EDIT 07/22/2018: Hey, so this chapter got an edit because I felt like it didn't flow quite like I wanted it to.
So have fun, and enjoy!
Rui woke up to find that the sun had barely risen. She squinted, then rubbed her eyes. People were bustling around, getting things packed into carts. Mudsdales and Rapidashs were being led to the oasis to take final drinks of water. She watched as everyone, including the children, rushed around with baskets and cloth bundles and put them in the wagons. Wes soon was up too, rubbing his eyes to dispel sleepiness.
"What's going on?" Rui asked.
"Their tryin' to get going before the sandstorm gets here." Wes said, pointing off to the south as he blinked the last of the sleep from his eyes.
Rui saw a wall the color of sand rising up. She now saw the usefulness of her new clothes and retrieved them. There was an extra length of cloth that Rui couldn't fathom the use of, so she gave Wes the extra cloth. He rolled his eyes and wrapped it around his head and neck.
They quickly followed the surrounding nomads' example, and soon the bike's engine whined as Wes started it. Getting caught in an Orre sandstorm like that was going to kill them if they stayed. Rui shut the back compartment on the bike, looking over their camp spot. "Did we get everything?"
Wes double checked, and nodded when he couldn't find any important bit or bobs left in the sand. "Nope, we're all good. Let's go, before nature decides it wants our skin more than we do."
Rui found a thin metal gadget on the floor of the sidecar. She held it and found a catch in the side that flipped the gadget open. The thing beeped, and a map grid and readouts flickered to life.
"Rui, we need to go now." Wes hissed. Rui jumped into the sidecar, and they were soon off. She finally got the gadget to plot a route from Pyrite Town to Agate Village. The engine of the bike reached a new pitch, and Rui heard Wes growl several words in what she assumed was his native tongue. She held the gadget within his range of vision, and he nodded. He pulled his visor down over his eyes and gunned it.
Rui turned around and kept an eye on the sandstorm. She felt the bike finally ease into a speed that didn't stress the engine so bad, but they didn't slow down. Wes kept his injured hand in his lap, the bandages ruffling a little in the wind. He knew that his hand would be fine in a couple of days, but it itched something fierce. He idly rubbed it against the seat, soothing some of the itch.
The rest of the day was spent trying to get to Agate Village. Both sighed with relief as they lost sight of the sandstorm as they delved into a series of canyons. The lull of quiet winds and the slow speed of navigating the canyons soon had Wes feeling much calmer. Wes looked over after several hours passed without a comment from the Sidecar Gallery. He smirked, because Rui had fallen asleep. She even started to drool in her sleep. He slowed the bike a little to turn a corner, and grass tufts started to appear along the road. The smell of rich earth and growing things filled his nose as the canyons tapered off into a lowland meadow. He felt like laughing, for he hadn't been in this part of Orre since he was a little kid. Leveche and Harmatten hadn't even seen it yet.
Agate Village was only a little ways off. There were some grassy foothills that led up to the mountain range that went across Orre's northeastern border, and the volcanic ash from Mt. Battle was often blown here, creating a rich farmland that provided all who came here with food for them and their Pokémon. The sun was setting as Wes saw people suddenly appear in fields along the road. They were heading back to a small settlement along a glittering ribbon of a river, and they shouted greetings in the nomad language as he rode past.
Wes waved back, for the people couldn't see his face from that far away. He kept driving, passing several nomad clan villages before the prime reason for this long drive came into sight over a small bluff.
Agate Village was across a fast-flowing river, spanned by a bridge that looked very sturdy. The village was almost built into a cliff face, but really was just a steep hill. No walls were around the village, and nomad flags hung out the windows of some of the dwellings. Wes heard a happy noise, and saw that Rui had woken up. She was looking at Agate Village like she was coming home. The place looked calm and tranquil, and Wes felt a knot in his chest that he didn't know he had undid itself. He felt lighter, for some odd reason.
Rui put her hand on her chest too.
"Did you feel that?" Rui asked, her eyes wide.
Wes nodded. "The stories about this place are true."
They stopped the bike on a patch of grass that was beside the bridge. Wes got off, stretching his long legs. Rui stretched too, but she gave Wes a questioning look.
"Stories?" Rui asked again.
"Agate Village, or Lushgana as it's known by the nomads, is a sacred place. No tribe can actually claim the place as their own, so those of different tribes come in and live here as representatives." Wes explained. "Those that are old often come here as well. Or that's what I was told."
"What's so sacred about it?" Rui asked.
Wes shrugged. "Beats me. I haven't ever been here. You have."
Rui scuffed the ground with a boot. "I haven't been here for years. My grandparents might not even recognize me," She looked sadly up at the village. "They might not even remember me now."
Wes shrugged, "Only one way to find out, right?"
Rui nodded, her sadness morphing into fragile hope. The duo walked across the bridge. Kids, adults, and elderly people were walking about. Some gave greeting to Rui as they passed. Rui waved, happy that she was somewhere friendly. Wes only kept his eyes on the ground.
Rui ended up leading Wes up a natural ramp in the side of the hill. Wes saw that homes were made out of white stone that could be found in the mountains near here. Other houses didn't seem to have roofs, instead having been built inside the old root beds of giant trees. Wes absently ran his bandaged fingers over the tree root that held the walls of one house, and was startled to find that it was as unyielding and cool as stone. He yanked his other glove off and felt the root. It was the same texture, even.
Rui looked back to see Wes look puzzled, with his hand against the root.
"It's petrified." Rui said, turning around. Wes was startled out of his reverie and stuck his hands in his pockets and hurried to catch up.
Finally, Rui and Wes came to a house that was more old tree than white stone. Rui softly knocked on the door. A reedy voice came from within.
"Who is it?"
"It's Rui, Grandmother," Rui replied, "I made it here, safe and sound. May we come in?"
The reedy voice sounded happy, "Oh, Rui! We are so glad you got here! Come in, come in! I just started supper, so come make yourselves comfortable."
Wes wondered why this 'Grandmother didn't question Rui's statement of 'we', but soon Rui was tugging him through the door. He stumbled into possibly the most place he had ever seen. It felt lived in, in a very cozy and comfortable way. Woven blankets were draped over furniture, and rugs covered the wooden floor. Stairs led up to the rest of the house. Wes could see a small kitchen just around the stairs, and a kettle boiled merrily on the stove. Rui had gone off to the left, into the living room. Wes went that way, too.
Rui was hugging a petite old woman, both chattering away. Wes could only catch every four words or so. An old, tall man was watching the two women, dressed in the typical robes of a nomad elder. Wes could see flinty eyes set over the bushy moustache and beard. The elder man's eyes looked over to Wes, and Wes immediately felt like he was being appraised. The old woman looked Wes over as well.
"Rui, who is this?" The old woman asked.
"A friend," Rui said. "He saved me from kidnappers on my way here."
Wes opened his mouth to protest. He had only been in the right place at the wrong time, and he would be going now thank you. But Rui came over and ushered Wes over to her grandparents before he could voice anything. The old couple gave him a contemplative look. Wes felt irritation looming. This might not end well at all. But his Rui –appointed task was done, and now he actually could go where he pleased after this. But only if these people would quit staring at him like he was some new thing to consider.
"We are grateful that you rescued our granddaughter." Rui's grandfather finally began. "But how is it that a Dargona tribesman in outsider's clothes has come to be the rescuer?"
"I wish to know as well." Rui's grandmother said.
"Right place, wrong time." Wes said stiffly. They even guessed which tribe he was from? He cursed himself for that stupid thought. These elderlies were either nomads themselves or lived with enough of them to pick out clan marks. Of course. "The kidnappers singled me out, and I kicked them to the curb."
"By Landorus." Breathed Rui's grandmother, looking at Rui. "You could have been severely hurt."
Wes resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Well, we can say all the ifs we want, now can't we?"
Rui gave him a warning look. Wes shrugged, because he only pointed out the truth.
"But it easily couldn't have," Rui's grandfather said, his expression still stony. "The both of you were brave, but you were lucky it didn't go any differently. The injury I see on your hand is a testament to this. Bella, would you take a look at the wound?"
Wes stood, "Thank you, elders, for the offer. But I must be going."
"You are that anxious to leave?" Rui's grandfather said, raising his eyebrows.
"I gotta get out of here, because those Cipher goons maybe following me." Wes said. "The longer I stay, the worse off you guys will be. They may even trying the Kidnapping: Plan Number Two."
"Wes…" Rui began to say, but Wes shook his head.
"The farther I get away from here, the better." Wes said, "And that's all I have to say."
Rui's grandmother looked very skeptical at Wes's words, and Rui's grandfather stroked his beard. Wes knew he was being rude, but he could put these people in severe danger if he stayed. He at least owed to them to not endanger them.
"You assume that we can't defend ourselves?" said Rui's grandfather. "Some of us here have traveled even more than the nomads have, and most of us know how to fight. Sounds to me like this young man is afraid of responsibility of his actions."
"Am not!" Wes growled. Rui glared at Wes, but her grandmother had Rui follow her into the kitchen. The old lady whispered something that sounded suspiciously like "men talk".
The air grew tense as they regarded each other. Wes knew that this elder wanted to make sure that Wes wasn't a danger, but he was. Even if it was only a passive, yet high-risk one.
The elder man gave Wes a look, "Afraid that you might grow attached, is that it?"
"It's not your business, old man." Wes growled.
"Am I correct or not?"
Wes grumbled. He didn't want to touch upon this, not now. Especially not to the grandpa of a girl he rescued.
"Fine," Wes grumbled sullenly. "I just don't want to see anyone else hurt because of me. I've already made enough pain for others already."
"One shouldn't be happy at another's pain." Rui's grandfather said. "Yet you still have the power to make those wrongs right. Nothing is irreversible, I found. You may have caused pain, but yet you still had the decency and courage to help a girl you didn't even know."
Wes grumbled, feeling his emotions cool. "And that's all there is to it."
The old man heaved a good-humored sigh. "I see."
The smell of good food wafted in the room. Wes heard his stomach growl, and the old man chuckled.
Wes could only focus on the sound of Rui's laughter and his burning cheeks.
Wes found out that Rui's grandfather's name was Eagun, and that Bella was a very good cook. He also found out that Eagun was not a native to the region, though he dressed like it.
Rui had given him a concerned look after they sat down at the table, but Wes gave her the look of 'not wanting to talk about it'. She shrugged and began to dish herself food. They also let out the Pokémon, with Rui's Pidgeotto and Swinub and Leveche and Harmatten eating food that had been set out for them. Eagun let a Pikachu out as well, its fur around its muzzle beginning to turn grey with age. It sparked with health regardless, and tucked in with its fellow creatures.
The conversation at the table was filled with laughter. Rui, regardless of Wes's overall demeanor, made light talk about instances from other visits here. Wes tried to keep an indifferent frown on his face, but the mood at the table kept him from completely slipping into that mask. He felt Leveche's happy mood through the link in his mind.
Calm down, there isn't anything wrong. She sent. It's called kindness, and you're being rude.
Wes almost sent a mental growl back, but the door burst open. A young man with a pair of overalls lightly coated with dirt came in, his eyes wide with panic.
"Daniel, what is the meaning of this?!" Rui's grandmother shouted.
The young man ducked his head. "Forgive me, Missus Bella. But there are strange people that blocked off the way to the Relic Stone, and they had some weird Pokémon with them. I came to get Eagun, being that he is the strongest."
Eagun rose from his spot at the table and motioned with his hand. The Pikachu leapt to his shoulder, its cheeks sparking blue-white electricity. The old man and the guide ran out the door. Wes grumbled and wiped his mouth with his hand.
"Where are you going?" Rui demanded, getting up from her seat.
"If it's who I think it is, then Eagun isn't going to be able to fend them all off." Wes said.
Rui gasped as the implication hit, and stood up to leave. Wes motioned to his Pokémon, the duo and their Pokémon ran out the door.
A/N: Dun duuun daaaaaaaaaaa...
What shall happen next? Find out next time!
