"Damn savage..."
Timburr let out heavy breaths. Droplets of sweat dribbled off his brown skin, wetting the surface of the hard dirt below him. He stared at the battle unfolding before him, his wooden axe slung across his shoulder.
A cart lay on its side in the middle of the road. Its cargo strown about. The cart's Zebstrika draftmon laid unconscious nearby with a huge claw mark etched bloodily onto its back. Perched atop it, a Braviary glared down at its prey – a terrified Musharna. The wind picked up, sending ripples through the endless rows of grain that surrounded the road.
The beast cawed violently at the merchant, rearing its head to jab at them with its beak.
"Oh no you don't!" Timburr howled, bursting forward. He swept his axe in front of him, parrying the descending beak before it could tear into its intended victim. The savage glanced at him angrily, sweeping a talon in his direction. He yanked his axe backwards, positioning it between himself and the second attack.
The force of the strike sent him skidding backwards, his feet tearing small trenches into the dirt below him. "I didn't think they had savages this close to the capital!" he said through an excited grin.
"Not often," his own draftmon answered behind him. The Bouffalant had finally unhooked herself from the harness that attached her to their own wagon. She approached the fight with caution. "I guess the tournament has the Knights Aurumus spread thin."
The adult buffalo glared up at the winged beast, lowering her head and stamping her hoof into the ground. The Braviary flapped its wings and sped towards Timburr, prompting the Bouffalant to charge forward. She slammed her skull into its side, her braided brown hair swinging beneath her horns as they stabbed into the creature's side.
The beast was flung backwards, ricocheting off the ground. She snorted angrily.
Timburr laughed, pointing his axe at the buffalo. "Nice move!"
But she wasn't smiling. Bouffalant stared at the bird, struggling to right itself. "Stand back, Muffraw," she said, slowly pacing forward.
"Eh?" Timburr glanced at her in surprise. His expression turned into an irate grimace. "C'mon, you sound like Ma."
The buffalo sighed. "Just... watch your brother." A little red fuzzball - a Darumaka - could be seen excitedly cheering from the wagon behind them; a stark contrast to the tense atmosphere that gripped the air.
The Braviary regained its footing and slowly pulled itself back to its feet. It let out a roar and lunged at the pair.
"GET BACK!" Bouffalant howled, charging forward to meet the bird's attack. It was more than ready for her, though, and sidestepped the bull's heavy charge. The eagle swept a claw in her direction, etching a bloody gash into her side. She stumbled while it spun in the air, aiming another talon at her throat.
Timburr brought his hand to the blade of his wooden axe. A gleam of reflected light flashed as he slipped off the blunt sheath, revealing the metallic edge hidden within. He grasped the axe's shaft and - with the technique of a trained logger - the young mon stepped forward and swung the weapon.
A splash of blood erupted from the eagle's leg, its talon flying from its body. The beast cried out, turning in the young mon's direction. It tried to thrust its beak into Timburr's chest - only for a headbutt from his draftmon to send the bird rocketing into the road. The Braviary rolled across the dirt, kicking up clouds of dust as it landed in the field of wheat and fell still.
Timburr grinned, whirling his axe onto his shoulder in a victorious pose. "Nice work, Connie," he said, shooting her a thumbs up.
But the older Pokemon was not celebrating. "I told you to hang back," she said between breaths. "These things sometimes hunt in-"
A shrill caw erupted from behind the pair, drawing their attention to a shadow that was suddenly cast upon their own wagon.
"-pairs..."
Timburr's heart sank as he saw the outline of another bird descending upon their wagon. It was a vulture, slightly smaller than its Braviary mate, with a pair of red eyes focused intently on his little brother. His first reaction was one of rage - he had to get there and protect Paul at all costs! But when Timburr's gaze fell upon the vulture's unsettlingly cruel expression, a new sensation enveloped him - horror.
He froze, trembling.
...
...
...
"Yes...!"
A monstrous voice hissed with delight, as the shadows crept towards him. A feathery figure took shape from the darkness, with a long neck ending in a beaked face and red eyes that gleamed with demonic delight. "You will do nicely, son of Aurumus."
Soaked with blood, the child froze while the shadows enveloped him. He felt an intense chill as they creeped up his body, forming a claw that tugged at the lids of his left eye.
Pain. Terror. Despair.
At such a young age, Timburr felt a lifetime of emotion surge through him. He wasn't old enough to speak, nor could he muster the courage to cry out in fear. All he could do was sit there, allowing the monster to tear into his body.
"Yes~! Beautiful. Beautiful." The shadowy face grinned manically. He felt its icy claws dig inside him.
"She took my children from me... so too shall I take you from her~"
...
...
...
"Muffraw!" Bouffalant's voice echoed behind him, snapping Timburr back to reality. He clutched at his left eye, feeling the rough skin of the three scars that bordered it. He felt an intense coldness behind his eye, writhing. Struggling to escape.
He could hear Bouffalant's hooves pounding against the dirt, racing towards the wagon where his brother trembled under the savage Mandibuzz's towering figure. She leapt forward, making the large bird flap its wings to evade her attack.
It flew into the sky above the wagon and opened its beak, where a shadowy black aura bubbled out of its throat. With a fearsome caw, a pulse of darkness erupted from the vulture's mouth and hammered into Bouffalant's body.
The blast of energy struck Bouffalant and launched her backwards, tearing through the crops with ease. Timburr could hear her groan from within the wheat fields as she rolled to a stop, but he couldn't turn around to see if she was okay. He couldn't move.
He could only watch the Mandibuzz swoop down from the sky, its talons open. Itsgazefell upon Darumaka, who was now standing on the back of the wagon.
NO!
Timburr could feel the rage welling up inside. He tightened his grasp on his weapon, and kicked off the ground. He flew towards the Mandibuzz, his axe ready to carve into the beast. But he wouldn't be fast enough! The bird's razor sharp talons were already poised to tear into the young Darumaka.
…
In the blink of an eye, tree roots exploded from the earth beneath the Mandibuzz. They spiraled into the sky and ensnared the large avian. It cried in surprise as the wooden restraints tightened around it. A spurt of blood erupted from its mouth; crushed to death in an instant.
The roots began to unravel, falling to the ground. Likewise, the savage Mandibuzz fell to the earth with an audible thud.
Timburr stared in stunned silence. He could see Paul standing atop the wagon, his hand raised triumphantly into the air. "WOOO! WE WON!" he shouted.
Timburr's heart raced. He ran towards Paul, wrapping his arms around the Darumaka's body and squeezing tightly. "Thank Arceus..."
"Eh?! H-hey, no, Muffraw!" Paul tried to free himself from his brother's embrace.
Bouffalant walked up behind the pair. She let out a sigh, shaking her head. "You're late..."
Timburr heard her speak and glanced at her. He followed her gaze into the wheat field nearby. A huge Sawsbuck - easily twice the size of a normal deer - towered over the wheatfields. Standing on its back was a simian Pokémon.
The monkey held a quarterstaff with a single hand and had a head of long grassy hair, with twin braids that hung down past its shoulders. Obscuring the Simisage's face was a round mask with a smiling expression.
"I know, I know," the monkey replied with a feminine voice, hopping down onto the road. "My apologies. I'm relieved you managed to hold out so long." She removed her mask as she stood before the trio, revealing a thin face with a kind expression. The Simisage bowed before the group.
"Dame Simisage Femia, at thy service."
"It's ok, boy," a warm voice resounded, as a massive hand pulled the child from the muck. It brought him to its chest, where it nuzzled him in a coat of warm red fur. He buried his face in it, feeling it soothe the searing cold that blazed behind his eye.
"I'm here."
...
...
...
"A real-life KNIGHT!?" Paul squealed with excitement, dancing around the grass monkey's legs. "SO COOOL!"
"I appreciate your enthusiasm, little one," she said, bending down to shoot him a warm smile, "but, on behalf of her majesty, I do have duties to perform." Her eyes darted towards the collapsed cart and the injured Pokémon laying near it. She moved in that direction with a swiftness that kicked up a strong breeze in her wake.
Timburr briefly watched the knight address the injuries of the Zebstrika and the Musharna, before sighing and turning back to his comrades. "Just great! A knight JUST HAD to come in at the last moment and steal all the glory!" he said, slipping the sheath back onto the head of his axe. "We could have taken both of 'em by ourselves."
"No way!" Darumaka rushed forward and jumped, hammering his head into his brother's gut. "You totally froze up back there! Without her, I would'a been mincemeat~~!"
After catching his breath, Timburr grit his teeth irritably. "I didn't freeze up! I just had something in my-"
He paused, bringing his hand to his scarred left eye. What was that sensation anyways? He swore he could hear something in his head at the same time. An eerily familiar voice which he couldn't quite pinpoint. He shook his head - he must've imagined it. "There was something in my eye."
Paul snorted. "What a lame 'scuse."
Timburr gave a frustrated sigh, glaring at his brother. "Don't tell me you were any better!" he shouted, pointing an accusatory finger at Paul. "You did nothing!"
"I was MORAL support!"
"GAH!" Timburr raised his hands and grasped at the air in frustration. "You better pull your own weight when the tournament starts!"
"And you better not freeze up~"
Bouffalant rolled her eyes and stepped forward, pushing her way between the arguing children. "Why don't you both pull your own weight now?" she said with an irate snort. "Get ready to move. We're leaving."
Timburr glanced at the claw mark on the draftmon's side. It looked long and nasty, with dark red blood staining her brown fur. "Are you... sure yer ok?"
Darumaka hopped on her head and looked down at her. "Yeah! You're waa~y beat up."
"It'll take more than that to bring me down." She continued towards the cart, where she grabbed the harness in her mouth. She spun, slipping her head through to hook herself in.
Timburr couldn't help but notice her wince as she tugged at the wagon. "At least let me bandage you up," he said, scowling to express his disapproval. Why was she in such a rush, anyways? They weren't in any hurry. The trio was less than a day from the Subarbore, and the Queen's Tournament wasn't set to begin there for another two.
Bouffalant glanced briefly at the knight's large Sawsbuck, grazing calmly in the grain field nearby. She let out a deep, irritated sigh. "Fine."
...
"What's your problem anyways?" Timburr asked as he finished wrapping up the cut on the draftmon's side. "You got a problem with knights or something?"
"I'm fine with knights," she replied with a grunt, "it's her specifically I take issue with." She glanced over at Simisage, who was helping the Zebstrika to his feet. "...or rather, her clan."
"Her clan?" He tightened the bandage while looking at her in confusion.
Bouffalant rolled her eyes. "You probably wouldn't care. It's politics."
"Whoa, the P-word!" Timburr stepped back, waving his hands in the air. "Say no more! I want nothing to do with that crap!"
The draftmon snorted and tugged on the wagon, causing it to move forward. "Let's just get going."
Timburr hopped onto the front seat and the wagon rolled forward, soon passing by the damaged cart where the other mun were gathered.
"Leaving so soon?" the Simisage asked, looking up at them. "Oh, are you in a rush?"
"We have our own jobs to do," the draftmon replied bluntly. "Jobs that require SAPIENCE to perform."
Simisage's ears perked up as she cocked her head curiously. "Ah... you're from the Draftmuns' Guild."
Bouffalant didn't respond. Her eyes remained focused on the road ahead.
"Well, I will not try to change your mind," Simisage replied with a saddened expression. "Be well, you three."
"BYE MISS KNIGHT!" Paul shouted, waving wildly as he jumped up and down in the back of the wagon.
"Good luck to you in the tournament!" the simian replied with a smile.
"Who needs luck!?" Paul pointed to the front of the wagon proudly. "I've got my big brother!"
"That's right!" Timburr pounded his fist against his chest. "No matter what comes our way, we'll come out on top!"
"Yeah!" Paul added, grinning happily.
Simisage chuckled, waving back at them. "I'm sure you will!" The wagon pulled forward and Darumaka scrambled to the back, exchanging waves with the knight for some time.
Timburr remained in the front seat. He waited until they were out of earshot before speaking up. "The Draftmuns' Guild, eh?" he asked aloud, leaning back in his seat. "What's all that about?"
"It's nothing you'd care about," Bouffalant replied, still staring ahead. "It's related to my work."
Timburr smirked, closing his eyes. "Well, if you say so," he said with a yawn, resting his hands behind his head. "Hey, Connie..."
"Hm?"
"Thanks for comin' with us," he said, already half asleep. "On this trip."
The Bouffalant grunted. "Your Ma wouldn't let you go alone, would she?"
Timburr chuckled. "Nah, but it's nice ta' know ya got my back."
"Yeah..." she glanced over at her two charges. Darumaka was fast asleep, snoring loudly as he nestled himself in a small bed. Timburr was drifting off himself. She could see his scarred left eye peeking out from his eyelid slightly, flickering as if he could still see something. She furrowed her brow and frowned, watching him closely.
*BOOM*
Lightning flashed, illuminating the dark cabin. Perched in the windowsill, the infant saw a small avian Pokémon. A Murkrow. Its scarred lower eyelid twitched, and the bird began to caw. It flapped its wings and flew down to him.
The tiny Pokémon screamed as its glowing red eyes glared down at him in the darkness. He could see its lower eyelid clearly now – tattooed with a pair of looping white circles, bisected by a horizontal scar.
"For the Bird Tribe," the bird spoke, thrusting its talon to grasp at the child's chest, "I shall claim this soul." It squeezed its talons, prompting a cry of pain. "She will make you part of me..."
...
A barrage of images followed. A struggle. Tumbling to the floor. A flurry of pecks and scratches. Splashes of blood. Screams and angry caws. A howl of murderous rage.
By the time the images calmed, the child was bathed in blood. The Murkrow laid on the ground beside him - its wings spread and a wooden stake impaling its chest.
The child's chest heaved up and down, his body trembling.
"Oh~~~?"
A monstrous voice resounded as the door swung open. A surge of shadows flooded into the cabin, helmed by a pair of demonic red eyes. "How... interesting~"
The nightmare had only just begun.
...
...
...
"Muffraw?"
Timburr blinked his eyes open, finding his draftmon gazing back at him with a concerned look. He brought a hand up to his cheek, finding it drenched with sweat. But he didn't feel warm. Quite the opposite, in fact. He was shivering. Especially his eye; it felt like there was a blizzard raging behind it. He used his hand to rub it vigorously. "Huh?"
"Are you alright?" she asked. "You're shaking..."
"Er..." Timburr's brow furrowed. "Yeah, I'm fine." Still covering his eye, he grasped his aching forehead in his palm. "I just had a weird dream, that's all." He felt a lump form in his throat.
Was it only a dream? Something about it seemed all too familiar. And yet, he felt the memories slipping from his mind as he tried to recall them.
Bouffalant gave him a strange look, before returning her eyes to the line ahead of them.
Line?
It was only now that Timburr realized that they had arrived at their destination. Subarbore's gates - a massive pair of open doors carved into a tall root of the great tree. Multiple rows of wagons, carts, and other travelling Pokemon were lined up; waiting to be allowed into the city. Like a city wall, the top of the root was lined with numerous guards who kept a watchful eye on the incoming crowds.
It was immediately evident that Timburr and Darumaka weren't the only youths arriving for the Queen's tournament. Numerous huge wagons were filled with kids, many of whom peered down and exchanged waves with an equally excited Darumaka. Timburr was surprised he hadn't been awoken by the noise earlier.
"I can't believe there are this many mun!" Paul exclaimed, his eyes sparkling as he looked around in wonder. "Are they all gonna compete in the tournament?"
"This year's turnout is supposed to be bigger than ever," Bouffalant noted, her pace slowing to a stop. "The last tournament had a big dip because of the w-" Her eyes grew wide as she met Timburr's gaze, and she immediately turned her head away from him.
"What?" Timburr raised a brow, still rubbing his eye. "The war?" He looked at her in confusion. "What about it?"
*THUD*
Bouffalant opened her mouth to reply, just as the earth shook under the weight of a massive footstep. Darumaka pushed past Timburr, excitedly pointing at a massive creature that had just landed nearby. Timburr raised a brow, while Bouffalant groaned.
"What the heck?" Timburr asked aloud, looking up at another massive Sawsbuck. "This one's even bigger…"
It was at least four times the size of a normal member of its species, towering over even the largest of wagons in line. A wooden carriage was secured atop the draft Pokémon's back, and the driver pulled back on a pair of reins to direct it to a stop. Timburr looked up at the reins curiously.
"Come to think of it…" he said, scratching his chin. "Are those things savages? Do savages normally… work as draftmun?"
"They're not supposed to," Bouffalant replied with a huff, glaring disapprovingly at the creature. "According to the law, at least." Her eyes narrowed as she watched several mun moving in the carriage atop the Sawsbuck's back. "But some families are above the law."
The titan neared the gate and then lowered itself to the ground. At the same time, their line moved forward and they found themselves standing a few paces across from the huge creature. It was even more impressive up close.
...
"Welcome to Subarbore!"
A sudden voice snapped their attention away from the titan. They had arrived at a checkpoint before the gate, where a pair of Pokémon waited. One was an Escavalier, who had a serious expression and immediately began searching their wagon for illegal items. The other was a Leavanny, who spoke to them in a friendlier manner.
"I see you are transporting children," he said, waving at Timburr and Darumaka with a smile. "I presume you are here for the Queen's Tournament? Will they require any supervision?"
"No, sir." Bouffalant stated, turning her head to look at the two youths. "They'll be staying with me."
"Excellent!" Leavanny replied, clapping his hands together. "I am with the Registration Committee - if you have your paperwork ready, we will get you registered right away!"
"Paperwork?" Timburr looked at the adult mun in surprise. "You mean like... books?"
"It's in the case behind you," Bouffalant said with a sigh. "Your Pa said you'd forget..."
"Paperwork?!" Timburr jumped up, whirling around to open the case. Inside were several sheets of parchment, each covered with a bewildering amount of text. His head spun as he struggled to make sense of the dense writing. Since dropping out of school to become a logger's apprentice, he hadn't dealt with anything like this. Feeling a bit dizzy, he turned back and handed the papers to the Leavanny.
"Wonderful, wonderful!" He flipped through the parchment, occasionally stopping to scribble something on a clipboard. "Can I get your names and ages?"
"Timburr Muffraw," he replied, crossing his arms proudly. "I'm twelve." He nodded towards his little brother, who was still oohing and awing over the nearby titan. "This is Darumaka Paul. Six."
"I see, I see." Leavanny wrote on his clipboard, occasionally pausing to dip his quill in ink. "Now, there are four paths that you can choose from. They will affect where you begin in the tournament. Each path is themed after one of the Four Warriors - so you have the Cobalion Path, the Terrakion Path, the Virizion Path, and the Keldeo Path."
The Four what...?Timburr scratched his head. He looked over at Darumaka, who didn't seem interested. But the Leavanny was looking at him expectantly. He needed to pick something. "The Keldeo Path, I guess..."
"Hmm...?" a voice hummed loudly, immediately grabbing both Timburr and Leavanny's attention.
They saw a young Pansage, freshly descended from the carriage on the titan's back. Though young, his posture was prim and pompous. Behind him walked a blue Audino dressed in butler's attire. "You're taking the Keldeo Path? With a fire type? That sounds rather foolish…"
"HA?" Timburr answered, a vein bulging on his forehead. "I don't think that's any of your business, brat!"
The Pansage let out a cocky chuckle. "Brat, you say?" He looked up at his Audino with a grin. "Did you hear that? The commun just called me a brat!" He waved his butler forward, directing him to place his own stack of paperwork on the counter besides Leavanny.
"I am PansageFronsKessog," the grass monkey said, brushing his hand through his finely trimmed, grassy hair. "I too wish to register for the Queen's Tournament."
Timburr halted when he heard Pansage speak. The way he stressed his middle name with such arrogance was all too familiar. Nobles often flaunted their family names in introductions, eager to set themselves apart from the common mun. Timburr scowled, already irritated by the pretentiousness of this insufferable kid.
Leavanny cleared his throat. "I... er, apologize, Mr. Kessog, but I'm afraid I'm working with these children right now. Perhaps if you can wait for a moment-"
"Oh? OH!" The monkey offered an exaggeratedly apologetic expression, then held his arm to his stomach and bowed to the group. "Apologies, apologies. I should not have interrupted. That was rude of me, wasn't it?" He turned and looked at Timburr, smirking. "Please forgive me, new friend."
Timburr's eyes narrowed into slits. The smugness of this Pansage was already grating on his nerves, and now he was calling him 'friend'?! He squeezed a fist at his side, resisting the urge to throw a punch at him.
"Timburr." The gruff voice of Bouffalant snapped him out of his irritation. Not by accident. "You have to finish signing that paperwork."
Timburr glanced down, then quickly scribbled his name on the final form. He beckoned Darumaka over to him, then directed him to do the same. With both forms signed, he handed them back to Leavanny. He shot an angry look at Pansage as he did so, to which the monkey responded with an amused smirk.
The Leavanny nodded approvingly. "Very good. These will get you registered. If you require lodging, the Childcare Committee has rooms avail-"
"Unnecessary," Bouffalant replied, beginning to march forward as soon as Escavalier had given her the ok. Timburr nodded and sat down in his seat.
"So, new friend," Pansage continued, walking alongside the wagon and addressing him. "Where are you from?"
Timburr looked down at the grass monkey, surprised that a noble would bother speaking to him so casually. He scowled, fighting back the urge to tell the monkey to go screw himself. "A place called Silver Lining," he said with a suspicious look.
"Silver Lining..." the monkey replied, scratching his chin in thought. "It sounds familiar..." Suddenly, his eyes lit up, and he snapped his fingers. "Oh! I think I know it! It's northeast of here, yes? In the Duchy of Mens?"
Timburr raised a brow in surprise. "I dunno... maybe?"
"You don't know!?" Pansage cocked his head curiously. "Strange... I'd heard the education program there was top notch! Dame Gothitelle has nearly a one hundred percent literacy rate in her domain."
"What are you blabbing abo-" Timburr started to say, only to stop as the monkey hopped onto the wagon and stared directly into his eye.
"Though... I heard there was one town that's dragging the rate down. A place called... Silver something..."
"Silver Lining," Timburr corrected with a slight snarl.
"Yes, that's it." The monkey smiled. "I'm sure it's fine, though! I'm sure you're trying your hardest."
Timburr's eyebrow twitched. He balled his hand into a fist.
"Anyways," Pansage said, scooching himself into the wagon. "I've got some time to kill. Why don't I give you a tour of the capital!?"
Timburr opened his mouth to retort, but he was beaten to the punch.
"Absolutely not!" Bouffalant stopped suddenly, making the cart jolt to a halt. She turned her head, looking fiercely at the young noble. "Get off."
Pansage blinked in surprise. "Why?"
"Because you're an irritating brat, that's why," the draftmon spat, her fur bristling. "And I didn't think the Frons rode with draftmun that weren't savages."
The monkey reeled back, surprised by her harsh tone. He quickly recovered, however, and grit his teeth in anger. He jumped to his feet and pointed his finger in retaliation. "Listen now - my clan has been raising titan Sawsbucks for nearly two millennia. That's my heritage you're spitting at."
"And that's my livelihood you're hurting by employing SAVAGES!"
Pansage clenched his fists in anger. "Aurumus has prospered for a thousand years! Draftmun jobs haven't disappeared once in our history, and they won't disappear now!"
"You don't know anything about our struggles, you high class bra-"
"STOP!"
Timburr raised his hands between the two bickering Pokémon. He glared angrily at both of them. "Arceus, what's wrong with you two!?" He looked at Pansage first, giving him a stern look. "Look, I don't know you or your clan, but don't go acting all high and mighty here."
Then, he snapped his attention to Bouffalant. "And you! What the hell, Connie!? You're arguing with a kid!"
Bouffalant's face flared with embarrassment. "I-I know! I didn't mean to..." she sighed, lowering her head. "I'm sorry."
"You need to chill, Connie." Timburr sighed, sitting back down in his seat. "I don't get any of this crap, but just..." He gestured towards the large Sawsbuck resting a short distance behind them. "Don't let it get to you, alright?"
"Yeah..." she replied, her voice quiet.
Pansage stepped backwards off the wagon, frowning. "You're right." He shot the draftmon a bitter glare. "I'm sorry, too." The monkey turned back to Timburr, bowing in his direction. "I apologize, I've been quite rude. You don't deserve that." He looked up at him with a smirk. "As it happens, I also plan to take the Keldeo path. If we meet there, I would be happy to watch your back."
Timburr raised a brow. "You'd help me out?"
"Of course!" Pansage replied with a chuckle. "If you can accept my apology."
The young logger couldn't help but laugh. "Alright, alright..." He glanced over at Darumaka, who was frozen in a wide-eyed stare. "...if you can stop picking fights, maybe we'll do just that."
The monkey laughed, offering a small nod. "It's a deal!"
The two Pokémon exchanged handshakes. He shot the pair a grin, then spun around and walked back towards his butler. He stopped after a few paces and turned his head, offering his signature smirk.
"Oh, and Timburr," he called out. "Don't worry about not knowing things. If you keep growing, you'll fill the gaps in your education!"
Timburr watched the young noble depart, then let out a frustrated groan. He slumped back into his seat and glanced over at Darumaka, who had remained silent the whole time. The young Darumaka looked at his brother, then back at the departing noble, and back again. He opened his mouth to say something, only to shut it and remain quiet. Timburr smiled at him, rustling the fur on the top of his head.
"I... lost control back there," Bouffalant said with a sigh. She returned her focus to the road and marched ahead.
They passed through the city gates and found themselves in a lively square where Pokémon of every shape and size were merrily going about their business. The festival was in full swing: some were playing games, others were dancing, and many were happily snacking on cotton candy or other treats.
It didn't take long for Darumaka to forget the argument and erupt into excited oohs and awws. He ran forward, bouncing up and down below a massive display of floating lanterns. Timburr gazed up at them in wonder, watching the colorful lanterns dance above the square.
"Hey kid," Bouffalant said, getting Timburr's attention. "Thanks for keeping your cool back there," she said, her gaze lingering on him for a moment. "Your Ma said you were a hothead, but you really impressed me."
Timburr blushed, scratching the back of his head. "Uh, yeah..." He didn't want to admit it, but the draftmon had scared him a little. "It's no big deal. Don't worry about it."
She nodded, turning her gaze towards Darumaka. "I was going to remind you to take care of your brother before the tournament... but I think you'll do a fine job." She glanced back at him with a smile.
Timburr smiled back, looking at his brother. Darumaka was jumping up and down excitedly, as the crowd passed around him.
...
Timburr stumbled as the world turned gray. The festival fell silent. He felt an icy sensation writhing behind his eye. An eerie caw erupted as he buckled forward, covering it.
A bird was perched atop a building nearby, draped in black feathers. It glared down at him with a pair of empty white eyes, a gaping hole in its chest revealing an empty ribcage.
"It's coming, Muffraw," the bird's voice echoed with a deathly rattle. A silent lightning bolt flashed behind it. "The Extinction Event encroaches...!"
...
"Are you ok, Muffraw?"
Bouffalant's voice snapped him out of his daze. He felt a surge of warmth rush into his left eye. He blinked, returning the world to its vibrant hues. He was breathing heavily.
"Yeah," he answered, shaking his head. He took a moment to compose himself.
"Yeah, I'm fine…"