Chapter 19: Old Friends
Grovyle had taken them out of the ridge, and started to lead them in a seemingly random direction in the dry lands for what felt like hours.
The long walk was broken up by infrequent questions from Grovyle, which Opal managed to field with well placed lies regarding their alleged outlaw career. He trusted his mate, but that didn't stop him from walking closer to her as they hiked across the rocky terrain behind Grovyle, who walked with a certainty to his steps that made Clement wary.
A glance up at the sky showed that the sun had already crested past its apex. A good bit of their day had bent spent walking, when all Clement wanted was answers. He opened his mouth to ask how much further until their destination when he bumped into Opal, who had stopped suddenly.
"Here," stated Grovyle. He had stopped them in front of a large boulder, almost indistinguishable from the rest that were spread out around the plains they were in. Govyle stepped up to the side of the boulder and put his claw on its side, then pushed. An indent in the rock formed, like he pressed a button, and the face of the boulder warbled, before vanishing entirely to leave a hole.
Opal whistled at the sight.
"Oh, nice! An illusory wall. I haven't seen many of those before."
"Concealing the Roost's location is top priority. Certain measures were taken to ensure it would be much more difficult to find this time around. Come."
Grovyle walked inside of the boulder, and waved the two inside. The interior of the rock was hollowed out, and to their surprise the floor was a sturdy wood rather than rock. Clement's eyes trailed up the side of the wall, and he saw ropes attached to some sort of mechanism at the top.
"An elevator?" he asked aloud, not entirely meaning to.
"Ah, so he can speak." commented Grovyle. Clement shot his eyes at the lizard, who simply smiled back. He walked over to a lever on the wall and put a hand on it. He never broke eye contact.
"Another security measure. What better place to avoid prying eyes on wide, flat terrain, than below?"
He flipped the switch. The platform they were on rumbled, and Clement instinctively put a hand on Opal's side as they began to descend, the entrance to the boulder becoming concealed again with an illusion.
Dim lights, embedded in the wall, illuminated their descent, and passed over and above their heads as they went down. With only a couple meters between them and Grovyle, combined with the claustrophobic feeling of walls close together as they sunk deeper into the earth, the situation made Clement take a breath to steady himself.
The lights cut out completely, and the lift became cast in darkness.
The rumble of the wooden lift masked the quick intake of breath he took in surprise. The lack of light, and visibility of his mate, sent his mind into a spiral, thoughts a paranoid mess, and above all he just wanted to be able to see.
He got his wish when they descended below the rock, and was floored at the view of a massive underground cavern that flooded light into the lift.
The vast cavern spanned at least a mile. Wide walls spread along the sides in a vague circular outline. Underground waterfalls along the sides poured down and into a basin below so deep that no light could penetrate, and the same could be said for the ceiling, shrouded in pitch blackness.
Visibility was hardly an issue, given the main attraction that stole his gaze: a compound of buildings and structures that rested on a wide stone platform erected in the center of the enclosure.
Clement creased his eyes in confusion as he spied all manner of buildings, none of which seemed residential. Ramshod buildings and booths lined the outer ring of the platform, and towards the center, a large wooden colosseum type structure dominated most of the space. To his surprise, the whole place was decked out in colorful neon signs of all kinds that advertised the number of diversions present on the platform.
He thought he saw signs for a casino, bars, and even specialized markets.
The far wall was dominated by a structure eerily similar to a Cubone's skull. The rock swelled out into the snout, with large holes for eyes that oversaw the entire area. Looking at it, Clement felt his stomach drop as they descended further down.
Opal stepped closer to the rail of the elevator to look out into the vast cavern, and she must have sensed his hesitation, because he felt her tail wrap around his waist and pull him a little closer to her side. She was a little taller than him, even on all fours, so he had to glance up to see the confident smile she sent his way. He nodded at her.
Well, at least one of them was enjoying themselves on this mission. Clement really hoped their escape plan worked how Mudo said it would, and he adjusted the bag on his side just to remind himself of that little tool. The two of them were formidable, but against the might of the most exclusive outlaws across the world?
Maybe if Lucent were here. No matter what, he could always find a way out. His brand of chaos could tip any scale, thought Clement wistfully.
"If I might ask," spoke Grovyle, breaking Clement from his reverie. "It is certainly a long trek all the way from the Mist continent to the Bright continent. Why did you two not simply use one of the teleporters located there?"
Clement cursed inwardly. That particular hole in their story seemed obvious in hindsight. Of course there'd be a faster way to get here if it was open to outlaws across the world.
"Trust me, we tried," interjected Opal. "But, when the guide we found brought us to one, it was busted. Could you believe it? Luckily, it was near a port, so we decided to just take a boat over here instead. Easier than just walking around to find another one, you know."
"...Of course."
The ride continued in silence after that, and Clement did his best to avoid eye contact with Grovyle during it. Soon, the lift finished its descent, and Grovyle pushed open the wooden gate and led the two out.
He led the way as they walked on a wide stone walkway that connected this far wall to the central grounds. Clement noted the path that spread to his left and right, that formed a ringed path along the edge of the cavern that had similar connective walkways. No Pokemon were present in this outer area, however the steadily growing noise from the collection of buildings ahead cued him in on where the action was.
Opal craned her head around to look at the sights, and whistled.
"Gotta admit, I wasn't expecting the Roost to be like this. Last time I even stepped foot in it was years ago, and back then it was up somewhere in the mountains. How did you even carve out all this space?"
"A combination of talented Ground types and serendipity. This underground tunnel was discovered some years ago, and Queen was adamant that it be expanded in order to accommodate more robust operations. As you can see," he gestured ahead at the veritable city on a rock that grew larger as they approached, "The Roost is well equipped to cater to a number of needs."
They arrived at the entrance to the Roost, framed by a wooden arch with a simple skull motif engraved in it. Grovyle stopped, and turned around to look at them with his hands behind his back. There was a glint in his eye that Clement couldn't quite place, but with his body backlit by the fluorescent lights of the city behind him, the look he gave pierced through him like daggers.
"As this is your first time stepping into this current Skull Roost, I would be remiss if I didn't convey the proper welcome."
Grovyle spread his claws to his side, and gestured to everything around them with a smile on his face.
"Welcome to Skull Roost. Here, you are free. Free to pursue whatever you feel you deserve. As such, you are permitted to lie, cheat, steal, cavort, swindle, double-cross, proposition, or otherwise utilize whatever tactic you see fit to get what you desire. This is your playground to take what you want, so long as you are capable. As it was when this world began."
He held up one talon.
"There is only one rule here that all guests must abide by. There will be absolutely, under no circumstances, any fighting. No physical altercations of any kind will be tolerated. Failure to abide by this rule will result in excruciatingly painful consequences. With one exception."
With the same talon, he pointed up and behind him, without breaking eye contact. Clement and Opal followed his gaze up, towards the massive colosseum that dwarfed any other building.
"Should you have a disagreement with another guest, you are encouraged to settle your differences within the arena. Many botched deals and exposed lies were...settled in those walls. It will also be the location where your test to meet with Queen will take place," he stated, lowering his arms to fix them with a steady look.
"Are there any questions?" he asked.
Clement refrained from biting his lip, and gave a simple shake of the head. A glance to Opal showed that she had plastered on a giddy smile, and bounced on the tip of her paws.
"Nope, this place already sounds like a slice of heaven!" she exclaimed. Grovyle smirked, and then turned his back to them.
"In that case, follow along. And don't fall behind."
With that, he stepped beyond the arch, the two close behind.
Clement suspected that every ramshackle building Grovyle led them past sold alcohol in some capacity. The alleyways and streets reeked of the stuff, and he was suspicious of the puddles that dotted the stone streets. A thin neon haze blanketed their surroundings, warm reds and electric yellows that were vibrant along the sides of buildings that ranged from squat shacks to concrete structures that forced him to crane his neck up just to see the top.
Along the way were bars, shops, and places where pokemon engaged in acts that prompted his mate to jokingly cover his eyes with her tail.
More than once, he heard catcalls in their direction, and he briefly resented his own species. Mawile were petite and possessed softer features (minus their massive horn) by design, and he was fully aware that some of those whistles were thrown his way. He managed to not respond, but he needed to reign in Opal from breaking the one rule this place had multiple times.
They progressed into the busier streets, and Clement kept his senses sharp as the noise grew louder. It soon became apparent that this place was very, very active.
Everywhere he looked, movement. There, a group of Geodude loaded crates into the back of a cart while their apparent boss argued with a stall owner. Above, Flying types rushed overhead with a haste that was reserved for urgent meetings. They were led through an open air market, pushed through bodies of hasty pokemon, and the only thing he could make out among the resounding clamor were shouts of weapons, items, and other things to ensure a successful operation.
All of the movement, the energy, generated a fervor in the air that left him wary.
He understood this was the place where outlaws went if they truly wanted to step their game up, but was it always like this? It almost seemed excessive. The thought that everyone here was in some way preparing for something major flit through his head, and a glance with Opal showed that she also harbored similar thoughts.
Eventually, Grovyle turned onto a wide street that led straight towards the arena. The street fed into an opening of the arena that gave a glimpse of a match in progress. From this distance, he could just make out the pink form of a Jigglypuff Double Slapping the downed form of a Rillaboom, and heard the roar of applause from the crowd within.
Grovyle made a pleased sound at the sight.
"You are in luck," he started. "Queen enjoys spectating matches in her leisure, it will be simple to set up a showing for you."
"Great, so are you going to introduce us and then schedule a match or-"
"There are preparations to be made, so I will have you wait in the reserves inside." Grovyle interrupted Opal, before walking onwards. Opal shrugged and followed along, but Clement came up to her side.
"So, I don't think I need to explain that this is probably a trap?" he whispered. She gave a nonchalant nod.
"More than likely, yeah. Ever since I said that thing about the teleporters, I could tell that Grovyle's been suspicious of us."
"Okay, so it wasn't just me. He's been shifty this whole time..."
Opal smiled and flicked her tail to gesture at their surroundings.
"I think the point of this place is to be shifty. Their whole mission statement is to not trust anyone."
"In that case, we should just fade away while he's not looking, and think of some other plan for meeting with this 'Queen.' Something that doesn't involve us being trapped inside an arena," suggested Clement.
He raised a brow when Opal shook her head.
"What? Why?" he asked.
"Because if she really is in there, then this is the best shot we have at getting close to her. Plus, I'm curious what they have planned. Grovyle could have led us into any old ambush in an alleyway, but the thought of throwing down in an arena?"
She shivered, and some of her pink fur stood on end as she released a psychic pulse that vibrated the ground beneath her in barely restrained glee.
"Ooh, it's got me feeling some type of way. Don't you feel the same?"
Clement huffed at her, and glanced up at the slowly approaching arena that loomed over them. Its width definitely spanned multiple street blocks, at least, and he had to arch his head all the way back just to see the top.
The sounds of battle inside, coupled with the atmosphere and inherent danger of this plan made his teeth clench.
Nerves? No, he had outgrown those years ago. The sensation that coursed through his veins was an earnest anticipation of a fallout, the possibilities of which shot through his mind a mile a minute.
That, and this place was sort of pissing him off.
"...My blood's boiling," he uttered. His mate cackled next to him as they walked along the side of the colosseum to catch up with Grovyle. They found their guide in front of a smaller door, engaged in a discussion with an Ambipom. Clement didn't catch what they said, but it was hurried and hushed, and he didn't miss how Grovlye plastered a smile on his face once he caught sight of the two again.
Ambipom stepped to the side and sent a glare their way, while Grovyle ushered them inside. They walked into a dim hallway, lit by sparse torchlight, and were led down a musty stairway. The din of the crowd above them was muffled as they descended, until soon they reached a bottom area with a door on the far side.
Grovyle led them over and opened it to reveal a simple room, barely big enough for a few small pokemon to fit inside, and nothing in it.
"This is the reserve area. Please step inside until it is time for your match," explained Grovyle as he held open the door.
Clement took one look at the small, very cagelike room, and then sent a dry look at Opal that sent the message, "This was a stupid idea. Look what you've gotten us into. Why are we mates again?"
She glared back with a look that said, "Shut up. This is still the best plan!"
He frowned and jerked his head at the door, "Oh sure, get locked in a box, great plan."
"I didn't know he would stuff us into a box, okay? But it's fine, trust the process."
"What process!? This has 'trap' written all over it!"
"We'll figure something out."
"This is what happens when I let you lead..."
"Oh, what's that supposed to mean?"
"It means you would pull this bullshit all the time and-"
"Are you two alright? You have just been...staring at each other," piped Grovyle, voice tinged with concern.
Clement and Opal were in each other's faces, all but growling at each other, but his voice jerked them out of their spat. Opal huffed and painted on a smile.
"Nope. We'll be happy to wait in here for our cue. Ain't that right, Partner?" she ground out. Clement grumbled something under his breath, but walked into the room, Opal right behind him. A cursory glance showed the room really was just a box, with wooden panelling and lit by luminous orbs on the sides.
"So, when will we know when it's our time to shine?" asked Opal.
"Do not worry. You will know," he stated. Without another word, he stepped away and let the door slam shut.
Clement bored a hole in the back of Opal's head, and the Espeon's ears drooped as she faced away from him.
"Okay, so I know this isn't...ideal..."
"You think?" he sassed. She groaned, then turned to point at their bag.
"Stop whining! We're not trapped, we can leave at any time, remember? As long as we have this bag and the entercards, we will be absolutely fine," she stated with a confident smile.
On cue, a blue mist seeped from somewhere in the box, and quickly filled the tiny room with a sweet scent. Clement's eyes began to droop, and he felt his mind become cloudy with drowsiness, but he managed to keep his fed up glare trained on his mate.
"Absolutely...fine...huh?" he managed, eyelids heavy. Opal had the decency to look ashamed, paws struggling to hold herself up.
"Shut...up..."
With that, the two collapsed onto each other into a snoring heap.
Clement came to when he felt the floor jolt upwards, and in an instant he scrambled to his feet and adopted a fighting stance. He blinked the sleep out of his eyes, but soon discovered that the room they were in had gone completely dark.
"Opal. Opal, you there?" he called. He heard her shuffle to the side, and mumble something. He tried to make his way over, but the moving floor made his steps a little unsteady.
"I'm up..." he heard her mumble. "I'm...fuck it's dark..."
"You're not hurt, are you? Dammit, we should have bailed as soon as we got down here. I'm getting the bag and we're-"
Clement patted himself down, and blanched. There was a distinct lack of any bag anywhere on his form. He began to pace around, and threw his arms this way and that inside the room to look for it.
"Babe? Why'd you go quiet?"
"It's the bag, I can't find it!" He patted the wall, then shuffled over to inspect the floor. He heard her curse from wherever she was.
"That's our one ticket out of here...wait, are we moving?" she wondered.
"Just, hold on..."
He felt around some more, movements becoming more and more frantic as he failed to find what he was looking for. At one point, his hands finally landed on something that wasn't wood, but his brief joy was dashed when he gave a cursory squeeze.
That wasn't a bag. It was soft and squishy.
"Geez Clem, you really want to get frisky now? Didn't know you had it in you," teased Opal. His face immediately began to burn.
"Mind out of the gutter, dear. Now help me look."
The two tripped over each other a few times as they tried to search in the dark, but still came up short. As they searched, a low rumble increased in intensity in the background, and Clement slowed as he recognized it as the sound of voices cheering.
The cheering grew louder, until eventually it sounded like they were surrounded on all sides by thousands of voices. The vibration of the floor ascending stopped with a low clank, and the two brushed up against each other protectively.
"Ladies and Gentlemon! Per a special request from Queen herself, we have a special match just for you!" Yelled a voice over the apparent crowd.
"As you know, the Guilds hold a truly special place in our hearts, and so we're delighted to have with us the cream of the guildie crop. That's right! Introduciiiiiiiiing…"
At once, the sides of their enclosure fell forward, and they were blinded on all sides by bright light and sounds. Clement put a hand to his face to block the sudden influx of light, but once it settled, his eyes widened and he openly balked.
They had been released out into a circular, dirt arena, and surrounding them on all sides were hundreds, maybe close to a thousand, Pokémon up in the stands. He spun in a circle as he tried to not freak out at the fact that they were closed in on all sides by angry outlaws.
And they were booing them.
"Team Nimbus!"
The boos escalated to full on shouts and screams of rage. The arena filled up with them as those in the stands started to howl insults their way. Clement swore to himself as his hopes of not being recognized were dashed.
Their reputation preceded them, even after over twenty years.
"Clem. Clem, look!" urged Opal. Clement broke out of his stupor and turned to face where her tail was pointing.
Way above the seats of the spectators, a sturdy platform that oversaw the whole arena sat flanked by huge metal vents that spewed flames. Towards the front of the platform, with a microphone clutched in his claws, was Grovyle. He seemed to relish the rage of the crowd he had incited against them.
Behind Grovyle, upon a metal throne inlaid with gold, jewels, and firm cushions, sat a majestic Volcarona.
Her six wings flared out, and even from here, Clement could see how they shimmered with blazing power. Unprompted, she flexed them inward, before fanning them out again with a bestial cry, and in so doing released jets of flame that spewed out of the vents installed into the side. The flames erupted out of the vents and bathed that whole side of the arena in a warm glow that sent the crowd into a frenzy.
"…I'm guessing that's Queen?" mumbled Clement, mentally reeling from the display of power. At Opal's gulp from the side, he knew he was right.
"That's right. The Jaws of Justice, and the Traitor…" announced Grovyle with venom in his voice, which the crowd mirrored,"…will be our entertainment for tonight. And as for their opponents?"
Their attention was drawn down to the ground, where hidden panels underneath the dirt slid open. Four wooden boxes emerged from the ground in front of them, and their sides fell out to reveal four Pokémon.
Four Weavile.
"Members of the Shades! The world's most illustrious mercenary clan, and Queen's personal task force!"
They stood an equal distance from each other, with their claws crossed in front of them and snarls on their faces. Clement made out the scars on their form. Their dark fur was rough and matted, yet the feathered crests on their head was still a vibrant red, denoting their age.
These Weavile were young, yet he could tell they were already experienced in combat.
The crowd roared, only this time with cheers instead of the boos they sent their way. Clement scrunched his face in confusion at the term 'Shade,' and looked to Opal for clarification, but she just shook her head.
"I can't believe this...Shades? Seriously?"
"I don't recall anything about Shades. Are they new?"
"Hell no, that clan's been working from the shadows for generations, at least. I've only heard stories about them...some fanatical mercenary clan. They breed absolute fiends for hire."
"And they're all...Weavile?" he wondered.
Before she could answer, a strange thing happened. One moment the crowd was alive with thunderous applause and cheers, and the next a hushed silence swept over everyone. With the atmosphere subdued, Clement looked around for any kind of disturbance, until Opal nudged him to look back up at the platform above them.
Queen, the Volcarona, had risen from her throne, and gilded serenely to take center stage. Without a word, Grovyle held the microphone to her face.
She spoke.
"Shades," she stated, in a commanding tone.
In an instant, the Weavile turned on a dime and bowed down on one knee, head lowered in deference. They acted so quickly and synchronously, it was almost robotic.
"Yes Master!" they all called at once.
"...Ruin them."
"Yes Master!" they affirmed. No sooner had they said that, that the fight began.
With frightening speed, the four Weavile dashed out and ran along the sides of the arena to surround them. Clement turned to face Opal, large jaw positioned out and ready to face the danger, and his mind worked overtime to analyze the situation. Four targets, all around them, and Opal was at a severe type disadvantage.
"I need some space," she muttered under her breath. He grunted in acknowledgment, and could already feel the vibrations of a psychic pulse along the ground. He looked over his shoulder to track the Weavile's movements, and in this brief moment of calm realized something amazing, something that made itself apparent when he glanced down at the weight on his wrist.
They neglected to remove his Parry Brace. Probably thought the dull thing was some kind of apparel. If this thing did what Mudo said, that would be a grave mistake on their part.
The Weavile moved. From his peripherals, he saw them blur from their positions to pincer them in the middle.
Clement braced himself, and saw Opal's gem flare with intense psychic energy. Right as the four Weavile converged, the particles of dust and sand on the ground shifted, then erupted into the air in a thick plume.
Clement lost visibility almost immediately, but that was fine, because it meant their opponents did as well. He caught the barest flicker of Opal's tail as she dashed through the Sand attack and away from their opponents.
He took advantage of the cover. To the left, he saw the outline of one of the Weavile, and whipped his massive horn around to snag their torso in his second mouth. He focused on the funny image of their legs dangling while trapped in his jaw, and wagged his head back and forth to wrench their body around in a Play Rough.
The sand started to clear, and he saw another Weavile approaching from his front. He pivoted on his feet and flung his head to the side, throwing the captive Weavile from his mouth like a weapon. To his surprise, the Weavile he threw soared straight through the other, whose form dissipated like mist. Must have been a Double Team.
He had just enough time to register that before a stinging pain in his side brought his attention to the left, where a second Weavile was reeling back a dark tinged claw for another strike. With grit teeth, Clement hopped backwards to avoid their claws, and kept his eyes trained on the followup. Rather than dodge the next strike, he sucked in a breath and put the arm with the Parry Brace up to block the attack.
As if in response to the incoming claws, the dull, brown brace reacted.
In the blink of an eye it began to glow red, and a small, ovular energy shield projected out of the jewel in the bracelet. Weavile's claws audibly scraped along its surface, and the band began to shine even brighter, also starting to burn as well. Having not expected the surprise shield, the Weavile was thrown off balance for a split second, and Clement took the opportunity.
Feeling the energy from the band spread throughout his body, not at all dissimilar to Bide itself, Clement spun on his toes with the grace of a ballerina, and slammed his larger jaw into Weavile's side. He completed the rotation, and was a bit surprised to see that the other pokemon had been flung a good ten meters away. They writhed on the ground and clutched their sides with a clear wince.
He huffed, put his hands on his knees, and took a moment to take stock of the situation.
Two Weavile were down, brought low by his horn. He himself had only a shallow cut in his side, so he wasn't too worried about that.
The loud boos from the crowd around invigorated him slightly, let him know that he was still a threat, at least a little. He was able to handle those Weavile without too much trouble, albeit with a little element of surprise on their part.
It was only two though. A shrill cry from ahead jolted him from his breather, and he sprinted towards the sound of Opal struggling.
"Little help here!?" she called, doing her best to slink around the other Weavile who had ganged up on her. Clement cursed as he ran forward, the sight of red cuts on her form making his blood boil.
"Trick Room, now!" he yelled, aware of how much faster their opponents were than them, especially him. His mate was on the complete other side of the arena, and it would still take a while for him to get over there, even while sprinting.
"I can't-dammit-get enough spa-FUCK!" she screamed, and he saw both her eyes and her forehead gem shine brightly with energy. The air seemed to shake around her, and an angry snarl escaped her as pieces of the wood paneling that made up the stands of the arena were wrenched out of their place and held in her psychic grasp.
Her back arched and her fangs were prominent in her mouth as she brandished the freed wooden boards as weapons.
Without preamble, she angled the boards in her grasp like spears, and launched them towards the two Weavile.
They were forced to jump away, but the boards were still thrown with enough power to shatter on impact. With the space she had, he saw her inhale, and after a few seconds, rear up on her hind legs, ears fluttering with power. Grid lines spread along the ground from her position, and then shoot up to encompass the area in a psychic box.
The Trick Room took hold. A sudden burst of speed propelled Clement the rest of the way towards her. One of the Weavile trembled with dark energy, and flung their claws out as a wave of darkness pulsed out. He skidded in front of her just in time and tanked the Dark Pulse, then bolted towards a Weavile to deliver a Bide infused punch.
To his surprise, the Weavile grabbed his arm and used his own momentum to flip, then slam him down on the ground. On instinct, he put his arms in front of his face while his front was marred as the Weavile laid into him with their claws. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the second Weavile scramble around, avoiding Opal's makeshift artillery.
Being pinned to the ground by an angry Dark Type, with an entire crowd of pokemon screaming for him to lay down and take it, was beginning to wear on him. He wanted this fight over with, and soon.
He resigned himself to being a little meaner, and mentally apologized to the Weavile currently doing their damndest to make him bleed. They may have been sent to brutalize them, but they were still a kid.
Clement removed his arms from his face, only barely cognizant of the burning Parry Brace, and left himself exposed to the harsh cuts. Still, with a determined scowl, he reared up and grabbed the Weavile by the side of their head, then pulled himself up to his feet. With little grace, he dragged them by the head, their arms flailing widley, towards the wooden wall, and then proceeded to bash their head into the boards so hard they cracked the wood with each impact.
He definitely felt some alcohol be poured on his head, and some other things get thrown at him from the crowd above, but he really couldn't care less. Once the kid was sufficiently dazed, he turned around and snatched them in his jaw, then wrenched his head to the side to slam them against the wall with even more force until their flailing finally stopped.
They fell limp from his jaw, his saliva coating their motionless form, and he spared them just enough of a glance to make sure they were still conscious and no important bones were broken.
A feisty scream from ahead brought his attention to the sight of his mate yelling at the final Weavile, who was on the floor with a grimace on their face as they were beaten upside the head with a psychically charged plank of wood.
Opal seemed more angry than elated. The red cuts and clenched teeth were evidence that she was just as tired of this as he was.
"THAT'S RIGHT! STAY DOWN!"
SLAM!
"I"M THE PINK FUCKING DEMON! I SAVED THE WORLD, BITCH!"
BASH!
"DON"T FUCK WITH ME OR MY FAMILY EVER AGA-"
"Opal."
Clement stood over the kid, and casually held back a plank of wood with one arm that was going straight for their face. He frowned at her, and held it long enough for her to tsk, and look away. The pink glow around the board faded, and it clattered to the ground. Around them, the glowing lines from the Trick Room also disappated.
His ears twitched at the feeling of movement below, and he saw the Weavile desperately try to move its body to do something. He leaned down to their level, and winced at the sight of a black eye starting to form. The Weavile lifted a shaky claw up at Clement, but he just gripped it gently and kneeled down to their head.
"Please. Stay down," he whispered, breaths labored. The Weavile's eyes squinted just enough to glare at him, and gave a final struggle with their body. Clement sighed and rubbed their forehead with his other hand, and it was only then that they finally succumbed and drifted into unconsciousness.
He stood up and went to tend to Opal, aware of the crowd around them growing into more of a frenzy. To his shame, she took more of the punishment than he did, her pink fur marred by multiple scratches along her front, some even bleeding.
She glanced at his approach and rolled her eyes with a huff.
"Oh, don't you even start, it's not-"
"Just, don't move too much...don't want to agitate the wounds," he said, and gave her body a look over. She scoffed.
"I'm fine. They may have been Shades, but they were still young. A couple scrapes isn't the worst thing in the world." She looked around at the downed forms of their opponents, and for the first time he saw the hints of exhaustion on her features.
"Geez, you know I was expecting this to be more fun, and not so...oh Mew...Clem..."
"What?"
"Are we...getting old?" she asked with a shudder.
Clement looked his mate dead in the eyes, then sighed heavily and put a hand on her shoulder.
"No, darling. We're not getting old," he said with a smile. "You are. I feel great."
Her face scrunched up as she began to fake cry. Their moment of reprieve was interrupted by movement in the stands. Around them, the throngs of pokemon had whipped themselves into a frenzy, and a storm of insults were being rained down from all around them.
Normally, Clement could not give less of a damn, but he felt his heart drop when he saw pokemon in the closest seats begin to hop the border and into the arena. At first, he saw an errant Granbull on the far side, and then a small group of Rattata hopped over. He wasn't too worried about those, until a massive Tyranitar cleared the ring and landed with a thud in the arena.
Then all hell broke loose.
The floodgates opened, and outlaws began to fall over themselves like an angry tide into the arena. Clement covered as much of himself over Opal as he could, who crouched low underneath his horn with a growl in her throat, gem glowing. From all sides, outlaws stalked towards them, and Clement's eyes shot from left to right as he tried to think of something to do.
"Enough."
The regal voice cut through the tension, and everyone's eyes turned up as Queen alit in a fiery descent. Embers drifted off of her form as she lowered herself on wings that barely moved to generate lift. She landed right in front of them.
For a split second, Clement thought she would call off the mob, perhaps mandate everyone go back to their seats. But the sight of her wings curled with explosive power ready to be released dashed those hopes in an instant.
She came down to finish them off herself.
He did the only thing he could think of.
Clement dropped to his knees, and bowed his head down. With his left hand, he grabbed Opal's forehead, and pulled her down until she was in the same position.
"We yield!"
His shout echoed throughout the silence. For a few moments he could have heard a pin drop, and he couldn't see anyone's expression due to his face being mashed into the dirt.
Then, he heard a deep, low chuckle.
It came from above him, and he risked the barest glance up to see that Queen herself was beginning to laugh. Her body bobbed in the air as her laugh escalated into a full on guffaw, and that laugh spread over to the rest of the crowd.
Soon, the entire arena was laughing at them.
It didn't stop there. They were pressed in on all sides, and Clement heard and felt multiple outlaws spit on his body, and was even kicked a few times in the stomach, which he grit through with a wince. He pulled Opal closer to him to try and spare her some abuse, but a glance to her absolutely infuriated expression showed that she too was not spared much punishment.
They endured pain on their already weary bodies for a few more moments, before the laughter abruptly ceased, and he felt the heat of the Volcarona in front of him come closer as she bent down.
"You have the nerve to show your face in my kingdom, make a mockery of my entertainment, and bring harm to my subjects? And you think saying you yield will save you?"
Her voice still projected even when leaned down closer to them, and he felt the heat of her wings as she grew agitated.
"Tell me, Team Nimbus, why I shouldn't break every bone in your body and keep you here as my plaything forever?" She threatened, with a growl under her voice.
She was talking. That was good. Talking was better than burning, or beating, or anything else, really.
"We're sorry for intruding, really, we are." The pain from this whole ordeal made the regret in his voice sound genuine. "We didn't come here to fight. We came here to help you."
"...Is that the best you can do? I didn't take you for a liar, Justice."
"N-no it's true, we-" Clement mashed a hand over Opal's mouth the moment she started talking. As soon as words came out of her mouth, the entire crowd grew more agitated, and embers began to float off Queen's wings as she grew angry. An insectoid chitter escaped her.
"You, on the other hand, only ever lie," she growled at Opal. Clement spoke up before this derailed any further.
"The Dungeon Master! They've been causing trouble for you, right?" he tried. When the Volcarona didn't respond immediately, he kept going, keenly aware of all the eyes on him.
"Whoever they are, they've been causing trouble for outlaws everywhere. Interrupting their operations, getting them caught by the Haxorus guild? Well, we came here because we thought you might have information for us to go after them."
"Haxorus sent you here to deal with our pest problem?" inquired Queen, voice dubious.
"We're not here on any guild authority. We have our own reasons for going after the Dungeon Master. As it stands now, our goals align."
"...You expect us to take you at your word? You, the one who at one point locked more of us behind bars than I can count?" she asked, and sent a baleful glare.
"Locked me away?"
As soon as she said that, memories of a fight a long time ago crept in again. Damn it, that was why she sounded familiar, it was that Volcarona.
Oh well, not like this could get much worse. Clement just sighed and shook his head.
"Look, get a psychic to read our minds or something if it makes you comfortable, but I'm telling you we don't care about hunting anymore, we're past that. You could lock us away forever if you want, but you'd be letting a very, very useful asset go to waste."
Queen leaned down until her face was inches away from him, and he was forced to stare into her many-sectioned eyes. He held her gaze as best he could, and was wise enough to not glare back.
After a few moments of harsh scrutiny, Queen leaned back up and flicked a wing.
"Arena matches are suspended, your queen will retire for the night. Everyone, disperse."
The crowd lingered for just a second, and all Queen had to do was glance up with a look at the pokemon present.
"Now."
A cloud of dust was kicked up as those pokemon bolted out of the arena doors. He had never seen a crowd move that fast. All that was left was them, Queen, and Grovyle, right at her side. She nodded at Grovyle, who bowed in deference.
"Get them cleaned up, and in my chambers. I wish to continue this conversation in private."
"Yes Queen."
"Nobody is to touch them, until I give the word. You have authority to punish anyone who does so."
"Thank you, Queen."
After the command, Queen sent a final glance their way, before she gave one strong flap of her wings and shot up into the air.
Grovyle put his hands behind his back, and looked down at the two weary heroes with a mean grin.
"It seems you got that meeting after all. Come, it is best to not keep her waiting."
True to his word, Grovyle allowed them Oran berries to heal their wounds, and led them through to the opposite side of the Roost from where they came. Word of their arrival spread like wildfire, and Grovyle had to command numerous pokemon to stand down from assaulting them along the way.
Clement was surprised at how much weight Queen's name seemed to carry here. This place seemed to pride itself on being free from moral obligations and dedicated to the pursuit of self-interest, yet the threat of crossing her made even the grizzliest of outlaws back off without much of a fight.
They exited a gate from the city, and walked along a long stone walkway that stretched over the deep basin below. Above them, the Cubone skull-like structure cast a shadow over them, and loomed ever closer.
As they approached, he saw that the large eye holes served as windows to some lit room inside, and the sight of a giant iron door that served as the mouth clued him in that this whole skull must serve as Queen's personal abode.
Grovyle walked up to the large iron doors, and knocked on it with an ornate, heavy knocker. Opal glanced up around them and whistled.
"Somebody really came up..." she muttered. While Grovyle waited at the door, Clement stepped closer to her.
"So Queen...friend of yours?"
"We, uh, kind of go back. We rolled together for a while. Then I joined you and Lucent, then we had to...lock her up and..."
She shook her head and groaned. Her ears drooped.
"This is really awkward. Of course she had to be Chieftain. Or, the queen, I guess."
"She does seem to really like the whole royalty motif," he commented. She snorted.
"She's always been like that. It's not like Queen is her real name anyway, it's-"
The creak of the large iron doors opening interrupted their conversation, and Grovyle gestured for them to follow. They shared a look and walked inside.
And right into a palace hall.
Clement did a double take. The difference from the grungy, cramped outside cavern to this space was like night and day.
A spotless marble floor spanned across a wide entry hall, with vibrant red drapes strung along a top baluster. Plush red carpet lined the way to a large staircase that led to another level, and above them, a massive chandelier hung from a ceiling embroidered with gold floral motifs.
And there were violins playing in the background.
...What?
"A moment!" called Grovyle. He clapped his hands and the music ceased. Clement turned his head behind him, and saw a pair of Lopunny, one on either side of the door, holding violins.
Grovyle closed his eyes for a moment, and gently closed one claw.
"From the top and...Andante. Walk with us." He clapped his hands and resumed his walk. The Lopunny duly stepped forward, and began their piece again as they walked alongside them.
Clement shared another look with his mate.
What is going on?
Babe, I don't fucking know. Just enjoy the music.
He did. They were actually quite talented, and livened the opulent atmosphere in a way that made him feel like a strange guest of honor.
Grovyle led them up the stairs with his claws behind his back. A line of paintings were hung on the wall on the way up, and Clement glanced at them.
They were all of Queen.
Queen lounging on an expensive couch. Queen gazing out at a fantastic sunset. Queen sitting on a lounge chair reading a book.
Queen letting herself be fed from a bowl of fruit by Grovyle.
"I bet you like that one, huh?" stated Opal, pointing at it.
"I do, in fact," he responded, not even looking. "It is an honor to serve one such as her."
"I thought this place was all about taking what you want though. Why would you willingly serve someone and let them order you around? I get that she's the strongest here, but isn't the whole queen thing a little...much?" she asked.
"She has what past leaders have lacked in the past; vision. She will be the one to overthrow the guild system, and return the world to when Pokemon were free to do as they pleased and let strength rule."
"As long as it's her strength in control?" inquired Clement. Grovyle side-eyed him.
"For as long as she can maintain it," he stated.
They continued up the stairs, past a floor that oversaw the entryway, and up another flight that opened into the center of a large courtroom. Clement noted similar regal trappings from before, although his eyes traced the contours of the room, and saw how they were curved.
He arched his head up and behind him to see large windows that gave a perfect view of the city below. Apparently those were the eyes of the skull in the wall.
He felt a firm nudge in his side that jerked him from his observations, and brought his attention to the true purpose of the room: A massive golden throne, with Queen herself lounging on top of it.
As well as a massive painting of Queen that adorned the wall behind her. Because of course there was.
The song the violinists were playing reached a crescendo as they stood in front of her, and Grovyle stepped forward to bow his head towards the Volcarona, who's moth-like body rested up against the back of the throne, lower body slightly dangled off of it.
"My Queen. I present to you Team Nimbus. Unharmed, as you requested."
She merely nodded her head forward and motioned with a wing for him to come to the side of the throne, which he duly did so. Clement and Opal stood awkwardly as Queen stared at them from atop her throne. The classical music didn't help much.
"Weren't there three of you before?" she wondered. They both held back a flinch, but chose not to comment.
"No matter. Traitor. Step forward. I have words for you first." she commanded. Her deep voice echoed throughout the hall. Opal shrugged, and shared a wobbly grin with Clement before going to stand in front of him. She stepped lightly in place and shuffled her paws.
Queen waved away the violinists, and seemed to wait for Opal to say something.
"...So, um. First of all, good to see you again! I know we left off on some...not so good terms, but I'm glad to see you're doing well for yourself, Queen, and-"
"Opal."
"Oh, we're still on a name basis, that's go-"
"You've gotten fat."
"I..It's...dammit..." Opal's ears flattened against her head, and she sighed. "Always went for low blows, Gala..."
Gala? Clement saw Queen's wing twitch at the name.
"But," Opal continued. "Even if there is some bad blood between us, I can't help but be impressed. I mean, I really respect the hustle!" she perked up, and pranced in a circle with a smile.
"You really built a whole ass castle in here! With real carpeting! And with classical background music too?" She shook her head and sat on her haunches to clap with her front paws.
"I gotta say, you're living the life, girl!"
"...If I didn't know you better, I would think you're mocking me." stated Queen, or Gala, he guessed. She gestured up at the massive picture of herself with a wing, and rested her body on the armrest of the throne.
"It is gorgeous, is it not? A proper queen needs a proper castle, after all. I'm living the life I always knew I deserved."
"And loving every bit of it, I bet," offered Opal.
"Indeed," agreed Gala.
Clement watched their interaction with a raised brow. It was hard to reconcile their conversation with the sheer vitriol in Gala's voice when she called Opal a traitor.
He crossed his arms as he watched, unsure if this situation was in their favor or not. Eventually the moment of levity was cut as Gala once more sat up in her throne, and looked down on Opal with something like pity.
"Don't you find it ironic, traitor? Look at me, who you once thought you locked away for good. I'm more powerful and well off than I've ever been, and the current time presents an opportunity like no other to bring the current world to its knees. And yet here you are, the Pink Demon, at one point the bane of outlaws everywhere, savior of the world..."
"Groveling at the foot of my throne, asking for my help, at my mercy. Do you still think you made the correct choice, Opal?"
"Pretty much. I have everything I want, and need. You're still way better at monologuing though, Gala," she said simply.
"Is this what the years have turned you into? A soft creature with no bite or spine? I almost feel sick thinking about how I used to consider you an equal."
"Trust me, I have a reason for fighting that is so, so much better than fancy floors and paintings of myself. Dialga himself gave me a reward so precious, I will rip anything in half to protect it," she stated. She leaned forward on her front paws and arched her back.
"That includes you."
"...We'll see." She waved her away with a wing. "That is enough out of you. It's time to speak about the reason I've called you here. Justice, come."
Opal turned primly and walked back, posture much more relaxed than before. Clement took her place, and started.
"We told you why we're here. Give us a lead on the Dungeon Master, so we can solve both of our problems."
"Watch yourself, hero," hissed Grovyle. "You don't take that tone with Queen, she makes the demands, not you!"
"At ease, Grovyle. We might as well just cut to the chase."
"But how do we know we can even trust them?"
"Do you doubt my judgment? Unlike the traitor, this one's pathetic cries for mercy were genuine. Look into his eyes, and you'll see that whatever flame that pushed him to pursue justice is long gone. And besides..."
She reached one of her small arms into the thick fuzz that covered her torso, and produced a very familiar bag from it.
"For his sake, he'd better be truthful. I hold their freedom for ransom."
Clement wasn't surprised she would use their escape plan as a bargaining chip. What he was confused by was how she knew it held a key to escape in the first place. Mudo made it sound like the entercards were some new technology he invented, yet Queen seemed aware of it.
He suppressed a growl from both mouths, and resolved to ask about it later.
"But, you came for information, so I'll give it to you. My forces across the continents are busy preparing, and nobody else has proved able to contend with this issue. I suppose I should ask what you already know."
"Not much." Clement shrugged. "Just that nobody has actually seen them in person, and they seem to prefer going after outlaws in Dungeons specifically. Although we did pick up that they might be working with others. We have reason to suspect that a Weavile is involved, as well as a few other species."
"One of my Shades no doubt...allegiance bought with coin only goes so far nowadays. Although that confirms a suspicion I've had for a while."
"They used to work for you?"
"In a manner of speaking. Once I came into power, the Shades swore themselves to me under contract. More than this, every outlaw, whether in a gang or operating solo, answers to me in some shape or form. And if this Dungeon Master has one of my Shades, it stands to reason that other traitors from across the continents could be working with them as well."
"A few years ago, there were reports of strange jailbreaks where certain prisoners were freed seemingly without a trace. They popped up infrequently as time went on. Do you think those could have been the...traitors?"
"It is possible, and aligns with my own investigations. I dismissed the Dungeon Master as a myth early on, because the incidents were isolated and far between. They've grown much more frequent over the past year or so, which could be due to an increase in the Dungeon Master's forces."
"That makes sense..." Clement petered off and rubbed his chin in thought. So they were dealing with ex-cons who chose to go after cons, and are somehow connected to the problems with Dungeons.
That was interesting, but...
"Still doesn't give us a clue of how to track them down. Not like anyone has seen them to confirm their species."
"I wouldn't be speaking with you if it wasn't possible to find them. The Dungeon Master is elusive, but their underlings are less so. I received reports of a suspicious Machamp and Swampert sighted at the very north of this continent."
"What makes them suspicious?"
"Besides their species matching the profile of the ones broken free from prison, they've been sighted near the largest Dungeon in the region, Hollow Garden, beyond even this arid land itself."
"They're still there? If you know where they are, why haven't you sent anyone to deal with them?"
"I have."
"And?"
"They failed. It seems whatever power these Pokemon hold is great indeed. Which brings us to why I would even consider enlisting your services in the first place."
She arose from her throne, and floated to a stop in front of Clement, high enough to ensure he had to crane his head to look her in ther face.
"You will go north, where these pokemon were last seen, and discover what you can about our mutual enemy. If you get the chance, you will eradicate the issue."
"Head north, go to Hollow Garden, find and deal with the Dungeon Master's goons. Sounds easy eno-"
"Another thing." She interrupted him. "You will have one week to make progress, otherwise I will assume you have gone back on our deal and will place a bounty on your head to bring you right back here as my trophies. You will not be able to escape, no matter where you run."
"Wh-one week!? That's barely enough time to prepare for anything!" he blurted.
"What deal are you even talking about? We're the ones doing the work, we're not even getting paid!"
"The deal is that I let you leave here with fully functional limbs. I have enough traitors in my midst as it is, and I won't be made a fool of any longer. A week should be more than enough time if your reputation is worth anything anyway. Or..."
She floated down close enough to make Clement take a step back and glared at him. He scowled right back as she pierced him with her eyes.
"Are you saying you two are too incompetent to handle this task, and have wasted my time?"
Clement held her stare for a few moments, and in a herculean show of restraint, held back every scathing remark he desperately wanted to say. He took a deep breath.
For Lumi. This would all be worth it if he could keep him safe. That thought helped calm him down, and he breathed out.
"We'll do it," he ground out. "How should we contact you once we've discovered something?"
"An agent of mine will find you at the appropriate time."
"Then we have a deal."
"Yes. We do."
Queen looked down at Clement for a second longer, before rearing up and throwing down the bag onto the floor. Clement reached down to take it, never taking his eyes off of her, and pulled out the entercard tablet. He wordlessly passed it back to Opal, who took it in a pink glow and began to fiddle with it.
Soon, a soft chime came from the tablet, and it glowed with power before a blip of energy coalesced into a ball on top of its surface. The blip roiled and churned, then shot forward a few meters before blooming into a wide, ovular portal. Amazed, Clement walked to look into the portal, and saw the grassy and rocky entrance to the Dungeon they used to enter the wastes in the first place.
"Huh. So that's how that works..." muttered Opal, blue eyes wide.
She hopped through with little fanfare, and walked in a circle on soft grass. Clement followed through, a little floored by how they had bypassed miles of travel with barely a thought.
From the other side of the portal, Queen stared at them, and Grovyle soon came into view.
"Team Nimbus, do not cross me. I have eyes in more places than you know."
"Yeah, whatever." Opal stepped forward. "Hey, before we go, I just want to say one thing."
"Make it quick."
"I may have gotten a little thicker over the years, but at least I don't look like a damn Wailord in every picture I'm in."
She pressed a button that shut the portal right as Gala's wings began to ignite. They both sighed and fell against each other in the clearing they ended up in. A glance to the left showed the entrance to the Dungeon that led to the wastes. Crag's Pass, or something like that, which emerged out of the side of a mountain on a grassy plain.
It had been a full day, and the stars were beginning to come out in the evening, twilight starting to set in. The two allowed themselves a moment to breathe as they felt the wind rustle their fur.
Eventually, Opal groaned loudly and leaned her weight fully against Clement's horn.
"First mission of Team Nimbus after almost twenty years, and we become indentured servants almost instantly," she complained. Her ears wilted. "All my street cred, down the drain..."
"Well, taking everything into consideration, I think today went pretty well. We got a lead, and that's all we came there for."
"Yeah, a lead that it turns out we are now further away from! We'll have to go back through the wastes all the way to the other side to get to Hollow Garden, and that's already like a three day hike by itself. Doesn't even take into account tracking, info gathering, thinking up a plan, or any of that stuff."
She rubbed her eyes hard with her paws and growled.
"Not to mention this whole thing with Gala, and how we're now being hunted and...dammit my emotions are all over the place after that meeting..."
"Oh, Opal..." he said empathetically, and turned to hold her from the back. She fell into his arms while he massaged her shoulders, and breathed in deep.
"Clement, make me feel better."
"Hmmm..." he thought as he idly played with her paws. He glanced down at the entercard tablet that lay on the grass, and ran through a couple plans in his head.
That thing was quite useful. Sure, they could just bite the bullet and walk the whole way to their destination, but maybe there was a more effective use of their time that could save some time in the future.
"Do you want to go see Lumi?" he asked. She perked up immediately.
"Ooh, good idea. It's been, what, little over a week? And we already have empty nest syndrome?"
"Can't help it. You know how easy it is for him to get into trouble."
"Aren't we on a time limit though? I hate to say it, but taking time for a quick visit might put us behind."
"We won't just visit. I have a feeling getting this entercard thing to Absol's is the best way to help both them and us out. What if they need to make a quick escape or something?"
"Aw, lookit you. Trying to justify being a worried parent. You softy~" she purred, and snuggled up against him. He grunted.
"Still not soft."
He snapped his claws. The world blurred around him for a fraction of a second, and Boon was back in one of the hallways of the ship.
He cursed under his mouth and wiped some sweat from his snout. Taking that many shortcuts at once wasn't entirely safe, but he'd been looking everywhere for Mauve and still had no sign of her. He folded his broad bat wings by his side and pressed his claws in front of his mouth as he took a quick second to think.
They were a little behind schedule. Only Aurum and Vox had successfully destroyed their assigned Keystone, but just one wasn't enough to make the leyline at Hollow Garden appear. He trusted Pads and Cole to be fine until they could get things back on track.
Would take a couple days longer than anticipated. Whatever that Meowstic did at Windy Spire made it inaccessible. Greyed it out completely. Once he destroyed the one at Moonlit Manor as originally planned, they'd have to wait for another one in the region to appear.
At least it gave him more time to look for Mauve, he told himself. Tonight he would try an idea he'd had for the past couple of days. A bit of a longshot, but he'd try anything to get her back.
Not keeping his promises left a bad taste in his mouth.
Cheers from another room, and he slapped himself lightly to get the frown off his face. No sense in stressing his team out, after all.
Boon walked with his head crouched a little under the ship's hallways, feet clacking a bit on the metal floor. The soft whir of machinery and movement softly thrummed in the background as the various components on the ship operated.
His tail swished behind him as he walked past sliding doors and holographic screens, small tables and chairs in the hallway as well as whatever decorations Aurum decided to put up, all lit by bright lights overhead and a current of energy that pulsed throughout the ship running alongside the walls.
He was fully aware this ship had no business being as dope as it was, especially since he hadn't seen technology quite like it anywhere he'd been to. But he didn't sweat the details too much.
If his patron wanted to give him an awesome ship to complete his mission, who was he to complain?
Even if there were weird symbols in some places, and what looked like a brand logo etched at the top of the occasional door. He wasn't sure what "Nova Co." was, but whoever they were, they made some cool shit!
The cheering and voices grew louder as he approached a side room, and he peeked his head in to see Nook, Vox, and Aurum gathered around a table, playing cards atop of it. From the looks of it, Aurum was winning, two of the Falinks platoon jumping on top of each other in celebration as the other three laughed in victory. Across from him, Nook threw their paws up in frustration, and dramatically wilted across the table, black ears drooped across their forehead.
Vox's eyes were half closed, either out of boredom or desire for sleep. He caught the Scolipede's gaze, and she nodded at him from across the room. He nodded back with a wide grin, but decided to leave them be for now and continued on.
Shaped like a wide arrow tip, the ship was large enough to hold all of them comfortably, and before long he approached the door to his room, tucked in a far corner. He stepped closer and the door slid upwards automatically, but he heard shuffling behind him that made him turn around.
Nook stood behind him. Although their head was high with their usual aloof smirk, their feet scratched lightly on the ground, and their tail swished erratically. He could tell the Thievul had something on their mind, and he had a good idea what, so he leaned on the side of the paneled wall and faced them with a smile.
"Hey! Saw you getting your butt handed to you by Aurum," he started. Nook scoffed and put their nose up.
"Hardly. The little bastards were cheating."
"Sure, whatever you say. So, something up?"
"Just...wanted to know how it went today. You know. Searching."
Nook averted their eyes at the last part, and it became just a tiny bit harder to keep the smile on.
He did though. Although most things were a foggy blur, smiling came just as natural as breathing.
One of the few things he knew about himself for certain.
"It's taking a little longer than I want," he admitted. "Gonna try a new strategy tonight, though. Don't worry, we'll have her back soon."
"Ah. Ok, that's...right. Good, glad to hear it," they said stiffly. They opened their mouth a few more times, probably trying to say something, but just gave a couple awkward starts. Eventually, Boon just leaned down and put a claw on Nook's shoulder.
"Hey. Stuff happens. It's fine."
"Of course. I just wanted to say that I'm...sor..."
"Hmm?"
"...Sorry that this showing of bad luck reflected poorly on my abilities!" Nook rebounded, and put a haughty paw to their chest.
"In fact, I would argue that Mauve simply faced an opponent that outskilled her, whereas I was set upon in an unfair situation, and thus my combat prowess cannot be judged adequately."
"I'm gonna tell her you said that, you know."
"Yes I-wait. No don't do that," they pleaded. Nook rubbed a paw over their eyes and huffed. "All I wanted to say was that you can still count on me, and that a situation like that will not happen again."
They stamped their paw on the ground with a determined look, and Boon laughed and ruffled their head, which Nook beared with a light grimace.
"That's what I like to hear! Tell you what, we'll go back to the Manor tomorrow, and even help you train while we finish up our business there. Sound good?"
"Delightful, boss," Nook nodded. They bid each other goodnight, and Nook walked off with new pep in their step. Boon watched them turn a corner, and then walked into his room.
He'd be the first to admit that he wasn't the cleanest individual. The room was filled with all manner of neat knick knacks tossed around haphazardly. He was a fan of collecting little mementos. Articles of apparel, colorful objects, and pictures of various locations cluttered the small room.
He ignored all of this of course. His destination resided in the world of dreams.
A pair of sturdy hooks were bolted to the top of the ceiling near the back of his room, with some cushions beneath them. He approached them and hopped up, angling his body so his feet caught the hooks. His body promptly hung upside down by his talons, and he curled his wide wings around himself in his preferred sleeping position. He could sleep on a pile of cushions or hay just fine, but this felt more natural for a Noivern.
He closed his eyes, and soon began to spot the familiar multicolored blotches that permeated his vision behind his eyelids. His body was a bit worn from his searching, so it wasn't hard to start to drift off, but he did so with a specific intention.
Before he let himself rest for real, there was someone he needed to speak with.
Communication with his patron was facilitated through the world of dreams. She was adamant that it be this way so she could stay hidden, yet it also ensured that they would be able to contact each other from basically anywhere. All it required was the help of an intermediary to connect their dreams together.
Boon wasn't trying to speak with his patron tonight, however. Instead he figured, if their mutual friend could bridge dreams between himself and his patron, why couldn't they open a bridge between himself and Mauve? Then perhaps he could get a read on where she was.
He had this thought as the colors continued to blend and shift around him. From his perspective, he now floated in an ever-shifting mosaic of hues. A chaotic and patternless environment such as this was enough to make the mind go numb, but he endured it, aware of how the process worked.
After a while, the shifting, abstract painting that was his mind began to coalesce into something more concrete and familiar.
The kaleidoscope around him settled into something less aimless. Above him, colors shifted until they darkened, and began to resemble a purple and orange evening sky, just about to give itself over to the night.
His feet touched soft earth, and he looked down to see that cushiony, green grass had sprung up in the span of a second. However the dreamscape worked, his mind blissfully shielded his consciousness from the impossibility of a world coming into focus around him in the blink of an eye.
Regardless, he was always grateful for the end result. A wide open plain with low rolling hills and lush grass soft enough to sleep on, underneath a twilight sky. A sense of repose settled over the quiet landscape, one his active mind appreciated.
His eyes settled on the only thing of note in the miles upon miles of grass: A wooden crossroads sign. It was tall, with various arrows pointing this way and that along its pole.
And casually leaning on the base of it, was his intermediary.
Darkrai.
"Good evening, Boon," greeted the Mythical Dark-Type. His deep voice held a smoky tint to it, much like the wisps of shadow that emanated from his form. Darkrai's visible blue eye looked at Boon with thinly veiled interest, as if he was waiting for him to do something extraordinary.
He never stopped looking at him like that, really. It was a little creepy at first, but he got used to it. Boon waved a talon with an amicable smile.
"What's up! How's work been?" he asked. Darkrai gave a horse chuckle, and pushed off the pole.
"It has been picking up, as of late. This looming danger of the Dungeons has given mortals something to fear again, and I have been diligently stoking those nascent embers."
"Cool." Boon gave as much of a thumbs up as he could with three talons. "I'm gonna hope that's a good thing!"
"They will awaken from ignorance soon enough, and be moved to act. As fear is designed to do. But I digress."
Darkrai floated forward, then blurred from view in a shadowy whisper. Boon blinked, before he felt a weight on his shoulder, and turned to see that Darkrai had leaned an arm on his shoulder.
"What brings you here tonight? Do you wish to meet with your doting patron? They are always eager to speak with you…" He leaned in close and spoke with a gleam in his eye.
"Beloved one."
He liked to use that title for Boon. Him and his patron both. Boon supposed it was fitting, considering the way his patron often treated him, although he'd yet to get a solid answer as to why.
"Actually, I need a favor from you," he responded. Darkrai backed away and inclined his head in interest.
"Need you to help me find someone, one of my teammates. Things got a little hairy at one of the Dungeons we went to, and she got separated. Looked everywhere but, can't go somewhere I can't visualize."
"This would not happen to be your Weavile companion, wouldn't it?" Darkrai barked out a laugh at Boon's confused face.
"By how much you fidget, it could only be her. She is the one you talk at length about, and you are normally much more relaxed."
At those words, Boon realized he had unconsciously been tapping his feet, and his tail had been carving a rut into the grass behind him. He shrugged.
"Welp. You got me. So what do you say? Can you help me get my girl back? Bridge our dreams so we can figure out where she is?"
"Such a caring Master, you are. Stand back, I should be able to sense her dreams given all the information you've provided about her."
Boon pumped his fist and cheered, then obediently stood back. Darkrai stood stock still, and placed his arms together with his elbows out.
A small orb of pitch blackness formed between his palms, and he groaned lowly as it churned and roiled.
The Mythical Pokémon's blue eyes flashed red, and with a deep grunt, smashed the quaking orb in his hands. A pulse of something deep and dark burst out from him and shot across the landscape.
It shot through Boon, and for a split second, a cold chill landed up his spine, and a primal fear gripped his heart so tight he put a claw to his chest. Mercifully, it only lasted a second, but it still left him panting.
Darkrai stood with his hands out, and seemed to be in a deep focus based on his eye being closed. It was minutes later before it opened again, and Boon looked around with interest.
"Where's she at? Did you drop her in a lake somewhere?" He wondered.
"Regretfully, I was unable to bridge her mind with yours."
"You couldn't find her?"
"I found a mind I am certain was hers, however it was blocked to me. There were no dreams to speak of."
Boon absorbed those words, and then visibly wilted, shoulders slouched. Darkrai began to float over.
"It can be the case that, for a variety of reasons, a mortal does not dream. The cause is typically due to an emotional or psychological blockage, and is often remedied through a breakthrough. In truth, I have observed this Weavile a multitude of times, and each time I have been unable to gift her with a nightmare."
"Dammit, I really need to hire a psychologist one of these days. Kid's got all sorts of problems…" grumbled Boon, dejected.
"You are free to try again in the future, perhaps her dreams may open on her own. And do not look so dejected, this night may yet bear fruit."
Darkrai arrived in front of Boon, and lifted his head with a shadowy finger.
"Tell me. Do you remember who you are, yet?"
Boon closed his eyes hard, and suppressed a growl. He really, really wasn't trying to think about that now, of all times.
He attempted to mask it with a smile, and maybe a joke, but all that came out was a sad laugh.
"Buddy, I wish," he said, humorlessly, and sighed. "Lemme guess, we're doing some patented Darkrai therapy tonight?"
"Out of respect for you and your past deeds, I will provide you with insight born from fear and suffering. As I have done in prior nights."
"There's gotta be a healthier way of doing this, like, man I don't know…" Boon tapped his chin and mimed thinking, before he blurted out, "Fucking TELLING me!?"
Darkrai laughed in his face. It was a throaty, hoarse laugh akin to crackling flames and smoke bellows. The grass beneath his feet withered and died, only to be replaced by hard stone, and the twilight sky darkened and turned a deep purple.
"Whatever do you mean? I am telling you. The most effective nightmares come from lived experiences, after all. Consider this payment for my services, Beloved One. The truth is yours to discover, and the fear and suffering you produce in search of it is exquisite."
With that, Darkrai melded down into the ground, and his laughter echoed throughout the gray stones and mountains that had emerged around him.
Boon sensed a tingling sensation, and sighed, already knowing what he would see. He held up a claw, and sure enough, his hand was dissolving into flecks of color right before his eyes.
He didn't need to look to know that the rest of his body was undergoing the same thing. This nightmare always ended the same way, with him losing his body and grip on this world forever.
And if it were only that, this nightmare wouldn't sting so much.
But that wasn't all. That wasn't the reason for his heartache.
It wasn't when he fell forward due to his legs and tail disappearing from under him.
It wasn't when he could no longer crawl as his arms left him a motionless torso on the floor.
It wasn't when he could barely see as his eyes dissolved from their sockets.
The true pain of this nightmare was that throughout it all, there was nobody else to be with him.
There was only one thing in his heart as he lost consciousness completely.
Crushing loneliness.
A/N: Whoa, two uploads in the same month! Becha didn't see that one coming :) And I hope you enjoy, maybe this chapter puts a few things into perspective, and answers some questions. Next time though, its back to following our favorite guild. Also, wow this one-shot became long. 200k, sheesh...
As always, thank you for reading. Also as a reminder, I have a discord with a friend of mine, who's also an author: /sSYNHtCAkD
Feel free to stop by to say hi.