Despite civilisation spreading across the known world thanks to Lucario, the distance between towns often remained large and scenic.
When pokémon came together to form a community, it started small, slow. Generally, it grew to a certain size before stopping.
It was true for nearly every town, and places like Treasure Town and Blackstone Village were no exceptions.
It would take nearly four days to reach Blackstone.
However, unlike most excursions between stops, Team Ion encountered a surprise on the dawn of the third day.
"Alert: Meowth, Shinx, and Litleo have appeared."
"Wait," Scout began, ears twitching, "is that?"
Three figures descended from the trees above them, surrounding them in moments. Beheeyem did a pose that looked distressingly like a dab, Electrike reared up on two legs and kicked the air while sparking, while Beldum simply floated there in silence.
"Beheeyem?"
"Electrike!"
"Beldum?"
"Team Gazer?" Team Ion said at once.
The trio of pokémon stopped their posing and came together to face the three kitties face on. "Indeed," Beheeyem said, doing a short bow and waving his hand. "It is good to see you again, Team Ion."
"You beat us to the gold!" Electrike said, stepping forward and sniffing Mane who edged back slightly. "But that's okay."
"What… gold?" Rai asked, still a little stunned by their abrupt appearance.
"To saving time, of course," Beheeyem answered. "No matter, it was likely a doomed attempt on our part from the start. We did not have the fragment you possess, after all."
"It was hardly a race to win," Mane said, giving Electrike a look over. "Just a race against time."
"Yes, yes," Beheeyem acquiesced, waving him off. "It doesn't matter who won."
"It wasn't a competition!"
"Thankful Statement: Team Ion, saviours of time, we give thanks for your saving of time," Beldum, ever the diplomat said.
"Err… thanks."
"Can I get an autograph?" Electrike said, suddenly, completely unable to hold his tongue. Beheeyem gave him a betrayed look, but Electrike decided he may as well just steer into the skid. "All three of you. Pleaassse?"
"I guess."
"Hooray!"
Beheeyem crossed his arms as Electrike got three paw pads on some paper. Then Beldum also asked for an autograph. Beheeyem sighed and asked for one also.
Once that was done, he tried to regain some credibility. "Ahem. Anyway." Beheeyem rolled up his own sighed paper and stored it very safely away, a dusting of red on his face. "You must be wondering how the illustrious Team Gazer reunited amidst the chaos and anarchy?"
Scout cocked his head. "Reunited? Did you split up?"
"I…" Beheeyem sighed, nothing ever went his way.
"Oh year, I did hear about that," Mane said, glancing over to nod to Scout. He turned a little too fast, and he winced, the scar on his neck twinging. "A fight about something, right? I try not to listen too much to the gossip since everyone in town warps the story out of any real truths before long."
Electrike and Beldum gave a glance to Beheeyem, who just had his head hung. "Okay!" he said, pulling himself up and going right back into showmon mode. "The story is fraught with danger, tragedy, but has a heart-warming end. You see."
"We found Beldum!" Electrike cut in.
Beheeyem's eye twitched.
The terrible storm had ceased. Whatever Team Ion and Grovyle had done seemed to have worked. Hopefully.
But if not. They still had to find Beldum.
They had left more than a day ago, but Beheeyem could follow a vague trail of frustration. Beldum floated with use of their own Psychic-powers, and he knew the stalwart thing so well he could pick up even this faint trail.
If only he wasn't so damned slow. "Volt," Thoughtlight the Beheeyem said. "I'm not fast enough, I'll give you the location I think Beldum's heading to and you go ahead."
"I'm not leaving you," Volt replied absolute certainty in his voice. "Beldum isn't any faster than you. We find him together."
"That's illogical when you could be faster."
"I don't care about logic! I care about you and Beldum, and I'm going to let you get hurt to maybe find them."
"Volt…"
"Okay? Just… hurry up." Volt began to run ahead. Thoughtlight groaned, but he did find the strength to go faster.
It may have taken days, if not weeks, to catch up to Cobalt, had the beldum not had a change of heart and turned around.
"W-wait," Thoughtlight said, breathless. "I feel."
"Like you're going to have a heart attack from all this exercise?" Volt joked, panting himself.
"I am not unfit!"
"You certainly sound like you dungeon crawl for days."
"I will slap you."
"Is daddy gonna spank me?"
"Disturbed Demand: Do not ever say that again."
The two looked up sharply as Cobalt drifted into view, eye swivelling and seemingly unable to focus on one for more than a moment.
Cobalt stopped a few feet from them, an eye trained downwards as if they were actually staring downcast at the ground in shame.
"Cobalt?" Thoughtlight asked, unable to really believe it.
"Embarrassed Inquisitive: I…" They couldn't quite finish their words, falling silent.
"Aww." Volt sniffled before leaping upon the beldum. "The gangs back together again! I knew you didn't hate us forever."
"Apologetic Response: I acted rashly and without thinking. I apologise for my actions."
Thoughtlight glanced away, unsure.
"What are you doing?" Volt asked, from where he had Cobalt on the ground, fluffy electrike body pinning them. "Get over here!"
That was all it took, and Thoughtlight joined the very uncomfortable cuddle pile. Cobalt was the focal point of it, and they were entirely made out of metal.
"We're back together!" Volt cheered. "We should do our totally awesome and not lame and awkward motto!"
"I feel offended."
"You can't just say how you feel. That makes me feel angry!"
"Happy Statement: I agree with Volt."
"Mmm." Thoughtlight gave Cobalt a suspicious look.
"Explanative: About doing the motto."
"Oh! Okay."
Beheeyem pushed away and struck a pose. "I am Beheeyem, the leader of Team Gazer," Beheeyem said grandly. "These are my compatriots, Beldum and Electrike. We seek to uncover the past!"
Volt jumped up happily. "Explore the future!"
Cobalt rose up, eye bright and cheerful. "Happy Declaration: And protect the present!"
"And that's how we reunited," Beheeyem finished his retelling that Team Ion had definitely asked him to do.
"I'm happy for you." Scout smiled bemusedly. "I'm sorry you split up for… for whatever reason. But I'm glad you're back together!"
"I am too!" Electrike said.
"The best part of that story was the threat of spanking," Mane said, unimpressed.
Rai gave him a look before shaking it off. "I'm happy for you as well. What have you been doing lately?"
With the air cleared, the two teams began to share stories. Rai and Mane, mostly Rai, told Team Gazer about how Team Sunrise and Scout returned as well as meeting Lucario, while Team Gazer told stories of ruins they had explored and treasures they had uncovered.
"We are in high demand at the moment," Beheeyem said, proudly. "Normally we only to exploration with a little bit of retrieval, but with so many new dungeons appearing we've taken on some rescuing as well. Not a problem for Team Gazer!"
It started something of a one-upping contest until Beheeyem pointed the finger. "How about a battle then? Friendly, of course, for old times sake. We never did get the chance to rematch you for that Boulder Quarry battle."
Rai looked interested, but Mane was the one to answer. "Sorry, we're actually out on the hunt for an outlaw. We've probably dawdled here a bit too long, he's somewhere ahead of us, and we'll never find him at this rate."
Rai blinked but nodded with a sigh. "Yeah, he's got a point."
"Aww."
"I'm sorry, we can't really lose this trail. If he gets to Fissure, we might not be able to catch up."
"Who is it you are hunting?" Beheeyem asked, accepting the refusal for the time being. "Perhaps we can assist you?"
"We're supposed to do this on our own," Scout explained. "It's the graduation test for the guild."
"I see. And who are you after exactly, we might be able to point you in the right direction perhaps?"
"Pyroar," Mane snapped. "That's who we're after."
Rai and Scout gave him a surprised look. "You alright?" Scout asked quietly.
"Declaration: You appear agitated," Beldum pointed out.
"Well, obviously, he's dragging my good name and the name of all litleo and pyroar through the mud!"
"Rebuttal: You seem to be taking this personally."
Mane glared at Beldum before he sighed and bent his head. "I'm sorry. I haven't been sleeping well, I've never been away from Treasure Town like this. It's bothering me."
"It's fine," Beheeyem said, waving him off.
"Yeah! We miss home too," Electrike said, as helpful as ever.
"Well Wishes: Good luck."
"And, hey," Beheeyem said, as the two teams began to move. "We're going to Darkfalls, a dungeon close by. We're just getting a few rare materials for Guildmaster Clefable in Blackstone. We might see each other soon, we should catch up."
"Sounds good," Rai said, and the two teams parted ways.
"You're not sleeping well?" Scout asked once they were clear of Team Gazer.
"Sorry," Mane said, rubbing his face. "It's not nightmares, I just… can't sleep."
"You should have told us," Rai said, bumping him gently. "Have you just been pretending to be asleep?"
"A little. I know, sorry."
"We'll make sure you can sleep," Scout said, and Mane gave him an amused look. Scout quickly changed the subject.
Several days later they arrived in Blackstone, early in the morning. All three felines gave big yawns as they plodded along, the road cleaning up into a well-worn track as the distant sounds of wild pokémon faded to the distant sounds of civilised pokémon.
"Looks like we're here," Scout said, relieved.
"Blackstone Village, here we are!" Rai cheered.
Mane just scoffed and smiled, trotting just as fast as they were.
Blackstone Village was, despite what the name suggested, filled with colour. Black stones were used in construction, yes, but there was a great many sights and colours to add that splash of life to it all. It wasn't a very large place, much smaller than Yellow Petal Town.
Thus, it was a surprise to Team Ion when they were recognised immediately. Not a minute after stepping through a wooden arch where they spotted and waved over by a pokémon.
"Greeting Team Ion." With a polite curtsey, a female indeedee greeted them. "I've been expecting you."
"You... have?" Rai asked, surprised.
"Of course. Chimecho sent word ahead."
"Oh!" Scout was the one to perk up. "Mayor Indeedee, right?" He smiled brightly at her, looking her over curiously. While the memories of the Dark Future were a little blurry in his head, he very much remembered the indeedee who had saved him and… D…Danny, and who had pulled him out of his funk.
Mayor Indeedee looked far healthier than she had in the Dark Future. Her fur was a pristine purple with flecks of lavender where the light hit her, compared to the degree of scragglyness Scout remembered from the hardened survivor. Her brown eyes were chocolately and warm, compared to the edged and worn stare she had from years of living a waking nightmare.
"Right," Mayor Indeedee replied, giving a bob of her head that carried her whole body down, almost like a curtsey. "Hearing you were coming has inspired a little bit of excitement, it's been some time since we've had such visitors to our little slice of the world."
When Team Ion's expressions became slightly fixed she swiftly added, "Do not worry, no one else knows you are coming besides myself. I understand that the three of you are rather tired of the attention, Chimecho has been kind enough to emphasise that. The excitement is purely in myself, but I know how to be professional. She did not tell me why you were coming all this way, however, I can guess at a few things but perhaps it'd be easier to speak in my office away from excitable pokemon?"
"That'd be nice," Rai said gratefully as they all relaxed a significant amount. "Thank you."
Mayor Indeedee's smile widened slightly before she nodded back to him. "There is no need to thank me, I've already had lunch."
Scout held a perplexed look as Mane gave a surprised snicker at that. Rai seemed to understand and rolled his eyes at Mane, leaving Scout confused.
Blackstone Village was a thriving community with a small but dedicated population. Not many pokemon wanted to live next to a massive prison or close to a lawless wasteland, but those that were here were deeply close with one another.
The streets were marked with finely smoothed soil ringed by gravel patches of the famed black stone; obsidian pebbles that contrasted nicely with the green grass and brown dirt.
Even remote places like this new of Team Ion, largely due to the guild just out of the town, and eyes quickly turned to them. To their surprise they were glanced at, then pokemon looked away bored before heads snapped back to them in surprise.
Mutters broke out, Scout overhead something about a Team Isotope. THankfully, with Mayor Indeedee leading them, no one jumped out at them. A lot of pokemon smiled at the mayor, giving waves or briefly speaking with her about various things.
"So, how did you know we'd arrive today?" Mane asked.
Indeedee smiled a little awkwardly. "To tell the truth I've been standing around here for the last two days, Chimecho herself wasn't entirely sure when you'd arrive, and the others here think I've become a few Poké short of a purse if you know what I mean."
Indeedee winked, and Scout laughed.
"That's because you are always working!" a pokémon who just happened to be passing by, called. "Seeing you out of your office at all is crazy."
"Oh hush, Dewott," she called back. "I take breaks."
"Once a decade."
"Twice a decade."
"See? She admits it." He shook his head at her. "Team Ion I bet. Nice to meet you, don't give Piplup an autograph, he'll never shut up about it." And then he was off. Some pokemon were still normal around them, which was nice.
Rolling her eyes, she turned back to them. "We're all quite close here, don't mind any jokes that might come my way. They like to give me a hard time."
"My office is on the other side of the town, I might as well give a short tour as we are walking," Indeedee said, gesturing to a marketplace they were walking towards. Unlike Treasure Town split by the river, Blackstone's trading hub was a big circle with various shops propped up.
"We have our own market, although it's a flareon who runs it." Flareon flicked his tail at them as they walked by.
"There's a small training ring here as well, it's important due to our proximity to Towny Town and Fissure that everyone here is at least able to defend themselves." She waved her hand, and in a moment a pokémon popped their head out of the building. "Gallade, I'm just showing some visitors around."
"You tell them I won the past thirteen fighting championships?" Gallade asked.
"Yes, of course, I did."
"Good." He went back in.
Indeedee shook her head fondly. "So, he won the last thirteen fighting championships." She smiled, and Rai giggled at the dry tone, it reminded him of Scout's sarcasm. "Gallade's a good pokémon, a little prideful though. Not that they're anything wrong with that." She winked.
With the marketplace toured, she led Team Ion further into town, past dozens of pokémon. Marowak is flirting with a weavile, a persian and arcanine arguing, a gardevoir and swampert walking hand-in-hand.
All the while, she gave a polite greetings. "Marowak, I think you're going to get struck if you keep that up," she warned, and he grinned. Weavile smirked, ice cradling one of her claws.
"Calm down, you two," she said to the arguing cat and dog. "What is it today?"
"She took my ball!"
"I'll take both of them if he doesn't shut up!"
"Persian, return his item," Indeedee instructed. Persian sighed, rolled her eyes, but did return it. "What's with the blue?" she asked, looking at Scout.
"It's complicated," he said.
"Bored now." Persian wandered off.
"Thanks for making her be less mean!" Arcanine barked happily, taking his ball and running off with it.
"Good day you two," Indeedee said as they passed Gardevoir and Swampert.
"Lovely morning, Indeedee," Gardevoir returned.
"I agree," Swampert said, looking straight at Gardevoir. She blushed and giggled, and the two ran off.
Indeedee smiled at the antics and continued on.
"So… you're popular around here?" Scout asked Indeedee as she led them to a building right in the middle of town.
"I've been here for some time now," she replied with a tone as dry as a desert. "I've seen many of these pokémon grow and evolve, and I do my best to help where I can."
"Because gratitude is what you eat?" Mane asked, accusingly.
"Mane!" Rai hissed, bumping him hard.
"There's no need to hide it," Indeedee said, giving a bow. "Yes, I do subsist on gratitude, and it is obviously in my best interests to help pokémon. I do care about this place, however." She turned to the building she had led them to.
"This is my office. For some unknown reason, the pokémon here elected me the leader of Blackstone Town, and so if you're ever around and need help, I can usually be found here."
"Cool. Thanks," Mane said unimpressed. "Can we please get to why we're in this place?"
Rai and Scout gave him a Look, but Indeedee nodded. "Certainly, it is the topic of our next destination, after all. Come in." She gestured and the door clicked open.
They stepped into Indeedee's greeting room, a somewhat-cramped entrance littered with objects on the walls. Paintings, treasures, it was rather surprising the degree of it all around them. The door closed, giving a jingle as a bell was jolted and they looked around further.
It wasn't entirely packed, but where objects weren't placed there was mahogany walls that appeared to even be painted.
"Woah," Mane said. "You're right on outlaw territory and you're office is like this? How do you not have people breaking in every day?"
Indeedee chuckled. "None of this is valuable, most of it is just recreations. Sentimental objects, really."
Further ahead there were two doors, one on the right and one of the left with a greeting desk in the middle. It was unmanned but the desk was left very neatly with paperwork stacked in even rows.
Indeedee gestured to the right, that door opened too, and stepped inside.
This led them into a slightly-squashy office. There was a crackling fire on one end pumping out pleasant heat and there are dozens of books laid on the bookshelves around. The desk is cluttered but organised, with paperwork in neat piles but all over the place with several chewed-on pencils laying on the desk.
The walls are covered in objects. Several paintings and several ancient treasures, many of them appearing very old. A large construct took up part of one of the walls, displaying a serpent of sorts with a baleful eye, it reminded Scout of the nazca lines in appearance.
There was a plush rug underfoot that ran like a trail of grass up and around the desk.
Something spiced is in the air but the scent was vague and easy to miss. A warmth settles around the shoulders like a comforting hug and the three cats relax in it.
Indeedee took a seat behind the desk, grabbed a tin left on the desk and opened it revealing biscuits. Out a curtained window is the daylight view of a town winding down, black gravel is very visible making up the ground.
They each took a biscuit as Indeedee offered Scout a lingering look. "Chimecho said there was more to your visit here. Don't mind the questions, but she specified Meowth specifically wanted to speak with me."
She brought her hands together patiently as Rai and Mane turned to Scout. Scout nodded and swallowed the rest of the biscuit, his tail swished a little. He had told them all that he remembered and knew but it was still difficult to find the words exactly.
"Um, so, well there's a lot to say and so much of it is probably really hard to believe but I was told, by, well. Okay. Core." He said clearly, meeting her eyes.
Indeedee's chin rose slightly, her eyes betraying a flash of surprise. "...go on."
"You know how I came from the future?" She nodded. "You were one of the people helping us."
Core sat in silence for a moment and then a moment longer. She swallowed and nodded. "Well. You're right, it would be hard to believe if you hadn't… said my name."
"You told me it," Scout said. "When you saved me. Said that if I ever needed help I could come to Blackstone Village. That you'd listen, if I told you that name."
Core nodded along with him, a bemused smile flicking at her lips. "That is quite a surprise, I must admit. I see why Chimecho was filled with such nervous energy. I am glad to hear that I did the right thing in that time, I have heard it was dreadful."
"That's an understatement," Mane snorted. Rai offered him a concerned look.
Scout nodded. "Yeah. So… um…?"
Core smiled at him. "Well, of course I'll help you. But it seems I am at a disadvantage, you know me and yet I do not know you."
"Oh! I'm Scout, it's nice to meet you." Classic Scout, blurting that out. He even thrust his paw forwards in a rather human greeting.
Core once again looked bemused but then fondly amused and took his paw with a firm shake. He felt her hand twitch against him before a grin crossed her face. They continued shaking until Scout began to fear she didn't know it was supposed to stop.
They detangled after a handshake that lasted far too long.
"So, tell me what brings you out here exactly?"
And so, Rai and Scout explained the situation at hand. Core nodded and asked a few questions as they talked.
"I see. Well, I believe we can be of assistance." She gestured and down floated a map of the area. "Approximately a week or so ago we did have a rather… uncouth pyroar drift through town. The arrival shook the Clefable Guild into something of a tizzy."
"I was wondering why isn't the guild in the town?" Rai asked.
"The Clefable Guild isn't technically a part of Blackstone Village," Core explained. "The villagers here, as you could understand, wouldn't be entirely comfortable with the guild being within the bounds of the town being that the prison is attached to it."
"Yeah," Scout agreed, nodding. "I get that. How close is it?"
"It's about an hour's fast walk," Core explained. "Follow this path." She pointed to a part on the map. "No twists or choices, just a nice straight path, and you'll reach the guild. They will be expecting you as well I would imagine."
"Wait, really?"
"I'm not the only Psychic around, after all," Core pointed out. "Either way, word does spread fast around here. I should warn you that your fame has led to some… copycats you could say." She smiled a little in amusement at her own wording.
"Copycats?" Mane asked flatly.
"You'll probably see them eventually," Core said, still amused.
Team Ion nodded and briefly discussed if they wanted to do this.
Scout was a bit sore over the Clefable Guild attempting to arrest Guardian, but as the main Outlaw Guild they'd have the best resources to track down Pyroar.
"Alright." It was agreed they would.
Core had a little more to say. "While you're meeting with Clefable, I'll ask around town. This is a small community, so everyone knows everyone. If there is anything I can find to aid your tracking of Pyroar, I will compile it for you. You can come back here afterwards."
And with that, they parted ways.
"You know?" Mane said once Core was out of earshot. "She hasn't named her price for all this 'help' she's giving us."
"She seems nice," Scout said, but Rai did look uncertain.
"I mean, if she wants something for this help, I don't see the problem. As long as it doesn't take too long."
"We've taken long enough," Mane said. "I kinda want to ask about all those treasures though, like what they were and such. Do you think the ones in her actual office were real?"
Unlike the Wigglytuff Guild, the Clefable Guild was not a creepy half-head looming out in the distance, but a sturdy encampment of buildings connected by trails.
Core was right, following the path easily brought them into sight of the impressively sized guild. Whereas the Wigglytuff Guild was built into a cliff and had levels, the Clefable Guild was mostly above ground, extending backwards rather than down.
Coming close to the first building, it was clear where most of the black stone of Blackstone Village went. The whole fortress was built of the material, it was quite an effective first impression. This was not your light-hearted adventure guild. This was a fortress prison.
There were two guards standing in front of the main entrance. "Halt!" they said together, a cramorant and a bagon.
"The Clefable Guild has a strict visiting policy," Bagon said as they came to a stop. "State your name and business."
"This looks like Team Ion," Cramorant whispered, perfectly audible. "Weren't we contacted ahead of time?"
"Shush, everything has a system."
"But if we already know…"
"We're Team Ion," Rai confirmed, Bagon gave Cramorant a filthy look. "Indeedee said you would be expecting us?"
"That's right!" Cramorant said, happily stepping out of the way. "Come on in!"
Bagon just sighed and stepped out of the way too. "Good luck in there," he said.
The room they stepped into was spartan in decoration, with nothing besides walls and a single desk. Made of the same material as the outside, the room wasn't dark but had a weight to it. Behind the desk sat a mienfoo, sorting out some paperwork.
"I'll be right with you," she said, not looking up. "Make yourselves comfortable."
There were no chairs, so the three just sat where they were standing until Mienfoo looked up at them. "Thank you for your patience. Welcome to the Clefable Guild. How may I help you?"
"We're here because Indeedee said you were expecting us," Mane said, losing patience rapidly. "We're Team Ion and hunting Pyroar."
Mienfoo, to her credit, only blinked once before nodding. "Not a problem, Team Ion. Thank you for what you've done for us all. Clefable is expecting you, I'll take you to her right away."
"Thank you," Mane breathed, someone was not lagging around at least. He looked a little uncomfortable at his own attitude a moment before shrugging it off.
Mienfoo came around and led them quickly through a hall and into the outside two times before they arrived at the heart of the Clefable Guild. "Clefable?" She knocked on the door. "I have Team Ion here."
"Show them in."
Mienfoo opened the door and bowed as they came in, Scout giving her his thanks.
Unlike the bare-bones lobby, Clefable's personal office was a lot more decorated. Wanted posters with the images crossed out covered the walls, detailing every outlaw Clefable had brought to justice herself.
Elsewhere in the guild, all of the worker's private rooms held similar trophies. It was a matter of pride to show who you had brought to justice.
Clefable was tall. Taller than a normal clefable and rested behind a thick desk built of mahogany wood. She also sat in an actual chair and observed the three with a sharp eye. There were a series of stuffed cushions against the wall, and three of them floated over before plopping down in front of the three felines.
"Take a seat," Clefable said, steepling her fingers. "Team Ion, it is excellent to meet the three of you. I have only heard the best from Wigglytuff and beyond."
"It's great to meet you too," Scout said.
"Likewise, it's an honour," Rai added.
Mane simply nodded.
"Let me extend my own thanks for your actions during the collapse of time," Clefable said, neutrally. Once the words had sunk in, she moved on. "I won't waste time. I am aware you are hunting Pyroar." She floated up a series of papers on her desk, an image of Pyroar on the first one. "As per a graduation test for your own guild."
She said those words with an edge of tension and Mane spoke up. "Is that a problem?" he challenged.
"I am aware you are supposed to receive little backup in the arresting of the outlaw," Clefable explained. "I would have it that he is arrested either way. It is more important to have this threat off the streets than it is to pass a test you can take again, right?"
No one answered right away, and Clefable raised an eye.
"It's better that he's arrested, yes," Scout acquiesced, nodding.
"Hm." Clefable stood up. "Thirteen days ago, an attempt to arrest Pyroar was made by three of my own apprentices – Team Crash – and they failed in their efforts. Team Crash is not an inexperienced group, Hawlucha, their leader, is a capable leader, and Gothorita and Leavanny are far from weak themselves. All three of them are currently in a coma."
Scout cringed while Rai and Mane exchanged a glance.
Pulling up Pyroar's list of crimes, Clefable began to read a few out that even Team Ion wasn't aware of. The Outlaw Guild's were a lot more up-to-date on such matters after all. "Extortion. Violent beatdowns. Lairon might not walk again. Cottenee hasn't been found. This is a very dangerous pokémon, Team Ion."
Mane scoffed and shook his head, but his back legs trembled briefly.
"Are you alright?" Scout asked.
"I'm just pissed off."
"Anger is good," Clefable said, at normal volume as she had overheard their whispering easily. "But recklessness is not. There are pokémon searching for Pyroar as we speak. I would hope that if you find anyone who is facing Pyroar, or if anyone offers help, you would accept it. Not only for the sake of capturing Pyroar but for your own sakes as well. This is a very dangerous pokémon."
"Do you know where he's going?" Rai asked, taking in everything as he could.
"Logic dictates he's trying to reach Fissure," Clefable said. "That's why we sent Kadabra with Pangoro and Nuzleaf ahead with a teleport. If he reaches Fissure, he'll be out of our reach. Going there is extremely dangerous for members of this guild. You may be able to go but being how well-known you've become that could be a boon or a bane."
Clefable sighed. "The most I want to ask of you, Team Ion, is to not allow the reason you are doing this task interfere with actually doing it. If you can take out Pyroar by yourself, that would be fantastic, but if you have the option of assistance, don't risk your safety and others just to fulfil a demand from your own guild."
Rai nodded slowly. "Yeah, you're right. You're right. We won't. Um…" he glanced to Scout and Mane, who both nodded back.
Clefable relaxed slightly. "Good. If he does slip through our net and reach Fissure, you may be the only option to pursue, but I truly hope it doesn't come to that."
Clefable's expression twisted into one of disgust. "Fissure is everything wrong with pokémon. The liars and the selfish. The pokémon who seek to harm others. Illicit materials are traded there, and it is a very bad idea to purchase any meat products. You don't know who that might have come from."
As the leader of the Outlaw Guild, Clefable certainly did not have anything nice to say about Fissure.
"Well," Clefable said, "thank you for coming to meet with me and thank you for understanding our position. The teams dispatched after Pyroar each have a method of contacting each other in case of cornering him. Unfortunately, we don't have any more battle-capable Psychic's to join you, but if you do luck out in finding him, try and get assistance. Please."
"We'll do our best," Rai said, nodding firmly. "Right guys?"
"Right."
"Sure…"
"Very good. Best of luck, Team Ion." Clefable let themselves escort themselves out, she had work to return to.
Unfortunately, Mienfoo had walked them very quickly, and they weren't entirely sure of the way back. "So, that was something," Scout said, as they wandered lost and cold.
"I didn't really think Pyroar was this dangerous," Rai said, frowning a little. "The guild's stuff is a bit out of date."
"Or maybe they didn't want to 'scare' us?" Mane sneered.
"Armaldo wouldn't do that."
"Pfft."
"Seriously?" Scout asked. "Are you alright?"
"Didn't sleep again last night."
Scout frowned, but before he could push the subject further, something else caught his attention. "Hey… what?"
Rai and Mane also stopped, as before them was none other…
Then themselves.
A meowth on two legs, shinx and litleo joining them. This meowth, at least, still had white fur.
"Who's this joker?" the meowth, clearly a female, said.
"I think it's another team of copycats," the litleo laughed, also a female. "That one's the wrong colour, though!"
"What are you three looking at?" the shinx asked, again a female, sparking already.
Rai, Scout, and Mane needed just to take a moment to fully accept this was in front of them. "Who… are you?" Rai managed.
"Team Isotope!" the three answered.
Scout's eye twitched.
"Oh my gosh," Mane sneered. "This is what she meant? Are you copycats? How lame is that?"
"You're lame!" Litleo yelled back. "We were here first!"
"No…" Scout said. "You weren't."
"If you're thinking you can join the guild-"
"We're already in a guild," Scout snapped. "The Wigglytuff Guild."
The three snorted at him. "Like we'd believe you're actually Team Ion."
"We are!" Rai spluttered, aghast at this. Mane had just run out of words for the first time ever, shaking his head.
"Oh yeah, how about you-?"
"Isotope!" a somewhat familiar voice yelled, causing all three to flinch. Mienfoo came running over to them. "There you are," she said, looking at Team Ion and flushed furiously. "I was reallllly hoping we could avoid this." She turned back to the copycats. "But it seems like I just shouldn't hope for anything."
"Hey, back off!" Shinx demanded.
"This is the actual Team Ion," Mienfoo snapped, before smacking them all behind the ears. "And this looks really awkward for the Clefable Guild. Clefable wants to speak to you, now get going!"
Shock, disbelief, more shock, horror, something unspeakable, and then embarrassment flashed across their faces before they turned and ran, unable to give Team Ion another look.
"I am so, so, so very sorry," Mienfoo said, turning back to them with a mixture of embarrassment and anger. "Needless to say, no one is particularly impressed with them around here. Clefable seems to find them hilarious, though." Under her breath, she muttered. "I bet she intentionally set you up to run into each other, crazy bastard."
"What was that?" Mane said, intrigued at the thought of cursing.
"Nothing!" Mienfoo squeaked. "Nothing at all. Just apologies, ahahahahaa. I'll lead you out of here, you must want to go after… that."
Team Ion really did not have words to say and followed Mienfoo in silence. She almost physically tossed them out the door and Team Ion just stumbled away.
"Copycats," Scout moaned. "That's the worst thing because it's a pun as well as identity theft."
"I mean… they didn't say they were Team Ion," Rai said, always the positive one.
"I don't care."
"Let's just… go," Mane suggested. They yielded to his wisdom.
It took the better part of the hour to walk back to recover from that, but at least the three immediately started making jokes.
"She got me all wrong," Scout claimed, shaking his head. "Did you see her walk? She was not used to being on two legs."
"Well, it IS weird that you are," Rai pointed out.
"It's entirely natural!"
"No." Mane shook his head. "It isn't."
"We're talking about Team 'Isotope' not me! Good grief, where did they even think up the name?"
"How is Ion weirder than Isotope?"
"Because I have advanced human knowledge. Do YOU know what an isotope is?"
"Isn't it a really small thing that is part of the building blocks of everything?" Mane asked.
"You… you guessed that."
"Did I?"
"Mmmm."
Blackstone Village was thankfully not nearly as much of a maze as the Clefable Guild, and the three were able to find their way to Indeedee's office without any difficultly. They didn't even need to ask anyone for directions.
Scout was the one to give a knock on the door, and it opened not a moment after his paw left the wood. "Come in," Core called, opening the door from afar with a psychic pull.
They stepped into the small building. It was no different then it had been a couple hours ago only the receptionist was in.
Scout's heart hurt for a moment so long he had to let them go first, eyes averting downwards, Rai and Mane took it better.
"This is Team Ion," Indeedee said to her chatot companion. "Meowth, Litleo, Shinx, this is Chatot."
"Greetings," the chatot said neutrally. It was far from the first chatot any of them had seen since the second-in-command died. Rai and Mane didn't react more than a blink, but it was a little harder on Scout, the wound being newer, and his relationship closer.
"Good morning," Scout said softly. This chatot stood less proudly than the one he knew, and their voice was softer than Chatot's stuffy bark.
"Chatot and I have asked around and compiled some information for you," Core said, levitating up a bound parcel of goodies. Except all the goodies were paper, and there wasn't much of it.
"You can find everything we have on this pyroar within," Chatot said, before nodding to Core. She smiled back.
"He's been an excellent help compiling all this," she said gratefully.
Core stepped forward, handing the information over to Scout and waved to the door, opening it again. "As much as I would like to invite you to stay the night, this Pyroar does seem like a troublesome pokémon. You'll need to head through Towny Town next."
"We do need to find him before he gets away," Rai confirmed. "Clefable's making sure of it, but he's been tricky."
"So, I've heard. I'll show you to the main road heading to Towny Town." She wasn't able to keep a straight face the second time. "My apologies, one can only say Towny Town so many times without laughing. It truly never gets old. Ah, I would tell you the story behind that name but I won't keep you. You'll just have to come back around, spoiler alert, it's my fault."
All three of Team Ion smirked a little in amusement at that. Mane's amusement, however, faded fast and Scout cast him yet another worried look as they walked through the town.
He bit his lip, shook his head, Rai also gave him a look of concern and Mane opened his mouth to speak, paused, and turned away.
Core was not blind to this. "If there's something you'd like to get off your mind?" she suggested, looking down to Mane. "Feel free."
Mane gave her an unfriendly look before it melted into indecision, doubt, and then finally into resolution. "Yeah, alright. Do you know if there's anyone else with Pyroar?"
Rai and Scout gave him a curious look, something sparking in Rai's yellow eyes.
Core considered the question. "I can't say for certain. I haven't read over everything I was able to compile, so there might be something in there." She gestured to the paperwork Scout carried, yet another addition to his growing collection. "Did Clefable say anything about that?"
"No," Mane answered. "And I should have asked her too, but if she did know I think she would have mentioned it."
"I see." They continued on in a little silence, Rai casting several searching looks at Mane and Mane ignoring them all. Core greeted pokémon on the way but didn't stop to chat like before. Bisharp on his way to Gallade's Training Field, Ampharos giggling over gossip with Persian, Arbok and Serperior discussing something serpent related.
"You have handsss, you don't count," Arbok stated, offending Serperior.
"Don't roll your S's at me!"
"And we're here," Core said, stopping at the edge of the town.
"Thanks, we definitely couldn't have found it without you," Mane drawled, barely stopping to say that.
"Thank you, Indeedee," Rai said, hastening his step to keep up with Mane.
"Have a good day, and thanks," Scout said, smiling stiffly before running off to catch up.
"I wish you the best of luck." She smiled sombrely and waved them off.
"So you four reckon that Riolu 'ere won't count to the four-pokémon limit in this here dungeon?"
"That's what we said!"
"Uh, dunno about this."
"It's Drenched Bluff, even if something does happen we'll be fine."
Team Sunrise, plus Bidoof, were ready to enter the slippery dungeon. After deciding that they would, indeed, give this a shot, it hadn't been difficult to convince Bidoof.
Who actually convinced him, no one could quite remember. It was a whirlwind of Saniya mega morning energy, and then they were halfway to the Drenched Bluff, curtsey a teleport done by the celebi.
She had been practising, after all. There was no way the four of them could get to Amped Plains and back in a single day without cheating a little.
The effort still required her to be carried, this time by Striker, the rest of the trip to the dungeon.
"Uh still don't recall exactly when I said yes to this," Bidoof said, unsure. He, too, did not remember. Perhaps because the question had never been asked, simply the verdict.
"Pretty please?" Saniya begged. "With cherries and knock-knock jokes on top?"
Bidoof grinned. "Tell ya what. You give me a knock-knock joke to share with my friend, and you've got yourself a deal by golly!"
"Okay!" Saniya beamed and then cleared her throat. "Knock-knock."
"Who's there?"
"You're."
"You're who."
"I'm the one voted most likely to become a dictator by Treasure Town!" Saniya beamed. Bidoof cocked his head before chuckling. "You've got to change the answer though, this is a tricky one."
"Ah think Bell might like one like that," Bidoof said, walking in with Team Sunrise. "She's a fan of those clever, tricky, jokes."
"Aha!" Sean said. "Her name is Bell." He held out his paw, Striker palmed over the cash. They had bet on how long it'd take for Saniya to crack Bidoof.
Bidoof gasped. "Uh, oh. Uh… don't tell no one?"
"Oh, it's fine," Saniya waved his concerns off. "Say, I love knock-knock jokes! Could I meet Bell?"
"P-pardon!?"
"Could I meet your friend?" Saniya asked innocently. "If you like her, she's probably cool."
"I…" Bidoof hesitated, unsure. "Uh, Bell's a bit… shy." Saniya gave him a crestfallen look. "I could ask?"
"Yay!" Saniya cheered, doing a loop-de-loop. She then drifted over to Sean, who was counting his coins. "I require a cut of that."
"No."
"You earned money with my genius. That's like… verbal pimping. Now give it up."
"Your train of thought is a mystery, Celebi," Guardian sighed, pulling her away. "One I would hesitate before trying to solve. My deepest of apologies Bidoof that you have to deal with the four of us for this excursion."
"Ooy!" Saniya snapped.
"Hey," Sean snapped.
"Excuse you?" Striker snapped.
They all spoke at the same time, with the same inflection and level of offence at that. Guardian's eye flickered in amusement and Bidoof smiled.
"You four kinda remind me of my team, yup-yup," he said brightly. "Flaaffy's a little like Celebi, Marill's a little like Sean, and Paras is a little like Dusknoir."
"Does that make you, me?" Striker asked, smirking down at Bidoof who immediately went red.
"I, uh, uh, you, I, me, uh golly yup-yup by golly."
"He's falling back on the catchphrases," Saniya sighed, sadly. "Dammit." She handed the money over to Sean, who took it smugly. The bet on who would break Bidoof into the mess he was in was made last night.
"Why are you so good at guessing?" Saniya sighed, patting her empty pockets. She didn't have pockets; thus, they could not be full.
"That's my secret."
"You used the Dimensional Scream, didn't you?"
"You think I'd use Legendary-Pokémon-granted, time-based magical powers for self-gain?"
"Yes."
Saniya stared closely at Sean until he glanced away, thankful he couldn't sweat in this body.
"Regardless," Guardian said. "We've come ways in already, and nothing has gone wrong."
"Oh, right!" Bidoof said, surprised. He'd been completely distracted from his nerves by the team, suddenly he wondered if that was the goal. Looking around, there was nothing that implied the monsters he had heard about. "Can ya explain to me what it is you're testing exactly? I'm still having trouble getting it."
"In the future," Striker explained, "when Sean was still human in body, the five of us were able to enter dungeons without concern. Well, any greater concern than normal."
"You think dungeons here are bad," Saniya laughed. "Hoo boy do we have some stories we don't quite remember!"
"Oddly enough," Guardian added, "dungeons were, in some ways, less gruelling than what I could remember. Perhaps it was simply the added muscle of Grovyle and Celebi and Meowth being able to hold his own, but I wonder…"
"Being able to enter dungeons in a five-pokémon group," Sean finished. "Would be pretty useful I imagine. I didn't seem to 'register' on the four-pokémon limit before. None of us knows why, but it's got to be some sort of human thing?"
"And he's no longer human," Saniya pointed out. "Or, at least, he's certainly a lot furrier than he was before." Sean blushed. "And shorter. And he's got things sticking out the sides of his head. And he doesn't have as many fingers anymore. And-"
"Okay." Sean cut in. "I think he gets it now."
"Do you?" she asked, peering imperiously down at Bidoof.
"Uh… yup-yup?"
"Very good."
The dungeon's trek continued with no warping of the walls. No monstrosities are walking out of breaks in space—nothing out of the ordinary, just cold, wet, and moist.
"Moist," Saniya giggled, poking at some slime.
Sean gave a weary sigh.
The Drenched Bluff had been chosen over Beach Cave for tworeasons. The first and foremost is that Team Sunrise wanted to go further than just Beach Cave. The second reason, and the one they'd claim to be the primary reason, was that they had a job request to recover an item from the dungeon.
There were no problems with Drenched Bluff, and the five cleared the dungeon easily.
"I reckon you four are mighty strong," Bidoof said as they walked back to town.
"World saviours," Saniya sang.
"Yup-yup. I dunno what to do to thank you for asking little old me to come along. Uh…" he glanced around, to Saniya, and decided to go for it. "Want a knock-knock joke?"
"Always," Saniya replied immediately. Before Bidoof could start it, however, she sighed. "Ah… did I ever tell you why I like knock-knock jokes?"
"No?" Bidoof answered.
"Have you mentioned this to us either?" Striker asked, also not knowing the answer.
Saniya smiled wistfully. "Soothe liked them. And jokes in the Dark Future were pretty rare. Giratina wasn't any good for any jokes that weren't incredibly inappropriate." Whatever Saniya considered inappropriate was best not pondered upon. "So, that's why."
She gave Bidoof a genuinely warm smile. "Thanks for liking them. It brings back some actual good memories that I don't really share with anyone else. Heh." She shook her head. "I think Soothe actually would have liked you."
"Really?" Bidoof said, surprised. He didn't know much about the audino, only that she was potentially very dangerous. The idea a pokémon like that would like him of all things didn't make sense.
"She wasn't very, uh… how to put it?" Saniya rubbed her chin. "Soothe was pretty low-key, which I totally get thanks to growing up in THAT hellhole. You either become like me! Or become a bit of a paranoid recluse. Or develop really 'quirky' traits like, for instance, an orbsession."
Striker gave her a deeply wounded look.
"So, yeah. I think she'd like you, you're quiet, but you're also nice. Thanks, Bidoof, for being you."
Bidoof was positively burning up with embarrassment at that point. He did not receive many compliments and began to stutter out various "By Golly's" and "Yup-yup's" as Saniya giggled at his reaction and Guardian handed over some betting money to a very smug Sean.
"I, I reckon you're much too nice to me," Bidoof said, once he was able to speak again.
"Nonsense!" Saniya cried, not willing to hear a bar of any self-pity or defeatism. "You're a silly goof too! I like that."
She continued complimenting Bidoof until he rolled over and fainted from the praise. "Damned by praise," she giggled, levitating him up and tossing him gently into Striker's arms. "Okay. Let's do the time warp AGAIN!"
Saniya teleported, dragging the rest of them with her. She wasn't sure where they'd end up. Hopefully, not two feet above the ocean like the last three times.
Her wish was granted. They appeared three feet above the ocean.
"You don't need to be rude," Rai said, as Scout caught up to them.
"Okay," Mane said, coming to an abrupt stop, whispering under his breath. "Okay. Yeah, okay. Okay. Now."
Scout stopped, concerned. "Are you okay?"
Rai gave him a quelling look. "This isn't just about sleeping badly, is it?" Rai asked.
"Read the room," Mane snapped at Scout, looking at the dirt track with trees around them. Anything but them.
He sighed. "Okay, I've been suspecting something for a while now. I didn't want to say anything in case I was wrong since this brings back ALL the shit, but I'm almost entirely convinced. Not totally certain, but enough that I got to say this before it ends up being something stupid I could have prevented by just talking about it."
"Okay," Scout said, nodding seriously. "Should we go… somewhere private?"
Mane snorted. "We're in the middle of bumfuck nowhere, and this isn't exactly some big clandestine secret, I think we'll be fine. This isn't THAT kind of mysterious topic. No, I'll just say it. I think Pyroar is my brother."
For a moment, Rai and Scout only responded with a blink.
"Ah," Rai said, Scout took another blink. "Ahh."
"Yeah."
"Oh," Scout said.
"Yah."
"Uh… how are you sure?" Rai asked, settling onto his belly. This felt like a sitting down conversation.
"I can't be totally sure," Mane said, frowning. "But what we've been hearing? What we've been getting from our leads? The fact that Armaldo set us on this specific guy, to begin with? It's all reminding me of my brother. It doesn't surprise me at all that he's a filthy criminal. I mean, how close was I to being one? And I was the failure child, HE took Mother's lessons like a psyduck to water."
"Mother?" Scout asked.
Mane gave him a curled-lip glare before realising Scout was being serious. "Wait… do you not know?"
"No," Scout replied, shaking his head. Other than a very brief mention from Chatot a long time back, and one bad ask during Mane's Truth and More Truth game after joining the guild, he had no idea.
"But you asked me in that silly apprentice bonding session, way back," Mane said, blinking dumbly. This did not compute. How could Scout not know?
"You made it clear it was off bounds," Scout replied as if it was obvious. "You told me not to bring it up again, so I didn't."
"And you didn't… just ask someone else?" Mane asked, genuinely stumped. "Rai didn't tell you? I made him to you about his family, I thought he would… someone would have told you in a literal heartbeat if you'd asked. You seriously don't know?"
"You… well… no. Other than Chatot mentioning that your family were a bit… on the wrong side, I never asked anyone. You said it was off-limits, so I figured that meant I should keep my nose out of it. Was I… supposed to ask someone else?"
Mane stared at him, boggled until a perplexing myriad of expressions ran across his face. Bouncing from disbelief to amusement to pain and all the way back to bemused affection. He shook his head. "Wow I… don't know whether that's the most endearing thing anyone has ever done for me or just plain stupid."
"Maybe it's both?" Rai suggested.
Mane leered at him, without heat. "Yeah, it's Scout. So, it's definitely both. There's always a bit of stupid in there."
"Hey!" Scout yelled, also without any heat.
Mane gave him a brief, soft, smile before sighing. "I get you were being weirdly good about my privacy, but this just means I am the one who has to explain it. Which isn't fun."
"I could," Rai offered.
Mane shook his head. "Thanks, but I think it'd just piss me off for reasons I don't quite want to understand. This way I'll only be mad at myself."
"Mane," Scout interjected. "If this is really an issue. You don't have to tell me. I can live without knowing."
Mane was quiet, another carnival funhouse of expressions crossed his face. "No. Don't… be all… nice like that!" he said, voice laboured as he fought back emotions. "You don't get to be all nice and offer me an out when doing so could put you, and by extension us, at risk. Just shut up, sit down, be quiet, and just let me talk. Cause I'm only going to say this once, and I'm not taking questions."
Scout followed suit. He was nervous at Mane's behaviour but also a little eager to know. He had wanted to know the story for a while now, but this was something Mane clearly didn't want to talk about, so he reigned in any satisfaction at getting the coveted explanation.
Mane paced for a bit, kicked up some dirt, set a falling leaf on fire and stared at the ash for a minute before gathering the words to say.
Once he began, he did not pause for anything besides a quick breath.
"I was mostly raised by my dad, Morpeko. Yes, haha, my dad was a morpeko, shut up. My mother, our mother," he corrected. "Was Pyroar. We, me and Litleo my brother, obviously, didn't know her very well and, really, I don't think Morpeko did either."
Mane took a breath. "The only stuff I remember oof Pyroar was her teaching us." He fell silent, squinting slightly against nothing.
"I'm… not going to talk about the details of what she taught us," he said firmly, looking right between them and nowhere else. "Just that she had plans. Creepy plans, insane plans, but still plans. She was one of those megalomaniacal maniacs who dreams of world domination, I'm pretty sure at least. Unlike some who go for it by accumulating power and influence, she wanted to get there by fucking and breeding pokémon loyal to her and only her."
He took another breath, speaking quicker. "Me and Litleo were the start of that. She taught seduction and domination, weird willpower lessons where she'd…" a flash of pain flew across Mane's face faster than the eye could blink. It was almost like it wasn't there, but the weight in his voice spoke louder than the flicker of expression. "She'd hurt us to build up toughness and more shit I do not need to revisit."
Mane frowned, he paused for only a brief moment looking sick before swallowing whatever was trying to come up. "The fact of the matter is, she was sick. She was sicker than Litleo and us could have possibly known."
He cringed away from Rai and Scout, needing a moment. Scout wanted to step forward and hug him but Rai stalled him with a slight shake of his head. "She was my mother but…"
He buried it and turned back. "We barely knew anyone or anything besides Morpeko, each other, and Pyroar. She was awful." That was the most he could say. "Morpeko was safer, but he still liked to pit us against each other, but neither of us was very strong, but we were tough, so we couldn't really hurt each other."
"In the end," Mane said, voice cracking slightly before he swallowed that as well, "Morpeko grew enough of a spine to tip someone off about Pyroar. The town quickly acted because… well, what do you do when there's a Shadow Pokémon around?" The question was not really a question, but it was still asked with the most bitter of smiles.
Scout's eyes widened, and even Rai stifled a gasp, Mane didn't pause to take in their reactions.
"Yep. Pyroar was a Shadow Pokémon. I didn't really come to know that for a while afterwards, I was still pretty young, but eventually, it all kinda made sense. I don't know what she was going to do to me when I was older, but I can guess."
There was a haunted look in Mane's eyes. The eyes of a son who knew his mother was going to kill him. He blinked it away, determined to not let the past drag him back. "Morpeko, not sticking around, took Litleo and bolted. He left me behind. Why? He didn't like me. Or I wasn't useful to him. I don't know, it's the second good thing he ever did for me, first was getting Pyroar lynched."
He said this so casually, it almost hurt to hear. "But yeah. That's why the townsfolk treated me like a temperamental electrode, fearing she had somehow spread it onto me. Although treating Rai like shit definitely didn't help those rumours, but when everyone's treating you like a bastard, you kinda become one."
He stopped. "Not to make excuses, of course, I was still a piece of shit. Sorry."
"You don't need to apologise," Rai said, eyes shiny. He knew part of that story, everyone besides Scout did. But not all that. Not everything Mane had just said. Not from his point of view. "Going through that… I can't imagine it."
Mane's ears flicked at Rai, an almost smile crossed his face. "Heh, don't think about it," he began to suggest before Rai had tackle-hugged him.
Mane was not usually accepting of affection he didn't start, but he allowed this time. He hadn't grown up with touch that was pleasant like this.
"Sorry I made you tell me that," Scout said, quietly. He didn't pile on because Mane was already frowning.
"Better you hear it from me," Mane sighed, pushing Rai off him with ease, unlike Scout who could barely move him let alone Mane. "Better me than someone else who'll just love to spin it in certain ways. Ultimately, if Pyroar is my brother, he's going to be a major piece of shit. Fits the stuff we've got on this pyroar already. Think of him like me, except less handsome and loveable and you might be getting close."
"And your father?" Rai asked. "That's who you meant when you asked Indeedee if anyone else was with him, right?"
"Morpeko," Mane said, some stressing on the word could be felt. Mane did not see that coward as his father any more than he saw Pyroar as his mother.
"He might be around. I dunno." He shrugged. "We haven't really been asking anyone about seeing any morpeko around. We probably should or read through that stuff, or tell Clefable. Damn, I should have just told her right then."
"We can go back around to tell them," Scout suggested. Mane didn't like the idea of wasting any more time, but it was important.
"Morpeko's a different kind of trash than Pyroar was. He'd bend over to anything she said, he's a weak piece of shit, but he's still a bastard. If he's been able to keep Pyroar around, he would have, assuming Pyroar didn't get sick of him and drop him in a ditch or something."
With that, Mane had the subject dropped. They'd head back to Clefable first to alert then to keep an extra eye out for signs of a morpeko around Pyroar. Hopefully, that'd give them the edge they needed to track him down.
Or just to watch their backs.