were bad but this bad to both physically and emotionally torture him? Just what did he have to go through whenever he closed his eyes?

And why could they not protect him from his own mind?

Without a word, both Musashi and Kojiro reached as arm out to Nyarth and pulled the crying feline to them, wrapping him in a warm and loving hug. He clung to them as he cried, never once letting go. If he knew they wouldn't hurt him, could that possibly stop the nightmares from returning?

Carefully, they resumed to petting the top of his head, very briefly running their fingers over his charm whenever he let out a choked sob.

They remained together for a long while before Nyarth finally shakingly pulled away just a bit, just so that he could look up to his friends while remaining in their grip. He didn't want to break that symbol of safety anytime soon.

Tears still continued to leak down his face and his ears were still flattened against his head, most likely in an act of fear. His eyes were darkened, a distant yet fearful and saddened layer covering his deep blue gaze. Although he looked up to them, he avoided both of their eye contacts, as if expecting to find the same hatred from his nightmares. In fact, that was just what he was expecting.

"Nyarth..." Musashi and Kojiro said gently in unison as they continued to pet him, their voices soft. Even then, the scratch cat couldn't help but to flinch slightly but he never pulled away from them. If anything, he inched closer to them as if out of possible comfort and safety.

But that was something from his nightmare that confused them, especially Musashi. When their nightmare-selves had beaten him to no end, he never fought back. He just took it when it was obvious that he could've easily shoved them away. Then why didn't he?

"Nyarth, if this hurts you too much, then don't answer but... In your nightmare, why did you not fight back?" Musashi asked gently.

The feline seemed to freeze at her question, a million thoughts consuming his fragile mind. Yes, why didn't he fight back?

How was it not obvious?

He remained silent and she assumed that no answer would follow but the moment she resumed in petting him, he spoke, his voice clear and unwavering.

"I can't"

Kojiro cast a glance towards Musashi who had stopped petting him to simply stare at him in surprise and confusion. But before she could begin to ask the question, he had already beaten her to it.

"I can't fight back. Ma heart won't let me"

"But Nyarth... you don't-" Kojiro attempted to reason but he was cut off.

"I dun listen ta ma heart, I know. But in ma nightmares, ma heart just ovapowas ma mind. It tells me not ta fight back an' I listen. Ma mind wants ta, but it wants ta hurt ya an'-an'... I can't force maself ta fight youse guys" Tears leaked clearly down his face as he choked on his own words, averting his gaze downwards as he cried.

Opposites Attract - Master Nyarth and Bashur

He felt so wrong but so right at the same time. He had loved Clementine but it was never meant to be. He had lived in anger at her for a few weeks, believing she was a traitor for some reason before completely dropping it out with her. He had agreed to remain her close friend but hadn't spoken to her on a personal level ever since. If anything, he had chosen to remain around Roketto-Dan, mainly Nyarth. His blood brother and alter ego could help him for his resistance to feel love or pain shown when he seemed more out of it than ever.

Then he had slipped into a maniacal depression. He didn't intend to hurt anyone and didn't with Nyarth keeping him on a tame level. The others tried to help him as well but when Amber mentioned something about a flight to calm himself, he had seen something in his mind, a nightmare he had been having regarding the word fly.

Ever since his fallout with Clementine, he had bonded with Bashur who had sought him out in need of a friend at the time. He had given him friendship but soon nightmares of his friend began to plague his mind along with his usual clone ones. Bashur did not have an inability to fly but he had trouble doing it. He was also terrified of large heights and he was afraid of failing in flying from the times he was picked on by Sky and the others in Team Crafted before he became an Eternal. He forgave them but their antics left a scar on his mind.

His nightmares were normally the same thing. They were in an isolated area with only he and Bashur in it. Bashur would be practicing his hovering and jumping skills but then... the nightmare would be begin. He would attempt to fly at one point but be unable to and would fall down a cliff. Even being able to hover, he would be unable to use it. Instinct would kick in and Master Nyarth would completely forget that it was a dream and would attempt to save him. But no matter what tactic he used or how fast he went, he would be unable to save him and right before Bashur would hit the ground and surely die, he would wake up, his mind reeling and fear shaking his usually calm body.

It had all come back to him and once his maniacal state found Bashur, doing his best to try to calm him, he felt himself becoming tamer and safer around him. It confused him. His nightmares he kept to himself saying they were his usual clone nightmares. He had wondered if it was normal to have nightmares constantly about a close friend.

But then he started feeling... different around him. With Clementine, he never felt like this so he couldn't connect the dots at all. He would feel strange around Bashur like he just wanted to be close to him forever. He also began to notice the stuttering side of Bashur begin to show itself again, normally when they were together alone. Why though? He had pondered in his mind for so long until he began to spy on Pikachuu and Nyarth, taking note of their behavior around each other. Despite theirs being more open, he decided to refuse to believe he was in love. There was just no way.

He had thought he had loved Clementine, but was it possible that he never did and only thought he did? It was possible, seeing with how his scarred mind worked now. But how could it be Bashur? They were barely anything alike.

Even when he had asked Nyarth on what to do, he simply said to follow his heart and do what he believed to be right. When he had pushed him on his love for Pikachuu, he had suddenly become angry and snapped at him, refusing to answer his question and repeating what he had said. He hadn't asked him about it ever since.

Master Nyarth narrowed his eyes in thought, glancing over the side of the cliff he sat on staring off into the sunset being consumed by the ocean. He growled softly to himself, wondering how he went from a maniac to wondering if he loved someone, Bashur especially. There was no real answer to it. He was just meant to be here and therefore would do whatever he could do to protect the Eternals. It was always what he was meant to do, even if he wanted to think otherwise.

He knew it. He was in love with Master Nyarth. And never before had something bothered him this much. Even with his fear of being treated like the other living watermelons that had lived before him and being abandoned by those he trusted, nothing could compare to the amount of fear he had for being rejected by the maniacal and tough Master Nyarth. He was fine with Nyarth but his alter ego was different and he understood him better than even his brother, Sky. He could get on a personal level with him and just that fact alone probably caused his feelings to escalate.

He had felt love before but the feelings were never returned. Plus, he had always been the one being picked on by the others. He had always laughed it off and appeared to be carefree and happy. Normally he was but sometimes he wished for those he admired and trusted to pay attention to him and give him what he thought he deserved.

Then he had been captured by the squids, Pewface betraying him and Paps now dead. He had lived in fear for so long and then obedience. He and Deadlox. Now though, he felt happier and safer. He had clung to Sky who adopted him as his brother. And then he had been given the miracle of having Sky be his biological brother who gave him the love he desired from the one he admired. Even with him being revealed as a former squid, he loved him like the brother he was still.

But then he had found the secret of the living watermelons. He was technically the last of his kind and the ones before were used as food after a while. Paps was probably trying to protect him from that and knowing that broke him. He always questioned Sky, Chilled and the others as to why he wasn't the same as them. They responded because he was their friend and that they cared about him.

But his most support was in fact Master Nyarth who connected with him on many levels. When he had questioned why he wasn't killed yet by the others and that he deserved it, the maniac had angrily told him to not think that way and that he was loved by many and didn't deserve death. It was his heart-felt words that motivated him to not think so negatively about himself. But since then, he noticed something strange yet sort of familiar on his own part.

He began to act more nervous and shy around the maniacal Pokemon. He would occasionally stutter and would try his best to avoid eye contact. And Master Nyarth seemed more on edge than usual and didn't try to meet eye contact either. He always seemed to be thinking deeply about something.

Sky had apparently been noticing his behavior and had questioned him. Bashur had not held back, he had slipped everything and asked for how to find out if Master Nyarth returned his feelings. Instead, he had gotten Sly who claimed himself as the 'love doctor' somehow. He was a curer sure but love really wasn't his special talent or anything. They had asked Amber to open up his dream-scape so they could see if he did dream of Bashur.

But he instead had nightmares. Bashur watching himself fall seemingly to death and Master Nyarth attempt to save him but fail over and over again hurt him. How he could hide his constant nightmares was a mystery to him until he had told him of his resistance to pain but he knew what else he was resistant to now. Love. Since Clementine, he didn't want to be heartbroken again and was trying once more to sever his ability to love. But it wasn't working and it was getting to Bashur too.

Sly and Sky urged him to not wait too long but tell him when he felt it was time. He wasn't ready now but upon taking a simple walk out of the territory to calm his thoughts, he noticed Master Nyarth sitting above the cliff and staring off into the night above the ocean. There was clearly something wrong but whether or not he wanted to approach was the real question.

In the end, he felt he had no other choice. Choking back any sign of fear, he trudged over to his best friend.

Master Nyarth's senses were sharper than normal from once being the ruler of the alternate dimension. But he never returned there. No, not with Jessica and Jimmy ruling there, wanting him dead. Plus, he felt happier and safer as an Eternal, his earlier betrayal aside. He hadn't been connected to his real emotions then and now, he was very much in tact with them if he was here debating with his feelings in the first place.

He easily sensed Bashur approach him and did his best to choke back any sort of fear of him falling off the cliff by silently creating an invisible barrier around the cliff so that he could prevent that. Maybe he noticed or maybe he didn't. He couldn't tell for he didn't seem to notice. Bashur moved to sit down next to him though he decided to not look at him yet. His heart was already beating faster than ever, which only strengthened his acceptance of his love for the watermelon. He didn't care what he was, he just liked him for who he was.

Shaking his head, he looked to Bashur, staying silent as he gazed through his 3D glasses and into his black eyes beneath only briefly before he blinked and flicking his blue and black eyes away.

"Hey Bash" Master Nyarth said blandly attempting to smirk but otherwise failing miserably at trying to hide his intense thought process.

Bashur was not too stupid. He knew there was something on his mind. And when he had met his black and blue eyes, he saw pain and slight fear as well as a strange hidden feeling that he couldn't identify. His voice was different and his attempt at appearing to be fine raised a red flag in his mind.

Taken aback by his sudden change in mood, Bashur remained silent for a few moments before he placed his hand on his shoulder, noticing him tense up out of surprise at his touch.

"Master Nyarth? Are you alright?" he asked him, struggling not to stutter, worry lacing his tone.

Master Nyarth attempted to smirk once more before turning back to Bashur. "Alright? 'Course I'm alright! Why wouldn't I be? A maniac can't be worryin' 'bout emotions an' t'oughts, A clone can't feel strong emotions..." he trailed off, pain filling his eyes once more. "...right?" He flattened his ears against the top of his head as a layer of grey took over his charm.

His confession surprised Bashur who took a few moments to recover from the shock of his mental state. It was the first time he had ever seen his charm lose colour and the maniac question himself in general. He still thought himself as a clone of Nyarth and hearing him feel as though he couldn't worry over his thoughts and emotions because he was a maniac... It broke his heart. But he was sort of used to hiding that kind of emotion.

"You're not a clone, Master Nyarth. You can worr-" Bashur began to say, attempting to touch his shoulder in a comforting way. He was cut off by Master Nyarth growled slightly and then pushing Bashur away, he looked back to him, emotional pain filling his eyes.

"But I am a clone! A clone isn't supposed ta worry 'bout t'oughts an' emotions. Dat's why I'm a maniac, I can't feel pain or anythin'" he breathed, his growl fading as he held back something he had only experienced by himself. Tears. Tears of emotional pain and suffering. He held it back the best he could but he knew Bashur was no fool.

He was right for Bashur easily could see the tears forming in his eyes and threatening to spill out like a waterfall. But his arguments on why he was a clone only made him feel broken knowing his friend and the one he admired and loved was doubting himself, his entire character so openly.

"Even if you were a clone, it doesn't matter" Bashur whispered to him, causing Master Nyarth to look into his eyes with confusion.

"What do ya mean? 'Course it matters! If I'm a clone, I can't feel an' I'm not real an'..." Master Nyarth paused, a few tears slipping from his eyes. "I should just be dead" he shut his eyes and looked down, almost in defeat.

This was not the Master Nyarth he had fallen for. Somehow Bashur was about the work up the courage to do what he did next, stuttering a little only to remind himself of the fact as to why he was here, why he kept going throughout his Eternal life.

"D-Don't say that! If you d-deserved to die, you w-would already be d-dead. I-I mean that is that i-it d-doesn't matter if you a-are a clone or not. Y-You're still capable of e-emotions and w-worries and we all c-care about you" Bashur softly spoke, hoping to somehow get to the tough heart of Master Nyarth.

Looking back to Bashur, he struggled to hold back his tears as he questioned him, questioned the one thing that made his own heart beat almost out of his chest.

"Bashur... I have lost everyt'inl I have ever known an' everyone I give ma heart ta, crushes me. All dose pat'etic cat Pokemon from da old days, Pikochu, kind of Fluttershy, an' now Clementine..." He sighed, feeling that strange sense of security he felt when he was around Bashur now resurfaced, threatening to overtake him. "I've allowed ma heart ta feel love again but maybe I should just cut it off again" he looked away from him, avoiding his eyes once more.

Cut off his ability to feel love? Bashur's own pain in his heart returned as he gazed at the seemingly broken version of the maniac he had grown to love. How was it that he could simply turn it on and off. From his experiences with Sky and Sly to find out if Master Nyarth loved him back, he could only guessed that he felt the same way but maybe he was wrong. But then, why would he be avoiding his eye contact?

"Don't" Bashur stated, more forcefully than he had ever done so with Master Nyarth. A question filling his pain ridden eyes, he looked back to his friend, avoiding direct eye contact while doing so.

"Why shouldn't I? No one could truly love a maniac who could also be a clone" It was almost like defeat was filling his body. Never once before had he felt defeated in anything but the strong forces of love. Why was love always so difficult?

"Nyarth loves you like the blood brother you are. Roketto-Dan loves you as one of their own" Bashur started.

"Nyarth is ma alter ego, 'course he feels close ta me, but not love. Roketto-Dan likes me, not love" Master Nyarth interrupted, not understanding why he was even trying to cheer him up.

Bashur continued as if he didn't interrupt, though he did hear him and did take note of it. "Clementine loves you as a friend. The others in the Rainbow Factory love you too"

"Clementine is just a friend now, not'in' more. Dey like me, not love. I'm not exactly deir best addition anyways"

"Amber loves you like her son. The other Eternals love you for who you are"

"Amber maybe but I wouldn't bet on it. Da odas probably act like dey like me but dey really just hate me"

"And I..." Bashur trailed off, pulling his own gaze away from him.

Master Nyarth looked up, tilting his head slightly as he wondered what he had been about to say. Then it clicked. Nyarth had told him to follow his heart when he had asked him for advice on how to tell if Bashur felt the same way as him. He had done research on his own by hacking his dreams and seeing what he dreamt about. The nightmares of him attacking and even killing Bashur because he 'fell in love with the wrong person' hurt him but only gave him the clues he needed to put two and two together here.

"Bashurverse" Master Nyarth said, a more strong and curious tone reaching his voice. With the change of mood, Bashur looked back at him, confused and surprised as he used his full name. No one used his full name unless it was extremely important.

"Y-Yeah?"

"What is it ya see in me ta make ya feel da way ya do?" It was a simple question but it was one that was filled with meaning.

Bashur allowed his heart to beat faster and his eyes to widen slightly as he gazed at his friend, shocked that he knew his secret. He knew that he loved him. Somehow, someway, he knew. Whether that was good or bad, he was about to find out.

"I-I see someone who is misunderstood, s-someone who was shrouded by d-darkness because you knew no other w-way. I s-see a maniac, not a c-clone, who had to cut off y-your emotions to prevent yourself f-from getting hurt. I-I see a friend, someone who deserves g-good and... love" Bashur spoke, gradually meeting Master Nyarth's eyes directly. Pain was replaced by that once hidden feeling that now didn't seem too strange anymore.

"I hoped ta not love again ta not feel da pain once more. I didn't understand it at first but... I need ta tell ya what I know ya know already" Master Nyarth said, allowing himself to smirk carefully as he gently yet firmly pulled Bashur into a hug. Once more, he felt the safest he could ever be, being close to the living watermelon he had grown so close to over the small amount of time.

Bashur too felt the happiest and safest in Master Nyarth's embrace. He held on tight to him, as he allowed the words to finally slip out, the words he had longed to say for so long and get the same thing back. "I love you Master Nyarth"

The maniac's smirk widened at this. "Hey, I meant dat I'd say it first" he jokingly said as he returned his hug. "But whatever. I love you too Bashur"

Their loving embrace lasted several long moments, neither wanting the moments to end before Bashur pulled back and looked out to the moonlit horizon over the sea.

"Master Nyarth. Teach me to fly" he stated, catching him off guard.

"What? But what if somethin'... happens?" Master Nyarth questioned, a slight pang of fear hitting his body as the thoughts of his nightmares returned.

"Nothing will happen, because you'll be there with me" He smiled widely before tapping the barrier he had placed around them. "Remove this. I'm ready when you are" Bashur patiently waited for him to recover.

Twisting his burnt paw, the barrier faded to nothing. Master Nyarth looked out to the horizon as well before he looked back and met Bashur's eyes. He smirked and narrowed his eyes in a serious yet playful manner. "Come on Bashy, let's go"

Blood Brothers - Nyarth and Master Nyarth

"Masta Nyarth-" he attempted to say.

"Dun call me dat. Not from ya" he responded. He tried to be forceful about it but he just couldn't, not when the reality of the situation was just dawning upon him.

"Masty..." He took a careful step towards him who immediately took a step back.

Shaking his head, he couldn't help it. He narrowed his blue eyes slightly and choked back a few tears that dripped down his throat. "N-No. If I show ya den I-I will... I-I just can't"

He was breaking down and stammering all at the same time. To Nyarth, this would be a normal reaction for him but for his alter ego, that was a no. But here he was, doing so right before him. Why couldn't he just keep his big mouth shut?

Well, no going back now.

"Why can't ya tell me?" he gently pushed, hoping he wasn't pushing the maniac too far.

Masty smirked weakly, his blue eyes darting around until he lifted his burnt/deformed/destroyed paw. He unsheathed his claws and watched as fresh blood leaked from his most hurtful wound. Perhaps not the one that hurt the most but in terms of how he had gotten it, it hurt the most, in his heart.

He did not feel the pain. He had cut off his major feeling of pain long ago but still, seeing it made a dagger cut through his steel encased heart.

"'Cause every time I t'ink 'bout it, it makes me wanna kill maself, if dat's even possible" He spoke evenly, a trace of sadness creeping into his voice. Noticing that his alter ego was about to say something, he cut him off, instead continuing on with his statement. "I dun know if I carry da same t'in' as ya, ya know wid bein' unable ta die an' everyt'in'. It doesn't matta t'ough, right? I've got t'in's ta do but ya dun know what I had ta do ta get ta dis point" He tried to laugh quietly, but it faded quickly, proving just how badly he would fail at being any kind of Element of Laughter. That was all Nyarth's job. And he was the Element of Leadership. He didn't deserve that either.

"Tell me den, I promise dat I will not t'ink differently 'bout you" Biting his tongue, he traced out the steps as he spoke quickly, "Cross ma heart an' hope ta die. Stick a knife straight t'rough ma eye" Pinkie Promising it. Pausing, he cast a sideways glance to his alter ego. "An' unlike ya, I actually keep ma Pinkie Promises" plainly and not with his usual cocky and matter-of-factly attitude. Even he knew that this was not the time for that.

Once more, Masty let out a small, fake laugh. "Dat was just dat one time. Neva happened again" he said light-heartedly. Averting his gaze downwards he avoided his friend's eyes, being unable to look him directly in the eye. "Ya should've t'ought dat t'rough a little bit. I know for certain dat ya're gonna hate me just as much as I do once I tell ya dis"

Nyarth knew that his alter ego had done many questionable and downright evil things. In a way, he should hate him but knowing that just one meeting not happening at a certain time was enough to create a whole different alternate dimension about how he would've slipped into a maniacal madness and ruled over both what remained of the Immortals and the Eternals. But what could be this bad that he thought he was going to hate him for it?

"Nyarth. I neva told anyone dis but I neva wanted ta become what I had become. It just sorta happened. I neva wanted ta be a rula. A leada was all I wanted ta be but... dat was neva gonna happen" He paused to trail his claw around the broken edges of his charm, his life-line. How it had been broken had only ever been known by himself and now he was about to reveal it to the one and only one who he could ever trust with such information.

"When everyt'in' was fallin' into place, da odas... Dey turned on me. Dey had been plannin' it but some of dem... Dey had not'in' ta do wid it. So when dey came towards me..." Master Nyarth flattened his ears to the top of his head as memories flowed back through his mind. "Nyarth, ya must undastand dat I was slippin' inta madness anyways an' ma actions were what caused me ta become a full-on maniac" Still, he could not look directly at his alter ego.

This made sense, kind of. If the others had turned against him and tried to maybe turn him straight and help him, it would make sense. But given what he had seen from Masty's point of view, he had indeed, began to slip into madness by the point in which he had become the ruler he was known for. But that still didn't answer his question as to what he had done to make him finally snap. Something told Nyarth that it, indeed, was nothing good.

"Ya know, I dun even t'ink dat I really had much control at dat point anyways. Not dat it changes what I did. I did it an' knew dat I did it. I take full blame for it. An' I dun expect ya ta undastand nor keep yer Pinkie Promise but... Just hear me out here, alright?" Masty said as he finally locked his gaze with Nyarth.

The look in his eyes were filled with guilt and internal pain, the worst look that Nyarth expected to see from him. Although technically being one and the same, the two normally were much different in the ways they felt and acted. Here, there was really no difference and such fact scared Nyarth. It scared him all the way down into the very bottom of his heart and soul.

"I t'ought dat dey were gonna try an' kill me an' dat's da irony in all of dis. I told dem dat I meant business but did dey listen? No, an' I acted outta ma twisted instinct. Instead of goin' afta someone wid every intention in hurtin' me, do ya know what I did?" He growled softly at himself, as he traced one of the multiple scars on his head. "I just reacted an' da next t'in' I knew, I hurt, no, killed someone who did not'in' ta me, just ta get a point across. A useless point dat only ended wid more bloodshed an' pain" He pulled his gaze away from Nyarth's who was staring at him. Masty knew very well what he wanted and he knew there was no going back now. He just had to say it.

"Ma killin' of an innocent sparked da end of ma sanity. An' dere was no goin' back from dat point" he stated.

They were silent for a good bit of time which lasted only a few short minutes. To both, it seemed to last years.

Finally, Nyarth broke the silence, his voice dangerously low and emotionless. "Who was it?"

"If it's effectin' me dis badly an' I know ya'll hate me, den dun ya already know?" Masty shot back, his voice lacking any emotion.

It had his suspicions but he needed to hear it from the one who did it. Narrowing his blue eyes, he stepped towards the maniac, his heart taking over him, his mind fading into the background. He stared at him, no trace of fear lingering in his figure, something he was sure anyone else would feel. If he was in that time period, he was sure the others would think that he was writing his suicide and death sentence. Maybe he was, but being unable to die had it's advantages as well as its disadvantages. He was not afraid for he did not care. He knew what his alter ego could do and knew that he could counter him both physically and mentally.

"Tell me" he quietly demanded, his voice hissing in slight annoyance.

Knowing that he had literally no other choice, he narrowed his own blue eyes and found the strength as he spoke, almost completely forgetting the severity of the situation. 'Ya know what? I'll say it, alright? I killed an innocent an' he is one of yer best friends, someone I am taa now close ta. An' now, I'll just let it all out. I did it, I killed ParagonNoca, UberHaxorNoca, whateva else he goes by. Got it? I killed Noca!" he growled, the pain in his voice eventually drowning out any and all anger he felt.

Time seemed to stand still as his secret slipped out. Nyaeth didn't react and that only made Masty suddenly nervous. Nervous and kind of scared. No reaction normally meant that something was building up inside of him and he was sure that it was anger. He was able to to break his Pinkie Promise and be no better than him. He was going to hate him and this time, he was going to be at the receiving end of the stick.

"Noca? As in..." Nyarth finally asked simply.

Gulping slightly, Master Nyarth finished the statement. "Yes. Noca, as in Nova's alta ego" carefully.

Silence dragged between them for what seemed like centuries. Then, Nyarth finally snapped. He narrowed his eyes to slits as he growled and unsheathed his claws He raised them threatening over his alter ego's head, his paw shaking as he tried to control himself. He expected Master Nyarth to react but all he did was look painfully into his friend's eyes, knowing very well that whatever scar he was going to give him, was well deserved.

"Ya fucked up really bad, Masta Nyarth" Nyarth growled the name, his paw shaking even more in his blinded rage. Masty could see the distant look in his eyes as he was blinded from what was truly important.

"I know. I cannot change what I have done but... Ya are bein' blinded by yer own anga. Let me help ya" he calmly responded as he reached his burnt paw up and grabbed his friend's outstretched paw. Nyarth did not strike him but he did tense up, like his touch was bringing a wave of realization back over him.

Noticing his change, he spoke once more, quietly so that only his alter ego could hear him and understand his words. "Watashitachiha, subete, watashitachiha watashitachi no chi no kyōdai no chi de jibun jishin o baindo suru no to onajidearu"

Immediately, Nyarth's eyes widened as a flash of his own guilt flicked into his vision. In order to give him one last push to slip back into sanity, Masty flicked his tail to his side so that Nyarth could see it, the clear chunk taken out of his tail that Nyarth himself had made with his revolver, visible.

Overtaken with sudden emotions, Nyarth breathed deeply as he retracted his claws and forced himself to sit, pulling Masty down with him. He did not look at him and simply stared at his own paws as he unsheathed his claws quickly and watched as blood leaked out of his claws.

He was getting mad at his alter ego when he had done the same. Maybe not on the same level but he had still done so.

"I-I'm sorry" Nyarth choked out as a few tears slipped out of his eyes.

"Why are ya sorry? I deserved whateva ya were gonna give me. Ya're right, I fucked up but I neva did it ta Nova. But I undastand if ya still hate me afta dis" Masty responded, a few of his own tears also slipping out at the thought of being hated by his blood brother.

"Masty" Nyarth spoke calmly, catching the attention of his friend who looked at him with a slightly confused look. "Ya still neva told me how ya broke yer charm or hurt yer paw"

A new, fresh wave of pain filled his friend's face as the memories flooded back into his mind. Looking down to the ground, he took a few seconds to gather his thoughts before he spoke once more. "I-I did dem ta maself. On purpose" He said quietly, as if in defeat.

Taken aback as to how and why he would do two of the very clearly, very painful things to himself just baffled Nyarth. Shaking his head, he leaned gently towards him, his paw extended in a silent gesture to tell him to explain.

Grinning slightly upon seeing it, Masty continued to speak, his voice shaking slightly as he remembered the two acts that had both cut off his ability to feel normal amounts of pain. "I-I literally destroyed ma paw ta show maself just what I had done. I wanted ta be reminded every second of every day but... I-It only seemed ta make me slip deepa an' deepa inta insanity. In case ya were wondarin', I stuck ma paw inta lava. Do wid dat as ya will" Carefully, he looked at his said paw and flinched as he remembered the searing pain. Never once had he whimpered or shown pain at that time. It was almost like nothing else mattered other than making that mark on his soul. He had known that there was no going back from that point forward and never did he ever have any seconds thoughts on his action.

"As for ma charm. It's funny really. Dey say dat ma charm is ma life-force an' it definitely is but ya wanna know somet'in'? It also controls everyt'in' ya feel an' da such. What I broke off of ma charm was ma ability ta feel any an' all strong emotions down in ma soul. It worked wid a hamma an' now, I'm stuck wid it broken like dis an' only extremely strong emotions can really get ta me. Dat's why a lot of dem call me a heartless maniac. I am a maniac but I am not heartless. I'm just... permanently broken" He finished by tracing his charm's broken edge, remembering the searing pain as his emotions were cut off as the piece broke off of his charm. Never did a day go by did he not regret it but he knew that it was for the best that it had happened.

"Masty... I dun hate ya" Nyarth finally spoke after a long pause.

Master Nyarth's head snapped up, shock lingering in his blue eyes as he tried to figure out how he wasn't hated. "W-What?"

"I dun hate ya" Nyarth repeated, edging closer to his alter ego until their fur brushed up against each other.

"But how? I deserve all da hatred dat ya can give me" Masty argued.

"I dun hate ya 'cause I know dat it's in da past. Ya suffaed enough. I suffaed as well. Ya're right dat I should hate ya but I can't. Ya feel strong emotions still, ya know what ya did was wrong an' I forgive ya" Nyarth stated.

"So, we're still blood brodas?" Master Nyarth asked rather innocently, a spark of his usual self creeping back into his voice.

Smiling broadly, Nyarth wrapped his arms around his friend and pulled him into a hug, his grin widening as he felt him return the gesture.

"'Course we are. Not'in' can break da bond between two brodas" Nyarth responded as he fell under the protective nature of Masty once more, both forgiven and trusting each other with their lives. It was the only thing any of them ever wanted.

But their embrace was sooner or later broken by Nyarth who pulled away and stared at the other, his eyes traced with a hint of a dark glint. Only when Masty turned on his aura vision did he notice the troubled aura around him.

"Nyarth. What's on yer mind?" Masty asked carefully, unsure if this was about him in any way. Somehow, he knew for sure that it was.

'Trust In Me' - Springtrap and Nyarth

He was the cause of this. Once more he had hurt someone he loved. Making sure the Immortals were all dead, he transformed back into his true form, abandoning his smaller and more useful form. He crouched down besides his friend and carefully picked him up, holding him in his arms.

Nyarth had taken a rather serious blow to the head, as well as other minor and usual injuries. He struggled to pull himself to his feet, his whole body shaking under his weight as he tried to stand. The moment Springtrap had crouched to his level, he knew exactly what he was planning to do. He growled slightly, his voice tripping over itself and cracking in pain as he was lifted off of the ground and cradled in his friend's embrace.

Carefully, the animatronic held him in one arm and lifted his other hand and gently touched his serverely broken tail. Instantly, the scratch cat hissed in pain, reaching up one paw to weakly push his hand away. Springtrap listened to his silent request and lifted his hand to gently pet Nyarth's head, brushing away the blood on the back of his head, the wound still leaking.

Head spinning, Nyarth attempted to sit up, not bothering to try and walk on his own. He knew he would fail and fall. He trusted Springtrap but he had a pride that was hard to kill. But the moment he moved though, he let out a small cry of pain as his body refused to hold himself up. Tears obscuring Nyarth's vision, he watched the animatronic continue to pet the back of his head, worriedly looking at his hand as it became coated in his smaller friend's blood.

Springtrap's eyes softened as his friend shut his eyes and nuzzled into him, his body convulsing in physical pain. Only when his hand met the back of the scratch cat's head did he relax. Somehow this brave and great creature trusted him with his life, something he didn't deserve after all he had done.

"Sprin'y..."

The animatronic was snapped from his distracting thoughts by the quiet voice of his friend. Averting his eyes downwards, he watched as the scratch cat looked up at him, his blue eyes shimmering with a strange powerful emotion. The moment he he noticed the look. he felt a sharp prop into his mind, easily crashing through his mind barrier.

He always hated his rather dark mind being invaded by others but he couldn't force his friend out. Well, he could but it would hurt him. He was trying to further prevent that. But he also knew what the scratch cat would find.

Self-hatred.

Sure, the feline had those feelings as well but not as bad as his was. He felt the almost overwhelming feeling as he pushed into the front of his mind, fishing through his thoughts before snapping back out, a distant and dazed look crossing over his face.

Carefully, Springtrap continued to pet the back of Nyarth's head, the wound starting to heal itself by the protective layers of the shadows surrounding them. Being a being of darkness had it's advantages but his friend's refusal to speak or move right now worried him. But before he could speak, he got his answer.

Despite the obvious pain it created, Nyarth pulled himself to a sit and leaned up to stare directly into his friend's eyes, his blue eyes narrowed and burning with a hidden emotion Springtrap had never seen before. Even with the painful shaking of his body, the scratch cat continued to stare at him, his black ears laying back against the top of his head. A small growl escaped his throat, his claws digging into his metal, slipping between the cracks and around the wires below.

Springtrap froze, his circuits running cold as his friend's claws wrapped dangerously close around the wires that controlled his nerves and pain. He knew the feline would not do what he feared and it was with that thought that the growl emitting from his friend intensified, his blue eyes narrowed almost angrily.

When he spoke, his voice was low and laced with frustration. Added with the frown and expression on his face, the animatronic couldn't help but to flick his left ear frighteningly.

"Sprin'y, listen ta me an' listen ta me closely. Trust in ma words when I say dat ya are not a murdarous monsta. If ya wanna see a murdarous monsta, look no furda dan inta ma own eyes. I have killed more dan all of da animatronics combined, an' ya have da nerve ta tell yerself dose words when dey do not apply ta ya at all"

Pausing to take in a deep breath, he pulled himself up and closer to Springtrap, his eyes unblinking and filled with burning emotion. The animatronic could do nothing but stare back at his friend and process his words to make sense.

"Ya question why da Eternals an' all of da oda animatronics trust ya, why dey like ya an' protect ya. Dat should already be painfully obvious. An' me? Ya t'ink ya dun deserve ma kindness an' trust. Look, I may not be da Element of Honesty, dat's Ze, I'm Laughta, but believe me dat I'm bein' honest when I say I am da one who doesn't deserve yer friendship"

Nyarth paused, hearing the static coming out of the animatronic's throat. He was attempting to speak, but knew he was unable to. Expression and gaze softening slightly, he blinked and continued on with what he was saying.

"Sprin'y, ya are not ta blame for dose murdas. Da animatronics, dey trust ya 'cause of dat. Ya did not do dat. Dat fuckin' Purple Guy, Vincent, did. Ya had no control, we undastand dat. An' yet ya still blame yerself"

The anger fueling his body slowly began to seep away, his expression softening to a soft smile, the fire burning in his eyes no longer as strong. Gently, he leaned back into Springtrap's arms, his eyes closing and a shaky and heavy laugh left his throat.

"Ya blame yerself for somet'in' ya didn't really do. Seems me an' ya aren't taa diffarent afta all"

It was in this moment that he did something that startled Springtrap, but he didn't fight back. Nyarth opened his eyes, a soft and caring smile creeping onto his face. And, without so much as a warning, he bypassed his injuries and leaned forward, wrapping his paws around Springtrap's neck and hugging him tightly.

The animatronic froze, the tender form of affection rarely ever shown towards him besides Plushie. The fact that someone who had seemed to be on his side since they ever first saw each other was of great meaning to him. At first, he merely didn't do anything, simply watching the scratch cat never loosen his grip and instead nuzzling the side of his head affectionately.

But eventually Springtrap fell from his self-hating mindset to a more gentler and sensitive side. This was his normal side and the one he only let those he trusted see. And he trusted the scratch cat. And he trusted him.

With the same gentleness as before, he wrapped his arms around the feline, shutting his eyes as he hugged him to his chest Nyarth responded by sighing contently and snuggling closer to his neck, his mind wandering into the animatronic's mind and breaking with no problem the mind barrier around the bunny's emotional mindset.

In almost immediate response, Springtrap let loose his emotional gate. Mechanical, real tears ripped from his eyes, his chest heaving in static-like breaths and cries he couldn't ever voice. Nyarth smiled softly as he carefully used the strengthening magic from the shadows to teleport them both to the ground, Springtrap in a sit and him in his lap.

Nyarth shut his blue eyes to snuggle closer to the now full on crying animatronic. He hugged him to his chest, his head resting on top of the feline's own. Although he would admit that he hated the feeling of tears mixing in both his fur and a slightly open wound, he wouldn't say anything, this situation too important to dwell on that.

"It's okay, Sprin'y. I'm here for ya. Just let it all out. I Pinkie Pie Promise I won't eva use dis ta hurt ya. Cross ma heart an' hope ta die, stick a knife straight t'rough ma eye" Nyarth promised, opening his eyes and looking up to the sobbing bunny, feeling his own tears beginning to slip down his own face. The promise caused Springtrap to hold him tighter but not enough to hurt him. That was why he trusted him. He would never hurt him intentionally.

"Do ya trust me, Sprin'y?"

The sudden question caused Springtrap to open his eyes a crack, his hug tightening slightly at seeing his friend cry, although he wasn't crying as hard as him. That was evident by the small smile on his face and understanding eyes. But his question confused him, not that he could tell him that. Instead, he simply tilted his head slightly and flicked his right ear.

Seeing his confused look, Nyarth repeated the question, "Yes Sprin'y. Do ya trust me? 'Cause I trust ya one hundred pacent an' wid ma entire life. An' yet ya doubt ma trust for ya when we share most of da same worries and difficulties. Ya are da Element of Protection for a reason. Why would ya represent dat if we, if I, neva trusted ya? Like I said before, I trust ya completely. But..." He paused, averting his eyes downwards before returning to his friend's eyes and continuing.

"Do ya trust me, Sprin'y?"

The silence that followed was long and almost agonizing. Nyarth simply looked back into his friend's eyes, never once feeling the used to be normal feeling of dreadful betrayal of a prolonged silence to an important question. He wasn't as sensitive anymore and he knew the animatronic needed time to gather his rather fragile thoughts.

After what felt like an eternity, Springtrap nodded his head, his tears beginning to fade as he did so.

To the soundless response, Nyarth couldn't help but to frown slightly, blinking his blue eyes silently before he spoke, his voice deprived of any strong emotion.

"Say it"

This got his attention and he honestly looked hurt by the demand. He probably was but he needed to get his point across. The rabbit allowed distorted bits of static to leave his throat, causing the feline to raise an eyebrow almost frustratingly. This confused the animatronic. He wanted him to say he trusted him yet he couldn't, his voice nonexistent at the given moment. What else could he possibly mean?

In response to his internal question, Nyarth extended his mind into his own, pushing past the barrier and entering his thoughts, the main part of his mind. Not even bothering to look through his thoughts and instead concentrated his brain on his limited telepathy. He narrowed his eyes as he silently worked until he felt it open, the mind link.

It was a well known fact that Nyarth was unable to use the mind speaking ability of telepathy and the ability to hover. Even when given the option to gain them, he angrily declined. Now, he had to speak to him directly, knowing he would be nervous about this but knowing he would do so. The reason was painfully obvious.

"Sprin'y, I know ya can feel it. Ya can feel ma mind link ta yers" He paused. Springtrap simply gave the smallest of nods, his eyes cast to the side almost shyly. He reminded him of Fluttershy, or Masty in an emotional situation.

"Ya can feel it, an' I know ya know dat ya know dat I can't speak ta ya like dis. But... ya can" Nyarth stopped once more to watch his reaction. Springtrap blinked and shook his head slightly, indicating his refusal to do what he asked in fear he would accidentally hurt him.

The response caused Nyarth to narrow his eyes slightly, his voice gaining an edge of a growl as he he reached up one paw, his mechanical one and gently pet Springtrap's right, broken ear. The action was comforting to say the least and his words only added to that.

"Do it. I know ya won't hurt me an' dun even try an' ask me how I know. I just do. An' if ya truly trust me Sprin'y, ya will do it" Although his words held a sense of slight anger, his voice remained gentle and caring, somethings he was so wary of receiving.

But he did trust the feline, more so than he cared to admit but now he felt it was alright to admit that, because he trusted him. Carefully, he followed the mind link, concentrating on his friend's mind, hoping he wouldn't hurt him in the process. It was a noticeably simple and easy process but even then, Springtrap couldn't bear to think there was some kind of trick to this.

His hesitation was noticed by Nyarth, who gently probed his thoughts, making him wince slightly. With that, he extended his mind into his friend's and then relayed his message, his voice for once heard. It was rough and raspy yet clear enough for the feline to know what was being said.

"I-I tru-ust you-u Ny-Nyarth"

At first, Springtrap was worried his message had not gone through, but then his friend spoke, his voice soft and sympathetic. "I know. An' I completely believe ya"

'You Deserve All the Light In Your Life' - Kurow and Chibiterasu

Once both Bashur and Sky were out of their general area. Kurow could do absolutely nothing but let everything out. All the emotions he had kept to himself for the past few lonely months came out as he broke down right in front of the little sun god, the child of Amaterasu, But that was not what he saw when he looked at the puppy. He saw someone who was helpful, caring, soft, and lovable. But he also saw his partner and his best friend. But what if, what if he was something more? All of the emotions, even when he had first met the wolf puppy. All of the regrets. All of the sadness. And all of pain. All of it slipped out into the sobs that shook his entire body and the tears that rolled down his face.

Chibi sat in front of him, a calmness and soft look upon his face. He stared at his best friend at first who had gone through so much just to face up to his destiny, be resurrected and then live in a lonely and dark world for months in search of him. He knew the others would do the same but not the way that Kurow did it. Passionately and with a strong desire for purpose. Love. It was there and Chibi could just see it. He didn't see a soulless, Moon Tribe copy, a doll and someone not worthy of a life and love. No, he saw Kurow. His partner, his best friend and possibly even something even more.

Tears brimming at Chibi's own eyes, the puppy scooted towards Kurow and wrapped his front paws around his friend's neck in a tight hug. Kurow was caught off guard and let out a small gasp of surprise at the sudden gesture. But Chibi did not loosen his grip and simply tilted his head to rest his head on his friend's shoulder, his own tears slipping down his narrow face. Kurow simply whimpered and let the tears continue down his face. Shaking, he wrapped his own arms around the furry back of his canine friend, pulling him close to him and letting his tears soak the fur of the wolf puppy.

Their moment lasted until Kurow finally was able to calm down, pulling away while still shaking and the tears still falling from his eyes freely. He tried to speak but his words got stuck in his throat. Noticing his discomfort, Chibi smiled softly and lifted his paw and wiped the tears from the boy's face. Surprise clouding his eyes, Kurow looked back up to Chibi, his warm look comforting the young boy.

"C-Chi-ib-bi?" Kurow breathed, his voice cracking.

Chibi tilted his head and whimpered slightly as he used his real name. Although he preferred being called by his real name, hearing Kurow call him by his real name, it didn't feel right and by the way he said it, it sounded forced, like Kurow didn't want to say it like that.

Chibi barked, his words translating easily in Kurow's mind. "Don't call me that" he calmly said.

Kurow looked at Chibi with confusion. "W-Wha-at?" he choked out.

"Call me what you call me"

Blinking a few tears from his eyes, he shook his head slightly and spoke, "L-Litt-tle D-Dude-e?"

"Yes Kurry?" Chibi knew Kurow liked the nickname he had given him and in his time of need, the puppy knew he needed every bit of comfort he could get.

Kurow visably shook and only calmed when Chibi placed his paw gently on his hand, just a mere touch from his friend able to calm him. "W-Why?" he asked, his voice strained and almost pained.

The pain in his voice hurt Chibi, knowing that something was hurting his partner emotionally. His heart wrenched as he watched the usually lively and bright boy completely broken before him. Whatever was wrong, he knew he needed to help him. "Why what Kurry?" he gently asked him.

"W-Why do you f-forg-give m-me? W-Why d-do yo-ou put up with m-me?" Kurow choked out, tears flowing back down his face in emotional pain.

Knowing that Kurow felt this bad about himself broke Chibi's young heart and yet, he still was able to remain calm. He probably picked up this trait from his mother. But seeing him this broken before him was not something normal for Kurow and he felt the overwhelming urge to fix him, to make him feel better and be the best friend he had grown so close to. The Kurow he had fallen for.

"I-I forgive you because you deserve it. you don't deserve to die without living a life you desire to have. And I-" Chibi cut off, his other question clicking in his mind causing him to whimper in protest. He whimpered to show that the question hurt him. He whimpered as he gently attempted to nuzzle Kurow in comfort but only received a slight rejection by his friend pulling away from him.

"I-I don't put up with you" he started receiving a flinch of hurt from Kurow who now refused to look at him. Noticing this Chibi frowned slightly and nudged his friend with his snout. "P-Please look at me"

Hesitating, Kurow looked back to Chibi, tears flowing freely from his eyes as he prepared for the stinging words of how he wasn't wanted by his best friend. But the words never came.

"I don't put with you because I don't need to. I-I like the things you do and the way you act because... because that's just who you are"

"B-but what about w-when I-I betrayed y-you? I-I sided with A-Akur-ro and then f-fought you. I-I forced y-you to k-kil-ll me..." the Moon Tribe boy asked. "T-That's n-not who I-I am..."

"No, but you were scared of what your Okami-world destiny was and you needed the push to face it. I-I never wanted to kill you. I could have resisted but I knew I had to. But that doesn't mean I don't regret it whenever I think about it" Chibi barked, his words calming Kurow down a little bit.

"T-That fight... I-I hated every m-moment of it. I-I r-regret it t-too, d-dude" Kurow said, gaining some control of his tears.

"But Kurow, can I ask you something?" Chibi pressed, a question on his mind ever since he had been broken free of his dark trance only a few hours ago.

"S-Sure Little Dude" Kurow said, regaining the majority of control of his emotions by this point knowing that Chibi didn't hate him and actually was his true best friend.

The wolf puppy shook his head to himself, ridding the unwanted thoughts. He briefly looked away from Kurow as he did this, not wanting to seem dazed out while looking at his friends. Sighing, the pup looked back and smiled softly. "You have always been there for me, even when you were trying to outrun your destiny. So were the others. But when this whole darkness thing happened, you followed me without thinking. Why is that?" He tilted his head slightly. It was a simple question but it still held a great deal of meaning.

The question may be simple but it did not receive a simple answer from Kurow who was taken aback by the sudden question. Why had he followed him? Why would he not? But that wasn't the answer Chibi wanted nor expected. Despite being a puppy and having a mind as such, when it came the time, he could be serious and more mature. Now was one of those times. Plus, he wasn't going to trick the little god into believing some made-up crap-like lies. So he might as well just let it out.

He knew the others would've probably done the same but would've thought about it beforehand. He wasn't saying that they weren't loyal, they most defiantly were, but they would be more careful. And being himself, Kurow would be more reckless. But he had still followed Chibiterasu through that dark portal without a second thought and then had lived in the dark place for months, not even having the desire to try and leave without his partner.

Of course, there was a larger reason behind it other than them just being friends. If the puppy was just his friend, he would've eventually tried to leave at some point. Even when he had had that flirtatious mood to him, he never really had felt attracted to that Scholar Lady and only acted like it in order to not let his true feelings out. He had only ever had feelings towards the little sun god whom he went on adventures with and eventually fulfilled their Okami-world destinies together through his own death. Even when he was resurrected as an Eternal, he could never work up the courage to say anything and did his best to continue to hide his feelings.

But now was different. Now was the moment. The perfect place and time to say it. But not before he asked something. Something also important, at least to him. "You've always been my friend, gave me forgiveness when I didn't think I deserved it and yet you still stick with me. Why Little Dude?" Kurow asked, gaining full control of his tears.

It was Chibi's turn to be taken aback. His question was very similar to his which was normally something Kurow would do but this time, it felt different. Like he was trying to hint at something. Sure he himself was a might too young to worry about the whole feelings thing and whatnot. But he had expected to possibly feel them around Kagu or Kuni if anyone. But they were his close friends and if anything, he felt better around the strange and lively Moon Tribe boy who he went through the most with.

But it never occurred to him what his feelings were until Kurow was resurrected to which Chibi did his best to hide his feelings from the boy. They were too total different species but that never seemed to stop anything in the Eternals. In the Eternals, they were free to do what they wanted and feelings were no exception ever here.

But now was as good as ever a good moment to do so. To tell his best friend his feelings and finally let it all out. Chibi sighed and looked away from Kurow once more, trying to gather his thoughts before speaking. Kurow tilted his own head slightly at the sudden change of attitude.

Blinking his eyes a few times, Chibi lifted his head to meet the eyes of his best friend, who stared back at him with emotions too hard for his mind to read. "Kurow... I need you to know that you are my best friend, even more than the others and the reason why I always have and always will stay with you is because I like you. A lot" the wolf puppy barked with a small wag of his tail.

"Little Dude..." Kurow breathed carefully as the unspoken words rang through his head. He liked him, a lot. He knew exactly what that meant. But how could this work? How could he absolutely sure? There really was only way. And now he needed to figure it out. It was now or never. Sighing himself, Kurow held his friend's gaze before speaking, "The reason why I followed you through that portal so easily is because I like you, a lot too"

They were both frozen for a while, not moving but never breaking their gazes away from each other. They were lost in each other's eyes, transfixed by the other completely. Then Chibi made the first move. He smiled softly and playfully nuzzled Kurow, wagging his ink-tipped tail happily. Kurow giggled as he gently pushed Chibi back a few steps as the puppy licked him cheerfully.

"Whoa, calm down there Little Dude" Kurow said, pushing Chibi off of him, despite actually liking the affections he was giving him.

"I love you Kurow" Chibi barked, with full meaning.

Chuckling to himself, Kurow smiled. "I love you too Chibi" using his real name for once.

Love Like No Other - Master Meowth and Clementine

There was the age differences and the obvious differences in appearance and personality but that didn't stop the two from deciding to go on the re-living mission together. She insisted to go alone but he was more than willing to stick by her side, remaining invisible at will and only seen by other Eternals. Which were only herself and Kenny. Kenny would openly acknowledge Master Meowth though not by title or name while Clementine herself would simply telepathically talk to him, making their conversations private and with Master Meowth's strong mental barrier, unable for anyone else to mess with them. He often times wanted to do things for or with Clem but she normally said no in fear that he may be caught and 'taken away'. Despite being a maniac and most of the time, oblivious, he still knew when to take the eleven year old's advice.

Every decision she made, she would briefly ask him what he thought. Although she had trouble showing it, she liked his company and joking attitude despite the apocalypse situation they were now in. He was like the comic relief in the situation although only she and Kenny could be relieved by his attitude. When any of them were hurt, he was more than willing to resort back to his insane demeanor to rip the throat out of their enemies. When Kenny killed Carver with a crowbar while she and Rebecca watched, she remembered smiling as she watched Master Meowth briefly come into visibility to leave his own marks on the man who hurt himself, Kenny, and Clementine, the one he was seeming to become more and more attached to and protective of. It was like Kenny thinking her as his second child but she couldn't help but think his was more different than that or just a close friendship. Brother and sister maybe?

Family was not something Master Meowth really had. His alter ego family was dead by his paw and now all he had was Team Rocket and Amber as his adoptive mother. A sister would comfort him. Clementine would be lying if she said she didn't like him in a friendly way. He was nice despite being a maniac. He looked out for her, and she looked out for him. They survived together and relied on each other to survive. Even without the others, without Kenny. She knew they could stay strong and together. While in her Walking Dead world, they were spiritually connected and becoming too far apart would cause Master Meowth to be teleported to his safe spot, on her shoulders with his arms resting on her head, his head looking above hers as another set of sharp eyes to keep watch for danger.

Their relationship started out steady with just being friends but eventually they grew into a team, a duo going up against everything, against the world. Maybe even a trio with Kenny right there to back them up. But when the walkers had attacked, Master Meowth had attacked them, in an insane frenzy to protect his friend. He wasn't bit but he was hurt,a gash in his chest from when he was tossed to a tree, hitting the knife that had been thrown there by a bandit. He was more resistant to pain and barley felt it but he wasn't blind. He saw the blood leak out of him and he didn't care. Protecting Clementine was the only thing he cared about at the moment. Clementine was able to protect herself then, beating her hammer into all the walkers that dare come near her.

By this point, Master Meowth was feeling the effects of his wound as his vision blurred and his movements became dizzy and slow. He was losing control and normally that wasn't anything new. But this feeling wasn't normal. He knew he was hurt, terribly hurt . But he didn't care. He needed to protect her. His Element of Eternal was leadership, but leaders didn't just die right? He was panicking but kept fighting, his claws digging into the brains of the walkers, killing them. Only when Clementine gasped and rushed to grab him did he realize that all the walkers were dead and they were safe. Clem had a few scratches and a few cuts that were bleeding but no bites. But he attention was not on herself, it was on him. He was in a state of denial, not believing he was in the amount of trouble he really was in. He tried to stand but he immediately became light headed and fell back to the gentle arms of the eleven year old. She calmly ordered him to calm down and rest. Ordering him around? Normally that would lead him to leap up and claw whoever tried that even Amber or Meowth but he was too hurt to complain and plus, would he really attack Clementine? He knew for sure he wouldn't do such a thing.

She was so gentle with him as she gently rolled up a spare white shirt in her backpack and pressed it against his gash, flinching slightly as the shirt clotted up with blood. She had medical supplies in her backpack from when they raided that hospital, she, him, and Kenny. The shirt was losing it's white color fast, being replaced by the sticky blood of her friend, maybe he was even something more. He was weak, barley able to remain conscious. But he held on. Weakly, he lifted his burnt paw to gently grab onto her arm, the pain finally hitting him, causing him to shake somewhat. Clemmy smiled softly as pet the top of his head with her loose hand repeating over and over that it would be okay and that they would get out of this mess together.

Death was not a foreign concept at all to Master Meowth. He had killed so many others but thinking it would ever happen to him? He would be lying if he said he knew he was going to die someday. If at all, he thought he would kill himself from an insane crazed way. Maybe even in the final battle. He didn't think he would die by a chest wound, in the arms of a little girl. It was strange how well the two opposites attracted to each other and how well they got along but death? How could be die here? But the pain was enough to make him think that death was going to happen to him. He had sent a telepathic message to her, asking her if she thought he was going to die. She had hesitated at his question and he could hear her thoughts racing before she carefully removed the blood stained shirt to look at his non-bleeding yet deep wound. It would defiantly leave a scar, much like the one of her arm. Only this one would be more noticeable.

She had looked to his deep blue eyes, ignoring the scars of his horrible deeds and taking in why she loved those blue eyes. They reflected his emotions and they were now calm and soft and to know he believed he was going to die, it broke her heart. She looked into those eyes and confidently said 'no' in a way that made him know she was telling the truth. But there was a hint of another emotion behind her voice. A feeling he never before felt from anyone besides Team Rocket, Meowth, and Amber.

Love. But how was that possible? He was an alter ego, technically Meowth in an alternate dimension. Yet he was his own separate being. Love was so foreign to him that he wasn't sure how to process his mind. Maybe he was making shit up, not a abnormal thing to the Pokemon. But as she continued to gently take care of the wound, instead of using stitches but magic, the little amount allowed in that world, to close up his wound. Of course it hurt. It hurt enough for him to winch and whimper a few times. Each time, Clementine would murmur a comforting few words to calm him with the same gentle and loving tone as before.

She finished and looked at him, transferring some of her energy into his, giving him the strength to get to his feet and flash her a devious yet grateful grin. She had gently pulled him into a hug then, holding his body into hers as if she was afraid that letting go would mean letting him die. Her hug surprised him but he didn't struggle against it, and instead wrapped his own paws around her in the same gesture. Crying was not something he was used to and although he didn't cry, he knew she was now as she held him to her chest in a protective manner. She was protecting him in a world where nothing mattered as long as you were alive. Yet this eleven year old was protecting her from the dangers of her world and he could easily be sent back to the Eternals world. So, why did he stay? That was easy. His loyalty and friendship with Clementine held him here and he wouldn't leave without her.

Kenny had returned around that point and the three had returned to their cabin. After boarding up the doors and windows, Clementine and Kenny combined their energies to open a portal, one that Master Meowth easily concluded as leading home to the Eternal world. Clementine had taken a small step back and, tears brimming at her eyes, ordered for him to go. He didn't hesitate as he responded 'no' that he wasn't going to leave. Kenny tried to force him to go but he had enough energy himself to create a barrier around him to prevent the two from approaching him. He stated that just because he was seriously injured didn't mean he was just going to give up. He had almost died multiple times before and had moved on from it, growing stronger each time. He had looked both Clementine and Kenny into the eyes and said 'no'. The determination in his voice caused them to share a glance with each other and a barred off conversation via telepathy. Master Meowth couldn't hear what they were saying.

Then Clementine picked him up gently in her arms. He thought she was going to throw him through the portal like Kenny had tried and he wanted to forcefully throw her back but something stopped him. It was like his powers shut down, much like Meowth had told him like his own powers would seem to shut down if he tried to attack Pikachu. But that would mean... His own powers were failing on him for such an emotion he only recently met and now felt so close to. How was this happening to him?

Clementine hugged him to her chest and, together with Kenny by her side, stepped through the portal, letting it shut behind them as the familiarity of the world flowed through them. Kenny had asked if they were alright before he had walked off leaving Clementine and Master Meowth alone. Clementine didn't express herself through words, rather actions as she hugged him lovingly to her chest whispering a simple 'I love you'. This resulted in a rare purr from Master Meowth that lasted a brief second. She loved him and felt no regret or shame for it. Why he didn't know and in that moment, he didn't care. They hugged each other there until they knew it was better to stop but they telepathically agreed to not tell anyone just yet. It was all too sudden and the others may not understand. Although they hated it, they knew it was for the better. It was for the best that their relationship remained a secret. Because their love was strange the begin with and it came out of the blue. Plus, the others reactions meant a lot to the both of them, and even Master Meowth wasn't ready for the revelation.

'I'm Sorry For All Of The Things That I Did To You' - Jessie and Meowth

It was no lie that Jessie was not the most nicest person in the world and the fact that she was often feared by her partners, James and Meowth was no secret. But she had known that she had hurt them. James had gotten a good deal of it but she had only recently gotten the courage to tell him that she was sorry. He had already forgiven her and although she felt a little better knowing that, she couldn't feel completely better without the forgiveness of probably the one she had hurt the most.

Meowth.

She knew she should've told him sooner but she kept losing her nerve. Normally that was unheard of for her, but whenever she got close to saying it, he would always look at her, and her gaze would meet his. She would see the Meowth she had grown close to but also a completely different person, someone new and darker, someone who would never forgive her, no matter what she did.

And she was afraid of him.

She knew that the unture Meowth she saw now was tougher than the one she had grown to love. This one was less forgiving and more willing to kill than the other. But she knew that deep down, the Meowth she loved was still there. He just needed to be coaxed out.

She had planned it for days, planned how she would tell him she was sorry but all plans she had refused to go through with, knowing that they wouldn't work. But eventually, she didn't have to choose an approach, for Meowth chose it for her.

He had wandered towards her one day, not being sneaky about it and went straight up to her, his eyes slightly narrowed as he briefly shook a few droplets of blood from his claws. "What is it dat ya wanna tell me, Jessie?" he asked, calmly but as if he wasn't going to like not getting an answer.

She would be perfectly honest and say that she was at a sudden lost for words. This wasn't the first time though that he had been able to sense if there was something wrong with her or if she wanted to say something to him. In a way, he had always had that ability though he had rarely mentioned it before to avoid being hit or something from her. That was exactly the thing though.

Even with his Eternalship making him more quieter and sensitive, he still seemed more at ease to confront those he was close to, like he knew that they wouldn't hurt him. Even if she wanted to, she could easily try to hit him but knowing his abilities, that would not end very well. But she also doubted that he would hurt her either. If anything, his Eternalship had also softened his heart. If he could fall in love with his former arch-enemy than that was all the evidence you needed for that statement.

Avoiding his direct eye contact, Jessie shifted in her sitting position, searching for an excuse to his question. Finding none that he would believe, she finally sighed. "If you already know, then why question it?" she asked him.

In response, Meowth smirked slightly, a glint hitting his darkened eyes slightly as a spark of his true self took over. "I dun know what ya wanna say ta me. All I know is dat ya wanna say somet'in' an' I guess ya're taa..." he paused, narrowing his blue eyes slightly, his smirk widening. "Nervous an'/or afraid ta say it" He cackled to himself quietly.

If this was before, she definitely would've hit him for that and judging by the way he took a steady step back, he expected it too. She wouldn't lie that she felt the urge but the aftermath may or may not be good and having let her own heart softened, she couldn't risk it.

But it seemed like his abilities were intact and he did know that she wanted to say something but was she nervous and/or afraid? Yes, yes she was. She was nervous because of how he will react but also afraid of what he might do. But seeing that glint in his eyes told her a different story. She saw him. She saw her best friend, her partner, her brother. She saw the real Meowth.

"You're kind of right" she started, noticing his slight tilt of the head. Though he remained silent, for once. "I do want to tell you something, but I don't know how you will react" This definitely caught his attention, for his smirk faded and the glint in his eyes wavered to an expressionless one. That was what she was afraid of.

"Is it somet'in' bad?" Meowth asked cautiously, his voice turned to a quiet manner. She could see the fear in his eyes, the fear of being betrayed, the fear of being hurt. And that was what she was trying to fix.

Forcing a small smile, she answered him as light-heartedly as she could. "I hope it's not but I don't think it is" She reached her hand carefully out, wanting to gently touch her friend in reassurance but he didn't approach her and instead took the smallest of steps back. She could easily touch him now but knowing he didn't want it, she just stopped.

Pulling her hand away, she waited for a moment, to see if he would do or say anything. When he didn't, she sighed once more to herself before averting her eyes to lock with the feline's. Now there was no going back, she knew that she had to say it finally.

"Look, Meowth. I know what I did to you before... you know, all of this, I know that what I did wasn't... good. But that's just the thing, I didn't mean to hurt you like that and I will not hurt you like that again" she paused, noticing a slight flinch of the scratch cat as he probably remembered all the times she had gotten angry at him and then hurt him for it.

Shaking her head to rid such thoughts from her own mind, she slowly inched a little closer to Meowth, who didn't move, although he did seem to tense a little bit at her movement. They were silent for a few moments before Jessie finally reached her hand forward and placed her hand reassuringly on her best friend's shoulder. Although he did seem to relax a little, he did not make any sort of move or react and/or speak.

"I've already said this to James, and he forgives me but, I need yours as well" Jessie stated. "Meowth, I am sorry for all of the things I did to you. I truly, truly am. I know that you may not forgive me, but I need you to know this. I-I'm sorry" she finished, causing a serious reaction from Meowth.

Jessie just stuttered. Out of anyone who could stutter, it had to be her. She stuttered because she was sorry and she was... afraid of his reaction. Something clicked in his mind, something he had kept bottled up inside of him this entire time. It was more like a confession than anything, for even though he had told James and he was fine with it, Jessie knowing and forgiving him was his main priority now.

"I-I'm sorry taa, Jessie" he whispered, pulling his darkened eyes away from her, actually being comforted by her gentle touch to his shoulder.

Jessie tilted her head slightly at this. What could he possibly be sorry for that could match her own? "What are you sorry about Meowth?" she asked gently, lowering her voice which was oddly caring and soft.

Pricking his black ears at the tone of her voice, he refused to look at her before he turned back to her, tears brimming at his eyes, watering his vision in the process. "I-I-" He flattened his ears to the top of his head in shame. "Re-Rememba when y-ya an' J-James became E-Etern-nals an' G-Giov-vanni tried ta get ya ta r-rejoin da I-Immortals b-by ex-exploitin' what I-I truly was? W-Well, dat was m-me..." With this, he turned away, pushing her hand off of him as tears dripped from his eyes.

She didn't know what to do, let alone say. She remembered joining the Eternals with James and then Giovanni sending messages over the border to try and get them to hate Meowth. How could those messages be Meowth's doing and why would he do that to himself?

Noticing his tears, she instantly knew that her question should not be directly that. She instead needed to take a much more quiet and gentle approach, one that would hopefully not harm him in any way.

"Meowth, I-I don't understand. How could that be you and why?" she asked as gently as she could. The reaction she got made her shift backwards a little. She wasn't afraid of him, she just didn't want to hurt him any further.

"'Cause I didn't want ta force youse guys inta bein' someones ya weren't! I hacked inta one of da computas an' altaed ma own voice ta sound like him. I-I wanted ya ta see what I truly was, so ya would choose ta stay or leave. An' den, youse guys... didn't leave..." Meowth screeched at first but slowly began to quiet done, back to a whisper as he was overwhelmed with tears.

That had all been Meowth's doing to make them choose to stay or leave? No wonder he constantly revealed himself to them. He wanted them to choose because he cared about them. It was such a thought that just strengthened her affection towards the Pokemon she had adopted as her brother along with James.

Seeing him now with tears flowing down his face, it was not a nice sight and although he made no crying sound, she could feel the tension in his aura. He needed comfort and she was doing to give it to him.

Without much effort, she carefully leaned forward and wrapped an arm around his body and pulled him into a warm hug. For a moment, he remained silent before he looked up to her, his blue eyes meeting her own blue ones.

His eyes were darkened but were hinted with pain and love for his family, and his breakdown was no surprise to her. By this point, they had become normal to her but never did she grow bored, she knew he needed the comfort to help him gain the confidence to act like his true self once more and also to continue moving forward in his life.

"Meowth, I forgive you" Jessie stated gently, placing her hand gently on his chest and petting him calmly, knowing very well that the action always calmed him down.

He stared at her for a few good moments before he leaned into her, still looking up and into her eyes, comforted by both her words and her actions. "I forgive ya taa Jessie" he said with a small smile, his tears fading.

Smiling herself, she continued to pet him, enjoying the way that Meowth hugged into her and knowing that he was happy. She wouldn't have it any other way. And neither would he.

Love In All Forms - Foxy, Springtrap, Bonnie

The pizzeria was dark and empty, everyone being in the front of the establishment, most likely doing another truth or dare with some other Eternals. All but two of them. A sound barrier was held around Pirate's Cove, encasing the two within in private silence.

Bonnie rolled his eyes as Foxy wrapped his fluffy tail around him, pulling his body closer to his lover. The fox grinned widely, his white and yellow teeth glimmering in the light peeking in through the curtains. His beautiful golden eye was taking in every part of him, every part of his being. And Bonnie was willing to give everything to his lover.

In nature, they were to be enemies, and yet they had somehow found love together. That didn't mean they sometimes didn't show their rather unique animal instincts. Bonnie had lost count of the many times Foxy would growl playfully and chase him around the establishment until he finally caught him. Those many times, Foxy would carry him back to Pirate's Cove and proceed to dominate him in every way, shape, and form.

This was not one of those times. Instead, they had simply decided to... spend some quality time together. That might explain the intense blush across the rabbit's face, causing him to occasionally look away in almost embarrassment.  But each time, Foxy would trail his hook down the side of the bunny's face, his tail pulling him even closer into his arms.

"Ye ready ta have some fun laddy?"

The fox's accent always soothed him. It was rough and yet so soft, especially when it was directed towards him. Bonnie had always thought he would never in his life have the fox's affections. The pirate could have anybody. He knew Chika had a thing for him and he could have her so easily. Freddy too, with a little bit of work. Mangle as well, though it might be awkward. Either way, sometimes he thought Foxy deserved better.

When Bonnie had voiced these thoughts, he had been responded with an almost angry growl as the fox had slammed him into the wall and forcefully and passionately kissed him. His snake like tongue had slithered into his mouth and easily dominated him. Any shadow of a doubt had been washed away that night as Foxy had exerted his love for him and no one else over him.

"Oh course I am Foxel"

The nickname was so cheesy that the pirate loved it, especially when it was coming from his adorable lover, the only person he loved, the only person who would ever have his full love. Yes, he knew foxes were meant to hunt and kill rabbits, Bonnie was an exception. Well, Bonnie and someone else...

His grin spreading across his muzzle, Foxy allowed his almost predator instincts to take over, his nose taking in the sweet smell of his lover. The bunny further blushed, looking away even more before he growled softly, a playful glint in his slightly narrowed golden eye. When Bonnie looked back to him, the pirate gently began to nibble on his lover's long, right ear, taking in the sensational whimper of the bunny as his teeth hit the ear's metal.

After a few moments, he pulled away and inched his muzzle closer to the other, noticing the excited twitching of him. Instead of proceeding to connect their mouths like they would any other time, he spoke, his voice soft and quiet.

"Then go ahead an' get the laddle"

Normally, his words would lull the bunny to do whatever the fox wanted, since he was fine with being dominated by his should-be hunter.  But the moment the nickname reached his ears, he stopped. Laddy was Foxy's nickname for him but laddle was meant for...

Eyes narrowing slightly, Bonnie carefully grabbed the pirate's hook hand and pulled it off of his side. This was how he always got the fox's attention and now was no exception. Although it was a rather quick movement, Foxy was not phazed in the least. He simply allowed Bonnie to move him slightly away, his grin never faltering in the slightest.

"Foxy, you said you wouldn't bring him into this" the bunny stated quietly, his voice hushed as if others could here them, to which they couldn't.

The pirate flicked his tail, stretching it slightly as he answered calmly, "Come on, laddy. I know as much as ye that ye wanna show the laddle how much we like him"

Of course he would go back to their shared affections for the older animatronic. Yes, he had said that he would someday want to show him how much they both loved him but now? Why now though? They had only recently figured out of their shared affections for him, wasn't this a rather big step right now?

It was as if the pirate read his mind for he added, "Yes, I know it's a rather quick step here but what have we gotta lose?"

A lot actually. But Bonnie knew better than to try and change the stubborn mind of his lover. Eyes rolling, he gently released Foxy's hand and stepped away from him. With one final, wordless nuzzle to the fox's long muzzle, the bunny turned and walked out of the cove in search of their friend, or something more.

Now was the problem of figuring out where he was. And there was no way Bonnie was going to the front of the establishment. He knew for a fact that Springtrap was not with them, he just wasn't like that. So where in the world would he be at?

His thoughts were interrupted when a very familiar figure teleported in front of him, or rather, his face.

"Heyya Bonnie!"

The bunny stopped and pushed the little figure off of him, raising an eyebrow at the crazy smile on the miniature version of the one he was searching for. Recovering, he quickly spoke, cursing himself for stuttering slightly.

"Uh, h-hey Plushie"

The plush bunny beamed his grin at his counterpart, abandoning his hover and landing on the ground easily. Before he could speak though, Bonnie cut him off, asking the question he needed to know, and not in the mood to get thrown into the mindset of his little friend's thoughts.

"Hey Plushie, do ya know where your broth- uh, fath, er, Springtrap is?" It was awkward to say the least, not knowing exactly what the original version of the plush bunny was to him. But how was he to know when all he ever had called him was his common nickname of Springy?

To his stuttering mess of trying to figure out what he called Springtrap, the plush bunny laughed his little maniacal giggle, nearly falling over from his little giggle fit. There were times like this that Bonnie really wanted to kick the little rabbit but he wouldn't do so, knowing that Springy would be mad at him for it. Plushie? He wouldn't be fazed at all by it.

After finishing his little giggle fit, Plushie spoke, his voice laced with casual amusement. "Brother, father, bestie, same thing, isn't it? I mean, he's still Springy, ain't he? Well anyways, he's over by the office last time I checked. I'm guessin' you and Foxy wanna talk to him or something so go check there" He paused to gaze at the taller animatronic, his beady eyes boring into his face at that point in time.

"Anyways, I have ta get back to our little game of truth or dare as you might have guessed my little teleportation was. Be careful with my Springy alright? Yep, you've got it. Seeya later Bonnie!" And with that, the little bunny teleported away, likely to the front of the establishment once more.

Bonnie couldn't even speak that entire exchange, he spoke so fast and came to reasonable conclusions that were actually true. Curse him for making him blush for instantly feeling a small blush grow on his own face when the term 'my Springy' came into play. So did that mean that after this, that he would somehow be spiritually linked to the plush bunny that confused him so much?

Shaking his head, Bonnie rolled his eyes and made his way towards the office, taking his used to be normal route before he noticed the open door of the west hall of the office. Gulping slightly, the purple bunny silently peeked his head around the corner, his eyes darting around until they landed on the rabbit of his and his lover's affections.

His eyes instantly softened as he simply watched the spring bunny stare almost blankly at a wall. That moment seemed to drag on forever before Springtrap spoke, his voice so quiet he could barely hear him, but somehow he did.

"I-I know you're there, Bonnie" His voice was rough and raspy, his voice obviously going within telepathy's reaches. Yet, he was still so quiet, but Bonnie heard him and silently walked over to his side, sitting besides him and gently nuzzling the side of his head. The spring animatronic instantly flinched slightly but he didn't pull away. He didn't even look at him, instead looking away with distant eyes.

"Are you alright Springy?" Bonnie couldn't help but to ask him as he almost shyly looked back to him. He was just so... cute, just like Foxy. Especially when he wasn't sure how to answer something. It was a simple question yet it wasn't to the older animatronic. He knew what he had gone through, and no, he never blamed him for it, and thus never even dreamed of using that against him.

Springtrap flicked his damaged right ear, the wires hanging out of it tied tightly shut so as to not catch fire... again. Bad thoughts, go away. They all agreed to never bring that up again. And so there was that.

Instead of speaking, he simply nodded his head, the top portion of his left ear tilting with him as he did so. What did he say before, again? He was so adorable.

It was then that moment that Bonnie decided to speak, his voice calm and welcoming but also hiding a soft nervous desire. It was times like this that the bunny treated Springtrap like Foxy, just watching him and hiding a hidden desire to flat out drag him back to the Cove and force himself and Foxy onto him. But he would never do it like that. He had to take this slow for all of their sakes.

"So, ya wanna come and spend some time with me and Foxy back at the Cove?" Wow, that sounded bad. But he knew that Springtrap didn't even understand what that kind of stuff was but still, if he had said that around the pirate fox, he would have surely not gotten away with it.

Almost instantly, the spring bunny seemed to warp before him. He turned into his smaller form, reaching the height of Apple Bloom and Nyarth. He looked up at Bonnie at first and simply narrowed his eyes and concentrated his magic on something. The next thing he knew, they were teleported into Pirate's Cove. Well, at least he got his answer.

Protection - Fluttershy, Discord, Jeffy, and Meowth

"Wha... What are you doing here Jeffy?" Fluttershy asked him, her teal eyes widening.

Jeffy held onto Meowth, realizing his weak state. Touching his hand to his charm, Jeffy transferred enough energy into the Pokémon to keep him awake and going. But there was something... off about him. He seemed dazed and his eyes lacked of bright color. His charm had a tint of grey and was fading fast.

"I was able to get with the help of Twilight and-" Jeffy began to explain but was cut off when Discord interrupted.

"Hold on, hold on. Let me get this straight. Twilight Sparkle, the pony who nearly tried to kill me to 'protect' Fluttershy helped you get here? And why are any of us here in the first place?" It was clear he was confused but also angry. He liked Twilight a little bit but her most recent act just killed any trust for her.

Fluttershy simply floated back to the ground and worriedly placed her hoof on her chin. "If she were to teleport you here... and we were teleported by something else... Oh my" she whispered.

"Twilight teleported me here because Amber sensed a disturbance in Equestria. She sensed that your Princesses Celestia and Luna know of... Well Discord being an 'evil organization's' leader and others were bad aura. They want to get rid of anyone with bad aura and... 'rescue' the good ones"

Discord immeditally became offended. "Now listen here. You know that I have no Immortal blood in me anymore. I used to be the Immortal leader. Not any more! That stupid idiot Giovanni is now in charge. You should know this" He said angrily towards his son.

But Jeffy didn't see him like this, never have, never will. "Look, I never said that I thought that. I said your stupid little Princesses did and that they were the ones who teleported the three of you here" he said though he didn't loosen his grip on Meowth.

Fluttershy had hovered over to Discord's side and gently touched her hoof to his shoulder to calm him. "S-Sorry. But bad aura? Don't me, you and Meowth have it?" he said calmly, having recovered by his outburst.

"Fluttashy... ta" the panting, weak tone of Meowth sounded as he forced himself out of Jeffy's grip and leaned into the tree stump next to him.

The three immediately became surprised. It appeared he had been awake the whole time and was listening the entire time.

"M-Me?" Fluttershy asked, shock upon her face. She had bad aura?

Meowth nodded simply. "Y-Yes... I can see it. Very few of us have purely good aura. I t'ink dat Yin is someone wid purely good aura but she will change" he sighed softly. "We all do" he added, almost in defeat.

Fluttershy was still confused about her bad aura until it struck her mind. "O-Oh! The Rainbow Factory. T-That m-must be why"

"Hmmm. It appears none of us Eternals or Immortals will ever be purely good. Fluttershy is associated with the Rainbow Factory and takes pride in it. I, myself, took over Equestria a few time and am the master of chaos and I was once the leader of the Immortals. Jeffy here is also with the RF and is a serial kil-" Discord monologued until Jeffy interrupted.

"No, I was a serial killer. I can control now. The last time I even felt that feeling was back when I killed Hougen which was back in August of 2013, mortal time" the Fourtellta defended.

"Fine, Jeffy was a serial killer" the spirit of chaos corrected with a roll of his mitch-matched eyes. "And then little Meowth here is also in the RF but is also in Roketto-dan and also is with this whole Team Force Update, Silent Hill... He has a fetish with blood and-"

"We get it! I'm in... a lot of fucked up t'in's but ya know what? I like havin' bad aura so just fuck off" Meowth growled at Discord, releasing a claw slowly so no blood was released.

"Fine. Fine. Just calm done okay?" Hesitant, Meowth retracted the claw.

This was when Meowth felt something stir inside him, and a short growl escaped his throat. A wild look fled into his eyes as he wrapped one paw around his charm in an attempt to control himself. His claw was released a little and shook immensely until his vision became black and he lost consciousness. Surprisingly, it was Discord who teleported fast enough to catch Meowth and hovered back to a sit and pull the Pokémon onto his lap. Fluttershy worriedly flew over and touched Meowth's charm. He was getting weaker and was losing control. But why? Jeffy had already transferred his energy to him.

It didn't occur to Fluttershy but it clicked almost immediately in Jeffy's mind. He had seen this all too much. "Fluttershy. Discord. Did he have any... blood while you were in the Mortal world?" he asked hesitantly, half hoping it wasn't true.

Fluttershy tilted her head slightly, lost in thought before answering slowly, "If I recall correctly... Um, no. He hasn't. Right Discord?" Glancing towards her lover.

Discord gently held onto Meowth and simply nodded at her question. Then the three stopped, realization creeping into their minds.

"Oh no..." Fluttershy's inaudible whisper was all that was heard as silence took over the air around them.

Jeffy wasted no time. Quickly he pulled his long, dried blood covered knife out from behind him, almost out of nowhere. This caught Discord's attention but now wasn't the time for that. Carefully, he stared at it for a few moments before shaking his head and giving the knife to Fluttershy. The pegasus  gripped it hard and stared long into Jeffy's black eyes until a small squeak of alarm escaped her throat.

"Oh no... No, no, no. I-I can't do it. The animals in this area... We're in Ponyville. The animals here know me. I can't kill them. But... I also cannot let Meowth die or worse..." A small tune rang in her head at that moment as Fluttershy struggled with her own emotions. If anything she would go after a lonesome looking animal, mainly a bunny. It would be quick. But how to be quick.

Jeffy could tell what she was thinking and he comfortably said, "The head. Aim directly at the head. One good swipe should kill it immediately and not make too much of a mess. Trust me, I would know" He said the last line with a slight shake, remembering the old days.

A small smile on her face, Fluttershy gripped the knife in her hoof before gently wrapping her hooves around Jeffy, offering him a hug before she flapped her wings and silently flew off.

Watching her go, Jeffy gently sat himself on the stump and looked over to Meowth, his black eyes worried.

"Look, I know this is serious and everything but.. But how did you pull that knife, or whatever out of nowhere? Well, only I can do that" Discord asked, still keeping his hold on the Pokémon.

"Magic" Jeffy simply responded. It wasn't the answer Discord wanted but for the time being he just remained silent.

Oh dear. She had lured a pretty lonely looking white bunny away into a quiet spot in the Everfree behind some bushes. It stared up with curious and trusting eyes but she knew what had to be done. She didn't want to but she knew she had to, for Meowth. But something clicked in her mind, almost like an urge, one that she should see as being a monster. But she did this kind of thing everyday and so far, she hadn't done it. The Rainbow Factory and the Immortal Device. She knew the tune and slowly, it rang in her head. Without warning, Fluttershy grabbed the knife and flung it into the bunny's head, just like Jeffy said. Strangely, as the blood splattered onto her hooves, she felt content, as if she had been fighting an invisible force.

And she was. But she had gotten over it. It was dead but it died quickly and it must have been lonely, it would not be too missed. She hoped. Sighing softly, she placed the bloody knife into a safe spot in her mane before gripping the bunny's body in her mouth and trotting away, prepared to save her friend, save someone she saw as a brother, as a son.

It was like she had expected. Meowth had acted like a feral wild animal when he had consumed the bunny, ripping it apart and draining it's blood and them consuming parts of it. It was survival after all. Despite her softness, she felt nothing but relief in the situation as Meowth immeditally became stronger and more open with them. But the four of them knew it wasn't over.

It was but Jeffy's careful guidance that Discord, Fluttershy, and Meowth began to slip through the shadows, going towards Fluttershy's cottage to jump through the portal back home. Home was what they really needed now and they needed to escape the Princesses, at least for a small while, they needed to escape.

Home. They would be safe in the Eternal world.

Crews are Secret Teams - Chrysalis, Meowth, and Edward

He had just been hiding in the shadows, watching, following Edward silently. He had slipped among the bushes and was watching him take out the guards leading to a chest full of treasure, when he had felt a searing pain at the back of his head. He collapsed to the ground and his vision and mind blackened. The last thing he heard was the sound of a small laugh, one that sounded purely evil.

Now, he woke up, feeling dazed and uncertain. Blinking open his blue eyes, he recognized where he was. A warehouse with cloth draped over the doors and windows. He attempted to move but he then realized that metal restraints held him to an even larger piece of metal hanging from the wall, his body spread out in a way he knew he wouldn't be able to easily escape. Maybe Edward would hear him if he called out? He opened his mouth to screech but only a muffled growl escaped. Dammit. Whoever did this was smart, he must say. A metal strap was placed around his head and in his mouth to prevent him from screeching.

Although he was scared, he still remained calm. Maybe this was a joke and Edward would just come out of the shadows and- The shadows... He saw a figure in the shadows, standing and watching him. It was not a human. He knew what it was.

His blood ran cold and his heart beat a mile per second, in a bad way. Out from the shadows, stalked the tall, ugly figure of Chrysalis, the queen of the changelings. He never would think he would find her here in the Worlder realm but Giovanni must've allowed her passage here. That cheap bastard.

Her glassy, green eyes narrowed and a smirk was plastered upon her crooked face. Her snaked tongue tasted the air and he was sure she was sucking the love out of him. He hated her and wanted her to die by his paw. He unsheathed his claws and tried to swipe at her but his restrains held him in place, unable to move. Chrysalis' smirk only grew at his pathetic attempts to escape. He wasn't going anywhere. He was hers. Forever.

"Meowth. Meowth. Meowth. Haven't we gone over this? You don't threaten those you love" she sternly said, standing to her full height in front of him, her voice echoing softly off the wooden walls.

Love? Hell no. He tried to respond but the metal in his mouth only made it sound like he was growling. Frustrated, he shook his head back and forth.

Chrysalis chuckled and used her holed hoof to raise his chin to meet her own eyes. "Oh Meowth. Don't lie to me. You love me more than that Pikachu, right?"

Meowth growled. On purpose. He shook his head, trying to get away from her grasp.

But he was too restrained to get away. He was trapped.

"Oh you still do. Well, I guess we'll have to just change that" she said as she walked to the far side of the room. He took a small breath of relief until he saw a flash of light and a bullet from a gun almost hit him. He hid the fear from his eyes but he wouldn't put it past her to accidentally or purposely shoot him for the fun of it.

He didn't react, causing an aura of anger consume calm Chrysalis. Meowth wanted to smirk but held an emotionless expression, not wanting to make the already bad situation worse.

"So, I hear you like fire Meowth?" she cackled, using her magic to hover a torch.

He froze. No. No. No. Not fire. No, he couldn't get burnt. He flinched at the mere sight of it, causing a smirk of pure pleasure to spread on the changeling queen's face. She approached him, slowly. She was taunting him and he hated it. But he would take it if it meant keeping his promise to Pikachu and every other Eternal.

He could feel the heat of the flames on his head now, and he couldn't help but to let fear shift to his blue eyes. He shut his eyes and lowered his head in defeat, waiting for the searing pain to shoot through his head.

But it never came. The loud sound of the door being broken down and then of the torch's light fading and hitting the ground was heard. Looking up, amazement filled his blue eyes. Edward held Chrysalis, who was huddled by the wall by a sword while the others in the crew backed him up. She looked... scared. Of humans. Of pirates. Of his crew. He wanted to cry. He was in a crew of pirates, and they cared about him.

"Get the hell out of here. And never come anywhere near any of us ever again. Or you. Will. Regret. It" Edward Kenway growled softly. She got the message and teleported out of the realm, leaving the scene for the others to do what they wanted with it.

Edward wasted no time. He holstered the sword and rushed swiftly to Meowth, using his own weak magic to remove the restraint from his mouth. Meowth couldn't help but let out a deep breath, bringing his tongue swiftly over his teeth to wear them down.

"Man, I'm sorry buddy. I should've never let you out of my senses. You okay?" he asked as he worked on removing his other restraints.

"Despite tastin' metal, almost gettin' shot multiple times, almost gettin' burned an' gettin' stuck in a room wid a psychopat'ic bitch?" he light-heartedly asked as the restraints were pulled off of him. 'Yeah, I'm fine"

Easily landing as the restraints were removed, he found himself being gently picked up by the pirate who held him like everyone else did when he needed it. Gentle but firm. "Our work is done here. Let us return to the Jackdaw" Edward announced to the crew.

Comforted by the safety he was once again in, he gently laid his head against Edward's chest and held onto him. He didn't think about it. He just fell asleep, knowing that he was protected and loved in this messed up world.

He was no longer outside. He was inside but the gentle sways of water on a ship was what he felt as he awoke on the chair that belonged to Edward but was now normally considered as Edward-Meowth's chair. It was a little joke they had with each other. Comforted by the waves and the warmth and safety the room provided, he was surprised when he found Edward suddenly there, beside him.

"Geez what da hell Edwardio?" he teased, a grin upon his face as he gently poked his friend with a paw. Edward chuckled a little, now fine with the nickname that made no sense. Meowth didn't respond to whatever nicknames he gave him so he gave up trying.

"So, you alright?" he asked.

"T'anks ta ya. Chrysalis is a crazy bitch. I t'ink I'd rada be stuck in a room wid two Pinkie Pies dan her" Meowth responded, thinking about his alter ego and how hard he was to put up with if you didn't know him well enough.

"I think I would like the same.Though you have to admit, one is definitely enough" he smiled to him, glad he had his energetic and Element of Laughter spirit once again back in him. "But, I wanted to ask you something" he added, a more serious note taking hold of his voice.

Meowth tilted his head slightly. "Ask away"

"Would you be fine with sticking with me wherever I went? I don't want this to happen to you again and because this is my world, I feel as though your safety is my responsibility. And I guess it would also mean we could go on more adventures together" Edward said as he gently rested his hand of the Pokemon's shoulder.

Meowth's tone didn't change as he said, "'Course! Do ya even need ta ask dat?"

"I'm glad, now I must go back to the deck. We need to get going from this place" Edward said as he stood and walked away. Suddenly, he felt a weight on his shoulder. Turning his head, he found Meowth, hanging upon him with a broad grin.

"Meowth an' Edwardio stick togetta now. I will help ya da best way I can" he beamed.

Smiling, Edward left the cabin with Meowth who couldn't feel more happy in this strange new world.

Sticking Together - Sky, Bashur, Pewface, and Team Crafted

It was no joke that Team Crafted had expanded since they first started. And as Eternals, they had trained to become a stronger team than before. Sky acted more like their leader than anyone because he had the leadership qualities and the trustworthiness of being a Curer and one day, he decided it would be best to go into a Minecraft world that was being ravaged by disasters both enemy-like and natural to try and help them. As miners, it was their duty. But only Team Crafted decided to go, the others staying behind because they all thought it would be better that way. Even Nanners stayed because he hated going into his miner form and preferred to stay as a cat. Although Sky would've loved to do this mission besides his lover, he knew it was for the best.

Deadlox, True, and Sundee decided to stay together. Ant, Seto, Sub, and Bajan too decided to stick together. Husky and Sparklez naturally were locked together with Jerome and Brotato following behind them. And then Bashur and Sky decided to go as a duo because they worked well together and it also gave Bashur extra security and Sky a bigger excuse to watch over him. He trusted the watermelon completely but sometimes he let his overprotective self get the better of him. He was, after all, his biological brother after all. How a half squid and living watermelon were biological brothers was beyond their knowledge but in both science and in their hearts, they knew it was true. The others accepted this as well and understood why the two needed to stay together.

They had found a medium sized village that seemed abandoned until further inspection. They had found a few villagers who had hidden from the enemies that had tried to take over. But it wasn't long before Team Crafted got to work on that problem, taking out the enemies with little effort, backing each other up with hesitation. It took work from that point forward for they had needed to build a wall around the village. But with the many of them, they were eventually able to do it. But even with a wall, some enemies would still try to get in, but they would never succeed, not with the team on the villages' side.

But that wasn't their only problems. A sickness was growing around the areas, reaching for milies. Team Crafted, being Eternals, were immune to it but the villagers were not. Plus a famine was growing rapidly by the day. The famine did not bother Team Crafted for they were under a very powerful spell that saved their bodies from needing food or water. It helped them but not who they were trying to help.

Every day, they would head out and try to find food with four of them staying behind, most of the time it being Bajan and Sub who would look for enemies and Bashur and Jerome who would stay with the villagers to make sure nothing went wrong. Although Bashur never noticed anything out of normality, Jerome certainly did, being more observant than the watermelon. But he never mentioned it to him but he did mention it to the others. All of them, especially Sky took it seriously but simply said to keep a watchful eye on Bashur wherever he went and to make sure the villagers didn't try anything funny by them watching them at all times too.

Jerome noticed that the villagers would look at Bashur in a weird way, a way that was almost menacing and desireful looking. Jerome didn't have to wonder what the looks meant and he had decided to not make it seem like so bad in front of Sky because only the Funnelers knew what he would do if he found out. He'd probably abort the mission entirely. That was how protective he was of his brother. And the rest of them would follow his lead and leave as well if that happened. This really wasn't any of their business in the first place but they still doing it. Hopefully it would end soon though so that they could return to their own Eternal lives.

It was a dark night, the moon barely in the sky and Bashur had slipped away from his bed to take a walk around the village. Leaving his bed wasn't the easiest thing in the world though. Not when Sky had his arm protectively wrapped around him. Bashur was no idiot, he knew his brother just wanted to protect him and that thought warmed his heart. He had not put a sleep spell on him but simply wriggled out of his grasp, careful enough to not wake up Sky or anyone else.

But he had wakened up Seto but he had reassured him that he was just taking a walk and that in an hour, to look for him. Seto had agreed and had decided to remain awake and join Ant and Brotato in the guarding that night while Pinkie Promising to look for him in an hour. Damn, he had such good friends. He was sure proud to be apart of Team Crafted while also being as Eternal.

Carefully, he walked around, his mind focused on nothing and his diamond sword clutched loosely in his hand. He looked around, feeling a tang of peace in this world, at least for now. He tried to not think about the history of the living watermelons once more and what they had been used for. It was a terrible thought that he pushed to the back of his mind to focus on the more happier times.

His Eternalship after becoming a drone like Deadlox by the squids command. He had felt so alive and free to do what he wanted. But it there that he learned the lesson he truly needed. Loyalty and love. Although he couldn't have Sky as a lover, he got him as something much more. A brother. First an adopted brother and now a biological brother. The joy he felt there had almost been too much to handle and he knew Sky felt the same. They both loved each other and never did Bashur complain about the overprotectiveness of his brother. He knew he was trying to protect him and never did it get on his nerves because unlike James once was with Meowth, Sky knew when to back down and let him do his own thing.

Then he found Master Meowth in his time of need, when he had broken up with Clementine and when he needed someone to hold onto. Bashur was careful with keeping his emotions hidden and giving the maniac a friend he needed. He could put up with his maniacal and seemingly out of control behavior. He had no idea why he had been the only one to break him out of his maniacal depressed trance. Even Meowth, who was his blood brother and alter ego had been unable to break him out of it, however, he had grown close to doing so. They had grown closer and then they had confessed their love for each other. And then, he had taught him how to fly and how to do the Zetsu Tenrou Battouga.

He still had many other adventures but those were the turning points of his Eternal life so far. Sighing, Bashur kept trudging on until a sound sounded behind him, cutting him off. He stopped and froze, listening for the noise again, wondering if it was just his mind playing tricks on him. He heard it once more, louder this time. A growl. And it didn't sound normal. He pushed out his senses to search for an enemy that could've somehow gotten through the sharp senses of Ant, Brotato, and Seto. But all he found was a presence that was smaller and more tainted with extremely bad aura with a hint of familiarity.

Turning around, he gripped his sword to his chest and looked at the creature, hidden by the darkness but before he could get a good look at it, it lunged from the shadows and attacked him. He didn't see it very clearly and only saw a dark blur before he felt a pain in his leg. Holding back a whimper, he pushed through the pain and bailed, running swiftly and with barely a sound as he ran, dodging the obstacles in his way while also trying to lose his pursuer. But he couldn't for he knew the creature was still behind him, and he couldn't get rid of it.

His senses were not fully in tact and his mind was racing and so he fled down a dark alley to which ended in a dead end

Fears Conquered - Sky, Sparklez, Bashur, and Master Meowth

"So I was just taking a little walk by the ocean cliffside"

"Uh huh"

"And then I saw Bashur and Master Meowth"

"Uh huh"

"And Master Meowth was teaching Bashur how to fly"

"Uh hu- Wait, what?!"

Sky immediately flicked his attention from the book he was reading to Sparklez, whom had come to talk to him for some strange reason. He had been listening to him sure, but he had also been more focused on what he was reading. Yes, he knew that Bashur and Master Meowth were most likely a couple now and he was fine with it but teaching him to fly? Bashur was terrified of that! Plus if he failed, he would surely plummet to the ground and die.

Sparklez tilted his head slightly at his friend at his sudden outburst, taken aback from his shout of surprise. It wasn't everyday that Sky got angry. He was usually a bright ball of energy.

"What do you mean he's teaching him to fly?" Sky questioned, thoughts racing through his mind.

"Uh, that he's teaching him how to fly? That's what they're doing" Sparklez answered casually.

"Fuck..." the modder murmured catching Sparklez off guard. Sky didn't curse that much and when he did, it surely counted.

"And he's teaching him how to do the Battouga" the other modder added, not sure why.

This only seemed to make Sky angerier. "The Battouga? As in the Zetsu Tenrou Battouga?" he demanded more than asked as he jumped in front of his friend, his eyes narrowing.

"Uh, yeah. Do we use any other Battougas?" He didn't think they did.

Letting out a frustrated growl, Sky turned away from his friend.

"Okay, what's the big deal? We all learn the Battouga at some point" He tried to reason to Sky, not fully understanding his annoyance and anger.

"The big deal? The big deal?!" He turned back to Sparklez, the anger not dying down at all. "The big deal is that Bashur is not ready for that. The Battouga is a very advanced move that requires a lot of balance, power, and concentration. Even if Bashur has been able to learn to fly, trying that move could turn in a completely bad direction" He breathed deeply, trying not to think of what would happen if the watermelon tried and failed at the move.

"I'm sure he'll be fine. He does have Master Meowth with him after all"

"Look, I don't care if Amber and all of the Funnelers are with him. I'm going and you're coming with me" he stated as he grabbed Sparklez by the arm and began dragging him alongside him.

"Why are you so overprotective of him?" came the sudden question causing Sky to stop walking and look at him, a glint of anger filling his calm, annoyed eyes, hidden somewhat behind his dark sunglasses.

"What do you mean?" he asked, raising an eyebrow in slight confusion.

"You know, you're always worried about what he's doing and where he is. You're even now going to try to 'stop' him from learning the skills he needs to survive in his world" Sparklez said, trying to pry his arm free of Sky's tight grasp. Why was he trying, he knew he wasn't getting away. Not with the other modder like this.

"What, have you been living in a ditch for the past month? I'm not his adopted brother, I'm his biological brother, it's my job to keep him safe. Plus, he's weaker than the others so that explains why I want to know where he is and what he is doing. I don't want him to get hurt or do something he'll regret. In case you're wondering, I simply want to protect him from hurtful things, not control his life" Sky stated, turning back and beginning to walk again, dragging Sparklez along with him once more.

By this point, he had given up trying to fight him and simply walked besides him, though his grip on his arm never decreased though never increased either.

"I understand wanting to protect him but this is going too far. I don't worry about Husky or Chi like this. Neither do you about Nanners" Why was he trying to reason with him?

This time, he didn't stop or turn to look at him. "I don't worry about him 24/7 because I know he can take care of himself. Nanners already worries about me too much anyways"

"Same thing with Husky and Chi. I know they can take care of themselves, even little Chi has the abilities the protect herself in danger. Bashur should be no different"

"Well he's not. And I won't let him do something this dangerous" He paused in both talking and walking. Shoving Sparklez in front of him, he let go of his arm as he lowered his head and said, "Wherever this cliffside is, take me there" It sounded more like an order than a request.

"Are you sure about doing this?" Sparklez questioned, giving his friend one last chance to change his mind before they went.

With no hesitation, Sky answered. "Of course I'm sure! Now let's just go already before I just use my flower to locate them myself"

Sighing in defeat, Sparklez remained silent as he led Sky to the cliffside, not knowing how the night was going to end.

"Dangit!"

"Heh, ya're gettin' betta t'ough"

"This is actually starting to hurt and this all just seems too complicated" Bashur complained, sighing as he felt his leg ache in slight pain after attempting a small Battouga for an hour now. Yes, he was getting better but the many rules and focus and power for such a move, it was starting to hurt his brain more than anything.

"Come on, it can't be dat bad. Just concentrate an' ya'll get it eventually" Master Meowth snickered, understanding his new lover's thoughts on the matter. But it had been Bashur who had brought up the Battouga idea in the first place and now, he had really no right to complain.

"But it's just so hard!" the living watermelon sighed, not understanding how he didn't get the move done yet, even the most smallest of Battougas was coming off as hard to him.

Snickering, Master Meowth approached his side. "Rememba what I told ya. Ya have ta build up yer powa an' strengt' first by jumpin' back an' fort' off of somet'in', mainly walls but in yer case, invisible walls" he said as he flicked his claws, said walls flicking into visibility before disappearing once more. "When ya get enough of dat, ya balance yerself an' move forward. Ya should den bite down an' spin yerself forwards as well. Da wind an' powa 'round ya should make da Battouga. Trust me, ya'll know when ya've got it. Anyways, da powa should make hittin' da ground a swipe of a claw if ya know what I mean"

Bashur simply nodded, understanding what he was saying. Saying it, it sounded so simple but while doing it, it always backfired somehow on him and he could never figure out what went wrong. But he always knew he failed whenever he tried it.

"You make it sound so easy!"

Master Meowth smirked at this. "I make everyt'in' sound easy, now don't I?" he jokingly asked, lifting his down mood. He always seemed to be able to do that to him.

"Yeah, you do" Bashur smiled, gratefully. "Alright, I'm ready to give it another go" he added confidently.

"Alright, go for it" he stated, walking to the side as Bashur turned around and focused himself on his newfound flying skills as he began to confidently began to pick himself up off of the ground.

Never Broken - Chilled and Ze

Their joint embrace of happiness could not be broken, much like their relationship. Chilled was taller than Ze sure, but Ze was stronger than him from his intensive training. The sackboy's grip on him though was tight and strong, as if he never wanted to let go of him, believing that he had been so close to losing the only person to ever claim his heart as their own.

Ze had been oblivious to the torturous  nightmares his boyfriend had been having about his worst fear, someone taking him away from Chilled, and in his case, Smarty. Just witnessing his nightmare made anger burn up in him at the well deserved dead traitor. But to know that Ze had let his urges take him over, causing him to push his best friend away... It hurt him and making up to him was the hardest thing he could do. But he needed Chilled. Without him, he was just a monster without any purpose in life.

Chilled had known why he pushed him away but he could never bring himself to question him, in fear that Ze would become angry at him and break up with him. And losing Ze would leave the sackboy with nothing but his own broken heart. He could hold himself back now as he buried his face into Ze's shoulder and cried, letting all his emotions out finally in the presence of his lover. As he did so, he felt the Fourtellta tighten his grip on him in a protective manner but still notably gentle as he knew he was crying too. Silently but still crying.

Ze knew why he loved Chilled. It had been apparent from the moment he had met him back before the Eternals and in the mortal world. He was so lovable and fun. Sure he was a stutter and could come out as shy at times but he also had that side of an Eternal. Once he became one, Ze fell even more in love with him. He may be weaker than the others but he would protect his friends without hesitation. And there was something that he had only showed to Ze. Possessiveness and love.

He remembered his shyness around him and Chilled being oblivious to his emotions until he outright told him. He remembered the shock in his black eyes as he stared at him. He remembered the agonizing silence as he awaited his reaction. He remembered him looking away and tell him those words that had broken his heart. He hadn't rejected him. No, he accepted him and confessed that he loved him too but he had seemed confused, almost torn as to why and how he could love him. "I-I love you t-too Ze. B-But I'm j-just a s-sackb-boy. I-I'm just a r-rej-ect. H-How could you possibly l-love me? I-I don't d-es-serve someo-one like y-you Ze"

He remembered the tears forming in his eyes as he looked away. He remembered acting on instinct as he pulled Chilled into a loving embrace and then proceeded to traditionally meet his eyes and let the connection slip into each other's hearts.

He then remembered a more dark memory of when he had just lost control of his dark side the first time. He had not remembered anything during his rampage but he remembering waking up from a dazed state somewhere in a dark place known as a different dimension that he could only be freed of when he realized his mistake of letting the monster escape and then face up to the damage he had done... before his lover died.

He remembered picking up the broken form of Chilled, him being lighter than him and being not too much of a hassle to carry. He remembered feeling his limp form barely breathing as his open wounds leaked both stuffing and, mostly, blood. He had ignored the blood already on himself  and focused on the condition of the one he loved. He remembered shouting to whatever had forced him into that dimension, saying that he knew what it was. Himself and that he knew what he had done was wrong and that he wanted out. If anything, he hadn't wanted Chilled to die because of him.

Then the flash of light and the blacking out sensation. All the while, he had not let go of Chilled. He just couldn't. He remembered apologizing to him and the gentleness of the sackboy as he knew he had not meant to hurt him. It had warmed his heart and he had let it simply not get to him all to much anymore.

Chilled had felt the same about Ze the moment he met him. He was playful and straight to the point yet also serious, protective and loving. His own Eternalship only seemed to cause his feelings to increase. How though, he didn't know. He never expected it when Ze had took him to the side to tell him the best and most shocking thing in his entire life.

That Ze, his best friend loved him. Him, a rejected, weak, sackboy. That was all he was in his mind yet Ze saw something more. He didn't care that he was a sackboy. He didn't care if he could break with one touch. He loved him and that was all that mattered. He remembered asking him why and not getting the response he expected. Ze had pulled him into a loving embrace and then did the traditional way of looking in his eyes. His eyes were so different from the Ze he had first met but he didn't care. He was still the Ze he knew and loved.

Then when he had become a monster. A very, very painful memory. He remembered the wild look in his lover's eyes as he turned on him ripping him apart and weakening himself in the process. He remembered not fighting against him, not wanting to hurt him. He remembered seeing the stuffing fall out of him but also blood leak out, a lot of blood.

The rest was more of a dazed state as he remembered being at the brink of death the majority of the time. He remembered blacking out and waking half up in a dark dimension which was Ze's monster's mind. He remembered seeing Ze weakly approach him and pick him up, his body limp but the protective and gentle grip of his lover warmed his heart. He half heard what he said that what he was wrong and he only wanted to save him. Then the flash of light and blacked out both he and Ze. But Ze never let go of him, instead, his grip had tightened.

Ze had apologized so many times but each time, he had told him he understood and knew he didn't mean to. The relieved smile on his face as he accepted the facts as they were warmed his own heart just seeing it.

It was all worth it in the end for they were together still, even after what that just happened. He still loved Ze and Ze loved Chilled. All of it had come into place in the end.

Their embrace soon was broken but not out of negative feelings. Ze looked into the black eyes of the shorter sackboy who looked back with slight confusion as to why he had broken the embrace. Then came his shocking response. Ze leaned towards him and gently met his mouth to Chilled's kissing him for a few seconds as he felt Chilled return the kiss out of pure instinct.

"I love you Chilly Willy" Ze smiled softly, speaking in a loving whisper as he pulled back to look back into the sackboy's eyes, using the nickname he loved so much.

'I love you too Z-Ze" Chilled whispered back, a smile of his own creeping up onto his face, stuttering on his lover's name in the way he liked it best.

Pulling him back into a hug, Chilled and Ze sealed their bond even tighter, their souls becoming more intertwined than before.

Too Much - Discord, Fluttershy, and Meowth

The three had been acting as their dark sides would, their Phantom of the Opera sides would. Discord took on a composer and music lover persona with a darker figure with a permanent cape and mask. Fluttershy's Gala gown was permanent as well and she was slightly more beautiful. Meowth was eviler with a dark shade of black on his torso, to help hide in the shadows. They had fled into an unoccupied world of the Opera and had proceeded to torture, scare, slaughter, etc the animals there. They did that only for a few days, but it was enough for it to finally take it's toll on the three.

Discord was missing making havoc and desired to make music and chaos at the same time. Fluttershy longed for her chaotic Discord to return and to go back to the Eternal world and take the drug that Amber and Flippy had produced that would lower their urges to kill and taunt like it was used to control Jeffy's killing desire. Oh, Flutters still held the knife he gave her close to her heart. She just wanted to return. Meowth was having the worst effect. Like always, he had nightmares but these were more graphic. Whenever they would do one of their deeds, his nightmares would put someone he held dear to him in their victims' place and make him not have any control.

It was Fluttershy who brought Meowth's nightmares up to Discord and at first, he ignored her until he went into the sensitive mind of the Pokémon with her and witnessed first-hand the terrible things that he was forced to endure. Meowth barley mentioned them until he woke one night, in the form of the Phantom of Opera he was. He hesitated and heavily breathed until his claws slid out and a wild look entered his eyes as he locked eyes with the yellow pegasus. Teal eyes saddened but determined she gave him a brief nod before he stood. He motioned his gaze to Discord's mitch-matched ones and carefully, he touched his charm. It glowed and then flickered as a layer of grey overcame it. Out he summoned his Element of Eternal necklace along with Fluttershy's. Flutters's matched her Element of Harmony.

She put the necklace on as did Meowth but he shook as he did, an unnatural wild look in his blue eyes. Narrowing his eyes, Meowth leapt towards Discord as to which he reacted by moving his cape to evade his attack. But the half-Dovahkiin was no fool. He grabbed his claws and the cape and used what little levitation magic he knew to manipulate it to pull it back, not caring about the blood dripping from his own claws. His black torso seemed to melt his form into the dark shadows and the cape. Discord allowed it to happen but the one thing he realized was that, despite Meowth being an obvious threat, the spirit of chaos never thought to grab him or hurt him in any way.

Instead, he focused his cold gaze on the Phantom of Opera Discord, a low growl escaping him. Fluttershy did the same and lifted her chin, as a few sparks of magic leaving them as the two Dragonborns' power mixed and was prepared to blast Discord with something. He was shocked to be perfectly honest to be honest. Were they going to... blast him to stone? Kill him? Was this really too much for the two to handle? Was it all just... too much? Keeping a still mind as the Phantom, he spoke, his tone unknowingly cold and filled with malice. He didn't want that but his Phantom side was what he was in now and he couldn't think of how to reverse it at the moment.

"Fluttershy. Why are you doing this? You said, you promised! You promised you would never use you Element of Harmony against me" His gaze locked once more with those of the growling Pokémon. He wanted to look away from those eyes, threatening to make his break from the inside. "And you! You said you trusted me. Whatever happened?"

Fluttershy shook her head, a flare of anger uprising within her, her Opera side sparkling. "No, Phantom Discord. I promised to not use my Element of Harmony against you which is in fact, Kindness. But this" she touched her hoof to the charm of her necklace. "This is my Element of the Eternal, Love. And I am determined to make you understand, to make you... finally follow your heart" she growled slowly.

Meowth was beaming with anger as he didn't look away from Discord and simply stared. When he spoke, he spoke of Meowth and not Opera Meowth. Out of all of them, he had most control of his other side and followed his heart when it came to it, as did Fluttershy. Discord was ignoring it and he was annoyed by it, furious now. He didn't follow his heart all the time but when he did something right or wrong it was because his heart said so, not his mind.

'Me? Me?! What about ya?! I do trust ya. Ya are not ma friend but one of ma best friends, got it? But dis... dis Phantom of da Opera has overtaken ya. Listen ta yer heart for one fuckin' second an' maybe ya'll see" he paused as he stepped from the shadows. The evil and wild glint left his blue eyes and his body stopped shaking, and the black of his body left him, transforming him willingly into his true form which bore the scars of everything he had gone through, and everything he had done right by listening to his heart. His scars marked him defying his heart and listening to his mind, like Discord was doing now. Fluttershy shut her teal eyes at this moment and transformed into her true form, a form that was honestly more beautiful to the real Discord than what the Phantom side thought.

"I want my Discord back. I want the Phantom to remain but only emerge when necessary. I want... I want you to do the right thing" Fluttershy said to her lover.

"I want ya ta not make da mistakes I made. Do not follow yer mind all of da time. If yer heart says ta control da Phantom, listen ta it. I made ta many mistakes t'inkin' dat ay heart would only kill me. In trut'... yer own mind is what kills ya in da end" Meowth breathed, barely audible.

The power in the necklaces weakened until nothing was there, but their gazes remained strong as they stared up to Discord, the only one there who had not yet listened to their heart. His heart, sometimes he wondered if he truly had one. Both now and really. He stared back at them, feeling their pain, their mistakes in their eyes. What was he doing? They were right. His mind, it was what he was listening to. Even now, he realized that and his heart and Phantom side both said the same thing. Do the right thing.

But before he could turn back, he noticed Fluttershy levitate something as something was summoned from Meowth's charm. Without a single word, she flung the thing around his neck and that was when he realized what it was. His own Element of the Eternal with a chaotic tornado as the charm. Immediately, his true form was revealed and his true emotions leaked out. Guilt, pain, loneliness, fear. Everything. He forced himself to lean himself down to the ground where Fluttershy and Meowth were instantly there, they were there to comfort him as they curled up next to his, Fluttershy's teal eyes loving and Meowth's trusting.

Content and doing what was right, the three teleported through their portal back into the Eternal world where they remained in the same position in the chair where their trio truly began in the library and nothing would tear them apart at that moment.

Nothing.

The Feline and the Big Bad Wolf - Meowth and Bigby

Bigby wouldn't lie. He knew there was something off about him and his world. He would curve his hand a certain way and think of slowing time or completely stopping it and it would happen. He had had a dream of a world of blurred figures but at one point, they were at war, getting hurt and having powers to fight back and the next thing he knew, they were mingling with each other all happy and safe. He had had a dream this night in which he was apart of them and it honestly felt... nice.

He was awoken by a slight bang above his head. Expecting there to be some kind of trouble, he carefully used his slowing down time power to stop the time around him. Sheriff Bigby Wolf looked around and when he couldn't spot anything from his own room, he carefully searched the rest of the Woodworks building. No disturbance. Half annoyed, he trudged outside to the front of the property and glanced around, wondering if there was someone trying to break in. Then why was the bang coming from above him, which was why and how he was able to wake up in the first place.

Maybe it was just his stupid imagination. Maybe he was just losing it, more than usual. He was just about to go back inside the building when he noticed something. A rock, solid and medium sized soared past him and to the ground, coming from the roof. Maybe his time stopping power malfunctioned. Checking it, he realized it was still stopped. Then maybe the impostor was on the roof and the rock throw just had a delayed reaction. It made sense, and it was worth a shot.

He was as quiet as his clumsy self could be as he climbed up to the roof. He didn't see anybody and checking the time stopping spell once more, he sniffed out a scent of someone, or something, strange. The scent was strange. Not mundy or fable. But then, what was it. Expecting the worst, he inched closer to the edge of the roof, using the walls as cover so whatever was up there with him would not sense him should they even be able to sense stuff while stuck in a frozen time state.

His senses were locked on one part of the roof when suddenly, said thing appeared before him, wearing a devious yet heartfelt grin. It literally scared the crap out of him. Catching his balance, Bigby took in the smaller creature before him as it hopped easily onto a barrel to meet eye level with him. Well, this was certainly a mind fuck right here.

So, this was the Big Bad Wolf, Sheriff Bigby Wolf, huh? He knew the fable would have the time stopping power and he knew he was confused by his immunity to it and also just him in general. He was careful as he searched his both, grinning wider as his thoughts came true. He poked at his mind, causing a apparent retaliation from Bigby. Meowth chuckled slightly, watching his reaction with a sense of amusement. Living up to his Element, Laughter, huh?

"Seriously, who the hell are you?" Bigby asked with a half annoyed voice, ignoring the prob in his mind. It was probably nothing. Right now, he needed to focus on his job and that was to figure out who this was and what they wanted. Secretly, he wanted to know how they were able to resist his ability and why he felt somehow connected to them.

Meowth liked this. Reminded him of his own anger-fits and Judas. Maybe not him, too angry maybe. "I go by Meowth an' it has come ta our attention dat ya seem ta be able ta control time in yer world. Much like dis" Raising his paw, he retracted a claw and twisted it in the air in a way that caused time to un-pause and re-pause all in the matter of seconds. Bigby's reaction was reasonable, just what he expected.

"Alright Meowth. This needs some explaining. Like, how can you do that if you just said I can?"

Meowth instantly popped back into Bigby's mind but due to being unable to speak via telepathy, he simply poked at his mind, grabbing the sheriff's attention once more. "I come from a world known as da Eternal World where we Eternals reside. Our enemy, main enemy, is da Immortals in deir world. Many worlds are connected ta da Eternals an' when other worlds drive closa to us, only dose wid da blood, no matta how small, dey get a powa. Dat powa is the ability ta manipulate time in deir world. But back home, only dose wid strong powa can control it. I have dat powa" he explained, curling his tail slightly upwards.

"I was sent here by our 'leada' ta recruit ya, 'cause ya have da powa" Meowth grinned to Bigby.

"I suppose that makes sense but I can't just abandon Fabletown and those within it. They need me, if you know that" Bigby reasoned, actually intrigued by the offer. Were these Eternals the ones from his dreams. Were the Immortals the ones hurting them in his dreams that they all needed to fight?

Meowth chuckled, expecting the response. He had done multiple of these things before and Bigby was no different. But Meowth was interested in Bigby and honestly wanted to get to know him better. Plus, he had an act for protectiveness and adventure. Two things Meowth seemed to suffer from everyday.

'Don't worry. Fabletown, an' da Farm, will become fully in da Eternal world an' dey will be filled in wid da details by some of da oder membas. Ya can go back an' fort' from dis world to ours. But let me make somet'in' clear here" A serious tone plagued his tone as he stared daggers at Bigby, locking his blue eyes with his somewhat glowing yellow ones. "We are not a perfect group an' problems will happen an' sometimes, yer life will be in danga"

Bigby simply nodded and said, "If that is the case, then I am fine with becoming an Eternal. No one is perfect, plus, I think I would hate a perfect life"

Meowth grinned once more and teleported to Bigby's shoulder. He was finally able to get a smile out of Bigby as the wolf un-paused time and allowed for Meowth to lead him through the portal to the Eternal world. As soon as he did, he felt himself relax in a way he had never done before and he felt safe here amoungst the others. Amoungst the Eternals he was now apart of.

'I Will Never Leave You' - Meowth and Pikachu

"Meowth...

He flinched slightly at his tone, tears brimming in the corners of his eyes as he struggled to keep them from leaking out. He was losing the battle and Pikachu knew it. He wasn't listening to his heart again. His mind had taken over.

"Meowth, look at me" It was not a demand or an order like the feline expected it to be. It was a calm and gentle request, one that he gave the one that meant the most to him.

"I love you, Meowth" Pikachu stated clearly and lovingly, his paw tracing the side of his charm as he did so.

The scratch cat froze at the four simple words, his mind thrown into a frenzy and with that, he lost control of himself and allowed the tears to crawl down his face. He shook immensely to the point where he began to lose his balance, to which Pikachu stepped forward and pulled him into a gentle yet tight hug. His tail wrapped around his body in a way to protect him.

Meowth clung tightly to him, his tears staining his own fur as he cried but never once did Pikachu hate him for it. In fact, it was these very moments that brought him closer to the feline even more. Despite the things that would often worry him and the questionable things he decided to live by, nothing could stop the electric mouse from loving him. Not even what he choked out a few long moments later.

"Pi-Pikachu... I dun de-deserve someone like y-ya..." His voice was strained, ragged by the heavy breaths and choked cries that escaped his throat. As he spoke, he hung onto his former arch-enemy tighter, fearing the very moment he expected when he would get unheartedly shoved away.

He should've known that that would never happen. Pikachu did not loosen nor tighten his grip on him, like he expected him to. He did not shove him away or begin to hurt him both physically and mentally. No, instead, he gently began to lick the top of his head, a sense of comfort he was used to, and one he was calmed by.

Ceasing his extensive crying, he regained control of himself, his breaths deep and controlled, the tears still dripping from his eyes. And yet, he still was able to pull a little from the protective grasp of his lover, the one he loved more than his own complicated life.

It was with this simple movement did he dare to avert his gaze up to that of his best friend. He became transfixed by the loving and powerful gaze of him.

To Pikachu, Meowth's eyes were always one of the most interesting things about him. Even long before their Eternalship, the sheer amount of emotions that could pass through his deep blue optics within seconds mesmerized him. Of course, back then, looking into his eyes, he would always see a confident and evil glint in his gaze and he still saw that. But it was never as strong, even though it was always strained when he saw it, like it was being resisted against.

That was always the case with the sensitive feline he loved. He didn't love him any less for it though, and so, he simply stared back into them, seeing the fearful and loving glint he was so used to seeing. But layered behind that glint was a hidden desire in that very moment. Pikachu was no fool, he knew exactly what the feline wanted and, like always, he was going to give it to him.

Smiling softly, he carefully leaned forwards and easily captured his lips into his own, pulling the feline into a gentle kiss. Upon contact, Meowth relaxed, his eyes sliding closed as he leaned closer into the kiss, an action that always calmed him and so told him of how much Pikachu truly loved him.

Focusing on the task at paw, Pikachu gently began to trail his paw down his lover's head, noticing the sensitive yet controlled twitch of his whiskers as he did so. At first, he had wanted to take this in a rather... different direction, but upon gently searching his lover's sensitive mind, he had to prevent himself from cringing.

Coming across a vivid nightmare that his lover had of him taking complete advantage of him and abusing him in every way possible hurt Pikachu beyond belief. He never blamed Meowth though. In fact, he never blamed anyone until he finally turned his back on the Funnelers. He blamed them for plaguing his best friend with the torture and fear every night.

He decided against doing that tonight, knowing that he would most likely be terrified of his nightmare coming true and he wasn't in the mood himself to cause his lover any sort of pain. Instead, he gently pulled back from the kiss to see the adorable sight of Meowth looking shyly at him, his eyes widened and his blue eyes sparkling with love.

His black ears were slightly folded back and his charm was a bright golden colour. He was at his happiest moment. And there was only one thought that raced throughout Pikachu's mind as he met the shy gaze of his lover. Tightening his grip around him with his tail, he whispered softly to him, "You're so beautiful, Nyarth"

His true name. Meowth drew in a deep, surprised breath at the name and then allowed a blush to creep onto his face as he registered the word in his mind. Pikachu had called him that before but he still didn't believe him. He wasn't beautiful. He didn't deserve to be called that.

"I-I'm not beau-beautiful Pi-Pikachu..." he spoke softly, his voice low and filled with hidden emotion.

Pikachu smiled softly as he gently nuzzled the side of his lover's head, sending small sparks of affectionate electricity through his body. With his resistance over the years, he barely felt it but he did melt into his best friend's protective and loving embrace.

"You are beautiful Meowth" Pikachu stated as he pulled back to stare into his blue eyes. He saw him open his mouth, about to say he wasn't, but he quickly and gently cut him off. "Don't deny it because you are. You trust me, don't you?"

The question held more weight than anything else which made the scratch cat nod his head, speaking softly once more, love lacing his stuttering voice. "'C-Course I d-do"

Family - Meowth, Jessie, James, Pikachu, Wobbuffet, Mudkip, Reginald, and Master Meowth

His desires as a meowth and as a Pokemon in general had since faded to nothing. If he felt them, they were easily overpowered by his human like instincts. If it wasn't already clear where his heart lay, then he was no ordinary Pokemon. If he had to choose, he would choose humans over Pokemon because he didn't feel like one anymore. He didn't hate his own kind, well not literally. He just didn't feel like one of them no matter how many times he was told he was. He would sometimes wake up in the middle of the night and, careful to not wake Jessie and James, would sneak away to test his instincts. He would see what he felt like more. In his heart though, he always knew who he was. It was just hard to pursue.

His relationship with his partners, his best friends, and now his family, his brother and sister, at first was strained. They barely knew each other but that didn't stop them from showing him kindness every once and a while. Even if such kindness was most times hidden behind a good hit to the back of his head, he always knew they cared. Most other humans would treat him like the low lives of Pokemon and expect little of him, treat him badly. Not Jessie and James. If anything, they saw him as their equal, even going far enough to refuse to treat him like what he was even when it was necessary.

He had since lost count of the amount of times he got lost or hurt in the process of their journeys. How many times did he tell them to leave him, telling them he was useless? How many times did his heart break from a nightmare or two every night of them beating him to death? It hurt, more than he cared to admit. But they never turned their backs on him. They always stayed by his side. Always.

Even when he was betrayed by Giovanni and they stayed as Immortals, he knew they cared. That battle with Persian had been enough for him. He had known it was a fight to the death and no matter how much he struggled to not look in their direction, he always failed. He had seen fear, not for themselves but for him. And when Pikachu had gone far enough to protect him when he was surely dead, he could see their shock, their confusion on how the Pokemon they had been chasing for so many years could possibly protect the one he hated. It was also in that moment that he had truly fallen for Pikachu.

Their next encounters were in battle where he had learned to fight better. But he never fought them. In his battle crazed states, he would always stop in front of them and stare, emotionless eyes with a glint of genuine care. He saw it in them too but before he could react, his body was already pulling him away.

At some point, they had lost all trust in Giovanni and left to become Eternals. He had hidden his joy at first, as he was afraid. By that point, he had slipped into his unture self and his fear for everything was apparent. He was afraid that they would use his joy against him and plus, with his growing affections for Pikachu, he knew that any wrong move would surely shatter his relationship with them. But eventually they reconnected. And no matter how much he told himself it was wrong, he felt the safest with them, like he could do anything with them always by his side.

But even with them by his side, he couldn't help but have felt guilty. They only saw their partner, their friend. They didn't see the monster he was becoming. His unture self seemed to be taking him more and more over, making him slip to a low he had kept private for so long, fearing the consequences of his reckless actions.

But maybe they weren't reckless. He had done it in with the mindset that he was doing the right thing, but the guilty sense only grew the more and more he went through with it. Not even Pikachu, who had been becoming his closest friend, could detect his growing slip into someone he truly wasn't.

He remembered never questioning himself when it started, but questioning himself so much afterwards. He remembered hacking into the computer and altering his voice. He remembered sending messages seemingly over the Immortal borderline from Giovanni, his voice belonging to Giovanni. He revealed himself to them, showing them just how much he had changed and was still changing. He wanted them to understand. He wanted them to choose. Each word he spoke was like a stab to his own heart. He hated it, every last moment of it.

He expected them to turn their backs on him and return to the Immortals, leaving him alone and broken once more. But at least they chose that path. Then that guilt would be gone.

But they stayed, despite knowing what he had become. They stayed and chose to stay. It was a realization that made him believe that he was truly happy and safe with them. And he didn't want anything else.

As they went through so many other adventures, becoming closer and closer to each other, he had been changing more and more. He had become darker and more sensitive, slipping into more and more things that would normally be unheard of. And despite all of it, they stayed by his side. When he would fall, they would throw him back up. And as time went on, he had finally asked the ground-breaking question.

Did they love him?

He loved them, they were the only family he ever accepted. They were, in his eyes, his brother and sister by spirit, not by blood. He loved them more than he could ever express and their acceptance of him was the only thing that mattered.

So many nightmares that had haunted him up until this point of getting hurt and rejected, he wanted nothing more than for those nightmares to go away. And despite all of it, they still comforted him. Because they loved him.

You Don't Understand - Nova, Kootra, Seamus, and Dan

"Hey guys, do you know where James went?" Kootra asked as he gazed out into the pouring rain from their cave entrance.

"It's Nova, you asshole!" said person yelled into his communicator, of which Kootra had dropped in the corner of their cave. His yell was so loud that it filled their entire room, even with just one of them going off.

"Well, there's your answer Hordan" Seamus sarcastically stated from where he lazily sat on the crafting bench. He threw his own communicator in the air and caught it with his magic, repeating the movement in boredom.

Kootra immediately froze momentarily at the nickname, so very close to his real name. He shook his head, answering sternly, "D-Don't call me that" hating himself to stuttering in front of his secret major crush.

Seamus rolled his eyes, encasing Kootra's communicator in his magic and holding it in front of said person as he responded, "Then maybe you should get Nova's name right for once" almost slyly.

Snatching his communicator from his grasp, Kootra pouted slightly as he suddenly found a great interest in the red hat resting on the top of his head. "But it is his name, though" he muttered to himself, forgetting that he was holding the communicator in the first place.

"It's not anymore, you fucking asshole!" Nova yelled again, clear anger and annoyance in his voice.

"Guys! Can you just stop arguing for one second?" Dan yelled angrily as he got up from his bed and walking annoyingly over to the other two.

"Heh. He started it" Seamus lazily stated as he went back to his own communicator.

"I did not-"

"Just fucking ask him where he is already!"

Dan sighed to himself at the two unknown lovebirds who just could not stop arguing since they started this journey in the Minecraft world once more.

"Fine! Ja- uh, Nova, where are you?" Kootra finally asked.

"Finally"

Kootra narrowed his eyes to himself at the sarcastic, mumbled comment. He really didn't want to say anything to anger his secret lover again. For once, he just kept his mouth shut.

"I went to the cave to get supplies. Why, where are you?" came the annoyed reply. Sometimes Kootra wondered how he could have ever seen him as more than his brother. In fact, how did Sly have that connection with him in the first place? Oh yeah, better as to not question Sly anyways. He did just that.

"Uh, with Seamus and Dan, where else?"

"Exactly. And you ask me why I don't-"

A cut off. It was not one with one of their communicators losing connection, it was one of which one of the two had stopped talking abruptly enough to cause a reaction in the other.

Nova's breathing was heavy, that was heard through the communicator. And then, there were distinctive footsteps and the hissing of a very familiar creature.

"N-Nova? Are you alright?" Kootra asked quietly.

Seamus had turned his own communicator up and was staring at it intently, as was Dan, who had just caught onto the sudden change in atmosphere.

Silence followed, one that seemed to last forever. Then the footsteps began to grow louder and a strangled breath fell into the communicator. "Oh shit..."

"N-Nova?" Kootra breathed, scared of what his brother had come across. Or of what had come across him.

Silence again. Then a series of heavy breathing and then the sound of, obviously Nova, walking quietly. When both sounds stopped, their friend said the words that sent the three into an instant panic.

"Come help me, please..." Nova whispered in a desperate tone, an obvious trail of fear taking ahold of his voice.

If Nova needed help enough for him to fall in that sort of a state, then something must be wrong.

Narrowing his eyes, Kootra summoned his hammer and gripped it tightly. Seamus summoned his own sword, as did Dan.

"We're coming Nova" Kootra answered, a serious tone overtaking his usually carefree voice.

With one, confident motion, the three were following the same trail Nova had taken, his memory trails easy to follow in either way.

'Oh shit. Oh shit. Oh shit' The thought rang in his head a million times as he pressed his body against the stone cold wall behind him, using the magic he had to blend into the shadows. Chantings Taint was held protectively in front of him and an aura of fear traced his outline.

He should've known better than to go out on his own, especially at night. This wasn't just a normal Minecraft adventure. Maybe it should've been, but they were Eternals now. If they were able to travel between worlds, then surely the Immortals were perfectly capable in doing so too.

He should've known that being here, alone would allow them to find him. They knew who he was. They knew his scent. Without the help from his friends, he was surely going to die. Even with the reassuring words of Kootra over the communicator, he was still terrified. He knew they were coming and they were closing in around him on all sides fast.

It was pitch black and he couldn't see a damn thing. He had no idea if they could see either. He decided that he would not think of that, as of what would happen if they could see him and how fucked he was.

'Teams Stick Tagetta' - Jessie, James, Meowth

Carefully, he dug his weakened claws into the arms of his two best friends as they lifted him off of the ground, every muscle in his body aching from the fight. He whimpered softly as the pain rushed through his body, his usually broken tail and leg hurting more than anything.

However, despite his mind protesting against it, he allowed one of the two to gently hold him in their grasp, clutching him to her chest as she tried to make sure he was okay. He blinked, his eyes unfocused and blurry but, using his aura vision, he caught sight of his best friends, making him weakly grin with a small happiness.

"J-Jessie. J-James" he simply stuttered out, choking slightly on the bile in his throat.

Jessie continued to hold him, while James leaned his hand down to his head, petting him gently. Ignoring the desire in his mind to pull away, the scratch cat, for once. listened to his heart as he relaxed into their gentle touches.

But that didn't mean his injuries were forgotten. With a hacking cough, he leaned forward and pulled himself out of their grasps, slipping to the ground, ignoring the pain rippling throughout his entire body. With careful self-guidance, he regurgitated a clot of blood, which he recognized as his body's blood and not the blood that he, himself had swallowed.

Realizing the fact only made him whimper softly, knowing he was severely hurt for that to happen.

But once more, he found himself being picked up by his friends and this time, he simply shut his eyes and leaned into them, forcing the tears from his eyes. Struggling not to cry, he clutched onto her, flattening his ears to the top of his head and letting out a painful whimper when he felt James gently touch his broken tail.

"Meowth... Why did you do that? We could've taken them on by ourselves" Jessie said softly to him, holding him closer to her chest.

"Meowth, why did you fight them alone?" James asked him carefully.

Of course they would ask that question. He knew they could've handled the meowths and persians they had encountered but he, for some reason had fought them all alone. Why though? How was it not obvious to them by now?

Forcing his eyes open, he struggled to focus his blurry gaze and, once he did, he spoke clearly, his voice never wavering. "'Cause I couldn't let ya fight dem, when all of dis is ma fault" he paused briefly, but he continued before the other two could respond. "Ya said it yerself, James. 'Team Rocket's a team an' team stick tagetta'. I did dat. More so 'cause ya're not just a team ta me"

Pausing, he glanced down to his bloodied body and then back up to his two best friends, his adopted brother and sister. "Ya're ma family" His voice fell to a soft whisper as he felt a sudden wave of light-headedness. He groaned softly as he shut his eyes and struggled against his strong desire to fall asleep.

He could hear the beating heart of Jessie as she clutched him tighter to her chest upon hearing his response. James also began to gently pet the side of his head as he shut his eyes, ignoring the aching pain in his body at the time.

"Jessie..." he heard James say as he trailed his fingers across his forehead scar which hurt a little too much for comfort. Upon his gentle touch, Meowth whimpered quietly, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes.

"I-It hurts..." the scratch cat choked out as the memory of the amount of pain he had once been in when he had first gotten the scar. The emotional pain was coming back to him and even with his adopted brother and sister by his side, he couldn't help but feel that dreading sense of being alone and afraid once more.

He finally allowed tears to spill down his face as Jessie carefully touched the bleeding wound on his head, blood seeping out of it at an uncontrollable rate. He knew the two were having some sort of conversation, but he honestly couldn't bother to listen.

Instead, he used his remaining energy to pull his eyes open and to focus up to his adopted sister. Upon noticing his eyes open, they paused their talking, surprised by his determination to remain awake. Finally, he spoke, his voice so soft, it was like it literally was the breeze but they both heard it and understood his steady voice nonetheless.

"Musashi. Kojiro. Ya can heal me, I know ya can. I dun want anyone else ta heal me but youse guys. So please, do dis for me an' dis journey ya promised would brin' us close tagetta" He paused, a small smile creeping onto his face as he began to give into the overwhelming temptations of sleep. "I trust an' I... love youse guys"

And with that, he lightly clung onto both arms of his best friends as his eyes closed once more and sleep seemingly took him the moment darkness took over his vision and this time, he welcomed it.

Sticking Together - Team Rocket

She had hurt them, all of them for making the stupid mistake to wander near the border alone. She had gotten captured by Giovanni and the others had reasonably come to rescue her. They had been hurt but not as much as the one before her now. He had been the one who was the most enraged. She had watched the battle unfold from her forcefield prison. He was a crazed, rage-fueled monster at that point, from the blood that was splattered onto his fur and the clear glint of hatred and a distant tone in his blue eyes.

Then, he had approached her prison, to which he tried desperately to free her. She was worried about him, not because he was an Eternal, but because he, like the others, was the closest thing to a family she had now. He had ignored her pleas to not do it as he had used up the majority of his energy to blast through the forcefield, which backfired on him and both physically and internally injured him. He had not cried out, he had simply fell to the ground when he could no longer hold himself up. He struggled to move, each move being an agonizing struggle.

She had felt guilty before but this just hurt her. He had used up the majority of his energy for her and hurt himself, knowing very well what would happen. As she approached him, she couldn't help but to almost want to remain in that prison, thinking she deserved it for hurting her best friend.

Slowly, she reached her hand down to his head and gently pet it, the noises of the others battling completely nonexistent to the two. He shifted slightly as he slowly raised his head, his eyes unfocused and blurry. But he did find her outline with his aura vision. Smiling softly, he reached his bloodied, weak paw to her hand, gently grazing it as he dropped it back to the stone-cold ground in defeat.

"W-We saved ya J-Jessie" he weakly laughed, a cough shaking his body. With a small wince, Jessie noticed that his charm was barely golden anymore, instead a dull grey. Reaching her hand down, she picked up his paw and held it in her hand, the shaking in his body ceasing just a little bit at her gentle touch.

He stared at her for a few moments before he was interrupted by a hacking cough, which, to her own surprise, couched up a clot of blood. This shouldn't have been too much of a problem, seeing as how he often regurgitated the blood he consumed but when he spoke next, she swore that her blood ran cold.

"I-It's ma own bl-blood" he whispered softly, his breathing growing heavy as he spoke.

"Wha-What do you mean Meowth?" Jessie asked him carefully, her fingers rubbing the wounds on his paw in her small way of trying to make the pain go away.

"I-I mean dat it's not d-da blood I swa-swallow. It's ma body's blood" Meowth responded calmly and steadily, as he tried once more to prop himself up to his feet. He failed, slipping to the ground once more with a painful whimper.

Having enough of his pain, she released his paw and carefully picked him up, ignoring his painful whimpers as she handled his, pretty much, broken body. Holding him gently, she looked at his bloodied and broken tail and just barely grazed her fingers on it. The feline hissed softly under his breath in pain, making her realize just how sensitive his tail actually was.

Careful, as to not put too much pressure on it, she picked his dangling tail up and tucked it close to his body, allowing for him to gently begin to pet his own tail in his own way to comfort himself.

He was breathing heavily, his breaths ragged and strained, as if air was restricted against his lungs. She knew he couldn't permanently die but permanently slipping into a coma was very well in the picture.

Weakly, she watched him stop petting his own tail and reach his paw up to her shoulder, smiling softly when she gently touched his paw in response.

A Pyrate's Life - Meowth, Master Meowth, Edward, Team Rocket

"Why did ya follow me?" he commanded, a hint of annoyance creeping into his tone as he faced his brother.

Masty paused, staring at the other with slight confusion at his sudden assertiveness. His question only confused him even more. Why would he not follow him into this pirate and danger-filled world?

"I followed ya here ta protect ya from dose pirates in dis world. I've met dese kinda pirates before, an' trust me, dey are not nice" It was an honest response but what his brother responded back to him nearly made his heart catch in his throat.

Meowth narrowed his blue eyes dangerously as he felt his claws begin to itch his paws, begging to be let out. He resisted the urge and held them in. "An' what did ya do when ya met dem, huh? Ya slaughtaed dem like ya always do, right?" There was no hesitation in his voice. And yet, there was no outright aggressiveness towards the other. If anything, his voice remained emotionless.

His alter ego flinched visably, his bringing up of his past obviously hitting a very soft nerve. He tried to speak, but no words would come. If anything, he was completely shocked that his understanding brother would so openly use his past against him, leaving him in such a vulnerable state.

It was only when the creaking of wood echoed in his ears did he snap out of his trance to only see his brother, unmoving, staring behind him to a large ship, larger than the one they were on. There were pirates on it and they began to jump and land onto the one they were on. One of them, saw Meowth and, knowing his connection to the captain, advanced on him, quick with dagger in hand.

Masty was about to respond when he saw a sword-like dagger spin through the air, aimed straight at his brother. Seeing no other way, he immediately let his presence be known by yelling out to him, "Meowth, look out!" and beginning to race himself towards it to intercept it from hitting his brother, who simply stopped and stared at it.

Time stood still until he felt himself being stopped in mid air by a foreign yet familiar magic. The sword continued to spin but, right before it should've hit Meowth, he had spun around and grabbed it with one paw and leapt up. He intercepted the opposing pirate by slicing his neck cleanly and landing simply behind him. He didn't even look back as the pirate began to writhe in pain as he died.

Bloodied sword in paw, Meowth summoned all of the power in his muscles and leapt towards the enemy captain, ignoring the battle raging on around him. Masty knew that he was going to get injured, just by the reckless action but no matter what he did, he couldn't break free of his mid-air imprisonment, cursing him to simply watch the battle unfold in front of him.

But he didn't need to worry for his silent plea for his brother's safety was seemingly answered... By another pirate. This pirate was now familiar to him. He knew immediately who it was. Edward James Kenway, or how Meowth liked to call him, Edwardio.

'Ya'll Neva Undastand...' - Nyarth, Unlikely Trio, Master Nyarth, Animatronics

He had hurt his brother. He had purposely scratched him in hopes of snapping him out of the trance he thought he was under. He remembered the slice of his claws and he remembered the small cry of disguised emotion escape his brother as he was flung away from him. But the simple fact that he had hurt his brother wasn't what really bothered him, it was what happened because of it.

Despite the blood leaking out of the wound, the glistening silver of metal beneath Nyarth's skin caused the metal in Masty's own arm tighten around his bone. He had made the exact same sacrifice when he had temporarily went to their side.

He had since turned against them once more, expecting his brother to follow him. But instead, his brother became cold towards him on the topic, but elsewhere he was perfectly fine. It was one of the major reasons he thought he was under some kind of spell. But now, seeing the metal tense around his brother's arm and aid his heart to stand up and glare daggers of pained hatred, he knew he was in the complete wrong.

"B-Broda..." Masty attempted, bile rising in his throat as he realized what he had just caused. Nyarth was breathing heavily, the bleeding wound not once being noticed by its owner. Nyarth, being the embodiment of darkness made the shadows almost consume his form, causing his narrowed blue eyes to glow and flash red for a split second.

Besides him appeared two very familiar figures. Wheatley and Apple Bloom. Of course the trio would remain together even here. Being one hundred feet apart would teleport them to each other.  And somehow the two embraced this whole thing. They wore equally emotionless expressions, eyes narrowed.

It was only did that he looked over the head of his brother and thus, he froze. Hidden within the shadows were the obvious figures of the animatronics, including Springtrap, Plushtrap, Foxy, Bonnie, all of them. But the one who actually scared Masty was hanging directly above Nyarth's head. The Marionette.

The strings dangling from its figure slowly and carefully wrapped around Nyarth's arm and began to dig into his skin, pulling the wound together and stitching it up. The feline did not even react and if he did, it was silently, with a deeper understanding.

Suddenly, the strings wrapped around Masty's arms, yanking him up into the air. He attempted to unsheathe his claws but was stopped by a powerful magic, one he knew exactly of which it belonged to. And yet, he couldn't bring himself to look him in the eye.

Screwing his eyes shut, Masty allowed himself to dangle there, his black ears flattened against his head and the uncomfortable whirr of the metal in his arm ringing in his mind. He could sense his brother approaching him, making the maniac begin to breathe deeply.

Before he could even begin to think of what was possibly going to become of him, his thoughts were interrupted by a gentle grasp of his charm, his damaged and mangled charm. It was a gentle touch, one with great care and almost... hesitation.

A Really Messed Up Family - Amber, Wheatley, GLaDOS

Amber kind of already knew this new information but Wheatley, however... He had no idea. He did not take it as calmly as she did.

Upon hearing Her words, his attention hover dropped, him being unable to hold himself in the air any longer. He hit the ground softly, gently guided down when Amber foresaw his reaction. He stared at Her, his optic contracted to a pinprick and his casing shaking slightly with fear.

When he spoke, his voice shook, tripping over his words. "W-Wait, Amber. If S-She is your m-mother, than does that make me..." he paused, taking what sounded like a shaky breath. "Does that make me... Her s-son-in-law...?" he finished softly.

Daniel Ingram Songs One

Hearts All Linked Tagetta

(Unlikely Trio to themselves)

~Apple Bloom~

We're ad toughest little creatures in town

Got da moves, got da mojo, no harda workin' creatures 'round

We stick tagetta, work as a team

We'll be da first creatures out on dis dangarous scheme

~Wheatley~

We get going when the going gets tough

We know our very best is just never enough

We're kinda dumb, but so what? We won't get defeated

We could take a little break, but we don't need it

~Apple Bloom and Wheatley~

We've got hearts all linked tagetta

We've got hearts all linked tagetta

We've got hearts all linked tagetta

We've got hearts all linked tagetta

~Nyarth~

When we put our minds tagetta, we can achieve

We're da Unlikely Trio, an' ya should believe

We've got da determination ta defeat our enemies

An' we will win!

~Unlikely Trio~

We've got hearts all linked tagetta

We've got hearts all linked tagetta

We've got hearts all linked tagetta

An' we're fightin' ta win as we run off ta glory

We can conqua any challenge we're in

We've got hearts, all linked tagetta

All linked tagetta

()

~~

Aviators Songs One

Black Holes

(Apple Bloom to Wheatley and Nyarth)

~Apple Bloom~

Ah'd like ta carve a hole

In mah still whirlin' mind

Den unleah mahself

Moments afta yer demises

Ah'll be da blade dat cuts

Da wires from yer fates

Fear nothin', but embrace

Da rage Ah feel inside

Ah'd like ta cova up

Da pains widin mah heart

Dese broken veins inside

Are tearin' me apart

Ah'm slippin' in

Da jobs Ah have ta do

Black holes inside mah soul

Are pullin' me tawards ya

Somehow inside dis place

Ya fell ta Her, yet again

By mah mistakes, da aches

Of havin' ya try ta kill us

Ya're just corrupt, it's not ya

But here we've reached da end

Ya want ta kill me

Even though we're all best friends

Ah'd like ta cova up

Da pains widin mah heart

Dese broken veins inside

Are tearin' me apart

Ah'm slippin' in

Da jobs Ah have ta do

Black holes inside mah soul

Are pullin' me tawards ya

Revenge

Means sacrifice

Revenge

Means endin' lives

Ya'd like ta help us

Ya'd like ta hurt us

Ya'd like ta save us

Ya'd like ta hurt us

Ah'd like ta cova up

Da pains widin mah heart

Dese broken veins inside

Are tearin' me apart

Ah'm slippin' in

Da jobs Ah have ta do

Black holes inside mah soul

Are pullin' me tawards ya

()

~~

()

~~

A Request That Cannot Be Taken - Enma Ai, Master Meowth. Ember

Ember. She wants to take revenge on Master Meowth.

I gave her the doll. She pulled the string. I have to carry out that revenge. I have to torture him, and then send him to Hell.

It is my duty as the Jigoku Shoujo. But I can't.

He is my partner, the Jigoku to my Shoujo. I had found him in my travels around Hell. He practically lived there. He followed me and I let him. I saw how unaffected and admiring he was of my work. He continued to follow me. I continued to let him. One of my victims had attacked him, I defended him, sending that person into the deepest part of Hell I could reach.

I had protected him and had sealed our souls together by a pact. A pact that we still stay true to, even now. Our bond only grew stronger the more he hid his double life from his friends and family.

He is always by my side, even when a request is not present. He will relax with me. He will be there when I think of the past. He will be there when I send my victims to Hell. He is always with him.

Our bond was so strong our minds eventually became intertwined. His thoughts would go to me. My thoughts would go to him.

Then, his brother, Meowth, pushed him about his whereabouts every day. He eventually showed him. I grew fond of his protectiveness and asked him for his acceptance.

Acceptance. I never would have guessed that I would ask that from anyone. But I did. I needed it to do something. Something important.

I always say that I do not matter. In the form of my duty, I don't. But in the form of just myself, I do. He is the main reason I look out for myself. He is always looking out my wellbeing, warning me of danger I can't get hurt from, and just being there.

I did the same for him, sealing my side of the bond.

I had explained as simply as I could to his brother. He seemed to understand. I liked him. I had asked him for his acceptance on me sealing me and Masty's hearts together. He was nervous. He was scared, Then he was fine.

He accepted it. I was happy.

I had then gone to my... friend. He's always so open to me, always willing to listen to the little words I have to say. He is a talker. I let him talk. I like his voice. I like the spark he has in his voice in general.

He listened to my words. I gave him the light coloured doll, meant to signify the sealing of two people's hearts. He answered my silent question the same way I did. Me and him pulled the string together, sealing our hearts and entire beings together.

We've been closer than ever since then.

Now that I have to take revenge onto the one I... love the most. I can't. And so, I turned the tables. I will take out Ember in exchange for my Masty.

Teaching - Meowth and Myrrglosch

"So let me get dis straight. Ya want me ta teach ya in..." Nyarth trailed off, looking at his younger friend with questioning eyes.

"Anything and everything, Mister" Myrrglosch barked politely and with a firm nod of his head.

Nyarth visably flinched at the formal speaking pup's words, to which the direwolf tilted his head in slight confusion.

"Are you alright, Mist- Oh, I'm sorry. I mean Nyarth" The pup corrected himself for being so careless. He knew the feline didn't like being addressed formally and when he had sought him out the first thing he did was just that.

Nyarth stared at the pup for a few long moments, surprised by his self-awareness and overall politeness. Snapping out of his moment of thinking, he went over the pup's answer, slightly confused by his wording.

"What do ya mean Myrr?" he questioned simply.

The pup took his own few moments to think, lifted one paw to his forehead in thought before he placed his paw back down to the ground. He beamed a bright smile to the one before him, his green eyes showing his extensive kind and curious attitude.

"You see, I want to know as much as I can and although I've been in the library, it doesn't really fit my needs. I need somebody to train me in the ways and workings of everything. So, I  came to you" Myrr finished his mini-speech with a small wag of his tail.