Is there no regard for Royalty? (Blake)

[AlexKun]

Blake watched with amazement at the Ledyba's fighting skills. 'And all this time I thought he was just a sissy painter. Remind me not to get on his bad side...' He climbed up the tree that he had been hiding behind hoping not only to get a better view of the battle, but also to gain a strategic post in case he needed to enter the battle once more. Although, he didn't know how much he could help. The type advantage was just not on his side.

Blake listened to what Édouard was saying and he began thinking. 'Those qualities sound a little like me...But I'm not as bad as that rotten Riolu, am I?' As Édouard began his Double-Edge attack he almost wanted to cheer him on. Almost...

[Blahsadfeguie]

The Riolu was totally blown by the Ledyba's strong attack. This was far more than he expected from a Bug-type. He slid along the ground on his back until a rock stopped him by the head. But he wasn't done yet. He picked himself up off the ground, and charged at him with a Quick Attack. But Édouard knew the Dimensional Guard well enough to see where he was going with it. He leaned to the left, just out of the way of the Riolu's Force Palm - which was aimed to deal quite a heavy hit to Édouard's head - and returned with a swift swing of his upper right hook, a solidly hit Mach Punch. Riolu collapsed on the spot and nearly embedded himself in the ground. Édouard glanced back at Blake's tree and smirked victoriously. It looked like this battle was cleanly in his favor.

[AlexKun]

Blake looked back at Édouard with a half smile. 'He is a lot stronger than I thought...But if I were to battle him surely I would win. Darned no good fighting types...' Blake leaped out of the tree and began getting closer to the battlefield. With Édouard on his side he wasn't too worried about the Riolu. He still didn't get in striking range of the Riolu though. He came down more for reasons of not wanting to look bad, not because he was really all that interested in getting the crud pummeled out of him.

He stayed on his guard as he approached and he stood close behind Édouard, watching to see if the Riolu would get up or if he was already defeated.

[Blahsadfeguie]

Édouard kept a close eye on the Riolu, expecting him to get up at any moment and come back at him. The Dimensional Guard's body was severely bruised and battered, as was probably his ego. He reached for a walkie-talkie at his side, muttered something into it, and was promptly teleported out of the scene. Édouard raised an eyebrow, but was not taken aback as much as Markus or Sabrina, who stood with jaws wide open. But it appeared that, at least for now, the threat had subsided. Édouard gave Blake another glance, and a smug chuckle at his own handiwork.

**You got 16 Power for trying your luck against the Riolu!**

The Geodude and Bellossom, both obviously grateful, rushed up to Blake and Édouard excitedly. Sabrina hugged Édouard tightly, which made him cringe and nearly panic. "Oh, thank you both so much!" cried Sabrina, thoroughly locking the Ledyba into place without hope of escape, a look of sheer terror on his face. "How can we ever repay you?"

"You can start by giving me zome air," gasped Édouard. The Bellossom loyally released him. Édouard panted, brushing himself off, as Sabrina then went for Blake. "Don't think I'll forget you!" she called, the joy likely impairing her better judgment.

Markus chuckled apprehensively, scratching his head. "Don't mind her, she does this all the time," he explained. "If only you were lucky enough to have a rock-solid body such as myself."

[AlexKun]

Blake cackled as Édouard had the life squeezed out of him. It was then that he saw Sabrina coming for him. He tried to squirm away, but failed miserably. As she hugged him he began to blush, eventually it showed all over his face. Although Blake can be brutal in battle, when it comes to girls, he's actually quite shy. Most girls normally stayed away from Blake, knowing his personality and that he didn't like being hugged...or so he said.

"Okay, enough" he mumbled in an embarrassed fashion, "Get off me you peasant..." His blushing face quickly changed to a scowl. Although he didn't show it, he was happy.

[Blahsadfeguie]

Sabrina giggled, letting go of Blake. She could read him like a book; the blushing was a telltale sign. The pearl necklace glimmered in the sunlight, nearly blinding the unfortunate Édouard and forcing him to shield his eyes. She looked over at Markus and whispered something to him, and the Geodude pulled out a tiny nut-like object. It had a swirling, faded pattern of pink and blue. He offered it to Blake with a grin. "Here," he said, "I'd like to give you this seed for helping us out. We found it a long time ago, but we're not sure what it is, so we didn't plant it or eat it. I wish I could give you something more useful, but this is all we have other than her necklace..."

**You got a strange seed!**

Édouard cleared his throat rather impatiently, drawing attention to himself. "Vell zen," he began, "I believe ve must get going now... Much business to do and zings like zat. Shall ve?" He faced the road ahead, tilting his head back at Blake in wait for him to pick up the pace. The Ledyba wasn't about to waste his time with idle chitchat.

[AlexKun]

Blake was relieved once Sabrina had released him from her death hug. He didn't really expect to be rewarded because the two that he had helped to save didn't seem to have much of value to give him, besides the necklace. As Markus handed Blake the strange seed Blake stared at it and held it up in the air for a few seconds. "Erm...thanks...I guess.." was the only gratitude he could mutter. He didn't intend on eating it, thats for sure. Eating random seeds is dangerous after all.

He figured that maybe he could find some use for the strange seed later so he put it away. He noticed that Édouard was growing impatient and hurried along giving a slight wave back at Markus and Sabrina.

[Blahsadfeguie]

As Blake followed Édouard onward through the forest, Markus and Sabrina waved back at them. "Goodbye!" cried the Bellossom, the joy lighting up her face. "Do come back and see us again, sometime!" Édouard merely shook his head, muttering to himself about 'zose dumb little kids' and how they were going to 'get zemselves killed zomeday'.

When they had walked out of range of the Geodude and Bellossom, Édouard looked back at Blake with a sort of 'I-told-you-so' look. "Zee?" he chuckled triumphantly, "I knew zat you couldn't handle zings on your own. Look at you, trying to take on ze Dimensional Guard. I'm afraid zat if I leave you, I'll be zeeing your ghost ze next day! Ho ho!" After he had had his fun poking verbally at Blake's misfortunes, and the laughter finally died down a bit, he returned to peacefully hovering down the path. The nearest town was still quite a ways away, so it was no time to dawdle.

However, not long after that, a strange voice was heard. "Eeeeeeeat meeeeee....." It was as if the one calling out to Blake was trying to imitate a ghost. "I am the seeeeeeeed you just gooooot... eeeeeeat meeeee and your deeeepest wishes will coooome truuuue..." Édouard was looking all over the place, but with Blake's superior senses, it was obvious that the sound was coming from the bushes and whoever was making it wasn't doing a very good job of fooling anyone... except maybe the flabbergasted Édouard. "My vord... is zat seed... speaking to us?"

[AlexKun]

As they left and Édouard began his blabbing Blake glared at him from behind his eyes gleaming with annoyance. Although it was true that Blake needed his help he didn't appreciate that he had to brag about it. He figured arguing with Édouard would get him nowhere so he simply muttered a few words under his breath and continued along. Blake kept up the pace, he didn't want to fall even the slightest bit behind, he had seen how dangerous this place could be already. As the seed began "talking" to them Blake stared around for a few seconds his ears twitching until he finally locked on to a certain bush where he believed the culprit to be hiding. Since Édouard seemed confused Blake decided to take this as an opportunity to confuse him even more!

He began yelling at the bush, "I DON'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE BUT I'M NOT EATING THIS VILE SEED. INSTEAD I SHALL HAVE A REFRESHING SWIG OF THIS HERE STUFF." He snatched out his Power Lemonade from where he had been keeping it ((who knows where that is)) and began chugging it down. When he had finished he stood there awaiting the effects of what it would do to him. After all, he wasn't quite sure where he had gotten it or what it would do, but he was very interested in what Édouard's response would be.