Welp. there goes my streak of uploading every Wednesday. To make up for it, have my longest chapter yet. I love feedback, so make sure you leave a review to let me know what you think :)
Chapter 7: Shatter
As Lumbell city rested in the center of a large, open peninsula, beyond its many entrances were varied environments. The Match Quarry Dungeon was located to the southwest of the area, about fifteen or so miles out. Lumi and Van followed their Guildmaster throughout the city towards its southern gates, although the Meowstic got a little lost based on the route Vert took. They had dipped through alleyways, backstreets, and at one point even through a shop and out of its backdoor. It was clear that Vert had had enough attention for one day, and so did everything in his power to make sure they weren't seen as they stalked through the city streets towards their goal.
It seemed they were in the clear as they walked a bit past the city borders, but Vert groaned in annoyance at the sight of a few Pokemon that seemed to be waiting for them. A Pachirisu, Maractus, and Blitzle loitered on the side of the dirt road that led out into the land beyond. Lumi noted their antsy postures and notebooks held in the former's paws.
"Dang, that guy's hat sure is nice." muttered the Meowstic as the small group rushed to greet them, led by said Pachirisu. Van nodded in reluctant agreement.
"Absol! So glad I could catch you, I still have so many questions!" exclaimed the Pachirisu. He was ignored as Vert continued past him, Van and Lumi following. The electric rodent rushed in front of him and threw his paws out.
"Please, just one word! First the surprise summit, and now we hear that you are heading to Match Quarry for some reason. It is all rather suspicious, don't you think?"
The other two journalists tried to chime in, but Van stepped forward and crossed his arms.
"Hey, mon, can't you take a hint? We're kinda busy here, don't got time for questions."
"So it is something you don't want the world to know!? Just what are you planning, if it's something dangerous, we will find the truth!" declared the Pachirisu.
Something in his tone struck a chord in Lumi, and he stepped up next to Van. He couldn't really remember the last time he raised his voice at anyone, but he did his best to make sure he was heard.
"And what if we're going to do something good? Would you still report on that, or would you just spin it to make us sound even worse? Do you even really care?" His question gave the other two pause, but the Pachirisu stood up resolutely.
"Of course I care! No matter what, Freelance Journalist Pepin will uncover the truth!"
"Freelance Journalist? So that means you don't actually have a job then?" piped Vert. The not-so-subtle barb threw the small rodent for a loop.
"W-well, I have a, I mean this is a real occupation! I-"
"Look, I don't really care. If you're not going to go away, you can follow. But we're not taking questions right now."
With that, Vert nodded for his two apprentices to follow him, and they walked forward. The journalists tried to follow close behind but stopped cold when Vert rounded on them. The Pachirisu, Pepin, was momentarily cowed by the frustrated glare in the Absol's eyes.
"From. A. Distance," he growled. Vert received nervous nods in response, and squinted before he continued on his way.
The afternoon sun was hot as they walked down the path.
Weavile watched them continue on their way from behind a wall just before the city exit. As she was told, the Absol and his two followers were on their way to Match Quarry. The journalists were a surprise, but as she thought more she realized that this could be a perfect opportunity.
Once she was finished, all eyes would surely be on Absol, and they'd be able to continue on with no one the wiser.
Certain of their destination, Weavile fell back to dip into an alleyway, away from any possible eyesight. The plan replayed itself over and over in her head, yet despite how much she had prepared for this day, she was pressed up against the wall with her paw on her chest, breath heavy. So much was riding on this, things were finally beginning to move and there were so many things that could go wrong and if they did it would be her fault and she wasn't ready for this she would fai...
No.
She balled her paws into fists. She would not fail. Her Master believed in her. He had said so. With a resolute nod, she reached into her bag and pulled out a light pink orb, etched across with white lines. The power it radiated was altogether different from anything she had experienced; the sensation of touching it gave the uncanny feeling of grasping it from multiple angles at once, the sight of it sent chills down her spine from how it seemed to expand infinitely the more she looked at it despite its small size. Still, she pushed past the strangeness and clutched the thing in her paw, squeezing it with more and more pressure until it cracked.
More hairlines appeared on its surface until, with the sound of shattered glass, the thing broke. Pink energy burst forth from the flecks of orb that dissolved in the air, and it wasn't long before it was absorbed through her arm. She grimaced and squirmed at the invading sensation, it felt so foreign, so other, and sent an uncomfortable burning through her limb. She tried her best to focus instead on her current destination, Match Quarry, about fifteen miles southwest of here. With a determined grunt, she slashed the air in front of her, claws glowing pink.
The air was gouged through, and out bled a purple vortex.
She shook her claw as the energy faded from it. The portal was mesmerizing, almost beautiful with its ethereal, swirling pinks and purples. She caught herself before she fell into a trance and shook her head sharply. Not wanting to waste any more time, Weavile hopped through the tear in reality.
It closed behind her a moment later.
"Gotta say, not a big fan of being stalked like this..." muttered Lumi as he looked back. That Pachirisu was still leading the pack of journalists from a distance. As agreed, they were far enough away to not hear any of their conversation, but it was still off putting to have his movements monitored.
"Ditto. I can handle looks, but a mon needs his personal space. Maybe they'll back off once we get closer to the Dungeon, eh Vert?"
"Mmhmm." murmured the Absol, eyes cast on the ground. Van and Lumi shared a look but didn't comment. Despite attempts to bring Vert into the conversation, he had been quiet as they walked.
"You said Match Quarry is letting out more Aether than other Dungeons you've seen? What makes it different?" prodded Lumi.
No answer.
"...Vert?" At the sound of his name, Vert's head lifted a bit, as if he had just heard his name called.
"Hmm? Did you say something?"
"Hey, you good mon? You've been a little out of it," stated Van, eyes creased in concern. Vert shook his head and stared forward.
"Don't worry about me, I'm just thinking. The closer we get, the more on edge I feel."
"Do you think it'll be dangerous?" asked Lumi.
"There's a good chance things will be different than we're used to. Well, somewhat used to in your case, Lumi. But, as long as I'm here, we'll be fine."
"Picked a helluva time to tag along, Lumi," snarked the Scrafty. Lumi smiled and rubbed the back of his head.
"Third day and I'm already investigating natural disasters. So far, guild is really living up to its name." At that, Vert snorted.
"You were supposed to get eased in a little more, but I guess that got thrown out the window when you set my Bio Branch on fire. Not to mention you're supposed to be in bed right now."
"I regret nothing," said the Meowstic with a shrug, clearly pleased with himself. Van rolled his eyes.
"This guy. But look Vert, can you give us any kind of heads up for what we can expect? Unlike Lumi, I'd like to at least think about what we're getting into." Vert smirked a bit as Lumi stuck his tongue out.
"There's a lot of unknowns, but it's highly possible that Match Quarry will be longer than normal. It's not the longest Dungeon in the region, it's only about eight floors or so, but I'm confident things might have changed. Our main goal will be to take note of any significant changes we see and to reach the end. There's something there I need to check."
"Why do you think it'll be longer?" asked Lumi.
"A Dungeon's length is correlated with the overall concentration of Aether that is present within it. If the spread is as bad as was reported, then that means whatever is going on inside, there is so much Aether being produced that it's starting to bleed out. At least, that's my current theory."
He glanced back to confirm that the journalists were still keeping their distance.
"That reminds me. Try not to talk about what you see inside to anyone outside the guild just yet. The situation is delicate right now, we don't want to cause panic."
"Copy that, chief." saluted Van. Lumi mimed his mouth being zipped shut, and they continued on in silence.
Thus far the path was relatively level, lined with green fields. As its name would imply, however, Match Quarry was situated at the bottom of a rocky basin, and soon their straight path dipped into a slight decline. Grass in shrubs gave way to brown and grey boulders, the dirt path soon replaced with gravel. In the distance, Lumi looked down and noted with some surprise a cutoff that marked a large, open hole that was cut into the earth.
They arrived closer to the hole and stepped onto a wooden walkway that was built into the sides of the basin and spiraled around, down to its bottom. The floorboards creaked as they stepped on them, but their stride did not change as they walked down towards the base. A hint of trepidation welled up in his chest as he looked over the guardrail toward the bottom.
Far below, his eyes widened at the multicolored mist that seemed to permeate throughout the area. The haze covered most of the bottom, with it being especially dense toward one side where he assumed the Dungeon entrance was. In what felt like no time, they had stepped off of the walkway and onto the stone floor of the basin, standing opposite of where the fluorescent haze was strongest. He could barely see the wooden frame that marked the Dungeon entrance through the mist.
"Holy..." muttered Van. Lumi nodded, mouth open.
"This...doesn't look good."
"No. It doesn't," said Vert. Before they continued, he padded back to see how their followers were faring. Lumi's eyes followed him, but to his surprise, only the Pachirisu was behind them, still stood on the wood platform. He arched his gaze upwards and spotted the others looking down on them from where they entered.
"Not gonna join your friends?" called out the Absol.
"T-they're simply journalists of a lesser caliber!" stuttered the squirrel. "Unlike them, I-I will bravely go forth a-and, um, and...oh my..." his bravado petered out as the gravity of the situation dawned on him and he looked around. He paced in place and his paws shakily took notes in a small notebook he had out. Vert strolled right up to loom over him, expression stern.
"Don't follow us. I'm serious. It's dangerous inside, and I can't guarantee your safety. Just go up there with the others and go home."
"I can't do that! When you get back, I need to get an interview on what you've seen." he insisted. Vert rolled his eyes.
"It's noon right now. My guess is we'll be in there for about three hours, but from your perspective about eight or nine hours will pass. It'll be evening out here when we get out."
"Then I'll be waiting right up there when you get back." stated the Pachirisu. He scampered back up the walkway, and Vert huffed before he turned back. Van crossed his arms and smirked.
"He's persistent, I'll give him that."
"We'll see. Before we go, Lumi." The Meowstic perked up at the sound of his name, and Vert gestured him to come closer.
"What's up?"
"I want to be clear when I say that you don't have to come if you don't want to. I'll make sure nothing happens to either of you, but things could get dangerous. You've been doing great so far, but it's just your third day. If you want to go home right now, you can."
Lumi opened his mouth to retort but then decided to think just a little harder, if only to spite Van. He looked into the mist beyond and considered just what he could be getting into. Realistically, he probably wouldn't be much help in the Dungeon, and might even slow down the others with how green he was at Dungeon diving. His laughably tiny sense of self-preservation pointed out that going in there would be a terrible choice for a second Dungeon as there would surely be something that not even Vert could account for. The Absol was right, this was dangerous.
But then, it could be fun.
"Thanks, but this sounds way too good to pass up. I'll try not to slow you guys down too much, though." At his response, Vert nodded.
"If that's how you feel, then there's something I should give you." Vert reached a paw into his bag and pulled out a deep purple scarf, identical to his and Van's. Lumi felt his heart jolt in excitement when it was held out to him.
"I wanted to give this to you once you were properly oriented with everything at the guild, but you've more than proven that you've earned it. Go on."
With reverence, Lumi lifted the scarf out of Vert's paw and held it out. The material was rather thin, like silk, but a firm tug denoted strength. Its rich purple color was pleasing to the eye, and on closer inspection he noted almost imperceptible flecks of white that dotted its surface, like distant stars in the twilight. On the end of the scarf was a larger white spark that at this point was familiar. He flipped it onto his neck and did his best to tie it so it stayed on. One side hung just a little longer than the other.
It felt perfect. Lumi looked Vert in the eye and tried to convey his gratitude with a smile.
"Thanks. Really."
"Looks good on him," piped Van. Vert grinned in approval.
"It does. That scarf is more than just our guild colors. In Dungeons, it increases the rate at which items appear. Very useful for long treks like this."
"Ooh, does it have a name?" asked Lumi as he held up one side of it to look again.
"Yes actually, we call it the Prosperity Scarf."
"North Star Ribbon."
Vert and Van stopped and stared at each other, both having spoken at the same time. Lumi saw the hint of a challenge pass between them. Vert sucked in a breath and tried again.
"Prosperity Scarf."
"North Star Ribbon," shot back Van.
"Lumi, that is called a Prosperity Scarf. Don't listen to Van."
"Mon, I'm telling you, North Star Ribbon is just a better name."
"No it's not."
"Yeah, actually I think it is."
"I am the Guildmaster, I say what it's called," declared Vert with some authority. Van stepped right up to him.
"And I'm saying Pandora came up with a banger of a name that fits perfectly."
"Pandora doesn't know what she's talking about. What the hell does 'North Star' have to do with its function?"
Van scoffed in response and threw his hand out in the universal "what are you even talking about" motion that transcends all realities. He pulled on the end of the scarf for emphasis as if that somehow made him more right.
"It's not all about function, it's about what it represents, Vert! See this star, right here? That's us. That's our whole thing. It's the guild scarf, dammit."
"Van, we designed it so the aesthetics of the scarf denote allegiance. But, the name of something should always be representative of what it does, we've been over this. Also the name is wordy."
Despite his monotone delivery, Vert wagged his paws to emphasize his point, and his voice sped in a clear sign of getting worked up. Lumi fought down a laugh at the two.
"Wordy!? Prosperity Scarf has more syllables."
"Details."
"Half the Guild calls it the North Star Ribbon!"
"Yes, and the other half still has some sense."
"Well, I, gah, Mew dammit...Lumi, come on, don't let me down. What do you call it?"
"He's going to call it the Prosp-"
"I ain't asking you!"
Lumi wheezed with laughter behind his hand, but once he calmed down he tried his best to answer.
"I mean, honestly I was just thinking of calling it the Purple Scarf. Cuz, you know, it's purple?"
Their blank stares told him he'd said the wrong thing.
"...Let's just go." muttered Vert as he walked toward the Dungeon. Van shook his head at him and followed behind.
"Guys? Come on don't be like that, it's simple! It combines both function and representa- don't walk away!" called Lumi as he rushed to catch up. He hardly registered the familiar weight of Aether as he stepped through the haze, and into the Dungeon portal itself.
Hidden from behind a boulder within the haze, Weavile waited a bit before she rushed in after.
In her opinion, both names sounded like a bit much.
Match Quarry - 1st Floor
A cavern well lit by lanterns that hung on wooden supports greeted them as they walked inside. Lumi was reminded of mines he had read about, and the first thing he noted were the mine tracks that led from this room and out to others. He kept his eyes peeled for anything that might seem out of the ordinary, despite his recent experience.
It was Van who soon pointed something out.
"Uh, that don't seem right," he said, hand pointed toward the corridor to the left. They walked forward and looked down. The path led down in a decline to another room below them. Lumi didn't see an issue, but Vert hummed in thought.
"What's the problem?" asked the Meowstic. Vert gestured his paw out in answer.
"This. The terrain is already different. Dungeons are normally flat, the only time elevation shifts is when you move floors."
"You think anything else has changed?"
"I'm sure of it. Keep your eyes peeled, and stay close."
The two nodded, and continued down the decline, it was as good a place to start as any. Vert elected to stay in the back as Lumi and Van walked side by side. At the bottom, they walked through a short corridor lit by lanterns that hung overhead before they arrived at a large room. What gave them pause was the clear indication of a second level that could be seen further up; jutting out from the dark brown rock walls, a wooden walkway circled around the room. Entrances to rooms higher up could be seen as well.
"Yeesh...yeah, this is new." exhaled Van. He leaned on a nearby minecart as he took in the area in fascination.
"Enhanced Dungeon complexity...interesting," muttered Vert with squinted eyes. "I wonder why it chooses to structure itself the way it does. Also, duck," he commanded.
Van creased his eyes in confusion, but a shrill cry behind him caused him to yelp and scramble to the side. A Golbat that flew up from inside the minecart slashed the air with its talons, and flapped its wings toward Lumi to go in for a Poison Fang. Caught off guard, his mind froze up and he stumbled backwards to land on his tails, paw raised in a feeble attempt at defense.
The swirling energy of a Dark Pulse slammed into it and reduced it to motes of light in seconds.
Lumi only had time to push himself to his feet before more screeches could be heard from ahead. He whipped his head to the two other entrances on the bottom floor, where an Exadrill and Cubone stalked in, claws and bone raised as they rushed forward. From other minecarts up ahead, a small pack of Trapinch crawled out, along with a pack of Zubat that flew out toward them. The room was soon filled with hostile Pokemon advancing on their position, and it was all he could do to back up and try to prepare a Confusion to hopefully slow them down.
He didn't get a chance before his fur billowed as something blurred past him. He blinked his eyes and watched open mouthed as Vert raked his claws against the Cubone, then turned to flick his head and send out a Night Slash to the Exadrill in one fluid motion. He faced the oncoming bats and Vibrava only to whip his paw into his bag and hold out a yellow orb. He squeezed, then tossed it to the oncoming Pokemon. Before they could get a move off, the room flashed white, and Lumi was forced to close his eyes as his vision blurred, a distinct ringing in his skull.
After a few seconds, he shook his head to clear his disorientation, and looked up to watch Vert stroll back toward them, flecks of multicolored light behind him already dissipating into the air. Van stumbled next to him, and they shared a look before they turned to Vert with awed expressions.
"Holy...never seen you move that fast..." uttered Van.
"...Awesome..." was all Lumi could say. Vert cracked his back and addressed the two.
"Alright. I think you guys can take it from here," he said. The two were silent for a bit, before Van's eyes widened in surprise.
"Us? What makes you say that?"
"If these were any indication, the ferals for this floor haven't been altered in any way that makes them particularly challenging. Hopefully that stays the same for the rest of the Dungeon."
At their unsure stares, he continued.
"I'm letting you two take point on this, it's good experience. I'll be right behind you, so don't worry. Van, I'm trusting you to lead us to an exit. How far along are you with your Seeker Spike?"
"Oh, uh, I just have a prototype..." Van rummaged around in his bag, before he pulled out an inconspicuous Iron Spike, with the exception of the yellow streak down its middle.
"Never leave home without it."
"That will be a good combat option, I suggest you try and make use of it, it will help with some of the flying enemies in here. Will also help you see where improvements could be made." at Van's nod, Vert turned to Lumi.
"Try not to freeze up like that. It's a tricky balance, but the goal is to be relaxed and alert at once. Remember, if you can't think of a move to help, consider your other options. There are those Quick orbs I had you make before, along with whatever items we find along the way."
The Meowstic looked down briefly, face pensive, before he shook out his shoulders and bounced a few times on the tips of his feet.
"Yeah, okay," Lumi nodded. Vert stepped forward and took his place behind them.
"I'll give some pointers if it helps, but I'll let you two handle this. It's no fun if I hold onto the reins the whole time." he said with a light smirk. Van sighed.
"Since when did this become about fun..."
"I'm all for it, I'm sure we'll be fine with Vert here. Now, which way, O fearless leader?" asked Lumi, paws clasped in mock reverence. Van huffed in amusement and twirled his spike around before pointing at a random entrance.
"Got a good feeling about that way."
"Then let's go!"
With that, the trio exited the large room and made their way throughout the floor. They trawled throughout the mines, Lumi's ears raised and Van's hand clutched around his spike, wary of any more attacks. Vert sauntered behind them and took in his surroundings with a calm gaze, more interested in observing the Dungeon and taking mental notes than whatever dangers lurked.
There were more encounters. Lumi caught his first glimpse of what the Seeker Spike could do when they came across a room that contained a large pit with a couple of Sandshrew inside, a ladder to the rest of the Dungeon beyond. The ferals seemed to not notice their presence above, so Lumi came alongside Van and they locked eyes. They nodded, and together they hopped off the ledge, Lumi already mentally prepared a Confusion attack to assist the ambush.
While in midair, Van tossed the spike towards the feral on the left, and it wizzed in the air before making a sharp turn to redirect its course, and the iron tip pierced the unaware Sandshrew's hide. It let out a cry that caused the other to turn in alarm, but it was rendered dizzy as the Meowstic rushed towards it and let the Confusion fly from his ears.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the spike wriggle a bit in the Pokemon, before it was wrenched out by some unseen force. Van ran up with his hand in the air, and the spike rushed toward him, but the blunt side bonked him on the head instead of landing in his palm. The spike clanged to the ground, and his brief moment to rub his head gave the wounded feral the chance to rush forward with its claws. Lumi's eyes widened, and he belted out a Disarming Voice that knocked the Pokemon off balance.
Van took the opportunity to finish it with a Low Kick, and Lumi almost cheered in applause when he felt claws rake his back that sent him stumbling forward. He hissed in pain and scrambled to turn around. He watched the Sandshrew run around blindly, claws swishing through the air, and he grumbled to himself when he realized the thing had got a lucky hit. The spike was promptly thrown at its back, and Lumi got up to attack it with an improvised combo of Scratches. It dissipated into motes of light soon after.
Breath heavy, the rush of adrenaline began to wear off, and the sting in his back became more noticeable. He winced as he tried to straighten his back, but it turned to a good natured smile as Van walked up.
"You did more damage to yourself in that fight," he said to the Scrafty. Van rubbed his forehead and shrugged.
"Cut me some slack, it's a prototype. Still, could use some, uh, tweaks."
"Good work, both of you." announced Vert as he walked up. The two straightened as he approached. The Absol put his head into his bag and pulled out an Oran berry, which he tossed to Lumi without a word. He took a bite and was relieved as the sweet juices hit his tongue. He felt the weariness from the fight fade away as energy coursed through his body, but shuddered a bit at the feeling of the cut on his back being sealed up in moments.
"Oof, that feels weird."
"You'll get used to it. Good job with taking initiative and covering for your partner. Try not to leave your back turned to the enemy like that."
"What, I don't get an Oran?" groused Van.
"I can kiss it better if you want me to," offered Vert. He smiled when Van rolled his eyes. "We can work together on the formula when we get back. What Pattern did you infuse the spike with?"
"For this one, I went with a mix of Swift and Volt Switch. It's been the most consistent."
"Maybe we just need to tweak the Volt Switch pattern so it can return better. I'm proud of you though, really. It looks like it's working well."
The praise made the Scrafty avert his eyes and rub his arm.
"Aw, now you're makin' me blush..."
"You know, that kiss might still be open," whispered Lumi. He laughed as the Scrafty swatted him away, and they moved toward the ladder.
It continued like this for the rest of the floor; Van and Lumi lead the exploration while occasionally engaging ferals, and Vert oversaw them and provided helpful feedback when appropriate. When Lumi asked how Vert came to acquire so much combat knowledge, the answer was twofold; All Guild Masters were required to have attained a level of strength far above those of an average Pokemon, particularly those they lead. A grueling trial is placed on prospective Guildmasters to ensure they have the power to back up their authority. Secondly, the Absol guild in particular had a vested interest in knowing practical combat tactics. It would be difficult to provide adequate products or come up with ideas if you didn't know ways to succeed in battles.
The response encouraged the Meowstic to improve his skills, if only to be of more use in the future. It was unnecessary right now, however. If one were to ask the ferals themselves what they saw when the three entered a room, they would reply that the very picture of death stared at them behind the two novices, coldly dissecting their every move with his gaze.
Vert calculated at least eight ways to remove any ferals from his sight the moment they stepped through an entrance, but instead sat on his haunches to pay careful consideration to his charges. No serious harm would come to them, and he enjoyed watching them improve. It was one of the few exclusive joys of his position.
After about twenty minutes of crawling through the floor, the group walked down a hallway. They passed by an indent in the wall, but Lumi doubled back and called the others when he realized it wasn't just another groove for a lamp. Instead, it looked to be a wooden box that, upon closer inspection, was suspended in midair with some kind of a pulley system.
"Uh, is this...an elevator?" asked the cat.
"Looks that way. Wait, you don't think...Vert?" Van looked toward the Absol to confirm what he was thinking. He received a nod in response.
"You might be on the right track. And here I was looking for a random set of stairs to take us to the next floor. This is all kinds of strange."
"Wait, I don't understand, doesn't an old elevator make sense? I mean, we're in a mine shaft."
"Normally a Dungeon would just generate a set of concrete stairs somewhere that you walk down or up to get to another floor, regardless of what kind of environment you're in."
"...just, stairs? Like, in the middle of the floor?"
"Yup."
"Yeah."
"And that's normal? The wooden elevator that clearly fits with the theme of this place is weird, but a set of stairs laying around is normal?" his eyes were creased as he struggled to understand. Van just shrugged.
"I don't know what to tell you mon, it's apparently been like that for hundreds of years, for as long as Dungeons have been a thing, I guess."
"But...that's..."
Vert walked past him to stand in the elevator cabin, and gestured for the two to do the same. Inside was a simple lever on a panel to the side. He looked down at the Meowstic.
"You want my advice? Try not to think about it too hard. There's only a few things we know for certain about Dungeons, and one of them is that they are weird. End of story. Now, pull that switch so we can make some progress."
Lumi shrugged and hopped up to grab the switch. He let his body fall down, bringing the switch down with him. They heard a loud *thunk* and metal screen doors slid in front of them. The elevator jolted a bit, and then they swiftly descended.
Match Quarry - 7th floor
The party settled into a neat rhythm that persisted as they cleared floors. Their goal was simply to get to the bottom of the Dungeon, so as Van and Lumi got more comfortable with their role in the front, they made a brisk pace in search of the elevator, only fighting when it was necessary.
After a particularly rough encounter with a pack of Geodude, Lumi felt a powerful urge well up from his core, like the sudden inspiration to try molding his Energy in a specific way. It was when Van roundhouse kicked a Golbat in the mouth in the next room that he realised he had learned Helping Hand; his applause at the display enabled the Scrafty to defeat the other enemies in the room with significantly less trouble than before.
It had been roughly two hours since they had entered, and the trio were currently taking a break behind a Camouflage orb in a dead end they found. Without cushions, Van and Lumi settled for sitting up against Vert's surprisingly soft fur. The Absol merely adjusted his position to accommodate them.
Van stretched his back enough to make it pop, and Lumi yawned. Vert broke the silence as they took time to rest.
"This should be the second to last floor before the Dungeon ends. I've been picking up something with my Sense since we walked in here, but this is the strongest it's been, so let's be on our guard. How are you two holding up?"
"I swear floors weren't this long before. Been walkin' so damn much..." groused Van. Lumi side eyed him and snorted.
"Speak for yourself. You didn't step on a trap in disguise and suddenly get teleported into a room full of Cubone. My feet are still sore from running away." He brought his knees up to his chest and rested his head on them.
"That's what you get for taking a power nap inside a minecart while I did all the fighting right before." He resisted the urge to chuckle as Lumi groaned.
"I'm telling you, it was a strategic retreat after that Parasect Spored me!"
"Yeah, 'strategic.' Aight."
"I think you both got some good cardio in from that Monster House. Good use of the Quick Orb by the way, Lumi."
The two shuddered at the memory. Van held his head in his hands.
"Never again..." he muttered.
"I'm sure you would have been fine. We picked up those Reviver Seeds after all."
"Hah, yeah, sure..." scoffed Lumi. He craned his neck to look up at Vert. "You wouldn't have broken a sweat though, I've never seen someone battle like you!" The Absol shrugged.
"I've done this for a while."
"How old are you? Oh! Uh, if you don't mind me asking, that is." The Absol smirked at his bashfulness.
"It's fine. Let me think..." Vert tilted his head. "...I think I'm going on sixty-five sometime in the winter." Lumi widened his eyes and Van leaned forward.
"Damn mon, not even middle aged? Guess even you still got a ways to go."
"Comes with the territory. Pandora and I still have a long way before we reach retirement. Don't mention I said that, by the way. How old are you kids anyway? I don't think I've asked."
"I just turned twenty," responded Lumi.
"Close, twenty one," said Van.
"So young. You sure you want to stick around for the long haul? There's still time to back out."
"Vert, I've barely scratched the surface of the library, and Lumi hasn't even seen it. I think we're gonna be here for a while."
Lumi nodded in agreement. For Pokemon who joined a guild, it was common for them to spend the majority of their prime with that guild, until around seventy or so when they would spend the latter half in a more sedate occupation.
Of course, there was always the danger of perishing inside a Dungeon, but there were a myriad of ways to avoid such a fate.
After a few more minutes of rest and a brief snack, the group exited their makeshift hideout and continued out onto the rest of the floor. For a while, they walked through the corridors like usual, however it became clear that there were not as many openings as usual. The floor gradually became more linear, until Van stepped through a doorway and recoiled in surprise. Lumi stepped up and did likewise.
A wood platform girded by low railings on the left and right was all that separated them from a bottomless ravine below. Lumi stepped closer to look over the rail and saw no bottom, only darkness. A cool draft ruffled his fur, and he gazed up at the wide cavern ceiling far above their heads. In front of them, secured on a rail that extended on rickety scaffolding out into the ravine, was a sturdy minecart. A cursory look to the far wall showed that the railing led into a tunnel that continued further in.
It took one second for Van to process all of this, before he turned right around and noped out.
"Not today." was all he said.
"Van? Where are you going? I think we need to go this-" Lumi was cut off
"Nah. Nope. I ain't doing that. We must have missed the elevator on the way here. I'll call you when I find it." He walked ramrod straight with his hands in his pocket-like skin, back down the straight hallway they came. Bewildered, Lumi looked up to Vert.
"Did you see the elevator? I'm pretty sure this is the only way forward."
"Oh no, it is." he smirked, "He just doesn't want to believe it."
Lumi looked at the railing, then at the minecart, then down at the unclimbable abyss that threatened to swallow all who fell in, then back at the minecart.
He smiled.
"This is gonna be stupid, isn't it?"
"More like hilarious. Would you like to do the honors?"
"Yes sir!"
With excitement bubbling in his chest, Lumi rushed forward toward the cart. He hopped up and grabbed its rim, then scrambled his feet along the side before he fell in. It was large enough to hold all three of them comfortably, with walls that extended well above his head. He grabbed the ledge to peek over back at Vert, and witnessed Van as he trudged back in.
"Decided to join us?" offered Vert. The Scrafty only huffed and crossed his arms.
"Can't we like, teleport to the other side, or something? C'mon Vert, just whip something out to make it so I don't have to ride in the 'Stupid Ass' Express..."
"I have a lifetime pass aboard that Express, and I intend to use it."
"Seriously mon!"
"Van, it's not that bad, really! There's plenty of space in he-oof!" Lumi tripped as he made to walk around the cart. He looked back to see a small lever off to the side that he had missed, installed into the floor of the cart.
His heart lurched, as did the cart. Lumi pulled himself up to lean over the side to face the others, and tried his best to ignore the inching movement of the vehicle.
"Hey guys, funny story!" He clapped his paws. "I made a mistake."
"Made a...? Oh." Vert jumped inside and instantly spotted the lever. He tried to pull it back and perhaps stall the cart.
It didn't move.
"Well. I guess this is happening." He made himself comfortable on the cart's side, splayed out in a lounge. By this point, the minecart had left the safety of the platform, and was now on the track above the ravine, about a short hop's distance away. Lumi tried to wave Van over, but the Scrafty paced in place.
"Aw shi...Mew damnit, why!?"
"You just gotta go for it! The longer you wait, the further you'll have to jump!" called Lumi. Van huffed and took a step forward, but only stalled as the cart grew further away. He made it to the edge, but a glance down sent him scrambling backward.
"Van!" Lumi's voice became tinged with worry. He didn't want to think about what would happen if they got separated like this. He pulled his ears and racked his brain for something to say to encourage his friend, but a paw on his shoulder stopped his thoughts.
"Calm down. He's fine," uttered Vert, softly. In a louder voice he called to Van, "Don't think for a second we won't catch you. You're safe Van, just jump."
The Scrafty breathed out heavily, then pounded his head a few times with his fists. He grounded loudly, and then backed up some more. He got down in a sprinter's pose.
"Damn it!"
He yelled out as he bolted from his spot toward the ledge. With a leap, he shot out from the ledge, arms windmilling as he came closer to the cart. Lumi leaned over as much as he could with his paws stretched out to catch him, unheeding the fact that he would probably be dragged down with the Scrafty's weight. Thankfully, Vert reached a long arm out to steady Van as he banged against the side of the cart, and helped him crawl inside. With a loud exhale, he laid out on his back and went limp. Lumi approached to sit beside him, paw on his shoulder.
"I take it you don't like heights?"
"Uuuuugggghhhhh..."
"Sounds like a no."
"I don't get paid enough for this..." muttered Van.
"Yes you do. On top of a percentage of any commissions you take part in, you are also allotted automatic partial patent licensing to any items you create, compensation for board tasks, and room and board. Plus, none of you ever really need to buy anything, you can just make it."
"I don't get paid enough for this!" asserted the downed Scrafty.
Lumi chuckled and went to lean over the front of the cart. As it gained momentum, he felt the wind rush past his face, and soon they were speeding along the track. He felt butterflies rise in his stomach from the sheer drop below them, but besides that the ride was rather pleasant. The rhythmic sound of the wheels on the track and the cool air of the cavern that whooshed through his fur was oddly soothing. A few moments later, they had crossed the threshold into the tunnel on the other side of the cavern, lit by large lanterns suspended on wooden supports.
He hopped down after a bit and turned to the others. Van was pressed up against the left side of the cart, knees held firmly to his chest as he stared at the ground. Lumi went over to go sit next to him and bumped his arm with his shoulder. The Scrafty looked to him and offered an anxious smile, more like a grimace, before he brought his attention to the floor again. Van sighed.
"...This is insane."
"The ride's kind of relaxing, if I'm honest. I think you're doing a great job despite being afraid of heights though," offered Lumi.
"Not afraid! Just, y'know concerned. That's not what I mean though. All of this," he waved his arm around at the tunnel and lights they sped through. "Nothing like this has ever been seen before. I haven't been diving for long, but Dungeons don't do this sort of thing. I feel like whatever's going on, it took the concept of a mine or whatever this place is, and blew it way out of proportion."
"Good observation," said Vert from accross the vehicle.
"You have any idea what's causing it?"
Vert didn't respond immediately, his face set against the wind. He stared out towards a small circle in the distance that slowly revealed itself to be the end of the tunnel. After a moment, he spoke.
"Have you noticed the floors were getting longer the further down we went? The last floor took the longest, and now the Dungeon has created this massive deviation. I think we're nearing the source of the distortion, its effects must be more potent the closer you are to it."
A thoughtful silence permeated the cart at that, only the steady jostle of the minecart filling the air. Truthfully, his limited frame of reference made it difficult for Lumi to recognize the gravity of the things he had seen, although he tried his best to take it seriously. A more optimistic thought popped into his head, and he decided to voice it.
Too bad the Dungeon has ears.
"You know, the whole deviation thing doesn't seem too bad. There's not even any ferals on this floor."
Van groaned in response, and Vert just shook his head.
"You'll learn one day."
"What? What's the pro-" A screech in the distance took his attention, and he looked to see that the end of the tunnel was in greater view. In a moment, they shot out into another broad cavern, and way in the distance there was another platform similar to the one they boarded from.
There were also similar rail tracks throughout the width of the room that ran parallel to the one they were on.
"...Wait." With trepidation, Lumi turned around, and his spirit broke a little.
"Oh my God."
Two other carts careened down from the side of the wall. One contained a group of Cubone headed by a Marowak that swung it's bone around wildly. The other was full of Parasect and Golbats that were already whipping up Air Cutters to fling at their cart. He ducked down to avoid them, and in a brief moment of perfect lucidity, questioned just how he got into this situation.
"What...how even..." A handful of seeds was shoved in his face from Vert.
"Less talking, more throwing. Aim for the cart."
"Take this you goofy motherf-oof!" Van's tirade was cut off with a bone to the forehead. His Seeker Spike sought swift vengeance in the offending Cubone's skull. Lumi grabbed a seed that was shaped like an ember and hopped up to judge the distance. He performed some quick maths, realized his tiny arms wouldn't cut it, and decided to try something else. He unfurled his ears and, with focus, directed his Psychic Energy to the seed itself and succeeded in holding it aloft with his power alone.
He had grown more comfortable with letting off the restraints of his massive psychic power over the course of the Dungeon, but this was the first time he had manipulated it in such a delicate way. Directing the Energy needed to hold the seed in the air felt like straining an entire ocean through a straw. Moving it up was like tiptoeing across a tightrope, in his opinion.
Still, now was as good a time as any to get some practice in.
With agonizing focus, he leaned over the side of the moving cart and levitated the seed in front of him. Blocking out all the chaos around him, he lined the seed up just in front of the other cart, trying to account for movement.
There. Now, for a little push. In what went against his ingrained nature, Lumi allowed the restraint he kept over his ears to lessen for a split second, the eyes within glowing faintly. He would just put enough to lob it ov-
The seed bursted from his psychic grasp and rocketed into the cart. It detonated on impact and blew the whole cart right off of the track, sending it and the ferals inside hurtling to whatever waited at the bottom.
The power sent a jolt through their own cart that, for a couple of excruciating seconds, left it rolling on only the left set of wheels. Lumi flailed his arms as he felt the vehicle tip, but Vert calmly walked over to the other side, his weight stabilizing the cart enough to bring it back down on its hinges. With wide, frantic eyes, Lumi noted Van curled up in a fetal position towards the corner of the cart, and his own breath came out in raspy spurts. Vert tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention.
"I would say not to do that again, but it looks like we have company."
Lumi followed his gaze to where more minecarts headed by mad ferals blitzed down their tracks and quickly sped toward their position. In his frazzled state of mind, he could only huff out a tired, bewildered laugh.
"Heh. 'Not even any ferals.' You and your mouth, Lumi..." he said to himself as he levitated another seed.
Match Quarry - Final Floor
Once Van forced himself to adjust to the hectic ride (made more so by Lumi's blasts), he joined the Meowstic in fending off the encroaching ferals. There were a few close calls; a clever Marowk had caught a blast seed and flung it back at them, and Vert had to catch Lumi after he had been blasted off. Still, they had arrived at the opposite platform in mostly one piece. The two crashed once the adrenaline wore off, so Vert just carried them a short ways away to the elevator.
He clenched his teeth on the ride down. He kept it cool in front of the others, but his senses had been screaming louder as they delved through the dungeon. The descent to the final floor was akin to drowning in a dark pool of anxiety, he felt his skin crawl from stress. He prayed his hypothesis was incorrect, but the heavy weight that settled in his gut once they reached the bottom didn't fill him with confidence.
The elevator doors screeched open, and Vert walked out with his two apprentices laid out on his back. They had arrived in a broad cavern lined with shining crystals of various colors. The circular space was smaller than expected, the natural light from the crystals provided ample lighting.
It would have been quite mesmerizing, if not for the multicolored haze that permeated the area and threatened to give him a headache.
His passengers recognized the Aether as it spread throughout the air and sluggishly rolled off of his back. They stumbled a bit as they got to their feet, but straightened up once the scene registered.
"Holy..." breathed Van.
"This looks like how it was outside. What's causing this?" murmured Lumi as he stepped forward. He held his head a bit as the heavy concentration of raw Aether threatened to give him a headache. Vert didn't respond, instead he threw his bag on the floor and rifled through it before he pulled out a weathered brown tome. The Absol's eyes snapped from the book to his surroundings as his paw swatted through pages. Lumi felt a hint of dread rise when his Guildmasters breath grew more haggard, normally half lidded eyes now widened in alarm.
"...Damn," muttered Vert under his breath. Lumi approached closer and caught a glimpse of heavy writing and diagrams on the worn pages.
"Vert?"
No response. Lumi put paw on the Absol's shoulder and shook. At once, Vert ceased his rampant search through the book and turned still as a statue. Lumi was unnerved by the sudden change. Without sparing him a glance, Vert closed his eyes and breathed in deeply. He held it for a few seconds and then let go.
Then he spoke.
"It's being produced. All of it," he said in a low voice. Lumi wondered if he was intentionally avoiding eye contact.
"Produced?"
"Look around. We need to find what's causing it."
"What are we lookin' for?" asked Van, hands on his shoulders as he looked around wearily. Vert stared down at the page he was on before he nodded once.
"Some kind of...crystalline structure. Not like these. I think it will be in a more central location."
A cursory search around the immediate area did not reveal anything that looked to be producing the Aether in the air, merely shining crystals. Lumi looked ahead, where the haze was strong nothing could be seen through it, and thought he caught something. He squinted, and what he thought was just another melding color shone brighter than the others.
"Hey, I think there's something way over there!" he called, pointing ahead. As one, they approached the miasmic wall of Aether, thicker than anything they had seen before. Vert leaned forward to look closer, before he sucked in a breath and bounded through. Van and Lumi looked at eachother, before they shrugged and ran through the fog together.
They instantly regretted this action. Walking through a Proto Dungeon at the guild felt like a blanket was draped over your body; this felt like the blood in your veins was replaced with heavy sand. The sensation of movement was so dulled, Lumi could hardly register the movement of his limbs. He realized that breathing in the Aether drenched air only resulted in coughs, and so forced himself to take shallow breaths as him and Van sprinted through the heavy fog.
His world became the swirling, endless colors, and in order to avoid throwing up they ran with their eyes closed, desperately hoping for the weight to be cast off.
An untold amount of time later and he sensed the relatively clear air of the open cavern. He gulped in the precious oxygen and leaned against Van as the Scrafty breathed deeply on his knees. He coughed and exhaled hard before he tried for something optimistic to say.
His addled mind had recovered enough to throttle his inner Lumi and reminded him what would happen if he opened his mouth. He listened.
Once he had caught his breath, he lifted his gaze around to see that they were in another round cavern, with a ceiling so high he couldn't see the top.
He looked forward and paused at Vert silhouetted against the bright yellow light of a large object.
White, hairline cracks marred its crystalline surface, and he felt the vibration through his bones as it pulsed in the air. Upon closer inspection, fluorescent mist seeped through its cracks and was pushed out to circulate the perimeter of the room they were in.
Wide-eyed and open-mouthed, Lumi trudged up next to Vert, captivated by the sight. Van joined soon after.
"A Keystone," intoned Vert. Van looked at him and gestured at the great crystal in front of them.
"Is that what this is? What is it?"
"Something that used to only exist in theory. Previous researchers thought it might be possible for there to be a focal point for the Aether inside Dungeons, something to regulate and guide its manifestation. They're supposed to be what keeps one contained."
"If it was that important, why are we just hearing about it now? You can't exactly miss it."
"If we can see it, that means it must be losing its control somehow. Do you see those cracks? It's internal integrity must be da-"
He was cut off by a stinging pain in his rear. His attempt to move his limbs were futile, as a numbness had wracked his body, and he realized he was Paralyzed. Seconds later, their immediate area was obscured by a thick fog and it became difficult to see each other from two feet away.
Lumi held his breath to avoid breathing in the fog and rushed out to clearer air. Along the way, he picked up another set of footsteps that pattered in their direction, and caught a blur of motion from his left. He only had time to register a proud red crest and fierce orange eyes before the Weavile they were attached to jumped and delivered a brutal kick that crashed into the side of his head. He was on his back in an instant, head clutched in his paws as he moaned in pain.
"Lumi! You good, what happened!" called out Van. The smoke cleared enough for him to turn around and spot the Weavile rushing toward the Keystone, the Meowstic downed in their wake.
"Oh shi- hey! Who are you!? Damn..." he paced in pace for a few moments once he realized he was the only one not compromised. The sight of his friend on the floor kicked him into gear, and he sped over, hand already reached inside of his bag for a healing item. He slid on his knees to Lumi's side and wrenched the cat's paws from his head to get access to his mouth, and shoved an Oran inside as soon as he could.
"Eat up mon, c'mon," he insisted. Lumi groaned once more before his eyes fluttered open and he grimaced. Van helped him up to his knees and steadied him. They both looked forward as Weavile reached the front of the crystal and reared back with pink, shining claws.
They struck, and the room quaked.
"Urgh...Stop her! That thing cannot break!" yelled Vert as he struggled to shake off the Paralysis. Lumi and Van shared a silent message, before the Meowstic reached in the bag to grab a berry and scampered off toward his Guildmaster. Van pulled out his Seeker Spike and flung it to the Weavile as she prepared another heavy strike, but she twitched and flicked around to knock the spike away and face Van.
Her eyes narrowed. She leaned down and shot forward, claws low to the ground. Van steadied himself and leaned back when she got close. His leg sweeped the ground in a Low Kick, but she jumped up at the last second rained down Fury Swipes that stung his arms as he tried to block. He scrambled to the side to avoid them, but she pursued to deliver a strong punch to his stomach while he was open. She followed it up with a kick to the side of his head, and proceeded to pepper him with strikes in a relentless Beat Up.
Van was just about at his limit before the Weavile paused and rolled to the side, deftly avoiding a claw that rent the very air in darkness as Vert flashed in front of him. Phantom swords swirled around Vert briefly as he stood the Weavile down, limbs bent with the clear intention to strike first. Weavile snarled in response and brandished her still glowing claws.
To their surprise, she swiped the air to the side, which split the air in a pinkish rip. She hopped through the portal which closed soon after. Van and Vert shot their heads left and right to find her, but their focus was split as the room shook even more.
"Guys, she's behind the Keystone!" called out Lumi from the side. From his vantage point, he saw her repeatedly deliver blow after blow to the Keystone, its surface becoming more like cracked glass with every strike. It began to shake in the air. He sucked in as big of a breath as he could, and yelled out as loud of a Disarming Voice as he could. The purple rings of energy made their way to his opponent, but she saw the move coming and cut another portal to dodge with. She appeared in midair and gave another slash, the rent a downswing to cut a portal below her to fall through just as Vert blurred atop of her to swing his head down in a Dark Slash.
Despite their attempts to intercept the Weavile, her unpredictable teleportation made it difficult to stop her. With a cry, she appeared at the top of the Keystone and cut a line down as she fell.
The room began to shake enough to bring the others to their knees. The Keystone shook as shards of it began to peel off. With a final rumble, the massive crystal burst into pieces that rained down. The Aether that seeped from it now spilled throughout the room without restraint, and the oppressive weight began to settle over them again.
Through the haze, Lumi saw the Weavile squeeze something in her paw, before her claws shone brightly again with renewed pink energy, and they escaped through a large portal they cut through. He didn't get much time to process this before the walls themselves seemed to groan in pain, the Aether becoming even thicker.
He felt a pressure on his neck and was soon swept up onto Vert's back. Van was already seated, and he rubbed his abdomen with a grimace. In his other hand was a piece of the shattered Keystone. It still shone with some faint power.
"We have to go outside. Now," was all Vert said as he activated his badge. In a flash, they left the cavern vacant again.
Only the Aether remained.
Under the light of the full moon, the trio stumbled out at the start of the walkway that circled down to the entrance of the Dungeon. Vert whipped his head back, and his heart dropped at the sight of the miasma that ominously seeped upwards. It wasn't as thick as in the room with the Keystone, but it expanded at an alarming rate. It wouldn't be long until it covered the area, and he had no idea how far it would go on its own.
A tug on his neck made him crane his neck to eye his apprentices. Van had his head in his hands, and Lumi flicked his eyes from him to the side, brows creased in concern.
"Um, Vert? I think we have company."
A bright flash caused him to flinch, and he turned to face what caused it. He let out an audible groan.
In front of them was the Pachirisu and other journalists from before. Behind them was a whole host of Pokemon with cameras and the night was lit up by the continuous flash of cameras as the mob of reporters caught wind of the new arrivals and rushed forward.
And they all had something to say.
"There they are!"
"Absol? Did you and your guild cause this?"
"What can you tell us about that fog! Why did it appear as soon as you arrived!"
Soon, the voices bled together in a cacophonous frenzy of voices as they hurled question after question. Vert backed up a bit as they came closer, and any attempts to yell out for order were drowned in the noise. He bared his teeth in an agitated growl, and tried to shield his eyes with his paw.
He looked back at his apprentices and his heart ached at their eyes clenched shut from the sensory overload. The brief flashes of light illuminated bruises that remained even after Orans, a sign of a consistent ache that could only be remedied through rest. Van had one arm clutched to his side, and Lumi's ears were drooped low, eyes bloodshot.
They were tired.
"...Let's just go home." he told them. He didn't wait for their nods as he brought up his badge. Disappointment, anxiety, and frustration warred within his mind as it lit up. Above all, he just wanted to go home and figure something out.
"W-wait, stop!"
Before they were teleported away, the Pachirisu rushed forward and placed a paw on Vert's leg. The Absol only had time to widen his eyes in alarm before the four of them were whisked back to the guild.
She hopped out of the portal into an alleyway and ducked behind a dumpster. As the portal dissipated, she shook her claws to make sure the long range jump had sufficiently cleared the glow from her claws, before she took a breath and walked out into the street as inconspicuous as possible. Thankfully, this area was mostly devoid of Pokemon at this time, so she had the glow of streetlamps and the cool night air to collect her thoughts.
A staggered breath escaped her mouth and her heart thumped wildly in her chest, yet it calmed as she played the encounter over in her head and recognized her victory. She had destroyed a Keystone in a Dungeon, just as her Master had asked her to. As a bonus, she had hopefully redirected suspicion onto the Absol guild. The next phase of their plans could continue.
With renewed confidence, she straightened her back and made her way to the place her Master had asked to meet her upon completion of her mission. She walked through the streets, beyond the boarded windows and cracked sidewalks and out into the busier roads of Lumbell City's entertainment district.
Bright, colorful signs lit up the light, the entire block seemed to come alive as restaurants, arcades, and theaters all strove to sustain the bustling nightlife of the city. It was nothing to blend in with the crowd as they excitedly bumped into each other on their way to wherever they decided to spend their evening. The smiles and excited chatter were clear signs that they were unaware of what had just transpired.
Their carefree joy would soon be replaced with confusion, maybe even despair. She breathed in as she acknowledged this fact. It was just the way things had to be for now.
After walking for a few minutes, she spotted her destination and sped up her pace. She stopped in front of a trendy pizza parlor, with a board on the side for the specials and a tacky neon sign that read "Pizzachu's!" She pushed through the door into the relatively small establishment, and took in the grunge atmosphere, arcade machines lining the walls. She laughed softly to herself.
Her Master had strange tastes, but they did have their charm.
A Quilava with a pizza branded hat walked up and greeted her.
"Welcome to Pizzachu's! We have a three-for-one family special tonight. How may I help you?"
"I have a reservation for Boon?" she asked. She had to clear her throat a bit, but her scratchy voice came through.
"Oh, yes, right this way. Your friend told us to watch out for you, he's waiting for you on our roof seating. It's a beautiful view tonight!"
She wordlessly followed the Quilava up the stairs in the back left, and nodded her head in thanks as he held open the door for her. The square space was girded by railings that gave a nice view of the street below. It didn't take her long to find her Master.
The large Noivern was seated on a cushion, chowing down on a piece of pizza and a smile on his face as he scanned the menu. She shot her eyes around to confirm that it was just them up here, and then rushed over to drop into a kneeled bow at his side.
"Master. I completed the task you ga-" she was wrapped up in a wing and smooshed into a side hug.
"Mauve!" exclaimed the boisterous voice of the Noivern. It was deep, yet rang clear in the night with excitement.
"Did you know they put pineapples on this? You gotta try it, it's awful!"
"Er. I will, Master. But, the mission?"
"Oh yeah, how did that go?" he released her, and she made her way to sit across from him. There were already a couple slices waiting for her.
"As you said, Absol and his apprentices were on their way to inspect the disturbance in Match Quarry. I tailed them from one floor behind. I was concerned about the strength of Absol, but I was able to evade them enough to destroy the Keystone."
"You timed it so it looked like they were responsible?" at her nod, he beamed.
"Atta girl! That'll make things easier going forward."
"What is the next step?" she asked. She took a sip of her drink. Razz Berry, her favorite.
"For now, we'll back off and figure out where to hit next. Every Keystone we break makes Dungeons around the continent lose their grip a little more. Our goal is to destabilize a Leyline, but we'll need to shake things up some more first."
"I see," she stared down at her pizza in thought. More broken Keystones meant Dungeons would begin to encroach beyond their borders.
"Hey." a claw on her shoulder made her look into the Noivern's eyes. The earnest smile he wore reached them easily.
"I get it, but trust me. This will all be worth it. We can change the world, save it from disaster. We'll take its own entropy and use it to make things better, against the odds. It's what heroes do, right?"
"...Right. Exactly, Master." she nodded in response, a small grin bloomed on her face. He patted her firmly on the shoulder.
"What'd I say about that 'Master' stuff? It makes me feel old, call me Boon."
"Of course, Boon."
Under the moonlight, they finished their meal. Mauve enjoyed herself as she silently listened to Boon babble on about what he thought about the entertainment district, as if everything was new and worthy of attention. To her surprise, he pulled out a stack of pizza boxes she hadn't seen and stood up. When not hunched over, he was larger than most of his species, standing at above six feet. She followed his lead.
"Had to make sure I got some for the others. Let's head up, hop on."
He bent down, and she jumped onto his back, claws finding purchase in his neck fluff. He passed the boxes back to her and she balanced them against her chest. With a powerful flap, he shot up into the night sky.
An observer would have seen their silhouette against the moon fly upward in a straight line, before abruptly disappearing. Moments later, the rev of an engine sounded throughout the sky, and the brief spark of thrusters sent ripples through a camouflaged structure in the vague outline of a ship.
Before anyone could look up, it cloaked again, and veered off into the night sky.