Chapter 49: Where the story is coming to an end.
After the events that late afternoon the adventurers were brought to the hospital in Baram Town to treat their injuries.
Paul, Phil and Bao were sent to rooms under police surveillance for betraying the Adventurer Guild, which they openly admitted and regretted. Guild Master Hilarius was still furious about what they did and told the other guild members he will terminate their contracts and throw them out of his guild, forever. But it never came to this, Hilarius was informed shortly after the three resigned themselves already.
Alfons' injuries were worse than expected at first, he will survive, but would keep his injuries, external and internal, for the rest of his days. When Hilarius visited him, he was still unconscious. A nurse told Hilarius about his condition and she suggested Alfons should retire, for it would be the best for him in his condition. He remained by the Delibird's side for the remaining day.
The condition of Amy's mother on the other hand were not as bad as expected, in fact, Bao, Alfons and Mo were the only ones with mentionable injuries that day. They still decided to keep for a day or two to be sure. After what happened that day, Amy was left with more mentally scars than physically. From Steve Mo heard she wanted to stay be her mothers side during her stay and mentioned how she was not able to keep going without Axel. She knew he would not have wanted this, but that day a part of her vanished together with him. The future of Team Red lied uncertain.
While Aaron only suffered from broken ribs and a light concussion and Charlotte only a minor head injury, Mo had several contusions and burns all over his body, comparable to a "really bad sunburn", all over his skin. Nothing a lot of ointment can't fix. Mo told the doctors about his out-of-body experience and, what everyone else confirmed, death and resurrection. It was true what happened to Mo could have been fatal and such "near death experiences" were not rare, but to the doctors it would had been impossible to Mo to leave his body, return later and then be still kicking or even working at all. What the other adventurers also confirmed, several hours passed between Mo's "death" and his "self-exorcism". During that time Mo's body was already cold and stiff and there was no way his brain would still function. To the doctors, Mo should be either still dead or in a vegetable state, but he wasn't. A mystery to everyone in the hospital how this could be. A nurse joked about Mo not needing his brain to live and to think, and Mo wondered, ... he feared ..., if this might be the case.
In Hilarius' name Heidi announced, now that the legend of the Origin Stone is over, normality will return back to the Adventurer Guild. The only task left to be done is fixing the damage of the HQ. She, Hilarius and Gangolf will find help from the outside to do it, help from members is still appreciated. The Chansey then allowed everyone to take the rest of the day off.
It were days like this Mo was happy he felt uneasy to throw his old stuff away. He had to admit his disguise, the new one he got his first near death experience on Mt. Steel, was beyond repair. Luckily he kept the old one he wore before said event and switched cloth.
As he sun was setting, Team Purple sat by the shores of Baram Town. They decided to keep the remaining day calm and watched the sun disappearing into the wide ocean while having some pizza the ordered on takeout. Quattro Formaggi was his favourite.
"Mo?", Aaron asked.
Mo was just chewing a big slice and wanted to swallow before answering.
"Back at the SPA you said you wanted to leave the guild when the Origin Stone is found.", Aaron said. Charlotte quickly looked over to Mo. They probably did not told her about it. "Will you now?"
"I'm not sure.", Mo answered. "Many things happened in the past we days since the SPA. The main question to me is, where should I go then?"
"Home?", Aaron suggested.
Mo took another slice and just held it for a moment.
"I currently believe I have three options on what I should do. The first one is staying at the guild, the second one going home and finding another job.", Moo then proceeded to roll the slice ate put it under his disguise and into his mouth in one go.
"And the third?", Aaron asked.
Mo hesitated to answer this question, partly because his mouth was full.
"Mo?", Aaron asked worriedly.
"Nothing bad!", Mo assured the Sylveon. "Nothing bad. It's ..."
Mo paused and looked over to Charlotte. She looked back at him.
"Where you happy before you met us?", Mo asked Charlotte. She proceeded to slowly took a slice herself and slowly chewed on it. "Never mind. But one thing is sure to me, we'll never have an adventure a s great as this again! ... I think I saw a Mandibuzz die today."
Later that day, back at the guild and in the middle of the night, everyone were asleep, everyone but Mo. He was terribly tired but both his skin condition and the thought about his future kept him awake.
The door to their room opened, quietly and carefully, but Mo noticed right away and was already up to see who it was. Of course, he already guessed who. Yinping entered Team Purple's room, but this time she was not alone. Behind her stood another Pokémon, accompanying her as she entered. A Mienshao who appeared to be very old and also incredibly skinny, making it easy to see every bone he had in his body. Despite this sickly appearance he seemed to be friendly and content.
Mo knew right away that something going on as Yinping approached him, the Mienshao following her slowly. Mo approached as well and they met half way.
"Mo ...", Yinping said and almost sounded like she was about to cry every moment.
"First off, who is this?", Mo asked and tilted his fake head at the old Mienshao.
The Mienshao approached him and reached out with his paw.
"My name is Da, I'm Yinping's and Bao's grandfather. Pleasure to meet you. Yinping had told me about you.", he said in a deep voice, not really fitting to such a Pokémon. "I came by to pick her up."
Mo reached out and chook his paw, softly, fearing he would hurt him by accident. Then he realised what the old Mienshao just said.
"Pick her up?", he asked surprised.
Yinping smiled embarrassedly.
"I'm not really sure what had happened when you and the others went to receive the Origin Stone, the only things I know is all the adventurer's souls were hurt today, and I'm now free to go. Bao finally let go and there is nothing that keeps me bound anymore. I don't have much time left and wanted to say goodbye."
Mo was surprised even more and not knew what to say. Tears began rolling down Yinping's eyes and she began to sob. Mo did not knew if it was of happiness or not. Either way, it mad Mo uncomfortable and he further did not knew how to respond. So Mo slowly hugged her tightly, a gesture she returned.
"I will never forget you. I promise.", Mo told her and remembered the first time she met in the night of his very first day of an adventurer.
Mo let go of the hug and so did Yinping, rubbing the tears of her face with her arm.
"That Komala, Charlotte ...", Yinping then said to him. "I could feel your struggle and you need to know one thing: She truly loves you."
Mo took one last clear look at the Mienfoo and then back at Charlotte, probably not aware of what was happening in this very room.
"Sweetie, it's time to go!", Da told her. "Everyone is waiting already!"
Yinping looked back at Mo one last time and smiled such a wonderful smile.
"Goodbye Mo.", she quickly climbed on her grandfather's back.
"Will we see each other again?", Mo asked.
"Maybe.", Yinping answered. Mo noticed her grandfather seemed worried for a short moment as he glimpsed at him.
Her grandfather carried her on piggyback to the door, as they did they slowly started to fade away, becoming more and more see-through until they left the room and were simply and literally gone. Mo never saw Yinping again, but he knew wherever she was now, she would be happy.
Behind Mo, Aaron woke up.
"Mo? Why are you awake?", he asked half asleep.
"Remember Yinping, my ghost friend?", Mo responded, walked over to the open door to quietly close it. "I guess I won't be talking to more ghost in the near future."
Aaron nodded.
"That's nice.", he said and went right back to sleep.
Early in the morning the adventurers gathered to their morning briefing. Mo's body was still aching all over and the other adventurers didn't seemed to have slept well, too, as they took their places like before the events. Without Alfons, Axel, Amy and the entire of Team Yellow, the guild felt much emptier.
Hilarius stood there, observing everyone at first. Unlike usually he took awfully long to say something, making Heidi confused to the point where she was seemingly thinking of poking him to officially start the day.
"I ..:", Hilarius began but stopped again. He looked clueless.
"I propose we all meet at my office today.", he then said and headed first back to his room down the hall past Heidi.
Everyone, especially Heidi were now even more confused. First some, then more, followed him. Mo quickly asked one of the Pawniard if this had happened before. It never did, he found out. Bad omen.
In his office, Hilarius already sat down at his throne like chair and looked worried in the big stone table in front of him. The room was very crowded and Mo doubted if Team Red and Yellow would have fitted as well.
"I have a question for you all, and I want you to answer honestly: Did I fail as a Guild Master?", Hilarius spoke out after some time.
Silence. No one dared to answer.
"I was too blind to see the traitor among us, I was too weak to protect the ones around me. Only because of the bravery and strength of two kids did we won.", Hilarius explained himself. "There were so many other adventurers that could stand there were I stand now, so why me? Yesterday I have realised my mind was fogged by pride."
He stood up and looked serious into the crowd of guild members.
"I'm tired.", he said. "I hereby resign as your Guild Master."
Everyone remained speechless except Gangolf who questioned his decision and his reasons for it.
"I already made my decision.", Hilarius answered and raised one hand to signal the Golem to stop talking. "My time is over now. There is nothing more for me to achieve."
He lowered his hand and ... seemed to have become peaceful now. He smiled.
"I have some ideas. Something peaceful and quiet."
Heidi grabbed his left arm.
"But who will be our leader if you're gone?!", she cried out.
Hilarius slowly looked over to her, making her back off. Helooked around the room and slowly and directly walked straight to ... Gangolf? The twins backed off from their leader, who stood frozen in front of the Bisharp.
"The time you worked here had paid off. I don't think I know anyone better for this job.", Hilarius said to him and bowed down. "Guild Master Dingo gave this post to me, so I hope we wouldn't mind giving it to you. Do you accept?"
Gangolf was very surprised, maybe more than everyone else. He looked around and everyone's eyes were on him now. He looked back at Hilarius, who awaited answer.
"I promise you won't regret your decision.", he answered and nodded.
Hilarius raised again, seemingly with tears in his eyes. The twins sided with their leader again.
"I believe you will still follow your leader?", Hilarius asked them both. The Nodded as their boss did.
"Good.", Hilarius said. He then turned around back to Heidi, standing right behind him.
"Take care of our members as you did before. We now need you more than ever.", he told her. Heidi quietly accepted.
He turned back and saw his three sons in the corner of the room, questionable what they were thinking. Hilarius walked over to them, went on his knees and opened his arms. The four shared a heartful hug.
"You three, behave and follow the orders of the new Guild Master. I love you." he told them.
He stood back up and directly walked to Steve.
"I will talk to Amy about my decision and in the hope to make her return. I can't promise she will, but if not, we would lose an important adventurer.", he told the Voltorb. Steve quietly accepted as well.
Then he walked over to Team Blue.
"My words I gave to King Kamili stays with the title of the Guild Master. I expect great things from you three.", he told them. Team Blue bowed saluted to him one last time, like they all always did every morning.
Then ... Team Purple. Mo was kind of afraid what he could have to say to them. Mo did some things he was not proud of.
"I had my doubts about you three since the start.", Hilarius said to them. "... I was wrong."
Without waiting for an answer from them, the Bisharp directly walked to the door.
"Not the glorious farewell I had planed to the end of my leadership. ... whatever.", he finally said, left the room with all the Guild members following him until the door. He simply left without looking back.
It went so fast, Mo couldn't really believe what just happened. Their master just gave up. What now? And so asked Heidi, she asked Gangolf, their new Guild Master. The Golem took off his green scarf and handed it to the Chansey.
"We will continue were we left of, of course.", he told her and everyone else. "Do what you seem fit for today, I need to talk to some Pokémon. And new wind will blow from now on."
He then returned to the room that used to be Hilarius', leaving everyone, even his own, now former, team mates behind.
Not long after, Team Purple was back in their room and prepared to go on missions again. Mo was puzzled, and Aaron noticed.
"So ... you'll stay?", he asked the Mimikyu.
"I guess so?" Mo answered. "I mainly don't want to be the one who leaves right after the Guild Master left. I fear I might cause a snowball. I don't want to be the one."
"So ... when someone else leaves, then you leave too?", Aaron dug deeper.
"Depends ...", Mo said. He found a leftover chesto berry while searching for equipment and ate it.
There was a loud slam against their door. First everyone was confused what it was, then there was it again. A sound like someone ran against it. Aaron went to check as it happened a third time. He opened it and there stood Steve, seemingly about to blow up due to stress.
"ZIGGY IS LEAVING AS WELL!", Steve bursted out.
"Ziggy?!", Aaron repeated.
"He too?!", Mo thought to himself as his eyes glow up. From all the guild members ...
"Why would he do this?", Aaron asked.
"I DON'T KNOW!", Steve answered and looked down the corridor to the entrance hall over and over again in a stressed way. "I WAS TOLD, WHEN HILARIUS BECAME GUILD MASTER SOME ADVENTURERS LEFT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T BELIEVED IN HIM! HISTORY IS REPEATING ITSELF!"
"I need to see that!", Mo declared and left the room and marched over to the entrance hall, followed by Aaron, then Steve and then Charlotte.
When they arrived, everyone else was already there as well to see this. Ziggy was just talking to Gangolf while Nya and Richard stood by the Golem's side and appeared to be saddened.
"I just think this is enough adventuring for me.", Ziggy explained himself to Gangolf. "And beside, finding the Origin Stone sound very good on my resume!"
Nya spat some fire at Zigy's feed, who jumped up in surprise.
"You can't dot his!", she shouted. "We came to this could together! You can't leave by yourself!"
Ziggy looked at her.
"Axel.", he simply answered.
Nya looked at him in disbelieve.
"IT'S NOT THE SAME!", she suddenly snapped and Richard tried to hold her back.
"It is. Sort of.", Ziggy explained. "You wanted to be a part of this guild, right? I promised to accompany you, right? You still want to stay, I don't."
Nya did not answer and looked to the ground. Ziggy put his tiny hand on her head.
"It's not a farewell forever.", he said and then looked over to Richard. "I count on you to keep her safe from now one."
"Pleasure.", Richard answered.
"I don't think I need this anymore.", Ziggy said and removed his blue scarf from his neck. He seemingly removed it without any kind of regret, like it did not matter to him anymore at all.
He handed his scarf to Nya. She hesitated first, then took it with her mouth, still sobbing.
"Where will you go now?", Gangolf asked Ziggy.
Ziggy smiled and looked at Nya again.
"When I was a little Pichu, I always wanted to become a police officer in my home town. Like I said, Origin Stone. So I guess I will see you all when the circumstances are right!"
That moment Gangolf looked at Ziggy like a father would look at a child of his he was proud of.
"I also don't think I need this anymore either.", he further said and began removing he bandages he was still wrapped into for almost two days now, ending with the one he wore around his head to protect his injured eye.
The moment he removed it, the whole guild shuddered of what they saw. Everyone tried hard not to look disgusted, Mo could even see Richard swallowing his breakfast coming up.
Mo saw something like this before, maybe not SO bad. A relative of his got injured when he build a house, a tiny but sharp stone right in his eye. What was wrong with Ziggy's eye should not be described in detail, but one thing was sure, that eye was beyond healing. Ziggy was a cyclops now, and probably not aware of it at that moment.
"Well then!", Ziggy concluded. "Have fun adventuring and stuff!"
He turned his back on everyone and headed to the door. Mo urged. This would probably be the last chance to set things with him.
"Ziggy!", Mo called out to the Pikachu.
Ziggy turned around and Mo quickly approached him.
"Well ... so this is farewell?", Mo asked.
Ziggy smiled in the way Mo hated it but he would rather look at his mouth than at his eye.
"It is, ... Bootleg.", he answered.
Hearing this name again, Mo's dark aura rose a little and he quietly growled at him, still enough to catch everyone's attention.
"I must say I just started to like you and I admit I underestimated your abilities.", Ziggy further said.
"Well.", answered Mo. "I still don't. But if you like I would have one final duel with you before you leave. Just the two of us, to see who really is the best."
Ziggy crossed his arms and kept smiling.
"I already told you, we're not rivals. So: No."
Ziggy further kept looking and Mo, who returned it and wondered when he would leave already. Then Ziggy reached out with his hand, asking Mo for a handshake as a final goodbye. Mo still not accepted, but took a small and quick bow instead, showing him a little respect at least.
Somewhat disappointed, Ziggy turned around again and headed for the big door. As he opened it a crack to leave the guild, Mo thought about something and rushed to him before it was too late.
"One thing!", Mo called out and got his attention. "I want to give you two advices on your way. One: You should go and check your eye by a professional. That's does not looked healthy at all."
My pointed to one of his own, real eyes. Ziggy seemed confused hearing this.
"And second: ...", Mo said, suddenly grabbed Ziggy by the back of his head and slammed it as hard as he could against the corner of the wooden door. Ziggy shouted out in pain and began rubbing his forehead. "Doors are hard."
Mo then further opened the door and quiet literally threw Ziggy out. He rolled across the floor in front of the entrance a little before Mo finally slam closed it. That moment Mo felt pretty proud of himself, until the door, not really attached due to what happened two days ago, fell of it's hinches and fell, barely missing Ziggy who's expression was a mix between shock and confusion.
"Once again, what is wrong with you?!", Guild Master Gangolf shouted out to Mo.
Mo looked up at the guild members, or of what was remaining at this point. Axel is gone, Amy would probably not return, Hilarius is gone Alfons is gone, Yinping is gone, and now Ziggy, his nemesis, is gone, too. Mo began to think about hard about what he should do. The guild was falling apart and under these circumstances will soon be no more, so while not leave before the ship went down? I wouldn't matter anyway, would it? Then again, he could help reshape what was lost, making a new name.
Everyone were looking at him, probably also because he stood there by the fallen door for quit a while now, lost in thoughts. Comparing the possibilities, Mo came to the final conclusion on what to do, how to decide. Something that would not only affect his own life, but also the life of other Pokémon in the near and distant future.
Mo took a deep breath, felt his purple scarf for a moment and approached his partners.
"Aaron, Charlotte, I need to discuss something!"
