Welcome to chapter 33. Or, welcome to the first Special Bonus Chapter!
In celebration of many things, I am writing and releasing some chapters focused on the backstory in Warped Skies. And the first one up is Chatot and Wigglytuff and… well, if you've read the story, then you might be able to figure out who'll be appearing as well!
You had to know.
"I still don't know why we're doing this."
"Relax, it can't be much longer now."
"No! We're an exploration team! Treasure hunters! NOT a rescue team."
"Medicham, please, you're going to upset Wigglytuff."
"Someone's got to say it!"
Medicham crossed her arms to glare frustratedly back at Gardevoir. She shook her head, not willing to push this argument any further.
"Yippee!" Wigglytuff sang from up ahead. He was bouncing along with Lopunny, matching her hop for hop.
"They're having a good time at least," Medicham said, rolling her eyes. Gardevoir gave her an apologetic look.
"It's not a terrible thing to want to help another pokémon," Gardevoir said, softly.
Medicham snorted. "I had enough of rescue teams with my last one," Medicham said stiffly, before walking off.
Gardevoir shook her head and followed along.
Team Charm had taken a most unorthodox request. That is, a request at all. As a quartet of treasure hunters, taking requests was not something they did on any sense of regularity of duty.
Wigglytuff, bless his simple smile, had rolled in with a piece of parchment and pleaded with Lopunny until she gave in. Which, to be entirely clear, took only about thirteen seconds.
"You really need to learn how to say no," Medicham grumbled as they had set off to the dungeon. The Lost Scion's dungeon was one of notorious danger, and even Team Charm had to think twice before they set off to it.
Why a single chatot had entered it, they would never fathom why.
Despite being an exceptionally dangerous dungeon, there was a reason Team Charm was making a name for themselves. Between the four of them, no feral pokémon was too much.
Medicham's Dynamic Punch, Gardevoir's Moonblast, Lopunny's High Jump Kick, and Wigglytuff's Double Slap proved it's considerably unwise to attack them.
It was still a hassle, however, and Medicham continued to complain to Gardevoir until they finally approached the sound of furious squawking.
"I'll save you!" Wigglytuff declared, leaping out and exploding the yanma buzzing around the annoyed chatot. After the victory, he struck a pose. "Wigglytuff!"
"Erm… hello?" Chatot said, blinking as the rest of Team Charm entered into the room he had holed himself in.
"We are Team Charm," Lopunny said, introducing them. She pulled out the help request from the fluff in her ears. "I believe you managed to send a request for help?"
"Indeed," Chatot said, holding himself up, "I must thank you for coming so far. I feared no one would come to this dungeon."
"Why are you here?" Medicham demanded, stepping forward. Chatot blinked in surprise at the forcefulness. She had simply pushed Gardevoir out of the way.
He was spared from answering when Wigglytuff intervened. "That doesn't matter," he said, shaking his head. "What matters is that we are here now to get you out of here!"
Chatot nodded, glancing at Medicham once before focusing entirely on Wigglytuff. "Thank you, Team Charm."
"Can we go now?"
Chatot quickly pulled together his items, explaining a feral had destroyed his bag, and that was the reason he needed help.
"Normally, I would be able to handle this," he claimed, hopping alongside Wigglytuff, who listened intently, nodding hen appropriate. "I believe it is the smart explorer's way to research the dangers of their destinations and prepare accordingly."
"This guy," Medicham muttered. Gardevoir hid a smile and gave her a gentle pat on the arm.
"So, Chatot!?" Lopunny asked, hoping to Wigglytuff's side and looking to the bird. "What does bring you here?"
"Research," Chatot answered, a little stiffly.
"What kind?" Lopunny pressed.
"Matters of training."
"Ooh?" Wigglytuff beamed. "I bet you were focusing on the pidgeotto and simisage and how to deal with enemies in all directions!"
Chatot blinked in surprise. "…Yes, actually. Astute observation there, Wigglytuff."
Wigglytuff waved him off.
Curious now, Chatot began to talk to Wigglytuff, and Wigglytuff was delighted to chat back. Lopunny ended up slinking off and giving a pout to Medicham and Gardevoir, who smiled and rolled their eyes at her.
Halfway to the end of the dungeon, Chatot made Wigglytuff laugh.
"I must say, I could never look fearow in the eyes without wanting to bury my head underground again."
Near the end of the dungeon, a distracted Wigglytuff took a nasty Steel Wing blow and suffered a nasty cut to his back.
"Oww…" Wigglytuff moaned, eyes watering slightly. He didn't do anything more than that, no cries or overblown hysterics. The rest of Team Charm was able to force the skarmory away squawking with many of its metal feathers falling off, while Chatot flew to Wigglytuff's aid.
"There, that's… oh, Wigglytuff!" Lopunny gasped. She turned to run back to Wigglytuff, realising she had gotten a little too angry at him getting hurt and going after the attacker, rather than tending to her friend.
Before she could race back, she found Chatot already giving Wigglytuff an oran berry and tying the shreds of Chatot's destroyed bag around his torso to try and stem the bleeding.
"That won't be perfect," he said, deftly tying the knot with his talons. Wings were no good in delicate work, "but it'll do for now."
"Wigglytuff, are you alright?" Lopunny asked, hopping over to them anyway. She outstretched a hand, and Wigglytuff took it, pulling him up.
"I'm okay," Wigglytuff replied, one eye closed from the pain. He winced and needed to steady himself on her, "I'm still no good at taking attacks."
Lopunny shook her head as the others joined them. "You're not supposed to, anyway," Medicham said, scoffing.
"With your strength, it's not often you do get hit."
"Surprise attacks," Chatot said, adding on, "can catch anyone off guard. Don't let it weigh on you."
Wigglytuff managed a smile, and with a paw holding Lopunny and Chatot on his other side, ready to grab him if needed, Wigglytuff was able to make the rest of the way out of the dungeon safely.
Once the five had exited the dungeon, just in time as the energy of five pokémon at once had begun to turn the dungeon a little funky, Chatot gave the reward for helping him.
"I recently went through Apple Woods," he said, and Wigglytuff's eyes lit up. There had been no listed reward, but this was almost too good to be true.
Medicham had to pinch her nose at the sight of Wigglytuff so dazzlingly happy. Also, at Lopunny, who just sighed softly at him.
"Have you ever had a Perfect Apple?" Chatot asked, pulling the blessed apple out from a wing. How he had stored it in, there was a question that was best left unasked. "As thanks for saving me, the company, and accompanying me out of the dungeon, here you go."
There was no reluctance in handing it over, although he would miss it. There was nothing Chatot enjoyed more than a Perfect Apple. Only a wonder gummi could compare, and even then, it was a toss-up.
"Take it, Wigglytuff," Lopunny said. Wigglytuff hadn't moved, but he had started drooling.
"Is it… okay?" Wigglytuff asked, wiping his mouth. Chatot blinked. "To take that? Surely you must want it."
"It is more than a fair reward," Chatot answered, noticing Wigglytuff's yearning expression. "I insist. I don't particularly care for apples anyway."
He tossed it, and Wigglytuff caught it, placed it on his head, and began to dance. "Yay, yay, hooray!"
Team Charm all smiled fondly at Wigglytuff as he balanced the apple, doing a few spins. Chatot, too, couldn't help but give a softer look at the sheer joy in Wigglytuff's eyes.
"Wigglytuff is still injured," Gardevoir pointed out, briefly reminding Wigglytuff before the apple once again left him dancing in joy.
Lopunny nodded. "Where is the closest town?" she asked, looking to Medicham, who pulled the map out.
"Treescent Village," Chatot answered before Medicham could so much as begin to look. "It is also my next destination."
"Would you like to come with?" Wigglytuff asked, getting a little dizzy from the spins.
"I would not wish to intrude…"
"No-no, not an intrusion. Never. Never. Right?" Wigglytuff turned to Lopunny, who had been gearing up to confirm that it was an intrusion.
She paused at the hope in Wigglytuff's eyes and swallowed her words. "Not at all," she said, putting a smile on.
"Hooray!" Wigglytuff cheered and danced around Chatot next.
"Well, in this case, I can lead you all here on the safest and quickest path for the sake of Wigglytuff's injury." Chatot nodded, gesturing with a wing. "Hurry along then."
Wigglytuff smiled the whole way.
When she had a moment, Lopunny sidled up next to Chatot and asked. "Do you really not like apples?" she asked.
"They're my favourite," Chatot replied with a smile in his eye.
Lopunny smiled back, shaking her head as Wigglytuff continued to dance all the way.
Team Charm were annoyed.
Three-quarters of the team, at least.
Accompanying Chatot back to Treescent Village wasn't a bother, they were indeed heading that way. Staying in Treescent Village for longer than a day, however, was not part of the plan. The third day was bordering on painful.
Wigglytuff seemed rooted in place, and Gardevoir was shamed for voicing such a terrible pun.
"Lopunny," Medicham groaned, pinching her nose. "Just get him, and let's go."
"I'm trying," Lopunny protested.
"Are you?" Gardevoir asked, nodding to where Wigglytuff was chatting to Chatot. Something about one of their more recent treasure hunts, one that ended in failure.
"Actively trying to," Lopunny corrected. "I'm actively trying to."
Her teammates just stared, and Lopunny wilted. "It's hard," she sighed, "he's so damn happy around that Chatot."
"He happy all the time," Gardevoir pointed out.
Medicham stepped forward to grab Lopunny's shoulder. "Look," she said, holding her in place, "I get that you want to make him deliriously happy goo-goo lala all the time, but we're sick of loitering around. If we don't hurry up, Team Raider might start pulling ahead of us."
"I know," Lopunny sighed, "I know. I know. I know!" she rubbed her face roughly for a moment before pulling up. "Okay. I'm going to go."
Nodding firmly, she pulled out of Medicham's grip and hopped over to Wigglytuff and Chatot.
"Think she'll actually do it?" Medicham asked, stepping back to be next to Gardevoir.
"Am I allowed to be optimistic?" she joked.
"No."
"Then, no."
They watched as Lopunny interjected herself into the conversation, pussyfooted around for a moment, then they saw her posture change to one of defeat and sighed at the same time.
"She's hopeless, sometimes," Medicham said, grinning painfully at Gardevoir.
"She wouldn't be Lopunny otherwise," Gardevoir agreed, burying her face in her hands for a moment.
They decided to go to the tavern. It'd be annoying getting hit on by all the patrons for the third day in a row, but less painful than watching Lopunny awkwardly hang around Wigglytuff and Chatot for ten minutes before excusing herself.
"Are we going to have to drag him out by his ears?" Gardevoir asked, after a drink or two.
"Getting aggressive there, Gards?" Medicham laughed, Gardevoir smirked at her.
"I did learn a bit from Gengar," she said, taking another sip. "And you too, actually."
"Thanks." They clinked cups and finished their current drinks.
Someone, a breloom, tried to approach but couldn't get close enough to talk before a telekinetic grip pulled him back. Gardevoir cared not for feelings at the moment.
Eventually, Lopunny joined them in drowning their sorrows.
"I'm a terrible leader," she sniffled, face pressed on the table.
"…Yeah," Medicham said, Gardevoir smacked her in the arm. Rolling her eyes, she said. "I'm kidding, obviously. A better leader than either of us could ever be."
"Oh sure," Lopunny grumbled, turning her head to glare at Medicham. "Better, not good."
"You need to be tougher on him," Gardevoir suggested, poking a bit of ice with a finger. "You can't keep letting him roll on without question."
"But he throws a tantrum when I try," Lopunny complained, "he can be so childish."
"Coming from the girl sulking on the table?" Medicham said, Lopunny continued to frown at her. "Look, Lopunny, the guys a big baby most of the time, but he's like that because you treat him like a child."
"Reinforcing this behaviour just perpetuates it," Gardevoir said.
"I know," Lopunny moaned, "but every time I try, he looks at me with those big eyes, and I just melt."
Her teammates rolled their eyes.
"You're going to have to talk with him soon," Medicham said, slamming the last of her drink back and crunching the ice. "Actually, talk to him, not just to him."
"It's for the best." Gardevoir nodded, throwing the last of hers back to. She tossed breloom out on his behind when he tried to approach again. "What?" she asked when the other two looked at her in surprise. "He's been bugging me for days, and I'm getting tired of it."
Lopunny nodded and went back to poking at the table, trying to think of the words to say.
"And THAT'S when the graveler's arrived," Wigglytuff said, giving excited gestures to emphasize action, "that wasn't very fun."
"Didn't all six of them roll right over you?" Medicham asked, poking at some food.
"Yep!"
"And didn't three of them explode?" Gardevoir added.
"Uh-huh."
"And the force blew the other three back into you," Lopunny finished with a giggle.
"That's right!"
"It's like we were there or something," Medicham muttered. Gardevoir patted her on the arm, and Medicham buried the rest of the sass.
Chatot, who was the real recipient of the story, nodded along. "And how did you make it out of that one?"
Team Charm members Lopunny, Gardevoir, and Medicham were getting a little restless. For Wigglytuff's sake, they had stuck in Treescent Village for five days and counting. It took two for Wigglytuff to be fine, but he made excuses and convinced them to dillydally for longer.
Team Charm were not the kind to linger in one place for too long. There was always more adventure to be found, new treasures to track down, endless horizons to cross.
Standing around, getting hit on, and getting asked to rescue this or find that number of apples, was not their idea of a good time.
Today marked the newest excuse to spend one more day, recounting their adventures to the village. Or, to be more accurate, Chatot.
"So, what else? What else?"
"What else?" Medicham asked, snapping in irritation. "What else is that we need to go!"
"Noo…"
"Come on, Wigglytuff," Gardevoir said, backing Medicham up. "Your back is healed, and we've taken up enough of Chatot's time."
"It has been a pleasure," Chatot said, polite but feeling distantly disappointed. Wigglytuff pouted, and Chatot hesitated.
Wigglytuff turned to Lopunny, the only one who hadn't spoken. Medicham silently put her hand on Lopunny's back. It was not meant as a comforting gesture.
Lopunny had already buckled under Wigglytuff's pleading eyes these last few days, but they knew that unless Lopunny held her ground, Wigglytuff would win.
"They… are… right," Lopunny managed and nearly sagged, along with Wigglytuff, who did sag. "Wigglytuff, I'm sorry." She turned to Chatot. "I'm sorry about him, he sometimes gets a certain way, and it's impossible to talk sense."
Chatot blinked before shaking his head. "You don't need to speak for him," he said politely, but with some bite to it. Lopunny almost recoiled.
Wigglytuff glanced between everyone and sighed. "I understand," he said, bowing his head slightly.
Lopunny breathed a sigh of relief as Wigglytuff stepped forward. He reached the team and turned back to Chatot, smiling slightly at him. "It was a fun-fun experience to share with you!" he said, rocking back and forth for a moment. "I will remember you, Chatot."
"I will remember you as well, Wigglytuff," Chatot replied, nodding back. He glanced at Team Charm. "Thank you all again for rescuing me. This has been an experience I will treasure."
With goodbyes shared, and Team Charm suspiciously packed and ready to go, they didn't hesitate in taking Wigglytuff away before he got new ideas to try.
"What do you think we'll need for Nightshade Woods?" Lopunny asked, hours later, as they began to approach a dungeon.
"Probably pecha berries," Medicham said.
"I have a pecha scarf, ha," Gardevoir added, levitating the object out and wrapping it around her neck.
"Wigglytuff?" Lopunny asked when she noticed he hadn't said a word. "What do you think?"
"Mm." Wigglytuff shrugged. Lopunny almost stopped completely, sharing a look with Gardevoir and Medicham.
Wigglytuff had been quiet since they left the town. It was clear he was sad to leave his new friend, but they couldn't stick around forever.
Lopunny chewed her lip nervously, but Gardevoir took her scarf off and wrapped it around Wigglytuff's neck instead. He smiled briefly at her, then went back to brooding in silence.
The dungeon itself was no trouble. Wigglytuff pulled his weight as he always had, but a stiff silence was over him that quickly pulled the rest of the team down. Without Wigglytuff's bop and cheer, things felt a little awkward.
Hopefully, things would be back to normal tomorrow.
Things were not back to normal tomorrow.
Wigglytuff remained silent for the most part, looking into the distance with foggy eyes. Even attempts at conversing with him were failing, and Lopunny was beginning to stress out.
At the halfway point of a dungeon, she decided enough was enough.
"Wigglytuff!" she declared, marching straight to him. "You and I. Right now. Talk."
Wigglytuff smiled up at her. "What's on your mind friendly-friend?"
Lopunny hesitated, staring into Wigglytuff's eyes. Unlike normal, when she'd pause and stutter, he didn't start the conversation for her. Simply waited. It was weird.
"Are… you okay?" she asked, managing to put words to mouth in the correct order.
"Yes."
"Are you?"
"Yes."
Lopunny breathed out heavily. "Wigglytuff… Rhythm. You've been silent since we left Treescent Village. You're never silent. You even talk in your sleep. But you're just silent, and it's freaking me out."
She sat down beside him, putting a gentle hand on his shoulder. "You can talk to me. To us." She gestured out to where Gardevoir and Medicham were intently going through supplies and nothing else.
Nothing at all.
"Of course!" Wigglytuff chirped, with something missing behind it. "I know that, friendly-friend. You can talk to me as well!"
"Then, what's eating you?"
"Eating me? Nothing." Wigglytuff checked, just to make sure.
Lopunny smiled fondly at him, looking at his legs in alarm before snapping back to business. "I mean, why have you been so quiet?"
With no way to avoid, Wigglytuff answered as vaguely as he could. "Just thinking."
"About?"
"Stuff?"
"What stuff?"
"I dunno. Stuff."
Lopunny prayed to mew for strength before nodding and standing up. "Just… if you work out what it is, you can talk to me. Okay?"
Wigglytuff nodded, and Lopunny walked off, intent on joining the girls and having a talk later.
She wouldn't get the chance until they had left the dungeon, and Wigglytuff, in a fit of panic, chased after the Perfect Apple Chatot had awarded them with.
He still hadn't eaten it. The apple remained perfect, however, crisp and juicy. No one was sure why, but Perfect Apples lasted in perfect condition for some time. Then they immediately turned to slop unworthy of being called an apple.
Medicham personally believed Virizion blessed them.
Gardevoir leaned towards Celebi.
Lopunny didn't really think about it.
Currently, that was all she could think about since if she thought about anything else, she'd have thought about Wigglytuff, and that was not good at the moment.
"Girls," Lopunny said, taking the chance now that Wigglytuff was gone, "I think we need to talk about Wigglytuff."
Gardevoir nodded immediately. "Yes. What I've been sensing definitely needs to be brought up."
"Ugh," Medicham groaned, "feelings. Can we not?"
"Medicham…" Lopunny pleaded, and the Fighting-type sighed.
"Fine."
"He's not okay," Gardevoir said, now that Medicham was listening. "It's hard to pinpoint exactly, but there is an odd feeling of loss coming from him."
"He couldn't have liked that chatot THAT much?" Medicham asked, pointedly not looking at Lopunny.
Gardevoir shrugged. "Wigglytuff is an odd guy. He came with us without a moment's hesitation, and he definitely gets attached to things easily."
"Like apples."
"Yes, and pokémon too."
"Gardevoir," Lopunny cut in, "what do we do?"
To that, Gardevoir had no answers. "I don't know. Perhaps it'll go away on its own? Time heals all wounds, I've heard."
"And if it doesn't?"
"Wigglytuff might become depressed or bitter. I… I don't know. I'm sorry," Gardevoir added, bordering on frustrated. "Emotions are difficult enough to parse as it is, but it's impossible to tell where things could lead just based on fleeting glimpses. He might be fine with moments of disappointment. He might be angry or upset already."
"He's clearly upset," Medicham pointed out.
"Yeah, but how much?" Lopunny asked, rubbing her face. "Okay… okay… I'm a leader. I'll figure it out."
"I think we should ask him," Gardevoir suggested.
"I tried that!" Lopunny protested.
Medicham snorted. "That was trying?"
"I mean, ask what he wants to do," Gardevoir explained.
Lopunny was quiet.
"It that… really for the best?" Medicham asked, suddenly uncomfortable. "I mean, the big lug is an idiot, but… what if he wants to go?"
"We'll," lopunny said, raising her head, "we'll cross that bridge if it comes to that."
She stepped away to look for Wigglytuff, letting the other two finish up whatever they were doing before she came over.
"Wigglytuff?" Lopunny asked, approaching a soft sound. She found Wigglytuff balancing on one leg, rolling the Perfect Apple on his head. He was making the soft sound.
"Hm?" Wigglytuff turned, an apple falling off. He caught it and set it down. "Lopunny?"
"I want to know something," she said, stepping closer until they were just an arms reach apart. "Do you want to go back to Chatot?"
Wigglytuff brightened immediately, going to speak. He was sharp, however, far sharper than anyone ever gave him credit for, and he paused. "You… said you, not us?"
Lopunny took in a breath and nodded. "Team Charm has always been about finding the newest treasures in stylish ways. Always going further and further, never looking back. You're looking back."
Wigglytuff was silent.
"And I don't want you always to wonder." This was hard for Lopunny to do. "If you'd like to go back, I understand. But Team Charm has to continue."
Gardevoir and Medicham drifted in, following Lopunny's trail. They found the pair standing in silence. Wigglytuff was thinking.
Confliction warred across his face, he looked up to Lopunny, then down to the Perfect Apple. Up at them. Back to it.
"I… I don't know," he admitted. "I love exploring with you. I haven't had this much fun since being trained by my mentor… but…"
"But," Lopunny repeated, nodding. It was safe with them, comfortable. It was exciting, certainly, but still safe. The allure of something new, that was something Lopunny could always understand.
She stepped forward and gave Wigglytuff a hug. "Good luck, Rhythm," she whispered, and he carefully hugged her back.
"Thank you, Velvet."
Medicham and Gardevoir came forward next. Gardevoir took a hug, Medicham did not.
"You're really just going to leave, like that?" she demanded.
Gardevoir touched her arm, but she shrugged out of it.
"Here," Wigglytuff said, pushing something forward. Medicham had no interest in whatever it was, but the other gasps made her reconsider.
Her eyes widened, Wigglytuff was holding out the Perfect Apple. "Wha?"
"Take it," Wigglytuff said, pressing it into her hands, "it's a sign of our friendship. Perfect."
Medicham frowned, then her face screwed up slightly, and she turned away. "Yeah, gotcha. See you around, Wigglytuff."
"We'll miss you," Gardevoir added, standing ready to hold either Medicham or Lopunny. She wasn't sure who'd need it first.
"You'll always be welcome back with us," Lopunny said, giving a wave. "Goodbye."
"For now," Wigglytuff replied, smiling, "but not forever."
"Not forever," Lopunny repeated.
It wouldn't take Wigglytuff long to make it back to Treescent Village, almost flying through the dungeon with his haste. He took a few knocks, knocks that Chatot would be most reproachful he suffered later on, but it didn't matter.
He didn't know why Chatot meant so much. Enough to leave Team Charm. But he wanted to know why.
He would find out why.
"These gastrodon are a true bother."
Chatot ducked under a jet of water and copied the attack, knocking the aggressive pokémon off the roof and splatting it on the ground.
Wigglytuff giggled from where he was defending Chatot's back. He had left a trail of slapped victims in his wake before singing them to sleep.
The two had been partners for nearly a year now. Nearly a year since Wigglytuff insisted Team Charm take a rescue job. Nearly a year since he left that team to form his own.
Nearly a year of laughter, smiles, hard times, and quiet moments. Nearly a year of Chatot and Wigglytuff looked forward to years more.
Those years seemed ready to be cut short, however.
They had fought their way through the dungeon and found themselves walking the final leg of the journey on the slippery dungeon rocks.
An endless dripping sound seemed to be coming from somewhere just out of view. No matter how far they continued, it was always there.
Wigglytuff was humming a small ditty under his breath, swinging his arms. The journey had been tough, but it gave him a reminder of how thrilling it was to explore an unknown place. He wondered with boundless excitement what laid at the end.
Whether it was a treasure, a sight, or even nothing at all, he didn't explore for the end goal, but for the exploration itself.
Wigglytuff smiled down at Chatot, and his most reliable friend quirked a smile back up at him. Chatot nodded and looked back forward, but something suddenly bothered him.
A gut feeling. An intense warning jolt through his whole body. He couldn't be certain of what it was, but something was off.
He'd seen something but hadn't noticed it.
Where?
Where?
Chatot looked up.
There.
"Rhythm watch out!" Chatot squawked, leaping into the air in a panic as three murderers descended from above. Chatot slammed into Wigglytuff and sent him bouncing for the walls, taking a deadly strike in place of Wigglytuff.
With their target switched, only Kabutops managed to strike Chatot, and it was a clumsy blow to be sure. More than enough to kill him, however.
Chatot fell, splatting against the moist ground as his lifeblood began to ooze from the deadly cut he had suffered.
The creature laughed. "What? Warding the wigglytuff?" it hissed, lifeless eyes falling onto the groaning chatot. It raised its scythe, ready to end Chatot for good.
Then, the whole world shook.
"Yoom…" Wigglytuff growled, causing the entire dungeon to rock and shake. Eyes shining with pure white met Kabutops' empty pits, and for the first time since it fell, the beast felt fear. The omastar were already fleeing, but Kabutops had frozen for a moment longer. "TAH!"
Something that could only be described as a pure force of will smashed into Kabutops, nearly pulverising him on the spot. The wave of energy blasted the omastar away as well, and the three were forcefully removed from the dungeon in one exhalation of sheer Power.
Wigglytuff might have pursued, dedicated to destroying them utterly. But Chatot made a weak sound, and his rage subsided.
"Trill!" he cried, racing to the bird's side. "Oh, Trill, you silly thing. Why did you do that?"
Trill stirred, feeling Rhythm pick him up and cradle him to his chest. "They… they might have hurt you."
"I'm not worth your life," Rhythm replied, tears breaking down his face and burning hot pokes into Trill's wound. "I… I have… berries."
Trill made a weak sound; it was almost laughter. "You know that won't work."
Rhythm sniffled, cradling Trill closer. "N-No. No! I can't lose you. I won't. Hold on; I'm going to get you out of here."
He ran forward. It would be much faster to leave the dungeon if he reached the final room and then turned around, that was his only chance.
It would be to Rhythm's boggled surprise, boundless relief, and endless joy that there was someone at the very end who could help.
In one story, it would have been a lapras, wary, and breaking a lot of rules, but unable to turn away as a pokémon died.
In this story…
"An… audino," Rhythm whispered, causing the stiff and trembling audino to twitch. They had seen the deadly trio be vacated by a burst of furious energy. How the very force itself felt angry, they did not understand.
Rhythm immediately ran for the audino. "Please!" he begged, reaching them. "Please, can you do anything? Anything at all. I cannot lose him."
The audino backed away, foot touching the wall they had been observing before everything went down. Rhythm looked and saw an odd symbol etched into the wall. He might have cared about it, had his partner not been dying in his arms.
"I… I…" the audino, voice soft and feminine, stuttered. Her eyes flicked between the two pokémon, one desperate, the other dying.
"I will do anything," Rhythm added since the audino was simply staring at him in fear. "Please." The final plead, the broken whimper, seemed to get through, and she nodded.
"A-Alright. Set him down and step back from us."
Rhythm obeyed, not questioning anything if it meant Trill might be okay. He stepped back, and with each step, the anxious audino stepped closer. The lavender tone to her fur was strange, something Rhythm had never seen before, but he barely noticed.
Once he was far away, she kneeled down at Chatot, gasping painfully, and raised her hands over him. A soft pinkish light began to emanate from her hands, falling onto Trill in waves.
He groaned in pain. Healing abilities were not pleasant. The skin beneath his feathers burned with heat as agony rippled from him. He began to writhe, and Rhythm stifled a sob. He knew it was necessary, didn't mean he had to enjoy watching it.
"Stay… still," the audino demanded, but Trill could barely. He began to hyperventilate, breathing faster and faster until he was nearly passing out from a lack of oxygen on top of the pain.
The wound began to close. Trill screamed, but somehow he managed to hold himself still. The pain was unlike anything he'd suffered before, but if he moved, it could reopen the wound and take even longer.
He squinted against the tears, and both legs kicked out, but the pain began to numb as the audino's arms began to shake. She was breathing hard herself, nearly toppling onto the person she was healing.
She caught herself with a hand and dropped the Heal Pulse. "I… I have to take a break," she gasped, pushing herself back into a seated position. Wigglytuff came forward, and she squeaked, skirting back when he got too close.
"Thank you," Wigglytuff said, picking up Chatot and rocking him back and forth. He wasn't bleeding anymore, although the gap between his feathers was very inflamed and appeared excessively painful.
If the flinch and moan of pain at just being picked up was any indication.
"What can I give you in thanks?" Wigglytuff asked, determining Chatot would be okay.
The audino continued to catch her breath. Once she was able to speak, she stood back up. "Nothing, I don't need anything."
Wigglytuff was surprised. "Surely there is something?" he asked, moving a bit too quickly in surprise. Chatot moaned again, and the audino backed away.
He paused, looking down at Chatot.
"He's not fine," the audino said, frowning in intense discomfort. "Look… look, let's just get out of here, and I'll fix him up outside. This place is creepy."
Not waiting for his answer, she strode forward with head raised. She still didn't step too close to Wigglytuff, and he followed her out with no complaints.
Once they were outside the dungeon and listening to the crashing waves, the audino continued her work. The worst of it had been done already, but the remaining effort she could manage was still not pleasant for Chatot.
Wigglytuff watched in quiet anxiety for a few minutes, the audino was pacing herself better this time, before getting up to pace.
Surprisingly the pacing did not help her own stress levels, and she ended up snapping at him. "Sit down, stop doing that, do NOT bite your lip," she ordered, as he was going for that, "and be quiet."
Wigglytuff obeyed, but the sheer feeling of concern behind her was just as bad, and the audino eventually found herself at her limit.
"That's all I can do," she said, leaning back with a tired sigh. Chatot had fallen unconscious at some point, which made the whole process a little easier.
Wigglytuff immediately came over to pick him up. "Will he be okay?" Wigglytuff asked, looking to the audino with his wide, tear-stricken eyes.
Even she was moved a little. "Don't go throwing him into any more minefields for a while, and he should be, yes." She nodded, stepping back to give them, and herself, space.
She glanced around for a moment, spotting her own weathered knapsack. Picking it up, the audino was all set to leave and never look back.
"Are you going?" Wigglytuff asked, alarmed.
"Yes," she replied, glancing back, "there's nothing more I need to do; there's no further reason for me to stay here."
"B-But what about your reward?"
"I don't want anything."
"But I have to give you something!" Wigglytuff protested. "You saved Chatot's life. I owe you everything."
A brief flicker of something softer passed over the audino's face, and she smiled. It was incredibly small and almost unnoticeable, but Wigglytuff noticed an enormous change of expression despite it. He hadn't noticed before, too concerned over Chatot, but this audino was not someone who smiled often.
With that tiny quirk of her lips, it looked like years of age were lifted, and he realised this audino couldn't have been nearly as old as he thought she was.
She went to say something more, but Wigglytuff made his mind up at that moment. "Stay with us for the day," he said, and she paused. He adjusted Chatot in his arms and gave her a smile, a truly honest smile of thanks, relief, and welcome. "Eat some food, share some laughs, we can make sure Chatot is definitely alright."
Her smile changed, it was still there, but there was almost something… teasing about it. "Is that all you want me for? For my uses?"
Wigglytuff was horrified immediately. "Of course not!" he squeaked, nearly jolting Chatot. "I-I-I."
The audino laughed, and he relaxed slightly. It was musical, reminded him of twinkling chimes, or perhaps those bells that Capim Town boasted.
"If you're offering a safe place for the night," the audino asked, "Then I'll take you up on that offer."
Wigglytuff smiled. He wasn't sure what caused the change in posture she went through, but he was glad it had happened. "You can stay as long as you like," he said, before adjusting Chatot so he could reach out with a paw. "I'm Wigglytuff."
Chatot stirred in his hold, and Wigglytuff ended up retracting his paw to steady his friend. It was fine. His companion wasn't looking keen on shaking anyway.
"Rhythm?" Trill asked quietly. He blinked some drying tears out of his eyes and moved, Rhythm quickly put him down, and he noticed the audino watching them. "Erm. Hello…"
The audino smiled, Chatot was a little confused, but recollection was coming. "I'm Soothe," she said, replying to Wigglytuff. Both her companions blinked in surprise, but Trill had said Rhythm's name already.
"It's good to meet you, Soothe," Rhythm said, smiling widely. He touched Trill's wing softly. "She saved your life."
"Indeed," Trill said, eying her for a moment before his eye quirked, and he bowed briefly. It caused a bit of pain, and he hissed for a moment before adjusting. "You have my… truly… just." An emotion gripped him; he remembered Kabutops going for Rhythm and him going to save him. "Thank you. I am… I am Trill, better known as Chatot."
"I am Rhythm, also known as the explorer Wigglytuff," Rhythm said. Soothe seemed surprised for a moment before she smiled and nodded.
"It is excellent to meet you both," she said, setting her knapsack back down. "If you don't mind, Rhythm has invited me to stay for the time being?" she said, looking to Trill.
"Certainly," he replied without hesitation. "A noble pokémon such as yourself, I must properly express my gratitude but… I'm having trouble thinking of something for the time being."
"You must still be in pain," Soothe said, Trill grimaced and nodded. "Hm. Perhaps a joke would help."
"A joke?" Rhythm beamed, Trill was not quite as enthused, but he nodded regardless.
"Yes." Soothe smiled, thinking of the perfect one for the moment. "So, Trill… knock-knock?"
It would be something of a surprise to Chatot, but not to Wigglytuff, how well Soothe seemed to fit in with them.
She had been somewhat distant the first couple days, staying longer than just the one day she agreed to, but upon reaching the next town, she had already grown attached to them.
Wigglytuff had casually asked where she was heading next, and when she had a non-answer, added where Chatot and himself were heading and asked if she'd like to come along further.
"Any friendly-friends are welcome along!" he had beamed, Soothe wearing a somewhat lopsided smile. "So, how about it?"
She had agreed, and that was it. She joined the team that had no name. There was only one thing she asked of them, and Wigglytuff did agree despite the oddity of the request.
"Don't go back to Brine Cave," she asked, "leave it alone. Leave everything there alone." And that was that.
It couldn't be said that Soothe was a perfect addition to the team in dungeons. She could use Heal Pulse, and that seemed about it. Otherwise, slamming into smaller pokémon with her shoulder and then repairing the bruises she was left with was her main tactic.
Chatot quietly began to add battle items to their item shopping list and equipped Soothe with stones, sticks, and even a pair of iron barbs he managed to wrestle off a truly stubborn mandibuzz.
She was thankful, even if she wouldn't say that she was.
Wigglytuff was more than a match for any dungeon feral, and Chatot was an excellent guard and swift striker, Soothe added to their dynamic by healing them as they went.
Chatot felt that Wigglytuff might be becoming a little reckless with a mobile aider, but Soothe was so happy with her role on the team that he couldn't criticize.
As a trio, they were able to uncover the mysteries of the Nadir Chasm and escape in one piece. The trapinch at the bottom of that hole into hell had been gargantuan, ever-growing yet not evolving, stuck in place, but consuming everything that fell into its maw.
Wigglytuff, in his boundless trust and good heart, had taken a safe-sounding mission given anonymously to them and brought their nameless team to an ambush with no less than fifteen pokémon.
Even for Wigglytuff, he couldn't take them all down without risking Chatot and Soothe as well. So, they had to fight without the benefit of the Yoom-TAH, the mysteries of which Soothe was highly curious about.
Wigglytuff barrelled into the seven mawile that led these pokémon, while Chatot and Soothe together had to fight back-to-back against the remaining eight pokémon.
"On your left!" Chatot squawked, spotting with his keen eyes the pancham going for Soothe's kidneys. She blinded it with a kick of dust and punched it in the throat to take it out. She suffered a nasty Flame Wheel from the darmanitan also going for her, it slamming into her back.
Soothe, however, was tougher than anyone gave her credit and was able to use her fall to catch herself, somersault, and jump onto the darmanitan's back as it was still barrelling forward.
She caught it around the neck, surprising it with her weight, and slammed its head into the ground, getting thrown off in the process.
It was dazed, however, and her hands sparkled. "This feels interesting," she panted, jolts of something ringing through her body. "Let's see how you feel about it?" she said, unleashing the power.
A blast of sparkling energy erupted from her hands and struck the dazed darmanitan head-on, knocking it back and into the gagging pancham.
"That was Dazzling Gleam!" Chatot squawked, impressed. He flew up, avoiding an icicle from a snover, and circled the enemy pokémon, throwing bits of sharp air down to force them into line. "Do it again, NOW!"
Soothe nodded and channelled that feeling again, feeling the sparkle. "Taste the rainbow, bitches!" she yelled and unleashed her Power, striking the whole remaining antagonistic force.
Her attack was greatly dampened from going for so many targets at once, but it was enough to hurt, and she was more than happy to rinse and repeat.
Later, after Wigglytuff brought his foes down and they escaped, they reprimanded Wigglytuff for leading them into that without hesitation but accepted his apologies.
"Don't do it again," Chatot ordered, smacking him lightly on the head with a wing. His other one was wrapped in an oran-soaked scarf.
"I won't." Wigglytuff pouted.
"Or no Perfect Apple's for you, Mr!" Soothe warned, Wigglytuff gasped in horror. "Trill will have to eat them from now on."
"But, Trill doesn't like them!" Rhythm replied, still horrified at the prospect of not eating Perfect Apples anymore. Soothe glanced at him, and he nodded, but she smiled anyway. She caught a brief moment of hesitation.
"Then it'll have to be me. Eating them all up, right in front of you. Ha."
"Noo!"
Soothe giggled, and Trill joined in. Rhythm looked between them both before laughing along as well, doing a little dance around them.
There were times where dungeons were too hard for them. Rhythm couldn't fight every enemy, and the occasional lucky shot could take him down as well.
"You really need to slow down," Soothe muttered, hands going over Rhythm in strokes. She wasn't touching him, but she was healing all the bruises and small lacerations over his belly.
Rhythm, always a trooper, managed a smile. "But that's boring."
"Not every moment needs to be exciting," she replied, watching the bruises fade and cuts close, "if every moment is exciting, is any moment exciting?"
Rhythm actually thought about that, and he quietly did begin to take it a little easier. Trill was relieved, he loved the memories the days and weeks made, but he couldn't help but worry a little that Rhythm was going to burn himself out.
Sometimes Soothe could get somewhat protective of the other two. She was the weakest by far, but no one knew how to pursue vengeance as she did.
"Soothe, come BACK!" Trill squawked. A sneak attack from this obstagoon had downed Rhythm before it just ran. She ran after it, leaving Trill to protect Rhythm from anyone else.
"GOTCHA!" she yelled, aiming a finger to shot a focused blast of Dazzling Gleam, striking the fleeing menace in the back of the head. It fell like a sack of potatoes, and she leapt onto it, landing heavily on its back.
The obstagoon yelled out in pain as she grabbed its head. "W-w-wait!"
She did not wait. She slammed its face into the ground. She felt a crunch and then lifted its head again.
By the time she returned to Trill and Rhythm, dragging the outlaw by its leg, its face was quite bloodied, and it was completely unconscious. "Got him," she said, to Trill's stunned expression.
"And that's when I said," Trill laughed, he was a little tipsy off berry cider, "that's not my foot."
Rhythm fell into hapless giggles, Soothe gave a courtesy laugh for a moment before Rhythm fell into hysterics that drove her into whole-body-shaking laughter as well.
They were in a town they couldn't remember the name of, drinking in a store that might have been a bar or might have been hot springs, and having the time of their lives.
"O-Okay, okay," Soothe said, trying to stop the laughter. "Me next, I have a story. I do. I really do!" she insisted at the disbelieving looks Rhythm, Trill, and Geodude were giving her. She couldn't remember Geodude arriving, but part of the fogginess in her brain informed her that Geodude had always been there.
"I was-" Rhythm laughed. "Stop laughing! I haven't… hahaha… stop. Stop! Hahahahaha!"
The four of them broke into laughter again. What they were laughing at, they couldn't remember. It didn't really matter. They would have quite the hangover the next day, however. That mattered a great deal. But not now. That was a problem for the future.
"I hate past me," Soothe groaned the next day.
"She is terrible," Trill groaned, pulling Rhythm's arm up to cover his eyes from the glare. Rhythm made a weak, pained, sound, and nothing more.
There were some days where Soothe's mood changed. At first, Rhythm assumed it was the woes of being a lady pokémon.
"Yes. Maybe it is. However, there are some woes of being a male pokémon I could happily show you."
He stopped thinking that afterward.
In truth, Trill and Rhythm weren't sure what it was. Soothe was not the most talkative pokémon, but the days she was extra quiet were harshly felt. Her feet dragged as she walked, almost acting like she was marching to some doom. Her head was straight, almost stubbornly straight. Her hands either hung limply or were constantly clenched.
"I hate to worry you," Soothe sighed, on the times one of them did press her for answers. "It's nothing." She tapped her temple. "Just some fuzzy stuff up here. I'll be fine."
They'd make an effort to continue talking to her, even as her responses were little more than grunts or three-word sentences.
It was always worth it later.
"Thanks," Soothe said. Sitting in the middle of a random forest, she couldn't care to learn the name of.
She received smiles. It didn't need asking what the thanks were for.
More than anything, they were a team that worked together.
"Curling around," Trill yelled, flapping up a whirlwind. He sent jets of sharp air down to slow their target down. A violent criminal wanted for a sheet of crimes so long they couldn't fit it on the wanted poster.
His distraction and disorientation techniques slowed their foe down considerably, enough for Soothe to catch Rhythm and steady him. He had been knocked bouncing and was unable to right himself.
She gave him a pep up with a jolt of healing energy and tossed him at their foe. "Yoooooom." Rhythm built as he grew closer. Their foe sensed him coming and tried to push forward faster, Trill dove down burning with violet energy.
He slammed into them with a Brave Bird, however risky it was, and succeeded in knocking their balance out.
Soothe, who had spotted Trill's risky move, had sprinted off after swallowing a Quick Seed, zooming past Wigglytuff and sliding under their foe to catch Trill and run off with him, leaving no one but their foe for Rhythm to blast.
"TAH!"
She rounded the corner of the dungeon as Rhythm let loose, shaking the dungeon for a moment and causing their ears to ring. She healed Trill absentmindedly and waited for the dust to settle.
"All good?" Soothe asked, popping her head around the corner. Trill joined her, staring at as the dust settled, showing Rhythm standing tall and proud.
"Yep!" Be beamed, bouncing in place. Their foe was knocked unconscious.
"Well… you got him, you drag him out," Soothe said.
"Fair is fair," Trill agreed.
Rhythm moaned. "Aww… alright. I always have to do this," he grumbled, grabbing a leg and dragging them easily, without any trouble whatsoever.
"Yes," Soothe replied, sharing a knowing look with Trill. They set off, an outlaw in hand, or paw, and ready to put them away.
"You know," Soothe brought up, as they were walking, "now that Rhythm's being more careful, I swear you are getting more reckless," she said, looking to Trill.
The chatot puffed up at the brazen accusation. "Well, excuse you, miss-slid-right-under-the-outlaw."
Soothe poked her tongue out with a wink. Rhythm giggled, and Trill sighed. "Perhaps I am a little bit. Your skills are a crutch I wouldn't wish to go without."
"Aww," Soothe cooed, giving him a patronising, but loving, pat on the head. She slung an arm around Rhythm's neck. "I love you too." She winked before turning to the amused Rhythm. "I promise I won't steal him from you."
"I couldn't blame you if you wanted to," Rhythm shot back easily. Trill began to blush as they shared comments.
"Those feathers."
"Those eyes."
"That bravery."
"That wit."
"How handsome!" they said together, and Trill felt like he may combust from embarrassment.
"Sh-Shush," he snapped, without any heat. He turned his head and tried to hop away but didn't wish to go too far and lose them. Going back to their amused looks wasn't any better, and he debated if losing them was a viable strategy. "Shush!"
They laughed, but it was with Trill, and he shook his head at their shenanigans.
"You'll be the death of me," he said, gravely, but couldn't hold his smile back.
Times were good.
"Times are good," Soothe said. They had recently entered a small coastal town on the western edges of the Grass Continent. Dubbed 'Treasure Town' by its occupants, there was honestly little treasure about the place.
At least on a first glance.
There was something oddly homely about the small village. While every town and village they entered had a certain charm, a certain level of knowing your neighbours, Treasure Town felt a little different.
So they stayed for a little longer than normal, talking to and helping the residents.
There were many beautiful locations to sit at. The beach, Sharpedo Bluff, but their favourite spot was the highest point of the town, overlooking the whole area with a view out to see as well.
It had the charm of the beach, the view of Sharpedo Bluff, with the feeling of being on top of the world.
"This would be a great place for something," Trill commented, resting happily near the left side.
"Like a bar!" Rhythm beamed, his companions snorted at him.
"I feel like closer to the town would be better for that," Soothe said, legs dangling off the cliff's edge. "Maybe closer to the beach as well, but not too close. Don't need any drunk pokémon falling in the water."
"I imagine one could build something into the cliff," Trill continued, he had taken a birds-eye look over the whole thing since he could fly and all. It appeared quite sturdy, despite the waves far below.
It was soothing, a word that held infinite amusement in their time of knowing Soothe.
"You could make a guild?" Soothe said, staring out to the distance, smiling at something only she seemed to see.
"A guild…?" Rhythm hummed. "That'd be a great idea for Treasure Town!"
"Would certainly put the town on the map." Trill nodded, glancing down again. "Hm."
They would spend another three days in Treasure Town, before setting off again. Rhythm had caught the whiff of adventure again, Trill and Soothe were right behind him.
The town was lovely, though, they'd have to come back and visit again sometime.
It'd take them a couple of months to make the full trip, being helped along with dungeon travel and the occasional pokémon capable of carrying them or teleporting them further along.
Rhythm refused any offers to go straight to the destination. The journey remained his favourite part.
But still. "I can't wait!" he beamed, every night they stopped for rest.
"Treeshroud Forest will still be there tomorrow," Trill replied, sleepily.
Soothe simply smiled, although there was something strained behind it.
Each day they grew closer to their goal. And each day they noticed her growing quieter.
Trill had tried to talk to her about it. Rhythm had also tried. She simply gave them the same answer as she always did when she got into a strange mood.
"It's just a bad day for me." She tapped her head.
That had been her explanation for over two years, and it was accepted. There were times she was quiet, introspective, and somewhat guarded. It was simply Soothe, and they wouldn't ask her to change.
Eventually, however, all good times had to come to an end. Because you had to see.
You had to see.
You had to see.
You had to see.
"Here, we are!" Rhythm beamed, gesturing to Treeshroud Forest. The path was worn yet ancient. The trees curled in, the grass shifted in and out of existence, something creaked but wasn't there. It was quite the dungeon. You had to know.
"Do we… have to go in?" Soothe asked, but Rhythm's expression could not be refused. She sighed. "Alright." She sighed. You had to see.
Trill kept a worried look on her as they entered, the world's sounds being muted for a moment as they passed the threshold of the dungeon.
"Are you alright?" he asked, and she jumped.
"Fine," Soothe replied, ignoring her own sudden jump at the question. Trill gave her a dubious look. "I… don't want to talk about it." She doesn't want to talk about it.
It wouldn't help to talk.
When does talking ever help?
"It's no help to bottle things up," Trill suggested. Soothe frowned, looked away, before looking back.
"Yeah… yeah, okay. I'll talk, but not right now. Just… once we're done with this, I think we're going to need to focus."
She was not wrong. Feral pokémon came from every direction, and Soothe was forced to take up her old iron barb Trill had gifted her those years ago to avoid taxing herself using Dazzling Gleam. She needed the energy to heal her companions and herself.
The gauntlet was fierce, but they were fiercer. Trill spoke quietly to Rhythm when he could, bringing him up to speed with Soothe's current state. He nodded. They were both worried. She'd never been so jumpy besides the time they had met.
She'd never been as muted and possibly depressed for this long. Heh. Rhythm wondered if he should have turned them around or left upon finding the dungeon. But his wanderlust had carried them this far to new and exciting heights, and he resolved to make it up to her. You had to see.
He knew she loved tea, and he'd make her some. Never.
Even with Soothe holding back to heal, Rhythm distracted, and Trill worried, they were still a top tier team and fought their way through the dungeon regardless.
"Hoo!" Rhythm sighed when the scenery began to change. "That was a workout!"
"Quite," Trill replied, testing his wings. All the Grass and Bug-types had been most gentle on his ego. They waited for Soothe's comment, but she didn't say anythingyouhadtosee.
They exchanged a concerned look.
"Well," Rhythm said, "we're nearly at the end! That means we're going to have quite the story to tell. I'm thinking Kangaskhan back in Treasure Town might like to hear about all those diglett that tried to meld into a super diglett!"
"And Marowak will definitely wish to hear of what improvements we've made as battlers," Trill added.
Soothe, knowing exactly what they were doing, managed a smile. "Heh, you two are idiots," she said, fondly shaking her head at them. She had to see.
She had to see.
She had to see.
she had to see
She has to see.
Trill quirked his eye in a smile, and Rhythm sighed in relief. They stepped forward and found themselves at the end of the dungeon. Soothe opened her mouth to speakbegpleadapologisecryforhelp. "Hey, uh-"
When does talking ever help, when no one will listen?
"Woah…" Rhythm gasped, eyes falling on the cerulean light emanating from the centre of the area. There was ancient brickwork scattered around, some of it was overgrown, but other parts appeared well-kept.
"Is that…?" Trill gasped.
"A Time Gear!" Rhythm confirmed. "It's beautiful. Just as beautiful as the last one."
"Last one?" Trill murmured, transfixed.
"When I first met Lopunny, Medicham, and Gardevoir, we found one," Rhythm explained, eyes trained on the Time Gear. It was a beautiful thing, rotating incredibly slowly; it was almost impossible to detect.
As it turned, time ticked on.
Soothe stepped forward. She hadn't spoken a word since spotting the Time Gear, eyes trained on it nearly sightlessly.
She continued to walk forward, even when the light of this final destination began to dim.
"Stop!" a voice demanded, coming from everywhere at once. Soothe paused, and Trill and Rhythm snapped out of their dazes.
"Who's there?" Trill asked, looking around as if he could pinpoint the source of the voice.
The shadow that Soothe created began to lengthen, engorge, and stretch. Something red loomed as the shadow rippled, and from it, a creature emerged.
A plume of white was first spotted before two gleaming blue eyes, the same cerulean as the Time Gear, burned with distrust. Further, the creature rose, a spiky red growth around its neck pulsed, revealing a shadow-like body.
The creature finished emerging, from its tattered cloak-like ending emerged two stilt-like legs and its plume, as well as two long black tatters, began to ripple in an invisible wind.
"You will leave!" the creature growled, eyes shining ominously. "By the will of Treeshroud Forest's Guardian. You will leave and never speak of what you found here. It must remain hidden, for that is the will of Dialga."
Rhythm was the first to respond, and he agreed. "Of course," he said, bowing slightly. "This is not the first Time Gear I had witnessed, and I swore to keep the first hidden, and I will swear this one too shall remain unknown."
Trill blinked into sense next and nodded shakily. He wasn't sure what that creature was, but he didn't want to get on its bad side. "We shall not speak of this."
The creature turned to Soothe, frozen so still she could be mistaken to be lost in time. "And what of-"
It all happened in the span of a heartbeat, within a single blink. The guardian, turning to Soothe to ask her also to keep this a secret and perhaps finish with a warning to be sure. Rhythm, smiling to Soothe, knowing she too would keep this secret. Trill, taking the blink.
In Soothe's hand, she still gripped the iron barb Trill had given to her as a sign of their bond, and she used that metal spike to stab the guardian in the chest.
The heartbeat passed as the guardian reeled back, stunned at the attack. Soothe had moved so fast, so unnaturally fast, and plunged the spike with all her strength, breaking through whatever 'skin' this creature had.
It may have appeared to be shadowy, but there were flesh and blood beneath. The guardian screamed and tried to force his attacker back, first with a burst of energy, then with a shock of electricity, lastly just with his arms.
The first two had no effect, and Sooth ripped the ironbark out and stabbed the guardian several more times before its desperate flails managed to throw her off.
It flew back, legs disappearing, sagging drunkenly as it did so. Its levitation failed, and the guardian hit the ground, before trying to crawl away.
Soothe recovered and charged back after it. She hadn't muttered a word or made even a squeak of sound as she mauled it.
Trill and Rhythm could not believe what had happened. Happening so fast, neither of them had stepped in to pull her off, but now that she was going for a second round, Trill would not stand for this.
"SOOTHE!" he screeched and flew after her, faster than she could spring. "STOP! STOP! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"
He grabbed her shoulders with his talons and tried to heave her back as Rhythm also began to move, seeing how the hand holding the spike began to move.
"TRILL!"
Rhythm reached the pair and tore the chatot off the audino's back, leaving deep scratches in her shoulders. He did this just in time, as Soothe had spun around to stab the offending creature trying to stop her.
He had saved Trill but took a stab to the belly for his troubles.
"Ah," Rhythm gasped, almost quietly. It hurt, yes, but not as much as it should have. There was too much adrenaline, too much shock, too much horror, to notice one's own stab wounds.
Soothe froze. Her eyes, having gone completely blank, flicked up to meet Rhythm's. She jerked back, pulling the barb out and dropping it. She took a step back as Rhythm crumpled.
"I…" Soothe said, staring at Rhythm in horror. She looked down, spotting the blood on her hands, on her chest. None of it was her own.
"Rhythm!" Trill was by the wigglytuff's side, holding him up as Rhythm continued to sag like a deflating balloon. Blood leaked from the stab wound, but it simply oozed out. Trill managed to stem the bleeding as Soothe shook in place.
"What have you done?" Trill demanded, looking up at Soothe in horrified fury. She was staring down at the ground again, shaking in place, until a groan from the guardian behind them seemed to jolt her. Finish it.
She turned around, spotting the mass of darkness still trying to drag itself to safety. She picked up the iron barb and charged after it.
The creature's screams would stay with Trill his entire life.
Rhythm grabbed his wing, which pressed a rag to his round, and pried it away. His face set, and he ran forward, refusing to let this go on any longer.
Trill sat frozen as Rhythm began to battle Soothe.
The wigglytuff was in a league of his own, and very few combatants could hope to match him in a fair fight. But this was not a fair fight.
Rhythm was sobbing, convulsing with grief, as he tried to knock Soothe out. He wouldn't do anything harder. This was his friend; this was his partner; this was the one who saved Trill's life; they had shared so many good times.
So, he pulled his punches, couldn't stop weeping long enough to Sing, and forced the Yoom-TAH down within where it couldn't hurt her.
Soothe, however, would not go down. Each blow disappeared as she healed herself, slashes from her iron barb left more and worse wounds across Rhythm's body, and there was no hesitation, no restraint, no mercy in her eyes now.
There was nothing at all in her eyes now.
Trill got a hold of himself and spread his wings. Rhythm was hurt; he should not be fighting; he would do it. He swooped in, aiming to take Soothe's iron barb and deprive her of her only real weapon.
Rhythm grabbed him before he could get too close. "Forgive me," he whispered before clocking Trill on the head, sending his vision into blankness as the sound began to cease. He was losing consciousness.
He set the chatot down gently, taking a stab to the side from Soothe in his delicacy. He grunted, pained, but didn't react further.
Soothe pulled it out and went for another. He caught her arm, met her eyes.
"Yoom," Rhythm whispered as Trill completely blacked out. "TAH!"
Chatot sat on the top spot in Treasure Town, resting.
He was fine, physically, at least.
Emotionally? Mentally? Not so much.
The last thing he remembered with Wigglytuff's earth-shattering Yoom-TAH at Treeshroud Forest and the next was waking up, far away from the dungeon, to his partner tending his minor injuries.
Partner, now. It was just the two of them.
Chatot asked, exactly once, what happened. Wigglytuff did not answer. Did not look him in the eyes. Did not speak at all, even for several days besides brief sentences.
They walked, they weren't sure when for a while. The roads led back to Treasure Town, and the two decided it'd be a good place to stick around for a while.
There were questions, of course, about what happened. What happened to the lavender audino? Where was she? What had happened to them? Why won't they talk about it?
The residents were nosy, but they soon got the message that it was not to be discussed. Ever.
So they remained. Days turned to weeks. Their presence began to spread, and pokémon came to Treasure Town to seek their aid or their advice.
They were a pair of well-known explorers, after all. A pair. That is what they were; that's all they were.
In time, Wigglytuff had something interesting to ask.
"What if… we stayed here?" he asked as they stared over the horizon. The waves sounded lovely this time of night. A scar on his stomach from an iron barb was mostly covered by regrown fur. It was the only scar he had.
"Here?" Chatot replied, thinking it over. "This is a lovely place. What of your wanderlust, however?"
Wigglytuff smiled, it was not a happy smile, and Chatot felt a flash of guilt. That legendary wanderlust had gotten the two of them into many troublesome situations.
The three of them had gotten out of them.
But there were two, now. Just two. Only two.
"I think I'm a little tired," Wigglytuff replied. He did seem tired, but what of Chatot couldn't be entirely certain.
"Hm."
"What if we started a guild?" Wigglytuff asked suddenly. The idea was met with a flash of pain, but it was a nostalgic kind of pain.
Who had suggested that?
"A guild would be a great deal of work," Chatot pointed out. "Apprentices to train, building to construct, money and resources and a lot of paperwork."
"You love paperwork," Wigglytuff teased, grinning.
Chatot couldn't help but smile back. "You've got me there."
The two shared a smile, sitting with exactly one audino's worth of distance between them. They stared out to the horizon, to a kinder time, to a teasing suggestion made on this very cliff.
"Training the next generation…" Trill murmured.
Rhythm smiled. "Sounds like fun."
"Sounds stressful," Trill corrected, "so many young pokémon. Hormones and unyielding behaviour…"
"So many new pokémon to meet," Rhythm giggled, "so many stories to share and laughter to be had."
"Treasure Town could certainly use something like a guild," Trill murmured. "It certainly would put it on the map."
"The pokémon here deserve a safer place," Rhythm said, looking up. Bandits weren't common out here, but it is just a simple town meant there was very little to dissuade dangerous pokémon from coming around to take what they wanted.
"Kangaskhan would love to meet new grandchildren," Trill laughed, "Marowak might finally get some trainees of his own."
"A guild could be great," Rhythm said, waving his arms up. "Build into this very cliff! We could have three stories underground, but pokémon could still see the outside!"
"Preposterous," Trill laughed, "underground but able to see the outside."
"It'd have to be bright," Rhythm said, he didn't like the dark anymore.
"I'll sing you to sleep," Trill added, he had started to do so after Rhythm's nightmares started keeping them both up.
"It could have a big wigglytuff face with chatot feathers!" Rhythm giggled, making odd gestures. "Looming over the place. It'd be the creepiest thing ever, but it'd be ours."
"We could put a sentry grate," Trill laughed, "read pokémon's footprints to tell what they are."
They chuckled together. These were all ideas that were silly, bizarre, and even a bit weird. They were all things Soothe had said."
"Do you want to?" Rhythm asked as the sun dipped below the horizon.
Trill took his time to respond. It wasn't his way to jump into anything without any thought, even if his time spent with Rhythm was filled with jumping into things without thought.
"Yes," he answered, quirking his eye in a smile, "I do."
You had to know.
And there we are. This was just as much Wigglytuff AND Soothe's chapter, but this is in Chatot's honour. Still miss that cranky old bird? I do.
So, I'd like to thank you all once more! Love you all. Never thought I'd make a story worth making special chapters about, but here we are :)
Next, an answer to Setech since I was unable to answer another way. Yes! I have plenty of moments in planning for Scout and Guardian to interact. Guardian definitely desperately will want to reconnect once this whole mess is resolved, and he has his son back. And also, thank you tremendously for all your wonderful reviews! The sad boy-band will get happy soon enough!
Lastly… just… haha. I don't know what it is exactly, but writing the end of this chapter has actually left me a bit misty. Chatot had many years filled with stress, annoyance, frustration, and, most of all, happiness in the guild. He may have seemed low-key annoyed all the time, and he kinda was, but he was happy.
We didn't really see much of him before Wigglytuff. It didn't really fit in to show, he was mostly just a wandering soul. He'd do bureaucratic work for towns he visited, figuring out what needed to be done and/or obtained before moving on. He never felt satisfied doing just that.
The time exploring with Wigglytuff did, but he was never quite as home as he was at the guild. He lived for the guild and, well, he'd die for the guild. Wigglytuff, however, never really lost his wanderlust, but he blamed himself pretty heavily for Soothe going crazy and so forced himself to let it go.
Don't be fooled; he loved the guild and training the apprentices and Treasure Town. He just missed going out on missions himself. It's why he loves the expeditions so much.
That's about all I have to say. Not sure when the next special will be out. Until then, have a wonderful day!