- Chapter 14: Unexpected Calling -
"THANK YOU! OH THANK YOU! THANK YOU!"
Everyone gathered near the front of the registration office. The little Lechonk bowed at everyone's feet as close to the ground as physically possible. She had turned into a little black ball as a result. Her entire body trembled as she started to break down into tears.
Oinkologne rested his chin on her back as he spoke in a gentle tone. "Hey…hey now, Lechonk. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you."
Team Retribute, Grove, and Dusk stared down at the weeping Pokémon with pity. Slowking wore a gentle smile as he nodded and listened.
Lechonk stood, pushing her brother off. Her expression was a mix of anger and relief. "Pa told you! He told you those fables were fables! You don't listen! You still went out there! And…then you didn't come home for days and we all got all scared…why would you do that?! What if no one ever found you?!"
Oinkologne flinched. "I know, I know. I said I was sorry. I won't do it again. I swear."
That was what caught Krista off-guard. Oinkologne's voice has changed. It was so subtle that she almost missed it. The little Lechonk held a draw in her voice, and her brother responded the same way. Did they live away from busy cities? Did Pokémon have cities? They reminded her of Vigor, but Vigor held a different voice all the same…
Krista still tried to wrap her head around how any Pokémon could have an accent in the first place. And Oinkologne hid his so well until he started talking to his sister…or was it just something that happened naturally?
Lechonk turned her attention back to the pair of children. She bounced her way over, fighting back more tears. "I can't thank you enough, Team Retribute! Oh, and you too, Gogoat!"
An ear flicked, perhaps to shake off an itch. Grove's mouth formed a small smile as she responded with a subtle nod.
"No problem, Lechonk! We are just glad you two are united!" Pineno laughed.
"I…don't think my words would ever be enough, so please…please take these!"
Lechonk turned her body, and there was a small bag she was carrying by the straps. It was tucked under her tail, somehow. But before Krista could try to question how it was possible, Lechonk tossed the bag to the ground. She turned back around to face it, and she pulled it open by the strings. The items were dumped out. They rolled for only a brief second.
As a reward for rescuing Oinkologne, Team Retribute were rewarded; two aspear berries, a heal seed, and…a tiny round seed with a hard, golden shell. It was shaped similar to a walnut of some kind, but the shell had already split open. There was a tiny heart-shaped sprout that grew out of the gap.
By just looking at it, Krista sensed a faint…very faint pressure.
"Oh, wow! Is that what I think it is?! A reviver seed?!" Pineno gasped. "But these are incredibly rare! There's no way we can just take that from you! What if you need it?!"
"It's actually a tiny reviver seed," Oinkologne said. (His voice changed again?) "Trust me. You'll find a better use of it than we ever will. It only works within the radius of mystery dungeons anyway, and I don't have any plans of entering another one anytime soon."
Krista took a quick glance around. The other Pokémon stared at the item as if it was the most sacred treasure in existence. How could such a tiny seed have everyone near speechless? What sort of power did it hold…?
"What's the matter, Meowth? Does it not please you?"
Krista gave Lechonk an uneasy smile. "Oh, it does! "I just…never heard of a reviver seed before."
The entire room went silent. All eyes fell on her.
(Oh. Maybe I should have left it alone…) Krista felt herself shrink.
"What?" Dusk tilted his head. "How could you have not—"
A vine tapped his chest. It was enough to keep him quiet.
Grove looked down at Krista. Her face was once again hard to read, but she made an effort to explain. "A reviver seed…is not a natural seed at all. No matter how hard we tried, no Pokémon has ever been able to produce them. For some odd reason, the distorted environment of a mystery dungeon meets all the criteria needed for a reviver seed to thrive. But even with that information, they can't be found in any mystery dungeons. They usually grow within the most hazardous sorts: Poisonous swaps, dungeons overrun by blizzards…and even volcanoes."
"Some believe it's an…apology from the gods for allowing these mystery dungeons to grow out of control." Dusk shrugged. "A joke. The fact you can only find them in places that will destroy you is a joke. We've stopped sending scout parties simply because it wasn't worth the risk."
"You're serious…?" Krista was beginning to understand why it was treated as a big deal.
"What about Scovillian?" Pineno asked. "Can't they—"
"A few tiny reviver seeds, once every blue moon," Grove answered. "What they want in exchange is very demanding, as it should be. It's not something anyone could have their hands on, at least not anymore. As for a full reviver seed…it remains a mystery. What you have before you may be its little sister, but it still holds incredible power. For instance; if you were to faint inside a dungeon or its outside radius, it would respond and envelop you in a golden light, healing every existing wound, including broken bones or anything more troubling."
"Wow…it can actually do that…?" Krista almost stepped away from the little seed. There was absolutely no way it could be that powerful.
"Yes. It is a must-have for anyone who dares to challenge the most gruesome and merciless mystery dungeons. However, that's just the tiny reviver seed."
"Huh?!" Pineno and Krista gasped.
"A full reviver seed is breaks the laws of life. It goes beyond anything we could ever comprehend. Unlike its tiny sister, not only does it save you from succumbing to your wounds, it revitalizes you at full. Starvation, illness, any troubling thing…it's all gone. You stand completely refreshed as if you never left your home in the first place. There have been tales of a Pokémon who single handedly destroyed an entire army all because he had a handful of those seeds in his possession. No matter how many times the army struck him down, he would stand back up with newfound energy. He was unstoppable."
"Wow…" Pineno whispered. "And…you're saying these were once everywhere?"
Dusk nodded. "Not exactly everywhere. They were still rare, but frequent enough to be sold for a hefty price at one point. It was a vital item for every mystery dungeon organization to have. Rescue Teams, Exploration Teams, the Expedition Society…yeah. They all had them, but then over the years…they grew more scarce, harder to find. The dungeons became more dangerous, so the demand for them grew just as high. They were already rare as is, but now finding one is…well…don't tell anyone else you have that, alright?"
Krista now understood the value of the seed held in her paws. It made sense that it would be a mythic treasure sought by countless eyes. It was real. It was in her possession. Oinkologne just gave it to her all because he was rescued.
Why would anyone willingly give something so valuable away?
Krista's astonishment wasn't without notice. Oinkologne chuckled.
"You may have to sturdy yourselves for this as well," he warned.
He dragged a bag that he had tucked away himself, and he dropped it next to the items. The bag was pushed over by his nose, and the contents inside clattered and spilled into a brilliant pile.
It was beautiful; a small mountain of shimmering, round, and golden coins. Krista couldn't take her eyes off them.
"Wow! 3,000?!" Pineno shrieked. "We got 3,000 just for helping someone?!"
Oinkologne chuckled. "Of course! It's nothing compared to the value of life! I would have perished if your team had not found me! So please! Take it!"
Pineno leaped with joy before taking Krista's paws, snapping her back to reality. "Oh, this is incredible, Krista! 3,000! Just like that! We're rich! Do you have any idea what we could buy with this much poké?!"
Krista stared back, speechless. His excitement was going through the roof. She was still trying to shake herself into focus from all the gold she had seen before her. It was far more than what she saw from Pineno.
It was beautiful; a small mountain of shimmering, round, and golden coins. Krista couldn't take her eyes off them.
"Okay!" Lechonk cheered.
"Bye! Buh-bye!"
The twosome bounded off towards a Pelipper, who had been silently waiting. They followed the Pokémon, waving their tails. The perfume scent faded with them.
Pineno laughed and jumped in circles. "I knew we would be helping Pokémon, but no one ever told me there would be rewards like this! This is incredible!"
Krista was in awe. She didn't know what to think. Why would anyone be so willing to part with that much money?
(But why does it even matter?)
Her lips twitched into a wicked smile. Her pulse was racing with the same strong waves of excitement she felt at the lake.
But the difference was, it was hers to have.
(It's all mine now…all mine…)
"Ah, yes. The classic case of the naive," Dusk hummed.
"Huh?" Pineno stopped at once as the Mightyena walked up to him.
To their horror, Dusk reached down and scooped up the bag of money!
"What are you doing?!" Krista cried.
"No need to be hostile. I am only doing what is always done," Dusk said as he carried the bag over to Slowking. He dropped it in his paw. "The money you are rewarded from missions are handed to our Headmaster. But, before you panic, don't worry. You earn your share of the money, of course!"
Krista felt her heart sink. She didn't know why it devastated her so much. But the sight of Dusk plucking out only a few selected coins…made her feel like someone had torn her chest open with a cold blade.
They were all supposed to be hers…
Dusk returned, holding a few coins in his mouth. He set them down on Pineno's paws. Heart-breaking devastation flooded his face.
"300?! But that's not fair!" Pineno whined.
It stung.
Krista would usually be able to contain the rising heat that often swelled in her chest, but that time, she couldn't hold it down. Her angry eyes locked on Dusk, who took a step back the moment he noticed it.
But it wasn't him he took her money.
Slowking counted what remained inside the bag—for what reason should he count what he had left?! Was he mocking her?
Krista felt the claws of her feet sink into the ground. It was the only thing that kept her anchored. Her own voice wavered with the rage she struggled to keep under control. "We only get to keep 10% of our earnings?! 10?! And everyone is okay with that? What kind of stupid rule is that?! We almost got torn to shreds by those Excadrill, and we could have had our memories wiped, and you're telling me the best we get to keep is a measly 300?! We practically got robbed! Aren't you already rich enough?!"
Dusk and Grove took several steps away from the Slowking, their faces nearly drained of color.
He had stopped counting. His eyes were locked on her.
Krista snapped back to reality. Her paws clasped over her mouth, but it was already too late. She couldn't stop herself. The moment she spoke, the words just kept going.
Pineno couldn't save her. His expression told her that much.
Again! She didn't again! Why…? She couldn't understand it…as if it came out on its own.
Slowking closed his eyes, and he released a heavy sigh.
"I'm…I'm sorry…" Krista whispered. "I…"
He held up a paw and shook his head. "I understand…your frustration. You are not the first to voice strongly about your distaste towards the percentage. But the next time you disagree with something…I suggest you mind the words and tone you use carefully."
The worst part was, Krista couldn't tell if he was upset with her or not. In fact, when did he ever look upset about anything? It was difficult to read his face sometimes, and just looking at him, no. She couldn't look at him.
She could look at Grove, but she was averting her eyes all the same. Dusk…he pawed at the ground with nervous energy.
Slowking continued. "I'll let this go only because I see what I've done was a cruel act; To split your money right before your eyes, especially considering you are a Meowth. It's just as cruel as pushing a Charmander into water. It brings nothing but agonizing pain to you. I have let that slip my mind. For that, I apologize."
So he wasn't angry with her? Krista was expecting to be scolded in return, or to be sent away for her unkind language. He was letting her off easy? All because she was a Meowth? What if she was a different Pokémon instead?
Did she get angry all because she was a Meowth?
(It can't be that my personality is being altered, could it…?) The thought almost swelled her heart with horror. She didn't want to think of it as a possibility, but it wasn't the first time it happened.
She's already a human-turned-Pokémon who lost her memories. She didn't want to lose what could be her own personality. It was all she had left of her former identity.
Krista only glanced at Grove and caught her sympathetic smile.
"You probably assumed that I am keeping the rest of it for myself, hm?" Slowking asked.
"I…" Krista almost didn't want to look at him. "What else are you going to do with the money?"
Slowking smiled. "The 90% portion I have claimed is not for me. No, not at all. It covers just about everything here; Your rooms, food, resources, training…none of this came free, as you could imagine."
Krista mentally facepalmed. Of course. Of course. That made perfect sense. Everything only seemed free to her because she was a Retaliator. From the way Slowking put it, her labor was what paid for everything she used. She foolishly took it all for granted.
Had she not joined the ranks, she would be paying for everything with her own pockets, wouldn't she?
"Of course this isn't permanent," Slowking continued. "Once you prove yourselves as capable of reaching Gold rank, your share of your earnings is increased to 50%!"
50%... it was still not as great to hear, but it was far better than the gruesome 10.
"Ahaha! Such a great thing to hear!" Dusk laughed, as if to kill the awkward atmosphere. "G-Gold rank! Only need to share half of your earnings! Such mercy!"
It sounded like his own words brought pain to his heart, but he was laughing. He was laughing so much that he started to cackle.
"Are…are you okay?" Pineno asked, concerned.
"Ahahaha! AHAHAHAHA! FIFTY PERCENT!" Dusk lowered his head. His body shook violently from his hysterical cackling.
Krista thought she took it hard.
Grove sighed. "Don't worry about him. He always gets like this."
"Ahahahahaha!" Something twinkled in the corners of Dusk's eyes.
(Is…he about to cry?) Krista had to press her lips together to keep herself from stating it aloud.
"Dusk, how about you step aside for a while until you've regained your composure," Slowking suggested, wearing a warm smile.
As Dusk moved aside, endlessly laughing, nearby Pokémon stepped aside. They didn't seem to pay him much mind, which meant it had to be a normal occurrence.
"Ah, yes. Grove." Slowking plucked a handful of coins he counted from the bag. He held out his paw towards an extending vine. It scooped the coins with a single coil.
As Grove claimed her own share of the money, Pineno approached her, wearing a soft smile.
"Thank you for helping us, Ms. Grove," he said. "You really saved us back there."
"Of course. It was quite an adventure," Grove said with a smile. She tucked away her payment within her leaves.
Since Krista had time to cool down and think with a rational mind, she realized just how lucky they were. Grove had to save them twice. They were only successful because of Grove's interference. It made her wonder if her reaction to her payment being cut was justified. Oinkologne gave them such generous rewards. It just didn't feel right to claim them.
"Does it really count since you had to save us?" Krista asked. "Our mission would have fallen apart if we tried on our own."
Grove chuckled. "Don't be so hard on yourself, child. You are still training. You are still learning. For me to jump in and save you wasn't because you failed, but because I chose to help you. What kind of escort would I be if I allowed the two of you to get hurt in such a morbid way? As an associate, it's my job to protect you. No one ever said that these jobs were so easy. But, in time, you will know how to respond to similar situations. You will no longer need our escort then."
Just as Dusk said…
"Then, we will do everything we can to get there!" Pineno promised, striking his chest with a paw. "And we'll most definitely help a lot more Pokémon like Oinkologne!"
"Speaking of, how would he and Lechonk go home?" Krista wondered. She saw them depart with Pelipper, but was it going to carry them both? It didn't seem possible. They weren't the first Pokémon to be rescued, nor would they be the last. If Stoneridge Complex was supposed to be hidden from the public eye, how did they manage that with so many outside Pokémon seeking help?
Slowking smiled. "By now, they should have been taken outside of the base. You have little to worry about. They only know of the existence of this place. They have no idea where they are or how they got here, thanks to the badge transportation. Zee will wipe away their memories of their departure, so they won't remember where the complex is hidden."
Pineno looked at his own badge. "Wow. These badges are like magic…"
"That's another thing: These badges are linked solely to The Central Retaliation Corps. Anyone from The South or The East, for example, would have to walk here by foot. The same goes for us when we visit them. Security reasons, of course."
They had precautions, but it felt like there were holes in them. What if the memory erasure didn't work? What if a rescued Pokémon was actually some sort of spy for The Sorcerers?
"You doubt the security of this place, Krista?" Grove asked.
The question made Krista jump. Did she make it that obvious?
A quick look at Slowking told her he wasn't so bothered.
Or, was he that good at hiding his face? He was always smiling.
"I can assure you that this corporation is a lot more secure than it appears to be on the surface," he said. "Strict measures have been set in place all around the perimeter. Yes, yes. Zee has his eyes everywhere at once. He always knows. He will alert any associate closest to the threat to engage with it. What you've seen from Dusk and Grove is only a fraction of what they are capable of."
Krista knew. Between the Slugma and Excadrill, she had seen how easily they tossed them without even trying.
Pineno nodded. "Yeah, there was no way we would have escaped the horde of Excadrill. Even if we did somehow escape, we wouldn't have stood a chance against Orbeetle and the others! Grove is really strong! Just as Dusk said!"
Several eyes turned to Dusk, who had calmed down in the middle of their conversation. Once he noticed the attention, he took a step back. "Ah…is it something that I did?"
"How kind of you, Dusk." Grove smiled.
Dusk avoided everyone's eyes. "Ah…it's…just true facts…"
"The Orbeetle…" Krista still couldn't understand what it was. Back when they were in the Blindside Burrow Depths, was it the atmosphere that changed? Why did she attack so suddenly?
"You have another question," Grove said.
Krista was being read like a book for sure. Or…was it her body language? Having shifting ears and a long tail really made some feelings impossible to hide…
"Before we started fighting, it felt like my heart was starting to race," Krista explained. "I guess it was to prepare me to fight…but how did my body know exactly when to move? It's not like when I fought the wild Pokémon."
"Wild creatures, Krista," Grove said. "They have not earned the title of Pokémon just yet."
"Huh…?"
"But…I will answer your question. Why you feel nothing against the wild creatures is because they are not sentient. They are feral, wild beasts who are always looking for a fight. They run on pure instincts and nothing else. That is why it is impossible to reason with them. However, when you are against a Pokémon, it feels different because you can feel it click. Try as we might, battling is a trait we can never shake from our cores. It's a primal instinct that makes up who we are. So when two civil Pokémon prepare to engage in a fight, for a split second, you feel those primal instincts surfacing…preparing you. Your mind becomes locked into the battle."
"These are all basic information, things you learn as a young hatchling," Slowking said, confused. "I am aware that you have been sheltered, but now I'm growing worried about just how little you know."
(And so am I. I'm looking more oblivious with every passing day…) Krista thought with a sigh.
"Although, perhaps we can fault that on the current state of our world," Grove said. "There have been many cases of Pokémon being too afraid to venture out into the world out of fear of the sky-rifts. This isn't all too surprising. I just wish things didn't have to be the way."
Slowking nodded solemnly. "Yes, very unfortunate times…"
(Oh thank goodness.) An unintentional save. Krista would take it.
"That reminds me," Pineno said. "When we spoke to Orbeetle, he said that the spring there…it was where Pokémon went to evolve."
"Yes, yes. That is true," Slowking said.
"And you never told us?!"
Slowking cleared his throat. Pineno covered his mouth, realizing he spoke too loud. The Headmaster dismissed a nearby crowd, and they went about their ways.
"I had to keep my promise to not speak a word of that place when I discovered it," Slowking said. "So naturally, I couldn't tell you anything about it. But now that you've discovered it, and that information was disclosed to you, you understand why, don't you?"
(Because Orbeetle didn't want The Sorcerers to take advantage of it,) Krista thought. (That's why. But the bad part about it is that no one can evolve anymore…)
"So, I guess no one has used it for ages, huh?" Krista asked.
"Actually, Dusk has evolved there only recently. Just last year."
"Huh?!" Team Retribute turned to the Mightyena, who almost choked on air. The casual remark caught him off-guard. He gave the Headmaster a stunned look, almost as if he was betrayed.
"Just about everyone knows you evolved, Dusk," Grove said. "You were a Poochyena for the longest when you worked with us."
"I…I know that! But…but they didn't have to know!" Dusk stammered. "It's not—it's not something I like to talk about! I still…didn't want this…"
Silence hung in the air until Slowking let out a sigh. "But you made your decision. I even asked if you were entirely sure about it. I didn't want you to feel pressured to do something you would regret."
A tongue swept Dusk's lips. "I know. I know that I refused it for so long, because I feared if I did…"
He shook his head.
"No. No…I had to get stronger. That's why I evolved. Poochyena…we—they are known to flee when they stand against something beyond their capabilities. And sometimes that fear becomes so overwhelming, that you are too scared to do as much as move. S-so, the only way to get rid of that…"
"Dusk…" Grove's soft smile shrunk. She looked sad for him.
"So…yeah. The Headmaster took me to Luminous Burrow. I took a deep drink of the spring water, and the next thing I knew…"
Dusk looked at his body, lifting one paw at a time.
"It's been over a year, and I still can't get used to seeing myself like this sometimes. It's not fair, really. How the Pokémon who want to evolve can't do so anymore. I understand Orbeetle's reasoning. It's to keep The Sorcerers from getting stronger. But, it has also placed that restriction on us. If you had a desire to evolve, I'm afraid it won't be answered anytime soon."
Evolution wasn't something that crossed Krista's mind much ever since she woke up as a Pokémon. Growing used to her changed body was still something she needed to follow through. Evolving would only throw her back to the beginning, as Persian were strictly quadrupled. She wasn't ready.
What if evolution affected more than her Pokémon body? If she ever returned to being human, would she be years older?
"You're looking at me all weird," Dusk pointed out, pulling Krista from her thoughts.
(Oh, no!) Krista almost panicked. (I guess I was looking a bit too hard! What am I supposed to say?!)
"Are you upset with me for taking the last slot of evolution?"
"No! Not at all!" Krista waved her paws. "I was just…thinking! You had to grow up! I mean—not saying it's a bad thing to! But I, argh! I mean, you didn't want to grow up but you had to get stronger—Not saying it was something you had to do but—"
"Whoa, whoa slow down…you're going to trip over your own words," Dusk said. "Grow up? What do you mean by that? I'm already grown up."
"Yeah but…you had to do it so soon."
Realization crossed Dusk's face. "What? You think…you think I was a kid like you just last year?"
It was Krista's turn to be confused. "What?"
"Evolution and…maturity are not linked."
"What?"
"Is that…you didn't know that?"
Krista noticed that it wasn't just Dusk who was puzzled by her assumption. Everyone else was, excluding Pineno at least. He wanted to say something, maybe to defend her, but there was nothing he could come up with to excuse her ignorance.
Grove chuckled at the confusion. "I see. You are mistaken, child. While evolution does somewhat have a bit of influence on Pokémon growth, it doesn't determine if a Pokémon is fully grown or not. Dusk had been matured for several years before he made the decision to evolve. If you need a comparison, Dusk is a few years older than Howler."
Krista's mouth hung open.
"Although, you were right about one thing." Grove's smile vanished. "Dusk was forced to grow up quickly. A terrible thing indeed."
"A score and half a decade," Dusk said. "You forget how to smile when you linger on such dreadful feelings for so long. You forget how to have fun. You forget how to be a child, something I wouldn't wish on anyone."
"The determination to put an end to such dread is what drives us forward," Grove said. "It gives us the strength to keep fighting, no matter how bleak things become. We will always prevail."
Those words.
They weren't just lyrics to an anthem. They were the beacon of hope that Pokémon had been holding on to for so long.
(They had been fighting against the Corruption for decades, maybe longer than that. And from what I've heard from many Pokémon…it was only recently the sky-rifts became more common. Maybe that's also why Dusk felt the need to evolve. It's not fair for him…to feel that he didn't have a choice.)
Krista glanced at Pineno, who had been silent throughout the entire topic. She could only imagine what was going through his mind. He was personally affected by the terrible things as well.
Slowking looked at the two young Pokémon. "Well…after hearing your frightening encounter within Blindside Burrow, it is evident that the wild creatures are growing more restless. But for what reason…?"
Slowking's mouth opened wide as he let out a huge yawn. His expression shifted, as if he was struck with an idea.
"Ah-hah. Between the strange incident in the Fire Maze, and the similar nature seen within Blindside Burrow…I would like to say that these may be connected. We may be seeing more of this."
Disbelief crossed Dusk's features. "What? You're saying there's a possibility every existing mystery dungeon might have hordes? In all my years of traversing in these environments, nothing like that has ever happened. It's highly unusual, even in a logic-defying space such as that."
"Yes, indeed. We will need a proper investigation. Grove. I'm going to need you to post a request on the bulletin," Slowking said. "I need experienced teams to investigate known dungeons. I need to know if anything else has changed. I need to see if it would be necessary to change some of these dungeons' hazard levels. I don't wish for a lesser experienced team to come across something they are not prepared for. It would be catastrophic."
Grove dipped her head. "It will be done."
"Hordes like these usually don't form unless the wild creatures feel the need to protect something. Whether it is themselves or the loot they have clustered in their claws." Slowking tapped his chin. "Something is disturbing them. It surely has much to do with the sky-rifts. Do we have to bump every known dungeon up a tier just to assure nothing goes wrong? What about Elder Gyra? There haven't been reports of her appearing anywhere. I'm worried if she's well…"
No one answered. No one knew the answer.
"At any rate," he looked down at the pair of children. "we will have to prepare you for the possibilities of more swarms in the future…yes. Tomorrow, you should go see The Kecleon Brothers about some wands."
"Wands?" Krista echoed. "You mean like, the kind the magicians use?"
"They are a must-have for dungeon-crawling. They are a great resource when you don't want to burn through your Wonder Orbs. We should have received our shipment from The Solis Region yesterday."
The Kecleon Market. Krista was warned about the place before. She had seen glimpses of it whenever she visited Kangaskhan. Everyone made them sound like a huge deal, and it didn't help her nerves. She wasn't quite ready to meet them.
"I'm sure you can curb your impulses," Grove said, noticing her fearful face. "But I'll have Vigor take you there, just in case."
"For now, the two of you should eat dinner and get some sleep. I'm sure you're exhausted," Slowking said.
Exhausted. Krista didn't even notice. If it wasn't physical, it was mental. She desired nothing more than to sleep for a while now.
The Slugma incident and the Excadrill ambush? Being attacked by Orbeetle? Did that really happen in one day?
"Yeah. Today was just the tip of the iceberg," Dusk said, as if he read her mind. "That's what we are training you for. Since today was so hectic, how about we take it easy tomorrow? I'll ask Howler to let you sleep in."
(Oh, thank goodness.) Those the best words Krista heard all day.
… … …
The cafeteria food was something Krista never thought she would be looking forward to. However they decided to serve the berries, she didn't care. She just wanted to eat and head to bed early. It was evident that Pineno had the same idea. He wasn't as chatty as he usually would be.
As they entered the commons, Krista felt the strange atmosphere surface again. That time, she couldn't shake it off. It was a familiar sensation, and it was strong enough for her to come to a stop.
(There it is. That feeling again! I'm sure of it! Someone has been following me!)
Krista kept her focus in the direction where the source was the strongest. It was near the cafeteria entrance. She squinted her eyes, but she knew it wouldn't make a difference. The floating stones were generating less electricity due to the late evening. She could still see.
She was sure she was looking in the right direction, but she didn't see anything out of place.
"Is everything okay?" Pineno asked. "You've been doing that a lot lately."
"Don't know. Feels like I'm being watched or something. It's been going on for a few days…"
"Oh! You too?" Pineno grinned, unaware of Krista's stunned look. "I thought I was just being paranoid, so I ignored it! But now that I know you feel the same way, I guess someone has been following us!"
"But why doesn't that worry you?"
"Everyone in the corporation is here for a reason. There's no Pokémon here who wants to hurt us! At least not on purpose." Pineno shrugged.
(What is that supposed to mean…?)
"If we are being followed, I guess that means that Pokémon is to shy to let us see them." Pineno looked directly at the same direction. "Isn't that right? You're just shy. But it's kinda rude to keep stalking, you know. It makes Pokémon nervous."
Krista didn't know what to say. Was he talking to the stalker?
"Come on out! It's okay! We are only rookies, so it's not like we are the strongest Pokémon here or anything! If you wanted to talk, you could had said something!"
There was a long pause of silence. Pineno didn't budge. Krista was unsure of his methods, but whoever was there didn't move yet. They were still there, probably trying to decide…
The air ripped feet ahead. It took a shape of some sort of reptile. Like water, its form came into view from head to toe.
It was a Sobble, the same one that fled from the dojo.
"You're Tidal, right? Dusk mentioned you!" Pineno smiled. "He said that you're pretty talented! I was hoping to get to know you soon, but not like this!" He laughed.
The Sobble looked like he was on the verge of tears.
Krista almost overlapped her own words. "Wait! Don't cry! We aren't mad at you or anything! I promise!"
Tidal averted his eyes. His attention was on the ground. "Y-you're…you're not angry? Not at all? B-but…what I did was…very intrusive. I-I know it was."
His tone was soft and wary, but Krista could tell he was at least a little older than them, judging from how his voice sounded compared to Pineno. He was closer to Midnight's age, if she has to guess. It was his shy and reclusive posture that made him look younger than he actually was. He was almost trembling.
"We just wanted to know why you were following us, that's all," Krista said. "No harm in the question."
Tidal looked up, and he vanished the same way he appeared.
"No, wait! I—"
The answer for his sudden disappearance came. A large group of Pokémon walked past, having a hearty conversation. Krista stepped aside to stay out of their way.
"You can turn invisible," Pineno said, as soon as the crowd was far enough. "That's a pretty cool trick to have. Must be really useful inside mystery dungeons."
"M-mystery dungeons…" Tidal's voice was just above a whisper. "I-I…I've learned so much about them. The…the dojos helped me learn so much more. I've gotten to the 5th floor in all of them…"
"Wow! You have?!" Pineno almost shouted. Krista bumped him with a hiss. "Sorry…"
Tidal continued, shame in his voice. "...Y-yeah, but at the end of those dojos…they have a boss you need to stand strong against. I…I was never able to. Th-they all scared me. I-I always ran away. And because I always ran away, I was never allowed to do any real missions. I just want to prove myself that I'm not as weak as everyone thinks I am, but…it's so hard. I-it's so hard when…they expect you to do such big things…"
"It sounds like they are putting a lot of pressure on you," Pineno said. "Who is mentoring you?"
"...M-Ms. Vigor was my mentor but…I-I chickened out. And…and…they…make fun of me for always running away. They told me I would never become a proper Retaliator. Th-they told me I should just give up. And…that was what I was about to do. I was…on my way to Ms. Grove, but then I saw you and—"
"What?! What kind of cruel Pokémon would tell you something like that?!" Pineno asked.
Tidal hesitated to answer. "T-Team Slasher…"
Krista growled under her breath. "Of course…"
Tidal revealed himself to them again. His curled tail lowered to the ground. He didn't look at either of them, as if he would melt from the overwhelming shame he was feeling.
"B-but then you two arrived," he said. "and you had this confidence in your eyes I've never seen before. S-so…I decided to follow you to see what drove you to come here. I never really learned anything. I know it's not my place to do that. But…I just wanted to know. Everyone was curious about you two. You're the only Pokémon I've seen that stood up against Team Slasher. E-everyone else just stayed out their way or did whatever they liked. Everyone…everyone is afraid of Midnight because she's so rough with everyone. Anyone who gets too close to her only gets yelled at. But not you two. Y-you two stood firm. That's why I started to follow you around. I wanted to know how… H-how are you so strong, when you aren't strong?"
"Hrrrm…I never really considered myself strong," Pineno said. "I just did what I had to. For some reason, Team Slasher decided to mess with us. But, I'm not going to let them discourage me. They keep messing with us because we don't let them have their way with us."
He paused.
"Well, I say they, but really Axe never said anything wrong."
"He never tried to stop his friends from messing with us," Krista said, recalling all the times he stood by and watched. If he disagreed with them, why would he do nothing? He never appeared afraid of Midnight. He was at least considerate enough to apologize…but still…
"Y-you're right," Tidal said. "and I can't let them push me around anymore. I can't let them think I can't accomplish anything! Mr…Mr. Dusk told me I have the spirit of an explorer! M-mystery dungeons don't scare me! If those don't scare me…I won't let the big Pokémon scare me, too!"
But even after he said that, he was still shaken.
"You know, I'm not the bravest Pokémon in the world," Pineno said. "Whenever I get scared, I remember this song I was taught when I was small. It always makes me feel like I'm not alone, because in truth, Pokémon are never alone."
"A-and what would that be?" Tidal wondered.
"I'll teach you! You gotta dance! Like this!" Pineno stomped one foot and quickly stomped with the other. "Everytime you say stomp or anything, you gotta put emphasis, otherwise you won't feel it!"
"F-feel it?"
"Like this; Everybody gather 'round, now everybody, stomp, stomp! See? See how I stomped there! And now…"
"O-oh! I do know this song!" Tidal shouted for the first time.
"Oh, wow! You do?!"
Krista listened to their excited chatter. She didn't know how Pineno did it, but he easily lifted the Sobble's crushed spirit.
She realized…he did the same for her when she felt lost. It was something that came naturally to him.
And he was singing again. "Fear won't cross me, I am not alone! Determination, all we've ever known!"
Tidal beamed. "Hope will hold me, it will be my light! We as one mind, shall conquer our own strife!"
Perhaps Krista should learn it, only because she felt left out.
… … …
After they ate a very unrecognizable dinner, Krista and Pineno headed off to their rooms to rest for the night. Krista laid on her straw bed, staring at the ceiling that reflected back at her. It was bare and visible, unlike what she had seen within Blindside Burrow. It was just her reflection.
But her mind still dared to pretend her body was being pulled within the starving vines. It still pretended that she was being consumed by the soil.
She shivered. She hoped she didn't have to return to such a horrible place anytime soon. The only good thing that came out of it was that Oinkologne was safe. What it took to save him was a lot more pain than she was ready for.
She could still feel the tiniest of stings on her face. It was strange how the oran berries worked their magic. The scratches she inflicted on herself had vanished, as if they were never there.
She hoped she wouldn't have to do that to herself ever again.
"Can't sleep?"
Krista turned her head towards Pineno's direction. He was laying on his side, looking back at her.
"It's been on my mind all day, too," he said. "The dungeon was pretty wild. And Oinkologne! He just…risked his life going to that place in hopes that the spring water rumors were true. He wanted to help his mom. His mom who…if I had to guess, was Corrupted."
In the dark, Krista could see the frown on his face. She wished she had the right words to say to him. She hated seeing him so down.
"So many Pokémon can't evolve because Orbeetle is keeping the place a secret. And even if you and I wanted to evolve, we can't go there again. Orbeetle told us to never come back until everything is normal. It's a little harsh…but I understand why."
Krista nodded. (We can't evolve. If I had to guess, Dusk must have been the last Pokémon to visit the Luminous Burrow for its true purpose. Maybe Orbeetle gave him an exception. But why is that?)
"Do you remember what Grove said? About how many Pokémon are too scared to venture far because of all the sky-rifts? It's been like that for years, longer than I've been alive. And then, what Orbeetle told me…it had me thinking. How many Pokémon gave up on their hopes and dreams because of The Corruption? Because of The Sorcerers who took advantage of it just to ruin this land? I know the Retaliation Corps was formed just to investigate these things and to put a stop to them, but…it doesn't seem to be enough. Then you have Pokémon like Oinkologne who would risk everything just to help someone he cares about…"
He sighed.
"Stories say that the sky-rifts existed for centuries. It was only recently that they became far too common to the point they are seen by just about anyone. But is it only happening here? Is it happening all over the world…?"
It was a question neither of them knew the answer to.
"I guess if I keep talking, I'll have you awake all night. We should get some sleep."
He turned his back and curled into a ball.
"Goodnight, Krista."
Krista turned towards the wall and sighed. Not even a minute had passed, and she could hear Pineno's soft snorting.
(How does he fall asleep that fast? Is that even normal?)
She knew she had to get some sleep too, but it was never easy to go to sleep right away. She was sure it had something to do with her Meowth body. Dusk did say that she defied her own biology.
She closed her eyes. Even if Meowth were nocturnal, she still had to force herself to sleep. There was more work to be done tomorrow. If she kept working, she could find the answer behind that mysterious voice, and what it could want from her.
It knew her, but she couldn't remember who it was. From the things it said…it wanted to trust her. She just…had to remember…one day at a time.
After several minutes of staying still, the first hints of drowsiness finally took hold. She started to drift off.
And that was when she remembered.
Her eyes snapped wide open.
The sky-rifts were in her dreams. The things that voice said…!
(Wait a second! The voice said both! Am I not the only human in this world?!)
- The Next Morning -
"UP!"
Krista's heart was in her throat as she screamed and sprung off her bed. Next to her, she heard Pineno let out an annoyed groan.
"Gagh…good morning…?" Pineno rubbed the sides of his head. "I thought Dusk said…we were allowed to sleep in…?"
"Yes. You did sleep in," Howler said with a scoff. "You are the last team to be woken up."
(He can't be serious!) Krista sat up with a glare, but he paid her no mind.
"Eat breakfast," Howler ordered. "Vigor is waiting for you in the marketplace. Do not keep her waiting. You've wasted enough time."
As soon as he left, Krista face-planted on the ground. It was an instant regret the second her coin touched the dirty surface—
"UUUUGH!"
It didn't feel like she slept in at all.
… … …
Breakfast was served with chesto berries again. As Krista ate her fill, she thought about how happy Scovillian was the previous day. She was sure some of the berries were brought in from a variety of teams.
Once they returned the trays to Highness, they left the commons and headed down the hall leading to the marketplace. The early morning made it near vacant due to only the Retaliation Teams being awake. Everyone else got to sleep in, something Krista desired.
She was lied to.
Krista was unable to stifle a yawn.
"Ah! There you are!"
Vigor.
"Mornin', you two! I hope you slept well, because we have a long day ahead of us!" The Machamp clapped two hands together. She was in a peppy mood despite how early in the day it was. "Are y'all ready to go shoppin'?"
"I guess," Krista answered. She was sure they would go regardless of what she said.
"Wonderful! Let's get right to it then!"
As they entered the marketplace, it was almost a ghost town. There were only a few Pokémon present—all which were Retaliation Teams—preparing for the day. All the shopkeepers were active and served everyone with a smile. Grove was back at her registration office, which already held a line despite the slow morning. She took notice of them walking past, and returned a wave to Vigor.
They stopped in front of the vacant Kecleon Market. Beyond the counter and under the tent were wooden shelves stocked with merchandise, all grouped by type. It was a neat presentation. Krista could make out apples, berries, and seeds stashed inside their respective crates. Each was pushed against the corners. She could make out blue and green-topped bottles lined up in the shelves in a perfect row. Orbs of all shapes and sizes somehow didn't roll off the flat surfaces. She could make out several rows of discs held in slots. Anything reflective was stored in the shadows, but still clearly visible.
She caught Vigor smiling at her. If Krista had to guess, the shiny objects were moved there on purpose. Relieved or embarrassed, Krista didn't know what to feel.
Still, she was positive the entire stand held valuable goods. There were no doors, no curtains, not like the other shops. Far too many expensive items were exposed for anyone to put on display so early in the day. (Assuming that they did wake up around the same time she did.) The only conclusion she could come to was that maybe they were left there overnight. It seemed reckless. There were worst Pokémon who would make a move to steal what they wanted, right?
"There isn't even anyone here," Krista said. "They didn't even try to keep these items out of reach."
"There's no reason to," Vigor said.
Krista tried to make sense of it. Was there a trap, perhaps? She leaned for a closer look, and that was when a green and purple body materialized in front of her. She staggered back, startled by their sudden appearance. The pair of Kecleon looked back at her with beaming smiles.
"Welcome to Kecleons' Shop and Wares!" The duo of Kecleon sung in sync.
"We have berries and seeds!" The green one danced.
"Orbs and TMs!" The purple one spun around.
They jumped at once. "Everything that a Retaliation Team needs! How may we help you?"
"Wow! They were invisible the entire time?!" Pineno blurted out. "That's so cool!"
Krista sighed as she collected herself. It wasn't slow and steady like Tidal's own ability. What made it worse, was that she was convinced that no one was there. She didn't sense them anywhere.
The Kecleon were patient, looking at the trio of Pokémon with friendly smiles. The green one noticed Krista's expression, and he chuckled.
"Sorry, sorry! I do apologize! Vigor told us that she would be introducing the two of you to us, so we decided to take a good look at you first. And my, your reactions are quite amusing! But you have nothing to worry about! Our shop is a lot more secure than you could possibly imagine!"
"As you can see!" The purple one faded out of sight within a second. "And you must be wondering; Why was I unable to sense them at all! Well!"
He appeared again and slammed his paws on the countertop.
"That is the Kecleon secret! But you are not here to hear about us, no, no! You are here to see what we have available in our shop! Well, I'll have you know that we have a special deal for first-time shoppers! A bonus for new recruits, especially!"
"Brother! Do you have it ready as the Headmaster asked?" The green one asked.
"Of course! Of course! I have it right here!" The purple Kecleon reached behind the counter, and he picked up a small wooden box. He set it down in front of them and opened it for them to see. "New recruits get a starter set, and it's on the house! The very basics of dungeon-crawling needs!"
"Two big apples! Four oran berries! A heal seed and max elixir all for you!" The green Kecleon said.
"An escape orb for you, never too many to have! And yes, we have included a Kecleon orb—made by yours truly—so you can call upon a shop whenever you need it! But be careful. You can only use it once, and I highly recommend you hold on to it until you absolutely need it in the future!"
Pineno was almost speechless. "All of these are ours?! Are you sure?!"
"Why, of course!" the brothers cheered. "Our sincere thanks for your service!"
"And first-time shoppers get a discount!" The green one nudged Pineno with his elbow.
"This is amazing! Thank you so much!" Pineno took the box and closed it before holding it close against his chest.
"Aw, you two are so darn sweet!" Vigor chuckled at them both. "I hope y'all don't mind, but I'm buyin' a couple supplies for these two children today."
"Oh! Would you like our special deal today?" The green Kecleon took down a few jars from the shelf and placed them on the counter. "I see you have accessories! A power band and a defense scarf! Since you two are part of a team, how would you feel about matching colors?"
"Matching?" The thought never crossed Krista's mind before.
"Oh, yes! Several teams like to match! It makes them feel official! In these bottles are special fabric dyes that will change the colors of your scarves with ease! Just be careful, if it gets in your fur, it won't come off for weeks!"
"It really hides the sheen." The purple Kecleon solemnly nodded.
"Good news is, the paint weakens overtime. So when it does decide to come off, it's so easy! Once it starts to smear, that's when you get to bathe yourself free. We made sure the dye wouldn't be permanent! It was formulated by a Smeargle!"
"It's non-toxic, too!" The purple Kecleon added.
Krista could only assume it was a good thing.
"Well, we aren't here for any dyes, as pretty as the colors are," Vigor said. "The shipment. It should had arrived. You remember, don't you?"
The green Kecleon's eyes brightened. "Wands? Oh! I have plenty of wands! We just got them shipped in yesterday from the lovely Headmistress Delphox! You're looking for an easy selection for the new recruits! Of course! Of course!"
He scurried off in a hurry, scaling the shelves on all fours without knocking a single item off. Every step was so precise, as if he had done it a thousand times. He opened his mouth, and his long tongue flew out. It coiled around a small box, and it held it as he scaled back down. Once he stood tall, he set the box in his paws. His tongue returned to his mouth as he returned to the counter.
It was a bit gross, but effective.
"May I present to you; The Kecleon Brothers' starter kit!" he beamed.
"Trademarked, of course," the purple one whispered.
The box was opened. Krista knew she was expecting wands, but they looked nothing like she was prepared for. They were all made out of wood, but the shapes were strange. The colors were even stranger.
The green Kecleon picked up the first wand. It looked like a sanded-out tree branch, with three prongs one one side. "Behold! The Pounce Wand! A single wave of this, and you can send yourself flying as far as you casted the light! You can scale across a giant room within a dungeon faster than you can ever run, guaranteed!"
Next, he picked up another wooden wand. It was blue, with two prongs on each side.
"Next, I present to you; The Slow Wand! Is your enemy too fast for you to keep up with? Are they perhaps too strong for you to fight, and you want to escape? Worry not! A single wave of this wonderful wand, and your enemy will become slower than a Pyukumuku! They won't be able to keep up as you make your wonderful escape!"
The purple Kecleon smiled. "Although, I must warn you, the spell doesn't work on everyone, so I highly recommend you do your research, just in case!"
The green one pulled out the third and final wand. It was a sky-blue compared to the last one. The very branch was bent. "And finally, I present to you—my personal favorite—The Whirlwind Wand! A simple wave of this, and you can summon winds as strong as a Pidgeot's Whirlwind! Send your enemy flying out of sight, if you desire! While it isn't as powerful as a blowback orb, it still gives you more than enough time to think of your next move if you ever find yourself in trouble! And plus, unlike the blowback orb, you can cast the spell more than once! Isn't that great!"
"Yes, and that goes for every wand!" The purple one cheered. "But beware that you can only cast so many spells! They hold only so much magic, after all! Take a look at the leaves, and you will see!"
Krista studied them all. She glossed over it before, but she could see that they each had three leaves. Was that the indicator?
"It all comes together in the price of 115 poké! Not too bad! Cheaper than a single Wonder Orb, don't you think?"
"Although the effects are not as strong," the purple one said. His eyes darted around as they searched for anyone else listening. He leaned in and whispered; "Wood isn't a good conductor for magic!"
Vigor chuckled. "I'll purchase it! Much appreciated!"
"Oh, no! The appreciation is all yours, lovely Vigor! Thank you so much!" The green Kecleon said with a smile.
Vigor reached for the box, but she drew back her hand at the last second and smiled down at Krista. "Go on. You take it. It's all yours."
Krista picked up the box and held it close. She looked at the Kecleon brothers, who gave her the brightest of smiles. They were beaming with endless joy. She wondered if they were like that all the time.
"Thank yoooou! Come agaaaain!" The Kecleon Brothers sang with a wave as the trio departed.
"They are so nice!" Pineno said as he kept close to Vigor's side.
"Yes, they certainly are, aren't they?" Vigor chuckled. "They have such kind and loyal hearts, so it's only to be expected that we return that same energy!"
After that, they went to Kangaskhan Storage to put everything away. They went to Ariados Bank to deposit their money. (And that time, they were careful about transferring the money.) And once everything was done, Vigor left then with a wave.
"We will contact you once we are ready! Until then, wait in the library. Try to do some studyin', alright?"
Studying.
Krista knew exactly what she meant.
… … …
"Ugh. None of this is sticking at all!"
Krista's frustrated shout drew the attention of a few Pokémon, but they immediately went back to their quiet chatter.
Even under the early morning sun, and the comfort of the cool breeze, it didn't make Krista's head feel any clearer. If anything, the rustling of trees felt a lot more like a distraction.
Pineno had been trying to teach Krista the footprint rune basics for the past half hour. It was thought that it would be easy to learn. Krista assumed that there were a small number of characters, but the moment she learned there were a mass number of footprints to study, she lost her patience.
"I don't know. It just came naturally when I learned it. No one really had to sit down and teach me," Pineno whispered. "I had no idea humans used a limited amount of symbols. That sounds a lot harder to remember."
"How?" Krista hissed under her breath. "It's a lot more organized! You can merge them to make entire words and everything!"
"Oh! You remember what it looks like?"
"I…"
Krista frowned. Did she? She never thought about making an effort to write it down. Somehow, her mind went blank. Out of all the mundane knowledge she could remember, her human literacy just blipped. Although…she knew she could read. Maybe it was her Pokémon brain that made it difficult to imagine at the moment?
"Well, I don't know what I am looking at with this!" Krista glared at the book again. "It's just a bunch of random prints!"
Pineno lowered the book down. "Well…if you feel like you need to take a break—"
"No. It's fine." Krista noticed the look on his face. "I'm sorry. I know you were only trying to help."
"It's okay. I think I get it," Pineno said. "It sounds like your writing system is some kind of pattern. I guess it makes sense why it's so confusing to you. I'm sure I would feel the same way if I saw what yours was."
"Yeah…" Krista frowned. "But how am I supposed to read this? It's just scrambled all over the place. It's not even put in a straight line, or anything."
"It's not meant to be fixed in place."
The booming voice made her heart leap higher than her body did. As she turned around, she met Howler's gaze. His orange fur was like fire under the sun.
(Where did he even come from?!)
Pineno didn't notice him either. It was clear on his face.
(How much did he hear…?)
Howler walked forward, ignoring the gasps and eyes of the other Pokémon. The entire library had gone deathly silent.
It was as if no matter where he went, his giant presence was as powerful as his voice. Krista believed Pokémon only stayed out of his way because he was an associate. But now that they were in an open space, in the silence, she realized that he held a subtle, but dangerous glare. It wasn't directed at anyone, but it was almost crushing her very soul. She couldn't look into his eyes, because every time she did, she felt like he would lunge at her at any given second.
She winched as he stepped up on the table. The air was thick with his crushing power. He stood on his hind legs with both front paws pressed against the surface. He took the book and dragged it close to his level, studying it.
"You lack common knowledge." Howler said, his voice carrying across the room. "An insult to our history. I will not tolerate this a moment longer."
Krista felt herself panic. What did that mean? What…
"Pokémon were not always sentient," he continued. "We were wild, merciless beasts. We lived at the edge of life and death. Food and territory was a constant drive of survival, because they were the only things that mattered. We did not waste our energy on thinking. There was no reason to think. All that mattered was moving forward, day by day. Eat. Sleep. Fight. Survive. If you were struck down, you simply did not deserve to live. You become the stepping stone for someone else's advancement. But if they are struck down, then so be it. They were weak and invaluable. Existence is a privilege. Every day when you wake, you are tested. Every night when you sleep, you are tested. That was our way of life. There was no purpose. Just to survive."
Krista felt herself shrinking.
Why was he telling her this?
Why was his glare so intense…as if he was going to tear her into tiny pieces…?
"Your wild ancestors came into contact with living creatures who did not maim on sight. They approached. They offered…hospitality. Their kindness was seen as a weakness. So, we resisted. We fought. We hunted. But never did they retaliate on a large scale. They fed us. They sheltered us. They looked after us. To kill or to be killed…such a lifestyle was not how they survived. They healed strangers. They taught outsiders. Their kindness was how they survived. Somehow, that kindness slowly influenced us. No longer did we have to strike to live. No longer did we have to look over our shoulders to live. The food came to us. The shelter came to us. They offered us their wisdom. In return, we offered them our strength."
Howler placed his giant paw near the book. The table shook with a low thump.
"Our written language was a gift, written by your ancient ancestors. It is a direct influence from the humans of legend. Whether or not humans were real, we cannot say. But, their language did exist. It follows a variety of patterns that are too difficult for us to understand. So we developed our own. Each footprint is a stroke of our primal instincts that trace back to our ancient connection to humanity. It is not meant to be merely seen by the eyes. It's meant to be felt. Each print is filled with emotions…emotions we were granted by their endless wisdom. Look deep, young scratch-cat, and it will come naturally to you. That is how I learned. Now, it is your turn."
He stepped back, dropping back to all fours on the lush ground. He stood there, likely waiting for a response.
Pineno was speechless. If Krista had to guess, Howler explained the writing system far better than he could try.
But there was one thing Krista couldn't understand.
"Why did you help me?" she asked. "I thought you said you wanted me gone. I thought you hated me."
Howler raised his head. "Hatred is an emotion that does not cross me. No. You merely reek of weakness. The Pokémon here are strong. The moment you step outside, you will perish. This territory is not yours to claim. At least…that is what my wild mind says. Grove told me to look at you, and I see a troubled soul, a lost creature with no purpose. The Pokémon here all have their unwavering strength. That solid strength comes from their purpose. If you lack purpose, why do you continue to think? Why are you here?"
"I…" Krista licked her lips. "I'm here to fight against The Corruption."
"Hnn. So you've been told to say," Howler said. "You came here on a whim, tailing behind the Spiny-nut that accompanies you. Repeat what the others claim if you like, but you lie to yourself. Your very presence is an insult towards what this cooperation is all about."
Just when Krista thought he was being a little nicer…
Howler crossed the room and stopped near the exit. Ferrothorn climbed down from above, carrying a book in one of his feelers. It was offered to Howler.
He looked back with parting words. His glare remained solid as it always did.
"What is your true purpose for being here? I'm looking for an answer, and you have given me none."
Gently, he took the book from the librarian with his teeth. After a slow head dip of appreciation, he took his leave.
The horrible pressure in the room was gone.
Krista exhaled and laid her head on the table. Slowly, the quiet conversations of the other Pokémon returned, but they were terse and cautious.
"You know, I was ready to fight him if he tried to hurt you," Pineno said after a while.
"No. No you weren't." Krista shook her head before she looked at him. "And I wouldn't want you to anyway."
Besides, Krista already knew her purpose. She just couldn't tell him! She was in the cooperation to solve her own mystery. It was the very reason Pineno encouraged her in.
And still, Howler believed she arrived out of thin air. How was she supposed to convince him she wasn't taking advantage of the perks she was given?
With a sigh, she reached out and pulled the book close to her. The pages were lifted under her claws. She didn't realize they had unsheathed. When they did, she could only guess it was when Howler made himself known.
"Howler wouldn't have told me this if he wanted to see me fail." Krista said, although it was more towards herself. She placed her paw on some of the footprints, but she didn't feel much of a change. (But why would he go out his way just to give me a few tips on how to read this? I'm just one lone Pokémon among hundreds.)
"Maybe he's testing you," Pineno said.
"He has been ever since I came here," Krista pointed out. She traced the prints with her claws, but there was no progress.
"Mr. Ferrothorn said we could take the book with us if we wanted to," Pineno suggested.
"Yeah. Maybe I should take a break, at least until my head is focused again."
Pineno nodded. "Do you want me to read the other books to you?"
"Yeah. Actually…" Krista took another book from the pile. "Maybe if you point to what you are reading, it could help?"
"Yeah. That could work. It might give you an idea on what it's like, huh?"
Pineno opened the book and flipped through some pages. Motion stopped as a collection of footfalls built behind them.
Krista sighed once she recognized the approaching shadows. They were surrounded by Team Slasher in no time.
Even under the sun, Midnight did not shine. She looked dull and bitter as she frowned at the pair of children. She shook Magma off her arm with a low hiss. Axe next to her was playing with his tiny claws.
"What?" Krista knew her tone came out flat and tired.
"Easy, we haven't even done anything yet," Midnight said, noticing the glares. "See? This is what I am talking about. I was just trying to have a civil conversation with you two, and you're already jumping to conclusions."
"That's because every time you talk to us, you never have anything nice to say," Krista growled.
"It's not my fault you don't know how to handle the facts given to you, Meowth," Midnight said, her face falling into a frown. "Maybe everyone else wants to deny it, but I know you have no business being here. I don't have to repeat myself on why."
(It's not just you, you know.) Krista glanced towards the exit. Howler was out of sight.
"Midnight," Axe called.
"Alright, fine. Why can't you tell them? You're the one who wanted us to come here."
"Because I wasn't the one who caused this to happen. You have to tell them."
"Tell us what?" Pineno huffed. "We don't want to hear it!"
Midnight shrugged. "You heard him. He doesn't care about the new friend he made."
Krista felt her body freeze.
"What?" Pineno gave her his full attention. "What are you talking about?"
"No, oh no. Don't start asking questions now that you brushed us off. I was trying to do something good for once, but whatever." Midnight was already leaving.
"Please wait!" Pineno called her. He tried his best to ignore her smug smile. "What do you mean by new friend?"
"You already forgot?" Magma huffed. "Weren't you talking to that cowardly Sobble yesterday?"
Pineno sprung to his feet, almost ready to lunge. "What did you do to him?!"
"Hey! Keep it down!" Axe hissed at him. "You're going to get all of us in trouble!"
"How are we going to go down with you?" Krista growled in a low voice.
"Just listen." Midnight walked close to the table and pressed her claws on the surface. "We decided to pay him a visit. Just to check up on him. You know, looking out for others as a good Pokémon would."
(That's a lie.) Krista bit her lip.
"And he just blew up at us!" the Sneasel continued. "I've never seen that side of him before! He went on this stuttering rant that I couldn't keep up with, but he mentioned the both of you. He said that you told him that we shouldn't boss him around anymore."
"And he shouldn't!" Pineno said.
Axe huffed towards Midnight again. She rolled her eyes in response.
"I was getting to that," she told the Axew. "Anyway, we told him that we wouldn't stop bossing him around unless he proved his mettle."
"We…we told him that if he scaled Mount Ember on his own, we would leave him alone," Magma said.
"Mount Ember?!" Krista and Pineno gasped.
Axe waved his hands and hissed. "Shhhh! Not so loud! Quit yelling!"
Krista frowned. "Why would you tell him to go to a place like that?"
"We were trying to intimidate him. It usually works," Midnight said. "We didn't actually think that he would go there. He's gone, Meowth. He left."
"What?!"
Midnight shrugged. "Hey. We tried to stop him, but he said he had to prove himself. How he got out of the complex without anyone realizing is a mystery to me. I thought Zee is supposed to know these things. I guess since Sobble's not that important, Zee didn't pay him any attention."
"Why didn't you try to stop him?!" Pineno almost shouted. His voice was a rasp whisper instead.
"We would have, but too many Pokémon leaving at once would draw attention. So Axe here demanded for me to look for you." Midnight lifted her arms and let them drop. "Here we are."
"So he didn't leave that long ago. We can still catch him!" Pineno said. "We need to find help!"
"No! Don't do that!" Axe panicked. "If The Headmaster finds out, we'll all be in deep trouble!"
"And whose fault is that?!" Krista growled. "If you had left him alone, he would had never left!"
"But your genius friend decided to give him advice. So whose fault is it really, huh?" Midnight crossed her arms with a smug grin. It faltered once she realized it had no effect other than making Krista angrier.
The pair were sending daggers at one another. It only ended when Axe stepped between them.
"Arguing isn't going to solve anything," Axe told them. "Listen. Even if we do find some way to get outta here, Sobble will only see us and try another stunt. It will only dig us into a deeper hole. That's the other reason we came here."
"You mean you," Magma corrected him.
"This is all our mess." Axe slipped a hand in his backpack, and he brought out a round object that was wrapped in a cloth. "Here. Take this."
"What is that?" Pineno eyed it suspiciously.
"Calm down. It's just a Rain Orb," Midnight grumbled, with a roll of her eyes. "Sobble had it on him, but he threw it at us before he left. I guess it was his way of saying he didn't need to use it in such a hot place."
"He's gonna get cooked in there," Magma said. He let out a nervous laugh.
"Sunlight is bad there," Axe added. "His water attacks will not do well. Also, there's supposedly a territorial Pokémon that lives at the peak; The boss of the mountain, if you want to call it that. He said he was going to challenge that Pokémon. He said he was going to defeat it."
It just kept getting worse and worse. Krista didn't know what else to say.
She heard Pineno plop on the ground. His eyes started at nothing, but his face was towards the ground. "This is all my fault. I was just trying to cheer him up…I didn't think he would do something like this…"
"Pineno…" Krista felt just as lost. What could they do? The only logical thing would be to alert an associate. Sure, they would get into deep trouble, but—
"I'm going."
"What?!" Krista and Team Slasher looked at him as if he lost his head.
"Are you crazy?!" Magma's true face returned to the surface as he brought his paws close to his face. His voice wavered with fear. "Th-that dungeon is crawling with a bunch of flying and fire Pokémon! Axe, Midnight, and I ran into a lot of trouble while climbing that terrible place! You'll be turned into Murkrow food!"
Midnight growled. "If Howler had not been there, things would have been bad. You actually think you can scale that mountain alone?"
Pineno growled at her. "You expect us to sit around while he's alone out there?! You expect us to say nothing and let him perish?! No way!"
"It's not uncommon for a Pokémon that works here to fall into the hands of fate," Midnight said. "It's unfortunate, but it's true. Best thing that would happen is that he gets stranded and needs to be rescued."
"But we'll get in trouble anyway!" Magma almost blurted out, fearful. "We are just sitting Ducklett now!"
Midnight's tense expression flickered with fear, just for a second. However, the moment Pineno stood, her expression hardened again. "What are you doing?"
"I'm going. And you can't stop me!" Pineno took off running.
"Hey! Chespin! Wait!" Axe shouted, no longer caring who was listening.
"Pineno!" Krista ran after him.
"Not you, too! Come back!"
Krista didn't care who heard them, or who saw them. She couldn't lose sight of Pineno. She was sprinting down the hall on all fours, as clumsy as it was, trying to shrink the gap between them as fast as she could. But to her horror, she couldn't see him anywhere. The activity in the halls had increased as the morning became late. She had to dash around several groups just to progress, and they thankfully paid her no mind.
There! The marketplace!
He was talking to Kangaskhan. Krista was too far to make out what they were saying, but Pineno was making quick work filling the bag with items using his vines and paws at the same time. Kangaskhan just watched him, confused about his frantic attitude.
And he darted off again.
Krista clenched her teeth and ran faster. She passed the storage, and she could tell Kangaskhan was watching her, too.
"Pineno!" Krista called him again as he made a harsh turn-around.
Down the hall again she went. How she wasn't exhausted yet was a miracle itself. It wasn't long until they entered the residential area. The giant doors were far ahead. Pineno reached it in no time. He had already removed his badge, and he was pressing it into the slot.
The doors opened. She pushed herself to run faster. "Wait! WAIT!"
Pineno heard her at last. He glanced back just before he took another step forward. He didn't question her arrival. He waited until she was close enough, and he broke into a run again. Krista was close behind. The door closed behind them.
"Agh!" Pineno had forgotten about the darkness. His footsteps came to a stop. His vines hissed, and it could only be assumed he was feeling the walls.
Click. Click.
The bolts shot across the ceiling, and they were on the move. They bolted for outside the moment the waterfall moved just enough out the way.
Krista thought she saw her badge blinking. The harsh morning light against her eyes gave her second thoughts about checking it. She dismissed it as they took the western path alongside the cliff.
"Ugh! Those fiends! I can't believe they chased Tidal off like that!" Pineno ranted. "I'm going to make up for this! I won't forgive myself if he gets hurt!"
"That dungeon is beyond our skill-level! We could get hurt, too!" Krista shouted.
"I know! But I can't…I can't just do nothing!" Pineno said. He was almost out of breath, speaking between gulps of air, but he kept moving. "Listen, Tidal shouldn't…be too far ahead of us! I…packed an escape orb! If we find him there, we can just get out and be…brought back to the complex! Mount Ember is pretty far, but if…we get lucky, maybe we'll find him before he…gets there! We have to…hurry!"
Riverside Path: Western Road
They had no choice but to slow down when their bodies started to strain. Pineno gave Krista an oran berry to eat to soothe her aching body.
They kept moving at a quick pace. As vast as the space was, there wasn't a sign of a mountain nearby except for what was far in The North. But according to the map, Mount Ember was at the edge of Riverside Path. At first, Krista didn't understand how cool and hilly fields flowing with rivers would suddenly shift to mountainous terrain. But the further they went, the more the hills rose, and the rivers disappeared. The ground became littered with black rocks. They stabbed her paws, but Krista ignored it. Her pain didn't matter.
Ahead of them, the hills kept rising until they merged with a massive mound. It stuck out, coated with black and ash. It didn't look natural.
But Krista knew why. Midnight told them before.
(This place, it actually isn't a mountain. She was right.)
They kept moving. A group of Rattata ran across their path, vanishing in the grass. A small flock of Murkrow were retreating for the day. A pair of Spearow and a single Starly landed on a nearby branch, watching them with curious eyes.
Krista saw something shiny in the grass.
(Urgh! There is no time for that! Ignore it, and keep moving!)
But she couldn't ignore it. There was something about it that bugged her too much.
She caved and took a quick detour. Her sudden change in direction didn't go unnoticed.
"What are you doing?" Pineno asked. "We have to—"
Krista picked it up from the ground. It almost slipped from her hands the moment she recognized the shape.
It was a Retaliator Badge. She flipped it over just as Pineno looked over her shoulder.
"That's…that's a Sobble footprint…" Pineno gasped. "Why would he toss this? Doesn't he know the badges are extremely important for us to wear?"
Krista knew why he did it. The reason that crossed her mind was the only thing that made sense.
"He didn't want any way to turn back," she said.
Pineno took the badge and set it inside their bag. He took off without another word.
They resumed their route, scanning the area for anything blue.
And it crossed Krista's vision. It was small, but visible.
"Pineno!" She shouted. "I think that's him!"
Pineno gasped. He took off in a full sprint again. "It is! Wait! WAIT! TIDAL!"
Tidal looked back.
He ran faster.
"No! Nonono!" Pineno cried. "Stop! It's too dangerous there!"
"I don't care!" Tidal cried back. "I'm going to scale it! I'm going to show the world that I'm not a coward! My fear will guide me, just as you said!"
"That's not what I meant! Tidal! Wait!"
The moment Tidal touched the mound, the air rippled, revealing what appeared to be a massive, invisible wall. He phased right through it.
The space around him glowed white and twisted in a spiral. He was pulled inside.
He vanished.
Krista and Pineno skidded to a stop.
"It's like…he just entered a portal…" Krista wheezed. She always wondered what it looked like to enter a dungeon, but not like this.
Pineno stared at the spot the Sobble was last seen. He pushed aside his fears and resumed running. Krista was hot on his tail, her lungs almost burning.
"We have to keep going! No matter what!" Determination was in Pineno's voice. "We have to save Tidal!"
To be Continued in Chapter 15.
