Chapter 9 - Visitors
It was a relaxing day in the forest, something that was quite rare to Roxy.
She was seated on a small grassy knoll just off to the side of the village centre. She had a big Chesto Berry gripped in her paws, and a demure little smile on her face compliments of the one she had just finished eating. Sitting next to her was Miri, whom she'd met up with after the day's training.
To Roxy's shock and elation, she was actually starting to gain skills. She'd been training for more than a week at this point, but signs of progress could definitely be seen. She still had a long way to go when it came to using weapons, but she had started picking up skills in close-quarters combat and self-defence. She was even getting better at defending oncoming strikes with a stick or spear.
She sighed and gently leaned her head against Miri's much larger form. The atmosphere of the forest seemed different on this day. It seemed calm and serene, the perfect way to wind down after a long day of training. She did feel pretty worn out. After all, Taka was still a hard-hitting teacher.
Roxy had gone to see Miri quite a few times to treat minor injuries sustained during training. The two had started to bond rather well. With Makari out on patrol again, Roxy had asked to spend the rest of the day with Miri, and the Audino had agreed.
"Adikai is getting big," Miri commented, "It seems like yesterday that he was hatched."
Roxy looked over to where Miri was looking and saw the little Shinx running about with other cubs.
"He sure is cute," she said.
Miri laughed. "Do not let Adi catch you saying that."
"Huh? Why?"
"Because Adi is trying to raise his son as a fierce warrior. Warriors are not 'cute'."
"I dunno about that," Roxy chuckled, "I've seen some pretty cute things on TV do some pretty formidable things."
There was a brief pause, and then Miri spoke up once more. "Tell me something about your world?"
Roxy turned to look at the Audino, and saw that Miri was looking at her with an intrigued expression. "Huh?" Roxy asked, "What do you wanna know?"
"Whatever you would like. Tell me something interesting."
"Uh, hmm… Okay…" Roxy wracked her brain, trying to think of something. She had never been much of a storyteller, and it was hard to choose something that could be easily explained to a Pokémon who had never had contact with humans or the human world.
"Poké Puffs."
Miri tilted her head. "Pardon?"
Roxy smiled, feeling a wave of pleasant memories. "Poké Puffs are a kind of food that my master's father used to make for me. Tons of Pokémon love them, both pets and trained ones. I love them so much!"
"What do they taste like?" Miri asked, appearing to be fully invested in what Roxy had to say.
"They're sweet. But…not sweet like, say, a Pecha Berry. A Pecha has an…an exciting, juicy sweetness to it, but a Poké Puff isn't juicy. Yet, it has an explosion of delightful flavours. It just…I dunno, it makes your taste buds do a little dance and beg for more."
Miri was glancing away, but still seemed to be listening. Roxy surmised she was trying to imagine the taste. It was hard describing a confectionary to someone who had eaten mostly berries and plants.
"It's like a treat. A reward after a hard day's work. Something to just make you go 'Mmmm!' You can make them with all sorts of different flavours, like Rawst Berry or choc-" She paused, realizing that Miri wouldn't know what chocolate was. "Or something rich, or something tangy."
"I will admit that it is a little difficult to imagine," Miri said, returning her gaze to Roxy, "but they sound wonderful."
Roxy nodded and let out a nostalgic sigh. "They remind me of home…If I could taste one right now, it would feel like I was back home again…"
"Would you be able to show us how to make one for you?"
Roxy shook her head. "I'm pretty sure you don't have the ingredients out here."
"Mhm…That is a shame."
"I'll have one soon, though," she said with a hopeful smile, "My master and I will have a whole buffet of treats once I find her."
Miri giggled softly, and then the two lapsed into silence once more. For a while, they simply sat and watched the village go by. It was relaxing to watch the Pikachu and other creatures go about their business. When she wasn't being chased by predators, the forest could actually be quite peaceful.
"Greetings, Karizu!"
Roxy glanced up upon hearing Miri's greeting and saw that the Raichu in question was treading past nearby.
"Good afternoon Miri, Rakasi."
"'Roxy'," Miri corrected.
"Roxy, yes. My apologies," Karizu said with a Mareepish grin.
The Pikachu flushed slightly. "I-it's okay. It's close enough anyway."
"How are you, Karizu?" Miri asked.
"I was looking for Adi. Have you seen him?"
Roxy smiled as she listened to the two talk. None of the villagers ever called the Raichu as 'Wise Ones' unless referring to them as a group. She had feared the trio when she had first seen them, but now she was starting to get rather acquainted with them.
"And Roxy, how are you faring? How long has it been now, two weeks?"
"At least," she replied, "I'm, uh…It's slow going, but I think I'm…settling in." A frown appeared on her face as she considered what she had just said. For a moment she thought about home and what the future would hold, but then shook it off. There was no use worrying about it anyway.
"That is good to hear. How about your training? I have heard sayings that Taka is not treating you very well."
Roxy glanced away. "At first yeah, but he's gotten…better. I guess. But, um, I am learning."
"Well, that is the important part I suppose."
They were about to continue the conversation, but something caught Roxy's and Miri's eyes. Karizu also turned around to see what they were looking at.
A somewhat young-looking Pikachu was running towards them on all fours, sprinting as quickly as he could. They could see him panting as he approached them, which continued even after he came to a stop. Before he could speak, he spent a few moments just catching his breath.
"Yago?" Karizu spoke, "What is it?"
The Pikachu, apparently named Yago, finally caught his breath enough to speak and looked up at the Raichu. "K…Karizu…!" he gasped, still panting heavily, "They…They are…" He panted a few more times before finally saying, "They are here!"
At first Karizu looked confused, but then a dawning realization spread across his features. A stern look appeared on his face. "Now? You have seen them?"
Yago nodded. "I have," he replied, "The three will come here. They are looking for you."
Roxy, utterly confused, felt Miri stiffen beside her. She glanced over at the Audino, who suddenly stood up. Before Roxy could voice her confusion, Miri coaxed her up as well. Miri then took a step forward, placing herself halfway in front of the Pikachu.
"What?" Roxy finally spoke, "Who's coming?"
"They are early…" Karizu muttered, and then shook his head. "Find Natoka," he commanded, "He is on patrol, but I do not know where."
Yago merely nodded, turned, and ran.
Karizu then turned to look into the distance, a serious and contemplative look on his face, before making his way over to the clearing in the village centre. He stood there, seeming to wait for whatever was coming.
"Miri…?" Roxy spoke, her voice a little shaky, "W-what's happening? What's going on?"
"Just stay here, Roxy," Miri spoke, her voice unnervingly serious, "Stay with me. Do not worry, you will be safe."
"But what…?"
Roxy was interrupted, as suddenly she began to notice a distant rumbling sound. It was deep, almost like the sound of rolling thunder, and it was slowly growing nearer. Roxy had no idea what to make of it, but it immediately frightened her.
Once it was closer, Roxy began to feel slight tremors in the ground. The sound began to space itself out, and Roxy thought it sounded like someone playing a gigantic set of drums. Were those footsteps? They sounded almost like the footsteps of a giant!
The tremors grew more noticeable, and Roxy found herself clutching Miri's side in fear. She kept her eyes forward, however, and saw that Karizu was still standing in the clearing. His forepaws were crossed and he seemed almost impatient.
Finally, in the distance, Roxy saw something moving. It was moving fast towards them. The Pokémon was absolutely barreling through the woods, just barely avoiding knocking down every tree he passed. She saw some of the villagers running out of the way, simply to avoid getting trampled. Miri had told her not to be afraid, but at the same time she saw many females ushering their cubs into the huts.
Roxy gasped and shrunk back in fear. He was running full speed into the clearing and directly towards Karizu. She thought for sure he was going to crash, but he slammed on the brakes at the last possible moment. Coming to a stop within mere inches of Karizu's muzzle, the Graveler raised up his four beefy arms and let out a terrifying roar.
Karizu, throughout the whole incident, hadn't moved a muscle. In fact, his expression showed nothing more than mild irritation.
Once he had stopped roaring, the Graveler gave the Raichu a toothy grin and started laughing. It was a deep bellowing laugh that made Roxy quiver with intimidation. She was so confused and frightened. She still had no idea what was going on.
"Me scare you good!" the Graveler bellowed before laughing once more. Roxy could immediately tell by his voice and the way he spoke that intelligence was probably not this Pokémon's strong suit. That didn't dampen how strong and powerful he looked, though.
"Of course…" Karizu replied in a bored-sounding voice, rolling his eyes.
"Za…Must you always?" Roxy's ears perked up upon hearing the new voice. She turned her head in the direction the Graveler had come from, where she saw a Sandslash approaching. The Sandslash had a smug look on his face, holding his two very sharp-looking claws lazily at his side.
The Graveler, Za, simply laughed once more and stepped away from Karizu. He joined the Sandslash in the centre of the clearing.
"Welcome Za…Kuzu…" Karizu said, first looking at the Graveler and then the Sandslash. There wasn't much hospitality in his tone, however. "That was quite an unnecessary entrance."
"Heh heh…Little Raichu scared…" Za chuckled.
Kuzu, the Sansdlash, smirked. "Do not concern yourself with it," he replied in a smug tone, "Few can control this big lump anyway. Best you can do is make sure to get out of the way before someone gets hurt." He gave Za a tap on the side with one of his claws.
"…Miri?" Roxy squeaked as the two parties continued to speak, "Who…Who are those two…"
"They are members of one of our neighbours, the Earth Tribe."
"Earth Tribe…" Roxy repeated quietly, staring at the two newcomers. After a moment, her eyes shot open wide in realization.
Ground-types!
"…does not give you the right to push us around!" Karizu was saying. The three of them seemed to have slipped into an argument.
"You cannot tell us what to do," Kuzu hotly replied, though still somehow seemed smug while saying it, "You should spend every waking moment considering yourself lucky!"
"Do not go against the established agreement," Karizu warned.
"Is that a challenge?!" Kuzu suddenly snapped, holding up his claws aggressively.
Roxy gasped in fright. Was there going to be a fight? These weren't predators but they still seemed incredibly dangerous. Roxy's eyes glanced around quickly, feeling herself verging on panic. There were Pikachu and other Thunder Clan members standing around. Their weapons were sheathed and they were keeping their distance. She spotted Taka, standing a fair distance away with his forepaws crossed.
"Kuzu…" Karizu calmly tried to reply, "I was-"
"Know your place, puny rodent!" Za boomed.
"Yes!" Kuzu shouted, "If you make us angry, then we-"
"Kuzu! Za!" a new voice called, "Such angry words! There is no need for aggression, we are guests here!"
Roxy glanced in the direction of the voice, and saw a third Pokémon approaching from behind the other two newcomers. Taller than Kuzu but slightly shorter than Za, he walked forward between them with a calm, complacent look on his face. He had his two claws held up, but rather than a show of aggression he seemed to be indicating to the other Ground-types to calm down.
She stared wide-eyed at the Excadrill. Unlike his two companions, he was covered in the same body paint as the Thunder Clan. The difference was that his was a light brown colour instead of being green. His massive, trowel-like claws looked impossibly sharp and dangerous. His paint-marked face sat underneath his 'helmet' of a third sharp protrusion, with his eyes closed and a half-smirk upon his face.
Roxy shivered. Excadrill were not native to Kanto or any of the neighbouring continents. She had never seen one in real-life before. Not only was it incredibly frightening to see one in the flesh, but this also raised questions in her mind. This was a possible indication that she was, in fact, not in Kanto anymore.
The Excadrill was shaking his head and chuckling. "Honestly," he said, his voice sounding really smooth, "You two behave like ravenous beasts sometimes."
"Sorry, boss," the two replied at the same time.
"Karizu, my friend," the Excadrill said, approaching the Raichu, "How wonderful to see you again!"
"Tazoka…" Karizu replied, a hint of disdain in his voice.
"I apologize for my associates' behaviour. Some of us still do not see the whole picture, it seems."
Karizu simply grunted softly in response.
Tazoka walked forward, holding up one of his claws and extending it forward. There was a grin on his face, but the shadow from the blade on his head covered up his eyes. Karizu hesitated briefly, but then took a step forward and held out his own paw. He placed it in Tazoka's palm and the two shook.
"All alone, this afternoon?" Tazoka spoke, "Where are the other Raichu?"
"The others are…They are occupied," Karizu spoke evenly.
Roxy was just staring at this exchange, not daring to move a muscle. She had no idea what was going on, but her instincts told her that she didn't like whatever it was. She just wanted to leave or make herself invisible somehow.
"That is the Earth Tribe's leader," Miri explained, keeping her voice quiet.
Roxy glanced up at her, and then looked over at the Excadrill.
"The Earth Tribe is one of our greatest foes," Miri continued, "Tales tell of the old days, where the Thunder Clan could only run in fear from the Earth Tribe. We are powerless to fight them. Thunder strikes are ineffective, and their thick skin protects them from our weapons."
"That's right…" Roxy murmured, "Electric moves are ineffective against Ground-types…"
"Thankfully, times have changed…" Miri spoke, though she didn't sound very happy.
Tazoka was chuckling dryly, still wearing that same smirk-like smile and holding his claws up in a shrug. "Good to hear, good to hear…" he spoke, "It would be such a shame if we were to cause you much stress."
Roxy didn't like the way he was talking. He always had a smile on his face and never spoke with even a hint of aggression, but something about his demeanour seemed off. She was vaguely reminded of some character she'd seen on TV once. She got the feeling that his friendly outward appearance was not entirely genuine.
Karizu stepped forward. "We thank you, members of the Earth Tribe, for your continued cooperation in these endeavours."
Tazoka raised his forelimbs up once more, closing his eyes and saying, "But of course, of course! It is our pleasure." He then turned back and regarded his two companions. "Right, boys?"
Kuzu smirked and nodded, while Za simply bellowed out a vaguely affirmative-sounding grunt.
"I trust everything is ready?" Tazoka said, returning his gaze to Karizu.
Karizu nodded to him, and then turned to look at some of the gathered Pikachu and nodded again. The villagers then picked up small grass-woven baskets that were sitting nearby and started to carry them into the clearing. Roxy watched this with confusion, and then she saw what was inside the baskets. Each one was willed with a plethora of assorted berries.
"What…?" she whispered.
"Our two tribes have come to an agreement," Miri explained, "They no longer attack us and leave us completely alone. In exchange, once every full moon, we provide them with food we have foraged."
Roxy simply watched this in silence, seeing more and more baskets being placed in the clearing by the minute.
"Thus, our two tribes have been at peace for generations."
"So, you have to…pay them every month…just to keep safe?" Roxy asked, eyes wide open, "It's like…That's like blackmail…" She remembered an old gangster movie she and her master had watched on TV once. She recalled how the bad humans had forced a store owner to pay them money, otherwise they would trash the place.
Kuzu and Za were watching the food with greedy, hungry-looking eyes. Tazoka, meanwhile, was simply watching the proceedings with that same grin on his face.
"How much food do you give them…?"
"Miri?" Karizu's voice suddenly cut through the air, grabbing both of their attentions. The Raichu was beckoning her over with his paw.
"Looks like he needs my help," Miri said. Roxy paled as she realized that Miri was about to leave her alone, but Miri gave her a gentle pat and said, "There is no danger. You are safe here."
Roxy tried to reply, but a startled whine was all that came out.
Miri walked away to help with the transfer of the berry baskets, leaving Roxy rooted to the spot and frozen with fear. She wanted to move behind a tree or a bush, but she was too startled to move. Instead, she kept her eyes locked on the three strangers. She pictured an entire tribe of Ground-types. A whole collection of Pokémon immune to most of the attacks the Thunder Clan could wield. That was something truly frightening. She found herself trying to remember if there were any Ground-type predators.
Tazoka was idly walking over towards Karizu. "My, this looks more than satisfactory," he said to the Raichu, "You and your tribe truly know where to find the best berries."
Karizu remained silent.
The Excadrill chuckled. "We greatly appreciate this generous donation, Karizu. With this, our friendship can continue to flourish and blossom."
"You are early," Karizu stated, ignoring what Tazoka had said.
Tazoka shrugged. "I apologize, Karizu. My tribe hungers."
"All accounted for, boss!" Kuzu chirped.
Tazoka swung his head around to regard the collection of baskets, then grinned. "Excellent."
"Berries!" Za bellowed.
"Excellent," Tazoka repeated, clapping his two claws together. It made a startling clang sound. "We do so appreciate everything you do for us, Karizu."
"I trust our business is done here?" Karizu said gruffly, his forepaws crossed once more.
Tazoka changed his expression so that he looked hurt or offended, but Roxy didn't find it one single bit genuine. "My friend, you do me an injustice. We are not enemies, remember?"
He then turned away and began to idly walk around the clearing. He held up his claws for emphasis and gazed at his surroundings. "After all," he continued, "I always enjoy coming to your wonderful little forest hideaway. Your strange dwellings are always so fascinating, and you have such a charming little group of Pokémon here." He walked in a wide circle, shifting his gaze amongst the group of onlookers who were wisely keeping their distance. "So many Pikachu, yet you all look different." He chuckled. "Yes, so many little Pikachu."
Roxy's breath caught in her throat as she realized that Tazoka was circling around towards her. She silently screamed at her legs to work, but they ultimately ignored her.
Just as she had expected, Tazoka stopped suddenly the moment he laid eyes on her. There was look of surprise on his face. "Oh!"
Roxy felt her heart thumping like mad in her chest. She immediately panicked and thought the Excadrill was about to mutilate her. She tried desperately to remember what Taka had taught her, but found she was drawing blanks.
"Well, what do we have here?" Tazoka said as he started slowly stepping towards her. His expression had changed to an intrigued one, accompanied by that same smirk.
Roxy gulped, eyes wide and ears flat against her skull. He was coming closer and he was so much bigger than her. She was so frightened that she nearly forgot to breathe.
"My, my…" Tazoka mused as he stood only a few feet away from her, tilting his head down at her, "You are certainly something different. Something rather…out of place?"
She shivered on the spot, staring up at him. The sunlight that shone through the trees glinted off of the blade on his head, shining a glare into her eyes while also casting his entire face in shadow. This was besides the fact that it looked razor-sharp.
"Hmhmm…Yes, you stand out, young one. I wonder what your story is." He pointed one of his claws towards her neck, making her flinch. "That is human branding, is it not?"
Still, her tongue was tied.
"If I had to guess, I would say that you are not from around here…" he spoke. Roxy was sure she saw his eyes narrow into something more sinister for just a split second. "You are a stranger…"
"Tazoka-" Karizu tried to interject.
"Now, now, Karizu…" the Excadrill said, holding up one of his claws at Karizu, "There is nothing to be concerned about. You must forgive my curiosity, after all. Among this village filled with wild, warrior Pikachu, there sits this delicate little thing." Tazoka shifted his lips and leaned forward just slightly. "Are you…lost?"
"I…I…"
"How fascinating…" Tazoka continued, his voice lowering in tone, "A trained Pokémon from the human world, lost in the forest…And this little tribe has decided to adopt you? Ah, I do love it when the story has a happy ending…"
Roxy was now shivering even more. There was something about this Pokémon, something she couldn't put her paw on, that really unnerved her. He was the most amicable of the three, but she felt like he was the one to be most afraid of.
"No…" he murmured softly, leaning in even closer, "Trained Pokémon do not often wear those…Your demeanour says otherwise as well…"
"H…Huh…?"
A sly grin appeared on Tazoka's face. "You are a human's pet. My, your story gets more interesting by the minute…"
He moved one of his claws. She flinched as her heart skipped a beat. She watched with panicked eyes as he slowly moved it towards her, bringing that sharp instrument of death closer and closer to her vulnerable neck. Her life flashed before her eyes until the moment it made contact with her, and everything froze.
His claw was resting under her chin, ever so gently tilting it upwards so that she was looking at him. Her heart raced faster than ever before. She could barely breathe. All it would take was a slight flick of the wrist, and she would be dead. Her whole body felt like a block of ice.
"Well…Do not worry, little pet…" Tazoka spoke in a near-whisper, "Stay with them and you will have nothing to fear…"
There was a sudden flash of movement and someone cried out in pain. Roxy let out an involuntary yelp of pure fear before her brain caught up to what was going on. Something wooden and tinted with blue had zipped past her field of vision, and now Tazoka was standing back and rubbing his wrist in pain. Something had struck him, and he did not look happy about it. His head was turned in the direction the object had come from, a venomous glare on his face.
Roxy got the feeling that he was about to murder whoever had hit him.
Though she made sure to keep an eye on the Excadrill, Roxy turned and looked to her left. She just managed to catch the sight of Taka catching his boomerang in his paw. She realized that he must have thrown it at Tazoka. Now that it was back in his paw, he lowered his limb to his side and fixed Tazoka with a calm but intense glare.
Tazoka was clearly angry. She could see his two associates in the background getting incensed and shouting things at Taka, but the Excadrill simply remained silent and stared. Roxy also saw a few Thunder Clan members looking wide-eyed between the two.
"Do not..." Taka spoke in a clear, deliberate tone, "...place a claw...on one of our clan."
The whole clearing fell silent. Tazoka continued to stare angrily at the Pikachu, while Taka maintained his calm but authoritative disposition. Kuzu and Za had stopped shouting, but were also looking at Taka and appeared to be even angrier than their boss. Karizu was standing off to the side looking slightly uneasy, while Roxy was just focusing on reminding herself to keep breathing.
Finally, after an agonizingly tension-filled minute, Tazoka raised both of his claws up palms outward. He closed his eyes and changed his expression to a subtle frown. "No," he spoke, "You are right. I have clearly overstepped my boundary." He then took a few steps back from her and turned so he was half-facing Taka as well. "I implore your forgiveness, Taka."
Kuzu looked appalled. "But...But boss-!"
"Now, now, Kuzu..." Tazoka interjected, "He was clearly in his right. Our tribes have an agreement, after all, and where would we be if we did not respect what was agreed upon? I got carried away, and that was my mistake."
He then turned back towards Roxy, making her jump slightly in surprise. He fixed his gaze upon her for a moment, and then pulled one claw in towards his chest and bowed his head forward. "I sincerely apologize, young one. I hope I did not frighten you."
Roxy's brain stalled for a moment. What was happening?!
Tazoka had not moved from his position, so Roxy figured that he must be awaiting a response. "Umm..." she murmured, "Uh...Thanks...?"
He then stood back up and nodded curtly to her. "Well then!" he then said as he turned completely around and clapped his claws together, "Perhaps we should take our donation and go before we accidentally overstay our welcome." He indicated towards his companions. "Sound good?"
"But...But, boss! He-"
Once more, Tazoka interrupted the Sandslash. "Kuzu, restrain yourself. Help Za pick up the baskets, and then we can leave."
"Boss...?"
Tazoka picked up one of the baskets and handed it to him.
"...Okay, boss."
Roxy and most of the Thunder Clan watched in tense silence as the three Ground-types picked up the baskets. Tazoka and Kuzu picked up two each, while Za used his four arms to pick up the rest of them.
"Thank you as always, Karizu!" Tazoka called over his shoulder.
Karizu said nothing.
"We shall see you after the next full moon." Tazoka then began to walk off through the village and into the forest, back the way he came. His two associates followed behind him, though both of them cast one more vengeful glare over at Taka.
Before long, they were out of sight. After a few more minutes of pause, most of the villagers returned to whatever they had been doing before.
"Roxy!" Miri called out as she hurriedly strode over to her, "Are you okay?" The Audino picked her up and gave her a quick, comforting hug before placing her back on the ground.
"Y-Yeah...I think so..." she murmured, though she found herself staring off at nothing as she did.
"I am sorry that I left you...I did not think he would notice you."
Roxy gulped, remembering just how close the dangerous-looking Excadrill had come towards her. She had felt her entire body cease to function the moment the tip of his claw touched her chin.
"Roxy..." came the voice of Karizu, causing her to glance up at him, "Are you hurt? I am deeply sorry that you had to go through that..."
She shook her head. "N-no, I'm fine...He didn't hurt me..."
Karizu sighed and knitted his brow. "Roxy, you must forgive us. It is clear that none of us had yet informed you of our...'relationship' with the Earth Tribe."
"Did Makari not mention them?" Miri chimed in.
Roxy simply shook her head again.
"The full moon was only a few days ago," Karizu continued, "Usually they do not come for their berries so soon after the full moon has passed. We would have told you, but we did not expect them yet..."
"This happens every cycle of the moon...?" Roxy murmured. She knew that a full moon came approximately once a month, and they had given up a lot of berries to the trio.
Karizu nodded. "It can be difficult, but it has served us well thus far. Our fathers and grandfathers fought long, unwinnable battles against their tribe. There is simply no way for us to defeat them. With an agreement like this eliminating the need for any fighting at all, our two tribes can coexist peacefully...At least, somewhat peacefully..."
Roxy found herself glancing away again, troubled and deep in thought. "But, couldn't you have..." she started to say, but then stopped herself. She remembered the encyclopaedia's page on Pikachu, and went through all of the moves they could naturally learn. Offensively, they were all Normal- or Electric-type attacks. As Miri had said, the former was repelled by their tough skin, while the latter wouldn't work at all. Without trainers to tutor them new moves or use TM's, there really wasn't anything useful they could learn.
She gulped, suddenly feeling quite vulnerable.
"Are you sure you are okay?" Miri asked in concern.
"I'll be fine..." she muttered, "I really thought he was gonna kill someone after Taka hit him..."
"Mm..." Karizu added, "They are not supposed to come into contact with us at all, but Taka took a pretty bold step there..."
"The Excadrill…He freaks me out…" Roxy muttered.
"That is not difficult to believe."
Roxy glanced off to the side, seeing that Taka was still standing nearby. She saw the other two turn to look as well.
"There are things I must tend to," Karizu spoke, "If you need to speak with myself or the other Wise Ones, you are welcome to."
Roxy nodded softly as the Raichu headed off. She found herself lost in thought.
"Are you sure you will be all right?" Miri asked her.
She paused before responding. "Y-yeah, it's fine…I'll be fine…"
"Well, okay…"
In the distance, Taka turned and began to walk away.
"I gotta go…" Roxy said absentmindedly, turning to give Miri an apologetic smile and a wave before dashing off on all fours.
"Oh! Okay. I will talk to you soon!" Miri called after her.
Roxy realized she was probably being a little rude, but her brain was so muddled that it was difficult to get things sorted. She wasn't even entirely sure what exactly she was doing right now, but regardless she kept up her pace. It didn't take her long to catch up with the Pikachu warrior.
"Taka!" she called out, making him stop and half-turn back towards her.
"Mm…?"
She stopped and panted a couple of times before sitting up on her hind legs. "I, uh…" she started to say, but the next words eluded her. As she searched for them, she found herself looking into the eyes of the hardened warrior, which were still just as distant and cold as ever. She thought about what he had just done, and what could have compelled him to do such a thing.
"Thanks," she said at last.
Taka didn't respond immediately.
"I mean, uh…Thank you for that…For, y'know, with the Excadrill and…" Her thanks were sincere, as she truly didn't know what the Excadrill might have done if he hadn't intervened, but for some reason she found herself flummoxed. She glanced away and tried to form her words properly.
"I did not do it for you."
Roxy's eyes snapped back to his and she tilted her head slightly. "What…?"
"I was not 'saving' you from Tazoka, if that is what you think," he said in a low tone, "If it had been another and not you, I would have done the same. I was enforcing a rule that others seemed to be too hesitant to act upon."
Taka didn't even wait for a response before turning on his heels and walking away, leaving Roxy standing there feeling utterly confused. She stared after him, looking inside and out to try and find an answer to the enigma that was Taka. As always, she came up empty.
"Um…Thanks anyway…" she whispered to no-one.
"Oh, Roxy…I am so sorry! I wish I could have been there for you…"
Roxy found herself sitting in the relative darkness of Makari's hut, lit only by the small torch-like stick. Makari was lying on his side on the floor, while Roxy was propped up against his midsection as if he were a pillow.
She sighed. "It's okay…It wasn't your fault. Karizu said they came early for some reason."
"He is right. This is unusual…"
Roxy sighed, and then she felt Makari shift beneath her.
"Please forgive me for not telling you sooner," he spoke, "So much else was going on, and I did not think they would show up until at least a few more days. I thought I had time."
"It's fine, Makari. Really," Roxy replied, trying to reassure him that she wasn't mad, "I mean, nothing bad happened…"
"Right."
She turned her head to look at him, and he gazed back up at her with a smile.
"They are not the friendliest Pokémon," Makari said, "but our tribes have lived without conflict for years and years. I know they can be frightening, but there is nothing to fear from them."
"Really?"
"Yes, it is true."
Roxy couldn't bring herself to smile. "How long does it take you guys to get that many berries for them…?"
Makari hesitated slightly. "Honestly, it does take up most of the moon's cycle, but the forest is bountiful so there is always plenty to go around."
She nodded at that, remembering that Makari always seemed to have plenty of berries to share with her.
"I am just sorry that I was on patrol when it happened."
Roxy frowned. "You're on patrol a lot…" It was not an accusation, but rather just an observation.
"Well…" Makari trailed off for a moment before saying, "Not to be boastful, but I am one of the most skilled warriors in this village. My skills are needed more often than others'."
She glanced down at him once more, looking him in the eyes for a moment until, finally, she smiled. "That, I don't have a hard time believing…" she said, parroting what Karizu had said earlier.
Makari's own smile brightened as soon as hers appeared.
Unfortunately, so many thoughts had muddled her mind that her smile didn't last long. "That Excadrill, though…" she murmured, glancing away, "He was so scary, even though he was really quiet and calm."
"Tazoka is older than most of us," Makari replied, "Though not so old as to slow him down. What I am saying is that he has seen a lot, been through a lot, and learned a lot. His greatest strength is knowing how others think."
Roxy felt an involuntary shiver pass through her body. "He came right up to me…He spoke in such a smooth, jazzy voice…and I just froze on the spot."
Makari sighed and shook his head. "Well, the good news is that we will not see them again until the next full moon, so you may as well put them out of your mind."
"Are you sure about that?"
"For years they have only shown up once a month. It is part of the agreement, after all. Roxy, you will not even have to think about them for quite a few weeks."
Roxy considered this for a moment until she finally began to relax. "I guess, if you say so…"
"Let us talk about something more pleasant."
Conversation shifted to a number of other different topics as the early hours of the night passed by. Roxy tried her best to do what Makari had said and stop thinking about the Earth Tribe's visit, but for some reason she just couldn't. There was this nagging sensation in the back of her mind that told her something wasn't quite right, but she didn't know what.
Soon enough, Roxy was walking over to her own bed as Makari laid his head down to sleep. She flopped down onto the soft grassy bedding, suddenly feeling quite exhausted.
"Pleasant dreams."
Roxy glanced over in the direction of her 'roommate'. He had already closed his eyes.
"Yeah…You too…" Roxy murmured. She closed her eyes and tried to go to sleep as well. Despite how exhausted she felt, however, she found that she couldn't get to sleep. Her thoughts were jumping back and forth like a crazy Buneary, never giving her brain a chance to settle down and get some rest.
Makari and the others talked of peace between their tribes, but…was it really peace? She wasn't sure if she could completely trust Tazoka or not, and hoped that she would never need to. Even if Tazoka was as calm and affable as he appeared to be, that still left his associates the Sandslash and the Graveler. Roxy got the feeling that the Excadrill was the only thing keeping those two in check.
But beyond that, Roxy felt a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. She had completely frozen up as soon as enemies had appeared, even though they had turned out not to be enemies exactly. Obviously she didn't consider herself perfectly adept in self-defence yet, but today had just proven a sobering reality to her.
Things changed once she left the safety of Taka and his training. When Taka struck out at her, she knew how to get into the proper stance and use her limbs and tail to fend off at least some attacks. Once the Excadrill had come close, it was as if she hadn't taken any lessons at all.
Hours passed before she was finally able to get to sleep.