A bolt of lightning blasted outside of the guild and Noah's attempt to sleep was interrupted by nature itself.
"Wow that lightning's intense! Looks like it's really stormy tonight." Flare said
"Good thing I got in when I did then" Noah lamented
"Hold on! You know the night before we met, It was storming that night. I found you out cold on the beach the day after that stormy night, Sam. Well? Do you remember anything about being out cold on the beach? Can you remember anything at all?" Flare asked Sam hopeful for some results
Sam thought on it and sighed when he couldn't pull anything from his memories
"I didn't see much myself of what happened because I think I was first In the portal. While I was mesmerized by that I heard some faint shouting before I was completely thrown in here. Something bad happened but I don't know what." Noah explained
"I see... well we should probably get some sleep. We got another busy day ahead of us!" Flare said
"Ugh I don't know how many more busy day's I can handle" Noah said as he tried to sleep
An hour passed
"...are you still awake Sam? I've been thinking it over since it happened. That strange dream you had... Maybe it has to do with you personally."
"Dream? Wait sorry to interrupt but what dream?"
"We'll explain in the morning. Don't worry about it." Flare said
"Alright... just don't forget I'm part of this team too. You can talk to me." Noah said with a sway
"You know, time is getting messed up, bit by bit, all over the world. No one seems to know why."
Noah shot up at this news
"What?!"
"Yeah. It started in the upper region but is slowly making its way south supposedly,"
"Oh god I can't go through that again. Please not again" Noah begged to the void
"Why are you acting like this?" Flare asked concerned
Noah sat up and looked Flare directly in the eyes
"I've lost people to this, friends, family, brothers. It's taken everything from me, and now it's back in the one place I was told I'd be safe from it, Flare I know your young and you are probably not ready to hear this but if we can't stop whatever that is it's going to destroy everything we've ever loved and leave it frozen in time."
"Wh-what?"
"Flare please listen to me. We were sent here for a reason. I was never told it but we are supposed to do something about it. We need to find the last person we were sent back in time with. Because they might still know what to do." Noah spoke
"Wait I thought it was just you and me?" Sam asked
"Sam I told you ages ago that you had a partner, his name was Grovyle or something, we need to find them no matter the cost," Noah said
"We need to let the guild know!" Flare spoke up
"I'm sure they already know" Noah said
A flapping sound came from behind the closed door.
"...remember. From here on everything we do has consequences. Now do you have any clue of what's causing this?" Noah asked
"Everyone believes that the time gears are somehow involved." Sam explained
"I remember Grovyle saying something about that. Something about collecting them." Noah said trying to remember that hectic day
"Collecting them? Why would he do that? Wouldn't that stop time in that area?" Flare questioned
"I don't know. My guess is they needed to put them somewhere and got pretty close before something happened. Something bad enough to go back in time and try again bad. And somehow I'm supposed to destabilize this enough to change something but I don't know. Anyway please go on" Noah finished
"Ok. They say time gears are hidden around the world, like in a forest or in a lake in an underground cavern, maybe even in a volcano somewhere. Nobody knows for sure. But at the centre of those places is what's called a time gear, time gears serve a very important function as each one protects time and keeps time flowing in its region. What happens when a region loses its time gear however...I don't know, my guess is that time in that area would probably stop." Flare finished
"Alright I've heard enough to know what's up. Taking the time gears is probably bad. But now it's important that we get some sleep. Let's just deal with the possible end of the world in the morning ok?" Noah asked
"Agreed but Noah? What was Grovyle like?" Sam asked
"He seemed to be the cautious type but I didn't know him that long. Hell I didn't even understand him at first, not until you had me touch a strange relic. Then I understood him. If he's anything like I think he is then he's probably about to do something. Could be good could be bad but right now it seems that we need to find a way to get into contact with him. But later cause i wanna sleep now." Noah said laying back down
"What was that about a strange relic?" Flare asked
"Later Flare. Sleep"
"But-"
"Shhhhh. Sleep"
"..."
Five hours later
"...SMILES GO FOR MILES!" the guild finished and as everyone scattered Chatot approached the group
"Sunrunners! Today your task is to find a job on the job board. Please No outlaws today." Chatot commanded
"What if we can't help it?" Noah asked
"Then deal with the situation as you all see fit. But if you get in a fight with another outlaw tonight I'll have to ask you to take a day off. After all technically you are still bronze rank and aren't even supposed to be doing more than one outlaw a week." Chatot explained
"Under stood"
"And one more thing Noah"
"Yes?"
"Could you please remove your weapon from the floor? We weren't able to get it out before dinner yesterday" Chatot asked
It had finally dawned on Noah that after he left last night he had accidentally left his hammer embedded in the ground. After climbing to the next level Noah got to work removing the hammer carefully... only to rip the head off of the body and break the hammer
"Shit. Welp that's done" Noah said looking at the wooden pole in the ground
"Oh no! Did it break?" Bidoof asked turning away from the job bored
"Yeah. Sucks but I guess I gotta find something else to fight with" Noah said
"Fight with? Why not use a move?" Bidoof asked innocently
"I don't have any. All I got is what you see and what I carry. It's how I defend myself" Noah explained
"I don't get it." Bidoof admitted
"Different worlds friend. Different worlds." Noah said
"Oh...right. I forgot about that" Bidoof said sheepishly
"Happens. Don't worry about it" Noah said deciding to leave the hammer head on the ground by the pole
"Alright I got a job! Someone lost an orb in beach cave!" Flare exclaimed
"Beach cave? Wait so it's literally just "beach cave"? That's it?" Noah asked
"Yep! Plain and simple!" Flare said with a smile
"Huh. Bit on the nose but whatever. Later uh..."
"Bidoof"
"Thanks. Later Bidoof!" Noah said following the group out with a wave
On the way up stitch told the group he needed to tag out for the day to discuss his living arrangements with the guild since he was joining, after the small interruption they made their way to the beach and the once oppressive dungeon seemed much more tame
"Ok! Let's try to figure out a plan. Sam any suggestions?" Noah asked
"Hm... I think I should take the front and Noah should stay at the back to cover Flare since she doesn't do as well against water types. Flare?"
"I agree. I can focus on looking for the orb while you two cover me."
"Alright then. We got a plan. Let's do this." Noah said as they stepped into the cave and found themselves once more in the dungeon
They made it through two rooms with no sign of anything living or dead
"So... Noah how are you feeling about the guild?" Flare asked trying to pass the time
"I like it so far. Good people. Though I haven't really talked to anyone outside of our group"
"Why not?"
"I'm a bit of a social wreck. But in other news I have a question."
"Yeah?"
"Last night when we were eating I noticed that some meat of some kind was on the table. If everyone in this world is sapient then where does the meat come from?"
Flare raised her claws to answer only to put them on her chin
"Actually that's a good question. Where does it come from? I know it comes from something but... I've never really asked before."
"Let's ask Chatot when we get back. Should get something out of it I hope."
"Yeah. He better have a good answer." Flare said
"Hang on guys. Something's up ahead." Sam interrupted
It was one of the large snails Noah had fought in his arrival
"Oh I got this if you don't want to" Noah offered
"Didn't you break your hammer this morning?" Sam asked
"Yes. But I'll be fine. I'll just see how well i can handle fighting without a weapon. Should be a safe test on weather I can handle myself" Noah argued
Sam nodded and allowed Noah to enter the room where the snail like creature quickly noticed and began flinging shot after shot of water at Noah and although they were annoying Noah kept moving towards his target. Finally at his target and angered from being soaked, Noah tried to swing at the snail only to have his arm intercepted by another water blast, now even angrier Noah threw his entire weight into a left hook and his fist caught his opponent's head and stopped the water coming from it, this was followed by a downward slam causing the head of the creature to bash against its own shell and knock it out.
"...ok I probably need some practice because if that wasn't as harmless as it was I'd probably be dead." Noah said walking back to the waiting two
"It's ok. You did your best." Flare said
"I was always more of a medic then a fighter. Except maybe that one time I accidentally took some bad meds. Woke up with my car on top of the body of one of the purple monster things, called a saybleeye or something."
"Are you talking about a Sableye?" Flare asked
"Yeah that's the one! Sableye! They were quite the basterds on my trip to America."
"What did they do?"
"Wherever I went to try and get food or supplies there they were. They showed up around the time I crossed the border and were a menace to survivors everywhere. I'm quite lucky compared to some people I found. They literally woke up with everything destroyed and stolen."
"Wow..."
"Yeah. With the fields not growing any plants in the dead zones food was already scarce and that was the final straw that ended many poor people."
"Oh no..."
"It happens. It's sad but it happens. Now come on. We are safe from that from what I've seen. So let's grab that orb thing and make someone's day alright?"
"Alright." Flare said with a hint of sadness
"...do you wanna talk later?" Sam asked Flare
"Yes please."
"...I'll stay out of that. I think I just made things worse here." Noah said
A blast of water hit Noah in the back of the head causing him to turn around and grab the large shell creature before throwing it into a wall.
"Point is the future is depressing. But that's why we are here. It's up to us to fix that. All that sadness. All that pain. All that agony. We can stop it all right here." Noah said doing his best to bring some inspiration into his teammates
"He's right" Sam said
"Flare have you ever wanted to be a legend? A story? A grand triumph? This is your chance. The stage is set for heroes! So come on!"
"Yeah!"
"Good. Now let's- oh wait there's the lil basterd" Noah said as he picked up the strange sphere
"Nice! Let's get out of here!" Flare said thankful to leave the watery cave
And with a flash of their badges they were gone.
"Nicely done. Now here's your cut of the reward" Chatot said handing the small pouch to Noah
"...huh. That's more than I expected for the small orb"
"Oh no that's your reward for the bounty's" Chatot said
"..."
"Enjoy!"
"Is there like a group of high value coins in here?"
"Yes."
"Oh alright. Cool." Noah said checking the pouch as Chatot left
"how much did you get?" Flare asked
"500"
"What?! Only 500?! That's like an apple at best!" Flare shouted
"...All of that work. For an apple?"
"Noah I'm sorry. I should have mentioned they skim off-"
"Flare that wasn't skimming that was straight up robbery. Whatever. I don't care anymore. Besides with things that bad there has to be SOME reason everyone else is still here. Like maybe the main income is from what we find?"
"...actually that makes sense. Lots of items in dungeons are pretty valuable"
"Oh thank god. I don't think I actually could have been a good bounty hunter."
"I don't know about that. You seem pretty good in a pinch." Sam countered
"Maybe... anyway I'm tired and my feet hurt so I think this is where I call it."
"I'm with you on that one. Night Flare."
"Oh. Alright good night guys!" Flare said as Sam and Noah went to their room
"We need to keep moving."
"Wha?" Noah stammered to the voice
"Grovyle it's been three days. Surly they wouldn't chase us for that long. Please. Let's just rest for a bit." Another voice rang out
"Grovyle?" Noah said now awake
"Sam. Look. By that building. I see two of them."
"Oh I hate it when you're right. Let's just get out of here."
"It's for the best Sam. Come on. Let's get going. If we make good time maybe we can break into an old candy shop or something."
"Grovyle...I don't know what I'd do without you."
Then suddenly the unmistakable sound of a gun being fired brought Noah to full attention. As he looked for the source he saw Sam's head was glowing with a strange blue aura and Flare and Stitch weren't responding to the voices
"...Sam..."
"Sam what was that?!"
"Oh crap. Grovyle we need to go now! It's a hunting party!"
"Just a second. I need to see what that noise was"
"Grovyle that was a gun. They are very dangerous and can really hurt someone. If we stick around your as good as dead! You know what they do to Pokémon!"
"(Sigh) You're right. Ok let's duck into that alleyway and find our way from there."
"Sounds good. But can we still-"
"Later"
"That's fair"
And as suddenly as it appeared it was gone. No voices no glowing no nothing.
"...buddy if that's one of your memories then why could I hear it?" Noah whispered to himself
"..."
"Oh damn he really is out. Alright then. Guess I should start writing these down."
"Sam! Sam! Where are you?!"
The soft sound of snoring and the frantic sound of pen hitting paper was all the sounds that echoed through the night as Noah desperately recorded as much memory's as he could