Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Altered Bonds
Chapter 9 — Bandit Band Bane
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SKELETON ABHORRENT ON THE PROWL
Mudstream Village has recently reported the appearance of a strange Abhorrent with a skeletal form engulfed in black flames, showing possible interest in the nearby Mud Passage Mystery Dungeon. Has since disappeared. Motives unknown, and state of rationality uncertain. Explorers up to the challenge are asked to scout out the whereabouts of this Abhorrent, but not to take action unless proven safe and necessary, and report back. BEWARE: chance of mutation may be possible.
Client: Berrypark Explorer Board
Goal: Track down and identify mystery Abhorrent, and if possible, subdue it.
Location: Mud Passage dungeon and surroundings, northern region of Grassbranch Island
Danger: ???
Reward: 5000 Poke
Addendum: Mission cannot be reserved by any single team. Please keep this task posted on the board until its completion is confirmed.
Lucario rolled his eyes as Gabite stared down the last task on the ‘Grassbranch Island Tasks’ board, willing it to burn up into blackened scraps. Still a better reaction than the day before — the paper looked quite disheveled with those puncture marks in the corner.
Beside him, Vulpix nervously curled her tails. “Shouldn’t we, uh,” she said, flicking her head toward Gabite, “do something?”
“On it.” Clearing his throat, Lucario called out to their team leader. “Don’t we have better things to do?”
A growl. Gabite’s glare swept over, charring the bright stony floor before landing on them. “Can’t help it,” he muttered, dragging himself away from the task. “You understand what these fiends do, right?”
After talking with Eevee two days ago, Lucario certainly understood, perhaps even more than Gabite did. Corrupted poison spikes in items like Z-Crystal, used to warp the bodies and possibly the minds of Pokemon — how sickening. As if Eira’s safety isn’t enough of a problem, he thought, cringing at the thought of encountering Aerodactyl again.
It was fortunate Gabite had no interest in pursuing him. “Even if my claws weren’t full with you two, I can’t handle tasks like those,” he said in a low voice. “Blast, I wish Braixen was here. Berrypark Town’s only got so many explorers, and that Abhorrent might be long gone before teams from elsewhere can help with scouting.”
Gabite mentioned Braixen before, back when they first met and also when Vulpix figured out Lugia’s identity. “Who’s this guy anyway?” Lucario asked out of curiosity.
A large smile removed the traces of frustration shadowing Gabite’s face. “Leader of Team Elementri — spelled with the Unown letter ‘I’, not ‘Y’ — and a dear friend of mine. Met him years back, when I was still living on Tumbledust Island. It’s not an understatement to say I wouldn’t be an explorer without him.”
Vulpix’s progress in the Pokemon tongue showed as she caught on to the nuance of the team name, brows arching at its spelling. “Braixen, Heliolisk, and Goliosopod, they’re good company,” Gabite went on. “They’re chasing after weird magic items in Junglebush Island right now, but you’ll meet them soon. If you’re staying on the team, of course.”
If they were staying on the team.
Which they were not.
A part of Lucario felt guilty at the thought. It was what, their fourth day of being explorers now? So far Eira the Vulpix had made notable progress in learning to defend herself, both in terms of fighting and being able to speak. He almost felt jealous — the kid had pushed herself, learning about combat and increasing her Level quicker than he ever bothered to as a young, naive Riolu.
She was a novice still, but she had the basics. They both had a rough understanding of the world and its signature Mystery Dungeons, and a lead for finding their way back too. Why stay here then, he thought, where Ariados can catch us at any moment?
Yet he hesitated, unwilling to leave the team so soon. “But who am I kidding? Of course you’ll stick around,” said Gabite, elbowing him before turning to the ‘Local Tasks’ board. “Now then, you two have been breezing through these missions, so I think it’s time to try something harder. Maybe something in—”
His smile dropped, as did his gaze as it landed on a particular task. Silence followed, and Vulpix tilted her head at Lucario before going around Gabite, trying to see what the problem was.
She barely read the words before rearing back, tails shooting into the air. “W-Weavile,” she stammered.
The name pulled a trigger in Lucario’s head. Not a second later and he was pouncing toward the task, nearly barreling into Gabite in the process. At once he shoved his snout against the paper, glaring at its contents.
“Him again?” he growled, fists engulfed in the energy of aura’s justice.
THIEF LURKING NEAR TALLGRASS MEADOW DUNGEON
A string of thefts has occurred on the roads nearby! Travelers, merchants, and explorer teams going from Berrypark Town to Lakehome Town are encountering a Weavile who makes a quick steal before getting away. Has made use of the nearby Tallgrass Meadow dungeon as an escape route. Both towns’ officers are currently incapable of resolving the matter, so anyone capable of subduing this criminal in a timely fashion will be rewarded well.
Client: Berrypark Officer Toxicroak
Goal: Arrest Weavile.
Location: Road between Berrypark Town and Lakehome Town, Tallgrass Meadow dungeon
Danger: A Rank
Reward: 4000 Poke
Gabite had found a new task to shoot daggers at, and so did Lucario. “Weavile,” hissed Gabite. “You’d think Shaymin would force Togetic into doing this one.”
Of course the stupid thief who threatened Vulpix and tried stealing Shaymin’s Gracidea was still around. Shaymin and Togetic came here ahead of them to get their tasks — how did they ignore this?
“No surprise he’s at Tallgrass Meadow.” Gabite eyed Lucario from the side. “The dungeon’s a perfect escape route. It’s got multiple entrances and exits, which makes it ideal for thieves to shake off pursuers.”
His dark smirk contrasted with the cozy lighting the room was adorned in. “I could use something to offset the foul mood that skeletal Abhorrent’s put me in,” he remarked. “How about we take down our old friend Weavile?”
It was an arduous struggle for Lucario not to take that task and slam it on Porygon-Z’s desk. His base self desired — no, demanded Weavile’s downfall, his blood boiling to strike him down for his lawlessness. Leave this mission alone, and he’d surely get away again, his stealing spree unchallenged. How could he allow for such a thing?
What kept him rooted was a breath of cold clarity that brushed against his leg.
Vulpix had noticed his train of thought, her face set in a grimace, and justice wavered under the torrent of a subtler urge — guardianship. Kid’s my main priority right now, Lucario scolded himself. I can’t let Weavile harm her in any way. What if he took the band?
Yet the thought of letting Weavile walk away continued to tear at him. It’s three on one, and you’ll knock out Weavile before he can so much as twitch a muscle, said a voice in his head. What are you afraid of?
The jackal grumbled, shaking his dreadlocks. I won’t endanger Eira.
You’re not endangering Eira.
The silent war stretched on, Gabite and Vulpix watching with taut faces. “Right, almost forgot about your kid,” said the former, rubbing his chin. “Your Pokemon instincts are messing with your wish to protect her, huh?”
A chuckle left his throat at the terse grunt Lucario made. “Yeah, I feel you. It took some tough love for Braixen to make me control my obsession for shiny objects.” A glint of greed shone in Gabite’s eyes as he admired the Electric Gems lighting the room. “But look, I understand the risks, and I wouldn’t take this task if I wasn’t confident in our chances. All you need to do is follow my lead, and we’ll have him caught in no time. Nobody’s gonna get hurt.”
He gave a significant nod toward Vulpix. “Consider it our first serious mission. Any objections?”
The vixen trembled at his expectant gaze. Looked toward the ground in contemplation. Bit her lip.
“We could do the task,” she murmured.
Not only was it unlike her to speak to Gabite where a shake of her head would suffice, it also sounded like she was convincing herself more than anything else. “Kid?” said Lucario, frowning at her passivity. “Think about what you’re saying there. This is dangerous for you.”
He accentuated his words with an aura message — a yanking sensation, pulling at the forepaw. A tinge of frosty dread too. Yet despite how Vulpix flinched, the girl stayed adamant, shaking off the feelings as if they never happened.
“I-I’ll be fine.” Anxious courage emanated from her, wavering yet willing. “And you’ll keep me safe, like before. Won’t you?”
Now the weight of Gabite’s gaze fell upon him. Lucario groaned, finding himself saddled with the curse of decisions. Why was a Pokemon like him forced to call the shots here? Vulpix was being too compliant — she knew better than this.
But her words poked at a prideful side of himself. With his favorable typing and skills, he was more than capable of protecting her. Weavile wouldn’t stand a chance.
Why was he giving up this opportunity?
Such thoughts kept pestering him, instinctual justice clawing at Lucario’s sense of guardianship. Soon he could bear it no longer, the pangs of defeat making him bare his teeth at Gabite. “You better have a plan,” he said.
Gabite bared his teeth back in a toothy smile.
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The way to Tallgrass Meadow was pleasant enough, with hills bobbing up and down and plenty of blooming flowers and trees. Grass grew wild, their blades sticking up to hoard as much sunlight for themselves. The only noise came from winds that made the greenery sway ever so gently, and from the footsteps of three Pokemon walking on a dirt road.
That tranquility wasn’t enough to tone down Lucario’s alertness. His paw was pressed against his side, glowing with a blue mist as he paid attention to the surroundings with his aurasense. Waves of aura were weaved into this place, he could feel it, but none of them linked to any distinct Pokemon except for the two traveling with him.
Vulpix’s wary emotions leaked out, mixed with the vigilance Gabite showed. While Lucario’s eyes kept watch of everything, Gabite’s jet-engine-shaped ears pulsed at intervals, the dragon-shark listening in for the ultrasound waves his kind could produce. It seemed silly — aurasense had far better range.
But it didn’t hurt to be prudent. Weavile was somewhere around here, and they needed to be ready for him.
“One of Tallgrass Meadow’s entrances should appear in several more minutes,” Gabite stated. “The path bends toward it on the right. If you look to your left now, you might notice the outskirts of where the Mystery Dungeon known as Stringed Forest lies.”
Lucario’s tension doubled as he and Vulpix both turned in the same direction. True to Gabite’s word, the trees in the far distance had gathered up into proper clusters befitting of a moody forest. It stretched out to the horizon, marching its way north to where the ocean lied, and although it seemed ordinary at first glance, Lucario could feel malevolence stalk them from within its shaded kingdom of thickets.
So that’s where Ariados lives, he thought, double-checking for any sign of the vengeful red spider. His aurasense found nothing, thank goodness.
“Strange place, that dungeon.” Bitterness arose in Gabite’s tone. “There was a normal village there, but it got swallowed up by the distortion two months ago. Their Ariados matriarch gained limited power over the dungeon, however, allowing the inhabitants to live there without being threatened.”
Fear and pity coexisted inside Vulpix’s aura as she listened to Gabite, and Lucario offered her a few soothing emotions. “Sounds creepy,” he said, making himself sound curious. Perhaps Gabite could tell him more about Stringed Forest. “Dungeons do that often?”
“Spawn on top of a Pokemon settlement? Unheard of, mostly.” The bitterness shot up a few notches. “But then again, we’ve had reports of dungeons acting up in ways that are odd, even for them. More worrying, the timings line up with the recent appearance of the Abhorrent disease.”
Good grief, more mutant business. “What, you think they’re related?” Lucario asked incredulously. That didn’t seem likely to him.
But Gabite thought otherwise. “It’s a little too coincidental for me to ignore. The dungeons acting funny and swallowing up villages, or creating floors that don’t follow usual dungeon logic, and then these blasted Abhorrents show up?” The dragon-shark snarled at the thought of it. “Something about it smells fishy. Those freaks can turn other Pokemon into monstrous ferals, and if Legendaries can alter the dungeons, why can’t they?”
Fearful mutters ran deep within Gabite’s aura, like water droplets plopping against the floor of a dank cellar. “But never mind that,” said the dragon-shark, returning to a more pleasant mood. “My point is, Stringed Forest is quite an interesting place, with some interesting company. It rarely gets any missions, but maybe I’ll take you two inside someday.”
Vulpix put on a stony face beside Lucario, the jackal making a disinterested hum. Better steer Gabite away from that idea. “It sounds like a place Vulpix and I wouldn’t want to explore,” he told him.
A snicker. “What, you scared? Come on, Stringed Forest isn’t that bad a dungeon, and although Ariados can be a little stir-crazy, she and the village folk are nice—”
Gabite slowed, face scrunching up as he placed a claw on his chin. “Wait a minute,” he said with deliberation. “This road goes between Lakehome Town and Berrypark Town, going west and crossing Tallgrass Meadow and Stringed Forest on the way, then bends south toward the woods where I live. We met you guys headed toward Berrypark, and not Lakehome. That would mean—”
His eyes expanded. “It was her, wasn’t it?”
If Gabite’s mention of the dungeon was the lightning, this was the thunder that came after. “What?” said Lucario, the fur on his nape rising.
“Ariados. She attacked Vulpix.” Gabite slowly faced him, his aura rippling from revelation’s shock. “You said someone messed with her some time ago, yeah?”
For the love of— why did he remember that, and why did he have to put two and two together? Lucario’s mind whirled with thoughts on how to throw him off track, but it was far too late. Even if he could somehow make up a good lie to cover them, Vulpix’s intake of air at the mention of Ariados was enough for Gabite to know he was right.
“And you said there was another person.” Gears whirred in Gabite’s head. “Kecleon?”
Insult to injury. Lucario didn’t bother hiding his emotions, and nor did Vulpix — the damage had been done. Now the dragon-shark would surely look for answers, leading to a confrontation with Ariados herself.
He had to deter him from doing that. “Gabite—” he began.
It wasn’t necessary. “Don’t tell me why she attacked, I’ll bet the reason’s something stupid,” said Gabite, the duo dropping their jaws at his statement. “Don’t need that clouding my judgment of you two. I assume Ariados’s still angry with you, but Kecleon must have attacked by mistake and apologized, which would explain your interactions with him. He’s been helping you out?”
Well, no reason to hide this. Lucario nodded, sensing no interest in Gabite’s aura to look further into the matter. Really? Their team leader suddenly didn’t want to pry?
“It isn’t hard to realize you really don’t want me snooping into this,” explained Gabite when Lucario stared for too long. “And I’ll respect that. Odd as you two are, I know good, trustworthy people when I see them, and Togetic knows even better with her purity-sensing powers. Anything else I should know?”
This worked out far better than he could anticipate. Lucario let his eyes dance along the blue flames licking his palm, dimly aware of the sincerity in Gabite’s aura. He had that much trust in two strangers he met a few days ago? A real shame he couldn’t return that level of trust and, well, let him know everything. If not for his fear of humans and Abhorrents, maybe he could let Team Heavendust’s leader in on their secrets.
But he could share a little. “Ariados showed up in town when I went searching for Vulpix,” he said, making Gabite grimace. “Kecleon and I had to hide her amongst the crowd. She’s been after us the whole time.”
“Say no more. Vulpix?” Gabite’s words shook the human-turned-Pokemon out of her disbelieving stupor. “That Ariados will not be allowed twenty feet near you. You have my guarantee.”
Never had Gabite’s aura been such a brilliant blue. Good thing Shaymin wasn’t here, because the gratitude blooming from within Vulpix’s soul was enough to make Lucario sick. That intense feeling slipped out of a crack in her reserved demeanor, and Vulpix gave Gabite a bright, childish smile.
“That means a lot to me, Gabite,” she said.
Gabite batted an eye, not expecting such a direct thank-you from the vixen, before nodding. “Just saying, it’ll be a problem if you guys stay on the team and Ariados remains hostile toward you,” he informed Lucario. “Let me know if you need any help.”
Lucario’s reply was a polite non-answer. He sent a discreet wink to Vulpix, and the false vixen smiled harder, relief in both their faces.
It wasn’t long before the trees of Stringed Forest thinned out, and not much longer when the path twisted toward a flatter, rockier patch of land. A group of Whimsicott and Cottonee sailed by in the distance, carried by the slight winds, and even a regular odd rabbit sat upon one of the few mounds in the terrain, ears twitching toward them. A bird-like Pokemon circled overhead, as if eyeing the animal as a future meal.
For some reason Lucario’s feelers churned, sending warnings as the bird darted off, but he didn’t get the chance to check why as Gabite held up a claw. “So we’re here,” he announced, eyes staring way into the distance. “And it seems there might be a complication.”
Vulpix turned over, showing her concern. At the same time waves of aura ran into the blue flare that covered Lucario’s paw, and he felt more nearby presences. “Oh, yeah, that’s not what I expected,” he said, staring too.
Trees grew more abundantly up ahead, mixed with huge boulders and tallgrass, until they clustered into a grove so tightly bound its trees seemed to smother themselves. The grass parted around an ugly pathway of sticks and dirt that tunneled into the out-of-place grove, a sign planted there to inform travelers of the dungeon beyond.
More importantly were the Pokemon that were present. Lucario snuffed out the flame on his palm, eyes lighting up blue in its place — no reason to feel the surrounding area now that he knew where to look — and made out the one red aura mingling with two light-blue auras.
The red one was Weavile’s, no mistake. The crimson color of his head-feathers became visible as they crept closer, using trees and rocky formations for cover. Vulpix’s eyes stayed glued to the thief, while Gabite scratched his chin as he focused on the other two Pokemon.
There was only one pair of Pokemon that would consist of a brown fish and a pink witch whose hair resembled a pointy hat. Feebas and Hattrem, here? Lucario thought, squinting at the twosome.
No mistaking it, it was them, and they were engaged in an argument with Weavile. No battle had broken out yet, but from the way Hattrem shook her ponytails and how Weavile clenched his clawed hands, there was some ice-cold tension between the two parties. A tension that could heat up at any moment.
On the bright side, they wouldn’t need to go searching for the thief. “We better help them,” Lucario murmured.
Gabite nodded, fumbling with his Treasure Bag. Out came an orb swirling into its center with orange and black lines — a Foe-Seal Orb. “I’ll activate this, and Weavile won’t be able to move,” he instructed. “We need to knock him out fast though, since us living Pokemon can shake off the effects of items much faster than conjured Pokespawn. If this misses, I need Vulpix to Disable, and you to Quick Attack over and pin him down.”
Simple enough, Lucario reasoned. Use the orb, show Weavile the fist of the law, and then drag him to the nearest prison. What could go wrong?
And then the bird came back.
A sudden jab prodded his aura feelers at its incoming presence. Lucario barely turned before feathers flashed, raking him and Gabite. It took a moment for both to realize the orb had been shattered within the grip of Gabite’s claw, glass breaking up into motes of light.
Vulpix took longer still just to process the attack. Gabite instinctively clutched his Treasure Bag as the flying Pokemon — A Swellow — looped back, only to still himself in the air, red chest and white stomach puffed out. He spread out his blue wings, feathers flaring out along with his inner red aura.
“Hi,” he said.
The shriek that came after made Lucario’s ears bleed.
It was only natural that Weavile and Hattrem paused their verbal spar to turn toward the source of the deafening noise. A mistake for the former, as Feebas leapt into action the moment his back was turned, slamming into him with a force that defied her species’s low strength. A stunned Weavile was still tumbling onto his face when Hattrem too responded, striking with her ponytails.
Weavile cursed, darkness wreathing his claws. Swellow twisted his beak as his partner in crime struggled to fight the pair off, before cocking an eye at Lucario, Gabite, and Vulpix. “Oh,” said the latter, resigned.
And then Swellow swooped in, his speed almost on par with Weavile’s. Lucario frantically put up his arms as the bird raked at him, then turned on Gabite, battering him with his wings. A blue light struck him and he screeched, dropping to the ground for a moment, and Gabite took the moment to bring up one of his arm-fins.
The following Slash sent Swellow airborne, feathers flying off as he brought himself upright. He scowled at Vulpix’s glowing eyes, zigzagging away before another Disable could unbalance him. “Explorer interlopers,” he muttered. “As if Weavile having tea with two girls wasn’t bad enough.”
Weavile had shaken off Hattrem and Feebas by then, dashing back to Swellow with darkness-encased claws held in front like an evil X-Scissor. “Not my fault they ran into my hiding spot,” he growled, before facing Team Heavendust. “First two wannabe explorers treat me like some E-class crook, and now the very people who made me lose a terrific profit the other day want my head. You joined the Gabite, didn’t you, Lucario? Does your kind ever get tired of settling trifles in the unholy name of justice? You even have your little one taking after you, how disgusting.”
Lucario could see Vulpix’s lips twisting at his words. A standstill played out as Hattrem and Feebas moved toward the trio, their nods serving as a greeting, a word of thanks, and a silent agreement all at once. Together they formed a line, their gazes fixated on Weavile and Swellow.
“There’s two of you,” growled Gabite.
Swellow cackled in response. “I’m just that good of a scout,” he said, his eyes darting to the side for some reason. “These guys ain’t worth it, Weavile. Nothing worth taking.”
“No.” Weavile narrowed his eyes, one of his claws losing its dark energy. “But the stash’s gonna need protecting. And I think I need to show these lot a lesson first.”
It was through sheer chance that Lucario reacted so quickly — one moment Weavile claw had blurred in and out of the pouch hung around his neck, the next Lucario blinked at the spiky red seed he had caught, throwing it back without a second thought. Weavile and Swellow scattered, the explosion of the Blast Seed well behind them as they rushed toward the party.
It was war from then on. Weavile’s claws swept out in arcs as he ran circles around the group, Ice Shards flying forth and pelting them. Occasionally he’d weave in and out, Night Slashing at them, while Swellow struck with beak and wing before darting out of reach.
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It infuriated Lucario as his attacks kept striking at Weavile’s afterimages, until his frustration was let loose in the form of raging, crackling Aura Spheres. Even this Weavile countered, arrays of Ice Shards making them implode from afar. Vulpix and Feebas were trying their best to respectively Disable and Tackle the duo, but their speed was too great an advantage. Hattrem once clipped Weavile when light flashed from her eyes in a Dazzling Gleam, but that was it.
Then Gabite reached into his Treasure Bag and downed a seed.
His next Dragon Claw came impossibly fast, a startled Weavile twisting out of the way in time to have his red tail-feathers shaved off. “Two can play that game,” he declared, reaching into his item pouch.
The orb he pulled out was instantly struck by another orb Gabite lobbed at him. A dour look creased Weavile’s face as both shattered into brilliant motes. “Comeagain?” Gabite said, his words blurring together.
And then he blurred forward, Weavile ducking and retreating from his lightning-quick Slashes. Out of his pouch came what was likely a Stun Seed, but Gabite effortlessly evaded it and pressed onward with vicious teeth bared. Lucario took a moment to smirk at the dragon-shark suddenly being able to keep pace with Weavile — courtesy of what must’ve been a Quick Seed — before craning his head toward Swellow.
With Weavile not around for backup, the poor bird was left to fend for himself, his eyes darting all the more frantically as he fled from Feebas’s leaping headbutts, Hattrem’s light energy attacks, and a cautious Vulpix’s Disables. Kid should be fine with those two, he decided, pivoting back to Weavile.
The weasel was put on the back foot by Gabite’s onslaught, firing Ice Shards and throwing seeds without abandon. Gabite threw his own seeds back, the two playing a game of item attrition. In other words?
It was too easy to catch Weavile off guard — one Quick Attack and Lucario was behind him, paw flaring with power. Force Palm followed, aimed to the torso, and the unprepared weasel was sent catapulting right into Gabite’s waiting fin-blades. His Slash struck true, and Lucario’s sense of justice found satisfaction in Weavile crumpling from their combined efforts.
Just in time as Gabite rebalanced himself from the swift movement, his burst of speed fading as suddenly as it came. Seed’s effects wore off fast, Lucario idly thought, before grimacing as he observed Swellow tumbling from a head-on collision from Feebas. Okay, was it just him, or was that bird’s eyes twitching too often to the side—?
The rushing noise of a turbulent water stream crashed into Lucario’s ears like a siren call, and everything clicked as Lucario witnessed an Aqua Jet leap into the sky before storming toward them. That screech Swellow made? That wasn’t for Weavile.
There was a third thief.
Before he knew it the Aqua Jet crashed down upon Gabite with a meteor’s impact, its conjurer leaping out of the implosion of water pellets with a beaky grin. “Clean up duty!” hollered Golduck, the red gemstone on the huge blue duck’s forehead flashing with a Psychic will, and Lucario choked as a matching red glow enclosed around him and constricted the air out of his lungs.
The mental force pushed, and he flew directly into a startled Hattrem, Feebas, and Vulpix, bowling them down. The entangled pile of limbs was made complete when Golduck threw a dazed Gabite after them, Lucario clenching his teeth as spiky scales stung the skin beneath his fur. “Finally!” said Swellow. “Where were you this whole time?”
“Safeguarding the moola, silly bird.” Golduck let out a chortle. “Had to relocate it, but it’ll be easy for us to pick up later. We done with these clowns or what?”
Vulpix’s curly hair was a mess as her head popped out of the pile, her expression bordering on panic. “Th—” she whispered, before catching her near slip-up. “Th-there’s one more?”
Like it mattered to Lucario how many of these crooks he had to fend off. With a grunt he shoved Gabite off him, Aura Spheres flying from both of his palms. Golduck’s response was nothing more than a sheer insult as he casually swept his gaze over the spheres, psychic power pushing them into each other. A spark roared out in the wake of their collision.
“Oh no, they want more trouble,” the duck jeered. “We can oblige, can’t we, friends?”
The others had managed to free themselves by then, but it wasn’t enough. A second wind broke loose as Weavile’s eyelids shot open and Swellow took to the air, Lucario clutching his side as the latter slashed him with Aerial Ace’s speed. Gabite moved to strike the bird when Ice Shards impaled his back, the super-effective attack making him reel.
A hiss and a gasp rang out, Lucario’s eyes darting toward Feebas as Swellow’s talons sunk into her sides in front of a stupified Hattrem, the bird flying away with the fish in tow. Weavile moved forward too, Vulpix locking up as his claws reached toward her with malice. No! thought the jackal, his feet carrying him—
His feet couldn’t move. He couldn’t move. There was a red Psychic glow surrounding him, and Golduck’s laughs were burning holes into his already injured eardrums.
The only sound worse than that was Vulpix’s squeal of pain, Weavile’s claws shaving white fur off her back. “Now that’ll be enough funny business,” he growled, throwing the vixen under the weight of his foot.
She struggled, squirmed, aimed her head to fire a Disable at him, only for Weavile to crush her head into the dirt. Feebas fared no better, her face strangely at peace as Swellow kept his talons dug into her scales, Hattrem watching with livid silence. Lucario snarled, hammering a crack into the psychic power as he fought against Golduck’s mental grasp.
Then he saw Weavile’s finger pressing against Vulpix’s throat. Saw the kid turn whiter than snow at the subtle yet lethal threat. Saw Gabite’s gaze, warning him not to put up a fight.
And he stopped resisting, staying stock still even as Golduck dropped the Psychic hold. Not even his seething instincts for justice could make him twitch.
Not while Vulpix was in such a dangerous position.
“Even an outlaw like me’s above maiming, but you all are forcing my claws here.” Dead silence reigned as Weavile scowled at each of them, Golduck sauntering to his side. “Maybe if I didn’t waste my items on that fight, I wouldn’t need to resort to this sort of thuggish behavior.
“Now if you all behave and let us get our ‘belongings’, maybe we can all go on our separate merry ways.” Weavile’s eyes dropped, peering at Vulpix’s paws and noticing the wristband blending in with her fur. “Well look at what the kid’s wearing.”
Oh. Oh no.
Vulpix’s eyes inflated to the size of baseballs. “Fun fact, Swellow and Golduck, she’s the reason I missed out on a rare Gracidea the other day,” said Weavile, relishing in the immense terror that contorted her face. “Thing’s worth plenty to you, little miss? Seeing how you and your caretaker haven’t learned their lesson—”
His claw shifted toward the band, and Lucario stopped listening, justice and guardianship fusing into an urge that dominated his soul. This was the worst-case scenario — How could he let Vulpix be in this position?
No choice. Must stop him, he thought.
Hattrem must’ve sensed his frenzied emotions because she swung her head over to yell at him not to do it, but Lucario was already in motion. His feet shoved against dirt, racing forward and refusing to heed her cries and Gabite’s. Golduck barely batted an eye before bringing up his Psychic grasp again.
But not this time. Lucario’s eyes glowed a brilliant blue to counter Golduck’s red, and his body reflexively shifted away from the area of constriction, Detect hurtling him the rest of the way toward a bewildered Weavile.
He struck.
Built-up fury and determination blasted out in a shock of aura that sent the weasel airborne, somersaulting a few times midair. No time to watch him fall back to earth, however — his arm swept to the side near-instantly, bashing into Golduck’s gut with a second sizzling Force Palm. The duck rolled multiple yards away, waves of paralysis hissing all over his body.
Vulpix rapidly blinked, burdened no more by the weight of Weavile’s foot. An examination proved her cuts were thankfully shallow. “All good?” he asked just in case.
The kid nodded, shamefaced as she turned away. A breathless gasp escaped her maw.
Lucario saw where she was looking and cringed. Oh shoot.
Desperation had blinded him to Feebas’s own plight, Swellow piercing her scales with brute force. Her captor squawked as he was slammed again and again into the ground, under the pressure of Hattrem’s Psychic power. Still his talons held firm, Feebas baring her teeth as they cut deep into her flank. “Let her go,” the witch said with glowing, glaring eyes.
Her demand wasn’t enough. Even when Gabite walked over with his arm-fins poised, Swellow brought his talons deeper, Feebas hacking from the torment. “Let her go?” yelled the bird. “How about you let us go—”
A frown hardened Vulpix’s face, her eyes firing off dark-blue energy. Disable silenced the bird as his limbs locked up, talons retracting, and Gabite slashed. Hard.
Swellow slumped over, allowing Feebas to wriggle out from his loose grip. Clear lines of blood left her scales uglier-looking than usual. “Ow?” she said with a grim smile.
Hattrem ran toward her without missing a beat. “I know Heal Pulse,” said Lucario as he joined her, “I can—”
He lost his voice as Hattrem scowled — a level of emotion that was abnormal for her species. One ponytail moved in front as if telling him to get out of town, while the other placed itself upon Feebas. It glowed with pink refreshing energy, blood flaking off the fish’s body as Hattrem’s own Heal Pulse sealed her cuts and repaired her scales.
“You got her injured,” she said, her tone deathly blank.
Lucario raised his paws as he attempted to defend himself, only for his words to be cut short by Gabite’s interjection. “And for what?” he barked, eyes ablaze with heavy scrutiny. “To save your kid’s wristband? Do you mind explaining what’s so special about that thing that you’d risk Feebas for it?”
If Vulpix wasn’t already jittery from being under Weavile mercy, it was Gabite’s words that shook her deep to her core, Lucario unable to meet her gaze. Good grief, the last thing he needed was Gabite growing suspicious about her wristband. How did he let this all happen?
“In case you haven’t noticed, Feebas bled.” Gabite looked back at the recovering fish with — was that anxiety? Distress? “Pokemon don’t bleed easy, Lucario, you know that? Us explorers don’t ever put civilians at risk.”
“Oh, lay off him,” Feebas interrupted with a wave of her fin. “I’ll be just fine.”
Hattrem tsked, Gabite rolling his head in disagreement. “You should’ve waited for orders,” he continued. “Blindly attacking criminals when hostages are involved? There’s nothing sensible about that. And again — all that for a wristband?”
Before Lucario could try again to speak on his behalf, Swellow’s body lit up red, hovering into the air. Everyone’s heads snapped as the knocked-out Pokemon sailed off with blistering speed, before dropping right at the entrance of Tallgrass Meadow.
Right in front of a waiting ally. “You really just let me recover, eh?” mocked Golduck, Weavile slumped over one of his shoulders. His webbed feet stood steps away from the dungeon. “Paralysis doesn’t last forever.”
So distracted by the fiasco with Feebas, Lucario had completely forgotten to finish the job with Golduck. Oh, you’re kidding me, he thought, hurrying forward—
Only to despair himself of redemption as a familiar red gleam sparked in Golduck’s gemstone, grabbing Lucario in place. Beside him, Gabite too was caught by Psychic, his claw frozen stiff inside his Treasure Bag and a primal scowl on his face. “Anyone else?” said Golduck, taking in the others’ stony expressions before draping Swellow’s wingspan over his other shoulder. “Thought so. Here, let me say a little something on behalf of my buddy Weavile.”
A cold smirk. “You all made enemies today.”
He walked backward, and Tallgrass Meadow stole him and his fellow thieves from this realm. Lucario covered his face as soon as the Psychic hold vanished, his sense of justice in mourning.
Weavile got away.
Again.
The way Gabite stared at the dungeon entrance, it was as if he was trying to set the spatial anomaly within on fire. Seeing Hattrem clutch her forehead with discomfort, however, he forced himself to tame his inner rage, shaking claws dropping to his sides. “No point in chasing them, Weavile would’ve packed an Escape Orb inside his pouch,” he said. “Golduck can just pop out of the dungeon from one of the other exits.”
Long grass blades wavered under a forlorn wind, the meadow offering them a moment of silence. “At least you helped me and Hattrem out?” Feebas offered, rubbing her healing scales. “Weavile could’ve done worse.”
Hattrem grumbled in dissent as she shot Lucario one last death glare. “Look, I—” he said, before hanging his head. Again, how did he let this all happen? “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking straight, and I didn’t mean to get Feebas hurt.”
A friendly nudge from Feebas was enough to make Hattrem soften her expression, but only by a smidge. Vulpix crawled toward Lucario, her face cloaked with layers of gloom — a byproduct of seeing their efforts go to waste.
“Blast,” muttered Gabite, shaking his head. “Maybe we could find the stolen items before they retrieve them?”
----------------------------------------
They did not find the stolen items before they retrieved them.
Eira the Vulpix lay sprawled upon the edge of the hillside where Gabite’s cottage was, stalks of soft grass cushioning her head. Beside her, Lucario quietly sat, his eyes shut in brooding. Above her, the sky had turned a shade of gray, trees swaying from fidgety winds that might preclude a little rain shower.
And within her, many thoughts waited in line for her to dwell upon.
They did not find the stolen items before they retrieved them. By some fortune, Gabite did stumble upon the hiding spot, hidden within a knothole of a tree with a boulder standing over to shade its existence, but to no avail. A half-emptied pile of supplies awaited them, looking like two sets of hands and a pair of wings had rummaged through it for the valuable stuff. Their team leader had snarled upon spotting two plain-looking seeds amongst the pile, muttering something about ‘Tiny Reviver Seeds.’
In other words? They didn’t get those thieves. She worked up the courage to take on the very Weavile who attacked her the morning after the shipwreck, and it was for nothing. What kind of vengeance would he and his friends exact on her if they met again?
Weavile still had a grudge. He could’ve ripped the wristband off, she thought to herself, holding up her paw as if to assure herself that yes, the band was still there. Why did I think I’d be safe in a battle with him? I’ve only gone against Pokespawn so far, not real, thinking Pokemon.
The weight of Weavile’s foot upon her back still left a cold imprint on her spine. Lucario’s save was all that protected her, at the cost of harming Feebas and making her Hattrem friend angry at him. And Gabite getting nosy about the band, she lamented. I shouldn’t have let that all happen.
I should’ve done better.
It was then that Lucario stirred with a shudder, an imaginary rain cloud hovering over his head. Slowly he faced her, examining the haggard look she wore. His feelers dropped lower than usual.
“Okay, look, I know today was a rough one,” he told her. “It’s not much of an apology, but I should admit it — I messed up. This was my fau*t.”
His fault.
His fault?
“Your fault?” Vulpix threw her snout over, her voice rising. “It was my fault.”
Incredulity cracked through Lucario’s face. “What?” he said, before giving a firm shake of his head. “Kid, I was supposed to protect you, and I failed to—”
“But that was my fault,” Vulpix argued, pushing herself up into a fierce standing position. “I did next to nothing that whole fight.”
“What are you talking about? You got a few Disables in!” Lucario was straightening himself, an electric current sparking between their eyes as they began a tug of war, trying to prove themselves more guilty than the other. “And you’re not a fig*ter to begin with. Besides, I sensed Swellow, and I should’ve ant*cip*ted that we would get g*nged up on—”
“And that shouldn’t have mattered!” What was getting into her, Vulpix didn’t know, but she pressed forward. “I should have been able to help, but I was barely lifting a finger! Er, a paw! Weren’t you training me to handle myself?”
“I’m training you for self-def**se, not to take on three thieves! It’s my job to keep you safe in situations like that! Darn it, I shouldn’t even have agreed to chase after Weavile—”
“I’m the one who told you it’d be fine—”
“And I’m the one who went along with you and Gabite! It’s thanks to me that he’s now susp*c*ous of you and the wristband!”
“So? If I wasn’t weak, I wouldn’t have been captured by Weavile—”
“That wasn’t your fault, Eira!” Lucario stood up, pointing at her with his entire paw. “None of this is your fault!”
“Well, it’s not your fault!” Vulpix snapped back in the Pokemon tongue, cold air hissing out of her bared teeth. The two glared at one another as a few gusts of wind came and went, too timid to split them apart in their heated moment. Not an eye blinked, nor dared to blink.
Yet all the while, Vulpix could feel herself slipping in her position, her paws shifting ever so slightly as she considered how childish this whole argument was. Soon she found herself looking away, embarrassed and somber, and from the corner of her eye, she found Lucario doing the same.
“I’m scared.” Eira the Vulpix curled into herself, tails taut around her like a blanket. A wish that this was just a prolonged nightmare echoed in her head, caused by some dream-eating Pokemon or even a Darkrai. “I’m so scared.”
Why isn’t Mother here with me?
She might’ve allowed the pink light burning from her forehead to implode against her, if not for a surge of sheer calm that slammed into her emotions. Lucario’s paw was outstretched, blue aura swirling out to mentally caress her with minty waves that blocked out all other feelings, forcing her impromptu Extrasensory to slink away. A pained smile crept upon her lips before she let the feeling become wholly hers, cocooning herself within.
Her fear of this dangerous world was still there, but this time she held it at arm’s — er, paw’s length. She really couldn’t say today had been their fault, not when nobody had been prepared to fight others besides Weavile, but she still didn’t want a repeat of what happened. Lucario shouldn’t have to babysit her. Who knew how long they’d be on Haven Archipelago for?
Currently she was at Level 11, a number that took her four or so days to reach when she’d been able to hit Level 6 on her first day as an Alolan Vulpix. Probably because strengthening her spirit took more effort as she progressed? In any case, Lucario and the others were far stronger than that, and she needed to catch up.
Lucario can’t protect us all the time, Eira, her voice of reason stated. We should be able to stand on our own four paws.
It’d be better though if they could avoid any more possible dangers. “When are we, uh, going to Kabutops?” she asked.
Lucario pinched his forehead as he thought long and hard about that. “We do need to move on event*ally,” he muttered to himself. “Gabite agreed to keep us around for a week or so, yeah? We’ll discuss it when Eevee gets back from his hunt since he’ll be guiding us to him, but I’d say a few more days.”
A few more days sounded manageable. “But to be honest?” Lucario went on. “I think I’ll miss Team Heavendust. Good company here, and I kinda liked the whole explorer gig — this would be a nice place to stay if not for our situation.”
Vulpix found herself agreeing to his words. It wasn’t so bad here, was it? If not for her being a human, maybe she could convince herself to settle down here. A small part of her wanted to stay, even with how intense exploring could be.
But she couldn’t. She shouldn’t. She had no home to go back to, and yet she had to go back.
It just isn’t safe here.
Lucario seemed like he was going to say more when his dreadlocks shuddered, the jackal furrowing his brows. “Hold on,” he said, looking over his shoulder with glowing blue eyes. “Who in—”
It was for the briefest of moments that Vulpix saw panic explode from his expression. Eyes bulging at some incoming threat. His tail bending as if to choke itself out. A half-formed word leaving his mouth in warning.
All of it was futile. Vulpix didn’t even have a chance as a living nightmare materialized from out of nowhere, the spidery arm-leg on its back flinging seeds that popped with a stunning force. It took a good few seconds for Vulpix to realize she was immobilized, as was Lucario, their muscles stiff as stone.
Her lips were sealed too. And she wanted to scream.
“Did I interrupt something?” asked Ariados, her silky voice filled with casual mirth.
Vulpix was hyperventilating on the inside, her pupils shrinking as the red spider loomed over her. Her purple eyes had a bizarre red tint hovering over them like glasses, a pouch dangling from one of her arm-legs and a blue and green-striped scarf wrapped tightly around the other. Lucario’s bewildered look seemed to flicker and morph into a death glare, as if fighting the effect of the Stun Seed afflicting him.
He wouldn’t be fast enough though. And Ariados knew that.
Ariados knew.
She knows, she kept yelling to herself. She knows, she KNOWS, SHE—
Already she could feel the venom coursing her veins, burning her insides out and choking her of a life she was doomed to lose. “Clever, yet so idi*tic,” Ariados whispered. “Now don’t give me that blank look, I can tell you understand what I’m saying this time. That is you, human, isn’t it? I don’t know if I should be enraged or impressed that you slipped past me back in Berrypark Town.”
She cackled into her foreleg. “You had every chance to elu*e me,” she told Lucario. “And yet you stay here, right where I can find you? You think some tra**form*tion sorc*ry is enough to keep me from locating you both? Enough to stop me from destroying the threat?”
A Stun Seed’s powerful paralysis wasn’t enough to block her breathing, yet even that was taken away from Eira the Vulpix as Ariados’s horn touched the faux vixen’s forehead. The red light hovering over her eyes seemed to brand her, like an empath injecting fear into the deepest places of her brain. Lucario was struggling harder, his paws shaking with protective fury.
“Lucky for you, there’s been a change in plans.” Ariados let her eyes droop. “I don’t need the girl dead anymore.”
What terror Vulpix could allow to leak from her stiff expression was turned into sheer confusion. Huh?
Lucario stopped fighting his paralysis, his aura-coated eyes twitching ever so slightly. “No, I’d rather not dirty my ap**ndages when there’s better ways to deal with the ill om*n. Now don’t test my mercy by running away — you can’t escape the web you’ve trapped yourselves within.” Ariados winked, the red light over her eyes blinking in tandem, before prodding at Vulpix’s flank.
At once the stunning force that held her disappeared, Vulpix backpedaling as she beheld her greatest not-quite-a-foe. “Y-y-you—”
A stilted chuckle left Ariados’s throat at her incoherent words. “You might live yet, little human,” she said, swapping her sour tone with a sweet one more befitting of her voice. “But alas, now isn’t the time to explain. I’ll visit again soon, and maybe then we can have a proper discussion about what I really need from you. Would you be a dear and free your guard dog for me?”
Her scarf seemed to ripple for the slightest of moments. And then Ariados vanished.
No, not just vanished. Off-beat noises of shaking leaves and branches sounded from within the forest, and Vulpix realized she wasn’t the only one with a magic item. Her tail gave a quick smack at Lucario’s leg.
“S-she can teleport?” she said, wonder overriding the fear in her voice.
Despite the Stun Seed wearing off on her guardian, he didn’t budge, his gaze stuck on the spot where Ariados had stood. “I saw her aura,” he said, glowing blue eyes returning to their usual red. “She really doesn’t want you dead.”
That was the more important matter here. “A-and she wants to talk?”
A dumbstruck nod. Vulpix stared listlessly, the world spinning around her. Ariados had found them — her disguise was compromised.
And yet she didn’t want to hurt her now? Why?
“I don’t think we have a choice but to hear her out. Not unless we want her to drop her baffling goodwill and spread the word about us.” Stress lines fractured Lucario’s head as he gripped his snout. “Gah, freaking telep*rt*on. What was I supposed to do there?”
What Ariados could possibly want from them, Vulpix didn’t know, but it messed up so many things. She could rat them out at her own leisure. Their plans to find Kabutops might be delayed, or worse. How would they explain this to Eevee?
Jumpy from her brush with Ariados, she nearly yelped at the sound of the cottage door swinging open. “Ah, you're both outside,” remarked Gabite, stepping out with an arched brow. “Something wrong? You look rattled.”
Lucario and Vulpix eyed each other. Could they? Should they?
No. Silence was better. Gabite confronting Ariados would be bad, she considered to herself.
“Not my business then, fine.” Gabite covered his face with a claw. “Look, I ou*ht to apologize. I shouldn’t have pressed you two to appr*h*nd Weavile in the first place. And I could have done better — I should’ve noticed Swellow and Golduck jumping in.”
His eyes turned toward Vulpix. “The wristband does mean something to her, yeah?”
It was astonishing how Ariados’s arrival made Gabite’s suspicions seem like a trivial issue in comparison. “Er—” Lucario began.
“Like it’s important to her and you know that, hence why you got emotional and attacked Weavile. Like Shaymin and her Gracidea Flower, I assume, but without the transformation part.”
Why. Vulpix stuffed her tails against her face. Why he did say it like that.
At least there was one good piece of news there — Gabite didn’t seem to suspect something was wrong with her. “She is quite clingy to it,” Lucario said with a wry yet cautious expression. “Never takes it off.”
A melancholic smile spread over Gabite’s face. “To be honest, Lucario, I think we were all high-strung back there. We find out Weavile’s got friends, things didn’t go to plan — Hattrem lashed out at you because she cares for Feebas, you know? Part of it was also her species’s inst*nct to silence anyone with strong emotions. Frankly, my own instincts nearly got the better of me.
“And I also kinda played on your instincts, trying to make you go after Weavile and all. So again, I’m sorry. That whole f*a*co was my fault.”
Vulpix shared another look with Lucario. “It’s not your fault,” he huffed.
Gabite looked like he was about to make the mistake of protesting when another diversion in the form of a green-white blur dove in between them, Sky Forme Shaymin circling around the group once. “Back!” she cheered, before reading their looks, then turning to the gray sky above. “Yo, did Lugia show up and throw a tropic*l depres*ion at you all?”
Lucario and Gabite stared at her like her joke was both garbage and yet ingenious — which it was, admittedly. Vulpix put her focus on Togetic though, the angelic flagging behind Shaymin with an arm tucked over her own Treasure Bag.
She caught her breath as she landed close to the vixen. “You all look troubled,” she commented. “Is something the matter?”
Gabite took to explaining everything, Shaymin and Togetic startled at the mention of a task concerning Weavile, then intrigued as he recounted the actual events of their encounter. Disappointment creased Togetic’s face at hearing how Weavile and his teammates escaped, while Shaymin fumed.
“So you’re telling me you didn’t get those jerks?” she said, crossing her arms. “Like come on, there were like five of you! How are you supposed to lose?”
“Shaymin.” Togetic shook her head. “My guess is the task was posted just after we left — you had a rough day, didn't you all? Don't worry, it happens, and there’s always next time.”
“Eh, she’s got a point.” Shaymin put on a sheepish grin. “Lucario and Vulpix shouldn't have done that task anyway, they shouldn't be busting criminal scum so early. Say, Vulpix, you holding up fine? Weavile didn't rough you up too much?”
Both she and Togetic threw Vulpix a gentle, comforting look, the young girl growing bashful at the gesture. She shook her head, and Togetic’s beaming smile kept her troubles at bay. “Good to hear,” she said. “I’m sure you’ve already been through enough trouble as it is, and I don’t want to see you left terrified and in harm’s way.”
Oh, if they’d only been here a minute earlier.
“Which reminds me.” A twinkle entered the angelic’s eye. “Weren’t you having trouble with Extrasensory, sweetie?”
The slight irritation at being reminded of her Extrasensory woes was pushed away as Vulpix noticed the giddy expression Shaymin put on. The reindeer elbowed Togetic in a silent command, and the angelic nodded, twisting her body toward one of the trees. She closed her eyes.
And her forehead glowed pink.
Concussive force shot out like a bullet, with a banging sound to match as the blast punctured a hole into the tree. Vulpix and Lucario stared at the cracked, ugly bark for a long while, all while Shaymin whooped and clapped at the spectacle.
An embarrassed cough from Togetic got her to stop. “Turns out,” she said, the pink light on her forehead flashing and ebbing at her command, “I can learn that move too.”
Togetic knew Extrasensory. Flustered joy turned Vulpix’s cheeks red as she looked up to the angelic. Togetic had seen her struggles with Extrasensory and taught herself the move.
And it was obvious why. This—!
It was too great a kindness, one that shot deep into her heart. To learn from a Pokemon using Copycat was one thing, Lucario’s mimicry could only help her so much. But from someone who actually knew the move and could guide her step-by-step?
She almost forgot Gabite had been standing there, up until he moved from his spot. “Perhaps you could teach her in the dungeons?” he said, eyes sharp and insightful.
Everyone turned heads as he strode back to the cottage. “I’m thinking I’ll go solo for a day or two. Togetic, Shaymin, you two work with Lucario and Vulpix. Teach them something useful.”
The door going shut never seemed to reach Vulpix’s ears. She gawked at Lucario, his brows raised to their limit, and then to a speechless Togetic and Shaymin.
Well, Shaymin wasn’t speechless for long. “Sup, partners!” she cheered. “We’re gonna pol*tely kidnap you two for some tasks! How about it, Togetic? Wh*tcha think about that?”
Togetic gave out a weary sigh, searching for a piece of Shaymin’s boundless energy. “I think,” she said, giving Vulpix one last smile, “I’ll be seeing you two tomorrow.”
She ushered her Mythical friend back to the cottage, shutting the door. Once again Vulpix found herself alone with a half-smiling Lucario, her thoughts simultaneously at a new high and a new low. Going with Togetic and Shaymin for some tasks, instead of that watchful Gabite, and also getting to learn Extrasensory? This was great.
But again. Ariados.
With the distractions gone, her encounter with the spider returned in full force. To think she got caught like that — she felt so vulnerable. Endangered. Afraid. She’d been the one to tell Lucario they’d be safe from her here, wasn’t she?
No, not the time to mull over past mistakes. Her only hope was that Ariados wasn’t weaving anything bad for her. Maybe she could convince her she wasn’t the threat she thought she was?
Lucario noticed her pensive face, offering a few feelings of protection and comfort. “I’ll figure this out, don’t worry,” he told her. “Ariados won’t ever harm you.”
Vulpix nodded as she lied down on the hillside, surveying Gabite’s land with a paw on her chest. If the worst came to be, she still had her guardian. Maybe with Extrasensory too, she’d have a fighting chance in case Ariados did end up trying to get rid of her.
She only hoped it wouldn’t happen, that Ariados was really giving her a chance here. The thought of it being otherwise made her soul queasy, and—
Huh.
Wait.
That wasn’t just queasiness. Vulpix pressed against her chest a little harder, a grimace on her muzzle. She could actually feel something deep in her soul, something… wrong?
It was so faint, like a droplet of oil in the ocean, but it was there. A feeling of pure wrongness, a sensation that just didn’t belong. It wasn’t painful or anything, but somehow she could sense it, warning her that something was off, but not explaining how or why.
That hadn’t been there before.
Was she okay?