Shadowed Over Fairy Dust
22
Stunfisk! The Booby-Trap Poke'mon!
A/N: This Fan Fiction is based on the Galar region and games (Sword/Shield) featuring CanonXOC It based on the GAMES and NOT the anime version.
"All right ladies~ Hold out your badge rings!" Hop grinned. and soon three badge rings each with two badges a piece filled the center of their trio.
"It's hard to believe its true." he said,"Each of us now has a Grass badge and a Water badge." he beamed,"We're all about to head for Motostoke for our third Badge."
"Well we won't ever get there if we don't get going!" said Marnie.
"True." Hop laughed, "Maybe we'll run into Kabu in Galar Mine 2." he stated.
"What makes you say that?" asked Marnie.
"Well..." Hop blinked, "From what I hear, he's holed up in there undergoing some special training!"
"Really?" Anani blinked, "Where did you hear that?"
"A little birdie told me!"
Though both Anani and Marnie gave him a look of doubt.
"Look we should check." said Hop,"Normally we could just hop a Flying Taxi back to Motostoke." he stated,"But if Kabu really IS in the mines doing special training then we wouldn't be able to take him on right away which would put a hault in our Gym Challenge!" he said.
"That's true..." Anani mumbled.
"Fiiiine~" Marnie sighed,"Let's go." she blinked, "The least we can do is check it out."
XXXXX
As they reached the second Galar Mine, it looked more like a tunnel than an actual mine. Only there was no visible light through it, indicating that it wasn't going to be a straight shot. That, and...
It's...so much darker than the other one...
she gulped.
The first mine was pretty, despite falling in some areas with work inside. Things like that can be expected from mines with multiple levels...
Luckily this one didn't seem to have the multiple level issue...but no gems lined the walls of this mine. just wet rock and darkness. She trembled a bit as she stood before the entrance.
"Anani..." Hop called her name gently, trying to drag her back to the present moment."
"What's with you, huh~?" Marnie joked teasingly bumping her hips to hers, "This one doesn't have the multiple floors like the last one did." said Marnie,"So it shouldn't collapse on you this time!"
Silence.
She seemed entranced by the darkness inside. And not in a good way...
That place...was so...dark...
Still, Marnie couldn't get her attention...
"What is it?" she asked, "You scared of the dark~" she teased.
Anani twitched, and she hoped to everything that it went unnoticed...
Because it was true.
She truly was afraid...
"Anani come on." said Hop as he took her hand in his, startling her back into the present moment, "We'll go in together okay?" he said,"And I'll hold your hand-"
"Awww~ How cute!" Marnie teased and began making jokes once again and Anani twitched, blushing from embarassment she quickly swiped her hand away from Hop and spoke out defensively.
"I'm a big girl now, I don't need you to hold my hand!" she snapped at him,"I'm not a little kid!" and she took off running in a dash inside without looking back.
"Anani-WAIT!" Hop called out, but she was gone to the depths inside...
"I...was just kidding." Marnie blinked.
"Maybe so..." said Hop, "Except Anani really is afraid of the dark!" he stated and she gasped softly.
"I-I'm sorry-I didn't mean-"
"No...it's okay." he sighed,"It wasn't you, just- I have to go find her!"
"Hop! Wait!" Marnie called out as he took off inside as well. She heaved a heavy sigh and trotted up behind him to help him look for Anani. Calling her name repeatedly within the echoes through the tunnel.
XXXXX
Anani panted. She heaved, and panted. Her heart raced, not just from her running but also from the unsettling fear that came as it seemed to only get darker around her the further she ran in. She couldn't believe she ran off like that. She should have stayed near her friends.
I shouldn't have left Hop...
She panted.
I should have held his hand...if I did-I wouldn't be-
She had lost count of how many turns she took and paid no attention to where she was going.
SMACK
"Ahh!" She let out a cry as she suddenly smacked flat against someone's back. Someone who wasn't too keen on being a bounce back pole.
"WATCH it! What are you BLIND!?" he huffed and turned quickly ready to bop someone only to find Anani on the ground at his feet,"Say what!?" he blinked,"YOU again!?" he huffed,"Why is it that I can't seem to get enough of you this day!?" he scoffed.
Anani shook her head and looked up, her eyes adjusting quicker to the dark thanks to the vibrant Pink coat.
"Bede!" she called his name out in relief and he let out a huff.
"What is it with me always running into you lost in these silly mines!" he asked,"What? Is the floor gonna collapse on us again!?" he stamped around on the ground as though to check the sturdiness of its level
"U-Unlike the first mine th-this one s-s-seems to be l-l-l-level..."
" Hmph...one can never be too sure with you around!" he scoffed, noticing that she was visibly shaking, "Hm?" Bede blinked,"What's with you?" he asked,"Since when do you stutter?" he stared at her closely. Something seemed of... way off.
"Ah I see." he said,"You've finally recognized my dominating presence." he shrugged,"It's all right, I can be intimidating...it's good that you have these instincts." he stated,"Let's you know when you've clearly been out classed." he scoffed,"Look, I'm not in the mood to deal with weaklings right now!" he huffed, waving her off as he turned to walk away.
"N-N-No w-wait...B-Bede PLEASE!"
"Un HAND me!" Bede snapped as he felt the tight grip of two fists curling their knuckle into the hanging part of his coat,"What is WITH you-ah?" He tensed up as he took in the sight of the trembling girl on her knees, practically begging him to stay put...
This was something far more than his presence...no...There was something else going on with this girl...and he just couldn't bring himself to yell at her. He'd look like a monster if he did...
To scream at a woman already in tears...
"Anani..." he said her name softly, "...Are you okay?"
"Y-You...You c-called me...Anani..." she spoke in a trembling voice. it was almost like she herself was vibrating, she was shaking so much.
Bede blushed awkwardly as she pointed out his mistake.
Using her name...
"Of Course I know your name!" he scoffed,"You only told it to me about a hundred times... Is it really so strange!?" he blushed while awkwardly averting his gaze.
"N-No I...Suppose it isn't..." she stuttered,"J-J-just that you've never really u-used it before until now..."
There was a silence between them. She still clung to him tightly. Her legs were shaking. It seemed she couldn't even push herself to get up.
"Oi...Anani..." Bede blinked,"Where's the rest of your lot?" he asked.
"I left them..." she said softly.
"Now why on earth would you go and do a dumb thing like that?" he blinked,"I mean, I suppose I can't fully blame you...still a lot of idjits should stand together and all that- Don't you think?"
"Y-You're right..."
"Of course I'm right~" bede scoffed.
"I shouldn't have left..." she said,"I'm so stupid-"
"Huh?" bede blinked, "Well I mean...your words not mine-"
"I've nothing..." she stammered..."Nothing and no one-"
Bede twitched.
Perhaps this was a bit much...
"H-Hey now..." he stammered,"I wouldn't go and say all that-"
"Worthless!" she collapsed into herself. her eyes were wide and distant. Bede recognized this look. He sensed a sort of familiarity... enough to notice that she wasn't actually here with him in the present moment...
"Anani?" he blinked, "Oi...Anani!" He gripped fast to her shoulders and shook her back into reality, "Come now...focus on me all right?" he said softly, "Lisen to my voice...you're having a panic attack...do you understand?"
"Ah...?" she blinked a few times until the color returned to her eyes with their natural shine,"...Bede...?"
He felt relieved, of course he had no intention of showing her that he was even concerned. In fact he was curious himself aout why he even cared...
He sighed and tried to shake it off running his fingers through his hair.
"Look...I don't think you should be alone right now." he stated,"So I'll do you a favor-just this once- and help you reunite with your little friends." he huffed,"I'd really prefer not to waste my time but who knows what will come of you if I leave you to your current set of senses!"
"Oh...right..."she blinked,"O-Okay then." he sighed and turned once more and started walking.
"Well, come on then!" he scoffed.
"Ah-Hold on-" she stumbled to her feet quickly and tried to rush after him when suddenly she felt a sharp pain straight through her leg. An odd sensation filled her body. It was like a combiation of pain and numbness and a full body of uncontrollable vibration.
W-w-w-w-what's...happen...ing...to me...?
She couldn't even think straight. she lost control of any function and once she realized she was falling and couldn't catch herself she screamed.
"What is WRONG with you!?" Bede barked back with his hands cupped over his ears as he turned to see what was happening only to find that it wasn't Anani causing the trouble...but a Poke'mon.
"No...it's a Stunfisk!" he stated with wide eyes as he stumbled back while the Poke'mon jumped from the raised earth it hid under fully clamped tight to Anani's ankle.
"So you're the culprit!" he snipped,"Get gone you little bugger!" he tossed out his Gothita which used a powerful Psyshock against it. With a screetching metalic cry it released Anani immediate and burrowed itself away deep in the damp cavern floor while Anani fell back, unable to move herself to break her own fall.
"Anani!" Bede called out grabbed for her. Both arms out reached he wrapped them around her and motioned himself to cushion her landing.
Consider this my repayment from when you broke my fall before...!
He thought to himself and gritted his teeth as he landed with her weight against him and skidded across the floor.
More than that...just be okay!...PLEASE!
As they landed, he held her twitching body firmly against him, wincing as he took the blunt of her screams of agaony...
To Be Continued