Chapter 5: Prologue stories

"Ta-da!"

"Nice." Bisharp grinned as Zangoose spun around in his new Guardian clothes, "Looks like you're in."

"Yep. They gave me new claws too." Zangoose said, pulling them out for us to see, "I kinda miss my old ones, but they were getting kinda used anyway."

"That's great." I smiled.

"Yep. So tell me. Why are the two of you hospitalized again?"

"Bisharp's getting a check-up since his body took an unreasonable amount of poison yesterday." I explained.

"And the kid here's getting his own check up since he's malnutritioned." Bisharp said, poking me with his knife, "Lucky bastard gets to eat Gardevoir's cooking all day."

"I'm fine." I said, pushing his knife away, "I'd prefer to be out on a mission, but she insists."

"So why don't you just refuse her?" Bisharp asked.

…

I looked away.

"Well it's probably best you listen to the doctor." Zangoose chuckled, "Normality never had health plan much less a docto-"

"Gardevoir isn't a doctor." I frowned.

"Eh?"

"The actual doctor's out for the moment so Gardevoir is acting as Head Nurse. Right?" I turned to Bisharp who choked on his glass of water.

"Oh um...yeah, but the actual doctor's been gone for almost two years now." Bisharp said, "So Gardevoir's really the doctor around this place."

"What has the doctor been doing for two years?" Zangoose frowned.

"Ingredient searching and...medical experiments or something-look just be glad Gardevoir's the head of our medical division alright?"

"Why? Was the previous doctor bad?"

"No he was good. He was really good. He's just..."

"Weird?" I suggested.

"Weird." Bisharp agreed, "And creepy."

"How?"

"His name was 'Magic Hands' Alakazam."

…

"He could just be misundersto-"

"Trust me. I've been under those 'Magic Hands'"

…

"What's up?" Unfezant smiled as he walked in, "What's with the weird faces?"

"We were just talking about the old doctor."

"Old doctor?"

"'Magic Hands' Alakazam."

Unfezant shuttered, "I remember him. Weirdo."

…

"Anyway, ready to get going Raid Claw?"

"Ah yes." Zangoose said getting up.

"You already have a nickname?" Bisharp said, surprised.

"Hm? Oh yeah. I was kinda surprised too." Zangoose smiled, "But it's nice to see how nice everyone can be."

"You're working with Zangoose today?" I asked Unfezant.

"Yep. It's a simple mission to get him situated. Shouldn't take us more than a day. Ready to go?"

"Yeah. Hey once this mission is over, you want to take a break at the bar?"

"Oh that sounds nice."

The two left, still discussing bar plans. Meanwhile, Bisharp grumbled, "Back when I was young you had to work to make a name for yourself. Kids these days with their stupidly fast yet cool sounding nicknames..."

"How ya doing newbie?" Chansey said as she walked in.

"Fine enough to work."

"Yeah? Well you're still going to stuck on that bed for a while."

"Why?"

"Gardevoir's orders."

"Can I at least get a book?"

"Ask Audino to do it. Bisharp awake?"

"Yeah."

"Good. Hey buddy!"

Chansey pulled back Bisharp's curtain to find him laying on his bed pretending to be asleep.

"I know you're awake."

…

"I have the test results you know."

…

"You're pregnant."

"What?" Bisharp said, getting up.

"Just kidding." Chansey sneered as she smacked him with the medical report, "You're going to be fine. Poison doesn't seem to be doing anything to you for some reason. You're still going to have to sit here for a day while we pump anti-toxins into ya to purge your system. Now if you will excuse me I have to prepare the anti-toxins. I'll be back in an hour and for your sake I hope you'll actually be asleep then. Got it?"

Before Bisharp can respond, she turned away and walked off. She stopped at the doorway to address me,

"Oh and you really want a book then you can go find the library here. Go right and take the stairs up a floor. It's small but what can you do about it?"

And then she left.

Bisharp blinked as he took in the information he was just given.

"...We have a library?"

"You didn't know that?" I frowned.

"Well...I hear about it once in a while, but I just figured they were going to a library that was outside. And I wouldn't go there myself, I'm not really a book guy. Unless it's about knives."

I sighed as I picked up my fedora and got up.

"Eh? Where're you going?"

"The library obviously."

"Are you sure you should be walking around? I mean, I know you're fine and all, but what if Gardevoir catches you? Or Chansey?"

"Chansey suggested it to me in the first place." I said as I put my coat on, "If Gardevoir asks then tell her where I went."

"Get me a drink while you're out." Bisharp smiled as he laid back down.

"No food or drinks while in the library." I said, "Maybe when I come back. If I have time."

Chansey's directions stopped at the second floor which left a fair amount of rooms to investigate. Eventually I came across a small hallway with only a single door at the end. Walking up to it I noticed a rather small sign that marked it as the library. I was puzzled by it's strange placement, but stepped inside nonetheless.

In a word, the library was imposing. It wasn't very large by library standards, but it was certainly tall with bookshelves lining all the walls and two more standing in equal height to the others. All of them were stuffed with books. The room was so compact that the only light seemed to stream from a glass domed ceiling or from the 2 or three lights that were reserved for night or in this case, sunset.

"Looking for something?"

I turned to my right to find a small counter stacked with even more books. I approached it to find a rather aged man absorbed in a novel. He didn't so much as glance at me when I approached him.

"You are..."

"The librarian." The man said, "You must be the new kid. But which one?"

"What?" I frowned.

"Zangoose or Lucario?" He asked not looking from his book, "We have two newbies."

"Lucario Ziellos...sir." I said, the "sir" coming out on it's own.

The man looked up and squinted at me. I stared back, studying him as much as he was studying me. Finally he sat back and looked back down on his book.

"So that's what you look like."

"Disappointed?"

The man looked back up from his book to stare at me, "...Are you here for something?"

"A book."

"Clearly. What kind of book?"

"I don't know." I sighed as I looked around, "Do you have Flowers for Algernon?"

The man looked at me with shock, "...Why Flowers for Algernon?"

"I feel like it." I shrugged, "Do you have To Kill a Mockingbird then? Helen ESP?"

"That last one's not a novel."

"It's still a book."

"..."

"Do you also have any book about knives? Preferably about Honedge or Doublade."

The man sighed as he got up.

To my surprise, the library had every title I mentioned. Even ones about Honedge and Doublade. I stuck to my picks but reminded myself to ask Bisharp about his books later. I started with Helen ESP since it was a rather quick read before I started on Flowers for Algernon, another rather short story. I figured I would only take one or two hours to finish reading, but I was interrupted before I could even finish Flowers for Algernon.

"There you are!"

I looked up from my book.

"You shouldn't run off like that." Gardevoir said sternly crossing her arms, "What's more you're-"

"Gardevoir." The librarian spoke up

"Huh?"

"Calm down or take it outside."

"O-Oh! S-Sorry. I didn't realize you were here, Darmanitan, sir."

"So your name's Darmanitan?" I said looking over to the librarian.

"Did I forget to introduce myself?" Darmanitan said, still absorbed in his book, "Why didn't you ask?"

"There's no point if I just ask." I said, returning to my own book.

"Be nice." Gardevoir said, taking the book from my hands, "Sir Darmanitan is a retired member of the Guardians. He was one of the earliest members of the Guardian and fought in many battles."

"Somebody needed to watch over you kids." Darmanitan said, "And stop it with these praises. I'm in no position to be praised anymore. All I do now is read books. I'm a burned out old man whose glory days has long since passed."

"..."

I got up and walked up to Darmanitan who paid no attention to me.

"...I'm borrowing these books."

"...Make sure you bring them back."

"Geez. Don't leave the infirmary without permission next time." Gardevoir sighed as we walked back.

"I had permission." I said.

"Eh?"

"Well technically this was Chansey's idea in the first place."

"Ah...that Chansey...Why didn't she just get a book for you?"

"Bisharp needed an anti-toxin prepared."

Gardevoir sighed, "Well...if it's just for a few books I can let it slide...but next time just ask me or Audino."

"I'm not so weak that I need help to get up and get a book."

"Right, right..."

…

"I'm surprised to hear somebody so old used to fight."

To my surprise, Gardevoir giggled, "You don't know the half of it."

"What?"

"When he was young, he was as reckless and hot-blooded any anybody else. He used to be called 'Howling Explosion' Darmanitan."

…

"People call him the 'Oldest Page' Darmanitan now, but when he was young he would get injured so badly we had to restrain him at times despite him being the oldest member. If anything that was how Gallade got his diplomancy skills."

"Gallade?" I asked.

"Oh you don't know do you?" Gardevoir smiled, "About how the Guardians started. It's not much of a story though. It was just me and Gallade at the start with a few friends. We would help each other, but then Gallade would go running to save people we didn't know. It wasn't until we got into trouble that we couldn't handle that Darmanitan stepped in and helped us out. Though after that we started making a name for ourselves. That small group simply evolved into the Guardians of today."

"...How young were you?"

"About...5?" Gardevoir said, uncertain, "It's been so long. All I remember is that Gallade was always with me and Darmainitan was about 15 when he joined us."

"To have to fight at such a young age..."

"Oh no I...never really killed anyone...But I couldn't stand seeing everyone come back so weary and hurt that I took an apprenticeship under Alakazam."

"..."

"Ah. Sorry." Gardevoir said, blushing, "I probably bored you with my story."

"Not at all..." I said.

"...A-Anyway, once we get back I'll have to make dinner for you. So stay in bed until I bring you your meal okay?"

"Right." I said, opening my book.

"Ah! Don't read books while you're walking! You might trip! And don't just ignore me!"

I ignored her.

…

"What...what book are you reading?"

"Flowers for Algernon."

"Really?!" Gardevoir cried, "I wouldn't think you were into books like that!"

"..."

"I read Flowers for Algernon too! I love it! It's such a sad tale and I always get worried when the mouse-"

"Gardevoir."

"Eh?"

"Reading."

"O-Oh. Sorry."

…

"I wish I had enough time to read books." Gardevoir sighed, "I want to reread Les Miserables, but I'm always too busy..."

"..."

I reached into my pile of books and handed her a book.

"W-What's this?"

"Helen ESP." I said, "I think you'd like it."

"I just said I don't have enough time to read books." Gardevoir frowned, "Plus this isn't even a novel."

"That means it's shorter." I said, "It's not a matter of whenever you have enough time to read books. But whenever or not you want to set aside some time for your book."

"...I'll read it."

…

"Oh yeah." I said as I remembered, "Can I go get some drink from the bar back for-"

"Absolutely not. Don't forget that you're malnourished."

"We're here." Gardevoir said as we stood in front of the infirmary, "Now remember, if you need something ask me or Audino. I'll be back with your dinner in a bit, but until then don't move from your bed."

"Well that doesn't sound good." A voice called from behind us, "Can I borrow Lucario for a bit before he goes to bed then?"

The two of us turned around and, to our surprise, found Gallade standing there.

"Hey." Gallade smiled, "I brought you a gift."

He held up a glass of Pinap Collada, "This is your favorite drink right? I asked around."

"Actually that was recently beat out by Kebia Royale."

"Oh. Darn it."

"Lucario can't drink that." Gardevoir frowned, "He's malnourished. And he really needs to rest for now."

"Aw, I wanted to reward him for how hard he's been working." Gallade smiled, "Plus if Lucario won't drink this then who will? Just saying, I have a meeting in a bit."

Gardevoir frowned as she thought about it. She walked up to Gallade and snatched the Pinap Collada from his hand, "Once you're done with Gallade, go straight to your bed okay?!"

"Y-Yes." I answered.

Gardevoir walked off, drinking the Pinap Collada as she went. Gallade turned to me and gestured to the garden, "Let's talk outside."

"What do you think of Gardevoir?" Gallade asked bluntly as soon as we stepped outside.

"...Why do you ask?"

"I'm curious." Gallade smiled, "Don't worry, I won't be make fun of you if you're in love with her too."

"Why does everybody say that?" I frowned.

"Because she likes you." Gallade smiled, "Well...she likes you more than most people. Even more so now. I'm surprised you can't see that."

"My eyes can't see everything." I sighed.

Gallade laughed, "To be honest I'm a bit envious of you. I wish I was that close to Gardevoir."

"What are you talking about?" I frowned, "You were with her when you were children."

"...So Gardevoir told you huh?"

"Only about how the Guardians came into being."

"I see..." Gallade said, "...Well let me tell you a little secret."

…

"As far back as I remember, I was with Gardevoir when she was a child. She doesn't know this next part and I beg you not to tell her. The Guardians, when it was still young and nameless was me desperately trying to protect Gardevoir. Kalter was a much different place back then. I won't say it's improved since then and even if it has I won't say that I or the Guardians had anything to do with it. But for me nothing has changed. I want to protect Gardevoir. For that reason I fought. For that reason I created the Guardians."

…

"But right now I can't think only of her." Gallade sighed, "I'm the head of the Guardians and the Guardians is more than just me. I can't dedicate all my efforts just for her, no matter how much I want to. That's why...I want to protect this city."

"...And what do you want me to do?" I asked.

"I'm getting there." Gallade chuckled, "Now that I'm the leader of the Guardians, I haven't been able to see Gardevoir as much. And I'm sure she knows I've changed. I'm not going to stop trying to protect this city for her, but in doing so I can't be with her as much. I can't keep her happy. So I'm asking this from you, as another person, not as a boss. Take care of Gardevoir for me okay?"

"Why me?"

"Didn't I say it? She likes you."

…

"Yo." Bisharp said when I came back, "You get in trouble?"

"Not really. Here." I said, tossing him a book.

"What's this?" He said, picking it up.

"It's a book on knives." I said as I got back in bed.

"Whoa I didn't think they actually had a book like this in the library. Awesome."

"..."

"Something up?" Bisharp asked.

"No." I said, "Nothing at all."

…

"Are you sure you didn't get in trouble with Gardevoir?"

"Aren't you supposed to be asleep before you get detoxed?"