And Now, Our Feature Presentation!
Thankfully Nett, Bitt, and Megg did extend an offer to stay in their home until they properly recovered. Nett had noticed how cramped the entire house was with the wiring, and was in the middle of taping the wires into bundles when the tired pair, Silva, and their newly healed Pokémon stumbled through the door. He gave them one look and grinned.
"Chased her out, right?" He asked.
"Nearly died in the process," Wes said through a yawn. "She nearly drowned us is what she did." Rui nodded, wearily agreeing.
Nett zeroed in on Silva, who was still balancing Rui's Swinub on his head. "And you are?"
"Silva," He replied, shifting the small porcine Pokémon into his arms. "Or the man that keeps getting his ass handed to him by Cipher. Whichever works."
Wes rolled his eyes, "So you finally get it?" Silva only sighed and handed Rui back her Pokémon.
Nett grinned, a new light dancing in his eyes. "So she's gone, and the Under is only nominally less dangerous than before. That's great. Find all the freaky machine Pokémon?"
Rui shook her head. "We have two or three left in the entire Under left to Snag. Some of the Trainers were carrying them around but not answering your challenge, Wes."
Wes blinked. How could Rui even tell? "Do you see the auras coming from the Pokéballs now too?" He asked. "Because that can save us a lot of trouble later. Especially the farther along on this little crusade we go."
"It's a recent development, Wes," Rui said, "I tried to tell you before the Colosseum challenge, but you had your battle face on. No way can I get to you when you're like that."
Nett cleared his throat, "But right now you guys need to get some warm food and go to sleep, 'cause you three look dead. Bitt can look over your guys Pokémon to see if the healing machines missed anything."
Wes stifled a yawn, and found that he couldn't really argue with that logic.
In the morning, or what passed for morning in the sunless city, Wes woke up to find Rui helping Megg set up what looked like a meeting. He found the sink and washed his face and cleaned his teeth, seeing several unfamiliar faces staring at him. Other kids were milling around, from early teens down to what looked like several young children. All had serious sets to their faces, and Wes felt his heart clench a little. None of these kids should have to do what they're about to do, whatever it was.
"Alright, can I have all y'all's attention, please?" Megg called. "The meeting of the Kid's Grid, Under Division is called to order. Does anybody have any important business to voice before we call reports in?"
A kid raised his hand. Megg pointed to him, and he stood up. "Yeah, I got somethin'." He said as he dug around in his pockets. Wes saw him lift out four Pokéballs, and Rui gasped next to him. The boy shyly walked over and held them out to Wes.
"Shadow Pokémon?" Wes asked, hoping that was what they were and not just stolen Pokémon.
The boy shrugged. "No clue, mister. I saw ya battling yesterday, and the missus over there," He nodded to Rui, "kept watching certain Pokémon and some folk that weren't battling. I filched all their Pokémon. Good thing I did, too."
Wes nodded. People down here, save for a few, definitely trained their Pokémon to be lethal. He was no stranger to that. He took the Pokéballs. "Thanks, kid."
The boy ducked his head and grinned as he returned to his seat. The meeting went on, kids giving full reports on the events of the past few days. Wes learned that with Venus's disappearance, the black market had all but dried up. No foreign investors and criminals were walking the famed black alleys of the Under anymore. The shady activity that was the norm here had disappeared.
"So Lady Venus was behind managing it all?" Wes asked, the cold eyes of Venus in his mind's eye.
Megg nodded. "That she was. It's nice to be able to breathe just a little easier now."
A young girl raised her hand, and Nett pointed to her. She stood on her chair to see over the crowd of youngsters. "Is there anything you can do to help these two? Any info on these Shadow Pokémon?"
"Actually, yes, now that someone mentions it," Nett said as he held up a small data stick. "This stick contains all the information I've gathered over the course of several months. Within it is the recent activity of our enemy, and a full list of Shadow Pokémon and the people that own them. I've got copies that'll be sent out to the chapter leaders. If any of you have this in your possession and are caught, destroy it as best you can. No need to let them know what's going on under their noses."
Wes smiled as every kid in the room nodded, faces serious. He didn't know if this happened before he escaped from Team Snagem or right as it happened, but it made him feel lighter to know that they weren't alone.
The meeting ran through the last set of reports, and soon the room emptied as kids left. The seriousness of the meeting was replaced by light-hearted jokes and friendly shoves. Nett approached Wes, and held the data stick out to him. The thing was as big as a Pokéball in his grasp, and clunky.
"For you," Nett explained. "I made sure that there are spares here just in case. I also made something for you guys to use."
He grabbed a board-like contraption off of the table beside him and held it out to Wes with both hands. Wes took it, and was surprised by the weight. He gave Nett an odd look. "What is this?" Wes asked.
"A data reader for the stick," Net replied, his smile turning smug. "I stripped everything unnecessary to reading the data, and merged the screen to the controls. It's portable, and I made a small battery pack you have to plug it into to work. The battery should last you for seven months."
Wes smiled wanly. Nett was surprisingly good at preparing people for the worst. He wondered if Nett had ever met Secc and Marcia, and how well they got along. That brought another question up.
"What are you guys gonna do if the Under goes down?"
Nett shrugged. "All of our stuff is portable, and the old service elevators can get us up to friendly territory," He said. "The Pyrite Chapter would probably take us in."
"Speaking of Pyrite Town," Rui interrupted, a sleepy and bruised Silva following her. "We best get moving. Silva needs to get home."
Wes nodded. "Alright then, let's go," He held out his hand to Nett, and the boy shook it. "Gods be with you kids."
"Gods bless you, too." Was the solemn reply.
Wes was rubbing his eyes as they walked out into the mellow sunlight. Pyrite was not bustling, like it had been earlier in the season. All the nomads had packed up and left for their wintering spots up in Orre's more luscious north. Only the permanent residents were left in town. And the less crowded streets weren't the only thing that greeted them. Secc, Marcia, and Duking stood off to the left of the building.
"Back already?" Secc asked, his grin just shy of smug. "Nett too much for you to handle?"
Wes shook his head. "We only stayed for two days down there, and you act like we've been gone for weeks." He said. "Have just a little faith in us."
Secc raised his eyebrows. Duking smiled at Wes and Rui, but his expression turned exasperated as soon as he saw Silva. Silva smiled ruefully.
"Look terrible, don't I?" Silva said, meeting Duking's eyes. "I've learned my lesson by now."
"Thank Celebi for that," Duking muttered, shaking his head. "I was going over some stuff with the townsfolk, and I need my Second there to help. Gonna come?"
"Yep." Silva said. He handed Wes a slip with a string of numbers. "That's my number, if you ever need me to do anything to help. Got it?"
Wes nodded, grinning. First a crowd of kids, now men that couldn't keep themselves from being beat up. What's next, a murder of Murkrow? Wes wondered. Silva jogged to follow Duking's long strides, and was soon gone. Marcia and Secc remained, which puzzled Wes. They were giving him serious looks.
"What?" He asked. Marcia had her hands folded behind her back, and she brought them around.
In her hands lay an almost-exact replica of the Time Flute that Wes had received from Vander months ago.
Wes sucked in a hurried breath through his nose, before his jaw dropped to the dirt. Rui's eyes were huge as he gently lifted the wooden flute from Marcia's hands. He carefully inspected it. Vines and flowers and puffs of wind were shallowly carved along its length, and a symbol on the head joint gave the instrument a delicate feel. It was more intricate than Vander's, but it had probably weathered the years in a box. He ran his gloved fingers over the carvings before looking at Marcia.
"Where did you find this?" Wes asked, his voice quiet. "Do you two even know what this is?"
Marcia and Secc both shook their heads. "We just thought that you could use it, 'cause you mentioned a flute before." Secc said. "So have it. We'll be doing our thing, behind the scenes."
"Speaking of you guys," said Marcia, her voice quiet. "Shouldn't you guys be getting up north, to Agate Village? Winter's about to set in and nobody likes being caught outside in the storm season."
Rui looked puzzled, and Wes jerked his chin toward the sky. Low, black clouds were set off to the west. A small breeze was whistling through Pyrite, but Wes knew that the breeze could easily turn into a wind that turned the desert sand into a substance that scoured the skins from people and non-desert dwelling Pokémon. And the weather did that almost non-stop for three months. Wes turned to Rui, seeing that she had turned pale. Now was not the time to linger.
They said their goodbyes, exchanged phone numbers (Rui told him that Agate Village's Pokémon Center had an operating telephone), and left.
It was dark out by the time the duo made it past the canyon. Wes switched his lights on, and a light rain started to fall. Rui had long ago huddled under her coat given to her by the Farth tribe, and slept through the rain. Wes enjoyed the drops that were pleasantly light, for winter rain was unforgiving. He would weather it soon enough.
The lights of Agate Village appeared out of the semi-darkness, and Wes slowed the bike to a crawl. They crossed the bridge. Wes shook Rui awake, which caused the girl to look up at him with a grumble.
"What?"
"We're here," Wes explained. "Time to go inside, where it's warm."
Rui sleepily nodded. "I like warm," She held her arm out with sleepily imperiousness. "So that means you must take me there." TO this, Wes only rolled his eyes and bit back a retort. She wouldn't remember it, and it would be a waste to voice it. He hauled Rui up, and they walked up to her grandparents' home. Her grandparents were relieved to see them, and offered Wes a place to stay. His argument to stay in the Pokémon center died as a yawn made itself known.
"That does it, young man." Bella said, grinning. "The sofa is yours for tonight."
Wes shrugged, and went inside. He was asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow.
That morning, Wes woke up to gray skies and charged air. Snow wasn't a common thing in Orre, except in the mountains. But torrential rains weren't uncommon. He got up, noticing a crowd of smaller Pokémon gathered outside the window. The Flaaffy he had purified had her head resting on the windowsill, gazing at him. It let out a soft bleat at seeing him.
"Good morning to you too," Wes grumbled. "Don't y'all have something better to do?"
The crowd of Pokémon left, except the Flaaffy. It gave him a pitiful glance, and Wes felt his resistance crumble.
"Fine, you can come in."
The Flaaffy trilled and jumped through the window. It followed him to the table, where Rui and her grandparents were having breakfast. Wes let out his Pokémon outside, and they ran off to have their own breakfast. Harmatten and Leveche stayed, looking expectantly at him.
"You're in charge of your own breakfast. Scat." He said. "There's not enough for you guys. Flaaffy, go with them." The wooly Pokémon bleated mournfully, and Wes felt Leveche's mind brush his.
She's worried that you will leave without her. Take pity, Wes.
Wes glanced down at the Flaaffy. It bleated at him again. He rolled his eyes and muttered a "Fine…" and beckoned the Pokémon inside.
Breakfast was a normal affair. Rui's Pokémon and the Flaaffy cooed and laughed at each other as they finished their meals, and Wes felt his earlier grumpiness disappear with the introduction of coffee and food. Rui was telling Eagun about the fight with Venus, and Wes soon had to interject.
"She surprised me with that Surf attack," Wes said. "It's pretty hard to dodge a wall of water coming out of nowhere."
Eagun raised his eyebrows. "Surprised? Wes, you should have been able to hear her command. Then it would have been a simple matter of using an attack to break through the wave."
Wes thought back. He had been watching the battle, not the Trainer. He was used to battling with people that telegraphed their commands through whistles, claps, and certain noises. The calling out of commands made you vulnerable; able to be anticipated. But he couldn't recall ever hearing Venus utter a command. How had she done that? He suddenly had a thought.
"Rui, why did Venus stay in the TV studio instead of running immediately?" Wes asked. Rui shrugged. He went through every detail in his mind, turning over every piece as he thought. Finally, Rui said something.
"Maybe because it actually had space. She had pretty big Pokémon after all," She said, frowning. "Should have made too much noise, too."
Noise. Rushing water that hadn't been heard until the very last moment. Venus remarkably quiet in the enclosed space. His commands would carry, but none of hers. Soundlessness sinking into the very walls.
The walls!
"The set had sound dampening equipment to hold noise back," Wes growled. "I wouldn't have been able to hear her, even if I tried. Whistling isn't affected by it because it's too sharp." Eagun's smile crinkled his eyes, and he nodded.
"Do you know why?" He asked. Wes shook his head. Eagun pulled his chair closer to the table, the grin giving way to a serious look. "Most professional battlefields have dampeners stronger than that to keep an audience from becoming deaf from the sounds of battle. Most trainers speak their commands in these battles, only so that the audience can follow along. But the dampeners keep the opposing trainer from hearing them. So most learn quickly to react fast or plan."
Eagun cleared his throat before continuing. "The truly good ones can harness vocal tricks and ways with words to signal their Pokémon's next move. So even learned lip readers can fall behind on the opponent's game. Out here, battles aren't a dazzling match to impress others. They're a way to survive, and to keep from being killed. So you've learned to pay attention only to the Pokémon, in case they try slipping past yours to get at you. But learning to split your attention between the two, from Trainer to Pokémon, would make you nigh unbeatable."
"Splitting my attention?" Wes said, his eyes wide with shock. "But what if I miss something?!"
Eagun gave a humorless chuckle. "Well, you have all of three months to practice. I would be welcome to teaching you, after all. Rui wouldn't be amiss to taking these lessons as well." At this, Eagun's eyes twinkled.
Wes looked at Rui as she looked at him. He wondered if he had the same look of exasperated horror on his face.
"We're so screwed." The two of them moaned. Eagun barked out a laugh.
A/N: Hello, and welcome back to the new chapter. I remember what I said about being finished this summer with this delightful story, but I've been going back and writing the last two chapters and doing the edits I need to give y'all a good story. By the time I get back to school in August, you should be getting weekly updates on Sundays. I don't want to feel guilty of leaving you people to hang for five months waiting for new chapter while juggling engineering homework and stuff.
Thanks for listening, and stay tuned!