Content Warning: Graphic descriptions of panic attacks & mild violence.
Starting off from chapter 54 of the original story
Does the Black Moon howl?
With the roaring of the cold, cold winds of winter.
…
Chapter 1:
Betelgeuse. Betelgeuse.
That's the name of the star. The long gone star.
Something's empty.
I-I know what the sky looks like. With and without it.
I'd been stargazing all until now. I couldn't sleep. There's just been too much on my mind here.
Soon, I'll be going off to find Keldeo for help. And beyond that…
I…
I don't know.
Haah.
My name… my name… My real name's Samuel…
…but, that's not what I…
My name's Beck. I call myself that, at least. But that's not my real name. And
…
Crap, what
…
Why am I tearing myself apart over this. I have my very own dilemma to worry about. End of the world stuff. I just can't…
Be thinking…
…
jointhemdontitllbefinebutwhatofmyfriendsyoullgettoseeyourfamilyagainnononowhatifwhatifwhatifwhatifloveyoutoosamuelchildasinglehumanhaswithinthemthepowertoforeverchangehistoryproceedasyouwishoneoftheirnameswassamuelimagineoneweretobreakfreeturnaround
andseethefireseethelighteverythingsucksballsnowittakestheformofwhatonewouldconsiderhomeifoundmorehhumanbooksitisadifficultchoicefuckfuckfuckvectorremovedfuckhaditexplodediwoulddescribeitasthespaceinbetweenwhatdoyouseekgotoalakazamifyourmaochisticenoughwhatdoyouseek
whatdoyouseekwhatdoyouseekwhatdoyouseekwhatdoyouseekyoungbeckbeckbeckbecksamuelbeckbecksamuelbeckbeckbeckbeckbeck
…
betelgeuse… betelgeuse…betelgeuse…
I wiped away the tears off my fur. There's no…
Fuck, what am I even doing here.
heywatchyourtoungewheredyouhearthatfrommrvanvirbank
…water. I must need water. I…
…
waterwaterwaterwaterwaterwaterwaterwaterwaterwater
bZzzzz
The buzzing's toomuch. I can't… I can't hear myselfover my ownthoughts.
I go outside. the water. more buzzing. It's cold, it passes me.
i walk i run. anything…get out of my head… please i want.
My feet slapped againstthe stone path. I covered myears.
The buzzing's so…
LOUD! GET OUT OF MY HEAD!
PLEASE!
GET OUT!
LEAVE ME ALONE I JUST WANT TO…
I jUst WanT tO…
…
mud. my element. if i stick my head in and-
wont have to think bout
why am i even?
"Hey, Oshawott. It's late. early morning, even."
I pushed myself up and looked behind me. In front of the night sky, Arden stood with his arm and hand extended towards me.
"Damn lucky. I was coming to try and find you. But I guess you came first."
I took Arden's hand. He pulled me to my feet. Mud and water dripped off my fur onto the ground.
"Tanks." I say, brushing myself off.
"Oshawott…" I heard him muttering. "Hah… finally doing this now. Don't piss your chance away…" Arden slightly shakes his head, and speaks up. "Hey, we need to talk. Tomorrow? Right now? Any time you fucking want? Your choice."
…
I tilted my head. "Wha? Ahbaht wha?" I asked, squinting with one eye and glaring with the other.
Arden crosses his arms. "Answer my question. Now, Please."
"Ah…" My head hangs. "Nahw … ah guess?"
"Alright. follow me, and don't even think about stepping on a tree branch." Arden raises his head, and draws a line across his neck. He waits for me to nod before beckoning me along a forest path.
I took a quiet deep breath, and followed.
Above us, light reflected off a half-moon. Below us, a river trickled past into the rest of the forest. We sat on a craig overhead the river. A slow, cold wind blew by … the start of autumn I presume.
We both sat in silence for a long while. Both of us had something to say, but we (or at least I) didn't know how to. It was only when the wind picked up that Arden finally piped up.
"Oshawott, what shit happened down there? In the cave? Tell me, please exactly."
'you are not entitled to this information. Do not test me.' Arcanine words echo against the quiet abyss of my mind.
"Err Awcani-" I attempted to say before being cut off with a wave of Arden's hand.
"I know about what the dog said, yes. Fuck me, I know. But… this… this is important! I gotta have something to go off of. A tiny rat's morsel even!" Arden lowered his voice. "Everything I love…and- So just… please!" The Quilava looked at me a second before grimacing. I heard him say something under his breath, but not what it was.
…This is weird.
This isn't like him… to be this bent out of shape.
Isn't it? What?
…
Tonight really isn't a dream isn't it?
"Wha… Ahden… Neh… " I stared. That cave… that… my eyes drifted downwards. "Ah dahn't…"
Arden grabbed my shoulders and started shaking. "A kernel?! A tiny shit morsel!? Anything?!" I heard him taking a deep breath in between each word.
"Wah wah! Ah'll… Ah'll sahy. Phls." I waited for Arden to take his hands off me. At the same time, my head started buzzing. Despite, I took a deep breath, and let it all out.
The cave. Palkia. The weight of the world. Xatu. Nearly dying. Rye, Mavy. Waking up. The Director. The Director…
Oh the director….
I tried to stop there, but Arden nudged me on. Told me I was doing great. He had his notebook out too, scribbling rapidly.
…
I avoided my dilemma. He doesn't need to know I'm being torn apart by my choice. …Not Yet.
…I did tell Arden the one single memory I unlocked. Real name's Samuel. How everything still sucks balls for…
…
…
I blinked.
"Hey! It's ice to 'cee' you again Mister Otto… van virbank!"
"…Heh, Sam. Daring today with the full name and puns.
You're learning fast. I'm proud of you.
…
Have you been practicing that piece? The one I gave you last time?"
"Yep!"
"Hmpheh. Could ya show me then?"
"Hooh, Alright!"
"Hey girl, hey girl,
Don't lie to me,
Tell me where did you sleep last night,
In the pines, in the pines, where the sun don't ever shine
And I will shiver the whole night through..."
"Good, I can see you've been practicing at least.
You don't suck any balls!"
"Thanks…"
"H-hey kid, I was sort of joking. You did good. You did good."
I nodded.
…
…
…
A paw waved in my face.
"Hey, Oshawott, are you good there?" Arden brashly brushed back the fur on my face. "You've been staring espurr-eyed for a bit now. fucking creeping me off."
I blinked once, fell to sitting, and slow tears started flowing from my eyes.
Arden watched in silence for a second.
"You know what,p good enough. Stop, stop, stop." Arden put his hands on my shoulders. "Fucking-" he quietly curses.
"Wha nah? wah nah?" I barely managed to say.
"First order, I need to crawl into a corner and get my head in order." Arden swung his head to look back at me.
"And, talk to the dog. Fucking- none of what the fire chickens said is… should have been sensitive information! They don't know where the orb is, they're batshit off the rockers! That's all! What Palkia said's different; the dog just cherry picked that to bury the entire thing under -" and he continued on. I stayed silent through Arden's rant. What … even was there for me to say? I couldn't think of anything either. All I was focused on was the near-silent flowings of the creek.
…
"Beck, you can go. I'm going to go talking with the dog about this. Remember, you were just… I dunno, sleeptalking?"
"Yeh." I say, having already started back home.
whathaveidone
…
"Um… M-morning, B-Beck…"
I awoke to a few light nudges from Rye. My eyes were still crusty; (my regret staying awake late. my bad) but what I could make out was the heavy look of concern on his face.
"wah n-nah?" I responded, rolling over to block the sunlight shining directly in my eye.
"A-Arcanine w-wants t-to see y-you."
I blink once. "Nahw?"
"N-now."
My head's still not done clearing up; it's fuzzy. And yet I felt… dread. There's something on the distant horizon I don't want to confront. I have to, regardless.
Deep breaths… it won't be that bad. It won't be that bad. I… hope…
…iguhfjbds
No, not yet I'll….
…
I stood up. My head thought I was still back in bed but I was walking.
We both walked. Rye kept looking at me with this sort of mix of concern and comfort… I guess?
Its… helpful. I need it especially with it all.
…Dread's creeping into my soul. I hope it's without basis but… it's…
…
I hope I'm wrong.
…
I was right.
I, alone, walked into the guildmaster's quarters to see Arden's mouth covered in rocks and dirt; his gaze shifted downward. Both his arms, and heat vents covered too. Aside the table from him, is guildmaster Arcanine.
My heart instantly drops to the floor.
NO NO
NO
Iwhy
"Child… Do you know why I summoned you here today?" Arcanine starts off; each word percing deeply into my heart.
"wah.. hahah…" my breathing picked up.
"Please, answer my question."
WHY DOES THIS HURT SO MUCH
IT FEELS LIKE I'M BEING STABBED
"wha… haw cahn.."
It's buzzing again pleasestoppleasestoppleasestop
I took a breath. Not this again. I'mstaying ontop of this. I will…
…ButwhatdoIsay?
WAHT DO I?!
Myhands froze. I stopped breathing, and held the one I took just now. I could see the future, fifty million of them. And, yet not the one I was in right now. I talked, and I didn't. I had my banjo, and I didn't. I was standing in the middle of a forest with them oon and stars shining above. Was I there? …
Ican't move..
Arcanine grunted, tilting his head. "Did you share sensitive information with Arden last night? That is, regarding the cave."
The onequestion. THEone. Lastnigbnt. Whtdo say? 'Misund' nowouldn't workw-
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"Y-" fsakkiireosspond. Aawwllahgewught ahttbevor ahugfiokjruqgbfbihreqf.
…
Spmethbing crassehbed an thees grouuujnd… hwaeads' somugch other place.s… ahhehnd kiiiicekkekd theeer table
I saawawthe goawlden fuayr ianan fonnnt of meeeee. A ttasvble afallsa n thre floaor.
"Child,you-"nonononehydhshsndnndeverything'sfuzzy everything'sfuzzy fhr
Myheadhurts myface'spressed againstthefloor
Someloudhbf shapouyting "Weneedasssistancehereimmediatly!"
…
Ican't seeeanuthing anymire
I'M rstreadsakijnng tomjuhgch
…
Frozen akmimj toi,e/
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…
…
I'm not sure when I woke up. Perhaps it was a while ago. And I had just been in a daze until now. I just don't know. Besides; My head hurt. My god, did it hurt.
Bad.
I flipped in between getting up and not getting up for a few seconds. And… I imagined getting up…?
It was weird.
phah.
I sat up. And instantly, I knew where I was. The local sheriff's jail. The bars on the door were enough evidence of that. To be entirely… clear, I wasn't exactly surprised. I remembered what happened in Arcanine's quarters. All's just… fuzzy. Really, really fuzzy.
It was so, so unpleasant.
"Hey you, you're finally awake." A voice to my side said. I turned my head to find Arden in his own bunk.
"Get enough rest? Sure hope so." he snarled at me with this sort of grin.
"The dog smelled through us, didn't buy the whole sleeptalking excuse, and now we're getting fucked in the ass for it." Arden grunted.
A moment of silence passed. Some water dropped from the ceiling, splashing off the gray bricks of the floor.
"Haw.. wahll fix?" I asked.
"I don't know how to unfuck this more than it already is. Do you? Do you have any dumb ideas to try?"
"Neh, neh." How even… would I know? Everything moved too fast today. Yesterday too.
"Mhm…" Arden laid back down. "That sucks. Hopin' you actually had something but…"
Both of us sat in silence again. All I could do was feel like garbage as the amount of light in the room steadily increased.
One minute passed, and another. The silence was … painful? Out of all the silent moments in my… memory, why had this one been different?
"Wha hawpewenned with Awcawnine?" I asked first. Just to break the silence.
Arden rubbed his eyes and slammed the ground. "What do you think, what do you fucking think? Look around you." He trained his eyes directly at me. He kept them there until I had nodded my head in acknowledgement. "I kept telling the dog that you were sleeptalking; but of course he didn't buy it, of course. of fucking course." Arden chuckled loudly, facepalming. "It just had to end this way."
"..." I stared back.
"..." He did too.
The both of us sat in dead silence for a while more. Arden looked troubled about something. I could have, but I didn't want to pry.
I heard Arden grunt a few times as he pulled out some… rather odd looking stone and buried it in the hay of his bed.
More time passed. Arden eventually shrugged and went back to sleep. Me? I kept staring, staring, staring. The dungeon's gray ceiling looked …
…ugh.
fuckfuxk-
no
not this again.
I turned over in my bed, my head wandering the whole world over.
…
15 minutes, and that was apparently too much.
Arden let out a grunt, kicking the ground. "Look, I know you're out there. Are you going to question me or not? If you got nothing, then I'll just…" He grunted again, trying to wiggle his feet free from the stiff ground piled on top of it. It would not budge.
He tried a few times before giving up. Arden put his head on the table, and closed his eyes.
Soon enough, a single Krokorok opened the door and sat on the opposite side of the table from Arden. After getting out some charcoal and wood slabs, the Krokorok proceeded to ask, "Name and Occupation. Just for the record."
"Do I fucking ha-" Arden started to say.
"Yes." Was the response.
"Fah." He mouthed. "Name's Arden. I'm an explorer at Arcanine's guild." He spat on the table. "Currently stuck dealing with this bullshit."
The Krokorok nodded, and scribbled on the tablet. They then picked up a sheet of paper and asked: "Why did you extract information from Beck?" while not bothering to look up.
"I keep telling yall, he was sleep talking!" Arden swung his hands around, slamming them on the table. "Found him on the side of the road and woke him up. Not my fault he said stuff that just so happened to be true."
The Krokorok's head shot up. They wore a disappointed expression as they scribbled down more on the wood. "I'm going to give you another chance. Can you really tell us what happened?"
"Just did. Not my fault if you don't believe me."
"Interesting." The Krokorok scribbled down more on the wood. "I don't… won't believe you."
"Too bad I'm not saying anything else. Go fuck yourself." Arden slammed his hands on the table again. A single rock dislodged itself from the rest covering his hands.
Krokorok shook his head and crumpled up the paper. "If you're going to be like this…then I'll assume everything is written here, right?" took out a somewhat tattered book.
Arden froze when he saw it. "Don't you dare. Don't…"
"If you don't want us to read it, just tell us everything. If you don't have anything to hide, there's nothing to fear." The Krokorok nodded. "It's better if you talk now."
"I don't have to say anything. You can't force me."
"And you can't force us to not read your book." Krokorok paused, taking a second to write something down on the tree slice. "You can talk, we can read."
A moment of silence passed.
"I'll take that as a go ahead." The Krokorok picked up Arden's book. "Consider yourself lucky. We could've had a psychic reach into your mind. Get everything that's there. But… I guess since you've saved the world, you get a trophy to hide behind." They chuckled as they started prancing around the room; eyes locked on Arden. Each of their steps long and drawn out.
Arden, for his part, remained frozen. What was there to say or do that wouldn't damn him even more?
"Pathetic, you're not going to even try? Just roll over and take the punches? Or…" Krokorok grabbed Arden's chin and lifted it up. "...you're losing it all, and you're in denial. Deny. Deny. Deny reality all you want. It'll happen."
"Shut-" Arden attempted to interject. His heat vents sparked to life; but the dirt and mud covering the vents recoiled the heat, burning him back.
Krokorok continued to pace. "Could be today, could be a thousand years. Yet, one day… everyone will see past the wonderful lies you've spun yourself." They arrived back at their side and picked up the book, flipping to the first page. "Let's see-"
Arden slammed the table. "Fine fine fine, I asked Oshawott! He told me everything, now give me back my book!" He shouted, voice echoing through the room.
"So you finally made up your mind. Your lies are safe for just one more day. Just one more" Krokorok walked, feet now much, much lighter, across and slammed Arden's head on the table. "You confessed, so we're done here."
Arden, now dazed, strained out his next question. "Can… I fuckin' ask… why?"
"Why what? You're the one that ate shit, not me. Also…"
SLAM!
Small bits of blood splattered across the wall. A loud snap echoed throughout the room. Arden clutched his left arm.
"One day. they'll catch up. Remember this."
Gnrk…
"Done yet?"
CRRR-FWOOM!
SLAMCRRRASH
"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU- oh.." Stomp… stomp… " oh, come on that won't stop anything. We both know that. You just keep making things worse for yourself. That's all you're good for, really."
SLAM
"The book doesn't matter. We know you did it. All the secrets are going to come out eventually. You're just digging your grave. Digging your grave."
Slam.
slam
slam
"Reap what you sew Quilava. Remember these words. "
…
SLAM!
"Whaaa? beh yeh sahd -"
"Look, you're under guild contract. The only reason you're here in the first place, is because you broke one of their rules. And I have been reminded that you get no visitors under said contract.. And I can't bend the rules for you." The Mightyena sighed. "I am currently having a headache so pleaseeee… zipit!" Their head shrinked back into their neck; clearly wanting nothing more to do with me.
Shooting a few glares in her direction, I returned to face the wall. There's nothing else to do but think to myself.
…
Hey, I'm suffering in here alone and they can't even bother to throw a bone in my direction? …Ah yes, point and laugh at the feral, sitting alone in a cell. Point and laugh guys… point and laugh at the feral guys. Point and laugh.
fuck.
…
In the pines…
…
will shiver the whole night through.
…
more time passed. I couldn't tell how long. The only thing that snapped me back to reality was the clanging of the cell door.
I turned around, and there on the ground was Arden; looking all battered. I sprinted up to him to ask what's wrong, and all I got as a response was a series of grunts and groans.
"Deh yeh nehd meh teh…"
"No! no… Just…" Arden attempted to his feet, and hobbled over to his bed. He recovered the odd, dark looking stone that he buried earlier and put it in his left hand. Arden then ran over to the entrance. Some of his fur was covered with blood, some had been singed off. He was holding his left arm as tightly he could.
He scooted over to the bars near the Mightyena. "Ey ya." He started.
"...What do you want?" she snarled, shooting icicles at Arden.
"Oh I don't-" AHEM. "If you let us out, I'll letye… in on a little thing…"Am Arden took a deep breath. "You'll be set…"
…
What the fuck?
Me and the Mightyena blinked at the same time; locked eyes for a second, and back at Arden. I waddled over to the Quilava and put a paw on his back. "watta fack?" I said.
"No no, Look I know t-" Arden caughed up some blood yet continued. "You'll be set for life if ya let us out of here. You'll have as much gold as you ever possibly wanted in your-"
Mightyena cut in, clearly bewildered. "What are you even trying to do? Have you lost your mind? ahah~ N-No! Of course not!" She had a good laugh to herself while I tried to drag Arden away from the enterence.
"Do you want to try? Go to my house. Largest house on the west of the first street of the guild's entrance. Ask the Leafeon or Swellow there; they'll give you the money. I have the codeword to give em. I'll tell you once we're out."
"Are you… trying to bribe me?"
"Yes, take it or leave it." Arden took his right arm to push me away, wincing in pain as he did so. He gripped his arm again.
Undeterred, I went around and tried to push away from the door. "Awden neh, neh. Stahp! thiaas ihs ahswanity!" I scolded him.
He broke free from my grasp. "Going once going twice, the next guard's getting the same bribe. Don't you wanna be able to take control of your life or are you content with your miserable job watching over whoever got too drunk last night?"
Now, Mightyena looked more annoyed than anything. "Can you not? Why would you even- Ok. ok." She cleared her throat, and continued in a snarky voice. "Suppose I took your bribe. Well then, I get in biiiig trouble myself for malfeasance. And you two get bounties placed on your heads. Preferably for returning with the rest of your bodies - but not strictly required. All for what? some couple hundered gold you all made last mission? I don't think so…"
"Several thousand at least; in gold alone. And you won't get your ass blasted for this. I can give you a little story… I'm- " Arden coughed again, more blood. He refused to budge too, no matter how much I tried and pulled. "I'm a good liar…" He looked down a bit, but snapped back quickly. "I'll give ya a little story to tell that'll last you a few weeks; enough time to escape and start a new life somewhere. If that ain't your lil cup of tea; then I'll give you another story. One where you can sit pretty here in town as long as you'd like."
"Then, pray tell, what would those stories be?
"How many work this place tonight?" This is the point where I just gave up trying to get Arden to stop and just accepted my fate.
"Just me on the shift."
"Perfect." Arden smirked. "We were so quiet and you were so sleepy, that you didn't hear us grubbing the keys and making our extremely quiet escape… or we beat you up while you were giving our food."
"…Oh." The Mightyena thought for a moment. I shook my head trying to tell her 'no'; yet she seemed to be seriously considering it. Finally, she spoke. "The money is there. Right?"
"Yes. it is. I don't do parlor tricks. Real fucking deal here."
"...Alright, I am going to get you two dinner. I will be riiight back." Mightyena dissapeares around a corner, leaving alone me and Arden.
… I had never wanted to slap anyone this much before this moment. (mustie, mabye, but I wasn't thinking about them.) I had so, so much to say… but none of the words to actually say it. So, I made a million different angry expressions; which Arden noted.
"Oshawott, alright. I've flown off the rocker this time. But, you need to understand. I can't stay here."
"Whay? Way naht?!"
"I just ca-" He coughed again, Blood. More of it. "...yeah. I just can't stay."
I'm still mad. That didn't explain anything. I said as much. Arden slowly nodded back.
"I understand. Hey, kid…" He rested his head on my shoulder. "I know what you're facing. I can… help you-" Cough. "please. things are going to go down the shitter fast and-"
Mightyena strutted in, tugging along 2 plates full of food. "Ready?" She asked, to which Arden lifted his head and gave affirmation.
Mightyena took a plate off the rack, and pushed it into the cell with a paw. Wasting no time, Arden let go of his arm, grabbed that paw and slammed Mightyena into the cell door. The key wrapped around her neck broke off and clattered on the floor.
I seized it first. Arden looked at me and calmly said.
"What happens now is up to you. If you come along with me. Just know…"
…
"There is no going back.
…
…
please, please understand."
…
"ryhe ahnd… maffy? wah baht-"
"they'll be safe. I… promise."
…
I gave the keys to Arden. He unlocked the door. we were out.
Arden's first order of business was holding up his end of the bargain. To that end, he grabbed Mightyena by the scruff. "In the pines In the pines I'm going where the cold wind blows. Inscribe it into your brain. If you forget, it's not my problem."
"In the pines In the pines… I'm going where the cold wind blows… ah." The Mightyena repeated as she braced for impact.
I repeated it myself; mouthing it under my breath. … that phrase… it sounds…?
"And… If that doesn't work… tell May to run. tell her anyway. Please."
SLAM!
We ran. It was dark, and nobody saw us.
Every few hundered steps though, I looked back and noticed Arden struggling. He kept pushing us forward though. Always forward. Never look back. That's what...
…
We followed the Serperior river away from town for as long as possible. Once we were far enough, we found a shallow enough part of the river and foraged it as fast as we could. It was tiring. Arden nearly drowned. He kept pushing though.
We kept moving all night. Arden kept looking worse and worse as the night progressed. I pleaded with him to stop. He kept us moving.
Finally, at the crack of dawn…
…
"Kid let's…" hahah "stop..." Arden wheezed. "I'm…"
I turned around to see a bruised, battered, bloody, and sweaty Quilava.
"yeh lewts… yea." I ran to support him on my sholder. He was so, so warm to the touch. "hesh, Ah'll fahnd ah cave…stahmp… ahnywhare…." I said as I started looking around. And to my suprise, I did find somewhere to rest. A cave.
I funneled the two of us through and sat down on the smoothest piece of rock I could find.
"T-Thanks… I."
"neh, ihs.. ah-kay."
…
As we both started to sleep from exaustion, my mind drifted yet again.
In the pines… in the pines…
Where the sun, don't ever shine.
Part 1 ~ Silver Snow.
To be continued.