Sharpedo Bluff

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa nodded earnestly, relief pouring through her expression as the confession was well-received.

Dad said that was one thing he was still getting used to about the Pokemon spirit. Battles are how Pokemon understand each other more...

She grinned. "Y'know, my father was the same. He never really got his head around it, always wanted to talk things out, but he could fight like nobody else. He didn't talk about it much, is the thing. He was so evasive that I always figured he might be making it up, but yeah, I'm thinking he was telling the truth about being human after all. Turns out half my posse are humans or know a human who had the same thing happen, and then there's you gals..."

She choked on her words a little as it hit home.

"Begging your pardon. My pa didn't have any other kids, that I know of; always figured I was the only one. The name's Brisa, and it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

 

[Namohysip]

The Croconaw nodded back. "And I'm Surf," she said, "and this is my little sister, Turf. Sorry we didn't meet properly until now, um... Brisa."

Turf giggled. "That's a funny name."

"C'mon, they aren't from this world, maybe it's an alias," Surf said, and then tried to smile toward Brisa. "And how about you? Are any of you guys human?"

"I'm not," Owen said, raising a hand. "I have amnesia, kinda, right now, but if people ask me questions, I kinda know the answer if I search my... I dunno, feelings, my knee-jerk reactions. And being human doesn't do anything for me. I can definitely relate to battling it out, though! Back home, it feels like people think that's weird, but... I don't know. It just makes sense. Then they go off and call me wild..."

"Amnesia... yeah. Three of the humans who came here got that. Dad almost totally forgot everything! It took a long time for those memories to come back, but I think he's got all of them now."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa cringed a little at the comment on her name, but brushed it off. Culture was what it was, she supposed.

"Amnesia was always my pa's explanation, too. I never found out if he got his memories back, but if he did, he sure didn't share 'em with me. If it's no trouble and nothin' too private, I'd care to hear more about your father's story. I'd feel like I was learning more about my own."

A thought crossed her mind. "Owen, you said... wild, was it? I don't know too much about you or your world yet, but it sure sounds like you and I have some similar troubles too!" She dug her claws into the ground for a second as she found the grit to say the word. "I get called feral by the townies sometimes where I come from. My ma was a roughlander, which is what folks call 'feral', though it don't mean nothing nice and roughlanders don't deserve any less respect than anyone else."

She'd let a bit of fierceness into her voice towards the end there, and bowed her head demurely to deescalate the tone.

"Anyhow, if you ever wanna fight it out, I promise you I'll give you vinegar for vinegar."

 

[Namohysip]

"I have no idea what that means, but if you want to fight, I can!" Owen grinned, and his happy, blazing tail let the rest of his thoughts be known. "Where I'm from, feral Pokemon are... they're different. They look a little different, they can't even talk--or, well, they can, I think, but it's not a language like ours, it's... something else. They just know it innately. Like feelings. So... being called a feral where I'm from is kind of saying that I'm..." Owen trailed off. There was a dark look in his eyes, but it was hastily brightened. "Well, that's not important!" He smiled. "Surf, what about your dad?"

"Well," Surf said, though her tone was also soft, "any time he talks about his human past, it goes right over my head for the most part. You'd have to ask him directly, if... if we find--I mean, when we find him, and Mom."

"We'll find them... right?" Turf leaned forward, desperate hope in her eyes. "You guys know where to look?"

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa gave a delighted nod to Owen as he responded with evident pleasure to her challenge. Good. There was someone in the posse with a much of a battle-yearning as her.

"You guys know where to look?"

"Well, I sure don't, but I heard tell earlier that some folks were getting together to discuss tracking them down. Kinda want t' be part of that discussion, if I'm honest. I'd give a lot to speak to a fella who's like my father, only willing to talk about his bein' human."

She gave a quick glance at Owen and Cino. They seemed good sorts. Safe enough to speak freely around, she hoped.

"I've had some conversation with humans already since arrivin' here. That golett individual who helped out earlier is one. So's the poochyena fella. But they're not... not like my pa. They ain't gonna be able to guess at why he did what he did. I grew up not knowing if I was gonna have to trek the continents putting the world to right when I grew up, whether my pa was a lunatic or a saviour, if I were a different kind of pokémon deep down cause of his blood in me. Maybe... some of that sounds familiar to y'all."

 

[Namohysip]

Surf and Turf exchanged a look, then nodded at one another.

"I think I know what you're talking about," Surf said. "It's about his old life, right?"

Turf frowned. "If you become a Pokemon and live in this world, that means you stopped being human in another. That's what Dad said when we asked."

"Dad had it even worse than most of the others, actually," Surf added. "Dad abandoned two lives. The first was his life as a human. The other was his life with someone he called... Balm. A Grovyle--he's from the future. Long story, but they came to this time to save it from becoming the world they came from. But stuff happened, and... Balm is in that world, now, and Dad is here. He lost everything twice."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa nodded carefully, an anxious pit forming in her gut. Diyem had promised her that she would return to her old life, but what if he'd lied? Or got it wrong? She imagined Gil, alone, waiting for her forever. She wondered whether she'd left an inert luxio corpse behind. Her mouth dried up.

"It's difficult for me to imagine giving up a whole life," she said. "Whether willingly or not. I wish I knew whether my father had a choice in the matter, and whether he regretted it, but... I don't think he ever would have told me if he did, you know? And..."

She drew a steadying breath.

"Well, he vanished one day and I don't know whether he meant to, or whether he went back, or anything! I want answers, and talking to someone like him is the closest I can come to that, in all likelihood."

She realised how that might not have been the best thing for her to say to two mon whose human pa was missing, and hurried to qualify her meaning.

"I figure we'll find your pa. He's still with your ma, still fighting for this world. I guess in that way he ain't like mine at all, ha."

Maybe if the pit in her stomach dropped any lower, she'd disappear into it. That would be a relief.

 

[Namohysip]

Owen blinked a few times, surprised at how much Brisa had said just then. Suddenly, it all seemed to click for him, and he'd put a hand over his heart without realizing it. "Brisa..."

Surf was less perceptive, merely nodding and saying, "I guess we both have a pretty good reason to find him, huh? I'm really sorry your dad left like that... For me, from what Mom said, Dad was gone for months after his mission was complete. Sort of. Timeline got erased but Dialga fixed it so a paradox didn't happen, or something like that." Surf had a feeling the details didn't mean much here.

"You might want to talk to Pine," Turf suddenly said. "He's the Hero of Paradise, over in the Mist Continent. He used to travel between this world and his home world all the time, but before then, he had to leave by the laws of the universe!"

"Pine is weird," Surf mumbled, but nodded at Brisa.

"Oh, and there's also Bone, over in the Air Continent," Surf said. "She was the human who stopped the first Dark Omen in recent history, and I heard that she nearly went back to her world, too. I wasn't born when that happened, though."

"Bone's scary," Turf commented next, and Surf tittered.

"She's a little intense."

Owen grinned, but he kept it gentle and looked at Brisa again. Surf and Turf probably didn't notice how much she was truly bothered by all this, but Owen had a strong feeling that Brisa was investing a lot into this talk...

Feeling bold, Owen moved slowly and deliberately before placing a hand on Brisa's shoulder, offering an encouraging smile.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa returned Owen's smile, and patted his hand with her forepaw. She would now willingly die for this polite reptile.

"Pine and Bone, got it. But is there any way I could get contact them remotely, or travel very swiftly between Treasure Town and their abodes?"

 

[Namohysip]

Surf and Turf exchanged looks at this one, frowning. "Sorry," Surf said. "We have the Waypoint stuff for travel within the continent, but it's not really strong enough to go across entire oceans like that. They're mostly for Dungeons... or, well, where Dungeons used to be. And other big towns like here. But to travel to a whole different continent--"

"Oh," Owen said, and the two sisters looked inquisitively toward him. "Maple."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

"Maple's the smeargle gal, right? You reckon her portal technique could do the trick? Either way, I was kinda expectin' y'all to have a postal service."

 

[Namohysip]

"Oh! That." Surf nodded. "Guess with all the crazy stuff that's been happening, I forgot that you can just deliver letters. Yeah, we've got that. D'you want to borrow a paper or something to write them a letter? If it's addressed from Team Spice, you bet they'll read it."

"Writing to other heroes, just like that...?" Owen tried to hide his awe, but his tail betrayed him.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

"You'd do me a favour like that? I gotta say, I really appreciate it. Uh, I'm literate, but I don't know if folks here read and write the same script we use back home, so I might have to dictate if that's alright?"

Brisa's body language had transformed in seconds, ears perked and tail high. This... this was perfect. Better than she could have imagined, far better than she'd predicted.

 

[Torchic]

Seeing the two happily chit chatting to eachother, Cino didn't see a reason to be in this cliff anymore, as he was only interested in finding out what had happened here. He silently went back up the stairs and headed towards a random building.

 

[Namohysip]

"Oh, that's fine," Surf said, nodding.

"I think Diyem--er, our leader, the one guiding us--he helps translate a lot of things, including script. It might just come to you. I have a much easier time writing in Unown script here, though."

"Oh, aren't you fancy," Surf commented with an amused lilt.

Owen's flame crackled. "Y-yeah, uh, I, uh... is it fancy here?"

"A little. You usually use Unown script if you want to impress someone. Humans are much better at reading and writing in Unown, though. Me, I can barely write it, but Mom was a total nut for that sort of thing, too." Surf looked to Owen. "How about you write it, huh? I bet you'd really impress whoever you send it to."

"Sure!"

After quickly producing a paper, Owen sat down next to Brisa and held a claw toward the top corner. "Alright. What do you want to say?"

Owen's claw lit up, producing a pinprick of fire.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa tried to remember letter-writing etiquette and compose a thoughtful message in her head without keeping anyone waiting. It occurred to her that most letter-writing practices were either bunk or inapplicable, and from a different culture than Cibus', besides. No matter. It was a challenge, but she did her best.

"Honoured Sir,

I trust it will not shock you to hear that I am a native of another world. My name is Luxio Brisa, and I am ranger by common law of Frontier Town, a place not on any map you may have seen. I am one of several persons brought just this moon from their respective worlds into yours to aid in its defence. Like my mother, I was born a shinx; but like yourself, my father was born human.

I write to you hoping you may shed light on this abiding personal mystery, though it is one with which you are not materially familiar, by confiding your own experiences as a transformed human in this humble stranger. You may ask why I have not put my inquiries to my father—I can only say that it is not possible.

If you should prove willing to do this kindness for me, I wish to ask such questions as these: What kind of life must humans brought to our worlds leave behind? Does remaining in pokémon form come with regrets and sacrifices? Is it possible to come to know persons such as my mother, a natural pokémon, and look upon them as peer, equal, and true-beloved? And is there a sound reason that a human in a world of pokémon may sire a daughter, only to then depart from that world?

My sincerest apologies for the frank tone of my inquest, but I know not how else to frame them. I fondly anticipate your answer with patience and great thanks.

Yours very respectfully,

Luxio Brisa Escarpa"

She felt a little giddy. It was the most she'd said uninterrupted since... well, since her father had been around. Her eyes seemed almost to burn.

"Um. Sorry about that, y'all. I'm a mouthy gal when I get goin', huh?" She forced a smile.

 

[Namohysip]

Owen finished writing out the letter and verified what it said before closing it up. Surf didn't seem to understand most of the diction, or it was too wordy for her to retain interest. By the end, Surf smiled blankly and said, "I'll make sure this gets delivered as soon as possible. Since it's cross-continental, might take a week or so... And then no telling when you'll get a reply. So uh, who's this going to? Bone or Pine?"

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

"Thank you, Surf. I guess it oughta go to Pine? Just a feeling I have. I can always try Bone later if it doesn't work out."

She stood to bow to both sisters before leaving. "It's been a pleasure. I'm glad to have been of help today, and I will remember your kindness."

 

[Namohysip]

"Wow, aren't you formal," Surf said with an amused smile, and then looked to Turf, who was back to sitting down. She was still fatigued, after all, even with all the excitement.

"Yeah, take care," Owen said, waving and nodding. Then, leaving the letter for Surf to take care of later, he started to head for the exit.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa followed Owen out. At first, she wasn't sure if she should say anything, and she wondered with a sick lurch if he'd thought her outpouring to be pathetic, entitled, overblown. She remembered his comforting paw on her shoulder.

"It means a lot to me that you helped out with this," she said. "Thank you."