It was a well known rumor that the second spire of the Kaiyo Adventurers' Guild was never accessed. What was inside remained a mystery to everyone. Guarded by an enchanted lock left by the founders, only the guildmaster held the means to open it.
Truth be told, Sirfetch'd didn't know what was inside either. He had many chances to open the lock and satisfy his curiosity, but he didn't. His predecessors hadn't, why should he? There was integrity at stake.
As he and Rapidash ascended the stairs, he lamented the fact it had to be opened now not out of curiosity, but necessity. The threat of Eternatus was forcing their hand, and Sirfetch'd was drawing blanks on how to properly proceed.
He recalled the old guildmaster's speech when he took up the position:
These ol' words have been passed down from guildmaster to guildmaster, said to be spoken by Zacian and Zamazenta to their first appointed leader. And now, it's my lucky turn to recite them to ya.
'Further along, you may encounter a danger when you must use this key. When you do, you will be faced with a concerning truth. Do not falter. You have allies by your side. Stand, and be brave. Cast the sword into the sky, so that its heavenly light may shield us all from the doom we were meant to stop.'
Now that ya've got that in yer noggin, do ya accept what it is ya must do as the next guildmaster, Sirfetch'd?
Sirfetch'd touched the key hiding behind his shield. To think he'd be the 'mon it fell to to finally enact it. He hoped this had some guidance, because if it didn't… Well, he'd do what he always did, and that was pretend he had everything planned. Sirfetch'd doubted it would come to that, though. Things always worked themselves out.
Their ascent came to an end as they reached the wooden door. Its age showed in the faded and cracked material, the mahogany color a mere shadow of what it was when first installed.
"It is a miracle how this stands without renovations," Rapidash commented. "Surely the years of decay would make it fall apart."
"The inside can be a different story," Sirfetch'd replied. It'd be one sad tale if they opened it to find a pile of crumbled dust. He set aside his leek to touch the glowing metal lock. Not a sign of rust or wear and tear to be found. He slipped the key out from behind his shield and after some fumbling, inserted it into the hole. "What are you hiding?"
Click!
Taking the lock off, he gently pushed on the doors to reveal a dark closet. A pale yellow light flickered on up above, illuminating a wooden pedestal in the center. On it sat a dusty glass orb.
"What is it?" Sirfetch'd asked, since he couldn't make it out clearly.
Rapidash leaned in, squinting. "At first glance, it appears to be… a Wonder Orb of some sort."
"That's it?"
Sirfetch'd had to admit it was disappointing.
"I am not seeing anything else." She took a couple steps inward, turning left and right. "Oh?" Her eyes glowed pink as she used Psychic to pick something off the floor— A small stone tablet with some inscriptions. "'To confirm your predicament is dire, speak the name of the foe that ails you,'" Rapidash read.
Sirfetch'd scratched his chin. They had two foes, which one did he say? He cleared his throat. "Calyrex."
Nothing.
"Eternatus?" he tried again.
The orb immediately hummed and lit up green.
"There, it's recording," a feminine voice said.
Sirfetch'd perked up. He just heard this voice, but from where? A 'mon who sounded cold and calculating like that could only belong to…
Now he remembered. It was Calyrex.
"Fascinating, thy kind can do anything," a huskier sounding female said.
"Save it, please, frisms can do the same thing. I just copied it. Say what you have to."
"Understood, here goes.'Tis I, Zacian speaking."
"And I, Zamazenta," a stony, male voice said.
"The guild's founders…" Rapidash marveled.
Sirfetch'd took back what he thought. Things were shaping up to be the most intriguing in his career.
Arc 4: Time and Essence
Chapter 40: Take Back the Fright
"You're lucky I'm not human anymore!"
Ezera chased after Litleo and Dewott, running across a sprawling field of flowers. Their laughter traveled for miles on the rolling hills, echoing into the vast bubblegum pink sky above. Soon their chase came to an end as the three of them stopped underneath a giant willow tree.
A picnic table had been set up next to the roots. Ezera's parents were already sitting there, completely unbothered by the fact there were three pokémon before them. Muffins and plates of his mom's signature ice cream cake laid on the table, waiting to be eaten. Ezera could hardly contain himself.
Everyone was a friend, life was dandy, and they had all the time in the world to themselves.
Sadly, the next time Ezera blinked, the peaceful scene was gone, replaced by the rainbow nothingness he'd come to associate with his 'psyche.' At the center of it was the wisp, sitting in a manner that exuded patience. Ezera didn't know how he knew that, it was just a feeling.
"Hiya, Ezera. Sorry to pull you out of your dream," the wisp soon said.
Was this not a dream?
"You could call it one if you wanted to. The psyche isn't a physical place. I'm definitely not your imagination, though."
Ezera was glad, otherwise he'd definitely be considered crazy.
"I'd ask how things are going, but since I know what you know, the question is redundant, heh. I know what you've been wanting to ask me, though."
About getting home?
"Yep, sorry… I don't have that answer. I'd tell you if I knew, really."
Took the words right out of his nonexistent mouth. Although, how did he know they were telling the truth?
"I guess you don't, ha… But if you think about it, I don't have any reason to lie to you."
To be honest, there were a lot of things Ezera didn't know about them. Why were they helping him, for one? There had to be something they wanted.
"We have similar interests. We both care a lot about helping anyone we can. You've done me a pretty big favor already. I wish I could pay you back more."
Not to be totally rude, but having similar interests sounded like code speak for 'I'm a bad guy trying to get on your good side.' Litleo wouldn't let him hear the end of it if he totally believed their word.
The wisp bounced in place like they were laughing. "I like to think I'm anything but that! Considering…" They floated downward, phasing in and out. "You're the reason I still exist, Ezera. And I'm the reason you exist. But... I don't mean to alarm you. I'm not sure it'll last."
Huh? What did they mean by that?
"Us. This. Me and you. I'm trying to do what I can, but I think eventually… we'll separate. You're seeing some effects already."
What effects?
"You know how your chest hurts sometimes? Stuff like that."
That wasn't going to worsen, would it?
"I'm as much in the dark about that as you."
…What'll happen to the two of them if they separate?
"Again, I'm not really sure, but I can't imagine it's good for either of us. Just… watch your move usage. Don't over exert yourself."
That was going to be hard. Pokémon loved fighting. And given what was next for the team with the business concerning Calyrex…
"You might be able to slow it down by finding a 'mon who's familiar with aether. That could help."
Was Reuniclus not suited for that task?
"She's smart, but that's not her specialty. I mean someone who's SUPER attuned with aether. Someone who can see deeper than that."
Deeper…? Like the soul?
"Sure, that's close enough."
The light surrounding the area began to dim.
"Darn it, time always flies when we're talking. We're gonna have to say goodbye again."
Wait, who were they? When would they tell him? They've been holding onto that info long enough!
"I'm really sorry, Ezera. You're still not ready. You need to learn it from outside this place, you're too vulnerable here. Find that 'mon who knows about aether, they might give you a clue."
Ezera could've sworn he caught a glimmer of blue eyes flash in the wisp.
"Just know I'm your friend. Always."
Ezera stirred awake to some rustling coming from his right. Rubbing the bleariness out of his eyes, he saw Dewott helping Litleo put on a fancy, navy blue scarf.
Rockruff's scarf.
"Woah," Ezera began, sitting up. "Morning guys. You're… wearing it. It looks good on you."
Litleo's head turned to him. "Morning, and thanks."
It had only been a few days since the memorial. Even though Litleo seemed freer than before, Ezera was sure she was still recovering from the delayed grief. "I guess you're… okay seeing them now?"
Litleo pinned her badge to it as Dewott tied the knot. "I've been thinking about it, and I figured we should put them to use. They aren't doing any good hiding behind some pillows."
"We?"
"I was thinking you could wear the other."
Ezera's heartbeat immediately quickened. "Me?" He rubbed his eyes again for confirmation. "Oh no-"
"Yes."
"No, I can't."
"Yes, you can."
"They're Rockruff's! I couldn't."
Litleo dropped the other scarf at his feet. "He gave them to me, Ezera. He'd understand."
Ezera tapped his tusks, thinking. "But…" He made eye contact with Dewott. "Us two means Dewott doesn't have one."
"I like my peach color," Dewott signed, touching his scarf. "It's okay."
"Are you going to make every excuse not to wear it?" Litleo narrowed her eyes.
"No, but won't I…" Ezera sighed, letting his hands fall. "Have to live up to him if I wear it?"
Litleo's expression softened. "You don't have to compare, Ezera. You're fine as is. I wouldn't want you to be him anyway. All you have to do is be yourself, which means running around and putting yourself in places where I have to rescue you."
"I haven't even needed to be saved in a while!" Ezera refuted, crossing his arms. "And I don't want you to save me. I want Dewott to do it."
Dewott pointed a digit to himself, tail flattening against his back.
"Fine. Less work for me," Litleo said. "Now are you putting it on or not?"
Ezera exhaled. "Okay." He slowly unfurled the knot tied on his current one and grabbed the new scarf. 'I'm trading a navy one for a sparkling navy one,' he chuckled.
Like before, when Ezera made contact with Rockruff's scarves, a soothing and vigorous effect coursed through him. It was kinda like taking the first bite of a juicy hamburger after being hungry for hours.
'I haven't had normal human food in a while actually… Wait, focus!' As Ezera formally tied it, something about it felt natural, and it wasn't because he was used to wearing his old scarf. It was as if this one had been a part of his life for a while.
"Litleo, do you feel any different having this on?" Ezera asked, appreciating how smooth the fabric was.
"Not really? Unless you're referring to something more emotional," Litleo said, raising an eyebrow.
'If Litleo doesn't feel any different, and Dewott doesn't either… Why is it only happening to me?' Ezera wondered.
"It looks good on you too," Litleo added.
"Really good," Dewott signed, battling between glancing at Ezera and the floor.
Ezera's face flushed. "Uh, thanks. Should I do a twirl?"
"I'm going to stop you right there, mister 'professional' dancer. It's too early in the morning for my eyes to die," Litleo said, holding out her paw. "If we're all set, we can go wait for roll call."
"Before we do that, can I tell you guys about the dream I had real quick?"
Litleo and Dewott shared quizzical looks. Ezera relayed everything of his conversation with the voice— from the pain, their supposed separation, to finding someone versed in aether— leaving his teammates lost in thought by the time he finished.
Dewott twisted his paws in each other, frowning. "I knew that pain of yours wasn't normal."
"I mean, on the bright side, at least we diagnosed the cause now? Haha…" Ezera quipped.
"Assuming that's the truth. If we have to find a 'mon who knows their stuff about aether…" Litleo mused. "I don't think Kaiyo Town has anymon like that. Bubula Academy might?"
"Either there or Mystic Fane. Wildmon in Mystic Fane are heavy on spiritual matters," Dewott signed.
"I haven't been to either."
"Me neither, that's just what I've heard."
"Then it sounds like we can go to Bubula Town or Mystic Fane if we have some free time?" Ezera suggested.
"Sirfetch'd and Rapidash haven't said anything about a plan for dealing with Eternatus or Calyrex, so we could go to Bubula Town sometime. Mystic Fane is hard to get into," Litleo said, biting her lip.
"I'm worried about what the voice told you." Dewott brought his paws apart, showing a thumbs up as he tilted his head. "You'll separate? Isn't that a good thing? What if they're trying to stay for some other malicious reason?"
'He has a point,' Ezera thought. The voice leaving wasn't necessarily a bad thing. At the same time, they were helpful to have around for the random bits of advice they provided. And it wasn't like the voice had done anything to suspect otherwise. "Uh, that makes me wonder how the voice got in my head to begin with. It's not like I've done anything that advertised to psychics, 'Hey, wanna live in my head for a while?'"
"I'd believe it if you did," Litleo remarked, smirking.
"Thank you for having faith in me."
"No problem. To be serious though," she went on, smirk fading, "if you're in danger, we should explore our options. I'm not… We're not letting anything happen to you." A brief shadow passed over Litleo's face after she finished.
"I know you wouldn't." Ezera shuddered to think what she'd do if he got hurt, or worse. "That's all, we can head down."
The three traveled over to the lobby, finding it filled with the other teams already, plus Kubfu and Zande. Excited murmurs discussing what was in front of them bounced all over the room. Ezera focused on the stage, seeing Sirfetch'd cradling an orb in his wings.
"What's got everyone so excited?" Ezera wondered aloud.
"Somemon saw Sirfetch'd climb the second spire empty handed and come down with that orb," Deuce answered to his left. The decidueye pulled his cowl in greeting.
"What's so special about that?"
"No 'mon has ever been inside the second spire before," Dewott signed, getting on his toes to see the orb himself.
Inteleon scoffed. "We believed there was nothing up there."
"I thought it'd be a broom or two," Thievul added.
"May we have your attention, dears!" Rapidash called out, waiting for the room to silence. A hush fell over the crowd. "Thank you."
Sirfetch'd stood behind the podium. "Adventurers, I know you've been waiting to hear what our next plan of action is. After some back and forth with the Vicemaster, I decided it was time to open the second spire. As you can see, I've retrieved something special from there. You might think it defies all bayleef, but…"
Some of the guild members dropped to the floor at the pun. The Guildmaster paused for effect, and to let the customary groans subside.
"This orb here contains a message from Zacian and Zamazenta, the founders of our guild."
Those who fell immediately picked themselves back up. The energy in the room jumped up tenfold, dispelling any lingering sleepiness.
"Did he say the guild's founders?"
"It's actually them?!"
"When did they have time to do that?"
'A message? Why would they lock that away instead of telling everyone?' Ezera pondered. He glanced at Litleo, who was bemused more than anything.
"Oi, cut the chatter! I'll play it for you," Sirfetch'd commanded. He placed the item on the podium, steadying it with his wings, then tapped it.
Once the orb lit up, Rebound gasped at the first voice that came from it.
"There, it's recording," Calyrex stated.
"Fascinating, thy kind can do anything," a second female said.
"Save it, please, frisms can do the same thing. I just copied it. Say what you have to."
"Understood, here goes.'Tis I, Zacian speaking."
"And I, Zamazenta," a third male voice said.
Ezera looked to the statues on the left and right of the lobby. Zacian and Zamazenta… they couldn't have known Calyrex would turn evil, would they?
"Esteemed members of the Kaiyo Adventurers Guild," Zacian said, regal and calm, "we trust you are hearing this because you face a dire emergency. That emergency, we presume, being Eternatus' reawakening. You may be wondering why this hath happened, or how."
A pause, and a sigh.
"The truth is, Zamazenta and I could not bring ourselves to kill Eternatus. For reasons we shan't disclose, he was not always the evil creature you believe him to be. Unfortunately, his mutation often leads to the suffering of those around him, and that is his ability to take the essence of life itself— Aether."
Waves of confusion rippled through the crowd. They… spared Eternatus? For "undisclosed" reasons? This had implications not just for the guild, but everyone on the continent who thought they knew their history. The time for processing had to wait however, the founders still had more to say.
"We took pity, and using our combined strength," Zamazenta picked up, "subdued him into a coma-like state. The hope was if Eternatus resurfaced, our power would clear his mutation and he'd be able to live a peaceful life. Evidently, you hearing this means our hopes were wrong."
Some shuffling noises went off in the background.
"Our choice- nay, our mistake, is compromising thy future. To amend this, we beseech thee find our weapons, so we may finish Eternatus for good," Zamazenta concluded.
"After the battle against him broke our weapons, we scattered them in two areas, meaning it will be up to you to retrieve the pieces and bring them to us," Zacian said. "You may find it bizarre not to leave them here, but we must ensure we aren't being awakened for the wrong reasons. You may find the weapon shards at Magicked Woods and Rolling Prairie. Once they are acquired, our location will be revealed."
"Good luck adventurers, and we are sorry for the deception," Zamazenta added.
"May the valorous sword ever guide you, and the honorous shield protect you from harm," the two legendaries concluded, causing the orb's light to dim.
'And things continue to not make sense…' Ezera found it uncanny that there were now two instances where he listened to an orb that took everything they knew and threw it out the window. First the one about Rockruff, next the guild founders. Nothing could ever be clear cut, could it?
Zacian and Zamazenta chose not to kill Eternatus. For all they knew, it could be for any number of reasons, each one equally concerning. Did they know they weren't powerful enough to stop him? Were they overly compassionate, just like Ezera? Or was it an actual hope that Eternatus could be saved, and they banked on that chance? Based on the silence, Ezera wasn't alone in wondering that.
Rapidash looked to the ceiling. "Those areas they mentioned aren't any I recognize… Magicked Woods could mean Mystic Fane, however."
"It's a shame they didn't lack the foresight to think of how names could change," Helin commented, already inspecting a Wonder Map. "What could Rolling Prairie be? We have so many on our continent."
"That's not even the worst part. What if the weapons were discovered and traded away somewhere?" Thievul asked.
"And if a 'mon did have it, would they willingly give it away?" Yamper chimed.
"The fate of the world is at stake! They have to," Corvisquire said, indignant.
Inteleon scoffed. "Some always have money on their minds, regardless of the situation." He coughed and nodded at Piksqueak.
Sparks flew off Pichu's ears as her cheeks puffed up. "We are so filling your room with pranks later!"
Clop!
"That is enough of the teasing," Rapidash ordered. "You have something to say, Reuniclus?"
The researcher lowered her gelatin hand. "Eternatus' awakening means aether everywhere will destabilize. If he isn't taken care of, it won't be a matter of if the Days of Ruination will come again, but when. No matter the uncertainties, the fact remains we should wake Zacian and Zamazenta."
"Our guild was made exactly for this purpose," Sirfetch'd agreed. "We will do as our founders suggested. To that end, I would ask our Veteran teams to forgo commissions and investigate places that could hold these weapon fragments."
"Aaaaw, so we'll have to get rich lat-" Pichu's voice was swiftly muffled by Pachirisu's tail.
"Piksqueak can do that!" Morpeko happily stated.
Inteleon snapped his fingers. "Say no more, boss."
"For the rest of you, continue work as usual," Sirfetch'd directed. "Pokémon still need help, and we don't know what other emergencies will crop up."
Taking a cursory glimpse at Litleo, Ezera could already tell she had a few qualms with that. Her tail flicked side to side while she shuffled her paws.
"Team Ace, Piksqueak, if you could stay so we can give you specific directions on your duties," Rapidash requested. "And… Rebound, if we could speak with you afterward, that would be helpful. That is all, adventurers, dismissed. May the sword guide you."
"And the shield protect us," they chanted back, with half the level of enthusiasm they usually had.
Litleo forcefully exhaled. "We're connected to this issue way more than Ace or Piksqueak, how come we don't get to do anything?"
"If Rapidash wants to talk to us, they might have something in mind," Ezera assured, watching the two teams quietly discuss with the leaders.
"Yeah. Hopefully."
"I don't get why Zacian and Zamazenta couldn't just stay awake. It'd save this whole hassle of waking them."
"Legendaries have life spans too. They may live long lives, but are finite nonetheless," Zande explained, looming behind Ezera.
Ezera yelped and wheeled around, accidentally stepping back into Dewott. The otter steadied him as he met the zarude's gaze. "I know I asked a question but at least don't scare me while answering it!"
"My apologies, lad."
"You're good…" Ezera said, sighing. "So turning into stone is their version of cryo sleep."
"Cryo sleep?" Zande scratched his head.
"Uh, just think of it as going to sleep in extreme cold. It slows down your aging."
"'Sup guys," Kubfu said, cracking her knuckles. "Pretty crazy info, huh?"
"You don't seem so phased by it," Litleo replied.
"You gotta be unphased! How else are you supposed to move on to the next challenge?"
'Sounds a bit like avoiding the issue to me,' Ezera mused. He did admire her spirit, at least.
Zande frowned deeply. "My ancestors were quite close with Calyrex in that era. I wonder if they knew the truth too."
"Your species was close to Calyrex?" Litleo asked.
"Very. Zarude often carried out secret and specific orders for Calyrex. It's what my parents told me, as well as to 'always remember the three pointed star.'" Zande peered out towards the courtyard, thinking. "I must leave. I have to decipher what they meant. It might relate to Calyrex."
"What- what am I going to do then?" Kubfu asked.
"You can return to the jungle. Or… continue working with the guild. I leave the choice to you, lass," Zande stated, lumbering away.
"Hey, don't walk away yet, you didn't discuss this with me! Zande!" Kubfu shouted, chasing him down.
Rebound observed the two get smaller in the distance as Kubfu adamantly questioned him.
"Isn't that a lovely dynamic they have?" Ezera remarked.
"Almost reminds me of us. Except luckily, you don't do that anymore," Litleo replied matter of factly.
"You shouldn't say that, then he will," Dewott signed.
Ezera giggled. "How right you are…"
Rapidash stepped into their field of view, drawing their attention away. "Ezera, Litleo, Dewott. Thank you for waiting."
"I hope you have some secret mission for us," Litleo said.
"Not quite, dear. We wanted to explain what we've been thinking recently. Considering you and Ezera are human, we thought it best to keep you nearby, in case Calyrex decides to try something. We want to minimize the risk of having you captured, or worse."
"But… Calyrex doesn't know I'm human," Ezera commented. "And as far as she thinks, she still believes Litleo doesn't remember anything."
"That could've changed after our fight with Orbeetle and Sling," Dewott signed, spinning one digit before hitting his paws together. "I'm sure they report back to her."
"Look, it doesn't matter if she knows or not. You can't expect us to wait around," Litleo argued, her mane warming up. "We're capable of doing what Ace and Piksqueak can, it's simple searching. I would know, I searched for Rockruff for months."
"We don't doubt that, Larvitar," Sirfetch'd said. "But as you just claimed, it's 'simple searching.' Our Veteran teams can get it done swiftly. If complications arise, your team will be the first we call."
Rapidash nodded. "Adding to that, we'd like you to be on standby for new dynamax threats. Your team is the most experienced on that front, and I suspect your scarves will also provide a significant edge the others don't have."
"That being…?" Ezera asked, scratching his tusk.
"The ability to save the 'mon at risk, mainly."
"Huh?"
"Wait," Litleo began, "are you saying that because Ezera saved me with it when I got dynamaxed?"
Ezera's mouth went ajar. "Oh- that's… true, huh? If we could get close enough and take the aether, then problem solved."
"That is the theory," Rapidashed replied.
"But… doesn't that also mean we're the only ones who can prevent those dynamaxed pokémon from dying?"
"At the moment, yes. Reuniclus is working to devise an alternative, but what we need is the equivalent of a Wishing Star."
Siefetch'd angled his leek at Ezera's chest. "You could hand your scarves over to us to loan when needed."
"Sorry, that's… not happening," Litleo stated, holding a paw over hers.
"And that is within your right," Rapidash acknowledged. "But it does mean we'd like you to be ready at a moment's notice should the time come."
"Ah, Guildmaster, Vicemaster!"
The five pokémon's heads turned to Watchog scurrying from across the hall with a letter in his paw.
"I have a missive from the Rovers' Bureau for you," he continued, stopping before them.
"Thank you, Watchog," Rapidash acknowledged, psychically floating it to Sirfetch'd's wing.
"What's the Rovers' Bureau?" Ezera asked.
"They're an organization like ours based in the Sand Continent. While they perform typical guild duties, they also specialize in detective work."
"Huh. Couldn't they help us find these weapon pieces then?"
The Vicemaster's brow furrowed slightly. "We could ask. But as I understand it, their continent is more lawless than most, and their monpower is not very big. I would be surprised if they said yes."
"We'll have to read what they sent later tonight," Sirfetch'd said, tucking the letter behind his shield. "For now we have a town meeting to attend."
"That is correct. Before we go, have you dears truly had no guidance in your dreams?"
Litleo shot a knowing side eye to Ezera.
"Nothing that would help us with Eternatus or anything," Ezera answered, fidgeting. 'It's true, anyway.'
"Hm." Rapidash's gaze lingered on him. "Perhaps this crisis will not have any special interventions after all. Good luck today." She then clopped away, speaking quietly to the Guildmaster.
"I shall get back to my post," Watchog remarked. "Are the three of you taking a commission today?"
"Yeah," Litleo replied, confirming with Ezera and Dewott. "Even if Rapidash wants us to stay close I don't think that means sitting in the guild."
"Excellent, I have some fresh ones that would suit your team's skills."
"Has there been any mail from Roca?" Litleo asked as they walked to the commission center.
"There hasn't, but take heart that once I see one I will let you know with all haste."
"Ooooh someone's excited to hear from her," Ezera teased, poking her shoulder.
Litleo bumped him with her hip. "She's the one who suggested we keep in touch. I'm just curious."
"And excited."
"Only curious."
"There's definitely some excitement in there."
"You're annoying, you know that?"
"Is every day this lively for you, Dewott?" Watchog inquired, hiding a smirk.
Dewott alternated moving his paws up and down, grinning as well. "Possibly."
Once Rebound was inside the commission center, they spent a few minutes looking over the options Watchog presented to them. They settled on a simple outlaw mission— to take down a local gang of tandemaus that had only been stealing X-eye seeds. Litleo and Dewott told Ezera they could take care of the fighting if he didn't want to, since the voice did tell him to be careful.
'I don't wanna be deadweight but maybe I should avoid unnecessary fights for now,' Ezera thought as they reached the lobby. Although, if they were fighting, what was he gonna do? "Hey, guys?"
His two teammates halted, staring at him.
"If you're doing the fighting, what am I doing?"
"Acting as bait?" Litleo answered, acting like it was obvious.
Ezera couldn't tell if she was being serious or not. Her poker face never faltered. "If that's the case, you don't mind if I spend the rest of our money on food, right?"
"Why would you need to do that?"
"Because I need to be compensated for my efforts?"
"If you do that, the only thing you'll be compensated with is a Flamethrower."
"Oh, my favorite!"
Dewott smiled. It was going to be an interesting walk to Kaiyo Town.
Dewott could still see bits of dirt clinging to Ezera and Litleo after the latter tackled him to the ground. Ezera tried running away with the bag, claiming he was going to spend all the money when they weren't looking, and Litleo caught him well before he made it ten feet. It wasn't even afternoon and they were already scuffed enough to look like they didn't shower. Luckily no 'mon in town cared enough to comment on it, only think it.
'Should I tell them…?' Dewott wondered. He shrugged. Let them look and be silly, it's what they needed after the grief and looming conflict. He sure wished he could be silly himself.
His thoughts jumped back to when he lived in Bubula Lake. Pranking the neighbors was a favorite activity of his. Placing slippery gel on the mats, or hiding jars of octillery ink above doors for it to fall on 'mon were some highlights.
'If only I could have a chance to talk with Mioki…' Hearing and seeing Litleo make amends with Roca gave him hope he could do the same. As for when that opportunity would arise, that all depended on when he felt he could return home. Or… if he should at all.
"We'll be down the street to pick up stuff from storage," Ezera said, jolting Dewott out of his thoughts.
Dewott nodded and busied himself by approaching a medicine stall. New remedies were invented often, and as far-fetched as it was to think a cure for actual paralysis came out, it never hurt to try looking.
"Dewott?"
Dewott's ears flicked at the scathing familiar voice. He turned to his left and recoiled from the approaching drizzile.
"No. Way. By Suicune's waters, it's really you. I thought after Amara banished you you'd have fled the continent." The drizzile stood fully upright, lacking any of the slouch his species typically had. His bangs had also been tucked neatly to the side of his head. "Are you scared of some simple conversation now too?"
'Riivez? Here? Why?' Dewott frantically assembled his thoughts to give some acceptable response. "I can speak just fine."
"And you're still keeping up the silent act. Ooo-kay."
"It's not an act." Dewott pulled on his scarf. "I deserve it."
"She took your name, not your voice. But it is fitting, cause where was the pushback when Amara gave you that order? If it were me I would've protested until I had no more voice," Riivez said.
Dewott's ears burned intensely at the tips. 'I know I'm not good enough. You don't need to rub it in.'
"That was the most disappointing part. I'm sure she hoped to see more from her son," the drizzile continued, one hand on his hip.
"Hey, who are you?" Litleo snarled, curling her lips as she and Ezera walked up behind Riivez.
The drizzile glimpsed over his shoulder and faced the two of them. "Name's Riivez. Used to be Dewott's neighbor. Who are you?"
"Litleo," she answered.
"I'm Ezera," Ezera added, frowning. "We're Dewott's teammates."
Riivez blinked several times. "Teammates? You joined the guild?" he said, head leaning forward to inspect Dewott's badge. "You like bringing them down too?"
"Listen, bud," Litleo started.
"Don't call me bud, my tribe-"
"I don't care if you belong to the tribe of Kyogre's shit loving fan club. Dewott has been working his ass off to help us, you don't get to say anything."
"Oooh, spicy. You could join our tribe, we don't mind you're not a water-type," Riivez replied, eyeing her with a crooked grin. "But I want to hear it from the 'mon himself." He looked expectantly at Dewott. "Do you think you've done good enough to come back?"
Was it enough? The faces of Dewott's siblings flashed in his mind, all staring with contempt. Worse still was the picture of his mom, her imposing figure and disapproving face shooting down any thoughts that might've said yes.
It was as if ice was encasing Dewott's arms. His paws trembled as he signed, "Not yet."
"Thought as much."
"Sorry, but, why are you here? You didn't come all this way to bully Dewott," Ezera said, frown deepening.
Riivez's grin faltered. "Bully? I'm calling it like it is. Dewott didn't get-"
"Are you getting to the point or not?" Litleo interrupted, saving Dewott's racing heart.
He couldn't have Ezera learning about his major mistake like this. He needed to find a good time to tell him… later.
"I'm looking for medicine," Riivez elaborated. "My nana's fallen ill and our normal remedies aren't working."
Some of Dewott's tenseness faded, replaced by concern. He recalled spending some time with Riivez's grandma before, mostly due to his mom organizing play dates. She was a sweet azumarill, deaf in one ear, but always had a bowl of berries ready for when they were done playing. "I'm sorry to hear she's sick."
"What can you do? Old age comes for us all," Riivez dismissed.
"Well, do you need help finding the medicine you're looking for?" Ezera hesitantly asked.
"Thanks, but no thanks. I got my honor, I don't need help for this simple thing."
Litleo nudged Ezera and Dewott. "You heard it from him. Come on, let's not waste anymore time."
Dewott couldn't resist peeking behind as they left. Riivez's attention was already on the merchandise, and him, forgotten. 'I didn't ask how mom and the rest of them are doing.' He believed he improved somewhere. That at least one step had been taken in proving he could get his scalchop back. But here he was, as silent and unworthy as the day he left home.
Who would ever respect him?
A hand touched Dewott's arm, sending a tingle up his shoulder and to his neck. When he saw it was Ezera's, a wave of butterfree traveled through his chest, followed by the familiar calm that settled throughout him afterward.
"I didn't hear everything Riivez said to you, but whatever it was, you can't let people do that. Honor or not, you deserve respect," Ezera stated, his eyes stern but gentle.
'If only it was that easy.' Dewott's mind was too scattered to sign anything back, so he shakily nodded. Ezera had a point. However, that small part of him still said he deserved it.
Honor was such a fickle thing. The definition always morphed into something else. When would the goalpost stop moving? Dewott wished he knew.
Plingplingpling! Plingplingpling!
Rebound all glanced down at their Linkbeads. A mass call like that was rare.
"If anymon's nearby, we got a problem near Kaiyo Town's wharf! Whirlpools just formed everywhere near it! We've got injured!" Gana's voice shouted.
"We're on the way," Ezera instantly responded.
"Wait, what are we going to do about whirlpools? We aren't water-types," Litleo asked, bewildered.
"I guess we'll find out… If anything, we have our expert right here." Ezera held up his fist to Dewott. "You good to do this?"
Dewott almost shook his head, but refrained. Pokémon were in danger. Not stepping up here meant he should give up all dreams of going home. Besides, he couldn't let Ezera and Litleo down. This wouldn't be anything crazy… he hoped. Dewott fist bumped Ezera.
"Yeah."
They sprinted in the direction of the wharf.
Further away, Riivez regarded them curiously, slinging his pouch over his neck and shadowing them.
What awaited Rebound was a small crowd clamoring near the docks. A few policemon on the scene were urging them to back up and retreat inland. On the beach itself, a couple swampert and other smaller water-types were doubled over in exhaustion.
Dewott and Ezera held up their badges as they squeezed past the crowd. When they reached the end of the sandstone docks, they could clearly make out the swirling pools of water a good distance away from the shoreline. Each whirlpool varied in size and intensity, forming an almost protective barrier of the coast.
'Is there anymon trapped in them?' was Dewott's first thought. At first glance, there didn't seem to be, but the white foam covering the ocean's surface didn't help with visibility. Scanning further, he tightly gripped his scalchop as he saw a boat sitting stationary by a medium sized pool. 'I hope that's only carrying cargo…'
"Okay, we definitely aren't getting close to any of that," Ezera remarked, wincing.
Litleo examined the water. "Where's Gana?"
On cue, Gana emerged out of the water below carrying a furfrou on her back. She dragged herself onto the sand and slid the normal-type off. The furfrou shakily staggered toward the medic pokémon arriving on scene with towels.
"Gana!" Ezera called, jumping down to her. Dewott and Litleo followed suit.
The gastrodon took a few deep breaths before speaking. "You got here quick, good. Can you make sure the 'mon on the shore all get treated?"
"Yeah, yeah, of course."
"Did you see what's causing these whirlpools?" Litleo questioned.
Gana shook her head. "There's no pokémon from what I can tell."
"How about a warp tile, like for a mystery dungeon?"
"Didn't see that either. In all my years of ocean exploration I've never seen whirlpools like these."
"Are there still pokémon that need rescuing?" Dewott signed, crossing and uncrossing his wrists with closed paws.
"Yah! See that boat?" Gana's head angled to the one Dewott spotted a moment ago. "Got two 'mon left on there. It's trapped between the most aggressive currents. The swampert pulling it barely escaped-"
"Look! The boat, it's getting pulled in!" someone in the crowd screamed.
Gana gasped. "No! There's elderly on board!"
Dewott didn't need to hear more.
SPLASH!
A chill pierced Dewott's fur, both literally and figuratively. The last time he'd been underwater was at Bubula Lake— over two years ago now. Luckily, his water-type instincts meant he felt at home in the crystalline deep.
His tail and feet rapidly propelled him toward the boat's position, but he soon understood what Gana was talking about. The whirlpool's currents violently churned around and around, sucking in everything that dared to near its vicinity. Even from a moderate distance he had to expend some force to avoid getting pulled.
Dewott popped his head over the waves and scanned for the boat. It was circling the edges of the whirlpool, picking up speed. Small crates were falling overboard, while a skorupi and turtonator were gripping the guard rails for dear life.
Something cold bumped into his shoulder. Turning, Dewott found it was Corla.
"…The boat's moving too fast, I can't use Ice Beam to freeze it anymore," the corsola explained.
They needed to move quickly. 'We need to get them off before it sinks. If they're old we can't ask them to jump, and getting caught in the whirlpool is the worst case scenario. That leaves…'
He took a second look at Skorupi and Turtonator. He'd have to time it, but if it worked, he could use Aqua Jet to land on the boat and grab Skorupi, then use Aqua Jet again to exit the whirlpool's radius.
"Make sure Gana's ready for me," Dewott signed.
Corla wordlessly drifted under.
Dewott counted until the boat approached his estimated path. 'Two, one…' He dove down several feet before reversing and kicking as hard as he could. With a twist, he breached the surface, carrying his momentum into an arcing Aqua Jet. 'Come on-!'
THUD!
The two fearful pokémon were splashed as Dewott made it onto the bow. There wasn't time to celebrate, however. The rush of the Aqua Jet rolled him farther than he wanted, so Dewott immediately extended his arms to grab onto the railing. Once he got his footing he stood up.
"Skorupi, I'm going to ferry you with Aqua Jet and pass you off to somemon else. Is that okay?" he signed.
"A- anything to get me out!" she agreed.
"What about me?! You aren't leaving me to die?!" Turtonator shouted, smoke fuming through his nose.
"No I'm not." Dewott pointed to Skorupi and mimicked carrying something. "But it's easier to get her off first."
"Where are the other water types? Surely they could've sent somemon stronger!"
It was instances like these Dewott was glad he didn't speak— there was no time to argue. He beckoned Skorupi to him.
"Hey, I'm talking to you! I refuse to be left here alone!" Turtonator continued.
Skorupi swiftly scuttled over to Dewott. Hugging the poison-type tightly, Dewott waited for the boat to spin around to where he needed it. Then he got a running start and launched himself over the railing. Water enveloped the two as he jetted forward, aiming for the safe spot between the whirlpools.
"AAAAAH-!" Skorupi cried.
Relief flooded Dewott as they plunged into the safe zone. He hoisted Skorupi above his head, using his legs to keep afloat. Gana appeared beside him.
"Hop on!" she said.
Skorupi wasted no time climbing onto her back. Now all that remained was rescuing Turtonator… The boat was getting closer to the center of the whirlpool by the second.
"Where did all the drednaw go?" Dewott cupped his paws together, raising them. "We could use their help."
"They weren't confident they could navigate through the pools, so they went to make sure the rest of the coast is safe," Gana responded, pensive. "I know, would've been much easier with them here."
'Not good… we're running out of time,' Dewott worried. There wasn't any feasible way he could lift Turtonator. If he was a samurott, sure. But as it stood, he simply lacked the strength. 'If I was better I could think of something.'
Dewott shut his eyes, clenching both paws. What other choices were there? Braving the whirlpool? He'd get disoriented if he wasn't quick enough, not to mention how fast it sapped energy.
"Woah woah, yikes, what's he doing?!" Gana exclaimed, stiffening. "Hey- I know you're scared, but whatever you're thinking, don't!"
'Huh?' Dewott opened his eyes, a sharp gasp leaving him. Turtonator was leaning over the edge of the railings, eyeing the water like he was going to jump. 'That's not safe, he won't-'
The fire-type proceeded to fling himself into the swirling depths.
Dewott had no choice after all. He swam toward the whirlpool.
"You can't Dewott, the waters are too fast!" Gana warned.
He continued swimming anyway, keeping an eye on the red head bobbing up and down. Turtonator's panicked shouts followed by fits of coughing only convinced him to keep going. Dewott didn't even have a moment to mentally prepare himself, because the next thing he knew he was within the whirlpool's grasp.
The tug was manageable at first, like a lazy river. Then it was as if he got yanked off a bed and thrown forward. Dewott swam in the same direction as it span, hoping it would be enough to catch up to Turtonator. The roar of the torrents deafened any outside noise at this point.
Soon enough Dewott was within reach, and he gripped Turtonator's left arm.
Turtonator kept floundering with his other arm and legs. "I shouldn't have jumped- I shouldn't have jumped, please-" His words were once more interrupted by a mouthful of water.
How could Dewott tell Turtonator to keep his cool?
Smack!
Turtonator shut up as he gawped at Dewott.
With one paw occupied, the most Dewott could do was hold out his free one face down to send a broken sign. "Calm. Breathe."
They were about to enter the vortex. Most water-types knew that if they ever found themselves stuck in a whirlpool, it was best to ride with the current and use the momentum to slingshot out. Doing so from the center was much harder, but still possible.
There was a chance Turtonator didn't know any of that. Dewott had to hope he wouldn't make it harder than it needed to be.
FWOOMSH!
Everything became muffled after the two got submerged into the vortex. The currents were the strongest yet, whirling them around like a tornado. Worse still were the crates trapped in there, knocking and banging their bodies relentlessly.
Dewott was rapidly losing his sense of direction. His feeble attempts to swim got nowhere with Turtonator's weight. Even combining it with Aqua Jet- 'It's… too fast… and the crates-!' He was pretty sure Turtonator went limp already.
Flashbacks of Mioki's accident invaded his thoughts. The thunderstorm- the river's rushing rapids- How he was in charge and failed-
He was going to fail again. Turtonator was going to drown. Another mistake because he wasn't good enough.
Something approaching caught Dewott's disorientated vision. It looked like… 'Riivez?'
The drizzile came in at bullet speed, wielding a watery staff and smashing two crates to pieces as he shot cleanly through the whirlpool. A rainbow mix of berries and seeds flooded the area.
Riivez darted back in despite the mess, seizing Turtonator's other arm. Dewott shared one look to understand. They could combine their Aqua Jets! The burst of speed would be enough to escape! In spite of his dizziness, Dewott channeled the energy of the move to his lower body. He combined the acceleration with his kick again, and again, gradually making their way to the pool's border.
'Almost, almost…' They circled the outskirts now. They were ready. Dewott and Riivez summoned a full power Aqua Jet, blasting them away from the area and leaving the tow of the currents behind. The three pokémon shot out of the waves and crashed onto the sand in a heap.
"Dewott!" Ezera yelled.
Dewott was tempted to lie there— the sand wouldn't stop spinning— but his concern for Turtonator took precedence. He pushed himself up and gave Ezera a thumbs up in the process.
At the same time, a raichu and comfey rushed to Turtonator.
"Please give us some room!" the raichu ordered. "We have to turn him over and get the water out!"
Dewott scooted back with Ezera's help. An Oran Berry suddenly appeared in his face.
"We got scared when Gana said you went into the whirlpool," Ezera said after Dewott took the berry.
"You mean you got scared. I had to stop Ezera from jumping after you," Litleo scoffed. "I knew you'd do it."
"Really proving that expert swimmer title, huh?"
'But I didn't prove anything, Riivez rescued us,' Dewott griped. He watched Riivez dust the sand off his skin and fix his bangs. 'He's going to use that to brag more.'
Turtonator began to cough, spewing up the water he inhaled. The raichu jumped off his chest.
"He's all good!" they announced.
That news brought about an assortment of grateful sighs and claps from the bystanders. Dewott flopped onto his back.
"You okay?" Ezera asked, laying a hand on Dewott's shoulder.
It was a small gesture, but it did give him some energy. "Yeah, just tired."
Riivez ambled over, standing in front of Dewott and casting his shadow on him. A small pouch hung around his neck, presumably the medicine he bought.
Dewott didn't feel it was worth sitting up.
"What do you want this time?" Litleo groaned.
"Hey, why the hostility? I just saved a 'mon's life!" Riivez said, tapping his chest.
"Okay, so did everyone else here."
"I didn't see them dive into the most dangerous whirlpool. Not like this." He spread his arms out in front of him, a liquid staff coalescing into his paws.
"Is that a freaking bo staff?" Ezera asked, jaw dropping.
"Bo… staff?" Riivez frowned. "Sure. I just call it a staff."
'Just as I thought,' Dewott inwardly sighed.
"Anyway," Riivez went on, making the staff dissipate, "that was ballsy, Dewott. You did alright, even if I had to save you. Amara would be impressed."
Dewott slightly lifted his head. A compliment? Was that the dizziness tricking him? "You mean that?"
"Why wouldn't I?"
"Actually, wait, what are you doing here? I thought you were getting medicine," Ezera said.
"I saw you guys run so I got curious and followed you." Riivez shifted his weight to one leg, smirking. "Then when Dewott ran into the water, I knew I couldn't let him upstage me! What honor do I have sitting on the sidelines?"
"Both of you are really big on 'honor,' huh?"
"It's the principle we live by. Without it what's the point?"
"I guess it's not the worst thing," Ezera replied, shrugging. "But I don't know about obsessively chasing after it."
"I wouldn't expect dragons like you to understand. Your type lives however they want, being so strong and secluded."
Ezera couldn't help but let out a short laugh. "Yeah, that totally fits me…"
Riivez gave him a blank stare. "I'm gonna head out for real this time."
Dewott motioned for him to wait. He lowered his paws face up, then raised two digits on each. "Before you go, how's my family doing?"
"Hm? They're alright. Everymon's still carrying on like usual. You should see how big your brothers and sister have gotten."
A small weight fell in Dewott's stomach at those words. Two years didn't seem like much in the grand scheme of things, but a lot could happen in between. Milestones, growth, secrets. Stuff he missed out on, and never could make up.
"They miss you," Riivez went on.
At this point Dewott's mind might've checked out for the day. None of his siblings were there to say goodbye to him, how could they miss him now? Were they not disappointed anymore?
"I could tell Amara about what went down today, and what you did, Dewott."
"No, don't. I'll tell her on my terms," Dewott quickly signed, touching his mouth and pointing to his chest. He didn't entirely trust Riivez to talk about him favorably. Truth be told, he was also afraid of the expectations that would set.
If his mom was left to imagine other things he could be doing, she could- no, would, build her own unrealistic scenarios of him. He'd never impress her that way. Better to make it seem like he was doing nothing for the time being. One day, when he went home, he'd surprise her with everything at the same time.
"Suit yourself." Riivez leaned in toward Dewott, speaking in a not so quiet whisper, "Last thing, is Litleo single?"
"I'd rather drown in the whirlpool," Litleo answered, rolling her eyes. "And for you, the answer is always no."
"If I see you again I'll change your mind." Riivez clicked his tongue and left them alone.
"…Wow, I can't believe he hit on you," Ezera remarked, fiddling with his scarf.
A flash of fire left Litleo's nose. "He's like all the worst parts of you cranked up by a hundred. Not likable in the slightest."
"He's always been that cocky. It was fun when we were young, grating when we got older," Dewott signed, doing a clawing motion on his arm and grimacing.
"Hanging around cocky people is not for me. I need reasonable ones, like you guys!" Ezera put his hands on hips. "And speaking of reasonable…" He offered his hand, pulling Dewott upright. "I know you felt like you had to go in the whirlpool. I would've done the same. But it doesn't mean we can't not worry when stuff like that happens."
"Sorry. I would've checked with you guys first if I had time."
Ezera reassured him with a smile. "Like I said, we get it. It's just in our nature."
"Reckless, the both of you," Litleo sighed. "I suppose that's why all three of us stick together."
"You're not exempt from that reckless statement. That's why we're inseparable now."
"I suppose that's a fair point."
Rebound quietly observed how Gana and Corla coordinated with the police. Words like "perimeter" and "coast guards" reached their ears. Hopefully these whirlpools went away on their own.
"Dewott, how did Riivez make that weapon of his? Is it similar to your scalchop?" Ezera inquired, eyeing said item.
Dewott unclipped his scalchop and let Ezera hold it. "My species and water-types who know Liquidation are the only ones able to make weapons like that. You need to be expertly trained to make special ones, though. Otherwise you'll probably have a basic blade or scythe like mine." To demonstrate he took his scalchop back and summoned the scythe, holding it up to the sun. 'I had some training, but… wasn't able to finish."
He was definitely finding a moment in the future to reveal his secret to Ezera. All the dancing around the topic and having to keep it vague not only felt bad, but was tiring. Dewott just had to find his courage first.
"Gotcha. You're making me wish I was a water-type. I wanna hold and create weapons!"
"Dragon-type moves are arguably cooler."
"Yeah, but compared to wielding something like an actual blade? I don't know, that's pretty badass." Ezera nudged Dewott's arm. "The fact you can do it makes you a certified one."
Dewott pulled his scarf up to hide his blush. It wasn't really a high bar to clear, considering every other dewott could, but…
Who would ever respect him?
His friends would. And despite still feeling he needed to prove more, it was relieving.
Later that night, the guild leaders situated themselves at Sirfetch'd's desk, staring at the unopened letter from the Rovers' Bureau. Bouncing between meetings at town hall took much longer than either of them expected, and it wasn't helped that the incident at the wharf delayed them even further.
"I sincerely hope there isn't any more troubling news in this letter. We have enough already," Rapidash muttered.
"It'll be fine," Sirfetch'd stated, opening the envelope. "The issue is localized, and our teams performed exceptionally well in bringing it under control."
"Localized for now. If the land is destabilizing so close to town already, what does that mean for the future?"
"That's why we must find our founders."
"You know as well as I do how spotty that solution is." Rapidash paced in front of the desk. "How do we know Zacian and Zamazenta will kill Eternatus? They hesitated the first time, that leaves the possibility of a second."
Sirfetch'd had the letter out in the open now, but he set it aside and made eye contact with Rapidash. "Are you scared?" he asked, his regular aloofness no longer present.
The Vicemaster paused. "Yes, I am, Guildmaster. We've never been in this situation before. I don't know how to prepare."
"No 'mon does when it comes to problems affecting the entire world."
Rapidash sighed.
"Fear makes you vigilant. That's all we can do for now. Be vigilant, tackle what we can, and make the best plans with the info we have available. If everymon knew for sure how things would turn out, we'd have no problems." He set his shield down against the desk. "When was the last time you confided in Indeedee, as friends?"
"...Not since our team disbanded and I was elected Vicemaster."
"Are you still holding that decision against her?"
Rapidash stayed silent, her horn flashing pink and purple.
"You're overdue on letting it go."
She glanced at her hoofs. "You're unreasonably serious tonight."
Sirfetch'd's shoulders relaxed, his signature grin returning. "Just advising as a leader should."
Rapidash shook her head and levitated the letter to a position where she could read it. "'Hola Sirfetch'd, Rapidash. Since we last communicated, things have continued to be peaceful 'round these parts. Or, our definition of peaceful at any rate. No signs of weird dungeons or dynamaxes to be found."
"However, there is one oddity that's arrived on our doorstep: A scorbunny named Jackie. Y'see, when we recruit new 'mon, we do background checks to see if they can really be trustworthy. And our detectives are no slouch when it comes to this. We look into jobs, families, schools, anything that can leave a footprint. This chica? Not a lick of information we could dig up. It's like she wasn't born until she showed up at our headquarters."
"We've put her on a probation period with one of our newer recruits for now. We have our suspicions she's worked for some rival organization, but she seems honest and goodly so far. What do you think? P.S. You should come down and enjoy the desert air sometime, I'll treat you to some local coladas. Signed, Head Investigator Fione," Rapidash finished.
"We must tell her right away we'll see her soon for those coladas," Sirfetch'd noted.
"Guildmaster, please." Rapidash set the letter back in the envelope. "A pokémon with no history… Two possibilities come to mind. Either it's been carefully concealed, or…"
"She could be a human," Sirfetch'd concluded, resting his chin on his wing.
"All the way on the Sand Continent? How is that possible? And why? Is Eternatus so powerful that this many humans are needed?"
"We've been under the presumption they're here on purpose. What if it's the opposite?"
Rapidash appeared as if she got Wake-Up Slapped fifty times. "An accident? That would explain the no visions Ezera and Litleo keep reporting... Oh dear."
Sirfetch'd leaned back in his chair, listening to the wood and seat creak. Assuming what he said was true, would more humans show up? Which one was the real savior, if any of them? Perhaps there wasn't one, and that was okay.
It didn't matter there was no designated hero, because Ezera and Litleo showed they were committed to stopping Eternatus. They'd play the part regardless if it was written for them or not.
Author's Note: And so our next arc has officially begun! New plot threads, hints, and issues! Can anyone guess who the voice is already? I hope everyone enjoyed this more Dewott-centric chapter, you'll be seeing more of these going forward.
I will say I deeply apologize for the super long wait on this upload (take a shot everytime I say this (please don't)), life and not really knowing how to approach this chapter slowed down my progress considerably. But, here's hoping I can get back into month-ish uploads again. Big thank you once again to all the people coming back to reread/leaving comments, I appreciate all of you so much!
Next time: Our heroes pay a visit to Bubula Town's academy, but will they find an answer for Ezera, or another dead end?
Edit 10/1: Next chapter is close to completion, hope to upload within the next 2 weeks!