Kogeki strained in place, fighting to move forwards and fighting to hold himself in place. Rumble barely had a hold of him with Tempo in front to further restrain the beast they were laboured with.
"Stop moving!" the clefable hissed, silencing the luxray with a magical muzzle.
"Mmai, Mmai!" Kogeki rumbled, trying to break free of Rumble.
"He's not there!" Tempo snapped, boxing him on the ears until he settled down.
They were hiding, watching and waiting as more pokémon than was ideal began to pour through. Seems the town was more organised than Indeedee had expected, which Tempo gave a rueful sort of respect to.
Guilds worked together for the betterment of the pokémon, but there was still a rivalry. Her own guild had been annihilated by Indeedee, and while depleted, it still had been enforced with criminal-hunting specialists.
Then again, the guild and town didn't have their leaders working against them from the inside, so there was that. Ego maintained.
As it became clear that an attack would be unwise, even from the three of them at once, Tempo had tried to wrangle some sort of plan out of them. Indeedee would be charging through; they just had to slow the crowd until she could reach and strike.
Unless, of course….
Tempo's considerations proved true from a quake they felt even from this far away. Eventually, a final two pokémon crawled out, Armaldo and Ponyta, with news that Torkoal had sacrificed himself to bring the entryway down.
Ponyta was barely holding it together, falling against his teammates Bellsprout and Camerupt in shaking sobs. She distantly knew of Team Flame, being a rather capable team that took on some dangerous outlaws. They had been a part of the group that struck down Grovyle when the continent believed him to be the enemy they all faced.
To a distant sort of blunted amusement, she counted Grovyle and Dusknoir in the crowd. Mingling with the pokémon that had so quickly seen fit to send Grovyle to the execution platforms without even a chance to speak in his defence.
She had to give Dusknoir some credit, building awe and respect and then using it to muzzle Grovyle to prevent him from speaking was inspired. Cruel and retrospectively an obvious ploy, but clever in the moment.
Armaldo was a problem, however. He appeared battered, his armoured frame bearing the marks of many, many, violent attacks. Attacks Tempo had seen tear the citizens of Blackstone apart with ease. He was injured, weary, and grieving but emotionally together.
Unlike Ponyta, who had collapsed and the majority of the pokémon who had either gone into shock or were bunched together like Mareep, or again where children or injured parties, he stood with clear eyes and a plan bubbling in his head.
The various exploration teams were holding up fairly well, quite a few had fallen into the same panic as the rest of the town had, but enough of them were holding a stiff upper lip to keep everyone in line.
Really, she already held respect for Armaldo as he marshalled the survivors with a plan of action and watched in distaste as the ungrateful townsfolk argued against him.
She would have scoffed had it not been risky. Torkoal, Wigglytuff, both dead, Team Sunrise in shock and Dusknoir and Grovyle still holding lingering tension with the town. Armaldo was a capable leader, strong and clear in direction, and they argued with his ability to lead?
Who else did they have?
Her unnatural contempt distracted her for a moment long enough for Kogeki to break his proverbial chains and lash out in fury. There was no shinx in the crowd; they could all see that. Team Ion's remains would not be here regardless, but clearly, Kogeki did not put much stock into thinking.
She had to give him credit, did a pretty nasty blow on Armaldo before she and Rumble were able to knock him down, force a sleep seed in and drag him off before they could be caught.
Or, at least, Rumble did.
Tempo had a different idea in mind.
During the disarray caused by the attack and the pokémon sweeping over to their location, she swallowed a vanish seed and slipped into town before biting on a heal seed and appearing amidst them. Tensions were thick, but eyes were all on the direction of the attack. She had scoped out people who were not natives to Treasure Town, rather visiting pokémon, and stepped close to an oddly-coloured pair.
An espurr and a marowak with a much more ghastly appearance than the norm.
Armaldo recovered enough, they began to move, injured, and the young were evacuated further. They were given directions of where to go.
She'd trust Kogeki and Rumble would do…well. She didn't actually care what they were up to as long as they didn't blow her cover. It was the perfect position to be in, close enough to take invaluable information but far enough away from Indeedee that she didn't have to do anything with it unless she wanted to.
For now, she'd just play the part of a scared foreigner. That would be more than enough for now.
When the young and the injured had been taken, Chitin had stayed behind, not saying anything.
It was his place here to remain and lead, not be taken to soft beds and relative safety.
However, he was for sure injured enough to take that excuse.
Having held the immediate line before a rampaging horde of Shadow Pokémon, blocking violently burning corrosive attacks with stones and his own body, Chitin had taken a severe beating.
Still, he could feel Rhythm in his arms, losing weight and dying and ignored the building pain throughout his core and limbs. His student had died; he could keep going.
He had to.
He did not express the pain he was in, physical or otherwise. To show weakness was to confirm the doubt the town had in him, and he refused to allow them to see him for what he wasn't.
Weak, outsider, unfit.
No. He refused.
"Alright, pokémon," Chitin barked as a new day barely began to brave the horizon. "Up and at 'em, we have to move!"
His voice carried far, waking weary but anxious, pokémon and pushing those who were dozing or patrolling into movement as well. Food was shared, and bread is broken between the town and the teams before Chitin raised a stone below his feet to tower just a little more to bark his next commands.
"Scizor will be expecting us in the Ancient Cathedral within nine days. With the number of pokémon here and the difficulty of a crowd moving, people will be split into guarded teams to move quicker, with just as much protection."
This, of course, was not received well.
"You're splitting us up!?"
"No, we have to stay together!"
"I'm not going anywhere without my spouse!"
He allowed their complaints, for it was just a part of his life now.
"Team Sunrise Grovyle and Guardian will escort the largest group; their considerable strength will serve well. Everyone else will join a team as far as numbers and strength allow. Team Flame, you'll take the next largest. Poochy, after that."
He began to divide pokémon up, surprisingly after the initial bout of argument, things settled slightly. All things considered, many of the teams were well known and trusted. More so than he was.
Which, of course, meant those who had to travel with him were most displeased.
"Sunflora will be joining me, as will you."
He made sure not to suffer Charmeleon's company, that'd end badly for them both but mostly Charmeleon, and his glares were enough to freeze any complaints in their tracks.
Plus, all things considered again, Armaldo was known to be incredibly powerful, the teacher to Guildmaster Wigglytuff and the de facto leader of the guild and town. They could do worse than get stuck with his protection.
However, before the pokémon began to part, Team Glee stepped forward to say something.
Politoad held a bundle of freshly picked flowers, as did Ledyba. Togepi stood tall and firm, as much as they could at least.
"To honour the-those we lost," Togepi said firmly. Couldn't say the fallen, absolutely not. That word was corrupted now.
No one moved at first, but then Azumarill did. Her feet were halting, weakened. She was not ill as she had once been, but heartache was a wound that had nearly killed her once.
Azurill was not here; he had been sent with the children despite his protests. Azumarill had remained behind; she had to walk this distance to safety. Walk where both her mate had not and the one her son could not.
"You were too young," she said, her words a whisper but heard by everyone. She pulled a bluebell from Politoad's bushel. "Far, far, too young. My son, my pride, my joy, my life. You fought valiantly, your brother will always remember you, I will always remember you. You did not deserve this, to be used as an example to be cut down, but for everyone you saved…." She wavered for a moment. "Thank you for being so brave. You're my baby boy, and you always will be. Swim with your father now; I miss you both."
She let the flower fall, and someone came around to bring her back when it was clear that she could not move from her spot.
Ponyta clopped forwards next. He hadn't been speaking much lately, sticking close to Bellsprout or patrolling the group with a silent ferocity, asking, almost begging for trouble to come. He took an amaryllis flower in his mouth; it began to smoke and burn until he breathed out ashes.
"Times they change," he said. "Spring ends, the world turns to winter, stories are told and passed on. I know you felt your strength wane over the years and were often lost in the days long gone. No matter what, though, you never lost sight of the present and the future. You took me in, you taught me how to be me again, and I loved you with all my heart for that…they say every elder has one last good fight in them, and you proved that. You proved that when we needed you most. Rest well, father."
He bowed his head to the ash and then trotted back off to the rest of his team, accepting a comforting vine from Bellsprout and nuzzle from Camerupt.
More pokémon came forwards, taking flowers and saying something for someone lost. Flaaffy stepped forwards. Despite his injuries, the desecration to his beloved wool and severe burns, he'd refused to be taken with the injured and showed that he could still move and fight when they tried to force him.
He spoke another word for Marill but also for Charjabug.
A silver spring rose was raised by Chansey once most of the flowers had been taken. "We all faced so much that day, nightmarish. I can't even imagine how I've managed to sleep since then. Some of us fought, most of us ran. And some still went back to save others. I know the way you act. I know the way you complain, better than most goodness gracious better than most."
She smiled at the flower briefly. "She believed you didn't have anything to say, but your last words were to save someone else. There are no words stronger than that…goodbye Banette, the kids will tell stories about you."
Chitin listened to each word, despite losing valuable time to Team Glee's eulogy ceremony, he didn't say anything. He did not take a flower.
They began to move, breaking into a series of small groups that could move quicker. They couldn't exactly take a dungeon unless the groups were split further, but the option was there now.
Pokémon got a move on.
Chitin did not take a pink lily as his group walked past a river.
He did not allow himself to cry later that night, taking the second watch as others slept.
He did not say the following words because no one was awake to hear them.
"I once knew a bratty little puffball who acted like he knew everything. He didn't, nor did he really think that. But he knew a damn lot for such a little brat. He had a heart bigger than anyone I'd ever known. He saw through a cranky old bastard's hard shell; he saw the ugliness and didn't care about it. Anyone and everyone was his friend because he was really that loving. He could forgive you for anything as long as you were truly sorry. Everyone knew him as strong, as strange, as great. Anyone who knew him knew that those weren't his strengths. He was kind. So kind. He forgave. He didn't care for who you were, just who you are deep inside."
He didn't let the lily fall.
"… I'll see you later, Junior."
He kept watch until day broke.
Chitin and Sunflora protected a group of twenty pokémon. Mostly pokémon who had been in the town at the time of the attack but weren't native.
There was a reason for that, of course.
Sunflora had spoken to him the night before the split up, detailing who was missing, who was present, and who she didn't know.
Everyone, she didn't know even a little bit, plenty of pokémon didn't live in Treasure Town but still traded with the town frequently enough that she knew them, were with them here.
The most curious two were a marowak that looked unlike anything he'd ever seen before and an oddly-coloured espurr. He knew it wasn't right to show suspicion on shiny pokémon, but since Soothe, there was tension.
"You two?" Chitin barked as they trekked.
"Uh…yes?" Marowak was the one to speak; he'd noticed that. More brash than the espurr, although the espurr sure had some interesting comments to make at times.
"What brought you two to town?" he asked gruffly.
"We came with Rhythm," Marowak snapped, and Chitin nearly tripped.
"What?" he barked, definitely more aggressively than he might have intended.
"We were with Team Ion too," Espurr piped up, voice soft and subdued. "Before Scout got catnapped. After that happened, we came back with Rhythm to town, although everything went to craziness then, so we weren't able to catch up before the attack happened."
"Why are you asking us anyway?" Marowak added, still heated. He could control fire and seemed ghostly. It was a curious mix to see. "Because we look different?"
"Yes," Chitin answered honestly. Marowak blinked, perhaps not expecting that. "After what has happened, I have to ensure everyone is both safe and safe. Sunflora knows everyone in Treasure Town, and outsiders to the town need to be carefully monitored."
"Well, we came here with Rhythm!" Marowak snapped. "So, back off."
Chitin decided not to poke the beartic further by pointing out that such aggressiveness made them more suspicious and instead kept a closer eye on them. Espurr lightly touched Marowak's shoulder and turned him away slightly from Chitin.
The little creature's ears were quivering and had been for a while. Espurr could be explosive when under pressure, and if just for that reason, Chitin knew they had to be monitored.
"Alright, what about you?"
He went through everyone with them. Sunflora hadn't been in a chatty mood lately. He couldn't blame her even if it was disquieting to see.
Roselia claimed to be travelling. Cacturne said he'd come around to trade with the townsfolk. Krabby wanted to see the famed Treasure Town beach bubbles. And Walrein was escorting him.
Hawlucha was considering stepping into the training business and had come to scope out Marowak. Toxtricity was here to do some street performance in a famous town. Solrock had come hoping to meet someone famous. Fletchinder had been looking for someone.
Clefable was also just travelling and was stopping by Treasure Town to take the new Lapras travel liner port set up here.
Nothing suspicious, and so they travelled on.
Not all was well.
Sunflora was terribly shaken still.
And that was all she'd admit if pressed, not that anyone had. She'd appeared out of nowhere, bedraggled and wilting, running with all the rest.
She'd shared what happened with Chitin fairly soon, as succinctly as she could manage.
"We found the killer was indeedee, Corphish and Loudred died to get me out. When I finally got to town, I was knocked out by Chimecho and kept chained up until, I don't know, she had a change of heart and let me go."
Chitin knew he had to be suspicious of Sunflora as well. Thus, as the town was split up, he positioned her next to him. If anyone could handle her if she was a threat, it'd be him.
He did trust Sunflora, but he and everyone else had trusted Chimecho as well. The attack lancing through his body in the exit of the tunnel proved that she'd told Indeedee about the way out of town, even if whoever the monster had sent had made the wise choice not to engage them.
He knew that splitting the town up ran the risk that whoever lurked in these woods would take their shot, but they couldn't risk Indeedee catching up. The exploration teams had to be strong enough to handle themselves. As much as he would have liked it, he couldn't protect everyone.
He could take the heaviest load upon himself, at least.
"Armaldo?" Sunflora asked, later on.
"Yes?" He was setting up a trail of rocks to contain a fire for later.
"…before Chimecho released me, I was able to snatch something. I've been holding onto it, but…I know I shouldn't have been." In her leafy hand, she held out a glimmering blue orb. "I heard Chimecho speaking to Her through it."
One that matched a certain description by a heartbroken bidoof.
His own chest ached as he realised that was yet another small betrayal by Chimecho. She must have reclaimed it when healing Bidoof and then hidden it away.
With his claw, he took the orb and examined it carefully. It was unlike the orbs one could find in dungeons with their various uses, larger, heavier, and a more universal blue rather than with curiosities within them.
Part of him wanted to smash it then and there. If this really could be used to speak to Indeedee, then it was probably dangerous to keep around. Yet, that was a reason to keep it. To study and try and reverse that use, maybe track the creature who was hunting them.
Chitin's flicker of composure was mirrored in Sunflora's expression. A deep sadness that went well below surface level.
She counted Melody as her closest friend, her confidant for everything. A roommate, colleague, friend. To know that it had all been in service to someone else tore her up inside.
Sunflora was able to acknowledge that there was something there. Melody had insisted on saving her life and even released her when she realised the scope of her betrayal. That hardly failed to ease the burn of it all.
Despite it all, Sunflora wondered what she was doing now. If she'd survived the battle, and if she did if she was with the monster who had caused it all.
What would she be saying and doing?
Sunflora didn't want to ponder that.
They were not the only ones feeling the keenly probing weight of stress on their backs.
Tempo stepped along in place, chatting amicably with Espurr. Her attention was only partially on the conversation, causing her to miss some obvious social cues for appropriate responses and coming across a little vague and strange.
She had to be very careful to keep her voice correct and mannerisms disarming when Sunflora was near, which was always. They'd met after all, and people far out of Treasure Town knew of Sunflora's keen eye and sharp memory.
She understood better why the town had survived Indeedee's attack. Particularly with Armaldo around, he was a sharp mind indeed, and she dug deep into her memory to remember Armaldo the Explorer.
Armaldo the Outlaw first to her memory. He'd done his time and been released. In that time and since he'd never been a big shot, on the run for an aggressive robbery, he kept his head down and eyes forwards.
She hadn't even known he was Guildmaster Wigglytuff's mentor until recently. Such a strange figure, but a difficult one to work around. He was sharp, too sharp.
It was getting harder.
The longer she went without Indeedee's 'grace', the harder she found it to keep her thoughts pure. There were no sinners around to restrain the Hunger grappling at the corners of her mind, knocking and begging to be let in as to feast.
Her eyes found themselves locked on Espurr and the way his throat moved as he talked. Espurr were often high-strung with the need to contain their explosive power. High blood pressure meant she could see a vein sticking out under his fur pulsing with his lifeblood that would be so easy to-
No. She moved her eyes; he was getting uncomfortable anyway. And stared at Marowak instead. Those two were never far from each other. She'd seen and heard them bicker and almost wondered why they stuck together so closely, but this behaviour was neither newly caused by the recent stress nor was it unwelcome.
It was a mark of friendship, of the enjoyment of their friendship and served to keep them both together in this terrible time. Marowak probably didn't mean to smack Espurr as often as he did, as she'd heard him whisper embarrassed apologies that Espurr seemed surprised to hear but happy to accept.
Marowak never before had she seen or heard of a pokémon like that. He was not a Ground-type; she could see that plain and clear. He was still living, even if he was a ghost. His chest moved with the intake of breath, and he lit his fiery bone by rubbing it on his head, no scorch mark seen. The helmet seemed a little more than just a helmet in his case.
Still, it could probably be removed along with most of the skin of his head, revealing the real bone underneath and the helpless grey matter of his-
Stop.
Tempo could feel herself falling out of rhythm, her voice becoming rougher and more akin to Guildmaster Clefable, who took no-nonsense and made sure everyone knew it. She pulled herself back together and excused herself from that pair's company.
She was just strange. Just an odd outsider. They were odd too, nothing concerning about it.
She hated the way both of their eyes tracked her as she walked off. They were suspicious, that could not do. You know what to do about that, Tempo. You know all too well.
She stepped back into Rhythm with the Trill of the Soothe and-and-and-and-and.
Walkedranawayscreamingsilently
Tempo chuckled as she walked into step alongside the Blossoming sunflora, who glanced at her in query.
"You wouldn't get it," she said, still chuckling under her breath. "Just a little bit of crazy, don't mind me."
The weight of her shadow ensured Sunflora didn't try and step away, her presence too magnificent to be drawn away from so soon. She could see a few paths ahead, along with the location of a dungeon or three.
Her mouth wettened at the thought. It wasn't a physical hunger that could be sated with food, but her body reacted the same, nonetheless. She could imagine it now, see the way, know how to lead someone off. It'd just take a moment; one of the violent two she'd been saddled with could be easily blamed for a little bit of murder. She knew they had to be around somewhere unless Rumble had lost his nerve entirely and finally ran off like the loathsome coward he was.
Yes, it'd be easy to yank Sunflora by her leafy arm, maybe rip it off in the process, into a dungeon and then do what needed to be done. Indeedee would reward her for cleaning up her loose ends and-
Indeedee.
Tempo bitdefiedherHerlipmaster and rejected peacetranscendence like the foolhero she was meant to be.
She wondered how much longer she could keep this up for. To reject the gnawing hunger feeding on her bloodied mind left her feeling like she hadn't slept for three days straight, old aches from ancient wounds long forgotten reared their heads, her heart sunk deeper down as her mind flicked through failures across her career, innocents who she had lost to cruel creatures unbefitting the name of pokémon.
There was no point resisting; she knew that. Only for later, for later she told herself over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and
Sunflora, who was not blossoming, was feeling twin thoughts creeping up in her mind. Both too terrible to contemplate out loud.
She feared.
She feared.
She feared.
She was so afraid of them both.
'She murders the inmates to control the Hunger, which is just… isn't that simply justice?'
Sunflora was a very smart pokémon.
'GET WORD TO THEM, JUST GO, JUST RUN!'
Why were people dying for her?
'I'm so, so, sorry. You don't need to forgive me. Just get to the guild, get out of here right now.'
With a heart rent into pieces that were stomped on, set on fire, then dissolved in the acid of Melody's betrayal.
As they began to near the destination point, Sunflora began to contemplate actions that would warrant a trip to Azumarill.
Azumarill, who had lost her son. Azurill had lost his brother. And she'd just run as the rest of the guild fought.
They kept running.
Running.
So much running.
When does it end, Blossom?
Rai and Mane were a little overwhelmed, leaving it to Arashi to activate the chain of orbs to summon the search crews back out to them.
"And that's what he said," Rai finished, voice a little blank as he finished explaining what had just happened. "We believe him."
Krokorok raised a hand. "Should we believe him?"
Totodile had gone the colour of old fish. "I-Indeedee is going to…? Ugh, I can still hardly imagine that…."
Krokorok shrugged. "I kinda believe it more if it was her." As eyes turned to him, he explained. "No one's that nice without any motive behind it, especially not a mayor."
"Indeedee's live off gratitude though," Totodile argued, although his voice was weak.
"Which is kinda the perfect disguise, really," Krokorok replied. "Who'd ever suspect someone like that to be a crazy psycho super maniac? It seems so unlikely it flips right back around into obvious."
Totodile glanced down, trying to digest this information.
"Inquisitive: Then what is our next move?" Metang asked intently.
Rai and Mane shared a look. "Well, we need to get a warning to town as soon as possible," Rai said.
"And probably go back to help too," Mane added.
They both looked to Team Tasty. Or, rather, just one of them.
Swellow stiffened up under their gaze and looked uncomfortable as more eyes turned to him. "I-uh."
"You can do it!" Wurmple said assuredly, nodding firmly. "No one's faster than you, Swellow."
He swallowed, neck bobbing. "I could…yeah, I mean. Yeah, I'm the only one who can fly and with the Psychic Network down…." He nodded firmly. "I'll fly to Treasure Town as fast as possible!"
Wurmple spun a thread and began to attach some food to it. "You need speed, so carrying the bag will slow you down. You need to eat, though." Apples were great because they quenched some thirst as well.
Swellow bowed his head to lower himself to Wurmple's level, accepting a sticky threaded necklace with some fruits attached to it. "I won't go hungry with this," he said with a smile.
"E-Eep," Wurmple replied before touching heads to Swellow. "Be safe."
Swellow nodded, eyed the group, and then took flight. Time was of the essence, and people did believe in Scout and Team Ion.
"What do the rest of us do?" Krokorok asked, glancing over his claws. "Because you two have got a look on your face like you know where you're going next, but what about the rest of us?"
Rai took on a guilty wince hidden behind Mane as he snorted out a spark. "Yeah, we've got to go. Dammit, fuck, shit, balls," he cursed, claws tearing at the grass. "I swear. Slowly everyone's giving up on the search for Scout. Guardian trusted us to find him, but…."
"But Scout told us he's safe." To stop looking for him. "And now the town's in danger. We probably can't get there in time, but we know where the secret exit to the town is. Hopefully, the town will get out there, and into that area, we can meet up with them there."
"Is that all of us, or…?"
Rai took a breath. "Would you be willing to continue looking for them?"
Krokorok, Totodile, Wurmple, and Metang all shared a look.
"If Treasure Town is in danger," Wurmple began.
"Statement: Then they require pertinent assistance," Metang continued.
"He said he was safe, I guess."
"Eh, I reckon he could still have been forced to say that," Krokorok concluded, getting eyes again. "What? You know that's true. Credit where credit is due, I believe that you know him well enough to spot a lie…on the real one; Substitutes are a bit of a different story, really. I can confirm." He winked.
"I'm not going to ask," Mane said.
"Yeah, because you already know."
He didn't give that the satisfaction of a response.
Besides a smirk, of course, and a little daydream of two Scout's.
"Please?" Rai asked, being cute. "I know it's a lot to ask, and it seems like things just keep on going on and getting worse and worse. Wherever he is, whether he is 'safe' or not, I just…we just…."
Krokorok spared him from having to beg with a wave of his hand. "Don't get your tail in a twist; I don't see why we all need to go running. Again, it's best to verify some stuff. We'll find him while you…three I guess run off to do your important thing."
Rai gave him a smile that wasn't dazzling and blinding in its brilliance but just a small, weary, thankful one that really meant a lot more.
"Supportive Declaration: It is inevitable we find Scout."
Totodile glanced up at Metang. "You didn't need to make that sound so ominous."
"Defiant Reply: Yes, I did."
Wurmple chuckled weakly, not feeling quite the same with Swellow not around. Already, he was out of sight to even the keen-eyed Rai, truly a swift flyer.
Arashi took a breath of the air and then scuffed the ground. "That it then? Are we leaving?"
"You want to come with us?" Rai asked.
"I'm not going to be any help here with these four. I can back you two up, though." I lived in Treasure Town too, went unsaid.
Half a day on the road, three sets of paws leaving soft pawprints on the ground, the clouds grew thick.
"Looks like it's going to rain soon," Mane said, sniffing the air.
"Doesn't look like storm clouds," Rai said levelly; there was a little bit of relief there. Relief that was not shared by Arashi.
"A pity," she sighed. "I could use a run."
Rai smiled at her placatingly, but the smile dropped when she turned away. A distant peel of thunder caused his fur to raise slightly before Mane bumped against him, rubbing against each other as they walked until he caught his nerves.
"If it does start raining, want to find a place to hole up?" Rai asked.
Mane shook his head. "A little rain isn't going to stop me."
Rai smiled and licked his cheek.
Their tails entwined, still rubbing against each other as they walked. There was a familiar weight, a soft smell of dust and other, that was strongly lacking.
Arashi took the front, leaving them to each other a few feet back.
"I wonder if it's about to rain where Scout is?" Mane began. "He could probably use a bath by now."
Rai laughed. "Well, I can't imagine Soothe is going to be grooming him."
"Better fucking not be," Mane growled defensively, claws popping out for a moment.
"Chatot…might," Rai added, a lot softer. That was something hard to imagine still, and if Scout was right, then Rhythm knew that and didn't tell them. Another thing he hid.
Sensing his thoughts, Mane rubbed his cheek against Rai and whispered. "Thinking about Wigglytuff again?"
Rai's golden eyes were pointed down. "Yeah," he admitted. "I just…hate lies so much. I feel like everyone I've ever looked up to has lied to me. Striker, Guardian, Scout, now even Wigglytuff."
"Me too," Mane added softly, his tail still entwined with Rai's.
Rai shook his head. "I didn't exactly look up to you," he said, with a breath of humour to it.
"Did the other night," Mane mumbled. Rai bumped him for being inappropriate, and Mane apologised.
"I swear, if you save that energy for when we see Scout again, the night will be a lot more fun." Arashi made a disgusted noise, and Rai chuckled. "Sorry, sis."
"He's not sorry," Mane claimed with a smirk. He got another bump for that. "Are you sorry for that?"
"Maybe a little. What do I have to do to make it up to you?"
"I can think of a few things," Mane purred. Arashi turned back to stare at them and received innocent kitties in return. She rolled her eyes at them and continued leading.
Rai set his paws in the mark left by Mane's paw, and then Mane did the same, walking very closely. Mane was very warm, and Rai leaned into that warmth.
"Do you think he's been able to sleep at all?" Rai asked, reminded of Mane's warmth and how nicely it was to curl into to fall asleep with. He pressed a little firmer into Mane to imply.
"I don't see him cuddling with Soothe," Mane replied dryly. It was better to make jokes than to imagine.
Rai understood. They'd been having trouble sleeping, and at least they still had each other.
"He's going to be very cranky then," Rai said, choosing to joke as well. "Might need to take a nap first."
"First?"
"First."
"Been a while since I've slept with two guys."
"Haaha. You can't control it, can you?"
Mane nipped his nose. "Nope."
Rai beamed at him for a moment, golden eyes bright for a moment. These were the perfect moments for that third voice to pile in on it, and even this long apart hadn't broken that inherent expectation.
There was no voice.
Rai and Mane's smiles both dipped, and they both glanced behind them. There was no weight on their backs as a silly cat decided to lay on them both; he was so light either one of them could carry him with no problem.
"Is he eating, do you think?" Rai asked.
"Better be," Mane mumbled, traces of smoke coming from his nose at the thought of what he might do to Soothe if she'd been mistreating him.
"Chatot would make sure…right?"
Not if he was a Shadow, Mane didn't say.
"I'm… I'm getting feelings like post Temporal Tower," Rai admitted. "When it was the two of us left."
Mane's expression became pained for a moment; he'd been feeling similar things. "It's not the same," he said with confidence. "He's still alive. They all are."
For now, went unsaid.
However, they both heard it, and their tails nearly slipped from each other with the burning need to race forwards rashly.
However, they didn't, and Mane's tail tightened around Rai's. Holding onto each other, pulling strength and giving it.
They'd had to lean on each other a great deal during that time. So many had been lost, and yet, strangely enough, they were all back. Even Chatot.
The memories were hard to dwell on, much easier to look forward to what was reclaimed than the time it was almost all lost. Mane pressed firmly against Rai. They had both dealt with the pain in different ways but had done it together.
Rai had thrown himself into work, trying to honour their memories. Mane had gone along with it out of disinterest to do anything. He could just lay around in bed all day, but Rai had made sure to pull him out every day.
It had still taken weeks to months for Mane to realise that the effort of doing so was breaking Rai under the strain, and he fought to stand for himself again. They both slipped a lot, but with each other, they hadn't given up until both of them could stand again, supporting each other.
"I don't know if I can handle losing Scout again," Rai said softly. "The first time was so hard, I can't even imagine doing it again."
"That's not… it's not anything we'll have to deal with," Mane said, trying to be as confident as always.
Rai was no luxray; he could see through Mane, though.
"It won't," he repeated, nearly stumbling as their legs bumped into each other when he pressed some more heated weight against him. "It's Scout!"
Rai's eyes lightened a little, and Mane realised he not only said the right thing, but he believed it too.
They both smiled.
"Yeah," Rai agreed. "Nothing keeps him down."
"Escaped the Dark Future on his own cleverness," Mane hummed.
"Fought through Temporal Tower with Sean and I, even despite his injuries."
"Came back from the paradox."
"Went through the Dream."
They both sighed. "He'll be okay," Mane said, believing it a little more now. "Because it's Scout. He always is in the end."
Rai nodded, first unsurely, then again with emphasis. "And we will too! We can't be wrecks when we see each other again."
"We're allowed to cry, though…."
"Of course."
"Good. Because I will." Rai loved the way Mane said that with his usual cocky confidence, emotional and still himself.
"Good," Arashi muttered, their ears flicking as she spoke up again. She felt their eyes on her and turned away. "It's good to hear. I've heard about Team Ion being co-dependent, and I had concern."
"We're allowed to be concerned about our friend," Mane snapped.
"Teammate," Rai added.
"And partner," they both growled. She seemed surprised at the reaction to her words.
Rai took a breath and cooled off. "Yeah, we used to be," he admitted. "We've worked on it, though."
"Not like you-" Mane began, but Rai bumped him before he said something that was purely just spiteful, and he shut his jaw.
Arashi pinched her mouth and gave something resembling a nod, backing off. She didn't apologise, but Rai didn't expect one from her.
Time passed, and Treasure Town was destroyed in Shadows and fire. Rai and Mane directed Arashi's footsteps, as they knew where the escape tunnel left out. They walked into mostly uncharted forests populated mostly by wild pokémon.
They gave warnings to those pokémon as they passed through, just for the general danger of the times that had come.
What they didn't know was that there were hunters in these woods.
And despite Tempo's considerations, Rumble and Kogeki had not disappeared.
Kogeki prowled through the woods, hunting for any sign. Any at all.
And Rumble had a score yet to settle.
Scout rubbed his ear; he had gotten water in it or something as it wouldn't stop popping. "Are you okay?"
He was looking at Soothe, who had not really moved her facial expression in a good few minutes.
They were just walking, the usual Lord of the Ring fair. Trill could fly, and so he did, but that left Scout on the ground with Soothe.
"Fine," Soothe replied, finally shifting her expression slightly. She was a creepy person, but that was getting a little much.
"Okay, because I don't think you've blinked in a few good minutes." He could imagine a squelch as Soothe then blinked a few times at him. "Okay, Baby-Doll Eyes."
"Save it for your mates," she scoffed, turning her whole upper body towards him to speak and then all the way back.
"You're being extremely creepy. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine."
"Are you sure?"
"Fuck off, Scout."
"Okay, I believe you a little more now." Soothe had two default states. Angry and swearing. At least one of them was still intact.
Scout's ears continued to pop as he looked up, a normal non-evil shadow cresting over him as Trill swooped down to land.
"I believe it's time to shift the eyes in the sky," he said. Soothe nodded jerkily and then continued to walk slowly into the air.
"I'm never going to get used to that," Scout said, watching as Soothe just created Protect platforms below her feet, creating a temporary staircase for her to just…walk into the sky before continuing tens of metres above him. "Doesn't she feel like she could fall?"
"Even if she did, she'd just form another platform," Trill said. He wasn't as perturbed at the sight, being a bird. Still odd, though, an audino apparently just walking in the air like it was nothing strange was, in fact, a strange sight.
"So, she's a little worrying at the moment," Scout said quietly. Soothe had very big ears, but the higher up she went, the less likely she could hear him.
"Shouldn't talk about someone who can probably hear you," Trill said disapprovingly.
"Well, eavesdropping is also wrong," Scout replied sassily.
Trill raised an eye at him, and Scout frowned. "You have to admit, since purifying Team A.W.D, she's gotten a little…." He didn't really have words for it, but the silence was an explanation in of itself.
Trill ruffled his feathers. "Perhaps, Soothe is a very strong individual, however. One does not endure a monster for near-twenty years by being fragile."
"Yeah…but she can't last forever," Scout replied. "I mean, I angered you enough to go into Reverse Mode…and there's only ever been warnings that Shadow Pokémon can't last forever, without whatever Indeedee does to suppress that, she's been away from Indeedee for a long time."
Trill didn't reply at first. Scout was right and to hear his own worries said out loud was stressful. "If it comes to it," he said slowly. "I am confident in you. You stopped me. You stopped Team A.W.D. You can prevent Soothe as well."
Scout nodded; he was afraid of that, though. It really only made him more anxious, needing to be on his guard at every single moment in case Soothe finally snapped on them. He doubted he'd be sleeping any better in the nights to come.
"However, I have faith in Soothe," he said, laying a wing on Scout's shoulder. "Truly, I do. She will not be a danger to us."
"I hope you're right," Scout muttered, glancing up at Soothe again, walking in the sky, keeping an eye and ear out for dangers. His ears wouldn't stop popping, and he saw Trill work his jaw to pop his own. "I really hope you're right."
Took a while to get here, sorry I've been working a lot. Not as long of a chapter either, mostly just a transitional chapter with sad in it because everyone is sad.