Pokémon Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Clockwork Journeys

[Roser]

Chapter 18: Just Like Them​

July 12th, 928 EP

Once more, the morning routine. Vivian, Bennett, and Tai proceeded from their beds as they always did. This time, however, Vivian paused at the bedroom's exit. Fera had only been stirred from her slumber at Valo's call, stuck in a dazed state on her bed. Some persisting exhaustion from yesterday's experience kept her weighed down despite the pressure to wake up. Vivian paused to consider waking Fera fully and bringing her along, but it wasn't needed. It was better to let her rest, and not risk a screech from Vivian's father about ruining her recovery or disobeying his words. The Eevee anxiously trotted off to join her fellow explorers.

Vivian was used to breakfast without Fera, she had lived so much of her life without the Riolu being present. But the lack of Fera's eager deliberation on upcoming work, or attempts to make a new friend at the table, left the peaceful meal more bland than she had expected. Her absence was awkward, if nothing else. Perhaps the Eevee's concern was more at the Riolu's health than her absence from breakfast. But, at the least, she was recovering. Things could return to normal in due time.

The stretches were as simple as ever, and the salute came next. Vivian's effortless rendition of the chanting and cheering would never be sullied, even when in a less pleasant mood. As she spoke along, her eyes drifted over to the left end of the room. Standing aside from everyone else, Fera watched the Eevee and the other explorers quietly. The Riolu swayed slightly in place, her feelers wavering as she stared on. Upon realizing that their eyes had met, Fera glanced away. She looked, in some sense, forlorn. Before the chant had ended and Vivian had a chance to approach, the Riolu wandered off from the large group, heading down a hall to parts unknown. Even if she had wanted to pursue, once the recited speech was over, Vivian was ushered upwards to the mission floor all the same.

The young girl muttered worriedly with Bennett and Tai about the occurrence, but neither was willing to assume something about the situation. Bennett merely believed the Riolu felt awkward about intruding, and Tai offered that Cromwell would've shouted her down over everyone's chants if he thought she was trying to begin work for the day. Vivian nodded along, only able to accept their ideas. The group broke apart as Bennett was the first to be called away. After him, Vivian was summoned, leaving Tai by his lonesome in the crowd of trainees.

"There you are…" Cromwell put aside some of his paperwork, having nothing written for the girl to receive or claim. "You're in charge of Fera today."

"Eh?" Vivian tilted her head, although she didn't reject the odd request.

"She was idling about during the chant. I'm sure she's well and healthy already, but I'm not quite certain she should be on her own. So, for the day, you'll be watching over her."

"Well, uh." Vivian pondered her father's words. "Do you not trust her, or something?"

"Of course I trust her! She's a member of the guild!" Cromwell squawked as he spoke, then settled himself down. "Well… I trust her as a member of the guild. But I'd like to make sure she doesn't get herself into trouble in some fashion. Idle paws are the renegade's playthings, after all."

"Uh huh… do I need to help her do anything? Is she meant to not do something?"

"Hmmph… no tasks for her to do, naturally. And…" The bird mulled over some guidelines in his head. "Make sure she stays in the town limits. And keep her away from the market, if possible. And, if it looks like another panic attack is inbound, contact Janette right away. You're dismissed from your work at dinnertime. Is that understood?"

Vivian naturally had no objections. She had hoped to check up on Fera after the odd display as soon as possible, and now she'd have the free time to dig into things further. She worried briefly about keeping Fera in line if the two disagreed on something, but there was no point in it. She would handle things as they came.

"Yes, administrator, sir." Vivian quickly bowed her head, and then turned. With nothing stopping her, the girl scurried away into the depths of the guild to find her companion.

---

Fera wasn't easy to pin down. The girl had left the bedroom for the day and couldn't be found anywhere on that same floor, despite Vivian's lengthy search. Going a floor up and a floor down, there were still no signs of her. Even the people passing by that she approached mentioned nothing about seeing the Riolu that day. Time dragged on, with Vivian growing more anxious that Fera had already gotten herself into a bad situation as her father alluded to.

Having arrived back on the mission floor, Vivian received some guidance. When asking about the missing girl, Gekkuya mentioned Fera heading up to the guild's entrance mere minutes ago, after the two exchanged a solitary wave. The Eevee breathed a sigh of relief knowing that her friend was likely still nearby. Taking the instructor's advice, she dashed for the staircase. She hopped up and up the ascending stone steps, panting slightly from her overexertion. At the guild's exitway, Vivian flew out into the open air, the sun beating down on her fur for the first time today. She had to catch up to—

"Bye, Vivian! Good luck today!"

—Fera. The Eevee skidded to a halt at the sudden call. She tossed her head from side to side, trying to locate the sound of her friend's voice. It had come from… above her? Once she connected the dots, Vivian turned around, and gazed upward.

Perched up near the top of the guild's domed entrance, Fera was sitting calmly and aimlessly. The Riolu's tail swished back and forth while her face beamed down to her busy friend, as she waved to the lower girl. She must have leapt or climbed up a distance that Vivian could not dream of, especially not on the smooth wood surface that made up the Wendell-shaped structure. Vivian stomped her paws down annoyedly.

"What are you DOING up there?" Vivian called back to the Riolu. She stepped closer, moving to her right and off the main entrance path to line up better with Fera. She certainly couldn't catch Fera if she fell, but she could at least provide some kind of cushioning if that case arose.

"Nothing much… I wanted to get a better view." The Riolu extended her arms, waving her paws out towards the expanse of Treasure Town. "You can already see a lot when you're on this plateau, but… when you're just a little bit higher, you can see so much more. The whole town!"

"Okay, but—"

"You can even see the merchant caravans coming by. You can see everyone doing everything. It's just great." She pointed out towards one of the stretches of trees, although Vivian couldn't tell quite where the girl meant if she even looked where the paw pointed. At most, it seemed to be outside the town's boundaries. "And there's a weird berry tree south of the town gates? I'm gonna head out to check soon—"

"Okay, but you shouldn't be sitting up there! You could fall!" Vivian whined out loudly. She wasn't willing to wait for Fera to pause herself, and her fears were compounding by the second. The Riolu returned her focus to Vivian.

"I mean, I guess… but I've got good balance. I've been training a lot, y'know?" Fera stuck out her arms parallel to the ground that she was so distant from, as if to demonstrate her ability to stay neutral given the slight incline on which she sat.

"But you had a panic attack yesterday! And you're supposed to be recovering so… please, just come down from there!"

Fera frowned lightly, lowering her arms down. She began a retort, but the worry on Vivian's face convinced her otherwise. "Right… sorry. I wasn't thinking much."

"It's alright… I'm sorry for yelling. You're still free to do things, it's just important t—" Vivian, in her relief, had taken her attention off of Fera for a crucial moment. As she looked up again, Fera stretched her legs outward.

"Coming down!" With her feet no longer anchoring her body against the incline, Fera started to slide forward. Gaining speed and moving onto continually steeper slopes, the Riolu was hurtling toward Vivian's idle position at the side of the entrance.

Vivian hopped back and forth in place as she realized what was occurring. She waffled between dodging the collision and trying to cushion the descent. As the Riolu drew near, Vivian panicked and tossed herself to the side. Fera's feet hit the ground moments later, the girl crouching down to deal with the momentum of her drop.

"Don't do that!" Vivian huffed and turned back to her friend, who uncrouched quickly after landing. Fera grew perplexed from the comment.

"But you told me to come down."

"Yes, but…" Still dealing with the aftertaste of her fears, Vivian simply groaned. The issue was resolved, and that was what mattered. "It's not important. I'm in charge of you for today, I came to tell you that."

"In charge of me?" Fera frowned again, and repeated her familiar gesture of placing her paws on her hips as if to defy what opposed her. "I don't think that's needed… I'm not on a mission or anything, I just wanna enjoy my time. I'm not supposed to stay stuck in the guild all day, am I?"

"It's not like that... my dad just wanted me to stick with you in case something happens again." Vivian spoke calmly to counter Fera's behavior, then continued. "Well, that and we can't leave town, or go into the market. But everything else is fair game. So, what do you wanna do?"

The Riolu relaxed her posture, and tried to think on the stated rules. Vivian knew that her father's restrictions wouldn't sit that well. The market was where most of the interesting stuff was… well, most of the new interesting stuff. The residential area certainly wasn't bland, but it wasn't in flux like the market always seemed to be. All the activity, all the outsiders and their wares, it was all in the western half that they were prohibited from visiting. Maybe they could loiter around the city's limit and watch the carriages transporting goods in or explorers out, but Vivian didn't want to bank on it. Eventually, though, something came to the Riolu.

"Well… you've lived at the guild a long time right? You had a room before you moved in with me, I know that much."

"Yeah… why do you ask?" Vivian cautiously responded, curious.

"Well, can I go see your old room? I wanna see if there's interesting stuff in there." Fera's tail wagged, then paused, as she clarified more. "I won't mess anything up, though. And I'll only touch things that you say I can. If that's alright."

"My room…" Vivian ran through her thoughts quickly. She couldn't recall anything that Fera wasn't allowed to see or interact with, outside of some personal possessions that she wanted to have undamaged. The Eevee smiled cheerily at her friend. "Sure, we can do that. It sounds fun."

"Yes! Thank you~" Fera turned to the guild's entrance, and took a step. Immediately, she realized her mistake and faced Vivian again. "Right, I don't know where it is. Please show me."

Vivian giggled slightly… Fera seemed to be nearing her usual self again after a short time to recover. With her spirits rejuvenated, the girl led Fera back inside the guild, heading down into the quarters.

---

On the uppermost layer of guild housing was the floor where graduates lived, as Fera had known. She never stopped by the floor, outside of one instance of needing to fish out Valo for a late-day mission, and instead typically passed it right by on her way up to the dining hall. Given her lack of experience with it, she hadn't known that a small sector at the tail end of one of the corridors housed all of the guild's staff, each with a room of their own. There also existed several vacant rooms, supposedly, for outsiders to remain in during periods of need. Cromwell's domain rested at the very end, and Vivian, having guided Fera thus far, stopped at the door to its left.

"It's still a bit messy, so don't judge me… we went through a lot of things when I was switching rooms, and I haven't cleaned it up since." Vivian peered anxiously to her friend, who simply nodded. Without any further ado, the smaller girl pushed open the door.

Within the confines of the larger-than-average room, Fera saw a living space stuffed with various clusters of various curious objects. One corner held a collection of books left mostly neatly stacked, and the opposite end of the room was home to various scrolls and papers that had seen better days. Yet another spot held an opened box of soft Pokemon-shaped toys, and right near the door was an assortment of guild equipment, although all of it seemed broken or otherwise obsolete. Complementing it all was a decently large bed for a single Eevee, resting across from the entrance, and draped with a blue sheet. Atop the sheet was a rounded plush doll modeled after a Flareon, bearing scrunched wrinkles and a mild discolored stain from years of ownership. Fera stepped in, spinning around and slowly marveling at the vast amount of stimuli.

"I didn't even know you were allowed to own this much stuff. I figured there had to be some kind of rule against it." Fera swirled and swayed as she wandered around. Her interest didn't seem to be particularly on the books, but they were the first selection that she ambled towards. More books than she could read in a year had been amassed in the pile, and the highest tome atop it was a teal book with gold bindings on its edges. Fera gently lifted it up. 'East Eudria at Large'. "Oh, this…!"

"It's the one I lent you, yeah." Vivian shyly approached, feeling some inevitable shame at her inner sanctum being visited. When Fera had first been initiated into the guild, and the duo's friendship had been secured, the girl had been lent one of Vivian's simpler and more recent volumes. Within it, the book detailed much of the local and broad culture of the region, the value and services of the land's guilds, and what shared history the splintered nations had. With nothing else to go on, it had likely provided the girl a much-needed basis for the society that she had now immersed herself in… although her very brief time spent reading it led Vivian to believe that Fera might've only sampled the most interesting parts. "You can borrow it again, if you want."

"Mmh… maybe later. I don't know if books are the most fun." The Riolu gingerly returned the well-kept book to where it once rested, scanning her eyes on the pile for anything else. Once she had deduced that nothing else held much value to her, she continued on, Vivian close to her heels. The Riolu came next to the old and discarded exploration instruments. From a quick glance, she spotted and then fished out a dark grey looplet with deep scratches in its metal. It was far too large to fit on any part of an Eevee except maybe the neck, and it didn't seem like it would be a comfortable fit. "Is this yours?"

"No… well, I own it now, but I've never worn it or anything." Vivian trotted to Fera's side, glancing into the low and wide box of arguable junk. "This is all stuff from explorers I knew when I was growing up. That one's from Valo's mom, when she still worked in the guild."

"Wow…" Fera handled the trinket with care. "Does she work somewhere else now?"

"Retired. She moved down to Shirbrie a few years ago, since Treasure Town got too hectic for her."

"Ohh. Hope she's happy there, then." Fera nodded along. Shirbrie was a village whose name came up frequently in the discussion of supplies and sentry work. It was a short trip south of the guild town, although the girl had never visited it herself. She slowly returned it to the collection, and delicately shuffled through the assorted items. Next, she unearthed a jade dagger, marveling at its dulled edge. "Woah. Who's was this?"

"Oh, haha…" Vivian sighed and propped herself up on the edge of the box to look at the weapon. "That's from Hatchet. It's not his, he always fights with his claws. But he took it off of this bandit that snuck into the town once, and gave it to me as a memento. I don't know what I'm supposed to feel about it."

Fera listened along, gripping the hilt of the odd carved weapon. She turned and tilted it, then gave an abrupt slash into the air in front of her, causing Vivian to wince. After another moment of admiration, she deposited the tool. "Not something I'd use, but it's cool."

"Y-yeah. I guess that's true." Vivian nudged and shuffled some of the items in the box, letting the dagger sink deeper down. Fera continued to scan her options. Eventually, however, the Riolu's eyes were drawn upwards to something that she had previously missed, due to it resting on the side of the room from which she entered.

Four painted posters had been hung up, each one depicting a Pokemon or a group of Pokemon. Directly above the box of explorer memorabilia was parchment depicting, in great and colorful detail, a Kadabra with a flowing scarf, a Charmeleon with a dark belt, and a Larvitar with a piece of fabric tied around its head spike. From beyond, in the deep haze of a burning landscape, a glowing beast was roaring overhead.

"What're these?" Fera's paws left the numerous objects she had once been fascinated by. Vivian blinked, then tilted her head up to recognize what Fera had become focused on.

"Oh, those are… they're some art pieces of famous explorers. I've been interested in this stuff for a long time, and… my dad bought some of these to help encourage me, I guess." The Eevee blushed faintly, feeling some embarrassment coming over her. Fera's attention stayed on the first one that she had noticed.

"These guys are..." She trailed off, growing a minute frown before she resumed. "Well, they're pretty regular. One of them looks younger than me, even. The only crazy one is the big guy all the way back there. What makes them worth having a poster?"

"That's Team Horizon." Vivian spoke with delight as she gained the opportunity to gush on the subject at hand. "But they're also called the Heroes of Vaudelain! Back when the Rupture happened, they... oh, uh, wait. Did you read about that in any of the books? Well, of course you didn't, I only lent you the one... but really, when all of Vaudelain was splitting open, they were the ones that stopped it, all on their own! They took on Groudon itself! And they helped with the rebuilding, even...!"

The fluffy creature paused in her deluge of discussion, noticing Fera's perplexed expression. It was one of the rare moments where Vivian had been so commanding of a conversation, which the girl was rapidly becoming aware of. She pulled herself back internally, glancing aside.

"Sorry to be dorky about it, haha... I guess there aren't many people that don't know about this kind of stuff already. I got carried away."

"Huh?" Fera tipped her head to one side. "I guess you did? But you were saying cool stuff. Like... Vaudelain split open? Vaudelain's the continent, right?" Vivian peeked back at Fera, making sure she had the proper allowance to resume her nerdiness.

"Yeah… about fifty years ago, now. This big Pokemon, Groudon… a legendary Pokemon, like Jirachi, it came out of the ground. And it made a fissure that dragged across the whole southwest part of the continent." Vivian's paws pointed at the creature in the background and then expanded outward, diagonally apart from each other, to somehow demonstrate the shape or the impact of the fissure. "But when everyone else was trying to get away, those three came in and stopped Groudon's rampage, and sent it back down into the earth."

"Legendary, huh…" Fera murmured the word back while studying the painting. The creature making its fiery roar in the distance was a world apart from the Wishmaker. She let out a huff, and smirked at Vivian. "They fought it like we did, yeah?"

"Well, probably more… successfully than us. And Groudon wasn't like Jirachi, just look at it. It spewed lava and made mountains rise up from the ground! And it created these things called Slugma to fight for it!"

"Hmph…"

"Ever since then, Team Horizon has been really important to Vaudelain's society." Vivian watched the poster with a gentle smile. "They brought a lot of people and groups together to organize the rebuilding when the Rupture ended. When things got more stable, they split up for a while to help set up guilds in their hometowns. But when they got older, they came back together to start expeditions and learn more about how the world had changed from the Rupture."

"Sounds really important… I guess I should've read about it. Sorry."

"It's fine, no worries! You know a lot just from living in the guild, after all. I just think this stuff is really neat. And so much of it ties into how people become great explorers, so I feel like it can be important to both of us." Vivian sized up her books from the corner of her eye after speaking, quietly hoping that Fera would nonetheless be inclined to pick up one of the texts and begin reading immediately. When it was clear that wouldn't be the case, she carried on. "But, anyways… that's what these images are. They're all explorers that I'm fond of."

The comment prompted the Riolu to begin her observation of the paintings once more. Off to the left of where the two stood, another well-drawn image showed a Gallade in repose. Unlike the sole other image of a Gallade in her memory, the one standing solemnly in the image bore a gown not unlike the kind typical of a Gardevoir.

"This guy doesn't look that special, either… I thought the major explorers would be more 'wow', y'know?" Fera looked down at Vivian with vague disappointment on her face.

"I guess he's a more boring one. That's Garrison Evios. He's not a big hero or anything, just a really good explorer, in the sense of actually exploring. He's constantly bringing back old artifacts and researching history, so he got famous through that."

"Hmm. That's not bad, but…"

"I knowwww, it's a little uninteresting. But I care about that stuff, too." The Eevee pouted vaguely, not offended but still hoping to defend her poster and its meaning. "Finding all those things from the past and learning about today, it's what makes explorers, explorers. I'm still really happy that we found Jirachi… or, well, I want to be, but the guild hasn't been able to get anything out of Jirachi yet. But when they do, it'll mean we helped to discover more about the world."

"Yeah… yeah, I get what you mean." Fera crossed her arms lazily. "I shouldn't have made it sound like it was bad."

"It's all good. At the least, the rest of the paintings aren't like that. They're good ones, I'd say." To the other side of the entrance lay two more, but they were harder to discern from Fera's position. Vivian's paw lightly pointed to one of those two. "I think my dad commissioned the one over there."

Curious, Fera was forced to leave her spot and approach the aforementioned painting, and its less interesting counterpart. The one unmentioned depicted a Walrein atop an ice floe, her azure body marked in battle scars and her back hoisting a massive explorer bag. Still, Fera moved on to inspect the one Vivian had mentioned.

Standing at the center of the charismatic painting was a heart-eared Lopunny, her right arm outstretched and her left paw resting on her hip, dressed with a ribbon around her neck. To her right side, a Gardevoir stood slightly behind her, seeming more reserved and bearing a heart-shaped hair pin. Lastly, on the left, a proud Glaceon stood, her head aimed at the sky, with a bow wrapped neatly around her right ear. Each garment was the same perfect shade of scarlet, and each one bore a similarly-designed Eudrian explorer's badge. The trio posed with dignity and grace, with the familiar shape of the Wigglytuff Guild's entrance resting in the background.

"This one's pretty cool… who're they?" Fera stared on in amazement at the gorgeously-rendered trio. Vivian came to her side once more, meekly looking up to admire the portrait as well.

"That's Team Charm. They're a group of explorers that just… do everything. They discover lost relics, they travel deadly terrain, they even volunteer for rescue missions that are too hard for smaller guilds to manage. And they always catch the bad guys they go after." Vivian regained her former confidence with each passing sentence. Her enthusiasm and adoration for the enigmatic team was impossible to stifle. "They've even been here a few times, but… they always have to come in secret, so I haven't gotten to meet them. They'd get mobbed if people saw them around town."

"They sound awesome…" Fera fixated happily on the portrait. After enough time, her focus shifted onto the Glaceon, eying up the explorer's plush-looking bow. "Oh, hey! That's funny, her bow is kinda like…" Fera turned to Vivian with an eager expression, but paused as Vivian's bashful smile connected the dots for her. "Ohhhh… so that's why you wanted a bow. Right?"

"Y-yeah." Vivian shamefully nodded. "I like a lot of explorers, but… Victoria was the one I liked the most, when I was a kid. And I still think she's really great."

"Is it because she's, like… your species?"

"Well… it was probably that, yeah. At least at first. I wanted to be an explorer like her." Vivian mewled faintly, dipping her head down. "She's an inspiration to me, I think."

"Huh… I guess she's pretty important, then." Fera folded her arms in contemplation.

"She is, at least how I see it. She overcame a lot to be where she is. And it's especially hard to be an explorer when you're on all-fours, too." Vivian shook off, mentally and physically, the shyness that had started to overtake her. "But she's still a great explorer in her own right. They all are. Team Charm isn't anything without each of its individual explorers. And… I wanna be just like them."

"They're that good, huh?" Fera nodded briefly at Vivian's words, glancing at the painting again. "Are you gonna become a Glaceon, Vivian?"

"Huh?" The question almost didn't register for the Eevee, but she quickly put her mind in place. "Oh, I'm not sure. I don't think I wanna be a Glaceon, since Victoria is already one… it'd look really silly if there were two famous Glaceon explorers. If I ever got famous, I mean, but I don't know if that's possible." Vivian stuttered briefly as she uttered the idea. "Either way, I don't want to just copy her. I need to be my own person."

"So, what do you wanna be?" Fera, upon speaking the words, leaned down into sitting crisscross in front of her friend.

"I guess it's embarrassing, but… I don't know yet." Vivian lowered her tail. She turned her vision to the ground as she went on. "Well, no, I… I know what I want."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I want to be a Vaporeon…" Vivian's gaze went over to the window in her room. From outside, the scent of the sea slowly wafted in, all too familiar to the two girls. "There's so much that I can't reach right now. So much that I can't do if I'm not a Water-type, I mean. I can't help anyone that lives in the water, and I can't explore the depths of the oceans to find lost history or sunken bounties. Even some places like Galia aren't really an 'option' for me if I'm stuck on land. There's a whole half of the world that I can only reach on that one path."

"It's really that big of a deal, huh?" Fera glanced at the depiction of Victoria, and then back to Vivian.

"It really is. There are so many cities and so many unexplored landmarks in the ocean… they're even starting to have guilds. I can't really be a meaningful part of that if I'm anything but a Vaporeon."

"So, why don't you 'know'? Are Water Stones hard to find?" Fera eyed up the room again, as if she hoped to find a stray Water Stone in Vivian's vast collections.

"They're not cheap, but… we already have one. My dad has one, I mean." Vivian returned her focus to Fera. "I can use it whenever I want, he said. But if I use it… if I become a Vaporeon and it turns out there's something else I wanna be later on, then I'll feel stupid for having chosen so early." The Eevee sighed weakly, trying to deal with the reprise of the dour thoughts.

"It sounds like you've already made up your mind, still. Are you just gonna wait forever to think of some reason NOT to do it?"

"No, I just… I don't know. I don't even know what else there is to consider, but I just don't know how to feel 'ready' for that kinda choice." The girl whimpered lightly. Fera was bringing up the things she had thought of before, and they were harder to deny when they came from outside herself. But it couldn't soothe the doubt that still clung on. A small pause persisted after Vivian's speech.

"I getcha…" Fera broke the spell of dread before it could fully set in. She reached over, patting the Eevee on her back softly. "Well, why worry about it right now? There's still time, I think. Bennett's older than us and he's probably a better explorer than either of us, but he's not evolved yet. Do it whenever."

"I guess you're right." Vivian nodded along, although her continued frustration was palpable. Fera spoke up again and pierced the unflinching sorrow.

"I think you'd look really cool as a Vaporeon. But you also look really cool right now, and you'd be cool as any of the other ones. Like, uh… a Flareon." Fera smiled down at Vivian. The Eevee pouted, in an undeniably charming manner, as she looked away.

"My cheeks would look too fat if I was a Flareon. But thank you." Vivian exhaled and collected herself. She was the one that was supposed to be there for Fera today, but Fera somehow always managed to be pushing her back up instead. Nevertheless, she returned the thoughts to the recesses of her mind. "You're right, either way. There's no reason to be so gloomy right now, and it should be a happy thing when it happens."

"Of course I'm right. It comes naturally." Fera gave a small smirk, and the comment coaxed Vivian to laugh lightly in response.

"Sure, sure… let's just find something else to be distracted with, alright? Maybe we can go visit Bennett at the shrine." The Eevee pulled away from the painting, prompting Fera to follow. If nothing else, it would kill the time until the two could return to their usual business.

 

[Roser]

Chapter 19: Voice of the Forest​

(Unknown Date)

The cold shimmer of the moon descended on treetops that stretched endlessly. The bare glow reached down to the forest’s surface, leaving the winding paths faintly illuminated, but altogether difficult to navigate. Deep silence hung over the empty annals of natural terrain. All that came to disturb it was the hushed whispers and firm footfalls of four explorers. Their leader, a delicate Lopunny, traversed over gnarled tree roots, trudging towards an unseen goal.

“This isn’t right… there used to be people here.” Her voice was resolute, but plagued with concern. “It’s all gone quiet.” She came upon a large ridge in the grassy ground, and leapt easily up to its edge, then continued her stride. The Gardevoir that was following her made no such daring leap, instead using her Teleport to arrive beside her leader. In her warp, she brought the remaining two explorers, a Glaceon and a Crawdaunt, both of them poorly equipped for ascending as they did.

“I wouldn’t suppose they’re just all hiding, are they?” Hatchet spoke gruffly, marching on to get beside the Lopunny once again. The Gardevoir behind him answered.

“I can’t sense a soul for a mile in any direction.” Maya placed her hand upon her chest obtrusion, giving the expansive location another thorough psionic scan. “They’ve either found a way to cloak themselves, or they’ve disappeared. Perhaps abandoned the forest altogether.”

Victoria’s blue legs trotted beside Hatchet, keeping pace while the woman glanced around the darkened tree trunks. “If the Gear is truly still in this forest, they’d have ample reason to hide. We’re intruding.”

“Well. It ain’t quite intruding if no one’s around to tell you to leave, I’d say.” Hatchet smirked lazily, although the comment earned him an unamused glare from the Glaceon.

“Is that the logic that led you to thieving in the first place?” Victoria huffed, now gaining speed and moving in front of the former outlaw.

“It’s just being sensical. And it’s also called humor, if you’ve never heard of it before, ‘dear’.” The smug teasing from the Crawdaunt drooped into more stern boredom.

“Well, put a sock in it, or you’ll be put on ice.”

“Play nice, if you would.” Lulu tossed her head back briefly to join the discussion. “This is hardly the time to dig open old wounds.” With the comment, she refocused on the dark path ahead, progressing down on sloped ground and studying the uneven landscape. The other three stayed close to her as they mirrored her descent.

“I’m only cautious. I doubt that dullard Cromwell could train the criminal out of a Pokemon.” The Glaceon sighed, letting her aggression fade. She knew Lulu was right, but it was hard to deny her own emotions. The Crawdaunt chuckled aloud.

“He didn’t need to. It turns out that banditry and exploration lend themselves to one another. Plundering for wealth and smacking down the fools that stroll up on you stays the same regardless of the flag you’re waving.” He smiled with his jagged carapace maw. “But, if it makes you feel better, I’m rather fond of the guild life.”

“It doesn’t. But your record speaks for itself, I suppose.” Victoria let the issue subside. The group could only follow Lulu’s command, hopefully drawing nearer to the forest’s core.

“So,” Hatchet interjected once more, “you sure you ladies know the way to the Gear? I don’t mean to doubt, but these paths are quite unsuited for travel. And such an environment lends itself to poor navigation.”

“Would you settle down? Lulu has an internal compass that you’d be wise not to doubt.” Victoria gave the man a less angered stare. “We won’t be getting any farther if we just go awry.”

“No, he’s right. The path’s getting less familiar.” Lulu halted, giving a glance over to one of the trees. Slowly, subtly, the flora around them had grown less uniform. The formidable oaks were more warped, their roots jutting out and the terrain around them uprooted. “The trees were never this… wild. And that jump we crossed wasn’t here before.”

“Have we taken a wrong turn, dear?” Maya came up to Lulu’s side, her normally stoic face offering a tinge of worry. Lulu shook her head, and approached the nearest tree. Her paw traced a gnarled branch that extended from the darkness above.

“We haven’t. The path has changed since we last entered.” The Lopunny gripped the pointed edge of the tree branch, then continued onward as though she hadn’t spoken the alarming words.

“It changed?” Hatchet retained his sturdy demeanor, but his perplexion was self-evident. “Are you sure there wasn’t a misstep in your directions? I don’t see signs of damage or terraforming to the landscape, it all just… seems to be this way.”

“I’m not certain what could cause this… Celebi might have acted in self-defense to create it. Some attempt to repel outsiders.” Maya offered her sparse wisdom on the mystery. “But even that feels unlikely… there is no psychic residue in the area. If Celebi sought to change the entirety of Treeshroud Forest, such a force would have left echoes of the energy used. Nothing lingers here.”

“Hmm…” The Glaceon joined her teammates, walking onto uneven ground and staring ahead at the black haze of night. “The bigger concern is what lies closer to the Time Gear. We’re still a ways away. The depths must be even more distorted.” As the group of four moved onward, their progress slowing out of Lulu’s caution, Maya flinched. The others looked to her, waiting to learn what she had sensed.

“There was an attack. It’s close to the core.”

“Celebi?” Hatchet offered the simple thought, but Maya shook her head.

“Weaker.” The Gardevoir held her fingertips to her chest, attempting to gain more insight. “It’s likely one of the forest inhabitants, but I can’t sense them, only the attack let off. Curious.”

“We’ll keep moving, but stay at the ready. Something’s deeply wrong here.” Lulu quickened her steps, stowing the fear in her heart, as she and her troop sought the last soul in Treeshroud Forest.

---

Stones and earth had shot upward into ledges and downward into crevices, creating a newly treacherous path toward the center of the massive forest. The further they progressed, the more volatile the changes in the footing became, requiring more powerful leaps and brief teleportations to cross. Trees turned into curved pillars that mingled and intertwined, densifying the leafy ceiling and blotting out the sparse light. Maya manifested spiraling pink energy around her obtrusion, allowing them sight as they charged on into foreign land. She had slowly taken the lead alongside Lulu, assisting her cherished teammate’s memory with psychic guidance toward the distant presence.

Lulu tossed her body deftly across a small ravine that had formed from split ground, waiting for her companions to appear before her side. “Are we still on track, Maya?”

“They’re up ahead, to our left.” The Gardevoir’s uneven horn shone faintly in the deeper darkness. With her confirmation, Lulu raced onward, her light feet striking into the grassy flooring. The path had grown so warped and unnatural that Lulu could not rely on her memory to guide her.

The treetops grew less dense, shedding moonlight onto the area before the explorers. Within moments, the Lopunny found herself in the corpse of familiar land. The hidden village of the forest’s denizens lay before her, its buildings broken and abandoned due to their obscene overgrowth. The leafy exteriors were lengthened and their doors were rotted, as though the plants that made up the structures had been rapidly filled with new life. More disturbingly, the explorers caught sight of the vines that had now populated the quaint homes. Sickly red and yellow-green vines ran along the trees and into the houses, spiraling out from the center of the town and reaching every corner of the once well-lit community. Their ridges penetrated a nearby patch of growing berries, leaving the former food bloated with a displeasing purple substance. At the heart of it all was the village’s temple, bearing numerous holes with vines trailing in and out of them.

“What… happened here?” Victoria approached the ruined area’s main path, the one that circled around the Time Gear’s resting place in a protective manner. The damage that this place had endured was so thorough and unsettling, it seemed like a year’s worth of effort to manifest it; yet the dropped wicker baskets and torn garments spoke to a recent tragedy. The air was still, but ready to spring to life.

“Argh… something we were a minute too late for, I’d say. A sacred place’s been defiled.” Hatchet stomped forward, his brutish claws tracing the walls of one of the warped homes.

“This isn’t okay. There were people here. There was safety here.” Lulu whined out lowly and paced to her left, looking for salvation. The vines had grown aggressively as far as she could see, invading every inch of the decimated domain. Signs of livelihoods lost and discarded hung at every corner.

Hatchet’s eyes shot to his right, and the beefy Pokemon sprung into action. “Look out!”

Maya tensed at the call in her direction, her mind and her eyes not fast enough to know what Hatchet had spotted from behind her. A tangle of vines had begun moving with a will of their own, spiraling and lashing in the air towards the Gardevoir. The Crawdaunt lunged, his hefty claws striking and slicing violently until the living plants had been rendered into squishy shreds. The woman stepped back, as she and her teammates stared at the remains of the faceless assault.

“What the hell was that?” Victoria hissed at the leftovers of the gnashing vines, and then fired an array of Ice Shards to pin the plant threads down. Her angered attention was pulled in by a powerful shout, from the direction of a nearby home.

“Let’s find out.” Maya broke into a run, and Lulu snapped out of her daze moments later, trailing after the Gardevoir with her companions in tow. The piercing noise had come from a house whose broken door had been ensnared with the unseemly vines. Once she reached it, Lulu gave the door a swift kick, blowing it to pieces and bursting through the vines that sought to block her. The four explorers entered.

At the far end of the small grass hut, a figure could be seen by candlelight. The imposing but familiar shape of a Gallade stood there, his long gown tattered from damage and endurance. He seemed to be out of breath.

“G… Garrison?!” Lulu looked in astonishment at the sight of the fellow explorer. She stepped forward, but the man threw up a hand to signal her otherwise.

“Stay back! It’s still here!” The Gallade held up his razor-sharp arms, readying a Psycho Cut on each one. Before she could ask what he meant, the force presented itself.

From the darkened ceiling, a disc-headed plant Pokemon hung and swayed erratically. Its body was connected to a twisting mess of vines that had crawled in through a hole in the ceiling. Its maw hung open in a gleeful smile, containing a row of prickly teeth that dripped with sticky drool. One of the vines that connected to its feeble body had been severed already, and the nub that remained hung limply as the creature swung from side to side. Its leafy arms flailed about, as useless as possible.

“Wh-what in blazes is that?!” Hatchet watched the plant-based enigma toss back, before it let out a joyous hiss. The hostile Pokemon lunged itself at Garrison, trying to latch its elongated teeth into the man with a vicious Crunch. The Gallade retaliated immediately with two Psycho Cuts, which slashed deeply across the creature’s face and caused it to bounce backwards in frustration. Still, it reared itself back to lunge once again.

Victoria leapt forward and took control of the situation. Blistering ice particles formed about her open mouth, charging in a matter of seconds, before the woman unleashed an Ice Beam that struck the mindless Pokemon squarely in its back. The creature’s warped head and shrimpy torso were quickly encased in a sheet of frozen water, rendered harmless.

The vines that secured the creature suddenly retracted without any input from the trapped beast, causing it to recoil and slip away into the hole that it had descended from. In its place, two more burst through holes in the ceiling, more vicious and irate than the previous beast. The new creatures lunged at Team Charm rather than Garrison, losing sight of their previous target.

“Hammph!” With an Aqua Jet-boosted jump, Hatchet propelled himself into the air, latching onto the two creatures by their roots. The pressure of his deep-cutting claws caused them to flail and hiss, trying to turn themselves around toward their attacker. “Not so nasty when you’re on the losing end!”

As he began to cut in, more vines twisted and extended from above him. The frozen first beast, its body still sealed and motionless, was swung down at a violent speed. The collision dazed the unsuspecting explorer and freed the plant creature, causing it to chomp and bash against Hatchet repeatedly. With him weakened, the other two joined in striking at the Crawdaunt.

“Hands off!” Garrison tossed his arms to his sides, enveloping them in an overwhelming bright aura. Rapid swings from side to side caused numerous Psycho Cuts to fly off of his extended arm blades, cutting deep into the roots of the distracted creatures. Vine after vine snapped, and Hatchet’s weight strained the ones that weren’t severed from Garrison’s blows. The beasts shrieked with the realization that their remaining roots might snap apart, and dropped the Crawdaunt to the floor abruptly. Still barely connected, they retreated into the ceiling with their lives.

A silence persisted between the five explorers. Team Charm stood in amazement of the conflict that had been started and settled before they could intervene, while Hatchet groaned and lifted himself up slowly. Once he felt that the room had become safe, Garrison panted, and fell onto one knee. Exhaustion had wracked his body.

“The forest has grown so wretched. I’m thankful that you arrived when you did.” The man gave a strained smile, staying ready to listen as Lulu spoke.

“I’m glad that you’ve done well for yourself up until this point. Garrison, what are you doing here? What’s happened here? And what were those… creatures? This is a sacred land… or it was, before today.” The Lopunny’s kind but powerful eyes sussed out the damage that Garrison had sustained; thankfully, minimal beyond his tiredness.

“I’m… not certain where to start. I arrived several weeks ago during my research on the Time Gears. I understand the taboo, but I still yearned to gain insight on them…” His eyes wandered the destroyed room. “While they were still here, the villagers welcomed me. I was not allowed to witness the Time Gear for myself, but I had settled on studying the culture if nothing else.”

“You say ‘while they were still here’. Am I correct to assume you're the only one left?” Maya joined at Lulu’s side, as he solemnly nodded.

“It was a few days ago… I was resting in my cot during the incident, but it is clear what transpired. This sacred land is no more, and its inhabitants have fled, or perished. The Time Gear from Treeshroud Forest has been stolen.”

The four roaming explorers showed different degrees of pain and fear— even the stoic Maya could not stifle her weakness. Victoria was the first to speak, motivated by indignance.

“That’s… not possible. No one would steal a Time Gear. It’s suicide! It’s a crime against nature!” She stamped her paw with growing rage.

“I had thought the same. To upset the balance of time, one must be truly deluded. But I could say it was true of those thieves. The Obirians.” Garrison hung his head low. Hatchet’s vile blood ran cold at the mention.

“It couldn’t be. Have those bastards finally lost their minds?” The Crawdaunt was exasperated, almost in disbelief. “I knew they were power-hungry, but I didn’t know they could go this far. It’s madness.”

“They intruded in the dead of night, and ravaged all in their path. Before I could grasp the situation, the forest had begun to distort, and the bandits were fleeing with that precious blue light in their grasp.” Garrison sighed weakly, regret weighing on his expression. “I was… useless.”

“Don’t let this become you, Garrison.” Lulu spoke out. “It’s not in any one Pokemon’s power to fight off a swarm of Obirian bandits. I’m glad you’ve preserved your life throughout this ordeal.”

“What were those things, Garrison?” Victoria cut back to the topic at hand, and gazed back at the hole in the ceiling, trying to stay alert for a second attack.

“When the distortion set in, those things emerged. Perhaps it was when they were created. They’re a hivemind of sorts, moving with interlinked vines that stretch across the remains of the town. Little to no sentience among the individual units, but they bear… voracious hunger.” Garrison shivered at the recollection of a bad memory. “The villagers fled in fear of them. I’ve taken to calling them Carnivine.”

“This is obscene. Then what of Celebi? Has she gone after the thieves themselves, at the loss of her people?” Maya tilted her head down to converse with the shorter male. His face hardened.

“I haven’t seen her in my time here. If she is still in Treeshroud Forest, I don’t know what she is accomplishing. I remained here in the hopes of checking her shrine with the villagers gone, but the Carnivine have molded over the entrance.”

“Those things are just the worst, it seems. But honestly, Garrison, your research and your duty need to be put on hold. We’re bringing you back with us, once we’ve checked the shrine ourselves.” Lulu patted the man firmly on his shoulder, causing him to flinch from weariness.

“Perhaps it’s for the best. I might fall into a terrible fate if I stay on this course.” The Gallade dipped his head, showing guilt from the dreadful atmosphere that his knowledge had birthed.“ I don’t suppose you’ll let me come to the shrine to assist, will you?”

“You know that we know better than that.” Lulu smiled, her eyes sliding over to the bruised Crawdaunt. “Please keep him safe while we investigate this. If there’s nothing to find, we’ll all head out immediately.”

“Babysitting, eh? I suppose someone oughta watch his sorry ass.” Hatchet tromped over and took up a space beside Garrison. “Make yourselves look cool and wrap this up quickly, ladies. I’m not fond of this monster-infested village, if you can imagine.”

Lulu gave a firm nod. “We’ll be back shortly. Stay safe, you two.”

---

In the center of the circular village, a temple of wooden materials had long ago been constructed, a mess of trees growing out of its top. Its sole entrance, a heavy wooden door, was now sealed in the malformed roots of the trees. Team Charm approached, and nothing needed to be communicated for them to remove the barricade. Victoria blasted the problematic roots with her ice, and three firm kicks from Lulu were enough to shatter them. The impact swung the door open, revealing the festering source of the Carnivine.

A tangled core of floral life rested at the center of the temple floor, wrapped thoroughly by the sickly vines and planted into the ground like a tumor. Several Carnivine were resting atop it, but extended out in a panic with the light from the door’s opening. The vast network of vines that plagued the ghost town found its roots here, reaching in from tons of holes that had been made in the temple’s ceiling, walls, and floor. Across from it, Celebi rested limply, ensnared by the mess of vines and marked with a gash on her chest. The three women stood at the ready.

Victoria’s maw gathered and released an Aurora Beam, the attack colliding into the two Carnivine that had lunged in their direction, chilling them to the point of immobility. Lulu knocked them aside with a kick, and the plant core pulsated, more Carnivine emerging from holes within its mass. Maya’s eyes shimmered with a piercing glow, as the excess of Carnivine was immediately grabbed and restrained entirely by her Psychic.

The walls of the building rumbled. From outside, the countless vines and swarms of Carnivine began to retract inward, converging on the predators that had come to remove them. Maya glared, her psychic grasp expanding across all of them. The beasts were slammed into the ground, weighed by immovable force.

Lulu kicked off the ground, sailing through the air with her leg extended. In one last dual attack, Victoria blasted an Ice Beam across the room that froze over the exterior of the plant core. Before its gnashing vines could free itself, the battle was over. Lulu crashed down with a High Jump Kick, and the Carnivine core erupted into a broken collection of ice particles and plant matter. The beasts hissed and wailed mindlessly, lost and unsafe with their structure destroyed. The released creatures crawled fearfully through the holes that they entered from, although many chose to drop down, staying limp on the floor and chomping at each other if their forms wriggled too close together. Victoria and Maya approached Lulu, and the women looked on toward Celebi.

The guardian’s body slowly slipped, the vines that constrained her now shriveling away from her. She hit the ground with a dull thud.

“...Celebi?” Lulu’s confidence waned, and she trotted quickly to the other end of the small shrine. Her companions watched from afar, not wanting to intervene.

The Lopunny knelt down beside Celebi, placing a paw on her chest. The guardian was silent, and cold. Up close, Lulu could see how deep the gash was in her body, among other injuries that left her skin bruised and marred. She could see the sorrow, the weakness that still lingered on the small creature’s wounded face.

“It’s all okay now… please, wake up…” Lulu shivered, moving a hand to Celebi’s cheek, in some futile attempt to see the little Pokemon smile again. She knew it would not change anything.

Celebi’s corpse had been stranded here, overlooking her abandoned home since the Time Gear had been stolen.

Lulu let the tragedy seep through her, pass over her being and her mind. It beared down on her, knowing the darkness that had been set in motion, and seeing the anguished face of a departed friend. It would remain inside her, but it would not stop her. Slowly, the woman cupped her arms around Celebi’s back, and lifted the smaller creature into her grasp. She spoke without facing her comrades.

“Maya, please survey the area to make sure all is settled… and Victoria, please go get Hatchet and Garrison. We’ll put in a message to Wendell tomorrow morning, and head for Treasure Town.”

“Lulu, dear…” Maya watched her leader with apprehension. She could feel the pain which radiated off of Lulu’s heart, the pain which she was too strong for anyone else to see. The Lopunny turned and proceeded with a null expression, walking past the other two, Celebi clutched close to her chest. It was still dark out, and morning was too far off for them to remain here to see it. Still, this dark and dishonored place wouldn’t do. Lulu strode out into the moonlight, looking for where Celebi could find her rest.

 

[Roser]

Chapter 20: Taking the Next Step​

July 17th, 928 EP

A rumbling wave of murmurs flooded the central plaza of the residential district. Mothers watched over their children and workers strayed from their posts to survey the scene that was forming. Soon, the quaint place was swarmed with townsfolk, and explorers stood proud at their center. It wasn’t uncommon for festivities to cause clusters in the plaza, but the guildmaster’s summon had left unease in the air. For people to be called so abruptly, something important had to be going on. They watched the guild workers closely.

The familiar Wigglytuff stood proud on the plaza’s central platform. Wendell smiled while gazing across the civilians he had dedicated his career towards protecting and uplifting. Even in dire or stressful situations, the simple state of being among the people of Treasure Town, residents and outsiders alike, brought him joy. He could feel the tension that radiated off of them, but he would do his best to dissuade it. A jab to his side from Cromwell caused him to snap back to attention. They were here for a reason, after all.

“Sorry to bother you all! But we have an announcement to make, so listen well!” The Wigglytuff’s nubby hands rose up, demonstrating his apparent passion and delight. “This might be a fair bit sudden, but we’re setting off for this year’s expedition in one week! Please make your preparations now, and be in touch with us if there’s a situation we can assist in!”

The blunt statement caused the murmuring to erupt into gasps and gossip. Expeditions meant part of the guild workforce vanishing for weeks on end; while the explorers left behind could always pick up the slack, the event meant poor communication with authority figures like Wendell and more vulnerability throughout the town. Still, they had managed before, and they would manage now. Already, shop owners and service workers broke away from the cluster, planning their erratic changes and new shipments to handle the expedition season. The younger Pokemon shared gleeful words about what new locations were going to be discovered, and what an explorer might bring back as proof of the wide world beyond their little town.

“Rest assured, the town will be well-protected and thoroughly managed for the duration of the expedition!” Cromwell couldn’t keep himself from intervening, fluttering up to Wendell’s head to attract some attention. “All matters are being settled even as we speak. But the guild has found the right conditions, the right location, and the right explorers for an expedition, and the opportunity must not be wasted.”

“Ah, of course. We should also show to you the earnest hard-workers getting the honor this year! We’ve got them here with us, but they deserve a proper roll call!”

The crowd settled down, training their gaze onto the large handful of explorers that surrounded the guildmaster and administrator. From his satchel, Wendell pulled out some parchment, with a list of names and species printed from top to bottom. Cromwell looked over the paper… it had been edited without his knowing. His body froze up, and his eyes went to the crowd to confirm his suspicions.

“Guildmaster—” The Chatot started, but his superior’s delighted voice rose up to silence him.

“Clo Custos, Dewott!” With the guildmaster’s words, a Dewott stepped forward from the pack of explorers, taking in some cheers from the crowd, before receding to where he stood.

“Jermaine Warst, Venomoth!” The Bug-type blushed faintly as his wings flapped, lifting higher in the crowd to be spotted during his name’s turn. The process of peaceful adoration would repeat with each Pokemon.
“Sheila Toussaint, Scolipede!”
“Clareis En Satima, Gabite!”
“Bennett Dekel, Bidoof!”

“Guildmaster, just a moment, if you would…!” Cromwell squawked under his breath, patting Wendell on his side, as the speech went on unabated.

“Aza Bren and Sua Bren, Tyrogue and Tyrogue!”
“Cecil Johan, Raboot!”
“Lilith Mirue, Roselia!”
“Astelas Nittson, Mismagius!”
“Valo Yunar, Noivern!”
“Mira Toll, Togekiss!”
“Kian Madolve, Pidgeotto!”
“Elise Kamaris, Rhydon!”
“Ludak Natanta, Dottler!”
“Mikael Utem, Indeedee!”

“Wendell…!!” The Chatot shouted a whisper to the Wigglytuff, who was fully and truly ignoring the smaller man’s pleas.

“Fera, Riolu!”

The crowd applauded politely at the Riolu that raised a paw to them, although some muttered briefly in confusion. Her smile was unfaltering, letting the awkwardness of her missing last name subside. The guildmaster’s listing continued.

“Rikar Pirrono, Vulpix!”
“Tai Hasegawa, Stunky!”
“And… Vivian Caelestis, Eevee!”

Vivian’s ears flattened as she meekly smiled to the crowd, who gave more enthusiastic cheers and more surprised chattering with the mention of the administrator’s last name, as well as the completion of the roll call.

“Once all is set in place, we’ll be heading west, to Fogbound Lake. Its mystery has persisted for some twelve years now… but it will crumble under the work of our dedicated explorers! And we’ve got a special treat in store, too!” Wendell gave a smug yet cheerful smile. “Team Charm will be assisting our valiant explorers on our mission!”

The crowd gasped, shooting up from interest and concern to wild excitement. The twenty explorers, graduates and trainees, began to chat amongst themselves, likewise uninformed about this development. Lily kept a dignified stance, contrasted hard by Valo’s guffawing and gesturing to people surrounding the explorers. Vivian could be seen squealing and hopping, running around Fera while shouting things that were too eager to be understood. Cromwell, still recovering from his frustration, addressed the crowd once more.

“We’re beginning the necessary training and stocking as of now! Bear with us during this important period of time, and everyone, do your best!”

Conversation and contemplation continued, but at Wendell’s lead the explorers were ushered towards the guild once more. By now, the whole town was abuzz at the prospect of the trials and rewards to come. Treasure Town was already in the swing of its transformation, and the electric air would last for a month or more.

The dispersing and mingling crowd allowed for Fera and Tai to slip out just barely, the two heading east from the plaza and leaving their fellow explorers behind. Chattering and clamoring persisted even as they got farther away, but it grew muted enough for the duo to start talking proper. Fera’s tail wagged about, at times grazing against the tips of Tai’s ears.

“I didn’t realize how big expeditions were… I didn’t even realize we were gonna do one!” She smiled, a spring in her step while Tai stayed by her side.

“I didn’t even realize you were going. You weren’t in the briefing last night.” The Stunky moved to his right, letting a squealing Tepig run by them while his Pignite mother followed in close pursuit. Fera could only shrug.

“Wendell told me to come here an hour ago. Guess they reconsidered or something?” She spun along, the two getting closer and soon reaching the town gates. Already, caravans and carriages were being readied to ship off for different merchant deals to accommodate the expedition’s announcement. It took only a brief detour to get around them, and come to rest at the long path south of town.

“Fogbound Lake… I dunno a lot about it, but Bennett said it’s really treacherous. A whole valley around it that’s covered in fog and smoke. Can’t see anything unless it’s right in front of you.” Tai placed himself down at the base of a tree to sit comfortably. “If you try to go it solo, you’re done for.”

“Hrmmm. Sounds rough. Can we fly through the fog instead, then?” Fera leaned against the tree trunk, making her tail settle down so as to not thump it against the bark.

“Not a chance. The last explorers that tried it got FRIED by some lightning.” Tai puffed his mangy fur out, as if to demonstrate the electricity that had struck those poor saps.

“Ouch…”

“We’re gonna go by foot. With enough of us there, we probably can’t get lost, and we can study stuff way easier.” The boy grinned proudly. “And I’m gonna be the one to find the lake. I’ve already got experience in areas with bad vision.”

“You’ll be really helpful in letting ME find the lake.” Fera grinned back, but then her expression faded. “Wait… why are we trying to find a lake? Aren’t there a lot of lakes?”

“Are you dumb? It’s because… uh.” Tai frowned. “It’s a special lake…? Like, the water’s really pure, or something… no, wait, that was Lake Afar… I think Fogbound Lake has treasure in it. Like, Water Stones and Water Gems.”

“Treasure sounds nice. Lakes sound nice, too…” Fera reclined, her head turning right. Her eyes stared along the distant paths, while her body grew still. “I’m really looking forward to getting out of town…”

“Huh?” Tai’s head shot over with the muttered oddity. “What do you mean?”

“You know, exploring! Seeing more of the world!” Fera suddenly smiled at Tai, her tail whapping against the tree a few times. “Just really wanna get out into the world. I need to see more of it, make some new memories.”

“Oh, uh… yeah, I’m looking forward to it, too. It's gonna be a long trip over there. Lots to see…”

“I’ll see as much as I can. Ugh, I wanna go already…~” Fera turned, and raced back into the town’s boundaries. “I’m gonna get super ready to go!”

“U-uh, alright? Good luck with that!” The Stunky called out as Fera immersed herself in the town. Once again, she was impossible to keep sitting still.

---

“Shopkeep! Shopkeeeeeep!”

A Drilbur hollered and shouted in a crowd of other loud Pokemon, his steely claws flailing about in the air to try and gain the attention of Kecko and Leon. The two Kecleons couldn’t be less focused on the small out-of-towner, instead multitasking numerous orders and complaints from the other Pokemon that had swarmed their humble shop. They handed off items and paper notes as fast as their small hands could, and even that wasn’t enough. In the backrooms of the shop, five Falinks units scuttled about, each one nudging items onto their heads and then hopping along to deliver them to the correct buyers. The roar of panicked and impudent customers almost drowned out Kecko’s screeching voice.

“Please, WAIT YOUR TURN, everyone! We are happy to provide you with quality goods at bargain prices if you just settle down!” The green Kecleon swung his head around immediately after passing off a bag of Oran Berries, glaring into the building’s entrance. “Fali! Kafi! You two were supposed to have Mr. Andoli’s order out here THREE MINUTES AGO!”

Two of the Falinks units emerged from the darkness, sharing a burden with each other. Five long planks of wood and thirty bundles of Corsola Twigs were secured atop their heads, and they desperately stepped in unison to carry the heavy supplies. With enough time, they marched around the front stand and arrived at the Lickilicky to whom Kecko was speaking. The rotund pink Pokemon marveled at the items.

“Ooh… why that many twigs? I said I need ten sets, not that many...”

A yellow vein bulged out of Kecko’s forehead, as he smiled at the customer. The Lickilicky had certainly, entirely, twice stated that he needed thirty bundles of Corsola Twigs when the order was placed. Not ten. The one and only truth was that the customer was just flatly wrong, and was wasting the shop’s incredibly valuable time. But the customer is always right.

“My apologies… we’ll get you the correct order, of course. Fali, Kafi, please—”

“Shopkeeeeep, I have a requeeest!” The Drilbur called out in desperation. Kecko hissed under his breath.

“—please go return twenty of those bundles to storage.”

The two Falinks units stared at their employer meekly, before backing up and working their way towards the shop building. The crowd raged on, some pushing and shoving to get farther into the line. With the expedition announcement mere hours ago, there was no shortage of chaos in the commercial areas.

Leon stood on the other side of the shop’s stand. The purple Kecleon was far too nice to shout down his loyal customers and the new faces he saw in the crowd, instead taking more vitriol and pandemonium from people who weren’t returning the favor. He huffed while performing as many exchanges as he could, one of the Falinks units occasionally scurrying beside him to bring out a requested item. The merchant looked like he was reaching his limit.

“Just a moment, please… I’ll have the Hard Stones delivered in the evening…!”

“Hey, Leon!” A peppy voice called out to the Kecleon, causing him to groan and smack his hands on the counter.

“Yes!! Just a moment!!” He looked to the source of the voice, spotting Vivian on the ground beside his stand. “Oh, sorry, sorry… this isn’t quite the time, Vivian, we’re burning the Litwick on both ends here…”

“I understand, this is important though. I need—”

“Shopkeeeeep, me next, please! It will be fast!” The persistent Drilbur tapped his claws annoyingly on the right side of the stand, as the two tried to ignore him.

“Um, do you have any Colbur Berries I can buy?” Vivian’s tail wagged about.

“Colbur? I’m not certain we’re carrying those…” Leon gave a sorrowful smile to the girl. “They aren’t very useful, and they don’t stay in high demand.”

“I know, but… they’re Fera’s favorite. I wanted to get some for the expedition, so she has something to enjoy during the first week.” Vivian’s ears flicked with the shouting crowd to her left. “I can just take some Oran Berries though, if you’re out.”

“Hmm…” Leon flinched as he thought his response over, only able to hold off his paying customers for so long. “Why don’t you go check in the back? Just leave the money with some of the staff on your way out, or take some Orans for free if you can’t find the Colburs.”

“You’re too nice, Leon! I’ll be back in a second!” The Eevee tossed a bag of coins onto the counter, hopped upwards, and then darted into the storage area. Leon’s glee was trampled on by another wave of customers echoing mindless requests.

“Yes, I am maybe a bit too nice…”

Vivian trotted into the Kecleon Shop, barely avoiding a Falinks that shuffled along with three bags stacked on his head. She snooped around, pushing her snout about in different bins and bags until she reached the shelves of berries. Watmel, Pecha, Belue… Femere, Starf, Oren, Iapapa… finally coming upon a small bag with a Colbur Berry peeking out. She dug her teeth in, and started to free the bag from its cramped spot.

“Nnhh… there we…” She yanked and pulled the sack until it was removed from the confines of the storage room. “Go! Hope these are all ripe.” The girl tugged the bag until she hoisted it onto her back, strutting along at a Shellos’ pace due to the weight of the berries. Before she could make progress, a rustling sound came from above.

Vivian turned her head, looking at the shelves of berry bags and other foods. The Colbur bag had been supporting a bad plank, now free to collapse without its presence. The wood snapped and tumbled, and a berry bag plopped out from a higher shelf, landing squarely on Vivian’s back.

“Oomf!” The Eevee’s legs splayed out, as she got weighed down on the spot. She started to wriggle, knocking the second sack off of herself and getting up. “I hope the berries are okay… they should get that shelf fixed…”

She craned her head up again. The shelf above the broken one had started to creak, berry bags leaning into each other and toward the edge, as an avalanche drew near.

“Th-they should get all of them fixed!” The Eevee yelped, putting down her bag to focus on the damage she had accidentally instigated. A bag of Lum Berries dropped from the third rung, and the Eevee hopped over to its landing site, intercepting it and getting smacked to the ground again. She let it roll off of her side, only to see two more start to fall on the other end of the shelves. The girl leapt to them, sliding on the floor and making another squeak as her fluffy form took the awkward impacts. More rattling and creaking came from above.

“SOMEONE HEEEELP, THERE’S A BERRY PROBLEM!!” The Eevee shouted out in desperation, already losing her energy to handle the falling items. The crowd outside stuck their heads around, trying to look at the source of the concerning cry, much to the two merchants’ disdain.

Two bags of Belue Berries started to fall. Before they could hit the ground and have their contents splatter, one of the Falinks units burst in with a start, catching the first bag on his head and the second atop that.

“Be more careful with the merchandise! What’re they paying you for?!” With the confused comment, the tiny creature spun around and dashed out.

“Uh, I dunno…!” Vivian’s dazed comment was all she could offer. She had already worn herself out from the sudden action, only able to watch as the Falinks came to her aid. Two more strolled by rapidly, catching three bags between them.

“Wow, what kinda cracked operation are they running here?” The first one murmured aloud, the second responding.

“Dunno, but they keep the money rolling and we keep rolling too!” With snide joy, the two marched out to get the bags out of the storage area. Another bag tumbled, and another Falinks hopped by to catch it.

“Hey, this order just got called in! Thanks!” The tiny male smiled at Vivian as he left her in silence. The fifth and final Falinks arrived.

“Don’t worry, I c—”

His confidence was unanswered. The remainder of the shelves shattered all at once, and twenty bags of diverse berries crashed down beside him and Vivian, several of them making a wet THWAP sound with their impacts. The ruckus outside of the shop died down, all peering in at the chaotic sounds.

“...oh hey, Geo Pebbles! Was looking for those.” The Falinks scuttled over, knocking a bag of stones onto his head, and scuttled out to the silent crowd, leaving the girl alone in her bad situation.

“Uhm…” Vivian laughed and whined, slowly nudging the Colbur bag onto her back once more, as her eyes met Kecko’s furious gaze. She could not, and would not, endure whatever hell would break loose in the shop with the customers seeing the damage done. “You have some… shelf issues back here. I found them for you.” She stepped forward, gaining speed, before fleeing with the product on her back. “Thanks for the berries, you two! Good luck with the market rush!”

The crowd’s roaring began anew, now with fevered cries that the store might not have enough supplies or that orders would be cancelled. Kecko and Leon struggled to control the customers, each in their own ways, each barely managing to make headway.

“Please, understand, we are a reputable business! We can serve all of you, our supplies are not limited to this storage area! Trust in us as businessmons…!” Leon’s plea would get silenced by a shrill cry that almost drowned out the other patrons.

“Shoooooooopkeeeee—”

“HOW CAN I HELP YOU, SIR?!” Kecko’s voice rose above all others, causing the crowd to go silent. All eyes were on the Kecleon, and the Drilbur whom he had addressed. The small Pokemon put his claws up on the table.

“Do you still have those little berry candies that I like?” The Pokemon fiddled his claws to gesture the shape of a round candy. Kecko stared at him with dead eyes, and pointed to his right.

“That’s the confectionery. Next door.”

“Oh! My mistake!” The Drilbur cooed happily, trotting away. “Thanks for finally letting me know, sirs!”

After stunned silence, the shouts of damned customers rose up again. Leon continued his pitiful attempts to control the crowd, while Kecko’s body slumped forward until his upper body smacked against the shop’s stand limply. Maybe he could move to some town that was too backwater to have a guild, and sell fruits and nuts in peace. Maybe some other day.

---

“BUFFET TIIIIME, GET WHAT YA CAN, FOLKS!!”

Valo’s deafening voice rang out across the guild. Lily had to wonder if the townsfolk weren’t also alerted when these feasting evenings came along, what with the guild’s windows and their proximity to the residential area. Of course, her work-addled mind was too lost to even fully ponder the concept, and it would be gone when tonight’s tasks claimed her focus.

The Roselia took up a seat in the dining hall, where the fastest and largest of the guild’s members had already gotten themselves seated. Lily’s promptness afforded her an earlyish seat near the back wall, away from the clamor of other people entering. She reluctantly extended her vines to her left, saving two spots at the table.

The shape of a Raboot could be seen sparsely in the crowd. His features were hard to spot given his small stature, but his flopping ears grew closer with time. He was fiddling with his earring, which had almost fallen out during the jog into the dining area, although his eyes were on her rather than the finicky piece of metal. Lily’s vines retracted to let him take his seat.

“Evening, Lily.”

“Mhm.” The Roselia uttered nothing else in response. Janette deposited a tray of food before her, and the tiny explorer began to eat a Sitrus Berry, leaving the Raboot to his own affairs.

From behind the Raboot, the tiny figure of a Snom was wriggling about. He had latched onto the young male for assistance in crossing the chaotic room, although now he had to wrest himself from his latching and join his coworkers in eating. His miniature limbs and rigid shell were a combination that could leave him stranded in the case of an awkward fall. As usual, though, he was spared from the difficulty of dealing with it. The Raboot put his paws behind his back, popping the smaller explorer off. He tenderly lifted the Snom up and turned him over, then placed him onto the mess hall table, and waved a hand to call over food.

“All good?”

“Yus.” The Snom spoke back in a crackly and tiny voice, waiting until a tray of berries arrived and beginning to feast.

“You know,” Lily spoke, “at some point you’re going to have to let him do things himself.” The Grass-type paused her delicate meal, not looking over to the Raboot by her side. Her tone was, as always, coarse and dismissive. “You won’t be around to baby him forever, Cecil.”

“It’s seriously not a big deal, Lily. He can get up when he needs to, I’m just making things go faster.” Cecil looked down at the small snowy lad. Every day, Arcus would be carried around the guild in the mornings and the evenings, and occasionally on missions if he was stationed somewhere far enough from the center of town.

“Thenk you.” The icicle-like boy squeaked while resting between bites.

“It’s a matter of habit. If you gave him the chance to actually practice and get himself around, he’d be better at it. I don’t know if you worked out a plan for someone to help him while you’re away, but you’d be wise to do that before we’re actually on the transport out of town.” Lily returned to her eating, not wanting to stay stuck here for long.

“Sorry.” Arcus’ frail voice answered Lily’s demand. Cecil simply rolled his eyes while digging into his food.

“Don’t be sorry, Arcus, you’re not liable to her or whatever. You do things fine.” The Raboot’s mellow expression changed little throughout their talk. He glanced aside to the stoic Roselia, as the three continued their meals at different paces; for him, it meant munching away at a roll of bread. “Got any plans tonight, Lily?”

“Expedition prep.” She stared onward, canceling the topic abruptly.

“Gotcha. Let me know if that changes.” The adolescent Raboot nodded quietly, and let the conversation topic end there.

It never changed, of course. Whenever Lily had plans, or when she had ‘plans’, it meant she was going to be busy and alone, intentionally. She had given up being secretive about that being the case well over a year ago. Still, it wouldn’t stop Cecil from asking every day. Everyone had a breaking point for that sort of thing, even Lily. He’d wear her down someday.

“G’luck on the expedition.” Arcus spoke faintly while eating, his mouth nubs picking away at a smaller berry. The two watched him for a moment.

“You’ll get in sometime soon, Arcus. I know you will.” Cecil patted the Snom on his cold back, eliciting a chirp from the boy.

“When he’s ready for it.” Lily offered her unkind wisdom. She was finishing her meal fast, mostly out of habit. “It’s not just something you waltz into. It takes a lot of dedication to learn an environment and expand the scope of the world.”

“You really are something, huh.” Cecil almost laughed, but otherwise returned to his meal, a paw resting on Arcus who was doing the same. In due time, Lily was done with her first serving and not in need of another, hopping off of the bench to leave. The Raboot turned his head lazily in her direction. “Good luck with the prep, and stay safe.”

“Mhm.” Lily turned away, sweeping singular crumbs of berries off of her grassy gown. Before she could depart, the Snom’s weak words caught her.

“Can you tell me what Fogbound Lake is like, when you get back?”

“Excuse me?” The Roselia tensed up, now watching Arcus, who huffed and repositioned his body to face her. “Well, yes, we’re going to document the area. It’s a given. We would be doing a poor job if we didn’t study thoroughly.”

“I know… but I wanna know what you think it’s like. How it looks, and what the grass feels like, and how thick the fog is.” His body shivered. “I dunno if… I can get to places like that. And it would be nice to hear about it from a really good explorer.”

“...Arcus.” The Roselia smacked her rosy hand on the dining table. “I did not come here to be guilted. Especially not by you.”

“‘S not guilt… I jus’ wanna be... realistic. You’re gunna evolve someday, and you’re gunna be a graduate someday. And… I wish I could be like that. But I know you will be. And I wanna hear about all the things you do.” The boy mewled out. His words were reaching Lily, whether or not she would accept them. She glared.

“Stop talking like that! Please, I was just trying to encourage you…!”

“I’m being honest, Lily… I wanna be better, but there’s a limit—”

“SILENCE!” The Roselia hissed out the command, attracting some unwanted attention from the people around them. Nothing to be done about it other than power through. Lily turned from him in a pouty huff. “Don’t talk about things in that manner. You’re… going to be fine, and you just need to improve. And I won’t tolerate treating the issue any other way. Do you understand?”

“...yeah. Sorry.” Arcus slumped in his frigid shell, and Lily sighed.

“Just… start trying to get around the guild on your own, or some such. Have Cecil help you if you truly need it. I’m going to go prepare...” She sauntered away sternly, instantly lost in the buzz and the clamour of the chaotic night. Cecil whistled out from mild amazement, putting aside a bread roll.

“She didn’t like that too much… but I think it helped her be a bit more sensible.” The Raboot patted Arcus softly. “But don’t put yourself down, either. I know you can evolve, too.”

“I’ll try… always gotta try.” Arcus mumbled while nudging away the seed-laden core of a berry. His little nubs made a cheerful expression, but his body seemed strained from exhaustion with the day’s work. “Right?”

“That’s right, bud. Now get eating, and let’s just enjoy ourselves.”

---

The guildmaster sat in his office, clutching documents against his rounded body. Their rapid departure meant even more bookkeeping and negotiations than usual, settling who would look after what and how much of those that the guild members still in town would need. Of course, Cromwell was usually tearing his feathers out about how work was assigned and delivered in his absence, but he had been fixated on other issues. Still, the paperwork was always just slightly over Wendell’s head.

The Wigglytuff shut his eyes and let all of the papers drop at his feet. His ears wobbled while he tilted his head backwards, and grew still. He let his mind grasp at the howling nighttime wind, the cold freshness that freed him from dour thoughts. No good to lose himself in the strain of it all, he thought. Everything could be settled. They’d be ready.

Wendell returned to consciousness, and looked down at his mess, pushing aside some of it. Beneath the spill was a broad map of East Eudria, with their journey charted out in paw-drawn ink. Once off the carriages, they’d need a few stops while entering the mountain range, but they’d spend as little time as possible loitering on their way to their destination. A familiar knock, the rapping of a folded wing, drew his attention.

“Come in!” Wendell said, pushing aside his papers and rolling up the map to be stored. Cromwell entered with melancholy evident on his face. The guildmaster looked at him, unsurprised, as the small bird approached. “Have the preparations gone well?”

“Yes, yes… we’ve got food supplies en route and work has been scheduled for a month in advance. But… please, we need to talk about this.” The Chatot was pushing on desperate in his tone.

Wendell huffed, and glanced away, trying to occupy himself with the paperwork. “My word is final. Everyone on the list is there for a reason, and we’d look unkind to take anyone off now.”

“You went behind my back to do that.” Cromwell spoke curtly. “I want to trust you, but this feels… wrong. We can’t bring Fera with us.”

“We can’t leave her here, either. She’s a loose end in all of this… and she could get hurt if something else happens.” Wendell, lacking any focus or goal, simply shuffled the papers together and set them aside neatly. In doing so, he lost his only method of avoiding eye contact with Cromwell, and looked back at his administrator.

“You say that like she won’t get hurt doing this.” Cromwell frowned.

“Even if she does, we can keep an eye on her. We can figure out what the ‘panic attack’ was.” Wendell’s words were solemn, and firm. “You already know it wasn’t a coincidence. It wasn’t natural.”

“It doesn’t matter if it was unnatural, we can learn about it WITHOUT endangering her! And without endangering the mission!” Cromwell did his best to prevent his squawking from alerting others that could be lingering outside the chamber. “If something befalls her, we need to assure her recovery, and it will conflict with our search for the Time Gear. She’s still a child, Wendell…”

Wendell sighed. He was not made of stone, he understood all of these things. But they could not change his mind.

“You know we won’t find anything else out by keeping her here. There’s nothing more to learn just from letting her body suffer another one of those events.” Wendell placed his hand on the Chatot’s shoulder. “The guardian at Fogbound Lake might be able to give us answers. And if that event happens again when we’re at the lake… that will be an answer in its own right.”

“There has to be another way, sir…”

“I’ve already spoken with Elle about the situation. She agreed that we need to learn whatever we can about Fera, even if it means bringing her on the expedition.”

Cromwell froze up, but nodded in defeat. “I… I see. I had hoped she would speak my side of the issue...”

“She agrees with you in principle. I agree with you in principle, too. But it’s for Fera’s sake, to know what happened to her… and for our sake, to possibly gain headway into finding more of the Time Gears. Leaving her behind isn’t an option.” Wendell removed his hand from Cromwell’s body, knowing that it was offering no solace. The Chatot whined out lowly.

“At this rate… she’s going to get hurt, and she won’t know why. We won’t know why. We might not be able to help her, if she gets shaken like that again.” The man’s last retaliation on the matter was pleading.

“Cromwell. It’s not a decision I made lightly. It’s not one I wanted to make.” The Wigglytuff shut his eyes. “It’s one I had to make, as guildmaster… as someone that is trying to help people. We need to know what her relation to the Time Gears is. But I won’t let Fera suffer in this, her safety will come first. You have my word on this.”

The administrator knew his guildmaster well. The regret leaking across his face spoke enough for him. No one wanted to do this less than Wendell, to jeopardize a young explorer’s health. If there was an alternative, he already would’ve found it and pursued it without needing to wait for Cromwell’s input. They would see the expedition through, and they would keep Fera as safe as they could.

“I understand, sir. I trust you.” Cromwell accepted his failure, his mind shifting to how he would manage the girl.

“Tomorrow, you can assign Vivian to watch over Fera for the duration of the expedition. She’s the only one suited for the role. If something goes wrong, we’ll act on it as soon as possible.”

“I’ll make sure to do so.” Cromwell turned as if to leave, but lingering fears held him in place. “What happens if Fera is related to all of this?”

“Hmm?” Wendell looked down at the bird.

“If she’s connected to the Time Gears, physically, or just from having seen them… what happens? How will the other guilds see her, or treat her?” Cromwell looked at his superior. He wouldn’t challenge whatever Wendell had to say, but he needed to know where they were headed. Wendell crossed his tiny arms.

“It’s not their business, is it? Fera’s her own person. And she’s a member of our guild, not theirs. They don’t need to know about it, let alone have a paw in it. Whatever her situation is, we will pursue the next steps with her, and only with her.”

“Thank you, sir.” With the confirmation, Cromwell could free himself of the discussion, fluttering along to carry out the guildmaster’s wishes.

 

[Roser]

Chapter 21: Sending Off​

July 24th, 928 EP

The final day before the expedition had arrived. All the wild tension that had plagued the townsfolk had died down now, outside of those few who wouldn’t have their affairs settled in time and were still struggling to be ready for tomorrow’s departure. The gentle call of the wind resounded with the relative silence, moving over and through the still-active town. Most let it pass, and many probably never realized it was there. But the shrine in the residential district’s plaza had just the right structure to make a rustling sound within its walls whenever a strong enough breeze came by.

Bennett’s curly-furred ear twitched from the sound as it broke his concentration. He eyed where the left wall met the roof; damage to the shrine’s structure had left it worn down, and let the wind create noise when it passed by. Once again, it had disturbed his calm state of mind, but he silenced the frustration shortly. The shrine had needed repairs it couldn’t afford for some time now, and the other worshipers around him were not as easily broken from their focus. He only had himself and his stress to blame for the lost meditation.

He glanced back at the Wave Incense burning across from him. The deep scent of ocean tides had overwhelmed him as a kid, but he breathed it in naturally now, and it put his body at peace. The wall that he sat facing bore a sigil of a water droplet, painted with fine enough details to mimic the shades and waves of the ocean. Between him and the incense, a bowl of fresh seawater sat perfectly still. The Bidoof had carried it from the shore and up the steps on his own, which always came with the peril of dropping it and starting the trek over, a peril that he knew too well. Still, he had brought it in one go today. He bowed his head.

His mind was labored with worry, and doubt. He feared his inability to perform his duties on the expedition, and more so he feared how it would drag down the experience for others. Moments came where he wondered if he was ever truly an explorer, or just a Bidoof pretending to be one. If there was something wrong, he wondered if he could ever change it. But it was only necessary to feel these things.

Bennett placed a paw into the seawater, and concentrated. Fear, doubt, self-loathing, anything that could plague his mind and weigh him down… he would empty these thoughts into the salty water, and cleanse his soul for the time being.

The ritual was a smidge pointless, he felt in the back of his mind. There were days where it didn’t feel like he could simply free himself of negativity, and days where spiritual practice couldn’t outweigh physical failure. But, perhaps, the act itself made him feel better. He could control his difficulties, be unburdened, and face them when he was ready.

“Uhh…”

The Bidoof’s concentration was broken once more, and the surprise was almost enough to make the bowl spill. He turned his head to see Tai close behind him. The Stunky was flustered and awkward, speaking in a hushed tone as was expected of him.

“Hey, Tai… what is it?” Bennett tried to respond in turn. Already, they had gained a few displeased stares from worshipers, who wanted to maintain the serenity and silence that the shrine offered them from the busy town outside. Tai gulped.

“I need to go pack things… I was gonna sort out some items to take with me, on the expedition…” The Stunky looked around. He caught sight of the judgmental eyes, and trembled slightly, taking a step back. “It’s fine, you’re busy… and good luck with the prayer and stuff…”

“I’m almost done, ya don’t gotta leave. Was there somethin’ ya needed to ask?”

Tai coughed and looked down, unable to keep the attention off himself. “I just figured, you’re more experienced than me… I don’t wanna screw it up, or something. If I look stupid on the expedition, it’ll be extra bad…”

Bennett gave a soft smile, taking his soaked paw out of the bowl. “I can help ya sort things through an’ figure out what’s good to take. If that’s what ya want.”

“Y… yeah, it’d help a lot.” Tai coughed again, as he always did when his anxiety got the best of him. Bennett was the only one he couldn’t keep his guard up around, but perhaps it was for the better. The older explorer reached forward, opening the top of the Wave Incense and fetching the sticks from within. The burning material was taken and dipped in the bowl of water, and then deposited in Bennett’s bag, which he fetched in the process. The Bidoof rose up, now standing on his hind legs to Tai’s surprise, as he grasped the bowl between his front paws.

“I’ll be glad to give some insight. But lemme settle my business first… gotta take this down to the shore and dump it out.”

“Oh, right, rituals and all…” Tai lowered his voice, after a wave of relief had caused him to raise it again. “Can I come with you? I don’t think I can help or whatever, but better than sitting and waiting for you.”

“Sure thing. An’ shoot me with your ideas for what ya wanna bring while we walk.” The Bidoof turned slowly, pacing toward the exit to keep the bowl from spilling onto the wooden floor. The shrine-goers around them sighed in peace, and let the two youngsters depart through the front entrance.

The journey outside took them west, with Bennett leading the way toward the Crossroads. Tai kept close behind him, a bit bothered with Bennett’s reduced pace but not feeling the need to speak up about it. He couldn’t imagine carrying something and walking upright, especially when going down stairs like the long descent towards Aurora Beach.

“So…” Tai finally resumed their discussion after a few moments of walking down the many stone stairs, causing Bennett’s eyes to slide over to him. “What’s with all the frequent shrine trips? I don’t mind, but, like… it’s usually once a week, and you’re out once a day now.”

The Bidoof laughed softly, his steps and words more labored while he responded. “That’s not really about your item management…”

“Sorry, I just wanna know why first. Is something up?”

“Ehh, kinda…” Bennett gave a shrug. “Anxious about the expedition, like everyone. Figured some reflection could let me be more at ease.”

“What’ve you got to worry about? You’ve been on expeditions before. Just… do whatever you did last time.” Tai moved forward, trying to stay beside Bennett now. The stretch of stairs never seemed to shorten, no matter how much closer they grew to the ground below.

“Cromwell said they’re gonna use my performance this time to see if I’m up for graduation. So I gotta be on top of my game, y’know?”

“Never a moment to rest with him around…” Tai grumbled. He had been less hard on Cromwell since the praise he received, whether or not it was deserved. He knew there was at least some way to be seen in the Chatot’s favor now, so no point in being aggressively negative about the bird.

“It jus’ makes sense. He said I gotta be someone that trainees’ll look up to. But that ain’t the most clear set of instructions.” Bennett moved down the stairs. The seawater bowl sloshed weakly from a particularly strong step.

“You’ll do fine with it. You always do well on this kinda stuff.”

Bennett sighed. “No, I don’t. I get through the work an’ sometimes it’s good, an’ sometimes it ain’t. An’ this’ll be bigger than all those other missions, the expeditions ain’t a joke.”

“I didn’t say it was a joke, alright? I just…” Tai whined. “I dunno, you’re just capable with explorer stuff.”

“But I don’t—” The Bidoof gritted his teeth as he suddenly stumbled. He hadn’t expected to reach the plateau midway down the stairs, and he fell forward with a yelp. The young man flopped onto his belly, as seawater sloshed and splashed out from the bowl and onto the dry grass before them.

“Y-you alright, man?” Tai scurried around to Bennett’s front, trying to nudge the Bidoof up with his snout. He received a nod from the other explorer, who slowly rose back up, standing on all fours again. The bowl of seawater had been almost emptied, only a paltry portion of it left over at the bottom.

“Iunno… I mean, I’m fine, no worries, but… iunno.” Bennett leaned forward, picking the bowl up in his mouth and speaking from the side of his lips. He started back down the long staircase. “I don’t always perform good. An’ I can mess up when it’s just on me, an’ that’s fine, but when the guild’s got its eyes on me, I gotta be ready to go down a notch or two because of it.”

Tai remained quiet, unsure of how to motivate the person that he had always tried to motivate him. Did Bennett even need motivation? It felt so unclear to the Stunky, who could only walk beside the now downcast Bidoof.

The two soon came to the shoreline, its waves glistening faintly under the midday sun. Tai stayed back, letting his friend do his business. Bennett approached the intruding and receding waves, feeling them lap around his ankles. After a moment of hesitation, the bowl was lowered down and tipped forward, letting the remaining drops of salty water splish onto an incoming wave.

“There we go.” The Bidoof took up the bowl in his mouth again. He tried to progress towards the stairs again, but Tai blocked him before he could leave the shore.

“You’re being stupid, alright?” The boy grunted out his words, and then tried to correct them. “I just, I get that it’s nerve-wracking to do this stuff, and always be trying, and always dealing with this stuff, but… don’t be stupid.”

“Tai—”

“You’re OBVIOUSLY a good explorer. And I bet you’d be a good graduate too. So just TRY a lot, and you’ll do better than being sad about it. That’s what you always told me, right?” Without waiting for a response, the Stunky bit onto the bowl from the defeated Bidoof’s mouth, plucking it out in annoyance.

The frustration that Bennett was building inside him was slowly being dispersed. Tai stared him down with sorrowful anger, with justified anger. Bennett couldn’t let his friend down, and he couldn’t let himself slip into being this kind of person. A wealth of tension was released as the Bidoof spoke again.

“Golly. I guess I did sound a tad silly, huh?” He laughed, forcing the bad feelings out of his body. He pushed off of his front legs, getting back into an upright position to reaffirm his control. “I’m sorry, really. I shouldn’t be actin’ all sour, ‘specially when I should be bein’ a good role model for the rest of y’all.”

“That’s exactly right. And if you’re sour on the trip, I’m gonna bite your ears when you doze off.” The childish words came out partially muffled from the bowl that he was keeping away from his friend.

“Ehh… thanks?” The Bidoof scratched the back of his head, and then extended a paw to his friend. “I’ll take the bowl, if you don’t mind… gotta be respectful.”

“Sure, whatever. But don’t get sad about spilling it again, if you can. I don’t really get how it works.” The bowl was transferred between the duo, as Bennett nodded.

“It’s an important thing… but bein’ a good explorer is more important. So I’ll try.” Bennett started to walk, then returned his sight to the shoreline beside them. He scooted over and knelt down, taking more of the liquid into the bowl, causing Tai to groan.

“Is the ritual thing still going…?”

“Nah. All good for the day.” Bennett moved away from the ocean, walking on his back legs toward the stairs. “But gotta try an’ improve with this. Real Bibarel know how to walk on two paws.”

“Hell yeah!” Tai stamped his paws as Bennett progressed on the path into town.

“Language.”

“Bleh… never mind, being mature and mindful is bad.” The Stunky faked a gag, following his reinvigorated friend upwards into town.

---

The calm, cool afternoon air that flowed down from Treasure Town set a near-perfect state of conditions for Fera’s training. Outside of the occasional howling breeze, nothing would interfere with her slow and arduous physical preparation, as mandated by Gekkuya. The Croagunk watched on from the shade of a tree, as Fera stood on one leg atop a pointed stone. The Riolu’s leg jostled.

“Easy there, Blue Belt.” Gekkuya spoke out lazily. “You’re almost at thirty. Don’t overcorrect.”

The Riolu gave no response, not even a nod that could risk throwing herself off-balance. Her eyes closed, while her body regained its former composure. Her tail would twitch, shifting from time to time to try and keep the pose her body had assumed. Her breathing slowed.

A strong gale picked up, blowing down across the empty training ground. The Riolu’s hips tilted forward, and her center of balance swung forward, before she tumbled off of the rock. The girl landed on all fours, unharmed but suddenly infuriated. She struck a fist down against the dusty earth.

“Come on! So close…!” Fera clenched her teeth, her ears drooping in an unmistakable display of surprising sorrow. The sporadic display caused Gekkuya to lean forward from his lax position.

“Hey, hey. No freaking out, you’re wasting brainpower. You made it… twenty-eight minutes, you did fine.” The Croagunk slowly sauntered in Fera’s direction. At his words, Fera’s ears shot back up to their neutral state, and the girl began to rise onto her feet.

“Sorry, sir… I didn’t mean to lose it. We can start over.” The Riolu spoke more calmly. She started to stretch unprompted, apparently preparing herself for another round atop the rock. Gekkuya put up his hands in a braking gesture to tell the girl to halt herself.

“No reason to. You made it far enough, I would say.” He folded his arms, roused out of his typical lazy expression to show a drop of seriousness. Fera slowed down, but didn’t pause, her preparatory stretching.

“You sure? You’re not really one for cutting the practice short…” The fuzzy girl stood upright, raising her paws to the sky and extending her limbs. “What’s wrong?”

“Why are you asking me that?” The Croagunk’s cheeks pulsated as they often did. “You’re the one giving off the atrocious vibes here. Can we get the emotional spiel out of the way and get down to training without the hangups?”

Fera’s movements finally came to an end. The girl’s arms came to her sides, and her puffed-out fur settled down, as she looked down slightly at the Croagunk.

“I’m just a bit nervous for the expedition, is all… it sounded like a big deal. I don’t wanna be off my game and turning into a problem for the others.” Fera shrugged, growing more mellow. The Croagunk simply shook his head.

“Alright, well, that’s a lie…”

“What? I’m telling the truth.” Fera frowned at her instructor, feigning insult.

The Croagunk stared back, his face unchanging in the face of her denial, waiting. Her feelers flicked upward, and Gekkuya shot his hand forward to point at her.

“There. What’s that about?” His hand wiggled up slightly, gesturing at her head. “You’re pulling some aura-reading nonsense on me. Trying to figure me out so you can tell me what I’m supposed to hear. What the hell’s your deal today?”

The Riolu flinched from the accusation, her feelers kept down by command to prevent further observation of them, and her eyes wandered away. She tilted her tail up and her body back, letting her rear land on the ground to sit and rest. Remaining yet silent.

Gekkuya moved to stand in front of where she sat. The tense air was reaching even him, although he didn’t yet understand what was causing it.

“I don’t know… just feeling off, I guess. It’s been a rough couple of days…” Fera exhaled slowly, letting her eyelids droop.

“Any reason for that?” Gekkuya let his sternness fade. It wouldn’t serve him in this case.

“Maybe.” Fera tried to look her superior in the eye, but failed. Her arms wrapped around her knees, and the girl looked aside at nothing. He still wasn’t receiving the whole truth, it seemed, but persisted all the same.

“It’s a pretty yes-or-no question, you know. Like, there can’t be a reason and then also not a reason.”

Fera’s gaze did not return to him to acknowledge the snide comment. The Croagunk grunted, out of some kind of desperation, and knelt down to Fera’s level.

“Is it about that panic thing a while back?”

Her eyes darted briefly in his direction. When she lost the will to keep that contact, the eyes moved away again. “I think so.”

“Are you worried about it happening again?”

“I… think so. But it…” She sighed. “I don’t know. Everything just feels kinda wrong.”

“You’re gonna have to give me a bit more to work with here.” Gekkuya pushed once more on his stern side, but his expression had softened all the same. What rudeness he offered was in his earnest attempt to assist the confusing girl.

“I’m just stuck feeling weird. I’m frustrated, and I’m worried. I don’t know what else to say…”

Even this was a lie. The Croagunk could see it from a mile away, and Fera seemed to know that he could tell. Whatever else had been stirred in the girl’s mind, she wouldn’t divulge. Despite seeing and knowing this, Gekkuya could push no further. There was nothing for him to find if Fera would keep it hidden from him.

“Anything I can do to make this better?” The Croagunk shrugged slightly.

“It’s… fine, I think. I can deal with this.” Her words carried little confidence. She wanted to believe herself, but nothing she felt could make her believe it. Gekkuya closed his eyes.

“Sure. But I can’t let you go on the expedition if you’re still in a compromised state. Sorry.” The instructor looked at her morosely. Fera’s head shot up as she worriedly returned his stare.

“You can’t just—!” Fera’s words were cut off as Gekkuya bluntly extended the palm of his hand, signaling her to stop.

“I’m not trying to threaten you.” His hand lowered as he spoke. “It’s just what’s important. It’s for your sake and for the sake of everyone else’s efforts. You’re only going to make things worse if you can’t be ready for what the guild’s asking of you. You know that, but I’m reminding you.”

Fera looked down at her feet as her body trembled. “I’m still supposed to be able to handle this… I still want to help.” She whimpered. Once he had been assured that she would listen, he continued.

“It’s okay if you’re not ready. Even disregarding… whatever it is that you’re feeling inside, you’re not obligated to go on a trip that you might not be trained enough to handle. It’s better to face the inability head on and take some embarrassment, rather than throw yourself into things stupidly and make it a failure. And if you’re not able, that’s fine.”

The girl nodded weakly. Her eyes started to water, but she wouldn’t cry.

“I’m asking you. Are you able to be ready for this expedition? I want the honest answer, no games. If that answer is ‘no’, I’ll understand. And I’ll be the one to talk to the administrator, if that’s what you’re worried about.” Gekkuya stared her down. His facade of cold cruelty would not hold, and he didn’t care to keep it up anyways. Seconds passed, and the girl started to wipe the sorrow from her eyes.

“I-I’m…” Fera sniffled and clenched her fists. “I’m going to be ready. I’m not ready yet, but… I can be ready tonight. I want to keep training…” She shut her eyes, suffering under the weakness she had demonstrated to Gekkuya. The amphibian reached over, placing his cold hand on her shoulder.

“Are you sure? No lying just to do the expedition.”

“I’m sure… I am sure.” She started drying her eyes, gaining a fierce stare. “I don’t want to turn helpless the second I feel off… I’m sure.” She repeated herself once more.

“I’m going to trust that.” Pushing down on her with his hand, the Croagunk slowly rose to his mostly upright posture. The girl looked up to him after a moment passed. The softness on his face had been steeled once more into the distant apathy that he commonly demonstrated. “Do you wanna start up again now, or should we take a breather?”

“We can start now… I already had a break, I guess.” Fera gradually lifted herself up, returning to towering over the man. “I’m sorry for all of that.”

“It’s done for now. Just keep me in the loop on how you’re feeling, or we’re not gonna get anywhere with this. And…”

Gekkuya looked at the sky. The soft orange tones of sundown would soon turn dark blue, but there was still time left. He would be able to push her body far enough in the rest of their training. Physically, he knew she could handle this.

“Let’s get ten laps around the grove, to get you going again. Then we’ll spar and call it a day.”

Fera nodded weakly, letting her body relax. She’d have to be ready to exert herself if she wanted her training to mean anything. The tension and apprehension didn’t fade fully, but she seemed to have quelled whatever pain was within her. The girl crouched to prepare herself. Before she could take off, she looked to her trainer once more.

“Thank you, really…”

“Chatting’s not running, y’know.” Gekkuya stayed fixated on the sky, as if he had more pressing matters with it than with his pupil.

Fera nodded, and turned to begin her exercise. A small, relieved smile crossed her lips. It wasn’t the boisterous grin or the cheerful beaming that she had shown him before, but it was something. With her mind steadied, Fera began to dash off, thrusting her body into action and chasing after the shadow that she cast.

As the girl left earshot, Gekkuya’s eyes slid over to watch her go.

“…you’re welcome, Blue Belt.”

---

July 25th, 928 EP

At the crack of dawn, Team Charm stood patiently, their gaze upon the town of their roots. From huddled huts to bustling business, it had grown so much and changed so little. They couldn't enjoy it as they had before, as earnest members of its community, but they could watch on from afar. It would do.

Garrison reclined on the ground against a wide and flat stone. His visible injuries had healed, although he had remained silent and unreadable since returning from the forest. Lulu broke away from admiring Treasure Town just long enough to address him.

“I hope you understand, you don't have to accompany us. Your body needs time to recover.”

“I've dealt with worse,” he said, “and I'll take even worse than that. This is a mission of utmost importance.”

“…you don't need to make up for what happened, Garrison. You're an explorer, but you're still mortal. Celebi would understand.”

Garrison looked away, only the weakest smile on his face. The cool breeze of the early morning blew across his piercing arms, as they rested on his folded lap.

“I would very much like to believe you. But the issue goes beyond that.” His eyes closed. “The Obirians are sure to make another move. Whatever plot they have, it won't end at a single Time Gear. I can't imagine what they could do to disperse the mystery of Fogbound Lake, but then again, I wouldn't have imagined them to be able to traverse the depths of Treeshroud Forest. There is no time or opportunity to be complacent.”

“We'll put some faith in you, then. Don't go dying on us.” Lulu watched him, displeased but accepting.

“I'm not a fighter, so you might have to hold up that end of the deal for me.” He laughed, and settled down. “But… I'll do my best.”

Their discussion closed off, seeing the swarms of explorers coming from the guild in the west. Their steps came as quietly as they could to let the townsfolk sleep, but the buzz of excitement among them could not be silenced. Wendell led the charge, coming to the gates to speak with the trio before the other explorers joined in.

“Thank you once again for your service thus far. We're indubitably indebted for having you come with us on the next step of the journey.” He offered his nubby appendage to her, resolution beaming off of him. Lulu returned the bright attitude and shook his hand. She was always so easily swayed by his mood.

“We wouldn't have it any other way. Are all of the preparations in order?”

“Of course. You shouldn't doubt the guild's ability to mobilize.” Cromwell chirped to offer his thoughts.

“Hmph…” Victoria frowned in his direction. “It's only about the severity of the situation. You have your way of doing things, after all…”

“I assure you that my way is fine, Victoria.” He scoffed lightly, and Maya waved a hand to the others nearing them, hoping to kill off the awkward talk that had begun.

“Welcome, explorers. I am Maya Vitzés, of Team Charm. We hope to be good company for your expedition.” The woman's words were brief and stoic, but still carrying a faint tone of delight. Murmurs spewed forth from the crowd that was slowly forming around the famous team.

Near the front of the group, Fera stood with a smile, Vivian clutched in her arms. The Eevee was flailing at full power, which meant she was still otherwise perfectly restrained by her friend's grasp.

“Let me gooooooo, I need to go say hi to themmmmmm!”

“You can say hi to them later. That's what your dad said.” Fera's feelers flicked about, still showing excitement at the presence of the women from Vivian's painting. The Eevee mewled and wiggled, her fierce Struggle not stopping Fera's Bind.

“This is oppression of my rights as an explorer! Feraaaaa!” The Eevee continued to squirm in the Riolu’s arms as Wendell began to address the group.

“If you have any last preparations, any issues to settle, deal with them now! Otherwise, you can handle them when we return next month. But I trust that you’ve all prepared yourself!” A chorus of agreeing mumbling came in response, causing the Wigglytuff to nod with confidence. “Once the carriages are pulled around, we’ll depart. It’s a long trek, but I know you can endure it!”

The crowd of adventurers started to grow calmer, they needed to conserve their energy for the journey itself. From a winding path, several carriages drew closer, being pulled along by Solrock and Lunatone that were bound by rope. Each cart had a driver, but once the vehicles had halted, they hopped off, yielding the transports to the guildmaster.

“Whoa. They just go like that?” Fera marveled at the contraptions— she had seen carriages, of course, but they were always pulled by a powerful Pokemon like a Rapidash. These little things, the Solrock and Lunatone, didn’t even seem to exert force, instead just twirling and pulling forward mindlessly.

“They’re elementals… they have tons of pure energy to use. Like the Slugma I told you about.” Vivian tilted her head up, her cheeks slightly scrunched up by her held position. “But they can’t think on their own. We have to drive them with special reins.”

“Elementals… it sounds kinda familiar, I think. Maybe we had those wherever I was from.” The Riolu mused aloud, staring at one of the Lunatone, who returned her gaze with no acknowledgement of her existence.

“Maybe. But they’re super useful for the guilds, they suck in psychic energy and then repel it with each other to move. And I can tell you more about them if you just… let go of me, for a minute…!” The Eevee in Fera’s arms began to wriggle anew, desperate in her efforts to go see the famous explorers.

“For the expedition proper, we’ve sorted you all carefully, with a captain for each grouping. For the time being, however, you’re to be sorted by space efficiency; we’ll regroup and reorganize in one week, when we disembark at the village of Irion. Ahem…” Cromwell clutched at a neat piece of paper, listing the first carriage group to be assigned. “Vivian, Elise, Rikar, Ludan, and Fera. Proceed to the carriage marked with a yellow X.”

“N… not Victoria? Or any of the others…?” Vivian slumped forward in Fera’s grasp. She had figured she’d at least be slotted with someone, perhaps the surprise inclusion of Garrison, but instead she’d be rooming with familiar coworkers. At least Fera would be there.

“We’ll hang with them when we get to that town, right? Just gotta hold out for a couple days.” Fera spoke softly, seeming perhaps bothered by the length of the trip, but it was unclear. As they chatted, a familiar Rhydon from the guild came from behind and lightly patted the Riolu on her back.

“Let’s get moving, I wanna get there before everyone else does~” Elise cooed out, causing Fera to smile and trot forward, holding the defeated Vivian close to her. The Vulpix and Dottler in their group approached as well, and the group of five boarded a carriage with a banner of a yellow X.

The carriage interior was as spacious as one could hope, given the Rhydon belonging to their group. Elise took up several seats in the back, somewhat bashfully, as Fera took the space to her right and Vivian came beside her. All five settled in, and the carriage’s driver, a vibrant Whimsicott, floated up to take the reins again. In due time, all of the carriages had been packed with the explorers, with the special guests of the expedition taking up a carriage to themselves at the end. From the driver’s seat that he was intruding on, Wendell called out.

“Onward, to Fogbound Lake!”

At his word, the drivers yanked on their metallic reins. The Solrock and Lunatone’s eyes glowed with eerie light, their bodies starting to spiral in releasing their psychic forces. The carriages were pulled and turned, leading themselves along the well-worn path south of Treasure Town. Their wheels clacked and bumped along spots of uneven terrain, but soon rose into speedy and orderly whirring as the carriages bustled onward.

Through the small windows, Fera could watch her hometown’s walls and trees begin to fade into the distance. Others around her would start to chat, and she would chat with them in turn. But her eyes carried on, staring at the distant fields and hills that they would travel through, the boundless existence outside of her little town. Now, she had been released into the rest of the world.

 

[Roser]

Chapter 22: The World Outside​

August 1st, 928 EP

Nightfall had set in almost an hour ago, yet the carriages hadn’t followed suit. They continued on, at a reduced speed, without any input from their drivers; the Solrock and Lunatone had a bare enough level of intelligence to follow the forward path, saving their journey time by progressing through the night. Rattling and rumbling from the moving vehicles persisted all night, but it wouldn’t be enough to prevent the explorers from getting their much-needed rest. Each carriage had their seats fold out into beds of moderate size, although Elise took up a good amount of it even while curled up. The group of five had dozed off, except for Fera, who stared out from her window, as she did every day of the trip thus far.

“Mmmrrrr…” A low noise caught Fera’s attention, prying her away from the view briefly. Vivian had slowly awoken, her fur tangled and uncombed due to her long days and nights spent in the bumpy ride. “Fera…?”

“Oh, sorry… did I wake you up?” Fera fell back from her position of kneeling up against the window. Vivian shook her head slowly, her hair tuft drooping across her face.

“No, just having some trouble getting to sleep…” The Eevee gradually rose up and rubbed at her eyes with her paws. The Riolu beside her could only nod.

“Me too… we’re gonna get to Irion tomorrow! It’s gonna be great…” She sighed out dreamily, reclining against part of the soft wooden interior.

“It won’t be anything crazy, I think. Just a little village at the edge of the mountains. But it’ll be nice to really stretch our legs again.” Vivian sat up more, reluctantly shaking off some of her sleepiness to discuss with Fera. However, the Riolu was already gazing back out the window closest to her. “You’re really enjoying the views, huh?”

“It’s always so nice… it’s always so magical.” Fera gestured to something outside, which Vivian couldn’t see with her lower position. More light was filling the cabin than it should for this time of night, and the Eevee was curious. She hoisted herself up with front paws to peer outside with Fera.

The path outside was as dark as it should be, but light barely reached the side of the carriages from a distance. Far across blackened plains of night-drenched grass, a beautiful glow was resonating, a soothing shade of yellow, perfectly still. Its light was dim and far, but it couldn’t be mistaken or ignored. Vivian marveled anew while Fera watched on in continuous admiration.

“Those must be Wacan Berries…” Vivian filled the silence with her speculation. “They’re really popular with Electric-types. They even generate static, and have little light sacs… I guess that’s what we’re seeing.”

“Never thought that berries could look that cool. I thought they were just for eating or for medicine.” Fera tilted her head and squinted, as if she hoped to discern an individual berry among the glowing mass. “We’ve barely started doing things. I wanna see the world! I wanna see Fogbound Lake so bad!” She gripped the windowsill and groaned out, losing her patience with the remainder of the journey at the prospect of their destination.

“There’s a lot of cool places to see in the world. Mountains of ice and fire, valleys of black mist, and all the things we don’t even know about yet.” Vivian let herself droop down, not wanting to focus on the bright lights with her sleepy eyes. “I haven’t ever gone this far out of town… so I’m a little nervous about it, even if I’m excited.”

“Same here. But a lot more excited than nervous.” Fera smiled on, then paused and looked to Vivian beside her. “But, uhm, sorry that you’re nervous too. Everything’s gonna be fine, isn’t it? Your dad’s here, Wendell’s here, and we have some big famous explorers to help us too.”

“I know. It’s just how it’s gonna be. I don’t think there’s anything that could make me NOT a bit uneasy, haha.” The Eevee slouched, resting herself against the wall beneath the window. “I’m gonna need someone to help me with setting up the tents and such. And cooking.”

“I can help you with those, they’re easy. Cooking is especially easy.”

“Fera… I know you’re banned from helping in the kitchen back home. I’m gonna ask someone else for help with the cooking.” Vivian laughed weakly, although the joyful noise wasn’t enough to fight off her sleepiness. “But thanks. It’s nice to know people are looking out for me.”

“We’re always gonna look out for you. Everyone at the guild likes you, even the people we don’t talk to.” Fera smiled brightly, finally relaxing from her grip on the window to talk with Vivian proper.

“It means a lot to me, but I also wanna… I wanna be able to do things without people looking out for me. Like Victoria does.” The Eevee sighed. “I don’t think she needs people to cook for her or set things up for her. I need to be the same way.”

“Uhm, well… I can try to teach you those things, you know? Or maybe you can ask your dad?”

The brown-furred girl smiled again. “I’ll learn it as I go. That’s what the guild’s about, I suppose. And that’s what I’m making my goal for the expedition.”

“Yeah!” Fera’s voice rose too high for a moment, and she covered her mouth before continuing. “Yeah. Just let me know if you want me to do anything to help you do that. But, like, not helping you. Helping you by not helping you. Or…”

Vivian snickered, and Fera gave up on her confused speech. “You’ll be the first person I ask if I need something. But that’s for tomorrow…” She tilted her head up, making a high-pitched mewl of a yawn. Fera was unable to resist the siren call of sleep for any longer, pushed to yawn shortly after Vivian did. The Riolu leaned back on the soft fabric that lined her makeshift bench-bed.

“Tomorrow’s gonna be the best… g’night, Vivian.”

“Good night…”

Despite their words, and the girl’s tiredness, Vivian wouldn’t drift off just yet. She lounged in her comfortable position, watching Fera slowly fall asleep. Her mind raced with her own issues, and with the issue of the Riolu.

(I really thought you were all better, but… if Dad says I have to watch you, I’ll watch you. You honestly seem way more put together with all this than I am…) Her ears lowered, getting weaker with the encroaching sleepiness. (We’re gonna take good care of you too, Fera. I hope you know that…)

The heavy thoughts weighed Vivian down into exhaustion. After a few moments, she fell asleep under the burden of them, recovering her strength and her mind for the expedition’s true beginning the next day.

---

August 2nd, 928 EP

There were a number of sights for one to fixate on as the groups descended from their carriages and witnessed Irion for the first time. The dense town lied at the border between wild plains, lush forestry, and towering cliffs. Trees populated the entire width of the village, and homes could be spotted beneath or within their leafy protection, the ones above connected by wooden bridges. Fewer worn paths and smaller shops could be noted, with a less lively atmosphere than the merchant stop of Treasure Town, yet a warmth flourished in the rural town and its rustic design. As they had been told, the populace consisted entirely of Bug-types, most smaller than the guildmaster, gliding in the air above and scurrying on the ground below. Many jugs of clear water sat beside a river, ready to be bottled and transported by a swarm of Mothim beside them. Venipedes crawled down from a greater tree in the distance, berry satchels stuck to their sides and filled to the brim with Orans. Irion was undisturbed by the explorers’ presence, and undisturbed by the rest of the world.

For Pokemon like Fera, their eyes went to the numerous green-tinted homes around and above the trees, their fixtures bound and secured with thick silk. For Pokemon like Vivian, the Bug-types that scurried and flew about were a point of interest, watching them on their daily tasks to maintain their small haven. For Wendell and Cromwell, the mountaintops looming in the distance, foreshadowing their approaching journey, were something to think of. And others like Bennett indulged in the beauty of the small lakes that dotted the area around the village. All of it, so simple, yet so new, left the explorers stunned.

Lulu strode out before the others, catching their attention from all the facets of the new environment. “I hope you’ll all make the most of the time we spend here. Indulge in the local culture, and offer aid where you can. The guildmaster, the administrator, and our little band will be settling the route into the mountains. We should be set to proceed by tomorrow morning. Any questions?”

“None, ma’am~!” Vivian’s voice called out from the crowd, which was followed rapidly by a yip and a smacking of the girl’s paws to cover her mouth. Lulu could only laugh from the cheerful call.

“If you truly do speak for everyone…” The Lopunny scanned the crowd. All were patiently waiting for their chance to see the town for themselves, and so she clapped her paws together. “Please, enjoy yourselves responsibly. You are dismissed.”

It took little more to get them going, as the young explorers broke away and spread into the town. Elise went tromping along towards the largest lake she could see, and Bennett could be seen hopping in the direction of a small, rounded shrine near the more dense rows of trees. Vivian was overwhelmed by the ripples of her coworkers, craning her head up to peer between them. When she caught sight of Fera darting away into the town, she quickly followed after, having to stay vigilant with her role on the expedition. As soon as she thought she had caught up, Fera gained speed and changed direction, occupying herself with a flower here or a local to converse with there, and none of it lasted long before something else pulled her away.

“F-Fera, wait up!” Vivian ran on, only getting a joyful glance from Fera before the Riolu took off, perhaps trying to guide the girl along with her journey. It was tense, it was her job, but it was still just delightful to share in Fera’s glee, as Vivian raced towards the errant girl.

---

The Riolu laughed and twirled, still running about like she was only a pup, taking in as much of the quaint village as her body could manage. Fresh, grassy air filled her lungs, and the cloudy sky above seemed more beautiful than a sunset now. She had talked to Bug-types all across town, some being species she’d never even seen before, and had hopefully retained the cultural and social tidbits she’d been given. Before she knew it, her prancing and searching had almost taken her out of the village’s domain and into the wilderness beyond. The feeling of Vivian’s aura caught her attention again, enough so that she snagged her foot onto a loose tree root, and went down with a tumble when she tried to turn around. Vivian came to her side, worried, watching while Fera continued her eager laughter despite her fall.

“I like this place a lot.” Fera giggled a few more times before letting the cheerfulness trail off.

“I can tell, haha…“ Some panting came from the Eevee, who had hustled to keep up with Fera’s erratic movements, but she stifled it quickly. “What else did you plan to do while we’re here? I hope it’s not just running the whole time.”

“Climbing. I’m gonna climb one of the trees, to see the town from above!” Fera sat up, already having a tall oak tree in her sights. Vivian hopped over and obstructed her view of it, smiling without showing off her worry. She didn’t want a repeat of the previous climbing incident from a greater height.

“Maybe we should climb some of the trees that have ladders built into them? You’ll still get a good view from up there, right?”

“Oh, yeah. Duh.” Fera laughed and stamped her feet down, leaping up into a standing position immediately. She started forward again, at a slower pace and with less prancing to have Vivian follow her, in the direction of a tree bearing connecting walkways on top of it. Cool wind rustled the leaves around the bridges above.

“Before we leave, I want to learn more about the town’s history. Irion is one of the few developed towns in East Eudria that isn’t integrated with the guil—” The Eevee stopped herself short, looking at the ladder at the same time as Fera.

A familiar Stunky was three rungs up on the ladder, his body quivering and his tail puffed out at full volume. Tai’s claws were digging into the wooden planks, trying as hard as possible to support his body. A soft breeze went over him, and his whole body shook, threatened with losing all of his progress up to this point.

“...how’s it going, Tai?” Vivian spoke up softly, but Tai flinched all the same. His head turned slowly, barely not disrupting his keen balance.

“It’s fine. Go away for a few minutes.” The Stunky lifted his back left leg, attempting to press and dig it into a higher rung. Instead, it slipped off rapidly, and the boy barely clutched on with his remaining claws to prevent a devastating one second fall. He shivered. “You’re messing up my concentration.”

“I can carry you up, if you want. Just a second.” Fera reached forward, but Tai made a bothered hiss before she could pick him off of the tree trunk.

“I can do this! Just give me a minute!!” His fur puffed all the way out, and his upper claws lunged higher to grasp at another rung. His body was now stretched out, standing on his tippy toes with his back legs. He looked as though he’d been splatted against the tree by a powerful attack.

“Fera, please move him.” Vivian gave up her patience on the difficult boy. Fera nodded and acted, her paws pressing onto Tai’s sides and causing him to squirm about.

“You’re sabotaging meeeee!!” Tai’s defiant cry could not stop the inevitable. He came off with a scraping sound from his sharp nails dragging on the wood, now left wriggling in midair while Fera smiled.

“You can practice more at home. We’ll get yelled at if you block the ladders.”

“I don’t need practice, I can DO this…” He grumbled, not fighting back as Fera put him under her arm like a sack of berries. With one arm, the Riolu began a quick and hopping ascent on the tree trunk. It took only a moment before she was at the top, and Tai was placed down on finely-carved wood.

“Oh!” The voice of the Eevee came from below, followed by a buzzing sound. The two on the treetops turned their heads and watched as a Vikavolt rose up, Vivian held firmly in his numerous arms. Once he was level with the wooden walkway, the Bug-type hovered forward, gingerly placing Vivian next to Tai. She giggled and glanced at him, her face flush with some surprise and delight. “Thank you, I think.” Without a word, the man ascended away, his wings carrying him on some other task elsewhere in the village.

“People are weird here. But… nice, I guess.” The black and white fur of the boy had settled down along with the rest of him. Fera laughed from his admission, and began to stroll, taking the walkway nearest to her. Vivian and Tai hustled along to come to her sides.

The bridge they crossed consisted of little more than bright wood planks secured with silken ropes. Thin, almost distressingly so, yet sturdy underfoot. Unease rose up inside Vivian from the lack of railings, even if that would be awkward to have with a bridge like this, but she stifled the worry and kept up her stride. The Eevee glanced to her right.

“What a town… it’s kind of small, but I wish we would be here longer. I can tell there’s a ton more to see.” The trio arrived at another treetop as Vivian spoke. Her gaze was on a set of young Pokemon, Nincadas and Grubbins, playfighting with their delicate claws and pincers. As one Nincada gained the advantage, pinning a boy into the dirt, his opponent swung up with jolting pincers and knocked the Nincada backwards in a gleeful display of power.

“It’s not my kind of town. Not enough action, I can tell.” Tai spoke with pride, pride for his hometown that he wouldn’t show if someone just asked him if he liked Treasure Town. “And the local stuff isn’t very interesting. I think it’s all sap farming. Bleh.”

“Sap’s fine. It’s very… sticky. I think that’s a benefit.” Fera shrugged, failing to inspire any change in the boy’s sap views. “It’s not ALL sap, though. Look at that stuff!”

Fera’s paw shot over to one of the small lakes on the rim of the town, and the other youngsters looked in that direction. A swarm of Surskit could be seen, skating around on the lake’s surface and hardly making a ripple. Their little forms swirled around in rhythmic dancing, the largest of their group taking the spot in the center while spinning skillfully. With a flourish, the group spiraled close together and let out a spray of bright bubbles, twinkling and fluctuating under the sunlight. The floaty spray lifted away from them, carried by the wind to begin floating through the afternoon sky over Irion in gentle erratic motion. Vivian cooed and tilted her head up to watch the orbs flutter by.

“Wonder if that’s a ritual of some kind. We should let Bennett know if it is!” She stared at the bubbles, almost falling backwards in her attempt to keep her focus on them. Fera instead continued to watch their source, the Surskit that began to skitter away from the lake with their job done.

“Hmm… isn’t it weird that it’s only Surskit?”

“Huh?” The Eevee released her focus, now looking at Fera again. “What’s only Surskit?”

“The dance, or ritual or whatever. Why aren’t any of them evolved?” The taller girl folded her arms.

“I’m… not sure what you mean. How would they be evolved?”

Fera looked dumbfounded, although she struggled to explain herself more. “Just… by evolving? Some of them should’ve evolved by now, unless all of them are kids.”

“But Surskit don’t evolve. They’re always Surskit. Like Spindas.” Vivian laughed lightly. “I have books on evolutionary families, you know. We can look at one when we get back from the expedition.”

“B-but… no, but Surskit do evolve!” Fera stamped her foot on the wooden platform. “And they get wings, really cool ones!”

“Are you sure you don’t mean Burmies? They evolve into Mothims, and they get wings.”

“I don’t! I don’t… think I mean that. I don’t know.”

“What do they evolve into, then? Like, what’s it called.” Tai chimed in, not having any opinions or knowledge of the evolutions of Bug-types in the first place.

“It’s… uhh…” Fera frowned, losing the answer within herself as she thought harder. “Surscare, or something… it’s just, it has those neat wings, but it looks mean, too. It uses the wings to look scary.”

“That still sounds like Mothim…” Vivian’s good humor had lessened when she saw the strain that Fera seemed to be undergoing.

“It’s not Mothim. Surskit evolves into something. I just don’t know what.” Fera’s ears drooped down, total defeat creeping over her face. “I’m not lying.”

“I know you’re not lying! I just don’t know what you mean, I’ve never heard of this. Is it something you remember from before?”

Fera started to speak, but gritted her teeth instead. “No. I just thought it was true, but I’m probably wrong…”

Vivian frowned and dipped her head. The issue had clearly frustrated Fera, but she couldn’t console her friend on the nonexistence of a species. Still, she wouldn’t let the bad air around them persist. She spoke up with a cheerful tone.

“We can ask Mister Evios!” The Eevee hopped toward a staircase at the rim of the wooden platform. “He’s probably the smartest person on the expedition. If there’s some evolution of Surskit I don’t know about, he’d have to know.”

“How do you even study something like that? Does he just have chambers of people to know what evolves into what?” Tai came along behind her, and Fera did the same for him.

“I mean, no, probably not. And evolution isn’t really a field of study. But he’s been all around Eudria and Vaudelain. He’s documented so much! He’ll know something.”

The chatter trailed off as the group descended, many steps taking them in a path that circled around the crooked oak tree. Vivian leapt off the creaky final step, encouraging Fera to do the same and almost rock Tai off of it while he came down. It only struck her, once she was back in the gentle stir of the village, that she had no idea where the Gallade actually was. He’d been present at their disembarking, sure, but she hadn’t focused on him when she went running after Fera. She had squandered a perfect chance to observe from above, and she was weakly miffed at herself; there was no option left but to continue striding forward, letting her friends follow along as she searched the grassy streets of Irion.

---

“Mister Evioooos~!”

The investigation throughout town lasted a tense twenty minutes, but their target had been spotted. Vivian hurried under some low-hanging branches, forcing Tai and Fera to dart between two oncoming Beedrills to do the same. If they had only thought to check at the opposite end of the village’s outskirts to begin with, they would’ve saved a lot of trouble. Regardless, the famous Gallade lay just ahead, nearly motionless in his seat.

Garrison sat still, undeterred by the approaching call of his name. His legs were folded and his arms sat in his lap while he stayed with his back upright. The gown that draped his legs bore faint patches of damage on the rim, but it blended in seamlessly at a glance. His eyes stayed shut, as the trio of young Pokemon came to his side.

“Hey, Mi—” Before she could say much of anything, Vivian skidded to a stop and shut her mouth abruptly. She realized too late what she had intruded on. Fera tilted her head at Vivian’s change in behavior, but let the Eevee continue with her frantic actions, starting by taking a step back. “Sorry, I didn’t notice…! Y-you’re meditating, right? We can leave…”

The Gallade’s posture relaxed, and he let out a soft laugh, opening his left eye to observe the Eevee beside him. “Not as much now, unfortunately… but I’ve been occupied with my practice long enough. Did you have something to speak with me about, Miss Caelestis?”

“It’s nothing really, just, uh…” Vivian shot a look to Fera for a small boost of confidence, which she needed if she was going to continue bothering a famous explorer. She resumed once she had reassured herself. “My friend Fera said that Surskit evolve into some winged Pokemon, but I was pretty sure that it’s a single-stage species. We thought you might know better than us.”

“Fera?” Garrison tipped his head back, peering fully past Vivian and bringing his attention onto the Riolu beyond her. There was a pause before Fera understood that she was meeting his gaze, and she timidly waved a blue paw at the man.

“Sorry about this, haha… I really did think there was another form. Orange wings, and stuff…” Fera put her paws to the sides of her heads, and flapped them. The gesture vaguely mimicked a pair of wings on the sides of a creature’s head or body. When the action didn’t merit a response, she added in a set of bubbling, buzzing noises. The addition didn’t change much, outside of eliciting a giggle from Vivian, but Garrison nodded along with it all the same.

“Surskit… it’s a Pokemon with a high evolutionary potential, as some have deemed it.” He held up a finger on one of his bladed arms, giving the three a polite smile. “It’s believed that evolutions are inherent to our species, but cannot be reached unless something has pressured us to evolve, or unless we have inherited the awakened evolution from a pressured parent. It is a bizarre thing… some evolve linearly, while others branch off sporadically, such as the Poliwag line, and yet others are diverse, like Eevees.” Garrison reached forward, patting Vivian on the head.

“Eheh, yeah…” She smiled anxiously with the contact from one of her idols.

“Under this theory, for example, Monferno only gained the ability to become Infernapes when enough Monferno had been pressured somehow to unlock their potential, and then passed it through their children. Perhaps the pressure was rivalry from a warring clan, or perhaps it was environmental, and the form of Infernape is more nuanced for a form of survival that was needed. Perhaps still it is a matter of the soul. Regardless, now, most members of the species can evolve into Infernape, as the awakened potential was spread through the individuals throughout the world.”

“It’s like Arcus from the guild. His family doesn’t have any Snom that evolve into Frosmoths in it.” Vivian mused aloud. “But Frosmoths still exist in the world.”

“Wow, this is… a lot more words than I was expecting.” Tai sat down, almost dazed by the information deluge.

“Uhm… I don’t… know if that means Surskit evolves. Sorry.” Fera gave a bashful smile, placing her paw on the back of her head. The young man chuckled.

“I was getting to that point. As far as we understand, Surskit cannot evolve. But it is a… well, delicate species. Small, lacking in power and capability, and yet still only a single stage. It is a Pokemon that, under this theory, is still awaiting the awakening of its evolutionary potential. Or, possibly, there are individuals that have evolved, but that have not spread this awakened potential to the species at large. If you believe you have seen a Surskit evolve, I wouldn’t be surprised if you had witnessed an evolution yet to spread through the world.”

“So it’s a maybe?” Tai frowned.

“It’s a very long maybe, yes. Whether or not Surskit can evolve is a thing no one can say. The most we know is that such an evolution is not documented. I apologize that I can’t provide you with a more succinct answer, but I hope that you learned something from it all.” Garrison rested his arms back into his lap, keeping his cheerful look despite the Stunky’s apparent dismay.

“Can’t believe I got to hear it from Mister Evios himself…!” Vivian nearly squeaked with joy, but instead she channeled it back into their discussion. Her body spun toward Fera. “Anyways, that’s a good thing! It means you probably saw a Surskit evolving at some point! Can you remember how it happened?”

The Riolu tipped her head forward and cupped her cheek with a paw. Her answer was obvious from the start, but she still shook her head. “Not a bit of it. I just really thought they always evolved.”

“Well… that’s still good too! If there are people from places that have talked about Surskit evolutions, that has to be where you’re from!” The Eevee’s body brushed up against her friend’s leg, trying to pass along some of her goodwill and glee. “We can look into it with other guilds when we get home. This is the first lead we’ve had in a long time!”

“Yeah… it is, isn’t it?” Fera smiled, although the discussion seemed to exhaust her. “Thanks for this, Mister Evios. I’ll try to keep all of what you said in mind. Even if it’s a lot.”

“It was my pleasure.” The Gallade straightened his back once again, his body resuming the pose of his meditation. A second passed before the Stunky jumped on the opportunity to end their long debate.

“Hey, can we go back to the treetops? We’re burning daylight already, and I barely got to do anything cool here.”

“That’s probably because you wasted a bunch of time trying to climb a ladder.” Vivian stuck out her tongue, but turned to leave at Tai’s command. “Thanks again, sir, really! Hope we can talk more later in the trip!”

The man waved, staying otherwise still, as Tai led the charge and Vivian followed. Fera attempted to leave alongside her friends, but Garrison’s hand shifted from waving to halting. “Stay for a moment, Fera.”

“What is it?” The Riolu fidgeted from the command, but she would wait as needed.

“Your friend’s words perplexed me. Is there some conflict with what you remember about the Surskit?”

“It’s… a bigger conflict, I guess. I don’t remember anything before a few months ago.” Fera looked at the dirt and grass beneath her. “It’s amnesia, or something. But I still know some things. Or I thought I knew them, you know?”

“Amnesia… I’m terribly sorry, then. I can only imagine the strife that comes with a blank slate such as that.” His hand settled into his lap, and his eyes stayed trained on the girl despite his head facing forward.

“It’s not all strife. It’s mostly not strife, even. I’m… really happy with my life. With being an explorer, and with my friends.” The Riolu smiled with a tinge of melancholy. “I just wish I knew what I was missing out on, too.”

“The guilds truly are a blessing, in that sense. I’d say your answers are out there somewhere.” Quickly, the discussion was shifted. “You’re close friends with Vivian, aren’t you?”

“Y… yeah. I guess it’s easy to tell, huh?” Fera laughed shyly, and rubbed at her arm.

“I suppose that it is. She seems concerned for you and your history.” The Gallade closed his crimson eyes. “But she’s got nothing to be concerned about.”

“...do you mean that my memory is gonna come back?”

“Perhaps, perhaps not. The mind is a fickle beast, and my knowledge is firmly in the physical world. But who you were… it can’t change who you are now. A bold explorer, and one so readily accepted onto an expedition. And a good person, if young Miss Caelestis is beside you.”

“Come on…” Fera laughed once more, growing bashful with the praise. After the gratitude subsided inside her, she regained herself, gripping her arm now. “I dunno if I’m all that. But I wanna be the best explorer around. Or the best I can be.”

“I can see it in your eyes.” His words felt a bit ironic, given his current lack of vision, but the weight of them was palpable. “If the past reveals itself to you, it will be a wonderful thing. But, no matter the case, I want to believe that you’ll strive towards future greatness. The person you are now seems like a wonderful one to be.”

“...thanks, sir. It means a lot to hear it from someone like you.” She sighed with an odd relief, letting go of her fuzzy arm. A voice called from far behind the Riolu, making her jump slightly.

“Feraaaa, I thought you were following us!” Vivian’s voice had come from the direction of the stairwell tree they had descended earlier. “We’ve only got an hour left until my dad’s gonna start rounding people up to get their rooms!”

“C-comiiiing!” Fera nearly broke into a sprint, but paused just long enough to give the noble explorer a last look. “I’m gonna go do stuff, but let me know if you need anything! Hope you enjoy the expedition too!” She waved at the unseeing Gallade, and he gave a polite wave back. As he settled into his meditative pose, the space around him at peace once more, Fera disappeared into the vibrant streets of Irion with her tail swinging about freely.

 

[Roser]

Chapter 23: The Winding Road​

August 3rd, 928 EP

The evening’s stay at Irion had refreshed the minds and bodies of the explorers. A good few hours on their legs, free to do as they pleased and spend some time out of the carriages, was all they needed— or, at least, it was all they’d be allotted, before the next leg of the journey began. It would be a much shorter trip from Irion to the next designated resting place, and overall, it would be shorter distance-wise from Irion to the base camp for Fogbound Lake. But the winding and unsteady terrain meant the Solrock and Lunatone had to be left behind, and the explorers would be travelling on foot. Thankfully, the guild had well in advance negotiated a set of Centiskorch escorts, whose size and stamina would be perfect for pulling the carriages now stocked full of vital supplies. With their resources settled and their routes thoroughly planned, the expedition’s participants proceeded on into the mountain slopes to the west.

Once again, the twenty explorers had been severed into groups, this time suited for cooperative growth rather than space management. Maya led her troupe through a rocky path, a route beneath an overhang that jutted off one of the many mountains and hills their journey carried them through. Off to her right, the path fell off into a series of slopes and jags, connecting and descending with another mountainside to become a modest ravine. The soft yellowish brown landscape was a sight to behold, and likewise a nasty fall if any of her followers were to go off-course. Still, she trusted that they could manage themselves well.

Nearly at her heel, Bennett was following on his hind legs. His bag swung narrowly and patted on his side, moving in sync with his resolute stride. For those that knew him, they could see that he had worked out the missteps and wobbling from his previous attempts to walk upright, now moving with nearly the same efficiency as someone born on their feet like Fera. Maya had no knowledge of his prior fumbling, only seeing a mature Bidoof that was ready for what the expedition could throw at him.

“Are we… g-going to set up camp soon?” Jermaine’s voice called out from behind them. His purplish wings flapped over and over, more wearily than they often flew, as he stayed in the air above Aza and Sua. There was some exhaustion in his voice, despite his efforts to mask it.

“No bellyaching.” Sua called to the explorer above him. “We’ve only been out a couple hours, and you don’t even need to walk!”

“Flying is harder than walking! You don’t even have wings!” The Venomoth huffed as his body dipped, moving lower and lower towards the Bidoof before him. Once he had fully given up, the young man latched his thin legs onto Bennett’s back, causing the latter to yelp in confusion. “Just… let me hang here for a minute… ”

“J-Jermaine, c’mon! Gotta be in top form here!” Bennett wriggled briefly but otherwise let the Bug-type cling onto his body, not wanting to fool around so close to the cliff’s edge.

“Really… how did you not get enough rest in the inn?” Aza folded his arms while he marched. He shared his brother’s disdain.

“They put me in a bad bed, my wings were practically crumpled the whole night!” The Venomoth whined out his words, letting his wings fold over and against Bennett’s sides. The Bidoof wouldn’t say it, but it was interfering with his delicate balance, threatening to knock him onto his belly despite all his practice.

“Unh… jus’ gotta power through, y’know? Or rest on someone else.” Bennett huffed and tried to keep his balance with the new awkward weight. His eyes kept shooting over to the Gardevoir beside him, who wouldn’t stop looking at him in turn.

“Just give me a bit longerrrr…” The Venomoth cooed pitifully, and flopped against Bennett more firmly. The Bidoof’s right foot nearly buckled with the pressure, but stayed on the forward path.

“You got long enough! Let’s man up, Jermaine! No more acting soft!” Aza stepped closer, his hands grasping Jermaine’s abdomen. He gave the Bug-type several encouraging tugs, only adding more strain to Bennett’s stride.

“A-anythin’ else would be more helpful than this, y’know!” The Bidoof wobbled and yelped, still only barely managing to continue his steps. Jermaine let out a low mewl of disapproval, errantly flapping his wings to signal that he would get off soon. It didn’t stop the Tyrogue’s pestering shaking, and it only added more to Bennett’s troubles. They were rapidly growing into a scene for the Gardevoir, although she stared ahead as if it wasn’t occurring.

A wild jolt from Jermaine’s wings was all it took to send the situation into disarray. Bennett’s right foot keeled over, and his body swung to the side with the inability to support himself.

“A-augh!” The Normal-type explorer yelped and lost his balance, shutting his eyes as he braced for impact. The Tyrogue behind the two flinched with their shaking, realizing what was about to happen, now trying and failing to grasp his Venomoth cohort more firmly. In an instant, Bennett and Jermaine tumbled off the small cliff to their right, both of them caught in a panicked fall that they had no power to stop. Bennett’s first and only instinct was to curl up defensively in the hopes of lessening the damage he and his fellow explorer would take, as his body rolled across the wide slope.

Before anything of consequence could befall them, Bennett’s descent was interrupted and halted by a grip of psychic energy. He opened one eye, finding himself fully upside down on the slope, still feeling the grasp of the Venomoth on his back. Jermaine had frozen up, not wanting to unlatch and go bouncing to his grave, but he too noticed their sudden stop. From up on the cliffside, Maya’s hand glowed with powerful waves of Psychic. A flick of her wrist caused the duo to rise. Soon, they were placed back on the rocky path, several feet away from the site of their fall.

“You’ll need to be more cautious. You started walking on the edge when your friend distracted you.”

“Y-yeah… real sorry ‘bout that. Thank ya much, ma’am.” Bennett flinched. The fall wouldn’t have been fatal, the cliff wasn’t steep enough for it to even be that brutal. But it was a bad mark on his competence. He had swerved away from Maya when the incident started in an attempt to obscure his fumbling footsteps, and had only made them more apparent as a result.

“Aza, you’re the worst! You almost got me killed!” Jermaine whined out his words, finally leaving Bennett’s back to flutter angrily toward the Tyrogue.

“H-hey, you’re the one that flipped out! Be careful where you perch and then people don’t need to worry about nudging you!” Aza puffed out his chest, taking a defiant step forward and getting up in the Venomoth’s face.

“You literally started this!”

“No, YOU literally landed on someone else and started it!”

“At least I don’t shake people like a maniac!”

“Yeah, you just act like a maniac in every OTHER way!”

“Ain’t matter who started it, y’all both made it stupid!” Bennett shouted over the two. As soon as he did, his ears flattened against the sides of his head. He shouldn’t be shouting at his fellow trainees, let alone saying they were being ‘stupid’. He couldn’t look at Maya and see how she reacted to his statement, but he would try to reel it back as much as he could. “Treat each other with a lil’ respect, alright? No grabbin’ at folks an’ no hasslin’ for what’s not botherin’ you.”

“This is just dumb… but, sorry, I guess. It almost became a big issue.” Aza tipped his head down, not wanting to deal with more judgmental looks from Bennett.

“That’s better.” Jermaine scoffed, and Bennett reared his head, giving the Venomoth the same degree of cold staring to make him back down. “A-and, sorry for being lazy, and panicking…”

“Honestly… y’all gotta learn to control yourselves a bit better. We still have a ways to go before we set up camp, so keep it civil ‘till then.”

“Hmm. No, we can set up camp now.” Maya interjected with a dull tone of voice.

“E-eh? Y’sure? We ain’t really in a good spot for hunkerin’ down…” Bennett looked around to confirm his words. The rocky path was at least shaded by the overhang and getting a warm breeze, but it was too narrow and too uneven for any degree of comfort.

“We’ll be there shortly.” The Gardevoir pointed ahead, and Bennett’s eyes followed. In the near distance and farther down the mountain slope, a clearing could be seen between tall stone walls. Its natural barriers would make it perfect for rest, but no path connected to it and none of the explorers were equipped to climb down the mountainside to reach it.

“‘S a lovely nook, but how—” The question was cut off abruptly. With a bright flash, Maya’s Teleport enveloped and displaced the band of explorers and their escort, carriage and all. In the span of a moment, they had been moved from the winding path to the reclusive clearing, all of them but Maya looking entirely frazzled by the process. Even the stoic Centiskorch at the back of their caravan had flared up from internalized panic. Bennett fell back on his rump and blinked repeatedly to restore his senses. “O-oh. That’s how.”

“My apologies, I’m not used to warning people when I move them.” Maya grew a faint smile, but it left as soon as it came. “I figured I shouldn’t delay in finding a place to settle down. We all need to recover ourselves, it seems.”

“Guess we do…” The Bidoof knew he was included in that, with his poor behavior, but he couldn’t act on it in any way. He turned to the others, who were now coming back to stability. “Aight, let’s get the camp settled. An’ look around for anythin’ we need to report.”

“We don’t get a few minutes…?” Jermaine flapped and fluttered up from the ground.

“You REALLY don’t need it, man. Just be strong.” Aza frowned, taking the initiative by coming up to the carriage. A firm hop brought him onto the entrance, and from within, he grabbed the tarp and wood posts they’d need to set up their sleeping places. Sua came to assist, and soon the set of four trainees had begun to build a barebones camp in the safe space provided to them. Maya’s psychokinesis would’ve made the process go twice as fast with only an ounce of the effort, but, as urged by Cromwell, she would simply stay on the sidelines, letting the young explorers go about with their own methods and faults for making their home base. Hopefully, they wouldn’t need her aid a second time.

---

The sunset’s orange rays were fading fast into gentle blues, as the light dimmed on the rim of the tall mountains surrounding the expedition group. Dusk was heavy in the air. The cold light silhouetted the explorers’ campsite against the outcove, if anyone was in the vast valley around them to witness it. The Centiskorch escort had already gone to sleep ahead of everyone else, a necessity to keep up the energy used for these long treks. His cold silence throughout was awkward, but understandable. At least he wouldn’t complain like some others.

Bennett had assisted Maya in cooking up berry platters for the little group, and the meals went quickly with the hunger built up from a long day of walking. His Water Gun helped to clean their small plates fast, although the cleanliness wasn’t much to worry about all things considered. Soon, she had retired to her tent, and the four younger explorers were left to their own devices. Aza had taken to lifting rocks to keep his body sharp, and Sua was spotting him for a time. Jermaine spent his evening reclining on a flat rock, basking in sunlight and taking the rest he apparently needed so badly. Not wanting to meddle with any of them, Bennett took up a spot close to the cliff’s edge, a rudimentary map spread out in front of him to study.

From Irion, the groups had diverged on individual paths through the mountain range. It wouldn’t be a true test of anyone’s skill if everyone was working as some massive caravan, so the groups had been spaced apart enough that even straying from the set paths wouldn’t cause any of them to overlap. Maya’s group was the westmost one, and they had gone a fair bit northwest initially just to be separated from everyone else. A few days left, and despite some jagged movement, their path was free of troubles. Bennett only hoped he could keep it together until the base camp at Fogbound Lake, where less focus would be put on him directly.

“Hey, how’s this going?”

The comment nearly made Bennett jump, but his previous fumble kept him rooted in place. The Bidoof’s head turned to see Sua, who was approaching without waiting for an answer.

“Goin’ fine, I s’pose? Not like I can mess up map-reading. Or well, navigation is a thing ya can mess up— ‘s fine, ‘s goin’ fine.” Bennett shook his head while getting out of the loop of logic he was entering. Sua nodded, and plopped down beside the Bidoof with his legs splayed out.

“How’s the route from here?”

“Uhm…” Bennett peered at the parchment in front of him to refresh his memory. “We’re gonna dip down toward the bottom of the ravine, an’ then we swerve east an’ ride that for a while.”

“Anything cool on the way? Like… literally anything other than the walk, at this rate.” Sua looked at Bennett, boredom and desperation leaking off of his expression. The Bidoof shook his head, and the Tyrogue groaned while flopping backwards. “This stuff is too EASY. And not even in the way where you look cool when you’re doing it.”

“Jus’ gotta bear with it. If you’re lucky, you’ll prolly get to smash up some rocks when we’re marchin’ through to Fogbound Lake.”

“You really think so??”

“I know so, bud.” Bennett patted Sua on the shoulder to bolster the peculiar words of confidence. The younger explorer huffed, stretching his arms out past his head. His shadow dragged far across the dusty plateau.

“I really wish we’d been put in one of the other groups, at this rate. They probably had more to do. And they probably didn’t get… you know.”

“Uhh… do I know?”

“Y’know…“ The Tyrogue nudged his head up and to the left, in the vague direction of the lounging Venomoth. “They don’t have to put up with him.”

“Hey. That’s kinda rude, don’t ya think?” Bennett scowled now. “We’re all from the same guild, we oughta be respectful of each other.”

“I’ll be respectful of him when he’s respectful of the expedition. He’s not cut out for this.” Sua rolled onto his side, facing away from Bennett and getting barely more comfortable on the stone beneath him. There was no way to simply drop this, and the Bidoof stepped closer in turn.

“He’s darn well cut out for it. The guildmaster doesn’t let no one on these things ‘less they’re able to handle it. An’ Jermaine’s done great on all his recent jobs.”

“Yeah. But he coasts on his abilities. You get really good at dealing with outlaws when you can sprinkle them with Poison Powder from afar.” Sua held up a hand, and wiggled it about to demonstrate the motion of Jermaine’s wings dispensing powder. “And he flies, too. Not everyone just gets to do that.”

“Natural talents don’t mean he ain’t also a hard worker.”

“Hard workers don’t try to sleep on top of other explorers after a day of just walking. Or flying, whatever.” The boy rolled his eyes. “Look, I’m sorry for bringing it up.”

“You’d better be, ‘cause I don’t tolerate badmouthin’.” Bennett patted his chest. He and his cohort had to keep quiet to not let this discussion become public, but he still wouldn’t back down. “I don’t care if he was… actin’ up, or whatever. Treat him like you’d treat anyone else. None of this sourpuss sass.”

“I shouldn’t have talked about it… whatever, I will be polite. Are you happy?” Sua looked over at Bennett again, more pestered than before.

“Not when you’re usin’ that attitude.”

“Ugh! You don’t always have to act like the boss, you know.” The Tyrogue reeled his legs back and then jumped forward onto his feet. “It’s a pain in the ass, honestly.”

“I’m… I’m not doin’ that. I’m jus’ bein’ responsible.” Bennett glanced away. He had been all the more ready to chew people out now that his graduation was on the line, but it was only right of him. He had to be showing his worth as an explorer.

“Yeah, well,” the Tyrogue said, turning and marching away to rejoin his brother at the northwest corner of their resting place, “you can be responsible for yourself and just worry about that. Seeya.”

“Hey!” Bennett shouted out in frustration, but he had nothing to say. Pushing Sua even harder would only make more problems, if he’d listen at all. The Tyrogue simply carried on, leaving Bennett behind at the cliff’s edge.

The Bidoof sighed, and turned his head back to the map. At today’s rate, he wouldn’t make it to Fogbound Lake before something went wrong again. His paw dragged across the corner of the map, starting to curl it up for storage once more. He’d keep his mouth shut, at least for a while, and let things settle down. Maybe he’d eek out some success through that.

---

“That is IT! Get over here!!”

The voice jostled Bennett from his slumber within one of the tents. His bunkmate, Jermaine, was nowhere to be seen, and the entrance of the tent flapped open with the cold breeze. The Bidoof stumbled forward, trying to discern what was happening; Aza’s voice had rang out somewhere nearby. There was nothing else in the chilly space for Bennett to learn from, and so he hurried outside, barely slinging his bag’s latches across his body.

The pale moonlight kept the plateau around Bennett mostly illuminated, and it took only a moment to spot the source of the commotion. Aza and Sua had cornered Jermaine by one of the rocky walls, the Venomoth cowering on the ground with a jar clutched against his frail body. Bennett rushed towards them on all fours, using his panicked dash to tackle against the twins with only a bare bit of restraint.

“Hey, HEY! What’s goin’ on here?!” Bennett growled lightly while he struck into the duo, his force knocking them apart and breaking their concentration on the terrified Venomoth. Aza glared at the intruder.

“This isn’t your place, man! Let us deal with this scumbag!” Aza hit his chest with a fist, staring Bennett down fiercely.

“It’s definitely my place! What’s your problem?” Bennett glared in return, his eyes looking over at Sua and the whimpering Venomoth. “You alright, Jermaine?”

“Y-yeah, sorry… really sorry…” The once-defiant Venomoth was now much more reserved, his legs grasping at the jar over and over.

“You’d BETTER be! Little thief! Once Miss Vitzés hears about this…!” Aza shook his fist at the Bug-type, but Bennett’s harsh voice interrupted.

“Just tell me what’s goin’ on here!”

“You wanna know?” Sua scoffed, and pointed a finger at Jermaine and his jar. “Jermaine’s been leeching off of our supplies since we left. We caught him with THREE emptied containers of Elixir!”

Bennett’s anger weakened, and he focused on the dark figure of Jermaine. Despite his fearful state, he hadn’t been deeply injured as the Bidoof had thought. Along with a bruise on his forehead, the Venomoth was marked with gooey drops of Elixir remnant across his fangs.

“Jermaine…” Bennett’s ears dipped against his head. The frustration he’d built up was redirected toward the cowering explorer, as Sua stepped closer to Jermaine, snatching the jar away and making the Bug-type yelp.

“I’ve never had to work with someone so disgraceful toward the guild. Toward us!”

“I said I was sorry!” Jermaine wailed out his words. “Please don’t tell Miss Vitzés, I-I won’t do it again!”

“Your apologizing has run out, you… you…!” Aza clenched his fist, unable to put his anger into words and starting to channel it through his body. But the rash gesture was stopped with a harsh slap to the face from Bennett. “Hey!!”

“Aight, just CUT IT OUT! Aight?!” Bennett’s peaceful face had twisted into fury. “I don’t care a lick what Jermaine did, it ain’t your place— ain’t NO ONE’S place to start hittin’ someone over it! I got every right to report your sorry ass to the guildmaster an’ put a BOUNTY on you, slugging another explorer like that!”

“Are you kidding me?! He’s been taking our supplies! We could STARVE if he didn’t watch what he was eating and burned through our resources!” Aza was shaken by Bennett’s new rage, but standing his ground with a firm stare. It couldn’t match up to the scowl he was receiving.

“An’ that’s a thing you pass on to yer SUPERIOR, an’ not somethin’ you try to hash out yerself, let alone with yer fists!” Bennett marched closer, not bringing himself onto his hind legs anymore, but still carrying his anger well. Aza had been stunned by the unrelenting pressure.

“I-it’s just, I get it, but he’s been ruining stuff this whole time—!”

“Ya got no damn reason to act like ya run this operation! Trainees don’t make the rules on nothin’! D’ya understand me?!”

“Bennett, just cut it out, alright?” Sua huffed, less intimidated than his brother by the Bidoof’s behavior. “Jermaine has been a huge pain from minute one. We know it, you know it, HE knows it. It wasn’t right to hit him, but nothing is getting it through to him that he should act like an explorer.”

Jermaine recoiled against the stone. The words stung, and rang true.

“I am done takin’ yer sass, mister.” Bennett glared in Sua’s direction. “I don’t care if we’re all trainees here, I don’t care if I’m mud on the ground to ya. I ain’t lettin’ ya two act out on a fool, an’ definitely ain’t lettin’ it happen on the guild’s watch. It ain’t my business, it’s OUR business. STAND DOWN, explorer.” With the comment, Bennett marched forward, using his low-lying body to knock Sua back by the legs, and approach Jermaine. “Sit up if you can, Jermaine.”

The Venomoth shivered and shifted his body, lying more properly against the stone wall behind him.

“They only hit ya in the one spot? Or ya more hurt?”

“Y-yeah. I just, got a bit startled by it…” The young man closed his eyes. He’d been easily overpowered by a younger Pokemon, but it was typical of any situation dealing with Fighting-types. Especially for a person of weak constitution like himself.

“Jermaine… why were ya stealin’ supplies? You’re better than this.” The anger had subsided from the Bidoof’s voice and face, but it was replaced with unwavering and stern disappointment.

“I just… I’m in such bad shape…” Jermaine whined. “I wasn’t ready for this, at all… even just the trip out to Irion left me sore, and I’m even more tired now that we’re traveling. And I eat when I get stressed, and the Elixirs are really helpful, and… I’m sorry…”

“Ya shouldn’t have done this, man. Ya weren’t gonna stop unless someone stopped ya. An’ you’d be causin’ a heap of hurt if you left our group stranded midway out on the way to the lake.” Bennett sighed. “I know y’ain’t a bad guy. But I’m gonna talk with Miss Vitzés about this, I ain’t got any other choice.”

“Please don’t, please, Bennett. I won’t do it again, really. It was a moment of weakness.” Jermaine pleaded, his claws twitching in worry.

“Ain’t about that. The expedition’s ‘bout workin’ as a team, ‘bout cooperatin’ where it counts. An’ I can’t lie to someone on my expedition team in good conscience, whether or not I trust ya.” Bennett patted Jermaine on his side. “If it brings ya any peace of mind, I’m gonna let her know ya didn’t mean nothin’ by it. An’, if ya don’t mind, I’m also gonna request that ya get sent back to Irion, so that y’ain’t under any more duress. No one deserves a beatin’ over bad work.”

Jermaine sniffled, dipping his head down as he nodded. His shame and his failure were self-evident, and there was no point in denying it any longer. A voice pierced the tension.

“This progressed quite rapidly. But I am glad to see you all in a better state.”

Bennett’s ears flipped up, as he and the others turned to look at the Gardevoir standing before them in the dark. “M-Miss Vitzés!”

“I’m sorryyyyy…!” Jermaine shut his eyes, wiggling about against the rocks now that his superior was here to witness what had happened.

“You two…” Maya’s gaze went to Aza and Sua, who had frozen up in her presence. “I appreciate your concern for the expedition. But such hostility is abhorrent. We are guild members, not lone savages. Violence is a tool reserved only for the most desperate of situations.”

“But…” Aza tried to speak, but a cold glance from Sua discouraged him. He sighed. “I know. I never act like that, I just… got too fed up with it all. It was wrong of me.”

With some difficulty, Aza turned toward Jermaine. The young man was still timid, but less afraid.

“I’m sorry for hitting you. I should’ve known better than that, as a person and as an explorer.” Aza stared down at the ground, letting himself share in Jermaine’s shame.

“It’s… not your fault. I’ve been a problem this whole time, and the expedition’s important… but, thank you.” Jermaine slowly lifted himself up, flapping his wings to take flight again. Maya’s attention shifted to him.

“As for you. I suppose what your friend stated will hold. We can discuss this matter in the morning, but it would be in my best interest to discharge you from the expedition.”

“I understand, ma’am…” Jermaine was more than deflated by the situation, but he had come to accept it.

“It will be settled when we’re all better rested. Please, you three, retire for the night.” Maya stepped to the side, giving enough room for the two Tyrogues to safely pass towards their tents. At her command, the two and the Venomoth paced away, heading in to rest. With their departure, only Maya and Bennett remained. A bead of sweat dripped down the Bidoof’s brow.

“S… sorry if my shoutin’ woke ya up. Got riled up in all that.”

“I was already awake by the time your friend had sneaked off for his transgression. I had planned to intervene when the situation turned physical, but it seems you beat me to that.” Maya stepped forward, coming to where Jermaine had rested, and picked up one of the discarded jars.

“Sorry for that, too. I’ve been all out of sorts, I s’pose…” The Bidoof looked away from her.

“I know you mean the best, Bennett. But I hope you will pass these duties onto superiors in the future, as you yourself have stated.” The pale woman looked back to him. “Your temper requires work, even if I appreciate your efforts and your kindness.”

“W-wasn’t how I meant to handle it, really…” Bennett whined weakly, able to look at Maya again. His sensitivity towards Jermaine naturally didn’t excuse how he had flared up at Aza and Sua. Constant pressure to lead them right had only led him to antagonizing them. “The temper ain’t me. Normally try to be on the softer side, but the expedition’s serious business. Jus’ wanted to handle it seriously.”

“Would it be that the stress is weighing on you?” Maya spoke, as still as ever.

“A lil’ bit. But I’ll get into the swing of things, I promise. Doubt it’s gonna get much more tense than today, hah… hooph.” The Bidoof sat down, trying to let the rest of his negativity flow out from his body. “I’m real sorry, really. It’s hard to be watchin’ over folks.”

The woman glanced away, across the moonlit valley at nothing in particular. “I suppose that would be why Cromwell is as uptight as he is. I hope you appreciate the work he does in our guild.”

“I getcha…” Bennett watched the ground, keeping himself from asking the obvious.

“I’ll mention your assistance in my report of events. And I will trust you that this is not who you are, and leave out your agitated behavior.” Maya approached, looking at Bennett with her same solid stare, although it had a hint of mercy in it now. “I’ll be expecting your best in the search for Fogbound Lake. But, as for now, I must ask you to rest for the evening.”

“I can promise ya my best. Thank ya, really.” Bennett turned his head up toward her. Shame had streaked his body, but he was recovering. He couldn’t falter like Tai had warned him, and he couldn’t waste a second chance. The Gardevoir nodded at his resolve.

“Head off for the evening. And…” She clasped her hands together. “You do not need to keep walking on your hind legs to impress me, also. It isn’t that important.”

“O-oh.” The Bidoof blushed faintly. “I jus’ thought, ya gotta prepare for evolution an’ all…”

“It will come to you in time. You’ll be better off acting yourself for the expedition.”

“W-will do. Thank ya, Miss Vitzés…”

 

[Roser]

Chapter 24: Resonance​

August 8th, 928 EP

“Mmrrr…” Vivian made a low purr as she was roused from her sleep. The first thing she felt, a feeling that would persist throughout the day, was the soreness in her legs; a full week of transit had worked her muscles more than ever before. For an Eevee like her, the trek was even more intense, but she had managed herself better than she hoped. Her fur was messied and uneven from the elements bearing down on her as she journeyed, although a little grooming would fix it well enough. As she sat up, lapping at her side to settle some of the fuzz that stuck up on her body, she grew ready for the final stretch of the trip to Fogbound Lake.

“How was your rest?”

The voice didn’t come from her sleeping buddy, Kian, whose beak still lay on the tent’s bedding. Mikael had spoken from just outside of his tent, and the voice that responded came more clearly as Vivian began to leave her resting place.

“All good… nothing to complain about.” Fera yawned and stretched, her blue arms quivering as she extended them above and behind her head. The Eevee poked her head out to watch the scene, as well as wake herself up with the cold morning air. The Indeedee beside Fera nodded, but still tilted his head to study the Riolu’s form.

“Make sure to keep yourself alert and healthy. Getting there is only half of the challenge.” Mikael paced around to Fera’s backside, trying to perform his duties as the group’s de facto medic, but Fera began to stroll away from him without waiting for more inspection.

“I’ll let you know if something comes up. Let’s just focus on getting prepped.” She smiled while turning to face the young man. In doing so, her gaze met Vivian’s, and her tail started to wag. “Oh, hey~!”

The Eevee approached, hopping along the plateau toward her friend. Their campsite had been formed on the flat top of a low mountain, several sets of curved rocks surrounding the perimeter like massive fangs. Despite its imposing look and the relative height, it had provided them with smooth terrain and cool air that they needed for the last rest stop of the journey.

“Had a good night’s sleep?” Vivian trotted to Fera’s side, and the taller girl nodded, clutching her bag with one paw.

“Of course! I’m the master of good slumber.”

“Well, perhaps that’s what all the snoring was about…” Mikael laughed lightly, but soon left the duo, returning to his tent to start gathering the belongings inside.

“Same for me. I can’t believe we’re almost there…” Vivian sighed happily, and the two turned their heads to the side.

To their north lay a valley surrounded by rocky walls, but their view of it was near-fully obscured. Thick, billowing fog extended from the ground level far below them, up to the sky higher than they had seen anyone fly, and spread out as far as the eye could see in either direction. It flowed and waded about like a true ocean of mist, impenetrable by the strong winds that acted on its exterior. From where they stood, the two could make out a dense forest of deep-green pine trees, but the rest was lost until the gray blanket of the fog.

The two watched on, still mesmerized by the anomalous expanse. They had witnessed it for the first time the night prior, when they were settling in for their rest, but now the sunlight distinguished its vastness from the sky that it overlapped with, even overwhelmed.

“I didn’t know you could have so much fog in one place.” Fera leaned to her right and to her left, squinting at the mass of mist. “Can you see a lake from here?”

“Nope… but that’s what we’re going down there for. There’s some visibility at the ground level, so we should be able to map things out by hand.” Vivian patted her bag with her tail. She was at a pure disadvantage with writing implements, but everyone had to do their part. Her equipment included a set of scratch parchment and small pencils for her to mark the paths that she traveled once in the valley itself, and together, they could form an understanding of where the lake must lie.

Fera had likewise been equipped with the same tools, although she’d been using them already. Now, with the fog visible to her, she plopped down, rummaging through her bag quickly.

“You’re really into this, huh?” Vivian smiled, and sat down beside Fera. “Never took you for an artist.”

“It just feels nice to get it on paper. Plus, it means we could hang them up when we get home, or something.” Fera pulled out a small stock of papers, and flipped through them. One of the sheets had already been marked up with rudimentary depictions of mountain ridges, rivers, and small flora, so she put it aside and started on the next. Vivian leaned forward to glance at the disregarded page.

“Pretty good at it, too. Who did you learn from?”

“Hmm?” Fera had been staring onward at the mass of fog, but her eyes flicked over to Vivian for a moment. “No one, I think. Or… maybe someone before. I dunno.”

“Ah… sorry. But I think you do a great job with it.”

The Eevee watched on in silence. Fera drew while briefly checking the view before her for reference, her paw not stopping for a moment. Lines filled out the shapes of the mountain ridges at the bottom of the page, and simple trees dotted the space above them. After a pause, the drawing continued, with Fera’s pencil now attempting to grasp the scope and shape of the shifting fog. She etched and shaded, creating dusty and voluminous curves that could just barely portray the dense mist which loomed over the entire valley. In a matter of minutes, she had finished her sketch, a charming little memory of the fog-soaked land.

“Are you two going to help us pack or not?!” Cromwell’s voice shrieked out from right behind the two, making them jump and nearly causing Fera’s art to flutter out of her hand in the breeze.

“R-right away, sorry!” The Eevee leapt from Fera’s side, and the Riolu followed soon after, stuffing her items away into the well-worn bag. “I shouldn’t have gotten that distracted, I don’t think Kian can take down the tent on his own…”

The Pidgeotto in question was already hard at work with the packing, his wings doing their very best to grasp at a stake planted in the ground. Vivian was soon by his side, her mouth and paws better equipped for the task, as Fera came to aid Mikael. The Indeedee had already secured the tent and the possessions inside, and was in the gradual process of bringing them to the cart to be stowed.

“Take things easy, I’ve got this. You need your strength for the trip, right?” The young man smiled at her.

“Y… yeah. I guess so.” The girl rubbed her neck. There wasn’t a need for her to help, and so she was left to watch as her half of the campsite was handled on her behalf. Soon, all of their supplies had been secured, and the Centiskorch that had been lounging stood up to be guided.

“Keep your wits about you, everyone!” Cromwell squawked out to draw in the attention of the trainees. “A majority of all travel incidents result from exhaustion or negligence. Do not grow soft simply because you are in the home stretch!”

“Yes, sir!” The group called out in unison, as they had been instructed to do for their time on the expedition. Cromwell nodded with confidence, and scanned the cleaned-up terrain.

“Is everything in order? Your utmost responsibility at the moment is to make sure nothing of value is left behind!”

The young explorers looked around by reflex, but they knew the supplies had been packed and the carriage was fit to burst. Anything left behind was residue from their campfire, or otherwise unimportant. But their task was their task, and they checked the bare land around them. To their surprise, however, Fera started to break from their small group, walking to the ridge of the plateau.

“Uhm, what about… whatever this is?” She knelt down and plucked a piece of black cloth from the rocky floor, turning to show it to the rest of the crew. White and grey lines marked it in an indistinct pattern.

“That isn’t our trash, is it?” The administrator approached, taking the material from Fera’s paws and giving it a thorough stare. His feathers flattened against his body, but his expression stayed unchanged.

“Well, doesn’t look like ours.” Kian chirped out, leaving the group as well to come inspect. Before he got the chance to do so, the Chatot whipped his body around, keeping the fabric out of sight and out of reach.

“Egh, it must be something dropped by another one of our groups… what a bother…” Cromwell cooed disdainfully, and flapped his wings into flight. He landed at the rim of the carriage to toss the material in with the rest of their supplies. “We’ll return it and scold whoever left their litter on the path.”

“Weren’t we going separate routes…?” Fera tilted her head.

“Then they messed up doubly so and went onto our route! And I’ll handle it when we arrive at base camp in the evening.” The Chatot huffed and dusted off his wings. “Let’s get a move on, people! Time is of the essence, for a proper expedition!”

The perplexed youngsters shared glances between each other, but none could figure out the Chatot’s frustration, nor did they want to keep him waiting. With their bags secured, they followed the path down the mountain slope, keeping their feet steady on the mostly even ground.

Cromwell stayed perched on the carriage as it started to move. There wasn’t any reason for him to exhaust himself in transit to the valley, he wasn’t the one being tested on this trip. But his mind was already being taxed, as he gazed back at the black bandana in the cargo hold.

(Obirian garb, here… the bandits are already en route to the Time Gear. We haven’t a moment to lose. I only hope the base camp will be safe…)

---

The trees of the foggy forest rustled with a weak burst of wind, before going back to stillness. Once deep enough into the valley, the sky was blotted out by grey streaks that dipped down towards the earth, and the paths that led deeper in were shrouded by the fog as well. Dawn and dusk would bleed together, even midday was hard to discern. But the clearing that Maya’s group arrived in was suitable: cool air, strong visibility, and ample space for the assortment of explorers. Tents had already been set up and rooted in place, firmly secured for the length of time that they would spend at the newly formed base camp. The group of five was the last to arrive, and their arrival drew the attention of the rest of the explorers, who had already filled the space with chattering about the going-ons of their trip. Wendell waved two hands to the woman at the head of the group. Maya raised her hand to wave politely in return.

“I hope the journey found you well—”

“Mayaaaa~!” Lulu’s voice rang out. The crowd around her parted while she dashed and hopped forward, making a beeline for the stoic Gardevoir. All activities were put on hold to watch, as Lulu leapt off the ground in a joyous bounce. Maya extended her arms, barely catching the woman and holding her in the air, as she knew the Lopunny wanted. With Maya’s guard lowered, Lulu was free to assault her face with a barrage of kisses. “Mwah, mwah~”

“Dear, you know there are children on this expedition…” The Gardevoir spoke dully. Bennett and his cohorts dispersed to the sides and wrapped around to mesh with the others, not wanting to crowd their scene.

“Oh, don’t be such a stick in the mud. It’s been a week since we saw each other!” Lulu gave a soft giggle, her legs swaying idly and poking against the Gardevoir’s body. The cute display gradually wore her down, and Maya pecked Lulu’s lips in return. “Yay~”

“W-well, yes, our voyage up to this point has been sound.” Cromwell interjected, trying to put an end to the sudden display. “Unless you have something to report, all parties arrived without incident.”

“We did have an incident, relating to one of the explorers in my care.” Maya peered past Lulu’s doting face to respond. “But the journey otherwise proceeded smoothly.”

“Wonderful! Well, no, the incident doesn’t sound wonderful. But wonderful!” Wendell strolled over, not minding his own intrusion on Lulu’s affection, with Victoria close behind him. “Everyone here has settled in nicely. We’d be best off heading into privacy, to discuss the matter of plotting our way to the lake.”

“Aww. I suppose you’re right, even if I was yearning for more leisure time.” Lulu wiggled her legs, signaling to Maya to let her descend. Once she was back on the ground, she faced the explorers that had marveled at her loose behavior. “I’m so happy to have you all on this expedition with us, and I’m looking forward to what you make of it in due time. We’ll be preparing for tomorrow’s foray into the mist, so keep your minds and bodies sharp!”

The crowd responded with an invigorated shout, and Lulu smiled sweetly with their confident sounds.

“We’ll head north.” Maya stepped forward and away from her adoring partner, marching into the clearing to exit through the other end. “Besides privacy, we also need to get our own bearings for the area around the base camp.”

“That’d be wise. There’s much to figure out…” Cromwell coughed, his feathers still rustled, as he and the others followed along with the imposing Gardevoir. They kept their voices hushed, not needing to involve the numerous guild members around them with the expedition’s finer details.

In the mossy corner near the north exit, Tai and Vivian had taken seats in biding their time, resting beside each other on a fallen log. The Stunky’s head poked up as high as it could, trying to see through the light fog and study the crowd.

“Can you see Bennett? He just got here, right?” The boy grunted, lifting onto his hind legs to peer around. Cold air and muted green trees took up the bulk of his vision, and peers that he didn’t care about peppered the space between. Enough time passed to force him to plop back down, looking at Vivian in frustration. “You’re not even trying.”

Vivian had wordlessly ignored Tai’s efforts to find the Bidoof. Instead, her gaze was on the northern exit of the camp, and the group of superior explorers that headed there. Maya and Lulu, Wendell and her father, and then Victoria at the end of the pack. The Eevee watched her, breathless and intimidated, until the Glaceon had vanished from view. When she came back to conscious thought, she could see Tai glaring at her on her left side, causing her to flinch.

“Um, sorry, I didn’t see him.” Her mind quickly caught up to what she had been putting off. She looked around to do her share of searching, but the facade was too late to matter.

“You’re way too caught up with Victoria. She’s just an explorer.” The Stunky sighed and turned away, taking it on himself once again to find Bennett without getting far from his comfortable spot. The Eevee scoffed with an annoyed flick of her tail.

“She’s more than just an explorer. And I don’t wanna look… dumb, in front of her.”

“Come onnnn…” He groaned out in disbelief. “You’re not gonna look like anything in front of her if you don’t say hi to her and get this over with.”

“What if I bother her?”

“If she gets bothered by someone trying to say that she’s the super-cool best explorer ever, or whatever you’re gonna say, then I think she’s just an ass and it wouldn’t matter.” Tai rolled his eyes.

“She is NOT an ass.” Vivian huffed and smacked her front paws on the log. “But, I guess. She just seems really busy. What if it comes off as inconsiderate?”

“Augh, I don’t care!” The Stunky threw up his paws, pausing his search to look at Vivian. After a moment, he winced and reeled himself back. “I mean, you shouldn’t care! It’s not gonna get any better unless you actually do something about it! Jeez…”

The Eevee glanced away. Her expression was still frustrated, but less timid this time. It was hard to deny the obvious. “I’ll talk to her before dinner, if she’s free. Alright?”

“Yes, alright. Now help me find Bennett, I’m gonna implode if we don’t find him before he has to help with the cooking or something.” Tai thrust himself forward and landed on his paws, and Vivian did the same shortly after. “And, like… sorry if that was mean, I guess. Just want this to not be an issue.”

“It’s fine… I need to be more brave. So the meanness helps a little.”

“You were supposed to say it wasn’t mean…” The boy grumbled as they walked on. The Eevee stuck her tongue out.

“Well, then it shouldn’t have been mean.”

“Whatever…”

---

"...no presences detected, Maya?"

"None yet. The area around us is still. To think, we'd be on the lookout for bandits as soon as we arrive... it is an ill omen."

"Well, don't spread any of that around with the younger ones. Pessimism is a plague, and they're the ones most vulnerable."


The faint blue tinge of the clouds above let the expedition crew know that sunset was leaving the valley fog. All else in the forestry around them gave no sign that nightfall was approaching, but to keep a sense of time, a small silver clock had been included with the guild’s supplies, now placed on a stone beside the camp’s firepit. The device ticked on noisily, its scratched minute hand looping towards the turn of the hour. Aza, Fera, and several others sat beside the clock, watching the foreign mechanism with utter fascination. Tools of metal and machinery were unproven and hard to maintain, but the guildmaster’s clock was in good enough condition to help preserve their sense of time. Three minutes until eight o’clock.

"If you would, PLEASE settle down!" Cromwell rose his wings up in a useless assertion of dominance. "Conserve your energy for productive activities, like fog-watching! We have a mission here!" Despite his squawks, the explorers more or less ignored the command. A number of explorers had taken to horseplay and faux-combat to stay active, and yet more were in a frenzy of song.

"Ohhhh, those hills, in the golden light! Our souls return, in that golden night~!" Bennett and Valo belted out an old tune of exploration and glory, the former leaning against the latter's leg, each clutching a small ceramic cup of fermented berry juice. Other adult explorers sang along with them, filling the campsite with blaring noise that cancelled out Cromwell easily.

Tai stood at the edge of the group, mumbling and glancing about as merriment surrounded him. Enough time had passed in the song to where Bennett noticed him, and he broke away from Valo to approach the youngster.

"C'mon, Tai! Get into it!" He laughed and patted the smaller explorer on his back, making Tai yelp.

"D-don't really know the song... don't wanna be awkward."

"Aww, hell, that shouldn't stop ya! Just share the spirit an' it'll be good!" Bennett pushed Tai along, bringing the bothered boy to the center of the group with him. Once Tai had been secured, the chorus broke out again, with the Bidoof at its lead. "They say that golden land is empty, and to fools like them it's truuuue! But the land has love and gold for me, and a little leftover for youuu~!"

Tai meekly tried to match their tone, a smile crossing his face as Bennett repeatedly patted his fur. Maybe he wasn't old enough to know the song or share the 'spirit', but the joy of belonging in the expedition was all he needed. Soon, he was roaring alongside them, shouting sounds and gibberish in tandem with their song of delight.

Vivian had placed herself near one of the tents, tapping her front paws in a rhythm with the group song, while trying to pass the time and soothe her mind. Across from her, Victoria was conversing with Maya, although it was clear that their chat drew close to its end. She looked around quickly for something, anything that could excuse her from having to face her fear, but nothing arose for her. As the Gardevoir strolled away from the Glaceon, Vivian broke her stillness and marched forward.

Victoria sighed and tipped her head upwards, watching the gentle movements of the swathes of fog above her. Her ears dipped back against her head, but flicked once she picked up the footsteps coming toward her. The Glaceon and the Eevee’s eyes met, with an anxious smile stuck on the latter’s face as she came near.

“U-uhm… hello, Miss Dollins... I hope the expedition’s treated you well so far.” Vivian’s fur was quivering at the tension she had inflicted on herself. There was a pause, as the Glaceon politely returned the girl’s smile.

“We had our bumps in the road, but we made it here all the same. I feel that we’re on the cusp of a great discovery, wouldn’t you say?”

“Y… yeah! I feel it too.” Vivian laughed weakly while looking up at the woman, then settled down to handle her troublesome feelings. “I, wanted to speak to you. If that’s alright.”

“That should be fine… you didn’t get into trouble, did you?” Victoria tilted her head as though to suss out Vivian’s potential guilt. The girl shook her head rapidly.

“No no! I’ve been good, I hope. It’s more… personal.”

“Then go ahead. You can trust me with anything you need to say.”

Vivian took a deep breath. There was no telling where or how she should start, except by laying out her thoughts as bluntly and as quickly as she could.

“I’ve always, just… really, really respected you… as early as I can remember, I knew you were phenomenal as an explorer. I wanted to be like you, and be as good and as cool of a person as you. Even if it seemed impossible. You’re amazing.” Vivian’s ears lowered in shame from her spouting praise. She was smiling throughout it all.

“Aww… I’m really flattered to hear that. I’ve always wanted to be able to inspire others to be great explorers.” Victoria shut her eyes in a more perky smile, one that didn’t quite suit her normally stoic face. Vivian nodded in agreement.

“It’s more than that. I wasn’t…” She huffed. “I wasn’t happy with who I was, I guess. Inside and outside. But I feel like… looking up to you, and learning from you, helped me be better. I could be a better… version of me. I wanted to be a woman like you.” The tense words pushed Vivian to glance aside. “And I’m glad my dad and my friends helped me get to this point.”

Victoria opened her eyes, now mulling over Vivian’s words more carefully, scanning the Eevee up and down. Recollection flashed in her mind and connected the dots for her.

“...you’re Cromwell’s little girl, aren’t you?” The Glaceon stepped closer. “I met you when you were just a pup. But I didn’t recognize your new self.”

“O-oh, I didn’t know! And, thanks…!” The Eevee yipped and blushed, nodding again while looking at the ground. "I know it's awkward for some people to discuss..."

"That's a dated mindset. Gender is a silly thing to get hung up on... and you seem to have matured into a fine young woman.” Victoria reached her paw up, patting the Eevee on her head and causing the girl to giggle in a wash of positive emotions.

“Really…?”

“Really. If you don’t mind me saying, I think your parents would be proud of the person and the explorer you’ve become.”

“G-gosh.” The girl almost couldn’t respond. She managed to make eye contact with the woman once more, as Victoria lowered her paw to the ground. “Did you… know my birth father? My dad said he was an explorer, so…”

“Milo… he was an open-minded explorer, and a fine gentleman. I was truly happy to work alongside him in the early days of Treasure Town. Even if he tended to have his head in the clouds…” Victoria sighed and looked away, into the gray expanse above. “I wish you could’ve known him, and your mother. But I won’t linger on sorrowful thoughts. I’m happy that his daughter is growing up strong as an explorer.”

“Thank you… for all of this. For inspiring me.” Vivian mewled out her words. “And for being a great person, and a cool explorer…”

“Enough about me, dear… you seem pretty great yourself. I’m looking forward to how you blossom evermore on this expedition.” Victoria looked down at Vivian with a new smile. One that was delicate and true. The Eevee resisted her urge to bawl and squeal with delight, instead giving a final nod.

“…I’ll give you something to look forward to, then. Thank you, Miss Dollins.”

“You can call me Victoria.” The gentle smile turned more smug. “Or you can try to call me Vicky like Milo did, and see the Icicle Spear I gave him for it.”

“Oh, gosh…” Vivian snickered softly. “I assume he was a little goofy, then?”

“In a well-meaning way. Not always a well-received way. But it was one of his charms.”

“Reminds me of Fera…” The Eevee sighed in relief. All of her doubts and worries had been extinguished, replaced with an exhausting peace that lingered in her mind.

“Ah, that Riolu, yes…” Victoria mused aloud, but stopped herself. Her fur bristled with the evening breeze. “I do wish I could talk with you more, but I have more matters to attend to for the night. Your father is rather insistent on his meetings, after all.”

“You’re telling me. And I should probably check on Fera, too… it’s been a while. But I hope I can talk with you again, Miss… uh, Victoria.”

“We can dilly-dally more after work tomorrow, dear. Run along now, and get some rest soon if you need it.”

The Eevee turned with joy evident in her whole fuzzy little body, now trotting away in search of her absent friend. Victoria watched on, letting her mind wander to the past.

“Cromwell… you actually managed to raise a nice little lady. Consider me shocked, haha…”

---

The dark night seeped through the fog, staining its folds black and letting the forest’s surroundings bleed into each other. Moonlight couldn’t reach the guild’s explorers, forcing the campsite to be illuminated by a handful of lanterns that Cecil had gracefully lit. At Cromwell’s forceful request, all their rambunctious activities had been brought to a halt, and the trainees and graduates alike were gradually pressured into retiring into their large tents.

Vivian had left Fera to her own devices in the chaotic fun an hour ago, but now she would continue her role and attend to her friend. The Riolu still hadn’t been accounted for in any of the tents, and so the Eevee strolled about the campsite in search of her. Troublingly, the lights around her could show that no one was about in their clearing. As she paced around, growing more worried by the second, she paused in a dark corner of the clearing. One of the lanterns had been moved from the stump it was resting on. The girl whipped her head around, looking at the northern and southern exits to their campsite. The southern exit had a brighter yellow glow, and the Eevee ran off in pursuit of it.

“Fera!” The Eevee’s voice rang out, as she caught sight of the Riolu at the mouth of the forest path. Fera’s feelers tensed and her head turned, giving Vivian a cautious stare before a pleasant smile. Clutched in her paw was the handle of a flickering lamp, and as she turned, the light bathed Vivian’s body as well.

“Oh, hey. You’re out late.” Fera’s tail swung idly while her friend approached. The Eevee came to a halt, still frazzled but settling down.

“You are too, you know… why’re you out here?”

“I dunno… just wanted to look around. Enjoy the night air.” Fera looked away, smiling at a tall tree that stood beside them. Vivian did the same for a moment, but refocused herself on Fera. The Riolu’s left foot was marked with reddened skin.

“Fera, is that a burn mark? What happened?” The Eevee whined and stepped closer. The taller girl blinked, and looked down at her leg.

“I dropped the lantern on it when I came out here. It’s fine, just a little irritated now…” Fera sighed.

“Well, come back to the camp. Mikael can check it out for you and make sure it’s okay.”

“I’m fine, Vivian, I don’t need to keep hanging around with him.” Fera scoffed, letting her smile dwindle away. The Eevee tilted her head.

“Is there something wrong with him? I know he’s a little uptight, but…”

“I don’t need to be around a medic all the time. I can handle myself fine, right?”

“It’s not that, just, don’t you wanna get it checked out in case?” Vivian tilted her head with a whine. The little gesture seemed to only frustrated Fera, who turned away with sudden defiance.

“No, I don’t. I don’t wanna keep getting watched over, alright?” She frowned deeply. “He doesn’t have to keep fretting over this.”

“Over what…?”

“Anything! Everything, I don’t know!” Fera threw up her paws, anguished. Her frustration was building into pain. “All I know is that you all keep acting like something’s gonna happen to me! I don’t want him to keep asking me if I’m okay, and I don’t want you to keep looking at me like you think I’m gonna break down again! It’s freaking me out, okay?!”

Vivian recoiled from the accusation and its severity. Fera stared down at her, tears starting to form at the corners of her eyes. “I-I wasn’t… I’m sorry, it’s just, your panic attack…”

“I don’t wanna think about it!” Fera squealed out, losing her rage and finding it replaced with sorrow. She clutched the sides of her head, the frantic gesture causing her to drop the lantern and allow it to crash onto the hard path beneath her. “It feels wrong, it feels all wrong!”

“Wh-what feels wrong? Please, I want to help…” The Eevee had been intimidated by her friend’s sudden reaction, but she wouldn’t shy away.

“I don’t KNOW! It’s felt wrong ever since it happened!” The Riolu shivered, shutting her eyes while her paws squeezed against her head. “It feels like something’s strangling my throat and I don’t know what! It was finally gone when we left town, and now it’s back again, and I can’t…!” She whimpered, losing the strength to fight back. Her legs gave out, causing her to fall onto her knees. “I can’t stop it, it feels bad… there’s something here, and it hurts, and no one else can feel it… someone was screaming for me, and no one else heard it…”

Vivian stepped forward quickly, pressing her body against Fera’s torso. The Riolu began to sob under the weight of her unseen pain, her feelers shooting up erratically. The smaller girl couldn’t alleviate the strain, only offer some kind of solace.

“It’s gonna be okay… we have medicine, my dad will figure something… please don’t cry, Fera…” The Eevee nuzzled against her friend’s heaving chest.

“I just want it to feel normal like before… I don’t wanna go home and feel it again, I don’t wanna hear it again… I’m scared…” She winced and whined, leaning against Vivian more.

“Fera… I don’t know what you felt or what you heard, but we can handle it… okay? We want you to be healthy, and we want you to be happy.” Vivian pushed her paw on Fera’s chest, leaning up to be close eye level with the panicked explorer. “The guild is your family. We’re going to get through this with you. You don’t have to keep anything in.”

Fera kept her eyes closed, trying to shut out the words of kindness. The unseen pain wracked her body without relief. She wretched and shivered, and her arms started to move, grabbing onto Vivian in a harsh hug. The puffball of a girl accepted it, resting her fuzzy head against Fera’s neck.

“I’m sorry… I’m supposed to be stronger than this… e-explorers are supposed to be strong…” The Riolu whimpered and leaned forward, desperate to feel safe again. An embrace she received from Vivian would do, for now.

“Explorers are supposed to take care of each other, okay? And friends are supposed to help friends. So… don’t hide anything that’s hurting you, please.” Vivian nuzzled against Fera, doing all that her little body could to provide support. Silence around them was broken only by Fera’s sobs and sniffles, but they started to trail off as the shivering pain subsided.

“I know… I just didn’t wanna keep making people worry about me. I don’t wanna be a burden.” The girl wiped her tears.

“You’re not a burden. I don’t wanna hear you talk about yourself like that, you’ve only been good to us.” Vivian leaned back to pout at Fera directly. “Are you… feeling that strangling feeling still?”

The Riolu weakly nodded. “I feel it every day when we’re at home. And it went away when we left for the expedition… but it’s back now. This… pressure, on my body and my thoughts.”

“I see…” Vivian looked down, patting the Riolu’s shoulder gently. “It doesn’t sound like an allergic reaction. It could be anxiety. I don’t really know what it is. But… if it’s something here causing your pain, we can find it. We can figure it out.”

“I… I hope so.” Fera sniffled. Her hug tightened, squeezing the Eevee against her body one last time. “Thank you, Vivian. You’re always good about this kinda stuff.”

“I’m glad I can help a friend with it.” The words came out more strained with Fera’s tight grip. “A little less hug?”

“S-sorry, haha.” Fera’s grasp let up, and Vivian slid down on the taller girl’s knees. The brisk lantern light bobbed over their bodies while the flame within flickered and dwindled. Resting on its side as it was, the persistent fire faded fast, threatening to leave the two alone in the darkness. The Riolu abruptly reached over, uprighting the lantern to salvage what heat and glow was left. “I should ask Mikael to look at the burn, just in case…”

“Thanks. Are you… still able to search for Fogbound Lake with us? It’s gonna be a long process…”

“I’m ready for it. Already… had to prepare, in a way.” Fera slowly rose from the ground, shreds of grass and dirt stuck to her legs, while Vivian stepped back to give her space. “I can still do things. I’ve been doing things since this started, it’s just a little harder. So don’t worry about it.”

“I’ll trust you, Fera. Take care of yourself, that's all I ask.” Vivian turned, her face becoming just a bit more relieved. “Let’s get to our tent. My dad’s gonna notice this at some point, and he’ll find something to get mad about…”

“You’re… more funny than you were before.” Fera gave a soft giggle, causing Vivian to tilt her head. But the sleepiness from their journey was bearing down on her enough to let it slide. With Fera’s assumed approval she led the way back into the camp. The two would soon retire for the night, trying to find strength for their awaited mission.

 

[Roser]

Chapter 25: The Mystifying Mist​

August 9th, 928 EP

The morning rose, as dreary and gray as every time of day in the forest. Wendell and the others had been up for two hours now, preparing soup and berry rations for all. Iapapa soup wasn’t the most tasty thing to serve, it even left a distracting aftertaste for some, but it had nutrients to spare, and would keep the young explorers fed for a long day of back-and-forth exploration. Tai took up a seat beside Bennett and Fera, the latter having dunked and mashed a Colbur Berry into her soup to try and add a satisfying flavor. Whether or not it worked for her, Bennett and Tai politely declined when she offered some for them to use. They had little time to lounge and eat as it was.

The explorers were soon lined up, and subsequently ordered to group up in sets of three. Jermaine had been put on leave and left to watch over the camp as his only mission, and Mikael had volunteered to stay behind in assistance. With the little leeway he was given, and with Bennett already snatched up by two others, Tai scanned around for suitable partners. His gaze fell on Fera, who had been standing idly beside him from the moment the grouping began.

“Uhm… I guess we’re gonna be teammates, yeah?” Tai let his eyes wander, not wanting to come off as desperate in his request.

“Sounds good. Do you wanna be team leader?” The girl gave him a small salute to mimic some form of respect.

“Sorry, but it seems I’m going to be the team leader.” Lily strolled into view, confidence dripping off of her statement. Despite the bold words, an unamused expression lingered on her face.

“Excuse me? Maybe we don’t want you on our team.” Tai glared. His experiences with Lily were less than ideal, and they both knew it. Her straight-and-narrow no-nonsense approach, no matter how successful it often proved to be, was stressful and annoying for him… even if he had tried to copy it for his mission at Waterfall Cave.

“Trust me, I wasn’t coming to you to plead for a spot. But we’re the only three not in a team yet.”

“As if! There’s still…” Tai slowed down and stopped talking in the middle of his sentence, now looking around to back up his halfway claim. Valo had been eyed up and taken well in advance, Vivian was atop Elise’s back, and even the goody-two-paws Cecil was spoken for. The boy scowled, and slowly looked back at Lily. “Well, I don’t know why you’re the leader by default. You don’t just get to decide it.”

“We can go over the reasons why I need to be the team leader.” She extended a rose, as though she was going to count off the reasons with her petals like Fera might do with her paw. Perhaps she was counting, and they just couldn’t notice. “I have seniority, and I’m the only adult here. I’m the only one of us that’s up for graduation, unless you two have something to let me know.” The Roselia paused, giving them a mere second to offer a rebuttal, and then resumed. “I’ve been on an expedition while you two haven’t, and thus I am the only one with relevant skills for leadership. And, if that all wasn’t enough, my vines and roots will be much more useful for keeping our position than smoke or punches.”

Tai’s frustration molted into exhaustion and acceptance. The tiresome list of reasons was too ironclad to debate, but he looked at Fera to see if she had anything to offer in response. When she shrugged at him, the Stunky groaned and nodded to Lily. “You can be the team leader for now. As long as you’re not a pain about it.”

“I’ll be as efficient as anyone could be.” Lily moved her outstretched arm, pointing her rosy hand at Fera now. “Can I trust you to keep from being distracted, Fera?”

“Sure, Lily.” The loaded words made her frown. Fera had done her best to simply avoid Lily since they had their scuffle on her first day in the guild. Now, she had nowhere to run.

“At attention, explorers!” Cromwell squawked about as loud as he could, forcing Lily to salute in his direction. Fera and Tai did the same out of unspoken pressure from Lily, and the rest of the group followed suit. “The mission is as follows: spread out slowly through the surroundings of Fogbound Lake, documenting the paths and the turns as you walk them. If there is a path you don’t walk, you mark it. If there’s an identifying piece of terrain, you mark it! And if there’s any sign of danger, you disengage and return to base camp! Tomorrow, with our knowledge gained from today, the members of Team Charm will graciously navigate us deeper in, until the location of the fabled Fogbound Lake is discovered!”

The bird’s wings rose up proudly, and the crowd let out a resolute shout— Cromwell enjoyed the feedback, even if he didn’t wish to encourage such rowdiness. Some were already clutching onto their bags or the writing implements within. The administrator settled himself down and resumed.

“This is not a competition or a challenge. It is only a mission, and the goal is to uncover as much as you can of the fog’s hidden lake. An explorer who strives for greatness will reflect it in even their smallest contributions.” He swung his body around, pointing his wing to the misty entrance of the deeper forest. “You are dismissed! Make the guild proud, explorers!”

At his command, the groups marched on, undaunted. They filed out as a mostly orderly blob of eager explorers, soon vanishing in the depths of the pervasive fog. When their figures turned into grayed visions and faded away, the Chatot turned back to the noble explorers at his side.

“Are you sure this is all safe?” Victoria frowned and voiced her concerns. “It’s one thing for us to be pursuing the same goal as the Obirians, but if they’re in the area…”

“It’s not the ideal situation. But our explorers have all, at one time or another, been faced with criminal forces and persevered. And they have clear instructions to retreat in the face of any threat that isn’t an immediate danger to them or others.” Wendell clasped his hands together. “In addition, we’ve been monitoring the situation as best we can, and the surrounding area seems to be safe.”

Maya nodded. “As I told you, I’ve kept myself alert since we arrived. No one but us exists in the surrounding area, and I intend to intervene if someone leaves my range of psychic detection.”

“I’ve yet to sense anything myself.” Garrison spoke up, fatigue hanging on his every word. “But I haven’t been myself yet, I will admit. I only wish I could be of more service…”

“Your presence alone is aid, Garrison. And I trust you, dear.” Lulu pressed her side against the Gardevoir’s, although her face was riddled with apprehension. One of her paws idly stroked her heart-shaped ear fuzz, a little compulsive gesture to relieve her stress. “I just don’t want these young ones to be involved in such a conflict. As soon as the Time Gear is located, I’m going to stay here and guard it.”

“If you’re still insisting on that, then I’ll be here with you.” Maya pressed her hand on Lulu’s paw, gripping it gently to offer more consolation. “You’re bound to do something rash if I leave you to your own devices.” The gesture caused Lulu to let off an anxious laugh, her foot digging against the soaked grass beneath her. Victoria could only groan.

“Oh, lord. I should’ve known you’d be all noble and self-endangering over this.” She strutted over, whipping her tail tauntingly against Maya’s ankle. “I’ll stay as well. No point in letting you hog the glory of striking down some Obirians.”

“Some things never change, hmm?” Wendell offered a small smile. “It will be a relief to have you all there, at least. But don’t take the security for granted. We’ll report the findings to Haven as soon as we’re able, and, with any luck, the guilds will be discreetly mobilized for the greater good.”

“They’re less than prompt on that sort of thing…” Cromwell coughed under his wing. “But perhaps they’ll understand the severity. Maybe even acknowledge our contributions for once.”

“We’ll have time for bemoaning credit and management when all’s said and done.” Victoria waved her paw to dismiss him. “And we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Time will tell if there’s anything to find here.” Hearing this, the Wigglytuff shook his head.

“If Elle’s scanning actually works, then there has to be a Time Gear located in this range. And it would be too big of a coincidence to just line up with a mysterious area like Fogbound Lake.”

“I’ll put my faith in her.” Lulu snapped out of her brief dreaminess to respond. Feeling that the moment had passed, she moved forward and away from Maya, now looking out toward the fog that the guild members had ventured into. “And I’ll put faith in our explorers, too.”

---

Two hours passed in the deep fog. After a series of forks in the forested roads, the six groups had been divided into their own paths and their own journeys, each headed by an official or unofficial leader for simplicity. Lily’s group snaked along the middle of these different branches; a prior turn had set them facing east, and so Lily marched on while looking back and forth, scrutinizing the trees and the landscape.

Tai followed behind her, and Fera followed in turn. It didn’t last long, as Lily stopped in the middle of the path, ready to document once again. With a flourish, the Roselia pulled out a piece of parchment, and started to write upon it, using a vine extended from her rose to grip the pencil. Tai groaned while doing the same to show his effort to Lily. He had even worse of a time trying to write than a Roselia, creating a map that looked more like a Torchic scratching at a wall.

“When are they gonna make pencils that four-legged Pokemon can use…” He grumbled loudly, putting the pencil in his mouth. The words that followed were too muffled by the pencil to be understood, outside of their general negative vibe, as he turned his head and dug down with the pencil to begin drawing.

“Be thankful that you have a part of your body that’s capable of holding a pencil. You think it was easy for me to do these things as a Budew?” She rolled her eyes at him preemptively, already finished with a rough layout of the land.

“Doesn’t make it better…” He spoke around the writing implement, until he had completed his scrawlings vaguely resembling a map. Lily paid him no mind, shooting a likely unintended glare at Fera. The Riolu was the most capable with a pen, but she was still scribbling away.

“Fera. What’ve you got so far?” Lily extended her rosy hand at the girl, keeping her feet rooted in place. “Come show me.”

“Uh.” Fera snapped to attention, clutching her paper in response. “It’s not done yet… can you give me a minute?”

“You said that at the last turn. Let me check your work and make sure it’s up to par.” The leader flicked her rose back as a command for Fera to approach.

“Okay…” Fera shuffled forward, standing before Lily and lowering the map down to offer up. The woman took Fera’s page, scanning it for only a few seconds, before the expected anger started to grow on her face.

“What… have you been DOING this whole time?!” Lily turned the page back to Fera, showing it to her indignation. Tai peered past the Riolu to observe for himself.

The page showed a set of trees and a rock, the same trees and rock that they had passed a few minutes ago. Fera had nicely sketched it out, alongside some previous doodles of grass patches, flowers, and even the fog around them.

“I… wanted to draw some of the things we were seeing. B-but I’m still doing my work!” She pointed at a spot on the paper. In the bottom right corner, she’d also drawn a few sketchy lines that resembled a small map. Lily looked it over for herself; rudimentary and rushed, but it matched Lily’s markings to a fair degree.

“Hmph. You still need to take this seriously! I’m a fair bit disappointed.” Lily sighed and handed the ‘ruined’ parchment back to Fera, as the Riolu frowned.

“I’m still taking it seriously! I just also wanna… take it all in, you know? It’s a really pretty place.”

“Well, you should—!” Her words began to hiss out of her tiny lips, but they stopped abruptly. She grimaced and she turned away. “You should make sure to give the map good detail before you draw things. Start a new map with what you have written already.”

“Wow. Some mercy from the general.” Tai cracked a smile, starting to slide his map back into the loose hole of his bag.

“No jokes about it, or I’m making you draw two maps to keep you in line.” The leader shook her head in disapproval. Thick fog in the air around them clouded their vision and thoughts, but she would manage. Lily strode forward, and her team followed. As she walked, small sticks were plucked from her bag and tossed on the side of the path, marking it as having been walked by an explorer already; Fera repeated the gesture with her own small twigs from her satchel. Tai would have assisted, if his mouth wasn’t already stained with dirt from his first three attempts.

In another few minutes, they stopped at one of the many forks in the path. Lily weighed her options: continuing straight to the east, or turning left to head north. The two paths might have shown some valuable differences, but the mist surrounding them was dense enough to obscure it all.

“I can barely see my roses in front of my face like this… but we should continue east. If this path lines up with another that has already been traveled, we can rule out a large chunk of the area for exploration.” Lily’s explanation elicited a small scoff from Tai.

“It feels like we should head north already. If we keep looping around in the starting area, we’re gonna look lazy.”

“We’ll look lazier if we don’t contribute something meaningful to the discovery of Fogbound Lake! So we’re going straight.” She huffed with annoyance.

“Being the leader doesn’t mean you decide EVERYTHING! And I bet Fera wants to go north too, right?” Tai shot an eager stare at Fera, desperate for her to back him up and shoot Lily down.

“Uh, well…” Fera scratched the back of her head, still fiddling with some twigs in her other paw. “None of these paths go north, so I don’t know how to help.”

“What?” A flowery vein was beginning to pop out on Lily’s forehead. “You really need to keep a better mental image. We’re heading east, so going left will put us north. Did you start the new map yet??”

“I’m gonna start it in a second, but… no, we’re going south.” Her blue paw pointed to the left path. “And that way’s east.”

Lily laughed in frustration, and whipped out her map in retaliation. She moved closer and showed it to Fera as if to prove herself. “Show me your tiny little map. You have the same turns here, right?”

“I mean—”

“RIGHT?” Lily smiled and glared, waiting for the girl to reciprocate. Fera sighed and nodded, bringing out the drawing page with the tiny map in its corner. At the first chance, Lily smacked her rose hand onto the tiny map, trying and failing to point something out. “We went left, middle-right, left, hard right, right, and straight. You have this written down, yes? So we are going EAST.”

“I know we should be going east, but we’re not.” Fera pushed her map back into her bag, and then tapped her right feeler. “The camp is straight ahead of us. I can sense the guildmaster and Team Charm, so… this route has to be going south, back to camp. Unless they left, for some reason?”

“But we didn’t turn to the south!” Lily growled out her words, even if her growl was more petite than she’d want. “We’re going east now, so follow with me!” With the declaration, Lily strode forward, forcing her two companions to come along. As she passed through the deep fog, she hastily scattered her twigs in large handfuls on the sides of the walkway.

The gray haze slowly spread, revealing a split in the path. Lily’s heart sank.

“Th-this…” She wouldn’t finish her sentence, but the group knew what it was. They had crossed this fork and gone left before, going north. Now, they were entering it and going south. The Roselia’s eyes darted to the right. In the low-lying fog, her tossed twigs and branches littered the edge of the northeast path.

“We’re… actually going south?” Tai frowned, taking in Fera’s confusing words with some credibility now. Cold air flowed between them, and Lily shivered.

“It’s just… a really weird, similar path… stay here!” Lily suddenly broke into a sprint, heading down the direction that she hoped was not south. Her tiny figure vanished quickly, leaving Fera and Tai to share in the feelings of confusion and annoyance.

The little Pokemon huffed as she ran as fast and as far as her legs would take her, tracing back the steps of the forest against her will. Before she knew it, she stumbled into the campsite, out of breath and catching the attention of the administrator roosting nearby.

“What is it? Where’s your group, Lily?” The man’s feathers had been ruffled in every sense, as Lily froze up under the scrutiny of her superior.

“Th-they’re… waiting for me, I just… was checking on you all?” She smiled with sweat on her brow. “The base camp should stay secure, after all!”

“And we are keeping it secure… you should not abandon your team in the fog! What are you planning to do if they get hurt?!”

“E-exactly right, that’s why I’m only here for a moment! Thank you for the advice, sir!” She saluted and then sprinted again, escaping before she could accumulate more shame from the Chatot.

With time, Fera and Tai witnessed their distressed leader reappearing from the mist. She looked around, taking in the surroundings and accepting the confusing reality.

“We turned south… when? Was there an error…?” The Roselia clutched her map in the grip of two vines.

“Maybe the turns were more sharp to the right than we thought?” Fera shrugged. “Do we start new maps?”

“No. No, this doesn’t make sense.” Lily shook her head. “Tai, show me your map again.”

The Stunky grunted and obliged, and the Roselia soon took all three maps into her grasp. The parchments were laid across the ground hurriedly. The three knelt down in front of the papers, letting them observe their apparent faults together. Despite some differences in quality, and Fera’s large doodles, all three had kept the same depiction of where they had gone, and where they found themselves now. All pointed east.

“We all made the same mistakes, whatever they were. Even your scrawlings have the same distance and angles, Tai.”

“Can you stop calling my map that??”

“It doesn’t matter what I call the gibberish! Something’s wrong here, it’s making us draw the map incorrectly!” Lily smacked her hand on her map, looking at her allies with a fierce stare. “And we can’t see what it is with this damned mist blocking us!”

“...yeah. Or we can see it.” Fera rose up from her crouched position. Her eyes shot to the path they had walked, the northern road that they thought went west. “We just didn’t realize we were looking at it.”

“Huh?” Lily looked up at the young explorer. “What are you mumbling about?”

The Riolu gave no response yet, instead digging her paw into her bag. A rock was lifted out— quite a nice rock that she’d picked up for aesthetic reasons, but a rock she could do without. Fera moved away, standing in the center of the path, facing straight down the path.

“You guys need to watch. I’m going to throw the rock straight, okay?”

“Uhh…” Tai blinked. “Yeah, good luck?”

“Thanks.” Fera reeled her arm back, before whipping it forward. The stone was let loose, whizzing through the misty air, almost getting lost in the deep haze that hung around them, until it thudded on the ground softly. Lily and Tai peered at the useless rock with less than enthusiasm.

“Is this a test of patience?” Lily looked at Fera, needing an outlet for the frustration this all had caused.

“No, but it is a test. And I think it worked.” Fera approached, and the rest followed. The stone laid on the ground, slightly off-center from the path. Tai frowned, but Lily nodded along, her vine ensnaring the stone to investigate it for herself.

“You threw it straight… but it landed in the wrong place.”

“I noticed it when I was trying to draw the trees.” Fera spun around slowly, gesturing to the flora around them. “Sometimes the trees look bunched together from far away, but then they’re spaced apart up close. And sometimes they look like they’re curving around, but they’re actually staying straight and off the path. Everything in the forest is different than what it looks like.”

“So… the map…” Lily looked at her map in her other set of vines. “I get it. We wrote down all of the turns correctly, but the path wasn’t as straight or as curved as we thought when we walked it. Even this path here isn’t straight.”

“And where we ended up was way off from what we were thinking.” Fera folded her arms. Even without receiving direct praise, her tail was starting to wag in anticipation of her good work.

“Does this mean we have to redo the whole thing…?” Tai’s ears flattened on his head, dreadful thoughts of extra writing filling his mind.

“No, that won’t do,” the Roselia said.“We’d have to sit and draw every inch of the forest’s paths, just to make sure we had all the locations correct. And our supplies will run out long before we could possibly achieve that…”

“Okay, then do we do anything? This seems like a big deal.” The Stunky frowned with confusion.

“It’s obvious. We figure out how the fog is affecting our vision, and then we correct for the errors we made.”

“Yeah… that should work.” Fera’s smile lessened as she realized the praise wouldn’t come, but she sucked it up while her tail settled down. “I… only thought of the rock thing, though. How do we study fog?”

“Let’s get a grasp of the basics…” Lily shut her eyes, placing her flowery hands out before herself. The petals rustled and bent, as a mass of vines shot out from each rose, causing Tai to jump.

“N-never seen you use that many at once.”

“I don’t typically need to. But I won’t slack off when the expedition could depend on it.” The Roselia smirked, as the wriggling vines extended out from her, moving farther into the heavy fog. “I’ll send them out straight, and we can see how the fog bends our vision.”

The trio watched, until Lily flinched and the vines halted. The distortion, if any, couldn’t be seen on her appendages, and the woman walked forward. “I’ll move in more… you tell me how it looks from your end.” She continued on, cautious and barely steady, trying to keep the heavy vines steady in the air. They flicked and attempted to curl back towards her, but she stayed firm. Once she had gotten far enough ahead of them, Tai and Fera could observe the tips of the vines, that just barely reached a point where the irregularity could be seen.

“They’re curving left. Creepy.” Tai tilted his head to one side. “The vines are already creepy, but, like, creepier.”

“Is it light refracting? Fog’s made of water, so maybe…?” Fera tilted her head and her body, then stumbled and caught herself from falling.

“Don’t knock yourself out. And, uhh… it has to be that, right?” The Stunky had no faith in his answer. “Hey, Lily! Come back, we looked at it already.”

The Roselia made a quick sigh of relief, as her vines spiraled and vanished into her hands to rest. As she came over, she placed a hand on her hip and stared with judgment at her two partners. “What did you glean from it?” Tai spoke up first to offer aid.

“Uhh, it’s probably the fog twisting things to the left. It’s messing with what we see through… refactions?”

“Refraction, I assume.”

“I said that.”

“Of course.” Lily scoffed, then turned her head to study the fog once more. “Perhaps the density of the fog is creating some kind of natural illusion?”

“What else would it be?”

“Hmm… no, no. It’s still wrong.” Lily let another vine slip out from her left hand, wriggling it up into the space above them. Puffs of air wafted around it, barely visible to the explorers. “The fog’s always moving. And it isn’t just flowing left, it’s natural fluctuation. What effect of refraction would persist like this, without becoming a noticeable distortion?”

“Is it… a trick?” Tai’s tired face turned more somber.

“That’s impossible… it has to be impossible. Nothing lives in Fogbound Lake, not a single soul has been seen in these parts.” The Roselia folded her arms, rationalizing her worries. “We would’ve seen something by now. Especially someone using the fog to trick us.”

“Well, maybe we should do more than see.” Tai glanced to Fera, and Lily did the same. “Can you sense anything around here?”

“Uhm… I don’t sense anything, but I can… try to focus more.” The Riolu smiled anxiously.

“You should be focusing all of your senses from the beginning of any mission! Honestly, so irresponsible…” Lily sighed deeply.

“S-sorry.” Fera pressed her paws against her temples, and shut her eyes tightly. The delicate sounds of the distant forest grew dull, as she probed the cold space around her for signs of life.

Lily stared at her junior with impatience. The mystery loomed over her mind, and she would not wait to have it solved.

“There’s… someone. There’s something. But…” Fera frowned. “They’re above us… they’re still.”

“Above us?” Lily craned her spiked head up, seeing nothing but the layers of smoke. “Are we being spied on?!”

“I can’t tell… they’re moving around, but, their aura is blank. I’m not getting anything from them.” The Riolu tipped her head forward. “They’re moving away…”

“Where? We should follow!” The Roselia looked around quickly, in some vain attempt to understand what was happening.

Fera opened her eyes, apprehensive but alert. She started forward, diverging from the path and beginning to enter the overgrowth that surrounded it. With nothing else to contribute, Tai and Lily followed.

The girl hurried along, having to step through tangled shrubs and around excesses of stones just to pursue the unknown entity. As its aura shifted to the left, her body followed, barely avoiding a tree in the process.

“Th-this thing is fast!” The Stunky in tow huffed, having a bit more trouble navigating the natural obstacles than his teammates.

“We don’t have to catch it, we just need to know where it’s going!” Lily huffed and hopped over a tree root, watching the dazed Riolu before her.

After a moment, the Riolu halted, digging her feet into the ground and nearly falling over with her sudden stop. She let out a tired sigh. “It went up… it’s too high to sense now…”

“Ugh.” Lily glanced aside, trying not to push her angst on the younger explorer. “We can’t get someone into the sky… the lightning around here can be brutal.”

“So then, how’s that asshole up in the sky? They’re not getting struck by lightning.” Tai stamped his foot, looking at Fera again for information.

“An Electric-type, then… or a Ground-type that nulls the lightning? This is unnerving…” The Roselia shook her head. “Let’s get back on the path. If nothing else, we have a direction.”

At her lead, the trio paced back onto the open path, which had almost been lost in the deep fog. Lily brushed off some dust that Fera had kicked up onto her, now quiet with the issue on her mind.

Fera pouted, and suddenly reared her arms back. With a thrust of her arm, she let out a Vacuum Wave, creating wind that blasted away a cone of fog above them. The blast revealed nothing but more fog, and slowly filled back in as the Riolu’s arms dropped.

“Sorry, guys. I wish I could do more.”

“Can you…” Tai struggled to ask what had come to his mind. “Can you use one of those visions to figure it out? I know it didn’t work before, but maybe this time’s different?”

“Visions?” Lily’s head shot down to look at the two. “What are you babbling about?”

“I-it’s nothing. He means nothing.” Fera shivered, looking away at the terrain beside the path.

“Oh, uh… sorry. Yeah, it’s just a little joke thing.” Tai coughed and looked in the other direction, realizing too late that he had traipsed on sensitive information.

“Fera. If you have something that is valuable to the mission, you need to be honest with it.” Lily’s stare grew more fierce. “What are the visions?”

“I…” She brought her focus back to the little leader. “Sometimes, it feels like I see things… like premonitions. But it’s just a feeling…”

“Feeling or not, we need insight. If we’re in danger, it means other explorers are, too. Now. Can you try to ‘use a vision’ as he put it, and help us?”

Fera weakly nodded. Her paws moved down from the sides of her head, and her body grew still. Tai watched her, unsure of what he had invoked.

The Riolu’s chest tightened. She nearly flinched, but kept the sensation down. The pain of Fogbound Lake, the unseen smothering energy had pressed on her from the moment she had woken up today. Her distractions had stifled it, but it grew stronger in their absence… no, it was stronger as she tried to focus on the vision. Each time she attempted to press for that burning feeling, even recall it, the pain worsened. Why did it hurt so much, after that dream?

She persisted. Her eyes closed again, and her feelers went still. The faint breeze of the foggy air felt like a chill across every inch of her fur. Stress and fear blossomed in her heart, the natural response to the strain that she was enduring. She persisted.

Fera’s breathing slowed, as she became receptive.

Her eyes shot open, burning bright with sight unseen. The figures of Lily and Tai were blurred lines on the periphery of her vision, faded figments of light in a black landscape. They needed to be shut out, if she was to see ahead.

The fog that blanketed the land transformed. The oppressive and obscuring haze had diminished, now thin and airy with wind blowing through constantly. A gray sky loomed above, perfectly still. Far ahead, sprouting from the earth, a massive stone structure stood. Water poured down from its heavenly peak, and ruined trees hung off its edges, the overgrowth draping the monument’s rim as if to protect it.

“The Time Gear was up there. Back when Uxie guarded this place.”

Fera shivered and looked ahead of her on the path. Two beings stood, watching the stone behemoth that she had been fixated on moments ago. Their shapes were lost in a burning glow of light, unable to be understood. One stood a little under the Riolu’s height, and the other towered over herself. The shorter one, who had spoken in a feminine voice, stepped forward.

“I imagine this place was beautiful, once.” The taller figure, in a harsher male tone, folded its arms. The smaller figure turned to him.

“Maybe not this forest. It lived in a bed of fog, to keep the lake hidden. But… maybe that was beautiful, in its own way.”

“Nothing left of it now. Just the corpse of the past.” The masculine figure trudged on, and Fera reflexively began to follow. Muttered noises came from beside her, but she could only ignore them. “Is there anything left at the top?”

“I doubt it… even if there was, we shouldn’t linger here. The commander’s goons will corner us if we try to sightsee.” The smaller one let out a soft sigh, stepping closer to her comrade. “I’m sorry that you have to go through all of this. It’s… not too late to hide somewhere, you know. I could find you some place in New Haven, or the Wastelands…”

The taller figure growled, turning away from her, walking in Fera’s direction. The Riolu stared into his blank eyes, gleaming like a soul before her.

“And let other people suffer like she did? Let them… wriggle and die under Dialga’s devastation? I’d sooner take my own life. There is nothing here for me, Alissa. I knew that a long time ago.” He passed by Fera and paused. Something like a smirk came across his distorted muzzle, as he glanced back at the little lady. “Besides… if you didn’t have me, you’d have to partner with some layabout, like Redge, or Tai.”

The Riolu whipped around to face him. Her breathing picked up, and her eyes pleaded with him to tell her more. But she stayed silent, her mind too enraptured in the dark vision. The small figure giggled.

“They’re not that bad. And I’m still independent…” She stepped forward. “But I suppose being a hero is more fun when I have a partner like you.”

“...we’ve spent too long out here. We should head back to the base.”

“As you wish~.” Her voice echoed with renewed cheer. The duo strode away, toward the southern exit. Their visages began to deteriorate and flicker, fading on the inky black pathway out of the forest. Fera moved forward, linked to their steps, desperate to hold on.

“I wonder…” The man spoke, his words breaking apart slowly. “I wonder how different things would’ve been, if those explorers hadn’t found the lake.”

Pain seared Fera’s mind. She had stood too long in the wake of prophecy, and the vision finally took its toll. The glowing forms faded into stardust, while the blackened landscape filled with color once more, and the fog clouded her surroundings. As the light in her eyes dwindled and receded, the girl lost the last of her resilience. The Riolu wailed softly and fell to her knees, clutching the sides of her head.

“F-Fera, please just answer us! What the hell is wrong?!” Tai’s voice pierced the throbbing pain in her ears. The Stunky had been standing before her, probably for minutes now, but the time was blurred in her mind. She exhaled, and readjusted. The suffocating feeling settled on her body once again. It became normal once again.

“Sorry… I got a bit… dizzy.” Fera pushed a paw on the ground, and rose onto her feet again. Exhaustion was visible on her face, but she did her best to hide it. Looking behind her, she could see Lily. The little Roselia’s demeanor had become shocked and confused, although she struggled to express it.

“Was that a vision? It looked… terrible.” She stepped closer to Fera.

“I’ve never seen you have one. I’m sorry.” The Stunky patted the side of his larger friend’s leg. “But what did you see?”

“I…” Her eyes shut tightly, and she took a strong breath. “I didn’t see anything this time, sorry. It just gave me a big headache.”

“Really? That sucks, a lot.” Tai frowned, but corrected himself right after. “A-and also, sorry that it made you feel that bad. We should go back to camp to let you rest.”

“I’m fine, really. We have a couple hours left, right?” She forced a smile, returning almost fully to normal. “So let’s do some work. I don’t want some layabout to show us up…” Her mind cringed from the word in her memory. It was hard to blot out the strange sights, the terrifying words they made her experience. But she would manage it.

“I suppose we can continue, for a while. Even if our work will bear little fruit when we don’t understand the fog.” Lily reluctantly began to take out her map again.

“Well, at least we know things are wacky here. And we can document the turns, or whatever.” Tai shrugged.

“An astute observation, Tai. You may lead the way into finding a new one to document.”

“NOW we’re talking. Stay close to me, Fera, you’re gonna see a real leader in action.” The Stunky turned, showing a faintly eager smile. His concern for the girl was still evident through it.

“I’ll be careful. Show us what you’re made of.” Fera returned his cheery look. The boy marched on, Fera right behind him, and Lily stayed an arm’s length behind her. The cold facade she bore proudly had weakened, if only slightly, as she watched Fera’s movements, ready to end their trip early if need be.

---

“Most troubling…”

The guildmaster sat down, tapping the side of his head in front of his crowd of explorers. The ticking clock let them know that the afternoon was upon them, after their hours of work had come to a close. Cromwell fluttered up and perched on his perplexed superior’s head, looking down at Lily before him.

“Are you certain? Of the fog’s trick, and this… unknown presence.” He gestured his wing vaguely towards the cloud of mist to the north of the camp, and Lily nodded.

“We verified it several times over. And Fera had located a presence somewhere in the space above us using her aura, but had little to say on it.”

The Riolu stared down at the ground. She wanted to feel shame for her inability to help further, but the vision took up most of her thoughts. All she could do was attempt to focus the negativity away.

“Curious.” Maya placed a hand on her cheek. All eyes moved onto the Gardevoir. “I’ve been surveying the area quite closely, and I’ve detected nothing but our explorers. Let alone something in the sky.”

“I would hope this is not some attempt to cover for your… less than useful maps, Miss Mirue.” Cromwell’s stare hardened on Lily.

“I would never! I’m trying to assure that we don’t make a great mistake here, sir!” Lily grew frustrated quickly, but kept it down as much as she could.

“Easy, Cromwell. We shouldn’t be distrusting our explorers so readily.” Wendell patted at the bird’s side to reel him in.

“Hmph. Right as you may be, this only makes our mission more difficult if true.” The administrator stroked down from his beak as he mulled over the situation. “The fog is quite too dense to disperse, and aerial efforts always result in serious injuries. We could do away with the paths altogether, but… we would be even more prone to going askew the deeper we traversed…”

“Let’s try a different approach.” Lulu stepped forward, her gaze brought down to the Riolu at the front of the crowd. “Fera, yes?”

“Y-yes, ma’am.” She brought her eyes up to the Lopunny.

“Can you explain anything about this aura you picked up?”

“Uhm… I can’t, really.” The girl frowned. “Normally I can get a feel for people’s moods when I sense their aura. But this was… nothing. Just a presence without any feedback.”

“Interesting. No psychic emissions, and an empty presence…” The Lopunny tilted her head up, looking at the foggy clouds for answers. After a moment, one struck her. “Could it be an elemental, then?”

“I hadn’t considered that.” Maya seemed ever-so-slightly shocked, perhaps as much as she physically could. “I’m not capable of sensing something without a mind. But it seems that Fera’s aura can detect it, so long as it’s alive.”

“So… my aura isn’t broken or anything?” The girl smiled with some relief. She had worried that the numbing pain was wearing down her other senses now.

“Most likely not. But we’d have to figure out what an elemental is doing here, and, more importantly, what it’s doing to here.” Victoria pondered aloud.

“It sounds like there are some elementals here, and they’re making the fog act funny. Does that make sense?” Valo’s voice boomed over the muttering crowd. More chatter commenced as the explorers added the new ideas into their own. Maya responded, commanding the group’s attention.

“Perhaps it could make sense. But elementals lack the ability to think, let alone trick. And, in this case, it seems as though there is a coordinated effort to keep outsiders from wandering the paths toward Fogbound Lake.”

“Then… what does it all mean?” Vivian’s words squeaked out from the left edge of the crowd. A profuse guilt hung in Wendell’s mind, and it urged him to answer.

“It means we might need to be more honest about our concerns.” He looked left to right, making sure the guild members were ready to listen. “On the day of our arrival at this forest, we found signs that Obirian bandits had entered the area.”

Several gasps came from the crowd. Fera was the least shocked, but even she had heard horror stories of the ruthless Obirians, and their efforts to undermine the guilds. Tales of bloodshed and merciless warring that had resulted in the outsiders being purged from East Eudria. Perhaps things were safer now, but she had no grasp of the issue as a whole.

“We had known this was a possibility from the start. In truth… our expedition was motivated by it.” Wendell sighed, as truth rose up from within him. “Several weeks ago, a Time Gear was stolen from Treeshroud Forest by the bandits. And, if rumors are to be believed, another one lies at the heart of Fogbound Lake. Our mission is to locate and secure the Gear before Obiria does.”

The revelation sent a wave of shock and panic through each explorer. Team Charm’s members bore different degrees of shame, and Garrison watched with tension from his resting spot nearby. Vivian’s body locked in place, feeling the weight of their goal on her very being.

“G-Guildmaster, sir…” Bennett approached from the back rung of the crowd. “Ain’t this… out of our league? N-not to speak ill of our crew, but Time Gears are everythin’! Things that deal with the flow of time are things ya hand off to Haven, or the guild up in Keraye!”

“I know. It was a heavy thing to consider, and we don’t want to endanger anyone in such a conflict. The expedition was somewhat a guise to move qualified explorers to the site of the Time Gear, without creating a ripple of panic that would motivate the Obirians to act.” Wendell bowed his head. “But it is not our place to put any of you at risk. And, subsequently, we will be asking some of you to remain at camp for the duration of the mission, now that the possibility of an Obirian gambit is present.”

Tai flinched in the audience, and spoke up. “We’re all capable of this! None of us got here by being cowards!”

“You will keep your mouth SHUT when such a matter is being discussed!” Cromwell shouted down the younger explorer. “The Obirian bandits are murderers, a plague on society itself! It is not cowardice to avoid a lethal confrontation with them, and you will not disgrace the explorers that have fought to maintain our peace!”

The boy recoiled at Cromwell’s sudden shift in mood. A look of confusion and hurt crossed his face, as he shuffled backwards into the crowd. The explorers were whipped into silence and obedience now, and even Valo looked shaken by the administrator’s harsh tongue. Wendell glanced up at the Flying-type above him.

“Cromwell. This is not the way to behave, even when the situation is dire. Tai is too young to know the severity of Obiria’s tyranny, and it is not our place to shame him for it.”

Cromwell offered only stern silence as his apology. When the tension had settled, the guildmaster continued.

“As we said. Some of you will be asked to remain here, fortifying the camp and keeping yourselves safe. With the maps we’ve constructed and the knowledge of a potential plot using elementals, we will mount an offensive on the mystery of Fogbound Lake. What it entails must be discussed for this evening, so please, give us time. We promise to keep you informed about what comes from here onward.”

“Some ground rules!” The bird squawked out, ready to take back authority in the discussion. “No one is to leave the campsite for the rest of the evening, unless instructed by myself, the guildmaster, Team Charm, or Mister Evios. Once we have decided on our plan of action, no one except those requested to assist that plan are to leave the campsite. Any suspicious activity will be reported to myself, immediately, without exception. And above all else, look out for your fellow explorer! We have nothing if we do not have each other. You are dismissed until further notice.”

A set of sorrowful salutes came from the Wigglytuff Guild’s explorers. The leaders of the expedition turned away, retreating towards their larger tents to discuss how their mission would proceed. Slowly, the swarm of guild members broke away, forming smaller groups and gossiping about what was to come of the normally prestigious expedition. As Fera walked away in quiet dismay, she found herself naturally gravitating into a group of her own. She followed Vivian along, ending up with Bennett and Lily, who had already started to chat with the more somber Tai.

“Take it easy. I’m sure he’ll apologize when things are less stressful.” Lily spoke words of encouragement, probably the first anyone had heard her utter, to the boy. He scoffed weakly.

“He’s not gonna. And even if he does, I’m sure he’s removing me from the expedition. He still thinks I’m a kid.”

“Tai… you are the youngest. He’s gonna weigh that with somethin’ serious like this. It don’t mean a thing about your skill, he’s just bein’ careful.” The Bidoof patted on Tai’s side, and the boy growled under his breath.

“I’m strong! I’ve fought assholes like this before! He needs to trust me!” The Stunky grew more fierce, but he wouldn’t move away from Bennett’s reassuring gestures.

“With all due respect— and very little is due—” Lily interjected, growing cold once more, “—you have NOT dealt with anything like this. They are not petty thieves or outlaws, they are marauders of a lost cause. You live to tell the tale of your experiences, and so you have not dealt with anyone like the Obirians.”

Tai whined angrily, giving no other response. The Riolu looked between her comrades nervously.

“Are they really that much of a menace? I’ve heard bad stuff before, but… you’re making it sound like the end of the world.” She frowned.

“They’re the biggest threat to the guilds, now and ever. Their nation has a vendetta for us and all that we stand for, and they’ve razed entire cities just to push the guilds’ influence out of Eudria. Their raids are common in places that have not been fortified and monitored closely.” The Roselia’s words were firm and concise, making no attempt to degrade the Riolu as she had done before. “We’ve maintained an uneasy peace, but it is an ongoing struggle to keep them rooted in place.”

Fera looked over at Bennett for some confirmation or denial. He nodded his lightly.

“Treasure Town had one of those raids, a long while back… but since then, we’ve been too stable for them to risk it. ‘Specially when we’re so far from their place in the southwest.”

“What do we do about them?” Fera blurted out her words. “How do we win?” Vivian gave her response with downcast breath.

“There’s not really a way to ‘win’, Fera. Maybe someday they’ll want to make a peace treaty, or we’ll outlast them to the point of working with us, but… Obiria is Obiria. We can’t stop them unless we take some big military risk in trying to wipe out their cities, and no one wants that.”

“But… the guild’s supposed to stop bad guys. Y’know?” Her ears flattened.

“On whatever scale we can. But this isn’t something the guilds wish to tackle, let alone our guild.” Lily swayed her hand to one side dismissively. “As it stands, we’ll combat them here, if need be. But our goal will be to avoid conflict and… well. I don’t quite know what we’ll do with the Time Gear. We certainly can’t move it from here...”

“Why not? Better with us than stuck at some dumb lake!” Tai growled out with confusion.

“From our bare understanding, the Time Gears must be anchored in place to function. Even a slight disturbance to move them will rupture the flow of time in the place previously anchored,” Lily said.

“We have to do SOMETHING, though…” The Stunky whined louder.

“Those that the guild approves will do something about it. You will stay put, and we will manage this.”

“Stop talking like you’re the boss of me!” He hissed up at the woman, but grew less fierce while feeling the unnerved stares from his friends. “I’m not gonna sit here like an idiot!” He turned and started away from them in the direction of the foggy south, but was soon cut off by Bennett waddling into his way. “Don’t be like this…!”

“Y’ain’t got anything to do. Ya can’t do anything with the fog as it is, an’ ya surely can’t fight off some goons if ya find any.” The young man stared him down. “If ya want somethin’ to do, ya can go help get dinner ready. Aight?”

“...fine.” The boy grumbled his words, turning once more. He paced away from them, heading towards the campfire and the Pokemon holding bags of berries near it. When he was out of earshot, Vivian made a soft sigh.

“I hope that, uhm… we can still be involved, somehow. Even if Obiria is scary, I… wanna help.”

“I’m sure yer dad sees all the work you’ve been puttin’ in. But this is serious business, prolly even more than goin’ after outlaws. The guildmaster an’ everyone’ll figure out what’s best for us, aight?” Bennett strolled back over as he spoke.

“I know…” Vivian closed her eyes. “I guess I’m just tired from all the walking. It’s hard to think straight.”

“Let’s run along an’ find some labor to get goin’ on. That’ll clear yer head up good, an’ before ya know it, it’ll be time to eat.”

“Sure…” She laughed weakly, and followed along as Bennett guided her toward the southern exit. The carriages had needed some inspection and cleaning, and they could see to it easily. Fera began to come with them, but a waved hand from Lily kept her in place.

“Listen, Fera… a small request. Would you, uhm…” The Roselia glanced around. “Would you be willing to relinquish some of those environmental drawings you were doing?”

“What? But…” She frowned. “You said it was okay that I was doing them. I think.”

“It’s fine! And don’t mention it to someone, or we’ll both be in hot water for looking lazy.” She grunted. “But I sort of… made a little promise that I’d talk about Fogbound Lake with someone. And having the images would help, especially given your… more or less talent with them.”

“Oh…” The Riolu tipped her head to the side a few times, and then smiled. “I can draw some more, if that works. I’d wanna keep some for myself.”

“Yes, yes, whatever’s needed… just make sure the new ones are as good as the originals.” The woman grew more visibly relieved. “And… thanks.”

“Don’t mention it. Let’s go over there, there was a riverbed I wanted to look at…” The Riolu pointed and began to move, forcing Lily to follow. The dagger of Obiria’s presence was looming over her mind, starting to exacerbate the pain in her chest and head. The memory of that morbid vision could not be discarded. But for now, some idle distraction would keep herself from feeling the strain of it all.

 

[Roser]

Chapter 26: Lead the Way​

August 10th, 928 EP

In the cold morning, the guild members had awoken and gathered. Breakfast was taken in relative silence, and the hopeful murmurs of treasure and adventure had died off under the new circumstances. Fera stayed clustered with her friends and Lily, the latter being more silent than usual yet still staying in close company with the others. The Riolu didn’t bother to question it, still bearing with the clutching feeling in her chest, as she did every morning. It was nice to have people around her.

“Once you’ve finished, we’ll begin our mission briefing.” Wendell spoke to the explorers, no longer trying to bring them cheer with his tone. The instruction forced them to hurry, downing their food and shuffling away their dirtied bowls to be cleaned later.

Everyone had gathered as quickly as they could. Wendell stood before them with Cromwell beside him, while the members of Team Charm and Garrison hung back in respect of the duo’s authority. Cromwell coughed into his wing, and addressed the guild members.

“Valo. Astelas. Bennett. Mira. Kian. Lily. And Fera. Please approach.”

The administrator listed off the names of the ‘new team’ for the expedition with no fanfare or excitement. Those that had been named stepped forward from the crowd, and those left unmentioned stepped back or recoiled quietly with acceptance. Tai gritted his fangs while watching the others approach the guildmaster, and Vivian stood by him with polite understanding. Nothing could be done or proven to involve them in this crucial mission, and they all knew they had their reasons to be left behind.

“Your mission is to pursue the unknown presence in the fog, with the intent of dispelling the odd illusory properties it seems to bear. Lulu and Valo are your leaders for this mission, and you will report to the guildmaster with any and all findings.” The summoned explorers nodded, and Cromwell continued, glancing across the crowd behind them. “Those not requested will be tasked with guarding the base camp. Do not leave the premises unless stated to do so by a superior, and work to secure the camp’s stability. Any quarreling will result in immediate consequences for ALL involved parties upon our return to Treasure Town. Am I understood?”

A shout of acknowledgement answered him from the crowd. His beak dipped down and his eyes shut. Despite his firm statements, he was not filled with fire and confidence as usual.

“You are dismissed. Make us proud, explorers.”

Each of the summoned explorers gave a salute, before Valo broke away from them, and Lulu came to his side. Without a word, the two began to march into the northern fog, the rest of their team following behind him. The guildmaster was the last to depart, keeping at the group’s tail with a calm and stoic demeanor. Attached to his back was a large carrying bag, almost as tall as himself, that had been stowed in with the expedition’s other possessions. Its heaviness did nothing to slow the Wigglytuff down, as he and the others soon disappeared in the haze. With their absence, the camp fell still.

Cromwell weakly squawked, splaying out his wings to attract attention. “This doesn’t mean to slouch! We have work to do of our own. And that starts with security.” He pointed to the southern exit. “Vivian, Cecil, Tai. You’re taking rotating shifts at the mouth of the forest. If something is amiss, we’ll inform the mission team before it becomes a problem for them.”

“R-right away, sir.” Vivian and Tai nodded while Cecil gave a salute. The trio turned and scuttled away, leaving Cromwell to continue barking orders with renewed fervor.

“Should’ve known we’d get bumped down to chorework.” Tai spat out his words on the side of his mouth. His fur bristled like he was mad, but his stride and his low-hanging head made him out to be only upset.

“Necessary evil. We can’t do much about something in the sky, can we?” Cecil threw up his arms in a shrug. His foot swept to the side and nabbed a stone, which he kicked up on his paw like a ball. “I mean, I’ve got pretty good aim and force, but I’m not fighting Flying-types for more than a second.”

“Then why does Elise get to go? And why does FERA get to go? I can actually hit targets in the air, they can’t!” He glared at the ground, as the group reached the wide space where Vivian had confronted Fera two days prior. The worrisome memory was pushed to the back of her mind, as the Eevee sat by one of the trees and monitored the craggy cliffs visible in the distance.

“Everyone has a reason to be where they are. Don’t drag them down because you didn’t get recruited.” Vivian looked at the younger explorer sternly. For once, the Stunky chose not to verbally retaliate.

“I know… this is just the worst.” Tai sat ajar from her by another tree, his gaze focused on the camp and the busy souls within it. Cromwell had retired from his spot at the head of a crowd, and was now secluded by the guildmaster’s tent, digging through bags of supplies like any other member of the guild, hard at work with his own task.

“I… do wish I could’ve had a more active part in this. But that’s not for me to say.” Vivian stared out at the motionless hills and the foggy wind that grazed across them.

“All in due time, all in due time. We play our parts in due time.” Cecil went across from them on the path, focusing on the misty and uneven terrain that they didn’t dare tread on. His foot still idly tossed the stone up and down, keeping his mind and body focused. “I’m happy to offer something good to the mission.”

Tai watched more, focused only on the administrator at this point. The Chatot closed his eyes again, shutting the bag in his grasp now that he had retrieved a tool from within it. The oddly-shaped hammer was poorly designed for a bipedal Pokemon to use, but it would fit well into Cromwell’s talons, as he fluttered away to begin striking down the nails of a loose tent. The Stunky turned his head away.

“I’ll try to offer something, too.”

---

“Are we all set?”

“I’d say that we are. What a relief, for a moment I thought it’d been damaged in transit.”

Lulu stood beside the guildmaster, waiting patiently for his work to proceed. With some guidance from Fera, the team had reached the path where the girl caught sense of the mysterious presence the day prior. Now, all of them stood around the Wigglytuff.

From his imposing bag, the man had produced a contraption of steel and ore, some kind of metal pillar that stood twice as tall as himself once constructed. Its base was flat and wide, and the tip bore five gray “branches” that splayed out in a uniform manner. Embedded in the lower half was a ring of yellow and green stones, polished to a sheen.

“We had figured that some aerial scouting would be needed on the mission. But the lightning around here is constant, and dangerous… so this ‘lightning rod’ will draw it away from us!” Wendell smiled to his subordinates, patting the towering mechanism with his little hand. They stood in quiet amazement of the structure.

“Ehem… is it really going to do anything?” Mira, the often-optimistic Togekiss, was the first to break the silence. “Not that I don’t trust you, guildmaster, but this is quite serious. Can we expect some… flimsy metal device to keep us safe?”

“Your fears are valid, but I’ve seen these things in action. The lightning rod will naturally pull in thunderous shockwaves, and displace them without damage to the surrounding area! As long as you stay a fair bit away from it, or directly under it.” With his words, everyone scooted several steps back. The guildmaster laughed. “Farther away. Please do not approach the rod. In fact, I’ve been standing next to this for a bit too long.” He turned and bounced away from the creation, and everyone followed his example by gaining more distance.

“W-well, I’ll trust ya, guildmaster…” Bennett stared at the ground, trying not to make ‘eye contact’ with the metal structure.

“So,” Valo started, “we’re good to go investigating?” The Noivern watched the lightning rod from a safe distance, then craned his head up to the sky.

“What does this investigating actually involve?” Lily looked at the large Dragon-type, her petals already moist from the dense fog. “Fera tracked the presence high in the air, but I don’t currently have any way to deal with that.”

“Maybe we try to launch attacks really high?” Fera shot an arm skyward, letting some wind from her Vacuum Wave course off of it.

“That’d be a bit boorish and difficult, wouldn’t you think?” Valo smirked at the girl. “We have a better system. For the folks that are earthbound, you’ll be monitoring and providing backup, but the rest of us are searching head-on.”

“I figured that’s why we were requested.” Astelas chuckled under her breath. “So we soar, and pray that the lightning rod keeps us from being fried?”

“About right. We act competent while we soar, and don’t get fried because of that. Speaking of which…” Valo moved toward Fera, then turned around. He knelt down and bent forward, nearly lying on the ground, before looking aside. “Would you, Lily?”

“I would have hoped you’d trained someone else to do this by now…” The Roselia sighed, going over to Valo’s bag, which had been stowed on the side of the path upon their arrival.

“That would take a bit more effort than I need in my life. You do it well enough, after all.”

“No need to butter me up.” The woman returned with a saddle of sorts that was larger than her entire body, forced to drag it behind herself with her vines. A hefty swing of her arms allowed her to slap it onto Valo’s back, and her leafy extensions quickly got to work on securing the latches around the man’s front.

“There we are. Climb on, Fera.”

“H-huh?” Fera looked at the dragon’s furred back and the saddle that covered it, taking a step closer. “Like, climb on you?”

“Preferably me and not the guildmaster or something.” He laughed firmly. “You’re gonna be my navigator. Point me towards that weird aura, and I’ll listen for it to pursue it myself.”

“Wow… alright!” The Riolu skipped forward and pushed her foot into the ground, leaping onto Valo’s back with a soft thud. Her paws latched onto his shoulders, keeping her from sliding down his dark scales. Once she was on, Lily continued her work, taking another set of tassels and tying them around Fera’s back to keep her stuck in place.

“Grab the handles. It’s better than you holding my wings down when I’m trying to fly.”

“Right, yeah!” The girl shifted her paws to the stony handles of the saddle. Fur bristled against her knuckles as she got comfortable clinging on. She had seen the man soaring around town on his missions, but she’d been rejected each time she asked to fly with him for one reason or another. The anticipation coursed through her, outweighing her worries and her struggles.

“You’ll have to take care not to let yourself or your passenger get hurt, Valo.” Lulu looked him over, less loose and joyful than she had been before the news was dropped. The Noivern returned her look with a faint smile.

“You haven’t been around to see, but I’m the best flier the guild’s got. No need to babysit me anymore.”

“I should’ve expected as such from Wendell.” She gave a weak laugh, and Wendell swayed in place with delight. “Show me what you’ve got, Valo.”

“Right away, ma’am!” Valo crouched down, beating his wings and whipping up a gust around him. In a moment, he vaulted off of the ground, ascending into the mist with the Riolu clutching tightly onto him.

“W-whoa!” Fera yipped and held tighter, bracing her body against the Noivern and shutting her eyes by reflex. Once the feeling of soaring grew less terrifying, she gazed around to gawk at the scenery.

The vast grayness surrounded her entirely now, but flowed and twisted like a sea of deep mist. The ground below had quickly vanished, only becoming less distinguishable as Valo continued to rise into the air.

“This is so cool! It’s like we’re inside a cloud!” She cooed out in pure delight.

“Clouds are usually less of a pain to see through. And don’t gawk too much, I’ll give you a ride when we get home to make up for it.” Valo still smirked despite his discouragement, finally ending his ascent and stalling in place. Astelas, Mira, and Kian rose to his level, flying or floating around him, waiting for his command.

“Any idea, uh, how we see around here?” Kian looked from side to side, seeing only the bleak shadows that clouded the land.

“I can clear areas of the fog with my Boomburst, but we’re going to rely on Fera for the bulk of it.” Valo tipped his head back to glance at the girl. “Aura is quite a blessing, it seems.”

“Yeah…” Fera was gazing off into the clouds still with her tail wagging behind her. A little smile was stuck on her face, but her thoughts had grown jumbled as she stayed in the mysterious fog. Without knowing, she had found herself staring in the direction of that massive structure, the one that supposedly lay north of them. There was no denying that it was the lake they sought, but… was it real? Could she tell them where it is? Should she?

“Uhh, Fera, that’s where you step in and guide us.” Valo grinned at the idle-minded child. “Any readings in the area?”

“O-oh, right, yeah.” She broke her focus on the illusory structure. It couldn’t be settled in her mind, and so she would keep it within herself for now. Her feelers tensed up. “I don’t sense anything yet. Do we go higher?”

“The higher up we go, the more likely we get zapped whenever the lightning comes. We’re going to circle around this area at this height, and only go up if there’s nothing we can find as is.” Valo tilted his body forward, and started to roam through the fog. The assortment of airborne Pokemon followed. “Keep with me, folks! If we deviate too much, we’ll lose ourselves in the fog easily.”

“Honestly, this whole affair is creepy.” Mira’s pristine wings quivered as she floated along behind her leader. “Elementals are supposed to be predictable. NOTHING about this feels predictable.”

“Elementals well up near places of power. If there’s a Time Gear here, of course there will be some elementals. Let’s take it as a good sign.” Astelas responded with her familiar smile. “We’d be after a Water-type elemental if Fogbound Lake is something special, wouldn’t you say?”

“Could be a Rock-type elemental. We’re pretty close to the mountains, after all.” Kian’s body tipped to the side, as he and the others circled around the general area of the lightning rod.

“If it’s really being used by someone, then it could be any kind of elemental. But if it’s controlling this fog… maybe a Flying-type.” Valo mused while keeping his body in flight. After a moment of silence, he glanced at Fera again. “Nothing?”

“Nothing, sorry. Maybe it went higher to avoid us.” The Riolu frowned.

“Really not good for us. But there’s nothing we can do about it. Going up, everyone!”

With his command, the Noivern flapped his wings harder, gaining height at a rapid pace. The others could barely keep up while weaving through the air, but none would object to the leader’s capabilities.

Increasing their altitude brought a deeper, darker layer of mist. The cold waves of water particles were more brisk on the group’s skins, but they had been trained beyond reacting to the cold and wet atmosphere. By second nature, the members of Valo’s squad flew closer to him, not wanting to lose sight of the expert flier in a more perilous situation. As he began to slow down, Fera made a loud yip.

“Over to your right, it’s up higher than us!” The girl tapped on Valo’s right side with her leg instinctively, as if he couldn’t hear her urgent instructions. He slowly turned himself, his bulky ears at the ready to pinpoint the supposed presence’s minute sounds. Once he had made more than a full 90 degree turn, Fera tapped again. “That way, and a lot ahead of us!”

“On it.” The Noivern ducked his head down and beat his wings against the cold mist, going from nearly stationary to obscene speed in an instant. Fera yelped and clutched tighter onto the saddle, her ears thrown back from the wind beating against her head. The man’s body barreled through the smoke, gaining more and more height by the time his allies even realized he had left them. As he soared into the wispy abyss, the peculiar aura drew closer and closer, unflinching as the inevitable beared down upon it.

In a single deft motion, Valo lunged into the figure producing the aura, latching onto it with his mouth with a solid bite. The small creature wriggled by instinct against his fangs, with no force that could stop him. The Noivern swung his wing around, reversing his direction and sailing towards the ground before he even stopped to ponder what he had grabbed.

“Hrrm?” The man made a vague noise of questioning, unable to speak properly at that moment. His eyes drifted down, to see the Castform still struggling to get away. Soon, he returned to the level of his startled companions, who had barely made headway on reaching him.

“What IS that thing? Looks a bit icky.” Astelas stuck out her tongue, floating around to Valo’s side to observe the elemental closer.

“No idea, but this is great! We should bring it back to the guildmaster for analysis!” Mira chirped in delight, edging closer to the Noivern and his captive creature.

The man gave her a nod, starting to prepare for a landing, as Fera’s paws clutched onto the handles. A sensation teased her mind, hard to process, but soon coming to light. Energy was welling up in the elemental’s aura, unbeknownst to the Noivern that held it in his mouth. Fera’s eyes widened, and her body reacted.

“Valo, stop!” Her words came out in the midst of her motion. She struck at the back of Valo’s head harshly, startling the man enough to make the elemental drop from his grasp and flutter downward.

“Fera! What the HELL are you—” Before he could finish growling out a confused response, his attention was caught by the glimmering Castform. Sparks raced across its body, as it unleashed a brutal Thunder, which rocketed toward the earth and collided with the lightning rod in an instant. The mass of electricity was fired out from the lightning rod’s branches, crackling through the air on the ground level and fizzling away into nothingness.

“We’ve got a live one, explorers!” Wendell whistled as he admired the flashy display. The Lopunny beside him had flinched with the Electric attack, but still smiled through her concern.

“Y-yipes! THAT THING is the source of the lightning?!” Mira recoiled from the stray shocks that came off of the little elemental. With its freedom earned, the Castform spiraled aimlessly in the air, then began to float away from the group of flying fighters.

“If it is, then it messed with the wrong guild!” Valo hissed and jerked his body forward, attempting to strike the Castform down with an Air Slash. Its meager body suddenly spun to dodge and retaliated, creating a massive Whirlwind that the flying explorers could only barely resist. “Ngh!”

“Is this thing… able to dodge? Elementals aren’t that smart!” Kian grunted his words against the windstream, fog starting to swirl around the group of five. The Noivern winced, and gathered energy in his teal eardrums.

“No idea, but it’s gonna be done and gone soon!” Valo’s wings glowed bright, his body fighting through the air current, before striking into the Castform with a powerful blow. The creature squealed and tumbled away, causing the wind it was creating to spiral about even more chaotically. “Get BACK here!”

“D-didn’t you just knock it away?” Fera winced as the air beat against her feelers, magnifying the pestersome aches her body was enduring. She shut her eyes and braced her head against the Noivern’s saddle to focus and protect herself. The world around her went numb, as she took in only the sensations of the wind and the faint aura that trickled into her feelers.

Kian huffed and swung his body around, diving down and then facing the Castform in its tumbling path. His wings furiously flapped, creating another gale to blow the creature back into Valo’s range, but the effort was futile. More wind burst from the elemental, causing it to spiral erratically and fling itself upward into the mist. By now, the rapid currents had dispersed a chunk of fog, leaving the scene visible to the explorers on the ground.

“What kinda shrimpy elemental is that?” Bennett squinted his eyes while staring into the sky. A sharp gust of wind smacked into his face, wiggling his facial fur and knocking the upright Bidoof onto his back. “N-not a shrimpy one, never mind!”

Astelas laughed while the wind lashed her ragged body. Spectral flames began to form from the tips of her hands, and she whipped her body forward, launching a stream of blue fire towards the Castform. The powerful gales could only barely redirect the Will-o-Wisp, as they swirled rapidly and closed in on the creature. Its tiny body was seared and consumed, its wind lessening while the ghastly attack wore it down with every second.

“At least SOMEONE here isn’t scared of a cloud ball.” The Mismagius cackled from the opponent’s struggles, fluttering in closer as she felt the winds die down. Her target was writhing in place, uselessly attempting to knock off the blistering flames that were tormenting it.

“Err. Is it safe to touch it now? We should bring it down to the guildmaster.” Mira panted rapidly, her petite feathers puffed out from the windstorm. She and Kian drew closer, yet still a fair bit away to avoid another one of the shocks.

“Give it a minute to faint, and the little pest will fall down to the guildmaster on its own.” Astelas stuck out her tongue, swaying in the calm and breezy air.

Fera sighed with weak relief, resting still against Valo. Abrasive wind on her feelers had left her numb to the aura around her. Now, the fog around them settled peacefully on her skin once more.

“Hmmph… this little thing…” Valo beat his wings on the wispy fog. “It can’t be making all of this fog. It could barely stop an attack. And that sound…” The man shut his eyes.

“Maybe it took a long time to make all the fog? Like stockpiling silk.” Kian studied the exhausted elemental, its delicate form still producing puffs of wavy fog. The Noivern flicked his head up towards the clouds, before suddenly forcing into motion once more.

“V-Valo?” Fera yelped while getting taken along. As she flew with him, she felt the heat of a lightning crack blaze through the space where her body had been a few moments prior. The other explorers recoiled at the sight, looking at the bolt that blazed through the sky and struck the lightning rod down below.

“What?! What’s happening?!” Mira looked around in a panic, frightened from the thought of another Electric attack.

“There’s a handful of these assholes!” He gritted his teeth, swerving around to where his companions waited and circling around, heading higher up. He couldn’t see an inch of where he was heading, but he knew he was a sitting Ducklett if he stayed where he was. Another bolt blazed down from afar, startling Kian and Mira into splitting apart.

“This is bad, this is really bad! How many more of them are we gonna deal with?!” Kian flapped his wings frantically, lacking a direction, finding himself fluttering through the wafting fog while trying to avoid another strike.

“No panicking allowed! Kian, take the first one down to the guildmaster!” Valo growled out past the echoes of the thunderous noise.

“R-right away!” Kian winced and rushed in, snatching the dizzied Castform in his talons, as he dived down towards his superiors.

“We’re gonna ascend in a spiral formation, get moving!” Valo called out to the explorers just below him, already weaving through the air and pursuing the source of the attacks. “Fera, I’m gonna need you to do your part here! I can’t listen for them when I’m getting ready for a Boomburst!”

“I’m trying!” The girl yelled through the whizzing sounds that came with Valo’s flight. Her head stayed tucked against her partner, trying desperately to regain her sense of the area around her. Yet more lightning rained down from the foggy skies, rushing past Kian’s body and sending a jolt of aura into Fera’s body. The rapid bursts of sensation exacerbated the aching in her head, but she could only bear with it, forming a mental image of the sky around her.

“So this is why all those explorers get taken down here. Get ready to support me, Mira! When we find those runts, keep them off me and let me burn them away!” Astelas hissed out to her fellow explorer, and took off into the mist.

Fera panted as her body centered itself. The flashes of lightning disrupted her focus each time, but the attackers grew present now that she had steadied herself. A ring of five Castforms had appeared up above, letting their Thunder attacks rain down towards the lightning rod, and the explorers that were caught in the crossfire.

“There’s five of them, and they’re all spaced out… but they can’t hit anywhere but the lightning rod.” She clutched the edge of Valo’s saddle. “Two more are gonna fire, go right!” The girl gave the handles a yank to her right, and Valo’s body swerved that way by reflex. Two Thunderbolts cracked through the air just behind the Noivern’s tail.

“You’re a natural with the harness. I’ll let you take the lead!” Valo smirked, pushing away his worries of flying so high into the unseen abyss. His ears welled and reverberated with readied energy.

“Next is…!” Fera turned and looked off into the cloudy void, trying to discern where her teammates were flying. In the turbulent clouds, she caught sight of a fluffy white wing. “Mira! You need to turn back!!”

Before the Togekiss could even register the threat before her, two lights flashed from above. A pair of Thunders struck her body and left wing, lighting her body up with electricity.

“A-ahhh!!” The Togekiss shut her eyes under the weight of the brutal attack. As soon as the lightning faded from her and the sky around her, she was lost to the fog once more, visible only as a white mirage barely keeping up her flight path.

“This is too dead-on for an elemental. Even if they were attacking by reflex, they have nothing to locate us with. They shouldn’t even be able to see us!” Valo growled. “Mira, are you alright down there?!”

“I-I’m fine! I’ll be fine…!” The young woman coughed out a response, now lagging behind her leader and her ally in flight.

The Noivern gritted his teeth and soared higher, finally coming up to the level of the threat, as Fera gave him a yank on the handles to signal a stop. The visage of five sparking puffballs could barely be seen to the Noivern’s left. Anger filled up in his mind.

“Take this, you annoying…!” Valo reared his head back to release his Boomburst, but another pull from the Riolu caused him to hesitate. “What now??”

“They’re splitting up, don’t waste it!” Fera pointed forward, even if the gesture was barely visible to the man. The crackling light faded away, but the sources of it could be seen darting away, vanishing in the chilly fog. A moment after, the stillness was replaced with a flurry of Weather Balls, which Fera jerked Valo into avoiding with a dodge to the left.

“Little bastards! What’s controlling them?!”

More and more orbs of pure wind energy rushed towards them, and Valo was forced on the defensive. His expert flight could only put him one step ahead of the blasts, aided by Fera guiding him up and down to continue circling around the dangerous force. Astelas kept her distance, yet even she was forced to swerve out of the way of stray Weather Balls that raced her way. Mira hung lower than her, knowing that she’d struggle to avoid any attacks like those in her current state.

“Sorry, can’t do much more than this!” Fera shut her eyes, shivering from the wind that whipped across her body. Even holding on as she was, the constant air flow made her feel as though she was about to be launched off of her escort, leaving her options limited.

“Just keep it up! And pray that Kian can get the guildmaster to do something…!”

---

Kian cooed tiredly while descending to the ground, the Castform he had captured still struggling to resist him. The updraft that had formed made it harder for him to safely descend. A series of sparks shot off from his captive’s body, and Kian kicked by reflex.

“Gah!” The Pidgeotto flung the creature away, as a weak Thunderbolt rippled from its form and connected with the lightning rod nearby. Once its attack had finished, it twirled and fell down onto the dirt.

“So this is our culprit, is it?” Wendell eyed it up from afar. “A Castform! I should’ve figured that a weather phenomenon was caused by a creature like this. But to cover the vastness of Fogbound Lake… that’s impossible for just one Castform.”

“That’s because it’s not one! We almost got fried by some other ones that’re up in the clouds!” Kian huffed, coming to roost safely away from the electrical object.

“Goodness. We’re really under siege here, aren’t we? This is highly irregular for even a cluster of elementals.” Lulu came closer to the strange Pokemon, leaning down and plucking it up with one hand. The Castform mewled and wriggled.

“Kian! What’s the status of the others?” Lily barked out an order, not minding the presence of two superiors in her group.

“U-uhm, still fighting, I believe! I don’t know what they plan to do up there!” Kian yelped out his words, only settling down once he realized all the odd looks he was receiving. “How do we stop them from making more lightning?”

“Quite simple! We locate the cause of their behavior. If we can deduce what is controlling them—”

The Wigglytuff’s explanation was cut short, his ears fluttering upwards whimsically. The guildmaster Defense Curled and rolled to his side, narrowly avoiding a Psywave that had been blasted in his direction.

“Wh-what gives?!” Bennett squeaked, looking frantically at the source of the Psychic-type attack. In the haze, a Beheeyem’s eyes stared at them with cold contempt.

“Ah. It seems the cause came to us.” Lulu spoke with quiet amusement, then threw her hands down in a fighting stance. Bennett attempted to mimic her composure, his thick fur puffed up.

The Beheeyem screeched and tossed up its arms, more Psychic waves flying off and assaulting the group of five. Each braced themselves in their own ways, but the barrage of rippling blows was only a nuisance.

“That all ya got?” Bennett winced and smiled, ducking against the ground to minimize the impact on his body. His smugness ended abruptly, as he and the others heard a loud creaking from behind them. The lightning rod had started to bend and distort, getting warped rapidly by the Beheeyem’s peculiar energy.

“It’s wrecking the rod!” Kian squawked and fanned his wings, trying and failing to blow the energy waves away from the once durable device. He and the less experienced explorers began to panic, but the Lopunny at the head of their group simply flicked her ears.

“I mean you no disrespect for trying to protect your home… but this ends here.” Lulu crouched down, waiting for one of the opponent’s waves to pass over her, before rushing along the ground at a blinding speed. The creature squealed, having to reel back and avoid a violent side-swiping kick from the explorer. Another one followed, and another, as Lulu grazed the strange opponent with her flurry of Mega Kicks. The Beheeyem was forced to recall its pulsating hands as it dodged, and its assault on the lightning rod was put on pause. Each blow pushed it to back away from where it had levitated in its initial attack.

“She’s like lightning…” Lily marveled at the woman’s graceful speed, lowering the flowery hands she’d been using to shield herself.

The Lopunny huffed with a smile as her strikes grew closer to the opponent. Despite the pressure she put on, the Beheeyem each time narrowly avoided contact due to the Future Sight guiding it, its hands shining with more energy gathering.

“You don’t wanna talk, huh?” Her foot struck into one of the glowing hands, making a spark of Psychic discharge. “Now’s your last chance to call off your little helpers and have a civil discussion.”

The Beheeyem let out an otherworldly noise while the energy coalesced in its flickering palms.

“Missus Vitzés! Ya gotta get outta there, it’s charging—” Before Bennett could offer his worried insight, the guildmaster hopped forward, suddenly curling into a ball and tumbling in the direction of the distant scuffle.

“It’s my turn~!” Wendell rolled forward, rapidly gaining speed, his pink and white fur puffing up as he barreled towards the fight. What started as a foppish gesture evolved into a menacing Rollout, stones from the ground packing into the guildmaster’s body to turn him into a miniature boulder. His roll struck a large rock on the side of the path, ricocheting him at the Beheeyem at an absurd velocity.

“Ehh?!” The Psychic-type’s eyes darted over to the incoming rock. Lulu spun her body and landed a roundhouse kick to the Beheeyem’s temple, throwing him off of his psychokinetic balance. An instant after, Wendell’s Rollout crashed into him, sending the two of them both spiraling through the air, and soon crashing into a stout tree. The rock shattered upon impact, revealing an unconscious Beheeyem plastered into the tree trunk, and a cheerfully unharmed Wigglytuff that flopped onto the road in a sitting position.

“We’ve still got it~!” Lulu pranced over to Wendell, and the man bounced off of the ground, giving his comrade a high five.

“That’s… certainly… a way to do a combination attack.” Lily stared at the confusing duo, and Bennett only let out a tense laugh.

“That wasn’t so bad. I assume that poor fellow was pressured into attacking us, what with our lightning rod luring away his electrical attacks.” The guildmaster pointed to Kian. “Which reminds me! Head back up and assure your allies’ safety. Even without their ringleader, there’s no telling what a horde of panicked elementals will do!”

“Of course, of course! Leave it to me!” The Pidgeotto flapped his wings and soared off once more, leaving his earthbound allies to take care of the Beheeyem and the stray Castform.

---

The Noivern splayed his wings out, riding an air current as a Hydro Pump gushed over his back and Fera’s head. A few minutes of riding out attacks had left them safe, but in no better of a position to counterattack. However, as Valo sailed through the fog, he began to halt.

“Waitwaitwait, don’t stop! What if we get hit?” Fera anxiously tugged on the man’s handles, but he was not moved this time.

“They’re not trying to hit us anymore.”

Fera paused, and realized that the volatile auras of constant attacks had been quelled. She peered over Valo’s shoulder, trying to look into the central point where the Castforms had fired from. Their figures hung in the foggy air, unaware. Trembling.

Instantly, their auras erupted once more, now in a frenzy. From their bodies, massive waves of fog spewed out, blanketing the area even further and forming an outward flow of wind. Astelas was blown back by the hostile winds, and Mira caught her spiraling body as it struggled against the breeze.

“D-don’t think that’s much better!” Fera smushed her face against the saddle again, her feelers struggling to maintain their sensitivity under the storm that was approaching. The voice of an ally came to reassure her.

“Guys! Sorry for the delay!” Kian pulled himself up into the range of his teammates’ hearing, barely able to hold out against the windstorm. “The guildmaster neutralized their controller! I-I think we have a chance now!”

“That’s all I need to hear. And I know what we’re gonna hit these mindless assholes with!” Valo grinned, flapping his mauve wings again. “Team, once more, spiral formation! We’re going for a Hurricane!”

“Are you kidding? These things are relentless, we can’t counter that kind of windforce!” Astelas called out from her braced position against Mira’s body.

“Relentless and idiotic! Just keep up the pattern and get them trapped in one spot!”

At his fierce behest, the three Flying-type allies began to encircle the wild and windy Castforms. Their bodies faced constant resistance from sporadic gusts of foggy wind, but they had just enough power in themselves to stay the course. An air stream flowed off their winged and wispy bodies, starting a current that spiraled around the aimless adversaries.

“Finally! I’ve been prepping this Boomburst for ages.” The Noivern laughed with renewed vigor, starting to soar into the air above where the Castforms resided. “Once more, Fera! Guide me over to where they are and aim me down at ‘em!”

“Gladly!” The Riolu exhaled through her nose, already feeling a wave of relief by sharing in Valo’s confidence.

Mira huffed, her body barely hanging on in the storm. Guided by Astelas’ form in the distance, she supplemented her lagging flight with an Extreme Speed, forcing Kian to hurriedly follow along with her pace. Slowly but surely, their combined flight built up a Hurricane, a powerful twister that culled the mindless Castforms toward each other.

In the eye of the storm, Valo waited and watched the swirling fog beneath him. Nothing could be seen but the movement of the thick haze, a small but perfect Hurricane manifested by the explorers. As he idled and searched, Fera gave a push to tilt him downward, the perturbed auras of the Castforms catching her attention. Valo’s eardrums reverberated with pure energy.

From above, the three spiraling explorers witnessed and heard the force of a Boomburst. An unyielding beam of blue soundwaves burst through the layers of fog, revealing and unloading on the Castforms without any resistance. The five creatures squealed out, but the sound was lost under Valo’s overwhelming noise. Their wind rapidly died down, until they were sent sailing down to the grass below. With them, the origin of the fog had been eliminated.

---

A wave of warm air washed over the base camp. Some had noticed the change immediately, and others had been hard at work, unnoticing until the temperature and the light reached them directly. But, in due time, all turned their heads upward, marvelling at the fruit of the guild’s labor. The dense fog that had accumulated, that had hung over their heads and dogged their expedition, was fading into nothingness. Much of the fog remained, and, in fact, only a portion of it was clearing out. But the guild members found themselves in that portion, and they could witness the majesty of the change.

The sunlight touched the treetops perhaps for the first time in their lives, and the wind brushed through the grass with freedom. Rivers could be spotted off the beaten path. All of it magnified the sight at the center of their far-reaching vision— a massive stone structure stood strong on the near horizon. Verdant trees could be spotted at the edge that loomed over them, their trunks twisted and striped like something out of a storybook. Fogbound Lake had been revealed.

“Th-that’s…” Vivian stepped forward from her post, in awe of what her friends had found. The feeling of a new discovery, and the hopes of being part of its splendor, was almost too much to handle. Her tail wagged, knocking away flecks of fog.

“No wonder we couldn’t find it. Like, how was I supposed to find that?!” Tai bore a look of vague frustration amidst the wonder. “They’d better not explore the whole thing without us!”

Vivian began to cheerily squabble with Tai, and the two hurried away from the forest’s entrance, needing to consult with the administrator about what was to come. They joined into a group of noisy explorers, each individual having their own uplifted thoughts to share. Cromwell stood with silent adoration; more than anyone, he had known Fera would find some way to surprise them on the expedition.

At the southeastern corner of the camp, the carriages rested without their now-busied escorts. Most of the crucial supplies had been removed for usage, but the various tools and necessities that didn’t require frequent use still lied in wait. But the faint rustling sounds from within one of the storage areas made it clear that something was being prepared.

“...Jermaine?”

The Venomoth’s horn shot up from the piles of stored goods, while he looked back at the doorway of the cart he was sitting in. A familiar Raboot stared at him with confusion and light disappointment. “O-oh, hey Cecil. I’m, uh, busy right now.”

“Dude… come on. You’re already on leave. Swiping more stuff from the caravans is gonna put you in a really bad light.” Cecil sighed, taking a step closer.

“I know, I know! I’m sorry. It’s just something small, I’m sorry.” The Venomoth cooed shamefully. “I saw a Rawst Berry pouch in here, and I was just a bit stressed from seeing that big… thing. I can put it back, though.”

“You’d better, since food does not come easy around here. How much is there even…” Cecil’s words trailed off, and he leaned closer to the vehicle. The shade of the caravan’s roof made it hard to see what the young man was grasping, but it was clear no food was kept here. The Raboot frowned. “This isn’t where the berries are kept. What are you doing in there?”

“I got really confused then, haha… I’m really a mess, aren’t I?” Jermaine gave a pitiful laugh. Something was still being clutched against his body, hidden in the darkness.

“Jermaine. Put that down and come out here. You’re giving me some bad vibes.”

“I will, in a minute, sorry…”

“Come out of the vehicle now.” Cecil stared down his companion. Jermaine’s head stayed turned away from him, the object still barely unseeable. With a flick of his paw, the Raboot generated an Ember, spreading sudden light on the caravan’s contents.

“S-stop—!” Jermaine winced as the flame’s glow exposed him. A wooden cylinder was clutched tightly against his torso, its frayed fuse hanging down onto the carriage’s dirty floor.

“That’s… the safety flare.” Cecil’s cold judgment turned to heated worry. “What are you trying to do with it, Jermaine?”

“I…” The Venomoth’s eyelids lowered, one of his claws lightly stroking the well-preserved emergency tool. No other options remained for him. “I’m sorry, Cecil. I want you to tell them that I’m sorry.”

“It’s… okay, just put it down. We need to keep our suppl—”

By the time he realized what was happening, it was too late for Cecil to put his guard up. A sickly aura had overtaken Jermaine’s body, unlike anything the Raboot had seen. As his eyes opened, his body jerked forward and his claws struck into the mammal’s body, blowing him far back from the caravan and knocking him into a tree. He wheezed as his body flopped to the ground.

“Wh-what the hell… are you…!” Cecil panted and tossed himself forward. The blow had seared his body with surprising pain, but he could still move. He could still fight. He rose to his feet.

Jermaine now stayed fluttering outside of the caravan, the lightweight flare in his grasp. A small flame emerged from the Bug-type’s claw.

“Someday, you’ll understand. But until then… the guilds must shut their doors.”

“Don’t!”

Jermaine’s Ember was connected to the fuse, and the fiery material retreated into the base. In a matter of seconds, the flare burst from the young man’s grasp, rising up into the now-cleared skies. The whizzing sound it made gradually drew the watchful eyes of the expedition members away from Fogbound Lake, and towards the object rapidly shrinking away from sight.

“Wh-what’s going on here?!” Cromwell screeched out, looking at the dispensed emergency flare. Once it had reached its peak, the components within were ignited.

The flare exploded with colorful splendor, a deep red spray of ashy particles that none could miss. The members of the base camp watched it in a panic. The individuals of Valo’s team, still licking their wounds, saw it and pondered. And, on the nearby hills of the mountain range, even with the remnants of fog obscuring their view of the lake, the Obirian bandits rose up from their rocky shelter to view what had occurred. A Gliscor stared at the fizzling lights, smiling.

“The Seer has given the signal. The guild’s lackeys found the lake quite fast.” She turned to her followers with her deep grin. “Soldiers! Atten-TION!”

“Ma’am! We stand at your side!” A horde of masked Ground-type Pokemon saluted the general.

“Your mission is to destroy the guild’s camp, level their forces, and enter the cavern before the fog reforms. Deviation from the mission is punishable by death and dishonor! If the Time Guardian is spotted, your one and only objective is to land the killing blow! Fortune herself shines on us!”

The horde roared out with approval. Sandslashes stood with their sharpened claws ready for battle.

“We march for the Queen!!”

All cried out in joyous devotion, even the general herself. Her body turned, before she leapt off the rocky edge to pursue her targets. The crowd of fighters followed along, some sliding and others rolling down the jagged hill toward the grassy terrain below. The path had been cleared for their conquest.

Maya shivered, pressing her hand onto her shimmering obtrusion. “Outsiders are approaching… 37 of them! Stand at the ready for combat!” Her hands were thrust out to the sides, awash in psychic energy. The guild’s members looked at her in sudden horror.

“Y-you can’t be serious…!” Cromwell squealed out his desperate response, but he knew better than to question Maya. He couldn’t help it. “The Obirians are here? How were they waiting for our flare?!”

“Jermaine!! Get back here!!” Cecil’s strained voice came from the other side of the campsite, where the signal had been fired. The Raboot ran north, chasing the shadow of the familiar Venomoth that had taken off into the sky. Once it became clear that nothing could be done, the shame and confusion dragged Cecil to a stop.

“What the hell? Did he betray us?!” Tai snarled, considering a chase after the deserting Venomoth, but a call from Cromwell kept him in line.

“Graduates, to the front lines! All trainees fall back with Maya and Victoria! Your mission is to protect yourselves and each other!”

Sheila and Elise took up the frontmost spots in their group, venom dripping from the former’s mouth and stones coalescing on the latter’s fists. Vivian found herself being hurried and shoved backwards, the aforementioned Team Charm members beside her. Seeing Victoria, an urge manifested in the girl to demonstrate her strength. She wanted, in some small way, to defy them, to tell them that she could stand alongside them as fighters. But the only thing that came past her lips was a panicked, childish mewl.

“Moving closer… they’re approaching from underground. I’ll teach them a lesson!” The once quiet Gardevoir made an angered shout, striking both of her hands into the earth. Psychic energy rippled out along the grassy terrain, causing a deep rumble in the ground beneath the guild members. Her body tensed.

In an instant, Sandslashes and Sandshrews exploded out from the solid ground of the campground’s entrance, blown into the air by Maya’s shockwave. The distraught bandits were left on their backs, unsteady but rolling backwards into a stable position. Elise rushed in, closing the distance between her and her targets, before slamming her stony fists down onto a set of two Sandslashes. The duo were knocked unconscious in an instant, causing Tai and Vivian to flinch.

Maya’s eyes widened, picking up on more targets that she hadn’t the time or energy to stop. Several of the digging Pokemon had shifted course before her attack landed. They revealed themselves in terrifying fashion, erupting from the ground and trashing one of the caravans with vicious claw strikes. The Centiskorch beside it cowered and backed away, with flames flicking off of his brow.

“H-how…” The Gardevoir’s gaze on the destroyed vehicle had distracted her just long enough. As she glanced south, she was just able to spot a Gliscor’s claw before it bashed into her face and neck at full speed. The gliding intruder struck her with the force to send her flying, before lifting her wings and soaring back upwards into the sky.

“What a beautiful day to meet again, explorers! Not a CLOUD in the SKY!!” The deranged woman howled with laughter, twirling away into the relative safety of the air, embracing the clearance of the mist. “I always knew you lot had potential, but clearing the fog for us was just too much! Do you want a medal??”

“General Naress!” Victoria lowered herself down and hissed. Ice particles clustered at her mouth in preparation for an Ice Beam.

“M-Miss Vitzés!” Vivian broke away from the protective group, approaching the stunned Gardevoir that was only now stumbling back to her feet.

“I’m fine… keep your guard up…!” The Gardevoir was stricken with confusion and frustration on her face, to a degree that she could no longer keep it subdued. Her hands regained their menacing glow.

Victoria’s Ice Beam blasted through the windy air, narrowly missing the Gliscor as she tilted and swung down towards the ground. Rather than counterattack, however, the general soared onward, heading in the direction of the towering lake.

“I wish I could stay, but I have matters to attend to with the Time Guardian! My soldiers have been given express orders to keep you company, however! To a brighter future, explorers!!” The Gliscor cackled and spun, dodging past two more bursts of Ice Beam to sail away unabated.

Victoria held back the urge to curse out the demented woman, as her eyes were drawn back to the invaders. In Maya’s moment of weakness, the stunned bandits had recovered, now surrounding the camp of explorers. Dark intent dripped off of their glaring eyes and sharpened claws. All of the guild’s crew worried, but none faltered.

Tai growled at his soon-to-be opponents, thick purple gases leaking from the sides of his mouth. Victoria coated her fur with a layer of spiked ice. Feeling weakness rising up inside her, Vivian stamped her foot, Swift stars gathering in the air around her body. In the face of the Obirians, there was nothing to do but fight with all they had.

 

[Roser]

Chapter 27: At Arms​

August 10th, 928 EP

“Strike!!”

The stand-off’s silence was broken by Aza and Sua. Before anyone else could make a move, the duo had pounced upon an ornery Skorupi. The foreigner raised his pincers to stab at the boys’ legs, but found himself struck under the chin by a twin Triple Kick assault, sending him tumbling away from the group of explorers. With the first attack dealt, the scene erupted into chaos.

A small swarm of Sandslashes rolled at the explorers with violent intent, their polished spines cutting through the dirt like scythes. Two of them were blown back by Elise’s tail swipe, and the rest collided with a Barrier placed by Maya and Ludak, but their rolling attack threatened to slice through it with enough persistence.

Victoria’s normally offensive moveset had been put on the defensive. An Ice Beam was fired from her mouth, clashing with the soft dirt and creating tall pillars of ice wherever it landed. She spun herself around, making a solid ice wall to keep out the surrounding intruders. Try as they might, the bandits’ claws and fangs could barely scrape the crystalline structure, leaving the younger and weaker explorers thoroughly protected. From atop the ice wall, Cromwell squawked with an inferior Hyper Voice that deterred and damaged those that tried to enter, barking orders to keep the explorers in line between his attacks. Garrison remained behind cover within the barricades, clutching a scar on the side of his leg that had been aggravated by the commotion.

Above, a set of Baltoys had been deployed, each guided by the Psywave of a Butterfree in the air beyond them. With a flourish of her wings, the Butterfree activated her pawns, causing a hailstorm of Ancient Power to cascade onto the explorers.

“Shift up!” Maya yelled out her command to the Dottler, and the two warped the Barrier over the heads of the guild members, protecting the weaker guild members from the vicious onslaught. Elise had just enough time to strike at the remaining Sandslashes and force them away, her fists driving into their blinded bodies with enraged force, the likes of which her comrades had never seen from her before. Vivian’s fur shot out from the sight of the barely-blocked attacks, but she had no time to panic.

“Vivian!” Cecil’s voice called out— the Raboot had Blaze Kicked his way past a Drilbur to rejoin the group, and his feet still burned with fiery energy. Beyond him, the Vulpix, Rikar was readying a bevy of fire to inflict on his opponents. “Team-up, let’s do this! I need your Swift!”

“I… alright!” The Eevee’s fur rustled and filled with Swift stars, although the fear of a bandit strike made them hard to maintain. Cecil tossed a stone from his bag and began to bounce it on his dextrous foot, each time forcing more flames into it, until it had transformed into a blazing Pyro Ball.

“Just aim for the Butterfree, we’ve got the rest!” Cecil kicked the ball over and over, never letting it hit the ground, compounding the brightness and heat each time.

Once her flurry was ready, Vivian threw her head skyward. The Eevee’s fur burst with soft yellow stars, which spun wildly and raced in the direction of the Butterfree. Before it could make contact, the Baltoys were directed. Their rotating bodies clustered together at the center, sending each and every Swift shot spiraling away in another direction.

“Beautiful, just keep it up!” Cecil broke his stoic complexion to smirk at the sight of Vivian’s seemingly failed move, and threw a glance at Rikar. The Vulpix let loose a spray of Flamethrower onto Cecil’s Pyro Ball, and the bouncing attack warped into a bright blue flame, almost too blinding and hot for the Raboot to carry any longer. “Hope they like this one better!”

With a crouch down and flip-kick up, Cecil launched the perfected Pyro Ball into the air, leaving trails of blistering embers as it went on its course. The system of Baltoys was stuck in place while trying to block Vivian’s Swift, and so was ready to receive Cecil’s attack alongside it. The burning orb pierced through the exterior of one of the Baltoys, and burst through the skull of another on the other side, still coming in hot towards the Butterfree.

“Y-you little twerps!” The bandit had no chance to save herself from the attack, and wretched as the Pyro Ball connected, her body and wings catching flame upon impact. “A-aaaieeeeee!!” She went spiraling backwards, unable to endure Cecil and Rikar’s combined flame. With her near-instant knockout, the husks of the elementals lost their direction, ending their levitation and falling to the ground like lifeless dolls. The barrier was warped again, now lowered to the ground to block a team of bandit Loudreds from blasting at the guild members.

“Good work, kids!” Victoria called out to the trio as she reinforced her ice wall, adding another layer while the first was shattered by an Excadrill’s claws.

From the ground, Sheila and Clareis burst forth, dragging with them a few defeated bandits. They had taken up the task of rooting out attacks from underground, but they had worn themselves out after only a few minutes of aggressive tunneling. Any more, and the terrain beneath the explorers might give out, leaving them utterly vulnerable to their aggressors. The two dove back into the dirt, claws and fangs at the ready.

All around the barricade that the guild had created, a handful of bandits scurried onward. The explorers could not leave their protective space to give chase, and the Centiskorch escorts had put all of their strength toward guarding the caravans, out of fear that their remaining supplies might be destroyed to leave the expedition crew stranded. Smoke, jolts, and bursts of pure energy echoed into the air around them all, and seared into the earth beneath their feet. From the safety of the numerous protections, Tai could only tremble with frustration.

“Those assholes are gonna steal the Time Gear…!” The Stunky dragged his claws against the dirt. Smoke pumped from his growling lips, and from within it, small embers fizzled out. A firm stamp of Victoria’s foot caught his attention.

“We have a team out to prevent this. Have faith in them, and stand your ground.”

“I-I know, but…” The smoke dwindled in the air around him. Vivian tried to bring forth words of reassurance, but the memory of the guild’s main team caused a panic in her heart.

“F… Fera’s out there! And Bennett too!” The little Eevee began to hyperventilate. “What’s gonna happen to them?!”

Victoria’s response came after a pause this time. “I trust the guildmaster to keep them safe. We’ll do all that we can here.”

It inspired no confidence in the girl. Her mind now raced with the danger that their actions had put on her friend. Memories of the horror stories from the bandits’ raid on Treasure Town. She was too young to have remembered it for herself, but she knew the loss that it brought to her people. It would not happen again.

A Raichu struck the ice wall with their Iron Tail, breaking through an imperfection and shattering open a hole. Rikar raced over, challenging the intruder with his spray of flames. The clash left Victoria unable to seal over the icy hole, and gave Vivian the chance she needed. The Eevee jabbed Tai in his side.

“What? But…” He understood implicitly what she wanted to communicate, and what concerns she needed to quell. “Fine. But if I get in trouble, it’s your fault!”

Vivian rushed left and Tai darted to the right, each one going around the Raichu and the Vulpix. As they passed, Vivian belted the stranger with Swift and Tai blasted their eyes with Smokescreen, leaving the Raichu stunned and vulnerable to Rikar’s Flame Charge. The duo bolted through the opening, trailing behind bandits that were no longer hidden by the veil of fog. In the field of flames and haze, they had narrowly avoided being spotted by the girl’s father, and so they raced onto the open path.

“Fera’s… not well, Tai. I don’t know what’s happening, but she still hasn’t recovered from that panic attack.” Vivian panted out her words, a few steps ahead of the boy and with stamina to spare.

“Are you serious? Why didn’t she tell us?!” Tai snarled, more concerned than angered for once. The smoke from his mouth returned, ready to blind anyone that stood in their way.

“She doesn’t want people to know she’s ill, but she is. Please don’t tell her I told you, but… be ready to take care of her, okay?” Vivian glanced at him, sorrow hanging off of her face. The boy’s harshness receded.

“Of course I’m gonna be ready. I don’t let people down.”

---

The guildmaster and Lulu had only just begun to restrain the Castforms and the Beheeyem that guided them when the flare had caught their attention. As Fera was unstrapped from Valo’s back, frantic talk ensued about what crisis had started in the base camp. But their hurried steps towards the rest of their allies were cut short by the visage of a Gliscor sailing high above.

“That’s—”

“Her again!” Lulu cut Wendell off, resuming her fighting stance with an Ice Punch ready. “Stay on your guard, explorers! That’s an Obirian general!”

“Obirians…” Fera’s fur stood on end. Whatever she had been told or feared, it would be put to the test now. The sun-coated silhouette of the general sailed over their heads, paying them no mind, as it neared the base of the towering lake. From the direction it had flown, a swarm of Ground-type Pokemon marched on, and a Venomoth trailed behind the general.

“The flare… they’ve made their move for the Time Gear!” Wendell let off a gasp. Instantly, the puffy man threw up his delicate fists as though he was about to punch them out one by one. “Lulu, lead the team onward to Fogbound Lake! I’ll handle these vagabonds!”

“Make sure not to thrash them too thoroughly, we’ll want to interrogate some of them.” The Lopunny whipped around, and started to run, having to restrain her speed to let the rest follow along. “Make haste, explorers!”

“Wait, but…!” Fera’s objection was silenced, as Valo knocked the girl upward and returned her to her place on his back. “Ack!”

“The guildmaster can handle this, no sweat! We’ve got a bigger problem on our claws!” Valo flapped his wings. Her time in the turbulence led Fera to grab the still-equipped saddle’s handles in response, as the Noivern began to chase after the vanishing Gliscor. Bennett was escorted onto Mira’s back, having an even worse chance of keeping up with the speedy explorers than Fera, while Lily was forced to grasp onto Astelas’ wispy form with her vines, and soon the entire group was mobilized in pursuit of the general. The girl whined.

“Are you sure that he’s—”

“Uwaaaaah!” The guildmaster’s voice echoed from behind them. As Fera glanced back, she saw the round man flailing gracefully, his nubbish limps blowing back two Tauros with the force of a crashing wave. The Riolu winced and looked ahead again.

“Okay yeah, he’s… he’s got this.” She left the concern behind, focusing on the expanse of treetops that appeared as Valo flew higher. The monolith grew closer while the young man glided on his wings, and with its presence came the unnerving aura of the Gliscor.

Lulu darted off the path as it diverged from her goal, now bouncing over logs and small streams, facing deep green forestry that obscured her view. Each hop tossed her body effortlessly past another obstacle, nearly leaving her comrades in the dust, as she approached the rocky alcove functioning as the lake’s entrance. The whole rock wall that stood before them was jagged and uneven, a surface untempered by erosion.

Astelas and Mira slowed down as their course neared Lulu, descending just enough for their passengers to disengage. Rivers flowed on either side of the narrow structure. The opening was a tight fit, but large enough that even Valo could squeeze his way through. Lulu did not dare approach it yet.

“This isn’t right. The cavern is likely a confined space, where Naress would struggle to fight… she wouldn’t let us get this close to it unless she wanted us to.” Lulu’s ears twitched, as she attempted to listen for the sounds of the Gliscor cutting through the wind.

Fera watched the dark opening in silence. Whatever would occur there, whatever the guild’s discovery of the Time Gear would bring, it was going to be decided soon. Something inside her told her she had to be the one that would act. To be the one that would decide it. The girl leapt off of Valo’s back and rushed forward.

“Fera, don’t!!” Bennett barked out his order as the Riolu ran across the grassy pathway. Up above, the distant figure of the Gliscor turned.

Fera’s feelers had returned to their full capacity, and the Gliscor’s swift aerobatics weren’t unnoticed. By the time she was halfway over to the entrance, the Gliscor was soaring down on a collision course with her. As the shape of the general appeared in the corner of her eye, the whole right side of Fera’s body hardened in steel, ready to Counter as soon as the general’s pincer would make contact.

The general’s crazed grin widened. Rather than strike into Fera head-on, Naress sailed by the Riolu, less than an inch separating the woman’s chest from the girl’s back. In the instant that she had, Naress’ stinger swung inward, and lashed across Fera’s vulnerable left side. Fera let out a wail, her Iron Defense faltering, as she fell onto one knee.

“Too predictable! Maybe the guild oughta stop using child soldiers!” Naress howled with laughter, returning into the sky as quickly as she had come, well out of range for any sort of counterattack.

Bennett hurried over to Fera’s side, riled up into a panic from the sight of the vicious tactic. The Riolu would not look at him, curled forward and wallowing in frustration. Redness dripped slowly from the shallow cut on her side.

“F-Fera, get up! C’mon, ‘fore that lunatic swoops down again…!” Bennett reached over and nudged the girl from her front, trying to be cautious of her wound. Her eyes were shut tight.

Lulu came closer, ready to offer first-aid for the minor injury. As she approached, Fera felt the aura of the Gliscor once more. She had stayed still, shutting out the pain to keep her senses honed, and now the Gliscor’s presence swung back in their direction, her energy fierce and on the attack.

Naress’ pincer struck deep into the jagged rock surface above the cave entrance. With enough force and precision, a series of firm rocks had been knocked out of place, cascading toward the set of three explorers with murderous intent. By the time the hit had landed, Fera jerked forward, heading into the cave entrance with what little time she had.

“Hey! Hey!!” Bennett squealed and yelled, unaware of what had even been initiated, as he followed in Fera’s footsteps. The Lopunny behind them had no choice but to do the opposite, leaping back to avoid the disaster that was coming.

In moments, the sharp rocks crashed into the ground, many shattering as they piled up at the entrance, sealing it off. Fera and Bennett found themselves on the interior, with their comrades left at the opposite side, all thankfully unharmed. The Bidoof jumped up with the sound of the rockslide, and looked behind him at the now-darkened entryway.

“Wh-what in the hell?!” Bennett ran over to the stones that blocked his way, but stopped himself from making contact. He knew better than to disturb the strained entrance and risk a total cave-in. His fear and anguish was redirected onto his friend. “Why’d ya do that?! We’re stuck here!!”

“We’re… fine. We have to get to the Time Gear. It’s for the mission.” Fera huffed and dug through her dusty bag, searching furiously. A roll of bandages was produced from within it. The girl started to wrap up her torso, covering the injury that lay just above her hip.

“That was reckless, Fera! Darn reckless!” Bennett struggled to stay firm on the girl, his eyes drawn to the wrappings on her cut. “What if that gets infected? Ain’t no way to get back to base camp with this hole blocked up!”

“It’s gonna be fine, Bennett. I’m strong.” The word echoed in her mind, giving her faith in her own claim. She corrected her hunched posture, and looked at the Bidoof. “This is what we needed. We can’t fight those bandits ourselves, but… if everyone else is fighting, we’re the ones that’ll get to the lake. It’s the most important thing we can do right now.”

“...y’ain’t s’posed to decide that yerself, Fera.” Bennett waddled to her side. “I’m gonna have to report that when we get back with everyone. But we’ll press on for now.”

“Thanks. Will it, uhm, make things better if I let you bring the Gear back to everyone?”

“Ain’t no one movin’ any Gear, Fera! The thing stays right here to keep time flowin’ right! Sheesh…”

“Right, right. Sorry.” Fera sputtered out a laugh. She hadn’t hoped for company on her mission, but perhaps it would be okay. It was better to have a friend there than to not. “Lead the way, Bennett.”

“Ya better believe I will. Just stick behind me.” His anger had subsided, of his own volition. It would only be a detriment to hold a grudge while something so precious hung in the balance. The duo continued into the cavern, led by faint red light.

---

On the exterior, Lulu stood with her fists clenched, watching Naress circle their group from above with her familiar grin. A single drop of blood fell from the general’s stinger. The Lopunny called out in anger.

“You stoop lower every time we meet. Are the lives of children not even safe from Obiria’s iron claw?”

“Don’t talk to me about morals, fiend. You knew what you were getting yourselves into when you brought those pups here.” Naress’ smugness lessened, as she swerved lower in the air. “Akana’s glory waits for no one, least of all vermin like yourselves.”

“You are a plague on Akana’s soil. I’ll strike you down myself!” The Lopunny trembled with rage. Despite her fury, she could do little while the general flew about in safety, but she planned to remedy that soon. However, she first faced the rumbling feeling from the ground beneath her and her allies.

Two Hippowdon roared out as they emerged from underground, their plated skin reinforced by stone armor. From their pores, streams of sand were whipped into the air, starting to blind the explorers.

“Gah!” Valo reared back, starting to flap his wings in an attempt to push away the sandstorm, but his efforts were in vain. The two bandits simply smiled, letting their bodies do the work for them while their Sand Stream flooded the air.

In the field of sandy wind, Naress swooped down for another blow, venom dripping off of her stinger while she angled herself toward the Lopunny. Even with the sand beating against her eyes and ears, however, Lulu was not one to be taken advantage of. The explorer watched the silhouette approach her from the corner of her eye, and swung her body to the left, blasting into Naress’ swing with a flash-freezing Ice Punch. Her opponent did little more than hiss and retreat into the air once more, crystals of ice flicking off her body.

“Sorry, Missus Vitzés, but… I can’t…!” Valo grunted. More sand particles beat against his skin, making each gust of wind from his body come weaker and do less to protect himself.

“Leave this to someone that can handle it, Valo!” Lily spoke her annoyed words with conviction, as she struck her rosy hands against the dirt. Their petals burst with a green aura, as her vines melded into the grassy terrain.

A flurry of overgrown roots exploded out around the Hippowdon, catching the bandits off-guard. Their trunk-like forms curled in, grasping and restraining the two with enough force to nearly knock them unconscious. After enough wriggling to find their place, the roots pressed into and plugged the Hippowdon’s sand pores, ending the Sand Stream prematurely.

“Good work, Lilith!” Lulu patted some of the sand out of her facial fur. “Is everyone alright?”

A set of resolute affirmations responded to her.

“Good! Because we’re not out of the woods yet!” Lulu fixed her gaze on the forestry that they had emerged from. Ten more bandits drew near, each ready to strike at the explorers from a different angle. “Lilith, I trust you can handle your role?”

“If this is my role, then certainly.” The Roselia stared at the ground, her roots so deeply ingrained that she was stuck in place.

“We’ll cover you as long as you need.” Lulu’s confidence returned to her. Around her, the other explorers had readied themselves for combat. With a shout, she led her soldiers into battle.

---

The winding paths of the lake’s forest had nearly disoriented Vivian and Tai while they sprinted, but they knew the way well enough now. Their focus was disrupted briefly by the sound of collapsing stones in the direction of the towering lake.

“What was that?” Vivian whined while trying to peer past the trees, but she could see nothing of the lake’s ground level area.

“We’re not gonna figure it out just standing here, get moving!” Tai now took the lead, diverting their course into the overgrowth to save time. Vivian apprehensively followed.

The Stunky soon skidded to a halt and the Eevee did the same, having to avoid a sudden drop into a rushing river. Tai growled.

“Of course, we had to go the way that gets stopped by water… why isn’t Bennett here to help?!”

“Because he’s WITH Fera, so don’t get cold feet now! Just swim over!”

“Not happening! I don’t… “ Tai’s frustration dwindled. “I don’t ‘do’ rivers. Let’s just keep going!”

“But—!”

Before they could mull over their direction, the sound of a blistering sandstorm boomed off to their left, sending particles of dust into their range of vision.

“Okay, something’s going on over there and we shouldn’t be part of it! Move, Vivian!” Tai winced and turned right, running parallel to the river in the hopes of finding a safe way across. Vivian reluctantly came with him, already losing track of the path that led to Fera’s supposed location. Their search led them only farther down the stream, finding no bridge or safe jumping point.

“Look, this isn’t gonna work. Rivers don’t just end, they have a starting point and then they go into lakes or oceans!” The Eevee huffed out her words as she sped up to get beside Tai. “Can we just go across??”

“Water is not SAFE! You want me to drown or something?!” The boy growled at her, but Vivian responded by bumping his side lightly.

“The water is not that deep, and the river is not that wide, Tai. We’re gonna lose too much time and energy if we just keep running like this!”

The Stunky looked away from her, his eyes on the water now, as they both slowed down. “It’s… scary, alright? Water sucks.”

“Come on, Tai, please. This is important, Fera could get hurt!”

He stayed quiet, unwilling to reciprocate, as he watched the running water. Vivian entered his field of vision, walking past him and stepping onto the sloped edge leading into the river.

“H-hey!” Tai’s call received no response, as the Eevee slid cautiously into the brisk water. Her head lifted above the surface along with her tail, as she began to paddle easily through the current, but stopped midway. Vivian turned back to Tai while splashing lightly in the river.

“It’s just a few seconds of swimming, alright? If you get scared or stuck, I’ll help you out.” Vivian stared him down with pleading eyes.

“I…”

“Please just trust me, Tai. We’re a team, right?”

The Stunky gulped, and timidly stepped forward. He winced when the cold water grazed his front paw, but continued with a few more paces, until his body was submerged.

“F-feels baaad…” Tai held his head high, panting as his front legs splashed hard and began to pull him through the watery passage.

“Just breathe. You’re gonna feel worse if you start panicking over nothing.” Vivian waded over to Tai’s side, nudging him slightly as he drifted with the current.

After an agonizing few moments, Tai’s claws dug into the dirt on the other side. He gasped for air that he didn’t quite need, and, with another push from Vivian, the two emerged, their fur and bags soaked but completely fine. He leapt forward and started to shake water out of his frizzy fur.

“Water still SUCKS… but, thanks…”

“It’s nothing. We need to keep going!” Vivian regained her determination, flicking water from her body before running ahead. Tai let out a bothered yelp, and followed.

Less than a minute passed before they reached some semblance of their destination. The monolith was looming overhead, casting a shadow onto the duo. In front of them, a small crevice functioned as an entrance to something within.

“They’re not here…” Tai grumbled, searching around in case his allies were hidden somewhere, but Vivian approached the jagged opening.

“If I know Fera… she’s probably coming here to see the Time Gear. She always takes things into her own paws.”

“So then… we’re gonna be the ones to get it first! I knew they couldn’t keep me down for long!” Tai grinned with renewed vigor, but tried to restrain himself. “Or, protect it, whatever we’re gonna do when we get there.”

“That woman mentioned something about a ‘Time Guardian’. If we can get there and help keep them safe, Fera won’t have to strain herself to do the same. And we could buy enough time for everyone else to force the bandits away.”

“Then what are we waiting for? Nowhere to go but up, literally!” Tai strolled in quickly, and Vivian came to his side. The duo vanished into the darkly lit southeastern entrypoint.

 

[Roser]

Chapter 28: Belly of the Beast​

August 10th, 928 EP

From within the rocky passage, the two saw a narrow but echoing cavern, illuminated by flowing magma that lined crystalline patches on the walls. Steaming hot water flowed down from divots above them, and funneled into holes in the earth before vanishing from sight. Somewhere, Fera lay ahead of them. Somewhere, the Time Gear waited for them.

“Is that… fire?” Tai mused about the liquidy substance, only to recoil as their wandering path brought him too close to it. “H-hot air, ow, ow!”

“That’s magma… I never would’ve thought there was magma in a place like this! Is Fogbound Lake a volcano?” Vivian gasped from the odd revelation, stricken by the thoughts of greater discoveries, but she shook her head. “It doesn’t matter! Just stay away from it and let’s keep going.” She swerved to the left, not wanting to get cooked by molten rocks. The humid air around them was persistent.

“This place seems like it sucks… I’m gonna melt if we have to stay in here for long.” Tai’s moist fur was frizzed even further with the warmth around them. The glow of the magma kept their way lit, as their path gradually ascended.

“Then let’s just hope Fera and the others didn’t get too far in. But we’re going to the top if we can’t find them.” The girl tilted her head up while she inspected the ceiling. More streams filled the cavern with noise ahead of them, but seemed to die off as they grew closer to a brighter section of the path. Their steps curved to the left with the winding walkway.

Beyond the rocky interference, the two entered a towering chamber, off-brown stone tinted red by long, gorgeous streaks of magma that encircled the area. Water poured down the walls, weaving between stretches of fiery rocks. In the center of it all was a great spire, connecting from the ground level to perhaps the highest peak of the parabolic structure, and connecting back to the walls around it numerous times with bridge-like beams. Its main body splintered into three branches part of the way up, each one trailing towards the ceiling. All around the empty space, goopy red figures dragged and climbed along the walls, affixing themselves to the magma segments.

“W-what ARE those things?! They look gross…!” Tai wretched and took a step back, his rear thudding on a portion of wall.

“Those are Slugma!” Vivian marveled at the sight of the creatures. “They’re Fire-type elementals that grow out of lava, but I didn’t expect to see anything like them here.”

“Oh. So they can’t hear me call them gross, then. That’s good.” Tai relaxed himself slightly with the knowledge that the strange things were mindless. “Do we, uh, do anything about them?”

“Not unless they do something about us. For now, we need to look for a way up.” Vivian gestured to the stone spire before them.

“Nooooo… what if we have to climb that, that’s so taaaaaall…” Tai grumbled aloud, but he came along as Vivian started towards the structure, their steps echoing quietly amidst the squelching sounds of the Slugma. While they had anticipated a more literal climb, they stopped as they reached the looming pillar. At its base, a stairway had been carved out of the stone. “…that’s a bit creepy. Someone’s expecting company.”

“It’s useful, too. I’d rather someone’s expecting us than us having to climb by ourselves. Just keep your eyes peeled for traps.” Vivian hopped forward onto a step along with Tai, staring ahead at the long circular pathway. Thankfully, there was no deep dust that could obscure buried traps like their last exploration. It would take time, but if this kept up, the duo would be able to reach even the unseen summit of Fogbound Lake without burning through their energy.

Several minutes into their gradual ascent, a panicked wail echoed through the chamber, catching their attention and making Tai flinch.

“D-damn fiery pests! Get outta here…!” The familiar and strained voice came from one of the branches of the spire. When the duo looked up toward it, they saw swarms of Slugma crawling on the underside of a bridge, some bearing hefty shells on their backs, crawling towards their target. The Stunky let out a yell.

“B-Bennett!!” Tai whimpered loudly, then redirected himself to focus on the staircase again. The boy took off at rapid speed, leaving Vivian in his literal dust.

“Wait, don’t run off…!” The older girl was hesitant, but she knew there was nothing else to be done. Both of them now hurried up the forgotten stairs, trailing after the call of their friend’s voice with fear building inside them.

---

As Fera and Bennett roamed in the dim cavern, the silence between them gradually dwindled. While the latter had tried to keep up a stoic front due to Fera’s rashness, it was more beneficial and pleasant to resume regular behavior as they delved into the lake’s depths. Their chatter was directed onto the environment around them.

“This place is sort of beautiful, you know? I didn’t think I’d see so many cool things while we were on the expedition, but I was really hoping to.” Fera smiled, the girl watching a river of steaming water trail past two magma veins.

“If yer lucky, we’ll have time for enjoyin’ it later. No more sittin’ around for drawin’ on the mission.”

“Aww. I wasn’t gonna, just so you know.” Fera scoffed, anxiously sliding her drawing paper back into the mess of her bag’s interior. “I’m just wondering what made all this. The path’s really smooth, so it doesn’t seem natural.”

“…if I had to wager a guess, I’d say that the Time Guardian made this place. But I couldn’t give ya a good reason why,” Bennett said.

“Could one Pokemon really make all this, though?” She gestured out at the mysterious terrain, nearly losing herself in her curiosity. A wince of pain from her wound caused her to snap back to reality, just in time to witness the answer that Bennett had found.

“Prolly wasn’t jus’ one.” Ahead of them, a massive open chamber stretched into the sky. Their high path had brought them onto a bridge that connected to the center spire, which was soon to split off into three more. On the craggy bridge, several Slugma loitered mindlessly, and dozens more decorated the walls around them.

“Woah… crazy!” Fera moved forward to stand beside Bennett, while the two slowly progressed into the ominous room. “Are these guys the townsfolk here?”

“Not likely. From what I can tell, they’re Slugma, a kinda elemental. They couldn’t tell berries from bombs, let alone make a town.” Their steps clacked and rang on the solid stone bridge, but they moved more slowly as the Slugma impasse became more prevalent.

“Guess we can’t ask them to move, then.” She frowned at the living obstacle. A small pack of Slugma was pressing their faces into the stone, making an unenjoyable gulping noise while suckling on hot rocks. “Or to stop doing that.”

“Erm… maybe they’ll move if we give ‘em some time?” Bennett sweated with the growing heat, not wanting to get any closer to the lava beings for myriad reasons.

Once the suckling ordeal was finished, the four Slugma turned towards the explorers, and began slithering their way, not seeming to notice the duo for obvious reasons. Fera and Bennett took a few steps back.

“That didn’t work… we can’t just let them push us all the way back to the entrance!”

“Arright, arright, fine. I’ll spook ‘em, an’ hopefully they’ll clear outta our way.” Bennett stood his ground, grabbing a sizzling pebble from the ground. He yipped at its heat, and tossed it errantly at one of the Slugma. The rock squished into the creature’s head, melting away gradually without so much as a blink from its vacant eyes. “I dunno if they can be spooked, actually.”

“Well, they’re lava or something, right? Just give them a spray, they’re starting to weird me out.” Fera frowned and took another step back from the approaching beasts. She had had her fair share of elemental menaces today.

“Here goes nothin’...” Bennett puffed up his cheeks as they filled with water. Once he had built up enough pressure, he sprayed his Water Gun at the frontmost Slugma. With a loud sizzle and a burst of steam, the front of the Slugma suddenly hardened into stone, and the rest of its body trembled violently in response. At the sight of it, the remaining Slugma let out a low screech, flames sparking up on their bodies.

“M-maybe bad idea, sorry!” Fera stumbled back slightly, then gripped her fists to prepare for a fight. The Bidoof in front of her was more exasperated, but not ready to back down.

“If they ain’t gonna make this any easier, I’ll jus’ deal with ‘em now!” A watery aura built up around the Bidoof, as the three remaining Slugma oozed toward him as rapidly as they could. Another high-pressure spray was released, now slinging across all three of the enraged Pokemon like a liquid whip. More smoke burst off of their bodies, but the creatures were immobilized all the same. Bennett launched himself forward, swinging around the group of odd creatures. “Let’s get this show on the road!”

“Yeah yeah!” The Riolu smiled faintly with Bennett’s display of power, and followed in his footsteps on the sturdy bridge. Despite their early victory empowering them, the duo was stopped short right after. From the sides of the land path, more Slugma started to rise up, flames flowing from their backs while they converged on the two.

“Th-they were under the bridge too?!” Bennett slammed his feet down and stopped, needing more concentration if he was going to deal with any of his new foes. His eyes darted around, trying to figure out which of the rapidly encroaching elementals to focus on, until he settled on the two Slugma that most immediately stopped their forward path. Just before he could launch his repeated attack, the swarm of Slugma assailed him with a barrage of Flame Bursts, singeing his fur and causing his Water Gun to fire prematurely at nothing. The Bidoof let out a panicked wail. “A-augh!!”

“Bennett!” Fera whined out, almost lost on what to do, before gusts of wind formed at her paws. With a forward strike, a set of Vacuum Waves blasted the flames clear off of the Bidoof’s fur, albeit too late to remove the damage he’d taken.

“D-damn fiery pests! Get outta here…!” Drops of water formed and spiraled around the young man. Pushing through the pain, Bennett fired off with an Aqua Jet, creating a burst of water that soaked and quelled the set of Slugma that blocked their way, while he ended up on the other side of them in the process. He glanced back at the Riolu tiredly. “Get over here, Fera!”

The girl nodded, rushing past the petrified Slugma before their still-moving allies could sear her with Flamethrower. Their dash brought them to one of the three spires, reaching safer ground but forced to watch yet more of the Slugma move across the bridge. Fera’s expression turned sour.

“Just… get OUT OF HERE!” Fera threw up her paws, gathering as much power in them as she could. With two solid Iron Punches, she struck into her end of the bridge, creating a massive ripple throughout the stone structure. Sounds reverberated through the entire cavern, before the chunk of bridge before the Riolu crumbled and gave way. The Slugma could only barely understand what lay ahead of them, all turning and sloshing away from the collapse at their sluggish speed. More pieces of the structure fell off, and a number of the Slugma fell to the cavern’s floor with them. As the raucous noise died down, half of the bridge was destroyed and out of sight, with the Slugma safely trapped and out of reach.

“Jeez…” Bennett did his best to catch his breath. “Don’t go trashin’ the environment, Fera, ya could break somethin’ important… but thanks…”

“Sorry. I panicked a bit.” She hufed while reorienting herself, turning her gaze to the winding spire’s top. “We just gotta go up from here, right? Um, if the lake’s at the top of this, I mean.” She knew quite well that some kind of lake waited above them. That eerie vision made it clear to her. Still, she felt some urge to keep up the lie.

“Should be. An’ goin’ down isn’t gonna get us much of anywhere. Jus’ gotta watch yer footi—”

His words were silenced by a deep and groaning roar, and then by a gnashing sound that repeated itself every second. The two looked around the reddened room in a frenzy, but saw nothing to explain the sounds. Another roar came, and Fera’s feelers quivered. Slowly, the girl came to the edge of the jagged spire’s pathway, and kneeled down to observe.

From within the greater spire, a metallic monster had crawled out of the stone. Its grotesque body now gripped the spire wall, and its mangled foot reached up, making the gnashing sound in the rocky surface as it climbed up towards Bennett and Fera. A more experienced explorer could have recognized the monstrosity as something called a ‘Heatran’, but to the two young explorers, it was their pursuer.

“Th-the hell’s that thing?!” Bennett trembled from the sight of the beast. “It’s climbin’ straight up the rock wall!”

“Do we fight it??” Fera watched the creature from afar, but the distance was slowly closing between them. As it marched upwards, its mouth lolled open, showing a pit of molten steel within its body. “Okay, no we don’t! Run!” The Riolu reared back from the edge and turned to the auspicious staircase, both of them hurrying up and away from the imposing being.

Their panicked steps took them far while they circled around their branched spire, but the gnashing sound persisted no matter how fast they ran. Each time they would loop around the staircase, and each time they would witness the creature closing the gap between them once it came into view again. It was impossible to outpace the beast, with how wide and tall the spire was, so long as it could continue to gradually ascend unfettered. Another rotation around the spire passed, and Fera could see the Heatran approaching once more, now almost halfway up to them.

“Dammit, this isn’t gonna work…!” The girl looked around, trying to find some saving grace to prevent their demise. Her attention came to the wall beside her, and she struck into it hard with an Iron Punch. A rumbling chunk of stone came out of the wall, causing Bennett to cease his running, looking at Fera in bewilderment from a few stairs ahead.

“Y’tryna blow out the pillar before we can finish climbin’?!”

“No, I’m just gonna deal with this right now!” Fera gripped the boulder hard, breaking it into three smaller pieces, and she tossed aside two of them. Her legs shook from the height that she looked down, but her aim on the Heatran was steady. With a thrust and a shout, Fera threw the first stone with a Force Palm, letting it hurtle towards her foe.

The Heatran’s eyes stared blankly as the object approached, until the rock shattered like glass against the monster’s iron face. It let out a furious roar, its torso aglow with shifting magma, and its pace grew faster towards the two.

“Ugh!” Fera winced and grabbed another, then shot it down hard. This time, the stone collided with Heatran’s leg, again breaking apart while leaving the monster unharmed. Not even a direct hit shook its leg from its sturdy place. The beast’s mouth hissed with glowing magma, intimidating enough to make Fera discard the third stone and resume running alongside Bennett. “This thing’s insane! It just took the rocks like I was breathing on it!”

“No use in fighting it. We’ll lose it a bit higher up, the summit can’t be too far now!” Bennett subdued his gasping breath as he continued to rise. They passed by another bridge, leaving it in the hopes of ascending to safety or finding a better path away from the monster. The air at their feet grew hotter with the Heatran’s approach.

As it climbed, the Heatran’s ironclad feet would cross over the staircase. By some kind of instinct, it tore and broke through each part of the stairs that it touched, ruining them beyond repair. The way back was thoroughly lost.

The duo stopped abruptly as they rounded the endless corner. A pack of Slugma was oozing down from higher up on the spire’s steps, and at the front was an oddly-shaped Slugma, bearing a molten shell on its back.

“This ain’t good.” Bennett’s body tightened, readying and releasing a quick Water Gun to try and frighten the creatures away. The aquatic blast caused the Magcargo to shrivel in pain and harden, but its body burst with heat, reanimating from stone instantly. Its deep red body moved closer to them.

“Change of plans, we’re getting out of here!” Fera reached down suddenly, and lifted up Bennett like a sack of wriggling berries. She turned and leapt down the stairs, avoiding a set of incoming Flame Bursts by the skin of her teeth. The only path left for them was the previously scorned bridge, even if it meant a close encounter with the Heatran.

“GUUAAAAAR!” The creature came into sight as Fera descended, about to climb onto the stairs beside her. Its mouth opened again, the heat inside spiraling like mad, ready to incinerate the explorers. A spray of liquid fire came past its jagged lips. Fera moved by reflex, holding Bennett against her chest as she rolled like a ball, ducking under the fiery attack by a thin margin. The blistering heat of the spray melted through the stone wall and scorched Fera’s back by proximity, but she had crested past the Heatran with her life.

“Y-you’ve been gettin’ quicker every day.” Bennett weakly laughed as Fera bounced out of her dodge roll, letting himself be carried.

“Explorers have to be sharp.” Fera smiled through the weak pain. The sudden movement had aggravated her cut, but she would be fine. Her frantic flight brought her back to the bridge, and she ran as fast as her dark blue legs would let her.

The Heatran crawled from the stairs to the start of the bridge, its eyes locked on its targets. It picked up ludicrous speed, no longer having to cautiously carry its own weight on the walls, now charging at them like a crazed Ariados. The Riolu glanced back at the beast, only barely staying faster than it.

“You, uh, got any more ideas? I really was just banking on running!” She panted while racing towards another tunnel entrance.

“Attacks don’t do nothin’… it climbs through anythin’… an’ water runs right offa the stronger creatures here. Either we get away from it, or we take it outta commission some other way.” Bennett stared on at the dark tunnel. Behind them, the hordes of Slugma were coalescing onto the bridge, although none could match the Heatran’s speed. “This thing’s some breed of elemental. All we gotta do is outsmart it somehow.”

“It’s really hard to outsmart someone that just runs at you really fast while you’re thinking!” Fera proceeded into the winding tunnel, her way lit once more by narrow magma veins. The space was just wide enough that the Heatran would be able to pursue them, its girthy form stomping at them without exhaustion. The Riolu huffed through her teeth, and put Bennett aside.

“Don’t stop here, c’mon!” The Bidoof hopped in place, trying to urge Fera to run with him. Instead, with a strong jump, Fera leapt up and struck the roof of the tunnel at full force, blowing through and shattering layers of stone. As she landed, she turned and dashed away. “Oh, NOW you run!” Bennett hurried after his friend.

With a flurry of dust, the top of the small passageway started to collapse in on itself. The Heatran’s head was struck with a stony avalanche, until the tunnel before it was fully packed with debris blocking its way. From the other side, now safely separated, Fera and Bennett could hear the beast let out an infuriated roar.

“I’d like to see it get through THAT.” Fera smirked, but the expression faded quickly. “It’s definitely gonna get through that. But I bought us some time.”

“Ya sure did. This is a real bad deal, though… ain’t any good way to get back to the guildmaster.” Bennett frowned, him and Fera moving away from the ruined passage at a brisk pace. “An’ we’re still a fair shot from the top of this place, from what I can reckon.”

As the monolith rose up from the ground, it expanded out from its base like a chalice, and as such, more chambers existed in its depths. The duo had now splintered off into a smaller vertical chamber, surrounded by streaks of warm water and shimmering magma that spiraled along the walls in unison, being intersected by another stairway to climb. Thankfully, there were no Slugma that accompanied it, and they seemed to be a bit up the chamber already.

“If we’re lucky, we can actually knock it off at some point going up.” Fera moved quickly on a sloped bridge, heading for the stairs. “If it keeps sticking—”

“Fera!! Is that you?!” Vivian’s voice called out from below them. The blue-furred girl had been so frazzled by her escape that she hadn’t realized the presence of two familiar auras, and she and Bennett rushed to the bridge’s edge to inspect. Vivian and Tai had emerged from another pathway at the chamber’s floor.

“Vivian!! What’re you guys doing here, this place is really dangerous!” Fera whined out some concern, causing Vivian to distantly pout.

“That’s WHY we’re here! What was that THING?”

“It’s—”

A deep roar came from the blocked passage, which was rapidly getting less blocked, as the Heatran melted and chewed its way through the blockade. Fera’s fur shot up, and, at Bennett’s lead, the two started running again.

“—a big problem! Get outta here and find the guildmaster, or someone!” The Riolu’s voice trailed off while she began to ascend.

“We gotta go after them!” Vivian stomped her feet and took off, with Tai trailing behind.

As she grew closer to the level Fera had called her from, the beast returned. The Heatran screeched deeply, tromping into the room and denting the stone beneath its feet as it went. After a brief scan around the area, its gaze locked onto the Riolu that had challenged its authority. The ground shook as the Heatran took off after the girl and her teammate, leaving Vivian and Tai to cower slightly from the sight.

“J-jeez… that thing looks like it eats babies.” Tai gulped, but went forward again. “Hope we can do something about it…!”

“Of course we can! Explorers are the ones that do things about monsters like that!” Vivian moved ahead of him, more resolute than before. Soon, she was trailing behind the beast’s literal footsteps, watching as it latched onto the opposing wall. Rather than waste its time circling the chamber, it had chosen to start climbing straight up, once again trying to cut off the duo.

“That thing’s smarter than it looks.” Vivian observed with apprehension, gradually getting closer.

“Or it’s too stupid to use stairs.” Tai growled.

The creature could not hear or understand them, as its plated feet dug into the terrain, dragging it higher and higher. Fera could only watch its climb and her teammates that refused to flee, trying to keep her speed up while formulating a plan.

Vivian tossed her head upward. The magma veins and waterfalls were alluring, but they were also the only part of her environment she could figure something to do with. Between the two, running water was her better option. The girl reared down and opened her mouth.

“Tai! I’m gonna use Shadow Ball, so… get its attention somehow!” Flecks of purple energy formed beneath her fangs as she spoke.

“A-alright!” Tai tightened his face and shut his mouth, letting a wave of embers form in preparation. The staticky energy of Vivian’s attack continued to grow, building into a terrifying orb. She hadn’t needed to use the move since her encounter in Wish Cave, but she knew that it would fare even worse against this mystery creature than against the slumbering Jirachi. Luckily, she wouldn’t need to hit it.

“Fera! Get away from the monster!” Vivian shouted around the barely steady orb. It was hard to focus with shadowy sparks grazing the Eevee’s cheek, but she wouldn’t let it bother her. Hearing her call, Fera and Bennett reluctantly held themselves back, trying to not align themselves with Vivian’s aim. The Heatran roared and marched closer to them.

Tai leaned forward and opened his mouth. From deep within, a blistering Flamethrower sprayed from the tiny Stunky, a cone of twisting embers aimed at the beast. The swirling inferno rushed onto the Heatran’s body— not enough to wound it, but enough to sizzle its metallic plates and catch its focus. The monster roared, and turned its head.

“Huah!” Vivian jerked her body forward, and let the Shadow Ball whizz through the air with violent speed. It took only an instant before the attack collided with the path of one of the water divots, and the impact blew away a wide chunk of stone. Like a broken funnel, the water was suddenly redirected, and sent flying down at the Heatran as a steaming waterfall.

“Uaaaagggghhh!!” The beast screeched and writhed as its body was suddenly tormented by the water flow. Its magma-filled torso began to glow red. With the cool water and burning insides of the creature making contact, a torrent of steam burst off of the Heatran’s body. Clouds of smoke spun out from its sizzling skin, blanketing the area in white.

“Hah! That worked way better than I thought it would!” Vivian huffed and smiled with some pride, but started to grow more anxious. The steam continued to expand, billowing out relentlessly from its unseen point of origin. The water was still pouring onto the Heatran, and its body still burned with heat enough to evaporate it.

“Vivian! You have to leave, NOW!” Fera shouted out from the other side of the wispy air. The density of it hid everything but Bennett from her view, and her memory of where the creature was clinging to the wall would do her no good. All she could do was listen in horror to the sounds of the Heatran’s feet tromping down the wall, racing towards Vivian.

The haze stretched down to the ground and expanded towards Vivian and Tai, causing the latter to dispel his Flamethrower and back away. Vivian shook, taking a step back. Metal clanked against stone. The Heatran had descended the wall in a matter of seconds, now moving on the bridge to charge them.

“Run, RUN!” Tai recoiled into the fog, lost from Vivian’s sight immediately. The Eevee looked left and right, no longer remembering where the edges of the bridge were, or how to find the exits. Paralysis consumed her as she was lost in her thoughts, only able to step away from where she faced, unwilling to be attacked from behind. A silhouette emerged.

“A-ahhhhh!” Vivian shut her eyes and tensed, following the one reflex that came naturally to her. A shimmering sphere of Protect surrounded her body, her only defense to the Heatran, who reared its front legs up.

“Guaggg! GUAAGGG!” The Heatran slammed its feet onto the Protect, causing it to ripple and shine but not relent. Vivian flinched from the strikes that repeated on her barrier. A light shone from above, and she opened an eye.

The Heatran’s maw hung open, letting the girl stare into the molten lava that allowed its body to persist. With a guttural noise, the beast unleashed a Lava Plume, spewing liquid flame onto the barrier in a constant stream. Even with its power, the Protect would not yield. Yet, it would not need to yield.

As the attack persisted, seconds building into seconds, the warmth from the flare passed through the Protect’s walls. Even if the barrier could hold off any attack, it could not prevent sheer heat from spreading. The barrier that kept the Eevee safe slowly turned into a fiery tomb, broiling without pause. Sweat dripped across the girl’s face, her insides turned. Vivian’s body began to succumb.

“Nnh…!” Vivian fell forward, drained of all energy, and the Protect shattered in her moment of weakness. The Heatran’s feet slammed onto the ground, its attack finally able to connect.

The stream of molten heat coursed across Vivian’s entire body, consuming her. She let out a weak scream, but could barely be heard through the roar of the Heatran’s attack. Her mind drifted and weakened, unable to endure the sensation of fire seeping into her. As the haze in the room cleared, Fera and Tai were forced to watch, seeing their friend wilting under the brutal attack.

“GET OFFA HER!!” Bennett shouted to the beast that could not understand him. The Bidoof burst from the steaming waterfall, his body aglow in Aqua Jet. He flew across the ground, and swerved toward the Heatran’s right side. Every ounce of energy in his body was concentrated into his attack. He tackled his side into the Heatran at full force, creating a burst of steam from the collision. With its guard down, the beast was blown off of the stone bridge, making a pitiful roar while falling into the crater below. Bennett nearly fell to the ground with his attack finished, wheezing through his teeth. His left side was seared from the single moment of contact with the Heatran, but his focus was on the burning girl before him.

After a moment of charge, Bennett sprayed Vivian with a Water Gun, his mind awash in fear. The embers encasing the girl slowly died down. When his stream ended, the teammates could see that Vivian had collapsed. Her fur was burnt black in spots, and tears dripped from her shut eyes. The fanciful bow around her ear had been reduced to seared fabric. Her body twitched.

“I-I…” Vivian reached a shaky paw toward the ground and tried to stand up. She fell back down immediately, too wounded to move an inch. “I can’t…”

“Save yer strength, girl, ‘s gonna be okay. ‘S gonna be okay…” Bennett knelt down, gingerly lifting Vivian from the ground, causing her to wince. Nothing he could do would spare her from some more pain and aching, but he knew better than to leave her lying in her misery.

“Vivian!!” Fera called out from the rocky wall. She had started to descend on sloped rocks, barely keeping her footing in her panic. The Riolu leapt down to their level and ran to Vivian’s side. A look of sorrow was stuck on Fera’s face.

“I-I’m… sorry…” Vivian coughed, opening her eyes now to see Fera before her. Amidst all her pain, there was shame in her words.

“P-please be okay, Vivian. Please.” Fera whined and rummaged through her bag, searching for something to try and solve the situation. A jar of berry salve was produced, and Fera started to apply it to the most burnt spots on her friend’s body. Vivian shook from the sensation but let her friend help as she needed. From the end of the bridge, Tai weakly approached.

“I would’ve stopped this, but… I don’t know how. That thing was awful…”

“Ain’t anyone’s fault. These’re just the risks ya run with unexplored places.” Bennett surrendered the Eevee to Fera, letting the latter continue her healing work as delicately as she could. “At least the damn thing’s down…”

Bennett and Fera shared a concerned look, and the girl attuned her feelers. From below them, metal claws scraped on one of the chamber’s walls, slowly but surely growing louder and rising up. The four explorers looked across the gap beside the bridge, watching the fractured and oozing husk of the Heatran climbing up to their level once more.

“A-are you kidding? It’s STILL moving after that fall?!” Tai hissed and backed up, letting his fur puff out in a shallow attempt at intimidation. The Heatran groaned and growled, turning its head upward to stare at the explorers from a distance.

“Gruuurr…” Its mouth opened, letting magma drool off of its smashed lips. Embers and smoke spiraled out from its depths, readying another blistering attack on the explorers.

“S-stand behind me, I’ll handle this!” Bennett commanded his friends. Whether or not they believed he could do anything about it, Fera and Tai fell back to let Bennett shield them. Fera clutched the Eevee firmly against her chest.

A fiery pillar shot from the Heatran’s mouth, fanning out into a cone of flames that would stop any escape. With all that he could give, Bennett put up his aura of flowing water, expanding it around him like a forcefield of droplets. Steam rippled off from the lackluster defense. Fera and Tai recoiled from intense heat, while Bennett’s body took the brunt of the attack. Vivian watched from her friend’s hold.

“I-I got this…!” Bennett spewed water from his lips, and it fizzled away immediately. Sparks formed and built on the Bidoof’s curled fur. It was nigh impossible for him to see anything but the flames that spun in front of his eyes, but he could spot the Heatran staring him down as it fired. Its eyes saw past him, locked on the explorers behind him, ready to take them down next.

“Ben… nett…!” Vivian wailed out for her friend, knowing that he couldn’t take much more. Her paw reached out weakly in some fruitless gesture, already trembling from the residual heat that touched her. In the spiraling flames, a light broke through.

The figure of the Bidoof before her grew larger, rising from his front legs and standing tall. With his growth, his trusty explorer’s bag burst off of his back, landing on the ground before Fera. His shape shielded them fully from the relentless heat. The aura of water expanded and reformed, now an Aqua Ring that enveloped him and his friends. The light burst off of his fur, showing a Bibarel fighting back against the Heatran’s flames. His aura spiked once more.

Bennett lurched forward, and launched a newly-made Hydro Pump from his mouth in retaliation. An unfettered stream rushed against the Lava Plume, generating waves of steam that cascaded around the Aqua Ring. The torrent pushed back on the flames, and as they receded, the unbearable heat passed. It wouldn’t hurt them again.

The Heatran watched with widened eyes as the gushing water grew closer. It shut its mouth and braced itself against the wall, letting the attack connect rather than try to escape. A howl of pain came from the beast, whose cracked skin let off more steam from the Hydro Pump’s impact. Once the attack died off, the Heatran began to scurry up and along the wall, its form still caked in steam and sizzling with loose-flowing magma.

“B… Bennett, you’re amazing! And, um, big!” Fera’s tail wagged while she looked up at the Bibarel in admiration. He turned to her with a new and determined face.

“It ain’t over yet! We’re takin’ that thing down an’ gettin’ to the summit!” His voice rang out more deeply, almost to his own surprise. He lowered himself onto all fours once more, and sprinted onward to the stairs he had climbed before. Even if he lacked Fera’s pure speed, he could match the wounded Heatran’s pace well enough. Fera and Tai followed close behind.

The Heatran muttered enraged and confused noises, its eyes occasionally darting over to the Bibarel that chased it. As Bennett climbed the stairs, it hissed and let off a Flamethrower in his direction. The Bibarel’s body burst with blue energy, activating an Aqua Jet without any buildup or strain for the first time in his life, letting him dash past the errant Fire-type move with ease. With every movement, he drew closer to his target.

“Groaaaa!” The behemoth leapt off of the wall, landing on and shattering the stair before Bennett. In its rage, its mouth opened with another Lava Plume preparing in its core.

Bennett only smiled, his cheeks welling up once more. Before the Heatran could scorch him, Bennett’s Hydro Pump was fired squarely into its mouth. Steam and smoke erupted like a windstorm from the confused beast’s insides, but the attack persisted. The Heatran’s magma core began to smolder and slow down, and the heat that coursed through its body dwindled rapidly. It turned from Bennett as the Hydro Pump ended in a futile attempt to flee. He lunged forward at the foe.

“I’ll teach ya to hurt my friends!” With a spin, he slammed down on the Heatran’s back with Aqua Tail. The beast’s body had cooled off to the point that he could safely make contact, letting his attack strike with full force into the Heatran.

“GRROOOooaaaa…!” The Heatran shut its eyes, falling flat onto the broken stair. Its core had sustained enough damage for its body to finally shut down, and the faint glow from its torso faded away. Magma drizzled from its mouth, slowly hardening on the ground before the Bibarel.

“Hhaaa… hah…” Bennett collected himself, thoroughly exhausted from the use of his new form. His eyes wouldn’t move from the defeated elemental, and his heart still raced with the fear that the beast would spring to life again. Deep down, he knew that the fight was over. Peaceful silence persisted in the dim cavern.

“Bennett…”

The Bibarel turned to look at Vivian, who rested in Fera’s arms behind him. Enough salve had been applied to tend to her body, but she was still too scorched to stand on her own. Despite it, she was smiling.

“You’re really… a special kind of explorer.” She panted and rested against the Riolu, having used up all her energy once more.

“Thanks, Vivian… means a lot to me. But I ain’t done yet.” His eyes shifted up to look at Fera, and Tai behind her. “Those Slugma still gotta be lookin’ for us. An’ the Obirians must be makin’ a move for the Time Gear. I’m gonna get y’all down to the surface, an’ then go look for the lake myself.”

“C’mon, Bennett! You know we can’t do that!” Tai frowned at his friend, stomping his foot on the stone. “We’re the only ones that’ve gotten this far, we have to be! Which means now’s the time to go and guard the Gear!”

“He’s right. If we go back down, we’re just gonna run into the Obirians head-on, if they’re still fighting everyone down there.” Fera rested her paw on Vivian’s back to support her. “And I can’t sense an aura like that Heatran anymore. If there’s something up at the top, we’ll be able to handle it.”

“But, Vivian…” Bennett looked at the girl in concern. She shook her head.

“W-we’ve got… a mission. Even if I made it hard…” The Eevee coughed quietly between her words. “The Time Gear… matters.”

“…” The Bibarel sighed and turned ahead, ready to ascend again. “Stay close to me. Anythin’ happens, an’ y’all are to retreat with Vivian to the camp.”

“Like we’re gonna do that, I still wanna see you kick more ass!” Tai grinned, his eagerness getting ahead of his responsibility. A frown from Bennett put him back into place. “But, like, yeah, we’re gonna keep her safe.”

“Thanks, Bennett. We won’t let you down.” Fera spoke with renewed relief. At Bennett’s command, the group marched onward.

The Riolu’s body was still aching. She had been knocked around in turbulence, sliced, burned, and forced to exert herself more than ever. But beyond it all, the stifling, strangling feeling had grown stronger. Whatever laid at the top of Fogbound Lake, its presence weighed on Fera’s mind and body as she grew closer to the top, and—

The girl flinched, and glanced down. Vivian had turned slightly, now pressing onto Fera’s body for stability as the two went up the cavern together.

“You okay? I mean… of course you’re not, but…” Fera whined as she held the girl closer.

“I’ll be okay… I’m sorry.” Vivian spoke without turning her head.

“No more apologies, alright? I’m glad you were there for us.”

“Same to you.” The charred Eevee made a faint laugh. Her strength was waning, but she was stable.

Slowly, Fera shifted her arms to keep Vivian secure against herself. No matter what awaited them, they would face it as a team.

 

[Roser]

Chapter 29: Fogbound Lake​

August 10th, 928 EP

As Bennett led his team higher into the cavern, unopposed, the oppressive air broke. Stone gave way to dirt, and shadowy firelight faded into cool wind. Through a narrow corridor, sunlight struck across the Bibarel’s face for the first time in an hour, causing him to flinch, and smile. With a cautious but hopeful step, he brought his friends out of the darkness.

The group of four rose up into a rocky outcropping, surrounded on all edges by pale stones that seemed designed to prevent a fall. Gusts of wind howled across the smoothened land. On all sides, the distant terrain and still-persisting clouds of fog could be seen below them, with some mist still in the sky above. Their battle-stained campground was an indiscernible splotch from here.

“So high…” Vivian tilted her head up, peering over Fera’s shoulder to look at the expanse.

“It’s really pretty. Didn’t know we could even get this high.” Fera spun around slowly, taking in the new perspective of the world around her, and letting Vivian do the same. If her mission was not at hand, she would’ve put aside time to begin sketching out the sight. But, for now, she simply settled her grip on the Eevee, and looked to Bennett.

“Be careful, y’all. A spill from up here is devastatin’.” Bennett looked ahead rather than pausing for the scenery, spotting one last set of stairs in their way. He walked forward on his hind legs, with Fera and the rest in tow.

Cresting over the ridge revealed a peculiar and serene landscape, kept hidden on the high ground of the monolith. Grassy fields dotted with berry trees spread across the entire top of the platform, interspersed with rivers and flowerbeds. At its heart, a massive circular lake rested, its water perfectly still. A faint green light shone from its center, capturing Fera’s eyes before anything else could.

“What the hell IS this place? It’s like… a huge garden, or something.” Tai’s fur was puffed up again with some apprehension. Some instinct told him that the quaint scene was some kind of trick, although it was hard not to get lost in the majesty of it. Vivian turned herself to look at it fully.

“This… must be where the Time Gear is. Where no one could find it…”

“Halt!” A stern voice came from above them, causing Vivian to wince. By second nature, the other three readied themselves for a fight, trying to spot the source of their possible opponent. A grayish being descended from the mist, its head streaked with yellow curls, two thin tails swishing behind it. Its eyes stayed permanently shut.

“Stand down! We ain’t lookin’ for a fight!” Bennett’s glare almost made it seem the opposite, but he would not make a move until he felt it was needed.

“Then you should not have come here. Fogbound Lake is never to be seen by outsiders. Your very presence is an act of aggression.” Psychic energy formed around the being’s body, flowing in wispy blue waves. The feeling of it shook Fera’s sensors, but she stood strong. Another voice came from the distance.

“Uxie, wait!” A second being arrived, this one with a pink dome and tassels hanging from its head. The creature spun around to Uxie’s front, blocking its sight of the explorers. “Don’t be rash! These are our first outsiders…!”

“There is a time and place for curiosity, Mesprit, but this is not it. If I am correct, these ones belong to the group that struck down our Musharna and Castform in the south.” Uxie glared at the being called Mesprit. The latter grew unnerved.

“I guess, but…“ Their voice was pensive, clearly searching for an out. A third being arrived, its head blue and sharp, to give them one.

“We shouldn’t act without mercy. These outsiders are… not much of a threat, from what I can sense.”

“Hey!” Tai frowned at the claim, but a smack from Bennett’s tail shut him up. Uxie scoffed and continued.

“Appearances are deceiving, Azelf. We will not take chances with the safety of the Time Gear.”

“I will not force your hand. But we must spare them, at least.” The blue being known as Azelf gestured to the explorers, their focus on Vivian specifically. “They are seared and wounded, and that girl looks to be in bad condition. We are protectors, but we are not executioners.”

“…hmph.” Uxie’s aura receded, and their eyeless gaze went to the explorers again. “I apologize for my haste. In all my life, none but the residents of Fogbound Lake have set foot on this grass. I do not wish for the Time Gear’s location to be unveiled.” Mesprit floated to Uxie’s side and gave them a poke, trying to coerce more from the guardian. “If I may guess, you faced the Heatran that thrives in the caverns below.”

“We did, yeah. Our friend got burned up pretty bad.” Bennett’s glare softened, reminded of the girl’s condition. “We don’t wanna fight, for her sake. But we can’t leave yet.”

“I will apologize for your injuries, then. The Heatran and the other beings are part of what keeps this place safe, and we did not wish such harm onto young Pokemon. But what brings you to our land?” Azelf tilted their head. “You certainly did not wander this far.”

“We’re here to help you! The Time Gear’s gonna get stolen, and we’re gonna stop it!” Tai huffed through his nose with confidence, but it earned him a frown from Uxie.

“You believe you have any right to walk on sacred grounds and exert control over the Time Gear? How disgraceful…!” The being started to grow furious again, only assuaged by some concerned looks from its allies.

“It ain’t like that, there’s trouble! The Obirians are comin’ to steal your Time Gear, jus’ like they did with the one in Treeshroud Forest! We’re here on behalf of an explorer’s guild to help!” Bennett grew firm once again to get their attention. All three of the floating beings bore similar confused looks.

“Obirians? Treeshroud? Explorers…?” Mesprit spoke with quiet wonder. “What are those?”

“You don’t know? But, you guys HAVE a Time Gear!” Fera looked between the three strangers.

“All we know and see is what transpires in Fogbound Lake. Is there trouble afoot in the outside world?” Mesprit frowned with new concern.

“Big trouble…” Vivian stuck her head up to speak. “Our camp got raided… once the fog went down. And the general’s coming…”

“This is… a worrying day, it seems. But we will stand resolute.” Uxie’s head tipped forward as they weighed the issues put before them. However, their body jolted, and their head turned back up. “Another presence is approaching.”

“Huh?” Bennett looked around the paradise of a lake, seeing nothing and no one but the flora. He turned towards the slope that they had come from. Slowly, from the edge of the monolith, Valo flapped his wings and rose up, dragging along a wounded Naress in his talons. The woman shook weakly against his hold.

“Valo!” Fera hurried away to meet the Noivern, as he landed at the cave where she and her allies had emerged, keeping the Gliscor stuck under his foot. “What happened? Did we win?”

“Not quite… the guild’s still locked in combat with the last of the Obirians. And…” The Noivern’s eyes focused on the burnt Eevee in Fera’s grasp. “G… good lord. Is she alright?!”

“I’ll be fine, Valo… what’s left for us to do?” Vivian sat up with some strain, looking at the man with determination. It took another moment for him to recover from shock, and he nodded at her.

“…Jermaine is still on his way up here. He swung around to the other side of the lake while I was dealing with this… trash.” He glared down at the trapped Gliscor.

“Then…” Uxie clenched their fists, and swung away from the group, soaring towards the lake. “The outsiders are going to steal the Gear while my back is turned!” Mesprit yelped and flew after their friend.

“Wait for us!” Fera ran after the duo of new Pokemon with Vivian kept secure, Tai close behind her. Before Bennett could do the same, Valo threw up a claw.

“I’m not in the best shape… I need you to keep the general held down while I go check on the Time Gear.” The man flinched as Naress struggled under him.

“Sure thing, bud.” The Bibarel moved over to Valo’s side, pushing onto Naress and pinning her down to let the Noivern step off of her.

“You can’t keep me down for long, villains. Akana finds a way.” She dragged her wing against the ground, her struggles dying down. Azelf floated closer to them, looking deeply at Valo.

“Sir… why is your presence so fierce?”

“Huh?” The Noivern’s ear twitched. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Your psychic presence. It’s… unnerving. You’ve got so much energy flowing off of you.”

“What do they mean, Valo?” Bennett looked at his comrade with some concern. Valo had frozen up on the spot.

“It’s uneven, like a veil over your form. You don’t even seem to be a Psychic-type. Everything about you seems wrong.” Azelf spoke morosely as they tried to process the stranger. His tail lashed against nothing.

“This doesn’t get easier.” Valo breathed his words weakly.

“Valo…?” The man’s name was the only thing Bennett could usher with the time he had left. With a sudden swing, Valo struck into Azelf and Bennett with a Shadow Claw, sending the former flying and knocking the latter backwards. His movement let the Gliscor rise up from the pin with a cackle.

“You fools never learn your lesson!” Naress grinned with glee, kicking off the ground and starting to glide toward the other explorers. Bennett sat up from the faint injury, watching Valo follow in the Gliscor’s trail.

“Wh-what the hell’re you doing…?!” Bennett forced himself back to his feet, then moved to his side quickly, grabbing Azelf from the ground. “H-hey, you alright?”

“I’m fine…” The small Pokemon panted and reoriented themself, before flying out of Bennett’s grasp. “We have to stop them…!”

“Right, right! Ain’t gonna let this stand!” The Bibarel raced forward on all fours.

At the lake’s edge, Uxie had started to search for the supposed intruder, finding nothing in the direction of the glowing light. However, two rapidly approaching presences caught their attention, and they turned fast to see the Gliscor and Noivern sailing towards them.

The Gliscor swung her claw with brutal force towards Uxie, but was blocked by just an inch as Mesprit lunged into the general with a timid Tackle. Naress’ claw swung off-course from Uxie’s body, giving the yellowish being enough time to fly in pursuit of the Noivern. Despite their best efforts to smack and strike the opponent, the Gliscor grasped and flung Mesprit off of her, sending the being spiraling into the pristine lake with a cry. Fera’s eyes widened, as Valo and Uxie continued on towards the Time Gear.

“V-Valo, come back! The general…!” The Riolu’s words fell on deaf ears. Terror built as the Gliscor turned her sights on Fera. Naress spun her body forward, her pincer jabbing at the Riolu with toxins dripping from it. With the instant she had to react, Fera turned, letting the appendage stab into her back rather than bring any damage to the Eevee in her arms. The girl made a faint wail, letting the Poison Jab seep into her body to Naress’ delight, as Fera fell to the ground. The wounded Eevee in her grasp cried out her name, to no response.

“You bitch!!” Tai lunged onto the Gliscor’s back, giving the woman a deep chomp on her shoulder. The sudden attack caused her to recoil, but her tail swung in reverse, jabbing at Tai several times and piercing his back despite his thick fur. After enough damage, the Stunky collapsed onto the ground, red trickling from his and Fera’s bodies. Naress exhaled through her grin, not bothering to look at the Stunky she had taken down, instead fixated on the duo before her.

“...I thought I recognized you. The Eevee from that hick town.” Naress stood over Fera’s curled up form, but her eyes peered past her to look at Vivian. The Riolu twitched, poison making her weak, her grip on Vivian unrelenting. The Gliscor laughed and grinned. “You only lived because that pathetic bird ran like a coward. But it doesn’t look like you turned out any better!”

Vivian’s shivering eyes widened, although she could do nothing else to respond. Her charred fur brushed against Fera, seeking some kind of safety from the woman whose words dripped with cruelty more toxic than her venom.

Naress leaned down toward the Riolu. “Explorers are always so eager to risk their lives for pointless reasons. Care to follow the tradition?”

Tai could only groan as he began to sit up, catching the Gliscor’s attention as embers flickered in his mouth. His fading strength was all but apparent. “G-get… away from them…”

“I knew it’d be you. You have that look of stupidity in your eyes…” Naress turned to the boy, a Guillotine readied in her claw.

Before she could gloat anymore, the proud general was struck dead-on by a Bibarel’s Aqua Jet. The wind was knocked clean out of her and her body was sent flying, not having the time or ability to use her stinger on Bennett in retaliation, until she landed in the water along with the discarded Mesprit. Azelf hovered in quickly behind him, looking over the explorers aghast.

“I-I… I’m sorry, you all…!”

“No panickin’, jus’ gimme a hand here!” Bennett pulled a small pink jar from his tattered bag, and tossed another one to Azelf. “Start rubbin’ that on the wound an’ then I’ll give ya some bandages!”

“O-okay!” Azelf weakly nodded, fiddling with the cap and fluttering down to Tai’s level. By the time they were able to pour the Pecha Berry juices onto the Stunky’s back, Bennett had already lathered it across Fera’s wound. Azelf sped up to match, and soon the two young Pokemon had been treated for the brutal attack, both struggling with the pain of the emergency medicine.

Over the lake’s surface, Valo soared with his eyes locked. The eternal glow of the Time Gear hung in the near distance. Its flowing light seemed to bathe his body and mind already, but he knew better than to be overzealous. The figure of Uxie warped in with a Teleport, causing him to reel back and halt himself mid-flight.

“You’ll have the Time Gear over my dead body!!” Uxie’s hands moved forward, and a wave of Psyshock blew into the Noivern’s body, erupting like a sonic boom. When the attack cleared, however, the Noivern was flying high, unharmed.

“Don’t waste my time.” His wings folded in, and a black aura overtook his body, sending chills through Uxie’s levitating body. With his wings flung out, a wave of black and red energy was fired down at the Psychic-type. The vicious move passed through Uxie and rocked their entire body, causing them to utter a pained shout, trying to resist with a Light Screen that broke apart almost immediately. Unable to endure the ravaging blow, Uxie lost the energy to continue, and was blasted down into the pure water of Fogbound Lake. His attack subsided, and Valo descended to the Time Gear.

The Time Guardian gasped for air as they rose out of the water, barely able to process what had happened. A shimmering blue gear rotated slowly in the air, surrounded by a green sigil manifested of pure energy. The air around it flowed in perfect unison. Valo’s claws grasped the edges of the gear, and caused it to halt.

With a pull, the Noivern freed the Time Gear from its midair stasis. The resonating sigil shattered into shining pieces, and, from their remains, a shockwave blew out. The residual energy expanded out across Fogbound Lake, appearing as a beacon of desolation to the explorers and the bandits below. As the energy reached the group at the lakeside, Fera’s newly bandaged body wretched.

“I-it hurts! It hurts, please! I can’t…!” She howled out as her eyes shut tight, causing the Eevee beside her to place her paw on the girl’s body.

“F-Fera, are you okay? Please—”

“Make it stop! MAKE IT STOP!!” The Riolu cried out desperately on the ground, her feelers shooting up erratically, her whole body struggling under unseen pain. The others looked her over with fear, concern, confusion, but none could help her. It gave Naress enough of a distraction to climb from the ridge she’d been knocked into, and begin soaring away from the lake.

Uxie’s body thrashed against the water’s surface in response to the rupture of time, but there was nothing to be done. With the coveted Gear in his possession, Valo started to fly once more. No words were exchanged, and no acknowledgement of his crime but a cold stare. The aerial Pokemon took off, flying west, with Naress as his guide. Stillness hung over the lake as the shockwave of energy ended. Fera whimpered and sobbed, slowly coming to her senses.

“F-Fera, you alright? We have more Pecha Salve, gimme a second…” Bennett rustled through his items, although the girl shook her tired head.

“I’m… fine…” The Riolu sputtered out a response. “I just had a bad chill… it’s over now…”

The Eevee beside her knew better. That familiar panic, the tightening of the Riolu’s chest, it was much more than just poison. But the weakness that seeped into her mind and body prevented her from pressing any further. She nestled into Fera’s re-bandaged side, and the two grew calm.

“Why… would they BOTH do that?! How many traitors do we have in our group?!” Tai struck his paw into the grass, still managing the pain of the Gliscor’s stinger. “We lost the Time Gear because of those assholes…!”

“I’m at a loss for words… this is a tragic day. We did so little to stop our downfall.” Azelf looked away from the boy whose wounds they had bandaged. Uxie panted as they returned with a Teleport, water still flowing off of their skin. Anger had returned to their face.

“You ‘explorers’ are nothing but a plague. If it wasn’t for you, Fogbound Lake would be protected. But you ruined our fog veil, and you let an untrustworthy ally steal away the Time Gear. You are disgraceful.”

“U-Uxie, please, they didn’t mean it…” Mesprit looked up from the ground at the yellowish being, but Uxie scoffed in fury.

“They are responsible for this great injustice. Anyone who understands the importance of the Time Gears should not risk their safety. ANYONE who—”

“F-Fera, Bennett! Hey!” A familiar voice called out. All eyes shot to the south, to see Valo flying over in exasperation. “Are you okay?!”

“Vile interloper!” Uxie shouted and shot their hand forward, making another Psyshock. Before the Noivern could react, he was pelted by the barrage of Psychic energy, and slammed to the ground. “You will pay for your crimes against nature!”

“A-agh! I didn’t— please—!” The Noivern tried to recover, and was forced down again by Uxie’s attack.

“Uxie, stop! This isn’t correct!” Azelf pulled back Uxie’s firing arm, the gem on their head glowing. “This man has a completely different presence than what we just felt! It’s not the same person!”

“What…?” Uxie seemed almost insulted by the implication, but their gem began to glow as well. After a moment of silence, their energy relented. “It’s… unreal, but true. That man had a terrifying presence… this man is quite unremarkable. I don’t understand…”

“It’s… haah…“ Valo jerked his body forward, rising back up from his sudden defeat. “Jermaine… no, I don’t know who it was. When I had Naress on the ropes… that thing copied me, and flew off with her! I wanted to get here and warn you all, but I was too beat down from fighting her…”

“...it appears some kind of trickery has taken us all.” Uxie folded their arms. “I apologize for my accusations, explorers, but this is a grave situation. If the other Time Gears are removed from their stasis…”

“Well… we’ll just beat them to the rest! Help us find them!” Tai struggled against his bandages, looking up at Uxie expectantly. “You’re Time Guardians, right??”

“Uxie is a Time Guardian, yes, but that’s the extent of our knowledge.” Azelf spoke quietly. “I’ve never heard of those ‘Obirians’ or of any realm beyond our own, so I have no idea what we could contribute. I apologize.”

“What a rotten day… but, from what I can tell, we avoided all fatalities on this mission. Our next course of action is to head back to base camp and make haste for Treasure Town.” Valo dusted his wings off, looking at the wounded young Pokemon below him. “I’m sorry you all got involved in this. I take full responsibility for what occurred here.”

“You know it’s not your fault, Valo…” Vivian slowly rose to her feet, the first time she had done so since her injury. The trembling in her legs made it clear she couldn’t hold it for long. “I hope my dad or Wendell knows what to do from here…” Fera forced herself up into a sitting position, picking Vivian up again despite the girl’s whims.

“I’ll relay what’s happened to the guildmaster, and get people up here to bring you down safely. And, uh…” The Noivern looked over to the Time Guardian. “Uxie, was it? We hope you’ll offer whatever insight you can to our search.”

“My siblings and I will cooperate as needed. There is little we can do to reclaim the Time Gear simply hiding as we have been…” The leader of the three let out a tired sigh.

The Noivern nodded and turned, taking off on his battered wings to return to the surface far below. Once he had left, chatter built up between the injured explorers and forlorn foreign beings to pass the dreary time. Fera alone brought her focus back to the lake, staring out at the space where the Time Gear had once been. Her strangling pain had receded into pressure on her chest with the thief’s departure, now fully absent. The answers that awaited her here were gone. But, feeling Vivian safe in her arms, hearing Tai shout arrogantly in spite of his wound, standing in the shadow of Bennett’s evolved state, she would let the answers wait for now. This was something she could accept.

---

“Status report, please.”

“All of our explorers are accounted for, barring Jermaine, whose absence was… expected. Two of the caravans are still in working condition, and Vivian has been asleep since her treatment began. Mikael says she should be fine to walk again by the time we return to Irion. Fera is faring better, although it’s taken a decent amount of Pecha Salve to mend her form. But it’s only natural for a girl her size and age. She’ll be able to recover fully as well.”

Cromwell let out a weak sigh of relief, sitting firmly at the northern exit of the clearing. “I see. Continue with the survey of our remaining resources, and then speak with Miss Vitzés about further precautions for the camp. You are dismissed, Lily.”

The Roselia nodded, hurrying away to inspect one of the more damaged vehicles for potentially-unmarred supplies. Evening had fallen over the fogless area, drenching the trees with orange hues. Their campsite was painted with ashes and wreckage from the Obirian assault, but in every corner of it, the surviving explorers toiled to recover what was lost. Even Tai was doing his part, the boy plucking rooted vegetables from a nearby patch to contribute to rations. In their failure was a resounding sense of perseverance.

“Uhm, administrator, sir…”

Cromwell chirped and turned his head to spot the newly-evolved Bibarel behind him. Close by was the guildmaster, his body thoroughly bandaged from the swarm of bandits he had faced alone. He gave a little wave to his administrator.

“Ah, Bennett…” The bird pushed down some frustration– any father would feel it, seeing one of his brash explorers return with his daughter deeply wounded. But he had to avoid inflicting it on Bennett himself. “I’m glad to see you well. Has Uxie mentioned anything else that could be of service?”

“Not yet, no… they went back up to the lake an’ haven’t been back since.”

“I figured as much. No matter. We’ll have a more complete understanding of what to do once we’ve returned to the guild.” The Chatot tipped his beak forward. “What did you come to see me about?”

“It’s jus’…” Bennett frowned and twiddled his fingers together as he looked at the small man. “I’m real sorry ‘bout what happened with Vivian. Wish I’d done more to prevent this whole scare from happenin’. If ya gotta dock me some credibility for it, I accept it. But I hope ya know that I tried my best.”

“Bennett…” Cromwell huffed with consternation. “This is truly a dark day for our guild, and for me. But I put no blame on your shoulders for any of it, least of all Vivian’s condition. She should not have put herself into the situation she was in, yet you brought her back to me alive, even dealing with a Heatran in that process. I am greatly thankful for your service.” The Chatot leaned forward, giving Bennett a bow to share respect. The Bibarel yelped and bowed as well, having to put his whole face against the ground to get to a similar height.

“W-was jus’ happy to keep her well… I care a lot about her, y’know? It’s been real scary ever since she joined the guild proper…” The Bibarel’s words were muffled due to the dirt obstructing them.

“You don’t know the half of it. But you’ve exceeded my expectations for anyone on this expedition.” Cromwell lifted himself up, and placed his feathery appendage on the Bibarel’s head. “When we are home again, the guildmaster and I will begin talks about your graduation.”

Bennett shot up with a gasp, barely able to contain his excitement at the goal he’d forgotten about since the bandit scare. “R-really? But, ya mean… really??”

“Yes, really. But let us focus on the task at hand. Assist Cecil and the others in getting the campfire restarted, and report to Miss Dollins afterwards.” He put up his wing in a salute to the taller Pokemon. “Carry on, explorer.”

Bennett mimicked the gesture, blushing with glee from the knowledge of his success. “Th-thank you, sir.” With that, he shuffled away to the center of the campground, leaving only the guildmaster and the administrator. Cromwell’s cheerfulness subsided.

“Do we have any information on what came over Fera? From what I’ve pieced together, she had another… incident, at the lake.”

“Our understanding of it is sparse. It seems that she reacted poorly to the energy of the Time Gear, but didn’t suffer the same loss of consciousness. I couldn’t press Azelf and Mesprit for anything more without making apparent there was something to be concerned about.” The Wigglytuff sighed.

“If nothing else, her survival in the face of an Obirian invasion is to be celebrated. She is stronger than I had thought.” The man stroked his wing under his chin.

“I wonder… is it safe for her to come back to Treasure Town? All things considered…”

“Sir, we very well can’t drop her somewhere else!” Cromwell shouted in hushed tones. “Obirian forces are on the prowl! And there’s no telling what’s to come next!”

“I wouldn’t dare to pawn her off on someone else. But we must be prepared to aid her, and to protect her.” Wendell tipped his head to the side and folded his arms, weighing the new thoughts in his mind. His pondrance was interrupted soon after by the voice of Uxie from nearby.

“Excuse me… guildmaster, was it?” The Time Guardian floated down to Wendell’s level, Azelf and Mesprit in tow. Behind them, a collection of ragged books and odd toys floated in a Psychic grasp.

“That would be me. But, if you wish, you may call me Wendell.” The guildmaster smiled at the stranger. Uxie shook their head.

“I would not deprive you of your due respect. I have a request, guildmaster. Allow us to accompany you to your ‘guild’.”

“Eh? You’re going to leave your home?” The Chatot squawked with confusion. “But, the lake, and the Gear…”

“The lake is not a home. It’s a prison.” Mesprit puffed their cheeks out. “We’ve spent years bound to this spot, unknowing of the world beyond. It’s maddening!”

“Perhaps a bit,” Azelf added. “Even if it was not, however, we serve no purpose here with the Time Gear absent. Our stay would not bring the precious Gear back to us.”

“And… if my knowledge holds, this area is no longer safe for myself. Without the Time Gear to act as a balance, distortion will set in. It is advised that we abandon this place, until the Time Gear can be restored to stasis here.” Uxie tilted their head to glance at the lake’s peak. With Uxie’s departure, the Musharna and Castform in its thrall had been dismissed, and the fog that blanketed the valley was beginning to recede. Fogbound Lake stood tall for all to see, empty of value as it was.

“Most troubling, but our reports of Treeshroud Forest had led us to believe the same. Well.” Wendell spread his hands out wide. “The guild’s doors are open to all. We’d be happy to accommodate you for as long as you and your… siblings? Teammates? As long as your compatriots need.”

“Siblings is the closest term. And we are indebted to your kindness.” The being gestured at their levitating tomes and strange trinkets. “Do you… have a place where I could secure our items? I’d like them to be kept well in transit.”

“Of course! We have ample room in one of our carriages. Speak with the Roselia over there, and she’ll assist you.” Wendell wiggled his hand nub at Lily and the wheeled object she was standing inside of. Uxie gave a firm nod.

“Such a fascinating contraption… a ‘carriage’. You guild folk are a wondrous sort.” A small smile appeared on the being’s face, as they and their siblings fluttered away with the hoard of items. Cromwell huffed as they went, exhaustion taking over his form.

“This day was quite a freefall. What will Haven think of our report…?”

“Haven is for tomorrow, or the day after… tonight is ours, and it is for celebrating our safety, and the valiant works of our explorers. Perhaps not a happy night, but a night we will be happy that we had. Now.” Wendell spun around, dainty like a Butterfree drunk out of its mind, as he waved a hand to some cooking tools being taken from the second carriage. “Come along and help me prepare the apple snacks. You use the knife better than me.”

“...very well, sir.” A faint smile crossed the Chatot’s beak— in times of darkness, Wendell’s shining aura broke through and reached him as always. The guildmaster and his partner strolled away, breathing in the warm air of a newly-made campfire, letting tomorrow vanish at the edges of their minds.

 

[Namohysip]

All right, looks like I have myself an Explorers adaptation! Doesn't seem to be a novelization or retelling, especially after that first chapter, so I'm curious to see what exactly will be happening here. I do think it was a little entertaining that so much time was spent describing their unique hairstyles. I guess that's something that comes with a story that had once been fully illustrated! Though, even now, the illustrations are really nice to look at.

Quick thing, though! I think there are some formatting errors in the first chapter. Things that very clearly appear to be thoughts like in the first scene aren't being italicized in the second. Check the first few paragraphs after the first scene. Or, if not, I'm not sure why the first scene had italics when the next didn't.

As for the opener itself, I found it had very calm opening lines. Maybe it was the nighttime setting. It established what I think is a quieter mood for the story. I think it's a good calm feel to it, and starting off with Vivian's presumed home like I'm the postgame of Explorers was always something that bugged me a little in hindsight. Good call to introduce it here and have a reference to parents, too!

It seems she doesn't remember being human. I wasn't expecting it to be an actual Riolu... Or maybe she also forgot she was human, too? That's much more thorough amnesia than usual, but I've seen stories where a human just wasn't what happened. That's just the meta knowledge talking, really. And I'll try my best to avoid commenting on the canon story, but I also like changing the scenery to nighttime. Once again, it kind of fits the calmer atmosphere that's being set up in this chapter. Lots of new elements being added.

When Riolu is rolling the badge in her paw, the perspective seemed to shift suddenly to her perspective. It went to her thoughts and feelings, and that was kind of jarring since up until this point, it seemed to be more third person limited over Vivian's shoulder. It's still early, but being so deep into the scene and that's when I noticed how strongly it seemed to shift to Riolu and not Eevee. After reading more of the chapter, it seemed to always be in third person omniscient, so I guess I was just thrown off by how long it took to get to her perspective in the same scene.

Overall, though, I liked this chapter. It was a good opening! Like other adaptations, it is familiar but different enough to feel unique, and as far as opening adaptation chapters are concerned, those are two essential points to make.

 

[Roser]

All right, looks like I have myself an Explorers adaptation! Doesn't seem to be a novelization or retelling, especially after that first chapter, so I'm curious to see what exactly will be happening here. I do think it was a little entertaining that so much time was spent describing their unique hairstyles. I guess that's something that comes with a story that had once been fully illustrated! Though, even now, the illustrations are really nice to look at.

Quick thing, though! I think there are some formatting errors in the first chapter. Things that very clearly appear to be thoughts like in the first scene aren't being italicized in the second. Check the first few paragraphs after the first scene. Or, if not, I'm not sure why the first scene had italics when the next didn't.

As for the opener itself, I found it had very calm opening lines. Maybe it was the nighttime setting. It established what I think is a quieter mood for the story. I think it's a good calm feel to it, and starting off with Vivian's presumed home like I'm the postgame of Explorers was always something that bugged me a little in hindsight. Good call to introduce it here and have a reference to parents, too!

It seems she doesn't remember being human. I wasn't expecting it to be an actual Riolu... Or maybe she also forgot she was human, too? That's much more thorough amnesia than usual, but I've seen stories where a human just wasn't what happened. That's just the meta knowledge talking, really. And I'll try my best to avoid commenting on the canon story, but I also like changing the scenery to nighttime. Once again, it kind of fits the calmer atmosphere that's being set up in this chapter. Lots of new elements being added.

When Riolu is rolling the badge in her paw, the perspective seemed to shift suddenly to her perspective. It went to her thoughts and feelings, and that was kind of jarring since up until this point, it seemed to be more third person limited over Vivian's shoulder. It's still early, but being so deep into the scene and that's when I noticed how strongly it seemed to shift to Riolu and not Eevee. After reading more of the chapter, it seemed to always be in third person omniscient, so I guess I was just thrown off by how long it took to get to her perspective in the same scene.

Overall, though, I liked this chapter. It was a good opening! Like other adaptations, it is familiar but different enough to feel unique, and as far as opening adaptation chapters are concerned, those are two essential points to make.

Hey, thanks for the review!

As for the formatting issues, I am now aware, upon looking at the story that none of our formatting carried over, I thought I had fixed this some time ago, but it seems I have not. I'll work on going back through and manually add backing in all the formatting back in.

As for the scene regarding the sudden shift into her thoughts, I agree that its a bit of a sudden shift, but I think its kind of just how we write things in the story. We do a sort of weird version of third person omni, where it sort of focuses in and "limits" itself to one character. We don't want to write entirely in first person, as its just not what we prefer, nor do we think it would work well for the story. (We would like the audience to not know what some people are actually thinking.) I've never considered that the sort of shifting third person perspective could be jarring, but its possibly something for us to look at.

In the future, due to the amount of characters active in a scene rising, I think we stay more in a general third person later on, but we definitely go back to a sort of third person limited if its like two people talking to each other. We think its more interesting to see things somewhat through the lens of one character instead of knowing what is going on in both people's heads. It makes it feel more like a real conversation, since when you're talking to someone, you don't know what that other person is thinking.

Thanks for the kind words, and thanks for the insight, both about the formatting issue and the perspective issue(?).