The feather-light caress of the spring air fanned across the grass, creating a gentle ripple of motion along the meadow, and a similar ripple passed through the golden-white fur of the fox Pokemon situated at the territory boundary. Mesmerizing red eyes gazed at the sky, as if observing the movement of the clouds, but the Pokemon's demeanor was absolutely serious, a sharp contrast to the normal behavior of someone looking for shapes in the clouds. Nine golden tails fluttered behind Renard's body, the sole sign that he was not an incredibly realistic statue.
Under normal circumstances, Renard preferred to let Astrid deal with the prospect of a hypothetical disaster. Her natural abilities were more finely tuned to the impending dangers of the universe conspiring against a hapless victim than he was, but that did not mean he was ignorant of the vibes and signs that often preceded an unnatural event. Two centuries of life had honed his intuition, and for this reason, he never doubted Astrid's disaster sense. She had detected something amiss within the Eterna Forest for over a week before the feelings intensified enough for her to investigate. On the surface, the events that had transpired that day should be sufficient evidence that she had been right in being concerned, and that the worst of the situation had passed.
Renard was not convinced. Regardless of how things looked on the surface, he felt that there was still something seriously amiss about the situation within the forest. It was an elusive feeling, and one that he'd struggle to articulate if questioned. Yet, as the week progressed, his apprehension of the situation intensified, and it was becoming clear to him that even if Astrid was aware of the same sense of impending catastrophe, it was unlikely she would arrive in time to avert it, and even less likely for her to arrive in time to discuss his concerns with her first. At this rate, it would be better for him to personally investigate the situation, but even that prospect filled him with a rare feeling of dread and unease.
Renard's ears twitched, picking up the sound of paws padding across the grass behind him. Even without turning around, he was able to distinguish that two different quadrupeds were approaching him, and considering the lack of a shift in the air temperature, a Glaceon was not among them. As the footsteps slowed to a stop behind him, Renard glanced over his shoulder at the source. Sure enough, Shadow and Leaf were standing behind him, the ebony Espeon biting his lower lip apprehensively, whereas Leaf was far more relaxed, visibly coming directly from a sunbathing session.
"Good afternoon," Renard stated solemnly, pivoting his body around to face the two brothers directly. Shadow's stance was confident, despite his nervous expression, clueing Renard in to the notion that Shadow had something on his mind to address with the Ninetales. It was not unusual for many Pokemon to approach Renard warily, and even those familiar with him often noted that he had a very intimidating presence. "What can I do for you?" Renard inquired, giving the two of them a gentle smile. Even in the aftermath of Echo's death, it filled the Ninetales with subtle happiness to see that his old friend's surviving kits were alive and healthy, and in surprisingly good spirits considering what they must have gone through.
"Um...do you have any idea how much longer Frost is going to be gone?" Shadow wondered. The way the Espeon's silver eyes darted away from Renard's face as he spoke made it fairly clear that he was among the list of Pokemon that found Renard intimidating, or that he found his question to be foolish in some fashion.
"I do not," Renard said plainly. "He did not share details of his destination, nor the projected length of his journey, and it would not surprise me if his return is delayed on Astrid's behalf. She wanted to visit another of our old friends that lives up in the mountains, and she has the unfortunate habit of becoming sidetracked."
"I was afraid of that," Shadow sighed, and he shifted into a sitting position. Renard studied the Espeon in silence for a moment, drinking in the little details of the Espeon's posture, tone, and matching it with the information he was already aware of.
"I take it that you wish to depart the area in the near future, and Frost's absence is hindering you?" Renard guessed, his tails fluttering idly. Shadow merely nodded, making no effort to contest the interpretation. "I see. Did you have a specific destination in mind?"
"Um...a little bit, yeah," Shadow admitted, and his forked tail twitched. "Since I've gotten a better grasp of my psychic abilities...I wanted to try to go back and get more tutoring. I think you mentioned that you're limited in what you can teach me."
"That is correct," Renard confirmed with a solemn nod. "I am not a natural Psychic-type, and the abilities I do have are atypical extensions of the root abilities. Hybrid skills, so to speak. For example, I can use psychic energy to produce a hypnotic effect, but I cannot extract or intercept thoughts. I can cast curses and create illusions, but I cannot directly manipulate enemies with a psychic assault."
During his response, Renard took note of the way Leaf's attention drifted in and out of focus, his eyes sometimes wandering gradually higher, his head swaying from side to side, before abruptly focusing on the nearest sign of movement, usually one of Renard's flicking tails, only for the process to repeat again.
"Then returning to my previous tutor is still my best option," Shadow murmured, and his silver eyes flicked up to meet Renard's gaze. "If Leaf and I leave...would you still be around to notify Frost where we've gone?"
"I cannot guarantee my constant presence, as there is presently another matter that may require my attention," Renard answered seriously. Shadow furrowed his brow in confusion, but before he could question the response, Renard continued, "But I would still keep an eye on the territory, and pass along any messages in the event of your friend's return during your absence."
"Okay, thank you," Shadow said slowly, and Renard raised an eyebrow.
"Did you plan to depart now?" he wondered.
"No," Shadow answered, shaking his head. "I might wait another day...tomorrow morning at the earliest. Leaf and I were just leaving to take a walk. He's been a bit restless, haven't you?" Shadow looked over at his brother at his last comment, and lightly tapped his tail against the Leafeon's side, jolting him back into alertness.
"Huh? Are we talking with normal words now?" Leaf wondered. Shadow smiled to himself, shaking his head with amusement. Renard chuckled softly, and smiled at the young Leafeon. It was understandable that Leaf struggled to fully comprehend his more formal speaking patterns, even if the words themselves were not particularly large or difficult. He was still at the age where not fully understanding everything someone was saying was overwhelmingly frustrating.
"Do you have a specific route in mind for your afternoon constitutional?" Renard wondered. Leaf let out a protesting whine in response, and even Shadow gave the Ninetales an annoyed glance.
"You did that on purpose," the Espeon noted flatly.
"Indeed," Renard agreed, his tails fluttering idly. "It may surprise you to know that, contrary to popular belief, I do have a sense of humor."
Shadow rolled his eyes and turned to whisper something to his brother. Leaf settled down, but he shot Renard a brief glare, suggesting that whatever Shadow was saying to Leaf included the detail that Renard had embellished his selection of vocabulary to tease the Leafeon.
"My poor joke aside, I ask because I plan to head over to the Eterna Forest to assess the situation there," Renard explained. "Depending on your destination, I can accompany you for part of the way."
Shadow blinked in surprise. "You're going to the forest? Why?"
"Astrid previously expressed concerns about potential catastrophe unraveling...my apologies, Leaf, but I'm not pulling your tail this time around," Renard said, flashing Leaf an apologetic smile as the Leafeon bristled, but Leaf turned up his nose and faced away from Renard, unambiguously pouting. Shadow rolled his eyes again and placed his forked tail around his brother, but his attention remained focused on Renard.
"You've mentioned these past few days that the forest is still chaotic," the Espeon noted seriously.
"Yes, and I believe it will remain like that for some time," Renard said solemnly. "However...as of late, I've felt more uneasy about the situation. To have the Hive engaged in a territory war, and to have a Sigilyph from Solaceon attack the site, and to have Diablos resurface again after nearly two centuries have passed...I feel that too much has happened in such a short span of time that it is unlikely not to be linked. Much as I would like to dismiss the events as unfortunate coincidence, my gut tells me otherwise."
Shadow's expression became more grim as Renard continued speaking, and once the Ninetales had finished, he nodded seriously. "It has seemed that every time we've gone to the forest, something terrible has happened," he mused.
"Nuh-uh!" Leaf countered. "I evolved, and that was a good thing."
"Leaf, the first time we went to the forest, we got attacked by a Beedrill, and I nearly died," Shadow deadpanned.
"But Bee-Bee saved you," Leaf pointed out. "And the second time, I got to train with Bee-Bee's brother, and we both evolved. Nothing bad happened that time."
"True, but right after we left the forest, that trainer came after us," Shadow countered. This type of back-and-forth arguing continued for another minute before Renard cleared his throat seriously, and they paused to look at him.
"That is why I wish to assess the situation personally," he said solemnly. "It is possible that there is something else at work within the forest: something that is inviting negative karma upon those that pass through. I could be mistaken, but that is my initial presumption. If you believe that to be a leap of logic on my part, bear in mind that my species is infamous for their ability to cast vengeful curses. It is not outside the realm of possibility that a similar power is at the heart of so much negativity within the Eterna Forest, nor unlikely for that curse to attract misfortune upon those that fall into its field of effect."
Shadow seemed about to argue, but stopped himself, gazing warily at the Ninetales' face. Renard blinked and shook himself, feeling a momentary wave of fatigue pass over him. There was an inherent risk to him talking at length about what a Ninetales was capable of, when it came to curses. Ever since his evolution, almost two hundred years ago, he had struggled with the impulse of using the malevolent power contained within his very soul. A Ninetales' ability to cast curses was not to be underestimated, as their vengeful desires rivaled even those of the most malevolent Ghost-type Pokemon. Living with the reality that his friends and loved ones would inevitably pass on before him was distressing enough, but to live life alone and friendless to avoid that pain was an even worse fate. Vengeance poisoned the soul.
"Is...is Bee-Bee going to be okay?" Leaf wondered, his eyes widening with anxiety. "If the forest is cursed or something, wouldn't living there be worse than just passing through?"
Renard nodded, "If there is something similar to a curse at work, I would agree that prolonged exposure to its influence would be inherently more-"
"Then I want to go with you!" Leaf interrupted desperately.
Renard froze, even his tails pausing their idle movements, but they resumed a moment later, as he regained his composure, aside from cocking his head curiously at the Leafeon. "Why?"
"Why not?" Leaf demanded, his tan fur bristling indignantly. "I've gotten stronger, and Bee-Bee's my friend! She's in the forest, fighting these mean bugs, and I want to help her!"
"I know your resolve is genuine, but that's not the basis of my concern," Renard said quietly. "Until I've determined what is at the heart of things, I cannot advise anyone else to venture into the forest foolishly. Even if there is no curse or other supernatural power at work, there is an active territory war going on, and getting involved as an outsider puts you at great risk."
"I know that," Leaf said earnestly. "But it's so hard to sit around and do nothing and worry about things. Even if I can't do much to help, I..." the Leafeon's voice cracked, and he fell silent, looking over at his older brother. It was clear from the young Pokemon's eyes that he expected Shadow to shut down the idea, or to reiterate what Renard had just said.
The silence stretched on for several seconds, and Renard frowned, glancing between the two siblings, unsure who among the three of them was currently expected to resume the conversation.
"Maybe we should go with you," Shadow said carefully. Both Leaf and Renard looked at him in surprise, and the Espeon blinked awkwardly. "I was just thinking...if it's too dangerous for us to go there on our own...shouldn't someone go with you, as backup? If you go alone, and something happens, how would we know if you need help or not, or even what happened, to be able to warn others of the danger?"
Renard smiled pleasantly. It was a rather touching sentiment in its own way, although he found it incredibly unnecessary. He was far older and far stronger than either of them, and perfectly capable of fending for himself, even if the situation turned sticky. On the other hand, Renard would normally have Astrid along for backup, if needed, and with her absent, it seemed practical to have others along, even if they were less qualified than Astrid.
"Very well," Renard stated seriously. "The two of you may accompany me if you consent to follow my directions. Particular emphasis must be given to any command for you to 'wait' or to retreat. Echo would be quite cross with me if I allowed his kits to be exposed to unnecessary risk under my watch."
Shadow glanced inquisitively towards Leaf, and the young Grass-type nodded fervently. Satisfied with this response, Shadow nodded. "That sounds fair," he said seriously.
Few words were exchanged en route to their destination, and a brisk walk from Echo's old territory to the lakeside bordering the Eterna Forest took a little under an hour to reach. Leaf and Shadow spoke to one another in undertones, and although Renard caught a few words here and there, it was not enough to discern exactly what subject they were discussing.
From what Renard had come to understand since Echo's death, their present location was considered the family's rendezvous point in the event of an emergency at their home. Had Renard been aware of the fact, he would likely have sent Astrid or gone himself to this area in order to confirm whether the siblings had survived and taken refuge there, but hindsight was always 20/20.
The three of them paused to take drinks, but it didn't take long for their attentions to shift towards the entrance to the Eterna Forest. Now that they were closer to the source, Renard could sense the apprehension of the elder of the two siblings. Shadow's silver eyes darted uneasily towards the darkness of the dense woods, and even Leaf's expression seemed unnaturally grim. The forest was not home to many fond experiences, and yet, they had resolved themselves to enter its winding labyrinth again.
"Before we proceed, do not forget the covenant you have forged with me," Renard said. Leaf gave an exasperated sigh, and Shadow rolled his eyes. "Too soon?" the Ninetales wondered, hiding a smile.
"Can't you try to make real jokes?" Shadow asked blandly.
"Only if you enjoy me making really lame puns," Renard suggested. Shadow cringed, but Leaf's ears perked up, and he began looking at the Ninetales expectantly. "What Pokemon has the most unbelievable stories?" Renard asked.
"Is this a joke?" Leaf asked uncertainly. At Renard's nod, the Leafeon brightened. "I give up," he answered eagerly. Shadow buried his face in his paw, clearly opting out of this riddle.
"A Ninetales," Renard answered simply. Leaf looked at him blankly. "It has nine tales."
"I don't get it."
"Can we just go into the forest now?" Shadow blurted out impatiently. Rolling his eyes, he muttered, "Never thought I'd say that."
Renard chuckled, his tails fluttering energetically. "Very well, if the time for levity has passed, let us proceed. Do not forget your agreement to comply to my instructions."
Without further delay, Renard led the other two to the edge of the forest, and peered cautiously ahead. The trees of Eterna Forest grew so densely that scarcely any rays of sunlight could penetrate the forest, casting the entire path into a veil of shadow. Wind rustled the leaves and bushes that grew all around them, and every sound seemed amplified, as if it were coming from every direction at once. Taking a deep breath, Renard stepped deeper into the forest, before using one of his tails to gesture for the others to follow him.
"Let's stick to communicating in a whisper for the present moment, so as not to draw unwanted attention just yet," he told them softly. Shadow nodded, and Leaf hastened to do likewise, the two of them peering around the gloom warily.
It didn't take long for Renard to notice that Shadow's eyes seemed to have adjusted to the dim lighting almost instantaneously, whereas Leaf was squinting and taking extra careful steps. An interesting detail, but perhaps not unusual for a feline Pokemon, despite an Espeon's famous affinity with sunlight.
Renard took another few steps into the forest, his ears twitching subtly, and he swiveled his gaze to follow the direction of any sounds that caught his attention. After a long pause, he turned back to the other two.
"It should be safe enough to proceed, but remain alert. Shadow, I'm tasking you with keeping an eye on Leaf in the event that I am otherwise occupied. Leaf, I request that you stay close to Shadow or myself, and do not wander off. Understood?"
They nodded mutely, and Renard smiled before turning back around and leading them down the forest path. His eyes flicked from side to side, taking note of any signs of movement, or sudden sounds. Even the rustling of leaves in the wind was not simply dismissed as nothing.
He could definitely sense the presence of other Pokemon in the shadows of the trees and bushes, but there was no vibe of hostility coming from any of them. They were simply wild Pokemon going about their lives and remaining hidden from Pokemon that they did not recognize. Of course, Renard did not expect immediate danger to converge on them at the forest's entrance, but there was no harm in being cautious. The Eterna Hive was located in the deepest and thickest section of the forest, and Renard had no intention of going that deeply into hostile territory.
Several minutes passed in relative silence, broken only by the sounds of twigs snapping under their paws as they walked, and the sounds of their breathing. The forest seemed to be growing darker all around them, with barely any light penetrating the thick veil of branches and leaves on all sides of them. A peculiar shiver raced along Renard's spine, and he paused, raising his paw to signal for the others to do the same.
"What's wrong?" Shadow wondered, his eyes darting about the enclosed area warily. Leaf peered around at the nearby trees, and even had the foresight to look directly up, as if something was going to ambush them from above.
"We've gone deeply enough for me to inspect the area for unseen energy," Renard explained simply. Leaf and Shadow exchanged puzzled expressions, and the Ninetales smiled. "That was the whole point in me coming here, after all. I wish to inspect whether some unnatural force is at work. It could be the remnants of a curse, or a vengeful soul, or any other such things."
"How do you look for things you can't see?" Leaf wondered curiously. Renard chuckled, even though there was nothing inherently amusing about the situation.
"Suppose that I cast a curse upon an individual. The exact details of what the punishment entails is not relevant, but how do you imagine this functions?" he asked gently. Leaf shrugged impatiently. "A curse is a collection of negative energy that imprints itself upon its victim. They cannot see it, nor can anyone else, but it leaves its signature upon them, and makes them a target for mischievous or malevolent spirits. It may be indiscernible to mortal senses, but it does exist."
Leaf sighed loudly and leaned against Shadow's side. Renard smiled gently but refocused on his current task. It came as no surprise that his explanation did not resonate with the young Leafeon. The subject was exceptionally abstract, and the great majority of people would have no ability to comprehend the notion of a plane of existence only inhabited by spirits, unless they were in close contact with Ghost-type Pokemon or even spirit channelers willing to explain things without visual aids. His mother had been the one to explain the concept to him when he was but a Vulpix, and it wasn't until he had evolved and gained the power to hex others that he really started to understand the nature of his abilities.
Renard inhaled slowly, and his eyes glowed with an ethereal blue light. He pivoted around slowly, observing as the objects around him seemed to be stripped away, revealing all that remained below the surface. If he had to describe the visual shift, it was like peering through an X-Ray version of the world. Illusions would be dismantled, ghostly entities would be exposed, and negative energy, whether it be emotional or imprinted, like a curse or ghostly possession, would be visible before his gaze.
And then it all ended. Reality snapped back into place, and Renard stumbled, nearly losing his balance. His entire body seemed heavy now, and his eyes struggled to stay open as drowsiness clutched at his brain. Leaf let out a startled yell, and he and Shadow started forward to prop Renard back onto his feet.
"Thank you," he told them wearily, shaking his head in an effort to dispel the fog washing over him. The true reason why he felt the company of others might be necessary for the trip here was the fact that viewing the ethereal matters of the world around him seemed to sap more of his energy than it had any right to do. It was his own fault, for not building up the stamina and resilience to tap into that ability frequently over the past hundred and fifty plus years. So long as he utilized it sparingly, he would be all right.
"Are you alright?" Leaf asked anxiously.
"I will be fine, thank you," Renard insisted with a smile. Shadow was watching the Ninetales warily, as if afraid he would keel over at any moment. "Unfortunately, I did not get to the heart of the matter here. There is definitely some sort of negative energy in the air, but it is faint at our present location. I will have to check again later to confirm whether it originates from the direction of the Eterna Hive, or in the opposite direction, towards Eterna City."
"Okay," Shadow said slowly. "So what do-"
The Espeon broke off as Leaf suddenly growled, his fur bristling and his eyes narrowed at something up ahead. Shadow blinked and followed the Leafeon's gaze, and Renard blinked in confusion. His current vantage point made it difficult for him to see what Leaf had noticed, but his scan of the area hadn't revealed anything particularly concerning.
"Step back," Renard ordered firmly, and Shadow hastened to obey, pulling Leaf with him. Renard stepped forward, his tails fluttering. Warmth flooded through his body and he coughed, a ghostly blue flame emerging from his mouth and rising into the air. Eerie blue firelight danced over the path, illuminating many of the shadows on either sides of the path. He spotted the source of Leaf's agitation at once, as the light exposed the crimson insect.
Its bipedal body was almost entirely encased in metallic armor, and its arms ended in vicious pincers, decorated with yellow and black markings. It raised one of its pincers to shield its eyes from the light of the blue flame.
"Thresher," Renard stated calmly.
"Renard," the Scizor retorted tersely. His eyes peered past Renard, searching for something that he evidently concluded was not present, and he spared the two Eeveelutions the briefest of dismissive glances. "Did Astrid tattle on me?" he asked the Ninetales snidely.
"It came up, but that's not why I'm here," Renard answered.
"Like I'm going to believe that," Thresher snorted, gesturing a pincer towards Leaf and Shadow, the Espeon tensing up and growling. "Those two tangled with the Wurmple twins last time, and now you're here with them, conveniently when we're mid-operation AGAIN. So where's the snitch and the blizzard maker? Copying my pronged offensive tactic?"
"You're fighting with the hive again?" Leaf burst out angrily. "Haven't you hurt enough of the bugs in the forest?!"
"Me? Ha, go have a talk with your little lackey friend about which side has really been hurting other bugs," Thresher sneered. "Then you might actually know what you're talking about."
Leaf growled and started forward, but Shadow held him back, hissing something into his brother's ear that stopped him. Thresher returned his attention to Renard, his expression deadly serious.
"I have an operation to oversee, so I'll be on my way," he stated curtly, and began moving down one of the side paths of the forest. "If you intend to interfere with me, I won't hold back."
And with that, he disappeared into the shadows of the dark forest, leaving an uncomfortable silence in his wake.
