A/N - Thanks for all reads, reviews, faves and follows! =D Here is the start of the fifth and final arc! I've only got a couple of chapters left to write, so I'm hoping and praying for no more hitches so I can get this done without any further breaks.
Part 5 - Bringing the Light
58 - A Heartbreaking Reunion
"Dad! Dad! Dad!"
Starshine raced out of the training room, his talons skidding over the floor. His wings flailed as he picked up speed, rising clumsily into the air. A furret and marshtomp raced behind him with cries of "Uncle Tinker!". They turned the corner without slowing, and Scout stumbled, bouncing off the wall. Then, adjusting his scarf, he rushed to catch up with his friends.
Two guards were walking the opposite way. A growlithe and a pikachu. They started slightly as the three youngsters careened towards them, and the pikachu raised his paws.
"Boys! Boys! Slow down!"
Starshine flopped down in front of him and fixed him with sparkling black eyes. "Hi! Have you seen my Dad?"
Scout and Tad stopped behind him, and the marshtomp doubled over to catch his breath, almost losing his bandanna.
"We've got some news for him," said Scout breathlessly.
"News, eh?" The growlithe sniffed the air. "From the training room?"
"Well, that's where we heard it, yeah," said Scout.
The pikachu shook his head. "You know you shouldn't be running around in these tunnels. You could hurt yourselves." He leaned forwards, cheeks sparkling playfully. "Or someone else."
"Sorry," said Starshine. "It's pretty important."
"Aye." Tad tightened his bandanna around his head. "We wanna tell Uncle Tink th'news afore anyone else does."
Scout puffed out his chest and added in a mock accent, "Right enough."
Tad nudged the furret with his elbow, and Scout snorted laughter.
The pikachu straightened and shook his head. "Sorry, kids. We've not seen him."
"You could check his office?" the growlithe suggested. "Or the hospital ward? He's been spending a lot of time there."
"Prob'ly chattin' up Cleo," Tad muttered to Scout.
The furret poked out his tongue with disgust, drawing a chuckle from Starshine.
The growlithe rolled his eyes.
"If he's not there," said the pikachu, stepping past the children, "then I've no clue. But he's here in New City. I've not heard otherwise."
"Thanks!" Starshine chirruped, flapping his wings as he readied to rocket down the corridor.
"And no running!" the guards called after them.
"Okay!" the boys called back as they took off around the corner.
"Well, Melody seems to think you're recovering okay." Tinker leaned forwards in his chair, eyeing Cleo's bandaged leg. "Even if you're being a nuisance at not keeping it elevated."
Cleo swatted Tinker's paw away. "Then if she thinks I'm recovering does it really matter? I'm more comfortable this way."
"You don't want it to heal crooked now, do you?" Tinker sighed and sat back, resigning to keeping his paws to himself. "Honestly, Cleo. What on earth did you think you were doing, rushing headlong into a fire?"
Cleo narrowed her eyes at the riolu. "You've been asking me that since I returned."
Spark peered up at him from the foot of the bed. "And she's not exaggerating."
A dull creak came from the wall as the wooden elevator descended. Faith's slender form appeared in the hole in the wall clutching a plate of berries in both paws. She huddled to one side as three more pokemon crowded around her. Tad had hold of the rope in both paws, expertly bringing the elevator to a stop.
He stepped out first and bowed with a flourish. "M'lady."
"Thank you." Faith smiled at him. "Now you- ah!"
Starshine scampered past her with a quick apology, his eyes on Tinker. The other two boys took off after him, cries of 'Dad!' and 'Uncle Tinker!' filling the medical ward.
Tinker's eyes widened and he grunted as Starshine hopped up onto his lap. "What on earth has got into you three?"
The swablu placed his wings on Tinker's shoulders and reared up until his beak was almost touching the riolu's nose. "We have urgent news!"
"Aye!" said Tad. "Super important!"
"What news, exactly?" Tinker bundled Starshine back onto the floor.
"That depends," said Scout. "Has it reached you yet? 'Cos that would kinda suck the fun out of it."
"Good grief, it's like dealing with the Riddler." Tinker sighed and dragged his paw down his face. "Would you please just tell me?"
Starshine hopped up and down around Tinker's feet, his eyes sparkling. "Three dark-type pokemon just turned themselves in at the cells! We overheard some guards talking about it!"
"An' we rushed reet over here t'tell ye," said Tad with a proud nod.
"Dark pokemon?" Tinker's eyes widened. "Are you serious? They just… turned themselves in?"
"Hah! How was that for fast news?!" Scout thumped Tad in the shoulder. "I told ya he wouldn't have heard it yet."
"Nah, ye were'th' worry-wurmple," said Tad.
Scout, seemingly not hearing him, thumped the air with a cheer. "Team Heroes delivers another mission!"
"I would hardly call delivering me a message I would undoubtedly have got later today a mission," said Tinker. "But very well. Now, did they say who these pokemon are by chance?"
"Aye, that they did," said Tad. "An important one-"
"Some assassin named Harlequin!" Starshine butted in, gaining a 'hey!' off Tad.
Cleo sat up in her bed. "Harlequin?"
"And a pair of pawniard!"
Tad frowned down at the swablu. "I was gettin' t'that."
"Well I heard it first!" Starshine argued.
"Did not!"
"Did!"
"Boys!" Tinker barked, bringing the pair to silence. "So," he continued more calmly. "It's Harlequin and a pair of pawniard?"
"What a surprise!" Faith set the plate of berries down beside Cleo's bed which was immediately set upon by Spark and Scout. "I wonder if she's okay?"
"Probably not if she's come back here." Spark reached for an oran berry.
"Whatever the case may be," said Tinker, "it sounds as if he's mixing with dark-types again." He rounded on Cleo. "I told you it was a bad idea to remove that collar."
"She helped us!" said Cleo.
"So you say," said Tinker. "Yet here he is once more, locked in a cell with two more vermin."
"Vermin?!" Cleo exclaimed.
Faith placed a placating paw on the meowstic's shoulder. "She's come back here for a reason. It would be a good idea to hear her out." She looked back at the children. "Did anyone say why she's back here?"
"Aye, sure enough." Tad nudged his bandanna up from his eye. "She said she wants t'speak wi' Cleo."
Tinker's eyes shot to Cleo, and she returned his look with a hard stare. Without breaking eye contact, she carefully lifted her leg over the edge of the bed.
Tinker leapt to his feet. "You're not going in your condition, surely?"
"It's been more than a moon, Tinker," Cleo spoke through gritted teeth. "I think I can handle a little walk to the cells."
"It's not a 'little walk'!" Tinker exclaimed. "A 'little walk' would be to the dining hall and back! It will take us much longer to travel to the cells and back, and in those tunnels-"
"Tinker." Cleo cut him off, meeting his eyes again. "I'm going."
"Tinker's right, Cleo." Faith moved around the bed to join her friend. "It's too soon. Your leg is still fragile."
Cleo sighed. "Not you, too, Faith?"
"Exercise is good for it, don't get me wrong," said Faith. "But you don't want to stress it too much."
Cleo met the mawile's violet gaze. "Harlequin says she wants to see me. It could be important."
Faith stared at her for a moment longer then nodded. "Okay. Take a crutch. We'll go together."
Cleo accepted the crutch Faith handed to her and let her weight rest on it. She looked up at Tinker and nodded. "You're coming too."
Spark looked up from the plate of berries, her cheeks bulging. "Wha' ab't me?"
Cleo rolled her eyes at the dedenne now adjusting her cheek pouches. "If I left you behind I'd never hear the last of it."
"Darn straight ya wouldn't." Spark leapt onto Cleo's shoulder. She turned back to Scout. "Save me some!"
Scout didn't look up from the berries. "Not promising anything."
Tinker gave an exasperated wave of the paw and headed for the elevator. "Cleo, you get in first. As for you three." He narrowed a glare at the children. "Don't follow us. I don't want you getting into any danger."
"Aww, come on!" Scout spoke around a mouthful of sitrus. "We're Team Heroes! Danger runs away from us, not the other way around!"
Faith chuckled as she stepped in beside Cleo. "I'm sure you'll make great heroes."
"Aww, shucks!" Tad blushed and put a flipper around Scout's shoulders, pulling the furret into him. Scout choked, spluttering sitrus seeds across the room. "Thanks, m'lady!"
"Are you all right, Scout?" Tinker asked the furret.
Scout, still coughing, nodded as he picked another berry off the plate.
Tinker rolled his eyes. "Starshine, if Scout faints call for Melody."
The swablu saluted and vanished from sight as the elevator rattled up to the next floor.
...
Tinker popped the iron grate open and dropped into the corridor of the cells. A combusken waited patiently as Tinker offered a paw to help Cleo down, steadying her as she shifted her weight to her crutch. The journey hadn't been easy. The snow melt had softened the floor of the tunnel so much her crutch sank into it.
"You were right! It was a trek!" Spark leapt from her shoulder and landed beside the riolu.
Cleo shook her head at the dedenne. "What are you talking about? You rode the entire way on my shoulder."
"And you did well!" Spark quipped.
Faith chuckled as she set the grate back in place. The mawile dusted down her yellow skirt, smattered with mud. "Are you sure the tunnels will be okay?" she asked Tinker.
The riolu finished his hushed conversation with the combusken but he didn't even look at Faith. He moved on, leading the way towards the cells. "The tunnels will be fine. We've only had one problem and it was swiftly dealt with. It shouldn't be long before it's reinforced and can be used again."
"Did it collapse?" Cleo asked.
"Yes, but like I said." He looked back at her with narrowed eyes. "It was dealt with."
Spark leapt back onto Cleo's shoulder and caught her eye. "I think that means it was filled in."
If Tinker heard Spark he didn't show it. He reached for his keys and unlocked the door to the lone high-security cell. Three pairs of eyes peered out at them as they entered. A shrill, ear-piercing screech split the air as one of the pawniard rubbed his blades together.
Tinker glared at him, which only made the sound worse. "I suggest you cut that out right now before you give me a headache."
The pawniard's yellow eyes widened and he froze, holding his claws to his chest. His twin gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder as he met the riolu's glare.
Harlequin scowled at the riolu, but her face softened as Cleo entered with her friends.
"Cleo!" The zorua rose to her feet and trotted to the bars, her tail wagging slowly. "I was hoping I'd see you! You got my message?"
"Just that you wanted to see me." Cleo shifted her weight to the crutch. "What are you doing here?"
Harlequin looked the meowstic up and down and raised an eyebrow. "What on earth happened to you?"
Tinker cut before Cleo and waved a paw for silence. "I'll be asking the questions, Harlequin. Not you." He folded his arms and stared down at her. "Now… turning yourself in. Why would you do that?"
"I didn't come here to speak to you." Harlequin nodded to Cleo peering over his shoulder. "I want to speak to Cleo."
"You'll speak to me first," Tinker told her. He held out a paw, revealing a sun-shaped Guild badge. "The combusken on duty gave me this. He said he'd confiscated it off you. Care to tell me how you got it?"
"Mischief gave it to me." Harlequin looked up, meeting his eyes. "He said it would get me into New City. That you use them as a key."
Tinker's eyes flashed with rage and the fur along his spine bristled. He clenched his paw over the badge so tight Cleo feared it might puncture his pads. "I made a grave mistake trusting that whimsicott with a Guild badge! He's just handing it over to dark-types? And telling them of New City?!"
Cleo's pads were slick with sweat. She looked from Harlequin to Tinker, trying to calm her suddenly racing heart.
"Harlequin is our friend, Tinker," said Faith. "Mischief knows that."
Tinker rounded on her, flashing his canines. "Whether or not you believe you're friends with this pokemon is irrelevant! We have our rules here, Faith. Remember - you're only here because you can use that new fairy-type. I'm still oblivious to your true motives, going around spouting nonsense while acting all friendly. Put another paw wrong and you'll be joining your 'friend' behind bars!"
Cleo's jaw went slack, mirroring Harlequin perfectly. Faith stared back at Tinker, her mouth opening wordlessly.
Spark leapt up onto Faith's shoulder and placed a tiny paw on the side of her horn. "Ignore him." She narrowed her black eyes at Tinker. "He's just a grumpy bottom."
Tinker huffed air from between his lips and tossed the badge onto the desk. He turned back to Harlequin but Cleo shoved him aside with her crutch, drawing an enraged glance.
"Leave it," Cleo told him. "You've said enough. Let me deal with her."
Tinker rubbed the bridge of his nose and waved a paw for Cleo to continue.
Cleo turned back to Harlequin, casting a quick glance over the pawniard. They'd moved to the back of the cell, the bolder one patiently listening while his twin shifted uneasily beside him.
"So why did you come to the cells of all places?" Cleo asked the zorua.
Harlequin snorted. "You think they'd just let me in?" She shrugged and seemed to force her expression to soften. "Coming back to the cells was the best way to get your attention without risking my life." She paused to lick her lips and lowered her head. "I need your help."
"You need our help?!" Tinker scoffed.
A sizzle of electricity suggested Spark had silenced him.
"Help with what?" Cleo asked cautiously.
"Assassinating Hydreigon."
A loud co-joined gasp flew around the room and Cleo almost toppled over. She clutched onto her crutch, steadying herself against the cumbersome cast.
"Assassinate Hydreigon?" Cleo stuttered. "How on earth do you plan to do that?"
"I don't know," Harlequin said bluntly. "I've been travelling back and forth, stalking around the Border Woods to find a way past the wall. It's too heavily guarded, and my attempts have been met with failure. But it needs doing and fast." Harlequin paused again as she glanced past Cleo to Faith. "He's woken Yveltal."
"What?!" Faith pressed a paw to her chest as her breaths came in quick, short bursts.
Cold fear swept through Cleo's body. She suddenly felt very small and weak, as if the very world was pressing down on her.
"I overheard a group of assassins talking about it," Harlequin explained. "If that's true, then Estellis is in grave danger."
"But Yveltal's dead, right?" Spark asked.
"He was left in a cocoon state," Faith reminded her. "Oh, I don't know how Hydreigon has managed to awaken him, but if this is true… We might not need to stop Hydreigon ourselves. Yveltal will use him until he's served his purpose." Faith rubbed her paws over her face and leaned back against the desk. "Oh I dread to think what's going to happen to Estellis now."
Harlequin's ears drooped. "I know."
Tinker tutted. "Not you as well. How far has this nonsense spread?" He shook his head and fixed his red eyes on Harlequin. "What were you doing back in the Border Woods? Little close to home, isn't it?"
Harlequin bared her teeth. "I told you, I was looking for a way into the Shadow Lands to assassinate Hydreigon!"
"A likely story."
"He's done a lot of damage to this world," Harlequin went on. "It needs to stop! He's even killed pokemon I care about." She blinked back tears and her chest heaved with repressed sobs. "The Darkness wiped out an entire village without who's help I wouldn't be here right now! And… and…" she choked back a sob, "he's even killed Enigma."
A loud yell came from Faith as she staggered back into the desk, rattling its contents. Her paws were clasped over her muzzle, her violet eyes wet with tears. "Enigma's dead?!"
Harlequin lowered her head, her eyes closed as her shoulders shook. Tears flooded over her cheeks and dripped to the dusty floor.
"Good riddance," Tinker muttered.
Harlequin looked up snarling, her white teeth bared in her black muzzle.
Cleo cut before her and narrowed a glare at the riolu. "Tinker…"
Tinker met her eyes and shrugged. "It's one less assassin to worry about."
"Hydreigon killed him because he rebelled!" Harlequin snapped. "You already didn't have to worry about him! He'd turned his back on the Darkness just like I have!"
"And I'm meant to just take your word?" Tinker asked, trying to see Harlequin over Cleo's shoulder.
Cleo pushed him back with her crutch and met his gaze again. "I want you out. Now."
"I have you know, Cleo, I am in charge here."
"I don't care, you're making things difficult." Cleo lowered her crutch and pointed a claw at the door. "Leave. I'll fill you in later."
Tinker shook his head, muttering to himself as he opened the door. He froze as Spark cleared her throat.
The dedenne, now perched on the desk, held out both her paws. "Keys?"
Tinker tossed the keys onto the desk and marched from the room, slamming the door behind him. Spark flinched as the very walls seemed to shake.
"Yikes." She looked up at Cleo. "Talk about sensing the mood, huh?"
Cleo turned back to Harlequin. Tears still streamed from eyes that blazed with blue flames. "Are you okay?"
Harlequin met her gaze and took a long breath. "No. Not really."
"Were you there?" Cleo asked.
"No." Harlequin shook her head. "I overheard… argh, I wanted it to just be a lie! Enigma and I… our paths cross a lot. But I've not seen him in weeks." She screwed her eyes shut. "That's why I went to the Border Woods! I wanted revenge. But… it all went really wrong."
"Tell me about it." The bolder pawniard shook out one of his claws, not looking up at Cleo. "We've brought enough disasters. But that one takes the cake."
"You don't need to rub it in," Harlequin growled over her shoulder.
"I wasn't. Accidents happen."
Harlequin shook her head and turned back to Cleo. "Those two are Scratch and Claw. They're friends with Harbinger."
"You found Harbinger?" Faith asked as she wiped her paws over her eyes.
"Yes. I returned his mega stone. He went to find the Fairy Garden after that disaster of a mission. He left Scratch and Claw with me so I didn't have to travel alone. I don't even know if he's made it, I've heard nothing." Harlequin clenched her jaw and groaned. "I've been going back and forth for days trying to figure something out! I was torn between whether I should even ask you guys for help after what happened. But this is all I've got - a sneaky plan and to stab Hydreigon with my nidoking horn!"
Spark curled her lip. "That's your plan?"
"It's not perfect," Harlequin hissed. "But it gets rid of the problem at its source!"
"How do you get in?" Cleo asked. "It's not as if Hydreigon doesn't know you."
"Illusion."
"Can you mask your scent?" Cleo asked.
"And what about the fairy-type?" Faith added.
Harlequin shook out her pelt and roared, rising to her feet. "I don't know! I…" She sat down heavily. "I'm confused and angry. I was hoping you might help me come up with a better idea."
"We need a good long sit-down to discuss it," said Faith.
"Yeah, cos it sounds really risky," said Spark. "Just waltzing in there like 'Hey Hydreigon, got a minute? Let me stick this horn in your side.'"
Harlequin snorted but her lips curled up in a smile. "Well, when you put it like that."
"Then lets order some berries and have a nice, long chat," Spark suggested.
With the tension gone, Cleo suddenly remembered the badge. She reached onto the desk and retrieved it, turning back to Harlequin as she rolled it in her paws.
"You said Mischief gave you his badge?" she asked.
Harlequin met her gaze.
"Where is he now?" Cleo tried to hide the desperation in her voice. "Is he okay?"
The light left Harlequin's eyes and she lowered her head. "No. He's not okay."
Cleo's heart sank. "What happened to him? Where is he?"
"After we left the Border Woods he went off to find a cure for pokerus," Harlequin explained. "He wanted to look for it on his own, so I told him of a mushroom that grows in high altitudes that might eradicate the parasite. I'm guessing he went into the mountains."
"Wait." Cleo raised a paw and closed her eyes for a heartbeat. "He went with you? Into the Border Woods?"
"Yeah." Harlequin flicked her tongue over her nose and lowered her head. "That's… well… where things went wrong."
Cleo stared at her, silently urging her on.
"I tried to create a distraction," Harlequin said quickly, desperation flaring in her eyes. "It wasn't Mischief's fault, it was mine!"
"Harlequin," Cleo said quietly, her heart racing. She raised a paw to placate the zorua. "What happened?"
Harlequin looked away from her and her ears drooped, her eyes filling with tears once more. Her voice cracked with grief. "He killed a friend."
...
Originally that was how you found out Flutterwick died...
Review replies:
Blake5000 - I'm glad you liked Flutterwick so much. I wanted to give him more love since originally he was such a minor character. Your comment shows I did something right, but I'm sorry I killed off one of your favourites ='(
Thanks for reading everyone. Please R&R!
