Glace immediately regretted opening a dimensional tear.
The moment that the Weavile widened the hole in the ethereal binding of the multiverse, it sucked her right out of Yore's watchtower. She could do nothing as it tore her out of the Tranquill's realm and violently thrust her into the new dimension.
She screamed as the tear threw her into the sky and sent her plummeting to the ground. She attempted to right herself, twisting and turning through the air, but it did little good. She could barely hold her position for more than a few seconds before the wind flipped her into an awkward position. She could feel the wind drying up the tears in her eyes as her stomach twisted painfully. She clawed at the air as her heart jolted in her chest, threatening to leap right out of her body.
Why am I falling?! Why did the tear shoot me into the sky?!
I don't know! Maybe because you absorbed Yore, it thought you could fly or something!
That doesn't make any sense!
Well I don't know why! It's the best explanation I got!
Isn't there any way we can help her, Sonata? Can't she turn into one of us so that she can fly?
No, our bodies are gone! They disappeared the second we merged with her?
Does that mean Glace is going to die then?
No! We're not... she's not going to die! There's a way out of this, I know it!
Like what?! What's my way out of this?! Tell me your great plan, Sonata before I splatter into a million pieces!
I'm thinking of something!
I never should have opened that tear without looking in it first. I should have seen where it was going to drop me off. But no, you said it'd be fine! You said there was nothing to worry about!
I didn't know it would do this! It's never dropped me off into the sky before!
Both of you stop fighting! It's-
Glace hit something hard. All of the air in her lungs left her as her descent abruptly ceased. She inhaled sharply as something dark and murky quickly washed over her. It wrapped itself around her entirely, and then pulled her down. Something harsh and suffocating rushed into her mouth and nose as she sank deeper and deeper into the darkness. Glace could feel the darkness weighing down on her mind, lulling her to sleep even though it burned her lungs.
She couldn't stop herself from closing her eyes.
Glace, you've got to get to air! We're going to drown here!
Where is… here? Where are we…?
Somewhere underwater!
So we're in water… so that's why I'm not dead yet…
Yeah but you're going to be if you don't start swimming right now! Come on, get to the surface! Open your mouth and follow the air bubbles!
Glace absently opened her eyes before opening her mouth as well. Not even a second later, a few, minuscule bubbles escaped from her mouth. They slid past her face and above her head before disappearing into the darkness.
Come on, go after them!
The Weavile sluggishly moved her arms. They moved fluidly through the water, miraculously not broken despite the fall. The movement drove out the lull overtaking her mind, and with it, vigor returned to both her arms and legs. Her murmuring heart once again thudded loudly in her ears as the true gravity of the situation dawned upon Glace. She nearly inhaled a mouthful of water, but stopped herself just before it could go down her throat.
Glace righted herself up in the water, and then opened her mouth once again. More air bubbles rose out of her and drifted high above her head. She wasted no time in going after them. She kicked her feet and swept her arms through the black water with all her might, all the while resisting the urge to breathe in. Her lungs still stung and the intensity grew with each stroke, but she forced herself to keep her mouth closed.
After seemingly an eternity later, Glace's head finally emerged from the water.
She took in a deep, sharp breath before coughing harshly. She vomited up a small pillar of water before hacking up stray droplets here and there. She could still feel the burn in her lungs, but it didn't sting nearly as ferociously as when she had been submerged deep into the water. She wiped at her eyes with her claws as she hacked up every last bit of water from her lungs and mouth.
Oh thank goodness, you made it. You really had me worried there.
I'm very glad you made it back to the surface. Are you okay, Glace?
No. I almost drowned. I'm most certainly not okay.
I see… I'm sorry I couldn't help you. I really am. If it were possible, I would have given you my wings in a heartbeat.
Glace felt her heart sink deep into her chest. She could practically see Yore shirking in her mind's eye, averting his gaze from her. She coughed a bit more, and then sighed.
It wasn't your fault. Nothing about this was.
Yeah, it was my fault anyway. I really didn't consider that just maybe the tear would do that to you. We really should have just tried to peek inside the dimension. It's just that, you know, I can fly so I never have to worry about if I'm going to free fall…
Can we even do that though? I open that tear just a tiny bit and then it sucks me right in.
Right… that's a problem. Oh, I wish I could have figured out more about dimensional travel. I'm sure that there's a way to just peer into the dimension you want to go to, but I never figured out how. It's all just so complicated and weird…
I'm afraid too much of our situation doesn't sound logical. Why just a few moments ago, we were at my old sentry post. Now we're in a body of water that doesn't feel anything like the lakes near my home.
It was then that Glace realized that she had no idea where they actually were. She had been so busy panicking in the midst of her fall that she hadn't bothered to take in any of her surroundings. She wiped the last bits of water out of her eyes, and then removed her claws from her face.
She found that everything around her was black. It was exactly the same as it had been underwater; dark, endless, and lifeless. She couldn't see a single thing around her as she floated on the water's surface. She had the moon high above her, but its pale light couldn't help her. It only illuminated a small part of the water surrounding her. If anything, it made her feel even more alone.
Glace tasted the water. It filled her mouth a strong, salty taste that instantly made her thirsty. She quickly spat it out wiped at her mouth with her arm.
Oh, we're in the ocean, Glace. My caretakers told me that the ocean tasted as salty as that.
The ocean. Great. Of all the places we had to land, it had to be the one domain I've never bothered with…
You've never been to the ocean?
No, why should I? Weavile have no business with the ocean. We don't belong there. Our bodies were meant specifically for mountains and snowy regions.
A fair point.
The Weavile squinted her eyes and glanced around. She could still only see nothing but black all around her. She couldn't see even the vaguest outline of an island anywhere. She could barely see her pearly claws in the water.
Still, staying still wouldn't solve anything. It wasn't as though the land were going to make its way toward her. Not only that, but more worrying thoughts slowly trickled into her mind. Namely, what swam below the dark depths of the ocean. They could just be harmless Feebas or Finneon that Glace saw at the markets. They could do nothing more than tickle the soles of her feet. But they could also be treacherous Tentacruel, watching her with their cold eyes while filling their tentacles with thick, immobilizing poison. Glace could practically feel something clammy wrapping around her legs right now. It would only be a matter of moments before she would be dragged back down into the dark water and welcomed by the insidious red glow that spelt her doom.
Glace set her sights toward the moon, and then swam toward it. It was an awkward swim, one where she paddled her arms and legs under the water as a four-legged Pokémon might attempt to do, but it got the job done. She made her way through the waves and progressed at an adequate pace. That itself was a miracle when no one had ever taught her how to swim.
Glace didn't know how long it would take to find land or if she was even going in the right direction. But she couldn't stay still. She couldn't let those imaginary Tentacruel ensnare her.
But maybe there weren't only Tentacruel. Maybe there were even more horrific creatures down below. She didn't know what they could be; no one had ever told her about the creatures of the deep. She only knew about Tentacruel because of a story she had overheard in the dojo. For all she knew, eldritch creatures with bladed fins and mouths with hundreds of jagged teeth swam just beneath her. Or worse, they could be so monstrous in size that they could swallow her up in one gulp.
She wouldn't be able to see any of them coming for her until it was too late. In the endless ocean smothered in night, she had no means to defend herself. Her quick feet, her hooked claws, and even her domain over the cold could offer her no help.
Glace swam a little more vigorously. No, she would find land before any of those monsters even caught a glimpse of her. She would find a haven soon. There was no reason to think she would die in this dimension. Everything would be fine. She would find land soon.
The Weavile made sure to keep her nose above the water as she swam. It was difficult, but she managed. She couldn't remember the last time she had ever been in the water. But she could now see why she had never felt the desire to be amongst the water-types; it felt too alien. There was nothing solid beneath your feet. Your claws couldn't swipe through the water with the efficiency you wanted. You had to move with both your arms and your legs to get anywhere.
Minutes passed and Glace still couldn't see any semblance of land in her sight. She could already feel her arms and legs starting to ache. It was becoming harder to breathe as well. Glace ignored the pain and kept swimming.
Many more minutes went by and Glace saw no salvation in sight. She hadn't even seen a flicker of the ominous red she dreaded. Only vast darkness had kept her company.
There has to be land somewhere. We couldn't have landed that far away from civilization.
Sonata, are you sure that we can't grant Glace the use of our wings? I'm deeply worried for her safety. She can only swim for much longer before she overexerts herself.
Well I really don't think it's going to work… but I'll give it a try.
It was then that a stabbing pain shot through Glace's skull. She abruptly stopped as she clutched her head with her hands, resisting the urge to dig her claw tips deep into her scalp. She groaned and squirmed as she squeezed her eyes shut. She could already feel the tears forming in the corners of her eyes.
Stop, stop! Stop whatever you're doing!
Alright, alright!
The pain stopped just as quickly as it came. Glace took in a few deep breaths as she rubbed her temples with the blunt part of her claws. When she had gathered her bearings, she lowered her claws and opened her eyes. Nothing but the empty ocean greeted her.
Never do that again.
I'm sorry Glace. I shouldn't have suggested that. I didn't think that it would hurt you.
It's fine. I just don't want you or Sonata to try that again. I'm a Weavile; there's no point in trying to change that.
Of course. I should never have tried to challenge that fact.
Glace could feel a pit grow in the bottom of her stomach. She tried not to grimace as the feeling reached into her chest and twisted her heart.
Looks like you're just going to have to keep swimming. But hey, maybe the sun will rise soon and then we can see everything better!
I really hope so, Sonata. I'd like to be able to see again.
The Weavile took another moment of rest, and then got moving once again. The ache in her chest and stomach vanished the moment she did. However, the same couldn't be said about the pain in her limbs. Her arms and legs still protested and she wasn't sure how much longer she could keep swimming. She needed to find even the smallest hint of an island soon or else she might have to spend the night drifting along the ocean's surface.
The very thought that made the pain pulsing through her body a little more bearable.
Neither Yore nor Sonata talked to Glace as she swam through the water. She only kept her thoughts focused solely on finding any speck of land. She didn't think about how long she had to swim, when morning would come, or how large the ocean could even be. These thoughts would only slow her down. They would lull her and make her sink back into the dark waves.
It was after remaining in this empty state of mind for what felt to be many long, endless hours did Glace finally come across land. It was a tiny island, one that she could barely make out in the darkness, but it would do.
Glace pushed herself more as she swam straight for the island. As she neared it, she could see that it really was quite small. Only about three palm trees grew out of the sand with thin patches of green growing around them. She imagined that not a single living creature dwelt on such a small settlement.
However, she couldn't dwell in these thoughts, because the second she emerged from the water and crawled onto the island, her body gave out on her.
She couldn't even feel the soft sand or foliage as she hit the ground and slipped away.
When Glace came to, the first thing she noticed was that she felt cool. She couldn't feel a single drop of water or grain of sand clinging to her body. She only felt something comforting beneath her, something akin to her bed. It had always been so welcoming after a long day of teaching at the dojo. So soft like downy feathers, yet firm enough that you didn't sink into it like mud.
The Weavile slowly opened her eyes. Endless blurs of evergreen flooded into her vision. That didn't seem right to her. She blinked a few times, and her vision changed. Now she saw hundreds of blades of grass beneath her. They swayed in a non-existent wind and lightly brushed against her face.
Glace couldn't help but stare at the grass. There hadn't been this much grass on the island. Granted, she had only seen it for a few seconds before she passed out, but the grass was too thick for it to be growing on an island. This more resembled what she might find on forest flooring.
The Weavile pushed herself off the ground with her claws and looked up. What she saw before her nearly made her gasp.
There, looming over her like a tower, stood a tree. It was a massive tree, stretching so high into the sky that it would take hours just to climb up its cobalt canopy. And even then, Glace wasn't sure how she was supposed to climb the tree. The trunk, rather than being one solid mass, seemed to be multiple tendrils of pale gold wood entwined with one another and spiraling up. All the bark held a sheen similar to that of a polished gem.
Hundreds of lengthy vines hung from the branches and dangled far out of Glace's reach. They each radiated with milky colors that didn't seem out of a place in a surreal, comforting dream. Something about standing in their soft glow made Glace feel oddly nostalgic. She almost felt like a little Sneasel again, one who could run for miles and miles through the winter lands and never grow tired.
In fact, just standing before this great tree was enough to make Glace feel this way. Something about basking in its enormous shadow made everything seem so whimsical. She couldn't stop herself from getting up and drawing closer to the tree. She carefully climbed over each of the tree's thick, exposed roots at least five times her size as she neared it. She only vaguely noticed that the roots felt warm and seemed to pulse beneath her touch.
Glace stopped when she reached the very base of the tree. She craned her neck up and stared up at the canopy again. She could see now that it didn't hold leaves in its branches like all other trees in her dimension. They held a more wraith-like appearance, as if they were mere smoke wisps taking on the vague form of leaves. And yet, they seemed so very far away, maybe even further away than before. She wasn't even sure if she could reach the canopy if she had wings. It seemed forever out of reach. And yet, it called to her. She could hear it beckoning her, telling her to climb up the winding trunk, nestle in its branches, and take in the ethereal haze.
"What kind of tree is this?"
Glace snapped out of her trance. She blinked and then turned toward the source of the voice. Her heart jolted when she saw who it was.
There, standing not far from her, were Yore and Sonata.
No longer were they nothing more than voices in her head. They had regained their physical forms, once again a Tranquill and Noivern. Not only that, but their forms were without blemish. Sonata's injured eye had completely healed, not even a single scar to be seen. Yore's feathers seemed to have a brighter gloss to them, as though he had recently preened himself or perhaps taken a long bath.
Glace could see both of them staring up at the marvelous tree, their eyes glimmering with an almost hatchling-like light. The Weavile could only imagine they felt just as much wonderment as she had earlier.
"You two aren't inside of me anymore," Glace stated, not even bothering to keep the surprise out of her voice.
The two fragments snapped their gazes over to Glace. It only took them a few seconds to understand Glace's statement. The moment they did, their pupils dilated. They both looked over themselves, carefully raising their feet and flapping their wings.
"I have a body again… wow. It feels so weird to have one again," Sonata remarked as she checked her tail.
"But why do we have one?" Yore then wondered. "Did something happen when you found that island, Glace?"
"No, nothing happened," Glace replied. "I remember I that I reached the island, and then I passed out. I don't think anything else happened."
"Well none of that explains anything. Including why we're here," Sonata stated. "Wherever here is. At this… um, giant tree?"
The three fragments brought their attention back to the towering tree. It still stood before them and sheltered them in its cool shade. Glace couldn't help but notice that the vines seemed to be glowing a little more brightly now. She even thought she saw a few of them swaying in a non-existent wind.
"Do any of you know about this tree?" Yore asked.
"Nope, never seen anything like it," Sonata said with a shake of her head. "It's a pretty cool tree though. I wouldn't mind living around a tree like this. I bet it attracts a lot of tasty food. Maybe it even grows some nice fruit too."
"I've never seen this tree either," Glace said. "It seems almost kind of magical."
"I can see that. I don't know many trees that glow with strange lights like this one does," Yore said with a nod. "Perhaps we should investigate the tree? It seems that there's nothing else around here that's noteworthy."
Glace looked out into the distance. She had been so entranced by the tree that she hadn't bothered to take in the rest of her surroundings. However, upon doing so, she realized there hadn't been much of a point in doing so. The land seemed to stretch for a mile away from the tree, and then abruptly stop, vanishing without a trace. Beyond that, only a golden sky with wispy clouds awaited. It reminded Glace very much of the island she had collapsed on; a tiny haven amidst an eternal ocean. However, instead of the tree being surrounded by water, it was now hovering in the sky with a ball of light perpetually setting into an imaginary horizon.
The land surrounding the tree was indeed beautiful, filled with vibrant flowers of all kinds that glimmered like diamonds, but it paled in comparison to the tree. Before the enormous tree and its otherworldly wonder, everything else surrounding it might as well have been dirt. Only the sea of gold surrounding the island from every angle could rival the spectacle of the tree.
"Yeah, let's investigate the tree," Glace said after a moment. "There's not much else we can do."
Yore nodded once and then spread out his wings. However, just as he seemed ready to push off the ground, a new sound emitted through the air. It sounded like feathers rustling.
All three of the fragments looked up to see a blue, avian Pokémon with white, puffy wings that resembled clouds. It seemed to be descending directly toward them.
"Let's hide," Glace said quickly. "I have a feeling we're not supposed to be here."
Without wasting another second, Glace hurried toward the nearest root she could find. She vaulted right over it with one fluid motion. Glace didn't even register hitting the ground as she hid behind the root and peered over its edge. She saw Yore and Sonata rushing toward her with similar haste. Within seconds, they joined the Weavile behind the massive root, though Yore seemed to be having more difficulty hiding myself than either of the girls. He couldn't quite hide his head as easily despite his smaller size. Glace considered pushing his head down to better conceal him, but changed her mind when she saw that his feathers didn't stand out much against the wood.
Glace watched as the Altaria settled right where the three had been standing before. She fluffed her feathers for just a moment, sending cotton-like particles up into the air like dandelion seeds, and then straightened her posture. She brought her solemn gaze to the ethereal tree.
"Greetings, oh great Keeper of Realms," the Altaria said with a small bow of her head. "I hope that I have not disturbed you. I come bearing news as a mere messenger to those more worthy of your presence."
A golden orb several times the Altaria's size manifested right before her. She didn't move as the brilliant glow slowly took on a more distinguishable shape. Something that seemed to stand on four elongated legs and had large appendages protruding out of its head. They seemed so sharp that Glace was sure they could pierce through any Pokémon's flesh with enough force.
When the orb finished its transformation, the light vanished, and there stood a creature in its place. It was a great furred creature of black and blue with antlers adorned with brilliant lights. It held itself tall above the Altaria and gazed down upon her with its sapphire eyes. It had one of its front legs over the other in an almost dignified, regal manner. And yet, Glace couldn't feel any bit of condescension from this majestic creature. She only felt tranquility in the air all around her, as though its mere presence had smothered out every evil in the world and left only serenity and harmony to frolic about.
"What do the gods desire of me?"
"The gods desire a meeting with you," the Altaria spoke, still keeping her head bowed. "They would appreciate it if you could meet them in the Hall of Origin at your earliest convenience."
"A meeting? My, I have not been called to a meeting in quite some time nor have I ever thought there to be the time for one. All has been relatively well in all of the realms, save for a miniscule rip in the dimensional barriers."
"They said there was something they wanted to speak to you about. They wouldn't say the purpose of the meeting, only that you come as soon as you can."
"I understand. Well then messenger, tell the gods that I will see them shortly. I only need to look over a few of the realms for potential anomalies."
"Very well, thank you for your cooperation, Keeper of Realms."
With that, the Altaria opened her wings and flew up into the golden sky. The horned creature watched her go in silence. Glace couldn't help but notice that a misty glaze had formed over its eyes now. The mystic, calming aura that it once radiated slowly filled the air with a thick, muddled feeling that made Glace's skin crawl. She even thought she saw some of the vines of the tree shudder for just a moment.
The mystical stag-like being watched the last of the Altaria disappear into the far distance and then closed its eyes. Golden globes sprouted from its body and sent them flying up into the air. With each orb that bubbled out of the creature, its body grew more and more transparent. Within seconds, the entire body was nothing more than a cluster of blinking lights. They filled up all of Glace's vision with their radiance, drowning out the entire island in their brilliance. The meadow, the sky, her other selves, even the very tree all melted into the gold of the horned one's disappearing body. The glint became her entire world as it enveloped her. It welcomed her in its warm grasp, wordlessly whispering in her ears that she was safe and sound. It nestled her and stroked her head with the tenderness of a loving mother soothing her hatchling to sleep.
Glace couldn't stop herself from closing her eyes as the gold whisked her away into a peaceful nothingness.
"How much longer until we get to Palm Island? I can't remember how long we've been out here."
"We passed by Wayward Island just the other day, and the distance between Palm and Wayward is about… three days. We've seen two sunsets already, so not much longer. I imagine we should arrive by dawn tomorrow, maybe even by sunset tonight if the wind is on our side."
"Ah, good. I can't wait to finally reach that island. I heard that they have amazing greenberries. Supposedly the best in the whole world. "
"Heh, well if you have the money for them, sure. They aren't cheap, you know."
"Oh don't worry; I've been saving up for this. I'm not about to stop by Palm Island and not get the best greenberries on the planet. Who knows when we'll ever come back."
Glace didn't recognize the voices. They both sounded male, adults about her age as well, but she could discern nothing else.
She opened her eyes and was immediately met with a harsh burst of light. Glace squeezed her eyelids back shut. She could see red fuzzy dots dancing behind her eyelids, which certainly didn't help ease the mild discomfort shifting through her head. She rubbed at her eyes and turned over onto her side, all the while groaning miserably.
"Oh hey, look. Your little castaway is waking up."
"Huh, you're right. She really is still alive."
Glace heard footsteps and the sound of wood creaking. She quieted down as she listened to the creatures make their way towards her. She couldn't tell what they were, but given they didn't make too much sound when they moved, she imagined they weren't very big.
When the creaking stopped, Glace finally forced herself to open her eyes, if only a tiny bit. The brilliant light still flooded into her vision, but it wasn't nearly as strong. It was currently being blocked by two figures leering over her. Glace blinked a few times before opening her eyes completely.
She now saw that the two figures were actually a Vigoroth and Slowking. They both stared at her with bemused glares, as if she were an entirely new species of Pokémon. Glace honestly considered that could very well be the case in this dimension.
"Hey there, welcome back to the world of the living," the Vigoroth said with a wry smile.
Glace sat up, prompting the two to take a few steps back. Glace ignored them as she rubbed her head with her claws. She noticed that her fur felt quite dry, but still smelt heavily of seawater. She didn't know why that was. There had been no sign of an ocean when she had been visiting that strange tree.
It was then that Glace remembered what had happened to her before she had been whisked away to the tree. The dark water swallowing her up and the endless hours of swimming through the darkness all came rushing back to her. She could just faintly remember seeing the white sand before she blacked out. And yet, there was no sand beneath her now. She only felt planks of rough wood that threatened to put splinters into her.
It was with this thought that Glace finally took a moment to take in her surroundings. She was on a wooden contraption of some sort. It hoisted a white cloth from a large pole protruding out of the flooring, which made loud ruffling noises as the wind breezed past it. It wasn't a very large vessel, only enough room to hold maybe twenty more Pokémon, but it was still a sight to behold.
But what was even more surprising was that the contraption was moving in the ocean. It somehow stayed afloat despite how heavy it seemed, sailing through the blue water with ease. The device would rock every so often as the waves collided against it, but never enough for Glace to feel as though she would be hurled into the water.
Glace brought her gaze back to the two Pokémon to find that they hadn't averted their gazes from her.
"Where am I?" she asked. "What exactly am I sitting on?"
"Well you're on a boat," the Vigoroth answered with a small chuckle. "What, you've never seen one of these things before?"
"No, I haven't," Glace said carefully. "Where I come from, we don't have boats."
"Wow, are you serious? What island are you from that doesn't know what a boat is?" the Vigoroth asked.
"Perhaps she's from one of those secluded islands that refuse to make trades with the others," the Slowking suggested. "I think there was one near where you found her."
"Well, it would explain her species," the Vigoroth shrugged. "Still can't believe she doesn't know what a boat is. Figured everyone on the planet knows what they are."
"Apparently they don't as your little castaway has proven," the Slowking stated.
"How did you two find me?" Glace cut in.
"Oh, Matt here found you collapsed on a little island while we were sailing around," the Slowking replied. "He thought that you were dying and wanted to bring you with us. He didn't feel like you should die on such a lonely island."
"You don't have to put it like that…" Matt said with a glower.
"I could have put it in worse ways," the Slowking answered plainly before bring his gaze back to Glace. "But either way, looks like you're not dying after all."
"Not anymore anyway," Glace remarked.
"Would you care to explain why you were on that island?" the Slowking then asked. "It's been bothering me ever since we dragged you on board. Especially when no one's seen your species, or any ice-type for that matter, for centuries. You're a complete enigma I'm just itching to understand."
Glace frowned. She had been hoping that the conversation wouldn't come to this, but she realized it was inevitable. She was too much of a curious subject to not question.
"There's still Weavile in the world," Glace answered. "We just prefer living in secluded clans of our species than with other Pokémon. It's easier to live with your own kind than outsiders you can never hope to fully understand."
"And your kind can stand the island climates?" the Slowking then asked. "I imagine it'd be so easy to develop hyperthermia as an ice-type."
"That's a myth uninformed Pokémon made up. We might prefer the cold areas of the north, but we can adjust to practically any climate with enough time. The only one we can't stand is the desert, but most Pokémon can't either."
"Alright, fair enough. I'll believe that for now. But that doesn't explain why you were on that tiny island. I don't think many Pokémon that aren't water-types swim out in the great ocean without a boat."
Glace stared out at the sea beside her. Just as during the night, it stretched endlessly into the distance from every direction she faced. While the water wasn't black and treacherous now, instead being a serene blue that matched the sky above, it didn't erase the fact that she couldn't spot land anywhere in sight. In a way, her circumstances hadn't changed much. She was still stranded in the middle of the ocean, only now she was on a drifting boat with two curious Pokémon instead of on a stationary island.
"I was trying to catch something near the shore," Glace answered effortlessly, still watching the ocean. "I followed it out into the sea and then, next thing I knew, I had been dragged out miles away from the island without a clue of how to get back. It didn't take much longer for me to go under and black out. I imagine I drifted onto that island by sheer coincidence."
"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that," the Slowking said quietly. "It sounds to me that you got caught in a rip current. They truly create harrowing experiences for anyway. It's miraculous that you survived honestly."
Glace didn't say anything, but she did bring her gaze back to the two Pokémon. She found they were both shooting her long frowns and that their postures had sunk a slight amount.
"Listen, Rob and I were heading out to Palm Island right now to pick up a few things for our own island," the Vigoroth said. "We imagine we should be there by tonight or tomorrow morning. After we finish our business there, did you want us to bring you back to your island? It's on our way home, so it wouldn't be an inconvenience."
Aw, that's thoughtful of them. You're lucky that you found these two, Glace.
I don't need them to bring me back to a non-existent island though. They'll realize I was lying if I do.
Yeah, that's true. Alright, let's get dropped off at that Palm Island they were talking about. Maybe we'll even find Jera there. Would be nice to find one of our other selves without wandering around for days.
"No, it's alright," Glace said as Sonata's voice left her mind. "You don't need to do that for me. You can bring me to Palm Island and I'll stay there."
"Are you really sure about that?" Matt asked. "It really wouldn't be a hassle."
"No, I'm fine," Glace insisted. "Take me to Palm Island and drop me off there."
"I imagine that your clan is worried about you," the Vigoroth continued to say.
Glace felt a flicker of resentment stir within her. She had to resist scowling as the poisonous feeling seeped into her blood.
"I want to go to Palm Island," she stated firmly. "I don't want to be dropped off at my island."
"Really, if you're worried that taking you home would be a burden, it's not," the Vigoroth went on. "I really don't want anyone worrying about you. I've got my own family, you know? One beautiful mate and two lovely daughters. If any of them were to suddenly go missing and no one knew where they were, you can sure bet that I would-"
Something within Glace snapped. It broke her icy façade and took full control of her tongue before she could comprehend what it was.
"My clan doesn't care that I'm gone," Glace said with sudden venom in her voice. "They don't want me anymore. I'm no one to them. They've refused to let me participate in any of their hunts for the past few weeks. They would let the weakest Sneasel with the shortest claws go instead of me. Then while the hunting parties were out, they would stick me in a cave or in a tree hollow and make me stay there until meal time. I couldn't do anything except sit there and scratch shapes into the walls. So don't you dare tell me that they miss me and want me back."
An awkward silence fell over the group, interrupted only by the sounds of the ocean rocking the boat. The Vigoroth and Slowking stood there, completely stunned and speechless. Even Yore and Sonata didn't make a single remark within Glace's mind. When the Weavile realized what a scene she had created, she forced her gaze back onto the waves. She tried to ignore the rotten feeling gnawing in her chest.
"Drop me off at Palm Island," she muttered quietly. "There's nowhere else for me."
"Of course," the Slowking said with a small nod. "If that's what you want."
And with that, the two sailors let Glace be as they made their way to the nose of the ship, granting her the quiet and solitude she desperately needed.
Glace watched the sun begin its descent in the watery horizon as she munched on a Magikarp the sailors had fished out of the ocean moments ago. She didn't care much for the flavor, finding it to be too chewy and salty for her tastes, but ate it nonetheless. She needed the nourishment. Then also, she could practically feel Yore craving it for himself. She could feel it in her mouth, that insatiable need to sink her fangs into this raw Magikarp that she had never felt before. And even though biting into the Magikarp didn't fill her with the savory taste she anticipated, it still numbed the craving itself.
Why do you even eat Magikarp anyway, Yore? Tranquill don't usually eat meat. They eat berries or bugs I believe.
I was raised by Talonflame who treated me as though I were a Fletchling. They didn't know how to care for a Pidove, so they taught me what they knew. If what you say is true however, then it would explain why I had a difficult time grabbing the Magikarp out of the water for the longest time.
Glace peered over at the Slowking and Vigoroth. She found that they were standing at the front of the boat, pointing at something in the distance and discussing how much further they needed to sail. They hadn't bothered her much since she told them to drop her off at Palm Island, save for giving her the Magikarp. They had mostly kept to themselves throughout the day, something Glace felt quite grateful for.
She gazed out at the sun once again. She saw how it had become a great ball of golden light as it dipped down over the ocean, dying the sky around it with its glow. It reminded her of the strange sky that surrounded the tree from earlier.
It was with this thought that Glace started to wonder just what exactly that tree had been and the strange events that had unfolded around it. She could practically see the enormous plant in her mind right now, glimmering with its milky and peaceful colors.
You two remember being at that tree, don't you?
Yeah, hard to forget that! I had my body back and everything. And my eye wasn't all messed up! Felt great!
Yes, the same. Do you still not know how we arrived at that tree, Glace?
No, I don't. I blacked out, and then I woke up at that tree. I don't know how I got there and how you two were in your own bodies. Or anything about that Altaria and that horned creature we saw. Nothing there made much sense.
Well I think that thing that was talking to the Altaria was supposed to be the Keeper of Realms or whatever that Altaria said. So, maybe that person was a god or something like that? Would explain why he was glowing and why he appeared and disappeared with all those gold lights. It didn't look like any legendaries I know of though. And I sure don't know any legends about some giant tree in the middle of some floating island. But you know, if that thing really was a Keeper of Realms, maybe it's got something to do with us.
It was then that Glace finally realized something that she hadn't before. Something that she had somehow overlooked despite it being incredibly obvious in hindsight.
That horned creature had the same voice as the creature talking to me in that vision.
Wait a minute… you're right, Glace! They do have the same voice! Wow, good catch. I kind of forgot what it sounded like because it only said like two things and it was a while ago.
I don't quite understand what you two are talking about.
Oh, right. I don't think you saw a vision like Glace and I.
What vision?
Yeah, exactly. The two of us got a vision about our other selves and our old self told us to go find them. We couldn't see our old self, but we heard it talk for a little bit. It sounded exactly like that horned thing by that tree.
I see. So what you are saying is that the horned creature we saw earlier could be our whole self. This Keeper of Realms, according to that Altaria. It certainly sounds about right. It would make sense that a supposed realm keeper would have the power to split itself into multiple Pokémon.
Yeah! Looks like we've figured out who we used to be! Alright, awesome! We finally figured out this huge mystery.
Except that we don't know why it made us in the first place.
As soon as Glace thought that, Sonata's jittery energy quieted down. A dark, heavy feeling settled over Glace, but another bite out of the Magikarp helped chase it away.
We also don't even know how we were able to see that thing when we're all split up. If it really is our old self, it shouldn't exist anymore. And yet we saw it talking to that Altaria.
Well… maybe it was a memory. I mean, you've heard those stories about how amnesic people get random memories about their life at random times. Maybe it's the same idea with us.
We're not amnesic; we just came into existence very differently than other Pokémon. I can remember my entire life fine, Yore can remember his life fine, and I imagine you can too.
Yeah, but that's just our fragment lives. None of us remember anything about our old self. I'd count that as amnesia.
Fine, we'll count ourselves as amnesiacs then. That still doesn't explain why were all in the memory together. If it really was a memory, we should have been seeing it from that horned creature's perspective.
Well… um. We um… alright, you stumped me there. I got nothing there.
Glace really did want to believe Sonata when she theorized that they were this supposed Keeper of Realms. It made perfect sense to her that they would be god-like being who served as the guardian over all the different dimensions. She couldn't think of a better fit for who they could be, except perhaps Arceus himself. She would have thought Arceus would be the guardian of the dimensions, being the supposed grand creator of the universes, but she realized that maybe that had been a misconception. After all, Arceus had supposedly created Palkia and Dialga to craft time and space, concepts he could have made himself. It wasn't much of a stretch to believe that he would create another creature to maintain his creations.
If any of this was even true to begin with, that was. Glace wasn't entirely sure what she thought about existence and its formation anymore. Not long ago, she had thought that her dimension was the one and only universe in all of existence. She never would have guessed that just beyond an invisible veil, countless other universes filled with Pokémon lived right alongside her, oblivious to their true insignificance of the multiverse.
Regardless, she really could believe that this Keeper of Realms could very well be her old self. It was only unfortunate that she couldn't come up with an explanation for what had happened at that tree. Maybe their old self hadn't shattered completely and was still around in some form? Maybe they could talk to it if they could reach that tree again? She really did want to know why she had been created in the seemingly infinite realms of existence.
Maybe we were in our bodies because our minds haven't merged back together.
Glace stopped pondering. Even though Yore's words rang so quietly through her mind, they struck with the intensity of a lightning bolt.
What are you talking about?
You might have assimilated our bodies, but our minds are still our own. I wonder if we all visited our old self in separate bodies because we aren't one yet. We're still fragments. We're not actually the keeper yet.
Ohhhhh! So you mean like when Glace passed out, we all got thrown into the memory. And then we watched like outsiders because we're not actually our whole self anymore. We're just like spectators.
Something like that, yes. I know it doesn't seem logically sound, but considering our circumstances, it seemed plausible to me.
Well it makes perfect sense to me! Trust me, I've heard way weirder stuff in my own dimension. Yours is pretty normal compared to all that.
Glace could feel a pleasant shudder course through her that made her smile just a bit. She even felt the need to wag a non-existent tail.
I can work with that explanation as well, Yore. For now, anyway. And who knows, maybe we'll see more memories and we'll be able to understand all of this better.
Of course. I, just like you, would also like to know why were split apart. However, knowing that we possibly were this Keeper of Realms does provide me some happiness at least.
Feel like I might have seen that thing from somewhere though. I feel like I might have heard about some legendary that had horns like that one now that I think about it. But I don't know. Everyone's got a different interpretation of what all the legendaries look like. Like, I've seen some people draw Arceus as a four-legged thing with this golden wheel around its body. And then some other people draw him with a thousand arms. That last interpretation is kind of stupid though.
Glace laughed a little at the idea of Arceus having multiple arms jutting out of his body. She couldn't quite imagine why anyone would think of him as that. It didn't sound very majestic or godly to her in any sort of way.
"Hey, we're at Palm Island now."
Glace stopped laughing and turned to her side. She found the Vigoroth standing not far from where she stood, all the while gesturing to something behind him. Glace followed his hand and soon saw that the boat was no longer drifting about the endless ocean. It now floated a ways from the shoreline of an island far larger than the one she had rested on. She couldn't see much of it at the moment, save for the palm trees here and there, but she thought she saw semblance of a city further into the island. She could also see the Vigoroth's companion tying the boat to a winding, wooden platform rising out of the water that connected to the island's shoreline. It seemed quite lengthy, as if it was designed to hold multiple of these supposed boats at the same time.
The Weavile pushed herself to her feet. She took one last bite out of the Magikarp in her claws, and then tossed it into the ocean. She heard it splash for a brief second over the sound of the rolling waves.
"So we are," Glace said simply.
"Hope that you enjoy being on the island," the Vigoroth said with a smile. "Are you sure you don't want to stay with us though? We can offer you a place to stay while we're here."
"No, it's fine. I'll be alright on my own. There are ways off this island if I don't want to stay any longer, correct?"
"Yeah, of course. Palm Island has merchants coming and going just about every day. I'm sure you could go on one of their boats, if you pay them that is."
"I see. Good to know."
The Weavile locked her gaze onto the platform right beside the boat. She could see how easy it would be to leap down onto it, even with the waves rocking the boat.
"Hey, I'm sorry if I offended you in any sort of way earlier with about your clan and all," the Vigoroth then said, prompting Glace to look back at him. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings or anything."
Glace took in a deep breath. She knew she didn't have to respond in any sort of way. She could dismiss him entirely and be on her way now that she was so close to land again.
But she couldn't. Some part of her mind pestered her, telling her that she couldn't abandon this Vigoroth after he had helped her. And no matter how much she tried to ignore that insistent voice in her head, it wouldn't leave her be. It demanded that she show more consideration for her fellow Pokémon.
She briefly wondered why she had never had this nagging voice in her head until now after so many years.
"It's fine," she told him. "I overreacted. You couldn't have known it was a touchy subject for me."
"Ah, thanks," the Vigoroth said with a sigh. "It was really bothering me all day. I really wanted to say something to you, but I just didn't know how to say it and-"
"It's fine," Glace said again, this time more firmly. "I accept your apology. And… I appreciate you for bringing me to this island. I'm pretty sure I would have never found civilization again if you hadn't spotted me."
Glace could feel her heart thumping uncomfortably in her chest after saying that. She couldn't remember the last time she had expressed gratitude. It felt almost alien and wrong.
The Weavile quickly jumped off the boat and landed on the platform before the conversation could keep going. She heard the wood groan beneath her feet, but it didn't give beneath her weight. The Weavile breathed deeply before she righted herself up.
She wasted no time making her way toward the island even though her muscles felt stiff and tired.
She didn't look back at her two rescuers as she quietly left them behind, lest the unpleasant feeling wash over her once again.
When Glace found herself within the supposed town that she saw peeking from the foliage, twilight descended upon the island. However, unlike in Granite Town, the Pokémon of Palm Island didn't begin to close up their shops. Instead, they set up blazing torches outside of their huts and cauldrons filled with chopped up wood. They didn't quite have the intensity or even the range of the luminous orbs back in Glace's dimension, but they offered sufficient light to the vicinity. Glace could easily see all of the Pokémon still roaming about what she felt to be a marketplace of sorts. The stands were filled with exotic, colorful fruits Glace had never seen before and the many straw-woven items certainly gave her that impression. She even she saw several vendors at their shops enticing Pokémon to see their many necklaces and bracelets crafted out of seashells and teeth of the marine wildlife.
Glace couldn't help but stare at one particular stand holding yellow, star-shaped fruit. She had never would have imagined that fruit could naturally grow in that shape. She could tell that it hadn't been cut up or manipulated to be that way by the merchants; the skin seemed untouched. Quite a number of Pokémon swarmed around the stand and grabbed at least five of the odd fruit before bringing them to the presumed Feraligatr merchant looming close by. Glace noticed that all of the Pokémon would give him a number of small, black seashells before walking away with their purchase.
They use shells here as currency. Interesting.
Huh. That's pretty weird. I wonder how that works though. I mean, wouldn't the ocean always be bringing in a bunch of seashells? That'd make their whole currency system worthless.
It could be that these are a limited amount of these types of seashells. Or maybe they altered them so that they're not like ordinary shells.
Maybe. I dunno, using coins seems a lot easier to me. Nobody can replicate coins all that easily compared to shells. I mean, how are shells even valuable anyway? They're just things you get on the shore and use for decoration.
How are coins valuable when they're nothing but flat metal?
… Okay fine, you got a point there.
Glace felt tempted to stick around longer and take in more of the island and how much different it could possibly be from her own dimension. She imagined the shell currency was only scratching the surface. However, she knew couldn't. She needed to find Jera; that fragment was her priority above all else.
But before she could do that, she needed to find somewhere to rest for a while. Though she had done nothing but sit on that boat for hours and hours and watch the sea, it had still somehow worn her out. Her legs still ached and the Magikarp digesting in her belly filled her with a warm, lulling energy.
The question was, where could Glace possibly go? She realized now that she could have stayed with Matt and Rob. That Vigoroth had offered lodging to her, and yet she had rejected it. That had been a poor move on her part. Though she wasn't entirely on board with the idea of voluntarily sleeping anywhere near strangers, it was better than being out here on the island with nothing but sand and thin trees unfit for her to rest in. Who knew what lurked the island at night. She had no concept of how much an island could change when the sun set. She had no idea where she was supposed to hide when the night predators awoke and prowled about. She didn't even know what these predators could possibly even be, if there were any to begin with.
She couldn't sleep outside when she understood so little about the island. She had to go back to that Vigoroth and Slowking and ask to stay with them despite declining earlier. She had to admit that she had nowhere to go and needed shelter for a while. She felt an uncomfortable twisting in her stomach at the thought of that, but she knew what she had to do. She definitely she couldn't find an inn of any sorts when she didn't have this dimension's currency. She also most definitely couldn't sleep outside when paranoid thoughts of what dangers lurked in the darkness would bombard her at every waking moment.
She imagined it couldn't be that difficult to find the two sailors. They might both even be at the boat still, or close to it. Glace mustered up every bit of courage she could find within herself, and then headed back to the ocean.
After a while, Glace found herself back at the wooden platform, the two's boat still tied to one of the posts protruding out of the water. Much to her relief, Matt and Rob were both close by, sitting at the platform's edge with their feet dangling above the ocean surface. She could just barely make out their forms in the pale moonlight of the growing darkness.
Glace watched them from her distance, finding herself unable to move toward them.
Come on Glace, you know you gotta talk to them. You know you don't want to stay outside tonight.
I know.
So go on then! I know you can do it.
It feels wrong to go crawling back to them and ask to stay with them. Being near them while I sleep isn't something I'm not entirely comfortable with either.
Why not? Pokémon in my dimension sleep near total strangers all the time! It's totally normal.
In your dimension, that is. Not in mine. We have boundaries where I come from.
Well you don't mind me and Yore being in here in your head, following you everywhere.
I don't have a choice with you two. I couldn't get rid of you two even if I wanted to.
Aw, don't say it like that, Glace. You're making it sound like you don't like us being with you.
She probably doesn't. I would hate to be bombarded by thoughts that aren't my own at random intervals.
But they are your thoughts! You know, just thoughts from a different version of yourself. With different memories and experiences and all that good stuff.
I don't think that quite helps your case, Sonata.
Glace listened to Yore and Sonata continue their prattle in her head, both holding their stances on the subject adamantly. It felt so strange hearing voices in her head talking amongst each other instead of to her. They really did feel like two separate entities inside of her this way. However, at the same time, Glace couldn't call the feeling foreign and unpleasant.
Somehow, the entire experience felt natural. It didn't make her head spin or send a splitting headache straight through her skull.
The Weavile would have pondered in the subject more, but it was then that she saw something near the boat. Something red and round sticking out of the water.
Glace frowned as she carefully crept over to a nearby palm tree and hid behind its slender trunk. She peered around it and locked her gaze back onto the strange object floating in the ocean. Sonata and Yore both stopped talking as they joined her. All three of them watched as the spherical object slowly drifted toward the beach. When it arrived at the shoreline and settled onto the sand, Glace finally saw it for it truly was.
It was an elderly Pokémon with pale red skin and eight tentacles, one of which seemed quite mangled.
The second Glace saw the tentacled Pokémon, the uncanny feeling of familiarity struck her deep in her core. It coursed through her, consuming her thoughts as her brain struggled to conjure up the memories of when she had met this Pokémon. And yet, no matter how hard it tried, it couldn't recall a single memory of this strange creature. There had never been any in the winterlands of her youth nor at the dojo.
Glace forced herself back into reality before her mind could take a full plunge into the darkest corners of her subconscious in its vain attempt to understand the mysterious feeling.
She watched as her other self took a moment to wriggle her tentacles through the sand before crawling toward the city. She moved far more quickly than Glace anticipated, especially considering her injured arm.
Well, looks like we found Jera. That was easier than finding Yore.
What exactly is she? I don't recognize her species.
She's an Octillery. They primarily live on the bottom of the ocean floor. However, I've seen a few of them pass into my city under the supposed reason that they tired of the ocean and wanted a chance to live on land. I never did see if their attempts went well.
That would explain it. Thanks, Yore. There's still something about Jera though that I don't quite understand though.
What would that be?
How is she so much older than all of us? I thought that we were all made at the same time. If she really was us, she would be our age.
Huh, I didn't actually consider that.
Well… maybe time passes differently in this dimension than in our dimensions! I mean, all of us aren't exactly the same age.
We're not? You seem to be my age, Sonata.
Nope! I'm thirty-five. And you're like twenty something from what I can tell, right Glace?
Yeah.
Yeah! See, we're not the same age! And Yore here is… uhhhh…
Twenties or thirties as well. I can no longer remember the exact number anymore.
There you go, we're all different ages. So it really shouldn't be a surprise that Jera is apparently like in her eighties or nineties or whatever she is. Now let's go after her before we lose sight of her.
Glace wasted no time in going after the elderly fragment. Though she was quite tempted to reveal herself and approach Jera completely unguarded, she resisted the idea. She had already made that mistake with Yore; she needed to find the perfect time to approach the fragment. She needed to maintain her distance for now, all the while keeping her within her sights.
With the cunning and silence of a hunter, Glace hid in the shadows of the foliage of the jungle and trailed the Octillery. Much to Glace's surprise, Jera did the same, always keeping close to the trees as if also hiding from someone, but not with the same masterfulness as Glace. Her stealth was somewhat awkward and cumbersome, her tentacles sometimes peering out of the plants too much or her head not sunk low enough to the ground. However, this was understandable, considering that Octillery were never meant to creep through the land undetected. Glace was honestly impressed that she could sneak through the island with the grace that she had conjured up.
It was fully night by the time Glace followed Jera into a neighborhood deep into the island, quite far away from the market Glace had visited earlier. She could now see the Octillery slinking out of the foliage and toward the houses, moving all the more swiftly as she hurried into the huts' shadows. Glace stayed crouched low to the ground as the Octillery crept around the hut's exterior and peered inside through a window. She noticed that no light emitted from the house, only lulling darkness.
What is Jera doing?
Something that she's not supposed to be doing obviously. Nobody moves around like her and not be up to something sneaky.
The Octillery snaked a few tentacles into the window. Then, with one motion, she pulled herself into the hut and disappeared out of Glace's sight. The Weavile couldn't help but grimace at the sight.
I don't like where this is going.
Me neither. But it's not like we can just barge into that house and stop her. Pretty sure we'll make a ton of noise and wake up anyone that might be around here.
Glace felt an uncomfortable shiver go down her spine. She flexed her claws and adjusted her posture as the feeling swept over her and left just as quickly as it came.
Hey Sonata.
Yeah, Glace?
I know you told me you only have vague knowledge of who our other selves are, but do you know if any of them were dangerous? As in are any of them criminals or violent?
Uhhhh, well. I know who you were Glace. I knew a lot about you. Everyone else though… not so much. I just know their names and species. I really couldn't tell you anything else.
So you can't tell me if Jera might hurt me if I were to catch her doing whatever it is she's doing now.
No, I can't… Sorry.
Is there anything you can tell me about her? You too, Yore; do any of you know anything that might help me if there's scuffle?
I'm familiar with her species despite not seeing it often. They have very strong heads. They can easily give you a concussion if they hit you with them. Their suckers are also very strong, so if you're ever ensnared by their tentacles, there's no hope of escaping. I imagine it would be very easy for her to drown you if you don't cut off her tentacles. Even then, the tentacles have this uncanny ability to act on their own even when not connected to a body. They might just keep strangling you and drag you into the ocean for Jera.
Great.
I don't think Octillery are very hostile Pokémon however. If I remember right, they're more inclined to blind you with ink and then run away than fight. The fact that Jera has been sneaking about in the dark, as though she dreads the very light, further assures me.
I'm hoping that's true, Yore. I don't think I would fare well against an Octillery. I've never fought anything that had more than four limbs.
Oh, well I can tell you how you could do that! I've faced a bunch of bugs that had a lot of legs, like a Galvantula. Creepy thing too. Get even one little strand of webbing on you and you get zapped with a thousand volts of electricity! So what you gotta do to deal with Pokémon like that is-
"GET AWAY FROM HER, YOU SPAWN OF GIRATINA!"
A loud crashing sound came from inside the hut Jera had crawled into. Glace snapped her gaze to the house as she watched a bright light flicker into existence and chase away the darkness that once occupied the home.
Seconds later, Jera burst out the window, carrying something in two of her front arms. Glace couldn't identify what it was, only that it was quite small and a soft blue color. She watched the Octillery scurry away from the house as two Quagsire bolted out the front door with venomous, hateful glares that could surely melt steel.
"EVERYONE, GET UP!" one of them screamed with startling ravenousness. "THE NIGHTCRAWLER CAME BACK! THE ONE THAT TOOK LAPIS!"
Pokémon poured out of every single hut in the neighborhood. Particularly, the adults. There were a few hatchlings here and there, but the adults held onto them with iron grips, as if these hatchlings were their very life force.
"GET HER!"
Every Pokémon not holding a hatchling rushed after Jera, roaring and howling like wild, savage ferals on the hunt. The Octillery crawled all the more vigorously, hurrying out of the neighborhood and toward the ocean. She dragged herself along quite swiftly, but Glace knew it wouldn't be enough to outrun the oncoming mob. Having three tentacles out of commission wasn't helping matters either. Glace imagined that Jera would just touch the shoreline when the horde would catch up to her and drag her away. She didn't know what would happen after that point, but she knew it wouldn't end well for Jera.
Glace knew what to do. She knew the second the mob began their mad pursuit. She knew how questionable it was and how she didn't actually understand anything about the situation.
But there was no other choice if she wanted Jera to merge back with her; only her former self's instructions mattered in the grand scheme of everything.
The Weavile shot out of the foliage just as the crowd was to dart past her. She extended her claws as she ran past the front of the crowd and slashed every Pokémon's knee in her path. She felt her claws rip out flesh and blood as harsh screams pierced the air. She tensed as the noise dug into her ears, but she forced herself to ignore it until she gouged a Raichu's leg, the farthest Pokémon to the right of the crowd. She leapt into a cluster of trees as soon as soon as she finished. She imagined the entire assault had lasted about five seconds.
She watched from her cover as all of the Pokémon at the frontline abruptly came to a stop as they grabbed at their knees or tripped over their own feet. The Pokémon so close behind them couldn't stop themselves as they crashed into the downed Pokémon. Sand flew up into the air as dozens of wriggling bodies collapsed into the sand and vainly tried to right themselves up. Multiple tails and paws lashed through the air as they tried to crawl over one another before being shoved back down to the ground by another dazed Pokémon close by.
"My knee! What happened to it?! Where did these claw marks come from?!"
"Gah, they hurt! I think it cut my muscle!"
"Who did this?! Who attacked everyone?!"
"I saw something black and red! Then before I could even feel anything, it hits Lyra and spills her blood!"
"It got everyone that fast?! But how? One second we were all standing, and then the next second…"
Glace twisted her head away from the downed crowd and toward where she last saw the Octillery. She could just barely still see her vague red form in the distance, mere moments away from the beach. Glace hurried out of the foliage and raced after her. It didn't take long to catch up to her. When the Weavile did, she found Jera already retreating into the rolling waves. In a few more seconds she would submerge and be completely out of sight.
"Jera, wait!" Glace cried out. "Stop!"
The Octillery froze on the spot just as Glace reached the shoreline and felt the waves tickle her feet. She caught her breath as Jera slowly turned around and faced her.
Glace saw the familiar flicker or recognition in Jera's eyes the moment they locked gazes. The Octillery tilted her head to her side as her brain undoubtedly searched for any semblance of Glace anywhere in her memories. Glace could practically see the Octillery's mind churning trying to understand how she could have known a supposedly extinct species.
Glace was just about to saw something, when she finally saw movement in Jera's tentacles. The Weavile looked down at the two front tentacles and quickly realized what they held gingerly yet firmly in their grasp.
It was a little Wooper, sound asleep despite all the commotion.
The Weavile felt her heart stop as the realization of the entire situation dawned upon her. Suddenly the blood on her claws felt very cold and poisonous. She could practically feel something sharp piercing into her palms.
"I… I helped you take this Wooper," Glace realized in a frail voice. "I hurt all those Pokémon to help you take this Wooper…"
She had anticipated that Jera had been doing something questionable; there would be no other reason the mob would be pursuing her. But Glace never would have imagined that it had been kidnapping an actual hatchling straight from someone's home…
Exactly what kind of Pokémon could Jera possibly be to be capable of that?
It was then that Glace heard muffled voices behind her. She hesitantly looked over her shoulder to see the mob steadily storming the beach. She felt that there were more Pokémon this time than before somehow. Glace found she couldn't move as they flooded toward her with ravenous intent.
How could she when had willingly helped Jera with her scheme?
"It's alright, my child. They won't be able to reach you. It's my turn to save you from them now."
Glace felt something hard and wet hit her in the back of her head. The Weavile snapped her head back at Jera to see water dribbling out of her mouth and into the ocean. Glace wanted to question this, but instead felt something stretching and widening behind her ears. The Weavile hissed as she grabbed at the site with her claws, but it wouldn't stop the pain.
"What did you…" Glace started to say.
It was then that she saw all of her fur turn blue. It ate away at the black, erasing it completely as the new color consumed every part of her. Glace gasped as she shook her arms, somehow thinking it would rid herself of the color, but nothing happened. The color only continued to corrupt her. Not only that, but it lulled her. It forced a heavy weight down on Glace's mind and made thinking all the more difficult. The sand beneath her feet seemed to shift as darkness clouded into her vision.
Something clammy wrapped around Glace's wrist.
"It's alright, my child," what sounded like Jera's voice said softly. "You've had this happen before. It only feels uncomfortable for a moment or two. Now come along, we need to hurry out of here. We can talk more when we're back at the cavern."
Then, before Glace could process what was happening, something tugged her forward.
She just barely saw herself disappear into the rolling waves before she blacked out.