Chapter 8: Resolve
"Oof, my ass..." winced Vert. Behind him, Pandora pulled out a slender thorn from his backside and gave it a cursory glance before she tossed it aside. The two were situated in their office, along with the branch heads, who looked at the display with various degrees of amusement, although Damia and Brook had the decency to hide their smirks. Purl openly chuckled at his misfortune.
"Calm down dear, all this padding back here made sure it didn't go too deep." The fairy gave him a couple of hearty pats, and he huffed.
"What, jealous?"
"Hush. Now." She trailed off to stand beside the others. "Please tell us the reason for this meeting. I would very much like to know why you and my newest apprentices came back so late and in such a sorry state."
"Yes, and in as much detail as you can cover please!" piped up the Pachirisu next to the entrance flap, notebook open and ready to write. Brook glanced back and threw a digit over his shoulder, brows creased in confusion.
"Um, who is that?" Vert just rolled his eyes and rubbed his paw hard into his forehead, a migraine already starting to form.
"I don't even...who are you again?" asked the Absol. The squirrel perked up and struck a pose.
"My name is Pepin! Freelance Journa-"
"Right, okay. Poppy over there decided to join us when we left Match Quarry. He won't go away, so I decided he might be useful as our new PR department. Or something."
Pepin began to object to the name, but a glare from Damia made him squeak and push his head within the safety of his notebook.
"Anyway," continued Vert. "That's not important. Things happened today that I need to catch you up on, and not a lot of it is good. Sit tight, it'll be a while."
With that, Vert explained to the room everything that had happened in Lumbell and in the Dungeon. He would have liked to have Lumi and Van here to share their thoughts, but he had ordered them off to bed after a quick meal.
Once the adrenaline had worn down from the fight, Van was dead on his feet as soon as he touched the guild floor, and Lumi was on his last legs despite his enthusiasm. He did his best to recount the changes he observed in the Dungeon, and the room went completely silent as he described the events on the last floor. Pandora chewed her lip in thought before she spoke up.
"A Keystone, you say? Why does that sound familiar..."
"I'm just confused," admitted Purl, head resting on a paw. "You're saying this big rock thing was what was causing the Aether to go haywire? None of us have seen anything like it."
Vert pulled out the weathered tome from before and laid it out in front of them. The cover featured an engraved silhouette of a Ninetails, stylistically drawn so its many tails grasped an orb above its head. Brook's eyebrows lifted a bit at the depiction.
"Oh! T-that's one of Master Quill's journals! I like to r-read some of the passages to get new ideas."
"Eh," muttered Purl as he waved his paw side to side. "I prefer Mistress Myrtle's writings. Quill is a little esoteric if I'm honest." Vert waited for them to finish before he continued.
"Our First Guildmaster was the one who first theorized that there must be a source for the generation of Dungeons in the world. His writings don't always make sense, but he would occasionally make reference to this hypothetical crystal of condensed energy that guided how much Aether would be allowed to form into a Dungeon. In the hundreds of years since he was alive, it's never been more than an interesting thought experiment, but I began to study his notes more closely when my investigation into the disturbance began. Apparently, they only manifest when there is some sort of Aether imbalance in a Dungeon, otherwise, they remain hidden somewhere. It looks like he was spot on."
"And you're saying the one who assaulted you all specifically targeted the Keystone? Does that mean their goal was to destabilize the Dungeon in some way, perhaps to further its spread?" mused Pandora.
"I can't think of why anyone would want to do that, but from what I could gather, that was the sole purpose of that Weavile. That brings me to another major point that I want to share with you all." He gave each of them an intense look. "I don't know if that Weavile was acting alone or not. If there are more, then that means there is a group out there whose goal is to upend the flow of Aether for some unknown reason. They are well trained, know what they're doing, and have access to abilities that most normal Pokemon shouldn't have. Our attacker was able to coat her claws in some unknown energy which I suspect is tailor-made to disrupt and shatter Keystones, and she was also able to create rifts in the air which she could freely move through without effort. Even trained psychics can't use Teleport in quick succession without rest."
"If it's a terrorist group, let's just contact the Haxorus Guild. They have the means to deal with this sort of thing," suggested Damia, arms crossed.
"I don't think they'll listen to me. Havok was pretty clear he didn't want to help 'clean up my mess.' We might be on our own here." The Dragonite 'tsked' at that.
"...Of course he would say that," she muttered.
"Well, if this big bad group is targeting Keystones, is there some kind of pattern they would go for? It would be easier to stop them if we could predict where they would strike next..." offered Purl. Vert was about to respond, but Brook waved his arms around frantically.
"Wait! W-wait, hang on. Are we really c-considering going up against a group like this? Can we just stop and think about that? I mean, we're the smallest g-guild right now, and just one of them was able to get the better of even you, Vert!"
"Thanks, Brook," drawled the Absol. Damia glanced down at the frazzled Wartortle.
"Correction, one of them jumped a pair of rookies and ran away from Vert to avoid fighting him after she staged an ambush. It sounds to me like they're just a bunch of cowards. I say bring it."
"Yep! Count me in~ Nobody hurts one of ours and gets away with it, isn't that right you two?" the Sylveon wrapped his ribbons around Brook's shell and Damia's neck to drag them closer to himself. Brook yelped as he was pushed against Purl's side, while Damia grimaced at her head being yanked down to his level.
"They just caught us off guard is all, but we got the firepower to come back twice as hard! Besides, each of us here is a genius in our own way, so I'm sure we'll figure it out!" An amused huff escaped Damia's mouth, despite her uncomfortably slouched position.
"Are you sure? That 'genius' over there is looking pretty sweaty."
"O-oh, genius is a b-bit of a strong word..."
Pandora chuckled at the three's antics and stepped up to be beside Vert.
"And let's not forget, if I see the one who did this to you and my adorable recruits, I'll simply break their bones and flay them alive, along with anyone else they are working with," she said with a pleasant smile. The branch head's eyes flicked to her, and even Pepin ceased his furious writing to stare at the Whimsicott in concern. Vert gave her a grateful smile.
"Let's keep that attitude going. I understand how you feel Brook, but we're the only ones who have an idea of the danger that could come from this. Most normal explorers don't even know what Aether is, let alone that an imbalance of it could cause a catastrophe. It's our duty as a guild to do everything in our power to prevent this issue, no matter how hard it is. I'm confident in everyone here that we can pull through." Vert finished speaking with conviction in his voice. To his side, Pandora offered a quick clap of applause before she clasped her paws together.
"My, I see someone is getting better at their speeches. Now, do you happen to have a plan to combat this mysterious group? We seem to be at a disadvantage in just about every way in this instance."
"I'll try and send a message out to the other guilds, even though I doubt any will listen. In the meantime, I think we can predict where they'll strike next with some more help from Master Quill. He theorized that all Keystones functioned to keep the Aether of the whole world in a kind of balance. My hypothesis is that if a Keystone in one Dungeon were to be compromised, more strain would be placed on other ones in Dungeons within a certain proximity to the weak link. Dora, the map, please."
The Whimsicott nodded and hopped off to a cluttered table with a myriad of papers and objects on top. She picked up a rolled piece of paper a bit taller than she was and returned to drop it in front of everyone, letting it unfurl itself to reveal a map of the entire Bright continent, with each relevant town, city, and Dungeon labeled. With a pen in his mouth, Vert leaned over and carefully drew a circle that encapsulated the round southwestern part of the peninsula where Lumbell city rested, and the western side of the landmass that curved around the main bay of water. The three inspected the circle and found that three red dots, one on an island floating in the water, and two spaced apart on the west side of the continent, were inside of its radius.
"This is all just a guess, but these are the three Dungeons that are reasonably close to Match Quarry; Moonlit Manor, Sapphire Pond, and Windy Spire. We don't have any better leads for which Dungeons would be targeted next, but this seems like a good start."
"Ooh, it's been a while since I've been to the west side. The Moonlit Manor is right next to Viola. I hear attending one of their plays is an exceptionally romantic experience," gushed Purl. He was knocked from his daydream once Damia flicked him in the side of the head. The large dragon leaned over to study the map with an intense look.
"...We have an unknown number of hostiles potentially targeting three separate locations. Normally I would suggest setting up patrols around these areas, but it looks like we're both low on time and monpower. If we need to do this quick, mustering up fireteams of three or four to rush in and secure the target would be best, preferably suited to the environment."
"Not everyone in the guild is b-battle-ready though, especially considering who we're up against. Should we host tryouts...oh, b-but we don't have time. Um, what would we even do once we arrive at a Keystone?" asked the Wartortle. Vert looked down at the map for a bit, before he shrugged.
"I'll get back to you on that, still need to do more digging. When we saw the one in Match Quarry, it had cracks in it like it was breaking apart. Maybe there's some way to repair it."
"If I may," interjected Pandora, "I would suggest we shift our focus to apprehending those after the Keystone. Perhaps set up an ambush or something to capture and interrogate them. Clearly, they know more than we do, it's possible they may even know how to repair them." Vert gave her a sly look.
"You just want an excuse to fight."
"It's a rather good excuse, isn't it?" she replied. Damia raised her claw slightly in agreement.
"I'm with Dora. It's been too long since I've had the chance for a real challenge. Clara and I work well together, and I've seen these guys fight with their partners too. They're not bad, especially Purl and Esther if they can actually focus for two seconds." Purl turned his nose up and huffed at the barb.
"I resent that. But she does have a point. If all we want is a few Pokemon going to each Dungeon, we have most of our crack team right here. All's left is to choose a few more lucky members and where each team will go," concluded the Sylveon. Vert nodded in response.
"I'll leave it up to you to choose your members, and where you're going. Can you work on that tonight?"
The three gave a round of affirmation, although Brook's was significantly less enthusiastic as he fidgeted with his claws and stared at the ground.
"Thank you. I appreciate you all meeting like this on such short notice. This task is way different than what we're normally accustomed to, but I know we have the tools and capability to handle it. Have a good night."
The three wished him a good night in return and filed out of the room. Their office was suddenly very spacious, and the thoughtful silence only highlighted the scratching of a pen on paper. Vert flicked his eyes to the Pachirisu, still focused on writing in his journal.
"Hey Perry, you get what you need?" Vert raised his voice. The squirrel's ears flicked around and he popped his head up from his book.
"It's Pepin! And yes! If what all you just said is true, then this could be the scoop of a lifetime. A guild framed for a nefarious plot, a mysterious group hellbent on destroying all we hold dear...the story writes itself!"
"So you don't think we're behind this?" The Pachirisu 'hmmd' loudly to himself, before he responded.
"For all I know, this could all be an elaborate act to make it look like you're innocent. But! That is becoming less likely as time goes on. You seem like a terrible actor. I would be careful though, a lot of paparazzi saw you emerge from that Dungeon just as it exploded, or whatever it was that happened. It's almost certain that you're public enemy number one!"
Annoying comments aside, Pepin's words caused another migraine to form in Vert's head at that particular issue. He sighed and closed his eyes. Pandora tutted, and walked up to the squirrel.
"We appreciate the warning, but don't you think it's time for you to leave now?"
"And miss out on this piece of history? No way! This could be the defining moment of my car-gah!" he was cut off as the Whimsicott snatched him up by the neck and brought him close to her face. He struggled to breathe and was unnerved by the small smile on her unblinking face.
"Apologies if I wasn't clear. This is private property, and it sounds like you have only caused annoyance to Guildmaster Absol and my apprentices. Leave. Now."
"B-but...I..." Pepin struggled to get words out, yet she continued to hold him. After watching him squirm, her eyes narrowed in thought.
"Hmmm. Although, our reputation has somehow plummeted even further than I thought was possible...Very well!" she dropped him unceremoniously to the floor, and he landed on his bottom with a grunt.
"I know a lovely broom closet that you can stay in to write whatever you wish. Maybe you could even publish what it is we're actually doing for the world, instead of the usual fear mongering. Come along then!" she cheerfully strolled right past him and through the door. His eyes flicked to Vert, who just shook his head in response.
"Trust me, just do as she says."
Pepin gulped, and scrambled to pick up his notebook and pen before he hurried out of the flap. Vert was left alone in the silent room, staring at the map but not really processing it. Ever since he had rushed back into the guild, his mind had been moving a mile a minute to scramble together some course of action. Tonight, no, this entire day had just been one thing going wrong after another. He let out a heavy sigh and buried his head in his laid out paws.
Why did he bring Lumi? The kid was still basically a civilian, yet he foolishly thought he could protect him from getting hurt if things got too bad. He should have brought him back home the moment he fell out of Van's bag. Was warning the other Guildmasters just a huge waste of time? Antagonizing the others wasn't the smartest move, maybe if he had stayed put and not rushed out as soon as he could, he wouldn't lose any potential allies due to suspicion.
How did he let one Weavile get the better of him and destroy the Keystone? If he weren't so damn weak, they wouldn't be so far up the creek without a paddle...
His spiraling thoughts were derailed by a rhythmic, soothing sensation on his head. Firm, gentle paws kneaded and rubbed his head in a way that helped alleviate his headache. His blue tail even began to wag a bit in delight, and he opened his eye to peek upwards at Pandora performing the massage.
He must not have heard her come in.
He raised his head a bit to say something, but she just pushed him back down with a soft 'shush'. With a grunt, he resigned himself to her ministrations. After a few moments of this, she hopped onto his back, and proceeded to dig her paws deep into the back of his neck to rub out tension in spots he didn't even know he had. He fought back a moan as his worries were forgotten in favor of basking in relaxation. Time passed on in an unhurried haze of bliss, and he fought to stay awake.
Arceus, he loved when she did this.
Just as he was about to nod off, he felt her weight slip from his back, and soon his head was being held up, cradled in her paws. He stared up and looked into her sympathetic cream eyes.
"Poké for your thoughts, love?"
"...We're fucked, Dora."
"Oh?" She released him, and went to lean against his shoulder, back fluff situated comfortably in the crook of his neck. "Do tell."
"Match Quarry is compromised. It's spreading, I don't know how far it'll go, and I could have stopped it if I didn't get outsmarted by a Weavile."
"Mmhmm. And?" she replied, casually playing with his white fur.
"I have literally no idea who this group is, if there even is a group, or what they're capable of. They pulled out some wacky purple portal shit I haven't ever seen, and the only plan I gave is to throw our apprentices at some random Dungeons and hope for the best."
"Oh, that does sound bad. Go on."
"Everyone, and Pandora, I mean everyone, saw us warp out of the Dungeon right as it started to destabilize. Things couldn't look any worse for us. I don't know what this means for our guild, for our apprentices...are we even going to have a guild tomorrow?" he asked. She stayed silent as he stared at the ground.
"I just don't know what to do," he finished. He felt her paw rest gently on his leg.
"Well. I do know one thing," she started.
"Hmm?"
"That silly Pachirisu is wrong, you're an amazing actor. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were perfectly confident in providing a swift course of action. Rather impressive, given that things took a turn for the worse in the past half hour or so."
"I pulled that plan right out of my a-" he was silenced by a paw on his mouth, the fairy having moved swiftly to stand in front of him. She wore a patient smile, but he recognized the look she gave, one brow raised slightly above the other.
It wasn't his time to talk.
"A guild is run on trust. Specifically, that apprentices can have complete trust in their Guildmaster in regards to everything. You may not have seen it, but our branch heads had complete faith in everything you just said, and for good reason. Dungeon's spreading? Terrorists? It's enough to drive anyone mad, especially given how recent it is, and yet you calmly explained the situation and gave us a plan to move forward. You're handling this wonderfully, Vert."
"I-"
"Or would you rather we sit on our tails and do nothing? Brook's concern was quite apt, we're the smallest guild, and there's so many unknowns that we could just as easily make things worse if we're not careful. It would just be safer to curl up in this tent and wait things out, wouldn't it?" she tilted her head in mock consideration, and Vert firmly shook his head in response.
"We can't do nothing, there's too much at stake."
"In that case, I do believe we're on the right track. Don't worry about what you could have done, tomorrow will have enough troubles, don't you think?"
"...it could be dangerous, Dora. "
"Then, we'll just have to be more dangerous. I wasn't kidding about flaying them alive, you know. I'm planning on joining one of the teams on this little excursion, it seems like an excellent opportunity to stretch the legs, as it were."
Her smile widened as Vert's lips finally creased upward in a smirk.
"If you're tagging along, I feel sorry for whoever's in your way. Remember, we need them alive."
"No promises, dear." She leaned forward to smooch his forehead and give an affectionate nuzzle. Vert leaned forward to return it, and they stayed like that for a bit until they separated.
"Now, how about you get ready to go to bed. I didn't want to say anything, but you look even more tired than usual."
"I'd like to, but there's still more research I need to do in the library. Any information we can get can help us."
"You can leave that up to me. Actually, all of this talk about Aether imbalances and Dungeons going tipsy is ringing a bell in my head that I just can't place..."
"You think something like this has happened before?"
"I can't say for certain, but I'll let you know if I can dig anything up. For now, go take a bath and head off to bed, I'll meet you in a bit." She made to leave, and Vert finally pushed himself to stand on his feet. He hadn't noticed, but his eyes were feeling somewhat heavy.
"Yeah, alright. Thanks for the pep talk, Dora."
"Of course, love!" she waved as she walked out the flap.
Vert made his way to their personal restroom to go take a steaming hot bath. Worries still lurked at the edge of his mind, but he felt more comfortable pushing them away to deal with them tomorrow.
The streams of light from the morning sun hit Opal's face and roused her awake. She let out a wide yawn and fluttered her eyes open to find that her mate had left their shared bed cushion. The Espeon never realized how attuned her internal clock was to the sound of her son's steps in the hallway, she had slept in these past few days without really meaning to. She stretched and got up to get ready for the day, brushing her fur and taking time to freshen up in the washroom. On the way towards the store front, she found Clement hunched over the kitchen table, back to her as he poured over the morning paper.
"Hey, morning," she absentmindedly greeted as she passed him. She slowed when he didn't give the usual reply, and she turned to finally register the intense stare he had on the paper. She padded over to look over his shoulder.
"...Ooooooohhh..." she breathed, rendered speechless by the headline.
A VILLAIN SHOWS HIS TRUE COLORS! ABSOL AND GUILD ASSOCIATES A PUBLIC MENACE! WANTED FOR DESTRUCTION OF LOCAL DUNGEON AND CAUSE OF CONTINENT WIDE DISTURBANCE.
On the cover of the paper, taking up all of the front page, were three headshots side by side. In the middle was Vert's scowling face, glaring at the viewer with his mouth curled in an angry snarl. To his right was a Scrafty, hand thrown up to cover his face as he turned partway in a grimace.
To the far left was their son, Lumi. The camera caught the Meowstic's face full on, eyes wide with bewilderment and ears opened slightly. His mouth was opened a bit with a fang poking out, apparently having been caught off guard by the cameras. Each of the three in the pictures donned signature purple scarves, and a subtitle underneath the photos called for the immediate arrest of anyone who wore similar attire.
Opal read and re-read the headline, and bored a hole into Lumi's face, yet the two things still refused to register in her mind as real. She glanced at Clement and noted the blank look on his face.
"Clem?" she tried. She nudged his shoulder at the lack of response, but his eyes were still glued to the page.
"Clement? Why the hell is Lumi wanted?"
The Mawile shook his head so slowly she almost couldn't tell. With a heavy sigh, he abruptly stood up and began to pace around the kitchen, mumbling to himself. Opal caught the words "what the" and "fuck" multiple times, along with a healthy amount of "dammit."
For the most part, she was in agreement.
"How even...only been like two days...how could he even...ALRIGHT!" she jolted when he raised his voice and stormed over to the door.
"Alright? Alright what!?"
"I'm gonna, gonna get Lumi and...and hide, no, bolt him to his bed! Then I'm gonna go to Vert an-" he paused once he opened the door. She leaned around him and her mouth opened at the sight of her son right in the doorway, paw raised as if he were just about to knock on it.
"Uh, hey da-"
"Get in here!" Clement pulled him inside and leaned out the door to look down the street both ways before he shut it loudly. Before anyone could speak, he rounded on Lumi and held him by the shoulders.
"Did anyone see you on the way here? Are you hurt? Why are you wanted? What have you been doing!?"
"No. Not really. That's what I came to talk about. I think we're saving the world?" The room went quiet after his explanation, which surprisingly explained almost nothing. Clement stammered as he tried to form a response, but both of them felt a psychic push towards the dinner table. Opal rubbed her head with a paw as she shoved her family to the seats.
"Just...everyone sit down. Boy, you have a lot of explaining to do. Now."
Lumi did his best to catch his parents up to speed on everything that happened yesterday, Opal had to shove a napkin in Clement's mouth to keep him from interrupting, especially when Lumi mentioned the fight with the Weavile and the chaos that followed.
"And so, we need to leave and go try to stop whoever's causing Dungeons to go haywire. I think we're heading to the western part of the continent." Once he finished, Opal held a paw out.
"Okay wait, slow down and back up a bit. You said you lost the fight?"
"Opal, how is that imp-" the Mawile's mouth was telepathically shut closed.
"Well, yeah. She was really hard to hit since she could make portals. It ended up being really close."
"...Nah, I can tell by the look in your eye when you talk about it. You got your ass beat," she said with a smirk. Clement's eyes widened and Lumi balked.
"Wh-no! It was an ambush and she got one good hit in. That...might have laid me out...but-"
"If you fought her again, would you win? Yes or no?" she asked with a gleam in her eye.
"...I mean, maybe if I had a plan or something..." his voice trailed off toward the end as he averted his gaze. His mother just chuckled in response and clapped her paws together in delight.
"Ooh, I didn't think this day would come, especially given that you wanted to go to the Research guild, but look! You got into your first real fight with an actual fighter, and even took your first loss! Arceus, I wonder what kind of battler you'll be, do they have any special super weapons they're working on there? Do you even know how to levitate yet? I have so much to teach you..." Lumi smiled at her, but cocked his head to the side
"Since when have you been all about fighting?"
"It's not just me, your dad over here is even worse," she looked like she was about to go on, but Clement elbowed her in the side, and her eyes widened slightly before she gave him a sheepish look.
"Um. What I mean to say is I just hope you'll be safe and prepared...yeah." the psychic hold on her mate's mouth waned, and Clement wrenched his mouth open.
"Okay, can we get back on track, please? Now's not the time to be talking about weapons or fighting. This is serious Lumi, you're a wanted criminal!" He shoved the paper in the Meowstic's face.
"Yeah that's...woah, does that say 150,000 Poké for my arrest? That's enough to buy a house!" Opal perked up and walked to sit beside Lumi to scan the paper.
"150,000? Son, that's enough to buy a few houses. They must really have it out for you huh?" she said with a hint of pride in her voice. Mother and son shared a smile as she patted him on the back. Clement groaned and tapped the table to get their attention, and Lumi addressed him.
"Dad, I know it looks bad, but trust me. We didn't do any of what it says on the headline. Vert wanted to inspect something strange going on with a nearby Dungeon, and I went with him to help. We were just set up to look like we caused all this."
"It's not that I'm worried about. I know you'd never intentionally do something this wrong, and I know enough about Vert to know that this wasn't his doing. But what are you going to do now that there's a bounty on your head? On the whole guild's head? You can't just stay in one place."
"Oh, that. Yeah, we're just gonna move the guild." His father creased his brows in confusion.
"You mean, each of you are going to go hide in some other location?" He tried. Lumi opened his mouth but paused, eyes scrunched as he tried to think of a way to explain.
"No. It's more like, we're going to take the guild. And move it somewhere else."
Both of his parents just gave him blank looks. He scratched the back of his head.
"Okay, um. This might make more sense if I tell you how this morning went..."
The whole assembly of the Absol guild groggily stood around the announcement platform outside. There was a chill in the air as only the faintest slivers of sunlight crested the horizon, everyone having been rushed out of bed even earlier than was normal. Lumi stood slumped against Van, the two still feeling the exhaustion of the night prior. His fellow apprentices also looked to still be waking up. The only ones alert were Vert and Pandora as they stood in front of everyone, along with the branch heads to their sides.
That changed as soon as Pandora started speaking.
"I would say good morning, but I'm afraid that is not the case. I will keep things brief: the Absol guild has been framed for crimes it has not committed."
Lumi felt his exhaustion melt away at the words and straightened up. Mutters started up around him, and the silent morning gradually became filled with worried chatter. Vert gave a nod, and Brook and Purl took newspapers and distributed them throughout the crowd. Lumi caught a glimpse of the cover as it passed by him and raised a brow at the expression on his face. Gasps rang out as they were passed around, but at Pandora's raised voice, it quieted down.
"Unfortunately, time is not a luxury we have. It will not be long before bounty hunters or members from the Haxorus guild come to arrest all of us, and we are not in a position where we can waste time in prison. The true threat remains at large, and as it stands, we are the only ones who are aware of their existence. Above all else, we prioritize your safety, and so we will unfortunately have to relocate to a more secretive location and collect ourselves there."
As expected, shouts of surprise came from those around him. An Illumise to his right flew up slightly in alarm and raised her voice. He wished he could put a name to her, but things had been moving so fast he had barely got a chance to meet any of his fellow apprentices. He huffed to himself that, out of everything, that was what bothered him the most.
"Arrested? What happened!?" shouted the Illumise.
"Where are we supposed to go? You can't really be serious, right?" exclaimed a nearby Electrike.
Where were they supposed to go? This all seemed so sudden so fast, and given what he had seen yesterday, the thought of being away from the guild and its resources made him a lot less confident in handling the whole Dungeon situation. Lumi stepped forward and waved his arm to catch Pandora's attention. He spoke up when her eyes flicked over to him.
"Isn't it a bad idea to just ditch everything when there's a bigger threat around? I know I just got here, but dosen't leaving the guild mean we won't be able to make anything to help us deal with whatever threat is out there?"
"Who said anything about leaving?" having spoken for the first time that morning, Vert's voice silenced any growing concerns. He continued.
"We don't have a lot of time, so I need you all to do me a favor. Think of any large, enclosed space you might have access to. A cave close to your hometown, an abandoned store, anything."
The odd request left the majority of the guild confused, and a thoughtful silence permeated the space. It didn't last long though, as Esther floated from the crowd to lean an elbow up against Purl's head.
"Purl, don't you have the failed husk of a boutique rotting away somewhere?" the way her whispy voice echoed in the space told Lumi that she more than enjoyed exposing her partner in front of everyone. The Sylveon swatted her away with a clear blush on his face, and turned desperately to the others to try and save face.
"T-that shop was not a failure! I just...had a creative awakening that led me to further my talents at Absol's instead!
"As well as massive de-"
"Besides!" he raised his voice to cut her off. "I don't have access to that building anymore, I got a letter saying it's been repurposed into a boba shop of all things..."
"Stay focused. Thank you for the suggestion Esther, let's keep them coming," stated Vert. Soon, occasional mutters were heard throughout as guild members thought aloud, many discussing with their partners potential locations. Lumi turned to Van, who had a fist under his chin and a thoughtful frown on his face.
"I got nothing. Why are we even talking about finding a big space anyway? A new hideout?"
"I think I got an idea of his plan," he replied. A chuckle escaped his mouth. "It's ballsy, but you know, desperate times. Maybe that place might be good for somethin' after all..."
"Do you have a place in mind?"
"As a matter of fact, I just might."
With that, Van walked forward with his hand in the air, drawing attention toward himself.
"My brothers and sisters run a repair shop in Verdant Port. We got a warehouse we were meaning to convert into extra working space, but never got around to it. How's that sound?"
"Is it big enough to fit this?" asked Vert, who gestured to the guild tent with a wave of his paw. Van glanced back, and then nodded with a smirk.
"Alright. We have our cover. Everyone spread out around the tents. Damia, Purl, and Brook, help coordinate tear down."
"You heard him. I need ten over this way, let's move." commanded Damia, ushering some recruits to the side of the left tent. Purl and Brook did the same for the other side, and soon the space was bustling as apprentices, whether confused or not, made haste to assist. At the mention of 'tear down' it suddenly clicked in his head what was about to happen, and Lumi eagerly followed after Van, ready to take part in another impossible thing. He caught Vert approaching him from the stand, however, so he slowed and greeted the Absol with a giddy smile.
"This is happening, isn't it? I don't know if it even makes sense, but I don't think I care anymore. This is sick." Vert snorted in response.
"Benefit of using Aether friendly building material, makes the guild very portable. Anyway, I wanted to suggest that you go let your parents know where we're headed, and also reassure them in case they've seen the paper."
"Oh! Yeah, that's a good idea. They'll want to know why I'll suddenly be on the other side of the continent."
"And why you're wanted."
"That too. At least they caught our good sides."
"Speak for yourself."
"So, I rushed over here to check in with you guys, and let you know that everything is being handled. Sort of."
Clement just stared at him incredulously.
"That's the solution? Stuff the guild tent in a warehouse?"
"No, wait, they might be onto something," cut in Opal. "Authorities will be looking for an Absol shaped tent outside. Who would ever think to look indoors for something like that?"
"I know, right? Can't wait to figure out how they managed to set the tent up like that," his excited smile was dulled at the hard look his father gave him.
"Lumi, are you even taking this seriously? This isn't just some game you can rush into."
"Of course I'm-"
"Really, think about what you're just agreeing to. You join this guild that makes you wanted by association almost instantly, and then you're just going to hop off to some place you've never been to and then what? Catch some criminals?"
"Dad, look, I get it. Things are moving fast, but I can't just do nothing. There's a real problem out there!"
"A problem that has nothing to do with you. What, do you think you're going to be a hero if you go?"
"That's not even-"
"Are you bored? Is that it?"
"No! I'm serious about this," he stated. By this point, the smile had faded from his mouth, and Lumi crossed his arms as he stared at his father. Clement leaned over the table, second maw opened slightly in agitation.
"Son, you just joined. How can you be serious about anything? There's no way Absol's is worth putting your life on the line like this."
At the word 'worth', the Meowstic's ears flinched back, and an angry scowl formed on his face. He lurched forward on the table and met Clement's frustrated glare with his own.
"When I say I'm serious, I mean it. It's not even just about Absol's. You said it yourself, I'm wanted. I either go hide somewhere and wait things out, or I can join the only group of pokemon who know there's a threat and do something about it! Why wouldn't I do that?"
"It's dangerous!"
"It's the right thing to do!"
The two stared each other down, breaths heavy. Opal looked between the two, and was reminded of when Clement had shut down Lumi's hopes of joining a guild when he was much younger. The difference between then and now was the look in the Meowstic's eyes; they were fierce, with a determination that wouldn't give in without a fight. Words were unnecessary, it was written all over his face.
He fully believed in everything he just said.
Gently, she reached a paw forward to pull Clement back. The Mawile didn't fight her, but kept his eyes locked on Lumi. She met her son's gaze and gave him a level look.
"Lumi, do you really trust the guild to have your back on this? You go with them, and there's no coming home. They're going to be all you have. Are you ready for that?"
"I've been ready," he said with no hesitation. She nodded and turned back to Clement. Lumi didn't see the silent message that passed between them, but he noted how his father rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. When his mother looked back, she wore a small, smug grin.
"Well. If that's the case, we might as well go see you off. Be right back, I'll just get the bag."
As she walked off, there was an awkward silence in the air. Lumi fidgeted with his paws while Clement leaned back in his cushion and rubbed a hand hard into his eyes.
"I'll be fine, really," blurted Lumi. Clement sighed in response.
"Didn't you say you got 'laid out' in one hit?"
"Van, my friend, got me up right after. We just really weren't expecting something like that, is all."
"...It's good you already have a friend you can rely on. Let's just work on being able to take a hit, yeah?"
"C'mon, I'll get stronger. Apparently, working with Aether and making items is good for Psychics."
"Can't be as good as having a good teacher!" called Opal. She trotted towards the door, donned with a light travel bag, and waved the two over with her tail.
"Alright, let's go. We don't have a lot of time, but I have some tips I want to show you while I can."
"Wait, check if anyone's outside first!" warned Clement, who got up and quickly checked down the street. Given that it was still early, no other Pokemon were up quite yet, so he ushered his family outside and toward the path leading to the guild.
As they walked along the sparse, barren path, Opal levitated out three smooth stones, and floated them in front of Lumi.
"For you, power won't be an issue. Members of your species struggle with delicate applications of Psychic energy, and so naturally overcompensate by dampening their output. I'm guessing you haven't learned Psybeam yet?"
"No, might be a while. I just learned Helping Hand."
"Don't worry. You can learn more precise moves like Psybeam quicker by building mental dexterity with exercises." To demonstrate, Opal manipulated the stones to twirl in the air in circles, juggled them in the air, and ran them quickly through her legs as she walked. The stones moved so fast that all Lumi saw was a blur of motion, before she abruptly shoved them back in front of his face.
"When your body gets more comfortable manipulating its Energy in a certain way, a new move is learned. I know it's basic, but remembering that is key for helping you handle tougher fights, and maybe getting a runback on that Weavile, huh? Go on, try to move them around."
He slowed down some to focus, and emitted a psychic field from his ears to grasp the stones. It immediately felt impossible to do much more than hold them limply in the air, his field refusing to mold itself to anything more precise than a big glob of energy. He squinted his eyes as he attempted to push one higher up from the others while still maintaining all three. Unfortunately, he underestimated how much energy he used and shot the stone toward the back of Clement's head.
To his surprise, his father's second maw snatched the stone up as if by reflex, and spit it back at him just as quickly. Clement glanced back as he walked forward.
"Your mom's been throwing stuff at me for as long as I've known her. Keep trying, you'll get it."
For the remainder of the thirty minute walk, Lumi spoke casually with his parents as he attempted finer movements with the stones, with occasional advice from Opal. He pelted his dad more than once, but eventually was able to guide the stones in what could vaguely be described as a loose circle formation.
The lack of the white and blue of the guild tents in the distance only confused him for a moment. Instead, he saw the various forms of his guildmates milling around the once occupied space. As they got closer, he saw that some of them carried what looked like folded cloth and tarp, presumably the guild itself resting on some of their backs.
Or in Van's case, struggling to hold it in his arms.
"Scrafty! Watch it, that's the Residential Wing you're carrying!" chided Damia as she held the other side of a large, blue tarp with little effort. Van, along with a Totodile, struggled to hold the thing above their heads. He caught Lumi's wave and offered a strained nod, before he lugged the tarp a ways to where Vert and Pandora stood. It seemed as if they had arrived back just in time, as whatever remained of the guild was now being lifted by its residents, either via tarp or in large carrying bags.
He would be amazed if everything inside remained intact.
As Lumi led them toward where Van and the others had congregated, Damia came from where she had set down the tarp and called out to him.
"Lumi, where have you been? We're about to leave," she asked, arms crossed.
"Sorry Damia, I wanted to say bye to my parents." he gestured behind him. When Damia's gaze landed on the Espeon and Mawile, her half lidded eyes slowly widened, further than he thought was normal. Her pupils flicked between his parents and him multiple times, and she didn't say anything.
"Uh, you good?"
"...These are your parents?" she asked, voice uncharacteristically soft. Opal walked up to her with a confident gait. The large dragon shied away from the small pink cat thing in what almost looked like fear.
"Why, yes we are~" the grin on Opal's face looked more like it belonged on a Sharpedo, and her eyes squinted in delight when Damia audibly gulped.
Lumi looked between the two confused mostly from Damia's sheepish behavior. The Dragonite put her hands up as if trying to calm a raging beast.
"Look, I know what it said in the paper, but these are innocent Pokemon miss, we don't want any trouble," she spoke in a level tone. Opal giggled, but Clement huffed and stepped forward.
"Don't worry about that, we know you guys are innocent. We're not here to turn anyone in, in fact it sounds like we should wish you luck in catching your marks. Just, look after him for us, will you?" pleaded the Mawile. He put a hand on Lumi's shoulder, and held firm even when he tried to squirm out of it in embarrassment.
"Dad, hey. C'mon..."
"R-right. Of course. We won't let anything happen to him, I'll see to it. You can trust us."
"I hope so." he held her gaze for a moment longer, before wrapping his son in a quick hug. Opal joined in a second later, and they enjoyed a quick embrace before they let him go. Clement held him by the shoulders just a little longer.
"You know, it feels like we just said goodbye," smirked the Mawile. His son smiled in response.
"Right? We even cried and everything."
"This situation is a little too crazy to get teary eyed. Just, stay sharp and trust your friends. And, keep this safe for me, please." He patted the white pearl still snug in the center of Lumi's neck fluff.
"And make sure to give 'em hell!" cheered his mom. With a resolute nod, he turned and walked away, towards where all the apprentices were beginning to crowd around Vert. The two stepped to the side as soon, the entire Absol guild was together in a tightly packed unit.
"Alright, is everyone here?" called out Vert. A chorus of affirmatives rang out. The Absol scanned the crowd for a moment before he nodded, satisfied.
"Okay, everyone grab on to the person next to you, we don't want to leave anyone behind."
After he spoke, Vert held up his guild badge in his mouth, and enabled the energy to cover the entire guild. With so many individuals to transfer, the usual flash of teleportation was replaced by a steady corona of blinding light. Clement and Opal were forced to shield their eyes as the surrounding area was bathed in pure white.
After a few moments, the shine dulled down, and they looked up to see that they were now alone in the middle of an arid field, no tents or pokemon in sight.
"...Well, that was dramatic," muttered Opal. Clement grunted in response, then turned to march right back the way they came. She hurried to catch up to him and glanced at his expression.
"Ooh, I know that look. What's on your mind?"
"Right now, Dungeons are going unstable and starting to spread. Sound familiar?"
"Damn right. Sounds way too much like our last job. I didn't want to say anything to worry Lumi anymore than necessary, but it looks like things are even worse than last time. There might even be a group out there causing it."
"My thoughts exactly."
"What's the plan?
"Because of them, our son is wanted and can't come home. I won't take that lying down."
Opal let out an exaggerated gasp and stopped in her tracks.
"You mean...!?"
"We might have to close up shop for a while," he chuckled in response.
"...No more casserole?"
"..."
"Clem."
"Fine. No more casserole..."
She let out a whoop as she jumped in the air, and trotted around in glee.
"YES! Hell yeah baby! Team Nimbus just came out of retirement!"