And things are moving again! This is a big chapter. Was almost going to be even bigger, but I split it into two. A bit of combat in it, too.
Things are going faster...
Regice fell back and onto its back, beeping pitifully before falling silent.
"Oh thank the heavens," Sean groaned, wrists and palms stinging. "Quickly!" They ran past the downed legendary and further along.
Only to find another puzzle, a brown pillar instead of a blue one. "Ugh…" Saniya moaned, this is the worst."
"Let's take a break," Guardian suggested. "Have something to eat."
"At least we're more prepared for this next one," Striker said. "Rock, right? This should be Regirock, at least that means Saniya and I can be a bigger help."
The next run through the caves wasn't as horrifically scarring. They already had an R stone from the very first unown they fought, and simply hadn't discarded it.
Knowing what they were doing left Team Sunrise a finely-honed engine of destruction and they charged off to Regirock without delay.
Only to find it already defeated.
"Intru-tru-tru. Uuuueeep." Regirock was trying to get up, but it had been blasted a little to pieces. Feeling sorry for it, Saniya levitated some of its rocks over its main body to help it put itself back together. "You m-may go on-on-onwards," it said, they were already going.
"Steel," Sean said, barely even bothering to read the third pillar, steel coloured as well. They already had two E's, having figured out what was needed thanks to Regirock.
And Sean knew how to spell, which was handy.
Knowing that Team Charm was already on their way, they picked up the pace. Never once did they run into the other team, but there was a trail of unown in a couple of run-around through the third level.
"Come on, come on, come on," Sean said, everyone, closing their eyes once they had the needed stones. The light flashed, and a staircase was revealed.
As well as Team Charm.
"Oh!" Lopunny said, jumping up. They were just returning from the dungeon. "You're quick, aren't you?"
Team Sunrise glanced at each other, then at Team Charm.
They giggled. "For fairness sake," Gardevoir said, levitating five stones. L. "We have them too. Shall we then go on together?"
"It'll be fun friendly-friends!" Wigglytuff beamed, opening his arms as if he was going to hug them. "Regirock was a tough one, so imagine what's down there!"
"Registeel," Saniya said. "Hm. Well?" She looked quizzically at the others.
Guardian nodded. "Registeel may be a final opponent. But it also may not be." There was another titan, after all.
Team Charm nodded but stepped forth regardless. "Then let's take this one on together and race to the end!"
Sharing nods the two teams descended to Registeel's chamber.
As they entered a robotic voice called out. "Observation: This is a great opportunity for slaughter."
"There is eight of us," Sean said as everyone prepared for battle.
"The team that takes it down gets drinks bought by the other team!" Lopunny called.
"Fair enough!" Saniya shouted.
Registeel raised its arms. "Defiant Statement: There is nothing you can do to meeee. Do. Your. Worst."
Striker boosted Sean, and Lopunny sprung up. Gardevoir telekinetically boosted Lopunny down, and Medicham also began to sprint.
Lopunny's High Jump Kick crashed into Registeel's smooth face and tilted it before Sean impacted it with a Force Palm and blew it back, crashing onto its back and rolling.
Striker went underground right after boosting Sean and Guardian pulled the riolu back with a tendril of shadow, trading places with him as Saniya began to fly fast in the air.
Medicham and Guardian both slammed into Registeel next. One with a hand blazing with fire, the other's hand enveloped in a green, rotating, spiral. They knocked it back as Striker burst out from behind it and crashed into its back, knocking it forwards.
Saniya and Gardevoir grabbed Registeel in Psychic, holding it up before flinging it back as Wigglytuff came barrelling forth.
"Yoom!" He built up power as Registeel was thrown at him. "TAH!" Wigglytuff punched Registeel as well and his massive Hyper Voice combined with the punch to nearly blowing a hole in the legendary.
It was torn through the double Psychic hold and crunched through the dungeon wall—the nearly indestructible dungeon wall.
The reverberating crash stung their ears before everything fell silent, the remains of the echo ringing in their ears.
Registeel slowly pulled themselves out. "Understanding: Ah." Then it collapsed.
Nothing happened at first before Saniya raised a hand. "Who wins? Wigglytuff is our Guildmaster."
"Us, obviously," Lopunny laughed. "Wigglytuff is a member of Team Charm after all! Hee-hee-hee!"
Team Charm all ran together and shared a series of complicated high fives that involved backflips and limbo movements.
"Yay, that was fun!" Wigglytuff beamed, laughing. "You're really strong too!" he said, smiling to Team Sunrise. "We had a bit more trouble with Regirock!"
"Well, obviously we're ARE the best," Saniya said, brushing an imaginary lock of hair out of her face. "Anyway… WE'RE GOING TO BE FIRST!"
She psychically grabbed the others and raced off over Registeel. Quickly being pursued by Team Charm.
Slowly, Registeel got back. "Annoyance: We weren't finished! Come back!"
But they were already gone.
Registeel crossed its arms and decided to sulk.
Unlike before, there was no pillar, and the dungeon just continued. A few different pokémon began to show up beyond the unown. Hitmonlee and bronzong made their kicks and rain calling known to Team Sunrise's joy and happiness.
They were bruised from many kicks to the body and drenched in water. So many unown had attacked them. An entire line of them had spelled ou before Guardian dispelled them. They were in the process of spelling more words, something starting with D, but he didn't want to see it.
"You are our crutch. Our saviour. Our Guardian," Saniya said, draping herself over the dusknoir. "Keep making these nasty things go away. Whoever said words can't hurt, you never came to this pit of despair."
"Sticks and stones will break my bones," Sean said, voice dull and lifeless. "But words will break my spirit."
"Yeah, Lucario really did almost break our bones, didn't she?" Striker asked, feeling the phantom pain of those Bone Rush's.
"That wasn't what I meant," Sean said, but nodded. "But you're right."
"How long is this dungeon?" Saniya whined. "We've been in here for almost a whole day. Or a week. Or a month. Have we ever not been in this place? Is everything else just a dream and we're trapped in an endless corridor of letters and high pitched 'unoooooown' screeches?"
"It's been about four/five hours," Striker said flatly.
"Oh, what would know? I'm the Timekeeper!"
"You're the time traveller," Striker said. "Who can't do that anymore."
"Oh, what climbed itself down your throat to whine today because you sound awfully punchable?"
"Must have been you."
"Children," Guardian said, raising his hands. "Please."
"We're just having fun," Saniya giggled. Striker also allowed a smile and Guardian lowered his arms. "LET ME AT HIM!" she screeched and tackled Striker before Guardian could block her.
Before he went to force them apart, Sean caught his arm. "They are just having fun," he pointed out, and Guardian noticed they were both smiling and laughing.
"Ah."
Saniya giggled and fluttered off Striker, helping him to his feet. "You owe me 37 Poké now!" she said, blindingly pleased with herself and stretched her hand out.
"Pardon?" Guardian demanded. He never lost any bet to Saniya ever.
"I bet you eighteen days ago that I could trick you into thinking I was mad at Striker. And I did."
"Eighteen…?" Guardian blinked, he vaguely remembered this. "You… well, very well then."
"I'm rich!" Saniya crowed, raising the money to the sky. "RICH!"
"Ahem." Striker cleared his throat.
"Don't be difficult Strikey-wikey," Saniya said, flashing him a charming grin. "Only one of us can be rich in this group."
"You owe me half."
"I OWE YOU NOTHING!" Saniya flew off, and Team Sunrise pursued. She played cat and mouse with them until the dungeon began to change, in which she immediately rejoined them.
"Of thank Dialga's tacky piercing. Have you SEEN that chest diamond?" Saniya scoffed. "Please let this be the end."
"There you are!" A voice from behind them took their attention, and Team Charm came hopping, running, floating, and rolling towards them.
"Good grief you are quick," Gardevoir said, panting and lowering to her feet. She couldn't run like the others, she had to float herself, but that was draining as well.
"I used my mastery in deception to get us ahead," Saniya explained, immensely smug and pleased with herself and her actions in life.
"Wow you guys," Wigglytuff beamed, panting himself. It was only himself and Gardevoir panting, Lopunny and Medicham were not winded at all. "You've learned a lot at the guild!"
"Sure have," Sean said kindly, cutting off all other three members of his team from saying something else. "Thank you for that."
"Okay, look," Medicham said. "We're all tired of this place."
"I'm not!" Wigglytuff said.
"All of us who are sane," Medicham corrected. "Are sick of this place. We both took out a titan and teamed up on the last one. If we agree to split the treasure…? Let's just go together."
"I think NOT!" Saniya declared. "I've tasted the ambrosia of wealth, and I must have more, more, MORE!"
She presented her 37 Poké as if it was all the money in the world. To Saniya, it literally was all the money in her world.
Team Charm, minus Wigglytuff, nodded. "Yes… I understand," Gardevoir said, gently. "Think of how fun it might be to face the final challenge together?"
"Hmm."
Lopunny giggled. "Come on, girls… and Rhythm. We don't need their help."
That made Saniya gasp. "Oh, I'll show you! We can take out anything with all eight of us. ANYTHING!"
"Then let's go," Lopunny challenged and hopped off, Saniya pursuing in the air.
The rest of Team Charm and Sunrise convened. "She knows how to handle Saniya pretty well," Sean said.
"We explored with Wigglytuff for years," Medicham pointed out.
"Ah. That makes sense."
"Doesn't it?" Wigglytuff beamed before blinking. "Wait, what makes sense?"
They carried on, running after the pair just in case they saw fit to anger a beast on their own.
The final chamber of Aegis Cave was massive.
"Ooh… wow," Sean said as they stepped in. It was a massive coliseum, stretching out many meters and creating a dome-like roof.
There were crumbling statues, long since reduced to rubble, dotted around the room—doors that had collapsed, walls that had collapsed as well.
This was once more than just one room, but an extensive collection of them. And writing. There was writing on the walls—thousands upon thousands of lines. Gardevoir looked ill at ease, glancing around sharply and holding close to Medicham and Wigglytuff.
They walked forward, as Lopunny and Saniya were ahead, stopped before the largest pillar they had seen. It was pure white instead of the blue, brown, and steel colours that the previous pillars had respectably been.
There was writing on it too, but a lot more than the previous ones. They hadn't carried all the stones to spell out Regigigas yet, with the one run through not being nearly enough.
And yet perhaps they didn't need them. For the past, the pillar stood a huge throne. And upon the throne, was Regigigas.
"I can't read this," Saniya said, once they arrived.
"I know a little," Lopunny said. "But same, this doesn't make a lick of sense to me."
They stepped aside for Sean and Wigglytuff, and they came up to the stone.
Sean read it in silence, Wigglytuff humming under his breath while the others watched Regigigas for movement.
"This doesn't… make sense," Sean said, closing his eyes.
"He's right," Wigglytuff agreed, nodding. "Kokumin no saigo no tangan. Keikoku o kiku? I don't understand this."
"Neither do I." Sean shook his head. "It's written in Unown Language, but…" his eyes flicked over it some more. "Part of it down here kinda looks like stuff I know." He pointed near the bottom. "Cine wærword… warning?"
"I don't like that you're getting a warning from this," Striker said, coming up behind them. He also looked over it, but like the others, he couldn't make any real sense.
They stepped back.
"So, where's the treasure then?" Medicham said, looking around. "We've got a big stone and a bigger legendary that hasn't moved. Lots of doors."
"D O ... N O T."
Everyone flinched as the massive sound crashed over them.
"What was that?" Medicham yelled.
"D O ... N O T." The words came again, and everyone looked to the likely suspect.
Regigigas' fingers were moving. Its holes on its body, its eyes perhaps, were flickering on and off. It wasn't the bright flashes from the beginning of the dungeon, however. These flickerings were weak, dim, and lasted only a short time.
"Woah," Medicham said as Lopunny dashed forth, taking the forefront position.
"Have at thee, ancient legend!" she called loudly, voice echoing far through the room. "I had best warn you of something." She smirked before flashing a confident look behind her. "We are Team Charm accompanied by Team Sunrise. We have soundly defeated your titans to stake claim to whatever ancient treasure awaits us."
Saniya took offence at being merely accompanying Lopunny but didn't say anything.
"D O ... N O T," Regigigas said again.
"Do not what?" Lopunny returned. "Do not fight? We agree. You shouldn't fight. I must warn you, he." She pointed right at Wigglytuff without so much as glancing back. "He may be Wiggly-Tough. But I assure you he can get very Wiggly-Rough with our foes."
Gardevoir and Medicham immediately groaned and sagged to the ground as Wigglytuff giggled.
"Oh my gosh, I forgot she used to say that," Medicham sighed, holding her head in horror.
"Memories best left locked away in the backs of our heads," Gardevoir agreed, covering her face.
Saniya decided she did like Lopunny and giggled.
"D O ... N O T." Regigigas was trying to get up but seemed unable to move much.
"Uh… are you going to say anything else?" Lopunny asked. "Like… where the treasure is?"
" ... E," Regigigas said, finally something else. " ... ... I S."
"Yes?"
"D O ... N O T." Regigigas continued to squirm.
"Ookay," Lopunny said, backing off. She turned back to the others and shrugged. "I'm not sure."
"It seems to be moving more and more," Sean pointed out. Regigigas couldn't stand, couldn't even raise its arms, but it was moving. The lights were still flashing and flickering, but the flickering was less common now. It seemed to be gaining strength.
"I would just like to point out," Saniya said, raising a hand. "The titans were small fry. I don't like to draw on the greater Celebi memory, because it's just awful and I feel like I'm drowning. But Regigigas is a LOT more powerful, it takes a bit to get going but if it does want to fight us we probably shouldn't."
She eyed its twitching hands. "Those hands could crush us into a paste if it gets a hold of us. This isn't a pokémon we want to fight if we can help it."
"D O ... N O T," Regigigas said again, its legs were beginning to move now. "D O ... N O T," it continued, faster and more urgently.
"Is there any treasure here or not?" Lopunny said, turning back. "Gardevoir, can you sense anything?"
She shook her head. "It's all blocked out by Regigigas. All I can sense is it. It was small at first, but even before that, I couldn't feel much. This place is… haunted, I think."
"Ghost's?" Saniya shrieked. Guardian gave her a Look.
"No. Metaphorically, but perhaps no less dangerous."
Lopunny reached them. "What do you think then?"
Gardevoir looked troubled. "I think we should go," she answered. "Whatever these walls say, I don't like it. And Regigigas is rousing, it's clearly agitated, and Celebi is correct. We do not want to fight it."
Lopunny nodded. "Dammit. Alright."
"No fight?" Wigglytuff said, a little disappointed.
"Not against this one, big buy," Medicham said. He sighed and nodded.
"D O ... N O T! ... D O ... N O T! ... D O ... N O T!" Regigigas was repeating, it was beginning to pull itself up off the throne.
Wigglytuff hesitated. "I'm not sure. What if it wants to say something more?"
"D O ... N O T."
He stepped forth, even as Lopunny grabbed his arm. "Regigigas, is there something you want to say?"
"D O ... N O T... D-D O ... N O T." It raised its hands, a light was burning there before burning all around it. A Hidden Power.
"Okay, let's go," Saniya said, getting very nervous. She grabbed Guardian and Striker's hands, and Lopunny pulled Wigglytuff away. The eight pokémon quickly left the way they had come.
"D O ... N O T!" Regigigas called after them. It rose from the chair but fell back down, and the whole dungeon seemed to shake.
It spurred them on faster, and the titan saw them disappear into the winds of the dungeon.
"D O ... N O T," it repeated, still trying to get up. "D O ... N O T." It was beginning to sag. Its strength was returning, but also leaving. "D O … N O T … G O."
They were already gone. Regigigas fell back as its lights flickered off and the dungeon became silent once more.
Armaldo was greatly relieved when Team Charm and Team Sunrise showed up the next day.
Team Ion got up from bed, enjoying sleeping in their own beds again in a big fluffy pile. When they reached the foyer, however, they found that the guild was fully assembled.
That was usually no surprise, although Rai often was one of the first pokémon awake, what was more surprising is that everyone was waiting for them.
Everyone. Ara. Team Sunrise, Wigglytuff and Team Charm, even Lucario and Scizor. Only Sunflora was missing, but she was here in thought and spirit.
"You passed the graduation exam!" Wigglytuff positively beamed and clapped a thunderous clap, shaking the air.
Loudred and Lucario tossed sparkles into the air as the guild erupted in cheers.
"The newcomers, they did it first!"
"Making us look bad, you guys."
"I'm so gosh darn happy for you!"
"Yeah, well we'll get there too."
"Hey! Don't forget us when you're in the wide world."
"Or where you've come from."
"Congratulations!" Wigglytuff cheered again. "You three have done it! You've passed the graduation exam!" He gave a genuine, exuberant cheer, not a hint of putting it on. Which was nice, lately it didn't seem so real. "You did it!"
"Always knew you could do it!"
"Shinx, Litleo, Meowth. There was never any doubt."
"Look at little Shinx now, he's all grown up!"
"Shinx! Shinx! Shinx!" This started a chant for Rai and Scout, and Mane beamed at their teammate and joined in.
Scout was blushing, Mane was grinning, and Rai was tearing up a little.
"Y-you guys," he sniffled.
Guardian also burst into tears. "My boy," he sobbed and then launched himself, taking Scout up in a huge hug. "I missed so much of your life because of my own selfish actions."
Scout was startled. Not only was it surprising seeing anyone from Team Sunrise again this morning, but just being set upon by Guardian triggered some old things.
Like a particular chase in the guild and a sudden grab.
But he relaxed pretty quickly. He didn't lie to Lucario when he told her his memories of being Scout had effectively become clear to him. He remembered how much he had loved Guardian, but also how painful it was when he betrayed them. Not even a paradox could take that kind of memory away.
He was still willing to work on their relationship, though, so he shelved the vague discomfort and embraced the older, smaller, part of him that wanted nothing more than to hug Guardian back.
Even Armaldo didn't interrupt Guardian's break of composure, although was tempted to. Wigglytuff was smiling fondly at them, so he put it aside until Guardian could remember he was in a fairly large crowd.
Sunflora wasn't here, which actually might be okay since this might not spread to the entire town in a single afternoon.
He slowly put Scout down, and something squeezed inside him when Scout didn't seem to want to be put down, but they did separate.
"Good to see you," Scout said, a little choked up.
Then Saniya was upon him, and the organisation fell apart. Lucario laughed at it, this happened quite a lot in her experience.
The apprentices began to talk about Team Ion's exploits. From Corphish bragging about knowing they were something special in the Limestone Quarry exploration ages back.
"Hey, you didn't see how much both of them could take and dish out even back then!"
Striker telling the story of teaching Scout Night Slash. And also the story of reteaching him. "Even the first time he picked it up alright, took a while since he was so happy but negative emotion is easier and in large supply where we came from."
Bidoof talked about seeing them grow and improve as both explorers and pokémon. "I reckon none of us really wanted to give Litleo a chance and we are a bit funny about Meowth at first too." Loudred had to clear his throat awkwardly. "But I reckon you've really come a long, long, way!"
And Scout, for the first time in quite a while, talked about Chatot.
"He was always looking out for me," Scout said, softly to Wigglytuff and anyone who was really listening. Guardian especially was paying attention. "Made sure I was alright, gave me warnings of trouble. I trusted him… I guess more than I trusted anyone."
Guardian gave him a gentle stroke, the same way Scout always loved when he was younger. "I'm glad you had someone," he said softly. He understood, with the void left by his betrayal and Sean and Striker being young themselves, Scout had seen someone else to take his role.
He certainly didn't blame Chatot, he would have thanked him if he had the chance for caring for his son when he was unworthy too.
"Trill always did try to do that," Rhythm said, smiling softly. "He liked to pretend that he was just the bookkeeper and that I was the one looking after everyone, but… but he always was the kind to look after others. Since we… he couldn't have children, I felt like he thought of the guild as his family. I do as well, but he was far better than me."
He gave Scout a hug. "Now, let's get a move on!" He smiled, it was a genuinely happy one. "After all, Team Ion has graduated from the Wigglytuff Guild! First graduates in a while at that!"
Hearing this, Armaldo spoke up. "Following today, you will no longer be bound by the guild's regulations. No quota you have to meet or distance you can't travel. You are free to operate entirely on your own, but with assistance from the guild if you ever ask for it."
"You'll receive from the federation soon," Wigglytuff sang, twirling around them. "Denoting your new position!"
"Does this mean we no longer have to give up 90% of our earnings?" Mane asked, he was uncomfortable with the amount of kindness he was getting. He found it suspicious.
"Nope," Wigglytuff replied. "That doesn't change."
"Of course," Mane sighed, rolling his eyes. Scout and Rai already knew that and didn't comment.
With Team Ion graduating, everyone was given a day off to celebrate the occasion as per Wigglytuff's orders. There was always a day off when this happened.
"Ah… the last pokémon to graduate from here was Ponyta, now of Team Flame," Wigglytuff hummed later. "I hear he's doing well."
His air of contentment was not allowed to last, however. Armaldo had told Wigglytuff Team Ion had returned before he had a chance to say anything else, and the Guildmaster would not be distracted after that.
Now that the day was moving on and things were winding down, he pulled Wigglytuff into his chambers to talk.
Team Charm was still around, entertaining the guild with stories, no one would miss them for a few minutes.
"So," Wigglytuff said. "What's happened?"
"I have two pieces of bad news," Armaldo replied. "Team Ion reported back with a frightening revelation. Luminous Springs is active again, but the being that watches over it revealed a truth of the distortion that Scout told us of. It's not additive, each person doubles it. And apparently, Shinx also is causing distortion, I have no idea why. Perhaps just his excursion into Temporal Tower caused it."
Wigglytuff nodded. "The tower was collapsing, and he did mention that time briefly stopped entirely."
"That's the best guess I have."
"If that was the first thing you said, then you've got worse news don't you?" Wigglytuff knew Armaldo well. He was the kind to start bad and get worse.
"Team Go-Getters is missing," Armaldo groaned. "We received a request for help yesterday from Evertrail Town. They disappeared three days ago, four days now, in the Vastswallow Dungeon, a recent one that has appeared close to that town."
"Is that why Sunflora isn't here?" Wigglytuff asked, worry in his eyes.
Armaldo nodded. "I didn't know what to do at first. I would have preferred to send Team Sunrise, or perhaps Ion. But another team showed up with them, Team Gazer. They offered to go, and I sent Sunflora with them."
"You think it's a trap then?" Wigglytuff asked.
"I couldn't discount the possibility. Even if it isn't, a dungeon that took them down is no simple endeavour."
Wigglytuff sighed and closed his eyes. "Remember when things were simple?" he asked, eyes still closed. "Time had been saved, we were healing."
Armaldo sat down by his old student. "Rhythm. I asked Team Charm to come around because you are not okay."
Rhythm gave a brief, mirthless, laugh. "I knew you were cuddly under all that armour."
Armaldo snorted. "Hardly. I can't have you having a breakdown in the middle of mounting disaster."
"I'll be fine, teacher," Rhythm replied, giving Armaldo a genuine smile. "Thank you for asking them to come by. It helped me remember some things… why I used to love adventuring and exploring."
"Did you ever forget?" Armaldo asked.
"I suppose I must have," Rhythm replied, before nodding. "I miss them."
"Both of them?"
"Of course."
Armaldo was quiet. "If… if we were to find Soothe and there was no doubt that she was a Shadow Pokémon, you realise she would have to die?"
Rhythm was silent. "That doesn't really help, you know?"
"It's the truth," Armaldo barked. "You have to face it eventually."
Rhythm's eyes slid off him and to the floor. "When she first snapped. When she killed that pokémon and attacked Trill when he tried to stop her, I thought I would have to." His eyes were far away. "I had to knock Trill out. Soothe was always smart, smart and vicious. He wanted to help, but he'd just get hurt in the process."
His paws traced the scar under his fur. "That's where that came from?" Armaldo asked, noticing. Rhythm had never told him where that scar came from.
"Yes." He nodded. "She stabbed me when I pulled Trill back. And for a moment, she was shocked. I know she was."
"Shocked that you'd risk yourself." Came the scoff.
"Shocked that she'd stabbed me," Rhythm corrected. "I know you don't believe me. I know you think I'm naïve and you're right. I am."
"Admitting it is the first step," Armaldo grouched, knowing that wasn't true in this case. Rhythm smiled at him.
"If Soothe is a Shadow Pokémon," Rhythm said. "Then she has to be stopped. Entirely. I know that. I'm not stupid, no matter how much I wish I was. I know imprisonment isn't enough, I know what I mean when I say entirely I just have trouble saying it. Forgive me for something that soft."
Armaldo was quiet, waiting.
"But there is something different," Rhythm continued. "Scout doesn't know about her. She likely caused Darkrai to become like this. And somehow, someway, she's still alive despite the paradox. I don't think whatever is going on with her is as simple as we'd want it to be."
Armaldo gave a sigh. "Nothing ever is simple," he admitted. "But there are simple answers."
"The simple answer isn't always the right one," Rhythm replied. "If I'm wrong, and there is a good chance I am, then yes. Do what has to be done. But if I'm right…?"
"What then?"
Rhythm closed his eyes. "I don't know," he admitted.
Armaldo came to his feet. "You'd better figure it out then," he said. "One way or another, you will have to do something about this."
Rhythm nodded, and Armaldo left the room.
There was one final thing to do to mark off their graduation.
Lucario tapped her Bone Rush on Croagunk's Swap Cauldron, calling for order.
Once things fell silent, not immediately, which almost pleased her. They were getting used to her presence, even if most of the guild still stared at her in reverence.
"Team Ion," Lucario said, giving Sean a grin and a wink. He suddenly looked very sorry for them. "It is time."
She strode forth and poled Scout in the belly with the end of her Bone Rush. "I've reunited with Carapace. I've knocked the angst out of Sean. Now it's time for my last little job."
"And… what is that?" Scout asked nervously. "You want to battle us, don't you?"
Lucario's broad grin was one of nightmares. "Time to beat the catnip out of the three of you."
She jumped back and raised her Bone Rush, shaping it into an Aura Blade. "I will see you in Beach Cave. Seems like the fairest place to fight."
Rai and Mane did not look thrilled. Saniya began to prepare funeral cloth for them. Armaldo also didn't look thrilled at the damage about to be done to the guild.
While Chimecho, in Sunflora's absence, taking bets. Ara bet that Lucario wouldn't take a single hit.
"Fight… us? Why?"
"Because we saved the world?" Scout asked.
"What The Fanboy said," Keira replied, giving Scout a nod. "So. Come on. Inferior Cat and Screwy Louie. Fight me."
"Wait," Rai said. "What?"
"Did you just call me a fanboy?" Scout asked.
Mane just laughed.
Keira gestured at them vaguely. "You're Inferior Cat," she said, straight to Rai's face. "Screwy Louie is pretty obvious." She then looked at Scout. "And The Fanboy is also obvious. My names are very straightforward."
"Fanboy of who?" Scout pressed.
"Team Rocket," she replied, scoffing. "And trust me. Trust me. They are FAR more annoying in person. You're a fanboy of a rather poor group of people. Both in money, taste, and quality."
"You're mean."
"And imma bout to beat you up!"
"What if we say no?" Scout asked.
Rai gave him a Look. "No?" he asked, shocked. "We are getting challenged by The Legendary Lucario, You don't say NO to The Legendary Lucario!"
"I'm going to knock you out first if you keep that up," she warned.
"So. Who wants to bet I can take you out in one shot? Keira asked, facing the guild.
"…Each?" Scout asked.
Keira looked at him blankly. "Sure. That."
She smiled and formed a Bone Rush, the shining rod of magical bone sending light to splash against the walls. "See, two of you are weak to Ground-type attacks. The other is weak to Fighting." She blinked at Mane. "And one of you is weak to both, that's rough."
"Wiggly-Rough?" Lopunny called, before giving a whistle.
Lucario gave her a blank look. "I hear you're strong too. I'll beat you up later."
Guardian raised his hand. "With all due respect, Lucario," he said, without gravity at all in her name. She smiled at him. "Team Ion have just graduated and... no offence to them, but you would almost certainly win. This isn't really the time for a battle."
She considered his words for a moment, the members of Team Ion weren't looking to happy at the prospect of fighting her on their big night. Thankfully, she nodded. "Alright. Fine. Tomorrow then. I can be their first graduate challenge!"
That was a pleasant thought that they'd sleep to tonight, but not fighting her tonight relaxed the team and the festivities continued.
Guardian and Keira had an arm wrestling competition that went on until they broke the table underneath them. Striker was dared to kiss Saniya. Sean regaled Bidoof, Flaaffy, Marill, and Paras with exciting stories, and Team Ion spent the night laughing.
Once everything was all said and done, there was only one thing left for Rai to say. "I guess that means we're moving out of the guild?"
"You can stay one more night if you want," Wigglytuff said, always the charitable one.
But to his surprise, Team Ion shook their heads.
"We already talked about how last night was our last night here," Scout said.
"Yeah." Mane nodded. "So." He got a bump from Rai. "We." Another bump and Scout jabbed him. "Slept." Mane rolled his eyes. "Nice and long all night."
"Thank you for letting us sleep in, though." Rai smiled.
"Always appreciated." Scout also smiled.
"Ah… dammit." Corphish suddenly jumped them. "I'll miss you three!"
Loudred burst into tears. "SO WILL I!"
And then they were swarmed by the guild.
Team Ion's relationship with the rest of the guild had always been an odd one. There was a distance there throughout their visit. First caused by Scout calling himself a Night Mate and then by Mane for his reputation around town. Rai had been the only one widely liked at all times, but he preferred the company of the other two.
Still, there was no bad blood between any of them.
"Sunflora will be devastated she missed this," Chimecho said. "But I know what she'd want to do." She gave them all kisses on their heads.
Even Paras and Flaaffy gave them well-wishes, never being so close but still knowing Rai and Mane fairly well.
Bidoof was sobbing on Marill who passed him to Wigglytuff to come up to them.
"You three are an inspiration to not just me but pokémon all over," he said, giving them each a hug.
Croagunk was next. "Heh, you three have come a long way," he said and offered his hand for a shake. Scout took it with surprise and got a reasonably good handshake. "Thought you might like one," Croagunk said, and Scout gave him a smile.
"Remember that you're always welcome here," Wigglytuff said.
"YEAH so don't think you can just disappear on us!"
"You're a three-pokémon team, so you can still have me on your team for another Limestone Cavern exploration!"
"Try not to get yourself nearly killed again, it's quite distressing."
Bidoof just continued to sob.
With heavier hearts, Team Ion made the trip outside, the guild following. Diglett and Dugtrio met them up above.
"Make sure to come around all the time," Diglett asked.
"Would you be amiss if we continued to stare out at the sea at Sharpedo Bluff?" Dugtrio asked.
"Haha. Go ahead," Rai replied, smiling.
Dugtrio bobbed. "Many thanks. Perhaps one day we'll share the story of why we love the sea so much."
"Dad," Diglett said. "You haven't even told me!"
"We are getting there, son," Dugtrio answered. "We think we'll be ready soon."
"Make sure you keep coming around," Sean said.
"We HAVE to go exploring tomorrow," Saniya squealed. "I've missed you three so much. All of you. Even you, Rai."
Rai gave her a flat look before laughing. "I've missed you all too."
"What's next for Team Ion?" Striker asked, leaning against Guardian with his arms crossed looking most cool.
"Whatever it is," Guardian said, "you'll be able to handle it."
They were near Chatot's gave, and several sets of eyes lingered on it for a moment.
"Get out of here, kids," Armaldo said.
"BYE!"
"We'll miss you."
"You seriously can't forget us!"
"Limestone Cavern, I mean it!"
"B-by golly."
They looked back, taking a mental snapshot of the guild. It wouldn't be the last time they saw it but was still a very nostalgic moment.
Ara did follow them part of the way, wanting to talk without the mushiness of the guild weighing her down.
"Hey," she said, bumping Rai.
"Hey," he said, bumping back.
She didn't ask Scout and Mane to leave, which was a pretty big deal. "Your dream. About damn time you got that done." Rai laughed at her tone. "I'm serious."
"Hi Serious," Rai replied, and Ara's eyes widened. "I'm Rai."
"I... cannot believe we're related."
Rai bumped her, and she bumped him back. "I'm proud of you." She smiled. "Good choice too. Any other guild and I would have been pretty eh about the idea, not that it's my choice, by the Wigglytuff Guild saved your life."
"That's a big part of why I wanted to join it."
"I figured."
"Helping pokémon... finding new places. Taking down bad guys. It's all so exciting."
Ara grinned. "I agree. Guild's aren't my thing though, but I can't fault you for them being yours."
Rai smiled back.
They walked through Treasure Town. Many pokémon calling out accolades and greetings, they had only gotten back yesterday after all, and a lot of pokémon hadn't seen them yet.
"You know, I was thinking about what you said yesterday," Ara said. Scout and Mane were listening quietly, not eavesdropping though. She knew they were there. It was Rai who looked more surprised. "I am glad Manectric is dead," she said and the other two realised that Rai had finally told Ara went happened.
He had avoided bringing up Amp Plains since she had been around. Not entirely sure even where to begin and if he should.
But Rai did sleep better, knowing Manectric was gone and Scout and Mane had told him to talk about it with her.
It seemed he had. Yesterday, when they left for a walk on their own.
"I am glad," Ara continued. "And I'm glad you didn't do it."
Rai's ears twitched. "You are?" he said softly. That was what he had told her. That he hadn't been strong enough to avenge their family and that Dusknoir had to step in to do it for him.
Ara nodded. "You're not a killer," she said. "Even to something that wretched. I'm glad it's dead, and if you HAD killed it, I would be proud of you. But I'm still happy you didn't. That's all I wanted to say. Probably will give Dusknoir something later as well."
Rai rubbed his head under her chin, and she gave him a sparking lick. "Alright. You three get going, it's getting late."
"You're not staying with us?" Rai asked.
"Please no," Ara said. She then smiled. "Go on, I'll see you tomorrow."
Team Ion left the Wigglytuff Guild behind, and Ara in town, and came to Sharpedo Bluff, their new home and base of operations.
"I can't believe I, we, got here," Rai said, settling down on the straw.
"I can," Scout and Mane said at the same time. Scout smiled at him, but Mane was looking at Rai.
"Always knew you had it in you," he said, giving Rai a butt with his head. Rai gave him a lick on the cheek.
"It's going to be weird, not being at the guild," Scout said. "Although I guess we got to practice on the road."
"What are we going to do first?" Rai wondered out loud, as Mane settled down next to him. "Well, after Darkrai is dealt with?"
Scout looked out the maw of their home. "I don't know," he said. It was hard to imagine. "We'll take it day by day, I guess."
"It'll be nice to relax for once," Mane agreed, yawning. Scout smiled at him before joining the pile, and the three went to sleep.
Evertrail Town wasn't far from Treasure Town. Where Team Ion had headed North when chasing Pyroar, Team Gazer and Sunflora was headed South East.
It was set to be a week-long trek to get there, and that was at a fast pace too. Still, there were other services available even outside the expensive teleporter.
Drifblim's Drift was a reasonably cheap service out at Feoira, a small town about a day's walk from Treasure Town.
They were already heading that way, so it worked out even better. Being contained in the basket the Drifblim carried wasn't exactly comfortable. Metang was a lot bigger than Beldum, and they had to adjust a few positions to allow them to float between Drifblim and the basket.
It all managed to work out well enough.
After another two days of travel, they were there.
"Thank you Drifblim," Sunflora said, tipping the Ghost-type well for her swift flight. Not knowing how long this would take, Drifblim wouldn't be sticking around.
As she paid Drifblim, Team Gazer looked around. Evertrail Town was of a similar size to Treasure Town but wasn't located on the coast, there was a long winding river that cuts through the town at various intervals. The river was the ever-trail the town was named after and run calmly and deeply, providing water to all.
There were the classic shops shaped like the pokémon staffing them. A hawlucha training service, an exciting looking shop operated by a tired-old swalot. Even a large café that took up a good portion of the town square.
They weren't here to sightsee, however, and the four pokémon coming here had been to Evertrail Town before. They knew what they were doing and quickly headed into a quieter part of town.
The natu that was the town's representative of the Psychic Network needed a calm place to focus, and her cottage was blended in with trees, vines, flowers, and more natural growths. It was like a fantasy house, even a few mushrooms could be seen.
Beheeyem, the only one with proper hands, was the one to knock. A smart rap with a door knocker clanged out, and then a crash could be heard from inside.
"Oh dear," Sunflora said concerned as another crash came. Before they could consider just going in, a voice called to them.
"Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! I'll be there, be there, be there quick! Quick I will." A fluttery natu tossed the door open and began flittering around their heads.
"Oh, dear," she said. "Oh my. Oh gosh. You are here faster than I thought! This is fantastic, but I was not prepared, oh no!" She flew right back in, the door slamming shut in their faces.
More crashing. The door then opened again. "Oh dear, I just shut it on you. Come in, come in, come in!"
They, carefully, entered into what was less of a disaster zone than was expected. The room was actually rather neat, the crashing and banging came from wind chimes and a set of what could be nothing less than bongos.
She hopped back and forth on those bongos, bobbing her head. "I need to calm!" she said, fluttering up to a reinforced window and rapidly pecking it, giving off a very strange sound.
"Would you like us to come back later?" Beheeyem asked, very concerned.
"NO!" Natu shouted. "No-no-no-no-NO! You are early, this was not expected, but this is good. We have all been so worried. Team Go-Getters you see is so very strong and brave, but you surely know that. They were helping us recently, for no reward whatsoever, and then they disappeared into the new dungeon and haven't been seen since!"
She burst into tears. "I should have contacted someone immediately! But I waited! Waited! WAITED! Who knows what might have happened to them? We must go now, but not me. I cannot, I cannot, I cannot. I am far too weak, all I can do is call for help." She jumped on the bongos again. "The noise helps."
Maybe she was in a quiet part of town not because she needed quiet, but because the rest of the town did.
"Well, tell us what's going on and what we can do!" Beheeyem requested, Natu panicked.
"Oh my GOSH! The dungeon opened a few months ago, and at first, we weren't sure because it was so close to town and that someone could have been taken. Still, Aron showed up with his family, so we were confident it was okay, and no one had been taken. However, there are still so many feral's in there, who knows who might have been taken by its hungering maw that seeks only to consume our minds and souls and BODIES! We started going in, though, dungeons have such good resources, and this one had amazing apples and berries and scarves and, and, and… other things! But then everyone was getting hurt, and then Braviary went in, and he didn't come back out, and then Team Go-Getters showed up and then, and the-ah-enn…."
She burst into tears again. Beheeyem looked to the others, that was not helpful.
"Natu," Sunflora said, kneeling down as Natu hopped frantically back onto her bongos, playing an off-beat tune. "I need you to do something very important for me."
"What, what, what?" Natu shook.
"Just take a deep breath. Can you do that?"
"I-I-I-I."
"No words, just a deep breath."
"Can I keep hopping?"
"Of course."
Natu took a gulping breath. "Now hold it for a moment." She did. "Now let it out." She exhaled. "Good work, keep doing that until you can breathe normally, okay?"
Natu nodded frantically and took a great many breaths as Sunflora pulled Team Gazer back.
"You can't just demand things from someone so agitated," she said, kindly but also firmly. "She needs help too, it's not just Team Go-Getters."
"But this is taking so long." Beheeyem frowned.
"We've only been here a few minutes," Sunflora chastised. "And we got here early. I want to get going too, but you can't just shake someone down for information and then leave them behind."
"M-Miss Sunflora?" Natu called. "I think I can breathe again."
"Fantastic!" Sunflora beamed, turning away from Beheeyem immediately. She knelt back down to be eye-level with Natu. The anxious pokémon was still hopping, but not as frantically as before. "Okay, can I ask you for one more thing?"
"Y-You want to know everything? Natu asked nervously.
Sunflora shook her head. "No, that's too much. Let's just focus on one small thing. Can you tell us what kind of pokémon are found in the Vastswallow Dungeon?"
"I-I-I can," she said. "Y-yes, I can. I can. I… okay, um. You f-find plenty of Psychic pokémon like m-me." Tears welled up in her eyes and a few dropped.
"Easy there," Sunflora soothed. "Remember to breathe."
Natu took a few breaths. "Um, G-Grass-type's as well. And I think, I think there was also; there was also Rock and Poison. That was the most… common types, I've heard."
"Thank you." Sunflora nodded. "That will help a lot. Could you show us where the marketplace is?"
Beheeyem frowned, they were it was, but Sunflora shot him a dangerous look that dared him to interrupt.
"I-I-I can tell you where it is," Natu replied, shivering. "I don't deal well with crowds."
"That'll be just as helpful." Sunflora smiled, and Natu gave them some directions.
"One last thing," Sunflora asked, pulling out the map she owned. "Could you show me where the dungeon is? This is my older map, so Vastswallow hasn't been added to this yet."
"I… I can show you where that is," Natu said, squeaking softly. "It's not far from here, and it doesn't go through town. I-If you come back after your shopping trip, I can show you. Unless you would prefer to…."
"That'd be incredible," Sunflora replied. "We will come back. Thank you, Natu."
She gave Team Gazer a Look, but she didn't need to. They gave thanks as well and parted to do some preparation for the dungeon.
Sunflora was the type to focus on defensive preparations. So she equipped everyone with some choice items, two brought with her and two bought for Team Gazer members.
With the mention of poison she gave herself a Pecha Scarf, she always carried one with her along with her Sun Scarf she got for beating those silly haunters. But there was not going to be a Fire-type presence in the following dungeon, so the Pecha Scarf was the choice.
Beheeyem got a Defence Scarf while Electrike and Metang got Power Bands. With the squad equipped she made sure to stock up on healing items.
As she got her things, Team Gazer mainly focused on offensive presence. Disabling seeds, and a few of the blast variety were their top picks.
Soon enough, they re-joined and headed back to Natu. She was actually waiting for them on her roof, shivering slightly in the wind but holding firm.
"I don't know what to call the four of you," she called as they approached. "I am so sorry for not asking."
"We are Team Gazer!" Beheeyem said, and they posed.
"I'm not a part of their team," Sunflora said, rather dryly at that. "Just helping. I'm part of the Wigglytuff Guild, you can just call me Sunflora."
Natu fluttered around Sunflora as she began to lead them. "Vastswallow is a short walk out of town. I almost want to move, since my home is so much closer to it than others, but there really isn't any place elsewhere I can shift too so I have to deal with it."
"I imagine being so close is making you nervous?" Sunflora asked.
"Yes. Can you tell?"
"Just a little. But I do think you're quite brave."
Natu blushed at the compliment. "Y-you are the brave ones. No one enters the dungeon anymore since our strongest three, Aggron, Liepard, and Dragonair couldn't get through to find Team Go-Getters. N-not to imply you can't, I am confident in you four."
"Declaration: You don't know us."
"I-I know more than you may think," Natu replied. "I asked Chimecho, and she had many, many, many, good things to say about Sunflora."
"And us?" Electrike asked.
"You… are treasure hunters?"
Beheeyem deflated, but Electrike was delighted. "Yes!"
They left the town, following a recently carved-out trail to find the entrance to the dungeon.
"This IS close to town," Sunflora gasped. They were only about a ten-minute walk from Natu's home, no wonder she was so anxious. Ferals weren't exactly known to leave dungeons, but it did happen on occasion, and the results were rarely pretty.
"Y-yes, it's okay though," Natu said, shaking badly enough she couldn't fly and had to perch on Sunflora's head. "I-I hope you d-don't mind me?"
"Of course not," Sunflora replied, making sure to hold steady. She didn't step closer to the dungeon. "But I don't imagine you want to come in with us?" she joked.
"N-not with four of you already," Natu managed to joke back, but she was still shaking. "I… I'll wait f-for you."
"At your house," Sunflora said, with a hint of sternness. "It's close by that we can get to you quickly if you need help."
Natu hesitated. "Uh…"
"Natu. I don't want you to hurt yourself doing this," Sunflora said, reaching up to pull Natu into her leafy arms. "We'll find Team Go-Getters and get to you as soon as possible. You just be ready to get someone from town when we arrive, okay?"
"Okay," Natu said, and Sunflora watched her fly, a little clumsily, out of her arms. She fluttered to a tree branch and perched, turning back. "G-g-good luck."
She received four nods, and she watched them enter the dungeon before returning to her home.
Vastswallow Dungeon was no joke.
Right from the first four steps into the dungeon, when the air behind them began to blur before they were even in the dungeon proper, they were attacked.
Four pokémon met four ferals and fought them off.
"Good lord," Sunflora gasped. "They almost left the dungeon!"
"Declaration: This is going to be a difficult challenge."
"I've got the healing items," Sunflora assured. She and Beheeyem had bags, twice the space.
The walls of the dungeon were a mix of twisted wood and stone, the occasional branch poked out stubbornly from the warping effects of the dungeon. The sky was uncovered, but the branches of countless trees blotted out the most of it.
Still, that familiar look of roiling red clouds was almost a comfort except when it wasn't, which was always.
Team Gazer had been a little insulted at Armaldo insisting on sending an apprentice with them. They were a fully-fledged team, even if they didn't actually need to go through a guild to get their qualification.
Sunflora, however, was a massive help. Her Petal Dance was impressively strong, and she was capable of tying up multiple enemies with grass and vines she summoned from the ground.
Made them easy pickings for Electrike and Metang. Metang was enjoying themselves. They were already testing out new and exciting moves that weren't Take Down and savouring in the crushing strength they had.
"Declaration: I am mighty."
Beheeyem clapped, and Electrike stamped his feet excitedly.
"We're doing well, but let's just have a snack," Sunflora advised, pulling out some apples. They were no argument there until she also handed out an oran each.
"We don't need this," Beheeyem protested. Sunflora popped hers in her mouth regardless. "Sunflora!"
She swallowed. "This dungeon is full-on," she pointed out. There were attacked in every room. "We're handling it now, but all this incidental damage is stacking up."
"We've handled worse places with fewer items," Beheeyem protested. "Don't waste our healing items."
"If you don't want to, I'm not making you," Sunflora said. "I bought these, and I'm happy for you to get some energy back. If not I'll just save them."
"I'll save them," Beheeyem said, placing his and his teammates' berries in his bag. Electrike didn't like the food being taken almost literally out of his mouth and shocked Beheeyem lightly.
"I want it."
"You can have when you need it," Beheeyem snapped.
Sunflora rolled her eyes. "You don't need to tough everything out."
"I'm not doing that," Beheeyem retorted, getting up. "Maybe you were taught one way, but we've worked another. Frivolously using oran's is just asking for disaster later on. It's better to have them and not need them then need them and not have them."
"Fair enough," Sunflora said, opening her bag. "I have an entire bushel of them, though." Well over ten oran's were shown before she closed her bag. "I wouldn't just toss them back without a thought. You may not be hurt yet, but you are getting tired."
"That's what the apples are for."
"Alright, fine just drop the matter."
Beheeyem grumbled but did so, and they continued.
Vileplume. Onix. Even xatu were faced in this twisty turny dungeon. There were a lot of corridors that looped around to rooms they had already fought in and had new ferals to face.
That was the worst part. The constant attacks were bad enough but needing to go through them multiple times was what was really dragging them down.
Sunflora handed out sitrus berries later, and Beheeyem choked it down without much comment. It was Team Gazer who needed oran's first, but Sunflora quickly followed when a surprise Sludge Bomb nearly knocked her out.
Thankfully her scarf was blocking other effects as Poison-type pokémon were becoming more common. Even toxtricity were turning up.
"This is a nightmare of a dungeon!" Beheeyem gasped after he took a combined Thunderbolt/Boomburst attack.
Metang cleaned up the offending pokémon who struck their beloved leader.
But even they were showing wear and tear, scratched and dins all over their metal body.
Sunflora and Electrike were panting a bit. Both of them attacked more at range than close up, so did Beheeyem but he seemed to be a popular target for the ferals. But this largely-distance fighting style had kept them fairly okay.
Electrike still would run into the fray with Metang, though.
"How far have we gone?" Electrike groaned, twenty-minute later.
"Nowhere, it seems," Sunflora sighed as they entered another recognisable room.
"What IS this place?" Beheeyem growled, slamming his fist against a wall. The wood splintered. He blinked.
He glanced at the crack and spoke up. "Uh… guys?"
They looked as well as he floated back, pointing a flashing finger and blasted a beam of Psychic Energy at it. The wood shattered. Dungeon walls do not break so easily.
It revealed… nothing: just sap and a broken tree.
"The walls are fragile," Sunflora said. But as they spoke, the wall was regrowing. Vines were slipping down, the bark was emerging, and in a minute the wall was unremarkable again.
"So. That's what's going on," Beheeyem said, holding his forehead. "The pathway is in a wall, isn't it?"
"That or Team Go-Getters is," Electrike, always the cheerful sort, said.
"Let's not think like that," Sunflora said, shivering, "and let's keep going."
They tested the walls with their attacks as much as they tested their moves on the ferals. Little was uncovered, but the occasional item was handy.
Eventually, they rounded a corner again and were back to where they were. "Okay," Sunflora said. "Let's turn around and go back that way."
"Why?" Beheeyem said, but they were already turning.
"Let's rip that entire corridor apart," Sunflora growled. "It's the one, I just… even if it isn't, I want to break it."
She had no complaints at all, and they tore up the walls of the walls until.
"Uh, guys?" Electrike called, peering through a hole he'd made. "We haven't seen any other paths before, have we?"
Everyone ran, or floated, to him, and together they pulled the wall down, bark splintering and falling to a dusty heap.
"You were right," Beheeyem said. Sunflora beamed. There was a path hidden by the wall here.
"Let's go," Sunflora said and dashed in first, Team Gazer followed, and they ran a straight line for an awfully long time.
Something so straight and long was bound to have a monster somewhere.
And there was.
A thunderous roar shook the walls before the ceiling behind them caved in and descended a Drapion.
"Weeeeellll," it slurred, eyes white but focused on them. Its tail rose up above the four pokémon and shot down. Sunflora jumped in the way of the strike, heading for Beheeyem, and was struck in the chest with the poison.
Even her scarf couldn't entirely stop that amount of poison directly in her, and she sagged in Beheeyem's grip. He panicked and tried to blast it with Psychic, but drapion were Dark-type.
Metang flew forth. "Declaration!" they cried, slamming into Drapion. "GO!"
Beheeyem began to pull Sunflora away as Electrike shocked Drapion as it grappled with Metang. Metang was tossed against the wall, smashing through it and the walls began to reform around them, taking them in even as they struggled.
"Cobalt!" Volt cried and changed his target from Drapion to the wall.
Doing so left him wide open, and he was clasped by Drapion's tail and crushed in the pincer. His attack had freed Cobalt, however, and the metang slammed the spike of their nose into Drapion's head.
The metal spike wasn't enough to break through the drapion's carapace, but it did jar it, and Cobalt plucked Volt out of the grip. With their teammate on the line and Beheeyem also saving Sunflora, Cobalt just turned and began to float as fast as they could.
Drapion charged after them, so much faster.
A typhoon of petals blasted it in the face and Drapion recoiled as Sunflora and Beheeyem charged back. Beheeyem pulled his teammates forth with Psychic as Sunflora called dozens of vines from everywhere. The ground, the walls, even the roof, and dragged Drapion into the grasping embrace of the dungeon even as it thrashed and screamed at them.
Then it went silent.
"Ooh, good," Sunflora slurred, tilting. She collapsed into Beheeyem's arms.
"We got to go," he said, feeling into her bag for the escape orb she had purchased.
"Wait," Sunflora said, grabbing his arm. "No. No. We came this far, we can't quit now."
"You're injured and poisoned, just some berries isn't undoing all that," Beheeyem protested.
Sunflora braced herself and stood up. "Beheeyem. I can keep going."
"Now who's being irresponsible? Again," he added.
Sunflora took a bite of an oran. "Me. But we're not stopping. Come on. Before something else happens." She had to continue bracing herself on Beheeyem, but he floated pretty slowly anyway, so it wasn't much of a change in speed.
There was no rest of the dungeon, thankfully. As they exited the long corridor of horrors, they walked into a clearing as the walls of the dungeon changed.
Not as uniform or as unsettling, just tightly packed trees.
And lying in a ray of sunlight, was Team Go-Getters.
"Oh my gosh!" Sunflora yelled, stumbling as she tried to fun forward, but she still wasn't well.
Beheeyem tossed her to Metang and surged forth with Electrike. "Are they breathing?" Electrike yelled.
They reached the three and took stock.
Charizard's tail flame was still lit, but it was sparking and feeble. It was barely a flame, more like a lit matchstick. But it was burning.
Wartortle's skin was dehydrated, cracked, and leathery, but Beheeyem could feel a small puff of air coming out of his nose.
Chikorita was burned from laying in the sun for who knows how long but was also likely the one in the best state. Her head leaf had curled, but she had photosynthesised. They were all so dry, however, and none of their breaths was deep and long, but soft and weak.
Metang and Sunflora reached them, and she said. "A-are they?"
"They're alive," Beheeyem said. "They're just… unconscious."
"They don't look hurt," Sunflora said, kneeling down to feel Chikorita. No signs of battle, even considering how well pokémon healed there should be something. They were just… asleep.
"Get the orb," Beheeyem said, and Sunflora quickly complied. They all grabbed on to each other, and Team Go-Getters and Sunflora activated it, depositing them on the outside of the dungeon.
Electrike, as the fastest, immediately took off sprinting to alert Natu and get more help while Sunflora just collapsed herself, the injury and poison taking its toll.
Beheeyem was able to rouse her enough to eat another pecha, and he tied her scarf tighter around her but could do nothing more than to wait for help.
Team Go-Getters was dying. It had been days since any of them had eaten or drunk anything. Chikorita's photosynthesis, Wartortle's natural hydration, and Charizard's size and lack of the need to eat and drink often was all that kept them stable up to here.
They needed help, but thankfully they were about to get it.
Natu and Electrike returned with numerous pokémon, including the same aggron Natu mentioned before. They were able to carry Team Go-Getters back into town and into Audino's medical arms.
Sunflora was also taken in, but she insisted she was fine and just needed to sleep the poison off. She had done what she was supposed to do with the pecha berries, but also not what she was supposed to do with all the physical activity after the poisoning, so Audino gave her something for pain, and she did drift off to sleep.
A few hours later, she had an update to give. To Team Gazer, Natu, as well as the town leader, a stout abomasnow.
"Chikorita and Wartortle are stable," Audino explained to the nervous pokémon. "Both are malnourished and dehydrated, but between photosynthesis and Wartortle's inner water, they should be fine. Charizard is in a much more severe state, not having their advantages. His body has been burning fat and muscle, however, to keep itself going."
"He's burning muscle?" Electrike asked, literally imagining Charizard's tail flame doing that.
"Yes, as he didn't have much fat, to begin with. With no water as well and no way to get it, he's in a severely dehydrated state. I've been trickling water into their mouths, and they're swallowing."
"There's something else," Abomasnow said, seeing Audino's hesitance in speaking.
"The three are not waking up," she said, troubled. "At first I thought that made sense, but I had to draw blood and barely even a twitch from any of them. I mashed up chesto berries to give to Chikorita and Wartortle, and they swallowed but… neither has woken up."
She glanced back through the door that her patients laid. "And they've begun to twitch and moan in their sleep. It appears they are all having a nightmare. It may simply be their bodies panicking under this stress but… they had no signs of injury besides what could be explained by a dungeon trek. Nothing to suggest they could have been defeated. It looks to me as if this is not a natural sleep."
"You think someone did this to them?" Abomasnow demanded. "Team Go-Getters? Who would attack them? Who could attack them and actually succeed!?"
"I don't know," she snapped back. "And don't raise your voice at me, Abomasnow. I don't know. I do want to ask you to get Bellossom. I haven't been able to rouse them, but perhaps her Aromatherapy could?"
Abomasnow nodded, standing. "Very well, I'll retrieve her immediately. If there's nothing else…?"
"Thank you."
Abomasnow left in a hurry, and Audino sighed and turned to the remaining pokémon. "You've done well to find them, thank you. I can treat you now."
"Oh, we're fine," Beheeyem said, raising an arm. "We've had berries, we're just resting we don't want to trouble you."
She smiled, and her hands lit up. "It's no trouble, just a small thing." She waved some pleasant energy over them, and all three sighed.
"M-Miss Audino," Natu said. "I-is there anything else before I contact Ch-Chimecho?"
Audino shook her head. "Until Team Go-Getters wakes up we'll keep them here. It might be dangerous to move them, especially if they are a target… if they are…" She looked troubled. "Perhaps ask the guild to send someone to help us guard?"
Beheeyem raised his arm. "Not to intrude, but… we could remain here to keep you safe," he offered. She blinked in surprise at him.
"You'd do that for us?"
Beheeyem thumped his chest. "But of course. We may be treasure hunters as our focus, but the rescue is just as important. We found Team Go-Getters, we assure you we can keep you and them safe!"
Audino smiled. "Thank you then. It makes me feel better to know that."
They preened, and Natu excused herself to let the guild know what was going on. Team Go-Getters had been found, but they were not out of the woods yet. They were asleep… and were not waking up.
Curious.
He nibbled on the dry, earthy, grass that sprouted stubbornly through the cracks in the ground. It was unpleasant, made the inside of his throat itch, but it was the only thing to eat.
Once that unsatisfying meal was devoured, he carried on, looking for more. Very occasionally, there was a meal of fantastic quality that quenched the thirst and hunger at once. Those were red, like the danger zones, but were not dangerous at all.
Still, he had to eat the grass as he went. The chances of finding the treasure were stupidly low. It was an unwise choice to ignore food for a chance, no matter how unpleasant the food was.
The place was silent. It was usually silent. The clops of his hooves on the cracked, glassy, ground were the only sound. That and the occasional piercing scream, the death-knell of a slow, weak, or just unlucky creature.
He avoided that sound. He could not eat the remains if there were any. He had tried, on his hungriest of moments, but his stomach rejected it every time.
The only thing to do was look for the next morsel and avoid the others. The others were sometimes bigger than him, sometimes smaller. Sometimes they looked very much the same as him, but he couldn't trust even as much as he yearned to be with them.
You were on your own here. The only one who wouldn't turn against you was yourself. That was the lesson he had learned.
He continued walking.
He avoided a room that had three others lurking within. They were prowling around each other, maws dripping hungrily. They would eat him; he could not allow that.
So, he turned the other way.
Maybe he should find a safe place and sleep? He slept when he wanted to; there was no concept of day or night. Only asleep and awake.
He might have wondered about that, but he didn't wonder much at all. Wander, yes, but no wonder. There was no mind to wonder, only the simple things.
Eat. Sleep. Run. Fight.
He had eaten, he had slept well, he ran from the others. But as he entered a different room, fighting became impossible to avoid.
It was others, but even more different. They wore strange things and made sounds the others could understand, but he couldn't. He neighed angrily, warning them to go away. He couldn't turn back; however, there were threats the other way. Threats that would eat him. This was two others, just two. He had a better chance with two, but he'd prefer to scare them away.
He snorted, smoke billowing from his nose, and dragged his hoof on the ground in a threatening motion. It didn't scare them, however, or it did but not enough.
He had little idea of a Water-type as there was little water to be found here. One of the others that could create it at will?
Astounding. But also painful, so-so very painful.
He crashed against a wall, cracking his head on the stone, and collapsed.
They moved on, not caring to hurt him any further as he slept. When he woke up, however, things were different.
Ponyta got to his feet, shook his damp mane, and wondered. "Who am I, and why am I here?"
The whole world shook with a distant, but terrifyingly loud roar of deific anger and Ponyta ran in terror as the world began to break around him. The lava bubbled, the walls collapsed, the others disappeared, and he jumped into the gate he had found to escape that awful world.
Another roar boomed, and Ponyta's eyes shot open, and he gasped, springing up from where he slept and nearly hitting his head. He had hit his head a few times since moving into here, enough times that Bellsprout moved his bed so that his nightmares wouldn't end with brain damage.
"What was THAT?" Bellsprout yelled, also rousing.
"You heard it too?" Ponyta gasped, heart-pounding and pounding. "I thought it was the dream."
"You had another nightmare?" Camerupt asked in concern and Ponyta stiffly nodded. He didn't like talking about them even with his teammates. It was already fading, but he hated the reminder of where he came from. And what he used to be.
Their distraction almost was enough to forget the roaring, but it made itself known again as a massive quake knocked Ponyta off his hooves, and the sound of something crashing down inspired them to get up and go and help.
They exited their home base and raced to Treasure Town as the roaring continued.
So… sorry for the cliffhanger. This was originally going to be one chapter with the next one, but then that'd be like 20,000+ words and I think I know how to restrain myself from killing my readers in one fell swoop.
On another note, one thing I haven't really brought up before but hinted at in a sense with the previous chapter. Is that I have another story in progress. It's actually how I keep myself from burning out or anything, when I start getting a bit drained on working on one story I work on another (I actually have more than one other story in the works but not all of them are fanfiction).
I bring this up just because I wanted to ask. Some time in the future, not saying exactly when as I don't know, but in the future would people be interested in reading a Trainer Fic from me? It is connected to Warped Skies in that Lucario/Keira is a character and you'll see who she is before she became The Legendary Lucario. However, I should majorly point out, that this other story is very different from Warped Skies.
Much more general, much less… plot driven and more character driven and such. And, again, it is primarily a trainer fic so while Keira is a prominent character in it, she's hardly the only one.
So yeah. Is there interest on that or are you here mostly for Warped Skies? That's perfectly fine if you are, I'll probably start posting that other story and its sequel eventually either way.
Lastly, results of the previous poll!
My Furry Son! I care. I care him so much won with 9 votes.
Most emotionally intact was tied with Might not be my favourite, but I like him with 8.
Third place was actually False prophet, down with the furry! With four votes. I'm genuinely surprised, does this make Sean the least popular character of the seven main? Even Scout got better votes... still, most of you like him! Maybe it's because he's the most normal that he's the least amusing... hm.
Well, anyway. Next poll is going to be about Striker! Since Rai won the favourite character poll I was considering not doing him, but why not? He'll be next, though.