Author's Note: Hey All! Apologies for the long delay. I've been getting a little sidetracked with other writing ventures lately, but with any luck I should be able to get back to a relatively consistent update schedule. Thanks for reading, and without further ado, here is the chapter.
All they could do now was wait.
Argon saw the disappointment in her partner's eyes at having lost their game, but he staggered out of the icy cave for his first watch nonetheless. Sitting at the cavernous entrance for their promised extraction would no doubt be a boring venture, but with any luck the Bagon would be able to find solace in this respite. Arceus knew she needed it. Light refracted off the ceiling and against the wall, illuminating their insulated alcove in a vibrant blue hue.
"He saved my life," Argon said, voice refracting against the low ceiling, "i-in more ways than one."
Eoin couldn't help but nod. In spite of their differences, of their butting heads, they had only known each other for days. No use making a lifetime feud over something so petty in hindsight. Eoin hoped the best for the Bagon on his watch. He was flawed; he went about with a philosophy contrasting to his own. However, as the Pallid gazed down to his own thankfully clean claws, a resolution filled his mind that only burying the hatchet would keep them unbloodied. Eoin already had enough enemies, no use in making one more.
That left the two of them. Argon stood with Eoin near the end of their terrestrial shelter. With her legs still unresponsive, she sat on her own levitating tail. Such a method of locomotion worked well, but had an obvious effect on her concentration. Electrons stressed through her body, being denied the method of grounding her tail once provided. As such, the Raichu's expression remained perturbed, as if she was being perpetually asked to solve a complex calculus question. That, however, wasn't what had the grey Charmander worried.
"...You're shivering," Eoin blurted, an inward cringe lamenting his own bluntness.
"Well, not anymore than you," Argon replied. "Are you doing alright? I-uh...bet that it took a lot out of you warming me up."
The Charmander shook his head, but his body betrayed him. As insulated as the cave was, his fire had diminished, and in his recent reversion the Pallid had discarded the thick, wool coat currently donned by the Raichu. With a sigh of relief, Argon sat herself against the back wall of the alcove. After a second's hesitation, she lifted the makeshift blanket in offering, gesturing Eoin forward. The Pallid stood with mouth agape.
"Oh, are you sure that is alright? I am in good condition, I would rather not intrude any boundaries that you—"
"I-It's fine, Eoin," she replied, giving a slight chuckle toward herself. "For all my babbling back there, this whole experience has made me realize something. Life's a short thing; I've already spent a fair amount of it being quiet and standoffish...no time like the present to try something new."
It was a pragmatic gesture, of course. Eoin doubted the Raichu wanted either of them succumbing to hypothermia, but the ember inside the Charmander's chest began to flicker. He couldn't put his claw on it, but from a clinical analysis, Argon and the strange sensation appeared to be intertwined variables. He joined her against the wall. The wool coat made a welcome shield against the cold air, though its singular size required certain accommodations to maximize warmth.
As anxious contentment filled both, Eoin's gaze shifted to the pale, white legs of the pokemon at his side, nearly matching his own in hue. Had the same become himself, the Pallid figured both sides of his conscious would be stricken with terror. And yet, her closed eyes appeared to tell the story of a pokemon without a care in the world.
"Your legs," he uttered, "you have met a terrible fate. Showing such...acceptance, as you sure you are alright?"
"O-Of course," Argon replied, turning away the slightest degree, "it's not that bad...really. I'm sure stuff like this happens all the time to members of the guild. It's just something I gotta get over."
A break in her voice near the end contradicted the Raichu's stoicism. Eoin could see that Argon was lost in thought. She again shook her limbs, their numbness a stark reminder of the divine intervention that wouldn't come. Shivers ran up her spine, turning her sigh into a chitter.
"I'm an explorer," she deadpanned, "was always meant to be. A-And explorers...they're strong. They hold up a smile, even when things don't always work out for the best. I won't get anywhere feeling sorry for myself."
Eoin frowned. He knew the expression dawned on Argon's face well, many a time he had seen it staring back at him in the mirror; the face of a pokemon lying to themselves wasn't the hardest thing to spot. He laid a hand on her back. After sensing no flinch of disapproval, it remained.
"That may be true, but even pokemon with the strongest armor must give themselves a respite. Are you truly unperturbed by this, or are you words simply for my sake?"
She lifted a paw, wiping away some snot from her nose. The Charmander's hand was a comforting presence, but Argon still found herself shirking away from his gaze. Where was the Raichu from the dancefloor? The confident, open, pokemon that wasn't making a fool of herself? The one whose legs could carry her across the floor as though she was floating through air? The same paw lifted to rub her eyes. That Raichu was gone, cutoff below the waist.
"Please, say the word and I will drop the subject," Eoin continued, "but denial is a blight. I would know. It builds up, enveloping your conscious until reality crashes you down to earth. My heart would mourn were the same to happen to you."
A small nod was her only response. Icy numbness had infected more than her limbs, but the Charmander's words were a thawing light in the cold. She was surrounded by friends, and of the two pokemon that had followed her up the mountain, Argon doubted there were any better to let her heart out to.
"F-Fine. I guess...I'm afraid."
A slight shock from Argon's fur woke the Pallid, but he kept the hold nonetheless.
"What am I going to do?" she asked. "I-If they even let me keep my job, no running, no evening walks even. M-My Dad had to relearn how to use the bathroom, for Arceus's sake! Our apartment's on the third floor. I can barely raise a small stone with my mind, there's no way I can consistently lift myself all the way up there."
Eoin listened, holding his tail flame up to offer what little warmth he could. Seeing the downtrodden posture and quivering breaths of Argon was like a gust against his flame. The Pallid's eyes shot open as a single word lingered in his conscious, bringing new light to the Raichu's predicament.
Dad?
"I...do not have any easy answers," Eoin replied, "but in the words of a pokemon who brought me up from one of my darkest moments, I'll try my best to help you, assist you in becoming the pokemon you choose to be."
"I am sure there are ways to adapt," he continued. "In my brief time in town I have come across a couple psychic trainers. What if we were to go there? Perhaps you hold more potential than you think?"
Argon gave a short nod, tears giving a brief respite. Like it or not, she would have to learn, and there were always friends along the way to light the path. She turned to Eoin, eyes beaming as much appreciation as they could muster.
"How do you do it?" she asked. "T-Those things you told me, seeing all the pallids freeze up, finding out that you were basically made to be a battery; how do you keep a straight face enough face to comfort my crying butt after all that?"
Eoin froze at the question, matching Argon's inceduility. Looking back, it had all happened so fast. Actually having enough time to think seemed like a double edged sword.
"I am not sure. After I saw both of you coming up the stairs, I—"
Fleeting memories returned. Motionless, grey faces peered into his conscious. He gestured to cover his ears, but that didn't make the accusations any less loud. His smile faded, leaving only stark hollowness.
"Their terrible fate was my doing, just like yours is now. I...I brought you on this venture, yet you still hold me in high regard. Arceus above, I doubt I deserve such companionship."
His head lowered, Argon taking up the Pallid's former reassuring glance. In spite of the circumstances, the Raichu held a smile. Condensation left her mouth with a bitter chuckle, eyes closed and looking inward.
"Like I said, this isn't on you. I-It's funny in a way, though, isn't it? I guess we both think we let each other down."
"What do you mean?" Eoin asked.
The Raichu needed a moment to parse that, herself. She leaned her head against the wall, letting the static from her cheeks flow into the wall behind. The chuckling stopped, replaced by a soreful snort.
"It's just, you're blaming yourself for me being like this. I'm blaming myself for you feeling like crap because of me. T-This can't be good for either of us. Would you mind if you and I could just...put this behind us? Call it even? I don't blame you for a second."
After a second's hesitation, Eoin nodded. For what counselling he had offered, the Pallid had forgoed heeding his own advice. The two of them had a long journey ahead, but looking toward the Raichu at his side, a resolution fell between both that there was less to be afraid of than they thought.
"You know," Eoin said, stifling a snicker, "right before I went up to you during the party, I must have practiced my introduction in front of a mirror two dozen times. Could never get it right. Too many stutters, a smile that was more awkward than inviting... my greatest fear was that you would pick up on my underdeveloped mind's ignorance."
"Y-You could have fooled me," Argon said, head tilting, "you've shown more confidence in one month than I have in a lifetime. I admire that. I really do."
Something seemed to shift between the two. Alone, letting everything out with no pressing goal or need for survival, they finally had room to breath. In the chilling silence, both realized just how close each other's breaths were.
"I still question why, but know the feeling is mutual. My mind...it is as untried as a child's, though my body is not. I required a defense against my own inexperience. Do you know how confusing it is first seeing a pokemon trade perfectly good food for a metal disk?"
"But you learned," Argon replied, "you're a leader, aren't you? There are pokemon that put their faith in you, that's gotta mean you're on the right path."
Eoin gestured in concession, but pushed away thoughts of what lie ahead. She would know, they both would, but now was the time for rest. His chest was still fluttering, tail flame still dancing from the strange, sweet sensation that jumbled his thoughts more than the concept of currency ever would. He looked around, grey eyes scanning for the malicious source that had muddled what seemed right and wrong. It was soft, euphoric, and terrifyingly close.
"I now understand that concept. There is...another, whose navigation continues to elude me. So many interactions, so many tonalities I have yet to learn. I confess, many times I took to the written word, in an attempt to parse exactly how I should be acting."
The word was unsaid, and a part of the Raichu's mind debated whether it should stay that way. In her very brief time amongst the Charmander, there was no doubt in her mind she appreciated his presence, in one form or another. Still, how long had Argon known the Pallid? Two days? Three, if she stretched it? There was only one other being in the alcove who could match Eoin's inexperience, and she knew well enough the perils of unpractised pairs rushing through mystery dungeons. Nevertheless, excessive hesitation was its own extreme; there couldn't be too much harm in testing the waters.
"I-If you don't mind me asking, what sort of books did you read?"
Eoin cringed. He expected the question, but that did not make it any less revealing.
"Make no mistake, it is nowhere near my most read subject, but if I remember correctly, the last novel I read was titled… More Than Using 'Attract': A Luvdisc's Guide to Understanding Intimate Relation, Second Edition."
Argon's hold around the Charmander loosened as she felt him dig his back into the icy wall. A different kind of fear pervaded his expression, one that made him feel smaller by the second. She knew it well. It spread to her own smile, mixing in with a self-deprecating chuckle; misery loved company.
"P-Please do not misinterpret, my mind was clueless to the finer parts of social interaction, and it appeared like a useful resource to—"
"The one with that really gushy short story in the middle?" she interjected, "with the stoic snivy and energetic fennekin?"
Eoin jumped, blubbering put to a temporary halt.
"Yes...the very same. How did you—"
Argon's pensive grin clicked it all into place. He stared toward her, a second incredulous, than another reciprocating the gesture.
"L-Let's just say you're not the only clueless 'mon with a bleeding heart and a bad habit of staying inside."
Silence filled the cavern. There was so much about the other they didn't know, and so little time. Eoin slapped his forehead. What was the proper thing to do now? Stay silent? Vomit out all the muddled thoughts in his conscious? Recite a sappy line from the book? By Arceus, he couldn't even remember any.
"Eoin, a-are you alright? You seem...tense."
The Pallid jumped. Adrenaline coursed through his spine. She was watching, she had to be. Expectations were put upon him, and he was failing every single one. And yet, looking into the Raichu's eyes, Eoin found little judgement. Her paws fidgeted. Her smile so endearing and yet fragile enough that a soft breeze could knock over her posture.
There couldn't be any harm in waiting, could there? There was still planning to be done once they got off this icy hellhole. Once the dark business had been dealt with, once they had lived through the perilous danger of it all and the Pallid could finally settle down into a life not plagued by the horrors of injustice.
But what if you don't?
Eoin grunted in realization. The foe they faced, the resources they could muster, it was nothing to sneeze at. Even if by some stroke of the gods his plan managed to succeed, there was no guarantee he'd live through it. And what then? Every second spent wondering, every moment guessing and second guessing himself, what would it be worth? He already knew the answer.
"Nothing."
A paw made its way around the back of his neck. Eoin's head turned, just in time to meet Argon's. Brief sparks emanated from her cheeks, lighting up their dark confines in ways that the Charmander's own grey flame couldn't. In spite of nervous breaths and hesitant blinks, her expression conveyed what understanding it could.
"I-I'm here for you, Eoin, just like you were there for me. Is there something bothering you? You look like you have something to say."
Eoin's tale flickered. His mouth opened, letting out a brief ember, but little else. Grey eyes closed in resolution. There was no time left for hesitation. She was waiting for something, she had to be! With every second of silence, the Pallid knew he was making a fool out of himself. Objections raised into his conscious, but they fell on deaf ears. With a mind so clouded in ignorance, he wasn't about to let this opportunity go to waste.
He kissed her. Eoin's face shot forward, nearly knocking the Raichu off balance as he placed his hands around her cheeks. Shock reverberated through both. Argon's eyes shot open, staying that way for several seconds before lulling into their normal posture. A yelp escaped her closed mouth, tone conveying the confusion that ran between them.
Shivers ran up Eoin's spine. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong. The moment dragged on like eons, Argon's lips terrifyingly unmoving. This wasn't like the books at all. Or perhaps it was, and the Pallid had been too much of a fool to heed their warning. The Charmander trembled. Had his callow mind really deluded itself into thinking that such a rash, unconsented, gesture wouldn't ruin what little friendship he had been lucky enough to establish?
He laid his hand from her cheeks, letting them fall to the floor. The Pallid was just about to break their hold and let loose a stream of apologies when something changed. It was tentative, as unsure as his own quivering flame, but Argon pushed back, lips conforming to match the Charmander's.
It was Eoin's turn for his eyes to shoot open. A part of the Charmander hadn't expected to get this far. Not a word needed to be said in between blue and grey irises to affirm that both were equally bewildered. It truly was nothing like his research suggested, but that was no surprise; the Pallid always seemed to be lacking in practical experience.
For a couple more long seconds they kept the embrace. Their heads tilted to and fro, resorting to experimentation in lieu of either knowing how foreign maws were intended to fit. The occasional sparks that zapped Eoin's tongue were an annoyance, but he ignored them as well as Argon ignored the cinders that stung her own mouth. Once adrenaline had lulled, Argon slowly raised a paw to Eoin's chest, pressing the two of them apart as gently as she could manage. Eoin took the gesture well. As relieving as the kiss was, his rashness had already cost him, and pushing her was the last thing he wanted. Their backs returned to the icy wall, crackling of a gray flame entirely insufficient to break up resulting silence.
"I...I-uh—"
His mouth retreated shut. Argon similarly attempted forming a cognizant sentence, but found that the air in her throat had already been sucked away. There was so much to say, and yet no way to say it. The feeling of lightness in their chests hadn't faded, as enduring as the ever present question of what to do once the Bagon returned, and life went on. After more than a few moments of silence, both pokemon turned to each other, air finally returning to their lungs.
"I should not have done that," Eoin whimpered, "I did not consider your feelings, nor the possibility that you would not approve. It will not happen again."
"N-No," Argon replied, hastily reaching a paw to the back of her neck, "I mean, I would have prefered it if you had asked first, but I understand. I enjoyed it, it was just very...sudden, is how I'd put it."
Eoin sighed in relief. The Raichu was forgiving, more so than he likely deserved, and he couldn't stomach the possibility of his own actions making any of their future interactions irreparably awkward. In a way, however, the most difficult part still lay before them.
"Thank you, so much. I-I...I like you, Argon. You have introduced me to a world I could never have imagined, and your presence has made my life all the more brighter."
The Raichu shirked back, before returning Eoin's smile as best she could. A quiet Pichu cowering under her blanket would have likely killed for a moment like this, and yet there were still nagging questions that interspersed her tranquil euphoria.
"And I like you too, Eoin, if my shy butt hasn't already given that away. I probably wouldn't even be here right now if I hadn't met you below that cave. I'd be glad to start something if you'd want the same, but this whole thing is moving a little...fast, wouldn't you say?"
Eoin begrudgingly agreed. It was the price he paid for the mission, a precarious balancing act that the Pallid now realized he had to play.
"P-Please don't take this the wrong way, but you're still kinda a mystery to me. Your hobbies, beliefs, even what that group you're leading is all about. We still have a lot to learn about each other, no need to rush through it."
Of course. Argon was more than likely warranted in her concern, and the Pallid's discreteness had no doubt cost him. Still, they were alone; no time like the present to start rectifying that.
"True, true...someday, once we get down from here, and I show you the reason for our cause, would you care for us to go on a night out?" Eoin replied, flashing the best smile he could. "Watch the stars, go out to eat? Apparently many aspiring couples find those to be prudent activities."
The Raich's expression was likely the brightest he'd seen since the start of their perilous quest. Her posture loosened, grin all too like his own beaming back.
"Nothing would make me happier."
Euphoria flooded Eoin's conscious, only to be struck down by a familiar pressing sensation. The Pallid grunted in realization. The usual pain was still absent, but it was much heavier than inside the mountain, and it didn't take him much thought to understand why. His eyes began to taper, grey scales trembling and fire flushing like a bunsen burner.
"A-Are you alright?" Argon asked, likewise frozen from again seeing the process. "It's happening again, isn't it?"
Eoin slowly nodded.
"I made a promise, and I am a 'mon of my word, even when it is to myself. I concede that the past few moments have been...overwhelming, I suppose it is only right that it happens now. That leaves only one problem."
Faint footsteps echoed out through the cavernous ceilings. Argon cursed. The Bagon's shift was done, but his timing couldn't have been worse. She turned to Eoin, thankful to see that the Pallid hadn't devolved into his other persona just yet.
"I-I guess...no better time than now to get you used to being around other pokemon. We would've run out of stun seeds sooner or later."
"Indeed," Eoin replied, casting a nervous glance to the blue radiance emanating from his own satchel, "I take it the Beast has not had the opportunity to reconcile with Chimera as I have. I recall the anger...the fear well. The two of you will need to be cautious."
The footsteps grew louder. With a hefty sigh, Argon put on her best smile. Like Eoin had said, the pokemon walking down the alcove certainly had a rougher introduction with the Pallid than her, but with caution, and some pre-established trust, perhaps this would be an opportunity, rather than a curse?
Eoin's hand shot to his forehead. His growls turned to chitters, a shared glance between Charmander and Raichu confirming that the inevitable was upon them.
"I prefer to think I have become a forgiving pokemon, but make no mistake, Beast, if you so much as lay a claw on that Raichu...for the safety of all, I will seal both our fates."
"Eoin, I'm I-I'm not sure that's the—"
Her objections fell on feral ears. The footsteps around the icy corner reached their apogee, but in their frequency a realization dawned on Argon. It...wasn't just one. Who else had the time or reasoning to mount an expedition to this gods-forsaken mountain?
The answer came soon enough. Her partner hobbled through first, accompanied by a Zorua barely recognizable in her brief recollection of the past month. What did he say her name was? Cera? Czarise? It didn't matter now. The Raichu knew who she was, and what the Zorua had attempted. Unfortunately, that wasn't the worst of their problem.
"If he ends up reverting, be prepared for—"
Argon lurched over, placing her hand on the Pallid's neck. After a few tentative blinks of its dilated pupils, it looked around, centering its vision on the Raichu with an appreciative smile. The peace that had undertook its expression in the broom closet, however, was absent. It looked down, uttering a startled growl at the glowing blue gear shining through its own pack. Another second, and its vision shifted to Chimera.
"Eoin," Argon uttered, "i-if you're still in there, you can trust us, all of us. Please...don't do anything rash."
The Charmander trembled in Chimera's passive glare. Its head shifted between Argon, Chimera, and the time gear in its possession, calculations of what to do short circuiting any action into suspension. The Bagon's hands raised. He looked over to Cerise, finding that the Zorua had already bared her claws. A miniscule nudge from her toward Chimera suggested a preemptive strike, but she followed his inaction.
"I'm not going to hurt you," Chimera said, "at least, not unless you force me to. Hell, I'm torn to shit and got two broken limbs. I'm not about to start a fight I can't finish."
The Pallid was unconvinced. It sat boxed in, a comforting presence on one side holding its hand, two potential threats on the other. And at its side, glowing vibrant blue, the sole purpose of creation, the artifact that millennia-long instincts had ingrained into the Beast to protect at all costs. The aggressively stanced Zorua was an outlier, but it knew the Bagon well, knew his goal, and knew the potential for pain it held within it. The Charmander cast one last glance to Argon, speaking to her as best it could in a soft growl, before snapping her hand away.
It charged. Chimera's hand lowered to his crossbow, but his other shot in front of Cerise, waving away the small ball of dark energy the Zorua had began to charge. Argon attempted to follow, but cursed as her legs proved continuously uncooperative. Grey cinders fell from the Pallid's mouth as it tackled the Bagon to the floor. His hands raised, expecting it to mount him and unleash either a barrage of claws or flames, but no such thing happened. Instead, it continued running, giving one last glance to Argon as it made a beeline for the alcove exit.
"D-Dammit," Chimera groaned, "we have to stop him!"
Cerise nodded. Her eyes closed, and the exit just three feet before the Pallid was enveloped in light. A second later, no exit existed, replaced by a wall of solid ice. The Charmander growled, head cocking in confusion.
"I don't know the full story behind your friend here, or why he's got an Arceus-forsaken time gear," Cerise said, "but I've...I've seen what these things can do. My advice? Take it down before it hurts anyone else."
The Pallids head was on a swivel. Its tail blared, a stream of flames streaking across the icy floor between itself and the three others. Another tentative step forward from Chimera brought another warning shot, before its head turned back to the wall. After a moment's consideration attempting to comprehend the new development, it bolted to the wall, expecting either a burst of blunt trauma, or escape.
"Wait!" Argon shouted. "Don't—"
Its body made contact with the false wall, destroying it in another burst of light. Free, feeling the chilling air against its scales, and more than a little confused, the Pallid ran, intent on putting as much distance as possible between itself and the two unknowns.
Cerise slammed her paw to the floor. Chimera made a similar movement, glancing between Raichu and Zorua for a call to action.
"We have to go after him."
"O-Of course," Argon replied, "I should be the one to go, I'm pretty sure he'll be the calmest around me."
Her gaze drew to Cerise, narrowed eyes shifting between her and the Charmander getting progressively smaller in the snowy outline. The Raichu's mouth opened to raise questions and objections to the Zorua's presence, but given the circumstances, all three concluded that getting the Charmander and time gear back took precedence.
"I'm not sure that's possible," Chimera replied, gaze lowering to the white-tinted legs of his partner, "you're a lot less likely to piss him off, but you can't run. I should be the one to do it."
"I'm...not sure you can run either," Cerise said, gesturing toward the Bagon's own broken leg.
Chimera sighed. He turned toward the Charmander, using the limb for support as he ambled through the snow. A grunt of pain followed every other step, but the Bagon persisted.
"No," he said, glancing back at Argon, "but I can walk, and there's a lot less long-term harm in putting pressure on my own legs than yours. Besides, those birds might get back here any minute, we need someone to stay back and tell them we're here if they arrive."
"I'll go with him," Cerise offered, "I know you-uh...don't exactly have much reason to trust me, but I want to get that Charmander back here as much as you do."
Bagon and Zorua shared a glance. Chimera knew her ulterior motive, knew that the Pallid, and by extension the time gear getting away would deny her prize she was seeking, but he couldn't deny the same reasoning applied to him. They turned to Argon. The Raichu was scowling, more to herself than anyone, but after a few seconds she nodded. Any more time spent deliberating was another second for her new-found partner to get away.
"F-Fine, but whatever you do, try not to hurt him," Argon said, turning to point to Cerise, "I understand that it's hard to see that now, but he's not like the others, and you can consider any trust between us void if I find out you attacked him unprovoked."
The Zorua bit her lip at the warning, but she nodded. They turned away, feet carrying them toward the Charmander now a hundred yards out.
"Chimera, one last thing!"
The Bagon turned back toward his partner, nodding to go on.
"I know why you're going after Eoin without me, b-but...is that the only reason?"
His head shook, drawing a look of curiosity from Cerise. Memories flashed through his conscious, of underwater tunnels, and of bitter wounds taken and dealt.
"I gotta set this right. I'm sure Eoin's instincts didn't help, but he's shown well enough I'm part of why he's so antsy. If I can make some sort of peace with him like you have, then who knows? The dude might not need to shove a stun seed in his mouth whenever he's around other sentient 'mons."
A nod between partners signalled for Bagon and Zorua to carry on. The visibility-impairing snowstorm had subsided, and as they took chase, the Palid gave more than a few nervous yelps glancing over its shoulder. A few minutes of jogging, and the alcove was out of sight, replaced by winding ranges of stone and snow.
"I don't understand," Cerise said between winded huffs, "it should've attacked us, it's not in its nature to do anything else but attack us. What exactly happened to your friend?"
"I'll go over the nitty-gritty details once we got time, but their nature is to protect the time gear," Chimera replied, "at least, that's what Eoin told me. Attacking is only a part of it. Now that he's the last line of defense against the likes of us, I'm willing to bet his mind thought the best thing to do was run. Pretty frickin' inconvenient when you gotta march through knee-deep snow with a paralyzed leg, but we'll roll with the punches."
'The likes of us.' Cerise chuckled. The gesture brought an inquisitive look from the Bagon, one that saw her head droop and her feet paw at the ground.
"Please," she said, "I got to clear this up. I'm not here to steal that gear, just to...examine it. The clues are there, once I sketch them down, you can flush it down a toilet for all I care. You can trust me on this."
For a second, Chimera simply mulled over the statement, before providing a tentative nod. Neither were naive enough to consider it binding, but they'd cross that bridge when they came to it. The rocky wall to their sides disappeared as time went on, turning the ground beneath their feet into a precarious platform, with sheer falls on either side of its winding path that half of the Bagon's brain felt particularly opposed to. The Charmander was still barely within sight, and as they treaded carefully Chimera couldn't help but let a chuckle escape his own mouth.
"You should have seen the crap we had to go through getting the first one. Imagine a time gear, sitting on a pedestal with a weighted pressure plate. I go to swap it with bag of equal weight, and the next thing I know the whole tunnels coming down and a giant golem is rolling down the tunnel trying to squash little o'll me."
His hand raised, concealing a snicker. A look towards Cerise found her in similar disposition. It was nice, enjoying some levity with the Zorua in the moments before facing his own failure. The question was, how much of her knowing smile was a bluff?
"What Uxie hadn't counted on was my forehead being thick enough to reduce both the golem and the stupidly-intricate system of spear traps he had established into bits."
"The fool must've counted on any pokemon with a brain matter to body ratio better than a cranidos staying away from the gears," Cerise replied, a self-deprecating grin spreading to both. "Guess he was right in the end about both of us."
The Zorua closed her eyes. A second flash of light, and before the duo stood a dozen gears, each varying sizes, materials, and levels of ornate carving. A single platform stood in the center, accompanied by two pokemon. One, a vibrant pink and white, with three gems that match its siblings. The other, a dead ringer for the Zorua at Chimera's side, fur coated in dirt and mud in place of present snow.
"Me? I've got my own stories. Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction."
"Choose wisely, Cerise" the false Mespirit spoke, "for the true path will let you reverse the deaths of those you love, while the false one will only take your own away."
The illusionary Zorua laid a hand to her chin, before settling on one of the gears and placing it before the center platform. Chimera's eyes shot open at the familiarity of the scene. He turned to the real Cerise, disposition that of a noble guardian, older than time and charged with the duty of protecting the object. He didn't need to dive further into memory for inspiration; a fitting example was only a hundred meters ahead.
"Did you choose...poorly?"
A few seconds too many of silence passed as the illusions faded into nothingness. Chimera expected her to join in his barely concealed grin, but Cerise's mask had broken into introspective blankness. It reformed in an instant, her head raising from the ground to portray the utmost confidence.
"I-I sure hope not."
The panicked growls of the Beast grew ever closer. Its reasoning became clear as the duo finally approached the Charmander. Cliffside hills had given way to a single, protruding precipice, overlooking knee-high water half melted in the evening sun. Chimera and Cerise stood twenty meters before the Beast. Terror overtook its eyes staring between them and the two-story drop at its back. It was boxed in. Nowhere left to run; only one option left.
"For god's sake, Eoin," Chimera shouted, "we're not going to hurt you. We're all going to freeze to death if we stay out here any longer, and I don't think any of us want to put up with this!"
A grey stream of fire shot into the air, accompanied by a hasty snarl. Bagon and Zorua flinched from the warning shot, but their position remained. A step forward from Chimera saw a step back from the Charmander, now barely a foot from the precipice. It glanced over its shoulder. A small lake stared back at it from twenty feet down, not nearly deep enough to cushion a fall, plenty deep enough to fill the Pallid's mind with painful memories.
"Chimera," Cerise asked, "I'm staying true to my word that I didn't come here to steal it, but...is this really the most qualified pokemon to protect the time gear?"
The Beast glanced between Chimera and its own satchel. If memory served, a terrible fate awaited itself once the Bagon had what he wanted. Still, he hadn't attacked yet, perhaps buying time as he and the Zorua cut off its only escape route.
"He...gets better," Chimera replied, a hint of irony following, "smarter, at least. Not exactly the best 'mon if you're looking for impersonal debate, though. But hey, pot meet kettle, amiright?"
Chimera's eyes again locked with the Beast's, startling it to attention. They then shifted to the time gear as calculations ran through the Bagon's mind. It was his objective, after all. Hours spent trudging through freezing snow, nearly dying from a raging, pallid Rampardos, having to watch as his own partner nearly met the same fate, what was it all for? The answer was clear enough, as well as the obstacle standing in its place. Would it be worth prying the fruits of their labor from Eoin's hands while he was in this state? As defensive as it was, this was in all likelihood the most vulnerable the Charmander would get, not to mention the scenario where he could most justify why he took it. A grab here, a spin of the tale to Argon and Eoin once he reverted that taking it was the only way to calm his alter-ego down, and he might be able to go back to the guild with something to show for it.
But, what would that make him? Exactly who the Beast thought he was, exactly the type of pokemon that had made its first action upon gaining control a panicked retreat. Chimera's hand raised to his chin, drawing a curious look from Cerise as he weighed the costs and benefits.
Another step forward for him, another step back from the Palllid, it's own grey tail knocking a small pebble over the edge. The Bagon's glance toward the blue radiance emanating from its satchel did not go unnoticed, grey eyes unable to see the conflict hidden under the Bagon's passive scowl. Any closer, and the intruder would be within grabbing distance of the shining gear. Quivering lips shot out one last cry, before the Beast turned away from Bagon and Zorua, bolting for cliff's edge; desperate times calling for desperate measures.
"Eoin? What are you—"
Its legs met open air. The Pallid closed its eyes, cringing preemptively for the rush of pain that it knew would greet it once it met the bottom. Chimera and Cerise jumped to attention. Both tried lunging for the Charmander's leg, but it was a worthless effort. The Pallid screamed. Familiar cries of agony rippled through the mountain as its body hit the ice with a crunch. The two ran to the cliff's edge, silence being all that was necessary to convey the horror that ran between them.
"A-Arceus," Cerise cried out, "that Pallids crazier than I thought."
Chimera gave a solemn nod, accompanied by the familiar sensation of feeling like utter shit. The Beast's cries carried up from the lake's bottom, moans mixing in with shivering. As a whole, its landing had been well judged. Most of its scales were only moderately bruised from the two-story fall, with one exception. From the half-frozen top layer of water, the Pallid was unable to judge how easily it would break. With concerted effort, it raised its tail, revealing a narrow, shard of ice jutting out of the lake that had pierced straight through. Blood slowly began seeping into the water, dying it a dark red. A glance from Chimera's side revealed that Cerise had turned away, paw to her throat concealing a gag reflex.
"Well, who do you blame?" the Bagon deadpanned. "The damned fool, or the fool who made them a damned fool?"
"I'd still say the damned fool, but you'll have to tell me what I missed that caused...that?"
Chimera gestured in agreement, before pointing his hand at the exploration bag wrapped around the Zorua's midsection.
"Do you have any medical supplies? We-uh, used all of ours on yours truly."
She reached into the bag, handing the Bagon a set of berries and bandages with her muzzle.
"Looking at your friend, I think I might have some tricks that could help calm him down, or at least make him less likely to attack you. But, how are you going to get down there without hurting yourself?"
Realization dawned on the Zorua as soon as the last sentence left her mouth, but that didn't make Chimera's lofty grin any less big.
"I appreciate it. And as for the question...you forgot who you're talking to."
Without a second's hesitation, the Bagon ran to the cliff's edge. Staring towards the ground below, not to mention the fate that had become of the last pokemon that had attempted such a stunt, half of his mind screamed out in objection. He'd heard it all before, however. The euphoria would come, as well as the feeling of dread upon hitting the ground, but if Chimera angled it right, that'd be all he'd have to worry about. After a readying nod from Cerise, he jumped, angling his rocky forehead as a diver would for it to land straight down. After a resounding crack, Chimera dusted himself off at the lake's bottom. A glance around at the shattered ice confirmed that, where the Charmander had been it's victim, he had been the victor.
Bloodied, chilling water, and present Bagon sent shivers up the Pallid's spine. Its own satchel had been knocked from its person in the fall, landing about five feet away at equal distance to Chimera. It tried to stand, attempted to launch another warning volley of grey flames at the Bagon, but the four inch wide shard of ice piercing through its own tail overcame the ability to focus on anything else.
Chimera limped forward. The knee-high chilling water was a familiar sensation, and the Bagon couldn't help but chuckle at the irony.
"Well Eoin, it's time we finish this. Better do it quickly too; we're both gonna share Argon's fate if we stay out here any longer."
The Beast growled, haphazardly lunging its arm for the time gear, only to retreat it as another surge of pain ran up its tail. Neither Bagon nor Zorua needed to speak feral to know what 'stay back' meant. He glanced over his shoulder. From the top of the cliff, Cerise nodded, closing her eyes as several small flashes of light emanated behind large boulders near the left and right of Eoin and Chimera. A second later, and the two pokemon on the frozen lake were joined by an entourage of pallids. An Abamasnow, Avalugg, Absol and Salamence, in pairs of two with equally grey fur and scales flanking them on both sides.
A voice in the Bagon's mind started to panic, but he kept his course. The Pallid chittered, pleading in feral tongue for assistance from the sudden cavalry. The intruder was surrounded, and it wouldn't take more than some ice shards from the surrounding pallids to deter him from the time gear.
That, however, didn't happen. The four remained in place, gazing toward Chimera with nonchalant acceptance. Another look to the Charmander's confused chitters, and it all clicked into place. He quickly glanced back to Cerise, seeing her eyes closed in concentration keeping the four in place. So long as the Beast didn't see through, the Zorua very well might've given Chimera the edge he needed.
For the Pallid, it was a hopeless situation. It clutched its tail, desperately trying to limp away as the introducer approached step by step. Its efforts were in vain. The Charmander turned back, finding the Bagon directly before him, crossbow bolt drawn from his bag shimmering in the sun-refracting ice. Reinforcements unwilling to view the Bagon as a threat, and its own wound taking away all its focus, there was little that could be done. Its eyes closed, resigned to the pain that was to come.
"Bite down."
Five seconds passed. When it became clear that its tail had not been forced into the water, nor the bolt jammed into its thigh, the Pallid's eyes tentatively opened. The crossbow bolt was being held by the intruder horizontally, a similar one clutched in the Bagon's own mouth.
"If you don't want to, that's fine, but you're gonna have to endure some pain if we're going to get you better. I sure as shit know it's easier if you got something to bite down on."
The Pallid chirped in confusion, clutching at the shard of ice impaling its tail. It glanced around, finding its surrounding kin nodding in approval. Befuddled thoughts clashed through its feral mind. Why weren't they attacking? Weren't they just as fearful as he was that the intruder would take the time gear? Chimera laid a hand on its tail, and for another brief second the Beast expected it to be stomped into the chilling water, but instead the Bagon grasped the shard. To the ice at their side were the bandages and berries placed by Chimera. With a tentative growl, the Pallid bit down, mimicking the action Chimera was demonstrating. If its fate had been sealed, the least it could do was delay the inevitable.
"Good, good. If you're still in there, Eoin, get ready...this is gonna hurt you a lot more than its gonna hurt me."
He pulled. The Beast cried out, teeth clenched as the bloodied shard was pulled from its tail. Charmander's tail flickered between torch and candle length. Another stiff tug, and Chimera tossed the intrusion to the side.
"There, was that so hard?"
Chimera reached for the supplies. The Beast stared back at him, eyes conveying a simple question even as an oran berry paste was plastered over the piercing wound and the Bagon wrapped the last bandage over its tail.
Why?
"If you want to hear me say it, Eoin," Chimera said, "I...I'm sorry. I'm sure you've already realized it, but most people around here aren't the type to snuff out your tail like yours truly. The Pallids I've met haven't exactly been too keen on preserving life either, but hey, I'm willing to be the better 'mon. Truce?"
The intruders words were incomprehensible, and yet his actions and expressions had conveyed all it needed to hear. The Pallid gave a tentative flick of its tail, finding the worst of the pain to be over. It'd be sore in the morning, of course, but it could have been a lot worse. Dilated, grey pupils eyed its four surrounding kin to see if the Bagon's actions stood for most pokemon. A smile from Chimera to the Zorua hidden utop the cliff, and the surrounding pallids nodded.
Chimera stood up, placing an arm to balance his still-paralyzed leg after nearly tripping to the ice. Another panicked gasp, though not as prevalent, overtook the Beast as the Bagon walked over to pick up the time gear. There he stood, an inner debate in microcosm going through his consciousness before Chimera walked back and shoved the satchel into the Beast's hands.
"I will say this, though. We all sacrificed a lot getting this thing. S-Some...some more than others. You better have a damn fine reason why you're keeping this from us. Capiche?"
The Beast didn't know itself, but it gave the closest thing it could to a nod. With the worst of the encounter over, Chimera glanced back to the top of the cliff. Cerise was on top, eyes still closed as the illusionary pallids began walking from eyesight. The Bagon conveyed what gratitude he could as the Zorua pointed toward a spot on the cliffside suitable for climbing.
"Well Eoin, shall we-arrgh—"
Chimera tumbled over. He looked to his arm and leg, cursing at the fact they were still in a bum state. There was still a cliff to climb, and a long hike back if they were to regroup at the aircraft. As he went to his knees, however, the Bagon felt an arm make its way over his shoulder. Familiar chirps sounded from the Beast as it offered itself as a balancing point. Even in its limited intelligence, a certain resolution filled the Charmander's mind, one to make things right with the intruder while it still could. A smile from itself to the Bagon was returned in kind.
"A-Alright Eoin," Chimera said, chuckling to himself, "'preciate the help. This'll be a hell of a story to tell once, well...once you can actually talk."
It growled back, tail flickering in approval. Cold water and colder actions aside, Charmander and Bagon had a long road ahead of them. In his limited capacity, the Pallid thought the same as the civil: Perhaps the other wasn't as mindless as initially thought? And as the two regrouped with Cerise and made their way back to the landing site, both could feel bitter memories fading into the snow.