Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Altered Bonds
Chapter 21 — Departure's Arrival
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Togetic couldn’t help herself. Even when seeing it for a second time, human magic mesmerized her.
It wasn’t flashy or powerful. Quite basic, really. But it was novel, and it came from someone who wasn’t a Pokemon. Floating beside one of the desks of her room, Togetic watched closely as a very human Eira levitated her ice ball, letting it swirl over her arm and around her head. Glaceon and Shaymin floated not too far away, their oohs and aahs threatening to embarrass the girl to the point of breaking her concentration.
A spark of true human magic, and she was possibly amongst the first Pokemon of her time to witness it in Haven Archipelago. It weirdly made her proud, watching the budding magician fiddle with her sphere, sweat on her brows.
A little jealous too. Eira’s soul hardly had the endurance needed to sustain her magic for long, but with her dedication and how quickly she learned things, that hurdle would only last so long. Her quick growth as an Alolan Vulpix attested to that.
She’ll surpass me at the rate she’s going. Togetic held back a sigh. Who am I to envy her, really? I’ve hardly been putting in as much effort as her.
Eira dispelled her ice ball without warning, making it melt into nothingness. “C-can’t push myself for long,” she told Shaymin and Glaceon, a hand clutching her chest. “Sorry.”
Glaceon let out a delighted giggle that didn’t quite match the way she spoke. Oh no, you don’t need to excuse yourself for being a non-magical being trying to use magic, she insisted. The control you had there, it’s amazing for a first-timer! And I’m sure you’ll make something really cool out of your magic someday, when you get the hang of it.
It was curious, how a Pokemon with no mouth could still appear to be grinning from ear to ear. “I, uh—” stammered Eira.
I’ll even help you out! I could show you how to make your own Blizzard! Glaceon’s eyes narrowed for a moment. Well, okay, probably small steps first. Icy Wind? I could teach you to do that as a Pokemon, and then maybe you could try and mimic it as a human.
The offer put a tiny smile on Eira’s face, the girl quietly anticipating it already. Togetic found a little joy in that. It’d go a long way in helping her to not be so vulnerable.
It was also a double-edged sword. After all, the human being so squishy, so easy to maim, had played a big role in their team getting past their blind fear of her. Against an actually capable human wizard? What she might’ve done to Eira in that case, it—
Togetic winced. No, that was not a line of thought she wished to follow. Best to leave it.
Shaymin was gushing out about the coolness — pun unfortunately intended, to Togetic and Eira’s chagrin — of the human girl and her newfound ability, Glaceon being thankfully more reserved and polite about her thoughts for Eira’s sake. Togetic spun away for a moment, her gaze fixating upon her Treasure Bag that sat upon one of the desks in her and Shaymin’s room. Her Evolution Crystal rested against it, its reddish-pink luster shining all the more brilliantly in spite of the rock it was embedded in. The last of the four crystals she needed for evolution.
Two letters sat side-by-side beside it. One had been pulled out of its envelope. Honchkrow’s letter.
The other had yet to go into its envelope, Her response, half-finished. Togetic sighed, fumbling as she struggled to pick up the pen resting upon it. Writing utensils were such a pain to hold when you only had nubs for hands. How did Gabite, with his fingerless claw-blades, make it seem so effortless? He’d been a wild Pokemon for much of his childhood, for goodness’s sake!
“Need help?”
Eira had crept up on her, Togetic snapping her head in surprise. Her eyes fell instantly on her five-fingered human hands, so perfectly tailored for holding and gripping things.
Humans. Not innately magical, but gifted with other day-to-day conveniences. Though come to think of it, Eira did prove to be impressively good at writing as an Alolan Vulpix too. The wristband’s fault? Togetic recalled the moment where she had taken Lucario’s application for joining their team to write on his behalf, the memory putting a little mirth inside her.
Also a pinch of jealousy. Which Togetic stamped out instantly.
“She’s just writing back to her brother,” Shaymin said, coming over with Glaceon. “I’m betting Honchkrow’s been a little uppity about news of his baby sister being involved in a near-disaster with Abhorrents, a Legendary, and a dungeon gone cuckoo, yeah?”
Eira sucked in a bit of air, Glaceon wincing as she gave Togetic a look of understanding. She probably did know, didn’t she? She probably did understand, being in a large Eeveelution family and all. Eevee did seem like the sort to worry over his siblings, perhaps even to an extreme.
Honchkrow definitely was the sort to be a worrywort. Though then again, Togetic found it hard to blame him. “You know how overprotective brothers get,” she said, managing a decent two-armed grip for her pen. “I’m just trying to find a good way to appease him. Bringing up how I’ve gotten my final Evolution Crystal should help.”
Shaymin grinned, batting the Evolution Crystal for emphasis, which Eira quizzically stared at. They didn’t have those in the human lands, did they? Togetic had figured as much.
No Luminous Springs either, doubtlessly. “They’re special shards Pokemon can use to force evolution, instead of finding evolutionary stones or items, or waiting for other natural means,” Togetic explained. “There’s a few odd dungeons with special places called Luminous Springs, where you can use those crystals. I just got my fourth and final one — you use two if you’re evolving from your base form to your first evolution, and four if you have a second evolution.”
Like herself. Togetic to Togekiss, a transformation that usually required a Shiny Stone. “It’s much easier to get crystals,” she went on. “They’re rare, yes, but easier to find than evolutionary stones, both in the normal world and in particular dungeons. Also cheaper to buy.”
Glaceon’s muzzle shifted to one side. If she had a mouth, it probably would’ve been twisted into a lopsided smile. Me and my twin brother Leafeon used those crystals. Vaporeon too, she said. Flareon and Jolteon were luckier — it’s not too hard finding Fire and Thunder Stones back home in Blitzfield Island.
Blitzfield Island. “Home,” Togetic said, her voice distant.
You lived there too?
“Hm.”
Honchkrow’s letter had its usual formality and poise, but Togetic could read between the lines, seeing the paranoia in his words as he inquired over her health and urged, effectively begged, not to put herself in further trouble. It weirdly hurt that he’d stopped pleading for her to come back. Togetic hadn’t thought that one little victory would sting so much.
Eira was beginning to stare, Togetic realizing she’d grown too quiet. “I can write just fine on my own,” she said, adopting a smile. “Though I appreciate your thoughtfulness.”
Eira slowly nodded. Shaymin gave Togetic a quick tap and a kindly smirk before moving back to let her work, and Glaceon went with her, the two talking amongst each other. Something about traveling and places they had been to, from what Togetic could overhear.
Eira alone stayed, huddling next to the desk. “Evolution’s a big change, isn’t it?” she said. “I mean, you would have—”
“A much larger, more avian body.” Slowly did Togetic find the words she wanted to write to Honchkrow, her pen drawing out letters one by one. “Evolution does give you the basic instincts you need, but it does take time to get used to a new form. I remember how odd it was, being able to fly as a newly evolved Togetic.”
“Togepi evolve through friendship, don’t they? I-I heard that was a thing with baby Pokemon.”
The statement made something within Togetic throb, her pen pausing mid-word. Friendship.
“I didn’t have my parents, growing up.”
It didn’t surprise Togetic that Eira took the admission with a grimace, the girl sympathizing with her. “Believe me, it was harder on Honchkrow, he at least knew them,” Togetic continued. “Me, well, my brother raised me all by himself. Was really good at it too. He was practically—”
“Your closest friend?” Eira whispered. “M-Mother was like that to me too.”
Togetic’s pen quivered. She set it down. “She doted a lot on you, I’m guessing?”
“Yeah. Ever since Father left—”
Eira stopped, staring at the floorboard for a rather long time. She let out a withdrawn sigh, one reeking of exhaustion. The kind formed when one couldn’t find any energy left for mourning, for the time for mourning had long passed.
“But at least you have your brother still.”
It was a kindly statement, offered in good faith. But it made Togetic twist inside. The big difference in their odd coincidence of similar lives — an human orphaned, whose mother cared very deeply for her remaining piece of family, and a Togepi orphaned, whose brother lived for his one sister. But unlike Eira, the person closest to her was very much alive. And—
For goodness’s sake, would it hurt to see him again? I can’t keep doing this.
But she couldn’t afford to, not until the Abhorrent situation was properly curbed. And she’d have to keep risking herself in the meanwhile, scaring her brother witless. Togetic looked around at the room, at the cottage she’d stayed in with Shaymin for a decent few months. Her temporary home.
After tomorrow, perhaps she would never see it again.
“At least he’s alive.” Togetic let out a huff, keenly aware Eira was closely watching her. “Oh, sweetheart, talk like this makes me gloomy. You mind letting me finish?”
Eira seemed to shrink into herself, whispering a meek apology. Togetic had thought she’d move, but the girl stayed where she was, head resting on her arms and brooding. Over her own woes? The prophecy? Lugia? Or on trivial things, like what she had said wrong in the talk they just had?
Togetic didn’t like seeing her like that, regardless. “Pleasant thoughts,” she said, smiling at her. “It’ll all be fine in the end. No need to worry.”
Eira briefly made eye contact. Togetic smiled a little more.
“You haven’t seen him in years, have you? D-did something happen between you?”
Togetic’s smile fell. She inhaled.
“No, not really.”
Picking up her pen, Togetic wrote with a flash of fervor, the words prearranged in her head. No words of warning about her future endeavors against the Abhorrents, of course, he couldn’t handle that. Just a little message to make his day.
If I never said it before, by the way, sorry for running off again. I’ll try coming by soon, at least for a visit, if that’s okay? It’s been too long.
“I just decided to go see the world and left without telling him.”
Eira sucked in a mouthful of air, incredulous at the thought of such a deed. But she didn’t question, nor pry. She simply showed concern for Togetic, with no hint of judgement in her face, and Togetic appreciated it. She waved Eira’s worries away, before finishing her letter with a few more words.
Miss you.
Togetic.
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The day had come upon them at last. Lucario found himself feeling light, standing in a corner of the Explorer Board garden hall.
Gabite and Team Elementri were near a large batch of flowerbeds, animatedly talking, and Togetic and Shaymin were occupied with Feebas and Hattrem around the central fountain. The garden itself seemed to absorb the energy of the room, sun rays shining a little brighter through the glass roof and the branches of berry trees standing straighter than usual.
Lucario had always thought the garden deserved a larger crowd than the one it usually had, with only so many explorer teams and common folk walking in and out of the place. Their large party did alright in giving the place its fair dues, though, helping to complete the liveliness of the garden hall. Eira the Vulpix seemed to find a charm in the Pokemon mingling here. As did Kecleon.
“Nasty little reality warpers, those Unown, eh? Can’t say I’ve known much about their ilk.”
Even the merchant had shown up, leaning beside the wall behind Lucario and Eira. “Kinda the point of their name, isn’t it?” snarked Lucario. “But yeah, they can do that if they cluster together in large enough groups — seems to boost their otherwise weak powers like crazy. They’re supposed to be from another realm, but they get attracted to Sinnoh’s Solaceon Ruins, which isn’t too far from where my clan lived. Going outside was almost a death wish when the Spacetime Pandemic got them riled up.”
“There were the rifts too,” muttered Eira.
Right, that. Adam’s other Pokemon had mentioned them on the rare occasion where they talked of the distortions. Eira had clued him in further, telling him about the strange rifts that had stolen people and objects and haphazardly threw them elsewhere in the region. “Never seen any of that,” stated Lucario. “Nor the Unown, though I do remember their screeching. And the things they did to some of my fellow tribesmon.”
Kecleon leaned in closer, and Eira perked her ears, eager to hear. How predictable. Eevee, Leafeon, and Gabite had been the same way yesterday.
The merchant had been rather curious about the Spacetime Pandemic, as it turned out. He’d come with a few questions for Eira about Alola’s Legendaries and Ultra Wormholes, but that had quickly turned into a deep-seated interest in the distortions themselves, and how that had gone in the human world. It was also one of those questions that Lucario could get roped into.
Before yesterday’s conversation, he would’ve insisted that his old teammates would’ve been far better sources of info on the matter, not him. But now? He was beginning to think he’d possibly seen more than they did. “Our tribe had been hunkered down in our cave den, but food was still needed, and guards to patrol the entrance,” stated Lucario, taking in his hazy memories of the time. “So there were a few cases where someone would end up facing the Unown and get messed up. Touched by the Distortion World itself, you might say.”
Eira grimaced. “I-I heard stories.”
Oh, the poor humans and surface world Pokemon who’d been twisted by the Unown. “Did any of them regress in their mental state and act like children, or ferals? Grow obsessed with things like drawing creepy paintings everywhere, or turn into insomniacs that struggle just to close their eyelids?”
“M-maybe?”
“Or more physical traits, maybe? Body mutations?”
“This honestly just sounds like the Abhorrents,” Kecleon pointed out.
If Abhorrents were a total accident, made by reality warpers gone mad? Maybe. That last case had notably happened to a guard whose fur had turned pitch-black, with a dark haze that had corrupted his moves and aura. “More random and eldritch-like though,” argued Lucario. “And anyway, the Unown did come to their senses, and turned people back to normal.”
Well, maybe with a few side effects. He still remembered the foolish pup who’d become unable to close his eyes after sneaking out at night — it was no longer an issue, but his sleep remained restless ever since. How was he doing now, he wondered? “Really, the whole mess was just a byproduct of idiot humans toying with the fabric of the universe.”
Team Galactic. Lucario had let Gabite and Eevee know of the name, and Kecleon had been informed too, the chameleon still scowling at the thought. His hand had been lingering over a spot of his scaly chest that had turned an ugly shade of violet, as if he’d been concentrating his distaste for the group into that one spot. “Both Abhorrents and the idiot humans messed with Legendaries for their ploys,” he pointed out.
A dark hum from Eira. Lucario shrugged, deciding not to contest Kecleon on that. He side-eyed Gabite, the dragon-shark casually giving reassurances about Eevee to Team Elementri, before staring past the glass ceiling. The blue sky, cloudless and stormless, quietly bore witness to their large group from above the glass roof.
He could feel it, the transition from one story in his life to another. His time spent at the cottage and in Berrypark Town was drawing to a close, and soon their group would be out there, hitting the road. For Team Heavendust and Elementri, they had a war with the Abhorrents to face off against. For Hattrem and Feebas, they had someone of their own to meet up with. And for him and Eira, they had an Abhorrent Kabutops to reach.
It had felt like forever that he had been here, but things never stayed still. They couldn’t, anyway, not when he had the task of finding some unlikely way back home for his new trainer’s sake. A pang of homesickness touched Lucario at the thought of leaving this place behind—
It was almost like a home, wasn’t it?
—but the thought of returning to his actual homeland, to complete his main duty to Eira, drove him onward. What would happen then, if they did get back? Perhaps he would stay with the girl, if she would allow him, or maybe return to his old tribe. Maybe find a new trainer with ambitions as lofty as Adam’s, though he questioned his resolve to bother bonding with yet another human. Not worth the hassle, and it sounded too much like an attempt to replace Adam.
Though I suppose time will convince me to change my tune.
A tap on his shoulder. Lucario turned to find Porygon-Z, the Faller making robotic chirping noises. ~Greetings, Lucario! My apologies for being delayed with my personal duties. I understand your group is prepared for departure to execute their various tasks,~ he said with his green textbox.
Porygon-Z had been already informed of their plans to head out. “Good to see you one last time,” Lucario said, already feeling wistful at the thought. “Something to say?”
The Faller briefly watched Team Elementri, along with Hattrem and Feebas. He angled himself, putting him in between the two groups and his textbox.
~Relicslab Village.~
Eira scooted over, squinting at the phrase. “Uh, sorry?” said Lucario.
~I spoke with Their Highnesses. Relicslab Village of Cragpeak Island was the village that found me in my critically damaged state and took me in, before delivering me to the kings. Addendum: I was under the effects of Dungeon Plague. Logic denotes that my method of travel deposited me into a nearby dungeon. If necessary, this may be a starting point for more desperate measures of returning home.~
Well. That was something of interest. Lucario mulled over the little nugget of information, Kecleon taking in Porygon-Z’s words with pressed lips. “A location’s better than nothing,” the merchant said.
But not much to go off of, either. “Is there anything else?” Eira whispered.
“Something more concrete?” added Lucario.
Porygon-Z’s head sporadically twitched, like an animatronic gone haywire, before settling down. ~Negation. Recovery of corrupted memory bank was attempted. Results only provide garbage data, however. At present time, my memories of the incident are at a dead-end.~
Another erratic twitch. Porygon-Z seemed a little more unstable than normal, now that Lucario thought about it. Possibly from the recovery attempt? Did that hint at the dangers Porygon-Z could’ve faced when being sent to the archipelago?
Well, at least he had a location he could use as a last resort. “It’s fine,” he stated. “No need to fret over it.”
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
Gabite had begun gesturing toward Lucario, the jackal giving a curt nod back. He excused himself, Eira tagging along as they approached the dragon-shark and his friends. Behind him, Kecleon had begun striking up a quiet conversation with Porygon-Z.
“Hope I’m not taking away from your quality time with those two,” Gabite told Lucario as he and Eira came close to him, a massive grin on his face. “Braixen’s been telling me some wild stories about his latest venture. Get this, they had this Magnezone who stole from them a crazy vine-heart artifact they found in a dungeon that granted him some creepy plant armor, and the guy squished it without thinking when trying to keep it away!”
A hissy cackle left his throat, matched by Heliolisk’s own snicker. “It was,” Braixen said with a forced smile, “a circumstance of sorts, to be sure.”
“Funniest thing I’ve seen all year,” replied Heliolisk, hands held up as Braixen and Golisopod gave him the side-eye. “Hey, think of it this way, that weird thing probably came with some nasty curses attached. Probably messed up your mind or something — Magnezone wasn’t quite so loony after he lost the artifact, you know?”
Shrugs from the twosome. Lucario just stared, blank-eyed, as he processed the idea of a vine-heart artifact with curses attached. It really shouldn’t surprise him, but stuff like that existed? Special dungeon artifacts of a grade well above the standard stuff?
Braixen managed a chuckle when Lucario asked. “Something as complex as that heart? On the contrary, it was surely a byproduct of artificers who knew of crafting magical tools, from a forgotten civilization of older eras. A dungeon must’ve emerged some time after their scattering and absorbed it,” he said, his smile widening as he spoke. “Matters like these are a speciality of our team — we are seekers of history, vested in hunting down old myths, fallen civilizations, and the like. Much of our knowledge and past has been lost, be it due to the Legendaries distancing themselves or the destruction caused from civil clashes and wars, and it has been a personal ambition of mine to reconstruct it.”
“Along with finding old trinkets and relics and the like,” added Heliolisk. “Especially magic doohickeys of the past — you rarely see stuff like that these days, you know? Nobody around knows the craft.”
Lucario found his eyes gravitating toward Eira the Vulpix’s wristband. Funny, how he knew a Kabutops who apparently had that talent. “I’m sure you’ll run into someone eventually,” he said.
“Other than the Abhorrents, you mean?” joked Heliolisk. “But anyway, our research goes a little deeper than that. I’m around for stuff about Fallers, myself.”
“And humans,” rumbled Golisopod.
Lucario slowly wrenched his gaze away from Eira, briefly catching wind of Gabite’s smirk. “And humans,” Heliolisk repeated. “That one’s mostly for Gabite’s sake, but they’re pretty relevant to Faller research too, you get me?”
“Relevant to our history too, most likely.” A twisted expression covered Braixen’s face, as if just speaking of the subject could hurt him. “It may or may not surprise you, Lucario and Miss Vulpix, but the rumors of mankind and their wizardry have greater merit than most realize, as does their meddling and mischief-making in Haven Archipelago. Their infamy is well-earned, if the warding towers are any indication.”
“Warding towers don’t tell us everything, dude, you know you can’t jump to conclusions like that,” Heliolisk said with a dismissive wave. “We’ve got too small a picture to work with, and chances are you’re scapegoating humans for something you can’t blame them all for.”
Braixen snorted, rejecting Heliolisk’s words with equally casual energy. Was this a well-worn argument those two were having? Lucario had the strange feeling they’d been through this several times — surprising that Heliolisk disagreed with Braixen’s poor opinion for humans. Was he just the most open-minded about the subject, or was it that Porygon-Z had an easier time convincing him?
Briefly did Braixen eye Porygon-Z, still conversing with Kecleon. “Gabite must have told you about Porygon-Z being a Faller, yes?” he said to Lucario. “He takes a fancy to you, I’ve noticed. Not many get his attention. Just as curious that you and your girl have a working relationship with the Kecleon merchant that instructs Shaymin.”
“Uh—”
“But never mind that. It is a curious thing, how a Pokemon spirit could manifest in a human-tinkered machine. One might jokingly say he is half the reason our team takes its residence here — were it not for his memory loss, he would’ve been everything we could ever dream of from a Faller. The things he must’ve once known, it would teach us so much more about the humans we fear so greatly.”
“And why we shouldn’t be so afraid of them,” Heliolisk said, jabbing Braixen. “But yeah, it’d shed plenty of light on things, maybe give us some clue about what’s the deal with the humanlike thingamabobs that Gabite had to deal with. Stuff about human magic as well.”
All this human conversation was making Eira twitchy, her tails shifting in place. For a moment, Lucario wondered — what if he admitted his own Faller nature? What if he told them about the humans, covering topics that Porygon-Z couldn’t with his memory problems? It was a cover story that he’d discussed before with Gabite, as a way to deflect from Eira’s true nature, and a part of his noble soul couldn’t feel but be annoyed at the thought of not helping. Perhaps it’d soften Braixen up, make him more accepting of humans.
But no. Too early to give away details. Give an inch, give a mile, Lucario reminded himself. Don’t want to play any cards if I don’t have to.
It wasn’t as if he had to be the one sharing anyway. “A bit of good news, actually, Porygon-Z has been making some headway with recovering some memories,” Gabite remarked. “And like I said before, there is a certain Mismagius with some uncanny knowledge you might benefit from—”
Golisopod froze up at the exact same time that Lucario felt his aura feelers snap upward, the jackal filled with a sudden urge to smack Gabite for his careless words. Both he and Golisopod stared at the paved stone floor as it bubbled, purple haze rising up.
“Oh, speak of the Giratina,” muttered Lucario.
“A poor stereotyping of the Giratina kin, is it not?” Mismagius’s cloth-arms rose out of the stone, then the rest of her cloaked body, her red eyes narrowed at Lucario. “You speak as if you were accusing me of being some devil, here to tempt you toward the path of sin.” Her gaze then shifted toward Golisopod, her smirk dropping into a more neutral expression. “Ah.”
Golisopod was a quivering mess, sweat beads on his forehead. One leg had shifted back, his arms poised as if expecting a fight to the death, Braixen and Heliolisk watching their friend with serious concern.
A silence went through the Explorer Board as the others noticed the scene, Kecleon tsking to himself beside a still Porygon-Z. Golisopod’s mandibles shifted, before he hesitated, furrowing his brows at Mismagius. “A child of the bladed swamp warriors, attuned to danger itself in all its forms,” the witch said. “You never did specify to me, dear Gabite of Team Heavendust, what species that your comrades belonged to.”
There was a hint of accusation in her tone. “Thought you would’ve learned about it from somebody else,” Gabite said, angling toward a frowning Braixen. “I did warn you that she was a powerhouse, didn’t I?”
For a good moment the water fountain’s trickling was the only sound that played out in the room. Lucario could sense Kecleon and Porygon-Z silently watching behind him, noticed how Togetic and Shaymin stared a little harder at Mismagius. Hattrem was rubbing her head with a bit of agitation as she glared at Golisopod, Feebas trying to placate her. Eira had her lips pressed together, as if expecting something to go wrong.
Slowly, Golisopod eased up, though he kept a nervous eye on Mismagius. “Well, it is my own mistake that I chose to be uncautious. I apologize, honored warrior — my spirit can be intense, for those who cannot help but stumble upon what lies in its deepest recesses,” she said, lips reshaping into a smirk. For a slightest moment, Lucario could’ve sworn that smirk was directed at him.
What?
“And these two,” Mismagius continued, making Feebas and Hattrem tense up. “I was told Team Elementri would be making this journey, not these fresh explorers.”
Togetic cleared her throat. “They needed escorts to Swampblot Island.”
“Hm. A curious composition of Pokemon, truly. You may know me as Mismagius, wandering tutor and historian, oh dearest explorers. Your lurking shadow as well, if you will allow it. I confess, I am not in a mood for long pleasantries — but I thought it ideal to let you know of my presence. We may walk different paths, each of us, but perhaps we will benefit from each other, hm? I hear, Braixen, that your team has a passion in uncovering the secrets of humans.”
Hattrem raised brows at this, lips pressed, and Feebas’s curiosity in the witch seemed to redouble as she looked between her and Team Elementri. Braixen frowned further, though there was a fleck of naked intrigue in his eyes. “That we do,” he said. “Do you share that passion, elder?”
Mismagius stifled a giggle. “Knowledge has alwaaaaays been my passion. The Abhorrents you seek to thwart, they are growing into a new obsession of mine — Primal Gear alone is a case study that demands my instant attention. Their infection, it is as riveting as it is concerning. I do have other problems that must be attended to, but it would be remiss of me not to offer a little assistance in such matters, wouldn’t it now?”
That Mismagius was willing to help the Abhorrent problem, it surprised Lucario. That her motives weren’t purely for the sake of righteousness, not so much. Then again, Mismagius had made it clear her main focus was him, Eira, and the prophecy — it was a bonus that she cared at all about the mutants.
Team Elementri certainly wasn't the sort to turn away her gesture. “Help’s help,” said Heliolisk. “Won’t look a gift Rapidash in the mouth.”
The phrase made Lucario arch a brow at Heliolisk. Eira cocked her head a little, and Braixen threw Heliolisk a scrunched up look. In the back, Lucario thought he saw Porygon-Z twitch, the words appearing to spark a minor set of memories in his head. “A human saying,” Mismagius noted.
“Mm, yeah, I gathered a few of those. It doesn’t translate well in Haven Archipelago though, only humans really care so much about mounts for riding and whatever.”
“I don’t even know where you gather half of these strange phrases,” muttered Braixen. “Wouldn’t a ‘gifted Pokemon’ be a point in my favor anyway, on how poorly humans treat our kin?”
Heliolisk wagged a finger at his team leader, much to Mismagius’s mirth. “I’m told the gifting tends to be done with consent from the Pokemon themselves,” she said, cackling at the blank face Braixen gave her. “Oh, yes, this will be most interesting. I won’t tarry you any longer then — feel free to depart as you see fit, and I will follow along. Safe travels, yes?”
She melted back through the floor. The group of explorers all eyed each other.
“She gives me the wrong kind of vibes,” said Hattrem.
“Join the club,” said Shaymin.
My, did she have to leave so soon?
Lucario had planned to ask Golisopod about his discomfort with Mismagius, and Heliolisk about where he got the human saying from, but the grating mind-voice of Shellder stopped him flat. A check with aurasense pulled his gaze toward the outskirts of the Explorer Board, Their Highnesses striding up toward the building with Aegislash. Gray auras, with a tinge of cordial blue.
He instantly went to contain his thoughts, the others snapping to attention and Vulpix letting out a quiet heave. Golisopod groaned out, stooping to the ground as his trembling found a second wind. “Ashes, those two,” spat Braixen.
An echoing laugh from Shellder. In due time, Slowking himself made his entry, moving across the lobby room and into the garden hall proper, his Aegislash escort trailing him like a guardian shadow. “A most curious Mismagius,” Slowking commented. “Her soul, it is such an oddity. Would you know, Lucario of Team Heavendust? Golisopod of Team Elementri?”
Lucario had no response, for he knew nothing of Mismagius’s soul. Golisopod did though, and under Their Highness’s stares, he seemed to wither away, arms quaking like mad. He shook himself.
“Tethered,” he said. “Power behind power.”
Slowking hummed in acknowledgement. “A strange thing to see, indeed. Hunting Abhorrents, we were informed, oh explorers? We must offer you my utmost appreciation for your prudence, it means much to the people of the archipelago. Porygon-Z, old friend, Shellder and I were hoping to have a quick conversation with you — if you wouldn’t mind, Kecleon? Curious to find one of you merchants with such a friendly relationship with Berrypark’s finest civil worker in the Explorer Board.”
Kecleon moved away, leaving Porygon-Z on his own. The Faller seemed put-off at Their Highnesses’ unexpected arrival, but let them and Aegislash come, their group heading toward Porygon-Z’s office. Braixen huffed.
“And you, esteemed Highnesses?” he said. “How fares your own contributions to the mutant crisis?”
There was an irony, Lucario found, in how Heliolisk was the one elbowing Braixen, urging him not to make a scene. Their Highnesses only found amusement in the brash words, however, stopping to regard him. “Little headway on our end, we’ll admit,” Slowking replied.
“Too little time for the matter, is it now? I understand ruling can be—”
Stressful? Busy? Shellder let out a hissy chuckle. Feel free to drop the flowery language, Braixen, we never cared for such things in our many decades of rule. You do not like us, nor that we are the ones atop the throne. Many do not. We came to terms, long ago, that it would always be that way.
Braixen’s gaze bore into the kings. Lucario shot Gabite a concerned glance, but he shook his head, willing him to leave Braixen to his feud. “Yet you have the resources to change that at any time,” the fox stated in an even voice. “If all you’ve done is lift a symbolic finger, why are you the ones who rule?”
What do you mean, the resources to change that at any time?
“I think you know very well—”
“I think you know very well too,” Slowking caught him off, “that our unfavorable appearance has little to do with the use of our resources. Noble Braixen, we are but a symbol. A masquerade used to keep a sense of unity amongst the archipelago.”
A scapegoat, spoke Shellder.
“That too. A figure respected, if only for restoring the monarchy in a leaderless world, yet feared for the force exerted in that very act. A sleeping giant, whose apparent inactivity annoys the common folk, yet gives them a sense of relief.” A wry smile spread across Slowking’s face, his arms spread out. “You hold on to a hope that a better ruler will replace us, do you not?”
Braixen didn’t sugarcoat his words. “Held it since I was a kit,” he said.
Their Highnesses scrutinized the fox for a long moment, before sharing a chuckle. “Don’t lose that hope,” Slowking said.
You never know what might change, added Shellder.
The strange inflection with which the two spoke made Lucario’s feelers itch. Their Highnesses motioned to Porygon-Z, making their way with Aegislash to the Task Management wing. Porygon-Z trailed behind, quickly turning his head to the others as his antenna lit up.
His textbox flashed in front of them for a few seconds. ~My apologies that I cannot accompany you outside for your departure, the words said. I entrust ‘Swiftcloak’ Kecleon to do so in my place. Teams Heavendust, Elementri, and Seaspell, the best of fortunes on your respective journeys! Should there be any further need for our services, the Explorer Boards are always open.~
The Faller gave an exaggerated wave and a friendly clicking noise through his beak, before retreating. Lucario watched him go, lingering on the spot where he’d just been, before facing a bemused Braixen.
“Why did it sound like Their Highnesses were alluding to something?” he said.
It was a question the others seemed to share. Gabite deeply frowned, Shaymin scratched her head as she whispered to Togetic, and Vulpix bit her lip, unnerved by the kings’ parting words. Feebas and Hattrem were side-eyeing each other, Kecleon’s face had become unreadable, and Heliolisk and Golisopod were waiting for their leader’s response.
“Mysterious to a fault, aren’t they?” Braixen let out a scoff, but the words seemed to perturb him more than anyone else. “There’s little they could fear. What could challenge their rule? Or did he mean to hint something to me, in specific?”
He mulled over it a little longer, before dismissing the matter. He eyed Gabite, inclining his head toward the exit, and Lucario felt his time in Berrypark Town reaching its final moments. The dragon-shark nodded.
The others needed no further prompting. They went out. Klinklang gave them a firm bob of his body as they passed the lobby, acknowledging them. The group did the same.
“Don’t fall,” he rasped, speaking through both gears. Lucario flinched. Many of the others did. Kecleon didn’t, chuckling at them.
The group marched toward the south gate with firm purpose. Time ticked. People watched. Some were curious about the large band of explorers. Many more realized, murmurs of Abhorrents reaching Lucario’s ear. A few on Lugia too.
One on Vulpix. On Eira — Slowking wouldn’t stumble upon his thoughts from this far, would he? Lucario kept his head straight, hearing too little of the words, only the Petilil that spoke them, and hoped Feebas, Hattrem, and Team Elementri had heard even less.
More than one Pokemon tried to accost them, to ask about where they were going. Braixen smoothly warded them off with placating statements and a polite wish for privacy. The south gate came, and their party stopped, Toxicroak leaving her post at the right side of the entryway to meet them.
“One day and our most reputable team already abandons us once more for their personal travels,” she groused. “And worse still, our second-best decides to join them. Even our newest explorers are off on their own thrills.” She put up a hand before Braixen, Gabite, or Feebas could apologize. “No, no, you’re doing important work. Not often that trouble of this magnitude comes about, but someone’s gotta do something about it. Wipe those Abhorrents, younglings, people are counting on you. And you, Feebas and Hattrem, good luck with your own endeavours. Now shoo already, you’ve got a long road ahead of you all.”
She let them pass. Gabite thanked her, before nodding to Kecleon. “We part here, explorers,” he said. “I won’t bother with extra fluff. Shaymin, don’t forget my teachings. And the rest of you, do your worst.”
He winked at Lucario. The jackal smiled, exchanging a heartfelt silence with him. Then Kecleon stepped away, and Gabite led them onward. They crossed the gate, and left.
A hundred feet, then two hundred. Then five hundred, and on and on they went. The distance widened between them and Berrypark Town, and Lucario felt the tether connecting him to the place vanish, as if his time there was but a mirage. Never, after all, would he ever return.
He had felt this feeling with every human city he’d been to, under the care of Pokemon Trainers — under the care of Adam. But he could always look forward to another visit, months or perhaps years down the road. With Berrypark Town, however, there was a sense of finality. No more.
Trees grew more and more as they traveled, slowly enclosing the path around them. They began to weave a forest around them, growing in thickness and shade. They walked, Team Heavendust, Team Elementri, and Feebas and Hattrem, taking a road that would lead to their new future.
Lucario couldn’t help but notice the lack of Mismagius after a short while, her aura nowhere around. Odd, but perhaps to be expected with her. Too many strange things about that witch. As for the other missing members, though—
Right on cue. His aurasense caught wind of Eevee in the distance, Hattrem stirring as she picked up on his presence. Perched on a tree, the Abhorrent brushed off the foliage covering him and his head of rainbow spikes. “Took your time,” he teased. “Team Elementri’s sticking around, I take it?”
“Till the next town or so,” Gabite told him, explaining the route. He and Braixen had finished up travel plans early in the day — his team would be accompanying them until they got to Springbreeze Town, the next notable town with an Explorer Board. They’d split ways after that, with Team Elementri hitting up various towns to rally explorers against the Abhorrent cause, while their group went straight to Swampblot Island.
Until then, They were just another set of eyes that Lucario had to keep from noticing Eira. “Cool, cool,” Eevee casually said, propping himself up. “Well, don’t let little ol’ me hold you up. I’ll just be trailing you from a distance — love to stroll and chat and all, but last I checked, Abhorrents freak people out and I don’t want to cause you any trouble by association.”
“One thing, actually.” Gabite threw Lucario and Eira an apologetic note, and a lump formed in the jackal’s throat. He hesitantly nodded, and so did a fidgety Eira, giving Gabite the all-clear. “Just have to clear this up since I don’t want issues later on, but to keep it simple, Vulpix has an ailment of sorts.”
The statement drew concern from Team Elementi, Feebas, and Hattrem. Eevee frowned at it, but otherwise kept an impassive face. “It’s a private matter, one that my team intruded on without her or Lucario’s consent,” Gabite went on. “And while they’ve forgiven us, it’s still caused us some unwanted strife, and I’m hoping you can do better at respecting their boundaries.”
“Is she fine?” asked Feebas. “Is this why you hesitated to bring us along?”
“More or less. Her problem isn’t the worst, but it flares up frequently. She’ll usually need some alone time at night with Lucario or Togetic to keep her company, and help her work through her issues — if you find they’re away from our camp, don’t bother them unless it’s really necessary.”
“Ah, so this is the ‘bind of sorts’ you mentioned earlier? The reason they’re seeking their contact from Swampblot Island, I take it?” Braixen said, before growing sheepish as Gabite and Lucario threw him a sharp look. “No, my apologies, that was rash of me to state aloud my inferences. I won’t pry further.”
The others agreed as well. This had been one of the cover stories Gabite planned that Lucario had agreed to use, if only due to its necessity. Somehow they had to explain away Eira’s absence when she needed to sleep the night away in her human form, to reset any transformation backlash. A vague and simple narrative, without any stress on the severity or nature of Eira’s condition, was what worked best.
So long as they listen to Gabite and keep their noses down.
Eira was no happier about having to say anything at all, shrinking into herself at the gazes Team Elementri, Feebas, and Hattrem gave her, but she knew too that it had to be done. “Eh, I doubt her condition’s worse than mine,” Eevee said, acting like he knew nothing of Eira’s nature himself. “But my siblings and I know the value of keeping things quiet. You won’t get trouble from us.”
He leapt off his perch, trees rustling as he moved a little deeper into the forest. Not so far that Lucario would have trouble detecting him, though. Braixen stared warily at where the Eevee had once been, before muttering to himself, more troubled by the Abhorrent than he was with Eira’s condition. A good sign, if anything.
Golisopod and Heliolisk didn’t make any big deal out of either matter, and Feebas was polite enough to give Eira a quick smile, nothing more. Hattrem was on the same wavelength as Braixen, meanwhile, shooting distrustful looks in Eevee’s direction.
Despite herself, Eira chose to approach the witch. “I—” she flushed as Hattrem snapped her head toward her. “ I t-thought I’d ask. You’re both going to Swampblot Island?”
Feebas picked up the conversation at once, happy to distract Hattrem. “Yep,” she said as the group got moving again, doing her best to keep pace with her flailing leaps. “Like I said, I’ve got an uncle there. Hattrem’s around for support — can’t have Team Seaspell break apart so soon, and extra hands mean a lot for me.”
“Nothing better to do anyway,” muttered Hattrem.
Feebas rolled her eyes good-naturedly. Togetic and Shaymin had joined them too, Lucario distancing himself and leaving the ladies to their conversation. “You’re sure it’s your uncle that wrote to you, yeah?” asked Shaymin.
“Considering the things he said about my father? Hattrem’s got the letter if you wanna check.” Feebas waved toward the Treasure Bag her friend held in a ponytail. “Though to be fair, I never really knew my parents. They left my life when I was newly hatched.”
Eira and Togetic made pained noises. “Sorry to hear that,” the latter said.
“Oh, no need to make a fuss over it, things happen. Still,” Feebas replied with a tinge of longing, “it does mean a lot to have an uncle. Can’t help but want to reconnect with my remaining family, you know?”
For some reason Eira threw a particular look at Togetic, one she shied away from. The thought of family made Lucario inwardly hum, memories of his old companions putting a quiet ache in his heart.
A part of him still questioned what exactly had become of them. Adam, well, he was surely dead, but the others? A shipwreck wouldn’t outright kill them, save Torterra, the big tortoise being too heavy to swim. The others could float though, and Lanturn was built for a marine environment. Food and water were concerns — Banette could go for a long time without sustenance, but Duosion might struggle. Dragonair, well, she was a quick enough flyer and a capable hunter in open waters, and her Rain Dance might be a workaround for her drinking needs, if it really came down to it.
It depended on a lot of variables. But regardless, they were out of his life now. He’d hope they all made it somehow, but it didn’t matter. Things happen, thought Lucario, mulling over Feebas’s words.
He watched Gabite and Team Elementri up ahead, the former sharing a chuckle with Braixen and Heliolisk over something. If one of them got messed up by the Abhorrents, how would the rest take it, he wondered? Regardless, it was a shame his own connections with Gabite and his friends were doomed to be flimsy — he’d break away from them once he got to Kabutops.
At least Eira was making the best of her time with the girls, unburdened by the thought of temporary relationships. Even her concerns about them reading too much into the truth of her situation didn’t stop her. Good on her. Really, there’s no excuse for me not to do the same—
“Mail!”
Lucario’s ears flicked as a Fletchinder swooped in, a fiery orange bird about the size of Eira the Vulpix, with a gray belly and a pointed crest at the back of his head. A satchel hung tight to his frame. “Mail!” he squawked, circling around the startled explorers. “So sorry I didn’t catch you explorers earlier, I only heard you were heading out on a big trip just several minutes back! Didn’t want to leave anything rotting in a mailbox!”
In a practiced motion, he pulled out an envelope from his satchel with his beak. “Hwere!” he said, offering the letter to Lucario of all people. The jackal hesitantly took it.
The Fletchinder let out a great sigh of relief, his duty completed. “Sorry again, enjoy your trip!” he said, before making a pained face. “Er, I mean, stay safe!”
He darted away. Gabite moved to take the letter, before squinting with great intensity as he read the writing on the envelope. “Addressed to a ‘Lucario of Team Heavendust’, it says.”
Eira jerked her head as she overheard him, Togetic and Shaymin raising brows. “What?” questioned Lucario.
“Oh neat, an admirer!” Heliolisk came beside Lucario. “This from the dude helping you with your situation?”
Kabutops? That couldn’t be, Eevee would’ve let him know if he had contacted him. “Heavily doubt it,” Lucario said.
“Ooh, a secret admirer!”
Braixen was polite enough to pull Heliolisk away from Lucario. “This makes absolutely no sense to me,” said the jackal. “There’s nobody from the entire archipelago that would—”
A pause. Lucario paled. His paw shifted into a Metal Claw, its savagery in combat being wasted on cutting a thin line through the envelope flap. A letter was inside, short and to the point.
He took it. He read. And he disbelieved the words he saw.
Aquamush Town, Swampblot Island. Meet us if you can.
L, B.
The sentence was written with flowy, beautiful handwriting. But the two initials? Anything but. The L and the B were clearly written by a different Pokemon each, both sloppy in their own ways. And a tad familiar too.
“Oh.”
He let Gabite see. The dragon-shark pursed his lips, before a curious smile graced his face. Eira didn’t even need to look, realization making her eyes as large as dinner plates. Lucario eyed Braixen, and the fox understood his wish for privacy, dragging Heliolisk back. Feebas and Hattrem put some distance between them too, confused as they were.
Togetic and Shaymin had peeked at the letter from above, the former covering her mouth and the latter sucking in a mouthful of air. Eevee, the quiet spectator hidden within the woods, nudged him through Espeon’s telepathy.
Lucario?
Nobody from the archipelago would send him a letter — but this didn’t come from archipelago natives. “Two of them,” he whispered. “They made it.”