A.N. : This chapter includes cursing. (Well, will be curse-inclusive in following chapters.)
Pokémon: Wings of Beginnings
Chapter 18: What a Heart Speaks
August 9th, 2020
10:37 p.m.
Galar Route 10
Dreams... places that never existed in the first place... What was right? And what was wrong?
"Luigi... Lui...gi..."
A few shakes could be felt...
"Lui-"
He let out a gasp.
"Luigi!"
"Mother...I...I can't. I wanted to pick flowers but...I...I..." He blinked. What was he saying just now? Picking flowers, the things children play around.
"Luigi..." He turned to meet Fran, worry evident in those small eyes. He held his hands rather tightly. "You... you were talking in your sleep... I... I didn't know anything... what you spoke about..."
"...What?" Luigi wondered.
"You... spoke names we never heard of before..." Names? What names? He looked back at Fran.
"Tell me...What are they?"
"Um... Here..."
He listened to those names. He didn't know what he meant but those names. What did he mean? "Daph...ne..." Luigi muttered. "Who do you mean she is someone who enjoys making magic tricks?"
"I... I don't know... You said that..." Fran's uncertainty was obvious, and possibly skeptical.
"...I can't enjoy things like those anymore." Luigi muttered sadly. "Her magic tricks are for kids. It is more obvious how because she can do magic better than any of us."
"...But... we never heard of that name at all nor seen it..."
Luigi looked at him. Fran wouldn't lie to him... But those memories he'd seen. He held his head as he heard someone who sounded like him scream and there were other voices too.
"What do you mean? Your stories are wonderful, you need to keep writing!"
"Does it matter? No one would read it..."
"Why? Why won't you? Is it because of what happened in Castelia City?"
"...I...No one would read a... freak's work."
"...These paintings are beautiful. Would you like to show them to mother?"
"...It's... hideous..."
"...What? You just can't...I have something negate the poison, can I listen to Orpheus' Ode to Eurydice?"
"...It's... it hurts my hearing..."
"...So, when can he have that practice session? You love to do some spars, right?"
"I'd hurt you too much. I can't hold ba-"
"Luigi!"
"Blaze!" Luigi screamed and looked back.
Fran jumped back. "Wh...Who?"
"...It's nothing." Luigi muttered and gripped the bed. "...Everyone didn't want to enjoy what they wanted to do. All because..." He looked at his chest and placed a hand over it. He felt his heart beat. Just like any mortal heart but he felt something in it.
"...Luigi... Are you... alright...?" Fran asks worriedly. "I think you should make an appointment with the Professor-"
"No!" He screamed. "I did something to Professor once...I...I almost..." He remembered the time he did to the Professor in a fit of anger.
"...L-Luigi...?"
"...I don't want to hurt anyone. I...This power I had." Luigi held his chest. "It turned me into something else. The power...It felt like an entire crystal. Too powerful to handle. I...I am...No longer a mortal. But...A...a monster."
Fran jolted. "Y-you aren't a monster! You're..." his voice trailed off. "...You're..." He immediately recalled what happened with those mystery individuals. His throat gulped. "...Um... About... earlier... today..."
"..." Luigi remained silent and looked around where they were. This wasn't the hotel they were staying it but...
"We went out to... Route 10..." Fran told him. "It's a shack, but it still provided a good resting place before the aircrafts come to pick us up..."
What happened before this? Did something go up?
"Um..." Luigi noticed something as well. Ever since he woke up, Fran never touched him again. He got up and went out of the shack. He looked around to see everyone who were there setting up some fire. Scorch seemed disappointed about something.
"Camping out here and not in the shacks?" She complained to Sunai.
"The shack is accommodating the ones who have been seriously injured the most out of us." Sunai told her.
"Well..." She took a bedroll and positioned it at a spot. "I just wanted to enjoy something after what happened today. I've never tried camping before."
"Would you like to learn?"
Before Scorch could reply, they heard a snort.
"You, your first time camping?" Blitz speaks in a childish tone. "My brother and I camp out a lot of times and we make it through!"
"Really, then why do you have some much of those..." Scorch looked at Sunai for clarification over the bugs on Blitz. They seem to be sucking out something out of Blitz.
"Those are a different kind of leeches known to be bane to metallic objects." Sunai told her. "What makes them different from regular leeches is that-"
"Owaaaah!"
"It..."
"Feeds onto metal." Sunai answers.
Scorch watched as Blitz rolled and trashed at a clear spot to get them off him. "I've read those before." She smiled. "They said that you to get rid of them, one shouldn't roll on the ground or else..."
"They would expand and leech more."
They heard more screams.
"All you need is this." Scorch took some salt over the table Swamp and Arubo were making dinner on, took a handful, and threw them at Blitz.
The leeches immediately dropped off onto the ground.
"Books are fun, right?" Scorch told Sunai.
"Mmm." Arubo nodded before he took the bag of salt back and looked over the berries he and Swamp sliced. He noted the sizes of the berries chopped.
"They should be enough for everyone here." Swamp noted.
"Mmm." Arubo mumbled with agreement while Swamp sweated. Even when he could decipher some ancient writings, the way of how complex Arubo mumbled was something he couldn't decipher. However, he got the gist of it and nodded. "Mmm?"
Arubo looked at Guy and Brandt fanning the flames of the pot. Guy looked over Brandt fanning too fast.
"Brandt-andt's so fast~" Guy sang.
Brandt was so devastated over what happened before. The view over that lake nearby. Weiss, Pretzel, and Lenna were able to make the atmosphere better for him to confess. It was almost perfect, just him and Claire but...
Why did he change the topic about it being safe to drink!?
He covered his face with a hand as he continued fanning. What's wrong with him...? Blowing every single opportunity with her... He is a worldwide embarrassment to the world of romance...
Meanwhile, Lenna was on the comms to discuss the findings about the machine they faced.
"So, those traitors made that machine to replace us as the defense against the Dulled." Iron muttered, his voice shaky. "They thought that we're like machines... Why would they...?"
"They did make that machine..." Lenna affirms. "But, Iron-"
"I can't forgive them!" Iron burst out. "We can feel, get hurt, eat things, die...Why can't they see that? These Dynacrystals are not what we chose to be! We just got them because of our foolish curiosity every living being has! Look what happened because of the misuse of power, they brought shame to themselves and lost everything they've dreamed of!"
Loss... Shame... Luigi wondered about those two things. Those two figures, they were called those.
"Iron, we... know but still..." Lenna says softly.
She heard Iron's heaving breathing from the comms. Trying to cool himself down before Zakh took over. "Anyway... that was a strange machine." Zakh speaks.
"Indeed, something about it felt like a Dulled." Safka added.
"Yes..." Lenna agrees.
"What did they do to do that? Now, now Iron, Mommy won't want you to hurt yourself punching that table. How about a squishy ball?"
"Why're you looking at me when you say that!?" Zakh screamed into the comms.
Lenna heard some jumbles in the comms before there were some panting. Zakh's pants to be exact. While she relayed the message, she turned to Claus looking over the items they had.
"How is it over there?" She asks him.
"Fine." Claus replied. "It is just that...How could we possibly have these memories?"
Lenna didn't answer. She wasn't sure.
"...Do you remember anything about the tree we used to play around?" Claus asked.
"The tree at HQ?"
Claus nodded. "That. But, I remembered that I was raised somewhere else. Not in the orphanage most of you grew up in. I was wondering why we all know each other and..."
"I'm not sure... it is our first meeting when you were recruited into WINGS..." Lenna remembered clearly about things that weren't forgotten.
"I am confused as you are." Claus nodded.
"...Hmm... Can I ask again, do you ever have feelings of déjà vu?"
"Huh?" Claus wondered.
"I mean... I don't know, but I feel as if...these have happened before..." She looked around. "I remember I lived with everyone from the orphanage... But... The new recruits, it's strange..."
Claus nodded and looked. This sight was familiar but he didn't know why. All of them weren't childhood friends but...All of them were close as if they knew each other since childhood.
"...Hm?"
"What is it, Lenna?"
She points over. "Luigi and Fran are awake..."
"Oh, I wonder why Luigi is pretty downcast." Claus observed the look on his face.
"Luigi, are you okay?" She asks him.
"..." Luigi remained silent before he spoke. "Don't ask a monster that he is fine."
"Wh-what?" Lenna raised a 'brow'.
"Get away from me!" Luigi growled at Aria who was about to come and support him. "I don't need your pity because of you forgetting them!"
"Luigi! What are you...?" She starts.
"Do you remember Eos?" He asked. "He was the one who taught us how to tend to Chocobos, without him, we wouldn't have any Chocobo we would be able to train. You forgot about him, he has a family too."
"What's happening over here?" Iggy asks as he heard the commotion.
"We failed to save Eos." Luigi looked at him. "The Chocobo Boys won't be ever be complete."
Iggy looked at him for a while before he speaks. "Whatever we do now, it won't ever bring Eos back to us!"
"Do you even remember him?" Luigi asked. "About him getting a wife and got two daughters."
"Lightspeed?'
"...If you were stronger...We could had saved him yet we didn't but this..." Luigi held his chest. "...I wanted to control it. To save, not kill. Like how I killed Rutile and the rest of Squad Seven."
The ones present looked at him.
"What?" Lusiane had got over there. "What did you say just now?"
Luigi looked over at her. "Didn't you hear me?" He growled.
"I did, but... you just woke up, didn't you? You shouldn't distress yourself more." She told him. "It's unhealthy to think of yourself as a mons-"
"I am not some heartless fucking monster!" Luigi yelled and glared back at Lusiane before Arubo came and stopped them from escalating their argument.
"Mmm...Stop it." Arubo calmed them down. "Arguing further won't get us anywhere, it will cause more harm than good. Understand?"
"..." Luigi just let out a huff and went away from the group. He passed Fran and looked at him. "Fran, don't worry. I'll protect you. I won't let anything bad ever happen to you."
"L-Luigi?" Fran asked. "Where are you going?"
"Don't ask." Luigi answered. "Don't let me do what I did to the Professor."
Fran held his hands together as he looked down.
Luigi left the team, they could only do was watch as he disappeared through the trees.
After looking quietly, Iggy looked down. 'I understand that Luigi's hurting, but...' He looked at the other members, as confused as he is with the sudden revelation.
August 9th, 2020
11:14 p.m.
Galar Route 10
The meal was great, she felt the cells of her sweet body work properly to function properly before turning in the night. She looked around the grass around her, making sure no leeches were there that would happen to Blitz again. Speaking of that Shiny Metang, she looked over his state.
He looked down. Rather... having a lack of energy...
...Maybe something to cheer him up? Pretzel took out a plushie that was the Dulled GroBe Pflanze. "Blitz, you can sleep with him tonight." Pretzel told him and handed the plushie to him.
"Hu-Wagh!" Blitz stumbled back. He bumped into Arubo's belly.
"Mmm?" Arubo wondered about the metallic being who landed on his...belly.
"Huh?" Blitz made the first mistake of feeling the flabby flesh behind him, then grabbing onto that belly and tugging it a few times before he quickly turned around and backed away.
"Mmm?" Arubo looked down.
"I-It wasn't on purpose! Don't freeze me!" Blitz begs.
Arubo continued to stare him down before making his way toward Pretzel and looked over her. He nodded as she placed the doll near Blitz's bedroll. The two of them went around the camp to check the others.
They walked over to Brandt, who was rubbing the ends of his fingers against each other whilst seated for night watch.
"Hey there." Pretzel greeted before a mumble of Arubo told her that Brandt was thinking about something. "Let me guess, are you thinking about that Dragapult?"
"Oh..." Brandt turned to meet them. "What gave it away?"
"After you failed to confess to Claire." Pretzel sighed with Arubo's disappointed mumble. "You wanted to think of someone else and I remembered about that you complimented a young mother's looks. Didn't know you're into...What is..."
"Mmm." Arubo mumbled, it caused Brandt to jolt and blush.
"Wh-what, hey..." He scratched the back of his head.
"What that MILF stand fo-" Pretzel began with her arms folded.
"W-Wait! I'm not into her!" He clarified.
Pretzel nodded at this and wondered. "Still, have we seen her before?" She asked.
"Mmm..." Arubo mumbled with a shake of his head.
"I'm pretty sure I would've remembered if I did..." Brandt shook his head.
"...Lightspeed." Pretzel muttered.
"Graveyard." Arubo muttered.
"Yeah, we did see someone of that name there." Pretzel agreed. "She had two children. Who was that Eos?"
"I don't really remember..." Brandt sighed. "Graveyard's the only place where we know they... were there before."
The three remained silent while they tried to remember who Eos was. However, they all drew blanks since he was dead. Unable to remember them but the names in the graveyard.
"Seriously Brandt, we'll be here for you to get her." Pretzel encouraged. "Don't try getting cold feet like the..." She tried to count how many attempts he tried to get her. Not having enough fingers to count before Arubo mumbled to tell her how much it was. She looked at him and nodded.
"Right, and that was just a couple of months."
"I-I'm trying! But..." Brandt sighed and looked down. "I just... I don't know what to say around her... it suddenly all comes to a blank..."
"Mmm." Arubo mumbled something at Brandt, he stared at him and wondered what he said. Maybe some encouragement.
"What did... Oh..." He scratched his head. Hard to decipher what he mumbled. "Uh..."
"I'm just confused as you are." Pretzel nodded.
"Y-Yeah..."
"...Seems it would take a while before anyone would sleep." Pretzel looked. "Wake me up later if you want to take the night."
"Sure..." Brandt nods. He waved as they left his spot. They walked around a bit and looked over to see Guy and Scorch sitting on the portable seats they had. They seemed to be talking about something.
"So, do you remember anything here?" Scorch asked.
"Hmm~..." The polar bear thought very carefully.
"What are you two talking about?" Pretzel asked as she and Arubo came over.
"Oh, heya!" Scorch greeted them with a wave. "How are you two doing?"
"Oh, Pretski~ Ary~" Guy greets them. The two looked at them. "Mmm?" Arubo mumbled a question.
"Hey, did you hear what he asked?" Scorch wondered.
"Oh, Ary~ hahaha... We were talking about Galar around here~" Guy replied.
"Yeah, something about something we were doing here seems familiar." Scorch explained. "I know that at this time..."
Guy spotted Weiss passing by and cleared his throat. "We should be Galar-t at this time." Scorch and Guy told Weiss.
"...Aaaaaaaah!" Weiss held the sides of his head.
"Ahaha, good one, Scorch-orch~!" Guy laughs.
"Yeah, I've heard that a lot." Scorch nodded, it caused the two to look at them.
"Mmm." Arubo mumbled.
"I may not understand him but this is the first time I've heard that." Pretzel told Scorch. "Are you sure you've heard it before?"
"Huh? You two were there when he said it." Scorch seemed puzzled at what she said. "I don't know much about it. Still, why did Luigi storm off?"
"Hm~? Where did Weegee go~..." Guy ponders.
Arubo sighed with a mumble.
"I know, that thing he said." Pretzel muttered. "I don't get it, I know we forget those who passed. How did he remember them all and Eos?"
"Don't know that guy, I've joined before I got to know him." Scorch sighed. "Are you bearing this, Guy?"
Weiss from afar held his ears.
"...Hmm..." Guy ponders. He looked around again, at all the snow around them... he looked over one and took a single snowflake. He began to describe the way it looked before Scorch wondered what he meant. She looked over at Swamp about to sleep for the night and went in to take his magnifying glass.
"How do you always get the things we needed!?" Scorch exclaimed.
"Hmnnn...?" Swamp lifted his upper torso up with his arms. "I... I usually carry around things for exploration..."
"You and your proactive thought." Scorch mused and looked over the snowflake Guy took. As accurately, it looked the same as it was described. "Wait, how did you know this when snowflakes are unique with each other!?"
"Oh, ahaha~... Can I say it's a secret~?" He laughs. He looks at Arubo. "Don't you agree, Ary~?"
Arubo mumbled but he was sure something about this. Guy was the one who knew about what these déjà vu were supposed to be but he disclosed that information for some reason. He didn't know what it was but Guy would tell them what it was in time.
"Oh, no~ You flatter me~..."
Both Scorch and Pretzel stared at this and looked at each other. "What did he say?" Scorch asked.
"I don't know, maybe Mr. Snowflake can." Pretzel suggested before showing her a stuffed toy which was the Dulled Living Flake. Looks harmless as a large snowflake, but still annoyingly so.
"..." Scorch's white fur became paler for this Dulled was a snowflake, giant but having two beady red eyes at the center... It gave an unnerving sight despite its normally docile nature. Scorch sheepishly accepted the gift and presented it to Guy. Arubo seeing the stuff toy was slightly repulsed, but stood his ground.
Still, what were they talking about? Was it déjà vu?
"...I know I am a native of Galar but I've never been to Route 10 before." Pretzel confessed. "I live in Turffield and stayed in a house until I was recruited."
"Mmm...Sinnoh." Arubo mumbled.
"Bro and I lived in a snowy place~..." Guy answers.
"I've been here before but not as much as you do." Scorch announced. "Though, I was never told to leave home until I managed to sneak out and joined you in that ruins. Pretty nice decision I've made before, though I wonder if he would be fine living alone considering he wasn't told to leave the house."
"Hmm~?" Guy looked over at her with a curious look in his eyes.
"Oh, it's nothing!" Scorch assured them. "Maybe I can let him leave if he wants to but he still doesn't want to. Even if the city was a bit hot for him."
"Motostoke is where the Fire-type Gym Leader is." Pretzel wondered and folded her arms. "Which means that person is an Ice-type."
"Hmm... Okay~" Guy laughs.
"Right." Pretzel nodded and took out another stuffed toy, which was the Flame Wyrm. "Maybe he would like Mr. Smithereens?"
"Oh, no thank you!" Scorch yelped.
Guy laughed again and he looked up at the snow. He never told anyone, but when he sees snow, he sees it more as red than white...
It was like that during those foggy memories... that... feeling of the cold...fleeting thoughts and dreams...drowsiness...fatigue...lightness...and everlasting darkness.
Guy felt as if he had been there before. To feel the embrace of death. His soul discarding the mortal vessel and disappear into oblivion. At that place, he'll be asleep forever. Free from pain ...yet lose the feeling of joy.
He looked around the group he had been with...He could see them trying to hold themselves, for certain. Protecting the world to be paid back in disdain and treated as mindless machines.
He looked at the stuffed toys Scorch was receiving. How many had she created?
He laughed at this.
August 9th, 2020
11:40 p.m.
Galar Route 10
Lusiane sat by the campfire to warm her hands. She let out some breaths before she heard some trudges going to her. She looked to see Arubo and Pretzel approach her.
"I never seen you blow up like that." Pretzel commented. "Did something went up that you told off Luigi?"
"...I just heard the last few parts when I went in." She explained. "I am as confused as I could ever be... I was trying to tell him to calm down..."
"True, though it was a bit harsh when you did so." Pretzel muttered. "I know he is confused as we are but knowing those who died must have affected him a lot. Did he blame us for forgetting?"
"I heard most of the case from everyone else that I missed out... Iggy feels he is at fault the most." Lusiane added and she sighed. "We know it's not by our choice, we never were given any..."
"Indeed, still, you don't regret stopping his outburst?" Pretzel asked.
Lusiane let out an exhale and nodded. "I don't."
Arubo mumbled at her.
"What?" She turned to him.
"Mmm...He'll be back soon. Cool off." Arubo clarified.
"...Alright." She looked back at the fire. The three stared silently at the fire. Awaiting what they will do now.
"Wisdom...It is the knowledge and rational way of thinking, right?" Pretzel guessed.
Arubo mumbled with a nod.
"At times, we won't get it but it is something we need." Pretzel agreed. "Maybe we should know more about ourselves. Things we don't know."
Arubo mumbled a bit more and looked at a distance at where Luigi was. He wondered about when he'll come back and won't be too long. He wanted his friends to be here together, not to abandon them at their time of need.
August 9th, 2020
11:54 p.m.
Galar Route 10
Iggy sat by one of the seats, it was his turn for night watch. But what happened earlier still weighed down on him, feeling a massive gap he never knew existed.
How could he be so blind to see that Luigi was deeply hurting in there? Maybe it was his fault, but the name Eos just rung up to him...
He looked back at the communicator he held right now, he gotten hold of the Commander and he is alright, monitoring the GDF's leader until they returned back to HQ. He put that aside and looked down at his collar. Where he attached his badge signifying he is WINGS.
He had begun to question many things... one of which is whether they are cold-blooded animals... Whether the world was right to call them machines without will...
"You okay?"
He looked back. "Aria?"
"May I seat beside you?" She asked.
"Sure." He nods.
She took out a chair and unfolded it, placing it beside him before she lifted herself up to sit on it. "...Are you worried about Luigi?" Aria asked.
Iggy tapped onto his knees and he sighed. "How can I not? It's already dead late for night right now for one..."
"It's really night and I know how much he means to you." Aria told him. "But...It's alright to fight to let out the pains in our hearts. Even if we never understood this person, arguing and fighting helped us understand one person more. He must be fearful of something, which is why he did that. Not to hurt us."
Iggy looked up to the starry skies. "...But... it feels so... weak... I can't help out even my closest childhood friend..."
"I know you can do it." Aria encouraged. "You know him than any of us, don't let that one event bring you down. There's another chance for the both of you when you get back. You can learn from this mistake and do what you always do to help him. Maybe the good ol' punch to the face you two do back then?"
Iggy thought about that suggestion and looked at his hands, giving them a few clenches. "...I think that's a great idea. Sometimes all you need is a good punch, yeah?"
Aria nodded, this was the way Iggy fixed relationship problems...Um...Most of the time. Brandt and Claire? Meh. She looked over the sky. After a bit of snowflakes falling, it was now a clear night to see the stars above them.
"Aren't the stars beautiful?" She asked and turned to where I-
...he's gone!?
Her face froze the same expression and blinked a couple times. Where was he? No thanks?
Of all the insensitive...!
She fell to the ground on her fins, head faced down, and lower half curled beside her.
Iggy, meanwhile, paced himself with a jog and glancing around the camp.
...
...
...Aria stood up and floated back to her bed roll to take the night.
She needed to rest herself from this sort of situation... again and again. She wished he could just hit himself to just see how people feel around him. Or she could just drench him with water.
...That would work fine. Really, really, REALLY, fine.
Iggy jogged until he stepped on something wet. That was strange, wasn't the place they were snowing? How could the ice me-
"Huh-"
A giant explosion of water splashed around Iggy. Pretzel heard Arubo mumble while they watched Iggy fly a few meters away with Aria losing all pride.
"...What?" Pretzel wondered what Arubo meant while she hugged one of her stuff toys.
She could hear a thudding sound, signifying Iggy's landing.
"Oh..." She went to Iggy and offered a Cryingdrake stuff toy. "Want a Healer? Mr. Tree would help."
"I... need to dry my clothes first..." Iggy looked at his damp uniform. He got up and went inside the shack to change. From the front window, his head flame was enough to illuminate his shadow from there.
He looked over other sets of clothes. He took a deep breath and took off his shirt. The white fur of his upper torso still suffered the water attack, giving a more prominent view of his lean build. With his tops off, he then pulled down his pants.
He heated up his body to let the moisture disappear and wore a new set of clean clothes. He wondered about what to do with Luigi once he got back. A punch...
Give him one good and hard one to knock him back into the present...
He looked at a fist and did some punches in the air. A practice punch.
"...Hmm..." He looked at the feeling. It didn't feel enough. Maybe it was because of his heart not being in place. He needed to think about something. Things they always liked. Like Chocobos? Memories that they spent together which he could remember and treasured them the most... A silhouette joining them in the ranch. They all laughed, along with the static.
He looked up at the rooftop. No good... he can't even remember anyone else there. Just someone was there... Then, his mind wandered off... noticing something.
How did Luigi remember the dead? Is there really a way there?
That incident with Squad Seven from what he read from the reports handed by Zakh. He wondered about Iron being silent that worries Blitz a lot for the past days after that event. The entire squad, all were killed by one thing.
No, not thing, someone.
"..." He didn't want to believe that Luigi is solely responsible, less the cause of it. But that power he gained. The otherworldly power he gained. It was powerful, yet he couldn't control it.
...There must be a way. He nodded and knew what to do next. To help Luigi control his newfound powers.
August 10th, 2020
12:43 a.m.
Galar Route 10
"Hmm..." Claire looked around, her turn for night watch. It was already past midnight. And so far, no signs of any changes...
She looked over where Luigi went off to. He hadn't returned yet. She then looked at her wrist, where she had worn an electronic watch. "12:43 a.m." , it read. Still no signs of Luigi.
"What's taking him so long...?" She ponders to herself. Maybe she could check him out? But...She looked over her companions still asleep. "I can't really leave them alone... even for a little while." She said to herself. She continued her watch, her gunblade readied.
"..." She heard a shuffling sound. She readied a combat stance. Clicking the trigger once, the blade began to glow, signifying the powdered bullets charging inside of it. She aimed her gunblade in front, eyes scanning around the surroundings. The shuffling sound came again and she looked sharply at a direction. In an instant, her feet kicked off from the snow and she brought her gunblade to the side and swung it ahead, only to halt just before the blade touched the neck of the "intruder".
"You're ba-"
He collapsed and fell onto her.
Claire looked at his bleeding state, uniform all torn into barely clinging rags. This was bad, with the wounds he had and his typing, a cold climate would be a bad thing for him. She looked around and remembered whose turn it would be for at this time. She looked over at Pretzel sleeping.
She headed over to Pretzel whilst carefully holding him. "Pretzel." She shook the Alcremie awake.
"Mmm..." Pretzel mumbled while she looked at her stuff toy. "What is it, Mr. Swole?"
"No, it's me." Claire clarifies to Pretzel.
"Claire?"
"Yes."
Pretzel looked drowsily over before snapping wide awake at who's on her back. "...Luigi!?"
"He's hurt, he needs fixing." She told her. "And I'm keeping him away from where my spikes are too."
Pretzel got up and went to the shack with Claire following behind. Once inside, Pretzel looked around the beddings and took out her weapon. The chainsaws whirred and cut a portion at the center of the bed.
"Lay him there?" Claire confirms.
Pretzel nodded, she knew that most of his wounds were at the front and it was hard for Luigi to lie on his back with the dorsal fin.
Claire laid Luigi on the bed, setting his fin through the bed.
Pretzel looked over to find a clean piece of cloth. She couldn't just wake up Swamp for this, she needed to find one to dress his wounds to prevent any infection. She found one piece and poured in some alcohol. She went back to Luigi.
"This will sting but it is to prevent any infection since am not as competent as Fran." She told him and began cleaning his wounds.
"Anything I can do to help?" Claire asks as Pretzel begun treatment. The blue reptile looked over some bandages while she pointed a hand at Pretzel to transfer some of her mana into her. Claire knew that she wasn't adept in magic like some of the more specialized ones but having enough to save another life is still assuring.
After she removed the pieces of cloth over his body, Pretzel began to chant. "Essence of life, protect the mortal, Cura."
They watched as magic flowed out of them and the rejuvenating energy flowed around the many injuries consisting of cuts, gashes and so on. Pretzel continued to apply some more magic. Claire held her breath and she continued to assist helping Luigi recover from this mysterious event.
"Anything more we can do?" Claire asks.
"We'll leave him here to rest." Pretzel took out some kind of orb and chanted. "Sunny Orb..."
The orb illuminates brightly like a flame. Claire felt the room get warmer. This was one of those orbs Swamp found in some ruins. Able to cause the same effect as Sunny Day in a floor.
"These orbs are pretty neat from what Swamp finds." She remarks. It was really bright for sure. She looked back at Luigi as Pretzel covered his body with bandages and a blanket over his body.
"We should be make it through the night until morning." Claire guesses. They took one last look at Luigi resting before they left the shack.
"What happened to him?" Pretzel asks.
"I'm not sure." Claire shook her head. Pretzel folded her arms and looked at the pieces of cloth on Luigi. The slices on them... It was easy to tell that these were caused by a sharp object, but what... was the bigger question.
These tears were not made by his own weapons and claws. It got her mind to rack up the many possibilities. Then... what?
What could have done this to him?
Chapter 18 Concluded