Because you know, you know you're nothing!

[Jespeon]

^{I hate you now, so go away from me. You're gone, so long.}

Chariot's heart raced as her legs pulled her faster and faster through the forest, matching the speed of her limbs. Her claws clicked against the rocks hidden in the ground. Her eyes ajusted perfectly to the scenery that should theoretically have been nothing but a green and brown blur. Such precision in her eyes was envied by weaker creatures.

Chariot was powerful for her species. She could put many famous canines to shame just with her speed, never mind her strength. But she didn't want any of that! She content with being a totally regular girl, trailing around after alphas, to have even a hope of a powerful alpha picking her up and making her his mate. Instead, she could easily run her own pack, but she wouldn't.

Why was she so special anyway? Just because she happened to be slightly faster, slightly more powerful, slightly hotter fire? Did that really matter? Were all guys so shallow that they only cared about those qualities? They never got to know her, just hear dabout her and chased after her, just to be instantly rejected. She growled at the meer memory.

She could go it alone - easy. She barked once into the darkness, quite quietly. Chariot forced herself to stop running as she reached a stream. Water was not gonna help anything, just cause her physical pain as well as emotional. Growling slightly she placed her paws together and turned her head to the sky, so her chin was vertical with her legs. Opening her mouth she let out a powerful Hondoom howl.

_{I can do better, I can do better!}

[silentdeath]

Not too far away, two pokemon were chatting. A Jigglypuff and a Kricketot. They didn't even notice the other Pokemon.

The Jigglypuff spoke, "But I really am hungry!"
The Kircketot replied, "We ate just an hour ago."
"An hour's a long time!" replied the childish Jigglypuff to the superior Kricketot.
"Food doesn't grow on trees, you know."
"Some food does!"

Then the Houndoom howled. The two Pokemon jumped around to see what the source of the sound was.
"What was that?" asked the Jigglypuff.
"I don't know, Puff, why are you asking me?" replied the Kricketot.
"Well you act so smart all the time, Beethoven!" yelled Puff.
"Don't you ever get sick of hearing yourself?"
"...Shut up."

[Jespeon]

^{I hate you now, so go away from me. You're gone, so long.}

Chariot relaxed as her voice rang clear above her. It was nice to have something like that to just reassure you of your hold on reality. Nice to know you weren't going insane. Though who could really claim sanity in times like these? What with the constant fight between the two Rayquazas, the destroying of the Alpine Meadows and the return of the Shadowlord? Life wasn't looking good for the creatures of Erymire.

A sharp stabbing pain reminded Chariot that she hadn't eaten in a while. Oh well, there was bound to be prey around here, at a stream. She lowered her nose to the ground and swiveled her ears a few times before she caught the scent of a couple of small Pokemon. Setting her paws into motion, her sleek form headed towards the Jigglypuff and Kricketot.

She slowed down as she aproached the two creatures. She kept her nose low, but her ears were forced forward, noting all of her preys movements and sounds. She pulled herself into a crouch, ready to pounce.

But they seemed so young, so innocent! She couldn;t kill them. She held back a snarl. Great, so she was going veggie now too huh? She shook her head at her pathetic joke and straightened up, walking towards them.

They were so small, they barely reached her knee. She didn't smile, though her heart warmed inside. "You two shouldn't hang around here, it's dangerous," she said, truthfully. Though the truth was that the danger was her.

_{I can do better, I can do better!}

[silentdeath]

Beethoven, much smaller than the Houndoom, struggled to make eye contact with the creature.

Beethoven cleared his throat and spoke, "I think I can safely say that ear-splitting howl came from you. Please don't do that again, it's very disruptive. But besides that, what are you talking about? My accomplice and I come here all the time. So far, you're the scariest thing we've ever run into here. And I mean that as nicely as possible."

Puff added, "Are you gunna eat us?"

[Jespeon]

^{I hate you now, so go away from me. You're gone, so long.}

Chariot smirked. "You're intellegent for an insect," she said. "As for howling, it's instinct, it's like you chirping or whatever. It's important to us." She frowned to herself slightly as she said 'us' instead of Houndooms. Funny, she didn't normally relate herself to the others, almost like she was a different species.

"There's danger everywhere, I'm just one of the few," she said, grinning. "And don't worry, I take it as a compliment. Oh, and no, I won't eat you. Yet." She grinned to prove she was joking. The two little Pokemon had caught her interest.

By now she would normaly have killed them, eaten them, the works. But they were alive, and talking to her. Strange really, but oh well. It was the first decent conversation she'd had in days.

_{I can do better, I can do better!}

[silentdeath]

Beethoven began to grow interest in the Houndoom when she admitted to being dangerous.

He replied to her, "Sort of odd that you would say yourself to be dangerous. When you approached us, you seemed hostile. Yet now you seem more relaxed. Is it pity that compelled you to spare us? But never mind that. My name is Beethoven and this is Puff."

[Jespeon]

^{I hate you now, so go away from me. You're gone, so long.}

The Houndoom frowned slightly. "Not entirely sure why I didn't attack, though I don't think I'd call it pity," she said. "My names Chariot, pleasure to meet you." She bowed her head as she said, just like any Houndoom would do at an introduction.

She sat down, flicking her arrow-headed tail around her legs. "I've never seen a Jigglypuff and Kricketot together, or at least not purposefully together. Why do you two travel with each other?"

_{I can do better, I can do better!}

[silentdeath]

Beethoven knew all Houndoom were hostile. He wondered why this one wasn't already at his throat. But now she had given her name and they were in the middle of a conversation. Maybe this Houndoom could be a friend.

Beethoven replied, "Nice to meet you, Chariot. We travel together because we rely on each other. It's quite an interesting tale. A few years back, there was a forest fire. Puff and I happened to be in the forest at the time. Puff was separated from her family in the midst of it. Although she never found her family, she found me. And I helped her get out. Ever since, we've been traveling. We have grown fond of each other over the years."

[Jespeon]

^{I hate you now, so go away from me. You're gone, so long.}

Chariot smiled, listening to their story. "That's quite interesting," she said thoughtfully. "So you just sort of randomely met?" That would make life so much easier, to just find your soul mate by accident.

Most Houndoom's would find there's in a pack, but Chariot didn't have the patience to wait around under some terrible alpha's rule. Though she'd never exactly wanted to make her own pack, she wouldn't mind inheriting one. With all the basics set up, she was sure she could lead them superbly. The again, the whole 'boss' thing wasn't a concept she enjoyed. And their were dangers being in control of a pack, and they didn't neccesarily make the positives worth it.

So here she was, the outcast so to speak. A pack animal without a pack.

_{I can do better, I can do better!}

[silentdeath]

Beethoven was becoming interested in Chariot's past, seeing how the feeling was mutual for her.

He replied, "I wouldn't say randomly, but I suppose you could look at it that way. So, what about you? Houndooms live in packs, don't they? Why are you all by yourself?"

[Jespeon]

^{I hate you now, so go away from me. You're gone, so long.}

Chariot smiled weakily at him. "That's a long story, and one that probably won't interest you," she said. "Put simply, I defied the alpha, went against his rules and did what I thought was best for the pack. I'm almost definate that I made the right decision, but I had no proof, so I was kicked out."

She sighed and half smiled. "I never really liked pack-life anyway."
_{I can do better, I can do better!}

[silentdeath]

Beethoven was becoming increasingly interested in this Houndoom. She was not like most others.

Beethoven spoke again, "So you're all by yourself with no others. I guess I should assume you had intentions of eating us when you came near, no?"

[Jespeon]

^{I hate you now, so go away from me. You're gone, so long.}

Chariot grinned. "Yes I'm afraid, but don't worry, I won't hurt you now," she said, honestly. "I can't explain why though. I guess I'm too nice. You don't expect your prey to be so sentient."

If the little Pokemon had squeaked and ran awya, she would probably have hunted the, and got her meal after all. But the fact that they'd spoken had stopped her. Your food isn't meant to be as intellegent as you.

(Sorry, I've been away for a bit)
_{I can do better, I can do better!}

[silentdeath]

Puff tilted her head, "Sentient? What's that mean?"

Beethoven answered, "It means intelligent, Puff. Anyway, you wouldn't happen to have any connections to the horde, would you? My accomplice and I have heard some interesting tales of the horde lately, then you come out of nowhere to eat us."

[Jespeon]

^{I hate you now, so go away from me. You're gone, so long.}

Chariot grinned at this. "You two don't know half of what the Horde does. But no, I'm not with them, though I have brushed past them a few times," she said, trying to keep her tone light, though it darkened on the word Horde.

"I don't think you need to worry about them all the way out here, as far as I know, they have bigger problems on their hands." She glanced over towards the Alpine Meadow. The rumours were spreading like wildfire, about a giant snake destroying Erymire piece by piece. Though she never normally listened to rumours, she was intrigued.

_{I can do better, I can do better!}

[silentdeath]

Beethoven's eye's narrowed.

"You know, the horde is known for telling lies. Not that you're necessarily from the horde, but you would seem like the type. Just know that I'm watching you. I don't want to see anything suspicious."