ML54: Welp, here's a chapter I've been wanting to write!
Tyson: So, what'll we be facing? Awesome monsters? Deadly outlaws? Exploring ancient, unexplored tombs?
ML54: Family drama.
Tyson: ...This idiot doesn't own pokémon.
ML54: Hey!
Homecoming
The next morning, the group stood outside Tapu Lele's tent for the morning meeting. Even Tommy was there, having been coerced out of the Infirmary by Petunia. However, she still stood next to him as he was looking to the ground silently.
The main difference in this morning's meeting, however, was that Darkrai and Mew were also here, standing on either side of Tapu Lele.
"Okay, everyone," Tapu Lele started, her arms folded behind her back. "Usually this is when I'd give you your jobs for the day. However, I must tell you that none of us are going to have our usual jobs."
Everyone, apart from the legendaries, blinked in confusion and looked at each other, uncertainly. "What do you mean, boss?" Ziggy asked.
"What I mean is that we've lost a valued member of the clan, as well as two civilians, because we didn't know what they were fighting," Tapu Lele explained, giving a quick glance at Tommy, who had flinched as she said that.
Darkrai noticed as well and sighed, sympathetically. "I know you're all shaken by what happened. But it's our job to make sure that this doesn't happen to anyone else," He continued for Tapu Lele, causing the group to look up at him.
He paid no mind to this, instead folding his arms and resuming his speech. "Cody, Pepper and Pippy all lost their lives yesterday. And I know you're all still grieving. Some more than others. But you should take that feeling as motivation. So that no-one else has to feel how you're feeling now because of that monster."
The group looked uncertain, so Mew decided to pipe up. "He's right, you know. He might have been a bit cold about it, but other pokémon and even humans are in danger of that thing!" She said, folding her own arms and pouting. "My attacks had no effect on it. Neither did Pepper, Cody or Gracie's attacks. Only Tyson was able to do anything against it."
"So, if we figure out why that's the case, we'll know how to beat it," Tapu Lele finished, floating over to Tommy and placing a hand on his shoulder. This caused the riolu to look up at her. "If you want to take the day off, it's fine-"
"No, I'll work…" Tommy said, glaring up at her in determination. "I want to make it pay for what it did to my best friend!"
Tapu Lele recoiled, not expecting him to say anything, but nodded. "Okay…Just don't let revenge cloud your judgement," She said, then nodded to Petunia. "For now, I'll have you work with Petunia. You need a partner and-"
"It's fine, boss," Petunia said, rubbing her cheek with her stump arm. "I'm sure we'll do great!"
Tommy cracked a slight smile at her declaration, opting to stay silent.
"Great, then I'll have you two come with me to find the lake guardians," Tapu Lele said, floating back to address the group. "Rockruff and Felicity will go to Stone Forge Hill to try and find Terrakion. Buizel and Pachirisu will go to the Tower of Steel to find Cobalion-"
"I'll go and fetch Jirachi and Celebi!" Mew announced, happily. "They should be back in the Expedition Society. So, we'll then go and find Shaymin."
"I'll work on finding my counterpart," Darkrai said, grumbling. "Hopefully she won't attack me on sight…again."
"I can go get Aunt Virizion and Uncle Keldeo, if you want," Tyson offered, causing the group, minus Gracie, to turn to him, surprised.
"Wait, you know Virizion and Keldeo?!" Buizel asked in surprise, causing the pikachu to raise an eyebrow.
"Yeah, of course I do? Why would I offer if I didn't?" He asked.
"…Well, can't argue with that," Buizel conceded, rolling his eyes.
"Why didn't you tell us you knew legendary pokémon?!" Nate asked.
"You never asked," Tyson shrugged, causing the group to pause for a few seconds. They then just sighed and turned back to Tapu Lele.
"W-well, I was going to ask you to look for Meloetta. But I guess I can get Nate and Ziggy to do that, instead?" She said.
"Can do, boss!" Nate and Ziggy announced at once.
"Wonderful! Thank you, everyone! Now go and do your best!"
"Yeah!" Everyone cheered, albeit a lot more seriously than usual. Then the group separated to do their jobs.
"So, guess you'll get to meet my family, Fluff-Butt," Tyson said, as the two made their way down a forest path. They had left the clan to get a move on with their mission.
Gracie was nervously fiddling around with her fluff. "Um…Do any of them know about me?"
Tyson rose an eyebrow at her. "Well, no. I haven't spoken to them since Cindy left to join Banette. Plus, I've only known you about a week, Gracie."
"Oh…" Gracie sighed, tugging her fluff up again. "Do you think they'll like me?"
"Hey, I like you," Tyson said, knocking her on the shoulder. "And I'm probably the hardest to impress in my family. You'll be fine. If you just be you then everything will be fine…" He then blinked and rose an eyebrow at her again. "Wait, you don't think my family are all grumpy lone wolves, do you?"
"W-well…" Gracie started, a teasing smile starting to appear on her face. "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree…"
"Oh, come on, Long-Ears. I was grumpy because of…well…a lot of things, come to think of it," Tyson stumbled, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "But they're all a bunch of goofs, you'll fit right in!"
"I guess…" Gracie mumbled, smiling more fondly.
"But yeah. I guess they'll be asking about Cindy, won't they?" Tyson frowned, folding his arms in thought. "Guess I'll have some explaining to do."
Gracie blinked in confusion before she made a noise of understanding. Oh yeah. I forgot that he's only really opened up to me.
He noticed her look and smiled at her. "Ah relax. It won't be as touchy feely as my confession to you," He explained, folding his arms behind his head. "I'll probably just tell them that we had a falling out and she joined another team."
"I uh…Guess that works," Gracie stumbled, not sure about how easy it was for him to hide his feelings from his family.
Tyson noticed and sighed. "I'll tell them properly another time, Fluff-Butt. Right now, we're on the job. Anyway, we're here."
"Here?" Gracie asked, looking at the small straw hut that he had taken them to. "Where's here?"
"It's Kadabra's place," He explained, knocking on the door. "See, sometimes, we have jobs that take us pretty far away. So, we have Kadabra teleport us there."
Just as Gracie was about to ask something else before someone answered the door. It was a yellow and brown humanoid pokémon with a yellow moustache and a spoon, as well as a large, fat tail. "Yes, can I help you?" He asked in a slightly sour tone.
"I know it's your day off, Kadabra," Tyson started, motioning to himself and Gracie. "But we need to get to Paradise. It's an emergency."
Kadabra blinked, before shrugging. "Okay, fine," He said, before his eyes started glowing white.
Gracie panicked as a white outline appeared around her.
Make them see!
What?! Gracie jumped, looking around. But all she saw was Tyson. Who had a white outline himself. What was-?
The Light will consume all!
She jumped again, looking all around herself. Noting that her surroundings seemed to be getting a lot more colourful. Reds, blues and greens were swirling all around the area, melding together to create more colours. Who are-?
Everything will become me!
As the voice said this, a blinding light appeared before her. One large, pure red eye staring right at her.
"No!" Gracie screamed in fear, trying to back away from whatever it was that was in front of her.
Once she had taken a few steps back, she and Tyson appeared in a new location. One with a crossroads with a sign post, pointing left and right.
But Gracie didn't notice, instead holding her head, distressed. "Leave me alone!"
Tyson heard her and rushed to her side. "Gracie, are you okay?"
She didn't hear him as she started shivering. Hearing the thing's voice continue to scream at her.
The Darkness has fallen!
All hail the Light!
Make them all see!
"Gracie!" Tyson cried out as the buneary fainted, this having been too much for her.
By reflex alone, he dove forward and caught her by the shoulders before her head made contact with the ground. He then gently laid her down, leaning his ear down next to her mouth.
He let out a sigh of relief when he heard her breathing. Oh man, what happened to her?! He thought to himself, panicked, as he picked her up by her shoulders and waist.
He then looked towards his homestead and cringed. Well, as much as I want to see Mom again, I need to get Gracie looked at. And the Signora is the best pokémon for that.
He nodded to himself and turned towards the town in the opposite direction of Paradise.
"Swanna!" Tyson called, shoulder barging the door open. This caused said door to accidently smack into a small, brown dog like pokémon. Sending said pokémon to the ground in pain.
A white, swan-like pokémon looked up from her conversation with a purple, feline-like pokémon. "Oh, Tyson! When did you get back?" The white pokémon asked, curiously.
"I'll explain later!" Tyson said, laying Gracie down on the counter between the two previously conversing pokémon. "My friend passed out and I want to know what happened!"
"My, my, as impatient as ever I see," The purple feline teased, rolling her eyes. Tyson froze for a moment, before sighing and smiling at the taller pokémon.
"Hey, Auntie Espeon," Tyson greeted, moving to give her a friendly nuzzle. "How've you been?" He asked as Swanna moved the buneary up a flight of stairs. Now knowing that she was in safe hands…or wings, he felt he could relax and talk to his aunt properly.
She happily nuzzled Tyson back. "I'm fine, I see you've lightened up a bit," She commented, pulling back to raise an eyebrow at him. "You usually need a bit of coercing before you give me a nuzzle."
Tyson blinked, before sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. "W-well, it's just…you know, been a while? Where's everyone else?"
Espeon's face suddenly turned more serious and glanced outside. "Well, Emolga and Umbreon are doing some errands for the Voice of Life. As for your mother, Dunsparce, Virizion and Keldeo…"
Tyson blinked, but decided to pay more attention. She noticed and sighed. "They…got a message from your father."
Tyson stiffened, visibly, his fur bristling. "Oh?" He asked, his eyes hardening. "What about?"
Espeon looked at her paws, uneasily. "He said he was coming back but got caught by some dungeon sick. So, he needed help in the Luminous Well," She noticed Tyson's face darkening and placed a paw on his shoulder. "Now Ty-"
"I don't want to see him," He said, plainly. "I don't…trust myself not to snap."
"He said he was doing something important. Not that he'd be gone forev-"
"Fifteen years, Auntie. Fifteen long, long years," Tyson stressed, folding his arms and glaring off to the side. Espeon sighed again, looking sympathetic.
"I know, Tyson. None of us are happy with him. You know that…But your mother still loves him," She explained, rubbing one of her paws with the other. "I mean, chances are you don't have to see him today if you don't want to."
"Except Aunt Virizion and Uncle Keldeo went with my mom. And Gracie and I were sent to get them-"
"Wait, you and Gracie?" Espeon asked, confused. Effectively changing the subject. "What happened to Cindy? I thought you had partnered up with her?"
"It's…been a long year," Tyson sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Well, looks like I'll have to see Mr. Deadbeat himself. What fun," He continued, sarcastically, turning to head up the stairs to check on Gracie.
"Tyson!" Espeon called out to him before he started up the stairs. Tyson paused to hear her out. "Please just…try to stay calm. Tali is really excited to see him again. I don't…want to stress her out by having you at your father's throat."
Tyson sighed, placing his forehead against the hand rail on the stairs.
Espeon took this as a sign to continue. "Besides, I know deep down, you missed him too."
Tyson glared back at her. "Yeah, I guess it must be pretty deep. Because, right now, I'd be happy if I never saw him again!" And, with that, Tyson turned coldly and walked up the stairs…
…Trying to ignore the tears building in his eyes.
ML54: Welp, hope you guys enjoyed reading this chapter! Please R&R and keep on keepin' on! :D
PROMOTION:
Today, I'll be promoting a difference maker...sorry, that should read I'll be promoting Difference Maker. XP
Seriously though. Difference Maker is a seriously cute PikaBun fic, written by VGS2 the Sexy Sausage. It takes place in the episodes where Dawn visited Ash and company in Unova and, well, you'll have to read it to find out more. It's just as funny as it is cute, though, so I'm sure you guys will have a blast reading it! :D
Now, with that out of the way...
Fun Mistakes of the Day:
1. "Gracie was nervously fiddling around with her fluff, nervously."
As you can see, she was very nervous. :P
2. "As the voice said this, a blinding light appeared before her. One large, pure red eye staring right, her."
Yeah, isn't that right, her? XD
3. "He nodded to himself and turned towards the town in the opposite direction."
Tyson's apparently pretty bad with directions. XP
