- Chapter 7: The Lone Explorer -
AYIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!
A gasp escaped Krista as she jolted awake. The desperate scream had pierced though her mind.
"Pineno!" She whipped to her left. "Pineno, did you—"
There were only grasslands—grass that seemed to stretch for miles beyond what the eye could see. It was mid-day. Rays of sunlight poured down and dotted the field in countless colors.
(What's going on…?)
Cautious, Krista stood and scanned her surroundings. The sea of grass never seemed to end, no matter where she looked. That was when she realized…her eyes. They were not strained anymore. She could see just as clearly afar as she could nearby.
She could see how the color of the grass shifted in every imaginable color. That wasn't normal. The sky, too, never stayed blue. It changed to purple, then red, then orange, then yellow…
…and the air. The air was rippling.
(What is this place…?)
Her head rang again. Another terrible screech spliced through.
"Please…please…"
"You…have to…"
"Come…back…"
"Where have…you gone?!"
Krista opened her mouth to speak, but the words she wanted to say did not come out as sounds. Instead, they were thoughts. Thoughts that seemed to echo through the strange space.
(Who are you?) she asked. (Come back where? What are you talking about?)
"You…you promised…"
"You promised…!"
(What did I promise? I don't remember anything!) Krista glared at the sky, although it was impossible to tell where the voice was coming from. (Who are you? Please, if you tell me, maybe I can help you!)
Snap.
Krista froze and looked beneath her feet. What she expected to be a twig was a small crack in the earth.
Another split to her other foot. She stepped back, but the lightning cracks followed her motions.
The ground snapped in a frenzy beneath Krista's feet. She stepped back in a whimper as it followed her every step. The cracks…they were glowing. Intense, strong energy poured out, shooting towards the sky as pillars of light.
The ground started to cave, then it collapsed in pieces. Krista turned and started to run. A massive crack split the ground in half.
"Don't…go…"
"Don't leave me here!"
"DON'T LEEEEEAVE ME PLEEEEEEEEASE!"
Krista no longer felt the ground beneath her feet. Fear held her by the throat. No sound came out as she fell into the vast whiteness…
… … …
"DAH!"
Krista jolted up with a loud gasp. Her heart pounded through her ears as she pressed her paws firmly on the ground. The vibration of her claws against the stone pressed against the surface as she feared losing its grip, falling into an unknown abyss.
No cracks on the ground. Nothing happened. The room was silent. The marbled walls didn't move.
Pineno was sound asleep on the ground, oblivious to her distraught.
(What was that?!)
What she just saw…it replayed in her head, but only for an brief amount of time as she felt anxiety creeping up her chest. She shut her eyes and fought to keep her breathing under control.
(Just a bad dream…? It was…just a bad dream.)
It felt like ages until her breathing was at a normal rhythm. As she opened her eyes again, the room looked a lot more vibrant. The soft glow of the moonlight outside could be reason, but as she looked at even the darkest corners of the room, she realized she could see the reflective surface.
It was still the middle of the night. But for some odd reason, the darkness brought a sense of comfort, like a large blanket which wrapped around the rampant thoughts in her mind. It made her somewhat glad that she wasn't afraid of the dark.
(I'm safe inside Stoneridge Complex. I'm inside of a fortress.)
She took a deep breath.
(Pineno is still asleep. Staying up won't do any good. I should…try to get some more sleep.)
As she laid down, a part of her was afraid that the sudden discomfort would return. She shifted to her side, staring back at her reflection.
(It was just a dream.)
She pushed the pleading force to the back of her mind as she closed her eyes.
(Just a dream.)
She focused on her own breathing.
(Just…a dream…)
- 0000 -
"UP!"
Krista and Pineno screamed awake. They spun to the door, and there Howler stood.
(Why does he have to always do that?!) Krista held had paw against her chest. The claws almost sunk through her skin. She was sure at some point, her soul would leave her body from how many times she got spooked.
"Get ready," Howler said with his mighty voice. "You are to gather at Stoneridge Plaza."
Pineno pushed himself to all four paws. He was cautious as he tried to recover from the shock. "I thought…we were going to meet with Dusk?"
"I will escort you to the plaza."
Krista held her paw out in front of Pineno before he could say anything else. There was no changing Howler's mind. She had to learn that the hard way.
They followed him out, groggy, walking side by side. Other Pokémon stepped out of the way, watching the small group with curious eyes. It appeared everyone was heading in the same direction, likely for breakfast if Krista had to guess. As rubbed the sleep from her eyes, she came to a realization that she didn't quite enjoy the morning as well as she thought she did, but there was no point in complaining.
Krista yawned. "Who is Dusk, anyway? I know he's probably one of the Headmaster's associates, but what kind of Pokémon is he?"
Howler did not answer.
It was going to be a quiet and long walk down.
… … …
Krista remembered the plaza to be the first room she had seen when they first stepped foot inside the complex. It was almost unrecognizable due to the gathering group of Pokémon—far too many species for Krista to keep up with. She had to duck her head to avoid the tail of a Nidoking. A Diglett that popped from underfoot almost tripped her over. Behind her, a Braviary flew past, she had to duck head. Everyone seemed to go wherever they wanted to go.
Howler took a turn and led the pair towards the clustering crowd. Krista realized that everyone was grouped around the giant glowing pillar. It zapped and hummed with tiny blue bolts. The Pokémon that stood the closest to it would be who Krista could call foolish, until she recognized some as electric-types. Maybe they were naturally drawn to it.
Howler turned his body towards the children before they could go any further. He huffed, a wordless command for them to remain where they stood. He left them in the crowd, parting his way through with ease as everyone made sure he had a clear path. Even as the crowd gathered back together, his body could still be seen sticking out.
"What's going on?" Krista asked as the crowd started to gather again. "Has there been a change of plans?"
"I don't know," Pineno answered. He rubbed his arm, unnerved by the strange atmosphere.
If he didn't think it was cool, then maybe it was something serious. Krista already didn't like where things were going. There were far too many voices, animalistic at that, that her mind struggled to pick out.
They waited. Krista felt a growing presence behind her. Several more Pokémon poured inside the room.
(Is everyone coming here?)
She felt a nudge from Pineno. She turned to him, but he was pointing high above with a gaping mouth.
Krista looked, and it was her turn to have her jaw hanging open.
The bridges.
Both bridges. They were being filled with countless Pokémon.
Bird Pokémon flew overhead and perched on some of the floating stones. Unbelievably, it didn't shock them. Small Pokémon who would have otherwise been swallowed by the crowd stood on top of heads. Even on the ground, Krista could see a Joltik clinging on to a Zebstrika.
"Mr. Howler has called for a Retaliator meeting," a voice next to her snorted.
Truly, it snorted. She understood a snort out of all things.
Krista looked to her right, and she was forced to look up. It was a Sawsbuck. A lone Fletchinder was perched on its antlers, which sprouted deep green leaves.
"Where's the Headmaster?" Krista asked, hoping the Pokémon didn't notice her twisted expression.
"He rarely ever attends these meetings," the Sawsbuck said. "Mr. Howler is usually the one leading the topics. He takes all of our Headmaster's burdens into his shoulders, making decisions on his behalf if he has to. He has never failed us so far."
The new information wasn't what she expected. Howler was second-in-command? He certainly did play the part.
Her mind just registered something else. "Wait. Did you say Retaliator meeting?"
"Yup. All the Pokémon here are part of a Retaliation Team. This must be your first time here."
(No way!) The flood of shock rattled her fully awake. All of those Pokémon worked for the organization? Hundreds?! She assumed it was the entire population of the complex, but this was only a portion of it?!
The crowd was quiet. Krista caught movement, and saw that Howler had climbed to the top of the pillar, standing dead in the middle. Flanking his sides was Grove, and a Mightyena. Strung around its neck was a gray-striped scarf—another associate. The Mightyena looked so small compared to the other two present.
Grove took a few steps forward. The sounds of her hooves bounced off the walls in the deathly silence. Vines sprouted from the shrub growing around her body. She held them just inches above her head, and she started to sway them both.
Krista wasn't sure what was happening. A hundred voices clashed in union—no. They were reciting, no, singing. They were singing. She wasn't sure if she wanted to call it singing. The different range of voices that screamed, mewed and roared made it more of a dissonance if anything.
In her moment of small panic, her mind scrambled and found a hold on something. She was able to sort out the words, and the melody that was supposed to exist.
It became clear where the harmony was supposed to be.
Once, in time, we all thrived.
All creatures stood tall with vigor and pride.
Present day, it's the same.
Far more civilized and tamed.
We're Pokémon.
That's what they called us, so we as Pokémon;
We stand together, like the body of one,
United forever no matter what turmoil's to come.
Despite all of the troubles that we have endured, we all can be, and will be well assured. (We all can be, and will be well assured!)
No matter what happens, no matter how bleak things become, we will always prevail! (It's why we will travail!)
Steady!
Never give up!
Keep your—head up—towards the sky!
Too much to pass by!
Steady!
Keep on going;
There's still—so much—along this trail!
We'll always prevail!
The song looped. Krista listened to the words as she tried to grasp the meaning. Was it an anthem of some sort? It had to be, if Pineno already knew it. He joined in halfway through the song, although he was just as confused on why everyone was singing it out of the blue.
By the time it was over, Grove dipped her head and stepped back. Howler took her place and peered down at the crowd with a strong, authoritative aura. As he spoke, his already strong voice was carried across the room.
"This anthem is a reminder that we have always been, and forever will be capable of overcoming strife, no matter how bleak the odds are stacked against us. The Stoneridge has endured hundreds of years of conflict, and it will stand firm against a hundred more. We are but a fraction of the Retaliation Corporation's power, but we are the heart. The soul. Let us remind you that for as long as we remain vigilant as one, the heart will continue to beat strong. No amount of strife will ever tear this stronghold apart."
A storm of stomping and clapping flooded the plaza, pulsing through Krista's ears. She clawed at them to press them against her skull until the silence settled.
"I remind you of this, because today, I bring heavy news. I will allow our first-rate Explorer and associate, Dusk, to take the floor."
"That's Dusk…?" Pineno whispered.
Soft, confused muttering filled the air as the Mightyena took Howler's place. Unlike the canine before him, the Mightyena didn't hold such a strong and intimidating presence. It looked down at the crowd, then studied those waiting high above.
"Pokémon, I know you don't see me here often, and I was informed we have some new faces, so allow me to introduce myself once again. You can call me Dusk. I am an Explorer who sailed far from the grass continent. I have studied and ventured through countless mystery dungeons in my lifetime, so I can assure you that what I am about to say is true."
Although his voice was somewhat calm and gentle, each word he spoke held a subtle growl behind the vowels. His teeth were slightly beared, but there was no hint of anger. It was as if everything about him contradicted itself.
"As you may have heard, a distortion has formed within the outskirts of Poppy Town three years ago. As of today, I can confirm that this distortion has transformed the pathway into a mystery dungeon."
The crowd started talking at once. Krista could feel the growing tension in the room.
"The residents within the town are unharmed. But one of our trading routes has been cut out. Connections with The West of The Solis Region have been disrupted. People can leave the town, but no one can enter without wandering into this twisted dimension. With the help of Team Retaliate, I've been able to rate this mystery dungeon as an S-tier."
The voices picked up. Some were panicked.
"From this day forward, all residents, and all teams below the Silver rank are restricted from traveling to Poppy Town."
There was an uproar. Krista was forced to shield her ears against a storm of animalistic cries that flooded the air.
"Silver rank?! Are you serious?!"
"What do you mean by S-tier?! Why is it so dangerous?!"
"What about my children! My children were expecting to see me today! I can't stay here!"
"How are we going to be able to send them food, now?! They are going to starve!"
A single, loud bark from Howler silenced the crowd in an instant. It spooked everyone off their feet.
"Uh…thank you, Howler," Dusk said.
"Hnn…" Howler sat down with a low growl.
Dusk cleared his throat. "Erm…carrying on; All of your questions and concerns, yes I hear them. To answer the most popular questions; the dungeon's behavior is still not well-known. While I would have liked to rate it as an A-tier dungeon, there is still much we don't know. This was just a precaution. The wild creatures that were swallowed in this new dungeon are far too powerful for beginning teams, or inexperienced battlers to handle. As for the other concerns about the residents, we have already sent high-ranking teams to deliver food and supplies to the town. But we are heavily considering migration due to reports of the dungeon stirring far sooner than normal. This may have to do with the fact that it just developed, so it is not as stable to our liking. Hence why, the S-tier ranking was placed."
The crowd muttered among themselves again. There were still concerns, but not as heavy as they were before.
"And…there's more developing news."
Everyone went tense.
"For anyone who wishes to travel through the Eastern Plains, do so with caution. A new distortion has been spotted."
The crowd was loud again.
"It's tame. It's tame!" Dusk rose his voice to drown out the panic. "If you happen to walk through it, the worst that will happen is that you will merely get dizzy. No harm will come to you or your valuables. It likely won't develop for another three years, but please, remain cautious."
"It's The Sorcerers!" a voice cried. "They are spreading the curse of these forsaken dungeons!"
Several panicked voices agreed with the stranger's statement.
Dusk frowned. "There has been no evidence that a mystery dungeon can be artificially created. Please do not let false rumors cloud your judgment. Exploration Teams exist for a reason. We know the habits and natures of these distortions. Trust us. We will continue to inform you of any further development."
"Another mystery dungeon…" the Sawsbuck next to Krista said with a shake of his head. "It's too early for a new one to develop."
"Now then…I would like to deliver some good news," Dusk announced.
Everyone perked up.
"I would like everyone to run a round of applause for Team Bedrock, for reaching the Gold rank!"
Stomping and roaring filled the air again. Krista was almost knocked over by a Raichu behind her.
At the other side of the room, a Midday-Lycanroc, Archeops, and Drednaw were being crowded by gleeful Pokémon. The trio were stunned and speechless. The news was new to them as it seemed.
Dusk's tail started to wag as he bounced near the edge of the pillar he stood upon. "They've performed the outstanding feat of unveiling and destroying an outstanding stock of itemizers from The Sorcerers' market! We are thankful to you, Team Bedrock!"
The cheering was much louder. Krista didn't quite get the context, but she knew it had a negative impact on The Sorcerers…their enemy. It had to be an incredibly dangerous job.
"So why do we do this?" Dusk asked the crowd as soon as the celebration died down. "Why do we deliver the terrible news first, before terrific?"
"Because no matter what happens, no matter how bleak things become, we will always prevail!" Hundreds of voices flooded the room. Some were louder than others.
"Yes!" Dusk exclaimed with an excited jump. "We will always prevail!"
Krista was awestruck by this Pokémon. It was no wonder he was chosen to work so closely with the Headmaster. Not only was he a dungeon-crawling master…but he was also a beacon so many Pokémon needed.
She didn't even know half of what was going on, but she felt happier.
… … …
"She's illiterate, Howler. Show a bit of mercy."
"What?" Howler's disapproving gaze turned into a glare, but Grove was unphased. "Has the Headmaster lost his edge? To allow a Pokémon within our ranks who cannot read is a disaster waiting to happen. You might as well lend her a reviser seed."
Krista was sure that was an insult.
After the meeting was disbanded, everyone went on to their daily tasks. Krista and Pineno became the center of attention by default due to the trio of associates leading them to the registration desk.
At that moment, she was being painted as a problem again. It was from the Arcanine no less, which didn't surprise her. But it still did hurt, and apparently that information didn't reach Pineno, because he looked at Krista as if she grew a second head. His face changed as he had a moment of clarity. He must have written it off as part of her memory loss.
The thing was, Krista knew she wasn't illiterate. There was something out there she knew. She just couldn't remember what it looked like. Somehow, the remnants of her human life took joy in taunting her.
"Boomer still can't read footprint runes all too well," Dusk said. "Why do you think I'm always teamed up with him when we have our own missions to do?"
Howler growled. "Damage control."
Grove shot him a glare before she turned to Krista. "It's quite alright, child. Our writing system is actually easy to learn. I do have hatchling books in our library that you can use and study if you'd like."
Krista almost choked on air. "Hatchling books?"
Howler chuckled.
"It's ok, Ms. Grove!" Pineno stepped forward, ignoring the Arcanine's mockery. "I'll teach her! I don't mind!"
"Is that so? Well, alright then. I hope you understand you will have to help her with anything involving paperwork until she at least has a decent reading level."
"I know! I said it's fine!" Pineno smiled.
"Well, alright. Let's get this over with, then," Grove said as she brought out a large book from a shelf behind her. "Have you both decided on a team name?"
"A team name?!" Krista felt her heart drop.
"Oh! I forgot about that!" Pineno rubbed the back of his head. "Oops!"
At least she wasn't the only one.
"This is not the time for any delay," Howler said. "We'll pick a name for you if you fail to find something."
"Um…" Krista had to think quick. "I think I have something."
"Oh, please tell." Howler's tone could indicate an eye roll for sure.
Krista frowned. "But…I don't know if it's all good."
"Do we have to criticize your every action to guide you or something? I don't have the time to babysit anyone."
(You already do that.) Krista wanted to say that out loud. She instead turned to Grove. "The name of our team will be Team Retribute!"
Where did that word even come from? It just popped in her head.
"Team Retribute?" Dusk repeated with a hint of interest. In fact, he smiled. "To give back, or to punish. That's what it means. Not a bad choice!"
Pineno slammed one paw on another. "Awesome! That's a great name, Krista! We sound cool already!"
Grove was silent, and her silence was more than enough to become the main focus. She had gone completely still, to the point that her vines looked frozen in place.
"Retribute…" The words were whispered. There was uncertainty.
Krista wondered if she did something wrong. It wasn't the sort of reaction she was expecting. Even Dusk, who was pleased with her choice, had lost his smile in response. "Did…did I say something wrong?"
Dusk approached the counter. "Grove?"
Grove ignored him as her focus shifted to Krista . It was a strange stare. "Do you have a story behind this name?"
"Does it…need to have a story?" Krista wondered. She was beginning to think she might have insulted her somehow.
"No." Grove opened the book with one vine and picked up her inked brush with the other. She was already writing it down.
"A rather serious name for a couple of children, is what she wanted to say," Howler said. "The last group called themselves Team Slasher. There was also Team Dasher. Team Darkflare. Team Aquasprout. All believable names. The name you've chosen suits this organization, but it does not suit you."
"It's just a name," Pineno said, shrugging. "I don't see the problem."
Howler's lips twitched. "You lack critical thinking. A name is more than a word. It holds meaning. The moment you are registered under your chosen name, everyone will see it. They will have expectations behind that name. With a name revolving around retribution, you will need to work harder on that promise—a promise a pair of mere children cannot deliver. You are setting yourselves up for failure, Spiny-nut, if you support this foolish claim the scratch-cat has made."
Krista felt insulted. In fact, all the Arcanine ever did was try to insult her. Intentional or not, she was growing sick of it. "You just want me to fail, don't you?"
As soon as the words left her mouth, she knew she couldn't reclaim them. Again, silence took hold of the atmosphere. That time, Krista could feel the sharp edge of unease.
Howler's eyes shifted to meet hers. "For what reason would the scratch-cat reach for something she does not have the skills to uphold? I recommend something far more believable. You can always change it back later. But as of now, your reputation does not exist."
Krista felt the pulse of fear trying to claim her from his intense glare. Every word he said made heat build in her core. She knew that he was right.
But for some foolish reason, she did not back down. She was standing firm against a silly word that she couldn't let go of. The prickle of fur rising tickled her body. She had to swallow away a lump on her throat just to keep herself and her tone composed.
"I'm not changing it."
She almost couldn't keep her tone composed.
A growl rumbled through Howler's chest as he lowered his head to her level. Seeing that he merely succeeded in making her step back, he rose again and snorted. "Hnn. So be it. You can keep it."
Krista flinched against his booming voice.
"Felines and their unyielding pride…"
He let it go? She was sure she would be forced to change it to something more mundane. Looking at Dusk, he was chuckling at what he witnessed. Grove wore a small smile, but whether or not it was joy or relief was difficult to distinguish.
"I will have you two registered as Team Retribute," Grove said. She stopped mid-stroke. "And finally, who is going to be the team leader?"
"Oh." Pineno looked at Krista. She was just as lost.
Howler scowled, perhaps disgusted by their lack of preparation.
"Please, Howler. They are still learning!" Grove almost scolded him. "You can't expect them to be prepared for everything!"
"These are the bare minimum requirements," Howler said through a snarl. "A team operates as a group, and every group has a leader—a leader who displays the traits of caution, wisdom, and hardiness."
He started to leave, only lowering his head to reach the children's eye level with a dissatisfied snort.
"You're forgetting your first mission already, Scratch-cat."
A fresh wave of annoyance was enough to make her respond. "My name is Krista."
Howler snorted again in response.
Thankfully, he left. His heavy footfalls were almost reliving.
Grove sighed. "I'm sorry. He's…he can be difficult, but I promise that he means no harm."
"He's not just nitpicking you," Dusk said, his eyes following the massive Pokémon. "He does this to all new recruits."
"It's okay!" Pineno's chippy tone caught nearly everyone by surprise. "He's just worried about us in his own weird way, right? We'll just have to work extra hard!"
The remaining associates were impressed by his optimism, but Krista knew that it was all a facade.
(Why are you angry for my sake?) Krista wondered.
"...Well, I can't very well continue if your team is without a designated leader," Grove said. Her gaze was towards the hall Howler took, but she was ready to write.
Pineno tapped his chin. "Hmm. This is a bit tough, huh? Once we decide, we can't change our mind, huh?"
"Under certain circumstances, perhaps, but as of today, no. But please, hurry. I have others waiting on me."
Krista looked behind her, and she almost jumped at the amount of Pokémon that were lining up. They didn't look so pleased that they were holding up the line, either.
"Well, Krista can be leader then."
"What?" Krista looked at Pineno as if he lost his head. "Why not you? You're more experienced than me with these kind of things!"
"Being a leader doesn't always mean you're the strongest, you see," Pineno said. "And I don't really think I'm ready to make my own decisions yet. I uh…never really got to be dependent, you see? But I'm always happy to help!"
Dependent. Right. Pineno never really got to go out as much as he would had liked. But how was Krista any different? She didn't know anything.
Again. He was trusting her. Was it a Pokémon thing? Humans wouldn't be so quick to trust strangers, would they?
"Are you okay with this, Meowth?" Grove asked.
"Oh!" Krista was snapped from her thoughts. She wanted to correct her then, but answering her question was more important. "Um, sure?"
Grove started to write everything down. "Alright. Then you shall be the assigned leader of Team Retribute. And…there you go! All registered! Welcome to The Retaliation Corporation!"
"Awesome!" Pineno cheered.
"Has it been done? Didn't miss anything, did I?"
Vigor walked up to the group with a small crate carried over her high shoulder.
"Aside from Howler's usual attitude, no," Dusk answered.
"The canine always tries, I swear. But he ain't gonna scare away this bunch!" Vigor laughed. She winked at the pair, which only confused them.
Grove smiled. "Alright, Vigor. Go on. Let them see it."
Vigor set the crate down, and she tore the lid off.
Inside sat what appeared to be a brown backpack of some sort. For something that was crafted by Pokémon, the quality was impressive. In fact, Krista wondered how they were able to replicate the stitches so perfectly. It looked like a human made it.
That was until she took a closer look and realized…it has no pockets. It had a single flap that was tied shut by a rope. There was a smaller rope at the base, perhaps to carry something else.
Dusk walked up to the crate and placed a paw on the object. "This is your backpack. You will be carrying this for now on as an extension of your bodies. Go on. Take a look inside."
It was Pineno who stepped forward first. He flipped the bag open and pulled out a pair of fabric. One was a rusty red color with the gray image of a flexing arm in the center. The other was a blank white scarf that was decorated with black dots only at the ties.
"A power band and defense scarf. Those will give you a little boost while in battle," Dusk explained.
"Oh! These look awesome!" Pineno exclaimed.
"And of course, the most important one of all." Dusk pulled out a rolled up thick sheet of paper using his teeth. He dropped it on the ground, and he was careful with spreading it open with his paws.
"Whoa! It's a map!"
"The Revelation Map," Dusk said. "It's crucial that you don't lose this. Not that it would be dangerous if you do, it's just difficult to replace. We don't really have a lot of talented painters in this district, so we would have to go through the trouble of asking for shipments. That is never fun."
"Don't worry! We will keep up with it! It's too cool to lose anyway!"
Dusk chuckled. "You think that's impressive. I am intrigued with how long you'll keep that perspective."
Krista took a look, and she was impressed with all the details that were painted on the surface. The land had a rather strange shape. If anything, it looked similar to a rhombus. The land was colorful and vibrant. It didn't look like a place that was terrorized by dark forces. It held just about any terrain Krista could think of. She could make out the snowy mountains in the north, the plains in the middle, the sea in the south…the continent didn't appear as big as she expected it to be. The entire place was surrounded by water. Were they living on a giant island of some sort? Or was it painted that way deliberately?
What killed her joy was the sight of footprints. Every location was labeled with more footprints runes she couldn't read.
"Wait. Where is the complex located?" Pineno asked.
"You won't be able to see it. Not on the surface level. It would be foolish if you could," Dusk said. He was kind enough to point a claw at the very center of the map, where the Riverside Path was painted. "We are around here. And this entire segment…"
The segment. Krista didn't notice it before, but the entire land was split by dotted claw marks.
"This is The Espilce Region. And within the Riverside Path is where The Central Retaliation Corps reside. Up north behind the mountains is The Ivory Region. East is The Mona Region. West is Solis. And south…south is Ebony."
Krista noticed everyone's shaken nerves at the mention of the last region.
"I know it's a lot of names to remember. But you don't have to worry about that now. Your concern is within The Central where you work. If you have to tend to missions outside of our region, we will, of course, properly educate you on what to expect—"
"What happened down south?" Pineno asked, interrupting him.
It has gone silent. The associates gave each other nervous glances.
Dusk sighed. "The South recently suffered a giant sky-rift that swallowed a nearby village whole. A plague of The Corruption blanketed the area overnight. The Headmistress didn't have a choice but to neutralize everything that was infected. It was the only way to keep The Sorcerers from getting their paws involved…the only way to keep the southern fraction from being discovered. We haven't heard from her since. I can only imagine that she's still heartbroken about it."
"N-neutralize?" Krista looked at him, almost in denial from what she just heard. "You mean she…?"
"The hardest part of being the region's protector is knowing when something is not worth saving. Had she done nothing…The Sorcerers' forces would grow exceptionally strong. It would put the entire continent in danger."
Pineno stammered over his words. "What? B-but…there had to be some other way! She couldn't have just given up on them! It wasn't their fault they got Corrupted!"
"I know."
"So why? Why did they have to suffer because of something beyond their control?! Why couldn't they've been put somewhere safe until it was reversed…or something! They could have been saved!"
Dusk was quiet, his eyes unfocused as he took a step back.
"Enough." Grove pushed Pineno back with a single vine. "I understand your feelings, Chespin. But as Dusk said, it was a very difficult decision. Nobody likes…to resort to such things. That is why this organization exists. We are constantly searching for answers—a way to stop this for good. If we don't, The Sorcerers will have all the resources they need to bring ruin to this land, and perhaps the entire world if they desire."
The Gogoat was looking at Dusk near the end of her sentence.
"Oh, right!" Vigor clapped her hands together with a gleeful smile. It was loud enough to make everyone jump. "Where are those kids' badges? I'm sure they would love to see them!"
Grove perked up. "They are still being processed. Once Zee has approved of their quality, he will send them over. Now, Dusk…if you will…"
Dusk nudged their new items towards them. "Hurry. Put these away. I'm going to show you to your rooms."
"Oh! Our rooms!" Pineno gasped.
Hearing that, the pair put everything away. Pineno took the bag and slung it over his back before he chased after Dusk, who was already quite a distance away. Krista waved at the others and hurried along.
She wasn't foolish. She knew why Vigor urged them to move. It was difficult to imagine what horrible things happened in the south. Was it that morbid? Or was it the topic of morality that shook them?
Was The Corruption truly irreversible? How were The Sorcerers involved in them? Why would they want to bring ruin to the entire continent? More questions. She always found herself surrounded with more questions than answers. But, it wouldn't do her any good to ponder on them. It wasn't her place.
(But Pineno looked pretty upset back there. It makes sense though. His mom…)
The Houndoom. Did he find his mom? Could he have…?
(No. No…don't think about that. She's fine. She has to be fine, for his sake. Please… Pineno's mom…be safe.)
… … …
Krista was relieved to know she already beginning to learn the routes through the tunnels, but when they passed the stairway leading to the second floor, she found herself confused.
They entered the sixteenth hall, and she almost stopped in her tracks.
It was long! She couldn't see the end!
Dusk walked behind them and nudged them both with his nose. Once they started walking again, he walked past, only enough to stay near their side.
The doors in the halls were a lot more cramped than what Krista was used to seeing. She stepped aside when a Golem walked past, giving Dusk a subtle nod. They walked further down, and there was a Sawsbuck. Krista wasn't sure if there were multiple Pokémon of the same species living within the tunnels, but the Sawsbuck stood out. He had the Fletchinder perched on his antlers like before.
The Sawsbuck took notice of them, too. "Oh, do I have new neighbors?"
"Morning, Buck. Yes, you do." Dusk titled his head towards the pair. "They are our newest recruits."
"Well, isn't this fun?" Sawsbuck chuckled. "I suppose I should properly introduce myself. As you already know, I am who they call Buck. And my partner here is called Talon. We are Team Spring."
The Fletchinder atop his head waved.
"Team Spring?" Pineno tilted his head. "But you're not…"
"Not all names have to be literal, you know. Our team name has a meaning. Spring is the beginning of all life, no?"
He chuckled, but it was cut short once he noticed they didn't return the laugh.
It hasn't been that long, and already Howler's words found them again.
"Well, since we are living in the same hall, I guess we'll be seeing each other more often!" Buck continued, trying to keep the awkwardness away. "If you ever need anything, give me a shout! I might know a thing or two."
Buck strolled down the hall, leaving them alone with the Mightyena once again.
"So he's our neighbor, huh? That's pretty cool." Krista tried to keep things moving.
Dusk smiled. "You'll be meeting a lot of teams here. Team Spring is one of many that have been here for some time. Don't feel bad if you forget the names. It took a while for me to match the faces myself."
Krista looked back at Buck one last time. He seemed nice. She wondered how long he was working within the corporation.
"Ah. Here we are."
They stopped in front of a door, which didn't look any special from the others.
"How are we going to be able to find our way back here? It's pretty far down," Krista asked.
"The numeral rule applies here as well," Dusk answered. "Check the engravings on your door."
Krista could see it. Two stars and four dots…?
"We are in the twenty-fourth room?"
"Of hall sixteen! Don't forget it! But just in case you do, you can just swing by and ask Grove or I. We'll point you in the right direction."
Krista was just grateful that she didn't have to climb up so many stairs anymore.
"Go on. Take a look at your rooms."
Krista stepped forward and pressed her paws against the surface, but it didn't budge and inch. She tried to apply her weight in the next push, but nothing happened.
She took a deep breath before she turned to the dark-type. "Is the door locked?"
"Oh. That's right." Dusk looked up to the ceiling. "Hey! Zee! Do you have them both ready or not? We need them now!"
A pair of glowing blue discs materialized above. Two small and circular objects dropped from inside and struck the Pokémon's head. They bounced off and fell to the ground. The discs shrunk away like it was never there.
"... Thanks." Dusk huffed.
"What was that?"
Pineno didn't give Dusk the chance to answer. He walked under the Pokémon and took notice of what turned out to be a pair of silver badges. He picked one up and flipped it over, stunned to see a clawed footprint.
"Whoa! Krista! Check this out!"
He picked up the other and shot to his feet. His head snapped the Dusk's mouth shut. A high-pitched yelp startled him and Krista silly.
Dusk stepped away as he shook his head. "You are too eager! Calm down! I nearly bit off my own tongue!"
"Sorry!" Pineno shrunk in shame.
Once it seemed Dusk was fine, Krista took her badge from Pineno's paw. Just as he said, there was a footprint engraved in the back. Upon closer inspection, it was shaped like her footprint. She didn't understand how it was possible, unless they just used the standard footprint of any Meowth. But didn't Dusk say it was linked to them in some way? What if there was another Chespin in the building? How would it know who belonged to who?
"Alright. Those are your badges," Dusk explained. "They are extremely important. Never, I repeat, never go anywhere without them. Without those badges, if you ever get lost or you faint in a dungeon, you'll be trapped until someone finds you. Those badges need to be worn at all times. They sense your condition, so if you ever do faint, it will expel you from the dungeon."
"They can do that?!" Pineno asked.
"Yes. We do have a hospital located in the underground floor. I or one of the other associates will show you that another time."
What did a hospital run by Pokémon look like? Krista could only wonder.
"Your footprints on the back of these badges identifies you two as a member of this organization. If you flip them over…" Dusk watched Pineno flip his over. He chuckled at the face he was seeing. "Well, it shows your current rank. If you impress us enough, you'll rank up, and your badge will change."
The first thing Krista noticed was how the four-pointed star of their badge held a faded, egg-white color. It had such a reflective surface. Krista never realized how shiny it was until she finally got to see one up close, held in her own paws.
The indigo centerpiece was especially shiny. She turned it over and watched as the light from the floating stones reflected off the surface. With every tilt, she could see the chrome slightly change.
For some reason, it made her feel strangely warm. She was…overjoyed. Just holding it between her paws was the highlight of her day. Of course it would make her happy. It was all hers to keep. Glossy and shiny, held between her paws—
"...you're going to have to learn to stop doing that."
Krista looked up, meeting Dusk's eyes. An amused smile was worn on his face.
"Doing what?" Krista's question earned her a chuckle.
"As I was saying; The four-pointed star will change color as you increase your rank. As of now, you are in the Standard rank. That's all rookie. The jobs you are allowed to take will be determined by your badge." Dusk explained.
"So, what can we do?" Pineno asked.
"Nothing."
"Huh?" Pineno frowned. "Nothing? How is that going to teach us anything?"
"Nothing, as in, all rescue or escort requests will be picked for you, and they will always be supervised. But that's only if they are picked. Our paws are always full, and training sessions alone take up your daily schedules. You'll be training every day until you are called."
Pineno seemed upset about the answer. "That's it? We can't do anything else?"
Dusk shook his head. "Not until you are a Bronze rank. That is your goal for now. By then, you would be operating as an independent team. By then, we would prefer you take escorts jobs since they are the most neglected. We have days that they're so badly ignored, us associates would have to spend a whole day doing them ourselves."
Krista and Pineno exchanged nervous looks.
"Um…did I say something wrong?" Dusk asked.
"It's…nothing," Pineno said, trying to hide his nervous tone. "I just didn't think it was that bad."
Dusk laughed. "Take your first one and see for yourself."
"What about the outlaw missions…?"
Dusk chuckled. "Oh, no. That's Silver rank. Right after Bronze."
"Huh?! How?! Exploration Teams can take on Outlaws in at least a Normal rank!"
"You just answered your own question. Your job is far more dangerous. You can't possibly be so impatient that you want to get on the floor that badly?"
"Well…I just want to do a mission today."
"Sorry, but you will need an understanding of this place first. You can't even do as much as enter a dungeon without any basic training in the mazes. You will have to wait."
"We…we don't have the time for that!" Pineno protested. "How are we going to learn anything if we are stuck here for days? You say we need dungeon training? Well, Krista and I went through two dungeons, and we came out just fine!"
"You will be training until you are summoned for a supervised job," Dusk said again.
"But that's not fair! We don't need someone holding our paws everywhere we go! Right, Krista?"
"Wait what?" Krista wasn't planning to be any part of the debate.
"Hush!" Dusk barked.
Pineno flinched.
"Listen. I would much rather you do some jobs as well, but what is said must be done. It's standard for rookies to learn the basics. Dependent until Bronze. You're on probation. That's the rule."
Dusk nudged Pineno before he could argue any further.
"Now, insert the badge in your door."
"What?"
"The door."
Pineno hurried his way to the door before he could get scolded again. The door had a gouge like the others. Once he pressed the back of his badge against it, the centerpiece glowed blue before it returned to normal. He looked at the badge, curious. The door didn't open on its own.
Dusk pushed open the door using his nose. It revealed a room half as small as The Headmaster's, which came as no surprise. It was empty with the exception of a large flat rock that may act as a table, and a pair of straw beds that sat in the corner of the room. The only source of light were the many small blue stones that hung against the walls.
Krista frowned at the sight. It was so…dull.
"This is where you'll sleep, of course. Just make sure you deactivate your badges before you do. We don't want you accidentally sending a distress signal or something."
"How do you deactivate it?" Krista asked.
"It's easy. Just rotate the centerpiece."
Krista placed her paw on the sphere piece. She rolled it as instructed, and it was drained of its dark-blue color.
"See how the color vanished? The indicates the magic was disabled. It won't function until you turn it back on," Dusk said.
"That's amazing!" Pineno turned his back on.
"Yes, but please don't play with that. It's not a toy."
Pineno left the badge alone, and he focused on their new room. "What's with the straw? I was never told that we were having a Ponyta as a roommate."
Dusk gave him a strange look. "These are your beds. Every Pokémon has them."
"Oh. Well, that's cool!" Pineno chuckled. "I just wasn't expecting any since we slept on the floor in the Headmaster's room!"
"You two really should have been in the guest rooms," Dusk said, his face twisting even further. "But we were told to leave you be. The reason behind it? I honestly don't have a clue. He tends to give our orders without an explanation…like he forgets that step is important."
Straw beds. They had their own beds. Although it was a lot smaller compared to Slowking's, it didn't look any less itchy. Where did the straw come from?
"What's the matter, Meowth? Don't like it?"
Dusk's concerned tone reached her ears. How to respond, Krista wasn't sure at first. She didn't want to appear ungrateful. She didn't want to come off as rude if she decided to oppose how she was addressed. What she wanted to say was that the beds were lovely, but instead she said the first thing that came to mind.
"Dom't like…bugs live in there?"
Dusk looked at Krista in a funny way. "You are a strange Meowth."
Krista was beginning to wish everyone would stop reminding her.
"These beds have been treated to repel any small insects. They are changed every cycle, so you don't have to worry about much of anything."
It sounded reasonable enough.
"Now then. As soon as you get accustomed to your rooms and eat breakfast, I want you to meet me at the marketplace," Dusk said. "We need to begin your training then."
"They chose you to train us, because you're an Explorer, right?" Pineno asked.
Dusk chuckled. "I'm not sure if my expertise qualifies me as your suitable teacher."
"Of course it does!" Pineno said. "You are part of a team, are you? You have the badge as proof!"
"My badge…" Dusk looked down at his chest, and lifted a single paw.
His badge was different.
It shared the same circular base, but the color was a shining ivory instead. It was split horizontally in the middle with a single, black stripe. The badge had a pair of golden wings, but they were not as large. The tips of the "feathers" were smooth instead of sharp.
At the very center of the badge was a large sphere, the centerpiece. It displayed a warm, magenta color. The longer Krista stared at the badge, the more she felt a strange sense of familiarity.
(That's so strange. Why does the shape of this badge…look so familiar to me? Like I've seen it somewhere before?)
"Mr. Dusk?" Pineno's concerned tone drew the Mightyena's attention.
Dusk blinked from a trance. He shook his head with a sigh. "No. No I…don't really take students. Haven't had any in a while. I do all my work outside, so you'll likely be under apprenticeship with Howler or Vigor. I haven't had any students for a few years…mainly because…well, that's not important."
"Huh…?"
"I will monitor you until you've been promoted, but I won't be involved."
Krista frowned. "But you didn't answer—"
"Each team has a rank, which tells stories of their efforts and accomplishments. If you prove to be impressive enough, you'll be promoted. That's your goal. Get to Bronze. Do better, and you'll reach Silver, then…maybe Gold. Although…I don't see you reaching Gold for another couple years."
He forced a chuckle.
"And if Howler were here, he would say something like; 'Grrrr I don't see those two kids seeing Bronze in five years!' Don't let him discourage you."
His impression was…well there was effort.
But Dusk did have a point. Krista could still hear the Arcanine's words.
"Prove me wrong."
Perhaps…he had a little faith.
Dusk started his way down the hall, but Pineno shouted after him.
"Wait! What rank are you in?"
"I am in the Hyper rank, the tier above Ultra!" Dusk called back. "You won't see that for another ten years!"
He was laughing. It was hard to tell if he was being serious or not.
… … …
For breakfast, there were baked apple slices with some sort of sweet fruit glaze. It was served with what Krista could assume was bread.
"Are you not hungry?" Pineno asked her. He was staring at her strange bread.
"You can have it." She pushed it over, and recoiled back as the food was snatched from her plate. It was demolished within seconds. "...You're welcome."
"PWAH!" Pineno threw both paws in the air. "They taste just like how dad used to make them! He must have gotten the recipe from this place!"
Krista plucked another baked apple slice between her claws before eating it. Once she cleared her plate, they handed the dishes over to an Azumarill who was collecting them.
"This is so awesome!" Pineno exclaimed. He and Krista crossed the cafeteria as he rambled on. "I'm kinda bummed we can't do any real missions yet, but we got to meet an Explorer! Maybe if I ask hard enough, he'll teach all of the ultimate dungeon-crawling techniques! Don't you think that's cool?!"
Krista wanted to share his excitement. She really did. There were a lot of things she wanted to feel, but she just couldn't. She just…felt out of place in the world she woke up in.
Then there was that dream she had last night. The voice she heard…was it talking to her? It sounded so desperate. Everything was…
"Ah. I see that you both ate."
Dusk was waiting for them just outside the commons. His tongue swept across his mouth, picking up some leftover crumbs.
"Follow me. The sooner we get there, the faster you'll improve."
They passed the many shops of the marketplace, passing less and less Pokémon then further they went down. Krista recognized the path they were taking. It was confirmed when she saw the abandoned dojo in the distance.
But they weren't alone. There were the sounds of distant crashing. Someone was battling further down. As they turned the corner, Dusk pushed them back in time to avoid a flying body.
A Midday-Lycanroc crashed on the marbled ground. It stood, shaking its body as it readied itself, but it stopped once it noticed Dusk. "Oh!"
"Hey! It's Team Bedrock!" Pineno shouted.
Not too far from the Lycanroc were the familiar Drednaw and Archeops—a living Archeops. They gathered as a small group to properly greet them. The three of them dipped their heads in sync.
"It's you kids," the Drednaw said. "The ones that were being toured by our Headmaster, eh?"
"Oh! I thought I recognized you!" Krista gasped.
"Gaw-haw-haw! There's a lot of faces here, but I've never seen a Meowth in these parts, especially one like you!"
(Oh. Right.) Krista had forgotten about that.
"Name's Crush. I'm the team leader. These two fools are my partners. Granite and Clay."
"I am no fool," Granite, the Lycanroc, snarled at him.
"So, hey!" Clay, the Archeops, rose a claw. "I guess you are the rookies, huh? You're being trained by Mr. Dusk? What an honor!"
(How are you alive?) Is what Krista wished she could ask the fossil Pokémon. Something in her mind told her it shouldn't be possible, but there he stood.
"We weren't as fortunate!" Crush laughed. "We had to find out things on our own! Heh, not that I'm complaining you're getting help or anything. It's actually a good thing! You kids get to absorb knowledge a little quicker, that's all!"
"Well, Mr. Dusk said he isn't really training us," Pineno said. "Maybe today, but he won't be our teacher."
"Oh. That's a shame." Granite sat down. "I actually thought he finally got some new apprentices. They still don't think you are ready for that after the last inci—"
"May I ask what the three of you are doing here?" Dusk interrupted.
Granite scoffed.
Crush did a motion that looked like a shrug. "Eh. Just battlin' practice. Don't wanna lose that sharpness, yeah? Still kinda hard to process that we are one of the top teams now, but that doesn't mean I wanna sit back. Not anytime soon. We decided to celebrate by having a bit of a good tussle!"
"You wanted to spar. I wanted to take a nap," Granite said, irritation clear in her tone. "I've grown tired of large crowds."
"Oh, c'mon! It was only for half an hour!"
"Far, far too long! I'm drained!"
Clay laughed at them both before he gave his own explanation to Dusk. "We pretty much ran back here because no one really bothers with this place. It's one of the quietest corners in the entire complex. We totally weren't expecting our promotion to be announced to the entire population! It would have been nice to have been warned ahead of time!"
Dusk lowered his head. "Ah, sorry about that. I've gotten caught up in all the excitement."
"Well, it's not like we completed a simple job request, right? I mean, what we did was a pretty big deal," Clay said.
"I suppose that is true, even if it doesn't feel like it," Granite agreed. "But next time. Please."
Crush laughed. "You're implying that we will make it to Diamond, eh? That's the spirit!"
Granite sighed. She couldn't very well get mad at her leader's hearty nature. "I suppose it is nice that we will see a far better pay soon. I would like to see what the rewards are like."
"Is the pay all you care about?" Clay wondered.
"At this moment, after being given only such a pitiful amount, yes. Yes, it is."
"Ah, a feeling I completely understand, Lycanroc!" Dusk held his head high, but his lips quivered before he dropped the proud stance. He let out a strained laugh. "Don't take it for granted, alright? It's such an incredible difference you should be proud of! Hahaha! Haha…"
He collapsed on the ground, hiding his face behind his paws.
"Awwwhahahaha!"
Krista took a step away from him. She wanted to check on him, but she didn't know how to go about it.
(He…doesn't look so good.)
There was no action from Team Bedrock, which probably meant they were used to the sight. It was strange. Dusk looked almost like he was grieving.
"Is…is he okay?" Pineno asked.
Granite rolled her eyes, but her attitude relaxed as her gaze fell on the pair of children watching her. "Crush. Go ahead and give these kids something useful."
"Heh. Tryna boss me around now?" Crush walked forward, squeezing past his two team members. He was carrying a strange, spherical blue object in his jaws. He dropped it in front of Krista's feet before he stepped back. "Consider this a gift from us. It ain't nothing much at first glance. Most teams would brush it off as useless, but you'll be surprised at just how valuable it truly is."
Krista reached down and picked it up. It was so large, she needed her second paw so it wouldn't roll off. It wasn't heavy. In fact, it was far lighter than she expected it to be.
Then, she saw it.
The glassy surface itself was blue, but at the very core of the inside, it shone a brilliant light. It danced like ribbons below the surface. Floating inside were countless speckles of colors, as if the object was filled with glitter.
And…it was hers. A gift. A gift all for her. For her to keep. Forever.
But someone tried to pull her away from it. Krista felt the force on her shoulders. She tried to shake them off, but they resisted. A flare of heat swelled in her chest. It climbed up her throat as she was pulled back again.
A horrible growl escaped her. It was enough to spook her. The object fell from her paws as she stared off into space.
(Was…was that my voice…?)
Not a single peep escapes anyone's mouth. The strange object rolled across the door until it was stopped by a single paw.
"Um…Krista? Are you okay?"
Krista turned to her friend. Pineno had worry written all over his face. She wished she could give him a clear answer. "I…don't know where that came from. I'm sorry…"
Dusk picked up the object with his mouth, and he dropped it in his own personal bag. "I'll hold on to it for a while. It seems I have something else I will need to work on."
The trio of Pokémon just stared back.
As heat flooded her face, Krista looked away. (I sounded like…a feral beast just then. I didn't think I could even make my voice sound like that… Now everyone is looking at me weird. What was that…? All because of that spherical object…?)
Dusk cleared his throat. "Yes, erm…congratulations, Team Bedrock. We appreciate the gift. Take care."
"Thank you…?" Granite wore a smile, but she was mostly confused about what just happened.
Krista followed Dusk. She was thankful that he didn't ask about her odd behavior during the walk down.
They stopped. They stood before the dojo, which only confused the pair.
"We are using the dojo? But why?" Pineno asked.
"Hold that thought," Dusk said. "I have a question."
Krista was taken back by Dusk's sudden change of tone. He didn't sound angry. He didn't sound scared. There was…a subtle change she couldn't pin down.
Then, he looked at her.
"Who are you?"
Krista felt her heart skip a beat.
"A Meowth that only walks and runs on two legs. Claws are always unsheathed. Never grooming. So active during the daylight hours. On top of all of that, as it seems…you can't contain your instincts, as if you were never taught how to redirect your impulses. You defy the laws of nature among your own species, which makes little sense to me."
"H…hey!" Pineno spoke up. "You don't have to—"
"I'm speaking to Meowth, Chespin." Dusk looked at him, his face unchanging.
Pineno backed down, silent.
Dusk narrowed his eyes. "I'll have you know that I can hear your heart racing. I suggest you don't lie to me, because I can tell when someone lies. I've tracked down and apprehended countless criminals in my career. I know all too well how to read faces. All I need you to do is answer my question."
Krista felt panic trying to take hold of her. (This is bad! If he really can do as he claims, then I can't just lie! But I can't tell him that I'm a human, either!)
Dusk was watching. How long was he suspicious of her? It was the first time they've met, and he was so quick to realize something wasn't right. What about the other associates? Did they sense the same thing? It looked like they just brushed it off. But…
Dusk wasn't them.
(What can I tell him that isn't a lie?!)
Who was she? It was a question she was asking herself ever since she woke up in that tree. It was the question that had been echoing in her head every night.
She couldn't tell him her real identity.
"Are you…a Sorcerer spy?"
"What?" That question was the last thing Krista expected.
Dusk sniffed the air. His gaze never left her. "No. The Headmaster isn't that carless. He would have never allowed you in had he suspected it."
Dusk's stare wasn't doing Krista's nerves any favors. When he looked at Pineno, the Chespin seemed ready to defend his friend if needed. Dusk sat on the ground, shuffling his front paws as his body started to relax.
"Forget what I said," he said. "The two-leg strut is something I've never seen so frequent before…I'm sure you have your reasons. But…a Meowth getting attached to an escape orb? That's incredible. Actually, no. That's bad. The Kecleon Brothers."
"The…Kecleon Brothers?" Pineno echoed.
"A pair of twins who run the Retaliator supply market," Dusk answered. "I cannot let you get anywhere near them until we curb those instincts. If you are ever short on Poké, or you need a Wonder Orb of some sort, come to me or Frost. We'll help you."
He paused.
"You've never met Frost, have you?"
Krista shook her head.
"Makes sense. You just got here. The old guy doesn't really bother with others these days…"
He turned his body towards the dojo.
"Well, I've been informed that you, Meowth, aren't all too much of a fighter. This dojo should teach you how to fight properly without worrying about the damages. And as for the Chespin, yes, this dojo has plenty of dungeons for you to harness you skills. Maybe if you impress me enough, I'll recommend to the Headmaster to allow you to go in a real dungeon. Is that enough motivation for you?"
"You bet it is!" Pineno cheered. "I'm going to train extra hard now!"
To fight…
Krista knew it would happen one day. It made her uneasy knowing she would be tested. How did the dojo work? Didn't Vigor mention something was wrong with it?
"Aren't you worried that the distortion would grow beyond the dojo?" Krista asked.
"Mystery dungeons have a strange quirk," Dusk said. "They like to hang around in one place. These particular dungeons don't quite follow their own rules. I'll explain more once we go inside."
They stood in front of the building, which was far bigger than previously imagined. Krista could crane her head all the way back, and she still couldn't see the top. She was sure it was touching the ceiling.
Dusk pressed his paw against the rocky surface before removing his badge. He fixed it inside a spot on the wall.
A bright, magenta light shone from the spherical center. The ground started to shake and shift. In front of one wall segment, the floor caved in, revealing a staircase leading underground.
"Whoa!" Pineno gasped.
"Follow me." Dusk reclaimed his badge and headed inside.
The moment they stepped into the darkness, Krista felt how rough and jagged the stairs were beneath her feet. She was so used to the smooth floors of the complex that she had forgotten about her other problem. The reminder was sharp, and it taunted her with every step. She swallowed down the urge to turn back and run. She couldn't do that. Not when Dusk was going out his way to help them.
An earthquake.
Krista gasped and held on to the walls. Sand rained down from above as the light of the entrance started to fade.
"It's sealing!" Pineno shouted.
"It's okay!" Dusk shouted back. "You have nothing to worry about!"
The shaking stopped with a loud clang.
"Yow! It's dark…!" Pineno shrieked.
"How are we going to navigate this place?" Krista asked.
Dusk huffed. "Chespin, you should be familiar with dark tunnels. Just trust your instincts. Meowth, your eyes should be adjusted to the dim light by now."
(Adjust?)
It was faint, but Krista could see that the dojo walls had specks of light spilling through. At first, it wasn't enough to reveal the stairway in front of them. But soon enough, Krista could make out the details. It was a bizarre sight, like the limited light a moon could give in an open field. The darkness was just within reach. There were no shadows, but she could still see where she wanted to go just fine.
"Yeah…" Krista almost forgot to speak. "I can…actually see the stairs…"
The room they were in was a long staircase, which brought a sense of dread.
"Not fair!" Pineno shouted. "I can't see a thing!"
"Meowth and I are creatures of the night. It's only natural that our eyes can adjust to darkness, for as long as there is a faint light source," Dusk said. "Now, Meowth. Go to your friend and guide him. Once we get to the bottom, there should be some torches waiting for us. I'll light them."
Krista, while bothered, did as instructed. She tapped Pineno to let him know of her location, and she allowed him to wrap a vine around arm. As they made their way down, she made sure to walk around some sketchy stairs that would give Pineno trouble, and to spare her own feet from unnecessary pain.
They climbed down for what felt like minutes. She bit back her fifth attempted hiss when a sharp stone sliced the soft paw pad of her left foot.
The stairs came to an end. They were inside a large chamber of some sort. It was made of the same boring material, but Krista could make out strange shapes in the distance. More corridors? It didn't feel like they were inside of a dungeon.
Dusk walked over to one side of the room. He picked up a stick from the ground and jumped to his hind legs, and pressed his front paws against the surface to keep him balanced against the wall. He slid the stick inside a torch-holder before he dropped back to the ground.
He repeated this several more times in both sides of the room. Once he set up the last one, he took out what looked like a strange seed from his bag, balancing it between his teeth. It was red and yellow, shaped like a flare.
"I suggest you both keep your distance," he said.
Krista stepped away with Pineno.
"What's going on?" Pineno asked. "What is he about to do?"
"I…don't know." Krista wasn't sure herself.
Dusk tilted his head back and let the seed fall inside his mouth. He broke the shell before eating it. It was gone in an instant. For a second, he shut his eyes as his paws anchored against the floor. His breathing became rampant before he left out a heavy cough, followed by another.
He lifted his head at the third.
Sparks of ember. A small fireball exploded from his mouth and struck the torch. Pineno jumped and screamed. Krista staggered back.
Another fireball struck the other torch, then a third. The fourth one was bigger. The fifth one almost knocked the entire setup over.
Dusk tilted his head back and exhaled out a series of fireballs in an angry frenzy. They all exploded in the air. Pineno was on the ground, shielding his head as sparks rained down. Krista stood nearby, ensuring that no sparks would rain down on him.
It was over. Dusk gasped as he dropped his head. "Gah…I've always hated doing that…"
"What was that?" Krista asked, frightened that he was capable of something she was sure he wasn't supposed to do..
"Blast Seed," Dusk said. "Break the shell, and you can unleash some very explosive flames."
"You—Pokémon eat those on purpose…?" Pineno asked.
"Very handy when you are in a pinch. Doesn't feel good if your body isn't naturally inclined for fire though. Ouch…"
It certainly did work. Every torch in the room was lit, lighting the entire space to reveal every single detail. The corridors that Krista saw before…there were more of them. She counted eighteen. Each one had a strange symbol engraved. Was it some sort of marker?
"Each of these rooms lead to a mystery dungeon," Dusk explained. "Eighteen mazes for eighteen skills. We'll start off easy with The Basic Maze. Once you both get the hang of that, you'll move on to flora, then fire, then water. Lightning seems a bit dicey, but that's why you'll have someone watching you."
Pineno was on his feet. He took a moment to study each entrance. "Each of these lead to a dungeon filled with wild creatures of these skills?"
"That's right," Dusk said. "The dojo master at the time would monitor these spaces, so several teams, no matter the skill level, would use these places to harness their abilities. But ever since she disappeared, people stopped using them out of fear. They were worried that the distortion would spread out beyond these rooms, and hit the complex itself. They believed that she was able to keep it contained."
"Who was the dojo master?" Pineno asked.
"A Grumpig we called Gemstone," Dusk answered. There was pain on his face, as if merely mentioning the name was difficult. "She did well with helping us. I want to believe that she's still out there somewhere. If she were here, she'd be ecstatic meeting the pair of you."
"Really?" Krista frowned.
"Yes. That was just how she was."
Krista tried to imagine an excited Grumpig in the middle of the room. She tried to imagine her jumping around, or trying to shake her paw, or perhaps dancing non-stop.
She was gone.
Dusk cleared his throat. "Anyway, we should make way for the Basic Maze. We will have to leave our things here, though."
"What?" Krista was stunned seeing Dusk shake the scarf off from around his neck, and he emptied his backpack on top of it. All it held was the Escape Orb, which he quickly covered with his scarf
"This is another rule-breaking thing these dungeons like to do. They hate outside resources," Dusk explained. "We bring items into dungeons so we can travel through them with less worry. But these dungeons will swallow anything you have. Even the band and scarf the two of you are wearing. You should take those off."
Krista did as instructed. She set everything down next to Dusk's items. "Isn't someone going to try to take these while we are gone?"
"Nonsense. Anyone else would notice the scarf first. They would instantly know the colors represent me. I have the best nose in the entire complex. If anyone tried, I would track them down for miles."
Krista opened the bag and took her badge out from the inside.
"Yes, you will need that. Keep it on you. Don't worry about it falling off. It's almost like a magnet to your body."
Krista wasn't sure where to put it so it didn't feel awkward. She decided it would be best on her chest. She was surprised with how it stayed, just as Dusk promised.
Pineno placed his own badge on the same place. His eyes were fixed on the corridor leading to the odd dungeon.
"Are we ready? Let's head inside." Dusk started to walk, and the two followed. "Stay behind me. Nothing should go wrong if you do."
Nothing should? Krista didn't like those words.
They were already halfway through the corridor when she saw the odd light approaching. She checked behind her. Pineno was close, just as tense. But instead of fear, he was full of wonder.
Finally, they stepped out of the corridor and entered a large room. The air started to thicken, and the shifting of walls told them they had entered a mystery dungeon.
Basic Maze - 1F
Unlike Pine Forest or Rocky Riverside, the mystery dungeon the trio has stepped into appeared a lot more "tame", if Krista could even call it that. The rocky walls distorted and grew around them. They were enclosed in a strange space that didn't look all too different from the dojo lobby. The floor was just as jagged and uncomfortable beneath Krista's feet. Everything was lit by torches hung on the walls, which was perhaps the most confusing thing yet.
"Do you remember what the Headmaster said?" Pineno asked as he studied the odd structure. "How dungeons borrow the traits of their surroundings?"
"That's right. They do," Dusk said. "It's still a sight that fascinates me, no matter how many times I see it. I merely lit a pawful of torches, and the distortion multiplied them somehow. We shouldn't have to worry about needing to carry around a light source."
Krista walked over to one of the high-hanging torches. It didn't look out of the ordinary. It didn't twist in all the wrong ways, either. It was just…a normal torch with a normal flame.
"The distortion in this dungeon is rated as an E-tier threat. So we shouldn't be seeing too many odd things here."
"E-tier?" Krista asked. "l guess the letters mean something."
She remembered all the fuss about it from before.
"That's right." Dusk started to move. He tilted his head for them to follow. "The threat is higher at D. It's a lot more dangerous at C, and so on. Right now, I have faith that you can take on E-tier and D-tier spaces. C-tier is where things get difficult. If you aren't careful and you underestimate your situation, you'll find yourself taking quite a beating."
Krista already had experience in taking a "beating". If the Headmaster had not found them, she was sure something terrible would have happened to them.
"Mr. Dusk," Pineno called, as they entered a vast room.
Dusk slowed down and checked the perimeter. "Yes, Chespin?"
"What about Pine Forest?" Pineno asked. "That place was pretty tough!"
"Oh? Really? That place is an E-tier. It does look a bit sketchy, but that's only because of the pine trees not liking the distortion all too much."
"Then what was that at the end?" Pineno wondered. "We got attacked by a Staravia who wasn't happy with us."
"Staravia?" Dusk came to a stop. "Staravia don't live in Pine Forest. And even if one did, we never had reports of a Pokémon attacking in the clearing, which is outside of the worst of the distortion."
"But we saw one! And it almost defeated me and Krista both! You remember seeing it, don't you, Krista?!"
Krista nodded. "It attacked us first. Then it called for a couple of Starly to help it. If it weren't for the Headmaster, we would have been knocked out for sure."
"Starly don't inhabit Pine Forest either." Dusk's glare wasn't directed towards them, but it was more than enough to make them stop in their tracks. "I have a question; Did you notice their attack patterns when you battled them? Anything strange at all?"
Pineno was a lot more meek, as if he anticipated for something to go wrong. "Well…they kept covering for each other. That's about it."
"Wild creatures don't do that. At least, not in the more tame dungeons. That leaves me with another question; Have you taken a good look at their eyes?"
Pineno tilted his head, confused. "Their…eyes…?"
"The wild creatures that inhabit dungeons all have the same eyes, have you realized? The raging glow. Soulless and terrible."
"Oh! I know what you're talking about!" Pineno blurted out. He took a moment to think, and a hint of dread was on his face. "Now that you mention it, I don't remember seeing them having those eyes. What about you, Krista?"
Krista remembered seeing the Nidoran and Rattata holding such a fearsome glare. But every time she encountered a Starly, she could see the circular black eyes they always had.
"The ones that chased me in the dungeon didn't have them, either," she said.
Dusk growled low. "So that was it, then. I believe you had an encounter with The Sorcerers' scouts."
Pineno froze. "S-scouts…?"
"The Scouts do exactly as they are named after. They search and seek things. If they find something of interest, they report it back. But if they went through the trouble of trying to fight you two, then it could mean he sees you as a threat."
"He…? I…" Pineno almost couldn't find his words. "I think…I think I know who it is. It's…"
"The Houndoom called Skullzer."
Pineno froze.
They almost didn't escape. Everything that happened in Pine Forest…it made perfect sense. Krista already knew they were lucky to have been saved, but the weight of how lucky was almost crushing.
It was no wonder the birds were relentless.
"The Headmaster told us that you two had strong motives to become Retaliators, but he never told us why. I'm not going to poke and prod at you for answers. If it's personal, then I completely understand. But if this cowardly Houndoom is going out of his way to actively hunt you both, then you two have no time to stand around and ask a thousand questions. You have to get stronger."
He faced them both. His lips curled back, revealing almost every fang. Krista almost couldn't breathe.
"Forget what I've said before. From this moment on, you two are my apprentices. I can care less about what the others think."
What?
What?!
To be Continued in Chapter 8.
Lyrics played with PMD2's "Mt. Travail"