Chapter 9 - Who Are You?

I feel my elbows rubbing against the streaked stone table as I once again read the Training Manual, now completing my fourth run through.

The points at which I've rested my elbows have long since lost their cool as the table absorbs my body heat. While I don't have a clock by which to tell time - and I'm equally lacking in the ability to judge from the sunlight - I feel as though I can safely say that I've spent at least forty-five minutes reading this manual, if not an hour.

I set the scroll down and review the steps necessary to unlock Secret Power's potential

Inner peace - check.

Let's see, now I have to firmly plant my hands and feet on the ground…

… okay, check.

I lower my head and close my eyes. According to the manual, step three requires me to focus on this nebulous feeling deep inside myself. I'm supposed to envision some sort of golden light - a mist which-

Woah!

I am suddenly hit with a large burst of sensory information - colours and sights too intense for me to process in the moment. Immediately, I find myself entirely discombobulated and disoriented.

I get up and open my eyes, blinking rapidly for a moment. My concentration was broken by my own surprise.

I feel my heart beating in my chest, an excitement arising in me that I hadn't even been aware I was experiencing. My breathing becomes ever so slightly heavier, and my head is alight with the images that I can hardly believe I'd seen

In envisioning this golden mist, I found myself confronted with a view that I can still only barely parse.

The centre of my chest had been a pulsing cobalt glow, shining out from my heart. From this iridescent core dangled a single silver string, disconnected from anything but myself.

The room itself was coated in a subtle layer of technicolour motion. Tiny points, too small to see individually, were moving in synchronicity all around me in every colour of the rainbow. I myself was covered in this same layer, though not quite to the same extent.

Just attempting to grasp the images themselves - let alone their significance - leaves my head swimming. I've not yet encountered anything like this, but if I found Mystery Dungeons to be bizarre, then this is something that fits right alongside it on the non-literal shelf of strangeness.

I rub the bridge of my snout with my right hand. My left hand reaches to grasp my scarf, only for me to realize that I do not have my scarf.

This finally gives me the motivation I need to reorient myself, and I do so quickly. The table in front of me, the banner to my back, beds and shelf on either side of me - it all is as it should be. Everything is, in fact, except for one thing:

My scarf.

I honestly can't believe I forgot about it. Was I really so caught up in sweeping of all things? To such an extent that I would forget the single most comfortable piece of elongated neck-cloth imaginable?

Although…

I rub my neck, near where I apparently still retain my Adam's apple. Snizzy's choking move was most definitely one of the worst things I've experienced in my time here. It pains me to admit this, but perhaps I should cut the scarf down to a less exploitable size.

Something about the idea makes me feel uneasy, but I know it must be done. I never want to experience the sensation of being unable to breathe again.

Thinking back, I recall that the last time I had the scarf, I had taken it off and left it at the training area. The training area is behind the house, slightly to the left, and a fairly straight walk along a path from there. Thus, this should be a fairly simple task.

With this in mind, I walk across the cold wooden floor to the front door of the house, the little pit-patter of my feet the only thing audible.

Opening the door, I step outside into the cool afternoon air

Y'know, they say that if you wanna melt ice, you don't use fire - you use salt.

I've heard alot of explanations for it. Some 'mon have told me that it's about problem solving, other 'mon have told me that it's about making smart decisions. I dunno, it's a weird saying.

Either way, all I know is that I'm surprised Snizzy hasn't melted yet - 'cause he's pretty dang salty for an Ice type!

Though, walking down the street next to him, I gotta admit - a little uncomfortable. It's like walking with one of my old teachers, and the salt pun's fun, but this walk ain't none, son.

He's projecting this air of 'Don't talk to me,'-ness. His face is all screwed up in this harsh scowl, and his hands are clenched into fists as he power walks down the road.

As we walk, we end up passing by some market stalls. Most of them are wooden, with these big ol' colored tarps up top. All of 'em have some 'mon or 'mons selling all sortsa stuff.

Every time we pass one by, I can see the owner's opening their mouths to try and sell stuff to Snizzy, and I keep having to shake my head and wave my feathers around so they get the message to leave my boi alone.

It's not my favorite thing in the world. Especially 'cause I know some of these guys - while most of 'em get it, every now and again one of these market 'mon will end up looking all put out, and then I feel like a jerk.

I made a Furret look sad! Feels bad, 'mon.

I'm just hoping we find Ivan or Ivey soon. I just wanna buy our supplies and get outta here before Snizzy goes off on somebody.

We pass by all sorts of bug and grass 'mon as Snizzy lightly stomps his way through the Brownsville marketplace.

Honestly if we weren't both so short, I'd be worried about him accidentally stepping on someone - not that he hasn't come close, but it's pretty hard to miss the angry ice type thumping down the street with the little orange bird boi.

As we make our way past vendors and beige adobe buildings, I see it.

It is something sweet. It is something totally hype.

It is something colored all aquamarine n' yellow, with a big ol' sign up front and a big ol' tarp covering the whole thing.

It's Ivey & Ivan's TMs & Items - your one stop shop for all your dungeon and dungeoneering accessories!

I hear Snizzy grunt, and I know he's seen it too. I gulp when I hear that, 'cause I don't known if I want a pissed off Snizzster doing the talking at the only good dungeoneering store in town.

We walk towards the stand, and towards the stand's sign with the logo and a little cartoon picture of two blue-ish Snivys. We end up standing just across from it, and there's no vendor.

Alright. So. Snizzy's mad. He's real mad, actually. He looked at that poster, got all bent out, and now he's mad.

I can't just let Snizzy walk over there all angry like. If something sets him off… geez 'mon, I don't even *want* to know. Not gonna end well, I can say that much.

So what're we gonna do about this… ?

…

Oh!

I got it!

I look up at Snizzy and say, "Hey, uh…"

"What?" Snizzy replies all terse, with a major case of the scowls.

Oof. This is gonna be a tricky one, huh?

I tilt my head at him as I say, "You, uh… you gonna be good to go in there, dude? You seem a littl- "

"I'm fine," Snizzy growls through his teeth, interrupting me.

"No no no, totally dude, you're totally fine, but uh… you seem… a little tense? Y'know?" I say slowly, trying to be as delicate as I can. Snizzy's seeming extra vicious.

Snizzy glares down at me, stops, and crosses his arms.

"Do you have something you'd like to say to me, Chick?" Snizzy says.

If looks could kill, I'd be dead, 'cause Snizzy's glare cuts right through me. It's super intense, and suddenly I feel doomed and also unable to escape.

"Hey hey hey, now, c'mon Snizzy. I'm not doing anything to you, I'm not trashing you, none of that. I'm just sayin-"

"What?" Snizzy growls out, his brows and frown contorting in a really ugly way.

"… maybe I should go over there alone? Y'know? 'Cause you're really cool - literally! - but I think you should… take a break, right? Like, you can stand here and chill, and I'll go in to get us the stuff!" I say, holding my feathers behind my back as I smile sheepishly.

There's a real big, real heavy pause.

I can feel my face straining as I try to keep my super duper authentic smile on. I feel this guy's eyes boring way deep into my soul, and it makes me just wish this moment would end already.

Eventually, Snizzy sighs aggressively - somehow - and uncrosses his arms. He still looks mad, but he also doesn't look like he's gonna whup my hiney, so I'll take it!

"Fine," he says, looking away from me while holding out a piece of paper.

I say, "Huh?" as I take the paper into one of my handfeathers.

"This is our mission. Go inside, buy any relevant supplies, and then get back out here. I need to go… get something to drink," he says, before just turning and walking away.

I watch him walk down the road, passing by two Turtwigs as he goes off to do whatever it is angry Sneasels do.

Huh.

Welp. At least we're not gonna get banned from Ivey & Ivan's.

I look down at the paper that Snizzy gave me.

Let's see… okay, D-rank… Thunderwave Cave, not too bad… uh, wait. Who is this for?

I skim the mission, looking for… ah, client(s)! Right there, it says that this is a mission from… Magnemite! Alright, cool, now I…

Wait. Magnemite?

I look at the paper again, but this time I try to read the mission description. It says, "BZZZT GREETINGS. WE ARE TWO MAGNEMITES, WITH TWO MAGNEMITE FRIENDS. THEY WERE *COUGH COUGH COUGH*ING IN THE CAVES. THEY HAVE BECOME STUCK TOGETHER DUE TO THE…" blah blah blah, "…THEY ARE ONE MITE SHORT OF A TON! PLEASE HELP!"

I sigh and shake my head. You'd think that after the second time this happened, they'd learn not to go all messing around in that dumb cave.

I stuff the mission into the rescue bag, and look up at the stall across the street.

Heal seeds?

Heal seeds.

I walk through the middle of the street, dodge some Weedles, and end up in front of the stall.

Ivey & Ivan's TMs & Item's is the biggest stall in Brownsville. They're pretty much the only stall for just dungeon stuff - and there are a ton of things that count as dungeon stuff.

There are orbs, n' berries, n' scarves, TMs, regional maps - the whole shebang - all set up on shelves behind the counter.

It's a pretty nice stall, honestly. It's got this cool aquamarine n' yellow thing going on, and the wood isn't all splintery, y'know? I wouldn't say anything's missing… except, well… there's no clerk!

Lucky for me, that's where the coolest part of this whole operation comes in!

There's this big ol' bell, all squat and thick, that I can ring. If I whap it hard enough with my feathers, one of those two Snivy are gonna show up eventually.

With a big dumb smile, I raise my feathers dramatically. Pause for effect, and I deliver a mighty 'Whap!' to the bell.

Everything goes quiet, and I feel my soul shake when I hear that sound…

Ding!

Oh Arceus, it's so dumb, I love it.

Standing in front of the stall, the shadow from the tarp giving me some shade, I hear some rustling to my left.

I turn my head and see nothing, so I look back to the stall - only to find an eager Snivy giving me a big ol' grin.

"Hallo!" she says, nodding to me as she does so.

I nod back and say, "Hey Ivey, howzit goin'?"

Ivey's grin recedes to a small, pleasant smile, and she replies, "It is going well when customers are afoot!"

I smile in return, and say, "Customer, actually! Snizzy ain't here today."

She looks curiously at me, and then looks down the road both ways. Without missing a beat, she asks, "Oh? Where is your Icey friend? They are always such a cool dood."

"Oh, y'know, they went to go hash some stuff out. Important rescue stuff, probably," I say, letting the lame pun roll off my back.

"Ah, okay. 'Important rescue stuff,' I see… " She says, before sighing.

She rolls her eyes, and shakes her head with a smirk. "Such a shame… he always had the biggest…"

There's a big long pause, and she licks her lips with her thin little snake tongue.

Uhhh…

"… wallet."

I feel dumb as Ivey starts laughing at my face, to my face - and boy am I glad I got feathers, 'cause otherwise I mighta blushed.

"Heh, uh… yeah. He get's that big rescue money," I say with a little chuckle at my own expense.

Ivey clasps her hands together, plants her elbow on the counter, and leans forward. While cushioning her head on the back of her little hands, she says, "Right, rescue money... well, what were you looking to buy, dood?"

I shake the embarrassment out of my face, and respond very quickly with, "Heal seeds! Or cheri berries - whichever, I guess."

With that, a vine slowly slips its way out from behind that golden Snivy shoulder crest… thing… and reaches over to the shelves behind her. While her vine goes around the different items on her shelves, her left brow raises a little.

"Mmm, trying to avoid paralysis I see," she says, with a knowing smirk.

I smirk back and reply with, "Yeah. We gotta go to Thunderwave Cave. Those Magnemites, y'know, they-"

"- got stuck together again?" she finishes for me.

I just nod and say, "Yup."

Ivey raises a brow and a smirk, before saying, "Hmm. Two Magnemites in a secluded location, all alone, stuck together for the second time-"

"Third time," I say quickly and without thinking.

"- for the third time," she finishes. "Don't you ever wonder what they are trying to do?"

I scuff my talon against the ground while I state, "Are you trying to imply some sorta thing here?"

"You've never thought about how this keeps happening?" Ivey says with a tilt of her head and the drop of her smirk into this kinda neutral expression.

My mouth goes into a straight line. I've wondered, yeah, but I dunno about where she's taking this.

Suddenly, Ivey chuckles to herself.

"Of course - how silly of me! You? Thinking?" she says playfully.

She shakes her head, and brings her vine back to her with a little sack. She drops the bag on the counter between us.

"Here you are. Four heal seeds, four cheri berries, and I think… yes, yes, I believe there's a reviver seed in there," Ivey says cooly.

I nod my head and give a big ol' smile. "Awesome. How much is all this, dude?"

I lean down and lay the rescue bag on the ground. Then, I start digging around in there for our money. I know we should have, what, 1000 poké in there?

Ivey smiles back and says, "710 poké, dood."

Oof, that's a big chunk o' change right there. We got some to spare, but… well, I guess let's hope this either pays good or we don't have to fight too many 'mon.

Feeling around, I try to figure out which coins are which based on the size. I know the biggest ones are the hundos, but I swear 'mon I can *never* remember whether the ridged ones are the ones or the tens!

I take a big ol' talonful of coins and toss it up onto the counter. Good thing about being a Torchic - we grow some strong legs!

"Alrighty, here ya go!" I say as they land between me and Ivey.

She sorts them out with her vine, eventually ending up with five golden hundos - all the hundos we had - and a bunch of tens. When she's done, she slides over my change.

"Thank you very much, dood! Come back again, please!" Ivey says with that big giant grin of hers that she showed up with.

I close my eyes and smile, before replying with, "Thanks 'mon! I'm sure Team Aurora will be back here before you know it!"

I hear no response, and when I open my eyes, she's gone.

Huh.

'Mon, how do they do that?

…

Ah, whatever. It probably isn't important.

I take the little sack of items, stick it into the rescue bag, and walk back to me and Snizzy's spot across the street. He said to wait here, right?

…I sure hope he did.

Either way, now I gotta play the Waiting Game.

Let's see… I spy with my fiery eye something… green…

I stand at the edge of the training grounds, just past the Oran bush which marks the boundary between the forest path and the grounds proper.

My mouth is closed, lips making up a tight straight line. I taste the inside of my own mouth, hyper aware of myself and my surroundings as I stare.

In the center of the training grounds is a teal Pokémon.

They are holding a cobalt blue scarf - my cobalt blue scarf - in one leafy hand, with a large sack at their back being held in the other.

The sack is a classic burlap, filled to near bursting with a large amount of items inside.

The other 'mon looks at me with wide golden eyes as we continue to stare at eachother. My pointy Snivy nose pointing in their direction, and their pointy Snivy nose pointing in my direction.

At this point, I must confess that if I had sweat glands, I would most definitely be sweating right now.

I open my mouth to speak, so as to break the uncomfortable silence, but…

I close my mouth again.

What do I even say in this situation? Are they a theif? And, if so, am I? After all, I must imagine that they are about to take my scarf in much the same way I took that TM, so… ?

I blink.

I suppose… well, I am not certain. This confrontation cannot continue forever, though, so I have to say something.

Internally, I sigh. Externally, I am as rigid as a steel beam.

Here goes…

"…"

Come on. I know you can do it, vocal chords. Just… put the tongue on the flat of your mouth, and prepare the lips to move back. That should be an 'H' sound, which could lead into a 'Hello?', or perhaps a 'Who are you?'

Good. Adequate. Hopefully.

Okay. Lungs. Now… *push… !*

"…h-"

"Ehhh, are you… okey?" I hear from the Snivy across from me, in a slightly deeper voice. There's a subtle tang of… well, I'm not certain the exact parameters of his dialect, but it certainly feels different from Cole's manner of speech.

For a moment, I'm stunned, but I quickly shake it off. The hard part - breaking the silence - has been taken care of for me. Now I just have to be… social.

"I uh, I'm. Fine. I'm fine," I say, with all the grace of a falling log.

I quickly glance at the face of the 'mon across from me. Their lips and face are twisted in such a way that I can only really interpret amusement from their expression. I feel as though there are things I am missing, however.

"Heh, okey dood. Are you just gonna… stand there?" he asks, tilting his head to the right and rubbing the back of his head with his hand.

I respond extremely quickly with, "That's my scarf. I- g- … can you give it back to me? Please."

The other Snivy looks confused for a moment, before they suddenly let out an, "Oh!".

He holds up my cobalt blue scarf in his left hand. He gives it a look - as do I - before he turns to me once again. "Mmm… there's a difference between scavengery and thievery, so…"

He holds the scarf out in my direction.

"… take it, if it's yours," he says, whilst nodding his head to the scarf.

I take a tentative step forward, my foot shifting the worn dirt beneath it. Then, when I find that no threatening demeanor presents itself, I allow my body to relax a tiny bit.

I walk over to the other Snivy, and wordlessly grasp the scarf in my own hand. Immediately, I feel that wonderfully calming texture, and I feel much better.

To say that the velvety, soothing texture is a relief in my hands is an understatement; within seconds, I've wrapped it around my neck once again.

I tug it forward a little bit. A small part of me isn't comfortable with having something around my neck, but a larger part isn't comfortable knowingly parting with this wonderful piece of cloth.

I can't help but admire it. How has it stayed so… clean? It's practically spotless, and I- !

I hear someone clear their throat, and I look up to see the other Snivy looking at me curiously.

"What do they call you?" he asks as he examines me. His left brow is raised, and his mouth is making up the tiniest frown.

My gaze drops to the ground between us as I begin to feel uncomfortable, before the question finally resonates with me.

I lick my lips, and answer simply with, "… Arthur."

The other Snivy nods his head sagely, with closed eyes and a small hum. After a moment, his eyes open, and he replies with, "Yes, that is quite a strange name."

I frown, but he quickly continues.

"They call me Iven, and I get the items," Iven says, with what I can only describe as semi-rehearsed enthusiasm.

Then, he takes a deep breathe. I raise a brow of my own. Wha-

"All the items! Every item and moar at Ivey & Iven's TMs and Items! We have everything a dungeoneer may need! We have berries, pouches, berry pouches, orbs, TMs, HMs, seeds, gummis, food, maps, bags, scarves, bands, and of course our famous lightwood laminate all yours for the low low price of-" he starts spontaneously coughing, before continuing "- so come today and feel okey at Ivey & Iven's TMs and Items! Discounts! Deals! Profit! Innovation! That excites! And so much moar!"

Iven's hands are on his knees as he catches his breathe. To be perfectly honest, I feel winded as well having heard that deluge of advertisement-based sound vomit.

I open my mouth, now fully certain as to what I intend to say.

"Um… are… you okay, uh, Iven?" I ask the oddly coloured Snivy.

Iven shakes his head, casually dismissing the question with a wave of his hand. "Apologies! I, ehhh, I have to do that. Part of the job, and… all the rest of that stuff."

"Between you and me, sneki, that advertisement does *not* make me feel okey," he finishes with a little chuckle.

My ears pick up an unfamiliar word, and before I can even think about stopping myself, the question comes tumbling out of my mouth and down a flight of particularly unkempt stairs.

"… Sneki?" I ask dumbly.

Iven simply shakes his head and replies, "Ah, you must not be from Agua. Sneki is ehhh, a term of endearment between serpents."

He gestures between the two of us, before continuing, "It's from back east. It's your heritage, sneki! You're a Snivy - you have to keep yourself connected to your roots, no?"

Right. My… my roots. I have… roots. I must.

Wait.

I smirk, and after a moment, I fail to hold in a giggle.

"There we go! A little smile at the little joke. That wasn't so hard… ?" he says with a big smile, dragging out the end of his sentence expectantly.

"Arthur," I supply.

"Yes yes, Arthur, right. Such an odd name," he says.

Suddenly, he turns to the bag that he had left discarded in the center of the clearing. It appears that we had wandered away in our conversing.

"And such an odd encounter. Are you a traveler, sneki? I think I would remember seeing another Snivy around here," he says as he walks over to his massive sack.

As he begins tying off the end that I presume he was dragging it around from, I answer as close to the truth as I am able.

"I, uh… yes. I suppose. C- You could say that, yes."

While I finish answering, I awkwardly shift my back foot as my left hand surreptitiously kneads the end of my scarf.

I hear the click of a tongue from Iven, and he says, "Mmm, okey. What are you doing out here?"

Suddenly I've found myself with a much easier truth to tell, and so I say, "Well, I uh, I was reading this TM. Secret Power, h- I think that's… what it was calle- um, anyways, I read it. A few times. It said I needed inner peace, or… something. I don't know."

…

"Well, I do know, so… nevermin- Um! So uh I was sweeping and felt that peace, I think. So I sat, and fl- I followed the instructions, and I think it started tw- to work and so I… well, I got too excited and messed it up, I think. Um. There was all these, uh colo- well. Nevermind, you… probably know what… doing a move is… lik- Um! So I realized I needed something to keep me calm and this scarf does and, well, I didn't uh, have it. With me, and so I remembered it was over here and came to… well, you were here for that part, so -"

"Alright alright! Uncle!" Iven says with a chuckle, putting his hands up.

I'm suddenly made aware of my burning cheeks, and the tight ball of cloth in my fist. I hadn't noticed either of these until Iven broke me from my speech-induced stupor, and I silently vow to myself never to speak at length again.

I hear a low whistle, and look over at Iven again. He's looking at me with surprise, and, well… I suppose I don't blame him.

"So you came how far, just for that scarf?" he asks me.

It takes a moment for my brain to fully process the question. When it does, I quickly respond, "Oh, um. Not very, not very far because I live, uh… w- I live with this Sneasel back… well, ov- "

Iven blinks, before pointing to the Oran bush and interrupting me with, "You live with Snizzy?"

I simply nod.

He gives me a small frown. "Huh," he mutters. "Another one… ?"

Iven quickly shakes his head, before hefting the end of the bag over his shoulder. I can hear each item shift against eachother, and I am suddenly glad that I did not get into an altercation with this level of raw physical power as my opponent.

"Well, goodbye! It is nearly mid-day, and Ivey is waiting, so I must go, sneki!" he says as he begins walking off.

As I watch his back slowly recede into the treeline, he turns back to me. I perk up a tiny bit as he calls over his shoulder, "Oh, and if you are ever wanting to say 'Hallo!', come into town, okey? I'm sure Ivey would wanna get to know the new sneki dood too! Until then!"

And with that, he leaves.

…

I chuckle to myself, before I turn back to the Oran bush and leaf as well.