Ch.6: The Search for the Potion Master! The Answer Lays Within a Circus?!
It has been two days since their departure. The Eeveelutions were on course to finding a potion maker who could assist them with their dilemma. They managed to come across three towns in their travels, however none had a skilled enough potion maker who could figure out the puzzling potion that masked the contents under its power.
In every town they came across, they were told to look for a potion master. Sadly, coming across one was tougher than one might believe. It was like looking for a needle in a hay stack at a farm full of hay stacks. Potion master was one of the highest ranks for a potion maker. It was an incredibly difficult feat to accomplish. And, even then, most masters tend to stay secluded from society. Not many people see potion masters in the open these days.
Still, they tried to stay strong with their search. Feeling they needed a plan in case their luck runs short, Flint purchased a few beginner's guides to potion making and some ingredients. If they didn't find anyone who could help, he'll have to self-teach himself. Wasn't going to be easy considering this was an advanced potion he was trying to counteract.
Their search wasn't a total waste, however. Wes managed to find a shop to exchange the jewels he collected. He used the money to buy some food from the market place. It was best to stock up on food, after all. Although, Flint and Ella had to keep him from buying stuff from the pawn shops. It took all their might, and some rope, to keep him from running into the shops to waste their money.
They were currently out on some plains, far away from nearby towns. They camped for the night, with Flint and Wes sharing one tent and Ella getting the other to herself. They were enchanted to be a bit bigger on the inside, just so they had some room in case they had to work inside.
It was morning and Wes was cooking some eggs up to make omelets. Ella rested in the grass, taking in the blue sky. Flint was…failing to make potions.
He tried, several times in fact, to make a potion to counter the map's potion. Of course, being aware of his novice skills, he had to test the potion to make sure it didn't have any ill-effects before applying it. He used a pile of grass as his test subject. Sometimes the potion would turn the grass blue, other times it would make it smell like peppermint. He somehow even made water, which was pointless.
Those were the safe batches, however. He also made a potion that made whatever was soaked in it spontaneously combust when exposed to water. One of the potions even exploded in his face before he could poor it. Luckily, the vials he was using were made so shards of glass didn't fly into his face. Still hurt, but he didn't have to worry about glass punctured through his face.
Wes flipped the omelets in the air, perfectly landing on three plates. "Breakfast is ready!"
Ella stretched her fore and hind legs and stood up. She flicked some grass off her back and walked over. "Looks good, Wes."
He chuckled. "Well, I had to learn how to cook considering I'm on the road a lot." He looked over to his brother. "Flint, breakfast!"
He waved at him. "I'll eat in a minute. I think I got it this time." He placed grounded up, aged root and mixed it with scales. It sparked a bit. He raised a brow and looked down at it. Suddenly, a geyser of black smoke blasted into his face. He fell back and coughed viciously, pounding his chest. "Too many scales…"
The young Ravenfield rolled his eyes and walked over. "And you criticize me for being too reckless. Just take a break and join us for breakfast."
Flint sighed. Well, he didn't to die an overabundance of smoke inhalation. Plus, he's been working hard all morning. A break was definitely deserved. "Alright." Wes helped him up and walked him over to his breakfast.
They sat on a blanket and ate their food. The omelet was pretty good. Wes wasn't kidding when he said he learned to cook on the road.
Flint swallowed half of his omelet before reaching into his bag and pulling out a map. Not the map with the keys. This was a map of current day Mysto. It was enchanted so they can pinpoint their location and the places they passed by. He set it in the center of them and unfurled it. "So far, we've checked through Limestone Town, Greenway Town, and Stonehouse Town." He sighed. "Not one potion master."
Wes scrolled through the map. "Well, there's still some places up ahead we haven't checked out yet. Maybe we'll have better luck there."
"That's what you said about the last two towns. And look at how that went," Ella reminded, while eating her omelet.
Flint rubbed his cheek as he stared at it. "Well, it's all we got anyway. With no leads, we won't be getting too far."
"True…" Wes ate the last of his omelet and licked his lips. "Still, checking out these towns is pretty awesome!" He then pouted. "Yet you guys wouldn't let me buy any new amulets."
"Wes, you have enough. And really, the Star Amulet is all you need. It is the only thing that allows you to access your magic aura. You don't need a ton of amulets."
"Hey, these things could save our lives." He held up the Spiral Amulet. "Remember when we got this? THIS saved us from Arid's ambush a couple years ago."
Flint rolled his eyes. "Big deal. I could have just used the Magnification Ring spell and torched them with a Flamethrower attack."
"Yes, but that's not as fun!" He laughed. "Remember when one of his men threw up?"
"That wasn't funny, that was disgusting."
"To you, maybe."
Ella clapped her paws. "Boys, focus." She pointed at another town. "We should probably go here next. It's closer."
"Even so, there's no guarantee we'll find anything useful. We've had too many dead end leads," Flint reminded. He closed his eyes and sighed. "We may have a better chance of countering the potion if I just made it myself."
Wes narrowed his eyes. "Bro, no offense, but you haven't proven you could make a useful potion."
"Hey, that isn't true. I'm still learning." He crossed his forelegs. "Besides, it's all we got. No potion master means one of us has to become one."
"But all you've been doing is making random combinations. There is still glass in your fur."
The Flareon glanced at his mane of fur and brushed off the glass sitting in it. "Not the point."
Ella rested on her back and swished her tail along the grass. "Hate to say it, but he's right. It's been two days and we haven't found one potion maker who could reverse the potion." She groaned. "Why do they have to be so secretive? Do we have to search through the mountains or something?"
Wes glanced up in thought. "Well…"
"We're not searching through the mountains."
Flint shook his head. "Well, heading into the next town is our only real plan." He rolled up the map. "I'm gonna start packing our stuff and we'll get moving."
"Same." Ella sat up and walked over to her tent.
Wes lay on his back, placing his paws behind his head. There had to be something that could give them a good lead on a potion master. He may have been joking around, but they will be searching through the mountains if they don't find anyone soon.
That was the thing about most potion masters. They preferred to be in seclusion because people thought they had a potion or elixir for everything. They wanted to stay away from society so they wouldn't be bombarded with useless requests. That's why they're so difficult to find. The Umbreon considered becoming a potion maker himself, but he could never get invested into it. He had more thrills going to the different zones in the Mysto Region. Why would he want to sit around all day at a table, pouring liquid into another liquid or grinding up ingredients? Sounded boring to him.
Not that he had anything against potion makers. If anything, they do great work. It just wasn't his particular style. Going into temple and evading traps while also searching for jewels is much more exciting in his book.
Still, this wasn't about him. Finding a potion master is their top priority. But going from town to town would get aggravating. They needed something to lead them in the right direction. Perhaps a wise old hermit to show them the way. Or a dragon that will lead them on a dangerous quest. Or maybe…
…circus music?
Wes sat up and perked his ears up. In his state of thinking, he could have sworn he heard the delightful sounds of music echoing from afar. This particular brand of music was unmistakably from a circus. But there was no way a circus would be all the way out here. Though, when he thought about it, there were a few towns nearby. It wouldn't be too unusual for one to be this far out.
Thinking about the circus reminded him of when his dad took him and Flint to their very first one. He could still remember how excited he was when he saw the spectacular performance the performers displayed. They used magic in more creative and beautiful ways, plus a fun way to make the audience laugh.
Last time he has been to the circus was roughly ten years ago. The feeling of nostalgia rose up within him the more he thought about it. He couldn't control the smile that was slowly spreading across his face.
Flint and Ella finished packing the stuff and walked over to him. "Okay bro, let's get mov…ing…" He saw the smile on his face and tilted his head in confusion. "Uh, bro…you okay?"
He nodded his head. "Of course I am! Listen for the music!"
"Music?" he asked confusingly.
"Wait…" Ella perked her ears up. "I think I hear it…"
Flint blinked and listened out for this supposed music. Almost immediately, he recognized it. "The circus?" He smiled. "Oh yeah, I remember when we went to the circus." He chuckled. "Good times."
"Well, let's relish in those good times!" Wes cheered.
He shook his head. "Sorry Wes, but we need to get moving. The idol is our number one priority. We can't get sidetracked." He began moving, but Wes stopped him.
"Aww, come on! We've been searching for days. A little break won't hurt us."
"We're kind of on a deadline, bro. We can't stop for anything." He tried walking around him, but the Umbreon kept blocking his path. "Wes, move."
"Look, let's think about this for a moment. We need to find a potion maker, right?"
"Right."
"Well, what if this particular circus has one? You remember the awesome stuff we saw when we were kids. They got to have someone who knows how to makes potions. Or, we could find one in the crowd. A lot of people come to these things to have fun. Plus, it'll probably save us time."
Flint looked in the direction the music was coming from. "Wes…"
"Just give it a chance. We can't search forever."
Once again, his younger brother made a valid point. The circus performers in Mysto were truly talented with their magic. They used it in mind-blowing, creative ways that would amaze him. The last time he saw a performance, they turned a simple beam spell into a twister that showered over their heads. Didn't seem difficult, until they turned it into a firework spell. Beam spells were not meant to cause explosions, so being able to do that was truly a talented feat. He and Wes focus on improving their usage with a spell, but these guys do it as a means of entertainment. They've manipulated the magical energy in ways that would seem impossible or just difficult.
And it wouldn't be hard to believe they had a potion master with them. It might be their best chance at finally revealing the secrets of the map. They haven't had the best luck in the past couple of days. If there was ever a moment where their chances have skyrocketed, this was one of those moment.
Making up his mind, he turned to his friends. "Well…I guess we're getting tickets to the circus."
Wes squealed. "Sweet! I'm gonna get some popcorn, a corndog, cotton candy…" He listed off the food items as he ran to the source of the music.
Ella chuckled. "I haven't been to the circus in quite some time myself. Should be fun."
"We're not going here to have fun. We're just going to find a potion maker."
Ella smirked. "Right. I'll try to act as uninterested as possible." She followed where Wes ran off.
"That's not what I meant!" He groaned and ran after them. "Hey! Wait up!"
They followed the sound for only a few minutes before seeing the tent in sight. A red and white tent that towered high over the ground, with Pokémon entering excitedly. Mostly families. Nearby were concession stands that were serving food and having little games for the kids to play and earn prizes.
Wes smiled. Happy memories were soaring through his mind. "This is awesome!"
Flint chuckled. "Well, don't get too excited. We're just here to find a potion maker."
"Yeah, yeah, I'll do that. I think I'll ask the guy serving cotton candy." He raced off to the stand.
The Flareon face-palmed and shook his head. "Ugh…guess it's you and me, Ella." He looked to his side and saw the female Eeveelution had ditched him as well. "Seriously?!" He sighed and made his way down to the area.
Wes ran around the stands, eyeing the many wonderful sights from his childhood. "I can't believe it's been years." He stopped and saw a milk bottle game. A small Chikorita was using her leaf to toss the ball into the bottles. They didn't budge.
"Aww…"
The Rampardos running it smirked. "Eh, better luck next time, kid." The Leaf Pokémon frowned and walked away.
Wes smiled a bit and walked over. He placed five bits down. "One ball, please."
"Sure thing." He took the bits and handed him the ball. "Good luck."
Wes smirked. Like he didn't know how these things worked. The bottles were probably glued down. That was how these types of stands made money. They were rigged to be nearly impossible to win. But he knew a trick that never failed.
Considering he didn't have the grip to hold the ball, he tossed it in the air and reared his hindlegs back. He struck the ball precisely. However, he 'miscalculated' and the ball flew at the Rampardos. His eyes widened and he ducked under as the ball ricocheted all over the stand, eventually stopping its bouncing assault.
Wes smiled sheepishly. "Oops, sorry."
The Rampardos sighed and stood up. "Well, not everyone has the skill to master this thing."
"Heh, guess you're right. See ya later." He turned around and left. However, he walked over to the Chikorita for a moment and handed her a stuffed bear. During the madness, he swiped the toy when the concession stand owner wasn't looking. Though, some have skill in other fields. "Here you go."
She squealed and hugged her new toy. "Thank you, mister!" She placed it on her back and skipped off, probably to meet up with her parents.
The Umbreon chuckled and turned around, meeting the disapproving gaze of his older brother. He smiled sheepishly. "I'm guessing you saw that?"
"Wes, you shouldn't be conning people like that. They have jobs."
He walked around him, heading over to the cotton candy stand. "Hey, the kid looked like she was going to cry. I wanted to cheer her up."
"By stealing?"
"Hey, I paid for a game. Technically, I didn't steal." His eyes wandered upward. "I just…bought it."
Flint sighed. He honestly can't get mad at him right now. Trying to reason with Wes was a pain in the neck sometimes. "Whatever. Anyway, I spoke with a few people on my way over here. None of them are potion makers, much less know any."
Wes handed some bits to the stand owner and took a cone of cotton candy. "Hey, relax. We have all day. People tend to stick around here until midnight." He took a huge bite and swished the contents around in his mouth happily, dissolving into a delicious strawberry flavor. "So quit being a buzzkill and have a little fun."
"I-I am not a buzzkill!" he shouted defensively. "I can have fun!"
The young Ravenfield smirked. "Suuure…"
Flint narrowed his eyes. "Alright, fine. Let's play some of the games."
"That's the spirit! Let's go!" He grabbed his brother's paw and dragged him through the crowd.
Ella wandered through the crowd aimlessly. She figured Wes would be running off and having fun. She can't blame him. He hasn't been here ever sense he was around nine years old. She figured she could have a little fun herself while also keeping an ear out.
While Wes and Flint checked the crowds, she went around the back of the tent to do some investigating of her own. Just as she figured, there were trailers out back, filled with the circus performers preparing for their acts. With a smirk, she walked around to see who was here.
Luckily for her, she found a clipboard with the scheduled acts. She grabbed it and hid behind a barrel. "Let's see. Daredevil act…ring of fire…rodeo act…" She kept reading them off, trying to find one that hand anything to do with potions. "Clown act…grand magical finale…" After reading through a hour's worth of entertainment, she couldn't find a single thing that was remotely related to potion making.
She reread the schedule to make sure she didn't skim over anything. Nothing appeared. Maybe there could be potions related in one of the acts, but it wasn't obvious. They would have to watch the entire show to find out for themselves. A thought that, while certainly not bad, was tedious. Plus, if they don't find one in the acts, it will be a waste of their time.
She placed the clipboard back in its original spot and snuck around some more. Spying was wrong, but this was the exception as she peered through the many trailer windows to find potion making equipment. Only thing of significance she found was a rubber chicken hit with a reanimation spell doing the tango with a potato…most random thing she has seen in her life.
She continued searching the separate trailers. Not a single one had potion equipment inside. It couldn't be packed away if they needed it for the show, so they obviously didn't have one. It was a letdown for the Espeon as she sighed and sat on her haunches.
"Hopefully the boys are having more luck than me…" she mumbled to herself.
"Susan, it's my turn!"
"No it isn't! It's mine!"
"Liar!"
"Am not!"
The psychic Eeveelution looked up to identify the location of the arguing. It didn't sound too far off. Actually, it sounded like it came from the trailer she was leaning against. She stood up and walked around to see what all the commotion was about.
She peered around the trailer and saw a female Plusle and a male Minun, who were pulling a large rainbow colored ball back and forth. Both looked to be about five or six. The Plusle wore a blue clown outfit with red buttons. The Minun wore a red clown outfit with blue buttons. By sheer observation, Ella could tell they were part of the clown act. But she was surprised to see that they were just kids.
"You rode on my shoulders last week, Micah! It's my turn!"
"No! You rode on MY shoulders!"
They threw the ball to the side, unknowingly hitting Ella in the face, and got into a kiddie slap fight, a display of them looking away and flailing their arms at each other without actually making harmful contact.
The sight made the psychic groan. She hated seeing kids fight, almost as much as she hated seeing HOW they fought. She has been in her fair share of fights and this was not how you fight in one.
The two electric rodents continuously slapped each other until they felt a blue aura surround them and lifted them away from each other. Ella came out of her hiding spot with a disapproving gaze. "Alright, that's enough."
"Who are you?" Susan asked.
Micah squeaked and tried to run away, forgetting he was suspended in the air. "Kidnapper!"
Ella shook her head. "I'm not here to kidnap you. Just didn't want you two hurting yourselves." She set them down gently. "Now, what's wrong?"
Susan explained, "We do an act together that's REALLY fun!" She then pouted. "We do a balancing act at the end on that ball we threw. We both get tired of holding each other on our shoulders, so we switch off with each show." She glared at her brother and pointed angrily. "But he said I rode his shoulders last week!"
"Because you did!"
"Did not!"
Ella pushed them away from each other as they were getting ready to attack again. "Calm down, both of you." She sighed. "Look, I'm not sure how to compromise here. But are you both sure you remember who did what last week?"
"Yeah! Me!" They glared again and tried to slap each other, with Ella pushing them away again.
"What is with you two and trying to slap each other?" She sighed and wrapped her forelegs around them. "Alright, come here." She pulled them next to her and began to explain, "Slapping each other is not going to solve anything. Someone around here might know whose turn it is. Instead of violence, perhaps you should just go ask somebody. You two are siblings, right?" They nodded. "Just try and get along and apologize to each other."
Their ears drooped as they looked at each other. "Sorry Susan…"
"Sorry Micah…" They ended the apology with a loving hug.
Ella smiled and rubbed their heads. "See? That wasn't so hard, was it?"
They shook their heads. "Nope." They hugged her. "Thank you, lady!"
The psychic chuckled. "Way too formal for my tastes. Just call me Ella."
"Well…a pleasure to meet you, Ella." The Eeveelution's blood ran cold as she felt a presence behind her. Busted. She slowly turned around, revealing the Medicham behind her. She wore purple mage robes with golden trims flowing down the middle. Constellation patterns were decorated around it, giving it a very cosmic feel to her attire. She floated in the air with her legs crossed. She had an amused smile on her face. "Tell me, child. What brings you to our little family?"
Ella narrowed her eyes. "Child? I'm nineteen."
The Medicham laughed. "How true."
"As for why I am here…well, it's kind of a long story."
"Would you care to join me in my trailer for a drink so we may discuss your plight?"
She smirked a bit. "You have coffee?"
"I should have some lying around."
"Then I would be glad to join you." With a nod, the Medicham floated into her trailer, with Ella and the kids following behind.
The inside of the trailer was interesting. The floor was covered with rugs of various designs and patterns. Beads were strung on the ceiling and draped lightly, creating a bead curtain. Her windows had blue drapes, which were pulled back to let light in. The part that caught her eye the most, however, was the equipment she had. Some equipment one might use for potions, but she didn't have a plethora of ingredients. She possessed a mortar and pestle, a cauldron, and, the most eye catching, a blue crystal ball on a golden stand. Some jar off to the side held various bones, dried leaves, gunpowder, and much more. Either she was in the presence of a witch with an interesting design choice or…
"You're a fortune teller?"
The Medicham began brewing some coffee for her guest. "You are quite observant."
She smirked. "Doesn't take a genius to figure it out."
She chuckled. "Of course."
A few minutes passed and the coffee was made. She poured a cup for herself and Ella and they sat at a table in the middle of the room, which had a black table cloth covering it. The Medicham brought over some juice boxes with her Psychic and gave them to Susan and Micah.
"Thank you!" They punctured the top with their straws and sipped the contents inside.
Medicham took a small sip of her coffee before beginning. "Perhaps introductions are in order. I am Madame Ava, the mystical fortune teller."
Ella held her paw out to shake her hand. "Ella Cipher, part time waitress/translator in training."
"Ah. You wish to learn the ancient text of the olden days?"
"I was always a bit of a reader, so I figured why not." She sipped her coffee. "My second year of college has been…interesting, recently." She looked at Susan and Micah. "So, are these two runaways or something? I didn't know the circus allowed kids to join."
Ava sighed and set her cup down. "If they were runaways, our top priority would be to get them home. But…they aren't. Susan and Micah were merely months old when we discovered them. Someone left them in a box on our host's doorstep, with note simply saying 'Please take care of them'. Naturally, we considered dropping them off at an orphanage so we wouldn't have to deal with them, but…during our travels to our next destination…we grew very fond of them. It brought a ray of sunshine into our little family. So, we decided that we'd keep them around for a bit longer just to see if we could take care of them. Six years later…they're still with us." Susan and Micah smiled happily.
"We love performing in the circus!" Micah exclaimed.
"Yeah! Seeing everyone laughing and smiling is fun!" Susan added.
Ella smiled at them. "Well, I'm glad they're being treated well. I'd never imagine living with circus folk would be so enjoyable."
Ava waved it off. "We do not encourage children to run away from their families and join the circus. Just thinking about how worried their parents must be always made me feel sick. We've had moments of that happening quite a lot. That's why we always made sure they were brought back to their families. It is not a life for everyone." She took another sip of her coffee.
The Eeveelution chuckled. "Fair point. I could never see myself performing in a clown suit."
Susan and Micah pouted. "Heeeey…"
She laughed and ruffled the fur on their heads. "No offense, of course." They giggled.
Ava chuckled. "No need to apologize. Like I said, certainly not a life for everyone." She took one last sip of her coffee before setting it down. "Now, I believe you have quite the story to tell yourself. You have traveled very far, am I correct?"
Ella rolled her eyes jokingly. "Ooh, you're good," she sarcastically replied. Her tone became a bit more serious. "But yes, I've been traveling for about two days with my friends. We're…looking for someone."
"Anyone in particular?"
"Not really. We're looking for a potion master because we need help counteracting another potion. We've searched diligently, but we haven't had the best luck in our search."
"A potion master? Ah, the highest ranking for a potion maker. Truly a hard profession to obtain. Or find."
"When we heard the circus music, my friend, Wes, assumed there might be one here considering how talented you all are."
Ava smiled. "I appreciate the kind words, but we do not have a potion maker in our little family. At least, no one who wanted to make a profession out of it."
Ella's ears drooped as her hopeful smile turned into a disappointed frown. "Oh…"
"I'm terribly sorry."
"No, it's fine…we were going off a hunch, anyway."
She placed her elbows on the table and rested her chin in her hands. "If I may be so bold, why do you seek such a person?"
Ella scratched the back of her head. "Sorry, but I can't say. We're trying to keep this as secret as possible and, with how things are currently, trusting people is a little hard for us."
She nodded. "I understand. With thieves and bandits about, you never know who could go against you."
She chuckled, a hint of nervousness in her tone. "Right…thieves and bandits…"
"However…" Ella snapped her attention back to her. "…I may know of a way to find a potion master for you."
The Espeon's eyes widened. She sprung up from her seat and planted her paws firmly down on the table as she leaned forward with anticipation. "You do?!"
"My skills range more than just simply telling the future."
"Please! Tell me!"
Before Ava could continue, the sound of an intercom cut on. "Attention everyone. Our first show will be beginning in fifteen minutes. If you wish to join, please be quick so you can find a good seat."
Ava sighed. "Oh dear, I'm afraid we'll have to continue this conversation later."
"But-!"
"Susan, Micah, go get your makeup on."
They nodded. "Yes, Madame Ava!" They jumped out of their seats and raced off to get ready.
Ava got up and went over to her cabinets. Ella raced over to her side. "Madame Ava, please!"
She looked down at her with a warm smile. "I'm sorry, dearie, but I need to help out with the show. No exceptions." Ella pouted. "Do not worry, once the show is over, I shall help you and your friends find the potion master you seek."
The Espeon sighed, but understood. She had a job to do and she couldn't keep her from doing it. "Alright."
"You better go and meet up with your friends." She nodded and ran off, giving one last wave to her.
Ella ran into the tent, trying to spot Wes and Flint. The center of the tent had a massive, circular stage of dirt, bordered by woodened fences. Colorful lights hung from the support beams of the tent, shining down brightly. And surrounding the stage was the rows of seats, with people walking up the stairs to find a suitable spot.
"Ella!" She looked up and saw Wes waving down at her. "We saved you a spot up here!"
She smiled and ran up the stairs. They were both sitting in the second to the top row. She walked over and sat next to Wes. "How was the games?"
"Fantastic! Flint and I had a great time! Although, he had a little trouble with the 'Test Your Strength' game."
Flint was sitting with his forelegs crossed, an angry expression on his face that was comical for the other two to look at. "I told you, that stupid mallet wasn't meant for quadrupeds. I couldn't get a good enough grip."
"I held it just fine-"
"IT'S THE MALLET'S FAULT!" he shouted defensively. Wes laughed and patted his back. He huffed one angry grunt and relaxed before looking at the female Eeveelution. "Anyway, what were you doing, Ella?"
"Yeah," Wes joined in. "I didn't see you anywhere in the crowd."
"Well, I was doing some searching at the back of the tent. I spoke with one of the performers and she said they didn't have any professional potion makers with them."
Wes frowned. "Aww man…" He looked down.
Flint rubbed his back. "Hey, it was a good idea, nonetheless."
"I'm not done." Their heads turned towards her. "Yes, she said they didn't have any potion masters, but she did say she could help us find one. She's a fortune teller."
"Ooh…" Wes awed.
Flint, however, was of a different opinion. "Are you sure? She might be setting us up for a scam."
Ella rolled her eyes. "You can't honestly believe all the performers here are con artists."
"That's not what I mean."
"Sure sounds like it."
Wes held his paw up to quiet them. "Now hold on guys. Flint has a point, yes, but we've been hitting dead ends for the last two days. If this is our only chance at finding someone to help us, we need to take it, no matter what." He looked at Flint. "And if this fortune teller does try to scam us, I'll know. I've been scammed several times before I started picking up on the obvious signs."
Flint crossed his forelegs. "Oh yeah. I remember when you accidentally sold that one amulet to a merchant who gave you 'magic beans'…"
"I was just starting out! I was bound to make mistakes at some point!" Flint and Ella laughed as Wes pouted, but he couldn't keep himself from joining in the laughter.
The lights dimmed, drawing their attention to the center, a spotlight lighting up the stage. In the center of the stage was a Hawlucha wearing a purple top hat with a black band, a red suit and pants, white shirt underneath, and purple bowtie. He held a microphone in one hand and a cane in the other, waving to the crowd.
"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the traveling Mystery Circus! Today, for your viewing pleasure, we bring to spectacular feats of enchantment and danger! Watch as our lovely performers perform grand acts of bewilderment!" The crowd cheered loudly, to which he bowed. "I am your host, Ringmaster Vince! Allow me to introduce you to our first act of the day! Please give it up for Garland, the Daredevil!"
The spotlight swung over to a Simipour wearing a jumpsuit and helmet. He waved to the crowd as he placed on his goggles. Normally acts like this required a cannon. He had a…fairly different method. He touched the ground and created a blue glyph under his feet. The symbols within it were of arrows.
Wes leaned forward with a smile. "Cool! A Launch Glyph!"
Flint could see the glyph spinning faster and faster. The faster in spun, the more launch power it will give the daredevil. "Uh, that doesn't look like a good idea."
His younger brother laughed. "He wouldn't be a very good daredevil if he played it safe."
Vince walked across the stage as a second spotlight shined down on him. "Garland the Daredevil will use a full charged Launch Glyph to send himself rocketing into the air and, hopefully, land in this pool of water!" He pointed to a fairly sized pool of water. As expected, some of the audience was a little skeptical about him…well, surviving. "Take it away, Garland!"
Garland adjusted his helmet and crouched down with a determined smile spreading across his face. After giving the thumbs up to Vince, he jumped up, the Launch Glyph springing off the ground as well, propelling him at tremendous speed. He shot right through the roof of the tent, disappearing from the audience's view.
The kids in the audience gasped in shock. Some adults were a little worried, but Vince drew their attention, "Do not worry! Garland is a trained professional!" He looked up and tapped his foot. "He should be coming down soon…" A Natu flew over to his side and whispered something in his ear. "What?" His eyes widened a bit. "Oh my…" He turned to the audience. "I'm getting word that Garland…miscalculated on his jump a bit."
Half the audience jumped in shock when they heard a crash outside the tent. A few moments passed before the entrance flapped open and Garland slid in on a broken piece of wood like a skateboard. He was covered in scratches and had wood puncturing his clothes, leaving some noticeable tears. He skidded to a stop near the pool and jumped in, giving a thumbs up with a large grin. "WOO! Let's do that again!" The audience cheered and clapped for the daredevil.
Vince laughed and helped him out. "That's Garland for you! Full of surprises!" He glared at him a bit, covering the microphone with his hand. "Warn us next time you pull a move like that."
He smirked and gave a two finger salute. "Sorry boss." He wandered off to the back.
The ringmaster sighed before smiling back at the audience. "Well, let's continue with the rest of our show!"
The show continued on as plan, with many wonderful acts. Some dangerous and amazing, some hilarious to the point of passing out. Wes and Flint could definitely feel the good times they had back when they were little. Plus, it was nice seeing other kids enjoying the show as well. Really makes them miss the younger years.
Ella ate some popcorn as the show continued. "I forgot how much fun I had at these things. Or how buttery this popcorn was." She wiped her buttery paw on the wooden seat.
Flint was looking at the pamphlet in his hand. "There should be two more acts left. Once their done, we need to meet up with this fortune teller. You sure she can help us, Ella?"
"I'm positive. She was very nice when I spoke with her. Susan and Micah really like her."
Wes tilted his head. "Who are Susan and Micah?"
Ella was about to explain, but Vince beat her to the punch. "And now, for our amazing duo of clowns! The Wacko Twins!"
A spotlight fell on the duo of clowns rolling in on a large rainbow ball. They were now wearing white clown makeup. Susan had blue painted teardrops under her eyelids while Micah had red whiskers across his cheeks. Micah held his sister on top of his shoulders, leading Ella to assume they've settled their little argument. Susan was juggling some bowling pins as they rolled around the stage.
Micah did five laps around the stage before throwing his sister into the air. She spun in midair, while throwing pins over to Micah. He caught each on at a time and threw them back to her as they came. She landed and they threw the pins back and forth at each other.
Susan reached behind her back and threw a water balloon along with one of the pins. The balloon nailed him in the face causing him to lose his balance on the ball and fall on his back, ricocheting off and landing face first against the ground. His sister laughed at him, but he retaliated with a water balloon of his own. In nailed her in the face as well. Micah laughed and got back on the ball, rolling away. Susan wiped her face, some of the makeup smearing, and she chased after him. But her brother was much faster.
Wes laughed. "Got to admit. Not a bad clown act."
Micah turned around and stuck his tongue out at her. "You can't catch me! You can't catch me!"
Susan pouted angrily, then smirked. She opened up a hidden trapdoor in the stage and pulled out a slingshot. She pulled it back and fired a tack at the ball.
It punctured the ball, resulting in it deflating and with the Minun crashing against the ground. Susan laughed and fell on her back, holding her stomach. Micah shot up and glared. He reached under the trapdoor under him and pulled out a pie. "Hey Susan!" He threw the pie.
She sat up. "What?" The pie went 'SPLAT' across her face. The pie tin fell off, only her eyes peering through her whipped cream covered face. She glared as her brother laughed and reached under another trapdoor and threw a pie at him. "Micah, catch!"
"Huh?" He fell onto his back as the pie nailed his face. The tin fell off him, revealing his whipped cream beard.
They wiped most of the cream off and ran at each other with rubber mallets. They whacked each other senselessly, but the mallets were completely harmless. They gave each other one last bonk on the head and spun around dizzily, as if the last hit disoriented them.
They jumped up and threw their arms around each other with big smiles. "Tada!"
The audience clapped, laughing at the hilarious display that unfolded. Vince chuckled and walked over to the twins. "Aren't they charming? Let's give another hand for the Wacko Twins!" The twins waved as the crowd cheered them off.
Flint blinked in surprise. "Well…that was certainly interesting."
Wes chuckled. "Kind of reminds me of when we tried doing our own clown act."
Ella smirked, having never heard of this information beforehand. "Ooh, a clown act?"
The Flareon blushed in embarrassment. "Uh, well…"
"Hehe, yeah! We used our mom's make-up and dressed up like clowns, flopping around like a bunch of lunatics."
Flint pulled his hat down and covered his face. "Please stop talking…" Ella chuckled.
Vince waved to the stage. "Well everyone, our show will be coming to a close soon." A majority of the audience groaned. "Do not fret. We have saved the best for last. You've seen spectacles of courage, thrills, danger, and humor. But now…our grand finale! Please give a hand for the mysterious, the elusive…Madame Ava!" The crowd cheered as the Medicham made her way out.
Ella smiled. "Hey, that's her!"
Ava opened a book, which floated in front of her with her Psychic. "Greetings, everyone. I am Madame Ava, the mysterious fortune teller. Watch as I perform feats of amazement before your very eyes! I am, Madame Ava, shall bring forth the cosmos and stars to unlock the secrets of a time yet to come!" The lights went out, surprising the audience.
Wes instinctively lit up his yellow rings to give some light. "Hey, who turned out the lights?" A small twinkle of white light appeared in front of him. "Hello, what's this?" He raised his paws and slammed the light in between them. It floated out, unharmed. "Hey!" His eyes widened as more lights appeared in front of him. Actually, that wasn't the only place they were appearing.
One by one, a twinkle of light burst to life, all around the tent. Every angle they looked, a thousands of lights were within their sight. Madame Ava floated near the very top of the tent with her eyes closed.
"The cosmos are speaking to me. I see the pathways of destiny revealing themselves to me. Figures are appearing. I can see their past, present, and future. Please cosmos, tell me the futures of members of our audience!"
Her book erupted in a pillar of teal light, splashing against the roof and cascading down on the crowd. They gasped as they magical energy dripped down their bodies with misty movements, cool to the touch. The mist washed down the seats and converged to the center of the stage, creating a thick, teal fog around it.
"Guide me, cosmos! Reveal to me the future!"
The stars in the room started moving, flying around the tent in a clockwise direction. Their speed left trails of teal light, the cool air hitting anyone in their path. In the eyes of the audience, they were in the middle of a cosmic tornado. Some of the crowd cheered at the spectacle, while it others stared with expressions that signified their speechlessness.
Madame Ava sat in the air in a meditative state. "The past, present, and future are revealing themselves to me." If one had a sharp enough eyesight, they would notice the eye appearing on her forehead. It was made of her teal aura. She waved her hand and, without opening her eyes, grabbed one of the stars flying around the room. She held it in front of her and let go, keeping it in place. "Yes…I can see it. Two of our audience members have recently got engaged."
The Eeveelutions could hear an excited gasp a few feet away and two voices saying, "How did she know?"
The fortune teller tapped the star and let it go back into the storm. Another one came into her grasp and she held it in front of her. "Ah…it would seem we have a nonbeliever in the audience."
Not surprised. Wes thought. There's always that one skeptical guy in the audience.
"I understand your skepticism, my friend. One being able to see into the past, present, and future must be hard to believe. Just like how none of your friends ever believed you won a large sum of money."
Again, the gang could hear someone gasp in shock, just across the stage.
For five minutes, Ava was accurately telling the past and present of people in the audience and even predicting certain events that some audience members were excited or nervous about. She mentioned how one guy needed to be wary about a party he was going to. Something about food poisoning from the meat. Or how she said a woman that she will receive a grand surprise when she got home. From what the gang gathered, it must have been her birthday and she was getting an amazing present.
"Our show is coming to a close, young ones." The crowd groaned sadly. "Do not fret, we have enough time for one last see into the future. Let us see whose future shall be observed." She grabbed another star and placed it in front of her.
Wes sat back with a smile. "Wow, she's really good. So far, all of her predictions have been correct."
Flint sighed before looking at Ella with a smile. "Alright, you were right."
She smirked and crossed her forelegs. "Well, duh."
Ava meditated as her third eye looked deeply into the star. "Yes. I see…I see…" They were expecting her to reveal the future. But…something happened. As her third eye stared into the star, it widened as flashed of horrible images flashed through the fortune teller's head.
The images moved way too fast for her to identify. Only a few things made it pass her eye. A face of evil, a statue of some kind that she couldn't make out, and a pool of blood. Everything else was too chaotic to interpret. Then she heard it.
A voice in her head…speaking the future.
She gripped her head and screamed in pain, shocking the audience. The stars bubbled erratically and popped, one by one. The mist dispersed into nothingness. Losing her control of her psychic power, she fell back down to the stage.
Vince's eyes widened fearfully. "Ava!" He flew over to where she was going to land and caught her in his arms. He set her down and tried to calm her down. "Ava, please, calm down! What's wrong?!"
It was like the images were set on repeat, going faster and faster with each completed loop. Tears were streaming down her eyes as her mind could not properly process the flashes flooding her mind. She felt like her brain was going to explode.
In panic, Vince yelled to his staff, "Someone get out here and help!"
The Vileplume ran out with a panicked expression and skidded to a halt. He shook his petals and sprinkled down green, sparkling powder onto her face. With each inhale of the Sleep Powder, Ava increasing became calmer. Her screams and shouts dulled down. Her grip on her head loosened and her arms fell limp. Her head had marks on the side from the tight grip she had on it. Her breathing slowed drastically until it reached a normal pace. She rested softly in Vince's arms, who was relieved that she was okay.
He handed to the Vileplume. "Get her to her trailer. I'll be by shortly." He nodded and walked out the back. He wiped his forehead with a handkerchief, having worked up a sweat from the panic. He stood up, knees shaking from the ordeal that transpired. His heart was still racing from the horrifying sight.
He could feel the crowd staring down at him, demanding an answer to see if the fortune teller was alright. He took a calming breath and held the microphone up to his mouth. He got his breathing together and spoke, "L-Ladies and gentlemen…we are deeply sorry you had to experience…that. Rest assure, Madame Ava will be alright. She merely had a mental breakdown. Please, enjoy the rest of the circus." With that and a tip of the hat, he walked out back, leaving the audience to disperse out of the tent, still shaken up from the events that unfurled.
The only ones to have stayed were the Eeveelutions, who stared at each other with widened eyes. They were all thinking the same think.
"What just happened?"
Three hours had passed ever since Ava's breakdown and a lot of people were still shook. There was a lot of commotion about it within the first hour, but it slowly died down with time.
Back in her trailer, Ava was drawing in a sketchbook as a way to calm her nerves. She replaced her clothes with a white nightgown, as it was more comfortable to wear. She lay in her bed, which was hidden in the walls of the trailer and could be pulled down.
On her table were some flowers and 'Get Well' cards from the other performers. They would constantly come by to check on her, to which she responded the same that she was fine.
Speaking of which, another knock bounced off her door. With a gentle smile and an eye roll, she said, "Come in."
Vince walked in with a wary smile. "How are you feeling?"
She sighed. "Like I told everyone else, I am fine."
He tipped his hat over his face. "I understand, but it's my responsibility to make sure my little family is alright."
She sat up and closed her sketchbook, placing it under her pillow. "You're very sweet, Vince."
He walked over and sat on her bed, setting his cane to the side. "What happened? I haven't seen something like that happen to you for…" He took a brief pause to recall such a time. "…5 years, I believe."
Ava sighed and rubbed her head. "I am sorry to have worried you. I was just…stunned by what I saw. It was horrible."
"What did you see?"
"That's just it. I am unsure. The memories were so unfocused and chaotic, it was nearly impossible to identify what I saw." She lay down and looked up at the ceiling. "Normally I have to be in spiritual contact with someone to get clearer images. Those memories I saw belonged to someone, but I just don't know who…"
Vince sat next to her and patted her shoulder. "Do not linger on it for too long, my dear. You shouldn't stress yourself."
"I know, but…" There was another knock on the door. "Come in."
The door swung open and Susan and Micah ran in. "Madame Ava!" They have washed off their make up a while ago. They jumped up onto the bed and hugged her. "Are you okay?!"
She wrapped her arms around them and held them close. "I am alright, dearies."
"Well, that's good." She looked at the door and saw she had more guests. Ella smiled and walked in with Wes and Flint. "We were worried about you."
"Yeah. That was frightening," Wes commented.
Ava chuckled. "I appreciate all your concerns, but, I assure you, I am unharmed."
Ella smiled. "Well, it would be rude not to check in on a friend."
"How considerate of you."
"Ava," Vince spoke, "do you know these people?"
"Only the Espeon. Vince, this is Ella Cipher. She was snooping around earlier and we chatted a bit before the show."
The Espeon gave a wry smirk. "I was not snooping…" She shook her head with a short chuckle. "Anyway, this is Wes and Flint Ravenfield."
"Hello!" they greeted.
Vince narrowed his eyes. Ravenfield?
Ava glanced at him, having thought the same thing. She waved it off and smiled kindly. "A pleasure to meet you both."
The Hawlucha stood up. "Friends or not, Ava needs her rest. She can't be disturbed right now."
The fortune teller smirked. "Are you the exception?"
He blushed in embarrassment and covered his face with his hat. "N-Not the point!"
"I'm sorry Vince, but I did promise Ella that I'd help her after the show."
Wes frowned. "Whoa, whoa, hang on! You just went through heck back there. We can't ask you to help us after all of that."
She smiled. "I appreciate your concern, but I am perfectly fine." She tried to get out of bed, but Vince pushed her down. "Vince, please let me go."
"I am sorry, my dear, but your health is of upmost importance to me. I simply cannot bear to watch you injure yourself further. Do you know how terrified I was to see you in such pain?"
She caressed his cheek. "I'm alright. I'm not the same little girl you knew when we were ten. Besides, spiritual connections are easier for me to do."
He sighed. "Alright. But please, if you start to feel ill-"
"I won't." She lightly kissed his cheek.
He nodded and stood up. "I'll check on you later." He tipped his hat to the Eeveelutions and walked out.
Flint blinked in surprise, then looked at Ava. "Is he-"
"-my husband, yes. When we were children, we absolutely adored the circus. We decided to make a career out of it after we got married. We've had two daughters, one fourteen and the other eight, and a son who's about a year old."
"Where are they?" Ella asked.
"They're around somewhere, probably messing with the props." She chuckled. "To think we've been traveling for about fifteen years…"
"You've been doing this for fifteen years?!" Wes shouted in awe. "That's awesome!"
Ella tilted her head. "Does it ever get boring?"
She rubbed her chin. "Perhaps when we do the same routines every so often, but seeing the joyful looks of our audience never ceases to warm my heart."
Flint smiled. "You must really love your job."
"I do. When we aren't performing shows, I'm usually seen giving people fortunes as a little side business." She rubbed her head. "What I did back in the tent takes a lot out of me."
"Are you sure you're alright?" Susan asked as she hugged her arm.
Ava smiled and rubbed her head. "I am, don't worry." She threw her blankets off and walked over to her table. "Micah, get my crystal ball, please."
"Okay!" He ran over to the shelf it rested on, climbing up beads to get to its level.
The Medicham moved the flowers and cards to the side. Susan helped set up the chairs for the Eeveelutions to sit in. Micah swung back and forth on the bead curtain and grabbed the crystal ball on the last swing. He slid down and ran over to the table, handing the ball over.
"Thank you." She set it in the middle of the table and got into her meditative position, floating in midair. "Come, join me so we can begin."
They nodded and sat around the table, with Ella and Flint sitting next to Ava and Wes being across from her. Ava closed her eyes and held her hands out, hovering them over the crystal ball. Susan and Micah sat back on her bed and watched with curious eyes.
The ball weakly pulsed with teal light. Ava spoke, "Now…what is it you wish for me to find?"
Ella and Flint looked at Wes, who nodded. "Madame Ava…we wish for you to find a suitable potion master who can aid us on our quest. We've been searching for days and we are in desperate need of one."
"Ah…a desperate search. Your quest must be really important."
He nodded. "It is. Can you find someone?"
"Madame Ava never fails in predicting the future. Come, join hands…err, paws." They reached out and held each other's paws, with Ella and Flint placing a paw in Ava's hands. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes, which glowed in a teal light. She hummed rhythmically with the crystal ball as it pulsed much stronger. "I feel…I feel an image coming through…"
"What is it?" Flint asked.
"I see…I see a potion master…working long and hard in her shop…"
Wes smiled widely. "Who?!"
Ava's face scrunched up. At first, they were worried she was going to have another meltdown, but their nerves calmed when she continued, "Fog clouds the present, making the future unclear. The past…I feel there is something missing from it…"
Ella looked at her friends with a look that said 'The heck is she saying'. They offered a confused shrug.
The fortune teller shook her head. "Twist and turns in the paths…something isn't right…"
"Can you identify the potion master?" Flint asked.
"I will ask the cosmos." She hummed again as she looked through the fog for an answer. "The name of the potion master…a Lilligant, Clara Belladonna."
Ella blinked in confusion, then turned to Wes and Flint. "Anyone you're familiar with?"
Flint looked down as he tried to place the name. "Yeah…I think so. She was a skilled potion maker who used her talents to help the residents of Marble Stone City. She was said to be very social and friendly to the folks."
Wes continued, "But, one day, she became less and less active. She would regularly come out of her shop to get groceries and potion supplies. The only times people saw her were when they entered her shop. Then, she just disappeared. Residents keep saying she stays in her shop and hides herself under a cloak. No one has seen her face in years."
"That's odd…" the Espeon commented.
Ava sighed and ended the ritual, letting go of Flint and Ella's paws. "A very unusual situation. Still, the visions never lie. If you wish to find your potion master, you must go to Marble Stone City."
Wes pulled out their world map and took a look. "Let's see…that's about a two days travel from here."
Flint nodded. "Then Marble Stone City is our first destination."
Ella looked at Ava. "Thank you for everything, Madame Ava."
She smiled. "You are welcome, dears. Though, I must know, what is the reason behind this potion maker you seek?"
She gave an apologetic smile. "Sorry, but it's personal business for us."
She nodded. "I understand. I hope your journey will be safe."
Wes smiled. "Thanks." He rolled up the map and put it away. "We better get moving. Thanks for everything, Madame Ava!" He raced out of the trailer.
"Wes! Slow down!" Flint shouted as he followed him out.
Ella sighed and smirked at Ava. "Boys…" She chuckled a bit as the Espeon followed her friends.
They exited the perimeter of the circus. Wes pointed to his right. "Okay, Marble Stone City is in that direction. If we keep on the path, we should be there in a couple of days."
"Finally, we can get started on looking for the idol," Flint mumbled in relief. They smiled at each other and headed forward.
Ava sat at her table, sketching in her sketchbook once more. With the Eeveelutions gone, she possessed a much more serious look. The twins sat on her bed, sipping their juice boxes with worried expressions.
Two knocks echoed off her door and Vince let himself in, followed by a fourteen year old Medicham, an eight year old Hawlucha, and a baby Meditite in the Medicham's arms. The Medicham wore a leather jacket, yellow shirt, and some jeans. The Hawlucha wore a purple hoodie and jeans as well. She carried a bowl of soup in her hands. The Meditite wore red footie pajamas.
"Hi Mom!" the older kids greeted.
She waved absentmindedly, focusing on her drawing more than them. "Hey kids."
The Hawlucha walked over. "We heard what happened. Abby and I made you lunch to see if it would make you better." She set the bowl of soup down next to her.
She looked down at it and smiled. "Thank you, Carrie." She rubbed her head. "I'm fine, just a little tired."
"What are you doing?" Abby asked as she cradled the baby in her arms.
As the fortune teller continued sketching, she spoke, "During my brief meltdown, a voice echoed through my head."
"A voice?" Carrie asked.
Vince, unlike his daughters, knew what this was about. "Oh no, don't tell me…"
"I'm afraid so. During the madness, I'm seem to have uncovered a pathway of someone's future. And, if my hunch is right, it has to do with those Eeveelutions."
The adult Hawlucha groaned and rubbed his head. "That doesn't sound good…"
"I am unsure of what their quest is for, but I have identified the players in this game of destiny." She sat the sketchbook down and pushed it over to them.
They looked them over with confused expressions. A wolf face, a shield, a star, a rose, a sword, and an owl. They were bunched together and circled. Outside the circle were other symbols. A knife, a snake, a cage, a skull and crossbones, and a tree.
"These were the symbols I managed to identify from my visions. The wolf represents the Beast. The shield represents the Protector. The star is the Reborn. The rose…an odd one, but it represents the Rose of Death. The sword is the Hero. And the owl is the Wise."
Abby tilted and scratched her head in confusion. "I don't get it, Mom. Why did you draw all of this?"
"Like I said, my vision told me something about those three. These symbols represent the players of their destiny." She sighed sadly. "Unfortunately, this was all I could interpret before I blanked out. I'm still unaware of what these other five symbols are or what they represent in their destiny. Plus, from what I could recall from the visions, each of these symbols interact with each other in certain ways. But I do not have a clear enough memory of them as of now."
"Should we be worried?" Vince asked with a concerned expression.
Ava shook her head. "Not as of yet, dear. However…I think we should look into this further."
The Hawlucha narrowed his eyes. "Ava…what are you getting at here?"
She leaned back in her chair. "Hear me out. You heard what those two boys said. They're Ravenfields. You know as well as I do who also bared that name."
"Still, we shouldn't be interacting like this. The last time you had one of those breakdowns, something bad happened. We can't go through that again."
"Vince, we have no idea what's going on. We need to help them. They're obviously looking for something important. Plus…" She narrowed her eyes solemnly. "There's more to this than I first thought."
The serious expression in his wife's eyes sent chills up the Hawlucha's body. Now she was really start to creep him out. "Ava…"
"An evil face smirking with accomplishment. A statue with such a unique shape and glow. And the spilt blood of a fallen fighter. Vince…you know my visions have been accurate. If what I saw is true…I'm worried one of them is going to die."
The sound of the two electric rodents spitting their drinks out in shock snapped the family's attention to them. They were so engrossed in the conversation, they forgot the two clowns were with them. "WHAT?!"
"You mean that nice lady, Ella, is going to die?!" Susan shouted with tears forming under her eyes.
"No!" Micah cried out.
Ava held her hands up. "Do not cry, little ones. The future was covered with fog. For all we know, they'll be fine. It could belong to that evil face I mentioned."
They sniffled. "P…Promise?"
She smiled sadly. "I can't make any guarantees, but I know they'll be fine." They nodded and wiped their eyes.
Vince sighed. "I can see you're dead set on this." He crossed his arms. "Well…we weren't supposed to go to Marble Stone City for another couple of weeks…but I think we can change the schedule a bit."
She smiled. "Thank you, Vince."
He nodded, then started walking out. "Come on, girls. We need to give your mom some space so she can sleep."
"Okay," they both said before hugging their mother. The little Meditite in Abby's arms cooed and reached out to his mother.
She chuckled and tickled him, earning an adorable squeal out of him. "You be good too, Charlie."
The kids said their goodbyes to their mother and walked out. Susan and Micah gave their goodbyes and walked out as well. Ava smiled warmly at them as they left. But, once they were out of sight, she frowned seriously and looked back at the symbols in front of her. Something was going to happen. Something big. She didn't know what or when. All she did know is that she needed to help the Eeveelutions out before something horrible happens.
"Just like old times, I suppose."