Vengeance of the Soultakers

[Moonlost]

Winter's frigid grasp was just beginning to relinquish it's grasp upon the land. Snow was still stubbornly clinging to the ground, but fresh green sprouts curled up though the white blanket to greet the sun with weak, green fronds outstretched. A thin miasma of fog clung to the ground, one that swirled as the lone figure disturbed it's tranquillity.
The figure was tall, if rather thin, and moved on digitigrate feet not unlike that of a large predatory cat. His fur was yellow with brown stripes, although bare patches of skin peeked though his pelt thanks to neglect. A thick mane-like ruff of white fur surrounded his shoulders, cresting up to form a widow's peak on a humanoid face; albeit with with an elongated nose, long rabbit-like ears and a pairs of tusks jutting out from both his upper and lower jaw. A long tail with a thick tuft of fur on the end swayed slowly two and fro as he moved, keeping pace with the pendulum he held in his left hand. In his right he loosely clutched the frame of a broken pair of glasses.

Psychosis took no note of his surroundings, trudging though as if in a trance. His feet hurt he supposed, but physical pain had lost all meaning to him in recent years. He had hoped that he would find purpose by wandering the world, had hoped to forget his master and their shared past. But nothing moved him, nothing filled the hollow shell that was left when his master was taken away from him.
The evolved Hypno stopped suddenly, his toes hanging over the edge of a pit. His head slowly turned to look downward, seeing naught but inky blackness. His tail stopped swaying as he considered the obstacle. It wasn't a particularly wide hole, a minute of walking would easily traverse around it. But... why bother? Would there be anything different on the other side? Would he find something to fill the empty feeling? The light-less depths seemed far more welcoming than the empty mists.
He was suddenly filled with a warm feeling. He'd be joining his master soon... The Remku spread his arms out and closed his eyes. He took a single, deep breath as he let himself fall into the chasm, a smile on his face as the darkness swallowed him.

~

Psychosis opened his eyes, seeing not the realm of Giratina but instead a sheltered grotto. Tiny sunbeams shone down, illuminating what must have once been a human construction. The wilds had reclaimed it now, covering shattered pillars with vines and moss. Small, delicate, red flowers bloomed all over, covering the grotto with the cloyingly sweet scent of honeysuckle... and something else. What that was, it was too faint for him to really identify.
The Remku stood up, surprised to find himself not only unharmed, but feeling quite invigorated. The fall had felt like it lasted forever, surely he had reached terminal velocity. And yet, the moss upon which he landed was barely flattened from his body. He soon found his survival to be rather bitter-sweet, as he could see no exit from the hidden grotto. In addition, he was unfamiliar with the terrain nearby, which prevented him from simply teleporting out. Now instead of a swift death, he had to face the slow process of dehydration.
Resigned to his fate, the pokemon moved around the grotto, exploring his personal tomb. A small dais was raised in the centre, a strange, rectangular object covered in vines cutting out from on top. Closer inspection revealed that it was sitting opposite a groove, one which he expected may have held a similar object, one long since gone. He moved over to the remaining object, carefully brushing aside the blooming vines to reveal a mirror of some strange, luminescent material, framed ornately with gold and platinum. Red runes were etched around the edge of the mirrored surface. Placing the frame of the glasses on his nose, Psychosis traced around the runes with his long fingers, surprised to find no dust had settled on the object, nor did it seem damaged at all from the aeons it must have spent down here. As his fingers brushed past the runes, they lit up. He jolted back as a reflex, watching as the rest of the runes lit up, glowing with an eerie red light.
The other smell, the one hiding behind the honeysuckle scent, became a little stronger. Not strong enough for him to identify, but just enough to unsettle his senses. His ears twitched as a faint noise began to echo though the grotto, which he recognised as, of all things, singing. Staring into the mirror, he could almost make out... something. A figure? Two, Twenty, Two hundred? Or was he imagining things?
He jumped as he felt the lightest touch upon his mind and quickly shielded himself mentally. But as quickly as he felt it, it was gone. His tail twitched and he growled. He did not like this place at all.
<Psychosis?> A faint voice echoed though his mind, one familiar. One he had known for all his life.
<...Master?> Psychosis froze, his arm dropping to his side and the pendulum falling from his fingers.
<I can't remember what happened. I woke up here, disembodied.> Insins' voice drifted quietly though his mind. <I tried calling for you, but you weren't there.>
<No... you died... it can't be you.> He stepped closer to the mirror, hand outstretched. <How do I know it's you?>
<Your distrust hurts, but I suppose I can't blame you.> The calm voice echoed. <I got you as an egg while I was still a young boy, you were my partner pokemon. You were a very hyperactive Drowzee during your youth, I named you after a fit of rage at your antics. You ran away shortly after, I spent the rest of the night looking for you in the pouring rain. I eventually found you, cold and shivering, and carried you back to the house. I caught a pneumonia, you stayed by my side until I was better. From then on, I needed no other pokemon. Maclayi, who I inherited from my mother when she passed away, was the only other I had.>
<Master...> Tears streamed from Psychosis' eyes. He remembered the incident well. <I thought I had lost you...>
<This mirror... I think it has the power to revive me. As I once was.>
<How?> Psychosis began to furiously trace his fingers across the runes again, hoping to activate them.
<You saw the groove opposite this mirror? It would normally hold another mirror of specially treated obsidian, carved with the same runes. Find it, bring it here. When the mirrors face one another, it creates a brief portal to Giratina's realm. A handful of dead may then pass though, bringing life to them once more, albeit with a reduced lifespan.>
<Another mirror?> The Remku turned around, looking at the groove. <How will I find it?>
<I can help you, guide you to it telepathically. The mirrors call to once another, now that you've activated this one, the other should start to sing.>
Psychosis nodded. He knew he should be suspicious, it seemed all so convenient. But the sound, the presence of this entity... it had to be his master, it felt just like him. The connection to this being filled the hollow inside his mind perfectly.
<I shall help.> He said finally.
<Thank you, old friend.> The voice of Insins said.
<How do I get out of here?> Psychosis asked, looking about once again.
<There's a path to the south, it winds up to the surface.>
The Remku moved away from the mirror, turning to look south. Sure enough, a small pathway was cut into the surface of the wall, winding upwards. He wondered how he had missed it. Picking up his pendulum, he began to make his way upwards, eventually emerging blinking into the misty surface. He looked about, trying to think where one might find an ancient obsidian mirror. Intuition guiding him, he walked westward, the soul of his master a comforting presence inside his mind

~

Back in the grotto, a hundred voices began to chitter amongst themselves. The mirror was active once more. How long had passed? They weren't sure.
<What now?> A voice asked. <Surely that... thing won't be enough to secure the other mirror.>
<You're quite right.> Another voice, calmer and more charismatic responded. <And so I propose we reaching out and find others we can... suggest.>
<The mirror doesn't have much magic left.> Another voice, feminine this time, spoke up. <The more we reach, the more magic we use. The other mirror won't be much use to us if this one runs of of power>
<The more reason to hurry up and find it.> The second voice purred. <We have ample power to influence a few more. Let us not forget that the more we can get to help, the more bodies we have at our disposal.>
There was more chatter before consensus was reached. A few of the voices reached out, seeking, looking for hosts they could manipulate.

[Lupis]

The Sinestra watched and listened for a long, quiet moment. Then she expanded her mind in a wave, letting her psyche spread out from mind to mind. That one was weak, not worth the trouble... That one was similar... Nothing. Nothing. Noth- Ah. Perhaps there was something there. Focusing, she peered at the minds, reading off each visible weakness like one would read a book. Family for some, lost friends for others. Weaknesses that she could easily manipulate, should she be willing.

Buzzard, hunched in his cave, watched the farm. He wondered what Sol was doing... Hey Sol, what's up? he asked, settling his wings.

[Saturo]

Darkrai was bored. Many years had passed without any major events. Flitting over the ground as a shadow, he sighed. A voice rung up in his head as he did so, nudging him. "Master, is anything wrong?", it asked, with a sarcastic tone. He ignored it, continuing onwards. The Unown were good soldiers, expendable and loyal, but they weren't great company. Reaching a small building, he paused. Reforming from the ground, he peered inside. Empty. As always. He sighed, once again flitting along the ground.

---------

*Sigh*
"Looking is always so hard, and boring...", she thought as she looked out over the world. It was a lot more interesting than being in the mirror, however. After the first few thousand years she had lost track of time. Not that it mattered, she was immortal. Incorporeal too, sadly. Millions of potential hosts, none of them even slightly interesting. Except that one. She had been following him for hours, looking into his mind, watching his actions. He was just like her, she realized, sighing. Comparing herself to something as pathetically weak as the Lord of Darkness? She lost a lot of respect for herself. Still, he would be a means to an end.

"Hello...", she said, speaking directly into his mind. "Are you bored?"
Darkrai's response was almost immediate. "Yep."
"What would you say if I were to offer you some fun? A small catch, though. I need a reagent."
"Who are you, anyway? A friend of mine told me not to listen to the voices in my head."
Had she had a face she would have smiled. This one might be a little different. "I'm Leysaari, Soulmage. Call me Ley.", she replied, thinking. This one was different from the rest. He probably wouldn't object to bringing the demise of everything he knew, as long as he got something to do.
Darkrai's response was almost immediate. "Where's the reagent?"

[Azunara]

It was quiet.

There was still a small layer of snow on the ground, but the snow around the sitting pokemon had melted, influence of a small sun that shined brightly overhead. Solara sat, watching, thinking. Thoughtful. She didn't try to show it around her family, but the regret stayed. Failures. Crimes she committed. Sifting once more through Dusk-hazed memories, the last words of her own brother as she killed him. Of her adopted family falling around her, Carrion's demise. Her failure to the Dusk.

She flicked her tail, scowling. She was somewhat grateful for the tranquility. It allowed her to deal with the past.

She stirred as Buzzard spoke to her. "Huh? Nothing. Just...thinking."
---

It was quiet.

The shiny staraptor stirred from her nest, unfurling her wings. She slowly got up from her somewhat isolated room, away from the others. She hadn't known them as well, and despite her time spent with them, she did feel lonely. Missed her old team mates. Wistala opted to just watch, quiet, seeing what was going on.

[Lupis]

((I love Darkrai.))

The Sinestra watched the Charrosaurus's mind. It had a shell of content, with streams of underlying worry and stray pools of regret and rage. The rage, she decided, could be used as a weakness. She delved into it more, feeling a sharp tingle as the mind's defenses shot up. Her intruding mind slithered past, observing memories that the creature had long since tried to lock away. She smoothly cracked the metaphoric lock, letting the memories fill the mind, then slipped away before it started to suspect anything had happened. Feeling sly, she turned her attention to another mind, sliding towards the Psyceon's mind with cruel glee.

Buzzard suddenly snarled, shaking his head and rustling his wings. He got to his feet, pacing in his cave. Dammit. It had been a long time since he had thought about the wars. The Dawn were still the Dawn, no matter what they said, no matter what they did. They had killed every one of his kin they could, merciless. A growl built up in his throat, fire licking around his jaws as his tail lashed out, slamming against the walls of the cave. He didn't respond to Solara, suddenly finding himself fuming.

[Azunara]

Solara blinked, sensing a sudden surge of rage from Buzzard. She paused, a slight fear pricking over her. Fear. She shook herself, hissing quietly. Blast it all. She lived in fear. For her family. For her friendships. She had shattered so much during the wars. She had had a family, and she threw it all away. They were scared of her. Hopelessness crept over her. She missed the past. What had happened?

[Lupis]

The Sinestra's mind crept towards Solara's, watching the emotions flicker past. She reached forward, gently touching the mind to test the defenses.

[Azunara]

The psyceon stiffened, sensing something prick at her mind. She had to consider. It wasn't Buzzard, Sound or Lyra. She knew that much. She couldn't figure out what it was, so she warily put up some form of defense. A slight curiosity pricked at her though, and she hissed mentally at whatever it was, broadcasting the thought, Who are you and why the fel are you in my head?"

((Eh. Even if you're just causing havoc, well. You know what they say. Curiosity killed the cat. And I would say Sol is a kitty.))

[Lupis]

The Sinestra didn't recoil, slithering her mind quietly around to scan the new mind's defenses. As she did so she spoke in a smooth, soft voice.
I am a soul watcher. I give hope, which you appear to be in need of. She tried to see past the defenses into what kind of mind the Psyceon had, trying to use it to her advantage. For now she could see little. She had to get the Psyceon to trust her.

[rubybeam]

Where am I? a strange creatures eyes opeaned, and then closed, its mind blank for a few secouds, it groaned every part from the last hair on its tail to the tips of its icicle-like canines were heavy, it kept asking the same questions What was I doing?

Where is this place?
ancient memories then flowed in like water into a stream thats right... slowly the numbness faded away as a strange creature, obviously not an arceus creation slowly got to its feet, the soft melting snow putting a soft texture on its paws, it slowly looked around the area blinking this isn't..... it looked nothing like where it left off, trying to shrug it off the creature streched losing the remaining sleep from its limbs as it begain walking
((I'll be sure to post a picture soon of it))

--------------------

Again. again he was just about killed, there was too many times so he couldn't remeber. the world hated him, he hated himself, yet he still lived on, reasons unknown, he stared down at his light oranged coloured fur, his five tails wrapping around him like a blanket covering his various wounds only one word in his mind why?
----------------------------------

Sephira sat, letting the sun soothe her white fur she was glad the snow was melting, that winter was over she took a brief secound starring at the sky hoping her wish would come true, hopfully she wasn't the only one, her wings gave a breif twitch as snow fell on them

(( i'll bring in cherrie once other people start pouring in for now feel free to nodice any of my other charries))

[Azunara]

Solara flicked her tail, tilting her head. "A what?" She asked, the wavering curiosity stronger. She never heard of a "soul watcher", whatever that was. So far, it'd didn't sound hostile, but former friends had ended up hostile. A tingling anger filled her, she quietly bared her teeth from where she was.

[Lupis]

Calm yourself, the Sinestra soothed. Why is your mind filled with rage and fear? How can you exist with such feelings?

Buzzard was trying to calm himself down, but it was only making him more angry. He had lost everything but his sister. Everything! What had they lost? A few friends. He had lost hundreds of brothers and sisters.
But he had gotten over this, hadn't he? Why was he so angry now? Why couldn't he calm down? He raged at himself, frustrated. Giving up on the cave, he stormed out and threw himself into the air, trying to fly his rage away.

[Azunara]

Hesitation. The psyceon replied warily, "Everyone I had been friends with hates me now. My old family is either dead or hates me. I've killed members of my own family. I'm not quite sure how I exist either, really." She hissed, feeling weak. And relief. She wouldn't say any of that to her family, but it was good to say it. The truth of things.

[Lupis]

The Sinestra took a moment to think She could do things with this mind... There must have been some reason for all of that to happen. Think back, get to the root of the problem... Why? She prompted, hoping to have the Psyceon show her all the memories she dared to hide.

[Azunara]

Solara paused, debating. "The war." She finally said. "After I was Dusk. They were afraid of me. I was nothing to them beyond a threat." When she went to the Mountain, trying to find Shadwyn's body...It took them days to realize she was gone. Ghost ignored her, and when she did notice her, it was to try and kill her. They only felt regret when she was stronger than them, able to kill them without mercy. She hissed softly. Their fault.

[Lupis]

The Sinestra would have smiled if she had still had a body. She could see the mind more clearly now, and could tell that the Psyceon was blaming the others. Did they not try to help you, join you? Such a shame... She paused, then whispered, You are not alone in your opinions.

[Azunara]

Solara replied carefully, "What do you mean?"

[Lupis]

The Sinestra recalled the title that the Charrosaurus's mind had held, collecting together any information about the Dusk she had found. The Dusk did not just fade away. They're still out there, some of them suffering internally as you do. Hopeless. Raging at those that never saw them valuable enough to join. And Buzzard... He feels very much the same. Oh, yes, he hides it, he's hidden it for six years now, but his rage has only slept. It never died.

[Azunara]

Solara's tail slowly flicked as she thought. "You're right. But what can we do? Even if we managed to pull the Dusk together, there's no leadership."

[Lupis]

That doesn't need to be true, the Sinestra whispered smoothly. Leaders can be found. In fact... She paused for a moment, thinking out her words. I am not alone as a Soul Watcher. There are more like me, helping the discontent gain happiness. We can help gather everyone, help you gain the future you really deserve. But our power is waining... We need your help. We need you to find something. ...if you and your friends find as many Dusk as you can, you can find the thing we are searching for. You will be united under one leader.