"…emis, for t.. ..st …., . .efuse t. … .im wak. .. .. a hold… .ell!"
"We ca.'. … ..m stay he.., … …ld apprenti… … .n danger n… ..m!"
".., .or— He'. … ..ngerous!"
Where… Where was he? Why did his head hurt so badly? A terrible pounding in the back of his mind caused him to wince, clenching his eyes tighter. Who was that talking? They sounded familiar. One voice wasn't verbal, but the other was. Why was his heart beating so fast? What was happening?
"..'s plenty dangerous! H.'. …ght me off a.. …ped multiple ti..s, and he's beaten d… ..ny exploration te…." That voice… it sent dread through him. A chilling cold that made him shudder.
"He was defen…. .imself! Why w..'. .ou believe me?" That voice was warm. It felt comforting. He needed more of it.
He could barely focus. His whole body ached. Joints and connections within him that normally caused him discomfort were agonizing. He curled his talons—the powerful grip strength he normally had was lost. Why was he so tired? His chest and ribs ached. His sides hurt, numb and sore. Why was his back leg stinging so badly?
"Maybe because he—"
"Wait, he moved..." The kind voice paused for a moment, and then returned, louder, more focused. "Are you awake? It's Mew, you're safe…"
A scoff was heard from across the room, opposite the kind-sounding person. Mew… Mew? Why was that so familiar? He blinked open his eyes, vision blurry, unfocused. There was something in front of him. It was very pink. It was moving? No, it was floating.
"Can you hear me?" Mew asked.
He nodded in response. He blinked his eyes, still bleary, but getting clearer. He looked around the area, trying to concentrate. Where was he? He was trying to think. Wherever he was, it was shaded, and some light came in somewhere from the side. Maybe a house?
"Hey, can you look at me, please?" The kind voice asked again.
He complied. Silvally turned to face the pink being once more, feeling oddly relaxed. He blinked his eyes harder, trying to focus. He took a deep breath, concentrating. The fuzzy image grew clearer, and the pounding in the back of his head gradually reduced. Something was forming near the top of the pink blob, it looked like…
Silver eyes met blue.
It all came rushing back. The fighting, the running, the terror, the pain. All that time scrambling and struggling, trying to avoid capture. His heart rate spiked, and pupils shrank, his eyes locked on the floating feline.
A sound off to his left drew his attention. His gaze snapped over to it, seeing none other than Artemis herself. The hybrid fox that had hunted him. Chased him. Beat him; froze him; burned him. Memories of fire dancing across his body raced to the front of his mind, his skin and fur tingling at the recollection. He stared at her, frozen, unable to think. His breathing sped up further in fast, desperate gasps.
They caught him. They had him trapped. They were going to hurt him. He needed a way out. He needed to get out. He couldn't bring himself to pull his eyes away, his form tense, muscles shaking, adrenaline pumping through him.
"Artemis, I need you to leave," Mew said. He barely heard her.
"What? No, I'm not going to leave you—"
The Ninetales was cut off and she let out a yelp. A pink glow surrounded Artemis and the door was thrown open with psychic powers. Artemis was tossed through the door, barely a thought given to her, and then they were slammed shut once more, just leaving the two in the room.
"Hey… hey, you're okay. I'm here, I told you I wasn't going to leave." Mew floated in front of him, breaking his gaze with the doors. His eyes flicked up to meet those kind blue eyes again, and he shuddered, forcing himself to take a deep breath. "That's it, just breathe. You're safe, I promise."
Silvally closed his eyes and inhaled deeply once more. Unfamiliar scents assaulted his mind. He ignored them in favour of trying to calm himself. Mew was right. She was here. There were ways out. She hadn't lied to him. She protected him before. She was safe. He would be okay.
Mew heard every thought. She brought a paw to her mouth and covered it, taking a breath. She had to stay calm for him.
Silvally opened his eyes once again, looking at Mew, his breathing evened out. He stretched his forelimbs out and flexed his talons. He moved his back legs out as well, trying to work the soreness from his body. Gradually, he planted his front legs underneath himself and pushed, before using the back ones. He stumbled and lifted his back left leg with a wince. It still ached, and the feeling of needles digging under his skin didn't help.
"I couldn't heal you fully. There are some injuries you have to recover on your own, or else they won't heal properly," she explained. "That, and I'm not really familiar with how you… work, exactly." Silvally looked over his shoulder to his leg and stretched it out with a wince. This was going to be annoying and hinder any escape plans. "Be careful with your ribs and your back leg. I did what I could, but give it a week or two."
"Thank you," Silvally ground out, wincing a little. He hated talking, it hurt. But he had to let Mew know he appreciated what she did.
The pink Pokémon smiled in sympathy, tilting her head a little as she floated closer. Her tail gave an anxious flick behind her, and she paused in place for a moment.
"I… Um… I saw what they did. What happened to you. I looked through your memories when you were asleep," Mew continued a little faster as his eyes widened, the feline panicking a little. "I didn't do anything, I promise! I was curious. Most crim- Most Pokémon usually give up well before taking as much damage as you did. I wanted to know why. But- But then I saw what happened, and… and I couldn't believe it, and I had to look more and then it just kept going and I-"
"It's okay," Silvally interrupted her; reassuring her. It was clear she meant well, and she was being honest. At least, he thought she was. Why would she have helped him if she was trying to harm him? It wouldn't have made sense.
"Can… Can I ask why?" Mew asked. The confused head tilt from Silvally made her clarify. "Why you didn't give up? It was… two years of that."
"…I didn't know," he replied.
Mew blinked as she came to the realization it was that simple. He didn't know. He didn't know that he wasn't supposed to be attacked on sight. He didn't know that exploration teams were supposed to help people in his situation. The whole Exploration Society would have been able to assist him in integrating into the world. He didn't know that he would have been safe and things would have been figured out if he had just given up. It was the fact he kept running and remained strong that led to this point. He didn't know that his persistence was only hurting him. He didn't know he was supposed to be taken care of, safe, and loved.
Mew bit her paw softly, trying to focus. Her eyes watered as she talked to the chimera Pokémon. Things could have been so different if anyone else had encountered Silvally first. Instead…
"Can I hug you?" Mew asked suddenly, her tail giving a nervous quiver. Silvally tilted his head a little, his ears twitching a little in confusion. "I'm… Physical contact is comforting, to me at least, when I'm sad or scared. I was wondering if I could share that."
Silvally blinked at her and pondered for a moment. Should he let her closer? She seemed trustworthy. And… If he looked closely, she looked really upset. Why was she blinking back tears? Did he do that to her? If he did, it was only natural he should try to comfort her, right?
With his mind made up, he nodded and stepped closer to the pink feline. She made a happy little sound and moved forward a touch too quickly for his liking, but he stood still. The small Pokémon hugged around his shoulder and neck firmly, her tail curling around one of his forelegs.
This was indescribably uncomfortable. She was too close. It made his skin crawl. He tensed a little from the touch, the unfamiliar feeling worrying him. He forced himself to stay still for her, taking a deep breath, ignoring how wrong it all was. He felt Mew holding him close, her face nuzzling into his fur. Something warm soaked into his fur. Was she… crying against him?
Silvally held still, accepting his task. He owed it to her after all, even if he disliked how uncomfortable it made him. He glanced down as he heard a sound coming from the pink creature, a high-pitched purring noise rolling from her throat as she clung to him, her tiny paws very gently brushing his fur.
"Thank you~" Mew sighed happily, nuzzling in a little closer.
After what felt entirely too long, Mew pulled away, and Silvally relaxed. The pink Pokémon floated back and brought up a paw to wipe her eyes. She sniffled a little and gave an embarrassed laugh.
"Haha, I'm sorry! I'm being silly right now," Mew hummed and pulled away, looking much more relaxed. Silvally was glad about that. Mew twirled around in a little circle in front of him, and floated around the room, watching him.
Silvally followed her with his eyes for a moment, unsure how to respond to what was happening. He eventually glanced to the side and spotted a window. He intentionally ignored looking at the stone walls and roof around him, ignoring the crushing, too-close rocks squeezing down on him. The relentless weight as he tried to shift the impossible mass. He was trapped. He couldn't get out. Freedom was right there and he couldn't move. He was—
He blinked, shaking his head lightly and forcing the memories away. He limped forward to look out the window. After a brief moment, he pushed his nose against it and swung the small window open, getting some much-needed fresh air into the room.
He didn't need to turn to know Mew floated up beside him, listening to her small breaths as she drew closer. Silvally took a deep breath of the ocean air, and sighed, keeping himself as relaxed as he could.
"Where are we?" He finally asked. Silvally was dreading the answer he knew was coming. This close to the ocean? With the direction the sun was? It could only be—
"Treasure Town," Mew admitted hesitantly. She flicked her tail around and held it in front of herself, squeezing at it nervously. "We're on the lowest floor of the Wigglytuff Guild right now…"
Silvally winced, closed his eyes, and took another breath. His gaze shifted to the window. He was too big to even entertain the thought of jumping out of it, and he couldn't tell how far down the drop was. With his damaged leg, it would have been a struggle anyway.
"Oh, don't worry at all! I'll explain and we can get everything sorted out, and you should be all good!" Mew could tell he was nervous, one wrong sentence from panicking. "I've got your back, big guy!"
"…Why?" Silvally turned from the open window and faced the pink Pokémon, silver eyes gazing at her. "Why are you—" He cut himself off there, grimacing, bringing a talon up to rub at his neck for a moment. "…helping me?"
"Why wouldn't I?" She replied simply. "I just want to help people."
That reply stunned him. It just… didn't make sense. Everything he's experienced since waking up told him the opposite. Feral Pokémon were dangerous, and the Aware ones were even more so. They were smart, cunning, and they weren't just hungry or defensive, they were cruel. This was… far too different from what he knew. It sent his mind reeling.
Silvally blinked for a moment, just watching the pink Pokémon before him. She glanced at him and then turned her attention to the sea, watching through the window. She hummed softly, her tail giving a little flick. Mew made a little sound, pondering for a moment, debating on whether or not to ask Silvally something.
The duo were interrupted by a firm knocking on the door.
"Miss Mew? It's Chatot, I'm coming in!" A rather musical voice sounded from the other side of the entrance.
Silvally stepped back away from the door, turning to face it, while Mew floated in front of him. He greatly appreciated the extra barrier between himself and the world on the other side of that door. He was dreading to find out what came next. Mew was positive he would be fine. Silvally severely doubted that.
The door opened up, the large round half-circle swinging open. Silvally looked over the colourful bird Pokémon. The hallway behind him was packed to the brim with strong-looking Pokémon. He spotted the loud purple one, the tunneling one, and the buck-toothed one. There was a round pink Pokémon holding a large apple, some kind of flower creature, and several others as well. Artemis was there too, glaring daggers at him in the brief moment the door was open.
Silvally stepped back in fear, wincing as his injured leg bumped into the wall behind him. He glanced back at his leg, and then to the closed door again. He found his talons curling and digging into the floor beneath himself in anxiety. For a moment, he glanced at the window.
If he tried hard enough, he could probably break the stone around the edge and force his way out. His chest felt tight and he could feel his body responding, energies flowing through him. It would be easy, he just had to break the rock.
"Hey, are you okay? Silvally?"
He snapped his attention back to Mew. When had she gotten so close? His throat felt tight; his chest hurt; his body was tense, and breathing was difficult. He took a shuddering breath, clenched his jaw, and closed his eyes. He was okay. He was safe.
Probably…
"Yes," he spoke. At her concerned expression, he elaborated. "Nervous."
"I certainly hope so! You've been on the run for a long time! Why, the number of-" Chatot's rather unfortunate blurt of speech was interrupted by a chilling glare leveled at him by Mew. Her narrowed eyes caused the bird's beak to snap closed with a clack. She stared at Chatot for a little longer, and then turned around to face Silvally, her tail giving a little flick behind her.
"Hey, don't worry about them. I'm sure they're just curious!" Mew purred. "You're pretty unique, definitely wouldn't have seen a Pokémon like you before!"
"That's putting it lightly," Chatot muttered, ruining the atmosphere Mew was trying to build. "Regardless, Officer Metagross has been waiting for you for a while now. He's slightly upset about the lack of proper protocol when you teleported everyone to the guild!" He fluttered his wings in exasperation.
"I already told them, I wasn't-" Mew paused, and huffed. "He needed to sleep and recover. But now everyone's okay and awake, and things will get sorted out!" Mew flitted back and forth a little, keeping up her cheery attitude.
Silvally could tell it was forced.
"…Yes, indeed," Chatot said, glancing over at Silvally once more. "Anyways! You're needed at the station. We have several Pokémon to escort you there. For safety."
Silvally was fairly certain it wasn't for his own safety. There went his plans of bolting as soon as he could. He'd have to fight through panic and stress and hope no one decided it would be a good idea to just put him down on the spot. He quivered in place a little, struggling to keep his breathing even. Silvally could feel his body start to go numb from the anticipation.
Mew, the absolute sweetheart, heard his thoughts, and turned around, floating straight into Silvally's view once more.
"Hey, it's okay. You'll be safe, I promise. I've got ya…" Mew purred out reassuringly, twirling in the air for a moment. "No one's gonna get ya through me! I'm far too scary!"
Mew's attempts at lightening the mood did little. She was clearly nervous, though not nearly as much as Silvally was. He was practically shaking with adrenaline, only able to nod along to her words, staring past Mew and at something. She folded her ears back and held her tail nervously.
"I'm speaking directly to you now. Just focus on me, okay? If anything happens…" Mew paused for a moment, tightening her grip on her tail. "I'll teleport us both out if anything happens, okay?"
Silvally merely flicked his eyes to her, nodding the slightest amount. The motion went unseen by Chatot as the bird Pokémon turned and opened the doors again. Silvally's breath caught in his throat, eyes looking at, and then past, the group of Pokémon in the hall, waiting for him. Some were curious, some concerned. One was absolutely spiteful, with Artemis watching his movements closely.
Someone said something. What did he miss?
He could hear Mew saying something to him, but he didn't catch what it was. Instead, he raised a foreleg and planted it down gingerly, afraid that any wrong move would set them off. Silvally followed along behind the floating form of Mew, his body moving on auto-pilot. His head was a mess of thoughts, one slamming into being, and then the next. He couldn't think.
His whole body was numb. Was he being frozen again? No, he didn't hurt, he just couldn't feel anything. Was he breathing? He wasn't gasping for air, maybe he was. His movements were slow, forced, every step a battle of wills as he moved forward.
They walked through the hallway, and Artemis fell into step behind them. Silvally felt his hackles raise, his skin crawling at the feeling of having that dangerous foe immediately behind him. He couldn't defend himself. He kept trying to concentrate on Mew's words.
He was safe. She would make sure he was safe. He wouldn't need to hurt again.
Step after step. More fell into line behind or beside him, lead at the front by Chatot and Wigglytuff. Mew floated in front of him, just to the right.
When had they gotten outside? He didn't even remember climbing those steps. The sun was bright, beating down on him harshly. He continued to limp forward, his senses all screaming at him that he was in danger. He forced himself to stay calm. They could fix this. Mew was sure they would understand. They were just escorting him there. It would be okay.
"Mommy, who is that?"
"Get inside, Hun..."
Silvally flicked his gaze to the side, watching a mother and child duck out of sight.
"…Oh Arceus, what is that?"
"It's the criminal. That one that's been wanted for ages."
"He's scary looking…"
The whispers were so loud. Why could he hear them all? His senses were all overwhelmed. Sights were too vibrant and colourful. The town had far too many scents floating through the air, baked goods, sweat, flowers, blood. He could hear every whisper as if they were right beside him, instead of halfway down the street.
He stumbled in his step, and everyone around him immediately tensed. He could feel the heat of something behind him. One wrong move would be all it would take to set them off. He steadied himself and limped forward, setting one foot in front of the other, forcing himself onward.
"They need to lock him away for a long time..."
"Is he that strong? Why are there so many high-ranked explorers?"
"What's wrong with it?"
"Is that the bad Pokémon Miss Artemis was chasing?"
"He doesn't look so scary!"
"Shh, he might hear you!"
"Good riddance, one less outlaw terrorizing the land."
It was too much. What did he do wrong? He just wanted to be left alone. Why did they hate him? He could feel their eyes on him. Hundreds and hundreds of eyes. There were too many Pokémon! They wanted to end him, he was sure of it. Why?
Why wouldn't they leave him alone?
"Hey, you're doing amazing. We're almost there." Mew's voice broke through the haze of thoughts, a single bright light in the swirling chaos of his mind. He latched onto it tightly.
Mew was here. He was safe. He would be okay. She would help.
One foot in front of the other. Careful of the back leg. Remember to take deep breaths. Don't move too suddenly. He would be okay. He was safe.
A tall building loomed over the group, casting a shadow over the assembled Pokémon. Silvally looked up at the imposing structure of stone and metal, his heart sinking further. This was unfamiliar. This was wrong. This reminded him of when he woke up. This unnatural shaping.
He forced himself onward. The march continued. He felt like he was watching himself from the outside as if he didn't have control of his actions. He just couldn't feel his movements properly—his adrenaline was keeping him numb.
It would be over soon. Just cooperate, then he would be free.
~{O}~{O}~{O}~
Mew hated this. This wasn't at all how it was supposed to go. She had brought in criminals before with Wiggles – Wigglytuff – and it had been similar. This though… It felt like a public criminal display. That's not how it should be. She had explained everything to Artemis and Wigglytuff when she had teleported them to the Guild. It should have been a simple walk to wherever they needed to go.
Instead, they had multiple experienced guild graduates escorting poor Silvally through the halls of the police station. This wasn't right. The poor thing was terrified, she could feel the terror and panic running through him. The fact that he kept moving along, forcing himself onward… He was far stronger than she. She had never in her life been as scared as she was feeling from Silvally at this moment, and it was making her stomach curl.
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She focused, keeping a thin psychic barrier around the Pokémon in the middle of the group. That should be just thick enough to ward off an attack and give her enough time to teleport them away from the rest of the group if necessary.
Mew floated along, glancing back over her shoulder every once in a while, checking on Silvally. He still had that unfocused stare, as if he wasn't quite processing everything that was happening.
The group was led by a large metallic Pokémon named Metagross, the powerful steel and psychic-type floating above the ground. Wigglytuff, Silvally, Mew, and Artemis were all led into the single large room, while the rest of the escort party stayed outside. Artemis stood guard at the door, her tails fanning out to block it. Mew sent her a glare.
Wigglytuff wandered his way over to the corner of the room, while Mew floated along beside Silvally, hovering beside him as he sat down on a cushion. Mew didn't miss the wince when he sat.
"GREETINGS. MY NAME IS OFFICER METAGROSS. THIS WILL BE A PSYCHIC EVALUATION AND MIND READING TO DETERMINE GUILT AND SEVERITY OF CRIMES COMMITTED. WHAT IS YOUR NAME?" The voice from the Pokémon before them was loud, and grating. Not at all soft like Mew tried to be when speaking.
"…Silvally, I think." He said softly, his voice making him grimace.
"MEMORY LOSS HAD BEEN MENTIONED BY WIGGLYTUFF PRIOR TO THE EVALUATION. ANSWER IS SUFFICIENT. WHY ARE YOU HERE?"
"I'm not sure," he managed. He raised a talon to rub at his throat. A scoff was heard to the side. Mew turned to glance at Artemis, the fox Pokémon shaking her head.
"He's here because of the assaults on dozens of exploration teams, and—"
"MISS ARTEMIS, PLEASE BE SILENT." A pause. "THANK YOU. SILVALLY, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WISH TO CONFESS TO PRIOR TO THE EVALUATION?"
The Pokémon shook his head. Mew frowned. She had a bad feeling, but she couldn't place it. Maybe it was residual nervousness from Silvally. The poor Pokémon was practically vibrating, even away from all those eyes.
"VERY WELL. THE EVALUATION WILL COMMENCE. PLEASE DO NOT RESIST."
Mew winced a little as a wave of psychic pressure rolled off of the powerful Pokémon, before it condensed, forming into a ball centred around Silvally. Immediately, he tensed, his talons digging into the cushion beneath him, feathers spilling out and onto the ground. He clenched his jaw. Mew could hear the sound of teeth and metal grinding together.
A pained grunt escaped the Pokémon, much to Mew's displeasure. From what she had been told, he was reliving every moment that fell into a specific set of categories. These categories were usually determined by what the criminal was accused of, so that way someone couldn't be charged with something unrelated.
Mew glanced over at Artemis. She was watching dispassionately, observing the whole thing with a neutral look. She then glanced over to Wigglytuff. He looked… concerned. Intense was a way to put it. He held his Perfect Apple still before him, not even sparing it a glance.
Silvally gasped, his crest flaring out, briefly changing a trio of colours as his body spasmed. Mew curled her tail around and squeezed it in her paws, anxiously watching. She frowned harder as she watched blood start to leak from Silvally's nose, the intense psychic presence forcing its way through his head.
Suddenly, it was over. The psychic pressure bearing down on the room vanished, and Silvally staggered, eyes rolling back a little. Mew immediately leaned in to help him, her little paws pressing against his shoulder. She didn't miss how he recoiled from the touch, tensing up. She withdrew when she was certain he wouldn't fall.
"EVALUATION COMPLETE. 95% OF ACCUSED CRIMES WERE NOT INTENTIONALLY COMMITTED. OF THE 5% THAT WERE, MEMORY LOSS AND SITUATIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE BEEN TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT."
Mew narrowed her eyes. This wasn't right. What was happening?
"Only five percent? Are you serious?" Artemis muttered from the side, flicking her tails angrily.
"SILENCE." A pause. "THANK YOU. ASSAULT ON 57 EXPLORATION TEAMS HAS BEEN COMMITTED. THEFT OF EXPLORATION SOCIETY PROPERTY HAS BEEN COMMITTED. EVASION OF CAPTURE BY EXPLORATION TEAMS FOR 713 DAYS HAS BEEN COMMITTED."
"Wait, hold on—" Mew was interrupted.
"PLEASE BE SILENT."
…
"THANK YOU. WITH ALL CIRCUMSTANCES ACCOUNTED FOR, SILVALLY IS SENTENCED TO 3 MONTHS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE. MANDATORY REPORTS TO THE WIGGLYTUFF GUILD OR EXPLORATION SOCIETY BRANCH OF CHOICE WILL BE COMPLETED DAILY."
"What!? Hang on, this isn't right!" Mew protested, floating forward toward the Metagross. "He didn't know!"
"That's it!?" Artemis barked, stepping forward. "You just said he did all of that, and that's what he gets? I've been chasing him for months! I know how dangerous he is!"
"BE SILENT." A pause. "THANK YOU. MEW, YOU ARE NOT A MEMBER OF THE EXPLORATION SOCIETY. WE APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS TOWARD THE OUTLAW'S CAPTURE AND YOU WILL BE REWARDED. YOUR OPINION ON THE PUNISHMENT IS INVALID."
"You…" Mew stopped herself, clenching her jaw. Her tail lashed angrily behind her, snapping through the air like a whip.
"ARTEMIS, YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE EXPLORATION SOCIETY. WE APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS TOWARD THE OUTLAW'S CAPTURE AND YOU WILL BE REWARDED. YOUR OPINION ON THE PUNISHMENT HAS BEEN TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION. THE OUTLAW WILL HAVE HIS SENTENCE EXTENDED TO 4 MONTHS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE."
"Wha- No! That's not what I meant!" Artemis stepped forward, her tails flicking angrily behind her, little wisps of frost and heat rolling off of them. "He's a four-star criminal! You need to lock him up! Or… or ship him to another continent! He can't stay here!"
"PLEASE BE SILENT."
"No! Out of all the Exploration Teams, I've been able to capture him!" She was getting worked up, her claws digging into the stone beneath her. "You're putting too many people in danger! If he gets loose or attacks the—"
"BE SILENT."
"—townspeople, it would take multiple groups to stop him if I'm not here! I can't just sit by and let this happen—"
"SILENCE."
"—I'll drag his ass to jail myself. I'll knock him out and—"
A powerful psychic wave flattened the Ninetales to the ground. She growled and forced herself to her feet through the energy. She took one step forward, and then another, flames licking at her jaws in anger. The psychic move grew stronger still, slamming the fox back against the wall and pinning her there.
"DISORDERLY CONDUCT WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. THREATENING TO DISRUPT A SENTENCE HAS BEEN COMMITTED. THREATENING TO CAUSE HARM TO ANOTHER CIVILIZED POKÉMON HAS BEEN COMMITTED. ARTEMIS WILL BE CHARGED WITH—"
"Friend Metagross, could I speak with you?" Wigglytuff interrupted.
The tension in the room shattered, and the Guildmaster stepped forward without hesitation. He made his way up to Metagross, humming the whole way. Wigglytuff leaned in, whispered to the Officer, and then pointed at the Pokémon in the room. A moment went by, and then Wigglytuff returned to his spot in the corner, a satisfied smile on his face. He began toying with the Perfect Apple in his hands, calm and collected once more.
"GUILDMASTER WIGGLYTUFF IS A MEMBER OF THE EXPLORATION SOCIETY. YOUR OPINION ON THE PUNISHMENTS HAS BEEN TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION."
"Wiggles… what did you say?" Mew was feeling uneasy.
"I'm making sure our friends are taken care of," he replied happily, giving the legendary a quick glance. "Don't worry friend Mew, all will be well!" His reply didn't ease her concern.
"WITH EVERYTHING TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION, A SENTENCING CHANGE HAS BEEN MADE. SILVALLY WILL BE REDUCED TO 3 MONTHS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE. ARTEMIS WILL BE SENTENCED TO 3 MONTHS OF SPECIALIZED COMMUNITY SERVICE."
"What!?" The hybrid fox strained, steam rolling off her body as she half struggled against the psychic hold. She didn't want to break out and make things worse, but she continued to protest.
"ARTEMIS, TAKING YOUR COMMENTS INTO CONSIDERATION, YOU ARE CORRECT. SILVALLY IS A SIGNIFICANT DANGER TO RESIDENTS WHEN THERE IS NOT A CAPABLE TEAM OR INDIVIDUAL NEARBY. TAKING GUILDMASTER WIGGLYTUFF'S OPINION INTO CONSIDERATION—"
"Wiggles, what did you do?" Mew asked, turning to face the Guildmaster.
"Just watch…" Wigglytuff sounded far too giddy and proud of himself.
"—ARTEMIS WILL BE ASSIGNED TO OBSERVE SILVALLY. ARTEMIS WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR SILVALLY'S INTEGRATION INTO SOCIETY. ARTEMIS WILL BE TASKED TO VERIFY COMMUNITY SERVICE WORK, AND REPORT IT TO THE WIGGLYTUFF GUILD OR EXPLORATION SOCIETY BRANCH OF CHOICE."
"What!?" Mew shouted.
"What!?" Both Silvally and Artemis snapped their attention to the Officer.
This was a terrible idea! There was no way things would work out well for anyone involved. Neither Artemis or Mew spoke that fact aloud, for fear of upsetting the absurdly powerful and emotional Guildmaster.
"EVALUATION COMPLETE. PLEASE EXIT THE PREMISES. HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY."
~{O}~{O}~{O}~
Silvally stumbled along behind Mew, his mind reeling. He was stuck here, surrounded by dangerous Pokémon. He had to help them? How was he going to do that?
He blinked, trying to breathe deeper, huffing around the heavy helmet he was carrying in his jaws. He was relieved to have at least gotten that back, even if he no longer had the bag to carry it in.
"Silvally, I'm so sorry. I-I thought they would-" Mew paused, floating around quickly, squeezing her tail with anxiety. "They should have… I just. Why? I don't understand! You didn't-" Silvally dropped his helmet on the ground, the object hitting with a heavy thud.
"It's okay. Thank you," he managed. Recalling her preference for physical contact, he stepped forward. Silvally hesitated for a long moment and forced down his discomfort, then pressed his muzzle into her middle. He held himself there, resisting the urge to recoil as Mew slid down and hugged his neck tightly, her paws gently brushing him.
While there, Silvally refused to look at the fuming Artemis. The fox was furious, steam rolling off of her in waves, leaving behind molten pawprints that made him cringe. She stormed past, not even giving the Guildmaster, Legendary, or Outlaw a glance, making her way toward the guild.
"Wiggles, I don't understand. You know he's innocent! And… Artemis… She hurt him so much! Why would you-" Mew was cut off by the larger pink Pokémon.
"Don't worry, Mew-Mew, it will be okay! We'll have new friends and old friends working together!" Wigglytuff cheered, twirling around. "Everyone will be happy and have fun!"
This was going to end poorly for all involved, Mew was certain of it.
Mew continued clinging to Silvally's neck, able to feel his anxiously high heart rate and quick breaths. He was forcing himself to relax for her. He would be okay.
Probably.
He was just surrounded by Pokémon that hated him and wanted him gone. Forced to partner up with an Explorer that had burned, frozen, hurt, and pursued him for months. Working for a place that had sent people to attack him repeatedly. He couldn't escape. He was stuck.
It was better than dying, at least. Silvally was relieved that wasn't an option. He had no doubt that Mew would have teleported him out and helped him if that were the case. Maybe she'd have gone on the run with him? He wouldn't expect that, but having a friend with him out there would have been tolerable.
Mew drifted away from him, her tail flicking behind her as she struggled.
"Silvally… I… I don't know what to do. I can't take you away, then they'll come after me. But this isn't fair to you! I-I promised to keep you safe!"
"You did. I'm alive," Silvally ground out, taking a breath, and looked up at the blue eyes of Mew. He's had to live running from these teams for a long time. He knew how they worked, to an extent. He fought off many explorers, he would be fine.
He hoped.
His stress spiked when he thought about those ruby eyes following him everywhere, waiting for him to slip up. Silvally could already imagine the burning hot flames licking his skin, searing his scales. That painful ice freezing him into place, leaving him vulnerable to attacks even as the cold seeped into his bones. Running, hiding, fighting, struggling, panicking, screaming-
He blinked, forcing himself out of those memories. He tried to reason with himself.
Artemis was supposed to help him, not hurt him. She couldn't hurt him—he was still safe. He would have food, shelter, and something to distract him. It was only for three months. He would be fine, he'd spent two years on his own, three months was nothing in comparison.
Then he could leave, and never see them again.
It was ironic, in a way. He had spent months running from Artemis. Now he had to work alongside her. That thought alone caused his chest to clench, and throat to tighten.
"I… I'll go talk with her. I'm sure I can talk some sense into her!" Mew nodded to herself. "Just stay near Wigglytuff, he's a good friend!" She then popped out of existence, leaving Silvally alone with the Guildmaster.
Silvally glanced to the larger pink Pokémon who continued to gaze at him. Maybe through him? He hated being stared at. Silvally leaned down, gripped the obscenely heavy helmet in his jaws, and hefted it up with a grunt of effort.
The two walked through Treasure Town, back toward the Guild, Wigglytuff humming along the whole time. They ignored all the eyes on the duo, though the feeling of being watched made Silvally's skin crawl. He glanced over at Wigglytuff, which the Guildmaster caught.
"Don't worry, new friend! Everything will be fine. We'll all have fun!" Wigglytuff cheered.
Silvally severely doubted that.
~{O}~{O}~{O}~
"Artemis, please, listen to me!" Mew floated along beside Artemis, who was stubbornly ignoring her. "Silvally is a good Pokémon. He's… he's hurt, and scared, and—"
"I don't care," the Ninetales replied, flicking her tails dismissively.
"What? Artemis! You're an explorer, you're supposed to help people! Silvally—"
"I do help people! I chase down outlaws and put them away so no one else gets hurt. I drag Pokémon who get in over their heads out of dungeons. I explore new areas so no one else gets lost or dies to a sudden horde of aggressive ferals. I. Help. Pokémon," she ground out, snapping at Mew. "He's not a Pokémon. He's… some sort of freak! He's not normal. He's a criminal and he should be behind bars."
"Oh, for Arceus' sake! What is your problem?" Mew growled out. She floated in front of Artemis and cut her off. "I told you exactly what happened. I'm not lying!"
"I don't care. He's dangerous," Artemis replied. The duo came to a stop at the crossroads between the beach, the Guild, the wilderness, and Treasure Town. "Outlaws and criminals need to be locked up so they don't hurt innocent Pokémon. He's been out there for two years evading capture. How do you know he hasn't learned to block his thoughts, or… or used dark-type energy to trick you?"
"And what if you're wrong? What if you're condemning an innocent Pokémon just because you think you're right?" Mew growled, and glared at Artemis. "Is it worth the risk? Jailing someone whom both myself and Officer Metagross cleared?"
"It's always worth the risk if it means keeping an innocent Pokémon safe," she replied cooly. "Even at the expense of someone who might be innocent. The chance isn't worth it."
The two stared at one another, searching, looking for something to convince the other.
"…What happened to you, Artemis? You were such a sweet, happy little Vulpix." Mew finally asked, breaking her gaze away from the Ninetales.
"Things change, Mew. It's been a few years. I don't… After Mom and Dad-" Artemis stopped and looked away. "No, it doesn't matter."
The two stood in silence for a moment, turning their gaze back down the path. They watched Wigglytuff walk alongside Silvally, the Guildmaster chattering away happily about any number of things that would gain his attention.
Mew kept her gaze on Silvally, bringing her tail around and squeezing it anxiously. She watched him limp forward, off balance while carrying that obscenely heavy helmet, but looked unbothered. He was merely staring ahead, half listening to Wigglytuff, likely in deep thought.
"Artemis… can you give him a chance? For me?" Mew turned around, floating down lower to face the fox. "I know it's been a while, but… I don't think he's a bad Pokémon. I know he's not. He's alone, and… and confused, and scared. He has no one right now, and if I can't be around to help him…"
The Ninetales turned to regard the approaching duo, ruby eyes gazing at them critically. She hummed in thought and turned to face Mew, looking at her intently. The Legendary seemed genuinely worried. There was no faking those anxious mannerisms, or the way she had floated forward when watching Silvally stumble.
His situation though… Alone. Scared. Left scrambling to survive in a world that was cruel to him. It brought back all sorts of unpleasant memories for Artemis. If Mew was being honest about what she told them all…
Artemis growled in the back of her throat, claws digging into the road beneath her paws in frustration. Her tails flicked angrily, and she let out a huff, steam rolling from her jaws. She glared at the approaching Silvally, then the Guildmaster, before she looked back at Mew.
"…gah. I don't—Fine! Fine. I'll give him a chance," Artemis growled, turning away and scowling at the dirt below. "One chance. After that…" She let the unsaid threat linger.
"Thank you, Artemis. Really, thank you…" Mew floated forward for a moment, unsure, then continued, wrapped her little arms around Artemis's neck, and nuzzled into her fluff. The fox frowned, a conflicted expression crossing her face, but curled her tails around to hug the much smaller mew in return.
"…Would you mind if I visited occasionally? I realize it's been a while since I've seen you, and with everything that happened… Well, I don't want this to be the last we talk for a while…" Mew giggled, pulling away from Artemis and looking at her with big blue eyes.
"I'd love that. Let's just… Keep away from particular topics."
"Of course!" The Pokémon flitted around, far more energetic and relaxed than earlier. "It really is nice to see you again. I missed you," she purred.
"I missed you as well," Artemis replied. She hesitated, then shifted her head to the side, bumping into Mew gently.
After their brief moment, Artemis backed away from the crossroads, sitting down near the water well along the path up to the Guild. She watched the Guildmaster and Outlaw—Silvally, approach. The two pink Pokémon began conversing with one another, while the chimera limped his way past them.
Artemis's eyes were locked on Silvally, who was staring out at the wilderness to the east, his front talons digging into the dirt below anxiously.
Artemis huffed. One chance. That's all she needed to give. If he messed up, she would drag him back to Metagross by force, and tell him he wasn't fit to remain free. It was just for three months anyways. It would be simple. She could do this, she was The Artemis after all! She just had to get an Outlaw that's been on the run for two years integrated with society and learn how to be a Civilized Pokémon. Easy!
…
Fuck. This was going to be excruciating. She could already imagine the headaches that this mess of a creature would cause her. All the annoying little habits and ideas he probably picked up while out in the wilderness…
Wigglytuff and Mew had finished their conversation, and the Guildmaster made his way toward the guild.
Silvally eyed Artemis as the two approached, following close behind Mew. The duo passed, and Artemis fell into step behind them. She didn't miss how Silvally's hackles raised when she slid into place behind him, or the way his muscles tensed.
Artemis huffed.
This was going to be a lot of work.
~{O}~{O}~{O}~
"Wh-what!? I'm sorry, Guildmaster, but I must vehemently oppose!" Chatot fluttered in place within Wigglytuff's office, pacing back and forth, very obviously ignoring Mew, Artemis, and Silvally.
"It's already been done, Chatot. Don't worry, all our friends will get along!" Wigglytuff hummed and took bite of his apple. He clearly didn't care for opposition to his amazing plan. After all, no one else spoke up about it! It couldn't be that bad!
"But it's not too late to change it! According to the-"
"Chatot…" Artemis huffed.
"-can absolutely deny the Pokémon being rehabilitated from entering or participating within the guild. Furthermore, it's unprecedented. I know-"
"Chatot," Artemis snapped a little louder.
"-outlaws before, but a four-star criminal? Guildmaster, you must be-"
Artemis gave a little growl and curled one of her tails around. Silvally stepped to the side in concern, and Mew floated between the two as the temperature around Artemis dropped. A little ball of snow started forming at the end of one of her tails. The snowball built up further, then she pulled her tail back and lobbed the ball at the bird.
"-to even consider a four- Squawk!" Chatot was caught in the beak with a snowball, and spun in a tight circle from the impact. The bird blinked and used a wing to brush the snow away, before he whipped around to face Artemis, hopping angrily in place. Chatot opened his beak to let loose a tirade when he was interrupted once more.
"Chatot, friend, it's already done! My mind is all made up!" Wigglytuff smiled as he looked upon the group in front of him. "Just explain what they need to do! I'm sure our friends must be tired after such a long day."
Chatot huffed and glared at Silvally, looking at him hard enough to set him alight if such a thing were possible. Finally, Chatot conceded and turned, pacing in the middle of the room with small hops.
"…Very well. Community service is just like it sounds. You are to serve the community through various actions and methods. Such can include assisting in construction or volunteering at a business. However, the most common method is to simply work by taking missions at the guild. Take jobs from the board, complete tasks, and you will have put time toward your service. Taking extra tasks will not shorten your remaining time, so do not overwork yourself.
"As you are currently being punished," Chatot made sure to glare at Silvally for that emphasis, "your share of any rewards will be going to Artemis, as she is your caretaker and cannot take missions she normally could. This is the guild's way of paying her for her work. I expect to hear zero complaints, am I understood?"
Silvally just blinked, and stared at the oddly aggressive bird, completely neutral. Mew was fuming at this information, her tail lashing angrily behind her. Artemis for her part looked a little disappointed at not being able to do her normal work. Chatot merely stared at the former outlaw, who was showing no response, just standing there and taking in everything.
"…Very good." The bird hopped in place for a moment, and fluttered his wings, before continuing. "The guild will be giving you a bed to sleep in and dinners, everything else must be supplied by yourselves. You may choose to live elsewhere if Artemis decides that would be in the best interest of completing tasks and community service."
Artemis vehemently shook her head at this, eyes narrowing a little. She actually heated up in anger, an orange glow flickering in the back of her mouth. There was absolutely no way she would be letting that freak step foot in her home. Somehow, she refrained from speaking anything aloud, though Mew still caught those angry thoughts fickering by.
"Very well. Artemis, a few things to note for you. You have the final authority on what missions will be taken, or tasks completed, and must report progress to myself or the Guildmaster every night. You are his caretaker and are responsible for getting him to… acceptable levels of accommodation to societal rules. If you are found to be abusing him, you will be sentenced to prison and the Outlaw will have a new caretaker and mentor. It is in your best interest to make sure he's healthy and capable of adapting to society. Just don't seriously injure him and things will be okay! Hehe!" The bird whistled, somehow finding it amusing. His joke fell flat among everyone else in the room.
"I can do that. As long as he cooperates," Artemis replied. She turned her head to give a pointed stare at Silvally, only to meet Mew's frown instead. "You don't have to worry."
"Good! Well then, that should be all! The Outlaw will be provided with a Treasure Bag of his own, separate from your own of course, Artemis. As the mentor and caretaker, you may go through the bag and remove anything that may be too dangerous or may cause issues down the road. He will not be given a badge or official Exploration Team designation as he is performing community service. Yours will be used for rewards and the badge association, Artemis."
"This seems excessive. He doesn't even get any private possessions?" Mew asked with a frown. "What happens if, let's say… a mentor decides to punish someone by taking all the food items from their bag?" The feline glanced at Artemis, and then added, "Not that I think you would! Just… wondering is all."
"Any complaints and issues with the situation should be mentioned to myself and the Guildmaster, and we shall tend to it as we see fit," Chatot replied. "Additionally, Mew, you nor any other Pokémon outside of the Exploration Society may assist or else credit will go to you instead of the Outlaw. Anything else?"
Silvally shook his head. Mew pursed her lips but didn't add anything, instead floating a little closer to the chimera. Artemis declined anything extra as well, merely wanting the whole thing to be over.
She really didn't care. The sooner they got started, the sooner this nightmare would be over.
Thus concluded their meeting and little information session. Mew was visibly agitated with the whole thing, her tail flicking angrily at the unfair absurdity of the situation. This felt unnecessary and punishing to the extreme!
Silvally didn't complain, or say anything. He just accepted the Treasure Bag from Wigglytuff, and allowed Mew to carry it for him, while he hefted up his old helmet in his jaws with a grunt.
Artemis followed along behind Silvally and Mew as they were led to their room. In an ironic twist of fate, Artemis found that she and Silvally were sharing the same room that her adoptive parents had been using during their stay at the guild. The fox frowned. It almost felt disrespectful to allow the former criminal in the same space her parents had used. It was wrong.
Silvally walked into the room, looking around at the stone walls with trepidation, before continuing on. He took the bed furthest from the door, and dropped his helmet to the floor with a thud, the impact travelling through the stone.
Mew hummed and set the Treasure Bag down beside it, before turning to face the two unwilling partners. She was visibly conflicted, and flicked her tail around to hold it, unsure of where to start.
"I… I'm sorry things didn't go as planned, Artemis, Silvally," Mew apologized, and squeezed her tail anxiously. "I can't help, like Chatot said. But! I will absolutely visit as often as I can. I can totally manage once a week! Then you both get to see my pretty pink face," she purred playfully, looking between the two.
"Thank you," Silvally said, "for everything." He refused to look at the fox to his right, instead staying focused on Mew. He tilted his head slightly, stepped forward, and hesitantly pushed his muzzle toward her.
"Aww! You're quite welcome!" Mew hummed and leaned down to hug him and curled her tail around one of his front legs. She tried her best to ignore the shudder of discomfort that ran through Silvally from the contact. "I couldn't just let ya go about it all alone, big guy!"
"It was nice to see you again, Mew," Artemis spoke up. The fox noticed how Silvally tensed when she spoke. Mew hadn't seen it, too busy moving forward to push herself into the fox's neck floof now, nuzzling in close. "Please, feel free to visit whenever you'd like, I would love to talk with you more. Maybe we could… swap stories?"
"Of course we can, silly!" Mew purred. She pulled away from Artemis and floated back, looking at the two, curling her tail around to hold it again. "I will absolutely come see you both soon! Just… please take care of each other? For me? I'd babysit if I could!"
Artemis pretended not to notice the pointed look Mew sent her way, though couldn't help the annoyed flicking of her tails. Silvally nodded in response, and took a deep breath, resigning himself to his fate.
"It's getting late. I do have to go…" Mew paused and floated there for a moment, looking as if she were about to say something else. She seemed to have thought better of it, shook her head, and put on a big smile. "I'll see you two soon! Have a wonderful night!"
The Legendary Pokémon disappeared with a pop, leaving the two alone in the slowly darkening room. The sun was starting to settle on the horizon and cast the world into a soft, orange glow.
Silvally turned to face the window, stepping closer, controlling his breathing as he looked out at the forest. Anything to distract him from the terrifying fox in the same room as him. He was thankful that she didn't attack him the second Mew vanished. Maybe she wasn't mindlessly bloodthirsty after all.
Neither spoke to the other as the sky grew darker, nor did they move from the room. Silvally settled onto his bed gently, easing himself down with one back leg, keeping the healing one propped off to the side. He shuffled around to keep the pressure off his ribs, following Mew's advice. The whole routine took more time than he wanted, and it was frustrating not being able to move like he normally could.
Artemis kept her gaze locked on Silvally, and dropped onto the bed rather roughly. She growled in discomfort from the unfamiliar surface, and shifted in place to get comfortable. Her eyes settled on Silvally, unwilling to let the former criminal out of her sight.
They were too close together, and being near one another set them both on edge.
Silver eyes met red. Neither said a word as the world gradually darkened around them. Despite the exhausting day, and feeling the adrenaline leaving his system, Silvally refused to close his eyes first. Even as his vision swam in exhaustion, he kept himself facing the hybrid fox. Artemis did the same, though feeling much more rested. She kept a cool, neutral expression as she gazed back at the former outlaw, staring at him, as if daring him to make a move.
Tensions were high in the guild that evening. Wigglytuff slept soundly as always, but Chatot remained alert. Many of the apprentices tossed and turned, rumours letting them know that just doors down was a terrifying freak of nature that could overpower them without effort. The only thing that calmed them was the presence of Wigglytuff, Chatot, and Artemis.
Neither Artemis nor Silvally slept that night.