Author's Note: Hey people! I'm happy to announce this story will be updated again! Yay! Thanks everyone!
Silence hung heavy in their air with so much weight it seemed tangible. No one spoke. No one moved. I hardly dared to breathe; I don't think I could've if I tried. I had no clue what the hell a Time Gear was, but Chatot said he just saw Tsuki… But I'm right here. Could it be that... I'm not the Daughter of Darkness? But I was so sure. I don't have a mark though. But I remembered those moves while I was chained up. Maybe I just learned them naturally…
"Where was the Time Gear?" Sage finally shattered the silence with a gruff request, so hesitant it was almost like he was bleating.
Chatot cleared this throat before he spoke. "The Time Gear was from Fogbound Lake. I was visiting Uxie, the guardian of the Time Gear, when she came."
"W-what about time? Has it truly stopped?" the Linoone voiced with much uncertainty.
Despair weighted Chatot's eyes has he held the Linoone's unsteady gaze. When the weight of letting the Time Gear slip away was too much to bear, he lowered his head in solemn defeat. The entire guild pretended not to notice the three feathers that fell like tears from Chatot's body.
Can time stop? I tried to make sense of the Linoone's words. Has time stopped in Fogbound Lake? It must've, or Chatot wouldn't be so guilty right now… Time Gears… The word rang through my mind, vibrating through my mind as it echoed in my memories. I knew what Time Gears were… They must have been significant to me or the word wouldn't taunt me as much as it does now.
"What are Time Gears?" I whispered to Stamp, trying to blend with the piercing silence. Chatot overheard me though and he raised his weary head to meet my curious question. I scrutinized his eyes, digging through those mixed emotions to see what he was feeling. Memories, as he relived them over and over again, were vivid as sunlight. Memories of Time Gears, of Wigglytuff's Guild, of Tsuki… they were all there. He wasn't trying to hide them; hide from them was more likely.
"Time Gears," Chatot began, "are the gears of time. They protect time and keep it flowing smoothly in their region. They are hidden in secret places in the world, all of them located in the Pax region."
"The Pax region?" I echoed.
Chatot nodded. "Of course. You have heard of the other regions, haven't you? There's Unova, Almia, Johto, Oblivia, you get the idea. But this region, the Pax region, is where we are located. This region is unknown to most humans, but a few stray ones will wonder by every now and again. Time Gears keep time running for all the worlds but the ones that stabilize Paradise are here. The reason being would be that humans don't come here. Just like the lost portal to the World of the Deceased, humans have a tendency to break things without even realizing it.
Even in the Pax region though, the Time Gears are hidden. Like in a forest… or an under ground lake. I've even heard that there is one hidden inside a volcano."
"But what happens if a region looses its Time Gear?" I asked, already knowing the answer. What was I expecting? Chatot to say 'nothing'?
"For decades that was a question that was left unanswered… Until 65 years ago, that is." Chatot's voice resided into pain as he looked away from me and turned to look out the large window in the center of the room. I could sense the guild becoming intrigued. Beside Chatot, I noticed Sage tensed up, while beside me Stamp's eyes glistened with curiosity. I looked behind me to see the faces of the guild members all leaning forward a little, desperate to know what happened. Could it be that Chatot has never mentioned an incident that took place 65 years ago? Is that event nothing more than whispers now? Rumors that have never been confirmed?
Chatot found the strength to look back at me. "Time freezes in its region when you remove its Time Gear."
The guild held their breath in suspense, waiting for Chatot to go on. I looked over at Axel who eyed Chatot with thirst for the knowledge clearly evident. Sage twitched with impatience and so did I.
But Chatot withheld.
"What are you all looking at me for?" Chatot snapped with sudden anger that made me recoil. I straightened up almost immediately and took a step forward. I opened my mouth to persist and refuse to let the subject drop but Chatot met my gaze. He was looking at me with desperation, begging me not to ask, his weariness shrouding his anger. I held my tongue and didn't miss Chatot's shoulders slum in relief.
Slowly I sat down. Confusion hummed through the guild members but no one dared to voice a complaint. "Tsuki must be captured at all costs!" Chatot's voice boomed over the guild members silencing them at once. Sage leapt back to his spot beside me. "The Exploration Teams will turn all their attention towards capturing Tsuki. Apprentices will take care of the jobs on the Bulletin Board."
All the guild members exchanged uneasy glances. "Time for the morning cheers everyone!" Chatot tried to urge them with feigned enthusiasm.
Silence met Chatot's request. He flapped his wings in frustration. "Time for morning cheers everyone," he snarled with menace. Stamp was the first to lead the guild.
"One, don't shirk work," Stamp began with awkward uncomfort.
The Linoone joined in to save Stamp with a little shimmer of enthusiasm. "Two! Run away and-"
"Pay." Thorna finished while flashing a smile to the Linoone.
A Poochyena and Zeal joined in for the third line. "Three!"
"SMILES GO FOR MILES!" everyone cheered at once, even Sage had joined in at that point. I laughed to myself at how heartwarmingly corny their unity was. It was cute but also a little goober. For some reason, I liked it though. Smiles go for miles… I like that saying. I remembered reading it somewhere. It wasn't long ago either. That was written on that sign wasn't it? In Wigglytuff's Guild? I smiled to myself at the thought of Chatot holding that tradition and saying up. I still felt incredibly uneasy though, without Illu by my side.
The guild members dispersed, each doing their assigned jobs and creating a friendly buzz of chatter. I stole a glance at Chatot who seemed to be relieved everyone was leaving. I hesitated on whether or not I should approach him but decided to go for it because he knew where Illu was.
As I approached him, he sighed and rolled his eyes at me. "For the loveof Arceus," Chatot sighed with much exasperation. "What do you want now?"
"For one thing, I don't know if I'm an apprentice or a member of a team, and second, my best friend-" I stopped myself short. Did I really just say that? My best friend? I cleared my throat. "My best friend is chained up and since there is nothing wrong with me, I'd like to know where he is." As I spoke, I threw in some mock politeness and threw in a bright smile.
"I don't care for your attitude, Taiyo," he narrowed his eyes with warning. "Hasn't anyone taught you to respect authority?"
"Just tell me where Illu is," I said with apathy towards his challenge.
Chatot hesitated for a moment before turning away. I opened my mouth to argue when I noticed he was looking towards Axel who was edgily observing us. Chatot motioned Axel to come over to Chatot. For a moment, it seemed like he wouldn't accede but Chatot furiously motioned again. Reluctantly, Axel trudged over while avoiding my eyes. The two exchanged whispers not meant for my ears, but a few stray words drifted over.
"Time Gears… frozen… tell her…" was all I managed to catch from the hushed voices. Too suddenly, it fit together. Everything fell into its rightful place, and the truth stabbed me deeper than any wound. I stumbled backwards and crouched to the floor. I flattened my ears against my head to block out the truth, to just shut up my mind. But it was too late. I knew the truth.
Illu was frozen in time.
It made perfect sense… They were taking him away to chain him up maybe or to interrogate him about me… They needed somewhere hidden, a secret location. A place so removed from the public's mind that you could hide a Time Gear there. How could they have known the Time Gear would be stolen? Illu was probably chained up and then unable to escape. The time lapse swallowed him whole. And they left him there.
"How could you?" I breathed as I stood up. I snapped my head upwards to glare right into Chatot's eyes. "How could you abandon him in a time lapse!"
Axel never met my eyes and Chatot turned away in regret. "What kind of guild master leaves a member of their guild frozen in time!" I watched with relief as some of my pain was burdened onto Chatot. I knew I hit him where it hurts. I couldn't stop myself though. "What kind of guild member just lets every member of their guild die? Maybe Wigglytuff's Guild would still be standing if you weren't so weak! You were right there, Chatot! You could've stopped her!"
Chatot snapped his head to face me. The look on his face was one I could never forget, even if I got amnesia again. I sucked in a sharp breath, immediately realizing what I had done. More feathers drifted off of his body leaving behind bald spots. Chatot's eyes were red and blood shot and tears streamed down his cheeks. Through his depression though, there was rage and hatred that burned brighter than the sun. I stabbed him right through the chest with those words which were false testimony. I was there when Chatot was knocked into darkness at the beginning. There was nothing he could have done, but I couldn't help but voice his fears. Solidify his guilt.
For a moment, our eyes met. My rage melted away like ice thrown into a fireplace and turned into regret. I just couldn't stop myself from saying those terrible things… Chatot was trying to piece together something to say to be in response but he broke could not say anything. He suppressed his sobs but they still made him flinch. I stole a look to Axel who's normally passive demeanor was shattered only to be replaced by burning with hatred as he glared at me.
"Chatot," I tried to search for something to say, but what can you say to that? "I-I'm sorry, it just slipped out…" I cursed myself for being so pathetic. "I know that's not true but-"
Chatot raised his wing to silence me. "Just, please. Stop."
I bowed my head and took a step back. I wanted to join an Exploration Team to try to account for my sins but I just ripped out Chatot's heart with one blow. I guess I truly am the Daughter of Darkness... It was time for me to leave. At least for now. Without looking at Chatot or Axel, I slinked over to the pool. I peered at my reflection in the still water.
The face of an eevee stared up at me. I took in my round eevee face, long, almost floppy, ears, chestnut fur, cream fur collar, large blue eyes… The fur at the back of my neck was still roughed up from the mystery dungeon although most of it had grown back. Flecks of rust from the chains spotted my fur and weariness clearly hung onto my eye lids.
But this pool wasn't a mirror; it was a portal.
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I jumped into the water with one command in my mind. Take me to Illu.