Hey guys, it's Vixal with another chapter. Another thanks to HotRamen for being my lovely beta! Hopefully you enjoy it!
Chapter 4: The Journey Onwards
It had been two weeks since Sonata had returned to the mountain, and the Normal type duo had been hard at work. Quintus still hadn't mastered Sunny Day, but Supersonic was a walk in the forest for him. The technique was natural to him, and it came as easily as any punch or kick. He had even learned how to move the energy he could harness to other locations on his body, like using his fire on his fists instead of spitting it out of his mouth like a grain of sand. His metallic mentor had even taught him a move aptly named "Take Down," where he would rush his opponent, similar to a basic Tackle, but focusing his energy on his front instead of his entire body. The trio worked hard to teach the Whismur new skills, and the Loudred even helped Ferrous to perfect the Sunny Day technique that he had picked up so quickly.
The Big Voice Pokemon trained tirelessly, constantly sparring and practicing techniques and moves in the many empty caverns that the mountain consisted of. The Pokemon of Hennal Mountain came to watch her, drawing in crowds of dozens to see the damage done to the rock. Some would even attempt to imitate her, and she would slip out of form in order to correct theirs. Having a second powerful newcomer in the past few months had made the denizens of the mountain curious, with the population becoming battle hungry. Fights were becoming more and more common as the 'mon watched their king and his protege train. But this new face was more intense, and no one could help themselves from watching Sonata spar and train. She was stronger than Quintus was, and almost as strong as the metallic monster himself. Even the strongest brutes of the region could not hold their own against her. Day after day, a new 'mon crawled out of the rocks they hid behind to challenge the Normal type, and none could best her.
Even with all of this going on, the knight still found the time to train her newfound friend. Even more than moves, she taught her pre-evolution the best ways to channel energy, and proper fighting forms that his quadruped mentor could not. He still had no chance of beating her, but every day, the Whismur improved.
"Do you ever think I will be as strong as you, Sonata?"
"Maybe," she replied, "if you train hard and fight tough opponents. But you will get stronger much easier if you visit Dungeons."
"Dungeons?"
The Loudred scratched her head and sighed. "Right, I had forgotten. Dungeons, or Mystery Dungeons, are areas like the Denaid Forest where Pokemon are completely feral, and will attack you on sight. They are an unnatural phenomenon, and they change depending on who enters. Each one is separated into floors, and these floors are connected by supernatural stairs. Not much is understood about the inner workings, but they are great places to train. Traveling to Dungeons is how I became so powerful. Obviously, your mentor has never left his kingdom, and he is much stronger than me. Why that is, I do not know, but he is strong beyond measure. If he evolved…"
"What do you think is stopping him from evolving?"
"My guess? Nothing. He most likely has no desire to evolve."
"What about you?"
"Me?" The Loudred had not been asked about evolution for months, and the thought had not crossed her mind in almost as long. "I suppose I have no need. There have been no major threats to my kingdom, or my person, since I became a knight. I am also more mobile as I am now. Evolving would force me to switch the way I battle, and I can not afford to change. That can wait until Agni is dealt with, and only Mew knows when that will be."
"I'd like to evolve. My body would be stronger, and it would be easier to fight. Plus, you and Ferrous wouldn't be so much taller than me."
She laughed at her smaller counterpart and rubbed the top of his head. I still remember being a Whismur, so it makes sense to me. Do not worry, you will get far larger than I currently am. Males of our own species are much bigger than females."
"Do you see males often?"
"What kind of question is that?"
"I mean…"
"Never mind, I would rather not know. You should evolve soon, but it seems like something stunted your growth. We are not far in age, so it is an oddity that you are still in your first form. No matter, you are close to being a Loudred yourself. If you take more than two months, then something is preventing you. Perhaps you have a sliver of Everstone lodged in your body? I have heard of stranger things."
He shuddered and turned away. "Don't even joke about that, the thought is terrifying. I'm already frustrated that I haven't evolved yet, you don't have to rub it in."
"It was no jest," she giggled, "but merely a possibility. That kind of stone is particularly useful when you have no reason to evolve, like me. I do not use one, but I have the willpower to hold myself back from becoming an Exploud. Not all Pokemon can say the same."
"Do you think I should evolve when my body is ready?"
"Your fighting will be the same in either form. It will not change until your final evolution, when you will be slower and your elemental powers will be far stronger than your physical ones. I have been told it takes some getting used to."
"I see...then, perhaps it is a good idea to wait to evolve for you. But i'll be working my hardest to make it to your stage!" The Whismur exclaimed and threw a fist in the air.
The Loudred giggled and shook her head. "I certainly hope so, little Quintus. I certainly hope so."
The new couple hadn't taken long to gather a group of 'mon they trusted. A group of nine was perfect for their surveying mission, and they were all capable fighters. Of course, travelling through a Dungeon, around the mountain, and camping next to another Dungeon was not an ideal trip, but there wasn't much to be done about the conditions. If anything, they could just find a cave to sleep in. It would certainly be easier than attempting to hide in the tree line without accidentally entering Denaid Forest.
The team consisted of the royal Nidorino and his new mate, a pair of male Primeapes, a female Vigoroth, a male Leafeon, a male Bunnelby, and an Arbok and his Seviper mate. A perfect mix of offense, strategy, and stealth to make the team well rounded, and an intelligent captain to lead them. It was needless to say that they had high hopes for their expedition.
It was the perfect set up for disappointment.
To begin with, a large portion of their food went "missing" almost immediately, and the 'mon were quick to blame one another for its disappearance.
"You ate it, you dirty ape! You're alwaysss talking about how much you love food!" Hissed the Arbok.
"Maybe you ate it! Or perhaps your mate, who can't seem to open her own mouth! Own up to it, you dirty worm!" One of the Primeape beat his chest, the other holding him back as the Seviper held back her mate.
"Quiet!" The team paused and looked towards their leader. "It matters not who ate the food! We have other things to worry about. I will not tolerate infighting during this trip, and I promise any who disobey will be punished to the full extent of my power. We can scavenge for food around the area, even hunt Wilds if it comes to it. We need to set out quickly in order to observe the mountain range. Now get a move on!"
The group grabbed their bags and set down the road once more. It didn't take them long to arrive at the entrance of the Forgotten Oasis, and after a quick meeting, they entered the Dungeon. Which led to problem two: although it varied from Dungeon to Dungeon, most could not handle having more than two or three outsiders inside at a time. In this case, it was two, and so four trips had to be made. And someone had to be alone.
"We should draw straws!" A voice called out.
"No, it should be the strongest!" Another said.
"No, let's do Fire, Grass, Water!" A third voice rang.
"I will be going through alone." The Arcanine said, silencing the party. "No one can run faster than me, and I can go first to keep guard on the other side."
The Poison type protested, but his mate would not yield. "We will be together on the other side, little prince. In the meantime, it would be good for you to talk to your general's son." The duo looked at the Ground type at the edge of the group.
"Fair point, Celeria. I will see you then."
"It won't be long, don't die without me." The Fire type joked, and then ran after licking his nose. Ignoring his shouts of protest, the Legendary Pokemon entered the dungeon, the entrance closing up around her like a set of teeth.
Sorry about the short chapter today, I have been working like a maniac and trying to maintain some semblance of a social life. I promise the next chapter will be longer, and (hopefully) better written. Thanks for reading!