For a minute, Levin became static, not even his mind could say something sarcastic. He sat down on the floor, then his mind started working.

Well, I guess that makes sense... I mean, she said she liked to help people, and I needed her help, so she helped me out and has to feel good about it... I mean, I did give her some opportunities to help me out, and she... LEVIN! This girl actually likes you, you idiot! You like her, she likes you... use your imagination.

"Eirika... I'm not sure I understood what you meant. But in hopes I got it right, I might as well... Eirika... I don't want to make you mad, I didn't see it coming but.. I think I might have... Oh what the hell. Eirika... I love you. I didn't plan for this to happen, I'm sorry... but the fact remains..."

Now what... I guess I should do something, say something else... but I don't know how to do it. And then... I hope she doesn't get mad. I had absolutely no right of falling for her. I should've been more careful.. I'm already interfering too much as it is...

And once again he froze, remembering she could read minds. But whether it was fear or not, Levin simply didn't move, sitting on the floor not daring to look at the girl in front of him.

((Gah, it's seven in the morning, can't think of much to say >_< lol))

Eirika looked back at Levin. "I knew you were going to say that...and that was without reading your mind. The same applies for me...and why are you sorry..?"

((Holy cow, at least Psyche isn't demolishing it's own base.))

Sven turned around at the sound of the collapsing doorway. The entrance was sealed, at least to anything short of a backhoe. Fortunately, when traditional methods fail, we must turn to the unusual. Sven pulled a pokeball from his belt, and released Icthor (({steelix})). "Icthor, dig a tunnel through that pile of rubble. There's a room on the other side, that has several people in it, and the building's in bad shape, so be careful." "Gruntunt." the massive pokemon replied, and began tunneling through. Pulling out his communicator, he sent a message to Magil. "Magil, I don't know if you can hear me, but I've sent my Steelix to dig a tunnel through the rubble. He should be there soon, so try to keep in the safest part of the room possible. Don't worry, don't panic, and we'll get you out. Is everyone on that side okay?"

- There have been years since last time I was hit so hard. That pokemon is really strong. I would be invincible if I manage to make a bracelet from it... I must have it.

Erick returns his fainted Gengar and calls out his Weezing.

- "Fog, use Smokescreen now!"

As the smoke fills the room, Erick rushes to Serra trying to grab the luxury ball from her...

I guess that she didn't hear my telepathy talk. still this is getting to..grr.. "go tyranitar and dragonite." Tyranitar and Dragonite come in front. "help them tyranitar stop the falling parts." Tyranitar goes to stop most of the cave in. "Dragonite protect Serra." Dragonite goes over her to help her survive. The rocks and parts fall on dragonite but it works hard to hold most of them off. "hurry Serra this way" Dave yells out. "hurry." what is Sven doing with that pokemon, It isn't good to dig, it may even cave in.

((7am you say? Lol, over here I would be having lunch Regardless, why do you post so early?))

The same applies... for her? It can't be...

"So it's.. how do you call it... mutual? I feared as much... I'm not sure I'm fully aware of what I should do in that case..."

Levin got back to his feet, trying to regain his calm.

"Why am I sorry? Because this wasn't supposed to happen... because it never happened before, and now I don't know what to do... because I hate to interfere in other people's lives, and I already took so much of your time; I should have left you in peace after you helped me out. Now we're both confused, at least I am... And you're a Team Leader, you can't afford to waste your time with me. That's all... I should've kept my feelings to myself."

And now what? You're corresponded, it would seem...

Levin walked towards Eirika, and simply sat by her side. Not a word, and all he did was run a hand through her hair softly, and no more than that, since she was still playing the cello. Not only that, what else could he do that wouldn't offend or disturb her in any way?
As he looked at her, though, he felt for the first time that loving that girl wasn't perhaps so wrong as he thought.

((I had some spare time before leaving for school, nothing much else to do.))

Eirika played her cello for a little while longer.

Something isn't right...Lairi should've sent me some indication of how things are above ground...

She slowed her playing, looking at the ceiling. "What is that...it sounds like something walking above here..." she muttered.

((Lol, I've been planning this almost all day ))

((I trust you have, only I fail to understand what is it that you've been planning, meaning I'm afraid I may compromise your plans with my post. With that in mind, I'll just "post defensively" ))

"I don't hear anything... Still, should I go check it out?"

Levin got back up, perhaps an interruption would be welcome, the confusion in his mind was taking the best of him.

((Here's a snippet of what's basically happening: Eirika didn't hear anything from her Gardevoir, who usually sends a report of how things are above ground when she's in her base. It's been a while, and nothing...Eirika thinks something happened.))

"Shh..." Eirika stopped her playing and put the cello away. "Trying to listen."

She heard soft footsteps above, then nothing. "I think I'd better go look. It may be one of my team looking for me..." She started out the door.

"HOU!!"

A large-ish black dog pounced from the ledge above the cave entrance, tackling Eirika. She tried to get it off, but her psychic powers wouldn't work...

((Houndoom? Can I interfere or would it be god-moding/against your intentions if I did?))

Levin followed Eirika, but was too far behind to protect her in time; the pokemon tackled her.

"Crap!"

Instead of reaching for his belt, he went for the dog himself. Acting on instinct didn't pay off though, as the dog turned to him and swiftly charged at the man. After tackling him to the ground, it bit him in the injured arm, ripping the bandage off. Its attention then shifted back to Eirika once more...

((Go ahead controlling the Houndoom.))

While the Houndoom was distracted, Eirika reached for her belt, grabbing the Pokeball with her Flygon, Cail, in it. She'd no sooner gotten the Pokeball than the Houndoom was back at her, causing her to unintentionally drop the Pokeball. She focused on the attacking Houndoom.

"The Pokeball! Open it!!" she managed between striking the Houndoom.

((Thanks. Is it a wild one, a trained one or is it irrelevant?))

Levin tried to ignore the pain in his arm, if it wasn't bleeding when Ghost struck him, it certainly was now.
Regardless, he got back to his feet and swiftly grabbed the pokeball, unleashing the Flygon. Not knowing the full extent of its power, though, and seeing as it wasn't his own, he refrained from giving it instructions. He believed the pokemon would do what it saw fit if its trainer was under attack.

Being more sensible this time around, he himself released a pokemon, Umbreon.

"Nosaramen, Take Down..."

The Umbreon lunged forward and knocked Houndoom down. The black dog got back to its feet, though, and unleashed a Flamethrower, which Umbreon swiftly dodged. With the odds stacked against it 2 to 1, the Houndoom began to hesitate.

((You'll see whether it's wild or not soon ^_^))

Cail let go a roar, then charged full speed at the Houndoom. It dodged Cail's attack, then lunged and clamped onto his tail. The Flygon winced, then turned around and used a Dragonbreath on it.

Eirika didn't feel her injuries. She managed to stand up, leaning against the ledge. "What is that thing doing here...? And where are D.J. and Lairi?!"

"Eirika, you alright? Get out of here, go check on your pokemon. Flygon and Umbreon will keep it busy."

The Dragonbreath seemed to stun Houndoom considerably, and Umbreon took the chance.

"Hypnosis!"

Nosaramen locked eyes with the stunned Houndoom; the Umbreon's eyes began glowing, and Houndoom became groggy, open to a final powerful blow.

((Still, it's your Flygon, so I won't control it, rest assured ))

Eirika nodded, then climbed onto the ledge and started looking for her Pokemon...

Cail screeched at the Houndoom, then shot it with a Hyper Beam. It yelped, then collapsed. It obviously refused to go down, as it kept trying to get back up.

"What have you done to them?!" Eirika screamed. Her Blaziken and Gardevoir were on the ground, obviously seriously injured. A Sneasel and Mightyena were guarding them, and a few people were standing around.

"These two are yours? A shame." one of them said. "They put up a fight when we came through, so we took care of them..."

"Well, that one seems taken care of. Umbreon, stay here, keep an eye on Houndoom. Make sure he doesn't get up."

He climbed outside and joined Eirika. There were some men and two Dark pokemon... Eirika's pokemon were lying on the ground, fainted.

"What have you done?... Who are you?"

He instinctively held Eirika's hand.

"That's not for you to know. We're just here collecting Pokemon..." the one person said.

"Those are mine, and you aren't taking them!!" Eirika yelled. She created one of her psychic balls and flung it at one of the people, paralyzing him.

The others dodged away. "Very impressive, Miss Ruhigen. Last time we saw you...you were nothing."

"Last time...?"

"Hm. I see..."

Levin whistled and his Umbreon joined him soon after. He then released his Bulbasaur.

Then it struck him.

Could they be...

Levin remembered Eirika telling him about one of the "sad parts" of her life. Levin would've prayed that this event had nothing to do with it if he was a religious man.

Apparently Eirika hasn't realized it yet... Good.

"Eirika, fight first, ask questions later. My piece of advice."

Eirika was furious. She'd finally found them...She released her Arcanine.

"Rogue, don't show any mercy on the people. Cail will take care of the Pokemon."

Rogue roared, then lunged at one of the people. Cail flew up and tackled the two Pokemon guarding Lairi and D.J. They were taken off guard...and didn't stand much of a chance, neither the Pokemon nor the trainers.

As Rogue attacked one of the people, another threw two Pokeballs in the air. The Pokemon that came out...a Gardevoir and Blaziken, scarred and evil looking.

Eirika's eyes widened.

"No..."

Hm, what an interesting turn of events...

"How dare you even enjoy this!" Levin whispered angrily to himself, or perhaps, to his mind.

Bulbasaur joined Rogue and Cail in taking down their foes. Umbreon, however, didn't move... it was sensing danger, but Levin didn't notice. He was busy looking at that Gardevoir and Blaziken. If they once belonged to a trainer like Eirika, no one would have guessed it now.

Man, what I wouldn't do to have psychic powers of some sort right now... look at Eirika... she's heartbroken.

"You sadistic sons of bitc-" Levin was suddenly interrupted by an immense pain in his back, a burning sensation... Houndoom. It had recovered, and with Cail and Nosaramen no longer in the cave to keep an eye on it, it had climbed back outside. That was what Umbreon was sensing.

Levin fell to the ground, screaming in pain from the burn of Houndoom's Flamethrower.

As much as she wanted to help her Pokemon, she couldn't do much, and with Levin being torched...she returned her Pokemon, all of them.

There was a flash, and the next thing Eirika knew, she was in a forest on the outskirts of a town, none of the other people with her apart from Levin and his Pokemon.

"Levin..." she whispered, trying not to show she was in pain. Cail broke out of his Pokeball.

"Go get help..." Eirika managed to say. "I'll do what I can..."

Argh... no... not again...

Levin started to cry silently. Not because of the pain, he could live with that. But this was the second time Eirika was forced to do that because of him. Not only that, this time she had to abandon an important battle. All of that, happening over and over in the past days, was too much for Levin to endure. He hated himself now.

"Eirika... sorry... I should've been more careful..."

He tried to get up, but the pain in the arm and back was unforgiving. Umbreon and Bulbasaur approached Levin and sat next to him.

"It...wasn't you. I can't bear to see them...the Blaziken and Gardevoir...but I'll tell about them later..." She held up a hand and created another psychic ball.

"Hopefully this'll help...even if a little..." She kneeled and lowered her hand, and the ball floated towards Levin.

"I know you're not sad because of me, my apology was for making you leave the battle.You could've settled things there..."

Now what is this voodoo ball supposed to do?

Surprisingly enough, the pain wasn't so excruciating now...

"Eirika, you might still catch them if you go now... There's no guarantee you'll see them again, don't waste this opportunity because of me. Please..."

((Well, see ya tomorrow, please keep posting ))

((Coward...))

Damean sighed, "Pathetic, good thing the base has multiple buildings, we'll have to evatuate everyone in here to the main building." Damean walked towards Serra, "Ghost... you coward..." he helped Serra up, noticing Erick make a dash for the Luxury Ball, "Night, don't kill him." Damean said and the shadow umbreon used Shadow Rush on Erick, sending him flying.

Damean sent out Draco, Damean helped Serra onto the Dragonite's back, "You guys get out of here, the building's sturdy so feel free to blow a hole in a wall." Draco took off into the air and flew out the hole in the ceiling.