And thus, the initial stages of this event draw to a close. Although the path forwards will not be easy, those still alive have walked this far. I do not need the lake to know that, regrettably, not all of them will survive the coming months. For while on the surface, the leaves are still of their most brilliant verdant hues? Down where this story has begun, a harsher winter than all but Articuno or Glastrier could fathom has only just begun. A lethal, unforgiving storm shall soon howl through this human establishment. Only those whose hearts burn brighter than the storm- be it from compassion, determination, spite, or some combination of those and countless more- can survive. Here, we see a clash between the spirit of the world and those who reject it beginning their battle in earnest. Let us see which side prevails.
One of the most vital parts of such a battle is, of course, a base. And now, we shall see the strength of those who refuse to give in. Making the closest thing they can to a safe haven, even amidst the den of their enemies. And the interactions within this haven help fuel them for the battles to come.
~~Iron Island, Year 8520, Taflinal, Luxem 1st~~
I slowly rubbed my eyes, my ears flicking at the sound of footsteps coming towards us. Vivian smiled a Rhodo smile when she saw me waking up, nuzzling me gently. {C'mon sleepyhead. You feeling any better today?}
"{A little,}" I yawned, cuddling closer to Mama with weary eyes and drooping ears. "{Do I gotta get up yet…?}"
Hazel gave me a warm, yet sad, smile. "Not if you don't want to, but you should eat something. Miss Guinevere brought us food, but you were still asleep."
My stomach groaned- not grumbled, groaned- at the sight of more gruel on the small stand next to us. Vivian chuckled. {Maybe that's the way they came up with the name. It's what you feel when you look at it.} She stuck her tongue out. {Thill tatheth awthul.}
I giggled as Mama nudged me gently. {Good morning, my child.} I cuddled closer as she continued. {You still have muffins from yesterday, do you not?}
That's right, I was saving them. But… I picked up the box, a few muffins still left inside. As I was going to say something though-
"Please, we're alright."
My ears drooped as I looked at Hazel. "{You're sure…?}"
She and Vivian nodded. "Like we said yesterday, they're your muffins. They're yours to eat."
One of Vivian's ears cocked to the side. {You gotta keep your strength up! Right now especially.}
Mama smiled warmly at them both. {I would gladly freeze your gruel, provided you could still eat it.}
Vivian shook her head. {We're eevee, not glaceon. And I don't wanna be one, I'm good. Better'n starving, anyway.}
Hazel nodded, and they went to eat. Even though they were putting on a brave face… their hearts still felt in the dumps. I looked at the muffins, my eyes lighting up when I saw one.
"{Here, take this one.}"
They looked at me concerned. "Really, we don't need them."
I shook my head. "{The ones with nuts taste weird. You'd like it more than me.}" My ears drooped. "{Please?}"
They hesitated, but Hazel tentatively reached her hand out. As it was on the muffin, she looked at me concerned once more. In her eyes… worry, sadness, pain, loneliness, all stuff I could feel was shown right behind them. I gave her as best of a smile as I could and nodded.
She took it gingerly, holding it close. "Thank you…"
I smiled wider. "{You should both be happy too, not just me.}"
Vivian nuzzled me. {Still… thank you. So much.}
And with that, we began eating. Mama insisted I keep the remaining muffins for myself, and the gruel was… edible, if you froze it. Which she did. She clearly didn't enjoy it or anything, but she wouldn't take any muffins. The last two were great for food, and while Hazel and Vivian still ate some of the gruel? They split the muffin and ate it last, and felt better after. Maybe I can't beat up all the bad guys right now… but I can help everyone a little bit.
We stayed huddled together a while, but my ears swiveled when some footsteps didn't keep going past us. I looked up to see Clive and Elpis there, casting a bit of a shadow across the bed.
"Are we intruding?" Clive said gently.
Mama glanced at us, who shook our heads before she glanced back at him. {Not at all. What brings you both over?} she asked as Clive sat down on a bed next to us that was conspicuously unoccupied.
Elpis meanwhile laid down between them as she looked at me and Mama. {We just wanted to help you through this ordeal. Through telling you a story of the outside world, if you would like to hear it.}
I nodded, while Vivian looked at her curiously. {What's it about?}
Elpis smiled, and I could feel it was a happy memory. {One of the first experiences I ever had in Sinnoh, along with Clive.}
At that, we were all curious. From what she's said before… wouldn't this be one of the first times she saw the outside world? Kinda like what it'll be for me, right…?
Clive patted her on the shoulder, smiling warmly. "At the time, we still hadn't been away from Aether all that much. It was mostly just running from them, hitching a ride on a plane and booking it back to Sinnoh. We got in from Hearthome and hoofed it to Eterna."
{I was not yet comfortable around humans, as at the time… I still had something akin to the collars you still have. Mine was much heavier and more difficult to remove, however.} Her claws clenched a bit as Clive kept rubbing her back gently. {Too many sounds caused a reverbation feedback loop. So a quieter place was preferable to the cities of humans.}
"Eterna Forest's pretty famous for being exactly that, so I figured it'd be a good place for her to get her bearings. Whole new region, plenty of stuff she'd never seen before, the works," Clive continued. "Pictures can show a lot, but there's only so much they can convey without better tech than the camera I use has. So… we spent a while there."
He leaned his head back, as though reminiscing about something close to his heart. "We spent a couple weeks in there, just taking things in. Local pokemon were curious about her, sure, but they kept their distance after I explained some stuff. They know pretty well what it's like to not want folk barging in on their space, and word spread fast. Soon enough, we were left to our own."
Elpis smiled, closing her eyes. {I had never experienced such things. To see the sun, moon and stars… the sheer abundance of trees and grass and underbrush, rivers flowing freely, such peace and quiet? It was beyond anything I had ever dreamed of.}
Her eyes were sparkling with wonder as she opened them again. {And there was more to come! Eventually we exited the forest via the south side, and came across a vast valley. A river ran by us the whole time, and several bridges had been constructed to allow humans and pokemon both to cross from plateau to plateau. Flowers grew in abundance, and we had all the peace we could ask for.}
Clive scratched behind her ears a bit, Elpis purring in response. "I wanted to show her that there were nice places with humans too. And Floaroma's a pretty nice place to show that off. Folk taking care of flowers, tending to trees for combee and vespiquen, everybody knows everybody there. Sure, we were both outsiders, but they were happy to show us around. By that point it'd been a couple months since we met, and, well…"
He ruffled Elpis' crest. "She finally got to cut loose of the last ties to Aether."
She purred gently while I looked on in awe. She had a worse kinda collar than we do now and she still got free… and they did awful things to her too, and she still got away. And she believes we're gonna get away this time, too.
Hazel and Vivian meanwhile felt… conflicted. They're happy, but also sad? I was about to ask what was wrong, but really… I knew already. How do you help someone who's lost their parents…? They both like Floaroma, but…
Elpis and Clive had noticed, but didn't seem to know exactly what to do. One person did, though.
{You will always have a home.} Surprise flared in Hazel and Vivian as they looked at Mama, confusion bubbling beneath the surface. {You will always have a family. They will never replace the family you've lost, nor should they. But there is no reason you should be alone. Whether it be Floaroma or elsewhere, you will always have a home with people who love you.}
She smiled. {And I would be more than happy to accept you into our family, as well as giving you a home at Snowpoint. As Elpis and Clive have made certain to reestablish, we will get home. The only question is if you would like your home to be with us.}
Hazel's eyes had been getting wider the entire time Mama was talking. When she was done, it was silent for a couple seconds. Tears began welling in her eyes before she nodded, hugging Mama tight. Vivian did much the same, running up and cuddling close to her while I hugged them. Their feelings were still super complicated, but… they felt better now.
Mama really is the best… She knows how to help everyone and who the bad people are. And Elpis and Clive know so much about what the outside is like… I can't wait to get out with everyone and we can all be one big family where things are nice.
After that, we mostly sat together and talked. Guinevere and Chestnut came over to check on Hazel, and later on Mabel and everyone came over to teach me more sign language.
~~Iron Island, Year 8520, Taflinal, Calta 2nd~~
Jean and Indra had taken us to the arena again. Apparently it wasn't going to be as long today, but we still had to go for some reason.
When we got into the arena, there was a small blue and black pokemon standing there. Waiting for us with closed eyes.
When he opened them, his eyes widened in confusion for a moment before they narrowed to a serious glare. He didn't seem any meaner than any of the other pokemon we've fought (except maybe Rhyperior), but I could tell he knew the real reason why we were both here. At least… we both know what we're getting into.
"{My name's Aurora, and this is my Mama,}" I said, gesturing to her as she inclined her head. "{What's your name?}"
He didn't immediately respond, instead raising a hand towards us that glowed blue. Is this a special handshake thing? Do I need to ask Mama about it? He didn't feel like he was going to attack at least. The weird black teardrop thingies by his ears floated for a bit before he dropped his hand, the glow dissipating.
{Dojima the Riolu. What are you?} He sounded young, but his tone was serious.
I blinked. He didn't feel bad, but something in me… didn't like the way he worded that. "{I'm a Hybrid. But mostly an Aurora. Why?}"
He eyed me curiously before glancing towards the stands, at all the white coated humans watching us along with the grunts. {A Hybrid…} He turned his attention to Mama. {Explain.}
It feels like he already knows the answer.
{Which is why I am asking for a deeper explanation,} He said, turning back to me.
Wait, what? He can read minds? Can you hear what I'm thinking? That's super cool! How do you do that?
{You're confused and curious, but not evil. I know what you were thinking because I can sense what you are feeling. You felt inquisitive, so I answered.}
One of my ears flopped as I processed before responding. "{That's like what I do…}"
Mama smiled, gently nudging me before stepping forwards and looking at Dojima. {She is my child. Our circumstances are unique, but she stands in a place between humans and pokemon. More than that however, she is my child. Does that answer your query?}
He looked Mama up and down and then me. {Yes, it does.} He glanced back at where the grunt called Bronco stood. Spinel and Gothitelle aren't here today. Or are they in the speaker room?
He exhaled deeply. {I now know why we are all here today. This is far too much fuss from the scientists for a training session. I've never heard of a single mention of a being akin to a Hybrid besides the scant few banter I've overheard from my… comrades.} He slowed down near the end as if that final word wasn't exactly what he meant to say. {Your injuries imply that you've been through rigorous battles, yet they still keep you alive to be observed. In other words, you're the current point of interest for Team Galactic and I'm here to show off your powers. I see… they experimented on you, yes?}
My heart began to burn again. "{Yeah, but we don't gotta do what they say. You're you and I'm me. Doesn't matter what they want, we can kick butt and keep going. I know I'm not gonna just let them do whatever they want, and we're all gonna get outta here.}"
Dojima finally cracked a smile. {Your aura burns brightly. We think similarly in that regard, which is why I will get stronger. Whatever trial they make me endure I will come out stronger till I can leave this place.}
I smiled back, and then my ears flicked. "{What's an Aura? I can make fire, but I don't think that's what you mean?}"
Dojima started moving his hands before getting into a strange pose. His paws burned with the blue fire all the way around. {It is the essence of all living beings that resides within us all. My race are masters of aura and soon I will join them.}
Something in me… burned a little brighter at that. I looked at my hand, a small orange flame igniting in my palm. Everyone's got it… even the evil people? Maybe that's why they feel evil… and maybe it's part of why I can feel what other people are feeling? If he can do that with Aura, wouldn't that mean that's why I can do it?
{I cannot say for certain if you are an aura adept as I am not a master yet, but… honing that skill is something to look forward to once you escape. Right?} Dojima smiled, guessing at my thoughts once again.
I nodded again. "{I've a lotta things to look forward to. Like the sun, and the sky, and wind, and trees, and lotsa stuff. And we're both gonna get to see all those things and do lots someday!}"
Then a voice rang out over the intercom. "Begin." This time it was a calm, male voice. The same one from before… Cyrus, right?
The metal on Dojima's paws extended into claws as he flashed them about. {I am not one to boast, but I am stronger than the others who fought before me. Prepare yourself and do not hold back!}
Dojima took one deep step before he launched himself towards me, claws at the ready. I almost wanted to use the green sphere thingy from before, but… It's really strong, even when I'm not. I gotta wait. Instead, I dashed to the side while holding a fireball. How fast can he move?
His eyes easily tracked me as he took another step and began dashing towards me. So he's like Cookie… And he doesn't want me to hold back. I'll do my best! I threw the fireball at him, which he easily dodged. But the time he spent dodging gave me time to coat the ground around me in ice. He's not me or Mama, so he'll probably slip lots. Right?
Dojima simply squinted before his feet caught on fire and heat began spreading all over the field with each step. Except my ice didn't melt to his shock and he slipped. That gave me enough time to throw out a fireball, smacking him in the side of his torso before I grabbed one of his arms and threw him towards the wall. Is he like Cookie like this too?
Dojima didn't make a sound as he twirled through the air, landing on the wall. Except then he dug his claws into the wall and just hung there for a moment. He scanned the battlefield and me for a second before grunting, running on the wall of the arena. I made several snowballs, then threw them in front of where he was running.
Dojima skirted around them before he pointed one hand on the wall. His hand launched a tornado straight into it, sending him flying straight towards me. I threw my hands straight up, the ice around me bursting up into a glimmering wall. At the same time, I crouched right at the bottom of it and out of where his trajectory was.
Is he gonna crash into it?
I could hear his tornado sounds get closer before I could hear them all around me. I looked up from where I was crouching to find him standing above me, arms crossed before he gestured for me to attack.
{Blocking your field of vision can cost you. Even with a 6th sense,} He warned me.
That… didn't work out how I'd hoped. Uh… Okay, second try!
I spread my hands to leap from them, at the same time making the ice wall come crashing down around him. As he was dodging the wall, I threw another fireball right into it, sending shards of ice bursting right towards him.
Dojima's eyes glowed a dark orange before he began dodging every single shard perfectly without even looking. The thingies by his ears kept moving around, like they were controlling his body instead. After he had dodged basically all the shards he closed the distance again. I threw out a hand to fire a fireball, but he pushed it out of the way and pressed a glowing hand on my stomach. Before I could throw him off, his hand exploded and I was sent flying back.
I shut my eyes tight as the energy sent a tingling rushing through my entire body, pain lancing through before I shook myself. Well, he's definitely not holding back at least! Whipping my tails helped me spin around midair, which let me make a big curved ice wall. I slid from the bottom right to the top, then launched myself right back at Dojima. There's not time for what I did before, but I gotta try!
A fireball roared to life in my hands, and I held it right towards Dojima. He crossed his arms in front of his head to block it, but still kept eye contact. It was only right before I hit the ground that I held it down and a little behind me. The blast sent me flying right into him, slamming into his body.
Before he could retaliate, I leapt off of him and sent a chill wind his way to freeze the ground where he was gonna land. He maintained his blocked position but spun around again to dispel the icy wind. When he landed he rubbed his bruised arms, but got into a fighting position again.
{You learn fast,} He noted. {But I'm glad you're not treating me like a baby anymore.}
I chuckled awkwardly. "{Getting punched in the stomach got your point across pretty well.}" I was about to rush him when I hesitated. Wait a minute, didn't Maya do a rolling thing? And I can make a sphere… Maybe…
I crouched a bit, holding up my hands in front of me and waiting for Dojima to make his move. Dojima skipped over with his paws still raised, his eyes intense and focused as though he was analyzing my every move. At the same time, I was watching his. He definitely knows more about actually fighting than me, maybe I can learn from what he does?
He pulled back his fist and the tornado channelled around it again. I dodged slightly but stayed close, which caused him to stop.
{I see…} He muttered before he channeled another tornado in his other hand. He launched the first straight at me which forced me to dodge to the right. Then he sent the next right to my left, missing me completely for some reason. At the same time though, I just swiveled my ears around while keeping my eyes on him. He's not gonna just miss for no rea-
At the last second, I saw that he kicked a tornado straight towards me, fire burning within it. I was about to move, but it tripped me up and sucked me into the air, buffeting me from all sides. For whatever reason, I barely felt any heat though. I held my arms to block until I could sense Dojima move as well, hurtling through the tornado headed right for me with two of those exploding fists. Okay, now is 'when I need it'!
I shut my eyes tight, another pulse of green light forming into a protective sphere around me. There was a dull thud from Dojima, where it hit him as it was expanding. The sphere dispelled the tornado as Dojima looked down towards me within the sphere, slowly floating down.
Time for plan: do what Maya did but with more control!
The sphere made an almost glasslike tink as it hit the ground, bouncing slightly but keeping me in the middle. Dojima began to gather some white energy around his fist, but I started running. Right towards him.
The sphere skipped a bit before barreling right towards him. I could feel Mama's pride as I did that.
Dojima smirked at me with a bemused expression before he jumped back. I began chasing him all over the arena as he kept dodging. We made sure to stay clear of Mama, who remained in a corner.
As I kept running, I could feel my lungs starting to burn more than the fire tornado ever had. Okay uhhhh launching time? Launching time!
White light engulfed me as I ran much quicker for a moment, the sphere around me skidding at the sudden acceleration before rocketing right towards Dojima. As I got closer I leapt forwards, the sphere dissolving into motes of light around me.
He went to dodge, but I swiveled around midair just enough to have a sudden fireball redirect me. And this time, I went with the momentum.
I spun around a couple times in a somersault, keeping where he was in mind from my hearing before kicking him right in the stomach. His eyes bugged out, but he gritted his teeth and managed to point his hand at me.
A blue light shone before he fired an explosion from his fist right into me. We were both sent careening through the air in opposite directions.
My back slammed into a wall, my already burning lungs protesting at the sudden cough that was forced from me as I only just landed on my feet. Despite my vision being slightly blurry and wavering on my feet a little, I stood up and balled my fists. Keeping them in front of me like he had. If he wants me to be serious… then it'd be mean to him if I went down that easy!
Dojima was rubbing his stomach uncomfortably before he got into the same position. {You're strong, but you use up too much energy that you don't have,} He noted. {Plus, I can tell you've got a breathing problem and your movements are pained. You're running on fumes.}
I smiled at him. "{Being choked, face slammed and inhaling loads of ghost… mist… whatever did that. But you wanted me to be serious, so I'm being serious! It'd be mean if I just laid down and said I was done.}"
Cookie did it cuz I didn't wanna fight. But he wants to fight, so it's different.
He hummed proudly. {You remind me of my family back home. My older brother was a lot like you...} He said softly before he grit his teeth. All of a sudden his feelings became bitter as he glanced back to Galactic. {I will use the happiness I had with my family to evolve and return with them, but first I need power. Power to win. So I'm sorry, but I can't lose here!}
Dojima raised both his hands into the air, energy concentrated into them before a decently sized orange energy ball formed above him. He placed both hands on the ground and all of a sudden the entire arena's ground exploded.
My eyes widened and I quickly leapt into the air to get away from the rupturing earth. I looked back at Dojima to see him effortlessly hopping from rock to rock before they fell, occasionally kicking some towards me before moving somewhere else.
I might not have a lotta energy, but I'ma give it all I've got! If Sue can make stuff outta water, I should be able to out of ice! I held out my hand, ice quickly forming. It was less a sword or pole and more long, thin oval, but it was enough. I smacked the rocks away from me, but began to fall. Not yet!
The same green energy from before pulsed, but this time instead of around me? It made… something below me. Something I could stand on. I leapt off of it right towards Dojima, swinging the ice mass thingy at him from above. He jumped straight towards me with pure determination and his whole body glowing orange.
His heart feels different then before. He's so lonely and sad, but he's got so much hope. He wants to do everything in his power to get home.
He took on the ice thingy straight on. He grit his teeth through the pain as he pushed through it, his body flaring orange in response as it absorbed the damage from my attack. Dojima swung around and knocked me back with his tail.
My vision nearly went black, and I could hear the wind whistling past me as I flew backwards. However instead of a sudden slam, I slowly came to a stop before being gently lowered down to a familiar, lovingly warm fluff. {Easy, my child.}
I was still trying to get the world to stop spinning, but I could hear kinda okay. {I believe this encounter has reached its conclusion, yes?}
Dojima had landed as well, panting deeply and rubbed his head where I had hit him. {Yes it has and it was well fought, but now it is our turn to battle,} He announced getting into another fighting position despite breathing heavily.
Mama simply shook her head. {For whatever reason, they seem to be satisfied with my child's battles. You should conserve your strength, young one. Fight the battles you must, those in excess are only detrimental to you at this juncture.}
Dojima shook his head. {I don't fight for Team Galactic. I fight for myself. This is for me.} He raised his fists again.
I slowly pushed myself to my feet. "{You wanna get home… you wanna get back to your family.}" I coughed a bit before continuing, smiling weakly at him. "{Don't give in to the humans. And thanks for the fight, I learned a lot.}"
He nodded at me again, slightly lowering his fists. {Thank you for understanding, Aurora. You understand my feelings well…} Dojima smiled softly at me. {I'm no master, but… I think you do have the potential to be an aura adept.}
I held out a fist to him, like he had at the start of the fight. "{Promise me we'll meet again on the surface so you can know the answer to that, okay?}"
He held out his fist as well. {I promise. Next time we meet, may we both be evolved, hm?}
My smile grew. "{Yup!}"
After the briefest moment of silence, his body turned red as the light beam from a Pokeball recalled him. In his last moments, I could see him lay down his fists as he gave me a smile. It still hurts seeing him go… but not as much this time.
Jean took us to see Rhodo afterwards, and he wasn't too happy with us having been brought in for a fight. But he was proud of me for all the cool stuff I'd done, and helped my lungs feel better like before. He gave us a whole bunch of muffins too, which we were eating once we'd gotten back.
"I dunno what they were thinking calling you back in, you're still recovering from that cunt Spinel!" Leanne was tearing into the muffin with her bites, barely noticing she'd cursed. Anger was burning from her and she'd kept me close the whole time. At the same time though… She's afraid. She doesn't want me to die like Razin and Urie…
"At least it was short this time," Mabel replied as they were keeping an eye on my breathing, checking up on my belly, stuff like that. "And you both knew what was happening, right Aurora?"
I nodded. "I didn't want to hurt 'em first though…"
Benny started making symbols with his hands. It took me a moment, but I managed to read them. |There is no shame in fighting. If you both agree on it, you needn't wait to be struck.|
I shuddered, the fur on my tails standing on end. "{But I don't wanna hurt them…}"
He shook his head and signed again. |Anything you could do with your fists is far kinder than what is being done here. You are smart. You know what is too much.|
Maybe, but I don't wanna go overboard… If I don't hold back, people will get hurt worse than they need to…
"{I wanna go home…}"
Mama curled her tails around me gently. {We will get home, my child. I promise.}
Mabel gave me a small smile. "Actually, I have some news about that." My ears perked up. "I'd like you to meet some friends."
They gestured behind them while Haley waved some people over. There were two Hybrids and two Pokemon, one Bibarel and the other a black and yellow… not Rush?
The Bibarel Hybrid felt a little nervous, but nice. Not unlike Rhodo. He had one of those white coats the humans had, but he didn't feel mean like them. He had baggy pants, curly brown hair with two parts that fluffed up to look like ears, and a shirt that had 'Help people smile, Bi-barells of laughs!' with a happy Bibarel on it.
The Bibarel with him looked… tired. Moreso than most people here. And not in a bad way, either. He felt sad of course, but something told me that he'd been tired for a while. But he had a small smile and waved a hello all the same.
The other Hybrid was a woman with a similar white coat and dark blue pants. She had jet black hair and two large rounded ears on top of her head, black on the outside with yellow and white insides. The sleeves on her coat were rolled up, and she had a simple t-shirt on with… something I didn't recognize. It was a splotchy dark blue with lots of teeny white dots on it.
The Pokemon with her was perched on her shoulder, looking at me curiously. She had the same ears as her partner, but she also had a black lightning bolt tail. There was some sort of skin thingy between her arms and legs that spread out, and she had yellow cheeks.
{That is an Emolga, my child.}
I nodded as the lady Hybrid smiled at me. "Hello. My name's Noemi Smoke, and this is Danica." The Emolga on her shoulder waved a hello. {Nice to meet you!}
Noemi gestured to the man and the Bibarel with him. "This is Hugo Smoke, my husband, and his partner, Baltasar."
Hugo gave a smile while Bal… Bail… his partner waved at me. "What's your name?"
"{I'm Aurora.}" I crossed my arms and screwed up my face. "{Balti… Balis… Baltoy…}" My ears tilted back.
He just walked over with a smile. {Baltasar. Ball-tah-zarr. You can do it.}
I nodded. "{Baltasar… Baltasar!}"
Mabel had a warm smile after I said that and sat down close by, drawing my attention to them. "These people are scientists. And they're trying to help us figure out a way to get out of here."
I tilted my head, looking at Noemi. "{But… you have white coats…?}"
She felt confused before something suddenly made sense to her. "Oh, please don't worry. We're not like the other people you've seen. They…" She took a moment to collect her thoughts. "They're using their knowledge indiscriminately, and only care about finding out new information. Lots of scientists try to find ways to improve life and make the world a better place. These people don't represent our profession."
So the human white coats are the bad guys and these four are the good guys… And apparently there's more people like them who do good stuff but wear white coats?
{And you intend to use your knowledge to help us all escape this place?} Mama interjected, looking at the four of them.
Noemi nodded. "We can't say much because… well, you know." We all nodded. We knew we were being watched. "But we're trying. Just knowing where we are is huge. Actually making contact with the outside world is… going to be problematic to say the least, but there has to be a way."
My ears twitched. "{What about the other group…?}"
Her heart sank as she sighed. "They're… not on the same page as us. Figuring out a way to escape will take time. They aren't willing to wait. We've tried to reason with them, but they refuse to wait. And honestly, I can't blame them."
Her hand clenched, and Hugo held it gently while Danica gently stroked her hair. "It's alright. He's okay. He'll be fine." Hugo soothed.
He?
Baltasar noticed my confusion and smiled sadly. {They had a child together as part of our family. While we couldn't fend off our attackers, we at least made sure he was safe from their assault. We're all glad he's not here, but of course we'd like if we could be with him again.}
I nodded. Leanne lost her family, but she's still around, and from what Benny, Bors, Mabel and Haley are feeling they have a child too… Hazel doesn't have her parents around anymore… What's the family I have that's outside feeling? I feel like they remember me… Are they looking for me and Mama?
I looked around at the room, closing my eyes and focusing. It's… not everyone, but a lot of people have similar feelings… And they're like the feelings Eclipse and Koko have, but more intense. Like they're used to it by now… They're like the feelings we have towards each other too, but more positive. There's a lot of feelings around family, aren't there?
"Aurora?" I blinked a bit to see Hazel and Vivian looking at me. "Are you okay?"
{You went quiet all of a sudden.}
I was about to tell her what I'd been thinking about before I remembered. A small shudder went down my spine. I don't wanna tell her everything, it'd just make her sad… But I don't wanna not tell her either.
"{I was thinking about the feelings families have for each other…}"
Noemi seemed to recognize something and rubbed my back gently. "There's more than just us working on how to get us out of here. It might take a little while, but just hang in there. Okay?"
I nodded again. They left soon, and I kept learning sign language with Benny. Hazel and Vivian were learning too, and Mama made sure to keep me close. Later that night, when it was time to go to sleep and before Guinevere came over to sing us a lullaby? She nuzzled me gently.
{You are not alone, my child. I will always be there for you for whatever you need.}
A couple tears came to my eyes. I didn't know why. I just knew that I hugged my Mama, and she hugged me.
~~Dream World, Year 8520, Taflinal, Calta 2nd~~
"Rhea?"
She looked up from rubbing my back. There was an orange sun shining outside, though sometimes it turned pink and swirly. I saw some Pokemon earlier running around in the forest, which Rhea had told me happens in the Dream World. Though I did notice they were mostly Pokemon I'd seen before. Some, like Snover or Swinub, felt familiar but I didn't really… remember them?
I wasn't thinking too much about it, since Rhea told me it was something for later. Spiri was resting on my shoulder, and Rhea had given me a hot chocolate.
"What is it, Aurora?"
I looked into my cup. There were little spirals of mist twirling up from it. Kinda like what was coming from my eyes when I was mad and on fire. "What… does family mean?"
Her eyes widened, surprise sprouting up within her. She took a second to respond. "Family… family means a lot of things to a lot of different people. To some people it means who they're born with, or marriage, or mating. For others, it means the people closest to you. Family changes depending on what you think it means."
One of my ears tilted to the side. "Then… what does it mean to you?"
She looked up. "To me…? I'd say it's the people I was closest to. Lifa of course, maybe Rod, Vanna…" She sighed a bit. "I would've liked to be her family. But that chance is long gone."
I looked at her, confused. "But you just said it's who you're close to?" Spiri looked over at her, curious as well.
"Well…" She started haltingly. "It's… complicated. You'll understand a bit more when you're older."
"Is it like cursing?"
She shook her head. "No, not like that. How do I explain it…" Her eyes brightened. "You know how Benny and Mabel are family, but they're not related?"
I nodded as she continued. "It's sort of like that. It's a special kind of being close that I never really had." She ruffled my hair gently. "I hope you get to experience it someday."
I nodded again, looking back at my cup. "Are we family…?" When she waited for me to elaborate, I continued. "You, and Spiri, and Leanne and Yvonne and Hazel and Vivian and everyone…"
At that, Rhea just rubbed my back gently. "Do you want to be family?"
"I think so…?" I hesitated. "They're nice and love me and Mama and wanna help and they're cool and I love them all back… Is that what family is?"
She nodded, hugging me gently. "I'd say so."
~~Iron Island, Year 8520, Taflinal, Solaci 3rd~~
The next day, surprisingly, no one was called in to fight or anything. Jean came by to let us know we wouldn't have to worry about suddenly being called in, which had a lotta people concerned. I wasn't super sure why, but Hazel and Vivian were glad nobody had to fight.
Mabel and Haley were still checking up on me and making sure my lungs were healing okay. Apparently Mama's injury wasn't anything she needed to be super worried about, but mine was. And while they were checking up on me, Benny and Bors close by as always, Leanne, Yvonne, Hazel and Vivian had gotten curious about what they did.
{Oh, nothing all that special,} Haley replied while checking my breathing. {We travel around Sinnoh and help people who need it. Battles can get quite rough, after all.}
Hazel's eyes brightened, her heart shining brighter than it had in a while. "Oh, I've heard about people like you! You stay in areas trainers are likely to pass through and be exhausted to give them a rest and supplies, right? I've always admired them!"
Benny gave a wide smile. |As have I. Mabel is a wonderful person who I love dearly.|
Mabel shoved his arm lightly with an embarrassed grin. "Stop it, I'm just helping people who need it. Nothing all that special."
|Those you help would beg to disagree.|
Their grin turned to a bit of a smirk. "So you're begging, then?"
As Benny gave Mabel a kiss on the cheek, I cuddled closer to Mama and smiled. They feel so happy to be together… And I think they have a kid too?
Hazel still felt super curious about what they did though. "Do you have a specific area where you help out? Is there a society of people who help travelers and choose who goes where? How'd you start doing it?"
{Looks like we've got a fan!} Haley chuckled before holding Hazel's hand. {We don't pick a specific area to help out really, but we do linger around Solaceon for the most part. It's a nice place and there's lots of traffic there. Which means plenty of people to help!}
Mabel gave a warm smile to Haley, then Hazel and Vivian, who was listening intently. "There's nothing all that official about it either. You need a license that says you're qualified to treat Pokemon, but besides that… There's an online forum for like minded people who might keep tabs on which places need help, but nothing established."
That seemed to surprise Vivian. {I thought there'd be some big organization or something. Aren't there people who do that in every region?}
Mabel nodded with a wistful smile. {Yeah, but just out of the goodness of their hearts.}
They kept talking while Leanne put a hand on my shoulder gently. My ears twitched towards her before my head turned, and I looked at her curiously. She felt concerned, and her brow was furrowed. "You okay, kid? You've not been saying as much."
I was about to nod, but then I thought back on everything that'd happened. I slowly shook my head. "{I jus'... don't feel like talking.}"
She nodded, hugging me while Yvonne cooed softly. "I getcha. Jus' chill then. Don't force yourself."
Mama nuzzled me gently. {As they say, my child. Simply rest for now, you more than deserve it.}
I held Leanne's hand, nodding and cuddling into Mama more. Then I noticed Guinevere walking over with Chestnut right beside her. "I can tell you a bit about what it's like, if you want."
Mabel glanced over in curiosity. "You used to do it too?"
She nodded. "When I wasn't quite certain what path I wanted to take in life, I still knew I wanted to help others. So I'd travel the region, listening to people's woes and helping them continue their journeys. As fate would have it, I encountered several lost children who needed some guidance. Over time their number grew, and I found my purpose in helping lead them to a better future."
Hazel's eyes went wide. "That sounds amazing! You've helped so many people…"
Guinevere held a hand gently against Hazel's cheek, Vivian looking up at her and Chestnut. "It's not the most glamorous job in the world. Things can get very hard, sometimes. But you get to see so many people who need help, and have the ability to give them just what they need. It's not for everyone, but for those who it is? It's very fulfilling."
Chestnut smiled brightly. {Everyone deserves a chance at life, living it to their fullest and doing what they can. Helping others be their best selves makes the world a brighter place for everyone.
"Really makes you wonder if it's like what legends like Shaymin do, right?" Mabel let out a wistful sigh, leaning on Benny and glancing up at the ceiling… for some reason.
Shaymin?
Mama noticed my look and gently nuzzled me. {Those of the world, my child. Humans call them legendaries, which is… accurate, but irreverent. They are legendary because they are of the world itself. Sinnoh is well known for paying tribute to all of them, be their homes in this region or another. Shaymin is one such deity, known for spreading fertility and prosperity to the land.}
This time, it was my eyes going wide as my ears tilted back. "{How many are there…?}"
Mama shrugged her shoulders. {I do not know. Quite a number, but some are much more devoted to hiding themselves than others. They deserve respect all the same, however. For their influence is felt to all.}
Guinevere nodded, smiling at me, Mama, Hazel and Vivian while Leanne gently rubbed my back. "There's a great many shrines all across Sinnoh dedicated to their worship. Some ask for boons and blessings, but most simply give thanks to them for the little ways in which they help us all."
I tilted my head. "{What do they do?}"
"Uphold reality, dreams and the ways in which the world works."
Uhhhhhh. That's. A lot.
Chestnut smiled at my bewildered expression. {Some of them are stronger than others. They're all really strong, because they have to be. For instance, Shaymin and Manaphy keep watch over the land and seas. They're not as strong though as Groudon and Kyogre, who are the land and seas. Celebi can travel through time, but Dialga controls it. Things like that.}
My mind was reeling. The idea that anyone could not just control those things but be those things… I could barely wrap my head around it. Hazel, Vivian, Chestnut and Guinevere kept talking while I huddled with Mama and processed.
They can do so much… but if they can, why aren't they stopping this stuff? But… if they control and feel everything, and the world's as big as everyone says it is, wouldn't that make this place really small and hard to notice? If it's small, then whoever controls space wouldn't notice much. If this doesn't last too long… then that means that Dialga wouldn't notice if they control time. Since there's a lot of time.
My ears perked up. Wait a minute. If Dialga isn't doing anything about this, then that means it's not super long! Which means we get out! And it doesn't go on forever and ever! But if I tell people, would that mean it doesn't happen as fast? Does the future change like that? Is me thinking of this stuff part of what happens in time, and we definitely get out either way? Or do we have to do things and if we think someone's gonna save us, then it doesn't happen if we don't do anything? Is there one big time thingy, or are there lots of little ones that branch off and every choice we make is a different little time… line… thingy.
...My head hurts.
For a while after that, I just rested against Mama. She gently nuzzled me, Yvonne buzzing her wings slightly in a song while Leanne kept a hand on my back. I felt… safe. Comfy. The collar around my neck was as hard to forget about as ever, but right then… it got a little easier. And as time passed, my head stopped hurting as I arrived at a decision.
… Maybe things are in lots of little timeline thingies. Maybe they're all in one big one. But either way, it makes more sense to try and make things better than just wait for someone else to do it.
"{Mama?}"
She looked at me curiously. {Yes, my child?}
"{Does Dialga ever stop bad things that take a long time?}"
She thought about it for a moment. {I… do not know. They certainly do not make a habit of it. At the same time… most large scale conflicts end rather quickly. I would not rule out the idea of Dialga being in part responsible for that. Why?}
My ears flicked. "{'cuz if that's the case, then wouldn't that mean we get out sooner 'cuz they haven't stopped this?}"
After a few moments, a smile spread across her face. {That is sensible. You may well be right about that, Aurora.}
Leanne ruffled my hair a little, bringing my attention to her as I brushed a couple strands out of my eyes. "Ever the optimist, aren'tcha? First chance you get and you're figurin' out ways we're gonna be okay." She had a warm, loving smile, her heart feeling full. Yvonne cooed softly. "That's important. Hold onto that. It'll see ya through a lot."
Mama gave Leanne a small look and a smile before nodding. {It is just one of your many wonderful qualities.}
Resting with them, with Hazel and Vivian close by finally feeling a little happier, Benny, Mabel, Haley and Bors keeping an eye on all of us but feeling happy they were all together, Guinevere and Chestnut helping everyone and everyone else around… I felt safe. Maybe it wouldn't last forever. Bad things would definitely happen in the future. But right then, things felt okay.
It was a little while later, when Owain and Sue were putting on a show with Koko (and a very apprehensive Eclipse watching with Yuna) that I overheard Paris off on the side.
"You mentioned having profiled them?"
My ears swiveled over, as did Mama's. I looked over soon after to see her and Legolas with a Hybrid woman and a lady… blue skinny Pokemon.
The Hybrid woman had deep blue hair that was shaped way differently from most people. Two triangular panels of it sat on either side of her head, and the main part of it swooped down into a point with light blue at the edges. She had a dark blue cloth… thingy covering the entire bottom of her head. The collar she had was peeking out from underneath a sorta tattered red scarf, and a simple dark blue shirt with a black belt diagonally around her torso. She also had dark blue pants that looked tight, and weird shoes that made it look like she had two big toes. Though lots and lots of her outfit looked like it'd had stuff on it before that'd been taken off.
Right with her was a Pokemon not like any I'd seen. She had four legs, each with three blue toes and yellow skin thingies between each toe. Her whole body was a dark blue, but she also had white pads at their knees and elbows. Her head had two of the same panels on either side, along with a small spike that went backwards and light blue connecting them. Her tongue was really long, wrapping around her neck and trailing behind her.
Mama felt intrigued. {A Greninja? They seem quite skilled… this is a conversation we should likely pay attention to.}
My attention was focused on something else, though.
"{Is that her tongue?}"
Mama blinked, then smiled softly. {It is, but it is far different from most tongues. Greninja use it to taste the air around them, allowing them to sense the area with pinpoint precision. They typically use it for surprise offense as well, as from what I am told they can modulate what they feel from their tongues. Most foes do not expect a whiplike tongue, lending to its efficacy in surprise attacks.}
I nodded, looking down a little. That makes sense… I definitely wouldn't expect to be licked in a fight. Woo was slippery, but he wasn't trying to lick me. I shook my head a little. Tongue thoughts later, I should pay attention.
The Hybrid woman had been talking, so I had to tune back in. "...not been particularly easy, but Shio and I have profiled the primary foes we face. As a result, we have potential weaknesses to exploit."
Legolas looked at the Greninja, whose name I figured to be Shio. {And you are certain they have not caught on?}
Shio shook her head. {Naoko and I have long trained in the arts of concealment and eavesdropping. Even to this moment, only those who we allow to listen in have been made aware of us.}
Wait, that means they know me and Mama are listening? Me asking Mama about tongues probably helped, but there's still loads of people around… hearing us out of everyone is really good.
Legolas glanced towards us, raised a wing ever so slightly, and then turned back to the duo. {Point taken. What have you gathered, then?}
Naoko turned her gaze down before closing her eyes, arms crossed. "First, the Grunts. They are large in number, but that is their only strength. They have neither the skill nor the power to pose a threat when isolated. Jean and Indra have offered the intel that some Grunts are capable of ascending the ranks through either strength or skill, and specialized therein. They are easily differentiated due to their different uniforms and hairstyles, and the title of Elite."
"Slightly above the basic Grunt but below Elite Grunts on the chain of command are the Grunt Scientists. They take notes on whatever it is they are asked. Their strength is more variable, but usually nothing to take note of. However, they do function as particularly perceptive eyes and ears for Galactic. As such, they should be noted in any escape route."
Paris clicked her tongue. "I had been hoping they were not as numerable as appearances implied, but alas. Keeping typically oft-vacant rooms in mind will be even more vital, then."
Naoko nodded as her face hardened. "Then we encroach on the primary chain of command. Lowest is Charon, well known for being inept. His only major scientific discovery has been that Rotom take on the attributes of electrical appliances, and has been chasing any semblance of relevance ever since. He is also 'uncomfortable to be around', according to several Grunts. Due to his ineptitude and pettiness, he is very distinctly the lowest of the Admins."
"{Admins?}" I asked Mama quietly.
{Admins typically refers to humans in a position of power within a group. Galactic seems to have adopted this terminology for their commanders. Even within this group humans have their own hierarchy, but any one of them can likely relay orders to any lower on the ladder and expect them to be followed. A reasonable exception is if someone higher than them on their own hierarchy has deliberately forbidden that action.}
My ears tilted back. "{That… sounds complicated.}"
Mama gave a small smile. {Humans are good at making things complicated.}
Then we went back to listening. "...surprisingly, Rhodo is not only considered an Admin, but he also has more authority than Charon. Despite the fact that he would 'rather be literally anywhere else right now' and notably is lower on the chain of command, he still has the jurisdiction to tell Charon what to do. He also advocates for us on a regular basis, so withholding information from him has every potential to be more detrimental than helpful. At the same time, with how closely monitored he is, freely divulging everything would be unwise."
{This has the potential of certain paths being made open, as Charon is typically saddled with more mundane work. Any orders he gives that the others have not can be overruled by Rhodo. The main difficulty will be finding said orders, but it can be done,} Shio interjected
There was a heightened sense of urgency as Naoko continued this time. "For the next level, three share the same rank. Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. Mars specializes in dissection, anatomy and related fields. Her ego is as large as it is fragile; seemingly irrelevant topics will set her off quite easily, notably 'going off about her tools being too close to Jupiter's'. At the same time, this makes her easily manipulatable. Say what she wants to hear and you're more than halfway to getting what you want from her."
"Jupiter, in comparison, is more stable. Ironic, considering her field of expertise is chemical reactions with a specialty in explosives. She is much less obsessed with Cyrus than Mars is, but apparently 'squabbles with her' over their relationship to Cyrus. This, combined with her overwhelming haughtiness, means she is much less susceptible to overt manipulation. At the same time, that same belief that she is superior will make her more blind to potential shortcomings in her plans. Any holes or exploits discovered in her plans will be much easier to take advantage of."
"Saturn is the final of this trio, and the least involved in the goings-on here. His job is to upkeep the appearance of Galactic to the outside world, only being called in for more bureaucratic or cognitive work here that Cyrus isn't doing. As a result, intel on him is more limited. From what I am aware of however, he will be less of a concern due to being preoccupied. A sleeping dog better let lie."
She grimaced. "Spinel Sird… I do not believe needs introduction." Everyone shook their heads, even me and Mama a little We knew her far too well. "Thanks to Aurora's efforts though, we have seen a vital chink in her armor. Her composed facade is just that; a facade. If her plans are not followed, if she is proven fallible time and time again? She becomes irate. Following her plans to some degree, only to reveal we were pulling the rug out from under her all along, should prove extremely effective."
A small smile crossed my face. I helped!
"The final one of note is Cyrus Akagi. Less is known about him than any of us would prefer, but the most important attributes are. He despises emotion, which he calls spirit. At the same time, he is alarmingly good at manipulating emotions for his benefit. He is ruthless, calculating, and will notice things few others will while planning for near every eventuality."
A smile crossed her face. "However. This is all presuming his plans are accurate. Due to his complete rejection of spirit, he only knows as much as he has learned. Anything illogical arising from spirit, it is relatively safe to say he will not have a plan to deal with. As such, concealing our most effective strategies until the eleventh hour will be vital. Discovering what he has not planned for may well lead to our best plan of escape."
Paris raised an eyebrow. "Typically organizations such as this have far more intermediaries. Is this not the case?"
Shio looked at her. {Yes and no. Cyrus is not fond of too many being in positions of power. At the same time, there are a scant few more. Mecharis, the technician expert, and Hayner, something of a mercenary, and some others. But they are located outside the facility, and as such are less vital to factor in. We need only deal with problems relevant to escape, not enemies too far away to be a concern. Most intermediaries tend to be Elite Grunts, not unlike Jean and Indra.}
She put a hand to her chin while Legolas felt thoughtful. "The best option would likely be some method of remote chaos, but figuring out how will be difficult."
Naoko nodded affirmingly. "It has to be something we can do without the collars being deactivated. We're monitored too heavily to make breaking out when they're off feasible. Coincidentally, that would be a time when their guard is much more likely to be down. We just have to figure out how to manage that."
They kept talking about plans while Mama looked at me. {It seems we know our enemies a bit better now. Do you have any ideas?}
I thought for a moment. "{Maybe… maybe we could make a big noise or something?}"
Mama nodded her head slightly. {That could work. We will figure out how in time.}
I leaned against her more, processing. They all sound really bad… and how would we make a really big noise? It's hard to hear people through the walls, and we're supposed to be really deep underground. So somewhere with less walls and more ground, but not too much ground…? That doesn't make any sense… But there's gotta be a way to get out somehow. We just need to figure out how.
"Aurora! We've got muffins!" Ron's voice cut through my thoughts, and I looked over to see him, Rush, Owain and Sue walking over with a bunch of muffins in their arms. It'd been a little while since we'd listened in on Naoko and Shio, and while I wasn't really any closer to coming up with ways to get out? Mama told me that was okay.
{Rhodo gave us a bunch today, and said he hopes you're doing okay!} Rush hopped up on the bed, holding a muffin larger than his head and a smile to match. {Are you doing okay?}
{As well as she can be,} Mama answered for me. My heart felt a little bit lighter when she said that. {And you?}
{We're okay!} He sat right with us, Ron cheerily handing us muffins. {We wanted to spend some time with you before Miss Guinevere helps Ron with his dyslexia.}
One of my ears flopped. "{Dyslexia?}"
Ron nodded, swallowing the whole muffin before turning to me. "Yup! She's been really nice, helping me keep up on my learning." His eyes widened a bit when he saw the look on my face. "Oh, right! It's something that makes it a little harder for me to read stuff. It just kinda… all jumbles together. She says I'm doing good though, just like Mama tells me!"
Owain smiled, ruffling his hair and getting an even bigger smile in return from Ron. "And it's nice spending time together. I dunno why, but for whatever reason me and Sue haven't been getting called in nearly as much recently." He posed dramatically. "Which has given me all the time I need for inspiration! So please, look forward to our next show!"
"We will," Ron said brightly, "Everyone loves them!"
I noticed that Ron and Rush felt similarly towards Owain and Sue as Koko felt towards Eclipse and Yuna. They're doing a thing like what I feel… They're like family, even though they didn't know each other before here.
Meanwhile, Owain was chuckling awkwardly. "I'm sure it's because I'm all they've got…"
Ron shook his head quickly, Rush scampering up his back to sit on his shoulder. "No, your shows are awesome! We like them because they're really good!"
Me and Rush nodded in agreement, Sue gently patting Owain's back. {We have found an audience. Not just one who needs us, one who wants us. It's alright.}
Mama smiled kindly at Owain. {Your shows help lighten the burden on us emotionally in no small part. What matters is what you do, and you bring light to a very dark place. Do not discredit that.}
Ron hugged Owain tight, Rush doing the best he could with his arms. "We like your shows a lot! I wanna keep seeing them for a long time!"
Owain's smile slowly came back. But this one felt… easier, for him, as he hugged Ron and Rush back. "You'll always have a front row seat." He smiled at us. "That goes for you too, you're always welcome to come and see my shows. I'll do my best to make them fun for all!"
He and Ron held out their arms, Sue walking over. Mama uncurled her tails and we both got up a little, so we could go over and hug them.
Hugs are nice.
That night, me, Hazel and Vivian were all getting ready for bed. Guinevere had tucked us in, Leanne and Yvonne had said goodnight, and everyone was glad today had been less intense. At the same time though, everything that'd happened recently was still going through my head a lot.
And Mama noticed.
{Would you like another story, my child?}
Hazel looked up, curiously. "Story?"
I nodded. "{Mama told me one a while ago.}" I smiled up at her, nodding. "{I wanna hear more of your stories.}"
{Of course. Is there anything you would like to hear?}
I thought a moment. "{Something happy?}"
Vivian nodded in agreement. {Happy is good. Happy stories would be nice.}
Mama chuckled. {Of course. Then… perhaps the story of the first Lumifrost?}
When we all looked interested in that, she smiled. {Lumifrost is a festival Snowpoint has long held dear, a time of brilliant auroras and shimmering snow. Originally, it was called Snowgleam. However, as the tradition spread out across the world, and the phenomenon only happened in Snowpoint? It came to be called Lumifrost.}
Her breath became ever so slightly colder. {Aeons ago, humans and pokemon both were constructing the temple for the great Regigigas to slumber within for times untold. The task was hard, but vitally important. For the temple was essential to protecting Regigigas from the world, and protecting the world from Regigigas in equal measure. These early people needed to stay close to properly guard the temple, but were unsure of how to do so.}
{And then, as the final month of the year began, one month before the infamous snowstorms? A brilliant aurora lit up the night sky. The thick blanket of snow became a sparkling, incandescent field of lights and color. All people there basked in the awe of the sight, their worn spirits invigorated by the prismatic display.}
Mama felt wistful, like she was remembering something but not exactly the same. {Their spirits rejuvenated and their bodies rested, humans and pokemon set out the next day on building the temple and their homes. And that night, their efforts were rewarded with an even more brilliant show of color. Pokemon of the wilds came out of their dens, simply to observe the phenomenon. The colors heralded peace and bright times for all, no matter how small.}
{This continued on and on for the entire month, and both wild and settled began to work together. Pokemon of the wild would show the humans and Pokemon building where to find food, materials and warned of the coming storms. In return, the humans and pokemon gave shelter to several, built homes for those that needed it, and were certain to take care of the world. As it was taking care of them, and to take without giving is a recipe for disaster. Especially in such harsh conditions.}
A warm smile crossed her face. {By the end of the month, the temple was built, the homes constructed, and a mutualistic bond had been formed between the native pokemon and the newcomers. Regigigas entered the temple during the day, thanking the people for their work. And that night, an almost blindingly beautiful aurora lit up the night sky. Had the newcomers attempted to push their agenda on the world, they would have been snuffed out. But because they worked with the world, with the native pokemon, aiding one another rather than shortsightedly taking all they needed, both they and the native pokemon thrived. And they were rewarded with a sight only those native to such a harsh place had ever known of before.}
{It was due to their cooperation that the first people of Snowpoint survived the coming winter storms. And while the rest of the world has had more than its fair share of discord? Snowpoint, and all those who live in and around it, have since stood as a bastion of cooperation. Where all live in peace, to survive and thrive even in such harsh circumstances. The temple still stands proud, Regigigas still sleeps soundly, and the auroras in the sky yet burn brilliantly.}
Hazel and Vivian's eyes were wide with awe when Mama finished. Which made all the sense, since I was in awe too. I named myself after those auroras… and they sound really important to Snowpoint. To where… home is…
{You are important, my child.} I looked up at Mama, whose eyes were filled with love. {You are as important to your family and your home as your namesake auroras. Never forget that.}
{Or how nice you are,} Vivian yawned before curling up with Hazel to sleep, giving me a sleepy grin.
Hazel smiled, stroking Vivian's head as she gently fell asleep. "She's right, you know." Hazel gave me a warm grin. "You are really nice."
I thought about what she'd been through. How much she'd lost. How she was still able to smile. How she needed to be safe and happy, for real. How similar I felt towards her as towards Mama and Leanne and Yvonne and Eclipse and Yuna and Koko. Like family.
"{You are too, shimai…}" I said softly, drifting off to sleep.
Entry Log
-Operations have been running smoothly thanks to Cyrus. I'll be back to work soon, so I can properly show him up. Before I receive the battle data Cyrus ensures to leave his own observations and noteworthy points hastening my productivity. While I had wished to have taken a more proactive role as I had before, this current arrangement benefits me most. After all, this is what I love the most.
-After the battle with Riolu we had #001 tested for aura capabilities and there's certainly the potential. It is strange. Vulpix are known for their mental, spectral and even magical prowess, but aura is not their forte. Could it be cultivated perhaps?
-During battle Riolu used Blaze Kick close to #001 and she absorbed it indicating she has inherited the ability Flash Fire. Now whether they match up to a Vulpix's I shall soon test out.
-The simpler tests have been completed, and #001's vital signs have improved despite leaving the life chamber early. Coupled with the baby hybrid Vulpix I had commissioned from Saturn, we can begin comparing them together soon.
-Jean and Indra have remained obedient… for now. It is only a matter of time before they betray us again, but in all honesty anyone could cause us to crumble. At least we know who actually has the spine to attempt now.
-Speaking of spine, it seems some of the subjects have elected to lose theirs willingly. A small group has formulated an 'escape plan', poor fools. At least Cyrus gets to demonstrate his security measures at last. As far as we know only one group has organized an escape plan, but I can only imagine the rest have the notion buried in their timid skulls.
-It will be an exciting spectacle, I've already determined that I'll pour myself a tall glass of Diabolique Morseco during the spectacle. I have arranged my cameras in a way where I'll be able to witness them charge straight into failure. Hopefully it will be riveting. The alarms will be blaring during their escape, so I shan't be able to sleep through it regardless.
-Cyrus unfortunately has requested the fusions undergo an off day from testing. I suppose we do not wish to exhaust them too rapidly. Time is of the essence, but why squander it by rushing? I shall savor, today, tomorrow and the day after that. None shall escape my palace of innovation.
#001 Fused Kalolan Vulpix (Aurora) & Kalolan Ninetales (Ivane) Status: Recovering
#006 Fused Pyroar & Pyroar Status: Nominal
#011 Fused Magcargo & Slugma Status: Deceased (Failed Fused)
#019 Fused Carnivine & Carnivine Status: Deceased (Failed Fused)
#020 Fused Furret (Guinevere) & Furret (Chestnut) Status: Nominal
#27 Fused Toxapex (Ibya) & Toxapex (Shoal) Status: Preparing to Throw Their Lives Away
#033 Fused Eevee (Hazel) & Eevee (Vivian) Status: Recovering
#043 Fused Hydreigon (Paul) & Hydreigon (Tobias) Status: Deceased (Unstable, reverted to feral instincts, used for dissection)
#053 Fused Flygon (Leanne) & Flygon (Yvonne) Status: Nominal
#068 Fused Decidueye (Paris) & Decidueye (Legolas) Status: Nominal
#072 Fused Swampert (Zacharias) & Swampert (Elvis) Status: Nominal
#078 Fused Phantump (Razin) & Phantump (Urie) Status: Deceased (Failed Fused)
#079 Fused Glalie & Glalie Status: Deceased (Failed Fused)
#085 Fused Blissey (Mabel) & Blissey (Haley) Status: Nominal
#086 Fused Bewear (Benny) & Bewear (Bors) Status: Nominal
#090 Fused Krookodile (Corporal) & Krookodile (Sargeant) Status: Preparing to Throw Their Lives Away
#095 Fused Greninja (Naoko) & Greninja (Shio) Status: Nominal
#102 Fused Bibarel (Hugo) & Bibarel (Baltasar) Status: Nominal
#111 Fused Stantler (Dusk) & Stantler (Comet) Status: Preparing to Throw Their Lives Away
#123 Fused Female Gallade (Lucia) & Gallade (Arden) Status: Nominal
#132 Fused Pachirisu (Ron) & Pachirisu (Rush) Status: Nominal
#134 Fused Silvally (Clive) & Silvally (Elpis) Status: Nominal
#143 Fused Electrode & Electrode Status: Deceased (Failed Fused)
#147 Fused Sunflora (Garland) & Sunflora (Dijon) Status: Drained (lack of sunlight)
#158 Fused Rockruff (Koko) Status: Nominal
#159 Fused Dusk Lycanroc (Eclipse) & Dusk Lycanroc (Yuna) Status: Nominal
#163 Fused Spiritomb & Spiritomb Status: Deceased (Failed Fused)
#171 Fused Emolga (Noemi) & Emolga (Danica) Status: Nominal
#180 Fused Samurott (Owain) & Samurott (Sue) Status: Nominal, For Now
#188 Fused Typhlosion (Noah) & Typhlosion (Charcoal) Status: Preparing to Throw Their Lives Away
#193 Fused Noctowl (Keaton) & Noctowl (Twili) Status: Preparing to Throw Their Lives Away
#199 Fused Breloom (Lola) & Breloom (Etter) Status: Preparing to Throw Their Lives Away
Author's Note: Whooh, it's been a minute. If you're reading this soon after upload, quick reason; I figured this section would be over at chapter 5, and had mental energy allocated for five chapters. For everyone out there who can count, you'll notice my math was off. Also, MH Rise ate my life for a little bit. Though for a little bit of insight; chapters 1-3 were originally one chapter, and 4-6 were originally another. So at that pace, we don't have that much more to go.
As for this chapter, I figured we could all use a bit of a break. That break is this chapter, so I hope you enjoy it! And look forwards to next chapter, where I'll hopefully update sooner!
Oh, and if you're reading this in the far flung future where the chapters number in the hundreds and you're reading the author's notes because you care? Thanks all the same. I took a gamble that was calculated with the uploads, but man am I bad at math.