- Partners
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A/N: Special thanks to my beta readers, SparklingEspeon, ShadowVulpi, and deerestove. Be sure to check out their works! Additonally, a big thank you to Adam for the special chapter header. I hope to go back and add chapter art to earlier chapters at some point. See the twitter post here.
A couple of bonus chapters have been added to the oneshot compilation, Stories They Couldn't Tell. If you enjoy this work, consider giving the bonus chapters a look
"Finding the gods?" Haru stood stiff, staring, flabbergasted at the strange zoroark in front of her. Her mouth hung open as she tried to process Susana's claim. "You… you're…"
"A zoroark, yes," Susana interrupted with a chuckle. "Once again, sorry for deceiving you. My appearance is rather frightening, isn't it?" She raised a forepaw to rub at her wild, disheveled mane. "Our job requires some degree of secrecy so I usually keep my true form hidden. Not everyone is as friendly as you, Haru."
She began to approach, and Haru took stumbling steps backwards on instinct. Susana's posture was nonthreatening, but the prey part of Haru's mind didn't like the idea of a large, strange pokemon approaching her. Especially when there was no escape route. But she forced herself to stop and held her ground. "I-I… I'm not as friendly as you think. Come any closer and you'll see how much damage these teeth can do."
The zoroark didn't seem swayed by Haru's trembling threat, but she did stop, chuffing as if she'd heard a joke.
"Goodness, I'm sorry if I've come across as threatening, Haru. Look, maybe I can make it up to you, make it clear we mean no harm. Are you hungry? Thirsty? We have carrots and bread in the way of herbivore food. We also have razzberry juice and wine."
Haru still felt an edge of hunger. But her stomach was too twisted to even think about eating right now. "I'm fine."
Susana dropped her paws to her sides and shrugged. "Suit yourself. But really, please make yourself comfortable. You can stay right there if it makes you feel safer. Just let me come by so I can unlock the small door for you. That way you can leave at any time." She took a step forward. "As you can see, none of us need it, so there was no need to unlock it."
"I'll… let me do it myself," Haru said, backing away until her rump bumped against the door. If she let Susana do it, there was a chance that she would use her illusions to make it look like she was unlocking it. If Susana was talented enough, she could still trick Haru into thinking the door was unlocked anyway. But that was less likely. And even so, doing it herself made her feel safer.
No one stopped her from unlocking the door, assuaging her fears somewhat. She turned back and crouched so that she was more comfortable, but still able to turn and flee at a moment's notice.
Susana returned to her spot by the map and took a seat, brushing her claws through her mane. "Now that that's settled, where should I start…"
"Maybe at the beginning," Haru said bluntly. "Who are you, really?"
"Oh, everything I've said so far is true." Susana stopped brushing her mane and tilted her head at Haru, ears flicking up. "We're explorers from the Expedition Society, on a mission to find out more information about both mystery dungeons and the gods. The only thing I lied about is my identity." She paused. "Well, I know we only told a partial truth before inviting you here, but there's a reason for that!"
Haru considered for a moment. "So why are you so secretive about it? I'm sure a lot of pokemon would be excited to go chasing legendaries."
"Isn't it obvious?" the raichu, Topaz, said. "Think about it. Most pokemon fear the discovery of their gods. They might say they want to find them, but they're lying to themselves. What if the gods don't live up to their expectations? What if the stories are lies? What if they don't exist at all?"
Skorch, the charizard, spoke next. "There's hundreds of stories about various gods, but we have very little hard evidence. The theory that Dialga and Palkia formed the dungeons during the historic War of the Ancients is well accepted, but even that isn't completely proven. But no one questions it, because few pokemon are ready to face the possibility that the gods aren't real. Or that, if they are, they don't really care."
Haru snorted, thinking both of her earlier conversation with Nip and the way everyone had been acting since Celebi's appearance. "You got that right."
Topaz, who had splayed out on his belly and begun tracing shapes in the floor with his tail tip, cast a glance at Remer before discerningly looking at Haru. "The way you said that makes me feel like there's something you aren't telling us."
Haru's gaze darted to the side as she tried to find a way to salvage her comment. As much as she wanted to expose Celebi for the fraud he was, something held her back. That information was for her village and her village alone. "All I mean is that there's some pokemon out there that freak out when their faith is challenged. That's all."
Topaz exchanged another look with Remer. Haru's heart pounded, threatening to burst through her chest as the silence drew on. It was Skorch that finally spoke.
"Makes enough sense, don't you guys think?"
Susana bobbed her head. "Agreed." Then she turned back to Haru. "Well, now you know why we're trying to get to the shrine. But, as you saw back in front of the temple, we haven't had much luck getting anyone to take us." She sighed, slowly slinking back to her map. She traced a line across it with one claw before looking up again.
"You said you've been there before." Her tone was leading. "Is there… any chance you could take us? Maybe even a bit further up the mountain, if time permits? I know it's a big ask, but you'd be doing us a big service. And we'd be happy to pay you for your time."
"E-excuse me?" Haru's mouth hung open as she tried to process the request. They wanted her to take them to the shrine. No, not just to the shrine, but up the mountain. They couldn't be serious.
Susana tilted her head, her ears flicking back and forth. "Goodness, what's the matter?"
It took several moments before she finally found her words. "Do… Do you realize how dangerous it is to go up there? No one goes up there anymore." Well, that wasn't totally true. Anu went up there every few cycles with a couple other guards, and there were probably wildeners that visited the shrine to pay respects, since most weren't comfortable entering the village to visit the temple itself; she couldn't remember the last time any had shown up for any of the religious festivals. But she wasn't about to say that out loud.
"You're likely to encounter territorial wildeners along the way," she continued, stamping a paw. "And don't get me started about the dangers beyond the shrine. My understanding is there's no real path up the mountain past the shrine. And you have to deal with chilling winds, large crevices, and — if you get high enough — snow and freezing temperatures. Pokemon have died trying to scale it." Her mind drifted to falling snow. A younger Muse's wails rang in her ears. Then she shook her body and forced the thoughts away.
Remer exchanged a look with Skorch before saying, "I understand your hesitations, young one. But you would be in good paws. We are well experienced with exploring dangerous locations."
"If she's never been past the shrine, then she wouldn't be able to guide us any further, would she?" Skorch interjected, addressing the girafarig. "I don't see the use in asking that of her."
Through the discussion, Susana remained quiet, her eyes closed.
Haru turned away and took a step towards the door. "Sorry, but my answer is no. I sympathize with your cause. Really, I do. But I can't justify risking my life for it."
Susana sighed. "I understand. Thank you for your time, Haru." Then she turned back to her team. "Come on, we best hit the streets again. I'm sure we can find someone in this village willing to take us."
Haru paused, about to unlatch the small door. "…I thought you were talking about looking outside the village for help before."
"Well, we're considering it," Susana admitted. "If we can't find anyone willing to help here, then we'll have to head out. But we'd prefer to work with civilized 'mon. You know how difficult it can be to work with wildeners, pokemon still beholden to their instincts, right?"
Haru lowered her paw and turned around, thoughts racing through her head as she made mental connections. All the while that dull headache from before persisted. If these explorers went asking around the village, they were bound to come across Toshi sooner or later. And he wouldn't hesitate to answer an exploration team's request.
Her mind drifted to mental images of her dying grandfather, a pokemon who made it far into the mountains, only for his traveling companions to die. A pokemon who made it back home, only to succumb to his injuries shortly after. Suddenly it wasn't her grandfather lying in front of her, struggling for breath as he told the adults of his team's demise until his body gave out, and he was silenced forever. Now it was Toshi. Bleeding and small, his eyes glassy and staring at nothing.
She couldn't let that happen.
Heart racing, she took her paw away from the handle and turned back to Susana. "Fine. Fine. You make a good point. I'll help." Susana opened her mouth to say something, but Haru cut her off with a raised paw. "But only as far as the old shrine. And only under the condition that, if you do decide to go further, you escort me back to the village first. After that, you're on your own."
"That wouldn't be a problem." Susana brought her paws up and tapped her claws together, eyes closed in a friendly squint. "How soon could you go? Is tomorrow good? We've already stocked up on supplies — except food, but we can take care of that tonight."
Tomorrow? Haru tilted her head. "Why so soon?"
Remer answered as he climbed to his feet and approached the storage chest. "We have other leads we want to follow up on afterwards, but we have to return to our branch and report our findings soon."
That's a reasonable explanation, Haru thought. She stared at him a moment longer before letting out a breath. "Alright. You have yourselves a deal."
Susana clapped twice and showed her teeth in what Haru thought was supposed to be a friendly expression. "Excellent! Where can we meet you tomorrow?"
Haru looked to the ceiling, considering. There were a few places she could think of, but some would raise questionsl. "I think the best place is… There's a bridge crossing the river, not far outside of the village. The path to the shrine branches off of the road on the other side. That would be a good place to start."
Susana bobbed her head. "Cool. We'll meet you there just after sunrise so we can get a bright and early start. Anu said it's almost a day's journey away, and we'd like to get you back home in a reasonable amount of time." She held a paw out towards Haru, paw pad facing up.
Haru stared at the paw. Susana had made this same strange gesture before. When the zoroark didn't move, she tilted her head. "What are you doing?"
Susana looked at Haru, then at her paw. "O-oh, I guess this fad hasn't reached you guys out in the boonies yet. It's called 'shaking paws.' It's kind of like… a physical promise for a verbal agreement."
"An agreement…" How strange. Still, she sat back and reached up to place her paw in the zoroark's. "Very well." They held paws for a moment, then Haru pulled away. "Now, if you'll excuse me."
She turned and reached up to push down on the handle, putting her weight against the door. As she made her way down the hall, her headache weakened to little more than a throb, and she began to think. She was going to have to tell her parents about this — at least, to some degree. They'd want to know why she was skipping work, after all.
So entrenched in her thoughts, she didn't notice the pokemon watching her as she left.
"Hey, Meaad. I need a room for two. Should only need it for a couple hours."
The simisear raised a brow, looking Vale up and down, then glanced behind him to look at Umbra. She stared back with a flat expression. After a few heartbeats, he closed his eyes, raised his hands palm-up to either side, and turned away. "Room for two? Coming right up."
Umbra continued watching him for a few more heartbeats before turning away to take in her surroundings. They were in another wooden building — one of the larger ones. On their side of the room, there was only the counter, a few plants, and an incline to a second floor. On the other side of the room, sat a pawful of matching furniture items. Chairs and tables, if she remembered the words correctly. Sunlight filtered through a handful of windows, creating patches of light throughout the room.
A couple pokemon sat at the tables, casting curious glances in her direction. She turned away and ignored them. Food scents wafted from their side of the room, and from an entryway beyond the tables. She could identify the smell of cooked meats and sickly sweet fruits. Her stomach growled, but she ignored that, too.
This room would be absolutely horrible if trouble showed up. There was the counter. Or perhaps under the tables, but they were too exposed for her liking. At least they made a makeshift weapon or shield, in a pinch.
"Ah, here we are."
The simisear's voice brought her attention back. He slid a small metal object across the counter, placing it in front of Vale. "One of you is dexterous, so I'll leave you to go to your room. Upstairs, last door on the left. Vale, if you happen to leave last, just come get me or the night staff We'll get the door locked for you. Either way, make sure to leave the key at the front when you're done." He glanced back to Umbra and smiled wryly. "Enjoy your time together."
Umbra stepped forward and grabbed the key, casting one more unamused glance at Meaad. Then she turned and made her way towards the ramp. Vale followed just behind, trotting until they were side by side.
Umbra leaned towards him and muttered into his ear, "Remind me why this is the best place for our discussion?"
Vale lowered his head and replied quietly. "Most places don't have the degree of privacy we need. I don't even trust my own home. And we can't go to the woods all the time or pokemon might get suspicious. Besides, the rumors that crop up from meeting here should provide some cover."
Umbra clenched her jaw. Right, the gross rumors he'd mentioned before. As much as she hated to admit it, he had a point. "If we want those rumors to stick, then we need to look the part," she grumbled, suppressing a shudder; if she had to act, then she would. And she considered herself quite the actress.
Glancing out of the corner of her eye, she made sure they were still being watched. Then she forced a smile, and — before he could protest — tilted her head up to nuzzle against Vale's lower jaw.
Ugh, how embarrassing. Thank Yveltal they were out of sight shortly after. At least that would get pokemon talking.
"Do not ever make me do that again," she said monotonously with a shake of her head.
"Hey, you're the one that chose to do it, don't look at me."
They said nothing more.
Halfway down the hall, a sound caught Umbra's attention. Muffled voices. One of them feminine and familiar.
She stopped. "Hold on. Does that not sound like the annoying bidoof?"
"Toshi?" Vale tilted his head. "No, but now that you mention it, it does sound sort of like Haru…"
Umbra strained her ears until she could figure out which room the sound was coming from. She approached, speaking. "Something strange is going on. Listen."
She leaned forward, pressing one ear against the door. Vale came up just behind and did similar.
"You said you've been there before," an unfamiliar, low-toned feminine voice said. "Is there… any chance you could take us? Maybe even a bit further up the mountain, if time permits?"
Umbra stole a glance at Vale. His eyes were narrow, and his lips drew back in the beginning of a silent snarl. They continued to listen for a few moments, long enough to hear Haru agree. Vale drew back and crept to the end of the hall, taking care to keep his claws from clicking against the wood. Umbra followed, smelling signs of an electrical current as she sidled up to him.
"Well?" she asked.
"This is suspicious," Vale growled. "I know that bidoof well enough to know she'd never go to the old shrine of her own free will." He looked back to the door and crouched, tail low and still. "I know we have matters to discuss, but I have a job to do. I need to deal with this first. We can make plans afterwards."
Umbra's claws twitched with frustration. This was a waste of her time. Nip was far more important than helping some pathetic little bidoof that got in over her head. Haru could get herself killed for all Umbra cared.
But at the same time, she could understand the feeling of obligation. The need to fulfill a duty. She let out a long huff, turning away. "Fine, but make it quick."
Vale dipped his head in understanding and lifted a paw. But before he could take a step, the small door swung open and Haru waddled out. Umbra and Vale froze, watching as she headed down the ramp without even noticing them.
"Now what?" Umbra asked.
"Follow my lead." Vale approached the door with that same light step, as if sneaking up on prey. Then he raised a paw to scratch at the door.
All chatter and movement stopped on the other side. There was a shuffling, then the small door creaked open, and a charmander poked her head out the door.
"Can I help you?" she asked.
Vale stood at attention, looking down at the charmander. "Yes, actually. We're with the local law enforcement. We'd just like a quick word." He glanced the charmander up and down. Sizing her up, Umbra presumed. "May we step inside?"
The charmander's brow furrowed. "If you need to, I guess. Is there a problem?" She stepped back.
"Probably not," Vale replied as he stooped and ducked through the smaller door. He jerked his head to gesture for Umbra to follow. "Just following up on a concerned inquiry from the innkeep. Said he saw a townie come up here with you guys." He glanced to the map on the floor, then at the other pokemon. You're the explorers that were staying in town, right? Could I see your badge for a moment?"
The charmander tittered. "Are you talking about Haru? She left a few moments ago, actually. You just missed her. But here you go." She picked up the badge, messing around with it for a few heartbeats before tossing it in Vale's direction. It landed on the ground with a metallic clatter.
He looked down at the badge through narrowed eyes, inspecting the surface. He sniffed it. Gave it an experimental lick. Then gingerly picked it up with his teeth and flipped it over, repeating the process.
Umbra crossed her arms, gaze flicking between Vale and the other pokemon. Subtly, she lifted her jaw, parting it in an attempt to appear larger and intimidating.
"Hmm," Vale finally said, still stooping. "This is a genuine explorer badge, alright." He stood up straight. "There's just one thing that seems off to me." He looked between the other three pokemon. "Where's your other establishing member, Miss… what was your name again?"
"Suli," the charmander answered. "And you mean Chamomile, the treeko? She's back at base, handling paperwork."
"I see. If you're Suli, that makes you the team lead? You have a lot of evolved pokemon with you for only being a charmander with a silver rank." He knocked the badge skidding across the floor in Suli's direction.
Umbra had no idea what he was talking about, but she got the idea that something was fishy about their story. The way the raichu was fidgeting backed up her thoughts.
Suli frowned and crossed her arms, tail flame flaring. "Does no one in this villiage know how to be hospitable? Seriously, do you treat all outsiders with this sort of disrespect?"
"Only ones that act suspicious," Umbra answered.
Vale bobbed his head in agreement. "Exactly. Now, if you really are who you say you are, you wouldn't mind coming down to the psychic courier to contact your branch and verify your identity, now would you?"
Umbra scanned the evolved pokemon again. The raichu was shifting uneasily again, while the charizard gave him a nervous glance. They weren't expecting to be challenged, she thought. They're lying about something, and they don't have an excuse ready.
Her attention shifted to the girafarig. Unlike the other two, he was staring at Vale with rapt attention and a serious expression. Such a serious expression, in fact, that it almost looked like…
The heartbeat it clicked in her head, she tackled Vale, sending him tumbling. A moment later, a foreign force sent her flying over him. She heard the wall splinter behind her, but it did not give.
The charmander dove for the chest, reaching for something inside. At the same time, Vale sprang back to his feet, a low growl in his throat. Umbra felt her fur stand on end heartbeats before bolts of electricity flew off of the manectric, striking everyone, including herself.
The charmander cried in pain and reeled back. And then, almost instantaneously, she was no longer a charmander, but a strange, pale-furred zoroark.
But she wasn't the only one that changed. One second, Umbra was looking at a perfectly normal charizard. The next, the two horns morphed into one. The girafarig's backside grew in size and became a dark mirror of its upper body. One side stared wide-eyed at the zoroark, the other glared at Vale
But the raichu's transformation was the most significant. Its fur turned dark orange, its ears shifting back. Horns grew from his head, and spikes appeared along his back. Umbra gaped at the raichu-like creature with undisguised shock.
Sparks danced around Vale's pelt as he fell out of his battle-ready stance. "What," he began, "the f—"
"HEY! WHAT'S GOING ON UP THERE?"
Everyone froze at the sound of the innkeeper's voice, bellowing from below. The pounding sound of a pokemon running up the ramp followed.
Vale shook out of his stupor first. He turned and raced through the door.
"Wait!" the zoroark growled, pouncing towards him.
Umbra intercepted her with a metallic headbutt, knocking her out of the air and sending her sprawling on the ground. She put one foot on the zoroark's torso, holding her second jaw up in a striking position.
"Vale, what in the blazes is going on in there?" Umbra turned her head so that she could watch Vale out of the corner of her eye, while still watching the Zoroark. She could just see the simisear steaming on the other side of Vale, through the door. "You know the rules. No fighting in the inn."
"Sorry about that, Meaad," Vale answered gruffly. He stood at attention, stiff and serious. "I had to put a sudden end to a dispute up here. Won't happen again. And if it does, I'll escort them out myself. We'll see if they like fighting after spending a night in jail."
"You have the space for that?" Meaad asked. Now he just sounded confused. Umbra wasn't surprised; Nip and Tempest wasted most of the jailspace, from the way Vale talked. There was no room for these four.
The simisear tried to lean around Vale. The zoroark gasped, then suddenly Umbra wasn't pinning her down, but instead a small, frail charmander. The other pokemon changed back to normal forms as well.
Meaad let out a huff of air and looked back at Vale. "Right. Then see to it."
Umbra heard receding footsteps, then Vale slipped back through the door, kicking it shut behind him. An invisible force shoved her, then the disguised zoroark slithered out from beneath her and scampered back to stand in front of the others.
"Now, where were we?" Vale asked, lazily looking the pokemon over. His gaze settled on the "charmander" and he clenched his jaw. "Oh, right. Listen. I got him off your tail, but that doesn't mean you're free to go. Now talk."
There was a pause, then the zoroark shed her fake form. Her teammates remained disguised, however. She tilted her head and crossed her arms, lips drawn back in a snarl. "Why should we?"
Umbra mimicked her pose, raising her back jaw overhead to show off her maw and rows of pointed teeth. "I don't think you understand the situation you're in, Zoroark."
Vale stepped forward, sparks rippling through his fur as he continued where Umbra left off. "We just caught you red-pawed with a stolen Expedition Society badge, impersonating a team. You're looking at cycles of jail time. Or worse, if I report you as attacking a guard. But I'm giving you a chance to explain yourselves. A chance to explain why you're doing this and — perhaps if your answer is satisfactory — a chance to lessen your charges."
The zoroark's expression faltered. She turned her head to look back at the rest of her team. Each nodded to her before her gaze shifted to the next. Umbra could feel a headache coming on. But to her surprise, the zoroark turned back, the rest of the illusion dropping.
"Fine," the zoroark began with a sigh. "My name is Susana. We're not explorers. We're an advance team for a group that sailed in from offshore. We made landfall a few months — moons — ago."
"Offshore?" Vale asked with a tilt of his head. "How far are we talking?"
"A whole continent," the zoroark answered.
"Preposterous," Umbra cut in. "There is no way to safely travel across the sea. The stars guide us, but the methods for transporting many pokemon would be impossible."
"I can't help it if you haven't figured out how to advance that far," Susana snarled. "Believe it or not, that's on you, but I am only speaking the truth now."
Umbra wasn't convinced, but she gestured for the zoroark to continue.
"We've been researching the gods that the pokemon on this continent follow in an effort to compare them to our own stories. And to, perhaps, further advance our society." She crossed her arms again. "But that's all you're getting out of me."
Umbra gave Vale a serious look. "So, what are you going to do?"
Vale's tail swished back and forth twice before he answered. "Take them in, I guess, for impersonating. I can write off most of the other stuff, but their explanation is unsatisfactory for that. And there's an argument to be had that they took advantage of Meaad's discounted accommodations for pokemon working for incorporated powers."
The zoroark's expression turned aggressive once again. "Now hold on—"
But before she could say more, Umbra held up a paw to stop her. "Wait. I have an idea. Clearly you four have something you're still hiding. Perhaps we can… come to an agreement."
Vale lowered his head so that it was next to Umbra's and spoke in a low tone. "What are you getting at?"
Umbra turned back to speak to him directly, keeping her second jaw facing the strange pokemon. "Think about it. The way they talk, they're in deep trouble if they get caught. We may be able to use that to our advantage. To deal with our… situation."
"Oh. I see." Vale's tail stuck out stiffly behind him. "But which part?"
"Nip. We can discuss how to get back at Jhorlo separately. Though we may be able to twist this to make him look bad."
"You know I can hear everything you're saying, right?" Susana interjected.
Vale exchanged one last serious glance with Umbra, then straightened up as she turned. "Good," he began. "Then you should understand your situation. You help us with something and get out of town, we pretend none of this happened."
The raichu-like creature glared at him through narrowed eyes. "And why should we? There's four of us and only two of you. We could just knock you out and get out of here on our own.
"And there's at least four pokemon below us that would come running at the sound of battle," Umbra responded nonchalantly. She had a feeling it was a bluff; most of the pokemon here were far too soft to get involved. But it still got her point across. "And if you run off, then you don't get to go to the shrine like you wanted."
"That's right," Vale added, taking a threatening step forward. "And what do you think happens to pokemon that attack a guard? I'll give you a hint. I've always wondered what zoroark tastes like."
Susana froze, eyes wide. The false raichu was less restrained. "You're sick!" he shouted, sparks flying from his cheek-sacs.
But neither Umbra nor Vale acknowledged him. Instead, they kept their eyes on Susana.
"F-fine. Fine," she finally said, ears laying flat against her skull. "What are your demands?"
Umbra grinned, showing her fangs as she stepped forward. "We have a certain… troublesome pokemon locked up here. A sneasel. I need him… gotten rid of. Killed, for his crimes against my kin. But the village has been too soft on him. You capture him for me, so I can finish the job, and this little incident stays quiet."
"Where is the sneasel?" the charizard asked. "Just in the jail?"
"He works various community service jobs during the day," Vale answered. "But we keep him locked in the jail at night, along with a ninetales. If you get rid of the ninetales, too, great. But I'm less concerned about him."
Susana mulled it over a minute, reaching up to scratch behind her ear. "Seems like a reasonable deal. There's just one problem. We're leaving tomorrow. So if you want to make this work, it best be fast."
"What?" Sparks bounced out of Vale's fur, dying away on the floor as he crouched. "What happened to bringing the bidoof back?"
"Oh, that?" Susana didn't miss a beat. "Skorch here" — she gestured to the charizard — "was going to fly her back when we were done, while the rest of us prepare to scale up the mountain."
"That's a fool's errand," Vale warned, though he returned to a neutral stance. "Going up the mountain, I mean. More capable pokemon than I have perished on the climb. But if you insist, well, it seems like a reasonable plan."
Umbra couldn't care less what they did with the bidoof. For all she cared, they could take her back or leave her to starve, so long as Nip was captured. She crossed her arms and tilted her head, so that she was staring Susana in the eye. "Well? Do we have a deal?"
"What do you guys think?" Susana turned back to her team. "Topaz? Skorch?"
"No issues," the fake raichu answered.
"None from me," Skorch replied. "Remer?"
The girafarig shifted in his nest. "I think we should come to a compromise." Both heads looked directly at Umbra. Her skin crawled as she stared back at the unnatural pokemon, but she refused to let it show.
"You want the sneasel," he continued, "and we want up the mountain without interruption. I say we nab the sneasel and take him with us up the mountain. Alive. If we return empty-pawed, or don't return at all, then you can rat us out. But this gives us… insurance that you'll keep your word."
Umbra scowled, narrowing her eyes. "I refuse to let that waste of breath, that blight on Yveltal's good name, leave my sight."
"Then what do you suggest?" Susana asked flatly.
Umbra's simplest answer was that she just refused to compromise, flat out. But she suspected that would not go over well. So instead, she found a separate option. "I will accompany you. I care not what you're doing, nor how long it takes, so long as I am able to finish him at the end." Perhaps she shouldn't be so single-minded. But she was sick of waiting.
The false explorers shared a glance between each other. No words were spoken, but they clearly were of a single mind. Finally, Susana turned back.
"Fine, that can be arranged."
"There's one possible issue," Topaz said, raising a paw. "What about the bidoof? How is she going to react to all this?"
"I doubt she'll raise a stink," Vale answered. "She doesn't like the sneasel either. She doesn't want him here and she wants him to see real justice as much as we do."
Umbra wasn't entirely convinced. The bidoof had tried to stop her before, when they'd first tried to catch Nip. But that was also before his crimes were proven. Perhaps it would be different now.
Skorch's voice brought her attention back to the conversation. "We can do a trade off, if needed. So long as we're careful. With a bit of direction, I can fly to catch up, covertly pass off the sneasel, while Haru is distracted at the shrine, then fly her back."
Susana tilted her head. "It's risky, but I suppose that works."
"What about Jhorlo?" Vale's voice came in a low tone, just beside her ear.
She could care less about Jhorlo. Once she was out of here, he was Vale's problem. But she had a feeling he wouldn't appreciate that answer. "We can discuss that privately. I don't think we can expect help for that one from these pokemon."
Vale seemed satisfied enough with the answer, as he stood up. "Seems reasonable," he said to the others. "Then do we have a deal?"
Susana bobbed her head. "I believe we do." Then she took a seat, picking up a map that had been left on the ground. "Now, what do you have in mind?"
A couple of bonus chapters have been added to the oneshot compilation, Stories They Couldn't Tell. If you enjoy this work, consider giving the bonus chapters a look
"Finding the gods?" Haru stood stiff, staring, flabbergasted at the strange zoroark in front of her. Her mouth hung open as she tried to process Susana's claim. "You… you're…"
"A zoroark, yes," Susana interrupted with a chuckle. "Once again, sorry for deceiving you. My appearance is rather frightening, isn't it?" She raised a forepaw to rub at her wild, disheveled mane. "Our job requires some degree of secrecy so I usually keep my true form hidden. Not everyone is as friendly as you, Haru."
She began to approach, and Haru took stumbling steps backwards on instinct. Susana's posture was nonthreatening, but the prey part of Haru's mind didn't like the idea of a large, strange pokemon approaching her. Especially when there was no escape route. But she forced herself to stop and held her ground. "I-I… I'm not as friendly as you think. Come any closer and you'll see how much damage these teeth can do."
The zoroark didn't seem swayed by Haru's trembling threat, but she did stop, chuffing as if she'd heard a joke.
"Goodness, I'm sorry if I've come across as threatening, Haru. Look, maybe I can make it up to you, make it clear we mean no harm. Are you hungry? Thirsty? We have carrots and bread in the way of herbivore food. We also have razzberry juice and wine."
Haru still felt an edge of hunger. But her stomach was too twisted to even think about eating right now. "I'm fine."
Susana dropped her paws to her sides and shrugged. "Suit yourself. But really, please make yourself comfortable. You can stay right there if it makes you feel safer. Just let me come by so I can unlock the small door for you. That way you can leave at any time." She took a step forward. "As you can see, none of us need it, so there was no need to unlock it."
"I'll… let me do it myself," Haru said, backing away until her rump bumped against the door. If she let Susana do it, there was a chance that she would use her illusions to make it look like she was unlocking it. If Susana was talented enough, she could still trick Haru into thinking the door was unlocked anyway. But that was less likely. And even so, doing it herself made her feel safer.
No one stopped her from unlocking the door, assuaging her fears somewhat. She turned back and crouched so that she was more comfortable, but still able to turn and flee at a moment's notice.
Susana returned to her spot by the map and took a seat, brushing her claws through her mane. "Now that that's settled, where should I start…"
"Maybe at the beginning," Haru said bluntly. "Who are you, really?"
"Oh, everything I've said so far is true." Susana stopped brushing her mane and tilted her head at Haru, ears flicking up. "We're explorers from the Expedition Society, on a mission to find out more information about both mystery dungeons and the gods. The only thing I lied about is my identity." She paused. "Well, I know we only told a partial truth before inviting you here, but there's a reason for that!"
Haru considered for a moment. "So why are you so secretive about it? I'm sure a lot of pokemon would be excited to go chasing legendaries."
"Isn't it obvious?" the raichu, Topaz, said. "Think about it. Most pokemon fear the discovery of their gods. They might say they want to find them, but they're lying to themselves. What if the gods don't live up to their expectations? What if the stories are lies? What if they don't exist at all?"
Skorch, the charizard, spoke next. "There's hundreds of stories about various gods, but we have very little hard evidence. The theory that Dialga and Palkia formed the dungeons during the historic War of the Ancients is well accepted, but even that isn't completely proven. But no one questions it, because few pokemon are ready to face the possibility that the gods aren't real. Or that, if they are, they don't really care."
Haru snorted, thinking both of her earlier conversation with Nip and the way everyone had been acting since Celebi's appearance. "You got that right."
Topaz, who had splayed out on his belly and begun tracing shapes in the floor with his tail tip, cast a glance at Remer before discerningly looking at Haru. "The way you said that makes me feel like there's something you aren't telling us."
Haru's gaze darted to the side as she tried to find a way to salvage her comment. As much as she wanted to expose Celebi for the fraud he was, something held her back. That information was for her village and her village alone. "All I mean is that there's some pokemon out there that freak out when their faith is challenged. That's all."
Topaz exchanged another look with Remer. Haru's heart pounded, threatening to burst through her chest as the silence drew on. It was Skorch that finally spoke.
"Makes enough sense, don't you guys think?"
Susana bobbed her head. "Agreed." Then she turned back to Haru. "Well, now you know why we're trying to get to the shrine. But, as you saw back in front of the temple, we haven't had much luck getting anyone to take us." She sighed, slowly slinking back to her map. She traced a line across it with one claw before looking up again.
"You said you've been there before." Her tone was leading. "Is there… any chance you could take us? Maybe even a bit further up the mountain, if time permits? I know it's a big ask, but you'd be doing us a big service. And we'd be happy to pay you for your time."
"E-excuse me?" Haru's mouth hung open as she tried to process the request. They wanted her to take them to the shrine. No, not just to the shrine, but up the mountain. They couldn't be serious.
Susana tilted her head, her ears flicking back and forth. "Goodness, what's the matter?"
It took several moments before she finally found her words. "Do… Do you realize how dangerous it is to go up there? No one goes up there anymore." Well, that wasn't totally true. Anu went up there every few cycles with a couple other guards, and there were probably wildeners that visited the shrine to pay respects, since most weren't comfortable entering the village to visit the temple itself; she couldn't remember the last time any had shown up for any of the religious festivals. But she wasn't about to say that out loud.
"You're likely to encounter territorial wildeners along the way," she continued, stamping a paw. "And don't get me started about the dangers beyond the shrine. My understanding is there's no real path up the mountain past the shrine. And you have to deal with chilling winds, large crevices, and — if you get high enough — snow and freezing temperatures. Pokemon have died trying to scale it." Her mind drifted to falling snow. A younger Muse's wails rang in her ears. Then she shook her body and forced the thoughts away.
Remer exchanged a look with Skorch before saying, "I understand your hesitations, young one. But you would be in good paws. We are well experienced with exploring dangerous locations."
"If she's never been past the shrine, then she wouldn't be able to guide us any further, would she?" Skorch interjected, addressing the girafarig. "I don't see the use in asking that of her."
Through the discussion, Susana remained quiet, her eyes closed.
Haru turned away and took a step towards the door. "Sorry, but my answer is no. I sympathize with your cause. Really, I do. But I can't justify risking my life for it."
Susana sighed. "I understand. Thank you for your time, Haru." Then she turned back to her team. "Come on, we best hit the streets again. I'm sure we can find someone in this village willing to take us."
Haru paused, about to unlatch the small door. "…I thought you were talking about looking outside the village for help before."
"Well, we're considering it," Susana admitted. "If we can't find anyone willing to help here, then we'll have to head out. But we'd prefer to work with civilized 'mon. You know how difficult it can be to work with wildeners, pokemon still beholden to their instincts, right?"
Haru lowered her paw and turned around, thoughts racing through her head as she made mental connections. All the while that dull headache from before persisted. If these explorers went asking around the village, they were bound to come across Toshi sooner or later. And he wouldn't hesitate to answer an exploration team's request.
Her mind drifted to mental images of her dying grandfather, a pokemon who made it far into the mountains, only for his traveling companions to die. A pokemon who made it back home, only to succumb to his injuries shortly after. Suddenly it wasn't her grandfather lying in front of her, struggling for breath as he told the adults of his team's demise until his body gave out, and he was silenced forever. Now it was Toshi. Bleeding and small, his eyes glassy and staring at nothing.
She couldn't let that happen.
Heart racing, she took her paw away from the handle and turned back to Susana. "Fine. Fine. You make a good point. I'll help." Susana opened her mouth to say something, but Haru cut her off with a raised paw. "But only as far as the old shrine. And only under the condition that, if you do decide to go further, you escort me back to the village first. After that, you're on your own."
"That wouldn't be a problem." Susana brought her paws up and tapped her claws together, eyes closed in a friendly squint. "How soon could you go? Is tomorrow good? We've already stocked up on supplies — except food, but we can take care of that tonight."
Tomorrow? Haru tilted her head. "Why so soon?"
Remer answered as he climbed to his feet and approached the storage chest. "We have other leads we want to follow up on afterwards, but we have to return to our branch and report our findings soon."
That's a reasonable explanation, Haru thought. She stared at him a moment longer before letting out a breath. "Alright. You have yourselves a deal."
Susana clapped twice and showed her teeth in what Haru thought was supposed to be a friendly expression. "Excellent! Where can we meet you tomorrow?"
Haru looked to the ceiling, considering. There were a few places she could think of, but some would raise questionsl. "I think the best place is… There's a bridge crossing the river, not far outside of the village. The path to the shrine branches off of the road on the other side. That would be a good place to start."
Susana bobbed her head. "Cool. We'll meet you there just after sunrise so we can get a bright and early start. Anu said it's almost a day's journey away, and we'd like to get you back home in a reasonable amount of time." She held a paw out towards Haru, paw pad facing up.
Haru stared at the paw. Susana had made this same strange gesture before. When the zoroark didn't move, she tilted her head. "What are you doing?"
Susana looked at Haru, then at her paw. "O-oh, I guess this fad hasn't reached you guys out in the boonies yet. It's called 'shaking paws.' It's kind of like… a physical promise for a verbal agreement."
"An agreement…" How strange. Still, she sat back and reached up to place her paw in the zoroark's. "Very well." They held paws for a moment, then Haru pulled away. "Now, if you'll excuse me."
She turned and reached up to push down on the handle, putting her weight against the door. As she made her way down the hall, her headache weakened to little more than a throb, and she began to think. She was going to have to tell her parents about this — at least, to some degree. They'd want to know why she was skipping work, after all.
So entrenched in her thoughts, she didn't notice the pokemon watching her as she left.
"Hey, Meaad. I need a room for two. Should only need it for a couple hours."
The simisear raised a brow, looking Vale up and down, then glanced behind him to look at Umbra. She stared back with a flat expression. After a few heartbeats, he closed his eyes, raised his hands palm-up to either side, and turned away. "Room for two? Coming right up."
Umbra continued watching him for a few more heartbeats before turning away to take in her surroundings. They were in another wooden building — one of the larger ones. On their side of the room, there was only the counter, a few plants, and an incline to a second floor. On the other side of the room, sat a pawful of matching furniture items. Chairs and tables, if she remembered the words correctly. Sunlight filtered through a handful of windows, creating patches of light throughout the room.
A couple pokemon sat at the tables, casting curious glances in her direction. She turned away and ignored them. Food scents wafted from their side of the room, and from an entryway beyond the tables. She could identify the smell of cooked meats and sickly sweet fruits. Her stomach growled, but she ignored that, too.
This room would be absolutely horrible if trouble showed up. There was the counter. Or perhaps under the tables, but they were too exposed for her liking. At least they made a makeshift weapon or shield, in a pinch.
"Ah, here we are."
The simisear's voice brought her attention back. He slid a small metal object across the counter, placing it in front of Vale. "One of you is dexterous, so I'll leave you to go to your room. Upstairs, last door on the left. Vale, if you happen to leave last, just come get me or the night staff We'll get the door locked for you. Either way, make sure to leave the key at the front when you're done." He glanced back to Umbra and smiled wryly. "Enjoy your time together."
Umbra stepped forward and grabbed the key, casting one more unamused glance at Meaad. Then she turned and made her way towards the ramp. Vale followed just behind, trotting until they were side by side.
Umbra leaned towards him and muttered into his ear, "Remind me why this is the best place for our discussion?"
Vale lowered his head and replied quietly. "Most places don't have the degree of privacy we need. I don't even trust my own home. And we can't go to the woods all the time or pokemon might get suspicious. Besides, the rumors that crop up from meeting here should provide some cover."
Umbra clenched her jaw. Right, the gross rumors he'd mentioned before. As much as she hated to admit it, he had a point. "If we want those rumors to stick, then we need to look the part," she grumbled, suppressing a shudder; if she had to act, then she would. And she considered herself quite the actress.
Glancing out of the corner of her eye, she made sure they were still being watched. Then she forced a smile, and — before he could protest — tilted her head up to nuzzle against Vale's lower jaw.
Ugh, how embarrassing. Thank Yveltal they were out of sight shortly after. At least that would get pokemon talking.
"Do not ever make me do that again," she said monotonously with a shake of her head.
"Hey, you're the one that chose to do it, don't look at me."
They said nothing more.
Halfway down the hall, a sound caught Umbra's attention. Muffled voices. One of them feminine and familiar.
She stopped. "Hold on. Does that not sound like the annoying bidoof?"
"Toshi?" Vale tilted his head. "No, but now that you mention it, it does sound sort of like Haru…"
Umbra strained her ears until she could figure out which room the sound was coming from. She approached, speaking. "Something strange is going on. Listen."
She leaned forward, pressing one ear against the door. Vale came up just behind and did similar.
"You said you've been there before," an unfamiliar, low-toned feminine voice said. "Is there… any chance you could take us? Maybe even a bit further up the mountain, if time permits?"
Umbra stole a glance at Vale. His eyes were narrow, and his lips drew back in the beginning of a silent snarl. They continued to listen for a few moments, long enough to hear Haru agree. Vale drew back and crept to the end of the hall, taking care to keep his claws from clicking against the wood. Umbra followed, smelling signs of an electrical current as she sidled up to him.
"Well?" she asked.
"This is suspicious," Vale growled. "I know that bidoof well enough to know she'd never go to the old shrine of her own free will." He looked back to the door and crouched, tail low and still. "I know we have matters to discuss, but I have a job to do. I need to deal with this first. We can make plans afterwards."
Umbra's claws twitched with frustration. This was a waste of her time. Nip was far more important than helping some pathetic little bidoof that got in over her head. Haru could get herself killed for all Umbra cared.
But at the same time, she could understand the feeling of obligation. The need to fulfill a duty. She let out a long huff, turning away. "Fine, but make it quick."
Vale dipped his head in understanding and lifted a paw. But before he could take a step, the small door swung open and Haru waddled out. Umbra and Vale froze, watching as she headed down the ramp without even noticing them.
"Now what?" Umbra asked.
"Follow my lead." Vale approached the door with that same light step, as if sneaking up on prey. Then he raised a paw to scratch at the door.
All chatter and movement stopped on the other side. There was a shuffling, then the small door creaked open, and a charmander poked her head out the door.
"Can I help you?" she asked.
Vale stood at attention, looking down at the charmander. "Yes, actually. We're with the local law enforcement. We'd just like a quick word." He glanced the charmander up and down. Sizing her up, Umbra presumed. "May we step inside?"
The charmander's brow furrowed. "If you need to, I guess. Is there a problem?" She stepped back.
"Probably not," Vale replied as he stooped and ducked through the smaller door. He jerked his head to gesture for Umbra to follow. "Just following up on a concerned inquiry from the innkeep. Said he saw a townie come up here with you guys." He glanced to the map on the floor, then at the other pokemon. You're the explorers that were staying in town, right? Could I see your badge for a moment?"
The charmander tittered. "Are you talking about Haru? She left a few moments ago, actually. You just missed her. But here you go." She picked up the badge, messing around with it for a few heartbeats before tossing it in Vale's direction. It landed on the ground with a metallic clatter.
He looked down at the badge through narrowed eyes, inspecting the surface. He sniffed it. Gave it an experimental lick. Then gingerly picked it up with his teeth and flipped it over, repeating the process.
Umbra crossed her arms, gaze flicking between Vale and the other pokemon. Subtly, she lifted her jaw, parting it in an attempt to appear larger and intimidating.
"Hmm," Vale finally said, still stooping. "This is a genuine explorer badge, alright." He stood up straight. "There's just one thing that seems off to me." He looked between the other three pokemon. "Where's your other establishing member, Miss… what was your name again?"
"Suli," the charmander answered. "And you mean Chamomile, the treeko? She's back at base, handling paperwork."
"I see. If you're Suli, that makes you the team lead? You have a lot of evolved pokemon with you for only being a charmander with a silver rank." He knocked the badge skidding across the floor in Suli's direction.
Umbra had no idea what he was talking about, but she got the idea that something was fishy about their story. The way the raichu was fidgeting backed up her thoughts.
Suli frowned and crossed her arms, tail flame flaring. "Does no one in this villiage know how to be hospitable? Seriously, do you treat all outsiders with this sort of disrespect?"
"Only ones that act suspicious," Umbra answered.
Vale bobbed his head in agreement. "Exactly. Now, if you really are who you say you are, you wouldn't mind coming down to the psychic courier to contact your branch and verify your identity, now would you?"
Umbra scanned the evolved pokemon again. The raichu was shifting uneasily again, while the charizard gave him a nervous glance. They weren't expecting to be challenged, she thought. They're lying about something, and they don't have an excuse ready.
Her attention shifted to the girafarig. Unlike the other two, he was staring at Vale with rapt attention and a serious expression. Such a serious expression, in fact, that it almost looked like…
The heartbeat it clicked in her head, she tackled Vale, sending him tumbling. A moment later, a foreign force sent her flying over him. She heard the wall splinter behind her, but it did not give.
The charmander dove for the chest, reaching for something inside. At the same time, Vale sprang back to his feet, a low growl in his throat. Umbra felt her fur stand on end heartbeats before bolts of electricity flew off of the manectric, striking everyone, including herself.
The charmander cried in pain and reeled back. And then, almost instantaneously, she was no longer a charmander, but a strange, pale-furred zoroark.
But she wasn't the only one that changed. One second, Umbra was looking at a perfectly normal charizard. The next, the two horns morphed into one. The girafarig's backside grew in size and became a dark mirror of its upper body. One side stared wide-eyed at the zoroark, the other glared at Vale
But the raichu's transformation was the most significant. Its fur turned dark orange, its ears shifting back. Horns grew from his head, and spikes appeared along his back. Umbra gaped at the raichu-like creature with undisguised shock.
Sparks danced around Vale's pelt as he fell out of his battle-ready stance. "What," he began, "the f—"
"HEY! WHAT'S GOING ON UP THERE?"
Everyone froze at the sound of the innkeeper's voice, bellowing from below. The pounding sound of a pokemon running up the ramp followed.
Vale shook out of his stupor first. He turned and raced through the door.
"Wait!" the zoroark growled, pouncing towards him.
Umbra intercepted her with a metallic headbutt, knocking her out of the air and sending her sprawling on the ground. She put one foot on the zoroark's torso, holding her second jaw up in a striking position.
"Vale, what in the blazes is going on in there?" Umbra turned her head so that she could watch Vale out of the corner of her eye, while still watching the Zoroark. She could just see the simisear steaming on the other side of Vale, through the door. "You know the rules. No fighting in the inn."
"Sorry about that, Meaad," Vale answered gruffly. He stood at attention, stiff and serious. "I had to put a sudden end to a dispute up here. Won't happen again. And if it does, I'll escort them out myself. We'll see if they like fighting after spending a night in jail."
"You have the space for that?" Meaad asked. Now he just sounded confused. Umbra wasn't surprised; Nip and Tempest wasted most of the jailspace, from the way Vale talked. There was no room for these four.
The simisear tried to lean around Vale. The zoroark gasped, then suddenly Umbra wasn't pinning her down, but instead a small, frail charmander. The other pokemon changed back to normal forms as well.
Meaad let out a huff of air and looked back at Vale. "Right. Then see to it."
Umbra heard receding footsteps, then Vale slipped back through the door, kicking it shut behind him. An invisible force shoved her, then the disguised zoroark slithered out from beneath her and scampered back to stand in front of the others.
"Now, where were we?" Vale asked, lazily looking the pokemon over. His gaze settled on the "charmander" and he clenched his jaw. "Oh, right. Listen. I got him off your tail, but that doesn't mean you're free to go. Now talk."
There was a pause, then the zoroark shed her fake form. Her teammates remained disguised, however. She tilted her head and crossed her arms, lips drawn back in a snarl. "Why should we?"
Umbra mimicked her pose, raising her back jaw overhead to show off her maw and rows of pointed teeth. "I don't think you understand the situation you're in, Zoroark."
Vale stepped forward, sparks rippling through his fur as he continued where Umbra left off. "We just caught you red-pawed with a stolen Expedition Society badge, impersonating a team. You're looking at cycles of jail time. Or worse, if I report you as attacking a guard. But I'm giving you a chance to explain yourselves. A chance to explain why you're doing this and — perhaps if your answer is satisfactory — a chance to lessen your charges."
The zoroark's expression faltered. She turned her head to look back at the rest of her team. Each nodded to her before her gaze shifted to the next. Umbra could feel a headache coming on. But to her surprise, the zoroark turned back, the rest of the illusion dropping.
"Fine," the zoroark began with a sigh. "My name is Susana. We're not explorers. We're an advance team for a group that sailed in from offshore. We made landfall a few months — moons — ago."
"Offshore?" Vale asked with a tilt of his head. "How far are we talking?"
"A whole continent," the zoroark answered.
"Preposterous," Umbra cut in. "There is no way to safely travel across the sea. The stars guide us, but the methods for transporting many pokemon would be impossible."
"I can't help it if you haven't figured out how to advance that far," Susana snarled. "Believe it or not, that's on you, but I am only speaking the truth now."
Umbra wasn't convinced, but she gestured for the zoroark to continue.
"We've been researching the gods that the pokemon on this continent follow in an effort to compare them to our own stories. And to, perhaps, further advance our society." She crossed her arms again. "But that's all you're getting out of me."
Umbra gave Vale a serious look. "So, what are you going to do?"
Vale's tail swished back and forth twice before he answered. "Take them in, I guess, for impersonating. I can write off most of the other stuff, but their explanation is unsatisfactory for that. And there's an argument to be had that they took advantage of Meaad's discounted accommodations for pokemon working for incorporated powers."
The zoroark's expression turned aggressive once again. "Now hold on—"
But before she could say more, Umbra held up a paw to stop her. "Wait. I have an idea. Clearly you four have something you're still hiding. Perhaps we can… come to an agreement."
Vale lowered his head so that it was next to Umbra's and spoke in a low tone. "What are you getting at?"
Umbra turned back to speak to him directly, keeping her second jaw facing the strange pokemon. "Think about it. The way they talk, they're in deep trouble if they get caught. We may be able to use that to our advantage. To deal with our… situation."
"Oh. I see." Vale's tail stuck out stiffly behind him. "But which part?"
"Nip. We can discuss how to get back at Jhorlo separately. Though we may be able to twist this to make him look bad."
"You know I can hear everything you're saying, right?" Susana interjected.
Vale exchanged one last serious glance with Umbra, then straightened up as she turned. "Good," he began. "Then you should understand your situation. You help us with something and get out of town, we pretend none of this happened."
The raichu-like creature glared at him through narrowed eyes. "And why should we? There's four of us and only two of you. We could just knock you out and get out of here on our own.
"And there's at least four pokemon below us that would come running at the sound of battle," Umbra responded nonchalantly. She had a feeling it was a bluff; most of the pokemon here were far too soft to get involved. But it still got her point across. "And if you run off, then you don't get to go to the shrine like you wanted."
"That's right," Vale added, taking a threatening step forward. "And what do you think happens to pokemon that attack a guard? I'll give you a hint. I've always wondered what zoroark tastes like."
Susana froze, eyes wide. The false raichu was less restrained. "You're sick!" he shouted, sparks flying from his cheek-sacs.
But neither Umbra nor Vale acknowledged him. Instead, they kept their eyes on Susana.
"F-fine. Fine," she finally said, ears laying flat against her skull. "What are your demands?"
Umbra grinned, showing her fangs as she stepped forward. "We have a certain… troublesome pokemon locked up here. A sneasel. I need him… gotten rid of. Killed, for his crimes against my kin. But the village has been too soft on him. You capture him for me, so I can finish the job, and this little incident stays quiet."
"Where is the sneasel?" the charizard asked. "Just in the jail?"
"He works various community service jobs during the day," Vale answered. "But we keep him locked in the jail at night, along with a ninetales. If you get rid of the ninetales, too, great. But I'm less concerned about him."
Susana mulled it over a minute, reaching up to scratch behind her ear. "Seems like a reasonable deal. There's just one problem. We're leaving tomorrow. So if you want to make this work, it best be fast."
"What?" Sparks bounced out of Vale's fur, dying away on the floor as he crouched. "What happened to bringing the bidoof back?"
"Oh, that?" Susana didn't miss a beat. "Skorch here" — she gestured to the charizard — "was going to fly her back when we were done, while the rest of us prepare to scale up the mountain."
"That's a fool's errand," Vale warned, though he returned to a neutral stance. "Going up the mountain, I mean. More capable pokemon than I have perished on the climb. But if you insist, well, it seems like a reasonable plan."
Umbra couldn't care less what they did with the bidoof. For all she cared, they could take her back or leave her to starve, so long as Nip was captured. She crossed her arms and tilted her head, so that she was staring Susana in the eye. "Well? Do we have a deal?"
"What do you guys think?" Susana turned back to her team. "Topaz? Skorch?"
"No issues," the fake raichu answered.
"None from me," Skorch replied. "Remer?"
The girafarig shifted in his nest. "I think we should come to a compromise." Both heads looked directly at Umbra. Her skin crawled as she stared back at the unnatural pokemon, but she refused to let it show.
"You want the sneasel," he continued, "and we want up the mountain without interruption. I say we nab the sneasel and take him with us up the mountain. Alive. If we return empty-pawed, or don't return at all, then you can rat us out. But this gives us… insurance that you'll keep your word."
Umbra scowled, narrowing her eyes. "I refuse to let that waste of breath, that blight on Yveltal's good name, leave my sight."
"Then what do you suggest?" Susana asked flatly.
Umbra's simplest answer was that she just refused to compromise, flat out. But she suspected that would not go over well. So instead, she found a separate option. "I will accompany you. I care not what you're doing, nor how long it takes, so long as I am able to finish him at the end." Perhaps she shouldn't be so single-minded. But she was sick of waiting.
The false explorers shared a glance between each other. No words were spoken, but they clearly were of a single mind. Finally, Susana turned back.
"Fine, that can be arranged."
"There's one possible issue," Topaz said, raising a paw. "What about the bidoof? How is she going to react to all this?"
"I doubt she'll raise a stink," Vale answered. "She doesn't like the sneasel either. She doesn't want him here and she wants him to see real justice as much as we do."
Umbra wasn't entirely convinced. The bidoof had tried to stop her before, when they'd first tried to catch Nip. But that was also before his crimes were proven. Perhaps it would be different now.
Skorch's voice brought her attention back to the conversation. "We can do a trade off, if needed. So long as we're careful. With a bit of direction, I can fly to catch up, covertly pass off the sneasel, while Haru is distracted at the shrine, then fly her back."
Susana tilted her head. "It's risky, but I suppose that works."
"What about Jhorlo?" Vale's voice came in a low tone, just beside her ear.
She could care less about Jhorlo. Once she was out of here, he was Vale's problem. But she had a feeling he wouldn't appreciate that answer. "We can discuss that privately. I don't think we can expect help for that one from these pokemon."
Vale seemed satisfied enough with the answer, as he stood up. "Seems reasonable," he said to the others. "Then do we have a deal?"
Susana bobbed her head. "I believe we do." Then she took a seat, picking up a map that had been left on the ground. "Now, what do you have in mind?"