Celebi, Azalea and the rest of our Guild mates hadn't come back yet from their expedition by the time we returned to Treasure Town, but that didn't mean that the compound was completely empty. There was one person who stayed behind to run the place, but how he managed it alone is completely beyond me.
I know that Dusknoir is used to being in a position of leadership from being the general of Primal Dialga's forces in the dark future. Still, until we made it back, there was no one to help him with the steady stream of Pokemon coming in and out of the building every day. Keeping the Mission Boards updated constantly, recording logs, providing meals for visiting explorers, checking newcomers without a sentry… I would've thought we'd come back to find him passed out in his room from being so overworked, but he seemed like he was in his element.
It's not like we left everything up to him alone though once we were home again: We're all taking our share of responsibilities. Ri sees to meals and checking on supplies, I've all but started living in the sentry post, and even Grovyle helps out. Even though we have to put our usual work on hold, we stay plenty busy. Only at night are we given any real reprieve.
In fact, we stay so busy at times we forget how empty the place feels without the rest of the Guild here. It's strange, but also kind of nice, when the end of the day comes and it's just the four of us sitting in the quiet dining hall, when it's normally so rowdy you can hardly hear yourself think. Only guests that appear for maybe a day or so give us any outside company, and they usually keep to their own business.
But Ri and I do make time to check-up on the egg we'd found in the Surrounded Sea. We take turns throughout the day to make sure it's still safe and warm: Wrapped in a blanket on a fresh bed of hay, resting by the window in the warmth of the sun. Alone, being a sentry is something of a full-time job, so it's usually Ri who pops in there every now and then just for a few minutes.
We probably could've let Chansey look after the egg for us, but seeing as how we were the ones who found it and decided to take it home, we figured it was our responsibility—granted, not without some help. We got some tips from her on how to care for it. There's just one thing about it that no one—not even Dusknoir—has been able to tell us: We have no idea what species the little guy will turn out to be. Usually it's easy to recognize by the pattern on the shell, however, we even asked a few different Water-types and they didn't have any ideas on what kind of Pokemon he'll be. In case he's one of those that can only survive in water though, we've brought in a wooden tub, so at least we're prepared for that.
It should only be another day or two though for the rest of the Guild to return. When they do, we'll ask Chatot what he thinks. As obnoxious as he can be at times, he's the Guild's Head of Intelligence for a reason: With all luck, he can tell us what the egg will hatch into.
I just don't know if Ri can wait that long…
"Staring at it isn't going to make it hatch any faster." It's too easy to tease him over it: He's been acting as curious and overexcited as a little kid at Christmas. As with every morning since we've been back, the first thing he does is see how the egg's doing.
"I didn't get to see my little brother hatch. I don't want to miss this one," is his simple reply. He then casts me a glance over his shoulder, "Besides, you can't say you're not curious."
"Yeah, but it's not like we can do anything except wait." I give my partner a small shrug as I comb out the tangles from my frizzled bed-head. I'm actually pretty okay with not knowing just so long as we can sense the little guy's aura: If he's healthy, then he can take as long as he needs to. "You're pretty eager, aren't you? You're not usually this impatient about things."
"It's not every day this sort of thing happens." He makes sure that the egg is securely tucked in before rising onto his feet.
He looks like he's about to add something to that when a knock sounds on our door and we share a curious look. It's hard to think what anyone would want with us this early in the morning, because we usually wouldn't be up at this hour ourselves if it weren't for the excess of work to do around the Guild. When there's a second rapping at the door, we both move toward it together just as a familiar baritone calls through the wood, "Lira? Ri? Are you awake? There's something I wish to discuss with the both of you."
Dusknoir? Of all people, I definitely wasn't expecting him this early—or at all. He's had to come out of his quarters more often now, but he usually just dives straight into his work. Not once has he ever gone out of his way to say 'good morning' to us.
Even knowing he's there, it's surprising to see him when we open our door. "Is everything alright?" Ri questions somewhat hesitantly. I know how he's feeling: I can't think of him showing up like this either without it being some kind of emergency. The Ghost-type is far too pragmatic to do anything without a good reason—including polite conversation.
"Yes, everything's fine: There's no need to fret," he dismisses. He pauses for a moment to consider his words before adding, "I was wondering… Would you mind telling me what moves the two of you know? I'd like to get an idea of the whole of your strengths."
Our movesets? Well, we've worked hard to learn everything we possibly could, so they're pretty extensive… Outside of regular fighting techniques, on top of being the most adept with basic skills using his aura, Ri knows Reversal, Screech, and Bone Rush: I know Aura Sphere, Vacuum Wave, Circle Throw, and also Attract—although I never use it and only learned it because Sunflora and Chimecho insisted that I did. We both know Quick Attack, Endure, Counter, Force Palm, and Foresight, and we each can use Copycat to use moves the other has already learned.
When we explain this to him though, he doesn't seem overly pleased. "Except for Ri's Bone Rush and what the two of you can manage with Copycat, you're exclusively keeping an arsenal of Fighting and Normal-type moves," he sighs, "It's true that manipulating aura gives the both of you a slight advantage and Foresight allows you to battle Ghost-types like myself on even ground, but you're limiting yourselves by using those kind of attacks alone."
I swear it's too early for us to get a lecture… Our attacks seemed to work just fine against you and Dialga, I feel like reminding him, and even as the thought crosses my mind I feel my lips curl into a slight pout. I know they're probably not the most ideal movesets, but they've worked for us and we've trained countless hours to build them.
"I wouldn't mind teaching the both of you Payback or Fling," he offers, "That way you two would at least have a move of one other type at your disposal. If either of you had evolved, there'd be so much more you could learn, but…" He leaves it at that, trailing into his own thoughts.
Ri and I share a look. It's not that we don't appreciate the offer—we're more than happy to take on anything we can learn—but why this all of a sudden? Dusknoir's gone from rarely crawling out of his room to trying to teach us. And he knows the two of us are far from weak, so what's the point to any of this?
Then it dawns on me: He's scared for us. We've had too many close calls lately all because of whoever is after me, so he wants us to be prepared for if—no, when—it happens again. He's just trying to hide the fact that that's why he wants us to train harder. Because he knows that there will be another attempt on our lives and until we can figure this mess out they'll just keep finding new ways to try to kill us.
"I guess we can give it a try," Ri answers for the both of us, though his eyes are uncertain.
"Good. Now then…You're aware that moves and abilities are often passed on from parents to their offspring, correct? Neither of you can reach your full potential unless you explore those options as well in order to improve your combat techniques."
"I was a human. My parents were human," I contradict, "From what I know, they couldn't use aura and they didn't have any other special powers either. They were just regular people." I can see the two of us practicing some new moves, but isn't that going a bit too far all at once? Besides, I don't see how I could have anything unique passed on to me since my transformation into a Pokemon was just a freak accident.
"Actually, Lira, according to what I've studied your mother may have been exceptionally well-bred." He says this in such a blatant manner that I can scarcely believe him, but before I can fully absorb them he just keeps talking, "Your aura is naturally strong, hinting at a steady family line of Lucario. And you quickly took to learning moves such as Circle Throw, which would normally only be adopted by a member of your species from the father unless the mother already knows them. As for your father—based on the hardness of your claws, your build, and the fullness of your tail—he might've paralleled with a Lycanroc. Because of that, it's possible that you could also easily learn Bite or Crunch."
"I'm not going to bite people!" I can hardly believe the ridiculousness of my own words, but then this entire part of the conversation is ridiculous. He should know better than most that I wasn't born this way, so who can say that would even work for me?
"Of course, we don't know if genetics would follow your turning into a Pokemon, if it directly involved your spirit, or both," he shrugs, "but as far as your transformation and the compatibility of your parents are concerned, it's a fair theory." He turns to my partner next, "Ri, you said that one of your grandfathers is a Zoroark, correct? What about the other?"
"He's a Bisharp," he answers, "I don't know any farther back in my family than that."
"Agility, Detect, or Iron Defense then… If you can, I'd like for you to find out what moves your parents may have inherited. They might've passed others down to you."
And how are we supposed to learn them? When it came to mastering what we already know, we taught ourselves and then helped one another based on what we gathered from practice and studying from books. Some of these moves sound like they're completely beyond us without someone to show us them first. With how crazy things are right now, it's not like we can just leave the Guild to find others who might know them. We're needed here.
"We'll wait until the remainder of the Guild has returned before we begin." Just as quickly as he had appeared, Dusknoir turns to go, "Until then, try to decide which move you'd like to start with."
Does he really believe we're in that much danger? The last two times we were attacked they were in extremely remote areas, so I don't think Pitch Black would be willing to try something here in Treasure Town or anywhere close. Nothing happened when we went out to the Surrounded Sea, but this could also be the calm before the storm: He could be planning something big. I don't know…
I cross the distance back to the bed to take my brush and stow it away within our chest as Ri closes the door behind him. He snorts good-naturedly, shaking his head as he looks my way, "Just what was that about?"
How can I tell him? The way things are turning out, I know I should, but if I'm just being paranoid… I don't want to worry him. I give him a small shrug.
He quickly notices my reluctance though and closes the distance between us. "Lira, if you know something's up, please tell me. I don't like being left in the dark like this." He runs a hand across my arm, but I flit my gaze away from his.
I remember when we first found out that I was from the future after Dusknoir's betrayal. He didn't take it at all well, even with the truth right in front of us. He was so hurt and I know the confusion must have torn him apart. And back when we were putting the Time Gears in Temporal Tower, Grovyle and I chose not to tell him we'd disappear because we both knew he wouldn't have been able to go through with our mission if we did. And when I disappeared, he turned into a completely different person. If he ended up doing something stupid because of my suspicions, then—
He pulls me toward him, wrapping his arms around me in a sudden embrace. "Please stop trying to keep secrets from me," he says in a soft voice. I freeze in his hold, unsure of myself. "Didn't you say that when you woke up in the future and were trying to find Grovyle, that you really hated feeling like you had to hide your identity from me? The older me, anyway… No matter what, I'm here for you. I don't want you to have to suffer in silence like that. And you might not believe it, but it hurts me more when you do too.
"When you vanished after Temporal Tower… Yeah, I was kinda mad at you because you didn't trust me enough to say anything. I was more upset though because you didn't let me say or do anything to try to help. And maybe I would've messed up, but I hated thinking about how much you were hurting when I could've said or done something. We're a team, and I don't want there to be any secrets between us. I don't want you to feel like you have to hide things from me just to keep me safe."
Leaning into his shoulder, I take in his words carefully. Am I really being that unfair? I never meant to be, and I trust Ri more than anyone. Thinking it over though… I'm really just doing what Grovyle did to me: Trying to protect him with silence. I hated it, so how could I expect Ri to feel anything different?
I squeeze my arms around him, inwardly bracing myself as I mutter into his chest, "Darkrai could be after us."
He goes rigid. When he says nothing, I repeat the words. I still can't bring my eyes up to his though, not even when he finally replies in a near-whisper, "You mean that Pokemon that came after you before? I thought he was from the future…"
"I don't know if he is or not anymore," I admit, "but I can't stop feeling like most of what's happened to us lately is because of him. The signs are too similar."
"Do you think you've seen him anywhere?"
"I didn't even get a good look at him when he came after me before." How could I have? It was only for a split second when he actually came at me face-to-face on that ship, and immeadiately after I fell overboard. It was like looking at a shadow. Other than that, he's always done his dirty work through someone else. "I could recognize his eyes and his voice, but that's all.
"I don't know if Dusknoir or Grovyle think it might be him after us too, but they definitely know something and whatever it is they're trying to keep it to themselves. I overheard them talking when we got back from Blizzard Island, and Dusknoir's almost certain that what happened might have been planned ahead of time.
"I don't even know how it's possible, but I… I'm worried he might be chasing me, Ri. What if he did somehow manage to follow me here from the future? I don't even know why he's after me in the first place, but he's already shown that he's not above hurting other people to get to me—not Masa, or you…"
In the middle of my rambling a hand cups my cheek and gently urges my gaze upward, and before I can react I feel Ri's lips cover my own in a silencing kiss. Just like that, all thought ceases and I feel a part of my fears drain away to make room for my shock at the bold move.
I can only blink at him myopically when he eventually pulls away, giving me a small smile, "Whatever's going on, we'll manage to get through it together—just like we always have."
I don't know how he can say it so calmly and so sure of himself, but I grin back. I still feel like I'll have to keep an eye on him, but I'm glad he at least seems to be taking to this better than I thought he would. I've always believed in his courage, but he's really grown as a person throughout our adventures. There's no way I can explain how much it means to me that I can rely on him as much as I do.
The hours come and go as the rest have since we went to the Surrounded Sea, and by the time we return to our room later that night we're both exhausted and satisfied from a hard day's work. I easily fall asleep in Ri's arms, but what breaks the comfortable pattern is his stirring. Normally he's as motionless as can be, only the occasional flick of his tail or slight shift of his arm to disturbing the rhythm of his peaceful rest.
That night, he shifts so abruptly that I'm shaken back into partial consciousness before uttering a soft groan and curling back into the hay. The moonlight streaming through the window is exceptionally bright and I turn my head away from it as I try to get back to sleep.
Not that I get much of a chance to. Not a second passes before my partner firmly shakes me by my shoulder. "Lira…. Lira! Wake up!" he exclaims in an excited whisper.
"Lay back down, Ri…" I mumble. Honestly, what has him so worked up in the middle of the night that it can't wait until morning?
Then I hear it: A faint noise like a ball bouncing along a grassy field, or a pebble dropped into a river. Ri shakes me awake more fervently this time, but he doesn't have to. I push myself up to sit beside him and spin my head over to where the egg is with widened eyes.
"It moved!" he says in a hushed voice—as if afraid that, if he spoke any louder, he would scare the baby and the egg wouldn't shift a second time. But it does. It rattles back and forth along the hay bed we made for it. A wave of nerves passes over me at the sight and something tugs against my heart. I want to move closer, but my body remains frozen in place, so instead I find Ri's hand and give it a tight squeeze.
Is it really…?
"Lira, the egg is hatching!" Ri's eyes shine in a way that could rival the stars just outside our window. No sooner does he say this, a vivid light overtakes the egg and brightens the entire room. It's a really warm light though, full of life like the sun, and the both of us get onto our feet in an instant.
Though it's kind of hard to tell, the shape of the egg begins to morph into something else, something far more natural. They're small—they can't be any bigger than Azurill—and the biggest thing about them is the pair of antenna-like shapes that curve from the crown of their head. A new feeling that I can't really identify overcomes me and I finally have it in me to step closer, wrapping my arms around the shape just as the light begins to dim.
Ri's not even a second behind me, hurrying over to see the newborn. It's a boy: I can tell that much. I've never seen a Pokemon like this before though. His skin is as striking a blue as the sea, and in the center of his chest in a small, oval, red gem. A canary yellow dot rests just below that, and circular patterns above and around his eyes of the same color are somewhat reminiscent to eye lashes. When his eyes do flutter open, a pair of navy orbs stare up at us curiously—so new and full of wonder for the world he's just awoken in.
And when he smiles, I feel a rush of love come over me for him. "Kyakya! Kyakya!" he coos up at us.
"Ha! He's so cute!" Ri beams, gently taking one of his fin-like hands in his own. "Hey, little guy. What kind of Pokemon are you?"
I can't help but giggle as the baby tilts his head up at Ri and echoes, "Pokè?" Really, I'm surprised he can mimic anything we say at all. I don't think human babies can make anything but noises when they're this little. It's just too funny to see Ri try to make conversation with him right off the bat though.
He blushes a bit. "Maybe this little guy's too young to understand anything I say?"
"You think?"
"I say?" The baby repeats, flicking his gaze at the both of us. It's so cute that I draw him closer to my chest. It's so strange, falling in love with him this easily, but I feel drawn to him by instinct. And it's not hard to see that Ri thinks the very same, the way he looks at him.
We both laugh, getting back up. I don't know how soon baby Pokemon can move around on their own, but I don't feel like putting him down right now anyway. It's still late, but there's no way we can resist. With the newborn in my arms, we rush out into the hall to go tell the others the news.
It looks as though we just might have one more member of the family.