"Oi, why are we here?"
"Nope. Not falling for it. You're not gonna get me this time."
"Okay, fine. But seriously. Why are we in the middle of the woods with Harley and his friends nowhere in sight?"
"Now that you mention it…" Cacturne spun slowly in place, seeing nothing but miles of forest that flanked the dirt road before them. "I…don't know."
"It's probably the universe again," the Banette sighed.
"What does that even mean?!"
"Basically, we're being thrown into a scenario for the universe's personal enjoyment."
"That doesn't…how do you…what about Harley and the others?" Cacturne began to sputter, holding onto his head before it exploded.
"I'm sure once this is all over we'll get sent back and we won't even remember this ever happened."
The scarecrow cactus could only stare at the haunted toy, unaccustomed to hearing him be the voice of reason.
"Or maybe I've finally gone crazy" a mixture of mania and depression creeped into Cacturne's voice.
"What makes you say that?"
"Some part of me can't help but feel like you're making sense."
"You're not crazy…at least not yet. But don't you worry, I'll let you know if I've finally made you snap."
"Bane, over there," Cacturne aimed his arm down the road to a hulking figure heading towards them.
Banette swung his arm onto his brow to block the sunlight, squinting into the distance.
"Think it's an enemy?" Cacturne asked, the stub of his arm was suddenly adorned with dozens a green spines.
"Hardly," the marionette mumbled, "and put those things away."
Within a few seconds the figure's features became more distinguished to reveal a Nidoqueen with a small child on her back. They approached to a certain distance before she stopped and stared at them warily.
Banette gave his idea of a friendly smile, which was also coincidentally his creepy sadistic smile, and waved, to which the girl atop the nidoqueen ducked out of view. Noting that, Cacturne smacked Banette upside the head and sent him into the ground.
"You wouldn't happen to know where you are? We're kind of lost" Cacturne quickly added, doing his best to not sound menacing.
The Nidoqueen regarded him for a few seconds before letting her shoulders slump as she sighed, looking up again with a weak smile.
"I was actually hoping the two of you would know where we might be. One minute we're in the middle of the wastes, the next we're on this road surrounded by trees."
"Trees Nida!" the little girl squeed.
"Where were you heading?" Cacturne asked, watching the little girl peek out from the sides.
"Anywhere with humans. This girl is the…" the Nidoqueen paused for a moment, forming her next words carefully. "She's the daughter of my late trainer."
"If she's late then why don't you ask her to come earl-!" an emerald spike flew through Banette's forehead before he could finish the statement. The ghost was quiet for a moment, still processing what had happened to him.
"You shot me!"
"It went right through you," Cacturne pointed out.
"Yeah, but you shot at my brain!"
"Whether or not you have a brain is up for debate. Besides, you shouldn't have felt it, it wouldn't hurt you."
"It hurt my feelings," Banette's eyes began to shimmer as his voice took on a more tremulous tone. They looked into each other's eyes for a brief moment before Cacturne smacked him into the ground without warning. Giggles from the girl atop the nidoqueen filled the air and evoked a small smile from the cactus man.
"I'm sorry you two had to see him."
"It's alright, I've actually had my own experiences with some of their kind,"
"Needy! You wouldn't be talking about little old me, now would ya? Not your adorable guide?"
Cacturne couldn't but feel on edge when the voice that spoke came out of thin air. Materializing into view beside the nidoqueen was a misdreavus, sporting a mischievous grin that Cacturne couldn't help but feel was already too familiar.
"Where are my manners," the nidoqueen deadpanned, "My name is Nida, the girl's name is Maya, and this is our guide, Dree." The ghost grumbled something about being introduced last.
"My name is Cacturne and this is my teammate, Banette," Cacturne motioned with his arm to find the space beside him was already empty.
"But you my dear may call me Bane, or Baney, whichever one you like really," the haunted toy's voice had adopted a low and dulcet tone as he bowed before the misdreavus. The screech pokémon cocked an eyebrow at him until he abruptly reared his head back and screamed in her face, his eyes eclipsed by blue flames. The spontaneity of it startled everyone, Cacturne couldn't help but notice how quickly Nida adopted a defensive stance.
Dree's stones glowed softly as they absorbed the fear that filled the air around them, her startled expression quickly morphing into satisfaction.
"Well you certainly know how to make a first impression," Dree purred. Banette forced the flames around his eyes to dissipate and unveiled a smile that bordered on predatory.
"Sorry about my Will O Wisp. It has a mind of its own sometimes. It'll just activate whenever I look at someone-" Banette began to explain, taking the liberty caressing Dree's cheek before abruptly lifting it from her, now with the blue embers crowning each finger, "-incredibly hot."
Dree swallowed hard, Nida maintained her defensive stance and altered it slightly by lifting her arm to cover Maya's eyes and ears.
"My name's actually…aaaaaeeeeeeeoo," Dree whispered, Banette's eyes closed and shivered at the sound. Nida wasn't sure if who they were seeing was even actually Dree anymore, having never seen her so subdued or timid."
"Fitting that such a lovely name should belong to an even lovelier lady."
Cacturne was going to have to redefine his views on Banette as newer and newer sides of him were cropping up every other day.
"I know we've just met and this is probably gonna sound really crazy-"
"I am crazy" Banette assured her, evoking another giggle from her.
"But are you…busy right now?"
"Not at all," he replied casually.
"Umm, Bane…" Cacturne started until Banette thrust out his arm out at him, holding up a finger that he proceeded to wag back and forth.
"In fact, I was hoping if you'd give me a bit more of your time, so that I might treat you to something a little more satisfying that fast food."
"You really know how to show a girl a good time. Uh, Nida, just uh, maybe hang around his Bane's friend for a bit, I'm gonna be…out for a bit," Dree giggled and burst from the area with Banette following suit.
"What just happened?" Cacturne asked aloud, hoping the universe would make sense of what just happened.
"I'm…not entirely sure," Nida replied.
If you're unfamiliar with Dree, Nida, and Maya they're from another Poke Wars story, The Victory Road. It's definitely worth a read and I have special things planned for those characters in the future. It hasn't been updated for a while, but a few reviews thrown that story's way could change that if you're invested in the story.