[attr="class","izrigidw"]

If Myszko cared much about the glare of the dragon-type Pokemon, he didn't show it, though did take a few moments away from purring at Izzy's scritches to stick his tongue out at the Dragapult curled up below him, as if to gloat. Izzy notices and flicks the end of his snout.[break][break]

Was this guy really just offering to let Izzy join? He squinted a little, distrust reading plain as day on his face. "...You sure? I can't pay you for it, or anything". What was this guy, a cop? Did he catch that one time Izzy walked out of a Pokemart with a Super Potion in his pocket? It was an accident! There was also, y'know, all the heinous Rocket-related actual crime, too.[break][break]

...But... the curry smelt so good, and the guy wasn't lying - there did seem to be plenty for everyone. Not to mention, it would taste a whole lot better than whatever Izzy would scrounge up in the forest himself - nuts, if he was lucky? Apricorns, maybe? It didn't seem like roasting Apricorns over a Salandit's EMBER would taste all that great, certainly not compared to the bubbling pot of yum in front of him.[break][break]

"I mean... sure... if you're sure you're sure...?"

[attr="class","izrigidw"]

The little Myszko looked up at the pink-haired stranger, caring little for the other Pokemon curled up in the area, and let out a little bark. He sniffed hard at the fireplace, barely feeling the flames lick at his snout, and sat down with an intense stare lingering on the warm pot. His tail agitatedly flicked from left and right, so wound-up by the delicious smell and his tiny rumbling tummy that he could have forgotten Izzy existed at all, if the trainer hadn't stumbled through the woods and into the clearing just behind him.[break][break]

As Izzy had chased the little monstrosity through the undergrowth, he couldn't help but wonder if somewhere out there, across the multiverse, there was an Izzy Baranowski who had made a much better decision when capturing his first Pokemon . A sweet little Skitty, a well-behaved Yamper, something that wouldn't cause him problems so constantly that it felt he spent his entire free time clearing up Myszko's messes. His eyes fell on the trainer and his Pokemon as he arrived in the clearing, and right as the smell of curry hit him hard.[break][break]

So that's what Myszko had been enticed by.[break][break]

Suddenly Izzy became acutely aware of his own stomach, grumbling weakly as he realised just how long he'd been wandering the route.[break][break]

"Hey, ah-- sorry about him, he's a menace" Izzy steps forward and the Salandit is scooped up in one swift motion like a misbehaving toddler, laying tummy-up in his trainers arms like the world's most scaly, bitey baby.[break][break]

Was this guy camping? It seemed to be the case, what with the fire and the tent. He shoots the briefest of near-smiles out of politeness to the other trainer. "Sorry to bother you, have a good one" His gaze can't help but linger, though, on that pot. It just smelt so fucking good.

[attr="class","izrigidw"]

The speckled patches of forest and great wild grass that trailed up the path towards Fortree made for prime areas for remaining unseen - Izzy had grown almost used to them by now, but he'd grown up in nothing but cities and it would be a lie to say he was yet comfortable in the wilds. The very real prospect of walking across an enraged mother Pokemon guarding her young was much less of a problem in the backalleys of Slateport, but out here? Izzy was the intruder.[break][break]

This night, especially, of all nights - there had been some tip, some little hearsay that shiny KECLEON- not one, but two, had been spotted in the area. He was out to investigate and, if needed, intercept - those things would fetch a pretty penny. The hours he'd spent wandering the forest made it all feel like a lie, though. The full moon bored down on him like a great judgemental eye - was he really so stupid to go out into woods so late, with barely any lead, and then not even find anything? It was high time Izzy gave up and turned back.[break][break]

Uh... wait, where was back, again?[break][break]

The little lizard on his shoulder half-slept, flicking his long tail absentmindedly as though he had no idea they'd just wandered into nothingness for a couple hours and now couldn't get out. Myszko raised his snout to the air and sniffed, slowly blinking, and then suddenly standing up - digging those needle-sharp claws into Izzy's shoulder. "Ow, fuck, you dickhead--" It was said like malice, but still spoken with love. Honestly, the Salandit could do very little wrong to truly piss his trainer off - even if he were to leap from Izzy's shoulder and go barrelling into the darkness towards the faintest sliver of a light in the distance. If he did that, Izzy would be surely so understanding and definitely not be annoyed, frustrated, or a little bit frightened at being left alone.[break][break]

As Myszko's tail disappeared into the shadows between trees, Izzy did indeed feel annoyed, frustrated, and was just a little bit frightened at being left alone. He ran towards that halflight, hoping that it didn't belong to some league dipshit who'd ask him why he was wandering about all suspicious-like.

[attr="class","izrigidw"]

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[attr="class","rigidw"]

He's laughing!? At a time like this? Izzy could stay calm in a lot of situations, but crazy horse shenanigans were not his idea of a fun time. He stayed tense, but tried to at least relax a tiny bit, if not for his own sake than for the Rapidash's.[break][break]

Unsurprisingly, it doesn't help.[break][break]

Izzy squeezes his eyes closed as they run towards a fallen tree like it's nothing, and doesn't open them until he feels the air clear a little. As he does so, he sees that the world looks... normal once more. He takes a shake breath, and with a little help gets off the smug Pokemon as it gently paws the grass. "Right, uh... thanks. For that. You, and uh - Rapidash" He hover-hands the flank of the Pokemon, not comfortable enough to actually pat it's rump, then brushes himself down a little.[break][break]

With memories of the psychic terrain still fogging his mind - and the tiniest of thoughts of just how easily the older man was able to lift him up onto his Rapidash - Izzy scratched at his neck awkwardly and gave Mars a little nod. "Thanks again. See y'around. Or, eh- probably not. Either way - bye" Seemed rude, but it was the truth, right? It wasn't as if this dude was his Rocket superior or anything, haha... that would be crazy.

[attr="class","rigidw"]

The way that Martín del Mar practically lifts him up to the back of the steed brings colour to Izzy's cheeks, which he immediately hates and looks down, as if to disguise it in the half-pink hue of the forest around them.[break][break]

He says hold on, but Izzy wasn't quite prepared for the speed with which the unicorn Pokemon would take off, taking a moment to yelp and then blush harder at the embarrassing sound. The horse leapt and galloped with such specific movements, as though it knew exactly where to step, what trees were real, what trees were illusions, and - most importantly - how to get home.[break][break]

The world flew by them in various colours as it tried to keep up with the Rapidash's countering glow - the leaves around fading from pink-tinged to golden brown to the greenest of spring greens at every leap; it felt like being pushed through a different world every second, jumping each strain of the multiverse as it changed around them.[break][break]

"Is this... does it... you're sure we're going the right way?!" It was difficult just to get words out with all this sensory overload. Izzy's head buzzed as the trees, some as tall as skyscrapers and others tiny like fairy-huts, swept past them in droves.

[attr="class","rigidw"]

Following Myszko into the following room, Izzy would have never admitted that he was honestly pretty fucking terrified - dashing into the darkness with just a torch and nothing else? Izzy couldn't fight a ghost! If you were getting mauled by a Pyroar or something, you could at least give it a smack in the nose before it burnt you to a crisp![break][break]

The dining room was huge - huger than Izzy expected, and he had already expected it to be pretty expansive. Huge, it was, but mostly peculiar - candlesticks were still lit and the wax strong and high, like they'd only just been lit. The great dining table was laid with food, a veritable feast of the world's most delicious foods - a pile of delicate Kalosian macarons, bowls of Yakisoba from Johto, even a plate of burgers that looked like they came from a delicious, sleazy Unovan diner.[break][break]

And there, right in the middle of it all, a delightful little tink, tink sound coming from his teeth bouncing off of something hard, laid the nasty mite himself. "Myszko, you asshole, put that shit down, it's ghost food, not yours!"[break][break]

Except... with closer inspection, the little Salandit wasn't chewing on food. And he also wasn't alone - beside him floated a sobbing young YAMASK, watching Myszko chew upon it's prized golden mask like last night's leftovers.

[attr="class","rigidw"]

He almost laughed at that - it was right, after all. Just because it was shady dealings didn't mean that it had to be stupid-o-clock all the time. "I dunno, but it's bullshit. I've got shit to be doing"[break][break]

As his partner affirmed that he was, indeed, cold, Izzy sighed. Under the frosted-ice exterior, behind those frowning eyes and permanent scowl, Izzy had somewhat of a heart - just a little bit, only sometimes - and he was used to being awake at night, anyways. He slid his coat off with one motion and held it out in Danny's direction - "Take it" - not even looking at him, as though he might get caught red-handed being caring. [break][break]

The moon, bright and full in the autumn air, gleamed down at them. Back here where streetlights thinned out, it was a steady source of light - cooler and deeper than that of the city - and always present. Always watching. It made Izzy's skin almost crawl, if he thought about it too hard.[break][break]

"What d'ya think we'll be moving?"

[attr="class","rigidw"]

"Oh, then... we..." Hm. That was a good point - in which case, they were trapped unless either of them had something that could deal with fucky terrain. Izzy had Sen tucked in his Pokeball , but the little ghost was tired from the excursion on Pyre proper. If only one of them had thought to bring something like...[break][break]

He paused, as the light from the opening Luxury Ball hit his gaze.[break][break]

...yeah, like that. That would do nicely.[break][break]

"Horse riding? Eh..." What answer could he give except no? Izzy was a city boy through-and-through, and always had be - there weren't exactly wild herds of Rapidash and Mudsdale galloping around Castelia and Slateport, after all. Horse riding was always something for the kids who had money - the pretty girls with their expensive riding gear and well-trained Pokemon. No good for an alley-rat and his little biting lizard.[break]
"I don't have... much experience with it."

[attr="class","rigidw"]

Changing what they see... ugh. Great. As if today needed to go on any longer. Izzy turned to look as Mars as he spoke, only then realising a bare tree behind the CEO, with a neat pile of leaves at it's base... stretched out branches... thick and gnarled roots... Izzy turned behind to the pile he'd just kicked, only to find it gone. "Huh".[break][break]

Fine, if ghosts and ghoulies wanted to have their fun, whatever, they could feel free - but Izzy had home to get to, and some poor sap's crappy motorbike waiting in the garage back there to try and tune up. He rolled up his sleeves, revealing pale lines on his upper arm, where he too-often wore short sleeves and never caught the sun there. Farmer's tan some might have called it - dirty mechanic forced to work in the bullshit heat's tan would be Izzy's preferred name.[break][break]

"Obviously, we just gotta keep walking in one direction. Even if it looks like we're going in circles, so long as we keep going the same way, we'll end up out, right?"

[attr="class","rigidw"]

The way down the mountain was easier than the trek up it, for the most part. Nobody liked walking uphill, after all, and while Izzy wasn't unfit... sometimes he sure did feel it. It was especially embarrassing when walking with another - which Izzy preferred not to do, but it seemed him and Martín del Mar were predestined to hang out for a few minutes more.[break][break]

He looked around. That tree did look familiar. "Yeah?... or... wait, did we?" - didn't all trees look the same, after all? Or did they...? This one's leaves had fell to the ground not so long ago, still fresh-autumn gold and russet, collected in small piles while it's branches stretched out above.[break][break]

Izzy moved over, hands still in his pockets, to half-heartedly kick at the pile and look closer at the tree. No, Mars was right - they had walked past this one before, thick and gnarled down at the root.[break][break]

"Guess we got distracted or something". Another leaf fell, landing neatly on the top of the pile.

[attr="class","omgen"]