Lacunosa
Eliza hurried to reach the entrance of the village ahead as fast as her small Buizel limbs could carry her. She reached the gate just as snow began to fall. She flicked some off her tails as she stood up to her feet and folded her arms to keep warm. Her whiskers began to twitch from the cold. As she walked, the ground became covered in a layer of white.
The mountain pass leading to Lacunosa Valley loomed over the small town and sent a shudder down her spine. She looked about at the houses. They were domed, made of wood, and held together by nails. The village was ghostly quiet, and it did not seem as though anyone had entered it or inhabited it in a long time. She peeked inside of one of the houses and saw that it was indeed vacant.
Eliza crawled through the small doorway. There was a table at one end of the room and many pots and jars at the other. Her eyes settled on a pile of hay near the fireplace across from the entrance. To her utmost surprise she found that small embers were still going beneath the logs in the hearth. She set her explorer bag aside and began to blow on them. The fire reignited quickly and she stared at the flames in wonderment.
She cleaned herself up a little and then collapsed onto the bed of hay, drifting off moments later.
Eliza woke up to find that the fire had been reduced to embers once again. She gazed at it for a few moments, still awed at how long it must have lasted before she had gotten there. Perhaps a fire-type had been through here shortly before her and it wasn't so mysterious. She chocked it up to good fortune and stood up to stretch. She then grabbed her bag off the ground and slung it over her shoulder; her mission couldn't wait.
She moved to exit the house, but quickly discovered that the snow had not let up, and in fact, that the doorway was now blocked. She thought for a second and then approached the doorway. She charged up a Razor Wind attack and unleashed at the drift covering the door. The snow blew out of the way and gave her a way out. She scrambled through the soft powder and found a solid spot away from the deep piles of snow.
Her whiskers began twitching again from the change in temperature. She pulled a scarf out of her bag and put it on around her inner tube collar. Then, she observed what the snow had done in the night. Some houses were now buried in snow. The house in which she had stayed was quickly succumbing to the same fate. By the looks of it, the entire village would be buried within an hour, which meant she would need to keep moving.
She folded her arms and began shivering again. The hairs on her back were standing on end in the cold. She pulled her scarf and dusted some of the snow off her backside, beginning her trek through the heavy white drifts towards the mountain pass that lead into the mystery dungeon.
The gray clouds unnerved Eliza as she walked beneath the forest trees. The dungeon was eerily quiet save for the screeching winds every few moments. The further she went along in these woods, the colder it got, and her sleek coat of fur was doing nothing to help her stay warm. The icy weather burned her cheeks, and she was constantly threatened by snow falling from the branches of the spruce giants around her.
A gust of wind blew from behind her and bit at her back. Her shivering amplified. One thought crossed her mind; she needed to find another shelter. How serendipitous it was that as she looked up, she saw a cave ahead of her. A light shimmered from within. She picked up her pace in desperation, sloshing through the thick snow. She tumbled to her front paws as she reached the mouth of the cave and trembled as she steadied herself on her numb hind legs. She slowly walked forward and saw a fire burning at the back of the hollow.
"Hello?" she called. There was no answer. She walked into the chamber and saw a Pokémon lying down near the fire. His eyes were closed. She identified him as a Quilava.
Eliza slowly sat herself down by the fire and gratefully received its warmth. The other Pokémon looked over at her and spoke.
"What are you doing here?" he asked gruffly.
"Getting out of the cold," Eliza responded, "The weather in these parts really isn't nice."
"No kidding…" the Quilava nodded, shutting his eyes again. There was a pause.
"What are you doing out here in this weather?" Eliza asked.
"Running," the Quilava replied sharply.
"Running from what?"
The Quilava stared at her, analyzing the twitching of her whiskers and her curious eyes. She cocked her head in suspicious confusion.
"Well?" she questioned.
"The police," he whispered. Eliza stepped back from the flames in shock and was immediately struck by a gust of wind from outside, which knocked her on her bottom. The fire shook from the breeze, and the Quilava laughed.
"Just like everyone else," he mocked, "You're scared of little old me just because I told you I'm an outlaw. What're you gonna do about it? This is the middle of nowhere, Miss. No authorities out here and there never will be."
"I can take you out, drag you home, AND turn you in," Eliza glared as she stood to her feet and pulled out her explorer badge, "My name is Eliza, and I'm a Master Rank explorer! What did you do, outlaw!?"
"I stole some berries," the Quilava sneered, "Greatest crime in the world, right? I sure think so. Can't spare any for a poor, homeless Quilava can you? Go ahead, take me out. I've been in there before and you bet I can escape again no problem. I bet you don't make it ten feet out of this cave before you change your mind anyway." Another gust of wind blew into the cave and bit at Eliza's side. She shuddered in the cold.
"Fire types are useful in cold weather you know?" he nudged with a grin.
"How dare you try to coerce me!?" Eliza cried in indignation.
"Well you're not doing anything about it," the Quilava mocked.
"I will," she said firmly.
"You won't," he taunted. She dove into an Aqua Jet and shot at him at top speed. He dodged out of the way and she hit the wall. Her recovery was quick, and she turned around and shot a Water Gun at him. He dodged out of the way again and it hit the fire, extinguishing it in seconds. The temperature in the cave dropped quickly. Eliza began shivering uncontrollably, to the point where she couldn't move. The Quilava laughed at her.
"Having fun with the cold?" he jested.
"W-w-w-why y-y-ou—" Eliza was interrupted by a piercing scream. It echoed through the cave and the trees outside. Eliza and the Quilava were both forced to cover their ears. The blizzard suddenly intensified, and a tree fell in front of the cave entrance. The temperature dropped further, and Eliza's head began to spin from the cold. She slipped out of consciousness moments later.
When Eliza woke up, she found that a fire was going in the cave once again. The Quilava was across from her, tending it carefully with a branch.
"You're alive," he said, a note of shock in his voice, "For a while I thought you'd frozen to death."
"What happened?" she asked groggily.
"It came by again…" the Quilava grimaced, "The monster."
"Monster?" Eliza questioned. The Quilava shook his head.
"If I knew anything else about it, I'd tell you," he said earnestly, "All I know is that it runs by these parts every once in a while. Then it screams and the storm picks up tenfold. And then it's gone and everything goes quiet again…"
"That's ridiculous," Eliza said with a huff.
"You heard it yourself," the Quilava scowled, "It knocked you out cold. Literally."
"I wasn't ready—"
"You will never be ready for that thing," the Quilava cut her off harshly, "Y'know, you're not the first person I've met out here. I've run into people who've been driven insane by that thing. You wanna know what they were babbling about? The monster swooping down out of the blizzard… and scooping up their friends and loved ones to eat them. And that's the clean version of what I've heard. The stories they've told are a lot more graphic. This thing is real, and it will kill you."
Eliza remained silent.
"Yeah, that's what I figured," he sighed, "I'm a lowly outlaw. Can't be bothered with telling the truth to a Master Rank explorer wanting to turn me in, now, can I?"
"No, I'll believe you," Eliza said humbly. What a suck up, she thought to herself. "I'm just wondering why you're out here if that thing is around."
The Quilava sighed again.
"That thing is keeping me away from inmate land," he said, "Like I said, no authorities for miles around here. Only the occasional explorer. But none of the explorers I've met have made it out of this area alive. At least as far as I know."
Eliza looked down at her feet as her heart slowly sank.
"I think you should tell me what you're really doing out here," the Quilava coaxed, ignoring her sudden change in demeanor, "Since I've poured my heart and soul out to you."
Eliza looked up at him and breathed to regain her composure.
"I'm a volunteer from the Exploration Federation on a mission to track down and bring back Guildmaster Wigglytuff of Treasure Town," she explained, "He left on exploration to this area last month and we haven't had contact for three weeks. Have you met him?"
The Quilava stared into her eyes before turning away.
"Yes," he said grimly, "Two weeks ago I met a Wigglytuff. He was so nice to me. Even when I told him I was an outlaw. Kept babbling about being friends and shared food with me. Then he left… and the monster came… and I haven't seen him since."
There was silence between them for a few moments. The crackling fire filled the void.
"I might be able to get you out of this area," the Quilava spoke up, "But you have to trust me. A lot. And… maybe help me clear my name…"
"No," Eliza said sharply, "I have a mission, and I'm going to complete it. And I'll bring you in too."
"You're nuts," the Quilava said, "Did you not hear what I just told you? There's no way that guy made it. You should get out of here while you still can. You won't be able to find him let alone survive to drag me out of here. If anything, I'd be dragging you."
"Watch your tongue," Eliza growled at him, "Guildmaster Wigglytuff would not be taken down so easily. Not even by this monster. I'm sure he's still out there somewhere."
"Your funeral," the Quilava shrugged, shaking his head, "But forget the monster. I'm telling you; you won't survive two seconds out there in that freezing cold."
"Watch me," she glared at him. She began towards the mouth of the cave and a freezing gust hit her straight in the face. She gritted her teeth as the shivering shook her whole body. The Quilava sighed and tried to shake the thought coming onto his mind.
She's gonna get herself killed without you… but if you try to follow her, she's just gonna give you grief… but you can't leave her like this… not like the others… but… After a few moments going back and forth, he gave in.
"I'm coming with you," he told her firmly. She turned around aghast.
"W-w-hat!?" she cried in her shivering, "I d-d-don't n-n-need y-your h-help outlaw!"
"Yes, you do," he retorted walking up to her side. He let his flames burst from his body and Eliza felt the warmth stop her shivering. She was momentarily thankful for the warmth but then quickly reacted.
"I'll be just fine on my own," she insisted, "And if you come with me, I'll have to turn you in. You understand that right?"
"I don't care," he scoffed, "I think you'll thank me later."
Eliza gave a 'hmph' and began walking toward the mouth of the cave, shivering as she took further steps away from the Quilava. Then she noticed the tree in the way for the first time.
"That… wasn't there before," she remarked. She felt the warmth of the Quilava walking up to her.
"Yes, how were you planning on getting that out of the way exactly?" he sneered. He shot a steady wave of fire at the log. Minutes later, it was burnt to ash on the ground. The bitter winds plagued the entrance of the cave even more now. Eliza shivered uncontrollably, even in the proximity to the Quilava's body heat.
"My name is Terrence," the Quilava informed her, "You'll probably need to know that when you're clearing my name later."
Eliza rolled her eyes, noting his name but ignoring his snarky remark, and began walking into the forest. Terrence sighed, shaking his head, and followed her closely.
An hour of walking later, Eliza was closely sidled up to Terrence's warm body. The cold had gotten the better of her. She felt dizzy and couldn't feel her limbs well at all. It was a miracle she was still walking. But the cold wasn't the worst part. That honor went to the screeches of the monster that filled the air around them every several minutes. Each time, she clung to Terrence in fear, forgetting their standing relationship in the face of terror. And each time the temperature in the forest seemed to drop far below freezing leaving her feeling torturous and sharp pains. On cue, the horrible scream ripped through the air around them again. The trees shook snow to the ground and the air in the forest turned to humongous gusts, blowing the falling snow into a furious, miniature blizzard. Eliza held fast to Terrence once again. If her eyes were not so dry from the cold winds, she might have started crying.
Terrence meanwhile shielded the fiercely shivering Eliza from the strong wind. It was the third time the monster had passed them since they had left the cave. He feared that it was stalking them and that they would be its next prey.
"You alright?" he asked her, genuinely concerned. She shook off the cold as the wind died down and the snow returned to its former, peaceful state.
"I'm fine," she spoke weakly. Terrence shook his head as she pushed against him for warmth. Her shivering was growing worse. Even with his help, he guessed she would pass out from the cold within hours. Or sooner.
"We'll need to find another shelter soon," Terrence sighed, looking at the descending arc of the sun in the sky.
"Th-that w-would b-be nice," Eliza shivered. Terrence strengthened his flames a bit for extra warmth. Eliza obliged by nuzzling even closer to him. He could feel her small body shuddering still and gave a frown of concern. She's not okay, he thought to himself. He was beginning to feel the bite of the cold air overcoming his naturally warm body, which led him to imagine what she must be feeling despite his warmth. His flames strengthened ever more.
They reached a clearing minutes later and Terrence swiveled his head. Eliza shook violently next to him.
"How're you holding up?" he asked as he searched for a place he could burrow into the snow and create a fire. No response.
"Eliza?" he questioned, looking back to her.
"I c-c-can't f-f-feel my feet," Eliza stuttered out suddenly. Terrence was unsure of what to do. Then, she collapsed into the snow, unconscious. Terrence stood in shock for a few moments. Then he began searching frantically for that burrowing spot. He saw nothing but tall trees and white snow all around him. He picked up her limp body and draped her over his back. After ensuring she was secure, he began running through the frosty forest as fast as his four feet would carry them.
He didn't make it far when the scream rang out louder than ever before overhead him. The blizzard kicked up again. Trees fell to the ground, shaking the forest to its core. Terrence was forced to stand his ground. He was freezing now. His face was numb, and he could barely see. He heard a loud crack and his instincts kicked in. He willed himself to run out of the way as a tree hit the ground behind him.
The monster screeched again, and the blizzard became ever worse. Fear struck Terrence's heart and he froze in his tracks. The ground shook as he heard a loud thud. It wasn't the sound of a tree this time. The monster had landed, and a deep, growly voice rang through the cold air.
"Come out…" it said, "I know you're here." Terrence was unable to move, petrified by the sound of the monster's voice. His eyes widened as he saw a pair of yellow eyes pierce through the flurry of snow. He couldn't make out the figure they belonged to through the blizzard, but he could tell that it was absolutely enormous.
"There you are…" the monster spoke again, "You look… very cold..." The words sent a great shiver down Terrence's spine. The monster took another step. Terrence acted suddenly and sent a stream of fire at a nearby tree. The tree caught immediately, and moments later began to crack and fall. The monster took the hit from the fallen pine and roared in pain. Terrence was already running in the opposite direction.
Eliza awoke next to another fire. She immediately felt the hit of the cold air and lied back down painfully, unable to survey her situation. She then heard a whisper.
"Stay down," it said. She recognized it as Terrence's voice.
"W-where are we?" she asked shakily.
"Another cave," he responded, "The monster is onto us." On cue, loud footsteps echoed throughout the hollowness of the cavern.
"Where are you?" the monster's voice reverberated. A shiver went through both Pokémon's spines.
"Can you move?" Terrence whispered as the footsteps became louder. Eliza shook her head no, shivering violently. He cursed under his breath.
"I told you this was a bad idea!" Terrence whispered harshly, "I told you it was crazy!"
"Hiding is useless," the voice echoed, as the footsteps began to shake the ground, "Come out wherever you are…" Eliza clung to Terrence, who glared into the dark corridor linking them to the network of tunnels that had brought him to this dead end. The flames on his back burned with stoic glow. Slowly, the sound of the footsteps began to grow further and further away. Eliza continued to shiver.
"And you call yourself a Master Rank explorer," Terrence scoffed, stoking the fire. Eliza sat down closer to the fire, still shaking. She said nothing. The monster's footsteps continued to echo softer and softer. It was definitely getting further away. Finally, they seemed to disappear completely. Terrence sat back next to the fire. Eliza lied back down on her side. They said nothing to each other for what seemed like hours. Eliza slowly felt her body coming back to life in the warmth of the flames. She still couldn't sit up straight but she could at least feel her paws again. Terrence suddenly moved and lied down next to her, letting his flames glow again. The warmth felt wonderful against Eliza's fur, but she could see he was still shivering slightly as well.
"I thought fire types didn't get cold…" she murmured.
"The internal flame can only do so much," Terrence answered, not looking in her direction, "In the greatest extremes like this even the hottest fire types would fall to frostbite. My body is honestly built to withstand heat more than cold. The cold protection is more of a bonus if you could call it that. Not that it's doing too much for me with how cold it's gotten…"
Eliza nodded gently. She reached out shakily and touched his front paw and felt that his fur with caked with ice. However, she still felt heat surging through. He looked down at her, a bit shocked.
"Are you okay?" she asked him, feeling the icy texture. Terrence sent a few embers towards the fire again.
"I'm fine," he responded, "Can you get up?"
Eliza slowly rose to a sitting position. Terrence nodded.
"We need to get you out of here," he told her firmly, "You're going to die if you spend much longer in this region."
Tears welled in Eliza's eyes and froze as they rolled down her face.
"I… I can't go," she stammered, "N-not until I find—"
"We're leaving damnit," Terrence scolded her, "Your life isn't worth putting at risk over this mission. I don't know what the explorer code is, and I don't care what your reputation is. You need to get out of here before you freeze to death or worse."
"But—"
"No buts!" Terrence said fiercely, "I'm not letting another one of you die on my watch!"
Eliza was silent, tears still frozen to her face. Terrence sighed and put a paw on her cheek. The tears melted and he looked her straight in the eyes.
"I've met so many explorers that had the same happy go-lucky personage as you," he spoke softly, "A lot of them said the same things you've said. They'd drag me out of this place and throw me in prison again… They'd find their way through the storms all by themselves without my help… and I hate to admit it… but I followed almost every one of them to make sure they would be alright. And every time that monster has swooped in and taken them. Including this Wigglytuff you're after."
The tears began to come again. To Terrence's surprise, Eliza embraced him let it all out. She sobbed uncontrollably and Terrence simply closed his eyes and let it happen as the bitter wind continued to blow through the cave occasionally. His warmth kept her tears from freezing and eventually she collapsed into his arms and cried into his chest.
"I'm sorry, Eliza…" he whispered, holding her closely. Eliza's sobs echoed in the small cave. Terrence worried that they would attract the attention of the monster again but knew there wasn't much he could do.
"I *hic* I thought *hic* that my rank was enough *hic*," she sobbed, "I didn't *hic* know what I was *hic* getting myself into…" Terrence held her tight. Eliza dried some of her tears and sniffled a bit, unable to keep her nose from running. She buried her face into his chest, and he winced a bit feeling the mucus on his fur. But he said nothing.
"I… I understand now…" she whispered weakly, "How alone and hopeless I would be… if it were just me on a mission like this one…" Tears started coming again and Terrence tilted his head. She looked up at him.
"You were right… I would've died if I hadn't met you out here *hic*," she broke into sob again. He patted her back in a moment of understanding.
"I'm *hic* sorry for everything I said *hic*," she sobbed, "You aren't *hic* so bad after all *hic*."
"I'm sorry too," Terrence admitted finally.
"You *hic* don't have to be," Eliza managed.
"No, I'm sorry for what I said to you too…" he clarified, "I had no right to talk down to your rank or to explorers in general... you were very brave to come out here by yourself. I… well… I'm sure it takes a lot of work and effort to become a Master Rank explorer… and it's work you've clearly put in to have made it this far. You're one of the strongest explorers I've ever met."
"You don't have to try to make me feel better…" Eliza muttered, sniffling. Terrence put a paw under her chin and made her look into his eyes.
"I mean it," he said sincerely, "Your persistence has inspired me too. You clearly care about what you do, and I have so much respect for that. It's more than I can say about all the running away I've done in my life…"
Eliza stared into his eyes for moment and then he withdrew from her, looking out into the cave.
"Look… if you're dead set on finding the Guildmaster, I'm willing to help you try to find him, alive or not," Terrence spoke, "I know how much this mission means to you. But if you want to get out of here, I'm willing to help you there as well. Either way, I'm with you. You don't have to do this alone."
Eliza shivered as a gust blew throughout their hiding spot.
"I… I think we should go…" she decided. Terrence gave a sincere nod and went to give her some warmth again.
"Whatever you think is best for you," he affirmed as he sidled up to her again, flames burning. She hugged him and they sat in quiet for a moment. Then Terrence got up.
"Do you need me to carry you?" he asked. Eliza tried to stand up as well but quickly fell back on her tails due to her freezing paws. She nodded with a shiver.
As Terrence knelt to allow her to hold on to him, the piercing scream of the monster suddenly rang through the cave chambers again. Both of them looked up in terror. The wind picked up again and blew out the fire, dropping the temperature. Eliza felt the cold taking over her again. Terrence, feeling this, stoked the flames on his back.
"We need to run," he told her seriously. Eliza nodded and Terrence hefted her onto his back. He began speeding through the tunnels as fast as he could, trying to remember where he had come from. He took a right turn, then a left, then two rights, then another left. Dead end. He cursed under his breath and the monster screamed again. He could feel his paws growing numb. He breathed embers down at them to keep himself running. He retraced his steps and tried a different tunnel. Dead end as well.
"I can smell you…" the monster's voice echoed. Terrence, heart struck with fear, doubled his pace. He continued working through the network of caves, trying to avoid the sound of the monster's footsteps. Finally he found a path that looked familiar, but as he turned to take it, he heard the footsteps coming.
"We're trapped," he spoke in terror. He ducked behind a rock. Eliza hugged his back tightly. He could feel her trembling in fear and from the cold.
"I have to turn the fire off," he told her, "Stay with me."
"I-I w-w-will," Eliza shivered. He retracted the flames just as he saw the piercing yellow eyes turn the corner.
"You can't hide…" the monster growled, "Come out so I can see you…"
Terrence's mind raced. The monster was getting closer. He realized there was no time to think.
"Hang on," he whispered. As soon as he felt Eliza's arms clutching his back, he raced out from behind the rock.
"There you are!" the monster exclaimed excitedly. Before it could move, Terrence unleashed a Fire Blast directly into its face. It screamed in pain and stumbled backwards. When the monster opened its eyes again, its head swiveled across the tunnel. Terrence and Eliza were nowhere to be seen. It screamed and ran back through the tunnels.
Terrence was already several corridors ahead, running for dear life. He took every turn he could to lose the trail of the monster, but it seemed that the footsteps and screams only became louder behind him. He turned around and unleashed another Fire Blast at the corridor he had just come from just as the monster was turning the corner. It made impact with the ceiling and walls and rocks began falling. He heard cries of pain and kept running. But then he heard a crash, and the monster was at his back again and gaining.
Terrence could feel his strength waning. The exhaustion and the weight of the Buizel on his back were slowing him down and the footsteps were right on top of him. He dashed with any energy he could muster but collapsed on the ground near the wall of the corridor. The monster was on top of them. Terrence closed his eyes, waiting for the end. And just when it seemed that all hope was lost and the creature would certainly snatch them up, they were yanked into a small tunnel that he had not seen in the wall. The monster immediately began ramming its head into the wall and looked into the tunnel. Terrence could see the yellow eyes and a jagged frozen face glaring at him. He used whatever energy he had left to shoot a third, weaker Fire Blast directly into its face and he heard it scream, retreating from the tunnel.
As he turned, sweating from exhaustion, to see who or what could have dragged them in here, he saw a figure, barely illuminated by the waning light of his Fire Blast. His eyes widened and Eliza gasped.
"Follow me, friends."
It was Wigglytuff and he was smiling widely.
Wigglytuff led them through the narrow tunnel. Both Terrence and Eliza were so shocked they said nothing for the entire journey. When they arrived, they found a small open cave. A fire was already going and it seemed that Wigglytuff had set up shop. There was a map hanging on the cave wall and a chest containing various treasures and items sitting ajar in the corner. Terrence laid Eliza down by the fire and collapsed into a heap from the exhaustion. Eliza tried to get up right away to help him but tripped over her own numb hind legs. Wigglytuff stood over her.
"Rest awhile, Eliza," Wigglytuff said happily, patting her on the head, "And Terrence! Good to see you again friend!"
Terrence nodded slightly in acknowledgement, still baffled at what he was witnessing and too tired to care. Eliza watched with wide eyes as he went over to the chest and pulled some things out of it.
"You're… alive…" Eliza managed tearfully.
"Yep!" Wigglytuff responded cheerfully, "And thriving!" He put a pot over the fire and tossed in some berries and other ingredients. After a few minutes, Wigglytuff took the pot off the fire and poured the contents into two small bowls. He handed one to Eliza and she suddenly realized how hungry she was. She began eating the contents and almost choked on the sour taste. But she downed it all and suddenly sat up, the numbness and pain from the cold fading away rapidly.
"I'm not cold anymore," she said in amazement. Wigglytuff gave the second bowl to Terrence, who was still shivering.
"You should have one too, friend!" he exclaimed happily. Terrence, seeing Eliza's reaction, turned away.
"I… I don't need it," he muttered. Wigglytuff pushed it at him.
"I insist!" he exclaimed again. Terrence rolled his eyes and took it from the Guildmaster. He ate a bite and suddenly his mild shivering stopped as well. Wincing a bit at the sour taste, he ate the rest of the bowl and he too did not feel the weight of the cold air.
"What is this stuff?" he asked.
"Aspear Berry stew!" Wigglytuff said happily, "Good for the cold, good for not freezing, friends!"
"Incredible," Eliza glowed, "I never would have thought of it. You're truly a genius Guildmaster! Thank you so much!"
"Not a genius friend!" Wigglytuff shook his head, "Just lots of experience!" He went and got an apple of some kind out of the chest and began dancing around with it and singing about friends. Terrence shook his head, finally recovering some of his bearings.
"I don't understand…" he started, "I saw you get taken by that… thing weeks ago. How did you survive and for so long?"
"Kyurem isn't so bad," Wigglytuff explained, still dancing about, "Just grumpy but still a friendly friend!"
"Kyurem…" Terrence repeated.
"Guildmaster, that thing has eaten Pokémon that come to this area," Eliza said seriously, "Innocent citizens of the area too. How could it be a friend?"
"Kyurem didn't eat me," Wigglytuff answered in confusion, "Friends don't eat friends… I don't think so anyway…" He went back to dancing with his apple.
"This guy's crazy," Terrence whispered to Eliza, "He's talking nonsense. Are you sure this is the Guildmaster you're looking for?"
"Yes," Eliza whispered back, "He's always like this."
"Joy," Terrence said, rolling his eyes.
"This area is beautiful," Wigglytuff said, stopping suddenly. He gazed up at the map. "Snowfall year-round, tall trees, plenty of treasure to find in the dungeon! It's ideal for exploring!"
He turned to Eliza and Terrence.
"You are right though… Kyurem is very scary," he remarked, "But maybe… maybe it just needs friends. I don't think it eats people though. Nope, nope."
"How would you know that?" Terrence asked. Wigglytuff smiled at him widely.
"No one is truly bad deep down!" he beamed, "Kyurem is probably just lonely!"
Terrence thought for a moment before speaking again.
"But… that still doesn't explain how you know Kyurem wouldn't eat Pokémon," Terrence shook his head, "Every Pokémon I've talked to out here that's been driven insane has gone on and on about it. Kyurem has been chasing us down through these caves. It's clearly after us."
Wigglytuff sat by the fire.
"Kyurem told me… it never had friends…" Wigglytuff started.
"Because it eats everyone it meets?" Terrence cut in. Wigglytuff shook his head.
"No, because everyone is so scared of it," he corrected, "So it began rescuing Pokémon from the blizzards that plague this area in the winter… and taking them to safety."
Eliza and Terrence both gasped in shock.
"Really!?" Eliza exclaimed. Wigglytuff nodded.
"I was freezing myself when Kyurem swooped down and rescued me," he explained, "It told me it would take me to a safe place and to not be afraid, but I told it I wanted to explore more and be friends. So it brought me here and I set up a base. Perhaps… I got a bit carried away." He chuckled a bit. "That's why you're here isn't it, Eliza? To bring me home?"
Eliza nodded.
"I would expect nothing less of a wonderful Master Rank explorer like yourself!" Wigglytuff exclaimed happily. Eliza gave a downtrodden look.
"But… I've barely done anything…" she sulked, "All I've done since getting here is freeze to death and be a burden."
"Well, you've made it here to this chamber now, haven't you?" Wigglytuff questioned jovially, "I'd call that a success!"
"He's right," Terrence cut in, "You've done plenty. We found the Guildmaster, right?"
Eliza looked up at him in surprise.
"You've accomplished your mission fine," Terrence smiled, "And even a bit more…"
"Oooh yes," Wigglytuff clapped happily, "You've caught an outlaw as well!"
Terrence crashed down in shock.
"Not what I meant," he muttered weakly.
"Actually," Eliza started, "Terrence has helped me out so much on this mission… he honestly deserves most of the credit. And I think his name should be cleared for his exploits." She looked over at him. "He saved my life…"
Wigglytuff gave a nod of approval and sat down next to Eliza.
"Eliza, one of the lessons that all explorers need to learn is that there is no shame in admitting defeat and accepting help," he soothed, "That's why we have Wonder Mail is it not? And even if you need all the friends in the world to help you, your mission is still yours to complete, and no one will look down on you whether you persevere to the end or choose to retreat to safety."
Eliza nodded in understanding at the Guildmaster's wisdom. Wigglytuff then turned to Terrence.
"Terrence, you've shown incredible bravery and honor in helping Eliza complete her mission," he said sincerely, "I agree with her; the charges against you should be dropped for your honorable exploits today."
Terrence felt tears welling up in his eyes.
"Th-thank you," he cried softly, "Both of you." Eliza walked over and hugged him again. He accepted the embrace graciously. But as she pulled away, she looked him in the eyes and dried his tears. He noticed hers were still a bit red from crying.
"Mission isn't over yet though," she nodded, "We still have to get the Guildmaster home." Wigglytuff sat back and gazed at his little base.
"Yes it's about time I go…" he sighed, "I should say goodbye to Kyurem before we leave though. Can't leave a friend hanging!"
"But… what if it tries to kill us again?" Terrence spoke nervously, "It might be mad at me… I kinda… hit in the face with Fire Blast… twice…"
"Nonsense!" Wigglytuff said cheerfully, "I'll introduce you two as well!" Eliza and Terrence shot each other a look.
Wigglytuff was packed up a few minutes later, though Terrence was quite confused how so many things from the massive treasure chest fit into his explorer bag.
"They're magic," Eliza smirked.
"Somehow I doubt that," Terrence rolled his eyes, "But I don't see any other explanation."
"Can you stand?" Eliza asked him, "I know I'm not the lightest Pokémon to carry…" Terrence rose to his feet weakly but found his footing.
"You're not that heavy," he quipped, "I was just running top speed the whole time."
"I'll take that as a compliment," Eliza said with a giggle and a slight blush.
"No more carrying though," Terrence said firmly. Eliza nodded in agreement.
Wigglytuff came up to them.
"Ready, friends?" he asked. Both of them nodded and they headed back into the narrow tunnel.
The group stepped out of the tunnel and into the main corridor again. Kyurem was nowhere to be seen and they could not hear its footsteps.
"This way," Wigglytuff pointed down the corridor in the direction they had come. As they walked, Eliza noticed the icy stalactites and the shimmering stone walls for the first time.
"It's beautiful in here…" she remarked. Terrence also looked around in awe.
"You see a lot of this kind of stuff, right?" he asked.
"One of the many reasons I became an explorer," Eliza nodded. They were silent for a moment as they took in the true beauty of the cave.
"So… have you ever thought about exploring?" Eliza questioned, breaking the silence. Terrence looked away.
"Not really…" he muttered, "Considering explorers are the ones who have come after me all these years I've never really liked the idea of it… but… I dunno. It does seem like it could be fun, looking for treasure and all and seeing beautiful places like this…"
There was another brief moment of silence. Then Eliza spoke again.
"Well… once we get your name cleared, I'd be down to make a team with you if you'd like to try," Eliza offered, "You're pretty good at it honestly."
"You think?" Terrence said curiously.
"You saved my life a few times," Eliza nodded, "That selflessness is what makes a great explorer tick. That's why Guildmaster Wigglytuff is one of the best."
Wigglytuff was humming a tune in front of them, seemingly ignoring their conversation.
"And… y'know… a partner would be nice for some of the harder missions like this…" Eliza continued. Terrence thought he saw a slight blush on her cheeks but disregarded it.
"I'll… I'll think about," Terrence decided.
"No rush," Eliza smiled. Suddenly the scream of Kyurem rang through the cave again. Terrence and Eliza instinctively clung to each other in fear. The temperature dropped but neither of them felt the icy cold thanks to the lingering effects of the Aspear Berry stew. Kyurem turned the corner and stomped towards them.
"Hello friend!" Wigglytuff exclaimed. Kyurem stopped before them and lowered its head to Wigglytuff.
"Friend…" it said gently as Wigglytuff touched its face. Kyurem saw Eliza and Terrence trembling with wide eyes behind the balloon Pokémon.
"That one shot me in the face…" Kyurem mumbled, "I was only trying to help…"
"S-sorry," Terrence stammered. He couldn't get another word out.
"He was just a little scared is all!" Wigglytuff exclaimed, "But they are friends! Eliza and Terrence!"
"Eliza… Terrence…" Kyurem repeated slowly, "Are you both unharmed?"
"W-we're fine," said Eliza, "And we're very sorry for running away…"
"Good…" Kyurem spoke, "Are you… leaving, friends?"
Wigglytuff nodded.
"It's time for all of us to go home," Wigglytuff confirmed, "But don't worry! We'll visit again soon!"
"Hmmmm… very well," Kyurem stated, "I will take you to the valley exit." It knelt slowly and Wigglytuff hurried to climb on. The other two Pokémon were reluctant, but he waved to them happily. They looked at each other and nodded and went to mount the gigantic beast before them. Once they were settled, Kyurem screeched again and took off running through the tunnels.
The ride was exhilarating. The icy wind blew through Eliza's fur ineffectually and the shining cave walls seemed to create a tunnel of light that they sped through. Every turn was a thrill. Eliza could feel Terrence hanging onto her for dear life. Finally, light appeared at the end of one of the tunnels. Kyurem burst from the cave and into the sunlight. The blizzard had cleared, and they could see the trees again. To their surprise, Kyurem caught the wind and began to glide above the trees. The view was incredible as they breezed over the treetops. Snowy mountains surrounded the forest on all sides. The smells of the forest filled the air and Eliza felt a rush of happiness at the sights she was seeing. Kyurem glided upwards towards the tops of the mountains and landed on a cliff overlooking the forest. In the cliff was a cave that shone light on the other side.
As they disembarked, Eliza walked to the edge of the cliff and looked with glimmering eyes at the forest below.
"What a gorgeous place…" she sighed. Terrence joined her as they looked upon it together for a few moments. Wigglytuff meanwhile spoke to Kyurem.
"I'll ensure that anyone who comes here knows that you are not a threat, friend," Wigglytuff told it, touching Kyurem's face.
"Thank you, Wigglytuff," Kyurem spoke gently. It turned to look over the forest.
"Lacunosa Valley will always be under my protection," said Kyurem, "Visit anytime!" With that it jumped and glided down into the valley again, disappearing beneath the tall trees.
As the sun rose to its place in the sky, Terrence turned to Eliza.
"Y'know what?" he said, "I think we should do it." Eliza nearly jumped in her sudden happiness. She dove into his arms and hugged him tightly.
"I knew you'd say 'yes'," Eliza beamed, "We'll make a great team. Just need a name!"
They looked over the valley again and in a moment they both knew.
"Team Lacunosa," they said together.
Wigglytuff came up to Eliza and Terrence.
"A wonderful name for a wonderful team of friends," Wigglytuff clapped putting a hand on each of their shoulders, "I'm sure you will honor your experiences together in this valley well."
"Thank you Guildmaster," Eliza spoke with a bow.
"Now, shall we go?" Wigglytuff asked, motioning to the tunnel leading out of the valley. Both of them nodded. As they approached the exit, Eliza looked back one more time and gazed for another moment before Terrence called for her to hurry up. She smiled and followed them through the tunnel, homeward bound.
A/N: Did ya miss me? I've gotten the itch to write again lately, and I ended up finishing this one-shot that I started years ago as a writing experiment. It felt like it could make a good published work, so I went to the editing grindstone and here it is! This story is me merely satisfying a renewed desire to finish a piece of fiction and I'm quite proud of the result. I doubt I'll write anything else in the near future since I don't have a lot of new ideas that I feel are worth pursuing as serious projects. Most of my other old ideas are also no longer interesting to me and I have no desire to pursue them. But if I get the drive again, I'm not gonna say that I won't follow it and produce new stories. I can only hope you enjoyed this one! Thanks for reading!