Explosive stuff last time. And now for something a little different in Chapter 12!
Chapter 12
A Skein
"All right, lads, be careful with those canisters! Those contain the future of Galar right there!" The supervisor's voice, quite a grating one at that, caused most of the workers to grumble. This stretched down to the nearest Pokémon, a small elephant named Cufant that carried a canister with its smaller trunk. "Work hard, and you'll be rewarded. Jarvis, careful with that lift there!"
"Yes, sir, of course!" James snapped to, saluting their supervisor at his alias being used. Next to him, Meowth worked some of the levers, disguised under a bulk of clothing with Wobbuffet. The forklift grabbed one of the larger canisters, its fluctuating power levels showing a purple substance within, and moved it over to a conveyer belt, placing it gently down.
"Oh, Mr. Supervisor, sir," called the sweetest voice. James almost snorted, knowing it was all a lie. Down on the floor, Jessie sidled up, batting her eyelashes at the man. "We're working very hard today, so I was hoping we might get a break soon."
"W-well, Jessimina," the supervisor said, tugging at his collar as he turned all hot and bothered. The distraction achieved, James slipped a Poké Ball from his belt, calling Inkay from within. His precious partner flitted down unseen, right to the supervisor's own belt as he began flipping through his clipboard. A tug later, and a card was stolen from a keyring, brought back up. "It does look like you three have delivered the highest number of canisters this morning. Yes, I suppose you can take your break…and uh, maybe we can catch some dinner."
"Oh, you flatter me!" Jessie cried, slapping his back so hard it sounded like bones breaking. "I'll just have to see for later. Thank you so very much!"
Jessie began skipping off, marking the cue for James and Meowth to disengage, dropping down to the floor with ease. They tore off after Jessie and into an adjacent hallway, empty from the workers being consumed with their jobs. If there was one thing James had learned about Macro Cosmos and the Hammerlocke Power Plant, it was that they didn't rest. That worked fine by him, allowing them to slip into an abandoned hallway where Gourgeist and Jessie's new Sinistea popped out.
"Teea! Teea!"
"You said it, Sinistea. Jess really made dat man into putty."
"All in a day's work," Jessie boldly proclaimed. She was far too smug, and as a group of employees rounded the corner to walk down the hallway, the trio were forced to turn her away, covering their faces with their uniforms. Sinistea remained oblivious, floating along gaily. "Do you ever stop being obnoxious?"
"Gourgeist!"
"Siniseee!"
"I tink she just said no," Meowth replied with a snicker beneath his whiskers. Wobbuffet attempted to respond in kind, only for Meowth to smack him.
"Ugh, fine. Now, we have the security card. So,where do we go to find whatever thing we need to do whatever thing we need?"
"Hmm…" James mused, digging into his pocket to pull out a crudely drawn map of all the twisting hallways of the plant's lower levels. From executive offices to warehouses and to one of the largest sealed rooms that only scientists could be seen getting in and out of. That was very easily a no-go, but it was easy to see from their scouting the next best, and probably safest, option. "I'd say we head for the archives here. They're bound to have something."
"Then let's hurry it up. I'm getting wrinkles!"
"You caught dose long ago…" Jessie kicked at Meowth, but only managed to hit Wobbuffet. With a roll of his eyes, James took charge of their group, creeping along the hallways. More than once, some other uniformed power plant workers passed through, one of whom even bumped into them, but they managed to remain undetected until they arrived at their destination.
James swiped the card, only for it to return with a red error signal. "Well, that's weird."
"Give me that thing," Jessie demanded, swiping it from his hands and beginning to jam it through the slot. It continued giving her an error. "You stupid thing!"
"Jess, be careful, we don't want to break…it…" Meowth's words were too little, too late, as Jessie's rage could not be denied. The card reader soon turned into a smoking heap. "Great, now we're locked out…"
"Without a doubt…" James sighed in agreement.
"Tea tea teaaa!" Sinistea's annoying chipper chirp was matched only by their trio's (and Gourgeist's) look of disgust. The floating teacup swiveled back and forth in midair, drawing far too much undue attention until, suddenly, she slipped between the door leading inside.
"Uh…" was the only sound to come out of their mouths, and then the door opened. Inside, Sinistea was smiling, bobbing up and down. James's jaw went slack. "How did it manage to do that?"
"Maybe it bein' a Ghost type gives it skills dat are whack."
Jessie didn't complete the rhyme, looking at Gourgeist and pointing. "Can you do that?"
"Gourgeist geist…" Gourgeist's hair folded itself around her, pouting at having been shown up by the cup and saucer. It wasn't helped by Jessie flinging herself into the room with glee.
"My new favorite! Get crackin', boys. Sinistea, I need you to look for any other points of interest!"
"Sinistea!" Happy at Jessie's praise, Sinistea took off, straight through the walls to deeper parts of the facility. Hoping to not attract any further attention, James pushed the rest of them into the room and closed the doors, suddenly finding themselves surrounded by boxes of paper reports.
"Who still uses paper these days?" Jessie asked, looking sickened. She shoved a box over to Gourgeist without care. "Start going through them."
"Gour…" Gourgeist turned away, looking mad, but Jessie hardly noticed, throwing herself on a loose chair and beginning to spin around. Sensing the rift forming, James approached Gourgeist, patting her.
"There, there. You know how Jessie is. You're still her number one."
"Inkay kay!" Gourgeist turned, offering a smile to James in gratitude for his kind words. A box was slammed next to them.
"Look at dis! It's da motherlode!" Meowth said, pulling out reams of paper and handing them to James. Curious, he began to peruse them, only to realize Meowth was thinking on a completely different track of what a motherlode was than himself. "Dis company is way rich! He makes our old boss look like a hobo!"
"I thought we were looking for things Alastair was after, not financial reports," James snapped at Meowth. The feline was about to retort when Wobbuffet stuck his head out to get some air, silencing the cat and allowing James to continue flicking through. It was exactly what Meowth described it as, reports on deals that Macro Cosmos had made and other expenditures ranging from extra cash to the Dynamax Division, to a construction project in renovating the ruins on Route Eight. All of it was boring numbers and letters.
The only parts of any interest were some papers detailing contracts with the wider Pokémon League, a signature of the company's chairman and a previous Champion or two scrawled across them. In spite of one name being the most recurring, they were of no real interest. A further cursory glance divulged no real information regarding that, and with Jessie and Meowth off in their own worlds, he soon deemed it as irrelevant information. He flipped the page to another financial report, more recent, with a large amount of cash flow running out.
"Well, this might be unusual…Look at this, Meowth. Large expenditures dating about five months ago…"
"Wasn't dat da whole ting with IDEAL?"
"TEA TEA TEAAAA!" Sinistea's screeching cry interrupted their discovery, the Ghost type screaming into the room and spinning around. Jessie snapped to.
"Oh, what's got you all steamed up?" she snapped, putting her hands on the Pokémon and dragging her down. Sinistea broke free from her hold, looking agitated, slipping back and forth between walls. Meowth frowned.
"She says she found sometin'. Sometin'…scary…"
"Maybe it's Alastair. He's scary enough."
"Or what he came here for," James agreed. The trio quickly nodded, and not wanting Sinistea to attract any more attention to them, they let her lead the way out of the room, leaving the documents behind to follow.
There were even less people in the direction they followed until, at last, they reached a final, gaping hallway, lined with big red doors.
"What's this thing?" Jessie asked, approaching the doors with a glare. She tapped at them with her foot, and was suddenly blown back. Meowth began to laugh, but James ignored his impending death to get close, looking up at the shield that covered the door. He quickly realized just where they were: the sealed door. He held the stolen card up, and hoping for the best, swiped it.
The doors lit up green, the shield dropping and opening just enough to allow them to walk through. Or two of them, at least.
"Meowth? Come on, chap!" James said once he realized that none of their Pokémon companions were crossing over the threshold. In fact, looking back, he could see that all of them were shaking, a tremor so deep one might have thought there was an earthquake vibrating the whole facility.
"Dis…dis ain't right…" Meowth gasped out. He looked like he could barely breathe. "Dere's sometin' really wrong here…"
"Oh, please. You're just being a scaredy…cat…" Jessie's own voice died, her hand grasping James's sleeve and then face to turn him towards the current source of dread. James's eyes widened.
There was no one else in the room, but nor did there need to be, for something of great import took the entire space: a giant cocoon, black as obsidian stone. It served as the centerpiece of the space, surrounded by pulsing yellow energy and electricity. Large tubes fanned out from it, piercing the ground, or rising upwards. Through those tubes were dark, purple particles, no doubt the same Galar Particles they had heard mentioned time and again.
Suddenly, James felt sick.
"What is that thing?" Jessie whispered, but James had no answer. All he knew was that it felt wrong. And not just the cocoon, but the very air they were breathing, and the very land underneath their feet. It brought straight to mind what Y had been worried about from the beginning. "What kind of forces are these freaks playing with?"
There's something wrong with this land. James's hands trembled, searching for a communication device in his pocket, the clammy sweat on his fingers giving him trouble in grabbing it. They had to contact Y and fast. He was almost certain they had found the meaning behind those words.
"Jame-" Meowth's sudden cry caused James and Jessie to whip around, the device in the former's hands clattering to the ground and breaking apart. They were out of options, and the pair could only watch as their Pokémon fell to the ground, a shadow stretching along the ground to approach them.
And then, the one-word command that sent them to oblivion. "Sleep."
James collapsed, doused in the sickly, purple light that consumed the room, the cocoon pulsing as he fell. Then he knew no more.
Raboot was not having a good day.
Sure, none of his days had been good in a while, but being smack dab in the middle of who-knows-where was hardly an improvement. Worse still, he had no idea where Gloria or any of the other humans could be, having lost track of everything while blinded by the Shiinotic's Flash.
That was very much not how he expected to pass the morning.
Never one to give up easily, however, the Rabbit Pokémon still attempted to retrace his steps, only to find various scattered paths lined up by luminous mushrooms. That did nothing but make their surroundings look completely uniform with no pointers on how to get back. And as he shoved a pink mushroom out of the way and saw the path ahead look remarkably familiar, the Fire type shook his head.
"No dice...another dead end," he grumbled, shoving his hands in his pockets. The sharp, mocking chuckle that followed only made him roll his eyes, shooting a glare to the large bird of prey a few feet behind.
"Told you it would be a bust," said Corvisquire, a wing raised over his beak and pretending to whisper towards a fairly annoyed-looking Drednaw.
"Can't you, like, actually help or something?" she sniped back, her own stare cold and far from pleased.
"And deprive you all of a chance to feel useful, accompanied by some witty commentary from yours truly? I don't see why."
"Oh, right, I forgot that being a pompous jerk is your specialty."
"Pardon me? Do I have to remind you who avenged your loss in the Hulbury Gym?" Drednaw stomped forward at the latest barb, her neck elongating in threat.
"Do I have to remind you who fell for ghost boy's countdowns yesterday?"
Raboot tuned out the accelerating argument, grumbling behind his high collar as he stepped away. A red blur cutting through his path brought him to a halt, noticing the panicked apple turning in every direction.
"That was still the wrong path?! That's the tenth miss!" Applin shouted as she zipped all over the place in a panicked frenzy. "Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh! We're never getting out of this place! We're doomed! DOOMED!"
The Grass and Dragon's worried shouts devolved into incoherent screeching noises as she raced around without pause. It almost drowne out the escalating conversation between Corvisquire and Drednaw, her form bumping on glowing mushrooms all over the place.
"W-where is mummy Gloria...?" Toxel asked, sounding as innocent as ever. His eyes were filled with tears of confusion, the general chaos around him only making him nearer to a panicked cry every passing second.
The general mood of the group continued to turn yet more sour under Raboot's eyes, each of his teammates sinking into more disappointing reactions. The lone exception was Clobbopus, the ornery mollusk completely focused on mauling a brightly lit mushroom like a makeshift punching bag, his sheer carelessness irritating in its own way.
Raboot just stood there, wordlessly observing as most of his comrades continued losing their minds about their current predicament. His gaze grew severe, shaking his head in disappointment. Was that seriously what they were like? Put in disarray mere minutes into trouble? The thought made his blood boil hotter than his inner fires.
"Everyone, calm the bloody hell down!" Raboot snapped out, his shout echoing out as he stomped a flaming foot on the soft grass, imprinting it with cinder.
The sudden action put a halt to everyone's actions, bringing their attention towards the stoic, unsympathetic stare of the rabbit. After making sure most of them had his full attention, the Fire type cleared his throat.
"Good, you finally stopped acting like knobheads." Paws shoved in his pockets once more, Raboot approached his teammates, giving everyone a good once-over. "Listen, mates, we can't just get disheartened and mope like this. We are Gym Challengers! A proper team! And we should act the part if we want to find our way back to Gloria, don't you think?"
He stood in wait, allowing his comments the time to sink in. The four Pokémon closest to him turned to each other, none of them replying in the moment. In the end, it was Drednaw that came forward first.
"Yeah, Raboot's correct. We don't have time for bickering," the turtle agreed, her head turned downward in embarrassment. She still shot a look at Corvisquire, the bird giving a shrug in return.
"I suppose I can rein in my brilliant personality until the situation is back in check..." His tone was as sneering as ever, but the small bow he made was proof enough of his sincerity for Raboot. Much more earnest was Applin's reaction, joining Drednaw's side with her eyes drooped downward.
"Sorry for the freakout, pals." She pivoted on herself as soon as she said it, rolling closer to their youngest and jumping in place. "Hop on, Toxel. Big sis is gonna give you a ride!"
"Yaay!" Toxel cheered, immediately taking up the offer and getting on top of his apple companion. He seemed blissfully unaware of what exactly their current problem was, but perhaps it was better that way. Nonetheless, seeing his companions get their act together managed to bring a smile beneath their leader's red collar.
"That's the spirit. Let's all retrace our steps together and see if we find our way back to Gloria, alright?"
"Yessir!"
The combined approval was the Fire type's cue to move forward for the path ahead of them, everyone else keeping pace in their own way. Their renewed unity felt reassuring, a sign that together, they could make it through the forest.
And then, Raboot realized he was only accompanied by four sets of steps, and his reassurance died in an instant.
"You're seriously missing her already? You really are hopeless."
The sharp, cruel tone froze Raboot in place, the leader of Gloria's Pokémon none too happy to find Clobbopus sneering at them in the distance. The Fighting type hadn't moved an inch from his prior position, his tentacles crossed and the nearby mushroom pummeled into an unrecognizable shape. Of course, Raboot thought to himself; from a cursory glance, the bunny could tell the others shared his sentiment.
"Excuse me if we're trying to find our way back, Clobbopus. Some people actually care for her here, you know." Raboot rolled his eyes, letting a sigh out to try and be civil in the face of the mollusk's behavior. "Sticking together is our best bet to reunite with Gloria. Can't you cooperate for once?"
"I don't need to follow you lot. The human can wait."
The rude octopus didn't even bother looking back as he searched for something else to punch down, just to show how little weight he was giving to the situation. Raboot tightened his paws, restricting himself from replying, but could tell his companions were feeling the same way, with Drednaw in particular stomping forward as Clobbopus began softening some tree bark.
"Nice of you to show your true colors. Do you really care so little for our leader?" Drednaw asked, more venomous than any Poison type Raboot had seen. Her harsh voice managed to get through Clobbopus, the mollusk saying nothing as he slammed his gloved tentacle on the tree bark at full force. A sickening crack and a spiderweb of fissures spread on impact, heralding the angry scowl he directed towards his teammates, and the turtle in particular.
"No, Water type. The human will be fine. She's strong. But you..." He held his gloved tentacle against them, as if to tell them they'd be next. "You're just a bunch of weaklings who need her guidance to do anything. You're pathetic."
"So, what? You just want to stay here forever?" Raboot said, matching the Tantrum Pokémon with a scowl of his own, unwilling to engage his point.
"Who knows." Clobbopus's mood shifted completely, grinning through his eyes as he brought his tentacles up, turning around with glee. "This forest is full of strong Pokémon I've never seen before. I need to show them who's the strongest."
"Didn't you hear big bun? We should stick together!" Applin retorted, hopping closer and glaring towards the mollusk, her attempted comeback dampened by Toxel playing with and stretching her leaf-like eyes. Unfortunately, it barely seemed to dent their teammate's attitude.
"You have fun getting lost. I have better things to do."
That barb traded, the aquatic Pokémon slithered away from the group, off the beaten path and straight through some thick bushes until he disappeared from view. It took a lot of self-control for Raboot not to wish for him to fall in a ditch, and he knew he wasn't alone in thinking that.
"Jerk. What does our trainer see in him?" Applin spat out. The question was rhetorical, and they all knew it: he was powerful and clearly respected Gloria, and that was enough to make him a trusted member of the team, even if he deserved very little of that credit.
Sensing the general discord, Corvisquire landed near Raboot, locking his gaze with his older squadmate.
"Are we gonna leave him there?" the bird of prey asked, none of his usual snark present. The question got the attention of the remaining trio of Pokémon, all of them waiting for their current leader to gauge the situation.
"Personally, I don't care what he does. He clearly doesn't want us around, anyway," chimed in Drednaw. Applin remained silent, but Raboot could tell she, and even Toxel, agreed with the grumpy turtle.
Put on the spot, Raboot scratched his head, considering each of his companions and the empty spot left behind by Clobbopus. In the days since he had joined the team, there was never a single moment where he tried to socialize or get closer to any of them; all he cared about was fighting, bragging, and belittling others as much as he could. Uncaring and selfish, he had done nothing but make things worse for them.
Never getting to see his ugly mug again was an all too enticing prospect.
But he was still part of Gloria's team, just like each of them, and he couldn't just let Clobbopus get lost or worse in the strange forest. She didn't deserve that after everything she had gone through.
"Let's follow him. Gloria wouldn't want us to leave one of our own behind." Raboot exhaled, already taking a few steps forward. He knew he would regret it, but he was Gloria's closest Pokémon and that was the right thing to do, regardless of his own feelings.
"And look at it, our dear Raboot decided to be a hero for someone who doesn't deserve it." Corvisquire cawed mirthfully, wings spread out as he fluttered above the bunny. Raboot rolled his eyes, and the smile on the bird's beak grew larger. "But we'll follow along. I'm curious of how this will go."
Glad for the (somewhat dubious) support, Raboot turned back to the remaining Pokémon, wondering which side they would take. None of them were pleased, but the trio still joined their procession, much to the rabbit's approval. Together again, Raboot led them towards the spot Clobbopus had gone through.
"Stay alert. Don't want that stupid guy to bring us straight into another fight."
"Unlike him, we're not going to cause trouble. Don't worry." Drednaw's remark made Raboot chuckle a bit, inspecting the road ahead as he made way for the others.
"Time to go, then."
Together, Raboot led the way for everyone else, paying attention to their surroundings and trying to look for the path their belligerent teammate had gone through. Fortunately, the upset grass, ruined roots and brusquely moved terrain were clear signs of his passage that none of Raboot's group had trouble following. Along the way, none of them saw any of the local Pokémon, making the rabbit wonder if they had ended up in a scarcely populated part of the Glimwood Tangle or whether Clobbopus had managed to scare away the denizens. Whichever the reason, Raboot dearly hoped that they could fetch him back before he could put himself into trouble by challenging someone out of his league.
Said hope was dashed as a loud spraying noise and a malicious laugh roared all around the area, cluing everyone in. They rushed ahead, and at the end of their path, they were welcomed by the sight of Clobbopus standing above a pink imp-like Pokémon with a fairly large and pointy nose. Several others were slumped and unconscious around him. A couple of members of the same species were backed over a tree, their skin crawling and sweating profusely.
Clobbopus didn't appear satisfied, slithering closer to the remaining wild Pokémon and holding his gloved tentacle high.
"S-stop! That's enough! We quit! we quit!" one of the two Pokémon said, throwing his hands forward and stepping further back. That wasn't enough to stop the Tantrum Pokémon from grabbing its waist and pressing it over the tree bark.
"Tell me. Who's the strongest around here?" Clobbopus punctuated his question by inching even closer, almost touching the imp's nose as his eye slits narrowed further.
"Y-you are! Only you!"
"Well said."
Without ceremony, Clobbopus let the small Pokémon go, its body hitting the floor like a rock. It quickly raced back without even standing, still shivering and staring in horror at the mollusk.
"Spread the word. I'm here, and whoever dares facing me will pay."
"Eeek!" Without a further word, both the menaced imp and its companion ran away from the threat, allowing Clobbopus to chuckle with pleasure as he folded his gloved tentacles.
Raboot frowned, hardly pleased by the jerk causing havoc in the forest for his own selfishness, and neither were the rest of his companions. As the Fighting type spotted them, he seemed to enjoy their disapproval, shrugging with nonchalance as he leaned forward to them.
"Pretty impressive, huh?" he asked, leading Raboot to tighten his paws inside his pockets. He looked ready to brawl with them now that he had asserted his dominance, and Gloria's starter was already heating up the soles of his feet as a result.
"Not really, if you ask my opinion."
The silky, unknown masculine voice took everyone by surprise, interrupting the mounting tension and bringing everyone's attention to the shaking blades of grass on the side, heralding the arrival of the speaker.
It turned out to be a lanky, pink and green-colored imp Pokémon with fairly large limbs and long, straight hair going all the way to his ankles that covered his left eye. He appeared hardly bothered or worried, scratching his chin with a smile as he observed what had transpired.
"Who are you?" Clobbopus asked first, already redirecting his bloodlust towards the new arrival. The newcomer giggled in response.
"You can call me Morgrem. The Impidimp you just terrorized are my comrades." His tone grew just a bit harsher at that remark, even if it never lost its jovial, playful inflection as he closed the distance with the mollusk.
"Heh, want some, yourself? I can pummel you as bad as them."
Without even waiting for a response, Clobbopus took a fighting stance and started charging a Brine attack. Morgrem didn't even need a second before shaking his head, wearing a confident grin.
"I'll pass. Only a weakling would beat up on babies and find it any sort of achievement."
"Who are you calling a weakling? I'll show you!" Clobbopus' eyes slitted in rage, slithering fast for a water-coated punch to Morgrem's smug face. Raboot and Drednaw tried to intervene, only for Corvisquire to deny that with a wing, waiting to see what would happen.
Morgrem's expression shifted to one of pure terror as the attack almost connected, falling down on all fours in a begging stance and bowing his head down, his long hair falling forward.
"Sorry! I didn't mean to insult you! There's no need to fight!" Morgrem shouted, fearful for his life. The sudden shift in demeanor was enough to make Clobbopus slow his offensive.
And also, enough to give a window for Morgrem to grin again.
"Because I'm getting rid of you now."
Without warning, Morgrem's hair spiked upward into a makeshift spear, piercing through Clobbopus and stopping his attack. The mollusk yelped in pain, and the imp capitalized on the moment by shifting his hair into a lasso, trapping Clobbopus and throwing him skyward. With a mirthful smile, Morgrem gave the Tantrum Pokémon a sweeping kick as he descended, sending him tumbling onto the grass and slamming on the nearby tree. Clobbopus gasped, but still pushed to stand, fairly injured but still battle-ready as Morgrem got back up.
"You coward...!" Clobbopus already prepared another Brine, only for a sharp kick to the face from Morgrem to break his concentration.
"I call it False Surrender. It always works." The Devious Pokémon gave the octopus a wily smirk, pressing down further on his head. The squishy sound it made caused Raboot to squirm, with Applin turning around so she and Toxel wouldn't watch.
"Nggh!" Even as he squinted in pain, the Fighting type still refused to go down, throwing around his gloved tentacles and firing bursts of Brine wherever he could, barely able to aim. All Morgrem had to do to dodge was shift his position from one side to another, letting out a delighted chuckle at Clobbopus's harmless retorts.
"You're sooo predictable. Can you do anything other than punch and spray?" The answer came in the form of further punches and spraying attempts. Morgrem's smirk grew wider as he mockingly slapped Clobbopus's face with his sharp hair.
"Looks like a no. Too bad." He kneeled closer to Clobbopus's face, propping up the mollusk's wobbly head with the spear-like follicles. "You should know that fearless fools don't live long, my friend. Perhaps you need a demonstration..."
Morgrem let the sharp hair sink deeper into the Fighting type's squishy body, pressing further with each second. It made Clobbopus visibly uncomfortable, and with his usual ways of retaliating sealed away, the end result was easy to predict.
Seeing that belligerent fool in such a weak, dangerous situation made Raboot and his cohorts frown with worry. They may have disliked him, but they all thought that there was no way he deserved to pay like that. Acting before thinking, Raboot ran forward with a boost of Flame Charge, slamming into Morgrem with a diving kick and sending the large imp a few feet away. As the surprised denizen of the woods rose back up, Raboot seized the chance to block the path to Clobbopus.
"I'm sorry, he's a jerk…But he's our jerk." Clasping his paws, Raboot bowed his head respectfully. "We're sorry for the trouble he caused. He often acts before he thinks."
"What are y-oof!" Raboot couldn't deny his pleasure as he pressed his foot over Clobbopus's mouth, preventing him from ruining the apology. Morgrem took it well, with a lighthearted chuckle.
"Oh, he does, for sure. And what makes you think that excuses him?" In spite of his tone, his sharp gaze and sharper claws were both enough warnings that the Devious Pokémon was ready to throw down further.
"We don't mean any harm. We're just trying to make our way through this forest and reunite with our trainer. Please let us go."
"And who are you to order me around?"
"Nothing but a traveler. But one ready to kick your face again, if necessary."
Raboot stomped the ground, imprinting his sole on the grass once again despite his relaxed stance. He would have preferred to avoid conflict, but if the imp planned anything funny, he was ready to repay his trickery in kind.
Morgrem seemed to be assessing his threat, scratching his chin with curiosity. He paced forward, his pointy hair dancing behind him, considering the rabbit's words further. And then, he laughed heartily.
"Hah. You really believe you can make it? You're bold!" His toothy, sharp grin turned gentler as he sized up Raboot, the hostility from earlier melting away. "And yet quite more well-behaved than your friend. I like you."
"Does it mean you're letting us leave?" Raboot asked, still not lowering his guard. From the corner of his eye, he could see Corvisquire and the rest ready to intervene as they got closer.
"You amuse me, and you're going to take that nuisance away, yes? I don't see why I shouldn't," Morgrem shrugged out, ignoring the way the foul-tempered octopus was glaring back at him as he pointed deeper in the woods, towards a row of colorful glowing mushrooms much like the one Clobbopus had brutalized earlier.
"Keep following the pink mushrooms to the Sour Apple Tree. From there you should easily find your way to the human village deep inside the forest. It has one of those loud places humans like to gather in to fight, so it's your best bet to find your trainer."
"And how will we recognize this 'Sour Apple Tree'?" Drednaw questioned, aiming a pointed glare at the long-haired imp.
"You'll understand when you see it." Ignoring the intimidation, Morgrem strode right through the middle of the group, grabbing the few unconscious Impidimp scattered on the grass. He still gave a grin to Raboot and his comrades. "Of course, so long as you don't become food for some other Pokémon...Not everyone in the Tangle is as genial as myself, unfortunately."
"T-that's not funny, Mister Noodlearms!" Applin shrieked, trying to not show how she was shaking like a leaf while Toxel played with her tail.
"I am not joking at all." Securing his companions close to him, Morgrem turned around the way he came, giving the wanderers one final, wicked grin. "Farewell, brave explorers. May you be lucky, heh heh heh..."
His amused, ominous laugh kept echoing around the area as he left for the bushes, leaving the team of Gloria's Pokémon alone once more. Raboot finally put his guard down, sighing in relief and rubbing the sweat off his face.
"Well, that wasn't creepy or foreboding at all." Drednaw's frown grew sharper, her own view shared by the rest.
"Can we even trust he's not dooming us all...?" asked Applin, rolling back and forth while she considered the idea, trying to help Toxel not worry about it. Surprisingly, Corvisquire shook his head in response.
"If he wanted to see us meet a grim fate he would've tagged along and not tried to spook us. He was sincere, and so was his warning." For once, Raboot could detect no sarcasm or desire to mess with them. As an amusement seeker himself, the bird probably understood Morgrem better than anyone else.
"That's reassuring..." Raboot muttered, his gaze wandering towards the strangely silent Clobbopus. He expected to find him angry, perhaps ready to follow after Morgrem to challenge the imp once again.
He didn't expect to see him staring at his tentacles, shaking in rage and confusion, trying to form a coating of Brine and failing to have it last.
"Why...why did I have to be like this...?" Clobbopus tightened his fists, trying to keep the water from fading away, all of his frustration projected inwards. Raboot blinked, not expecting such a vulnerable reaction from the ornery Fighting type. At least until he remembered a remark their trainer had made the day they met him, and then everything fell into place.
"So, Gloria was right. You do wish to be a Water type." Raboot kneeled down to eye level, locking his gaze with Clobbopus's. "Is that why you have so much hatred for them? For Drednaw?"
As the others, in particular the aforementioned Drednaw, joined the questioning, Clobbopus kept staring back, his own pale face all the answer Raboot needed. Part of him wished that could be it, the moment he would finally open up to them, only for the mollusk to try and slap him away, rage overtaking him.
"Mind your own business and shut up!" Clobbopus shouted. He pointed his tentacles to the others, his stare harsh and unforgiving. "I don't need you, or anyone else! I just need to grow stronger! That's what I'm good at!"
Without a further word, Clobbopus stormed off through the nearby path of pink mushrooms, punching the first one out of instinct as he left, leaving behind his teammates.
"And off he goes..." Drednaw grumbled out, hardly surprised. Raboot sighed. He really wished things had gone smoothly, for once.
"Let's keep following him. We were gonna head there, anyway." The rest agreed, and followed Clobbopus's footsteps.
The bioluminescent mushrooms were fortunately easy to follow, allowing for a brisk and mostly calm stroll through the woods. All around, Raboot and the others could notice various signs of disarray, between large gashes on the ground and a few mashed mushrooms, both of very clear origin. They could hear various bushes shaking all around, but whichever Pokémon was moving through them didn't dare show themselves, perhaps fearing for their presence, or most likely looking for wherever the troublemaking mollusk had gone. Raboot hoped that wouldn't be a bad omen for later.
They didn't get much more time to ponder more on the situation, however, as they soon found themselves in a large open clearing, filled with rows and rows of multicolored glowing mushrooms that brightened up the area considerably, shining in every hue of the rainbow. At the center of it stood the oddest tree they had ever seen, with two bisected main branches extending outward, only a few scant leaves to cover them and showcasing a large number of apples hanging all over the place.
"Is this the 'Sour Apple Tree'?" Drednaw asked, quirking an eyebrow at the peculiarly shaped tree.
"It's an apple tree, all right. Not sure on sourness, however..." Corvisquire narrowed his stare, his inquisitive look settling on Applin. "What do you say?"
"Hey, just because I live in an apple doesn't mean I know everything about them!" Applin snapped out, seeming fairly offended as she let Toxel down on the grass.
"Sour or not, it's as good place as any for a break." Raboot interjected, sighing in between the two. "Even if we lost track of where that knobhead went-"
"WAH! HAH! AAAH!" The loud and rudely uncalled for shouts took everyone by surprise, but it also helped them to locate the familiar sight of Clobbopus's squishy head popping out from between a few mushrooms, punching relentlessly what appeared to be a fallen log, with no care for their presence. Raboot groaned.
"Never mind, he's here. Let's leave him to that." Shaking his head, the rabbit went back to the rest of the team. "We can take five and gather our energy before we continue. We have walked for quite a while."
"Not against it, but...big bun, there's a small problem..."
"And what would that be?"
"It's Toxel."
Leaning on the side to point to their youngest, Raboot could finally notice how the Poison and Electric type appeared fairly uneasy, rubbing his belly with a pained grimace.
"Hungry...tummy empty..." Toxel muttered slowly, sending everyone else a needy look of help.
The Baby Pokémon's request was immediately followed by the bellies of all his teammates grumbling at the same time, with Raboot swearing to have heard even the annoyed Clobbopus's. Only then did they realize that the whole mess that got them lost in the woods also prevented them from having any sort of breakfast. It was all the more reason to make up for it.
"Guess it's time for an impromptu brunch…or whatever meal this is." He didn't mention how unsure he was about their length of time spent in the Tangle already. Trying to regain his composure, Raboot instead observed the hanging fruits. "Corvisquire, can you?"
"Your wish is my command." With a playful bow, Corvisquire took flight and sliced through the branches to grab a few of the supposedly sour apples, hovering back down to offer one to each of the gathered teammates. The fact that he excluded Clobbopus was something no one was particularly concerned about in the moment, too focused on filling their demanding stomach first.
"All right, gang. Let's chow!" Raboot declared, holding his own apple high. Corvisquire, Drednaw and Applin did likewise, while Toxel just put his own down.
They brought their apples down and gave them a large bite. And Raboot felt like throwing up a second later.
"Ewwww...it's awful!" Drednaw agreed, coughing out her own bite with a disgusted expression. Raboot didn't reply, swallowing down to cover the bitter taste of the fruit.
"At least we can be sure this is the Sour Apple Tree," Corvisquire snarked out, trying and failing to appear dignified at the foul taste.
"You guys aren't liking it? It tastes pretty good to me. Kind of tart," Applin mused while somehow munching over a slice with enviable appetite, her whole apple looking to be glowing for a second. She exerted a bit of pressure and splintered it in pieces, offering it to the still hungry-looking Toxel. "Here, have a slice, too!"
The baby smelled it much more cautiously than anyone else did. His evident frown was something Raboot felt quite sympathetic to.
"Don't like. Smells bad..."
"Eh, fair point. But just because it smells bad doesn't mean you can't give it a try." Applin gave their youngest a gentle smile, continuing to offer the slice. "Sharing food together is a sign of maturity. You might be strong and growing fast thanks to Gloria, but that's just part of growing up. But, in a way, eating together is also how grownups solve big problems."
"Really...?" Toxel's eyes lit up, the apple's words leaving an impression on him.
"Yup! And you wanna be a good grownup, right?"
Applin's playful question seemed to do the trick, and Toxel took the slice of the sour apple to munch over. He didn't seem to enjoy it any more than everyone else, but he still finished it in full, smiling back at a fairly proud Applin.
"Good way to show that she has never had a real problem in her life..." Corvisquire muttered, his starving stomach leading him to power through the bitter fruit.
As Raboot and Drednaw also ate through their own fruits in spite of flavor, Toxel went back to considering his own still untouched apple, until an idea appeared to hit him. With some effort, he managed to split it into two roughly even halves, and with a big smile he started to move on slowly towards the distant Clobbopus, surprising everyone, including the mollusk itself.
"What do you want?" the Tantrum Pokémon asked, as ornery as ever, interrupting his training and glowering at the child. It made the baby shake like a leaf, but he still gathered his courage to come closer.
"A...apple." He extended his palm, offering the biggest slice of the sour apple towards his teammate, even managing to smile back at him.
Clobbopus stared at it, no words spoken. Then, he slapped it away to the ground with an expression of pure rage, shocking the younger Pokémon.
"Are you trying to mock me? I don't need your pity!" the mollusk shouted, whether for the act or the events of before, it didn't matter.
"N-no! Toxel, Clobbopus, g-get along!"
"Stop! He's a child!" Raboot shouted, worry overtaking him as Clobbopus stood high above the defenseless Toxel.
"A child that needs to learn his lesson!" Clobbopus declared back, a gloved fist raised in retribution. Toxel understood, and his eyes turned watery.
"Waaaaaaahhhh!" he cried out, the shrill and piercing screams of the baby only making Clobbopus strike him down faster. Or at least it was the intent, if not for the bright red apple almost flying in and intercepting the strike, pushing back the Fighting type and matching his stare with one of her own.
"You're not gonna hurt him! I'll stop you!" Applin declared, her protective apple glowing once again as she pressed further with the rollout, forcing the mollusk a few inches back as the exertion started to crack the apple all over.
"Then get out!"
With all the power of his frustration, Clobbopus charged a Mega Punch with his free hand, smashing through the Rollout and causing Applin to fly up, the impact shattering the apple cleanly.
"Applin!" Raboot shouted, Drednaw and Corvisquire ready to help him in rescuing their damaged teammate. Their rescue effort stopped, however, as the ruined wyrm's defense glowed one final time, shattering in full by opening up in three distinct pieces.
Applin's whole body glowed once more, her true lizard-like body in full view as she grew a horn over her head, slicing through the slice of apple atop it while tiny arms and hands grew at her sides. The rest of the shattered fruit attached to it like a sort of armor and makeshift wings. The changed Applin instinctively dove down for Clobbopus, beating her wings at once in what Raboot recognized as a Wing Attack that slapped Clobbopus all the way between the various glowing mushrooms, while the Grass and Dragon type rolled down over the ground.
The threat seemingly neutralized, the newly exposed "Applin" turned back towards the very much confused, yet calmed down, Toxel.
"Toxel, are you okay?"
"Huh-huh...a-am fine." Toxel's nod was still shaky, but the way he scowled towards Clobbopus made clear that he had lost any desire to get along with him. That wasn't important to the dragon.
"Thank goodness..."
"Uhm...Applin..." Raboot tried to say, yet stopping as he was unsure how to phrase it. It was still enough to gain the changed Pokémon's attention.
"Huh? Wait, did I-" The dragon finally took notice of her changes, connecting the dots instantly. "I evolved! I'm a Flapple now!"
As if to punctuate that, the newly evolved Flapple soared forward and started beating her newfound wings erratically, enjoying her freedom of movement with a huge smile on her face. As she did so, everyone else tried to get their bearings with everything that had happened.
"Well, that is mighty convenient," Corvisquire commented, hardly impressed by his comrade's terrible flight attempts.
"I don't get it. How did this happen...?"
"I have no idea, I was feeling a bit weird but-" Flapple soared a bit higher, the answer clicking in place. "Oh, of course! It was the apple!"
"This one?" Raboot questioned further, holding up his own half-bitten apple with interest.
"Yeah...I heard we Applin evolve by eating specific kinds of apple. That tart one must be one of them!"
Raboot didn't feel particularly convinced, but he couldn't deny its effect and chose to just roll with it. It led to a positive outcome for them, in any case, and Gloria would be happy to see it.
"So, you can fly now..." Drednaw commented wistfully. There was a small tinge of envy, but hardly enough to overshadow the genuine appreciation she had for her companion.
"Looks like it! Man, I feel so powerful now!"
"Congrats, Flapple."
As Toxel followed Flapple's acrobatic maneuvers with interest alongside Corvisquire, Clobbopus continued to avoid them. Raboot filed the whole incident away, bringing his attention to the various other paths spreading from the clearing instead.
"I'd say we rested enough. We should move forward."
"And where, exactly? That Morgrem didn't tell us that. We can't just go on randomly and hope to find our way again. Especially with Mr. Punch-Before-Thinking with us..."
Raboot nodded to acknowledge Drednaw's argument, considering each of their potential new roads, none of which had any clear identifier like that of the pink mushrooms. Each one was an unknown, in spite of Morgrem's claim that they would understand where to go. Perhaps every path would eventually reach Ballonlea, but even then, it wouldn't prepare them for the potential dangers ahead.
"Hmmm, what to do..." he loudly muttered, as if doing that would bring a solution upon his head.
BONK!
It only brought a very heavy apple down instead.
"Ow!" Raboot shouted, rubbing over his aching head. He glared at the very apologetic Flapple by his side.
"Whoops, sorry, big bun! Still trying to get a hang of it..." He immediately tried to take flight again, poorly elevating herself with effort. Her poorly started attempt was put to a halt by Corvisquire's raised wing, bringing her down.
"No, no, don't do it like that. You need to keep a rhythm, like this. See?" He flew right next to her, slowly and methodically flapping his wings to give his comrade a good idea. Flapple attempted to emulate it, first awkwardly, then with more decision, until she managed to match Corvisquire's motion, flying after him.
Raboot kept an eye as the Raven Pokémon continued to mentor Flapple on the basics of flying, with the Grass and Dragon type happily following along. He wasn't sure whether Corvisquire was doing that because Flapple's failures annoyed him or out of selfless desire to help, but it was still nice to see him cooperating and being helpful.
And just like that, Raboot punched his palm, a big grin on his face.
"I got it! I have a plan." Paws on his hips, Raboot gathered the team's attention. "Drednaw's right, we can't just go on randomly. We need a proper strategy and a way to check our surroundings."
"And what is it?"
"We'll split our duties. Corvisquire and Flapple can patrol from the sky and tell us if there's any danger ahead, while Drednaw can work on removing any obstacle." The rabbit pointed to each of his comrades in turn, until he finally reached himself. "I can focus on bringing Toxel along and fight as necessary."
"That's not much of a plan, that's just common sense," Corvisquire pointed out as he landed with Flapple.
"Beats just moving along without preparation."
"Not denying that. But it was worth pointing it out."
"I like it! Squirey can help me fly better, too!" Flapple rubbed herself affectionately over Corvisquire's side, much to the bird's chagrin.
"It seems solid enough. But what about him?" Drednaw asked, her attention once more towards the uncooperative mollusk. He was still ignoring them, punching down the log with enough anger to smash it to pieces.
Raboot considered their thorn to the side as well, keenly aware of how he could derail their plans by himself. With an exhale, Gloria's best partner approached him.
"You heard us, right?" Raboot stared intently at Clobbopus, still considering each of his moves. "We should stick together. You can be our vanguard, and fight anyone coming for us."
"Why should I bodyguard you weaklings?" the mollusk questioned, punching and punching on the ruined log, not even bothering to turn to the rabbit.
"Because you clearly need some training, with how one of us 'weaklings' just hurt you very badly."
Clobbopus paused, the glare that he sent Raboot a clear sign of the nerve struck as he destroyed the log with one final punch. The rabbit stood on guard, waiting for a fight...only for the mollusk to not say a word as he walked past, getting closer to the others without joining them. Raboot looked after him, almost impressed if not for how uncooperative he still looked, a sentiment the rest of the team shared.
"Close enough," he stated with a shrug, finally able to lead everyone through the northernmost area of the clearing, each of them in their established position.
The path they chose was just as lacking in particular features as it appeared from the start, but fortunately for Raboot things began as smoothly as he hoped. Drednaw moved on the front, the slow pace they were going at allowing her to be on the ready for clearing out obstacles. Clobbopus, meanwhile, kept his distance but subtly tried to get a bit further than his object of dislike, all while Raboot himself held Toxel on his back. Above them, Corvisquire and Flapple were keeping a good look on their surroundings, ready to issue warnings.
"Here, keep relaxing, and only flap when you truly need it. Make it natural," Corvisquire explained, still giving the dragon a direct example and heading further ahead.
"Like this?" she asked, emulating him haphazardly, yet still managing to keep the pace.
"Eh, could get some work, but it's a start."
"I'll keep trying!" Flapple declared, twirling in mid-air to show off until something caught her eye. "Uh-oh. Large fallen tree ahead!"
Raboot squinted ahead, catching a glimpse of said fallen tree in the distance, too large to simply circumvent. Galvanized, Drednaw prepared to charge onward without prompting.
"My time to shine!" she shouted, running head first into a Headbutt and gaining speed with each step. With the accumulated speed and power, she tore through the tree effortlessly, splinters flying as the cracking sounds echoed all over. As Drednaw stopped and turned around with a grin, Raboot smiled back, while Clobbopus pretended not to have seen anything.
"Good work, Drednaw!"
"But way too loud, as well." Corvisquire narrowed his gaze, wings spread as he readied himself. "A bunch of Pokémon are coming!"
As if on cue, a large number of different species made their presence known, not just from the path ahead but also on the sides of the path. Just from a glance, Raboot could discern several Shiinotic, quite a few Swirlix and Phantump, and to his surprise even a few Passimian and Oranguru, among several other species he couldn't make out.
They were all looking down on them.
Steeling himself and holding onto Toxel tight, Raboot charged onward.
"Let's keep moving! Drednaw, Clobbopus, keep guard on the path!" Raboot's shouts were met with a nod from Drednaw and indifference from Clobbopus, but both Pokémon went through it in their own ways. Drednaw continued to charge onward, straight ahead without pause, while Clobbopus went for the would-be opponents to seize the battle directly. As they both gathered the attention of a good amount of the attacking horde, Raboot sprinted forward through the open path.
"You're done, intruders!" Raboot could hear Clobbopus shouting, punching and shooting water at everything he could reach. He tried to ignore it, gaining velocity with a Flame Charge as he started to notice a few Passimian ready to fire a volley of berries towards him.
"Sorry, but we're leaving!" Drednaw shouted, ramming into them at full speed and uncaring of any attack she was receiving, simply clearing the path. Flapple and Corvisquire were helping the same, between up-close Wing Attacks from the former and distanced Air Slashes from the latter making for effective crowd control. As Raboot raced through the mostly emptied path, he really felt they could make it easily.
He did not expect the barrage of hits stopping him dead on his path, tripping the rabbit to the ground.
"Oof!" shouted the rabbit instinctively, losing hold of Toxel as he noticed the culprits. Several Swirlix had acted as a makeshift trap, rising from the ground and surrounding the prone Pokémon in a matter of seconds.
Raboot grinded his teeth, noticing everyone else too busy with their own battles to come and help. Most worryingly, a group of Spritzee were ready to dive down for the defenseless and scared baby Pokémon he had lost his hold on.
"Toxel!" Raboot cried, hopping back on his feet and racing to the rescue. Or trying to.
"Gh!" Before he could reach Toxel, the same Swirlix that tripped him all weighed on him at once, pinning him to the ground and preventing him from moving further. Not content to be an obstacle, they all started roughing him up at once, beating him everywhere with what Raboot thought was Play Rough. It hurt all over and it made it difficult to even inch forward, trapping him in place.
"Waaaah!" The sharp, distinct cry made any pain Raboot was feeling secondary, seeing Toxel being beaten up by the Spritzee group ahead. He was still trying to fight them, flailing his arms around and trying to nuzzle the birds, but none of his attacks managed to connect as they all kept their distance, hitting him safely.
Seeing his companion, a child, be struck like that over and over was something he couldn't stand. It gave the rabbit the strength he needed to coat himself in a Flame Charge and get the horde of Swirlix off his body, his increased speed bringing himself in front of Toxel right away, the Baby Pokémon battered but still standing. It gave the opportunity for Raboot to Bounce for the opposition, using a bigger Spritzee as his first springboard.
"If you need to beat him up, you'll have to deal with me first!" he boasted out, extending his time in the air with a Double Kick and bringing further Spritzee down before his second Bounce headed for the first one he had hit. Quick on the uptake, he managed to inflict damage without being hit himself.
At least, until a sharp, pink misty wind swatted him back down.
"Aaaaah!" Raboot cried out, the combined Fairy Wind pressing him on the ground faster than he could react. It was just in time for the Swirlix to rejoin the fight as well, assaulting him with another heavy round of Play Rough. The pain drowned out any chance for Raboot to fight back, no matter how much he tried.
"Raboot!" he could hear Toxel cry for him, worry evident. He wished to tell him to run, to leave him be and save himself, but there was nothing that the rabbit could do other than take in all the pain he was given.
And then, he felt the piercing, stinging smell of poisonous acid being fired at a rapid pace, none of it falling on him, but all of it sending the Fairy types in disarray, forcing them to retreat and leave the aching rabbit behind. He groaned at feeling his body again, forcing himself to sit up, and only then did he notice who his savior was.
Toxel stood next to him, the round of acid drooling over his face making everything obvious. He offered Raboot a hand and a smile, much to his surprise.
"You good?" he asked, looking ever so slightly more confident than before.
"Y-yeah...Good job, Toxel." He took Toxel's hand, helping the Fire type stand again. And in that moment, Raboot really felt the Electric and Poison type was a true comrade to rely on, rather than a defenseless baby to protect. He also felt the jolt running through Toxel's pores, stronger than before, buffeting him like a wave. A different wave, a wave of pride, hit him at the realization.
Raboot didn't have more time to think about it, however, as he noticed a troop of Passimian breaking through Drednaw's defense, empowered by an Oranguru, each of them ready to fire their berries.
"You're done!" they all declared together, preparing for the strike much like Ash's own would, if with much less precision. Both Raboot and Toxel stood, preparing for the continuing battle...if it weren't for a heavy punch slamming into the leader Passimian's jaw, sending him flying into his companions and bowling them all down to the ground.
"OW!" Before they could even strike back, they all fell into a pitiful heap, with the gloating, proud Clobbopus standing above them all with pride unmatched.
"Heh, you can thank me later," he said without prompting, and looking ready to be showered with praise, if not for another gaggle of upcoming Shiinotic that grabbed his attention instead, leading him away from Raboot and Toxel.
The rabbit didn't know whether to be grateful or annoyed, and in doubt he chose to not worry about it.
"Let's keep going," he said, placing Toxel on his back again as he continued their race.
The arrival of new Pokémon didn't stop as they kept charging along, if anything bringing even more on their case. Raboot started to wonder if the whole Glimwood Tangle had decided to come after them. Even some Hattrem and Ponyta that reminded him of the kid that was the reason they were lost popped all around to give them trouble.
In spite of the increased pushback, however, their strategy didn't change. Drednaw continued to deal upfront with the coming hordes and obstacles, while Corvisquire and Flapple controlled the situation from above, and Clobbopus continued to spark battles with anything that struck his fancy. Raboot just tried to coordinate the effort in the middle of it all.
About the only thing to have truly changed was Toxel: emboldened by his victory against the Fairy types, he had started being more confident in his attacks, taking the initiative without warning and helping to cover Raboot's weaknesses, even scoring a few wins of his own. Even if he was still hardly the strongest fighter, it gave Gloria's starter invaluable help he was glad to have, moreso as they started to be surrounded by more and more Pokémon.
"Are you seeing the exit, guys?" Raboot asked, making a Bounce ahead of a couple of Shiinotic that Toxel incapacitated with a round of Acid. He came close to Drednaw as she bowled over a much rougher-looking Indeedee than they were used to.
"There's something in the distance!" Flapple declared, flying downward to block a Ponyta for Corvisquire to strike. In a moment clear of fighting, Raboot squinted on and saw it: blinding lights, a sign of the forest being finally over. He grinned with satisfaction at seeing the goal so close.
"Toxel, support me as much as you can, all right?" he asked, holding his companion more firmly. He muttered an affirmative, and as a united front they all progressed together.
Seeing everyone pitching in like that, doing their job and collaborating, really made Raboot proud of the team they had become over time. And he knew Gloria would've been, too.
CRACK!
The loud, sudden cracking sound halted everyone's progression, turning to see Clobbopus uprooting a tree with a single powerful counter that forced an Oranguru to flee. The action left several Pokémon in disarray for him to easily pick on.
"Is this the best you can do? Weak!" Clobbopus shouted, as gleeful as always in a fight, punctuating each punch with more and more bravado as he pursued them. "You're all weak! Worthless! Pathetic! I can defeat you all by myself! I don't need them! I'm strong! The STRONGEST!"
"Clobbopus, now is not the-" Raboot's warning fell on deaf ears, the mollusk too busy on his power trip to even consider stopping. Not even as an entire group of Pokémon ambushed him. Those that did had a clear bone to pick with him, and all of them by extension. Too many to avoid, they were all forced into yet another fight.
"There's too many! That idiot got the whole flippin' Tangle on his case!" Corvisquire yelled, his Air Slash looking more forceful as it blew through a bunch of Hattrem.
"We can stall them, but they're gonna close the path ahead if we're not fast!"
Raboot bit onto his collar. If they were a well-oiled machine, then Clobbopus was the one cog bringing the whole thing to a screeching halt. No matter how useful he was at punching things.
"We need to get out!" Raboot shouted, already frowning at the large amount of Pokémon between him and their ornery companion. Thankfully, his call was immediately answered by Drednaw reaching his side, sharing a determined look with her teammate.
"You fetch Punch-for-Brains, me and Toxel are gonna cover you!" she declared, and leaning over his shoulder, Toxel agreed. He smiled, allowing the baby to hop over Drednaw's sturdy shell, showing greater nimbleness than when they had entered the Tangle.
"Thanks!" He shouted out, Drednaw and Toxel making sure to keep the arriving Pokémon at bay, leaving Raboot with a path of enemies to clear so he could reach Clobbopus. But time was of the essence, and he knew he couldn't get into too many fights.
And so, focusing on his natural qualities, he sprang forth and bounced forward a great amount, landing over the large cap of a Shiinotic and shifting into a Flame Charge before leaping further. The Shiinotic, Hattrem, Passimian, Oranguru and other Pokémon along the path all tried to get a piece of him, but Raboot was ready for it. With Drednaw and Toxel bringing down or incapacitating most of them, the rabbit employed each of them as further platforms to jump all over and get closer to Clobbopus.
"More! Give me more of a fight, you weaklings!" the mollusk continued to shout in the meantime, jumping from enemy to enemy without rhyme and reason. He just continued trying to fight anything he could see, getting further away as he did. Raboot pressed down more than necessary on an attacking Shiinotic's cap, springing ahead and finally reaching the Tantrum Pokémon. In one swift move, Raboot grabbed him by the mouth and brought him close.
"Mhm!?" the belligerent Pokémon tried to reply, only for Raboot to yank him closer in order to leap away.
"No time! We gotta jet!" he shouted, squeezing Clobbopus tighter than necessary as he leapt from head to mushroom to coconut and everything in between, up until he rejoined with Drednaw and Toxel, finally able to move further along the path.
The remainder of the Pokémon was still chasing after them, held at bay by their flying companions, most of them finally behind them. They couldn't afford the attacking Pokémon to close that distance, and all looked around for something to gain an advantage. Just as he thought this, Raboot saw an old, decrepit tree, and as Clobbopus kept trying to ineffectually break free from his hold, an idea wormed its way in the rabbit's mind.
"Drednaw, bring that tree down!"
"On it!" Drednaw agreed, with Toxel also pitching in with some sprayed Acid. It weakened the already old wood, allowing for Drednaw's Body Slam to easily slice through it, collapsing its integrity.
Raboot's group raced away as the tree fell down, all while Flapple and Corvisquire continued to push back against their pursuers. Inevitably, the tree finally collapsed, its large frame blocking the path in full, but the wayward Pokémon didn't stop, continuing to race through as fast as their aching limbs could bring them without regard for their direction. None of them knew how long it was before they all finally collapsed on the ground, too tired to continue further.
"Are they...still chasing us?" Raboot asked, falling face-first and losing his grip on Clobbopus. He turned to Drednaw, similarly exhausted, with Toxel still safely above her and their flying unit landing gracefully down.
"Not at all. We lost them." Flapple's confirmation made the rabbit sigh in relief. The adrenaline had run its course, and only then did he realize just how aching his whole body felt.
"Unfortunately, we have lost our way forward, too."
"One good thing, at least..." Raboot sighed, head pressed down as he tried to recover his strength. He could see that Drednaw and the others did not appreciate the remark, however, their own tiredness and worries prevented them from starting another mess. Instead, they segregated themselves in their own little units. Raboot frowned; they had put a lot of effort in that race through the woods, and he was afraid that had gotten the team much less willing to work together again. He could understand why, with how everything had kept turning sour no matter how well they did, but it was still an upsetting thing to realize.
Raboot's glare instinctively went to the source of their current troubles. Clobbopus replied in kind, slithering closer with the worst scowl his face could muster, his gloved tentacles shaking in rage. Feeling that, Raboot got back up.
"I could've defeated them. I was doing you a favor!" he shouted, holding both fists high to the now standing Raboot's chin.
"You were making us dead!" The rabbit snapped out, pushing the mollusk away. "We're leaving the Tangle! Not trying to beat everyone up!"
"They were going to follow us anyway!"
"Guys, please-"
Flapple's attempt failed, all the accumulated frustration finally reaching a breaking point. All of the bravado, all of the boasts, all of the arrogance that only kept growing worse, and that needed to end right there and now.
"It's always the same with you!" Raboot shouted, his voice rising significantly. "You come in and do whatever you want! Who cares for the others, you're the only one who matters, right?"
"You're just weaklings who can't do anything alone! I'm just doing what's best!"
"Weakling this, weakling that! You keep throwing that word, but the only weakling here is you!"
"Shut up!"
Even as the tones kept growing harsher and everyone stared from the sidelines, Raboot didn't expect the sharp, quick punch to the face from Clobbopus, the mollusk pinning him down on the ground right after.
"Gah!" the Rabbit shouted, throwing both paws up to avoid another hit, the Tantrum Pokémon bearing down.
"So? Not talking so big anymore, are you?" He overpowered the rabbit, punching through once again. "You're not a leader of anything! You're just lucky that the human started with you!"
"And you're lucky that she didn't deny you! Like she should have!" Raboot tried to strike with a Double Kick, but his own fatigue and Clobbopus's weight put a stop to it, spurring their teammates to try and hold his tentacle back.
"You're done!" Clobbopus shouted, overpowering the weight over him to try and lay the final attack to win the battle and argument.
"Stop! Something's coming!"
Flapple's call was heard this time, bringing the mollusk's strike to a screeching halt as a bush started to shake. The moment was enough for Corvisquire and Drednaw to separate him from Raboot, and for Toxel to help the hurt Pokémon into standing position. The rabbit's heart was still racing, hardly over what happened, but he put it all aside to focus on what was coming. The bush continued to shake, more and more, with all of Gloria's team ready for yet another fight.
No one expected for a very familiar, somewhat chubby blue and green amphibian to pop out, his eyes immediately finding Drednaw and tackling her into an affectionate hug.
"Drednaw! It's you!" The amphibian declared with an uncharacteristically huge smile, giving the rest a quick once-over. "And the others are here, too!"
"Drizzile?" Drednaw asked, happily surprised even as she broke the hug. The connection was clear. "So, that means-"
Drizzile gave a nod, and from the same bush he had popped out from came none other than Ash, looking as surprised as they were. Raboot cracked a very relieved smile, one shared by most of the others. The man replied in kind as he dusted off his clothes.
"Finally! Familiar faces! We've been wandering this place for way too long," he told them as he paced closer. Drizzile joined Raboot's side, taking notice of just how bruised he was.
"Are you guys all right? You look like you got quite the beating..."
"You don't know half of it." Raboot shook his head, trying to forget what had just happened. "How did you find us, though?"
Ash seemed to understand the question, giving a smile towards Drizzile, the lizard growing bashful at the attention.
"Drizzile heard something coming from here and rushed head on. I just followed him."
"Heh. I'm almost as good as Master Greninja!" Drizzile pulled off the most dorkily confident grin Raboot had seen, rubbing his nostrils and puffing his chest with pride.
Ash saw fit to pat his Water Lizard Pokémon's head, an action that pleased his newest ally as the trainer leaned for Raboot.
"Gloria isn't with you?" The bunny shook his head, and Ash adjusted his hat. "Figures. That Flash must've scattered everyone else around too."
Hardly perturbed, the man pulled himself back up, eyeing the team. "Let's keep going together, alright? There's a path forward nearby."
Glad to finally have good news, Raboot and his comrades were more than ready to accept it. Like waking from an overlong nightmare, it finally looked like their misadventure had reached its end. With even a glance it was easy to see that none of them had the desire to stay in the Tangle any longer.
Except, of course, Clobbopus, who tried to ram into Ash soon after, his anger from before far from subsided.
"Not again!" Raboot shouted out. It was in vain, as Clobbopus punched...only to be blocked by an impromptu Pound from Drizzile that forced him back. Jumping away, the Water Lizard Pokémon stood on guard in front of his surprised trainer.
"Hey! What's gotten into you?" Ash asked, Drizzile standing by to defend the human.
"I'm tired of you lot!" Clobbopus shouted, his anger at a breaking point in serious need of an outlet. "Always coming in and bossing your betters around! Thinking just because you can do fancy moves with water that you're somehow superior. You and your ilk are nothing to me! I'll teach you and your blasted Water type a lesson!"
With a war cry, the mollusk charged on, genuinely believing that he could beat down anything. Raboot tried not to slap his forehead.
"If someone needs to be taught a lesson here, it's you!" Drizzile shouted while pointing back, looking like he had been searching for an excuse to say that.
"If you want to fight, we're more than ready," Ash added in, throwing his palm forward. "Drizzile, Double Team and stop his path!"
"On it!" Drizzile shouted back, immediately surrounding Clobbopus with an array of clones. They all threw Water Pulse at once, forcing the mollusk to stop. It gave ample time for the amphibian and his copies to charge onward on their own.
"Strike him with Pound, and throw your biggest Water Pulse up!" Ash ordered, and every Drizzile's hand shined brightly in preparation. Clobbopus couldn't predict which way the attack could come, leaving him wide open to be pinned on the ground.
Clobbopus tried to counter with an up-close Mega Punch, but Drizzile was faster, throwing a large Water Pulse skyward and swiftly leaping off of the Tantrum Pokémon. He tried to give chase immediately after, but only found himself in the right position for the Water Pulse to fall right over him, the pressure and impact slamming him back down.
Clobbopus could only whine pitifully as he finally collapsed, allowing Drizzile to raise a fist in victory and earning himself a round of clappings from Flapple and Toxel. It was hard to say if it was more for Clobbopus's fatigue catching up to him or for Drizzile being stronger, but Ash and his Pokémon's skill was still as clear as the sun (so long as they were outside this damned forest). Raboot sighed in relief, glad to finally see Clobbopus down for good.
"Are you calm now?" Ash asked, calmly waiting as Clobbopus tried to get back up. His expression showed he was anything but, something Ash seemed to expect. He frowned. "I've met more than a few arrogant Pokémon in my career, and I know your type. Fighting with a constant need to prove something at all costs, no matter what it might be. Pushing everything else away to do it. But all you're proving is how much of a jerk you are."
Clobbopus refused to even look Ash in the eye. That was all the confirmation Ash needed for his claim.
"I don't know what your deal is, but you're really giving Gloria a harder time than she needs. You're not going to go far with that attitude."
Raboot could tell that Ash had been a trainer for quite a long while, deserving every bit of appreciation Gloria had developed for him. And yet Clobbopus kept ignoring all of it, not even willing to engage with helpful criticism. He only listened to himself, and no one else, no matter how much reality proved him wrong.
And it was something neither Raboot nor anyone on the team could truly stand. Raboot's fist curled.
Having said his piece, Ash turned back around, their next goal clear for everyone. "For now, let's head to Ballonlea. Asking that Opal woman might be our best bet to find everyone else in this place."
None of Raboot's group disagreed, with even Clobbopus forcing himself to follow along, too tired now to argue. Silently, they joined Ash and Drizzile, heading for the way out of the Glimwood Tangle in spite of their tiredness. Raboot continued to side-eye the Fighting type all the same, prompting Drizzile to come closer.
"You can rest easy. Drizzile, spy extraordinaire, will make sure he causes no harm!" the amphibian declared, meaning each word with enviable confidence as he inched closer to Clobbopus, stalking his every move. Raboot said nothing, but appreciated it all the same.
With that whole adventure finally behind them, Raboot couldn't be happier. Or as happy as he could be in his current state.
For as much as he was happy to see Applin evolve into Flapple and for Toxel to move his first steps as a serious battler, none of it made up for just how little Clobbopus cared for them as teammates. He could trust and cooperate with anyone, even Corvisquire for all his faults, but Clobbopus didn't want to, no matter the situation. It was a wrench in their teamwork that threw them into disarray, all side-eyeing the mollusk, generating the worry in Raboot that they'd never be able to work together again.
And so long as he felt that way, their group in sight of Ballonlea, there was no way for them to ever truly be a team.
Author's Note: Didn't see that coming, did you? This was actually something really fun for us to plan. It allowed a chance for the series to do something very different for the Ancienverse and allow things to get peeled back that we felt wouldn't from any other perspective. Most particularly peeling back what Clobbopus's true issue is: he hates the fact all he can do is punch stuff since he's not a Water type and as a result, he doesn't need or want anyone else. This is what leads to the problems within the team of Gloria's.
And obviously this issue is far from over. If anything, it just got worse. But hey, Applin evolved and Toxel is growing up real fast! Oh, and TRio discovered some stuff that will play later. Keep that in mind.
Viroro: And with this, the adventure through Glimwood Tangle is over for Gloria's team, in what I consider my favorite written chapter of the Galar Trilogy as a whole. It was Epic's idea to have a chapter told completely from the Pokémon's perspective, and I really wanted to give this unique concept for the Ancienverse justice and allow the readers a good look of what the Pokémon's personalities are like beneath the Pokémon Speak, especially in regards to Clobbopus's mindset towards himself and the others.
But of course, there was a lot more going on, between Team Rocket's investigations, Applin's evolution, and Toxel's signs of growth among others. You'll be the judge on how we did, but we hope you enjoyed it. It was a quite unusual chapter for the Ancienverse, but we think it really allowed us to do some quite interesting things due to it, and with the whereabouts of Gloria and the others soon to be shown, we hope you'll keep looking forward to what's to come!
So, as usual, gotta hand out some thanks, all of which are only for reviews (and alas, a rather paltry sum at that): XDiamondX90, Fury, Tenzalucard123, ChE clarinetist, FantasyLover88, AmourshippingCanon, Ander Arias, MythGirl Writes, RRV55, UltimateCCC and Rajiv A. Rajaram.
We return to Gloria next time, so look forward to that, and until then, please Review and,
Dare to Be Silly.