Episode 1: Clash on Fossil Hill
Everything was black and red. The jagged floor, the skeletons littered all over it, the gravestones, even the sky, which looked like it was made of metal and machines. Parts of that sky broke off with rains of rocks and dust in the distance, where they fell into a boundless red abyss. The red was so bright that it hurt to look at, but the hue darkened the further into the distance it went.
Aside from the muffled crumbles, Crystal's frantic breaths were all she could hear. She dared to take a step forward, where her feet crunched on bones and crusty earth. Then, pillars of blue light shredded the red hue from below. There were six lights in total. The blue lights flew up and swerved through the ruins like serpentine dragons. They swirled and combined to create a giant sword. It was a perfectly white sword with holes along its blade, like the windows of a skyscraper.
Suddenly, everything went silent. That irritating silence that isn't truly silence, but a silence where a high pitched beep constantly splits through your head. A moment later, an angry, aged, authoritative voice spoke:
"Do it. Stop wasting time and do it. Kill them all."
…
In a flash, Crystal came to. One moment she was lost in her dreams, the next, she was aware she had been asleep. The Piplup kept her eyes shut as she settled her breath, which she seemed to be out of. First thing's first. She was under a warm blanket, and definitely on a mattress. She couldn't hear anything worth an alarm. There were Ruby's familiar snores, and the shuffles of someone else in the room. She slowly opened her eyes, but had to rub them to adjust to the dull light. Urgh. That dream again.
A wooden ceiling greeted her. The woodwork combined with vines and nails to tell of a well-built home, even better than the nursery. To her right was a wall of the same work. To her left, a carpeted bedroom. An Oshawott stumbled away from her, twiddling their paws.
"Y-you're awake," he said almost as quiet as a whisper. She was instantly drawn to the leaf on his headband, which changed colour from a light blue to bright green. He blushed, rubbed his face, glanced side to side, and stumbled a bit. "U-uh, e-er, is everything okay? D-d-do you feel alright, lass?"
She sat up and searched the room more. Ruby snored away in a hammock beside her. A shelf overflowing with books lined the entire right side of the room. There were no windows, but a flower with a glowing centre hung from the ceiling to brighten the place. There was a desk with a board in front too, and it was covered from top to bottom in written notes.
"I'm… okay. Wait, I'm okay?" she gasped. She shook Ruby beside her. "Ruby, wake up. We're okay!"
"Urgh, not now. Gimme the crunchy one." The Cyndaquil squirmed. Crystal's eyes narrowed, and then she hopped up to peck Ruby's head continuously. That got her to jolt awake, but threw Crystal to the floor. "Who what where, who dares?"
"Ruby, we're okay!" Crystal cheered.
"We are?" Ruby cocked her head. She perked up and spat out a ball of flame into the air. "Ugh, wa-wait, I'm—"
"R-Ruby?" Crystal leaned back.
"Is everything alright? You shouldn't—" Oshawott tried to say.
"Just get outta the way!" Ruby shouted.
It sounded like she almost threw up on the last syllable as she began to exhale a stream of fire into the middle of the room. Crystal and the Oshawott tripped out of the way, jaw dropped. Half a minute later, Ruby finally calmed down with heavy breaths and a groan.
"What in the world?" A new Pokémon shouted as they burst into the room. They was greeted by everyone's dumbfounded looks and an awkward silence. Ruby's fire hadn't hit anything, but it did make the room uncomfortably humid.
Despite the Pokémon's cute appearance, Crystal's first response was to reach for her quiver, which she realised she didn't have. This adult was a blue bunny Pokémon with a white pattern of bubbles around her lower half. She was totally round like an egg, with stubby arms and legs, but long, dangly ears.
"You're awake. But what was all that noise?" the egg Pokémon asked, totally confused.
"That was, er," Crystal muttered, a flipper on her bottom beak.
"It was a never mind. Just, tiring things," Ruby huffed as she was short of breath. The bunny Pokémon mumbled something, and then smiled with hands on her hips.
"Well, that's one way to let me know you're up. I'm glad you're awake, because I was pretty worried! You two were right in the middle of that Bestia drained zone," the Pokémon said with a smile. "My name's Azu. I'm a professor in this region, an Azumarill. I assume you've already met Shelly, so what're your names?"
"Bestia drained… oh gods, right. That happened," Ruby whispered. She hung her head. "But we're alive and stuff. Did you save us?"
Azu nodded. "I did. You guys were right in middle of dead land, trees and stuff. You must be lucky I was in the area. You don't sound like you've suffered any degradation."
"Degradation? U-uh, please excuse me," Crystal gasped, and stood front and centre to bow. "My name is Crystal, and my friend is Ruby. We're coming from Lillistep Village, but we got attacked by a monster."
"You're even luckier, then. No particularly notable monsters were around when I found you. Shelly's healing must've worked wonders, too," Azu commented. Crystal glanced at the Oshawott, assuming that was Shelly. He hid his face again, though. "So… I'll get straight to business. About those amulets on your necklaces."
Crystal looked at her amulet, and then Shelly, surprised to see he had one, too. Does she know what these are?
"I met a couple just like you a little while ago, a Brionne and a Stufful who had amulets, too. I wish I'd been brave enough to ask them… Did your group get separated or something?" Azu inquired.
"Oh! Something like that. We're actually meeting Pokémon like that at a place called Fossil Hill." Ruby stepped forward. "Do you know how to get there from here? It's pretty important."
"And they asked the exact same thing, so now I know I'm onto something. You kids are the Shining Warriors, aren't you?" Azu asked, putting her hands together.
Crystal turned to Ruby. "That's what Angel said. We'll meet the other Shining Warriors there or something."
"Eeeee! I was right, I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!" Azu bounced on the tips of her feet. The sphere on the end of her zigzag tail glowed a brighter blue, too. "I could tell from the amulets, but I had to be sure. What a stroke of fate this is!"
"E-erm, er, I—" Shelly tried to say as he stepped closer. "I-I'm actually a Shining Warrior, too. We all have to go together."
"Whoa, seriously? We just, casually woke up next to one of the heroes? That's cool," Ruby said. "This is easier than I thought it'd be."
"The thing is, I just so happen to be deep in the study of Bestia. What that energy is, where it comes from, what it actually does for us, and if there's any other way we can save Heroica without it… a-admittedly, my research hasn't led to anything useful so far. I was beginning to think it never would," Azu explained. She pumped an arm, and her tail lit up again. "My studies led me to the Shining Warrior legend, though. So when I saw you guys' amulets, it was like all my work bearing fruit. Real Shining Warriors! Right before my eyes! During my generation!"
"Heh. It's kinda nice being talked about like I'm special for once. My power's finally getting some recognition," Ruby commented.
"You would say that." Crystal rolled her eyes, making her frown. "We don't have anything special, though. We've only just gotten started. Wait, oh my gosh- is Lillistep Village okay?"
"Oh. Erm, Crystal—" Ruby said.
"Miss Azu, do you know about the village? We should go back there!" Crystal gasped.
"There was a fire a few days ago, but it went out pretty quickly. Rescue Pokémon went in and out. Barely any different to most of the disasters happening every now and then." Azu swayed side to side with a hand by her mouth.
"Plus!" Ruby shoved Crystal to get her attention. "We already agreed we'd have faith in Mum that everything would be alright. For us, we need to focus on getting to Fossil Hill to meet the other warriors. So Azu, how do we do that?"
"Really, Ruby? You're really going to act like that now?" Crystal groaned.
"Act like what? We actually did promise, and you said it yourself," Ruby raised her voice.
"But things have changed. We got knocked out and stuff. Who knows if Evark went to the village while we were out or something. Everyone could be in even more danger!" Crystal cried.
"Think about it, Crystal. Evark wanted us, not the village. If something really happened, we wouldn't be here. We'd have been eaten!" Ruby raised her voice. "Besides, Angel said it was super important we focus on the journey and all that."
"Ugh, you've been so selfish lately. You only care this right now because it benefits you." Crystal turned away. Ruby made a sound, but didn't say anything.
"Well er, I was going to propose... Two of the warriors already went on their way, so what say the four of us trek after them?" Azu said. "Fossil Hill's not far from here. If you two are feeling alright, we can probably catch up to them."
"Then what're we waitin' for? C'mon Crystal, let's shake a leg," Ruby cheered. "You as well, mister leafy water type."
"H-huh?" Shelly flinched.
"You're being awfully perky all of a sudden, too. But I guess I feel alright now," Crystal mumbled, turning to the Oshawott. "Try not to mind her. What's your name? We should get to know each other and all."
Shelly's leaf flashed as pink as his cheeks for a moment, and he hid it poorly by scratching his face. "E-erm, Shelly. I'm Shelly."
"Aww, no need to be shy. We can be friends, since we're going to travel together," Crystal said happily. That made Shelly smile, but he couldn't stop playing with his paws.
"And that was suddenly perky of you, too," Ruby added with a smug look.
"I'm telling the truth, and I'm not just thinking about myself," Crystal replied, eyes shut and flippers folded.
"Alright. We'll play it like this for now," Ruby rolled her eyes.
"Heh, I can tell this is going to be lively. Follow me a second," Azu suggested, and jogged out of the room. The girls followed her down a hallway lined with cardboard boxes and framed paintings, where they arrived at an even bigger room. "Over here. Your stuff is over here."
Crystal and Ruby stopped at the entrance, while Shelly didn't seem to be too fazed. Boxes, papers, beakers, slabs and stacks of metal, wood, and all other kinds of materials were littered all over the place. It was a maze of messy piles that threatened to topple like dominoes if you tripped over one thing.
"Oh right, sorry! I'm used to living alone, so I don't normally tidy up. I get super into my studies and stuff," Azu giggled, scratching her back.
"Uh… huh," Crystal muttered as she waddled over. She was surprised to see her bag and quiver looked to be sturdier than before. All her things were inside.
"It was pretty banged up, so I tried my best to sew it back together," Shelly said at her curious look.
"You? Sewed it? My umbrella, too?" Ruby quizzed, admiring it. "What kinda guy sews stuff?"
"Does it matter? It looks better than before. Thank you," Crystal remarked. He cowered behind his paws again, making her giggle.
Meanwhile, Azu rummaged through the piles like she knew where everything was. She came out with a bag of her own and a staff that was as tall as she was. The staff had a yellow, five-pointed star on the end. She strapped it to her back and then posed with hands on her hips. "Alright, I'm good to go. We're going to need to be quite fast, so keep up with me!"
She pushed past the trio and they nearly knocked some piles over. Shelly stayed as unbothered as before though, so they shrugged and followed. Another hallway lined with framed paintings led to the exit. They were greeted by a vegetable garden nestled between tall cliffs, and then beyond that, Crystal came to a complete stop.
Grass as tall as her went as far as the eye could see. Tall cliffs stretched into the sky, many of them with waterfalls that filled the air with misty moisture and an exciting splash. All of the water connected to a single river than ran throughout the area, going over and under the vast fields to create mini islands. It was like a natural peninsula had formed with little rocky bridges and coastlines. Wherever she looked, nature was in full burst.
"Hey, stop dawdling! This way!" Azu waved. Crystal nodded and laughed to herself as she ran ahead.
"I've never seen anything like this," Ruby whispered.
"This is Beau Falls. It's just the mystery dungeon right outside Misgeriom Woods. You know that area, right? We're really not far from Lillistep," Azu informed.
As they neared the river, the soil grew softer, and then wet enough to make splashes. It didn't bother them at all, even if it did get muddy. This area exuded too much life to be mad at. Ledyba fluttered about the plants, Horsea poked out of the river to sing, while flocks of Oricorio danced by the trees. With sunlight like this, Crystal was tempted to dive into the water to try and dance, too.
"Wait, this place is a mystery dungeon? Wasn't that your house back there?" Ruby asked.
"Yep," Azu said without turning around.
"… You live in a mystery dungeon?" Ruby added.
"Where do you think all those other Pokémon live?" Azu laughed. "Besides, this area's perfect for growing stuff. I haven't had to buy from a Kecleon shop in months. A-and, well, I've not had the money buy anything in months, so…"
Crystal expected to be attacked after learning it was a mystery dungeon, but at most, the Pokémon watched them warily. They reached the cliffs at one end, where she took a look back to see many curious eyes on them. Peacefully curious eyes, the kind a Lillipup gives you when you're telling it a story.
She also expected to have to climb the cliffs, but the road settled into hills they could walk up. The misty taste in the air was replaced by something a little more stale. Water filled up small ditches and holes in the floor at the feet of the cliffs by their sides, which kept the air clean and cool. A few of the ledges on the cliffs even had flowers on them, while the floor was still a little loamy. It was a great shame to have to jog through the area. She would love to live here.
"So, is there a particular reason why you all chose to meet at Fossil Hill? Or why the heroes are separated to begin with?" Azu finally slowed down. The grass was shorter here too, so she could relax a little more, too.
"We don't actually know. This amulet showed up round my neck one day, and then a Togekiss told me I had to go here," Crystal recalled, holding up her necklace. "The same thing happened to Ruby. She said she would explain herself fully once we all got there."
"I didn't even notice my amulet. But a Togekiss called Angel did show up to tell me I had it," Shelly added. He turned away. "She punted herself into the ground with a great big bang! It nearly hurt a load of Pokémon."
"Heh, you've got a funny accent, you know that?" Ruby perked up.
"Ruby, don't be rude!" Crystal lightly slapped her.
"What? I'm being honest," she giggled.
"But you as well? Angel slammed into the floor in front of me, too. She must have a bad habit," Crystal said.
"That Angel fellow of yours is supposedly the Shining Warriors' guide," Azu informed. She put a hand to her chin. "But the way the legend is supposed to go, the warriors are meant to converge at a Bestia Fountain at the point that it opens up. Like, your fates are supposed to intertwine, and then she appears. That's the way it's been in all the diaries and records I've read."
"So she told us to go there instead of waiting for fate, huh? About time old stories stopped relying on that stuff," Ruby said. "I make my own fate, and that's getting revenge on you-know-who."
"Someone I should know?" Azu wondered.
Ruby's tone grew lower. "He's a bug type. A kinda big one. I guess he's kinda yellow? And has this really big staff with a moon on the end. Ever seen 'im?"
"Would you believe me if I told you that was vague?" Azu's eyes narrowed.
"What, seriously?" Ruby gasped.
"I've seen a lot of Pokémon all over. I haven't exactly gone travelling, but I have moved habitat a fair few. I've seen plenty of yellow bug types with staves taller than themselves," Azu stated.
"Oh. Well, that sucks. But I'll know him when I see him." Ruby turned away.
"You got a name? Or you could draw him. Wanted posters work wonders, you know," Azu suggested.
"Oh boy. Ruby and drawing," Crystal commented, and snickered at her thoughts to the others confusion.
"Don't. Don't say anything you little rascal," Ruby growled.
"Ruby couldn't draw a potato if she had a stencil!" Crystal laughed.
"I-I could try drawing it. If you can describe him," Shelly spoke up.
"Before we go on with that, you said this is for revenge, so I sort of jumped to conclusions. If we're going for a wanted poster, it needs to be worth it. So, what're you getting revenge for?" Azu asked.
"Ugh, I just asked if you knew a Pokémon like that or not, I don't wanna give my life story to everybody I ask! Just forget it," Ruby cried.
"Ruby…" Crystal sighed.
"Well, I won't press you. But look alive!" Azu announced and pointed ahead. The cliffs to their sides spread out into a sandy clearing. The grass and water of Beau Falls were replaced by orange grit and yellowing maidenhair trees. "We're here! This is Fossil Hill."
"Oh wait whoa, seriously?" Ruby gasped.
"Yep. Home of the dust tree. Canyons like these go all the way to the coast and some of the unmapped sections of Heroica, so let's hope you heroes get to the stick to the main path," Azu explained as she continued onward.
Ruby glanced back and forth. "That barely took like, half an hour? If the regions were this close, we could've gotten here in a day. Probably back, too."
"Well, we still have to find those two, and this area's pretty big. And a lot more aggressive than the falls. Try not to get too close to- Shelly!" Azu shrieked, making the Oshawott jump. He was beside one of the trees, and him jolting seemed to shake it.
Crystal gasped. The entire tree shed its coat of leaves to shower him in sand and dust. In place of the tree was a very orange Marshtomp, its normally blue skin replaced by the same sandy colours as the ground around them. If not for the way it moved, she could barely see it from this distance.
It gave a gurgled roar at Shelly, who helplessly sneezed from all the dust. Azu stuck an arm out. "Shelly get outta there, now!"
"Ah, he's going to get hit!" Crystal cried as she did her best to quickly nock an arrow.
Shelly managed to get his eyes clear just as the Marshtomp had both arms raised, and screamed at it. Ruby let out a Flamethrower, which skimmed his head and smothered the Marshtomp. Another gurgled cry filled the air, giving Shelly the chance to stand back and brush himself off properly.
"Ruby," Crystal gasped.
"Don't just stand there dillydallying, that barely did anything. Get over there!" Ruby ordered, back flared and ready for battle.
"R-right." Crystal nodded and rushed over. Azu looked like she wanted to say something, but passed it off to join Crystal and Shelly.
"Lots of the terrain you see around here is actually dust bunnies that feral Pokémon use for camouflage. They'll attack if you go near," Azu explained. She spun to pull her staff from her back, and held it in both hands. "As for this guy, aim for the stomach."
"Why there? Isn't the weak spot the head?" Ruby asked. She had her umbrella out, and danced on her toes.
Azu wouldn't get a chance to explain. Marshtomp raised both arms, shouted at them, and then charged headfirst toward her. She slid aside at the last moment and stuck her staff out so that Marshtomp's neck crashed into it. It coughed as it slid onto its back, where Ruby was right there, ready to hammer into it with the Parashelter. She obeyed Azu and aimed for its belly.
A satisfying snap sounded out, along with a choked cough as the Marshtomp coiled into a tight U shape. She hopped away as it sprung to its feet, prepared for its next attack. However, it turned tail and ran instead, disappearing down a ledge not far from them.
"Really? That was it?" Ruby commented. She looked at her umbrella sceptically. "Huh. This thing is stronger than I expected."
"Well, it's only a timid feral Pokémon. Marshtomp aren't exactly as fierce as a Krookodile," Azu said. "The Marshtomp here are adjusted to the region and the lack of Bestia. They fight using their heads, so they're a lot harder than the heads of most domesticated water types. But their stomachs…"
"Are… soft? That's weird to think about, but Ruby's attack clearly hurt. Er, never mind. Shelly, are you okay?" Crystal cocked her head. He didn't respond right away. He sat there with a blank stare, frozen like he'd been hit by Sheer Cold. "Hello? Heroica to Shelly?"
"H-huh? A-ah, right. I'm okay, I'm fine," he staggered, scratching the back of his head. His leaf had turned blue.
"Geez, what's with you? First you go pokin' around like a little kid, now you're fallin' asleep on the spot? You're gonna be a hassle, aren't ya?" Ruby complained.
"Sorry." He hung his head.
"Don't be mean, Ruby. How was any of us supposed to know Pokémon would be hiding like that?" Crystal said as she pulled Shelly to his feet. "Let's just keep moving. The Pokémon we're looking for could be anywhere."
"Hmm. I should've warned before we got here," Azu added. "Just watch yourselves, okay? The feral Pokémon are pretty creative with their hiding spots."
She was right. If dust bunnies could be shaped into trees like that one, then they had no idea what was terrain and what was a monster in hiding. Sandy trees, boulders, small slopes, and bumps dotted the area, which seemed to perpetually ascend.
There was a main path marked out by lighter coloured ground, but even that was beset by potholes and waves of dust. The horizon gave away how high up they were, while the area had an irritating clash of cold air and hot sunlight. Add in the dozens of stalagmites that towered in the distance, and Fossil Hill felt like one wrong step would lead to a sharp end.
Ruby suddenly breathed a burst of fire again, making Crystal jump. "Ruby, what in the world?"
The hole she aimed at scared away a group of Grubbin hidden within. High pitched snipping came from behind everyone a second later, and they turned to find a group of Dwebble gathered behind them. They ground their pincers together as they drew closer as if to intimidate.
"Wait what's going on? Why?" Crystal gasped.
"Don't question it, just get ready to fight 'em off. That's how mystery dungeons work," Ruby said, dancing on her toes again.
"If you aim for their shells, you'll never damage them. But they're bugs, so they're pretty soft," Azu informed.
"They're bugs?" Ruby asked.
"Yes, so aim for their—" Azu said, cut off by Ruby's Flamethrower. The flames were spread across the ground, and although they missed the Dwebble directly, they were close enough to set off squeals and send them packing. "Why do you keep doing that?"
"Doing what?" Ruby wondered. Everyone stared at her. "Oh. Yeah. Er, it's easy to rely on, 'kay? And they were bug types, we'd have been there forever if I didn't!"
"After all that trouble to get the umbrella." Crystal rolled her eyes.
"It's not worth the Bestia loss. These feral Pokémon are only trying to survive, too," Azu stated.
"My fire doesn't use up Bestia." Ruby smiled.
Azu paused. "Come again?"
"Yeah I don't get it either, but I've been like this since forever. I can shoot fire without using Bestia at all. But if I don't, my belly starts to hurt real bad," Ruby explained. She turned away from their concerned looks. "Yeah I know, I'm weird, I'm a freak, I should try and be normal, get it over with."
"E-er, I can confirm, actually. Ruby's super strong because of it," Crystal said to Azu. At least she's keeping her eyes closed. There shouldn't be too much attention drawn to us.
"Well, I guess that's a Shining Warrior thing. That sure is a surprise, still," Azu mumbled as she rubbed her face. "I suggest not trying that often if you're near a town, though. Local Pokémon might not be so accepting."
"I know, I know. Don't have to tell me a million times," Ruby groaned.
"Shouldn't we go before more attack?" Shelly pointed.
"Good call. But Azu, why do feral Pokémon attack us, anyway?" Crystal asked, flippers pressed together. "I don't know anything about Dwebble, but it doesn't look like they could eat me."
"Various reasons, depends on the Pokémon and the place. Everywhere has its own food chain, naturally. Some Pokémon hunt for materials, like skin or hide. Some even steal habitats to survive seasonal changes," Azu explained as she walked. She kept her staff out, and habitually hung it on her back. "For us, we're travellers. We may not be the food, but we might be carrying food, Gald, and other goodies they can use. That's why most Pokémon get kicked out of dungeons if they're defeated, rather than killed. They just take what they want and leave us for another day."
"That… actually seems really obvious. But I never thought about it that way," Crystal said.
"Likewise," Azu continued as she bent down. She retrieved a few gold coins half-buried in the sand. "We send the ferals packing, and they'll probably drop the goodies they took from other travellers. Here, it's seventy-five Gald."
"Seventy-five? Just for scaring off those little guys?" Ruby gasped. "We could turn a real profit fighting these things!"
"That's not a lot, though," Shelly commented.
"That's more pocket money than we get in a month!" Crystal cried.
"Wait… what?" Azu tilted her head.
"Ruby, let's fight lots. If we keep getting money like that, we could finally buy those cool cupcakes!" Crystal bounced eagerly.
"I'll finally get to know what cake tastes like," Ruby sighed, starting to drool.
"Wait, you girls start making money and the first thing you think of buying are cupcakes?" Azu gasped.
"It's sadder they've never had cake before," Shelly mumbled.
"Well uh, please don't actually go around fighting everything in sight. Even for heroes, that's an easy way to get yourself killed!" Azu cried.
Crystal didn't need to be told twice. Their trip across the heights of Fossil Hill was slow. Groups of feral Pokémon adjusted to the region confronted them, and each and every time, it was Azu and Ruby that took them down.
Bugs like Grubbin and Anorith popped out from holes, while Vullaby and Vibrava emerged from camouflage. Crystal always took out her bow to attack them, but thanks to Ruby and Azu, she never needed to fire a shot. She couldn't have been more thankful for that.
About an hour into their trip, the ground finally levelled out. The rocky region looked like it continued for miles, but the area was split up by more stalagmites. It was impossible to travel onward without descending the cliffs, except for one rickety bridge at the end of the plain ahead. The bridge creaked loud enough to be heard from the other end of the area.
"You know, this place is supposed to have a temple in it," Azu started again. "I've looked around a fair bit, but I've never once found it. Granted, the last record of it was from some hundreds of years ago, so it could well be gone by now."
"And let me guess: ya think that temple has something to do with us?" Ruby wondered.
"That would be my guess. The Angel told you to meet here of all places, so the temple was probably what she had in mind." Azu put her hand to her lip. "Say, is there any way to contact her? That would make this easier."
"If we knew, we'd have done it by now," Ruby said.
Crystal heard them loud and clear, but she was too zoned out to respond. Unlike the main road, this spot was eerily different. There were no trees, no dents, no holes. Not one hiding spot.
"Ugh. I'd have hoped we'd spot a Brionne and a Stufful from a mile away. We might need a plan," Azu groaned.
I wonder if we could set up some kind of flare or beacon? That might draw all the ferals to us, though, Crystal thought. Her heart raced and head was going crazy. She had to slow down to survey as she walked. The scenery looked like it was fluctuating, even though it was hardly hot enough for that. On the surface, there wasn't anything out of the ordinary.
"What about you? You've been super quiet. Don't you have any bright ideas?" Ruby turned to Shelly, who flinched.
"I-I don't know. I don't know what a Brionne or a Stufful look like," he admitted.
"You know what? Neither do I. Crystal, you're the bookworm here," Ruby added.
"M-me?" She flinched, too.
"You've been attacking things on sight all this time and you don't even know who or what we're after?" Azu sighed and came to a stop.
"Yeah, why would I know?" Ruby said. There was a lengthy pause.
Just then, in the corner of her eye, Crystal spotted something very big and brown move, and fast. She instantly reached for her bow, but she when she faced the figure, she found nothing. Nothing but a pawprint in the sand a few paces away.
She gasped and nocked an arrow. The others became wary thanks to her. "Can't you guys see that? We're being watched!"
They were quiet for a few moments, but then it was unmistakable. Several figures moved. They stood tall and became clear as their light brown coats stood out in the blue horizon. Ruby and Azu gasped as they readied for battle, while Shelly squealed and hid between the trio.
Tall, dog-like Pokémon surrounded them on all sides. Their manes were white and sandy with jagged rocks jutting from them, while their long, fluffy tails whipped and flowed in the wind. Crystal counted six of these Pokémon in total, and each one snarled and strafed them with fierce glares from cold blue eyes.
"I'm sorry I didn't notice them earlier. They're Lycanroc, the main predators in this area," Azu explained quietly. She slowly circled alongside Crystal and Ruby, who didn't take their eyes off the enemy for a moment. "They're rock type, too. Your fire might not get us out of this so easily."
"Doesn't mean I won't try!" Ruby shouted and hopped forward.
"Ruby, no!" Azu cried and stuck an arm out.
She was too late. Ruby flared her back and blew out a wild stream of fire at the Lycanroc, who howled and cried out in response. Her attack hit one of them and exploded into a bonfire, while the others were set off into a frenzy.
What followed was difficult to keep track of. The feral Pokémon jumped towards Crystal with fangs and claws bared, and she gasped and skidded back to avoid one. A sharp slash dug into her side despite her attempt to dodge, which she shook off. She was tackled from behind a second later, but she didn't get to see the attacker as they were punched away just as fast. Fangs and a gaping maw appeared to her right, so she rolled left to dodge them, only for her heart to jump as another foot nearly stomped her.
All kinds of madness ensued. Ruby's flames went everywhere, Shelly squeaked and screamed, Azu grunted and growled as she punched and whacked the Lycanroc with her staff. Crystal whimpered and flinched away from an alarming number of close calls, and was forced to shrug off all the hard hits she did take. She was sure she was bitten and kicked a few times, and even singed by Ruby's fire at some point.
Amidst the chaos, Ruby let out a panicked yell that was louder than everything. Crystal snapped her sight to her side to find a Lycanroc had pinned the Cyndaquil beneath its claw. She drew back an arrow and aimed for the head of the Lycanroc, but hesitated. Ruby was pinned by her neck, so the best she could do was cough and choke puffs of fire.
"Ruby!" Azu gave a strained growl. She had a Lycanroc below her foot, while two were being pushed away by the ends of her staff. She stomped the ground to flick her tail and smack another one that was sneaking up behind her.
This left Crystal to have to fight. She knew it. She pulled an arrow back as far as it could go, shut one eye, and locked on to her target. The head of her arrow moved in perfect sync with the struggles of the rock type. All she had to do was let go of that arrow, and it would probably go right through that Lycanroc's head.
I can't! she gasped out loud with her thoughts. That imagery was too gruesome, and she wasn't capable of it. She adjusted her aim to the Lycanroc's leg, but still hesitated with hard shivers. Ruby's cries were harsh and sharp. There was clearly no way Ruby was going to get out from below that monster. Yet she stared, her eyes watering and breath unsettled. What if I wound it? It'll never be able to walk again. I'm not good with an arrow, I could miss and accidentally kill it! I can't kill another Pokémon just to save my sister…
All sorts of comments just like it rushed through her thoughts nonstop, while everything blurred to white except Ruby and that Lycanroc. It was the voice of Suzie, her mother, that she could hear loud and clear. How wrong it was to hurt and to hunt, and how dangerous an influence Ruby apparently was. On one flipper, she had been told to fight like this and go on this journey. On the other, if she let that arrow fly now, she would commit an irreversible sin that she would live with for the rest of her life.
"I-I can't… what do I do?" Crystal whispered sharply.
"Get down! Put your head down!" a manly voice alerted. Crystal squeaked and did as it said, even though it didn't seem to be directed at her. The other Lycanroc began to whimper and yelp, while loud scrapes and punches took over to battle.
"What?" Crystal said as she looked up. A blue Pokémon had joined the battle, a water type for sure. His seal-shaped form held two long and thin swords, one in each flipper, while three skirt-like ruffles around his waist shimmered in the light.
Despite his species being totally out of his element, the way he moved was flawless. He twirled, leapt, and flipped his way across the fight to slash the Lycanroc while keeping well away from them in the process. His movements were hard to follow, but only because he was so fluid and smooth. It was almost as if he danced with his swords. His routine ended with a handstand in front of Ruby. "Are you okay?"
Ruby shivered as she looked up at his upside-down smirk, eyes wide open and in a trance. "Y… yes."
A couple of barks took everyone's attention. The evolved water type wasn't the only one to show up to save them. A tough pink teddy bear was there as well, though they barked and growled like a younger version of those feral Lycanroc.
"Watch out!" Crystal cried and leaned forward, but the new arrival stuck a flipper in front of her.
"Don't worry about Mimia. Just watch," he said, a confident smile on his face.
Crystal wasn't sure about that. Two Lycanroc growled as they stared this 'Mimia' down, both far taller and bigger than the pink bear's plush form. Her heart jumped when they both leapt at once, but Mimia was ready. He didn't even need to rear back or run up. He threw himself forward and barged one of the Lycanroc away with ease. The other one missed its attack and was promptly kicked away by his hind legs. Mimia turned to the group and barked at them angrily, making them pay attention.
"Wait a minute, where did those guys come from?" Azu cried as she stood back-to-back with Ruby and Crystal again. "There are more of them than there were before!"
"U-erm, thanks for the save, I guess?" Ruby said quietly.
"What do we do?" Crystal cried, still shivering. She counted eight Lycanroc this time, and that was ignoring the defeated ones that lay on the outside of the circle.
"Depends what you're here for. These guys are a herd. We'll be here a while if we aim to scare them all off," the seal Pokémon informed.
"How do you know that?" Azu asked.
"Mimia can talk to them. Just quick, what're you here for? We need to make a move," he raised his voice a bit.
"Just get us out of here," Azu ordered. "You guys, these are the Pokémon we were looking for."
"The Brionne and the Stufful?" Crystal asked.
"Really?" Brionne said with an eyebrow raised. The growls of the Lycanroc intensified, so he leaned forward and tensed up. "Make for the bridge. One Pokémon at a time, ladies first!"
"Mister—" Crystal tried to say.
"Don't worry about it, just go!" He flicked her with his tail.
She nearly tripped as she twisted to keep paying attention to the battle. Between a rickety old bridge that would shatter if it shook too much, and a herd of Lycanroc being fought off by two Pokémon, she wasn't sure what was best. Her heart fell into her stomach as she hesitantly edged toward the bridge, alongside Shelly and Azu, who were also wary of being chased.
"We should hurry so they can follow us," Azu suggested, pointing to the other side. "Crystal, you first!"
It's odd. There's space for us to run away this way, almost as if they wanted us to run away, Crystal realised as she turned her back on the battle. But is that really okay? I can't fight, I didn't help at all… is it really okay to run away from the Pokémon that saved me and Ruby, too?
Grunts and shouts came from the duo. Brionne and Mimia looked like fighting experts, but surely they would be hard pressed to keep back a herd for that long. Even then, it was the swords that did most of the work. Each of the Brionne's attacks wounded the Lycanroc and brought them to the ground, leading Crystal to her decision. He was too ruthless to trust.
She tried to run across, but two steps in and she had to grab the weathered ropes for support. Her footing rocked hard, and she was small enough to topple off the side even though she held on.
"Crystal!" Shelly cried. He tried to reach out to help her, but Azu stopped him. His leaf turned dark blue.
"It's fine, it's fine. It's not going to break… it's not going to break, it can't break," Crystal told herself. She instinctively looked down, realised what she was doing, and snapped her sight straight forward. The moment the wind and swaying stopped, she walked quickly. "Got to hurry."
Each and every step made her feel like her weight increased somehow. Creaks and groans from uneven wood planks sounded out louder and louder, and when she heard a sharp snap, she couldn't help but leap with a gasp and a squeal. She had made it to the other side, but not without her body going cold. She let out a breath she didn't realise she'd been holding in, and then slowly turned around.
Shelly was already on his way, and he was just as bad as her. He was slow, with his arms at his side to grab the nearest thing to hold at the slightest noise. His leaf was most noticeable here, though. It had taken on a heavy shade of purple, and glowed almost like it was on fire.
"Grab me!" Crystal cried, leaning forward as he drew near. He seemed to hesitate for a moment, but then took her offer eagerly. The moment her flipper met his paw, she pulled him close, and he hugged her tight. She allowed him to, focused on the battle. "Ruby, c'mon!"
To her surprise, Ruby had gotten distracted by the battle. She had joined Brionne and Mimia to fight off the Lycanroc, even though Azu was calling out to her, too. Crystal gasped and cupped her flippers by her beak. "Ruby, what're you doing?"
"Fine if you don't wanna head, then I'll go first. But let's hurry up and get outta here," Azu said, leaving the group behind. Unlike Crystal and Shelly, she chose to run across the bridge rather than walk. The snaps that came from her steps had Crystal hold her breath again, but the bunny made it across with no problem. "Hey c'mon, it's all yours!"
"That's our cue," Brionne muttered, giving Ruby and a cocky smirk.
"We're seriously running away?" Ruby cried.
"Have you been paying attention?" he complained, and slashed away one of the Lycanroc that tried to bite him.
She stood back and observed for a moment. The area was littered with the whimpering Lycanroc they had defeated so far, and still there must have been about ten creeping toward them. "Okay, fine. But I don't like this."
"Ladies first. Lead the way," he said as he shoved her on her way.
"Wait, this old thing?" she whispered when she saw the state of the bridge. "Alright, those guys got to the other side, so…"
She gulped and then then walked carefully. As she progressed, she edged to the side that had the least holes and cracks in the planks. The wind picked up, and she took in a sharp breath as the bridge began to sway. She wasn't far in, but she still had to hold on.
"They stopped fighting," Brionne commented. The Lycanroc watched him and his partner, but none of them so much as twitched.
Before he could assess that properly, the wood began to groan louder than before, followed by a series of snaps. Mimia then barked, so he turned his back on the enemy to see Ruby partway across, but stuck in place. It didn't take more than an instant to tell where this was going.
The rope that held the bridge to the cliffs on Brionne's side were tearing right before his eyes, and with it, the planks below trembled with their last moments. As if she knew as well, Ruby glanced down at her footing, and then slowly looked up with a face drained of colour. With a frightening snap louder than ever before, the bridge collapsed inward, and she disappeared amongst an explosion of wood planks and rope.
Crystal couldn't believe her eyes. In an instant, all that was left were the poles that held each end of the bridge. But even worse, Brionne almost didn't hesitate to leap off his side of the cliff, and Mimia followed just as quickly.
"Ruby!" Crystal screamed louder than even she knew she could.
She was next to run to the edge, but her chest twisted and churned the moment she got close. She didn't have it in her to jump after her sister, and even if she did, Azu held her back with both arms. All she could see was the scattered wood as it faded into the distant drop below.