>>58245665>Flames drooled from its mouth and sizzled on the ground.>Punching a dog, even if it looked like it came from hell, did not sit entirely well with you.>It wasn’t some insect, it had an aura of sapience and intelligence.>It can be calmed down.>It could be…>It could be ended now.>If you pressed forward.>Strike while it thought you cowered.>The lucario saw it as the beast it was.>The lucario wanted to strangle it.>Wise as it may have been, you compromised.>A chance to end this peacefully was there.>Slim, but there.“Calm. It. Down.” You demanded.
>The wannabe-thug, rubbing his shoulder, cussed you out. >Irrational and angry, his voice rose louder.>Houndoom mirrored his master.>It had enough.>With flames licking the corners of its mouth, it pounced.>It leapt just as you cracked the leash, giving you little time to respond. >Smart.>Or dumb luck.>You couldn’t assume the latter.>On instinct, you moved closer rather than leaping away.>You brought your arm beneath its jaw, pressing against the neck.>There was just enough leverage to keep the huge dog’s jaws at bay. >Ebony claws swiped at your chest, batting your iron spike. >It stung, but the manilla-colored chest fur kept any damage to a minimum.>With the houndoom balancing on its too hind legs, you pushed forward, hoping to knock it on its back.>Tying the chain around it would end this quickly.>The houndoom was already a step ahead.>The canine leapt forward, coughing smog and liquid bile into your face.>Decay and sulfur struck your oversensitive nose and burned your eyes. >Shoving the animal aside, you stumbled away from the haze.>Opening your bloodshot eyes fiercely stung. >Good thing you didn’t need them.>With your eyes closed, the pokémon thought you were blinded. >Dare circled you, yapping and barking at the while.>You didn’t need aura to tell where it was.>Winding the chain up, wrapping it around your paw, you prepared. 