- Chapter 8: Trust your Gut -
If there was a dictionary with the word "Mightyena", Dusk would be the photographic example.
The wrinkles on his muzzle, the snarl, the claws of his paws firm on the ground…he was the true definition of his species. Krista didn't notice it before, but the Mightyena before her had been in countless battles. His fur was shiny and healthy, but she could see the few scars the fur could not cover. And his eyes—his eyes held so much fury, he made Howler look tame. Every strand of fur on Krista's body was rising, but her body wouldn't move.
(No! No!)
Her mind kept screaming the same thing. From the moment Dusk made his declaration, it was the one word playing on loop in her head. She took another step back as his red eyes fell on her.
(No! No! NO!)
It vanished. Dusk face had relaxed. Krista was sure that if she blinked, she would have missed the change.
"Hm, yes. I think I know just how much we need to work on," Dusk said, his tone a stark contrast compared to how it was just a moment ago. "My first tip to you: Do not give in to your impulses, Meowth. Listen to your logic."
(What?) Krista was far more confused by his attitude shift than what he just told her. (Talk about taking an about-face! What was that?)
Dusk sniffed at her, which made Krista step back in response. "Hmm. You are naturally afraid of me, because of our ancient rivalry. Do not let that primal fear claim you when you know I am not a threat to you."
Ancient rivalry? Canines and felines were always opposing forces, but it meant nothing at that moment. Krista knew it couldn't have been her instincts that made her pull back. Dusk looked half an inch away from snapping his fangs at her face—she was sure. Her fear wasn't irrational. Anyone would react the same way.
"As it seems, you have much to learn about yourself before you can venture far beyond the complex walls," he said. "From what I've seen so far, you behave almost as a transformed Ditto would. Anyone else would miss it if they didn't have good eyes; You are disconnected from your body."
Disconnected?
To hear it from Dusk was just another blow against her spirit. Was it that obvious?
"Relax your muscles. Your paws are too tense," Dusk instructed.
Krista took a look at them. She couldn't understand what he could possibly mean. They didn't feel tense, but she knew Dusk told her that for a reason
So she focused on relaxing her paws. At first, she wasn't sure how it would be possible when she didn't feel any form of strain. But then, she figured it would be similar to releasing an object held between her fingers. She just had to let it go.
The claws sheathed. Krista gasped.
"Oh, wow! You did it, Krista!" Pineno cheered.
The claws! They were gone! She tilted and flipped her paws in front of her face. It was such a small action, but the visual difference was large. Just by patting her face, she was able to take in just how soft her paws truly were.
"Ah, see? Must feel nice, doesn't it?" Dusk asked. "Now, I need you to be able to bring them out again. Don't think too much of it. It's as simple as stretching and reaching for something."
Reaching? Like stretching her fingertips?
The claws were back out. Krista almost held her breath. She relaxed her paws afterwards, and the claws were sheathed once again. She repeated the motion, watching as they surfaced and vanished on command.
A small laugh escaped her. It was a small victory, but it was a first big step at the same time. Krista didn't know how a simple action could bring so much relief, but it did. She was slowly gaining control of body!
"How did you know?" Krista asked him through her joy.
"Not that hard," he said. "Knew a few felines. I figured you were having trouble, because no feline would willingly walk around with their claws out. They only seem to have them out when they are angry, or getting ready to strike. Or in your case…unable to relax. You have a lot of tension."
Krista played around with the motion of her claws. It was truly as simple as a mere flick. It felt a bit strange, like the softest prickle from the tips of her paws.
"It's good to allow your body to relax sometimes," Dusk said. "If you are constantly on guard, you will find it hard to find peace in yourself. Sleeping becomes a challenge, and that will have a negative impact on your battling skills. If your mind becomes too rampant, you are unable to react when you need to. That's how you become an easy target."
Krista almost missed it. Dusk spun around so fast, and he knocked Pineno off his feet using his body.
"Ow!" Pineno hit the ground. He sat up in a hurry, angry. "What was that for?!"
"If you are too relaxed, then you have no anchor on the ground," Dusk answered. "An ambushing enemy can easily knock you off balance and finish you off right here, just before your mind can process what hit you. It's good to be aware of your surroundings, especially when you are inside a mystery dungeon. Wild creatures can and will jump out at any time. If anyone is the most attuned to their instincts, it would be them."
Krista helped Pineno to his feet as Dusk continued onward through the maze. They followed close behind, a fair distance out of mild fear of being struck again. Pineno rubbed his chest with a soft scowl.
"The Headmaster told me that you two crossed paths on the way here. Do you wish to tell me how you met?" Dusk asked.
Krista knew he was asking for a reason, so she answered. "I met Pineno when he was unconscious just outside that dungeon."
"Yep. Krista gave me an oran berry," Pineno confirmed. "And after that, we got ambushed by the Staravia and its buddies."
Dusk looked over his shoulder. A frown was on his face. "That was your first mistake. Entering any mystery dungeon alone is a life hazard. You are extremely lucky you passed out in the outskirts the way you did. Had it been inside the dungeon, you would have been sucked within the distortion. There's no way out of that."
"Yeah." Pineno lowered his head in shame. "We were told."
"That's why we wear our badges. They are literal life-savers. Not just for us, but for trapped Pokémon as well. But keep this in mind; We formed teams for a reason. Usually, if your partner faints, you will retreat alongside them so you won't be separated. It's a safety precaution, I hope you understand."
Krista looked down at the badge attached to her chest. Could it really do that? It sounded a lot more like magic than technology. Was it even technology?
As they entered another room, Dusk came to a stop. "Ah. Here we are. Team Retribute, take a look ahead of you. What do you see?"
Team Retribute. Krista had forgotten about the name she gave the team. It sounded strange to be addressed that way.
She looked at his direction, and her eyes fell on a strange white and black bodied creature that crossed its paws over with every step. She thought she saw a Pokémon like that before, but it looked wrong for some reason. She couldn't recall it ever having a star-like marking around its glowing red eyes. Its tongue was constantly out as it moved about. Was it sick?
"It's a Zigzagoon!" Pineno gasped.
"That's a Zigzagoon?" Krista could see the resemblance, but it still puzzled her.
"Ah, right. You've never seen this subspecies before, have you?" Dusk asked. "I had the same reaction you did when I first saw one. That is indeed a Zigzagoon. Unlike its docile cousin, this variant likes to pick fights."
"What?" Krista didn't like that.
The Zigzagoon had stopped moving. It spotted them. The fur on its body bristled as it growled and charged.
"Whoa, whoa!"
Dusk took a step back. "I will not help you. I need to observe your abilities here and now, so show me what you are capable of."
"W-wait a second!" Krista realized the wild Pokémon was heading right towards her. It held the same aggressive eyes the Nidoran did back in the forest. She took several steps back, trying to find a safe route to avoid it. She made the mistake of locking eyes with it—she couldn't move.
A vine snapped and struck the Zigzagoon off its feet. Pineno charged forward as he called his vines back. He leaped out the way to avoid a bristling tackle. He rammed his body against it in return. The wild Pokémon was sent to a tumble on the ground before it lay flat, dazed
"Ah, you're a natural, Chespin!" Dusk praised him.
Pineno turned to face him with a smile. "Thanks!"
Krista felt the heat of embarrassment flooding her face. She didn't do a thing, again.
"Meowth," Dusk called. "The next wild creature we encounter, I want you to fight it. I know it's scary, but trust me, you aren't helpless. Trust your claws."
He was right. Krista knew he was right. She wasn't much help back in Rocky Riverside, where Pineno and Slowking did all the fighting for her. The dojo was the perfect opportunity for her to learn to fight for herself. She didn't have a choice in the matter, she was going to be stuck in a Pokémon body for only the gods know how long.
But, if she was going to be training under Dusk for some time, she wasn't sure how much longer she could tolerate being addressed as Meowth. She knew it was the default. She knew it was probably Dusk's way of being polite, but it struck a nerve every single time.
"Mr. Dusk…" she finally braved herself to say.
"Yes?" He was listening.
"Can you just…call me by my name?"
Dusk gave her a puzzled look as he tried to make sense of the question. He moved his shoulders in a way that was a shrug, perhaps. "Well, if that is what you prefer, I can't see why not."
Krista sighed. She already felt better.
Basic Maze - 2F
Due to the lack of activity on the first floor, Dusk navigated the children through the many corridors and crossed several rooms until he found the staircase. The moment they surfaced on the second floor, he didn't hesitate to share his change of plans.
"Since you are the team leader, you'll take the lead for now on."
Krista felt the slightest nudge that pushed her forward. She looked back at Dusk, but all he did was give her a smile. She only took a few steps when Dusk gave his next advice.
"It's vital that you don't just walk aimlessly. And before you correct me, yes. We know the layouts in these dungeons are forever-changing. We can't control that. What I mean is, it's important for you to observe your surroundings before you proceed. When you lead, you are the first set of eyes. The rest of the team relies on the leader to react first. But, at the same time…"
He turned around, and he nudged Pineno back.
"You will remain in the rear. It's just as dangerous as the front. Some will try to ambush us from behind, and it's important that you are the eyes on the back of Krista's head."
"Ok. Got it!" Pineno said.
"This is the power of the buddy system," Dusk said. "Remember. I am merely your guide. I will not interfere unless I have to. I want to see what you can do."
(He's constantly observing us, searching for every flaw we have,) Krista thought as she checked the corridor walls before she creeped forward. She tried her best to ignore the stabbing underneath her feet. (He's an expert with this, so I have to trust his advice.)
"Hey, Mr. Dusk?" Pineno's distant voice called.
"Yes, Chespin?" Dusk answered. "Or…would you rather me call you by your nickname as well?"
"Oh. I don't mind either way," Pineno said. "But I'm curious. What's a Zigzagoon doing in a place like this when it's primarily a Pokémon of darkness?"
Dusk hummed. "Good question. I believe it has a lot to do with how a long time ago, its more common cousin used to reside within these dungeon walls too."
"Used to?"
"The more-docile species likely vanished due to its more-aggressive counterpart claiming more territory. Such a phenomenon has been seen time after time. I do believe that Krista's species were also chased out of their territory by their more-cunning cousin. We thought we wouldn't see them anymore, well, until she walked in with our Headmaster recently."
"Is there a reason for this happening?" Krista asked, a bit disturbed by the context she was finally given. It was no wonder everyone was staring at her.
"Territorial disputes happen all the time among the wilds. It's something that has been observed for centuries. It's only natural that populations come and go. But Pokémon like us, who are sentient, have learned to cooperate and come to a compromise. We've built villages and cities—countless communities where we can live and thrive without worrying too much about where our next meal is coming from. We don't have to migrate anymore because we have the proper shelters to protect us from the elements. These are all the reasons we have learned to overcome unnecessary instincts. We have learned that we can thrive within the same space. You remember the anthem, don't you?"
"The anthem…" Krista doesn't remember the words all too well. The melody, on the other hand, was strong in her head. But, before she could answer, she caught the sight of something from the corner of her eye. She had stopped walking before she realized it.
They had entered a large room. There didn't seem to be anything out of place about it. It held the same flat walls that were lined with torches. The ground remained rough and uncomfortable. It was what she saw laying near the corner of the room that stood out.
She approached it. Nobody stopped her, so perhaps it was safe. As she got closer, she could identify it as an object similar to the sort Crush gave her before. It didn't hold the same brilliant colors. Instead, behind the glass seal, she felt intense pressure that trembled ever so slightly beneath her paws. It was on the verge of bursting. At the very core, she could see subtle shifting—no, it was moving too fast for her eyes to follow. It was some sort of vortex.
Dusk hovered over her for a closer look. "Looks like a blowback orb."
"A blowback orb? I think I've heard that name before," Pineno said. "But what does it do?"
"I'm surprised you know what it is. It's not common knowledge. This particular wonder orb has gone scarce."
"Scarce?"
"They haven't been mass-produced in decades. For what reason they've stopped making them, we don't know. It's a very old model compared to the other orbs you'll come across."
Krista tensed. What she was holding…was it recalled? Was it because it was faulty?
"Don't worry, it won't burst. It feels like it will, but it's completely harmless. You can toss that thing across this room, and it won't break. These wonder orbs—especially the older models—are near impossible to destroy. They only shatter once activated. The one in your hand will unleash an intense gust that will send your enemy flying out of your sight. It's pretty intense from what I remember, so not a lot of teams enjoy using it. For it to be within this dojo must mean it had been dropped some time ago. You should hold on to it. You'll never know when you'll need it."
Dusk had turned his back and lowered his body. He was offering his bag to her, to put it away.
But Krista didn't want to let it go. Despite how scary it felt as she held it, the glass it was made from shimmered in every way. Parting with it, just to hand it to someone else, it felt wrong.
"You let your instincts hold you when you see shiny things, but you refuse them in battle. What a strange priority." Dusk lowered his head and took the orb gently between his jaws. He had to yank it free from her paws just to put it away. "Don't worry. I'll give it to you once this session is over."
Krista frowned. He better.
After checking the room and traveling through many corridors, they encountered another Pokémon—a Yungoos. The strange rodent spotted them and arched its back with a hiss. Pineno was ready to step in, but Dusk stepped in his way.
"She will have to fight this one on her own," he said.
Krista wasn't sure what her first move should be. The simple idea of fighting made her legs shake with every cautious step she took. What was she supposed to do? She knew she had claws, but would it be enough?
The Yungoos had enough of waiting. It sprung forward with a hiss. It held a horrifying red glare. Several pointed teeth lunged—teeth that could tear through her body. The hiss ripped through her ears. She already felt her neck burning.
Krista screamed and ran behind Dusk. The Yungoos stopped pursuing her, glaring at Dusk with intensity.
Krista felt the soft brush of fangs. She sprung from the ground with a scream—or at least, she would have. Her body had completely shut down on her. Her heart hammered against her chest as she failed to do as much as twitch a foot. She wanted to demand what was going on, but no words came out.
(I…I can't move! I can't talk! What's going on?! Why can't I do anything?!)
"Mr. Dusk! Put her down!" Pineno cried.
"She neeths toof learn how toof defend herphelf without our helph," Dusk said, with a mouthful of fur. "Iph ephlained phif beefo. You will noph intepher!"
Krista only understood half of those words, but she knew what he was trying to say. She was relieved once she felt the teeth releasing her. In an instant, she had regained control of her body.
"You won't run away again, will you?" Dusk asked her.
"No. I won't." Krista frowned, still unnerved. "And please, don't ever do that again."
"I don't think I will need a reason to. But…you might want to look at what's in front of you."
The Yungoos. Krista had almost forgot!
She turned in time to see the rodent charge right at her. She leapt out the way and avoided its tackle. It staggered on the ground before it turned and charged again. She stepped out of range and felt the brush of its fur.
"You got this, Krista!" Pineno cheered.
"Use your claws!" Dusk barked. "Your claws!"
Krista took a step back as the Yungoos crept closer, but she stopped herself, not wanting to give Dusk a reason to disable her movements again. The claws surfaced with a simple flex of her paws. She raised a paw.
WHAM!
Her entire body rattled as she felt her body slam against the sharp ground. She hissed out as stones dug into her skin. She lifted her head, but a force shoved her back down. The Yungoos had its paws pinned against her chest as it screamed at her.
Hot and putrid, its breath stung her nose. Its many sharp teeth were inches away from her face. Krista fought the urge to close her eyes. She had to see what was going on, even as her mind spiraled for a way out.
(It's so fast!) She latched on to that truth. If she ran, there would be no escape.
Krista kicked out her feet, but no matter how much force she applied, she couldn't push the Yungoos off of her. Meeting its eyes, she felt her muscles lock.
"Don't let it leer at you! Your defenses are wavering!" Dusk barked.
Krista snapped out of the trance. She growled and swung her paw, striking the wild Pokémon across the head. It wasn't enough to knock it away, but it did stagger. She repeated the action with her other paw, and she kicked the rodent off of her.
"Yeah! That's it!" Pineno cheered again.
The wild Yungoos stood and zipped towards her, almost a blur. Before Krista knew it, she was knocked down on the ground again. More stones stabbed her skin, and she wanted to get away from it. But just as she stood again, she was knocked back, and the world was a blur before her body tumbled across the dojo grounds. Fresh, blistering pain pulsed all over her body.
"You're using your eyes too much," Dusk said. "Plant your feet on the ground and listen. Not just with your ears, but with your heart. Close your eyes. Inhale gently through your nose."
Krista looked at him as if he had lost his head. "What kind of advice is that?! You want me to close my eyes?!"
"You have to trust me. I've been in countless battles. At this point, this is natural to me."
Krista heard the Yungoos screaming. Dusk had pinned the rodent down with a single paw, answering the silent question on how she was not attacked during their exchange. He wasn't even trying, and the Yungoos couldn't slip free.
If he got as strong as he did, his advice has to be true, as silly as it sounded.
"Whenever you are ready," Dusk said.
"Listen to your body, Krista!" Pineno shouted.
Krista nodded. She closed her eyes, just as Dusk asked her to.
She had to trust him.
She had to learn how to be a Pokémon.
The screaming had stopped. The Yungoos cried out and hit the ground somewhere, far to Krista's right. Dusk must have kicked it.
She heard it shift on the ground. She heard the tiniest growl. She took a deep breath to calm her drumming heart. She had to focus on the Yungoos. She had to listen for it. She had to feel the ground, no matter how uncomfortable it made her.
The ground was drumming. It was coming closer. Rapid breathing came close before the drumming stopped.
It stopped?
No. It was…in the air!
Krista opened her eyes and swung upwards. She felt the claws connecting, tearing. She almost winched as she felt the fur snap. The Yungoos screamed. It fell to the ground.
It laid there, confused and dazed. Its breathing was rapid, but it wasn't trying to stand
She…she won?
"Looks like it had enough," Dusk said. "Not bad."
"YEEEEAH!" Pineno sprung from the ground. "You did it! You won your first battle! That was amazing!"
Krista took a look at her paws. For the first time, she felt glad to see them.
… … …
"That's it! Don't rest just yet! Put some force behind your blows!"
Krista and Pineno were fighting a pair of Spearow who decided they didn't enjoy their presence one bit. Dusk called out the ambush, and they were locked into battle as he watched and barked orders.
The Spearow were faster, and they had the advantage of attacking from the air. It wasn't anything new to them, but it wasn't anything they were prepared for either. The Spearow were difficult to read. There was no way of knowing who they were looking at. They would dive and attack with every opening they saw. They didn't ram them with their bodies like the Starly did. It was much, much worse.
Krista felt the Spearow's beak jab against the side of her head. She slammed her paws and crouched down to protect herself, but the Spearow made a quick turn and jammed her flank, knocking her to the ground. It was like she was constantly being attacked by a stick thrown at full-force. Every stab was on the verge of impaling her. It was the worst kind of pain she ever felt.
A sharp cry from Pineno snapped her from her thoughts. He had crouched on the ground and shielded his bruised body. His summoned vines flailed at the Spearow, but it dodged the swing and jabbed him on the back. He screamed and hit the ground.
Krista made her move to help him, but a sharp stab struck her behind the head. It knocked her to the ground.
Pineno saw her fall. He got to all fours before he lunged and tucked his body. As he fell on his back, he instead rolled in a blur as an angry green ball. He kicked a trail of gravel and dust behind him as her pursued the pair of birds, but they noticed his arrival.
They both flew apart, and he crashed against the wall. Pineno fell back on the ground, groaning.
"Those Pokémon are much faster than you! You can't fight your way out with only brute force!" Dusk barked.
"How come they aren't attacking you?!" Krista allowed her frustration to claim her. She tried to attack them again, but they flew out the way. Her body was pushed back as she got pecked again.
"We aren't worried about that! Think! If you can't attack your enemy directly, then what should you do?!"
"I don't know!" Krista screamed. "How am I supposed to answer a question when I don't know?!"
She was struck again. She thought she saw stars.
"Dusk! Dusk! Help me!"
"You do not need me."
"Dusk, please! I can't take this anymore! It hurts!"
"You're fine. Your body can take it!"
WHAM! WHAM!
Krista screamed. She couldn't tell where she was stabbed, but it hurt. Again, she felt her throat burning. It was the strongest it ever was.
She could hear Pineno's pained cries. She was helpless to stop him. Dusk wasn't doing anything.
THUNK!
She reared back. The pain rattled through her forehead. The sound of metal etched in her mind.
Metal…?
As soon as her paws touched the smooth flat surface anchored on her head, she felt her heart sink.
She was in no great danger, but every part of her felt threatened. It didn't hurt, but getting struck there felt insulting. Her mind formed an image; The oval, golden coin dented at the very corner where the beam struck her. Krista almost felt like she could breathe fire.
"Good. It seems you've found it," Dusk said. "Reach deep. Do not hold it back! You feel it, don't you?! Let it go!"
His barking…was getting very annoying.
Krista planted her paws on the ground, and she was on her knees. The Spearow's constant screaming made it hard for her to think. The burning tore through her throat. She allowed it to surface.
Her mouth snapped open, and her growl, from her very core, sounded almost like a roar.
RRRRRROOOOOOOOOOWWWWWL!
The pair of Spearow staggered in the air, forgetting how to fly as they fell to the ground. They turned away from the noise as they squabbled with ruffled feathers.
Krista stopped to catch her breath. She couldn't believe the sound that came out of her own body.
(I did that…?!)
"What are you doing?!" Dusk barked. "Attack them!"
Krista rushed forward with newfound determination. She summoned her claws and swung at one Spearow. Angry that it was attacked, it tried to retaliate. Its partner joined in. Krista is attacked again. On the ground, she glared at them both as her fur started to rise.
RRRRRROOOOOOOOOOWWWWWL!
The primal cry shook the Spearow again. They were more wary with their attacks. Krista swung at them both. They made the hesitant decision to attack her at once.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOGH!
The pair Spearow stopped their attacks, frightened once more. They looked in every direction.
Krista knew that didn't come from her.
Pineno was on his feet, glaring at them both. Despite how badly battered his body was, he took a deep breath, and unleashed the horrible sound again.
Krista joined in, and together, they created a dissonance. The Spearow backed away, timid and meek.
"Finish them!" Dusk barked. "Finish them now!"
Krista and Pineno gave each other a nod, and they rushed forward. Claws and vines were swung.
The Spearows' horrified screams filled the room.
Both birds fell on the ground, beaks and eyes wide open and legs twitching. They wouldn't be able to leave the ground anytime soon.
Dusk joined their side and took a closer look at the defeated Spearow. He gave them a satisfied nod. "Good. Spearow are known for their fast and rapid attacks. You've managed to intimidate them enough for them to hesitate, and that was their downfall. You cannot afford to do that in the middle of a fight."
"Ugh…" Krista felt the rush of battle leaving her. Her entire body felt like it was covered with needles. "I've decided. I really hate birds…"
Dusk laughed as he slung his bag to his chest. His voice was almost muffled as he searched inside. "You'll learn how to counter flying enemies in time. For now, let's keep going."
A pair of Oran Berries were tossed at their feet.
"I found these buried while we were traveling. I have a good nose, so you would have missed it easily. Go on. Eat up. Food doesn't go bad here in most circumstances."
It was still a strange concept, how food never seemed to rot within the distortion. There wasn't the slightest bruise. But while Dusk was very careful about handling them, Krista was almost repulsed.
He handled the berries with his mouth, but what was she expecting from a quadrupled canidae?
The apple Slowking gave her back in Rocky Riverside…did it come from the dungeon floors? How many hands and mouths touched it? And she ate it? And she…
…If she continued to think about it, her body would reject everything at once.
(They aren't human,) she thought. (This is normal to them. You have to…no. Don't think about it. Just eat it. Just…just eat it…just…)
Against her better judgment, she dusted the berry against her chest in a frail effort to clean it. It was shoved into her mouth before she could have second thoughts. It took every ounce of her willpower to not spit it out.
The pain was already ebbing away. The reward overpowered the risk. She watched as her injuries glowed and faded away as rising sparkles of light. What she was before was no illusion after all.
From the corner of her eye, she could see Pineno grooming the dust off his face with his arms. Despite how nasty his injuries were, he didn't seem too bothered by them. Krista was sure those pecks hurt a lot more on him than they did for her. Perhaps it was because she simply wasn't used to battling. Maybe if she battled more, she would develop a better tolerance for pain.
"The dungeon's effects on items is a bit strange, isn't it?" Dusk smiled. "Come on. Let's get some more practice down."
During their venture further through the dojo, they encountered another Zigzagoon. Krista decided to face it herself. Despite the confusing zig-zag movements, she was able to track the strange Pokémon. She knocked it out after her final blow sent it tumbling across the floor.
She was finally getting the hang of it.
Basic Maze - 3F
She wished she could say the same about the surface of the floor.
It still stabbed the pads on her feet, making every step uncomfortable. The only time she could ignore it was in the middle of a battle, but it was only because she didn't have a choice. She made the decision to keep her complaints to herself. It was nothing compared to the assault the Spearow gave her.
"Everybody gather 'round, now everybody, stomp, stomp…" Pineno was a stark contrast. He was having too much fun stomping his way through as he hummed a little melody to himself.
Or maybe he just liked to kick rocks.
"Not used to traveling, Krista?" Dusk asked.
Krista was almost caught off-guard by how naturally he called her. She almost forgot what she asked of him. "It just hurts," she answered. "But I'll be fine."
"You're putting so much weight on your hind legs, that's why. Your body weight needs to be disturbed evenly."
Again with that. Krista sighed and kept walking.
"Come on."
Krista gasped as she was knocked to the ground. She immediately got back to her feet, but she was held down by a paw.
"You don't have to walk on two legs all the time. The same can be said for four. Your species are talented with both. It's just strange that you choose to torment your body for this long. Give it a rest for a while."
Krista didn't like that she was so close to the ground. But she knew if she tried to stand back up, he would just knock her back down again. She had no choice but to keep her paws balanced on the ground. The only comfortable way she could stand was on the tips of her toes once she found that staying flat on her feet was impossible.
It felt weird. Krista already didn't like how the ground felt on her own back feet. The rocks were assaulting her paws with every clumsy step. She wanted to stand back up, but he kept a close eye on her.
"You never really walked like this before, have you?" Dusk asked. "Why is that?"
"Don't know. I've always walked upright." It was the only honest question she could give.
"It's okay! You'll get used to it!" Pineno marched to her side. "I prefer two legs too! But when I have to run with extra speed, four legs helps me stay balanced and sturdy!"
Krista moved back as he dropped to the ground. It seemed he had decided to join her in her strange gate. It was perhaps his way of trying to make her feel better.
It took a few minutes until she found a rhythm that worked for all four legs. It still felt strange, but not so much that it made her uncomfortable.
"When we encounter our next wild, I want you to fight using all four legs," Dusk instructed. "You need to learn grounded tactics as well. It will be good for you. But, you will not be fighting these sets of enemies alone. From this point on, you and Pineno will fight together. This will help you develop strategy and teamwork."
It was a strange change of pace, but his teachings hadn't failed so far.
When they crossed paths with a Zigzagoon, Krista found it odd to move around using all four legs. But what she did discover was how much easier it was to land. Whenever she got knocked in the air, she wouldn't crash. Her body would always correct itself before the fall. The more she dashed around, the more she realized how natural it felt to move. It was strange.
What was even more strange was how her eyes worked. As annoying as it was that she couldn't see distant objects in a clear picture, anything that was at a close range was sharper than she remembered it ever being. Tracking the confusing motions of the racoon wasn't so daunting anymore. With Dusk's advice implemented, Krista found it almost impossible to lose track of a moving target.
With a combination of growls, scratches, and swinging vines, she and Pineno made quick work to bring the Zigzagoon down. It was a stubborn opponent, with tackles that actually stung more than normal.
"This Zigzagoon was a tough one!" Pineno commented once he gathered his breath. "I think this was the strongest one we've faced!"
"Yes, very good observation. The wild creatures that live here seem to increase in strength with every floor. In fact, not many rookie teams make it very far without calling it quits. I'm impressed that the both of you are still standing."
"We're only on the third floor," Pineno said. "How many are there?"
"These dungeons are small, only holding five floors. The first two are somewhat your level. The third is daunting. But the fourth and fifth will destroy you. This is as far as you will go."
"What? But we made it this far already…"
"I understand. But sometimes, it's good to know where your limits stand. If you try to push yourself too far, you will sustain injuries that will become too much for you to endure. You'll be knocked out and sent back to the complex. The badges can only register so much. Its priority is to bring you back to safety, so everything else comes second. So, as a result, you could lose your possessions. The items you see scattered here…they haven't always been here. They once belonged to past Retaliators who had no choice but to retreat."
"You're serious…?" Pineno couldn't believe it.
But Krista understood it. It was the only way they came across the blowback orb. The dojo was very old. It must had seen countless Pokémon travel through them. The items that had been misplaced and scattered, some had to be much older than her.
Eating a century-old oran berry was a possibility that made her head spin.
"But how are we going to get out?" Pineno asked. "If we can't go forward and can't go back, how do we leave?"
"We could use your badges to send us back," Dusk said. "But the risk of losing everything you've found here is just as great, for reasons I've stated before. This is why bringing an escape orb to every exploration is so vital."
"An escape orb? You're talking about what Crush gave us earlier, right? But we don't have it. We couldn't bring it."
"You'll be surprised with how many escape orbs you'll find in these dojos," Dusk said as he pushed his head inside his bag. "Several Pokémon came inside these dungeons just to drop these escape orbs off, so that anyone in trouble could use them if they came across it."
He brought it out for them to see before he placed it back.
"We will stay on this floor a while longer."
Krista and Pineno nodded.
… … …
Dusk remained on the sidelines as he watched the pair fight against a pair of Yungoos. Compared to the Spearow, they were able to stay on their toes a lot better. Dusk would occasionally bark directions, and would only correct them if necessary.
Once the Yungoos were brought down, the pair rejoined him, winded, but still standing. Pineno was grooming his face again, perhaps a way for him to fill the pain.
"Do you have anymore of those oran berries?" Krista asked.
"It's not wise to burn through your resources simply because you have them," Dusk said. "Remember, these dungeons have strange effects on you. Your body should heal on its own soon. And Krista, you may stand again if you'd like. I just needed you to get the feeling of it. That's all."
Krista stood back upright, and she took another look at her paws. She dusted the gravel that clung on to them.
Dusk smiled. "Don't worry. One day, you won't even realize it's there. Your pads will become strong, and not even claws would tear through them so easily."
The continued to walk, and just as Dusk promised, the pain ebbed away. The distortion was rapidly increasing their bodies' healing process.
They encountered more Pokémon. Krista and Pineno worked together to take down a Spearow. It was far worse than facing the previous two on the last four. But with timing and caution, they were able to bring it down.
It was in that battle that Dusk directed her towards a new battle technique he was sure she knew. He told her how she didn't have to strictly rely on her claws. She could instead fake out an attack, making her target second guess its next move. That was when Pineno would move in and finish them off.
She also learned that his rolling technique was called "Roll Out". It was something usually picked up by his species later in battle experience, but he learned it early due to living near wild bird Pokémon. Krista didn't think it was a rock-skill.
After they defeated a pair of Zigzagoon, and a Yungoos down the corridor, Krista found that she was beginning to recognize some of the places they were walking through.
(We are walking in a circle. We actually explored every corner of this floor?)
"Hey, Mr. Dusk," Pineno called.
"Yes, Pineno?" Dusk answered.
"What kind of skills do you know?"
The question caught the Mightyena off guard. He stopped for a second, contemplating on whether or not he should answer. He smiled after a while. "Well, it's nothing that I can teach you."
"I already know that! It's just that you may be so strong, that you have some of the strongest skills out there! Can you show us one? Please?"
"I don't use my skills outside of battle. If you wish to see them, then you will have to reach my level, which won't be anytime soon."
"Oh, come on! That's not fair!"
"It can be your motivation. I might even bring you to one of my missions one day, if you manage to impress me."
"I don't get what there is to hide." Pineno crossed his arms.
"I'm afraid I'm simply too powerful to tease you with such skills, Pineno. If I try to use them in a place like this, I might accidentally destroy something. It's not that I don't want to show you…it's just not safe. I don't exactly know how to hold back. My years of being an Explorer made that incredibly difficult."
Pineno's sour mood changed in an instant. "No way. You're that strong?"
"Afraid so. But that goes for the rest of the associates as well, especially Boomer. I don't think he grasps the concept of holding back at all. Actually…maybe Grove is the only exception. She's not a heavy battler herself. In fact, she prefers not to battle at all. She reminds me of you, Krista."
"Huh. So it's not unheard of for Pokémon to not like battling," Krista said.
"It's not common, but it happens. Some are more docile than others. Of course, this doesn't mean she can't battle. She's still way out of your league, so I don't recommend challenging her or anything. She won't hesitate to kick you to the moon if you try."
They entered a small room. Krista was sure it was the third time they've seen it.
"Mr. Dusk?" Pineno called again.
"I'm listening."
"Who is Boomer? I hear you talk about him so much. Is he your partner?"
Dusk chuckled. "Well, no. He's a Retaliator, not an Explorer. You just don't see him often since he's always out doing field work with Frost and I."
"That's odd. You're the only Explorer that works here?"
"Pretty much."
"Don't you have a team? You're a Mightyena, so you must work with at least one other Pokémon all the time, right?"
Krista almost bumped into Dusk. He had stopped walking. She was about to ask why, but one glimpse at his face, she felt her body lock up.
The air felt tense.
Pineno shrunk. "I'm sorry. Did I say something wrong?"
Several seconds passed before Dusk sighed.
"…No. Your question was a valid one." Dusk kept his focus straight ahead. "It is highly unusual for a Mightyena to operate without a pack. But…here, I am not alone. Yes…I am not alone. Every single one of us joined the corporation for a reason, but it always led to the same thing. It was always related to The Corruption. That is our strongest motive. We will put a stop to it, no matter what it takes."
The powerful gleam in his eyes. It had returned.
Grooogh…
Krista felt herself jump. What was that sound?! She thought she heard it before.
Grooooooooogh…
Pineno realized he was the center of attention. His paws pressed against his stomach as he laughed. "I guess…I'm getting really hungry."
Krista thought she was feeling hungry herself. She remembered the Headmaster talking about it…
"Hm. Yes. I am starting to feel the pains of hunger myself. Won't do any good if we keep going," Dusk said. "I think that's enough of this dungeon. We should head back to the lobby."
He brought out the escape orb between his jaws.
"Come."
Krista and Pineno walked close to him. Dusk tilted his head back, holding the object high above. The core held a brighter glow with every passing second. The colorful specks inside started to spin into ribbons of light. The air sliced, and the orb shattered. Bright, blue light fell upon them like a blanket, swirling into a powerful vortex.
It sang.
Krista didn't know how, but it did. It was as if a chorus held a note that grew louder and louder against her ears. The volume increased further until she couldn't take it. She covered her ears and squeezed her eyes shut.
She felt the ground leave her feet. Just before she could scream, the world vanished.
Grumpig Dojo Lobby
Everything spun. Her head was ringing. Krista staggered and fell on the ground, unable to comprehend any sense of direction.
(This is…this is just like when the Headmaster teleported that one time…)
It took a while for her to steady herself enough to stand straight. Pineno still wobbled on his feet, but Dusk was unphased, amused by their struggle.
Krista looked forward to the day the side-effects wouldn't take a hold of her.
Dusk crossed the lobby room until he stood in front of their pile of belongings. It was left untouched, just as he said it would be. He used his nose to nudge open their bag. Then, he opened his own.
"I'll dump these items into your bag. After a quick snack, we'll gather more items from inside. Doesn't hurt to stock up."
"Wait what?" Krista rubbed her ears. "Say again?"
"We will do it again," Dusk said.
"What? But those Pokémon are hard to fight!"
"Exactly. Your battling needs work. This is the perfect exercise for you both. Until you are battling naturally, we will not stop even when the day is done."
Krista felt the dread sink into her arching bones. Images of the battles looped in her head. She has to shake her skull just to stay in the present.
He couldn't be serious.
Pineno had a dumbfounded look on his face. It at least gave Krista some confirmation that Dusk was perhaps out of his mind.
Dusk smiled as he nudged the blowback orb inside their bag.
"I made my promise, didn't I?"
His promise…?
"Don't worry. I'll give it to you once this session is over."
Session…
He had that planned the entire time?
"I know this seems tough, but this is part of your training. Sometimes Retaliators have to keep fighting, even if they are exhausted. Because no matter what happens, no matter how bleak things become, we will always prevail."
Krista stood, stunned. Pineno wore a nervous smile.
(He's going to kill us.)
… … …
"Oh dear! Dusk, what have you put these poor children through?!"
Krista knew she looked exhausted, but she didn't think she looked half dead until Kangaskhan had to lift her from the ground.
Her entire body was sore. They left the dojo and crossed the marketplace just to reach the warehouse, but even that was a pain. Her body didn't want to cooperate. Every time she closed her eyes, she would see a Spearow diving towards her.
She really hated Spearow.
"Ahahaha!" Dusk bounded to the counter. "I was training the new recruits today! Although I will admit, I may have gotten a little bit overboard."
Krista shot him a glare. (A little bit? You lie.)
She was jealous of Pineno. She hated to think it, but she was. The Chespin didn't seem like he ran out of stamina. In fact, taking damage in battles never seemed to phase him too much at all. He was tough. It was likely due to who his father was, or maybe Krista wasn't used to so much labor.
"I came here to drop off these items in Team Retribute's behalf. They are too exhausted to do it themselves." Dusk tossed their bag on the countertop, followed by his own bag.
Kangaskhan gasped and took a step back. The baby in her pouch recoiled back, startled by the loud noise. "Oh, my! This is so much! Were you in the dojo all day?!"
"Of course! It's another clean up!"
"Nonsense!" Kangaskhan slammed her fist on the surface, scaring Dusk silly. Her baby copied the motion, only slinging at the air. "I thought I told you before to go easy on the new recruits! Do you want the same incident to repeat itself?! How will you explain to the Headmaster if these two children decide to run away too?!"
(What?) Krista frowned.
"I uh…have my doubts that they would up and leave. These kids have very strong motives. I can see it—"
"Nonsense!" Kangaskhan and her baby struck the countertop again.
Dusk sighed and lowered his gaze. "Sorry…sorry."
"But alright. I'll put these things away for them, only because these items will support them in the future. Just wait here."
She vanished behind the doors, leaving them alone in the busy area.
"This place looks so small," Krista grumbled after a while. "How does she cram so many items in one little place?"
"Oh, that's the thing. This place isn't actually little at all!" Dusk said. "What you see is merely the entrance to the warehouse. Kangaskhan's storage actually expands far underground. And somehow, she always knows where she stores everyone's items. They never get mixed up."
"Heheheh! The advantages of living underground!" Pineno placed his paws on his hips.
"Yes. I would love to have a memory like hers. It's no wonder her family runs such a successful business. Of course, her service to you is free due to your status as a Retaliator. Almost every facility is free for you to use here. It's another reason you shouldn't misplace your badge."
A moment later, Kangaskhan made her return. She set the empty bags down. "Alright! It's all been stored away, safe and sound with me! If there's anything else you need, I'll be right here!"
"Thank you, Kangaskhan. We'll be on our way now." Dusk dipped his head, and Kangaskhan waved.
"Don't you push those kids too much again, you hear?"
"Of course! Of course! I'll see you again soon!"
Krista wanted nothing more than to collapse on the floor as they resumed walking. Every muscle in her body was burning. But, according to Dusk, burning muscles was a sign that they were gaining strength. It certainly didn't feel like it.
They arrived in the commons. It was dinnertime, which meant it was flooded with countless Pokémon. Dusk decided to make things up for them by using his special privileges to prioritize being served. Once they were given their trays of food by a happy Clefable, they went to a table that was surprisingly empty.
Krista just wished they had chairs.
One look at her tray, and she couldn't identify a single thing. It looked like someone combined every berry in the universe and smashed it into a sad soup. In fact, the only thing Krista could recognize was the wooden bowl of water that came with the food. Was it water? It looked like water. A quick sniff told her it was. There wasn't anything suspicious about it.
She realized Pineno and Dusk were watching her the entire time. Heat flooded her face as she turned her focus towards the bowl again. She picked it up and took a sip from the edge, trying to soothe her nerves. That only made them more confused.
What other way was there to drink it?
Then when it came to the food, she wasn't sure where to start with it.
"Where's the utensils?"
"The what?" Pineno tilted his head. "What are those?"
Ok. So those did not exist. Even Dusk was puzzled by her question. He was lapping the strange soup like it was a drink, and it almost made Krista nauseous.
"What's in here?" Krista decided to look back at her tray to distract herself.
Dusk lifted his head. His mouth was a mess. "It's just a mix of berries. It's really good for you after a rough day. Your muscles will feel a lot better after you drink it."
"You don't have any cups…?"
"Why would a Meowth need to use a cup?" Dusk resumed his meal, unaware of Krista's dismay.
Krista glared at her food. (How do they not know what forks and spoons are, but they know a cup?! Doesn't a Kadabra carry spoons?!)
"PWAH! That was delicious!" Pineno was already done. He licked what was leftover from his paws. The sight made Krista lean away from him.
She tried to distract herself with other sights, but she regretted it in an instant. All around her, every Pokémon were eating as if they were…
…animals.
Krista sighed. Seeing it as unavoidable, she lowered her head towards the tray and took a small lick. It was a strange mix of flavors, but it wasn't anything unbearable. Dusk was giving her a strange look, so she continued drinking. It was awkward and clumsy. Krista was sure she was a moment away from melting into a puddle.
"Well. I have to go," Dusk said suddenly, as he stepped back from the table. "I have some things to wrap up. But overall, today was successful. Tomorrow after breakfast, we will meet outside the dojo again. We'll practice tackling those skilled in flora."
"Sounds good to me!" Pineno had licked his tray clean, to Krista's horror.
"Rest well, you two!" Dusk picked up his tray using his mouth, and he walked away.
That was when Krista finally gave in, practically face-planting the table. The fact that it didn't do as much as rattle told her how solid the surface was.
But what spooked her was the sound of clacking metal, and the horrible urge to move her giant head off of the surface. She tried to ignore it. She just wanted to rest. She could sleep right where she stood if she could.
The discomfort only grew. She shook her head in an effort to suppress it, but it only grew worse. It was as if the discomfort had a voice. Soundless as it was, she felt the screaming for her to move. That, if she didn't move, her life would be in ruins, and it would be all her fault, and—
"UUUUGH!" Krista finally caved and lifted her head. Her mind was silent again as her paw checked the condition of the coin. (Why is my body LIKE this?! It's just a stupid coin!)
Pineno gave her a light poke. "Krista? Are you ok?"
Krista groaned in response. She laid her head over her arms, hoping it would satisfy her irrational mind.
"Yeah. It was pretty tough, huh? My muscles are absolutely sore! It's been so long since I had to undergo something like that. But this is the first time I ever had to do it in a dungeon!"
Krista turned her head just enough so her right eye could look at him. She saw his smile vanish in an instant.
"Sorry, Krista. You're not used to this kind of training….I keep forgetting that you aren't really much of a battler yourself."
(He's so considerate. But, he doesn't know. I said I would tell him tonight—and I should—but I still don't know how he would take it. He accepted everything else about me. I'm just worried…about how…)
"Is this table booked?"
The new voice was enough to encourage Krista to lift her head. There was an Axew who stood nearby. He held his tray of soup with a smile on his face.
Peeking from over his shoulder was Magby, who appeared a little more reluctant.
"You can join us!" Pineno smiled. "Is that okay, Krista?"
"I don't see why not…" Krista buried her face again. A Wailord could crash down for all she cared.
"Oh wow. You don't look so good." Axew set his tray down nearby. "What kind of mission did you do today?"
"I-I've never seen them around before. I think…they are new," the Magby almost whispered. His eyes were focused on the ground.
"Well, yeah. Of course they are new. I've never seen a basic Meowth before, either."
They were both young, judging from their voices. Not much older than them.
"Yep! We are Team Retribute! We just joined the Retaliation Corps yesterday!" Pineno smiled. "You can call me Pineno. And this is my friend, Krista! She's very tired though, so I don't think she's in the mood to talk right now."
"Oh wow. I hate to know what kind of training you went through," the Axew said. "But anyways, you can call me Axe."
"Uh…you can call me Magma…" the Magby said, sinking behind his friend.
"And this is—hey." Axe paused and looked around. "Where did she go?"
"I think…she's still in the line," Magma answered.
"Well, anyways, we are Team Slasher! Nice to meet ya!" Axe smiled. "Our leader should be here very soon! She was really curious about the new recruits! It's been a while since someone in our age range came in! We were the last set!"
"Really? How long have you been training here?" Pineno asked. "Have you got to do real missions yet?!"
"Oh, not yet. We've only been here for about two months, so we are still on probation. Nothing but dojo training unless the Headmaster gives us a monitored job to do."
"Oh wow! We just started those today!" Pineno laughed.
That was when it clicked for him.
"Wait! Two months of dojo training?!"
Krista groaned again. Hearing that alone just gave her a headache.
"Oh, man. She isn't much of a battler, is she?" Axe asked.
"Why do you ask?" Pineno wondered.
"Well, Magma was the same way." Axe stepped aside once he realized the Magby had clung on to him for a time. "He's still a bit timid, but he finally mastered his smokescreen! It's really handy when we are in trouble! He's really good at battling!"
"Axe, why do you lie to these Pokémon…?" Magma almost whined. He kept his gaze down as he played with his claws.
"Oh, come on! You're really good at battling! Sure, it took a while, but your embers make my dragonfire look silly! And I really mean it!"
"Stop praising me. You held back on purpose…"
Axe chuckled. "Anyways, I just want your friend to know that she won't be doing dojos everyday. Just everyday for the first week. Then they spread things out so you can practice other things. Once you score all eighteen dojos, you're in the clear! So far, our team scored fifteen of them! Just three more to go!"
"Aw, man. We haven't even scored one," Pineno grumbled.
"It's only your first day! It took us a week to score the basic dojo! You got this!"
"Axe. Why are you wasting your time talking to those newbies?"
A new voice. But at the same time, Krista thought she heard it before. She looked up, and came to realize she was right. She knew this Pokémon.
It was the Sneasel from before.
"Oh, hi Midnight!" Axe greeted her. "I just wanted to see them, that's all!"
Midnight. Krista could sense that she was a skilled battler. If she could stand so well against a Charmeleon without flinching, it was a wonder what she was like against the wild Pokémon. She certainly looked like she had her fair share of battles. Her fur looked rather stiff, lacking the sheen a mammalian Pokémon would usually have.
Pineno smiled towards her. "Hi, Midnight! I already introduced myself to your friends, but you can call me—"
"I don't care."
Pineno kept his smile on his face, but Krista could tell that hurt him. She didn't like that.
"Hey, he was just trying to say hi," Krista said. "You didn't have to be so rude about it."
Midnight sent her a glare. "And nobody said you had to show your face here, but here you are."
Krista was left baffled. What's her deal?!
"I don't know if you've noticed, but you shouldn't be here. I don't even know why our Headmaster even allowed you to step foot in this building," Midnight said. "Ever since you stepped foot in here, you've been nothing but a huge weirdo. You're the talk of the town. The freak of a Meowth who walks too much like a Machamp. When was the last time you groomed yourself? You look disgusting. You don't even act like a Meowth, except that time you had your little outburst over a stupid orb. That's been floating around as well, by the way. It's obvious you're nothing but trouble, and trouble always brings more trouble. So why not do us all a favor and leave already?"
Krista's mouth hung open as she searched for a response, but no words could be found. She could only stare at the Sneasel who decided that she was an enemy at first glance. Krista knew she should be angry, but she was caught off guard by the berating words.
"Midnight!" Axe gasped. "What's wrong with you?!"
"Shut it. She needs to know what everyone's thinking. Somebody was going to tell her anyway."
"Hey! Krista is not a weirdo! Or a freak!" Pineno stood tall, glaring at the Sneasel. "You have a lot of nerve to walk over here and be a big bully! She didn't even do anything to you! Axe is right! What's wrong with you?!"
"What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you?" Midnight retorted. "You've been around her the longest and saw all the warnings signs, and yet you still choose to ignore them like an idiot."
"What are you talking about?!"
"Just look at her!" Midnight snapped at him. "The way she acts is all wrong! A Meowth like her doesn't even exist in this continent anyway! She came out of nowhere, doing these weird things! You don't think there's anything wrong with that?!"
"No! I do not! She's my friend!"
"Well, I hate to break it to you, but it looks like to me that your friend got Corrupted!"
Krista froze. The entire cafeteria had gone quiet. Krista felt the weight of countless eyes on them.
No. On her. And some of those eyes were burning. Burning holes through her skull.
She wanted to disappear.
In the middle of their shock, Midnight leaned in closer, speaking in a low whisper. "See? Everyone knows…."
"What is going on here? I can hear the screaming all the way from the hall!"
Grove.
Everyone at the table turned to see the Gogoat crossing the room to reach their table. Her hooves clacked against the stone floor in the silence. It took for her to wave at the crowds with her vines for everyone to start talking again, as if nothing ever happened.
"Ms. Grove!" Axe stepped aside to give her space to join them. The space grew more generous once he realized just how much he had to offer.
Krista had seen her behind the desk, but it didn't cross her mind that Grove was huge. She wasn't as tall as Howler, but compared to Dusk, her presence made him look small, and Dusk was tall!
Everyone has gone quiet. She studied them all, as if she was expecting some sort of response.
"Axew." Grove nodded once before she addressed the others. "Magby. Sneasel. Chespin…ah, Meowth. So this is where all the noise is coming from. I thought I heard young voices. If you want to play a game of some sort, then I recommend you play it quieter."
"What? We weren't playing a game! We were—" Axe stopped the moment he caught Midnight's glare.
"Sneasel's being a bully!" Pineno blurted out, throwing a paw on the air. "She's making fun of Krista!"
"Oh? I thought we had a discussion about scaring the other children, Sneasel," Grove said.
"He's lying," Midnight scowled. "All I was doing was introducing myself. He was being rude to me, if anything."
"What?!" Pineno squeaked.
"Liar!" Krista shot up.
"I'm not! I'm telling the truth! Right?!" Midnight turned to her friends. "Right?"
"Uh—yeah! Yeah! Midnight was just making small talk! And then this Chespin decided to pick on her for just being a master of the darkness!" Magma spoke up, suddenly gaining courage from nowhere.
Axe rubbed the back of his head. He said nothing.
"WHAT?!" Pineno gawked.
"It's all a story!" Krista tried to defend Pineno. "She came up to me and insulted me!"
"Oh, now you're just going to lie in Ms. Grove's face?! How cruel of you!" Midnight shouted.
"You—"
"That is quite enough!" Grove shouted, summoning both of her vines and raising them over her shoulders.
All five became quiet.
A vine pressed against Grove's nose as she lowered her head. "Honestly, I don't know why you children decided to jump on each other like this, but I don't want to hear anymore of it! Chespin, I'll let this slide since you are new. But we do not judge Pokémon here. Very bold move coming from you, especially since Dusk is that of the darkness as well! Don't let me inform him about this, or there will be trouble!"
Pineno stood, stunned for several seconds. He finally remembered to speak, shaking his head. "But—"
"It's over. Let it go." Grove turned her attention to Krista. "Defending him doesn't make you look any better, Meowth. Next time, I suggest you correct his behavior before you end up in the same hole he dug himself into! You can start by fixing your attitude."
Her attitude?
She didn't even notice just how much her tail was lashing. She wanted to curse the thing for making her emotions so obvious for everyone to see. But she had a valid reason! She just couldn't say anything! Midnight was wearing the faintest of smiles, and that left her seething.
"Don't make me come back over here. I expect all of you to be in your rooms very soon. Goodnight to you."
Grove turned and left, leaving the crowd to themselves.
Pineno slowly turned to the trio, his lips twitching as his face filled with suppressed anger.
"See how easy it is to get people on your side when no one trusts a suspicious Meowth?" Midnight stuck her tongue out and laughed. "And it gets even better! I've heard Dusk finally got some new students! I wonder how long you two will last."
Krista knew this Sneasel wanted them to fail. She wasn't going to give her that satisfaction. "We can handle his training. Just you wait."
"Oh, sure. Let's see how well that does for you. A fiend doesn't deserve to be mentored by a Pokémon with Alpha blood."
Krista gasped.
It couldn't be…!
"That's right," Midnight said. "I'm being trained by the best. Have fun trying not to drown in your unhinged mentor's quest for vengeance, scratch-cat."
She left, flicking a claw
"Come on, you two. They aren't even worth looking at."
"Uh…ok!" Magma followed after her, but not before puffing a ball of smoke towards them.
Axe sighed and picked up his tray. "Sorry. I really am sorry."
And he was gone. All that remained were a pair of frustrated and defeated children.
… … …
"Ugh! I can't believe those guys! Why did Grove believe them over us?! It's just not fair!"
Pineno had been pacing back and forth in their room for a while since they arrived. Their bag and disabled badges sat at the corner of the room. Krista sat on her bed, listening to his rant.
"You never did anything wrong! I know you're a good Pokémon! And she has a lot of nerve to say that. Corrupted?! I told you! You're not Corrupted Krista! And what did she mean by our mentor being unhinged?! Dusk was a great teacher! He taught us how to fight better! I feel even stronger now because of him! She's wrong! She's super wrong! She doesn't know what she's talking about!"
Krista didn't know what to say. (Oh wow. He's angrier than I am about this. He wasn't even the one who got slandered.)
Pineno finally stopped to face her. "Listen, Krista. We know the truth, right?! So we just ignore everything else! Midnight and her team are clearly trying to get a reaction out of us. I should have seen it coming a mile away. Looks like I've learned nothing."
"What are you talking about?"
Pineno took a seat on the ground. The action was enough for him to calm down. "I have…four older siblings. Chester…Chesto? Needle…or was it Needler…? Pecan and… I don't know my oldest brother's name."
His face twisted.
"I think he was named after a nut. Or was it a berry?"
"Pineno…" Krista reached out a paw.
"They never really made an effort to remember my name anyway."
That…that sounded horrible.
"They always liked to remind me that I was a villain. I'm sure it was a mean game of pretend, because they always said that The Hero failed to get me. The Hero…heros always beat up cruel Pokémon. I think they said he was called Krasher. Yeah. That sounds about right. I've heard that name a dozen times. It's so funny that I remember that name, but never theirs…"
He let out a dry chuckle.
"But for a hero to carry a nickname like Krasher…maybe he did slay mindless beasts, huh?"
"But you aren't a beast, Pineno. You helped me when I was in trouble. You didn't even hesitate to face that Staravia, knowing it could really hurt you if it wanted."
"...Yeah. I guess I did, huh?"
"You're a really great Pokémon, Pineno. And I'm really glad I got to meet you. I can trust you."
Pineno's eyes started to sparkle. "Really…?"
"Yeah. I mean it."
She took a deep breath.
(Here we go. It's either now or never.)
"I have something to tell you."
Pineno gave her a strange look. He heard the uncertainty in her tone. "What's the matter?"
"Can you promise me that you won't tell anyone else this? I don't…want this to accidentally spread out through the entire complex. I don't know how anyone would take it."
Pineno smiled. He understood.
Krista took another deep breath. "Truth is…when I told you about my memories being gone and all, I left out a very important detail, because it sounds ridiculous on its own. I think now, maybe you'll understand."
Pineno said nothing. He was curious, but concerned. It was a reasonable response.
The next few words she wanted to say, she found them harder to surface than she thought. She couldn't look at him. It made her too nervous to speak.
But finally…
"Truth is…I am not a Meowth at all," Krista almost whispered. "I know. I look like one, but…this body isn't mine. At least, I don't think it is. I would hope I only transformed and my soul wasn't just…crammed in a poor Meowth's— I…don't like to think about that one."
Pineno's face changed. He was trying to make sense of it, surely. "If you aren't a Meowth, then what are you? Can't be a Ditto. They can't hold the shape of a Pokémon that long…can they?"
"Not…not a Ditto."
Pineno's face swelled with bewilderment. "No…you couldn't be."
He figured it out?
"You…are you saying that you are a Mew?"
"I—"
"No wait. You're right. That wouldn't be possible. A Pokémon that powerful…I don't think it would end up having amnesia or anything. Not unless it has a valid reason. Are you a—"
"No. No I'm not a Mew," Krista denied. "Not a Mew. Not a Ditto…I'm…not any kind of Pokémon."
His face changed again. There was confusion at first as his eyes studied her. "Not…you're not a Pokémon? But that's impossible. There hasn't been any other group of species who lived in this land since…"
There it was. The awe on his face. The way he looked at her, it was different. Almost as if she truly was a legendary Pokémon standing right before him…only something far more whimsical. Something he couldn't wrap his head around. Krista knew that he figured it out.
"You're…you're a human…?" He had to say it aloud, as if keeping it in was going to make his head explode.
"Yeah…yeah I am…I'm a human."
She confirmed it. The sting stabbed her chest. There was no going back. She didn't want to look at his face. She knew he was thinking. He probably thought she lost her head, or maybe she was pulling a prank. She braced herself for a laugh, or a concerned question. She half-expected Midnight to barge in somehow.
"I believe you," Pineno said.
"What?!"
Out of all the possible reactions, that was the last one she expected.
"I said, I believe you, Krista," he repeated.
"You're just accepting it? Just like that?" Krista squeaked. "But don't you…want any proof or something?"
Pineno's smile faded.
"I saw you, when we were at the door. You kept staring at your reflection. And…you looked really sad. It was…a very different kind of sadness. I didn't understand why at the time, but now I see. It must had been really scary for you. You woke up not remembering anything, and suddenly you're a Pokémon."
Suddenly. There was no other word to describe it.
"I hate to imagine what would have happened if we never met. All the confusion… No one deserves that. Not one bit."
Krista felt relieved, as if she finally released a heavy weight that was crushing her very spirit. He didn't think she lost her mind. He was genuine when he said he believed her, and somehow, that made her happier than she could describe.
"Wow. A human." Pineno took a seat, trying to process it all. "I've heard so many myths and legends about humans. But that's all they were. Just stories. I was always fascinated by them, you see. Humans didn't have any elemental skills like we do, but their wisdom made up for it. They built incredible things that we could only dream of. And you know, those stories said that we worked with humans before. They taught us everything they knew. And because of that, every Pokémon wanted to meet a human. It was nearly every Pokémon's dream.
"If anyone does believe they exist, they would just say that they went extinct a long time ago. And you know…they could be right. We don't know for sure what happened to the humans. We just know they aren't here anymore, if they ever did exist. But…but you, you are a human. That means they still do exist somewhere! But for you to be turned into a Pokémon is a little strange. There must be a reason for it. There's many tales of humans turning into Pokémon, and I've heard many of them from the old books I've read. Maybe you're like the heroes of legend sent to us to save the world!"
"S-save the world…?" Krista shrunk.
"But why do they always turn into Pokémon? Maybe it's to keep a low profile or something."
Krista thought about it. What he said was the only sensible reason she could have been turned into a Pokémon. It never once crossed her mind before. But to save the world? Could her transformation be connected to the Corruption that was hurting everyone?
(Could I be the heroine sent to stop it? But how can I stop something that isn't even alive? Are there tales of humans preventing something like that? Did I agree to do this?)
"But what I don't get is why you lost your memories."
Krista looked at Pineno. She was wondering the same thing.
"It's so ironic. Humans were—ARE the embodiment of wisdom, you see. If you remember nothing about your human life, there must be a reason for it. Maybe you'll slowly get them back. We just have one more mystery to solve!"
(Yes. There has to be a reason behind why I woke up remembering nothing. It couldn't have happened for no reason. There had to be a purpose. Maybe I am supposed to find that purpose? Did I forget my name, too, as a way to protect my true identity? If so, why? Is there someone after me?)
(It's too much to think about. It just…doesn't feel real. What if those stories of heroes aren't true? What if this happened due to some kind of freak accident or something…?)
Regardless of the reason, she at least wasn't alone. It felt safe knowing Pineno would have her back.
"Thank you," she said.
Pineno beamed. "Of course! What kind of friend would I be if I brushed you off instead of listening first? Ahahaha!"
Krista smiled. She was glad to have met him.
"We should try to get some sleep," Pineno said. "But aaah, now my body feels all jittery! Wow! A human! A real-deal human! I can't relax! Hahaha!"
Krista found that a smile had formed on her face. She didn't think her revelation would make someone's day, but it did. She was glad that she made the right choice. It was one more step for her to find answers. But first, she had to get stronger.
She had someone who was supporting her.
Someone she could finally call a friend.
To be Continued in Chapter 9.