Cream POV

I shook my head and took a deep breath. He called me cute and I almost passed out, way to go Cream...

"Are you okay?" Marshadow asked, to which I nodded.

"Y-Yeah. That just wasn't the response I was expecting..." I answered, looking to the ground. He stepped closer and opened his mouth to speak, but he stopped as we both heard a feminine voice yell from down the hall.

"Could you please let go? Get your filthy hands off of me!" Otto walked back into view holding a Shiny Maractus. They turned to face us so he could put her in the cell as well, but the Maractus was... not fully shiny? Her left half was shiny, but her right half was normal? The door opened and the Maractus was thrown in, then the door was quickly closed and locked. We walked over to the half shiny Maractus, who jumped up and began speaking.

"Hi there, who are you two? I don't care, I'm getting out and breaking that guy's arms!" She started off friendly, but then pushed us aside and glared at Otto, who yelped and ran down the hall.

"Hey! Get back here and let me out you wimp! Calm down, we didn't come here to start fights. Maybe not, but they are so asking for it! You don't need to yell anymore. I'm not yelling!" She seemed to be arguing with herself. Me and Marshadow looked at each other. I shrugged before he turned to her.

"Excuse me." He said, getting her attention.

"Yes? What do you want?!" She responded politely, then angrily.

"I am Marshadow, this is Cream. What is your name, and how did you end up here?" He asked.

"Our name is Ayahuasca." She replied, somehow both a harsh and soft voice speaking at the same time. I stepped forward, next to Marshadow. How did she do that?

"We came here willingly. We were here to help these guys, but they just locked us up!" She said, making both of us raise a brow.

"You're going to help them? Why would you do that?" I asked, getting a scoff from her.

"These guys really didn't tell them? I guess we'll be the ones to inform them." She spoke with herself, leaving me confused. Marshadow stepped forward.

"Inform us of what?" He asked. Ayahuasca nodded and looked between us.

"It was quite a few years ago. The elderly bastard in charge of the Maractus was taking them around the desert. They looked for a home, and stumbled upon a village of Cacturne. The guy thought they didn't deserve good things, so the shithead rallied the Maractus and drove the surprised Cacturne out of the village and took it for themselves. The Cacturne settled here, but their lives were a lot worse then before. They didn't have much food or water, so they stole from the Maractus. They were angered by all that happened, and they are now finally planning to take the village back, as they have the strength to do so. There. You happy?" She finished with a sigh. We were taken aback by the story.

"That can not be wha-"

"Marshadow, if it wasn't true, why would she willingly come here alone?" I asked him, to which he had no rebuttal.

"Oh, yes. There is another reason why we're doing this. The bastards treat us like a freak! Says something as hideous as us shouldn't exist, so we're gonna pound them into the ground!" She added in with the harsh voice's equally harsh scowl. I began to feel bad for her, and just wanted to give her a hug. No mon should go through that...

"If this is true-"

"Why the fuck wouldn't it be?! Shh!"

"Then I suppose we will have to help as well." Marshadow said with a sigh. I smiled and patted his back.

"You three would actually help us?" The new voice belonged to Otto, who looks like he's been there the whole time.

"That's what we said before! If you'd only listened..." She facepalmed as Otto scratched his head.

"Y-Yeah... I'll go talk to Sky and see if I can convince her about this, I'll be right back!" He spoke quickly and zipped away right after he finished.

"This guy is like a Joltik on 10,000 volts... Or a crazy Ninjask..." Ayahuasca mumbled, making me chuckle.

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Cacts POV

"I know ya said ya couldn't fight, but... I didn't think ya were that bad." Cracts remarked as we walked out of the infirmary, my arm in a cast.

"I would've been fine if I didn't have to be reminded of..." I stopped myself before I blurted it out. Cracts seemed to realize what I was talking about and went quiet. We walked in silence for a minute, passing by the room where it happened.

"It wasn't-"

"My fault?" I cut him off.

"You say that every time it's brought up..." I said, closing my eyes as we stopped outside of my room.

"It was." I muttered, though he still heard it.

"I'm guessin' that's why you kept away from me, huh?" He asked, making me remember more and more of it. I avoided him for years because I thought I'd accidentally hurt him again.

"Y-Yeah..."

"And ya never fought or even trained at all in that time." I nodded at his words. He put a hand on my shoulder.

"Look, it's in the past now, so ya don't gotta think about it." He smiled, making me feel a bit better.

"I guess... you're right, I shouldn't think about it... but I just can't stop..." I spoke, my voice getting quieter.

"I'm gonna rest for a bit... see you later." I waved as I walked into my room and shut the door.

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Stel POV

We walked through the harsh desert sunlight, Melody behind me, directing us where to go.

"T-That way..." She said, pointing to our left. I nodded and we walked in that direction.

"You think Cream and Marshadow are expecting us to rescue them?" Serket asked, wiping sweat off of his face.

"Marshadow acts as if he never expects assistance." I stated with a smile.

"He hasn't changed."