Chapter 36: Just a Hunch
"Are you absolutely certain there's no room in the budget for a runway? I think the enhanced level of panache would really spur on the creativity in Tailor."
Purl's earnest question hung like the chandeliers above their heads in the room. The glossy, rich brown floors and stately stone walls helped carry his voice throughout the large meeting room so that everyone around the long, hardwood table could clearly hear. A large window that took up the majority of the right wall provided a beautiful view of the open park space outside, well lit from the moon and streetlamps, which contrasted well with the warm indoor glow.
Thankful for the high ceiling and ample seating space, Damia let her tail sway on the polished floor and allowed her small wings a few idle flaps to stretch them out. She sat straight with her claws folded on her stomach, and with careful, narrowed eyes took stock of everyone at the table from her position next to her fellow Guild Heads. Brook sat on a cushion between her and Purl, claws intertwined and body hunched over on itself as he tried to make himself seem smaller than he already was. Against her better judgment, her eyes lingered on him for longer than would have been polite.
The image of him up on that stand confessing his involvement in a set of circumstances that ultimately led to her mother's death briefly flitted through her mind. It only added to the churning morass of emotions and thoughts her mind had become ever since their release from the Hole, and for quite some time during. She wasn't quite sure what to make of him, what she was supposed to make of someone who for years she had considered a trusted colleague and perhaps even a friend, only for that to be thrown into question with the revelations that had fallen from his mouth.
These thoughts impeded the sharp, decisive mind she prided herself on, and she hated it. That was why she was here, to try and kick herself into gear by participating in decisions that could shape the future of the Guild she had found a new home in. Although tonight her contributions had been precious little, unable to really bring herself to say much.
The little Clara that had barged its way into her psyche and made itself comfortable in a bed of mental plushies gently posited that she had instead joined this meeting to avoid having to face her own thoughts alone. She told the mind-Clara to mind its own business.
"I...um...I-I was actually hoping we could expand Bio?" Brook's shaky voice pulled her from her ruminations. "I had actually made some plans to divide the spaces up into different horticultural environments and have more variety in the Growth Floor. M-maybe even experiment with different climates to see what kinds of plant families are possible-" Brook's eyes widened as he got more excited and he cleared his throat. "I-I mean, if you think that's helpful..."
He directed his meek question at Vert, who sat at the head of the table, to Damia's right. The rugged Absol's large size and sharp crescent horn cut an intimidating figure in the light. His unkempt fur draped like a wispy throw rug over his body and fell off in bangs over his head. The way his eyes glared out past their shadow at the large, intricate map on the table would make anyone question what he could possibly be plotting.
Whatever it was, it had better include her combat arena idea she'd drafted up for her branch, as well as some damn noise canceling material for the walls. You'd think after practically living in her workshop for over five years, she'd have gotten used to all the booms and bangs, but it still got on her nerves if she let it.
She'd keep that to herself for now, especially with Purl's dumbass question still lingering in the air that might ruin any of her suggestions.
Her eyes flicked over to Headmaster Wigglytuff, who sat across from her. She'd never seen the Headmaster this close before. His fur was even more faded than in the courtroom, and his eyes seemed to droop, either from wisdom or exhaustion she couldn't tell. He looked at Vert with a questioning glance.
"Before you all consider investing in-house, there are other matters to attend to," Wigglytuff said. "The Distribution Centers, for example. They've been decommissioned this whole time, and the demand for their services has only increased these past few months. I can perhaps assist with coordinating the physical locations, but finding Pokémon willing to staff them should be one of your priorities."
Next to him sat Guildmaster Cortana, who had several reports and papers in front of her. Her eyes analyzed the papers, the lights on her arms thrumming a light blue. She inclined her head towards Vert as she spoke. "Should you require assistance in transporting goods and setup materials, I can provide some of my apprentices as well. Ensuring your supply lines are operational will be key to any strategies moving forward."
The last one in the room threatened to vacuum all of her attention away. She succeeded in sparing only a parting glance at her brother Damon before refocusing her attention. The Charizard sat in an identical manner to her, back just as rigid and claws just as neatly folded over his stomach, eyes narrowed on the map. She had pretended she didn't catch his looks her way. It was fine as long as they didn't make direct eye contact. Her mind might fall into another spiral if they did.
"The Headmaster is right." Vert finally broke the silence. "We should focus on getting the Distribution Centers up and running. Any upgrades to our facilities should come after we get the essentials covered." His eyes flicked to Purl.
"That means no runways."
"Oh come on! Just a little, itty bitty one? We have so much funding to work with, why not delight in the finer things?" The Sylveon straightened up and fixed Vert with a wide, toothy smile. "Think of it like an investment for a very beautiful future!"
It was like his special talent to set himself up for a joke. "I don't know if we want investment advice from the one who sunk every business he's ever attempted." The barb flowed easily off Damia's tongue, and she couldn't help the small smirk as Purl pouted and lightly batted her arm with a feeler.
He huffed. "Fooey...well, can we at least call them something other than 'Distribution Centers'? If the Absol Guild is coming back and better than ever, then we can at least use a more interesting name to spruce up our image."
"It's a center that distributes items. The name perfectly describes what it does. I don't see why it needs to be changed."
"It needs to be changed because it's so bland and doesn't have any of us in it! The Rescue Guild has Rescue Centers, the Hunter Guild has Hunter Centers, The Explorer Guild...you get it. The point is, we're not called the Absol Guild of Distribution, so we should come up with something a bit more on brand."
"While I do not have a say in how you choose to run your guild, many reference materials utilize the current naming conventions. It may cause some confusion at least among those who are used to how things are currently," said Cortana.
"A name shouldn't be high on the list of priorities, although...I do agree with your apprentice, Vert." Wigglytuff sighed and leaned forward with an empathic look. "I took a bit of a gamble on you, and part of that is convincing the rest of the world that they can trust what you have to offer. Taking small steps, like changing the name of one of your core services, could really help with that."
"My guild has a history with names. It's not pretty." Despite the lack of inflection, Vert still managed to convey his utter exhaustion with the naming enterprise with his posture alone. In response to this, Purl groaned and threw his paws up.
"Well look, why don't we just-"
Damia watched how the discussion became more heated and lively. As she contemplated throwing her own two cents in, she felt Brook shift in his seat uncomfortably next to her.
"I-I kinda wish Pandora was here to help with this..." She heard him murmur underneath the growing debate. She leaned down until her snout was by his head, and flicked one of his ear tufts.
"I'm sure we can hash out a name on our own. Besides, Pandora is taking care of more...important busin-"
THOMB!
A deep impact outside sent a rumble through the floor. The table shifted slightly, and the brief rattling of the windows and lights would have made anyone think that an earthquake had just happened. A low, vindictive laugh escaped Damia as her mouth curled just slightly, and she leaned back to look out at the window once more.
In addition to pleasant walkways lit by street lamps and carefully maintained vegetation for a comfortable night stroll, the park below also featured several recreational fields perfect for Pokemon who wanted to practice their moves or engage in sparring sessions. A wide, sandy area off to the side hosted several courts; their thick, white lines were drawn in accordance with standard battle regulations. One of these courts was marred with more wear and tear than the others.
The Whimsicott standing on top of a downed Haxorus might have explained that.
Pandora gave an elegant bow on top of Havok's back, but it was short lived. He shifted, surged up with his claws out, and snatched Pandora by a leg before she could dodge. He slammed her backfirst into the ground hard enough to leave a crater, and whipped his head back with a gleam in his tusks, ready to slice her through with Iron Head.
When his tusks did make an impact, however, his only reward was a face full of cotton spores as Pandora backflipped off the ground to float with her arms crossed in the air. The moment her dainty feet touched the ground, she shunted forward in a surprising burst of speed, one arm cocked back, and socked Haxorus right in the stomach hard enough for him to stumble backward. He responded with a fierce roar and ripped a chunk of the earth from the ground to toss at her. They continued to match each other in their assault, to the entertainment of a crowd of onlookers.
If she squinted, she could just make out a Mawile and Espeon pair somewhere in there, cheering amongst a clan of Scrafty.
She smirked. For as vindicating as the result of the trial had been, the sight of Pandora using her impossible strength to beat the fuck out of her idiot father helped lessen the sting of wasting three months of her time in containment. Nobody in their guild really knew how or why Pandora was so strong, and the respect she instilled within every apprentice had discouraged even Damia from testing her, so seeing her actually go at it after years of wondering was quite the treat.
She would love to be down there to cheer her on, it would help take her mind off some things. But she had her duties, she told herself.
"You can go down, if you want." Vert's voice brought her attention back to him. He kept a steady gaze on her for a moment, and then addressed Purl and Brook. "All of you. You don't have to be here, if you don't want to. It might take a couple more days to hash out details, you can take some time to rest and recuperate."
"And miss out on the creation of the new and improved Absol Guild? Perish the thought, Vert!" Purl waved a paw to the side. "We can enjoy all the hot air, wonderful amenities, and sand stuck in hard to reach places to our hearts content after we're done, right gang?"
"Oh, s-sure! It's no problem," Brook was quick to nod his head. Damia nodded her agreement as well, albeit with a more reserved hum in her throat. Vert's expression didn't change, but he returned his attention back to the map.
"If that's the case, maybe I should stop beating around the bush and get to one of the major topics on the agenda," he said with a sigh. "Where the Guild is actually going to be from here on."
"A good idea," The Headmaster agreed. "As outlined in your settlement, the court arranged for the full refurbishment and relocation of Absol Guild facilities, including your Headquarters. The specific details of the arrangement essentially boil down to the Haxorus Guild footing that particular bill." He leaned over the table a bit to look at Damon. "I assume there will be no last minute bids to renegotiate?" he asked. The Charizard took his eyes off of the map and gave a curt nod.
"Guildmaster Haxorus notified me of the situation before this meeting, and gave me full authority to act on his behalf while he is otherwise occupied," explained Damon, tone level and professional. "As far as you are concerned, you have the Haxorus Guild's full support in this."
"That is much appreciated, thank you," said Vert. "Although, I can't help but notice the lack of any representation from the Mienshao Guild at this meeting. The details of the settlement outlined that their guild would be partially responsible for paying out a portion of the damages. Shouldn't Mira, or at least someone from there, be here as this decision is being made?"
Headmaster Wigglytuff leaned forward to explain. "That is correct, however Mira is currently preoccupied with her own challenges on the Rain Continent and has elected to focus her efforts there. Rather than send a representative, she instead sent a brief letter to the court that she'll match whatever financial commitment the Beheeyem Guild is able to make, and let that be the end of it,"
Vert nodded in understanding, although Damia caught his disappointed huff. Her, Brook, and Purl all shared a similar look with each other, and she tried not to let her derisive snort be too loud. From what she had learned from Guild dealings, it was customary to have at least one representative from each guild present when discussing matters of importance. For Mienshao to not only fail to show in person for something as pivotal as the entire relocation and re-establishment of one of the four guilds, but to not even send a representative, was tantamount to declaring to everyone involved that she could not care less about what happened with the Absol Guild.
The Explorer Guild was well loved and much discussed among average Pokemon, however the more Damia heard about their vainglorious Mienshao Guildmaster, the lower her opinion of them became. Pandora was very vocal about her displeasure in dealing with her when she had to serve as Vert's representative.
Wigglytuff continued, not commenting on the subtle shift in mood.
"In any case, you have full authority to decide where your guild headquarters will be. Typically, each Guild has their headquarters on one of the four main continents, although if you feel the need to occupy one of the other's…"
"We'll remain on the Bright Continent. Don't want to step on any toes," Vert replied.
"Very well. Then would you prefer to just rebuild at your prior location?"
"They don't like us in Thistle Town. Half my desk was just filled with noise complaints."
"It was also just a dreadfully boring area, to be honest," said Purl, paw under his chin. "The locals were quaint, but plain. The environment was literally a middle of nowhere plain, and all the Dungeons were at least an hour's walk away. I feel like there must be a better place that suits our purposes."
"Did you have any ideas in mind?" asked the Headmaster. Damia looked intently at the map, along with the rest of her colleagues. She had known this was a possibility, but admittedly had other things on her mind besides where the guild would be. All of Purl's points were valid, but she wracked her brain trying to think of a place that would not only accommodate their particular customs, but also located in an area with a higher Dungeon concentration.
Her eyes scanned the image of the Bright Continent, drinking in every detail of information.
Then a small, green face appeared in front of her vision.
"Boop!"
Damia blinked very slowly a few times to make sure she properly understood what was in front of her. It looked like a tiny green fairy with an onion for a head. She crossed her eyes and saw that the fairy had one of its tiny hands on her snout, which it retracted as it floated back on gossamer wings.
"Hi! Sorry to barge in like this, but I had a quick message to deliver before you went any further. You don't have to listen if you don't want to though. It's more like a suggestion."
Damia blinked again. The fairy cocked her head and grinned.
"Still with me? Great! You know you're taking this a lot better than I expec-"
She punched it.
Or, tried to. It ducked underneath her thunder-coated fist half a second before it connected. The fairy rolled away about a foot on the table and shook its head.
"Okay so, maybe no-"
She swiped down, claws out and quick as lightning. The fairy released an exasperated sigh and scooched to the side, just in time for Damia to gouge several divots in the hardwood table.
The fairy glanced at her claws dug into the table and cringed.
"Ooh, yikes. That's gonna be expensive…"
As her breath quickened, Damia finally took notice of several other details in the room, namely that the color seemed drained from everything and everyone else in the room had become still as a statue.
She returned her attention to the fairy, who sat with its knees close to its chest and idly bobbed its head.
"What the fuck is going on?" Damia asked calmly.
"Are you going to let me answer, or do you want to try and hit me again?"
With her standard methods of addressing potentially dangerous variables having proved ineffective, Damia decided to sit back down, mouth open in confusion.
"Great! Maybe this would be better if we started with introductions." She put a hand to her chest. "My name is Celebi, maybe you've heard of me, maybe not."
Celebi, of course. Details from some time studying in the Library surfaced, and given the direction her life had taken recently, she kicked herself for not realizing sooner.
"And you are Damia! Highly respected and ingenious apprentice of Absol, fearsome warrior unafraid to face off against the powers that be, and stalwart companion to my wonderful little lord, Lumi!"
Her light laugh echoed in the still room. "Ooh, it's so fun to be able to actually introduce myself to people again. Did I do it right? I hope I did."
"Lumi, the little lord?" asked Damia, incredulous. "Are you sure we're talking about the same guy? Last I checked he wasn't part of some noble house...actually wait-" she furrowed her brows as she recalled a certain tidbit about her teammate, as well as the little crush Clara had been harboring for months now.
Celebi gave a knowing look at her realization. "It's more of a pet name I have for him. At least for now."
"Alright," murmured Damia. She folded her arms. "But why are you here, talking to me?"
Celebi opened her mouth to speak, but paused as Damia held a claw up.
"I mean, more broadly," she clarified. "Accounts of Legends and Mythicals actually making appearances are incredibly rare. I don't know too many details, I'd have to brush up on my history, but…"
She gestured at the still forms of the others in the room. "Isn't remaining undetected part of how you guys operate? I figured that Lumi would be the only one you or Dialga would want to be talking to."
"And normally, you'd be correct. There are certain rules that regulate our interactions with mortals, almost entirely for your sake. What I'm doing here isn't technically on the level, but…" she shrugged. "Things have been deteriorating for a while now, and we're not the only ones bending the rules. Maybe you've noticed?"
A group of Pokemon with powers they shouldn't have immediately popped into Damia's head. Ripping the fabric of space, able to be in multiple places at once, seemingly total control of where the other ferals in the Dungeon could have been at any time. She snorted, she'd had some suspicions, but this just confirmed that they were up against something greater than they initially thought.
"It's gotten to the point where even Dialga is willing to try new things, and more than just bonding with Lumi," said Celebi. She looked down at the map with her hands behind her back, and gingerly stepped along the drawn continents of the world. "They would find it...agreeable to offer Team Nova as a whole the possibility of continued interaction with them."
"...Dialga wants to work with us?" Damia kept her tone level, transfixed and cautious of Celebi's every movement.
"It was Lumi's idea, you know. He wanted a way to see Dialga on a more consistent basis and thought it would be a good idea if more people were brought into the loop. I spent a good bit while he was imprisoned going back and forth between them, until we whittled it down to just his immediate team, and maybe his parents," she said. She wiped her brow with an exaggerated sigh.
"Honestly, the only reason they even considered such a proposal was because it came from Lumi. Oh, how they dote on him! Meanwhile, I've been trying for millenia to get him to open up and get out more but-sorry, ranting. Anyway, come, look here."
Celebi walked onto the Bright Continent landmass, and stopped near a point towards the far west. Curious, Damia peered over to look; some isolated town right near the ocean. Quite far away from their original location in Thistle Town, as well as most other settlements, from the look of it. She noted that it was a ways walk from any major through-paths, and several Dungeons were marked near it as well.
She looked at the name. Refrain Town. Quaint.
"If enjoying an audience with the Legendary of Time sounds interesting to you, I would recommend moving your guild somewhere around here," said Celebi, pointing at the town. "Nice locals, close to Dungeons, and right by the coast, which is important."
"Why? What's in this town that leads to wherever Dialga lives?"
"That's…it's a little hard to explain, but there's someone there that'll help. Can't really tell you more than that, just trust your instincts. Or rather, trust Lumi's instincts. He'll figure it out, I'm sure."
"Trusting the danger cat's instincts is one of the last things I would ever want to do," Damia replied. Her claws rolled along the table, eyes narrowed in contemplation. "The offer is...interesting, but that's not enough to sway me. Don't know if you noticed, but I have more to consider than just Lumi and his connection with you and Dialga. There's a whole guild I have to take into account, and things are still tentative right now. It's not my job to blindly follow Lumi or whatever you tell me to."
"And far be it from me to ever tell you what to do. As I mentioned, this was only a suggestion." Celebi held up her small hands in placation. "But, just out of curiosity, what is your job exactly? I only have a loose idea."
"Why do you need to know?"
"I just want to get to know one of the amazing Pokemon who will be traveling with my little Lord. And I find each of you quite interesting."
"And you'll keep me trapped in this time bubble until I give you everything to satisfy your curiosity."
"Aw, don't put it like that." She held her arms out with a small grin. "I don't know the next time I'll see you, so at least like this we can talk for as long as we like!"
Trying to remove Celebi by force clearly didn't work, and she also seemed resistant to any kind of intimidation. As much as Damia hated the continued questions, it seemed that she would have to satisfy her curiosity if she wanted her to go away.
"...I'm the Head of the Dynamo Branch," she said after a moment. "Basically a glorified girl scout who fills out paperwork and makes sure these nutjobs blow things up in a productive way, all while trying to find time for my own projects." Despite the sarcasm, a fond smile wormed its way onto the Dragonite's face.
"Ooh, I see. How did you end up with that position? Did Absol choose you?"
"He chose these two," she pointed to Brook and Purl. "I volunteered. When I got to the guild, there weren't that many of us, but I saw that our Co-Guildmaster Whimsicott was stretched a little thin trying to manage operations in Dynamo while also trying to find ways to expand and convince the Guild Headquarters that it was worth investing in a handful of weirdos playing with energy everyone was scared of. I dedicated myself to study to make sure I wasn't just some green amateur and could actually lead people who'd been working with Aether longer than I have, and told Absol I could take on that duty."
"Not many willingly seek out more responsibility, especially at a place that doesn't seem to have much prestige. You're a step above most Pokemon, aren't you?" Celebi asked with a grin.
"It's how I was raised. I knew early on I would be taking positions of authority, it just turned out a little different than I first thought. But that's not really why I wanted the job," she said. At Celebi's questioning look, she glanced to the side. "They got a raw deal. They're undervalued and nobody appreciates them, yet they're also expected to work ridiculously hard to keep up with impossible demands. I experienced something similar, that's why I left my last Guild, and it's why I will make sure the Absol Guild will not be undervalued. Not anymore. I have to make everyone see how great we can be, they're..."
Her eyes flicked over to Damon. Her breath hitched, and she pursed her lips.
"...This is my family now. I need to make sure they're safe and know what they're doing matters," she said, and pointed back at the spot Celebi provided. She fixed her with a level look. "This is where my head's at when I'm thinking about where this guild should be. You understand?"
"I think I do." Celebi hummed with a nod of her head. Her smile persisted as she tapped her chin. "If you'll just let me sell you on this place a little more, I will point out that there is the opportunity for your guild to receive attention and notoriety here. Beyond the physical benefits of setting up around this location, you could also enjoy the admiration of the locals, if you play your cards right with certain scenarios."
"If you want to sell me on something, be more specific. This whole time you've just been vague, telling me about 'opportunities' and 'certain scenarios.' That's not enough to base an informed decision off of, it just sounds like a scam, especially if it comes from someone who is purported to be able to travel through time and see the future."
Damia held her head in her claw, and fixed Celebi with an unimpressed glare. "Or do you think just because you're some kind of mythical creature who stopped time to talk to me, that I'd be awed into doing whatever you say? Because if that's the case, you can take your little green ass to someone who actually has time to waste."
"Wow, okay, um..." Celebi scratched the back of her head, eyes wide as she processed the remarks. Besides Lumi, she had never come in contact with a mortal as bold as this one.
"Well, to start I don't actually see the future, I just hop back and forth and send messages but...okay more to your point, fine. Fine! I wanted to spare you the redundancy of hearing this twice, but if you want specifics, I can do specifics," she said, and sucked in a quick breath before pointing back at the town. "By opportunity, I mean the chance to help with an outlaw problem that Refrain Town has. Specifically, it's been occupied by particularly opportunistic outlaws who've been emboldened by the recent disorganization and chaos brought on by the Dungeons, and who've moved in. The residents are spread out around the surrounding forests, and due to their distance from any major towns and cities and with the Hunter Guild having issues like this cropping up everywhere, they're left defenseless and waiting for someone to swoop in and save them."
She sat up straighter, with a twinkle in her eye. "Sounds like the perfect chance to show off just how amazing and relevant your Guild can be. After all, what's a better way to demonstrate the efficacy of what you've been researching than by using it to kick some butt? Plus you get to fight! You love fighting, I know you do!"
"You're trying to use my love of fighting to sway me to this plan of yours," Damia stated, eyes narrowed even further.
"Is it working?"
"Can I fight Dialga?"
"Come again?"
"If I go through with this and we end up meeting Dialga, can I fight them? Yes or no?" asked Damia. A wordless stutter left Celebi's mouth, and she swallowed as she tried to formulate a response.
"But...but why though?"
"Xerneas embarrassed me. Despite all my training and abilities, the best I could do was scratch it and buy a few more seconds for my team." The muscles in Damia's wrist tightened. "That's not good enough. I need to be better for them. Training with a Legendary seems like a good way to accomplish that."
"I see." Celebi wore a thoughtful frown, and seemed to consider something before glancing back up at Damia. "In that case the answer is yes. We will make preparations."
"Good. Then I'll vouch for your proposal." Damia leaned back into her seat, and folded her arms back across her stomach. "You can go back to doing...whatever it is you do."
"Will do, I look forward to the possibilities you'll bring," the sincerity in her voice was unmistakable. Her translucent wings whirred into motion and Celebi alighted into the air.
"Oh, before I go," she said, and Damia perked up as glowing leaves began to form around her. "It's good that you want to keep your family safe, but just remember that it goes both ways, right? I've seen what happens when neither side is able to trust the other to properly care for them, and it doesn't look good."
Her eyes squinted with a small smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. For a split second, Damia got the impression she was sitting in front of someone much older than just seconds before.
"If you trust each other, I'm sure the world will take notice," she said, and turned. Bright green leaves appeared in Damia's view, and they shone enough to make her close her eyes.
She opened them, and had to flutter her eyelids a bit as she adjusted to the room's color again. The minute movements of everyone around her as they resumed their task of studying the map, combined with the subtle smells and sensations she hadn't noticed had even been there before time had stopped, briefly disoriented her as she adjusted to coming out of whatever time-stopped zone Celebi had created.
"Maybe…no, it's a little chilly there…" Purl murmured, a ribbon to his chin.
Across the table, Damia noted how Damon sent her an odd look. If she didn't return to the exact position she was at before time had frozen, perhaps her shift in posture did look quite perplexing to her brother. Doubly so given the sudden appearance of a gash in the wooden table.
Regardless, she didn't let him study her for long.
"Here. We should go here," she reared up and pointed at Refrain Town. Everyone's attention turned to the dot on the map.
"This will be our new home." Not a hint of doubt was present in her voice. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Brook furrow his eyes as he looked at the surrounding area.
"Um, it doesn't look like a bad location but, um, what's there that you're so confident in, Damia? N-not that I'm against it, just wondering…"
"You should be against it, Refrain Town is dangerous right now." Across the table, Damon leaned forward. The Charizard's tone offered no argument. "It's recently been occupied by particularly opportunistic outlaws who've been emboldened by the recent disorganization and chaos brought on by the Dungeons, and who've moved in."
Damia blinked. Huh, maybe the green onion was right, that was kind of redundant.
"Its relatively small size means it doesn't have the normal amenities of most towns," Damon continued. "Namely, centers from each of the guilds to support it. With most of the Hunter Guild's apprentices deployed to assist with similar issues cropping up across the world, we haven't had the chance to clean up this mess."
"So we'll clean it up, and move in," she replied. Damon's claws rattled against the table and he leaned in a bit closer.
"Your Guild does not have the training or resources for an operation like this. Once the Hunters are able to properly regroup, we can go secure the area for you in short order."
"Hunters aren't the only ones capable of defending Pokémon, you know. Why would we wait for you guys to get your act together when we're willing and able to do something about the problem? Or are you saying you don't believe our Guild could do it?"
"Damia you know that's not what-" He clenched his teeth, restraining a growl, and turned with wide eyes towards Vert.
"Guildmaster Absol, please consider an alternative location. The one proposed by my sister poses an unnecessary risk for seemingly no benefit."
"Vert, if we want to be taken seriously by the world at large, this is how we start. What use are we or any of our creations in the coming days if we don't help with problems like this?"
"Both of you sit down," commanded Vert. Both dragons did so without argument, although Damon's brows were scrunched in clear concern. The Absol turned to Damia.
"Damia, this isn't like you. I expect sudden acts on a whim from Purl, you on the other paw always have a clear reason when you aim to do something."
Brook's eyes flicked over at Purl. The Sylveon merely shrugged and nodded in agreement.
"Care to explain the sudden interest in this Refrain Town?" asked Vert. She snorted, fully aware of how out of character she must have seemed, and briefly considered how to get her point across.
"I have a very, very strong hunch that now is a good time to take advantage of this opportunity. Almost like the Legendaries themselves dropped it in our lap. Just a feeling."
The three non-Absol affiliated mon, particularly Wigglytuff and Beheeyem, looked at her as if she was a bit mentally unwell. She thanked Arceus that Vert was so sharp, as his eyes widened at her words. He let out a low, thoughtful hum as he considered their implications.
She caught Damon's gaze again, and Celebi's words came back to her. About opportunity. Family. Trust...
Her eyes lowered. Who did she trust, really? Her Team and guildmates to an extent, but the idea of relying on them because of some deficiency on her part still felt so wrong. So alien, despite what she had been forced to learn months ago.
And her last family? Mother was gone, and she beat down with impunity the part of herself that cried for her counsel. She wanted nothing to do with her father, although it seemed fate had decided their paths would cross again.
Did she trust Damon? She didn't really know if she wanted to, but…she knew that look in his eyes. Like when they roughoused a bit too hard as kids and he looked betrayed.
She hated that look. Before, she'd do what she could to try and make it right again, but now...
"D-Damia? Are you alright?" A small hand brushed against her side. She glanced at Brook, who quickly retraced his claw. "You went a little quiet..." he muttered softly. It seemed she had become the center of attention in the room. She'd slipped into a moment of vulnerability. The room felt hotter, the walls felt closer than they really were.
She should say something. This wasn't like her. Why couldn't she think of anything? She should breathe but, she had to say something, she's worked too hard to be seen as weak now, they can't know that she's doesn't know what to-
"Augh, it's that time already?" Purl looked up at the clock on the wall and hopped off of his cushion. He sucked in a hasty breath through his teeth. "My apologies Vert, but I think we actually will need to take our leave now. Damia, our reservation for the restaurant is only in a few minutes, we should go!"
She blinked at him dumbly. "Wh...uh..."
"O-oh, yeah! Um, we were t-talking so long I didn't realize how hungry I was." Brook hobbled off of his seat as well, and gave her a light pat on her arm. His eyes squinted, but something gentle replaced his usual anxiety. "Let's go."
Her fellow Guild Heads made their way to the door. She almost made to get up to follow, but something in her screamed that it would be a sign of surrender. Cowardice to flee from something she couldn't beat.
"Damia, enjoy your meal." Vert's voice put the thought to rest. She pursed her lips and nodded at him, and then at the rest of those present before she stood up to her full height.
"Right," she said, and started to walk to the door. Across from her, Damon turned and seemed to restrain himself from getting up after her.
"Damia." She turned at him, and could only hold up a somewhat flimsy wave goodbye.
"Damon, we'll...talk later." That was all she could muster at the moment. Thankfully it seemed to placate the Charizard, who simply nodded and returned his attention to the table. She met up with Purl and Brook at the exit of the room and followed them out into the hallway.
Silence reigned for a moment in the meeting room in the wake of their sudden departure. Cortana broke it after a few moments of shuffling her papers in contemplation.
"You have chosen very interesting Pokemon to lead operations in your guild, Veritas," she commented. The lights on her arms and chest pulsed a deep blue. "They are each distinct and driven in their own ways, though I cannot help but notice they are very young as well. I did some light research, and even the oldest among them, Wartortle, is only thirty-five."
"Most Guildmasters would choose those with years of experience in their chosen specialties to share leadership, although perhaps the objectives of your guild lends itself better to those with long years of learning ahead," added the Headmaster. Vert grunted at that.
"I only accept those who demonstrate they're willing to learn and are primarily motivated for that very reason. It just so happens that Pokemon with those characteristics also tend to be younger," he replied.
"Such a vetting process would lend itself to a naturally small number of apprentices in house," remarked Beheeyem. "Does this not concern you in establishing yourself moving forward?"
"There's pros and cons. For one, it means I can focus on my individual apprentices and more effectively mentor them," said Vert. He looked up at her and inclined his head. "How are things managed in your-"
CRASH!
The window on the side shattered as a small form exploded through it to land with a bounce on the table. Vert had enough time to recognize it as Pandora before the far larger form of Havok crashed through what remained of the window to land on top of her. The force of his weight caused the table to give up and collapse on itself amidst a pile of broken wood and shattered glass.
Neither Pandora or Havok seemed to care, as they both wore fierce, borderline manic expressions on their faces as they grappled for supremacy. Pandora cackled as she hung on to Havok's tusks, preventing him from pulling away from her as his position left him a bit compromised, only able to swipe and scrape at the table and the edges of her cotton. An eye that had started to swell, several bruises, and what looked like a missing tooth were Pandora's trophies for this battle, along with significantly less cotton on her small frame.
Haxorus' battle scars seemed a bit more severe. Blood dripped from his mouth and past his cracked tusks onto the table, one of which seemed to have the end chipped off entirely. His left arm seemed bent at an unnatural angle, and purple wounds had flared up all along his body down to his crooked tail.
Despite all this, his eyes burned with blood-lust tapered with elation. His deep, raucous laugh filled the room.
"Hah HAH! I'd like to see you slip out of this, you cocky little imp!" he roared.
"Do you want me to break the other one? Do you!?" screeched Pandora, eyes blazing and mouth wide open in a smile. She tugged on the broken tusk which caused him to wince, and as an added insult repeatedly kicked him in the face with her small legs hard enough to make him flinch each time. She arched her body just enough to make eye contact with Vert. "Vert, darling, watch me break the bastard's other tusk!"
"I'm watching, dear. I'm watching," stated Vert. A smile bloomed on his face at the sight of his dear Partner doing what she loved, particularly because he knew it was partially on his behalf.
Beheeyem merely moved her papers away before they got scrunched by the rubble and observed the fight with a curious tilt of her head. Meanwhile, Headmaster Wigglytuff pinched his forehead and released a tired groan, not looking forward to how the press would take this incident.
"F-father! Control yourself!" cried Damon, flapping his wings in surprise. "This is no way to treat anyone from the Absol Guild, we're supposed to be collaborating with them, remember? Please stop this disrespect at once!"
"Eh? What are you whining about, boy?" Havok managed to tilt his body just enough to bring his elbow over Pandora's head. Her head snapped back with each strike of his elbow on her face, yet he kept his attention on Damon. "Dueling with this one is one of the most honorable things I've seen from this guild. I was convinced everyone there barring your sister was a weakling once I brought Veritas down with such ease, yet it seems I was clearly mista-"
Before the word left his mouth, a ball of pink grew between him and Pandora before he was abruptly shunted up and out of the room with the force of a Moonblast. Pandora got to her feet, and only coughed up a bit of blood onto the table before she hopped over to the significantly larger hole in the window.
"Please! Tell me how you brought down my Veritas, I'd love to hear it!" she yelled, and then jumped out of the building towards her opponent.
The room had turned into a war zone from the very brief interruption; glass hung and fell from the window frame to shatter on the ground, and the torn map fluttered off of the broken table to the ruined floor.
Damon hunched over himself, claws dug deep into his forehead as he dearly wished he could simply leave, while the Headmaster and Vert looked out at the window with expressions of dread and wonder respectively.
"If I recall, we still have some items on tonight's agenda," spoke Cortana in a neutral tone. She arranged her notes on a piece of the table not entirely cracked, and addressed everyone with a tilt of her head.
"If there are no more interruptions, shall we continue?"
The warm night air washed over Damia's scales in a way that calmed her mind. She followed Purl and Brook wordlessly as they left the administrative building and walked down one of the wide city streets. Their steps clacked on the brick as they passed closed establishments on either side, their way lit by lamps and moonlight.
Purl hummed a light tune as he sauntered along next to her. Brook kept his eyes on the ground, claws intertwined. He clearly wanted to say something, but neither of them had said anything since leaving the meeting. She replayed their departure multiple times internally, yet the shame she expected to feel wasn't there.
Only gratitude.
"...Thanks," she murmured. One of Purl's ears flicked.
"It's nothing, really," he responded. His head tilted and he winked up at her. "It was getting stuffy in there, hmm?"
"Are you feeling better?" asked Brook. Damia hummed in thought.
"I…don't know. I do feel a little bad for almost making us miss our reservation."
"Ah…well, there wasn't actually a reservation, I just said that so we could bow out gracefully," said Purl.
She huffed a short laugh at that. "There is now. I want to eat with you two. It's been a while." She angled her snout up to the sky. "There are a few things on my mind I think I want to talk out with you."
"Dinner in Atlas, how exciting! Where are we going?"
"You'll see. I know a place," she said, and took the lead as she led them through the Atlas city streets.
In contrast to the grid-like streets of Lumbell city with its towering high rise buildings, navigating the winding roads of Atlas was a different experience altogether. Once Damia stepped off of the main street that the administrative building was on, it seemed like they entered a maze of tightly packed colorful buildings, often topped with domes. Purl and Brook's legs moved double time to keep up with her as she led the way through the narrow footpaths like a fish through water. Especially impressive as she often had to maneuver under low wooden bridges or banners directly above despite her size.
What Pokemon that were out at this time didn't seem bothered at all by the limited breathing room, and didn't bat an eye as the occasional brush or shove against the large dragon who blazed a path forward.
Eventually they came across a slight widening of the cramped path they were on, enough to fit a few tables and seats in front of an establishment that looked to be carved directly out of a large rock formation. Colorful beads draped down the door frame, and the images of foodstuffs engraved on the surface of the stone gave it a cozy and very literal hole-in-the-wall aesthetic, which Purl in particular enjoyed. Damia lowered her head to enter, the two right on her heels.
"What is this place?" asked Brook as they walked down a short flight of stone stairs. The air felt warm, and the scent of something savory hit his nostrils.
"Gold Rock. Came here more when I was younger, when we would visit the city after training most of the week in the Guild. Their food is good, but I like it because it's out of the way," she responded. They alighted in front of a counter with a tired-looking Numel behind it. He perked up as Damia's large form loomed over him.
She asked for a table, and the Numel led them into the eating area with a few menus in his mouth. Bright lamps illuminated the humble-sized room, decorated with elaborate rugs and streamers that hung from the low ceiling.
No other Pokemon were present, yet they were still led towards a large table towards the back that had enough seating room for Damia to lounge on her side, which she did so with a low sigh. Purl sat on his haunches and inspected the menu thoroughly while Brook wiggled his shell in the cushion to get comfortable.
The waiter asked if they needed some time to decide what they wanted. Purl licked his lips as he perused everything on offer.
"Ooh, it all looks delicious but I can't decide. Damia, what do you recommend?"
Damia didn't even open her menu. "Aspear curry. Everything is good, but the spice on that one is handled perfectly. Hits you hard and fast, makes sure you'll feel it."
"Oh, really?" Brook closed his menu and slid it to the center with a light smile. "I'll have that, then," he told the waiter.
Damia sent a side-eye to Purl. "Although, maybe we should get you something a little milder, Purl. I know you're a baby when it comes to spice, so..."
"I will also be having the aspear curry, thank you very much!" The Sylveon slid his menu over with his nose up. "I'll have you know I've been training my palette. You know, before the three months of prison food."
She grunted in reply. Numel sent them an odd look, but took the menus and walked off. Purl waited a bit to make sure he was out of earshot and they were completely alone before he leaned forward on the table.
"So, now that we're all comfortable, I think it would be good to address what's on all our minds," he started with a look towards Damia. "The very sudden, very adamant, assertion that the guild should relocate to Recurve Town. Or whatever it is."
"Refrain Town," corrected Brook.
"Yes, that. I do agree with Vert, that isn't quite like you to just throw something out there without a solid reason."
"Also, it seemed like we didn't really talk through the p-part where there are outlaws that have t-taken over," said Brook, brows furrowed. "That's dangerous and a r-risk. I'd really like to know where your confidence comes from when you-"
"Celebi told me."
Damia's words stunned them for a few moments.
"Celebi...from the stories?" ventured Purl. She nodded. His ears flicked, and his blue eyes stared at the table, flummoxed. "But...how? When would that have happened?"
"During the meeting," she said. At their confused glances, she elaborated. "She stopped time, we talked, she unstopped time, we kept going."
"Oh...wow," murmured Brook. "Um, you don't seem very b-bothered by that whole thing."
"Try facing off against a Legendary hell bent on destroying you. It changes your perspective on a few things. Not that Celebi was all that intimidating," she said, and huffed. "There's something in Refrain Town that she said would enable my team to meet with Dialga themselves, and also that solving their little outlaw issue would be good for the Guild's image. I came around to the idea after some discussion, but I know how crazy it sounds."
"Yes, well, we appreciate you being upfront about it." Purl released a dramatic sigh and fell down onto the table, paws against his head. "To be honest, I still don't know how to feel about having one of our own chosen by a Legendary. And, for how complicated our lives are becoming because of it, I can't help but be amazed at how Lumi carries himself through it all. I'd just about fold under the pressure if I was some god's chosen Pokemon. How is he able to be so calm all the time?"
To both of their surprise, Brook let out a shaky, raspy chuckle, "Heh, you should have seen him before he went up to speak at the trial. It's like he didn't even know, or care, that he was in a c-courthouse." His expression sobered. "I hope he's doing okay...that your whole team is doing okay, if you're getting involved in this kind of thing."
"Lumi knows how to keep his cool, but I plan to have a long conversation with my team later about this thing with Dialga and Celebi. I want us to know we're on the same page and taking care of each other moving forward," she said, and tapped her claw on the table with a frown. "Speaking of being on the same page, I wanted to ask you two about what your plans are for the future. The three of us represent the Absol Guild's leadership, but I can't pretend to know what that will look like in the near future. If there's anything you were thinking of doing or...maybe just anything you want to get off your chest, now is a good time to do it."
Purl let out an intrigued hum, a sparkle in his eye. "It seems our time in jail made our resident broody dragon more thoughtful. I approve!"
Damia's yellow tail reared back to lightly swat him on the head, but he only grinned further and gestured to her with a paw.
"Why don't you go first then, since you're setting such a good example?"
She narrowed her eyes, but groaned and buried her chin slightly in her elbow.
"Fine, I...look I just want to get this out the way now." She turned to Brook and sucked in a deep, somewhat shaky breath. "You. At the trial, with...everything. I had known of the Raiders when I was young, it was hard not to. They were terrible, and what you did for them was terrible. You admitted as much."
Brook nodded, regret in his eyes, yet he didn't retreat in his shell like she would have expected. "You were pardoned of all those things by selling them out, which led to their defeat, and led my mother to her death. You did a good thing, and-"
Her breath hitched. Frustration manifested as a low growl. This was harder than she thought.
"I know you did the right thing. I know you're not the one who killed her. I know that, and I feel so immature for even being bothered by this. I don't hate you. But the fact that I only learned about this now, with everything else going on, I don't…really know what to feel. I want to keep working with you, it's just very difficult to look at you how I did before."
She finished with a long, low breath, careful to keep her expression neutral. Despite this, she couldn't stop how her right arm shook slightly. Something squeezed it, and she glanced down to see it wrapped in one of Purl's ribbons. A wince flashed across his face, likely not expecting the surge of her frustration and sorrow at that moment, but he clamped down on it with remarkable quickness and sent her an encouraging smile.
Her eyes narrowed. She'd always been careful not to let Purl touch her with his feelers, the idea of someone knowing her emotions flying against every instinct to protect and not show weakness. She would have snatched her arm away and told him off, if not for how the action helped anchor her thoughts and steady her arm.
She scoffed internally. Clara better reward her for being so open with her feelings. This sucked.
"I understand," Brook said after a moment. It seemed to take visible effort for him to maintain eye contact with her. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry to you and your family, and I'm sorry that's all I can say. You're right to feel everything you do. If you or your family did hate me, I wouldn't blame you, I've spent most of my life hating myself for everything. Still do."
He breathed in deep and grabbed onto his arm. "To be honest, ever since I've known you and who you actually were, I've always had a fear that you would find out. That anyone would, every day for the past fifteen years, I've had the thought that if people actually knew who I was and what I'd done, they would abandon me or worse. So if you don't want to see or talk to me again, I'd get it."
"But, if you are willing to still work with me, then I'll do my best to try and help others. Working with the Beheeyem Guild seems like a good start, I've had some plans for a while of how to use Aether to enhance produce growth for a while now. Researching the impacts of its spread on affected environments also seems like something my branch could help with, so I'll likely focus efforts there as well."
Damia listened intently as Brook stared at the table to gather his words. It occurred to her halfway through that his usual stutter was nowhere present. She would have thought it would have flared up even more when talking about this.
"I know it can't make up for any of what I did. I don't expect it to, anyway. I just want to be better than what I was before. Everyone at the guild has been so generous in giving me a second chance, so I just want to make it worth it."
His eyes met hers again. A hint of anxiety replaced the resolve that briefly shone seconds before, and his head retreated a bit into his shell. "That was p-probably more than you wanted to hear from me. S-sorry..."
"It's fine. I... feel better that we talked about it." The lightness in her chest attested to her words. Her and Brook shared one more small nod, but sniffles to the side tore her attention away. Purl cleared his nose as he wiped tears away from his eyes, a warbly smile on his face.
Damia rolled her eyes, particularly as his grip on her arm had only gotten tighter.
"Purl. Let me go."
"S-sorry, I'm just..." Another sniffle. "Just so proud of both of you. I remember the early days when Damia seemed like she wanted to fight everyone there, and how it looked like a stiff breeze could knock you over, Brook."
"Yes, and I remember you spending more time making out with your mirror than doing any actual work," groused Damia. "Now let go of me."
He did so with flair. "I suppose now it's my turn to release all of the bottled up emotions I've had roiling in my heart for so long?"
"I-if you want. But, um, maybe don't release too much? There's n-not a lot of napkins," murmured Brook.
"Oh don't worry about that, it's nothing messy. Frankly it's rather embarrassing, not nearly as dramatic as what you two have going on." The Sylveon sighed, and slumped until his chin rested on the surface of the table. "Oh, I'm elated we have our freedom, but what sick irony that I find myself without that artist's drive! All that time spent in that stupid, boring cell has drained me of my motivation and creativity. How can I say I'm on a voyage to make the world a more beautiful place when I'm lost, adrift in a sea of apathy and uncertainty with my craft? I feel like a sham..."
"Hmmm. So bad he's resorted to metaphor. That's unfortunate," said Damia, shaking her head in sympathy.
"We all get a block of some k-kind, Purl. It's normal." Brook attempted to give the brooding eeveelution an encouraging smile. "When I struggle with thinking of a project, I just think about a need or a problem that I could help address, and that tends to help. Can you think of anything like th-that?"
"The biggest problem I can think of is pushing the Absol Guild reputation forward," He pulled his head off the table and fixed his companions with wide eyes. "Oh sure, the verdict said we're cleared of everything and said some nice words about us, but we still have an entire image to build from the ground up, you two. The more we can show the amazing, beautiful things about what we do, the more opportunities that could lead to, like more funding and resources for our branches, or even new members!"
His tongue pushed the inside of his cheek. "Perhaps I've been thinking too subtle. Maybe I should put Damia and her team in matching scarves, or even a full body ensemble..."
Potential fabrics and designs sped through his mind, and he idly eyed Damia's form. "...You know, you wouldn't look bad in a leotard. It'd be sure to draw attention."
"Over my dead body." Damia narrowed her eyes at him. "Nobody wants to see all that anyway."
"I can think of one person," he murmured to himself with a grin, and then louder continued. "Oh, but won't you at least let me design something for your team? Perhaps an alternate to our guild scarf for Team Nova? You'll be out in the field more than in the workshop, won't you? I can't think of better publicity than our resident heroes out and about, after all."
"I don't know that for sure. I'm still trying to figure out how to balance my duties as Guild Head with being on a Team," she said, and glanced down. "I don't want to neglect any of my responsibilities, but at the same time I know my Team is capable. We could do alot of good and make Pokemon see what the Absol Guild can really do."
"I'm sure if you s-speak to Pandora and Vert about it, they'll understand," said Brook. "If you need to step out to go do something like an expedition, I'm sure we could support you."
"Exactly! If you must heed the call of adventure, don't worry your pretty little head about the Dynamo Branch. Brook and I are more than capable of making sure it doesn't implode without you there." Purl gave a swift salute, but Damia remained dubious.
"I don't want you anywhere near my branch. You'd cover everything in streamers and glitter or something."
"Oh, it was a-actually more put together than that. He used rhinestones to coat your anvil, and even installed a fluffy purple carpet in your workshop!" clarified Brook, who had thought the whole makeover of Damia's workshop was a sweet gesture. "Well, there were a few ribbons here and th-there, but it was mostly...um..."
From across the table, Purl repeatedly cut a paw across his mouth in a 'zip it' gesture with wide, fearful eyes. It became very obvious why as it seemed the storm that brewed in Damia's eyes exuded physical pressure that eroded whatever specks of confidence he might have had.
"...Um...I mean..."
Damia's eyes sliced towards the Sylveon. "Purl?"
"O-Oh! Look, our food's here, yum!" he rubbed his stomach with a nervous chuckle as their Numel waiter arrived with plates on their back. Oblivious to the mounting tension, the tired Numel calmly distributed out their plates of steaming curry and water, nodded, and trotted back to his post.
At this point, Damia had sat up to her full height and glared a hole right in Purl's pink and white bowtie.
"Purl, what did you do to my workshop?"
"Wow, this curry is so delicious!" He shoveled spoonfuls of curry into his mouth with the help of his ribbons, determined not to make eye contact with her. "Aspear curry, right? You have such great taste Damia!"
"I swear to Arceus if you laid a paw on my anvil-"
"I mean, really! This is just so...so...oh..." At this point, downing a bunch of spicy curry in such a short amount of time finally caught up to him. He started to pant with his mouth open, tongue on fire, and his eyes started to water.
"That's uh...that's a little hot..." he gulped, beat his chest, nose sniffling, and reached for a cup of water.
Damia lightly grabbed the cup and slid it just out of reach. From the side, Brook let out an audible gasp.
"Actually Purl, it's a custom not to drink until you've completely finished that curry." Something evil lurked beneath Damia's words.
"Wh-what?"
"In fact..." she snatched his chin in her claw, then brought his plate close to his mouth with the other. "You're actually supposed to take bigger bites than that. Much. Bigger."
With his mouth now boiling and tears streaming down his face, Purl could only whine and paw at her claw. He met her cold, ruthless gaze with as much pity as he could muster.
"...Mercy," he whispered.
Damia tilted the plate.
Brook took very guilty (and hearty) bites of his curry as he watched one of the more brutal forms of torture he's witnessed play out before his eyes.
A/N: This is unironically the most Havok has ever respected any member of the Absol Guild.