Ch.91: Am I Strong Enough? The Confidence to Stand!
They wanted to say Gwyn took it well, as she wasn't screaming or breaking down into tears. However, she seemed to be frozen in a cationic state of endless shock. Well, not completely cationic, otherwise dragging her back to the training grounds would've been a hassle. What was the best word to describe her current mood? Or demeanor?
Gwyn was…broken.
Margo was kind enough to have the chef whip up another batch of lemon squares upon realizing Gwyn's reaction. A little comfort food would do her some good. Her friends would agree, but it didn't seem to be wiping away that horrified face.
They didn't have any reason to believe Gwyn was incapable of fighting a mage on her own, but Margo raised a good point: Gwyn was the least experienced out of all of them. Even Ella, who isn't on the same level as the others, has seen enough action in her life to make good judgment calls. Gwyn was like a kid with a still developing mind…who happened to also be a brilliant potion maker/doctor/magic user/half-legendary…
Looking back, Gwyn had a lot of skills under her belt for such an innocent face.
Speaking of which, how was the young Mew doing? Well, she is currently rolled up into a ball, quivering with panic, while also occasionally inserting a lemon square into her gaping mouth, like she was a postbox.
Her friends look upon her with equal parts concern and amusement. Say what you will about Gwyn's feelings towards the matter, there was something kind of cute about her stress eating.
Ella held her cheek and sighed. "Oy vey…I thought we moved past this."
"Well, this is the first time she would have to fight an experienced opponent without any type of direct assistance," Flint reminded. "I'd be quaking in my boots, too, if I was standing in her shoes."
Tony leaned against a rack of training weights. "She knows we have total confidence in her, right?"
"I think she knows, but she's…having a hard time finding it on her own," Ella said. She pressed her paw against her forehead. "How are we going to get her ready in a week?"
"I think we should figure out how to keep her from gaining ten to twenty pounds," Tony joked.
"Don't look at me," Griffin muttered. "I'm not the comforting type."
Eyes then fell on Flint for guidance, as he was arguably the closest with Gwyn. He blinked, tapping his digits together awkwardly. "Um…well, I-" Wes and Tony shoved him towards the Mew, which caused him to trip over his feet and land on top of her.
"EEK!" Gwyn jumped up and pulled out her whip. "I'M NOT READY!" She blinked and looked around curiously. "Hey, how'd I get back here?"
"Uuuuuugh…" Gwyn turned her head down, then shrieked, seeing she was standing right on top of Flint's stomach. The Flareon appeared daze. "Good reflexes…"
"Flinty!" She pulled him up and dusted his clothes off. "I'm so sorry! Did I hurt you?! A warm hug always makes me feel better!" She hugged him, then nuzzled her cheek against his.
Flint's face grew warmer. 'Oookay…suddenly okay with this…'
The moment didn't last as long as he hoped, though, as Ella pulled Gwyn away to face her. "Gwyn, are you alright?"
"What? Me?" Gwyn stuck her tongue out and waved it off. "Nah! Why would I? Not like all the pressure of getting a key is riding on my shoulders or anything! Hahaha…HAHAHAHA!" For a moment, Ella could've sworn she went cross-eyed in madness.
The gentle touch to her shoulder brought her back down. She stared at Flint's comforting face. "We get you're a little worried, but you have nothing to worry about. Wes, Griffin, and Tony did fine in their battles. There shouldn't be any reason you won't do good."
Gwyn looked down, pushed her fingertips together. "It sounds silly, but…all that talk about me having a lot of power and potential…it feels like I have to do good or I'm letting someone down…" She frowned. "I mean…you guys are all great at fighting-"
"As are you," Flint interjected.
"But, how can I get any stronger if I can barely control this…god aura I have stirring around me. Every time it leaked out, I was barely conscious of my own actions. A part of me almost killed that Floatzel back home and…I completely lost it when Callista almost killed…you…" Gwyn got teary eyed. "Am I…ready to control it?"
"Of course you are!" Flint reassured. "It'll just take some time, but you can master your aura before you know it."
"I want to believe you, but…" She sighed sadly. "I just don't want to go on another rampage. I want to get stronger for everyone…I…" She closed her eyes. "I don't want to be a disappointment…"
"D-Disappointment?" Wes suddenly cut in. He grinned uneasily, stifling a laugh. "Wha…come on, Gwyn don't be ridiculous. Nothing you do would make us think so. You're pretty good at battling already and you've mastered making your mother's Naturae Fruits. Something as…challenging as mastering your god aura sounds stressful, but not completely out of your league."
Gwyn rubbed her arm. "I appreciate your kindness, but…I'm just worried if I can master it in time."
"Well, you have a week, so-" Tony started.
"No…I mean…if we ever have to fight the Shadow King…"
Faces fell for the Mew, as a clear picture was now presented to them. For being such an innocent mind, it should've occurred to them how Gwyn may have felt about the situation. They each had their own troubles when it came to the Shadow King's return. They must admit…Gwyn did well at keeping it to herself.
She shuddered, but retained her composure. "I was absolutely terrified when I saw him…I've nearly experienced death at the hands of the Curse of Disease. I…was afraid to die, with the last thing I would ever see being my mother crying over me." She gripped her shirt. "The tables were turned…and I was the last thing she saw before she suffered the curse's effects. I never thought anything could surpass what I felt that day…I wish I was right.
"When I saw the Shadow King, approaching us, that feeling came back to me…and multiplied tenfold. It made me realize something dreadful: I wasn't just going to die…if he got his hands on all of you…you would've all been killed before my eyes…" Her eyes welled up with tears. "I…I would've been forced to watch…because Callista needs me for her ritual…I…I felt like I was going to lose another family…" She sniffed, then wiped at her eyes.
It was hard not to stare at the Mew without sympathy. Everyone but Griffin had tears of their own forming, though…on the inside, Griffin had this burning urge to snap a certain spider's neck a thousand times over, then follow it up with a thousand stabbings…from a sword that was heated in lava. He only kept silent and bowed his head.
"Oh Green…" Tony came up to her and offered her a hug and pat on the back. "…You're worried that if you don't learn how to fully master that god aura of yours, you won't be able to keep us safe at your best?"
She sniffled. "…What if that's why Margo wants to test me? Because I'm the one with the most power and potential that needs to be properly nurtured?"
"It would make sense…" Ella admitted as she rubbed her eye.
"Logically, you're the least experienced out of all of us," Griffin jumped in, facing off to the side. "I think the mages realize this once they knew how long you've been hiding away. Even with Garret Ravenfield's training, it was only ever enough to defend yourself. Callista wouldn't be able to bring out her full potential without gathering too much attention. You had luck at the time."
Gwyn plopped herself down and took a deep breath. "Does that make me weak?"
"Far from it!" Tony exclaimed. "You have those sick fruits and are pretty handy with a whip! Maybe you just need help fully realizing the extent of your magic."
"How do I do that?" she asked.
"That…I don't know," he sheepishly admitted. "I mean, I know how to connect with my magic, but that's with storms and such. You're a different story." As the Dewott said this, Wes gazed at the ground thoughtfully.
"Maybe we can start small," Ella suggested. "You have plenty of experience already, you just need…more." She grinned. "How about you and I have another round of sparring?"
Tony smirked and rubbed his hands together. "Ooh, or maybe we can put her in a closed off space with Griffin and put a mask of Voss over her! That'll give her a workout!" Griffin slapped him in the back of the head. Hard. "Y-Yeah…realized it was a stupid idea the moment it came out…"
Flint smiled at Gwyn. "A little meditation could help. It's the best way to fully energize your aura."
Gwyn scratched her cheek. "That requires me sitting still, right?" She groaned and collapsed on her back.
"Heh…it takes discipline, I admit…"
"How about we let her figure things out for the day?" Eyes fell on Wes, who awkwardly pawed at the ground. "Well…offering our own training methods could help, but Gwyn should try and find her own way first. The key is to figure out the best way to control her godly aura, so…she should try and figure out what makes it tick when she uses it."
"Easy. Extreme anger," Tony answered.
"We don't know that for sure. Yes, every time it did, or came close to, coming out, she experienced a great deal of rage." He then pointed at the green Mew. "But like Griffin's aptitude for rage being flexible, there could be another trigger to Gwyn releasing it."
Flint scratched his cheek. "…Actually, I do know a tell for when she starts building it up. Her eyes." He pulled Gwyn up and pointed at her wide, curious eyes. "They're usually the cheery rose color we're use to. All twinkly and…pretty."
Gwyn covered her red cheeks. "Heh…"
Flint coughed into his paw and continued, even with a glowing red face. "A-Anyway…one thing I noticed is that her eyes get darker when under extreme anger. We've seen her angry before, but it's when her eyes just…lose all sense of innocence that we see that hidden monster inside her—no offense, Gwyn."
"None taken."
Tony scratched at his chin. "Isn't Clara Belladonna known for being…super crazy or something?"
"Tony!" Ella scolded.
"No…he's right." The group looked at Gwyn. "Callista said it to me before, that my mother's madness lives on inside me. I inherited my mother's own mad intentions and mindset, I guess."
Griffin crossed his arms. "You know, we've heard before that your mother had this…madness, but we don't know much in context."
"According to my mom, it's something she doesn't always realize when it happens. The tell was that her eyes would get dark and scary, according to anyone in her company. To her, it usually happens when someone mocks one of her experiments in a stressful situation or if someone is challenging her pride. Mom never really exhibited that kind of behavior around me…probably because I was too sweet and innocent to ever flip out over.
"I have seen her act that way when I was hiding upstairs from customers. Someone didn't think her potions were all that good, some…words were shared, then she just…quietly went to her lab and handed him a new potion. Next thing I hear, an infestation of plants explodes from inside some guy's house. She…got into a lot of trouble because of that."
Ella hummed to herself. "So, it could be personal feelings that trigger it. And I guess in your case, it helps you dig deeper into your soul and pull out the godly aura buried deep inside you."
"Like when she completely demolished the church back in Ghost Cove," Wes brought up. "All plant life around her bended to her will. Things were growing far faster than her Accelerated Growth ever exhibited."
"So, we just need to find a way to get that side of her under control while still bringing out her aura?" Tony guessed.
"Or at least help her use it in short bursts so she doesn't utterly exhaust herself," Wes suggested.
Gwyn hugged herself, staring at the ground softly. "…Do you guys really think I can do it on my own?"
Flint smiled. "Of course you can. You're amazing at whatever you do, Gwyn. This'll just be something you get to improve on and…win." He shrugged. "Simple as that."
Gwyn blinked, then turned away with a blush glowing on her cheeks. "Oh…Flint…" She giggled to herself.
Ella rubbed her paws together. "Alright, then let's get started! We have a week to get you ready and over a month of training before the Gelid Peak Tournament! Let's get you into shape!"
The Mew grinned and bounced onto her feet. "Yeah…Yeah! I can do this! I'm going to win!"
"Yeah!" the team cheered.
"I'm going to get that key!"
"Yeah!"
"I should probably stop shouting!"
"Good idea!"
She took a deep breath, then smiled confidently. "Alright…teach me all you can!"
"I change my mind! I change my mind!"
Gwyn thought they would be taking baby steps, but that luxury was way out of their reach. Instead, since they wanted to get her strength up as quickly as possible, they turned to serious physical training. They did some basic weightlifting for her to get some more muscle. She did not enjoy that at all.
Meditation was a bit difficult since she couldn't quite stay still long enough to achieve inner calmness. Flint tried coaching her all he could, but it was a difficult discipline that anyone with a magic aura had to master. They thought it would help bring out her god aura safer.
Currently, they were testing out her speed and agility. Originally, they thought of having Tony coach her, but he was a little too fast for her. So, they went with the next best thing: have her dodge Griffin's Exosus Release over and over again. To be fair, she was pretty decent at sprinting, but wasn't bothering to counterattack.
In retrospect, should've occurred to them a part of her still had some fear of the angry Grovyle.
Griffin continuously spammed Exosus Release in consecutive bursts from his hand while Gwyn tried her hardest to avoid a direct hit. All of this while she was wearing some training weights over her wrists and ankles. They weren't particularly heavy, but they were impressed she could move so fast with them on.
Flint was covering his eyes, fearing what he might see. He couldn't bear to watch the Mew get injured. "Please tell me when it's over!"
Ella bit her lip. "Um…Gwyn? Want to take a break-?"
"Yes! Please! Absolutely!" Griffin ended his attacks, allowing Gwyn to collapse hard into the ground, panting heavily. "W…Water! Need…water!"
Tony ran over to her with a canteen and shoved it into her hands. "You said you would try anything to build some strength up."
"And I instantly regretted it!" She chugged her water down, spilling some out over her cheeks.
Wes sighed and scratched behind his head. "Honestly, since we don't know what we're working with, it may take a while before we can fully grasp how your madness triggers. And I'm not tempting fate by trying to make you angry."
Gwyn sat up and sighed after wiping her face. "No…I appreciate you guys trying to help me. I get I'm not all that experienced like the rest of you, but I want to try my best." She gripped the canteen. "I just don't want to lag behind…"
"Sweetie, I know the feeling," Ella brought up. "I wasn't exactly in a great spot either. All you guys were leagues above me until I got my training from Willow." She smiled. "That just means you've got a way to go before you reach the summit. Heck…not everyone gets to the summit of their power. All that means is…you still have plenty of potential to tap into."
"Maybe…" She hugged herself. "…I still don't know how to control my madness. It happens when I'm not thinking. Gets even worse at random times."
"Well, if your mother's was triggered by a blow to her pride, maybe it's the same with you," Tony suggested.
Griffin shot a deadpan glare. "Sparks…can you please take another look and tell me this is the most prideful creature in the world?"
Tony faced Gwyn again, who blinked with her wide, curious eyes. "…Yeah, I see your point. Okay, not pride."
Ella scratched her cheek. "Well, it's definitely tied to rage. Honestly, you flipped your shit when you fought Callista."
"And she got pretty close back in Marble Stone," Flint reminded.
Wes narrowed his eyes and recalled both events. If he remembered, Flint and Gwyn were fighting the possessed Floatzel together right around when that first happened. The second most prominent time…was when Flint used himself as a Pokémon shield for Gwyn…
'Hmm…'
Ella sighed and waved it off. "In any case, we have a lot of room to work with. Even if you don't win this fight, we can use our training time here to help power you up and get ourselves in tiptop shape before the tournament." She smiled sweetly. "You can do it, right?"
Gwyn looked down at her feet. "Um…I think so…maybe…"
Flint sighed. "Well…it's getting late. We should get ourselves a place to stay while we're here."
"Can we stay in a fancy hotel?" Ella pleaded with large sparkling eyes.
Flint glared. "Are you kidding? One or three nights is one thing, but we'll be staying here for over a month! I'm not paying for that bill, especially with your spending habits!"
"I don't want to stay in some cheap hotel!"
"Tough noodles!"
"I can't take you seriously if that's the remark you go with. Seriously, tough noodles?"
Wes gave a loud, firm clap, grasping their attention. "How about we stay in a normal hotel? Not too cheap, but not too fancy-like."
"Aww, but I want the fancy spa treatment!" Ella blinked, then rubbed her chin. "I wonder if I can ask the queen if she could get me in…"
"We've barely explored the place. There might be a regular spa somewhere," Flint assured, if only so he could avoid paying an insanely high bill for a month long stay at a five star hotel.
"Fine, but I'm holding you accountable if we don't find one." She strutted past him.
Flint rolled his eyes before following with the others…all except Gwyn, though. He stopped and looked back at her. "Gwyn, you coming?"
She gripped her jacket, then smiled awkwardly. "I-If it's alright with you guys, I think I want to stay for a little longer. Just to…get some training in by myself, like you suggested."
"You sure?"
She nodded. "I'll be fine. You can just…pick me up in like three hours." She laughed awkwardly. "Also…could you get me some dinner when I get back to the room? I'm almost out of lemon squares."
Flint huffed, then smiled kindly. "Oh…alright. I'll come get you in a few hours. Just don't overwork yourself."
"I promise." She pulled out her whip and looked down at it, now frowning to herself.
Flint bit his lip as they closed in on the gate. He felt Wes nudge him in the ribs, then looked to him oddly. Wes nodded his head at Gwyn, giving Flint a knowing look. Flint looked back at Gwyn, touching his paw in thought.
Gwyn sighed and started taking off the training weights, then yelped as a pair of forelegs hugged her from behind. She instantly recognized it as Flint. She hugged him enough times to know what his fur felt like. She was surprised that he initiated a hug without a warning. She always did that to him.
"…You're going to be fine. Train hard…fight harder…and just remember that you have friends to guide the way." He hesitated on an action, but gave in and offered a nuzzle to her cheek. "…We believe in you." He pulled away, then scampered off to the others.
In a sudden reversal of roles, Gwyn was the one staring off into the space, with a bright red blush glowing like a heating pad. Her heart was thumping with excitement, while her tail wagged uncontrollably.
She squeaked, "…Oh my…"
An hour into her training, Gwyn was…well, trying to get something accomplished. Anything at all would help. Trying to control a reaction she barely understood herself…it was an exhausting task. A Mew with a mad mind buried deep inside that could be unleashed when she needed its chaotic nature most.
Gwyn breathed deeply as she made some finger motions with her left hand. Before her were some wooden golems, ready to attack their creator on command. She even pumped them with minor doses of strength potion to give an extra boost in difficulty. Frankly, fighting her own creations had its uses, but they weren't always giving it their all. Her aura apparently made her friend to all nature, so it was hard for nature to hit her.
Even it found her sweet and innocent nature too precious to harm.
The Mew stepped back and readied her whip, giving a light nod to her golems. At her command, they charged into a full sprint with their arms morphing into various weapons. Axes, lances, maces, etc.
Gwyn thought it would be best to train her ability to sense magic. With her eyes closed, she focused on their approaching movements and the aura flowing through them. It was simple due to her connection to nature, but it made for a good baseline. She felt the presence of a downward swing and avoided it before wrapped her whip around the golem's arm.
Another came charging from behind, this time with their arm outstretched. It was likely the one with the lance arms. She pulled her captured golem while simultaneously ducking under the lance, feeling the breeze of its thrust blow past her face. She jerked her whip and smashed the two golems into each other, chipping off their exteriors.
Gwyn bounced on her feet as she waited for the next attack. This one was rather speedy, as she injected a potion to increase its speed. She wondered if she could increase her strength with a potion so she'd be extra prepared to fight Margo. On the other hand, her strength potions lasted for only so long and she doesn't make all that many since she focused most of her ingredients on her Naturae Fruits.
Anyway, feeling the mace-handed golem charging at her, Gwyn defensively used her whip the catch the mace in mid-swing, then it did throw her back just a bit. She dug her feet into the ground and kept tall.
The golem continued immediately after its first attack, relentlessly throwing punches at Gwyn as she kept blocking. She wanted to see how long she could keep this up until it began to frustrate her. As her friends concurred, her madness was tied to her anger. And yet, it didn't feel that simple.
What was anger, anyway? It was a rare emotion for Gwyn, admittedly. Actually, no, it was plainly obvious it wasn't a part of her character. Growing up on wholesome beliefs and practices taught to her by her mother, she never had a mean bone in her body. Sure, she would get royally upset with anyone who tried to harm or even flat out kill her, but she never experienced boiling rage over anyone…
…except Callista…and perhaps Reuben.
Thinking back to it, she had to gag at how Reuben had been trying to manipulate her with his charms. For once, her naivety kept her from falling too deep into it and allowed her to really see him for his true character. It irritated her how he was willing to drown Flint behind her back.
Then there was Callista, who deserved the top spot of her incredibly short list of people she hated. What was there to say that hasn't already been? A witch who turned her peaceful life upside-down and left behind a crippling phobia of the outside world. Agoraphobia, if she remembered correctly. She had long since gotten past it and even found new joy in new places…but it did nothing to the mental scars left behind.
…And yet, recalling what happened back in Ghost Cove, it didn't feel like Callista was the main reason she lost control so quickly. Granted, she egged her on pretty heftily and it did tick her off majorly, but…there had to be a different trigger than that.
…Did it have something to do with Flint? Back when she first showed off her hidden side, Flint had protected her at the cost of his own strain from his time stop spell. The second time came when he protected her from that arrow. He could've died had Gwyn not woken up from the commotion.
That…stung the worst out of all of them. Flint…could've died…because of her.
Thinking about any of her friends being killed pained her to no end, but Flint hurt the worst out of all those pains. There was so much about her fluffball companion that she adored. He shared her love for research and experimentation (even if he hates having stuff tested on him) and he offered her the chance to explore new places and pull her from her fears of the outside world.
She felt devastated, like she could've lost her closest friend as he died in her arms. Someone she cared about too much to lose…she didn't want to go through that same trauma again. No matter what, she wanted to get stronger so she could return the favor to him and the rest of the team.
Was the source of her rage tied to her feelings? What feelings, though?
Another thing she recalled was that conversation with Ella. She felt flustered having it practically shoved into her face, but…was it possible she felt something strong for Flint? Did she actually…love him?
Love will forever be an arbitrary concept she has yet to fully grasp. On the surface, she knew it involved two Pokémon getting together, being lovey-dovey with each other, getting married, getting a kid from the Pelipper (as far as she knew), and start a family. Though…she felt there was something more to it than that, but she didn't have the experience to answer.
So…if she did feel something for Flint, did that mean her madness took over whenever he got hurt? Or did it happen if she felt someone she truly cared about got seriously hurt? She didn't know what her emotional reaction would be if one of the others got seriously hurt, though she doubted she wouldn't cry out for them.
She needed something to help her control it without any situational reactions.
It was only now Gwyn realized how far down in her thoughts she was, because she ended up losing her balance from a solid hit by her wooden golem. Gwyn flopped onto her back and groaned, reaching for the side of her head. Her eyes widened as the golem came right for her. Gwyn reached for her whip and-
SNAP!
-and held her breath as the golem was stopped in its tracks. While she felt no danger to herself, she felt a little relieved not to be attacked. Guess this golem was following her orders more thoroughly.
She noticed that the golem was being held back by cloth bindings wrapped tightly around its arms and torso. Reeling them in, the arms were pinned to its sides as it tried push on through. Gwyn blinked, then looked around the golem. To her surprise, it was Krystal, Cybil, and Ebony, who was using her strange scarf to restrain the golem.
Ebony pulled on some of the bindings and smirked at the Mew. "You should've invited us. We could've had a party."
Gwyn breathed a sigh of relief, then grinned. "Hey! Wasn't expecting you here so late!"
"We could say the same for you," Cybil muttered, who seemed to be squinting a bit more than usual. Noticing this herself, she pulled out a tiny bottle from her vest and pulled off the cap that doubled as an eyedropper.
Gwyn stood up. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. I just have dry eye. It gets pretty irritating when I'm working on my range." She held the dropper over her left eye and applied a couple drops onto it before repeating on the right. "Anyway, what are you doing here? Weren't you supposed to be training with your team?"
Gwyn rubbed her arm. "I…kind of stayed behind to do my own training."
Krystal crossed her wings and nodded in approval. "Aye, I'm with you there, comrade. I always look forward to solo training to really test my limits."
Cybil glanced at her. "Absolutely nothing to do with our team training getting out of hand because of you?"
"I said I was sorry!" Krystal shouted.
Cybil rubbed her shoulder. "I'm just messing with you."
Ebony reeled in her scarf and shifted it back to its normal form before stuffing her hands inside her pockets. "I honestly forgot you guys left." She pressed her hand against her head. "Got one heck of a hangover when I came to…"
"Isn't that a sign to stop drinking?"
"I feel the buzz outweighs the aftermath."
"That was more than a buzz."
"You say tomato, I say tomate." She turned back to Gwyn. "As for you, I find it a little hard to believe you're training on your own."
"W-What do you mean?"
"Well, you seem like the extroverted type…no, wait, that's not it…hmm…" She clicked her tongue a couple times before snapping her fingers. "Ah, right. The social type. The one who normally does things in a group." She tapped her foot curiously. "I think that's the right…"
"Um…I just needed to do some things without the others…" Gwyn teetered around on her feet. "I…was hit with some rather shocking news…"
"Does this have anything to do with you and your friends heading to the castle?" Krystal asked. "Also, what the heck was that all about? Seriously, you guys just showed up and are suddenly invited to dine with the queen! Talk about nutty!"
"Krissy, don't butt into her life," Cybil lightly scolded.
"No, it's fine…" Gwyn said, tapping her fingers together. Granted, she probably shouldn't give the full reason why, but it was better than lying outright. "Um…the queen kind of knew us from some people we met and…wanted me to challenge one of her strongest knights to a duel…because I'm…special?" She wasn't sure how to explain that part.
Ebony tilted her head. "Have anything to do with you being a green goddess?"
"I guess you figured out I'm a Mew."
Krystal grinned awkwardly. "Truth be told, we thought you were some freaky looking Glameow. No offense, of course."
Ebony smirked. "My money was on you being a Ditto with a wicked cosplay."
"Um…cosplay?"
"Anywho, all that aside…" Ebony narrowed her eyes. "Why…is there a Mew wandering around Mysto in broad daylight?"
Gwyn scratched her head awkwardly. "Um…not sure if you'll believe me, but my mother met Mew and…well, they loved each other and then the Pelipper just dropped me off sometime after."
Krystal and Cybil stared at her wide-eyed. "…Pelipper?"
"Yeah…the Pelipper that delivers babies?" 'They have the same face Ella made when I said that. Why is that?'
Ebony smirked. "Oh man, that's where you think they come from?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, when a mom and dad love each other very much, they start by taking off their-" Cybil bonked her swiftly atop the head, knocking her face first to the floor.
Cybil huffed with a large blush on her face. "There is no way I'm listening to your perverted explanation on reproduction." She waved off the conversation completely. "Let's move away from that and get back to you being special or whatever."
"Um…okay." Gwyn scratched her cheek. "Well, you see, when I was born, I had a hidden bank of god aura that interacts with my magic infrequently. I got that from my father. Conversely, I got something from my mother. She…has what many would call a mad mind, or madness, and it typically goes off when we feel some intense emotion. With my mother, I think hers is reflective of her pride. Mine's a little weird, but I can't quite explain it."
"Are you trying to do something with your…madness?" Krystal asked hesitantly.
"Whenever I get angry, my god aura leaks out in random spikes. If I can control and bring it out, it could make me stronger."
"Ooh~!" Krystal's eyes sparkled with opportunity. Cybil sighed, knowing that look plenty well. Krystal loved a good challenge and will take it at any opportunity. "To think Team Shatter Star has the honor to fight a goddess-!"
"Please don't call me that," Gwyn pleaded.
"-a half-legendary in the Gelid Peak Tournament! I feel my cells tingling with anticipation!"
Gwyn sighed. "It sounds nice, but…that's not why I want to control it."
They, plus Ebony who recovered from the lump on her noggin, saw the sad look in the Mew's eyes. It was one of worry, fear, and hope. They could tell from that look that this training was very important to her.
"My friends and I…have gotten into a lot of trouble over the last few months. Dealt with pirates, witches, gangs…I wasn't the adventuring type before I met them, so it was a big change for me." She closed her eyes. "The thing is, I do worry about them and…often wonder if I'm not pulling as much weight as I should. I know I'm strong, but…I don't have the mind of a fighter like them. They've seen much cooler stuff than I have. I want to be like them, to fight with my all.
"I have all this overwhelming power that could make me the strongest out of my team, but I don't know how to properly utilize it. I don't know what to do with it. As it stands, it's only raw magic. I can't do much fancy stuff with it." She looked at her hand, curling her fingers into the palm. "That was the whole point of the special fruits I make. I don't really have a set way of fighting, so I…take on different forms and fight with those. I can vary what I can do, but…is it enough?"
"Fight with different forms?" Cybil questioned.
"Yeah. Naturae Fruits, an experimental group of fruits made by my mother. They utilize magic to temporarily change my body chemistry and outwardly appearance to give me different forms. Poison, oak, energy sucking…I could probably make a fruit for anything."
Krystal shrugged, showing a large grin. "Eh, why fix what isn't broken?"
"What do you mean?"
"You're clearly an expert at your own craft. I don't see why you need to change up what you already do."
Gwyn looked back at her fist. "Maybe, but…I want to be able to utilize my full potential. Not for my sake, but for my friends, too. My way of showing how much I appreciate them…how much I want to keep them safe…" She smiled with a small blush glowing on her cheeks. "Especially him…"
"Who's the boy~?" Gwyn gasped as Krystal and Ebony got up in her face with wide, cheeky grins.
Gwyn immediately got flustered and flailed her hands around defensively. "AH! Nothing, nothing! Who said anything about boys?! I didn't! What's a boy?!" She smacked her mouth shut and covered it.
Ebony laughed out loud. "Oh, you definitely like someone! Bet it was one of the guys on your team! Out with it!"
"I…!"
"Oh, is it the Umbreon? Wes, right?" Krystal tapped her chin. "I suppose you two would look nice together."
"I doubt it's the Dewott," Ebony teased, nudging her side. "You're way out of his league!"
Krystal held her hips. "You keep ribbing on the poor guy."
"I like teasing guys who have the hots for me." She winked. "Have to say though, pretty good looking fellow."
Gwyn pulled on her ears and almost melted into a puddle as she huddled herself to the ground. "Please stop talking…"
Cybil walked up and pinched both Krystal and Ebony, causing them to yelp. "Will you two knock it off? The poor girl's going to die of a heat stroke."
Krystal grinned sheepishly. "Heh…sorry, CyCy." She looked down at Gwyn. "Sorry Gwyn."
"It's fine…" She sat up, then tapped her fingers together meekly. "…Um…can I ask you girls something?"
"What's that?"
"…How do you know for sure if you…like someone?"
Krystal smiled. "I knew you were crushing on-!" Cybil glared at her. "…Heh…oh, um…why's that?"
"Well…the thing is, my best friend…he's a really cool guy. Very sweet, very funny, and…just so nice to me. He's the best thing I've ever experienced in my life." She sighed. "But…I'm not all that knowledgeable on love and stuff."
"Tch. We noticed," Ebony muttered to herself.
"I would ask Ella for help, but…I still don't know my own feelings for him. I don't know if I have to do something first or if I have to get him a present to show I like him. Is there some special task one must do before they say anything or do you just say it out loud?"
Ebony smirked. "Well, if you really want to catch his eye, you could-!" Cybil bonked her on the head.
"Again, not one perverted word out of your mouth…" Cybil grumbled.
Krystal stared blankly at the Mew for a moment, then smiled sympathetically. "Aww…is that all?" She pulled Gwyn up to her feet and dusted her off. "Comrade, you don't need to do anything special to win someone over. If he likes you for who you are and vice versa, I don't see what's wrong with just telling him."
Gwyn tapped her fingers together again. "But…how do I know if I…like him?"
"I don't know much about any of your guy friends, so I can't give an exact explanation. I will say, though, that you seem close with him from the way you speak of him. That's a good sign." She shrugged. "Honestly, if you two care for each other, maybe there is something there."
"But, I care about all my friends. I…don't know the difference between love for family and romantic love."
Krystal crossed her wings. "Well, I'm sure you know the obvious difference, but here's something you should know. In a way, romantic love is sharing something close with a stranger. Someone outside your family bloodline. It's something you feel for someone that makes you want to be close to them. Romantic love is often expressed in different ways."
"For instance-!" Ebony started to say, but she put her guard up in anticipation for Cybil's third assault. "Yeesh, calm down! I'm joking!"
Krystal laughed awkwardly, then faced Gwyn again. "Well, maybe an example will help." She pulled Cybil into a side hug. "Cybil and I are pretty close with each other. When we're alone, we just like to cuddle up together and enjoy the other's company or do some fun stuff like play games or read books to each other."
"That sounds pretty simple," Gwyn admitted.
"It doesn't have to be anything other than that. It's just spending time with someone while suspending your personal bubble of privacy. No one ever likes have their personal space violated. Pokémon only ever feel comfortable being around those they're close to, either family or someone you really, really like." She nuzzled Cybil's cheek and gave her a small peck on the cheek, making her blush. "Hee! Plus, it's funny watching Cybil be shy about it."
"Sh-Shut up…" Cybil mumbled, hiding a smile behind her hand.
Gwyn tilted her head. "You two seem like opposites, though."
"I'm clearly more extroverted than Cybil, but…well, that's actually why I like her. She keeps me grounded when I get a little too high in the clouds." She grinned. "Plus, she's always up for a rip-roaring adventure if I am!"
Cybil fiddled with her sweater. "I'll admit that, when I first met Krystal, she was…extremely weird. Like…really, really weird. Uncomfortably weird. She tends to shake hands and crack bones and she doesn't know much about personal space-"
"Um, CyCy?" Krystal interrupted with an exasperated smile.
"I'm just speaking my mind."
"And now my feelings are hurt."
"No, they're not."
Krystal snickered. "You're real blunt, you know that?"
Cybil rolled her eyes, then faced Gwyn again. "Point is, I definitely didn't see myself dating her anytime in my life. She was just some weird stranger who I happened to meet. Then, that whole incident with the bandits happened and we became a team. I came to appreciate Krystal more and, despite her actions, she's a fairly competent leader, even if she needs someone to straighten her out." Krystal grinned shamelessly.
"Then I found myself appreciating her company. She's very understanding and patient with me, since I didn't like talking to many people. She…helped me feel more comfortable making friends. Plus, admittedly, I did think she was pretty cute."
"Was?" Krystal gasped dramatically. "How dare you!"
"You know what I mean." Returning to Gwyn, she said, "Sometimes you end up liking someone because they complete you in a way. Even though Krystal can be a handful for me, I don't mind her as much as any other loudmouth. I actually find it…charming."
"Aww!" Krystal gushed.
Gwyn scratched her cheek. "So…if I like him…should I try and say something?"
Ebony shrugged. "Don't see why you shouldn't? I mean, the longer you think about the ifs and buts, the sooner your chance will slip out from under your fingers."
"Huh…actual, genuine advice came out of your mouth," Cybil muttered in astonishment.
"See? I'm not as depraved as I act." Ebony smirked. "I mean, imagine this. Say the world was going to end the next day and you haven't told him how you feel. Would you want to live your final moments fretting you'll never get the chance to say it to him? Or do you want to spend those final moments embracing each other as a fiery death consumes the land?!" she shouted excitedly.
"Annnd, back to crazy."
"Hey, you know I'm right."
"I'd be more concerned about surviving an apocalypse, not spewing my heart out at the worst possible time."
"In a situation like that, you're doomed either way! Might as well spend your precious moments as happy as possible!"
"What if you don't die?"
"That's the point. Either way, the happy couple is happy, with the latter adding a gracious bonus for surviving certain doom!"
As the two talked back and forth, Gwyn was pulled back into her thoughts. The sheer irony of Ebony's statement was, in fact, that very fate she had to face. Everyone on the team had one thing on their mind when it came to facing that prophecy: defeating the Shadow King. However, that came with the real risk of them dying. Even though the Reborn will be fated to survive the grasp of death, a second death was just as likely. And…
She lost her mind when she thought Flint died. It shattered her heart when she saw him take that arrow for her. Even though her feelings weren't obvious then, she felt real panic when she saw him fall.
Would it be wrong to confess how she felt to him even though they were on an important mission? Was there time to have moments between them? Would it be a distraction? A hinderance? It muddled her vague understand of relationships. From all she gathered from Ella's occasional mentions and that one night, it's something one must experience to get the picture.
She remembered imagining herself kissing Flint and…actually enjoying the thought of it. It wasn't all that different from how she normally acted around him, but…it sounded special. She could die happy cuddled up in his mane and forelegs. He was so warm and fluffy and…comforting.
Her tail began to wag, but she didn't care. Maybe there was something there for Flint that she should consider. Even if it wasn't the appropriate time to confess that she likes him, any other day could be their last now. She didn't want to die knowing she failed the world and not at least talk to Flint about it.
Maybe she could be happier than ever. Maybe she could…be with him.
Gwyn covered her reddened face and giggled girlishly while the Team Shatter Star females smiled at her. "Ooh, someone's getting excited," Ebony commented.
"Aww! Young love!" Krystal gushed.
Cybil sighed. "I'm definitely the only normal one of the team…"
Gwyn blinked upon remembering she had a small audience, then laughed awkwardly as she scratched her head. "Heh…sorry."
"Don't be. You're finally realizing who your special someone is!" Krystal exclaimed. "That's the spirit, comrade!"
"Heh, thanks…" She frowned. "Doesn't get me closer to figuring out how to control my aura naturally."
Ebony shrugged. "Too bad you can't just artificially control it."
Gwyn opened her mouth to respond, then shut her jaw, staring blankly at them. Cybil leaned in and snapped her fingers in front of her face. "Uh…Gwyn? You still in there?"
"Did we break her?" Ebony wondered.
"I smell an epiphany!" Krystal exclaimed.
Indeed, Gwyn came to an idea she had not considered. Had it not been for her own stress, perhaps she would've realized it sooner. A solution that wouldn't necessarily fix her problem, but maybe could act like training wheels. Like riding a bike, you get the natural feel of how to operate it, but with a secondary mechanic that sets you on easy mode. And as an expert of messing with her own biology, what couldn't she do?
"A supplement of sorts that I can take that doesn't require me using my madness to pull out my godly aura. Time and time after, I could even learn to naturally bring it out whenever I want…" she muttered heavily under her breath. Team Shatter Star watched in amazement as she muttered off a bunch of different ideas from the top of her head.
"Man…this girl sounds smart…" Ebony said.
"She is supposed to be a potion maker," Cybil responded.
Krystal grinned. "Well, I like her attitude!" She balled her wings. "Hey, comrade!"
Gwyn jumped from her heavy muttering. "AH! What?"
"Perhaps you can hold off on your science talk later." She smirked. "You said you needed some help with training, right? How about we help you out? You know, like a sort of test course for whatever you have in mind."
Gwyn blinked, then scratched at her chin. "Well, that might help me develop something beneficial. And I still have some time before Flint picks me up." She grinned. "Alright, I'm in!"
Krystal formed magic bombs in her wings while Ebony grasped her scarf. Cybil held her hands up and backed away. "I'll just get some water. You three have fun."
Reuben stepped back from the operating table he was working on, with his hands stained with blood. "Alright…it seems the tests are running better than I pictured. How do you feel, my king?"
With his rapid recovery from the puppetry surgery, the Shadow King was finally adjusting to his new body. For once in his life, it felt natural to operate one. His last body felt like a suit he was borrowing, with no true ownership over it. With the modifications done to the muscles and tendons, it felt like he could move as fluidly as a shadow.
The king curled his fingers a few times before balling them into a fist. "Excellent work, Reuben." He stretched his arms out. "This body feels remarkably limber. I can actually move with greater flexibility. It's as if I've been enlightened to the greater planes of darkness itself."
Callista, who sat in the corner of the lab, chuckled. "You've proven yourself well, Reuben. I knew you were perfect for the master's desires."
Reuben bowed to her. "I live to please, Mistress Callista." He turned to the Shadow King. "Your recover will take a few days before you're at your peak again."
"I've waited five hundred years for this day." He snapped his fingers, creating a black flame from the sparks. "What's a few more?" He glared. "And how are we on the invasion?"
"We're preparing for our next hit, sir. We're creating a few more promising soldiers to serve at the front of our armies. And the Desert Beasts will set up for their que." Callista bowed to her king. "We have every intention of making this invasion perfect for you, my glorious king. This is the rightful mark where your defeat hundreds of years ago will be erased from the minds of these hapless cretins."
Reuben continued, "Your return to power will mark a change to this dreadful world. With this new body, you will stand above all. You are the kind of this world. When we hit them, the whole region will know of our turn. The world will crumble in your presence. You are the living embodiment of darkness itself! Nothing can escape you!"
The Shadow King glared. "And I'll have even more power once I take hold of the Idol of Origin. That accursed relic…with it and the knowledge of the Immensus Library, I'll have all the magical power I desire." His dark aura radiated from his body, causing chills through the ice shrew. "I'll reshape the destiny of this world of light and bring about the true world. Never again will the light of justice suppress my claim to absolute. Only I am allowed to stand above the weak."
"Yes, yes, my king," Callista praised. "It is you who will stand atop the weak. You are the rightful king of this world of magic! Your magic was absolute and beyond the comprehension of mortals! It was the work of the greedy gods that stole away what was rightfully yours with their relic of creation!"
"And I shall use that power to set what is mine in place." He rotated his shoulder, feeling the bones click in satisfaction. "I will make my return known to all. I will not surrender to the light again. When I obtain my rightful place as a god among these puny mortals…" He walked past his subordinates and pushed the doors to the lab open.
"Only then…will they kneel before their true master."
"…Where am I? Where is here? Who…am I?"
An endless sea that could suffocate the light. There was nothing but darkness. Everywhere was the black fog. It all felt like a haze, mindlessly wandering around, trying to find their way. But there was nothing to find. It was emptiness. There wasn't a place to find nor a destination to meet.
How long has he been sinking in this endless abyss? How'd he even get here? He felt like he was perpetually drowning in water, feeling the air leaving his lungs, yet death refused to claim him. He couldn't breathe, yet he wasn't suffering. He felt nothing but the cold chill of darkness.
His eyes flickered in an unfocused glaze. His mind felt clouded. Something…nicked at the back of his head. This feeling…felt familiar. Like he experienced it once before…from a long time ago. The tendrils of darkness tried to keep him subdued and sedated. All there was has been realized. Only the darkness matters.
And yet, that thumping in the back of his mind said otherwise. This wasn't his place. This was something different. Something dreadful. He didn't belong here.
What happened before he faded? He remembered being in some kind of danger…then everything faded in an instant. None of it clicked…except for a feeling.
A hand mindlessly went to his chest. Something…a pain, like a sharp blade struck through his body, followed by a flameless burn. It was all strange. He remembered a voice, the only source of clarity he had before everything…vanished.
"All…hail…the Shadow King…" he repeated in a whisper.
The Shadow King…
The Shadow King…
Shadows…Shadows…
A voice called to him a long time ago, sensing his despair and anguish. He was searching for something, but nothing tangible. He was searching for peace from his sorrow. He wanted to be liberated from his own fears. He wanted the pain to go away. He just wanted some clarity back in his scattered mind.
The voice offered him a way out of that pain. It was comforting. It told him things that intoxicated him. It could make all his worries disappear. He wanted the voice to take away his pain. He didn't want to feel that pain ever again. He wanted it to be buried away with the rest of his negativity. He never wanted to feel hopeless ever again.
He remembered following that voice. It told him where he could go. He found…a secret entrance, he presumed. Under a tree. That was wear the voice presided. It was so simple. Just walk in, through the hall…and open the tomb.
Why does he remember feeling anxious? Wasn't the voice going to make his issues go away? Couldn't he trust it?
That voice promised solace from his pain. He saw his opportunity to feel whole again. He would take it and never feel a shred of regret for his decision.
…He felt regret for his decision.
He remembered fighting back in the instant he realized he was tricked. He tried to fight back, but that…force was beyond anything he ever faced. His body reacted on impulse after that. He didn't know what he did in the allotted time of free will he had left, but he felt like it was a desperate action that needed to be taken.
That was the last thing he could recall. He felt like he has been asleep for eons. Time passed so slowly. There was nothing for him to acquire or analyze. For a time…he just stopped thinking.
Why was he conscious once more?
That wasn't where his journey ended. Somehow, he was still alive outside this world of darkness, but not as himself. Someone acted on his behalf, or maybe he has this entire time. While that was the end of his own memories, he recalled another life…one of the future.
A sharply dressed Scrafty teaching in a college. So many different faces to teach and learn from. That…wasn't him.
These weren't his memories…but they were perceived by him.
It all slowly clicked into place as he recalled these new events. What stood out the most was six particular figures. A Grovyle, a Dewott, a green Mew, an Espeon, a Flareon…
…and a familiar Umbreon.
It was hard to recall who they were, but a name stuck out to him. It was a name he remembered fondly. A name that brought him joy and hope into his life. That name was also associated with this team.
Ravenfield.
"Raven…field…"
Two separate lives, one not his own. He was asleep for a long time. His life was stolen from him and forced to never be remembered ever again. He was a pawn in a greater scheme, now he was lost and forgotten…
Or so he thought.
He couldn't move his body, but it paled to the joy he felt on the inside. He had something much better to his name.
Memories.
He remembered the Jolteon that pestered him into joining his group. He remembered the Hypno he often clashed with. He remembered the nutty Lilligant who was always looking for a new experiment to test. He remembered the Medicham that often gave him useful advice to help him interact with others.
…He remembered the beautiful Absol that brought a much-needed joy into his heart. Someone he loved and cherished with all his heart. The star of his world. The one who he wanted to settle with, to be with forever.
These were his friends. And this other group, this new Ravenfield team, was his hope.
He remembered. He remembered what was stolen from him. He remembered what that black fog of evil took from him. It wasn't much now, but the hold of that mist was not absolute. All it took was remembering it and he was no longer under his complete power.
"I…am…Alex Ghostwind."