Night had fallen. Most of the guild was still and sleeping, with only the lost ones away.
Like most other days, the day had amounted to nothing for Bidoof. He did his best, asking around for any information on the smelly members of Team Skull.
Sunflora had found some information, and so had Dugtrio. Bidoof only found tired and scared pokémon.
He had a hearty dinner of what little was remaining in the guild, with Treasure Town being repaired and with Chatot not around to be frugal, the guild was not taking its steep share from successful missions at the moment.
Yet, with no Chatot and no plan the guild was left feeling not as safe. It was quietly decided that the apprentices would keep an eye and ear out for anything.
Bidoof, however, could not sleep.
It was odd. This night, as with the last week, Croagunk had not crept in to stare at him during the night. Despite the absurdity of it, without Croagunk's creepy presence, Bidoof found himself restless.
Croagunk was out by his Swap Cauldron, as well as keeping watch in a way. That should make him feel safer, not less safe.
Bidoof tossed and turned. Corphish's thunderous snores and Loudred's nocturnal clacking of his pincers were all he could really hear. Neither felt as comforting as they normally did.
Bidoof blinked. Something about that thought was wrong, but he was too distracted to make sense of it.
Sighing, he rolled out of bed and glanced at where he hid his diary. He felt a little too exposed to write anything, nor did he have anything worth writing about.
He decided to go for a walk and ease his stressed nerves. He gathered his bag and went to the mess hall, absentmindedly putting some foodstuffs in it.
Croagunk was there as he walked by, eyes cracking open and following him as he went. "U'm just going for a little stroll, yes siree," he explained. Croagunk didn't respond.
With no Chatot guarding the top, he could leave without needing to try and sneak out a window and scale the cliffs.
It would be the first time he squeezed through one of the large holes in the gate. Bidoof was never too sure what that thing was for; it stopped larger pokémon only if they couldn't figure out the gate could be lifted. Smaller pokémon could often fit through it.
For the image, he supposed.
Bidoof wasn't sure why he was walking until he was already along the path outside of Treasure Town. He had paused at a path leading into the residential area, the last area in fact. Next to no one lived down there anymore and most of the homes were overgrown and lost.
Without any further hesitation, Bidoof began to walk. He knew just where he was going now, and the idea that he'd waited this long to return now seemed silly to him.
"Gosh, what have I been up to?" he asked himself as he walked, a quiet night not providing any answers.
He began to think of knock-knock jokes as he went.
Bidoof. And he walked. And he walked some more. Past the houses that were inhabited and into the closest place too dangerous in the area of Treasure Town. No one could be certain what you'd find in the forgotten houses.
There really wasn't much risk, he knew. Its reputation left this place quiet and perfect for collecting one's thoughts.
It's how he found his friend here in the first place.
With eyes set on a single, tiny, dwelling, he sped up. Unlike most of the others, it was in relatively good shape. No large holes and the door was heavy and very sturdy. Made the perfect sound for a knock-knock joke.
Bidoof raised a paw and gently tapped it against the door before he lost his nerve. He waited, fidgeting nervously, before frowning.
It was a rather rude time to be knocking, what if she was sleeping and he was disturbing her? The thought of bothering his friend left him considering if this was worth it.
He wanted to hear her, though.
"Knock-knock?" he called, impulsively turning back to the door. He tapped it again, louder. "Knock-knock?"
He waited again. Nothing.
Bidoof sighed and began walking off.
"Who's there?"
He froze and glanced back at the door before running right back to it.
"T-Tim," he said, voice shaking.
"Tim who?"
"Timber."
There was a moment of silence before a soft, almost reluctant, laughter came through. "You know that's not a good knock-knock joke, right?"
Bidoof grinned in relief. "You still laughed!" He beamed, even though he was beaming at a solid door.
There was a scoff of laughter and he imagined she was shaking her head at him. "What brings you here, Timber?"
Timber the bidoof bowed his head apologetically. "I… I'm sorry I haven't visited in a while, Bell. Everything that's been going on at the guild, even before that with all the work… but still. That's no excuse. I'm sorry." He shouldered the bag he had and dropped it with an audible thunk. "I…I hope you haven't been hungry by golly. I brought food anyway, yup-yup."
"I can get food myself," Bell replied, almost reprimanding but not quite. "But thank you."
"Sure." Timber nodded.
"So, again?" Bell began as Timber tried to find words. "What's up? This is a bit later than usual, Timber?"
Timber hesitated, still not sure what to say. He didn't want to leave her thinking he'd just come to talk about his own problems, but wasn't that the truth? "I… was missing you a bit. By golly, this is embarrassing. But I've also been getting worked to the bone with all these terrible things happening with time! I just wanted someone to talk to."
He took a breath once he was finished. Bell was silent, but he was calm. She often held silent as she thought of what she herself would say. Timber liked to imagine her frowning slightly as she thought deeply, nothing like the nervous fidgeting that he himself did.
"Knock-knock?" Bell asked and Timber's eyes lit up.
"Who's there?" he replied.
"Etch."
"Etch who?"
"Bless you," Bell finished and giggled. It took Timber a moment, but he laughed too.
"You're much better at these than me," Timber said, smiling. He heard Bell giggle a little more before she composed herself.
"I have time to practise," she said, and Timber felt guilty all over again. She seemed to sense the silence be less of a thinking time and more of a guilty time and added. "I'm here for you. Whatever you want to say, I'll listen. Can't promise my advice will be good, but it'll be genuine."
Timber smiled and nodded. "Right. Thanks, Bell, you're the plum greatest friend I ever could have. I reckon I've been a bad friend in kind though."
"I'm just thankful you're still here," Bell replied. "I know you're busy. I really don't blame you. Thank you for coming back, though. It means a lot to me."
Timber sniffled and wanted to keep apologising, but they'd just be running in circles then. "Th-thanks."
"You're welcome."
"I've just been feeling plum done useless lately," he explained, knowing she was listening. "With the Great Dusknoir turning out to be a bad guy, Grovyle a good guy, and losing Meowth, Chatot, and even Litleo. It's left us all running in circles. Everyone is trying to figure out what to do, and they are, but I'm not able to do anything to help. I'm not strong, and I don't have a special role at the guild either. I guess I can only wait and try my best, but I don't even know how to try anymore!"
"It sounds like," Bell began when he took a breath to compose himself, "that you are feeling inferior to the others. That you have nothing to offer to help resolve this situation. Is that correct?"
"Y-yeah," Timber said, nodding. "I'm not clever or strong or have any special skills to help. I'm just me. And I'm worried that, with so many of our friends gone, they're going to need me and I'm going to let them all down."
"Timber," Bell said firmly. "You shouldn't focus on what others can do better. Look at what you can do and what you have done. You are the most hardworking member of that silly guild, I know that. You don't give up. That's what's important. That's what we need right now. Someone who won't give up."
"B-but I don't know if I can do it," Timber said, bashfully. "You're too kind to me by golly."
"You're not kind enough to yourself," Bell insisted. "And you do have something bigger to offer if you still won't believe in yourself. That map, remember? The one to Star Cave."
Timber's eyes lit up before darkening again. "O-oh right. I don't know…."
"Timber," Bell soothed, voice smooth and calming. "Think about it. Just think about it."
"W-well sure, by golly." Timber fidgeted, remembering where he stored the map. "But I can't just go up to the Guildmaster and claim I know where Jirachi is. What if Jirachi isn't even there? I don't know, it'd be gosh darn embarrassing and we don't have much time anyway."
"You still haven't gone?" Bell asked with a sigh. "Come on, Timber. Why haven't you gone yet?"
He winced, resenting that this was brought up. He'd found the map not long after he first arrived in town, so she was the first and only he told. Once he told her, she told him he should check it out, but he was never able to muster the courage to go out alone. He wanted to ask her if he was honest with himself. He knew, however, that she didn't leave her house. He didn't even know what she looked like.
"I… there's just been… golly. I'm sorry Bell, I just can't. What if it's not real or Jirachi isn't there? I dunno if I could take the disappointment. It's my treasure and if it's wrong, I dunno. It would hurt too much, yup-yup."
Bell exhaled softly and Timber felt bad all over again. "I really thought," she began before cutting herself off. "No, I understand. You can't wonder forever though. Not knowing will eat you up eventually."
Timber's ears twitched as he lay on the ground.
"Knock-knock?" he asked, hoping to pull things to a lighter topic.
Bell was quiet again, he hoped he hadn't offended her. "Who's there?" she asked, making him smile.
"Me."
"Me who?"
"Medoof," he finished and Bell chuckled.
"Still terrible," she said, fondly, and Timber grinned.
"Your turn," he said, eagerly.
"Knock-knock?" Bell asked, not taking long to think.
"Who's there?"
"Woo."
"Woo who?"
"Sounds fun," Bell giggled. "Can I join in?"
Timber laughed. "Sure."
"Woo hoo!" Bell cheered, quietly and softly.
They laughed together, softly into the quiet night.
"You're a lot stronger than you think you are," Bell said, once they were finished laughing. "Try to not look at the big picture, but instead look at things at a smaller scale. Don't try and work out how you are going to save time, but instead focus on what your first steps are going to be tomorrow. Looking at things too widely is scary and anyone would feel useless in the scope of it stuff this big. Look at what you can do first. Alright?"
Timber nodded. "A-alright. You're still good at the advice-giving by golly! I reckon you could set up a shop based on that, you hear me? Bell's Advice. O-or whatever you are might be better. Putting you're n-name could b-be a bit, you know, uh… I… you know?"
He would have kept going but Bell giggled, and he shut his mouth. "That's kind of you to say, but I don't think I could deal with the attention. Everyone looking at me, talking to me, all day, every day. No, that's too much. Thank you for thinking of me like that, however. You are a good pokémon, Timber."
"You're a good pokémon too, Bell," Timber replied, blushing slightly. He wondered if she was blushing too and if he would even be able to tell. He yawned loudly, unable to keep himself, and felt Bell's amusement through the door.
"It's quite late," she pointed out and he nodded.
"Sorry for coming by at this hour," he said, and she laughed again.
"Normally you'd say that at the start," she teased, and he blushed again. "Our talks are fun. Come by at any time, Timber."
"Aww shucks," Timber replied and looked backwards, along the path. "I should get going. Thanks for talking to me. I promise I'll visit again soon." He pulled the food out of his dropped bag and placed it against the door, nudging it so she knew he was placing something down.
"Thank you, Timber," she whispered. "Good night."
"G'night, Bell," Timber replied and nosed around the strap, so the bag was back on. He glanced once more at the door, but she had no additional goodbyes to give. He trotted off, feeling a little lighter.
He thought he heard a door creak open, but when he glanced back it was closed. The food was gone.
Bidoof smiled. It was back to being Bidoof again, only Bell knew his name, while he only knew her name in kind. He'd never asked what she was, somehow the anonymous nature of their friendship was more exciting. He did have a strong theory in mind, however.
She'd dropped the occasional hint she was a mimikyu.
He stretched and nodded to himself. Tomorrow would be another day, and he'd be ready for it now.
He would be ready.
Sand, sand, sand. Waves crashed against the shore. The krabby mumbled haiku's to each other. A pair of weedle hummed as they scuttled along. The sun was hanging low against the sky, it was already close to setting. A soft breeze blew through the leaves, singing a simple song of life.
"Pleh," Mane coughed, spitting out sand. He felt something poking him and his tail flicked at it, sending the krabby scuttling away, spitting in panic.
A trail in the sand was baked by the sun, and a pair of pokémon seem to have entered the Beach Cave. Based on the panicked strides cut across the beachy canvas, they left by running.
"Bother," Chatot huffed, the sun poking at his eyelids like little javelins. He wanted to roll over and bury his head in the sand.
Several tracks in the sand were more recent, leading into the shoreline and then trailing out of it. The waves had already consumed the feeble tracks already left. They led in many ways, but all led back to one spot.
Sean sat, staring down with balked eyes. He had woken up more than ten minutes ago. The others were still out. Time travel, it seemed, got easier the more one did it.
He had found Mane, half buried in sand and snoring loudly, puffing up sand as he exhaled.
He had found Chatot, on his back with legs poking up, occasionally twitching.
He had not found Scout, curled up in a ball. Or half buried in the sand. Or on his back with legs twitching. There was no sign of him, and nothing had happened on the return trip. He remembered clutching at the feathering wing of Chatot, the fluffy fur of Mane. There had been no claws digging into his arm. Not like the first time.
"Hold onto me!" Sean recalled Striker yelling that at him. He didn't see it as odd at the time, to be understanding his pokémon partner. There was too much chaos happening to notice. "Come on, just hold on!"
Something had happened the first time. Something breached the portal. Dialga, it had to have been. Sean didn't really remember, Striker hadn't seen it. Scout had, however. Yet he too had lost his memory.
There was no roaring. Just a voice, smooth and deep and malevolent, telling him to fail for interfering.
"SEAN!" Scout had screamed, spotting whatever was attacking them before he did. Something sent an attack at them, somehow, through the crossing of time.
Thundering down the Passage of Time, Sean had turned to see a roiling mass of physical hatred. Physical pain. Physical cruelty. Whatever it was, it was sent for the strongest of their group.
There was no question about his action. If Striker was killed, it was over. They were all sacrificial in the end, but Sean always knew he would give his life for them if he had to. He was just sixteen and willing to die to save a world that wasn't even his own.
For Striker, strong and noble, yet so innocently optimistic. It didn't matter that he couldn't know Striker's words, he knew what he meant.
For Scout, loving and lively, and the promise of why they were doing this. It was for those like Scout, that the world had to be saved.
For Saniya, crazy and erratic, and the most honest of them all. She fostered hope in them, and gave them the promise that things could be fixed.
For Guardian, stalwart and dependable. Yes, even Guardian. Betrayal did not break every bond, not for why it was done. Guardian protected them with his body, but Sean would cover him with his own if he ever needed it.
The shot was aimed at Striker, and Sean moved to intercept it all that time ago. But Scout, stupid, naïve, determined Scout also intervened and shoved them both out of the way before it was too late. Sean had screamed as whatever was sent for Striker ripped through his body, but the pain was brief when Scout pushed him out of the way.
His head still rang when thinking of how hard their heads clunked together.
The remaining energy blasted Scout away and he was torn from them as time and space warped Sean into a pokémon and left Scout alone.
Part of Sean wondered why Scout didn't become a human, as he had become a pokémon. Perhaps thinking he was human was enough of a change?
It didn't matter. It didn't matter anymore. Nothing about that mattered anymore. Sean would never see him again, would he? Lost to the darkness of the future until Sean either saved the world and committed the greatest mass murder history never experienced or died in the process.
"Where?"
A voice croaked and it broke Sean from his reverie of depression. He looked up to see Chatot pulling himself up. He shook some sand off, blinking painfully. The future was always in endless dusk but here the sun still shone, and it stung Chatot's eyes.
He had never enjoyed pain as much as he did then.
"We…?" Chatot said, weakly. "We made it? We made it. We made it," he repeated, confirming it to himself audibly. A breeze blew, ruffling his feathers. Chatot choked on his words before laughing out loud. "WE MADE IT!"
His excited screeching properly roused Mane who rolled out of the sand tomb he was burrowing into and glanced around. "We… the beach?" Mane groaned.
Mane's expression flipped to a beaming expression of pure joy. The sand in his eyes soaked up any tears that most certainly didn't come out. "We're home."
"Mane, err, Litleo!" Chatot said, delightedly. He flapped over to Mane and grabbed him in a surprise hug. "We made it!"
"Not all of us," Sean said. He didn't really wish to rob them of their joy and relief so soon, but it had happened and couldn't be denied.
Chatot slowly put Mane down as the litleo frowned and looked back and forth. "Scout?"
Hearing that. It was too much.
Sean covered his face and began to shake. "He's not here."
"Scout?" Mane repeated, voice rising. "Scout?"
Chatot's expression of relief turned to horror. "N-no. His voice. I… I heard… I heard… him cry out. Something happened."
"Scout?"
"Dusknoir must have, somehow," Sean didn't end that sentence. He didn't know how. Scout was a Normal-type, he had no idea how Dusknoir could have managed to grab him. Not with Saniya holding him off.
"Scout?"
"This cannot be," Chatot whispered, falling back down onto the sand, blinking dumbly. "No. We… we were there. We were free. We all jumped in."
"Scout?"
"I don't know how," Sean replied, voice cracking. "But I've looked, and there is no sign of him. Nothing happened through time, but I remember holding into you and Litleo. But not Scout. He got pulled back, somehow."
"Scout!?"
"But…" Chatot said.
"SCOUT?"
"There is no but," Sean snapped, "he's still in the future."
"SCCOOUUUT!?"
"But… but…"
"SCOOOUUUUT!?"
"Enough!" Sean yelled, snapping at Mane. "He's not here. Stop screaming."
"SCOOOUUUT!?" Mane screamed, voice cracking and breaking. He coughed and tried again, but only managed a croak. "Scou…t."
Sean forced himself up, unable to look back at the lowering sun. It didn't matter how beautiful it was at the moment. He'd look at it tomorrow. "We have to get going," he said softly.
"To the guild," Chatot agreed, quietly getting up himself.
Mane did not follow. He went ahead, marching along the path to Beach Cave, sniffing and yelling out with his breaking voice. "SCOUT!?"
"He's not here," Sean snapped again, before squeezing his eyes shut. "Just… he'll be safe."
"Safe?" Mane snarled, turning back to him. An actual fire burned along his eyes and he began walking back towards him. "SAFE? Safe in the fucking nightmare land? Safe with Dusknoir? Safe with FUCKING DUSKNOIR?"
"Yes!" Sean yelled back. "Dusknoir will protect him."
"You say that," Mane sneered. "But all we have is your word. How do you know?"
"Don't you trust me by this fucking point?"
"I DON'T TRUST ANYONE THIS MUCH!" Mane yelled, voice breaking again. He coughed violently, gasping for breath and sagging on the sand.
"Stop this," Chatot said softly, turning back from where he was leading. "Just come back to the guild. We need to work out what to do and I need to see Wigglytuff."
"So you can fuck your fucking mate?" Mane hissed, with embers continuing to pop off him.
"I am going to find Striker first," Sean growled. "Wherever you judgemental pokémon have stuffed him. And if he's hurt…."
"Enough." Chatot's voice was ice and sharper than the frozen waves in the future.
"Why should I listen to you?" Sean and Mane demanded.
"Because we are in the past now," Chatot declared, staring Sean down. "We are not in the future, you have no jurisdiction here nor any wisdom to guide us." He turned to Mane. "Regardless of how you feel about it, you ARE one of the apprentices of the Wigglytuff Guild and I am your superior. You will listen to me or else."
"Or you'll give me a time-out with no food?" Mane sneered. "Like I haven't lived off scraps for half my life." He turned tail and began to leave, kicking up sand as he continued shouting for Scout.
Sean, however, had begun to calm down. "Litleo?" he called with Mane not even pausing. "Did what the three of us go through mean nothing? Like it or not, we have a bond now. Please, just… come back to the guild."
Mane paused, those words hit him hard and he glanced back. "No one wants a bond with me." Was all he said.
"Litleo," Chatot sighed, closing his eyes. "I'm sorry for snapping. We are all highly emotional after our ordeal and… the absence of Scout. If we want any hope of getting him back, we are going to need to continue working together. Please."
Mane stared him down for a long time before he inclined his head and quietly began to walk after them. Chatot hopped in the lead and Sean and Mane didn't speak a word that was roiling through their heads.
With their muscles still creaking from the multi-day ordeal, it took longer than it should have to move from the beach to the guild. A ten-minute walk turned into a thirty-minute one, Spinda's Café was oddly closed, and all three were out of breath by the time they reached the grate.
Chatot nearly teared up upon first spotting the looming Wigglytuff head. He always thought it was a ghastly thing, hanging over the heads of the entire town, staring forward with empty eyes. Soothe had laughed herself silly when she described the idea to them, and Wigglytuff decided that if it could cause laughter, then it was perfect.
He had a thought then. Soothe, the future. Had she known about the guild? He didn't want to dwell.
Right now, the fact that the fabric ruffled in the breeze. The fact that there were no bones lurking within the uppermost roost. The fact that this was the living guild, and not the tomb that he had experienced only a short time ago left him tearing up.
Chatot stepped on the grate. It might be a bit late for Diglett, but the sensitive Ground-type could usually hear if someone did come to the guild, the echoes being detected through the earth. And he would dutifully come with Loudred to determine who had arrived.
He didn't have to wait long. Diglett was a good kid.
"Pokémon Detec…?" Diglett began, immediately trailing off.
"What?" came Loudred's rattling voice. Chatot couldn't be happier. He could listen to Loudred complain about dating problems for the next year he was so happy. "Diglett?"
The tiny shift of soil caught all of their attention. Chatot due to knowing Diglett's behaviour, and paranoia from the future ordeal. Mane because he had to be sharp when everyone disliked him, and paranoia from the ordeal. Sean because he had to know pokémon's behaviour, and he was paranoid in general.
"Chat…" Diglett trailed off, meeting Chatot's eyes as his own widened. Feathers were ruffled and missing, there was sand all over him, minor burns from both fire and electricity and a certain heaviness to his stance expressing exhaustion. "CHATOT!"
Diglett's sharp voice carried right through to Loudred who was silent for a shockingly long moment, he tended to hum when not talking. "WHAAAAT? CHATOT?"
The speed of the reaction was astounding.
Loudred's voice echoed across the entire cliffside, more than likely reaching the town as well. And more than that. Much more. Was Wigglytuff bursting from the guild.
There was one moment where Diglett was staring up at him, wonder and tears in his eyes. Then all Chatot knew was Wigglytuff's fluffy warmth around him.
Sean and Mane jerked back from Wigglytuff's sudden appearance. The gate didn't even have a chance to hit the ground before the rest of the guild followed.
Everyone surged out in confusion and excitement. Sunflora and Rai at the forefront. Loudred, Bidoof, Dugtrio, and Corphish not far behind. Chimecho and Croagunk were last, but only by a few seconds.
They moved around Wigglytuff, who was an anchor in place that could not be moved. He had Chatot again and he was not letting go.
Striker was the last to actually leave, poking his head out carefully. His eyes immediately fell on Sean who lit up like a volbeat doing a mating dance. He dashed out of the guild almost as fast as Wigglytuff and tackle-hugged Sean.
"Trill," Rhythm sobbed, arms shaking around Chatot. "My invaluable partner. Trill. Trill. Trill." Trill was tearful in kind and leaned further into his embrace. The fake Wigglytuff had been all wrong but Trill could always count on Rhythm.
"Rhythm," he said, voice cracking. He didn't say anything more, just buried his head against the warmth.
Rai slowly walked forward. Past where Striker was whispering 'I'm not losing you again' and Sean replying, 'Right back at you.'
Because he wasn't here for Sean. The human-turned-riolu wasn't really someone he knew. He was happy they were safe, and Chatot was safe. He, and the rest of the guild, would pretend they hadn't heard Wigglytuff and Chatot call each other by their names. It'd be rude to make a big deal about it.
He walked to Mane wearing the most fragile, bitter, smile he'd ever seen. "Sorry," Mane said, blinking away some emotion that wouldn't be so merciful as to let him not feel it, "for being the wrong one."
Rai came to a stop in front of Mane who closed his eyes. The litleo stood in tense silence as the rest of the guild began to break away from staring at Chatot to notice Mane. And also who wasn't there.
Mane took a shaky breath and forced his eyes back open. Rai wasn't saying or doing anything, it was worse than if he was attacking him and throwing him off the cliff right now.
"Sorry," he said again, shrugging with his eyes flicking from person to person not lingering for a moment to take in the disappointment in their eyes. "I know I'm like the last person you'd rather have here but I'm what you got." He tried to grin, play it off, act all smooth and make a flirtatious remark to get someone to be mad at him for being an ass rather than being mad at him for being the wrong one.
He couldn't handle the words about to come. Wrong one, wrong one, wrong one. It was echoing through his head already, he was trembling slightly as he tried to remain calm, tasting iron on his tongue.
Rai still wasn't speaking.
"I k-know you gotta be upset," Mane said, stumbling over his words. "But you know how life is. Can't always have the good things, sometimes you're stuck with the trash and there's little you can-"
Mane was cut off when Rai finally reacted and lunged for him. He closed his eyes, feeling relieved that Rai was going to hurt him for not being Scout.
Instead, he hugged him.
"Don't," Rai said, voice raw with emotion. "Don't say that you're worth less than him. Or anyone. Don't. Don't. Don't."
Mane frowned, it was easy before it deepened and deepened into something vast and painful. He squeezed his eyes shut. He didn't understand what was going on. "What are you doing?" he muttered. "Hit me. Shock me. Scratch me. Yell at me for not being Scout."
"DON'T!" Rai yelled, causing Mane to flinch before he tried to lean into it, bracing for the pain he knew he deserved. Rai caught himself, he wasn't shouting at Mane. "Don't," he repeated, softer. "Please don't. Don't. Don't." Rai squinted, before squeezing his own eyes shut. He pulled away from Mane, who suddenly yearned for the contact lost.
He wouldn't ask for it. Instead, he turned around. He'd run. He didn't know why Rai was being so nice, but it was scaring him. "What happened?" Rai asked, pausing Mane in his tracks. Why was he running?
The litleo turned back, but he didn't even know where to begin. What even was the beginning? Dusknoir grabbing them? Waking up? Sean freeing them? Scout freeing himself?
He was tongue-tied. Sean, in his endless dependability, broke away from Grovyle and stepped forward.
"Right as we were escaping," he explained into the silence. Even Wigglytuff had looked up from sobbing over Chatot, although he didn't even consider letting Chatot out of his arms. "Right as we leapt in, Dusknoir somehow got a hold of Scout. It was too late for us to do anything, we were already disappearing. There was no chance to do anything, and the three of us jumped back into this time without him."
Rai stood in silence.
"I'm sorry I'm not the one you wanted," Mane said, looking up at the whole guild. He was confused at the expressions he saw. There wasn't anger at his presence or even resentment. There was sadness and disappointment, he couldn't see if it was because of him.
He wondered, distantly, if they weren't getting it. If it hadn't sunken in yet. So, he repeated it. "It should have been me," he said. Because it should have. Not that Dusknoir wanted him, but Scout was surely worth more to these pokémon than him.
He laughed weakly.
"Stop." Rai stopped stewing in silence and Mane stuttered to silence. "Stop saying your life is worth less than his."
Mane stared in confusion. "But it is?"
Rai took a deep breath, opening his mouth. All that came out was a hiccup as tears flooded his eyes. Rai immediately turned tail and ran off, sprinting down the steps and out of sight.
"Shinx!" Bidoof called, taking a step forward.
"Shinx? Oh my gosh!" Sunflora glanced between Bidoof and Mane.
"Oh dear, Shinx."
"Shinx come BACK!"
"Hey, Shinx? Shinx? Hey? Hey?"
"Maybe he needs some time."
"I'll go," Mane said, ignoring the last. He turned around. Not looking at the guild helped. Not looking at how they weren't angry it was him, give it time he was sure. Without waiting for a response, he couldn't stand their eyes of pity. Pity that had to be veiling contempt. Mane ran after Rai.
As he left, Chatot and Sean began to explain everything that had happened. Sean stuck close to Striker, not sure entirely how safe things were, but no one seemed alarmed to see either him or Striker so perhaps he had convinced them of Dusknoir's deceit.
Mane's muscles did not appreciate it and once he was out of sight he had to slow to a trot. He couldn't see Rai, but he knew where he'd be going.
The beach.
Annoying that he'd just come from there, but Mane would survive. He always did.
While Scout….
Mane refused to think of it, and shook his head, moving after Rai.
He took his time. Partly for his own sake, but also to give Rai some time on his own. He knew he'd hate it if someone interrupted him when he wanted to vent some emotions to an empty audience. A few bolts of electricity flying up from the distance reassured him of the wisdom of his choice. Rai could vent in peace.
By the time Mane chose to step out and walk back onto the beach, the sun had already kissed the horizon and bathed the sky with a pinkish hue.
Rai sat along the coast of the beach. Sitting much closer to Beach Cave than Mane would have liked. It was a bit of a walk to reach him.
He plodded along, keeping his eyes on Rai. The shinx was just sitting, staring out at the ocean. He took his time but made it to him. Not wanting to go any further, Mane sat down next to Rai. He didn't slump into the sand, that'd be undignified, and Mane always maintained his dignity.
They sat.
Just silence.
Only the rise and recede of the waves and the whisper of wind in their ears.
Mane would be okay if silence was it. He could just fall straight asleep.
"This is where he and I became a team," Rai said, quietly and plainly.
"Here, huh?" Mane replied, looking forward to the horizon with Rai. It was beautiful, the sunset.
"Right here, actually." Rai glanced to his left. "I was crying on the sand, right there. I'd lost my treasure and had reached that point where I just was going to give up. He didn't let me, though. For someone he didn't know, only just met. Sure, I caught him before he fell off the bluff, but I was the one who spooked him into nearly falling off in the first place."
Mane looked over to the sand Rai gestured to. There was nothing special about it. The silver bow around his neck felt heavier and he looked down, remembering it was the only thing Scout had when he woke up.
"You know, he was so confused, at first," Rai said, looking back to the horizon. "I startled him really bad when he first woke up. And he couldn't stop staring at me every few seconds."
"Probably stunned by your good looks," Mane joked on reflex. He immediately felt bad about doing it. He gave Rai a careful look, hoping he wouldn't see offence at him not taking things seriously. To his relief, Rai smiled a little.
"Haah. I helped him around town and showed him to the guild, I figured that'd be the end of it. It's when Koffing and Zubat took my Relic Fragment and he… he actually helped me. Without any questioning it, he just did." He coughed a laugh. "He told me his name right away. So weird. I get why now, but at the time I didn't have any time to even think."
Mane nodded. "It's brave of you both to go straight after them. I never…," he trailed off, nearly biting his tongue at what he nearly said. Quickly changing it, Mane said. "Would have been able to do that myself."
Rai gave him a side-look, and he knew he was caught. The shinx didn't say anything and faced the horizon again.
"Even after we lost," he said, losing himself to the memories again. "Even when I took it as meaning I really couldn't become an explorer." Mane cringed slightly. "He told me differently. Basically a complete stranger. Someone who didn't know me and feel bad for me, well he might have a little but… but he convinced me. I don't even know how. I guess it's just not as scary when together, he said we should become a team. Together."
Rai sighed sadly, sniffling slightly. "I really wish I had just sucked it up and gone to the town meeting with everyone else. I heard that you stuck up for him though." To Mane's surprise, Rai gave him a brief nuzzle. "Thank you."
"I yelled at him in the Dark Future," Mane blurted out, Rai barking a laugh. "He kinda deserved a yelling."
Rai faced him, turning fully from the horizon. "Maybe, he's a good guy though."
"I know. I said that too. He's just got a bad habit of keeping secrets, I've noticed."
Rai smiled a bitter smile. "Yeah. I should have been bold and brought it up with him. I just didn't want him to be mad at me." He looked down. "It feels like I've just lost him again. I'll never see him again, will I?"
"You will," Mane said, angrily. He didn't snap it at Rai, just at the world in general. "If we got back, then there is still hope!"
"But…" Rai asked. "Grovyle said that… th-that Dusknoir was going to… kill you."
Mane pursed his lips and turned away, it was true. Sean's insistence came back to him. Dusknoir's behaviour came back to him. "He won't hurt him," Mane said, turning back to meet Rai's eyes. "We learned why… the guy's Scout's dad."
Eyes widening, Rai sat up straight. "What?"
Mane nodded. "Yep. Dusknoir even used to be on the good guy's side but turned against them. I… don't know why exactly. But even though, Dusknoir won't hurt him. When Chats and Sean and I woke up, he wasn't there with us. He was somewhere safe."
He forced a confident smirk, it was better to see the barest twinkle of hope in Rai's eyes than sullen defeat. "We'll save him. Celebi, the cool chick that got us back here, said there's a Celebi of this time. If she could send us back, maybe that one can send us forward? We can go get him ourselves once time is fixed! And I've been in the future, so I can show you around like an expert."
"You'd really go back?" Rai asked, smiling weakly. "Grovyle made it sound so…."
Mane shrugged, although the thought of going back was more terrifying than any thought he'd had in his life. "I would."
Rai nodded. "Then we'll get him back," he said, almost asking it. Mane nodded anyway. "Okay…" Rai swallowed and smiled. "Thank you."
Mane grinned. "You can thank me once we have our unlucky pal back."
Rai nodded. He glanced out at the water again, watching the ripples in the waves, the shadows of the flying pokémon, and the distant pokémon travelling across the horizon.
"What happened?" Rai asked after a time. Mane nearly fell asleep waiting. "In the future?"
Mane opened his mouth to respond but paused. He wasn't entirely sure where to begin. Waking up? The first escape? Scout arriving? He decided on Scout, it was what Rai needed to hear.
"Well after Sean broke us out of the stockade," Mane said, the name Sean once again slipping out without any thought, "Chats and I were all set to go back and get Scout back ourselves. It didn't take much convincing to get him to come along."
"You trusted him?" Rai asked as Mane paused.
The litleo shrugged. "Dusknoir WAS trying to kill us at the time, he wasn't going to leave us alone anyway. Being alone in the future is really weird. But, anyway, just as we were setting off, Scout turned up! He'd broken out and made his way to us all by himself!"
Rai settled comfortably as Mane spun the tale of the dark future. The way they'd worked together to fight through nightmarish dungeons, and how Scout had fought the Ghost-type pokémon off himself.
How despite having a dislocated arm and cracked ribs, which Mane chose to leave out, with his whole world being shifted multiple times, Scout pushed forward without hesitation and kept on going.
How they encountered a frozen Treasure Town, getting split up, and how they fought their way out of it. Mane chose not to focus much detail there, both because of his own criticism of Scout and the luxray that he feared could have been Rai himself needing not to be mentioned.
He spoke of Celebi, and how they all fought off the sableye together before finally going for the portal. And, unfortunately, how Dusknoir managed to pull Scout back right as they were leaving. He grew a little choked up upon recounting that, the emotions of not even an hour ago still weighing heavily on him.
"Even if Dusknoir wasn't Scout's father," Mane said as he finished telling the tale. "I know Scout would be fine. He's probably the smartest dummy I've met, and a lot tougher than he looks. He'll probably do something stupid and get back himself before we even get there!"
Rai snorted and giggled through it all. It wasn't hard, Mane found, to put a bit of a humorous spin on things. Humour found in tragedy and all.
"Thanks, Mane," Rai said earnestly, and Mane shrugged brushing it off. "No. I'm serious," he said, very seriously. "What you said earlier… apologising for not being Scout. Please, I… I really don't want you to think you're worth less than anybody."
Mane shrugged again, but his smile became a lot more fragile and uncomfortable. "I know I'm the greatest guy around, but… well, when you go years with everyone telling you otherwise." He shrugged again.
"Who?" Rai asked, narrowing his eyes. "Who said something like that? I'll tell them what for!"
Mane snorted and Rai pouted. "I'm serious!"
"Hi, Serious," Mane laughed, Rai's eyes going wide with horror. "I'm Mane."
"You didn't just…?"
Mane grinned at him. Rai snorted and shook his head. He stepped forward and butted his head against Mane's, surprising him. "I don't care what anyone else thinks, Mane," Rai said softly, too close for Mane to brush away. "I'm happy you're here."
Mane swallowed and stepped back, turning around quickly so Rai wouldn't think he was tearing up or any such malarkey. "W-we should get back," Mane said, voice perfectly even and not shaking. "It's getting dark and I'm completely beat."
He didn't move until Rai did, just in case the shinx did want to stay here longer. "Sure," Rai said. "Let's walk together."
Mane nodded and they went side by side. It took longer, again, for Mane to make it back. He wasn't sure what he was running on. The fuel had burned away, and he was out of fumes too. Just stubborn willpower now. Chimecho would probably yell at him, the evil nurse that she was.
He found himself pressing against Rai. He couldn't help it, feeling Rai's warmth and knowing it was him, Mane only wanted to lean into the only good thing he'd known.
They found themselves in the guild's mess hall. Dinner had already been served, but Chimecho and Wigglytuff quickly pulled together food for the future trio. They descended upon the offerings like beasts possessed.
Chimecho made sure there was plenty of oran in their meals, while Wigglytuff prioritised food everyone liked. He even gave Chatot a Perfect Apple, although Chatot insisted it be cut into quarters, one for Mane, Sean, and himself, and the last piece for Wigglytuff as well.
The Fairy-type put up token resistance at being offered some but ate the apple without any trouble.
The rest of the guild was very quiet. The telling of the story and the sinking in that Scout was still gone was beginning to hit them.
Exhaustion caught up with Mane and he fell asleep at the table.
"I'll carry him back," Rai offered. Chimecho had done check-ups on the three as they ate, and found they were mostly just exhausted. No serious wounds that needed treatment with anything more than oran berries.
Once they were done, Wigglytuff carried Chatot to his room. He would not be guarding the guild tonight, he would be sleeping. Wigglytuff hummed Chatot's own night-time song to him as he walked and Chatot fell asleep in his arms. Peacefully, since this was his Rhythm, not the beast that dared to call itself Wigglytuff.
Sean made it to the room Striker had been staying in, close to Team Ion's room, without much trouble.
"Scout will be okay," Striker said as they settled down to sleep. Sean and Chatot had explained the whole story to the guild, leaving out most of the Treasure Town experience, however.
"I know he will be," Sean said, feeling the unfamiliar straw. "But Dialga was there."
"And he wasn't a double agent?" Striker asked, not flinching when Sean glared at him.
"You thought he was?" Sean demanded.
Striker returned an uncomfortable look. "He… he had his claws to your neck, Sean. What was I supposed to take from that?"
"He wasn't a double agent," Sean snapped before all the energy seemed to rush out of him. "Sorry, Striker. I don't want to argue. I'm just glad I'm back but leaving him there…" he briefly smiled as a thought occurred to him. "Hah, you know we didn't actually talk about the whole claw/neck thing. Was a bit too busy to think about it."
"He'll be okay until…," Striker trailed off. He was the least squeamish of the team in discussing their ultimate fates, but he sensed Sean wouldn't appreciate it. "He'll be okay."
Sean sighed and curled up, shifting several times. There was no comfortable spot, so he quietly scooched over to Striker and curled up by him.
Striker rolled over to hug him, and he nestled into the safety of the grovyle. Even with companions, Sean had felt a little alone in the future. He wasn't alone now.
"Good night, Sean."
"Night, Striker."
Despite having fallen asleep in his arms, Trill stirred as Rhythm set him down gently. "Rhythm?"
"I'm here," he replied softly, settling onto the bed with him.
"Rhythm, I have to ask you something," Trill said quietly, bracing himself.
"Okay," Rhythm replied, pulling him into a hug. They were in the privacy of Rhythm's bedroom now, no eavesdroppers out here.
"I want you to be completely honest with me," Trill said, seriously. Rhythm gave him a quirked look but didn't refuse. He knew he would be honest, but he also knew he had to ask this question directly.
"I will," Rhythm said.
"In Treeshroud Forest… no. At ANY point, did you kill Soothe?"
Rhythm froze.
"I… wow, that's… not what I was expecting, heh." Trill felt Rhythm's hug slacken, and he was able to extract himself. He began to preen a wing, letting Rhythm collect his thoughts.
They tended to scatter like marbles at times.
Rhythm swallowed, he'd never lied because Trill had never actually asked him. "No." The answer hung in the air.
"Why did you let me think you did?" Trill asked, not pausing from preening. "I realise, now that I never directly asked you if you had. Or, at least, I don't think I did. I hope you would always tell me the truth but… you knew what I thought."
Rhythm swallowed. "I did know. I'm so sorry, Trill."
"Why?" Trill asked again.
"I," Rhythm sighed. "Because of what she became or just was. She was a Shadow Pokémon, we both know it. I don't know how, or why, it shouldn't have happened unless she was already… but… I don-I don't know how. But she was. She was. I didn't want that to taint even your memories of her"
Trill lowered his wing and started on the next one, he didn't ask anything.
"Trill?"
Trill sighed and lowered his wing. "Yes, I know. There was no logical reason why she should have snapped like that. But she still did. Was she always?"
"How did… how did you know?"
"In the terrible future," Trill explained, "I encountered Celebi. As we were talking the topic somehow moved back to Soothe, as I had reluctantly spoken briefly about her with the others before Celebi. I had learned already that Soothe was apparently someone Celebi knew, and she confirmed this. Soothe was from that future."
"Oh."
"Did you know that?"
"No. No, I did not know that." Rhythm frowned. "That… that doesn't really explain much, but… perhaps something had already happened to her in that time?"
"That's what I have been thinking," Trill said, going back to preening his wing. "If you saw what I did, and apparently what Soothe saw, I think something must have happened to her there. I only suffered it for a few long days, but Celebi implied she knew Soothe for a much longer time. To have been hatched and raised in that terrible time, yes I can imagine something happening. But does that mean she was using us from the start?"
"I don't like to think that," Rhythm said, shrinking away from the idea. "Even… even a Shadow Pokémon surely could not have fooled us both for so long? The times we shared were genuine."
"You and I both know it could be possible. What other explanation could there be?"
Rhythm didn't respond.
"I have yet to hear an answer, Rhythm," Trill said. "About why you let me think you had killed her."
"I was… afraid you'd try something," Rhythm admitted. "That you'd try and…"
Trill blinked once, lowered, his wing and raised his beak. "Rhythm," he snapped, "what do you take me for? As tragic as it is, we both know there is no helping a Shadow Pokémon."
"Maybe."
"Maybe?"
"I…" Rhythm looked away and then set his jaw. "Who's to say there is NO way?"
"History."
"History isn't always right. No one may have figured it out yet, but… I've found stuff. Stuff about Shadow Pokémon over the years. Stuff about how… humans could purify them."
Trill's eyes widened as a piece clicked into place. "You let me think she was dead… not because I would try and help her, but so you could try."
"Trill."
"Rhythm!" Trill squawked, pulling himself out of the bed. "Have you lost your mind? You've been allowing… you… I cannot believe this."
"There might be a way!" Rhythm cried.
"Might," Trill responded, hopping to the door. "It's been so many years, Rhythm I…" he paused, not leaving. He sighed. "I don't want to be alone tonight but…" He felt Rhythm take him up in his arms and pull him back.
"I'm sorry," Rhythm whispered. "If it was you, I'd do the same thing."
"If it was me, I'd want you to destroy me," Trill responded, pressing his beak to Rhythm's forehead.
"I would want the same," Rhythm admitted. "I love you. I feel like I don't say that enough."
"I love you as well, but I am still angry that you've done this. Who knows who she could have hurt in all these years? Or how she has suffered herself? Once this time situation is resolved, we have to find her."
"Riolu might be able to help. Can we… at least try?"
Trill was silent. "I… I don't know. You'll need to show me what you've learned. But for now, I need to rest."
"I'll hold you all night."
"Thank you."
The next day began not with a bang.
As much as Sean, Mane, and Chatot would like to just sleep until the world was fixed, Scout was back, and everything they suffered was just a bad dream, time wasn't so kind.
Quite literally. Every one of them had a nightmare about Primal Dialga, although they were too exhausted for the nightmare to wake them up.
Sean's paws cracked slightly with each step, Mane gave one huge stretch that cracked his back before slumping back into the straw and falling asleep again. Rai let him snooze for another five minutes before necessity outweighed compassion.
Chatot was sat on Wigglytuff's shoulder, talons clasped tightly enough to draw blood, but Wigglytuff took it with a smile. Chatot was still asleep, even as Wigglytuff walked around.
Without question, Chimecho took a better look at the three as they lined up for morning address. She floated around Chatot first, taking a listen in, ghosting over his body with a gentle Psychic pulse.
"I dislike the number of feathers he's lost and damaged," she sighed, straightening a few of the offending feathers. "But he's just tired. Give him these sitrus when he wakes up." She handed three berries to Wigglytuff who nodded, jostling Chatot.
"You've got some fur that may have trouble regrowing," Chimecho said, floating around Mane second. "The wounds across your chest and ankles will likely scar, the scratches on your face are debatable but other than that it's rest you need." She set two berries down and Mane consumed them.
Mane yawned in her face and she moved on to Sean.
"Again, you need rest, take these." There wasn't much time spent on Sean, she wasn't quite as comfortable around either Sean or Grovyle, and the two stood together. She looked enough to find the same, however. Just exhaustion.
"My legs are okay," Sean said, as Grovyle gave Chimecho an annoyed glare. "Fighting-type, I think…?"
"Correct," Chimecho said, floating away after leaving the sitrus berries.
"All three of you need rest," Chimecho advised, managing to wake Chatot who yawned loudly. "But I fear rest may not be given due to the current situation."
"What do you mean?" Mane demanded as Chatot blinked himself aware, he noticed everyone was looking at him and squawked, falling off Wigglytuff's shoulder.
"I'll quickly explain," Grovyle said, as Chimecho floated over to Wigglytuff to provide an oran wrap to his shoulder.
"So…?" Mane said, once Grovyle was finished rambling on. "We need to find the smelly guys?"
"That's a way of describing them," Grovyle said, "yes."
Like the universe was finally smiling upon them, Bidoof came running in all out of breath.
"Everyone listen!" Bidoof yelled, most uncharacteristic for the mellow Normal-type. "I was sorting through Meowth's bag and LOOK!" He plopped a rock down on the ground.
Rai's eyes went wide as Mane, Chatot, and Sean also flinched in shock.
"Is that?" Rai asked before bolting over and looking over it. "It i-how? How?" He looked up at Bidoof as if Bidoof has all the answers in the world.
Bidoof only really knew knock-knock jokes and didn't know what to say.
Rai's face had gone worryingly blank. "I don't… I don't… I don't understand!" he shouted, recoiling from the fragment. "I don't get it! How is this? Why is this? How did he? I DON'T GET IT!"
Mane ran over, pressing against Rai before Rai tried to run off or anything. Rai pressed back desperately, seeking the warmth and comforting presence as Striker and Sean followed after Mane.
"It looks right," Sean murmured, picking it up and looking over the symbols.
"Just like the pattern in Brine Cave," Wigglytuff said, drawing everyone's eyes to him for a moment. "That pattern, Brine Cave."
Chatot pulled away from him, gliding over not to Sean but to Rai. "Young Shinx, er. No, Shinx," he corrected. "I believe I can explain." A lot, he left out.
Words were on his tongue as Rai looked up, desperate for explanations about everything. Chatot, the guild intelligence, learned pokemon. He could tell him.
To Chatot's discomfort, he could. He realised. He did know. He didn't understand but he did know. He could speak Scout's words and explain everything, but if he didn't understand would anyone?
Scout asked him not to. He basically begged him to tell them himself.
And yet, Scout was gone. Would they ever be able to see him again? Would he ever be able to explain his side?
"...in the future time we passed through Treasure Town," Chatot explained calmly, Rai meeting his eyes. "In that time Meowth and Litleo encountered… well, a luxray." Rai's expression shifted just slightly, minutely, but Mane tensed against him nonetheless. "He had that object."
Rai looked down, no one said a thing.
"...oh," Rai said softly. "...you ran into me?"
Mane swallowed. "D-dunno."
"It must have been," Rai continued, speaking lightly. He looked straight at Sean, to the fragment he was holding. "If he had that."
Rai looked down. "I don't know how to feel about that. Losing that hurt so badly. Did Scout really steal it?"
There was no answer to give because Scout wasn't there to give it.
Rai sighed softly. "Okay. I'm not going to be weird. It's to save the world, maybe we can take it back afterwards?" Sean nor Striker reacted at all to that.
He closed his eyes, took a breath, and then nodded. "You said Brine Cave?" he asked Wigglytuff.
Wigglytuff nodded. "It's a dreadful place, but…"
"We can confirm," Sean said. "It's where we learned about the Key to the Hidden Land. We take it to Brine Cave and that opens the path." He didn't add that he didn't know what that path was, best to face that when it came to it.
Sean exchanged a particular look with Striker, a silent bit of communication asking something without saying it. Striker took his paw and stabilised Sean, ready and willing to help him with the Dimensional Scream if it could occur and help them here.
"Alright," Rai breathed, straightening up. "We've got no time to waste. Brine Cave, let's go."
The scene where Mane is apologising really hurt me in the original version and… yep, still hurts.
Poor Mane. To a degree, his tendency, especially in the earlier chapters, to be an asshole is sourced from a need to have a 'reason' for people to hate him. Something he can blame that isn't… well, we'll get there~