"Then let's go," he says with a contented nod to the Charcadet. "We came from over that way. Things were a little weird, yeah. Talked to a few of the Pokemon there. But they were nervous and worried about the situation, not uninviting. I think a little music will brighten their days, if nothing else!"
Ceruledge bowed his head.
Then let us go.
It ended up being a sizeable group that set out for the garden; the pokémon with instruments went along to provide Charcadet's accompaniment, and a good number of villagers joined them, whether from hope at seeing Meloetta's arrival or for sake of simple curiosity. It wasn't a long walk back, but by the time everyone reached the garden, nervous mutterings were running through the pokémon who had noticed the crystal growths increasing as they drew closer to Meloetta's home.
It was clearly a shock to find the garden overrun by corruption, as well as even more strange outsiders awaiting them. Not to mention two more instruments, whose tunes resonated with the notes drifting from the Icy Flute, growing even stronger than before. The pokémon of the garden gathered around, in awe as well as fear, and Ceruledge nodded to his son.
Play.
The charcadet brought the flute to his lips and began his song again. The pokémon who'd come with him joined in on their own instruments, and the harmonica and melodica, brought together at last, sang out all the brighter, their tunes shifting and weaving through the music of the flute.
The pull of the music was even stronger than before. A number of the garden pokémon began to sing along immediately, and they were rapidly joined by more that Charcadet had brought with him.
No, no, no! Be quiet!
Stop! Before something terrible happens!
But the pokémon wouldn't stop. More and more joined in with the tune, swaying in time with the music. The melody swelled joyfully, and the garden's pokémon raised their voices to drown out even the loudest naysayers. The sound alone couldn't shatter the crystals that had grown up everywhere, and perhaps couldn't even reach Meloetta, but it at least provided some comfort to the pokémon who'd been skulking about miserably,
Or at least, it did until...
QUIET! The yell was loud but somehow melodic, laced with frequencies that instantly lulled the crowd into silence. Charcadet looked in its direction with shining eyes, the flute in his hands suddenly quiet.
The voice came from fountain at the center of the garden, the only object that remained free of crystals. Where Meloetta's aria form had been sculpted into its side, the real Meloetta now lounged, leaning against the pirouette form that was still inert stone. This wasn't the Meloetta that anyone would be familiar with, however. Their hair hung in lank red tendrils, tipped with grasping claws. The headset they normally wore had turned a poisonous orange, bristling with crystal growths.
The legend glared out over the stunned pokémon of the garden with bright red eyes.
Who's responsible for all this awful NOISE?!
@canisaries @Inkedust @Nekodatta @Mirage @Hanafuda @System Error @Seren @ShiniGojira
