Chapter 6: Summit
Vert stared at his reflection in the mirror with half-lidded eyes. A thought popped into his head, and with excruciating concentration, he wrenched his brows up from their flat position. He attempted to mold his mouth into a smile that was more cheerful than the occasional smirk he would give. He felt the strain of holding his face in such an unusual position, but he persisted.
He even showed teeth.
Pandora leaned from behind him to look in the mirror, and instantly shook her head and cut her paw across her neck. He released the tension in his face and sighed
"Why the hell did I do this to myself..." he asked the world. Since Pandora was nearby, she answered.
"Because you decided to selflessly heed the call of duty for the sake of our world, and notify those in power of a potential threat," easily responded the Whimsicott. She came up beside him and motioned for him to lean his head down, hooking his bag around his neck as he did so. He looked back at the mirror.
"Almost wish I could reschedule."
"You have. For the past six months or so. I'm sure it was quite a shock to get a summons from you, of all mon."
"I'm sure they'll just be pissed I had them meet early."
"If you would like, I can go in your stead. I've been filling in for you, after all." he shook his head.
"I'd love that, but no. As much as I hate it I need to be the one to say something, they'll take an unseen threat more seriously that way." She nodded and shrugged to his logic.
"Besides. I can tell you're this close from ripping Mira's head off." At the mention of the name, her small smile twisted into a grimace, and she huffed. Vert chuckled.
"That does sound satisfying. Although, I was toying with the idea of burning her precious fur off, or perhaps slowly plucking her whiskers off her face..." she hummed thoughtfully.
"So prim and proper, yet a monster behind closed doors. How do you do it, Dora?"
"A lifetime of careful restraint, love." She looked around their room for a bit and walked over to a cluttered desk. Vert waited while she rummaged around before she held up her small book. With a hop, she floated over to land on his back, and they made their way out into the Residential Wing. The two got up earlier than any of the recruits, barring the kitchen staff, so the hall was silent except for Vert's footsteps. They stopped in their seats in the Mess Hall, a warm breakfast already set for them. Pandora spoke as they ate.
"If you're dreading the summit so much, why not take along some company? I have to handle things here, but I'm sure someone would like the chance to go to the capital. Make a day of it." Vert mulled over the suggestion.
"Damia won't come, and Purl and Brook are on cleaning duty, along with their partners."
"Ugh. Yesterday turned out to be quite a mess. And of course, Lumi's parents chose that time to visit..."
"Gotta admit though, Skypop fruit did sound pretty sick. Might have to take that for a test run myself some time."
"Oh, most definitely," she agreed with a sip of her drink.
With that, the two finished their meal and made their way outside to wait while the back area slowly filled with the guild residents. Almost everyone was in attendance, with the exception of Lumi, who Vert was assured was still resting deeply in the infirmary. After Pandora led the standard guild cheer, he stepped up to make an announcement. As he normally didn't speak during the morning, everyone perked up to listen.
"Everyone. I have stuff to do in Lumbell today. Anyone want to come with?"
"Excellent speech," whispered Pandora. He surreptitiously swatted her with his tail.
There was silence as the guild processed the strange offer, and then immediate chatter as they conversed amongst themselves. There were jobs and personal projects everyone was busy with, so he doubted anyone would be free to join. Nevertheless, he waited patiently. His eyes flicked to the side when an orange hand waved up, and Van stepped forward.
"Yeah, I'll come. Have some things to handle over there too."
"Alright. Anyone else?"
Nobody else made a move, so Vert nodded.
"If that's it, then meet me in the center of Development, Van. We'll just teleport over to the distribution center there." The Scrafty nodded. Vert reached inside his bag and pulled out the Jubilant Orb, spark glowing eagerly inside. He held it out and gave a genuine smile towards a Furret who stood toward the right.
"Abigail, it's your turn. Make our morning."
The Furret gasped, and then excitedly limped over to the stand. Vert hoped that this would make her feel better from the incident yesterday.
Lumi fluttered his eyes open, and was momentarily confused by his surroundings before he remembered the events of yesterday. He put a paw around his neck and felt the necklace his parents had given him. It's weight was unfamiliar, yet comfortable, and he let himself be lost in the pearl's cloudy surface for a while before he rose from the bed. He grunted a bit as his feet hit the floor, body stiff and a bit sore, but he decided he had spent enough time laying down.
He pushed open the flap and heard no one in the empty hallway, and realized with a disappointed droop of his ears that he had more than likely missed the guild cheer. He hurried out into the Development Wing, and spotted many of his guild mates rushing into the various branches. He wondered where to go, before he figured that finding his roommate would be a good first start, and made his way through the middle flap. Although his body protested at the sudden movement, he pushed on. He made a beeline for Van's workspace and threw open the flap, spotting the Scrafty by the table in the center.
Van jolted at the sound, but calmed when he saw who was in the doorway.
"Oh, sup? Didn't expect to see you up so early.".
The Meowstic threw up a casual wave. "Didn't want to waste anymore time. I missed the morning cheer didn't I?"
"Yeah, sorry mon," offered Van. Lumi sighed.
"That's, uh, fine. At least there's still the rest of the day, right? So, I was thinking that I could get a look at the board back there, since I got a good look at the branches yesterday, and-" he was cut off when Van came closer and waved his arms in front of him.
"Woah woah, hold up. Just chill out for a sec. I heard what went down in Bio yesterday, and honestly I think you should take it easy. Maybe head back and rest, have someone show you the library later?"
Lumi pursed his lips and rubbed the back of his head. Despite himself, there was a soreness in his muscles that wouldn't go away no matter how much he tried to ignore it.
"I mean...I don't feel too bad," he tried.
"Trust me, you'll thank yourself later."
"Well, what are you up to today?"
"Headin' over to Lumbell with Vert. I'm guessing he has some Guildmaster things to do, since that's where they all meet for stuff. There's also some things I wanted to try to take care of over there, so I figured I'd tag along. Wait," he stiffened. Lumi watched as he rummaged in his purple bag before gave up.
"I need some cash. Uh, I'm gonna go grab some money and then go with Vert. Head back and get some more sleep, yeah?" he called back as he zipped out the flap, leaving Lumi alone in the room.
He felt a little aimless as he considered his options. He could go see what the others were doing, but they would probably tell him the same thing. The thought of resting, of staying still, sent a wave of frustration through his mind, and he crossed his arms. He had just spent the past year staying still, the past year being patient. Being held up so soon after arriving just felt wrong. His paw grasped the pearl around his neck as he thought, and he felt more and more resigned until his eyes glanced over the bag Van left on the table. His thoughts paused as he remembered just what was in front of him.
He had an idea.
After he had returned to his and Pandora's room to prepare, Vert came to sit in the center of the Development Wing, directly on top of the star emblem. Unlike before, he wore a deep purple ribbon around his neck, a single spark emblazoned on the edge. He waved and greeted his recruits who walked by, in part because he enjoyed their company, but also to distract himself from the pit forming in his stomach.
He hated these things.
Thankfully, that train of thought was derailed as Van jogged in through the entrance flap with a small pouch in hand.
"Alright, sorry to keep you waiting. Had to get some spending money." He held up the tiny pouch, breath coming in small bursts.
"Is that all you're bringing?"
He resisted the urge to laugh when he saw the Scrafty's face go from confused to alarmed in half a second.
"Uh...whoops. One sec." He dashed off through the Dynamo flap, and returned just as fast, satchel in hand and breathing heavily. He looked at Vert, and reached in his bag to retrieve an identical ribbon to tie around his neck as well.
"That's better. And, you don't have to wear that if you don't want to." Van took a moment to regain his breath before he gave a flippant wave.
"It's fine, they're just looks. Care about this place too much to not rep it, y'know?" The Absol was close to just demanding he take it off, but just sighed and nodded. He fished out his guildmaster badge and motioned for Van to get close.
"Hang on tight and squeeze your eyes shut, long distance feels weird if you don't do it enough."
Van did so, and Vert looked around to make sure the area was clear before he held the badge up and thought of where he wanted to go. The badge shone in tune with his wishes, and they were gone in a flash.
A few seconds later, the two reappeared in the center of a circular tent. Vert held a paw out to steady Van as the Scrafty grabbed his head and stumbled from the reentry. A startled "Oh!" sounded out in the room, and Vert turned his head to nod at the Chansey who stood behind a counter. The tent was simple, made with purple cloth and an entrance flap behind them.
"You alright?" questioned Vert, once Van removed his hand from his head.
"Ugh...yeah, I'll be fine. Teleportation's no joke, how are you still standing?"
"Trust me, I do this alot. Take a second if you need it. Now, I'm thinking we can meet up back here once I'm done in an hour or so. Do you know where you're going?"
"I got a map right here. Planned out the route and everything last night..." Van stuck his tongue out as he rummaged around in his bag for his map. After a moment, his eyeballs widened, and he frowned in concentration.
"What's wrong?"
"There's, wait a minute. I don't remember pack- is that a scarf?" The Scrafty pulled his hand out, and clutched a long, furry blue object. His pupils flicked to Vert, who just stared with his brows furrowed. Slowly, he pulled the object up, setting the bag down to grip it with both hands. Determined, he lifted the object, heavier than it seemed, all the way out of the satchel, and jolted at what he was holding. Vert blew out a solid chuckle at the sight.
Lumi hung upside down, one tail hung in Van's grasp, with a stupid grin on his face. He swayed from side to side in the air. Once he registered who he was looking at, Van fixed him with a deadpan glare.
"Well. That worked."
"Mon. I should drop you back in this bag right now," muttered the Scrafty, refusing to let go. Lumi threw his paws out and shook his head rapidly.
"Wait wait wait, look! I appreciate the concern, but I can't just do nothing today. I feel fine, really."
"You were knocked out for most of yesterday," said Vert as he came to glance down at Lumi. "And I know from personal experience what consuming multiple fruits will do to you. It's not fun."
Lumi wilted under his stare, and tried to avert his eyes. His mouth opened to say something, but apparently couldn't think of any rebuttal. After a moment though, Vert exhaled softly.
"But, if you want to work so bad you'll throw yourself into a bag, who am I to say no? Van, hold him there for a second."
He left the two to go greet the Chansey behind the counter. Her neutral expression broke into a grimace as she backed up a bit as he approached.
"Guildmaster Absol, to what do I owe the...erm, pleasure."
"Holly, right?" she nodded. "Good to see you. Can you get me some dud orbs from the back? About ten will do."
She gave a stiff nod, and wordlessly darted through the flap behind her. She soon returned with a crate full of the requested orbs. He took it in his mouth, nodded, and returned to Van casually swinging Lumi around like a pendulum. Vert cleared his throat, and Van stood at attention, the Meowstic's head lolled to the side.
"Lumi, pay attention. Before you do anything, make me ten Quick orbs with these. Van, you stay and make sure he does them right. Ask Holly over there for some refills if you need them. Once that's done, you can go out and do what you need to do in the city, just stay close. I should be back here in a couple hours. Hopefully."
The Scrafty grumbled under his breath, and Lumi had the decency to look at least a little sheepish at holding him up, despite his upside down position. Vert nodded, and left the two to walk out of the flap.
Once the Absol was out of sight, Van fixed Lumi with an unimpressed stare, the cat giggling nervously. With a roll of his eyes, he let go of his tail and chuckled as his shout petered off into the bag.
Lumbell City was the capital of the region for a reason. A far cry from the modest Thistle Town, Lumbell was a centralized metropolis that always bustled with activity. Its location in the center of the Bright continent, seated on a large peninsula in the center of the bay, ensured it was the nexus for trade and exchange of ideas across the area. Many Pokemon lived and worked here, erecting tall multistory buildings in multiple districts to accommodate their way of life.
Vert walked out of the small alcove the center was located in and continued onto the street. His head was drawn upwards to the large buildings around him, made of concrete and glass rather than simple wood. As he walked, multitudes of pokemon passed him by on the sidewalk despite the early morning, taxi carriages carrying their passengers to their destinations. Banners and advertisements for small shops stood out to him, many of which were different than when he had last been here. The Explorer Headquarters, otherwise known as the council building for general operations, was a few blocks away, so for a moment, he let himself marvel at the various buildings and sense of pace as he waded through the throngs of Pokemon.
Part of him wished he could enjoy the city atmosphere more, it was quite different from his time spent either in the solitary wilderness or indoors. Yet, there was a reason why Vert hardly went out in public, a reason that made itself known when he was left almost alone on the city street.
He kept his eyes face forward, but caught the suspicious glances and small gasps as other Pokemon hurried to get out of his way. A Dewott mother picked up her small baby and hurried into a nearby store. When he arrived at an intersection, he stopped to wait next to a Watchdog whose head was buried in a newspaper. When he looked up from his paper, Vert threw his head up in a greeting, to which the Watchdog meeped and buried his head in further. The Absol snorted and was about to look ahead when he caught a glance at what was on the paper.
"Hey. Mind if I read that for a second?" The patrat jolted, but brought the paper down slightly and gulped.
"Y-you're talking to, uh, me?"
"No. I meant Dialga who's reading a comic behind you." He audibly groaned when the Watchdog actually turned to look.
"Seriously, I need to see that paper, yes or no?" The paper was shoved in his face, and he ignored the other Pokemon hurrying away to focus on the front page. His face glared back at him, clearly edited to look even more intense than he did normally. Beside it was an image of the council building, with the headline in bold above:
TO CAUTION OR CONFESS? GUILDMASTER ABSOL CALLS FOR SUSPICIOUS MEETING OVER MYSTERIOUS UNSEEN THREAT. WHAT IS HE HIDING?
"God. Damn. It."
He dropped the paper and began to jog, unconcerned with the carriage that stopped abruptly as he sped by. His blood boiled as his thoughts raced. Seriously, a news headline? He had specifically instructed each of the other Guildmasters to have the summit in secret, with no press involved. The Master hotline, a confidential network using unreleased technology, was designed to enable messages to be shared quickly between all of them, and was reserved for issues of grave importance. He clenched his teeth, incensed at just how little the others valued his instructions.
As much as he wanted to not alarm anyone, his pace continued to increase toward his destination, pokemon yelping to get out of his way. He cut corners as he ran, desperate to just get inside and fix this mess, and finally turned to the street that the building was on.
His heart dropped at the sight.
Behind an elegant Horsea fountain in the center of a broad plaza, wide granite steps led up to the Headquarter Building. Encircled with opulent columns and dressed in rich mahogany colored stone, the building was a large, domed rotunda that extended the full width of the space.
Vert didn't give a damn about the impressive edifice. He was too busy screaming internally at the mob of Pokemon in front of the steps, many of whom carried small microphones. When a Pachirisu in an admittedly charming bowler hat glanced behind towards the Absol, Vert saw him shout and suddenly the whole mob swarmed closer to him.
As he inched his way forward, he prayed to every legendary under the sun for help. Mostly though, he prayed that Pandora would hop out of the bushes somewhere and take him home.
Although his inner Vert was currently curled up in a corner yelling his lungs out, outside his face was a cool mask of indifference, gaze half-lidded as always. This countenance was tested thoroughly once the press Pokemon began to bombard him with the standard stupidity he had learned to dread.
"Absol, what do you have to say regarding the allegations you oversee a secret racketeering ring!"
"Can you give us a word on the secret doomsday weapon you were rumored to have developed!
"What do you think of my hat!?"
"What is your opinion on the current state of young children everywhere who will now legally have access to Nomel berries due to prop 69!? Think of the children Absol! The children!"
He pushed through the chaos and bounded up the steps, the paparazzi all but clung to his tail. A pair of bisharp in sunglasses stood by the heavy doors, and at the sight of him nodded and opened them. He hurried into a long hallway with red carpeted floors, and enjoyed the brief reprieve once the sound was cut off as the doors shut.
Although numerous doors lined the hall, he made his way forward through an ornate opening that led into an auditorium. A few seats circled a platform where a wide semicircular table rested in front of a large podium. Behind the podium was an aged Wigglytuff, his fur a slightly faded shade of pink. His hard eyes bored down on Vert as the Absol made his way to his place at the table, the atmosphere heavy.
Around the table were the other Guild Masters, all of whom looked at Vert with varying expressions. He circled the table until he sat at a cushion to the right. The distance between those in attendance combined with their cold stares made him feel far away from everyone there. He glanced down in the stands where an Aipom readied a typewriter.
Wigglytuff began the meeting.
"I now deem this emergency session to be in motion. All stated here will be released to the public at the earliest convenience. To begin, please state your name and Guild affiliation. We will start to my right." At that, Wigglytuff nodded to the Haxorus at the far end of the table, who stood up. He easily towered over all in attendance.
"Havok, Master of the Haxorus Guild of Defence and Enforcement." ground out the dragon. Although his left eye was scratched out, Vert felt the full weight of his glare from the other. Havok sat down, and next the Beeheyeem to his right floated up. She spoke in a high pitched monotone.
"Cortana, Master of the Beheeyem Guild of Rescue and Establishment." Cortana spared nobody a glance as she floated back down. Of everyone there, Vert took the most solace in her presence, mostly because she strove to be neutral in everything. He suppressed a grimace as the Mienshao stood up and stuck her nose in the air.
"Mira, Master of the Mienshao Guild of Exploration and Discovery. So glad I woke up early for this." she snarked. At Wigglytuff's glare, she scoffed and sat down. Vert sucked in a breath and stood to his paws.
"Veritas, Master of the Absol Guild of Dungeon Research and Development." He sat down after, and Wigglytuff spoke again.
"With the pleasantries out of the way, we can begin the session in earnest. Veritas, you called us here to discuss a matter you suspect to be of grave importance, please elaborate."
"It better be important. The whelp pops up out of the blue and just demands we gather? Unless this is something actually major, we're all wasting our time," growled out Havok.
"He came out of his cave to meet us instead of sending his cute little secretary, Havok. In my opinion, we should stop everything and throw a party. We all know Veritas would rather be playing with his toys instead of showing up for any sort of duty." The Mienshao simpered behind her furry paw. In the interest of getting this over with, Vert ignored the barbs and delivered his message.
"I took a hiatus from the council to focus on my investigation of the Dungeons throughout the region. In order to prevent mass panic, I undertook the operation by myself and a few trusted colleagues. Forgive me for being thorough."
"What have you discovered?" Cortana's inquiry silenced the other two as they prepared to bite back.
"I can confidently say that there has been some kind of imbalance in Aether activity. I observed unprecedented levels of Aether spillage out of a nearby Dungeon, Grey Trail. I have evidence to show that the nearby environment was warped by the spread." he unhooked his bag and reached in to grab the rock from yesterday. He slid it over to Mira, who looked at it with a raised eyebrow.
"That rock possessed a high concentration of Aether particles, enough to severely alter its properties. If you reach an arm into that hole, you will find that there is no bottom. I'm afraid this is a small example of what would happen should the spread continue." The rest of the guildmasters passed the rock around to inspect it, and even tossed it up to Wigglytuff who's eyes widened when he reached a paw in.
"And just what do you suppose we do about this spread then, Absol?" asked Mira.
"Something like this has never been seen before in our history. Despite current research into Dungeons and their properties, no record exists of what Aether would do in an outside environment. My goal today was to inform you of the issue, and work together to think of some kind of solution." All eyes drew to Havok as he shook his head and snorted loudly.
"Work together? Ha! It's clear to me he just wants us to help him fix his slip up to save face."
"My slip up?"
"Grey Trail is right next to your headquarters isn't it? And last I checked, your guild is the only one here who actively messes with the natural energies of this world."
"Now, hang o-"
"Oh, it makes perfect sense to me, Absol. If you would just admit you attempted some mad experiment you shouldn't have, we can all move on and try to help you," she finished, sweetly. Vert's mask broke a bit, his eye twitched in thinly veiled anger. He looked directly at the Wigglytuff.
"Your Excellence, motion for suspension of Mienshao and Haxorus for the duration of the summit."
"On what grounds?"
"They're both dumbasses."
At that, the table erupted into shouts. Mira, Havok, and Vert took turns verbally assaulting one another, and Wigglytuff pushed his lungs to their limit to shout for order. Cortana sat still on the table, head tilted down in thought. The paws of the Aipom transcriptionist were a blur as they struggled to record everything. Once Wigglytuff managed to calm everyone else, he looked at Vert with fire in his eyes.
"Veritas, I understand you called this summit for all of our benefit, but that sort of language toward your fellow guild masters will not be tolerated! The same goes for you two. It is childish to point fingers and cast suspicion so quickly. Shame on all of you."
The table went quiet as the majority of those present fumed silently to themselves. Vert felt a migraine coming on and did his best to justify why he even called this meeting to begin with. It was Cortana who broke the silence.
"The point still stands that we do not know of any likelier source than your operations, Veritas. Can you really say you could never be to blame, if by your own admission it is difficult to predict how Dungeons can behave?"
"...I suppose we can't rule that out," offered Vert, reluctantly.
"At the very least, you know more out of all of us regarding this issue. Surely there is some lead you may have?" Their eyes felt heavy, and he exhaled deeply.
"The only idea I have been able to come up with is confidential."
Havok slammed his claws into the table, hard enough to leave a deep gouge.
"And he has the gall to keep secrets!"
"Believe me, I wanted to be honest with all of you, but then we decided to notify every press outlet in the city, and make everything said here public, despite my warning. This is something I don't feel comfortable sharing with people yet, both to keep the peace and for safety's sake. " He nodded to the Aipom. Havok was about to argue, but Wigglytuff raised a paw to silence him.
"It is well within his rights to withhold information if he deems it too sensitive for public ears. We are grateful that you told us there is some kind of way forward."
"That's all well and good, but 'grateful' might be pushing it. Now that I think on his report, it sounds eerily similar to something a pair of recruits brought to my attention while they were exploring in this area the other day. They mentioned a strange mist seeping out Match Quarry. Perhaps that has something to do with his 'confidential' information."
Vert ignored her air quotes and honed in on one part of her explanation.
"You said they visually saw mist coming out of there?"
"They described it as multicolored. I called off jobs there when I found out a couple days ago."
"Why didn't you say something sooner? If they could see it, that means it's worse than I thought. Has anyone else gotten word of anything out of the ordinary?"
Havok and Cortana were silent, and Vert mulled over his options for a bit. If there was a Dungeon with such active Aether spread, there may be something to be gained from inspecting it. Plus, it would give him the opportunity to confirm a hypothesis he had formed. Although he wanted the day to be over, handling this as soon as possible would be for the best.
"Alright. I will personally go and investigate Match Quarry later today. Keep an eye out for anything strange, we need all the information we can get. I'll take my leave."
"Motion denied," stated Wigglytuff just as Vert was about to exit his seat. He fixed the pink balloon with a flat stare.
"With all due respect your Excellence, this is something that really shouldn't be put off."
"I applaud your initiative, however there are still a host of other items on the agenda for today that we believe you should be kept abreast of. Or did you think we would let you go so soon after your months-long absence?"
Vert's heart sank as Wigglytuff flipped up a scroll that extended past his podium.
"The next order of business: Renegotiating trade sanctions for inter-guild item bartering."
The little Vert inside his head screamed even louder.
With scrunched eyes, Lumi blew out a puff of air as he manipulated the Normal Type energy through the dud orb. The lake in his mind had shifted from a multicolored mess to a steady orange, and he opened his eyes to view the Quick orb in his paw, an orange sphere with two arrows that marked its purpose. He sighed and dropped it in the bag with the others, mentally exhausted but also feeling accomplished.
Van clapped for him genuinely and grabbed his bag back.
"Alright, that's ten. Took a couple tries, but I think you got the pattern down."
"It only took an hour. that was, uh, a lot more intense than I thought it'd be." Lumi placed his paws on his knees to steady his breathing.
"It's good practice. You'll be doing a lot of that to start out with, can't make anything new if you don't got the basics. Plus, I hear it's good exercise for Psychic Types like yourself."
"Can't wait until it doesn't feel like a herd of Tauros in my head."
"Atta boy. And now that you're done, we can finally bounce." Van led him out of the storeroom the Chancey, Holly, had let them use for practice. The Meowstic waited by the door as he spoke quickly with her, before he turned to join him. Van threw up a friendly wave as they walked out of the tent and she smiled back, but Lumi was a bit put off by how it didn't reach her eyes. Outside, he followed the Scrafty down the street, head turning at all the city sights.
"You've been here before, right?" asked Van.
"Yeah, a while ago when I was really little. Don't really think about it much, but I really do live in the sticks, huh?"
"There's alot going on, that's for sure. Just stay close. Really don't want to get lost here."
"Sorry again for, you know..." Van shrugged and waved him off.
"Eh, think you learned your lesson. Sides', it's not like I'm on a tight schedule. Just got a place I want to visit. Speaking of which..." he pulled over his bag to reach inside and take out the map. They paused at an intersection while he turned the map over and around to figure out where they were.
"Uh, hey can you read what that store says over there?"
"Think that's a... Sawsbucks? Next to Pizza Jinx."
"Pizza doesn't sound bad for lunch, maybe after..." The Scrafty traced some lines on the map and then nodded to himself, stowing it away.
"Where are we going, anyway?"
"Wanted to get something commissioned for a, uh, personal project. I know a guy."
Lumi nodded, and together the two continued on their way throughout the city. Van took them down various streets, giving Lumi the opportunity to marvel at what Lumbell had to offer. Despite his joy at the new locale, he started to feel eyes on them as they walked down block after block. He didn't miss how Pokemon would take a glance at Van and then move to the other side of the sidewalk. Subconsciously, he stuck closer to the Scrafty, who seemed unconcerned with the attention as he referred constantly to his map.
Gradually, the towering buildings and trendy looking stores gave way to more rugged buildings. The streets were less packed with Pokemon as compared to before, and the roads a bit less well kept. Abruptly, Van turned down into an alleyway off to the sidewalk, and Lumi followed him through the cramped space, mindful of the garbage on the ground. The narrow path eventually opened into a small lot bordered by buildings with boarded up windows. A set of stairs on the other side of the lot descended into the ground, and Van strolled forward to walk down. Lumi hovered at the entrance to peer inside, and the Scrafty noticed his hesitation.
"Hey, you comin'?" he asked.
"Yeah! Just, this guy you want to meet. He's like... legit, right?"
Van looked confused for a second, before something seemed to click and he put a hand to his forehead. He walked back up the stairs and leaned on the railing to face the Meowstic.
"My bad. I know this looks pretty sus, but just trust me on this alright? I promise there's nothing shady about this place. It's called the Low District, but everything's on the up and up here."
"If you say so, just trying not to get jumped or anything. Still haven't figured out how to fly with these things," he gestured to his ears. Van chuckled and lifted up the scarf around his neck.
"You see this? Don't know if you noticed but a lot of Pokemon don't trust this particular scarf. Absol's gets a pretty bad rep, so a lot of places don't like to do business with us. Means if we do go out, we gotta use places like this, where there are Pokemon that aren't seen in the best light. They're good, just keep an open mind, yeah?"
"Sure thing. Uh, lead the way." Van nodded and they went down the stairs together. Despite his words, Lumi made sure to stick close to him. The tight space still sent some unease. He noticed a red tint at the bottom of the stairs.
At the bottom, the two came to face a wide hallway, red lights fixed to the ceiling that cast a haze over the space, colorful graffiti decorating the walls. Pokemon of varying types filled the space, the source of the chatter and shouts that rang throughout the space. As they walked through, Lumi found the space cramped between booths set up either in the hallway or built into the walls themselves, shopkeepers hawking various wares to whoever passed by. Despite the close quarters and grungy feel, the area was definitely lively. His nose picked the scent of roasted vegetables, and his stomach growled at the steam that wafted from some of the stalls further ahead.
Van's purple scarf became a lifeline as they waded into the sea of Pokemon. He felt bodies brush up against him as everyone made their way through the hallway, his small size almost getting him bowled over by a Rhydon who stomped by. At some point, they turned at an intersection onto a much quieter section, escaping the throng of Pokemon. The faint ring of metal striking metal sounded out, and increased in volume as they stopped in front of a door, the image of a diamond emblazoned on a plaque to the side. Van opened the door, and instantly a wave of heat blasted out, forcing the two to cover their eyes for a moment.
"Hey yo, Mudo!" called Van as they walked inside. The inside was simple, with a counter in front of an entranceway. Behind the counter, a Gengar sat on a stool and banged some unformed metal on an anvil. Strong heat emanated from the large furnace in the back. He picked it up in a pair of prongs to inspect it, before he grinned and shoved it in a bucket of water to cool. The Gengar turned and got up to lean one arm on the counter, a wide smile taking up most of his face as he took in who came in.
"Vanny, haven't seen you in a minute!" greeted Mudo in a gruff voice. "And who's this? You brought a friend!"
"Hey there, I'm Lumi. Just joined Absol's a couple days ago." The cat threw up a casual wave.
"A new recruit? Damn, I guess crazy really does find crazy. And here I thought you'd be the newbie forever, Van."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Anyway, I need your help with a little project Mudo. Think you can whip something like this up?" He reached into his bag and brought out some pieces of paper. Lumi caught pictures and numbers on them, and concluded they must be schematics of some kind. The Scrafty handed it over, and Mudo spared it a quick glance.
"I thought you Absol recruits were supposed to be all about creating new junk. Or am I just so good that you keep coming back?" asked the ghost with a wolfish grin. Van shrugged.
"I trust your experience over mine for something like this. Plus it's, uh, sensitive. I really need this done right."
Mudo flipped through the papers in more detail, keen eyes gliding over the instructions. After a bit, he let out a chuckle.
"Oh, I think I know what this is about. This is another one of your schemes to impress Damia, ain't it?"
"W-well, uh. I mean, that's not the only reason..." muttered Van as he rubbed the back of his head.
"Aww don't be like that. Who am I to get in the way of such young love! Of course, it's still gonna cost ya."
"Wait, you have a crush on Damia? Seriously?" Van's cheeks blushed bright red.
"No! Mudo, bro, you know it's not like that. I just...whatever, here's the cash." Van threw his small pouch of Poké over, and Mudo weighed it briefly in his hand before he tossed it right back.
"Nah, that won't cut it." The Scrafty balked.
"Are you serious? That's like, twice as much as last time!"
"Van, I don't need cash. I need materials. Good ones. Always gotta innovate, you know how it is. Plus, this project?" he patted the paper in his hands. "You're asking me to develop a custom made Looplet frame. I'm flattered you came to me, but that's a big ask, I'll need something in return."
Van's mouth opened and closed for something to say, hand rubbing his head hard as he looked at the ground for answers. Lumi stepped up to the counter, and Mudo stared down to look at him.
"What kind of material do you need?"
"I've had my eye on Match Quarry for a while now. Sometimes the city will send mon down there to mine for construction materials, but nobody I know has made use of the ores that grow there for tools. I bet that weird energy you guys go on about, Aether, would mess with its properties and make for something special."
"So if we go get something from there and bring it back, you'll make his Looplet thing?"
"Don't see why not, just make sure it's not some random rock or whatever."
Lumi turned to look back at Van with a small grin.
"This doesn't seem too hard, just a little exchange." The Scrafty shot him a sideways grin.
"Easy for you to say, we still gotta go get the thing. At least it's only about a half hour walk from the city borders, last I remember."
"That's the spirit Van! Just think of Damia's face when you hand her a brand new toy!"
"Ugh, shuddup. I'll see you later. Lumi, let's dip."
As Mudo cackled, the two sent him a wave and exited the shop. Back in the hallway, they didn't make it two steps before Lumi noticed an Absol with a purple scarf leaned up against the other wall, eyes closed.
"Is that...Vert?"
"Oh, yeah. I guess he found us."
"It looks like he's asleep."
"Sounds about right."
They approached, and sure enough Vert continued to snooze on the wall. Van nudged Lumi and nodded forward, and the cat matched his grin. He crept forward and pushed on the Absol's chest a bit.
The two let out giggles as he snored.
Feeling playful, Lumi wriggled his paw in Vert's side, aiming to tickle him awake. When no movement was made after a while, he peeked his eyes up to check his expression.
He backed up to let out a soft yowl as Vert's eyes stared at him.
"Uh...hey Vert.." tried Lumi. Van was lost to chuckles behind him.
"...You have no idea how good it is to see you two," muttered the Absol before he let out a yawn. Both of them noticed bags under his eyes, some of the carefully brushed fur had popped out of place.
"Geez, what happened to you? You look like you pulled an all nighter in the past hour."
"I did. Don't ever get into bureaucracy. Anyway, glad I found you. Holly told me where you went and I'd almost forgotten my way around. There's been a small change of plans, and I want to tell you over lunch. How does ramen sound?"
At their enthusiastic nods, the Absol got up and led them down the hallway. They walked past the busy main street of the Low District towards a delicious smelling window store with red lanterns as decorations.
Cushions lay in front of a long counter, and an already seated Noivern loudly slurped noodles as they arrived. Vert ordered their lunch, and soon they all dug into their meal.
"So," started Van after he chewed on his ramen. "What's this about a change of plans?"
"I'd like for you two to join me on a Dungeon run, to Match Quarry. I told the other Masters that I would inspect something there."
"Nice! Van and I need to head there for something too. That's convenient."
"Hang on." Vert set down his bowl and looked each of them in the eye. They paid attention as his expression got serious.
"This won't be a normal dungeon dive. Things have gotten a little...complicated."
With that, he sucked in a breath and shared with the two everything he had learned over the past few months. The Noivern left halfway through his explanation.