Chapter 14: Friend Or Foe?

(Tristan) "*snores*"

The group was fast asleep as morning time approached.

(Stranger) "*distant* Help! Help me!"

A voice cried out in the distance. Tristan slowly woke up.

(Tristan) "Ugh. What's going on?"

(Stranger) "*distant* Help!"

Tristan's eyes widdened. He quickly ran over to Owen and Eli and woke them up.

(Owen) "What's going on?"

(Eli) "Is it morning already?"

(Tristan) "Get up! Please! It sounds like someone is in trouble!"

(Eli) "Huh?"

(Stranger) "*distant* Please help me!"

(Owen) "Someone is in trouble! We gotta go help them!"

(Tristan) "Let's go!"

Tristan, Owen, and Eli headed out of the hideaway.

Tristan, Owen, and Eli arrived at the scene of the cry. A Poipole was stuck hanging upside down from a treebranch.

(Poipole) "Help me!"

(Eli) "Woah! Who's that Pokémon?"

(Owen) "That's not the question to ask right now."

(Poipole) "I'm feeling...woozy..."

(Tristan) "Don't worry! I'm coming!"

Tristan climbed up the tree, and slowly crawled his way over to where Poipole was hanging. He freed Poipole from the branch. Poipole fell from the tree, and Owen and Eli caught her.

(Owen) "You okay?"

(Poipole) "Yeah. Thanks."

Poipole jumped out of Owen and Eli's arms. She flew up, and grabbed Tristan. She brought him safely back down off the tree.

(Tristan) "Thanks."

(Eli) "What were you doing up there?"

(Poipole) "I got stuck in the branch while trying to escape."

(Owen) "Escape from what?"

(Poipole) "Those dark Pokémon. They tried to attack me, but I flew away before I got attacked. I lost them, but got myself stuck in that tree. Thanks for helping me out."

(Tristan) "Don't mention it."

Barnaby came running over to the 4.

(Barnaby) "What's going on out here?"

(Eli) "Oh great. It's you."

(Owen) "What are you doing here?"

(Barnaby) "I woke up to yelling and the 3 of you weren't in the hideaway. I thought you might be in trouble."

(Eli) "Since when do you care?"

(Barnaby) "I...Whatever! Who's the purple guy?"

(Poipole) "The name's Poipole. I come from Ametrine City."

(Tristan) "Oh really? I live in Ametrine City. I've never seen anyone like you before."

(Poipole) "Oh yeah. That's because...I was born in Ametrine City, but I haven't been here for a while. I moved away years ago."

(Tristan) "Oh. Okay."

Barnaby glared at Poipole. Something felt off to him.

(Poipole) "Anyways, I came by to visit my old stomping grounds when I discovered it'd been corrupted by some darkness. I barely escaped with my life."

(Owen) "Yeah. Same thing happened to our town. A group of us managed to escape, but we're all that's left."

(Poipole) "Wh-what happened?"

(Eli) "Some mysterious darkness has shown up. First we saw it in the Crimson Canyon, and then in out hometown of Citrine City. We don't know what other areas it's spread to, other than Ametrine City. But we're working on a cure. We have the Dawn Wings, and our friends back home are looking for the Dusk Mane and the Temple of Light. We'll have this darkness cured in no time."

(Poipole) "That's...wonderful. The cure part obviously, not the whole 'darkness corrupting our homes' part."

(Owen) "Well, I've got an idea. Why don't you come with us. There's a few more back in our hideaway, and 2 more back at home base. Right now we're waiting on confirmation on the location of the Dusk Mane. You can help us on the quest to find it, and then you can help restore Citrine Town, the Crimson Canyon, and Ametrine City! What do you say?"

(Barnaby) "Um...hold on one moment. Could I talk to the 3 of you in private?"

(Tristan) "Okay? Give us just a second Poipole."

Barnaby dragged Owen, Eli, and Tristan out of earshot.

(Owen) "What's going on?"

(Barnaby) "We can't just let this girl join our group. We don't know her."

(Owen) "So? We disn't know Tristan. And you didn't seem to have any opposition towards him joining."

(Barnaby) "Yeah, but...something's off about her."

(Owen) "What are you talking about?"

(Barnaby) "She seemed slightly upset after you mentioned the cure. Plus, she claims she's from Ametrine City, but Tristan hasn't seen anyone like her. And she seemed to make an excuse on the spot when Tristan said so."

(Owen) "What are you saying? You think she's untrustworthy?"

(Barnaby) "Yes! Look, I've been the bad guy before, so I know..."

(Eli) "No, you still are the bad guy! The only reason you're still here and not on your own is because there's a bigger threat than you. So you can stop acting like you're on our side. Because you aren't. You never will be! You're just against the same guys we are."

(Barnaby) "Wow. Why don't you say what you really feel next time."

Eli used Iron Tail. Barnaby was knocked back to the floor.

(Barnaby) "Ow."

(Eli) "That enough for you?"

Barnaby just stayed silent. Eli, Owen, and Tristan walked back over to Poipole.

(Eli) "So. You in?"

(Poipole) "Sure. Let's go save the world!"

Owen, Eli, Tristan, and Poipole rejoined the others inside the hideaway. Barnaby lagged behind them.

(Pawmo) "There you guys are! We were getting worried about you!"

(Charcadet) "Who's the new girl?"

(Owen) "This is Poipole. She's joining us to help cure the darkness."

(Pawmo) "Sweet! More help to save our homes!"

Suddenly, Owen's walkie-talkie turned on.

(Oranguru) "*through walkie-talkie* Hello! Is anyone there?"

Owen grabbed the walkie-talkie.

(Owen) "Oranguru? We're here!"

(Oranguru) "*through walkie talkie* Perfect! We've discovered the location of the Dusk Mane. Told you we'd get it found by the morning!"

(Poipole) "Really? Where is it?"

(Toucannon) "*through walkie-talkie* Who was that?"

(Tristan) "Her name's Poipole. She's joined to help us."

(Oranguru) "*through walkie-talkie* Good. The more help the merrier."

(Toucannon) "*through walkie-talkie* Anyways, we've located the Dusk Mane. It's in a place called the Murky Sea. It's under water."

(Charcadet) "Woah! Under water? I can't swim."

(Owen) "That's alright. You can head back to Oranguru and Toucannon to help with the search for the Temple of Light."

(Toucannon) "*over walkie-talkie* I don't think it'd be safe for just him to make the trip back. Someone else should go with him."

(Grimsnarl) "I'll go."

(Owen) "You sure?"

(Grimsnarl) "Look I know that we aren't on good terms, but Toucannon is right. Charcadet shouldn't be heading back alone. No one should. I'm pretty tough so if we run into anything I can handle it."

(Charcadet) "O-okay. I guess it's alright with me."

(Owen) "Okay then. So where is this Murky Sea?"

(Oranguru) "*through walkie-talkie* You're near Ametrine City, correct? Check northwest. There should be a big body of water. That's where you need to go."

Owen grabbed the map, and checked it out.

(Owen) "Hmm. Yep! Found it! We'll head there immediately!"

(Oranguru) "*through walkie-talkie* Good luck!"

(Toucannon) "*through walkie-talkie* We'll work hard to locate the Temple of Light on our end! Over and out!"

(Owen) "Okay. We'll see you 2 when we get back."

(Pawmo) "Please be careful Charcadet!"

(Grimsnarl) "I won't let anything happen without putting up a fight first. You have my word."

(Pawmo) "Thanks."

(Owen) "Let's split up everyone! The Dusk Mane awaits us?"

The group split in 2 as Grimsnarl and Charcadet went back home and Owen, Eli, Tristan, Barnaby, Pawmo, and Poipole headed towards the Murky Sea.

End Of Chapter 14