Banishment
Alina awoke to the feeling of a large paw standing on her side and groaning she opened her eyes.
"Ren!" She yelled unhappily. "I swear you are the most careless Pokemon I've ever met!"
"I do care about some things, that was just on purpose," He smirked and looked back at his sister. "Enough beauty sleep, it's time to meet up with Calis and Sakor. The sun's high already." The large Vulpix darted off. Having grown to his full size during the past three years of training, he was quick on his feet. Alina was unsurprised to see Kori join him happily at the edge of the grove and run off behind him into the grass beyond. She grumbled to herself as she rose up out of her mossy nook and shook the sleep from her bones. She reminded herself to bat Ren behind the ears for so casually referring to their mentors, having left out the "master" portion of their names. She stood just taller than her brother with sleeker fur than she had had as a child. She shook her head, letting her longer topknot fall into place beside her face as she headed off. Alina ducked her head, making sure not to scrape her horn on the side of the inlet, as it now poked a couple of inches above her head.
The fluff on her chest ruffled in the breeze as she gracefully padded over to the edge of the grass and said good morning to her mother eating a Wepear Berry. Her mother paused her morning chat with the Ursaring who was the recently admitted 'Guild medic'.
"Hello sweetheart," Cooed her mother as she passed and the Ninetales daintily nuzzled her daughter who now came almost up to her shoulder as she sat. "Would you like a bite to eat before you go off?"
"Mom," groaned Alina. "You know that I'm not allowed to eat before training. Besides," She continued, "I'm sure I'll find something along the way anyways." She kindly nodded towards the Ursaring who returned the gesture before she took off at a brisk pace towards Shin forest.
Shin forest was the training grounds for more experienced apprentices, as it was filled with aggressive bug Pokemon who almost always traveled in twos or threes. The track towards the forest was not as wide as the one to the town, but Alina knew it well by now. She and her comrades had been training there for almost a year now, spending their time with their mentors, learning new moves and advancing their understanding of the foundation which all Pokemon were based off of. Strength, was Alina's personal forte, and she excelled in a combination of agility and power in her fighting style.
Ren specialized in agility and abilities which were centered in flames and fire. Ren was not as strong as Alina in basic combat practice, but could easily outmatch her when it came to mock battles when special moves were allowed. Ren had been taught some fire moves, which helped him immensely. The guild records say they're called Ember and Flame Burst, but he learned one from his mother which wasn't yet recorded in full detail called Will-O-Wisp. It seemed to be connected to the inner flame found in Vulpixes and Ninetales.
Kori, on the other hand, was not as adept in most areas. She wasn't particularly fast and was not very good when it came to combat either. Her incoordination was her weakest point, and as she grew to accept her lack of fighting ability, she took up interest in being a healer Pokemon, who would hang at the back of the party when adventuring and supply aid whenever it was needed. Kori was still quite small even considering that Eevees are quite small Pokemon in general. She was full grown but she was still shorter than Ren and Alina, coming to their shoulders and having her ears outreach the other's. If she stretched, Kori's ears could reach above Alina's horn, but just barely.
During their training they had all learned a move called Quick Attack, which was very basic but also very useful, as it often was too fast to dodge and could create a stage for a more powerful attack. This was Kori's go-to move as a defense mechanism, assisting as best she could from the back lines. She had also learned Charm, which helped her subdue aggressive Pokemon if she ever got attacked, making it easier for her to escape or take them down.
Alina bounded over a fallen trunk, which upon further inspection, was the stalk of a recently healthy Nanab berry tree. She slowed to a walk and returned to the fallen tree, taking a couple of bites from the fruits before venturing to the meeting point at the edge of the forest.
"How kind of you to join us, Alina," said Master Sakor harshly, "We were getting ready to leave without you. Days from trying to become a full fledged adventurer and you still aren't able to arrive on time." He scowled at her before continuing. "Today we'll be searching the woods for the entrance to a Lairon cave. Recently the activity in the forest has been unusually chaotic and Sivant has notified us that a herd of Lairon have been attacking the other Pokemon during the night, creating disturbances. They have even disrupted other guild's training sessions. Unlike them, however, we are going to confront the problem and attempt to negotiate with them. Is the goal for today clear?" He finished with a stout nod and the uncrossing of his arms.
Kori was the one to speak up.
"Master, what if the Lairon don't wanna talk about it and attack instead?" She inquired. Alina thought to herself that it was a valid point even if it was probably unlikely. The guild didn't have a lot of information on the Lairon however, and the numbers could be quite large compared to the group of five that was about to go and invade their personal territory.
"There will be no trouble if they have any sense at all," said Sakor in a slightly haughty and arrogant tone. "We have the advantage when it comes to species type. It is also unlikely they would interfere with guilds so aggressively. Any more questions?" He barked. "Good, then let's be off."
The traveling passed uneventfully, as Butterfree flew overhead and Caterpie climbed up the branches of trees, looking down contentedly as the party moved through the lush forest. Step after step the Pokemon stayed relaxed but aware as they ambled through the dense undergrowth. Tangela bounced up and down on the other side of a creek which ran from a lake near the edge of the forest through to the ocean. Sakor climbed over a fallen tree, crossing the stream as it branched into two parts, blocking their path unless they were going to cross.
The group followed the stream as it flowed north and cascaded into a pond, sending light droplets of water into the air around its base. The Hitmonchan stopped at the base of the waterfall and spoke once again to the apprentices.
"The cave is suspected to be along this pond somewhere. You will travel in groups of two, one with Calis, and I will go alone. If you find the location of the Lairon or run into any trouble, meet back here and ring the old bell, which is hidden inside the waterfall. It is old but should still work. It is an artifact from the ancient world, so do your best not to break it," He looked at the apprentices, pausing on Ren fairly obviously.
The apprentices nodded in acknowledgement, having grown accustomed to taking their missions seriously.
"As Master Sakor said," purred Master Calis, "You will be traveling in pairs, so Ren go with Kori, and Alina," She smiled affectionately, "You will be with me." The pairs were formed and Sakor was the first to venture into the wilderness. Ren and Kori took off Westward, heading further into the forest and disappearing from sight. "Shall we be off?" Asked Calis, and padded along the edge of the water.
Alina caught up to her and the two Pokemon walked quickly beside one another. The expansive forest was still a bit daunting to the small Absol, who was only half grown at just under two feet tall, counting her horn, that is. Calis lead the way, breaking away from the stony water's edge and headed into the forest in a Northwesterly direction. The ground returned to its soft state and the two wound their way into the undergrowth. Calis gracefully pounced around the trees and rocks, enjoying the journey and entertaining herself in the process. Alina admired Calis's feline grace and instead jumped at the trunk of a tree, bounced off of it with an upward push, and landed on the branch above.
The acrobatics served as a form of entertainment as the two Pokemon enjoyed each other's' company. Scanning the forest for anything that looked like the cave of a group of Lairon ended uneventfully as far as the agile duo's search went, however, when the sound of a low toned bell rang through the forest everyone was at attention and running full pelt back towards the pond.
When the group had arrived back at the pond, the wet Eevee told everyone without even speaking who had rung the bell. Ren and Kori sat side by side, flicking their tails, one impatiently and one nervously. The group formed a circle of sorts and Ren spoke up.
"We found a large opening which has a shallow slope down. Pokemon were talking inside, and we think it could be the Lairons' base." He paused "There was… well there were signs that it was more than meets the eye. The voices weren't just one or two but there were multiple conversations going on."
"Well if there were conversations," Said Master Sakor, "Then they are probably civil enough to negotiate with us." He pointed towards the west. "Lead the way."
On the way there Alina thought it quite odd for Pokemon so civil to act so aggressively, especially towards guild members. Though Master Sakor had said it was unlikely that a battle would erupt due to two of the members being adventurers associated with a guild, Alina felt a sense of unease surrounding the idea of entering unknown territory. The forest grew quiet as Ren signaled up ahead. Looking forward through the trees, as predicted, there was a group of Lairon exiting the mouth of a large cave.
Not wanting to look suspicious, Calis took the first confident step and walked out into the open. The Lairon immediately tensed and looked at her with an accusatory stare. Calis didn't say anything, she simply sat down and began to lick her sleek coat posing no threat to any of the others. The Lairon relaxed and one spoke up.
"We are going to have to ask you to leave please. It would be wise for you to go." The gruff voice rang out between the trees and blended with the thick forest. The speaker hesitated as he saw the icy blue bandana around her neck but stood his ground. "What is someone from a guild doing here anyways?"
"We," said Sakor as he stepped out into the open. "Would like to speak with your leader. You've been causing a lot of trouble in the area and we've come to talk about making this easier for everyone." Alina noticed that he hadn't said this with a single sliver of emotion. Nothing in the way Master Sakor spoke would have implied that he actually had any plan of negotiating.
"We aren't allowed to let people into the cave. Besides once you get in there you will be slaughtered anyways. They wouldn't trust an outsider. Not for a second. So buzz off." The Lairon started to leave and a small Aron trailed behind them, hiding in between the large bodies of what Alina assumed to be its parents.
"Can't we just talk?" Blurted Ren as he jumped out of the brush and into the clearing. The mentors and Lairon whirled around in surprise and he immediately shrank back, looking at the ground.
"Just how many of you are there?" Asked the head Lairon unwaveringly. The air grew heavy with the tension of the situation as the two other smaller members stepped out of the bushes and into the clearing. As soon as the apprentices had come to a stop the Lairon relaxed before saying, "I would still advise that you leave. No offense but it would probably be for the best." The Aron looked at them sadly, giving its condolences to the group.
"Very well," said Calis. "Thank you for your cooperation." She turned with the others in tow as Master Sakor gave an unpleasant glance in the direction of the Lairon before jumping into the branches above after Calis and the apprentices. He jumped from limb to limb as they regressed, backing off and returning to the cascade of water.
Quietly the Pokemon sat, no one saying anything other than Alina who whispered in a harsh voice at her brother, who had blurted something impulsively again and made the group look desperate. Silently Calis motioned for the apprentices to begin heading back to town and she considered telling the guildmaster that there was nothing that could be done. Even as it was there may not be enough members in the guild to support that kind of a raid anyways. The Lairon cave would have to be left alone and dealt with as the events presented themselves. She nodded to herself, deciding to speak with the guildmaster about it when a loud cry came from the northwest.
Alina spun in the direction the noise came from, judging by the angle that it was probably coming from the cave they had just been to. Kori looked worriedly at Ren as she anxiously shifted the satchel around her body. Ren turned to Master Sakor with a look of determination on his small face.
"Let's go." Said Sakor and he took of at a full sprint through the forest. Calis and the others bounded after him, picking up speed as they quickly adjusted to the terrain and velocity they were now traveling at. The apprentices skidded to a halt as they nearly bumped into Master Sakor. He stood in awe as tens of Pokemon wearing black and red bandanas jumped into the mouth of the cave. Cries of various Pokemon rung out through the woods. Ren was the first to move.
He dove past Sakor and before he could be stopped he ran into the mouth of the cave. Calis was the next to follow as she dashed into the opening after the small Vulpix. Inside was chaos. Sableye, Beedrill, Shroomish, Lucario, and many other Pokemon, all wearing black and red bandanas slashed, kicked, and cooperatively used abilities to try and take down the Lairon.
"Help them!" Bellowed Master Sakor, and the apprentices rushed blindly into the unbelievable scene before them. Energy filled the air as fire and sparks scorched the tough outer shells of the defending Pokemon. Sakor rushed in after the smaller Pokemon and began whirling and spinning as he threw Focus Punch, after Mach Punch, after Comet Punch. The moves devastated the Lairon, as the type advantage allowed Sakor to overcome the tough armor on their bodies.
Alina jumped quickly over a Lairon being attacked by a Snivy and looked for her brother. He crouched tensely looking straight into the eyes of a Lairon, small balls of fire whirled around his body before he launched himself at the larger creature, the balls of fire spinning around it before sinking in through the cracks in its shell and piercing its insides. Ren backed off, jumping off of the Lairon as he saw his sister come running towards the now less enthusiastic Lairon. The Pokemon weighed more than the both of them combined and it reared its head upwards, roaring loudly enough for all of the other Lairon to hear. The other defending Pokemon roared into the air as well and began attacking more ferociously.
As Ren turned back around to face his opponent he felt a sharp pain in his side as he went careening through the air to the rock wall next to him. The headbut had made direct contact, and with the increased strength all of the Lairon seemed to possess he had done some serious damage. Alina looked carefully at the target and braced herself. The Lairon looked back in anger and charged at the Absol who was prepared for an evasive maneuver. She jumped over the charging ball of steel and landed on the wall, using the split second to focus her mind on using Quick Attack and jumping directly at the Lairon from the rocky surface.
She collided with the steely exterior of the Pokemon, knocking it sideways but otherwise doing no noticeable damage. She thought back to a lesson Master Calis had taught back when they were still training out of the woods. She remembered that type advantages played a large part in battles and that if she was going to do any damage to the Pokemon before her she would have to stop using basic moves and incorporate some of her specific type, which in her case was darkness.
She backed away from the Lairon in a swift jump and landed next to her brother who was shaking himself out of his dazed stupor.
"That Will-O-Wisp should be doing some damage by now sis. Don't let a Pokemon like him intimidate you," he shouted over the noise of the battling all around them. A Pokemon like that? She thought. Alina suddenly began to think about what kind of Pokemon the Lairon really were. Nobody really had any proof that they had done anything wrong and the ones outside the cave seemed quite friendly. She saw the small Aron cowering in the corner, being slowly hunted down by a Zorua with a horribly sickening grin on his face.
She immediately recognized the face of the compassionate Aron who had been so shy and weak looking when they first met outside the current battleground. She looked, appalled, as the Zorua laughed and closed in on the small innocent creature who was slowly backing into a corner with tears in its small eyes. With no ground left to retreat to it sat on the ground and covered its eyes with its legs, wailing in terror as the larger Pokemon came closer.
Alina immediately forgot the Lairon her brother was now going to have to face alone and felt anger ripple through her blood. She dashed with a new found speed, using her emotion and the speed of a quick attack to fly through the air and land feet first on the wall between the Zorua and the Aron. She bounced off of the wall and landed on the ground, facing the black Pokemon whose smile had faded. Seeing his blank expression, she looked at him with a harsh glare and growled.
"What do ya' think yer' doin' freak? Stay outta' my way!" He shouted as he tried to push past the mutated Absol blocking his path. She braced herself and pressed him firmly against the wall with her shoulder.
"What do you think you're doing?" She asked in horror, "Can't you see that this one isn't like the others? Are you blind or something?" She practically screamed as she spat the words, the small Aron crying in fear behind her. "Do you even know why you are attacking these Lairon?" She looked around at the horrifying scene. The Pokemon in the black bandanas were maliciously cutting down the lairon, and chasing down any that tried to escape. The other guild had come on an extermination expedition. To eliminate the Pokemon there once and for all. She couldn't begin to comprehend why any Pokemon deserved to be killed, especially ones that seemed to be as normal as the Lairon who told them to leave for their own safety.
Alina shoved the Zorua backwards, away from the wall and the Aron and he backed away with a look of frustration furrowing his brow.
"And what do you know?" He scoffed, "They are just weak wild Pokemon. Why do we need a reason to get rid of them? If they were so weak they shouldn't have caused trouble in the first place. I won't forget this." He spun around and stormed off, jumping out the exit to the cave and running off to the East. The tension released in Alinas shoulders and she looked back at the Aron who was looking at her with teary eyes. She sat down in front of it as it slowly hobbled over and leaned its head against her front paw, tears still rolling down its face.
"Thank you miss," he cried in a small voice, but it was lost on her ears as she remembered her brothers situation. She snapped her head to the side, looking for the fire type Pokemon wherever he might be. She spotted him fighting with a small Wormadam, flames engulfing the two of them before the grass type flew yelping into the brush beyond. She looked around in surprise to see the remaining Lairon fighting alongside the members from her guild to fend off the onslaught of Pokemon from the black and red guild.
She jumped to Calis's side as she meowed ferociously at the spiky tail of a Luxray as it joined the remainder of its comrades on their retreat. The Virizion Guild Pokemon gathered at the entrance to the cave and looked down on the Lairon beneath. The large steel Pokemon slowly quieted and turned to look at the battered saviors they had miraculously been assisted by. Alina looked at her Masters in wonder, as even Sakor had helped fend off the attackers as they had realised the truth behind what was happening during the battle. One Lairon who was limping quite badly stepped forward.
"Wh...Wh...Why." It stammered awedly. "Why did you help us?" Calis stepped forward to reply.
"No Pokemon deserves what was intended to be brought upon you, and unfortunately what I believe has befallen some of your brethren." She paused as silence filled the space, the two unmoving Lairon lying on opposite edges of the area inside. "We will send aid immediately to assist those in need and please feel free to come and ask for help anytime. I can not assure you that other guild members will be willing to help for free, but I personally offer you my service as you need it." She bowed her head respectfully. The Lairon spoke amongst themselves and the one at the front turned around to hear the consensus from the rest of the group.
"We thank you kindly for your offer," he said unwaveringly, "but we simply can not accept. We know why the other guild attacked us, and it was for fair reason. There is a story behind it all if you have the time to listen, but it shall not flatter us. It will instead reveal the truth behind the past couple of days."
"Was there anything to report from today's expeditions?" Asked the guildmaster. Kori stepped forward shyly and spoke up.
"The group of Lairon who had been taking refuge in Shin Forest were attacked by a guild today." Murmuring spread through the crowd as the Eevee sat down and began to tell the story in a shortened form. "The guild had sent adventurers with their apprentices into the forest for training yesterday morning when one of the patrols designed to survey the area for the Lairon spotted the other guild's members. They attacked the members, brutally killing one of the apprentices." Shouts and cries rose from the crowd as the idea of a Pokemon dying rang through everyone's minds. "The Lairon knew there would be a retaliation and immediately decided to cease their territorial violence. The guild, though their motives are not completely clear, seemed to be focused on brutal revenge as they attacked the Lairon cave intending to exterminate the Pokemon inside it. Our members were at first assisting the other guild's Pokemon but upon seeing one of the Lairon fall for good Master Calis ordered us to fend off the attackers, and informed us of their horrible goals." Calis stood up and jumped to the front.
"I will of course take responsibility for my decision and Guildmaster," She nodded towards the Virizion, "you may reprimand me as you see fit. This may," she said turning back to the guild members, "cause disturbances between our guild and Zoroark's guild, so be prepared in any case for a confrontation with any of their members."
"This is quite troubling," said Virizion as Calis paused and returned to her place in the group, sitting next to the other qualified adventurers. "I will speak with Zoroark and attempt to come to an agreement with him and the other members of his guild. I will leave tomorrow. Dorn and Tarsil will accompany me to the meeting and assist in negotiations." Both Pokemon nodded and the guildmaster resumed, "With that settled is there anything left to announce?" As silence followed, she smiled and returned to her usual self. "As planned the apprentices will be leaving in three days time along with their mentors for Kalridge Crevasse on their acceptance expedition, a previously explored dungeon, but nonetheless a test for them to prove their readiness to explore. Good luck preparing, to the three of you, and to all of you, good luck in your next day's travels."
With those parting words the Pokemon dispersed and receded towards their own dens. The day's work showing its toll on the apprentices through their sluggish movements. Kori walked directly into the den and rolled into a ball before falling asleep peacefully, Ren being close behind and doing similarly just beside his friend. Alina however stayed out on the rock which led up to her den and looked up at the stars.
Something on her mind was disturbing her. Were there really Pokemon in the world that were like that Zorua? She thought to herself as she gazed upon the lights which hung above. The sinister look on his face as he watched the Aron suffer burned itself into her mind, the terror and overwhelming fear of the Aron keeping her awake until she could take it no longer. She padded into her den and closed her eyes. She did have to rest up for the days to come she remembered. It was finally time for their acceptance expedition. They were going to finally become adventurers. A smile crept along her face as the Absol drifted off to sleep thinking of the Aron who was now safe with its parents, thankful that she had done the right thing.
She awoke the next morning to the shuffling of the two other apprentices as they awoke from their peaceful resting places. Alina stood up and stretched, her tails fanning out as she yawned in a careless and unbecoming way. Not that she minded how people saw her anymore. Kori sat down at the mouth of the cave which had recently grown to seem much smaller than before. Planning had to be done and the siblings came to sit across from the Eevee.
"So what's on the cards for today?" Asked Ren cheerily, far too perky for the early morning drowsiness Alina was accustomed to.
"Well," replied Kori, "I was hoping we could all go together to the forest and look for healing berries. I thought maybe it would be good to rely on our own supply instead of the guild's." Alina and Ren both nodded in agreement. All of the apprentices wanted to show how self reliant they were and try their best to be as prepared as possible to become full adventurers.
"Alright sounds like a plan to me," said Alina as she blinked slowly and stifled yet another yawn. Her brother shoved her over and she flopped onto her side, a small whoosh of air leaving her lungs. Slowly she pushed herself back up and shook her head, her hair flopping from side to side before falling into place on her left. She looked back up at Kori and stood, slightly more lively than before.
"Let's head off then," she said as she took a couple of steps out of the den and into the sunlit grove before her.
Virizion sat at the base of the Pinnacle rock, waiting for Tarsil, the Floatzel; Dorn at her side as usual. As the Assistant Guildmaster he tended to be at her side, but this time has was more anxious than usual. The seconds ticked by as the weasel Pokemon appeared out of the adventurers' den and came to sit in front of the Guildmaster.
"I told you of the plans for negotiations, correct?" Asked Virizion, looking sternly at her two accomplices.
"Yes miss, you did indeed miss, they have been taken into account miss," replied Dorn anxiously. "I believe we are ready to go miss." He stood up quickly and began padding towards the northerly path, which lead to Muraha. The guildmaster sighed and signalled for Tarsil to follow. She nodded across the clearing at the Zigzagoon and Aipom on the other side who had been left in charge. They were to keep a lookout for any members of other Guilds or wild Pokemon that were entering the area and confront them before they got to the grove. They had been advised to avoid violence if at all possible.
Virizion walked over to the two other Pokemon, and with one on either side of her they began the journey towards Zoroark's guild via Muraha. The trek didn't take long when it was taken at the speed of highly adept Pokemon. Virizion's long strides covered many yards with each bound whereas Dorn and Tarsils' were smaller and faster strides, which still maintained the same speed but managed to look a whole lot less impressive.
The Pokemon sped through the tall grasses and sparse trees before the large Willow tree poked its branches over the horizon and slowly came into view. The Pokemon stopped briefly to gather some food, due to the lack of a meal in the early morning back in The Grove. Apples and Leppa berries were distributed amongst the three and they continued swiftly on their journey.
Tarsil opened the large map, which was in the adventurer's pack he was wearing around his shoulder and torso. The unclear road wound and twisted through the rampantly growing grass, so much so that the original trail was hard to find. The one sign of the Zoroark guild, however, was the wooden structures built into the massive trees, which rose above the normal treeline. The party slowed their approach as to not raise suspicion before walking directly into the lowest level of Zoroark's guild.
The trees stretched high above and on the largest branches there were large cube like structures which had been built partially into the tree and over time had become smooth with the surface of the bark as the massive oaks grew around the Pokemon-made structures. Small wooden pathways hanging by ropes connected each building, ascending or descending to the nearest platform before connecting to the wood and serving as a bridge.
Having never been to Zoroark's guild Tarsil stared in awe as the ancient creation loomed above him. Two Pokemon ran happily across the path in front of Virizion only pausing briefly to look at her sleek body and beautiful figure before continuing their playful chase. Virizion smiled at the simple joy felt by the small Pokemon, thinking back to the once small Pokemon who were going to go on an expedition to become adventurers quite soon.
She introduced herself kindly to a Bidoof who was wandering down one of the bridges before asking for directions to Zoroark's current location. He directed them up a complex set of bridges and ropes as they rose higher into the sky. They arrived at the opening to a large wooden room with a finely decorated interior. A large black Pokemon sat comfortably on a stuffed cussion in the corner of the room as he spoke with one of the guild's adventurers. Virizion stepped into the doorway and looked at Zoroark.
"Funny that you would show your face here Virizion. I know what happened yesterday," said Zoroark in a monotonal voice.
"We have come to speak with you about just that. I wanted to negotiate with you, if that's alright of course." Zoroark sighed and gestured to the spot the Axew was sitting in as the small Pokemon got up and walked with a blank look out of the room.
"I never was very good at this sort of thing Virizion, you know that." He paused. "Let's make this quick."
The sun shone brightly as wispy clouds drifted lazily about the expansive blue atmosphere. Alina was in a tree, looking down at Ren and Kori who looked back up at her, preparing to catch a falling Oran berry. She bit the stem of the berry and let it fall, landing in the satchel and making it bulge slightly as the bag was only a quarter of the normal bag size, meant for apprentices as well as only slices of fruits.
"We finally caught one!" Shouted Kori happily, putting the satchel around her torso again and wandering back to the path which lead to the guild's territory. Ren sighed and walked up beside the bouncing Eevee nudging her gently with his paw as they walked.
"You did well. I hardly did anything to be honest. You practically caught it on your own." He smiled as he looked at her and she resonated with even more pleasure, practically skipping along the path.
"Thanks Ren," she said as she grinned back at him. Alina watched as the two very close friends seemed to really have something special between them. Ren never treated her that way, and if he ever did it would be a miracle. She wasn't given praise by anyone other than her mother who had always been there for her. Her father had grown more distant in the past couple of years. He still smiled and played with Ren as if he were the perfect son but he only rarely smiled at Alina. She had learned to accept people's judgement more or less, but none the less, receiving the cold shoulder from her dad still hurt.
In the past couple of years Alina had earned the respect of some of the guild members. This by no means meant that everyone accepted her for the kind of unusual Pokemon she was, but it meant that she had a few more opportunities to act like a normal Pokemon, and now that she was going to become an adventurer she would fit in even better.
She smiled to herself at coming one step closer to achieving her dream of becoming a guildmaster. The trio walked back to The Grove and the siblings watched as Kori skillfully prepared the berry which they had managed to retrieve. Her claws cut cleanly through the blue fruit and it oozed with juice as she cut the larger pieces into slices and she set them out on the rock in from of the den to dry over the next couple of days.
As Kori worked a small voice rang out from the edge of the clearing. She turned to see what could be causing all the ruckus but instead saw the sentries escorting two Lairon and the Aron into the clearing. She leapt up from her small resting place and quickly jumped down to meet the oncoming group.
"Hello little one!" She exclaimed as she stared at the visitors, mouth slightly agape. "Why did you come all this way?" The larger of the two Lairon spoke up.
"We just wanted to thank you for yesterday. You did the best you could and weren't properly thanked. I got separated from my baby," she nuzzled the Aron as she spoke, "And he told me after the whole event that an Absol with three tails had saved him. He wanted to thank you personally." The Aron stepped forward and dropped a daisy onto the ground in front of Alina.
"Thank you so much for what you did for me and my parents. My name is Taren, but you can call me Tarry." He smiled at her and blushed slightly, seeing her shocked but pleased face. A crowd of Pokemon had slowly gathered around the unbelievable scene as Alina leaned down and touched the flower with her nose. The scent filled her nostrils as she felt tears of happiness well up under her eyelids.
"Th….thank you. Thank you so much," She said in a small but sincere voice as she smiled. Alina looked back at Ren and Kori, who were standing in awe at the edge of the circle. Alina attempted to regain her composure and wiped the tears from her eyes as she cleared her throat.
"I couldn't have done it without my friends," she admitted, beckoning them forward, not wanting to be the center of attention any longer than she had to be. They sat on either side of her, slightly behind as to not steal the limelight. Even Ren who was usually an attention hog, waited patiently behind the emotional Absol.
"And our thanks to you as well," said the gruff male Lairon.
"You are quite welcome," Replied Kori.
"It was no trouble at all," said Ren, trying to look tough, as if fighting the Pokemon had been a breeze for him.
The Lairon smiled and looked down at their child.
"We really must go. Preparations for relocation are being made back at the cave and we should be there to assist. I'm glad Tarry got to thank you. He really is a huge fan of yours." Tarry blushed even harder than before, looking at his small feet as best he could. Alina smiled and nodded.
"That's alright. Thanks again for coming and stopping by. It means a lot." Alina meant that. She never imagined the small incident with the Zorua yesterday would result in something like this.
Everyone said farewell to the Lairon as they departed, the sun setting slowly in the distance. Virizion approached from the north as the Lairon left on the path westward. Suddenly the Aron spun around and ran back to hug Alina.
"What's your name? I might not ever see you again after this," said the small Aron who was holding on tightly to the stomach of the larger Pokemon before him. Alina's eyes welled up with tears again as she said only her name, fearing that the Aron would hear the wavering in her voice if she said any more. The Aron let go and looked up at her.
"Someday," he said, "I want to be as big and strong as you are Master Alina. I want to help other Pokemon the way you do and become an adventurer." He smiled and ran back of into the grass. "Goodbye now!" He yelled as he scampered after his slow moving parents.
Alina couldn't manage to say anything back as she was filled with a sense of bliss and appreciation. Something that was unfamiliar to her, and she decided in that moment she would do more nice things for other Pokemon. If being thanked felt this amazing, she had to do more acts worthy of praise. She walked back to the den as the crowd dispersed, a feeling of happiness resonating on the air as the Meloettas' music began to ring out across the land. Their evening melody drifting through the clearing as the guild members prepared to eat a proper dinner and hold a meeting before nightfall. Alina had never felt better in her life. This was a moment she would forever cherish.
In the morning the group prepared to leave with Calis and Sakor on the edge of the training grounds. As was usual, Alina was the last to groggily drag herself out of the den and amble over to the edge of the clearing. Her stomach growled as she looked intently at the fruit that the adventurers were eating. Her energy seemed to return to her as she remembered that in a couple of days she might be able to join the other adventurers in their morning meal. She smiled at the prospect and began padding more quickly towards the forest.
She began running, warming up her legs for whatever lesson might have been in store for the day. She bounded across the grassy plain as she thought back to the report left at the guild meeting the previous evening. Virizion had said that Zoroark was unpleased with the guild's interference and that if there were any further incidents of the guild meddling in the affairs of theirs violence was not against their policies. Everyone in Virizion's guild had been told to keep on the lookout for any of the members from Zoroark's guild and to make sure that no action was taken against them at any cost.
Alina landed gracefully at the entrance to the forest, trees looming over her as she stood before Master Calis. Ren and Kori sat by her side as they waited for Master Sakor to show up. Many minutes passed and Calis began to grow impatient with her increasingly infuriating colleague.
"We will begin the lesson without him," Said Calis in a matter of fact way. She mumbled to herself as she turned around, but Alina only caught the words "don't" and "anyways" which she figured was probably Calis appreciating the lack of a necessity for him being there. They walked through the forest at a brisk pace, practicing their acrobatics as Calis led the way to a clear patch in the trees.
"Today," she said calmly, having regained her composure, "I will be teaching you about something you may think is only common sense but in fact takes lots of practice and will help you quite a bit in battle. Combination moves are preset strings of abilities or movements which let you easily outpace your opponent and do more damage more efficiently. Our plan for today is to have you come up with and practice your own combinations. I will help you out with this of course, but there are trees all around to help you practice." She let the Pokemon talk amongst themselves for a while, deciding what kinds of moves would be effective in a flowing motion or could be strung together in quick succession.
Alina had decided that a Quick Attack into a Bite would probably work well, as the prerequisites for using bite were that you had to be within close proximity to the target. Ren had decided to practice a combination of Will-O-Wisp and Quick Attack which he had already thought of himself in his own time spent training. Alina thought back to the battle in the cave and how she had seen Ren use Will-O-Wisp before jumping towards the target. Ren obviously was very focused and passionate about being strong in battle, noted Alina. Even if he seemed absent minded and carefree in lessons he must really care about it if he has already put thought into these kinds of things.
Kori had not been able to decide on an attack combination so she instead was going to focus on a retreat, jumping backwards to specific locations or in tight quarters. The apprentices presented their ideas to Calis and she accepted them in turn. Upon being dismissed, the Pokemon went to allocated areas of the training grounds, the charred, scratched, and damaged trees before them serving as training dummies.
The day passed slowly as the tiring activities slowly consumed most of the energy the apprentices had, the repetition of using abilities being taxing on their smaller and inexperienced bodies. A break was taken in the middle of the day and the Pokemon decided to use it to go and explore the Lairon cave. The Lairon had left by the time they got there and they were confronted with a conflicting acceptance, being happy they had been able to move on but sad they were gone. Two graves now sat outside the entrance to the cave commemorating the efforts of the two fallen Lairon.
The rest of the day was spent wasting time, as most people would see it, until the sun began to set and Calis happily beckoned for the Pokemon to follow her back to camp. It was always more fun with Calis because she let them enjoy themselves. The three apprentices were diligent enough to be focused on their own for some time, but they were still young and enjoyed just relaxing and messing about for a bit. They knew not to mention it to Sakor, especially since they were going on an expedition in under two days time.
After an evening meal, the meeting, and a quick talk with Sakor who had apparently been preparing in other ways, getting special items for "an enhanced exploration experience" as he put it. The Pokemon weren't going to question the small bit of kindness Sakor seemed to be displaying, as he was in a good mood for a change and seemed to be a little more relaxed than normal.
The Pokemon happily went off to their den to fall asleep, sure that the next day would hold many adventures for them. The three of them fell asleep closer together than normal, all leeching off of Ren's warm body and the bond they felt now that they were finally going to be working together to achieve their goal of becoming adventurers. The night came swiftly as they dozed off together, finding peace in the quiet slumber.
The next day flew by as the Pokemon went with Calis and Sakor to Muraha where they each got items they thought they would need out of the guild storage, making sure the Masters noted they had already got their own berries for healing purposes. The path they would take to Kalridge Crevasse was discussed later in the day, after the trip to Muraha had ended.
The path to the dungeon would take only a part of the day to travel, leaving the rest of the day for completing the dungeon itself. Once the dungeon was completed they planned to spend the night in the surrounding area before coming back to report the happenings the next day.
That day the apprentices were dismissed early and told to rest up because they would need the energy for the trip ahead. With everything planned it was hard to fall asleep. Everything was prepared for the journey ahead. Even Kori was excited. She was ready to be put in a situation where she could show how useful she was. She had not really been doing a whole lot in training with the others. Instead she had been learning how to apply bandages, what each berry did, how to most effectively assist in battles, and what to do in dangerous situations when the group was flanked or surrounded.
Despite being told to sleep as much as possible the small Pokemon hardly slept at all. The excitement was too intense and the anticipation of their first official expedition was lingering in their minds. The three Pokemon slept only once they could not manage to stay awake any longer, drifting off to sleep until the early morning.
The sun had not even risen by the time the Pokemon were called from outside by their Masters. Alina, who was normally slow to awaken, was the first out of bed and down by the two leaders, her smaller friends close behind her, Kori with her bag and healing items.
"Well this is it," said Calis, "You will be going with us on an expedition through a real dungeon. We will be trying to stay out of the way and watch how you perform in a real life and death situation. Dungeons are dangerous places and depending on how well you handle each scenario you will either be awarded an official adventurer's bandana, or be asked to keep training before trying again at the next available opportunity." The Pokemon sat still as they listened intently, sorting through the thoughts in their mind before coming to terms with what was at risk and the seriousness of the situation.
"We will be going Northeasterly as planned, heading towards the dungeon, and once we get there, we will have a quick review. I assume you all have your items prepared and are ready to embark on the adventure before you?" She inquired and the apprentices nodded. "Then let's be off."
"What stands before you is the gaping mouth of Kalridge Crevasse. The opening is only the beginning. The cave continues beneath the surface and is actually a hidden dungeon with lots of aggressive wild Pokemon. You will be expected to properly protect and tend to yourselves until the end of the dungeon. I will follow up the back with Callis, Alina in front of me, Kori in front of her, and Ren in the very front." Sakor continued talking as Ren puffed out his chest, proud he was chosen to be the ringleader for this expedition. "Try your best, and I expect lots from you. Good luck."
With that they were off into the dungeon. Even Sakor seemed to be in a good mood, as if he was actually pleased about the apprentices being given the chance to become adventurers. They descended into the ravine and arrived at the bottom, mystical light illuminating the ground they were going to walk on. They lined up in the order they had been told to and headed off into the corridor, the walls on either side of them giving room for two Pokemon at a time but no more than that.
The Pokemon stared in awe at the inside of what was their first real dungeon. They only became alert at the sight of a wild Pokemon who immediately spun around and faced them. It was a Sneasel who had been eating in the corner. Ren immediately took action, using a quick attack and slamming into the enemy Pokemon. They rolled around, scratching and clawing until Alina jumped in and used bite on the Sneasel. It fainted in her jaws and Ren jumped away. The dungeon Pokemon would be up and running again in a couple of hours.
Dungeons were actually quite the unusual mystical locations. The dungeon always appeared out of nowhere for no apparent reason, with its own set of wild Pokemon in it which could not die. The Pokemon could only faint before getting back up again for the next set of adventurers. Mystery dungeons they were called, which Alina thought was quite a fitting name as she considered all these things while walking to their left into another corridor. Once you reached the end of a dungeon you were teleported to outside of it by a mysterious light, and any Pokemon with a guild bandana could leave at any point if they so chose, simply by thinking about being back at the start.
The next Pokemon was another Ice type, as a cloyster sat in the middle of the corridor blocking the path. Alina jumped over it and used Bite on its shell, cracking it and breaking a piece off. Ren used Flame Burst on the open side of the shell. Despite being less effective, the raw power of the move wore down the enemy Pokemon and it fainted, fading into thin air and leaving the path clear for the others to pass.
Things carried on much like this until three rooms later where a large set of stairs led down to the next level. Ren descended the stairs and ran face first into two Pokemon, another Sneasel and a Glalie, who immediately used tackle and Ice shard on him. The attacks both hit and Ren scampered, limping, backwards a few steps. Kori jumped down to beside him and held out a piece of Oran berry for him to eat. He chewed quickly on the piece of tough fruit, much of his strength returning to him instantly and he sprung back up.
By the time the other Pokemon realized that Ren hadn't fainted, the three apprentices were facing them. The larger and inexperienced Pokemon stood no chance as the teamwork of Ren and Alina took them down as Kori provided backup. They faded into the air and the Pokemon went down into the next floor. The Pokemon passed down the floors, and upon reaching the fifth, the light began to grow to a more purple colour, casting its glow upon the adventurers and apprentices.
The paths became thinner as they continued deeper into the dungeon, the light becoming scarce and making everything appear more hidden. Every corner held a sense of danger as Ren passed each one with confidence, time seeming to drag by as they continued passing through the rooms. Less Pokemon were on these levels, but the ones that were had more fight in them.
The apprentices began to tire as they continued on their way, getting help from Kori as they ate pieces of various fruits which helped them immensely, providing sustenance and restoration of energy. The apprentices received ample opportunity to experiment with move combinations as they battled real Pokemon in the dungeon. They began to grow confident as time passed, passing through the hallways and rooms without shrinking back from, or peering into each one before entering.
The light in a room ahead made the Vulpix curious, and as Calis walked behind them she only recognized the light before it was too late. The apprentices walked into the room which at first seemed to be empty. Calis suddenly stepped forward, surprising the three smaller Pokemon. They gathered around her as Pokemon began dropping from the ceiling, landing all throughout the room. Glalie, Cloyster, Jynx, Spheal, Snorunt, Sneasel, and other Pokemon surrounded the group, almost four times larger in number than the approaching party of 5.
"This is called a monster house," Said Calis calmly, "and I will help you deal with this. We knew there was a chance you would run into one however the chances were slim. Nonetheless we are prepared. Face them with everything you have. I will provide support. Go!" She dashed to the side as Ren and Kori both flung themselves at other Pokemon. Alina stayed where she was, feeling Sakor's hand on her shoulder.
"Wha-" She said and was cut off as she spun around and was blinded by a green flash, fear flooding her body. An uncontrollable sense of terror filled her, and she turned away from the exit to face the onslaught. Noises bombarded Alina's ears as the other Pokemon around her seemed to multiply and grow dark as the world turned into a mass of flashing horrific images. The room became a living nightmare as she looked around in a panic.
"Come on!" Said a familiar voice. "What are you doing just standing there? Come help!"
Ren looked back to see Alina turning around with a horrified look on her face. Sakor had just jumped into the battle beside him as his sister stood back in a shocked stupor.
"Come on!" He yelled. "What are you doing just standing there? Help out!" She stayed where she was and shook in what Ren could interpret as nothing other than fear. He ignored her and turned to the next Pokemon, battling with it and finishing it off quickly. He looked around to see that all of the remaining Pokemon in the room were allies. They regrouped and came over to Alina.
Four massive Pokemon started walking towards her and she began to back away slowly. They burned with a dark flame and illuminated the pitch black corridor in front of her as she ran in the opposite direction of the approaching monsters. Alina didn't look back and as she heard their footsteps behind her she just ran faster.
"Stop her!" Yelled Sakor as they chased after the Absol. Sakor was the first to reach her and he jumped on her back, pinning her to the ground as she squirmed and writhed. He turned her to face him and he looked back at the other Pokemon with a grim look.
"She looks like she's gone berserk," commented Ren in shock as they gathered around Alina, who was looking up at them on her back in terror.
"It's ok little one," Said Calis, coming close to her as she stayed still. "It's only us. It will be ok."
A voice reached out to Alina as she fumbled through the terrifying emotions which swarmed her consciousness.
"It's ok," it said, warming the chilling fear she felt through what seemed to be every bone of her body. "It's only us." It said, a Liepard's face coming into her vision as the warm words helped her remember where she was.
"C...Calis?" She called out. "Is that you?" The world came back into focus and the light flowed into the cave around her. "I have.." She fumbled for the words. "I have no idea what happened." She finally said, coming to the conclusion that there was no good way to describe it without making it seem like she was a wimp. She would not hear the end of it from her brother if she had done anything stupid while she was feeling the way she had been. She didn't remember anything other than that it was all very dark and scary.
"It's ok." Said Calis. "We are here for you. I think you should probably leave the dungeon for now. We will talk about this later." She paused and nodded to Sakor. As he roughly brought Alina to her feet.
"It would be a shame for her to put us in any more danger. She isn't ready Calis." He said in a serious voice before a bright light engulfed the two Pokemon as they left the dungeon, returning to the outside to set up camp for the night.
"Guildmaster," Calis bowed her head in respect before stepping back, presenting the three apprentices who stepped forwards. "The performance at the cave was varied and there were a couple things I would like to discuss with you afterwards, however for the most part Kori and Ren did very well. All of the Pokemon did well to prepare and when put in a normal situation they all, including Alina, performed as was expected of them. The wild Pokemon met were all defeated quite easily and they became more adept as they went further into the dungeon. The only problem arose when we ran into a monster house and Alina began acting up. I will discuss it with you and Sakor later, if that is alright, however for now, the general synopsis up to that point for all three would be passing with flying colours." She stopped and waited for a response. The guildmaster looked curiously at Alina before nodding.
"I will accept your proposal and we will all speak later about the matter. I will announce the new adventurers at the evening guild meeting. I will take until then to decide who will officially be granted the bandanas and title of adventurer. I will speak with you now Calis. Come with me." She walked off towards the Pinnacle rock. Sakor and Calis followed, padding into the den as the three apprentices sat in silence for a moment.
"Ugg I can't believe we have to wait until the end of the day!" Groaned Ren, "It's only mid day!" He was right, thought Alina. She would have the entire rest of the day before she figured out what would happen to her. She had tried her best to not think too much about what would happen, but she knew there was not a great chance of her getting to become an adventurer. She didn't know what had happened, but she knew she had to be taken out of the dungeon early. It wasn't really fair. She knew she probably could have gone on with the dungeon because she felt pretty much the same as normal after she got up off the ground. She had already thought through the options of what it could have been, but nothing in particular came to mind. All she knew was that Sakor had seemed very, very upset with her performance. He had even said she wasn't ready and nobody had tried to argue. It was going to be a long afternoon.
"It's ok we weren't supposed to run into a monster house!" Said Kori reassuringly. "There is no way they could judge your performance based on that. It was just Master Sakor who was unhappy with it." Kori's words did little to settle the sense of unease she felt in her gut. Something hadn't been right, that was for sure. She would never have done that normally, even if it was a lot of wild Pokemon she had never thought herself to be a Pokemon who was easily frightened. No matter how hard she tried though she couldn't remember what had caused her to feel so terrified.
"I heard Calis saying something to herself earlier," piped up Ren. "She was saying something about how it was so odd for you to do so well and then instantly turn and run at a moment's notice."
"She was saying that to us Ren, not to herself," Said Kori with a disappointed sigh. "Maybe that's why you don't ever listen. Anyways," she turned back to Alina. "I think it will be alright. I'm sure they will really think about it. Calis is on your side, I'm sure."
"Thanks guys. I feel a lot better now," said Alina, faking a smile and turning away to face the wall of the den. "I think I'm going to take a nap, make sure to wake me for the evening meeting though." She rested her head down on her paws and she closed her eyes.
"Will do," said Kori cheerfully, not knowing that Alina only wanted to sleep to get away from the horrible thoughts and the feeling in her chest. She drifted off after a couple of minutes, slipping into a more peaceful mindset, as images of the Aron filled her dreams.
"We can't let her become an adventurer." Said Sakor calmly. "She put all of us in danger and became overwhelmed in the situation. She definitely isn't ready."
"I would like to hear what Calis has to say before I make any decisions."
"I think it was an unusual first expedition and due to her high level of performance before the encounter of the monster house she should be at least given another chance if not accepted as it is. She is very capable, though I am sure you already know this Virizion."
"Yes," she replied, "I have indeed been keeping a watch on her. Sakor does have a point though, if she put you in danger we can't have her doing that on more serious expeditions. It is not easy to let this go."
"A monster house was not supposed to be a part of the expedition! She is ready, and in my eyes she deserves just as much as the others, to become an adventurer."
"Well Calis," said Sakor quite angrily, "what if she were to run into one while exploring a different dungeon? Hmm? What then? Just because it isn't a part of the plan doesn't mean it doesn't happen in the real world. She would have to be supervised at all times, and as it is we don't have the resources for that." He seemed to calm down a bit as he spoke. "I think the guildmaster, who you so casually address, can also see the risk in this. Giving her more time won't hurt anything, but letting her become an adventurer right now, might."
"I have heard enough," said Virizion as she stood up. "You may go now. My final decision will be announced tonight at the meeting. Until then I bid you farewell."
"Alina! Wake up! Alina! Hey!"
The sleeping Absol slowly opened her eyes to see Kori jumping up and down in front of her.
"The meeting is starting! It's starting right now, we need to go! It's time to finally become adventurers!" Alina had never seen Kori more excited in her life. Kori's excitement turned Alina's unease into anticipation as she jumped up and ran with her friend out to the group which was gathering around the pinnacle rock. Virizion stepped out onto the rock, looking down on the Pokemon in front of her.
"Good evening everyone, there will be an important announcement after this concerning the new adventurers who will be joining our ranks today. Firstly, however, if there is anything to report about the day today we should address that beforehand." The crowd stayed silent as a couple of seconds passed. Alina's heart raced as she wondered over and over in her mind if she would be accepted or not. Maybe none of them would be and they would all get to keep training together. Maybe her precious friends would try and get them to accept her if she hadn't been. Maybe there was a chance, that even if she wasn't accepted, that she could speak to Virizion and try the dungeon again. She tried to reassure herself by saying she would definitely be accepted because of the unusual circumstance, even if she didn't really believe it herself.
Thoughts raced through her mind, but when Kori placed her paw on Alina's shoulder her attention snapped back to the situation at hand. She nodded her thanks to Kori who smiled back and as she looked back towards the guildmaster Alina noticed that the Eevee was trembling like a leaf.
"Over the past three years these apprentices have been training. They have been learning the ways of the Pokemon world and how to explore. They have been building a bond that even if they were forced to separate, would remain strong for years to come. Today these young Pokemon will be entering a new stage in their life. Today is the day that Ren and Kori are becoming official adventurers."
The crowd cheered as the two Pokemon walked up the base of the rock and sat next to their Masters, who were already in the traditional positions on either side of Virizion. Every Pokemon there had a smile on their face, congratulating the two new adventurers.
"From here on they will be adventurers of the guild and participate in the representation of our name across the continent. Do you, Ren and Kori, accept this responsibility and swear to do the best you can to uphold the guild name." They both nodded furiously, Kori's ears flopping about as she did so. "Then from this moment onwards," she paused as Sakor pulled out two of the guild's bandanas and tied them around the necks of the two Pokemon. "The Pokemon you see before you are official adventurers of the Virizion Guild!"
Cheering rose once again from the crowd as the Absol slowly walked to the edge of the clearing, tears in her eyes. She really hadn't been accepted. It had really happened. She had known there was a chance, but all the doubt and unease inside her seemed obsolete compared to the disappointment she felt now. She had tried her hardest, just like she was supposed to have done, and she would have done just as well as the others if it weren't for that incident.
She thought to herself. Maybe it's because I'm different. Maybe it's because I really was born differently and there actually is something wrong with me. She began to sob at the edge of the grass, the cheers still ringing across the grove as the guild members congratulated her friends on their accomplishment. Each noise seemed to crash against her eardrums as she muffled the sound of her crying, trying to keep to herself. She closed her eyes and looked at the ground, drops of water falling onto the dirt below her.
She smelled her before she felt her, but her mother nuzzled her shoulder as she turned and cried into her warm chest.
"I tried so hard," she sobbed, "it isn't fair."
"It's alright little one," she cooed and wrapped her tails around both sides of the two of them, creating a sort of cocoon for them. "Worse things have happened before. You will get another chance. Just remember I will always be here for you. I believe in you.
"I'm not sure if I believe in me anymore," wailed Alina, "I was born different and now it's stopping me from doing the things I want to do. I hate that I am like this." Her mother pulled her against her chest using a paw, feeling her daughter's racking sobs against her fur.
"There is always next time." The two of them sat there for quite a while, the night growing dark before they drifted off, both staying on the edge of the clearing and sleeping together. Alina took refuge in the warmth of her mother, snuggling closer as they slept, completely covered by her mother's tails. Though the air grew cold, the Pokemon were warm as the hours ticked onwards and the sun rose once again in the sky.
The next morning Alina padded over to the Adventurers' den, greeting those who were leaving as she passed. Snickers could be heard but she ignored it, she couldn't be bothered to care what people thought of her. At this point she just wanted to congratulate her friends on their achievement. She walked through the curtain of vines to see the two of them sitting in a rounded corner, chatting happily.
"Hi guys!" Said Alina chirpily "Congratulations on becoming adventurers!" They stared at her and Kori looked down at her feet.
"Hey I'm really sorry I-" She was cut off as Alina jumped in.
"No, look it's really alright, I understand, and there is always next time. There's only so much you can do right? No point in worrying about it." She didn't believe it deep down. There was nothing she could do about not being accepted, and she would get more chances to become an adventurer, but it still hurt knowing how unfair it was. There was a pretty good chance that things would go well the next time she went, so she would just have to wait until then.
"Well if you aren't down about it then that's good," said Kori happily. "I was a bit worried you would be quite upset by it. If you are doing alright that makes me feel a lot better about all this."
"What are you going to do now?" Asked Ren. "Will you keep going out and training with Calis and Sakor?" Before she could answer Calis walked up and answered for her.
"She will be going with me from now on, Sakor will be showing you the ropes of being an adventurer for the next couple of days before returning to normal adventurer duties. Alina can you please meet me outside after you are finished in here?" Alina nodded, saying goodbye to her friends and following Calis into the morning air.
"Yes Master Calis?"
"I know you are ready," She said sternly. "I know there is probably a reason that you grew so afraid last time, but I am going to do my best to prepare you for any situation." She lowered her voice and motioned for Alina to come closer. "I thought about this a lot last night, and I believe it would be best for us to train in a dungeon. It is not allowed by the guilds due to how it gives apprentices a false sense of immortality. No Pokemon can die in a mystery dungeon, which means we can train you as hard as possible and enter more dangerous situations than normal locations would allow. It is banned, however, because some Pokemon figure they can revive even out of dungeons due to force of habit. You deserve to be an adventurer Alina, you are more than ready and I think this is the most effective way to keep moving forward and prepare you fully. The immersion in an actual dungeon would be good for you." She paused and let the weight of the offer sink in. Alina was not shocked or upset, and in all honesty she was actually grateful. Calis was risking her honor as an adventurer to help her become one herself. As long as nobody found out, it would also greatly increase her rate of growth.
"We would have to try and have you faint as little as possible. The less you faint the more time you get to spend training and the less influence reviving has on your young mind. The monster house was something you may not have been prepared for, however, I want to give you the most chances possible to encounter similar situations and conquer your fear."
Alina considered the possibilities for only a moment, trusting Calis's judgement.
"I agree. Thank you for the opportunity Master Calis."
"Please, from now on just call me Calis, I would rather you seem like a friend than a student." Alina looked surprised before accepting the offer and looking up at the Liepard.
"When do we begin?" She asked, the thought of being in a dungeon again giving her an excited warmth in her stomach.
"I was planning to leave later today. Can you meet me at midday at the edge of Shin Forest? I have a dungeon I would like to show you."
She sped through the tall grass, leaping over a fallen log, which was rotting away on the ground below her. Calis sat at the edge of the forest and upon Alina's approach she dipped silently into the woods. Alina chased after her, watching her bound through the canopy from branch to branch. Her agility greatly outmatched Alina's, however, the Absol followed as quickly as possible in Calis's footsteps. Suddenly the Liepard slunk back below the branches and came to a halt in front of a small opening in the earth.
Alina came to a stop in front of Calis, looking curiously into the hole. The inside held the same mysterious light as Kalridge Crevasse, and the light illuminated the corridor revealing a tunnel which led down into the ground. A set of stairs trailed into an unseen area Alina assumed was the first floor of the dungeon. Growls emitted from the opening and she stood her ground knowing the Pokemon inside could not leave as they were bound by the strange rules of the dungeons.
"I think I'm the only Pokemon who has found this dungeon thus far, so we should go unnoticed. It's relatively new as far as I know, the ground here is still unsettled from its arrival." She nodded in the direction of a large crack in the ground near the entrance. "The Pokemon in the dungeon also seem to be on a slightly higher level than those in Kalridge. They scale faster as you go down the floors, getting stronger to a significant degree. I will help you where you need, but I believe it would be best for you to experience this alone as often as possible. Lead the way when you're ready." She stepped to the side and Alina began heading down into the gaping rift.
Her eyes snapped open and she gasped for breath, adrenaline still flowing through her body. Calis appeared next to her with a stern look on her face.
"You jumped in headfirst, and though it shows you aren't fearful, it also shows you are immature. Even a one on one when you have no plan of attack won't end well. I tried to help you, but it was too late at that point. Be more thoughtful about your approach. Ready to go again?" Alina leapt to her feet and nodded, heading back down into the dungeon below.
The walls were a light blue, studded with small gemstones which glittered in the provided light. The pathways were more rugged in this dungeon, often taking dips and becoming thin in an unusual pattern, or lack thereof. Alina more cautiously padded into the next room, looking around the moment she entered. She spotted a Misdreavus sleeping in the far corner, and took note that she should do her best to avoid the confrontation, due to the fact that she wanted to be in the dungeon as long as possible before having to return from exhaustion.
The Absol padded slowly past, her footsteps making no noise except for the occasional click of her claws as they made contact too quickly with the ground. She watched as Calis walked casually behind her, still making no sound as she moved. Alina admired the grace and silence of her mentor's movements, appreciating the experience she had. She had never told Alina about her days adventuring so she was unsure of exactly how much experience she had, despite that she still looked up to the elegant Pokemon trailing behind her.
They reached the next path, moving through the lit corridor with less care than they had in the room before it.
"Calis can you teach me to move as silently as you sometime? I am sure there is plenty for me to learn." She waited for a response.
"Yes of course little one, but for now focus on the dungeon at hand," replied Calis and she signaled for Alina to look before her. Alina looked back in front of her and was immediately tense as a Banette appeared through the wall. Alina thought a moment before using a Quick Attack and launching herself at her opponent. She passed straight through the Banette's body as she had expected. Normal moves wouldn't harm the ghost Pokemon which was now behind her. The Banette laughed and turned to face her, hurling a Shadow Ball in the direction of the Absol. She dodged it by bouncing off the wall to her left, and from there she launched herself once again at the Banette. She opened her jaws, focusing her mind and infusing her type into her attack. She used Bite on the ghost Pokemon, knocking it onto the ground. She held it in her jaws, and as she bit down the darkness pierced its skin, inflicting extremely effective damage.
The Pokemon scrambled up off of the ground before floating into the wall next to her. Figuring that the dungeon Pokemon was admitting defeat she padded back to Calis to receive feedback. Calis looked around, still alert.
"Dungeon Pokemon never-" She started to advise before being cut off as Alina was stabbed in the side with a sucker punch. The Banette came back out onto the pathway and began charging a Shadow Ball as he loomed above Alina, who was on her side. She jumped, but Calis had already taken out the Pokemon above her. The Liepard walked back to her to speak and now actually give her feedback.
"As I was saying, dungeon Pokemon never flee unless an adventurer uses a Foe-Fear orb in their presence. Adventurers are not affected by these items, however, all of the dungeon Pokemon in your sight will be. Either way, I should have mentioned this earlier, sorry for not letting you know. Would you like something to heal you before the next battle?" Calis asked. Alina nodded and she reached into her adventurer's pack pulling out one of the dried slivers Alina had remembered making for her acceptance expedition. She took it with thanks and gnawed unbecomingly on the waterless fruit.
The pair continued through the dungeon, each encounter giving Alina a thrill as she passed through the floors, making it to the third before having to leave due to the fading light in the dungeon. As Calis brought them out of the dungeon the light shone orange and the clouds in the sky were illuminated with a beautiful light. The two Pokemon watched as the sun sank lower in the sky, departing from the area and quickly making the journey back to the guild. That night Alina slept well, staying alone in the apprentices' den. She actually appreciated the seclusion of the small area as she thought back on the events of the day.
It had been a longer day than she had anticipated, spending more time in the dungeon than she had in Kalridge. The thought of doing something rebellious also exhilarated her. She was using a crazy method to achieve her goal, and despite knowing it was wrong, she still felt good about it. Nobody could stop her now that she was going to become stronger and start earning the right to become an adventurer. She couldn't wait for the morning, and though it seemed very far away, as soon as her head hit the moss below her, she was in a deep sleep. The exhaustion of the day weighing down on her as she slipped instantly into a dreamless state.
The sun rose, as it does every morning, casting light through the thin vines which covered the mouth of the apprentices' den. The shadows were cast down onto the moss, the empty space losing its warmth as its single resident slipped into the tall grass with her teacher. They pelted as fast as possible through the grass, watching as the world flew by on either side of them. The Liepard, being more agile, was the first to reach the woodland area and she repeated the exercise from the day previously, jumping through the branches above before coming to a halt at the dungeon entrance.
Panting, Alina came to a halt behind her. The second day of her illegal dungeon training was about to begin, and she was not going to let a bit of exhaustion get in the way of her progression. She walked down the stairs onto the first floor, stalking her first opponent who lurked in the hallway before her. She launched herself at the enemy, engaging in battle.
"As an adventurer," explained Sakor, "you have to learn to provide for yourself, and though the guild uses a joint storage unit, everyone has to pull their own weight or the whole system goes under." He walked with Ren and Kori through the center of Muraha, the town beginning to bustle in the early morning rush that was soon to appear. "When adventuring, you will also find items that may or may not be useful to you. Anything you find on your own can be traded in to the shops around town, and you can get money for them. The money you make adventuring can be used to buy items, however, most people put it towards the guild funding, as it does take money to upkeep the grounds."
The two new adventurers looked around, still awed by the sheer size of the tree before them. They padded after the taller humanoid Pokemon, listening intently to him when he spoke, but otherwise taking in the sights around them. They spotted the Timburr construction building, which was advertising construction of housing and guild accommodations.
"When you go adventuring, you usually have something in mind. A reason to go wherever you have planned. Though there is a small amount of profit in simply going and finding rare items, there is more profit in collecting bounties and assisting lost Pokemon. Some civilians go into dungeons, and though they are strong enough to survive they often get lost and can not leave due to the lack of having an adventurer bandana. When this happens they can send a help request and it shows up here." He indicated a bulletin board which had letters attached to it. "Each bounty and help request is given a rating based on the difficulty that it presents. Ratings go from easiest at D rank and the hardest at S rank."
Ren and Kori looked intently at the bulletin board next to the one with all the letters. Wanted posters coated the surface, overlapping at times and each had a picture of a Pokemon on them. The Pokemon looked like normal citizens, to be honest, but the bounties on their heads implied that they were very dangerous.
"What missions would you recommend we try Master Sakor?" Asked Kori.
"Due to you being short a member," He said as he grinned slightly, "You should first embark on D level missions, taking out the weaker criminals and saving Pokemon in easier dungeons. Eventually you will get more experienced and learn new skills intuitively. There is not a lot of risk in going into dungeons that are too difficult, however, you have a chance of losing over half of your items if you faint." The smaller Pokemon nodded in acknowledgment as they continued around the circle which was the town center.
"Here is where you can store items and money if you so choose. You can carry your money on you however it is not recommended because the dungeon will take it the moment one of you faints. You may start your own bank accounts if you would like, and most people have a small sum under their own name simply for personal use." He greeted the Xatu behind the counter with a simple nod and the bird chirped a greeting in reply. "You can find the trading center here as well," he walked along sideways to the next booth. A loudred stood at the counter, shouting out the offers to the Pokemon nearby. "Here," Continued Sakor, "you can put items up for a trade, but this usually involves high value items that are specific to a certain Pokemon. Make sure you get something worth having from a trade, you can often get scammed here so make sure you keep your wits about yourself."
The Pokemon continued through town, Sakor introducing all of the services that Muraha could provide. They walked back over to the job bulletin board and looked at the available jobs.
"Today I'll be joining you on your first mission. I advise that you choose a mission in D rank as well as one that is a social mission instead of a bounty hunt. It is, however, entirely up to you." He waited for a response and though Ren wanted to go on a bounty hunt Kori won him over and convinced him to go and help a Skitty who had gotten trapped in Kalridge Crevasse. "Very well," said Sakor. "Let's go then, the more quickly the better, you never want to be forced to abandon a mission because you run out of dungeon-light."
"This is the floor we left off on yesterday. I am sure you have noticed by now, though, the layout of the dungeon is different from the last time you were in here. Every time someone enters the dungeon, it changes the pathways, corridors, and locations of the stairs. Nobody really knows why they do this, however it is the way things are and we come to accept it. Most Pokemon appreciate it because it keeps old dungeons new and interesting however it also makes finding lost Pokemon harder." Alina nodded and went down the stairs to the fourth floor, the walls of the dungeon changing to a darker blue as she descended.
Two Pokemon sat in the room below her; she jumped over one of them, trapping them both in the same half of the space. She dove towards one of them as it sat in line with the other. The one in front dodged her attack, but she had expected it, and she sank her Bite into the Sableye. The Pokemon screamed and used Fury Swipes on the attacker, sending Alina jumping backwards to avoid the onslaught. The two Pokemon regrouped and the Golett used Rollout, advancing quickly on the Absol. Calis watched from the stairs as Alina jumped over the Pokemon before having to do so again as it advanced for a second time.
Alina thought for a moment before backing up to a wall and waiting for the Pokemon to advance again. As expected it came directly for her but just as it reached her she jumped into the air, watching as it crashed into the wall, becoming dazed. She came back down on the Golett, and used Night Slash, breaking the stone which made up his body in half. The Pokemon crumbled and faded as Alina turned to face her second adversary which was flying towards her, the bite mark still visible on its shoulder. She shifted to the left, its claw scratching down her side before she spun and smacked it into the wall with her tails, flicking them with all her might. The smaller Pokemon was flung against the opposing wall and she ended the fight with a Quick Attack into a Scratch.
Alina stood upright as she admired her handiwork.
"Good," Said Calis, "That is two of many, let us continue."
Arriving at the entrance to the large ravine the three Pokemon paused to review the letter. It held the location, Pokemon in need of saving, and the floor on which they were stuck. The group would be going down to the fifth floor before teleporting out using their bands. They headed down into the cave, entering the dungeon and beginning their expedition. They worked together, Sakor watching from the background, to defeat the Pokemon they ran into. Kori stayed more on the defensive as she helped Ren. Ren took on each Pokemon, one at a time, asking Kori for help when more than one showed up. They tackled, burned, and defeated each Pokemon in their path.
They went down in the dungeon, each Pokemon they faced seeming more easy to defeat, remembering the feeling of adventuring in the cave just a couple of days before. Ren led the mission as he traveled through the floors, the Pokemon they were facing not presenting much of a problem for the group. On the fifth floor the letter glowed for a moment before evaporating into thin air.
"This is the floor then," Said Sakor. "Lead the way." Ren padded casually through the dungeon, not fearing the enemies that might present themselves. After the experience of the floors above they seemed repetitive. They still did take a bit of effort to take out and sometimes he would take a bit of damage which was quickly mended by Kori. She took on smaller Pokemon now and then, using her normal moves on them and keeping her distance when possible.
In a room void of all but one Pokemon the troops found the Skitty they had been looking for. She sat in the corner nervously but upon seeing the bandanas around the necks of the adventurers she smiled and jumped to her feet.
"Oh thank you thank you!" She shouted joyously as she bounded over to thank the adventurers. "I'll pay you once we're back in Muraha. I can't tell you how happy I am to see you." Kori and Ren smiled at the joy of the Skitty, finding pleasure in the appreciation the Pokemon had for the deed they had done. Sakor offered the Skitty his hand and he teleported out of the dungeon. As had been discussed on the way there, the two newer adventurers concentrated on the thought of leaving the dungeon until they were standing outside the entrance. All four of the Pokemon met up and walked back to Muraha as the sun set.
She panted as the Pokemon before her faded from the dungeon floor. Calis landed gracefully in front of her after having just assisted in defeating the opponents. She beckoned to Alina.
"I think it is time to go for today. You made it farther than previously but you've reached your limit." Alina nodded and walked over to Calis who rested her tail on Alina's as they teleported out of the dungeon to the quiet forest. The sky was still quite light, though the amber sun was nearing the horizon, creeping closer to it with each passing moment. Alina followed her mentor to the edge of the forest before she made the slow and tedious trip back to The Grove. They arrived at the grounds as other adventurers were coming back to gather and converse over an evening meal. Alina went to go and find something to eat while Calis disappeared back into the tall grass, holding a berry in her mouth. Alina grabbed a Leppa Berry and an Oran Berry as she followed her elder into the grass beyond.
The two Pokemon sat in relative silence as the Meloetta's songs drifted over the field. The sun sank slowly below the horizon, casting a pink light across the clouds as the night began engulfing the landscape. Both Pokemon gave a parting word as Alina went back to the apprentices' den and Calis to the adventurers'. Ren and Kori were discussing the rewards for completing missions, specifically the one they completed. The day ended peacefully as Alina fell right asleep, exhausted after her second day of intense training. The fatigue she felt faded away as the hours of the night passed. She knew that she would get stronger if she continued this way. The experience she was gaining from being in a dungeon and training against tough Pokemon was going to take her quite far.
"Remember to be aware of your targets!" Shouted Calis as Alina faced off against three of the dungeon Pokemon. She listened for the frantic approach of the one behind her as the other two closed in. Dancing across the floor, she spun over one of their heads, using Scratch on its eyes before landing on the other side. It had been over a month since they had started training here in the dungeon and Alina had become quite accustomed to the battles which had taken place here daily. She bit down on the shoulder of the Pokemon that charged towards her as she dodged its attack, hearing it growl in pain as it reared around. She smashed it against the wall with her tails as the others encroached upon her, the one who had received the attack vaporizing.
She focused her worst memories and experiences into a Dark Pulse, causing the enemy Pokemon to be harmed and flinch in pain, the images piercing their mind momentarily. By the time they had recovered, it was too late. Alina used Sucker Punch on the larger of the two, sending it sprawling before fainting and fading into the air. The other staggered upright, before launching itself blindly at her, its eyes still damaged from earlier. She used Bite on its torso, piercing its chest with her horn as she did so. She flung it to the side relentlessly, having learned to think of the dungeon Pokemon as nothing more than training dummies.
She continued walking through the room and entered the next hallway making sure not to pick up any of the money or items which were strewn about. Calis padded behind her, watching the she-Absol as she tore through the enemy Pokemons' ranks. Alina had made surprisingly quick progress and was now able to quite easily defeat two to three Pokemon on her own, evading close to, if not every, attack as the battle moved along. She had noticed the fighting style of the Absol evolving, however, to a more efficient and brutal stage. She would defeat each enemy before her, relentlessly attacking, often crudely, using sly tricks and maneuvers to outsmart them before tossing them aside.
Calis also noticed that her student had learned to use the terrain to her advantage, making other Pokemon crash blindly into walls or using a surface to spring from one side of the arena to the other. Alina often cornered her adversaries or let them think they had her cornered before dodging their attacks and taking them out swiftly one by one. In the beginning, she had often returned to The Grove with minor injuries such as cuts on her legs or body. The other Pokemon dismissed the injuries after Calis had explained it as the result various mock battles between her and her student. Now Alina often returned unharmed and could complete most of the dungeon before having to head back from exhaustion and a lack of energy left to use specific moves.
Calis had spent one day testing the depth of the dungeon, the floors descending to a high number of fifteen before ending in a large open circle illuminated by an orange stone embedded in the far wall. Alina had been on break that day but when adventuring she had been to the tenth floor on a couple of occasions. She took more time than Calis to defeat the enemies in her path, though not much longer in more recent days. The progress was astounding in Calis's eyes and she gave the credit to the desire of the apprentice to become stronger, as well as the effort she applied when doing so.
Alina walked quietly ahead, leaving the sleeping Pokemon who laid in the room most recently entered. Instead of waking it and engaging in battle Alina padded quietly past to the stairs which descended beside it. The path took her down to the tenth floor, the colors changing from a dark blue into an aqua hue. The Pokemon on this floor often took more time to defeat in the past attempts. Alina walked more cautiously through the room, the dungeon light still bright and strong, leaving no dark corners or hallways. The two moved forward through the dungeon, Alina continuing, though more slowly, to defeat the Pokemon before her.
After a set of three Pokemon, which attacked all at once Alina was knocked backwards, bumping into Calis before apologizing and launching herself fearlessly back at her targets. She returned afterwards, breathing heavily from the exertion, however, she intended to continue going through the corridors to find the next level. She turned to continue as Calis called out.
"Alina, I think it's about time I showed you what the end of this dungeon looks like. If you'd like to have me help you down to floor fifteen, I would be happy to let you experience that joy. You've never officially completed a dungeon before. Every dungeon has an ending room and this one's is worth seeing." Alina turned around and her eyes sparkled with excitement.
"Could we really do that?" She asked happily. She had heard Ren and Kori talking about the dungeons they had been in, completing their missions and all of the fancy things she wasn't allowed to do yet. She always laughed it off and told them that it was really cool, saying she couldn't wait to do those kinds of things with them. It was true after all, she still remembered being thanked by that Aron and wanted to experience more appreciation just like that.
"Yes of course little one," Calis smiled, noticing that Alina's head was slowly approaching the same height as hers as the days passed. She jumped up to walk beside Alina and the two of them walked onwards, a new vigour filling the Absol's body as she defeated the new opponents with her mentor. The two worked as a team to take on each Pokemon, not having to plan their attacks. Calis already knew the patterns of Alina's movements from a month of observation and could collaborate well with her.
The floors passed slowly and the light began to fade from the dungeon. The two Pokemon ran through the floors, Calis leading the way now, taking each turn full pelt and bounding down the stairs. Alina laughed happily as they passed by confused looking Pokemon, their agility greatly outmatching the dungeon Pokemons'. The stairs down to the fifteenth floor eventually presented themselves in front of the two tired adventurers. Calis stretched slowly, relaxing the muscles she had been using to run through the corridors.
"I would like you to go first," said Calis as she smiled, motioning for Alina to move down the stairs. Alina's eyes sparkled once again in the darkness that was slowly engulfing them. She walked carefully down the dark stairs as the pathway opened up into a massive open room. Shining crystals covered the ceiling, which cast a white light down on the surrounding area . On the far end of the room, the white light merged gently with an orange hue, as a stone sat, sunken into the wall opposite the stairs. Alina walked over to the stone, admiring its beauty as small specks of white light flowed about its inside, swirling and spinning in a majestic flowing pattern.
"This place," said Alina, turning around to look back up at the sparkling ceiling, "is amazing. I always imagined the ending room to the dungeon, but I never thought it could be this magical." The gemstones in the ceiling slowly began changing shades, turning from white to a light blue. Calis watched with her student as the color changed once again into a dark blue before transforming into the same aqua green of the walls from before. It repeated this changing pattern in a mesmerising display.
"When I was here before," said Calis, breaking the silence, "it was still daytime and none of these were here. This is new to me as well. This cave is more amazing than I had imagined."
"I couldn't agree more."
"We should get going soon, the fading light does mean that it's almost nighttime outside. Most of the others will already be back at The Grove."
"Yes," sighed Alina, "I guess you're right. We will have to come again sometime though. It's a shame we can't reveal this to the guild members."
"Indeed. Let's be off then."
"Can't reveal it to the guild members? What a shame." Psychotic laughter filled the chasm, a second set of light engulfed the Hitmonchan, sending him back to the entrance of the dungeon as darkness blanketed the continent.
After another day of hard training Alina teleported with Calis out onto the daylit ground. The sun was still visible in the sky, but only barely, as the two Pokemon padded back to the guild grounds.
"You did well today Alina, your moves were more fluid than yesterday."
"Thanks Calis," She said, pleased by the adoration of her elder. "I tried my best to tie attacks together and think about connecting the movements instead of the strength of them. I find that the strength of them comes more as a habit now to be honest."
"That's good. With a little more practice I think you could be quite a graceful fighter. Your strength is unbelievable, and each of your attacks hits with an immense amount of power. You're also becoming less predictable. So congratulations on that too." The two of them quieted as they drew closer to where other Pokemon might hear them, not wanting to give any accidental inclinations as to where they may have been training.
Silence covered the area even as they approached, a sense of unease resting on the air. They walked out of the long grass cautiously, looking before them as everyone in the guild sat facing the entrance. Both Pokemon froze, looking around at the glares and unpleased faces they were met with. A wave of fear washed over Alina as she waited for someone to make a move.
"What's all this?" Asked Calis as she began to move again, walking into the limelight.
"This," Virizion said coldly, "is the last memory you will have being in this guild. You have been training your apprentice in the dungeon that appeared recently in Shin Forest. Rumors of its existence have been floating around Muraha, and when Sakor investigated the area he discovered you two training inside it. To make sure, I sent a small team to the area and sure enough, they came back saying that they had seen you enter it without a second thought. I don't know how long you have been training in the dungeon, but either way, it's illegal and I won't allow you to tarnish the guild's name. I built this guild from the ground up and I won't have you shaming it."
Alina came to sit by her teacher's side and she leaned against her for support as she looked down at the ground, the blood leaving her face. Calis wrapped her tail around the Absol and pressed into her in return.
"There is no home left for the two of you here. Say goodbye to whoever you want, but by the morning I expect both of you gone. Calis you'll leave your bandana on the Pinnacle Rock as a sign of your departure. Good luck, and I wish you all the best."
"There must be some other consequence. If anything it was my idea, I influenced her and told her she had to train in the dungeon. I wanted her to succeed, it is not her doing, but mine. Please Virizion…" Calis pleaded with the guildmaster as the light continued to fade from the sky. The guildmaster bowed her head, ignoring the pleas and the crowd dispersed. Alina ran to her mother who waited for her approach. She laid shaking against her furry chest, trying to find solace in the comfort of the familiar Ninetales.
"I'm sure you have your reasons Alina, but I can't tell you what you have done is ok. But even though this has happened, I still love you. I will always love you." She nuzzled her between the ears and let her gain her composure in her embrace.
"Thank you mom," she replied, wishing she could stay in her mother's presence forever, not wanting to leave the comfort of familiarity. Alina had known there was a chance someone would find out, but she had never imagined the consequence would be getting kicked out of the guild. All of the effort she had put into training over the past months had been for nothing. She hadn't only been refused the option to become an adventurer of the Virizion guild, but the right to being a member altogether. The weight of her decision had finally fallen down on her as she took in the consequences. She knew that there were other guilds, but it wasn't about being in a guild, but being in a guild with the other Pokemon there. Her friends, family, and others she knew. That's what she couldn't bear leaving.
The time came for her to move on from her mother, and she passed through the grounds to where her two friends sat in front of the apprentice den.
"So you couldn't do it the normal way like everyone else huh?" Asked Ren with a tone of hostility. "Did you really think it would just be OK, and that you were an exception or something? Yeah you were born differently but that doesn't mean the rules don't apply to you."
"I…" Alina trailed off, not knowing what to say to her brother as he verbally attacked her, the fire on his tongue piercing her mind. "Calis said it was the best way, and I trusted that she knew what I should do to become an adventurer. I just wanted to join you two so badly." She looked down at the ground as her eyes welled up with tears.
"It's alright we-" Kori was cut off abruptly by Ren.
"No, it's not alright, and we don't have anything to say about it other than that. I'm disappointed sis. I thought we might be able to adventure together someday as a trio. You proved me wrong though, which is a first." He smirked, a tiny bit of the compassion from their childhood returning to his demeanor. "It isn't my decision to make and I think everyone deserves a second chance, but the guildmaster runs things around here, you know that. Good luck out there." Kori padded up to Alina and pressed against her.
"I-I think everything happens for a reason, and I'm sure you have a reason too. Come visit someday alright? When all of this has blown over," whispered Kori as tears filled her eyes.
"I will," she responded, the relief that her friends had at least partially forgiven her easing her tense mind. She knew she could come back and find them in the future. She would just have to train on her own for a while and find a new guild with new friends and start a new life. Maybe no other guilds would take her after what she had done, but that was the least of her worries at the moment.
Her two friends padded off towards the Adventurer's den, her father casting a sideways glance in her direction, his eyes portraying no emotion, before disappearing into the hanging vines. She walked over to where Calis sat, the Liepard looking down at the ground.
"I never thought it would come down to this," she said, shaking her head. "I have really made a mess for you. I knew if we were caught I might get kicked out of the guild, but I always thought she would let me take the blame and let you stay. Now we're both being forced to leave." She removed the Bandana from around her neck and padded slowly over to the Pinnacle Rock. The surface lay barren until she left the light blue fabric on its edge. Calis came back over to Alina, apologizing quietly before sitting and resting her head on the Absol's shoulder. Silently the both of them sat, a light rain falling from Calis's eyes as the minutes ticked by. Alina nuzzled her teacher, who seemed more like a friend now than ever before. The two of them walked slowly to the edge of The Grove, the moonlight sending light shadows across the clearing. Virizion's head was visible and she watched the two Pokemon leave disappointedly before returning to the Guildmaster's quarters.
With the night came a chill which sunk deep into Calis's core. Alina had never been one to feel cold, and walked pressed against her friend's side. They found a clear patch under an apple tree, the grass growing shorter in that area. The two Pokemon brought piles of the long grass, dried pieces of it forming a large mound. Calis jumped onto it, flattening it down into a relatively large bed, the two of them curling up side by side. The cold of the evening didn't reach the two of them as they shared body heat, Calis appreciating the unusual warmth of the younger Pokemon as they laid beneath the stars. Hours passed slowly, the shining pelt spinning lazily around the sky.
"Are you still awake?" Calis's voice broke through the night's silence.
"Yes" came the reply. "Can't sleep?"
"I think you should go back to the guild and try and convince them you were forced to train in the dungeon. I don't mind seeming like a bad Pokemon, as long as you get to return to your family and friends." Silence followed the generous offer.
"I don't want to lie to them Calis, they are all people I care for. I helped us into this mess and I don't think it would be fair for you to have to suffer the consequences alone. Even if I did…" She paused, "I would miss you." Alina pressed against her friend, the bond that had been forming between them over the past months only growing stronger.
"Thank you little one." Calis purred contentedly, the harsh reality of being kicked out of the guild seeming not as bad at the side of someone who really cared about her. "I'd miss you as too."
They pair fell into a peaceful slumber, the day's harsh penalties seeming to fade with their consciousnesses. The moon shone above them, the white and purple Pokemon forming a small circle under the apple tree. Shadows danced across the two of them as a breeze blew the leaves of the tree above them, moonlight moving quickly over the peaceful scene. Morning came with little warning, the sun high in the sky before either Pokemon stirred. Alina opened her eyes, looking around, expecting the walls of her den, but the only sight was an expansive grassy field with a sprinkling of trees in the area.
The memories came crashing back to her as Calis moved at her feet, stirring from her slumber, awakening to the same shocking realization as Alina before calming. Both Pokemon silently cherished the memory of early morning in The Grove as the sun shone down on the pair of them. Calis stretched, her thin limbs stretching above her head. She gingerly reached out in front of her.
"Good morning little one," said Calis affectionately, jumping up into the tree above. "How're you feeling this fine morning?" An apple dropped beside Alina and she stopped it with her foot, another landing a foot away. Alina looked puzzledly at the fruit in front of her.
"I'm doing alright thank you and why have you gotten two apples? Apprentices aren't allowed to-"
"You aren't an apprentice anymore Alina, and I am not an Adventurer. We have no rules to abide by as rogue Pokemon. We can do as we please, try and find a guild, or go it alone. All are viable," she jumped down from the tree and prodded the fruit. "I wanted to know what you thought would be best for us. I was intending to join you on whatever path you chose."
"You really want me to decide?" Alina asked in surprise, not knowing what she should say to being offered the opportunity to make such an important decision. "I'm not really sure to be honest. I don't want to dash our chances of returning to Virizion's guild, and if there ever was a time we could go back I would want to take it." She looked glumly at the ground, feeling somewhat confused at her current lack of a place in the world. "If I had to say anything however, I would want to become an adventurer still, maybe…in a different guild."
Calis nodded and began eating the apple as Alina followed suit, savoring the early meal which was unusual for her. The thought, though somewhat daunting, of being unbound by rules was a bit attractive in Alina's eyes. She could do the same things adventurers could now and not get in trouble for it like going in dungeons and having a meal early in the morning. Alina noticed that the day was not exactly in its morning phase anymore; the sun having risen into the sky high above their heads.
"Where do we start?" Asked Calis, considering the guilds in the area, the only ones she had heard about being Zoroark's guild and Blaziken's guild. Both Pokemon had experienced how harsh Zoroark's guild members were and the mindset they held towards the Virizion guild after the event with the Lairon. "I think Blaziken's guild would be a good start," said Calis as she ruled out Zoroark's guild due to its harsh practices. "Would you like to go now?" Alina shook her head.
"I want to give it a bit more time. I don't think I'm ready to join another guild just yet. I think we should go and talk with the guildmaster to see if there is a chance of us being allowed back in." Calis sighed but nodded, knowing Virizion's stubborn tendencies. Calis did, however, want the Absol to feel as if she had done all there was to do. Thusly, she allowed the visit to be paid. After a short sprint back to The Grove, Alina came to a halt at the main entrance, not knowing exactly how to enter, considering she was no longer a member or how she would be greeted.
"You dare show your faces here again?" Snarled a voice to the side of them, the harshness startling the uneasy Absol. A Zigzagoon crouched menacingly before them, his fur sticking out on end and his claws pierced the dirt. Calis dismissed his aggression with a flick of her tail. Though he knew well enough that she could easily outmatch him, it did not distill the hostility in his eyes as he watched them through the entrance into the clearing.
"Virizion?" Called Calis, her unwelcome cry ringing across the guild grounds. All of the present guild Pokemon looked over, whispering and sneering at the two rogue Pokemon in the center of the clearing. "Alina wanted a word with you if that would be alright." Alina's heart skipped a beat as she looked at Calis. What had she meant that she wanted a word with her? Was she going to have to speak with her alone, or worse in front of all the guild's Pokemon? These thoughts flew through Alina's mind as Virizion stepped out onto the pinnacle rock looking sternly down at the two on the ground below.
"I have already made up my mind!" Bellowed Virizion, causing Alina to shrink back. "To be banned from the guild is one thing, but to return to it the day after begging for forgiveness is pitiful! I will not be accepting either of you back into the guild, not now or in the future. Good day to you both and do not return here again." She stormed off of the rock back into her den as the Pokemon around began snickering. Alina looked down at the ground as she padded behind her friend to the entrance. As soon as they had left the guild grounds the Zigzagoon's voice rang out again.
"And stay out!"
Virizion sat down in her den and sighed, dropping the angry facade.
"Good luck Alina, I know this is hard for you but it is for the best. You need to get away from this atmosphere." She rested her head on her legs and relaxed in the shade of her den. "You'll unlock your potential someday."
