July 20th, First Year
Jaku found herself wandering through the mountains. It was a new way of trying to distract herself from her own thoughts, taking to walking alone without the overbearing company of her partners. They were all still with her of course, all of them safely contained on their clip belt that bumped against her leg every now and then. Lilith's ball would occasionally bump against her side, reminding Jaku of just how much the boisterous fire-type hated being contained. She didn't usually keep her pokémon contained at all up there in the privacy of the rocky cliffs, but she just wanted to be alone.
She scoffed, grunting as she pulled herself up a steep ledge, hooking her leg into a deep groove as she boosted herself up onto a wider hanging spot. She turned, the afternoon sun catching on her form as she peeked out from an exposed clef in the ravine. "I think I've had too much alone time to myself," she rasped aloud. "How long has it been now? A week? Two weeks? A month?" In truth, she'd lost track ages ago.
Three jumps. She had had no choice but to jump back three more times. Ingo hadn't made it to the mirelands on his first go; a nasty thunder wave from a surveying Luxio had knocked him unconscious to serve as a meal. Akari had succumbed to her paralysis on Jaku's second go; once again, she had had no choice but to face that horrendous Parasect King again. The trio consisting of herself, Volo, and Akari had also been crushed in a landslide on the way back which made the third jump back.
Jaku had just barely recovered from her debilitating time-sickness only two days prior. She still coughed every now and then and her joints still ached but she was determined to keep moving. If she sat any stiller, she'd go stir crazy in her cave.
She couldn't go back to the Diamond Settlement. Not yet anyway. She was still waiting on any news from Adaman. On any news from Ingo or Akari or Talaos. She'd been forced to relive the previous month's days all over again. Not once had she received anything from anybody. There were no more visitors either. No supplies, no wanderers, nothing. Have I been forgotten about? Did I change something crucial? Am I supposed to be here? Jaku grimaced as she accidentally knocked her shin against a craggy rock face. "No. I checked during the last jump," she grumbled to herself. "I'm supposed to be here." She pulled herself to a large break in the ravine wall, her eyes locking onto a hole in the clouds where the red sun bled onto the rocks. "...Where is everybody?"
Jaku soon found herself standing on a precarious ledge overlooking the ravine heading toward the Crimson Mirelands. Was it just her imagination or was the water level in the gorge much higher than it had been the last week? She shook her head. Somebody would've told me if the mirelands was flooding. Right? Somebody would've notified me if the shipments of supplies were stopping… right?
Lilith's ball thumped against her side and burst open, her beloved partner slowly nosing her away from the edge with an air of impatience and worry that didn't suit her at all.
"Relax, girl. I'm… I'm not gonna jump. I'm just thinking, is all."
The large Arcanine huffed and pulled her even further away toward the shade of an outcropping rock. Jaku was forcibly moved to sit and Lilith laid across her legs to keep her from moving back to the edge. She ruffled her partner's fur with a huff, taking a moment to relax and take in the view.
There isn't much of a view today, anyhow. It's just another overcast day, Jaku thought, watching the sun disappear behind a curtain of dark clouds. That makes five days in a row. Gods, when is something going to happen?
Hooves clattered noisily on the rocks. Lilith picked her head up, letting out a loud snarl as she rose to her paws, hackles raised. The hooves continued moving, changing to clatter in her direction. It was-
"Lord Wyrdeer?" Jaku gaped.
The large pokémon leaped upward from the ledges it had been ambling along, its large golden horns glittering in the dying light as it came to stand before her, its thick shaggy fur billowing in the wind. Nearly twice her height and with eyes that glittered with hostility, Lord Wyrdeer was almost exactly as Jaku remembered the noble being.
Am I supposed to bow? I don't think I've ever seen a warden bow to their noble. Can I bow? Is it going to charge at me like it did last time? What am I supposed to do here?
Lilith gave her the answer to those questions by surging forward to stand in front of her protectively, flecks of spit flying from its bared teeth. Lord Wyrdeer didn't so much as blink, instead meeting the Arcanine head on as if daring the beast to act. Wyrdeer raised its head and scraped one hoof in the dirt, staring down at Jaku in turn with an unimpressed glint in its eyes.
"Lilith, back down," Jaku commanded immediately. Her partner did not budge. She's remembering our first encounter. Of course she's not going to trust this thing! I don't either. But something's different here. "Lord Wyrdeer," Jaku called, her voice low and weak. "What-" she paused, not knowing how to go about approaching the revered pokémon- "to what do I owe you? You are… you're far from the Obsidian Fieldlands, aren't you?"
"So I Might Be."
Jaku flinched, not expecting the intrusive drawling voice of the noble pokémon. She then noticed the wavering scarlet glow being emitted from the black growths on Wyrdeer's antlers.
"Did you… did you want something with me?" Jaku managed out. No matter how much Warden Mai had assured her that Lord Wyrdeer was no longer a threat- no longer that same creature she'd fought in Deertrack Heights- Jaku couldn't help but remember the horrifying screams the creature had let out and how the entire encounter had felt so wrong.
"I Can Hear Your Thoughts, Outlander," Wyrdeer grumbled impatiently. "You Are Wise To Revere Me, But Your Fear Is Not Necessary." The noble scraped a hoof in the dirt. "No, I Am Here Because You Have Done Me A Great Service Long Ago. You Quelled My Frenzy And For That, I Must Repay You."
Lilith snorted, wrapping her large body around Jaku. Despite her partner's facilitated gentleness, Jaku saw no animosity fade from her partner's gaze as it stared angrily at Lord Wyrdeer.. As she had thought, Lilith wasn't even remotely convinced. Neither was she.
"That is- that's not necessary, Lord Wyrdeer-" Jaku tried to wave the great beast off.
"I Do Not Wish To Be Indebted To Man," the noble cut through, their ears flattening against their head.
"Then consider my help to be a gesture of good faith. Please, I don't want any- I don't need any help from you."
"Lies," the noble contradicted her, craning down its head so that they were eye-to-eye. "I Can See Your Thoughts, Outlander. I Roam The Mountains With My Flock Just As You Do, And Your Thoughts Come To Me As Thunder Rolls After Lightning Strikes. I Know What You Desire Most. Recall Your Beast And I Shall Provide You A Gift."
"Why?" Jaku challenged the noble. "Lilith is trying to protect me and I trust my partner. And I don't want your gift." She took a tentative step away from the great pokémon, feeling her own fingers trembling at her sides. It wasn't often when Jaku felt as though she were out of her league when dealing with a wild pokémon. Her fight with Wyrdeer had left a sickening impression upon her that made her wary of even interacting with the creature.
"I Will Not Leave Until You Allow Me To Repay You."
To that, Jaku sighed loudly, crossing her arms. "Fine. What's the catch?"
Lord Wyrdeer's telepathic voice snorted. "I Did Not Pose My Offer As A Question, Outlander. I Am Not A Creature That Swindles With Lies And Falsities. I Speak Only The Truth. Now," it sneered, raising its head to stare down at her as if she were a particularly nasty ant. "Do As I Ask And I Shall Grant You A Desire Your Allies Can Only Dream Of."
"And what might that be?" With a swift roll of her palm, Lilith was quickly recalled back into her pokéball. Jaku did not wish to have a rematch against the powerful creature but the moment Lilith was no longer by her side, Jaku immediately felt a harrowing sense of vulnerability, the hairs along her arms and legs rising.
Wyrdeer circled her like a hungry Luxray would, its golden hooves causing the rocks beneath them to jitter. "Your Thoughts Are Steeped In Confusion And Bitterness, Outlander. You Yearn For A Meaningful Connection, Both In Regards To Your Past And To Your Allies. But You?" Wyrdeer stopped. "You Have Been Marked By The Creator, And Their Cause For Your Amnesia Is Almost Certain."
Jaku forced herself to look into the noble's eyes, balling her fists to give herself courage. The anger that had been seething inside of her gut at her own helplessness began to rear its ugly head, stealing away what little space fear had taken in its absence. "You mean to tell me that Almighty Sinnoh is the reason I can't remember anything? How can you tell that much?" she demanded.
"And How Might I Be Able To Speak To You Inside Your Mind Now?" Wyrdeer retorted, its tone low and mocking. "My Insight Is Through The Very Same Powers The Creator Gifted Me With." Wyrdeer drew her in closer, caging her head with its branching golden antlers as it backed her against a rock wall. Its warm breath ghosted along her face, her own reflection crystal clear in the ungulate's dark eyes. "I Can Peer Past The Fog In Your Mind, Outlander. I Hold The Answers To Questions You Have Long Forgotten. All You Need To Do Is Accept."
Jaku swallowed. Is my mind truly that easy to read? She shut her eyes tight, feeling the sharpened edges of the noble's antlers scrape against the wall where the pokémon held her hostage. She could still say no. If Lord Wyrdeer is telling the truth-
"Which I Am-"
-then why didn't the noble attempt to give Ingo back his memories? Why hadn't it approached all of us if it was blessed by the Original One? Wouldn't Almighty Sinnoh want us to be able to do our jobs quickly and efficiently? Wouldn't we be better off knowing who we were and why we were sent here in the first place? A fierce, crushing pressure forced her eyes open, Jaku recoiling when she realized that Lord Wyrdeer had closed the space between them, forcing her eyes open with its psychic powers.
"You Are Losing Yourself In Your Own Mind, Outlander." It was too close for comfort. Where Wyrdeer had towered over her before, the noble had its head angled low, its face only a hair away from her own. Its thick white fur brushed against her chest. Its branching horns like tangles of brambles stuck into the wall. "That Is Not For Me To Decide," the noble breathed.
Jaku shivered. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"I Have Been Made Aware Of Your Progress. You Have Used The Ancient Artifact, Have You Not?"
"...The time gear?" Jaku croaked. "How do you-"
"Yes. That Artifact. You Have Been Deemed Ready To Receive A Reward For Your Good Behavior And So I Come In The Stead Of A Legendary." He pressed closer still to the point where Jaku couldn't breathe without inhaling the musty, flowery scent of the pokémon. "I Will Also Consider This As A Repayment For Your Deed In Quelling Me," Wyrdeer pressed on, its telepathic voice so quiet that Jaku could hear the wind blowing in the background. "And Whether You Choose To Accept This Reward Is Of Your Own Accord. I Cannot Force You But I Advise You To Do So."
I'm being rewarded for 'good behavior'? From the Original One? This was the same being that had spoken to her at Lake Valor. The same being that had given her the ancient artifact that hung around her neck. The same being that would speak into her mind when she was asleep and would torment her with the visions of her mutilated corpse in the void-
"Not Arceus."
"Huh?"
"The Being You Think Of. That Is Not The Original One. That Is Not Arceus," Lord Wyrdeer huffed. "Arceus Does Not Speak With Man. Only Through Pokémon Does The Creator Make Their Will Known. You Are Thinking Of The Creator Of Time: The Temporal One."
"…Their name. What's their name? What's the name of this god that's controlling me?"
"In Due Time, I Will Show You. First, I Must Provide Your Reward. You Are Taking Too Long To Make Up Your Mind."
"I thought you just said you couldn't force me-"
"I Lied. Do Not Move."
A new kind of headache formed behind Jaku's eyes as though somebody had forced a long metal poker through both of her eye sockets, forcing her to her knees as Lord Wyrdeer drew her into a trance. The tips of its antler bent and curled, the noble pokemon using the appendages to lift her off of her feet by her arms and raise her up into the air. Jaku couldn't breathe. She couldn't speak. She couldn't move. And as the bloody light of the sun faded from the horizon, Jaku found that she could no longer see.
July 21st, First Year
Morning had brought rain. More rain if Jaku could believe it. She had woken up with Dusk sleeping partially on her face, Peanut curled up on top of her chest, drool leaking onto her tunic. She had woken with an intense headache from a dreamless sleep that made her feel lightheaded and apprehensive.
So maybe it was a bit eerie that when she went to open the flap in the tarp entrance, a certain noble was already waiting for her just outside her cave, its large body hunched against the cave wall with its head facing the far horizon. The sun hadn't even risen yet and before her was Lord Wyrdeer, half curled up beside the cave wall.
"I Sense That, Perhaps, You Are Not Quite Ready To Regain All Of Your Memories," Lord Wyrdeer spoke quietly. "My Apologies. How Are You Feeling, Outlander?"
"What? Why are you here?" Jaku asked plainly, recoiling at the undisguised tone of sympathy in the noble's telepathic tone. She remembered encountering Lord Wyrdeer but nothing after the noble had locked her in with its antlers. "How did I get here? And what did you do to me?"
"It Is Not A Question Of What I Did To You, Outlander. It Is A Question Of Why It Did Not Work." Before Jaku could even ask what the great stag was talking about, it cut off her drawling thoughts with, "My Explanation Will Not Be Sufficient For You. You Could Not Fully Receive The Brunt Of Your Memories. Humans Are Such… Fragile Things."
Jaku found her eyes moving instinctively to regard the way the noble pointedly wasn't looking at her and the way it hid its stained hooves underneath its body. "…Okay? So what do you want from me? Why are you sitting in front of my cave ?"
The great stag gave a disappointed sigh before it rose to its feet, revealing the bloody red fur around its hooves. "The Temporal One Has Seen The Results Of My Experiment And It Has Deemed That, Despite Your Failed Reception To Regain Your Lost Memories, You Are Ready To Complete Your First Task And Claim Your First Time Gear. As Such, You Are Needed In The Crimson Mirelands. Gather What You Might Need And Then We Shall Set Off Immediately. I Am Unfortunately Due To Serve As Your Steed."
"You never did tell me who the Temporal One was," Jaku commented roughly as she began packing her things away. At least, she was finally being given something to do, even if she had been apprehensive of starting her main tasks. "And really? What's with your tone? I don't remember you giving me an ounce of patience before I blacked out. What's with the bloody hooves, eh?"
"The Temporal One, The Legendary Who Heralds The Flow Of Time, Is Known To Us As Dialga. And No More Questions. I Am Certain That You Will Find The Answers To Your Other Questions In Due Time."
Without so much as a backwards glance, Jaku gathered her partners and pack and carefully mounted the noble, Wyrdeer shuddering beneath her as she gained a grip in the noble pokémon's mane. Lord Wyrdeer picked its way carefully down the cliffs, careful not to jostle her atop its back as the noble leapt over valleys and gorges as though they were nothing but pebbles in the path. Every now and then, the great pokémon would stop near a spring and force her to drink, hastily cleaning the blood off of its hooves.
Will Adaman be angry at me for leaving my post? She rolled her eyes, scoffing at the notion. He probably wouldn't even notice that she had left. At this point, Jaku was certain that nobody would even notice if she died or went missing. It's not like it would matter anyway given the final finishing line of her duty in Hisui.
"Cease Your Depressive Tone, Outlander. You Are Ruining The Scenery."
"Make me."
Before she knew it, Lord Wyrdeer had cleared the last mountains where the lofty peaks rolled into quiet plains. Jaku recognized the familiar dip in the mountain trail as they arrived in the northern mirelands, but something was off. Very off if the putrid scent in the air was anything to go by.
Lord Wyrdeer paused, lowering down onto its knees. "This Is Where You Disembark, Outlander. I Will Continue To Lead The Way, But You Must Take Precautions Into Your Own Hands." It nosed at the remnant of her old jacket tied around her waist. "Take A Piece Of Cloth From Your Hide And Cover Your Nose And Mouth. We Are Closest To Lilligant's Arena."
"Oh yeah. I nearly forgot about that." Jaku did as the noble ordered, using another scrap of her tunic to make a double-layered face cloth. "Lead the way."
The familiar trail that led north from the Shrouded Ruins was almost buried underneath twisted tree roots and flowering tall grass. The torches usually marking the trail were all snuffed out, some torches being smothered with kudzu. The further they ventured, the less Jaku recognized the path. She had walked that way numerous times before but now, it was as if she were in another different part of Hisui altogether. The only thing creepier than the atmosphere was the sickly-sweet smell in the air paired with the distinct stench of rotting flesh.
They passed over the steppe and into the area Jaku knew were the Shrouded Ruins. The cairns had all been toppled over and to her horror, long-rotted corpses had been dragged out of their graves. Stripped bones littered the marsh but despite the mess of carrion, not a single scavenger pokémon could be seen. A thick curtain of spores covered every tree and every bush and every rock. I knew Lady Lilligant has been rampaging but why didn't Adaman send me word about any of this?
Lord Wyrdeer gave her no time to take in the sights. Before Jaku knew it, the lord had slowed into a steady trot as they both entered the Diamond Heath, the tall grass releasing clouds of dangerous spores into the air. Where the heather swayed and where the sun shone on shallow puddles of rainwater was nothing but cracked earth and mold-covered stones.
Jaku could see the wreckage of the Diamond Settlement from beside the great stag, worsened when they found the abandoned, overgrown trail that fed into the western side of the camp. Ripped apart tents and telltale signs of spore curtains littered the foothills to the southwest. Trees had been ripped out of the ground and were now strewn about the camp. The wooden spike wall was gone, nothing but a memory not even denoted by the sunken holes in which they once sat. Not a single wind chime rang out despite the voracious wind that tore at the moorland. The Diamond Settlement had been completely and utterly destroyed.
Lord Wyrdeer eventually came to a stop at the edge of Lake Valor, its eyes focused on the small scrubby island in the middle. The waters of the lake were still and soundless, reflecting nothing but the overcast sky overhead, the sun still yet to rise. Cattails wavered in the wind and large lily pads floated on the water's surface. There, it was as though nothing had ever changed.
"Here We Are At Last, Outlander. It Is Time For You To Begin Your First Task." It dipped its head, blinking dolefully at her as it turned its back. "Do You Feel Ready For The Task At Hand?"
"I have no choice but to be," Jaku retorted sarcastically. "I'm already here. And nobody else is going to do my job for me." She eyed Wyrdeer. "I don't suppose you know how I might actually get the time gear, do you?"
"I Do." Wyrdeer lifted its head, its antlers shimmering with psychic power as it levitated Jaku off of the ground. "There In The Lake Cavern Is Where The Time Gear Lies. Deep Beneath The Ground In A Space Only You May Access." It trotted closer to the shore, pushing Jaku up and over the lapping waves, further and further away. "The Power Will Come To You, Outlander. Succeed And Return Victorious."
Jaku could only nod as Wyrdeer's voice eventually faded, her feet finding the soft sand of the island cave's shore. "I'll do my best."
Almost immediately, the pendant around Jaku's neck began to glow a strange teal color. The ancient artifact pulsed. The boulder in turn shifted, lines within the large stone matching the ethereal teal glow. Rocks shifted. The earth shuddered. A cave mouth began to form as the back of the large boulder shifted into the recesses of the lake. After a few moments, Jaku's pendant gave one decisive click to the right before whirling counterclockwise to the very start.
"Right then," she breathed, taking one faltering step into the pitch black darkness of the cave. "Here we go."