Chapter Seventeen
Fistfight
Hiudix had always managed to find himself despite the general chaos of existence. In youth he’d woken up to his mother’s voice and eaten what she gave him. Every day he sat there and let her comb between his quills, nicking off mites and grass and making him worth something before kicking him out of the den and into the daylight. And as he grew he also found his way into hostels and restaurants, washing dishes he’d just eaten off of. And then the guild. Something he could stick his feet in and hold strong against the wind. A list he could explain to himself the next day. A manual.
He could not explain the day after he visited Soleiro. He could not talk about that person and say they were the same as him.
He woke up alone and the sun was high already. The valley swam, hot and turbulent.
He did not groom or eat well. He ate stale bread as he finally drew up the courage to sneak back into the boathouse and swipe his team’s leftovers. It hurt his jaw to chew and hated the brief sweetness from droplets of berry juice left behind. He returned to the sea alcove and begged to speak to his god again. He fled before he could get an answer. He spent the day watching his feet scuff the cobblestones in the shadow of the mountains.
He could not stop thinking about Soleiro.
Alolan sandslash were known for their endurance. He tested that powering through the dungeon to Soleiro’s den again. Then again. Then again. He saw nobody. He didn’t even need to suffer through it—he remembered where the secret exit was.
Then, night. He blinked once and the sun crashed miserably against the horizon.
He did not eat dinner. He did not mourn his broken quills. He did not go back home to sleep. He did not face true home as he made his bed in the grasses and reeds. He curled in on himself, paralysed.
All this was also necessary.
When he woke the next day he knew what he had to do. He only had a singular thought which rolled the rest of his life out before him.
He did not have to search far for Soleiro this time. Thinking a moment, he knew. The lizard played his game and got what he wanted as he usually did and now would not bother trying to hide.
Hiudix picked himself up, combed through his quills, settled his aching stomach, and left just as the sun began to rise.
A new swarm of pokemon were camped outside the guild as he arrived, setting up for the grand reopening—and he passed by the remnants of the construction crew dragging sleds of towering stone cutouts behind them. The actual guild lay scattered in the remaining patches of grass around the square. The usual suspects, Auloin and Veille, hung around the gatehouse, chatting with Bastaya. It seemed Larcen and the new quilava were back and caught in an argument with Brute. Hiudix’s team were there, as well, chatting quietly.
Soleiro waited by the guild entrance. Quietly, on his own. Maybe detached after a standoff with Volaphomet, with more bags slung over his back than Hiudix had seen—a worrying sign. Moving maybe. Hiudix ignored the rest of the guild and walked up to him.
It was odd to find himself shoring up his defences facing the kecleon. He could find comfort facing down the mouth of a dungeon, overseeing a street brawl or backing down any rabid pokemon, feral or otherwise. Yet words were what most commonly cut him.
Once Soleiro stopped pretending not to notice him, Hiudix fought off the urge to retreat to his team. He walked up.
“Soleiro,” he said, needing to get a word in first. “ I cannot help you anymore.”
“Assuming you aren’t just by talking to me.”
“I will not fall for that.”
Soleiro’s frown twitched. His bag grew too heavy, maybe, because he let it slide off his shoulder and thump into the grass. He postured like they were in a standoff, but Hiudix only wanted to speak his mind and leave; he’d already begun to turn around.
“Ungrateful. Just walking away. What would your rat friend think about that?”
“I’ll tell them myself.”
And he savoured the sound of Soleiro’s teeth clacking together. It was not often he felt ahead of him. In fact, he decided to peer back at the kecleon’s sour expression—he held a claw up, hiding the line of his mouth as if Hiudix couldn’t tell.
“Well,” Soleiro continued, “tell them, then.”
Hiudix looked across the square. His team were busy in their own little group, but they weren’t shy. He caught all these watery glances, pleading. It was not uncommon for them, though Hiudix was not often on the receiving end. Mostly Volaphomet went off in a huff and after a couple of days they orbited, trying to persuade with the same pitiable looks.
It hurt in his chest as he walked over. He could not make the full distance—he stopped before a great rut left by the construction crew’s sleds.
“Vol,” he started, meeting her in the eye. She perched atop Seawall’s head, as usual, and they both relaxed in the grass and pared back the nervous smiles threatening to crack open their faces.
“Whaddya at—”
She started. If she pushed a couple words further she may have rolled right over him and convinced him to come along with them. It had worked the first time.
“I lied to you,” Hiudix said, “I looked the other way so Soleiro could rob Alexander. I have worked behind your back and avoided you. We can talk more later, but I have something to finish.”
“Hey, now—”
Hiudix tried to flee with the wind but he hesitated a moment too long and caught the tail of one of Volaphomet’s sparks, squinting through the light. As he stumbled back he caught her sneering face—front forward, leaning over Seawall’s forehead and seeming like a loose wig.
“What? Just gonna drop that and leave? Explain,” she hissed.
And cut right through Hiudix’s sails and left him flailing with his words as Volaphomet huffed, whiskers growing increasingly twitchy. Until, thankfully, Seawall stepped up, one massive paw reaching between them and pushing her back with a yelp.
“Give it a rest, Vol. It’s not that big of a deal,” Seawall said.
Hiudix sighed, thanking him endlessly. But only in his head. He’d barely talked the last few days and already had enough.
But Seawall continued:
“Is it?”
And Hiudix did not have an answer for that. He had betrayed a lot of ideals, but whose they were were perhaps up for debate. He kept his lips tight and shook his head.
“We’ll talk,” he pleaded, voice shaky.
It was enough for Seawall. Really, he forgave far too easily. But Hiudix took it. What a gentle nod to send him off with, like he was a child waiting in his room to be scolded. It hurt more than anything Volaphomet could ever do—she may be charismatic but did not hold the heart of the team.
Hiudix liked to believe he recovered once he returned to Soleiro. He did not look back or think on how much the kecleon heard, even from far across the square. He kicked up his chin facing Soleiro again.
“You wanted to surprise me. I guess I’m surprised,” Soleiro said, though he didn’t sound it. While he’d retired to the grass and lounged against his overstuffed bag, his presence still carried. Hiudix still felt like he was shouting up at the clouds.
“There. We’re done.”
“Then why come back?”
There it was again; needles pricked at his stomach.
“I’m only—” Hiudix cleared his throat. Licked his lips and hid his nose between his claws. “I’m only letting you know.”
“So kind. At what point does an enemy not deserve kindness?”
Hiudix found himself locked onto the kecleon’s beady eyes. He expected some sort of mirth but no, nothing. They sucked him in anyways. Who is this Hiudix? Who was he, again? He had not recovered from yesterday, had he?
“You were going to ask me a question last time we spoke.”
Hiudix turned.
“Do you dream of god, Hiudix? Does it speak to you?”
He froze. In his mind, Soleiro grinned. Behind him. So wide it wrapped around his head and all his blood spilled from his mouth, like the ink pouring over the heavens which makes the night.
Cold, sharp prickles told him his claws had come out and forced themselves against his shins.
“You don’t.”
“You’re right, I don’t speak to it. It speaks to me,” His voice cut through unexpectedly.
“It does not!”
“You wouldn’t moan like a child in the domain of a god, would you?”
Hiudix hated that he had that thought as well. Once again, his words failed him. He tried to compose himself, but his blood boiled like it never had before, the cliff closed in around him and he struggled to see beyond his own snout.
“It’s not your god to speak for.”
“It asks a lot, you know. It lets me talk; it’s interested in me, eh? Tells me a lot in return—we have great conversations.”
It couldn’t be true. Obviously Soleiro was just to irritate him. Unfortunate that it was working—the blood had started rushing to his ears and filling the quiet space with thoughts of violence. He craned his neck, stiff with the effort, and searched Soleiro’s body for signs of the truth. He looked the same as usual. Just a habitual liar and manipulator. Worrisome still when he knew The Mountain existed at all, but he certainly could not be a confidant.
“You’re lying.”
“I know your mother’s name. It told me.”
His mother, who he felt cradle him even while trapped in his egg. His mother, who did not lead the village or the clan but whose door never closed. His mother, who he trailed through the snow paths at the base of the mountains buried up to his chin, who lifted him when he tumbled into a particularly deep drift, who—
Hiudix lunged, red colouring his vision. He savoured the wide eyes, distant yelp, shriek, a shout behind him. The pressing of rock under his feet, pebbles skidding between his claws. A resistance holding his claws, forced back, slash, warm tinge and the smell of iron.
In a second, he was pushed back. He grunted. Soleiro cradled his shoulder and huffed, eyes focused on the red streak sinking between his claws. Pupils dilating and fixing back on Hiudix., He seemed a puppet possessed, strings cut standing limp beside his pack, his head tilted and his jaw forced into a grim line.
“You could simply disagree,” he hissed.
Hiudix wouldn’t bother anymore. His heart goaded him on—this wasn’t much of a match at all. He feinted left and moved right, just barely catching Soleiro with his shoulder and sending them both into the wall with two pained grunts. His much more so, he felt the resistance give way a second, then the burn of energy, a knocking at his mind urging him to get away, get away, get away—
Hiudix stumbled back, but kept himself enough to brace against the sting of electric current as Soleiro fired back. It skidded across the ground, curling around Hiudix’s ankle and piercing through his chest, but he pushed forward again, not bothering with his element at all, claws out again, fighting, more stabs of energy and the rapid flashing of Soleiro’s scales as the kecleon cycled through types trying to fend him off. But Hiudix wrapped his arms around him and tanked the stabs of pain. Another slam, the wind rushing out. A brief crack and a muffled shout. Soleiro managed to roll over in his claws, drawing another trail of blood against his arms, but he stuck fast between Hiudix and the mud.
“Alright!” Soleiro shouted, voice trembling. “I’ll tell you!”
Hiudix blinked, breaking out of his battle trance for a moment. Not enough to let the squirming kecleon go.
What?
“He’s in the shack! Unico’s hiding in the shack on a hill outside the west of town! It’s hidden in the trees, just please. He has the kid!”
Although he shouted, his voice cracking from rarely reaching that pitch, his face stayed the same. Hiudix finally let him go, watched him backpedal against the wall, one arm wrapping around another, his shoulder weeping blood and a string of bruises around his chest, trailing up to his neck. His face was remarkably untouched. He slunk in on himself like a wounded insect, as if that would draw any sympathy.
“Hiudix,” from behind. He didn’t need to turn to recognise Seawall’s voice. And others. Only now did he notice the small crowd around him.
And of course, the nidoking’s face was coloured in disappointment, Volaphomet similar above him, these conflicted wrinkles touching her whiskers. She looked between them, then sighed.
“Talk to ya later, right,” she huffed, patting Seawall’s head and drawing his gaze. “Well, let’s get going, then. Got priorities, eh?” She gave Hiudix a final look. Opened her mouth to say something. Hesitated and said something else. “Didn’t need to do all that,” she said.
And that was all. Hiudix went faintly numb after. Standing there. Thinking. His team chatted only a couple seconds and were off. They heard, of course, Soleiro shouted louder than he’d heard from him. Certainly the rest of the guild had heard, too, some even opting to go along. Soon enough, it was him and Soleiro again.
Soleiro stood, still cradling his arm against the wall. Hiudix could hardly protest what just happened. He’d been played again, of course. At this point he was mostly just tired.
“All you needed to do was avoid me, Hiudix. Just have gone somewhere else and let me work on my own. You get to live your own peace and I have to toil figuring out how to work these things on my own. You’re an idiot, I don’t know what to tell you,” Soleiro said, voice back to the calm monotone Hiudix knew and hated. He winced as he tried slinging his back back over his shoulder, but managed. Shifting it back and forth until it rested a little off his wound. By the sea, Hiudix wished he’d hurt him more.
“I know.” Hiudix grunted. And that’s all he could say. He was. Now what?
“You can go now. I’m done with you.”
And although Soleiro's dismissive wave should have irritated him more, Hiudix was stuck. Things passed so quickly. He only now fully understood what was happening—what had already happened.
“Unico didn’t kidnap that child, did he?”
“No. And neither did I. I could impress you with my knowledge of children’s literature, the valuable lessons therein. Never judge a book by its cover, don’t let bias cloud your judgement and etcetera. But I won’t pretend like I’m not using the kid. Just like I was using you, using anybody.”
I’m done with you sunk into Hiudix then. He didn’t relax. Just tilted his head, twitched his ears, wondered if he was meant to feel free and unburdened. Wondered if Soleiro ever tried to impart anything so positive even by accident—he would be back on Solerio’s list again soon enough, wouldn’t he?
“I’m deciding whether to kill you,” he admitted.
The wind passed through the valley. A passing flock of geese honked merrily above. Soleiro watched, head craned upwards unconcerned. He’d just noticed some loose robes torn from the back of his pack in the fight. He tied them more tenderly than he had any right to.
“I imagine many people’s lives will collapse, then. Yours certainly. The team, the kid. Well, mine, but why start being selfish now?”
What a joke. Hiudix couldn’t help but snort.
“Why are you doing this?”
“Why does anyone do anything? To change the world. Let’s not pretend as if I plan, I do what the winds guide me to do. Whatever falls in my lap is mine. And soon enough—”
And finally, an emotion. This emphatic look crossed Soleiro’s face. His scales shifted, tinged red and insistent, spreading in waves up his neck, hiding the bruising.
“We communicate with a god, Hiudix.” He hissed, letting his claws wander, open like he was waiting to catch something, gesturing to great size. “I don’t know about you, but I’m taking advantage.”
And what about Unico? Where did framing your own brother come into the equation? He didn’t bother saying that out loud, letting it stew inside him instead, anger rushing to the fore once again but stuck against his chest. Still, Soleiro twitched as if he heard.
“Oh, don't look at me like that. As if you liked him. Poor Unico, spare me.”
“I object to you framing him. Though I doubt you’ll explain yourself.”
Though shockingly, he seemed quite willling. He shrugged easily, his own brother’s life just water off his back.
“I just wanted him out of the way, really. What can I say? He’s my opposite. He conflicts.”
Opposite? That was an interesting way to put it. Hiudix bit off a quick laugh. It punched through his anger, even, and managed to trip over his tongue. A little bite of sound. Soleiro picked up on it.
“What?”
And for the moment he seemed confused. Truly—an expression Hiudix thought would never darken his eyes, this screwing of the brow, just the faint hint of teeth and tongue like he was waiting to get a word out edgewise before Hiudix had even started speaking. And Hiudix hesitated; it was odd to explain to someone how similar they were to family. Obvious to him, at least, had they even been opposites? Did anyone think that?
“He’s very similar to you.”
And what was that, a faint hint of offense? Hiudix cherished the opportunity to press that.
“Outgoing, obnoxious, considerate Unico? Well, maybe I’m just obnoxious.”
Hiudix laughed, openly this time. Considerate was a very funny way to describe Unico.
“He’s more energetic than you. He smiles. But he is inconsiderate and selfish and manipulative. Nobody wants to talk to him, nobody believes he’s kind. Considerate is strange, all he talks about is himself, every conversation inevitably leads there. He is your brother. I see him in you so strongly.”
And perhaps he exaggerated somewhat, but it was worth the curdled frown that sank over Soleiro’s smug face. A picture would be great, but Hiudix could settle for a memory as strong as that. This horrible, conflicted frown Hiudix had never seen on anyone outside grieving widows and war orphans, and for something so petty.
Soleiro recovered eventually, but didn’t manage to fully reign himself back. In any case, the conversation shuddered to a halt.
“Oh,” Soleiro said. As if they hadn’t just been talking. As if he only then noticed Hiudix standing there. “And before I leave,”
No response. Hiudix smiled, he was done, wasn’t he? He’d take Soleiro’s advice and stop talking to him. He turned to watch the entrance of the guild. Nobody came out, it was quiet, some insects chirped and hopped about. He wished it would snow soon, but he knew it wouldn’t for a while.
“Tell that quilava it’s his turn.”
And by the time Hiudix turned back, Soleiro was gone.
