Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Altered Bonds
Chapter 5 — Call to Exploration
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Atop a rocky hill, Lucario admired the view he got of the forest clearing Gabite brought him to. This was where he lived?
It was quite charming, that was for sure. Directly below him rested a dusty dirt field, a good spot for battling or for training one’s moves, and cattails and tall grass swayed in a nearby pond. A path marked with pebbles went up the hill he now stood on, leading to a large cottage with a brick-covered exterior supported by dark wooden frames. Little windows adorned the building, and if he went to the back of the cottage, he’d end up at the hill’s cliffside, a flower garden sitting underneath.
His eyes strayed to a beat-down trail beyond the dusty battlefield, rolling through trees and underbrush and back to the large pathway that cut through this entire forest. “You three own this place?” he asked, catching his breath.
Eira the Vulpix was looking around in awe too. “I own it,” Gabite clarified, standing behind Lucario. “Togetic and Shaymin have their own wing to themselves in the cottage. The whole thing cost me a pretty Poke, but I couldn’t pass up the free real estate. Berrypark Town’s got some cozy homes, but the scenery here was just begging for someone to buy this place, you know?”
Lucario nodded, his fingers rubbing the fistful of coins in his palm. Poke must be the name of the currency in this archipelago. Unoriginal, but it worked.
Togetic and Shaymin floated near the cottage, right above a wooden door with a long, rod-like handle that even the latter could reach in her grounded hedgehog form. The door itself was quite tall and somewhat wide — so Pokemon of unusual proportions can get in and out if needed, he presumed. If a cottage in the middle of a quiet forest was built this way, that said plenty about how a Pokemon town could look like.
“So what’s all this about lending a helping hand?” he spoke up, deciding to get to the point.
Togetic broke off from her conversation with Shaymin. “About that,” the angelic said to Gabite. “What exactly do you have in mind? I don’t think we’d want to make Lucario and Vulpix tarry here for longer than they must.”
Gabite simply waved his digitless claw and approached the door to the cottage, his teammates moving to either side. With a bit of finagling he swung it open, ushering Lucario inside.
Greeting them was a cozy living room with a couple chairs to the side, a rug and a low table sitting in the middle. Hung on the walls were shelves topped with trinkets and plants, and a staircase at the back led to a second floor. Adjoining the room was what looked like a kitchen, complete with countertops, cabinets, a sink, and what must be an oven and a refrigerator.
Confusion made Lucario stare at the kitchen appliances. Haven Archipelago’s Pokemon knew how to use electricity? And here he thought that was a luxury he would be missing. Or maybe there was something else that powered them?
It looked to be a mix of both, judging from the unlit lamps hanging on the walls. Instead of lightbulbs, strange yellow gemstones sat inside each lamp — Electric Gems. Maybe he was jumping to conclusions, but that could mean the oven and refrigerator used Fire and Ice Gems to operate. One weird thing about this place that I actually like a lot, he thought.
Two hallways hung on either side of the cottage. “One on the left leads to my room and the guest room, the one on the right is where the washroom and the ladies’ sleeping quarters are,” Gabite mentioned, his eyes gleaming. “You caught off-guard by the appliances and lamps, by the way? Seems to me you may have come from more wild origins, if you know what I mean.”
Flashbacks to Lucario’s days as a little Riolu in a tribal pack replayed in his head. Insightful, aren’t you, Gabite? he thought, starting to become apprehensive of Team Heavendust’s leader and his sharp, watchful gaze.
Gabite had him wait, going up to the second floor to put away his bag and to retrieve some things. Shaymin and Togetic turned to Vulpix in the meanwhile, trying to look friendly. Vulpix, of course, reacted to the attention by shrinking behind Lucario and staring at them like they would jump her at any moment.
Lucario heaved as the flying duo put on stricken faces — Vulpix keeping her distance around other Pokemon was smart and understandable, but still, she shouldn’t act like everyone was Ariados or Weavile. “They’re good Pokemon, you know,” he told her.
In case she didn’t get the simple sentence, he also threw her a message of aura — a soft, buttery touch, and a feeling of ease and security. Vulpix’s ears flattened, realizing the impact of her action on Togetic and Shaymin, and she relaxed her posture. With a deep breath she stepped out of Lucario’s shadow, giving both of them an apologetic nod.
And then she slinked back to her original spot. “I know,” she whispered to Lucario.
The jackal smirked. “Hmph,” he said aloud, seeing Togetic and Shaymin’s mood had been lightened. “Told you she’s shy.”
“Yeah.” Togetic managed a smile. “Shy.”
Soon Gabite returned, bringing with him a bag not unlike the one he carried. In a deft motion he tossed it over, Lucario snatching it by the strap. The items inside weren’t heavy, but seeing the sheer number made his arm sag. How did all of that fit in there?
“Just an extra Treasure Bag we had on us,” Gabite stated. “It’s got a weak enchantment that makes the space inside larger than on the outside. There’s an assortment of berries and fruits, all safe to eat, and I put in a water canteen and a small sleeping bag too. Ah, and a Fire Gem tailored to start campfires.”
The weight of the coins and the bag in Lucario’s paws magically doubled, beginning to strain him. “This seems like overkill.”
“Only once you notice the pouch on the side filled with dungeon seeds.” Gabite laughed at how Lucario sputtered at the mention of even more items. “You probably can’t tell the difference between them, but I can explain their uses if you want.”
Great, he had magic seeds too. Seems like something all good explorers have, he remarked. Them, and petty criminals like Weavile.
These seeds had to be a great boon, whatever they all did, but Lucario couldn’t bring himself to accept any of this. It was far too generous! He might be in a dire situation, but this much hospitality hurt him.
“Just take it, will you?” insisted Gabite. “Maybe you won’t need the seeds, but traveling can be dangerous, and it’s good to have something for an emergency. And while we’re at it, can I give you a quick warning?” He leaned into Lucario’s ear, voice flat. “Don’t go wandering into dungeons alone if you can help it.”
Giving up at last, Lucario deposited his newly-earned coins in a second pouch of the Treasure Bag. “Wouldn’t dream of it,” he said.
Gabite scoffed, Lucario wincing from the glare of his sharp eyes. “You would, I’m sure. You know how many Pokemon go to those places seeking to make a profit, or to train and challenge themselves like Feebas did? I’m sure the thought must’ve crossed your mind, but I don’t care how strong you are. Unless you’re prepared and have a companion who is not a kid like Vulpix — who hasn’t even raised her Level past the single-digits, I’ll bet — I suggest you avoid entering them.”
Good grief, was Gabite always this intuitive? Lucario raised his paws in surrender, nodding without even thinking. Vulpix too couldn’t help but nod, not needing to understand much in order to tell they had been given a command.
Only then did Gabite relax. “A little harsh?” Togetic told him, giving a sympathetic look to Vulpix. “It’s demeaning to assume she’s that low in Level, you know. A lot of Pokemon have Levels much higher than their actual battle strengths, and vice versa.”
Shaymin chimed in too. “And even if she’s lacking in both, she’s got Lucario at his side. Me and Togetic did fight against him earlier, and sure, we would’ve destroyed him eventually, but even with our advantage he pushed us into a stalemate. What’s your Level anyway, dude?”
His Level? Lucario felt his spirit, a pulse of iron strength touching back. “Level 52,” he stated.
“So he’s on par with you guys!” Shaymin said to her team members. “And better than a lot of other Pokemon these days. He can totally manage dungeons by himself.”
Gabite rolled his eyes. “Just because he’s a Level above me, it doesn’t mean—”
“Pfft! And at what Level did you start going into dungeons, our esteemed team leader? Chances were you were still getting used to not being a Gible then.”
“What do my experiences have to do with this? Levels don’t mean much anyway.”
“Meaning you could crush me in a fight?”
Gabite scowled and covered his eyes, putting a satisfied smirk on Shaymin’s face. “Point is, Lucario will do just fine, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he could train Vulpix to catch up with him. If an explorer team got them as recruits, they sure won’t be disappointed.”
A long, contemplative quiet descended on the whole group. Lucario’s fingers curled around the Treasure Bag strap.
Mystery Dungeons. Recruits. Explorer team. Job.
Wait a minute.
His fingers spread out and bridged the width of his forehead as Shaymin too realized. “Hey!” she exclaimed, zipping in circles. “We should’ve thought of this earlier! We could totally recruit them, Gabite!”
In a moment she was a foot away from Lucario’s snout, the jackal putting some space between them in response. “It’s perfect! Team Heavendust could use recruits, and you guys are unemployed and homeless—”
“Shaymin,” warned Togetic.
“Sorry, sorry, kinda spat whatever was on the tip of my tongue.” She came behind Togetic, leaning on her with the widest grin she could manage. “But come on, you gotta agree with me here! Unless Lucario’s got something already lined up—” she looked at him expectantly.
“N-no, don’t really have much planned.” Lucario kept blinking his eyes, processing the moment. He had been thinking about joining an explorer team anyway. Being invited to Team Heavendust? These guys seemed skilled at their job — this was a convenient opportunity.
But also a little problematic. His eyes darted to an expressionless Gabite.
Shaymin seemed oblivious to his conflicted expression, continuing to chatter away. “We’ll finally have teammates who won’t crumple into balls of paper against Ice-types! Better yet, we get a freaking Lucario on our team! Didn’t you tell me just a while ago how awesome they are, Togetic?”
Togetic rubbed her face, shooting Lucario and a very confused Vulpix a bear-with-her look. “Please, Shaymin, there’s no need to be pushy. I agree they would be a boon—”
“No,” said Gabite.
Everyone gawked at Gabite, Vulpix observing their reaction to the simple word and scrambling to follow suit. Lucario didn’t know if he was relieved or disappointed.
“Now I’m sure Lucario is inclined to the idea of being on an explorer team, and I’m sure he can ignore the fact that you did try to maul him earlier this morning.” Gabite’s pause left Togetic and Shaymin uncomfortable. “But even then, I fail to see the merit of having him join when Vulpix must come too.”
And that summed up Lucario’s main concern: Vulpix. He did like the idea of being on an explorer team, from what little he understood of it. The noble nature of his kind appealed to him to take up an offer like this, to be part of a team of Pokemon that worked to help out others from trouble like getting lost in Mystery Dungeons. However, it left him with a dilemma.
What were the chances Gabite would find something amiss with Vulpix?
In a place surrounded by freaking human-repellent towers, it’s crazy to think he’d call her out as a human, he thought, but it’s still possible. Joining this explorer team would give us a place to stay and all, but is it worth the risk? Come to think of it, would Vulpix even be okay with joining an explorer team and delving into dungeons?
“For as far as I’m concerned, she is no fighter,” Gabite said, listing his own issues as he turned to Vulpix. “No offense to you, kid, but we’re leagues above you, and the dungeons we’d go through would be too much for you to handle. Can you handle the danger of Mystery Dungeons, or of outlaws we might have to fight? Cause sometimes, we’ll get a job to apprehend bad Pokemon, or even to restrain one of those Abhorrents.”
Gabite practically hissed the last word. Blank as Vulpix’s face was, Lucario could see her panicking on the inside, not getting why Gabite was directly speaking to her. Darn this cursed language barrier — it was such a nuisance!
“You’re scaring her,” Togetic said.
“Obviously, and that’s my point. She isn’t built for this kind of thing!” Gabite bit his lower lip. “Lucario alone, I could consider, but with Vulpix in tow? Nuh-uh, I am not going to bend over for her needs so she can waste who knows how many months of my time playing catch up. You know how much she’ll hold us back?”
The way Gabite spoke down on the kid made Lucario bristle. “Vulpix can fight just fine,” he said with full-hearted certainty. “And like Shaymin said, I can help her. She takes to it like a natural, and I’m certain I can make her a reliable ally, or at least not a thorn in anyone’s side.”
Togetic agreed, defending her too. “Besides, Gabite, you don’t have to stop doing the higher-ranked missions. We can treat Vulpix as an escort, except we help her out with fighting the dungeon Pokemon and honing her abilities. As the assigned co-leader of the team, I see no problem in letting them join, so long as they don’t either.”
Gabite began to argue, but Shaymin’s tart voice overrode his own. “Come on, it’ll be worth it in the long run! If you’re going to be this stuck-up about it, at least give them a few days so we can see how it works out for everyone!”
Taking in his team members’ dissenting opinions and ideas, Gabite gave a long, defeated sigh. His eyes swept over Vulpix, whose own eyes were darting around as she tried to figure out why everyone appeared to be arguing about her. It wasn’t long before her eyes swept over him in turn, their gazes locking.
Lucario raised a brow when, instead of shying away, she stood a little straighter and put on a steely expression. By sheer coincidence, she was making herself look like she was willing to take on whatever was thrown at her, or perhaps she figured out Gabite had been critical of her and felt like standing up against whatever rude comment he had said. The tremble in her tails was the only sign of her anxiety, unsure if this was the correct action to take.
Gabite looked away, a little wistful. “Great, now I feel like I’m dismissing her on a whim. I could spare a week or two with them and see if it works out, how about that?”
Shaymin cheered, yelling about new teammates as she flew laps around the room. Togetic, being more prim and proper, simply put on a beaming smile, thanking Gabite for being understanding.
Lucario, meanwhile, was having his doubts again. Am I really just going along with this? he wondered.
Everyone seemed to notice his hesitance, coming together and giving him a patient look. “Sorry, I really am laying this on you without thinking, am I?” Shaymin said with a chuckle. “How do you feel about it then? Go on, be honest, I won’t take offense if you think you guys aren’t cut out to work on an explorer team.”
“A quick reminder, we do a lot of things, mostly related to dungeon activity, helping out Pokemon in need, and occasionally dealing with an outlaw or two,” said Togetic. “We usually take up jobs and requests from Berrypark Town’s local Explorer Board, where you can find all the tasks Pokemon have for us and other conveniences for us explorers. It might be a lot to take in at first, but we can guide you through it.”
A grumble came from Lucario. “Yeah, yeah, just one moment. Vulpix?” When the kid perked up, he waved her out the front door, signaling the others to wait. They had to talk about this first. He needed to hear from her.
Eira the Vulpix gave him an odd look as they walked out of the cottage and to the side, where the trees bordered the building. Once certain they were out of earshot, she groaned out, whispering to him a single word. “Huh?”
A question that expressed how little she understood about what was happening.
It took multiple gestures and a few messages of aura before she managed to piece things together. “We’re staying with them?” she asked, Lucario nodding. “They rescue Pokemon like Feebas from those Mystery Dungeons, don’t they? Is that what we’re doing with them?”
To this Lucario also nodded, albeit in an apologetic way. He should’ve asked her first if she was fine with this. Surely she’d squirm at the thought of being in those dungeons again, and with a group of strangers who’d turn on them in the unlikely event they learned she was human. The Gabite was especially troublesome, and besides, she needed more time to get used to being a Pokemon—
“Okay.”
Lucario blinked as Vulpix gave a submissive shrug, not minding one bit. “Vulpix?” he said, his voice tender. “Are you sure?”
“Sure?” Vulpix tasted the word, before passively nodding. “Uh, yeah. Makes sense to me. A-are you’re not sure?”
No, he wasn’t. He was speaking with her for that very reason, to get her opinion and see if she approved, but she was just accepting this without question. Did she understand what she was agreeing to? “Kid, think about this—”
“We get more of those coins Gabite gave you for doing this, right? We need those, don’t we?”
Intelligence swirled in Vulpix’s eyes. Lucario held his tongue, slowly nodding.
“And they’ll keep us safe in dungeons?”
Another nod. “But—”
“You’re worried they’ll find me out, aren’t you?” Vulpix laid her eyes on the cottage. “I mean, so am I, but it shouldn’t be that big an issue if I quickly learn the language and my moves. It’s not like we know where else to go, and besides, Ariados wouldn’t suspect us living here with Gabite and the others. And we don’t have to stay with them forever, do we? It’s not exactly what I’d want to do, b-but I can put on a brave face if you believe this is good for us — if it helps us get our bearings.”
She took in a large breath. “Lucario, I’m lost. You know more about what’s going on, and I’m going to trust you. Please, do what you think is right. Okay?”
A far more thorough answer than Lucario expected from her. Even then, his head was muddled up with doubts and confusion, tugging at his mind with their whispers. How did humans deal with all this messy decision making? Making choices wasn’t his strong suit.
Bah, never mind the details. He was making this whole thing more complicated than it ought to be, but in the end, what mattered was that Vulpix — Eira — stayed safe. Is joining this explorer team worth the trouble? he asked himself.
He knew what his response was.
It took no more than a handful of seconds to re-enter the cottage, the others being in the same spot they were in when they left. “Vulpix and I are in,” he said, palms pressed together. “But if this doesn’t work out for either of us, we’ll part ways, fair?”
“Fair enough for me.” Gabite grinned, snatching the Treasure Bag Lucario held since he wouldn’t need it. “We’ll have to arrange for your stay then, work out pay. But for the time being, welcome to the team!”
Togetic and Shaymin threw in some respective cheer too, the jubilation so strong Lucario could feel it tingling the air, even with his aurasense on mute. He couldn’t avoid a smile, one he shared with the Vulpix beside him.
Like dungeons, this was a gamble, but he just had to be careful. This could work in their favor, and if necessary, he had an excuse to leave the explorer team.
Gabite was swift to show them the guest room, where they’d be staying. A rug took up the center, and a window hung on one side with some potted plants on its sill. A lamp with an Electric Gem inserted within sat on a desk, equipped with a switch to turn it on and off. Two matted, wooly-looking beds lied flat on the ground with a pillow each, and curled up at the other side of the room was a round, cushioned bed.
For now, this would be their new home. For him and the transformed girl.
“Think I already mentioned that the other door in this hallway leads to my room,” Gabite told them as they exited the room. “The washroom’s the first door in the other hallway, by the way, don’t go any further or you’ll intrude upon the privacy of the ladies’ quarters. Second floor is an attic I use as storage and as a makeshift library. Make yourself at home while you’re here, okay?”
“You heard him!” Shaymin exclaimed, floating a distance away with Togetic. “Oh, this is gonna be awesome. You know how rare it is to find someone I can’t defeat with brute force? Like I have to think about how I’m going to best you in a battle, and that’s something.”
The Mythical’s praise left Lucario abashed. No way he was that good in battling, he just happened to have Detect and an Ability that guarded him from attempts to flinch him into submission. He was about to point this out when Gabite spoke up.
“She won’t stop talking about you, huh?” He caressed his arm-fins, scratching them as if to smoothen their edges into razor-sharp blades. “I never really saw your fight before, but you do carry yourself like a warrior. Always ready for battle, always alert and watchful — I don’t know if she’s overestimating you, but her words sure are driving me crazy. Now I’ve got this itch that I can’t help but ask you to scratch.”
Lucario furrowed his eyes when Gabite approached him with an all-too-familiar look. The explorer team leader’s eyes had a gleam to them, but not the sharp kind that he had whenever he was scrutinizing something. There was an unspoken challenge in those eyes, a will to show one’s mettle against another. Pokemon Trainers gave each other that look all the time.
“You’re challenging me to a duel,” Lucario said with a dark grin.
Togetic and Shaymin looked between themselves, excitedly whispering. “I am,” Gabite declared.
They all but locked heads, Lucario hardly shifting his gaze at Vulpix’s gasp. Everyone, even her, knew where this was going. The flames of rivalry were ignited.
“Some say the universal language is that of the fist in the Pokemon world,” Gabite said, intensifying his stare. “Or, for those Psychic-types who’ll have a bone to pick with the word choice, fighting. Good clean violence. No one can ignore that kind of message.”
“I suppose you have a point,” said Lucario, “since everything you just said went in one ear and out the other.”
Gabite cackled, walking past with his pupils still stuck on him. “Quit the trash-talk and get outside, jackal.”
And outside they went. Gabite leapt off the hillside, reaching the dusted dirt field that’d serve as their sparring grounds. Lucario took one look at Vulpix and directed her to do the same, the false vixen hesitating at the thought of jumping down several feet before obeying. Muted shock ran across her face when she landed with grace on all fours, amusing Lucario as he slid down the steep slope.
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Togetic and Shaymin flew over, of course, moving to the sidelines as Gabite edged toward the other end of the field. “Should I stay with them?” Vulpix whispered to Lucario.
He held back a chuckle, gesturing that she could stand wherever she liked. Vulpix scampered off, going to the same side as the two flying Pokemon but staying a distance away, and sat on the ground with her six tails sticking out. Her encouraging smile offered a strength that drove away any lingering soreness in his muscles.
Spacious boundaries we have here, he noted, examining the battlefield. Kind of muddy and damp from the rain yesterday, but there’s some leftover dust. Stepping onto the field, it pleased him that the ground underneath his feet didn’t melt into a goop of too-soft dirt. Traction wouldn’t be an issue.
“Don’t think we’ll need a referee for this. Just one thing, try not to hit the cottage or the flower field,” Gabite requested. “Ready? Let me warn you, Lucario, I will not hold my punches.”
Good, he wanted him to go all out. After all the other scraps he’d gotten into since coming here, he could use a clean, friendly duel with no holds barred. A fight that he could actually enjoy for what it was.
Extending his arm, Lucario waved his hand toward him in a come-and-get-me gesture. Gabite nodded, the twosome staring each other down as they carefully approached. Togetic yelled a warning, he thought, but no part of his mind bothered to register it. Right now, it was just him and his opponent.
Gabite made his move first.
The fins on Gabite’s arms glowed white, twin Slashes coming forward. As Lucario sidestepped both attacks, his thoughts went into overdrive, observing how to best deal with the dragon-shark. As expected, he was a physical attacker, good at tearing into his foes with his blades and claws, and he’d want to come as close and personal as possible.
That offense served as a good defense, too — when Lucario tried to strike, Gabite’s fins came in the way, poised to shrug off any hits. Both his arms turned a shade of purple as he swung them down in a counterattack, and Lucario had to back away from the Dual Chop.
Gabite pressed his advantage and kept going, relentless in his whirlwind of attacks. A cut grazed Lucario’s shoulder, then a stab at his chest. Need to push back, he thought with a hiss.
A scoff might’ve left Gabite’s mouth as he put all his weight into a downward Slash, and Lucario saw his chance. His arm came up to defend him, grabbing Gabite’s wrist and holding his Slash in place.
From there he conjured up his bone of aura, giving him a one-handed thrust into his gut. This earned him a loud wheeze as his foe doubled over, his Slash attack losing its white energy, and Lucario couldn’t help but twirl his bone in a cocky gesture.
A gesture that followed up with a proper Bone Rush attack. The bone of aura swung about like a club, hammering into Gabite’s arms, legs, and once on the shoulder too. Lucario finished with a broad strike into the chest that sent him spinning to the ground, eliciting cheers from the crowd.
“Told you he could handle himself!” yelled Shaymin, grinning like a loon.
“Oh, rub it in,” Gabite muttered, lying on his belly.
Vulpix’s forepaws came together as if to clap, putting Lucario in a good mood. The kid was cheering him on in her own silent way, how nice of her. He shot her a smile, dispelling his bone.
A gasp was forced out of him as a steel-coated tail whacked his torso, knocking him aside. Lucario rolled to the ground before quickly picking himself up, Gabite charging at him with friendly malice.
A Slash went deep into his chest, plowing into the metal-spike at its center. “Just getting warmed up,” Gabite barked, throwing a flurry of bladed fins at him.
Lucario took a few blows before having enough, tackling him in a burst of Quick Attack. Both Pokemon tumbled to the floor, swiping at each other as if in a dogfight. For every Metal Claw that hacked a scale or two off Gabite, a Slash or a Dual Chop nicked at the skin underneath Lucario’s fur. Mud and dust stained them both as they kept going at each other. Like the fights I got into back when I was a wild Riolu, he noted, starting to see how different this was from battles done in the human world.
No matter. The rules had to be different when he commanded his own self, without a human watching over him. And as Lucario resisted Gabite’s petty swipes and wore him down, he could tell he’d adapt just fine.
Soon Gabite broke off, realizing he was getting nowhere with this. “Blast it,” he said, his breath ragged. “I forget you’re part Steel-type. Most of my attacks just bounce off you, don’t they?”
“May I ask you to save your self-pity until I’ve buried you into the earth where your kind feel at home?” Lucario taunted.
Gabite’s face turned devilish. “How about you come along for the journey?” he shot back.
A lump grew in Lucario’s throat as Gabite slammed his foot down, a minor quake spreading out with a rumble. Instantly he distanced himself with a Quick Attack, the slightest tremor jolting up his leg, and he held back a curse.
Steel-typing was great against most types, even Dragon energy. But Ground moves? That was a fatal weakness.
Another foot slammed down, Lucario escaping the second Bulldoze with no more than a small jolt to his legs. “You can’t keep running, you know,” Gabite reminded him, moving closer. “How do you plan on fighting me if you can’t approach me?”
Lucario rolled his eyes and fired an array of Aura Spheres.
A high-pitched noise left Gabite’s mouth as he attempted to dodge the attacks, only for the spheres to curve around and pop upon touching his scales. A frown creased his face as he braced himself, Lucario shaking his head as he continued to fire more Aura Spheres. That would hold him—
Gabite was shredding through the spheres. The what?
No, that was literally what he was doing. One moment he was curling up, the next he was ripping them apart with his body, dispersing their energies with loud pops. Soon he was charging again, slicing two Aura Spheres with a well-timed Slash, smacking a third with his tail, and even throwing his head down to crush a fourth. Lucario stopped firing, awestruck for a slight moment.
Then the awe passed, and he ran in with his palm flaring with energy. Gabite had no time to react as Force Palm pressed against his chest, the crackling burst of aura launching him back. So long as he kept this up, Gabite could never get close enough to land a crippling blow.
As it was, he was as good as defeated, panting and aching. His roughed up appearance only lended to his ferocity, however, the leader of Team Heavendust rising to his feet. “You’re not getting anywhere at this rate,” Lucario stated, bringing both palms out and charging a full-sized Aura Sphere. This time Gabite could not simply attack the projectile and break it apart.
“I’m afraid you won’t be taking me out,” Gabite still insisted.
“Talk to the sphere, Gabite.”
Lucario let his attack loose, watching it dive toward his opponent. Gabite had his eyes shut and his head hung, as if to accept this outcome.
And then a sleazy grin overcame him, and he dove through the earth with his arms outstretched. Lucario blinked as the Aura Sphere struck the ground, a pile of dirt unburied where Gabite just stood. Dig!
Lucario’s aurasense flickered on, catching his faded red aura burrowing to the left. No sooner did he locate him, however, Gabite broke out of the mud, purplish flames leaping out of his maw. The Dragon Breath was easy enough to dodge, but by then Gabite was underground again.
And then he popped out from behind, sweeping mud and dust at Lucario’s face.
Though his aura sight allowed him to see regardless, Lucario couldn’t help but rub his eyes as the dirt stung them. A metal-coated tail smashed into his back, throwing him to the ground and kicking up a small yet irritating cloud of dust.
No, not just dust. Lucario brought himself up, only for waves of sand to batter at his limbs and face. An arm went over his eyes as he took in the sandstorm vortex he was out stuck within, noisy winds swirling to keep the earthly barrier up. In between the gaps, however, he could catch the eerie smile of Gabite.
More sand crashed into him, knocking him against the vortex, which in turn threw him back into the center. He was trapped in a Sand Tomb, wasn’t he? That wasn’t good, this left him open to—
Lucario buckled as tremors dug their way into his leg-bones, the Bulldoze forcing him to one knee. Yet another wave of sand came from the Sand Tomb, throwing him face-first into the wet dirt, and he knew the tables had been turned.
“Shaymin’s right, brute forcing my way to victory doesn’t work against you,” Gabite jeered as the sands kept their hold on Lucario. “I made this way too easy for you in the beginning, but now that I’m trying to be clever, I can’t help but wonder if I’m making this too hard.”
Lucario’s aurasense had yet to turn off, and that left him vulnerable to the haughty emotions running through Gabite. Further out was a sensation of disappointment from Shaymin’s drooping figure and a wave of calm patience from Togetic’s, as if she wasn’t surprised by this turn of events but also expected him to have a trick of his own.
And from what little he could see of Vulpix’s figure, she seemed as stoic as ever, but it didn’t match the distress she held back. He may as well have let her down. What if this had been a lethal fight?
Gabite’s mood shifted, Lucario could feel it. As the sand began to die down at last, he could catch a glimpse of him raising his foot again, ready to unleash another Bulldoze. Really, he just needed one good blow on Gabite, and he’d knock him out. He just needed to—
The foot went down, and the light in Lucario’s eyes lit up the dying sand vortex in a flash of blue. He might as well have been possessed, his body having him leap precisely into a growing hole in the Sand Tomb, letting him slip out while Bulldoze kicked up flecks of dirt in slow motion. The tremors couldn’t reach him, however, Lucario landing right outside of its range before Detect ran out.
Remarkably, Gabite spotted him and wasted no time firing a widespread Dragon Breath. Weak from his Ground-type attacks, Lucario barely could withstand it, purple flames clouding his vision and volts electrifying his skin, but he gritted his teeth and cloaked himself in white energy. A Quick Attack, and then this’d be over.
Gabite’s breath ran out, and Lucario ran in.
He saw it too late, the tired Gabite bringing his arms up in defense and readying a Slash in a bid to beat him to the punch. Gasps rang out from the sidelines, and Lucario found himself smirking at the last moment. So be it, he thought, throwing his palm in front.
The Slash got him deep in the chest, and Force Palm struck Gabite’s belly. The dragon-shark Pokemon went sailing past the edge of the battlefield, skidding to a stop, and he slumped at last in defeat. Lucario pressed his paw to his latest wound, out of breath and still quivering from the Sand Tomb and Bulldoze combo. But he got Gabite, right?
Lucario trudged over to the dragon-shark. And—
It was a while before he stirred, prone on the floor and his mind fuzzy. A pained groan left his throat. Everything hurt, especially his chest, and for some reason he was having deja vu. Was this grass his paw digits were playing with? He thought he’d been standing on the dirt.
His other paw felt scales, and Lucario found himself beside Gabite, collapsed like him and half-groggy. Something cold tickled his arm, making Lucario crane his head ever so slowly to the source.
Vulpix leaned over, tails raised and her breath too close for comfort. “Please don’t,” he requested, to which she became aware of what she was doing and withdrew.
The distress remained, however. “You okay?” she whispered.
Lucario nodded, tensing when something wet and soothing fell on him. Above him, Togetic was conjuring Life Dew, the droplets falling onto him and reducing the ache in his body. She did the same for Gabite.
Only then did it register that he was lying on the grass for a reason. “A draw?” he said, unable to hold back his disappointment that he too had fallen unconscious. He must’ve trudged over to Gabite before dropping to the ground.
“Looks that way.” Gabite coughed, wearing a cheesy smile. “I went down first though. Not bad, Lucario, not bad.”
“What do you mean, not bad?” Shaymin exclaimed.
Lucario’s neck twisted in a painful way as the reindeer Pokemon floated in front of him, looking every bit like a human toddler who had seen a Skwovet cross the street. “That was awesome! You were so going to beat up Gabite, but then he was going to beat you up, and then you tried to take him down with you—”
“Shaymin, they’re recovering,” Togetic said. “Please don’t fangirl over Lucario.”
“Ah, right.” Shaymin brushed her grassy mohawk. “And for the record, I am not fangirling.”
“You’re acting the way people do when they learn you’re a Mythical.”
To that Shaymin stayed silent, her face scrunched up as she considered that. She soon darted away, returning a while later and plopping Oran Berries at the two injured Pokemon. Sitting up, Lucario and Gabite took their respective berry and ate.
Lucario could already feel his vigor returning, though it contested with the pain and exhaustion he incurred from the battle. Pokemon were hardy creatures, but he’d need some time to recover from this. Maybe they went just a tad bit overboard?
“I said not to go overboard,” Togetic stated as she continued healing them, Lucario holding back a snort. “I mean no disrespect, Gabite, but couldn’t you have settled for a simple spar instead of trying to go at each other until someone fainted? Besides, we were supposed to go to another dungeon today.”
“Blunder Field?” said Gabite, to which Togetic gave a non-answer. “Yeah, sorry, Lucario and Vulpix joining threw me off-track. How about you and Shaymin deal with it, and I’ll have these two get comfy here while we rest up? Their work can begin tomorrow.”
Togetic accepted this, satisfied with her Life Dew’s patch job. She and Shaymin went back to the cottage, returning with Gabite’s Treasure Bag.
“Well, welcome again to the team, Lucario and Vulpix,” Togetic said as she swung the strap over her little shoulder, focused mostly on the ice fox. “I hope we can get along well with each other.”
Shaymin settled for a grin. The twosome gave their farewell before flying off.
Gabite got up properly once they left, stumbling for a moment with his hand-spike somehow clutching his belly. Although still drained, Lucario couldn’t help but have him stay still, conjuring a sphere in his hands. Not the blue, shocking ball that formed when using Aura Sphere, of course, but a relaxing, glittery pink orb — his Heal Pulse.
Lucario fired it with a gentle prod, and it went off, coming into contact with Gabite’s stomach and breaking into waves of light that flowed throughout his body. Vulpix made a curious noise as the move made Gabite visibly relax, scales regrowing in multiple spots and injuries fading away.
“Better?” Lucario asked.
Gabite rubbed his belly as the effect faded. “I didn’t think you were going to take over as the healer of the team,” he joked. “Just aches a little.”
The twosome stood there a while longer, as if in respect of each other. “Well, you have today to get settled in,” said Gabite, “but after that I intend to work with you on your daily tasks. Us explorers don’t slack off, Lucario, and you and Vulpix will be expected to earn your pay while you’re with us. You both understand?”
His eyes drifted between the two of them, and Lucario felt a twitch in his tail. He slowly nodded, then gave Vulpix a look. Thankfully she took no time to catch on, nodding too.
“Good,” said Gabite, staring at her for a while longer. “Don’t want you two thinking this is a playground. I may cut Vulpix some slack because of her age and inexperience, but even she has to give some results. I’ll leave you two to your own affairs while I rest up in my room.”
Rubbing his arm-fins, he made his way around the hill, going up its slope and back to the cottage. Lucario and Vulpix stayed where they were, content to enjoy the scenery.
“You’re amazing,” whispered Vulpix.
Air Slashes didn’t make Lucario flinch. But praise sure did.
Once certain Gabite was inside the cottage, Lucario raised an aura-covered paw to eye level. He hadn’t paid much attention to it, but there was this familiar thread of aura he could grasp, the feedback coming from past the pond and into the forest. Weak, ghostly strands of aura accompanied it, as if they were merged with the main thread. Come to think of it, he’d spotted a certain aura in that general direction when using aurasense in his fight with Gabite.
Letting his aurasense fade away and calling Vulpix over, Lucario walked that way and left Gabite’s home turf, trees and bushes sprouting all over as he entered the forest fringes. It was time for a talk.
Movement from above made Lucario look up to find an impatient Eevee, rays of sunlight bouncing off the colorful crown of shards growing out of his head. Like before, an anklet with some crystal was attached to his hind leg, and a little pouch hung from his neck. “Sketchy move, joining an explorer team,” he said before putting on a smile. “But I suppose it works. Hello, Eira the Vulpix.”
Vulpix winced, processing Eevee’s words. Her eyes warily ran over the Abhorrent’s unusual appearance as she took her spot next to Lucario. “Hello,” she said in a low voice.
Eevee’s smile grew wider, almost in a teasing way. “Really, Lucario, when you agreed to join those guys, was that your species’s instincts for justice talking? Might be a little dangerous for the girl — there’s safer ways to earn a living.”
“No worries, we can bail if we have to.” Lucario folded his arms. “If it works out, it works out, right?”
“Yeah, yeah.” Eevee brought his head lower, resting a cheek on his paw. “Look here, I’m not gonna nag about whether you made the right decision or not, that’s your choice. All the same, I’m taking a liking to you two, and it wouldn’t make me happy if Eira the Vulpix was in danger. Does her human form have any powers she can protect herself with?”
It made sense that Eevee wouldn’t know humans lacked Levels and powers, but the inquiry still made him scoff. “If you’ve heard anything about humans having special powers or whatever, it’s all junk. A Magikarp could be more threatening than her.”
“Figures. Obviously you won’t let her lose that wristband then, right? You won’t let dungeons steal it? You won’t ever put her in peril?”
What kind of question was that? Lucario vigorously shook his head.
“Good, good. I’d like you to listen up then, cause there’s another thing I ought to ask you to do.” The way Eevee hung from the branch, Lucario was all but waiting for him to fall off. “I hope you understand you have a little predicament because of me helping you out. Our relationship has got to stay secret, okay? People shouldn’t know you’re affiliated with an Abhorrent.”
He figured as much, but an odd curiosity overtook him. “And why is that?”
“Oh come now, look at me.” Eevee banged his crystalline spikes. “I’m a freak. An Abhorrent. Pokemon like me have a pretty bad rep, no thanks to all the crooks among us, or the fact that a lot of us are kinda crazy in the head.”
“Like you calling the voices in your head siblings?”
No.
Lucario jumped as purplish wisps steamed out of Eevee’s purple crystal, condensing into a slender, cat-like ghost. Her two-pronged tail swished in silence as she hovered over them with intense eyes, a red glow coming from a gemstone on her forehead.
A strangled gasp left Vulpix’s throat as she beheld the apparition. “Someone’s feeling chatty,” sang Eevee. “And what brings you out on this lovely day, sis?”
The ethereal Pokemon barely spared him a glance, content on staring down at Lucario and Vulpix. An Espeon? thought the jackal, bringing up his aurasense. Sure enough, a small aura blob similar to the ones inside Eevee was stored within this Espeon ghost, with a thread that linked it to Eevee’s own aura. No, chained it.
“Okay, that’s just—” Lucario flicked off his aurasense, shaking himself. Soulbound ghost siblings who talked to you in your head, why not?
Eevee gave a shrug, like his situation was as normal as could be. “I know, kinda messed up. You’d think that when you get altered into a freak Pokemon, your eight Eeveelution brothers and sisters wouldn’t get sucked up into it all, yet here we are. Funny thing is, we’re the lucky ones.”
Eevee had his literal family bound to himself in the form of spirits, and they were lucky. The what?
Many Abhorrents go feral, Espeon explained using telepathy. Much to Lucario’s disturbance, her mouth parted to yawn, except she had no mouth, and no actual voice to yawn with either. Few are rational, and fewer are lawful like us. The rest are outlaws or lunatics.
Eevee put on a half-smile. “And then there’s people like Aerodactyl who like to spread our little ‘gift’ — case in point, you can’t let people know you’re buddy-buddy with us, especially the part where we gave you a gift of our own.” He waved at the wristband worn by Vulpix, who stared at Espeon with a pale face. “Because then they’ll panic, probably rip it off, and freak out even more as they discover a human’s in a place meant to be a haven from them, pun intended.”
Only now did Lucario pay attention to the sweat stinking up the fur on his forehead. Boy, did that answer only leave him with many more questions about Abhorrents. What was all this talk about Aerodactyl and gifts, anyway? Was that how Abhorrents were made, through these gifts?
Eevee must’ve read his face, because before he could ask anything, he gave a firm swipe of his paw. “We can discuss Abhorrents another time,” he insisted. “I don’t want to hold you up much longer in case — Espeon, is that Gabite gonna come out any time?”
Espeon’s gaze turned toward the cottage. He’s wondering where you two are.
“Guess we better hurry this up.” Eevee tilted his head at Lucario. “The wristband, then?”
That was the other thing Lucario wanted to know from Eevee this whole time. His eyes fell upon Vulpix, then on that bizarre, magic item that lended her this form. Where on earth would someone find such a thing, an object meant to transform humans into Pokemon, in an archipelago where humans didn’t exist?
There was nothing about it that made sense, and Eevee being on the search for a human to give it to was even less sensible. “There is a catch to this, right?” he said. “I can’t see why someone would give that band away for free. No way you just found that thing lying around in a dungeon either.”
“Nah, I didn’t. Someone made it.” Before Lucario could exclaim at the absurdity of this, Eevee pressed on. “I was actually meaning to bring you to him, but joining an explorer team’s going to delay that. This guy, he’s an Abhorrent Kabutops, and he was trying to make a version of that wristband that turned Pokemon into other species. It never worked out, but he believed it might work on an intelligent creature that isn’t a Pokemon.”
There was only one intelligent creature out there that was not a Pokemon. “He told you to find a human to test it on.”
“Yep.”
“You’re kidding.”
“I kid not, for I am no kid.” Eevee chuckled to himself as both Espeon and Lucario glowered at him. “My siblings wouldn’t shut up about how crazy I was for listening to that Abhorrent. You should’ve heard the clamor they made when Espeon sensed you guys in the forest!” His chuckles grew louder, his paw gripping his branch for support.
What a tale. An Eevee who roamed the archipelago, searching for a human in a land where no humans lived, sent by a mad scientist of a Pokemon. When it came to craziness, this place never disappointed.
“I’m sure Kabutops would explode from sheer happiness if he met Eira the Vulpix,” Eevee went on. “I’d recommend you meet him as soon as possible. Don’t worry, he’s not as crazy as I’m making him sound like.”
The way Espeon shrugged made Lucario skeptical, but fair enough. Perhaps he and Vulpix could meet this Kabutops someday.
Gabite’s coming out, Espeon announced, her ears twitching.
“And that’s our cue. A pleasure to meet you, Lucario and Vulpix — I speak for my siblings when I say we hope to be of service to you. Don’t get into any trouble, okay?” Eevee gave an elegant flourish as he turned, then leapt away, going from branch to branch. Espeon gave one last nod before evaporating into mist, the invisible link between her and Eevee pulling her away.
Lucario turned to find Vulpix getting up from her spot, her lips creased and a look in her eyes that requested to know what she missed. She didn’t even get Espeon’s telepathy, did she? Maybe Espeon didn’t know how to translate languages with mind-speak. Probably because she’s new to human languages, he considered, wondering how he would explain what Eevee said.
They came out of the woods just as Gabite emerged from the cottage, a half-opened book in his claw. “Still out?” he called upon seeing them, a perplexed look on his face. “Come now, Lucario, you ought to be resting up from our fight, not wandering around the grounds. Why don't you come inside for a while?”
Not wanting to be rude, Lucario came up, following Gabite back into the cottage with Vulpix in tow. The dragon-shark made a dramatic gesture toward their room, and he nodded, letting the kid go in first. He closed the door behind them, getting a peek of Gabite returning to his own quarters with his nose stuck into that book of his.
The moment the door went shut he dropped onto one of the two wooly mats lying around. Meanwhile, Vulpix scrambled up the bed cushion at the other end of the room, perfectly tailored for someone of her build. Once she was on top she turned over, poking its soft surface with childish interest, before sinking into it.
And Lucario watched, trying his best to ignore how the soft wool of his bed tickled his fur. It had been a long night and an eventful day, but already they had somewhere to stay. Shelter, food, and income secured, all in one fell swoop.
They had time to breathe. To relax.
Relax.
Lucario choked on a bitter laugh. Relax! Imagine that! Him, relaxing after all that had happened! Bah, his mind would never allow that, and he didn’t need mind-reading to know it that neither would Vulpix’s.
In her attempt to do so, all she ironically did was make herself remember. He saw how her face shifted, how she frowned and her eyes grew downcast. She squirmed in her cushion, unable to get uncomfortable.
She glanced at him, raising her brows, then looked away. “Mother,” she whimpered — to him? To herself? To the deaf ears of the dead? “I-I can’t stop thinking a-about—”
Her tails clutched her face. Lucario looked away too, a garbled hum in his throat. Through the window, he could see the cloudless sky, yet the roaring pitter-patter of a downpour reached his ears all the same. Waves turning and tossing, wood splintering, voices yelling—
A giant, birdlike figure, and another creature with an inexplicable form, appearing to move in ways that seemed to defy whatever shape it was. Those were the two who fought with each other and caused a shipwreck in the process. They were the ones responsible for their circumstances and for the deaths of many innocent lives.
They were the ones responsible for his and Vulpix’s plight.
Flaming aura engulfed Lucario’s fist, fueled by the rage in his heart and tempered by a just will. Those monsters! It was their fault that this happened! He didn’t know who they were, but they ought to be taught a lesson, causing senseless destruction in the wake of their terrible fight! How could he relax, knowing vile creatures like those two ran amok, uncaring for the lives of others?
Vulpix made a noise, and at once the flame smoldered and died out, Lucario turning around to blanch at her spooked expression. “Uh,” she said, staring at him as if any other part of his body would erupt into flaring energy. “L-Lucario? You o-okay?”
Her words splashed his heart with cold clarity, and Lucario forced himself to lay down, taking a deep breath. He was letting his instincts get the better of him. What could he do to Pokemon like those two anyway? Even if he could identify and track them down, their firepower warned him that either one could knock him senseless. Fighting them would change nothing.
Adam’s gone, he told himself with a mournful sigh. Him, Torterra, Lanturn, Banette, Duosion, Dragonair — they’re gone. You already know they’re not coming back, Lucario.
His eyes drifted over the ceiling, over the wooden walls and simple furnishings of this room. This is your life now.
“Lucario?”
The jackal raised his head, meeting Vulpix’s gaze. Almost immediately she lowered her eyes to the floor, her front paw wiping the edge of her cushion. “No, of course you’re not okay,” she said, as if scolding herself. “Your trainer Adam must’ve meant a lot to you. And your Pokemon companions.”
And oh, did he miss them. Their voices lingered on in Lucario’s head, faces he would never see again haunting him like spirits. Was this grief? He had never understood why Banette spoke of it the way he did—
“C-could you listen to me? For a moment?”
Lucario raised his head a little more. Hm?
Vulpix was nervous now, it was impossible to miss, yet the emotion in her words was anything but. “I-I know I already said it earlier, but, well — thank you. Thank you so much. I owe you my life several times over, you know that? I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you. I wish I could do something for you — I-I wish I could’ve done something for Mother—”
Lucario held up a paw, silencing her before she went plunged deep into her own agony. There were little tears in his eyes, he could feel them wriggling around in there. All it took was a blink, however, and they were gone.
“No, I am not fine,” he told her, repeating his words from yesterday. “But I will manage.”
Vulpix slowly nodded. She stared at the floor, borrowing the steadiness of the earth beneath the floorboards, and breathed.
“Before we met Eevee,” she said. “You told me we were stuck here.”
“I did.”
“And that we can’t exactly leave.”
He nodded. That was their predicament, all right.
A solemn look overtook Vulpix. “I hardly even know you,” she muttered. “Everything is stressing you out too, isn’t it? I have to learn to talk and use my moves like any other Pokemon, but you’re the one who has to keep me safe. And I—”
Her shoulders straightened, posture fixing itself, and all of a sudden Vulpix’s nervousness went away like a lifting fog, revealing something deeper within her, something closer to her core being. Determination.
“I don’t want to be a burden to you,” she insisted. “I’ll be here for you, Lucario, just like you are for me. It’s the least I can do. We’ll get through this together.”
A tiny smile overran Lucario at her heartfelt words. She didn’t even know half of what was going on, but despite her fears, she was willing to take it on, for both their sakes. A storm still drifted within his head, roaring with cruel thunder, but now he saw that the clouds had a silver lining.
He had lost his family. It was time to start another.
“You and me, Eira?” he asked, the rain in his head lightening up.
Eira the Vulpix smiled back. “You and me.”