Hey, everyone! Ta-Ni here. As promised, I've brought you another chapter of the Mystery Makes Scents. I know it's been a while, but hopefully I can bounce back now. Anyway, here you go!
I wake groggily, still bewildered by my dreams. She knew something about me, I think. I wonder what it can tell me? Stumbling slightly from my bed, I walk out of my house…and right into Sparky, who's waiting outside. "Whoa there, partner," he exclaims, pulling me upright. "You look a little droopy and distracted. Here, how about a little 'wake up' jolt?" He fires a small tendril of electricity into me, snapping me to my senses rather painfully and making my fur stick out all over.
"Yow!" I exclaim. "Is t-that r-really n-necessary?!" My teeth are chattering from the residual electricity.
"Oops, sorry," he apologizes, rubbing the back of his head. "For a moment, I forgot you weren't electric type. You reminded me of my younger brother, what with waking up slowly."
I realize he had not spoken of his family before, so I ask as I shake out my fur, "What's he doing now? What about your parents?"
A dark look crosses his face for moment, before he returns to his usual happy nature. "He's still with them; they know I'm old enough to live on my own, but he needs to wait a few years." I can tell he doesn't want to say more, so I don't press him. "Anyway," he changes the subject. "Why were you so drowsy today? Didn't sleep well?"
"Well," I hesitate, not sure how he'll take it. "There's been a figure in my dreams lately. I can't tell who it is, or what kind of Pokémon, but it seems to know about me; It knew I used to be human. I did catch the scent of incense and sweets coming from it."
Sparky didn't say anything for a moment. Then, he says, "Maybe it has something to do with you becoming a Pokémon? I mean, if it knew you used to be a human, maybe it had something to do making you a Pokémon?" I nod, since it seems to make sense. "By the way," he continues. "Have you thought about what you're going to do? Do you WANT to become a human again, or stay a Pokémon?"
I pause for a moment. Given I can't remember who I was as a human, I think. Maybe…it would be okay to remain a Pokémon… Sparky chimes in, "In my opinion, I would love it if you stay here!" His smile is too innocent to turn down, so I smile in return. "Anyway," he changes the subject. "We better get to Wigglytuff's shop, if we want to recruit new members to our team."
We head over to the Square, which seems a little more lively than before. Sure enough, the empty building next to Felicity Bank was open, and a large pink creature stood at the counter, bouncing happily on the balls of his feet. I guess that's a wigglytuff? I think. "Hello!" he spoke cheerily. "Welcome to Wigglytuff's Guild – a circle of friends! I'm guessing you're a new rescue team, and you'd like to recruit some new members?"
We nodded, and he continues. "Well, you've come to the right place! I sell Friend Areas; that's what I call them, at least. Once you have a Friend Area for a certain Pokémon, they may ask you to join your team after a fight. If you agree, and the Pokémon survives until the end of the dungeon or you warp out, he or she joins permanently. All of the Friend Areas are west of Pokémon Square, so go visit your friends when you want them on your team!"
"Since you're a new team, I can grant you two Areas for free. Here you go!" He steps back from the counter, does a little dance, and shouts, "YOOOMTAAAAAH!" A brief flash of light blinds Sparky and I, and when our vision clears, two pieces of paper sat on the counter. One had 'Transform Forest' on the top, while the other said 'Energetic Forest'. "Congratulations," he says happily. "These deeds are proof that you bought these Friend Areas. Now any Pokémon who would live in those Areas will be willing to join your team!"
"Wait," Sparky jumps in. "I live in Energetic Forest; when did you buy…?" He pauses, and then realization dawns on him. "Oh, right…"
Then, I catch a familiar scent on the wind, and turn to see the two magnemites from yesterday floating up. The right one looks at Wigglytuff and asks, "Bzzz. If you're giving away Friend Areas, can you give them access to the Power Plant?" Wigglytuff nods and does his dance, causing the Power Plant deed to appear. The left magnemite looks at us and says, "We reconsidered your offer last night, and my friend developed a strong urge to join you. Will you accept?"
Sparky gave a short laugh. "You forget, we were the ones asking you first! So, of course we accept. Welcome to Team Scent!"
The magnemites give a happy hum. "Bzzt! Great. I'll await you at the Power Plant if you need me," the right one says, and the two of them left. Wigglytuff turns to us and says, "That's all the freebies I can offer; the rest you have to buy the rest."
I step next door to Felicity Bank and withdraw all of the Poké we have saved, and using Sparky's input, pick out a couple of other Areas for us. Unfortunately, the rest are too expensive to afford. Together, we decide to keep saving up Poké for future purchases; the more Areas we own, the larger our team can become.
After visiting the Bulletin Board for more jobs, we start heading back to the base. However, a large crowd had gathered in the middle of the square, blocking our way. Using my small size, I manage to squeeze through gaps in the crowd and see four Pokémon standing in the center of the group. Taking their scents (which was hard with all the other Pokémon around), the three Pokémon standing tall on one side had loamy and midnight smells, while the one cowering on the other side had a windy and loamy scent.
"But…but I don't have any money…" the small Pokémon whimpers. I heard Sparky whisper to me, "Jumpluff." I give a slight nod of thanks, my eyes locked on the three larger ones. He whispers again, "Shiftry, and his two Nuzleaf lackeys." I nod again.
"Well, you should of thought of that before asking US for help," the shiftry replies. "Team Shiftry only works for money; no money, no deal."
"Now that's hardly fair," a silky voice spoke up. The crowd parts to reveal three new Pokémon, all fully evolved. One is a large dinosaur which smells of soil and midnight air, and another was a large red dragon which smells of smoke and wind. The last, clearly the leader, was an odd bipedal fox with two spoons in his hands; he smells of strong incense.
I hear Sparky gasp next to me and turn to him. "Oh my Mew," he whispers. "It's Team ACT! Alakazam, Charizard, and Tyranitar; they're a Gold-rank team, and super popular. It's said that Alakazam is so smart, he knows almost everything!"
"From what I heard," Alakazam says. "All Jumpluff's friend needs is a gust of wind, and your leafy fans can generate wind quite easily. Besides, it is our duty as rescue teams to help others, regardless of the reward."
Shiftry pauses and shuffles uncomfortably under Alakazam's gaze, and then mutters "Fine, I'll do it." He and his allies quickly run off, and the crowd cheers for Team ACT as they walk away. However, as Alakazam walk past my hiding spot, he seems to pause for a moment. His eyes look straight at me, and I flinch under his gaze. Charizard stops next to him and asks, "Is something wrong?"
He holds my gaze for a moment, and then shakes his head. "Never mind. It's nothing," he replies, and turns away. I stare after them, bemused. Why did he stare at me? I think. Could he know something? Like how I used to be human?
As the crowd disperses, Sparky comes up to me. "That was so cool!" he exclaims. "Let's work hard on rescue missions, so we can be Gold rank as well!" I nod absently, not really listening. Something has caught my attention; an illusive scent has drifted past my sensitive nose. It reminds me of gravestones and nighttime, and yet something else lingers just underneath.
Sparky notices my distraction, and decides to call it a day. We return to the base, and Sparky heads home. I stay up later tonight, tossing and turning, wondering about Alakazam's reaction and the mystery scent.
Can anyone guess who the mystery scent belongs to? Find out next time!
Also, we desperately need new people on the Eon Village forum, so please come attend! Please!
Read and review, and may your Ember never fade!
