Light slowly woke up on his own and stretched himself out. He caused himself to yawn before looking around. Looking left, he checked the time from the screen on the desk next to his bag to see it was around noon.
"I suppose I should find that Dragonite... If I didn't want to look around."
Light smirked to himself opening the door quietly before proceeding.
"They probably would have the elevator under watch, but this floor should be fine..."
Light snuck on his toes to the closest door in the hallway and opened it halfway. He poked his head through to see the room was decorated green with forest like walls. Light felt a familiar aroma hit his nose and closed the door quickly.
"Bleugh... Cursed Meganium."
Light immediately turned around and opened the door parallel to it. He poked his head in halfway to see the room filled with incredibly diverse drawings. The wall looked like a starry sky along with the floor.
"Huh.."
Light closed the door and continued down the hallway to the next door. He did the same thing opening the door.
The room was covered in ornate hearts and the walls were lined with weapons. Light closed the door and slightly creeped out.
Light moved to the parallel door and opened it to see it had a bottom filled with water. It rippled slightly and showed signs of being heated.
"That looks so comfy... I hope they have hot springs."
Light continued close to the edge of the open space and opened the last door he saw. He was confused by his vision for a short moment before realizing the Dragonite was looming over him with crossed arms looking him in the eye.
"Snooping?" he raised an eyebrow.
"No," Light denied, "I'm, uh, i-investigating my surroundings, a b-bit."
"I suppose you picked up that habit elsewhere?"
Light nodded nervously.
"Well, you'll be having someone accompany you from now on for a while." he smiled, "He'll assist you in becoming familiar with your own generation."
"Is it b-bad?" Light asked.
"It's wilder one." he nodded, "So, how will you introduce yourself?"
"Eh?" Light froze.
"Well, it appears you have gone as Light for a long while. I'm sure you know by now that your birth name was Angelo, but I will respect if you continue with that name."
"I w-want to u-use Angelo." he responded immediately.
"Oh?" the Dragonite blinked, "I figured it would be a slow decision."
"It's a blessing j-just to k-know it's mine." Angelo smirked shyly.
"Well, heh." Lancelot smiled, "Let's go then. We have a social floor he's usually on at this hour."
"Social f-floor?" Angelo asked.
"You'd be surprised by how useful it is." the Dragonite shrugged, "Although you won't often find me there."
Angelo bounded after him as he started towards the elevator.
"But won't anyone recognize me if I go there?" Angelo stepped in front of him.
"The Nightlight Association knows how to keep secrets." he smirked, "That darkness that fell over the glass was an instructed Night Shade move from a high ranking Gengar. I am the only one who knows about you, though rumours are everywhere."
"Oh..."
The Dragonite stuttered a moment over different sounds.
"Wait, you want it to be public?" the Dragonite interpreted his voice, "I thought for sure my son would want to be more discrete."
"I d-don't just want to b-be underground anymroe."
"It's a choice you can't take back." Lancelot warned, "And the advantages are many. Besides, I do not plan on leaving you anytime soon or keeping you locked away."
"Advantages?" Angelo questioned curiously as the Dragonite moved past him.
"Well, for starters, finding out what's behind the masks that are used with well-known members of society." he started, "You can also grab an apple without being bothered... I haven't done that in years." he sighed.
"I suppose... " he was swayed.
"You'll have plenty of chances to deal with others later." the Dragonite promised, "He'll be waiting for us by the entrance. You won't need to bring your things anywhere for now. I had this made for you to keep everywhere, however.
Lancelot put a sort of necklace around Angelo's neck. Angelo inspected it to find it was a completely white chain with a hollow star at the end of the necklace.
"It has the basic functions of a Nightlight agents crest as well. It was made in the standard manner except for the symbol, and layered in true white gold. You can hide it in the fur of your neck."
Angelo's eyes sparked until he pulled it closer to his chest and it stayed in his scruff well. He nodded and followed the Dragonite into the elevator and watched him hit an odd pattern of buttons that made no sense to him.
"So, w-what exactly are w-we doing today?"Angelo asked. He felt the elevator start to move mid-sentence.
"The boy will accompany you throughout the Association. He'll simply be showing you around for today. He has enough for you to have any food or item you see, as well."
Angelo nodded.
A short moment passed before the elevator came to a smooth stop.
"He'll be a Zorua with the shiny gene. I'll be handling meetings and superficial things while you are with him. And don't be nervous, he's quite socially adept."
"Ok." Angelo let out a deep breath.
Angelo watched the doors opened and took in one sight at a time. The place looked like a supernatural park with blue vein-like lights on the floors and walls. The ceiling was as high as three Onix stretched out to max length. There were many varying floors giving it a mall-like feel with glass being used everywhere.
"You alright?" the Dragonite asked chuckling.
"Uhm, n-no?" Angelo turned to him.
"Relax." he patted his shoulder and pointed out, "See, he's right over there."
Angelo noticed a Zorua waving energetically. He wore an almost prideful looking smirk.
"He's a prominent member of the Angels. I am at ease with having you with him." the Dragonite smiled.
Angelo nodded awkwardly before walking slowly toward the Zorua. It was far from crowded, and he was able to keep the Zorua within eyesight as he worked towards him.
"Hey," the Zorua greeted coming close to him, "Anything you need right away?"
"Uhm, a s-store with cloaks and t-the like please..."
"Ok, I gotcha." the Zorua smiled, "Follow me."
Angelo stuck close behind him on his right side as they moved. He nervously kept temporary checks of all the pokemon around them.
"Any type or color of cloak you want?" he asked casually.
"A large w-white one w-with a small hood." Angelo answered quickly.
"Huh. Did you lose one somehow?" he asked turning back. Angelo nodded in reply. "Should be easy then."
Angelo followed him through the mostly empty paths. He could tell from the Zorua's walking he was just slightly uncomfortable. He stayed at the very center of the paths and glanced behind him often. Flowers and bushes lined the path along with tiny streams.
"Right here." he gestured, "It's a place specialized for small clothes for smaller pokemon. It also has plenty of clothes to amp up pokemon. So, uh... Lancelot tells me you have a ton of bio-energy?"
"H-how many p-pokemon know w-what exactly?" Angelo asked.
"Lancelot only told me about you personally." he shrugged, "Of course he's been filing reports for a better part of the night. I didn't know he was married, even... So you can relax about being normal here." he smiled cheekily.
"And I suppose your status is also hidden with that necklace you have there?" Angelo pointed out a brown colored basic necklace of the Nightlight's odd symbol he was wearing.
"Just the usual cool spy stuff you'd expect." he smirked, "I won't tell if you won't. So, what are you interested in?"
"Well..." Angelo sighed.
"Weeeeeeeeeell?" the Zorua smirked.
"Battling. A-although, I don't see many p-positive uses for having c-combat skills."
"Combat skills is what we're all about. If anybody has them, it's us." he bragged, "Let's get your cloak and then I'll show you some things."
Blue brought him to a small shack-like store run by an Emolga. He sat outside and daydreamed as the Zorua talked to him and made exchanges. He snapped from his daydream seeing Blue carrying the folded up cloth on his back. He immediately thanked him and snagged it. He unfolded and felt it out quickly before strapping it over himself.
"Phew, must be used to having that..." the Zorua sweat dropped.
"Just a l-little spoiled." Angelo blushed.
"Anyways, I'm here to show you what the N.A.'s all about. It won't be a history lesson you have to take notes on." he smirked, "Besides, it's more of a tour. Show and tell except I'm lazy."
"W-well, I know a l-lot about its operations and t-the like." Angelo whispered.
"Yeah, but you don't know where all the girls hangout or where to grab food." he snickered, "Although I remember priorities like the first thing I mentioned."
Angelo rolled his eyes.
"Well, I'll show you your priorities." he shrugged smiling, "We've got lots of things on this floor typical of a town. It's like a small village for Nightlight workers of all kinds. I get the bookworm vibe from you." he mentioned.
Angelo nodded.
"Well, the building for books is the only brick thing in here. Nowadays, they just sell electronics used to read stuff, but the city has an actual library. Artsy stuff is in the same area." he explained, "The battling place is a fun one though. C'mon."
Angelo nodded again and followed close next to the Zorua. Blue clearly waved to people he knew while Angelo only looked the other way half-pretending not to know him.
"Our training area gets rowdy." he emphasized, "Really rowdy. So if you come, come with something to swing."
Blue led him to some concrete stairs with cracks throughout them as they moved upwards.
"The training place in here is busy around the evening, so just be careful to keep close to me." he advised.
The stairs ended quickly to reveal a large empty space with a plain brown carpeted floor. Light felt to see it was moderately cushioned.
"Wow," Blue remarked, "Completely empty. Usually there's a ton of pokemon here, though it tends to be a dude festival."
"Sounds l-like your sort of place then..." Angelo retorted.
"Don't worry, beauty parlor's our next stop." the Zorua giggled.
Angelo thinned his eyes and watched the Zorua walked past him into the empty field.
"So, heard you had a hard-knock life?" he asked.
"Yes, but I'd r-rather talk about w-what yours is l-like." Angelo replied.
"Well, it's a lot of tradition yada yada all across the board for me." he shrugged, "Pretty sure I have an expected number of breaths right now at this point. I'm not supposed to tell you anything about much of it, but there is some I think I could tell you."
"Ok." Angelo nodded sitting down.
"Goes like this." Blue also sat, "The N.A. was founded two-hundred years ago by a pokemon called Melody Hannah Grace. It was originally a last ditch effort to drive off invaders. She disappeared, and a Gifarig named Martha Amberstone took over the mantle after she left. It thrived for a whole century before inside coups weakened and nearly destroyed the whole place."
"This isn't i-in any b-books." Angelo remarked.
"Heh heh. For higher ups only." the Zorua giggled, "After that event, the N.A. teeter tottered on the brink for a while until an oddly strong Dragonair appeared some years ago and gave the N.A. an iron fist to work with." he winked, "It's been getting stronger ever since, but we still lack enough manpower to deal with too big a portion of lowlifes."
"How big?" Angelo asked.
"Well, big enough to invade and take you away apparently." he frowned, "After that defeat, they've gotten more confident, and we've been struggling due to criminals being so forward. They're just not afraid of us..." he sighed, "And the Valorian royal government can only do so much too. We simply need more power."
Blue paused reminiscently until he looked back at Angelo and smiled.
"See that up there?" the Zorua tilted his head high and to the right.
Angelo followed his eyes' path to see a small steep staircase leading upwards before stopping slowly. On top he could make out a small dark blue object.
"That was Grace's weapon. Pokemon come from all over and apply to come inside to try and pull it out. It rejects pokemon with a harsh light and energy when most try. The most anyone's been recorded to pull is about one and a half centimeters, and it sinks back inside whenever they let go." he smiled, "It's some sort of magic that no technology has been able to overcome, or come close to. But..."
Angelo looked back at Blue's sparkling eyes.
"Whenever I see it, it just gets my blood rushing. If anyone started using that, problems wouldn't be gone forever, but things would be better. We could find more pokemon like you, and we'd have solid ground under our feet again!" he giggled.
"Why can't t-they pick i-it up?" Angelo wondered aloud.
"No one can find any correlation." Blue rolled his eyes sadly, "We've had great and accomplished pokemon come here from everywhere and get nothing, and then have restaurant owners and merchants do better."
"I have a f-feeling it's m-much simpler." Angelo made eye contact with him.
"Well, how about you give it a go if you're brave?" the Zorua asked excitedly, "You just have to be careful. The more you pull it, the light from it gives some pokemon pain. A few even pass out from it, even though it's never been brighter than really dim."
"I'll b-be sure to pull b-back if it hurts." Angelo assured.
Blue sat up with his tail wagging and started jogging to the steps with Angelo following at half his pace. Angelo picked up his pace when he saw the Zorua waiting by the stairs tapping the floor with his foot.
"Why s-so excited?" Angelo giggled accidentally.
"Hey, you're the prodigal kid, or whatever it is. I watch everyone who tries to pull it out!" he shrugged smiling.
"And g-get excited every time?" Angelo asked.
"Well, yeah! It's like a birthday party!" he started up the stairs.
"Wait, you n-never told me who s-set the record!" Angelo shouted slightly following Blue.
"Me!"
Angelo scrambled on his feet after the surprise took out his coordination for a second.
"Hurry it up!" Blue shouted looking back down at him.
Angelo just sighed and kept climbing more slowly. Blue was at the top distracted by the weapon with gleaming eyes. He was racing around it and eyeing it.
"Are you certain t-that my f-father won't be m-mad?" Angelo asked shyly.
"Prolly at me. Give it a whirl." he replied quickly.
Angelo took a look and stalked around the object one time. It had an odd shaped that almost hinted at it being naturally made. It appeared to have a slightly rough texture although the handle looked perfectly smooth.
"Well?" Blue pried with a smile.
Angelo gave him an awkward smirk and slowly grabbed the handle. He half expected to explode on the spot and winced.
"Give it a good tug!" the Zorua urged.
"Uhm, are y-you sure? I t-think I'm d-done for today." Angelo sweat dropped.
Blue glared.
"O-k." Angelo turned back to it. He gave it a small tug to feel it give way instantly like it was in butter.
"Holy..."
Angelo looked to see Blue still glaring at him. He thought quickly.
"Not a millimeter, s-sorry."
"Dah, fine." Blue shook his head, "Let me show you to the stores and stuff."
Shakily, Angelo waited until the Zorua looked back ahead before letting go. He followed the Zorua slowly looking forward and backwards over and over again. His thoughts fell silent.