Marciel and Anne stood on the waterfall overlooking Valor. To Marciel, it seemed like a mystic sight at first, but now to him it was a horrid one. He had released something he shouldn't have, but didn't know what it was or what it would do.
He felt like a pokemon that had just used the move metronome.
"Ugh, this is all my fault..." Anne started talking as Marciel looked over surprised. "I never trusted those two, but I never talked about it. Smith was the one who told me the park may have some secrets for explorers, I should have warned you, or..."
"No, do not speak like that to yourself. Coming to Valor was a trap they set up for me. They knew only I would be able to find the place they needed in Valor, and used me to do it." Marciel looked back to the city. "It's a beautiful place, Anne. I'm sorry that you are being forced to leave it."
"We'll be back for it. Let's go." Anne turned around with Marciel following suite. "Any hints on what to do from here?"
"Yes, there's someone we need to find. He's a very powerful explorer although almost no one knows him. He's actually just as powerful as me but works far more discretely, honestly making him better than myself." Marciel began leading the way as he spoke with Anne following trustingly.
"Hm, who is this guy?" Anne asked jogging for a second after walking slower from his thoughts.
"His name's Kite. I think you'll take quite a liking to him. His personality will suit you VERY well I imagine." Anne didn't interrupt to Marciel's surprise. She seemed rather lax about it. "His location is always moving of course, but I know where he'll be next. We are to meet him at a place named Verde Village. He's going there to research something new he's found."
"Is he alone?" Anne asked concerned.
"Us explorers often travel alone and explore together. However, I tend to break this trend by doing half and half. I travel together and alone, and explore together and alone. Now then, Verde village is a two hour trip from here, and Kite is going to arrive there either later today or early tomorrow. I'd say we can take our time but they will undoubtedly turn us into outlaws in the public eye. We'd best move quickly until we're further away."
They continued onward silently for about an hour. Marciel was studying how Anne was reacting to her new situation, as she was almost concernedly calm. Either she was in partial denial about it, or something was terribly wrong about she honestly felt about her position as the overlord rank.
"I estimate we are from danger now." Marciel said slowly to not surprise her.
"Then let's try to get there faster. The more certainty we're going to see him, the better." Anne responded flatly.
Marciel was disturbed that he couldn't find a reaction that revealed her real thoughts and feelings. He typically found it easy to see through explorers he had been with, but she was different. She acted casual but was very discrete. All he could do was hope that Kite would be able to see through her.
"When do you desire to arrive there?" Marciel asked.
"As soon as possible." She answered with a slight but well-hidden impatience.
"We can make it there actually in just an hour, but we would require taking a difficult route. Shall we?" Marciel paused walking on looked to her for a definite answer.
"Yes." She nodded simultaneously.
"Alright, follow me." Marciel took a sudden left. "The forest we're going through is dangerous because of there being a multitude of high level bandits. Be on guard and we should not meet any danger."
Marciel could feel the irritation when the path they were on stayed as a forest, seeming to go on forever. Around Valor was a never ending sea of trees on all sides except for one, the side leading straight to Verity. The area between them was called the Neon plains, as Verity had once been nicknamed Neo and Valor nicknamed Eon. They combined the nicknames and as glowing almost mystical grass filled the area, found it fitting. It was like each blade of grass was glowing with power.
"Halt." Marciel ordered Anne quietly.
Marciel paused in a position for a minute. He waited as a group of rough looking pokemon slowly surrounded them attempting to hide in the bushes. He could tell Anne could see right through it as well. Trying to be peaceful, Marciel waited to see if they would move aggressively first. He only battled in self-defense and leisure occasionally with other explorers, never for aggressive purposes.
Slowly, the group of five pokemon uncovered themselves. The group was made up of a Mightyena, Beedrill, Cacturne, Electrike, and Noctowl.
"Good afternoon." Marciel greeted causing Anne to roll her eyes.
"IT'S MARCIEL!, SCATTER!" All of them gasped at the Beedrill and ran in different directions, with Cacturne tripping just before reaching out of sight.
"Lucky, wish they'd do that for me in the city when I show up… What exactly makes you so known around these guys?" Anne asked.
"Well, that is my usual greeting to anyone I meet. If they are attackers, I suppose the greeting would stick with them if they associate it with a negative enough memory." Marciel began walking again as he spoke.
"I've never heard of you before today, how is that possible?" Anne asked herself. Although Marciel heard it, he decided not answer since the question wasn't directed towards himself.
Throughout the rest of their trek similar events happened, with them becoming surrounded. However, all of these times they immediately fled before confronting the pair. Overall, they began to ignore them and didn't pause and wait.
As expected, they arrived at the village in thirty minutes, but Marciel noticed Anne hadn't recognized it yet.
"We have arrived." Marciel sweat dropped.
"Wait….. This is Verde village?" Anne looked around noticing very small holes in the trees that could be houses.
"Yes. The homes here are spaced out and small. This place blends in with the woods, existing secretly from both Valor and Verity." Marciel explained.
"But if neither knows, then what holds back the bandits?" Anne showed huge concern. Marciel could see that her position in the Association would naturally make her this way. He finally had a little insight into her personality.
"Powerful pokemon live here Anne. Among them are retired pokemon from the Nightlight Association, residents with more than a little battle experience, and even my first mentor took me in here. Overall, the bandits actually fear this place." Marciel sat down beside a tree with Anne following his example.
"For my early years this served as a home to return to from expeditions. I still visit from time to time, alone with Kite, who I met here."
"Why are you searching for Kite?" Anne questioned.
"For one, he is the most powerful ally possible. I also believe he is connected to what was written on the wall, although I am not certain how." Marciel noticeably put his head back on the tree. "Rest for now, Kite will notice us when he arrives."
"Sorry, but I have one last question that really bothers me….." Anne hinted.
"Yes?" Marciel replied.
"Why are you called 'The Dragon-Winged Butterfree'?" She asked excitedly.
"It has to do with my wings during combat. It would be easier to show you at a later time than to explain." Marciel still remained in his spot.
From there she just silently sat there wondering more about Marciel. His wings seemed slightly larger than other Butterfree, and his green scarf looked as if it was made out of grass, but besides these two things he seemed almost like a normal teenager in appearance. If there's one thing she was eager to learn about Marciel, it's his fighting ability.
And she wanted to learn how he fought firsthand.
"It appears I am early, I may even be able to see him…" A lone Jirachi traveled quickly through the dense forest. On his back he had a white cape that flowed neatly as he went.
"It's so good to be home…" He looked around his slightly different surroundings with a smile. The trees had small openings in the trunks for houses, one of which he grew up in. He gasped when the view of green was interrupted by a slight purple.
"M-Marcy… He said he couldn't come this time…." The Jirachi approached him and saw a fairy-resembling pokemon asleep near him with long red ears.
"Hmmmmm…." The Jirachi shook Marciel awake, and he woke up quickly and silently.
"I thought you said that you were going to Valor." He whispered in his ear.
"Yes, I did Kite. A shortened version is that I found something that connects our research." Marciel whispered back.
"Oh, this good news for us! I can't wait to work on another page of the history books with you!" Kite smiled forgetting about the sleeping pokemon near Marciel.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Marcy, I got carried away….." Kite covered his mouth.
"Well, it's time we began moving now." Marciel almost complained. "Although we can be safe here I'm afraid for another place's safety that depends on this mission."
"Oh, I understand you like to be secretive, but I will demand an explanation after this….. So, are you going to introduce me?!" Kite asked excitedly.
"I would, but it seems you did not wake her." Marciel half sighed.
"That's troublesome… Is she lacking rest?" Kite looked over to her and back to Marciel.
"Well, she….. Did you just assume?" Marciel paused.
"Assume what?" Kite pondered.
"Did you assume this Victini was female?" Marciel asked.
"Well, I suppose so. I'm not quite sure what the topic of the question is….." Kite sighed with slight irritation.
"Well, let me elaborate. You just assumed her gender." Marciel tilted his head slightly in Anne's direction.
"Yes?" Kite nodded.
"Well, would you want anyone to assume your gender?" Marciel asked.
"Yes, it sounds like a fun game! Which gender would you assume me to be Marciel?" Kite lightly clapped his hands together.
"Kite, disregard this conversation…." Marciel sighed.
"Aw, alright then." Kite sighed almost exactly like Marciel.
"Will she be accompanying us?" Kite regained his sense of the main topic.
"No, she will not be accompanying us to this place of research. She will remain here in the village until our work is done. Exploring would be too new to her, and with us unnecessary for her to learn. Do tell, what is the time?" Marciel looked up having his vision of the sky completely blocked by trees. He could easily fly and check, but doesn't want to wake Anne.
"It just turned sunset. Hm, a brutal choice. We can either go tonight or go tomorrow….. Up to you Marcy." Kite nodded.
"Let us go now. We will explore for the duration of the night. Tell me, where is it that you are researching?" Marciel while looking at Anne. "And, and I've already set up for her to be taken in for the night, let us begin moving now." They both nodded and Marciel allowed Kite to lead.
"I further deciphered the glyphs we found at the cave by the seaside. They say that deadly news lies in an underground tower, not far from Verde village. One of the village children here actually helped me locate it. But Marcy….." Kite's voice grew into a sad tone. "The place is filled with traps, every last one deadly. There were… The traps were rather unsightly at the entrance. I barely guarded the child's eyes in time. Not only are they crude, but they're ingenious."
"This speech again Kite. We know danger, the only difference now being the importance of what we do, but I will speak to you about this later. Now, the traps, were they Acuitan?" Marciel asked as they jogged at incredible speeds effortlessly.
"Yes, they were certainly Acuitan. It seems like with this that ancient kingdom used all of their ingenuity in one place. The full brunt of their power lies in wait for us, as if the ancients would rather their descendants fall than continue unworthy. The very tree that has-"
"You mock how I speak again?" Marciel cut Kite off.
"Yes! You are very good on picking up when I'm copying you!" Kite absentmindedly smiled at him.
"Assuming gender, mocking accents... I wonder about you Kite." Marciel sweat dropped.
"I'm not mocking your slight accent, that's just a hint. I was referring to how you sometimes tend to ramble if you remain on a topic in a conversation for too long. You know, I'm sure that is a trait popular with females." Kite wondered aloud.
"I do not see the logic in that statement, and I do not desire to. Kite, where is-"
"Right here." They both paused immediately as Kite checked the area. The scenery hadn't changed from the usual forest, but Kite was certain of its location.
"Alright, you ready?" Kite asked suddenly serious rather than laid-back. Marciel nodded still in a casual disposition.
Kite tapped his foot on the ground roughly and they both began falling. They both landed with a quick thud and Marciel sighed yet again.
"I'm too used to suddenly falling down pits for my liking." Marciel dusted himself off. He saw the place they were in had a very similar layout to the Acuitan temple in Valor, but instead they were in a hallway.
"Well, continue with how your life is now and that can be your signature move." Kite winked.
"And if you went here without me, I suppose being burned in an inferno would be yours." Marciel flapped his wings stopping a torrent of fire from hitting Kite from behind. He barely turned in time to see the flames dissipate.
"How'd you see that?" Kite asked casually.
"The copper wires everywhere stemming from the wall lead in that direction…. Goodness, the copper wires everywhere lead in that direction. Let us take the other route…" Marciel immediately turned around to be stopped by Kite's hand.
"Well, I think we should try way the wires lead, since they are obviously trying to push in this direction. We can also break the wires to disable some-"
Kite was interrupted when iron lances shot in front of Marciel, barely grazing his head. They stuck in the wall making a reverberating sound as the poles shook.
"Oh, and we'll be sure to throw this rock down the hallways we go into…" Kite sweat dropped.
"I am surprised you would not rather throw me." Marciel replied as Kite prepared to throw.
"Why is that?" Kite asked throwing the brown rock. It tumbled down the hallway with no other sounds and they both began down the hallway.
"Well, you seem to be occasionally vexed by me in places like this." Marciel said.
"Oh yes, definitely when you save my life. Those moments are especially annoying…." Kite looked around realizing he had forgotten to break the copper wires. He used a swift attack sending stars to cut them cleanly in reply to his own thoughts.
"Well, I suppose it's just me then." Marciel looked behind them to see that as if replying to the wires being cut, a wall of spikes began to slowly approach them with a slow rumble.
"Well, flapping my wings at such won't be as effective, and we don't want to ruin this place by destroying it." Marciel noted as they both watched the wall approach. They both nodded to each other as Kite kicked the rock further down the hallway, which was still clear of traps. Although the wall was approaching slowly they moved quickly to lower any risk they had.
"Left up ahead!" Kite pointed once they approached the end of the hallway. They quickly reeled around and watched as the wall at the end of the hallway. By design, Marciel could see the wall had holes in it, so it seemed like this had happened before.
"Marciel, I think we just found a stone cold no to our hypothesis about Acuity…"
Marciel slowly turned as Kite spoke quietly. He saw an enormous temple with a pal flat rock for a sky, surrounded by vines and with an entire plain of grass separating them from it. The outside of it had rusted gears and the walls seemed to be made from a gold-like substance, and light snuck in on the scene from various places above making the entire place visible.
"Acuity was no small place….."