Posted January 8th, 2024
Chapter Summary:
Kobi and co talk with Shifu Yang and Shifu Shui before they head back into Saltwater Cliffs City. What will happen off the heels of the exciting seminar? Will they be prepared?Still Kobi Espurr's POV
After the second seminar in Leader Magearna's Domain Master Fang, Master Hunter, Doran, Makkuro and I were called by on of Leader Magearna's staff to visit Shifu Yang and Shifu Shui.
We followed the psy-Raichu out of the auditorium through the main hallway and then we headed to a lift to a deeper part of the Domain, where there were a ton of Leader Magearna's staffers.
I've always wondered how there are Alolan and other variant Pokemon here in this world, maybe certain areas act like regions like Galar and the like?
A Tentacruel and an Emolga opened a pair of ornate double doors and the Raichu took us inside.
Pokémon VIP quarters were amazing! There sat about ten or so Urshifu and around fifteen Kubfu, around in luxury light brown chairs, sofas, and tables.
Around them were numerous Pokémon, all of different types and sizes, some wore pink and silver scarves, others wore black and yellow robes. Leader Magearna's staffers and Urshifu's own?
In the center there was a Single Strike and Rapid Strike Urshifu, their dark grey fur, full of aged greyness, and black and blue sashes along their bodies. From what I remember the Single was Shifu Yang, while Rapid was Shifu Shui.
I stood mouth agape for a couple of seconds before I shut it from the glare of the staffers. Wow, I can't believe it!
"Greetings Shifu." Master Fang bowed before all of them. "By chance do any of you recognize this Kubfu? Their name is Doran."
"Doran? Never heard of a Kubfu with that name," One of the Rapid Strikes said.
Master Hunter padded up beside the Lycanroc. "Doran woke up on the Jovian Continent and traveled the world for seven years, but never found any of you Shifu."
A Single Strike yawned and ruffled their fur. "Sorry, that Kubfu isn't one of ours."
"Oh, understood," Doran's ears lowered as he spoke.
"Now now, don't think I'll just leave you alone because of that." Shifu Yang beckoned with her claws.
The Kubfu who played by her feet parted and allowed Doran to approach the elders.
Shifu Shui cleared his throat. "We will contact you when the time comes, my child. one day you will inherit either the Black Fist or the Blue Fist."
Doran looked away. "But I can't-"
"The Disruption won't last forever, Doran. I'm sure you'll be one to help change that."
"Just like we all will," both Shifu said in unison.
Shifu Yang folded her arms. "One day you, and everyone else can evolve. Permanently, no Devolution to worry about."
"And we shall ask someone to teach you the chant, to control your unlocked presence, even if I'm not entirely sure why or how you are unlocked." Shifu Shui ran a claw through his beard.
"Farewell Doran, and Sentinels Union Pokémon, please guard and shape this Kubfu well. I trust we shall meet again." The Rapid-style Urshifu and Single-style Urshifu made a flurry of hand signs before they punched the air.
A flash of black and a scatter of blue, dark and water-typed mana lit up in front of them. Their raw fighting type energy was contained entirely in the room.
Woah!
It was so strong I shivered like mad. The craziest shiver I've ever had, it went through my whole body.
"Farewell Shifu Yang, Shifu Shui!" Doran sniffled as he waved goodbye.
We exited the room where a Gholdengo staffer waited for us. She led us back to the main level where other members of Leader Magearna's staff stood with various bins and machinery.
What's going on?
"There are rumored threats close by so you unlocked Pokémon will be monitored and allowed to use your moves, but only when absolutely necessary," an Emboar explained, as she and other staffers adjusted our monitoring bands. "You may also train, but only when the lights flash green."
And with that we left Leader Magearna's Domain for the day.
Once on the surface, in Saltwater Cliffs City, we could finally relax. Fist, Pride and their apprentices stayed right by our side as we headed back toward the black castle, the mist from earlier heavier than ever.
"So there's more mana artifacts we can find. Well not us Keepers, but maybe Doran and any Sentinels we happen to meet," Master Hunter whispered before we made it into the tourist district.
The Kubfu flinched and adjusted his monitoring band.
Master Fang sighed. "Don't get ahead of yourself, we've gotta help you train before we do any of that."
"But first a supply run." The Boltund added.
"Sounds good." I replied.
Master Hunter sighed with the lowering of her tail. "Let's hurry along then now folks."
Our group made it back within city limits after about half an hour and strolled toward the confectionery and other shoppes we saw last night.
The doors were wide open, all the cakes, biscuits, and sweets on display proudly for all the world, no just for me to see.
Sword almighty!
The soft, sweet scent of baked goods hit me square in the chest and I stood still.
"Be right back." The Primeape and Pyroar stared at Doran before they entered the confectionery.
With a grit of my teeth I planted my hind paws into the ground and shivered. It smelled so good! It took everything in my power to not follow them.
Doran laughed at me as I sharply turned my head away and buried my nose in my claws.
"I really just want a bite!" I haven't had anything warm and buttery in such a long time!
Makkuro laughed. "You call that a supply run?"
"No," Master Hunter sighed.
"Then what?" Doran turned away.
The Lycanroc adjusted their cloak before they spoke."We'll go around the city a bit, we will rendezvous with the Numeros Numbers after all. We have to discuss what we learned."
"What we learned eh?" I asked, and my tail twitched. "Way too much is out there that can stop the Disruption. And we have to work together to find it."
"That's not all." Makkuro added.
"Oh and I suppose Doran isn't kin to Shifu Yang or Shifu Shui. It's trite innit?"
"What do you-... Uh I mean sorry Doran," the Rockruff grimaced.
"Yeah, let's not talk about it. That was disappointing." Doran wiped his eyes and kicked a couple stray pebbles around.
"Don't worry about that!" Fist hoisted him onto her shoulder.
"Woah!" the Kubfu clung into the Primeape's arm.
Pride strolled up beside them, a paper bag in her maw. "We got you some cinnamon rolls. A sweet to pick you up and share."
"That's great!" the Kubfu hopped down and opened the bag. "Come on, let's hurry before the meeting!"
Makkuro, Master Fang and Hunter, and the others chased after him.
Just as they did, a Pokémon who sat at a seat in front of the brewery lowered the hood on their large cloak.
They were a Midnight Lycanroc. The Lycanroc smiled as they caught my stare and walked the other way.
Now that I saw them in the light, their hood had black, gold, and green plaid stripes.
And their eyes seemed kinda familiar.
"Wait for me!" I called, and dashed toward the others. "Save me one!"
We walked through the seashell-lined streets of Saltwater Cliffs and scoped out the area. Apparently the meeting was in the eastern side of the city, where the infamous namesake came from. There were massive saltwater cliffs all around there, from waterfalls nearby.
Master Fang took us to a produce market where Doran, Makkuro, and I helped them shop for berries, seeds, and other things.
We then went to a fur groomer, which I've never been to as a Pokémon. I lived in Hunter's Plains, a small village, with Hatchet and his family. My whole Pokémon life was there after all, we never had anything fancy regarding grooming.
The Lycanroc and Rockruff of our group detested the resistance baths but had their tongues all out for the dryer. Pokémon through and through.
I hated the dryer as a Pokémon though. Awfully loud thing for my Espurr senses, even if I've been here for five years.
After Master Fang, Master Hunter, Makkuro, Doran, and I were all finished we sat outside at a bench in the city streets. The rain from earlier was gone, but the sky was littered with rolling thick grey clouds, ones that were a precursor to a thunderstorm.
"So why'd we do all this stuff?" Doran said as he stretched almost right into me.
I hissed in my throat as a warning. Why's this Kubfu like this?
"Our fur could get caught in combat if we didn't get it trimmed." Master Hunter replied as she shook her body.
"The other reason we got cleaned up was because we are going to our meeting." Master Fang explained.
"Huh?" I asked. "What?"
The Boltund scratched a paw against the ground as they hummed. "Right the meeting with the Sentinels Union, the Leagues, and whoever else we invited to discuss new findings."
"Where's that?" the Kubfu next to me brushed against me again and I shot him a glare.
"It's actually in that black castle we saw." the Lycanroc got off the bench to gesture toward the massive building that loomed over this side of Saltwater Cliffs City.
"Really?" Makkuro asked, his eyes sparkling and his tail wagging.
"Yep," Master Hunter said with a little cough."Now let's go."
The five of us walked through the slightly darker streets of Saltwater Cliffs, when there were a few less Pokémon out and about.
T'was still crowded in my opinion, we nearly got ran over by a Rhyperior who chased after a young Rhydon who followed a ball down the street.
We went deep in a secret chamber of the black castle. Apparently it was established about five hundred years ago: Lord Cornell Gyarados's Keep, the ancient huge castle. One styled like some I've seen in Kalos, with stained glass and wide vaults along the ceiling. Furnished in full with new and old tons of black granite, stone, seashells and dark wood walls, doors, gates, and furniture.
I held my breath as Fist opened the door for us and we entered a lavish enormous meeting space. The ceiling towered far above everyone's heads and in the center sat a massive semicircular wooden table, one that had sections high and low to the ground.
Around it stood about fifty Pokémon from the Leagues and Sentinels Union, all with enough room to spread out into small groups.
"Everyone's here?" I asked.
Master Hunter scanned the room before she spoke. "Pokémon from the Sentinels Union, every single branch of the Numeros, Uno a Catorce the Numbers, One to Fourteen."
So there were fourteen of these bases all over the Constellation Continent.
"Yoshiko and Austin, the Grovyle and the Charmeleon from the Bristberg League along with another pair or trio from every other Mana Research League was present at the meeting too." Master Fang noted, with a faded smirk and tail wag.
"Where are the other Leagues?" Makkuro asked.
"Red Rock, Winter's Reach, Palm Shore."
"Okay, y'all sit tight and stay quiet," Pride nudged her and Fist's apprentices toward the Rockruff and Kubfu beside me.
One of the castle attendants, a Politoed clapped his hands. "The meeting will start soon so everyone please settle down comfortably."
I was squished in beside Makkuro and Doran as we sat at the lower edge of the table, my tail nearly crushed. There's so many Pokémon here! Too many!
Pokémon even from a newly built League, New Withered Savannah were here too. That area was below Scorpio Sands, and across from my village, Hunter's Plains. Apparently the New Withered Savannah League opened three days ago, when Pokémon from other Leagues visited.
A Sylveon and a Frigibax stood at the front of the room where a large white board and chalkboard sat ready to be written on.
"I'm from Branch Dos Two of the Sentinels Union. Let's get straight to the point." The Sylveon placed one of his paws on a chalkboard. "We've confirmed the whereabouts of a Wicked Blow gang caravan run by Kanamori Leafeon, one who has kidnapped many Pokémon to mine for him and tortured some, even children." Sylveon wrote with a white piece of chalk.
Frigibax then stepped up to the board. She had a huge golden longsword with a silver and blue handle across her back. "He was reported to be headed toward the lower Midori and Brist area from close by. Kanamori Leafeon has been seen out a jewelers with quite a few Pokémon captive as what he calls 'indentured servants, er rather prisoners. This includes a strange Pokémon, one that looks like an odd Basculin but longer."
"More pressingly in four Mystery Dungeons within a ten kilometer radius there are reports of an elemental key and lock of mana, the mana artifacts responsible for the Disruption." the Sylveon added before he wrote some more details on the board.
The Frigibax nodded before she spoke again. "This information is from the Winter's Reach Mana League, the League where I am from."
Wait a minute, Hatchet and Linus had some Artibax cousins from over there. She's definitely related to them!
"And especially the hard word of two Specialists of Branch Dos," the Sylveon coughed as he smirked. "Flight Noctowl and Talon Dartrix."
Rivalry between organizations eh?
"I, and the others of the Winter's Reach League will be at the ready, having trained to secure the land. I trust you all will do the same," the Frigibax said as she placed a claw on her blade. "I am one of the Fangs of the Fallen, and with our Mana Regalia, what my broadsword is, I shall cleave us out of the Disruption!"
Interesting, so that's a Fang of the Fallen, and the Mana Regalia, so cool!
The meeting was dismissed and we all exited the lavish meeting room one by one, escorted out by the castle attendants. Once outside the enormous black castle, we gathered our bearings.
"Alrighty we're going to head south," the Boltund said as she rummaged through one of her pockets.
"What for?" Doran asked.
The Lycanroc stretched their forelegs. "Toward the battle courts, get some basics done."
"Ah, no mana presence control?" Makkuro lowered his ears.
Master Hunter shook their head "No, not in the range of the city."
"Understood." Pride's tail flicked. "We are going to head into a Mystery Dungeon to do some reconnaissance."
"And train these guys! Don't forget that!" Fist grabbed the Pyroar's shoulder.
"Yeah."
"See you dolts later." Impidimp nudged me.
"Watch it." I spat.
"We will." Morpeko rolled her eyes.
The Rockruff beside me bit back a growl. "You better train for real."
"You too."
Fist, Pride and their four apprentices headed left of Lord Cornell Keep while we headed right.
We went deep into Saltwater Cliffs City and all the while Doran glanced over his shoulder. Left and right, everytime we passed a few Pokémon.
With the monitoring band on I actually sensed Keepers when they were near, but nothing special. Kubfu felt further, I supposed. They were Legendary Pokémon.
Something was here.
Far off in the stony hillocks, the five of us got closer and closer to the battle courts just on the outskirts of the city.
Doran fidgeted with his fur and stared at the ground as he walked beside the Masters, and right in between them.
It got colder as we went higher up above the land, to a stretch of nearly empty grey rocky wildlands.
Too empty.
"Guys." Doran grabbed Master Hunter's cloak.
"Yes?"
The Kubfu trembled and took in a deep breath. "There's a Pokémon following us."
"Following us?" Master Fang whispered.
"In the shadows."
Out of the ground below our feet shot out a small black blur.
"Get back!" the Lycanroc roared and rushed in front of us.
They knocked Makkuro, Doran, and me down just as a humongous blue ball of energy, Focus Blast, scorched the air above our ears. Like a fighting-type ball of flame, how hot it was.
"I missed." Out of the shadows, far across from us a small black Pokémon with orange eyes floated out of the ground, and wisps of energy poured off their body.
"Marshadow?" Doran asked, his ears low.
Another focking Mythical? Why were they here too? I gritted my teeth as I looked at the Marshadow up and down.
"Yes, you Kubfu," the Marshadow said in a high-pitched drone and pointed at him. "Stop associating with regular Pokémon and their work against the Disruption."
What does this Marshadow want with us?
"Why?" Doran asked with a tilt of his head.
Marshadow crossed their arms. "Because it was from vanity. It all is."
This guy tried to blast us!
The Kubfu glanced at me and raised a paw. "I have no clue what's going on. Can you leave us alone and go away?"
"Die."
"What?"
What?
Marshadow flew forward faster than I've ever seen and punched Doran with a fist filled with ghostly energy, Spectral Thief.
The powerful attack collided with the Kubfu's chest and sent him far into the air.
"Doran!" I screamed. What fuck is this Marshadow's deal?
"Stop!" Master Fang jumped up and caught him in their paws.
"Never!" Marshadow launched off the ground and readied a Drain Punch, the sprawling green energy off the red plume off their fist.
With a shout Doran blocked it and punched them with Acrobatics, his unlocked power no longer suppressed.
It hurt worse than Fang and Hunter's pressure combined, the pressure forced me to shut my eyes. I could barely move! Even though Doran was a weak Kubfu his presence was legit Legendary!
The flash of light blue barely did anything and the Marshadow dropped back onto the ground beside me and Makkuro.
"Shit!" I grabbed the Rockruff's scruff and pulled them away. "What do we do?"
"Fight?"
"Can we!?"
"Marshadow please!" Master Hunter pleaded.
"This isn't about you!" Marshadow's head whirl flashed green as they unleashed a Zenith of power into their fists. They shot toward Doran with a Fire Punch.
"Not a chance!" The Lycanroc jumped in the way of the two and Crunched the waves of heated energy.
But it wasn't enough and Master Fang took part of the attack, the blast sent the Lycanroc down in a tumble.
Marshadow hopped up with a uppercut of fighting energy, Drain Punch and clocked Master Fang right in the jaw. The attack knocked the Lycanroc out on contact and their body fell to the ground like a sack of bricks.
Doran's eyes flashed red, with the power of Detect just as Marshadow sank away.
A Focus Blast flew right next to him a second later.
Master Hunter dashed forward and latched her Thunder Fangs onto Marshadow's side, sharp sparks crackled into the air before they let go.
I took in a deep breath and tried the breath of mana before I launched out a wide ray of Psychic toward Marshadow.
The narrow attack pierced through their being and they staggered to the ground for a moment.
Makkuro charged forward in front of Doran with a Bite just as Marshadow swung their fist in a wall of flame, the Fire Punch heavy and hard on his body.
Through the embers and flames the Rockruff fainted from the fiery attack and collapsed onto the ground.
Shit!
Marshadow locked eyes with Doran again as he ran away.
The Boltund intercepted the Spectral Thief with her Icy Fang, the chilled energy strong and true.
Marshadow pried them off with a gasp before they smashed their flaming Fire Punch of a fist into Master Hunter's side.
She crashed down onto the ground in a dull thud and almost slid right into Doran and me.
I swept forward with the black dark-type power of Payback on my claws, my vision seared red.
You bastard!
With a flinch, Marshadow swerved to the side and reached toward the Kubfu behind me with a fist of red and green energy.
Doran slashed back with a boosted Metal Claw, the pure steel energy flew out in streaks and sparks against the Drain Punch.
An Acrobatics was the last effort the Kubfu had left, the light blue blades of flying sliced through Marshadow's shoulder.
The Marshadow brushed it off before they punched him with a Spectral Thief one last time.
Doran's head crashed against the ground as he fainted from the attack, but Marshadow pounced toward the Kubfu's limp, bleeding body.
Arms charged with Spectral Thief.
He's gonna die.
"Leave him alone!" I coughed, my whole body sore. I dashed in between them, and formed a Dazzling Gleam only for Marshadow to tear through it in one cleave.
Marshadow grabbed me by the neck with the power of Spectral Thief in their hands and tossed me aside.
Fuck.
I heard a snap as something broke inside me once I hit the ground. "No!" I yelled my throat raw before I hacked up a dribble of blood.
"If you wanna die too, you can!"
Pain swarmed my entire being.
I'm gonna die.
Marshadow swung at me.
A bright teal beam of energy rocketed through the air and blocked whatever atack Marshadow had. Strong yellow electric-type mana crackled along the ground through the area in a wicked branching path just as the ground rumbled.
"You again!?"
My eyes shot open to the white Zeraora in front of me.
"I told you last time! The name's Xuě!" the Young Master roared before she slammed her Plasma Fists against the Marshadow's face.
Marshadow spat out blood and shot back. "Don't think I won't-"
An explosion of light pink energy, fairy-type mana filled the sky. The laser of raw, unadulterated power and warmth filled my soul.
That ability!
Soul-Heart… Four other Pokémon fainted, such incredible power!
Marshadow was impaled with the blast and tossed up into the air, only then I finally saw the Pokémon responsible for the attack. Leader Magearna, with a pink launcher formed on their shoulder, of Fleur Cannon.
Leader Magearna grabbed Marshadow and held them against the barrel of Fleur Cannon launcher before their metallic voice boomed out. "Marshadow, you are lucky I am under oath from Leader Cresselia and Leader Darkrai. I am not the Original Color."
"Oh?"
"If I wasn't, I would have killed you." Leader Magearna strangled Marshadow.
Grotesque gurgling noises came from Marshadow as their limbs flailed.
"I will kill you if you step foot in this city again." Leader Magearna threw them to the shattered ground. The fragmented earth crushed, no roared underneath the mighty pressure. "Now, get out."
Marshadow sank into the stones without a word and all was and quiet, like it was finally over.
I'm so tired.
I could sleep. My eyes drifted close, and I was all warm and-
"Don't!" Master Fang's voice barked, and I flinched.
Oh wait!
The Meowscarada, Quaquavel, Skeliderge, along with a Pangoro and Lurantis had the Lycanroc, Boltund, Rockruff and Kubfu awake and healed.
My eyes glanced over to Young Master as an Oran Berry was placed into my maw.
I couldn't chew with my heart racing a mile a minute so the Meowscarada took it out and crushed it before they poured the fruit back in.
Was I insane?
"Woah, Mythical Zeraora with the mana scroll is in front of me?!" I coughed before the Skeliderge put a Heal Seed into my mouth and I broke the shell. "Am I alive?"
Young Master Xuě held a claw over the mana artifact. "Yes, we couldn't allow Marshadow to harm you all, especially the Kubfu, Doran was it."
The Kubfu trembled silently, his eyes red, and fists balled.
I turned back to the personal guards."Thank you so much."
Meowscarada and Skeliderge bowed and made way for Master Fang and the others.
The Pangoro and the Lurantis surrounded their Zeraora companion tightly, the silver mana scroll seemed to float in the air from the chain across her side.
"Young Master Xuě has what we need to look for?" Makkuro asked, as his tail wagged.
"Yes, now shush." Master Fang stepped in front of the Rockruff.
Leader Magearna scoured the ground as they got back onto the ground and Young Master Xuě approached them.
"I remember the first time I had this scroll and a Pokémon was in danger," the Zeraora spoke, her bright orange eyes narrowed. "Pokémon of the League were with me. They've worked with the Sentinels Union."
My eyes darted back to Master Fang and Hunter, who took in a breath and twitched their noses. It had not been them, maybe Yoshiko and Austin and their team? Or the other teams?
"I trust those five will see the fruits of their labor soon, but now we must leave." Leader Magearna was picked off the ground by Quaquavel.
Fruits of their labor?
Young Master Xuě beckoned the Pangoro and the Lurantis to her side. "I shall see you all later, farewell."
In a flash the Mythical and Legendary both left us. Dust and residual energy, electric, fairy, steel, fighting, and ghost type mana lingered in the air.
What just happened?
Doran held up his trembling paws and sat cross legged, far away from Makkuro and I. Tears poured down the Kubfu's muzzle as the breeze picked up.
Marshadow hated regular Pokémon like us? Hated Doran for merely helping us?
The five of us sat still and managed to catch our breath and calm our nerves as the wind rolled across the land. Raindrops fell. More and more, till it started to rain.
The reason to nearly kill us?
I still couldn't fathom it.
"Even though they healed us… I think it's time we head on back." Master Hunter said in a soft tone, her body low.
After her, Master Fang shivered. "Definitely."
We turned around and went all the way into Saltwater Cliffs City again. At the Moonlight Hotel a Conkeldurr, and Salazzle greeted us as we trudged inside, out of the drizzle.
Makkuro, Doran and I lazed about as the Lycanroc and Boltund wrote diligently into some notebooks. The pair then left the room and returned with a basket of food. Only berries, no eggs or bread.
"Sorry we aren't eating food from the kitchen of the Union everyone." Master Hunter sighed as she poured out bunches of Berries onto a large plate.
Doran smirked as he picked up an Oran Berry. "No it's fine, this'll be our girl dinner!"
I laughed. "Girl dinner?"
"Yeah, you, even though they aren't here. Fist, Pride, Smeargle, Morpeko." the Kubfu paused. "Uh, Hunter? And Fang?"
"Sure, I'll join your girl dinner." The Lycanroc leaned over the table. "Even though I used to avoid it with Homaru. Oops."
The Boltund bashed a paw on their shoulder. "Fang!"
My eyes narrowed as I studied the two. "Who?"
The Lyanroc gave a stilted growl and grumble. "A little rocky Growlithe, she's one of our daughters…"
The Kubfu beside us placed his fist in his palm with a smirk. "A Rocky Growlithe! Like the ancients?"
"Doran?" I jabbed him in the rib. " Can't just tell them that Pokémon from Hisui that are here are from the past you muppet !"
" Oh right, they could be on another Continent, sorry sorry!" Doran said with a wince.
Master Fang shook their head. "When I was younger I avoided it with Hunter."
"Master Hunter?" Makkuro questioned, their tail curled.
"Excuse me?" the Boltund asked, her fur bristled.
"Wait, a daughter?" the Rockruff tilted his head.
Master Fang looked left and right, their ears low. "Last time we spoke, and based on her hatching, I didn't assume or force her or anything."
"That's not important!"
"Then what is?" Master Hunter nearly growled.
"That you guys have kids!" Makkuro jumped on their shoulder.
"Yes yes, settle down, it's just we can't be with them right now."
"Oh yeah." I perked up. "You had to leave the League for safety so I'd imagine you'd leave your kids too."
"Don't act so surprised," the Lycanroc waved a paw. "Though Homura isn't related to me like Shara is."
"I see," Doran mused, his tone low. "Then?"
Master Fang breathed out a shaky breath. "I uh, had a different identity. I wasn't fluid. As I wanted to only be like the others."
"The others?" Makkuro tilted his head.
"Yeah, our son Minato, a Yamper and …My other mate Kuroshi."
The Boltund's ears lowered. "Our mate Fang."
"Of course… I just-"
"Should they know?"
The Lycanroc choked back a whimper before they spoke in a growl. "We shouldn't dance around it for so long. His circumstances."
The silence grew as the two stood still for a moment as their eyes wavered.
Everything was still.
How close were we?
My thoughts bubbled up, like a clogged drain.
Even if we're former humans.
Even if we're Pokémon who had their research.
Even if we're also unlocked.
We still didn't know a fraction of what Team Vanguard actually went .
"The Committee brought him here."
"They were the ones who took his life."
Was Kuroshi?
Like us?
"Fuck." I took a step back, my eyes wide.
Master Hunter muttered something, her teeth bared. "Bed time."
All eyes were on me.
"I'm sorry!" I gasped, and felt their sparks lash out for the first time in a day.
Zamazenta's Arceus shield almighty.
The air crackled with electricity sharp and true, not from a move or the Boltund's presence, but from their soul. Only for a split second.
A dull beep rang out from the monitoring band on Master Hunter's neck. She reached over to the lamp and pulled the cord with her teeth. "Now."
The lights of our room shut off. Not like we couldn't see, but we went too far.
I went too far.
