Oh god. Sorry for lack of updates. School happened. I'm actually on my way out to work again and then I have a wedding tomorrow so here's Chapter 9 really quick while I have the chance to post. So so sorry to any readers who were waiting so patiently for the update! 3
Enjoy!
Instead of being assaulted by sudden sunlight, like Team Searchlights had geared themselves up for (by Lora and Lamperé tightly closing their eyes, the latter also ceasing her light, and Cendre covering his eyes), the teams were greeted by a pitch black sky with a moon idly hanging in it above them.
"Whoa!" Lora shouted. "Why's it so late?"
This happened before, Cendre thought, when Lamperé and I were going through Winding Woodland. It didn't feel like it was a full day, but...seemingly it was.
"That's what happens in Mystery Dungeons," Felicia explained, lifting her tail up and placing the kids on the ground. She wrapped her tail back around Erioris, who was still knocked out on her back. "It really doesn't seem like you spend much time in there, but...you always end up spending the whole day or night in them."
"Oh," Lora answered.
"Do you think that's why we took so long in Winding Woodland, Cendre?" Lamperé asked, turning towards him.
"I think that'd be it," he replied.
"Speaking of which!" Felicia added. "You see those woods up there? That's actually Winding Woodland, but most people consider the dungeon itself to be the circle of trees south and southwest of Miza Town."
"Really-?" Cendre asked, though before he could say anything more, Nychia ran out from the cave and up to the group. He seemed to be upset by something.
I don't think now is a good time to continue asking questions... Cendre thought.
"Nychi?" Felicia asked, moving a bit closer to her teammate. "What's-"
"It's not important," he quickly replied, avoiding eye contact with her. "Let's get going back to the base, it's dangerous in these woods at night." He continued walking forward.
Felicia stood silently for a moment, not sure of what to do or even what to say. She lowered her head. "Let's go, guys." She quickly scurried ahead, to catch up with Nychia.
"Jeez, what's gotten into him?" Lora asked, starting to walk forward with the rest of her team in tow.
"I...I have no idea," Cendre answered. That's not like him at all...
Lamperé frowned. "Do you think that bat said something mean to him?"
Both Cendre and Lora looked at their Squirtle friend. "What makes you think that?" Cendre questioned.
"Oh...I dunno," Lamperé shrugged. "He just seemed really sad. I think that guy said something to him."
"I don't think he's the kinda guy that likes venting, though..." Lora added.
Definitely not, Cendre thought. "I'll ask him later about it. For right now, we shouldn't mention it."
"Alright, Cendre!" Lamperé smiled. "I knew you'd be a great leader! Just see how your acting! Even earlier today you would haveinsisted you had no idea what you were doing~."
"Ah...Really?" Cendre tilted his head. Have I changed that much? ...In one day?
"Yeah really!"
"I don't see it," Lora chimed in. "He's still the same wimpy Cyndaquil I met last night."
Frowning, he thought Well, I have to give it to Lora for being a constant source of honesty.
"Cendre isn't wimpy!" Lamperé knitted her brow and puffed up her cheeks. "He's one of the bravest people I know!"
Sh-She can't be serious, Cendre blushed a little bit. I'm not brave in the slightest! ...Does she really think that highly of me?
"You must not know very many people, then," Lora retorted.
"What? I know a lot of people!" Lamperé replied.
"No you don't."
These two aren't arguing because of me, right?
"Yes I do!"
"Prove it."
They definitely are...
"Well," Lampere started to count on her fingers, "I know you, and Cendre, and Nychia, Erioris, Felicia, Zaomai, my Mom and Dad-"
Lora sighed. "Whatever, fine." She did a motion with her hand, moving it down in a motion towards her to match her 'whatever'. "I still think Sandy's got a lot to learn."
"C-Can you stop calling me that?" Cendre sheepishly added.
"That's the first thing that's gotta go," she bluntly stated. "Stuttering is the easiest way to look wimpy."
"I...Uh..." He tried to think of a good comeback, but nothing came to him.
"Well I think it's cute!" Lamperé crossed her arms.
Cendre's face felt warm. Oh no...
"Are you sure there's nothin' going on between you two?" Lora asked, shooting Lamperé a look of genuine confusion. "Because if there is, I won't feel like a third wheel or anything-"
"Huh? Why would a third wheel be bad?" Lamperé questioned, not understanding Lora's analogy. "If you put two in the front, and one in the back, in the middle, it'd balance itself out!"
Lora smacked her hand against her forehead. "That's not what I meant!"
Any other person watching right now would swear they were at each other's throats, Cendre thought, going from looking at Lamperé to looking at Lora, back and forth, but personally, I'm all for it, as long as Lora doesn't notice my face is all red...
Lamperé blinked, looking at Lora innocently. "Then what did you mean?"
"Do I really have to explain it?"
"Uhm..." she thought for a moment. "Yeah," Lamperé smiled.
"AGH!"
Cendre sighed, though he smiled a bit. You'd think I'd mind this, but really...I don't.
A bit ahead of them, Nychia and Felicia were walking side by side. They could hear Team Searchlights behind them talk back and forth, but they were much to far away to hear anything that Lamperé or Cendre were saying; even then, you could only distinctly hear Lora herself, not necessarily what exactly she was saying.
Felicia still didn't know what to say to Nychia, nor did Nychia know how to justify, or even properly apologize to Felicia.
Finally, after a long period of silence, the Purugly worked up the courage to say something.
"Nychi..." she began; she spoke softly, and sweetly. "Forte said something to you again, didn't he?"
Nychia paused for a moment, taking in a deep breath, then exhaling a long sigh. "Yes...He did."
"I figured you didn't wanna upset the rookies with it..." She lowered her head and her ears slightly.
"That's also true..."
"But...now that they can't hear...Can you please tell me what's wrong?"
Nychia's eyes widened. "I...I can't."
"Please tell me," Felicia frowned. "I'm really worried about you..."
He looked away from her, partially turning his head. "I'm just...beginning to question some things."
"...Like what?" Felicia asked innocently.
Looking forward again, but not looking to her, he answered "I don't need to state this, but I know that you would never feel the need to lie to me."
"Of course not!" she cried. "Why would I ever have to?"
"I suppose I'm asking, because...sometimes, I truly wonder if I'm doing the right thing." He locked eyes with her. "But...I know you and Erioris would let me know if I wasn't...right?"
Felicia, oddly enough, didn't feel put on the spot or even taken aback by his sudden question; she only felt worried. "We definitely would! Even if you started changing only a little bit, we would let you know. You're so nice, anyway. This is the last thing you would ever have to worry about." She smiled, trying to comfort him.
...Although, it didn't quite work.
"That's exactly what's bothering me, though." He looked forward once more. "I wasn't always-"
Felicia squinted, shooting Nychia a grumpy expression. "No! You're not gonna say that again! Not on my watch, mister. You were and will always be a nice person! That's final!"
"Felicia..."
"No, I'm serious! You're so much better than what you were back when you were a supposed 'meanie'." She lifted up her tail for a second while saying 'meanie', using the two splits to mimic literal air quotations that Pokémon with fingers would use. "The difference between you and someone who isn't a nice person is that they don't learn they're wrong. And that's what makes you different, Nychi. You're a nice person because you learn from what's wrong, and do what's right instead!"
After contemplating it for a moment or two, Nychia softly smiled. "You're right. Thank you."
"You're welcome!" Felicia replied, grinning. "Anything to cheer up the best team leader ever~."
He smiled a bit more. "That might be going too far."
"Nuh-uh! Not one bit!" She held her head up high.
I don't think I've ever encountered a person that radiated such optimism like her...She's truly a wonder to be around, Nychia thought. I think she's what's kept the team together for so long, because without her... He subtly frowned. No, it's because of both her and Erioris is why this team is still going. I know that if I ended up with anyone else...I would have- He stopped his train of thought. Let's not think about that...
"Nychi! Are you lost in your head again?" Felicia asked, shooting the Zangoose a grumpy expression. "I've been trying to talk to you for five minutes."
"What?" Nychia replied, snapping back to the real world. "I'm sorry, Felicia."
She sighed. "It's alright...I just worry about you a lot. ...You and Eri."
I worry about you both, too... "I understand..."
"But we shouldn't be sad, though." She said, smiling once again. "Everything'll be alright! I just know it."
Nychia returned her expression. "I'm sure it will."
Felicia's ears suddenly perked up, and so did her head. She quickly scanned the relative area.
"Did you hear something?" Nychia asked.
"Yeah...I dunno what it was, though. I think it came from the woods, but it was probably the wind or something..." She lowered her head again. "I think it's just me being really careful because we have the rookies with us and Eri is kinda knocked out..."
"You don't have to feel bad about that, you did the right thing," he replied. "If you didn't use Hypnosis on him, then I would have been-"
"I know, but..."
"Please don't worry," he smiled a bit, hoping it would get her to as well.
"...Alright." She returned his expression. "I won't~. Besides, I'm sure he understands."
"He definitely will," he replied, and the two continued to lead the way back to their home base.
A little while earlier...
"I don't even know why I stick around with you losers if this is how I'm going to spend my nights," a sharp, female voice said. "I have much better things I could be doing with my time."
"But the Bossss sssaid-" a male voice replied, though he was cut off by the female hitting him with her vine. "Ow!"
"How many times have I told you to cut that out!?" she exclaimed.
"But you know I can't help it, Valissssa," he answered.
"It's Valissa! Ugh..." She shook her head. "A name as beautiful as mine and you can't even pronounce it right."
The male grumbled to himself inaudibly, as not to further upset his acquaintance.
"Find anything, yet?" Valissa asked after a moment.
"It'sss a little hard," he replied, looking over at her, "becaussse I don't have any armsss."
She knitted her brow, then chucked an Oran berry at his head from a pile she was holding with her left vine. "Then figure something out! I'm tired of you slacking off!"
"Agh!" He frowned, rubbing his head with his tail tip. "That really hurtsss, you know..."
"Well maybe if you didn't forget the bag, then perhaps-" Valissa suddenly gasped. "Kakorio!"
"What?" he replied, slithering over to beside her.
"Do you see what I see~?" she pointed with her right vine, toward a duo of Pokémon walking down the path to Glade Town.
"Isss that...?" he questioned.
"Team Akokanon? Yes, it definitely is," Valissa smirked. "And they seem to be a man down..."
"You're not thinking of..."
"Well, why not? 3 on 2 wouldn't be too fair, but I think we're evenly matched. That and I doubt they'd be able to handle themselves without that one-trick kitty of theirs~."
"I don't know, Valissssa..." he moved back a bit, "If the bossss found out..."
She frowned. "You have a point."
"Wait! Who are they?" He gestured to behind the Zangoose and Purugly. Curiously enough, three small Pokémon were following them, all of them looking to be about the age of 13 or 14.
"Children...?" Valissa squinted. "Or more like..."
"Rookiesss?"
"Wait a moment, I know who they are," Valissa paused for a moment, deep in contemplation.
"Wait... You're right. I remember them, too. What are they doing with thossse three?"
"This is too important," she added, seemingly ignoring his question. "We should stay back and report to Oura." She turned around, beginning to slither away.
Kakorio stayed still for a moment, accessing the situation in his head.
"KAKORIO!" Valissa shouted. Taken by surprise, his head shot straight up. He couldn't help but notice that got the attention of Felicia.
Quickly slithering along next to her, he whispered "Why'd you yell at me, Valissssa? You almossst alerted usss to Team Akokanon."
"Hmph." She turned away from him. "You should have just followed me like a compliant little snake."
He frowned, though he figured arguing with her wasn't worth it. "Lead the way..."
"Don't you worry about that," she said, "because as we both know, my perfect sense of direction will get us back in no time~."
Kakorio sighed a little, then slithered off behind Valissa, heading deep into the forest.
Team Searchlights:
Cendre Tephra (San-druh Tef-rah) the Cyndaquil - Male (15)
Ability: Flash Fire
Timid nature, often lost in thought
Lamperé Lenterazine (Lam-pier-ay Len-terra-zeen) the Squirtle* - Female (14)
Ability: Torrent
Quirky nature, somewhat of a clown
Lora Lillium (Lore-ah Lil-E-um) the Cubone - Female (12)
Ability: Battle Armor
Rash nature, quick tempered
Held Item: Thick Club
Team Akokanon(Ah-co-ka-non):
Nychia Acetyl (Neh-he-ah Ah-C-till) the Zangoose - Male (21)
Ability: Toxic Boost
Adamant nature, strong willed
Erioris Nyx (Eh-ree-or-es Nicks) the Meowstic - Male (19)
Ability: Prankster
Relaxed nature, alert to sounds
Felicia Keen (Feh-lee-C-ah Keyn) the Purugly - Female (18)
Ability: Thick Fat
Naïve nature, likes to run
Team ?:
Valissa Opulent (Vah-lis-ah Ahp-pew-lent) the ? - Female (?)
Ability: ?
? nature
Kakorio Blight (Kah-core-E-oh Bluhight) the ? - Male (?)
Ability: ?
? nature
If I didn't have a snake Pokémon with Snake Speak in this story I never would have forgiven myself.
It's literally the worst thing ever to type out/read aloud but it is soooooo worth it.
