Price of sacrifice

A crest of muddy water sloshed towards the sky and rained in foul splats. Jigglypuff vainly kept the brown water from hitting his partner, unfortunately, litwick's bluish flame undulated rapidly. Alarmed, the balloon pokemon covered the weak flame and his life energy drained from him. "Stop that." Muttered the ghost type, "I'll unconsciously leech your life force if you keep on shielding me." Litwick, wax melting and mixing with the muddy bank of the river, shifted, but fatigue rendered it incapable of levitation. Pink streaks painted the sky, lazy clouds ambled towards the horizon, amassing together and signaling the front of an oncoming storm. Stubbornly, Jigglypuff refused to abandon the melting litwick and gently scooped the candle monster's soft body in his pudgy arms. "Wiggly, I am okay, the trial left me weak but I'll survive somehow." The flame pokemon's tone whispered of helplessness and indignation, "if you keep on carrying me all the time, how am I supposed to fend for myself? I-" A floatzel blitzed across the chocolate surface of the dirty river and sent another plume of oily fluid spraying in the air. The creature laughed maliciously, baring chipped, yellow teeth and the scar slashing its face in half, contorted grotesquely. "Yuck, some of that water went in my mouth, as I was saying…" The purple fire burned brighter and Wiggly gingerly drew its plump palms away, "I need to start fending for myself and I can't do that if you are breathing down my shoulder all the time!" Solidifying itself, Litwick levitated for a few paces before plopping on withered grass. "Please give me some space."

Tophet's Block, consisting of a handful of rusting tin houses, wooden barns, rickety stone bridges and blood splattered dirt paths; was not a pleasant place to be in. The streets reeked, the sinners rising up to complete the trials, banded to form companies, their bodies etched with symbols signifying their alliance. A forlorn cathedral, situated at the edge of the ramshackle hamlet, offered no repose and more often than not, some hardened felon and his leering group of friends, defaced it by smashing the stained window which Wiggly and Litwick loved to stare at. They appreciated the beauty of the colored glass and when the sun rays hit it, the entire pane came alive, the pigments bleeding into a surreal piece of art. A couple of shacks functioned as a centralized guild but authority barred weaklings from entry. The seven trials were difficult enough, but living on the streets made life unbearable. Looking around, Wiggly noticed a scraggly bush; a few unripe berries bore the thin stems down. Without thinking, he dashed to it, stripped the still growing berries and stowed them in a sack.

A dynamic punch shattered his nose and one eye bled, freshly sliced by a scyther's razor edged blade. The hariyama and bug duo demanded the merge supplies. Jigglypuff reached into his pouch and remembered Litwick, if the ghost did not have anything to eat, it might die. Standing his ground, he refused.

They beat him some more, Wiggly stood there, silently absorbing their punches and protecting his food. When they whirled on Litwick, shivering on a patch of withered grass, his instincts kicked in, he body slammed into the hariyama and sent it staggering backwards. Flicking blood off his face, Wiggly turned towards scyther and pounded it, crushing delicate wings before ripping and tossing the translucent appendages in the river. A hyper-voice scattered the duo and Wiggly watched as they ran over stones, hopped over logs and careered all the way to the guild. He focused his attention on litwick who sailed closer to him. "Are you okay?" Jigglypuff asked the quivering candle and offered her food."

"You are bleeding." The fire type levitated higher and used a stubby arm to wipe away pale pink blood. "Let's go back to the hideout." When the candle moved away, Wiggly, grasped it and the monster protested. "What are you doing? Let's go back, there will be a storm soon, can't you smell the earth?"

Wordlessly, Wiggly sniffed and fragrant petrichor teased his nose. "You will melt in the rain," he gently stated and set his sights on the crumbling guild. "I'll try to see if I can get a room for you." His comrade protested, vehemently squirming in his arms. "Be still. I came here in order to protect you and nothing will stop me from doing that." The ghost pokemon quieted and the lilac flame burned brighter still. A few drops of rain drizzled on withered grass and jigglypuff nodded to himself and set off. "Let's hurry."

Despite his begging, they threw him out. Whilst he argued with the burly gatekeeper, a squinting crustle, litwick attempted to sneak through the rotting doors. Some other occupant caught the ghost type and flung it outside. The balloon pokemon observed, his mouth falling open as his partner sailed past him, a purple blur, and landed with a thump in the muddy ground beyond. Articulating a worried shriek, he tore towards the flame type and skidded to a halt.

Thank Arceus she was still alive.

Not caring if she burnt him, he scooped her up again. Above him, clouds growled angrily. Blinding flashes of lightning ignited the black surroundings into stark white. Trudging through a deluge, he traversed a slimy bridge, slogged through puddles and leaned against a cracked stone wall. The mightyena manning the black market, barked an apology and threw a tarp over them. Shivering, he tucked the oilcloth around himself and Litwick, she trembled uncontrollably and her body softened. Instead of heat, she emanated fickle warmth. "We have four more trials to complete." Jigglypuff voiced over the thundering rain, "We will make it." He assured himself that she will survive the night.

And watched her melt into nothingness.

The gates of heaven opened and the flood rained fiercer. Water drummed the earth, rocks skittered, hardened soil churned into mud. The river bank burst and puddles formed between the cobblestoned roads. Wiggly crouched further, a wide pool of water formed at his feet. To his alarm, Litwick grew colder. Her flame dimmed and the bottom part of her candle body dripped. He cupped his hands around her but she shook her head weakly.

"Please let me go."

"No...NO!" The balloon pokemon screeched as she dripped through his palms and joined the rivulets snaking down the shattered pavement. "Stop...Stay with me!" He pleaded but she continued to disintegrate, he tenderly let the last of her remains down on the puddle and watched the oily film on the water spread wider. Her cute face dissolved and a stray droplet of rain extinguished the mauve flame burning on her head.

I will never forget you. Her soothing voice rung in his ears. Jigglypuff tried to sing to sleep but when he opened his mouth, no song issued forth. Salty tears mixed with the rain and cascaded down his face. Wiggly clutched his chest. It hurt. He gasped and a sharp throb of pain gnawed in his heart. His existence felt empty.

Empty without her.

The next morning, the sun shone brightly, filtering amongst the dead leaves and striking his watery eyes. He changed. Listlessly, Wiggly examined his new body, his ears elongated, the body slimmed and his feet were longer. Letting his head loll back on the partially demolished wall, he grunted a greeting when the owner of the shop waved its tail at him. Wigglytuff could not see clearly out of one eye and he stood shakily, crossed to the river and stared at his reflection. A white scar cut his eye diagonally. Plopping on the bank of the river, he chewed on a few sour berries and pondered. Giving up on the trials will not do...He will complete them for Litwick's sake. She deserved that much. Standing, he angled his face towards the towering guild, the top floors of the domicile seemed to shake and due to the storm last night, some of the roofs caved in. A guild...He mused, was supposed to help new comers and offer them a place to stay. They should take care of people, offer guidance, ask the sinners to repent for their actions and encourage the denizens to spend a new life with good intentions. He glared at the moldering building. It was their fault Litwick died before her time. Exhaling heavily, he angrily kicked a stone and prepared to tackle the next trial. Whilst he stewed in thought, an idea formed in his mind. Why not take over the guild himself and transform Tophet's Block into something else? He clenched pudgy fists and formulated a plan. First, he needed to attract the attention of Giratina; only the renegade pokemon will be able to grant him his foolish desire.

But how to do that? He wondered.

What sort of atrocious deed must he commit to snare the lord of the Underworld's attention?

A malicious smile bloomed on his face. Simple, his mind offered; kill one of the Trial Masters.

However...Could they be killed? They were ultra-powerful beasts, possessing no hearts and blessed with ageless, immortal bodies. Getting up, Wiggly paced the length of the bank, mercilessly crushing brown grass underneath his feet. Clenching his jaw, he absentmindedly waved his concerns away; he had to finish off a ghost, no matter how difficult it may be. For Litwick, he pondered. For her. His heart squeezed painfully and he faltered for a moment. Resuming his heated pacing, he compared himself to the embodiment of the remaining ghosts. Sloth was out of the question, Wiggly was not lazy. Wrath? No, the wigglytuff considered, he did not hate anyone, his anger did not consume him. Jealousy?

He stopped.

Yes...Envy, he dully accepted it. He died because he was jealous of the person Litwick bonded to. Gritting his teeth and shaking off fragmentary memories, he proceeded with his plan.

Marowak's skull lied smooth in fat, fingerless hands. The eerie chamber reeked of negative emotions and the bone club's splintered fragments, decorated the checkered floor of the throne room. Holding the dead ghost's skull, he indolently paced the chamber. Wiggly piloted his eyes away from the twitching body and exhaustion benumbed him. Separating the head from the body was a formidable task, weariness and pain settled deep within his bones. Hefting the skull like a prize, he circled the throne room, keeping clear of the high-backed chair and numerous puppet strings crisscrossing the chamber. Black smoke billowed from underneath the chair and he halted. The skull in his hands degenerated into dust and the entire room chopped into waiflike blocks. The images reflected in his eye distorted before winking out of existence altogether. An involuntary scream of fear escaped his throat when he stood on an endless, ebony plain. Columns of stone erupted from the fathomless ground and formed a ring around him, the archaic symbols pulsed gold. Wiggly slowly rotated, trembled and prayed he would not leak due to sheer fear whilst a monstrous creature swopped through the inky sky. The balloon pokemon croaked when a cloak of frayed wings brushed the top of his head; paralyzed, he stared as Giratina alighted before him; the ghost serpent's body glowed white, gold and red. Wiggly tasted blood on his tongue and his abdomen cramped. Sable wisps of wings, each ending in a gleaming, scarlet claw, fanned from the renegade deity and a golden mouth piece flitted down to reveal a set of ivory jaws. For a brief moment, Wigglytuff imagined the fist sized teeth piercing his rubbery body.

"How bold." The environment resonated. "You sought me by killing one of my appointed servants." Giratina boomed, its voice omnipresent. "Tell me your wish and I shall make it come true. With a price..."

Nice, Wiggly inwardly groaned, the creation pokemon had a dry sense of humor. Giratina made an odd noise, something sounding halfway like a chuckle and a cough.

"I want to be immortal." Wigglytuff brazenly squeaked. The renegade ghost must not have heard him because it frowned at one of the columns. Said column exploded into dust. "I...want to be an immortal guild master!" Wiggly shouted. "Please grant me the ability of the ghosts so I can transform Tophet's Block into a better place." His large eyes watered. "I will do anything, the guild back at the Block...Is not worthy of being called a guild. I want to bring a change to this underworld."

"A revolution?" The deity boomed and Wiggly folded sensitive ears inward.

"Not...Technically a revolution my Lord. I just..." The pink monster paused and gathered his thoughts. "I want to make Tophet's Block into a Treasure Town. So all sinners may have equal opportunities to lead better lives." He thought about Litwick and another selfish desire gnawed into his heart. Without warning, the pitch black plain dimmed and suddenly, he stood in a sun dappled clearing with the forest cocooning him on all sides.

"You have been granted your wish." Litwick's gentle tone carried in the breeze. "You are now immortal, like the ghosts but you have to sacrifice something precious to you. Each year, you must offer your weakest guild member to me." The voice changed, turning guttural. It echoed from the trees, it hammered Wiggly's skull. "Fail to do so...And I shall damn you into eternal agony. One does not make a contract with me and live to breach it. You shall regret asking for such a foolish desire Wigglytuff."

The balloon pokemon shook his head and his back burned intensely. A brand appeared in the form of seared skin and fur. "I shall not." He resolutely answered Giratina and the woods laughed.

"Foolish humans."

Before dawn

Treasure Town

Guild

Red woke and vaguely registered black smoke billowing around a floating, cyan eye; he blinked and the image vanished. Blurry, orange and purple flames danced in brass brackets. The grass underneath him felt cold and stone hard. Mumbling, he shifted and awoke fully when his limbs refused to obey him. Opening his eyes, he peered through the darkness. The damp cold floor, capering flames and lack of windows told him he might be in a basement of sorts. Befuddled, he looked down, seeing himself splayed on a slab of circular rock. Cuffs encased his feet and chained him to four iron pegs hammered in the stone slab. Symbols akin to Unown decorated the edge of the dais and behind him; a carving of Giratina leered from another vertical obelisk. The sound of shuffling feet reached Red and he desperately wrestled with the restraints. The bright, silver chains rattled loudly and the clanging echoed off antediluvian walls. Bulbasaur stilled and the panicked beating of his heart, roared in his ears. The shuffling noise came again, slower, deliberate and he struggled to slip reptilian feet out of a cuff. His bud opened and spewed stun spores and healing dust, vines grew from the base of his bulb and tangled with the dead chains. The light cast by the fires, dimly illuminated a bulky shadow cutting through the gloom. It drew closer and the form loomed bigger. Uncaring, Red opened his maw and sucked air. As he prepared to bellow for Green, a pudgy hand jammed a bitter seed halfway down his throat and Red's eyes widened in horror. The pokemon before him, sported a pearlescent pupil slashed by a diagonal scar, whilst the good, baby blue iris scrutinized him with a mixture of concern and irritation.

The wigglytuff chanted ominous words; the warped, ancient expressions reeked of power. Red resumed tugging the chains and a sticky gag muffled his moans. He pulled furiously and willed for a solar beam to blast the creepy old balloon into smithereens, alas, he only puffed a pale orb of light. Wiggly circled his prey and picked up a sharp knife. Immediately, the bulbasaur's bulb withered and leaked a great quantity of sweet smelling sap.

"I apologize, but I have to do this." The guild master ripped the gag apart and suffered a bullet seed to his face. Bulbasaur glared at the pokemon and threatened with a thin vine. The tendril promptly smacked the plant in its face. "Still not used to this body are you? It happens to every new comer." Wiggly comforted as the crimson eyed beast repeatedly whipped himself and cussed. "Now be still little friend and this will be over in a minute. Life will continue as normal." He raised his weapon and the seed pokemon scuttled backwards, chains groaning. Sighing, Wiggly moved around the circlet only for Red to relocate himself.

Thus the game of chase initiated.

"GREEN!" Red hollered at the top of his lungs and the call reverberated. "I am about to be murdered by a creepy version of Blue's Wigglytuff..." he spared a quick glance at the grim guild master. "And it's grinning at me like I'm lunch...Or is it breakfast?" He pondered and scooted to the side. "If you don't rescue me. I will DIE!" He shrieked when the knife's edge scraped against his claw. "SAVE ME!" Bulbasaur wailed. "I'm about to be done in by a pink blob with a blind eye! This is the most humiliating death I can think of!"

Wiggly did not smile; instead, he grimaced at the bulbasaur's words. "Firstly, I do not fancy having toxic alkaloids for breakfast." The beast hissed, "Secondly, this is a ritual I must undertake, or else there will be dire consequences for your charmander friend." Red paused in his dashing to stare at wigglytuff. "Thirdly, this pink blob will pulp you into bite sized pieces without the use of a knife." He flicked the weapon behind him and it clanged on the room's spacious floor. "Be still, and this will be painless."

He lied.

Grabbing Red's bulb, he attempted to tear it off. Bulbasaur articulated an agonized scream and Wiggly let him. The basement was soundproof and guarded with ghost charms, not even Gothitelle, with all her expertise into the psychic field, could probe into the sacrificial chamber. A warm splash of lime blood oozed on the altar and the symbols around the stone circle glimmered to life. One thin vine whipped him across the face and Wiggly teetered backwards, tempering the anger bubbling in his chest. The bulbasaur pulled itself across the altar; a network of vines lashed the half ripped bulb to its back. As Wiggly dove again, the wooden doors clattered and creaked. Impossible. Straightening, he abandoned his quarry and marched towards the blast doors, and on nearing it, the entranceway burst. Splinters of wood exploded inwards. A fireball torpedoed into the room and smashed against the giant stone pedestal holding the altar above the ground. Bulbasaur's tormented squeals dimmed and through the smoking gate, a charmander stalked in. Its tail fire blazed brightly and it sniffed the air. Seeing Bulbasaur on the pedestal, it grunted worriedly and scampered on all fours. Effortlessly climbing the sacrificial slab, it whipped around and scanned the chamber. A pair of smoldering, emerald eyes locked on Wiggly, who calmly picked wooden fragments off his body.

"Are you trying to kill me?" Red yelped and Green blinked, he turned around and groaned.

Red's bulb caught on fire. "My bad," Oak quickly apologized, "do something about it before you get fried to a crisp."

"My bulb was half ripped from my back; it feels like I'm roasting in the fires of hell. YOU do something about it!" Bulbasaur snapped and smothered the flames with viscous sap. Wrinkling his nose, Charmander diverted his attention back to the wigglytuff.

"Glad to know my fire is good for something." He drily added and dropped to all fours. "Get yourself out of this mess; I'll take care of that pink blob."

Wigglytuff studied the duo bickering on the dais. Familiar stirrings of envy swirled in his chest and he waved them away. He had to sacrifice the bulbasaur at all costs. Casting reflect over the broken doorway, he regarded Charmander. The tiny dragon established himself as a formidable creature, no doubt, it will have little trouble navigating through the trials, however, the grass type did not fare so well; it had little mastery over its actions and suffered from a weak constitution, a day without sunlight, and the bulb will rot and fall off. Wiggly stared at his hands, tinted green with blood. When he drew closer, the charmander sneezed at him, engulfing the area with a sulphurous smoke screen. Embers danced in the cloud of black and more shrieks dissipated. Scattering the cloud of dust, the guild master witnessed Bulbasaur dripping corrosive acid on his cuffs. When the chains melted, he whooped gleefully and jumped off the altar. His bulb, half hanging off his back and trailing blood, flipped him to the side and he landed back first. Charmander peeked over the edge of the stone circlet and groaned when his best friend helplessly wiggled on the ground.

The guild master moved to the tangle of limbs flaying on the cellar floor. "How did you find this place?" He demanded and Charmander struggled down the large plinth of stone. "Not even my team members know this basement exists."

"Red stinks." Came the simple reply as the fire type peeled his companion off the floor and winced at the sweetened sap coating his claws.

"I don't stink!" Red hissed indignantly and strapped his bulb to his back. He winced, the pain drove him crazy, on the other end of the long chamber, he noticed a shimmering barrier over the caved entrance. Keeping behind Green, the duo lugged forward.

Toying with the emblem hanging on a leather cord around his neck, Wiggly exhaled, "Sweet scent is pleasant to the nose." He added, the fire type suspiciously ogled him but it did not attack. "Rarely do pokemon complain that it stinks."

The two meticulously crawled over the pockmarked floor, only a few meters separated them from freedom. Green scraped his claws along the ground and the steel tips sparked. "Stay with Red for a few moments and you will understand why. He oozes sweet scent all the time and frankly, it's quite sickening." Charmander intoned, Red uttered another noncommittal noise and Wiggly waited as they neared the doors. When the lizard sidled to the barrier, intending to smash the multicolored screen, the guild master ripped a hyper beam. Both monsters scattered, yelping and spitting curses. Green jumped to the side and dragged Red when the stone tiles underfoot melted into lava. He frantically searched for another way out and found none. A river of molten stone lay in front of him and the door, behind them, Wigglytuff prepared to body slam them into oblivion. Oak breathed deeply, attempting to build fire in his stomach, he imagined roaring a fire red flamethrower and incinerating the threat. Cold dread seeped into him when he only coughed a measly spark. The weak flames licked the tiles and the balloon pokemon side-stepped the ember and slammed Red into the opposite wall. Bulbasaur wailed, his back crunched and he slid down the curved confines of the basement and quivered before the monstrous wigglytuff. The guild master grasped the bulb, tearing it from Red's back one more time. The plant type thrashed, bit on his lips and sent two vines to lash around his attacker's throat.

Wigglytuff tore them apart effortlessly.

"Why are you doing this?" Green screeched. His legs shook. He wanted to get close but a skull shattering punch from Wigglytuff forced him to skirt to the side. "Leave Red alone! We came here seeking shelter, aren't you supposed to be the guild master?" Wiggly straightened, the bulbasaur dangled from one of his fists. A few cinders from the fire type singed the fine fur on his arms and he saw desperation swirling in the lizard's viridescent eyes. Uselessly, charmander raked claws over Wiggly's inflated body. The guild master dismissed the stinging sensation and kicked as the fire type tackled him. Through the air, Charmander soared and in response, the bulbasaur wriggled fiercely and called his friend's name. Renewed resolve burning in scarlet irises, it spewed a rush of toxic. A multitude of vines crawled from Red's bulb and snared Wiggly's arms; they forced themselves through his mouth and snaked into his ears. The turgid tendrils burst with a loud pop and dripped acid. Hissing at the burning sensation in his mouth and ears, he flung the bulbasaur to the ground and watched through a misty eye as it crawled to the barely moving charmander.

Litwick melted into a puddle in his hands.

The duo conversed in hushed tones and Wiggly mused they must be very good friends. Pointing to the door, he shattered the light screen and urged them to hurry out of the basement. "I decided to spare your comrade's life, Charmander. As I mentioned before, this is a necessary sacrifice. As the master, you have my word, I will not go after your friend any longer, but, you must never mention this incident to anyone. The guild master grinned unpleasantly, "I will gut you if you do." Countenance softening, he continued. "I am the owner of this guild and it is my duty to take care of all those who live under it, since I put you two through such a hostile experience, I will take full responsibility to guide you through Treasure Town. First, you need to eat, you must be famished." He nodded towards the door. "If you follow the steps, you will find yourself going up to the fifth floor and emerging into the archives, from there, descend to the second floor and eat your fill. I will join you shortly, as soon as I clean up the mess." He gestured to the soaked altar. "Remember, none of you shall breath a word about this. Do I make myself clear?" The duo nodded silently and crept out. "Oh and good morning to you both, the sun is shining wonderfully today!" Wiggly bid them farewell in a singsong voice and Green growled, the pink blob freaked him out.

True to the wigglytuff's word, the duo emerged into the archival room. Famished, they scurried over a luxurious carpet and tore out of the doorway. Pokemon and rooms blurred past. The two beasts alighted at the mess hall and Red inhaled deeply, savoring the aroma of fresh berries sizzling on grills. Warily, they entered the bustling room. Smoke and chatter filled the air, wooden tables groaned underneath the weight of plates piled high with berries, fresh fruit and colorful gummis; beasts slammed mugs on tabletops, the miltank milk sloshed noisily and dripped down the sides. Fatigued, Red inched forward, his bulb wobbled on his back, sending spurts of pain dancing up his spine. He located an empty table tucked in the corner of the raucous room and gestured to his companion. The duo sat on crude, wooden stools and not a moment later, a smiling buneary deposited a breakfast of warm berries, four-leaf cookies and a seed studded loaf of bread. Hungrily, they tore into the food and Red reached for a mug of milk to wash the morsel down.

Pausing in his wolfing, Green eyed his friend. "From this minute on, we stick together. Don't breathe a word about what happened to you and stay alert at all times." The lizard commanded, Bulbasaur nodded distractedly and guzzled on a mountain of Oran berries, their charred, blue skins wafted a heavenly tang. "We don't want that stupid pink blob startling us ag-"

"Having fun at breakfast are you?" Wigglytuff enquired in a fruity voice and Green roared an ember, toasting his bread into blackened pieces. Red simply squeaked in fright and jumped; he waved his tendrils threateningly and resumed stuffing his mouth. "Tsk, what are so afraid of?" The guild master cheerfully asked and waved when a group of the guild members acknowledged him with toothy grins. Picking the charcoaled slices of bread, he deposited them on a tray and asked for a new loaf. Green watched, suspicion stamped on his face as Wigglytuff put a new loaf of bread on his plate along with a small dish of jam. "Eat up you two; I want to see you in the second floor training hall after this." Wiggly noticed Red struggling to pull food towards his mouth, "your body control is unsatisfactory, don't worry, I'll teach you everything you need to know." Winking good naturedly, he ambled to the entrance and a chorus of greetings and well wishes followed. Charmander, absentmindedly smearing jam all over his bread, observed the balloon pokemon with a blend of disgust and mistrust. He stuffed his sandwich in his mouth and paused.

It tasted good. The starburst of berries and seeds, complimented each other perfectly.

Mid-morning

Guild

Training hall on the second floor

A mismatch of chairs, ripped plush benches and sandbags lay in an abandoned heap on one corner of the training hall. Polished wooden tiles bore claw marks. Through a series of windows, the sun shone brightly and a breeze wafted from outside. Red shimmied to one of the windows and peered, his face basking in sunbeams whilst Green settled for hawkishly watching Wigglytuff's every move. The creature faced the board and jade irises haltingly trailed an intricate tattoo burned on Wiggly's back. Chalk in hand, the guild master wrote a succession of rules on the board, placing the chalk neatly into a box, he turned around and motioned for Red to move away from the window. "I apologize for the sad state of this room; it never stays clean because the new comers always tear things up." He peered inquisitively at them and Green puffed his chest, he was not going to indicate how much the normal type scared him. "So, your names are Red and Green?" The guild master enquired, pointing to the duo, "and you are a grass and fire pair...What an interesting and sad combination. Poor Red will forever be threatened by his fire type friend." Red snarled a derogatory comment; his vines tightened and circled the air menacingly. "I understand, your best friend will never hurt you...But it pays to be vigilant no?" When both the plant and lizard growled, the balloon pokemon held his hands up in mock defeat. "Okay, okay, I get it." Striding to the middle of the dust filled room, he separated the two friends and moved them to opposite ends of the training hall. "Alright, both of you, complete fifteen laps without falling, stumbling or unconsciously bringing out your element." Wigglytuff assumed his position at the forefront of the room and blew a whistle. "Begin."

Without further ado, Red ran, his pace comically slow, Green on the other hand, gaped at the guild master. Run? His mind echoed disbelievingly, what did that stupid blob think they are? Who could not run?

Five laps later, smoke poured from his nostrils and Red hung out of a window, absorbing sunlight. Unrelenting, Wiggly commanded them to run again.

Three more laps later, Bulbasaur left a thick trail of sap as he hobbled down the length of the chamber. Grabbing a mop, the balloon pokemon wordlessly cleaned after him. Charmander's aching arms hung so low, he scored new lines on the floor. Their limbs burned, Green gasped for air and whilst Red nibbled on the sparse leaves sprouting from his back.

Running was impossible. His legs refused to obey him any longer and if he opened his jaws to speak, he accidentally spat fire and burnt the fur framing the guild master's face.

"The initial step is to gain mastery over your limbs before breathing fire, shooting razor leaves or doing whatever pokemon are supposed to do." Wigglytuff explained and handed them restorative seeds. The sun continued its arc across the vividly blue sky. "As you noted, if you cannot handle yourself, you will expend extra energy and tire easily. In the state you are now, fighting and defending yourself is out of the question." Red pouted unhappily; his bulb tingled disagreeably whilst Green's tail thumped dejectedly against the blackened wood. "I'm sure Manectric told you that you need to secure accommodations by the end of the week?" The duo sluggishly nodded, "I'll help you, by tonight, you are moving out of the guild...Lest I feel tempted to introduce Red to the basement again." The grass type crawled backwards, unappreciative of the crude joke. Crimson eyes glared. "Anyway, we are done for today, I want you two to come in and spend some time to train your minds and bodies. Before your first trial, you should have complete mastery of your element." Wiggly sniffed the air and recoiled. "Green, you stink like brimstone..." the balloon pokemon's mouth curled wolfishly when the charmander slunk backwards. "I suppose a bath is out of the question, so how would you clean yourself?"

Green balked, his head whirred and he spat a feeble excuse, "...If I don't stay long enough in the water, I'll survive."

Wiggly joined the duo on the scratched ground. "Of course you will survive; as a living corpse." The master mocked and the lizard fumed, "water is toxic to fire types, you take a bath and you will spend the next week with ash and soot pouring out of your nose. Red will get stronger after spending time in water; he needs plentiful water and sunlight. You have to start thinking like a beast," Wiggly clicked his tongue, "what did your pokemon do in order to clean itself?" Green imagined his pokemon close to him; he observed them as they licked themselves clean.

His expression rearranged to show revulsion.

"I...Have to lick myself?" In the background, Red chuckled and Green's reptilian eyes narrowed into pinpricks. "Shut it or else I'll light your bulb on fire." He lowly threatened and the sniggering died immediately. Wiggly grinned, showing a mouthful of teeth and Charmander breathed pressurized steam. The fire type eyed himself, bile rose into his throat when creased skin shone with sweat. Glancing at the wigglytuff, who nodded encouragingly, Green dazedly lifted his forelimb and brought it closer to his mouth. Screwing his eyes shut and pretending not to hear his companion choking on laughter, he experimentally licked himself. A rough tongue rasped over warm, leathery skin. To his pleasant surprise, Green tasted cinnamon, charcoal and the singeing flavor of smoked honey. Drawing away, he blinked. "I taste like burnt honey," he informed and Wiggly threw him a knowing grin. Hearing this, Red shuffled forward, demanding for a taste and sardonically, charmander offered his arm. "Go ahead," he taunted, "And burn your tongue off while you're at it." Frowning, a single razor edged leaf struck Green square on his forehead and bulbasaur stalked off. "I guess I could clean myself like this, it's not so ba-"

"Hope you get covered in murky swamp mud." Red muttered darkly and propped on the window sill.

Green exhaled tiredly. "You could raid a combee nest if you want honey." His friend perked. "No Red!" the charmander hurriedly stated, "I was just joking! Che. Let's get a move on; we still have to find a place to stay in."

Evening

Treasure Town

Residential Area

Bulbasaur waddled behind the guild master; the pink beast led them through leaf littered streets. The residential area lay to the west of the village square and paths branched from the guild, snaking to the rest of the town. Ambling across stone tiles, the trio crossed a bridge and walked around a huge park. Red eyed the monsters wistfully, a handful of grass types played there, tumbling over each other and screaming happily as they dodged a spray of water spewing from a gigantic, marble fountain. In front of them, Wigglytuff imparted snippets of advice and Green listened to them intently, Red allowed the tips to go through one ear and come out of the other; instead, he piloted his attention to the ancient, crumbling buildings and vaulted arches. A string of colorful banners hung high in the air and multicolored bloodstains decorated the edges of dilapidated corner stones. Pokemon rushed to their destinations and an alien cadence resonated around Bulbasaur. At times, he thought of himself as human, but a good look at his body told him otherwise. Monsters, four legged and winged, shouted greetings and he understood them all. How bizarre. Did Green feel the same way? He pondered and ran to catch up to the waiting duo, his best friend sent him an enquiring look and Red shook his head dismissively.

"It's nothing," he answered when Green pressed for details.

What was their purpose for coming here? Why did Wiggly want to use him for a necessary sacrifice? What is the meaning of the symbol hanging around a leather cord on the guild master's neck? The crest showed an outline of what appeared to be a golden and black skull. On further scrutiny, it looked vaguely like Giratina's head...As Red delved deeper into his thoughts and aimed to sort the mysteries commanding his attention, a lighthearted shout prompted him snap up. They alighted before a modest, three story building. Paint flaked off the domicile and from the balcony on the third floor; Red detected the unimpressed form of a sleek absol staring at them with a pair of golden, simmering irises. It disappeared from its perch and rematerialized at the entrance of the condominium. As shadows pulled away from its body, Red noticed a string of bleached skeletons around its neck. Tiny bones rattled against each other whilst pastel seashells and uncut gems wound the creature's horn. "Grandmaster, you are well aware that I prefer to stay alone." Absol intoned in a tone dripping with unfriendliness. Wiggly beamed at her and disgruntled, she stepped back. The pink beast thereafter introduced the dour faced absol to the rest of them.

"Layla," Red chirped, his smile forced the setting sun to shine brighter, "what a lovely name." She eyed him like a bag of compost. Green curtly introduced himself and his tail twitched. He did not like the way she studied him.

"Guild master..." Layla broke off, her horn tingled, she screwed her eyes shut and endured the pain till it ebbed. Giving the scruffy floor an irritated scrape, she raised her head and continued. "My paws are already full with work and going through the trials, I don't have time to look after these newcomers. If they want cheap accommodation, there are plenty of plac-"

"Yes, but this is the cheapest apartment right?" The master grinned, "no one wants to stay here because you force them away. These guys have no money and they desperately need a place to stay, so do me a favor will you? Just show them the ropes and they will take care of themselves..." Wigglytuff trailed off and followed Layla's line of sight, she peered intently and her face scrunched into mild distaste. In the middle of the street, Red and Green chased after a combee. "Ahahaha! They are a bit playful no? Let me get them and everything will go smoothly." Wiggly sheepishly declared and she arced an eyebrow.

I hope so. Her eyes smoldered like orange coals.

On the street, Green agreed with Red that the rapidly fluttering combee will provide for excellent target practice. Thus, the two whaled on it gleefully. The distressed patron swung between arcs of embers and a torrent of razor leaves. It screeched at them helplessly till it spied Wiggly making a beeline towards them. Flying out of reach, Combee perched on the master's head and piteously complained of its smoking wings. Exhaling, Wiggly eyed the duo and jerked his chin at the building with peeling paint. At the gate, Absol stood guard, daring them to step closer to her domain.

"If looks could kill," Red lazily drawled and plopped on the grass, "I'd be dead several times over. Layla there has killer looks..." he frowned thoughtfully, "and that's a feat because Green is no slacker in that department." Overcome with fatigue, the plant type splayed on the ground, Green nudged him with a claw and implored him to go. "Yeah, yeah, I get it." Pushing up with much difficulty, he slogged after Oak who stalked past Layla with his head held high; his smooth, bald head did not even reach her chest. Feeling rather humiliated, Charmander's tail dropped when he entered the condominium. Red paused in his journey and flashed the landlady another grin. She snorted, narrowed her amber eyes and padded right past him. The crimson eyed beast crouched at the threshold and bid Wiggly goodbye as the fuchsia beast handed him a large sack of supplies. "Thanks for not killing me and for these goodies." Bulbasaur added and waited till Wiggly vanished. The master winked, waved and his form melted into dying sunlight.

"RED!" Yelled his best friend, "Get yourself in here!"

Dragging the bag behind him, Bulbasaur received a pleasant surprise when he entered the first floor. A kitchen...Or what appeared as one, opened in front of him; tucked in a corner were a large sink and several steps away from it, a crumbling heath with a cast iron pot, hung over blackened logs. The tiled floor was spotless. Opposite the kitchen, lay a huge bathhouse and Red squealed in delight whilst Oak sulked and sniffed himself. Layla descended from the top floors and grumpily ordered them to come up. Climbing the stairs proved to be agonizing. The duo puffed for breath, whilst Absol waited at a landing and barked at them to hurry.

"Coming…cute lady…" Red wheezed from the middle of the stairs.

An instantaneous transformation occurred. Layla growled, her fur puffed and hackles rose. Alarmed, Bulbasaur flailed, taking measured steps backwards. Absol prowled closer and pushed her snarling face right up to his trembling one. "Don't." She spat, "You dare call me cute." Red gulped and nodded frantically, in the periphery of his vision, Green quaked in fear, "And if I hear any affectionate endearments from you, I shall bite your bulb off." She threatened, Red flinched at the sight of her magnificent, ivory canines and wondered how much they would hurt if she went ballistic on him. Very much, his mind offered and wisely, he shut his mouth. "I promised Wiggly that I will let you and your friend stay here, but if you test my patience, I will leave you to fend for you own." Red bopped his head some more and Green's tail became an orange blur. "Here in Gehenna, you cannot survive on your own, you need to depend on others and if you breach my trust, I'll leave you both high and dry." Absol drew away and Bulbasaur exhaled in relief. "Hopefully, you both understand." Conch shells gleaming on her horn, she climbed the stairs and waited for them to catch up.

Red lined up with Green and voiced: "Guess my offer of friendship was violently crushed." Oak sent him a fleeting grimace, his friend was a special brand of dumb. "Should I call her Sparks instead? Names have properties to shape the personality you know," the grass type nodded sagely to himself and Green's tail dropped, Red's sagely knowledge warranted an early death. "Perhaps her perpetually dark mood might morph into a sparkly one huh? What do you say?-"

"HURRY UP!" Layla screeched from the second floor.

Guess he won't be naming her Sparks anytime soon.

When they crawled to the second story, another surprise waited for them. A short hallway branched to two individual rooms, each decorated beautifully in their element. Layla nodded to them, "these are your rooms, I suggest you unpack the stuff the guild master gave you and make yourself comfortable. If you have more time and stamina," her lips curled as she spoke, "you may take a look at the third floor. My room is up there and there is a large veranda you can use to catch the breeze or sun yourself." Absol stalked away and Red entered his room, thankful for an opulent space. A thick carpet of living grass crunched underfoot and the corner held logs piled on top of each other. Large vases and bamboo poles dotted the floor space; the posts crawled with thick vines bearing fruit and flowers. In the middle, a wooden table held a basin of water and several plates stacked high with aromatic plants. Dumping the sack on the floor, Red retrieved a notebook, some gummis and a few discs. Not knowing what to do with them, he dumped them on the table and dragged the sack to Green's chamber. Similarly to Bulbasaur's room, Oak's chamber consisted of fire baked bricks forming a colorful mosaic pattern on the ground. Circular windows cut in the walls and a giant fireplace dominated one side. Apparently it served as a bed because Red found the charmander happily rubbing its face against a still burning log.

Green noticed Red and quickly shoved the log back into his fiery bed; he walked out of the stone hearth and dusted his coat free of ash. Bulbasaur showed him the sack full of straw and asked what to do with it, rifling through the dead stalks and retrieving a charcoal slate, Green shrugged when his companion sent him a questioning look. Placing the slate on the stone table, Oak dragged the straw filled sack to a little corner filled with logs, sawdust and other combustible materials. Leaving the sack there, the duo decided to pay Layla a visit.

"What if she's asleep?" Red worriedly queried as they huffed up the stairs.

"Red...Now is not the time to worry about what if's...After you." Green smoothly delivered and patiently waited for his comrade to haul up the staircase. Red glared at him angrily and after sucking a deep breath, he timidly knocked on the door. The rocky gate flew open and the two visibly recoiled on seeing her. "Hello Layla." Green hurriedly greeted when her expression worsened, "we came to thank you for the rooms, they are beautiful and perfect for us." He suavely voiced and tightly smiled. Her plummy visage mellowed and she moved aside to let them in. Meekly, the duo crept into her room and Red soundlessly gasped at the interior. The floor sloped in places and a nest of sable rocks served as a sleeping place. She explained mountainous regions suited her kind. "I see," Oak surveyed the room whilst his best friend scuttled off to explore. "It makes sense and the minimalism in your room is rather nice." He rotated and almost screamed when a bleached skull collection hung on the far wall. "I like your...Art gallery," he feebly grinned and turned to avoid staring at skulls. "I have a question...I received a slate from Wigglytuff and I have no idea what to do with it," He pointed to her slate, a large slab of rock leaning under a crude, square window.

The absol stopped staring at Red who seized the opportunity to roll small stones across the uneven surface of the ground. "You have claws don't you?" She pointed to his paws, "you must sharpen your tips or else they will get dull and therefore be useless in combat." Layla suppressed a yawn. "I will show you the balcony tomorrow if you wish. Right now, we are all tired so let's rest for tonight."

Oak nodded and paused when Red wilted to the uneven floor. Panic welled in his chest as the morning's events replayed in his mind. He sent her an apologetic look but she graced him with a rare smile. Green blinked and the grin vanished, the dark type prowled to Red and raised a paw to nudge him awake, "I'll take him," Charmander declared a bit too quickly, "don't wake him up, Red's been through a lot his morning." Green strode to the peacefully slumbering grass pokemon and wrinkled his nose. Gingerly picking his friend, he dipped his head to Layla and climbed down to the second floor.

With a mighty heave, he tossed Red through the air and waited for him to land safely in the nest of grass. Instead, Red's bulb came loose; he spun in the air and fell on his back.

"The hell!" Layla jumped when the fire type bellowed on the floor below. "What is wrong with you? Can't you even land properly in your own bed?" Charmander's incensed grunts intermingled with Bulbasaur's mellow chuckles. "Not funny Red!" Green ranted, "Not funny at-"

"GO TO SLEEP!" Layla cut in Oak's screaming and a satisfied grin played on her lips on hearing the dragon yelp. She then heard Bulbasaur's inane snickering and chuckling, a few curse words and another hiss of pain before the night peacefully stilled.

A/N: *Sadly stirs a cup of lukewarm hot chocolate*

To all the readers, thanks for reading my story, may this second chapter soothe your souls.

To all the reviewers, thanks for the warnings. My review section looks like a battleground but heh, publicity right? At Setriel: Your review warmed up my cocoa :D Thanks. At Jack54311: I'm so happy to see you. Direct sequel, won't that go down the living people's route? But Spiritual sequel kinda sounds awesome don't you think?

Once again, I'd like feedback (the nonthreatening kind if you will). And constructive criticism is always appreciated, without the biting and stinging words please. And virtual chocolate cookies for everyone (unless someone prefers cake). Questions are also welcome, I don't bite, unless you're made of chocolate.