Chapter 12: The sons of Sunshade
Just a few hundred meters north of Sunshade, there was an old outpost. Not like Sunshade made for much of an attractive target for an attack, but the rangers still used it as a base of operation while on guard duty. Still mostly being made of dried clay, the watchtower wasn't particularly tall, but I didn't really have to. I wasn't like it had to, as the land around consisted of flat savannas for miles. A brass horn was stationed inside to serve as an alarm, which hadn't seen much use throughout the years.
On the impromptu training grounds outside, a wave of sand crashed into the training dummy, snapping the poles it stood on. Slate felt pleased with himself, as the bulldoze he had used in a panic the week prior was now a technique he mastered.
"Not bad at all." Sting, who was mentoring him at the moment, commented. "Most mon have to evolve at least once to output power like that."
"Yeah. That was amazing!" Dart added, wagging his tail.
However! You won't be able to rely on that move much." Sting continued, causing Slate's attitude to deflate a bit.
"Why not? It's not that hard." Slate asked.
"Think about it a bit. That move does indeed allow to use your physical prowess at medium range, but it can't be confined." Sting answered. "It will also do massive damage both your partners. It will most certainly be nice when you're alone, neither Latenna nor Dart will be able to fight alongside you if you throw it out haphazardly."
"He's right. I can't move around while you shake the ground like that." Dart admitted, not having wanted to diminish his friends accomplishment.
"Then how can I fight with them? Bulldoze was the only thing I could even hit that heatmor with. I was practically a burden until that point." Slate asked.
"You are an oddball, you know that?" Sting commented. "When I awakened, the only thing I knew was to fight. But for you it's the opposite. You already speak fluently, you can read, and practically every other basic subject is easy for you. Fighting is the only thing you're lacking in."
Slate made a subtle gulp, with Dart being even less subtle about it. Luckily, Sting wasn't looking in his direction. It wasn't like he wanted to lie to Sting, as he and Regal had been really kind and helpful to the after the incident in the canyon. But he still wasn't comfortable with sharing his condition unnecessarily.
"No matter. That heatmor was beyond anything you are expected to beat at your level. Quite frankly, pushing him so far was kind of impressive." Sting added, before finally getting back to the question. "Still, if you want to contribute in a team-fight you will be forced to get in close, and you don't have the speed or durability to do so easily. That is the challenge you'll have to overcome."
"How? Ranged attacks will just pummel me before I ever get close. I can't just hope to not run into those." Slate retorted, not being able to think of any way he could've gotten close in his last fight.
"As for your top speed, you won't be able to improve much before evolution. But I can think of a few way to move more unpredictably." Sting answered. "I can teach you dig. A slower, but more precise attack from underground. And Dart, you know feint attack right?"
"Yup!"
"Right." Sting said, assuming a battle-stance."Can you demonstrate on me?"
Without hesitation, Dart leapt straight at Sting. Sting responded by striking striking him with his claw, but Dart vanished at he was struck. Immediately afterwards, he reappeared on Stings right, striking him in the head. Though the hit seemed solid, Sting immediately lowered his shoulder, and talked like nothing happened.
"You should be able to learn that move as well. Keep in mind that it doesn't actually teleport, it only conceals you briefly while making an illusory copy." he explained to Slate.
The attack was indeed impressive, but Slate was unsure how well it would work with his speed. Regardless, it might still prove useful.
"So, how do you do it?" Slate asked Dart.
"Just channel dark-aura, and imagine attack from both angles at once." Dart answered enthusiastically, though Slate would've appreciated something more in-depth.
"Go on then, give it a try." Sting instructed.
Slate sighed, and took aim at one of the fallen training-dummies. He felt the uncomfortable surge of dark-aura flow through him as he imagined an attack from both sides of the target. He stepped left, and struck the dummy with his dark-infused fangs.
"How was it?" He asked, as he turned around to face the others.
"Your silhouette blinked for just a moment, but it vanished as soon as you committed to an attack from the left. You need to keep focus on both attacks for it to work properly." Sting replied.
Dart once again demonstrated by using it to appear right in front of Slate, giving him a scare.
"Just keep thinking about both attacks." he added.
Slate tried again, without making a noticeable improvement. Of course it was the kind of move a scatterbrain like Dart would excel in. But his first instinct was always to focus on what he was doing, and would could happen next. To keep focus on the options he didn't actually take went against every fighting instinct he had. Still, the training went on, even if progress was slow.
"We take these rounds at least six times a day, somewhat evenly distributed. You're still required to have one mon awake at the outpost while you do the rounds. Other than that, your time can used as you please." Regal explained to Latenna as they walked through town.
"Understood." Latenna replied.
Now that her team was allowed to take C-rank missions (even if they couldn't at the moment), meant they were also eligible for guard duty. As the leader of the team, Regal had taken her along for a patrol, while explaining their duties as guards. As peaceful as Sunshade was, the rangers still had orders to always keep a team watching over the town.
"You think you teammates will be as attentive when you relay the instructions to them?" Regal asked her.
"Slate might be… confused." She answered, taking a bit of time to think it through. Relaying instructions to her team was one of her responsibilities after all. "But he is very attentive when he needs to be. As for Dart, I'm more curious on how he handles long monotonous jobs like guard duty."
"That's fair." Regal chuckled. "One teammate you have to push forward, and one you have to hold back. You really have your work cut out for you here."
"Wonder how dad would've done this…" Latenna mumbled.
"Hey! Your father apprenticed with an already legendary team. You are building yours from scratch." Regal told her. His tone was king, but still serious. "Your dad is a great man, but trying to follow his footsteps where he didn't tread will only leave you more lost."
This took her back a bit. She did idolize her father, but the thought that might hinder her had never even crossed her mind. This thought was rudely interrupted though, as she suddenly heard a couple of shouts behind her. She turned to see three nidoran, two purple and one blue, tackle Regal.
"Uncle Regal" all three of them shouted.
"Doran! Naliah! Jayce! Have you rapscallions run off on your mother again?" Regal responded as he scooped all three of them up in a hug. Latenna couldn't help but chuckle, looking at the rowdy children climbing the big nidoking.
"First you become an uncle, and now you're acting as a mentor too?" Came from another voice. From the same direction the children had ambushed them, a nidoqueen approached them. "Why haven't you found yourself a mate yet Regal?"
"Can't I take anything at my own pace Reyla?" Regal responded to his sister. "Besides, you don't exactly meet a lot of mon in this town."
"I know, I know. But I wouldn't be nagging you if I didn't think you were up to the task." Reyla said. Latenna was glad she dropped the subject there, as sidelining a family argument was not something she was entirely comfortable with.
"Anyhow, I am working now, so I don't have time to play with you now." Regal told the children, getting a series of disappointed responses from them as he put them down.
"Come on everyone. Leave uncle Regal to his work now." Reyla told her children, who all finally complied. The group all headed off, and Regal returned his focus to Latenna.
"Where were we?" He pondered, before snapping back into focus. "Right. Don't take everything on your own shoulders, just because you're the leader. It's still a team effort. Shouldering too much has broken many an aspiring leader. You need to learn how to trust your team."
"It's not that I don't trust them, but our approaches to everything are all so different." Latenna shot back.
"And sometimes you compromising will be the wrong call too. Sometimes you all will have to rush ahead, and sometimes inaction is the best action. But you need to trust them to work with you." Regal responded. "I doubt Slate will begrudge you for not siding with him in every decision. As for Dart, I doubt he has a malicious bone in his body. Trust them to work with you."
"And what if I make the wrong call then. Isn't that my responsibility?" Latenna questioned.
"It's a responsibility a good team will share." Regal answered. "I won't say it is easy, because it isn't. That's why everyone wants to be in charge, until they actually have to lead."
"Did you rehearse all these mentorship-lines in advance?" Latenna finally asked. This made the large nidoking break into a chuckle, giving all the answers she needed. "I am starting to understand your sisters point now"
"Maybe so…" He responded, as both of them returned to focusing on their duties.
The patrol went without any incident, as expected. Occasional small-talk and directions from Regal filled the silence some of the time, and they greeted a couple of known faces. Sunshade was the same peaceful town it always was, but a guard was always nice to ensure it stayed that way.
"Are you still up here?"
Slate emerged from the stairs leading up to the watchtower, to find Dart sitting there staring into the distance. Once he noticed him, Dart immediately turned around, wagging his tail with his usual joyful expression. And yet, a glimmer of something else remained in his eyes.
"Slate! What's going on?" he quickly asked.
"Just checking up on you." Slate responded. "Never imagined you be still and quiet for so long."
"Oh. Just thinking." he added in a dismissive tone.
"Really? About what? You looked pretty deep in thought." Slate inquired.
"Oh… How Latenna is doing. She hasn't come back yet." Dart responded, though the hound was a terrible liar. Even someone who was learning to read the body language of new species, could tell it was just an attempt to derail the conversation.
"Look, I get it." Slate sighed. "You haven't known me for long. I get it if you don't want to tell me everything that's bothering you."
Dart visible deflated at that comment. His face dropped the joyful façade, before looking back up at Slate.
"It not that…" Dart finally responded responded. "But you got everything going on in your life right now. The last thing you need is my worries on top of that."
"What about Latenna then?" Slate asked as he sat down next to Dart. "Have you talked to her?"
"She is always worrying about her leadership, her responsibilities and both of us already." he answered, looking out in the distance. "My worries are nothing compared to yours, so I thought handling them alone would be for the best."
"It's not a competition." Slate responded, finally managing to establish eye-contact with Dart. The hound took a while before he finally responded.
"My dad hasn't come home in a while. I miss him."
"Is he often away?" Slate inquired.
"Yes. He is a wandering treasure hunter, and made me wish to explore the world as well. But it means he is also away for long periods at the time. It's not unusual for him to come later than promised either. But now it's been three moons since he left last time." Dart responded, and now that Slate finally got him talking, he poured out everything. "Back when I told him I wanted to explore like him, he gave me these googles to protect me from harsh weather as I travel. He's the best, and mom is also always happier when he is here."
"Are you worried about him?"
"No, not really. Dad is really strong and skilled. I just miss him."
"Just remember, we are a team now, and you have claimed the title of friend too." Slate told him. "You don't have to feign happiness for our sake."
"It's not a façade. I genuinely love adventuring with you and Latenna, and I know I get excited easily." Dart responded to that, with a glint of joy contrasting his gloomy expression. "I just can't be happy all of the time."
"Nobody can. So please don't feel like you need to hide it." Slate said, standing up and heading back for the stairway. "Sting is preparing food for when Regal and Latenna gets back. Should be ready whenever you're done up here."
As Slate vanished down the stairs again, Dart whispered a quiet 'Thank you.'
"Status report."
The hooded figure observing Sunshade from afar didn't react to the cold, robotic voice in his ear. Though he would be more than happy to finally be done with this recon mission. It's not like the sand-colored cloak was for camouflage, as he was more than confident in his abilities to stay hidden without it. The reason he was wearing it was mostly because the harsh sunlight was not to his liking at all. But the boss would not be happy if he rushed a mission just out of discomfort.
"The village sees next to no traffic in our out on a regular basis, it lives almost completely isolated." He answered as he held a finger to his ear. "Though it seems like the rough conditions have raised a couple of sturdy old hands. That includes a ranger corps founded by some respected old explorers, but there is no sign of any kind of divine guardian."
"Noted. Risk of outside interference: Low. Expected resistance: Moderate." Responded the robotic voice.
"Though the location makes deploying the prototype a time consuming process." He finally added.
"Those terms are: Acceptable." Responded the robotic voice. "New orders: Lay low until deployment. Collect data from test run."
"Roger!" He responded, sighing as he removed his hand from the earpiece. Hopefully the boss would deploy the experiment soon, so he could finally get out of this scorched hellhole.
Authors notes:
Hope everyone liked to see the Badlands-crew again after all this time. I know it's been a while, but there is no need to worry about me. I have simply been juggling a few projects, and unfortunately this one has been put on the lower end of that list. I have also been running a few ideas through my head about how I would make this chapter feel calm, yet meaningful for the story. I hope the cliffhanger won't be too much as I once again shift the focus of the story.