A/N - Thanks again for all reviews, faves and follows! =D
I spent way longer than I intended writing yesterday. I sat down for an hour, and four hours later had written over 6000 words and finished part 4 - which I am starting to upload today. I can now tell you some things - I intend for there to be five arcs to this story. So when I finish part 5, this fanfic should be completed. And if my guess is right, there will be around 65-70 chapters in total. Give or take. This should give you an idea of how long this story may end up being. (It may be longer than 70 chapters. It depends on if I get a flood of ideas that push me past my goal!)
Interesting fact - look forward to Monday. Because I'll be uploading one of my FAVOURITE CHAPTERS EVER.
Part 4
38 – A Village by the Lake
"You're a funny colour." Scout was walking backwards, his eyes not leaving Harlequin. "Why are you such a funny colour?"
They'd been walking since sunrise, small bursts of conversation between them, but the loudest of them had been from Scout as he barraged Harlequin with endless questions. At this particular one, all Harlequin did was shoot him a glare.
Cleo kept a watchful eye on her just in case it looked like Scout was going to push too many buttons. Harlequin had been exceptionally patient so far, so much so that Sandpaw's anxious look had lessened as she stayed close enough to snatch him out of the way if need be.
"I've not seen an odd coloured Pokemon before," Scout went on. "But mum tells me they exist and they're rare. That makes you special, right?"
Harlequin chuckled. "Sure. I'm special."
Scout didn't seem to pick up the sarcasm in her voice. He seemed satisfied by this answer and diverted to a different topic.
"And your an assassin too? Why do you use poisons? Why not just fight?"
"I prefer poisons."
"But why?"
"It's sneakier."
"I suppose..." Scout was thoughtful for a moment. "But if you don't fight, you don't evolve right? Is that why you're still a Zorua?"
Harlequin snorted. "Combat's still combat."
"So you've not had enough combat to evolve?"
"I've seen my fair share."
"But you've not evolved! Why's that?"
"Because I don't want to." Harlequin fired him a warning glare.
"But why?" Scout whined. "You'd be so much stronger!"
"Because I don't want to, okay?!" Harlequin snapped.
Sandpaw swept Scout from the ground and stepped out of the Zorua's range, her eyes wide with concern.
Harlequin sighed. "I wasn't going to bite him."
Sandpaw looked away from her and trotted over to Faith.
"I think that's enough questions for today," the Furret told her son.
"But I've not finished interviewing the bad guy!"
"I'm not a bad guy!" Harlequin let out a sigh and waved a paw. "Whatever. Believe what you want."
Sandpaw looked back at her and Scout twisted in her arms to fix his large eyes on the Zorua.
"Not a bad guy? But you're from the Shadow Lands!"
"I'm not going back," Harlequin muttered. She looked away from them.
"Huh." Spark peered down at her from Cleo's shoulder. "Had a change of heart? When did that happen?"
"My guess is in the Fairy Garden." Faith smiled back at them.
Cleo looked at Harlequin. She'd noticed the Zorua's demeanour had changed from aggressive to more subdued, but she'd assumed this was merely because she'd resigned herself to her captivity. Being unable to use attacks and other Pokemon staying out of her reach, resistance was futile. But a change of heart? That hadn't crossed her mind at all.
Was this just a ruse?
"I mean, she did manage to enter it," Faith went on. "That should be enough indication she's looking for some kind of solitude."
"But who's to say it's definitely our side?" Cleo asked.
"Your side!?" Harlequin snorted. She looked away from Cleo, her canines bared.
"Of course!" Faith flashed Harlequin a wide smile. "If you're fighting for Xerneas, we're on the same side!"
Harlequin's expression became unreadable. She kept her eyes on the ground, lagging sightly behind Cleo.
"You've mentioned this before."
The Furret's voice drew her attention away from Harlequin.
"We get there through the Endless Woods," the Furret went on. "It sounds too good to be true, but I'd be happy to go and look for it. But alone... it's a little daunting."
"We can do it!" Scout fist-pumped the air.
Faith chuckled. "He certainly has a lot of enthusiasm! But yes, please travel with a group. It's dangerous out there."
"Are you going back there?" Sandpaw asked.
"I will be doing eventually. Right now, I've promised I'll help these Pokemon find the fire type they've been sent to look for." Faith was thoughtful for a moment. "Maybe we can find some more Pokemon who want to go and you can travel together in a group! Oh, Cleo!" Faith looked back at her. "Maybe we can send them to New C-"
Cleo leapt forward and clasped a paw over Faith's mouth, stifling the Mawile's words and causing them to come out in a mumble against her paw pads. Her violet eyes had widened with shock and she removed Cleo's paw from her face and gave her a quizzical look.
"What was that for?" she asked.
"Yes." Harlequin scrambled to her feet and shook her head, scattering dried leaves from her fur. "What was that about?"
Spark was stood next to her, staring at Cleo with a look of amusement, but she said nothing.
Cleo looked from Sandpaw's confused face back to Faith.
"We can't say its name outside its walls," she hissed.
"Oh..." Faith scratched her head. "Then... how do Pokemon find it?"
"They go through the Guild." Cleo pushed Faith forwards and gave a small shake of her head. "Let's just move on, okay?"
They walked in silence for a moment, Faith seeming confused and a little embarrassed and Sandpaw looking increasingly anxious.
That had been a close call. Faith had very nearly revealed New City to a Pokemon with a Heretic tattoo, and Cleo wasn't entirely sure this Pokemon was even on their side. She glanced over at Mischief who'd been completely quiet since they'd left the camp that morning. He gave her a worried glance as though he was telling her he was thinking the same thing. They didn't know Sandpaw at all. She'd just... shown up.
But there was Mischief... a Pokemon with a Heretic tattoo and no memories. He'd been to New City, he'd joined the Guild. Cleo was certain they could trust him. Why would such rules not apply to a frightened mother and her child?
Cleo sighed. She couldn't bring herself to trust them. She didn't know them. This was a war.
"I feel like you were going to tell me something I'm not meant to know." Sandpaw broke the silence. "I can understand you won't want to tell me, especially if it could potentially endanger others. But I can assure you, I'm no threat."
"Nope! We're no threat to the good guys!" Scout wriggled out of his mum's arms and landed on the floor where he puffed out his chest. "I'm gonna be a hero!"
"Ooh!" Faith clapped her paws. "I think you'll be a great hero!"
Sandpaw chuckled and scooped him back up again.
Scout let out a whine. "Heroes don't get carried, mum!"
Spark's head poked out of Cleo's neck fur and she looked at her.
"What do you think, Cleo?" she asked quietly.
Cleo shrugged. "I honestly don't know."
...
"Ahh finally!"
Spark's eyes glistened at the sight before them. A little Outcast village was spread out beside the large lake. Like Tinker had said, it was just outside the Glen. Part of the village was built up the shallow slopes of the large hills that rose up at either side of the river but it was significantly less steeper than some areas of the Glen, making the hill easier to climb and possible to build on.
Calling it a little village might have been a bit of an exaggeration. It was little in comparison to New City, but it seemed more permanent than the temporary towns, and therefore bigger. The houses were of better quality, a majority of them being made from stone, with the odd wooden house springing up here and there as new Pokemon moved in. And, in typical Outcast tradition, in the centre of the village, visible over the sloping roofs of the houses, was the Guild headquarters.
Cleo had heard of this place, but she'd never visited it. It was marked on her map, but despite its more permanent appearance, it wasn't given a name. No settlements were given names. Names sounded too permanent, and there was the fear that Pokemon could develop attachments that would be difficult to break if they needed to suddenly evacuate.
Naming them gave hope.
They trudged over the grass towards the village. There was no wall spreading around the circumference. Such things were pointless. With the threat of airborne Murkrow flocks and winged dragon types and dark Pokemon such as Weavile that could climb, not to mention Enigma's ability to sneak through walls, building them would only cause Pokemon that couldn't scale them to become trapped in their own home with no way to escape.
"Wow!" Faith exclaimed. "It's nice to see an actual village!"
"What do you mean?" Sandpaw asked.
"Well, Pokemon have been living in shocking conditions! You need to be out in the open like this – free and happy. Not stuffed in a lab or hiding away in fea-ahh!"
The ground gave way beneath the Mawile's feet and she plummeted out of sight.
"Faith!"
Cleo shot to the edge of the hole with Harlequin and Sandpaw at her side. Faith was lay on her back on a pile of debris staring up at them, her violet eyes wide and her mouth hanging open as she tried to catch her breath.
"What... just happened?" she gasped.
"Are you all right?" Cleo asked.
"Yes, I think so. I just... Harlequin! Take a step back!"
The Zorua gave her a look of confusion and obliged, stepping behind Cleo.
"What's the problem?" she asked.
"What's going on here?" A deep voice drew their attention from the Mawile.
A Garbodor moved over to them from a little alley between two houses, his eyes fixed on the large hole. He ran his right limb over what one could assume was his ear and let out a little groan.
"I'm terribly sorry about this. You've gone and fallen in."
"No kidding!" Spark snorted. "What is this? Some kind of trap?"
"Some kind of tunnel!" shouted Faith.
"Aye, it's a tunnel." The Garbodor peered over the edge. "You see, we had the Dugtrio try and dig us an escape tunnel, but this part of the ground is a little fragile and it was at risk of giving way. We were gonna secure it, but now... are you all right down there, milady?"
He gave Faith a massive grin.
The Mawile smiled up at him. "I'm fine. But I'm a little stuck."
"Awh, I can help you out, but I'm a little slippery. You are a steel type, right?"
Faith nodded and watched as the large poison Pokemon lowered his pipe-like arm down towards her.
Cleo stood back watching, trying not to flinch as a few drops of liquid dripped from his arm. It was too late for her to offer to raise Faith from the hole with her abilities, and she really didn't want to offend this Pokemon. He was being kind and helpful and was probably elated that he could help another Pokemon without risking poisoning them.
He effortlessly lifted Faith back onto the grass and gave her a fond smile.
"There you go, milady! Back on solid ground! But... I'd move away if I were you, perchance this part gives way too."
He waved a long limb at them to follow him to the town.
Faith trotted to keep up with him. "Thank you so much for helping me! You're very kind!"
He laughed heartily. "Oh don't worry! And you can wash your paws when we get inside! There's a little trickle that runs down through the hill!"
"A little trickle?" Spark asked. "I thought you used the lake. We're here to deliver medicinal berries to you!"
He twisted his large, neck-less head to look back at her. "The 'trickle' is a diversion from the river to save Pokemon wandering too far at night. Unfortunately, it's still tainted."
"Oh." Spark retreated back into Cleo's fur.
Cleo joined the Garbodor's side.
"I'd also like to thank you for helping us out there," she said. "My name's Cleo. We're looking for Meredith. Is that you?"
"No, no!" The Garbodor laughed. "I'm Mulch. I was actually on my way to the lake to draw more poison out of it! It's a time consuming task, but we're getting there."
"Excuse me." Harlequin's nose was crinkled so much her brown furrowed. It was clear his odour was overpowering to her. "But wouldn't that just add more poison to the water?"
Mulch stared at Harlequin for a moment, his eyes squinting. Cleo was suddenly aware that this was not a young Pokemon, and his eyesight was failing. Her suspicion on this was clarified when he let out a little exclamation of surprise.
"There's a Zorua with you!"
"Yes," said Cleo. "She's a captive. She's no threat to you. She can't use her attacks nor can she leave my side."
"Oh dear, child." Mulch let out a sigh and rubbed his pipe over the back of his head. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to wait here while I go and find Meredith."
"There's no need for that, Mulch."
A Delphox moved over to them, followed closely by Tinker.
"I'm here," said the Delphox.
Faith gasped and pointed at Tinker. "How did he get here so fast?"
Spark shrugged. "We've just kinda accepted it as one of his many mysteries over the years."
Cleo suppressed her surprise at seeing the Riolu and instead turned her attention back to the Delphox.
"As for him," he nodded at Harlequin. "Tinker's enlightened me to the situation. Harlequin is a prisoner."
"Harlequin?" The Garbodor looked back at her, his large eyes impossibly larger. "Well, I never thought in all my day's I'd see Harlequin!"
"Before you put me in the cells," Harlequin looked from the Delphox back to Mulch, "I'd like to know the answer to my question."
"Weren't you mocking him?" Spark snorted.
"No," Harlequin said flatly. "I am genuinely curious."
Mulch chuckled. "To answer that, no. It wouldn't add more poison to the water. Poison Pokemon can draw the toxins out of things to make them safer for other Pokemon."
"Yes, having some poison Pokemon around provides balance." The Delphox crossed his arms and leant back against one of the houses. "Having Mulch and his grandson around has been a big help recently."
Harlequin was staring at Mulch with great intensity. "I have so much I want to ask you."
Mulch laughed and closed his eyes. "Well, I'm not so sure I want to help out an assassin."
Harlequin sat down suddenly, her shoulders slumping.
Cleo looked away from her, aware that Tinker's eyes were burning holes into her head. Once he had her attention, he nodded at their two new companions.
"Who are these two? They have Heretic tattoos."
"Oh!" Cleo moved over to him, dragging the unwilling Harlequin behind her. "These are Sandpaw and her son Scout. They've escaped from the Heretic lab and are looking for somewhere safe."
"So you brought them here?" Tinker didn't sound impressed.
"Please, sir." Sandpaw edged cautiously over to him, trying to maintain eye contact but her eyes kept drifting to the ground near his feet. "I never wanted to be a Heretic, and now the lab's gone I can tell you anything – what they were doing, and why they were doing it..." She trailed off as Tinker's glare intensified.
"So the lab has to have disintegrated for you to tell me what they're up to?"
"If I'd escaped sooner, I'd still be willing to tell you!"
"Were you a worker or a subject?"
"Worker, but-"
Tinker cut her off with a wave of his paw. "I've heard enough. Now come on, Cleo. You can leave them here. We need to get those berries to the nurses."
He cast one last glance back at Sandpaw and marched into the town.
Cleo looked back at the Furret. The shock and disappointment was clear on her face. She'd been hopeful. Hopeful she could find someone who could help her and her son, and she'd been dismissed so easily without even being heard out simply because she was a Heretic.
Cleo grit her teeth and looked away. Wasn't that what she was doing earlier? Being sceptical simply because she has a Heretic tattoo? Not willing to trust her?
"Tinker!" She caught up to the Riolu and grabbed his arm. He turned and looked down at her and she returned his look with an alarming glare. "Are you really going to dismiss her like that? She's alone with a child!"
"Then she can go and find some Heretics to help her."
"She's left them. She might have a tattoo, but so does Mischief-"
"Mischief was a victim."
"You don't know that for certain."
"But you do."
Cleo released his arm but didn't remove her yellow eyes from his. "Hear her out at least. Please?"
Tinker closed his eyes and sighed. "Very well." He looked back at the Furret. "Come with me. We'll go to my office."
"Not the cells?" Cleo asked him.
"We don't have any cells," said the Delphox. "We don't keep Pokemon locked up here. Any attacks are dealt with by our warriors." He looked over at Sandpaw and folded his arms. "Let's just hope for their sake that they prove to be on our side."
A look of anxiety crossed Sandpaws face as she passed the Delphox to join Tinker. She'd clearly heard him, he'd intended it.
Tinker gave him a nod before leading the Furret and her son to the Guild headquarters.
The Delphox gave Cleo a smile. "Follow me. I'll show you where to deliver those berries."
He turned and moved away from them.
"Will they be okay?" Mischief asked. "I'm a little worried."
Mulch edged closer to them and leant into Cleo, the odour of rotting fruit rising from his body.
"Don't worry, child," he said. "They won't do anything to your friend. Any enemy Pokemon are caught and handed over to the Guild to be locked up in external cells away from here. Keeps the peace." He edged away from her and gave her a nod. "Go on. I'll see you later."
"Thanks, Mulch." Cleo waved a paw and watched as the Garbodor waddled away.
"He means the cells in the woods, doesn't he?" Mischief asked quietly.
"I think so. Well," she turned to her friends. "We'd better deliver those berries."
...
Please R&R! =D