Author's Notes
Originally supposed to be the second part of the previous chapter, this chapter was expanded on to give more background to one of the characters in an attempt (note, attempt, ehehe) to explain his behavior.

Thanks to CanaryInTheCoalMine for a great idea. Really wish that you had been around earlier. Thank you, too, to those who have been reading and, most especially, to those who tell me what they think about the story. Seriously, feedback helps. :D

And for those who are wondering if Agnes Bittlebee will make a comeback, don't worry, she will. xD Ain't she a doll?

I don't own Pokémon. It belongs to a very rich Japanese man and very rich game companies. I'm neither. So there. xD

- x x x -

CHAPTER 19

Who would've thought I'd be back here? Daith thought to himself in wonder.

The house seemed… different. True, nothing had changed at all regarding the general architecture, as the house was still a plain old box with some furniture inside. Despite the dark desert night and the lack of illumination, he could see that even the arrangement of the sofa, the small, wooden table in the center of the room, and the reed mat under it had been kept the same.

But somehow… the place no longer felt like home.

[Nothing has changed…] Arbok observed, like an archaeologist marveling at a historic site that had been preserved for ages. The Poison pokémon slithered to the space between the sofa and the wooden table, a spot where it would curl up beside him after a hard day's work all those years ago. But it was no longer the petite Ekans that it used to be, and so it no longer fit. Knowing this seemed to sadden it.

Daith slowly sat down on the sofa and rubbed his palm over the woven surface. He could imagine a six-year old Guido on his lap, kicking his feet and giggling like there was no tomorrow. He'd pop a few berries into his kid brother's mouth, then laugh as Guido asked for more.

[I'd play hide-and-seek with little Guido, even though the house was small and there weren't many places to hide.] Staring into space, Daith absentmindedly stroked Arbok's head and sighed. [Then every night, with a plate of desert figs and cups of cool water, we'd be up on the roofs, counting stars, telling stories, and sometimes sharing the occasional dream of seeing the world.] His mouth tightened. [I got my wish…] That last thought was tinged with an unpleasant taste.

Still leaving the lights off, Daith glided to the kitchen, a cramped space sporting a kiln and a countertop to separate it from the living room. Mother had always been neat with the utensils, so seeing the plates stacked dirtily in the sink and scraps of food lying around was a shock. He quietly gazed at the mess before deciding to wash the dishes. It would be a while before Mother got home, as she'd occasionally be at the oasis at this time, maybe to gather water from the well or to procure more berries. Might as well indulge his nostalgia.

With a great sense of familiarity, Daith poured water from a wooden bucket and into a basin. Here he submerged the grimy utensils and afterwards sponged them with soap. The task was a house chore that he always did, and so his hands moved of their own accord.

His mind continued to relive his past. By this time, Father would be done smoking outside, as it was Mother's strict house rule not to soil the interior with the pungent odor of cigars. For a moment his hands stopped moving, and he looked back at the living room. As if watching a phantasmagoric movie, he saw a six-year old Guido and a fourteen-year old Daith sitting around the wooden table with their parents, Mother a plump lady with her hair done in a bun and Father a lanky man with his sleeveless shirt smudged with dirt and ripped from the berry bushes near the oasis…

- x x x -

"Can I have some fig pie?" Guido asked adorably as he reached for a slice with sparkling wide eyes. Smiling at the boy, Mother held one in front of his mouth so he could bite. At his feet was Ekans, looking at them expectantly and doing an impeccable imitation of a begging pup, complete with wide, moist eyes. Father washed his hands at the sink and scooped his own slice, then brusquely tapped Daith on the shoulder to get his attention. Swallowing, he stopped eating and regarded the man.

"Have you decided what to do with your future, son?" he asked sternly, his breath smelling like burnt berry leaves. "Is it education you're after? Or do you want to go somewhere for a pokémon journey? Neither one is an easy dream to accomplish. Your mother and I can only do so much in helping to fund whatever it is you'll want to do, so you'll have to work on it yourself. There isn't much to go on with jobs here in Ochre, so you'll have to go to Ebony for better opportunities."

"What about Guido?" Daith asked timidly. "He needs someone to take care of him."

"He'll find out soon enough that he can't be taken care of forever," Father replied relentlessly. "I've begun bringing him to the berry patches every morning to help gather enough food to sell. It's also about time that you helped your younger brother catch his own pokémon. Responsibility is always good for children, and that will be a quick way to teach it."

"Something safer to catch," Mother said, "not like the Ekans you happened to befriend. No offense, dear," she immediately told the Poison pokémon, then popped a bit of fig pie into its mouth. "I mean, you never tell us how you managed to catch one—"

"But I did!" Daith protested. "I told you—"

"You heard it talking to you?" Father said gruffly. "How foolish is that? The only pokémon I know who can talk to their trainers are the Psychic types, and from what I recall the only Psychic types on the island are the Natu found in the Dot. No, son, you're too fond of your tall tales, and one day it'll get you in trouble."

"But Ekans did talk to me…"

"Hush," Mother chided with an apprehensive look at Father. "So, what do you think we should catch for Guido?"

"The boy will be there to help catch it, of course," Father added.

Daith looked at his feet. "Maybe one of the oasis pokémon, like Lotad or Poliwag," he muttered. "Though Ekans are off-limits, there're always the other desert pokémon, like Sandshrew and Numel."

"I want a Lotad," Guido piped up.

Father took another bite into his pie before responding. "The moment the boy gets one, we can go to Ebony one of these days to look for a job. Once you've saved enough, you can go on with whatever you want to do in your life. Staying in a desert village is no place for boys like you. The only option is to go out and see the world, either through books or through experience."

- x x x -

His hands resumed washing the dishes.

[Are you alright, Daith?] Arbok asked.

[Why wouldn't I be?] came the quick reply.

After a few moments, the last plate had finally been dried and placed in the cupboard. He walked back to take a seat on the sofa, but his attention was arrested by the doorway that led to the bedroom he and his brother used to share.

He didn't want to go in there. But the doorway beckoned, and his feet moved. With a hand on the stone wall, he peered inside.

It was a small room. He wondered why there were still two reed mats lying on the floor. The other should have been rolled up and propped beside the drawer set in the upper left corner of the room. His hand crawled on the wall for the light switch, but he decided that he was more comfortable in the darkness. Arbok crept into the bedroom and stopped beside the low wooden table on the right-hand wall.

[I don't remember this picture…]

[… What picture?] So much for being comfortable in the dark; looks like he'd need the lights on. After clicking the switch, Daith walked to the table and picked up the photograph. His forehead furrowed.

What was that pokémart boy with the ponytail doing with his younger brother? Were they friends? For a moment his mind went blank.

When his thoughts started moving again, he realized that he was smiling. It was about time that Guido had friends. But now that he thought about it, he never got that pokémart worker's name. He tenderly placed the picture back on the table and turned the light off.

[She'll be home soon,] Daith said broodingly. With Arbok trailing behind him, he took a seat on the sofa and folded one leg over the other. He closed his eyes and tried to think despite his restlessness.

Where was Father? The only time he wasn't at home was during the mornings. And why did the house seem to exhibit signs of neglect? His mother would rather eat rotten figs than overlook any traces of dirt. Now that he thought about it, Guido was also neat around the house, so why?

[This doesn't add up to what I remember, Arbok,] he told the Poison pokémon. He was suddenly aware of his box of cigarettes in his pocket and was tempted to bring it out.

His head jerked towards the window. Senses on alert, he stood up and pressed his back against the wall. From the corner of his eye he saw Arbok crouch low and creep near the entrance.

Hushed voices. Around… three people? Daith's eyes widened. His breath caught as he recognized one of them. Was that his mother's voice? She sounded frightened. The other two voices were tinted with the influence of alcohol.

[The bedroom,] Daith commanded Arbok.

Once there, the front door opened, and the living room light clicked on. Daith slowed down his breathing.

"'Cuz of your son," one of the men rowdily told Mother, "we get the easy life." A hiccup. "Now all we have to do is guard the main headquarters."

"Not so loud," Mother pleaded, her voice shrill. "What if someone hears?"

A snigger. "No one can hear, lady. Your neighbors are way too far for them to eavesdrop. Hey, why not have a party? We're finally going to leave this dratted island so we can do our business in the bigger places, like Kanto, or maybe even Johto! The whole thing's brilliant, and it was all Dennison's idea! Let's celebrate! Geodude, come on out and have some of this ale!"

"Sandshrew, get out here…" the other voice slurred. "That's what the new base at Coast Cave is for, Missus Redspike. It's a holding area for all the stuff that your son's gonna steal for us. But here's the beauty of it all: they're actually building an underground harbor there. Makes a clean getaway a lot easier, dontcha think?"

"Yeah, yeah! Once the Pok'mon Fair's done, we're hightailing it outta here!"

"Where's my son?" Mother asked tremulously. "And my husband?"

"Aren'tcha stupid? 'Course the mister's at the Cave. No one's told you, yet? How lame. Maybe ol' Guido's there, too. He needs to get all the sleep he can, Missus Redspike, for the next big heist tomorrow morning. Hey Geodude, get me a plate from the cupboard. There food in this joint?"

"Wait!" Mother's footsteps suddenly hastened. A crash followed. Daith closed his eyes. He itched to dispose of these unsavory characters, but… he hated this place, didn't he? He had washed his hands off his parents in that event eight years ago.

He wasn't supposed to care.

So why were his fists trembling?

"There's no food here?" one of the men snarled. "Sandshrew, trash this place! What a waste of time!" The sound of shattering glass pierced the night. Mother sobbed.

Something snapped inside him.

[Arbok, destroy them. Crunch them up.]

Wordlessly, the Poison pokémon glided out the bedroom. A satisfying chomp ensued, then a scream. Another crispy munch followed, and then silence.

Daith walked out and observed the mess. Mother, her long skirt torn at the hem, was slumped against the counter with her hands on her face. Fangs bared, Arbok had curled itself protectively in front of her, and it looked ready to kill at a single word from its trainer. Shards of glass glittered on the floor, the remains of an empty ale bottle.

"What do you think you're doing?" he asked softly, his voice a bared blade, his eyes more corrosive than acid.

Stark terror shone in the troublemakers' faces. Fumbling with their pokéballs, the two released their remaining pokémon: one another Geodude, the other a Wooper.

"Who the hell are you? Geodude, Magnitude!"

"Wooper, Slam that snake to oblivion!"

"Aqua Tail."

Its rear end gleaming a deadly blue, Arbok swung its hefty tail against the Geodude, which immediately fell. The Wooper landed a hit, but the thing was so weak that it barely left a bruise. Another Aqua Tail ended the battle quickly.

The two goons scrambled for the door, but it closed after a wave from Daith's hand. Cowering in the corner, one pleaded for their lives, while the other threatened that people would look for them.

"Who are you?" Daith asked softly. "You had better answer fast, or I won't have to feed Arbok his pokéchow tonight."

"Are… are you Daith…?"

Mother… He closed his eyes to steady his nerves, then opened them again. "Who are they, and what are they doing here?" The steel in his voice remained sharp.

Ragged breathing. But he refused to look at her. Because if he did… he just might break. "Consable henchmen. Their… their main headquarters are here in Ochre." Her sobbing had stopped, but her voice remained thick. "They've kidnapped Micah. Guido's doing what they want because of that. Are… are you really Daith?"

He rode over her question with his own. "How did they kidnap… him?"

Silence. Then, "Dennison… he's the Clan psychic. He saw… he saw Guido's bloom power. When he thought that no one was watching, he made the desert plants flower even though the house is far from the oasis well. The men entered the house one night while Guido was at Ebony. When… when he came back, Dennison… did something to his mind… I don't know. But because of it, he knows everything that Guido does."

Eyes still glaring at the cringing henchmen, Daith tried to make some sense out of the myriad thoughts roiling in his head.

His parents knew about Guido's powers? Since when? It didn't seem fair if they'd known about it for a long time, now. Did the other villagers know? And, more importantly, were the Elders aware? He didn't want his brother to suffer through the humiliation he had to go through eight years ago.

What did this Dennison character do to his younger brother? Perhaps some kind of psychic monitoring power? He wondered if there were going to be any lasting effects from that kind of mind manipulation. Suddenly, he felt like killing the two henchmen.

[Give me the word,] Arbok said, opening its mouth wider. Its eyes gleamed ferally.

He nearly gave in. But an image of Guido flashed in his head. Thinking that the sixteen-year old would not appreciate having a murderer for an older brother, he settled for a glare that could have rivaled Arbok's own paralyzing scowl.

"I'll be leaving in a while, since I know it's illegal for me to be here. But one last question. What's happening in Coast Cave?" He directed that to the goons.

"Not saying," the braver—or perhaps stupider—guy answered.

Mouth tightening into a thin line, Daith strode over to the henchman and seized him by his shirt. Eyes glowing an iridescent green, he released the mental locks on his retrocognition and absorbed all the images that came out from the man's memories and previous actions. Once he was done, he dropped him and dusted his hands, as if he had grasped something filthy. Eyes glowing again, he murmured, "You are going to forget everything that transpired here. The only thing you'll remember is that you drank too much ale and ended up somewhere near the oasis. You will have no memory of me or of the reason why your pokémon have fainted. Now go." With a wave of his hand he opened the door.

Like mindless puppets, the two got to their feet and shuffled out. Daith watched their retreating forms for a few moments before calling Arbok to his side.

"He needs to get all the sleep he can, Missus Redspike, for the next big heist tomorrow morning." That's what one of the henchmen had said. He didn't mean the Beam Tournament, did he?

Guido… the misery you must have gone through… Forcing a shy, kind-hearted soul to commit a crime was nothing but brutal. Whoever this Dennison was, he would relish destroying his mind, or doing something just as poisonous. He moved to step out the door but was abruptly stopped by a desperate "Wait!"

His feet suddenly seemed planted to the ground. But he didn't look at her.

"You're Daith… you're Daith!" She sniffed and failed to suppress a sob. "Please… you…" She heaved a shuddering breath. "You can stay angry. It's alright. I won't even ask you to save your father."

He's not my father. And you aren't my mother. Guido is the only family I have left.

"But please… save Guido. He doesn't want this. It's killing him. Dennison's rendered him helpless because of that thing he's done to his mind. Maybe he was able to pass you a message when you met, and that's why you're here. You heard what that henchman said: Guido might be at Coast Cave. Please… save him! Please…"

The rest of her words dissolved into soft sobs. Daith walked out despite the heaviness in his feet and his heart. He didn't dare look back, and to prevent himself from doing so he immediately teleported back to his hotel room in Ebony. Hands shaking and still haunted by his mother's quiet crying, he brought out his box of cigarettes, shook one out, but didn't light it.

The room was dark and cool, and he preferred it like that. That way, no one, not even Arbok, would have to see the tears cascading down his cheeks.

- x x x -

Guido unfurled the reed mat for his father and laid it beside a stack of wooden crates, away from the scathing eyes of Dennison, Cassius, or other Clan henchmen. The kerosene lamp did little in illuminating the dimness of Coast Cave, and this was a problem because stalagmites were always more than willing to inflict harm on unsuspecting passers-by. The reed mat did little to cushion the hard, pebbly ground, a fact made apparent when Guido eased his father on it, and the latter winced.

"I'm sorry there's nothing softer," he told him.

Dad fixed him with a no-nonsense look and just said, "You're a brave boy, son."

Unnerved by his gaze, Guido looked away. He was probably referring to how he went through with the Clan's schemes even though he despised doing it. Unable to think up an appropriate answer, he replied with, "We'll get out of this. Then you can get back home and have some of Mom's fig pie."

Dennison had allowed his father to be untied so he could sleep properly. But just for this night. Guido supposed that he could immediately teleport Dad home, but he was too tired and weak. Furthermore, he didn't want to risk the safety of his father.

When Dad finally began snoring, he unrolled his own reed mat and crawled onto it.

Tomorrow would be the same. And because the Beam Tournament was the final major competition of the entire Pokémon Fair, it was also probably his last chance to do anything about his situation. The two ships from Kanto had arrived and were docked in the underground harbor. Transport of the stolen goods and cash had already begun.

He had little time left.

It would all have to depend tomorrow. At the Beam Tournament.

- x x x -

Sitting quietly on the shore found to the north of Coast Woods, Cassius Lummer reeled in his line to retire for the night. Ever since he had caught that Wailmer in the fishing competition yesterday morning, his luck with the rod had run out.

Unfortunately for him, that wasn't the only thing that had disappeared. So had his role in procuring funds for the Clan.

That upstart garden wielder! Dennison and his radical ideas! Even this one about leaving the island and expanding into the bigger regions, despite Quodo's own reluctance to proceed with the endeavor! If the head himself wasn't keen on the idea, then why was Dennison still pushing for it?

The pointy-nosed psychic had something up his sleeve. And he didn't like it. Cassius knew that the whole thing was fishy, and he didn't even have to be an angler to figure that out.

Heading back towards the hideout, he trudged through the foliage and twigs of Coast Woods. Tomorrow was an important day. If the boy was going to lay a hand on the Beam Tournament cash…

Cassius smirked. It would be a pleasure to take that chance away from him. He'd steal the money for himself. Then, once the opportunity came, he'd leave the Clan and make it big on his own. Snatching a few strong Water pokémon would be a plus, and fortunately for him, the sheer number of tournament challengers tomorrow would present an ample spectrum.

You think you're so smart, Dennison? You and your juvenile delinquent? Not to worry. Cassius Lummer will outsmart all of you.