Chapter 16 - Day 8, Part 2: Green Dreams
SnapDragon
Frog on a mission
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Chapter 16 - Day 8, Part 2: Green Dreams
Kelpsy Fields: 1st Floor
I couldn't look away.
No, this can't be happening. This isn't possible, it makes no sense. When did we…?
My inner thoughts were shattered by the sight of Cosmo inching closer and closer to the staircase.
"Huh? What are stairs doing here?" He wondered aloud.
The sight of the Solosis floating ever so nearer to the portal almost sent me over the edge.
I shouted as loud as I possibly could. "COSMO! STOP! DON'T YOU DARE!"
"Wh-but-"
"COME HERE! RIGHT NOW!
I hadn't intended to sound angry. Cosmo probably thought of the opposite at the time. His entire body drooped and he wobbled his way over to us, so at least it got the point across. If we lost Cosmo here...I don't know what I'd do.
I was breathing heavily. I grinded my teeth to keep myself from succumbing to the stress and my pokemon instincts. The sound of my own heartbeat drowned out everything else. All I could see—all I could focus on...was that portal.
It laughed at me, I could hear it.
Fenn's ears drooped in distress. "O-Oswald? Wh...when did we…?"
"I don't know," I replied firmly, trying to stay composed—trying to stay strong. But my brain was scattered, and I was having a hard time registering all of what was happening.
I looked up at the sky. It was blue and clear, not like a dungeon sky in the slightest. I looked to the ground. No swirls, no strange shapes. The smell? Nothing that wasn't there before. The atmosphere was...agonizingly pleasant. There wasn't anything about the surrounding area that suggested we were in a mystery dungeon.
All except the stairs.
Even from here, the portal beckoned my eyes to it. The swirling abyss that would serve to grant us passage to the next floor…
It laughed mockingly. It laughed at me. It laughed. It laughed. It laughed.
I'm going to puke.
"C-Cosmo is sorry," the Solosis nervously said. "He didn't mean to…"
Fenn must've realized that the time for being timid was over and put on his dungeon exploring persona. "You didn't do anything wrong, Cosmo," he said in a voice sterner than normal. "We're in Kelpsy Fields now so we can't get separated, okay? Don't wander ahead."
Cosmo sniffled. "O-okay..."
I'll have to thank Fenn later. I don't know how I'd be able to keep it together without him here. But for now...I need to calm down. Fenn looked at me expectantly, but also warmly at the same time.
I sighed, hoping to release the tension in my shoulders. "Okay…" I stuffed the map into my bag. "We're in the dungeon now. A lot...sooner than what was expected, b-but-"
The persistent giggling coming from the portal only served to distract me and hurt my head. I grit my teeth and squeezed my eyes shut. It physically hurt to listen to. The sheer carnal reaction I had to this situation was enough to stop me in my tracks and shut me down completely.
But then my eyes shot open when I felt Fenn placing a paw on my shoulder. I looked into his eyes and felt...comfort...strength. His expression told me that he was deeply worried; he cared about my safety.
You're my one shining beacon of happiness in this world, Fenn. That's what I wanted to say right then, but my mouth wouldn't open. Thankfully, he took the initiative.
"If we're in the dungeon now...then that means we have to start looking for the X-Ray Specs. W-we should go back and look for them."
I had no reason to argue; Fenn was right. Frankly, any excuse to leave this hellhole early was a good excuse. I nodded, fighting to keep myself from shaking.
He moved in closer and spoke quietly into my ear. "Y-you can lean on me if you want. I'll make sure we get out of this okay, I promise."
I didn't know what got into Fenn all of a sudden, but those were the words I needed to hear. I took him up on his offer and used his back as support as we turned back the way we came.
"Where are we going?" Cosmo asked.
Fenn shot me a sympathetic glance before turning to Cosmo. "We have to look around for the specs on this floor," he responded. "D-don't want to go through the whole dungeon and miss them."
"...Floor?"
"Just...come here, Cosmo. Stay close to us."
Cosmo must have been really confused. He followed Fenn's orders, but I could only imagine how much he wanted to say something back. I'm so sorry, little guy, I thought. It's our fault for not making sure you were ready for this. I'll explain all of this when I'm less-
The laughing got louder. So much louder. So loud that I reflexively threw my paws over my ears and cringed in pain. Wild sounds leaked from my throat that I couldn't explain.
"Oswald? What's the matter?"
Fenn said something, I think. I'm pretty sure I heard his voice. The laughing was so loud that I couldn't even hear my own thoughts. Fenn, please get me out of this nightmare! I beg you!
My own lips betrayed me and all that I was able to squeeze out was, "...go...please…"
He got the idea. The attentive Quilava guided me away from the clearing, back into the tall grass. The laughing got progressively fainter until it was completely gone and I could think again.
As soon as I stopped hearing it, I dropped to my hands and knees, panting like mad. I could feel myself on the edge of losing consciousness, sweat dripping down my face, water leaking through my teeth. Meanwhile, my mind raced. Why am I having this reaction? I'm not this irrational! I can handle being laughed at! We always get through these dungeons...there's nothing this one can do that will harm me. I'll...be fine. Everything...will be…
I felt Fenn standing over me again. This time, he tried his best to calm me down by rubbing my back and staying close. Surprisingly...yeah, it did calm me down. Those back rubs felt good too. Is Fenn also a secret misuse? That's a funny thought. So funny...so funny...haha...ha...
"Are you okay?" Fenn asked tenderly.
I chuckled hoarsely. "Aheh...y-yeah, I'll be okay," I rose to my feet with Fenn's help. "I'm just...mystery dungeons aren't my favorite..." I cleared my throat and wiped my mouth with an arm. "Right, let's look around."
We spent the next ten to twenty minutes scanning the grass for anything small and purple. The height of the grass made it especially difficult to see anything in front of us. Burning it might have been the answer, but now that we were in the dungeon, I wasn't sure what the result would be. Worse comes to worst, we could get trapped.
Either way, we didn't find it. What we did find was the stairs. Again.
We hadn't turned around once. There was no feasible way that we could have gone in a circle and ended up right back where we started. I made absolutely sure that this would not happen.
And yet, it did.
The distant giggling coming from the portal was subdued, but definitely still there.
It sent a shiver down my spine.
"I...Cosmo doesn't understand…"
"Neither do I, Cosmo," I muttered. "Neither do I."
Fenn stepped forward, eying the staircase. "Should we just…?"
The laughing got slightly louder. I noted the fact that neither Cosmo nor Fenn reacted at all. The laughter was for me and only me.
As was to be expected.
I approached the center of the clearing, walking past Fenn and staring down the portal. Aside from the giggling, there was a distant sound of wind as well. But, and I don't really know the best way to describe this, it sounded like the wind was its own being. It changed frequently, screaming out in either immense pain or absolute glee. Somehow, my mind perceived it as wind.
"Oswald?"
"The dungeon wants us to move on," I stated, keeping my gaze locked on the abyss.
"Th-the dungeon?" Fenn was flummoxed. "What do you mean? How do you know that?"
I turned my head around and shot Fenn a light smile. "Just a hunch."
Louder still.
"Come here, you two. We're going to the next floor." I held out my arms of which Fenn latched onto immediately; he didn't question my theory. Cosmo had some trouble, however.
"Cosmo doesn't have arms..."
Fenn and I looked at each other with no real idea on what to do in this situation. Just another example of how we came here completely unprepared to mentor Cosmo. I wonder if I can carry him like a ball. Would touching his body hurt him? Is touching his bubble enough? What about-
Even louder.
Dammit, I don't have time for this! I looked around frantically for a solution. I didn't find one...until I caught sight of the bag around my shoulder. It does look big enough...okay.
"Cosmo," I popped open my bag and held the flap open, "get in the bag."
"Wh-what?" the Solosis exclaimed. "Cosmo is all powerful! He would never stoop so low as to-"
"Cosmo."
Despite clearly being upset with everything, Cosmo didn't complain any more than that. Cosmo didn't argue. He fit in snugly, his bubble squishing against the fabric.
I was glad that we found a solution, but at this point, the laughing was just as loud as the last time it got bad. I fought the urge to puke.
Now that we were properly together, I saw no reason to stick around any longer.
I guided us into the portal, the laughing getting louder and louder. It became deafening up until the darkness fully engulfed us entirely. And then...there was an abrupt but welcome silence, followed by nothing.
Kelpsy Fields: 2nd Floor
It became apparent that we were in a mystery dungeon proper once we reached the second floor. The illusion had been broken and now the madness was seeping through.
The floor itself was...interesting. And not in the same ways as any other dungeon so far.
Right away, I could feel a pressure in the air. There was a weight on my shoulders that I couldn't shake off. I felt so small and compressed; itt was as though the grass had grown to colossal heights.
In fact, that was exactly the case.
We were surrounded by blades of grass so tall that it was like we had shrunk. It was all around us, sprinkled about the dirt with no clear pattern. I had to throw my head all the way back just to see the tips of each one, and when I did, I saw a familiar sight.
The grass, towers of dark green thirty feet tall, completely unlike the colors from before, curled into irregularly high swirls above us. Some curled, others bent and conjoined. Looking further off in the distance, they seemed to almost blend together. Not only that, but the dirt at our feets reminded me of the dirt back in Figy Forest. Shapes that shouldn't be there beset the earth.
Even further up was the still blue sky. But what shade of blue? That was a difficult question—mostly because it kept changing every time I'd look up. The sun as well. One second it would be there, then the next it would be gone with no change to the lighting.
That wind I had heard earlier was here now, but...there was something off about it. More so than just being an odd noise, it would stop and start abruptly like someone flipped a switch and all the wind would either stop in its tracks or continue where it left off. All the while, it juggled between sounding like a constant bombardment of screams of terror and cries of happiness.
The wind had no effect on the grass.
But the most distressing aspect concerning all of this was the lack of any walls. We were in a field, same as before; there was no clear road forward.
Needless to say, the dungeon dropped the facade. Kelpsy Fields was showing us it's true form. It was only a matter of time before it started to throw deadly obstacles at us...
"Cosmo doesn't feel so good," Cosmo muttered, sagging in the air.
I blinked and tore my eyes off of our surroundings. I looked over at the young Solosis to see him trying to keep afloat and failing. Right away, I realized that the dungeon not only delayed it's illusion, but it's adverse effects too. Cosmo was starting to experience what being in a dungeon was like.
I approached the pitiful pokemon and held my arms out. "Go ahead and throw up if you have to," I said. "It's normal to feel sick in your first dungeon."
"Why am...why is Cosmo so heavy all of a sudden? What's going on?"
Jeez, that's rough. It already felt like I wasbeing crushed. Cosmo probably had it way worse, what with him having to stay in the air. I held open the sack's flap for him to see. "Do you want to ride in the bag?"
He shook his body and put on a brave face. "No!" he declared. "Cosmo is strong! Cosmo will n-not...not...bleugh…"
Cosmo threw up.
"Egh." He sagged dismally, nearly falling to the ground before Fenn stepped in and caught him with his back.
"...Take a break, Cosmo," Fenn said gingerly. "We'll take it from here."
I let out a sigh of relief. Sure am glad Fenn's here. I'm too indecisive when it comes to this stuff.
Stroking a scalchop, I felt quite worried. Cosmo's nausea reminded me of my first time in a dungeon. Not a good sign.
I strided up to Fenn. "Do you still wanna go through with this?" I asked quietly so Cosmo wouldn't hear. "We can leave now if you want. I don't mind." I paused. "You did buy escape orbs, right?"
Fenn smiled at me. "I bought two, don't worry. A-and...yes, I'm sure. Once Cosmo is feeling better, we should teach him how dungeons work."
I nodded. "So, how do you want to approach this?"
He turned away. His eyes took on a shimmer of concern as he scanned his surroundings. "Um…" Fenn paused. "Can I see the bag?"
I handed it to him.
"I-I picked out some items that might help us," Fenn said, pulling out a couple of wooden sticks.
I frowned. "Oh no. Don't tell me you were talked into buying something you could just pick up off the ground. How are sticks going to help us?"
The Quilava shook his head. "No, these are wands." He held one up. The light wood was bent to resemble a lightning bolt. "This is a Guiding Wand. It should help us find the stairs if we're lost." He held up the other one. This darker branch was shaped like a pickaxe. "And this is a tunnel wand. It should be able to break any walls the dungeon puts in front of us."
He solemnly looked around himself. "N-not...sure if any of this counts as walls, though." Fenn shrugged. "Either way, I-I don't think it really matters much. As long as we go through the whole floor, any direction we go is the right direction."
But how big is each floor? I don't want to spend more than half an hour on any of these. I'll keep an eye out, but the second we find the stairs, We're moving on.
"Alright, let's go," I said.
Fenn led the way through the floor while I stuck behind him, Corsola Twig in my paw. I scanned the ground as we made our way through. Walking around Kelpsy Fields made me feel uneasy. Alongside the annoyingly prevalent sound of the wind starting and stopping, there were other, more persistent noises. The chirping of birds and the chittering of crickets.
But, wait...are there actual, smaller bugs here? I haven't seen a bug as small as my paw ever since I got here. And...what even is a cricket? Slip of the tongue?
What pokemon were supposed to be here again? I haven't seen a feral yet. I did see Fenn though. He was looking cute today. I should let him know. He probably needed the confidence boost. And Cosmo. He didn't look too good. Poor little fella. I think we have some extra Oran Berries in case-
Wait. What's that? Something purple? I padded over to it, picking the small object off the ground.
I think I...no, this wasn't it. It was just a bruised apple. Not even worth taking with us. Bah. I tossed it over my shoulder. I wondered if Fenn has had any luck ye-
Oh, hello. What happened to you, huh? New flames? Not like the old ones. So jagged...nice work, Fenn. Oh? What's with the look? I'm looking respectfully. Get back to looking for the specs, badger boy.
Speaking of which, did you get new glasses? Special design? Not bad.
I should get some myself. My sight isn't the greatest.
Well, anyways, we should get moving. I hear Grebes, the Kebia Castle cook, calling. I sure do love what he makes. I think they have Murkrow on the menu? I hear it's great when it's cooked.
Yep. Just. Move some legs. Gotta get go go-
"COSMO ATTACK!"
I blinked.
All of a sudden, I was lying on the ground. My head hurt and water was dripping out of my mouth, pooling in the dirt. I looked up and saw Fenn in a similar position not too far away. He was blinking himself awake, clearly unaware of what was going on. The flames on his back smoldered. Cosmo wasn't anywhere near him.
"PSYCHIC BARRAAAAGE!"
I turned my head to the sound of the screaming voice. Cosmo was floating in the air again, squaring up against a Drowzee as it reeled-
Wait, a Drowzee?
I stood up quickly and grabbed the Corsola Twig I had dropped. The pounding in my head got worse and made me wince. I had no idea what just happened but there was a new pokemon here that didn't look friendly in the slightest. I shook off the pain and rushed to fight while yelling, "Cosmo!"
"COSMO WILL DEFEAT YOU, VILLAI- OWoooie..."
The Drowzee had recovered from Cosmo's simple psychic attacks and waved it's fingers peculiarly. The Solosis' form began to warp and contort. Cosmo continued to groan in agony as the Drowzee gleefully played with the kid's bubble like a marionette.
"Get off him, you cock!" I tossed the Corsola Twig as though my life depended on it. Before the presumed feral had any time to react, the twig penetrated the skin of the Drowzee's side, eliciting a blood curdling screech.
The grip the feral had on Cosmo was released and, to my dismay, the Solosis fell to the ground. That dismay turned to fierce anger as I looked into the eyes of the horrid psychic type. It's eyes were crazed and bloodshot; I was certain it was dungeon feral now. It looked at me like they always did: with hate and contempt. As if they knew me somehow and wanted revenge.
I hated it. I charged a Water Gun in my throat, imagining this Drowzee as the single last thing stopping me from getting the meal I've been tracking for hours. Water pooled in my mouth and I was about to strike…
...But then the feral was engulfed in flames.
A stream of fire battered the Drowzee and didn't relent until the feral was nothing but scorched fertilizer for the dungeon's dirt. All the while, it screamed and screamed and screamed. It rolled around and tried to put itself out.
I had become numb to the thought of killing these things; there was almost joy to be felt in seeing it burn alive.
Eventually, Fenn stopped his Flamethrower. The Drowzee was now thoroughly dead.
I let the Water Gun I had charged fall out of my mouth as I sighed. Fenn and I stared at the charred remains of the feral bake until we heard a familiar voice.
"Ow…"
I jolted back to attention. Cosmo! I remembered. Both Fenn and I rushed to his side immediately and found that he was lying in the dirt, groaning in pain. But at least he was still in one piece.
"Cosmo!" I shouted. "You're not hurt, are you? Oh shit, I can't believe this!"
"Cosmo, are you okay?" Fenn fretted. "Tell us you're alright!"
The Solosis shakily slowly rose in the air. "Alright?" He said tiredly. "C-Cosmo is better than...alright. Cosmo is...powerful and...unstoppable…" He lost his balance and fell, but not before I lurched forward and caught him.
"Fenn. Oran Berry."
Fenn did as he was told, wordlessly digging in the bag and pulling out an Oran Berry. He shoved it down the psychic type's throat quickly, his paw reaching through the bubble and back out without causing any structural damage.
We sat with bated breaths for Cosmo to regain his strength. Fenn sat by with drooping ears, not once taking his eyes off Cosm. I cradled the Solosis like a baby, holding his surprisingly durable and flexible outer bubble. It felt more like a squishy plastic than any sort of liquid.
Eventually, Cosmo returned to his normal self and he lifted himself back into the air with more confidence than even before we reached the first floor.
"Ha ha! Cosmo has saved the day and lived to tell the tale!"
I let out a sigh of relief. "Don't scare us like that...jeez."
"W-what happened, Cosmo?" Fenn asked. "Do you know where that Drowzee came from?"
Cosmo bobbed in the air thoughtfully. "Cosmo isn't sure," he said. "Oswald and Fenn started making weird noises and rolling around like Whirlipedes. And then Cosmo saw a big villain that wasn't there before. Cosmo thought, 'where did he come from?' He didn't know what was going on, but he knew what he had to do! He unleashed his super secret technique: the psychic barrage!"
Cosmo's body glowed as he exerted himself. "Hrgh!" One of the blades of grass nearby glowed the same color as him and very slightly moved on its own. After a few seconds, the glow disappeared and Cosmo panted in exhaustion. "Heh...heh...see? Cosmo is...the greatest."
I got the idea.
That Drowzee screwed with Fenn and I's heads and put us out of commission, Cosmo noticed the feral and hit it hard enough to lose its grip on us, then we killed it but not before it hurt Cosmo.
And no, I'm not letting that go. I'm kicking that bastard's corpse on my way out.
But something still bothered me about what just happened.
Why wasn't Cosmo affected? Was it because he was also a psychic type? Did the Drowzee not see him?
Or was there...another reason?
"Well...I'm glad you're okay, Cosmo," Fenn said with a friendly smile. He turned to me. "I-I guess we'll have to keep our guard up. You can look out for the specs and I'll look out for ferals. Cosmo can keep lookout as well."
Cosmo beamed. It must have been a big deal for him to be recognized like this. And while I was happy he was okay, I wasn't not happy with leaving him in harm's way.
I changed my mind about being a responsible guardian; it was stupid to bring Cosmo here and was even more stupid of me to think he could handle it. Maybe he could, but screw going through that again. Cosmo was going in the bag and I wasn't letting him out until we were home free.
"Alright...let's get going," Fenn muttered. "We have a lot of ground to cover."
I held up a paw. "Hold on, Fenn." I opened up the bag around my shoulder. "Cosmo, get in the bag."
"Wha...b-but...Cosmo doesn't wanna get in the bag!"
"Cosmo," I voiced as sternly as possible.
"N-no! This isn't fair!"
Fenn approached me on my side. "Yeah, wait a second, Oswald. He didn't do anything wrong. W-we should let him fight with us."
I frowned. "I changed my mind, Fenn. Maybe you think differently, but I don't want him to get hurt. This place isn't safe for a kid like Cosmo."
"C-Cosmo is strong!"
"I don't care how strong you are, Cosmo, I don't want you to get hurt!"
"He needs to learn how to go through dungeons on his own!" Fenn argued.
"No, he doesn't! This isn't a freaking training mission, Fenn!" I countered. "Do you want to see him in pain again? Cause I sure don't!"
Fenn opened his mouth to say something and shut it just as quickly. The look on his face told me that he was deeply considering what I was saying and that he might have been wrong. "I…" he started, "I-I don't think i-it is fair to him...but you're...probably right, Oswald. I don't want Cosmo to get hurt either." Fenn rubbed his arm and sighed. "I-I don't know what I was thinking…"
God, I feel awful. Is this what doing the right thing feels like? Making Cosmo upset sucks just as badly as making Fenn upset. I hate this, but if the alternative is being responsible for Cosmo getting hurt more or possibly killed then I'm going to make him cry as much as necessary.
Fenn looked at the Solosis earnestly. "Cosmo, get in the bag. It's for your own good."
Cosmo was teary-eyed, his body shaking. "B-but...sniff...I…"
Crap. Okay, I need to take a different approach. I moved a little closer. "Listen, big guy," I started softly, "we know you're strong. Without you, we'd be in a lot of danger right now. But...we made a mistake. You are...too...powerful. You're our secret weapon and we can't have our secret weapon out in the open. We have to conceal you. You get what I'm saying?" I shot a glance at Fenn.
Cosmo sniffled. "A...secret weapon?"
"Yeah!" the Quilava blurted out. "I-if the bad guys see you, they'd all run before we get the chance to beat them. You have to hide, Cosmo!"
Cosmo snapped back to his confident self. "Of course! Why didn't Cosmo think of that before!" Within a second, the Solosis zoomed through the air and landed in the bag. His little face peaked out. "Cosmo will lie in wait. He will strike when the time is right."
I nodded. "Yep," I said, "we'll call you when we need you. But for now...you should rest until your time comes." I closed the bag's flap on him.
I sighed. "Thanks for going along with that, Fenn. I really appreciate it."
The Quilava nodded. "Y-yeah." He looked away. "I'm sorry for being so stupid."
"It's fine," I smiled with a wink. "Your stupidity is why I like you so much."
"H-hey!"
"Kidding. I don't know what I'd do without you."
That made him pretty flustered. "U-uh...should we get going?"
I chuckled. "Sure. Let's."
We headed out to search the rest of the second floor, but not before I kicked the bastard's corpse.
We spent the better part of half an hour scouring the second floor for items. It went more or less the same; I would keep my eyes on the ground when all of a sudden things would get weird. Then, after a few moments, I would snap out of my stupor to see Fenn scorching a cheeky feral pokemon. Fenn had been on the lookout this time and caught them in the act before they could get to him.
I was starting to get very wary of this place. Not only was the dungeon trying it's hardest to screw with our heads, but I was certain that it was targeting me in particular.
The ferals would always attack me first, even if Fenn was the bigger threat. After the fact, Fenn would tell me that I was mumbling something incoherent and wandering off. A decent tell that something was wrong.
We did find items along the way, but only when we would go out of our way to look for them, though. Every single one was some shade of purple and either broken, useless, or rotten. Very funny.
Kelpsy Fields wasn't a difficult dungeon. I surmised that it was just prone to trick invaders; it's residents attacked indirectly. I also surmised that this dungeon wanted something from me, and only me.
If it weren't for the X-Ray Specs, I would've left immediately. The dungeon knew this somehow, which had to be why it kept throwing vaguely similar objects on the ground in our path. It wanted to keep my hopes up. Keeping me here through promises of a finished job and then leading me away...for some reason.
Not a good reason, I was guessing, but a reason nonetheless. I didn't like that.
Soon enough, we came across a tangling of grass conjoined into a large ball. The blades bent downward to coil into themselves. To protect something perhaps? I doubted it. The tangling of grass was there to stop us, I was certain.
"W-woah." Fenn was astonished. "What's this doing...hey, what's that?" He padded up to the ball of grass and peered through the cracks. His eyes then went wide. "H-hey! It's the stairs!"
"What?" I questioned, walking up to his side, peeking through the grass.
"The stairs! On the other side!"
Sure enough, I saw something white through the blades. The dungeon was stopping us from getting to the stairs, and I could faintly hear the giggling.
"How are we supposed to get through?" I wondered.
"...Step back."
I did so and Fenn unleashed a blazing inferno into the foliage. He kept up the assault for a few seconds, but despite Fenn's brilliant display, the flames bounced right off the grass. Not even a scorch mark was left. "Wha-what the…?" Fenn couldn't believe it.
Oh, I see how it is. You want us to wander around until we get frustrated and give up? Maybe attack us when we get tired? Well, two can play at this game.
I kept my eyes on the ball. "Do you think the Tunnel Wand can break this?" I asked.
"Um...maybe? Worth a shot."
I opened the bag and-
-Cosmo was asleep.
I awkwardly weaved my paw past his body and pulled out the pickaxe shaped stick from earlier. I then handed it to Fenn; I didn't know how wands worked.
"O-okay," Fenn breathed. "Never used a Tunnel Wand before, but...h-here goes." He pointed the end of the stick towards the tangling of grass and closed his eyes. Within a few moments, a sphere of bright white light began to form at the end of it. The light expanded and expanded more until Fenn opened his eyes.
The light was unleashed in a cone from the wand, cascading out, bright as the sun. There was a loud BANG and the light connected. It tore through the blades and flew out the other end, leaving a gaping hole in its wake.
The light gradually dissipated and the wand rotted ever so slightly; it still had a few uses left.
Fenn turned to me. "Wow, that actually worked! That was pretty cool, huh-h-huh? Oswald? What…?"
I couldn't hear him. I was too busy grasping the sides of my head, on my knees, leaning over, and in pain. That bang I had heard had been loud, but not nearly as loud as the screams.
The voices assaulted my brain. Louder and louder, not stopping even as the heat the wand had left was gone from the carnage. Within seconds, I was at my wits end.
I screamed internally. OKAY! OKAY! I GET IT! STOOOOOOP! AAAAAAAH!
"Oswald? Oswald, what's wrong?"
The screams gradually got quieter. All I could do was whimper and wait for it to all go away. Eventually, they vanished and I was left panting heavily on my hands and knees.
"...Oswald?"
"Fenn…" I whispered. "Please tell me...you heard that."
"...H-heard what?"
"..."
I stood up slowly.
"Heard what, Oswald? What's going on?"
I said nothing. I only stared at the staircase ahead of me.
It did not make any noise. The laughing, the screaming, the wind...it wasn't there anymore. Now all that was left was the beckoning feeling the portal always gave me…
Alright, I get it.
My feet felt heavy as I ambled closer to it. Fenn swiftly grabbed my arm and stopped me.
"O-Oswald, please!" he pleaded. "Tell me what's the matter!"
I did not turn around. "It's nothing, Fenn. We need to keep moving."
"B-but...no! We haven't searched the whole floor! Please just tell me-"
I spun around and faced Fenn with a furrowed brow. "If the dungeon wants to give us the X-Ray Specs, then it will. But for now...I'm getting really tired of this."
I spun back around. The portal stared back at me.
"Oswald...please…"
I sighed. "I'll tell you later," I mumbled. Without giving Fenn the chance to argue, I walked up the steps of the stairs and into the portal. Fenn stopped trying to plead with me. He clung to my arm and said nothing more.
All the while, the portal continued to stay quiet. Nothing but deafening silence followed as we moved on to the next floor.
Kelpsy Fields: 4th Floor
The next two floors were the same. In fact, I'd wager that they were exactly the same. Same giant blades of grass, same bluish sky, same fake out X-Ray Specs. The tactics of the ferals didn't change, that's for sure.
Fenn was adamant about keeping an eye out for the specs, but I knew better. I truly believed what I said about the dungeon giving us the item when it felt like it. So instead of focusing on looking for some stupid pair of glasses that wouldn't at all be worth it to find, I took out my anger on the wildlife.
I stabbed and cut with passion, these awful beasts didn't deserve any semblance of mercy. Maybe the dungeon thought that it could get the jump on me and maybe it thinks it can confuse me and make me doubt myself. I didn't care what it thought it could do, I was officially done screwing around.
Fenn seemed worried. Actually, I knew that he was worried. There was a nagging feeling in my heart telling me to calm down and tell him everything. I wanted nothing more, but nope! If I told him I might let slip who I really am! So I'm just gonna kill as many ferals as I can until this godforsaken place TELLS ME WHAT IT WANTS!
I gripped a bloody Corsola Twig at my side as we progressed through the fourth floor, my eyes trained forward. Fenn had given up trying to get me to talk at this point; he kept with me and stayed quiet.
We stepped into a clearing. I scanned my surroundings for anything irregular, ready to skewer any monsters if need be. I was also waiting for the dungeon to shake up it's tactics. Whatever it was going for wasn't working, and I hadn't gotten confused since the second floor.
So imagine my surprise when it did actually switch up it's tactics.
Out of nowhere, two ferals burst from the shadows and ambushed us head on. One was a Hattrem that looked...strangely familiar. Lilac? No, it can't be.
The other was an Inkay. I had no relation with any Inkay of any kind, but...this one also seemed familiar. Where have I seen an Inkay before?
Regardless, these were ferals that I needed to kill. I leapt into action without hesitation. "Fenn!" I called out. "You take the Inkay! I'll take the Hattrem!" I didn't even look back to make sure he got what I had said. The Hattrem, glaring at me furiously, was missing a couple holes.
I needed to fix that.
I advanced forward, my sight set on the mangy hat with legs. Just as I was about to get close enough to attack, however, it let out a guttural screech and lifted an arm. I jumped aside, and the ground I was just on exploded, leaving a crater in its place. I had enough of an idea of how psychic types worked at this point to recognize the tells of an attack.
My feet kicked up dirt as I went in again. This Hattrem was now my deadly rival of the deep. Water gushed from my throat, pooling and ready to shoot. I had the perfect shot.
It's arm lifted once again. Outstretched in pursuit of my prize. Oh, how I hated it. I wanted nothing more than to destroy and maim this piece of shit as much as possible.
Crouching low, I evaded the psychic attack just in time with my leap into the air. I pointed my twig downward and landed on the Hattrem.
My form was sloppy; I failed to pierce its heart. Instead, I only stabbed into the feral's lower half. It screeched loudly, causing me to flinch. The Water Gun I was charging was choked out of my mouth. I wasn't the skilled killer I thought I was..
The Hattrem gripped me with its telekinesis and tossed me away. I landed in the dirt with a thud, my bag flying off my shoulder in the process. It dropped onto the ground nearby, causing the contents of the bag to fly out alongside a certain sleepy Solosis. Cosmo was hardly phased as he rolled onto the dirt. He was unharmed, yes, but the ruckus made him finally wake up. "Wha...?" He muttered sleepily. "Is Cosmo needed now?"
I blinked and regained my senses; I had completely forgotten about Cosmo. The anger in my heart subsided in the sight of him.
My gaze was brought back to the mortally wounded Hattrem. It lifted an arm—not in my direction, but in the direction of the Solosis.
No. NO. NOOOO!
"COSMO!"
"Huh?"
I jumped to my feet and ran—ran as fast as my short little legs would let me. I body-blocked the Hattrem's psychic attack just as it was about to hit Cosmo. There was a pressure in my chest and I froze in the air.
The feral grinned.
The Hattrem swung its arm around itself and I felt my body lurch. Before I knew what was going on, I was flying past the colossal blades of grass. My name was being yelled behind me. I didn't know how to react to what was happening so my mind locked up.
I flew and flew until...I saw it: the stairs. My body was sent through the portal in a matter of seconds.
As I felt the darkness encroach on my mind, the sound of giggling returned at full force.
The dungeon had caught me...there was nothing I could do.
Kelpsy Fields: 5th Floor
The fifth floor immediately felt different. Looked different, too.
Much like before, the blades of grass were colossal. They coiled and contorted strangely high up into the sky. But peering up from my position prone on the ground, I noticed that the sky was now purple. Just like Figy Forest.
Also like Figy Forest, broken items and rotten fruit hovered in the air. Gravity was no longer applicable in Kelpsy Fields.
Any inkling of an idea that this dungeon was trying to seem normal was gone. Madness reigned supreme—the dungeon was showing me it's true colors.
I didn't dare move. Breathing was hard enough as it was, but moving at all would only make it worse. So instead, I stayed still. Fenn...will come and get me soon. There's no reason to be scared...everything will be…
Oh, who was I kidding? I was absolutely horrified.
All alone and completely defenseless in a dungeon that wanted something from me. What should I do? I don't even have the bag…
I felt something in my paw. Bringing it to my face, the object was the Corsola Twig. The very same one I had used to stab that Hattrem. I must have pulled it out when the Hattrem tore me away. It was drenched in the blood of so many pokemon.
That Hattrem...it smiled. Why did it smile?
I let my arm fall to the dirt. Even holding it up for that long was exhausting. Everything was exhausting. Just let me rest...please. I'm so tired. I wanna go home...wherever home is. No more secrets...no more pain...no more dungeons. I just...want…
I looked up for half a second; it was done unconsciously. For just a split second, I caught sight of something that wasn't there before. Something white and tall.
I looked up again, this time taking in what I saw.
It was a Gardevoir, staring at me from across the field.
But it wasn't just any Gardevoir. Even from where I was laying, I could tell that this Gardevoir was one I had met before. The way that their gown flowed down their waist...the way that the hair frayed...even the eyes were the same brand of "tired and frustrated." It was clear to me right then and there...
This Gardevoir was Anemone.
She moved closer.
Perhaps this was just the dungeon playing tricks on me. It must have been; Anemone had no reason to be here. Still, I wanted to fight this Gardevoir. I wanted to use the Corsola Twig in my paw to gouge her eyes out. I wanted to tell her how much I hated her for doing this to me—for making me explore these horrible dungeons.
She moved closer.
With every ounce of strength I still had, I stood. There must have been rocks on my shoulders because I felt as though I might fall over at any moment. I might have, but I had something I wanted to say.
"You…" I muttered, barely audible. "This...this is all your fault."
She moved closer.
I held out my arm and pointed at her with my twig. "I just...want to go home...and you won't let me."
She moved closer.
I chuckled weakly. "Heh...heh...you bitch. You enjoy seeing me suffer, don't you?"
She moved closer.
"Take...another step...and I kill you…"
She moved closer. Anemone was now less than two meters away from me.
"Have it...your way."
I tossed the twig. The throw was weak; it would've barely done any damage if it hit.
…
...
It didn't.
The twig froze mid air, inches from Anemone's face. She did not flinch. To my surprise, the twig turned very slowly until the twig was pointed in the opposite direction.
At me.
It flew away from the Gardevoir and punctured my thigh.
"AAAAAAAH! AGGGGH-AAAAH!"
I fell into the dirt, clutching my leg. A thousand thoughts coursed through my head at once, all drowned out by the pain. I grit my teeth and suppressed my screams.
"Ngh...aaah shit! AAgh!"
The Gardevoir was now inches from my writhing body. I had no way to stop her. I didn't try.
"P-please," I pleaded through the tears, "d-don't-"
"Shhhh. Sleep."
And then there was a groping in my skull. My eyelids fell. And then everything went dark.
(...)
I recalled a memory right then.
I don't know what it was about dungeons, but they seemed to always lead to me recalling...something. Well, not every time, but at least a couple times. A real shame I was already deciding on never coming back to one of these ever again.
I remembered a garden of flowers. I almost thought I was remembering Fairy Fields, the place where I first woke up in Pamtre. But...no, it wasn't Fairy Fields. The flowers were different. There were...yellow flowers. Sunflowers, I believe.
I...recalled liking sunflowers a lot actually. Wherever this place was, I visited it quite often. I could remember the way the wind felt on my skin, and the way the flowers would sway in the breeze. Was it nostalgia that made me feel so comfortable in this place? I came here when I was younger, I think.
What was it called? Did it even have a name? Hard to say. Maybe it did. Maybe it didn't. Humans weren't very consistent when it comes to names. All that was left of those flowerbeds to me was these memories. Happy memories. Memories I would cherish as long as I live.
But...wait...what's that? Who is that? It's not a pokemon I don't think. They're in the garden with me, looking away from me. I can't see their face. Can I get closer? Please tell me I can.
Huh? I'm getting closer? Ha! Oh, I can't wait! I'll get to see someone from my past and then I'll remember so much more and...and...no...no, please. Please don't! No! Come back! COME BACK, PLEASE!
The flowers began to fade, dissipating along with the human I never got to see. That was where the memory ended.
Dammit! Just give me something! I'm begging you!
As the memory faded, I realized that I was somewhere new. Laying on the ground, I felt no pain despite being stabbed not too long ago. Or...sometime ago. Feels like it happened years in the past, it was so distant.
Regardless, I recognized the ground I was on as stone. Not at all the dirt of Kelpsy Fields. I was somewhere completely different. I pushed myself to my feet and looked around.
I was in Kebia's town square, no doubt about it. Though some buildings looked different and the fountain lacked the usual statue, I knew where I was. The castle towering above me was also a telling sign. Pokemon walked the streets around me, but paid me no mind. In fact, they were more like ghosts, really. Their transparent figures glided across the stone without making any noise.
The entire mood of the place was notably very dreamlike. A blanket of soft white light coated everything around me, making me feel a bit lost and aimless. The square was entirely silent aside from the music coming from the fountain.
My eyes drifted to the fountain. I mentioned that the Gallade statue was gone, and it was, but in its place was an actual Gallade sitting on the fountain's edge. He was solid and definitely real, unlike the ghosts. In his arms was an acoustic guitar. He strummed it idly, his eyes closed, lost in his music.
I assumed that if I wanted answers, I should ask him.
Approaching the Gallade, he acknowledged my presence without opening his eyes. "Do you know what this is?" he asked in a friendly, but strong and virtuous voice.
I stopped a few feet from him. "...Are you talking about the guitar?"
He smiled. "So you do remember…" The Gallade opened his eyes and we made eye contact. They were the most beautiful shade of blue; I read the kindness in them. There was an innocence and playfulness there that made him seem younger than what he most likely really was. I might not have met this pokemon before, but I knew right away that he was someone I could trust.
That set off a few red flags. Trusting pokemon was what got me here in the first place.
"Hello, Oswald," he said.
Why am I not surprised? I crossed my arms and scowled. "Can you just tell me what's going on?" I grumbled.
He turned away and went back to plucking his instrument. "You know," he laughed, "I used to play this all the time back in the day. How many decades has it been? Three? Four?"
"Please don't screw with me. I'm so sick of this."
He chuckled lightly. "I know, I know. I'm sorry. This is my first time doing this so I wanted to make myself seem mysterious, you know?"
I glared at him.
"Don't be upset, I just wanted to talk. We don't have much time, so let me say my piece, okay?"
I sighed. "I don't...fine. I yield. What do you want to say?"
His smile got bigger and he went back to strumming his guitar. That strumming gradually turned into a gentle tune. "You wanted answers. I don't have many, but I do have some words of encouragement," he said, fingers busy playing his acoustic. "I wanted to tell you to not give up. I know it might be stressful right now, but it won't be without purpose, I promise.
"When the time comes, you'll know what to do. There will always be someone there for you, even if it doesn't feel like it. Your spot in this story is the most important one of all, don't forget that. And, uh, everything that is happening now, happened once before. I should know, I was there."
"...Who are you?"
The Gallade laughed merrily. "Ha! That's funny! I was just about to get to that!"
"..."
He faced me and shot me a large grin. "Names are so fickle," he stated. "Everybody puts so much value in names when they're nothing but words! Let me tell you, if everyone stopped caring about names altogether, we'd get so much done.
"But here's the thing: names can have value. You can tell when a name has value when you can feel the love in it. When someone you love says your name, and you love them back, that name has value. Of course, not everyone that says your name will find the love in it, but some will. Cherish those that do, Oswald. Find a name that means something to you and find someone that will say it with an abundance of love."
What...what is he talking about?
I frowned. "You still haven't answered my question."
He stopped strumming his guitar and stood up from the edge of the fountain. "I know," he smirked. "It's not like you'll remember me anyways. You'll remember my words, but not me. Don't want her to catch on now, do we?"
I flinched. "Her? Wait, what're you-"
He began to walk away, his body slowly becoming more and more transparent. "I have to leave now!" he called out with a wave. "Good luck, Oswald! Maybe we'll get to meet again someday! Come back around when you get the chance!"
"What? No! Don't leave me with that!" I started to run after him, but no matter what I did, I couldn't catch him. Eventually, the dream itself began to shatter. "Answer my questions already! GET BACK HEEEEEEE-"
I never got the chance to finish my sentence. The world faded away. All that remained was white.
(...)
The world faded back into view and the pain returned, now only a dull soreness.
My mind worked at a slow pace deciphering where I was now. At this point, I didn't even want to think about it; I just wanted to rest. The culmination of all of the stress accumulated over the course of the past week left me with nothing but exhaustion. I was ready to curl up and never move again.
But of course, that wasn't happening. I found myself asking more questions. Like...where was I now?
I was laying on my back and staring up at a ceiling. Somehow, I had ended up inside a building. I could still feel the pain in my leg, though it was much more subdued. It was also covered in something. Bandages, I guessed.
So that final floor not only happened recently, but I also got the medical attention I needed and I'm somewhere safe now. I must be on a bed too. The linen feels soft on my back.
That was good. I didn't feel like dying yet.
I wanted to move and look for more answers to my questions, which might've been the right course of action. Or sitting still for a while longer could be better. The exhaustion never really left, after all. A break would be nice.
I sighed internally. No...I can't take a break until I figure out what happened. Not until I find Fenn and...apologize.
Dammit. I feel like such an idiot. I let the dungeon get to me, didn't I? And then I had the gall to get mad and ignore Fenn's pleas. Cosmo too, he didn't deserve to see me mad. Even if I had the right idea...I still feel like garbage.
I feel like garbage about everything.
"Ah, you are awake. Good, good. My position as a medical doctor is secure."
I felt a chill go up my spine as a deeply smarmy and slighted accented masculine voice sounded out nearby. It came from somewhere, but my brain couldn't comprehend from where. Either way, it was a voice I had never heard before. I wasn't sure how to respond or even if I could, so I opened my mouth to speak and hoped for the best..
"H...hello…?"
"Still weak, are we? A shame; I was expecting more from someone like you. Perhaps those books I have read were full of lies. I would not be surprised. Those idealistic nimrods added nothing of value to my repertoire. Regardless...up."
My body began to rise against my will, and a sudden jolt of pain surged through my entire body. I had to grit my teeth to keep myself from howling in agony. For some reason, I had a feeling I wasn't supposed to be sitting up yet. Don't know I came to that conclusion.
When I finally stopped in a sitting position, a pressure I didn't realize I was feeling was lifted, and my shoulders slumped with the lessened weight. I nearly fell back immediately before I stopped myself with my arms. Already, I felt that I might faint again. "Wha...ah...who…"
"...Did I fail to administer the correct amount of curatives?" In my half-conscious state, I was able to see a pink blob standing over me. The voice seemed to be coming from the blob. "Strange; that is a mistake I rarely make. Here, more is needed."
I wasn't sure what happened next, but something blue floated through the air and up to my mouth. I was coaxed to bite down, and a liquid slipped into my throat. After a few more agonizing seconds, the pain gradually subsided. And soon enough, I was able to take in my surroundings more clearly.
First thing I did was look around. Beds were lined against the walls. Some held other pokemon, all of which were asleep. They all seemed to have an injury of some kind. Orange sunlight filtered in through the large windows. It must have been close to sunset.
Then, I gazed at the pink blob, now a pokemon I could decipher as being a Slowking. With his half-lidded eyes and his arms tucked behind his back, the smug looking psychic type regarded my confused glance with a nod. "It seems I was one curative short. My apologies."
"...Um…" I didn't even know where to start.
The Slowking let out a sigh. "I pray that you do not mind, I would prefer to answer your questions in chronological order before you waste time by asking them. I am a busy 'mon."
"...Ah," I groaned, feeling the soreness seeping into my neck. "...Sure...go ahead."
Again, he nodded. "Thank you," he said. "Now, your location: Kebia Castle infirmary."
I nodded slowly. So I did get back to the castle. How did that happen?
He was just about to get to that. "Your compatriots were the ones that brought you here. A certain Quilava and Solosis. The Quilava in particular carried your unconscious body. The Solosis' capabilities were woefully underdeveloped; telekinesis was not an option."
...Yeah, I don't know what else I was expecting. At least they're okay.
"As for your generous doctor," the Slowking hummed, lowering his head, "my professional title is Dr. Lupine. Though you, human, may call me Lupine."
"W-wait," I stuttered, the fur on the back of my neck bristling, "did she-"
Lupine interrupted me by literally pushing my lips together with his psychic powers. "As I have said, your questions will be answered. Do you understand, human?"
Begrudgingly, I nodded. Afterwards, I clawed at my teeth to try to pry them open. Lupine thankfully released his grip quickly after.
He continued, "Do you see this?" He held up his arm, showing me the white piece of cloth wrapped around his upper arm.
I nodded once more.
"This color represents my position as a member of the staff of this castle. In particular, I am the head doctor of Kebia Castle and maintain a dual purpose as a channeler."
What the hell is a channeler? I thought. Nevermind, it doesn't matter right now. What I really wanted to know was-
"Our gracious queen has bestowed upon me the gift of knowledge." The psychic type brought his hands together in front of him and leaned close enough to me that I could feel the heat of his breath. "You are a human. That in itself is...astounding. But to think you happened to come here, of all places in Enigma...fascinating."
I didn't like that look in his eyes. Also, I didn't know what he meant by "Enigma" but I had a feeling he wasn't going to answer that question.
So, what? Anemone told another pokemon about me? Should I even be surprised at this point? Ugh. Did it really have to be this guy, though? The way he was staring at me was creeping me out.
He took a step back once he was done talking, thankfully. "I was hoping to learn more about your culture or your social standing, though Anemone tells me you have...amnesia. Is that correct?"
Furrowing my brow, I shot Lupine the harshest scowl I could manage. "I'm sorry, who's answering the questions here?" I asked.
"I...!" Lupine almost seemed taken aback by the question. "I...see," he conceded. "I have merely one more answer you might be interested in hearing. Then, perhaps, you can enlighten a curious soul with any potential information relating to your origins. Anemone tells me that you have some inkling of an idea of what being a human was like."
Fat freaking chance. Like hell am I gonna sit here and play 20 questions with this creepy weirdo. Where's Fenn? Why didn't I wake up and see HIM first?
"The answer you seek," Lupine started, the gem on his shell flickering slightly, "concerns your condition, hm?"
I blinked, and I dropped the scowl. What about my condition?
Lupine began to pace around my bed. "Physical injuries consist of a puncture wound on the left thigh, and slight dehydration. Neither of those are particularly egregious; Oran berries were sufficient. The scar will fade with time."
The scar...didn't I have a claw mark on my chest just a few days ago? Is it already gone? Wow, the medical advancements here are something else. Impressive considering that it's basically just berries.
"No, my biggest concern is with your mental health," the Slowking said.
...I didn't like where this was going.
"Losing unconsciousness in Spatial Dungeons can lead to irreparable mental fatigue and other related ailments. Side effects can include rapid mental deterioration, crippling depression, and, in some cases, a loss of sanity." Lupine stopped pacing for a moment to turn and look at me. "You are lucky to be in the hands of an experienced medical professional, human. Through my methods of manipulation by way of the mind, I was able to remove the parasite infecting your brain. No damage was caused."
"..." Huh. I just stared blankly into the middle distance after hearing all of that. Thinking back on it, I swore there was something in the back of my mind that could recall occurring right after I got stabbed. But...what was it? Something about...guitars? Was it a dream? Why did Lupine make me forget that? Or...did he? What was this parasite he was talking about?
Actually, you know what? Nevermind. I didn't care. I just wanted to see Fenn and Cosmo and maybe go get something to eat. The sooner I could get away from this freak, the better.
"Right," I mumbled. "Thanks for...helping and all that, Dr. Lupine."
"Just Lupine. We are familiar enough, are we not?" His gem flickered again.
...No? I almost wanted to laugh at that. "...Lupine. Listen, you're a good doctor and I can't thank you enough. Um...do you know where that Quilava and Solosis are right now?"
The Slowking almost appeared offended by the question, his mouth agape. "...They are...outside this room, waiting to be allowed entrance."
My eyes lit up at that. Was my tail thumping against the bed too? That was...not something I wanted to think about right now. "Great!" I said excitedly. "Can I see them?"
"Yes, yes, in a bit," Lupine muttered quickly, walking over to a nearby table. "But first, I would like to inquire about your species' history and anatomy." When Lupine returned, he had a book in his hands. "There are details about humans that I have always questioned. If it possible, I would like to-"
I interrupted him by holding my paws up. "Lupine! Can this happen another time? I just...I don't think I'll be able to give any good answers right now."
Lupine deflated, the wonder and excitement on his face quickly vanishing. "...Oh. I am assuming…you do not remember as much as Anemone had claimed."
Sure, let's go with that. Screw it. "Yeah, I doubt I'd be any help. Sorry."
The gem on his shell went dull, and I could read the disappointment on his face. "I see," he said, looking down. "Perhaps in another week's time, you may remember more. In the meantime...yes, I will go fetch your companions."
Thank god. I might've felt bad about shutting Lupine down like that if...actually, no. I didn't feel bad at all.
I nodded with a smile. "Thank you. And I really do appreciate what you did for me. I, uh...don't know if I would still be here if you weren't around."
Wordlessly, the Slowking nodded before turning to leave.
However, I couldn't help but notice the glare the back of his shell was giving me. Something about it...I had a horrible feeling that this wouldn't be the last time I saw that guy.
And I was really hoping that feeling would go away soon.
Oo-oO
Fenn was sitting on one of the cushioned couches outside the castle infirmary. He bounced the team's shoulder bag on his knee and counted the ceiling tiles. Once he got done with that, he traced the lining of the bag with a paw. After that, he watched the pokemon that walked down the hall. A Breloom...a couple of Deerling...a Greedent…
…
...There weren't any more pokemon that walked past.
Fenn went back to counting the ceiling tiles. He had gotten pretty good at it. Well, the Quilava certainly hoped he did. He had counted them in their entirety five times now.
…
…
...Dammit. He lost count.
Fenn looked over at the young Solosis staring out the window. Cosmo didn't seem nearly as anxious as Fenn was, which made sense. Cosmo's optimism trumped Fenn's any day. Or maybe he didn't understand the gravity of the situation? He hadn't voiced many concerns regardless.
Fenn was worried about Oswald, if that wasn't obvious.
After Oswald was captured and sent to the fifth floor, Fenn...lost control...to put it mildly. Or at least, that was what Cosmo told him after they got back to Kebia Castle. Fenn "blacked out" sometime in between. They found Oswald unconscious, alone, with a Corsola Twig in his leg.
According to Cosmo, Fenn was "really scary" when he saw what happened to Oswald. Cosmo recounted how amazed he was that a Quilava's flames could reach that height. That was concerning. Fenn couldn't remember any of that.
But what was more concerning was what Cosmo said right after.
"Fenn was amazing!" Cosmo had said. "So many villains and Fenn took down every one of them! Not even Cosmo is that strong!"
"How did we find Oswald, Cosmo?" Fenn had asked.
"The villains wouldn't stop coming! Cosmo and Fenn were on that floor for so long! But then...Fenn remembered the Guiding Wand! WOOSH! Cosmo and Fenn were at the stairs! We found Oswald on the next floor right away!"
Fenn was unsure if this was a good idea, but he asked Cosmo what he was like during that whole time.
Cosmo said, with reverence in his voice, "Fenn wanted to save Oswald more than anything! He yelled at the bad guys and called them mean words! Not even the strongest evil doers could stop him! Fenn and Oswald must be the bestest of friends!"
Fenn...had a thought.
A deeply personal and private thought. One that he wasn't willing to share with anyone at the moment. (Yes, even you.)
On a completely unrelated note, Fenn recalled that this had happened to him before. A couple times during his training sessions with his father. Some of the lowest points in his life. When he would…
Fenn told Cosmo not to tell any of this to Oswald. When Cosmo asked why, the Quilava did not give him a reason. He remained persistent and made it absolutely clear that Oswald must not know. Cosmo got sad, like he thought that he did something wrong, but complied with Fenn's request.
Now in the waiting room, Fenn sat around for Oswald to get better so he could tell him that he was sorry. What for? Everything, really.
He could hardly sit still; he wanted nothing more than to see that Dewott again and tell him that he was sorry for putting Cosmo in danger. Sorry for not heeding the warnings. Sorry for not making sure that all three of them were safe. Sorry for letting Oswald get separated. Sorry for letting him get hurt.
It didn't matter that Fenn took on an entire Monster House of ferals on his own; only a weak pokemon would let his friends get hurt on his account. What kind of warrior can he possibly be if he couldn't protect those that matter to him? Because Oswald mattered to Fenn. He mattered quite a bit.
So much so that...Fenn couldn't imagine continuing in his line of work without Oswald.
So, as Fenn stared up at the ceiling and counted the tiles for the sixth time, he wondered if there was more to their friendship than he first initially thought...
"Are we going to wait here all night?"
Fenn turned his head towards the Solosis, now right next to him. "Hopefully not," Fenn replied. "I-I do wanna wait a little longer at least."
Cosmo's expression became one of worry. "Is Oswald gonna be okay?" he asked timidly.
Fenn paused at the question. Odds were that the answer was yes. It took more than a stab wound to kill or even cripple a pokemon. They were very sturdy creatures by design. What Fenn was really worried about was what Oswald would say when he'd wake up or if he'd wake up tonight at all. The last thing he wanted was to have to go to sleep without knowing what Oswald would say after all of that.
Fenn let his head fall back onto the coach's headrest. "...I'm sure Oswald will be fine, Cosmo. I-I've seen him deal with worse before."
"Okay…" Cosmo went back to staring out the window.
Looking at the ceiling once again, Fenn thought back on what Oswald said earlier today. The line about their job not being a "training mission."
It reminded him of the times from his childhood when his dad would encourage Fenn to train everyday, almost constantly. How he'd expel so much fire and burn so many dungeon ferals that he would come home thoroughly drained and even that wasn't enough. Thinking back on it, Fenn realized that he had lied to Oswald about how many times he went into Figy Forest.
He hadn't gone in two or three times. No, he must have gone in hundreds of times over the course of his life. Starting before he was even five years old.
Over and over again. He lost count of how many times he came home half dead. But that was years in the past; Fenn became an expert by the time he was a teenager. That was what he thought, but Mago Canyon was a reality check for Fenn. All of that training didn't save him, the Escape Orb did. A coincidence that shouldn't have happened.
And then Kelpsy Fields happened. Oswald got hurt badly and Fenn willingly put him and Cosmo in danger. What was he thinking? Why does he have to put his pride first? This was exactly what his dad...would've...done…
I am not my dad. I'm not. I don't want to be.
No more. I won't let this happen again. I refuse to let Cosmo experience what I experienced. I refuse to let Oswald get hurt anymore. I'll keep them safe if it's the last thing I do.
And Clary...oh no...I left her there, didn't I?
I...have to overcome this. I have to...be better. Next chance I get, I'm going home and I'm letting him know that I won't let this continue.
I swear it.
Just have to...build up the confidence first…
Fenn sighed. Grandpa...what would you do?
Suddenly, the door of the infirmary swung open and Fenn jumped to his feet.
A Slowking, with his arms behind his back, walked out and regarded the Quilava with an irked look. "Good evening...Quilava," he said, looking the fire type up and down. "You are the companion of the Dewott in this infirmary, yes?"
Fenn perked up immediately. "Yes! Y-yes, I am! Is he okay?"
Looking a bit displeased, the Slowking continued to examine the Quilava. But after a few more moments...Lupine smiled. It was a smile that made Fenn deeply uncomfortable. He could feel his vents going cold. "Yes...he is in...a satisfactory condition," Lupine told Fenn.
"G-great! Can I...see him?"
"Hm," the psychic type hummed. "Yes, you are free to do so. Now, I must go. May we meet again, Fenn of Team Lavender." Before Fenn had a chance to say goodbye, the Slowking disappeared in a flash of light.
Fenn blinked at the sudden flash. I don't...think I ever met that Slowking. How did he know my…?
Fenn shook his head. He figured that he must have learned it from talking to Oswald or something like that. With that, Fenn stepped into the infirmary with Cosmo right behind him.
The Quilava scanned the room until he caught sight of Oswald, sitting up, the sunlight hitting his fur. Fenn had never been so happy to see someone in his life.
"OSWALD!"
He looked up. "Fenn?"
Fenn tackled Oswald into a hug before he knew what was happening.
"Ow ow ow hurts!"
"O-oh, oops." Fenn crawled off of the Dewott. He rubbed his arm as he slid back onto the floor. "Sorry. Got kinda...excited."
"Ugh...heh...y-yeah, I can see that," Oswald laughed.
The two of them stared at one another for a few quiet moments. Just taking in each other's lively faces. Enjoying the simple, nice feeling of being in each other's company...
"Yay! Oswald!"
Cosmo interrupted the happy moment by also tackling Oswald into a hug.
"Haha...happy to see you too, big guy," Oswald said. "Glad you're okay."
Cosmo laughed more in Oswald's arms. The Dewott's smile slowly lost its luster and he looked at Fenn solemnly. "Hey, Fenn-"
"I'm sorry."
"..."
"..."
Oswald's smile returned. "You can't just steal my line like that, Fenn," he chuckled.
Fenn, admittedly, didn't know where to go from there. He's not great at confessions. "U-um…why would you be sorry?"
"Because I put us in danger. And then I left you two alone. And got stabbed."
Fenn sputtered, "B-but that's what I did! I put us in danger! It's all my fault!"
Oswald laughed again. "Well, we can't both be responsible. Maybe we should blame Cosmo?"
"Cosmo gets to take credit?" Cosmo asked humorously. "Haha! Cosmo really is the greatest!"
"Ha, I don't know about that," Oswald added. "I mean, unless you found the specs in the two floors that I wasn't around. I'm guessing you didn't go through the whole dungeon."
Fenn blinked. "Wh-what do you mean, Oswald?"
"Huh?"
"We got the specs when we found you," Fenn told him. "They were right next to you. Did you not see them?"
"..."
Oswald stared at Fenn with wide eyes and parted lips. He let Cosmo drop from his paws. The Solosis shot into the air.
Fenn looked at him strangely. Oh no. He's getting quiet again. "Oswald?"
Oswald fell onto his back.
"Hey, Fenn?" he asked, lying down and looking up at the ceiling.
"Yeah?"
"Would it be alright with you if we just never went into another mystery dungeon ever again?"
"Wh-why?"
"...I really, really don't want to…"
"Um…" Fenn considered his request. He was hesitant after having spent his entire life up to this point working towards being an explorer by fighting through dungeons. That's what being an explorer meant...right? If they don't do dungeon missions, then what else can they do? Wasn't exploring mystery dungeons what Fenn always wanted to do for a living?
It might have been, but after today, maybe staying away from mystery dungeons is the best way to keep his friends safe.
But being an explorer was part of his identity! It was the only thing keeping his memory of his grandfather alive! He couldn't just throw it all away!
Then again, what about Oswald? And Cosmo? Aren't they more important?
…
…
...
...Yes. Yes, they were.
Fenn's response was, "Okay. W-we don't have to if you don't want to."
"What?" The Dewott balked and sat up. "Are you sure?"
The Quilava nodded. "Yes. I'm sure."
"What about your dream? Isn't exploring dungeons a part of that? When I'm saying that I don't want to ever go inside a mystery dungeon ever again, I'm talking never again. Like, I refuse to. Are you okay with that?"
He wasn't, honestly. He didn't want to have to give that up. If he couldn't explore mystery dungeons, then he may as well pick up carpentry and build houses for a living. Or go back to being a janitor. The very career paths that he had been desperately trying to get away from. Explorers don't do that sort of stuff. Neither do...warriors.
But...if that's what he wanted...then…
"..Yes. I'm okay with it. There are other ways to make money."
"...I don't think that's the point, Fenn."
"I-I know. I'm saying we don't have to if you don't want to. Not every mission takes place in a dungeon."
Most of them did.
Oswald stared into Fenn's eyes. Fenn stared back. He didn't know what to make of it. Apprehension? Doubt? Bewilderment? He wasn't sure. What Fenn did know was that he was incredibly afraid that Oswald would call him out on his bluff. This was Fenn's way of keeping his friends safe. Even if it meant letting go of his dream…
...No, he had to. Fenn had to let go. For Oswald. His...friend. His best...friend.
Oswald began to grin. He didn't call Fenn out on his bluff. "Thanks, Fenn. I really appreciate it."
"Anything for you, Oswald."
Anything for you.
"Awww," Cosmo pouted, "does this mean that Cosmo won't get to defeat any more evildoers?"
"Haha," Oswald laughed. "I'm sure you'll get plenty of opportunities to take down the bad guys, buddy."
Cosmo bobbed up and down. "Okay. Can we go eat now? Cosmo is hungry."
"Yeah, sure. I'm hungry too. Let me just...hey, Fenn, help me out here."
Fenn zoomed to Oswald's side and let the Dewott lean on him.
"Thanks, Heh...I promise I'll get less useless eventually."
"Y-you're not useless, Oswald." Fenn sniffed. "Could do with a bath though. You smell."
"Wh-wha?" Oswald stuttered then sniffed. "You smell more!"
"What? I do not!"
"Cosmo agrees. Both Oswald and Fenn are stinky."
"Can't argue with that," Oswald chuckled. "We should take a bath after dinner. What do you think, Fenn?"
Fenn smiled. "Sure. That sounds good."
