"Ahem, one last item before we commence with the day's activities."
The next day had come, and Sean and Rai were rather miserable. Neither had slept well, the aches and pains lingering from the thrashing they had received stung poorly as had Chatot's attitude.
They had managed to get something to eat, and neither had gotten into trouble, but it still hadn't been easy to sleep. For Rai, knowing he'd gotten his chance and been crushed. For Sean, knowing they needed the Relic Fragment but were too weak to take it back left him very nervous. Still, they trudged down to the guild assembly.
"Within the next few days," Chatot said, holding everyone's attention firmly, "the Guildmaster and I plan to announce the members of the expedition party."
"Wow!" Chimecho cheered.
"By golly," Bidoof said. "The members are finally going to be picked!"
"Meh-heh-heh, who do you think is going to be picked?"
"Wooooo! Can't wait."
"Everyone, this is your last chance to make a good impression on the Guildmaster. Work hard and impress us if you want to be chosen." Chatot nodded, giving the apprentices a moment to chatter amongst themselves. "All right, everyone. Let's get down to work as usual!"
"HOORAY!"
Everyone dispersed, Wigglytuff joining the apprentices meandering as casually as they could towards the mess hall as Chatot turned to them both.
"Ah, you two," Chatot said, gesturing for them to come up to him. "Let us adjourn to the Guildmaster's chambers now, chop-chop."
The doors had been left open this time, and with no Wigglytuff.
Chatot kept his beak raised as the doors slipped shut and he turned to them. "I will offer my apologies for last night," he said stiffly. "I may have overreacted a tad."
"A tad," Rai echoed.
To his credit, Chatot didn't cringe. "Er. Yes. Ahem. As the second in command, it is my duty to meet with the apprentices first to ensure certain things need to be done or not. In my panic, I entirely broke protocol. I did not listen to the reasons you had or took consideration of your condition. For that, I am truly sorry."
Rai nodded, relaxing a bit. "Team Skull was there, sir," he said, adding the sir after a moment.
"Beat us up again," Sean said, still feeling the ache in his ribs. They had seen Chimecho, yes, but Sean was beginning to realise that the guild's reputation was actually serious. The first few days he recovered from damage with a bit of pokémon magic and a night of rest, but he could feel his body still aching, getting taxed from adventuring so far so often and fighting so many ferals. The Guild gave them one day off a week, he learned.
And he knew Rai had to be feeling worse considering he did most of the actual fighting. He was looking forward to the one day they got to have off to rest and recuperate. That was sorely needed.
Chatot's eyes darkened slightly but he held his composure better than last night. "I see. Chimecho has sent word to the Federation about this team, they will not remain so free to do as they please for much longer. They will be brought to justice!" Heat entered his voice and he swallowed it done.
"Besides that, are you two alright? The Guildmaster can be… frightful at times and I have not missed the fact that you no longer wear the ribbon the Guildmaster made for you?" he added, offering a pointed look to Sean.
"That's what I traded," Sean mumbled. "For the apple." Chatot's expression flickered briefly.
"Why did the Guildmaster do that?" Rai asked, having noticed the pointed lack of Wigglytuff in the room.
Chatot looked harsh for a brief moment, a reprimand likely on the tip of his tongue for Rai's cheek in asking that. He paused, however, looking at them both, and swallowed it.
"The Guildmaster is… a pokémon of habit, much like myself. Breaks in the routine run the risk of upsetting him, and unfortunately, the Guildmaster has a great deal of strength that he must spend every minute of everyday restraining. To think of the control the Guildmaster exhibits every day to ensure that none are hurt. A taxing quality that would be nearly impossible for anyone else to bear. The apple is in a way his reward for his work, it resets the tension so to speak. Without it, he can… grow upset and when he is upset his control begins to unravel."
There was something to his words. Something that sounded off.
Chatot looked like he had more he could say, but was choosing not to. A stiffness to his posture and slightly raised beak, his eyes firmly on them both. It wasn't their business to ask why Wigglytuff could unravel, that was clear.
Neither of them had reason to push, however, and so Chatot left the matter to be closed. "While you two DID fail in your task to obtain perfect apples from Apple Woods, you still went above and beyond to acquire an apple through other means. So, before you begin your allocated jobs today I believe you have some friends looking out for you."
He gestured a wing towards the door and there was a scuffle of sorts behind it. The door was pushed open by Chatot with a flourish.
Bidoof squeaked when he realised they had been spotted.
"Come over you three," Chatot said, voice almost smug with their reaction. "And Chimecho, Guildmaster?" he said to the head poking out of the mess hall. "You may bring the full plate out, there is no need for deception."
Slowly, almost guiltily, and certainly warily, most of the apprentices emerged from various spots they had hidden out of sight, or where standing to look casual. As well as Wigglytuff leaning against the Swap Cauldron trying to look like he was meant to be there.
Only Dugtrio wasn't there, already at work doing his task.
Chimecho floated out, a pair of plates hovering in her psychic grip, stacked with food. Bidoof and Sunflora also stepped forward, shooting Chimecho a surprised glance.
"You got them food from the larder?" Bidoof asked.
"Yeah," Chimecho admitted, embarrassed. "When Chatot and I inspected it, I thought I managed to sneak some stuff without him realising."
"Oh my gosh, Bidoof and I snuck some food off our plates to give them!"
Rai was blushing now and smiling widely, Sean unable to hold back a grin himself. It was heartening to know the others had their backs, Chatot too it seemed.
"It would be amiss of me to turn a blind eye to thievery and food stashing," Chatot said sharply, causing everyone to flinch. "But just this once there will be no punishment due to the motive involved. I am proud that you apprentices have such tight bonds."
He waved a wing at Sean and Rai who made sure to split the food among everyone as a sort of breakfast. Once they were done, which took a very short time, Sean worried he may have eaten too quickly. He only hiccupped thrice thankfully.
"Now get to work!" Chatot said, shooing everyone. "There are jobs to do and pokémon to assist. Get going."
Chatot made sure to stare them down as the apprentices scattered, but once everyone was gone, and no one in eyeshot, he let himself smile.
An hour or two after Rai and Sean left Treasure Town they were accosted.
"You two," Skuntank growled, voice low as he emerged from the bushes. "Come with me."
"No way," Sean said, ready to shout for help.
Koffing and Zubat flanked him, but they were near the guild and Rai was feeling bold. "Give me back my treasure and maybe you won't get arrested."
Skuntank glared at him, and he shifted under Rai's return stare. Flames sparked at his mouth, Sean was ready to leap in or race off to get help. Either way, he was hoping someone would come soon because they weren't strong enough to beat Team Skull.
Sean stepped closer to Rai as the shinx and skuntank stared each other down.
"What are you three even doing here?" Sean demanded. "You know we've told the guild what you've done. Team Skull is getting bounties as we speak. Give the Relic Fragment back."
Eventually, Skuntank scoffed. "I'm trying to have a dialogue with you here and you keep on repeating the same thing." He shook his head, agitated and began to stomp off.
Rai blinked, Koffing and Zubat shared a confused look, but Skuntank was already exiting the town.
"Wait?" Zubat said, glancing back between them and Skuntank. "Weren't we…?" Skuntank was already leaving.
"Boss wait up!"
The pair of Poison-type pokémon quickly hurried after their leader and the air was cleansed of their presence.
"That was… weird," Sean said, it seemed like the entire moment had occurred and resolved with no reasoning. He also couldn't remember that happening, which bothered him
"Did I mess something up?" Sean fretted as Rai slowly pulled him away and back into line with him. "Don't tell me the apple is going to mess everything up!"
While Sean worried about things that may never be, Rai did his best to go back to happy.
"Just forget about those three," he advised upon realising Sean was distracted. "They're not anything but trouble for us."
"Should we run back to town and let the guild know Team Skull is here?"
Rai nodded. "Yeah, we better. Ugh, we already came this far. I want to know why they just did that and then backed off. It doesn't matter though."
"I'm amazed you are so chipper this morning," Sean said, rubbing his jaw. It amazed him how fast pokémon recovered from brutal beatdowns, even now he only had a distant ache in his head and neck from Skuntank pounding him over the face yesterday. "My head still hurts."
"Don't remind me. I wish they'd just leave us alone."
"And take your treasure?"
Rai sighed. "I kind of think they don't have it anymore. Koffing and Zubat said they were going to sell it. They probably wouldn't have come back if they still had it."
Sean's mind slid briefly to the Rainbow Stoneship before he shook his head. "Nope. We have to find your treasure! If they don't have it, maybe we can find out who they sold it to?"
"And how are we going to do that?" Rai asked, expression flat. "They crushed us just yesterday, and I really don't think they are going to still have it."
"Don't make me be the optimistic one," Sean said, frowning at Rai. "I'm the one who's supposed to be looking on the bad side of things and you tell me everything will work out! This is all backwards and it's freaking me out!"
Rai laughed at him, causing the meowth to scoff in mock-outrage. "We'll find it again," he said as sternly as he could. "We have to."
"Why do you care so much?" Rai cocked his head at him. "It was my treasure after all."
Sean blushed a little, hating to be questioned off guard. He was once again thankful that fur covered his face. "Well, you know, you're my friend and it was, is, really important to you. I think. So, what friend would I be if I didn't think it was important?"
Rai smiled softly and averted his eyes. "Th-thanks. That means a lot to me."
Sean smiled back. "No worries. Let's just get to town and then back to work."
"Right."
Rai's energy returned and they raced back towards the town. Rai was super-fast using Quick Attack, but Sean found he was actually about on par with him otherwise. He felt a bit silly running on two legs, a brief dysphoric experience as he fell onto all fours to race forth and take the lead.
He caught himself and stumbled, clambering back onto two to try and wipe that weird feeling away. His eye started getting caught by shines around him, he wanted to scout into the woods for adventure or mystery, but again shook that off.
"So, today we've got the Waterfall Cave to go back through," Rai chatted as they returned from the guild after letting them know. They briefly stopped when Spinda staggered in their path, giving a wave to three separate spaces that none of them occupied.
"Keep an eye on this place," Spinda said, circling where a large rock laid dormant. "I've got biiiig plans for this place. You'll see, it'll be a wonderful place. So magnificently magnificent…" His voice, as dizzy as his walk, was still pleasant to hear as he wandered off.
"Two pokémon in the dungeon," Sean said as he looked through the pair of jobs Rai had chosen for the day. "How did two pokémon get lost in the Waterfall Cave at the same time?"
"Dunno," Rai answered, giving a tail flick. "Don't think they know each other either. Floatzel's new around here."
They walked past the crossroads and on the way towards the wilds. Both members of Team Ion glanced in the direction of the house Litleo owned, but neither commentated on Sean's lack of a bow.
For about twelve seconds.
"We'll need to get you a new bow," Rai said, pointedly not looking left anymore. "What kind I don't know. Maybe a Defence Scarf like me?" He proudly jutted his chest forward, perhaps adding a centimetre more scarf Sean could see.
"I don't know." Sean rubbed his jaw in thought. "I don't think I can pull off the cute look as well as you do."
Rai's pride immediately turned to outrage. "I'm. Not. CUTE!" he yelled and tackled Sean. "I'm not, I'm not, I'm not! I'm the cool explorer Shinx! Not the cute one! You're the cute one!"
Sean laughed, pushing Rai off him before running forward. On all fours. "Saying that isn't helping," he chuckled, trying to put as much space between him and the shinx as possible.
As Rai knew Quick Attack, this was a futile endeavour.
After pinning him again, and making him agree Rai was not cute, Rai let him up and Sean brushed the twigs and leaves off him.
"Don't know why you even bother," Rai said airily.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You still haven't bathed yourself," Rai said, screwing his nose up. "And now I smell like you."
"I'm NOT licking myself," Sean replied. "Humans do NOT do that to clean."
"Well, what do they do?"
"Bathe! In water. Running water, a shower. Or a bath, you wouldn't have showers here. I scrubbed in the ocean anyway."
Rai cocked his head, Sean had to bite his tongue or else he'd call him cute again. "What's a shower?"
Sean frowned and tried to think. For a brief moment, he couldn't visualise what a shower was and it made his skin crawl. "Um… a room where you stand, and water falls down on you? But nicer than that."
"Sounds really weird," Rai said. "But baths could be done in a better place than the brine. There is a hot spring not too far. Maybe after we complete the job, we can go there?"
Sean's heart leaped into his throat. "YES!" he shouted, before realising just how loud he was. "Yes. That sounds great. Really great. Amazingly great."
On the inside he chastised himself. "Hot spring. DUH! I was literally thinking about it the first time we went to the Waterfall Cave. How did I forget? Ugh, it'll be so nice to be clean again."
"Sounds like a plan then," Rai said, swallowing an amused smile at just how happy the human-turned-meowth became at the notion of getting clean. "We better get going then."
"Sounds good." Sean nodded.
"Not 'great'?" Rai teased, unable to help himself. Sean smiled eventually after trying to hold a dark expression.
"Just a minute you two!"
Only for both of their expressions to turn sour at the familiar voice.
They spun towards the direction the voice came from, to the side off the path, and tensed as Zubat came flapping up to them. Sean nearly attacked on reflex, his fur puffing up as he was surprised.
"Finally," Zubat moaned. "You know how hard it is to find someone when you have no eyes? Luckily I can smell you just fine." Sean flushed at the jab as Rai stepped forward.
"What do YOU want?" he snarled, not wanting to deal with this. "Trying to distract us so that the other two goons can sneak up on us? Just go away! Leave us alone, dammit!"
Sean was already looking around, keeping a close vigil on any potential areas Skuntank or Koffing could come out of.
"Look," Zubat said. "They don't know I'm here. They think I just doubled back to grab a mushroom I sensed." Under his breath, he added. "And I don't have eyes so what do they even think…? Whatever. I'm here because I want to talk to you two."
"I'm not interested in talking to you," Rai snapped back. "So, unless you're here to give me back my Relic Fragment, get lost!" He was sparking with electricity. "Or we could take you down and bring you in, one of three."
Zubat sighed, briefly covering his face with a wing before it went back to flapping in the air. "Look, I get that thing is important to you," he said, making Rai growl. "But I AM here to talk to you about it. Boss wanted to earlier, but you really don't like us."
"Can you guess why?" Sean said, equally as done with this entire situation.
"Yeah, yeah, we're jerks, bullies, bad guys. Whatever. I've heard it all before. If the two of you would get over yourselves and listen to me, you might learn something you need to know."
Sean and Rai exchanged a look. Neither was prepared for Zubat to appear so suddenly nor to be claiming to just want to talk. Sean nodded slightly, and Rai turned back to Zubat.
"Alright fine," he said. "What do you have to say?"
"Hey, I don't HAVE to say this," Zubat snapped. "I'm doing it out of the kindness of my heart." He ignored the twin snorts that came from the pair. "Not long after we hocked that rock with the weird picture, there have been pokémon around, coming up to us, and asking really weird questions. A couple of sableye, seemed like the shifty kind."
Sean frowned, Rai looked baffled, and Zubat turned from left to right. "None of them mentioned the rock exactly, but asked stuff about patterns, symbols, treasures, stuff like that. Weird stuff that seemed too specific to be coincidental."
"Who?" Sean asked.
"Heck if I know," Zubat answered. "Boss wouldn't talk much about it, he was the only one who officially met with buyers, and told us to avoid anyone asking about it."
Sean and Rai exchanged another look, much more concerned this time. "Why were they asking about my treasure? If they even were," Rai asked.
"I don't know okay?" Zubat snapped angrily. "All I know is that there were a lot of weird questions. 'Was it destroyed'? 'Who had it before'? 'Where did you get it'? Boss wouldn't talk about it, but if he was going to ask YOU about it, then there must be something off about it all. Boss always knows when a buyer is off or suspicious in some way."
"Takes one to know one," Rai muttered, Zubat again pretended he hadn't heard that.
"Fine. I don't know what you're talking about," Rai said, turning away. "And I really doubt it was about my Relic Fragment, I found it in Amp Plains. I know you three are thieves of more than just my treasure, you probably just have a reputation that these pokémon followed."
Sean hesitated longer than Rai, glancing between him and Zubat. "Why would you even warn us of this?" he asked, not wanting this opportunity to just go.
"Team Skull aren't a bunch of sappy good-doers," Zubat snapped, turning away himself. "But when something is skeeving out the boss enough for him to try and give you guys a warning, then I know it's worse than it seems. Just… be careful, alright?"
"Alright," Sean answered as he nodded. "Thank you," he added, more out of politeness than anything, but Zubat still looked surprised.
"Heh-heh-heh, whatever. This conversation never happened."
Sean and Rai walked in solid silence for a few minutes, going over what Zubat had said. It was Rai who broke the silence. "So, I was thinking maybe a joy ribbon for you?" he said lightly. "Because you get smacked around so much in dungeons, those things make you even stronger for going through that kind of stuff!"
"Sounds good," Sean agreed, absentmindedly feeling where he used to wear his silver bow. "Anything that'll help."
Sableye... that left him not feeling good.
Skuntank coughed pitifully as he tried to breathe. His legs burned as he did his best to stand, managing to pull himself onto all fours. He gasped as he was kicked in the side and crashed back down on the ground.
"B-boss," Koffing cried. "Ugh." He could barely float, bruises littered his lumpy skin. Zubat was completely unconscious. He had flown in with a screech when happening upon this scene, but his surprise attack had failed to startle their attacker at all.
Koffing put everything he had into moving and began floating to Skuntank's side. "Boss!"
He cringed as the green blade of their assailant turned to him.
"Stop," Skuntank demanded, freezing both pokémon. "Koffing, go. Zubat!" he barked, repeating the bat's name thrice before he stirred. "Get up and get lost. Both of you."
Skuntank pulled himself to his feet again, mouth burning with flames, and he breathed a near inferno at their enemy.
Their green assailant artfully dodged out of the way, before running a circle around Skuntank until he could fire no longer. Zubat and Koffing were gone, having taken Skuntank's orders and fled while they had the chance. Leaving him.
The assailant came to a stop, lighting one of their arms in a blade of green energy. "It seems you do have some honour," Grovyle said as he began to approach slowly. Skuntank was gasping for breath now, unable to hold himself steady. Grovyle waited until Skuntank's strength left him and he slumped back on the ground. "Covering for those two."
"What do you want?" Skuntank growled, glaring at Grovyle even as the world seemed to spin.
"Three things," Grovyle answered, stepping closer. The claws on one hand glinted dangerously as he reached Skuntank. "The first you can't give me, the second you seem unable to give me. The third." Grovyle reached down and grabbed Skuntank's head, lifting it up as the deadly pokémon groaned. "Tell me about that meowth."
"What?" Skuntank asked.
"The meowth with the shinx. Who are they?"
"Team Ion," Skuntank growled. "Grr, you're with those freaks asking about that stupid r-" Grovyle raised his blade to Skuntank's neck, and he stopped. "Fine. Bony little bastard."
"Skinny is he?" Grovyle asked. "What else?"
"What does it matter?"
"Just tell me."
"Scars. Lots of them. Sticks to the shinx like glue, and can't fight for shit. Tough little bastard though."
Grovyle nodded and seemed to think.
"Why do you care about what some pair of losers are?" Skuntank asked, forelegs scrabbling to gain purchase as he tried to pull back from Grovyle. "Why attack us over it? What is it worth to you?"
"I'm not interested in questions, Skuntank," Grovyle said, letting go of Skuntank and letting his head slump back down. Skuntank grunted softly as he was freed. "Only your cooperation. Now. Run. Do not come back. Touch them again I'll finish the job."
"Fine." Skuntank relented, waiting for Grovyle to grab the items out of the bag he wore. Robbing him blind was he?
Once he was done, Grovyle stood like a dashing thief. "Thank you Skuntank. Now leave. And take my advice," he said as Skuntank began to drag himself off. "Don't speak of this to anyone. We'll know."
Skuntank sneered at him, but a small glint of fear still shone in his eyes. Skuntank quickly staggered off and Grovyle sighed; it hadn't been his desire to have to be so rough, but he had to be sure Team Skull would not pose an unacceptable risk.
He looked over what Skuntank had owned, before stashing it carefully in his Treasure Bag. He looked west, the direction that Treasure Town laid, it was time to pay a certain famous guild a visit.
"I'm just saying it might be a bit difficult to carry both of them around if they're injured."
Sean and Rai's feet echoed constantly through the Waterfall Cave, splashing loudly on the wet floor.
They both avoided the water channels that existed in the dungeon. Rai still couldn't swim, and Sean hoped that he'd never have to swim through a dungeon again.
Part of him had an aversion to water. He blamed the species he now was.
After two hours of searching, they found nothing.
Rai, not to be dissuaded, took them to the last room, turned around, exited the dungeon, and then they went through it again.
The second go-around ended up being equally fruitless as the first.
Still, smiling fixedly with one eye twitching, Rai brought them through it again. It was exhausting at that point. Thankfully few of the enemy pokémon attacked them, many still being beaten or dissuaded from attacking earlier.
"What did the requests say again?" Rai asked wildly. "Are we even in the right place?"
Sean dug the pair of requests out of the Treasure Bag and read them out.
"Help, my daughter Cherubi has disappeared. She said she wanted to visit the Waterfall Cave and I let her because of the type advantage, but she hasn't returned. I feel terrible, but I'm not fast enough to get there quickly. Please someone save her ~ Cherrim."
"She should be here," Rai said. "What about the other one?"
"So, my sort of rival has been gone for a while. He's been acting a bit weird, but I heard him mutter about that new dungeon, Waterfall Cave, today and I think he might have gone there. Can someone check, just to see if he's alright? Help him if he needs help ~ Clauncher."
"Ugh. Let's keep looking."
They spent nearly four hours going through the dungeon, combing each aspect of it that they could, using moves to try and get them to respond, and Sean even swam through some murky water into multiple dead ends.
"This is bullshit!" Sean swore as they found no cherubi or floatzel yet again.
"I don't know what 'bullshit' means," Rai snapped. "But if it's a swear word then I'll say it too!"
"Tauros-shit then!"
"Ah!"
"AH!"
After screaming at the walls, they broke into weary laughter. "This is just madness," Sean said. "Doing this over and over and expecting something different. It's late, I'm tired, you must be exhausted. We're not going without Cherubi though, how young is this pokémon?"
"Pretty young," Rai said in worry.
Sean only groaned in reply.
One more search still yielded no results.
"That's it," Sean snapped, grabbing Rai by the tail and dragged him along. "Maybe they found a way out, let's look outside."
Rai didn't resist and swiftly walked himself. "This sucks," he moaned. "We can't be looking bad at this point."
"The perfect apple will be enough," Sean assured him. "That looked good for us. Chatot was relieved, he'll probably think of us when thinking about the expedition, and Wigglytuff definitely will."
"…Alright. I'm worried about Cherubi too."
They entered the final room, and Rai sighed in relief and turned to leave.
"Wait," Sean said, stopping him in his tracks. "We haven't actually gone into the last room. Didn't Loudred yell something about some big gem? What if that's still here?"
"And if we get it!" Rai squeaked, dashing forward. "It'll look SO good."
Sean watched in disbelief as the shinx found reserves of energy to run with, before slowly moving after him at a sedate walk.
"Holy moly, look at this place?" Rai called from up ahead, Sean hastened his walk slightly.
Even his weary attitude was blown away by the gem room. Glinting stones glimmered from every surface, being lit by means Sean would never understand. Rubies, sapphires, emeralds, topazes, and much more shone from every angle and he was momentarily blinded with a sheer desire of WANT.
WANT the ruby. Eat good.
WANT the topaz. Look good.
WANT the dusky quartz. Give to F-
"Look at that thing!" Rai called, his voice snapping Sean out of the fit of avarice that was consuming him. Only to draw him in all the further when he set his eyes on the master gem.
A gigantic pink stone. He wasn't sure what kind it was, a light ruby, rose quarts, whatever it was didn't matter as he was drawn in by its shimmering glory.
Rai's words melted away into an inaudible chatter as Sean stepped closer. Thought had left him, all he could see was the gem and his own visage reflected in it.
Rai was still talking, voice muffled to Sean's ears, growing slightly concerned in pitch when Sean stepped up right to the stone. He wasn't thinking, thinking was a foreign concept to him now. He hugged the stone, and it moved in with a click.
That click suddenly returned Sean's wits and he blinked a few times as a new rushing sound began to fill his ears. "Oh." Was all he managed to say before a tidal wave was upon them.
"Seeean! You know what that does!"
Sean enjoyed swimming as a human. He had swum in pools and creeks, water holes and sculpted swimming pools. He had been in deep water several times, falling off a boat, diving too far into a waterhole, and had been caught in a rip and dragged out into the ocean.
Rai, however, had not. He did not know how to swim with anything more than instincts.
While Sean scrambled in the water to find some purchase to kick off from, Rai flailed and only managed to wiggle in place.
Eyes stinging, Sean opened them to spot the dark shape that was Rai in the dark caves waterway. He tried to swim closer to him, but the pull of the rapids and the burning in his lungs made it exceptionally difficult.
He saw Rai's terrified expression for a brief moment and doubled his attempts, slowing his own pull to let Rai come to him.
He reached out a paw, grabbed Rai, and lost his grip. Without taking the time to curse his three-digit stubby paws, Sean tried again, extending the claws and snaring Rai's fur. He felt something against him and grabbed with his other paw, claws digging into Rai's scruff and drawing blood. He had him.
Rai writhed against him, but his panicked eyes fell on him and realised it was Sean. He stopped fighting him and let Sean pull them upwards, up until their heads broke the top of the water. They both breathed in deeply and desperately before the water pulled them under again.
Sean refused to let Rai go, cutting him multiple times, as they came up for air before being dragged down. After what seemed like an age, but actually took a mere ten minutes, they were blasted upwards and into the open air.
"BRACE!" Sean screamed as they fell, clutching onto Rai in terror and simply hoping they landed safely.
Hitting the water from their height, and into a shallow pool, was not among Sean's favourite experiences in life. He actually rated it rather low on the list. Thankfully a pokémon's body was much tougher than a human's and was less prone to the effects of physics. After resurfacing, they were shaken, but relatively fine.
"Oh my, that was quite a fall." A laboured, yet still strong, voice said. Neither Sean nor Rai paid it much attention, merely floating in place as they tried to remember how to pokémon again.
"I'm so sorry." Was all Rai managed to say.
"Not fun," Sean agreed. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. I'm not looking forward to swimming again. Or ever."
"Yeah."
Blinking, they began to resurface to the realm of the aware and looked around. They were seated in a pleasantly warm hot spring, with a few pokémon staring at them.
Sean's adrenaline-infused mind didn't quite register who was what, but Rai at least recognised someone.
"Teddiursa?" he asked, slowly spinning until he was no longer floating on his back but standing on all fours. "What are you doing… here? Where are we? Wait."
"You are at the hot spring," the voice from earlier said, drawing their attention. Standing on a raised element of the heated rock, was an ancient torkoal. "Now are you alright? That was quite a fall." His voice was aged, yet strong.
"Two in one day," another pokémon, a mankey, said. "Well, two events. Four pokémon."
"Well this is what we were talking about before," Rai said, completely coming too. "Wow. We're at the hot springs? This place is ages from Waterfall Cave!"
"Quite the distance indeed," Torkoal agreed. "Seems to be a popular event these days since it was rediscovered." He seemed unenthused at the idea, hitting people with floods was maybe a bit dangerous.
"Meowth pulled us both up," Rai said happily, pointing right at Sean. "Saved my life! Thanks so much."
"It's nothing," Sean said, blushing. "You would have done the exact same thing."
"But I don't know how to swim." Rai chirped before grimacing. "Although, ow. Your claws are really sharp."
He turned his head, trying to see the back of his neck, and giving Sean a direct shot at the blood.
"Oh dear," Torkoal gasped. "Young pokémon, do not overtax your bodies. You should stay here for a time, soak in the waters. There are healing powers here, it will likely help that wound."
"Good idea." Rai nodded, sinking just enough to cover his neck. "Ah… and hey, we were going to come here anyway! What luck huh, Sean?"
Sean didn't respond.
"Sean? Oh, heh."
Sean was blissfully scrubbing himself down. Once Torkoal told Rai to stay put to deal with the scratches, Sean had realised he was in nice warm non-salty water and was taking this opportunity to the fullest.
It felt wonderful to get clean again. And it didn't come with hairballs either.
They remained in the hot springs for nearly half an hour before the topic of why they were here came up again.
"And we just couldn't find either of them!" Rai grumbled from the edge of the water. He bounced back from nearly drowning quite quickly, but he still wasn't keen on going too far. "I have no idea. You didn't see a cherubi or floatzel pop out of the sky, did you?" Rai chuckled, but no one joined in.
"Uh, yes," Teddiursa answered, after the moment nearly turned awkward. Both Sean and Rai's eyes snapped wide, and they turned their attention solely on Teddiursa.
"When did this happen?" Torkoal's voice took on an edge of hardness. He had been asleep most of the day.
"Mankey said…?" Teddiursa looked towards the pokémon.
"Only about half an hour before these two did."
Rai bolted up as Sean waded closer. "Are you serious?" Rai gasped as Sean said.
"They were together?"
"Yeah." Mankey nodded, looking a little uncomfortable. "I didn't think of anything before, we know Floatzel." There was a muttering of agreement.
"Why didn't you say something earlier?" Teddiursa's companion, Ursaring, asked.
Mankey sank in slightly, embarrassed. "I, uh… didn't want to make a scene, I was the only one here and Torkoal was sleeping. Cherubi seemed a bit dazed, I didn't know if I should say anything or not."
Sean and Rai exchanged a glance, the same conclusion coming to mind as they began to worry. "What direction did they go?" Sean asked, hoping Mankey would say towards Treasure Town.
"That way." The little bear pokémon pointed, and Sean saw Rai's face drop. That wasn't towards Treasure Town.
"We have to go," Rai said, splashing out of the water. "Now!"
"Right," Sean said, splashing to his side. He scooped up the Treasure Bag from where he placed it and they raced off, ignoring Torkoal and Ursaring calling after them.
"This can't be as bad as I'm thinking?" Sean asked as they ran. "Right? Pokémon are all happy-go-lucky, sunshine and friendship. They're not like…" Yet as Sean said it, Drowzee came to mind. Weepinbell came to mind. Darkrai came to mind.
"Let's just hope we aren't too late," was all Rai said, and they spoke no longer as they sprinted.
With an hour lead, neither was sure they'd be able to even catch up to floatzel and cherubi, but they had to try. If only for peace of mind.
Rai slowed for a period to examine some dried tracks, a long, thin foot. "These are floatzel tracks," he said, and they were off again.
They sprinted, then ran, then walked, and sprinted again. They reached a split in the road, and Sean immediately took them to the left. Rai called after him but followed soon enough anyway. He couldn't explain why, but stopping was not an option, and he had to find floatzel.
They sprinted, then ran, then sprinted again, before Sean slowed them to a walk. He was breathing too hard to stop for words, but both of them muffled themselves regardless as they walked up to a clearing.
"Do you have it?"
"Right here."
Peering out from behind a tree, Sean's eyes narrowed. He spotted two pokémon. A staraptor and a floatzel. And the floatzel was holding a sack that moved.
"I want to see-" Staraptor's demands would go unheard as Sean and Rai emerged from the trees, breathing hard and scowling deeply.
"Is this a set-up?" Staraptor squawked furiously, but Floatzel hissed and stepped back himself.
"I have no idea who those two are," he said, narrowing his eyes. "What are you two doing here?"
"What is in that bag," Sean said, voice low and dripping with malice.
"None of your business," Floatzel snapped back. The bag, or the pokémon inside the bag, quickly squealed.
"HELP ME!"
The terrified scream sent both members of Team Ion straight into action. Sean went first, rushing forwards in a blind charge.
Floatzel tossed the bag to the side as Staraptor squawked and flapped into the air. A Thundershock from Rai nearly knocked him out of the sky, while Sean slammed into Floatzel's belly while lashing out with his claws.
A thin white line, yet no blood, was drawn on Floatzel before he responded, striking Sean as he was knocked back with a ring of water. The Water Pulse dazed him badly as it knocked him even further, but he shook the effects off fast enough to avoid a second one.
Judging him to be an easier target, Staraptor swooped down with a foot outstretched. Sean didn't have the ability to evade a second time and received a stunningly powerful kick to the chest. He felt it in a heartbeat, Staraptor moving so fast to strike him multiple times with feet, wings, and beak.
"So that's what a super effective move feels like." Briefly flitted through Sean's mind as he was knocked back into a tree. The attack was devastating, but left Staraptor in a position to be attacked by an even more furious Rai and he pushed every ounce of Power into his attack.
Rai used Thunderbolt.
Staraptor was blown back, jerking in agony as he crashed into Floatzel, and both tumbled down in a twitching pile of electrified limbs.
Rai rushed to Sean's side, but the meowth was already getting up. "DOWN!" he shouted, leaping to tackle Rai out of the way of a speeding floatzel.
Floatzel, wrapped in a wreath of water, bounced off a tree and came around for a second shot. Rai charged forward, summoning the same power he had earlier and used a second Thunderbolt. Floatzel howled in pain, but he was merely a distraction.
Staraptor came at Rai from behind, aiming for a healing wound on his neck. Sean leaped in the way and took a second Close Combat attack to the chest. This time, however, he grabbed Staraptor's other foot and refused to let go even as the deadly Flying-type battered him with his wings.
He was able to hold him for nearly ten whole seconds, struggling against the strength of the massive bird, throwing a paw up and punching him repeatedly. His bag flapped as it was knocked open, he snatched an item out of the air and slammed it into Staraptor.
The blast seed exploded and knocked them apart.
Sean rolled to a stop, right by the tossed bag, and weakly tried to crawl over to it. From the inside, he could hear crying, and the bag was still moving. "Are you okay?" he whispered, reaching the clasp of the bag. He managed to open it, ignoring the sounds of battle continuing, and a cherubi rolled out.
"H-Help me?" she whispered, and Sean nodded. Cherubi sobbed and scooted closer. "You're hurt."
"I'm fine," he answered, feeling a wave of emotion cross over him. Her voice, it struck a bolt through his heart. She sounded terrifyingly like his niece.
"Where's my mommy?" she whimpered, flinching back as a clap of electricity spooked her. Sean turned back to the battle, Rai was doing well to fight them, but he couldn't continue alone for very long.
"I want my mommy," Cherubi cried again. "I want my gacko. I want my gacko."
Sean's heart clenched painfully as Cherubi continued to cry. "She's a little child," he thought as he got to his feet. His claws on his right paw unsheathed as Sean's thoughts turned darker. "A child, and what were they going to do with her?" His claws began dripping with purplish darkness as Sean's mind went blank.
Sean's other paw extended its claws as the cold hatred gripped his heart, channelling powers he had no idea of. Both claws were gripped with darkness ringed in purple and the darkness began to extend, shaping into triple sabres each that extended far beyond his claws.
"MONSTERS!" He roared and burst forward with speed unprecedented for himself. Rai briefly saw him coming and stunned Floatzel, giving Sean an opening to pounce on Staraptor.
Staraptor screeched in pain as Sean's blades cut into his wing, through flesh, and nearly severing bone. His other paw came around as Staraptor flapped back and delivered a brutal slash from his face to his chest.
"SCREW THIS!" Staraptor shrieked and flapped out of reach, quickly making his way up and away as fast as his injured wing could carry him. Sean hissed after him, but the problem was not yet dealt with.
"Watch out!" Rai yelled, not in time to spare Sean from being struck in the back of the head. He fell to the ground as Cherubi cried out again, witnessing the underhanded blow.
Rai's own temper snapped, moving from explosive rage to steely rage and he unleashed a voltaic storm on Floatzel, blowing him back into a tree, then through the tree. The large tree crashed down, burning thanks to the electricity, as Floatzel completely lost consciousness.
Rai breathed heavily, having expended far more energy and Power than he ever thought this day would take. He quickly came to Sean's side, but Sean growled. "Cherubi?" And Rai quickly rushed to her side as well.
"Hey, hey, hey," Rai soothed, trying to calm the crying pokémon. "It's alright. It's fine. You're safe now. You're safe now. Hear me? Say it after me. I'm safe now."
"I-I'm safe now."
"I'm safe now."
"I…I'm safe now."
"You're safe now."
"I'm safe now."
"You're okay," Rai said, curling an arm carefully around her. It wasn't easy, being a large berry, but Cherubi seemed to appreciate it all the same.
"What happened here?"
Sean's overprotective instincts flared again when an unknown voice entered the clearing, and he was up again with black sabres on his right arm.
Ursaring quickly raised his hands. "Woah, woah, woah." Teddiursa peaked around Ursaring's legs and Sean blinked, recognising them as Not-Enemy. "Teddiursa and I came after you after Teddiursa convinced me something was wrong with Floatzel."
"Floatzel took Cherubi," Rai answered before glancing down at Cherubi. "Right?"
"Y-yeah," she answered, relaxing slightly now that it was safe. "I was exploring the new place, Waterfall Cave, and he was so nice and friendly, offering to help me around, and then wanted me to meet his friend. He seemed so nice, he promised he would take me back home right after."
Ursaring's expression turned dark, and he stomped his way to where Floatzel lay.
"I'm glad you're alright," Teddiursa said, rushing over to hug Cherubi. "You're alright? You're alright?" Mankey also popped his head out of the bushes nervously, taking in the battle and spotting Cherubi.
"Mankey also pointed the way to where Floatzel had gone," Rai said, smiling at the upset bear. "If it wasn't for him, I'm not sure we would have made it in time."
Cherubi didn't speak, she just pressed into Teddiursa's hug, and they both began to cry. Rai stepped back, letting them cry together, and waited by them as Sean came over.
"I think Ursaring's going to carry Floatzel back to Treasure Town with us," he said, pointing to where Ursaring now had the criminal slung over a shoulder.
"You two are exhausted and can't be leaving this criminal here, free," Ursaring snarled but made an effort to speak softer when Cherubi flinched. "So, I'll carry the lowlife for you."
"Thanks."
"Thank you."
Mankey backed away, letting them past as he glanced between them all. He sighed softly, sadly, and followed.
Arriving back in Treasure Town was interesting. Cherrim had been pacing nervously around the entrance to Treasure Town, keeping an eye on the guild and the crossroads, and upon spotting her daughter, immediately rushed over crying in relief.
"Oh, my cherubi, my cherubi," she cried, leaves opening enough to embrace her daughter. "What happened?" she asked, repeating the question more forcefully when Cherubi burst into tears, and she spotted Floatzel being carried like a sack.
"This lowlife tried to kidnap her," Ursaring growled, causing Cherrim to freeze.
Cherrim uttered a soft, "No."
"I'm sorry miss," Rai said, stepping closer. "He did and tried to sell her to a staraptor out far beyond the hot springs."
"Cherubi?" Cherrim asked, glancing down at her daughter, hoping this was just a lie.
Cherubi burst into tears again, pressing against her mother. "I'm so sorry. I was so scared, I didn't know what was happening, and he seemed so nice, and he said he'd take me back, but he didn't."
Cherrim began to cry herself, pressing against her daughter. Rai shared a look with Sean before looking back to Cherrim. "Miss we are going to contact Officer Magnezone right away," he said, nodding to Ursaring to continue walking up to the guild with Teddiursa by his side. "He'll be in a lot of trouble for this."
Cherrim stopped crying long enough to start, before staring at the back of Ursaring, and the unconscious face of Floatzel. "That's…?"
Her bud began to glow as she softly pushed Cherubi to the side. "Put him down, I will finish this myself." She began to charge a Solar Beam, even in the dying light of dusk her will would gather all the power she needed.
"Miss no!" Rai cried, jumping to her side. "Let the authorities deal with this!"
"He tried to take my daughter," Cherrim replied calmly, still charging. "I'm not going to just let him go."
"Miss what he has coming to him will be worse than just a Solar Beam!" Rai tried to appeal to that area.
"I'm not intending on 'just' a Solar Beam."
"Miss!" Rai scrambled for a purchase. It was difficult to try and defend Floatzel, a big part of him felt this was entirely justified, but he wouldn't stand by to let her kill.
"Your daughter needs you right now." Sean's voice cut across the situation, and Cherrim hesitated. She glanced to the side, where Cherubi was still crying, but now looking desperately for her mother. Cherrim's bud slowly closed.
"Make sure he is punished," she said softly, brushing a leaf alongside Cherubi. "I'll be in next morning to properly thank you. For now, I just want to be with my daughter."
She quickly left, and the pair sighed in relief. They nodded to Teddiursa, who had been glancing back worriedly, before following them up to the guild.
It would be an interesting meeting with the authorities. That was to be certain.
The day was done. The jobs completed. The outlaws were given over to the authorities. The apprentices had all gathered for dinner, waiting for Chimecho to call them in.
Bidoof came wandering down cheerfully. "I got some new knock-knock jokes to share! Anyone up for one?"
Sunflora sighed and waved a leaf. "This another collection from Bell?"
"Yup!"
"Go ahead."
"Knock-knock?"
"Who's there?" Dugtrio muttered.
"Snow!"
Rai quirked his mouth. He felt like he'd heard this one before. "Snow who?" he asked. Corphish nodded to him.
"Snow laughing manner!"
Wigglytuff laughed. A few others smiled, but that was it.
"Hello?" A rather deep voice echoed distantly, Chatot and Loudred perked up curious.
"What could that be?" he muttered. "Diglett, sentry!"
"Pokémon detected!" Diglett squeaked excitedly and disappeared. "Pokémon… detected?" The change in his tone sent everyone back on edge.
"Who IS IT?" Loudred demanded.
"The footprint is Grovyle. The footprint is Grovyle."
Sean stiffened.
"Visitors at this hour?" Chatot muttered, looking over the outlaw notices. "Unless... let me check this out."
"Grovyle huh?" Loudred muttered, looking thoughtful. "No Braixen?"
Chatot fluttered up to the top and looked through the grate. He stiffened a moment upon seeing the scars on the grovyle before relaxing. "What do you want?" he asked firmly. "As you can see the guild is closed for the day."
Grovyle smiled genially on the other side and held out a hand. "I have come with information pertaining to Team Skull, if this is not a bad time?"
Chatot raised his beak, considering it for a moment. "Very well. Come in." He opened the gate, letting Loudred through before letting it shut again. "Everyone's down on the lowest floor waiting for dinner to arrive. You will not, I repeat will not be discourteous to the Guildmaster."
"I have always wished to meet an explorer as great as him," Grovyle said lightly as they began to walk. "And have heard much about his number two as well."
Chatot blinked and fought a blush, he was rarely acknowledged in Wigglytuff's legend. As was the way, they didn't need to draw attention to the other either. Still, it was nice when it happened so he was a little flustered already.
They came down to the lower floor and Chatot gestured with a wing.
Sean, feeling panic grip his very soul, did his best to hide behind Rai without looking like he was hiding. Grovyle's eyes drifted over the whole guild, taking in the surprisingly curious expressions shot his way, before landing on Wigglytuff.
"I take it you are Guildmaster Wigglytuff," Grovyle said and Sunflora and Chimecho immediately swooned at the voice. Even Rai and Sean shivered slightly, and Sean's mind immediately went to interesting places.
Wigglytuff, with a new person around, and being directly addressed, bounced right up onto his feet and immediately clamped onto Grovyle, startling him. "I am Wigglytuff!" He beamed, shaking Grovyle's entire arm. "It is nice to meet you, friendly friend!"
Sean had to smother a laugh at the sheer look of bafflement that Grovyle was sporting as he was rattled by the handshake. He covered it up very quickly, though, and smiled. "It is nice to meet you myself. I have heard a great deal about you Guildmaster, although I wished to have met you under better times."
Wigglytuff's smile dimmed slightly as Grovyle pulled himself free. "I ran across a trio of troublemaking pokémon identified as Team Skull out near Sicilly. I did not realise who they were until a while after I had passed by them, and thus had to come straight to the guild to inform you."
"Sicilly?" Wigglytuff murmured. "That's on the way towards Craggy Coast." He shared a significant look with Chatot who nodded. "Yay! Thank you, friendly friend!" He then hugged Grovyle, to his apparent horror.
That was really hard for Sean not to laugh hysterically at. What was going on?
"Oh, this could be great!" Wigglytuff went hyper again and clamped back onto Grovyle, causing the same look of sheer bafflement. "We're going on an expedition soon, to Fogbound Lake, it's going to be fun, and exciting, and mysterious, and fun, fun, fun! AND it's in that direction! Oooh! Will you join us? Will you? Will you? Will you?"
Grovyle's expression of astonishment clearly didn't need to be faked at how quick of a turn of events that took. "I, uh." He blinked before regaining his calm. "I would be honoured to lend my assistance to the great Wigglytuff Guild."
"YES!" Wigglytuff cheered, grabbing Grovyle in a tight hug. Grovyle's expression turned to a brief moment of panic, but it was missed completely when Wigglytuff tossed him in the air.
"Three cheers for Grovyle!"
The guild cheered each time until Wigglytuff finally let Grovyle down.
"I… had best be going," he said, catching his breath and backing away. "I should not intrude any further on your time." He bowed his head but was putting distance with every word. Sean held his breath as Grovyle's eyes passed over him and he swore they stopped for a moment.
"If you'll forgive the intrusion, I'll see you tomorrow?" Grovyle asked.
"Of course, of course!" Wigglytuff cheered. "We need to get to know our new friend first!"
"Yes," Chatot agreed, going along with Wigglytuff's madness with ease. "We will need to adjust plans to accommodate this new arrival. So, we'll expect to see you bright and early, Grovyle."
"I am an early riser," Grovyle assured, giving a charming smile with his handsome voice. "Again, I'll be honoured to work with you. I think I'll need a night to process this."
"We have beds here!" Wigglytuff immediately said. "My room; and Team Ion has space in their room too!"
Grovyle glanced towards Sean and Rai for a brief moment before shaking his head. "No, no. That is more than alright, I have already organised my bed for the night."
"Aww," Wigglytuff moaned but perked up right after. "Alright! We'll see you tomorrow friendly friend!"
"Indeed." Grovyle nodded. "I look forward to it."
And then, as quickly as he arrived, he was gone.
Wigglytuff hummed a merry tune as everyone surged into the mess hall. Already spirits were raised greatly with this news. Chatot forewent his planned announcement before dinner and just had everyone dig in.
Afterwards, the guild had gone to bed in high spirits. A new person to join the guild, and everyone knew the Guildmaster was an excellent judge of character at that!
The apprentices all shared pleased goodnights and went to bed happily.
One pokémon, however, was not so relieved.
"That was a bit odd, but so is Wigglytuff," Rai said as he curled up on his bed.
"Mm."
"And he saw Team Skull? Maybe with the whole guild we can catch them. Even if they sold my treasure, they could tell us who they sold it to."
"Sounds good."
"Goodnight, Sean."
"Night, Rai."
Rai was happy. But Sean was not.
"Ahhhhh…" he screamed on the inside, desperately trying to hold it in so he wouldn't freak Rai out. As that would cause questions he couldn't answer. "What is going on? WHAT IS GOING ON? Why is Grovyle here? That wasn't supposed to happen. He looked at me. He looked right at me and stared. Just for a moment. I bet no one else noticed, but I did. Does he know? How would he know? I haven't even seen him, have I?"
Panicking further, he went deeper. "Oh my god. Oh. My. GOD. Wait. Wait. Could I have told him The Truth during the part of the future I don't remember? Would I? I don't know. Maybe? I don't remember. Would I have told him? The situation was pretty serious. Is that enough? Did I tell him where I would end up? But why wouldn't he have come for me sooner? Or… wait, I would have told him I would lose my memory, right? Ah. But. But. BUT. What's going on? I don't know. I WOULD have told him not to come here, so why the hell is he here. WHY THE HELL IS HE HERE?"
These were questions Sean couldn't answer. Everything up to this point had been handled fairly well, no severe differences in the story he was expecting.
This. This however, Sean had never seen coming. But as much as he wanted to sleep and just let this be a nightmare, the reality was irrefutable.
Grovyle was joining the expedition.
Ah good times. Not for Sean, he's not ready for things to jump out of his idea of the plot just yet. Even though this has been the case from the start, haha. He's clinging onto the side of a sinking boat, pretending the water is at least warm.
Grovyle is joining the expedition!