How to write a disclaimer: a guide.

Come up with a witty observation.

Hmm... Disclaimer... that's an anagram of 'disc reclaim', isn't it?

Realize that said observation is not actually witty

Ok but... what the heck does 'disc reclaim' even mean? That's dumb.

Make a meta-joke instead

I AM pretty good at writing these things typically, though. A guide would do wonders for people! Also, I don't own Pokemon.

Ignore hate mail

Man. Everyone loves me. I'm awesome.

Congratulations.

Chapter 44: Keeping the Faith

Medici

So there's just, like, this giant scar on my chest now.

I'm not being metaphorical and talking about how "this experience has forever changed my outlook on life and I am now a new Meditite", no, none of that, I mean there's actually a ginormous scar that stretches from between my pectorals and all the way down to my hip, running from my left to my right. It's... kind of bad ass? But it also makes me a little self-conscious and I know people are going to be asking about it for the rest of my life... hopefully soaking in the revitalization tanks a bit more will make it fade.

This whole thing has been really jarring, though. I feel weaker on both fronts, and while my body's getting better rapidly enough, I don't think I realized just how much of my mental power was rooted in confidence. Arrogance? One of those. Think one of those cartoon characters running on air, perfectly fine until they look down. Except... I can totally run on air even after looking down. You get what I mean, though.

There were better times to think about that, however. Times where there was not a Gardevoir standing at my bedside, poking me gently to wake me up. I let out a yawn and gently batted at her hand, sitting up. "Morning. Ready to go panhandling, then?"

In a bit, she wrote, before handing me a black bow tie. I glanced at her, cocking an eyebrow, and she passed me another note, then turned. I'd like to take you somewhere first, since we're in Maxilla.

I wasn't about to say no to her. "Why the bow tie, though? Where did you even get this?"

Down the slope at a nice little boutique. And you should dress up a tiny bit for where we're going, it's not necessary but it's a good gesture.

I shrugged, slinging the tie around my neck and... how do you tie these things? I threw together a knot that looked halfway decent, though was clearly completely wrong when the first thing Gardevoir did on seeing it was giggle. Perfect. Very dapper.

My jaw dropped a little. "Are you ribbing me?" My chest was on fire, and not from my scar.

Would I do that? She smiled, then gestured for me to follow her, a command that I obeyed so readily she may as well have been by trainer. Heading down the slope, we passed what I figured was the central market district, with the stone shop we'd gone to yesterday, the boutique she'd mentioned, and various other trinket and convenience shops. My ears began to pick up the murmuring of a large crowd of people as we continued our walk downhill, and on reaching the base of Maxilla they finally came into view.

Hundreds of people, at least triple the amount I'd seen in the Radio Tower's square, huddling together. Some of them filing into large cathedrals built into the rock face, others stretching and meditating on pads while gentle zither music played in the background. Largest of all, though, was the crowd of both people and Pokemon cramming together under a massive sandstone dome... considering there wasn't any sandstone in the area as far as I could tell, it was even more impressive.

"Cling fast to order!" yelled an old, balding man in long, purple robes as Lampents weaved and bobbed their way through the huddled masses. "Dome will protect and shield us in these troubled times! Cower beneath his shell, and be protected from the fisher of men!" People reached out and touched the Lampents and I could sense them giving of themselves, allowing the Pokemon to steal bits of their life energy. A large purple flame beneath the center of the vast dome grew and burned brighter at the same time, and the crowd let out a massive cheer, some even whipping out the 'Hallelujah' standard.

I had stopped to watch the whole ordeal, transfixed by the sheer volume of people and the openness of the whole affair. Nothing was hidden, and even as I watched new travelers coming into town of the road would stop, stare for a moment, and then willingly join the ever growing throng, reaching out and sacrificing a little bit of themselves to make the fire grow brighter. "What do they think that will do?" I asked Gardevoir psychically.

They believe that by giving up some of their life energy, they might garner the protection of Dome for their friends, their family, and themselves. Keep Death at bay with his Iron Defense. She tugged at my arm, urging me to continue walking. It's not what I brought you here for. If you want to stop, though, that's fine.

Part of me did want to stop, I won't lie. I had plenty of life to give, and if a little bit now would help me protect the ones I loved... but Gardevoir seemed frightened, even as she let go of my arm and began to sidle away. I bounced on my heels for a moment, still unsure, then bounded across to her and grasped her arm. "Nah, I'm good. I already had the life kicked out of me this week."

She sighed in relief, linking her arm with mine and tugging me further along the road, onto the path outside of town. After walking a few minutes, she led me off into a small grove, sunlight filtering through the leaves like something out of a fairy tale. The humdrum of the city faded completely, replaced by nothing but rustling in the thicket and the chirps of Taillows. It was starting to freak me out just a little bit, but Gardevoir's smile was broadening, and her pace quickening. There was an excited energy I hadn't seen from her before and it was infection, calming me down.

When the enormous spiral did come into view, I know it should have surprised me. But somehow it felt like seeing an old friend. Not that I'd know what that's like, of course.

The spiral was engraved above a set of worn oak doors, which hung open on their hinges from years of disrepair. The building they were attached to was a small chapel made of white limestone, with a few benches of the same materials lining the interior. Though mostly empty, there were a few Pokemon gathered; a Minccino was sweeping up the aisles with its tail, and a Solrock was hovering in silent meditation over one of the pews. The air had this hum to it that I can't really describe... like a choir was singing from so far away that it could be barely heard over the wind. Almost felt like telling them to speak up.

What stuck out to me the most though was how relaxed Gardevoir had become. Even in her normal, resting state there was always this tenseness and nervousness in her muscles, as if she were prepared to flinch back at any moment, but as she took her seat on one of the benches and folded her hands, she seemed really, truly at peace. It was beautiful. I sat cross-legged on the bench and did the same, not wanting to break the moment.

This is a shrine in honor of Lord Helix. She pressed the note into my hand. You've probably never heard of him. The faith was almost dried up before the killings started... now there's only a few of us left.

I scratched my head. "Why would people leave because of the killings? Shouldn't they want a god on their side?"

"Helix is more about self-empowerment; freedom, anarchy, forging your own destiny. In times of trouble like this, most people would rather cower behind the Dome and pray to be saved than fight for themselves."

"I don't recall asking you." I turned around towards the metallic voice that had barged in. It was a sword. Like, an actual sword, inside a sheathe, floating in the air and talking to me. The hell? I got an uneasy feeling that Axel's Pokedex wasn't quite as complete as I'd like it to be.

"Well, I wasn't asking if you were asking me, so we're even, right?" Metallic laughs are weird. All echo-y and fake-sounding even if they're genuine. "Good to see you awake, though. And praising Helix to boot! And, of course, it's good to see you again as well, miss." I'm going to assume that him tilting his hilt down towards us was bowing. Gardevoir seemed to take the gesture as a polite one, blushing and shrinking rather than gasping and flinching, so I guess I won't pummel the pommel out of this guy yet.

"See me awake? Were you watching me while I slept?" This was still an issue, though.

"Don't flatter yourself," the sword said, sticking itself into the ground next to us... I guess that means it's sitting to pray? "I've been using the facilities at the Center, and can't help but pass your room on the way to the tanks. Couldn't help but notice the giant slash across your chest... didn't happen to grab one of mine by the hilt, did you?" Metallic laughs are weird.

This Honedge has been nice. He kept asking after you and I. The note, combined with the fact that we were in a house of worship, put me at ease enough to let the strange sword Pokemon slide, and I shook my head and let the conversation end, instead turning my focus back up to the altar.

I'm probably not the best Pokemon to talk about God, gods, or anything like that. The idea of trusting in someone or something's power to be greater than your own, and to be on your side, is comforting, sure, and maybe there's even a chance it'll work out. Typically, though, I find myself getting antsy at the concept: safest hands are the ones attached to your arms and all that good stuff.

I don't know. Maybe it was how serene the entire place was, or maybe it was the subtle thrumming in the background, but this felt right. In that moment, I awkwardly said 'hi' to Helix, not really knowing what to expect, and told him that I'd be ok with him helping me out in the future.

I didn't hear anything in response. But I felt better. Maybe even stronger. Placebo or not, it was what I needed.

Vanna

I know I come off as unreserved sometimes, but you have no idea how much I've been holding back for Gardevoir's sake. With her striking out on her own, not only has she made me super proud for finally having found some gumption, but I've also been able to lay the teasing down on Axel like crazy.

Are short skirts and leggings the proper attire for winter? Absolutely not, but the outfit makes me shiver enough to where Axel offers me his coat. Do my legs actually cramp up and need to be stretched against trees on the side of the road? No, but it sure as hell gives him a good look. When Amber is on point, I've even been able to snuggle up next to him as we walk, just because of how cold it is. It's been wonderful.

That's not to say I haven't been worried for Medici, but I can't stand dealing with anxiety by curling up and moping over it. I'd rather live vicariously to spite what's getting me down, rather than let it consume me. Has it snuck up on me and bit me in the rear? Yeah. Once. But that's a pretty solid track record considering how often I've done it.

It's not like I'm the only one enjoying it, either. I know for a fact Axel is happy, from when I teasingly sat in his lap at the fireside when Amber was looking the other way. I could tell from how her face got redder each day that she suspected what I was doing, however, which probably explains why she seemed so relieved when I told them to go ahead of me into Maxilla, that I wanted to spend some more time outdoors.

"You sure? I don't think it's safe to be alone for too long, even right outside the city." Axel was motivated by chivalrous concern alone, I'm sure. What else?

"We should get into town anyways, Axel," Amber grabbed his arm. "We need to take care of that Tyrannitar, and I was thinking we could head up to the radio tower and ask them to send out a request to help look for Benji."

Axel straightened up and nodded at that. "Good idea, boss. Lead the way." They waved and left me at the outskirts of town, and I sighed in relief. I loved them both dearly, but even I like my alone time. Slipping into the woods, I headed towards the shrine I'd taken Gardevoir to several times before, smiling as the large Helix Fossil came into view. Of course, my heart practically leaped in its chest when I saw the two Pokemon that had beaten me to the place.

"Medici! Gardevoir!" I yelled, causing the Honedge next to them to grunt and shift a little.

Medici turned around, big black eyes of his beaming as he sprung out of his stance. "Hey, hey, hey!" He tackled me excitedly, and I scooped him up and squeezed him for dear life. "Good to see you, love, about time you guys showed up!"

"We didn't get the luxury of being carried here, mister!" I teased, pressing a huge smooch to one of the lines on his cheek. "Plus we were all weighed down with worrying so much." I feigned feeling faint, stumbling and leaning against one of the benches of the shrine. "I think the only fair thing is for you to take me out for coffee later. There should be a place in the Radio Tower Square."

"We already got you a present, love." He jumped down to the ground, beckoning Gardevoir over. She rose delicately and crossed over, leaning in and hugging my leg before giving me... no way.

"You got this Mega Stone? For me?" I bent down and looked my dear Gardevoir in the eyes, then embraced her, her own slim arms wrapping around me. "Thank you so much. We'll have to train with it later." I kissed her on the forehead, then giggled, whispering to her. "So... taking Medici to church, hm? You go, Gardevoir."

She immediately turned beet red and immediately started scribbling down explanations onto her pad... something something 'Power of Helix' something something 'peace of mind' something something 'healing'... it was probably all true, but I still felt like teasing her a little more, cocking my head and cooing "suuuuure."

Medici, to my surprise, actually stepped in. "She's just making sure I get my exercise, that's all. Plus, this is my entry fee for teaching her panhandling later... we were actually going to go do that in a bit. Try to pay our way towards more of those Mega Stones for the rest of us." He scratched at his chin. "Honestly, truly surprised they didn't have anything like 'Typhlosionite.' Not that Qwill's going to be evolving any time soon... anyways, I think... were we about ready to go, Gardevoir?"

My Gardevoir... sweet, innocent, fragile Gardevoir, clasped her hands together and nodded, actually bouncing up and down a bit on her toes. As much as I wanted to spend more time with both of them, I wasn't going to object after seeing that. "You two have fun!" I hugged each of them tightly, grabbing Medici's wrist as he began to walk away. "And you. I want her back by sundown, you understand?" I teased, playing the protective parent.

He laughed and gave me a firm salute. "Yes ma'am. No funny business." He jogged to catch up with Gardevoir, chatting with her about the intricate difference between panhandling and begging as they walked back into town.

For a brief moment, I really did feel like a parent. Then, I heard his voice, and I was a girl again.

"Vanna Albright." His voice was silk, just as I remembered it, a drop of chocolate skirting across the surface of a freshly washed strawberry, a light grazing of velvet against newly exposed skin. "It's not like you to play the prude, my dear. Whatever happened?"

I almost didn't want to look, but my body turned of its own accord, and there was his chiseled frame, towering over me as he stepped forward. "What are you doing here, Arthur?"

"I came to retrieve my sword. I know it likes to wander off here sometimes." He whistled, and the Honedge sprung to his side, collapsing into his Pokeball. "Of course, now that I'm here, I certainly wouldn't mind sheathing my sword either."

I flushed immediately, hiding beneath my hair and staring at the ground. Memories of that night... that week, were already flooding my mind, and I did my best to keep my knees from quivering. "That... nn... no need to be so crude..."

"But that's how the game is played, isn't it?" He grabbed me from behind, and I gasped, shifting against him in spite of myself. "The teasing, the taunting, the build up of promise finally culminating in release? I know you enjoy it as much as I do, Vanna." He nipped my earlobe... right there, in the middle of the shrine, he nipped me and ground up against me. I couldn't decide whether I hated or loved it. "I was looking for a lady or two to accompany me on my latest quest, you know. You'd fit the bill easily."

I shook my head. "I'm already travelling with someone, Arthur, I can't... look, last time was..."

He raised a finger to my lips. "We both know it wasn't a mistake. It was incredibly intentional." He pulled off of me almost as quickly as he'd latched on, walking around to meet my eye. "I don't know who your travel partners are, but they're welcome to join too. I won't deny that I'd love to spend more time with you, Vanna..." He caressed my cheek, then leaned in and stole a kiss from my lips, catching my hand as I went to slap him. "See you around. I'm heading to to the Tower, should you come to a decision."

And with that, he just left, practically melting into the shadows of the forest outside. I fell to the ground, my knees like jelly, my entire body flushed and unsure what to do with itself. Yeah. Like I said. That one time had really nipped me in the rear hard. The worst part was, I couldn't help but enjoy the biting.

Author's Note:

I was on vacation last week! WOOOO!

You'd think that would mean I'd have more time to write, but alas... no. No. Vacations are exhausting, don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

Anywho's, I'm back, and I know you're all wondering something. Dying to ask about the elephant in the room.

When's the next Epic Rap Battle of Fanfiction coming out?

I know, it's been forever. I get it. We at Amazing Fan Fiction Inc. have been scrambling to come up with a good matchup, and wanted to use Amber as a combatant, seeing as she the first and arguably flagship character of the story. However, we ran into an issue.

Qwill: Wait wait wait wait, why would I want to fight Amber? Amber is really nice and smart and pretty and wonderful and she raised me and I know that some children grow up not liking their parents like I kind of did with Daddy I guess, but Amber was the best mom ever because she gave me lots of love and treats and made me the absolute best Cyndaquil I could be and...

Axel: Fight the boss? Hell no. I'm still recovering from that concussion I got in the Musket base.

Gallant: To fight lady Amber seems... unwise. I doubt I possess the skill necessary without resorting to incorrigible acts of unscrupulous and ungentlemanly conduct.

Death: No. That woman is terrifying.

So, y'know. We're working on it. Maybe one of these days, but for now...

Viva la feminism?