"That sounds… nice."
The faint tinge of blue scales through the crack in the shed had long hobbled its way across the field with Flora in tow, leaving Argon, Eoin, and Piolu to let out indiscriminate sighs of both relief and remorse. In spite of its dark confines, the room was spacious one, akin to something between a cabin and barnhouse. Triple stacked rows of wooden shelves meant to hold supplies and pallids alike lined one side, while on the other remained a rusting latrine seat and showerhead that looked ready to wobble off any second. Even with his flickering flame, the shower did not attract the usual irksome glance from Eoin; the lingering smell of the sewer was well on his scales.
"Indeed," Eoin said, floorboards thudding with his tapping feet. "We may have our differences, but at least we share a desire for a happy life when this is all over. So much as I can tell, Chimera will not reveal our presence here, which should give us the time we need to set the plan in motion."
"Sure hope so," Piolu replied, ragged fur plume wavering with his exhale. "We've been taking a lot of risks to set this stage of yours in motion. Been going decent so far, but now that we're putting cards on the table, I wanna make sure we've got everything planned for. Seen too much suffering here already to risk it getting worse."
The Stoutland's snout quivered a bit near the end. Argon's own spine shivered seeing the infinitesimal spark in his glazed over stare. She shot a glance over to Eoin, returning the Pallid's slow nod.
"W-Well then," Argon asked, "What exactly is the plan for overcoming this? I've been with the guild for a fair bit; I've seen the amount of planning and resources they have to keep up for something like this. H-How can we get pokemon to change their minds, if no one even knows what's happening here, and guards like that Deerling can cut off food from pallids that are already only a few steps away from starving?"
Perhaps the biggest surprise to Argon, was that tinge of a smile that began forming against Eoin's stare. His flame flickered a bit more, and with a reignited blaze to his step, the Charmander went to the center of the room, locking his gaze with Argon as he took a knee.
"We had similar thoughts after I first arrived, and me and Piolu supervised the inception of this movement. While we don't have all the details figured out, we have come to the conclusion that the best chance of giving the beings here an equal standing across Faire is… is… "
Eoin blinked, word stuck on the tip of his tongue. The Pallid looked down, direction of his scowl moving between the floor and his own two claws. Seeing this, Piolu took a few steps next to the Charmander. He reached his single claw out, giving Eoin a pat that seemed to jolt him back to attention.
"Revolution," Piolu said.
The word left the Stoutland almost blankly, said as if the answer to an elementary-level history question. Jumping back to attention, Eoin looked up, tail swishing slowly against the floor.
"We're gonna build a world where pallids don't have to live in fear," Piolu said, voice low and gravelly. "Where a pokemon doesn't have to live behind barbed wire and doesn't feel like they gotta bow their head when somemon with a badge walks up to them. To do this, we gotta gain their respect, and to do that, we need to show them that we aren't gonna back down. That's worth fighting for, no?"
As the room lulled to a second of silence, Argon did not say a word to object. Eoin, however, could scarcely ignore the way the Raichu fiddled with her paws, nor how she glanced over her shoulder. She stared back at one of the cracks in the wall, almost as if looking for something. In tandem, Eoin drew his claws against the ground, scraping them against the mishmash of floorboards until stopping at one particular gap.
"To clarify," Eoin said, "a social revolution in equal parts to a physical one. In the best case, a moral fight in our fight for morals. We can clear up some more of its characteristics at the meeting tonight, but for now a more physical demonstration will work just as well."
Argon's ears perked up in realization, seeing Eoin's claw trace up the crack in the floorboard until settling on a point where the nails seemed just a bit more rusted than usual. As he raised the loose board, the interconnected ones went with it, forming a makeshift door that laid flush against the floorboards. Any ignorant pokemon would be none the wiser.
Secret panel raised, the contents below drew an equally curious glance from the Raichu. A single vertical board divided the two compartments below the floor. On the left, it looked more akin to a horizontal bookshelf. Rows upon rows of faded novels lined the hidey hole. Torn, stained, they seemed held together by no more than aged glue and a prayer. Leaning down to the floor, Argon grabbed one of the particularly lengthy books in her hand, running her paw over the leather-bound cover.
"'The Awakening," Argon read, "A Pithy Summation of the Unalienable Liberty of All'? You've… you've been a busy Charmander ever since Uxie brought you from that cave, haven't you?"
Eoin's claws fidgeted and he grinned. Piolu kept his own smile, though his neck tilted in perturbation at the mention of Uxie. Kneeling next to her, Eoin traced his own hand to a lower shelf. He took a book from the pile, though Argon could not help but see that the paper held in his claw seemed… newer. It was more of a pamphlet than anything, a stark contrast to the inch wide spine of the prior novel that felt heavy enough to crusha toe when dropped. What the pamphlets lacked in length, however, they more than made up in quantity.
"Very much so," Eoin replied, eyes taking up a nostalgic flare. "The knowledge he gave me, I vowed to provide for the downtrodden here. It is easy to oppress with ignorance, but when one is given the knowledge to question, that is the first step for inspiring dissensions."
"When he first arrived and started smuggling in those novels, pretty much all the folk here couldn't make heads or tails of it," Piolu continued, giving a slight chuckle. "Includin' yours truly. When we got together and started brewing up ideas, though, we were able to cut down the hundred coin words in those books into something that every pallid between the old hands like me and that fresh meat Mightyena could rally behind."
The Stoutland paused for a second, letting the giggle turn into a horse laugh. From there, a breath hitched on his throat, and he turned to the floor to let out a few coughs. Looking back up at the two, Piolu straightened his posture.
"Should have seen'em once I was able to assemble a decent crowd here. Pallids were practically eating out of his hand like he had just come back with a new ration card. I'd be lying to say I hadn't been drumming this up for a while, but Eoin here was the one who helped pallids believe they could have just as much brains as the high and mighty pokemon in that building… not to mention one of the only ones that can fit their rear into the drainage pipe. Will only help now that folks see we have ones like you—the good ones—on our side."
"I-I'm not alone," Argon replied, glancing down at the novel's author line as she set it back down into the stack. "At least… I hope I'm not. I've worked with good pokemon on the guild, even ones at the higher teams. T-The problem is probably ignorance. I lived for years back on West Faire, and as far as I can tell me and the pokemon around me never knew what's happening here. If we can fix that? Well, we might be able to change their perspectives."
Piolu's eyes shifted a bit hearing the Raichu's words, coming out of view as the Stoutland made an about face and walked to the other side of the cabin. He looked toward a beam of light shining down from a crack in the ceiling, letting out a slow sigh when it faded. Looking above, a series of grey clouds now covered the sky.
"Might help, but I've seen here firsthand how the pokemon that do know will either lay back in approving silence, or sit around with their claws up their butts so long as the Girafarig upstairs makes sure their checkbooks are filled. 'Course, there might be other 'mons like you out there, Argon, but I can't risk all the pallids here going gently back to their work if that's not the case. If we're gonna earn our freedom, we have to be more… direct. Go right up to their doorstep and show them they can't just leave us to rot."
"Which will be undoubtedly difficult," Eoin said, "what with the security here and ensuring our intentions are clear to the populace. For the moment, however, this is our tentative plan."
Seeing Eoin shuffle over to the rightmost compartment, Argon followed suit, using her tail as a makeshift cushion. She had to admit, it was an impressive sight what laid over the dirt, if a little crude. Two wide mounds of sand jutted out about a foot apart. The western most mound was more or less flat, contrasting to the valleys, piles, and trenches of the eastern one. What it lacked in elevation, however, it more than made up with the frequent circles drawn in the sand, the biggest ones being closer to the edge of the mound. One circle near the edge was particularly prominent, not only due to its size, but the dashed line in the sand that stretched out from it across the sea of dirt separating the two piles. It took Argon only a second to instantly recall each shape.
"That's Pith Town, right?" Argon asked, pointing to the circle. "I guess… you can't get closer to the Guild's doorstep than that. The line though, hmm…"
Eoin nodded, tracing the line with his claw across the sea of dirt. Reaching the eastern mound, it settled on another circle close to the edge, this one close to some inch wide twigs that jutted out of the dirt like a game of battleship. The dashed line then went to a prominent X in the middle of the mound, stationed just a few inches away from the highest point of sand. Even looking at it, Argon felt a slight shiver; it couldn't do the cold of the mountain justice.
"Provided we get all the pallids outside of this camp before the Guild has time to effectively respond," Eoin said, "we'll march to Port Opstand and requisition the merchant ships garrisoned there while their crews are on break. From there, we sail to Pith Town, raise our voices to the populace as we garrison ourselves outside of the Guild Hall, and… pray to Arceus that they listen to our pleas. We need time to make the further details like clockwork, but this is our source of hope for all those indentured here."
As Eoin spoke, Argon couldn't help but notice the tepid demeanor in his tone near the end. She looked back to the X. While true, it was sizable on its own, when put up against the many circles on the western mound, it had the appearance of Carvanah in a sea of Sharpedo.
"A-And… somemons gotta make sure they have enough of a perspective that they'll understand why you're doing this. That's why you brought me here from the beginning, isn't it?"
None said a word. Argon's eyes widened a bit staring down to the line connecting the two islands, realizing the sudden burst of tension that now hit with each new thought on the topic. As she stared towards the finer details of the line, the Raichu noticed a discarded bit of glass half buried in the dirt. Another shiver hit her, seeing nothing but her own pensive gaze across its rough surface. She surprised herself not flinching when Eoin placed his hand on her shoulder, the warmth a welcome respite.
"It still doesn't guarantee that they won't slaughter us all while we're surrounded," Piolu huffed, "or that they'll give a damn about the likes of us if they don't have to, but it's a start. Not like they're just gonna let us waltz up to a newspaper and plaster their skeletons on the front page."
Argon lifted her paw to her chin, a spark of inspiration emanating from the Raichu's cheeks, before being stored in her conscious. Eoin's flame seemed to flicker though the touch, shown by his frequent shifts to looking toward the two mounds, and the Stoutland who's gaze seemed to cut a clean line between the two. Raising to his feet, Eoin fiddled with his claws.
"We will figure it out," Eoin said."I have faith. Even in the darkest of times, the best of pokemon nature will light the way. In the meantime, we must gather our forces to set the stage tonight. Could you take care of that, Piolu? Argon and I will finish off our debrief."
The Stoutland's ears seemed to perk up at the request. With barely a word, he made his way to the door, before stopping as Piolu's brow furrowed, and his leaden eyes trailed round the room.
"Would be my pleasure, Eoin," Piolu replied, before making his way to a familiar satchel strewn across the floor. "Once I'm back, though, most of us wouldn't mind hearing what the story is with this. We're only gonna be able to weather the storm ahead if we're all frank."
Simultaneously, Piolu's paw took hold of the satchel, a seeping blue radiance continually poking out of its confines. In one smooth action, he slid it to Eoin's feet. The floorboards scraped as a metallic edge poked out of its corner, drawing Eoin's gaze.
"Indeed," Eoin replied, looking back up to match Piolu's stare. "For now, just know that it shouldn't be essential to the plan, at least not yet. Simply an artifact entrusted to me by an old friend. Chimera divulged that a Zorua we traveled with on the mountains seemed to have a vested interest in it… and that she might hold more unique ties to our foe than I initially imagined."
Piolu's leftmost ear tuft raised a bit, though neither Argon nor Eoin could link it to any particular phrase. His usual droll less demeanor firmly shut, the Stoutland turned around, shuffling out of the door and ambling towards a group of pallids a field away. Once he was a decent distance apart, Eoin closed the door. The pallid slouched as darkness again enveloped them both. Argon's own cheeks sparked a bit from the memories of a Zorua running through her mind, though her shift to analyzing Eoin kept the dots from fully connecting. He let out a deep sigh, releasing a breath even he didn't remember holding.
"E-Eoin?" Argon asked, voice lowering half an octave. "What's on your mind? I-uh… I've been around you long enough to tell when something is giving you trouble."
Eoin's grey pupils widened a bit, though after a second of thought he gave a conceding nod.
"Yes actually, though I assure nothing of your causing. I-It's just… should you assume the role of a bridgemaker in the days to come, I fear it may not be a one sided affair."
A plink of water thumped against the roof through the silence. Another soon followed, more joining in to form an artillery barrage of rain against the buckling shingles. Argon's gaze slowly drifted up, seeing the grey clouds overhead having turned a darker shade. Before the Raichu could speak, a gust of wind hit the rattling walls, ripping open one of their few addorning windows. From their peripheral vision, the two could see pallids and pokemon alike attempting to fight off the onslaught. Argon's gaze drifted to Eoin's claws, and then her own, before muttering a silent thanks that the two were able to keep them dry, at least temporarily.
"E-Eoin," Argon said, eyes widening in a long, sudden stare towards the pouring outside. "How… just how aggressive is this revolution going to be?I-I don't doubt its for a good cause, but what will happen to pokemon like that Deerling?"
The Pallid bit his lip, a brief ember leaving his maw like a candle flickering out.
"I don't know yet. If I had my way, not spilling a drop of blood would take precedence above all else, but I have to accept the fact that there are other pallids here with a different perspective. For all my rhetoric, I've only had a month here to build support, while pokemon like Piolu have had twenty years here to both suffer and earn the companionship of the destitute. He's been a reliable compatriot, and without him I wouldn't have half the following to plan the revolution that I do, but… his viewpoint makes him a bit aggressive towards those that many here believe are beyond redemption. If we work together, though, I hope we will not need to make anymore compromises between pragmatism and idealism than we need to."
Eoin's wording did little to calm the tension fueled sparks from Argon's cheeks, nor her quickened glances towards the window as every single fur on the Raichu seemed to stick up. Joining her side, Eoin pointed out of the window, towards three separate towers stationed between the shed and the treeline, area in between as flat as a dirt yard.
"Like Piolu said, very few pokemon here besides you and I can fit through the tunnel. If we are to have even a chance at getting our forces to Port Obstand before the guild can encircle us, those three towers need to be… dealt with. I suggested attempting a quick knockout, but with many of the pallid's less than enthusiastic attitudes towards their captors, they've been apprehensive of taking the risk. Even then, that is the bare minimum of violence likely required if we are to gain our liberty. I… I don't like it anymore than the next 'mon, but I can't well judge when my existence has had less than a tenth of their suffering. The best we can do might be ensuring no fallout after the fact."
The Pallid's face was mourning, begging even, his tail flame but a dull cinder. Argon's was all too similar, though the tinge of acceptance in Eoin's eyes had not yet infected. Instead, she looked on, lingering on the faces of pokemon above and pallid below. Of the former, a Graveler and Marowak were supervising a group of pallids scurrying to keep what rations they were given dry. A familiar Stoutland occasionally walked past one of the working Pignite, whispering into his ear while the Graveler and Marowak weren't looking, and receiving a nod in turn.
Argon looked down, spotting the golden pattern still pinned to her bag, before looking back to the verbatim design on the Graveler and Marowak's own. A chill ran up her spine: one she could tell wasn't due to the rain.
"B-But… are they really that different from me?" Argon asked, drawing an inquisitive glance from Eoin.
"That's an unfair comparison," Eoin replied. "You've shown more kindness to me and my kind than any of the collaborating pokemon here have."
Argon turned around, straightening her posture from her tail as a lifetime of memories seemed to flow through her conscious.
"A-At the end of the day, that's only because of dumb luck. I joined the guild same as them. Did everything I was asked just like them. That Graveler and Marowak, just a few months ago they were sitting next to me at a cafe trying to bring me out of my shell. If I had lagged just a bit less advancing, or wasn't lucky enough to run into you in that cave, I-I could have been the pokemon sitting up in that tower or giving Chimera that tour. If we do nothing, the pallids here keep suffering. If we act, then whatever happens, decent beings on both sides are gonna get hurt, or worse…"
Eoin's eyes widened, glum silence overtaking the two as rain continued plinking against the roof. An attempt to speak from the Pallid found little purchase, thoughts a myriad against Argon's words. He looked out of the window, first towards the grey pokemon on the fields, then to the few guild members supervising and in the towers above, before quickly shifting back to Argon's own features. Repeating the process, Eoin could little decide which to linger on most. Instead, he slumped, the closest thing he had to shoulders slouching.
"I-I… yes, I concede that. For better or worse, we must make the best of the options we have. At the meeting tonight, your input should be instrumental in stirring this revolution as dry as it can be. I—arrghhh…"
"E-Eoin?" Argon yelped.
He slumped over, paw taking Argon's for support. Almost immediately after the Pallid had fallen, he turned to Argon, the two sharing a knowing, forlorn look. The slight narrowing of his pupils, though not as prevalent as usual, was undeniable.
"Which… which Eoin will I be talking to soon?" Argon asked.
The Pallid blinked, then blinked again, pupils flickering in and out with a snakelike frequency. His expression turned inward, as if begging, pleading to the air before him and sky above. He needed not mutter now, for it was a wasted effort when the thoughts of civil and feral alike shared the same mind. His arm shook, barely stopping itself from lunging forward until a familiar sense of warmth grabbed it. Forcing his eyes open, Eoin was able to find a sense of focus, that being the two paws grasping his claws that, for the time, allowed the Pallid to crawl control back.
"T-the more academic of the two, for better or worse," Eoin replied. "The one that wears goggles and is still afraid of heights. Thank you for helping me out of it. I suppose it better the creature inside me vie for its turn now and not when I am in front of any guards, i-it's just… the timing still leaves much to be desired."
"Wait," Argon replied, "you don't mean—"
Her ears fell at Eoin's tepid nod. In an instant, both Raichu and Charmander peeked out of the window, the latter having a slight stupor. A beaming, orange radiance of light filtered through the cracks in the walls, its source reflecting against the long blanket of clouds as it made its descent below the horizon. With the rain stopping, and darkness beginning to dominate the increasingly star lined sky, the outside pallids had gone back to their work. Foremost of them was Piolu, who after spotting Eoin and Argon peek through the window, returned a distant nod that could only mean all was ready. About two or three dozen other pallids scattered the fields, a number Argon realized was just enough to crowd into the shed. She looked to pallids, and then to Eoin, seeing a hint of panic in his eyes.
"They'll be expecting me," Eoin replied, voice the slightest bit resigned, "they'll be expecting both of us, and significant enough leadership to rally them as the plan is set into place. I should be able to get through my speech. However, I hope it doesn't need to come to it, but in my present condition, there's a chance that…"
Neither needed any help to fill in the rest. An unspoken connotation filling the air, Argon felt her breath hitch in her throat. Her gaze wandered, fur crawling up on end as she stared towards the Raichu reflected in the glass. The one that seemed to gesture back with her own irises to the awaiting pallids outside, the one that seemed to return her panicked stare with blue eyes that loomed like the sky overhead. Eoin's own anxious look toward her asked his own unspoken question. Giving one last glance to the Raichu in the glass, Argon tidied her footing. She levitated over to grab one of the pamphlets, before returning Eoin her own quivering nod.
"I-I understand. We'll...just have to see if it comes to it."
Whether by Argon's assistance in providing a comforting presence to focus on, carefully planned negotiations with his own conscious, or sheer dumb luck, Eoin was able to hold on. Darkness had long fallen over the work farm, moonlight taking its place to filter through the cracks in the shed walls. A single lantern hung from one of the walls, giving a faint illumination that could barely reach each shaded corner. Eoin's own ember seemed to flicker with trepidation as he and Argon sat on an unassuming crate under the lantern. Charmander's eyes tapering just a bit more, and his hand squeezed firmly around her arm, Argon cast Eoin a smile. While his hastily swaying tail could only illuminate in a metaphorical sense, it seemed to brighten the room all the same.
One by one, the pallids filtered in. A Mightyena, a Talonflame, and a Skiddo among about two dozen others, each lead into the shed by a certain Stoutland, and each casting a wary eye towards the first pokemon with no grey hue to ever attend such a meeting. Grabbing a handful of leaflets from the secret compartment, Eoin went to work distributing them to the increasing flow of pallids. Argon did likewise, though after thanking a younger looking Drednaw for attending, and levitating one of the booklets in front of it, her gaze was drawn to one of the many times Eoin had lifted his claw to his temple, eyes closing in ever increasing irritation.
Before long, the room was filled, though one could barely tell from the outside. Despite being packed nearly shoulder, to wing, to mane in the unassuming confines of the shed, the pallids made barely a peep. Comments were kept to brief whispers, eyes combing over scanning past the handwritten, monochrome title on the pamphlet simply labeled 'The Colors of Change'. As Piolu opened the door to let the last of the pallids in, Argon caught a glimpse of one of the guard towers. WIth its distance, the Raichu surmised that any excess talk from the shed would no doubt arise suspicion.
Door closing behind them, and Piolu holding a watchful gaze through the fields for any unwelcome guests, Eoin took three deep breaths. Summoning his courage, he stood up to plant his feet on the crate. Argon was of a similar disposition, and as the Pallid awkwardly stumbled his way on a crate, she had laid her paw on his tail to steady him. She let go as Eoin regained his footing, the motion almost as if he was passing a torch.
"Attention," Eoin said.
His tone had been little louder than any inside voice, and yet in but a few seconds, the room was completely silent. All eyes went to the Pallid, his posture against the crowd of anxious stares seeming like he had done this before. Piolu watched next to the door, and Argon looked up from the foot or so of elevation the crate gave him. Even with his platform, Eoin needed to stand on his tippy toes to lock eyes with the taller pallids of the crowd.
"Thank you," Eoin said before clearing his throat. "I know the road has been difficult, the hours long, the mind and body aching. In but a few months, however, we shall have set the course that will ensure the liberties deserved by every being are within ourselves, and that every drop of sweat is our own."
A soft yet consistent murmur of approval rippled through the crowd of pallids. Smiles were all around, though neither Argon nor Eoin could know completely which section they referenced. While Argon cast her own grin up to Eoin, her fur tensed up; Arceus knew against the monochrome crowd, she stood out like the target of the world's easiest 'Where's Pikachu?' book. Letting a silence float through the air that seemed too well rehearsed to be unplanned, the Pallid begun again.
"That journey begins now. Though our foes of pokemon and ignorance alike are formidable ones, if we all stick with our part to play, peace, liberty, and respect will crown our success."
"Respect!" a Bisharp said through the crowd, a second passing before the pallid realized his excess tone. Looking around, however, it did little to dampen their enthusiasm.
"They won't push us around any longer," another chanted.
"Finally time to show that two-face and his pawns what we're made of."
"Hear! Hear!"
The subsequent whispers grew to a soft rumble, a newfound energy seeming to course through the crowd. Seeing the smiles all around, Argon did her best to match it, though she could not ignore the tense shiver that ran up her spine. Her maw opened, yet the Raichu couldn't find the words to interrupt their cheers. Instead, she glanced over to Eoin, sharing a slight nod that confirmed the Pallid's own flickering flame. Taking a few seconds to pick his words, Eoin held a claw up. The action drew silence over the room, even if the murmurs did take a bit longer to die down.
"We have much to be done to achieve these ends," Eoin said, standing with a posture more assured than the Raichu could ever remember prior. "Supplies must be gathered to feed the hungry and starving in preparation for the revolution. Our tactics for escape must be fine-tuned and practiced. Perhaps most importantly, we need time to organize a message to the populace that clearly states our intention. You all have a part to play in the days to come, and I…I-I…"
As the lamp above his head flickered to its last reserve of wax, the Pallid knew that he was done. His once confident posture fell to a slouch as his eyes closed, nearly falling off of the crate in the process. Forcing one last inkling of control, he looked to Argon. A solemn look exchanged told that the inevitable had happened. Though Argon knew not why, she was able to spring into action before panic set in. Grabbing hold of Eoin's claw with one paw, and lifting her other to her temple, Argon was able to steady him, allowing the Charmander to look one last time towards the crowd from atop the box. Though some gasped, most simply let out an understanding nod at the predicament, some even exhaling exasperated sighs.
"T-thank you for your patience," Eoin said, words spilling out of his mind a mile a minute. "W-Without further ado, I would like to introduce the warmhearted pokemon who has agreed to help us in our cause. I will allow her to continue the meeting with some introductions, I trust that you all will—arrghh!"
Eoin opened his eyes, knowing that the next time he closed them, there would be a somewhat different Charmander at the controls. Feeling Argon's paw clench around his claw with greater urgency, the Pallid stepped down from the crate, turning to look the Raichu in the eye. A menagerie of apologies, thoughts, and panicked questions threatened to escape his maw, all stopping at the sight of Argon's eyes. No doubt equally as panicked, but unwavering enough to confirm the Raichu's own newfound drive. Not saying another word, Eoin nodded, closing his eyes without a struggle.
"N-No need to worry," Argon said, fighting off the tremors as best she could as Eoin's breaths turned to growls. "I… I got this."
Argon's cheeks gave off brief sparks that shined faintly in the near darkness. She took a deep breath, before stepping onto the crate. All eyes seemed to stare at her at once, towards the strange, unassuming Raichu previously known to both camp and revolution.
"H-Hey everyone," Argon said, her own tone only just audible through the room. "I'm—"
Just like that, Argon's mouth and thoughts alike locked up. She cursed inside, her fight or flight instinct acting up against the dozens of eyes staring at her, whose pupils all seemed to reflect against the lantern ember like stage lights.
Push yourself through it, Argon. Long overdue you had to do something like this. You… you have pokemon that are relying on you now. This is the first step to being better.
"I'm Argon," she said, almost sighing in relief at the impromptu pep talk. Before her mind could lock up any more, however, she felt a slight poke. The Raichu turned, eyes widening meeting the gaze of a smiling Charmander. A second past of silence, the outside world seeming to fade into oblivion. The Charmander beamed a giddy and undoubtedly feral grin, its tail causing brief wisps of smoke as it wagged to and fro. She couldn't exactly put her paw on it, but… the words seemed to come easier, worries soothed even knowing the support she received wasn't from the same Eoin.
"Most of you don't know me," Argon said, anxiety slowly washing away as a soft, almost purring growl left Eoin's maw. "A-and for good reason. Before I came across Eoin, and… someone else, I was more or less like any other pokemon in the guild. Just went day to day, doing my job. T-too focused on running away from responsibility and hardship to consider something like this could exist."
The eager anticipation of the surrounding pallids faded a tad. A few pairs of eyes toward the Raichu shifted, realizing the faint reflection of the lantern against the guild badge pinned to her bag. For the most part, however, they kept silent, motioning Argon to go on as she scratched the back of her neck.
"Now though, I-I wanna try and be better. Want to try and have… everymon be better. If we can work together to show all the pokemon across Faire what's happening here, and let them understand that pokemon and pallids deserve to live side by side with them, t-then… we might build a future based on mutual respect."
"What right do they have for respect?"
A sharp breeze accompanied the silence of the exclamation, causing the fragile wooden door of the cabin to shudder on its hinges. Holding the door closed, Piolu joined the others in identifying the source, finding it to be a small Carkoal. Only the pallid's simmering coal stack peaked above the crowd, not even able to lock eyes with Argon until the crowd had made some room between them. A few pallids gave questioning looks, though most joined Piolu in keeping a neutral stare.
"I...I mean it," the Carkoal said, rocky body jittering upon realization that all eyes were on him. "After they keep us locked up here for decades doing their dirty work, hold some on the brink of starvation to control us, and don't even have the courage to tell the rest of Faire that we exist, why should we feel the need to give them what they've held from us for our entire lives? We can't gain our freedom if we're going in with one claw tied behind our backs, and they're sure not gonna stop from cutting us down if they know we won't hit back."
As quiet as a whisper, a murmur of agreement began from a pallid in a far off corner, spreading slowly but surely to a couple more. Argon's fur tensed up at the question. Her paws rubbed over themselves as her mind took to drafting a response. A couple of pallids held claws, paws, or wings to their bellies, while others looked down to eye the scars a life of labor caused. Standing up straight on all fours, Piolu stepped forward, those in the crowd parting until he had taken a position close to the Carkoal's side.
"Kid has a point," Piolu said, eyeing those in the crowd one by one, before looking to Argon with a furrowed brow. "So long as they have the power, they don't have a reason, or a need to listen to us if we don't have any leverage. A rattata's words sound pretty cheap to a hungry seviper, but if they understand that blood is on the line, blood that is actually valuable to them, well… it might be our only chance. Sure, they have an army out there, but here, we outnumber any guards ten to one."
As the lantern above Argon's head dwindled to a cinder, a vine raised from a Ivysaur in the crowd, lifting up another lantern between the Raichu and Stoutland to replace it. Having more wax, and a thicker wick, the lantern blazed a burning flame, one that seemed to crackle with the ever increasing mutters of the crowd. 'Makes sense', 'Reckless', 'Poor odds', 'The only way', all phrases Argon could catch. All eyes seemed to point towards the Raichu with the growing murmuring. A couple somewhat aggressive, though most befuddled, their faces flickering in the light as a single question ran through their minds.
"I'm up for following any plan you 'mons think best," the Carkoal said, tone an echo of the crowd, "but...why? What's one decent reason we should feel the need to care about them now?"
"I hate to put you on the spot," Piolu continued, "but the troops here deserve to know that much. 'Specially if there's a risk one of the makers of this plan might not be… all there, when we cross the point of no return."
Eoin seemed unaware of the comment, deferring to resting on the floor while his wide, grey eyes beamed toward Argon. The Raichu attempted to find some solace in those eyes, mind working a mile a minute attempting to parse together a suitable answer.
"B-because…"
Her cheeks crackled like a circuit under stress.
"Because…"
Tone only moderately reassured, Argon's gaze absently scanned over the feral Charmander. The prior events of the past month cycled through her mind. Her spine shivered, the air in the room taking an almost underground chill to it. Clarity seemed too far out of reach, until… she froze, light from the shaking lantern shifting to reveal the faint outline of a scar on the edges of Eoin's tail.
"Because it's a cycle," Argon said.
"Hmm?" A voice rang out from the crowd.
Piolu's brow furrowed, many pallids joining in as the Raichu began to rally. From atop the crate, Argon took a knee, looking each pallid in the eye before slowly placing her paw on the back of Eoin's neck.
A gasp erupted through the crowd along with a quick chirp from Eoin. All eyes went to the Pallid, half expecting the feral charmander to burst into panic at the outsider's touch. One second passed, then two, then three, until it became abundantly clear that, to the once aggressive being leaning into Argon's paw, nothing could be further from a stranger.
"E-Eoin and I weren't too different when my partner and I first came across him in a dungeon," Argon said, "we both thought the other was mindless, that they wouldn't listen, t-that the best thing to do was attack with a thunderbolt or flamethrower until the other was unconscious… or worse, and move on with our day. We both spent our whole lives living to that cycle, not thinking anything of it. But, it didn't have to be that way."
Argon figured a fair portion of the grey pokemon could be colored unmoved, though most could not hide their uncertainty at the sight of a feral pallid leaned so trustingly against the Raichu's paw. The piercing eyes of a Corviknight glazed over as it seemed to look back to days past. More soon followed, every flicker of the lantern revealing pallids in recollection of feral minds and actions.
"I-I… we never knew then that it didn't have to be blood against blood," Argon said, taking their stares as permission to continue. "We never knew that rising up with a gesture of kindness was what it took to change the unchangeable."
With a quivering paw, Argon reached forward, grasping Eoin's tail just below the Pallid's gingerly flowing ember. The flame jumped up a bit with a chirp from the Charmander, though lulled back with the Raichu's touch. Lifting the tail for all to see, all eyes went to the scar on Eoin's tail.
"A partner who had more than a few reasons to dislike Eoin helping to bandage his wound, A-a berry held out when he was trapped… or a pallid that had every instinct to attack me instead choosing to—"
Argon let out her own yelp as Eoin leaned his neck into her stomach, a soft purring noise leaving his maw that all of the surrounding pallids could hear. A few gasps went through the crowd, though most simply felt their expressions soften.
"To do that," Argon said, letting out a quick chuckle.
"That's all well and good," Piolu said, gesturing to the Carkoal at his side, "but a single 'mon and pallid is a whole lot different from us and them. How can you be sure two-face will be as willing to change as you and cuddlemander? Too many lives here to risk on a hunch."
Still levitating on her tail, Argon rose up, until she was close enough to the ceiling for all to see, and the beacon of the lantern was joined by her at its side. Though questions, objections, and trepidations ran through body and mind, there was no more room left to waver.
"I don't," Argon replied, "b-but… there are too many lives at risk not to try and break the cycle. I-I know I'm in no position to make demands after how much you all suffered, and how much I supported it. But please, I ask that we all give it a chance, showing ourselves to the pokemon out there without attacking. It may not look like it, but there are good pokemon out there, and if we can show them that the only thing you all want is to be treated with respect, w-well, we might be able to get out of the system we're all trapped in."
A silence filled the room, one Argon could not tell whether it was from a crowd of shock, acceptance, or disinterest. For a half second, a vision of the last time the Raichu had to make a speech (still a Pichu, and at the instruction of a certain ninetales) flashed through her eyes. For all the curious stares she faced then and now, the stakes of how those of the latter would turn were much higher than personal shame.
"... I believe her."
As quiet as a whismur, a Lombre near the center of the crowd was the source. Argon had flinched at the voice, needing a second to comprehend the pallid's genuine nature. Another pallid joined in, murmuring slightly louder, and another, until a soft majority of the crowd was offering tentative agreement. The Carkoal offered its own nod, while Piolu, looked at the surrounding crowd, grunted a quiet affirmative.
"Makes sense."
"Best to be the better 'mon on this."
"They'll listen… at least I hope to Arceus they do."
"Somemon's coming!"
The flow of adrenaline through Argon's body at the pallid's agreeance and cheers, while unlike anything she had experienced beforehand, was cut short by the call. A voice called out from the field, matching the tone of a Deerling.
"H-hello?! Something going on in there? You all know the rules. Gotta get nighttime inspection done before any of us can get some shuteye."
The pallids moved with an efficiency Argon could guess was well rehearsed. The world around Charmander and Raichu went into motion as pallids set themselves on the stacked shelves; some snored convincingly enough to fool her if she hadn't seen them standing up seconds before. Any footprints revealing signs of assembly were dusted off, and all the pamphlets were hastily shoved into one of the trap doors. As the final stages were set, Piolu approached the two, giving a few quick taps to the last open hidey hole.
"Best the two of you get yourselves comfy in there," Piolu said, hastily glancing to the door as Flora's voice drew closer. "No offense, but it wouldn't do the cause any good for her to see either of you right now. I'll stall her as long as I can."
Not having any time to object, Argon ushered Eoin and herself into the sparse confines of the trapdoor, hearing a lurching thud as the door closed on top of them. Only Argon's paw to the ferals lips kept him from coughing when a bit of sand went into his maw. As the two laid on their sides beside each other, they heard another creak from the door, as well as the footsteps of a single pokemon leaving.
"Flora, was it?" Piolu said, "Yeah, sorry for the noise. Couple of the 'mons were still a bit riled up from the storm. Some thing, wasn't it?"
"I guess so," Flora replied, giving a slow yawn. "L-Let's just get this over with. I'm sure we all know the drill by now."
Any attention Argon had to the conversation cut off when she saw Eoin blink. She knew that blink. Knew it as well as the feral growls that had brought the Pallid to his state in the first place. Another soon followed, and in their predicament, Argon couldn't tell whether she was more relieved or panicked.
"W-Wha?" Eoin said, voice halfway between a growl, "What happened? Did it… did it go we—"
Eoin was shushed again by Argon's paw to his lips, as well as two sets of footsteps creaking against the flooring above. The Pallid's expression took a gloomy nature realizing where he was; he could scarcely look Argon in the eye, for in her irises he knew he'd see his own reflection.
"I-uh, yeah," Argon replied, voice a whisper only Eoin's close presence could detect. "A-as well as it could have, I guess."
The lingering bits of adrenaline in the Raichu weren't difficult to spot, and where shame had fallen oven the pallid's conscious, an equal parts of relief went with it. Taking a deep breath, his eyes turned bright, not the feral giddiness of before, but equal in spirit.
"Then… thank you, Argon. My only regret is that I couldn't have been there to assist. You stepped up where I couldn't, and because of that, the stage is set."
The Raichu's cheeks crackled in excitement. For all the reassurances between them, however, they were again belated, as Argon's gaze drew over to a small pebble in between them. It was an inconsequential thing, but in its stony visage, Argon could almost see the body of a Bagon under it. Her thoughts drew back, blue scales through a dilapidated toolshed flashing through her vision as if the last time they had spoken was not hours, but months ago.
"I-I guess it is," Argon replied, a tinge of anxiety sparking through her cheeks. "We still have a long way to go, and a lot to sort out between the three of us, but nothing's happened so far that we can't handle. I'll make sure to brew some grepa berries on our way back to Pith Town. A-and… there's something about Chimera I should probably tell you on our way back."
Not another word was said between the two as the inspection came and went. The moon continued its ascent over the sky in preparation for a new day, the only source of guidance those in the shed had, as the blazing lantern above was put out.