Chapter 13: Moonlit Waltz
"I don't see why this is necessary."
"Oh, just calm down and enjoy the crêpes."
With a sigh, Mauve picked up a fancy plate topped with a berry filled crêpe. With a glance toward the food, the Weavile looked out at the wide circular plaza from the outdoor seats they were currently sat in.
Cherry blossom petals from carefully placed trees fell onto the brick floor. Pokémon milled about and walked past other buildings that were dressed in similar pomp and circumstance to the bakery they chose to dine from, one aptly named Le Slurpeaux. The morning sun coated the bricks in a golden sheen, and the splendor of the buildings combined with the gorgeous adornments some of the other residents displayed made her feel like she was in the midst of utmost decadence.
It made her wildly uncomfortable.
"Could you look any more stiff?" questioned Nook, who just took a sip of their drink. "And I thought you were bad at the show last night. It was a comedy routine for goodness sakes!"
"I enjoyed it," she defended as she toyed with the sweet cake. "Even if they spent half the time doing bad impressions. I just didn't know why we were there to begin with."
"You don't go to Viola and not see a show or two. All of this," they gestured with a flourish of their paw at the prim promenade, "is meant to be...savored. Like a fine wine."
"Is that why you blew half our budget on a five star restaurant, a hotel suite, and that blatant ripoff on your head?"
Nook huffed and adjusted the cap on their head, ears poking through thin slits. "All worthwhile investments. And for your information, this is an authentic cashmere beret made from shiny Dubwool wool. Maybe you should consider, oh I don't know, that I simply have excellent taste?"
"That Banette was definitely laughing at you when we walked out of the tailor's." Mauve crossed her arms, but Nook scoffed in response and waved her off.
"They laugh at everything. I'm sure she was just happy to have finally found someone with a worthy enough eye to sell this to."
"I would think someone like you would be a little more frugal."
"And I would think someone like you would learn to lighten up. We've both had it rough, haven't we? I think you've earned the right to relax a little bit, with how serious you are all the time."
"I think we've spent enough time relaxing."
"But there's this wonderful perfume store I've heard about that-"
"Nook." Mauve leaned forward to look at them intensely. Her orange eyes were creased in mild frustration. The Thievul sighed and rested their head on a paw.
"I'm just trying to do as Boon suggested, sightsee. One of the more logical things to come out of our master's mouth, hm?" they said with a smirk. At her unimpressed stare, they rolled their eyes.
"Alright. If you insist." They wiped their mouth with a dainty napkin and stood up from the seat cushion. "Come on, let's get on with my plan."
"You came up with a plan? In what, the last five minutes?" she asked.
"Your doubt wounds me. It came to me this morning." scoffed Nook. Mauve scarfed down a big bite from the crêpe and hurried to walk beside them.
"Well, what is it?"
"We're going to put on a little show of our own! Look up ahead, what do you see?" they nodded their head forward.
Past the circle of buildings, a short path led to an iron gate that blocked the way to the woods ahead. In front of it were a few red scarfed guards, two in front of the gate and two practically dozed off in front of a couple of wagons parked to the side. There were wooden four wheeled vehicles with a harness in the front, and a sturdy wooden carriage that could hold Pokémon inside.
"I see some guards blocking the way to Moonlit Manor," responded the Weavile, deciding to humor them.
"Where you see guards, I see a bunch of suckers. We'll just get them to give us a ride."
"And how do you propose we do that? It's too open for a direct confrontation."
"So instead of threats, as you are wont to do, we'll use my silver tongue! And if that doesn't work..." they angled the bag on their side to flash the remainder of their funds, enough to splurge in Viola for at least a few more nights. Mauve opened her mouth to protest, but closed it with a pensive look.
"...I would say this wouldn't work, but it might be enough to sway these Haxorus guildies."
"Precisely. Now follow my lead."
With that, Nook rushed forward along the path. As they approached the tired looking guards, a thought popped into Mauve's head.
"Hey, wait. Do you have some kind of script? Or-"
"Oh! Please! Guards, help!" cried out Nook. The Theivul's smug grin from before was replaced with whimpering eyes and shivering lips. They threw a paw out and staggered toward the now alert and concerned guards, who looked to each other in confusion as they were set upon by the blubbering fox.
Mauve felt her ears burn from the attention their outburst garnered, and she thought she heard sniffles coming from her associate.
"The Manor, I-I dropped it, and, and it's just...it's not safe! And.." Nook's stuttering devolved into a pathetic whimper, with genuine tears streaming down their face. The guard closest to them, a Simipour, tried his best to reign in the situation and placed a consoling hand on their shoulder.
"Uh. Okay slow down. Can you tell us what the problem is, sir? Or, uh..." He gave Nook's body a once over, and threw a glance back at the others for assistance, who just shrugged back equally as lost.
"It's our rock! Our special rock! My partner and I have had it since we first joined together! We had gone exploring in the Manor a few days ago before all this craziness happened, and we realized we had dropped it somewhere in there. Tell them how important it is!" they pleaded towards Mauve. She stiffened up when attention turned to her.
"I-I. Um. It's, I'm not..." her gaze travelled further to the ground as she tried to think of something to say.
"She hasn't been able to think straight since we lost it. Please, you have to escort us through the Dungeon to find it!"
"That's a terrible shame, but civilians are not authorized to visit the Dungeon. It's for your own safety," responded the baffled guard.
"Please, we'll do anything! I even have the reward for you right here if you help us."
"I'm afraid that still doesn't- oh. Dayum."
"Is this enough? I know you work so hard to keep us safe, I wouldn't want to complicate things without making it worth your time."
The four guards crowded around the bag of cash, its golden glow shining on their faces, and shared a brief conversation with a single flick of their eyes before they nodded as one.
The two that were slumped just seconds prior, a Girafirang and a Granbull, turned to the wagon. The Girafirang hitched themself to the cart and rolled it over to the front of the gate. With a nod, Nook and Mauve were ushered into the cart. The Thievul nodded their head with obscene amounts of thanks the whole time.
"We'll get someone to watch the gate. You go up ahead, and we'll catch up later," called the Simipour. The gate was opened and the cart rolled through into the long path bordered by tall trees. Simipour left his partner, a Zebstrika, to guard the gate while he left. He returned about twenty minutes later with an annoyed expression on his face.
"Everyone else is out on patrol...damn, how am I gonna get those guys to split the cash?" he muttered. When he approached the gate, he noticed that the Zebstrika was nowhere to be seen. He gave a cursory glance out at the plaza, and then came closer to the other wagon.
"Zed? Where you at bud? You know we can't just leave our post without at least a notice!" he called. He huffed and crossed his arms in front of one of the doors to the wagon. He perked up when he heard it creak open.
Before he could blink, he was yanked backward by a strong grip and slammed onto the floor of the wagon. He grunted as the wind got knocked out of him, and glanced up to see a Whimsicott fiddling with his badge. He looked to the back of the wagon and his eyes widened at the sight of his Zebstrika partner wrapped up head to toe in what looked like ribbon. The Sylveon next to him sent him a wink, and he heard a chuckle from someone unseen.
"Wh-what the hell!? What is this! Who are-" He paused in his squirming when he got a good look at the Whimsicott, who had dismantled his badge into pieces that clattered to the floor. She turned to him and pulled his arms painfully behind his head, and pushed her knee into his back with enough force to make him wince.
"Holy shit...you're-"
"Whimsicott, of the Absol Guild of Dungeon Research and Development. This is my apprentice, Sylveon. Banette is somewhere here as well."
"Heya sugar," offered Purl with a lazy wave.
"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance," continued Pandora. Simipour looked between the two with clenched teeth and confusion in his eyes.
"What's going on? What the hell do you want?"
"It's simple really. We would like you to take us to the Dungeon closest to here. Moonlit Manor. It's an important research expedition, you see. Vital to understanding the current problem."
"Current prob...you freaks are the ones that caused this mess in the first place!" he yelled. Pandora clicked her tongue and applied just a bit more pressure on his back.
"I'm afraid we don't have time to go into just how wrong you are, so I'll just say this: You will escort us to our destination. I have disabled your means of communication, and am quite comfortable with...non-verbal negotiation," she stated with a pleasant smile.
"Trust me, you really don't want to see non-verbal negotiation. Just do as she says, Zebstrika already agreed," said Purl. Simipour looked at his companion with a questioning look, and Purl allowed some of the ribbon to come down from his face.
"We're outmatched here bud. You feel the Power coming off of that Whimiscott? They're all crazy, but she's the worst," warned Zebstrika.
"If it's any consolation," started Pandora. "We don't want to hurt you. We simply can't waste time. As we speak, the ones behind this might have already made their move."
"And we're just supposed to trust you!?" spat Simipour, bewildered.
"I'm not giving you a choice."
The Simipour flicked his eyes between everyone in the room, and after a brief internal conflict, sighed and slumped on the ground. Satisfied, Pandora removed her knee from him, and pushed him onto an indoor bench where he was wrapped up in yet more ribbon.
"Marvelous. Esther, be a dear and make sure our other guest gets set up on the harness. And doesn't run. That would be inconvenient."
In a burst of shadow, Esther appeared in the room and led the Zebstrika out to get fitted on the harness. The gate opened, and the wagon began the short journey to the manor. It was around a thirty minute ride on bumpy, uneven terrain frequently hampered by tree roots. Much of the ride was spent in silence, although not for lack of trying.
"Oh! I almost forgot to ask, do you know when the Satin Festival is taking place in town?" asked Purl. Simipour snorted and turned away from him, and the Sylveon huffed.
"I know you're our captive, but that's no reason to be rude!"
"Mmmhhfmmf!"
"Whoops, sorry." Purl removed the ribbon from his mouth.
"Then maybe untie me, and I can show you how polit-"
"What the hell!?" came a voice from the front. The wagon stopped so suddenly everyone jolted forward.
Everyone clambered out of the wagon to take a look at their surroundings. The first thing registered was that it was much darker than expected. While not night per say, a general gloominess pervaded the area, and a multicolored haze drifted through the trees.
The source was obvious.
Moonlit Manor was a wide and derelict building of classical make, with many windows and sturdy wooden columns that lined its perimeter. It stood in the center of a short hill, rung around by trees in a wide space. Gnarled, twisted weeds grew alongside a broken stone path that led to its entrance. Within the space that would have contained an ornate door, there was a swirling portal instead that seemed to lightly spew fluorescent mist.
Down at the start of the path, the group joined the Zebstrika guard who looked aghast at the sight in front of them. A second wagon was parked to the side, but splayed out unconscious in front of it was a Granbull and Girafirag. Pandora allowed her escorts to rush towards and check their status, and eyed the general area. The ground was free of any signs of a scuffle, which means whoever did this got the drop on them somehow.
"Any idea who could have done this?" asked Purl. He trotted over to the distraught guards and kneeled next to their downed allies.
"They...dammit they tricked us. I knew that offer was too good to be true..."
"Who tricked you?"
"A Weavile and a Thievul. Had some shady story about losing a rock in there. Pretty stupid we believed them, in hindsight," explained the Zebstrika. Pandora perked up at the mention of a Weavile, and motioned for her apprentices to join her side.
"Well, that makes things convenient. It seems our enemies are just up ahead. Oh, before we go," she turned and tossed the guards a couple of oran berries.
"Thank you again for the lovely ride. How about once we deal with these interlopers, you forgive us those false charges, hmm?"
"Y-you still kept us as hostages and hijacked our vehicle!" exclaimed the Simipour. She rolled her eyes in response.
"Oh well, one thing at a time. Now then, on with the mission."
The group walked to the start of the path and looked up at the menacing building. Dark clouds seemed to gather directly over it, cold wind making the leaves rustle in a disconcerting way. The swirling portal in place of a doorway, combined with the many windows, gave the building a terrifying countenance, as if it was eager to swallow up any who entered.
Pandora led them forward without looking back.
Moonlit Manor - 1st Floor
"My, what lovely decor," stated Pandora, a paw on her hip. Her companions had opposing reactions to their surroundings; Esther panned her head across the room with a smile that widened with glee, while Purl stepped slowly as his eyes flicked across the dark shadows. He yelped as a cheeky flash of lightning shot in through a window and briefly illuminated the haunted beauty of the Moonlit Manor.
Lit candelabras illuminated the lavish entryway in a pale orange, with just enough light to elongate the shadows that played along the walls. There was a reserved nobility buried underneath the foreboding air caused by the lack of light; in front of them, a wide double sided stairway curved up to a second level along with sturdy, carved baluster railings.
Thick, velvet carpet dressed the floors, and dotted around the room were the acroutments one would expect of a brooding aristocrat. Throw couches, bookshelves, and other kinds of vapid decorations filled the space, and paintings that depicted admittedly beautiful landscapes lined the walls.
Pandora observed all of this and more as she stepped forward and idly jotted something down in her small book. Dungeons that manifested inside buildings were always interesting, the way Aether would transform mon-made structures into something otherworldly was a baffling phenomenon, and apparently doubly so given the recent spread.
Vert had explained to her some of the changes he had noted in the Dungeon he went to with Lumi and Van, but to see it with her own eyes caused a spark of excitement to light in her chest. She didn't remember the last time she visited this particular Dungeon, although she could recall it being more labyrinthine in structure, and much less grand.
Further observation was required, but it looked to her like Aether amplified the very idea of this place, turning it into more of what it could be. If only she had stronger notes of this place before, then she could possibly identify patterns in how it changed. Fortunately, she happened to be travelling with a native.
"I'm sure this looks a bit different than you remember, Esther? I'm not from around here, but I feel there's been a shift in the...ambiance." She gestured to the lavish furnishings around them. At the lack of response, she turned to only see Purl, who whipped his head around in frantic motion.
"Damn it. She's in her element," he muttered, back arched. He crept forward to stand beside her, and she smiled at him.
"Oh? It looks like the fearless leader of Team Dazzle is concerned about something."
"Concerned? No! Not at all, just..." He cleared his throat and raised his voice. "Esther, we have an important mission! Now isn't the time to be playing games, we have to get through this Dungeon to protect it, and we need to focus."
In response, a thin cloth was draped over his head.
"Eep! I can't see! Help!"
As the Sylveon scrambled to remove the minor obstacle, Esther materialized next to Pandora and sat on the railing. She always looked laid back, but there was a serenity in her eyes as her gaze swept over the interior. Pandora walked up the stairway to the second level, keen to get a move on.
"So many good hiding spots, and all enclosed within these beautiful walls. This place is a phantom's playground," whispered Esther as she floated alongside. "My sister and I would play here when we were younger. It was fun, but got a bit dull after a while. Perhaps Dungeons getting larger is good for something after all."
"Remind me to thank her again when we get the chance. The guild will send her a gift for housing us until the morning."
They came to stand in front of an entranceway to a room of some sort. There was a clear frame to enter into something, but pitch-black darkness shrouded the path ahead. Unnaturally dark, for when Pandora reached a hand inside, it disappeared from her view in an instant. Any attempts to squint through the darkness yielded no clue on what was on the other side. She glanced at Esther, who rubbed her chin with a thoughtful frown.
"I don't remember anything like this," mused the ghost. Pandora looked around at the other doorways on the second floor, and saw that the way beyond was hidden in darkness. Purl padded up to them and threw the cloth on Esther, who let it drape on her head without complaint.
"Hmmmm. Oh, idea!" he exclaimed. With a flourish, he whipped his head to allow his scarf to fold out.
It was made of a deep violet material and dotted with small specks of light that glimmered like stars. Unlike normal cloth, the ends of the scarf defied gravity to wave up around his head, and its twilight hue seemed to shine as if in response to his will. He flicked his head to the side and one of the ends flew over to wrap around a railing. With one of his own feelers, he tugged on the scarf to test the strength.
"I'll just yank myself back with this if things get too hairy. I'll shout to give the all clear," he explained. Pandora nodded in approval, while Esther stared into the lights of the scarf. With a set face, he stood in front of the impenetrable darkness and struck a paw up.
"As the valiant leader of Team Dazzle, it is my sworn duty to brave the unknown and chart a path of glory for my companions. Remember me as I go unto the dark, and-"
"Yes, yes, get on with it. I'm curious to see you put the Ever Scarf to more use than just modeling," droned Esther. Purl huffed and pouted at her.
"Let me have this, I need to psyche myself up..." he took a breath and shook his head sharply, then strode through the darkness, scarf elongating behind him as he did so.
The other two leaned in to hear anything, and after a few moments of silence Pandora was about to speak up before she was interrupted by a crash, followed by a shrill scream. The sounds of a scuffle could be heard, with bangs and pulses of energy signaling attacks going off. The scarf trail wobbled and then untangled itself from the railing to shoot inside, and the sounds of battle increased.
Just as soon as they started the sounds ended. Out of the corner of her eye, Pandora saw Esther's grin lessen a bit, and she motioned with her head for them to walk in. The ghost nodded, and the two hopped through the darkness with no hesitation.
Past the veil of black was some kind of sitting room, lit by a warm fireplace on the side wall. Purl stood amidst the remains of a ruined table and bookshelf. Motes of light disappeared from the air as he noticed them. His eyes were wide and his chest rose and fell with exertion, but he shook himself out of it soon enough. Esther floated over to lean her forearms on his side, and he glanced down at her.
"H-hah...I handled it," he breathed. She snickered and came to rest on his back.
"Oh, I heard. You sounded so heroic. Have you charted a path of glory for us yet?"
"I'm getting there," he defended.
"Purl, what sorts of foes are we dealing with?" asked Pandora as she examined the room. She had picked up one of the scattered books and flipped through them, tutting a bit at their empty pages.
"About what you'd expect, a whole lot of spookiness. There was a Misdreavus and Lampent in this room, so I'm guessing ghost and dark types."
"Well, at least that part has stayed the same," muttered Esther. She floated over to the other side of the room, where another doorway was blanketed over with darkness. "But I can't wrap my head around why the doorway is obscured like this. I suppose the Dungeon has simply developed a flair for the dramatic."
"It could be that, with the source of Aether regulation at risk, the place is taking measures to defend itself. Besides the spread and change of layout, it could be another symptom of the Keystones being targeted. I'd imagine this phenomenon is a part of that," offered Pandora.
"A little dark and a few ferals doesn't seem like a very effective security system. Scary, but not enough to keep anyone away," countered Purl. Pandora side-eyed him with a grin.
"Keep that thought in mind as we move forward, I doubt we've seen everything yet."
She stepped toward the wall of darkness and walked through without second thought. A draft hit her wooled head when she walked out, and she stared into the massive room that lay before her.
Out beyond the wooden balusters that separated her from the floor below, a wide great hall as lavishly decorated as the foyer stretched out far and wide. Heavy chandeliers fell down from an endless ceiling and cast a gloomy light over the space. The level she was on curved around the room, and walkways from one side to the other criss crossed over the bottom floor.
A cursory observation showed that there were more entranceways, some lit enough to be another passageway further in, and some with that same sheet of darkness over them.
She hop-floated up to stand on the baluster to take a closer look at the first floor, and her eyebrow raised at the sight of an enormous dining room table, complete with chairs and silverware laid out, spread ridiculously long over the length of the whole room. She squinted and caught sight of some ghosts haunting the lower floor, apparently monitoring the space. Her companions had wordlessly joined her to observe.
High windows allowed pale moonlight to stream into the great hall, and she allowed herself to marvel at the ethereal beauty, uncaring of the fact that moonlight from that angle should have been impossible three times over.
They had arrived in the morning, after all.
Still, the sight of those shrouded doorways and the layout sent her instincts in a tizzy, and a fond smile graced her face as she tried to put together pieces of a puzzle. There was something else to this Dungeon, something other than the atmosphere that set a tingle down her spine and made her relish the hint of danger.
She grinned. They weren't safe out here.
"Esther," she stated, "If you must torment Purl, please do so within a five foot radius of each other."
"As you wish," she said in a solemn tone and bowed deeply. Purl let out an affronted huff and turned his nose up.
"Oh, now you want to get close! But when I try, you just pop away and laugh."
"Oh? Are you saying you don't want to spend some quality time together? Just you, me, and all the things that go bump in the night..." she whispered, leaning her head closer to the Sylveon and caressing his head. He gulped and looked to Pandora.
"You know, maybe we'll cover more ground if we split up!" he tried. Pandora scoffed and hopped from the railing.
"Oh come now, play nice. I sense there is something else at play here, so for your sakes I recommend you both straighten up and stay close. It wouldn't do to get lost in a place like this, would it?"
The two shared a look, and then nodded. Purl stood up straight as his scarf billowed in an unseen wind, while Esther floated just above him, an almost imperceptible jingle coming from the bell attached to the end of her head. At the sight of the two Partners actually resembling some form of competence, Pandora smiled and clapped her paws together.
"Just like that. I will have you take point Purl. Remember, our goal is to reach the Keystone and apprehend any interlopers, but we also need to learn as much as possible. If only to provide assistance to the other guilds when they inevitably need our help to deal with this whole outbreak."
"Yes ma'am! Always searching, never lost. Let's go!" Purl gave a salute and then started to walk in a random direction, the other two trailing close behind. Pandora motioned for Esther to come float beside her, and the ghost obligingly came down.
"Dear. Is that really how you flirt?" whispered Pandora with a twinkle in her eye. Esther jolted a bit, clearly caught off guard, but saved face by floating backwards with her arms behind her head.
"Flirt? Don't be ridiculous. I'm merely...ensuring he knows there's only one ghost he should be afraid of here."
"Ah. I see," responded Pandora with a sage nod, paw up to suppress a titter. Esther rolled her eyes and went back to her Partner.
The group walked along the railing towards one of the side entrances, and proceeded to comb through the rest of the floor. Purl led them through hallways, over walkways, and into many of the various rooms throughout the Dungeon, all while dealing with the various ferals throughout.
Despite the changes, Moonlit Manor was still a Dungeon at its core, so their goal was the same as it always was: find the way to the next floor. Pandora explained that the way out would be different than the standard stairs, and so encouraged the two to keep an eye out for anything strange.
They both agreed, although Esther seemed more occupied with jumping out to spook Purl at any opportunity she got, including right after they fought off any ferals.
Despite the little game they had going on, Purl and Esther looked to be enjoying the proper field test for their own personal items. Combined with the Ever Scarf and his own personal feelers, Purl was able to unleash a flurry of slashes to the many ghosts that stalked the halls. Once he hit his stride, many encounters opened with a red gleam in his eye that signalled the use of Foresight, and from there it was a matter of him dancing through the fray in a whirlwind of ribbons.
Keen to let her Partner take center stage, Esther slunk in the shadows and supported with sneak attacks, making sure to let her bell ring loud in each encounter. The dour notes of her bell rang with malicious intent, inflicting Curse on any feral who heard it.
Pandora was content to allow her apprentices to take point and observe from the back, confident in their abilities. She prioritized analyzing the Dungeon itself, but she couldn't help but jot down her notes on their items.
The Ever Scarf was a testament to Purl's legitimate mastery over the marriage of felt and Aether, the scarf taking full advantage of the dimensional warping properties of the substance. By attaching it to sturdy holds like chandeliers and railings from a distance, Purl was able to yank himself around the manor and take advantage of the added maneuverability to shoot above and around the ferals, giving him a greater range of options.
To mass produce it was a bit of a dream at this point, but for now it was an excellent personal weapon that accounted for his otherwise slower running speed.
Esther's item accentuated her proclivity to fight unseen. The Curse Bell allowed her to debilitate foes from wherever she was, its sinister chime inflicting pain on whatever hostile entity heard it. More than once, an eager Lampent or Sableye attempted to strike Purl while his back was turned, only to cringe and seize up once she let it ring.
This enabled her to support her Partner while she lay in wait somewhere and get a sneak attack while Purl took the brunt of the attention. The two could switch from playful banter to a grinning duo of destruction in a second, which allowed Pandora the freedom to follow along at her leisure and take note of their surroundings.
The nagging thought of the doorways shrouded in darkness was interrupted by a strange sight. As they were walking through one of the hallways, she paused and called the others back to stand in front of a painting. Well, painting was one word for it; within a large and ornate picture frame, a mesh of colors swirled and shifted within. The mark of Aether was unmistakable, and Pandora tapped her chin for a second before her eyes widened and she walked up to reach her hand towards the painting.
As expected, it went right through.
"Well, I think we've found our stairs," she stated. Purl looked at her cut off paw and the swirling portal, and stepped back with a raised eyebrow.
"This? Really? It's a little, erm...tacky. Don't you think?"
"You're one to talk about tacky," snarked Esther.
"And what's that supposed to mean?"
"You should know," she said coyishly, and puffed up the Ever Scarf around her neck.
"Wha-wait." He looked around his neck and saw that she had, indeed, snatched it somehow in the past three seconds.
"Hey!" Esther giggled at him and flew through the painting, sending ripples through its surface. He growled and hopped through in pursuit.
Pandora prepared to jump through, but the fluff on her back raised in response to a source of powerful energy. The air gained an instant chill and she could see her breath blow in front of her. The lamplight dimmed to a reddish hue, giving the haunting majesty of the manor a more threatening edge. Her instinct pulled her attention to the side, where a large form obscured by the backlight grew, and seemed to pull along a trail of shadows in its wake. From where its head would be, a lone, angry red eye glared out.
Unable to contain herself, she stepped out fully into the middle of the hallway and began to jot furious notes at its approach. The grave glare its red eye gave her sent excited shivers down her spine, shivers that raced all the more as it reared up and let out a howling wail when it caught sight of her. It's measured pace sped considerably, and the shadows at its base billowed as it lurched its wide body forward.
Uncaring of the approaching danger, Pandora's keen eye absorbed every detail of the creature. As it got closer, she was able to identify it as a Dusknoir, albeit a much larger and imposing one than normal. The phantom's belly maw wrenched itself open as it neared her, a sound like pained wailing emanating from within.
"Well, this is new. My, you're a feisty one aren't you?" she commented, in a tone one would use to address a particularly feisty hatchling. It seemed her words only served to anger it more, and the shadow-steeped Dusknoir barreled forward with its arms wide out. In an instant, the Whimsicott was swept up in its charge, and the Dusknoir felt the fairy's weight in its maw. It chomped down a few times and then let out a victory scream, satisfied with its meal.
A chuckle from behind paused its celebration, and it turned around in a flash.
"Oh, how I would love to study you in detail, but I can't leave those two unattended for long. Don't worry, we'll get our chance to play soon. Bye for now." she waved.
A cold rush of air blew past right as she lept back into the painting.
Moonlit Manor - 4th Floor
"Are you quite alright, Purl? You look a bit pale," inquired Pandora. She walked side by side the Sylveon, who repeatedly glanced up and around the wide hallway they were currently in. His back was arched slightly and his eyes flit about the dim space, lit only by rays of egg white moonlight that shone in from arched windows to the side.
"O-oh, nevermind me. Just, erm..." His pace slowed as he walked past a decorative vase on a night stand, one of many that lined the hall. Pandora stopped to watch with a bemused smile on her face as he crept closer to the vase and, with a probing ribbon, pushed it enough for it to wobble back and forth before it settled still.
He waited a bit before he exhaled a breath, and crept past with one last suspicious glare thrown its way. He grumbled under his breath, and the Whimsicott tittered at the display.
"I don't think she's going to make it that easy for you, love."
"Well, good! Because I won't make it easy for her! In fact, I'm not even worried. At this point, I'm basically scare-proof. You hear that Esther!" He raised his voice and, with a shaky inhale of breath, declared, "You've only made me stronger! I now have unflappable nerves of steel, so you might as well just give up!"
He stood tall in the middle of the hallway, chest out and face set. Silence was the response, and he nodded once in resolution before he took one step forward.
The vase hopped off the stand and shattered on the hardwood floor.
"AAAAAIIIIIIEEEEEEE!" Purl screeched and shot forward, ribbons flailing in the air. It was faint, but a ghostly chuckle emanated throughout the hall. From the darkness Esther emerged, and her body trembled with barely contained laughter. With a hand on her hip, Pandora watched the retreating Sylveon with a raised brow.
"You would think at this point he'd see it coming."
"So brave and yet so skittish. The perfect combination."
"Come, let's go make sure he doesn't go too far. We don't want to stay in the hallways for too long."
"And miss the chance to meet this mysterious spectre you told us about? I'd have thought you would stay just to find it," offered the ghost, coming down to float next to Pandora. The Whimsicott gave a faux sigh, paws behind her head as she strolled along.
"Unfortunately we have the mission as our top priority. We've been lucky to find the exit so quickly these past few floors, but it means I haven't had the chance to study that anomaly as much as I'd like. Now, if it just so happens to run into us as we look for the way out..."
"If things are as you say, this might lend more credence to your theory that the Dungeon is trying to defend itself in some way. Not like that really explains anything, we're still just as in the dark as ever." Esther's voice trailed off as she tapped her metal zipper, seriously trying to puzzle things out.
"And yet, we're still the foremost experts on everything going wrong with Dungeons right now, at least according to Pepin."
"The journalist? I assumed you'd have either locked him in a closet or signed him up for combat effectiveness testing by now."
"That thought did occur to me, yes, but he's been surprisingly useful for gathering information, given that he's able to actually go out in public. According to his sources, the other Guilds are still on the backfoot. No explorers from the Mienshao Guild have been sent out yet to survey the Dungeons on account of them being too dangerous, and that fool Haxorus' only goal so far is to bring us to justice."
"And the Beheeyem guild?" Sounds of a scuffle ahead interrupted the conversation, along with another scream. "Excuse me one moment."
Esther zipped off ahead and ducked into an open door, adding to the sounds of chaos within a room. After a few moments the sounds quieted, and she walked back out with Purl, who had a tired look on his face. They came back alongside Pandora, who surreptitiously put out a small flame that had sprouted on his tail, presumably from an Ember attack. She picked up where they left off.
"Poor Beheeyem has her hands full trying to make sure Pokémon stay safe during this whole mess. Haxorus' policing can only do so much, but a problem as volatile as unpredictable Dungeons is a threat to our society's very infrastructure. Ideally we'd be working with them to find a way to contain the spread and gather as much information as possible so they know what to expect in the event a rescue is necessary."
"But for now we're forced to work from the shadows, the ones most qualified to deal with all this." Purl slid right into the conversation. "Ugh, this is so frustrating. I was put on this world to show myself off to the public, not hide from them!"
"I don't know, you've done plenty of hiding so far," shot Esther.
"Really? You really said that? Your entire game plan is hiding!"
"I don't hide. I strategically position myself."
"Yeah, strategically position yourself to avoid doing anything in fights. You just get a front row seat to watch me do all the work."
"I thought you liked being watched?" asked Esther with an innocent tilt of her head. Purl let out a long suffering sigh and dramatically put a paw to his forehead.
"Dora, please tell me we're almost out of here. I don't think I can take much more of this abuse."
Silence.
"Dora?"
After a few moments without a response, Purl looked to the side and saw that the Whimsicott was nowhere to be found. He locked eyes with Esther, who shrugged, just as confused.
"Where could she have...ooooooh." Upon looking back, Purl spotted the metallic remains of a Warp Trap a few paces behind them. He put two and two together in his head and clicked his tongue.
"Well. That's unfortunate," mumbled Purl.
"For her or for us?"
"Almost definitely for us, but that's fine. Just means more chances of finding the painting, and then whoever does can just Rollcall everyone together!"
Esther hummed in agreement, and settled herself on his back. As they walked, she drummed her fingers on his back and allowed herself to recline on the back of his neck. It was times like these when she was grateful she was just a bit shorter than an average Banette, the rhythmic movement of his walk felt nice. It was quick too, his stride not nearly as jittery or paranoid as when she would watch him from the shadows.
Instead, it was smooth and confident. It seemed having her on his back and knowing exactly where she was made him less wary of all the other spooky things in the manor.
That reason stoked something warm in her otherwise cold chest, but she quashed it before she gave it much thought.
Purl walked at a brisk pace through the hallway, ears turning this way and that to any sound. He took a turn onto a flight of stairs that led to a spacious central area, bordered with decrepit couches and withered plants. A window high above allowed moonlight to spill over a surprisingly ornate fountain that streamed water from the mouths of multiple Luvdisc.
His pace slowed as they approached, and he took his time to marvel at the decor while they passed in front of the fountain.
"So, did you get tired of playing around? Wanted to take a little break?" asked the Sylveon as he took cursory glances in any doors they passed by.
"Maybe I just wanted to give you a little break," she countered.
"Then that would be very sweet of you. For your information, I enjoy it when we can just have time together and talk. Even if the circumstances could be...better."
The warm feeling came back. She folded her arms and grimaced.
"Well, for your information, I can't think of any better circumstances. As far as I'm concerned, this has been a lovely vacation away from the workshop."
"Oh, I can think of one." He stopped suddenly and shook his back to throw her off. She turned around with a frown, but reared back with widened eyes when he leaned his face right in front of hers. Caught so off guard, she didn't think to burst away, and was left staring into those big blue eyes.
"The Satin Festival!" he exclaimed with a mad grin. It soon turned to a disparaged frown, and he reared up onto his hind legs to let out a genuine groan of frustration, exaggeratedly pushing a paw to his forehead.
"Ooooooh, all of this couldn't have happened at a worst time! And we're right here in Viola too! Can't you imagine? The flowers, the outfits, the dancing!? I can't believe we're missing out on the...the...the sheer lámour de la culture!"
Esther gave a dry look at his use of a phrase he had read once in a brochure, but even she couldn't rightly fault him. The Satin Festival was a weeklong celebration held in the summer months in Viola.
She always preferred to stay out of it, but Purl was practically made for it. The festival was gaudy, but undeniably within the spirit of beauty; Pokémon would partake in elaborate dances for the sake of earning ribbons, and the ones with the most ribbons at the end of the festivities were crowned either the Satin Prince or Princess.
She had expected to see the traditional streamers and petals blowing in the wind to announce the start of the festival, but apparently that had been postponed due to the danger of the spread. She had felt a bit bad at not having her town's most important event happening, but Purl had been inconsolable when they arrived last night. She folded her arms and raised an eyebrow.
"You don't need to be so dramatic, you've never even been to one. Honestly, you're not missing much."
"I'm missing everything! You go to Viola, you dance. It's simple and romantic, and now we can't do that!" He sat down in a huff.
"You don't need a stupid festival to dance, you can do that any time!" Esther raised her voice, genuinely annoyed at her partner getting all down in the dumps. Purl went stock still at her words, and Esther only caught the devious smile that grew on his face before, in a blur of motion, he had shot up to his hind legs and swept her up into his arms.
He looked right into her eyes with a paw clasping one of her hands, and another around her waist.
She was stunned into silence for enough time for him to lean into her ear.
"You're right," he whispered. He began to sway them side to side, slowly rotating in a circle. Esther's wide eyed expression morphed into one of confusion, and she looked around to make sure they were the only ones there. There were no enemies she could see from the entrances, and they were shielded from one by the fountain.
"What the hell are you...were you planning this the whole time?" she asked, bewildered.
"More like hoping for an opportunity. I was getting a dance one way or another, and by Arceus I was going to do it with you." With one of his feelers, he reached into his bag and pulled out a vibrant red rose. With a flourish, he held it between his teeth and winked at her.
"Oh my God. You look ridiculous."
"Care for a dance, mon maní?"
"It's mon ami. And aren't you the one who told me to stop playing games?"
"Just indulge me for two minutes. That's it."
Esther was about to say something sarcastic, but the look in his eyes made the words die in her throat. Every ounce of his attention was focused squarely on her, and only her. That warm feeling bloomed stronger in her chest, and she prayed desperately for there to be a feral or someone to come around the corner and give an excuse to burst away and not deal with it.
She checked one more time. It was just them.
She sighed, and let Purl continue to slowly sway them in a circle, even throwing in a twirl here or there. He still had that same giddy look on his face, like she was the only person in the world he'd want to do this with.
She spent most of their impromptu dance looking to the side, not wanting to meet those eyes. At some point the two had become close enough to embrace. If anyone asked, he was the one who leaned in first.
She just didn't want him to feel bad, so she allowed it.
That sounded good.
"Isn't this nice? No games, nobody else? Just us," he murmured, leading in a dance only he could hear music to. Regardless, Esther found she could match his steps to the tune perfectly.
"God, you're sappy. What is it with you and wanting to be so close to me?"
"Well..." with a sly grin, he leaned forward, dropping her into a dip. Her hand raised up instinctually to wrap around his neck, and he smirked.
"What is it with you and always trying to get a rise out of me, hmm? It's almost like someone likes my attention~"
"Clearly you're delusional. Friends mess with each other all the time." Even though she stated this matter of factly, she turned her head away and looked to the side, her zipper mouth scrunching in a pout. Purl yanked her up from the dip and put his face right in front of hers, nose almost touching her face.
"Ooh? What's this I see? Is that a...blush?" he gave a faux gasp.
"Blushing? On a ghost? You really have gone mad," she grumbled. When he started to giggle, she couldn't help the small smile that grew. Soon, he leaned his head in and started to nuzzle his forehead against hers. Normally she'd have none of this affection and would burst away. He was always so gung-ho when it came to that sort of thing, so overt with it.
She couldn't find the motivation to do so this time. Perhaps it had something to do with how gentle he was being. Was his fur always so...soft?
"...Purl," she started. When he gave an inquisitive sound, she realized she didn't have any particular point or joke to make. She just wanted to say his name. His face was backlit by the bright moonlight, and it highlighted the pink of his fur and ribbons in a way that she couldn't describe as anything other than enchanting to see up close.
Something genuine was on the tip of her tongue, and she was about to lean in to whisper it when a nagging thought invaded her mind. There was something off that she hadn't realised as they were talking, something she had grown to expect during their dance that wasn't there.
She wasn't warm.
A chill had entered the air, and seconds later Purl's breath began to fog out in front of him. His ears twitched and his eyes narrowed, apparently having realized something as well.
"Is it just me, or has the mood gone down a bit?"
"You've definitely made the mood go somewhere, but I can't say the same for the temperature."
"Maybe we should-" He flinched mid sentence as a wail from the side bellowed throughout the room. The pale moonlight took on a red tint and bathed the fountain in a sinister glow. Purl turned to where the noise came from and blanched.
"What. The hell. Is that!?" He pointed a paw at the massive Dusknoir that loomed in one of the doorways, shadows pooling from its bottom and emanating all around it. He didn't get much longer to gawk before it opened its stomach mouth sickeningly wide and rushed forward, howling loud enough to make the furniture and chandelier above rattle.
Stunned by surprise and fear, Purl could only back away and put a paw up meekly as it rushed toward him. Before he was swept up, he was pushed away by Esther, who he saw burst away right before the thing crashed into the fountain and shattered it into chunks of marble. She appeared right next to him, rubbing her hands as she crouched.
"Are you done looking through rose tinted glasses? We have an issue."
"That's a little more than an issue!" he exclaimed, pointing a paw to the enraged Dusknoir. It turned to face them and put its massive hands together. Dark purple energy swirled between its palms, emanating such sheer malice that Purl felt a pang of dread run down his spine just from looking at it.
He shook his head and willed the ends of his Ever Scarf around him. With a glance up at the chandelier, he flicked the scarf and watched it fly up to wrap on to a sturdy hold onto its metal frame. Right before a massive Shadow Ball erupted from Dusknoir's mouth, Esther teleported from his side once more, and Purl yanked himself up and over it, sending himself flying above to the other side of the room.
He twisted in midair to keep an eye on the large ghost, sending another end to yank him down quicker near another doorway that led to hallways further in. Dust was kicked up as he made a shaky landing.
"How are we supposed to deal with this giant, ugly thing? Let's just run for now!" He called. The Dusknoir turned to face him again, and his eyes flicked to just above its shoulder where a purple rift of darkness grew. Purl recognized the Phantom Force, and sure enough Esther emerged upside down from the portal to rake the larger ghost across its back with a glowing claw.
What would have normally been enough to at least seriously injure a ghost feral only caused the Dusknoir to grunt and shift its attention upward. With a wail, the shadows at its bottom grew into tendrils that shot up to wrap around Esther's limbs. Her face scrunched in discomfort as she struggled with the restraints, before bursting away once more.
She didn't appear very far away, only halfway between Purl and the Dusknoir. It shot forward with a hand wreathed in shadow, and Esther was smacked aside like nothing before she could muster another teleport. Purl cursed loudly as he watched her sail away and smack against the side of the wooden wall, and fall into a crumpled heap.
The Dusknoir faced him again and readied another Shadow Ball, but Purl was already on the move. He latched on to whatever he could with his scarf to propel himself over to Esther's side, and with a glance to their assailant, picked her up with a feeler and shot out into the hallway.
He kicked up dust as he sprinted through the hall. The paintings and other decorations became a blur, and the walls he had slowly grown accustomed to throughout the manor felt ten times closer. He wasn't sure if it was his adrenaline fueled mind or something else, but he swore there was a red haze that glossed over the surroundings.
From behind, he could hear the abyssal wailing from the Dusknoir, and his heart turned to ice from the sound. The hairs on the back of his neck screamed a warning, and he yelped as he yanked himself up by a chandelier in front and sailed over another Shadow Ball.
"I JUST-oop-WANTED-oh shi-A MOMENT!" screeched Purl as he dipped and dodged the phantom's attacks. At some point a poor Mismagius popped out thinking it was gonna do something, but Purl hopped onto its head to propel forward, and left it to its fate of getting bowled over by the insane Dusknoir. It was indiscriminate in its chase, and at some point other ghost and dark types were running away with Purl to avoid the much larger threat.
He had absolutely no problem using his ribbon to trip whatever Sableye or Impidimp ran alongside him. He needed whatever advantage he could in this chase.
It was also a little funny.
"Esther, if you're still conscious, say something stupid!" he yelled, eyes flicking left and right for any sort of way out. He hadn't been paying attention where they were going, for all he knew he had passed the painting by now.
The only things that stood out were the doorways to rooms that were shrouded in shadow. Those had only ever led to small rooms with little space to maneuver, so he refused to go into them.
"...mmm...Purl..." He felt her squeeze his neck tighter, and cough a bit after trying to speak. Nonetheless, he was overjoyed to hear her voice.
"You're alive! Okay, just hang on, I'll find a place to lay low and I'll get you an Oran!"
"Ab..it's abo..." She tried to rasp out something, but it was lost to pained coughs. Purl looked back at her to see what was wrong, but in the process noticed that the Dusknoir was no longer behind them.
"What? Where'd it go?" His sprint slowed to a jog and he turned his head this way and that to catch a glimpse. He felt her claws grab the back of his head and wrench it back, and his face went pale at the sight coming from the ceiling.
"Eep."
Like some wrathful revenant from beyond, the massive Dusknoir emerged upside down from a Phantom Force portal of its own, black shadow tendrils thrashing and flailing as it extracted itself. It's eye was a crimson glare that promised pain, and with little warning it descended from on high with its mouth wide open.
Purl screamed something incomprehensible, and did the only thing that seemed to have the slightest chance of increasing their survival. With one end of his scarf, he snagged it around Esther and whipped her back into one of the random rooms with a shroud of darkness. With the other end, he sent it out and prayed to any Legendary that would listen that it would find purchase somewhere.
He felt a solid surface and yanked with wild abandon. Just as the maw was about to devour him, he slid right under it towards the heavy nightstand he had grappled onto. He cursed loudly when he slammed into the side of it head first with a comically loud bang, but fought through the pain to scramble to his feet. Behind him he heard an angry wail, and he turned to find the massive ghost also righting itself, apparently having slammed into the ground as well after missing him.
"Hah! Doesn't feel so good, does it! You...ow. Ow, I think I bit my tongue..." He grimaced, and stuck his tongue out. The Dusknoir faced him with arms wide out, a low rumble emanating from its core. It rang out with malicious intent, but Purl also sensed that it was annoyed. With him.
He grinned. Good.
"Aw, what's wrong big boy? Upset that you couldn't catch all of this?" He gestured with a paw to all of that. "I might look it, but I'm not an easy catch. You'll have to try just a little harder~"
He wiggled his butt at it for good measure, and his heart raced when it let out a truly enraged scream. He glanced back at the passageway he threw Esther through, and breathed a sigh of relief when the Dusknoir rushed past it, attention focused squarely on him. Purl wasted no time in resuming the chase, pushing it double time now that he had made the thing even more mad.
As he blew past corners and yanked himself to and fro, Purl started to feel himself get tired. He lost track of how long he had been running from the Dusknoir, and was beginning to get frustrated at just how persistent it was.
The shadow chased him with just as much ferocity at the start, and no matter how many turns he took or higher levels he catapulted himself towards to try and evade it, it was never more than a few seconds behind. The thought of beating this thing in a one on one fight was one he dreaded.
After he took a turn onto a dead end, that thought started to look like reality.
"Are you...serious..." He gasped for breath. Without thinking, he had run himself into a corner, only a pale window high above to light the narrow corridor and the nightstand next to him. No room to try and hide in, no hallway to run through.
He looked back and gulped, fear taking the place of the adrenaline that had coursed through him moments prior. The Dusknoir seemed to have realized the same thing and crept forward, shadows invading the stream of light.
"H-hey, uh. We can talk about this, right?" He chuckled nervously, one of his feelers digging through his bag for anything that might help. For some reason this thing was incredibly resistant to things like sleep and petrification, and he had used up his entire supply of those orbs during the chase. In hindsight he shouldn't have packed so many scarves, all that preparation seemed incredibly useless right about now.
Wait, a Mobile Scarf! He could throw it on and run right through the-
The day before.
"Defense Scarf? Yes! Persim Scarf? I'm feeling fuschia, so yes! Special Band? Puh-lease~"
As Purl threw scarves willy-nilly into his bag behind him, Esther floated by, carrying a Mobile Scarf in her claw. She was about to stuff it in with the others, but a feeler yanked her arms away.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" he shouted, eyes bugged out. Used to his dramatics, Esther rolled her eyes.
"I saw you miss your throw, so I just wanted to be nice and pack it for you."
"Ew, ew, no. Yellow and blue stripes? What are you thinking!? Get that trash away from me now," he stuck his nose in the air.
"Really? One could argue the utility this scarf offers vastly outweigh-"
"Now!"
Esther blinked, and with a shrug tossed it to the side in a pile of cloth. Purl nodded and went back to packing.
"...Fuck," he stated.
As the Dusknoir crept closer, he shrunk back to press up against the wall. With nothing else to do, he resorted to shouting at the thing, if only to make himself feel better.
"Y-you think you can just eat me!? You think it'll be that easy? W-well think again buddy! Because...uh...I am made of one hundred percent pure, unadulterated sexy! And I didn't come this far just to be gobbled up by-"
Tired of his diva diatribe, Dusknoir rushed forward, mouth wide open. Purl screamed and closed his eyes.
"AAAAHHH! I'm sorry! Esther, I'm sorry I was an idiot and didn't pack a Mobile Scarf! I promise on my life if I make it out of this, I-I'll dye stripes on my fur! I'll love stripes. I'll become stripes! Don't kill me!"
"Did you hear that Esther? He promised on his life," came a composed, sophisticated voice.
"Oh, I did indeed," came another one, low and sinister, with a breathy undertone. "And as his Partner, it is my duty to make sure he keeps his promises."
"...What?" slowly, Purl removed his trembling paws from his eyes. He was splayed out on a low table inside a small room. The doorway was another one of those covered in darkness, and to the side were Pandora and Esther, smiling and smirking respectively. The Whimsicott was just removing herself from a pile of books she had presumably dropped on, and the Banette lounged on an armchair she had found.
Before Purl could say anything, Esther shakily floated over and laid herself on his stomach.
"If you ask me, I think you'd look better with a nice Zebstrika pelt," she said as she stroked lines across his chest. His eyes widened and a blush flared onto his face.
"...I am simultaneously terrified, confused, aroused, and even a little proud." A small smile grew on his face at her giggle, but it turned to a surprised gasp. He threw his arms around her and strangled her in a hug.
"Oooh you're alright! I was so worried! You got knocked out, and I didn't know what to do, and I panicked and..." He paused and took a good look at her. In the dim light, he could see a bruise above her left eye, but she seemed to have all her senses about her besides that.
"Are you okay? You were hardly awake a few minutes ago," He asked, a genuine frown on his face. Now that she was closer, he could hear how her breaths were a bit ragged, and also noted how she didn't just teleport on top of him.
"I'm fine, just a bit tired. Luckily, there were no ferals when you threw me in this room, so I patched myself up and used a Rollcall orb to get us all together. It seems I caught you at the opportune time," she joked. Her smile turned to a smug grin "You didn't sound so confident trying to face off against our resident evil."
"...I can tell that's a reference, and am no longer proud." He chucked her off of him onto the arm chair.
"But still aroused?" She simpered, looking pleased with herself.
"Shush."
"It sounds like there was some excitement while I was away," she said. Purl rolled his eyes.
"If by 'excitement' you mean almost getting eaten by a roided up Dusknoir then sure! That thing attacked us and stone cold stunnered Esther!"
"I was not stun-"
"One hitter quittered my Partner!"
"That's an exager-"
"I mean folded her like an omlette! That thing is a monster Dora!" he exclaimed. Esther sighed and slunk deeper in the cushions. Pandora looked at Esther and put a paw to the ghost's head.
"My deepest apologies for not being able to be there for you both. I'm proud that you were able to evade it. Esther, I swear bloody vengeance against that creature for what it did to you," She whipped out her book and wrote a quick note. Esther smiled at the words of praise.
"I'm honored. How is that whole 'bloody vengeance' list going?"
"Growing longer by the day, dear. Now, I suppose you two would like some good news?" At their attentive faces, she continued.
"Well, as it so happens Purl actually passed by me a few times during his chase. Excellent application of the Ever Scarf, by the way."
"You were there!?"
"As I followed behind, I noticed that the Dusknoir never entered areas with dark entrances. I believe they are shrouded as such to mark hiding spaces."
The two gave her blank looks, so she walked to the doorway and hopped through the darkness. A moment later, they heard a terrifying wail, and the walls seemed to shake as the Duknoir honed in on its new target.
"Yes, this way! I need you for a test!"
The furniture rattled more and more as it came closer, and its roar was almost deafening. Right as it sounded to be directly in front of the door, Pandora walked back into the room and faced outward. The sheer menacing presence right beyond that door was enough to make Purl shoot forward and curl around Esther, teeth clenched.
They were both surprised when, after just a few moments, the sounds of anger and frustration faded, and then stopped altogether. When the presence on the other side simply went away, Pandora turned with her hands on her hips.
"You see? I suppose this is how the Dungeon expects us to evade that creature," she explained. Purl shot his paw up.
"No, I don't know why the Dungeon would install a way around its own security system. My only guess is that it wouldn't be fair otherwise."
Purl put his paw down. Esther raised a claw.
"Yes, we can take a break. I believe I spotted the painting during all that confusion, so we can simply sneak our way through. Remember, we might still have to fight off anyone with plans to tamper with the Keystone, so it's best to save our strength."
"Oh, wonderful," said Esther. She stretched her arms wide and yawned, then settled onto a side of the armchair. "I think I'll rest my eyes. Wake me when it's time to leave."
"Don't have to tell me twice!" Purl made himself comfortable on the chair as well. "Any idea how much further? I know it's probably changed, but..."
"If I remember, this Dungeon is normally rather short, and the Aether hadn't spread that far outside, so I assume we're more than halfway."
Purl nodded in acknowledgment and rested his head in his paws. The room was silent as the team took a while to recuperate. Well, Pandora was fine, but she allowed her apprentices the chance to get themselves together. Instead, she busied herself with idly writing painful, twisted ideas next to the spot marked 'Soon to be Sorry Specter' in her book.
It was right underneath the one labelled 'Dead Weavile Walking.' She smiled at the thought of being able to cross two things off the list in one day.
Moonlit Manor - 7th Floor
Mauve tripped over her own feet, and blinked rapidly. Nook looked up, concerned.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I just...got a really bad feeling for some reason."
"This whole place gives off a bad feeling. Let's just hurry up, we're almost done," they said, voice low. Mauve shook herself and stalked up to peek around a corner.
The duo had so far taken their time going through the manor, learning early on how to avoid the roaming Dusknoir. They had slunk carefully through the halls to avoid being seen, but that had proved to be more complicated as they advanced.
The number of safe spaces to avoid being seen decreased with each floor, and had all but disappeared as they crept through this current one. The sounds of thunder had increased, flashes of lighting providing just enough light to navigate the much darker halls. Mauve led the way, ensuring they took out whatever ferals there were in silence so as not to alert the roaming terror.
As she approached the corner, Mauve was careful not to put too much weight on the carpeted wooden floorboards, and leaned out as much as she could. She saw a large, arched doorway at the end of the hall that spilled out bright, golden light, something that caused her to arch an eyebrow. So far the only light came from flashes of lightning outside and lit candelabras, making the rest of the floor hard to navigate in the gloom.
She took a step out, ready to investigate the strange sight, but a feeling of dread gave her pause. A second later, a large shadow obscured the bright doorway, and the menacing glare of the Dusknoir's eye swiveled around. She ducked back just before it landed on her, and shushed Nook when they asked what was wrong.
"It doesn't have to be this hard," they whispered into her ear. "Just use a pearl, you can get us to the other side without it ever knowing."
"You heard Master's orders. Just wait," she shot back. After a while, the icy feeling in her heart subsided, and she looked back around to confirm that the specter had moved on for now. With a quick wave, she slunk around the corner and rushed as quietly as she could towards the doorway, Nook was right on her heels, and the two crossed the threshold into the lit room.
They blinked their eyes to adjust to the light, and were momentarily stunned by the sheer one eighty in the atmosphere. It was a far cry from the dark, cramped, and decrepit spaces like the rest of the Dungeon. It took Mauve a second to place a name to what they stood in, having only ever heard about them.
They stood in a ballroom.
Underneath a massive domed ceiling was a wide circular room, lined with lily white columns. Beautiful floral patterns swirled along the spotless marble floor, patterns that mirrored the top of the dome. Along the wall were large paintings that depicted things from gorgeous vistas to dignified portraits of various Pokémon.
Lamps hung from the columns around the room, but a glance up revealed the true source of all the light; a massive chandelier hung from golden chains. It had many arms that held strong flames, and they spread out along most of the expanse of the dome.
Nook was openly floored by the grandiose room, and turned in circles to admire everything as they stepped in. Not one to be swayed for long, Mauve analyzed the room with a sharp gaze, her clawed toes clacking on the hard floor as she walked with a brisk step. She didn't have to search for long, on the opposite wall hung the largest painting frame yet. It swirled almost violently, and a light purplish mist seeped from its edges.
"Alright, that looks like the way to the last room. The Keystone should be just beyond there," she called out.
A muffled sound behind her made her turn, and she gawked at the sight of Nook suspended in midair from some kind of purple ribbon.
She followed the trail down to a smirking Sylveon next to a Whimsicott. Mauve was in a fighting stance in an instant, claws bared and knees bent. The Whimsicott strolled forward with her arms behind her back, unheeding of her hostility.
"Well, I can't think of better circumstances to finally meet!" she exclaimed. She clasped her hands in front of her and took a quick glance around the ballroom. "A beautiful arena, but I'm afraid we'll have to take our fight elsewhere. I'd like to have words with you, Weavile." she levelled her gaze at Mauve.
"In private."
Mauve took an unconscious step back. The placid smile on the Whimsicott's face was at odds with the sheer Power that she felt emanating off of her. A glance up showed Nook struggling to remove themself from the binding, and her claws iched toward her bag to reach for a pearl, but paused when she thought of Boon's request.
She breathed in deep and tried to consider her options, and looked back at the swirling painting behind them. Was it worth leaving Nook behind to rush towards the Keystone? She put a foot further back in preparation to run for it, perhaps Nook would unders-
"Ah, can't have that now," whispered a voice in her ear. Mauve barely had time to flinch before she felt herself being grabbed by the arm. A second later, the room became a blur as she went hurtling through the air.
Purl couldn't hold back a flinch as he saw the Weavile get thrown from the center of the ballroom straight through the wall out into the hallway. The heavy wooden wall splintered and crashed from the force of the throw, and dust was kicked up through the opening. Pandora floated on the air to land primly on top of the debris, and turned her head just enough where he could see her grin.
"I won't be long dear. I'll trust you two to be able to handle yourselves until then?" she stated. Purl stared slack jawed at her. Esther materialized next to him, and the two shared the same wide eyed look. He cleared his throat.
"Uh, y-yeah! So, just so we're clear. You're not about to, you know...kill that Weavile, right?"
"Oh, heavens no! I have something much better planned." She turned and hopped through the rest of the wreckage.
"I'm going to have some fun!"
Sup. I know it took a while, but let's just keep it moving. I'll try not to keep you all waiting so long in the future. This one was inspired by Luigi's mansion :)
Also, minor edit to the end of the last chapter.