A/N: This is a rather heavy chapter. Existential crisis, anyone?
- Chapter 22: The Path that Swallows -
The Leavanny waitress set a steaming clay bowl on the table where Krista sat. She dipped her head before setting one down for Vigor, who sat at Krista's right, and a third for Glider who sat across. He snatched it and gulped it down in an instant.
"Bring another for me, will ya?" Glider said.
The Leavanny shook her head with a grumble before taking the bowl away.
Krista looked at the bowl's contents. It held a sweet and strong scent, as if a bunch of berries were put through a blender. The colors were like marbled paint from how they swirled and combined, but never bleeding into each other. The top layer caked over like jelly with crumbs layered on the surface. It was topped with a couple leaves that held a minty scent. Krista had already sampled the thick soup with her claw, but the slightest lick almost spooked her. She was sure no tongue was supposed to feel so rough against the skin.
(Guess I still don't know everything about this body yet.) Krista stared down at the soup in thought. (Of course it feels like sandpaper—I'm a feline!)
She looked down, noting that the floor looked a lot more distant up high than the table looked below. Krista had assumed Pokémon didn't care for chairs, but in a high table like this, maybe there were some exceptions. Or…maybe it was for the "authenticity" of the human-theme they were going for.
(Vigor said this place was mythical-themed. She probably doesn't believe humans are real, either.)
Vigor plucked the bowl from the table, which looked like a mere toy in her giant hand. After giving it a soft blow, she dumped all of the contents in her mouth, all while it was still steaming hot.
Krista felt panic trying to rise, but Vigor was unphased. She decided the Machamp was crazy.
"Now we are behind schedule," Vigor announced after licking her beak. "Lovely."
Glider chuckled and shrugged. "Hey, it ain't my fault the Chespin took off runnin."
Krista pushed her bowl back, suppressing a growl. She found herself doing that a lot lately. "You're the one who insulted him."
Glider leaned against the table with a single arm. "Listen, kid, you can stick up for your friend, and I admire that, but he attacked me first. So if I were to respond to that by strikin' back, it would be out of self-defense. Can't get mad at that."
Krista opened her mouth, but he raised a pincher to interrupt.
"And I was gonna do it. He's lucky Ms. V stopped it before it could happen," Glider said. "If he can't handle the truth, then he has no reason to carry that badge. Can't deny the facts forever. I knew his father. Used to live up north, ya know?"
He tossed a berry in his mouth.
"But then things got a lil' dicey up there. I had to get movin'."
(Gee. I wonder why.) It was a comment Krista kept to herself, but she was sure the look on her face gave it away.
"Geh-heh! You think it's my fault?" Glider chuckled. "So quick to jump to conclusions, eh? Kids are hilarious."
That was going to annoy her to no end. Krista decided to challenge him. "You said you aren't much older than me. Doesn't that make you a kid as well?"
"Closer to adult than you."
The sting of annoyance almost made Krista's fur flare up. She opened her mouth, but a loud knock stabbed her ears.
Their attention turned towards Vigor. The Machamp settled the bowl down and pressed a finger against her mouth.
Not even a moment later, Glider poked his head up and waved a claw. "Over here! Yer' walkin' a 'lil slow for a waitress, aren't ya?"
Krista couldn't believe the words she just heard. The Leavanny was patient as she placed the bowl down in front of Glider. Like before, the contents were downed as if the heat didn't exist. The bowl was shoved back over.
"Hurry and get me another. I ain't leavin' yet."
The Leavanny scoffed, but she took the bowl anyway.
"What is wrong with you?" Krista glared at him. "Don't you realize she's just doing her job? And you're going to treat her like that?"
"She's gettin' paid, ain't she? You sure like to complain a lot. We aren't doing that in the dungeon, are we?"
That time, Krista didn't hold the growl back.
"Ooo scary. You need to work on that."
"Ms. Vigor!" Krista threw a paw towards Glider's direction.
Vigor sighed as she took a fresh bowl from a Simipour. The waiter dipped his head before leaving. "Glider. If you want any future help, maybe you should be a little more considerate of those who want to help you."
Glider shrugged. "My bad, Ms. V."
Vigor narrowed her eyes. "Ms. Vigor."
"I said my bad…"
It wasn't exactly the kind of help Krista was looking for, but it would do. The bowl at least, seemed cool enough for her to enjoy. She played with the surface a bit more before setting her paw down.
"Do we have to pay for this?"
"Retaliators get free service here," Vigor answered.
With that answered, she picked up the bowl and took a cautious sip. It was as sweet as she expected it to be, but the warmth made her mind click. A sweet dessert, like something heated near a fire. Topped with something even sweeter. Something served only on special occasions. It was…missing something. Perhaps it needed to harden a little longer in the fire.
(A soufflé.) Krista thought, feeling a wave of excitement. (Almost reminds me of some sort of…sweet potato soufflé. I…I remember what that is! Did I enjoy eating it when I was still a human?)
"I see that you enjoy that," Vigor said. "We can order one more before we go. It should keep you from gettin' hungry for a lil' while."
The Leavanny returned a third time with a new bowl. As soon as she set it down in front of Glider, she left in a hurry.
"Whoa, wait! Wait a second!" Glider called after her. "This one ain't hot enough? What, you're gonna serve me cold soup now because you want to have an attitude?"
Krista opened her mouth, but Vigor stood and placed a single hand on Glider's table.
"It's warm," Vigor said, her tone stern. "This place ain't no palace. Drink it, and let's go."
Glider sat back and took the bowl with both pinchers. He averted his eyes with a sigh.
"C'mon." Vigor lightly tapped the Leavanny's shoulder and led her away. "I am so sorry about that. I'm sure there's a reasonable story behind his behavior, don't pay him any mind…"
Krista kept her eyes on her, watching her walk and talk to the point she couldn't make out her words anymore. Although she was the tallest Pokémon in the room, her voice was so gentle. Krista still found it hard to believe.
"Sheesh. They weren't kiddin' about this place," Glider grumbled as he pushed his bowl away. "The Central Pokémon are so fragile. All I did was try to check her attitude. It ain't my fault she lacks a spine."
"It's a normal response to someone who doesn't know how to be nice." Krista sent him a glare. "All you did since we came here was be rude to everyone you spoke to."
"Oh-ho they will destroy you up north. I can already see it," Glider said. "You're the type who gets angry for the sake of others. A waste of energy if you ask me. Doesn't that wear down your mental state or whatever?"
"Do you have any heart?"
"I'm alive, ain't I?"
"I don't have time for this." Krista jumped down from her seat and walked towards the staircase.
"Whoa, now. Where are you goin'? Don't you have a job to do?"
"I'm going to talk to my friend."
"Well, that's outside, which is somewhere the last time I checked. And you heard the lady. Let him cry his lil' feelings out. He'll be alright. Will just have to learn to toughen up that shell of his, or he ain't gonna make it far in life."
Krista huffed and bounded down the stairs before he could say anything else.
Thankfully, she didn't have to go far. Pineno was standing right outside the entrance, his paw pressed against the frame. He seemed to be observing the activity outside, which has increased since they entered.
"Hi, Krista." Pineno noticed her from a quick glance. He made no effort to move.
"Pineno." Krista joined his side. "Is…well, I guess it would be silly to ask if you are okay."
"No, it's okay…I think. I…usually don't let my anger get to my head like that," Pineno muttered. "But the things he said…"
"Yeah. I understand."
"I remember now," Pineno said. "What a Gligar is. I mean, I've seen one before, but I guess I never really bothered to learn the name of the species and all. Now that my head is clear, I remember him. He was friends with my oldest brother."
"Really? I guess that explains why he knew you."
"Yeah." Pineno lowered his head. "My siblings, the way they treated me…he reminded me of that. What happened to Mama wasn't her fault. It was…all an accident. She was just gathering berries for them and then she got sucked into the sky and…"
He shook his head.
"They always liked to blame me, even when it all happened before I was hatched. My dad told me to ignore them, but it was always so hard because of all the awful things they said. They would push me and pull me, so when I did get mad…someone got hurt. And…I was called a beast for it. I was called a beast all because I was defending myself."
Krista felt the pain sinking in her heart. What…what was she supposed to say? She tried to search for the right words…words that didn't sound generic. She knew his siblings weren't the nicest people, but she didn't think they treated him so harshly.
How could he keep smiling when his life sounded so lonely?
She knew what was true. She could tell him that.
"But you are no beast, Pineno. You're the best Pokémon I've ever met."
A small smile formed on his face. "We haven't known each other for a month yet, and you've already decided I'm a great Pokémon?"
Krista wasn't sure what to say.
"Sorry about that. I know you're trying to make me feel better. I know you care. It's just…how am I going to do this? I've always wanted to work closely with my dad, just to prove myself, you see. All my siblings got to go out and help others, and they all worked with my dad at some point. I wanted to do the same but…no one knows who I am. My siblings are famous only because of dad. But…I'm…I'm just here."
Krista frowned. "Pineno…"
"And the Northern folks…they are as cold as ice. My dad never once hugged me, or any of us, but I knew he cared. He cared in his own way. If he really was ashamed of me, I don't think he would have ever sent me that letter. I would have never found the complex. Skullzer would have found me without a problem…
"I've always wanted to meet the Northern Pokémon because that's where my dad came from…up north. But I guess…meeting Druddigon and Glider made me realize maybe I'm not so ready. Maybe Midnight was right."
"No." Krista placed her paws on his shoulders. "We aren't going to listen to her, or Glider. You are ready. You're a lot stronger than you think, you know that? You took on those Starly on your own, and you stood up against a team of three Pokémon who have an advantage over you. Three! I know it's hard, but you're the reason I keep going everyday. I never told you this…but you're the reason why I don't give up. I wish I could do half the things you do. Forget what everyone else thinks. I know you're a great person!"
"Person. That word again." Pineno almost chuckled as he noticed the horror on Krista's face. "But if you're telling me all of this, I guess you really mean it. You stuck to me even after what happened at Mount Ember. I don't remember…but I have these vague dreams sometimes. I'm sure that they are connected somehow."
(What I saw…) Krista shook her head. She couldn't keep hiding it from him. "Pineno, what happened up there—"
"Later," he said. "Once we are home. I just want to get this over with."
Maybe he was right. Now wasn't the time to talk about it.
"I'm with you all the way." Krista nodded. "The next time that Gligar says something rude to you, I'll give him a good knock on the head."
Pineno chuckled. "I don't think we are supposed to hurt our client—I guess I messed that up already. But don't worry. It won't happen again."
"Won't you get in trouble for that?" Krista asked.
"No?" Pineno noticed the look on her face. "Would that get you arrested in your world?"
"I…don't know," Krista answered. Although, a part of her believed so.
"As long as it doesn't turn into a big fight, it's usually ignored," Pineno said. "I guess that's where humans are better than us at—you know, not attacking. Maybe that's why you're so good at keeping your cool. Do you know how many times I thought you were going to claw someone, but you didn't? I thought that was amazing."
"That's…amazing to you?" Krista tilted her head. (But it's just self-control. Or…maybe my human mind helped me. I guess…I shouldn't be surprised.)
She just wished seeing anything shiny didn't make her heart race. That was an instinct she wished she could ignore.
They stood in silence for a bit. Passing Pokémon chatted happily about mundane topics.
"Are you ready?" Krista eventually asked.
Pineno nodded. "Yeah."
The pair headed back upstairs just in time to see Glider drinking another bowl from Krista's table—a bowl Krista could only assume was meant for her, but she ignored it. It was free anyway.
"So they return!" Glider licked his mouth clean. "Are you done with your tantrum, son of Zypher?"
"I am called Pineno," Pineno grumbled. "And stop spreading his name around."
"Sure thing." Glider waved him off.
(Just like that.) Krista tried to wrap her head around it. (They just brushed it off like nothing ever happened. This feels…very weird. And all Pokémon do that?)
Krista and Pineno climbed to a table a small distance from Glider. He knew it was deliberate, from the strange look on his face.
"Alright. I get it. You don't like me." Glider threw his pinchers up. "That's fair, that's fair. You don't have to take the job if you don't want to, you know. No one threatened your life to do it."
"Are you saying we can just drop it for a new one?" Krista asked, feeling a bit hopeful. "Maybe that would be best for both of us."
"Yeah! Yeah, of course! You can suspend the job, pass it to someone else. There's a few teams here who might even take it right here. And then boom. It's gone. Deleted from your list. But…"
Glider chuckled.
"That won't look so good on your already empty record. It's very hard to gain a good reputation, but it sure is easy to tear it down. What would everyone else think when they hear that Team Retribute declined a poor Pokémon in need who can't even fly? Imagine the whispers in the halls. 'They are only in it for the money,' they would say. 'I guess 5,000 wasn't good enough. As expected…from a selfish Meowth who only cares for the gold.' You get what I mean?"
Krista glanced at Vigor, but she was busy talking to the waitress.
Glider tapped a claw on the table to grab her attention. "You don't want to be that team. Makes it very hard for you to build your rank once you realize future jobs stay out of your way, because they don't think you are worth their time. Sometimes…you gotta swallow your pride and take a job you despise."
Krista felt her claws sinking into the table. The sensation of the cool wood was just enough to calm her nerves.
"Listen. You only have to tolerate me for mmmm…" Glider tilted his head around in thought. "…about until sundown, give or take. Dungeon's pretty long, but with the three of you here, and a 'lil help from me, it should be a breeze. I'll be out your skin in no time. You get the pay, I get to where I need to be, and boom. Everyone's happy. Eh? Eh?"
"Guess he has a point," Pineno muttered.
"Geh-heh-heh! That's the spirit, Zypher-boy! Now let's go! The sooner we get to that dungeon, the sooner we can go home!"
"I told you, I am called Pineno!"
… … …
"Okay. So we are heading east. It's just a little further from here, and we should find it directly on the path, huh?"
"That means we should take the Eastern road out of here. But how do we know the dungeon is nearby?"
Outside the building, Pineno and Krista studied the map one more time, although Pineno did most of the talking. Krista instead made a mental list on what items would be mandatory to use during the trip. It wasn't going to be an easy dungeon, even if the inhabitants were a little more merciful.
"The shift in the air, I'm sure," Pineno said. "The books said that this dungeon appeared in the middle of the path. So if we keep following it, I'm sure we will walk right into it."
"Sounds good."
The map was rolled back up and strapped against the bag. Pineno boosted it to his back and turned to Vigor. "We are ready to go!"
"Well then, I'll lead the way," Vigor said. "But once we enter, Krista, I expect you to take my position."
Krista nodded. "Of course, Ms. Vigor."
"And Glider."
Glider stood aside, having listened the entire time. He merely saluted towards Vigor.
"Please mind yourself." Vigor moved first. "Let's get goin'."
The group followed her back towards the crossroads, and they all took the eastern branch. The land looked no different from what Krista had seen before, but a part of her was hoping to see something different. Just more grasslands. More hills.
Pineno smiled her way, assuring things would turn out just fine. The small sentiment was interrupted as Glider zipped between them, gliding several feet from the ground before ascending higher.
"Gotta enjoy it while I still can!" Glider shouted from above.
… … …
The sun was a lot higher, almost at its midday point. If this was how long it took just to travel to a dungeon that was considered "nearby", Krista couldn't imagine what the other dungeons were like.
Thankfully, things had remained quiet, although it may have had a lot to do with Glider flying overhead. He was well out of earshot, so Krista and Pineno could chat without worrying about him butting in with whatever remark he wanted to make.
Although, it didn't last long. Glider made a sharp dive, just low enough to glide above their heads.
"I can see it up ahead. We are very close now," he said.
(Now you want to be helpful?) Krista was sure he was alerting them for caution, but she couldn't keep the bitter thought down.
The path ahead did have a strange appearance. The air would twist and shift, almost like water. It was like a massive stretch of a wall that extended to both sides. What she especially noticed was the dip in the ground, and how unnaturally the land caved.
"Can't we just walk around it?" Krista wondered. "It's not like we are forced to follow this path."
"You wouldn't be the first to try," Vigor said. "But you'll find yourself walkin' a whole mile, only to find a river in your way. So unless you can swim, I wouldn't recommend it."
"What if you could swim?" Pineno wondered.
"Then you'll have to worry about the boss that lives there," Glider said, almost laughing. "How do you not know about the big threats your own region has? I'm not even from here, and I know about the Enclosed Beast."
"E-Enclosed Beast?"
"A ferocious giant that rules the rivers here. A beast with alpha blood runnin' through its veins!"
The image of Howler crossed Krista's mind.
"Wh-what?!" Pineno stared at him, stunned. "Alpha?!"
"Oh yeah. The largest in the land! It's said that it would snatch up anyone who does as much as stick their foot in its waters! Even the best swimmers are brought under, never to be seen again! And flyin'? Hah! Good luck with tryin' that! It'll just shoot you down, and boom! You're its appetizer!"
"Are you sure it's not another wild fable…?" Krista asked.
"I don't know. How about you find out for yourself?"
"I would rather not."
Vigor had stopped. Krista could feel it in her bones—the sinister atmosphere that surrounded the space. The air rippled just a few feet ahead of them, almost as if they were looking through a pond. While the other side revealed more of the path they were taking, it was known they wouldn't step foot in it for a while.
Glider circled around the group before dropping his arms. He landed behind them and walked forward to join them, studying the twisted dimension they were about to step foot inside.
"What if we run into that beast while we are in there?" Glider wondered.
Krista didn't like the possibility. "Why would you even say that?!"
"Glider, stop tryin' to scare the Pokémon who are helpin' you," Vigor scolded him.
"Hey, I was just trynna warn them." Glider chuckled. "Because, it could happen. I've heard stories before. I won't be able to fight very well since I can't fly, soooooo y'all have to protect me. I hope you know that. That's part of their job? As an escort?"
Vigor sighed.
(Please stop talking.) Krista almost sulked to the ground.
A white shape shifted from the corner of her eye.
Krista had stopped in her tracks as the rest of the group kept moving forward. She turned towards the sight, seeing the distant four-legged creature. It was a fair distance away, but she knew the shape. It was unmistakable.
(I knew it.)
There was an Absol watching the group from afar. Or…no. It was looking right back at her.
And there was a terrible and menacing pressure that surrounded it.
"Well, I believe it's time we get this over with," Vigor announced, grabbing Krista's attention.
Just before Krista joined the group, she glanced back at the spot the Absol stood, but it had vanished.
(Oh. That's uh…not weird at all.) Krista hoped she imagined it, but she knew it would be foolish to deny what she saw. That was most certainly a real Absol. It wasn't just its presence that was unnerving. There was…something else about it that rubbed her the wrong way.
"We can do this!" Pineno said.
"I'll stick close. I promise," Glider said.
Krista knew pondering over what she saw would only distract her, so she moved forward, trying to push the thought to the back of her mind.
The group took a steady breath and moved forward. One by one, they stepped through the barrier.
The darkness of the dungeon's domain overcame Krista's vision. The pressure in the air engulfed her.
She could still feel a pair of eyes burning into the back of her skull.
Enclosed Crossing - 1F
The path beneath her feet started to twist.
No, it didn't just twist. It lifted. The moment they crossed the border, the ground curled inward and grew high above their heads. They merged as a ceiling, sealing away the sky. The only source of light was the sunlight that seeped through the gaps and cracks.
It was nothing like the burrow.
While Krista went underground before, she could tell by just looking at the walls that they were not underneath the earth. No. The earth swallowed them, encasing them in an earthly prison that none can escape from. At least, not without an escape orb.
Krista packed two this time.
The ground was mush, with only the grass and moss holding the mud together. Even as the walls curved and twisted in their strange shapes, the grass still grew as if nothing was wrong. The most bizarre sight of all were the few boulders that stuck from the ceiling, as if the earth had flipped upside down.
Although the bushes grew from the ceiling, their leaves leaned towards where they rooted. It was as if gravity didn't exist. The plants merely grew wherever they wanted, happy to be there. Upon closer inspection, the leaves, while green, were translucent. They swelled with so much water, some were on the verge of bursting. Roots would grow out of the earth and strangle branches. Grass was knotted or entangled, never a perfect strand. Where the plants didn't grow, there was a long path of dirt that stretched beyond what could be seen. A gravel path. It coated the middle of the chamber they arrived in, but when it reached the corridors, it twisted from the ground, to the walls, then the ceiling in a screw-like fashion. The very walking path was like a screw.
The bizarre sight was almost overwhelming to Krista's eyes. Her instincts screamed that she was upside-down when she wasn't. She had to fight the urge to reach for the ceiling that looked like the ground. The walls around her were the ground. The ground was the ground. Everything was the ground.
Dizzy. It made her dizzy. Krista has to shake her head just to keep her eyes from drifting in every direction.
(12 floors of this? I can see why it's ranked the way it is.)
"The books were true about this place," Pineno said. "It really is a place that tricks your eyes. But this…this is the same path we were just walking on before."
"That's right," Vigor said. "This is one of the many ways a mystery dungeon distorts an area. Pretty impressive, ain't it?"
"I guess they are pretty creative with these dungeon names." Krista had to admit it to herself. She was impressed. She understood the enclosed part of the name. But the second half of it didn't click, not until she saw the environment with her own eyes.
And this was one of the oldest dungeons in the country? Compared to Rocky Riverside, it had a lot more character.
Taking the lead, Krista kept her focus straight ahead to keep her eyes from tracing over every abnormal detail. There was a tree branch that stuck out the wall, bent in such an unnatural angle. It reminded Krista of a horn.
It reminded her of the Absol she saw.
(That's the second time I've seen it,) Krista thought. (Absol only appear before others when there is a disaster about to happen. But what could it be? A natural disaster, or something else? The sky-rifts? That has been going on for a while now…but they did say they are getting worse.)
(Could it be The Sorcerers? I didn't see any Starly. Oh…I don't know. I was kind of hoping it would say something, but maybe they don't know themselves… Did anyone else see it? I couldn't have just imagined it— No. I didn't. Tidal has seen it before, too! And Frost! Frost was worried about it!)
A dull thump behind her told her that someone took quite a fall.
Glider made his lunge in the air and spread out his arms, but the membrane caught nothing. All it did was slow down his descent. A rock was kicked, and he ticked in disappointment.
"Worth a try," he said. "Not a single breeze is in here. Whelp, looks like you are on duty now…uh…what do you call yourselves?"
"Team Retribute," Krista answered.
Just by the look on his face, she knew what was coming.
"Like retribution?" He almost laughed. "Hoo-boy. That's a…bit extreme coming from a pair of emotional Pokémon, don't you think?"
She rolled her eyes and started to cross the large space.
"You know, this is gonna be a long trip. You're not going to be quiet the entire time, are ya?"
Krista looked to Vigor. "I guess it would be silly to ask you to help us in a battle, huh?"
Glider threw up his pinchers in the air before they dropped.
"Oh, no dear. I don't plan on swingin' a single punch here at all," Vigor said. She motioned Krista to lead, and they were on the move. "All it would do is upset me. Can't really hold back anyway. It's simply not worth my time."
"Just like the others, huh?" Pineno asked.
Only, Vigor wasn't exaggerating at all. Krista had seen them when they did hold back the best they could, She didn't want to see what Vigor could do.
A memory did click. Krista was sure it was linked to whatever her past was.
"But aren't you always holding back?" Krista asked her as they entered the twisted corridor. "The shorts you wear and everything…"
"Shorts?" Vigor echoed, confusion etched on her face. "What are you talking about?"
Krista mentally facepalmed. Of course she wouldn't know what those were. She tried again. "The clothes you wear. And the belt."
"Oh!" Vigor laughed. She placed her lower hands on the belt. "You mean this thing? The only clothes I actually do have on is the scarf here. And well, I guess the belt does count in a sense, hm?"
What.
Krista stopped as her mind went blank. She had to make herself blink just to put together what Vigor said.
Her voice was almost meek as she asked. "You…you mean the shorts aren't…shorts…?"
"It's a common misconception. The belt is the only thing that isn't really a part of me, but it is. It's a bit difficult to explain…"
Vigor placed a hand under her chin. She thought about her next few words.
"Well, basically; When a Machop evolves into Machoke, we make a custom belt to restrain our power, and for a very good reason too. All of that energy, it's nasty if left unchecked. You would think evolvin' again would help us learn to control it on our own, but nope! It only gets worse! Hah!"
(That's not…something to be happy about.) Krista and Pineno exchanged horrified glances.
"I've had this very same belt since I was a Machoke," Vigor continued. "And let me tell you, I can count on one hand how many times I had to take it off."
Krista felt a strong wave of horror course through her. She was sure that wasn't supposed to happen.
"I love this story." Vigor laughed again and clapped her hands. "The faces y'all make never fail to amuse me. You treat it like it's a taboo!"
"You mean it isn't?!" Krista squeaked.
"All it is is a limiter, honey! If I were to fight without this thing on, I'm afraid a landslide would be the last thing you should worry about. And trust me, I would hate to resort to that. So when I say I can count on one hand, it ain't no exaggeration. Each of those times, it was because I had no other option. Hopefully it won't happen again anytime soon."
She frowned.
"The last time was when I had to fight Armora."
"A…Armora?" Krista looked at Pineno, but he was just as confused about the strange name. A glance at Glider immediately told her that this person was no good. He looked spooked.
"You…you fought against Armora and survived?" Glider shook his head. "Nah… I know a Headmaster's associates are strong but…not like that."
"Is Armora one of The Sorcerers?" Krista asked.
Vigor gave her a stiff nod. "Yes. Yes, she is."
(There's more.) Krista knew she shouldn't be surprised. They were called The Sorcerers. A plural title. They only met one of them. The idea of others they are yet to see…she didn't want to think about it.
"Who is Armora?" Pineno asked. His tone has gone flat, but Krista knew he was trying to stay composed.
"A nasty Corviknight who you should stay far, far away from," Vigor said. "You met her little minions. The Starly. She commands their avian forces. She supplies them to the others, so I suppose you can say she's a step up above the rest."
"Y-y-you mean…she's their boss?!" Pineno asked.
"Oh, no. Not at all. You don't have to worry about their boss. She doesn't like to involve herself with things. She just gives the orders—ah but that's not the point. The thing is, Armora would have destroyed me had I not removed my limiter."
Vigor's eyes traced to the ground. She lifted one of her hands, curling the fingers as if they were strained.
"All that power…as limitless as it is, it gets to my head. A terrible, terrible thing."
Krista envisioned an entire mountainside being blown off by a single punch. The mere thought made her shudder. Thankfully, it wouldn't be anything she would see anytime soon.
Pineno had been listening in closely the entire time, and from the way his face looked, he must have been deep in thought about it. A smile formed on his face once he noticed Vigor looking right at him. "You sound incredibly strong. It's no wonder the Headmaster chose you to work with him. I mean, you beat up one of The Sorcerers! That's amazing!"
"It's unbelievable," Glider said.
Vigor's smile returned. "Well, what I have goin' on ain't no different from every other Machoke and Machamp out there. But I suppose being picked out from a crowd does have its quirks to help me stand out."
They were on the move again. By some strange logic, despite how much the ground spiraled around them, they remained fixed on the ground. Even by knowing this, Krista felt like she was defying gravity. The twists and turns were like an optical illusion.
And she has to keep watch for wild Pokémon? In a place like this?
"How does the Headmaster choose his Pokémon anyway?" Krista needed to keep talking to keep her mind from spiraling as well.
"Isn't that something your parents should have taught you?" Glider asked from far behind.
"I wasn't from here," Krista answered. She tried to not let the topic of parents sting.
"Well, duh. That's obvious. But how can you live here and not know the country's history? You don't even know your region's history. I get that you are new to this and all, but ain't it irresponsible for The Central Headmaster to allow you to do anything if you know nothin' about what you are workin' for?"
Krista sped up her pace.
"Okay. Just leave me here to fend for myself then. I don't mind."
She could ignore his sarcasm. Vigor was walking at the very rear of the group, so she had little to worry about when it came from ambushes from behind.
(Just for today,) she told herself. (And you'll be free.)
She felt a soft paw on her shoulder. Pineno was right behind her, wearing the smallest of smiles. Already, her sour mood was lifted. It wasn't like she was alone. She at least had someone to talk to that wouldn't criticize her every time she breathed.
Glider had dethroned Howler by a landslide.
Enclosed Crossing - 2F
When they arrived on the second floor, it didn't look much different. Krista picked up a handful of geo pebbles from the ground, which were damp like the rest of the floor. After wrapping them in a band and dropping them in the backpack, she raised a question.
"Pineno. What did it say about the weather here?"
"Weather?" Pineno's face twisted as he tried to remember all he read. "Not much. It mentioned rain, but it doesn't rain a lot. If we are lucky, we might not see any rain at all."
"But don't you like the rain?" Krista asked him. She checked a corner before she turned to the corridor. Their footprints, while muffled, still managed to bounce from the walls.
"Well, yeah. It does feel nice, but I don't think we want any rain. It wouldn't be any good for him." Pineno tilted his head towards Glider, who shook his foot with almost every step he took.
(Right. He's vulnerable to water.) Krista checked every turn with that in mind. The only water she had to worry about were the streams that clung close to the walls. But they were merely streams—deep enough only so her paw could be submerged. They were even more potent in the corridors. Even with the vegetation coating the ground, Krista could feel the cold between her toes. Water would still escape, like a soaked sponge being pressed on a hard surface.
She could understand Glider's discomfort. A Pokémon who usually wasn't fond of water would try to avoid it. Since he couldn't fly, he was forced to tolerate it.
(If I had been turned into a Charmander or Torchic…this dungeon would probably be torture right about now.)
It made her wonder, how different would things be if she were any other Pokémon? How would it feel if she were a Grookey? Did they care for places like this? No, a Turtwig would surely be jumping for joy. But what about a Mudkip? Would there be too much vegetation for them to feel comfortable?
Was she turned into a Meowth, because it was the easiest Pokémon for her human mind to adapt into? Or…was she just that lucky?
The thought of trying to live as a Barboach made her shudder. She was sure they didn't do well outside of water, even if they had ways to adapt. It made her realize…she had never seen any aquatic Pokémon in the complex other than the fish in the fountain. The region had several rivers, so surely there had to be a few. If she had to guess, maybe there were special rooms for them.
"Ms. Vigor?"
"I'm listening," Vigor responded.
"There are Retaliation Teams who are…Pokémon who only live in bodies of water, right?"
"Oh, yes. There are. You just don't see them often," Vigor answered. "This region has a large number of them due to the river systems we have. The very top floor is actually the closest to the river, so that is where you'll usually find them."
(Does the place ever leak?) It's the question Krista wanted to ask. "How do they survive outside of the water?"
Vigor gave her an odd stare. Krista felt a knot in her stomach. Did she ask a foolish question? Was it common knowledge?
Glider was trying to stifle a laugh, but he was failing. He has forgotten about the uncomfortable ground he stood on as he burst out in his laughter.
"Nevermind. Forget I said anything." Krista was sure she looked stupid. The question sounded stupid when she asked it aloud. If Glider had such a strong reaction, she didn't want to imagine what Vigor was thinking.
Instead, she kept her eye out for any suspicious movement as she walked through the wide spaces. She came across a lone oran berry a wild Pokémon probably picked up. Before she dropped it in the bag, she took a closer look at it.
(Odd. What's bugging me about this one?)
A quick sniff told her it was edible. Maybe it was the lighting. The stem looked a lot more blue than usual, or maybe it was overly ripened.
"They create a thick ring of water to cycle through their gills."
Krista gasped and almost sprung off her feet. Vigor seemed to have come from nowhere.
"Your question," she said. "Does that answer your question?"
"Uh…yeah. Yeah, it does."
"Don't look so down, dear. I understand," Vigor said. "And I know you won't go around tellin' everyone your reasons for not knowin' things…but don't be afraid to ask. He doesn't know."
She was right. Krista knew it would be foolish to expect everyone to understand why she asks the questions she does. She would have to remind herself of that more often.
Once Glider composed himself, they continued their way through the bizarre maze. One corridor follows by another, they entered a large room.
The air felt strange.
Krista's ear twitched, and she turned around in time to see razor teeth chowing down towards her face. Krista fell back and kicked her legs, knocking the attacker away.
A wild Yungoos. It fumbled on the ground before it stood back up, hissing.
Vigor took several steps back until she stood next to Glider, who watched with caution. With the client out of the way, Krista unsheathed her claws. The wild rodent took it as a signal to attack.
The Yungoos was swift on its feet, but Krista's constant training has taught her how to use her other senses to track its motions. She was very familiar with its attack patterns. It relied on its agility to confuse its targets. The sharp turns it could make were always impressive, but almost predictable.
A fake-out made it jump back. Krista hooked it with her right set of claws, sending it to a stagger. The wild Yungoos found its balance and stomped the ground with a frustrated hiss.
Krista squatted her legs.
The Yungoos charged and lunged. Krista ducked her head and swung. The blow rattled its head. A second one sent it to the ground. Once it noticed Krista's shadow, it coiled its body into a ball and tucked its head.
With a relieved sigh, Krista sheathed her claws. She could hear a single cheer from behind her.
"That was amazing!" Pineno pumped a paw. "You're a pro-battler now!"
"I agree with your Chespin friend. That wasn't half bad," Glider said as he peeked from behind Vigor. "You're very familiar with how to fight those things."
"And you're not?" Krista stepped around the rodent and moved on.
"They don't live in the mountains," Glider answered. "And I don't fight on the ground. Do you know anything?"
"Maybe I don't. But you're not hurt, are you?"
Glider was a bit taken back by her bold tone, but he made no rebuttal. He shrugged and followed closely behind.
Team Retribute fought their way through more restless Yungoos, and even a few Rattata that were not listed. (Although, it was no surprise they would be there.)
After Krista brought down a third Rattata, she sheathed her claws with a sigh. There was a silent wish that she would catch a break for some time. Her nerves were already restless, as each break between battles only brought her mind back to the intense glare she had seen from the Absol's eyes.
Just holding it in made her feel guilty. She had to talk about it.
"Ms. Vigor," Krista called.
"Yes?" Vigor answered.
"Have you…ever seen an Absol before?"
Vigor slowed to a stop, and she turned to look at her. Her expression was serious. "Where…have you seen it?"
It wasn't the response she was expecting, but Krista was glad she was taking it seriously. "It was…standing pretty far from the dungeon entrance. It was watching us, I think. Or maybe it was hoping one of us would see it."
"An Absol? All the way here? You've got to be kiddin'!" Glider said. "They are rare on their own. One would never come all the way here unless something terrible is gonna happen!"
"It's not the first time," Vigor said. "There was one at the peak of Mount Ember from what Frost said… Are you sure what you saw was true?"
"Yes, I'm sure of it," Krista said.
"If that's true…we may have trouble lurkin' in the unforeseen future that we can't see," Vigor said. "I hate to think about it. But if we ignore its warnin', we will find ourselves in a difficult position."
"That's what I don't get," Krista said. "How come they never come to us if something bad is about to happen? They could just tell us, can't they?"
"They have a sixth sense, according to Grove," Vigor said. "While they can feel somethin' foreboding, they can never pin down exactly what that is…only the scale of the danger."
(Just as I thought.) Krista hoped it wasn't the case.
"And if we've seen two so close to each other, maybe it's somethin' severe. I hate to imagine what it is…but if it's linked to the spike of sky-rifts and mystery dungeons, I can understand completely."
There was no further comment from anyone. Glider's twisted smile was gone. He had tucked his tongue away, deep in thought.
But it was Pineno who was taking the news the hardest. He was avoiding all eyes as one paw squeezed his arm. Krista could only guess what he was thinking, but she was sure it was along the lines of;
"It's because of me, isn't it?"
A loud clap startled the children. Vigor lowered her hands with a frown. "Oh, c'mon. Chin up! I know it's concernin', and I know it's scary, but let's focus on finishin' up this mission first before we ponder on dreadful things, alright?"
Enclosed Crossing - 3F
"BEEH! BEH-BEH!"
A blur of light green snapped across a tightly tucked body. The impact knocked it in the air, and it landed on its backside. Almost in an instant, it uncurled itself back to its stomach and stood with its backside arched.
"These Bidoof are tough!" Pineno commented as he withdrew his vines halfway. They remained aimed towards the wild Pokémon, who kept its eerie red eyes on them.
"Beh…" The wild Bidoof stomped a foot.
"Beh-beeh!" The second one next to it stomped twice.
"Growling had made them too scared to attack us but…" Krista frowned. "Every time we get close, they keep curling their bodies up."
"They can't keep doing that forever," Pineno said. "Hey, you should try your new technique on them."
"Fury Swipes?" Krista watched him nod. "It doesn't always work the way I want it to. I have to get angry sometimes."
"Don't worry. I have a plan. You try to think of something that makes you mad, and I'll swoop down and get them while they are distracted!"
He was already backing away, and the pair of Bidoof kept their eyes on him. With a shout and a holler, Krista managed to grab their attention. With her claws unsheathed, she focused her energy towards the tips of her paws. It was always a gamble and whether or not it would work. But Kangaskhan told her the energy built based on brute strength and instincts. Both were things she could say she lacked. But under the right circumstances, sometimes it worked.
And this was one of the times it didn't work.
(Getting angry on purpose is a lot easier said than done…)
She tried to think of the things that angered her in the past, but all it did was annoy her at best. It didn't come close to what she needed. The feelings of humiliation and fear tried to surface the second she saw the face of a Houndoom cross her vision.
She opted to use her regular striking attacks instead in the meantime. As she rushed forward, the pair of Bidoof curled themselves into a ball again. Her claws made contact, but they didn't make a sound. They didn't budge. Krista was sure her attacks had grown ineffective.
With a sigh, she stepped back and looked down the corridor the pair of Bidoof blocked off. She could see the open room there, and the staircase that was just out of reach. The wild Bidoof were merely defending their twisted territory. It was the only reason they found themselves in a stalemate.
(This won't work if I can't break their guard. Pineno needs a clean shot!) Krista planted her feet before dropping to all fours. (Come on! You have to get angry!)
She tried to search for the sensation she felt when she battled against Kangaskhan, but the energy wasn't there. Being low on the ground at least gave her a fresh perspective. She could see the Bidoof peeking at her from behind their stubby arms.
Her next few attempts were no different from the ones before.
But then she saw it. Slight movement from one of her targets. She ran for it, her claws ready to strike its exposed—
WHAM!
Dazed, Krista staggered back on her feet as she flailed her arms around. The heavy blow was dealt on her head, and she was sure her vision blanked for a split second.
The second Bidoof reared its head back and lunged forward. The blow rattled her skull, and Krista lost her footing. She fell on her rear, winching.
On her feet, she saw one of the Bidoof running at her with its head tucked. The sight and feeling bounced in her memory. She squeezed her eyes shut and held her paw out in a feeble effort to stop it.
WHAM!
She was on the ground. The pair of wild Bidoof had grown confident. They stomped towards her and lowered their heads. Krista was on her feet. Their focused gazes sent chills down her spine.
No. They weren't chills. It was blistering. That sensation!
(Hold on to it!) Krista unsheathed her claws once more. (You're angry. You're angry because these stupid Bidoof keep knocking you down! They are making you look back! The Gligar is never going to shut up about it!)
She felt it through her veins.
That was it.
(He'll rub it in your face about how much of a poor battler you are! He'll probably call you stupid, too! And you know what, he might be right! You look stupid right now!)
Her feet had already left the ground, and the Bidoof below stared back, baffled. Her blade-like claws whistled through the air and struck them in a rabid frenzy. Their sturdy hold on the ground only encouraged her to keep swinging, her arms burning in the rapid motions.
A blur of green ripped across her vision. The Bidoof were sent flying. The blur came back and trampled them a second time, then a third. The forth roll was a brutal blow as their bodies tumbled across the earth. They kept their heads down after that, never moving as much as a finger.
Just like that? Just when she was getting started.
But they were defeated. That was all that mattered. She took a deep breath, and her body cooled down in a matter of seconds. The sight of her shrinking claws made her feel a bit uneasy. From the corner of her eye, the blur of green came to a stop. Pineno shot out his limbs and landed on the ground.
The sound of clapping snapped the air. Vigor approached them with a smile on her face.
"Good job, you two! Putting your minds together to overcome a tough spot is exactly why teams are important in these places! I shouldn't be all too surprised, Dusk is your teacher, and he does a pretty darn good job with the team aspect of things."
Pineno chuckled. "Yeah. I guess he really did."
Krista felt a bit of joy overtaking her fatigue. They did a pretty decent job. Battling was becoming more natural to her.
"Took you long enough."
Glider's voice killed that joy in an instant.
"I've never seen anyone struggle against any rodent before. I understand you are rookies, but come on. It shouldn't have taken that long."
How did he go from praising her besting a Yungoos to criticizing her?
Or…was that sarcasm that flew over her head?
"Would you like to battle the next one?" Krista sighed.
"I already told you. I ain't doin' the battlin' here."
"Then can you please stop?" Krista almost begged. "Just let us to our job. We are trying to help you."
He chuckled at that. "Only because you don't want a bad record. I know you don't want to do this. Sorry, Meowth. But if I see a poor performance, I'm gonna let ya know. Y'all Central folks clearly don't know how to take criticism, because y'all whine about it more than a Whimpod."
Krista frowned. "Your criticism sounds a lot more like you're just trying to find an excuse to trash us."
"See? This is what I'm talking about. Can't take nothin'!" Glider laughed. "You call us mean, but we are bein' honest! It's no wonder The Sorcerers like this place so much! It's so easy to stay here when the Pokémon are softer than Mareep fleece!"
Krista grumbled. She looked at Vigor, who only shook her head. "Seriously?!"
Vigor walked over and crouched down near her ear. "Just ignore him. If you keep talkin', he'll never stop."
Krista was already trying to do that.
Enclosed Crossing - 5F
Krista felt the feeling of fatigue starting to surface. The fourth floor was filled with nothing but battling. The Yungoos and Bidoof they encountered were stubborn in every way, but the fifth floor was when things got strange…er. It was where they encountered a Psyduck, frozen in place, with its tiny claws gripping the sides of its head. Its spaced-out eyes made Krista realize that perhaps battling it wasn't necessary. Whenever they saw another, they found it was easy to just walk around them.
"They suffer from constant headaches," Vigor said in response to their puzzled faces. "They can't handle all of that power flowing through their 'lil minds. Movin' doesn't make it feel any better, so they just stay in one spot until it's manageable."
"I guess that makes one less species to worry about then," Krista said. She kept her eye on the wild Psyduck they passed, but it remained so perfectly stiff. It could be mistaken as a statue. "Can't imagine living like that though."
"That's just how it is," Glider said, keeping a close eye on the suffering Pokémon. "They are always gonna live with migraines. If anyone has the right to complain, it would be them."
Krista knew that was a jab, but she said nothing in response.
She focused on navigating her way through the twisting halls. With every new chamber they entered, it would either be devoid of any inhabitants, or filled with a few annoying Bidoof. A part of her was worried that perhaps they overlooked the list of dungeon inhabitants. She had only seen three species so far. On the other hand, they were a little less than halfway through. It would be wise to assume the others were deeper within the distortion.
After they came across their fourth Psyduck, Krista couldn't help but feel pity for it. It seemed to be suffering the most, with how deep the claws sunk into its skull. Vigor told them to keep moving. Agitating it would not end well.
Glider glanced back at the chamber they had just left. "I know they suffer from migraines n' all, but ain't this a bit weird? Every single one we've seen is so darn stiff."
"It's the dungeon, isn't it?" Pineno guessed. "It's making it worse."
"Yep. That's about right," Vigor said. "Which is why we should not bother with them at all. Because of the time anomaly here, their headaches will never ebb away."
"What?!" Krista gasped. "That's terrible! How do they even eat then?!"
"Once the worst of the pain has been expelled, they will move just fine. Just enough to survive, I guess. We don't really have the answers to these things. Dusk did his research. All he could say was that the scale of pain seems to rise and fall, but it never goes to zero."
"Never, huh?" It was at least good to know the worst headaches didn't linger. It still sounded like a miserable life, though.
"You have many creatures, such as Psyduck, whose known traits are amplified in these spaces," Vigor said. "Wild Ludicolo can't seem to ever know when to stop dancin'. Wild Sabeleye can't control their cravings for gemstones. And the Spoink…oh dear."
"If they stop bouncin', they'll die." Glider shrugged in response to Vigor's glare. "What's so scary about a fact?"
Vigor sighed. "True. A very unfortunate fact, and it is important to know these things. It makes a difference with how you battle certain creatures."
"Wait. What happens if a Spoink gets knocked out?" Krista asked, fearful for the species. "It can't keep bouncing like that, can it?"
"Bouncing to them is like what breathin' is to us," Vigor answered. "Their bodies are shaped the way they are so that they will always bounce right up, no matter how much you try to knock 'em down."
(Really? That's it?) Krista felt like she just unlocked one of the biggest secrets in Pokémon history…knowledge no human was supposed to be aware of.
And yet…it felt a bit underwhelming.
(I don't know what I was expecting. I guess…I thought it would be some cooler reason, somehow. But it makes sense.)
"You must get these sorts of questions often," Pineno said.
"Oh, yes. There's always gonna be a question, and sometimes I don't have an answer myself! That's when I direct them to Grove. But you want to know a 'lil secret? She's a bit frightenin' sometimes. It feels like there isn't one thing about creatures in the world that she doesn't know!"
"The head of intelligence…" Krista remembered.
"I've learned plenty from her," Vigor said. "And I pass that knowledge down to my students. Some of them always have a new question to ask, and it's so amusin'! They just love to learn! Although, it's mainly my job to help these recruits gain confidence in themselves. Some of them are so bright, but terribly timid."
That was when Krista remembered.
"You're Tidal's mentor."
"Why, yes. I am," Vigor replied. "And he's a very smart kid. But he breaks under stress so easily, and we had several instances we had to stop a session early because of his cryin'. Now, I'm not bashin' on his efforts. It's just, what was his species' defense mechanism has turned into a bit of an inconvenience sometimes."
Krista remembered the first time she saw him. He was in tears. And then…everyone was in tears.
(What a strange ability…)
"But, he has been makin' incredible progress."
Vigor's words perked Krista's interest. "He has?"
"Oh, yes. He doesn't panic as much as he did before. He started breezin' through the dungeons like they were nothin'! It ain't new news. He was always a prodigy with dungeon-crawlin', but the wild creatures don't phase him anymore! Now, if we can just shake him out of his fear when he faces the boss, he's all set!"
"Oh, that's great!" Pineno cheered.
"Yes. He said he's tryin' to get over his fears. Do you know why? He said to me he wants to be just like you two. He said he wants to stand brave against even the most terrifyin' things…just as you did, Krista."
"What?" Krista pointed at herself. "What did I do?"
"When he told me what happened at Mount Ember, he told me you stood firm against that terrible Houndoom even when you knew you stood no chance! He admired that, you know, so he's been workin' hard ever since!"
Tidal? He looks up to her? Krista didn't think she did anything impressive. She was only trying to keep Skullzer from getting any closer to Pineno. She wasn't any braver than Tidal was.
But in his perceptive, maybe she did look like a hero.
"I'm sorry. A Houndoom?" Glider's uncertain tone tore through Krista's thoughts. "You're talkin' about THE Houndoom. The one that's surrounded by birds n' all? The Sorcerer Houndoom? Ain't no way you stood up against him and lived! Especially if you were his target!"
"That's the thing. I wasn't his target," Krista said. "You can believe what you want. It doesn't change what happened there."
Glider scoffed. "Even if that did happen, you realize he's just gonna try again. He ain't gonna stop until he has what he wants—"
"We know that." Pineno's sour tone interrupted. "It wouldn't be the first time."
"First…?" Glider went speechless as he looked between the three Pokémon. Once he realized they were serious, his focus went towards the ground.
Then his face changed again. He lifted his foot from the ground, and he looked at the ceiling.
"Guys…" Pineno came to a stop. His eyes were fixed between his feet. "Something feels wrong."
That was when Krista felt it. The rumbling beneath her feet. But, it wasn't anything like Blinded Burrow. The vibrations were not as direct. It felt a lot more distant, but it grew stronger with every passing second. She casted a nervous glance at Vigor, who was already on high alert.
First, it was a pebble that skipped their way.
Then it was a couple.
Pebbles turned into skipping rocks.
The corridor wall exploded. A giant boulder crashed through.
"By Groudon—c'mon!" Vigor screamed.
A heavy hand snatched Krista from the ground. She heard Pineno cry out, and Glider yelped. The next thing Krista knew, the world was moving. Her feet dangled in the air as the air roared past her ears. Heavy stomping was constant beneath her. Turning her head, she saw Vigor's focused face right next to her. Krista was held against her high shoulder.
With her paws pressed down, Krista shifted her body around just enough to see past the shoulder.
Sharp fear stabbed her chest.
An army of flying boulders were rolling their way down the hall, lunging in the air and crashing back down. Gashes were left on the ground. A heavy boulder blew out a chunk of the wall as it narrowly missed them. A thick cloud of dust swept towards them, concealing the rumbling danger that lurked within the core. With every edge that struck the ground, the boulders flew higher. Gravel rained down in all directions, and dirt stung her eyes. By reflex, she shook her head, blinking her eyes clean. By the time she looked again, the number of flying boulders had doubled, and they were a mere yard away.
"Vigor!" Krista shrieked.
"Don't worry! I got y'all!" Vigor screamed over the roar.
She lifted a foot high and stomped it through the ground. Then, she lunged. They were several feet high in the air before they made their descent. Vigor kicked her other foot down and made her second lunge. It was followed by a third. The distance between her and the boulders were increasing, but not fast enough.
"Alright, this ain't gonna work! Pineno! I need a favor from you!"
"Huh?" Pineno was startled. "With what? What do you need me to do?"
"Use your vines to secure Krista and Glider! Hold on tight to them, no matter what happens! I'm about to try somethin'!"
"Uhh, okay!" Pineno's shoulders sprouted the pair of vines in an instant. They each coiled around the pair and tightened. "Now what?"
Krista held onto the vine with all her might. She was relieved that Pineno couldn't feel the claws that were sinking into it.
"Alright. Y'all about to go flyin' for a bit!" Vigor raised the three hands that held them.
"Wait! Wait!" Krista panicked. "Isn't that going to hur—RRRAAAAAA!"
The air whistled past her ears as the world smeared in her vision. She clenched her teeth and eyes shut as she felt her stomach pressing against her chest.
Her body slammed against solid ground, pushing the air out her lungs. Gravel stabbed her body as she rolled across the surface. It came to a stop as she laid flat on her back. Next to her, she heard Glider's grunt. Pineno's scream ended in an abrupt manner as he hit the ground.
Krista opened her eyes as she sat up. They were inside one of the maze's many chambers, one that was fairly small compared to all the others they've been in.
To her horror, Vigor stood a great distance away from them in front of the corridor exit, facing the rockslide that tumbled her way. She cried out to her.
With a mighty scream, Vigor threw all four of her fists high above her head. She locked them together as one huge hammer, and slammed it through the ground. The impact was as if a cannon went off, roaring through everyone's ears. The ground caved in front of her.
Then it burst. A massive and sharp plate of rock shot out from underneath, followed by another that crossed over it. A third plate shot taller, layering over the other two, then a fourth.
Vigor lifted a foot and slammed it down. A fifth plate followed by a sixth joined the layer. She stomped again, and it was followed by a heavy punch through the ground. More plates stacked in a criss-cross fashion until it blocked out the corridor. Another plate obscured the vision of a flying boulder from the other side.
A dull boom echoed from the other side. The ground shook, and gravel rained down. A second boom followed. The third made the plates shift.
"That ain't happenin'!" Vigor anchored her feet and slammed her hands against the massive wall she created. She pressed her weight against it as the booming echoed like thunder. With every heavy impact, the ceiling above hissed as more gravel and dirt rained down.
Every part of Krista told her to move.
She looked up, and she saw it. One of the boulders that clung to the ceiling dislodged. The shadow swallowed her.
Then she saw movement.
"HA!"
The boulder exploded into pieces as Glider flew through the cloud. His right pincher was engulfed with a strong red light of energy. His landing was messy as he fell flat on his face. In an instant, he was back to his feet, shaking the dirt off his face.
"Uh…thanks." Krista said.
He nodded.
The booming had stopped. Vigor released her hold with a sigh.
"These dungeons have grown a lot more restless, haven't they?" Vigor rejoined the group, stretching her arms.
"That was amazing!" Pineno sprung to his feet. "What was that?! You stopped the rockslide all on your own!"
"It's a technique called stone edge. Something I've learned a long time ago," Vigor said.
"I've never seen anyone manipulate it like that before," Glider said. "You're not even a rock creature, and you did that as if you were."
"You've got to teach me how to do that!" Pineno shouted.
Vigor crossed her arms. "Stone edge ain't somethin' your small body can handle, honey. It needs a lotta force and energy you're not capable of yet. Maybe you should start with somethin' smaller, like the rock slide?"
"Oh. Well, yeah! I wanted to learn that anyway!" Pineno looked back at the barricaded corridor. "Uh, just not that kind."
Vigor chuckled.
"Looks like we can't turn back that way," Krista said. "But where did it even come from? This place doesn't have enough rocks to even form a tiny rock slide, unless I missed something…"
"Oh, no. You're right. It shouldn't be possible, right?" Vigor agreed. "But the thing about mystery dungeons, is that swallows things in its petty distortion. And because this dungeon is next to a river, it probably swallowed some of its boulders and flung them in here."
"What? You mean those boulders flew in like that because they just got sucked in?"
"Yep! Pretty wild, ain't it?" Vigor chuckled at their stunned faces. "It only happens every once in a while. That's why they made sure I would come with y'all, and I'm sure glad I did!"
Krista lied flat on the ground again. She needed a moment to process.
… … …
It was at that spot where Vigor decided it was time for them to eat. The excitement of being almost crushed to death worked up an appetite, and Krista felt too dizzy to ignore it for much longer. She searched inside the backpack and pulled out a dried apple. Just holding it in her paws made her appreciate the work Kangaskhan went through to preserve the perishables.
As she ate in silence, her mind wandered back to the storm of boulders. They were just moments away from being caught in it, and she didn't want to imagine the outcome if they were.
(That was the second time an associate had to save us in a dungeon.) Krista couldn't forget the effort Grove put in. (No. Third. Dusk too. He got us out of a bad place as well. But why do these things keep happening? Is it all bad luck, or are dungeons actually that dangerous?)
From how quickly the associates reacted to those situations, Krista could guess that it was the latter. She was sure that Dusk had especially come across some dangerous sights. It made her wonder…what could be worse than a rockslide?
"What about the wild Pokémon?" Krista asked. "Are they going to be okay?"
"Wild? Pokémon? Those words don't go together," Glider said before Vigor could answer. "You feel sympathy for wild creatures that don't care about our well being? You slap a sacred title on a creature who can't even think. You've seen their eyes. They are hungry for carnage!"
"I…" Krista had forgotten. It just slipped out so naturally.
"That rockslide was probably just an inconvenience to them anyway. If they get caught in that, oh well," Glider said.
She couldn't believe how dismissive he was! Krista looked at Vigor for her reaction, but she merely shrugged before taking a bite of her own dried apple. Krista almost felt betrayed. When she sought Pineno for some sort of solace, his attention was towards the ground.
They really didn't care about the wild Pokémon—the wild creatures as they preferred to call them. Was it a survival thing still ingrained in their minds from the primal days? Not everyone was like that. Grove at least showed sympathy when she sent that poor Drilbur through the roof…
"You have a very sympathetic heart," Vigor said. "I don't know a lot of Pokémon who feel pity towards the wild creatures that want to bring great harm to them, but I won't judge."
"I will." Glider shrugged.
Well, at least he was honest.
Krista finished up her apple. She dusted her paws clean. Everyone else took it as a signal to stand.
With one last look at the barricade, they walked the opposite way, towards the corridor that wasn't as hazardous. Vigor took the back of the line, keeping watch of ambushes as she did before. The strange silence was likely the result of the rockslide that started the wild inhabitants. It didn't matter to them. Less battles to worry about.
As they entered a vast space, they spread out. Krista came across a dropped pecha berry, which she added to their supplies in case they needed it. Pineno found a wonder orb never seen before. It was a vibrant orange behind the glass, with a red arrows running along the axis.
"That's a quick orb," Vigor said. "It boosts the speed of everyone within the radius. It will come in handy if you ever need it. You should hold on to it."
"Quick orb…it works just like Dusk's ability, doesn't it?" Pineno asked.
"Oh? You've seen it in action?" Vigor asked.
Krista could pin down when. "He got burned…and paralyzed."
"Protecting you, I'm assumin'. Sounds like he's doing a pretty good job," Vigor said. "But that's what we do. The Headmaster chose us because he knew we were the best trusted to keep the base alive. Although…I don't know all the details of how his selection goes down."
"What?"
"All I know was that I was the last one chosen," Vigor said. "But, if we are being specific here, I was a replacement to someone who was laid-off."
"Huh?" Krista and Pineno slowed their paces.
"Laid-off? Who came before you?" Pineno asked.
Vigor stared at him, and fear seemed to flood her face. "No. I shouldn't have said anything…"
"It's not for us to know, is it?" Krista asked.
"It's not that…it's just—"
"He was a Rhydon called Krasher," Glider answered. He ignored the gasp from Vigor. "It's nothin' classified. Just about everyone knows what happened."
"Glider!" Vigor glared at him.
Krasher. Krista heard that name before. Pineno mentioned that name before, didn't he?
A quick look at him confirmed everything.
"In all due respect, Ms. V, why are you holding this information back from them? All because the Zypher kid is here? Since he's trainin' the become a Retaliator, he's gonna find out eventually."
"Not here," Vigor said, her tone dropping.
"You're withholding it from him. All of you were." Glider pointed a pincher towards her as he looked at Pineno. "You see that? How the Central folks try to brush everythin' anyway like it never happened? If they cared about you, they would tell you the truth."
Krista could see Pineno's panic growing. She stood and marched forward. "She said not here!"
"Because she knows I'll be out of the way once the mission's done! So how about I say nothin' like she asked. Let's leave the poor Chespin with a clouded mind and a thousand questions on what information is being kept out of his reach, eh? How about we do that?"
"Glider!" Vigor shouted.
"Let him."
Everyone turned to Pineno. His gaze was fixed on the ground.
"Pineno…you don't have to—"
"Let him say it. It wouldn't be the first time," Pineno said. "I've heard that name before. My siblings called him The Hero. But if he committed a crime, why did they call him that?"
Krista had wondered the same thing. And from the horrified look in Vigor's face, she realized it couldn't be good.
Once Glider saw that no one was stopping him, he continued. "Thing is, that Rhydon was dishonorably discharged because he went out his way to hunt a Corrupted without approval. The Corrupted bein' your mother, of course."
Pineno froze in place, but he said nothing.
"Oh, right. What really got him in trouble was when he tried to crush the egg on top of it all. So yeah, you wouldn't be here if your mother didn't beat him near an inch of his life. But that's another story."
What to say, Krista didn't know. What she just heard was horrifying on its own. Pineno was still silent…and it was difficult to make out his face.
She reached out a paw towards him, but he stood up, a little too fast. "Pineno—"
"It's okay," he said. His voice lacked any sort of tone. "They always hated me anyway, so this doesn't surprise me at all…if what was said is true. It has to be anyway. Ms. Vigor made it obvious."
"Child…" Vigor called him, but he was moving again.
"I'm not going to cry or anything. I'm fine."
Pineno took a deep breath, and he groomed his face, just for a few seconds. He looked back at the group, his eyes locked on Glider, who had stiffened in an instant.
"Thank you for being honest with me. I only lashed out before because I didn't want to believe it. I'm sorry if I hurt you."
He was on the move, leaving the rest of the group behind.
Krista glanced at Glider, who only shrugged. She had to take a deep breath just to keep herself composed. She was convinced; He was doing all of this on purpose. But for what reason? It didn't make any sense to her.
"He really does have northern blood," Glider commented in the silence.
Krista almost left him there, but she knew not to abandon him, as tempting as it was. She knew she couldn't let her emotions get the best of her, not when Pineno's world just came crashing down.
When they encountered another wild Bidoof, the wild Pokémon didn't have a chance to do as much as move. With a blur of green, and the whistling air ending in a crack, the Bidoof's fur was torn in crossed slashes. It yielded with a tremble.
The staircase was just a few steps away.
To be Continued in Chapter 23.