Author's Note:
MidnightxPhoenix: Yep. Houndoom. Wait. Didn't you already guess that?
Cursedninetales: Okay then…
Fjord Cannon: Thank you dear! I love compliments! They make me feel good.
The Silent Knight: You bet I will keep it going!
Sorry for the delay as well. School got hold of me, especially as it's ending the year. But in the summer (getting out Tuesday, June 7th), I'll be installing more! And I've changed my name, again. I just like Royale Wizardess. It's spiffy.
Chapter Seven: Explanations" So, tell me again what happened," Grandpa said, glancing towards Des across from him and the coffee table they were currently sitting at, discussing. " I just wouldn't have thought this." He shook his head.
Des glanced over towards Amphie and Ashley, keeping an eye on the young Ampharos Pokemorph as she watched over Ashley, prodding her occasionally with her long tail.
" Quit that Amphie. It's not going to help Ashley anymore if you continue to do that," Des scolded, picking up his mug of coffee, and sipping. Once he had done so, he set it back down on the coaster. It was nearly ten o'clock now, if not later. " Well, Ashley had morphed into a Houndoom."
Grandpa nodded understandingly, resting his head on his hands, listening intently. " Yes," he said, an urging tone in his voice for Des to continue.
" Now, I'm not blaming you for the transformation, but Ashley did speak of a liquid that was given to her by you. It looked quite peculiar, she had mentioned at the dance. And when encountering Serina, a classmate, her temper got out of hand and she morphed. I'm worried that this transformation may have altered her. I mean, she did faint, though I do not blame her." He glanced over at Ashley, laying asleep on the couch nearby, Amphie now picking up gently off her forehead a wet rag, and walking over towards the kitchen sink, wetting it with cool water and returning, setting it back on. " When I was morphed, I fainted as well. I did not wake up for weeks. Much like a coma."
" You mean that Ashley may not wake up for weeks?" Grandpa asked, bewilderment in his eyes and face. " That's just…not possible!"
" Well, there may be a way to awaken her faster, and that it to find the source of the problem. I, myself, could not do so, as the ones who had done this to me had disappeared. They are probably still running from the police as we speak. Almost ten years now," Des sighed.
Grandpa frowned, his brows doing the same as his mouth, small and thin and wrinkled from years of age. He glanced towards Amphie, who was making something on the table nearby herself, mixing in herbs and water into a small bowl," What is she doing?" Grandpa asked.
" I'm not sure. Amphie, what are you doing?" Des asked, repeating Grandpa's question as he turned to face her, still sitting in his chair.
" Making a potion my mom taught me a really long time ago. It's used to get rid of sickness. Basically any sickness ever thought of. Mom created it while she was out training her Zigzagoon for a master contest coming up, and a wild Seviper had poisoned Zigzagoon. Luckily, I found out that the same herbs grow here as they do in Route 121," Amphie replied, holding up the bowl and seeming to measure it with her finger.
" Oh," Des replied, not finding anything else to say to Amphie's reply.
" I still don't believe Devon Corp. superiors would do that," he said, unsure of what Des spoke of was the truth, that the liquid he had given Ashley had mutated her. " It just seems impossible."
Des gave a deep sigh, now feeling he had not gotten any farther into this conversation as when he had started it. He also felt that probably, Grandpa had forgotten his tip about awaking Ashley earlier. " So, about finding out the source…"
" Oh, yes. Miss Night and Mister Liam, some of the highest-ranking superiors in Devon Corp. They have access to everything in this building, except what Mister Stone keeps in a specially locked room, and is fully monitored. I am not allowed in, and neither is the entire rest of Devon Corp., even his son Steven isn't I believe."
" STEVEN? WHERE?" Amphie cried out, glancing around like a maniac fan girl that had just seen four Orlando Bloom movies (ugh), and was probably high off pot or sugar. " WHERE IS STEVEN?"
" Ugh, another fan girl. Whatever happened to us normal boys?" Des asked, sighing deeply and staring at the ground.
" Umm, you aren't exactly normal, Desert," Grandpa pointed out.
" Thank you for reminding me," Des said with sarcasm, scratching his dark green hair at an itch that had just come about.
" Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to sound so rude," Grandpa apologized, bowing his head.
" There are no worries about that Mister Lott. I just get somewhat annoyed about how every girl in this region, if not ALL of the regions, likes Steven-"
" STEVEN!"
" and think he's all that. But, anyway, do you think Steven-"
" STEVEN!"
" might know what's going on?"
" Perhaps. I think he's visiting also. He's the champion of the Elite Four, so he's usually busy, but I believe he's visiting his father." Grandpa grinned smugly. " And I know where his room is. Actually, all of the employees do. But, most never bother with him, except the young girls, who simply swarm over him. It might make him happier to see two young men instead of those girls."
" Haha. Young men," Des chuckled, sipping his coffee. " Good. That's settled. Maybe we should visit this Miss Night and Mister Liam though, if they did give you the stuff in the first place. Then we could get some answers quicker," he suggested.
" Ah. Good, good. Let's get going now. They won't mind at this time of night. They're usually up until midnight with whatever they do."
" Right," Des agreed, standing up and pushing in his chair with a quick touch of his tail. " Amphie, look after Ashley. We'll be back soon."
" Okay…" Amphie said. Des was quite surprised that she didn't insist on coming along, but one look at her face, and you could easily tell she was not quite here in this world.
" So, this is the room?" Des asked, glancing at Grandpa as he then glanced up at the door, reaching all the way up to the ceiling of this level. " It must be massive."
" Sure is. They do all their research and experiments here. Watch your step. You don't want to knock over anything." Grandpa knocked on the metal door, resulting in a loud banging, that they were sure to hear.
In a few moments, Miss Night came to the door, in full lab coat with white pants, many stains covering them with odd colours. Blue/Purple hair was pulled into a tight ponytail, causing her short hair to barely fall to her shoulders. Pair of safety goggles was pushed onto her forehead. " You knocked?" she asked. She then smiled warmly, but concern poured into her eyes. " Oh. Hello Mister Lott. Come in." She called," Liam. Mister Lott, and a friend," she looked over Des quickly before continuing," are here."
" Well, let them in Night," Liam told her, cleaning out a few test tubes in the sink of the kitchen.
Grandpa and Des made their way in, Des being incredibly careful as he started with amazement at the room. All over the place, were papers, bookshelves crammed to the brim, although neatly, with thick hard-backed books, and white tables with many glasses holding different coloured liquids.
" This is Desert, a friend of Ashley's," Grandpa said, watching Night and Liam look over Des with a suspicious eye. " But, call him Des. He prefers it."
" All right. Pleased to meet you Des. I'm sure you've heard of us already from Mister Lott, so there's no need to introduce ourselves." Liam rested the test tube in a holder, and turned around, putting his hands on the counter and leaning back a bit, his shaggy blonde hair covering his eyes now at his angle. He, like Night, wore a lab coat, only with black pants, and his eyes glinted with blue. He also wore safety goggles in the same position.
" Yes, I have," Des, answered bitterly. Grandpa glanced at Des quite bewildered at his sudden change of nature. " Now, you better tell me about that crap you gave Ashley! She's unconscious!"
" Desert!" Grandpa wailed, throwing his hands up in disgust. He then quickly added to Night and Liam," My apologies to Desert's behavior!"
But Liam was far from pleased by Des's nature. " You call it crap? This will save us all, you twit! Don't you dare insult my findings." A look was given to him by Night. " Our findings."
" Save the world? Complete nonsense. From what, may I ask?" Des asked smugly, refluxing his claws. " Nothing has happened to this city for years! You just can't say something this serious just like that!"
Night calmly stated, watching as Liam's handsome face began to turn a vicious red, and his blood boil," We'd rather not tell you about this. But, I suspect you already know, Desert. I mean, you were there."
" I was?" Des asked, dumbfounded as he scratched his chin. " Unless you mean…"
" Yes. That's exactly what I mean," she said before Des could finish. " You were there in front row seats. He's already attacked. And in the next few days, the whole region, no, the whole world will know what has happened. A catastrophe has begun. And she, is the only one can stop it."
" What are you two talking about?" Grandpa asked, raising an eyebrow.
" Ugh, you'll see in the next few days. Watch the news," Liam recovered quickly, beginning to calm down.
" But, why don't we phone the Police? Or the Army? Or anyone else…"
" They couldn't do a damn thing. Not with this big of a threat. Ashley, or whatever her name is, will have to do it. None of us can help." Liam snorted, glancing at Grandpa.
" Oh no you don't! My little granddaughter is not going to get herself killed just for your needs!" Grandpa yelled, shaking his head. " I'm not losing her like my own daughter!"
" Calm down…" Night whispered. " She'll have help. Not to worry. Two other people are on their way, around her age. One is from Mossdeep, and the other, Lavaridge Town. They'll be here tomorrow, I can tell you that. But, since she's unconscious…" Night smiled. " we'd better wake her up for tomorrow, to meet her new partners! I have the thing that will wake her up, not to worry my friend."
" You better…" Des muttered in a hush, his tail whipping about. " And new partners? I could easily be of more help than these two that you speak of! I've had more experience!"
" But Des…" Grandpa started. " You'd be getting yourself into all of this. And then, you'd be at risk too."
" I'll watch out for Ashley, Mister Lott. Not to worry. These two partners are merely rookies. Amphie and I have been Pokemorphs for a while, I believe she told me, about two years. I've been for almost ten. We'll be of more help."
" Got it! Now, just attach these to Ashley. They will work." Night held out her hand, showing one silver skull charm, one gold, one ruby, and one sapphire.
" Thank you so much Night," Grandpa thanked breathlessly, scooping up the charms into his hand, clutching them tightly as his hand formed into a fist.
" Now, get going," Liam urged, eyes half close. " I need sleep. So does Night. I can't stay up all night, you know."
" We're going, we're going," Des muttered with a snort. " And thank you both. Good night. Let's go, Mister Lott."
" So, what do you think we do?" Amphie asked, sitting beside Ashley's legs at the end of the coach, where Ashley still laid there.
" No clue. I guess we attach these…somewhere…" Des held the four skull charms in his hand, obviously confused at the expression presented on his face. " But where…"
" Oh! I think I know! On those…anklets and bracelets around her ankles and wrists. There seems to be an impression of their shape on each one. Which one goes into which, I'll never know," Grandpa commented.
Suddenly, the skulls glimmered, and oddly, began to hover out of Des's hand. All watched in bewilderment and awe as they floated above Ashley, circling in the air a few feet above her. They then shot into place at the speed of light it seemed, only leaving a faint glow in the air where it had been. The sound of blades together was heard, as each fit securely into place.
" Well, that works!" Amphie cried, clapping her hands.
" Hey! I think she's waking up!" Des yelped, pointing. " She is! Great!"
Grandpa and Amphie jerked their heads, and watched as Ashley began to twitch, but made no over movements. A glimmer in her eyes, Amphie grinned mischievously, her tail slowly rising off the ground where it had laid. Raising it up, she slowly brought it to Ashley's face, inch-by-inch, centimeter-by-centimeter. A centimeter before her face, Amphie yelped as Ashley's hand gripped onto it, her teeth gritting together, and her eyes completely opened in a cold glare.
" Get that thing away from my face Amphie," Ashley ordered.
" ASHLEY! YOU'RE ALIVE!" Amphie cried, gripping onto Ashley around the neck, giving her a hug. Ashley choked, flailing around.
" LET GO OF ME! NOW!" Ashley yelped, pushing Amphie onto the carpet with a thud. Amphie glanced up, and grinned, smile wide, teeth showing.
" Good to see you up Ashley!" Grandpa and Des chorused in joy.
" That's just dandy. Now, give me some space." Ashley then sat up as Amphie backed away on her knees, as she was now kneeling down. Ashley then cried for joy," THE MUTATIONS ARE GONE!"
" WHOA! Well, except those things!" Amphie pointed out, indicating with her tail the anklets and wristbands of the bone, with the skull still fitted inside.
" Yeah, and that skull right under your neck," Des added.
" What the hell are these things?" Ashley pointed to the skulls, now infused, as she ignored Des's comment.
" I'll explain about where we got those later. To bed with all of you. I'm calling both of your parents, Des and Amphie. You're staying here tonight."