RJR Basimilus
Arceus is nice I suppose...
- Location
- the Lovely Planet
- Partners
-
Where were you when you realized the entire month of February passed without hearing about 5 dollar footlongs?
Casting a spell now so that when I go get sushi tomorrow, it's really good.
21 - Arceus Dreams of Green
Zekrom picked at his teeth with one claw. “So uh, where did you meet Arceus and them again?”
“The Blue forest, albeit, they definitely weren’t from there.” Trumme was perched on the edge of the desk that Zekrom sat at, the Noctowl looking like he hadn’t slept. “Arceus literally fell from the sky- that is, he fell out of a passing train. At least, that’s what it seemed like.”
“Sounds like something out of a movie,” Zekrom replied dryly. “Hold on, then how did you all get from the forest to the Syocho?”
“We got back on a train. I don’t know if it was the same one or a different one, but then...” Trumme sighed. “They uh, got knocked out again.”
“How do you fall out of a train twice?” Zekrom said in disbelief. “Er, anyway, how did Mallys and Mel get there? Did they fall out of the train too?”
“I have no idea,” Trumme admitted, “I ran into them running around in the forest. I guess they followed Arceus.”
Zekrom crossed his arms on top of the desk, laying his head down. “This entire affair is wild. Especially Mallys.”
“I know right?” Goucie exclaimed. “Back in the forest, Mel and Arceus were in trouble, and they were surrounded by hostile pokemon. Mallys charged right in and beat them all up. He barely got hurt either.”
“Did- did he show you the other thing?” Zekrom said quietly.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Nothing,” Zekrom said quickly. “He’s just... different.”
Trumme shrugged. “I don’t disagree. But, he’s still nice though.”
Zekrom was silent for a moment, his eyes half closed. “So, what now? You don’t have a job anymore?”
“Honestly? I was barely teaching anything in the first place. I just wrote progress reports and never got a reply. I’d say they forgot about me, but I was still getting paid.” Trumme looked wistful. “I’ve saved up a lot, but I’d rather not sit around doing nothing.”
“How about you work for me?” Zekrom suggested. “There’s always openings here, and if you want, you can live at my place.”
Trumme laughed. “Wow, just like old times.” He breathed deeply. “I think- I think I’ll take you up on that. First though, I have to go tell Goucie that you all got back okay. It’s just...” Trumme scrunched his beak up. “I have no idea where to find him.”
“Who is that?” Zekrom asked.
“Oh, Goucie was with us on the train. In fact, I think he was the reason we were able to get on it in the first place.”
“Huh, that was nice of him. Uh, I don’t really know either, but I can ask someone. What kind of pokemon was he?”
“He’s a Combusken.”
“Mmm, well, no promises, but I’ll try and help.”
“You don’t need to, you’ve done enough already,” Trumme said. “Just take it easy. Also, could you write down your address so I can find it later?”
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Trumme’s eyes widened as he looked at the address. “Whaaat! This is a really expensive neighborhood.”
“Yeah, it is,” Zekrom said sheepishly, “I’d rather have a nice simple place, but the board said it would be safer given my status.”
“You don’t like the board too much, do you?” Trumme said sympathetically.
Zekrom spoke quietly, his eyes darting around. “It’s not that I don’t like them- they help make all the big decisions around here. Sometimes though I wish they’d let me make some decisions for myself.”
Trumme was indignant. “A board is good for businesses, but I would think it’s a bit out of line for them to dictate where you live.”
“They had good intentions,” Zekrom protested, “I know they didn’t mean anything by it. It’s okay, really!”
Trumme looked away, hiding his anger. “I... understand. Sorry for making a big deal out of this.”
“I know you’re just looking out for me,” Zekrom said, smiling. “I appreciate it, Trumme. But I’m fine.”
Trumme took a moment to make sure his face was neutral before turning back around. “Will they be okay with me living there? I mean, it’s been years since I lived in the city, I don’t know how many of my old connections are still around.”
Zekrom waved him off. “It’ll be fine. I’ll tell them later. But now I have to get ready for a meeting. See you at home, Trumme.”
“Yeah. See you at home.” Trumme couldn’t help but feel sad. “You haven’t changed,” he said, quietly enough that Zekrom wouldn’t hear.
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“Let’s start with the obvious.” The Gigalith eyed the pockmarks in the ground. “Where were half your staff?”
“This lawsuit is going to be killer,” the Octillery said, ignoring the question. “We’re already on the hook for the physical therapy and counselling, not to mention the hospital bill.”
The Gigalith looked at the Octillery impatiently, but remained silent.
“I’m not worried about turnover, we can get an easy fifty applicants in one day.” The Octillery was completely oblivious. “A few million in damages to the facility, but only one escapee. But all surveillance from last night is gone.” The Octillery finally seemed to notice the Gigalith. “Oh, you’re from the HCU right?”
“Yes, I am Commander Aige. I have some questions for you when you have a moment.”
The Octillery nodded. “I’ll answer to the best of my ability, but try to keep it short, I have several matters to attend to.”
Aige hid a frown. “Of course. I’ll keep it short. Reports say only a fraction of your staff were on duty last night. Why is that?”
“There was a rather sudden invitation to a company party,” the Octillery said thoughtfully. “As for my staff, I uh- dismissed most of them early. As a... treat.”
“I can understand taking care of your staff, but given your line of work, is that really a call you can make in good faith?” Aige sighed, wondering if the Octillery actually had any experience running a prison.
“We pride our facilities on efficiency,” the Octillery replied nonchalantly, “This is the first breach of our facilities since we first opened several years ago. However, this is not an issue of security so much as it was-” the Octillery paused, searching for the right words. “A case of very bad timing.”
Aige narrowed her eyes. “Is this what you told your employee who had three of their limbs shattered? Regardless of the scope of the incident, the perpetrators were clearly very dangerous and possibly connected to organized terrorism.”
The Octillery froze, a horrified expression on its face. “Terrorism?”
“We’re still investigating,” Aige said gravely. The Gigalith couldn’t help enjoying the Octillery’s shock. “I’ll let you go now, but our investigators will be in and out for the rest of the day. Make sure to let your staff know we’ll be working.”
“R-right. Thank you for your assistance in this delicate situation,” the Octillery said.
Aige resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “It’s our job. You’re lucky this wasn’t worse. Now get out of here so we can work.”
As the Gigalith shooed the Octillery away, a Diglett emerged from the ground. “Aige, Aige, the witness statements are ready.”
The Gigalith turned sharply. “Eikeva, be more careful! You could have ruined the scene.”
“Ack, oops. Sorry Aige,” the Diglett replied, sinking slightly into the ground.
“Just be more careful next time,” Aige replied. “I have to get something to mark this spot so the investigation unit doesn’t think it’s an escape tunnel or something.”
“Ehehe, my bad,” Eikeva said, looking down at the hole she made. “Anyway, the guards on duty last night as well as some of the inmates reported seeing a group of pokemon. There’s a bit of confusion, some say there were three and some are saying four.”
Aige started pacing in a circle. “What’s causing the discrepancy.”
“One of them was carrying another. Easy to mistake.”
“Were they acting as a group?”
“Seems like it.”
The Gigalith lightly scraped the ground with one foot. “I guess that explains this then.”
Eikeva wavered. “Well... that’s the thing. All the guards that were on patrol last night reported being taken by surprise, with no prolonged conflicts. We uh, don’t know how this happened, not to mention the damage in D block.”
“What do you mean, ‘don’t know’?” Aige was stunned. “Are you suggesting there was a third party that we know nothing about?”
“Not necessarily,” Eikeva squeaked, “But it- it is a possibility?”
Aige sighed. “It’s fine, Eikeva. All this right before the annual conference though, I’m going to be working overtime for months.”
“You can always send some of the paperwork to my desk,” the Diglett offered.
“I wouldn’t wish that on anyone,” Aige replied, smiling. “You just keep doing what you’re doing, and we’ll be just fine.”
“Will do!” Eikeva looked at the ground. “So what are you doing the rest of the week? A-aside from closing this case and such.” The Diglett laughed nervously.
“Mmmm, a bunch of different things. I’m still waiting for a final report on that train crash, plus we’ve been getting a lot of tips lately. Most of them are probably nothing, but due diligence you know. Why do you ask?”
“Just wondering. Like to keep on top of things, you know.”
“Ha! That’s definitely you. It’s good to have such a reliable second in command. And- it’s nice to have someone to talk frankly to.” Aige spoke softly.
Eikeva nodded. “I feel the same way.”
“Like the upcoming meetings,” Aige continued, a look of disgust crossing her face. “That means all the division heads will be in town. Including Hyaeya.”
Eikeva shuddered at the thought. “It’ll pass quickly if we just focus on work.”
“Ahah, I’m so lucky to have you, Eikeva!” Aige exclaimed loudly, “Hey, I have to introduce you to a friend later. He’s... kind of my role model.”
“Alright! Looking forward to it.”
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“Eheheh, they’re going to be upset with me.”
Arceus wandered from one side of the road to the other, examining storefronts. He felt a combination of giddiness and apprehension, excitedly trying to commit everything he saw to memory.
Arceus stared longingly at a colorful scarf. “I wish I had money. Then I could get anything I want!” He shook his head. “No, I’d rather get something for Mel and Mallys first.”
“Ah, excuse me.” Arceus turned to see a Porygon 2. “Apologies for bothering, but could you try to keep to one side of the road?” it asked.
Arceus unconsciously stepped back. “Huh? Did I do something wrong?”
“Not really,” the Porygon 2 replied, “But you keep walking back and forth, which is unfortunately somewhat disruptive due to your... size.” The Porygon 2 looked embarrassed.
“Oh, oops, I didn’t realize,” Arceus said, glancing back at his ring. “I forget that I have this thing attached to me sometimes.”
“By all means, feel free to continue as you have been,” the Porygon 2 said. “Just, consider crossing from side to side less frequently, or at least walking in a more diagonal line.”
“Yeah, I’ll do that, thanks!” Arceus said.
“Great! And uh, I should let you know, there’s another reason you shouldn’t walk like that.” The Porygon 2’s expression darkened.
Arceus froze.
“Recently, you might have noticed increased foot patrols around town,” the Porygon 2 explained, “I’d like to think I know better, but regardless, the way you move around plus your figure is easy to construe as suspicious.”
“I... will keep that in mind,” Arceus replied slowly, processing the Porygon 2’s words.
“Ah, don’t worry about it too much,” the Porygon 2 said, shaking its head. “Pokemon have been a bit more on edge lately, but we’ll make sure the city is safe.”
“We? Who are you with?”
“Sorry, I assumed you knew that. I’m an officer with the HCU,” the Porygon 2 said proudly, “In retrospect, you seem like you’re new to town. Rest assured though, this city is completely safe!” The Porygon 2 paused. “Uh, forget what I said before that.”
“Wow!” Arceus inadvertently did a tiny hop. “I’ll leave it to you then.”
The Porygon 2 laughed slightly, seeing Arceus’ enthusiasm. “It can honestly be more of a thankless job than it’s worth, but talking to you just made it all worth it. Have a great day, sir.”
“You too!” Arceus watched the Porygon 2 float away. “This place isn’t that bad. Maybe Mallys was wrong.” He shook his head. “Wait, he meant only at night though.”
Arceus continued window shopping, but he was thinking about what the Porygon 2 had said. Arceus didn’t feel like he looked suspicious; he didn’t want to be either.
“Whatever. If I’m suspect, then that’s how it is,” Arceus muttered to himself. “I don’t care.”
Passing a restaurant, Arceus stopped. For a moment, he resisted looking over, but ultimately he couldn’t help himself. Arceus pressed his face against the glass, his gaze longingly trailing over an assortment of dishes laid out across a table. It took him a few moments to realize that some of the pokemon inside were looking back at him strangely. He snapped back, feeling pinpricks spread across his body in embarrassment.
“Sorry!” he called, running away. As he ran, Arceus only became more panicked as his rings bumped into pokemon left and right. Spotting a turn, he ducked off onto a quiet side street, leaning against the wall.
“I should be more careful,” he said quietly. Arceus thought back to when he and Mallys visited Aibai. The crowds were probably worse here. He pushed the unsettling thought out of his head, instead thinking back to the dishes he saw.
“Mister, do you want a salad?”
“Eh?” Arceus was startled out of his thoughts. He looked from side to side, seeing no one. “Who said that?”
“I did! I’m right here.”
Arceus looked down. A Spoink was staring back up at him, it’s eyes wide. “Salad?” Arceus asked, “What’s that?”
The Spoink looked at Arceus strangely. “It’s what you were thinking about, dummy!”
“I uh, was that?” Arceus grew concerned. “Wait, you know what I was thinking about?”
“I- I didn’t mean to,” the Spoink said in a tiny voice, hopping back. “I couldn’t help it, your thoughts were really loud.”
“Loud??” Arceus stared at the Spoink, bewildered.
The Spoink cowered, starting to tear up. “I’m sorry, I won’t do it again.”
“Uh.” Arceus immediately felt guilty. “I didn’t mean it like that,” he said quickly. “You can... you can read my thoughts all you want!”
The Spoink sniffled. “Papa told me never to read minds. It- it erodes trust.”
“It’s not your fault,” Arceus said, craning his head down to the Spoink. “I was just thinking too loud, alright? My mistake.”
The Spoink rubbed the tears from its eyes. “I don’t even know what ‘erodes’ means.”
“I’m sure your father means well,” Arceus replied, not quite sure himself what the word meant. “So I was thinking about salad?”
“Y-yeah, you were. It looked good,” the Spoink said softly, “I’m hungry now.”
Arceus’ face turned somber. “Ha, I see,” he said, trying to sound upbeat. “Where would you get a really good one?” Arceus hesitated. “A- a salad, I mean.”
“I would ask Chromako to make one,” the Spoink said thoughtfully, “But she’s back at home.”
“Any other places?” Arceus asked. “Like a restaurant?”
The Spoink’s bouncing slowed. “This is my first time here! I don’t know where anything is.” The Spoink looked crestfallen. “Sorry.”
“No, no it’s fine.” Arceus tilted his neck from side to side, stretching. “This is the first time I’ve been to the city too. It’s a lot to take in.”
“Where I live, it’s different,” the Spoink continued, “It’s a lot scarier.”
“Really? I hope you don’t mind me asking- where do you live?” Arceus tried to imagine what kind of place the Spoink was from. For a moment, his thoughts settled on the forest and he shuddered.
The Spoink pointed up. “I live on the plate above us.”
“Above?” Arceus looked up. “You live up there? And it’s... scarier?”
“Everyone I’ve met down here is so nice,” the Spoink said, glancing sidelong at Arceus.
Arceus looked back at the Spoink for a moment. “Um, I’m Arceus.” He paused. “I... don’t know how to spell that.”
“Huh? What do you mean?” The Spoink stopped bouncing, coiling her spring tightly.
“A friend once told me that if someone can’t spell their own name, it’s not their name.” Arceus laughed. “I was pretty sure of myself a while ago. But- I haven’t been sure of a lot of things about myself recently.”
The Spoink nodded sympathetically. “I hope you get better then! I don’t really understand it though.”
“Ha, don’t worry about it.” Arceus leaned to one side. “What’s your name?”
The Spoink pointed at herself. “I’m Serrano, do you want me to spell that?”
Arceus hesitated, then nodded. “Why not? Go ahead.”
Serrano crossed her arms. “S-E-R-R-A-N-O. I have to write my name every day at school, so it would be weird if I didn’t know that.”
“Oh. That makes sense.” Arceus looked down, unsure of what to say. “It was nice meeting you, Serrano. Sorry about the salad thing.”
“Hehe, it’s fine,” Serrano said, smiling, “I can’t wait to tell all my friends about the salad pokemon now.”
“I’m sure they’ll like it,” Arceus said, embarrassed.
“Are you going to go find a nice salad now?”
“Hmm? No, not really.” Arceus shook his head, his posture faltering. “I... don’t actually have a mouth to eat anything with. I was probably thinking about food so loud because- I want to eat something, anything!”
“You don’t have a mouth?” Serrano’s gaze trailed across Arceus’ face. “I thought you had one between those lines on your head.”
“I wish I did, but I don’t,” Arceus said. “I guess I’m just unlucky like that.”
“Then...” Serrano started, “Why don’t you help me find one? Talking about food made me hungry.”
Arceus considered the request for a moment. “I’m not really doing anything better right now. Let’s look.”
Serrano immediately cheered up. “Yaay, that means I can ride on your back!” The Spoink sprung into the air with a powerful hop, landing on Arceus. She clung onto his ring, looking at him happily.
Seeing the Spoink’s face, Arceus felt any protests he had melt away. “Uh, just want to let you know; I don’t have any money on me.”
“That’s fine. I have lots of money!” Serrano said nonchalantly. “Now, onwards!”
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Darkrai stared out the window thoughtfully. “Hey, did you get rid of the hospital bill?”
Mae nodded. “Of course. Not like we have any way to pay it anyway.” The Lopunny frowned. “It’s real cruel of them to saddle us with that when we just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“In any case, better they think that than know what really happened,” Darkrai said. “I wonder if we should meet up with Pasa again.”
“Why?” Mae grabbed a piece of bread off the table and took a bite. “He’s just someone we happened to meet. Wait...” Mae smiled slightly. “You just want to know what happened, don’t you?”
“Don’t you?”
The Lopunny leaned back in her chair. “I can go without knowing what that Skarmory’s deal was. It just doesn’t seem like something I want to involve myself with.”
Darkrai nodded. “I get it, but personally I’m curious. Seyka didn’t seem all that bad.”
“As compared to what?” Mae replied, “I mean, if you really want to, we can go find him. We do have some spare time.”
“No, if you don’t want to, then I’m fine,” Darkrai said.
The Lopunny leaned forward. She grabbed a fork and pointed it at Darkrai. “It’s not that big of a deal. Plus, aren’t couples supposed to make these sorts of concessions for each other?”
Darkrai laughed. “Did you read that in a magazine? I suppose that means I have to do something in return.”
Mae slammed the fork into the table, burying it in the wood. “Exactly!” She looked down. “Oh shoot-” She pulled the fork out, embarrassed.
Darkrai pondered the proposition for a moment. “Sounds fair to me. Thanks I guess.”
“I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t love you,” Mae said, smirking. “You want some of my salad when it gets here?”
“Sure. What kind did you get?”
Mae shrugged. “Something with mixed berries, I just picked something random. I’m not picky with what I eat unlike someone I know.” She made a face at Darkrai.
“It’s not being picky,” Darkrai protested, “I just have standards.”
“Yeah, sure,” the Lopunny replied.
They both looked up as a sharp ding echoed from nearby. “That’s probably ours,” Darkrai said. “Wait here, I’ll get it.” He was gone for a moment, reappearing with a salad in one hand and a coffee in the other. “You picked out a good one, Mae. Hope you don’t mind if I took a bite already.”
“Have as much as you want,” the Lopunny said, waving one hand. “Or you know, get your own.”
“I just might,” Darkrai responded playfully, setting the salad down. “So, I guess it’s time to ask, what now?” He sat down.
“After we meet with Pasa again? No idea.” Mae shook her head, sighing. “We’ll have to come up with some new business ideas.”
Darkrai looked away. “Yeah, the usual I guess.” He seemed to want to say something else, but instead took a long drink of his coffee.
“This is the city...” Mae mused, “Nearly anything will work.”
“Let’s think about that later then,” Darkrai said somewhat weakly. “Just focus on enjoying ourselves for once.”
They sat in silence. Mae reached across the table with her fork, offering some salad to Darkrai who ate it.
“Look, look! There it is.” A muffled voice stirred them from their reverie. “It’s a salad, Arceus!”
Mae and Darkrai turned to see Arceus and Serrano staring at Mae’s salad, their faces pressed against the window of the cafe. Darkrai stared in befuddlement while Mae’s eyes widened, seeing the pair.
“Hey-” Mae said quietly to Darkrai. “Haven’t we met Arceus somewhere?”
Darkrai studied Arceus for a moment. “I think... he lost his memories right?”
“You know better than me,” Mae said, shrugging.
Darkrai reached out and knocked on the glass. “Hey you guys, come in here.”
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“We met, uhhh, was it a month or so ago?”
Arceus looked at Darkrai strangely. “I think? But something was different.”
Darkrai looked down at his coffee, slightly mortified. “Aha, I was speaking a bit more eloquently back then, wasn’t I. Sorry if I confused you, it’s keeping up appearances, you know?”
“Not really?” Arceus was frank.
“Forget it then,” Darkrai said, stifling laughter.
Mae waved. “I told you my name before, but I don’t count that as an introduction. I’m Mae, and this guy is all mine.” The Lopunny wrapped her arms around Darkrai as she spoke.
“I’m Serrano!” the Spoink proclaimed loudly, “We’re here for the salad.” She glanced at Arceus. “I don’t have to spell my name for them, right?”
Arceus shook his head. “You don’t have to do that, Serrano.” He looked at Mae and Darkrai nervously. “Er, sorry for interrupting your meal. We got kind of caught up in what we were doing.”
“And what exactly were you two doing?” Darkrai asked, slightly amused. “Nice to see you again by the way.”
“We were looking for salad, like I just said,” Serrano interrupted, the Spoink laser focused on Mae’s salad. “I want one because I’m hungry.” She pointed at Arceus. “He wants one too, but he can’t eat it because he doesn’t have a mouth.”
Arceus seemed to shrink from embarrassment. “That’s- that’s the gist of it.”
“Well I can’t share with everyone,” Mae said. The Lopunny stood up. “Hold on, I’ll go order two more.”
Serrano bounced excitedly. “Yaay, thanks!” Her expression clouded slightly as she looked over at Arceus. “I wish you could have some.”
“It’s fine, really,” Arceus muttered.
Darkrai leaned forwards. “While we’re waiting, I wanted to ask, are you still dealing with that problem you had?”
“Right now, yes,” Arceus replied, “But I’m working on something with my friends.”
Darkrai nodded. “Well, I don’t know your friends, but you sound confident enough. I don’t know if you remember, but unfortunately I can’t offer the same assistance I extended before. Some unexpected difficulties have come up.”
“That’s fine!” Arceus said confidently, “We’ll manage. Anyway, what are you two doing here?”
“A little vacation, that’s all,” Darkrai said. Something about his tone seemed off, but Arceus decided to ignore it. “Actually now that I think about it, we met someone who was looking for one of your friends. Pasa, a Nidoking. Do you know him?”
Arceus vaguely recalled the Nidoking that had been with Mel. “I think so? Does he want to see Mel?”
“He did,” Darkrai replied, looking up as Mae returned with the salads. “We don’t know where he is right now, but I just wanted to let you know.”
“I’ll have to tell her later,” Arceus said. “Ooh, I’ve been gone for awhile. I hope they aren’t worried about me.”
Darkrai held his coffee idly in one hand. “Hmm? If you have to go, it’s fine. We can talk more later.”
“I don’t know if I can leave her,” Arceus said, gesturing at Serrano. The Spoink was attacking the salad, Mae watching with wonder as Serrano devoured the meal. “I met her while I was wandering, so I’m not sure where her parents are.”
“What kind of parent would let their kid wander around a place like this,” Darkrai murmured, disconcerted. He waved at the Spoink. “Hey, Serrano. Where are your parents?”
“Mom’s out on business,” Serrano replied, between bites. “Dad’s at work. I skipped school to come here.”
Everyone stared at the Spoink in stunned silence.
“Not a fan of school, are you?” Mae asked, tapping her fork on the edge of her bowl.
“No, I like school!” Serrano said brightly, “I just wanted to come here because my friend told me it was really cool. But now that you mention it, I should probably go. They might call my father, and he’ll get worried.” The Spoink looked at Arceus. “We’re friends now, so you have to come to my house sometime, okay?”
“Of course,” Arceus said, unsure of what to expect. “How will I find that?”
“I’ll send someone!” Serrano waved and hopped away before anyone could say anything else.
Darkrai watched the Spoink through the window. “I think she’ll be alright.”
“Tough kid. I’m a fan,” Mae said thoughtfully.
“So what have you been up to lately?” Darkrai asked, turning to Arceus. “From what I’ve heard, you’ve been travelling a lot.”
Arceus nodded. “Yeah, it’s been a lot.”
“Tell us, tell us!” Mae said. The Lopunny stared at Arceus expectantly.
“You don’t have to if it wasn’t pleasant,” Darkrai added.
“I’m fine talking about it, but it wasn’t great,” Arceus said, shuddering, “I’ll start from right after I left you.”
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Seyka laid on his back, staring upwards. His wings were spread on both sides, gleaming and razor sharp. The Skarmory was crying.
The Archeops standing over him groaned. “Your wing is better. You’ll be able to fly for the first time in hundreds of years and you’re crying?”
“I- I...” Seyka could barely speak in between sobs. “I hate you, Inno. I hate you. I hate you.”
“Whatever you say,” Inno replied, rolling his eyes. “I was upset that you ran away, but this is actually a good opportunity. I have some errands to run, so we’ll be here for awhile, okay?”
The Skarmory didn’t reply. His breathing was ragged, and he seemed terrified of something.
“Hey, I asked if it was okay.” The Archeops viciously kicked Seyka in the head. “You wouldn’t leave your big brother hanging, would you.”
“No,” Seyka replied quietly, “Whatever you want is fine.”
Inno sighed, reaching down and grabbing Seyka. He lifted the Skarmory off the ground, setting him down. “I know it’s stressful. But when we’re finished here, we won’t have to worry about anything again.”
Seyka sniffled, staring at Inno. “Do you promise?”
“I can’t do that,” the Archeops replied, “Promises are nothing but investments in disappointment. You know that.”
The Skarmory looked away before nodding slowly. “Sorry.”
Inno gripped Seyka’s head between his claws. “Don’t be. You’re my brother, the only thing I have left.” His expression didn’t change. “I didn’t mean to hit you like that, I’ve been frustrated, you know?”
“Yeah, I wasn’t thinking,” Seyka said meekly.
“I love you, Seyka,” Inno said, smiling slightly too wide.
“I...” Seyka hesitated, “I love you too.”
“I have to do some work by myself, but I have a place for you and everyone else to stay,” Inno said. “I’ll call you when I need you, for now, just have fun.” The Archeops pointed at Seyka’s wings. “And learn how to use those again, alright?”
Inno waved and walked off, leaving the Skarmory alone in the alley. Seyka took a deep breath and left in the opposite direction.
“Hey... Seyka,” a small voice called as he entered back onto the main thoroughfare. He looked to see a one-eyed Anorith waiting on top of a trash bin.
“Lozow!” Seyka immediately brightened. “Thanks for saving me. Where is everyone else?”
“They’re at the place Inno got,” Lozow replied. The Anorith seemed distracted by something. “How are you.”
“I’m great!” Seyka replied, flashing his wings. “Look! My wings are better now.”
“That’s good,” Lozow said quietly, “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Um, yeah? Are you having trouble believing me?” Seyka asked.
Lozow scraped the lid of the can with a claw. “Something like that I guess.” Suddenly, he slammed a claw against the trash can. “Why?” The Anorith closed his eye, his claws trembling. “Why do you let him treat you like that?”
Seyka tilted his head. “What are you talking about?”
“I saw that whole conversation,” Lozow said, enraged, “How can your brother do that to you?”
Seyka stared at the Anorith blankly.
“Are you scared of him? We’re in the city, you- you can run away again. He’ll never find you,” Lozow pleaded desperately, “At least tell me what you’re thinking. Please, Seyka!”
“Where are we staying again?” Seyka asked. He was looking at Lozow, but the Anorith felt as if the Skarmory were looking straight through him.
Lozow fell silent, all the strength leaving his body. “There’s a little hardware store nearby. We have a room over it.” The Anorith struggled to hold back tears. “If you don’t mind, can you carry me?”
“Of course!” Seyka had a gentle smile. Lozow couldn’t tell if it was real.
Casting a spell now so that when I go get sushi tomorrow, it's really good.
21 - Arceus Dreams of Green
Zekrom picked at his teeth with one claw. “So uh, where did you meet Arceus and them again?”
“The Blue forest, albeit, they definitely weren’t from there.” Trumme was perched on the edge of the desk that Zekrom sat at, the Noctowl looking like he hadn’t slept. “Arceus literally fell from the sky- that is, he fell out of a passing train. At least, that’s what it seemed like.”
“Sounds like something out of a movie,” Zekrom replied dryly. “Hold on, then how did you all get from the forest to the Syocho?”
“We got back on a train. I don’t know if it was the same one or a different one, but then...” Trumme sighed. “They uh, got knocked out again.”
“How do you fall out of a train twice?” Zekrom said in disbelief. “Er, anyway, how did Mallys and Mel get there? Did they fall out of the train too?”
“I have no idea,” Trumme admitted, “I ran into them running around in the forest. I guess they followed Arceus.”
Zekrom crossed his arms on top of the desk, laying his head down. “This entire affair is wild. Especially Mallys.”
“I know right?” Goucie exclaimed. “Back in the forest, Mel and Arceus were in trouble, and they were surrounded by hostile pokemon. Mallys charged right in and beat them all up. He barely got hurt either.”
“Did- did he show you the other thing?” Zekrom said quietly.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Nothing,” Zekrom said quickly. “He’s just... different.”
Trumme shrugged. “I don’t disagree. But, he’s still nice though.”
Zekrom was silent for a moment, his eyes half closed. “So, what now? You don’t have a job anymore?”
“Honestly? I was barely teaching anything in the first place. I just wrote progress reports and never got a reply. I’d say they forgot about me, but I was still getting paid.” Trumme looked wistful. “I’ve saved up a lot, but I’d rather not sit around doing nothing.”
“How about you work for me?” Zekrom suggested. “There’s always openings here, and if you want, you can live at my place.”
Trumme laughed. “Wow, just like old times.” He breathed deeply. “I think- I think I’ll take you up on that. First though, I have to go tell Goucie that you all got back okay. It’s just...” Trumme scrunched his beak up. “I have no idea where to find him.”
“Who is that?” Zekrom asked.
“Oh, Goucie was with us on the train. In fact, I think he was the reason we were able to get on it in the first place.”
“Huh, that was nice of him. Uh, I don’t really know either, but I can ask someone. What kind of pokemon was he?”
“He’s a Combusken.”
“Mmm, well, no promises, but I’ll try and help.”
“You don’t need to, you’ve done enough already,” Trumme said. “Just take it easy. Also, could you write down your address so I can find it later?”
||
Trumme’s eyes widened as he looked at the address. “Whaaat! This is a really expensive neighborhood.”
“Yeah, it is,” Zekrom said sheepishly, “I’d rather have a nice simple place, but the board said it would be safer given my status.”
“You don’t like the board too much, do you?” Trumme said sympathetically.
Zekrom spoke quietly, his eyes darting around. “It’s not that I don’t like them- they help make all the big decisions around here. Sometimes though I wish they’d let me make some decisions for myself.”
Trumme was indignant. “A board is good for businesses, but I would think it’s a bit out of line for them to dictate where you live.”
“They had good intentions,” Zekrom protested, “I know they didn’t mean anything by it. It’s okay, really!”
Trumme looked away, hiding his anger. “I... understand. Sorry for making a big deal out of this.”
“I know you’re just looking out for me,” Zekrom said, smiling. “I appreciate it, Trumme. But I’m fine.”
Trumme took a moment to make sure his face was neutral before turning back around. “Will they be okay with me living there? I mean, it’s been years since I lived in the city, I don’t know how many of my old connections are still around.”
Zekrom waved him off. “It’ll be fine. I’ll tell them later. But now I have to get ready for a meeting. See you at home, Trumme.”
“Yeah. See you at home.” Trumme couldn’t help but feel sad. “You haven’t changed,” he said, quietly enough that Zekrom wouldn’t hear.
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“Let’s start with the obvious.” The Gigalith eyed the pockmarks in the ground. “Where were half your staff?”
“This lawsuit is going to be killer,” the Octillery said, ignoring the question. “We’re already on the hook for the physical therapy and counselling, not to mention the hospital bill.”
The Gigalith looked at the Octillery impatiently, but remained silent.
“I’m not worried about turnover, we can get an easy fifty applicants in one day.” The Octillery was completely oblivious. “A few million in damages to the facility, but only one escapee. But all surveillance from last night is gone.” The Octillery finally seemed to notice the Gigalith. “Oh, you’re from the HCU right?”
“Yes, I am Commander Aige. I have some questions for you when you have a moment.”
The Octillery nodded. “I’ll answer to the best of my ability, but try to keep it short, I have several matters to attend to.”
Aige hid a frown. “Of course. I’ll keep it short. Reports say only a fraction of your staff were on duty last night. Why is that?”
“There was a rather sudden invitation to a company party,” the Octillery said thoughtfully. “As for my staff, I uh- dismissed most of them early. As a... treat.”
“I can understand taking care of your staff, but given your line of work, is that really a call you can make in good faith?” Aige sighed, wondering if the Octillery actually had any experience running a prison.
“We pride our facilities on efficiency,” the Octillery replied nonchalantly, “This is the first breach of our facilities since we first opened several years ago. However, this is not an issue of security so much as it was-” the Octillery paused, searching for the right words. “A case of very bad timing.”
Aige narrowed her eyes. “Is this what you told your employee who had three of their limbs shattered? Regardless of the scope of the incident, the perpetrators were clearly very dangerous and possibly connected to organized terrorism.”
The Octillery froze, a horrified expression on its face. “Terrorism?”
“We’re still investigating,” Aige said gravely. The Gigalith couldn’t help enjoying the Octillery’s shock. “I’ll let you go now, but our investigators will be in and out for the rest of the day. Make sure to let your staff know we’ll be working.”
“R-right. Thank you for your assistance in this delicate situation,” the Octillery said.
Aige resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “It’s our job. You’re lucky this wasn’t worse. Now get out of here so we can work.”
As the Gigalith shooed the Octillery away, a Diglett emerged from the ground. “Aige, Aige, the witness statements are ready.”
The Gigalith turned sharply. “Eikeva, be more careful! You could have ruined the scene.”
“Ack, oops. Sorry Aige,” the Diglett replied, sinking slightly into the ground.
“Just be more careful next time,” Aige replied. “I have to get something to mark this spot so the investigation unit doesn’t think it’s an escape tunnel or something.”
“Ehehe, my bad,” Eikeva said, looking down at the hole she made. “Anyway, the guards on duty last night as well as some of the inmates reported seeing a group of pokemon. There’s a bit of confusion, some say there were three and some are saying four.”
Aige started pacing in a circle. “What’s causing the discrepancy.”
“One of them was carrying another. Easy to mistake.”
“Were they acting as a group?”
“Seems like it.”
The Gigalith lightly scraped the ground with one foot. “I guess that explains this then.”
Eikeva wavered. “Well... that’s the thing. All the guards that were on patrol last night reported being taken by surprise, with no prolonged conflicts. We uh, don’t know how this happened, not to mention the damage in D block.”
“What do you mean, ‘don’t know’?” Aige was stunned. “Are you suggesting there was a third party that we know nothing about?”
“Not necessarily,” Eikeva squeaked, “But it- it is a possibility?”
Aige sighed. “It’s fine, Eikeva. All this right before the annual conference though, I’m going to be working overtime for months.”
“You can always send some of the paperwork to my desk,” the Diglett offered.
“I wouldn’t wish that on anyone,” Aige replied, smiling. “You just keep doing what you’re doing, and we’ll be just fine.”
“Will do!” Eikeva looked at the ground. “So what are you doing the rest of the week? A-aside from closing this case and such.” The Diglett laughed nervously.
“Mmmm, a bunch of different things. I’m still waiting for a final report on that train crash, plus we’ve been getting a lot of tips lately. Most of them are probably nothing, but due diligence you know. Why do you ask?”
“Just wondering. Like to keep on top of things, you know.”
“Ha! That’s definitely you. It’s good to have such a reliable second in command. And- it’s nice to have someone to talk frankly to.” Aige spoke softly.
Eikeva nodded. “I feel the same way.”
“Like the upcoming meetings,” Aige continued, a look of disgust crossing her face. “That means all the division heads will be in town. Including Hyaeya.”
Eikeva shuddered at the thought. “It’ll pass quickly if we just focus on work.”
“Ahah, I’m so lucky to have you, Eikeva!” Aige exclaimed loudly, “Hey, I have to introduce you to a friend later. He’s... kind of my role model.”
“Alright! Looking forward to it.”
---------------------------------------------
-----------------<--------------------------
“Eheheh, they’re going to be upset with me.”
Arceus wandered from one side of the road to the other, examining storefronts. He felt a combination of giddiness and apprehension, excitedly trying to commit everything he saw to memory.
Arceus stared longingly at a colorful scarf. “I wish I had money. Then I could get anything I want!” He shook his head. “No, I’d rather get something for Mel and Mallys first.”
“Ah, excuse me.” Arceus turned to see a Porygon 2. “Apologies for bothering, but could you try to keep to one side of the road?” it asked.
Arceus unconsciously stepped back. “Huh? Did I do something wrong?”
“Not really,” the Porygon 2 replied, “But you keep walking back and forth, which is unfortunately somewhat disruptive due to your... size.” The Porygon 2 looked embarrassed.
“Oh, oops, I didn’t realize,” Arceus said, glancing back at his ring. “I forget that I have this thing attached to me sometimes.”
“By all means, feel free to continue as you have been,” the Porygon 2 said. “Just, consider crossing from side to side less frequently, or at least walking in a more diagonal line.”
“Yeah, I’ll do that, thanks!” Arceus said.
“Great! And uh, I should let you know, there’s another reason you shouldn’t walk like that.” The Porygon 2’s expression darkened.
Arceus froze.
“Recently, you might have noticed increased foot patrols around town,” the Porygon 2 explained, “I’d like to think I know better, but regardless, the way you move around plus your figure is easy to construe as suspicious.”
“I... will keep that in mind,” Arceus replied slowly, processing the Porygon 2’s words.
“Ah, don’t worry about it too much,” the Porygon 2 said, shaking its head. “Pokemon have been a bit more on edge lately, but we’ll make sure the city is safe.”
“We? Who are you with?”
“Sorry, I assumed you knew that. I’m an officer with the HCU,” the Porygon 2 said proudly, “In retrospect, you seem like you’re new to town. Rest assured though, this city is completely safe!” The Porygon 2 paused. “Uh, forget what I said before that.”
“Wow!” Arceus inadvertently did a tiny hop. “I’ll leave it to you then.”
The Porygon 2 laughed slightly, seeing Arceus’ enthusiasm. “It can honestly be more of a thankless job than it’s worth, but talking to you just made it all worth it. Have a great day, sir.”
“You too!” Arceus watched the Porygon 2 float away. “This place isn’t that bad. Maybe Mallys was wrong.” He shook his head. “Wait, he meant only at night though.”
Arceus continued window shopping, but he was thinking about what the Porygon 2 had said. Arceus didn’t feel like he looked suspicious; he didn’t want to be either.
“Whatever. If I’m suspect, then that’s how it is,” Arceus muttered to himself. “I don’t care.”
Passing a restaurant, Arceus stopped. For a moment, he resisted looking over, but ultimately he couldn’t help himself. Arceus pressed his face against the glass, his gaze longingly trailing over an assortment of dishes laid out across a table. It took him a few moments to realize that some of the pokemon inside were looking back at him strangely. He snapped back, feeling pinpricks spread across his body in embarrassment.
“Sorry!” he called, running away. As he ran, Arceus only became more panicked as his rings bumped into pokemon left and right. Spotting a turn, he ducked off onto a quiet side street, leaning against the wall.
“I should be more careful,” he said quietly. Arceus thought back to when he and Mallys visited Aibai. The crowds were probably worse here. He pushed the unsettling thought out of his head, instead thinking back to the dishes he saw.
“Mister, do you want a salad?”
“Eh?” Arceus was startled out of his thoughts. He looked from side to side, seeing no one. “Who said that?”
“I did! I’m right here.”
Arceus looked down. A Spoink was staring back up at him, it’s eyes wide. “Salad?” Arceus asked, “What’s that?”
The Spoink looked at Arceus strangely. “It’s what you were thinking about, dummy!”
“I uh, was that?” Arceus grew concerned. “Wait, you know what I was thinking about?”
“I- I didn’t mean to,” the Spoink said in a tiny voice, hopping back. “I couldn’t help it, your thoughts were really loud.”
“Loud??” Arceus stared at the Spoink, bewildered.
The Spoink cowered, starting to tear up. “I’m sorry, I won’t do it again.”
“Uh.” Arceus immediately felt guilty. “I didn’t mean it like that,” he said quickly. “You can... you can read my thoughts all you want!”
The Spoink sniffled. “Papa told me never to read minds. It- it erodes trust.”
“It’s not your fault,” Arceus said, craning his head down to the Spoink. “I was just thinking too loud, alright? My mistake.”
The Spoink rubbed the tears from its eyes. “I don’t even know what ‘erodes’ means.”
“I’m sure your father means well,” Arceus replied, not quite sure himself what the word meant. “So I was thinking about salad?”
“Y-yeah, you were. It looked good,” the Spoink said softly, “I’m hungry now.”
Arceus’ face turned somber. “Ha, I see,” he said, trying to sound upbeat. “Where would you get a really good one?” Arceus hesitated. “A- a salad, I mean.”
“I would ask Chromako to make one,” the Spoink said thoughtfully, “But she’s back at home.”
“Any other places?” Arceus asked. “Like a restaurant?”
The Spoink’s bouncing slowed. “This is my first time here! I don’t know where anything is.” The Spoink looked crestfallen. “Sorry.”
“No, no it’s fine.” Arceus tilted his neck from side to side, stretching. “This is the first time I’ve been to the city too. It’s a lot to take in.”
“Where I live, it’s different,” the Spoink continued, “It’s a lot scarier.”
“Really? I hope you don’t mind me asking- where do you live?” Arceus tried to imagine what kind of place the Spoink was from. For a moment, his thoughts settled on the forest and he shuddered.
The Spoink pointed up. “I live on the plate above us.”
“Above?” Arceus looked up. “You live up there? And it’s... scarier?”
“Everyone I’ve met down here is so nice,” the Spoink said, glancing sidelong at Arceus.
Arceus looked back at the Spoink for a moment. “Um, I’m Arceus.” He paused. “I... don’t know how to spell that.”
“Huh? What do you mean?” The Spoink stopped bouncing, coiling her spring tightly.
“A friend once told me that if someone can’t spell their own name, it’s not their name.” Arceus laughed. “I was pretty sure of myself a while ago. But- I haven’t been sure of a lot of things about myself recently.”
The Spoink nodded sympathetically. “I hope you get better then! I don’t really understand it though.”
“Ha, don’t worry about it.” Arceus leaned to one side. “What’s your name?”
The Spoink pointed at herself. “I’m Serrano, do you want me to spell that?”
Arceus hesitated, then nodded. “Why not? Go ahead.”
Serrano crossed her arms. “S-E-R-R-A-N-O. I have to write my name every day at school, so it would be weird if I didn’t know that.”
“Oh. That makes sense.” Arceus looked down, unsure of what to say. “It was nice meeting you, Serrano. Sorry about the salad thing.”
“Hehe, it’s fine,” Serrano said, smiling, “I can’t wait to tell all my friends about the salad pokemon now.”
“I’m sure they’ll like it,” Arceus said, embarrassed.
“Are you going to go find a nice salad now?”
“Hmm? No, not really.” Arceus shook his head, his posture faltering. “I... don’t actually have a mouth to eat anything with. I was probably thinking about food so loud because- I want to eat something, anything!”
“You don’t have a mouth?” Serrano’s gaze trailed across Arceus’ face. “I thought you had one between those lines on your head.”
“I wish I did, but I don’t,” Arceus said. “I guess I’m just unlucky like that.”
“Then...” Serrano started, “Why don’t you help me find one? Talking about food made me hungry.”
Arceus considered the request for a moment. “I’m not really doing anything better right now. Let’s look.”
Serrano immediately cheered up. “Yaay, that means I can ride on your back!” The Spoink sprung into the air with a powerful hop, landing on Arceus. She clung onto his ring, looking at him happily.
Seeing the Spoink’s face, Arceus felt any protests he had melt away. “Uh, just want to let you know; I don’t have any money on me.”
“That’s fine. I have lots of money!” Serrano said nonchalantly. “Now, onwards!”
~~~~~~~
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~~~~~~~
Darkrai stared out the window thoughtfully. “Hey, did you get rid of the hospital bill?”
Mae nodded. “Of course. Not like we have any way to pay it anyway.” The Lopunny frowned. “It’s real cruel of them to saddle us with that when we just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“In any case, better they think that than know what really happened,” Darkrai said. “I wonder if we should meet up with Pasa again.”
“Why?” Mae grabbed a piece of bread off the table and took a bite. “He’s just someone we happened to meet. Wait...” Mae smiled slightly. “You just want to know what happened, don’t you?”
“Don’t you?”
The Lopunny leaned back in her chair. “I can go without knowing what that Skarmory’s deal was. It just doesn’t seem like something I want to involve myself with.”
Darkrai nodded. “I get it, but personally I’m curious. Seyka didn’t seem all that bad.”
“As compared to what?” Mae replied, “I mean, if you really want to, we can go find him. We do have some spare time.”
“No, if you don’t want to, then I’m fine,” Darkrai said.
The Lopunny leaned forward. She grabbed a fork and pointed it at Darkrai. “It’s not that big of a deal. Plus, aren’t couples supposed to make these sorts of concessions for each other?”
Darkrai laughed. “Did you read that in a magazine? I suppose that means I have to do something in return.”
Mae slammed the fork into the table, burying it in the wood. “Exactly!” She looked down. “Oh shoot-” She pulled the fork out, embarrassed.
Darkrai pondered the proposition for a moment. “Sounds fair to me. Thanks I guess.”
“I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t love you,” Mae said, smirking. “You want some of my salad when it gets here?”
“Sure. What kind did you get?”
Mae shrugged. “Something with mixed berries, I just picked something random. I’m not picky with what I eat unlike someone I know.” She made a face at Darkrai.
“It’s not being picky,” Darkrai protested, “I just have standards.”
“Yeah, sure,” the Lopunny replied.
They both looked up as a sharp ding echoed from nearby. “That’s probably ours,” Darkrai said. “Wait here, I’ll get it.” He was gone for a moment, reappearing with a salad in one hand and a coffee in the other. “You picked out a good one, Mae. Hope you don’t mind if I took a bite already.”
“Have as much as you want,” the Lopunny said, waving one hand. “Or you know, get your own.”
“I just might,” Darkrai responded playfully, setting the salad down. “So, I guess it’s time to ask, what now?” He sat down.
“After we meet with Pasa again? No idea.” Mae shook her head, sighing. “We’ll have to come up with some new business ideas.”
Darkrai looked away. “Yeah, the usual I guess.” He seemed to want to say something else, but instead took a long drink of his coffee.
“This is the city...” Mae mused, “Nearly anything will work.”
“Let’s think about that later then,” Darkrai said somewhat weakly. “Just focus on enjoying ourselves for once.”
They sat in silence. Mae reached across the table with her fork, offering some salad to Darkrai who ate it.
“Look, look! There it is.” A muffled voice stirred them from their reverie. “It’s a salad, Arceus!”
Mae and Darkrai turned to see Arceus and Serrano staring at Mae’s salad, their faces pressed against the window of the cafe. Darkrai stared in befuddlement while Mae’s eyes widened, seeing the pair.
“Hey-” Mae said quietly to Darkrai. “Haven’t we met Arceus somewhere?”
Darkrai studied Arceus for a moment. “I think... he lost his memories right?”
“You know better than me,” Mae said, shrugging.
Darkrai reached out and knocked on the glass. “Hey you guys, come in here.”
||
“We met, uhhh, was it a month or so ago?”
Arceus looked at Darkrai strangely. “I think? But something was different.”
Darkrai looked down at his coffee, slightly mortified. “Aha, I was speaking a bit more eloquently back then, wasn’t I. Sorry if I confused you, it’s keeping up appearances, you know?”
“Not really?” Arceus was frank.
“Forget it then,” Darkrai said, stifling laughter.
Mae waved. “I told you my name before, but I don’t count that as an introduction. I’m Mae, and this guy is all mine.” The Lopunny wrapped her arms around Darkrai as she spoke.
“I’m Serrano!” the Spoink proclaimed loudly, “We’re here for the salad.” She glanced at Arceus. “I don’t have to spell my name for them, right?”
Arceus shook his head. “You don’t have to do that, Serrano.” He looked at Mae and Darkrai nervously. “Er, sorry for interrupting your meal. We got kind of caught up in what we were doing.”
“And what exactly were you two doing?” Darkrai asked, slightly amused. “Nice to see you again by the way.”
“We were looking for salad, like I just said,” Serrano interrupted, the Spoink laser focused on Mae’s salad. “I want one because I’m hungry.” She pointed at Arceus. “He wants one too, but he can’t eat it because he doesn’t have a mouth.”
Arceus seemed to shrink from embarrassment. “That’s- that’s the gist of it.”
“Well I can’t share with everyone,” Mae said. The Lopunny stood up. “Hold on, I’ll go order two more.”
Serrano bounced excitedly. “Yaay, thanks!” Her expression clouded slightly as she looked over at Arceus. “I wish you could have some.”
“It’s fine, really,” Arceus muttered.
Darkrai leaned forwards. “While we’re waiting, I wanted to ask, are you still dealing with that problem you had?”
“Right now, yes,” Arceus replied, “But I’m working on something with my friends.”
Darkrai nodded. “Well, I don’t know your friends, but you sound confident enough. I don’t know if you remember, but unfortunately I can’t offer the same assistance I extended before. Some unexpected difficulties have come up.”
“That’s fine!” Arceus said confidently, “We’ll manage. Anyway, what are you two doing here?”
“A little vacation, that’s all,” Darkrai said. Something about his tone seemed off, but Arceus decided to ignore it. “Actually now that I think about it, we met someone who was looking for one of your friends. Pasa, a Nidoking. Do you know him?”
Arceus vaguely recalled the Nidoking that had been with Mel. “I think so? Does he want to see Mel?”
“He did,” Darkrai replied, looking up as Mae returned with the salads. “We don’t know where he is right now, but I just wanted to let you know.”
“I’ll have to tell her later,” Arceus said. “Ooh, I’ve been gone for awhile. I hope they aren’t worried about me.”
Darkrai held his coffee idly in one hand. “Hmm? If you have to go, it’s fine. We can talk more later.”
“I don’t know if I can leave her,” Arceus said, gesturing at Serrano. The Spoink was attacking the salad, Mae watching with wonder as Serrano devoured the meal. “I met her while I was wandering, so I’m not sure where her parents are.”
“What kind of parent would let their kid wander around a place like this,” Darkrai murmured, disconcerted. He waved at the Spoink. “Hey, Serrano. Where are your parents?”
“Mom’s out on business,” Serrano replied, between bites. “Dad’s at work. I skipped school to come here.”
Everyone stared at the Spoink in stunned silence.
“Not a fan of school, are you?” Mae asked, tapping her fork on the edge of her bowl.
“No, I like school!” Serrano said brightly, “I just wanted to come here because my friend told me it was really cool. But now that you mention it, I should probably go. They might call my father, and he’ll get worried.” The Spoink looked at Arceus. “We’re friends now, so you have to come to my house sometime, okay?”
“Of course,” Arceus said, unsure of what to expect. “How will I find that?”
“I’ll send someone!” Serrano waved and hopped away before anyone could say anything else.
Darkrai watched the Spoink through the window. “I think she’ll be alright.”
“Tough kid. I’m a fan,” Mae said thoughtfully.
“So what have you been up to lately?” Darkrai asked, turning to Arceus. “From what I’ve heard, you’ve been travelling a lot.”
Arceus nodded. “Yeah, it’s been a lot.”
“Tell us, tell us!” Mae said. The Lopunny stared at Arceus expectantly.
“You don’t have to if it wasn’t pleasant,” Darkrai added.
“I’m fine talking about it, but it wasn’t great,” Arceus said, shuddering, “I’ll start from right after I left you.”
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Seyka laid on his back, staring upwards. His wings were spread on both sides, gleaming and razor sharp. The Skarmory was crying.
The Archeops standing over him groaned. “Your wing is better. You’ll be able to fly for the first time in hundreds of years and you’re crying?”
“I- I...” Seyka could barely speak in between sobs. “I hate you, Inno. I hate you. I hate you.”
“Whatever you say,” Inno replied, rolling his eyes. “I was upset that you ran away, but this is actually a good opportunity. I have some errands to run, so we’ll be here for awhile, okay?”
The Skarmory didn’t reply. His breathing was ragged, and he seemed terrified of something.
“Hey, I asked if it was okay.” The Archeops viciously kicked Seyka in the head. “You wouldn’t leave your big brother hanging, would you.”
“No,” Seyka replied quietly, “Whatever you want is fine.”
Inno sighed, reaching down and grabbing Seyka. He lifted the Skarmory off the ground, setting him down. “I know it’s stressful. But when we’re finished here, we won’t have to worry about anything again.”
Seyka sniffled, staring at Inno. “Do you promise?”
“I can’t do that,” the Archeops replied, “Promises are nothing but investments in disappointment. You know that.”
The Skarmory looked away before nodding slowly. “Sorry.”
Inno gripped Seyka’s head between his claws. “Don’t be. You’re my brother, the only thing I have left.” His expression didn’t change. “I didn’t mean to hit you like that, I’ve been frustrated, you know?”
“Yeah, I wasn’t thinking,” Seyka said meekly.
“I love you, Seyka,” Inno said, smiling slightly too wide.
“I...” Seyka hesitated, “I love you too.”
“I have to do some work by myself, but I have a place for you and everyone else to stay,” Inno said. “I’ll call you when I need you, for now, just have fun.” The Archeops pointed at Seyka’s wings. “And learn how to use those again, alright?”
Inno waved and walked off, leaving the Skarmory alone in the alley. Seyka took a deep breath and left in the opposite direction.
“Hey... Seyka,” a small voice called as he entered back onto the main thoroughfare. He looked to see a one-eyed Anorith waiting on top of a trash bin.
“Lozow!” Seyka immediately brightened. “Thanks for saving me. Where is everyone else?”
“They’re at the place Inno got,” Lozow replied. The Anorith seemed distracted by something. “How are you.”
“I’m great!” Seyka replied, flashing his wings. “Look! My wings are better now.”
“That’s good,” Lozow said quietly, “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Um, yeah? Are you having trouble believing me?” Seyka asked.
Lozow scraped the lid of the can with a claw. “Something like that I guess.” Suddenly, he slammed a claw against the trash can. “Why?” The Anorith closed his eye, his claws trembling. “Why do you let him treat you like that?”
Seyka tilted his head. “What are you talking about?”
“I saw that whole conversation,” Lozow said, enraged, “How can your brother do that to you?”
Seyka stared at the Anorith blankly.
“Are you scared of him? We’re in the city, you- you can run away again. He’ll never find you,” Lozow pleaded desperately, “At least tell me what you’re thinking. Please, Seyka!”
“Where are we staying again?” Seyka asked. He was looking at Lozow, but the Anorith felt as if the Skarmory were looking straight through him.
Lozow fell silent, all the strength leaving his body. “There’s a little hardware store nearby. We have a room over it.” The Anorith struggled to hold back tears. “If you don’t mind, can you carry me?”
“Of course!” Seyka had a gentle smile. Lozow couldn’t tell if it was real.
