Caboose's arrival had been a blessing, Snowflake would never deny that.
His spirits were up with the constant companionship, and the little Eevee had really taken to him!
He was even staying awake longer, by several hours in fact. Plus, being far less distracted by the constant pain and discomfort that was his mending skin. With such a cute little lady by his side, it was harder to see so many negatives.
Of course, as soon as they were alone, he needed to know what moves she knew. Caboose was lower level, which meant her move set was easy to work on without going outside! Tail Whip had been the first move to master, Snowflake letting her use his good arm as a target. It took a few days, but she perfected wiggling her little tush and tail in the most adorable way possible.
Snowflake was very proud.
The next several days were focused on a very different move.
"Baby Doll Eyes!"
Caboose did as instructed, pink sparkles surrounding eyes that doubled in size.
It was the cutest thing he'd ever seen.
"Perfect- OW!" He had to stop smiling when the pain hit again. It was hard to remember that emoting was a bad idea. It just came so naturally to him, and Caboose was too precious!
"Who's going to be the greatest champion around? You are~"
Caboose basked in the baby talk, rubbing her cheeks against Snowflake's chest wanting more pets.
"Alright, so we have mastered Tail Whip and Baby-Doll Eyes… that means the next step would be physical attacks. How are we going to do that while stuck here?"
He couldn't get out of bed yet, so that meant they couldn't challenge other Pokémon to battle. They would have to train here, but what could his Eevee practice on?
"I got it!" He grabbed one of the extra pillows by his bedside, holding it in front of his stomach. "Here! Use Tackle on this!"
Caboose looked concerned.
"It will be fine! This will absorb the impact. I just gotta adjust some things first," he moved his right arm with his left so it wouldn't get hit, readjusting the pillow and squeezing it tightly. "Perfect! Now use Tackle!"
The little Eevee reluctantly rushed forward, making a sad thud against the pillow. Snowflake couldn't even feel that pathetic impact.
Oh, that wouldn't do at all.
"Caboose," his smile didn't reach his eyes. "I said. Use. Tackle. I can handle it."
"Eeeeee!" The small creature cowered under his gaze. He wasn't leering THAT much though!
….
Okay, perhaps he was being a little TOO intense.
He'd tone it back a little.
"I am not mad Caboose. Just disappointed," Snowflake gave her a few reassuring pats. "Now I know you can do better than that, so show me what you can do. Use Tackle!"
Caboose charged harder, actually denting the pillow this time.
"Much better! Let's keep going!"
XxxxxxxxxxxxX
"Adaman. I have concerns." Melli had his arms crossed, standing in front of the clan leader.
After what was heard in the medical hut, he knew something needed to be done. He just felt bad being the one having to say something. That's what Adaman was around for! Doing the stuff nobody else wanted to do.
"What kind of concerns?"
"You know that Eevee Akari dropped off a few days ago?" Melli motioned to the medical hut. "I was stopping by, only to hear him ordering the thing around through the door. He's TRAINING with it, while he's stuck in bed! Who the hell does that?!"
"Him, apparently." Adaman shrugged.
"This is really more worrying than you might think…" he dragged Adaman to the hut, forcing him to stand outside and listen.
They could both hear noises, a Pokémon's cries and a soft thudding sound.
At least their guest was loud enough to understand.
"Caboose, use Tackle again!" Snowflake ordered. There was a high pitched cry from the Pokémon, followed by a pained grunt from her owner.
"Snowflake?!"
The two rushed inside, seeing their guest doubled over in bed gripping his chest, all while his Eevee pawed at him worriedly.
"T-that was great, Caboose!" Snowflake coughed out, a shaky grin on his face.
"Snowflake! What happened?" Said man flinched at Adaman's voice.
"Oh… we've been caught."
"What was that?!" Melli jumped in. "Has this been going on for a while?!"
"Uhh, I-I mean… I am Snowflake?"
"We know you are Snowflake," Adaman sighed. "I'm more interested in whatever the heck that just was."
"Caboose is practicing her Tackle!" The joy in Snowflake's voice was obvious. "She has a lonnnng way to go, but she is trying her best!"
"Again, I would like to know why she is using you as a punching bag?" Adaman looked to Melli, but he didn't know how to broach this either.
That's what he dragged Adaman here for!
"She's not attacking me though," Snowflake sat up straighter, pulling a pillow away from his stomach. "See? I was using this as her target."
"And you thought that would be enough to protect you? Really?!" Melli was somewhere between incredulous and angry. How reckless could someone be? Over something so foolish?!
"This was only the third one that actually hurt!" The smile on Snowflake's face was infuriating. Like he was PROUD of this little Pokémon for hurting him!
What the hell was wrong with this man?!
"Listen, Snowflake." Adaman slowed his speech down, as if explaining to a child. "I'm glad you and… Caboose, are getting along, but I can't allow her to stay if you are just going to hurt yourself worse by training her."
Snowflake's smile was still there, but Melli could recognize a different emotion in his shrinking pupils.
He was scared.
Even if he didn't express the emotions well on his face, the Warden was starting to pick up on other clues to his feelings.
It helped having worked so many years with that perpetually frowning Ingo. It was such a challenge to read that man. Melli was forced to pick up on other ques to tell what he was thinking.
Not that he got very good at it.
"P-please don't take her," he was gripping Caboose under her stomach with his good hand, pulling her close to his chest like a protective parent. "I-I won't work with her anymore, I promise. J-just leave her here… please."
"Hey, hey! I really don't want to take her. You can relax." Adaman tried to defuse things with a smile.
Snowflake wasn't convinced.
"I know how that Galaxy doctor is. She'd throw that little Eevee out on her butt If she caught wind of what you two are doing. And let's just say our resident specialist would make an Eevee meat rice cake for lunch."
Melli was disgusted, but knew how serious he was. He'd seen it before. Those women didn't make threats lightly.
"Just don't do anything dangerous until you're given the all clear, alright?"
"Y-yes! I promise no more Tackle training!" He dropped Caboose on his lap and… soluted? Melli wasn't sure what that motion was meant to be.
"Excellent! I'm glad we got that all sorted. Now if you'll both excuse me, I'm running late for a meeting with Irida. Time should never be wasted!" He waved them both off and quickly left, leaving Melli standing awkwardly with a very wary Snowflake. He hadn't dropped his guard yesterday, and Caboose was starting to look confused.
"I'm not going to take her either, okay?"
Snowflake finally laxed his shoulders, though he was still watching Melli closely.
"Good. I would be verrrry upset if you tried."
"Eeeeee!"
"See? She would be too."
"I told you, I'm not taking her," Melli groaned. "I just don't want you hurting yourself worse. You're already getting moved to Jubilife Village. We don't need you killing yourself by accident before that."
Snowflake's face completely fell at that statement.
Not even a hint of a smile.
Why was that scaring Melli more than those fake ones he did? Was he really just getting used to this man's weird expressions?
"Yes. The move to Jubilife… when is that again?"
"Two days, remember? They just need to get transportation ready." The Warden paused, unsure if he should question this or not. On one hand, he'd had enough of Snowflake's crazy for one day. On the other hand, he looked genuinely distressed.
"Hey? Are you in pain? I can ask that Galaxy lady… Pesselle? I can go grab her?"
"No! -I mean… yes… b-but that's not the problem…" he was looking very sweaty all of a sudden, and wringing his fingers through the sheets. His mannerisms told Melli something was wrong, but he wasn't being straightforward about it.
Maybe it had to do with the threat from Adaman? He should probably get the doctor just to be safe.
"I'll just go grab her."
"W-wait!"
"What?"
Snowflake started doing a weird hand gesture, like he was trying to say something? Or maybe he was trying to dance with his hand?
Melli had no idea.
Snowflake eventually gave up, plastering another fake grin on his face.
"S-sorry for wasting your time…It's nothing."
…
It was clearly not 'nothing', but what was he supposed to do when Snowflake didn't want to talk?
"Can you tell me more about Lord Electrode? Or Skuntank? Where does Skuntank come from?"
Deflection it is then.
"… his species comes from the surrounding Mirelands, though he and I were raised together. I've known him since I was a toddler."
Skuntank huffed in agreement.
"That's fascinating! Tell me more!" Snowflake was trying very hard to distract from the previous conversation. That was very obvious. Still, Melli entertained him.
This was stuff he liked talking about after all, and there wasn't much he could do if Snowflake was being dodgy about it.
It's not like pushing the issue would get them anywhere. Besides, the guy would be gone in a few days, and for some reason he found the thought saddening. It was bittersweet in a way. He was glad Snowflake would now be getting the best treatment possible, but disappointing since he'd have no one to talk to anymore about these things.
Melli was going to miss this oddball.
XxxxxxxxxxxX
Two attacks.
Two attacks within a two week time frame.
One survivor.
The other, not so lucky.
Ingo had been wracking his brain over the whole situation ever since learning of Man Eater's return. It seemed impossible. A Pokémon that actively targeted humans?
Not unheard of, given the Hisui Zoroark in the Alabaster Icelands.
But they were not Luxrays.
Luxrays only ever patrolled their own territory, attacking those foolish enough to wander inside. He knew all too well working with Melli. There were several Luxray that roamed just outside of Moonview Arena's borders, and they never even considered passing into Lord Electrode's territory.
Despite how close the danger was, Melli was completely laxed as long as he didn't trespass. Even then, the threat of Skuntank's spray was enough to keep them away if he needed to enter.
Not this one though.
One attack in the Coronet Highlands, and another twelve days later very far to the south at Prelude Beech.
It was possible they could travel such distances in that period. Humans could make the journey in a couple days.
Still, why was this Luxray so different?
"Any luck?" Akari was asking, having finally returned once the dust somewhat settled in Jubilife.
"None yet," Ingo grumbled, subconsciously grabbing at his hat brim. They were all scouring the Obsidian Fieldlands and surrounding sites, doing population counts on the native Shinx, Luxio and Luxray. They hoped with repeated counts they might notice more Luxray than there should be, or find one with the unmistakable scar they were searching for. Alas, no luck. There was an abundant population in the Sandgem Flats, but so far not the one they wanted. "You?"
"No…" Akari sat down on a boulder, Typhlosion by her side in case the Luxray ambushed them. She was devastated by the attack on Jubilife, far more than Ingo initially expected. He knew she helped build up most of that place through working in the Survey Corps, but it had become more than just a village she was sleeping in.
It was her home.
"… what are we going to do when it kills someone else?"
"I won't let that happen," Ingo stated. "No matter what, I am going to stop it in its tracks. It will not reach its next destination without severe interference."
He was going to capture or kill the damned thing. Whichever it came down to, he was prepared. Irida gave him a short sword to strike the finishing blow if needed. All Wardens and Survey Corp members had to carry one now, but it definitely weighed on some people more than others.
Akari especially.
He would not allow her to kill the Luxray. She was far too sensitive for that. With the additional weight of having to quell the remaining Lord, he feared doing such a horrific deed would destroy her spirits.
Ingo wasn't going to let her suffer anymore for his blunder.
Nobody else was going to suffer.
"But it's already shown up in two places with no one noticing! What if it does that again?"
"We just need to figure out the path it plans to take. So far it seems random, but there is a method to the madness. I know it." He turned to face her. "Did you manage to get the records I requested?"
"Right here," She took out several documents and a folded up map from her pouch. "All of the Galaxy Team's written reports on Man Eater, and all the attack locations are marked."
"Excellent." The man in black quickly unfolded the map and laid it out on Akari's sitting boulder, using some smaller rocks to hold it flat. "So the first attack was in the Obsidian Fields near the lake…. And the following eleven were all over the region…"
"All within a four year period," Akari continued. "The last attack was on Sneasler's former Warden…"
"Melli was the one that reported Sneasler ran after the Pokemon, and it hadn't been spotted for five years after. Prematurely assumed dead."
"So why would it go into hiding for five years? Did Sneasler scare it that much? Or hurt it that badly?"
"I'd be inclined to think that." Ingo mumbled. "But its first attack after five years in hiding was within Sneasler's borders… that's a direct slight against her."
Akari went quiet, trying to find any patterns to the locations of the attacks, or the timing between them.
Nothing.
Other than being all over the place, there was nothing else to really say.
Even the time period between incidence was inconsistent. Some were only weeks apart, while others spanned over a six month wait between attacks.
What was going on here?
""I feel like we reached another dead end…" she collapsed into the grass, her Typhlosion looking down at her sadly. "I don't get it. Why would a Pokémon do this? People I understand. We have a history of this kind of behavior, but not Pokemon…"
Ingo didn't answer. He was too focused on her earlier words.
Dead end.
Dead end.
Like, a dead end in a cave?
A tunnel?
Or perhaps… a terminal?
What was he even thinking though?
He couldn't remember what 'terminal' even meant.
"Akari?"
"Yeah?"
"Are you familiar with the word 'terminal'?"
"The ending point of something… I think?" The girl looked at him quizzically. "The only other thing I can think of is a railroad terminal. I don't know what they are though."
Railroad… Railroad…
They don't have those in Hisui, but Kamado was from Galar, and they have railroads, don't they? Professor Laventon has also traveled the world. He must have seen one at some point-
"Uncle Ingo? Why are we talking about railroads? Shouldn't we be focused on Man Eater?" Akari was trying to get him back on track.
Of course she was right, but something about the word 'terminal' was bugging him. Taking out his journal, Ingo scribbled the word onto a blank page along with a few others.
'Railroad.'
'Dead End.'
'Galar.'
'Laventon.'
"You are right, Akari, but something is bothering me. Like a memory just out of reach…"
"Did you remember something?"
"Maybe? But I need to visit Professor Laventon and Kamado. If my gut feeling is right, this may help with the Man Eater case." Ingo grabbed the map and put it in his pouch. "I really hope it does."
"Okay! We can go there whenever you're ready!" Akari stood up, her Typhlosion growling in agreement.
"Thank you, Akari. Let's finish our safety checks of the Sandgem Flats first. We should make sure Man Eater isn't blending in with the local population."
Akari agreed. The two headed back into the wilderness, searching for any signs of the feral Luxray.
XxxxxxxxxxxxX
Snowflake was nervous.
He was verrrrry nervous.
Today was the day. They were sending him to a strange place called Jubilife Village.
He didn't want to go. First, he'd have to leave the safety of the Settlement, which meant that Luxray that hurt him in the first place could attack again.
Second, he didn't want to leave Melli and Adaman behind.
Would they forget about him? Would they never let him come back? He didn't want to lose contact with them forever, but people kept saying Jubilife was a looong way from here.
No, he didn't want to leave his new friends! Snowflake needed to put his foot down and tell them exactly what he wanted.
It was just veeeery hard working up the nerve to do so.
He was never good at putting things into words-
Wait, he wasn't?
Why would he think that of all things?
That train of thought completely derailed as soon as it was questioned. He was onto something though, he knew it.
But what exactly was he onto?
A knock at the door and the entrance of a familiar blue haired Warden told him it was almost time to leave. Melli was standing there looking a bit awkward.
"Adaman said he'll be here shortly to see you off."
Snowflake tried to smile, but it was very tight. This was his chance to say something.
Anything.
…
Why wasn't he saying anything?
"It's been nice, getting to know you and all, I mean." Melli attempted his own goodbye. "Not that you had much to contribute. It was mainly just me talking. Still, you shall be missed."
"A-about that…" Snowflake's voice was shaky. He put his hand on Caboose hoping for a stabilizer. It kind of worked. Her presence did help calm his heart.
"What?" Melli asked, brow raised in suspicion. "…. Please tell me you didn't break something important training that Eevee again."
"It's not that at all!" His grip got subconsciously tighter, Caboose growling when it started to hurt. "I have made a decision… and I-I don't want to go!"
…
"What do you mean? You HAVE to go!"
Well. Not the reaction he was hoping for.
"B-but if I go… I-I won't… I'll…" Snowflake wasn't sure how to word it, especially when Melli got so emotional over his statement. His grin became tight and crooked, left cheek twitching trying to maintain it.
"Eee?" Caboose shook herself loose from Snowflake's hand and moved to his lap. She could sense her human's distress, and that wouldn't do at all. Stretching onto her hind legs she sniffed at his face, though he didn't really notice.
Melli pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "The Galaxy Team doctor can't stay any longer. Things have changed in Jubilife and she is needed there."
Snowflake wasn't sure what else to do but state what's already been said.
"I-I-I don't want to-"
"You won't get better if you don't go!" He stomped his foot with the last word, getting Snowflake to jolt.
Too loud.
Too angry.
"Melli! Why are you yelling?" Adaman opened the door and peered inside. "I can hear you halfway across the Settlement."
"Snowflake says he doesn't want to leave!"
Adaman frowned, looking at Snowflake questioningly. "What's wrong, Snowflake? They will be able to give you better treatment in Jubilife Village. You'll be on your feet in no time."
The patient looked down at his hand, fiddling with the sheets nervously. Eye contact was getting difficult, and breathing suddenly felt a lot harder.
Did the air get thinner or something?
"I… I have grown to like this as my home station… I-I have no interest in moving." He didn't know how to explain things, not in a way they would understand.
Adaman took a moment pondering over Snowflake's words, face breaking out in a wide smile.
"Awwww, I didn't realize you would miss us so much!" Adaman chuckled. "It's okay. I go to Jubilife Village all the time nowadays. I can stop by and visit when I'm there."
"B-but… I… ummm…" Snowflake looked to Melli specifically. He was having a hard time verbalizing it, the lost words getting transferred into weird hand gestures.
Adaman noticed.
"Don't worry! I'll bring Melli along with me!"
"W-wait!" Melli was caught off guard. "What about the Luxray attacks? I'm already sleeping outdoors almost nightly now in Moonview Arena!"
"Y-you… don't want to talk anymore…?" Snowflake couldn't hide the hurt in his voice. It felt like the world was getting pulled from under him, and Caboose licking his exposed section of cheek was the only thing keeping him together.
"T-that's not what I said!" The Warden tried to back track. "I like talking to you! T-things have just been insane recently! I don't know when I'll have time for all that travel!"
"Don't worry, Melli. I got some people that can help Ingo and cover your job while we're out." He slapped a hand on Melli's shoulder, smiling cheekily. "No good to ignore your friendships, after all."
Melli took a second to consider it, the full statement not registering right away. "Well… if somebody covers me, I suppose- WAIT! FRIENDSHIPS?!"
The Diamond Clan leader couldn't help a loud bark of laughter.
"Don't look so shocked! I know you and Snowflake really get along."
Snowflake smiled at the support, more desperately than he meant to. "W-we are friends, yes? Great Melli?" The Warden wasn't responding. Had he said something wrong? "Would you like to be friends…? I-if we aren't already?"
Melli's face flashed between shock, confusion and guilt all within a few seconds.
Snowflake had no clue how he managed to do it.
"Really? You want to be my friend?" Melli almost seemed suspicious. "Are you sure about that?"
"Y-yeah… I-if that's okay…" he looked down to Skuntank hoping for some support. The skunk nudged Melli expectantly. Leafeon was giving Melli a look too.
A very judging look.
The Warden started sweating from all the eyes on him.
"O-o-of course! Yeah! W-we can be friends!" Melli belted out, sounding more distressed than anything else. "Just stop looking at me like that!"
Snowflake just heard the last four words.
"We are friends? Bravo!" His smile turned genuine, all while Melli looked ready to keel over.
"Dang Melli, you're always going on about being the centre of everything and helping me. I thought you'd take the attention better." Adaman nudged him, still grinning. Melli just glared, trying to keep his face straight but failing.
"You are terrible and you should feel bad!"
"Hey now. Not in front of the patient!"
"I'll say whatever I want in front of the patient! Especially when you're being a jerk!"
"Hey! What are the sissy slaps for?! I don't deserve to get hit!"
"There you go being a jerk again!"
Melli kept pushing and yelling at Adaman, all while the clan leader laughed and egged him on. It was entertaining to say the least.
Leafeon hopped on the bed to spectate the scuffle too, taking a seat by Snowflake's hip. Caboose lost focus on licking Snowflake and slid on top of Leafeon, too fascinated in whatever the heck was happening to be polite. Skuntank took the foot of the bed, head twisting slightly each time one of them started talking. All four of them were glancing back and forth between the two, Snowflake too excited by the recent development to care about all the noise.
The Great Melli wanted to be his friend! Just having the confirmation was a huge weight off his shoulders. And Adaman said they would visit too! He wouldn't be forgotten about, and if he was lucky, maybe Adaman would let him come back once he was better-
The door to the hut slammed open, a familiar redhead with two looped pigtails looking absolutely livid.
The doctor was back.
"What are you two doing!? No yelling in front of the patient!" Pesselle looked between them trying to figure out who to discipline first.
"Hey now! It was just a friendly conversation!"
"Liar!" Melli was quick to point out Adaman's bull. "He started it!"
Pesselle wasn't impressed.
"I don't CARE who started it! I'll finish it!" She grabbed both of them by the ears and yanked them out of the hut, whatever verbal berating they received was too muffled for Snowflake to understand. He felt bad for those two.
Doctor Pesselle was pleasant, until she was angry. He'd been on the receiving end of her rants before and never cared to experience it ever again.
When things finally quieted down, Pesselle stuck her head back in with a dark green bundle of fabric in her hands. "Sorry about that. I hope they haven't caused you too much trouble."
"I am fine!" He answered simply. He was more interested in what she was holding. Was he getting a new kimono shirt before they left?
"Good to know. Let's get you dressed before we leave." She unfurled the fabric, Snowflake's heart skipping a beat.
It was something he asked for before, but due to being bedridden was denied as an inconvenience to his caretakers.
They were giving him pants!
"OW!" He smiled too big.
"I told you a hundred times to stop smiling already. Your skin won't heal right if you keep that up." Pesselle was on the verge of being angry again.
"I can't help it! They're beautiful- OW!"
"I will stitch your mouth shut if you keep that up! Do you know how hard it was to put you back together in the first place? It's not easy getting a person's face to look halfway decent when it's been ripped apart!"
"I'm sorry!"
"You better be. Now we'll get you dressed and ready to go. It's a long journey back to Jubilife Village." Pesselle put on her friendly smile, as if the threats never happened.
Scary.
This was going to be a verrry long trip.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Ingo is onto something... at least he thinks he is. Gotta wonder what he's thinking.
Oh hey. Emmet and Ingo are both headed to Jubilife. I'm sure that won't lead to anything whatsoever.