Chapter 10: Where Mo managed to survive.

Mo had no idea who long it took for him to climb back up again. He was exhausted and his cloth were in a bad shape. Rips on many places, making some of his true body slightly appear and it was overall dirty and dusty. His scarf was the only thing that was without any damage. Mo let himself fall to the ground as he finally made it.

"I still live!", he called out triumphantly.

Mo looked around. He had no idea what happened while he was gone. Electabuzz's shelter had collapsed and was now only a big pile of broken sticks and branches and neither him nor his team mates were to be seen.

"Hello?!", Mo called out. "Anybody?! Hello?!"

Silence.

The sun was already setting. Did the others abandoned or were looking for him? He couldn't say. But he knew looking for them all over Mt. Steel would be a bad idea. He had no equipment whatsoever, his fake tail he lost while fighting was gone as well and he was already to late to arrive back to the HQ before nightfall. The best option for him was to just go back to the HQ and hope Aaron and Charlotte are already there.

Going back down mountains was always easier for him than up. Right now he wouldn't have minded to go up. He just wanted to go home, end this day and fix his disguise. To his surprise, there were no wild Pokémon that tried to attack him. Some tried to do it, but they were visibly scared of him and backed off as they saw him. This was, of course, doe to Mo's terrifying appearance and also because he shouted at every wild Pokémon he saw to "Peace off!".

About half way down the mountain, Mo saw somebody in the distance. It wasn't one of the wild Pokémon living here. Somebody else. It wasn't Aaron or Charlotte. That Pokémon was more anthropomorphic. Maybe that Pokémon could help him?

Mo ran towards the stranger.

"Hello? Excuse me! I need help!", Mo said.

That's when the strange Pokémon turned around and Mo recognized who it was. That criminal Electabuzz from before!

"You're still here?! You look terrible!", said the Electabuzz out loud.

"Same thing for you!", answered Mo in anger. "They didn't caught you?!"

"After you fell off that cliff, the fight continued without you.", Electabuzz explained to him. "When I had the chance I flew and managed to hide. I'm sure your pals went home."

The Electabuzz went on his knees to talk better to Mo.

"Look ... I'm sorry what have happened. I didn't mean to. Just do me a favor, go home and leave me be."

That moment Mo's eyes glow up and he grabbed the Electabuzz's neck, strangling him.

"I still have a job to do and I don't forgive so easily.", Mo answered, looking directly into the Electabuzz's eyes. Mo never saw someone so horrified in his life. Mo didn't liked it. HE LOVED it.

Then, Mo smacked the Electabuzz's head against a huge rock. The rock was cracked a little and the Electabuzz's was knocked out instandly. Mo grabbed him by his long yellow and black tail and dragged him with him.

After some more time, Mo reached the entrance area. It was still pitch black and the sun almost vanished at the horizon. Mo had no idea how to make fire and it would be hard to see without any light. But if some birds and clay puppets can live here, than a creature of the night light him could walk through here, too. ... somehow.

It was very hard for him to find his way. He had now idea where exactly he was or if this eyes really were open. Another option right now was to wait until morning and search the way out again. He, of course, tried to use his thunder bolt, but in his shape he was he couldn't do it for long and it didn't helped much to lighten up the cave a little.

Suddenly, Mo saw something in the distance, again. A light? A fire! There was someone! Was Aaron still there? Doesn't matter. Mo just hoped it was someone friendly this time who would get him out of here.

Mo run towards the light. Someone was holding a torch. Someone ... round, with arms and legs.

"I'm here! I'm here!", Mo called out. He could now see who it was. A Poliwhirl with a yellow scarf. Team Yellow! ... Phil, wasn't it?

The moment the Poliwhirl saw Mo, he almost let his torch fall out of fear.

"Mo?", asked Phil. "Is that you?"

"Of course it's me!", the Mimikyu answered.

"I'm surprised you're still alive. We were told you fell down from the mountain top. And that's exactly how you look like."

"Thanks.", Mo answered in embarrassment.

Phil looked behind Mo and pointed at the still knocked out Electabuzz.

"Who's that?"

"The criminal we were supposed to catch.", Mo answered. "You're welcome and ... where are the others? Are Aaron and Charlotte alright?"

"They came right back after what happened to you and we and Heidi were called to help them find you. Or how Bao said, what may be left how you.", Phil told and petted Mo on his fake head, still hanging from the side. "You're tuffer than you look. Now, let's go!"

Phil lead Mo out of the dungeon. It was already night and the sky was cloudy.

"We're searching all around the dungeon for you. We and your team. It will take some time before we have told everyone to return to the HQ.", Phil said to him. Once we found someone, he can say if you want to stay or if we should escort you back."

"I really want to go home now.", Mo said.

They both then saw another light approaching. It was Bao.

"Master!", Phil said. "Look who I found!"

The Mienshao seemed surprised by Mo's return.

"I doubted to find you again.", he said in a calm voice. "And even alive."

He turned back to the Poliwhirl.

"You did a good job."

"He would like to go back to the HQ now.", Phil told Bao.

"Very well.", Bao answered. "You inform Paul and the others. I make sure he returns safely."

Bao looked behind Mo and saw the Electabuzz.

"And that this ...?"

"A criminal.", Mo answered.

"Phil. Take this one with you. You can call the authorities as well."

Mo left Phil, who also took the Electabuzz on his shoulder, and went with Bao back to the Adventurer guild. He was awfully silent and just looked at him with the same look he gave him the first day they met now and then.

"They already ate for dinner.", Bao finally said. "I'm sure they will have some leftovers if you'd like."

"I'm not hungry right now. Just tired.", Mo answered.

After some more time of silence, Mo turned back to Bao.

"I'm sorry what happened today."

"It doesn't matter right now. You should only feel sorry for yourself.", Bao said without any emotions.

The rest of the walk back stayed very silent and uneventful. Back at the guild the huge door was already closed for today. Bao knocked at the huge door and Alfons opened up again soon after. He screamed and almost slam closed to door again as he saw Mo.

"I'm bringing the missed Mimikyu. My and his team will return shortly as well."

Inside the guild, almost everyone was prepared to go to bed for today. Bao himself let Mo alone with Alfons.

"I'm sorry what has happened.", Mo said to him.

Alfons softly put on of his wings on the Mimikyu.

"It's alright. It only matters you are alright.

On his way to his team room, Mo encountered Team Blue.

"You won the bet, Richard.!", said the Pikachu, Ziggy. "He really is still alive! Now we wonder for how long?"

"Mind your own business!", Mo said to him angry. "It was an accident! Could have happened to anybody. I bet you wouldn't have in my place!"

"I'll make you eat those words!", Ziggy answered him angrily and stepped forward.

The Litleo stepped between them.

"Stop it! It's way to late for something like!"

She looked at Ziggy: "You can to whatever you want tomorrow ..."

She looked back at Mo: "And you ... fix your cloth."

"What is your problem, anyway?!", Mo asked Ziggy.

Ziggy looked in disgust at Mo.

"My problem is that Hilarius let Pokémon join your guild who are not qualified to be adventurer anyway! Just look at yourself! It's your second day and you already almost died. The old Team Purple was almost a year old before the incident. If you can not keep up with us, than do yourself a favor and go. We don't need Pokémon like you!"

Ziggy and Nya, the Litleo, went back to their own team room.

Mo was alone with the Hoothoot.

The Hoothoot looked at Mo and said: "I'm Richard and I can ...", he paused. "Hypnotise Pokémon."

He then also went and followed his team mates.

A short while later, Mo was in the guild bath room with his sewing kit trying desperately to fix his disguise. The was so much damage. There was just enough thread to fix it. Mo needed to buy new thread tomorrow. He did the best he could with his needle, but it didn't looked son nice anymore as it was yesterday. Especially problematic was his broken neck. It just wouldn't go straight again. In his desperation, Mo started to cry.

Finally, Mo was done. Some parts of his disguise needed to be replaced if it should look nice again and his fake tail was still missing. It was late in the night already. Everyone must be asleep by now.

As Mo left the bathroom, he met Yinping again. She was seemingly waiting for him to.

"I heard you had a bad day?", she asked caringly.

"I don't want to be an adventurer anymore.", Mo answered, still crying a little.

Yinping seemed a little shocked by this statement.

"Why?", she asked.

"Ziggy is right. I'm not an adventurer. I wasn't made for this.", Mo answered her and paused. "Tomorrow I tell the guild master I will leave. I don't care what everyone will say, what Aaron will do after that or Charlotte. That's it. Done."

"Don't say that!", Yinping shouted at him in a almost aggressive tone. "You ARE something special!"

"Yeah?!", Mo responded aggressive as well. "In what kind of way am I special?!"

Yinping went on her knees and looked into Mo's eyes.

"You have the ability to change the world. I know you can do great things. You are doing it right now. By being with me."

Mo was confused and didn't understood a thing.

"What do you mean?", he asked her in disbelieve.

"I just know it.", she explained. "I can't see into the future, but I can see into your heart. Into your soul. I saw the hearts of every member of the adventurer guild. And there is something special inside your heart."

Mo? Special? Mo couldn't believe what she was saying. But why would she lie? To make him feel better?

"I can ...", Mo paused. "... change things? Like ... what do you mean?"

"Well.", Yinping said, now standing again. "You CAN change things. I cannot say what you will change. I see your heart. It is split in half. Both want the same thing. You want to be happy. Happy with the world and yourself. The one side wants to achieve this happiness by making the ones happy you love. The other side wants to achieve happiness by getting hurting the ones who are standing in your way."

Mo just starred at Yinping in confusion.

"How do you know all that?", he asked.

Yinping smiled. "I'm a special kind of girl. Not only strong but also smart. I'm special. Like you are. There is connection between us."

Mo looked around. No others than them were around.

"Is this legal?", he asked. "And about my heart."

"You heart is in a fight. I don't know wich one will win or if there will even be a winner in the end. It's up to you and what you will decide. I can't force you to do things you don't want."

Both looked at each other in silence.

"If you go, this guild will lose something great and I will lose a friend.", Yinping finally said and started walking down into the darkness. "If you need me, I'm always here."

Mo watched her vanish and thought about, what she just said to him. Greatness? Hearts? What was even going on?

Mo returned to his team room. Aaron and Charlotte waited for him to return the whole time and where both overcome with joy as they saw him. Aaron almost jumped on him and hugged him very tigth with his ribbons, while Charlotte literally tried to jump on him but missed and flew out of the room.

"Mo!", Aaron said, with watery eyes. "I thought I'll never se you again!"

"I'm happy to see you too, again.", Mo answered with his face being directly pressed on Aaron's cheek.

"From now on, we'll stay together! Right?", Aaron said, still hugging the Mimikyu.

"Sure, sure!", Mo answered. "Now we at least know what not to do at our next mission, I guess."

"I almost forgot!",, Aaron suddenly said and let Mo go. Mo feared he could snap his neck, again.

Aaron started searching in the team bag he got with him turning their mission and pulled out Mo's fake wooden tail.

"You lost this!", the Sylveon said to Mo and gave it back to him.

"Uh ... thank you. Thank you so much!", Mo thanked his friend with glee.

"Let's start a new day tomorrow!", Aaron suggested. "Let's give our best again!"

Charlotte already rolled back into the room and clenched on Mo from behind. He didn't had the time yet to attach his tail back.

Mo's eyes glow up again, freaking Aaron out a little.

"I'm ready to show the world what I can do."