I'm probably going to follow-up this chapter with the next, otherwise I imagine I'll drive some of my viewers a little crazy with how this chapter ends.

Vines & Briars

Chapter 12: Memory & Madness?

On their way back to the guild, Quil filled Rick in on what had happened to him.

Much of what Quil said was what Rick suspected from the start. Quil had woken up in that clearing (where Rick and Croc had fought the Tyranitar) and had, much like Rick, been understandably confused as to why he had been deposited there.

"I tried to get myself out of these hills a few times. But this place, I'm afraid it's a little too difficult for the likes of me to take on alone." Quil said, looking around as they proceeded, "I kept ending up back at that clearing and having to rest. Then that Tyranitar came along, and I had no choice but to go and hide. I was worn out as it was and I don't have any items with me, so I wouldn't have stood a chance. I'm just counting myself lucky that I saw that burrow and I could duck in there."

Yeah… but you could've easily gotten sealed in there too… Rick thought grimly.

"I heard the commotion you two made in the fight with that thing, but I wasn't sure who was picking a fight with that rock-type and I was a little too scared to check." Quil finished, sounding mildly ashamed of himself.

"I'm just glad you're safe, and you're with us now." Rick said, giving him a small smile.

"Speaking of 'us', where's Rio?" Quil asked, now concerned as he looked for any signs of the Riolu.

"I… don't know." Rick answered, his gaze falling and his expression downcast. This caused Quil to grimace and the group went silent as they continued to plod onwards back to home.

-0-

It took time, but they arrived back at the guild and Quil was quite relieved to be home again. Of course, other guild members noticed that Rio was missing and the Guildmaster herself expressed her concerns about his absence.

"I'm going to go looking for him." Rick responded to this.

"Right now?" Roserade asked, a little surprised, "It's nearly nightfall as it is. I understand concerns about Rio's well-being, but I know you only just got back from your last exploration. You should get some rest. Besides that, while I am concerned about Rio, I also know he can take care of himself."

Rick might've argued, but Roserade's curt tone of voice made it clear that if he tried to argue against her, she would insist. He was forced to simply head to bed.

-0-

Just because he followed Roserade's orders though did not mean that Rick enjoyed obeying them. There was a lot on his mind and unlike Quil he could not sleep while the issues were on his mind.

Where's Rio been taken? Where do I even start looking? What if he's in as much trouble as Quil was? Can he really survive the night?

He laid on the bed that he had slept on a few days ago, questions roiling about his mind and his mind started to also wander onto other questions... such as the still-unanswered question of who had sent him to Veil Island... or this world in-general and Rick still had no real idea of who he was apart from his name.

Argh... just too many questions.

In the end, he got up and shuffled out of the bedroom and into the main chamber of the guild.

He briefly noted that Roserade's door was firmly shut, and he could also see that the central chamber was empty, save for himself and the décor upon the walls. He headed for the exit.

Maybe a little fresh night air will help me clear up my thoughts and get rid of some of these questions... at least help me put them aside for a couple of hours.

Rick found himself facing the gate to the guild, which was of course closed for the night, but there were advantages to not regularly being seen in the region. The gate hadn't been designed effectively enough to keep a Snivy like Rick in or out and with some effort, and a little squeezing, he managed to slip out by going under the slight space under the gate. Anyone larger and/or less flexible would've gotten stuck or would've simply been unable to get through without opening the gate.

Okay, so there are advantages to being so much smaller.

Having gotten outside and being faced with the night-sky, Rick seated himself just to the side of the entrance and gazed up at the stars, admiring the sprinkling of lights and letting them push the questions in his head to the side. As he continued to gaze up at the night sky, he couldn't help feeling he'd done something like this in the past.

The stars weren't as bright... too many lights from the towns...

He blinked as he realized the involuntary thought.

Towns? Ugh... more memories I just can't bring to the forefront...

He rubbed his head as he tried to will the memory forward, but now that he was focused on it, it was like a shy child... running away from him.

"Hey. Hey there."

Rick looked up when he heard someone speaking to him... a girl's voice. His breath caught in his throat.

I know that voice!

Who he saw though, he didn't recognize. He felt like he had seen them before though.

The figure was fox-like in appearance, but in the darkness of the night Rick wasn't sure of what he was exactly seeing.

"Hey. C'mon. Follow me." the girl's voice sounded again, coming from the figure.

Memories tried to surface as the voice called up the lost memories and Rick almost automatically stood up, staring at the figure before him.

"Do I know you? Have we... met before?" He asked uncertainly, trying to ignore the headache the memories were bringing him as they hung just out of reach.

"Come with me. I can show you."

Something didn't feel right, and a chilling tingle down Rick's spine was instinctively telling him he shouldn't. But his curosity would not be satisfied if he simply let this figure with the familiar voice walk away.

"Just tell me. Please." He stepped towards them. The figure turned around though and headed away at a playful prance.

"C'mon. You have to follow. I can't show you here."

Rick's jaw tightened as he continued to feel uncomfortable about this turn of events.

Who is this!?

Attempting to catch whoever this was, Rick started running after them, moving quite fast. The fox ahead of him though was just as fast and started running down the path, leading him away from the guild.

"Wait! Wait up!" He yelled after them. However they didn't stop and though he stopped once or twice, the voice continued to beckon him onwards. He couldn't ignore it.

-0-

The figure led him to the edge of Denwood Forest, where they vanished among the tree. By this point, Rick had been running the whole way and had worn himself out. And he was alone in the middle of the night.

What am I doing, chasing after someone I don't even know? I... I have to simply be imaging things about that voice.

He was about to turn around and head back to the guild, ready to apologize to Roserade if he got into trouble for sneaking out, but then the figure in the woods spoke again in that voice Rick could not ignore.

"Where are you going? I thought we were going to meet in here. Don't you want to see what I have to show you?"

Rick's better sense was telling him to say "no" and walk away, but the memories were still hanging, tantalizingly out of reach. He wanted answers... and a corner of his mind was convinced: maybe what this figure had to show him would provide those answers he desired so much. The voice they had seemed to keep the memories buzzing.

"Ugh! Fine." Rick groaned and turned back around and headed into the midst of the massive trees, the figure continuing to lead the way.

-0-

It was odd... and unsettling. The course the fox was leading him on was winding and long... and despite them being within a mystery dungeon, it avoided all other Pokemon dwelling in the forest. And every time the figure came into view again, they almost immediately vanished as they proceeded deeper into the forest, calling to Rick and encourging him forward.

I wish they'd tell me who they are... and how is it we haven't encountered anyone else in here?

Then, as the forest started to lighten slightly with dawn on the approach, Rick finally entered a massive clearing.

He looked around at the clearing and his first impression was of a site where a major catastrophe had taken place long ago.

There was a massive tree of the forest, fallen and resting over its neighbors, though much of it had rotted away over time and moss was coating the top of it thoroughly, it was still a considerable mountain of timber and plant life. And though the mark was quite faded, there appeared to be a black spot on the ground under the tree. The grass growing there was sparse and somewhat hid the mark, but from a distance, the blast-like mark was as evident as any scar.

And then Rick's eyes fell on the figure sitting before the tree. They looked almost tiny compared to the felled tree and in the growing morning light, he could see them clearly now.

At first, he had thought the figure had only a single tail, but now that he could see them plainly, it was clear they had six. The fox's belly was an odd yellow color and the fur along its back, a dark red... and then there were the tails and the fur upon its head.
Rick blinked as he stared...

I've seen that shade of red. Dark, maroon... red.

He approached the figure, in almost a trance as the memories all but screamed in his head.

He stopped before them, the fox smiling serenely at him. A single name dropped from his lips without thought.

"Elisa?"