Kunolo Island - Main Hall Banquet

[Negrek]

Must have been? Mightyena's ears flattened in dismay. "You don't remember what happened at all, then? Can you tell me the last thing that happened that you do remember?"

Nate, seeing only the nod and having none of the context, bulled straight along. "Okay, so what are you wor--ow!"

He was brought up short when Mightyena, who felt she had a better grasp on the situation, lunged for him and gave him a sharp nip on the hand. "I'm sorry," she said, turning back to Clink. "It seems my trainer's become injured again. Could you show us the way to the infirmary? I don't remember how to get there from here." Her tail wagged faintly, two quick twitches. Nate watched her and rubbed his hand, scowling mightily.

 

[Flyg0n]

"Oh my, your poor hand," Clink fretted. "Yes, I can take you there. But we should be careful. Wouldn't want us to get attacked again, you know?" they said. "In case someone is still after us." They shifted their gaze back down below, where Xavian and Orzo were, and seemed to be casually watching, or perhaps contemplating something...

Turning away, they looked back at Mightyena. "Oh, I can draw you a map to the infirmary! Do you think you could tell you trainer that somehow?"

 

[Negrek]

Mightyena pawed lightly at the ground, a gesture of faint embarrassment. "I don't think so, unfortunately. My trainer isn't one who can understand what I say, and he has a lot more trouble understanding flat things than most humans, for some reason."

 

[Flyg0n]

"Don't worry, I am sure I can ask someone to show you to the infirmary. But it seems a shame to continue to discuss such grim topics..." Clink seemed to falter midair, landing on Mightyena's back for a moment. "I'm sorry, I am still weak from the poison." Their voice seemed unusually loud, not immediately noticeable but still odd, given how close they were to Mightyena, and perhaps even stranger they almost seemed to not even be speaking to Mightyena.

And then, unexpectedly, they spoke again, this time in in a rushed whisper right into Mightyena's ear. Their voice was so soft it was nearly inaudible.

'I'm sorry for the subterfuge, I fear the kidnapper might be watching even now... I must be cautious. I have been telling everyone I don't remember anything, but I do. I cannot risk this kidnapper finding out I remember anything. I don't have long, and I don't want to raise suspicion, but I'll try to tell you what I know.

"Please, let us speak of something cheerful! Tell me about your trainer, you seem so close to him," they continued, speaking in a normal voice.

'First, I believe the poison was not intended for me. I thought I spotted a Roserade. I think they poisoned me, but on accident.'

 

[Negrek]

Mightyena tensed when the klefki dropped onto her back--and she didn't exactly relax when they started whispering in her ear. Like she hadn't been worried enough before.

Mightyena wished there was some way to signal back to Clink that she understood, or ask a question, but she couldn't think of anything. It would be so much easier if she knew how to write--if Clink even knew how to read. For now, she settled for nodding her head slightly, in hopes that it would encourage the klefki to go on.

"Oh, Nate?" she said. "Well..." It was nice, at least, to focus on something other than the kidnappings. Or half focus, anyway. She had to listen, even while she was talking. At least she had plenty of stories about Nate, and she could tell any of them without paying too much attention. "Well, Nate has two rock pokémon back at home. I wish they were here, but... I guess it's better that they didn't come. Anyway, they love rocks and they love to talk about rocks, and they eat rocks, too! Plus they think that everybody else likes rocks, because those are the only things they understand. So they keep giving Nate rocks because they think he likes them and wants to eat them. But he doesn't understand rocks at all! He never wants to get rid of them, though, because his pokémon thought he would like them, and they get so happy if he brings one from a while ago out to show he still has it. But he doesn't have many places to actually put rocks, either, especially the big ones, because... well, nobody has space for that many rocks. So one day, the two of us went out into the forest with as many of his rocks as we could carry..."

Nate gave the pokémon an odd look when Clink went to sit on Mightyena, but who knew, the klefki had every right to be tired. They were still gabbing away. "Well, whatever, then," Nate muttered, going forward to lean against the front of the balcony, looking out over the banquet hall below. A banquet hall that was, by this point, looking ridiculously oustized for the number of people in it.

 

[Flyg0n]

Clink chuckled, genuinely, as Mightyena told her tale. "Nate sounds very kind. Xavian is very nice too, he would spend hours in the library reading to me, even stories he wasn't very interested in."

In between Mightyena's story, Clink slipped in a few words, whispered quietly.

'I woke up in the night and I went to balcony. Then I saw Orzo heading out. I was worried about him, so I decided to follow him.'

'I headed into the forest but I lost sight of him. I thought I saw something ahead, but just when I got close, someone attacked. I remember getting hit by a big electrical attack.'

'I think it was a wide ranged move. I was stunned for a second and then I remember seeing a glimpse of a Roserade and then it used some kind of powerful poison... not like a move. Worse.' Clink trembled slightly. 'That is the last thing I remember.'

"That is such a wonderful story. I wish things weren't so terrible, I would have liked to spend time with you I think," they said regretfully.

 

[Negrek]

Mightyena rambled on, ears up and listening hard for Clink's soft voice in the midst of all of it. Nate caught her watching him as she went on and raised an eyebrow. "What? Talking about me, is that it?"

Mightyena wagged her tail, and Nate snorted, turning away again with his arms crossed over his chest. But Mightyena could see that he was smiling.

Clink's story was a grim one, though. Mightyena thought she might have an idea why they'd claimed to remember nothing. Maybe an idea... but she hoped she was wrong. When the klefki expressed regret that they wouldn't get to spend time together, she said as cheerfully as she could, "It's not too late! I bet we'll find who's kidnapping people really soon. Everyone's working hard on it, and we have legendary pokémon on our side now, too. Once all that's done with, we should get together sometime. I'd love to hear more about your trainer."

Going on in a low voice, Mightyena added, "Do you want me to take you to Keldeo? We talked to him earlier. He'll protect you. Your trainer, too." She wasn't so sure about the hoopa. Not so sure at all.

 

[Flyg0n]

"Oh that would so much fun!" they chimed. They fidgeted with a key, seeming both relieved and concerned. "Perhaps we could invite some other trainers too." they said, casually as ever.

"Maybe I should wait... I don't know who to trust," they said softly. "I trust the mythical pokemon. I think I trust Xavian still, I don't think he's involved. And Orzo... Orzo has to be good. Xavian said he helped bring me back to the room after I was poisoned. I don't know what to think anymore. But maybe later... if I need to, I can bring Xavian to the lake."

Their voice seemed to waver slightly.

 

[Negrek]

"Of course!" Mightyena said loudly. Nate gave her a sidelong look. "We can invite everyone. We'll have a big party once everything's safe again. We deserve one, don't we? This was all supposed to be a party! We can't go home without enjoying ourselves at least a little bit."

Once again as softly as she could, she asked. "Are you worried about Orzo? Has he been acting differently lately?" She paused for just a moment. "Is that why you're up here instead of down on the stage with your trainer?"

 

[Flyg0n]

"I bet the mythical pokemon would even come! A lot of them told me they have enjoyed meeting many of the trainers." Clink jingled excitedly, though not too loud.

"No. Not acting odd But... Orzo was leaving in the middle of the night that night and..." Clink didn't finish the sentence at first. "He must have been near where that girl Irene vanished from. I do not wish to think ill of him, he is my friend. But I no longer feel certain of anything anymore."

 

[Negrek]

"Of course!" Mightyena said. "They should get to have fun, too. And who knows, maybe Nate could try to ride a different one this time. Like the moon one, maybe!" Her laugh was genuine, but her mirth faded quickly.

There probably wasn't going to be any way to get more information about Orzo without actually asking Orzo himself. Mightyena didn't think she liked the sound of that. But people were going to try today, as a team. She could only hope they'd be able to figure out what was going on without anyone getting hurt.

Without anyone else getting hurt.

Mightyena twisted around so she could give Clink a reassuring nudge with her nose. "Thank you for your help," she said quietly. "Is there anything we can do for you?" She hated to leave the klefki alone again, when they were obviously frightened. But she didn't think it likely that they would leave their trainer, either.

 

[Flyg0n]

Clink made a metallic laughing noise, their keys shaking. "Yes, I'd like that," they said earnestly.

"I'll be okay," they said softly. "I know I seem weak but I can still take care of myself. And I'm prepared this time. Trust me. Just... try to find out the truth please."

They glanced around, then down at the lobby below. The announcements seemed to be winding down. In a swift move, they shook out their keyring, revealing a tiny, oddly shaped key. It was almost like a skeleton key, but smaller and with strange ridges and markings. "Take this." They floated to Nate stuck the key into one of his pockets before quickly backing away.

They turned back to Mightyena. "I'm not sure if its important but I think it might be. Just... be safe." They started to leave, then paused and glanced back. "Thank you."

 

[Negrek]

Nate started when Clink presented him with a key, and he stood there uncertainly while the klefki retreated, hand over the pocket it had gone into. "Thanks?" he said. This conversation had gone even more weirdly than he'd expected.

Mightyena summoned up a wag for Clink. "Thank you, too. And I hope we'll get to talk again soon. Good luck to you and your trainer."

It felt awful to leave, but more people needed to hear what Clink had told her. And unless they found the pokémon causing the attacks, and stopped them, things would only get worse. Mightyena took the stairs down slowly, and Nate didn't hurry her along. He wasn't happy to be leaving the klefki behind, either; circumstances aside, he'd never seen one in real life before, and he wished he'd had more time to talk with them himself. Clink was a cute little guy, honestly.

Nate stopped under a tree some distance from the banquet hall and took the tiny key out of his pocket, staring down at its gleam in the palm of his hand. "Got a bad feeling about this," he said. "How'd your talk go? The two of you were acting pretty weird."

Mightyena sighed and leaned against the side of his legs, tail drooping. Nate reached down to rub under her chin and around her neck. "That bad, huh?" Mightyena whined and leaned into him further. "Well. We're meeting up with Odette and them soon, I guess. That demon pokémon oughta be able to translate for you. Too bad it ain't good news. Not like it's ever good news around this place."

Mightyena didn't respond, closing her eyes and letting Nate scratch around her ears. She didn't even want to think about what was coming next. Everything that had come before was bad enough, and she didn't like to think of Clink, so obviously scared and caught in the middle of all of it. Too frightened to even tell their trainer everything that had happened. And she had the uncomfortable feeling that all of them should be every bit as scared as the klefki.

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