Even, Rhett, and Seya were put through several challenges at the request of Jake. This was against their wishes, of course, but not against the wishes of their Guildmaster. Quite the opposite, in fact. When they delivered the report of the trials they had undergone, he was both impressed and amused. That's what he stated, anyway. It was clear to everyone present he was more than a bit worried. The ability to control the mind others in the hands of a kid was a terrifying thought. Dragonite shook his head. Jake was technically an adult, but he was clearly a little on the crazy side. He was immature, and that was a problem when mixed with this power. The halls of the guild were silent. Any noise made would loudly echo through the black halls. The buzzing activity through most of the day had truly ceased. All the torches were out, save for a single light on the first sub level which flickered under the sealed door, revealing not all souls to be in unconscious slumber. Dragonite's office was still active for the moment, even at a time where most others had gone to bed. The adults were having a meeting while the children slept. The torchlit office was somewhat cramped. The singular lit torch added an eeriness as it flickered, casting deep shadows across every crevasse on all surfaces. Everyone had a grim expression as the meeting began. The guildmembers were silent, contemplating what exactly they had seen. The meeting was formality, of course. Everyone had to be told about how the toddlers had performed, this was mandatory due to the regulations of the World Exploration and Rescue Association. However, a single glance at the others told everyone exactly what they happened. It was the same all around. They all did well, beyond well. The toddlers shattered all expectations placed on them. There was not a single goal the adults placed which the children couldn't overcome. However, this presented a severe problem, one which the older members would have to discuss. Dragonite was sitting at his desk, his hands placed in front of him. His claws were interlocked, his eyes unblinking. It was impossibly silent, save for the occasional quiet crackle from the single torch.
"They all did well, I hear." Dragonite stated, breaking the silence. A grim expression befell his face. The others tapped their feet in a bit of nervousness. None of them could deny this. A few more moments passed before any had the courage to speak up. The singular voice came from an unlikely source, the nervous and frightened Yanma.
"Y-Yes. When I s-set a few tests for them, she passed easily. As per your instructions, I ramped up the difficulty until it was impossible. However, she continuously shattered those tests, even managing to loop around the room f-five times f-faster th-than I could see. This had left her completely worn out, however. She will make a full recovery by morning. She will likely be even better as she adjusts." The nervous Yanma stated. His body was shaking slightly. He drooped down, before beating his wings harder again, nearly forgetting to keep himself aloft. He did not like to be the center of attention, even in a group he trusted such as this. However, he knew he had to deliver his findings to everyone. There was more silence. Everyone had information they needed to share but were clearly either too nervous or frightened to share it. Ayrill cleared her throat before attempting to speak. She let out a small squeak before anything else. She shook her head, slapped her cheeks twice, and took a deep breath to adjust her nerves. Her hands were behind her back, held tightly. For a moment, she stood there, simply breathing in and out. She cleared her throat once more before speaking.
"Squared was tasked with memorizing the contents of the library. This was something he had already done, apparently. Impressive as that is, it begged the question, how do I improve from there? Thus, I asked him to memorize the locations of every book, find where they belong, and organize and fix any book which are out of place. It took him less than five minutes to scan the room and do as such. When asked to read recite the several thousand page "Compilation of History: A Tale of Infinite Possibilities" backwards letter for letter, he began to without hesitation or any signs of struggle, taking less than two minutes to accomplish this goal, most of which was flipping through the pages. Analysis showed he was accurate to ninety-nine-point nine percent, with point one as the margin of error. Simply put, it was not a struggle for him whatsoever. He was completely capable and fully accurate with a task an Alakazam would be unable to accomplish. His only limit was that the pages couldn't be turned fast enough." Ayrill stated. Her face was in a grimace. She was impressed and terrified, a strange, unnatural feeling for the blue bunny. It's an unnatural feeling for them all, she reminded herself. After all, none of them were expecting this. She knew they'd be powerful, but she didn't expect them to be like this! Her highest estimates were far below what she had seen, and they were just beginning to learn. She closed her eyes for a moment, contemplating what to do. However, her thoughts were soon interrupted.
"Ray. He-" Cole stated. He shook his head, looking to the ground. Even nuzzled against him. Cole instinctively began to stroke his hand through the soft fur of his beloved partner. Cole took a deep breath, clenching his green fist.
"He ate lava without issues. He proceeded to drink the acid bath and throw himself off the highest ledge we had, all with no effect. Frozen, burnt, nothing could be done that could do more than ruffle his fur. Being thrown repeatedly at a wall only put a dent in the wall." Cole stated. Even as a man of few words, the tone of his voice spoke volumes about what he had seen. If he had blown the building up and collapsed it on top of Ray, Ray would survive for quite a while, perhaps indefinitely. The ever-stoic Cole was afraid. The room went silent once again. A few deep breaths could be heard from Dragonite in preparation. If even the fearless leader of the world-famous guild was nervous, how did everyone else feel?
"Star was given the powers of strength, tasked with utilizing it and harnessing it to be used for good. Star passed the first few weights without issues. It seemed standard by this point when star asked to be given a harder task. Humoring him, I went to the heaviest weights we had, expecting him to fail, or at best he would heavily struggle against it. He was able to lift the heaviest weights we had with one arm. He was able to move them with a simple nudge. Thus, I tasked him to create some tunnels. He created several new corridors by punching the wall, though he stated he could have dug it in a more traditional sense he wanted to try something new." Dragonite stated. He closed his eyes in contemplation. This wasn't good. The torchlight in the back flickered, darkening the room slightly. The others hoped that Jake's report wasn't quite as bad. He didn't have as tangible of a power. Judging by their reactions, everyone could tell it wasn't much better. The three of them looked to the floor. Even stared towards a small patch of grass that had grown on a small patch of dirt on the floor. The three of them looked towards each other and nodded. They had rehearsed what they wanted to say as they knew none of the others were going to press further. Finally, Seya spoke up.
"Jake forced Rhett to reveal several secrets that she had promised to never mention. He then proceeded to control us, creating an impromptu dance session with the library. He left us standing there after having completely embarrassed ourselves. We were... unable to continue testing his powers from that point for reasons I cannot disclose." Seya responded. Her arms folded in front of her round form, and she looked towards the ground, gently swaying. She was clearly embarrassed by the whole situation. The way she spoke, it was clear none of them wanted anything more to do with his power. More silence continued as everyone was lost in thought. They all knew what each other was thinking. What do they do? They had super powerful toddlers sleeping down below. Everything they had done was far too little to push them, and they couldn't do anything more than that. If they got bored, if they decided it was better to do evil things, almost no force on the planet could stop them. They had to focus on raising them well. They had to teach them to be responsible with this power or risk the world being destroyed. This was easier said than done, they knew. Even's voice broke the several minute silence.
"If Jay- Sorry. If Jake could use his powers on the others in an emergency, that could help. We would have to trust him, however." Even stated. A small noise of acknowledgement came from Dragonite.
"He's an adult, but not very mature. I do see your point, however. As an adult, we can only hope he won't use his power for evil. However, the others still have time to grow. We must make sure they four of them are taught to use their abilities for good. We have to raise them right. Regardless, I think it could work, it would have to be an absolute last resort. What if he loses his power to someone else? What if any of them lose their powers? We need to be sure they have the power, and it remains with them until they die of natural causes, if that even works. We don't know enough about how their powers work. It could go to someone else after they die. We're not even certain their powers would transfer to others if they were defeated. None of this is even mentioning the prophecy Ayrill has begun translating. Any news on when you'll be finished with it?" Dragonite asked, looking towards his companion. The bunny looked straight at Dragonite, locking eyes with him. It was clear she was still struggling to understand it.
"If we had some help from Squared, it would go much faster. However, I understand you are unwilling to disclose that information." Ayrill stated. Dragonite nodded, sighing, and leaning back. He looked towards the ceiling, clearly thinking about things. His hands rested on the table.
"We can't have them leaping to conclusions from the vague words of an ancient tome. If they did, they would get themselves hurt, or worse. More than that, this information could cause more problems if it reveals something bad about them. If it says they're destined to fall, we can't have them hear this. It would cause them to panic and likely fulfill that part. We have to continue on as normal for now." Dragonite stated. This garnered a few shocked gasps.
"B-but s-sir!" A voice began to say. Dragonite growled before slamming a fist onto the desk, stunning everyone into silence. The torchlight flickered in the sudden breeze caused by this outburst. An angry expression sat on his face for a moment before it fell into something more subdued. Dragonite looked at everyone. Staring towards the floor, he closed his eyes and sighed.
"I know. It isn't a good plan. However, it's all we can do currently. We're dealing with a power far beyond our understanding, and something far beyond anything ever thought possible. Each of us saw the power that could rival gods. That power is sleeping around thirty or forty feet below us currently, inhabited within four children barely old enough to be in school. That isn't mentioning Jake, who's powers seem equal, and came from a completely unknown source." Dragonite responded. He looked towards the others, who all were staring in different directions. He was right, even if none of them truly wished to admit it.
"Any one of them could be the piece we need to secure peace in the world." Ayrill stated. The others looked towards her, confused as to what she was saying.
Once the others were all looking towards her, she continued, "Think of it like a game of chess. Nera is a knight; she can get to places and through places with her speed. However, without a careful hand to guide them they end up being less useful than others. Ray and Star are both rooks. They are direct and to the point but can't or won't do much more than this. However, they can be game changers on their own and thus should be treated properly. Squared is a Bishop. Powerful with a strategic mind, and still useful without. We need to make sure he has exactly what he needs, or his potential will go to waste." Ayrill stated. The others quieted for a moment, thinking about what she said. She wasn't wrong, though the way she said it could be better. If they were careful any single one of them could be invaluable in saving the world. Having all four could guarantee the continued survival of the planet. Still, there was one thing that bothered them.
"What about Jake?" Dilen questioned. Azumarill looked to the floor, obviously conflicted. From her expression and body language, it was easy to read she didn't have a place for him. The room was silent for several seconds before Dragonite spoke up.
"Then, perhaps he is a pawn approaching the opponent's side, only a few steps away from changing the board entirely. He can be whatever piece he wants, but we must make sure it's the piece we need. He's the wildcard in our plans. He's possibly unreliable, possibly will cause more harm to us if we push him forward, but he's potentially as powerful as any of the others given the effort." Dragonite responded. The other adults looked at each other, nodding. They were fine with that analogy. Most of them were certain even Jake would agree with it, although some knew the truth, keeping quiet. Even, Seya, and Rhett all knew Jake saw himself as a guy on the sidelines, unaffiliated with the pieces or players but ready to disrupt the game in any way he wanted if he felt like it. He wasn't one to be manipulated by others, and if he ever found out their plans, he wouldn't be happy. The three of them only needed to be controlled once to realize how utterly chaotic his mind was. If they had to rely on him to save the world as their last resort, they feared for the safety of the world.
Even winced, realizing what he was thinking. He looked at Rhett and Seya, who seemed to be thinking the same thing. None of them wanted to admit they were expecting the children to fail. It was a subject none of the other guildmembers even wanted to think about. It was expected they would fail, thus were planning on training the survivor as much as they could. With a lot of luck, two might survive. Most bets were silently placed on Ray and Squared due to their abilities. This was what they were planning, as dark as it was. However, after the events of the day, some doubt about the likelihood of this had risen. Whether or not they would survive had shifted in their minds. If something they were so certain of before could shift, then who knows what else would change as the five of them grew more accustomed to their powers. It was simultaneously reassuring and beyond terrifying. For Even, it was more terrifying than anything he had previously experienced. The feeling of his partner's hand running through his fur wasn't as calming as it should have been.
"They're going to need a team. If we are going to train them, they have to be a part of a team. Right now, they're your children, and you are their legal guardian. However, if we plan on having them do anything more, such as defend the world, then we are legally obligated to make them a team. They can't do much more than that otherwise. Not legally, of course." Dilen stated. Dragonite nodded, quietly mumbling something as he made a mental note. His head jerked back slightly as he realized something. Grabbing a pencil and small slip of paper from near the side of the desk, he wrote something down as well. It was a reminder to get some cloth for their bags. A few more moments passed, and a few yawns were stifled, and at least one was let out. It was late, and everyone was tired. With a nod, everyone silently made their way out of the room. Ayrill was about to put out the fire when Dragonite spoke up one last time.
"If this doesn't work, this world is doomed. We cannot fail them." Dragonite stated. A grim, determined expression sat on his face. Ayrill nodded, putting out the fire. The hiss of the extinguished flames echoed quietly through the dark, empty halls. A quiet thud rang out from the room, followed by a quiet grumbling and a few choice words from Ayrill directed at the desk.
The day was bright as the five of us slowly woke. Well, I assumed it was bright anyway, we had no real idea what the sky was like being several stories under the ground. Still, we slowly woke up and stretched out our limbs as we prepared our minds for another day of something. Yesterday was extremely fun, though I doubt the others would see it that way. I looked towards my friends, who also seemed just as excited. The other guildmembers had already woken and gone about their day, leaving Dilen and Rhett to supervise us. The day began with a quick swim. Well, I say quick but most of the day was spent playing in the water. As it turned out, I was just as bad at swimming as I was in human form, if not more so. Star mostly stood in the shallow water, unwilling to go deeper. By shallow water, I meant he didn't go past his toes. Ray walked through the bottom of the pool, holding his breath for far longer than expected. His toughness made him require barely any oxygen, though it was clear he could still drown. He set a personal record at twelve minutes, fifteen seconds. Me and Nera competed to see who could hold their breaths longer as well. As an adult, I was able to focus and hold on for about thirty more seconds than her. Of course, the undisputed winner was Squared, who doesn't need oxygen at all, so sat underwater, watching us. It was because Nera said it was creepy, so he did it out of spite. To be honest, it was a bit creepy, but also funny in a way for some reason.
We splashed and played in the pool before being told to dry off. Of course, I shook off in a way that caused Rhett and Dilen to be splashed as well. I got a stern look from Dilen, but I didn't really care. When everyone dried off, Nera, Ray and I had our fur puff out. We all giggled at how we looked. I mostly laughed because they were being adorable. Nera looked like a vaguely bunny shaped ball of fluff, and Ray was basically just a blue sphere of fur. Nera said I looked like a ball of black fur, pointing and giggling at me. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if that was accurate after seeing Ray. We all looked like a mess. Well, the ones of us who had fur, anyway. Star mostly stayed dry, and water didn't stick to Squared. The others left to take a nap, but I stayed up to practice my illusion abilities. I was able to convince Rhett to help me with it, though she was understandable nervous. While I reassured her, I wasn't going to use my mind control power on her, I may have traumatized her a bit too much last time. I barely did anything, not even having them attack each other as I was planning. On the training field deep underground, I did my best to focus. I could make illusions, but I didn't know what that meant. Could I mess with only their perception, or could I mess with other senses as well?
I did my best to create a field of plants. Small, pink peachlike berries grew on them. The Pecha plants had wilting flowers and petals on the ground, indicating the berries were ripe and ready for harvest. The sky turned a shining blue. The sun shone high in the sky, although slightly facing east indicating it was not quite noon. I concentrated on the relaxing sound of the breeze whistling through the plants, and the sounds of the leaves brushing against one another. I focused on the sweet scents of the small pink fruits and the fleeting scents of flowers carried on the breeze. I focused on how they tasted, the gently sweet flavor that coated your mouth in juice, flavoring your saliva with the sweetness as if she had just plucked a berry and had chewed on it. I focused on the cool breeze on the warm, sunny day I had made. I focused on the feeling of the fuzzy leaves on the plants, the softness of the remaining petals of flowers, and the soft, tilled dirt underneath our feet. I focused on the soft pulp in her mouth, the remnants of the berry she was "eating". Rhett put a paw to her mouth, clearly surprised by this detail. I looked towards Rhett, smiling. It was obvious she was enjoying everything I was making. Her eyes closed and she looked content. I wished I could enjoy it as well, but the fact I'm unaffected by my own illusions was unfortunate. It made sense, but that didn't change that I'd love to experience this as well. In an instant the illusion dropped, and Rhett jerked back and shook her head.
"Oh? Oh! Right. I got lost in that, oops. It was so relaxing, sorry!" She stated, laughing a little in embarrassment. I simply smiled back. I had managed to learn I could trick the basic senses, but who knows what I could do otherwise. The others appeared, apparently done napping. I hadn't really done much training with Rhett, but it also took several minutes to convince her to let me practice on her, so that wasn't surprising. The others were readying themselves, doing a few stretches as they were apparently shown. Not sure how helpful this would be for them, but I suppose I don't know their powers really. I yawned, a bit tired, but I'd be fine.
"Maybe you should back away. This'll be intense, and you don't have powers which could help you survive it." Ray stated. I shook my head.
"I'm able to handle myself, you can ask Rhett." I said, looking towards her. I smiled. Perhaps my smile was a bit too mischievous as she flinched away, shaking a few times. I looked back to my friends and shrugged.
"What exactly do you plan on doing with your powers? You have mind control and stuff, what do you think that can do with that? Even Squared's smart, that's more useful." Star asked. I smiled, chuckling slightly. They clearly needed a bit of a demonstration, though my thoughts were interrupted by a small shaking. I didn't think this place would have earthquakes, but if there were we needed to get out of there.
"What was that?" I questioned. It wasn't long before Dragonite came rushing in. Well, hobbling in more like. He looked pretty badly injured. Rhett rushed to her Guildmaster, shrieking once. She looked over the injured Dragonite, inspecting him. He was horribly badly battered and bruised. His face was swollen and dark in spots. His arms were bruised, and his right leg seemed bent at a slight angle to the side. Him being a bipedal dragon, his biology could just let him bend like that, but something told me that was not normal. His chest was scratched and slashed in several places, though it didn't seem to be bleeding. For a few moments, we were all stunned to silence. The silence was short lived, broken by Rhett.
"W-what happened?" Rhett asked. I exhaled, barely registering I had been holding my breath.
"A Pokémon. No, something else. It was unnaturally strong. It's- urgh!" He groaned. Dragonite collapsed to the ground, lying on his stomach. His breathing was deep. He'd live even if he didn't get treatment, though his recovery would be slow. I rushed to Dragonite's side. Whatever caused this was extremely powerful. I looked at my friends and to the door. If it was too strong for them, then maybe we had to step in. I began to walk out, but head Rhett shout towards me.
"Where do you think you're going?" She asked. I turned towards her. A stern look was on her face for once.
"I think you already know. Everyone, come on." I responded, turning once more to leave. The others looked towards each other and back at Dragonite. Rhett growled, saying I was going to get hurt. I looked over my shoulder. Tears flowed down her face. Her fear caused a bitter feeling in my gut. I wasn't happy about it, but I didn't have much choice.
"This is what we're supposed to do, isn't it? Take on the foes any normal Pokémon can't. Let us handle this." I said. I gave a reassuring smile, but Rhett didn't seem any better. I hesitated for a moment, almost rushing to give her a hug. Things shook a bit once more. Everyone looked around, seemingly confused. I understood, though. This was something far more powerful than a normal Pokémon, and we were the ones equipped to handle it.
"Guys? Come on, this is what these powers are for." I stated, looking towards them. They looked at Dragonite, and then back at me, shaking their heads. I jerked my head slightly, mildly surprised by their reaction.
"I guess I need to prove myself, then. After that, they'll probably join in midway through the fight." I thought. For a moment, I thought of what to say, but then the ground shook once more.
"Cowards. Rhett, help the Guildmaster." I stated, rushing off. Squared looked to the ground. The others looked towards each other, somewhat confused. It was clear they didn't know what that word meant. Rushing out the hall, up the stairs, and outside, the first thing I noticed was a collapsed building directly opposite of the guild. I let out a gasp and felt the world rumble once more, knocking me on my stomach. A trickle of Pokémon ran in large circles, panicking. I took a breath and prepared myself.
"Into the guild, you'll be safer there!" I shouted. A few heard and rushed into the guild. Soon after many began rushing into the guild for protection. It certainly wasn't much safer, but it was better than staying outside. Several shouts and screams rang out in the main square. Rushing towards it, the flood of Pokémon running the opposite direction grew thicker, making it difficult to push forward. If it wasn't for my diminutive size, I wouldn't have made it past. Eventually the flood of people diminished as I noticed several guild members on the ground, injured.
"What!" I shouted, rushing towards them. Ayrill weakly turned her head and groaned. No, more like a growl. I stopped. She was trying to tell me something. It took half a second to realize she was telling me to run. I jumped backwards as something dug up from right underneath me. It looked like a rocky boulder with a lizard like face. It's stubby arms and legs compared to its round and rocky slate body would have been amusing in a different situation. Its back was facing me. All it was standing there, and that was enough. A feeling of dread suddenly filled my body. I felt like I was going to be sick. It looked at me and chuckled. The chuckle soon turned into a maniacal laughter, crackling and breaking at parts. The deranged cackling pierced my heart with fear.
"Your reinforcement was a single toddler? Hahahah! I suppose I'm not surprised. Always the dumb ones which are the bravest. I suppose I can deal with you now." He stated with a grin. The disdain for my appearance was apparent, though it was clear he was looking forward to my pain. I looked to the others. They looked afraid. I was afraid. I felt my body shake in fear. I could feel my heart beating and my breath get caught in my throat. I could feel an immense power from emanating from him. Whoever he was, he was dangerous. I had a few surprises for him, but I was unsure of how well this would go. Taking a few deep breaths, I attempted to calm my nerves. it didn't help. The knot in my stomach wouldn't go away until this guy was stopped. I planted my feet and let out a growl. It came out as a high-pitched whine, way too cute to be intimidating. "Haha, that was cute. Unfortunately, that was the wrong response." The rock laughed. He jumped into the air, attempting to crush me. Rushing forward, I leapt away from his attack. I couldn't fight with him here; they would be collateral and I had to avoid that.
"I have to help the others." I thought. My plans had shifted from stopping the villain to saving the guildmembers. He rushed forward at unexpected speeds, launching a punch coated in crackling yellow energy. It hit me, throwing me back. I didn't even have time to wince or gasp as I was thrown into the side of a nearby wall.
"Can't- can't we. Ugh, huah, hurgk. Can't we talk about this?" I wheezed, climbing out of the rubble, stumbling. I felt sick to my stomach. A mixture of nerves and pain made speaking difficult. I tried to use my power, but he seemed unaffected. I shook my head, trying to clear my daze before trying again.
"Can we talk about this, please?" I asked once more. A malicious grin fell on his face. I really didn't like the look on his face. His grin turned into a chuckle, growing more frequent with each passing second. Soon he was fully laughing, sounding only more deranged by the second. I really did not like the sound of this.
"Do you really think I can be affected by your mind control powers?" He asked. I stepped back, startled. He let out another long, insane laugh.
"I've been given a power by a god of vengeance. You think your little bit of power can do anything to me?" He questioned. My breath froze. I felt the air grow cold around me as he glared. Each eye seemingly pierced right through me, frightening me even further. I took a breath.
"Just a bit more. I can do this." I thought. I only needed to stall for time. However, this creature rushed forward before digging under the ground. I took a few breaths, feeling the last get caught in my throat. I ran, zigzagging. If I didn't know where I was going, my opponent couldn't hit me as easily, either. It was wishful thinking and the ground underneath me churned and I felt myself be hit and pelted with dirt and debris as a large, rocky fist hitting my gut.
"Hulffp!" I grunted. The monster leapt towards me, grabbing me and slamming me into the ground. Everything greyed the moment I impacted. However, instead of getting dizzy, my mind seemed to grow clearer.
"Focus! Use Bite!" A voice shouted in my head. By some instinct, I felt a power well up in me. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew this was fight or flight, and I couldn't flee. The primal instinct overtook my senses. The pain faded, and all I could think of was fighting. Black energy coated my teeth as I sunk my teeth into the creature's arm.
"Ah!" I shouted, throwing me. For a moment, I saw something unusual. The arm I bit into went from a light brown stone to a white fur. Everything was dizzy as I slammed into a building. Three of them? No, I was just seeing triple. I slowly shook my head but stopped as that only made the dizziness worse. A strange creature white stood before me, but as soon as I blinked it was back to the rock monster.
"I'm- seeing things." I mumbled. I stumbled forward, to hurt to do much. I walked up to the monster, weakly headbutting it. He grinned, grabbing my throat and slamming me into the ground. The look on his face was odd. He was grinning, but not in any psychotic way. He seemed impressed somehow, but it slowly grew into something far more insane.
"Hukhhkkhhh" I mumbled. The monster was grinning maliciously, clearly finding glee in my demise. As everything greyed, I felt his weight get pushed off me suddenly. I weakly turned my head, seeing four forms standing there. I smiled. Taking a deep breath, wincing once, I tried to stand. It didn't work. In the blink of an eye, I found myself behind them.
"Nera..." I thought. I was touched by actions, though I couldn't do much else. The rock monster laughed and laughed, clearly finding humor in the situation of having four toddlers come to my rescue. To be fair, it was utterly ridiculous. Silently, they glared.
"Fine. You'll die, too." He growled, charging forward. At blinding speed, Star appeared in front of the monster, nearly hitting him. The monster jumped backwards a step, throwing a punch towards star. However, Ray suddenly appeared, intercepting the punch. Nera hadn't even appeared to move.
"Grr, enough!" He shouted, shoving both back. Ray was pushed backwards, and Star was thrown back. Quickly, Star stood up and rushed forward again.
"You can't defeat me!" He screeched, charging forward. Utilizing my power, the monster suddenly found himself surrounded by a bunch of us.
"Nera, shift us around!" I commanded. Faster than I could see, I found myself staring at the back of the monster. He looked around, unsure of what was real. He growled, throwing several punches towards the nearest ones, traveling through. They stuck their tongue out at him. He growled, swinging wildly, angrily.
"You'll never hit us like that, Golem!" Ray shouted. The creature called a Golem growled, turning to the source of the voice. Several of the Ray illusions charged forward. The real one even managed to land a clean blow, but it didn't seem to have much of an effect. Swiping towards him, his attack was blocked by a suddenly solid illusion. He jerked back, looking around towards each Zorua. It didn't take much longer before he growled again. He looked towards every Zorua laying on the ground, circling around.
"I'll return." He stated. A malicious grin formed on his face once again. I held my breath. What was he planning? He jumped and I held my breath. The golem began digging. Around a minute passed with nothing happening. It seemed he had fled. I let out a sigh, dropping every illusion. The others looked around, confused for a moment.
"Where's-" Ray questioned.
"We're over here." A voice called. Even, and Cole were walking towards us, to the surprise of the others. They were clearly hurt. Cole's arm was bruised, and Even's perfectly kept fur was ruffled and dirty, but they were standing
"What? Bu' we just saw you hurt." Nera wondered. They all looked around, completely confused. Squared closed his eyes. You could almost see the lightbulb shining over his head as he figured it out.
"Illusions!" He shouted. I walked out from behind some rubble, confirming his guess. I explained how I made myself invisible and have a solid illusion so I could trick him. With the items the guildmembers had in their bag, I helped get them to a state where they could get away. Then I stalled until you arrived, as I knew they wouldn't take being called cowards lightly. I turned towards Star.
"That is how you use illusions in battle. With a bit of creativity, you can do so much more than you think. Once you're older you'll be able to use your powers more efficiently, too." I stated. Star folded his arms and looked to the floor.
"It was impressive. You were all impressive. Great job, everyone!" Even stated, smiling. Cole nodded, letting out a faint smile. That's how I knew we had done exceptionally well. The short silence which followed was broken when my stomach growled. It was getting late, and I was tired and hungry.
"Hungry?" Even wondered. I silently nodded. We began our walk to the guild. A steady stream of Pokémon was exiting as the threat was finally over. About five minutes passed before we were able to enter the guild due to this. Once we were, I noted there were still several others who remained. Even explained what they were going to do. Dragonite nodded.
"Seya is finishing up treating the injured, she'll be done by the time dinner is prepared. Dilen, get dinner started up, please. I think we need a special meal for them." Dragonite stated, smiling.
"It will be the greatest meal I can prepare with the time allowed." Dilen stated, putting his hand to his chest before rushing off to the kitchen. A ten-minute wait ensued before dinner was ready. I can't even begin to describe what it looked like, but the smell was heavenly. If I died, this is what I hoped every day to smell lie. Sweet, spicy, sour, so many different and contrasting smells. Somehow, they all beautifully mixed and mashed into the most amazing thing. I knew the food would only be better even before I tasted it. I underestimated how good it would taste. Much like Even and the shoes, if this was done in ten minutes, how good could he be with more time? As we were eating, Dragonite spoke up
"Let's cut to the chase. You need a team." Dragonite stated. Ray coughed, nearly choking on some soft berry. Nera gently patted him on the back. Nera was again next to me, then Ray, then Star and Squared sat furthest.
"Team?" I questioned. Dragonite explained how there were various teams and organizations around the world. There was the Exploration Team Federation, Rescue Team Federation, HAPPI, the Expedition Federation, and a few more. They all worked together under the World Helpers United Organization, or World Organization Alliance of Helpers or something like that. My mind wandered back to my food at that point. I could ask later if I needed to. Ray interjected a few statements that they got to travel and explore the world. Dragonite smiled.
"You really know a lot about this?" He stated. Ray enthusiastically nodded. He wasn't usually the most energetic, but this was something he clearly couldn't contain himself with. The adults smiled at this, some quietly chuckling. Dragonite explained we would need a team name. Nera suggested us to be Team Heroes. Squared suggested Team Powerful. Star grumbled, not caring. Ray suggested Team Protectors.
"No wait. Team Donut!" Nera giggled. I laughed a bit and rolled my eyes.
"What do you think?" Dragonite asked. I looked at him and shrugged. I had no idea.
"Hodgepodge?" I wondered blankly. The other children giggled.
"That'fs a fun word!" Nera stated, spitting out a bit of juice from her lips. A greyish blue juice dribbled down her face. She realized this and grabbed a small cloth, wiping her face and apologizing. Ray seemed to agree, and Star shrugged, uncaring. I think unless we named the team "Team Fluffy Cuteness Princess Supreme" or something I think he'd be fine with whatever. From his smile, it was clear he was simply trying to be tough to look cool. He was clearly very excited about this.
"It means 'a strange or confused collection'. I feel the name is both fun and accurate, thus perfect for us." Squared stated. The adults laughed quietly. They seemed to agree with Squared.
"I'll get the paperwork done, and tomorrow you'll officially be Team Hodgepodge. I looked over to the others. They looked at me. Ray had some meat in his teeth. I wasn't sure where he got that from, though. The two big dishes probably had different things in them. I was taking from the ones the other adults and Nera were taking from. It was was mostly plant based, it looked. I might have to try the meat dishes sometime. I figured the one had meat so it wouldn't contaminate the nonmeat bowl, so I didn't think much past that.
"Tomorrow Even will have your team bag done. There's small missions you can go on without too much trouble." Dragonite stated. Soon our meal came to an end, and we were all ushered to bed. It wasn't long before the five of us contently drifted off to bed.
As night rolled around, the adults had to stay awake. There were things which they needed to discuss about the events of the day. They were all exhausted and unhappy about being forced to this emergency meeting, but they all knew it was too important. Once everyone was present, Dragonite began speaking.
"That thing. I don't know what it was. It was almost as strong as each of them, if not more so." Dragonite stated. He put a hand to his face, wincing as he accidentally brushed against a bruise on the side of his face. The guildmembers were in various states, some better than others. Even was mostly fine, having already brushed and cleaned his fur in the meantime. Cole had a bandage on the left side of his forehead. Dilen had gauze wrapped around the top of his chest. Seya was a small bruise on her cheek, but otherwise seemed fine. Ayrill's arm was in a cast, and Manny was bruised and dented but was otherwise fine. Dragonite had a few bandages, but it was mostly bruising. It looked worse than it was. The others looked down, clearly unsure of what to say.
"They did well. Ray was the shield, and Star was the sword. Squared made the plan, and Nera guided everyone exactly where they needed to be. Jake used his powers to disorient and distract, giving his allies cover so they could attack. They worked all worked as a team. They all did better than I could have hoped, but-" Dragonite stated. Breathing sharply as he bumped another bruise, he let out a long breath to calm himself. It didn't have much of an effect, his heart was still beating far faster than it would otherwise. He managed to continue, doing his best to ignore his heart pounding on his ears and his body throbbing in pain.
"Jake is something else. We knew he was human, but he's doing things that most Zorua would never be able. It's incredibly difficult to create a physical illusion, yet he had managed to do so with ease, even managing to trick the Golem while his illusion battled. He stalled the Golem for several minutes without even using his gifted powers once. It's clear he didn't need to. With just the base abilities of a Zorua, he's far stronger than I thought. He didn't even attack once! It was a fake form, yet solid enough to cause real damage. I'd heard humans were gifted with creativity, but this is beyond what I thought it would be. Add in that he can control the actions of others as well... the two of those abilities, combined with his creative human mind is... something. I don't know if that something is good or bad." Dragonite stated, inhaling and exhaling to calm himself. Closing his eyes, he took a breath before opening them again.
He looked to the others. He knew they wouldn't be able to provide any answers, but he had to look. They all averted their gaze. They were afraid of a toddler. No, they weren't afraid of the toddlers. They were afraid of their powers, and the human mind one possessed. From what they had seen, Jake clearly seemed friendly, but he was also known to be good at lying. They didn't want to trust him all that much but knew the others did. They couldn't separate them, either. What they could do was be a good influence on them and hope Jake was a good influence on them as well. From what they had seen, it didn't look like that was a good plan. The adults looked at each other, filled with worry.
Jake was the wildcard of the group. They either had to get him completely on their side or get rid of him. They couldn't risk anything in between. He was much to defiant to listen all of the time as well, but that posed more problems. None of them knew what to do. They couldn't take away his powers, and it was clear he didn't even need the mind control power to be a dangerous threat. They also knew they couldn't take him out for fear of what would happen to his powers if he lost them. His powers could go to someone even worse. When it was brought up, they someone would have to do the deed, the room went completely silent. Even if they somehow managed to find the heart finish him in the first place, what would they tell the others? They all felt helpless, weak. They had to be bailed out by a group of toddlers earlier! All of them were silently cursing their uselessness. Dragonite sighed, he was tired and exhausted. They all were, he knew. None of them could properly think about what to do at this time, and tomorrow was going to be busy as they had to help rebuild what was destroyed. Cutting off the meeting early, the guild quietly went to bed, unsure and somewhat afraid of what the future was to hold. The group stumbled their way out of the dark room, Ayrill having extinguished it a bit early. Even felt himself brush against someone but was unsure of who in the completely black interior.
"Sorry..." Even mumbled. Cole brushed his hand against his partner, helping guide him to their shared bed. The only things they were certain of is things were likely to get worse, and that Jake had to go.
