Chapter 8: World Stolen By a Finger - Part 1
[Do you think Mister Feyera will be okay?]
"'Okay' is a rather broad term, Brucie. He'll live though if that's what you mean."
[By his standards, I could not hear him saying 'I'm okay with all this'.]
[Now that there's the funny thing about it.]
[What is Des?]
"Fun—funny?"
[Yah huh. Junior can't handle the facts. Much less, accept them.]
[Mister Feyera? He's always so factual to the point of pragmatism.]
[At least he attempts to be, July.]
"What you believe in and what you feel can be totally separate things. Especially when there are emotions attached to the individual's identity in the way that they are for your trainer."
[Identity?]
"Veh Feyera's identity—or rather his coming to terms with such an identity—brought him to this phase, and I would imagine it is significantly harder for a human to undergo such a unique stage of our psychosocial development."
[Our?]
"Yes as Gardevoir it's given to you and what you do with it is entirely up to you."
[You mean like a name?]
"I'm afraid it is a lot more radical than a name for a Gardevoir. Think of it *sigh* as quintessence. An essence always carried with you, perpetually taking in and giving out. See…?"
[Well I'll be darned. So it is a part of you physically.]
"Yes Des, it is. Here. Look. Mister Feyera, your trainer, has it too. On his chest; just like me."
[Now that you mention it, that was always a peculiarity he shared with none of his people friends.]
[Does Mister Feyera even have any people friends?]
"*Sigh…* That's because what he tells you isn't the truth but rather what he wants to believe as true."
[That's mean.]
[Why does he lie?]
"He doesn't know better; eventually his empathy will catch up to his deceptiveness…if it hasn't already."
[So none of the Homo Sapiens can have 'The Empathy'?]
Feyera, now clearly hearing voices, remained too buried in his own recovery. He wanted to regain consciousness, but his strength was all but gone. The conversation his Pokemon were having seemed to be far above him. He felt as if he were underwater. Everything occurring on the surface world took place opaquely through a foggy lens of thought-waves. He could not distinguish the murky telepathic noises. He didn't even feel embodied any longer. Everything felt completely foreign. The slight tension he felt against his left wrist was the only thing he could remember, much less feel at this point.
"July, I'm sure a few people are gifted with empathy. They are some of earth's creatures with the most similarities to us as Gardevoir."
[Really?]
"Yes. In fact, some of us think that we are related to one another through a distant ancestor."
[Told ya the two of them had the same Homo Sapien stuff!]
"Humph. So that's how he sees it?"
[Huh? What's the matter Miss Sana?]
"It's an awful shame his insecurity-driven lies transfer over to you. The truth is he takes after me, not the other way around."
[Don't ya be feelin' bad now Miss Sanaria, Edgie's got the insecurity of an Octillery hiding out in his underwater garden.]
"Ta ha, thanks. I've never met an Octillery but I'll take your word for it Des."
[Aye. The trick is not letting it rub off on you. And if it gets ta be too much fer your heart to handle, just go back into the Poké Ball. No fuss, no muss dearie!]
"Has he been projecting his feelings onto you?"
[Absolutely.]
[Like all the time.]
[The lil' guy hardly knows how to do anything else sometimes. Ta him, must be as natural as roundin' up the cattle at the end o' the day!]
"Well I would say that certainly isn't nice of him. Instancing is made so we can defend ourselves. Outside of that, Gardevoir only use it to positively influence and buff their closest friends. I hope veh Feyera hasn't given you a bad representation of our species as a whole."
['Course not! After all, you're nice Miss Sana!]
[We can deal with him though, we're a tough bunch of Pokemon.]
"You are, especially you Brucie. He's closest to you as a friend."
[Well I don't like to brag but I've known him the longest time. No one else knows Master Chris as well as me!]
"I may have known him sooner than you. However the 'Doctor Feyera' I knew from two years ago was hardly able to empathize with even a fly. Much less a Pokemon."
[Yeah I don't know why he didn't tell us that he knew you outside of the dreams.]
[Hey July, remember how he had MEMORY LOSS?]
[Yeah Brucie, but Miss Sana said it wasn't permanent and could be fixed gradually.]
"Memory loss or not, he's in denial. And the only good thing about being in denial is that it is a step in the process as a whole."
[Process?]
[What's that mean?]
"A transformation of sorts. Growing up. Development."
[Evolution?]
"Ta ha, though he's a scientist, he would not take kindly to that term when referring to himself. Humans make up funny terms to differentiate themselves from the rest of nature."
[M—muh—mutation?]
[He didn't want that either, July!]
"Well he might not want it, but it's already happened to three parts of his body."
[What physically?]
"Yes…his heart, his eyes, and now…now this."
[What?!]
[Wait, no! So he's going to change completely?]
"One can hope. *Sigh* But regardless of what occurs at the corporeal level, I think the mature mentality needs to come first."
[So like acceptance?]
"Exactly, July. That paves the way in our evolution."
[How far along is he?]
"I—I don't know. Unless he did some serious soul searching since he ran off, not very far. Like I said, there is a physical manifestation of my species attributes…It was a wish I made so that he could live. I just don't know, but I want to help push it along…"
[What are you touching his wrist for?]
"It's just so…so much like…Hmmm, I hope he wakes up soon."
[You said that he'd be conscious in no time though.]
"I know, but he isn't recovering from it as quickly as I thought he would. Probably since he cannot channel emotions properly yet. It's too bad; but like I just said, at least he's made some progress rather than no progress. Still he's unbelievably delicate."
[What happened to him?]
"As far as I can tell, an anxiety attack took hold of him and was amplified by his heart. It could have also been an aftershock from employing his Psychic powers without a proper ground."
[Why?]
"Or perhaps it was an existential crisis? Sometimes being on our own can do that, and it leads to anxiety in adolescents."
[I knew it! So it was anxiety.]
[Well yeah, he practically had a bright neon sign displaying it, July.]
[Anxiety eh? This lil' squirt gets those a lot, don't he?]
"Des, I know what it's like for him. I get anxious too. None of us are immune to it. It's a threshold feeling activated on the way to adulthood. Angst, sensing emotion, coming to terms with what one is can be scary. And can be a rather painful process once you realize the responsibility such a purpose demands. I know all too well…"
[Because he's like you right?]
"Yes. He is. It is something he'll continue to deny until he wakes up and realizes what he's done."
[Do you mean literally wake up?]
"I was speaking allegorically, but yeah, once he sees the physical ramifications of using his—and I quote—'psyonics' as well."
[I thought he already saw the repercussions?]
[Yeah after the coconuts!]
"Coconuts…?"
[He tried to grab the coconuts from that tree with his psyonics, because he loves coconuts.]
[Ha yeah, oh boy those coconuts…my oh my!]
[Miss Sana, you should have seen the crazed look in his eyes!]
"Teh he, oh does he now? That's…good to know. Very good to know."
[Yeah but he couldn't do it.]
[Whoa now, hold up there pardner 'n lemme get this straight: Edgie can take down a ship's chimney but not a measly coconut?! Argh, blimey the catastrophic satire is too much for me to bear.]
[Umm…?]
[Say what?]
[All I'm tryin' ta say is our lil' rodeo star's got more bucks than bulls.]
[What is that supposed to mean?!]
[Now, I'm even more confused now by what Des is trying to say…]
"Huh?"
[Yikes…All I'm talkin' 'bout dearies is how he's got more to his name than he can use properly. He's got those psyonics, but ain't no way ta employ em practically 'n all.]
[Oh!]
[You're right about that. He was dying to eat the coconuts.]
"Aww the poor thing…how tragic…"
[He tried really hard.]
"He must have been so blue in sadness."
[Sorta.]
[Yeah—huh. Then he collapsed…]
[—Like always!]
[…and that happened to his wrist. See? First his mood ring got all weird and glowing green then his wrist changed in color and texture!]
[We think the mood ring did it.]
[We're sure of it!]
[But he said it was 'The Radioactive' and tried to tell us all about the magic of 'The Science'!]
"Magic? You don't say? He he…"
[Haha they are like magic spells: 'Mercurius!' 'Mercurium!' 'Ununseptium!' 'Abra, Kadabra, Alakazam!' Poof!]
[Yeah, he brought out the big words and tried to confuse us.]
"Well that certainly isn't nice considering you put your lives on the line for him day after day."
[To be perfectly honest Miss Sanaria, I think he only wound up confusing himself.]
[He had the look he always has when he gets into things that are over his head!]
[Aw by goodness July, I know THAT Edgie-look like the back of my fin!]
[Yeah, and then all this happened.]
"…Veh Feyera has little experience in dealing with emotional embrace. He has no defense, no training. Initially thrust into it, but that will change in time."
[You really think so?]
"Mmm. Oh yes. Seeing this has proven it. I try to have faith."
[Well I'll say just be saying this lil tidbit: that sure sounds like our 'ol galoot of a trainer all right. Ya know, feller's always complaining about getting thrown into things that are more than he can handle, but he always winds up pullin' through! Heck, he spends almost as much time trying to attribute blame as he does fixing problems.]
[Mmhmm!]
[Yeah, imagine if he didn't waste so much time doing that *sigh*.]
"That will go away once he realizes some things are his own fault and cannot be undone."
[I think Mister Feyera has grown up a lot. Think about hit, he wanted me to find you!]
"Hmm…he sent you right? Lord knows if I ask him whether or not he sent his little champion out to find me, he'll aggressively deny it."
[To be fair he has memory loss.]
[Yeah and you did it!]
"Brucie, I told you already, that was unintentional, I only wanted to help him. He was in deadly levels of pain at the time. Besides, I'm sure it isn't affecting him any longer."
[Maybe, I mean he remembers our names and attacks just fine.]
"I'm working hard to give it back to him in his new life."
[New life?]
"Ummm…I mean…what I mean to say was…umm…a new life amnesia free! Yeah hah ha…"
[I personally think Mister Feyera hides behind his amnesia.]
"He he, well he cannot do that forever. Especially with all of these…precious components he now has bursting forth."
[Precious?]
"Umm…Nevermind that. So you were told by him to find me?"
[Yup! He knew he was going to fade out so he said in his scary voice, 'there's only one person who can save me, and that'd be none other than Miss Sanaria herself']
"You're making me blush…Did he really?"
[Well it was something like that! He knew we couldn't do anything but since you are just like him, he knew deep down inside you had to help!]
"Deep down inside?"
[Yeah he had a lot of faith in Brucie finding you.]
[We're like brothers after all!]
"He even used a scary voice?"
[Well kinda, what I meant was that he was dead serious.]
"Scared?"
[Oh you bet. Like a 'just startled by a Bug type Pokemon' kind of scared.]
"Typical. It's like dealing with a Ralts who happens to have all the powers of an adult…*sigh* save the most important: control."
[Control?]
"There is a reason why we grow up in three stages. As a child you learn right from wrong, as an adolescent you learn how to do what is right and wrong, and finally as an adult you figure out whether what's right is actually right and what's wrong is actually wrong through controlling your actions."
[We?]
"Gardevoir and humans for that matter. It's one of our numerous overlaps."
[What da ya reckon will give him a dose of that adult mindset?]
Feyera began to softly stir. He heard the conversation, but could not manage to pull himself out of the half-dream. His body felt tight and compressed almost like an overly crowded bookshelf. Everything: his thoughts, feelings, and even physicality, was so packed into a very small frame metaphorically speaking.
"Nothing short of development. Time. And me… The types of things he runs away from."
[Mmm you are right; he does love to run away from things. I can only think of a few times where he actually confronted his fears.]
"But he can change, I've seen it—no I've felt it."
[Physically?]
"I would hope so. They are related. If his mind makes his body change…"
[Then can't you help him out? Since you are already a grown-up Gardevoir?]
"Well I'm not all the way grown-up yet. I… Well I suppose that isn't true."
[What do you mean Miss?]
"What I meant to say is…*sigh*…I'm not a full adult any more. I was at one point, but a cruel man took that part of me away. He was a person who did not know right from wrong."
[How terrible!]
[Who would do something like that?]
"Like I said: it was someone cruel."
[Aw dearie, I'm sorry.]
[Did you get payback? Maybe Mister Chris Feyera can help you out!]
[Yeah the boss loves to fight Team Rocket! He'll put the bad guys in their place when they mess with him or his friends.]
[Heck, he even takes them on for fun sometimes!]
"Ha…I'm sure he appreciates your praise. However, the one who took away my 'thas' no longer inhabits this world."
[Oh so the bad guy died?]
"I…hope he did."
[Well you don't have to worry any more now that you're with us! We'll keep you safe from any harm, us and Mister Feyera will protect you!]
"Thanks."
[You know Miss Sana, you seem to be pretty grown up even though you were hurt by the bad guy.]
"I appreciate hearing that Brucie. Despite my own personal loss, I still think I have your young trainer beat in maturity."
[He's catching up if his arm has anything to do with it.]
"You…you're right. I pray that he sees it."
[How could he not?! It's the same color as yours Sana. ]
"Unfortunately, for Gardevoir it isn't always how something looks. I mean colors are important, but even those are contingent upon how we feel."
[Ya don't say!]
"Feelings come first. But his humanity—or whatever's left of it—should be able to connect the dots."
[Darlin' don't be holdin' yer precious breath on Edgie.]
[He'll say one thing and then the opposite.]
[Yeah he's a basket case. Thanks to all those lies he spreads out onto us like his rouge emotions.]
"Well he is a basket case with true friends, that's for sure."
[Sana, I think you are his friend too.]
"Huh? You really think so, Brucie?"
[Definitely!]
"Between you and me, I'd like to find out if that's true. I would need to feel it. Though what I've already felt tells me something different…"
[Say guys, I think he's finally coming too!]
[Naw Despie, he's just doing the thing where he clutches at his chest again, he's done that all night long.]
"Lucky for him I know what that means. *Sigh* Poor little baby."
[Yeah he's doing that 'moaning and ugh the agony!' routine with his body.]
Indeed Feyera was doing exactly that. With eyes closed tightly, he groaned, looking for the energy to wake up. Occasionally he would reach out a trembling hand only to have to collapse back to his chest from exhaustion.
"Hmm…aw, what's the matter veh Feyera?"
[Sana, what are you doing?]
"Looking for something? Well maybe if I give you just a little…"
Feyera felt a rush of energy enter his core as Sana knelt against him and graced the rims of their hearts. The contact sent visible sparks soaring in between them. Edge jumped as if he were being resuscitated. The adrenaline had fully kicked in, creating a huge amount of vigor. Feyera didn't know what he could do with it, as his internal heart thumped louder and more frequently.
He started by opening his eyes. What he saw came as little surprise. An effeminate Gardevoir loomed over him, her eyes closed and mouth half open in concentration.
"SANA!" he called out.
The Gardevoir's eyes whipped open and she smiled. She held her heart moving the piece away from him, and breaking the treasured contact between them. Sana said nothing and just hummed. Then the radiant scarlet aura covering her eyes disappeared revealing her cherry irises.
[Boss!] Brucie exclaimed from off to the side.
But Feyera's attention was solely focused on the Pokemon in front of him. He tried to take his eyes off her, but could not find the willpower. He could not help but grin, he was happy to be conscious again. She backed away, taking with her the angelic comfort that had recently pervaded his essence via his core. Behind her, the midday sun was brightly reflecting off the great white arched clouds. Their base's cottony gray shadows complemented the fresh blue sky. He could hear the ocean rhythmically lapping against the sand nearby. It was a new day.
"I knew that would work," she said playfully, "always did on Seph."
"What?! What did you do?" Edge shouted, immediately becoming defensive. "I knew you followed me here!"
"Followed you here? Quite the contrary 'Mister Chris Feyera'," Sana said stroking her heart's brim where it had touched Edge.
Edge looked down at his own crimson shard and saw that it too was pulsating with a similar type of verve that matched its mate. "Y—you did, I knew you couldn't let me go, you desperate Gard…"
"DESPERATE?! HA! Desperate?!" Sana hollered in half-laughter. "What were you going to say? 'Desperate Gardevoir'? Because I see only one of those here on this island, and he's in fetal position groveling in the sand at my waistline."
Feyera tried to move and stretch his limbs outwards to avoid being called out on his pathetic state. However as he did so the lack of muscular strength proved debilitating. Harsh gravity pressed against his important joints. He could only outstretch his arms and legs in Staryu shape form. It was rather fitting since he was still on a sandy beach. A small shell pricked the side of his left arm by the Reilken Mercurius, causing him to yelp in pain, "Yowch!"
Sana peered down at the inch of green flesh surrounding his armlet. Feyera desperately tried to take her eyes off it, and pushed his entire arm against the sand in a futile attempt to bury it. However this only served to feed the numbingly intense levels of sensitivity as the coarse granulates abased the flesh. He hated how one sensation led helplessly into another more powerful one. Tossing slightly to the side, he continued to lie on his back, looking directly up at Sana's gentle face, whose pristine gaze would not leave the man's wrist. He quickly spoke, "This is just how I sleep, get over it!"
"I'm not so sure about that." She wagged a small finger playfully, "…But if how you slept before was a sham and this is the real thing, te he, then that makes it even more adorable."
"N—No," Edge tilted his head and saw his team of Pokemon near his side. Thank goodness they were all there. Brucie, July, and Des. They were all watching him in awe. "GUYS!" he shouted at them.
[Master Chris!] Brucie ran up to his trainer and pet his shoulder. The young reptile had some scrapes and bruises on his face and lower torso. They were black and blue, and stood out against his warm red leathery hide.
"Brucie! Are you okay? What happened?" Feyera said as he instinctually reached up a hand bound by the Reilken Mercurius towards his partner's wounds.
[*Cough!* Just a scratch bud. I found Sana for you.]
"You found her?" asked Feyera in feigned confusion. "She was following us right? Stalking us! What a sneaky little…"
[Don't even go there,] said July as she walked parallel to his body.
"What do you mean?" asked Feyera childishly. "I haven't a clue…"
Sana reached down and tapped his Gardevoir heart with a hand; her own frustrations were pushed into his mind unwillingly. They rammed into him like a freight train, widening mental corridors and fracturing walls of his essence.
"OW! N—noooo!" he cried out as the surge of emotional energy flooded his identity.
Edge squirmed for a few seconds before merging to her feelings. His mind's thoughts became a catalyst for each and every one. She then spoke very placidly, "Listen Chris, you can lie to me cause I'll take it."
"Guh…what?" Edge babbled as his mind traced the Gardevoir's every sensation and made them part of his own, automatically synthesizing everything between them.
She continued to tighten against his crimson shard speaking sternly to match her current clutch over his essence, "I'll actually put up with your nonsense while I wait for you to grow out of your old ways. But your friend here—a friend you don't even deserve, mind you—just risked his valuable life so you would wake up without being hung over from emotional exertion."
"Hung over? What? I don't remember," Feyera began to lie automatically.
[See what'd I tell ya!] said July.
[Chris…don't…don't lie,] Brucie said. [Please don't boss.] He wasn't angry surprisingly. Just tremendously sad to see his trainer buried in such deception.
July continued to clarify exactly what had happened, [I was right here by your side when you told Brucie to go find Sana because you needed her.]
More plumes of emotions continued to bridge the link between trainer and Gardevoir, uniting them in robust psychological integration. The connection's wrought iron beams expanded as Sana pressed further against the core's flat side with her hand and subsequently into Feyera's mind. It was pleasurable, but also traumatizing to have every thought, every sensation, every neuron be efficiently joined to those of another. Its tethers, no longer his and hers, but rather theirs, forced Feyera's mind to shift into higher levels of cognition.
Seeing his green halo-rimmed eyes dilate uncontrollably from the imposed bond she said with a grin, "If you want veh Feyera, I can make you remember through Hypnosis. Although I must warn you it is an emotional experience and because of that you are obviously inept."
"*Gasp* I am not inept! And you're one to talk Sanaria, because of you I cannot remember things! This is your fault!" Edge barked.
"My fault?" Sana said raising her voice. She strained tighter on his shard; she had subconsciously lowered herself to the level where their hearts touched. Mental separation had ended moments ago, and soon physical separation stalled as the area of heart contact grew rapidly. His eyes began to glow a faint scarlet, coating his vision and mimicking Sana's eye aura. Just then, a minor feedback began to start up. Edge felt emotions that were originally his, but had gone through her, come back into his psyches amplified. Their fuel was this crudely formed connection of minds. Quickly, Sanaria pulled away from his core with a desperate tug and the potential feedback fall was neutered. She gasped sporadically, her mind now totally occupied with how the situation nearly spiraled out of control. Her control.
"Huh?" Feyera asked at her almost panic-driven action. Why did she have that timid look in her eyes?
Sana, unwilling to let him know what bullet they had both just dodged, then insouciantly ran a soft hand through her mint green hair. "This is how you thank me for giving you life?"
"You didn't give me life. I was asleep; I even heard your little banter with my Pokemon." Feyera blushed, "Which by the way was totally uncalled for. Don't believe what she says guys, she's too emotional."
[Well now that there's the pot callin' the kettle black, Edgie,] said Desperado.
"She understands emotions more," Feyera huffed. "Cause she's not logical. I at least have the logical side covered. The only reason I needed Sana was to understand the emotional side of an infection I have."
July caught on and pointed out, [Ah ha so you do remember then!]
"Sorry, I got spooked guys; I thought the anxiety attack was worse than it actually was in the heat of the moment. I didn't need Sana to wake me up." Edge tugged at his jacket saying, "She didn't resurrect me."
"Veh Feyera, for once you are right. I didn't give you life just now, I gave you emotion. It may as well be the same though."
"No. Life's…" Edge held off, what was he trying to say? What was life? What else could it be besides what he had just felt?
"And you liked it enough to consume it. I'd be hard pressed to call your delighted Ralts—like grin a consequence of an 'infection'," said the Gardevoir whilst giving a lighthearted laugh. "It's a lot like eating right? But so much better for you than the vile…ugh…pig meats you're used to."
"C—consume?" Feyera repeated in horror. What was happening to him? "No! NO! I won't…!"
"Yes, but that is just the way things for you now aren't they veh Feyera? Gotta take good care to keep your body healthy so that you can grow up big and strong right?" She sarcastically went on, "You want that yes? Regardless of what you say, your body told me that moments ago."
"No—I'm not eating emotions, that's impossible!" Feyera said kicking the sand with the toe of his boot, "You cannot eat thoughts and moods. They aren't even physical. There's no nutritional value to them!"
"But they are so nurturing!" Sana quipped.
"What the hell is that supposed to even mean?!" Edge yelled his rational side aflame. "I don't want to eat those!" he passionately affirmed. His rationality and emotions were blending, converging on the same pathways, forging unprecedented intersections in the mind of the young man. It was traumatizing to find how much ground they now shared in his mind. He wondered what had triggered this sudden unprecedented unification.
"I could tell you, but for a Gardevoir, it is so much more enriching to actually feel something rather than try and dilute it with words." Sana tilted her head to the side and said, "In any event, I was talking about when my wish saved your sorry life two years ago."
"No…no. Wishes don't exist. She's totally gone off the deep end guys. This is why I had to get away from her everyone. Don't you see?" Edge said directing an incriminating finger at Sana's face. "She's manipulative."
[The only one around here manipulating is you,] July pointed out.
[Yeah, all you do is lie mate, we think you might have a problem,] said Brucie. [Why couldn't you trust us? After everything we've been through together?]
"T—Trust you?"
[Yeah like give us something back. Reciprocate. You know like what you do already with your moods.]
Feyera struggled to conscientiously respond to all present parties. "First of all, this is all very temporary; I thought you wouldn't be interested."
"Temp—temporary?" Sanaria said aloud.
That echo from her speaking twice never ceased to startle Edge. He answered carefully, "Yes in fact I think I know exactly how to fix it."
Brucie bombarded him asking, [How?]
"Fix it?" the Gardevoir impetuously asked.
[This sure ought to be good…] Des sighed.
Feyera pushed his neck up, and looked to the beautiful sky, "I'm going to break into the Evercrest facility."
[What?!] they all exclaimed in unison.
[Chris, when you tried something that stupid in Celadon with the Team Rocket Headquarters, you almost got us all killed had your mysterious guardian angel not shown up to save the day!] shouted Brucie who was obviously referring to Fredrick—the enigmatic International Police agent none of them save Edge had met. For all they knew Fredrick could have been a hallucination, or worse yet another pathological lie.
[The bad guys won't let you do it twice!] said July.
Edge forced a rouge smile. "I know. That's why. It's a crazy enough plan to work. They'll never expect that I'll do it again. Team Rocket is collaborating with Cipher after all. They're one and the same according to multiple sources!" However, the only real sources he had were his dream memory and members of Team Rocket like Timothy Rallsen.
[Okay let's say by some miracle you can infiltrate the base, why? What's the point of risking our lives?]
[Lil Brucie brings up a good question,] said Des as she rocked her serpentine body on the sand, getting parts of her wet scaly body covered.
Feyera looked down at his wrist. The bracelet had stopped glowing, but his flesh immediately around it remained off beige green, pale, and sensitive. He hated it. "It all started there, and that's where I'm going to make it end."
"Make it end?" asked Sana with a look of worry in her eyes.
"Yes." Feyera grunted, "I'll break even at least on the moral scale."
[Break even? What's that mean boss?] questioned Brucie at his trainer's side.
"What about who you are? You have to figure that out first before you…"
"What's the point in figuring it out? I'm going to fix it," Feyera exclaimed.
"You can't!" Sana insisted as worry filled her mind. She wasn't ready to lose something that she had held onto for so long.
"And now look who is being overly emotional. Look regardless of what the objective is, one thing is for sure: we need to stop Cipher."
[And you want to play vigilante?]
Edge grinned and nonchalantly responded to July, "Gotta do what you are good at!"
[You're pulling us all into one big fight.]
[Yeah who's to say you won't wind up finding out more stuff you don't want to and break down like last time around?]
"How bad can it be? I can't sink any lower. My past is out in the open, I've got nothing left to lose by doing this."
They all grew eerily quiet hearing Edge say this.
"Chris, if you want to make amends I'll go."
"Sana?" Feyera said perplexed, "You're the last person I thought would be on board with this mission."
She chuckled at Edge calling her a person but did not call it to his attention. "I have faith in you. You can make good."
"Um…right. Yeah sure. Make good," Edge said scratching his head. He knew what he wanted. If doing the right thing coincided with what needed to be done to remove Seph's attributes then lucky him, he'd be considered a benefactor as a bonus. Of course, this role of hero was secondary to his own ambitions.
"And besides, if you want to use any Gardevoir abilities you'll need me at your side." Sana pawed at her left wrist anxiously wanting it to feel the same way Feyera's felt when she touched him there in his sleep.
"Psyonics," Feyera automatically corrected. He paid no attention to what she meant by saying that she needed to be at his side. He assumed she would rescue him if he fell into another one of those pitfalls from over expending his powers. "And I intend on blowing up the God forsaken place when I get what I want."
[Blowing it up?]
"Yeah 'sucking it apart its structural integrity with a gravity well' just sounds wrong; plus, too many syllables, causing the feeling…I mean the meaning to be lost," Edge said as he began to sit up slowly. Sana helped him slightly. "Thanks," he whispered to her.
"Mmm," she nodded cooperatively.
[Ya coulda just said destroy it pardner.]
[He can't destroy it though, Des. He'll hurt himself and maybe others.]
"Relax, Brucie," said Edge. "There are no innocents in there I need to worry about inadvertently killing, that's for sure. And that takes a big burden off my chest from the get-go."
"It does?" Sana asked excitedly.
"Um yeah…I don't see why you're an eager beaver all of a sudden Sana."
"Ah well…I'm enchanted by the prospect of doing something I always wanted to do ever since they took Seph away," she said falsely. For she was not a typical creature of vengeance. The men and women inside the Evercrest facility were expendable. Killing them in anger would not bring her mate back. The only important thing was right here in front of her, Seph's successor. If she had to fabricate a way to get him to employ more of the heart's power then so be it. The ends justified the means. "Prior to this moment I never had the armaments to even consider an assault on the place."
"Oh. Well, there will plenty of time for doing just that," Edge said, his heart racing with the thought of taking down a group of sadistic scientists he once associated with. Having memories of Progenitor gave him plenty of fuel to want to tear the place asunder. In fact, the predicament he found himself stuck in now took place because of them.
The Gardevoir nodded. "Of course, as long as we do it together veh Feyera," she said slyly. Sana wanted him to be forced into further accepting who he was. What better way than for him to see the atrocities he committed as Chris Feyera? How else could she command him to become repulsed by what he once was and guide him to paving a road into what he would become? It was perfect, she didn't even need to plant the seed in his mind, he'd come to this on his own, and would accept it. If she told him to do something a certain way, he'd childishly grow all defensive and uncooperative. But playing along with his little vigilante mission would be a crude way of making him accept his new role. Really, the only thing she had to do was force him to evoke Seph's shard as frequently as possible since that seemed to have caused the mint green tone of skin to appear on Feyera's arm. The thoughts and expectations caused her to blush and conceal one of her eyes in anticipation.
Feyera on the other hand began to worry about Sana's attachment to him physically. She was still endearing as ever. He wondered if she had told his Pokemon about everything the two of them shared, including that spur of the moment kiss. "Listen, we're going to do things together as a team Sana," Edge said trying to downplay their awkward relationship as much as possible.
"Of course, veh Feyera, of course," Sana said meekly.
[Just when you think it can't get any crazier…]
[You're telling me Brucie,] said July.
Although Edge and Sana were not showing any affection, it was obvious that the two of them were dancing around the past. Their shared past. It was the type of past whose roots kept it coming back even when the stalk was shaved to the ground.
Edge said happily, "Guys, I'm feeling really good about this."
July asked, [How do you even want to get into the base?]
Feyera smiled. "That's the simple part; they already carved a road for us to take. Talk about easy!"
"So you want to take the path of greatest resistance?" asked Sana.
Edge scratched his head and said, "What does that mean? Don't you mean to say 'take the path of least resistance'?"
Sana pawed at her garment. "If you take the road then we'll be forced to contend with the patrols."
"Well I'm not going through the forest!" Feyera said thinking about the spiders again.
"I can show you the way, I've been here long enough you know. The Pokemon here are tough, but very manageable." She grinned, "And with a Gardevoir heart at my side it will increase my strength exponentially. You could use the experience too."
"No. I'm not going to fill a role for you with my psyonics, Sana!"
"You already have though!" she sniggered.
"Doesn't matter. Whatever they were hauling around in their little cavalcade was big. Big enough to warrant the use of tanks. We follow that road and I guarantee you it takes us right to the chief of operations," Edge said happy to find that his rational gave him a pathway to Ein. Who knows maybe if Ein helped him undo the Reilken Mercurius' power he'd spare the scientist's life. He did not dare tell Sana this hidden agenda.
She murmured softly, "If that is what you want to do then."
[I suppose we're all on board with you Chris!] said Brucie.
[Well hey now, hold up there pardner! Who died and put you in charge Brucie?] asked Desperado.
[S—Sorry, I just thought…man it feels like old times all over again,] the Charmeleon said smiling ear to ear and clutching the air with his paws.
July smiled, [Yes I know what you are saying. I'm glad to be on an adventure again.]
Brucie looked over at Edge and Sana, then back at July and Des. [It's a mission guys! Chris Feyera and the gang have a new mission!]
Edge beamed at his Pokemon. Sana sat politely at his side smiling to herself. He didn't seem to care. They would be working together and that was all that mattered.
Feyera then beaconed for Sana to come close, and the Gardevoir complied. She brought her tipped ear to his cheek. He asked her in muted telepathy, "You didn't tell them anything about…us right?"
She smiled; Edge could feel every muscle in her face at this close range as she spoke, "What do you even mean?"
Edge paused, wondering if it was all just a dream or a hallucination. Had their kiss really even taken place? "Um I mean…"
She took a quick inhale, and then laughed nervously. "Hah…N—no. What about 'us'? Stop that. I don't know what you're talking about," she said in short bursts, fully aware of what he meant.
"Exactly," Feyera said. Oddly, he felt it difficult to pull away from her face. Still he managed to do so when considering the challenge ahead. Though it definitely was a struggle, almost like tearing off a bandage. "Right so on to logistics: Brucie are you hurt from trying to find Sana?"
[Not really boss. It was actually her who wound up finding me.]
Feyera's jaw dropped, "What are you talking about?"
[Um boss,] Brucie looked down at the sand between his legs, [I messed up. Got lost and was surrounded by the wild Pokemon in no time. The Ariados were going to eat me. I tried using my Flamethrower like always when we're in battle but it just wasn't the same. I was just looking forward. I got flanked.]
Feyera became nervous about how dependent Brucie was on his psyonic control. However, he continued to listen to his Pokemon's tale rather than unveil the repercussions of siphoning.
[There were ten, maybe more of them. All very hungry. My flame tail must have given me away. They roughed me up first, to make sure I was tender enough to eat.]
"That's awful!" said Feyera. His fear of insects in general was not aided by Brucie's little anecdote.
[Yeah packed quite a wallop with all their spiny legs. I was getting hit from all directions. And then the big Ariados was about to sew me up in string to feed to her little babies when I shot fire right at her face as she coiled her body around me.]
"Good job!" Edge said, trying to fight off his squeamishness.
[Yeah but there were still like nine others Master Chris! Just when I thought it was over for me and my goose was cooked, I saw a faint purple glow cut straight through one of the larger spiders.]
"Purple glow?" Feyera asked, looking over at Sana who smiled crookedly in response. Her mint green hair bangs flopped in front of her eye closest to Feyera as she tilted towards him mischievously.
[Yeah I thought it was you at first boss!] Brucie said with overactive body language, [But that didn't make sense since you were out cold when I left.]
Edge shrugged, "Well Sana can use some powers similar to my psyonics."
"Hey," Sana nudged Feyera in his side playfully with her elbow. "I think it's the other way around actually."
"My Pokemon have known me longer than you, so I'm the standard!" Feyera argued childishly.
"Oh so now you want to be the stock Gardevoir?"
"NO! I'm a person."
[Whatever you two,] Brucie growled, [point is she saved my hide!]
Feyera looked at the bruises and scratches riddling his first Pokemon's body. This was real. None of this could have been made up. He slanted his neck to face Sana and forced a "Thanks."
The Gardevoir smiled and nodded quietly.
[I was done for if she didn't help me out.]
"It was really nothing. Their partial Poison typing makes for short work," Sana said modestly.
[Yeah but you handled them all Miss Sana! I had a type advantage too by being a Fire type, and look where that got me!] Brucie looked at his Pokemon savior with awe, [You're amazing!]
"Brucie, all I did was give them something to fear," she looked menacingly over at Edge, "For a Gardevoir, emotions are your best friends, but can also be your own undoing."
Edge felt as if he was being targeted. He tried to bring her down a few pegs by saying, "So you used Psychic and spooked the spiders. *Huff!* Big deal."
[The big deal is she saved my life, boss!] Brucie shouted in defense of his rescuer.
"No veh Feyera, a small field Confusion attack followed by surgical Psyshock sufficed just fine," Sana said, trying not to brag. "A full out Psychic assault would be overkill."
Edge looked at her in astonishment, and recoiled slightly. She really was powerful despite all the times he'd try and diminish her. "Full out…?"
She gave him a leer as he backed away from her body, "What's wrong? You haven't learned those moves yet?"
"I don't learn. I order. That's what Pokemon trainers do," Edge growled feeling surprisingly insecure.
"Of course you do," the Gardevoir satirically said. "You definitely have the very first part of your little 'Pokemon Trainer's Mission Statement' figured out."
[Yeah he's good at it,] said July oblivious to the Gardevoir's hidden jab at the Gloom's trainer.
"*Sigh*" Edge breathed out softly, unwilling to take the criticism's bait. "Next order of business, Desperado?"
[Hmmm? What can I do for you to make yer day?] the ferocious looking Gyarados asked. The thing about Des is she was impossible to judge based on appearance. Although small thanks to siphoning, she was still a killer. The thing was she happened to be a killer with a big heart.
"I'm guessing you couldn't find the yacht."
[Nope not a chance, sugar.]
"Darn it…" Edge whispered. Everything was riding on them finding the boat. That was the only foreseeable way off this island barring infiltrating Evercrest and stealing a vessel. Now it looked like they had no other choice but to break into Evercrest in order to even get a chance to leave Chrono Island. Edge considered all the supplies he had in the boat. His clothes, his badges, and even his wallet were in the knapsack. But most importantly, Brucie's medication was there too. If they couldn't get back there in a week, the Toxic would resume its effect. Hopefully Lorelei had just traveled back to her nearby home island of Floe. Feyera frowned at the unlucky turn of events.
[But what I did find was sumtin 'else entirely!]
"Really?" Edge asked the coiled up sea creature in hope.
She nodded eagerly, [Oh yes!]
"Well what was it?" Edge gasped, hoping she had found a small village or resort he'd never heard of. It seemed unlikely, but his emotion backed fantasy trumped the reality of the island being a Pokemon reservation.
[Well now, listen here nice n' close. There were these really big gallopin' tracks going into the woods south west of here, and my word they were unlike anything I've ever seen before!]
Feyera released his held breath in discouragement. "I know Des; we passed through them on our way to the beach. I'm putting money on them belonging to Cipher."
[Ya sure right? I'm just letting ya know they went all the way out to the water's edge! Do ya think it was them ridin' out into the ocean?]
"Absolutely, who else would be on this island?"
[Well I dunno honestly. It seems like you're off makin' assumptions again!]
"Your trainer is right Des; the scientists are the only people who live on Chrono Island," said Sana. "At least as far as I know."
Edge tugged on his bronze hair. "So what we know so far is that Cipher's mobilized recently. They obviously went to the water here and back. And it must have been important if it made them rush to the shore like they did, toppling over trees and whatnot."
[What do you think they're after?] asked Brucie.
"Beats me. I mean it could have something to do with the earthquake."
[Earthquake?]
"Yeah," Edge said deep in thought. "The whole picture doesn't make sense. We're missing a key component. Chrono Island doesn't get earthquakes; the closest fault line is Cinnabar Island's inactive volcano far to the north of here."
Feyera looked over at Sana who promptly said, "Don't look at me! I don't know!"
"Okay, well that's fine. We're gonna find out. That's what good scientists do, they figure things out! I think that takes care of everything—*grumble*," Edge found his concluding remarks interrupted by his stomach growling.
"Haha aww are you hungry still?" Sana teased.
"Obviously," Edge said holding his stomach.
"Well…"
Seeing where she was going he interrupted, "I don't eat emotions. I'm not like that."
"Aww sure you're not," Sana said as the Gardevoir twirled some hair hovering above her shoulder.
"The only thing I use emotions for is to summon psyonic energy. And to talk to my Pokemon. That is all," Edge abruptly decided.
"Oh?" Sana released the strand of hair and it bounced back into place, "Then why don't you grab a scrumptious coconut up there with your 'psyonics'?"
"I—I…hrm coconuts…" Edge said fighting off the desire his body naturally projected. They were appetizing. He may have grown full after doing whatever it was that he did before being knocked out by anxiety, but the temptation to eat fresh coconuts had not diminished one bit.
Sana grinned in delight seeing the soft rose tinted waves emerge from his core. "I bet they taste…mmm…delicious."
"N—no! Last time I did that my arm got all messed up. I'm not going to do that again. Despie, topple that palm tree with your tail now! Thrash attack!" he ordered.
[Roger that cap'n!] she said soaring through the air and taking her strong scaly tail to the palm's bark.
She walloped against the base of the tree with a few swipes, getting her aim right. Edge and company backed off as she continued to wreck loud havoc on the pristine beach.
[Timber!] yelled the Gyarados. After a strong hit, with a loud snap, the tree came toppling down onto the fine sand.
"Thanks Despie! You're the best!" Edge said rushing over to the leafy part of the tree. He greedily grabbed onto one of the ripe coconuts and begun to smash it against a nearby shore rock frantically.
[Aw, anytime pardner,] said Des. [Hope I didn't make too much of a ruckus!]
Brucie put his hands on his hips and said, [Boss really wants to eat a coconut.]
[Yeah haha he looks like a Mankey!] said July.
"You're right July, he does sorta," Sana said as she gracefully walked over to the struggling young man.
Edge was completely tuned out to his Pokemon and focused on one thing. He wanted to prove to himself that he could find food on the island, and his stomach urged him on. Of course, Edge also wanted to eat one of his favorite foods. The young man continuously slammed the fruit upon the sharp rock, waiting for it to spilt and reveal the milky goodness within. "Clunk! Clunk! Clunk!"
[Need some help there, pardner?] Des asked as she approached her trainer cautiously. [I can give it a good ol Bite…I'll pretend it's a Gastly!]
Edge shook his head, refusing to take his eyes off the stubborn drupe in his trembling hands, "N—no! I got this. If you chomp on it all the yummy juice inside will spill out."
[Um okay,] Des said looking back out at the sea.
"Almost got it…" Edge said biting his lip. His left arm had grown weaker than his right so he had to compensate slightly, using the left to aim and the right for power.
"Veh Feyera, there is a better way to…"
"SNAP! Crack!"
"Ah ha!" said the trainer. He began to pant, for the constant whaling on the coconut had worn him out. He didn't have the stamina to do anything physical for very long. Even something as menial as swinging his arms up and down repeatedly tired him.
"Good job, now make sure to drink all the juice before it pours out."
"Sana I know how to eat a coconut. For goodness sake," he muttered. Here she was telling him what to do and treating him like an imbecile.
She laughed to herself keeping what Brucie told her about Feyera's adoration for the fruit a secret for now. "Oh I know you do," she whispered.
Edge pulled apart the shell and raised his mouth to the crack; however, nothing came out of the coconut. He shook it a few times waiting for the watery substance to pour out. It never did, the fruit was hallow. "Hey what gives!" he yelled at the fruit.
"Hmm?" Sana asked. "Something wrong?"
"Yes, this one's empty! How the heck does that happen?!" he bellowed, tossing the pieces to the side and picking up another one.
"Oh my, that really is strange," Sana acknowledged.
Edge smashed another coconut on the rock, and this time his frustration helped him to split it right open with a loud "Snap!" He puckered his lips and put them up to where he had broken the fruit, but once again nothing came out.
"You…have got to be kidding me!" he yelled at the fruit. "Des you knocked over a bum tree! This one's fruits suck."
Des pouted, [Well hey now I just did whatcha asked me to do Edgie.]
[At least she did a better job at getting them than you did when you tried,] July said honestly.
"That's the thing though, if I knew they were empty then I wouldn't have: A, tried to use psyonics to bring them down and B, told Des to topple the tree…! *huff*" Edge grumbled, "And now I'm hungry again."
[Well quit being grumpy otherwise we don't want to be around you since you impose that bad temperament upon us,] said July.
[I'm with her on that one, Edgie sorry pardner but you're bringing us down with your attitude.]
"Whatever. Okay return," Feyera said drawing July and Des back into their respective Poké Balls.
Sana walked over to him and knelt down to pick up the fractured shells of the coconuts he discarded. "Chris, you can still eat the fleshy parts inside. You don't have to toss away the whole thing just because it doesn't have the milk you want, don't be foolish."
Edge looked at her in bewilderment. "Did you take it away with your Psychic powers?"
"What?! What are you talking about veh Feyera?"
"I think you did, you are trying to teach me a lesson aren't you?!" Edge scolded. "It's another one of your stupid Gardevoir tricks!"
"What? No! You're acting crazy now. Why would I do that?"
Edge shot daggers at her with his eyes, "I can think of several reasons why. How's this for starters: you want me to be stuck consuming emotions! Well that's not going to happen, you'll starve me first!"
"Listen to yourself veh Feyera! You're hungry and need sustenance. Especially if you're so uninclined to consume emotion." The Gardevoir nudged the fruit near his mouth saying, "Come on, try it."
Edge peered at the interior of the fruit half she held in her hand. Inside, it was covered in a chalky white layer of solidified coconut jelly. His mouth began to water. The smell alone was enough to make him salivate.
"Go on, take it. I'm not going to feed you like a baby!" Sana laughed.
Feyera reached out and snapped a bit of the fruit's core out with a precise fingernail. Trembling, he put the warm piece to his mouth. It tasted delicious. Feyera couldn't believe he had gotten all bent out of shape about just not being able to drink the coconut milk, eating the fleshy fruit was as Sana had said, just as good. Edge never really ate coconuts this fresh. They were always transported from plantations, so it was a real treat to taste one this fresh. It was right off the branch! He took the rest of the shell half and began clawing into it to retrieve more of the succulent fruit.
Sana watched as he gobbled up the rest of the fruit and wiped his mouth with his jacket's sleeve. "Feel better?" she asked full of wonder.
Edge nodded. "Lots better." He felt happy. There was no nausea like there was when he tried to eat the Dwellerberries.
Sana handed the trainer the other half of the first coconut he had broken and scooted close to him. "Here, there you go."
"Thanks," Feyera said with a smile. Finally, things were going well. "You have no idea how good these are."
He took another bite or two and then Sana asked him, "How do coconuts make you feel?"
Mouth still full of food, he looked at her and raised a brow. Swallowing, he answered as simply as possible so he could resume eating, "Good, they are tasty."
"Are they now?" she asked. "Don't they make you happy?"
"Err…yeah I guess they do," Feyera replied not really wanting to be interrupted by Sana's prodding. She could tell that he was happy. It was getting to the point where whenever he didn't complain chances were he was happy. Like July had said before, he was frequently grumpy.
Edge put another piece into his mouth and was about to swallow, when he felt a tightness in his chest. It pulled and tensioned his whole torso. "Huh?" He looked down to see Sana resting a finger on the Gardevoir heart. The constriction of his chest made him worry. "What are you doing Sana?!"
"Oh nothing, just showing you how easy it is to eat without being wasteful."
"What are you talking about? Get your hand off me," he ordered.
Brucie looked on from afar, easily just as confused as Edge was right now. He let the two of them continue whatever it was they were doing, figuring they would work it out in time.
"Off…you?" she asked with a devious grin. "Is this really you?"
"Not me, I mean it, this awful thing on my chest!" Edge corrected.
"Just relax," Sana said as she stroked its edge. "Your happiness is feeding yourself. Don't you feel it? You only need to eat a little bit of something that makes you feel happy and then the heart amplifies those feelings to make for a full meal."
"I—what?" Feyera squirmed. "NO! I told you already I'm not eating any emotions. Just food."
"They are the same for us. One leads to the other," Sana said as she twirled her wrist. "Let me ask you: are you still hungry?"
"Umm…" He certainly did not feel as hungry. It was very strange. He hardly ate a single coconut and felt as if he'd had a three course meal.
Sana could tell by his expression that he felt satisfied. "See? You just have to be picky about what you eat since your mood corresponds to how well your body amplifies its nutritional effect."
Feyera tapped on the sand with his free hand. "That's…"
"Not possible?" Sana joked, removing her hand from his heart with a swift flick. "You know how it feels now—I feel it through you—so how can you say otherwise?"
"You tricked me. I said I didn't want to."
"Listen, I didn't trick you. I just didn't want you to starve to death, and you were being difficult!"
"No, before too, when you took the milk out of the coconuts!"
"Will you stop accusing me of such silly things veh Feyera? How can I even absorb milk out of coconuts?"
"You're a Gardevoir! You can do weird things!"
"Here we go again…" Sana stroked her perfectly sloped temple, "The only 'absorbing' I can do deals with your emotions through the union of our hearts. Be glad I'm not asking for payback for feeding you my own emotions back when you were sleeping!"
Feyera's face went white as a sheet in fright, "Y—you can do that?"
She gave him a half smile, "Of course I can. Did you think it was just a one way street? We provide for one another, even in the small ways. For instance, when I touched your heart just now, I tasted exactly what you were tasting."
"I—I don't want to…"
"Humph, you don't feel like sharing?" she asked crossing her arms.
Edge shook his head and muttered, "N—no. Please, you've done enough to me."
"Have I?" the Gardevoir raised her hand and slowly inched it towards the man's chest.
[Hey, easy does it you two!] Brucie said walking over to them.
"Thanks, Brucie, things were about to get—" he peered at Sana's innocent face, "—a little out of control."
"Oh you have no idea," she whispered.
"What was that?" Feyera asked in alarm.
Sana smiled softly and clutched her heart with both hands saying, "Let's just do what you said you wanted to do now that you're fed and happy."
"F—Fine! But it all ends soon so don't be getting attached," Edge said full of hostility.
Sana looked threateningly at his shard. "Oh don't worry; I won't be getting anymore attached to your humanity. I have my standards."
"I'll remember that…" Edge mocked knowing full well how their kiss had made her feel. Either she had changed dramatically in her preferences or she was lying. Based on the way her body radiated liquid ruby desire when they kissed made it evident that the attraction was there. Times like these caused him to appreciate his Gardevoir derived psyonic powers. He liked when they gave him insight and knowledge.
Feyera tossed the other coconut to Brucie. The Charmeleon ate part of it and frowned. [You really like these things?]
"Of course I do!" Feyera retorted. "How could you not like them?"
[Hmm to each his own I guess,] the Charmeleon said puckering his lips.
"I like coconuts too veh Feyera, they are delicious."
"You do?"
"Yes, but now I've gained a new appreciation for them," Sana said like a ghost. Feyera could only imagine what that entailed. Had she truly taken pleasure from his pleasure? It was possible. Once again, the dastardly occurrence of her mate's attributes melding with his own had to be thought of as only temporary in order for Edge to function. Seeing it as long lasting made him dizzy. The thought of it being permanent made him nauseous.
In spite of all of his buried anxieties, he mustered enough courage to face his next challenge, "Alright guys, it's time to move out."
[Give us the play then,] said Brucie excitedly.
"Okay, so I'm going to recall all of you to your respective Poké Balls. It will help you conserve energy for whatever resistance we find once we get to the Cipher base."
Brucie keenly observed his trainer only possessing three Poké Balls in his hands. One for each of them, but not for his newest companion. He struggled to say, [What about Miss Sanaria though?]
The Gardevoir blushed. "What about me?"
[You are not going to rest in the Poké Ball?]
"I erm…" Edge fretted as he desperately searched for an adequate excuse.
"Oh, he he, I like to travel out with my Pokemon trainer."
"You err…what?" Edge asked her gentle face in confusion. He wasn't her Pokemon trainer. At least not that he knew of. She didn't have a Poké Ball. Feyera didn't even have a spare Poké Ball on his person thanks to leaving his supplies on Lorelei's yacht.
She winked at him with a heavy lidded eye, "Yeah don't you remember how you endearingly told me that when you 'caught me' veh Feyera?"
Edge Feyera grew beet red as his lie caught up to him. His brow began to sweat. Brucie must have told her the propaganda he'd been spewing after their falling out.
"'I'll always travel with you as my companion,' you said." Sana rubbed her rail thin knees as she got up, "Besides, that's only customary. And I'm happy you've embraced that part of our culture, Chris."
[Customary?] asked Brucie.
"Yes Brucie, for Gardevoir. We have to stay…close to each other. Very, very…close." She giggled girlishly, "Otherwise things like what happened to veh Feyera last night occur. And none of us would want that, now would we?"
Edge shook his head in disbelief, she was so conniving.
[Oh…I see,] Brucie said. He could never tell what was going on between his trainer and Sanaria. One second they were bickering, and the next they were trying to spend time together. It was definitely a complicated relationship. The likelihood of it being romantic wavered with the wind. Only one thing was for sure, there was enough tension between Chis and Sana to cut through with a Slash attack.
"Um, yeah…so Sana—um I guess she's going to be accompanying me that way Brucie," Feyera said afraid to find out what he might have unwillingly signed up for. "You know, until this is all sorted and fixed."
Sana nodded and revealed her small pearly teeth, "Protectors protecting each other. That's how it works."
[But I protect Mister Chris too!] Brucie insisted.
"Oh I know that you do Brucie. You do so in more ways then he'll admit. Don't feel so bad, he's just a grumpster."
"You know I'm sitting right next to you Sana!" Edge interrupted.
She nudged him playfully with her knee. "…But he needs a certain someone who is just like him so that he can find his way."
[Just like him?]
"Err…Brucie, what she means to say is because we are both fully grown up, me a human adult and her a Ralts-line adult, we have a mutual responsibility as grown-ups," Feyera said in desperation. "Sorta like the leaders of our respective species. You know…the ones…umm…in charge of things."
Sana pierced him with a dark gaze, "Yes exactly…the ones in control of the situation."
Brucie showed his fangs with a smile, [I want to be an adult too so that I can travel with you! I can be the Charmander grown-up of your pack!]
"You'll get there one day bud, I promise," Edge lied through his teeth.
[Okay great!] Brucie closed both his eyes and grinned in eudemonia, clenching both his paws in excited fists. [I can't wait! We'll go on missions all the time then.]
Feyera fought off sorrow by looking at Sana. She seemed to acknowledge his fib. She even answered for him, "Brucie, Chris veh Feyera loves you dearly and wants the best for you."
[Aww, I know that Sana! You don't need to tell me things like that!] Brucie said as he grabbed at his tail and played with it joyfully. [Pah, singing me praises for doing my job…keep that up and you'll wind up making me slack off!] However, the truth was Brucie did like to hear that his trainer cared about him, and he liked it even more when Edge respected him. The former was always easier to see than the latter.
"Yeah, so don't worry; I'll be calling on you first if I need anything. You're someone I can depend on!" the trainer said.
[Thanks! Good luck Mister and Miss.]
Edge deftly returned his Charmeleon to the creature's Poké Ball confides with a quick swish and click on the sphere's exterior button. "'Mister and Miss', what the hell is he thinking…" muttered Feyera.
"I thought it was rather cute," she said stroking her short garment's ridges.
"Cute isn't the first word I'd use to describe what you and I did back there…" Edge said speaking of their impromptu kiss following the feedback fall yesterday. At least she hadn't told his Pokemon, but that didn't change the fact of the matter that they had kissed.
Sana's once pale cream cheeks flushed rose, "Listen, we need to talk."
"Agreed," Edge said as dryly as possible.
She seemed to be surprised by his willing cooperation, but paid little heed to it since her mind was going a million miles a minute. "What we did back then, before our fight…"
"Yeah?" Feyera wiped away some perspiration from his upper lip. "What about it?"
The Gardevoir looked at his chest, "That was just me seeing you as Seph."
"And that was just me seeing you as Lorelei!" Edge retorted. He was happy to have his excuse primed, for if he had paused it may have given her the wrong impression, revealing that he was not one-hundred-percent sure of where he stood.
"Okay, *phew* so this isn't awkward right?"
"No of course not," the trainer lied. Of course it was awkward. It was probably the most awkward thing he had ever done. Kissing a Gardevoir. Why if the authorities caught wind of that, he'd be representationally crucified for Pokephilia. But legality aside, it was still uncomfortable as sin in retrospect. It was strange, it felt so right in the moment, but now looking back it was completely insane.
Sana sighed, "I'm glad. Okay, so we can just move on…right?"
"Yeah the way I see it is we were both just delirious. You were masquerading as my love interest after all!" Feyera thought about how he could practically smell Lorelei's coconut cream perfume when Sana imitated the Elite Four member in his dreams. But also when they had kissed. "Must have been delirium."
"Agreed," Sana said aloud exactly like he had not less than a minute ago, mimicking the same dryness.
Edge stood up straight, ready to employ his mastered skill of denial, "Let's pretend it didn't happen!"
She poked him affectionately and put her slender arm around his shoulder. Sana asked innocently, "What happened?"
"Haha, exactly!" he laughed, but still felt mildly uncomfortable by her sporadic physical advance. It was almost as if she were contradicting herself. One minute she pushed him away and then then the next she was on the road to embracing him. Maybe that was just how Gardevoir behaved. They were touchy feely because of all those emotions. As long as he didn't start acting that way, he was willing to accept that oddity.
"So are you ready to go, Feyera?" Sana asked him, only taking her eyes off his face for a moment to look at the jungle to the south.
Feyera nodded, "Yeah, you bet Sana! Let's go!"
She hummed softly in agreement and the two bolted towards the humid forest in hopes of finding the mysterious pathway made by Cipher. That road, so full of promise, would lead them both to exactly what they wanted.