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Pokémon Places We Call Home

windskull

Bidoof Fan
Staff
Partners
  1. sneasel-nip
  2. bidoof
  3. absol
  4. kirlia
  5. windskull-bidoof
  6. little-guy-windskull
  7. purugly
  8. mawile
  9. manectric
A Mere Omen​


Last time, under captivity, Nip hadn't been brought into the cave. But now that it was his shelter and sleeping place, he had a chance to look it over. There was something melancholic about the cavern, with its old carvings and rotting furniture (a word he'd learned during his time in Theran village). He couldn't imagine his tribe ever abandoning what clearly used to be a special, religious space.

Lacking in straw, moss, or any other bedding, it was hardly a comfortable resting place. But it would do for tonight.

A small fire crackled at the entrance, the flickering flames illuminating Anu, who sat guard next to it. Whisper had insisted that they take turns keeping watch, and her mate had offered to take the first shift.

Susana and the rest of his former captors were gathered in the back of the chamber, most having dozed off. But Umbra's malicious eyes glowed in the firelight, watching him. He shivered and rolled over, trying to ignore her gaze.

Movement in the corner of his eye drew his attention to where Shimmer, Muse, Toshi, and Haru had settled down together to sleep. Haru dragged herself to her feet, stretched, and quietly padded to the entrance to sit beside the fire opposite Anu.

The lucario acknowledged her presence with a thump of his tail and the dip of his head. "Couldn't sleep?"

"Not well," Haru murmured. "It's hard to sleep near pokemon that tried to kill you."

Nip could relate.

Anu hummed an acknowledgment. He reached into a satchel at his hip and pulled out a white cloth with green trim, wrapping it around his shoulders. "I imagine so. You've been through a terrible ordeal, Haru. No one would blame you for struggling afterward." He paused before adding, "I don't think you're alone in that."

Haru tilted her head before turning back, catching Nip staring at her. He averted his gaze but sat up. No point in pretending to sleep now.

The lucario looked at Haru, then Nip. Then stood, stretching before heading out of the cave. "I need a moment to myself. Do you two mind keeping watch for a moment?"

"Me?" Nip asked. "Why would you ask me?"

"You're not going far in your condition," Anu pointed out, gesturing to Nip's broken arm, which was haphazardly held stiff with a makeshift splint made of two sturdy sticks and some twine.

"Ah, right." He shouldn't expect trust. He knew that. But disappointment still churned in his belly. "Very well."

"I guess that's fine," Haru said, turning her gaze back to the entrance as Anu moved out of sight. Nip hobbled to sit beside her. Pale moonlight fought against the orange hues from the fire to wash the color from her fur. They sat in silence for several moments.

He was the first to break it. "Congratulations on your evolution, by the way."

"O-oh. Thanks. It's a shame I probably won't get a chance to celebrate it any time soon."

Nip hummed in acknowledgment. "I take it evolution is a big deal in your culture?"

"It's a milestone," Haru said. "For those that choose to evolve, it marks a new period in their life. It's a marker of experience, of overcoming adversity. But those that intentionally choose not to evolve are still celebrated."

"It is — was — similar in the Half Moon… in my tribe. It signifies the strength of a pokemon. It's… expected. A mon that delays evolution is honored, but one who outright refuses is seen as weak. They risk losing social status. Their position, if it's lucrative. We all have to be strong for the greater good. Most of our lives are chosen for us. Our training. Our position. Our mates. All to make the tribe stronger. The elders know what's best, after all." He couldn't help but spit the last part out, bitter bile in his throat.

"You don't sound like you agree."

He tilted his head back and forth, considering his words. "The elders wanted me to be a lore keeper. There is value in their craft, but half the pokemon are given the position out of pity because they're seen as too weak to do anything else. I proved my worth and got placed among the hunters. And paired with Umbra. When things went… poorly with her, I couldn't get them to take my concerns seriously. She had them wrapped around her claws."

His fur was bushed now, but he was too worked up to notice. "When we didn't produce an egg, they wanted to know why. They wanted proof that we had… well, you know. I couldn't take any more. I snapped like a brittle twig, Haru. And—"

No, he couldn't relive those moments. Nip shook out his fur and gave his shoulder a habitual lick. "Sorry. I didn't mean to get carried away. I should try to sleep again."

He stood and started back to his sleeping spot.

"…Nip?"

He paused and glanced back. Haru scratched at her muzzle.

"That… That sounds rough. I'm… sorry it happened to you. It shouldn't have."

An apology? From Haru? Tonight was full of surprises. He flicked his ear to acknowledge her.

"Goodnight, Haru."


It took until nearly sunset the next day for the group to return to Theran Village. Anu led, his tail drooping with exhaustion. Haru, as the least-battered pokemon, kept pace beside him. The trio of surviving explorers and Umbra came next, their arms bound. Skorch's mouth was tied shut and the nullify looplet was still snapped tight around Susana's right forearm. Muse flanked them on one side, Shimmer and Toshi trudging on the other. Whisper brought up the rear, Nip walking beside her.

They were all exhausted. Clearly, no one else had slept well, either.

As they neared the outskirts of town, wild land turning to fields of berries, Whisper spoke up. "Anu, please run ahead and alert everyone that we're back. Tell them to gather in the square for a meeting. We need to deal with… this situation" — she gestured to the prisoners — "as soon as possible. Have Vale brought out, too. Oh, and we need Lecha."

Anu opened his mouth in a wide yawn, smacking his gums a couple times. But he then dipped his head and took off ahead of the group at a brisk run, disappearing over the top of a hill and leaving Haru alone at the front.

As they crested a hill and the village came into view, Toshi hobbled to the front to stand beside Haru. Nip caught a glimpse of his eyes — glazed with pain — before he reached her.

"How are you holding up?" Toshi asked.

"I should be asking you that," Haru replied. "I just have some bruises and electric burns."

"I'll be fine." Toshi lapsed into silence. "Mom and Dad are going to freak out. I mean, look at us, Haru. We're both pretty battered and you evolved! I wish it had been under better circumstances."

Haru sighed. "I know what you mean." Then, wanting to encourage Toshi, she forced a smile. "But look at the bright side. After this is dealt with, maybe we can arrange my evolution celebration. It could be a nice return to normalcy."

Nip could tell from her posture that she didn't believe that. Things would never be normal for her again.

Toshi offered a weak smile. "Y-yeah. That would be nice."

Before either of them could say anything else, a loud shout sounded from further up the road. Two bibarel came into view, racing towards the group as quick as their chubby bodies allowed. Behind them raced a purugly, who quickly overtook them and made a combeeline towards Shimmer.

Jhorlo skidded to a stop just in front of the kirlia, audibly purring as he bumped his forehead to her shoulder and pulled her close with one paw. "Oh, Shimmer, my darling daughter!" he cried, voice thick with emotion. "Thank 'Gigas you're safe. If I had lost you to that mountain, too…"

Shimmer giggled, running a hand behind her dad's ears and giving them a little scratch. "I'm fine, really! Muse kept me safe. But we had to go. It was important for the safety of the town."

"Your mother said the same thing, but she…"

It took him several moments to compose himself enough to address Muse. "Thank you for keeping my daughter safe. I hate to think what would have happened if you weren't there."

Muse opened her mouth to reply, but her response was drowned out by another voice.

"Oh, my kits! My precious babies! You're safe!"

Haru's mother had caught up and was now nuzzling her daughter, nearly knocking her over with the force of her affection. Then she bumbled over to do the same to Toshi while her mate hovered just behind, eyes watery with emotion.

"We're so glad you're safe," Chip said, bumping Haru just below her jaw with his snout. "And you've evolved! What in Gigas' name happened?"

"It's a long story," Haru began. "I—"

But before she could tell her story, Jhorlo interrupted her with a cough. He was back to his controlled, business-like self.

"Right. Thank you for bringing our children home safely, Whisper. But we should get moving. You wish to address the village before nightfall, I understand."

"Yes," Whisper replied from the back of the group. "We need to decide what to do with… these four."

Saku and Chip looked up, seeming to finally notice the abnormal pokemon for the first time. The former gasped and took a step back. "Who… what are they?"

"Those are the explorers," Whisper answered. "And based on what Nip and Haru told me on the trek back, they're trouble. The kind of trouble we need to deal with immediately."

Chip and Saku exchanged a glance. "Then we should get going. The sooner it's dealt with, the sooner you two can get home and recover."

With that, a few more words were exchanged before the group set off again.

Nip couldn't help but trail behind, his mind preoccupied. He'd been sidelined and alone during the heartfelt reunion, lacking ties to the village. A familiar ache of loneliness tried to worm its way into his chest. As usual, he was little more than an outsider. If he hadn't made it back, it was likely no one would have cared.

That wasn't quite true, though. Tempest would have cared, wouldn't he? He'd come this far just to find him, so surely that meant something.

"Nip!" Whisper called. "Hurry up."

He looked up. A gap several dozen body lengths wide had grown between him and the rest of the group. "Ah, sorry." He rushed to catch up, then kept pace the rest of the way back, trying to push the negative thoughts out of his head.


Most of the village had already gathered by the time the group reached the square. Gasps and murmuring rose from the crowd as they walked by, most eyes glued on Susana, Topaz, and Skorch.

Nip kept his head low, keen to catch as little attention as possible. It must have looked bizarre to them, him walking by completely unrestrained — that is, if they weren't too distracted by the otherworldly pokemon among them.

It felt strange. Once, not that long ago, everyone had gathered to decide whether he'd live or die. Now he was on the other side, presenting his case against Umbra.

Haru nudged him out of his thoughts. "Nip, look."

Following her gaze, he noticed the medic, Lecha, headed their way. And leaning against her shoulder for support…

"Tempest!"

Nip stumbled forward, but the aromatisse signaled for him to stop. "Let us come to you. I need to look your whole group over."

The wait for her to cross the gap was agonizing. Tempest was clearly worn out just from the walk here, limping with his paws dragging on the ground. His eyes were clouded with pain, but relief shone through the haze.

Tears pricked the corners of Nip's eyes as the pair finally came to a stop in front of them. Lecha set to work, poking and prodding at the burns on his back, running her paws through his fur to search for cuts, and carefully feeling his broken arm. Twi, that annoying illumise, showed up shortly after to assist. Lecha mumbled something about making sure his arm was properly set before providing any more orans. But Nip paid them little mind. All his attention was focused on Tempest.

"You… you're safe," he said, his voice barely more than a breath.

Tempest leaned forward to run his tongue across Nip's forehead, huffing a frosty puff of air. Nip couldn't help but laugh, pushing the ninetales away with his good paw. "Ha! Stop! I'm glad to see you too but they don't like public grooming here!"

Another puff of frost, then Tempest trotted to sit behind Nip, reaching out with a paw to draw him close. At the same time, he turned his head to stare at Whisper.

The hawlucha froze, her feathers puffing up as she turned to stare back. "What did you say?"

Nip tilted his head, flicking his ear. "I didn't say anything."

"No, not you. Tempest. What do you mean, thanks for saving my —" she cut off, eyes clouding with confusion."Why not?"

A silent moment passed. Tempest pulled him closer, placing one paw protectively in front of Nip, who looked up and knit his brows together. "Are you using telepathy?"

"He is," Whisper said before addressing Tempest again. "Look, I don't care what your Tribe said, you're not with them anymore. This is something you need to tell Nip."

Another beat of silence. Whisper let out a series of frustrated chirps. "I will respect your request and not discuss it. But I'm serious. As soon as you get a chance, you need to tell him." She shot a pointed glance at Nip. "He has a right to know."

"What is she talking about?" Nip asked.

Tempest took a deep breath and let out slowly, closing his eyes. His tails fanned behind him, flicking droplets of frosty mist.

"He'll have to explain on paper later. I don't think telepathy works on dark types without assistance from specialized techniques or items to suppress your psychic immunity. Items we don't have."

She turned away, taking a few steps before pausing. "I'm serious though. You need to talk. Later. After we get this dealt with. Stay where you are for now." She raised her voice. "And you as well Haru. Go stand by them. We'll need your testimony, too."

At the sound of her name, Haru looked up. A handful of the villagers — a pidove, an espurr, a flaaffy, and that quagsire — had gathered around, congratulating her on her evolution. But they let her pass as she hurried to the center to stand by Nip and Tempest.

Anu returned at about the same time, bringing Vale with him. The manectric's muscles were bunched and ready to spring, his head low and eyes narrowed. Sparks bounced off his pelt every time he shifted.

"Have him stand with the other accused," Whisper directed before turning to the crowd. She lifted one wing to point and count the pokemon around them, then raised it high to call for silence.

"We need to get started," she began. "I believe everyone is accounted for."

"Phoel is closing down the psychic communication line for the night, but she said to go ahead," a simisear said, pointing to the meowstic in question on the far side of the village. "She can hear well enough."

Whisper dipped her head. "Very well. Thank you, Meaad." Then she addressed the rest of the crowd. "As you have all noticed by now, the guards' hut burned down recently. At that time, one of the mon being kept there, Nip, disappeared. Before you stand the pokemon accused of being responsible: Susana, Topaz, Skorch, Umbra, and Vale."

Uneasy muttering broke out among the gathered pokemon.

"Vale? Really?"

"There's no way."

"This has to be a mistake… right?"

Whisper held up a wing for silence. "There's more. Additionally, the first four are accused of kidnapping one of our own villagers: Haru."

That, the other villagers seemed less torn over. But Nip tuned out their mutterings, focusing instead on the accused. Though Susana's expression was unconcerned and her two compatriots' were blank, Umbra's face was contorted with barely contained fury.

After giving the pokemon a moment to settle, Whisper continued. "Vale. Do you deny any of these claims?"

"Of course I do!" Vale growled, a wave of sparks running down his body. "This is ridiculous! I was attacked. What would I stand to gain from any of this?"

"You'll have a chance to defend yourself later," Whisper said before turning to Umbra. "You've been accused of kidnapping, assault, and attempted murder. Do you deny these claims?"

Umbra scoffed, but her voice came out smooth. "Is it murder if I've been ordered by my elders to 'take care' of a murderer? This all could have been avoided if your village had not meddled in our affairs. I do not deny what I have done, but I deny that any of it was wrong."

No surprise, Nip thought ruefully. You've always thought everything you did was just.

But what did the crowd think? Nip scanned their expressions. Most seemed uneasy or nonplussed, but a few of them seemed to consider her words, a fact that made his stomach twist.

Whisper's voice drew him out of his thoughts. "As for the remaining three—"

Topaz opened his mouth to interrupt, but Susana took a step in front of him before speaking herself. "Haru came with us willingly as a guide. Beyond that, we have nothing to say to any of you."

Whisper opened and closed her mouth twice before she found her voice. "Very well. Then let us start with testimony. Anu, could you give the timeline as we understand it?"

The lucario took a step forward. "Ah, o-of course." He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, holding a paw up to his chest. "Several days ago, a group of four pokemon claiming to be members of the Explorer's Guild arrived…"

He went on to describe how Nip had been kidnapped from his perspective. Most of it was familiar.

"After I left Vale in charge, I returned to the shrine but only found a note stating they would try to talk to me again later. By the time I returned, the jail was on fire and Nip was gone."

Nip swiveled his ear at the sound of this name but found his attention drifting in and out as he watched the crowd. He focused again when Anu described the battle.

"One of the accused attackers fell into the river and went over the waterfall. He did not survive. May the gods show him mercy in the Great Beyond." He paused and bowed his head, and Nip noticed several other pokemon doing the same. How strange. How could they know the afterlife if they didn't know of the pokemon that governed it, Yveltal?

Anu shook his head violently. "That is… all. From my perspective."

"Thank you," Whisper said. "After the fire, Tempest used telepathy to contact Shimmer, then later myself. He gave testimony of the events from his perspective. Before I share it, I would like Nip to give his own account. If you would, sneasel."

The gruffness of her tone didn't surprise Nip; she probably wasn't happy about dealing with him. He pushed the thought out of his mind. Focus.

"A while after Anu left," Nip began, "Umbra and the charizard showed up. They attacked Vale and entered my cell. Tempest tried to fight them off from his confines. At that point…" He trailed off, struggling to remember the rush of events. "I believe Umbra told the charizard to set the jail on fire. She… got into an argument with Vale at that point. He didn't like that idea. I tried to crawl away while they were distracted but was knocked out. When I came to, we were soaring over the mountain forest."

"Thank you," Whisper said. "That aligns closely with the story I received from Tempest. Was there anything else important?"

Nip tried to think back. The entire event was a blur, sharp points of recollection surrounded by a pain-induced haze. He focused on the argument. Was there anything odd about it? "I… remember Jhorlo's name coming up in the argument. Something about him not being an idiot. I'm not sure that's important, but…"

Whisper chuffed. "It may or may not be, but the more detail you can give, the better."

Nip went on to explain the remainder of the events. His failed escape. Being taken prisoner with Haru. Their shared escape attempt. All culminating in the battle by the river.

Afterward, Haru told her own version of the events, admitting to initially helping the explorers out of a flawed sense of need, then her own imprisonment. When she reached the part where she talked about the old shrine, her words had the entire village listening with bated breath. And by the time she was done, not a single mon spoke.

Whisper stood at their center, her eyes closed and her wings crossed. "Thank you, Haru. For now, let us move on to defenses. We'll start with… Vale." She turned to the manectric, her eyes steely. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

Sparks danced along Vale's back as he took a step forward. Nip took a subconscious step back, not keen to get shocked by his static.

"Are you really going to listen to them? Nip and Tempest are both criminals. They're just making things up to get me in trouble!" Vale began pacing with his head low, paws kicking up puffs of dirt.

"I was attacked. I don't know why they feel the need to drag me into this. Maybe because I'm a strict guard? Maybe because they feel I didn't do enough to protect them? I don't know. But you're all fools if you'd believe their word over mine, someone who has made sure this village was safe and cared for, for cycles."

Mutterings broke out among the crowd, uncertain and confused. Nip's heart galloped. While it was true the village had no real reason to trust his word… Vale was lying. He had to be. If he got off without consequences, Nip knew he wouldn't be safe.

Then, from the back of the crowd, came a hesitant voice. "Vale… did come to the inn with Umbra the other day…"

Heads snapped around to the speaker: a simisear. Meaad, Nip thought his name was. The crowd parted as he made his way to the front.

"Maybe it's nothing, but… Just a few days ago, the two of them got a room at the inn. There was a brief altercation with, um, those guys" — he gestured to Susana — "but Vale had it under control, so I thought nothing of it."

All eyes turned back to Vale, silent as death.

The manectric's eyes widened, his hackles stiffening. "Wh — n-now come on, you don't mean to take that as proof, do you? That's just coincidence! Yes, I've spent time with Umbra, but that means nothing! I was betrayed!"

When that didn't seem to convince the majority, his voice grew more desperate. "I've been protecting this village for cycles. Longer than some of you have been alive! You don't really think I'd do something to harm the pokemon here, do you? I wouldn't — do you really think I would hurt Haru?"

That got the crowd talking, skeptical tones rising from the villagers.

"No," Whisper admitted. "At least, not intentionally. But the fact of the matter is that there's too many coincidences, Vale, to not be suspicious."

Vale swept his gaze wildly across the crowd, desperately looking for a friendly face. Nip followed his movement and saw nothing but worry and skepticism.

Then the manectric's stance changed. He adjusted his forepaws and squared his shoulders, letting out a low grow. "I see how it is. So what are you going to do? Lock me up? Drive me out? Do you realize how much I've done for this town? You'd all be starving without me. Every single obligate meat eater!"

Nip narrowed his eyes. Every… obligate? Every carnivore? Was he getting at…

Vale's gaze snapped to Jhorlo. Small, jagged bolts of lightning struck the ground around him, and Nip could just pick up a low buzz. "Fuck this. If I'm going out, I'm dragging you down with me." Then he raised his voice to a shout.

"You think dragging dead, diseased things back is enough to feed everyone? No, it's all a fabrication. Jhorlo has been forcing me to hunt for the town for cycles."

"What?"

"That can't be right."

"Jhorlo would never."

Other comments were lost among the growing clamor. At the center of the storm, Jhorlo sat at attention, calm and unbothered.

The purugly waited a moment, allowing the villagers to work themselves while he checked his claws, before raising a paw to call for silence.

"I'm disappointed in you, my dear Vale. To think that you would not only betray the trust of our village, but also try to throw it in disarray when your misdeeds were caught? For shame."

He raised his voice louder, addressing the crowd as a whole. "I would never do something so antithetical to the beliefs of our village, you all know. What kind of dirt would I even have on you, if it were true?"

Nip narrowed his eyes. Jhorlo's tactic was all too familiar. It was the same kind of deflection Umbra used when he came back from a hunting excursion with her, bruised and bloodied. Whether or not Vale's comment was true, Jhorlo was hiding something.

Vale flinched, the sparks racing along his pelt dying away. A long, tense moment of silence followed.

"What does it matter," the manectric growled under his breath. "I'm as good as dead or driven out as it is.

"You want to know what happened? Fine. Remember a few cycles back, when Leas was found dead in the woods? Everyone thought a wildener had gotten her. But it wasn't a wildener. It was me."

Gasps swept through the crowd, followed by swift murmurs that Nip could only pick up traces of. He leaned to the side to whisper in Haru's ear.

"Who is that?"

"Leas?" Haru kept her eyes on Vale. Nip saw her muscles ripple beneath her pelt, wound with tension. "She was the previous head of the guard before Whisper. About seven cycles ago, she went missing during a routine patrol. Siles — that quagsire over there — found her body two days later just outside of Sunglow Thicket. She was Jaques' and Lotte's mother."

"Jhorlo's guards?" Nip looked at the two purrloin flanking the mayor. Their fur was bushed as they stared at each other wide-eyed.

"Jhorlo," the female purrloin started. "He's lying, right? He has to be!" The tone of her voice suggested she didn't believe them, that she knew Vale was being honest, but she was desperate for reassurance.

"Of-of course he is," Jhorlo snapped, his own fur bristling. But there was a waver in his voice that wasn't there before. "I don't know what's going on in his head that makes him feel he needs to drag the rest of the village down with him!"

Nip picked up the burning scent of ozone. Instinctually, he dropped to the ground just as a bright discharge of electricity blasted off of Vale. It struck Jhorlo. It narrowly missed Whisper, who had also dropped to the ground. It struck Haru beside him, who let out a loud squeal. And it struck several other standing villagers who didn't react in time.

As soon as he quit discharging, Vale leaped into the crowd, pushing through the remainder and weaving among the buildings as he made a mad dash out of the square.

At the edge of the crowd, a rapidash struggled to her feet and started to give chase.

"Stop!"

Whisper's single-word command rang out over the groans of the villagers. She sprang to her feet, heaving a deep breath. "Let him go! We have enough to deal with as it is. We'll put out a bulletin to the Enforcers and to all the nearby villages."

The rapidash looked like she wanted to argue as panicked voices rose from the villagers, but the loud thwap of the Sile's tail drew everyone's attention. "Hey! Whisper is right. Vale will get what's coming to him one way or another."

Whisper took another heaving breath and gasped a "thank you" to the quagsire. She reached up and clutched at the feathers to the side of her head as if she meant to rip them out. Before she could, Anu came up from behind and placed a paw in the small of her shoulder blades.

Then he spoke up, speaking slow to force the stutter out of his voice. "As it stands, we still have four pokemon to deal with."

"Right. Right," Whisper said. She took one more deep, steadying breath, then pulled herself away from Anu. "We'll start with Umbra. Is there anything you have to say in your defense? Any reason we shouldn't give you a harsh sentence when you admitted to the allegations?"

"As I said before, this all could have been avoided," the mawile said. "What good has meddling in my affairs done? What has Nip done for any of you of his own volition? He's rotten."

At first, no one said anything. But then Toshi's exhausted voice came up from behind Nip. "He… saved my life from a wildener."

Haru hesitated, her expression almost embarrassed. "…He did help me escape. He could have left me behind when Topaz caught up to us and pinned me. But he came back."

Hastily, she added, "Don't get me wrong. He's harmed our village irreparably. But… I don't know if I would have survived without his help. I don't know. Everything that's happened in the last couple moons is so messed up."

Nip stole a glance at the bibarel, blinking slowly.

Whisper stared at Umbra for a moment longer. When she said nothing else she turned to Susana. "And what about you? Any defense?"

"We had no reason to hurt Haru," Susana replied, tone silky. "She was helping us. All we asked for was a little help inspecting your old shrine. Then things got out of hand. Punish us if you wish. It'll make no difference to your village in the end."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Siles grunted.

But Susana had turned her head, clearly done speaking.

"I… think I have some idea," Haru said. "When… when we were captive, I overheard a couple of things that Susana's group was talking about. First, the reason they went up the mountain… They're trying to find Regigagas. They're trying to bend him to their will."

"That's preposterous!" a roserade at the back scoffed. "A pawful of outsiders, controlling Regigagas? Ridiculous. It'd never work, if they even found him to begin with."

"But they didn't come alone." Haru drew out the last word, voice tinged with desperation. "They kept referring to someone they work for. 'Our Lady,' they called her. The way they talked… there's more coming. Possibly a lot more."

"Could they be what —" Nip cut himself off. He didn't want to mention Celebi by name, given what little he knew about Susana's group. "— what that omen was about?" From the way the other pokemon looked at each other, it was clear some of the villagers were thinking the same thing. More discussions broke out, growing into a cacophonous din.

Whisper held up a wing. "Everyone, quiet! QUIET!"

The voices slowly died away, heads turning back to the hawlucha. She took a deep breath. "We don't know what they want, and it's clear they're not willing to talk at this time. But they're trouble. Due to the severity of this… entire situation, I am asking for your permission to take charge here."

When no one argued, she continued. "We will contact the Enforcer's Union first thing tomorrow to have Susana's group taken in for proper questioning."

She pointed at Siles, the rapidash, then Meaad. "You three. I am going to keep our troublemakers in one of the tavern rooms, given the lack of a jail. Romi and Siles, you two are to guard them within the room. For the sake of simplicity, Umbra can be kept with them. Find someone who can come relieve you halfway through the night. Given our zoroark's ability to create illusions, I don't want her left alone at any point. Understand?"

"Right. Understood." Siles bobbed his head.

"Good. Next." She turned to Jhorlo. "While I seriously doubt Vale's testimony, I think it would be best if you remain within the villa for now. You, and the rest of your household. Jaques, Lotte, that includes both of you."

Jhorlo puffed out his chest. "This is ridiculous! There is no reason to believe the words of a condemned mon."

"While I agree," Whisper started diplomatically, "given the severity of the accusations, I think it's for the best. When everyone sees that there aren't any food shortages, it will help prove your innocence."

Shimmer reached over to place a hand on her father's head. "It'll be fine, Dad. Just for a few days, then we can put this all behind us."

Even as she said it, Nip picked up a subtle fear scent wafting from their direction. He wasn't sure if it was Shimmer or her father. And Muse looked downright miserable sitting behind them.

"Does everyone agree with this?" Whisper asked.

There were a few mutterings and a cough, but no one dared to challenge her.

"Right. That leaves us with just one more thing." She turned to Nip. "Your community service… With Vale gone and our guards busy watching over Susana's group, we do not have the time to continue it. Rather than hold you here or try to turn you over as well, I believe the best decision is to exile you once Tempest is healthy enough to travel. You would need to leave Theran Village and the lands surrounding it within one day's travel.

Nip hesitated. "Your demands are… reasonable." And yet, for reasons he couldn't fathom, he felt his stomach twisting in knots at the thought of leaving.

"Any disagreement?"

"Are you sure about this, Whisper?" Siles said. "He could be a liability if we send him on to the next town. If he commits a crime there and they find out we released him after what he did here…"

"It's…" Whisper started to reach for a feather, then caught herself. "It's a risk I'm willing to take. Given everything that's happened and everything we still need to deal with."

The quagsire looked like he wanted to say something more, but he only shook his head and took a step back. No one else spoke, though Nip could tell not everyone was happy with Whisper's decision.

"If there's nothing more, we will call this meeting to a close for tonight. We will reconvene tomorrow evening, after the Enforcers have been contacted, and decide what to do next."

She stood in the center as the villagers began to disperse, waiting till most were gone before walking over to speak quietly with Jhorlo. Nip wanted to eavesdrop, but a light shove from behind broke his concentration. He glanced back to see Twi.

"C'mon, Mister Thief," the illumise said. "Let's get you back to the hut to get looked at before it gets too dark."

He stole one more glance back at Haru, who was helping her brother to his feet. A part of him wanted to say something to the duo, given all that had happened and all that would happen soon. But instead, he silently let the illumise guide him to the medics' hut.
 
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