I'm proud of you. You're already a great explorer.
There's just one more thing I want to see…
"Blue… Blue!"
The Bidoof's eyes fluttered open, the first thing he saw being his Greedent mother's worried face. Tears were pooling under her eyes. The sun was going down now, and Blue found himself back in town, near the fountain. That crack in the earth seems to have closed itself, but it looks like the town itself was not completely spared of Rio's final attack. Boulders of all shapes and sizes were all over the place, cracking the road, crashing into the treehouses, a particularly even large one had crushed the Keldeo fountain…
Wait, where was the horn?
Before Blue could panically look around for the powerful weapon his mother had him in a tight hug, quietly sobbing. That… brought him back, the horn could wait.
He couldn't talk, his mother was squeezing a little too tight for that. All he could do was look at the sight behind her. The triplets, all still looking fine, fur still groomed, ran over to their now conscious brother, relief obvious on their faces. Red was not among the Skwovet as he was currently in his own hug with Rose. She looked like she had been crying.
Another look around made his breath catch. Veles laid next to the two, back to a more normal height and belly wrapped in bandages, Rose's guest list muttering to themselves. The marks stayed the same though, creeping up the side of his body Blue was looking at. His chest rose and fell. Good. He wasn't a murderer…
Wait, where was-
"Oh thank Arceus." two voices called out. Blue turned to the side opposite of Veles to see Pana and Scales sitting next to an unconscious Rio, glowing in a healing light provided by the mutant floating over the two. Everyone was alright… good.
Now where was the horn?
He glanced back at Pana, who pulled said object from behind her back. Blue let out an involuntary sigh of relief.
He wasn't sure whose sigh it was.
He wasn't sure how he felt about that.
"Sorry…" he said to his mother and siblings.
"Don't apologize…" his mother scolded. "There was nothing you could have done."
He wondered about that, but decided not to press the issue.
"So… what now?"
Before anyone could answer, a hole in the ground opened up nearby. Blue tensed, had that death trap come for them again? Pana and Scales were already on their feet, ready to destroy whatever came out of that hole-
Only for a familiar Gabite to pop out instead. Everyone let out a sigh of relief as Scales went to help Finn out of his hole. He looked as exhausted as Blue felt.
"What happened to you?" Scales asked, not letting go of the Gabite's claw yet.
"Detour…" he said softly. "I-I'm ok… Griza said she'd be out soon…"
"Oh good…" Pana sighed, falling on her back. "What a day… what a vacation…"
Psych had stopped with his healing of Rio, who seemed to be sleeping easily now. Blue watched him float over to the couple. Red seemed startled by the bastardization of a god, but Rose seemed less phased. Still uncomfortable, but standing her ground. Psych landed, and kneeled. The mutant who could rip apart most here with a thought, was kneeling.
"My apologies," he said, staring at the ground. "Griza and I angered your father, and that seemed to cause his attack, which forced us into battle with him. That caused his current condition. For that, and interrupting your ceremony, I apologize on her and my behalf."
Everyone that was still conscious blinked at those words. Except Rose, who just sighed.
"I told him to not bring work with him…" she shook her head, giving the mutant a fierce glare. "If you wanna make it up to me, and everyone of our guests, you're helping clean up and fix the town, got it? And your Bewear friend too."
"I-I understand…" the mutant seemed just a bit intimidated.
"Good!" she smiled, the glare leaving her face just as quickly. She really was Veles's daughter… "Now we have to wait for that to happen…"
Red gave his future wife another hug, and she returned it. This was supposed to be their special day… but what could be done? The best place for it was trashed and-
One more thing I want to see…
Blue had an idea.
"Why wait?" he said, still in his mothers grip and his little siblings circling him.
"What do you mean?" Silver asked his brother.
"We have a place…"
…
"We are gathered here today to join two mon in holy matrimony. May Arceus bless their union for all time."
Blue's full attention was on the old Thieful's words as he looked over the crowd. Veles and Rio were still out of if and sleeping off the fight in rooms very far away from each other. Rose didn't want to wait for her dad, he caused enough trouble, and the other Disasters confirmed Rio would be ok missing it as long as they saved him some grub.
Plus, another father could see it now.
The crowd stood between the rows of trees, the Grove of Graves was more crowded than it ever was, at least with the living. The couple, and best mon, stood in front of Gold's tree, offerings pushed to the side just for today. The moon was rising into the sky The crowd stood, there was no room for seats, but everyone's attention was on the happy couple, eyes unmoving from each other.
"Do you, Red, take Rose to be your lawfully wedded mate, with the Legends themselves as witness? Through sickness and through health, no matter what difficulties you may face?"
"It's all I want right now," he smiled up at his future wife. "You're my other half, you make me feel like I can do anything, and I would fight the Reaper itself to keep you by my side, as long as you'll have me."
Blue heard his mom sniffle, she was closest in the stand after all.
"And do you, Rose, take Red to be your mate, in the eyes of the Legendaries looking down on us? To defend your love, and fight for your eternal happiness alongside him?"
"I put up with you for this long," she joked, but her eyes softened at Red's words. "You make me happy, happier than anything has. That'll never change, no matter what happens, and I don't care how many random Dungeons get in the way. You're what I want."
Both their tails were wagging. His brother's giant hammer of a tail almost slapped Blue down. He'd never seen it so fast…
"If anyone has any reason that these two should not be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace."
No one spoke up. Nutmeg seemed to be holding in tears, but she said nothing. There was no way she'd stand in the way of her son's happiness.
"Then the necklaces please."
That was Blue's cue. He bit the pillow holding the small necklaces, and held them out for the couple. Rose grabbed the Sun Stone piece, and Blue grabbed the Moon Stone. Rose crouched down, and they put said necklaces on each other at the same time.
"I now pronounce you mon and wife. You may now-"
The old Thievul didn't even get to finish as Rose grabbed Red and pulled him into a tight embrace. Red returned the hug, being lifted from the ground. The cheer from the crowd rocked the grove. Blue, with a lack of lands without jumping up, simply smiled. He turned to the tree, wishing his father-
And that's when Blue saw it. The translucent, golden brown fur, the gold bandana around his neck, the large, square spectacles, and the large tail made for matting down trees. The translucent Bibarel clapped, smiling that familiar, humored smile. The smile his son had grown up seeing everyday.
His father.
Blue's eyes widened as he stared at the translucent mon before him. Gold paused his own applause, and turned to his second eldest. His eyes were warm, but distant. Fading. He mouthed something, Blue couldn't hear what he said, but he instinctively knew what it was.
I'm so proud.
And like that, the translucent Bibarel was gone. Blue was stunned. He could only stare at where the apparition was. He wasn't slack jawed, more… stunned.
And then a single tear fell from his face.
…
Rio couldn't see.
Rio couldn't hear.
But Rio could feel.
He could feel pain.
It was like he was in a cage made of pure agony, the sensations of pure pain blocking everything else out. His world was pain. It's all he knew, all he could know, all he would know.
Forever.
He hated it.
He hated it.
He hated it.
MAKE IT STOP!
Rio jolted out of bed, clutching at the scar around his neck. That blinding agony was gone, but it still echoed in his mind. In his soul…
"Oh good, you're awake!"
Right, the other Aura… Red. he turned to face the Bibarel, noting the Sun Stone necklace hanging from his neck, over his bandana.
"Congrats," Rio said, falling back into his bed. Looks like the wedding went alright, even after everything. He was happy for Rose, and Red he guessed. Still hadn't forgotten… "Hope you saved me some food."
"Keeping Scales away from it hasn't been easy. Don't eat meat myself but apparently it's really good. Most of the stuff Finn makes is."
"I believe it," he gave the beaver a side glance. It was then he noticed his Z-Ring was on the table next to him, all stones still present. He let out a little sigh of relief. Why... "Gotta say, wasn't expecting you to be the first mon I saw after I woke up."
"We've been taking shifts…"
"You volunteered to be here when I woke up?" Rio took a glance down at his body. He was absolutely covered in bandages. His casts covered all four of his limbs, hell, even his tail had a cast. He should be in immense pain.
But all he felt was a slight itch. He could move everything, he felt he could. This place had amazing healers!
Or… it was something else.
"I did," he confirmed.
"Shouldn't you be with your wife?" Rio pointed out. "I think she likes you more than I do, and that's not hard."
"I just wanted to talk. In private."
"The last time that happened I had to leave before I exploded."
"That's… a part of it." Red looked to the floor. "I wanted to… apologize."
"You should apologize to-"
"I already did."
He blinked, and looked back at the downcast Bibarel. His Aura was genuine, overflowing with guilt. Shame.
"After what happened to dad, I wanted him to have nothing to do with exploration. It… still haunts me, the thought of what might happen to him."
"You don't trust him to keep himself alive," Rio summed up, moving to grab the Z-Ring.
"I didn't," he admits. "But after that dungeon… I can see he can do just that, and he has a strong team to make up the slack."
"Damn straight." Rio ripped off the cast on his left arm and put the Z-Ring on.
"I'd scream at you to stop, but the doctor said you were good to go… never seen anyone heal so fast, even with so many Heal Pulses."
"I'm weird," Rio said distractedly.
"ALL of your bones were broken."
"I'm weird," he repeated. Really, really weird… he should be happy to be able to move…
Shaking his head, he could think about that, and that… dream… later. Could he even call it a dream? He turned the Z-Ring over, finding the newest addition. The water Z-Crystal sparkled to his eyes alone. He popped it out, holding it out for Red.
"Thanks for the loan," Rio said, looking away. Giving it away even felt wrong… but it was his first. A memento. Why did every fiber of his being scream at him to stop? It was his choice to give it back!
Wasn't it?
"Keep it," Red said, not moving to take it.
"...You sure?" Rio took his paw back, the screaming subsiding. That was better…
"You get more use out of it than I ever did. Plus, I have a replacement. It'd clash with my new one."
He smiled at his new necklace. His Aura was sad, but resolved. He was serious.
"Thanks," Rio wasted no more time slotting it back in his Ring, where it belonged. He wasn't sure how he felt about that, being so certain…
Was it really him who was so sure about that?
"I do wanna ask you a favor though," Red spoke up once again. Rio snapped back to attention, staring at the Bibarel once again.
"If it's about kicking someone off-"
"Nothing like that," Red shook his head. "All I want you guys to do is keep Blue… alive. Can you do that much?"
Rio actually laughed, it was a humorous laugh, full of joy. Red seemed to be startled by that, standing back up.
"What?" he asked, eyes wide. "What's so funny?"
"Sorry…" Rio calmed down. "Just… he's saved my ass once already!"
"Huh?" he blinked.
"He just saved us all from Veles too, at least til I got there! Your brother is amazing, in every sense of the word."
At least those words were his own. That much he was absolutely sure about.
"...I know," Red choked out.
"Did you?"
"I didn't, but I know now."
"We won't let each other die. No favors needed."
"...Thank you."
And suddenly, he was reminded of something. Something probably more dangerous than Veles was…
"Wasn't there a Bewear that-"
And then he felt it, that smothering, enormous Aura that entered his range. Oh shit. He had to move, he had to get out of-
And then the door was blown off its hinges, falling to the floor in splinters. Griza stood in what was once a doorway, and was now a large hole in the wall. Red scrambled out of her way, he had good self preservation instincts. Rio was frozen. He knew there was no way out of it now.
"Rio!" Griza exclaimed, arms wide as she approached. "You're alright!"
He was alright. He wouldn't be after this, but at least Griza was right at the moment.
He liked his bones unbroken, but you couldn't have everything apparently.
"Griza wait-" was all he could get out before she squeezed. He passed out when his ribs shattered and his spine started to give.