Hello, everyone! This is Nemesis1807, if it wasn't obvious. Now, this is a sort of sequel to my story Sol of the Mystery Dungeon, so if you haven't read that you won't recognize some of the characters. Other than that it should be easy to follow, since I kept references to that story's plot to a minimum. Of course, if you haven't played explorers of time/darkness/sky, you'll probably be completely lost.
This is a product of boredom and should not be taken seriously. Contains spoilers.
Check out the poll on my profile page and vote who you think the killer is.
In the hollowed out cavity of Sharpedo Bluff, three Pokémon sat in a circle with a deck of cards. The first, an Eevee, would stare at his assembled hand, scan the cards in play, stare back at his hand, face scrunched up as he tried to plan his next move. He picked a card, moved to play, but then hastily returned it to his hand and thought some more. Than he started to lift another, put it back, thought some more, than played the first card he had been agonizing over since the start of his turn.
The second, a Charmander by the name of Jak, quickly picked a card and threw it down in a manner of seconds. She then sat back and watched the others, a look of self assurance on her face but with a hint of weariness.
The third, a Cubone by the name of Dhiren, just Ren for short, sat as still as a statue. His face betrayed no hint of what was going on in his mind, nor hinted at any emotion he may have been feeling. This could not just be attributed to a great poker face, for this was how he always looked. For a long while he did nothing but stare at his cards before choosing one, calmly and carefully placing it on the ground before him.
This cycle repeated itself several more times until the tranquility was shattered when an out of breath Riolu burst through the door and slammed it behind her. She threw her weight against the wooden door, keeping it closed, and after a few seconds someone banged on the other side.
"Come on, Sol!" came a muffled voice. "Just think about it! I reckon Team Wanderers could use another member. Golly, I'd love to join! It'd be perfect!"
The Riolu, Sol, turned to her teammates, put a finger to her lips and said "shhh".
"Well... You just think about it. I'll be back later."
Sol pressed an ear to the door and waited until she heard footsteps on the stairs to the surface. Then she spun to face the three Pokémon.
"I can't take it anymore! I can't even walk down the streets without getting chased down by a screaming horde of fans! And Bidoof is the worse! He keeps pestering me to let him join our team! Is it this bad for everyone?"
"Jak just shoots fire into the sky. If that doesn't work, Jak shoots fire into the crowd. They learn to leave this one alone," the Charmander answered, not looking up from the game as she played another card.
"Silence begets calm begets tranquility," Ren stated, considering his cards. After a while, he put one down.
"It's not that bad," Eevee said, looking over to his partner. "And it's understandable. We did save the world. Twice."
"And that gives them permission to jump me? One of them had a pair of scissors and tried to cut off a bit of my fur! How is that 'understandable'?"
"They've never tried anything like that with me... Maybe it's because of the whole, you know, 'human from the future' thing. You're a bit more famous than us."
"Ugh. I'm seriously considering shaving off my fur and painting myself up to look like a Smeargle."
"A desperate action is a regretted action."
"Thank you, Ren. I'll let you know the next time I need someone to spurt meaningless phrases at me."
"Jak had no such problems in the wild, nor did Jak have to put up with insane Pokémon. Perhaps Sol should consider leaving the civilized towns behind."
"It'll all blow over soon and everything will go back to normal. Just try and hang in there."
"Thanks for all that. Very helpful. Now, does anyone know where I can get my hands on a razor and some paint?"
Any response the Riolu may have received was cut off when a Pelipper flew in through the mouth of Sharpedo Bluff. He waddled over to Sol on webbed feet and handed her a letter.
"Message for Sol of Team Wanderers!" the courier announced.
"Do you always just barge into places like that? If you had done that while I was sleeping you would have gotten punched in the face," Sol said, taking the letter.
"She isn't joking, though you have to touch her arm or something for that to happen. Just ask Loudred."
"Ummm... Ok," the Pelipper said uncomfortably. "Oh, and before I leave, if it isn't too much trouble, could I, maybe, get your autograph?"
Sol sighed. "Fine. But it's instead of a tip."
She scribbled out her name on a slip of paper and handed it back to the bird Pokémon. He took it with glee and flew out of the bluff.
"Here," Sol said, handing the letter to Eeve and sitting down beside him. "Read it."
Eevee cracked open the wax seal and unfolded the paper. A series of footprint runes flowed across the page in neat script.
Dear Sol, Eevee, Jak and Dhiren, members of the exploration team Wanderers.
You are cordially invited to a gala dinner in your honor at Gladstone Manor. Everything you need will be provided for you upon arrival. Enclosed are the details on transportation to the manor. I fervently hope to see you there.
Sincerely,
A Friend.
"Should we go?" Sol asked after a moment. "It sounds like a trap."
"Don't be so suspicious!" Eevee exclaimed. "It's probably just Pokémon who want to personally thank us for everything we've done! It sounds like fun!"
"Ok, but if we end up tied up back to back like last time, I get to make smart alecky remarks."
"When one is so often tricked, it does them good to rethink their lifestyle."
"See? Ren agrees that we shouldn't go. I think. Either that or he just said I'm not cut out to be an explorer."
"Come on, Sol! It'll be fun!"
"Jak is bored. If invitation is real, then Jak might have fun. If the invitation is a trap, then Jak will have even more fun burning everything down."
"Fine! You win! But just so you know, I'm going to be spending the whole trip down thinking up smart comments to make when things go south, and I'm going to be so mad if they don't fit the context or no one sets me up for them."
...
Early the next morning, the team followed the information provided in the invitation which directed them to a spot just outside of town where a wooden cart awaited. A large Tauros waited for them there and seemed glad to see them. When asked he denied being the one who sent out the invitation, and also said he had no idea who had. He had just been paid to take them to Gladstone Manor, then come back the next day to return them to Treasure Town.
Eevee, Jak, Ren and Sol all climbed aboard the cart. The Tauros pulled them along the winding roads southward. Though he kept a fast pace, the trip was long and it was well past noon by the time they arrived.
Gladstone Manor was a sight to behold. It sat on a piece of land surround by steep cliffs dropping down to the ocean on three sides, a fast moving river on the fourth with a stone bridge being the only way in or out.
The manor was huge, made of a dark, reddish wood with numerous windows along its exterior walls. A turret rose up from the roof on one side, a massive conservatory on the other. Beautiful, well tended gardens ran along the perimeter of the building and a spouting fountain showing the carved forms of various water Pokémon sat in center of a circular drive.
The cart stopped in front of a set of large, ornate doors etched with intricate carvings. The four Pokémon got out and the Tauros pulled the cart away and left.
"Who do you think sent the invitation?" Eevee asked. "Whoever they are, they must be rich!"
The clip clopping sound of hooves striking the ground caused the group to turn. Shocked, they saw a train of carts arriving, pulled along by Tauros and carrying a sea of familiar faces.
Wigglytuff and Chatot sat in one cart, the latter droning on about something or other while the former ignored him completely and excitedly looked around the manor grounds. Another Carried Chimecho, Sunflora, Loudred and Corphish, all chatting amongst themselves. Magnezone, Duskull, Xatu and the Kecleon brothers Grecks and Boln came in the last cart, drinking in the scenic view.
"What's going on! It looks like almost everyone in Treasure Town was invited!" Eevee exclaimed.
"This is so going to turn out to be a trap," Sol muttered. "Just so everyone knows, I want the words 'I told you so' engraved on my tomb stone."
All of the Pokémon dismounted their carts and clustered around the main doors. All of them had received invitations claiming for their to be a dinner in their honor, but none of them had any idea who sent them. Full of speculations and theories, they entered the manor and came face to face with the last people any of them expected to see.
"Grovyle?! Celebi?!" Eevee yelled in surprise. "How... What are you doing here?! Where you the ones who sent the invitations?"
Sol could only stare at the two Pokémon, feeling as if someone had punched her in the gut. The last time she had seen those two... She thought she would never see them again, that they would have disappeared when time was restored.
"Oh dear, no!" Celebi said. "That was... someone else. We're just helping him out. Now, I know this is a little confusing, but I promise everything will be explained at dinner."
"No way! You can't just appear out of nowhere and say you'll explain it all later!" Sol protested. "I thought you were gone forever, Grovyle. And Celebi, what I did... I thought I had gotten you killed!"
"Everything will be explained," Grovyle said. "For now, just know we are both Ok. At dinner everything will be made clear. You can get ready upstairs. Pick any room you want."
With that the two Pokémon left through a set of large, heavy doors leading deeper into the manor. They slammed shut behind them, and when Sol ran forwards to try and open them she found them to be locked. She slammed a frustrated fist against them.
"They can't just do that! Can't just appear out of nowhere without an explanation then leave! Grovyle, I saw him go through the portal, and Celebi... after what I did to her, I need to apologize."
"You'll be able to later, Sol. Let's just do what they say and we'll get our answers at dinner."
"Fine. But I don't like this."
For Sol, Eevee, and just about everyone else it was an agonizing few hours. A fierce storm picked up outside with howling wind a flashes of lightning, but the Pokémon hardly noticed as speculations flew. Only Ren seemed to be unaffected, his trademark look of complete calm and indifference firmly planted on his face.
When dinner time finally came, everyone gathered in the dining room and took their seats, their names written in flowing script on little cards around the table. By reading the cards it became clear several Pokémon had been invited but had decided not to appear, including Croagunk and Chansey. Had they sensed something was off with the whole thing? Or was it simply responsibilities and unrelated events keeping them at home? Whatever the case, most of the seats were filled except for the two chairs at the top end of the table, clearly reserved for Grovyle and Celebi, and the head of table, with no labeled card to indicate who was to sit there.
Everyone sat in nervous silence, until the main doors creaked open and in walked Grovyle and Celebi. Then, behind them, was another figure the assembled Pokémon never expected to see again.
"Dusknoir?!" Sol exclaimed, jumping to her feet. "You bastard! What are you planning?!"
"Sol, calm down," Grovyle said. "This isn't what you think."
"This Pokémon fooled us into trusting us, tried to end the world, and now has lured us all here, and you wants us to stay CALM!" Loudred yelled.
"IT'S A TRAP!" Wigglytuff screamed.
"Please, please! Hear me out!" Dusknoir pleaded. "Please, events have happened that you are not aware of."
"Listen, everyone," Grovyle said. "When I was sent back to the future with Dusknoir after going through the Hidden Land, Dusknoir helped Celebi and I delay Primal Dialga long enough for Eevee and Sol to repair Temporal Tower! He fought with us to buy you time!"
"And we're, like, supposed to believe that?" was Sunflora's reply. "Eek! He tried to end the world! And we can't forget he, like, dragged Team Wanderers to the future!"
"If we can trust him, why can't you?" Celebi said. "Can't you at least give him a chance?"
"I have wronged each and every one of you," Dusknoir said. "Some more than others, and I'm not just talking about with the Time Gears. Each of you have your own reasons not to trust me, but I only ask that you hear me out. Now, please, I'm going to go check on dinner and give you some time to talk things over with each other. I hope you all decide to stay."
"I'll come with you," Celebi said and left the room with Dusknoir.
"No one really BELIEVES him, do they?" Loudred asks.
"Golly, it really is hard to say..."
"Hey, hey, hey! Trusting him is asking for a knife in the back!"
"I think we should all give him a chance!" Wigglytuff announced. "If we all trust each other, then we can all be friends!"
"The Guildmaster is right!" Chimecho said. She got up from her chair, went over to Dusknoir's at the head of the table and stood on top of it so all could see her clearly. "All he is asking is for us to hear him out! We can at least give him a chance! Think of all the good he has done in the past when we still knew him as the Great Dusknoir, all the Pokémon he saved! There was a reason we all looked up to him! If, in the end, we decide we don't believe him, we can leave. There is no harm in just listening to him!"
Chimecho's speech seemed to convince some Pokémon to stay, at least long enough to hear what Dusknoir had to say. Others weren't as sure, going over it in their minds and talking it over with their neighbors.
And then a voice, deep, distorted, and frightening, filled the room, drowning out all the other Pokémon.
"NONE WHO CROSS ME SHALL EVER FIND PEACE! I WILL ALWAYS GET MY REVENGE!"
There was a sound like shattering glass, a snap, then the chandelier over Dusknoir's chair fell with a crash, right on top of Chimecho.
Remember to check out the poll on my profile page! Who is the killer?