Pokémon: Wings of Beginnings
Chapter 17: Fracture
August 9th, 2020
8:59 a.m.
Cafeteria
Lenna walked inside with a tray full of food. She turned around the area to see that there were less people inside than she remembered. Or was it this few as before? She never knew.
She took a seat down on one of the many tables, looking at her meal. So far, there is a count of roughly 520 members right now...
"Oh, Lady Lenna." A voice called. "If it is alright, may I join you?"
She looked over. It was Claus, one of the latest recruits who joined them recently. He was someone skilled in the use of his shield and defensive skills.
"Oh, not at all." She nodded to invite the penguin.
Claus nodded and Lenna seemed to look at his meal. Wait, he didn't order milk? She looked over, milk was free today yet he still took mineral water as his drink.
"You didn't take milk?" She inquires.
"YOU THINK I SHOULD DRINK IT SO I CAN GROW TALL!?" Claus snapped, causing Lenna to lean back in shock of his sudden outburst. Right, she forgot all about his sensitivity of his height.
"I... wasn't saying that..." she leaned back over. "It's just really tasty and the milk here's considerably pricey outside..."
"...I don't like milk." Claus calmed down.
"The taste?"
"No, something about it ticks me off." He scoffed, must be because not drinking didn't improve his height. Then again, it was quite rude of him not to accept a drink that was offered to him.
"It's free, that feels inconsiderate towards the cooks who are offering milk today..."
"..." Claus looked down and scratched his head. "Who are the cooks again today? Weren't there 7 some months ago? Why are there 3 left?
"..." Lenna looked back at the trays they had. Since they don't remember, the 'absent' ones must have died.
"...But we accepted it before when we joined." Claus told her. "Maybe we should be thankful that we had forgotten them like what Sunai told us?
Lenna picked on her food. "Each individual has their own perspective, Lusiane said so for one..."
"That we shouldn't let the past hinder us." Claus continued while he took a piece of his bread. "We should think of the future."
"...The future..." Lenna stabbed a carrot piece and looked at it. "...Did you know I always wanted to set sail in the seas after we have a lot of free time?"
"The seas?" Claus wondered. "...I never remembered my hometown. I only know that I lived in the town nearby Treant and..." he scratched his head. "Who was that other one?"
"...Well, what do you think?" Lenna asks. "About... forgetting people. In your own view."
"...I kept on doing so..." Claus explained. "But...Why does it feel so...painful?"
"Maybe... they are important people, who were important to your life..." Lenna states. She pauses to ponder before continuing. "What do you think... of partings?" Lenna paused again and shook her head. "No... what sort of question is this towards us..."
"...I am not sure myself." Claus muttered. "What is more important? Our duty or relationship?"
Lenna pondered. "I think, in my eyes... the bonds with everyone... That tells us that they are there... left their marks... even if we forget them..." She looked around... the people still present... and still remembered by them. "We're doing our best ourselves... to help people and... ourselves too..."
"I see..." Claus nodded. "It is nice to know what veterans think of this we do. We aren't cold-hearted soldiers, contrary to popular belief."
"Mhm." Lenna nods. Something had been on her mind throughout the conversation and she wanted to know. "...Do you know how's..."
"Treant? Oh, she's...a bit down for a while now after Squad Seven's death and...Giving the cold-shoulder to Ubis." Claus answered. "I don't know why."
"...Oh..." Lenna looked down. Perhaps... something to do with the deceased there?
...That reminds her... Luigi... Ever since he woken up, something about him feels different. Like, a negative different. He never showed that friendly and approachable demeanour he once had. He regularly snapped at people when they commented about something they had forgotten. She wondered why he changed a lot.
Really, she hoped he is alright...
August 9th, 2020
9:05 a.m.
Luigi's Room
"Rutile...Everyone." Luigi muttered as he curled on his bed. "What have I done? I...I...I am..."
He looked at his arms... they still shook visibly whenever he looked at them. Despite being clean, he kept on seeing blood on them.
"Why did this have to happen?" Luigi gasped. "I know how to control my Dynamax but...Why? Why can't I control Mega Evolution?"
He continued to weep. He began to see multiple Pokémon. Who were those Pokémon? A vast sea, all of them kept together. An HQ, they were lesser than WINGS but were close as a family.
But why? Is it because of... his transformed heart? He looked over the X-ray of his chest. His heart...The one that pumped his blood and kept him alive...Was now a crude fusion of a Megastone and a heart.
How? What? Why?
That Garchomp who bore the same name as his father...
He looked at himself again... He was...He was...
"No!" He screamed. "I...I am not a weapon!"
He grit his teeth, screaming at himself... "I am not! I am not! I am not! I am not! I am not! I am not! I am not! I am not! I am not! I am not! I am not!" He continuously cried as he thrashed about, hitting every furniture around him.
There were some knocks on his door. "H-Huh?"
As soon as he stopped, the knocks ceased.
"..." Luigi remained silent. There was no response at all. Did they... leave?
Luigi looked over the door, got up, made his way sluggishly toward it, and then opened it.
There was... no one there.
"...Professor did get the hint." Luigi muttered, remembered when he cut off a piece of the Starmie's body as a warning.
He held the door and closed it, turning to look at his room. It was a mess. From all his struggling and pain, he had forgotten all about what he did in this room. He went to fix them up.
...If he had looked by the sides of the corridors earlier, he'd have found out that it wasn't the Professor who paid him a visit. But rather...
"*sob* *sniffle*..."
The large rhombus wings had been drawn over to the front, hands shakily holding onto a tail combined with sobs by the corner of the corridor. Fran sat there, weeping. Unable to do anything for his adopted brother. Why? He needed him the most but...why?
"*sob* *sob*... *sob*..." He continued to weep. He stayed there before he spotted Iggy approaching him.
"*sniff*..." He weakly looked up from his crouching position.
Iggy went near, wondering about his state...
"...!!!" Iggy gasped when Fran suddenly embraced him and cried onto his chest. He was so weak...so useless...Unable to help someone when he needed him the most. A coward.
Iggy could only stare in surprise with the tears marking on his shirt. Quietly, he reached over and stroked Fran's back slowly and gently.
He gently held him tight. He needed someone to comfort him...
August 9th, 2020
9:30 a.m.
Gardious' Office
Gardious stared as Pentaster slowly recovered two tips of his body. The core was undamaged so it was fine. However, he still didn't see the Professor's mood improving. "...What did I do wrong?" Pentaster asked. "I just wanted to help but...He told me that even while I am a genius, I'll never understand him."
"...And he never appears to even be comfortable explaining..." Gardious studied Luigi's behaviour since that mission. "...Something must have happened there... something only he knows."
"If only I could remember." Pentaster muttered. "But...I hated it when they shoved that beverage to me."
"..." Gardious looked down.
"Still, my Dynacrystal made me recover the lost pieces of my body faster." Pentaster stated. "But no further boosts to radio waves."
"...Yes..." Gardious nods while continuing with his lowered head. He flipped through one file, moving onto another.
"...Commander..." Pentaster sighed. "Does Duonter hate me now?"
"...It's hard to say... Right now... We only know he's going through some sort of unknown information he's not sharing to anyone. It's best that it's influencing what is happening to him right now..." Gardious assures. "...If only the day when he becomes comfortable arrives sooner..."
Pentaster nodded and looked at the date. August 9th... That day, it was the day...The day of... "...Anniversary of the GDF." Pentaster read with a nod. "At the same time, it was also the day of the death of the Grand Summoner."
"...Yes." Gardious nods.
"Security became tight during that day for the chief of GDF might be assassinated like the Grand Summoner was." Pentaster analysed. "...Maybe we need to mobilize a group to that place. To mend our alliance with them."
"..." Gardious flipped through one file. Pentaster studied that his expression slightly softened when he stopped. Just slightly softened.
"Are you going to go meet an old friend, son?" Pentaster asked.
"..." Gardious still remained looking at the file before he appears to register Pentaster and turned to look at the old starfish. "There's no need to be shy about it." Pentaster assured. "Go on then, I'll manage the HQ while you are gone. We may be old already, but remember who raised you when you got here."
Gardious sighed. "...Alright. I suppose one visit." He looked at Pentaster. "How could I repay you for this?"
"Returning back alive." Pentaster declared a simple request.
"...I will."
"Take care then." Pentaster then left the office while Gardious prepared for his journey to Galar.
August 9th, 2020
10:00 a.m.
Hangars
Lenna looked around the group. It seemed everyone was here and some of the latest recruits they've been going around with for some time. Apart from the usual team she grew up with in the orphanage, the ones who were joining them were Claus, Treant, Pretzel, Swamp, Blitz, and Scorch. From what she had gathered, they were exceptional and felt like they've been fighting with them as long as they were children. She wondered why she knew them much despite it being less than half a year since they joined.
"Galar Defense Force?" Claus asked. "What is the difference between it and WINGS?"
"The Galar Defense Force is one of the top security forces that is situated in Galar and has been there for around 60 years ago." Sunai walks over to explain. "It is also one of the main foundations which led to the creation of WINGS and..."
Lenna and Claus sweated as he continued to explain it in a precise and detailed explanation. He continued to explain while he stared to see Luigi distancing himself away from the team. He just stood there in silence, not interacting with any of them.
"He's out of his room." Claus muttered.
"Yes..." Lenna whispered back. "...But... he still doesn't look so good..." Lenna noted the appearance of Luigi now compared to before. While he still wore his regular uniform, she could note that his appearance appeared more roughed up, not looking at any sign of getting close at all. But at the same time, he appeared frightened... but from what?
She wanted to try and talk to him, but she knew that it would be a bad idea. She relented and left him on his own devices. Finally, she felt a gust of wind. She turn to see Gardious appear before them in his uniform.
"Hey, that Corviknight looks old but still looks pretty handsome." Scorch commented.
"He's our Commander, I've heard he took care of the veterans here with care." Pretzel told her.
Iggy turned and approached him. He bowed just like the rest of them did.
"Good morning." Gardious greets. "I will be part of the squad here sent to Galar. The Professor will be monitoring the HQ during my absence, I trust him well that he'll keep matters steady during then."
"Yo, ya really coming along, ah?" Gray asks.
"Yes."
"Grandpa Bird is here~" Guy sang happily.
"Mmm..." Arubo mumbled with a nod of compliance.
"It's still a bit of a rare thing, isn't it?" Claire comments.
"Yeah, it is!" Brandt puffed his chest out try and impress Claire. Pretzel and Lusiane spotted something.
"Hey, why is he shaking?" Pretzel asked.
"Oh, I think it is... obvious." Lusiane whispered back to Pretzel.
"We will be visiting Galar..." Aria murmurs.
Treant... very quietly nods.
"Galar~" Guy sang. "Who lived in Galar?"
"I used to." Pretzel answered.
"I am a Galarian." Sunai states.
"Me too!" Scorch answered.
"...I am one." Gardious answers.
"Here." Claire speaks.
"Oh!" Guy cheered. "Okay, let's go~"
"Yo..." Gray scratched his head as he followed his elder twin.
Guy seemed to be really excited, Lenna wondered. Then again, the last time she entered Galar was about a year ago.
"Galar..." Claus muttered. "I've never been there before. Perhaps this will be a thrilling experience."
"Yes, it may be." Iron's voice came. Claus looked to see Blitz look around to look for his brother. "Irooon! Where did you goooo?" Blitz calls out.
"I am in the communications with Zakh and Safka." Iron sighed.
"Hello, there~" Safka called.
"...Yes..." Zakh answers. "We will work on checking out everything around..."
"Be careful out there." Iron told them. "We'll be doing our job here the best we can."
"Right, are you sure you can handle this?" Claus asked. "I've heard that you were part of the communications during Squad Seven..."
"...It's fine." Iron answered. "I am able to get by...After Ms. Safka asked me to join Ms. Lusiane on those ruins."
"Right? I told you letting the rookie join them was a great idea!" Safka cheered while Zakh's scream was heard.
"Hey! Don't touch there!" He shrieked. "That is not a sign of getting close again!"
"Aw~" Safka pouted before Zakh mumbled. "Come on, my hubby~"
"Ms. Lenna, are they married?" Iron asked while Blitz nodded.
"Uh... I don't think so, but it sounds so like it?" Lenna replied.
"Indeed." Claus agreed.
"I had the feeling they were." Pretzel added.
"Mmm." Arubo mumbled in agreement.
"Yes~" Guy sang.
"No, I am not!" Zakh screamed, sounding more embarrassed. "I don't even have a ring at all-HEY!"
"Um...Is that the hotdog and donut movement they did?" Iron asked.
"Mmm..." Arubo mumbled.
"Um...What did he say?" Claus wondered.
"Uh... More... adult and intimate movements." Lenna told Claus.
"They are married, ya'ow!?" Gray exclaims in the midst of Lenna explaining.
"Yay~ Congratulations Zakh-akh and Sa-u~" Guy cheered.
"NO!" Came the response of Zakh. "Hey! Don't slide your tail in my-"
"I'll...silence them for now." Iron cut in before the communications went off.
"That was...something. They seem to be livelier with you." Claus analysed. "Is this because they were you childhood friends?'
"Oh, yes..." Lenna nodded. "Many of us were children and got close during then... And some came in as older... while we were teenagers... Fran came about two years ago..."
"I see..." Claus nodded. "Like when you dressed as a pirate on Aria's birthday when she got Symphonia." Lenna gasped, how did he... "I dreamt about a birthday party and when Professor dressed up as a female...princess..." Claus continues and scratched his head. "I was dressed as a shrimp since..."
...
...
...
"OH NOOOO!!" Claus screamed while he held his head. "I CALLED MYSELF A LITTLE SHRIMP!!"
Lenna drew back at the sudden... realization. But... Claus wasn't here, was he? But... it had a weird feeling of... déjà vu...
What was happening? Her memories was mixed up.
No... Claus wasn't there during then... she knows for one... But... why? She began to wonder about this while she entered the aircraft. She looked at Arubo who sat near Claus. "Mmm." He mumbled.
"Oh, Arubo." Lenna nods.
"Mmm..." Arubo sounded about the growth spurt Treant had as a child.
"She did?" Lenna pondered.
Treant mumbled as she held her breastplate.
"A growth spurt..." Lenna looked back at the Torterra.
She was indeed more muscular and larger. She wondered about it before and the way Blitz...Huh?
"Hey, why are you holding it like that?" Blitz asks.
Claus sighed as Gardious looked over the cockpit. He wondered about who would drive as the cockpit's controls were locked out from Gardious taking control. He let out a disappointed sigh as Safka took control of the aircraft. Lusiane and Swamp gave Blitz a warning look.
"Don't." Swamp began.
"You know what will happen if you do." Lusiane warned.
"...O...Okay." Blitz nods.
They got into their seats and watched as the aircraft took off.
August 9th, 2020
1.24 p.m.
Wyndon
"We've arrived at Wyndon Internation Airport." Safka called out from the comms, everyone woke up and looked out of the window of their aircraft. They could see the largest city in Galar, the most popular within the region itself. Many towering residential, entertainment, facilities... all which many enjoyed through their time in Wyndon.
"Thank you for riding with Safka Airlines, we hope to see you again."
"Come on, do you have to say that?" Zakh's voice grumbles... but sounding rather winded. As if... he had gone through an ordeal.
"What, it's fun being a pilot." Safka pouted.
"It is..."
The team watched as the aircraft landed on one of the docks.
"...Is it over yet...?" Weiss laid on his seat.
"It is." Lusiane confirmed.
"Runway to show~" Guy sang.
Weiss groaned. He slid down more onto his seat.
The team removed their seatbelts and went out of the aircraft once the hatch was opened. They looked around the airport around them as they put on their hoods up from their coats. One of the humans on the airport looked at them, he had mistook them for real humans.
"Right this way." He instructed the team as some looked over at the side.
"Mmm." Arubo mumbled to Iggy.
"Right." Iggy nods quietly.
"You sound excited." Lusiane analysed. "Travelling around."
Arubo nodded and looked at Swamp writing on his notebook. He mumbled something while Swamp looked at him after he finished writing.
"Huh?" Swamp asks. "What did you say?"
"Right, it is~" Guy replied.
"W-what?" Swamp turned sharply.
"Didn't understand what Ary said, Swamp-amp?"
"N-no... And... Ary? Swamp-amp?"
"Mmm." Arubo mumbled an answer. "Mmm...Mmm."
Lenna walked beside Swamp. "Arubo's normally like this. He doesn't really speak words that often, but his mumbles are better interpreted by us."
Swamp looked at her.
"It was like this during our first time too." Claus added. "You'll get used to it."
"Right, Claus-us~" Guy sang.
"Oh... O...Okay..." Swamp nods slowly. He continued his writing while the rest went on. He looked at Fran, who stared at Luigi being the last to go out of the aircraft. "...S...So, I heard that Fran and Luigi are... adopted brothers?"
"Yes." Lenna nodded.
He wrote it down while Luigi looked at him writing. Writing so that he won't forget them.
"..." Luigi stayed silent. He ignored the rest and followed them. Fran looked at this while Brandt lifted some things out of the aircraft.
"..." Fran looked down and twiddled his fingers together.
The group continued onward. Their task was to meet up with an Ambassador Pokémon... that's what was stated in the mission dossier. Mainly bodyguards in a sense. Gardious looked around. His red eyes scanned his surroundings while the team paced towards out of the airport. Nothing out of the ordinary. However, he looked over the sea. The event that took place...
"..." He stopped in his tracks, staring into the distance... foggy memories which only he remembers his involvement in.
Forgetting those who died... Must be the same for monsters they've killed.
"Commander?"
He looked at Iggy staring at him with concern. "Are you alright, Commander? You were just staring into space just now..." He asks.
Gardious let out a sigh and pat Iggy's head. He let out a smile. "I'm alright, Emberkin. No need to worry about this old bird." He assures.
Iggy nodded. "Alright, Commander."
He went off to join the rest. He went to Brandt and Pretzel discussing about the "cute things" around this place. Brandt looked visibly bothered by it.
"The Impidimp is cute." Pretzel commented.
"Ah..." Brandt muttered. "How about teddy bears?" Pretzel pointed at one... and made him jump. "No!"
"...and Wyndon was developed by the Macro Cosmos' President, Rose, who still remains of unknown whereabouts since the second Darkest Day..." Some distance away from the panicking Rhyperior, Sunai spoke about the history of Wyndon towards his audience, consisting of those who aren't of Galar.
"Wow, stopped by Victor and Gloria, right~" Guy sang. "Hop joined in to help them too."
"...Yes, that's correct, Guy. Which could bring us as to how these trio of heroes began from their own hometown of Postwick..." Sunai nods.
"Yo, didja really derail Sunai to a new rail, Guy?" Gray whispers.
"No~" Guy sang.
"Where are we even to now?" Blitz asks, completely lost.
"Mmm." Arubo mumbled, noticing Blitz had went to feel his belly. He cuddled against it. "Soft... so fluffy and fleshy..." Blitz murmurs.
' Hold it. Hold it. Hold it...' Arubo chanted in his thoughts for he knew he needed to hold their cover until they found their residences in the Rose of the Rondelands Hotel.
"Mmm~..." Blitz sounded like was in... fluffy heaven, to say at best.
Arubo looked at Iggy for some help while Fran stared at Scorch looking at him with envy.
"Um... C-Can I help you?" Fran asks her.
"...How do you get such a perfect figure?" She asked. "I know Claire's body is amazing but you...You have the body any woman could ask for."
"H-huh!?" He jumps. "I-I-"
"Come on, tell us your secret!" Scorch begged with Claire beside her. "Right, Claire? They say we're too muscular to be beautiful."
"Hm?" Claire looked over at Scorch. "I think you look fine enough."
"I... I don't have... any... I just... followed the training regimens..." Fran explains.
"They say my body is... way too tomboyish." Scorch pouted.
"I don't see anything wrong with it." Claire shrugs.
"Sc-Scorch?" Fran looked over at her. "I... I dunno, but... I think, um, I appreciate how you look..."
"Oh." Scorch felt for her ears. "Thanks, I guess...Man, they don't really appreciate my strong legs. Wanted me to be a fine lady they say."
"By the how... what did you mean when you said my body is amazing?" Claire sounded genuinely confused as she asks Scorch.
"Oh, um..." Scorch murmured. "It's what I think of your...perfect measurements. Though they don't match Fran's perfection."
"Hm?"
They looked at Fran again.
"Also, his healing is great." Scorch complimented.
"Yeah, he's pretty skilled at it." Claire nods. "It's also from his Dynacrystal."
"But healing is hard work." Scorch pouted. "Only those knowledgeable and have a talent for it can learn it. Rewriting causalities by concentrating something...Sounds cool."
"Thank you..." Fran mumbles softly.
Lenna looked around her. Everyone seemed to be getting along well like they were childhood friends. Even if some joined later than the rest. Why was that? She looked at Claus who stood beside her.
"..." He stared silently. "I wonder...Do you feel something familiar would happen here?"
"What? Hmm..." Lenna looked over in front of her and pondered... did... did something like this already happen?
She walked until both of them suddenly stopped and held their heads.
They looked around the city. Chaos was afoot inside the city. Their weapons were deployed and they faced...
"What is this...? Machinery?" She mumbles.
"Don't go near her, she's my daughter!" A voice rang out.
Splat!
Lenna gasped, looking at the splash of red bursting out from a direction.
She looked at the side. Luigi held a dead body with one hand. He panted while in the form of a Mega Garchomp. She looked down to see a child staring with terror in her eyes as he dropped the body to the side. The child screamed.
Both of them stumbled and looked at each other in shock of what they just saw in that phenomenon everyone used to see.
"What was that!?" Claus asked.
"I... I don't know..." Lenna stuttered. She sharply turned over to look at the direction Luigi is at, still a Garchomp...
"But...That Grimmsnarl..." Claus muttered. "Who was that Grimmsnarl?"
"...I don't know... I've never seen... him before." Lenna answers as she continued to find herself staring.
"The place we've been and where we were..." Claus looked around.
"Is it... here?"
She was confused, so was Claus.
"I don't know..."
The trip to the hotel was a bit uneventful. They checked in and got into the rooms they've been told to go to. Mainly those of WINGS and GDF members go stay in when going to missions around this region.
They heard some arctic winds blowing around Blitz. Then suddenly, a freezing blast struck the Shiny Metang, covering him in a block of ice entirely.
"Grr..." Arubo snarled. Right, sensitivity with his weight and belly. Lenna and Claus went beside him and pat him by the back.
"It's okay, it's alright..." Lenna soothes.
"Mmm..." Arubo let out a relieving sigh. He looked down at his body, why was his belly still there despite how much he trained?
"That's better..." Lenna pats his back.
She looked and guided Arubo to a room for him to stand by for the time being.
"We'll call you when we need to go." Claus told him.
Arubo quietly nods with a mumble as he opens the door and heads in the room.
"I'll scout around the area." Claus told Lenna while Brandt pushed the ice cube Blitz in his room. "Want to join?"
"I think I will." Lenna agrees. "You could use a hand."
Claus nodded as the two of them headed off to the exit. They passed by some groups made.
Scorch, Claire, and Fran were together as they made their way to the tower. Brandt went with Gray and Pretzel. "Let's go, Swamp-amp~" Guy dragged Swamp with him while Iggy followed them.
"Wh-whoah!" Swamp yelps. ' Arceus, he's got arm strength!' Iggy sighed, he needed to follow them before anything happens.
Treant stood alone with Aria beside her. Sunai looked around the furniture around while he told the members around him about their detail and age. The artistic skills made for it and more. The explanation... was way too long. Weiss sighed.
"Seems everyone's occupied." Claus analyzed.
"Yeah-" Lenna paused. She didn't see Luigi anywhere. Where did he go?
"Where did he go?" Claus asked, noticing her silence and picking up about Luigi's disappearance.
She looked around again. "I... I don't know..."
Claus sighed and looked to see Gardious standing outside the hotel. About to take out with an excited smile.
"Commander?" Claus called.
"Hm?" Gardious turned to meet Claus. His expression returned back to as common. "Helmerson?"
"I was wondering, where are you going?" He asked.
"Oh, I was... I am looking for... a very old acquaintance I've met." Gardious answers.
"If it's alright..." Claus began.
"No. It's between me and them."
"Oh..." Claus affirmed. "Then we'll scout the perimeters in your aid." Claus and Lenna then left.
Gardious nodded and he looked back upwards in the skies. It was still some time before the conference.
He spread his wings and flew into the skies.
August 9th, 2020
2:42 p.m.
GDF's Office
The Galar Defense Force, the top security force assigned in the Galar region to keep citizens lives at peace against threats. About twenty-seven years ago... turbulent events happened in Galar which nearly tore the entire organization down.
However, those events will be for another story...
Inside the office of which the leader of this security force sat, was a blue avian Pokémon. Her entire front body and wings were covered by white cloud-like feathers that ended with a long neck and avian feet. She had a pair of black eyes, white cheeks, a short, white, hooked beak, a pair of long blue plumages that extended like streamers, and a tail made of five streamers with the outer two being longer than the inner three. She looked over reports all over Galar and the last time WINGS was made back in Sinnoh. After those events, WINGS became distant from them onward, along with that man and professor.
She sighed quietly to herself because of those, that man and her know that they were too different in the end. He, having power coming at the price of existence. Whereas for herself, she wasn't anything close to him. Nothing special. Just... a regular Pokémon trying to hold onto the peace of this region and eventually, having to keep the world safe.
She looked over her ring. An arranged marriage was made to uphold that peace. She looked at the desk... already nearly reaching the age of fifty...
She could no longer bear a child after the child she received from this loveless marriage was sent to a military school to succeed her after she retired. She looked over one picture. One she forgotten as her best friend.
Again, she looked quietly. Why did all of that have to happen...?
Dynacrystal... While she lacked it, this Chandelure had the power it had into her own. Her very being similar to those with the crystal.
And... since then... She forgot her... every fragment of memory... No one among her friends was left. All except...
"Ambassador?" Her aide called. "Someone wants to meet you."
"Let them in." She told him. He affirmed and hung up.
She waited on her desk until she heard the door to her room open. She was so focused on her work that she didn't realize who he was. "Is there anything to report?" She asked. "If it is anything about the Dynamax Energy, tell me."
"..."
She continued to do her work while that person sighed. "...It's nice to see you, Cloudia. Plenty changed since twenty-eight years ago, hasn't it?"
She stopped what she was doing and looked up to see a Corviknight. He was familiar, despite his old looks. He breathed out and looked down. "...Yes. A lot happened during that year... Do you still remember? That night at the rooftop garden."
"Gardious..." Cloudia muttered. "You...came back, after all these years."
"..." He was still looking down at the moment but finally faced her. "...I... am still part of WINGS. I will be... acting as a bodyguard, you can say again."
"Like when were younger." Cloudia mused happily at the memory. "You're... more handsome than I remember you."
"Back then, I was still a... youth-filled Corvisquire... and you... a nicely pretty Altaria."
Cloudia smiled at this. "It's nice to see an old friend again. After all these years. How have you been? The Professor and...your children?"
Gardious sighed. "The Professor is still fine despite age. And as for the children... They are... growing quite well. Learnt many things that they are to learn... and... fighting these fights."
"I see..." Cloudia nodded as she looked outside. "The GDF are making a weapon stated to fight the Dulled. They wanted to make this through a high source of magic so that they wouldn't need to use lives to fight on the line to save this world. However, the magic needed and it being a prototype...I declare to not allow this. We live in the age where Magic is scarce."
"So, that's what's happening right now..." Gardious walked over to look at the city himself.
"Same thing as always." Cloudia answered. "There would be another assassination attempt on me as before. Since it's this day that I am most vulnerable. To commemorate a friend who I don't even remember."
"It is to be expected, hmm..." Gardious comments.
"Indeed." Cloudia looked down. "We were different. Which is why we can't be together but...I want to help you. As a friend."
"..." Gardious turned to meet her with a smile. "I agree."
August 9th, 2020
2:50 p.m.
Wyndon
Claus looked at a life-sized Empoleon stuffed toy stood on display before him with a leer. It looked so real and was as tall as the real deal Empoleon was known for but...
"...What are you looking at, toy?" Claus sneered.
The toy, as inanimate as it is, didn't respond.
"Stop looking down at me, damn it!" Claus barked back.
"Claus?"
Claus looked at Lenna and gulped.
"Um...Parameter's safe here, Ms. Lenna." Claus affirmed. His tone back to being calm and serious. However, Lenna saw that his eyes glared at the stuff toy again.
"...I see." Lenna speaks slowly.
"Your reports?" Claus asked for what she saw in her end.
"I didn't see anything suspicious." Lenna answers. "It's clear in my zone."
"Hm..."
They looked at the side to see some figures walking about. Heavily garbed in layers of cloth enough to fully hide their appearances. Wanderers, perhaps? But, something's off
"Who are those people?" Claus wondered.
"I don't know..." Lenna murmurs. "Perhaps we should check them ou-"
She was surprised to see Luigi following them. He didn't seem to notice their presence as he followed the garbed figures. Must be because of their cloaks but Lenna notice how less arranged Luigi was with his coat that she could see him as a Garchomp and not as a human.
"Luigi...?" Claus whispered.
"Luigi, where were you?" She wonders herself.
He was gone along with the two. The two looked at each other before they followed him and spotted him going inside a building. They tried to follow suit but the doors were locked.
"What should we do now?" Claus asked.
Lenna looked around. Her eyes went to bars, a vent. "Let's go through in there." She suggests.
Claus looked at where she was pointing at and nodded. However, Claus thought of something. "But what about the outside?" Claus asked. "What if this was a diversion to let us off the real target? Then again, who would take them in as the culprit of the attack?" Lenna nodded. One should go after them while the other should try to apprehend the plan from going through. Then that meant...
One had to stay here outside. She looked at Claus and the vent.
"Ms. Lenna? Why are you looking at me like that?" Claus asked.
He was specialized in defense and close-ranged combat. Yes, he should be suitable for this job.
"Claus. Can you go into the vent? You're more suitable for combat in here."
"...What?" Claus barked while she pushed him inside the vent. "Wait, Ms. Lenna!?"
"I'll keep watch outside." Lenna tells him as his feet disappears into the vent.
With him inside, Lenna returned the bars back and looked around her with her rapier deployed. She made her way out of the alleyway and into the streets. Both of them unknown that someone had followed Luigi inside. While Lenna went around, she spotted Claire and Scorch together.
"Oh, Lenna?" Scorch greeted. "Have you seen Fran around?"
"No... wasn't Fran with you?" Lenna questions.
Claire shook her head. "We left him for a moment and he's gone."
"Yeah, the parade of the new machine they had." Scorch commented. "We've seen the Dragapult who Fran helped earlier pass us and said that."
"A new machine..." Lenna thought about it.
"Some Anti-Dulled one." Scorch answered based on what that Dragapult answered.
"I dunno, but probably we should take a look around after we find the one who we're supposed to protect." Claire tells them.
Lenna nodded and looked at where Claus was. She hoped he would stay safe. And she herself have to keep watch around here.
August 9th, 2020
2:30 p.m.
Wyndon
Slightly earlier...
"Mmm! Spicy Dogs!" Scorch exclaimed in delight as she ate two of them while Fran held a fried butter and Claire with a donut.
He nibbled onto his snack slowly, blowing in the midst of it. "It's really sweet..." he murmurs. He felt the taste of cinnamon crisps and cheese touch his tongue. The cold butter inside melted and spread around his tongue. He mumbled quietly in delight.
"It's good, isn't it?" Claire says to Fran. "Food here's still pretty well done." She tears off a bite from her donut.
"Yeah, though I wonder if this is the position Iggy told us to go to with Swamp's inspection skills." Scorch wondered.
"I don't really mind." Claire shrugged.
"Yeah." Scorch nodded. "By the way, where is Weiss?"
They got their answer by the rollercoaster ride nearby of Weiss screaming. It was followed by a familiar laugh.
"Why am I heeeeeeere!?" His screams got higher with the drop he's in now.
"Ahahahaha~ Coast is cleeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaarrr~!" Guy cheered.
"And why, yoooooooooouuuuu!!!!" His screams became more terrified by the third loop.
A sigh came while Fran looked around.
"Huh?" He mumbles softly. He spotted someone flying around with a worried cry.
"Mommy! Mommy!"
She was a small, green, reptilian Pokémon who had a serpentine body with small arms, and a spiked ring around the tail. She had a head shaped like a stealth bomber with the upper part with a darker green, below those wings were a pair of pink horns on each side, and the ends of the wings were pink. She had a pair of yellow eyes with a black dot as the pupil. Currently, those eyes had tears.
"Hey Fran, where are you going?" Scorch asked.
"Mommy! Mommyyyy!" The tiny dragon cries.
Fran knew he couldn't let that child alone. He turned to his friends. "I'm going to help find this child's lost parents."
"Hmm..." Scorch wondered and smiled. "Sure thing, you can't just leave a child around here! That's pretty cool of you."
"You need any help?" Claire asks.
Fran knew about the mission was also important so he shook his head. Two of them were enough to fulfil their role.
"No... I'll be able to handle it on my own..." Fran told them.
"Okay, remember the marks Iggy told us to stay in case were to move to prevent someone from assassinating our client." Scorch reminded.
"Okay..." Fran nods.
The two waved him goodbye while Fran made his way to the dragon. He looked at her body, she was part of the family of a Pokémon known as Dragapult. She was its first stage, a Dreepy. Weaker than a small child.
"M-Mommy...!" She wailed.
Fran flew toward her gently. He knew how fragile these Pokémon were.
"Hello...?" He calls out to her.
The small Dreepy continued crying, sniffling and turning to look at Fran. "H-huh...?" She squeaks.
He looked around, he couldn't offer her treats. If he did, she would think him as a kidnapper. Like every children were told about what would happen if a stranger would offer a child some snacks.
"Ar... Are you lost?" Fran asks. "Do you need help to find... uh..."
The child backed away a bit. "Nnnmm..." she mumbled.
Fran wondered what he should do to comfort her. "It's... okay... Um... I..." He looked around for a while and gulped. "Um... do you know of WINGS?"
The little Dreepy sniffed loudly, looking while she cried. "I-I think... I... heard..." She sniffles.
Fran looked at his badge and showed it to her. She stared at the emblem... WINGS... Slowly but surely, she approached him gently. This was what she was told, she can trust WINGS.
"Mhm... I'm here to help..." Fran repeats to her.
She sniffles loudly. He went near and looked around. A Dragapult, he needed to look for one. They must be here somewhere. "Your Mommy..." Fran asks.
The Dreepy nodded while she made some motions about who she was. A hat. She wore a flight attendant hat.
"A hat..." Fran nods slowly. He's looking for a Dragapult with a hat ontop of her head... Nothing around. He looked at her and took her hand gently.
"Follow me... don't let go..." he tells her.
She nodded and slowly held his hand.
Fran looked around while keeping the Dreepy in close company. "Do you remember where you last saw your Mommy?" The Dreepy pondered and looked around where they currently are. Near the station, she remembered seeing her mother at... the park...
"Mommy... Park..." The Dreepy sniffled.
Fran nodded and looked around the area. The park was at the road to the right.
"Okay... let's go to the park." He suggests.
The Dreepy quietly nods and she held his hand close as Fran walks over to the direction of the park.
Fran looked around the place. He wondered about the things he saw. Some parents playing with their children. All were smiling as he wondered about the past he had forgotten. Had he ever spent something this fun?
He couldn't remember... But now, he can at least help this child be reunited with her mother...
"Stria!"
Fran looked around the park. He heard that name before...
Static was heard while Fran watched Luigi talked with a silhouette. He nodded with a smile.
"Stria..." Luigi muttered with a smile. "Like a star, a nice name you thought of, zzkzkk..."
More static came.
"Uh-huh, Stria and Nix." Luigi nodded. "Star and Night...Seems that's a good combination. The way how the two of you fell in love under the night sky with the stars above you."
Again, static responds.
"Yeah, I would like to meet her and your daughters soon." Luigi smiled.
That smile...Fran's antennae went down. When was the last time had smiled like that? He missed it so much.
But... how?
...No... the answer was clear... he has to-
"Mommy!"
"Stria?"
The Dreepy went over to the voice, crying in response to the name. "Mommy, Mommy!"
Fran looked over to see a dragon flying toward them at a fast pace. She looked similar to the Dreepy with the same stealth bomber head but she appeared more like an lepospondyls. She had a yellow underbelly with three red arrowheads on it, small hands with four red claws each, short feet with claws larger as they went inward, and a tail the appeared like a newt's. Her lower body was cyan and appeared like a ghost with the tail looking more transparent and the part from the waist had a darker green. Unlike the Dreepy's head, hers had sharper ends with the red being dominant at the wing's front edges with two triangular ports on each side, her eyes were narrow semi oblongs, and she wore a hat over her head and a dark blue Victorian dress.
"Mommy!" The Dreepy with the identity of Stria flew to the Dragapult and hugged her.
"Stria...You're here. Thank goodness you're alright." The mother wept while Fran looked at one of the ports.
A Dreepy popped out of it.
"Stria, I'm so sorry." The mother held her daughter tight with the other going near her sister.
"Nix!" Stria sobs.
Nix embraced her sister. "Stria! Mommy and I were looking for you!"
"*sniff*! Mommy! Nix!" Stria wails loudly.
Fran smiled softly at their reunion. Stria turned to look over at Fran. "Mommy! WINGS... brought me!"
"WINGS?" The mother looked at Fran. "Thank you...I don't know why it was familiar but...You did a lot for me."
"Oh... It's... I'm happy to do my work...!" Fran replies.
"I am Portia Lightspeed." She introduced. "I've received a letter before from you. Do you know who Eos Lightspeed is?"
"Eos... Lightspeed?" Fran asks.
"Oh...Thank you anyways and...I am sorry for taking too much of your time." Portia bowed before her daughters went to her ports. "Let's go on."
She flew out and went to a different direction. She made extra sure her daughters were still in her ports. Fran watched as she left. He twiddled his fingers, he remembered that he can't remember those who passed. Portia must had known too, which was why she left. Not to hurt his feelings more.
"...Hm...?"
He saw Luigi standing by. He seemed to be aware of something while he spotted a pair of hooded figures walked pass him. Fran wondered about it as Luigi began to follow them.
"Luigi..." He murmurs to himself.
He held his hands. He... he wants to help Luigi to have him smile.
Even if... his feelings could be seen as vile by others...
He just wanted the best for his brother...
Fran looked around and hid behind a tree. He looked for the overcoat's function to turn invisible. "...Here..." He nods quietly and pressed. He looked as he became invisible and followed Luigi from behind. He hope that he didn't see him.
'He's heading over there...' Fran watches and follows Luigi to a building.
Those two figures, who were they? He looked at what they wore. He wasn't sure... He never seen anyone like that.
But ... why is Luigi following them?
Fran followed him into the building, not knowing Claus was in the vent following them. He watched them head deeper while Luigi followed them silently and not show any suspicion while he did. Fran did his best in following behind with silence.
' Luigi... what are you doing...?' Fran thinks to himself.
Inside the vent...
Claus was crawling inside the vent, making lighter movements as to not make any alerts.
"Argh, Lenna gave me this job." Claus complained while he crawled in it. "It's really stuffy in here. It is hard to climb through if I was normal-sized... I'm lucky I have a small body..."
His stretched out flipper froze.
"..."
He held his head and screamed in his mind in that bitter realization of the truth. '...AAAAAH! I JUST CALLED MYSELF SMALL!' He mentally shrieked.
After gathering his thoughts back to the mission in hand, he continued to crawl inside the vent. He looked around the bars, spotting some officials talking.
He held his position, picking up details... assassination during the conference?
He needed to find some more about this. He listened in some more.
"...These duo... who are they, really?"
Claus looked over.
"I don't know, but they exude... a very... odd aura even draped in those."
"They barely even speak: just show that they can do the job. Talk about silence..."
"There wasn't even any bargain, nor any price they held. I find it hard to believe they'd even attempt, to be frank."
"Can we really trust them? Is one of them Dusk?"
"Didn't he leave earlier to go to with his wife and daughter? Well, this Grimmsnarl's similar to his looks."
"I dunno..."
"But perhaps they will be done with the job, and they'll be gone afterward..."
"They haven't told us their names yet. They're back to finish our masterpiece."
Claus listened attentively. Plans of assassination... and what masterpiece?
He clicked his beak and went onward. He saw two feet walking ahead.
He peered slightly... He spotted two figures walking side by side. Who are they? He presumed the pair who are involved in the upcoming assassination attempt.
He needed to help stop it. He felt two more pass his view. He gasped.
"Luigi?" Claus muttered silently, the other one was... he couldn't physically see the second one. But...
"Fran?" Claus muttered as he went onward. He needed to help them stop those two from going on through the assassination. He advanced slowly, keeping track of where the vent leads. He hastened his movement and wondered what Lenna was doing now. He heard something.
"Any form of attacks from the outside would be ineffective. It should be damaged in the inside. Like those soldiers could even do that."
He slowed down and picked that piece of information up. What is?
"The only thing that could by pass its defense is a Ghost-type. Do they even have someone of that Type in their team?"
"It doesn't appear to be, and even if there is one, it is more likely any recruit."
Claus wondered... what was that they are talking about now? Regardless, this must be important information to use. He looked ahead and continued on his way through the vents.
He continued on until he felt his badge beep. His eyes widened in shock. It can't be...were they really trying to...
' They're mad!' Claus screamed internally. ' They're going to use a Dulled!?'
He hastened his pace. He needed to get to Luigi fast.
August 9th, 2020
4:24 p.m.
Wyndon
"Mmm." Arubo mumbled over his communication device.
"Affirming everyone's position..." Iron could be heard wondering. "Is that what he said?"
"Still much to learn, son~" Safka sang while Iron wondered about what she said.
"Son? But...am I not just a few years younger?" Iron wondered.
"Just something since we're like a family of three~ I am the mom, you are the son, and he-" Safka was cut off by Zakh screaming out, "-am NOT THE FATHER!"
Arubo mumbled a few times before he looked over the signals of where everyone was.
"Strange, no signs of Luigi, Fran, and Claus." Safka murmurred. "Son, can you scan around some more?"
"Um..." Iron murmured on what she did. "I'll try...Mom?"
Zakh choked on his aspirin. "*cough* Don't encourage her!" He snaps.
"Oh...Okay, reanalysing surroundings."
Arubo nodded and looked at the buildings around him. He went on to the others.
"All clear~" Guy sang with Weiss holding himself, trying his best to recover from vomiting after the intense rides.
Swamp placed some devices around him. He analysed the ways they moved and sent off some waves around them. He held his communication device.
"I...I am getting better signals." Iron read. "Where did you get that device, Swamp?"
"Well, I..." Swamp starts.
"Borrowed them from Zakh-akh~" Guy sang while Weiss mutters, "More like... you hijacked and took them without permission..." Swamp blushed. Yes, Guy did steal those devices. He didn't know why but he was glad he did since it was helping the mission.
"None of the guests were suspicious here." Scorch reported while she and Claire looked at those who entered the square.
"Nothing as far as we can see..." Claire agrees.
"It's all clear here." Brandt reported with a smooth voice...And accidentally let out a raspberry blow. Pretzel face palmed after Brandt had realized what he had done and gawked in embarrassment. Unfortunately, Claire heard it and sighed.
"You're so weird..." she spoke out.
"I told you to keep it smooth and properly move your tongue." Pretzel scolded.
"Sorry..." Brandt apologized.
"Gray, Blitz, stop looking over those trivia quizzes!" Lusiane scolded.
The trivia board showed a circular dot. It told them of what Pokémon it was.
"Oh, I can answer this now!" Blitz shouts out.
"Yo! I know what Pokémon it is, ya'ow!" Gray speaks.
They jotted down their answers. Their answers were, "Poké Ball!" They answer in unison.
"The answer is..." the device spoke out and the dot was revealed to be... "A Jigglypuff seen from above!"
"WHAT!?" They screamed into the communications.
"..." Lusiane sighed. "I told you not to waste money over that bribe. It is indeed a scam."
"...That doesn't make any sense." Iron agreed.
"...Yeah." Zakh nods.
"When is a Poké Ball a Pokémon?" Safka asked.
"Yes..." Lusiane agreed.
Lenna looked around the area close to where the event should take place. She had to check everyone's position around here. To guarantee the event should be alright. "Outside the Battle Tower... Sunai's monitoring there from the rooftops." Lenna speaks. "Or... mostly everywhere around him."
She looked over at Treant staring quietly at the area she was assigned to monitor. Very... quietly. Then back at the place Claus entered. She looked over the coordinates and asked Zakh to send them to Swamp about this. Swamp calculated the distance and affirmed the possibilities of the assassination from any area.
"Weiss-iss, can you help Swamp-amp strategy~?" Guy sang while Lenna smiled at him being happy all the time. "Don't Merry-go-Rounding it~"
She heard Weiss shriek from that pun. "No more! Let this mission end!"
"Oh Weiss~" Safka sang. "Unable to bear the n-ice?"
"AAAAH!"
"Nice, Sa-u~ Slithering Safkatas!"
"Hehehe." Safka laughed.
"Hmm...Alright, sending these calculations to everyone." Iron read. "Thank you, Swamp."
"It's no problem." Swamp replied.
Lenna looked over where Iggy was with Aria helping around with detecting any items of those coming to this event. "No... No... No..." He observed carefully. Lenna looked over Iggy's status. He seemed to be taking the checking pretty seriously.
She watched as the music started to signal the start of the conference. She prepared her rapier just in case as the officials of the GDF went out.
"..." She quietly held her position... they mustn't fail...
She looked among the officials and the leader. The old but beautiful Altaria. She spotted the Commander nearby, seemed to be alert about this event to protect this Altaria. The Altaria got onto the stage and she checked the necessary equipment that was set to convey her message to ears around the area.
She began her speech. Lenna listened to it while she checked the area. The speech she made spoke straight-to-point details about the peace being upheld by the GDF and the work it has done to combat against the threat of the Dulled around in Galar. Even with a soothing voice, she spoke with such firmness to convey her seriousness of her message.
Lenna nodded at this. Just then, she spotted Gardious take out his weapon. She didn't have time to react as she heard...
"Dulled!" Iron screamed from the comms.
"Huh!?" Lenna gasped.
Gardious threw his weapons at a projectile directed at the Altaria. Everyone were surprised at this and Gardious flew at the Altaria and shielded her before he escorted her away. He held his comm and commanded, "Escort the citizens to safety! Those in charge of the rooftops, split evenly to support and target the perpetrator!"
Lenna nodded and rushed fired three projectiles off her rapier to destroy homming projectiles aimed at the civilians as they ran. She ran ahead and looked at Sunai. He wasn't visible, but he was making quick shots while moving across the rooftops with athletic leaps.
They hit the projectiles before she looked back at where Brandt and Pretzel were. She spotted Brandt charging in while he held Pretzel's Ultra Ball. Dynamax energy was forming around it.
"You got this, Pretzel?" He shouts.
"Those who'll join me, hurry!" Pretzel affirmed.
Trap the Dulled inside the space made when one Dynamaxed. That was the plan. But as a reminder, the spaces cannot be too close in many successions or it will rupture the reality of the place itself.
Lenna looked as the citizens were escorted away. Before spotting Luigi and Fran out cold with Claus near them.
"What happened to them!?" Lenna ran over to Claus.
"It's..." Claus began.
August 9th, 2020
4:00 p.m.
Inside the Building
Luigi walked down the hallway. He had to know who were those two and why this heart screamed at him to follow them.
He didn't know... He held his heart. What was this power? He felt afraid of it and afraid of doing something.
He looked back at the duo... They stood in front of a machine. He felt some power with them that connected himself to those two.
One was one who had lost everything. The accomplishments and love ones lost. War, famine, disease, death, and sorrow. The witness of those and held them as they walked amongst those things.
One who was disgraced from life. One tried to leave a mark, to show the world the wonderful gifts and talents one can possess. However, it brought misery and loathing to others with no intention. One who left a mark, yet a mark not worthy to be remembered. Ridiculed by the world, sheltered by one's guilt and sorrow.
"Loss...This is the 'Masterpiece' they wanted us to create." One spoke. "A means to become the next leaders and to think they know to face the Dulled using a mindless weapon."
Loss? Luigi looked closer while avoiding detection.
"Hm... Unleashing this on the very day to cause discord..." The other apparently named Loss responded. There was a click of the tongue. "It leaves such a bitter aftertaste in my mouth."
He wouldn't let it. Luigi had to stop them while the two inserted... something... He felt so much energy in it. Is it... powering it up?
"...That should be it for the machinery..." Loss spoke.
He couldn't let them escape.
"I won't let you go!" Luigi screamed and threw his spear at the other figure.
Hm?" The other figure looked at the incoming spear and summoned a walking cane? No, rather... it was a thin blade in the form of a cane. He spotted some hair on it. Luigi gasped. "A Grimmsnarl!?" He exclaimed.
The cane caught the tip of the spear and with a twist, redirected the trajectory.
"Hmm..." The Grimmsnarl looked still with his features concealed. "You there, you have it."
"What?" Luigi gasped, what did he mean of "have it"?
"What should we do, Loss? Another is beside him."
"Another"? Luigi looked around, there was nobody here.
"Show yourself already." Loss speaks.
Three swords were deployed and thrown at one spot. A scream was heard and the swords hit something. Loss sighed as he looked at the Flygon he killed, it disappeared soon afterward as Fran landed a few feet away from the afterimage and fired an arrow at Loss.
Loss just took the arrow with his bare hand... or rather... pincer. Fran's eyes widened as Loss tightened the arrow and it dissipated into nothing. He didn't react one bit from the projectile's energy. He waved his pincer and looked at those two before them.
"Fran, what are you doing here!?" Luigi demanded.
"L-Luigi... I... I can't leave you all alone..." Fran stuttered.
"It's dangerous!" Luigi sneered.
"If so, why didn't you let the others come with you?" The Grimmsnarl asked. "Are you ashamed of your actions?"
"What!?" Luigi gasped.
"You killed everyone on that island." The Grimmsnarl continued. "That's what I felt from reading your emotions. You killed your friends, even the young man who just got together with his girlfriend and eased your burdens by letting himself get killed to relieve you of more sorrow. Unlike them, you who took the burden of those who sinned with you and became a weapon just like them. Ashamed for what your guilt had made and for becoming a weapon."
"You..." Luigi sneered. "Shut. Up! I...I am...I am not a weapon!"
Luigi's heart beat and he gasped. This pain, everything hurts.
His felt his entire body morph. "Argh...Argh..." Luigi gasped as several alterations were made. He couldn't halt the process. This is... "AAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
"Luigi!" Fran gasped. What's happening...!?
Five sets of spikes went out on each side of his underbelly and an orange spike on his ankle. Luigi's lower jaw became jagged and rough. The fins on his hands morphed to appear like the blades of a scythe with orange blades. Along this transformation, his clothes... They began to... reform? Change? The sphere Luigi was inside while he changed form. Luigi felt the same pain again. It drove him insane as he howled in agony and faced the two.
"Argh!" He rushed at Loss with his spear returned and morphed it into a large sword and wielded the knife with it.
Loss summoned six swords, three in each pincer and clashed with Luigi. Luigi glared.
"Losing yourself to power is a bitter sign of failing yourself." Loss speaks.
"Are you willing? To continue failing not being yourself and watch as you lose hold of everything in your world, leaving you hollow?"
"Never!" Luigi spat. "I'll...I'll protect...AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"
"Luigi!" Fran screamed. "Watch out!"
He held his bow and fired arrows towards the Grimmsnarl. The Grimmsnarl looked and waved his cane around with such speed while standing in a calm manner. He looked at Fran and appeared suddenly before him.
"!!!" Fran's eyes widened in surprise at the sudden speed. "Aahhh!" He shrieked with a powerful hair whip striking him, and throwing him at the wall.
The shriek was enough to take Luigi's focus away. "Ah!" Luigi gasped before Loss broke his guard. Loss knew that Luigi's power was strong but lacked the skill. He was more of an attack dog than anything. Luigi felt the kick onto his chest, finding his feet lifted off the floor. He felt everything go in a blur before he smashes against the wall behind him.
He looked to see Loss throw his swords at him. He gasped and fired a blast of fire off his mouth. He sneered about the reduced speed of this form. The swords repelled across the room before they vanished and Loss summoned them back again as where they were before.
"Cease this. You have barely any control over yourself." Loss warned.
Luigi continued screaming. No sense at all of stopping. He raged on. It made all the more easier for Loss as he easily parried the relentless assault.
Fran looked up, seeing the Grimmsnarl's shadow above him.
"Still alive." The Grimmsnarl muttered. "You're tougher than you look."
"N-nngh..." Fran wheezed. The range was too close, nor does he have time to heal at all...
He kicked Fran at the gut just so he could scream. The scream caused Luigi to look back and gasped.
"Fran!" He screamed, Loss took this as the opportunity to swing down and leave three bleeding lines on his left arm, kicked into the air and hit Luigi's face with a knee.
"You should be ashamed." The Grimmsnarl muttered as he charged in to Luigi. "Play Rough."
The quick, successive, violent blows, smashed against him, causing Luigi to scream with every damaging blow thrown.
He was sent flying back and collapsed beside Fran.
His eyes were narrowing as he felt energy escape from his figure... He reverted back to his form and looked at Fran. "Fran..."
Fran was out cold... he wasn't responding with him laid by the side.
"Ngh..." Luigi was losing conscience too.
"Leave them." He hears Loss speak.
"This machine will finish the job." The Grimmsnarl spoke. "We were tasked to do that."
"And only that." Loss nods to his companion.
They looked at the machine while Loss casted a spell on it. "...There. They should be satisfied with it." Loss states.
The two of them left while the machine sprung to life. The machine was some... armor? A mechanical armor... It was moving by its' own will... Marked with many silver linings through the pitch black plating around it... it stomps on it's only limbs of legs...
If that is unleashed... All will be destroyed, why? Why would those people wanted this to be made? It aimed at them, just then, the air vent opened.
"Absolute Defense!" Claus called out and slammed his shield in front of him to protect the two from the blast.
He nearly stumbled with the impact of the first, but still held strong after the blast ceased. He looked as a larger blast fired at him and strengthened the barrier he made while the building crumbled. He looked at the other two, picked them over his shield, and jumped before the rubble could bury them. He got out of the building after a leap and saw the machine out and fired missiles which Gardious deflected. He heard a command from the comm.
"So it did block the signals." Claus muttered and looked at the machine. However, it wasn't just a machine. It was a Dulled.
He began to rack his mind... thinking of what it could be... Was it really that masterpiece spoken of?
Arrogance and pride, he sighed. To think to have the power to play God. This would result to their loss and shame.
He needs to regroup first...
He spotted Brandt heading his way there while he spotted Pretzel return into her Ultra Ball. A plan to contain it while the others make the citizens retreat.
"Ready..." The Ultra Ball enlarges and he brings his arm back. "And... yeet!"
The Ultra Ball flew at high speed. He looked at Luigi and Fran while Lenna came over. He pushed the two out while the Ultra Ball was about to release Pretzel out.
"What happened to them!?" He asks as the sphere opened.
"It's..." Claus started.
"They're-" Lenna couldn't finish as the Ultra Ball opened.
She, Brandt, and Claus were sent in the space Pretzel created.
They stumbled for a while as they looked around. It was still Wyndon, but not exactly the real Wyndon. As for Pretzel... She grew in size and she was now on top of a large decorated cake. This limited her movement for she was stuck on the cake. However, her defenses became higher as she looked over the machine.
"G-Max Finale!" She announces while the frostings around the cake fired and crashed the machine. The team knew what to do as some projectiles were fire.
"Keep your guards up!" Lenna conjured Energy Balls and she directed them to launch at the machine.
The machine took no damage while Claus threw his shield in front of Brandt to block some blasts from hitting him. He looked around, what should be done? He realized something.
"We need a Ghost-type." Claus informed them. "A Ghost-type attack to damage the insides."
A chainsaw appeared and slashed some projectiles aimed at Lenna. Lenna looked at the frosting Pretzel fired while she slid down and was about to fire a Shadow Ball.
"Huh?" Lenna looked.
The Shadow Ball didn't do much damage. She reached for the comms.
"Analyzing, inside the machine is a core." Safka answered. "How can you damage it?"
"There needs to be an ethereal kind of attack, something able to phase into it!" Zakh hypothesised.
"Wait: We don't have anyone who can phase!" Brandt exclaimed. "Holy crap!"
Lenna looked from the rubble. She spotted someone peek out. That someone looked at the machine while she readied her stance. That someone was a Dragapult. She looked nervous but steeled her will as she steadied her aim. About to charge in.
"What!?" She gasped. A civilian Pokémon in here... She took a deep breath, she must had heard them speak. They felt something from her, did she have...?
"Portia Lightspeed, on duty!" She exclaimed and flew toward the machine, phasing through several projectiles and in the machine. A loud explosion was heard as she phased out from the other side and broke a portion of the exterior and revealed the core. She turned to them with her teeth gritted. "WINGS, your chance!"
"Ah-Don't waste it!" Lenna swung her rapier forward. "Ivy Rush!"
Brandt stomped onto the ground with a foot. "Stone Edge!"
"G-Max Finale!" Pretzel shouted.
"Deep Pressure!" Claus screamed and threw his shield.
The core was struck with a combination of bursting thorny vines, blasts of cream-filled missiles, summoned stone spikes and a whirling shield smashing into it.
Then they looked as Portia took out a bowgun. A weapon similar to the one of Eos Lightspeed's grave had. "...Spetral Meteor!" She screamed and fired a high-speed bolt of arrow into the core and caused a massive explosion that destroyed the machine.The metallic remains soon melted away, disappearing...
The members looked at the destruction of that machine, they noticed the space start to distort and turned to Pretzel. She began to shrink while everything returned to normal. Soon, Pretzel was back in her regular size and they looked around. Whatever damage was caused was gone in the space... they turn to look over at Portia.
She panted over what she did with tears in her eyes. She was confused over what she did. "My body...reacted on...its own..." She muttered.
"Mommy!"
She turned to see her daughters race to her while Iggy followed from behind.
"What is this...?" She muttered. "Someone...taught me but...who?"
"You were supposed... to get to safety!" Iggy slows down as he looked over at the group.
"I...I..." Portia muttered in confusion. "Iggy, I felt something...I..."
Wait, how did she...?
"R-Right, to safety." She held her daughters close. "We need to follow his commands."
"Mommy, Mommy!" Both her daughters slid back into her empty ports. She flew off to safety while Pretzel wondered.
"I...felt something on that Dragapult." She muttered. "Did you guys too?"
"I think I did..." Lenna murmurs.
"I think... so." Brandt scratched his head. "Didn't she say her name's Portia Lightspeed?"
"Lightspeed? The... grave of Eos Lightspeed?" Iggy ponders.
"The body didn't forget." Claus pondered. "I don't know who Eos was but he must be related to her."
"...She... is a mother..." Brandt looked down. "...And she looked pretty enough..."
"Brandt..." Lenna sighs.
"Whoever she is, she helped us." Pretzel nodded. "But for now, we need to get Fran and Luigi to safety."
They nodded.
"Also, I wanted to do something." Claus suggested as he walked over to Luigi. He looked at one side and took out his shield and before Luigi could wake up..."I'm sorry." He slammed it hard to his head and knocked him out.
"C-Claus!!" Pretzel exclaimed.
"What was that for?!" Brandt exclaimed.
"I saw something and..." He looked over with Lenna following his sight. "...I don't want anything he'll regret in the future.
"What could that be..." Brandt pondered and he lifted Luigi over his shoulder.
Lenna spotted the thing that would had happened. She saw a Grimmsnarl lifting his daughter as they got to safety. He was alive and Luigi...Didn't kill him.
...Then... that vision... Claus managed to change his fate...
She looked... what about the rest of the team...?
Are they alright?
"Oh no you don't!" Scorch exclaimed as an ice wall blocked some fleeing Pokèmon. She and Claire charged in.
"Gunk Shot in the Hole!" She fired a ball of poison at the group.
Claire's gunblade glowed as she brings it downwards. "Rough... Divide!"
The combined attacks smashed against the caught Pokémon, scattering them around out of commission.
"Phew, damn traitors." Scorch seethed. "All talk but no bite." She turned to Arubo. "Thanks."
Claire looked at the downed Pokèmon. Those who attempted to assassinate the head. "Sheesh... they had traitors inside the organization..." she sighed. "You suppose Commander got it covered?"
"Mmm." Arubo answered. "He's...her."
"Beside him."
"Yeah, he is the Commander..."
Lenna nodded as she heard the communications speak.
"Detecting no hostile signals escaping." Iron confirmed.
"Mission Complete~" Safka sang.
"And the GDF leader is safe and sound." Zakh adds.
Lenna nodded while she looked around. Who was that Dragapult and... What happened before?
Chapter 17 Concluded