Even in daylight, with pedestrians crawling like mist over cobbled streets and drifting between minka, Ecruteak was an oddly serene city. It was a place of structured tradition, where great care been taken to shape the creation of man around the brushstrokes of gods. Homes sat at odd angles and irregular intervals to avoid disturbing the bubbling brooks and grand trees that Grand Ho-oh had sprouted there first. Each bridge, lamppost, and rooftop had been meticulously designed to honor its surroundings, beckoning branches to intertwine and birds to roost. The people themselves spoke softly and moved with grace, letting bolder Pokémon pass through as if it were little more than an open glade.
The city was said to be a haven for the heart of an artist. So naturally, self-proclaimed artist Persephone hated it.
A single scrambling set of footsteps interrupted the natural flow of traffic- sneakers slamming against stone.
"Hey!"
"Sorry!"
The half-hearted apology was all she could afford after nearly knocking over a preacher, not even looking back as she kept running in a forward-tumbling sprint. Stupid, stupid alarm clock! Why was everything in this damned city so out-of-date? So convenient that "tradition" meant investing as little as possible into infrastructure. If Persephone paid taxes, she'd have been a lot madder.
Fortunately, one of the few truly modern facilities in Ecruteak approached on the horizon. At the council's insistence, they'd made some token effort to adapt the modernized Pokémon League aesthetic to the city's standards. But it still stood out amid the sea of minka and ancient office buildings, no matter how many lanterns they hung from it or pointless support beams they proudly displayed along the façade.
But what it represented- that was what truly mattered. Freedom! Adventure! Leaving this restrictive hell-hole of a city, going wherever she wanted, and doing whatever she wanted! She would finally be free to be Persephone! Not whatever well-cultured little doll she was supposed to be.
Glass doors detected her approach and slid open of their own accord, letting glorious glimpses of sanitized white and air conditioning seep out from within. Her heart soared with excitement as her feet struck tiled floor.
Then a flash of brown struck her, and pain shot through her from the opposite side as she hit that wondrous floor.
"Vee!"
The Eevee now standing on her shoulder let out an agitated cry, scowling at her before hopping off. Persephone swore it scoffed, before turning away from her and swishing its tail indignantly. It pranced right up to a pair of nice shoes and white socks, where the trainer lifted it up into her arms.
"You do know the Pokémon are supposed to do the battling, right Percy?" the trainer asked, smirking condescendingly. She was a young woman around Persephone's age- eighteen, now- and clearly dressed up for the occasion in a seafoam-green dress. Dangling gems from her ears reflected the white and light of the facility lobby, and there was something distinctly clean about her aesthetic. "I guess this battle is a mistrial now. We'll just have to try some other time," she said with poorly falsified regret.
"Oh, you'd love to call it that, wouldn't you, dear?" Across from her, another trainer planted the back of his palm on his cheek. This one was a bit older, but by no more than half a decade. He was dressed like an eccentric, with a patchwork vest and a colorful shako. "Elle hun, you can lie to yourself all you want. But your defeat was bare for all the audience to see." He raised his arms and gestured around to the wide audience of a single injured Persephone.
By his waist, a Banette let out a horrible cackle- made more unsettling by its zipper mouth not unsealing in the slightest.
Persephone sat upright with a groan, casting an incinerating glare at the tiny fox that had taken her to the ground. But neither of the trainers who had turned her into collateral were paying their victim any attention.
"Hmph. Only because your Pokémon is a Ghost-type," Elle protested, turning her cheek with an indignant huff. "Hardly a fair fight for little Vee. She can't even hit him."
The man in the shako gave his own strange little laugh, and finally reached a hand down to help Persephone up.
She accepted it, but only after her yellowish eyes had drilled her best dirty look into him. It was hard to look intimidating at her height, and though her preferred baggy white, sweatshirt concealed her build one could safely guess she was no bodybuilder underneath it. After being hauled upright, she brushed herself off, flicked a brown bang off of her eye, and let out a heavy, frustrated breath.
"Maybe next time don't battle in the lobby?" she snapped, flush with embarrassment.
"Maybe next time watch where you're going?" Elle suggested, folding her arms and steaming.
"Maybe next time roll to reduce impact!" Shako-man suggested, raising a finger pointedly. He let out another chuckle and took a bow. "But have my sincere apologies, my dear. We were both just a bit excited to put our licenses to use. Allow me to repay you… with a name." He held his hand out in greetings. "I am Kona."
Persephone finished adjusting her clothes back to their preferred baggy position, and raised a brow at the man, unsubtle in her skepticism. "Your 'repayment' is a name? Seem to think your name is worth a lot."
"Or that I think your fall was worth quite little!" he gleefully pointed out. He let that hang just long enough to be uncomfortable before winking. "Ah, but I jest! Names are worth quite a lot, I think. I only pray that one day I might afford yours." He gestured expectantly.
"…It's Percy," she said flatly, still squinting in confusion at Kona's absurdity.
Elle rolled her eyes. "Well, this room has passed my maximum weird limit. I'm out. Gonna go find a real battle." She took one step towards the door before pausing and glancing back at Persephone. "Hey, Percy, you're getting licensed today, right?"
"Probably," Persephone grumbled, folding her arms to meet Elle's attitude. "If they have any decent Pokémon."
Elle scoffed. "Guess not, then. They could offer you Grand Ho-oh herself and you'd still find something wrong with her." The fledgling trainer shrugged and turned away again. "Well, if someone can actually meet your standards, then maybe we can battle sometime. Otherwise…"
She raised five fingers in farewell and stepped outside. Peeking over her shoulder, Persephone swore that Vee blew a raspberry at her moments before the doors shut. She stuck her tongue out at the vanished fox in turn, mocking only her reflection on the door.
Kona watched the departure with an amused grin, glancing between Persephone and the door once Elle had left. "So… Friends, lovers, mortal enemies?" he floated.
Persephone rolled her eyes this time. "We just know each other from school, that's all. Not much of anything really."
He leaned his cheek against his knuckles and pouted. "Aww… Such a shame when classmates don't get along."
It looked as if he might continue his theatrics, before his gaze was tugged downwards with his pant leg. His Banette was frowning now, and petitioning his attention. As soon as it had caught his eyes it glared out the door, pleading that they get going.
Kona frowned at it, but lowered a hand to pat its head. Turning back to Persephone, he grabbed the rim of his hat and took it off as he bowed. "Well, milady… Until next time! Good luck with your licensing."
Without even waiting for a response, the odd man turned and stepped out the door as a crimson beam reclaimed his Pokémon to its ball. Persephone watched him go with an expression somewhere between confusion and disgust, giving a silent prayer that there was no next time.
That thought left her quickly, though, as she remembered how she'd been dragged into that interaction in the first place. Her license!
Sneakers struck tile again, scrambling over to the service desk. Ding! Ding! Ding! She struck the bell with a bit too much vigor. Her finger was already flying in for round two when she found her eyes locked with an unamused glare from beyond the desk.
Ding!
"…Persephone."
The young woman winced, smiling awkwardly overtop the embarrassment as her guilty finger still hovered on the bell. "…Hi, Dr. Sequia."
The doctor stared at her another moment before letting out a sigh. Removing her hands from her white coat pockets, she gently grabbed Persephone's wrist and plopped it back down by her side. Dr. Sequia was a middle-aged woman, graced with long and curly brown hair, and a darker complexion than was common in Johto. She was usually told she looked young for her age, but with the tired expression Persephone had already bestowed upon her, she was looking older today.
"You're here for your license today, correct?" she asked, straight to the point. She was already gesturing for Persephone to follow her behind the desk and out into the rest of the facility. "And you already fulfilled all of the requirements?"
Persephone nodded eagerly, beaming as she followed along. "Yep! Tests all passed, scores and registration sent in. Just need the proof, aaaaaand~"
"And your assigned partner. Hm. Yes," Sequia finished for her, sounding contemplative as they wandered through white halls, past doors all illuminated with bright signs. The League building was a licensing center, but also an office building, a research laboratory, and Persephone was fairly sure several other things too.
Dr. Sequia drew a deep breath before she continued. "Well, we have a handful of Pokémon of-age at the moment. A fine selection, I'd even say." They approached a frosted-glass door, and the doctor fumbled to pull out a keycard, holding tongue to teeth as she did. "The question is you. I know you were very… specific in what kind of Pokémon you were looking to raise."
Persephone's heart sank a bit at that. With how hesitant the doctor sounded, she knew right away she wasn't getting any of her first choices. Surely she'd meet a Smeargle one day, along the road, wouldn't she?
Sequia finally got the door open, revealing a small terrarium inside. A single glass wall let plentiful sunlight shine in, and the majority of the floorspace was occupied by soft grass. A playground- miniaturized further for small Pokémon- and a few bushes claimed the corners. There was even a small, skinny tree amid them. And throughout the room, young Pokémon played.
A Phanpy tumbled down a plastic slide, squeaking excitedly as it rolled right into a Tyrogue at the bottom. The indignant Fighting-type lifted it up- much to its surprise- and hurled it at a bush. There was an aghast little cry as a Budew, gently tending to the plant, saw branches snap and fall to the ground. She leapt up and spun around, squeaking furiously at the other tyke.
Even Persephone couldn't help but smile at the little scene. Dr. Sequia was saying something, but she couldn't listen as she scanned the room. None of these Pokémon were what she was looking for.
A Sentret sleeping in the corner… A Paras trying to bury itself in mulch… A Petlil had joined Budew in arguing with Tyrogue. And…
Her eyes lit up and she suddenly jabbed her finger straight towards the tree branches. "Her! I want her!" she cried excitedly. Her finger pointed at a tiny, infantile Chatot. The bird blinked back at her, blankly.
Dr. Sequia scowled, and her hand shoved Persephone's arm down. "You really need to slow down and listen before you act sometimes," she chided. "Or just… listen in general. I'm trying to tell you—not all of these Pokémon are available for adoption. Only a handful of them are of-age. And she-" Sequia glanced at the Chatot, and then sighed. Perhaps she'd predicted this choice. "She's practically a hatchling. She's far below adoption age. So unless you want to wait, you'll need to pick someone else."
Persephone gasped, cheeks puffing into a pout. "What? Why is she even in here then? You- you set me up!"
The doctor rolled her eyes, throwing her head back with an emphatic groan. "No, Persephone. I did not 'set you up'. The young ones are kept together for socialization."
Persephone was still staring longingly at the baby bird, who watched her with a vacant expression. It tilted its head, and she forced herself to tear her eyes away with a whimper.
"Fine. Which ones are of age, then?" she demanded, forcing herself to face the pastel nursery wall, lest she fall in love with another little star-crossed angel.
Dr. Sequia folded her arms and watched Persephone with a concerned raise of her brow. She stepped over to the corner of the room and crouched down by the Sentret. Even as she loomed over it, the thing's little chest still rose and fell in a steady sleeping rhythm.
"Well, Sentret here for one," she explained, gently running a hand down the back of its head as it shifted comfortably into the petting. "Though I'm not sure this one quite matches your energy."
Persephone squatted down and peered at it appraisingly from afar, her lip curling in distaste.
"It's a Sentret and it's practically in a coma," she scoffed, glancing at the doctor like she was running some sort of scam.
"Aaand?" Sequia narrowed her eyes.
The young woman threw her arms towards it in emphasis. "Just look at it! It's got one job- to be alert- and it's bad at it!" she protested. She shook her head vigorously. "Nope. That's not it."
Dr. Sequia gave the sleeping Sentret an apologetic look before standing up. She slowly walked over to the squabbling trio and reached down. Budew let out a little gasp of surprise as she lifted it up, before beaming brightly at being held in her arms.
"Budew is also of age. Roserade are usually quite colorful and artistic. That seems to your… tastes, no?" the doctor offered.
Persephone stood up as well and folded her arms, inspecting this new offering closely. Budew shriveled a bit under her judgmental gaze, its buds clasping tighter.
"Budew are just ovals with feet," she finally raised in complaint.
Out of patience, the doctor let out a groan, bringing Budew under one arm as she buried her face in the other hand. "Persephone, what does that even mean? You are just complaining to complain at this point. I'm sorry we don't have all of your favorite Pokémon available on-demand, but we have some wonderful, caring ones waiting to be adopted. You need to either form a bond with one of them, or come back here with your own eligible partner, if you want to get your license today."
"Come back with my own partner?" she echoed curiously.
Dr. Sequia winced, realizing she had slid a bad idea into the stubborn young woman's mind. Almost begrudgingly, she explained.
"Sometimes, new trainers have formed close bonds with a wild or family Pokémon already before receiving their trainer licenses. We do permit new trainers to register such Pokémon as their initial partners, as long as they're otherwise eligible."
Persephone was practically glowing now, an eager grin on her face. "So I just need to go out and find a better Pokémon on my own to bring back, then? It's that simple?"
The doctor stared at her dryly a moment, before letting out an exhausted sigh and stepping over to some cabinets by the wall. She opened one up and began rifling through.
"No. That is not what I said at all, and it is not 'that simple'. That system is meant for people who have long-standing bonds with a Pokémon that would willingly come with them. It is not meant for you to wander out in the woods and find a Pokémon the day of your licensing. And need I remind you- trying to capture a wild Pokémon without a license is illegal. They must come consensually."
At the end of her long list of reasons not to attempt it, Dr. Sequia pulled out a shiny metal ball, red and white, and turned to see Persephone still grinning with her head in the clouds as expected. The doctor rolled her eyes.
"I suspect you're going to go try it anyways?" she said with a sigh.
"What kind of quitter would I be if I didn't?" Persephone scoffed. "This is my new best friend, after all! I could find the Mon of my dreams! I have to try before I accept the sleepy Sentret or the oval."
Budew looked offended. The doctor whispered something reassuring in its ears, before setting it down to hop on stubby feet back over to its bush. It cast Persephone a final, wary glance.
"You know they understand you, don't you?" the tired doctor warned her. "Maybe not every word, but they know your intent. You might still need to pick one of them yet, so be nice. I won't send any of the little ones off with you while you so clearly resent them."
Persephone primed another snarky comment, but forced herself to stop. The only thing worse than a mediocre partner would be no partner at all, and she was starting to get carried away by her frustration.
"This will be waiting for you if you come back with a willing partner," the doctor explained, holding the ball aloft and shaking it. She tossed it back into its cabinet and gave a wide gesture towards the exit. "Otherwise, I'll see you back here when you get tired."
Persephone gave a firm nod, still keeping her toothy, eager grin. "I'll find someone! No doubt!"
Dr. Sequia still seemed skeptical, but she waved the little ones farewell, and carefully pulled the door shut behind her as they departed through pristine halls back towards the front lobby. As they walked, she grew a bit more serious, planting a hand on Persephone's shoulder.
"Maybe you will, dear. You're stubborn like that. But I think it would be a shame, in a way," she confessed.
Persephone instinctually shifted away, and the doctor didn't fight to keep her grip, letting her hand fall free. She tilted her head at the older woman, curiously.
"For all of your fuss, I'm certain there's not a single Pokémon in that room you could pick that you wouldn't fall in love with," she continued. "You're so caught up in your perfect plan, that you're not prepared to make the best of whatever you get. I suppose I'm just saying not to worry, is all."
Persephone gave a small pout in response. "You want me to strive for anything less than perfect in my first partner? Everything stems from here! A mediocre start makes mediocre art!"
Surprisingly, Dr. Sequia let out a chuckle at that. "Funny. I had always heard a quite different saying, about art. 'If you mess it up, dress it up!'. Paint right over it."
"Feh." Persephone poked her tongue out. "What do you know about art?" she demanded in playful protest.
The doctor smiled, as they returned to the lobby. She gestured out to the sliding doors. "Not much, I suppose. Not much. Good luck, Persephone. I'll see you back soon."
The adamant young woman chose to take that as a challenge and glared back at the doctor in acceptance. "Yeah, you will. With my new partner!" she declared defiantly. And with that, she marched proudly for the front door.
Persephone wasn't sure what compelled her up to the remains of the Brass Tower that afternoon. It was one of her favorite hangout spots, meeting all of her standards- quiet, scenic, and she wasn't supposed to be there. It had been a while since she'd visited, having been obnoxiously busy with her licensing exams. But it wasn't typically a hangout for any particularly charming Pokémon. Just Rattata that were scared off with a small screech and a threat to punt them.
Perhaps it was her inspired mood that drove her here. It was where she often came to paint, after all. And on any other day she'd be using this burst of inspiration to fuel that hobby. But since she was tasked with a different duty today, she wasn't sure what to do when she arrived.
The Tower was off-limits, supposedly due to "structural concerns". Persephone scoffed at that. The Tower had fallen like a bajillion years ago, and in all the time she'd come here she'd yet to see the structure so much as shift. It had done all of its falling over long ago.
Still, all this time later, loose stones and scattered, half-rotted planks littered the floor of the tower. Four great pillars stretched up towards the sky, falling far short of it as none had survived taller than the third floor. The walls in most spots didn't even reach that high. And there was, of course, no roof to stop the sunlight from beaming in. Some remnants of the second floor remained, but even Persephone wasn't foolish enough to try and climb up to them. Which left the first floor- divided into a few large chambers whos' purposes were lost long ago- as all that remained.
Well, that and the basement, of course. But there was no way down there anymore.
Her sneakers struck a board as she walked through the entranceway, punting it into the far wall and breaking it with a resounding crack. She grinned at the direct strike and walked straight into the center of the room to stretch and enjoy the sun.
Where, oh where, would her new friend be hiding?
Chatot would have been wonderful, if Sequia had just trusted her. But there were plenty of other Pokémon she loved. Just… not ones that lived anywhere near Ecruteak or this forsaken tower.
Persephone frowned as she walked around and kicked a few rocks together into a pile. She laid down directly in the center of the ruin, leaning back against the stones like they were any more comfortable than the floor. Her gaze turned upwards to the peaks of the shattered walls. She could seek out a trader, but what Pokémon did she have to trade? She could explore, but wouldn't be allowed to roam too far without having a Pokémon of her own. So that left… luck. Sheer, dumb luck to find a Pokémon she loved right here in good, old, boring Ecruteak.
Persephone let out a small, disgruntled growl and suddenly jumped up, unable to rest for more than a minute. Why was this happening to her?
She stomped her foot and pouted, ready to vent her temper tantrum, before she glimpsed something out of the corner of her eye that made her freeze.
It was green. A bright, acidic green streak across the wall in the other chamber. A lesser person might have mistaken it for some sort of ooze, secreted by a toxic Pokémon. But Persephone knew better- even if she barely dared to believe it.
She approached the wall, long since stained by ash and then dried to a pale gray color. As she rounded the corner, the rest of the room came into sight and her eyes lit up. A disbelieving smile crossed her face as, in a single moment, destiny seemed to fall into place.
Reds and greens and blues lined the walls in long streaks and elaborate patterns. Little swirls and triangles of brilliant neon colors. A mural devoid of meaning and yet full of expression. It wasn't ooze- it was paint! A Smeargle had been here! In fact… she traced her eyes to a corner of the room where a large and dried splotch of green was faded against the floor. That must have been where it laid to sleep. It hadn't just been here- it had rested here. Which meant it might be back!
Persephone laughed, a little joyful gremlin giggle that she just couldn't help. Just when she'd let herself worry, destiny had fallen right into her lap. Her absolute favorite just happened to show up at her own hideout spot? Right when she desperately needed to befriend a new partner?
She took stock of the room. Smeargle had graffitied an impressive amount, making the wide and vibrant strokes of that expressiveness that she so loved in the little painter Pokémon. But there was still space to add. And despite it having made a resting place out of the room, it was still full of rubble. Both facts made Persephone's smile stretch wider.
Well, she knew just the way to befriend a little painter! Just as it had exposed the colors of its soul upon these walls, she'd show it her own true colors! Clean up all this trash in its home and turn it into something fresh and new!
Surely such a creative Pokémon would be smitten by her endeavors. And then? Bam! Partnership! Suck it, Sequia!
She'd have to move fast, though. Get her art supplies, and then create her rainbow of passion before Smeargle could return. She spun around and threw her legs forward, kicking a brick and sending her face tumbling down to the floor. She hadn't even finished letting out her pained yelp by the time she was dragging herself upright and scrambling for the entrance.
Pain was part of the artistic process!
Persephone had thought long and hard about what to create. She ruled out anything too elaborate, or too subtle. She didn't have much time, and in spite of how brilliant of a Pokémon they were, Smeargle was still a Pokémon. Something too symbolic might be lost on it.
She had settled on upgrading its little bedspot. She'd stolen a spare comforter from home- something her mother would undoubtedly yell at her for if she ever noticed- and folded it neatly on Smeargle's resting ground. That was a good way to show it the comforts a tamed Pokémon could enjoy.
Then she'd gathered up all of the rubble throughout the room and valiantly thrown the mess into a different room. As she worked, she'd selected some consistently sized pieces of snapped wood and in-tact shingles. The wood had been stacked around the bed in a little ring, and the shingles hand-painted with vibrant colors and placed against them.
With the colorful makeshift bed constructed, she'd moved on to her mural. She was tempted to do something woefully unsubtle, like painting a doodle on the wall of herself holding hands with the Smeargle. But luckily, she thought better of it. She'd never win over a Pokémon of vision with something so unsophisticated.
Instead, she conveyed the idea symbolically. Something simple enough that it could understand. The giant splotch of white represented herself. While the swirling browns and greens spiraling into its empty embrace, drawn into it like some hole of light, represented Smeargle.
Or something like that. She was working on short notice.
The splotch of white was easy, but time consuming. She didn't have any huge brushes for something like this, and she was using all of her white, too! But the streaks of bombastic browns and greens were where Persephone really sank into the process. Flicking her wrist emphatically, swinging it like a swordfighter across her decrepit canvas. Graffitiing the Brass Tower was certainly illegal, but who would pick out her work amid the Smeargle's?
What began as work quickly turned to a labor of love. She hummed cheerfully, mixing little spins and wide strokes into her dance as she bled paint upon canvas. No different, she was certain, than Smeargle itself worked.
Persephone fell into a world alone with her cheerful little vandalism. Blocking out the periodic sounds of the city and the woods below the hill. And blocking out the gradual setting of the sun, on the horizon. As dusk approached, it was a loud bang and a cry that finally brought her back to reality.
Her shoulders shot up, and her gaze snapped towards the back exit of the tower- or more accurately, the hole where a back exit might have once been. Annoyed at the interruption, but frightened by the sound, she stood up. Poked her head around the corner and stared through the fractured wall down into the wilds below. And her heart leapt into her chest.
Scrambling up the hill, back up towards the tower, was a Smeargle. Rushing home for the night, to see her grand gift. Back to meet its new best friend!
Persephone's stupid grin didn't vanish until she saw a flash of green and brown behind it. Another figure moving up the hill at a similar pace. And for the first time her silly fantasies broke, forcing her to consider that Smeargle was moving quite fast.
Less like it was walking home, and more like it was fleeing.
Not knowing what to do, Persephone let out a yelp of her own and stumbled back. Smeargle crested the hill and leapt right through the shattered wall. Its eyes widened further in alarm, seeing Persephone. She tried to reach out to it, but the panicking Pokémon darted right past her before she could, rushing into its room.
Through the wall, Persephone saw the other figures in hot pursuit and gasped. It was Elle and Vee, well on their way to acquiring their second teammate.
She balled her fists and scowled, practically trembling with rage. How dare she?! Elle knew Smeargle was Persephone's absolute super-duper favorite!
"Hey, what do you think you're DOING?" she demanded, screaming through the gap as Elle approached.
The young woman flashed a baffled expression at Persephone's presence, before that shifted to annoyance and she ignored Persephone entirely as she leap-frogged over the remains of the wall. She nearly tripped over rubble where she landed, and span frantically in each direction trying to find her quarry.
A moment later, a little fuzzy blur shot over the wall as well, landing triumphantly with a little "Vui!". But rather than continuing to search for Smeargle, its eyes fell on Persephone with a judgmental glare.
Persephone glared back and stuck her tongue out at it.
"Catching a Pokémon!" Elle finally snapped back in reply as her gaze caught on the paint-stained walls that clearly marked the creature's chamber. She practically shoved past Persephone to rush in there with her Eevee hot on her heels.
Persephone pursued. Smeargle had knocked her hard work on its bedding all over the place as it'd frantically scrambled into the spot, raising its tail up like a weapon as it backed into the corner. It bared tiny fangs- at Persephone, at Elle, at Vee, and let out a hiss.
Persephone ground her teeth in anger as it hissed at her with that expression. All of her hard work to make friends, and now she probably looked like a monster to him alongside Elle!
"Vee! Quick Attack!" Elle cried in instruction, jabbing a finger towards the little painter Pokémon.
Vee was eager to oblige, surging forward in a blink with a tiny war-cry. Smeargle swung his tail, painting neon green onto the open air like a canvas. Little barbs protruded from the pastel barrier, and Vee was moments too late to stop himself from slamming into the Spiky Shield.
The fluffball bounced off with an indignant squeak, tumbling upright and glaring at Smeargle with murderous intent. Smeargle was already swinging its tail- now cloaked in an orange paint- to prepare some kind of counterattack.
"Swift, now V—"
Before Elle could finish her command, Persephone slammed into her, tackling her to the ground. Persephone knew this was probably not the right course of action, but it was all her panicked brain could come up with under pressure.
"What the hell are you doing?" Elle shrieked, rolling across the floor with her assailant. She easily reversed the pin, rolling Persephone under herself. For a moment she looked ready to punch her former classmate, before her eyes shot up in frantic alarm at Vee's cry.
Tiny wisps of Ember still lingered in the air, and Vee had a small burn from where Smeargle had caught it distracted. The distraught wild Pokémon was growing in confidence.
Persephone hoped he appreciated the assistance.
"He's mine!" Persephone cried, using her smaller size to squeeze out from under Elle. "You know how long I've wanted a Smeargle!"
Elle's lip curled in disgust, but she wasn't letting herself get distracted from the battle again.
"Vee, Tackle!" she commanded, even as she wrenched a shiny new Pokéball from her belt.
Smeargle tried to dodge out of the way but had inadvertently cornered itself. The Tackle smacked it clear in the side and sent it tumbling across the floor, into the center of the room. It stared up in horror as Elle approached and began frantically scribbling something in the air.
Persephone also watched in horror as Elle tossed the ball up into the air and caught it. Focused her eyes, drew back her throwing arm, and—
Elle's expression, too, turned to one of horror. And Vee's. And when Persephone looked back to Smeargle again, her own terror amplified. There was an uncanny silence for the fleeting moments between recognition and reaction.
Where did Smeargle learn that move?
Smeargle's foot slammed into floor. The ground quaked and floorboards shattered, launching outward and tossing them all towards the edges of the room as a wave of force shot through it. The growling of the Earthquake drowned out their pained cries. But even after the initial blast, the chaos didn't subside.
A horrid cracking sounded all around them. Through the walls and the floor. A sickening splinter cracked through the air, and a support beam collapsed. A section of wall came with it. There was a terrible thud as one of the remaining pieces of the second floor collided with the first.
Elle yelped and cowered beneath her arms by instinct. She noticed the quivering puffball by her feet and quickly crouched to shield Vee.
Persephone was on her side, bleeding now and disoriented from the blast. She was, on some level, aware of the collapsing tower around her. But in her confusion, she had no idea if she should run, cower, or continue thinking about Smeargle.
Smeargle. The Pokémon was gone now. The floor had collapsed beneath the epicenter, no doubt swallowing him up. The poor thing had to be seriously hurt, taking a fall like that while it was already exhausted.
Persephone started trying to stumble dizzily to her feet, failing and falling straight back to the floor a few times. She pushed herself up by her arms, but just couldn't seem to get on two legs.
It was funny. Wasn't that hole in the floor smaller, a few seconds ago?
Oh, it was. It was growing. That was what those little lines coming out of it were. The cracks stretching out, as more and more of the floor collapsed inward into the basement. Those little lines coming towards her, creeping onwards like little lines of insects.
The hole was getting close to her, now. …Surely it would stop soon?
It was as the floor beside her crumbled and collapsed into the enormous basement below that Persephone realized it was not going to stop for her. She tried one final time to drag herself upright, but in spite of her attempt to rise she abruptly found herself falling.
Falling deep, deep down into darkness.
Persephone didn't remember hitting the ground. Or rather, she did, but in the same sense that one might remember a dream. Then she dreamed about sitting in a pile of rubble in a dark place, disoriented and unfeeling for a few minutes. She dreamt about Elle yelling down at her, panicking and guilty, until she finally gave up and ran off.
She liked that part of the dream. Served Elle right.
But eventually dream faded into reality, and somewhere during her daze Persephone became aware of herself again. Eventually even aware enough to fear for her health. She tried moving her arms and found she could- though it was rather painful. She suffered through winding her neck up to see the bruises and lacerations they'd accrued. But it seemed to be just that- miraculously, nothing seemed broken.
Her back protested as she dragged herself upright to investigate the rest of her body and found similar results. Through some grace of Grand Ho-oh- or perhaps by extensive experience with accidents- she'd taken the fall like a champ.
Persephone had never seen the basement chamber before, and she never could have been prepared for the scale of it. The basement floor wasn't broken up into a few rooms like the floor above. It was just one giant pit of rubble, with walls and a floor of the same cold, gray brick. Four tremendous pillars, looking strangely sturdy against the test of time, sat in the edges of the room. Persephone recognized them as the ones that stretched above, but the tips on the ground floor certainly hadn't endured as well. The floor dipped inward towards the center, and the entire room was a landfill for all the debris of the floors above that had fallen through over the years. The floorboards Persephone had fallen through were the newest addition to that landfill, and the hole they'd left behind was the only source of fading light.
Perhaps she may have marveled at the strange, dungeon-like auditorium for longer had she not heard something new amid the aftermath. The frantic, pained squeaking of a Pokémon in trouble.
She'd forgotten entirely about Smeargle!
Her eyes swept the room rapidly, quickly adjusting to the dim light. Smeargle couldn't have gone far, yet she couldn't see him. Had he fallen beneath the rubble?!
Persephone focused enough to search rationally. The squeaking- follow the squeaking!
She spun onto her front and crawled along the pile of debris, body protesting and gaining a few new splinters in the process. Something about the sound wasn't right, but that didn't matter right now. She crawled to the spot it seemed to be originating, and frantically began to shovel through fractured wood and shattered stone.
But she'd only tossed aside a few pieces before she abruptly paused. A face stared back at her and blinked.
The Misdreavus and Persephone stared silently at each other for an uncomfortably long moment. It seemed as surprised to see her as she was to see it. The shock passed, though, and the small ghost opened her mouth to let out another pleading cry.
Frustration built up in her chest, and Persephone balled her hands into fists. She growled as she smacked the heap of broken wood, hurting her far more than the ruins. Of course! Of course it wasn't Smeargle. Just some creepy Ghost that had been holed up in this dingey, dark place.
Well, annoying as it was, she wasn't going to just leave it buried and injured. Almost begrudgingly, she started digging again. She was making a ton of noise, idly flinging hunks of wood and stone backwards to slam into more hunks of wood and stone. Misdreavus's eyes turned to a bewondered sparkle as she watched her valiant savior dig all of the garbage off of her while grumbling indignantly.
As the load lightened, Misdreavus began to struggle and tug at its pinned cloth once again. With one wrench and then two, it finally ripped itself free just as Persephone had nearly finished.
"Mii! Mi!" it yipped at her, voice gentle yet excited. It hovered all around her, smiling gratefully. Whenever it passed directly below the light filtering from above, Persephone could see the shimmer in its eerie orbs.
"Yeah, yeah," Misdreavus's savior grumbled, gently waving it away like a fly pestering her. "You're welcome. Go on, get out of here."
Annoyingly, however, it did not. Instead the little ghost continued to hover around her. Somehow, she'd managed to befriend the wrong Pokémon.
Persephone groaned and rolled her eyes, pushing herself upright. Her shoulders ached something fierce, and blood was dripping down her leg, but she tried to ignore it. She scanned the room again, trying to make out any unexpected shapes in the dim light. It was so hard to see in the dark…
Misdreavus seemed to realize her struggle, and hovered up beside her head, scanning the room for her with its nocturnal sights. It perked up with another cry of "Mii!" and floated hastily down from the heap of rubble toward one of the darker corners of the room.
After a moment of skepticism, Persephone frowned and followed the ghost, stepping slowly and carefully across the unstable rubble. As she stepped out of the little light beaming down from above and her eyes adjusted, she could see the rough outline of Smeargle huddled up in the corner. She couldn't see the details, but it had to be badly wounded after that fall.
She held her arms out to it and approached slowly.
"Hey! Hey, don't worry little guy! I'm here to help!" she reassured him, just a bit too excited under the circumstances. Dr. Sequia said they understood, right?
A nasty hiss met her in return, and that shape backed up tighter against the wall.
Persephone shook her head and raised her hands disarmingly, but didn't halt her approach.
"Please, stop being afraid. I wanna be your friend!" she insisted, lowering a hand to reach out to him.
The shadow shifted, its long tail flinging out in front of it. Persephone flinched and shielded her eyes as it suddenly emitted a bright light. She gasped in horror, entirely unprepared for the oncoming attack.
"Eeeip!"
The pain never came; not to Persephone anyways. A shrill cry filled the chamber as Misdreavus flitted in the way to take the blow, their soft and near-weightless body flinging into Persephone.
She should have ran immediately, but she was too dumbfounded to react. Why was it attacking her? How was it attacking her, in its state? Why was everything going wrong?!
Persephone stepped backwards, her back quickly colliding with the floor as she tripped over the scattered debris behind her. Her arm raised up to shield her as Smeargle leapt forward, all the terror of a cornered feral on its face. It took a few steps forward and a bit of the light trickled onto its face. And suddenly Persephone realized her mistake—It was worn, but through some miraculous move it had to have stabilized itself, or endured the fall.
Its tail swung up, sketching paint through the air as it did. She watched on in horror as it prepared some final attack against the human who had invaded its home and chased it into a corner. She was defenseless.
Misdreavus cried out in horror as well, too slow and too beaten to protect her again. Strangely, it seemed just as terrified as Persephone was.
Its shriek grew louder and louder. It wailed on and on as Smeargle's attack came out, impossibly loud, screeching far longer and louder than its little lungs should have managed. It screeched for minutes straight, at volumes that should have shattered her eardrums.
Its eyes shone like the moon- no like the sun- a brilliant crimson red that pierced through everything else and became the only object of focus in Persephone's world as that horrid grating cry continued on for hours. For days, and weeks and yet somehow grew louder the entire time.
At some point, Persephone vaguely processed that this didn't make sense. Time had slowed down, for everything but her and this Misdreavus. That a single cry of alarm had been stretched on for an eternity, and the world was slowly melting away. Becoming nothing.
The world was gone. There was nothing but Persephone and the Misdreavus left.
Something struck them both- but it wasn't Smeargle. It was an attack on their minds, a pressure that overwhelmed them in an instant with countless emotions. Love and comfort, loneliness and rejection. The feelings intertwined and asserted themselves undeniably as all that existed in their shared reality for this instantaneous eon.
Persephone vaguely managed two fleeting thoughts as she endured this mental assault-
Was this what it felt like to die?
…And why did that idea make her so morbidly curious?
The pressure vanished in an instant. And the sensations of the outside world returned with a familiar one, to Persephone—the feeling of falling, as her body collapsed.
Before she hit the ground, she heard the faintest squeak—"I'msorry." Her consciousness faded.