Tarnished Lands - Realm of the Golden King

[Flyg0n]

Overhead a blanket of sickly, pallid yellow. Not a sky, but an oppresive, miasmatic cover than seemed to smother everything. Cloying air that felt near impossible to breath properly. Cracked mountains and canyons in the distance, like jagged claws tearing at the fabric of the sky. The ground underfoot felt dry and crumbly, barren of anything resembling life. No wind, yet to ground and distant shapes seemed to be moving and shifting. No sun or moon hung in the sky, and no stars, yet there was a vague sense of dum, ill light. Enough to see by. And enough to see dark shape in the distance, like some twisted amalgamation of a castle...


​

They had passed quickly through Clink's realm, just long enough to catch their breath and stockpile berries. Then Clink had taken a hoop shaped key and opened a portal to Orzo's realm. And the world they had entered felt truly inhospitable. The assembled trainers were gathered in a sort of huddle, Chef Flygon near the front, flanked by Clink and Darkrai.

Clink trembled slightly, their keys clinking together. Everything inside them screamed Leave! All around, a dreadful pressure and a wicked presence. "He is here." They managed to say.

"Then we make for his throne," Darkrai said, gesturing to dark spires of the castle... "But take caution. The realm of a legendary is not kind to those who are outsiders."

Chef Flygon nodded solenmly and started forwards.

 

[IFBench]

Coleane looked around at the barren landscape. This was worse than any mystery dungeon she'd ever been in...

Seeing her partner trembling beside her, she laid a wing on him. "It'll be ok! We'll win, then we'll get back to our journey!"

Gen hesitated, then said, "Th-thanks..."

A tiny smile on her face, Coleane decided to look in her bag, to see exactly what she had.

Six oran berries, two sitrus berries, an energy seed, three reviver seeds, three heal seeds, a sunny orb, the all power-up orb, and an escape orb...

And Spirit still had that empowerment seed...

She truly hoped this would be enough.

 

[Hanafuda]

Zack made a three-point landing after entering the desolate realm. There was no wind to be felt; that meant no epic crest swaying behind him. Bummer. Nonetheless, he smirked at the castle in the horizon. “So that’s where the bastard King lives… Man, it’s gonna be so fun beatin’ him together.”

Jack landed on his shoulder after him. He smiled with his massive friend as they both looked determined at the castle beyond. “I said it before and I’ll say it again. What will I ever do without you? It’s thanks to you and Seb that these moments make me happy and excited.”

“Heh. Yeah. Things are more epic with pals.”

“After all, divided we fall, united we stand.”

They were ready. To fly towards their destinies. They would create a better future in this final battle.

“Guys…”

Zack and Jack turned around, seeing their Trainer with a bit of worry.

“Before we go… I need to tell you the truth.” Seb looked down. His expression wasn’t easily visible with his lowered head, but the agony in his tone was evident. “I… I always felt like I’ve been a horrible person. I kept saying that everything is okay. That I could do things myself without anyone to bother me. That everything was easy.” There was a pause. He took off his glasses and covered his eyes with one open palm. “I kept lying… School sucks… It’s one of the reasons I became a Trainer… To run away from who and what I didn’t like… And I wanted to fly free with you… I’ve done so many mistakes that I lost count… I stopped caring at one point…” He raised his head to the sky and uncovered his eyes. There were tears stuck in them. “I even promised myself I wouldn’t ever feel bad. No sadness, no anger, no fear, no pain… Only happiness. I even ignored some important lessons, but…” He wiped away his tears, put his glasses back on and caught his breath. “I-I know I can be a better person. I sunk myself in escapism, but it’s thanks to the world around me that I was able to find my resolve. I just gotta give myself some time to grow outta these bad habits.”

“Dude, can you shut up about all that crap?” Zack exclaimed while shaking his head. “You’re okay! You’re not bad! But yeah, I’m pretty sure you can fix yourself.”

“Could it be that deep inside that adult, there was a scared kid crying for help?” Jack asked. “No offense. I just always thought that you were pretty innocent for your age.”

“Yeah, that’s what I like to think,” Seb replied. He stepped forward and sat on his Mega-Pidgeot’s back, looking at the castle in the horizon with a tearful smile. “Time to unlock the way back home.”

 

[Shiny Phantump]

Gladion stared at the fortress, its architecture ill-befitting reality as it loomed above them. The eerie lighting seemed to come from no particular direction, and the absence of shadow made the scene look flat and even further unreal. He wasn't sure how far they'd even need to walk to reach it.

"Well, I guess this is it..."

Hazel tugged at his hood with her beak.

"Come on. Let's group up."

She dragged him towards Wes, holding on even after he started walking of his own accord. Neo and Novo were not the closest friends she had here, but it was Gladion who needed to be leaning on people right now, and she would be mute for most of the fight anyway. She was not thinking that Wes was the kind of person who was making lots of friends either, so he would probably also be wanting to lean on someone too.

Only once they'd reached Wes did she let go.

"Hello Wes! Look what I brought! And hello Neo and Novo! It turns out I can be a psychic, or dark too but I am using psychic because it is better for talking even if dark will fit this battle better."

 

[Seren]

The atmosphere in Orzo's realm was smothering. Barren, desolate, oppressive... Kimiko found herself having a harder time simply breathing. But maybe that was more a result of her nerves... or maybe just her imagination. She wasn't really sure. She kept herself moving on her quiet resolve.

She and her partners trailed at the back of the party, as usual - following, oddly enough, Chef Flygon? - as they all headed towards Orzo's castle, because of course the fucker who called himself the 'Golden King' had his own castle. Beside her, Olivia trotted along calmly; Kimiko had expected her to find Neo and be oblivious to the rest of the world, but after the last hour or so (is that all it had been?), even the two excitable espeon were subdued. Almost worryingly so, until Kimiko caught a hint of pink aura in the corner of her eye. Olivia seemed to be using the relatively peaceful trek to practice her calm mind technique. Not a terrible idea, especially given how much difficulty she had doing so in the heat of battle.

Lucy Gray floated along not far away, impassive as ever, eyes fixed on their destination as though afraid it may move or disappear entirely. Kimiko was relatively sure she wouldn't try to pull her destiny bond idea, but... she wondered just what Lucy had seen in her own nightmare. She assumed the froslass' sudden eagerness to protect everyone else, as well as the fact that she'd given up on her invisibility now, was related in some way... but there really wasn't time to talk about it now. Not in public, in front of all these others who'd also just suffered nightmares. No, this was something to wait for privacy to resolve.

Instead, Kimiko listened to the conversations going on around her...

Clink trembled slightly, their keys clinking together. Everything inside them screamed Leave! All around, a dreadful pressure and a wicked presence. "He is here." They managed to say.

Well, not much of a surprise there, she figured. But that only served to bring up the question of the other mythics again. Had they survived their battle with Orzo after the trainers escaped? Were they hurt? Would they still come to aid the party now? ...Would they even still be able to reach the mythics? Kimiko reached into her own bag and pulled out Celebi's whistle, looking fragile as ever. How would they even get into Orzo's realm? Clink didn't seem worried about it, though, so...

“After all, divided we fall, united we stand.”

Kimiko did manage a small smile, recognizing the song lyrics, if a little backwards. She'd been mentally repeating them to herself for the last week.

With all the chatter picking up around her, Kimiko found herself feeling somewhat lonely. Dropping Celebi's whistle carefully back into her bag, she pulled out her 'dex instead. She really missed Alex right now, and she'd never had a chance to tell him that Lucy had been with her the entire time. He was always the one she went to for comfort, for reassurance. ...But of course, she had no service here. She tapped out a text anyways, hoping maybe it would send automatically when they got back to the island. At the very least, it would remind her to try again.

Assuming she did make it back, of course... she supposed she could ask someone to collect her things and watch her partners for her if necessary, but... the thought was pretty grim, and after everything that just happened, who could she talk to about that?

But that nagging desire for companionship was still there, too. Kimiko spotted Odette not far away and picked up her pace to catch up without really thinking about it. If she needed someone here who could substitute for Alex... well, that wasn't going to happen, but Odette was the closest. As she approached, though, something else resurfaced in the back of her mind.

"Hey," she started. "Uh, so I was thinking. If I recall the battle with Noro and Alakazam, Odile can use taunt, right? Orzo's been using flash to blind everyone he attacks, so um, it might be a good idea to open with that..." Of course it would. Odette wasn't dumb. She was a champion. She didn't need battle advice from her. "Not that you didn't already know that, but..."

She could already feel her cheeks heating up again. Why was she so awkward when it came to personal stuff? With a sigh, she clasped her hands together behind her back and continued. "That's... not actually what I wanted to talk about, though." She turned pointedly to Odile. "I wanted to apologize for how I reacted when we met. I know I already have, but like... I dunno, I still feel bad about it, I guess. Especially now that being nearby doesn't even bother me much. I've... well, over this last week, I've come to trust and respect you a lot. Maybe even admire you a little bit. All of you," she added, making sure to look around towards each of them in turn.

"Anyway, I just... well, I just tried to send Alex a text but I don't have service here." She checked behind her to make sure Olivia and Lucy were still following along, too focused on their own thoughts to overhear her, before turning her attention back to Odette. "I, um... I was hoping, in case for some reason I don't make it back from this, if you could make sure he gets my message. And also, if you could keep an eye on Olivia and Lucy for me until Clink and Hoopa can get them back home."

 

[Hanafuda]

Jack noticed two familiar figures from the corner of his vision. “Hey, look! Victoria’s here.” He waved a wing at the Milotic. “Hey! Glad to see you’re okay!”

Seb and Zack turned to where the Farfetch’d was looking, noticing the two individuals.

“Mister Wallace!” Seb exclaimed, sounding relieved.

“Bishie dude!” Zack exclaimed.

“You’re okay! Right?”

 

[HelloYellow17]

Well, the place was certainly fitting for a ruthless ghost that called himself a king.

Wes refused to let his apprehension show, regardless of the way it trickled down his spine like icy water and nearly made him shiver. Now wasn’t the time for hesitation. He felt Neo press against his leg reassuringly, and Wes brushed the tip of the Espeon’s ears in thanks.

He kept a slight distance from the others—partially so he could have some space for his own thoughts, but largely because he wanted as much distance between himself and that gods-damned bastard as possible. He scowled and clenched his jaw at the sight of the other Wes’ tall, lanky figure.

I don’t give a damn what Darkrai said about you. Just stay the hell away from me.

As if he didn’t have enough to worry about without a murderous psychopath supposedly “teaming up” with them—

"Hello Wes! Look what I brought! And hello Neo and Novo! It turns out I can be a psychic, or dark too but I am using psychic because it is better for talking even if dark will fit this battle better."

Hazel’s greeting yanked Wes from his thoughts and made him jump. He blinked at—wait. Was that Hazel? There was certainly no other Pokémon that resembled her, but…where was her helmet?

He spotted Gladion standing shyly by her side and offered what he hoped was a confident, reassuring grin. Totally not nervous enough to hurl. Definitely not. “Well, it’s been a minute. Glad to see you’re both still in one piece…and Hazel seems to be trying a…new look?”

He remembered the helmet had been…a sensitive subject. Surely it was a good thing that it was gone…right? Gods, he hoped so, and that he hadn’t blurted out something regrettable by mentioning it.

Neo perked up and immediately began chattering away at Hazel. “Hazel! Hi! Wow, you’re psychic type right now? That’s so cool! We can talk lots! Psychic type is the coolest, right? It’s the best out of all of them, right? How many types can you be? How many have you tried? What are they like? Wait, where did your helmet go?”

Novo chuffed and gently nudged his brother before addressing Hazel with a mew. “It is good to see you again. You look well. And you look…stronger. Happier. I am glad to see that.”

 

[Hanafuda]

"Well... No, I'm not okay. But that's okay. Because I'm going to keep working until I can say that I am, and not have it be a lie."

“Well, we can be not okay together in this,” Seb said with a wry grin. “We’ll definitely be a bit more okay than before once the King’s dealt with.”

("Did you learn about how to talk to a lady?")

“Yeah, I guess,” Zack replied with a sheepish expression. “Odette definitely was the wake-up I needed. Man, what a queen…” He shook his head quickly. “Wait, no—I mean, she’s awesome—ya get me, right?”

 

[Shiny Phantump]

“Well, it’s been a minute. Glad to see you’re both still in one piece…and Hazel seems to be trying a…new look?”

Hazel's eyes lit up. "Yes! It is a new style called not dying without the helmet! I think it suits me nicely!"

Gladion scratched her head, beside her plumage. She leaned into the touch. "Apparently there's a mythical here who can just... grant wishes. With friendship magic, which... Well, you won't catch me complaining. Hell, if we can get through this alright, all this... will even have been worth it for us."

"And we will not falter! We will be teaching him that there is not so great a difference between predator and prey, and cut a path through to our new life!"

"Yeah. What she said." He could almost believe it, too- That they would win, everyone would go home, and Hazel would be healed. Almost. Just one last feat and it would be theirs. They were so close. One last impossible feat. They'd defied all reason once before, had they now?

Neo perked up and immediately began chattering away at Hazel. “Hazel! Hi! Wow, you’re psychic type right now? That’s so cool! We can talk lots! Psychic type is the coolest, right? It’s the best out of all of them, right? How many types can you be? How many have you tried? What are they like? Wait, where did your helmet go?”

Novo chuffed and gently nudged his brother before addressing Hazel with a mew. “It is good to see you again. You look well. And you look…stronger. Happier. I am glad to see that.”

Hazel sat down to be level with Neo and Novo. "Yes I am! I have been using psychic the most, because it is good for talking. I should have a style for all of the types once I can practice them, but right now I have only been using Pa'u for Psychic, Sensu for Ghost, Balie for Fire, Pom-Pom for Electric, and Dark which is not having a name because I am the only one who is using it but we practised it anyways because I know Pursuit and that will be a good thing here. I think Ghost was the weirdest it was helping me see things that do not really seem to be there when I am not using it. Psychic was a little bit overwhelming at first because there can be a lot of minds in places but I am getting used to it now. The others do not give me new senses so they are feeling much normaler. My helmet is back in a cave and I do not think anyone will be coming back for it any time soon. I don't need it so we won't go get it, maybe sometime a long time away someone will find it and wonder what it was for."

She chirped back at Novo even though her vocalizations didn't carry any meaning in the way his did. "It is good to see you again too. I am both of those things now! I will be doing much better in fights as long as I am remembering not to try to block things with my helmet or they will just hit me in the head. It is worth breaking the habit because without it things are much better."

 

[IFBench]

Seeing his uncle nearby, Gen waddled over towards him. Gripping onto his reunion cape, he looked up at the human, and asked, "Uncle Wallace? D-do you think w-we'll win?"

 

[Hanafuda]

“For sure. Do you… think we’re ready for this? You seem pretty sure we can defeat Orzo.”

“Yeah.” Seb moved his jacket behind him, letting it flutter like a cape. The lack of wind made it difficult, though. “As scared as I am, I can count on Zack and Jack to help us.”

 

[HelloYellow17]

Hazel's eyes lit up. "Yes! It is a new style called not dying without the helmet! I think it suits me nicely!"

Gladion scratched her head, beside her plumage. She leaned into the touch. "Apparently there's a mythical here who can just... grant wishes. With friendship magic, which... Well, you won't catch me complaining. Hell, if we can get through this alright, all this... will even have been worth it for us."

Wes stifled a laugh at Hazel’s response. She looked so earnest, he didn’t want to make her feel bad by laughing—but gods, her child-like answers were doing his nerves some good. He offered her a small smile. “Well, I like this new style. It suits you.”

Wes shook his head at Gladion’s story. “Granting wishes with friendship magic. Normally I’d be skeptical, but what the hell. Nothing on this trip surprises me anymore.” He laughed a little. “Don’t suppose you could hook me up with them? Gods know I could use a magic wish after all this is over.”

He watched Gladion scratch her head, a softness in his eyes that Wes knew all too well. It really was no wonder he and Gladion got along so well. He glanced at his own Pokémon, who were chattering away at Hazel, and felt a new sense of resolve. Gladion and Hazel’s conviction was contagious, it seemed.

They were close. So close, and then they would be free of this hellish place, of this disaster of a festival, and they could all return home.

…Home. The word was bittersweet. Wes still wasn’t sure what it meant, at least for him. But he did know that once they were back in Orre…he would make things right. Especially with Rui. If he could face down Orzo now, in this moment, then he could face anything to come afterwards.

No more running.

Hazel sat down to be level with Neo and Novo. "Yes I am! I have been using psychic the most, because it is good for talking.

Neo’s eyes widened as Hazel talked. Most of it went entirely over his head, but he remained an enraptured audience all the same.

“Psychic is a lot! You learn to control it better eventually. Sometimes I still get overwhelmed with lots of emotions in a big group…like right now.” He flicked his ears back and dipped his head slightly, but shook it off and brightened again. “Lots of us are scared right now. But lots of us are determined, too! So I’m gonna be determined and do my best like everyone else. Like you!”

Novo purred and swiped his tongue over Neo’s ear. “That is right. We are many, and Orzo is one. We do not need to fear if we are together.”

He looked back to Hazel. “Try blocking moves with your shoulder instead of your head. It will still hurt, but not as much. Though if you can change types, that will be helpful, too.”

 

[IFBench]

Gen's eyes widened as he saw the scars, though not in anger, but worry. Did someone hurt his uncle? How did he get those scars?

As Wallace said his words of reassurance, a tiny smile appeared on the Oshawott's face.

He waddled up to his uncle, and hugged his leg.

"Th-thanks, uncle Wallace," he said.

 

[Shiny Phantump]

“Granting wishes with friendship magic. Normally I’d be skeptical, but what the hell. Nothing on this trip surprises me anymore.” He laughed a little. “Don’t suppose you could hook me up with them? Gods know I could use a magic wish after all this is over.”

Gladion laughed. "We've all earned something nice after this fucking shit."

After thinking about it for a moment, he added, "If you're serious, we could give it a shot... The things you can wish for here and take back with are probably kinda limited, but if you've got something that might work there's no harm in giving it a shot, really."

“Psychic is a lot! You learn to control it better eventually. Sometimes I still get overwhelmed with lots of emotions in a big group…like right now.” He flicked his ears back and dipped his head slightly, but shook it off and brightened again. “Lots of us are scared right now. But lots of us are determined, too! So I’m gonna be determined and do my best like everyone else. Like you!”

Novo purred and swiped his tongue over Neo’s ear. “That is right. We are many, and Orzo is one. We do not need to fear if we are together.”

He looked back to Hazel. “Try blocking moves with your shoulder instead of your head. It will still hurt, but not as much. Though if you can change types, that will be helpful, too.”

"I am not very good at telling what people are feeling, you are good at this. You are having much practice though so I am not surprised by that. There are so many types I will probably never be very good at them all but psychic is worth practising with. And dark and ghost. If I can be changing types very very fast between ghost and dark and null then I can be ignoring a lot of attacks. I will have to shoulder the rest. Yes. We can do this!"

 

[Panoramic_Vacuum]

Spoiler: Clink's Realm Interlude - Steven and Aggron solo post fluff

Steven and Aggron were quiet as the group made their final preparations in Clink's realm. Steven stood by as his partner gathered berries from the higher branches, collecting them and handing them out as Aggron dropped them one by one. The motion was repetitive, almost soothing, leaving plenty of time for musing.

It was strange. It felt like as soon as they'd entered Darkrai's realm, they left it. Steven knew that wasn't the case. It wasn't clear how long they'd been in the grips of the nightmare, or how that time translated into passage of time in the real world. His watch changed with no rhyme or reason every time he glanced at it. It was like they existed independent of time itself. Maybe it was a blessing; he didn't feel cycles of fatigue or hunger like he normally would. Perhaps that was the effect of Clink's berries. Perhaps it really was a curse, though. To those trapped in these realms, in Orzo's realm... Did it feel like an eternity?

He must have visibly frowned at the thought, because when Aggron extracted his head from the nearby berry tree and glanced down at him, he paused with a huff. "Hey, don't worry," he rumbled.

Steven jumped a little, still not used to being able to hear his partner's voice. "Ah, is it that obvious?" he said, rubbing at his temple. The beginnings of a headache were starting to grow. Maybe he was more tired than he initially thought.

"Yeah, kinda," said Aggron, holding out a berry for his trainer. "Here. One for the road. We both gotta be a full strength for this one."

"You noticed that, too, then," said Steven, accepting the berry with a sheepish smile.

"Not really noticed. I just kinda knew. Darkrai's dream, it took a lot out of me, too." Aggron sat back on his heels and popped his own berry into his mouth. "It feels like I ran up a mountain, but I didn't actually run anywhere," he said as he chewed.

Steven nodded, biting into the berry Aggron gave him. Mostly bitter, a little bit sweet. It suddenly made him yearn for a cup of coffee. To be back at home in Mossdeep in his kitchen with the morning sun and the day's news pulled up on his Nav. Aggron always knew the best berries to pick.

His partner must have been feeling wistful too, because he suddenly looked down at Steven and said, "I'm gonna miss this."

"Miss... this?" Steven asked, mid-bite, brow raised. "The whole having to fight off an ancient evil hellbent on destroying the world?"

"No," said Aggron with a shake of his head. "This." He waggled a finger between them, first at his own snout, then at Steven's head. "Y'know, talking thing."

"Oh," said Steven. He paused, dumbfounded, and then broke out laughing. And not just a chuckle, or something for polite company, either. He tried to hide it behind his half-eaten berry and failed miserably.

Aggron shot him a grumpy look, and Steven gave his partner an apologetic look between breaths.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he said hurriedly, swiping a hand across his face to try to wipe away the excess mirth. "I'm going to miss it too, but even being able to understand your words isn't enough to help me it seems."

At this Aggron huffed his own laugh. "Ha, I could have told you that even without this fancy trick."

Steven's grin was lopsided as he smiled up at his partner. "Yes, well, you and everyone else on my team." Aggron nodded sagely, and Steven laughed again. "It's a wonder you all have put up with me for this long."

Suddenly, Aggron's face grew serious. "There's no one else I'd rather put up with," he deadpanned. "I'm your partner, and you're my trainer, and I won't have it any other way."

The surprised look on Steven's face at Aggron's change of tone quickly melted into a genuine smile. "Nor would I," he murmured.

The warm breeze of Clink's realm blew between them, and only then did they both realize things had gone quiet. Startled, Aggron looked toward where the other trainers had been gathered, and realized they weren't there any more. Steven followed his gaze, finishing the last of his berry in one bite.

"We should go," said Steven, rising to his feet. He wasn't sure if it was the berry or the laughter, but he felt miles better than when they'd emerged from Darkrai's realm. He was willing to bet it was some of both.

Aggron nodded and picked himself up from the ground, following in Steven's wake. They headed toward the portal where the last of the trainers were disappearing. The last battleground, the final opponent, the main showdown. No words were necessary to convey the weight of what they were about to face. His trainer knew just as well as he did. The feeling of Steven's palm resting against his flank was proof enough of that.

Everything else that came before this meant nothing. If they failed here, no title or accomplishment would save them. It was all or nothing, and in the wake of the nightmare they'd just endured, Aggron knew what nothing felt like, and he hated it. The image of Steven's smile flashed through his mind, and he knew. He knew he would fight to the bitter end to protect his everything.

Aggron leveled his horns at the portal. "I'm ready," he declared.

Steven's hand curled against Aggron's side, and he nodded. "Then let's finish this."

Together, they stepped through the portal.

----------

The landscape before them when they emerged from the portal took Steven's breath away. He was accustomed to less-than-inviting places, the bottom of dark caves and the quiet solitude they held.

But Orzo's realm was nothing like that.

Caves held so much life, so much sound. It was quiet, yes, but it was there. Here, it was entirely absent. The absence of any sound save for the ones they made-- the shuffling of his feet, the huff of Aggron's breath-- was chilling. The eerie twilight bathed this realm of emptiness in an otherworldly light. For some reason the first emotion that hit Steven's chest wasn't fear, or worry, but sorrow. He'd never met a rock formation he'd never liked, and yet the desolate crags that spread before them made his heart hurt. Even the nightmarish shadows of Darkrai's realm hadn't felt like this.


"What is this place?" he muttered low enough that only his partner could hear.

"Dunno. But the sooner we kick this guy's ass and get out of here, the better," rumbled Aggron.

Steven nodded in silent agreement, and hurried to catch up with the rest of the group. It felt wrong to stray too far away, as if the shifting wasteland would swallow them whole if they were alone for too long.

He had just jogged up to the tail of the group when he overheard Darkrai's words.


"The castle?" asked Steven. And then, as if in response, a twisted, jagged shape rose from the landscape. He blinked once, shocked that he'd somehow missed the tortured silhouette of the Golden King's fortress-- their destination.

"I'm gonna turn that thing into rubble," growled Aggron.

They moved together toward the unsettling horizon, and Steven found himself instinctually moving toward the front of the group. It's what they'd planned. He and Aggron would be on the front line, their duty to protect the others with everything they had. As he made his way through the group, he fell into stride with a familiar face, someone he hadn't seen much of since earlier in the trip. He'd enjoyed their company in the depths of a dark cave once. Perhaps a conversation with them would do wonders in such an oppressive place as this.


"You know," he began, giving Violet and Hazel a gentle smile, "I have a newfound admiration for the way you and your partner are able to communicate. This is so new for Aggron and I. It must be such a treat to be able to speak this way all the time."


Aggron looked from Violet to Hazel, and grinned at the little Weavile. He waggled a claw at the pocket of her coat, where he knew she kept her phone. "I know I'd need a bigger keyboard, but think you could teach me to use that thing even just a little? I kinda don't want it to end, this whole talking thing. It's pretty cool. And you're so smart, I bet you're a good teacher."

 

[Sinderella]

Overhead a blanket of sickly, pallid yellow. Not a sky, but an oppresive, miasmatic cover than seemed to smother everything. Cloying air that felt near impossible to breath properly. Cracked mountains and canyons in the distance, like jagged claws tearing at the fabric of the sky. The ground underfoot felt dry and crumbly, barren of anything resembling life. No wind, yet to ground and distant shapes seemed to be moving and shifting. No sun or moon hung in the sky, and no stars, yet there was a vague sense of dum, ill light. Enough to see by. And enough to see dark shape in the distance, like some twisted amalgamation of a castle...

As Odile stepped into the new realm, she took a deep breath as her eyes traveled around to take in her surroundings. The thick, tense air, the inhospitable mountains, that castle...


"̵H̷O̷L̶Y̵ ̶S̷H̴I̸T̴,̷ ̵I̶T̶'̴S̷ ̶F̴U̶C̸K̴I̸N̴G̷ ̶B̴E̶A̶U̵T̸I̵F̷U̴L̷ ̶H̸E̸R̴E̵.̵"̸

She turned back toward Darkrai and Clink. "A̷Y̴E̸ ̸Y̵O̴.̵ W̵h̶y̶ ̸d̶i̷d̴n̷'̷t̵ ̸w̷e̷ ̵h̶a̵v̴e̴ ̷t̷h̸a̴t̷ ̷f̶r̵i̴e̸n̷d̶s̶h̴i̴p̴ ̴f̵e̶s̸t̷i̵v̷a̵l̷ ̵h̷e̵r̵e̴?̶ ̸W̴e̸'̶d̵ ̷h̷a̷v̸e̸ ̵h̸a̸d̸ ̷s̶o̸ ̴m̶u̵c̷h̶ ̸m̸o̴r̵e̴ ̶t̶o̴ ̶d̶o̶;̸ ̶I̵ ̷m̴e̷a̵n̶ ̸l̶o̶o̵k̴ ̴a̵t̴ ̵t̴h̷i̵s̴ ̴p̷l̷a̶c̸e̷.̵ ̴W̴h̶a̵t̸ ̵t̵h̶e̸ ̷h̵e̸l̴l̸ ̶h̶a̵v̸e̶ ̵w̸e̶ ̵b̷e̷e̸n̶ ̶d̵o̴i̸n̷g̴ ̷t̷h̶i̴s̵ ̶w̵h̸o̶l̶e̶ ̵t̸i̵m̷e̵?̶"̵


Odette aggressively shoved Odile's shoulder. "Not now," she menaced through clenched teeth.


Odile sighed and rolled her eyes. "̸W̷h̶a̴t̸,̸ ̷I̴ ̵c̴a̶n̷'̸t̶ ̸a̶d̵m̴i̷r̶e̸ ̶b̷e̶a̶u̵t̷i̶f̵u̵l̵ ̶s̸c̵e̸n̷e̶r̵y̷ ̸w̴h̵e̶n̵ ̵I̷ ̷s̴e̶e̸ ̵i̷t̸?̶ ̶I̸s̴ ̶i̷t̵ ̶b̵e̸c̶a̶u̴s̴e̶ ̶t̶h̸i̸s̷ ̸i̷s̶ ̷O̸r̶z̶o̵'̸s̶ ̷p̴l̶a̷c̶e̷?̴ ̷ She crossed her arms defiantly. "F̵i̶n̸e̴.̴ ̴Y̵o̷u̷'̶r̸e̴ ̵r̸i̶g̷h̷t̸.̷"̵


Her eyes lit up again and she waved back at Darkrai and Clink. "̶W̵h̵e̷n̶ ̵w̵e̵ ̵m̵u̵r̶d̴e̶r̴ ̷O̴r̸z̶o̴,̶ ̴w̶i̷l̸l̶ ̶t̵h̷i̸s̸ ̵r̴e̶a̵l̴m̶ ̸b̷e̸ ̷u̸p̸ ̶f̸o̴r̴ ̴s̴a̷l̴e̷?̷ ̸I̴ ̸d̸o̶n̶'̵t̶ ̷k̸n̷o̴w̷ ̶j̴a̶c̵k̷ ̶s̴h̸i̵t̸ ̶a̶b̴o̸u̸t̷ ̴r̷e̸a̷l̸ ̷e̶s̸t̶a̸t̶e̷,̸ ̵b̷u̷t̸ ̶I̴ ̶h̵a̴v̷e̴ ̸a̸ ̵b̷u̷y̶e̵r̸ ̶w̸h̵o̸ ̶i̷s̸ ̶v̴e̴r̷y̵ ̶f̷u̷c̷k̷i̸n̴g̸ ̶i̶n̵t̴e̷r̴e̵s̵t̴e̸d̵ ̵i̷n̷ ̴p̴u̵r̶c̷h̶a̶s̷i̵n̵g̶.̶"̵


She pointed to herself. "̷J̸u̸s̸t̶ ̵i̵n̷ ̷c̴a̵s̸e̸ ̶i̶t̸ ̴w̵a̵s̶n̶'̶t̵ ̵o̸b̷v̴i̸o̷u̸s̶,̵ ̴i̷t̷'̵s̷ ̶m̶e̸.̵ ̷I̴'̴m̷ ̴t̴h̴e̸ ̴b̶u̶y̶e̵r̵.̴"̴

"Hey," she started. "Uh, so I was thinking. If I recall the battle with Noro and Alakazam, Odile can use taunt, right? Orzo's been using flash to blind everyone he attacks, so um, it might be a good idea to open with that..." Of course it would. Odette wasn't dumb. She was a champion. She didn't need battle advice from her. "Not that you didn't already know that, but..."

Odette brought her hand up to rub her eyes, suddenly more exasperated than she was to begin with. She didn't notice Kimiko approaching until the girl spoke, causing her to jolt ever so slightly.


Odette couldn't get a greeting in before Kimiko was launching into strategy talk. Odette had assumed she'd come over to discuss nightmares. Or what had happened in the lounge. So that was entirely preferable.

"To be fair I have been a tad more concerned with everyone else's stances, so I haven't put a lot into my own strategies just yet," she offered sheepishly.

She could already feel her cheeks heating up again. Why was she so awkward when it came to personal stuff? With a sigh, she clasped her hands together behind her back and continued. "That's... not actually what I wanted to talk about, though." She turned pointedly to Odile. "I wanted to apologize for how I reacted when we met. I know I already have, but like... I dunno, I still feel bad about it, I guess. Especially now that being nearby doesn't even bother me much. I've... well, over this last week, I've come to trust and respect you a lot. Maybe even admire you a little bit. All of you," she added, making sure to look around towards each of them in turn.

Ah, fuck, but of course it was just a ruse. This girl knew her well enough to open a personal conversation with something that would--


Odile stopped her sightseeing to stare at Kimiko as she was approached. She raised a brow at her words.

"̷I̵ ̵d̴o̵n̴'̶t̵ ̵m̵i̸n̶d̴,̸"̶ she said simply, ̵"̸p̸e̵o̶p̷l̷e̷ ̵a̵r̸e̵ ̷a̸l̸w̷a̶y̴s̶ ̴s̶c̵a̴r̸e̸d̵ ̵o̴f̶ ̷m̶e̴;̴ ̶i̵t̵'̵s̶ ̸n̷o̶t̶h̸i̵n̷g̷ ̸n̴e̸w̶.̷"̷


However, she did start to grin at what came next. "̶D̵i̷d̶ ̴y̸o̵u̶ ̵s̸a̵y̵ ̵R̵E̵S̵P̷E̵C̵T̴?̶ ̷L̵i̵k̴e̵,̴ ̴c̶a̶p̷i̵t̸a̶l̶ ̸R̷-̵E̸-̵S̸-̶P̷-̵E̶-̴C̵-̸T̷?̶"̷

Odile gestured wildly to Odette and Enora. "̶H̶e̸a̶r̶ ̴t̸h̶a̵t̵?̵ ̸S̷h̶e̷ ̴r̷e̷s̷p̸e̴c̷t̶s̸ ̷m̸e̸?̵ ̷H̸o̵w̴ ̶'̷b̸o̴u̶t̵ ̷t̶h̶e̶m̷ ̴a̶p̵p̸l̴i̷n̷s̸?̵"̶


That was an unexpected turn. "That's..." she stammered unsure of how to do the sentimental thing. She felt herself starting to sweat, and it wasn't due to the thick air. "Uh...thank you. Feeling's mutual."


"That's very kind of you," Enora said in agreement, nodding her head for good measure. "I will be honest, this feels a little...last rites-like. Is there something wrong?"

"Anyway, I just... well, I just tried to send Alex a text but I don't have service here." She checked behind her to make sure Olivia and Lucy were still following along, too focused on their own thoughts to overhear her, before turning her attention back to Odette. "I, um... I was hoping, in case for some reason I don't make it back from this, if you could make sure he gets my message. And also, if you could keep an eye on Olivia and Lucy for me until Clink and Hoopa can get them back home."

Fuck, she hadn't even thought to text Guzma and Clovis...everything had been moving so fast, it didn't even come to mind.


"Don't think like that. You are definitely going to make it back," Odette said strongly. "No exceptions."


Still, she supposed she understood the sentiment. Wanting to make sure her things were taken care of, messages were sent, and so on...just in case. It made sense. Odette hadn't bothered with any of that, because, well...not making it back wasn't an option.

Sighing, she nodded. "I'm not speaking anything into existence, but in the event it's needed, I'll look after your 'mon, and I'll make sure Alex gets your message. But, it shouldn't matter. I'll drag you out of here by your eyelashes if I have to."


It was there that Odile approached Kimiko and rubbed shoulders with her. "̶I̸ ̷l̶i̶k̴e̷ ̵y̵o̷u̵.̶ ̷Y̵o̷u̴'̴r̶e̸ ̴d̶e̶f̵i̴n̸i̴t̸e̸l̷y̸ ̸o̶n̶ ̴m̵y̵ ̷'̸d̵o̶ ̴n̸o̵t̴ ̵e̵a̴t̵'̷ ̷l̸i̷s̶t̵,̸ ̶s̸o̵ ̶d̵o̸n̴'̸t̶ ̴g̸e̴t̷ ̴s̶o̸ ̴s̷w̵e̵a̶t̸y̸.̴ ̶I̸'̸v̷e̶ ̶g̷o̶t̵ ̵a̴ ̵b̴i̸g̵ ̶e̸n̸o̶u̶g̴h̸ ̶w̶i̵n̸g̸s̸p̶a̸n̵ ̷t̴o̸ ̷c̴o̴v̵e̵r̶ ̶y̴o̷u̸ ̸t̶o̶o̶ ̷i̴f̸ ̸I̶ ̷n̸e̴e̶d̴.̵"̷

 

[MintyMimix]

Spoiler: Violet & Hazel Solo Post Interlude

Violet and Hazel crossed through the threshold with naught a single utterance to follow. To the pair, words said aloud, for all of their classical construction and scientifically structure, could not describe the closeness they had felt for one another. A treasured friend to safeguard. A companion whose heart radiated a warmth greater than the sun. A loved one whose life was more precious than any honour or glory. A confidant that understood more than anyone what it was like to be out of place.

Yet beyond the horizon was everything but that: a bleak, barren oblivion that reeked of death and disdain. To Hazel, it was a reminder of what may come of cold curiosity and remorseless research. It hearkened back to the articles she had read about Unova — the once lush White Forest being bulldozed by the march of progress into Black City, until it was all sucked dry and collapsed into the Gray Wastelands. The nightmare even surfaced back into her memory — tempting her into thinking that humanity was not to be revered or trusted, but to be feared.

However one look at her trainer was all the Weavile needed to shake her head and reject such a hair-brained hypothesis. Hazel stepped over to Violet's leg and leaned her head into it as warmth waved through her body once more. What could truly separate each other was neither species nor a capacity to learn, but a capacity to love.

For Violet, these lands were what she imagined the aftermath of the Darkest Day might have been: clouded, abandoned, and governed by hollow promise. Every grain of sand was a memory lost in a sea of time suffocated by a chamber of ignorance loss. The castle in the distance was the sole point of pride that stood, yet it too was nothing more than ego putting on airs of strength that only further proved its loneliness.

She looked down at the Weavile kneading her leg and smiled as she saw the grains of sand that once clung to her pants now flutter away with her companion's help.

At the man's approach, Violet tilted her head back up as she recognized the figure from the cave. Steven, wasn't it? She remembered him having a fancy title of sorts. Her eyes glanced behind him to the intimidating figure that was Aggron and the endless sands that trailed them. Hm, such serious sights might not the best for the group morale. Perhaps a bit of lightheartedness could help with the dreary atmosphere, she thought to herself.

The girl placed a hand on her hip as she replied, "A Champion, having admiration for us? Perish the thought." An over-the-top twirl of her hand followed as she placed on her forehead and tilted her head back as though she was going to faint. She held the pose for a moment, before giving a wink to Steven and returning a more sincere smile.

"Though it certainly is a treat, is it not? To be able to hear mine partner hath so many interesting thoughts..." Violet gave a playful smirk at her partner as she added, "...As well a mouthful of uninteresting ones."

Before she could let her partner voice her protest, Violet hoisted her up to her waist with her arms wrapped firmly around her companion. "But it is that combination that makes her such a dear and indispensable partner," Violet finished, as she raised her hand give a soothing scratch underneath Hazel's chin.

"You're mean sometimes, Vi...!" Hazel replied with a voice before letting out a relaxed sigh and purring at the gentle scritches. Her legs swung contently in the air as she vibrated like a well-maintained machine.

Violet snickered, then looked up to Steven with a more longing expression. "I suppose there is one aspect of this realm though that our normal communication cannot grant. One that I found myself envious of Odette and some of the others here." Violet stopped scratching Hazel's chin and immediately received a vocalized complaint from her companion before she ruffled her head feathers and said, "And that is the privilege of hearing Hazel's true, lovely voice."

Hazel let out another purr and replied, "Aw, Vi... I'm gonna miss this, too..." The Weavile nuzzled into her trainer's tummy and thrived in the warmth that she had emitted. "But one day, I'll make this a reality in our world, too! Not just for us, but for everyone! I'll make that discovery somehow, someway! I just need to figure out how to make the vocalizations matc—"

Hazel paused in her excited rambling as she heard Aggron speak up as well. She gasped and scrunched her legs in as she realized the champion's Aggron was complimenting her. She shut her eyes and let out a light squeal as she shook in Violet's arms.

Hazel's sparkling, shimmering eyes opened as she exclaimed, "I would absolutely love to!" Her legs unfurled as they became opposing pendulums racing one another. "First question then! Do you know how to read your trainer's language? If not, then you could at least try starting off with a symbol-only keyboard until you pick up the basics!"

She pulled out her phone once more and swiped to unlock it as she held the small keyboard up to Aggron. "Once you got that down though, it's actually pretty straightforward! Just tap what you need to, really!"

 

[Seren]

"To be fair I have been a tad more concerned with everyone else's stances, so I haven't put a lot into my own strategies just yet," she offered sheepishly.

Kimiko didn't miss the little flinch Odette made when she spoke and felt a little guilty. Maybe she shouldn't have just walked up and started rambling... Still, lie or not, she did feel better that her opening suggestion wasn't simply shot down. "That's fair. I think we're pretty much set," she said, gesturing to her team behind her. "Olivia hides behind Aggron and the protective line and fires off attacks whenever she can, while Lucy thunder waves the shithead until it sticks then doubles back."

"̷I̵ ̵d̴o̵n̴'̶t̵ ̵m̵i̸n̶d̴,̸"̶ she said simply, ̵"̸p̸e̵o̶p̷l̷e̷ ̵a̵r̸e̵ ̷a̸l̸w̷a̶y̴s̶ ̴s̶c̵a̴r̸e̸d̵ ̵o̴f̶ ̷m̶e̴;̴ ̶i̵t̵'̵s̶ ̸n̷o̶t̶h̸i̵n̷g̷ ̸n̴e̸w̶.̷"̷

Kimiko frowned at Odile. "But that doesn't excuse the way I reacted. Especially with you all advocating for your element. The whole point is to erase that stigma over blood-types, isn't it? I certainly didn't help with that. Now, you specifically, that's another story, but... again, Ive gotten to know you well enough to know better at this point."

However, she did start to grin at what came next. "̶D̵i̷d̶ ̴y̸o̵u̶ ̵s̸a̵y̵ ̵R̵E̵S̵P̷E̵C̵T̴?̶ ̷L̵i̵k̴e̵,̴ ̴c̶a̶p̷i̵t̸a̶l̶ ̸R̷-̵E̸-̵S̸-̶P̷-̵E̶-̴C̵-̸T̷?̶"̷

Odile gestured wildly to Odette and Enora. "̶H̶e̸a̶r̶ ̴t̸h̶a̵t̵?̵ ̸S̷h̶e̷ ̴r̷e̷s̷p̸e̴c̷t̶s̸ ̷m̸e̸?̵ ̷H̸o̵w̴ ̶'̷b̸o̴u̶t̵ ̷t̶h̶e̶m̷ ̴a̶p̵p̸l̴i̷n̷s̸?̵"̶

That was an unexpected turn. "That's..." she stammered unsure of how to do the sentimental thing. She felt herself starting to sweat, and it wasn't due to the thick air. "Uh...thank you. Feeling's mutual."

And just like that, her frown reversed. "Yes, that is what I said. The way you protect each other, not out of some obligation, but because you want to. And everything else you're dealing with back home. Which ties back into my apology. It really does boil down to ignorance, and now I see that you're no different than any other partner pair. I don't even know if blood-types exist back in my universe, but if someone discovers they do, you can bet they'll have my support."

"That's very kind of you," Enora said in agreement, nodding her head for good measure. "I will be honest, this feels a little...last rites-like. Is there something wrong?"

"Don't think like that. You are definitely going to make it back," Odette said strongly. "No exceptions."

"Just being practical," she replied, looking down to Enora. "Don't misunderstand, I have no intention of dying here or anything. But Orzo has proven he's not above attacking people when he targeted Wallace, even ignoring the kidnappings. Especially if we do manage to rescue the ones he still has trapped, I think it's more likely he'd just try to take us out during a battle rather than kidnap further.

"And, well... I'd just rather be prepared, just in case. So... yeah. Thanks."

It was there that Odile approached Kimiko and rubbed shoulders with her. "̶I̸ ̷l̶i̶k̴e̷ ̵y̵o̷u̵.̶ ̷Y̵o̷u̴'̴r̶e̸ ̴d̶e̶f̵i̴n̸i̴t̸e̸l̷y̸ ̸o̶n̶ ̴m̵y̵ ̷'̸d̵o̶ ̴n̸o̵t̴ ̵e̵a̴t̵'̷ ̷l̸i̷s̶t̵,̸ ̶s̸o̵ ̶d̵o̸n̴'̸t̶ ̴g̸e̴t̷ ̴s̶o̸ ̴s̷w̵e̵a̶t̸y̸.̴ ̶I̸'̸v̷e̶ ̶g̷o̶t̵ ̵a̴ ̵b̴i̸g̵ ̶e̸n̸o̶u̶g̴h̸ ̶w̶i̵n̸g̸s̸p̶a̸n̵ ̷t̴o̸ ̷c̴o̴v̵e̵r̶ ̶y̴o̷u̸ ̸t̶o̶o̶ ̷i̴f̸ ̸I̶ ̷n̸e̴e̶d̴.̵"̷

Her grin only widened. "I appreciate that, really! But you need to be careful, too. You're gonna be just as big a target out there as the other mythics, possibly more so with you actually being paired with a human. So, y'know... don't be afraid to let us know if you need support."

Somewhere behind them, Olivia trilled her agreement.

 

[Panoramic_Vacuum]

The girl placed a hand on her hip as she replied, "A Champion, having admiration for us? Perish the thought." An over-the-top twirl of her hand followed as she placed on her forehead and tilted her head back as though she was going to faint. She held the pose for a moment, before giving a wink to Steven and returning a more sincere smile.

Violet's theatrics caught Steven a bit by surprise, though he recovered enough to offer a sheepish laugh when she winked at him afterward.


"Ah, it's not like that," he said. "Just a sentiment from one trainer to another. I don't particularly enjoy using the title most places, since it really only means something within the realm of competitive battling circuits." He gestured to the group and their surrounds. "Which, as you can see, doesn't mean much at present."

He found himself grinning at Hazel's antics as Violet scooped her up in her arms and doled out a healthy serving of teasing and chin scratches. It really was amazing to bear witness to the multitude of ways a trainer and pokemon could show their love for one another. Some of the heaviness that had settled in Steven's heart since he set foot in Orzo's realm lifted, and he gave the pair an easy smile.


"Consider us equals, as individuals who share their life and livelihood with a pokemon partner. We're fighting for a common goal, and as long as we 're fighting for the same thing, it doesn't matter if you're a Champion or not."


Aggron watched as Hazel nuzzled into Violet's arms and nodded in agreement. Firstly, that they were gonna show Orzo the door to his own realm, and secondly, that Hazel did have a lovely voice, especially when she got excited about something. "I'll have your back, both of you. With this Golden King gone, you'll have all the time in the world for hugs. And yeah, I'll fight for that."


"To answer your question, though, I can read some things. Like the way the rocks point me to the best food, or the way the trees on a mountain tell me where the wind is the fiercest. Books and stuff, though? That's Steven's strong suit. And Metagross's. They read books about rocks. I just read the rocks." He paused, thinking for a moment. "That's probably not going to help me with this, is it?"


"Wait!" said Steven, fixing Hazel and Aggron with a surprised look. "Aggron, I'd love to teach you how to read print if that's what you'd like! Metagross, too."


Aggron's side-eyed gaze was full of faux skepticism. "This wouldn't have anything to do with me teaching you how to read rocks in return, would it?"


"...Well, maybe a little," Steven admitted.


"..."


"You know I'm mostly joking. I meant what I said earlier. I very much admire what these two ladies have, and would do everything in my power to help us achieve something similar."


"Heh, I know," said Aggron with a smile. "People are gonna think you're even weirder now, though. Talking to rocks, and some of the rocks talk back."

He grated out a laugh as Steven looked puzzled. Ignoring the way his trainer began mouthing something to the effect of, 'People call me weird?' Aggron turned back to Hazel. "Sorry, my claws are too big for your phone. You said something about symbols, though? Want to show me some of the easier ones? I may be big, but I gotta start small."

 

[HelloYellow17]

Gladion laughed. "We've all earned something nice after this fucking shit."

After thinking about it for a moment, he added, "If you're serious, we could give it a shot... The things you can wish for here and take back with are probably kinda limited, but if you've got something that might work there's no harm in giving it a shot, really."

Wes had mostly been joking, but now that Gladion said it was a real possibility, he had to think for a moment. Something he could wish for, that he could take home with him…

But to his surprise, he found he couldn’t come up with anything. Neo and Novo were happy and content as long as they were with him, so there wasn’t anything to change there. And sure, a magic fix to his problems back in Orre would be fantastic—but he had a suspicion that that kind of wish wouldn’t fly, anyway. And, besides…the only real way to solve those problems did not involve magic wishes. They only involved…him.

…Though, on the other hand… He grinned and snorted in amusement. “Guess I’ll have to think on it. I mean, if nothing else, I’ll never say no to a little extra pocket change.”

"I am not very good at telling what people are feeling, you are good at this. You are having much practice though so I am not surprised by that. There are so many types I will probably never be very good at them all but psychic is worth practising with. And dark and ghost. If I can be changing types very very fast between ghost and dark and null then I can be ignoring a lot of attacks. I will have to shoulder the rest. Yes. We can do this!"

“Yeah! Yeah! We can do this!” Neo chirped and skipped gleefully. “We’re strong and cool and we’re gonna kick that ghost’s butt!”

Novo purred with both amusement and agreement. “Yes, we will.”