Pokemon Square - Whiscash Lake

[Shiny Phantump]

“You’re welcome to join us, I suppose. Never really stargazed with other people before, aside from...”

Aside from Cuicatl. He still worried about her and how not-okay she seemed. But... that wasn’t really his story to share.

“Well, sometimes at home we’d hold celebrations that went on into the night.”

There. Good save.

 

[Fusion]

Oh, good, it wasn't what Vix thought it was. That's a relief.
She kinda hoped it was, though...

"My village back home didn't do anything fancy, really. They had more important thing to worry about than, you know, enjoying the night sky," Vix sighed. "Instead, me and my friend would go into the nearby mystery dungeon and camp out there. Seeing how it changes every time you go inside, we got to see the sky in a new way almost every night."

 

[Cresselia92]

Icetales glanced back and forth at the two stargazing mates, his tails wagging fast as he found himself unable to keep his contentedness in check. It was marvelous to find out that more than a few folks shared his same passion.

"Ha! Stargazing was one of my favorite hobbies back home! I would spend entire nights gazing at the twinkles from my room, relaxing on a soft cushion and sipping some chamomile tea before bedtime..." He sighed at the memories. "I sure wish I had more moments than what I got, but I cannot truly complain. There were still lovely moments that I would not trade for anything in the entire... huh... cosmos?"

Icetales chuckled and laid down on the fresh grass. "Say, how about a fun game? What do you think if we try to see shapes into those stars? Like, for example..." He pointed toward a cluster of stars. "Those stars... do they not look like they are arrenged in the shape of a running Arcanine?"

 

[Shiny Phantump]

"My village back home didn't do anything fancy, really. They had more important thing to worry about than, you know, enjoying the night sky," Vix sighed. "Instead, me and my friend would go into the nearby mystery dungeon and camp out there. Seeing how it changes every time you go inside, we got to see the sky in a new way almost every night."

“A new sky every night... Huh. I don’t know what to make of that. Back in my home, I knew the constellations by heart”

Icetales chuckled and laid down on the fresh grass. "Say, how about a fun game? What do you think if we try to see shapes into those stars? Like, for example..." He pointed toward a cluster of stars. "Those stars... do they not look like they are arrenged in the shape of a running Arcanine?"

“Yeah. I wonder if they’ll stay like that, or if they’ll drift out of alignment. When I was younger, I used to try to find constellations, but some of them would drift out of alignment...”

 

[Fusion]

"Hmmm, now that you mention it..." Vix blinked, staring at the stars Icetales pointed out. "Wow, it actually does look like an Arcanine! And that one over there's a Zoroark, right?"

It kinda had the outline of a big bushy thing, like Soda's mane, and it had big ol' ears and arms too.

“Yeah. I wonder if they’ll stay like that, or if they’ll drift out of alignment. When I was younger, I used to try to find constellations, but some of them would drift out of alignment...”

"I think I have a notebook or two with all the constellations I found when I was younger. Obviously, it isn't here, but who knows? Maybe I can show it to you guys someday?" Vix smiled. That would probably never happen, but it was nice to think about at least. Vix actually had countless notebooks full of tidbits and observations. She single handedly made some lucky book maker a millionaire, she bet.

 

[Cresselia92]

“Yeah. I wonder if they’ll stay like that, or if they’ll drift out of alignment. When I was younger, I used to try to find constellations, but some of them would drift out of alignment...”

"That is a likely possibility, good fellow. Especially if this universe is ruled by deities who can warp stars away with the flick of a claw or a tail. I have heard of... some entity named the Moon Eater and the Sun Walker, who supposedly can move the stars and eat them?" He shrugged. "But it might be just a folktale. I cannot truly comment on that. Howbeit, I can tell that misalignment is a fairly common occurence in my world, too."

"Hmmm, now that you mention it..." Vix blinked, staring at the stars Icetales pointed out. "Wow, it actually does look like an Arcanine! And that one over there's a Zoroark, right?"

He narrowed his eyes as he stared at the stars. "Huh... yes. Sort of. I can see the... muzzle..."

"I think I have a notebook or two with all the constellations I found when I was younger. Obviously, it isn't here, but who knows? Maybe I can show it to you guys someday?"

Icetales grinned. "Ah, that would be lovely, if it was a possibility! I would truly appreciate to see what kinds of constellations exist in thy world, miss! And I would be most honored to share my observations of the skies of my world with you two."

 

[Fusion]

some entity named the Moon Eater and the Sun Walker, who supposedly can move the stars and eat them?

Those sounded godly enough to be real, maybe they'll get lucky and see the Moon Eater and Sun Walker, whatever pokemon they may be. "The Moon Eater almost sounds like a Gengar, and a Sun Walker could be, like... Blaziken? It'd be pretty cool if that was the case, but I'm pretty sure it isn't." Vix would have to ask her mentors back home if they knew anything about those two entities, now that Icetales went and got her interested.

"Ah, that would be lovely, if it was a possibility! I would truly appreciate to see what kinds of constellations exist in thy world, miss! And I would be most honored to share my observations of the skies of my world with you two."

"That would be great, wouldn't it? I'll have to see if I can bring any of my notebooks with me to Veritas City whenever this is over," Vix chuckled. "Definitely gonna bring the Constellation books, and maybe my Encyclopedia of Pokemon? And the different dungeon layouts I've mapped? Can't forget the mountain dungeon either..." Vix's voice trailed off as she got her mental train rolling, quietly listing off book after book that she made.

 

[Shiny Phantump]

“Huh. I’ve never really though to map the night skies before. I know it’s been done, or at least that there’s some stars that get used for navigation, but I’d never deigned to take it on myself. I suppose I’d always been more of a consumer of writing than a creator of it.”

He stopped to muse for a moment. “Perhaps one day I’ll be able to write a story about this. It certainly feels like the plot of a fantasy novel.”

 

[Cresselia92]

Those sounded godly enough to be real, maybe they'll get lucky and see the Moon Eater and Sun Walker, whatever pokemon they may be. "The Moon Eater almost sounds like a Gengar, and a Sun Walker could be, like... Blaziken? It'd be pretty cool if that was the case, but I'm pretty sure it isn't."

“Hmmm… Well, according to my brother Keo’Keo I’s studies, the Moon Eater’s original persona was that of a jolly Swoobat, while the Sun Walker left behind his past as a prideless Pyroar. They gained unnatural powers after absorbing the essence of the monstrous Star Killer, so that they could destroy its core once and for all and bring forth decades of peace, without wraiths infesting my homeworld.”

Icetales narrowed his eyes as he dug out more of his memories. “If all… I believe I had spotted someone of our cortège who looked eerily similar to a Sun Walker. I wonder who they were… Some fellow of the God Squad?”

"Definitely gonna bring the Constellation books, and maybe my Encyclopedia of Pokemon? And the different dungeon layouts I've mapped? Can't forget the mountain dungeon either..." Vix's voice trailed off as she got her mental train rolling, quietly listing off book after book that she made.

Icetales could feel himself passing out at the thought of wallowing into alien books full of knowledge that he wouldn’t have been able to get in his world. This emotion became obvious with the huge grin that made its way on his muzzle.

“Oh golly! Yes! I would be most intrigued to dive mine eyes into such papery knowledge!” He started tapping his forepaws on the spot, creating a rhythmic tap tap. “Aah! I wish I could bring my favorite novellas and science books! There is a most inspiring book about the use of crystal shards to bend Gaian energy and use it in the most unique ways!” He blinked and tilted. “But wait… Perhaps I could recite some part of it? Hmm… I would need to write it down first to collect my memories, however.”

He stopped to muse for a moment. “Perhaps one day I’ll be able to write a story about this. It certainly feels like the plot of a fantasy novel.”

Icetales turned to Celeste and beamed a playful smirk. “Well, if thou will ever accomplish that, send a copy to my world. I would gladly consume it, no matter the length! Likewise, I shall send a copy if I ever write a play about our quest.”

 

[Fusion]

Simply knowing that someone was interesting in her dusty ol' collection of notebooks was enough for Vix to melt on the spot.

"Finally, someone else who likes to learn things! The boys back home either don't read, can't read, or already know everything. Trying to get any of them to read is like pulling teeth," Vix giggled.

“Perhaps one day I’ll be able to write a story about this. It certainly feels like the plot of a fantasy novel.”

"Doesn't it? We're like the heroes of some epic story, but we're actually living it! I always wanted to be a hero, and look at me now!" Vix's flame briefly doubled in size as she spun around, and went back to it's normal size as she calmed down. "It's only my second time doing this hero stuff, and I wish it got easier instead of harder, but I'm enjoying it all the same."

Mostly...

 

[Shiny Phantump]

Celeste laughed. “Only your second time? This is my first time being outside my home, much less becoming involved in heroics. I’ve always been anchored at home. Now... I’m floating adrift. I’m glad I’ve got friends here to keep me sane. Otherwise I’d have long since snapped.”

Celeste relaxed from sitting down onto his belly. It was odd to be so much taller than everyone else here... Though he suspected he might not need to put up with that for much longer.

 

[Cresselia92]

Icetales chuckled, before scratching a ear with his hind paw. “Ditto here. Never been into heroic shenanigans. Back home I was but a mere lad who learned only how to make a good impression with fellow aristocrats and who learned how to keep a mansion tidy by becoming a butler. Which, well, it’s a far cry from a battler role.”

He shook his head and spread out his tails to stretch them. “And I can say… goodness gracious! How nerve-racking everything is!” He turned to look at Vix. “Well, as thou art the most experienced of the trio, dost thou have some wisdom pills thou can dispense to us? Anything would be lovely.”

 

[Fusion]

A faint trace of purple rose on what would have been Vix's cheeks. "D-Don't get me wrong, I'm almost as out of my element as you two are. All I've known and seen was a forest, a dungeon in that forest, and a mountain that I kinda almost... uh..." Vix wondered how to say it without flat out saying it. "Let's just say I almost became entirely one type, and it wasn't gonna be fire."

"I went through so much that week... It's been over a year since and I still have trouble believing all of it. If I had to give one solid piece of advice... never do anything alone if you don't have to," Vix said with a somber sigh. "That was my first mistake, and boy did I regret it. I tried to climb a mountain by myself, after spending several days in a dungeon that was getting more and more dangerous as the days went by." Vix looked out at the lake, watching the reflection of the stars glisten on top of it.

"I almost made it to the top, but a nasty storm hit and I was blown right off. If my then soon-to-be mentor didn't save me, I'd have been a goner." The flame atop Vix's wick flickered as she remembered the cold, relentless raindrops leaving dents in her body, the rush of water that swept nearly swept her away, the lightning that blew her off the mountain... then the warm arms of her Zoroark savior, and the rush of wind blowing past them as he scaled the mountain effortlessly. It was like a dream...

Just as a warm smile crept on Vix's face, she remembered she wasn't alone. The purple on her cheeks grew deeper as she cleared her thoat. "Sorry, kinda get lost for a second there. Where was I? Oh yeah, the, uh, question. Right. Don't go in alone."

 

[Cresselia92]

Icetales stared in silence as he listened intently to the tale of the Litwick, his emotions a mix between awe and shock. The way she described the dangers of dungeons, as well as the fondness she showed upon talking about the fateful meeting with that Zoroark. The whole thing sounded like a truly harrowing experience, which made him sympathize with Vix.

As soon as she finished narrating, he lifted his head ever so slightly and his tails shook. "Wow. That must have been truly frightening, miss. I would not know how I would have fared if I dealt with such experience myself," he commented as intrigue radiated from his voice. "Though, I can tell such experience has shaped thee in many ways, and thou learned a valuable lesson. 'Never be alone'... my, more folks should heed these words."

Icetales gazed at the lake, the limpid water distorting the twinkles and spreading milky waves. He narrowed his eyes, pondering about something that had been in his mind after hearing her experience. Then, he found his voice. "...Just so thou know, thee art not the only one who brushed Death's Wings. I... well, I had such misfortune happening to me as well. Twice, actually." He took a quick glance at his comrades, before looking again at the clear water. "And it was... by a lake such as this. The only difference was that... it had much more ice into it. Oh, it was more ice than water that cold winter."

"My siblings challenged me to a race. We had to reach the other side of the lake. It would have been simple, no? The ice was thick, we were light-weight and our paws were frigid. We would have frozen instantly any potential creaks, so there was no harm in doing so. It was light-hearted fun." He shook his head. "Golly! How wrong we were! One of my siblings -- perhaps Keo'Keo VI, or was she IX? -- slipped on a weak spot of the icy plain. And boy! Didn't that open a chasm between us and the other side!"

"We raced back to the lakeshore. We had to get away from the vanishing ice. We had to flee!" Then, his voice grew somber. "...But I did not make it. A block of ice inclined itself, turned upside-down, and locked me underwater. Heavens! Wasn't that the most gastly of experiences! The water was frigid, and my lungs were burning! I clawed at the ice, attempting to break free but only thickening it, as I unleashed frigid energy in a panic..."

He took a deep breath. "And then... Mother came. Her appearance was like the most beautiful of the Life Tree's portraits, her plunge toward the body-trapping ice graceful, her power almighty. She broke through the ice and rescued me from the deadly waters."

Silence followed for a long while, until Icetales chuckled. "...And after that, I decided to learn how to swim."

 

[Fusion]

Vix was on the verge of tears; drowning was one of her biggest fears, despite how much she actually liked swimming. She couldn't imagine being trapped under a sheet of ice, one that you were accidentally making thicker whenever you tried to escape. If Icetales hadn't broke the silence when he did, Vix probably would've cried.

"That's terrible. I'm glad your mother managed to save you in time..." Vix blinked, feeling a strange emptiness inside her. "Do... Do I..." She shook her head, now wasn't the time for questions she didn't have answers to.

"What about you Celeste, anything you feel alright with sharing?" Hopefully it wouldn't be another near-death experience like her and Icetales had.

Because then you'd have to show them up with the three other times you almost died...

 

[Shiny Phantump]

“Oh my. That’s quite a story. I am glad that it resolved itself in your favour. Glad you’re here with us.”

Should he say it? Would it sound like he was trying to one-up Icetales? He didn’t want that. Oh? Vix just asked him. That simplified things.

“Well, I’ve had a... well, not exactly a “close scrape” with death, but I’ve... been dead. Sort of. I guess it depends how you count it. I... did not hatch. Left out in the cold one night and... didn’t make it.”

He wasn’t in the mood to share why yet. It wasn’t the time. “When my egg was found, it was taken to the village I grew up in. The shrinekeeper there decided to see if I would hatch. By the time it was clear that I wouldn’t... she’d become invested in my hatching. Petitioned Ho-Oh to give me a chance at life through the ash of their sacred flame. I’m lucky I was developed enough to survive outside my shell by the time I froze. Might’ve been nothing they could’ve one otherwise.”

He paused. Where to go from here? “My very life is quite the privilege, really. I try to pay it back. I...”

He whimpered. It wasn’t often words evaded him entirely, but he truly didn’t know what to say.

 

[Fusion]

Shoot, looks like you'll have to get lucky and come back to life after dying if you wanna best this crowd.

Annoyances aside, Vix wiped a tear from her eye. It was hard to say something after hearing that, this wasn't exactly something Vix was familiar with. Honestly everyone around refused to die if anything, including her.

She floated over to Celeste and patted him on the side reassuringly. "I think you've been paying it back just fine, seeing how hard you're working here."

 

[Shiny Phantump]

“That’s why I’m here, really. I could hurl myself off a cliff and go back home anytime, but... I feel like I have to be here. I have a duty to perform here.”

I don’t want to be here. He’d known that already, at least on some level... but admitting it felt different. He had always told himself that he wanted a chance to help people, to prove he was worth saving. Now he had one... and he wanted to run away from it. He felt ashamed. This was not who he was supposed to be.

“I’m glad to be here, I guess. It’s the chance I’ve been waiting for.”

 

[Cresselia92]

…Heavens. That tale truly took the entire tray of snow cones.

Of course there had to be another broken soul walking on that alien earth. Of course there had to be more pain and suffering radiating from a kindred soul’s heart. Of course the entire multiverse had to play some perverted game and reunite folks who had the heaviest baggage collared onto them.

…Of course.

Icetales stared intently at Celeste as Vix floated over to reassure him. It was quite the twist of fate, he had to admit. The Absol was the one who was suffering from his past, and that was time for the Vulpix to repay his comrade.

“…Sir Celeste. Look at me. Please.” Once he made sure he got the Absol’s attention, he took a step forward and ran his forepaw onto his comrade’s forepaw. “Allow me to preface by saying that I do not have any clue of what thou have gone through, nor can I even fathom what it must be like to… well, undie, I suppose we could say.”

Icetales closed his eyes, trying to figure out the right words. He didn’t want to upset his comrade any further. “…But I can tell this: all life is sacred. That is gift that we must cling onto tightly and preserve jealousy, as it is an incredibly fragile present that allows us to embrace the most unique of experiences. Not all of them are positive, I cannot say the contrary, but they are still something we should not take for granted.”

He opened his eyes again and showed a friendly smile. “And even though I cannot say how thou art spending thy life in thy world, I can say without any doubt that here thou are pulling thy weight and leave a most impressive mark in this world.” His eyes started gleaming. “Thou have been helping the folks of this world. Helping preserve their lives and giving them a future they would not be receiving otherwise. Thou art repaying for the gift of life by a large margin, and I refuse to accept any other answer.”

He took a step back and smiled a bit more shyly, while his tails wagged. “And… thou art my hero, and I am truly grateful I got to meet thee. I am, indeed!”

“I’m glad to be here, I guess. It’s the chance I’ve been waiting for.”

Icetales grinned and gave him a few friendly pats. Something he picked up from Firetales. “And I am glad I got the chance to meet such lovely comrades!” he chirped, before looking at Vix. “Dangers notwithstanding, it is… pleasant to have gotten this chance of meeting other souls like yours truly. I… I am grateful for that, and I would not trade this moment for anything in the entire cosmos!”

 

[Fusion]

Celeste said he was glad to be here. Icetales looked like his face might be stuck in a goofy smile. Vix herself felt nice being able to talk with someone like this. And yet... something was wrong.

That vile feeling was creeping it's way back into the air. The same she felt at the fight and after it. Her flame flickered irritably for but a moment, hopefully not enough to notice.

"I'm happy I was able to meet so many new Pokemon, and to get the chance to befriend them," Vix said with a cheery smile. "It's nice to know we're all alright after that fight earlier."

But they weren't. Not really. It stung to lie, but what good would admitting such an observation be right now? It wouldn't make anything better, would it? Vix didn't dare speak about it, no matter how uncomfortable that feeling made her feel. "We should hang out under the stars more often, or just in general, you know?"

Vix looked up at Celeste and grinned. "And while I don't look nearly as ecstatic as Icetales, I admit that you have a few things in common with my own hero. Just put on a red wig and I'd be right at home being around you, hehe."