/ Chapters 1-18 have been re-re-edited if you wanna check those out.
"Haven't you been told not to meddle with your Boss' things?"
Honchkrow sinks into his cushion. The floating, mechanical-looking creature hovers over his shoulders like a doting mother, and his boss lounges by the fire. In the Noivern's wing claws is a magnificent, golden feather. It is neither shiny, reflective, or burning like a talonflame's. It is glowing unlike anything he has ever seen, and just another weird artifact Noivern keeps in her personal collection.
"Madam, with all due respect I am a criminal." Honchkrow answers.
Noivern laughs. She sets the mystery quill on a stand, keeping it in place with a half-empty bottle. Her smile fades.
"Honchkrow. I won't repeat how your family is valuable to me, but your leadership is just as important. You are a help I appreciate having, but I can operate without you. What are you trying to do by going through my things? You're only making me dislike you."
"I can't see your records. I wanted to see where you got the coin for all of this." Honchkrow motions towards the window, where extravagant lights illuminate the tents below. "Nothing in your own collection isn't missing, you obviously didn't run an auction because I would've heard of it, and you don't strike me as the type of lady who is this forward thinking. How long has this been on your calendar?"
"Forever, no given date." The feather temporarily blinds them as Noivern steals a sip from the bottle, wetting her fangs with red. "I save a percentage of what I earn in case anything catches my gaze, and as you should know well, I spare no expense. If I have to hire dozens of explorers to get what I want, I will."
"I heard stories that there could be an opposite to the Grass Continent's Time Gears. I found out they were real at the same time as you. I could have hired a bunch of explorers or even your Krows to look for them. With a bounty however, I would have infinite helpers on my hand. I sent some letters out to the other Continents and ta-da!"
She holds a wing up to her chest, grinning with pride.
"Do you expect me not to have the money, hmm? I always do."
"Then how did you learn about these gears?"
"Oh, pardon?" Noivern raises an eyebrow at him.
"That feather's unlike any I've seen. It ain't Winter's, Summer's feathers would have burned down your office by now. I have ears all over this continent and beyond, and there is nothing out there which matches yours, not even the rainbow one that dive in Calico has matches it." He can feel the metal things' eyes on him as he confronts his boss. "There is no mention of these black time gears anywhere, not even the people who had experience with these things know. But there's a type of person out there who would know."
"User?" The being from above calls to Noivern in a cold tone.
"No." She waves at Honchkrow. "Do continue, Honchkrow."
Scare aside, the bird nods.
"Winter, Summer, Dialga - even Zekrom if he was around - would know about the existence of these things. If I were them, it'd keep the secret to myself, especially after the Grass Continent mess. The idea about hunting these down didn't just come to you, someone had to have told you."
Honchkrow points to the feather. The golden light is intense enough to shine through the opaque bottle.
"I wanna know who did it. Which big man came down from the sky to tell you to look for them?"
She looks blindsided. Noivern blinks, giving him a despondent look as she sneaks in another sip from her bottle. She motions at the creature behind him, then towards the door.
"You can go now, Honchkrow."
He has no room to meddle or fuss. He gets out of his chair, content with the outcome. The floating thing guides him to the office's doors as his boss gives him a parting word.
"Remember what I told you last meeting."
The blue and white thing opens the door, and lays a cold, floating appendage on Honchkrow's shoulder. With a gentle push, he shoos Honchkrow outside, and the huge doors close behind him with a dense thud. He hears the deadbolt turning. They really don't want him back in there.
What now? He is in deep. If his Boss is wise she is behind this door right now thinking of ways to keep an eye on him. What is so secretive? Why does she want the Gears? Is it for their power? His suspicions have to be true: a powerful person has their fingers in this bounty and the boss is playing part in it. If he continues to look for these gears she is going to do something about it.
He has a choice: look for the gear to find out how deep this mess truly is, or stay in his comfortable position. Uncover what may be a threat to his family, or continue to live in nerve-wracking uncertainty. If he goes, he goes without his Krows. Flaskk can take up his empty seat and keep their jobs running. Ordinarily this would be Rei, but these are strange circumstances.
Honchkrow looks across the foyer. This familiar place feels alien to him. He hardly recognizes the Gothitelle at the desk, and then there's…this new face.
Sitting in the cushion where guests typically dwell is a bird two and a half folds taller than him. The Braviary wears a ragged poncho which hides his wings, and his ruined crest has the hallmarks of someone who wears hats for too long. He is wearing a familiar-feeling badge.
He turns his head towards Honchkrow, locking eyes with him.. He does not blink, he says nothing. His eyes are like two pinholes in the dark. It is unnatural.
A strong compulsion comes out of nowhere. Get out. Honchkrow turns around and moves upstairs to his office, all the while he feels the Braviary's gaze following till there is several feet of stone between them.
What was that? What is wrong with his boss? Just more reasons to leave this place for good. Honchkrow pushes through rooms of sleeping and working Krows to his little walled off corner of the post. Inside, thank goodness, is a small pile of letters left on his desk. Lit by candlelight, he reads a note scribbled onto one of them.
Dug through everything. I think this is what you're looking for - F
With a moment to catch his breath, Honchkrow looks through the opened letters. Soapstone Swamp, Basalt Lake, Calcite Pond, Lapis Town. This is all mail from places with water where there are reports of temporal strangeness, or in the case of Lapis Town: where the explorers there have actually gotten their hands on one and mistakenly told their others through Mail.
Soapstone Swamp supposedly had all their peoples fall asleep simultaneously upon its discovery and wake up just this week. Basalt Lake is beneath the mountain which is its namesake where some fire-types failed to get it. Calcite Pond's just the official name for the Colbur Berry Farm. This leaves the last letter from an orb prospector to his family.
Quartz Canyon, an isolated place where the southern lands meet the frigid north. Dungeon land, with little of value save for the gems which grow between the pillars of basalt.
Honchkrow fetches a map from his desk. He takes the letters to the candle, burning them till signed bits of paper remain, throwing it into a bin where it belongs. He takes with him the money he can fit into his pockets, then leaves his office. Downstairs, the Braviary is nowhere to be seen, and Gothitelle gives him a passing nod as he parts from the Mail for the final time.
He finds the gear, then…well, he will know when he gets there. His boys are safe without their head honcho painting a constant target on them. Come Bisharp or other inspiring thieves, he is going to get to the bottom of this.
Well, where else is she going to stop? Unless she wants to wander into a dungeon hoping to stumble onto a friendly settlement, there is only place to be in this inhospitable north and it is Lapis Town. Much to the dismay of Halcion's friend, Dexys, who seems to not be one for crowds of any kind, this is the one place to go. Who would have guessed the person who hides behind an illusionary mask would be such a social stranger?
Mienshao, whom she insists on being called while in this disguise, trails alongside her taller companion. Seemingly able to make changes to herself at will, she has removed the badge from her appearance, or it's now invisible somehow. Looking at her now doesn't feel right. She can see the creature's white-gray fur hiding underneath it. Her disguises' skin seems translucent to a small extent.
They have been quiet for most of the walk here. Halcion groans.
"Hey, Mienshao." Halcion says her name a bit slowly.
She glances at her, waiting.
"You know, since you told me your secret your-"
"I know." Dexys cuts her off. "It's intentional. You know my secret, so you see it differently."
"And just how does that work?" Halcion raises an eyebrow.
And she gets nothing, not even a shrug from her maned companion. The answer is simple: it simply works this way, so shut up. She is not given much time to groan about it because up ahead they see the glow of Lapis Town's snowy streets, the glow of lanterns bouncing off the snow like a white mirror. A couple of pokemon are about, dragging sleighs to and fro, much of the things in town draped with the lavish blue fabric of their guil-, sorry, "society".
Even in her head Halcion says it with a snot-nosed voice.
They wander through, Halcion leaving heavy tracks in the snow, and her companion planting off-looking claw marks. She scans the town until she finds a two-story place resembling lodging. She barely makes out "Inn" on the sign outside, half of the sign has frozen over. She invites herself inside, storming through the door to see the blue, chunky fellow running the place.
"You open?" Halcion says to them.
They look up from their desk.
"The door wasn't locked. We are open."
Halcion squints her eyes at the wall behind them. To her dismay, it is practically blank save for a couple cute sewn together decorations.
"Where's the drinks?" Halcion grumbles.
The worker's exhaustion comes out full swing as the Croconaw sighs. He points to whence they came.
"Go to the dive at the other end, they serve their stuff cold, you can get a bed if you don't mind sleeping on sn-"
Halcion slams the door. She turns around as Dexys folds her arms.
"I thought we were looking for a place to stay, Hal."
"I didn't like the guy." Halcion huffs, already heading the way of this dive. "What's an Inn without drinks anyways? What are we, hatchlings?"
"You act the part sometimes."
"Not all the time."
Down at the other end of the road is exactly the kind of place Halcion likes, a hole in the ground which at some point looks to have been burned to cinders. The sign outside isn't frosted over, and reads "Big Bergmite Bar and Bed" with the wall graffitied "we serve drinks COLD". Not exactly a fan of cold things given her typing and all that, Halcion is happy to try new things if it means drinking what just happened away.
"I thought you may have concerns about drinking after what was done to you." Dexys says, peering past the dragon's giant shoulders into the place below. "Did I get you hooked by accident?"
"You're acting like you don't chug Enigma Wine." Halcion chuckles. "Come on."
The stairs to below are not much stairs as they are a slippery slope of slush, which thankfully there are railings to keep her from becoming a Haxorus-shaped shed. The place is well, certifiably icy. Lapis Town is frozen all year round and they make no effort to keep this place warm. The lights in here are behind pointy, triangular sheets of nevermeltice. The bar is in the back, and the booths made from eye all surround the middle of the bar which is a pool of powder snow with lounges fashioned from the white earth.
Everyone here, if they are not an ice type like the chunky bergmite behind the counter, have some kind of innate immunity to the cold. A burly Samurott sits in the snow sipping from a bottle. A big old Cawdaunt sits near the bar, and little Sneasel in a hat sits as close as possible to the bar without ever leaving her snowpit. She wears a hat, and waves at the duo as they step inside. She looks familiar.
Her attention shoots to the big bergmite, whose yellow eyes look their way the second they step inside.
"Ah, a dragon! Never see you fellows much in these parts." The iceberg says in an accented voice. The crawdaunt next to it gives her a smirk, otherwise none of these drunken fellows care. "A Mienshao too? Come right in!"
Dexys gives the thing a nervous wave, and Halcion leads her all the way to the ice bar. Behind the blue, cold furnishing are cabinets upon cabinets of wine, stowed with hunks of ice while metal goblets, wooden cups and whole buckets hang over their heads. The sign outside is not a lie, they sure serve things cold.
Halcion reaches into her cowl, pulling out her purse and letting the coins roll out into the counter. The bergmite looks at the coin with wide eyes.
"Give us the best drinks you got, and a room for me and her." Halcion looks towards another slope in the room, this one leading up to where rooms usually are. "We had a long day her and I, and we really, really want to forget some stuff."
"Understandable."
It wiggles its icy, triangular beak forward and slides the coins behind the counter. Poor thing probably wishes it had hands. Nevertheless it slides around, turning its attention to the cabinets.
"Flavors? Preferred brews?"
"You have Pinap?" Halcion leans against the bar. "I like regretting that I ever drank."
"Spicy and Sour, we got Pinap." Bergmite turns its beak towards Dexys. "And you, miss?"
"Enigma, if it is available."
"Ah, and fortunately we do! An Aromatisse has come through with a new shipment" It looks down towards where the coin once was. "I would mention the price, but you seem well aware."
The bergmite wriggles behind the counter, fetching both with its beak. As it turns back, the Cawdaunt in the table reaches above its head, grabbing a bucket, scooping it full of snow, and sliding it onto the counter for Bergmite to slot the two bottles into. Ice cold, exactly like the sign says.
"Enjoy yourselves." Bergmite says, nudging the bucket forward. "I'll let them know to get your room ready, unless you…"
Halcion looks at Dexys, grabbing the bucket. She eyes the bar, then sighs.
"I want our room first, thanks."
The Bergmite looks behind the counter at something. The water-type leans over, and plucks whatever he is pointing at, throwing Halcion a key which is marked 1-B.
"This one's got a bed." Bergmite smiles, as if a bed is something to be prideful of. "If you need any more drinks, do ask."
She has no idea how much she has given the guy, but if it is enough to warrant free drinks, then it must have been a pretty coin. It is not like she spends it on much else. Getting a good place for her partner is worth any price, especially after what she has been through.
With the key in hand, she carefully climbs the slippery stairs to their room. Unlocking the respective door they find themselves in the nicest little place a dive like this can offer. Complete with a fairly large bed and a miniature bar in the corner, it is much better than the stuffy little inn from before, albeit it is most surely colder.
Halcion slams the bucket of brews on the bar with a clink. She takes hers, and throws Dexys the other. Dexys immediately uncorks it with her claws as if she has done this thousands of times before, and starts chugging before Halcion can even open hers.
"Uh…"
Dexys ignores her gawking. She kicks her head back and guns down the first third of the bottle in mere seconds. Halcion is only able to get her first sip in the time it takes for her partner to devour the wine.
"What?" The fake Mienshao sits at the edge of the bed. "You know I drink."
"I know you do, I didn't think you..." Halcion shuts her mouth before she spits another word, taking a gulp and sitting herself right next to her. The bed creaks under her weight. "I don't remember the last time we drank together."
"It was after you evolved." Dexys answers.
"Right. I thought I was invincible, you sure showed me." Halcion smirks. "I remember trying to use you as a crutch and you just let me fall flat on my face. I blacked out right after. Why didn't you ever let me-"
"Is the door locked?" Dexys cuts her short
They both look towards the door. The deadbolt is turned, thank goodness for muscle memory. Dexys immediately breathes a sigh of relief, and the mask of a Mienshao peels away instantly, revealing the Zoroark beneath it. Free at last, she gives her long arms a stretch before chugging down another gulp of cool Enigma Wine. She is going through it at a blistering pace.
"I didn't know if I could trust anyone." The Zoroark continues. "It scared me. I trust you with alot of things, but my identity was something I only told…"
Her husband. Halcion nods.
"Yeah that shadowy girl or whatever is pretty scary, I don't blame you for hiding, though I'm still pretty upset you never let me hug you unless I was blacked out drunk." She can feel the liquor swirling in her head. Halcion's judgment is clouded, and she sure does not care. "You got me now, protect you now, she's gonna have to go through me before she gets you."
"Well, you are a bigger target."
Both of them burst right into drunken laughter. She never hears Dexys laugh, and her laughter sounds like a sinister wheeze. She is some kind of monstrous thing in disguise, so of course she sounds weird, but hearing her laughing after what they have been through is so much better than her being mopey and silent for hours on her.
Halcion catches her breath. Whether it is the wine telling her or something else, she turns towards Zoroark and takes on a different tone.
"Can I tell you something, Mienshao?"
"Dexys." The Zoroark reminds her. "Continue."
"Well, Dexys. Did I ever tell you about my family?"
The look of confusion on the illusion fox's face says everything. No, Halcion has never been drunk enough to talk about this thing.
"My brother - Zekrom pardon him - is this helpless dude. Dad really beat the idea in his head that he had to continue the lineage, me not so much. Dave, my brother, was so desperate to score someone he actually paid to go around and ask the girls of our town what they thought of him, you know, ease them up for him to sweep in."
"He was a dumb teen, me less so. Maybe it was me still being big and scary back then, or actually indistinguishable from a dude, but I swear the girls I tried to introduce my brother to totally didn't care for him. They would talk to me for hours, then when he comes in, it's like he has an illness or something. They used to just leave him!"
The Zoroark has nothing snide to say. She folds her arms, obviously she knows where this is going.
"I think they just liked being around me more, and I liked having them around." A nervous laugh escapes Halcion. "One day there was this pretty one Dave was trying to get, real regal looking, a Dragonair she was. I gave her the spiel, told her why my brother was so obsessed, and she just laughed."
"She said I was cute doing this for her. She gave me a kiss on the cheek, and-."
"I know already, Halcion."
Dexys knocks the wind right out of her in a fell swoop. She would have spit out her drink if she had taken a gulp. And instead of facing the music right away, Halcion immediately drowns out any nervous thoughts with the sour-spice of Pinap Wine. Of course her partner knows, who else would?
"How did-" Halcion shudders, shaking her head. "Nevermind. It was pretty obvious, I'm drunk."
"It's the way you act, Hal." The Zoroark does her best to keep a straight face, twiddling with a lock from her mane as she speaks. "I don't know how else to describe how I know without going into everything you do."
"Yeah, yeah, spare me the lecture."
An intense anxiety starts to replace the liquid courage running through her body. Halcion's chest rises and falls as she exhales a deep breath. She licks the wine off her lips.
Better now rather than never, she tells herself. Who knows what comes later? She wants her partner to feel safe after what she has been through. She has too many things to ask about who she is, where she comes from. Choosing to drink instead of interrogating each other over their chaotic day may have been the thing which saved their relationship.
"Hal?"
Dexys caught her staring off at nothing. Time has stopped making sense to her drunken self a bit ago, she could have been looking dumb-eyed at the floor for minutes. She glances at the Zoroark next to her.
She's gorgeous. Her hair is this beautiful shade of white. Despite how lived and scarred she looks, she has this ethereal feeling about her. Halcion reaches out.
For once, she lets her hold her. Her fur is coarse and cold. She holds the fox's head in her claws and stares into her eyes.
"Since I heard what happened to you, I've always wanted to protect you Dexys. You deserve the best. Even if I hurt myself training so much, I only wanna be good enough to keep you safe."
Dexys looks away for a split moment, trying to unravel what exactly is happening right now. The Zoroark's voice turns into a whisper.
"You don't hide it well. You really do give off this impression."
Halcion is too weak to laugh.
"The Knight would want me to keep you safe from the dangers of the outside world. You're not from here, and that's fine, you're better than those outsiders will ever be. So please, let me protect you. You can even call me your knight if…"
"Oh hush." Dexys musters up a laugh, leaning closer into Halcion's hands. "Are you really going to bring chivalry into this?"
Not anymore, she tells herself.
And at that moment, holding her partner close, she feels the Zoroark's cold claws wreath around her shoulders. Halcion leans in, shuts her eyes, and plants a kiss on her snout. Dexys drags her close to her, and…
Halcion blacks out.