Let's get going! (-o-)
Daniel's POV
We had decided to camp out by Kleavor's home, for it was growing late and we needed to rest.
Eddie was scrapping his catapult, and it appeared he wanted to build something else with the pieces. What it was going to be, I had no idea.
Adjusting my coat, I looked around at the surrounding trees. There did not seem to be any Pokemon present in them, but I knew they were out there somewhere.
As I sat there, I noticed a certain Type: Null walk slowly over. He sat down near me, and commented, "Nice coat."
"Uh, thanks.", I replied, "It belonged to my dad."
Sherlock gave a subtle nod. "He must have had good taste." He glanced off into the distance. "I wish I had one. A father, I mean."
I gave him a confused glance. "Did he die when you were young or something?"
Sherlock shook his head. "Never had one in the first place. I was a secret weapon, a test tube creation designed to become the ultimate agent that would allow the government to take control of all the strange phenomena they did not trust."
He chuckled. "Look how well that turned out."
I looked at him in astonishment. "The government does that!?"
"There's a lot of things it does.", Sherlock replied, "Most of which it prefers to keep secret. They already knew about the Guardians and the Dark Three long before you all did. It doesn't trust either of them, but their efforts to eliminate them have been hidden from public eyes."
He glanced over at Mia in the distance, who was playing fetch with Kipper and Ace. Kipper threw the stick, and Mia and Ace chased it. "Certain people wouldn't understand.", Sherlock said, "They'd think this was all a game, their favorite characters brought to life. But these two forces aren't only real, they're DANGEROUS. Their constant war spans dimensions and destroys hundreds. Just one of them has the power to demolish an entire world. Many of them will."
He sighed. "Not all of them are bad; I can see that now. You guys wouldn't wish harm on anybody. But you must understand that you've entered an incredibly dangerous game, one that will decide the ultimate fate of, well, everything."
I nodded, letting the bulk of his words set in. "I know. But we've gotten caught up in this mess, and now we're going to fix it."
Sherlock replied, "And I will be helping you."
The two of them were silent for a little while, until Janet fluttered over.
"What is it?", I asked.
Janet replied, somewhat flustered, "I uh, you know, just wanted to hang out with you guys. Social elite, and all that, heh heh."
I replied, "Seriously? I don't think we're any better than anyone else."
Janet sighed. "Look, you two are the only ones I feel comfortable talking to, okay?"
Sherlock shrugged. "Sure, sit down. We're not really doing anything anyway."
The Shiny Celebi fluttered her way to the ground and sat in between us.
"Everybody judges me, you know.", Janet muttered, "And I get it now. It's sensible. I've been a real bleep sometimes. But now I'm stuck out here, in the middle of nowhere, with a bunch of kids I barely even knew before. After all we've been dealing with...well, I'm tired of being a stuck-up little prick. But I don't even know what to do now."
She looked at the two of us. "You two don't seem to judge me by my mistakes. So I came to hang out with you."
I certainly had not appreciated her act before, but she seemed genuinely interested in changing. I was willing to offer her the benefit of the doubt.
Sherlock, meanwhile, didn't seem to care, probably because he hadn't known what she'd been like before. He said, "Well, that's okay. But I'm bad at giving advice."
I chuckled. "Sounds right to me."
Janet looked out at the stars appearing above us. "What do you think will happen when this is all over? Will our lives ever be the same again?"
I replied, "I have no idea. We've turned into Pokemon, and although I hope we get turned back, that will definitely have changed us. We've seen and done so many things, and we're not even close to the end!"
Sherlock nodded. "Yeah, nothing is going to be the same. The government has presumably written me off as compromised, so I don't think I'll be going back there. But right now, I have nowhere to go, even though I'm trying to think of something."
I hadn't even thought about what he was going to do. Whatever it was, I hoped it helped him live a better life. Being a secret government project did not sound great.
As we watched the stars, I spotted a distant meteor. I made a silent wish as it passed, and it seemed the others did too.
Janet yawned. "Oof, I'm so tired...mind if I..take a little...nap...?"
She curled up against my side and immediately fell asleep.
Sherlock might've smiled; I couldn't tell under that binding helmet. "Looks like she might like you. Take care of her, would you?"
Then he laid down, and settled for some sleep. I glanced over at Janet. She looked so much more peaceful this way, so much happier in her sleep.
I rested my head upon the grass, and went to sleep as well. (-o-)
Hoopa's POV
Hoopa waited until most people were asleep. Then Hoopa flew over to a hidden clearing, where Belle was sitting and combing her fur.
"Did you really think you could fool Hoopa, enchantress?", Hoopa demanded, "Hoopa could sense your aura, your psychic powers. What are you up to!?"
Belle smirked at Hoopa. "I'm glad one of you recognized me. But don't worry, I don't seek to harm anyone here."
"Yeah, right, Hoopa believes you, Morgaera!", Hoopa replied sarcastically, "Surely the devious and all-powerful Black Gardevoir wouldn't show herself just to accompany a random slightly dull boy, who just so happened to end up traveling with the heroes of the prophecy!"
Morgaera chuckled. "As suspicious as always, Hoopa. But I have no quarrel with you, or anyone else here. I have a bone to pick with Arceus."
Hoopa frowned. "Wouldn't the Dark Three be more to your taste?"
Morgaera rolled her eyes. "Just because I have a black color scheme doesn't mean I have to work with them. Those people are doomed to fail, I have seen it. This group, however...well, it will get me right where I want to be."
Hoopa growled, "And seducing Kai? Where does that get you?"
Morgaera smirked. "You'd be surprised."
"If you think you're going to try and manipulate things to go your way...", Hoopa warned, "Hoopa will not tolerate it!"
Morgaera said, "Oh, I know...but what if I told you I could help you with your little problem?"
Hoopa froze. "What are you talking about?"
Morgaera gestured at him. "You know, all that? You're not the big strong Pokemon I remembered, and I believe I can fix that."
Hoopa was rather hesitant about what she was saying. But Hoopa knew that she was a sorceress with almost unmatched power. Perhaps she could indeed help him.
But what if it was a trick?
Morgaera added, "Who knows, if we work together, perhaps we'll be safe to be together for more than one night."
Hoopa gave up. "Very well. But remember, these children are under Hoopa's protection!"
Morgaera nodded. "I don't doubt that. Now, come, let me tell you some of what I've been planning..." (-o-)
No POV
"How does the true heir fare?"
Lunala and Solgaleo floated above the meteorite in the center of their village, the night around them quiet and peaceful.
Solgaleo replied to Lunala's question, "She had to retreat to another hiding place recently. Arceus refuses to tolerate the possibility of her survival."
"And of our child?", Lunala asked, a hint of emotion entering her voice.
"Nothing yet, I'm afraid.", Solgaleo replied, "But mark my words, we will find her. The Wanderers are searching every single dimension as we speak."
"Do you think Arceus or Giratina captured her?", Lunala asked nervously, "Perhaps as punishment for our defiance?"
"I wouldn't put it past them, but if they had I'm certain they would have tried to blackmail us with her by now.", Solgaleo answered.
"Somehow that doesn't reassure me.", Lunala whispered.
The two legendaries looked over the sleeping village below them.
"We did well here.", Solgaleo muttered, "But on some dark nights, I can't help but think of how easily it could all crumble to dust."
He smiled slightly. "But during certain bright days, I also think of how strong and dedicated our people are, and know that even if the forces of Distortion and Origin themselves descended upon us, that we would win. And so I have hope."
He rested a paw on Lunala's wing. "You must have hope as well. Our daughter can take care of herself, and she will make her way back to us. I will make it so."
Lunala smiled slightly. "Yes, I will have hope."
The two of them looked up as the sun began to rise ahead of them. (-o-)
AN: Not too much happened, but several important details have emerged. Can you find all of them?
Next time, we will continue our adventure through Hisui! But until then, happy Pokemon hunting!
(The shiny luck in Pokemon Legends: Arceus is ridiculous, isn't it?)