A/N: Thank you all for reading, faving, and reviewing so far I'm still getting used to using FFN haha (I mainly use ao3 and tumblr)
For those not following the story on other sites, character art can be found at my toyhouse sammpotato
Feel free to chat and leave questions/comments over on the tumblr pmd-hellfire
The Frost Horn. The howling typhoon of ice roared around its jagged spires, its endless onslaught never faltering. Only the hardiest and most dedicated of pokémon dared to tolerate its fury. Its mighty bellow ensured intruders were kept at bay, lest they face the mountain's wrath.
That was, until now.
The stutter was brief, as if it were a breath caught in the throat. For that split second, the storm atop the Frost Horn ceased, a deathly silence befalling the heavens before its wrath resumed. From her throne upon the frozen pinnacle, Weavile turned her head in mild curiosity, quirking an eyebrow at the shadowy mass shifting beneath the ice.
Deep within its frozen cocoon, Kyurem sluggishly raised its head to the west. A ripple ran up its spine, an echo of the tremor that swelled through the earth and crawled up to its throne. The primal energy was felt only by the great dragon, its numerous subordinates remained unaware of the ancient power flowing beneath them.
The power of a fellow god.
Kyurem's single intact eye twitched, a quick burst of indignation flashing upon the beast's otherwise frozen visage. The energy crawled across its skin, sending its asymmetric wings twitching uncontrollably. Its white plumed wing sent soft feathers cascading to the floor, whereas its angular black companion crackled with electricity. Kyurem's lip twitched up into a rumbling snarl, its wings instantly freezing and relinquishing to their master's control.
"This disturbance…It's been many years." Kyurem thought to itself as its body stilled. "Who is out there?" Frustration boiled up within the dragon, manifesting itself as a blast of cold air that hissed from its jaw. "Who?"
Kyurem lowered its head once again, nestling it under cover of its mismatched wings. Frozen scars glittered in the filtered light upon its mangled flesh, warping with the dragon's glacial movements. Its hulking form stilled as its breath returning to its deep, bellowing rhythm.
"Soon... Whichever of you is out there, soon I will crush you myself."
To describe the scouts' journey following the incident at the Haunted Woods clearing as 'stomach-churningly awkward' would be an understatement.
The atmosphere was thick with a stifling tension as the group marched between the tall trees. Unspoken words crackling around them, longing to be spoken.
"What the heck was that?" the pokémon longed to scream, yet their tongues remained held. The suffocating weight of their Guildmaster's orders hung heavy over their heads, stifling even the smallest whisper.
Leo's heavy footfalls deafened his ears, eyes unfocused on his surroundings as his mind swam with a flurry of thoughts.
Who is the Guildmaster? What is the Guildmaster?
Why are they doing this?
The small, shiny chatot led the troupe through the outskirts of the woods. Their bouncing hop would otherwise be comical. Their small size was the perfect fit for Leo's crushing jaw. And yet the persian's fur remained bristled and his tail stiff. His mind wanted to shout and roar; to slash apart the bird's crushing weight and run.
How Sirius managed to do it, he didn't know.
The forest's towering trees thinned out and gave way to the expansive plains, the crimson overhead sun pierced the frigid air to warm fur, feathers, and scales. The Guildmaster halted in their tracks, raising a wing to still the following troupe.
"Wait." They ordered. And there were those glowing cyan eyes again; Leo had always thought them unnatural but brushed it off. A side effect of their great psychic powers, perhaps.
Now? He suspected there was more to it.
Leo did as instructed, ears twitching as they searched for any abnormal sounds. The group stilled.
Rattled, laboured grunts reached Leo's ears.
"Over there, that bush." The Guildmaster thrust their wing at the forest's edge, a gust of wind billowing towards the vegetation in question.
Startled from its resting place, a large grumpig reared its head with a cry. Glassy black eyes darted around, slivers of white visible in the corners, as the beast clambered to its feet, crushing vegetation beneath its vast hooves. Its nostrils flared in anger as it spun to face the intruding pokémon.
Leo tensed, lip curling into a snarl as he readied himself for the inevitable fight with the feral.
Yet, the creature didn't charge. It snorted wildly, thrusting its tusks in a threatening display. When its foes didn't move, it took a step back.
Leo released the breath he was holding, allowing himself to relax. "What's… it doing?" He asked softly, glancing at the Guildmaster.
The shiny chatot paused before their brows pricked up. "It's injured. Look at its back." They exclaimed, gesturing a wing as they did so.
The grumpig took another step back, lowering its head so that its tusks dragged deep furrows into the earth. The blackened, steaming scar between its shoulder blades was difficult to miss. The flesh was twisted and warped, almost as if it was bubbling. Faint trails of steam emitted from it, dissipating into the frigid air.
"Woah, that's nasty." Girafarig whistled from beside Leo. "What is it, poison?" mumbles broke out across the group.
"A burn." The Guildmaster clarified, brows furrowing. "A very, very nasty one." They hesitantly stepped forward, the action sending the grumpig recoiling with a harsh screech.
With a stomp of its hooves, the grumpig bellowed, turned tail, and fled. It blindly charged towards the depths of the woods, barely flinching as its gnarled tusks ripped through branches, shredding them like parchment.
As the roar of its thunderous hooves faded into silence, a tense calm once again befell the scouts. The Guildmaster cleared their throat.
"Houndoom are a species able to produce some of the most potent burns. It looks like we're on the right path." They said, addressing the group. "Let's keep going. I have a good idea of where they are."
"Hmm… so normal is weak to fighting and… not particularly strong against anything?"
Normal, fighting, fire, ghost… Mila's head spun with confusion as the words danced around her head, taunting her with their hidden complexities.
"Yep." Sirius confirmed. The two sat across from each other within the old guild's mess hall, various stones scatterd across the old wooden table between them. He nudged a small white rock next to a large black one, drawing an 'X' in the air with his paw. "Also ghost and normal are basically immune to each other."
Mila scratched at her ear. "So if you're normal type…" She paused, continuing after Sirius nodded in affirmation. "And Duskull is ghost… how come you managed to hit them earlier?"
Sirius made a small 'ah' sound. "Oh, that move I used is called 'Bite', it's a dark type move so its extra effective." He explained.
Mila stared blankly at him. "But… what's so special about just… biting them? How is that different to just-" She smacked one paw against the other with a loud clap. "-bodying them?"
Sirius hummed. "I don't know how to explain it exactly, but it is different. It's like… channeling this… feeling… into your jaw? And that makes it strong? Like what you do with fire and electric, but less visibly noticeable. Maybe Duskull can describe it better. Hmm…" He faltered, stumped for words, before his ears perked up. "Oh!"
Mila yelped in alarm when Sirius raised a small rock to his mouth and bit down on it. "Wha- sheesh Sirius what are you doing? Don't break your teeth!" She reached forward, swiping her paw at him.
Sirius leaned back, chuckling and throwing the rock back on the table. "Relax, Mila. I wasn't biting hard. Now, watch this Bite move in comparison…" At that, he picked up another rock and cradled it in his paws. He took a deep breath, exhaling when he felt the life force pool in his jaw.
Anger.
Fear.
Jealousy.
Pride.
The melting pot of emotion and soul polished his fangs, his lips pulling back as he bared them.
EEVEE used BITE!
Mila's jaw hung agape as the rock shattered from the force. Sirius recoiled, eyes tightly squeezed shut as he pawed at his mouth, squirming in discomfort. "Eugh! Yuck! Not a good idea." He spat. "That was gross. I got dust in my mouth."
Mila snorted before barking a light chuckle. "Sheesh, you're an idiot." She sighed with a warm smile. "No need to show off for me."
Sirius cheeks burned, flushing beneath his silver fur.
"But to be fair, I would have done the same. And actually hurt myself in the process." Mila conceded, resting her head on her paws. "I think I understand now so… thanks."
A light, ringing chuckle joined in the commotion. "You two having fun?" Namira called, making her presence known as she floated languidly by the archway, arms idly crossed and resting atop her mask. She smiled lazily at them.
Sirius shot up in alarm, hastily wiping his mouth with one paw and swiping rock fragments off the table with the other. "Oh, hello, Yamask." He greeted a bit too loudly. "How long have you been here?"
She tittered as she floated towards them. "Long enough." She hummed. "How's the type matchups going, Mila?" She asked, situating herself besides the houndoom.
Mila rubbed her chin. "Confusing but… I'm a fire type, and that makes me weak to water… but not actual water, just water type attacks. Also ground and rock… whatever the difference between them is." Her train of thought continued to flow out into words of its own volition. "I also resist fire, grass, ice, uhh…" She paused, the train of thought grinding to a screeching halt.
"Bug, steel, and fairy." Sirius finished for her.
"You're also part dark type as well." Namira added cheerfully. "So fairy is actually neutral."
Sirius and Mila glanced at each other wordlessly before simultaneously blurting out, "What?"
Namira's eyes widened. "Oh, you didn't know? Houndoom are fire-dark types. But uh… I guess that's not exactly common knowledge nowadays." She explained, sheepishly scratching her head.
Mila paused. "So… that's just more matchups I need to remember?" She deadpanned. With a guttural groan, she threw her head back, dragging a paw down her muzzle. "Ugh, I think that's enough school for me for one day. My brain's fried."
Sirius brushed rock fragments out of the prismatic scarf wound around his neck before burying it back beneath his neck ruff. "Wanna go back to the beach? We can try catching some wild pokémon again." He suggested before adding with a smirk, "Or even do some training."
Mila's ears pricked up. "Yeah, sure, training sounds good." She earnestly replied.
Tank was there to meet the duo at the guild's main entrance, floating in silence beneath its crumbling visage. The sun hung low in the sky, its somber glow casting the ghost in the shadow of the decaying structure. Bathed in the evening's crimson light, the fading pink paint of its crown shone as brilliantly as it did in life.
The pair opened their mouths to greet the duskull as they passed, but they were cut short when the ghost raised a handless arm to halt them in their tracks. Their back remained turned to them, red orb quivering in its socket as it stared towards the east, completely transfixed.
"Duskull?" Sirius tilted his head.
"Get back inside, you two." Tank breathed, before loudly adding, "Now."
"Woah, wha?" Mila balked.
Sirius moved beside the duskull, tracing their line of vision down to the earth below. The old guild's clifftop location allowed one an almost pidgeot's eye view of the old town and surrounding outskirts. Back in its heyday, it would have allowed for stunning views of the bustling commerce below and the steady traffic as pokémon travelled to and from the coastal town along winding, dusty roads.
It was also very useful for spotting groups of unwanted intruders travelling along those very thoroughfares.
Sirius reeled back, eyes blown wide. Although they were too far away for his eyes to see the exact details, he knew those figures well.
A large persian.
A small chatot.
And among them, nearly twenty other pokémon he recognized from shape alone, memories of their voices ringing in his head. A zangoose he once treated for open wounds. A staraptor who always side-eyed him. A girafarig who never failed to greet him with a smile. Five chatots circling the pack like a horde of mandibuzz, the memory of their beady, glassy eyes and harsh screeches sending a shiver down the eevee's spine.
"The Guild Fort." Sirius whispered, tail tucked between his legs as his ears pinned flat. "How'd they-"
"Doesn't matter." Tank interrupted with a snarl . "Stay here, you two. Don't let yourself be seen." They growled before adding, "I'll deal with them." With that, they melted away to be consumed by the shadows, their eye leaving a red streak in the air as it faded.
Mila stood transfixed, staring intently at the curious group of pokémon down below.
"Mila, let's go back inside. Come on." Sirius hissed, lightly nudging her with his snout.
His plea fell on deaf ears. "Who are they?" Mila asked.
Sirius sighed. "Mila…"
"Oh, there's Tank…" Mila commented. Tank's figure appeared in front of the group. There was a brief pause, silent words being exchanged between the ghost and the chatot helming the troupe.
"Oh shit!" Mila exclaimed. A bright flash illuminated the encounter; Tank's golden thunder rippled between his arms, a stark contrast to the cyan smoke billowing out of their adversary's wings. "They're gonna fight!"
She whipped around to face Sirius. "There's like twenty of them! Duskull's outnumbered! We gotta go help!" She barked.
Sirius hesitated. 'Tank is strong, they can handle it. The ghosts will help out if needed' he wanted to say. His gut cried at him to do as the duskull ordered and retreat into the guild, covering his ears until the problem disappeared.
But seeing the determination blaze within Mila's eyes, his heart sang a different tune.
Her words from earlier echoed in his ears.
"I guess we make a decent team."
A team.
And that's when he knew he couldn't keep running.
He wouldn't.
"Right." Sirius affirmed, standing tall. "Let's go."
"I thought I told you to stay the fuck out of my town, you slimy bastard." Tank's snarl dripped with unbridled fury, thunder crackling around them as they readied their Charge Beam.
The Guildmaster stood strong against the crashing waves of Tank's wrath. Their wing raised in a gesture of both peace and warning, tendrils of psychic energy bleeding from the feathered tips. "I am just here to ask you a question, nothing more." They responded calmly.
"Then why the posse?" Tank clipped back, electricity humming with each word .
The scouts huddled around their Guildmaster, poised and ready to strike on command. The Guildmaster waved a wing at them, ushering them to step back. The troupe promptly obliged.
"Just for security. You know how dangerous it can be out here with ferals and bandits, my friend." They lied through their smile.
"Oh, cut the tauros crap." Tank groaned, gritting their teeth. "Spit it out, birdbrain."
The Guildmaster chuckled. "Very well. I was just wondering if you've perchance seen a houndoom come through here?" The corners of their eyes crinkled in an overly cheerful grin.
"Nope." Tank replied, emphasizing the 'p' with a pop. "Haven't seen one in years." They said curtly. "Try somewhere else. Across the sea maybe."
The scouts shifted and mumbled restlessly amongst themselves as the Guildmaster responded with an overly cheerful chirp. "Oh, really?" They paused, eyes widening before they broke into a jovial smirk. "Well, you don't worry about it. I've just found them."
Tank's non-existent stomach dropped and their electricity petered out with a pop as they whipped around to witness Mila careening towards them, Sirius trailing behind as his shorter legs strained to keep the pace. Clouds of dust billowed into the air as Mila skidded to a halt beside the duskull, their jaw hanging agape. Sirius, panting slightly, took his place alongside Mila; swallowing the lump in his throat and ignoring the churning of his stomach to focus on the issue at paw.
"We've got your back, Duskull." Mila barked, hackles raised.
Tank's jaw snapped shut with a sharp clack as they whipped back to face the Guildmaster. "What do you want?" They growled.
The Guildmaster's cheerful façade melted away as they addressed Mila over the curious mumblings of the scouts behind them. "I would like you to come with me, Houndoom. Or should I say; Human. I promise that I'm not here to hurt you." They said seriously, tilting their beak upwards. "I'm here to help."
A heavy silence befell the scene. Mila and Sirius, frozen in place, stared wide-eyed at each other as their mouths fell open.
"They know?" They silently mouthed at each other. Sirius swallowed thickly. His fur bristled as he felt the piercing stares of the scouts all locked onto him. He averted his eyes down to his paws.
Tank spat. "Not here to hurt her. Right." They glowered dangerously. "Hard to believe that when it looks like you're invading my town."
The Guildmaster didn't respond. They glanced down, carefully calculating their next steps. Their potential next words danced in their mind as they meticulously weighed them, treading carefully to avoid riling up the duskull more than was necessary. After a brief pause, the psychic energy from their wing dissipated into smoke as they waved it. "Alright." They conceded before booming out their next command to the scouts. "Go wait by the edge of town, you lot. Do whatever you want in the meantime."
Murmurs and grumbles of confusion echoed around the team as their tightly knit mass dissipated. Most (a zangoose, two mightyena, a medicham, the five chatots and a machoke) were quick to leave the scene with barely a moments hesitation. Others paused to look around with uncertainty, confused whisperings uttered between them.
Leo was quick to turn on his heels and follow the order before briefly hesitating mid-step. He glanced back to lock eyes with Sirius. The eevee's breath caught in his throat, the persian's expression unreadable on his scarred face. In a second that felt like a lifetime, Leo tilted his head in the direction of the beach, the gesture barely noticeable.
Sirius hesitated before softly nodding.
Leo, seemingly satisfied with the silent exchange, turned tail and left. Ren the staraptor and Girafarig glanced at each other with furrowed brows before following the persian.
With the scouts gone, the tension in the air settled from a raging inferno to a dull simmer.
"Would you be able to give us a moment, Eevee?" Tank softly asked. "I'll handle this."
Sirius bowed his head before gently bumping his snout against Mila's side, the gesture needing no words. Mila nodded and made a small noise in response.
As he turned his back on his companion – no, his friend – he felt a sinking feeling in his gut and a weight crash down on his shoulders. His chest felt tight as his mind swam and hastily attempted to process what was happening.
The Guildmaster wasn't here for him. They were here for Mila.
Here for the human they had so desperately searched for since longer than Sirius knew what the word even meant.
"What are they going to do?"
He couldn't stop himself from glancing over his shoulder, his worried eyes meeting her own. She flashed him a small smile, and he felt the unease lessen its stifling grip on him.
She would be okay.
And she had Tank with her.
That was enough for him.
With newfound resolve, Sirius returned the gesture and made his way down towards the beach.
There was unfinished business to be resolved.
"Alright… what's going on here?" Mila asked slowly, cautiously. "How the heck do you know who I am?"
"I have my ways." The Guildmaster replied curtly, to which Tank scoffed. "Tell me human, do you know why you're here?"
This again.
"To save the world, apparently." Mila responded flatly.
The Guildmaster spoke up, raising their beak as they instead addressed Tank. "Duskull, do you know what lives atop those frozen mountain ranges to the east?"
"I have a hunch." Tank replied lowly. "But I've never been able to get close without those hordes of weavile chasing me off."
"Have you heard of Kyurem?"
A heavy pause hung in the air.
"I have. But I thought it lived on another continent." Tank finally said.
"Not anymore."
Mila's mouth pulled into a hard line. "Kyurem?" She asked.
The Guildmaster turned to her, eyes hard. "A legendary dragon filled with bloodlust, capable of creating blizzards and an endless winter. If it isn't stopped…" They trailed off before releasing a heavy exhale. "It'll freeze the entire continent. That's why I need you, human. We need you. You can stop it."
"She's not strong enough." Tank interrupted. "She can barely control her moves, let alone fight that… thing."
The Guildmaster cut over them. "It gets colder every day! Soon not even these blasted fires will be able to stave off the winter. We need to defeat it soon!"
"She was nearly killed fighting a feral." Tank countered.
Tension once again broiled in the air, sending Mila's fur bristling. "She's human, she'll find a way." The Guildmaster snapped back, slowly pacing back and forth as they eyed the duo.
Tank ground their teeth before snarling, electricity crackling around them. "She'll be killed before she steps two feet onto that infernal mountain."
"A human defeated Dialga! Another one flew in the sky and subdued Rayquaza! All humans find a way!" The Guildmaster squawked, their voice cracking. Their pacing quickened, feathers ruffled askew and eyes blown wide as they grew increasingly frantic. "That's the way it's always been!"
"Not always."
A bitter silence washed over the conversation at Tank's cold, firm words.
"Not always." Tank repeated softly under their breath.
Mila swallowed.
The Guildmaster didn't respond.
Finally, Tank sighed heavily, dragging an arm down their skull. "You… you have a strong psychic energy around you." Tank stated, voice hard. "I don't give a shit about who or what you are, but it's my turn to ask you something."
The Guildmaster, having retained their composed façade, tilted their head.
"Can you access memories?" Tank asked.
The Guildmaster frowned, stone-faced. "That depends on why you want to know."
"I want to show Houndoom – show you both – what really happened to this town. How there wasn't a human to save it." Tank said solemnly.
The Guildmaster paused before raising a wing, the feathers bleeding with a raw psychic energy that forced Mila to squint against the dazzling light.
"Are you sure?"
Tank nodded
"And you, Houndoom? Diving into memories can be a jarring experience." The Guildmaster's tone softened, a stark contrast to their earlier outburst.
Mila gave a quick nod, eyes narrowed with resolve.
With that, she recoiled as the chatot's feathers exploded with a bright light, the harsh nova consuming her senses and engulfing her entire being. She let out a startled cry that was consumed by the void. Perhaps Tank swore in protest, but the words were lost to the abyss. The earth gave way beneath her feet, her body melting into stardust as she fell into the abyss, swallowed by the white nothingness.
It had all occurred in a split second. Mila's senses flooded back with the force of a tidal wave as she regained her footing. She had landed within the old town square, yes, but this one was different.
This one was bursting with life.
The explosive cacophony of colours was almost blinding, a stark contrast to the dull brown and harsh blue fires that previously surrounded her. Bright sapphire skies held a golden sun that shone down on the lush emerald trees that gently swayed in the pleasant breeze. Vibrant wooden structures draped in colourful flags and banners, now restored to their former glory, lined the sun-bleached stone paths. Balloons (or maybe they were pokémon) drifted above her head, dancing to the music of the lively chatter that bubbled around her.
Mila could count on two, maybe four, paws the amount of pokémon species she had seen.
But now?
Mila was stunned in awe at the numerous creatures that surrounded her, encompassing every imaginable and unimaginable size, shape and colour. A great dragonite shook the earth with each step, carefully avoiding stepping on a gossiping sunflora and its corphish companion. Tiny joltiks skittered between the constantly moving maze of limbs. The starstruck amazement was swept away when a pack of poochyena charged straight at her, causing her to flinch. And yet they barrelled straight through her – literally. The pokémon briefly shimmered and waved in the air, as if made of water, before returning to form and resuming their charge. None of the pokémon saw her nor felt her presence.
"This is… a dream?" Mila thought aloud, snout wrinkling in confusion.
"In a way." Tanks melancholic voice rang out behind her, and she turned to face the duskull. Their eye remained hidden along with their emotions. "My memories."
Tank's laugh suddenly rang out across the square, the jovial mirth a sharp divergence from their otherwise stoic disposition. Yet their skull remained static, and Mila tilted her head in confusion.
Tank wordlessly floated to the side, silently gesturing behind them to a large luxray sitting with their back towards them. Their long silver-tipped charcoal fur stood wild and untamed, the most distinguishing feature being that of the pompadour-style curl of mane atop their head, not dissimilar to Tank's own curl.
And when Tank's voice heartily bellowed out of their mouth, the pieces began to fall into place.
"Woah, is that… was that…" Mila started.
"Me? Aye." Tank confirmed with a slight nod. "A long time ago."
Tank, the duskull, gestured to another pokémon nearby – a poised cream and white ninetales whose paws held a sheet of parchment towards a golduck, her speech drowned out by the ambient chatter.
"And Namira." Tank explained.
Mila opened her mouth to speak but the words fell short. Seeing this bustling town, full of life and vigor previously unimaginable, left a sinking feeling in her gut. It was near impossible to imagine that the large luxray, the corners of their eyes crinkled and their fur flowing with each exaggerated wave of their paws, was the same as the pokémon that solemnly floated beside her.
Tank's past-self shifted, and a small blue mass between their paws made itself visible. Mila tilted her head, craning her neck in curiosity. The small creature was different to any other pokémon she had previously seen, both in this vision of the past and the current reality. It was almost ethereal, fairy-like even, with its flowing movements, like waves in the sand, and its shimmering golden eyelashes. It spoke up at past-Tank, its youthful boyish voice drowned out by the ambient chatter.
Mila glanced to Tank wordlessly and they released a heavy sigh, turning to avoid her gaze. "Our son, Manaphy. The three of us were an exploration team, you see. World renowned and all that nonsense. We were preparing for Manaphy's first solo escort mission. A proud moment for any team leader, let alone a parent." Their tone was restrained, quivering with an emotion that longed to break free. "It was a day as ordinary as any other, one might say. But then…"
The atmosphere shifted, a chill bristled Mila's fur as the air grew dark and heavy. The town's pokémon grew blurry, mere paint splotches on a watery background. The shift was accompanied by a shrill shriek that pierced the air, to which Mila flinched and pinned her ears back.
Past-Tank jumped up in alert, wasting no time in rushing to the source of the outcry; a xatu who had collapsed in the square. The bird convulsed upon the ground, wings clawing at their eyes as hoarse screeches ripped from their throat. Feathers flew through the air around them as talons scratched deep grooves into the stone beneath them.
The scene grew muddier, the pained pokemon's cries growing hoarse until they melted away into white noise. Tank waved an arm at the fading scene, red eye now re-emerging from the abyss of their skull. "Xatu are a pokémon species who can see visions of the near future with great accuracy." They clarified. "Whatever horrors they saw that day…" Their voice dropped low. "None of us could even begin to imagine."
The blurry scene shifted, colours swimming around the pair to take on new shapes and forms. The open and airy town square morphed into a tight room, pokémon filling up every possible space. Were she actually physically present in the space, Mila would have found herself trapped and immobile among the sea of bodies. Bile briefly rose in her throat and her stomach tightened. One of the pokémon moved and passed right through her, its form fading at the edges. She sighed in relief, as the reality (or lack thereof) of the situation grounded her. Craning her head to observe her surroundings, a sense of familiarity hit her. Those stone walls… They lacked vines and moss and overall unkemptness but… was this the old guild?
"We called a town meeting to discuss this premonition." Tank explained, floating beside her. "Even when time itself was threatening to collapse, or the world about to be blanketed in nightmare, Xatu had never reacted like that before."
As if on cue, the room thundered as the pokémon broke out into concerned mumbles and murmurs. A loud squawk echoed across the hall, causing the chatter to settle into a soft rumble. The pair moved toward the front of the crowd, pokémon softly melting around them as they passed through unimpeded. Spearheading the crowd was a small group of four pokémon; Tank, Xatu, and two she didn't yet recognize.
"Well, what was it?" One of them, a chatot, squawked at Xatu as he ruffled his feathers. "Was it a pokémon? How do we stop it?"
Xatu looked significantly worse for wear; small piles of feathers surrounded them and bright bald patches of skin spotted their now dulled plumage. They flinched upon being addressed, their wings pulled tight against their body.
"No… I don't know…" They whimpered, barely audible over the ambient murmuring. "I don't know… no way to stop it… Can only get away… need to get away…" Their head snapped from side to side, eyes fearfully blown wide with heavy bags underneath them.
The other unfamiliar pokémon, a wigglytuff with greying fur and rounded spectacles, raised a paw to his chin and wrinkled his brow in worry. Although he spoke softly, his presence held a powerful weight to it. All other pokémon turned their attention to him as he spoke.
"Surely we must be able to do something. If we rally the explorers, we can find a solution."
Tank's past-self, much larger than the three other pokémon, ground their teeth. "Pah, Team Gold Wind will stop it!" They boomed, the hall echoing with their thunderous voice. "We'll just get help from a legendary! We'll pull some strings and Dialga will fix this all up. Or Palkia. Or Cresselia."
Mila pursed her lips and side-eyed Tank, who rubbed their temples. "I was… a bit overconfident in my abilities." They mumbled.
A voice spoke up from a crowd, a large electivire waving his fist at the four pokémon as he roared. "Yeah, and what if they're busy? What are we supposed to do? Sit around and wait for our demise?"
The mumbling of the crowd grew as uneasiness rippled through them. A feminine voice cried out as the crowd parted to allow a kangaskahn to step forward, her arms cradling her wailing joey to her chest. "What am I supposed to tell the children? The poor darlings are heartbroken!" She wept.
A tall gallade at the front of the crowd raised a bladed arm into the air. "Xatu predictions are never wrong. Our best hope may be to do what they say, and leave." Their words were calm and assertive, poised with a regal dignity that commanded authority and respect. The crowd fell into a low, restless murmur.
A soft voice spoke up, barely audible. "Uhh…" Mila barely noticed it until a yellow mass moved alongside the corner of her vision. "Sorry… sorry… excuse me…" A drowzee excused himself to the front of the crowd, standing among the four pokémon. He shifted on his feet, hands nervously stroking his trunk. "Whew… crowd looks different from here…" He coughed before speaking loudly, "umm, I may be able to help." He declared. "Remember how we found out about the nightmare? If we give Xatu a sleep seed, I may be able to look inside their dreams and see if there's an answer."
The crowd erupted in approving chatters, the heavy atmosphere lifting. The scene once again blurred, melting away from the canvas as it transformed into the next memory.
Mila raised a paw to her muzzle. "That pokémon can… view dreams?"
Tank nodded. "Not just view them, but enter them." A small, barely noticeable chuckle escaped her jaw. "He even sent Namira and I to explore a nightmare, which ultimately helped us save the world."
Mila quirked an eyebrow. "Pokémon can even explore dreams? Well, not too far off from entering memories I guess."
The scene reformed. They were still in the guild hall, but only six pokémon stood huddled together; Drowzee, Wigglytuff, Chatot, Tank, Namira, and Manaphy. The windows were dark, the lit braziers casting long shadows around the room. Only the small group of pokémon remained free of the cold, uncaring darkness.
Drowzee kneeled on the ground before the wigglytuff and chatot, the sweat on his brow illuminated in the firelight. "I… I tried, Guildmaster Wigglytuff, sir." He breathed heavily.
"Guildmaster?"
"There should have been multiple futures b-but…" He stammered over his words, grasping for the right ones to say. "There was nothing. Just… these ghostly… blue flames. Like a will-o-wisp but… Everywhere… burning everything." His breathing rattled as he feverishly stroked his trunk.
Wigglytuff gently placed a hand on Drowzee's shoulders, kneeling down besides him. "Shh… shh" He soothed. "You did good, Drowzee. We'll find a way to work through this. We always do."
Drowzee took a deep breath, steadying himself for his next statement. "Xatu is right. There is no future where Treasure Town isn't destroyed. I don't know the time frame of predictions, but we need to do as they say and leave."
A brief silence befell the group before Chatot hummed in thought. "But… where can we take an entire town? Capim is close, but too small to host everyone. Talaq City is too far away…" They paused before snapping their head up, eyes locked on Wigglytuff. "Sir, what about the old Apple Woods base? Between that and Capim Town, that might just work-"
A loud BANG ripped through the air, interrupting him. All eyes turned to Tank, who had slammed their paw on the ground, sending golden sparks rippling through their fur. "Hey! Are you forgetting Namira and I stopped Darkrai? Dusknoir? Temporal Tower?" They yelled out. "If this is a sign of something bigger, we can look into it!"
The group fell into a heavy silence. Namira and Manaphy cast furtive glances at each other, the ninetales wrapping a paw around the small pokémon. Wigglytuff flashed Tank a sad smile.
"Tank… I know how you feel but… our first priority should be everyone's safety." He held his arms out as he pleaded with the luxray.
"Years ago you would have jumped at such an opportunity, right? We explorers can do anything we put our mind to, right?" Tank continued, albeit their boldness ebbed away as reality set in, softening their voice.
Wigglytuff adjusted his spectacles, stepping forward to place a paw gingerly on Tank's shoulder. "There's a time and place for that type of enthusiasm. But we need to think of the town."
Manaphy, who had been idly fiddling with one of Namira's tails with his eyes down, suddenly spoke up. "Hey! I can go!"
The spotlight shifted to the small blue pokémon who waddled into the centre of the circle, all eyes locked on in intrigue. "So… if you still want me to escort Golduck to Volcanic Island, I can go to the Hidden Land and see Dialga right after."
Low hums reverberated around the group as Manaphy continued. "Golduck and I will take the deep sea currents up to the island; there's currents all over the ocean. He can return via an escape orb when we're done, then I can have Lapras meet me at the island. We can then take the ocean current down to the point where we cross the sea of time." He explained, boyish voice dripping with eagerness. "The currents are much faster than surface swimming, so we'd get there twice as fast than if you were to travel from here, Tatty." He glanced back at Tank as he said that last word.
The scene began to melt once again. But as the pokémon dissolved into the void around them, Mila caught a brief flash of a toothy smile from the luxray.
"Who is this 'Dialga' he mentioned? You, or rather past-you, said that name earlier, as well as that bird." Mila asked.
Tank didn't speak for a moment, their red orb of an eye transfixed on the manaphy even as he dissolved into a sea of colour. Snapping out of their trance to face Mila, they replied, "Dialga? Oh right. Dialga was, or rather is, the legendary pokémon of time. The god of time; Father Time; time itself." They explained somewhat hastily.
"Woah wait." Mila deadpanned. "You just had this… this deity on good enough terms to the point where you can just… visit it?"
Tank grunted. "We stopped time from collapsing and it basically brought me back to life once so yeah, we were on okay terms."
Mila's mouth pulled back into a hard line. "Of course there are reality-controlling gods in this world."
The colours of the previous scene faded, leaving an empty void that swallowed all light. Mila frantically looked around in confusion, fur bristling.
"W-where are we now?" Her snout wrinkled and her voice wavered with unease.
Tank continued to float beside her, tapping her shoulder to make their presence known. "My mind isn't what it used to be. Around this point… it's hard to remember things." They murmured quietly. Then they added, in a breathy voice barely above a whisper; "The curse of ghost pokémon."
"The curse of ghost pokémon?"
Tank didn't elaborate, but Mila's stomach sunk and her mouth went dry at the implication.
The darkness flickered, then a flash of blue caught their attention. The shapes formed into Tank's past-self and Manaphy, who sat within the abyss with bags strewn between them.
"So, Lapras is all good with this plan. She'll meet you at the Volcanic Island port in three days' time." The luxray explained curtly, before warmly beaming and adding, "Good luck out there. I know you'll make us proud."
Manaphy lunged forward, tightly wrapping his arms around Tank's foreleg. The small pokémon barely reached their shoulder, even when they were sitting. "No worries, Tatty! I'll be back in no time!"
Mila heard a soft, barely audible choke from beside her.
The luxray gently patted a meaty paw against their son's head before reaching into the nearest bag, scooping something out. As Manaphy stepped back, Tank held out two glistening blue orbs in their paw. The orbs' contents shimmered and coiled in a misty fog that flashed images too fleeting to comprehend. Manaphy looked up expectantly.
"Take one of these comm orbs as well. They're synced, so use it to let us… know… when…" The luxray's words slowed to a sluggish crawl, slurring and distorting until they and their speaker melted away to be consumed by the void's cold embrace. Manaphy followed suit, frozen in place as he slowly dissipated into the depths of the abyss. A flash of movement caught her eye and Mila turned to see Tank, the duskull, lurching forward, their handless arms grasping frantically at the fading blue pokémon. Their arms encircled nothing but smoke, which dispersed into the emptiness that trapped them.
"Tana…" Tank choked out a sob, their cheekbones stained dark with trails of unseen tears.
Mila averted her gaze.
After a brief silence she heard a rattled sigh. "Alright, let's finish this up." Tank said glumly.
Colour once again returned to chase away the hollow void, painting it with smudged shades that bled into each other. They were once again in the square, but the details were less refined as if drawn by a child. The pokémon were amorphous shapes that bobbed about the vague, distorted structures that were once buildings. Tank the luxray strolled into view with a mountain of hefty bags saddled across their back. A blue orb was nestled in their mane, suspended by a woven necklace. A tiny marill bounced by their side, clutching a small knapsack barely larger than the luxray's paw.
Mila was surprised to hear a teenaged voice come from the tiny creature. "How long do we have to stay in Apple Woods for?" He asked up at Tank, whiskers twitching.
The corners of their lips curled up. "Not sure, but think of it as a cool expedition. You can eat lots of perfect apples and explore the woods as much as you want."
The marill shimmered before fading into a blue amorphous blob.
"The town evacuation process was slower than it should have been. This was a hub for explorers from all over the world. Hard to just close up businesses like that, y'know?" Tank, the duskull, grumbled. "Although there was that initial panic, most pokémon calmed down. Perhaps they thought someone would rush in to save the day, like so many times before."
Mila felt a chill run down her spine. "Someone to save them… you mean like… a human?"
Tank didn't respond.
The scene around them slowed to a sluggish crawl. Colours and shapes bled together, smearing across the canvas into muddy amalgamations. The only pokémon that stood out was Namira, who strode delicately across the square. Her long ears were pinned back to her skull, her nine tails flaring behind her. Her fur was bristled as her head swung around frantically, searching for an unknown danger.
"Namira sensed something was off. It all happened around lunchtime." Tank said flatly.
Namira's head snapped up towards the sky.
The sky that contained a large ball of blue fire, hurtling straight towards the town. It writhed as it approached its destination, lusting for destruction
Muted into white noise, all sound ceased. Namira's mouth opened in a silent scream, her tails standing erect as a purple shockwave erupted out of her body.
The scene began to fray at the edges as the fire came closer, slowly yet rapidly burning everything around it.
The last thing Mila saw was two shapes circling the falling fire; one red, one blue.
After that, the remaining colours of the town melted away as the hellfire consumed all, running down the canvas until they left nothing but a white desolate void. A stark contrast to the cold emptiness from earlier, yet far from comforting.
Mila remained frozen, unable to will herself to move or speak.
Her throat was painfully dry, her tongue clenched so hard between her teeth that she tasted blood.
"I'd rather not recount the grisly details of what it's like to die, to be honest." Tank murmured, red eye once again disappearing "So let's leave this shithole." Then they turned and shouted into the abyss, "Alright, you birdbrain. Pull us out of here."
Mila gasped for breath as she surfaced out of the memories, body trembling as it adjusted once again to the physical world. Her limbs violently trembled, and unable to support her own weight she fell to the ground in a heap.
"Are you okay?" Tank's words, muddy and barely audible over the ringing in her ears, were unusually soft as they floated into view.
"I should be asking you that." Mila thought glumly. What was she supposed to say? What could she say?
"I'm fine." Mila said through clenched teeth. "Trust me, I'm fine." She pushed herself to her feet with a grunt. She inhaled deeply to steady herself before levelly addressing Tank. "What… happened after that? The town…"
Tank bowed their head. "In those last moments, Namira used all of her power to unleash a psychic blast to push as many pokémon as she could to safety. We did what we could. But…" They trailed off into a sigh.
The Guildmaster remained silent, brows knitted together and their beak silently opening and closing, words appearing on their tip of their tongue before they hastily swallowed them.
"See, Chatot? It's your choice to believe tales of saviours, but stories only recount the ideal parts." Tank finally said.
The Guildmaster didn't respond.
Mila swallowed. She felt as if she was teetering on the precipice of a cliff, claws overhanging the edge. What was down below, she had no idea. The raging maw of the sea, eager to devour her? Or something else? She could so easily turn back to the safety and security of land.
And go where?
"Fate has a way of bringing pokémon together"
Namira.
"Looks like you two can work together after all. Nice job."
Tank.
"I'll do my best to help you, whatever you decide to do."
Sirius.
Without looking back, mila stepped off that cliff and into the abyss of the unknown.
"I'll do it."
Mila was just as surprised as the other two as the words left her mouth of their own volition.
"I can take this thing on." She repeated loudly, more so to reassure herself than the other two pokémon.
She snuck a furtive glance at Tank. Their skull was as unreadable as ever, but their eye glowed with a soft warmth.
"You don't stand a chance now but… Namira and I will do what we can to train you." Tank reassured her, before turning back to the Guildmaster. "We'll handle this."
The Guildmaster appeared taken aback. "I…" They started, voice cutting off. "Alright." They sighed in defeat. "I'll leave it to you then. I'll try to buy to divert the Frost Horn's attention away from here." They turned their back to the duo.
"And how do I know you won't rat us out to them, hm?" Tank asked lowly. "I've noticed the way those weavile leave your little part of the woods alone."
The Guildmaster ruffled their feathers.
"I don't want my Guild to starve or freeze to death." Was all they said.
I was entrusted to protect the Guild, and I will do so however I must.
So, this was the ocean.
Leo had come close to the coast before, but had never bothered to venture right to the land's edge. The concept of a large, never-ending body of water was frankly unappealing to the persian. And yet as his paws sunk into the warm sand, the gentle breeze tickling his whiskers and the soft glow of the setting sun caressed his dark fur, he felt oddly content. He made sure to keep his distance from the foam as it danced along the shoreline, singing its soothing melody at him.
He took a deep breath and licked his lips, slightly salty from the sea breeze.
A bit overrated, but the ocean was a nice change of scenery from the stifling walls of the Guild.
"Pretty, isn't it."
He wasn't sure why Girafarig (what was his name… Rain? Rine?) insisted on tailing him, but something about the beach's atmosphere made the girafarig's exuberant attitude a welcome addition. Girafarig trotted jovially along the shoreline, leaving hoofprints in the wet sand before the swell of the seafoam washed them away.
"Ugh, I don't like this sand." Ren grumbled next to Leo, fluffing his wings as he preened them. "It's coarse and rough and irritating… and it's getting all through my feathers."
"Then don't stand in it, hop on my back if you need to." Leo said teasingly.
Ren shook out his feathers and did as the persian said. He opened his wings, letting the breeze blow the remaining sand particles away.
Sheltered amongst the shadows of the vegetation lining the sands, Sirius silently observed the small group of pokémon. He took a deep breath, steadying his heart rate as he stepped out onto the sand to confront his…
Friend?
Rival?
Enemy?
He wasn't sure.
"Hey, Leo." He called, eyes squinting as the wind billowed through his fur.
Leo glanced back at the approaching eevee, nodding his head curtly. "Sirius." He bluntly returned the greeting.
Girafarig's ears pricked up as he galloped up the sand. "Heya, Sirius! Good to see ya!"
Sirius smiled softly. "Hey Ren, hey uhh… Girafarig." He greeted, trying and failing to remember the young girafarig's name. Ren bowed his head to return the greeting.
"It's Reinier." Reinier, the Girafarig piped up. "Specifically I'm Rein, and the other half is Nier." He thrust his head back gesturing at the bored-looking head on his tail.
Sirius nodded in acknowledgement.
"Nice place." Leo commented.
"Leo…" Sirius started, before the dam wall broke and he blurted out, "Look, I'm sorry about earlier. Your face… I'm really sorry-"
"It's fine." Leo cut him off. Ren and Reinier glanced at each other, unspoken words exchanged between them as the staraptor hopped off the persian's back, the two stepping away to give the pair space. "Sakura healed me up. Only thing still wounded is my pride." He chuckled dryly. "Let's call it a truce, aight."
Sirius paused. "How is she? My mother?" He asked softly.
"Oh, she's fine. Chewed me out a bit, but what's new with that." He scoffed. "She seemed pretty confident in your abilities." He stretched his limbs and gave a large audible yawn before sitting down in the sand.
Sirius kicked at the sand beneath his paws. "Yeah, she helped me leave."
"Why though?" Leo asked quietly. "There's nothing out here but ghosts, ferals, and fire."
Sirius exhaled heavily, sitting next to the persian. "I couldn't stand it anymore. The walls. The misery. The Guildmaster. Mother knew… she knew something big was about to happen. You know how she is." It felt almost cathartic to let out all the built up tension that had broiled within him. "She told me to go find my father, that this place would be a good starting point. But meeting Mila and Duskull and Yamask, it just feels good to be free."
"And was it worth it to leave us all behind?"
Leo's words hit him like a Dynamic Punch to the face and he winced. "I didn't… you still have a healer." He got to his feet, shaking the sand out of his fur. His ears drooped. "You should head back to the others." He turned to leave.
"Sirius, wait." Leo called after him, jumping to his feet.
Sirius paused, waiting for the persian to speak.
"I'm sorry." Leo admitted, bowing his head.
Sirius quirked an eyebrow.
"I…" Leo started. "I know how you feel. The walls, the rules, the chatots… It's stifling." He admitted and Sirius crept closer in curiosity.
"Then stay here!" Sirius pleaded.
"And let the Guild starve? I can't just leave. They need me to bring food and protect them." Leo's claws extended, digging into the sand.
"There's wild pokémon in the water, we can always bring food back to them." Sirius explained. "We have the ghosts, and Mila, to help. We could even try exploring some mystery dungeons, get supplies that way."
"Mi- Oh, that weird pokémon." Leo's brows furrowed around his gem. "Do you… really believe she's a human?"
Sirius enthusiastically bobbed his head in affirmation. "I do."
"How can you be sure?"
"Duskull believes so, and… I trust her." Sirius replied with a soft smile. "And besides, not every day you see a fire type pokémon, right? Human or not, that has to mean something."
Leo gave a light chuckle. "You're right."
As the tension dissolved, washed away by the gentle tides of the sea, Ren and Reinier cautiously returned.
"Everything all good here?" Ren asked from atop the girafarig's back.
"Yeah, we're good." Leo grunted, taking in a large breath of salty air.
"So… do you want to stay? I'm sure Duskull would be okay with it. If not, then definitely Yamask." Sirius probed, lightly nudging Leo with his paw.
Leo lightheartedly swiped it away. "I…"
"The world is changing."
"We each have our part to play."
Sakura's enigmatic voice echoed around him.
"I want to…" He admitted. "But…"
The Guildmaster.
That commanding, inscrutable, bastard of a bird.
"We'll back you up." Sirius reassured him, sensing his hesitation.
"And I'll be here with you." Ren chimed in.
Leo recoiled in surprise. "Wait… You too…?" He stammered.
Reinier pawed at the sand. "Seems fun out here! I wanna join too!"
"The Guildmaster won't like it." Leo protested.
Ren squawked. "I'm not leaving without my partner. Where you go, I go."
Where you go, I go.
Partner.
The beach had a mysterious way of bringing pokémon together, unconstrained by the passage of time. The gentle lapping of its waves washed away the grime of doubts, fears, and insecurities, leaving behind something new and beautiful.
With the red sunset shining on his fur on one side and the soft glow of the distant blue fires illuminating the other, Sirius smiled warmly. "Glad to have you join us."
Tana the manaphy felt a wave of nausea wash over him, trembling as he tightly clutched the comm orb to his chest.
"Lapras… what's going on?" He asked shakily. "Tatty… I mean Tank isn't responding."
Lapras frowned in confusion. "I… I really don't know. I've never seen the Hidden Land like this."
A low rumble reverberated overhead, dark clouds coiling and twisting among each other. A small drop of rain hit Tana's golden eyelashes, and he blinked it away.
"Manaphy… look. The rain." Lapras softly called, her voice quivering.
She gestured a fin towards the towering trees and crumbling ruins that made up the main mystery dungeon. Rain drops hung suspended in the air, slowly, languidly descending to the ground as if they were feathers hanging on the breeze.
Then behind her. Rain pelted down from the sky in a torrential downpour, the earth sodden and strewn with deep puddles.
Tana swallowed the lump in his throat. "Do you think…" He started.
"Time." Lapras finished. "Something is wrong with the time here."