Chapter 4|The Hunt Begins
"Riley, you've been rubbing your head a lot. Is everything alright?" Saphira's concern filled the air as Riley lay in her bed, exhausted and anxious. It was late, and despite not knowing Romulus personally, they felt deeply disturbed by the incident. Romulus was stable now, resting in the hospital wing. The dining hall during dinner was silent, with only a few hushed whispers lingering in the air.
Riley couldn't shake the feeling that she knew something important, but it remained just beyond her grasp. She wanted to confide in Saphira, believing in her pure heart, despite their recent acquaintance. She took a deep breath and decided to open up.
"It's nothing, really. But there's something I need to tell you," Riley began, her gaze fixed on the ceiling.
Saphira's curiosity was piqued. "Sure, boing! What is it?"
"Do you know what a human is?" Riley asked, still lost in her thoughts.
Saphira frowned, "Yeah, they were a species that went extinct a long time ago."
"No, that's not true!" Riley exclaimed, surprised by Saphira's response. "Humans are not extinct!"
"How would you know? You've lost your memory!" Saphira countered, questioning Riley's credibility.
Riley couldn't hold back her frustration. "I'm not lying to you! I remember my name, and I know I was once human!"
Saphira's eyes widened with disbelief. "What? Boing! Are you serious?"
Riley implored Saphira to lower her voice. "Yes, I am serious. I didn't want to tell anyone else, but I trust you. I was human, and now I'm a Charizard."
Saphira took a moment to process the revelation. "As crazy as it sounds, I believe you, boing! I don't think you'd lie to me."
"Thank you, Saphira," Riley said with relief. "It feels so much better to share this burden with someone."
Saphira rubbed the back of her head, trying to be supportive. "No problem, boing! You don't strike me as the kind of Pokemon who'd deceive me. So much has happened today, I feel for Romulus and his dad. I want to do something to help."
"I understand. I'm sorry for adding more to your plate," Riley said, acknowledging Saphira's concern. "Let's focus on finding the murderer for now."
"Sure thing, boing! Do we have any leads?" Saphira inquired.
"I think I do," Riley replied eagerly. "Before our battle, I saw Romulus, and my vision went dark. I overheard a conversation between two voices. One voice denied that something would happen, and the other responded with a raspy voice, 'Is that so?' I also heard chains in the background."
"Wait, you heard this before your battle?" Saphira asked, trying to grasp the situation.
"Yes, Richard noticed that I passed out for a moment," Riley confirmed.
"Wow, you can hear the future?" Saphira's curiosity grew.
Riley shook her head, feeling tired. "I have no idea. It's like I heard something from the past, even though I wasn't there."
"That could be really useful. Maybe we can find the culprit now!" Saphira suggested.
"I can only hear things, so it might not be that helpful," Riley sighed. "All I remember is the sound of chains and whistling wind."
"Well, maybe someone will recognize those sounds and help us," Saphira offered.
Riley yawned, feeling the exhaustion taking over. "I'm drained. Let's think about it more in the morning."
"Agreed, boing! We'll find whoever did this and make them pay," Saphira declared with determination. "Good night, Riley!"
Team Requiem woke up to the sound of their names being called in the early morning. Still groggy, Riley stumbled over to open the sliding door. Two blurry figures gradually sharpened into the familiar faces of Richard and Clef.
"Hey," Clef said awkwardly, glancing over Riley's shoulder, "Is she still asleep?"
"I'm practically still asleep," Riley replied, rubbing her eyes. "What do you guys need?"
Richard cut to the chase without pleasantries, "Do you remember when you fell over and said your head hurt when you looked over at Romulus?"
Riley was surprised that he recalled that moment. As her focus increased, she immediately defended herself, "It's not what you think. I had nothing to do with Romulus' attempted murder, if that's what you're getting at."
Saphira hopped out of bed, startling Clef, who had come to wake her up. "She's telling the truth. Explain, boing!" she said, back to her hyper self.
Inviting them in, Riley shut the doors and recounted the incident with the voices she heard.
Clef nodded, "I knew you weren't lying, but Richard needed some convincing."
"I just wanted to be sure. Mr. Kenjo is really suspicious of you too," Richard explained.
Riley cursed under her breath, worried that her situation might have already reached the guildmaster's ears. "Has he reported it to the guildmaster?"
"Probably," Richard replied. "And honestly, I don't think he'll take the words of four students seriously."
Saphira nudged Riley and whispered, "You should tell them about... the thing."
Riley felt torn between keeping it secret to avoid unnecessary attention and sharing it to clear her name. In the end, she chose honesty. "I need to tell you something, but promise me you'll believe me, no matter how far-fetched it sounds."
After her revelation about being a human, Richard chimed in, "What's a human?"
Clef explained, "Long before the Great War, they roamed the land with Pokemon, but something happened that led to their extinction. They resemble Sawks and are credited with ancient buried technology."
Richard was skeptical, "I really want to believe you, but there's no proof."
"Richard, I swear I'm not lying. How can I prove it?" Riley pleaded in a hushed voice.
"I'm 100% sure she's not lying. How could she even come up with that?" Clef reasoned.
"Yeah, I trust Riley, boing!" Saphira exclaimed. Richard paced the room, and the tension grew.
"Then let's find whoever attacked Romulus. You came at the same time it happened, so you might be connected," Richard said, his determination clear. "I don't care if you're a human or whatever. I just want to know if I can trust you, and I want to get revenge for my friend."
Riley blinked at him, "Those were strong words. Aren't you, like, thirteen?"
"Fourteen," he corrected.
"But how can we find them? Even if we do, can we really defeat them? We're not exactly expert battlers, and they're trained to kill," Clef pointed out.
"We'll train, boing!" Saphira exclaimed, her optimism undeterred. "Richard, Clef, would you join our exploration team? We have two more slots open! It'll be perfect!"
"That could be helpful. We only just met yesterday, but I've spent about... most of my conscious life with you," Riley said, trying to convince them.
Clef was at a loss for words, but Richard replied, "After this is over, if we prove you're innocent, I'll join."
"I'll join after this is all over, because thisis far more imporant," said Clef. "Are you going to tell Mr. Kenjo?"
Riley nervously replied, "I'll have to. I'll go find him now."
"Want us to come with you? We can vouch for you!" Saphira offered.
"That would be great. Anything to help. Thanks, Saphira," Riley said with gratitude.
As the sun rose, the four of them found Mr. Kenjo in the yard, tirelessly training on a log. He seemed even more agitated than usual.
"Mr. Kenjo," Riley began, feeling a mix of discomfort and determination, "I have something important to tell you."
His intense gaze locked onto Riley's eyes. "Please tell me it's not what I think," he said, his tone markedly different from their first meeting. His eyes held a stern glare. "I trusted you."
"No, no, I had nothing to do with the attack on Romulus!" Riley exclaimed, wanting to clear her name. "I need to tell you something else!"
"What is it?" Kenjo asked, curious now.
Taking a deep breath, Riley confessed, "I'm not a Pokemon; I'm a human. Well, I was one."
Saphira quickly chimed in, "Trust her, Sensei Kenjo! I know she's telling the truth, boing!"
"You both came to Kungwei around the same time, but I trust the sole survivor of the Greyhaven Massacre," Kenjo remarked sternly, his doubt still evident. "Your combat skills tell a different story, Riley."
"Those skills were a fluke. I can't explain it, but I was once human. Although, I have amnesia now," Riley explained, choosing not to reveal the ability to hear the future, which would only raise more suspicions.
Kenjo continued to pry calmly, "How convenient that a Charizard appears near the guild with no memories and decides to join us. Now, one of our workers is missing, and his son is in critical condition."
"I'll find whoever did this!" Riley shouted, glaring back at Mr. Kenjo. His face softened, tinged with regret.
"So be it. If you don't return by Monday, we'll lock you up in the dungeons," Kenjo stated firmly.
"You're letting her go on a suicide mission just to prove her innocence?" Clef protested, exasperated. "Sensei Kenjo, this is unreasonable. She could die!"
"This is a matter of utmost security. My friend's son is dead, and he might be dead too. This is your chance to prove yourself," Kenjo responded, walking away. Clef was taken aback, but Richard shook his head.
"As much as I hate to say it, Sensei's right," he said. "At this point, it's the only way to prove your innocence."
Riley nodded solemnly, "I'm already grateful that you three believe me."
"Alright, then let's get started," Clef said, eager to move forward. "We don't have much time."
"We should find a more secluded place to talk. Any ideas?" Riley asked.
"I know a secret place in the library," Clef suggested. "Follow me."
Down the stairs and into the left wing of the guild, they arrived at the library. It was a large, two-story room with a balcony outside. Clef led them to a small, cozy room with several chairs and a cartography table with a map on it. The velvet carpeting felt smooth and recently cleaned, though the maroon walls showed signs of peeling in some places.
"Comfy place!" Saphira exclaimed cheerfully.
"And peaceful," added Riley, pulling a chair up to the cartography table. Richard explored the room, scanning book titles.
"I didn't even know this was here, and I've been all over the guild," Richard said, genuinely surprised.
"I come here to study when I'm not training, which is... most of the time, unfortunately," Clef revealed.
"You better get your act together. We might end up dead if we encounter the bad guys," Richard said, eyeing Clef pointedly. Riley appreciated Richard's candidness.
Focusing on the map, Riley found herself intrigued by it. The map depicted the village of Kungwei and the surrounding area. To the north was the vast desert called the Arid Sea, with a bustling city named Aredia. To the east, they could see the Solemn Woods, a dense forest, and a town called Leafre nestled alongside a river. To the south was Mysteria, another town, with the shoreline just south of that. To the west lay Gale Valley.
"How massive is this continent?" Riley wondered aloud.
"Arceia is huge, and there are even more continents out there. This is just the southern part of Arceia," Clef explained.
Richard then asked, "Where do you think that Greninja came from? It can't be far."
"I bet the Dragons have something to do with this," Saphira suggested. "What are those lizards up to?"
Clef replied, "You can't just assume that. That was a Greninja, not a dragon type."
"He could be working for them, you never know," Saphira insisted.
"Didn't you say you heard chains or something like that?" Richard asked Riley.
"Yeah, and whistling wind," Riley replied, looking back at the map. "I believe it's in the mountains somewhere. It was like, open air."
"Oh, there are some ruins just north of here, called Draak Ruins. It used to be a fort belonging to the dragons during the Great War," Clef pointed out.
"They have to be there!" Saphira exclaimed. "The dragons are involved in this!"
"But I thought you said the dragons surrendered fifty years ago," Riley said, a bit confused.
"They never know when to give up," Saphira asserted. "They might be trying to rise again. If we uncover their secret plan, we'll report it to the guild!"
"I'm not so sure about this," Richard said skeptically. "What if there's no one there, and Riley was just hearing things?"
"I'm not, for the thousandth time!" Riley retorted.
Clef decided, "We'll go and check it out. Richard, you can stay here if you want. Saphira, if you're coming, don't mess this up, or we're all dead."
"Same goes for you; we both suck at fighting, boing!" Saphira replied.
"Alright, let's just go and check it out," Riley said, taking charge. "I'm not certain about my hearing ability, but if Romulus' dad is there, we don't have much time before he's killed, if he hasn't been already."
"But what about training?" Saphira worried. "What if we get into a fight? We'll be dead!"
"Riley and I will handle it," Richard reassured. Riley wasn't sure if she was ready for that responsibility. "I just hope we get to return the favor to whoever attacked Romulus."
"We will. I promise you," Riley said, determination in her voice.
"Today's Saturday, so we only have today and tomorrow to check it out," Clef said. "Training starts on Monday, which is also the day the entire guild gathers for announcements. Kenjo said he'll investigate, and if he doesn't find any proof that you didn't do it, he'll lock you up."
"That's absurd," Riley muttered. "So we only have two days."
"We don't have time to waste then," Richard remarked. "Let's head out after lunch."
Riley grabbed some berries to stuff into her satchel for the journey, feeling an odd excitement building inside her along with the dread of being found guilty. Saphira seemed equally enthusiastic.
"Riley, if we catch the dragons who did this, we could become heroes and help slay even more dragons!" Saphira exclaimed. "We've got this!"
"I hope so," Riley replied, gazing out the window. "I really hope so."
They met Clef at the gates right after lunch, where the Servine was tapping his foot impatiently.
"What took you guys so long?" he asked. "Saphira, did you get lost?"
"Why are you just asking me, boing! Riley's with me too," she replied. Riley shrugged.
"I don't remember anything, and I haven't been out of the guild."
"Whatever, we're just waiting on Richard, if he shows," sighed Clef, double-checking his bag. Riley noticed he was shaking.
"You don't have to go with us if you don't want to," said Riley.
"N-no, I'm going," he said, "I'll finally get some hands-on experience, while helping you, of course."
"Thanks," said Riley awkwardly. Five minutes later, Richard jogged along to meet up with them.
"You guys ready?" he asked. "I'm actually excited!"
"Y-yeah," said Clef, "This'll be my first time out of the city."
"Same," beamed Richard, "I heard the mountains were beautiful!"
"They are!" exclaimed Saphira, "The serene fog that blankets the valley, the pink cherry blossom petals floating in the wind, it's all incredible!"
"Wow," said Riley.
"You know, Riley," said Richard, "The fact that you agreed to go makes me believe you more. The more I think about it, the more evidence is in your favor. Why would you join an exploration team if you wanted to betray the guild?"
"See! I'm completely innocent," said Riley. "How does Kenjo not believe me?"
"Everything about your sudden appearance is fishy, but we'll find out who did this!" said Richard. "Plus, it'll be a great adventure!" Clef sighed nervously.
"Can we just get this over with?" asked Clef, heading through the gates. "C'mon."
The neatly tiled path carved its way through a wide crevice in the vine-covered rocks, sloping slightly upwards. It kept climbing higher and higher, passing through an epic-looking overhang. Several Pokémon were there, admiring the view and relaxing as a cool breeze swept through the gap.
"This is so cool!" exclaimed Richard, hopping along the cliffside near the path.
"It's really nice here," said Clef, who seemed to have calmed down a bit.
"If I make it out of this, I'd probably come here often," said Riley. "It's so pretty."
Richard chuckled, "We'll make it out fine. We just—woah!" A pebble slipped under the Machop's feet, sending him toppling off the rocks. Riley quickly extended her claws to catch him, grasping his back. "Great catch, Riley."
Riley inhaled, setting Richard down. "Yeah, thanks."
The four passed through the overhang and got their first look at the beautiful mountain range.
Riley squealed (it came out as a weird, high-pitched growl) in awe at the sight before her. Two meters in front of her, the ground gave way to the open air, revealing a valley stretching as far as she could see. Although there was no barrier to stop them from falling, Riley felt perfectly safe and at ease. Pink cherry blossom petals rode the wind like Pidgeys soaring through the air, eventually dissolving in the misty depths at the valley's bottom. Tall mountains covered in green and pink trees pierced the mist like majestic monuments, their forms shaped by Kyogre's powerful waters long ago. The four couldn't help but stand in awe of the breathtaking view.
"Arceus, it's beautiful," said Riley.
"I told you, it's amazing!" exclaimed Saphira, bouncing up and down excitedly.
"How far are the ruins from here?" asked Richard, scanning the horizon.
"You can see them, just in the distance," said Clef, pointing towards one of the lone mountains far away, barely visible through the fog. None of them could even make out the shape of the building.
"How do you know it's that one?" asked Riley, squinting at the lone pillar.
"It sits on a mountain that's separated from all the others. We'll have to descend down into the valley. There's a small village down there we can stop at," said Clef, looking nervously over the edge of the mountain. "We'll need to start fighting things once we're down there."
"What's down there?" asked Riley.
"Richard and I have heard about this, and I don't know if Saphira has, but wild Pokémon have been really agitated lately, attacking anyone they come across. Not many Pokémon travel anymore because of it," explained Clef.
"Yeah, yeah, I heard about that," nodded Richard. Saphira shuddered.
"I just ran, boing!" exclaimed Saphira. "It was a scary journey."
"Yikes," said Riley. Saphira looked off into the distance.
"We won't have to wait until we get into the valley, boing," said Saphira nervously. Riley, Richard, and Clef turned around and gazed off as a black cloud of bird Pokémon approached them.