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Description
Height gave so much power to perspective. Leafy shadows elongated into claws, the slight winds scratching them across the branches and tree trunks, their rustles much louder and more dangerous than they should be. Animals crunched and scraped through the undergrowth, snuffling, growling and hunting. And it was only the middle of the day.

Mazo tensed, shuffling further into the berry bush he'd dashed into. He cursed, trying to work the words through his lips, but all he could breathe out was a low "Pika..." He pursed his lips in frustration, still unhappy with this vulnerable form. His tiny nose crinkled when he tried to remember how he ended up this way...again. No luck though. He'd somehow landed in a strange forest too, just to make things worse.

After a moment, Mazo poked his head out of the bush, trying to get his bearings. There was no sign of Raigen, though he remembered his friend being there when he transformed into a Pikachu...again. Another step out. His tail twitched against the tangle of branches and red berries; it wasn't a sensation he was used to yet, though Mekkun came to mind when he thought about how sensitive the extra appendage was.

Too caught up in his musings, Mazo didn't see the Houndoom creeping through the trees until the skull-adorned fire-dog broke into a full run, tongue lolling on drool-drenched teeth. Mazo spun, uttering a strangled cry, which still came out as "Pika", but he couldn't make his body move out of the way.

"Raii!!" streaked through the forest air as a blur of whiskey-coloured fur smacked into the Houndoom's forehead. The attacker landed in front of Mazo, shielding his smaller friend, paws outstretched. Its spiky hair and orange topaz glasses were unmistakable, even if its—his body was unrecognizable.

'Gairen...' Mazo murmured, though it sounded like "Pika-ka..."

Raigen shook off the sensation of ripples coursing through his skull. He could tell the headbutt was super effective as the fire-dog toppled one way, then the other before collapsing, eyes spinning in their sockets. The victory was short-lived, however, as two more Houndooms broke into the open with fire flickering from their mouths. Raigen started to secure his footing, never one to refuse a battle, but a tug from Mazo's much smaller paws on his arm convinced him otherwise. They spiralled in and out of the labyrinth of trees and ground flora, lost and confused by their tiny, quadruped bodies and inability to communicate with proper words.

The chase got tighter, the heat of flame and shadow bearing down on Raigen and Mazo. All around, other animals gave dangerous looks and cries when the pursued dashed through. Mazo looked; Raigen's bigger body was slower and the Houndoom behind him was too close. Desperate, Mazo leapt into the air, performing a graceful 180 as electricity arced from his body and fried Raigen's enemy mid-strike. Such a rescue left him descending into the other Houndoom's path, a fate he forgot to account for. Raigen intervened again, dashing over to land a solid bite on the fire-dog's muzzle. It gave a shrill whine, throwing its head back and forth to shake off the muscled creature. With one sharp jerk, Raigen's grip came free, launching him into a bramble patch. Mazo sped to his friend's location before any more enemies caught them.

The brambles were thick, but spaced enough for the two 'lightning rats' to move through without too much trouble. Mazo found Raigen easily enough, his electric-blue eyes damp with worry. Raigen gave a smug smile, the expression awkward on his new face, but nonetheless comforting. Even the bloody scratches he'd taken from his fall were familiar and relieving to witness. Mazo sighed, "ka..." his lips plumped up. Raigen came closer, reaching out to pat his friend gently on the head.

'It'll be okay...' he tried to say, but it only came out as "Ra-ge-rai-rai..."

Description
Height gave so much power to perspective. Leafy shadows elongated into claws, the slight winds scratching them across the branches and tree trunks, their rustles much louder and more dangerous than they should be. Animals crunched and scraped through the undergrowth, snuffling, growling and hunting. And it was only the middle of the day.

Mazo tensed, shuffling further into the berry bush he'd dashed into. He cursed, trying to work the words through his lips, but all he could breathe out was a low "Pika..." He pursed his lips in frustration, still unhappy with this vulnerable form. His tiny nose crinkled when he tried to remember how he ended up this way...again. No luck though. He'd somehow landed in a strange forest too, just to make things worse.

After a moment, Mazo poked his head out of the bush, trying to get his bearings. There was no sign of Raigen, though he remembered his friend being there when he transformed into a Pikachu...again. Another step out. His tail twitched against the tangle of branches and red berries; it wasn't a sensation he was used to yet, though Mekkun came to mind when he thought about how sensitive the extra appendage was.

Too caught up in his musings, Mazo didn't see the Houndoom creeping through the trees until the skull-adorned fire-dog broke into a full run, tongue lolling on drool-drenched teeth. Mazo spun, uttering a strangled cry, which still came out as "Pika", but he couldn't make his body move out of the way.

"Raii!!" streaked through the forest air as a blur of whiskey-coloured fur smacked into the Houndoom's forehead. The attacker landed in front of Mazo, shielding his smaller friend, paws outstretched. Its spiky hair and orange topaz glasses were unmistakable, even if its—his body was unrecognizable.

'Gairen...' Mazo murmured, though it sounded like "Pika-ka..."

Raigen shook off the sensation of ripples coursing through his skull. He could tell the headbutt was super effective as the fire-dog toppled one way, then the other before collapsing, eyes spinning in their sockets. The victory was short-lived, however, as two more Houndooms broke into the open with fire flickering from their mouths. Raigen started to secure his footing, never one to refuse a battle, but a tug from Mazo's much smaller paws on his arm convinced him otherwise. They spiralled in and out of the labyrinth of trees and ground flora, lost and confused by their tiny, quadruped bodies and inability to communicate with proper words.

The chase got tighter, the heat of flame and shadow bearing down on Raigen and Mazo. All around, other animals gave dangerous looks and cries when the pursued dashed through. Mazo looked; Raigen's bigger body was slower and the Houndoom behind him was too close. Desperate, Mazo leapt into the air, performing a graceful 180 as electricity arced from his body and fried Raigen's enemy mid-strike. Such a rescue left him descending into the other Houndoom's path, a fate he forgot to account for. Raigen intervened again, dashing over to land a solid bite on the fire-dog's muzzle. It gave a shrill whine, throwing its head back and forth to shake off the muscled creature. With one sharp jerk, Raigen's grip came free, launching him into a bramble patch. Mazo sped to his friend's location before any more enemies caught them.

The brambles were thick, but spaced enough for the two 'lightning rats' to move through without too much trouble. Mazo found Raigen easily enough, his electric-blue eyes damp with worry. Raigen gave a smug smile, the expression awkward on his new face, but nonetheless comforting. Even the bloody scratches he'd taken from his fall were familiar and relieving to witness. Mazo sighed, "ka..." his lips plumped up. Raigen came closer, reaching out to pat his friend gently on the head.

'It'll be okay...' he tried to say, but it only came out as "Ra-ge-rai-rai..."