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The small dedenne was sat beside a snubbul who, despite being too involved in his breakfast, took the time to look up and smile warmly at the meowstic.
The store room wasn’t far away. A wooden elevator box hung inside the wall, and she lowered herself using its creaky pulley system. The sides of the box scraped along the chute, occasionally snagging in place. It was somewhat unsettling, and a clear sign that the Guild Hall, despite appearances, was as hastily built as the rest of the town.
Repetition of "supplies" feels a little awkward here to me.
“Going to New City, huh?” He smiled warmly and lowered what he was holding into the basket. “I can help you pick things out if you like?”
Cleo eyed him curiously, assessing him. Her claws twitched at her sides and she bit her lip absently.
“No thanks,” she said. “I know what I’m looking for. I won’t disturb you.”
“It’s no problem, honest!” He straightened to look at her, and his eyes widened briefly. His face fell slightly, but he tried to mask it with a smile. “Oh. Right, I understand. Sure, help yourself.”
More good characterization - this Charmander is as friendly as can be but Cleo's still on the defensive the moment he offers to help, not because she's hostile but because the notion of trusting just makes her uneasy. I like how she says I know what I'm looking for, I won't disturb you - presenting it as no, it's fine, she doesn't need help, because she knows he's perfectly well-intentioned and doesn't want to be rude to him or anything - but that makes Charmander misunderstand it as simple politeness, until he sees her body language.
Given this I'm not sure the next paragraph spelling out that Cleo has issues trusting people is entirely necessary - you've just shown this very well! - but nothing wrong with it as such; it makes sense Cleo's aware of this and thinks about it.
She’d managed to amass some items during her last job that she’d successfully buried beneath all the berries, but unloading them off on the market might not be a bad idea. She didn’t use items in battle herself. Iron thorns were a simple means to peg her tent into the ground, as opposed to something to throw at her foes. She was clumsy with them, and had never mastered the art of throwing them straight.
Hmm. In this version of the chapter, though, they went chasing after the thief after the Cinccino shopkeeper asked them to apprehend him before he robbed anyone else, in return for accepting the iron thorns as payment for the gem. When that's the case, just getting what he stole from them in particular and then letting him go becomes kind of an active betrayal of the Cinccino, which I'm not sure is what you were going for (disregard if it is, of course). In the old version they were just chasing after him on their own, so it was reasonable if not exactly actively prosocial for them to be primarily focused on just recovering their money; here, since you've added this extra setup where the shopkeeper asks them to capture him, deciding to disregard that and release him anyway once they've got theirs has a rather different air to it.
“I switcheroo’d!” he explained. “It’s all I know for pick-pocketing.”
Can't entirely disagree with Spark there, heh - literally going "But you're the bad guy" seems a little exaggerated, like something a cartoon character might say but a real person probably wouldn't. I can see someone saying "But you're a thief!" or "But you're a criminal!", but actually bringing in the term "the bad guy" seems hard to do without self-awareness.
Mischief is such a cute innocent cloud-cuckoolander; he's immediately just so lovable, and this first meeting is quite fun and intriguing just by virtue of how weird it is. We have no idea what's going on with him but something is clearly going on with him, which easily hooks interest in what his deal is.
“Is it lunch time already?” he asked with a friendly smile. “Time sure flies with company, doesn’t it?” He skipped over with the typical whimsicott gait and examined the canopy.
Just look at him, he's so completely oblivious and it's adorable.
“Well…” Mischief scratched his fluffy head and leant back against the slender trunk of a young tree. “You see… thieving isn’t really my style. At least, I don’t think it is. I didn’t like it, anyway. It felt wrong, and you two are really unhappy about it so… I’m gonna guess it’s bad?”
Why the capitalization of Guild Business here? Companions For Now makes sense because Mischief is treating it like a sort of official name, but having Cleo do that when staying vague about their mission from the guild seems a little odd.
I know you don't generally want much stylistic commentary, and I generally like your writing style, but I did notice some instances of the word 'then' in this scene that felt unnecessary to me:
He then inclined his head on one side and his eyes became distant.
These 'then's only really convey that this is happening after the previous sentence - but when we're reading a story that's already what we'd assume anyway. These sorts of constructions are more useful in nonfiction writing (or dialogue/stream-of-consciousness thought processes), where it isn't necessarily assumed that everything being said is happening in immediate chronological order without making it explicit. I think all of these sentences would read more smoothly, and be exactly identical in meaning and connotation, if you simply dropped the 'then's. It's not a big deal, but I figured I'd mention it since I remember personally finding this a useful tip when I first saw it pointed out and didn't really feel like it was changing my style.
Once again I'm remembering how much I enjoyed this fic. Mischief is just so precious and I love him immediately. It's a comparatively slow chapter but his introduction adds a bunch of intrigue and he's just so lovely. Meanwhile Spark and Cleo are there teeming with reluctance and trust issues and it just flies straight over his head. Such a delight.
Looking forward to continuing! Don't know how fast it'll go - don't think chapter three will be eligible for next week's Blitz theme so I'll probably be taking a break there, but since you're a fellow participant in the Blitz I'll try to see if I can throw you another review in week four. See you then!
This confused me a little - "I can see daylight" suggests they've been in total darkness and it's just becoming light, but just earlier Cleo was talking about the sun disappearing over the horizon, which suggests they already could see the sun, and that if anything they should be seeing less of it as time goes on.
The sun might have been setting, but the woods are pretty dense. So Spark noting the light indicates that they are drawing close to the edge of the woodland =)
Thus, overall, I think the impression this scene gives is of a lighthearted, tropey low-stakes adventure story where the protagonist and her always-hungry comic relief sidekick make short work of disposable villains that aren't to be taken very seriously - kind of the tone of a Saturday morning cartoon. And there's nothing wrong with that in itself - but I don't think it's a very accurate impression of this story!
This strikes me as a little 'As you know, Bob' - surely Cleo already knows how Hydreigon's goons usually behave, so it's a little strange for Spark to mention it.
Also, this is one of my favorite bits. Tinker jabs at her backstory as a point in the argument they were having; Cleo has a strong reaction that tells us this is a source of major trauma, but she doesn't start reminiscing about her backstory or explaining it to us as many lesser stories would do, but just sits there with the blood running cold in her veins and has this flash of longing to hurt him back in the same way by jabbing at his backstory - yet doesn't. Deliciously intriguing, hinting at significant backstory for both of them, while being genuine and human and strengthening their characterization. Cleo doesn't want to reminisce about her trauma, just like most people usually don't; when someone hurts her she wants to fire back, like people do; even so she doesn't do it, because that's not her character, and we don't need to know yet what happened to Tinker's eye.
Thank you =D I liked this bit, too! I try to sprinkle Cleo's backstory in little bits throughout, before finally posting (and writing!) her backstory as a one-shot later on!
(I did get slightly confused by the "His right eye stared past her" sentence, in that it appears to be saying he has a right eye only to then talk about him losing it; after stopping a moment I figured out that presumably you mean either that he lost the left eye or that the right eye is a glass eye, hence the staring past her, but it wasn't entirely obvious from the text that that's what you were getting at and I'm still not sure which it is.)
The Harbinger scene came as kind of a surprise - it has been a while so maybe I've just forgotten things, but at least from my memory of reading the first 25-30-ish chapters of the original (and the contest backstory one-shot I judged), I had a mostly sympathetic impression of him. Here, I feel he comes across more as a villain with a Freudian excuse sort of deal - the implication seems to be that he's about to poison the river as vengeance for these people's prejudice against Absol. That seems very unsympathetic to me, especially since Harbinger didn't try all that hard to warn them - it feels kind of like he came there in the first place more to get an excuse to hurt these people than to actually warn them off.
After finishing The End originally, I had a lot of ideas for Harbinger that lead to me attempting to re-write The End from his perspective in a story titled 'Wings'. It kinda flopped and I gave up on it. He does intentionally start disasters, but he has a whole lot of backstory that explains this. Ideas from that story will be recycled for Rekindled.
So one thing that I really liked about the opening of this chapter is that it’s not your typical “let’s join a guild and go on adventures!” type opening. The character’s are already an established team. And in fact, they’re coming back from the end of a journey. It’s a setup that I don’t see very often in PMD works, and I for one appreciate the change of pace.
I’ll admit I kind of found it weird that a riolu was leading the guild. A riolu doesn’t exactly give the appearance of “experienced leader.” Then again, perhaps that was intentional.
It wasn't intentional, as Tinker is very much an adult pokemon. I can't remember if it was mentioned in the first chapter, but he wears an everstone pendant ;)
This whole chapter in general gave me this feeling that this isn’t the start of a story, but an end. This is the tail-end of a war, in what almost feels like a darkest hour for the good guys. They’ve been scattered and many settlements destroyed, and only a small force remains to oppose the big bad. And I can’t help but wonder if that’s what the fic’s title means, or if there’s some other meaning to it. Or if it’s a combination of both.
One thing I want to mention that I am worried about is that this fic is going to have a very black and white “all dark/dragon types are evil and all other types are generally good.”
Oh I can assure you it absolutely does not =D The Outcasts, however, have a very black and white outlook on it. You'll meet some good dragon- and dark-types, trust me ;)
I am also a bit confused why the Murkrow suddenly gave up chase when they crept into the gap in that stone wall, though it could just be that the murkrow themselves didn't notice the gap or it's tied to the same reason why the ruins they found wasn't attacked or destroyed.
The lore exposition with the tapestries was really well done and it almost makes me wish this was a comic or something because it's easily a segment that you could play around with visual imagery to portray really well.
There are a lot of them! Our heroes are often sent out on quests, and there is a huge one later down the line where they explore many places new to Cleo and Spark!
So did Echo attack Rumble out of jealousy/fear? He said there could only be one Noivern--if there was more than one, would he see it as a challenge, a threat to his authority/superiority, or that he wasn't the best?
Only one noivern is allowed in their flock, and Echo and Rumble are rivals. So yes, it was a threat, but does evolution happen by accident? Or could Rumble have stopped it? I'm not sure there myself, but their chemistry is very unbalanced!
I may need to look back a bit to see if there's a continuity error here, but the collar stops contact with Cleo. So Harle could have taken the pendant since it wasn't part of Cleo, or the bracelet.
Huh, considering how Harlequin regarded Enigma's presence earlier in the fic, I would never have thought of them as friends, and I'm surprised that Harlequin claims so--unless it's an attempt to save her own skin.
That's odd. Their introduction showed they very much had a chemistry. So Enigma's words did hurt Harlequin, and sow some confusion. Harlequin knows a lot more about Enigma than the reader does, too, and would have been fearful about being captured because Enigma is pretty unstable.
This brings some questions about the anatomy of Ghost-types to mind. Do they have a heart and lungs like humans do? Or is their strength and energy level dictated by something else?
Feels like a pretty bold statement, considering what he saw Mischief just do. Perhaps in his typical state, Mischief doesn't seem like a threat, but overall he is DEFINITELY a threat, I'd say.
Overall, Mischief seems like more of an innocent dork than a threat. So when the pokerus isn't consuming him, he doesn't seem remotely threatening, which is what Harbinger was getting at. But yes, all in all, Mischief is a threat.
The wording of this sentence confused me; was Harlequin fierce or worried? The sentence structure makes me think worried, but the "icy glare" denotes fierceness.
I think the repetition at the end of these two sentences might have been intentional, but it reads a bit wordy. I think trimming down the second "back the way they come" would work just fine.
It's not intentional, thanks for pointing it out. I can't remember if I wrote that closing scene in a hurry to get the chapter done one day. I'll smooth it out when I get time, thanks =D
Hmm. In this version of the chapter, though, they went chasing after the thief after the Cinccino shopkeeper asked them to apprehend him before he robbed anyone else, in return for accepting the iron thorns as payment for the gem. When that's the case, just getting what he stole from them in particular and then letting him go becomes kind of an active betrayal of the Cinccino, which I'm not sure is what you were going for
This is a total oversight, and thanks for pointing it out! Cleo's conversation with the Cinccino was new, and I was still heavily referencing the original document. I'll amend it later to have the Cinccino say something along the lines of 'don't worry, go and get your stuff back' or something. Cleo wouldn't have just ignored her like that.
Mischief is such a cute innocent cloud-cuckoolander; he's immediately just so lovable, and this first meeting is quite fun and intriguing just by virtue of how weird it is. We have no idea what's going on with him but something is clearly going on with him, which easily hooks interest in what his deal is.
I know you don't generally want much stylistic commentary, and I generally like your writing style, but I did notice some instances of the word 'then' in this scene that felt unnecessary to me:
Whereas I don't usually like it, this kind of stylistic commentary is completely fine! It's helped me in the past, and I'll bare this in mind thank you.
Thanks for reading, everyone! I really appreciate it! =D
Part Two
The following months were arduous and fierce as Xerneas’ army trained, and the world outside the safe zone warred. The area Xerneas had sectioned off was impenetrable. Pokemon who knew it was there, and tried to sneak in to attack, found themselves lost and confused, wondering where Xerneas and his forces were hidden. It became known as the Fairy Garden, and was found only by those who truly wanted to seek it.
The world beyond became rapidly war-torn. Innocent pokemon found themselves under attack from the Darkness as Yveltal strove to grow his numbers. His lies spread across Estellis like weeds, choking out those he deemed unworthy, and turning hearts away from Xerneas’ light to be corrupted by Yveltal’s darkness. Those who refused fell victim to his wicked claws, or fled across Estellis in search of the Fairy Garden. Many found it, and over time Xerneas’ army grew in strength.
It had taken Harmony a long time to perfect the art of mega evolution. She wasn’t alone, either. It was a skill that gave her immense powers, but it also drained it away. She, among the many others who trained to perfect it, found that they couldn’t transform frequently. It was a skill that needed to be used with perfect timing, otherwise they might find themselves in a sticky situation.
She wandered from the training room for a well-earned break, idly toying with the bangle around her wrist. It wasn’t the keystone for her own mega evolution, but rather the one to activate Windstriker’s. The pidgeot had been assigned as her partner, making the process of mega evolution much easier for the both of them. The art of actually activating it was exhausting, yet somehow it used less energy to activate the evolution of a partner. It increased the ability to use it from once a day to twice a day, provided they had enough rest between battles. Her own mega stone, the gardevoirite, was fastened in a blue lace headband that vanished beyond the fur by her ears.
As she strolled up the sun-soaked hill to clear her mind from the training battles, she found Xerneas stood there looking out over Estellis. The three altaria that often accompanied him were perched in a tree following his gaze, their expressions sombre. Harmony joined his side, and her heart ached. The formerly green landscape had been reduced to a barren wasteland. Trees were fogged by the black forms of murkrow, the air raw with their raucous cries. Miles away, a village blazed, filling the sky with thick black smoke that merged with heavy storm clouds. Harmony desperately hoped they would burst soon to purge the hungry flames before they devoured anything else.
“It will not be long now.” Xerneas’ eyes went to the clouds. “Soon we will be driving Yveltal across Estellis. At sunrise tomorrow, I shall rally everyone into battle.”
Harmony twirled the bangle around her wrist as she watched the chaos before her. “You really think we’re ready?”
Xerneas was silent for a moment, and she looked up into his warm eyes.
He gave a smile and nodded. “I know you are ready.”
He turned to make his way down the hillside, and the altaria left their perches. They twirled into the air, humming a sombre song that tugged at Harmony’s heartstrings. It didn’t speak of fear or distress at the battle ahead, but more at the sadness that Yveltal was bringing on their world.
Harmony looked back at the blazing village, and her mouth turned dry. “Xerneas?”
He paused part way down the hill to look back at her. The expression in his eyes told her he already knew what she wanted to say, but was waiting for her to voice it anyway for her own sake.
She swallowed around a lump in her throat. “I can’t deny I’m terrified. I’ve never been to war before. None of us have. All the battles we’ve had here have been for our own enjoyment, and exercise. It’s like he’s… he’s warped it.”
Xerneas nodded slowly. “That is exactly what he has done. He has taken a good thing, and turned it into evil. A means to bring death and destruction.”
“I don’t want a war.” She balled her paws into fists and closed her eyes. “But I know it’s necessary. It just… frightens me so much.”
“That is understandable. Everyone here shares the same feelings as you do.”
Tears pricked her eyes and she screwed them shut. “Can we really win this?”
“Harmony?”
When she opened her eyes, Xerneas was smiling at her.
“You have nothing to fear,” he said slowly, “The moment Yveltal left this garden, he was defeated.”
Those words stirred hope in Harmony’s chest, and she returned Xerneas’ smile. He gave her a single nod then continued his way down the hillside.
...
The war raged on for months. Day after day, Xerneas lead his forces across Estellis to combat Yveltal’s soldiers of Darkness. Xerneas’ rallying words were at the forefront of his armies’ minds, stirring hope within them. ‘Just like the morning light chases away the shadows of night, I want you to remember that the Darkness will be defeated!’
The black bird’s armies were mixed, but favoured dark-, dragon- and flying-types. The fairy-type attacks Xerneas had gifted his army with seemed to purge the Darkness from their hearts, and many pokemon turned to join his forces, adding to the numbers warring against Yveltal. Sadly, the dark- and dragon-types were harder to call back. Yveltal had got into them, warping them, fogging their minds with lies.
Yveltal flew into a rage as word spread across Estellis that he was losing. His own armies were turning against him. It drove him into a panic and he lashed out at his own pokemon, before turning to head north towards the islands. Xerneas’ army soon learned of the Forest of Statues. A plane littered with thousands of pokemon turned to stone. Those Yveltal had claimed, and left there. Not a single dragon- or dark-type among them. Many wanted to avoid it. It unsettled them. But Xerneas’ army had to split into squadrons to continue their pursuit of Yveltal’s forces, and help any survivors find their way to the Fairy Garden.
Harmony lead a team who provided aide to the towns ransacked by Yveltal. As she lead the way through a forest that had been ravaged by flames, she finally reached the settlement on the other side. Her heart froze as she took in the rubble from the crumbling buildings, and the smoke still swirling up towards the sky. The fire had been put out by the water-types that she’d sent on before her. An azumarill and her allies doused what remained of the embers fizzing away beneath a torched thatched roof of a cottage. There were no survivors. Each and every pokemon there had been turned to stone, their faces frozen in eternal terror. As Harmony made her way through them, taking each one in, she noticed something was amiss. Some of the pokemon were frozen in battle. Confusion caused by Yveltal’s forces? No… it wasn’t that. Yveltal hadn’t paused to spare his own soldiers. None of them were dark- or dragon-type. A burly machamp warred with an ampharos. A talonflame had its talons wrapped around the head of an ursaring. A boltund was frozen with its jaws fastened around a girafarig’s throat.
What had caused Yveltal to do this? Desperation? Or was he purging his own forces of those he no longer trusted?
“I don’t like this at all.” Windstriker tried to avoid looking at any of the statues too closely. “What’s he doing?”
“I’m wondering if even he knows at this point.” Furnace scratched the back of his neck. “There doesn’t appear to be any survivors here.”
A rapidash exited one of the buildings and shook her head sadly. “No one in there. Just more statues.”
“Then we move on,” said Harmony. “We need to get to Yveltal before he claims any more lives.”
Furnace sighed and placed a paw on the small, grey form of a crying pichu. “It’s a shame our fairy-type moves can’t undo all this.”
“No, but Xerneas can,” said Harmony. “Once Yveltal is dealt with, everything will be undone.”
Furnace grimaced. “But how many will die? If we can’t get through to them, then…”
Those words echoed around Harmony’s head. All the lies Yveltal had sown, those seeds of doubt. The deceit that poisoned and spread like a disease. Reluctant to turn away from the Darkness. Cursed with the very fate Yveltal faced himself.
She hugged her arms around herself. “I don’t like to think about it.”
Furnace and Windstriker, and the pokemon around them, turned to look at her.
“All we can do is…” She licked her lips and tried to gather herself. “All we can do is hope we can reach them, and that the Darkness is purged from their hearts before it’s too late.”
...
As the days ticked on, Xerneas’ soldiers were pulled back gradually from the towns and villages. Harmony soon found her squadron recruited into the main heart of the army - those going after Yveltal. High numbers were needed, and many pokemon that had been purged of the Darkness joined their forces rather than heading to the Fairy Garden.
The northern lands of Estellis were where the most devastating battles were held, against a backdrop of the Shadow Mountains. Yveltal’s forces were thick there, teeming over the grounds and lurking in the trees. A huge stone wall cut across it, topped with crenellations that were crowded with pokemon who fired their ranged attacks into the thick of Xerneas’ fleet.
Harmony stuck by Furnace and Windstriker, combining their attacks to cut through Yveltal’s soldiers. A stream of fire flashed before her eyes, engulfing a weavile pack that had been set on reaching her. Harmony unleashed a dazzling gleam to take down those that hadn’t fallen to the dragon’s flamethrower.
Furnace swiped embers from his mouth and raised his head to look out over the chaos. “Wow, it’s gonna take us a while to cleave through this lot.”
“There’s so many of them!” Harmony hugged her arms around herself as the icy northern wind whipped through her fine fur. “I knew he’d reached a lot of pokemon, but I had no idea it would be this bad.”
Furnace edged closer to her so the heat radiating from his body soothed away the chill. Just beyond the Shadow Mountains was the Ice Continent. Just a little further, and Yveltal would be driven there. The final leg of the battle.
“If we want to get to Yveltal, we need to get over that wall.” Windstriker beat his wings together, and an air cutter sliced into a pangoro, flooring the giant fighting-type. “The problem is, we’ll need to clear the skies first, otherwise we’ll be shot down before we’re even off the ground.”
Just several feet away, a frosty ninetales was leading an army of ice- and electric-types in doing just that. The air glittered with frost as it reflected the flashes of electricity given off by electric-types hidden amid the larger pokemon. Murkrow and other small flying-types dropped like hailstones around them to be lost in the fray. But the murkrow flocks and soaring dragons were relentless, flying over the wall to join the battle faster than they were taken down. A barrier of scales and feathers desperate to stop Xerneas’ troops from reaching Yveltal.
Yveltal was nowhere to be seen, sheltered beyond the jagged monolith of stone that served as his fortress. Murkrow circled over it, keeping a watchful eye and shouting out commands in their own cawing language.
Harmony squinted as something in the distance caught her eye. She pointed a claw. “There! On the wall!”
A honchkrow perched proud between the crenellations, occasionally cawing a command to his murkrow fleet.
“We need to take him out!” Harmony explained. “He’s giving orders to the sentries, calling in reinforcements!”
Sharp teeth flashed before her eyes and she let out a scream. Her feet flew out from beneath her as she was shoved to the floor, and an explosion of flames erupted above her. The fraxure was blown back into the chaos, and a small yelp came from the dragon as the battle closed over it.
Furnace stood over Harmony, his shell smoldering where the fraxure had struck it. He fixed Harmony with a worried expression and offered a paw.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Thanks to you, yes.” She smoothed out her skirt. “Our only way up to that wall is to clear the skies. I can try and get a message out to the pokemon clearing the skies to increase their attacks.” She turned to Windstriker who was finishing beating back a group of kommo-o. “Windstriker! Can you blow those blizzards towards the fortress?”
He looked up with a start, then turned his attention back to a wriggling goomy pinned beneath his talons. Harmony had completely missed the small, slug-like dragon.
“You wanna take out the birds, eh?” he asked.
“They can’t fly in snowstorms,” Harmony explained. “They’ll be forced to land, or fall into the fray.”
“Tell me about it.” Winstriker ruffled his feathers against the biting wind. “All right. But it’ll take more than just me. I can rally together some more flying-types for the job.”
“Great! I’ll contact the ninetales-” Her words cut off as a fist struck her in the back of the head.
She twirled on the spot until she was face to face with the sneering muzzle of an obstagoon. He raised his arms in a cross-formation then spread them, aiming to catch her in a throat-chop. A dazzling gleam leapt from her paws, blowing the obstagoon back from her. He landed flat on his back, tripping a bewear, and Harmony had to look away as he was crushed between the combined weight of the giant pink bear and the garchomp she was grappling with.
Harmony rubbed a paw over the back of her head, radiating a heal-pulse to soothe the pain. As it ebbed away, she focused her attention on the frost ninetales.
‘It’s Harmony! Can you create a joint blizzard? We’ll blow it against the fortress to take out the sentries. The honchkrow seems to be leading the command. Without him, it might free up the skies and we can go over to the other side!’
The ninetales ear twitched back towards Harmony, but lacking psychic abilities she couldn’t reply with words. The blizzard around her grew in size and intensity, filling the air with a heavy frost that spread out over them, glistening with the pink, purple and yellow lights given off by the armies’ attacks.
Windstriker had taken to the skies, rallying as many flying-types as he could. Many were caught in battle, unable to break away. Harmony’s eyes fell on one such pair - an altaria and a xatu. They struggled to keep back a rampaging drampa, flames spewing from his mouth. The wind whipped up around him, tearing through the air and making it impossible for the flying duo to get close enough to attack. Their ranged attacks dissipated against the hurricane barrier while the drampa charged a fire blast in his jaws.
Harmony raised her arms above her head, and her paws pulsed with energy. She tossed a moonblast above the drampa’s head, and when he spotted it he let out a startled squeak, the flames fizzling out in his mouth. The moonblast crashed down upon him, and the pokemon below scattered to avoid being crushed beneath his weight. Soil whipped up from the ground as the xatu and altaria followed up with a pair of air cutters, finishing the dragon off.
Harmony reached out to them with her telepathy. ‘Please assist Windstriker. We’re going to blow the ninetales’ blizzard into the wall to take out the sentries!’
The pair nodded and turned to join Windstriker. The pidgeot had managed to gather seven large flying-types which grouped together awaiting their command. The pidgeot let out a loud shout, and the group flapped their wings to whip up a gale. It struck the blizzard, creating a violent snowstorm that tore through the air. The murkrow and dragons rose into a panic, desperate to avoid the storm. They beat it back with their frozen wings, but the attack swooped in against them, relentless, until they were forced to give up. They rose further into the air to get away from it before it engulfed them, but only a few were fortunate enough to escape. Those that didn’t rained down into the chaos, scattering the pokemon fighting below.
Harmony could just make out the honchkrow, spiralling into a panic of fitful caws and oily black feathers. He was one of the less fortunate, his wings frozen by the ice. He crashed down beyond the wall, leaving his flock of murkrow to circle back and forth in the air in confusion.
The sky was free of any more aerial assaults. For now.
Furnace raised a paw. “Go!”
The flying-types free of their battles swooped down to offer themselves to carry their allies over the wall. Windstriker landed beside Harmony and lowered himself. She climbed onto his back and, with a beat of his wings, the pidgeot was back in the air. They joined the hundreds of flying-types, each carrying one or two of their allies over the wall into the fortress. The Darkness’ forces were no longer a problem, picked off as Xerneas’ army soared into the Shadow Lands.
Harmony kept her sights on the point ahead of them. The thorned castle was like an abomination, shadowed against the mountains that crawled behind it. Just a little further, and they’d be drawing in on the Ice Continent and the final part of their battle.
A black shadow exploded from the castle, streaking towards the sky in a flash of crimson. It cleaved through the air, turning its aim down towards the flying pokemon. One by one, they dropped like concrete to the courtyard below. It took a moment for Harmony to process what was going on, but the thing attacking them radiated darkness and pulsed with red energy.
Yveltal!
Her eyes widened and she turned her sights back to where the attack was coming from. Yveltal soared above them, jaws wide, sending his devastating attack towards the courtyard. Harmony’s allies dropped around her, caught in his beam of death. Yveltal’s wings were streaked with red, like veins stretching over his ebony feathered wings. A thick white ruff of feathers spread around his neck, and his blue eyes flashed from within a red mask framed with black.
Harmony’s heart clenched in her chest. He wasn’t too far away. If they could strike him, it would disrupt his assault. Some of her allies had already reached that conclusion, and a meowstic just ahead of her retaliated with a disarming voice, her yowling cries rallying those around her to do the same. They buffeted Yveltal, cutting his attack off as he screamed with blind fury.
Harmony reached out with her telepathy to pass the message further back across the fleet, readying those who hadn’t yet made it over the wall. Then she brought her paws together and launched a dazzling gleam. It was faster than a moonblast, and had greater range. It struck Yveltal across the wing, causing him to twist in the air. His beak flashed crimson and his devastating beam shot towards her. Windstriker tucked in his wings and dived towards the courtyard, Yveltal’s attack just missing his tail. The beam arced down after her and the pidgeot swerved to the side. It struck the pokemon in combat on the ground, freezing two dragons grappling with three of Harmony’s allies.
Above her, Yveltal screamed as he was assaulted by ice beams and dazzling gleams. His feathers glistened with frost, and he launched his attack into the thick of the battle. The ice melted away as the dark beam turned several more pokemon to stone.
“It’s giving him energy,” Harmony said.
Windstriker nodded, his beak agape. “It looks like it.” The pidgeot paused as he hovered uncertainly just below their allies. “How do we fight that?”
“We can’t,” said Harmony. “We need to drive him north like Xerneas said, and he’ll meet his end in the Ice Continent.”
“Okay.” Windstriker beat his wings to draw them higher. “Then let’s hit him with everything we’ve got. We’ll mega-evolve.”
“Wait.” Harmony surveyed the battle above them. Yveltal was fixed on a yanmega dodging left and right while the raichu on his back fired thunderbolts at the large bird. “He can’t aim his attack in more than one direction at a time. While he’s distracted, get me behind him. I’m going to try something.”
“So we’re not mega-evolving?”
“Not just yet. We should wait, just in case this continues in the Ice Continent.”
The pidgeot complied, swerving up behind Yveltal while his attack was focused to his left. Harmony hadn’t been alone with the idea. A few more fairy- and ice-types had taken the opportunity to get out of the way of his deadly beam. Harmony met the determined eyes of a clefable, and the pair gave a single nod. The clefable readied a moonblast over her head, and Harmony did the same. The other fairy-types around them charged their own special attacks, while a glaceon prepared an aurora beam in her jaws.
Yveltal’s beam carved through the flying army, and Harmony almost dropped her attack when she noticed how much smaller it had become. The courtyard below was littered with statues, many of them shattered, and she couldn’t bring herself to look at them. She caught the clefable’s nod again, silent, and the fairy tossed her moonblast towards Yveltal. Harmony followed with her own, along with the rest of her allies. Yveltal jerked his head back as the pink light from the moonblast glared down upon him. His eyes widened and his attack cut off with a squeak. Ice and dazzling light nipped his tail, causing the large bird to twirl as he tried to ready his attack on Harmony and her group. As he opened his beak, several moonblasts crashed down upon him. With a scream of fury, he was smashed onto the littered courtyard.
His gangly body lay at an odd angle over the broken stone statues. He spasmed as he tried to push himself up, and blood gushed from his beak. His eyes screwed shut with pain and frustration, and he managed to flip himself onto his belly. Harmony’s heart leapt. Had they won? This early?
A cry came from their right, and a garchomp scrambled over the statues towards the fallen Yveltal. The dragon’s eyes were wide with concern, his mouth flapping open as he tried to find the words to say. Yveltal shuddered as he pushed himself up on his wings, his feathers splayed around the statues like claws. He jerked his head around towards the dragon and opened his beak. His red and black beam struck the garchomp head on, freezing him mid-scramble. Yveltal’s tattered, broken body healed and twisted into its natural position, and the blood ceased trickling from his beak. Yveltal fired his attack blindly around the courtyard before cleaving up into the air, catching more of Xerneas’ troops. They rained down around Yveltal, and he flipped himself off the statues into the air. With one final assault, he turned and bolted over the thorny castle.
The army above took off after him, and Windstriker hopped back into the air. But a small movement caught Harmony’s eye, and she tugged on Windstriker’s neck feathers to stop him.
“Someone’s hurt.” She slid from the bird’s back.
Windstriker watched as she scrambled over the statues towards one of a dragonite lying at an odd angle. A kommo-o struggled beneath it, trying to drag himself free.
“Harmony!” Windstriker hissed. “Be careful. He’s working for Yveltal!”
Harmony gave Windstriker a quick nod then dropped down beside the kommo-o. Fear flashed in the dragon’s eyes, and flames licked around his jaws. But Harmony ignored him, turning her attention to the stone dragonite. She lifted it off him with her psychic and set it carefully back down beside him. The kommo-o dragged himself along the floor, keeping a wary eye on Harmony.
“What are you doing?” he growled.
His back legs were twisted and limp, and he grimaced as he tried to push himself up.
“Stop.” Harmony raised a paw. “Something’s broken. Let me help, okay?”
He bared his canines, but let himself flop back to the floor with a grimace.
Harmony’s paws pulsed with pink light, and she aimed them onto the dragon’s back and legs. They regained their normal shape, and his scales puffed out as they repaired from the impact of the statue. Once she was done, the kommo-o pushed himself back to his feet, keeping a wary eye on the gardevoir.
Windstriker shuffled up beside her and offered his back. Harmony climbed upon him and the large bird leapt away from the dragon and followed after their allies. Harmony looked back at the kommo-o. He stood in the courtyard watching them for a moment, before abandoning them to investigate the statues. Looking for survivors?
Harmony turned her attention onto the journey ahead. It seemed to grow darker the further north they went. Harmony didn’t recall the sun setting. The wind whipped up, pelting them with tiny bullets of ice. Frost filmed over Windstriker’s wings, and he beat them stiffly as he forced himself through it.
“Will you be okay?” Harmony asked.
“I’ll be fine,” he said. “I can see dark shadows ahead. We might need to ready ourselves to mega-evolve.”
Harmony gave a curt nod.
The pidgeot’s words were not premature. Cast in the shadows of the mountains was a large outcrop swarming with pokemon. They lit up as electricity discharged from their bodies, engulfing the flying army and stunning wings. Bird pokemon dropped, their charges screaming as they plummeted into the valley below.
An ampharos lead the charge, one of the few remaining pokemon in Yveltal’s army that wasn’t dragon- or dark-type. He was surrounded by morpeko, and with a bark of his command their electricity exploded out towards Harmony and her surrounding allies. Windstriker turned at a sharp angle, and Harmony clutched onto him, hot electricity skimming her fur. He turned again as another attack came at his left, almost losing Harmony. Electricity singed his primaries, but the staraptor beside them was engulfed. She let out a screech, losing her two passengers as she dropped into the valley. A talonflame and staravia dropped down after her, talons spread, to catch her falling passengers. But the talonflame met the same fate.
The flying pokemon took this as a cue to spread out, making themselves less of an easy target. Harmony narrowed her eyes to get a better view of the electric army stretched out before them. They formed an impenetrable barrier, swarming over the outcrop and spreading down into the valley below.
Another attack came their way, and a skarmory cut before them. The electricity channelled into the horn of a rhydon hanging from its talons, rendering the attack useless.
Harmony let out a sigh of relief and relaxed her grip on Windstriker’s feathers. “We might not get through the squadron like this. I’m going to teleport us behind them and let the ground-types handle them. Skarmory!” She drew the metal bird’s eye. “I’m going to get you and your charge behind the electric squad. Hold on.”
The rhydon hanging from the skarmory’s talons raised a thumb-claw in response.
The air wobbled around Harmony and her allies, and they manifested behind the ampharos’ squad, taking the sheep by surprise. Other psychic-types had followed suit, teleporting a majority of the flying fleet to safety. The sound of heavy ground-types dropping onto the outcrop gave Harmony a sense of reassurance, and they pressed on with confidence.
The Ice Continent was just ahead of them now. The ocean stretched out beneath them, peppered with chunks of ice that bobbed over the unsettled surf and shimmered with moonlight. Harmony raised her keystone, and Windstriker did the same. The pair were engulfed with light, and energy flowed through her. Their bodies shifted, Harmony’s skirt billowing out around her and her chest spike parting in two. Windstriker’s head feathers flowed out behind him like a comet tail, and he picked up speed, darting down towards the ice caps.
The Ice Continent was swarming with sneasel and weavile. They tossed up jagged ice towards them, clipping Windstriker’s feathers. He swerved to dodge it, and hundreds of flying pokemon flowed in behind him as the rest of the army caught up. They whipped up a hurricane across the ice, blowing the weasel pokemon back like chaff in the wind. Harmony opened her mouth wide and a shockwave of noise radiated out across the ice. Together, her and Windstriker cleaved through the Darkness as they made their way to the heart of the Ice Continent.
The snow billowed around them, making it difficult to see far ahead. Windstriker parted it with his wings, but it swiftly filled back in. But Harmony could pick out something unsettling in that small window he’d provided. Statues. More statues littered across the Ice Continent. Warring Darkness frozen in battle with Xerneas’ army.
Yveltal had spared no one in his desperation to regain his strength.
She squinted against the snow, and as they drew closer to the centre of the island she was certain she could make out Yveltal, standing hunched against the blizzard. His wings were clasped tight at his sides, making her wonder if she was imagining it - it was just a pillar of ice rising out of the centre of the island. But it became much more clear that she was right. The red of his feathers was soon visible through the snow, his blue eyes glistening in the moonlight.
She glanced left and right, searching through the blinding snow. Where was Xerneas? She was certain he’d gone on ahead, and she’d expected him to be here.
Yveltal’s blue eyes pierced through the snowstorm. “I knew you’d follow me all the way out here.”
There was humour in his voice. It chilled Harmony more than the ice was already doing.
Yveltal raised his head to observe the onslaught heading his way. His soldiers leapt into combat, desperate to keep Xerneas’ forces at bay. Yveltal laughed. A deep, chilling noise that made Harmony want to curl up into herself.
“You really think you can defeat me?!” he roared. “Nothing can defeat death! Estellis is now my domain! And I’ll make this frozen wasteland your graveyard!”
His crimson beam flashed into the air, cleaving through the flying army as it swooped towards him. Bodies rained from the sky as the attack blindly claimed them. Windstriker swerved sharply towards the sky to avoid it. His entire body grew stiff and his wing beats more laboured, and Harmony realised with horror that his feathers were turning a dusty grey. Trapped in Yveltal’s attack, he turned his head towards Harmony.
“Get down!” The words died out as his beak froze open.
Harmony’s eyes pricked with tears, and she gave herself a mental shake, dropping from the pidgeot before he fell towards the ice caps. She landed in the snow, catching her elbow on the rough surface of one of the statues. She pushed herself up to stagger back from it, clutching her grazed arm in her paw. She leapt to the side as a dark shadow fell over her, and the snow erupted where she’d been standing. The grey tail feathers of a bird pokemon poked from the ice, followed by hundreds more as Yveltal cleaved his devastating attack through the air. Bodies rained down onto the frozen continent, both stone and flesh alike. Harmony rushed to avoid another falling soldier and looked on with horror as she struggled with what to do.
Yveltal didn’t seem to care who was caught in his attack. Both the warring forces of Xerneas’ army and the Darkness were caught in his deadly beam as the red and black bird desperately tried to blast back his opposition.
Battles were brought to an abrupt end as the combatants scattered to avoid Yveltal’s relentless attack. His own forces turned tail to flee across the Ice Continent. Some weren’t so fortunate and only a small number escaped with their lives.
Harmony shook her head in bewilderment. How were they meant to fight this? Their army wasn’t getting close enough to launch an attack, and she couldn’t do it alone.
Could she?
Even if she couldn’t, she had to do something.
She screwed her eyes shut and cried out at the top of her lungs. “Stop it!”
The shock-wave rippled out before her and struck Yveltal in a flash of pink light. His attack spluttered out and he turned his wicked eyes onto her.
“You are really starting to get on my nerves,” he hissed.
He opened his beak wide and sent out a blast of crimson. It struck the snow harmlessly as Harmony leapt back from him, flicking her paws out in a dazzling gleam.
Yveltal roared and spread his wings in a bid to intimidate her. Harmony stood her ground and met his eyes.
“I thought you died when I struck that pidgeot!” he sneered. “Well… you will now.”
He fired his deadly beam once more and Harmony threw herself to the side, rolling to join the rapidly growing army as they fought their way through the battlefield and statues. It swept over her, and he let out a deafening roar. He readied another attack, but his head snapped to his left, sending his attack blindly into the night sky.
Harmony pushed herself up and followed the bird’s stunned gaze as he raised his head to where the assault had come from. Her heart hammered. She desperately hoped it was Xerneas.
A lone murkrow fluttered above her, cawing. But it wasn’t alone. More beat their way through the snowstorm. Harmony’s stomach sank when she saw them, but then she spotted something else. Accompanying the murkrow were more flying-type pokemon of varying species. Altaria drifted between them, and on the air was a war song growing louder as they approached. A song that lifted Harmony back up, and she rose to her feet effortlessly.
Yveltal’s sharp canines poked out of his beak. “Traitors!”
As the flock advanced towards him, he fired out a crimson beam. The flock parted to avoid it, but many were caught in its fire, their stone bodies plummeting into the snow. The birds formed a scissor formation, coming in at him from either side, beaks open as they screeched their battle cries. Yveltal cleaved his attack through their flock, disorienting them and throwing off their aim.
Harmony grit her teeth and turned her attention back to Yveltal. She raised her paws to ready her own attack, catching his eye. A sneer spread over his beak and he lifted his head to turn his attention on her. No… no time for a moonblast. She released a dazzling gleam, striking him before he could ready his own counter-attack. He staggered back, the crimson beam sputtering out. It was enough of a window for the fliers. They swooped in, screeching, lashing with their wings and raking with sharp talons.
The altaria’s bodies morphed, their fluffy white feathers fanning out into a star shape. Their song channelled into an assault, blasting Yveltal with the full combined force of a fairy-type hyper voice. Yveltal lifted his wings to shield himself from it, but the altaria were relentless. Snow erupted around him as the other fliers joined in with hurricanes and air slashes. But eventually the altaria had to fall back to catch their breath.
Others filled in after them, but it was enough of a break for Yveltal to counter. He bashed his wings together, creating a hurricane that whipped up the surrounding snow. The altaria were blinded, falling back from him, and the smaller birds became heavy with snow. They dropped to be lost beneath the mounting snow drifts.
Harmony raised a paw to shield her eyes from the sudden blizzard. She didn’t see the murkrow dropping down onto her. It struck her in the back of the head, and she staggered forwards with a grunt, losing control of her mega form. Spots danced before her eyes, mixing with the shimmering snowflakes as pokemon launched their attacks through the snowstorm. She heard Yveltal’s attack as it sliced through the air with a shrill whine. Something struck her side on and she rolled through the snow in a tangle of limbs.
When she looked up, the blurred form of a kommo-o stood over her. He wasn’t alone. With him were several dragons and two weavile. She braced herself, but he gave her a nod.
“Returning the favour,” he said. “Stay behind me, all right?” He turned to his allies. “All right, you lot! Spread out and find survivors, and take out any left of Yveltal’s army!”
The two weavile saluted, and the small number of Yveltal’s former soldiers spread out across the snow.
The kommo-o leapt forwards, his massive scales clanging together. The deafening sound tore through the air, yet it washed over Harmony like water. Yveltal reeled back from it, screeching, raising his wings to cover his ears. He fired his attack blindly in retaliation, taking out two of the altaria before it found its mark, silencing the enraged kommo-o. The attack turned away from Harmony, sweeping over the icy landscape to claim any who got in its way.
Then there was the sound of glass shattering. Yveltal keeled backwards, his beak spewing crimson smoke. Before him stood Xerneas, light radiating from his antlers.
Yveltal turned his wicked eyes onto Xerneas and tucked his wings in at his sides. “You chased me all the way out here?”
“I knew you would come here,” said Xerneas. “Leaving your army behind to fight your own war. Even going so far as to claim their lives to replenish your own. I pity them.”
Yveltal reared up, his beak twisting into a smirk. “It was their own choice to follow me.”
“Yes. But you sowed the first seed.”
Yveltal spread his wings, his chest swelling with pride. “And oh did it spread! Look how many have died!”
“Not as many as you might think.”
Yveltal’s smirk fell into a sneer and he ruffled his feathers.
Xerneas raised his head, keeping his eyes on Yveltals. “This is over now.”
A loud shriek left Yveltal’s beak and he launched his attack at Xerneas. With a flick of his antlers, a pink barrier flew up before the stag. The crimson ray struck it and fizzled out. Yveltal’s beak fell open and he sank back on his tail feathers.
“I told you,” said Xerneas slowly. “This is over.”
Tiny flowers spread out from his hooves, turning the snowy landscape into a mosaic of colours. Those touched by it turned back from stone, flopping into the snow or staring aghast at Xerneas and Yveltal.
“Your darkness has no power here, Yveltal,” Xerneas told him. “You have been twisting the minds of pokemon to believe that death is the end, but it is not.”
Yveltal shuddered with rage, his beak opening and closing. A loud shriek left his beak and his eyes flashed with fire, flitting left and right.
“But I’d won!” he roared. “I’d won!”
“No,” said Xerneas. “You lost this battle the very moment you turned your back on me.”
Yveltal roared and rushed towards Xerneas, spreading his wings. Xerneas lowered his head and caught Yveltal mid-leap. His antlers struck the red and black bird in an explosion of light.
Harmony and the others had to shield their eyes from the blinding flash. It spread out across the snowy landscape in a dazzling array of colours, chasing back even the darkest of shadows.
When it faded out, Xerneas stood over Yveltal. The bird was a lot smaller, curled up in a black ball. His entire body seemed to be crystallised, or turned to ice. Harmony wasn’t sure. Whatever it was, it didn’t reflect any light.
The whole continent had fallen into silence. Nothing but the soft whisper of the wind.
It was over.
The two armies gathered as one, standing amid the remaining statues of Yveltal’s frozen followers, unsure of what to do. They looked between Xerneas and the fallen Yveltal. Snow whipped up around the bird and dusted over his crystallised feathers.
Xerneas turned to address the two armies. “Remember what has happened here today. Light will always shine in the darkness.” He paused to glance down at Yveltal. “This area is now off limits. All that come here will find only despair.”
...
It took a few weeks for things to return to normal in the Fairy Garden. It was still closed off from the outside world, found only by those who were seeking it. It was oddly devoid of dark- and dragon-types, but the number of fighting-types were gradually increasing.
Harmony’s heart sank as she set the dinner table in the Heart Abbey. So many familiar faces were absent from the table. The salamence, garchomp, dragalge… all were either still out there in Estellis or lost to the void of death.
It was true. Those who had stuck by Yveltal hadn’t come back. Only those who’d had a change of heart during the battle had returned. She looked over at the kommo-o swallowing down a plate of pancakes. He paused only when he spotted a small ralts struggling to reach the plates. He nudged one towards him, which was met with incredibly polite gratitude.
Harmony wiped her paws on her apron and shuffled from the abbey for some fresh air. She was so lost in her own thoughts she almost walked straight into Furnace.
“Whoa!” He steadied her with his large, warm paws and laughed. “You’ve got your head lost in the clouds there, Harmony!”
She blinked at him as she pulled herself back to reality, and the turtonator’s smile fell.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
“Not really,” she said. “But I’ll be fine. Like everyone else, I just need time to recover from the shock of it all.”
He nodded his understanding.
“I’m just getting some fresh air,” she said.
“I can come with you if you want?” His stomach growled and an embarrassed smile crossed his face.
Harmony chuckled. “I appreciate the offer, Furnace, but I just need some time to think. You go and get yourself some breakfast while it’s hot and I’ll join you later.”
He grinned and placed a paw on her shoulder. “Okay. But if you’re late, I’ll come looking for you, all right?”
She chuckled. “Of course.”
She watched her friend enter the abbey, then turned to follow the winding path around it. So many spots seemed empty now. Her mind wandered back to the pokemon she expected to see, and tears pricked her eyes. She found herself walking up the gentle slope of the sun-soaked hill. Light radiated from the top of it, and she spotted Xerneas gazing out across Estellis. She picked up her pace into a jog to join him.
As she reached his side, he gave her a warm smile and turned back to the world before him.
“See that, Harmony?”
She followed his gaze and covered her mouth as she let out a gasp. Estellis was not as she remembered it. The land was green and vibrant, but in the north was a patch of land engulfed in shadow. Shadows that swallowed up mountains and caves, and a green forest spread across it formed of twisted trees. All the rivers flowed away from it on their journey towards the sea, but none flowed towards the Ice Continent. It was as if they didn’t want to be there, desperate to leave that patch of shadowy darkness.
“That is the Shadow Lands,” Xerneas explained. “What remains of Yveltal’s corruption is not only in the hearts of pokemon, but has marred the very land itself.”
“But I thought we’d won,” said Harmony. “He’s defeated, isn’t he? How can his former kingdom still be engulfed by darkness?”
Xerneas looked down at her. “He was defeated from the start. But the war he started… it is not over yet.”
Her fur pricked along her spine and she hugged her arms around herself. “But that battle… all the lives we lost…”
“He unleashed death on the world, causing many to become its victims. I can reverse it for those who come to me, but sadly many will feel its sting.”
Harmony blinked back tears. “So we’re still fighting this war?”
He nodded and looked back out across Estellis. “It will rage for some time while we call back those who have scattered. Which is why I am tasking you, along with many others, with the job of spreading word about me and the Fairy Garden to those who need to hear it.”
“But why?” Harmony gasped. “They already know about you and the Fairy Garden. They used to live here.”
“Sadly they are already forgetting. Before long, you may find huge numbers who claim they have never even heard my name, or of the fairy-type.” He turned so he was facing her. “This is your job now, and it will be passed down for generations.”
She toyed with the mega stone around her wrist as those words washed through her. Tears pricked her eyes, but she blinked them back.
After a moment, she gave a sad nod then looked up with a determined smile. “Okay. I accept.”
Xerneas nodded at that and turned to make his way back down the hill.
Harmony turned to look back at the Shadow Lands. The area surrounding where Yveltal lay. Warped, twisted, shrouded in darkness. A thought wormed its way into her mind, and she turned back to Xerneas with a start.
“So Yveltal still lives?” she asked.
Xerneas paused mid step and raised his head to look back at her. “He is imprisoned. But the damage he caused is vast.”
Harmony closed her eyes briefly. “So we’re fighting a war against the lies he’s sown?”
“In a way, yes.”
“When will this war end?”
“One day, he will awaken.” Xerneas caught her eye, noting her look of surprise. “When he does, the war will reach its end, and Yveltal shall be no more. No more lies. No more death.”
“So he’ll awaken…” Harmony’s voice came out strangled.
“Do not fear that, Harmony,” Xerneas told her. “Death has no power over you, or any who belong here. Instead, counter his lies with words of hope.”
He turned to head back down the hillside, the altaria that accompanied him descending from the sky with a jovial song. Harmony’s heart swelled with hope, and with one last look back at Estellis, she trotted back down towards the abbey.
Silence spread over the library table as Cleo and her friends took everything in. Reshiram squatted on the floor beside them, the book still open before him. A thousand questions filled Cleo’s mind, but she didn’t even know where to start. Spark was sat on the table, staring at the book, while Mischief traced a claw over the wood grain, lost in his thoughts.
“I, erm…” Cleo licked her lips and settled back in her seat. NyukNyuk shifted beside her, fixing his twinkling eyes on her face. “I think ‘wow’ is all I can say right now.”
“Tell me about it.” Spark rubbed between her ears. “I’m kinda rendered speechless.”
Faith let out a low chuckle and closed her violet eyes. “That’s one of several reactions we’re used to receiving.”
Mischief raised his fluffy head. “Did all that really happen?”
“Yes,” said Faith. “Many, many years ago now.”
“Then how could pokemon just forget something like this?” Spark spread her paws. “It doesn’t make sense.”
Faith’s expression fell and she exchanged glances with Hope.
The gardevoir turned to Spark and gave a weak smile. “If someone were to tell you something didn’t exist over and over, then you’d stop talking about it, wouldn’t you?”
“Yeah, ‘cos there’d kinda be no point.” Spark started slightly and scratched her head. “Huh. I see what you mean.”
“There’s something I don’t understand.” Cleo reached for the book and flicked a few pages backwards until it landed on a specific picture. “It mentions Yveltal, but it doesn’t actually say what species he was before he transformed. This picture here shows more like him.”
The image was of the pokemon gathered in the courtyard, with a small number of black birds that resembled Yveltal’s earlier form.
“There are a lot of pokemon I’ve never heard of,” said Cleo. “But I just found it odd it never said.”
“They were all wiped out along with Yveltal,” Reshiram explained. “They sided with him, and never once looked back. Their names, species… everything was erased.”
“They say their spirits still live on in the very ground,” said Faith. “Pokemon still hear their whispers as they spread their lies across Estellis.”
A shudder ran through Cleo, and even Spark trembled briefly.
“Kinda creepy,” said the dedenne.
“I think I understand,” said Cleo. “It’s those lies that are making pokemon forget about Xerneas and the Fairy Garden.”
“Precisely,” said Hope. “And because of that, the fairy-type is seemingly vanishing.”
Cleo rubbed her nose and cast a sideways glance at Mischief. The whimsicott didn’t appear to notice, still lost in his thoughts.
“I’m actually wondering,” Cleo began slowly, “if Mischief here is part fairy-type.”
Mischief looked up at that and flushed slightly. “I was wondering that myself.”
Faith clasped her paws together and beamed. “That is most likely the case! Whimsicott are, naturally, both grass and fairy.”
“Wow. All this sure has come out of the blue to us,” Cleo mused. She gave the mawile a smile. “None of us had heard of the fairy-type before today. Our Guild leader thought Mischief’s unknown typing was a form of evolution, but clearly it’s not.”
Faith’s expression fell and she exchanged glances with Hope. “That’s rather disheartening. It used to be so abundant.”
Despite the mawile’s change in mood, Cleo was still buzzing with the news. She leant forwards slightly on the table. “Mischief can even use some of the attacks described in the story.”
“Yeah!” Spark exclaimed. “Sparkly pink light.”
“Dazzling gleam,” said Faith, perking up slightly. “That’s right.”
Mischief’s eyes sparkled and he straightened in his seat. “So I’m a fairy-type?! How amazing is this?!”
The mimikyu beside Cleo wriggled with glee and chittered away.
Reshiram chuckled. “NyukNyuk says he felt the same way as you when he discovered he was part fairy-type.”
Mischief beamed down at the mimikyu. “Maybe you can teach me some things?”
NyukNyuk chuckled and wriggled again, chattering in his unusual tongue.
“Hold your mudsdale, kid,” said Reshiram. “I know you’re excited, but we’ve still got a lot to cover here first.”
“Yes, erm…” Mischief scratched behind one of his horns. “Does this mean I can also evolve like in the story?”
“That’s always a possibility,” said Hope. “But not one I’ve seen yet.”
Faith shook her head. “Never heard of a whimsicottite.”
Spark stood up and turned to Hope and Faith. “Are you talking about those stones? ‘Cos I’d never seen them until recently, and I’ve noticed you two wear them!”
Cleo looked up at the mawile and gardevoir sitting before her. During all the confusion and excitement, she’d failed to notice the pair were wearing the same stones shown in that book. Faith’s was set in the large bow around her horn, while Hope wore one in a lace choker. Both appeared to be made of glass or crystal, and sported a colourful swirl in the middle, yet both were slightly different in colour, echoing the markings of the species that wore them. Cleo’s eyes widened and her jaw went slack.
Faith nudged her bow and chuckled. “These are mega stones. They allow us to go through mega evolution like Harmony and her friends did during the war. Had you really not heard of them before?”
“Not exactly,” said Cleo. “Harlequin carries one. But she doesn’t seem to have any idea what it is, just that it’s sentimental to her.”
“They can really change your appearance?” Spark asked. “Just like it showed in that book, and on the tapestries?”
Faith nodded a little too excitedly and grabbed Hope’s wrist. “Shall we show them, Hope?”
Hope retracted her paw and shook her head, smiling. “Not in here. There’s not enough space!”
“Are you kidding?” Spark squeaked. “This library is huge!”
Reshiram chuckled and placed his wing claws on the table. “I won’t have any mega-evolving in here. The energy given off will knock the book cases over! You’re better off using the dojo, or go outside if you wish to demonstrate!”
“Nyuk!”
The mimikyu rose suddenly, causing Cleo to let out a startled squeak. He vanished through the chair in a shadowy pool, leaving Cleo’s warmed side to feel oddly cold.
“Now where’s he gone off to?” Spark asked.
Her answer came quite quickly as NyukNyuk scurried back around the bookcase with another book clasped in his claws. His shadowy limbs stretched up to place it on the table, and he rematerialised back beside Cleo. The book’s cover sported a painting of a mega stone.
“Oh perfect!” Faith clapped her paws. “Thank you, NyukNyuk!”
The mimikyu beamed.
“This will explain how mega evolution works,” Faith explained. “As well as relaying to you all the mega stones currently in existence. There’s every possibility Xerneas could make more of them, but for now this might even help you to identify the one you say Harlequin has.”
Hope toyed with the key-stone bangle on her wrist. “To my knowledge, there is no mega stone for a zorua. But it may have come into being without our knowledge. She did find her way here, after all.”
Cleo reached out for the book, and Reshiram caught her eye with a smile.
“Take it with you,” he said. “It might take you a while to read, and I don’t want you to feel rushed.” He cast Faith a grin, and the mawile returned it playfully. “You can bring it back when you’re done.”
Cleo flexed her claws as she considered picking the book up. “Are you sure? I… don’t even know when I’d be able to return it.”
“When you’re done!” said Faith. “It would make good bed-time reading.”
Cleo blinked and exchanged glances with Spark.
“Oh!” Faith smacked a paw to her forehead. “Of course. I need to show you to your rooms, don’t I?”
“Rooms?” Spark and Cleo echoed.
“Well I’m not about to let you sleep in a bush!” Faith laughed and shook her head. “Of course you get rooms! We have plenty in Heart Abbey.”
“You can stay here as long as you need,” said Hope.
“That’s very kind of you,” said Cleo. “But we can’t stay long. I mean, we have a mission to…”
She trailed off as she looked at the mawile and gardevoir, then down at the mimikyu beside her. Her heart did a flip. Spark’s expression showed she’d met the exact same conclusion.
Faith inclined her head on one side. “To what?”
Cleo met her violet eyes. She couldn’t very well tell them, could she? That she’d been sent to find more of this elusive new type - the fairy-type - and recruit them into a battle against Hydreigon? Hadn’t they already said they were at war against the Darkness? Perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to hang around for a while, before dropping her quest on Hope and Faith.
Cleo lowered her paws and sat back in her seat. “It doesn’t matter. We’ll gladly stay for a while. I want to know more about this place, and Xerneas. All of you!”
Hope smiled, and Faith clapped her paws.
“Oh this will be so much fun!” said the mawile. “I can’t wait to show you everything! There’s a huge feast later on, and a Dazzle Dance at dusk!”
Spark bounced onto her feet. “Did you say ‘feast’?!”
Faith laughed fondly at the dedenne. “Yes, I did!”
“Count me in!” said Spark.
NyukNyuk cheered beside her and bounced up and down in his seat. Cleo smiled down at the mimikyu, noting his completely shrouded appearance. She wanted to ask how he managed to eat and if he needed to remove his garment to do so, but didn’t want to risk offending the little ghost-type.
Her mother’s voice echoed through her mind, ‘Curiosity often lands an espurr in trouble.’
She turned back to the book on mega evolution and picked it up. “Okay. I’m happy for you to show us around if you like, Faith?” She turned to the white dragon still crouching beside her. “Thank you so much, Reshiram. It’s been lovely to meet you.”
“Yes, it has,” said Spark. “Sorry for our… initial shock.”
Reshiram rumbled deep laughter. “Don’t worry about it, it’s understandable. It’s been a pleasure talking with you all.”
Cleo slid from her seat and Spark leapt up onto her shoulder from the table. Cleo eyed the book and her satchel, but it probably wouldn’t fit. Instead, she hugged it to her chest. She turned to address Mischief who was standing beside the table, one paw on the book on Yveltal’s Fall.
He looked up at Reshiram sheepishly. “Would you mind if I read this again?”
“By all means!” Reshiram picked it up in his claws and handed it to Mischief. “Like I said before. You can’t hear this story too many times.”
Mischief nodded at that and carried it in both arms as he joined Cleo’s side.
Hope and Faith bade their farewell to the white dragon then motioned for Cleo and her friends to follow them.
“Where do you think Harlequin has been taken?” Spark asked suddenly.
Cleo jolted slightly. She’d almost forgotten the zorua wasn’t with them. She looked up at Hope and Faith, who shrugged.
“I imagine you’ll be reunited soon enough,” said the mawile. “Where shall we take you first?”
“You mentioned we have rooms,” said Cleo. “Perhaps we can stop by there first? I’d like to drop some things off.”
“Of course!” Faith lead them down the winding staircase. “Then, if you like, we can show you mega evolution?”
“You’re voicing my thoughts!” said Spark. “I’m super curious to see that in action.”
Mischief was oddly silent as he followed behind them, his eyes trained on the cover of the book in his arms. Cleo glanced back at him. He’d been silent since they’d been re-united after their encounter with Enigma. Perhaps it was weighing on his mind? She didn’t want to ask him with Hope and Faith present. She made a mental note to catch him alone later on.
...
The Heart Abbey was absolutely huge. There seemed to be no end to it. The red stone walls rose high above Cleo and her friends, and four towers formed each corner. The tallest tower contained two brass bells which Faith explained rang out to alert the pokemon to events and meal times.
The abbey formed a square, with a massive garden in the middle of it. Tunnels ran around the garden providing shelter from the weather, although there was no glass in the windows. Each narrow slit was bordered with a climbing plant - honeysuckle, sweet pea and ivy to name a few - which were visited by tiny bug pokemon Cleo didn’t recognise. She soon learnt they were called cutiefly and ribombee. The former was smaller than Spark, although not by much.
Faith lead them through the tunnels, chatting to absently given Cleo wasn’t really taking much in anymore. Mischief followed behind silently, gazing out at the garden. Hope had left them after they’d vacated the library, suddenly realising the time. She explained she was needed for kitchen duty, and left the newcomers in Faith’s capable paws.
The mawile stopped by one of the many rooms stretched along the narrow corridors and pushed it open. “Here we go! Cleo, you and Spark can stay in this one.”
Cleo poked her head around the door, and an involuntary gasp left her throat. The room contained two beds - a wooden frame topped with a nest of fresh hay and dried flower petals. At the foot of one of the beds was what at first glance appeared to be a stool. But it was topped with a nest of fresh hay like the other two beds, clearly prepared for a small pokemon to nest in. A wooden unit stood beneath the window at the back, which was closed off with a shutter to keep the wind at bay. The small unit contained three drawers, and was topped with a wicker basket piled generously with fresh berries.
Spark’s mouth watered and she leapt from Cleo’s shoulder. “Wow! This is amazing!”
Faith chuckled and stood aside for them to enter the room. “Your presence was already made known to the caretakers. So it’s all ready for you, as you can see!”
“Complete with a midnight snack!” said Spark, already perched on the drawers to help herself to the basket. “I approve!”
“I’ll let you two get settled and show Mischief to his room,” said Faith. “Would you like me to pick you up later and show you around a bit more, or would you like some rest before dinner?”
Cleo wasn’t sure which offer to take. Sure, she wanted to see more of the Fairy Garden, but a good rest would be greatly appreciated. She hadn’t had a solid night’s sleep since she was safe inside New City.
“I wouldn’t mind a nap,” she said. “And I can have a flick through this book too.” She tapped the book under her arm.
Faith beamed and nodded with understanding. “Then I’ll collect you in a couple of hours for dinner. I’m sorry we couldn’t show you mega evolution in action before hand.”
“It’s not a problem,” said Cleo. “Maybe later?”
“Of course!” Faith backed from the room and motioned for Mischief to follow her. “See you at dinner!”
Cleo raised her paw in a wave and watched the mawile leave with Mischief following behind her. He gave Cleo a small smile before shuffling away. But she couldn’t help but feel something wasn’t quite right. She closed the door and set the large book on her bed. Spark looked up from the basket of berries, her little cheeks bulging.
“Is there a problem?” she managed to ask.
“I’m just concerned for Mischief.” Cleo climbed onto the bed, and the soft scent of rose and lavender drifted from it. “He seems a little off since our encounter with Enigma.”
Spark made a small ‘huh’ and took a huge bite out of a cheri berry.
Cleo shook her head and flipped the book open. Her mind didn’t really absorb the text, and she found herself absently flicking. Pictures of pokemon were painted in their ‘mega forms’ alongside their regular ones. Cleo soon found herself perusing the different pokemon, astounded at how different their stronger forms looked. She found herself looking over the two different gardevoir forms, noting the change in ability to ‘pixilate’. A move that turned any normal-type move into the fairy-type.
“That explains the hyper voice,” she muttered to herself, recalling Harmony’s use of it in the story of Yveltal’s Fall.
Spark landed beside her, vanishing slightly into the hay. She scrambled back out and perched beside Cleo, whiskers twitching as she stretched herself up to see the book.
“Does it tell you what all the stones do?” Spark asked.
Cleo glanced down at her then back to what she was reading. “It appears to, yes. Look. This is the same stone Hope was wearing.”
She traced a paw over the stone marked ‘gardevoirite’.
“Does it have the one Harlequin carries?” Spark ventured.
Cleo looked at the dedenne again and, with a start, flicked through the pages. She hadn’t considered looking for the unusual stone Harlequin had in their possession. Without it, she couldn’t be certain she’d find the right picture. But she still had an image of it in her mind. Clear, with a hint of blue, with black, blue and white swirling up inside it.
Her eyes fell on the image of it looking back out at her. She was almost certain it was the right one. But the pokemon next to it was not a zorua.
“This doesn’t make much sense,” said Cleo. “Maybe we’re on the wrong page.”
The pokemon staring out at her was one she’d only ever seen in pictures. White fur, with a dark blue face and crimson eyes. A huge horn curled up from the right side of its head, and its tail appeared to be a bony blade coated with dark fur. An absol. A pokemon pushed to extinction out of superstitious fear.
Harlequin had claimed the stone was sentimental. Could it be that the zorua was linked to the absol? Perhaps a friend, or some ancient history? How else would an absolite have made it into Harlequin’s paws? Unless it was a family heirloom, with no known link to the absol.
Spark tensed beside Cleo, staring wide-eyed at the picture. Her black eyes flitted between the image of the absol, and its mega form that looked like it had sprouted white, feathery wings from its thick white ruff.
“Maybe I’m wrong,” said Cleo. “I don’t have it here with me to compare.”
“No…” Spark’s voice cracked and she cleared her throat. “No, I think you might be spot on.”
“What makes you say that?” Cleo asked.
“Well… I didn’t really wanna talk about this around Harlequin, but.” Spark climbed up onto Cleo’s lap and stared up at her. “Mischief said he ran into an absol, just after Enigma attacked us.”
Cleo blinked at her a few times. “He ran into an absol? Is he sure that’s what it was?”
“I know he doesn’t have any memories, but even if he wasn’t sure, it adds up just lookin’ at this.” Spark waved a paw at the book. “This absol said he wants to kill Harlequin. I don’t know why. Mischief didn’t say. But it seems pretty bad. Why would an absol want to kill Harlequin of all pokemon?”
“Absol were pushed from the Shadow Lands,” said Cleo. “They were all wiped out. What you’re saying makes no sense. I didn’t think any were still alive.”
“Neither did I.” Spark rubbed the backs of her ears and groaned. “I’m not sure how I feel about this. If an absol is after Harlequin, then what if he comes after us?”
“It’d be no different than any other dark-type pokemon coming after us,” said Cleo. “And he didn’t kill Mischief, did he?”
“No.” Spark sat down heavily. “Mischief said the absol distracted him so he didn’t kill Harlequin. This makes me think he’s some kind of crazy pokemon himself who wants the pleasure of exacting some kind of revenge.”
Cleo mulled over that for a moment, idly toying with the fur between her ears. After a moment, she said, “Is it possible that Harlequin’s family are responsible for wiping out that absol’s clan?”
Spark shrugged. “It’s entirely possible. Maybe they were all poison users like Harlequin, as well.” She paused and caught Cleo’s eye. “Think we should ask her?”
“I’m not sure, Spark.”
“Why not? I mean, doesn’t she have a right to know someone wants to kill her?”
“You’re talking about a pokemon that was sent to kill us,” said Cleo.
The pair sat in silence for a moment, staring at their paws.
“Faith did say she wouldn’t have been able to come in here if she meant harm, Cleo,” said Spark.
Cleo screwed her eyes shut. Yes. Faith did say that, but not in so many words. There was a big difference between wanting to find sanctuary, and killing someone because you felt forced to. Harlequin still didn’t consider Cleo and her friends allies, and the feeling was mutual.
She turned her gaze back to the page with the absol. Those crimson eyes. A harbinger of disaster. Yet it had a mega stone. That meant it had fought in Xerneas’ army, along with other pokemon that weren’t mentioned by name in the story. Then where had all the superstition come from? What had driven Hydreigon to wipe out an entire species that shared one of the typings he wanted to dominate Estellis with?
Cleo closed the book and set it aside. It was too much to deal with. She wanted to get some sleep and think about it later. Maybe, if she got the chance, she’d talk to Harlequin about it.
If their paths ever crossed again, that is.
...
An erratic jingling echoed through the dusky air as Enigma staggered his way across the plain. He’d recovered enough of his strength to move, and Harlequin and those other pokemon had long since vanished into the Endless Woods. Enigma had no desire to follow them. After his encounter with that whimsicott, his focus was fully back on the Heretics. He wanted to know exactly what Rio had kept from him, and the longer he spent loitering around in that tree the more impatient and irritated he was growing.
The problem was, every step hurt. He had absolutely no desire to engage in combat. He had to hope he’d recover enough strength during his walk back to the Moorlands Forest, or that he’d be able to drag that information out of Rio through sheer fear alone. He didn’t expect his next encounter with the meowstic to be a good one, especially after he’d destroyed his tyranitar. Enigma clicked his tongue at that thought. If he needed to kill the foolish scientist… well, he’d cross that bridge when he came to it.
Enigma’s foot snagged in a hidden spiral of goosegrass, and he lurched forwards with a stifled gasp. His shoulders throbbed with the motion, and he sneered down at the sticky plant fastened firmly around his leg. He wrenched it free, gritting his teeth at the pain, and tossed it unceremoniously into the long grass. Those plants had been a death trap during his walk back across the plain. Thankfully the end of it was in sight. Good. The journey was becoming disheartening, and he hadn’t the strength to warp. There also weren’t enough trees to leap along the branches, not that he could in his condition. He stuck to the shadows as best he could, his smokey fur blending in seamlessly.
He tugged a few burrs from his scarf and pressed on, glancing up to check just how much further he had to walk. A large wall rose up from the long grass, coated in a blanket of ivy. He’d spotted it a good way back, but hadn’t fathomed just how big it was. He found himself wandering towards it as intrigue took over. It was at least three times his height, and stretched away to his left to back onto the remains of a garden. At least, he thought it might have been a garden. It was much too overgrown to say for certain, and most of the plants had been choked out by the goosegrass.
Enigma peered up at the wall, his curiosity winning over his desire to keep moving. What on earth could be hidden behind a wall like that? It had clearly been abandoned for some time. The ivy was rotting away the mortar between the stone, and a few large stones had fallen free into the grass, now embraced by a bed of thick moss. He pushed himself towards it, his paws catching on the spindly snares of that wretched plant. He managed to shake them off and came to a stop mere inches from the wall. He brushed the ivy aside, but revealed nothing but cold stone wall behind it. Surely there must be a gate? The question was ‘where?’ He glanced up and down the length of it, rapidly losing the motivation to circumnavigate the entire structure. Instead, he tried to summon the strength to warp onto the top of the wall just to see what was on the other side, but the effort was much too exhausting.
He inclined his head on one side as he frowned up at it. Whatever was beyond it might provide shelter where he could gather his strength before encountering Rio once more. However, if he did manage to climb or warp up it somehow, if he lost his strength in the process he’d meet a very nasty drop. One that might actually finish him off.
He shook his head and moved away from it, deciding to resign himself to the long trek back into the Moorlands Forest.
...
Harbinger had completely lost track of Harlequin and the other pokemon. That greatly bothered him. He’d been tracking them through the Endless Woods, following their scent trail. If he’d picked up on it earlier, they’d have been easy pickings, having gone in circles before finding another path to follow. Just a little earlier… that was all he’d needed to have them where he wanted them. A flaw he constantly berated him for.
How had they just vanished? Their trail ended cold near a clearing, and peering through the brambles had shown him nothing. He wasn’t exactly going to walk right out into the open, even if he couldn’t detect any waiting ambush. The trail had ended, as if they’d been zipped right up into the air. Teleport? No… Gardevoir used to occupy the woods. But there had been no sightings of them in many, many years.
Harbinger trotted along the path, retracing his footsteps back towards the overgrown orchard. Each step made him wonder if backtracking was a fruitless endeavour, but it was the only solution he could think of. Harlequin and the others could have simply retraced their footsteps to get back out of the Endless Woods, and Harbinger had simply missed them.
He froze and stared at the ground between his feet. No. That didn’t make sense! They had to have gone somewhere. Why would they backtrack? Harlequin, like Harbinger and the pawniard twins, was immune to the gardevoir’s enchantment. Those pokemon wouldn’t just be lost in the woods. Harlequin could guide them, and the enchantment was weakening enough for a strong-minded pokemon to be able to ignore, should they be aware of it.
If they hadn’t gone back towards the orchard, then the only other destinations Harbinger could think of were the Snowcapped Mountains on the other side of the Endless Woods, or the Outcast settlement just beyond a hazardous field of thistles. The former was a very likely choice, but at this time of year the peaks would be wrought with blizzards. Harbinger dealt very well with blizzards.
As for the Outcast settlement, it certainly offered a very nice view of the mountains. But Harlequin and their companions would be walking right into a deathtrap. Only a couple of moons ago, Harbinger had passed that way. He had no idea what lay beyond it other than the towering mountain peaks. No sooner had he spotted that settlement, he’d triggered a landslide, burying the entire village. He smirked at the memory and cast a glance in its direction. A flag fluttered in the distance, displaying a brief glimpse of the Outcast Guild’s sun symbol.
No, they definitely wouldn’t have taken that route. Any sensible pokemon would know it was unwise to go near that village while the land was still unsettled.
So, I just read Chapter 20 and what a wild chapter this turned out to be. From this chapter, it really feels like the story is kicking into high gear and we might be reaching a sort of mid point towards the Endgame.
The chapter begins with a bunch of bats committing mass murder, which feels like just another Tuesday for Hydriegon's followers. There they discover an ancient library and we also got to see both Echo and Rumble evolve into Noivern, which is terrifying in itself. One minor nitpick I have with this section is that it felt a bit convenient that out of everything that may have existed in the library, they were able to quickly find one pointing towards the existence of the cocoon they were looking for.
I guess this could be explained that stories about Xerneas and Yveltal were much more common in ancient times and faded from history over time. Though this does raise the question of why Hydriegon's search efforts haven't been focused mainly on excavating ancient ruins and sites because I can't help but feel like he'd have gotten much closer to his goal sooner had he done that, rather than spending centuries committing pointless slaughter and tyranny. I do think we'd get an explanation behind his reasonings, but it remains a bit of a discrepancy at this point.
The second portion of the chapter was the actual crazy part. For one thing, I didn't expect Enigma to find Cleo's group at this point in the story even if we knew it was going to happen sooner or later. I'm guessing he's simply that good at tracking others down as an assassin as that's part of the job description. Come to think of it, Harlequin didn't take a lot of effort to locate Cleo's group earlier in the story either. In all honesty, Cleo's group are surprisingly easy for the antagonists to find time and time again. She and the others really need to learn how to cover their tracks better because it's starting to become a running gag at this point.
I liked how Cleo found some way to relate to Harlequin and that she returned that orb to him. Though I wish any other word than "thong" was used for the orb's container, because that word brings a very different image for lack of better terms.
That aside, the showdown between them and Enigma was pretty intense and Enigma felt even more imposing now after what we saw him do to Project B. He very easily dispatched almost all of them, and despite his words earlier, he appeared to try freeing Harlequin even though he disregarded the notion of the friendship they presumably had prior.
Mischief going savage was quite a predictable outcome in all honesty, and the novelty of that as a plot device is beginning to wear off given how often it happens in the story even though it doesn't contradict the setup presented by the story.
A character losing control and more or less getting a power boost isn't all that uncommon a trope, especially in the shonen genre like Naruto, early dragon ball and Bleach. However, what those others had in common is that such manic character states happen very rarely and so the reader, or viewer if you'd prefer, feels pretty hyped about it whenever it occurs. Meanwhile, Mischief has gone manic in every situation where the group has had to fight, and it loses its appeal as a plot device with every consecutive use. I do hope Mischief will lose control less often in the story going forward, or at least there will be fewer situations where he has to.
I didn't touch much on Harbinger and the strange force pushing him to act, but I speculate its all tied to Xerneas and possibly Harlequin's orb as well. Whatever the case may be, we'll have to wait and see how it all plays out in the coming chapters.
Anyway, that's all the commentary I have for this chapter. Overall I liked the events of the chapter and I look forward to binging the rest of the available chapters after finals. Till next time.
One minor nitpick I have with this section is that it felt a bit convenient that out of everything that may have existed in the library, they were able to quickly find one pointing towards the existence of the cocoon they were looking for.
Yeah, I did wonder this when I wrote it. However writing Echo leading his bats on a fruitless mission from town to town until they finally stumble upon something feels about as dull as those episodes of Dragon Ball Z where Goku spends an entire episode powering up before finally laying waste to his foe. (And I was told a few of the Annie 'ship progress' scenes in System:Reboot were unnecessary...) So I nut-shelled the noibat swarm's efforts prior to them finding the library.
As for the lore, what they found would have been perceived as something similar to our childhood stories of Goldilocks with a moral behind it. Something anyone else without knowledge that it might actually be true would have brushed aside as a hatchling tale. Since Hydreigon is convinced the cocoon is real, they took what they could from that picture book and ran with it. How does Hydreigon know of this legend if no one else does? You'll find out in due time ;) Enigma's backstory will contain some of that information.
Man I was excited for you to reach this scene! I'm glad you liked it =D Showing Enigma being as scary as he is spoken of to be was very much anticipated I feel.
Mischief going savage was quite a predictable outcome in all honesty, and the novelty of that as a plot device is beginning to wear off given how often it happens in the story even though it doesn't contradict the setup presented by the story
I understand this. He's very easily triggered. But if we take into consideration what Harbinger found on Project B, it's pretty apparent that Mischief's infection is rather advanced, and it's very problematic for his friends, too. I won't spoil anything for you, but I hope you look forward to seeing how this plays out for them all =3
25 - Dazzle Dance
Tinker sat watching the little swablu as he tucked into a fresh plate of berries. The newly-named Starshine let out a series of contented chirrups as he pecked away at the berries that weren’t much smaller than he was. The swablu occasionally looked up at Tinker between bites, probably making sure the riolu was still there.
“Decided to keep it then, aye?”
Tinker jerked back in his seat and turned to spot Skipper leaning in the open doorway.
Tinker let out a flustered sigh and brushed his ears back as he turned back to Starshine. “Skipper. I didn’t hear you come in.”
Skipper closed the door and shuffled over to him. “Told anyone yet?”
“Only Grey.” Tinker sat back in his seat and toyed with the everstone around his neck. “I don’t know how to break it to the rest of New City just yet.”
“Well it’s not like ye promised ye were gonna get rid of it, aye?” Skipper watched the swablu and a small smile tugged his lips. “Lively wee fellow, ain’t he?”
Tinker nodded slowly. “The thing is, whether or not I said I’d dispose of the egg, I don’t think a newly hatched baby dragon is going to be met with much joy. The Elites made their opinion very clear.”
Skipper folded his arms over the back of Tinker’s seat. “Not all of ‘em were against ye either.”
Tinker shrugged. “No, I suppose not.”
“However…” Skipper paused briefly, watching the little hatchling as he scampered around to the other side of the heaping plate of berries. “Ye can’t keep ‘im a secret forever. Sooner or later he’s gonna grow up. He’ll be runnin’ around New City like th’rest o’ th’hatchlings.”
Tinker stared down at the baby who was completely unaware of their conversation. Or was he listening? It was hard to say how much such a young pokemon actually understood.
“Laughin’,” Skipper went on. “Yellin’. Makin’ friends.”
“Making friends?” Tinker’s ears perked up and he turned his head around to look at Skipper.
Skipper raised an eyebrow. “Ye ne’er considered that?”
“No.” Skipper brushed back one of his ears. “That’s… brilliant.”
Skipper’s mouth went slack and he pushed himself back from Tinker’s seat. The riolu rose from it in his excitement, sending it toppling to the floor with a loud clatter. Starshine let out a chirrup of surprise and sent a berry rolling from the desk to the floor amid Tinker’s ‘organised chaos’.
“Making friends!” Tinker fixed Skipper with a smile that bordered on madness. “Skipper, you’re a genius!”
“Ahh, Tink…” Skipper raised his flippers in defence. “I was jus’ sayin’ like t’other kids-”
“Yes! Starshine is just like other kids!” Tinker bounced on his toes, waving his arms around as ideas flew at him left, right and centre. “If Starshine mixes with the other hatchlings and makes friends, then…” He trailed off, turning to look back at the swablu.
Starshine fixed Tinker with his beady black eyes and inclined his head on one side.
Tinker’s excitement fizzled out like a snuffed candle and his arms fell limp at his sides.
Skipper cleared his throat, cutting through the sudden silence. “Ye dinnae think he’ll make friends, do ye?”
“No, it’s not that.” Tinker righted his chair and flopped back into it. “It’s the mothers. Ordinarily, hatchlings don’t tend to be judgemental. They can see right through another pokemon’s differences and accept them for who they are. But those in New City will undoubtedly be more conditioned and not want to play with a swablu. Starshine might make friends, especially with those closer to his own age, but how long will it last?”
Skipper pursed his lips and glanced towards the door. “T’is a long-shot, but if ye like… I can ask my sis? Wee Tad’s about Starshine’s age. Well… he hatched last season, but-”
“Of course, your sister has a little mudkip.” Tinker looked up at Skipper. “You think she’d be happy for him to make friends with Starshine?”
Skipper raised his flippers in a shrug. “I dinnae ken, Tink. She’s a wee bit protective of wee Tad. There ain’t many of us left alive now, ye ken?”
“I understand that. But it’s worth asking?” Tinker rubbed his snout. “I usually get along fine with Lily. She might see this the way I do.”
Skipper grimaced and shifted his weight from foot to foot. “I can give it a try, Tink, but I ain’t promisin’ nothin’. Ye ken me sis can be a bit fiery.”
Tinker nodded and watched the marshtomp leave his office. As the door closed, Tinker turned back to Starshine who was looking between him and his lunch. Tinker scratched beneath one of his ears. How much did the little swablu even understand at his age? Could Starshine even play with another hatchling yet?
Starshine let out a loud chirrup and grabbed hold of a cheri by its stem. He turned to rush towards Tinker, flopping along the table as he flailed his wings in a bid to keep the berry aloft. Due to its size he didn’t see the edge of the desk and Tinker’s heart leapt into his throat. He reached out to grab the swablu in his paws before he hit the floor. He set the small bird down on his lap and settled back against the chair. Starshine dropped the berry and chirruped up at him, eyes sparkling, completely oblivious to his narrowly avoided demise.
Tinker let out a chuckle amid his sigh of relief. “You just wanted to share, huh?”
Starshine chirruped again and closed his eyes in a smile.
“Well, thank you.” Tinker took the berry in his claws. “That’s some good manners I want you to show to others when you meet them later, yes?”
Starshine ruffled his wings and stared up at Tinker, twitching his head from side to side. The door opened and Starshine let out a happy twitter and hopped around on Tinker’s lap to view the newcomer.
“Tinker!” A female marshtomp barged through, startling Starshine into Tinker’s side.
The riolu leapt from his seat, scooping the swablu up into his arms.
A large red ribbon flopped around on Lily’s head with every movement, matching her eyes. Behind her stood a very shrewed-looking Skipper as he tried to close the door to no avail. A tiny mudkip poked his head out from behind Lily’s ankle, fixing on the tiny pokemon cradled against Tinker’s chest.
“What’s goin’ on ‘ere?” Lily barked. “Is this ano’er one o’ ye mad experiments?!”
Tinker stammered as he tried to find the right words. “Please close the door. You’ll have all of New City in an uproar.”
“An’ rightly so, ye mad fool.”
Regardless, Lily moved further into the room and Skipper finally managed to close the door behind them. He leant against it and gave Tinker an apologetic look.
Tinker was no stranger to Lily. Unlike her brother, she rarely left New City. She was very well known among the other mothers, and respected. If she was going to accept Starshine, it was likely that the other mothers would follow suit. But on the other paw, if it didn’t go down well, word would swiftly spread about the swablu and Tinker would find himself on the receiving end of a very unpleasant riot.
Lily put her flippers on her hips and leant towards Tinker until they were almost nose to nose. “What made ye think ye could bring a swablu down ‘ere into New City?”
Tinker’s mouth flapped open uselessly. “I… I…”
“It’s a dragon, Tinker!” Lily growled. “What if it turns on us, gets out an’ reveals our location to Hydreigon?!”
“It’s a baby!” Tinker’s voice took himself by surprise. Lily just blinked at him, waiting for him to elaborate. “It’s a baby. If we raise it with our morals, and it makes friends amongst us, and maybe even joins our ranks in this war… then that could give us a very strong edge.”
“An’ a glarin’ weakness.” Lily stood up straight and folded her arms. “Ye ken the dragon-type is weak against itseln. They could jus’ pick it off an’ then what? Back where we started? One altaria in the army ain’t gonna give us much of an advantage, ye auld fool.”
Tinker stared down at Starshine and sighed.
“Ye ken what I think?” Lily said, much quieter this time. “I think ye went soft. Ye found an egg an’ ye wanted t’help it. A little baby, defenceless, abandoned in th’wild an’ ye couldn’t leave it. I’m right, ain’t I?”
Tinker bit his lip and looked away. Those words had hit him hard. She was right, but part of him didn’t want to admit it.
“Come on, Tinker. I ain’t heartless.” She smiled, drawing his attention back to her, all fury gone from her face. “It woulda died if ye hadn’t found it an’ got it all warm ‘n’ such. Ain’t nothin’ wrong wi’ that. I woulda done th’same.”
“So you’re not angry?” Tinker asked.
“O’ course I’m angry!” she said. “Angry ye didn’t tell me! I coulda helped ye hatch it.” She paused and narrowed her eyes. “I’m also angry ye lied! Why didn’t ye just say ye went soft an’ wanted to hatch a defenceless egg? What sorta example ye settin’ for wee hatchlings like ye little swablu an’ Tad ‘ere?”
Tad trembled behind Lily’s ankle. “Ye shouldn’t lie, Uncle Tinker. Ma’ll make ye eat nomel berries.”
Lily nodded and a playful smirk appeared on her face. “Darn straight. Shame I dinnae have any on me, aye?”
Tinker paled slightly and let out a nervous laugh. “So you’re happy to help me?”
“O’course I am! All hatchlings hatch the same, Tinker, but ye have to remember… this little swablu… what’s his name?”
“Starshine.”
“Little Starshine here will evolve in time, unless ye give ‘im an everstone. An’ if that ‘appens, an’ things turn nasty… anythin’ goes wrong at all! Then that swablu is out of ‘ere. Understood?”
“Of course.” Tinker glanced down at Starshine who was eyeing each pokemon in turn. “New City is first and foremost my number one priority. I will not let any harm befall this city or the Outcasts here.”
Lily cave a curt nod. “Glad to ‘ear that.”
“Whew!” Skipper slid down the door onto his bottom. “Seriously, sis! I thought ye were gonna bite ‘is ‘ead off!”
Lily looked Tinker up and down. “I was thinkin’ ‘bout it.”
Tinker glanced aside. “I think I’d have preferred the nomel berries.”
“Well that one ain’t out the window yet, ye auld fool. Now then.” Lily leant forwards and smiled at the swablu in his arms. “Hello there, Starshine!”
The swablu looked at her and chirruped.
Lily chuckled. “Cannae talk yet, aye? No worries! I reckon ye know more of what we’re talkin’ ‘bout than you let on, aye?”
Starshine closed his eyes and let out a playful twitter.
“Ye wanna meet Tad? Come on, then.” Lily took Starshine gently and set him down on the floor before the mudkip. “He’s a wee bit older than ye, but I think ye’ll get on.”
Tad stared warily at the swablu who seemed much more interested in examining the room from his new vantage point on the floor. The mudkip stepped towards him and tipped his head on one side.
“Hi there!”
Starshine turned to him and chirruped before hopping in circles to admire the roots stretching across the ceiling.
Tad looked up at his mother and crinkled his nose. “Dinnae do much, does he?”
“Give him time, Tad!” Lily laughed and shook her head. “He’s only just hatched! Give him a few weeks an’ he’ll be playin’ on your level.” She turned to address Tinker and folded her arms again. “This swablu is your responsibility now, aye?”
“Of course!” said Tinker. “If anything goes awry, then I shall take full responsibility. I am acting head of the Outcast Guild, after all.”
“That’s not what I meant,” said Lily. “I’m sayin’ you’re Starshine’s surrogate dad now, aye? So ye gotta take care o’ th’wee swablu. It ain’t easy bein’ a parent. If ye need any help, ye ken where t’find me. Come on, Tad.” She turned to the door, ushering Tad along. “It’s almost dinner time.”
Tad glanced back at Starshine and waved a flipper in farewell. Starshine returned it with a tuneful twitter, then turned to examine the papers scattered along the floor.
Lily paused beside her brother and frowned. “As for you! Dinnae keep secrets like this from me again, aye?”
Skipper raised his flippers. “I was sworn t’secrecy!”
“Aye, well.” She clicked her tongue and smiled. “Like I said. I coulda helped. Ye didn’t ‘ave t’go through all that alone, aye? If things go well wi’ Tad, then I’ll put a good word in for ye.”
She slipped from the office and quietly closed the door behind her.
Skipper rubbed a flipper across his head crest and sighed. “By ‘eck she can be a wee bit intimidatin’, sure enough.”
Tinker let out a sigh of relief and dropped into a squat to supervise Starshine. “It went a lot better than I’d been fearing. I didn’t expect that at all.”
“At least ye ‘ave hope of wee Starshine makin’ friends now, aye?” Skipper dropped down beside him and held a flipper out to the swablu.
The tiny bird promptly dropped a balled up sheet of notes into it that Tinker had abandoned several weeks ago.
Tinker chuckled. “We certainly do.”
Hope of making friends… Tinker smiled and sat back on his paws as he watched the little swablu flop around the room. Tinker was actually starting to feel there might be hope of a little more than that on the horizon.
...
Heart Abbey was alive with pokemon, their voices a rumble of noise throughout the vast dining hall. A long mahogany table stretched across the length of the room, surrounded by such a variety of pokemon it made New City’s variety look sparse in comparison. A ninetales with luxurious shimmering fur sat opposite Cleo, her breath misting in the warm air as she spoke, dusting a light coating of harmless frost over the ears of the cinccino she was talking to. The chinchilla pokemon didn’t appear to mind, or notice for that matter. The ninetales was one of many pokemon in the Fairy Garden Cleo had never seen before.
“She’s part ice, part fairy!” Faith had explained when Cleo ventured the question. “One of two known varieties of ninetales.”
Cleo found herself wondering how many more pokemon were part fairy-type as she glanced along the table. Most of the pokemon were tucking into the huge spread of food. Cleo had never seen so much, and Spark’s eyes glittered as the tiny dedenne took it all in. Bowls were filled with fresh berries which interspersed the plates of steaming berry flat-cakes, vats of vegetable and root soup, pancakes, nut roasts, and root gravy. And that didn’t even cover it all!
Cleo soon had a plate filled with delights which she tucked into with relish. She sat sandwiched between Spark and Faith, while Mischief perched on the other side of the dedenne. The seats were easily adjusted to accommodate pokemon of all sizes, but Spark had abandoned hers to sit on the table, declaring it was easier access to her plate.
Cleo swallowed a mouthful of nut roast and her eyes closed briefly. “This is absolutely amazing!” She turned to Faith, who was beaming at her. “You really have this every day?”
The mawile nodded and made a little ‘mhm!’ “This is normal for us! I’m so happy you’re enjoying yourselves.”
“It’s certainly a change to what we know,” said Spark. She bit into an oran berry that seemed to sparkle in the light. Her face lit up and she turned to look at Faith. “What on earth is this? The skin is so sweet!”
“Candied berries!” Faith chuckled. “They’re usually a desert, Spark.”
Spark grinned and returned to the sweet berry.
Cleo smirked at her small friend. “You’re supposed to eat desert after your root soup.”
“Hey, it ain’t as if I’m leaving anything,” said Spark. “My plate will be well and truly licked!”
“Good evening.” Hope’s familiar voice drew the group’s attention.
The gardevoir stood beside Faith, leaning on the empty seat beside her. The mawile’s face lit up and she sat back from her plate.
“We’ve not seen you since the library,” said Faith. “Are you joining us?”
“Oh, I’ll be sitting elsewhere I’m afraid.” Hope stood back to wave a paw at the pokemon beside her. “I thought Harlequin might want to sit with pokemon she’s familiar with.”
The zorua had their head down and ears back, blue eyes flitting around the room as they struggled to take it all in.
“I’d be delighted!” said Faith.
Cleo watched Harlequin with caution. She hadn’t been convinced they’d even see the assassin again, but after what Cleo and Spark had learned, she had a lot of questions to ask. The zorua trembled slightly as their eyes trailed over the table, ears twitching at the cacophony of voices. Not a single accusatory glance was fired in Harlequin’s direction, just acknowledgement and friendly smiles from those close enough to spot Harlequin before they returned to their discussions.
Harlequin looked over Cleo and her friends, lingering on Mischief, and a brief sneer appeared on the zorua’s face. It didn’t last. A low whine left Harlequin’s throat as they turned back to scanning the assortment of cheerful pokemon.
Faith’s smile faltered and she turned in her seat to face Harlequin. The mawile forced another smile and tapped the stool beside her. “Come on. Join us. I’d like to get to know you a bit more!”
Harlequin glanced away and tucked their tail between their legs. The zorua took a step backwards towards the door, catching Hope’s eye.
“I told you.” Harlequin’s voice came out deeper and lower than usual. “I’m not hungry.”
“You must eat something.” Hope spoke quietly, her voice almost masked by the rumble of noise. “There’s barely anything on you. I’m actually concerned.”
Harlequin’s canines flashed. “I don’t want anything. Just…” The zorua let out a sigh and lowered their head. “Just leave me alone.”
Hope sank slightly and sighed. “Okay. Today has been a lot for you. I understand. I can show you to your room instead?”
Harlequin’s jaw went slack as they stared up at Hope, dumbfounded. The zorua shuffled backwards, then turned and scampered from the dining hall.
Hope watched Harlequin’s black tail vanish beyond the door and shook her head. “Oh dear.” She glanced back at Faith. “I’m sorry, I have to go after her. She’s been left in my care.”
The gardevoir trotted from the room, pleading for Harlequin to wait.
Silence had fallen over the small group, and Spark broke it by asking, “Are you sure she belongs here?”
Faith looked up at Spark and raised a paw in a half-hearted shrug. “It must be a huge shock to her. I mean… to accept that what you’ve been believing all your life is a huge lie? Working for something so evil… I can’t say what’s going on in her head right now. But like I said, if she didn’t want to be here, she wouldn’t have found this place.”
A clatter came from beside Cleo, and Mischief shoved his plate away. A few berries rolled away from the half-eaten flat cakes and plopped onto the table.
“I’m not hungry either.” Without looking up he slipped from his seat and shuffled from the dining hall.
“Mischief…” Cleo raised a paw weakly and let it flop back into her lap. She turned back to the table and rubbed her eyes with both paws.
“He seemed to be really happy earlier,” said Faith. “What happened?”
“Harlequin happened,” said Spark.
Cleo lowered her paws to meet Faith’s violet eyes. “It’s a long story. But to cut it short, Mischief tried to protect us when Enigma attacked. But Mischief almost…” She waved a paw as she searched for the right word. But finding none better, she ended with, “almost killed him.”
Faith blinked a few times and shook her head as she glanced to the door. “I have no idea who Enigma is. But I’m guessing he’s one of Harlequin’s friends?”
“I’m not sure about ‘friend’,” said Spark. “But Harlequin’s pretty bitter about it.”
“That makes sense,” said Faith. “I mean you are both from opposite sides in this war.”
“It’s not just that,” said Cleo. “Mischief has a condition. I’d explain more, but I really want to go and see if he’s okay.” The meowstic pushed herself up from the table. “Please excuse me.”
Faith waved a paw and smiled. “Please, go ahead!”
“I can explain,” said Spark. “You won’t be wanting me there being a razz berry on a rawst bush.” As if to punctuate that point, she popped an entire razz berry into her mouth.
Faith closed her eyes and chuckled. “That’s an odd analogy.”
Spark gave a small bow and picked up another berry.
Faith caught Cleo’s eye. “The Dazzle Dance will be starting soon. It’s in the courtyard. No pressure if he’s not feeling up to it, I just thought it might help take Mischief’s mind off things?”
“I’ll see what he says.” Cleo gave her a small smile then turned back to Spark. The dedenne’s cheeks were still bulging from the razz berry. “If I’m not back, you have permission to finish my berries.”
Spark responded with an ‘okay!’ that came out as more of an ‘mmkf!’ and turned back to her plate.
Cleo trotted from the dining hall and worked her way down the cobbled path that lead past the abbey’s courtyard. Volbeat and illumise were busy decorating the gazebo for the evening’s events, and they gave her joyful waves as she jogged past. She returned them gratefully then fixed her attention back on searching for Mischief. The whimsicott wasn’t far away. She spotted him sat beneath a willow tree, watching the bug-type pokemon flit about the courtyard.
She dropped into a casual stroll and moved over to him. He looked up at the sound of her paws crunching over the grass.
“Hey,” she said.
“You didn’t need to leave your dinner to come after me.” He turned back to watching the volbeat and illumise.
“Are you kidding?” she said it with a playful tone in her voice. “I wasn’t going to continue eating when one of my friends is like this.” She sat down beside him, and he gave her a small smile. “I thought you might want a bit of company.”
“Thanks,” he said.
They sat in silence for a while, watching the bug-types finish setting up their decorations. Red and blue streamers and decorative flowers wound up the sides of the gazebo, adding a splash of lively colour to the green woodwork and rusty cobbled square. She wanted to talk to Mischief, but wasn’t sure where to begin. Bringing up Harlequin and the fight with Enigma probably wasn’t the best idea, even if she was trying to reassure him that it wasn’t his fault, and that Harlequin would drop their bitterness eventually. The latter wasn’t Cleo’s place to say, and she had no idea what was going to become of the zorua now anyway. Would Cleo still be forced to drag the assassin along? Or was Harlequin going to stay in the Fairy Garden? Cleo was still tasked with her job of finding fairy-types to help in the war, but if she had the option of leaving Harlequin - her hostage - in the Fairy Garden then Cleo was going to take it.
“I like it here,” said Mischief.
“So do I,” said Cleo. “I think we all do.”
Mischief shrugged and folded his paws in his lap. “Maybe not Harlequin.”
“Well…” Cleo inclined her head on one side. “I’m not sure how to take her reaction if I’m honest.”
Mischief was silent for a moment, then he let out a small sigh. “I think I might stay here.”
Cleo looked up with a start. “You… you want to stay here?”
“Yes.” He stared down at his paws, avoiding her gaze. “Don’t you?”
Cleo let out a flustered sigh and brushed her fur back between her ears. She looked up at the volbeat and illumise again, barely noticing them anymore. Stay here… she hadn’t considered it an option for herself. There was a war. She was meant to fight in it. She couldn’t leave innocent pokemon struggling just so she could have a respite. Besides, Hope and Faith said they themselves were also fighting in the war.
“As much as I’d like to,” she said slowly, “I can’t. There’s a war, Mischief. You know that. We need to fight against Hydreigon and end it.”
“But I don’t want to fight.”
Cleo felt something inside her twinge and she closed her eyes. “I know.”
“If I stay here, then there’s no need for me to fight,” he said. “Some pokemon aren’t fit to fight, and… aren’t I one of them? I mean… it makes me into a monster.”
Monster…
Cleo closed her eyes at that, feeling that horrid twinge again.
The problem was, Mischief enjoyed fighting. Cleo saw it on his face. Cheerful, naive. Those tests Tinker ran on him were still clear in Cleo’s mind. Fighting was fun to Mischief like it was to many pokemon. She thought back to the story about Yveltal’s Fall. Fighting existed in the Fairy Garden. It hadn’t been meant for war. It hadn’t been meant to cause pain.
“You find it fun, though, don’t you?” The question had just rolled off her tongue.
He gave a weak shrug. “Not any more. Now it just scares me.”
“Because you’re scared of losing control?”
“Because I’m scared of hurting you.”
She jumped at those words and twisted to face him, but he was still staring down at his paws.
“Or Spark,” he added. “Or anyone.” He screwed his eyes shut and a lone tear broke free and trickled down his cheek. “I don’t want to hurt anyone.”
Cleo reached out a paw to his shoulder then froze, retracting it slightly. What was she meant to do? She tucked it back into her body and closed her own eyes, letting out a small sigh.
“I killed that noivern,” he went on. “I don’t remember it, so I don’t know what it looked like afterwards, but I have nightmares. Horrible images of it looking like those seviper. Mangled and unrecognisable. It haunts me.” He rubbed his paws over his face. “Then that absol said he saved you from me.”
He paused, unconsciously giving Cleo time to let it all sink in.
“I’d never forgive myself if I hurt you,” he added quietly.
They sat in silence again, watching the volbeat and illumise finish wrapping up their decorations. A soft breeze washed over the courtyard, stirring the streamers and flowers and blowing a few stray petals free.
“I really don’t know what to suggest,” said Cleo. “But if you want to stay here, then… I’m not going to stop you.”
Mischief gave a stiff nod. “Spark did say… that there might be a cure. Somewhere.”
A cure… The thought had crossed Cleo’s mind. But would there even be one for pokerus? No one had made the effort to find a cure. It was a beneficial virus. Some pokemon would spend years tracking down someone with it in its contagious stage just to catch it. Some had even tried to make money passing on pokerus, but it didn’t remain contagious for long. The benefits would always remain, but the contagion somehow went away.
Now, when a cure was needed to combat a nasty mutant strain, where would one even start?
Cleo felt her heart sink into her stomach, but she hid it behind a smile. “We’ll find one. We’ll search for a cure, and bring it back here when we find it.”
“Thanks, Cleo.” He gave her a sad smile and leant his head back against the tree. “I’ll miss you, but I think you’re safer without me.”
Cleo hugged her arms around herself and turned her attention back to the square, blinking back tears from her eyes. She didn’t want to cry. It would only make Mischief feel worse. Pokemon were pouring out of the abbey into the courtyard, chatting and laughing, unaware of the conversation that had just unfolded. A few pokemon climbed onto the stage beneath the gazebo, clutching various musical instruments. Cleo thought she spotted Faith among them, her pink bow bobbing as she bounced on her toes with a violin in one paw.
Soon, the courtyard was filled with colourful pokemon. The band began to play, harmonious strings singing out through the dusky air. The volbeat and illumise wasted no time, rising above the gazebo, their tails flashing in beat with the music. The crowd broke into cheers, whooping with joy.
Cleo watched the bug-types as they twisted around above the courtyard, leaving behind trails of light. Together, they traced various shapes in the air from hearts and stars to Xerneas’ cross that Cleo had seen carved into the door of the ruined abbey. She felt her tears settle, but she didn’t find herself joining in with the crowd. Mischief was just as silent, watching the dance with a mixture of awe and sadness.
Cleo unfolded her paws from her lap to sit back against them in the grass. Her pads brushed warm fur and she glanced down at Mischief’s brown paw beneath hers. He shifted slightly, turning his arm so he could wind his claws through hers. She looked up, meeting his orange eyes. Warm, yet damp with tears. Her heart lurched and she turned back to the dance, fighting back tears of her own once again. She relaxed her paw in his and joined him against the rough trunk of the willow.
Cheers rose up from the square as the mawile violinist broke into a jaunty, quick-paced solo. The volbeat and illumise broke apart, zipping back and forth as they ran rings around each other.
Cleo wasn’t sure how much longer the dance went on for. Her mind kept playing over Mischief’s words, leading back to their encounter with the noivern.
Safer without him…
If not for Mischief, Cleo and Spark would have died in that forest. They would never have come to the Fairy Garden. They’d never have learned the truth.
Cleo wound her free paw into the grass and bit her lip. As terrible as Mischief’s condition was, Cleo had a lot to thank him for.
...
“Cleo?”
Cleo tore here eyes from the ceiling. Spark hopped up onto the edge of the hay nest, and the scent of lavender and rose tickled Cleo’s nose. The motion created erratic shadows from the candle next to the bed as it flickered in protest at being disturbed.
“I missed you at the Dazzle Dance,” said Spark.
“Sorry.” Cleo turned her head to look back at the ceiling. “I was caught up talking to Mischief.”
Her voice came out hoarser than she’d expected. She lay spread-eagled on her bed, exactly how she’d landed on it since she returned to their room. She’d barely moved except to wipe the tears from her whiskers.
Spark hopped up onto her friend’s chest and her tiny nose twitched in Cleo’s face. The dedenne sat back and wiped at the salty trails in Cleo’s fur with her tail.
“What’s wrong?” Spark asked. “Come on. Tell me.”
Cleo rubbed her paws over her face and sighed. “Mischief wants to stay here.”
Spark’s ears pricked up. “Oh! Well…” She raised a paw in a shrug. “I can’t say I’m surprised. It’s pretty peaceful here.”
Cleo grunted her agreement and stared up at the ceiling again. An ornate carving stood out from it, depicting altaria swooping around a sun as it stretched its rays across the room.
“So what are we gonna do?” Spark asked.
“I don’t know,” said Cleo. “Go back to New City, I guess.”
“Tinker will be pretty ticked off.”
“We can’t do anything about that. I’m not going to drag Mischief with us just because Tinker says so, it’s not fair.”
“But he assigned us-”
“We can’t exactly fight the Darkness alone, either,” Cleo went on. “No matter what he’s told us to do, if we continue without Mischief, we’re as good as dead.” She paused and closed her eyes, letting out a sigh. “I suppose we could go back to doing odd jobs or something?”
“That’s always an option.” Spark sat down on Cleo’s chest and gazed off at the window. She stiffened and turned back to Cleo. “But… it’s not exactly safe, is it? I mean…”
Cleo’s eyes widened slightly. She knew exactly what Spark was getting at. No, they couldn’t just return to New City and expect things to return to how they used to be. They had a price on their heads. Mischief would be safe in the Fairy Garden, but Cleo and Spark would still have Enigma trailing them. Stalking them. Waiting for the perfect moment to pick them off. There was always a chance he’d track them all the way back to New City, then what would become of the pokemon there? And even if Enigma wasn’t in a fit state to track them, Hydreigon had other assassins.
Cleo’s blood turned cold as the image of fire raging through a forest flashed through her mind. Howling shadows leapt from it spewing flames, eyes flashing crimson in the darkness. Her heart pounded through her ribs, and a look of concern spread over Spark’s tiny face.
“Are you all right?” she asked.
“We can’t go back,” Cleo choked. “Not now.” She sat up, and Spark nimbly leapt aside to perch on her knee. “We’re in a lot of trouble, Spark.”
Spark shook her head. “We’re not. Because like Mischief, we can stay here. We don’t have to go back to New City.”
“But there’s a war, Spark. So many pokemon are fighting for their lives out there. We can’t just abandon them to stay here in safety, it’s not fair!”
“But we’re just two.” Spark spread her arms in defeat. “Just two. What can we do? We’re not fairy-types. We don’t have fairy-type attacks like Mischief. We’ll be obliterated. Sure, we can hold our own, but we’re being hunted down, Cleo. Wherever we go, we’re just gonna bring danger on everyone else.”
Cleo closed her eyes and sighed. Hearing Spark confirm her own fears made them feel a whole lot more valid.
“I know you want to help others, Cleo,” Spark went on. “But just the two of us won’t make much of a difference. Not against hundreds… thousands of Hydreigon’s forces!”
Two. Just two.
Cleo’s breaths came in heavy bursts as that image of a blazing fire filled her mind again. Howling flames spreading across a forest filled with meowstic and dedenne, amongst other pokemon. An entire forest swiftly overrun by a pack of vicious houndour lead by a wicked houndoom. Hundreds of innocent pokemon, wiped out in one day.
Just two. What could her and Spark do?
“Hey.”
The pair looked round at the door as Cleo tried to calm her frantic breathing. Faith stood smiling at them, one paw on the door frame. A pair of blue eyes peered at them from around Faith’s waist. Harlequin stood with their head low but their ears were no longer pulled back.
“I heard some heated discussion back here,” said Faith. “Is everything okay?”
“That depends,” said Spark. “How much did you hear?”
Faith gave a faint chuckle, but the concern was plain on the mawile’s face.
Cleo looked away and wiped at her eyes. Tears had started to leak out again, and for some reason she was a little embarrassed to let Faith see it.
“I heard enough to say one thing.” Faith tucked her paws behind her back and strolled into the room until she was beside the bed. She leant forwards slightly and closed her eyes in a smile. “Two pokemon can definitely make a difference.”
“But…” Spark stuttered. “But the type advantage isn’t-”
“Type advantage?” Faith shook her head. “Nonsense! What matters is not backing down.” The mawile straightened but kept her paws clasped behind her back. “You might be just two. But you are two members in a massive army. And that army needs you.”
Cleo looked up at her, forcing her tears back. “And what about Mischief?”
“We’re all in that army,” Faith explained. “Anyway. I didn’t come hear to eavesdrop. I was just dropping Harlequin off. I hope you don’t mind? I thought she might appreciate some familiar company.”
The zorua shifted in the doorway, suddenly looking unsettled again. Their blue eyes flicked around the room as if it was all too much to take in, lingering briefly on the engraving in the ceiling.
Cleo’s heart sank. She’d been looking forwards to actually sleeping through the night for a change. She hadn’t expected to be keeping an eye on an assassin who might take the chance to kill them in their sleep.
Xerneas’ words echoed through her mind. ‘Death has no place here.’
Cleo relaxed and nodded, albeit a little stiffly. Faith looked back at Harlequin and motioned for the zorua to enter. The assassin lowered their head and slinked into the room like a scolded hatchling, stopping by the window to peer back outside.
“I also have a message for you,” said Faith. “Xerneas wants to see you all first thing tomorrow. So get some sleep, okay?”
“Xerneas wants to see us?” Spark gasped.
“What for?” Cleo asked.
“I wasn’t given that much detail,” said Faith. “I was just told to bring you to him tomorrow morning. Sleep, okay?”
She gave them a friendly wave and left the room, closing the door silently behind her.
Harlequin watched her leave then returned to staring out of the window at the Fairy Garden. The zorua didn’t say anything, but they didn’t look afraid anymore. ‘Overwhelmed’ would be the more appropriate word to use.
Cleo looked away from the zorua to Spark still perched on her knee. They were both thinking the same thing. Xerneas wanted to see them the next day. But for what?
Spark blinked her large eyes and yawned widely. “Faith’s right. We need to get some sleep.”
“Yeah.” Cleo caught her yawn and flopped back into the hay. “I’ll try.”
Spark scampered off to the small nest situated at the foot of Cleo’s bed. Cleo snuffed out the candle on the table beside her, then rolled over to face the wall and tucked her twin tails around herself. She was worried sleep wouldn’t come, that her mind would be fixated on Mischief, on the unknown events of the next day, or wondering whether or not her and Spark would make it through the night with Harlequin no longer detained by their collar. But just as the fog of sleep descended, it was broken by a feeble voice from the other side of the room.
“This world’s a mess, isn’t it?”
Cleo looked up, squinting through the shadows at the zorua curled up on the opposite nest. Had she just imagined it? Or had it been the start of a dream that had alarmed her back to consciousness?
Either way, she decided to venture a response. “Yes. It is.”
Silence.
Perhaps she had dreamt it after all? As Cleo closed her eyes to summon sleep once more, Harlequin let out a strangled noise that could have been a sob. But the words choked out following it were as clear as day.
The voices filling the dining hall were a mere murmur of unwanted noise, blending into the background as Cleo stared into nothingness. She leant her head on one paw while poking an oran berry along the top of her berry pancakes with a claw. It traced a sticky blue trail along the browned surface before it finally fell onto the plate and rolled its way over the edge onto the table.
“Not hungry, huh?” Spark’s voice was muffled by a mouthful of berry compote. She pointed a claw to Cleo’s plate. “If you’re not gonna eat that then can I?”
Cleo shoved the plate towards the dedenne and looked away. “Be my guest.”
“Look.” Spark drew her attention back, and Cleo watched the dedenne as she tugged a piece of pancake free. “I know you’re upset and all, but if Mischief wants to stay here then it really is the safest place for him.”
It wasn’t just that. Cleo sighed into her paws and covered her face. She’d already gone over everything with Spark. If they left Mischief in the Fairy Garden, then it wouldn’t change anything. They’d still be hunted down, and without a fairy-type pokemon to aide them against Hydreigon’s worst soldiers. Faith’s pep-talk had done little to settle Cleo’s nerves, and Spark’s divided attention diving between several plates of various delicacies was a clear sign the dedenne felt the same.
Cleo had wondered countless times if she was just being selfish. But she couldn’t deny she was actually going to miss the whimsicott. In the short time they’d been together, she’d grown oddly fond of him. Was there more behind her unhappiness at the thought of leaving him behind than she had actually realised?
The meowstic sighed again and sat back in her seat, turning her attention to her now mutilated pancakes.
Spark stood beside her plate, her little cheeks bulging. “Change you’re mind?”
Cleo shook her head. “No. You finish it.”
“Believe it or not, I don’t think I can. These things are huge.” Spark swallowed her mouthful and wiped her sticky whiskers with equally sticky paws. “You should probably eat something. Neither of us know what Xerneas wants to see us for yet. You might need your energy.”
Spark was right. But the thought of even swallowing down an oran berry made Cleo feel oddly sick. She turned back to Spark who had resorted to wiping her face on the corner of a cloth napkin.
“Are you finished?” Cleo asked.
“Yup! I’m stuffed.” Spark stretched her body from ear to tail and gave her friend a concerned smile. “Are you sure you won’t eat anything?”
A shadow fell over them both before Cleo could reply, and she looked up into Faith’s beaming face. But the mawile’s smile soon fell when she noticed Cleo’s dour expression.
Faith opened her mouth a couple of times as she searched for the right words. “Did something happen yesterday?”
Cleo shrugged. “I’m sorry. It’s a difficult one, and I’m still trying to work it out.”
“Oh.” Faith folded her paws before herself and forced a smile. “I’m to take you to Xerneas, but… well…”
“I’m fine,” said Cleo. “I’m ready to leave when you are.”
“Likewise.” Spark gave her paws a quick lick to remove any lingering berry juice. “I’m pretty curious what he wants to see us for.”
Faith gave a single nod. “I’m hoping it will lift your spirits.”
“You still have no idea what this is about?” Spark asked.
“Nope!” Faith shook her head. “Just that it involves myself and Hope too.”
“Huh.” Spark looked up at Cleo. “Curious.”
Cleo offered a paw to Spark, and the dedenne scurried up her arm to her shoulder.
Faith lead them from the dining hall, and as they stepped outside Cleo jumped slightly as Harlequin emerged from the shadow of a bush. A smirk played on the zorua’s lips at Cleo’s reaction, but it didn’t remain. Instead, the assassin fell into step behind them as Faith lead the small group down the cobbled path away from the Heart Abbey.
“Where are we meeting him?” Cleo ventured.
“The library,” said Faith.
Cleo’s eyes widened slightly. If she’d had any idea, she would have returned the book on mega evolution. Although she’d barely touched it. Her eye wandered to Harlequin, noting the black and white stone swinging against the zorua’s thick ruff. Was it really for an absol?
It didn’t take long to reach the library. Xerneas stood outside the main doors waiting for them with both Hope and Mischief at his side. As they approached, Faith came to a stop and bowed deeply. Cleo and Spark bowed automatically, and Cleo was taken by surprise a second time that morning as Harlequin dropped into a low bow beside her. When they all stood, Xerneas smiled down at them.
“You hadn’t heard of the Fairy Garden before you came across the ruined abbey.” He spoke matter-of-factly.
Cleo shook her head. “No, we hadn’t.”
“The fairy-type is new to you, yet it has been around for a very long time,” he explained. “As you now know, it is powerful enough to defeat both dark- and dragon-type pokemon. You wish to use its power to defeat Hydreigon in this war, and bring an end to the Darkness and its tyranny.”
Cleo bit her lip and glanced to the side, rubbing her paws together. Spark shifted beside her, and Cleo could feel Harlequin’s blue eyes scanning her, waiting for a response. Cleo didn’t know what to say. But when she turned back to Xerneas, he was still smiling at her.
He nodded towards the library doors. “I will show you how to utilise the fairy-type, so you can use its power in battle.”
“But…” Spark scratched behind one of her large ears. “But we’re not fairy-type.”
“No, not all of you have the fairy-type.” Xerneas looked up at Cleo. “But you can still use its power. Through today’s training, I will introduce you to a move you can use to defeat the Darkness.” His gaze landed on Harlequin. “No matter how much practice you feel you think it might take, you will manage it and succeed in this war.”
Spark’s jaw almost hit the floor. “You have that much faith in us?”
Hope and Faith jumped at her words, but Xerneas smiled down at her.
“Do you have faith in me?” he asked.
“I… I think so.” Spark diverted her gaze from him briefly. “You defeated that… thing called Yvel, right?”
“Yveltal. Yes, I did.” He turned to the library doors and pushed them open. “If you are to fight in my army, then go inside. There is a dojo in the back. There you will practice the moves I shall teach you.”
Cleo wanted to ask why there was a dojo in the back of a library, but decided not to question it. Instead, she followed Xerneas inside. Spark reclaimed her place on the meowstic’s shoulder and peered around at the pokemon gathered around the tables studying.
Reshiram poked his huge white head over the rail two floors above and flashed his sharp teeth in a grin. “Good morning, Xerneas!”
“Good morning, Reshiram.” Xerneas stopped and looked up at him. “I have brought the pokemon I would like you to teach.”
Reshiram leapt over the rail and glided down towards them. He landed almost silently on the wooden floor, giving a bow of his head before looking over Cleo and her friends.
“We meet again!” he said. “How was that book you borrowed?”
“I think it answered some questions,” said Cleo. “Although I’m a little confused.”
“If you weren’t confused I’d be concerned.” Reshiram laughed heartily. “Mega evolution is a tricky procedure, and not very many master it.”
“Can you mega evolve?” Spark asked.
Reshiram shook his head. “Can’t say I’ve ever tried, if I’m honest!” He turned back to Xerneas. “The dojo is empty as you requested.”
Xerneas nodded and lead them past Reshiram towards the back of the library.
“Wait… we’re training with you?” Cleo asked the dragon.
“Of course!” he said.
Faith skipped up beside her. “Reshiram is a huge help in training Xerneas’ army! Sadly, there aren’t many dragon-types left here for pokemon to hone their skills against.”
“Fighting-types are helpful and do their best to help those who need to practice their fairy-type moves,” Hope explained. “But they lack the natural vigour and expansive move-pool that the dragon-types are known for. Reshiram fills in that slot nicely.”
“It probably helps he’s so big!” said Spark.
Faith burst out laughing at that and had to stop to steady herself against a bookcase. “I don’t think size has much to do with it, as you must know yourself, Spark! You are very feisty yourself for an adorably small pokemon. But yes. Reshiram is very strong.”
Spark’s nose twitched and she inclined her head on one side. “Yeah. I am pretty adorable.”
Cleo rolled her eyes but she couldn’t help a smile. They came to a stop at a set of huge double doors hidden away at the back of the library. As Reshiram raised his wings to open them, a small yell came from the shadows and NyukNyuk popped up before him.
“Oh!” Reshiram stepped back and wagged a claw at the mimikyu. “I thought I left you in charge today. So what are you doing here?”
NyukNyuk chittered away in response and Xerneas looked up at Reshiram.
“If he wishes to help, then let him,” said Xerneas. “He will be very helpful to them.”
NyukNyuk cheered and waved a shadowy arm.
“Very well.” Reshiram smiled down at the mimikyu. “I think there’s someone who can cover you.”
“Nyuk!” NyukNyuk saluted and vanished into the floor in a pool of shadow.
Reshiram shoved open the double doors, revealing a room that felt very bare compared to the others Cleo had seen. The walls were white with the occasional scuff, and spread out along the far wall were several huge punching bags. They hung from strong, metal rods nailed to the walls, and each bag looked like it was made from scales. Most likely the shed scales from a reptilian pokemon who had then donated them to create a heavy-duty covering for the punching bags.
Stretched out over the ceiling was a decorative painting that brightened the bare room up with a splash of colour. It depicted Xerneas’ antlers radiating light across the dojo. Altaria danced around the edges of the light’s rays, and tracing the rim of the ceiling were tiny delicate flowers painted all the colours of the rainbow.
Xerneas turned to address Cleo and her friends. “Mastering new moves that were previously unknown to you may seem like a daunting task, but you will master them. Cleo, you will learn a move named ‘disarming voice’. Spark, you will lean ‘play rough’. Mischief, you already know ‘dazzling gleam’, but you should also practice.”
“What about Harlequin?” Faith asked.
“Harlequin has been given the move ‘disarming voice’,” Xerneas explained.
Harlequin lowered their head. “But I haven’t been able to do it yet.”
“Give it time,” Xerneas told the zorua. “You will learn it when the time is right.” He turned to address the fairy-types. “Hope and Faith are both skilled in using disarming voice and play rough respectively. They will teach you how to use these moves.”
“Nyuk!” NyukNyuk popped up between Hope and Faith and bowed, his rag-doll head flopping lifelessly around his hidden body.
Xerneas smiled fondly at the mimikyu. “NyukNyuk is also a master of using play rough. All three will be valuable tutors to you.” The majestic stag pokemon turned back to Cleo and her friends. “I shall leave you in their paws and see you again after lunch.”
As Xerneas left the dojo, Cleo and her friends bowed again. Mischief watched him leave, then moved from Cleo to lean against one of the walls.
Reshiram waved a wing towards the punching bags. “Shall we get started? Who wants to go first? Spark?”
Spark stiffened and looked between Reshiram and the huge punching bags. “Okay. I guess I’m first?”
Faith gave the dedenne a reassuring smile. “Allow me to demonstrate, then you just copy what I do. Okay?”
The mawile turned her back towards the punching bags, then leapt backwards, the jaw-like horn on her head stretching wide open. It clamped around the bag, jerking around and tearing at it. She released it, and it swung around behind her in all directions, creaking on its chains.
Faith beamed at Spark, who was staring at the mawile gobsmaked. “Now you try it!”
“Are you kidding me?” Spark squeaked. “I don’t have a horn like yours, let alone jaws big enough to attack that thing with!”
Faith laughed heartily and waved a paw. “It’s called ‘play rough’! Think about it this way - how would a baby pokemon play with its friends?”
“Huh. I suppose. I mean, I did have a lot of siblings.”
Faith stepped aside as Spark waddled towards the still-swinging punching bag. The dedenne raised one of her paws and flexed her claws, looking between it and her target. With a powerful leap, she pounced at the bag and dug in her claws, latching on tight as it swung at a dramatic angle. A loud wail left her throat as it carried her with it, her long tail streaming out behind her. As the bag swung back around towards the room she lost her grip and went soaring through the air with a yell of protest.
Cleo leapt before the soaring dedenne and unfurled her ears. A purple bubble formed around Spark, and Cleo did a double-take, turning towards Hope. The gardevoir lowered Spark carefully to the floor and set her down gently.
“Oh dear!” Faith stifled a chuckle and lowered herself to Spark’s level. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” Spark dusted herself down and gave Hope a quick thanks. “That bag might be a bit too big. You got a smaller one?”
Faith looked up at Reshiram, who shook his large head and answered, “The bags here are designed for use by all!”
NyukNyuk chimed in his agreement, his disguise wobbling around with each incomprehensible word.
“Like I said before,” Faith said to Spark, “you might be small but you are more than capable of taking on larger foes! Just like NyukNyuk, actually!”
The mimikyu rubbed the back of his head with a spectral arm.
Faith chuckled and turned back to Spark. “I reckon you’ve demonstrated that countless times already?”
“Well… I don’t like to brag,” said Spark, blushing slightly. “But I did take down a druddigon once.”
Harlequin scoffed at that, drawing Spark’s eye. “I find that hard to believe. A druddigon would eat you up in one bite!”
“Oh really?” Spark’s whiskers crackled as she rounded on Harlequin. “Want me to demonstrate on you?”
Harlequin’s hackles bristled and a pair of canines poked between their black lips.
“Okay, stop.” Hope raised her paws and cut between Spark and Harlequin. “Please don’t argue in here. I know you have your differences, but we’re training for battle in the same army. Please remember you are now allies?”
“I thought she was a member of the Darkness,” said Spark.
Harlequin tutted and diverted their gaze to the punching bags.
“I’m also a little confused on this,” said Cleo. “Why is Harlequin training with us?”
“Because Xerneas instructed it,” said Hope.
Cleo looked down at Harlequin, but the zorua’s attention remained fixed on the swinging target while one ear was trained on Faith and Spark.
“Now, Spark.” Faith drew the dedenne’s focus back onto her. “Your attempt at play rough was a valiant effort, but you have to remember you are attacking an enemy, not playing with a sibling.”
“But you said-”
Reshiram cut her off this time, raising a wing claw. “The move is naive in nature, but also fierce. Also remember that you are not striking an inanimate object. The punching bag is your enemy.”
“All right. Let me try this again.” Spark squared up to the punching bag and her whiskers crackled with electricity.
She vaulted towards it, latching on once more. It swung towards the wall with some force, then swung back again, dislodging Spark and sending her rolling ears over tail across the floor.
Harlequin crumpled with fits of laughter so hard they were barely able to breathe.
Spark stood and shook out her ears, rounding on the zorua. “You think this is funny? I’d like to see you do any better!”
“Fine!” Harlequin leapt back to their feet and approached the swinging bag, casting a leer towards Spark as they passed.
The zorua leapt at the punching bag, latching on with tooth and claw. Keeping their feet planted firmly on the ground, the zorua teared at the bag, growling with a primal fury. The chain creaked and clanged as Harlequin tried to pull it free, but the momentum dragged the small pokemon along the floor as the bag tried to return to its natural position.
Finally, Harlequin released it and turned to address the onlookers. “How was that?”
“A good effort.” Faith closed her eyes and gave Harlequin a half smile. “But that was closer to ‘foul play’ than ‘play rough’.”
“What’s the difference?” Harlequin’s sapphire eyes narrowed.
“Foul play turns a pokemon’s strength against them,” Reshiram explained. “It’s an attack executed out of malice and is trickery in nature. Play rough, however, is naive but performed with purpose. It’s reminiscent of a hatchling at play, but when used as an attack it can be used to take down foes much bigger than the pokemon using it, as the opponent let’s their guard down allowing you to strike their weak spots.”
NyukNyuk chirruped and warped from Reshiram’s foot to reappear by one of the punching bags. Shadowy claws reached out from beneath his disguise and he lunged at the stationary bag. It vanished beneath his disguise, which flopped around with the hidden movements of the pokemon it shrouded. But his limbs were as clear as day, beating at the punching bag repeatedly like a young growlithe pup toying with its sleeping father’s ears.
The mimikyu stopped as quickly as he’d started, shuffling about to right his disguise. Both spectral limbs vanished back beneath it and he closed his eyes in a smile.
“Nyuk?”
Spark blinked at the mimikyu for a moment. “Hang on…” Her eye wandered to Mischief, who quirked an eyebrow at her. “I think I get what you mean. Is it like…”
Spark skipped across the room on all-fours right towards Harlequin. The zorua’s blue eyes widened and a yell of surprise left their jaws, but it was cut off sharply as Spark struck Harlequin in the ruff. The zorua rolled onto their back, limbs flailing as they tried to dislodge the tiny dedenne. Spark sat astride Harlequin’s chest, striking them repeatedly with her paws while ducking beneath the zorua’s frantic paws.
“Get off!” Harlequin barked, the whites of their eyes showing.
Hope plucked Spark from Harlequin’s chest and set the dedenne back on the floor. “Yes. Just like that. But… why attack Harlequin?”
Harlequin growled as they rolled back onto their front. “Is this because of that druddigon comment? Because that hardly warrants-”
“Nah. I’m over that.” Spark waved a dismissive paw. “I can just get a better hold on you than on that swinging bag.”
Harlequin tutted and moved over to sit by the wall a good distance from Mischief. The zorua made a point of not looking his way, instead staring at the far corner of the room, bristling slightly.
Cleo was speechless. She stared dumbfounded at the dedenne. That attack was all too familiar.
“Methods aside, you learn fast!” Faith beamed at Spark. “I’m impressed!”
What neither Faith nor Hope noticed was that Spark was staring past Cleo at Mischief. The whimsicott seemed oblivious, instead gazing at the door as if he wanted to be anywhere else. Learning from example… Spark hadn’t learned that move from Faith or NyukNyuk. She’d learned it from Mischief. Cleo covered her mouth and looked away.
“Cleo?”
The meowstic looked up to find Hope facing one of the punching bags while smiling at her. The gardevoir gestured with a paw for Cleo to join her.
“I’m going to demonstrate how to use disarming voice now,” Hope explained. “Watch carefully.”
Hope spread her arms out to the side and let out a loud yell. Cleo recoiled, her ears curling tightly against her head. A pink shockwave fired out from Hope, expanding to the sides as it shot across the room. It struck three of the punching bags, causing them to rock back and forth wildly.
Hope turned to Cleo and waved towards the targets. “Now you try.”
Cleo pursed her lips as she looked over at the targets. She wasn’t sure how much she could learn just from seeing a pokemon use a move once, especially one who performed psychic abilities in a different way than her. But if she didn’t try then she’d never learn.
She took a deep breath and copied Hope exactly, throwing her arms out to the sides and letting out a yell that echoed harmlessly from the bare walls.
Nothing.
Her arms flopped to her sides, and Hope placed a paw on her shoulder.
“Just as I expected,” said the gardevoir. “Disarming voice, as the name suggests, allows you to disarm your opponent. The sudden cry takes them by surprise. But the key to using special fairy-type attacks lies in their source. Xerneas gave us these attacks to defeat his enemies. With them, we can drive the Darkness from Estellis. Remember that, and try again.”
“I thought the fairy-type moves were around before Yveltal,” said Spark.
“They were,” said Hope. “But so long as the Darkness is afflicting this world, we need to fight back. Many of us now, just like you, are being taught these moves to fight in the war.”
Spark gave a curt nod and settled back to watch Cleo.
Cleo’s brow knit together as she stared at the punching bags. If she was to imagine they were an enemy, would that make things any different? She closed her eyes and let her mind wander over everything she’d recently learned. The Outcasts weren’t alone in the war. There was a whole garden filled with fairy-type pokemon who, like Mischief, could take down dark- and dragon-type pokemon. There was hope. Hope that the war would end, and pokemon could live in peace once more.
The image of that tapestry filled her mind, warping into memories of the events she’d seen in the Fairy Garden. Pokemon playing together, enjoying each other’s company regardless of what type they were.
A world without Darkness. It was possible with Xerneas’ power.
She spread her arms and tried again, letting out another yell. Almost on impulse, her ears unfurled and her eyes flashed blue. But instead of psychic energy, a pink shockwave fired from her ears. Exactly like the one Hope had created, it expanded across the room and struck three of the punching bags.
Cleo stared wide-eyed as they swayed about on their restraints. A smile spread across her muzzle and she let out a small laugh. “I did it!”
“You did!” Faith leapt into the air and cheered, while Hope clapped her paws beside her. “Well done!”
“Yes, well done!” Reshiram clapped his wing-claws together and grinned down at Cleo. “Now, as per your training, you are to try using your attacks on me.”
“Wait, what?” Spark strutted forwards so she was standing beside Cleo. “You’re a dragon-type, right? Won’t they hurt you?”
“Of course, if I take a barrage of them!” Reshiram rumbled laughter and shook his head. “But a couple of attacks will barely phase me. Besides, what can a punching bag tell you? Nothing, other than that you’ve hit it. A real opponent can tell you how much strength your attack packs behind it, and help you fine-tune your moves more effectively. I’ve helped hundreds of pokemon train their attacks over the years. I wouldn’t have volunteered if I couldn’t take a fairy-type attack or two.”
Cleo and Spark exchanged glances, then smiled up at the dragon.
“Well, if you’re sure,” said Cleo.
“Fantastic!” Reshiram took a step back. “Now. First Spark, then Cleo.”
The dedenne shuffled towards Reshiram and craned her neck back to look up at his face. She barely stood much higher than his rear claw. With a shrug, she took one step back then leapt towards him, landing on his huge foot. She flailed her paws, striking at his ankle the same way she’d assaulted Harlequin.
After a moment, Reshiram lowered his head to catch Spark’s eye. “Okay, that’s very good. You can stop now.”
Spark hopped from his foot and twitched her nose at him. “How was it?”
“It needs work, but certainly has potential.”
“Potential?” Spark inclined her head on one side and tapped her chin with a claw.
“With work, you can improve and take down larger foes,” Reshiram explained.
“Huh!” Spark grinned from ear to ear. “Okay, I’ll take it!” She strutted past Cleo and tapped her ankle with a paw. “You’re up next.”
Cleo moved towards the white dragon and braced herself before him. He spread his wings, waiting for her attack. She took a breath, reminding herself that he wouldn’t be volunteering if she was at risk of hurting him. Besides, didn’t pokemon fight for fun anyway?
Once again, she threw out her paws and gave a loud cry. That pink shockwave was launched towards Reshiram, striking him in the chest. He flinched and recoiled slightly, then flashed her a toothy grin.
“Very good!” he said. “You two definitely learn fast!”
Cleo let out a sigh of relief and smiled up at him. “Thank you.”
“Any time! If you wish to try them out some more, then I’m more than happy to oblige. But first…” He looked up at Mischief and pointed a claw. “I want to see what you can do.”
Mischief placed a paw on his chest, rapidly paling. “Me?”
“Yes. I’m aware you already know some fairy-type moves. If you’re going to battle in this war-”
“Uhm…” Mischief waved his paws before him and edged along the wall towards the door. “I’m not here to fight.”
“Nonsense!” Faith trotted over to him and took his wrist. “You’re part fairy! Come on, show us what you can do!”
Mischief’s shoulders sank as he sighed. “Fine. But just this once, okay?”
Faith grinned and released him, stepping back towards Hope.
Mischief moved into the centre of the room and stood before Reshiram. The whimsicott flexed his paws and glanced back towards the door, but he shook it off and squared himself up to the dragon. He closed his eyes and took in a steadying breath. Then, with a flick of his paws, that dazzling purple light exploded from him and struck Reshiram square in the chest.
Reshiram’s feet left the floor as he careened back across the room like a ragdoll. He struck the wall with an almighty crash, and all the punching bags swayed wildly, creaking on their chains. The white dragon slid down the wall to land in a crumpled heap on the floor.
Silence spread across the room as the events took a moment to sink in. NyukNyuk was the first to break it with a gasp as he leapt to Reshiram’s side. His shadowy arms popped out from beneath his shroud and he gave the motionless dragon a little shake. NyukNyuk let out a cry and shook Reshiram again, more forcefully. Faith slapped her paws over her muzzle as she let out a stunned cry and flopped onto her bottom.
Mischief raised a feeble paw. “I…”
Hope joined the distressed mimikyu at Reshiram’s side and placed a paw on the dragon’s chest. Her expression turned to one of relief, but she looked up at Faith with a start.
“He’s out cold,” she said. “Get the nurse!”
Faith leapt back to her feet and darted from the dojo.
Mischief’s breathing turned irregular as he looked from the fallen dragon to the door and back. He took one step back, then another, then he bolted from the room.
“Mischief!” Cleo took off after him, leaving Spark and Harlequin standing rooted to the spot.
Spark’s ears drooped and she looked up at Harlequin. “What on earth just happened?”
A/N - This is the ending chapter for Part Two! Unfortunately, I am pretty behind on Part Three, so I'll be putting updates on hiatus for a little while. I'm not sure how long, but I'll set April as a goal to get things moving again. Please bare with me!
Del
27 - The Next Step
Only a few minutes had passed since Faith had gone to get the nurse. The dojo was oddly quiet, the only sound coming from Harlequin’s paws as the zorua paced back and forth behind Spark.
“Did you see his face?” Harlequin asked. “That look he had?”
“Yes.” Spark watched Hope and NyukNyuk as they tried to get Reshiram into a more comfortable position. “Yes, I saw his face.”
“It’s like he regretted it!” Harlequin paused and waved a paw in the air. “When he attacked Enigma he was manic! But this time… this time it’s like he didn’t want to attack in the first place, and doing so was devastating!” The zorua immediately began pacing again, glancing up at the door periodically. “What’s wrong with that whimsicott? Doesn’t he even know his own strength?!”
“No,” Spark said bluntly. “But he’s learning.”
Hope looked up at that, her eyes wide. “He doesn’t know his own strength? How is that even possible?”
NyukNyuk swivelled on the spot to look at the dedenne.
“He has pokerus.” Spark paused as a confused expression spread over the gardevoir’s face. “A weird mutant strain of it. Not by choice, either. It was forced on him. He doesn’t have any memories, or know the moves of his attacks, and…”
“And?” Hope encouraged.
Spark shrugged and met her gaze. “Well, you saw what happened. That pokerus pushes his strength far beyond what’s normal for a whimsicott. Mischief… he’s scared of hurting others.” She waved a paw at the prone dragon. “You saw what happened! This will have crushed him.”
“Yes, I can imagine.” Hope’s shoulders sank and she let out a sigh. “He needs to learn how to control that power if he’s to fight in this war.”
“With power like that, it would be a real shame,” said Hope. “Does he know any other moves?”
“Energy ball,” said Spark. “And that fairy move ‘play rough’ that I learned earlier.”
Hope’s jaw went slack. “Play rough?! But that’s impossible for a whimsicott! How did he learn that without being in the Fairy Garden?”
“Impossible?” Spark gasped. “Well… I guess from the Heretics? He’s an experiment of theirs. I don’t know the details, but they’ve tampered with him.” She grimaced and glanced to the side. “Clearly more than we’re aware.”
Footsteps resounded from outside and Spark looked up as an audino trotted into the dojo, tailed by Faith. The audino spotted Reshiram instantly and rushed to his side. Hope and NyukNyuk moved aside for her, and the pink rabbit-like pokemon crouched down beside the dragon.
“So he took a nasty hit?” she asked as she held Reshiram’s head to her chest. “Or did he knock his head as he fell down?”
“I think he was knocked out before he fell,” said Hope. “It all went a bit fast.”
The audino didn’t reply, her attention fully focused on the unconscious dragon. Her ears glowed with a soft pink light, and it pulsated out from her to surround Reshiram. It thrummed in the air like an amplified heartbeat, the sound growing with the intensity of the light.
“Will he be okay?” Harlequin asked quietly. The zorua had finally sat down, watching the audino intently.
“He’ll be fine,” said Faith.
Harlequin jerked their head up towards the mawile, a blush forming over their muzzle before quickly diverting their attention away from the scene. Spark wondered if Harlequin had actually intended to voice that question.
“Did you find Mischief?” Hope asked Faith.
Faith shook her head. “I went to get Joy. But I didn’t see either Mischief or Cleo around the library when I returned.”
“It might be a good idea to find them,” Hope suggested. “Make sure he’s okay.”
Faith nodded and turned back to the door.
“I’d give them time.” Spark stood in the doorway, barring the mawile’s path. “If anyone else goes barging in it might just upset him more.”
“But we’re not upset with him,” Faith explained. “We know an accident when we see it.”
“Yes, but…” Spark rubbed her paws together and shifted uneasily. “You know what? It might be a good idea to tell him that. Go ahead.” She stood aside.
Faith smiled down at her. “Why don’t you come with me? You’re his friend, right?”
“I’m watching her.” Spark nodded her head towards Harlequin. “The last thing he needs right now is her giving him a hard time.”
Harlequin bared their canines. “I’m not going to chide him!”
“You did the last time!”
“Well… I…” Harlequin’s hackles bristled. “I had my reasons!”
“Oh my!” Reshiram pushed himself up on a wing and rubbed his head with the other. He fixed the pair with his blue eyes. “Why are you arguing?”
A look of relief crossed Joy’s face and she sat back on her haunches. NyukNyuk cheered and shuffled over to his friend’s side, and Reshiram wrapped a wing around the small fairy-type.
“It’s so good to have you back with us,” said Hope. “You gave us a little bit of a scare.”
“Yes. Well.” Reshiram cleared his throat as he turned his attention back on Spark and Harlequin. He inclined his head on one side. “Where is that whimsicott friend of yours?”
“He bailed.” Spark raised her paws in a weak shrug. “He feels kinda guilty.”
“What ever for?” Reshiram tried to push himself up, oblivious to Spark’s gobsmacked stutter at his response. Joy placed a paw on his shoulder to try and stop him. “I want to speak to him. That’s the most powerful dazzling gleam I’ve ever felt!”
“You’re not annoyed?” Spark finally spat out.
“Annoyed?” Reshiram laughed and shook his head. “Why, young dedenne, I’m not remotely annoyed! In fact, I’m rather impressed!” He paused and gave her a warm smile. “I’m the one who asked him to attack me in the first place, remember?”
“Yes, but…” Spark shuffled her feet and exchanged glances with Harlequin.
“No buts.” Reshiram raised a wing-claw and shook his head. “I really must speak with him, especially if he’s feeling guilty about… how do I word this?”
“Knocking you out?” Harlequin offered.
“Rather a strong wording, but okay.” Reshiram rumbled laughter. “I’d rather say ‘giving me a siesta’!”
“Then we’ll go and look for him!” said Faith.
The mawile scooped up Spark in one paw, eliciting a small squeak of protest. Faith grabbed Harlequin by the collar and made her way out of the dojo.
“Why are you dragging me along?!” Harlequin barked, although they didn’t put up any resistance.
“He’s your friend, right?” asked Faith.
“He’s not my friend!”
Faith smiled at the zorua and released their collar, but Harlequin followed them regardless.
Reshiram watched them leave and shook his head. “She’s a wild one, that Harlequin.” He pushed himself up into a more comfortable sitting position and leant back against the wall.
NyukNyuk hopped up onto his lap, and the white dragon placed a gentle paw on his back.
Hope sat down between Reshiram and Joy. “Xerneas brought her here to you for training yesterday, didn’t he?”
“Yes, he did.”
“Any success?”
Reshiram smiled down at her. “Hope, a dark-type entering the Fairy Garden is already a huge success in itself. It means things are changing.” He chuckled. “Right now, Harlequin is scared. Just like I was when I first arrived here!”
NyukNyuk chittered his agreement and Reshiram laughed again.
“Exactly!” he said. “Give her time. She’ll settle down eventually. Once she has, I imagine she’ll learn to use the gift Xerneas has given to her.”
...
Cleo sat beside Mischief, the pair of them silently watching a group of azurill playing in the lake. The sun shimmered off its glassy surface, which was disturbed by ripples as the hatchlings splashed about. Not fighting, but playing. Another example of the tranquillity that filled the Fairy Garden.
“It’s not safe for me to stay here, is it?” Mischief asked.
Cleo jumped slightly. They’d been sat in silence for so long she hadn’t been expecting him to speak.
“It is,” she said, catching his eye. “You’ve made friends here. And like we were told earlier, just like Harlequin if you weren’t meant to be here you wouldn’t have found it.”
“But I’m a monster,” he said.
Cleo closed her eyes and sighed. “For the last time, Mischief, you are not a monster.”
“I didn’t want to fight,” he went on. “I told them that, and they talked me into it. I ended up hurting Reshiram! One attack, and I…” He raised his paws weakly and let them flop back into his lap. “I hurt him.”
“He asked you to hit him with a fairy-type move,” Cleo explained. “He’s a dragon. Of course it would have hurt him.”
“You hit him with a fairy move and it didn’t hurt him.”
“It still made him flinch.”
Mischief grimaced and tugged at a few strands of grass. “I don’t even want that. I just don’t want to hurt anyone else.”
Cleo bit her lip and stared out at the lake. Had it really been fair to make him use his attacks when he didn’t want to? Perhaps, now Hope and Faith knew why Mischief didn’t want to fight, he wouldn’t be forced to again?
“When I woke up outside that Outcast town,” Mischief said, snapping her out of her thoughts, “I had no idea what the world was like. Or myself for that matter. But now I’ve learned the world is a mess, and so am I. I’m just one big mess.” He wound his paws together in his lap and stared blankly at his feet. “I just hurt everyone.”
“Mischief.” Cleo blinked tears back and grabbed Mischief’s shoulder, giving him a gentle shake. “When I first met you, you were a friendly, playful nuisance. Sure, this world has shocked you. It’s shocked us all. We’re all born oblivious to the state this world is in, and we learn as we go along. Some of us are cut out for fighting, while others help from the sidelines. There are hundreds of pokemon in New City but only a fraction of them fight. Everyone helps out in their own way.
“Seeing this world has depressed you. I’ve seen it happen to so many. Pokemon reach their adult years and they’re worn down by the misery and the persecution going on around them. I want to say it’s normal, but that’s just a sad, bleak outlook. It’s not normal. So if you can find peace here, then I’m happy for you to stay. Here, you don’t have to fight. Maybe you can find a place on the sidelines? I don’t know. Only you can decide that. But you can stay here and go back to being that friendly, playful nuisance again. Okay?”
He fixed her with one eye. “Nuisance?”
“Yup!” Faith leaned over them beaming, with her paws tucked behind her back.
Cleo almost leapt to her feet, freezing in a squat. Accompanying the mawile was Spark and Harlequin. The dedenne plopped down beside Cleo, while Harlequin moved past them to sit a few feet away, gazing out at the lake.
Cleo sank back onto her bottom and shook her head. “Where did you lot come from?”
Faith chuckled and sat down next to Mischief. “You caused quite the stir back there! I’ve never seen a dazzling gleam that strong before! Reshiram was pretty impressed, too!”
“He was impressed?” Mischief spat.
Faith nodded and made an ‘uhuh!’
Mischief shook his head and looked back out at the lake. “Well, you won’t be seeing it again. Because I’m not fighting anymore.”
“Not fighting?!” Faith gasped. “But you have all that talent!”
Cleo caught the mawile’s eye and shook her head slowly. Faith’s smile faltered and she trailed her violet eyes over Mischief as if she was seeing him for the first time.
“But… you don’t have to use it,” she said, sitting back on her paws. “If it upsets you, it’s just going to be soul crushing.”
Mischief nodded. “It doesn’t just upset me though. It also upsets others.”
Harlequin stiffened and quirked an ear back towards him. The zorua licked their lips slowly and pawed at something hidden in the grass.
“I believe you.”
Mischief looked up at Harlequin. “Believe what?”
“When you said you didn’t mean to hurt Enigma.” Harlequin paused for a moment and looked out over the lake. “I believe you.”
Cleo stared at Harlequin with wide eyes. Had those words actually left that zorua’s mouth?
Mischief shook his head and looked down at his paws. “I just wanted him to stop hurting my friends. I didn’t mean to-”
“I know.” Tears sparkled in Harlequin’s eyes and they shifted so their back was to Cleo and her friends.
“You’ve mentioned this Enigma before,” said Faith. “Who is he exactly?”
“One of Hydreigon’s assassins,” Cleo explained. “Like Harlequin.”
The zorua’s ears drooped slightly and they rose to plod closer to the lake.
Cleo leant back on her paws, watching the zorua. “Two of his aces, to put it more accurately. They were both sent after us.”
“Goodness!” Faith clapped her paws over her muzzle. “Whatever for?”
Mischief let out a long sigh and flopped back against the tree, rubbing his paws over his face. Cleo caught Faith’s eye and shook her head, and a look of realisation crossed the mawile’s face.
“Oh.” She nodded slowly and looked away from Mischief.
Cleo wanted to elaborate, but she found herself wondering if recent events had reached the Fairy Garden. However, if Faith didn’t know who Enigma and Harlequin were, then would she know who Boomer was? At the very least, after what had happened in the dojo, it wouldn’t take much to put two and two together to work out Hydreigon was pretty annoyed with the whimsicott for something.
A large shadow washed over them, snapping Cleo out of her thoughts. They all looked up to find Xerneas standing behind them with Reshiram, NyukNyuk and Hope at his side. Cleo and her friends dipped their heads in a respectful bow.
“You’re okay!” Mischief gasped. “I was so worried! Reshiram, I’m so sorry, I-!”
Reshiram waved a wing in dismissal. “It’s no problem at all, Mischief! In fact, I’m very impressed with your strength.”
Mischief looked down at his paws and frowned. “I don’t understand why everyone keeps saying that.”
“To use a dazzling gleam strong enough to take down Reshiram,” said Xerneas. “Young whimsicott, you do not realise the strength you have.”
“My strength has caused me to take lives,” Mischief said sadly. “And I’ve really hurt Harlequin’s friend. What if I…” He screwed his eyes shut.
Xerneas lowered his head so his nose was almost level with Mischief’s. “You just need to learn to control it.”
“How can I control it?” Mischief asked. “Most of the time, I don’t even remember using it.”
“Look for the signs.” Xerneas gave him a warm smile and stood up straight. “Your skills will be incredibly useful in this war.”
“But I don’t want to fight.”
“Not even to wipe out the Darkness, aide those who are seeking the Fairy Garden, and bring peace to Estellis?”
Mischief’s eyes widened and he opened his mouth to reply, but all words seemed to be lost. He snapped his jaw shut again and glanced over the Fairy Garden.
“I have a request of all of you,” Xerneas said. “You have all learned how to use the fairy power here, and now I want you to go out there and use that power to fight the Darkness.”
Cleo jerked her head around, catching Harlequin’s startled sapphire eyes. Cleo turned back to Xerneas and stuttered slightly. “All of us?”
“Yes. All of you.” Xerneas looked at each in turn as he said, “You all have your own strengths and weaknesses. But when situations seem to be turning dire, those weaknesses will become your greatest strengths.” His gaze lingered on Mischief, and the great stag smiled warmly. “Will you go out and fight the Darkness, and help bring more lost pokemon to the Fairy Garden?”
“I…” Cleo scratched the back of her head and glanced at Harlequin. “We actually have assassins after us. That’s how we’ve encountered her. Harlequin is our prisoner, not our ally.”
Xerneas raised his head to catch Harlequin’s gaze. “Young zorua. That absolite you wear about your neck?”
Harlequin looked down at the stone just visible in their thick ruff.
“When you return that to the one it belongs to,” said Xerneas, “send him here. I shall teach him how to use it.”
Harlequin looked back up at Xerneas. “But… he’s dead.” The zorua’s eyes glistened. “He died… a long time ago.”
A warm smile spread across Xerneas’ muzzle, and Harlequin’s sapphire eyes lit up.
“He’s alive?” the zorua gasped.
Xerneas nodded. “He is alive.”
“He’s alive!” Harlequin leapt to their feet, grinning widely. “Then… Then I have to go and find him!”
“Wait.”
Harlequin froze, staring at Xerneas, transfixed.
“He is just one of many pokemon I would like you to send back here,” said Xerneas. “However, it will not be safe for any of you. Particularly you three.” He turned his attention to Cleo, Spark and Mischief. “You will need help removing Howlinger and the Wildfires.”
Cleo felt her fur prickle and her heart picked up its pace. She exchanged an anxious glance with Spark.
“For those, you must fight fire with fire,” Xerneas explained. “There is one pokemon who can help you. One who knows Howlinger very well.”
“Where do we find a pokemon like that?” Spark asked.
“You will know him when you find him.”
Spark looked like she wanted to say more, but held it in.
“Xerneas?” Faith stood up and turned towards Xerneas, bowing deeply. “I would like to go with these pokemon, if you don’t mind?”
“You’re going with them?” Hope asked.
“Their story has troubled me deeply,” Faith explained. “I had no idea the number of fairy-type pokemon was declining so drastically in Estellis. To hear of Gleamgrove Abbey being left to ruin? It’s saddened me. The world must be in a diabolical state right now. So I want to help Cleo and her friends, help the pokemon out there who need it, and spread the word of you and the Fairy Garden while we travel.”
Xerneas nodded. “Very well. I am sure these four will be very glad of your help?”
“Of course!” Cleo gave the mawile a friendly smile. “We would be delighted if Faith joined us.”
“Me too!” Spark stretched up to her full five inches of height. “Maybe she can even teach me how to mega evolve!”
Faith chuckled and stooped to grin at Spark. “If we ever find a mega stone for you, then I’d be happy to!”
Xerneas smiled down at Spark and took a step back. “Then I shall see you on your way. Hope? Could you please teleport them back to New City?”
“New City?” Cleo asked. “Is that where the pokemon we are looking for is?”
“No,” said Xerneas. “But there is a pokemon there who wishes to know more about the fairy-type.”
Cleo and Spark exchanged puzzled glances. “Tinker?”
Hope moved over to Faith while removing her bracelet. “You’ll need your keystone. Are you sure you’ll be okay?”
“I’ll be fine!” said Faith. “I’ll be back before you know it.”
“Very well.” Hope fastened her own keystone around her wrist and spread her arms. “Gather round. Where do you want me to drop you?”
“By the big tree,” Cleo explained. “Tinker will not be amused if I drag Harlequin into the main city.”
Mischief looked up at Hope, then at Cleo. “I’m really leaving…”
“You’ll be fine, Mischief!” Reshiram waved a wing, while NyukNyuk waved a shadowy claw from atop the dragon’s head. “We’ll see you back here soon!”
Xerneas and Reshiram warped before their eyes, and the colourful, peaceful Fairy Garden faded away to be replaced by the familiar sparse canopy of the Moorland’s Forest.
Hope looked around at the shadowy trees. “Is this the right place? I fear I may have missed the mark.”
“Yes.” Cleo nodded as she took in the thorny bushes and stinging nettles that spread out ahead of them. “This is the right place.”
“Okay. I’ll leave you here.” Hope stood back and folded her paws before her. She fixed the group with a fond smile. “Please take care.”
“We will!” Faith waved.
“Thanks for helping us get back here,” said Cleo.
“It saves a long walk.” Hope chuckled. “See you all again soon.” With that, the gardevoir vanished into thin air.
“Okay.” Cleo turned to Faith, taking the mawile by surprise. Cleo spoke in a hushed tone, “I need to warn you there is an illusion blocking the tree.” She caught Mischief’s eye and the whimsicott inched in closer. “It shows your worst fear. Just push through, and close your eyes if need be.”
“That sounds incredibly familiar to what you described in the Endless Woods,” said Faith.
“It is, actually, yes.” Cleo ushered the mawile towards the nettles. “Let’s move on. I don’t want to draw attention from any of the Darkness, and we’re losing daylight.”
“You go that way,” said Harlequin. “I’m looking for Harbinger.”
The zorua turned to march away, and Cleo felt a tug at her wrist. Harlequin came to an abrupt halt and yelped as their head was snapped back against Cleo’s bracelet. Wide sapphire eyes fixed on the meowstic and a look of confusion crossed both Cleo’s and Harlequin’s faces.
“It’s working again?” Harlequin whined.
Cleo frowned at the bracelet and shrugged. “I guess so.”
Harlequin lowered their head and let out a low, pathetic growl.
Cleo motioned a paw for Harlequin to follow them. “Then I suppose you’re coming with us.”
“But I have to find him!” Harlequin barked. “I need to give him his mega stone!” Regardless, the zorua fell into step at the back of the group. “This can’t be happening.”
Faith fell back to walk beside Harlequin and gave the assassin an encouraging smile. “Don’t worry. We’ll find your friend.”
...
Enigma sat unnoticed in the branches of an old sycamore, watching Harlequin and their companions. The zorua was still stuck with that meowstic, and the whimsicott was also still with them. No longer manic. That was very curious. But what was even more curious was the new pokemon with them. A mawile… he’d never seen one. The Iron Canyon was torched by the Wildfires long ago, but Enigma wouldn’t rule out a potential survivor.
He pushed himself up as he watched them trudge through the foliage, almost vanishing into it entirely. Why would any pokemon voluntarily walk through all those stinging nettles? He crept along the branch, grimacing with the effort of pulling himself up. He paused to rub his sore ribs, trying to block out the nagging pain. The group of pokemon were soon out of sight, engulfed in the towering nettles. Enigma’s curiosity had got the better of him. He could practically feel his boredom lifting. Was something of interest beyond those nettles?
He clicked his tongue and settled back on the branch. As much as he wanted to find out, he was in no fit state for a fight should they retaliate again.
So he decided to wait until they were a little further away before following them.
Back for chapter three, finally! Sorry for the delay; I wanted to get to this before the end of the Blitz but didn't manage.
A loud, squeaky yawn beside her indicated Spark had decided it was a good idea, and the way she flopped onto the bank gave Cleo a start, bracing herself to whisk the dedenne out of the brook. But Spark didn’t fall in. She wrapped her tail around a tough reed stem and gulped noisily, her head almost entirely submerged in the shallow water.
"Breath" is the noun and "breathe" is the verb, so you want an extra e there.
I think you do a really nice job with building up tension and dread around the Noivern before it appears with the descriptions of the sensation of the sound of its echolocation and so on - really sells how it feels to be in its presence and the fear it evokes.
Mischief's manic attack on the Noivern is truly creepy, and I enjoy the way that it starts out as this miraculous, heroic saving-the-day moment - he has this adorable bit about how Noivern's not being very nice and he's not going to let it hurt his friends, and this triumph as he's actually able to fend off the Noivern and shrug off its attacks - only to then go horribly wrong, and shift some sympathy over to the Noivern as it's simply brutalized by this innocent fluffball.
I do kind of wish we saw more emotion out of Cleo regarding that specifically - she does react but describes most of it fairly neutrally, like here:
He jerked his head towards her, fixing her in that sinister grin. Her heart froze and she took a step back. He shot from the dragon’s body like a furry cannonball, knocking her nose over tail into the ferns. All wind left her body as he bounced onto her chest, his paws raised to lash her face. There was that laughter again, his eyes blazing with blood-lust.
I was expecting more fear here, I think, with Mischief literally about to attack her after just having murdered a much bigger Pokémon - the narration feels like it has just a little more distance than I'd expect in that situation? Perhaps something to consider.
On the whole, though, a gripping chapter that really raises the stakes immediately. I remember enjoying how quickly this story gets right into the weeds with big, dramatic developments, but I didn't specifically recall this happening so early! Definitely adds to the intrigue and sense that oh boy, there's a lot going on here.
I read two chapters yesterday but couldn't find time to review, so here's a short review on it now so I don't end up procrastinating this more than I already have.
Chapter 21 gave us the aftermath of the characters' encounter with Enigma. I think the thing I found the most intriguing here is the implication that fairy type moves can bypass Enigma's phasing ability. It at least explains why he didn't simply get away when Mischief started growing violent in the last chapter. He took a bit of a beating, but he did manage to survive the ordeal for the better or worse.
The other thing I found a bit humorous is that Harlequin basically has two targets on their back now. Harbinger wants to kill Harle, and now Enigma does too due to a misunderstanding. It seems like Harbinger has some history with Harlequin somehow, though the latter probably isn't aware of how they garnered Harbinger's scorn. I'll have to wait and see what becomes of this plot thread in the future.
Regarding the swablu, I'm not at all surprised there was a lot of backlash against letting it live nor am I surprised it ended up hatching in the chapter either way. What I'm curious about is what fate has in store for the swablu. As some of the concerned voices have stated, the swablu could easily grow up and pull an Anakin Skywalker on them due to mistreatment by the other pokemon in New City. However, the elders should really know better that a new born child bears no sin. Even if the swablu is the literal spawn of the devil, as long as they are willing to nurture and guide it, they can shape its future to be a respectable one. Or at least one that fits their goals.
Chapter 22 was pretty trippy and in a fun way, and the ending of the chapter exceeded my expectations if I'm being honest. After learning the story about how the Gardevoir were wiped out, I began thinking that maybe they never actually got wiped out and a small population of them stayed behind as sacrificial decoys to make Hydriegon think they're no more and subsequently not bother them again.
However, I also wonder if that's really the case at all. The story does say that Endless Wood's illusion spell has been gradually weakening, and that probably wouldn't be happening had a separate population of the gardevoir species survived Hydriegon's homicidal purge.
That aside, I'm very curious about the location Cleo and the others had discovered. Something tells me that Hydriegon will not be happy to learn such a safe haven exists, and I'm a bit worried that now that the pokemon within face an existential demise now that the location has been discovered.
So, we're finally introduced to the fairy garden in chapter 23. Quite a bit of interesting things happened in this chapter. For one we got to be introduced to Xerneas proper, and we meet two new characters in the form of Hope, Faith, Reshiram and Nyuknyuk.
Going into this, I wasn't entirely surprised when it was revealed that the pokemon in the fiary garden were all virtually immortal (so long as they remain within its confines at least). The fact that they think the abbey was being used not long ago either suggests immortality greatly warped their sense of time or time itself is much slower in the fairy garden. Should it be the latter, it makes one wonder how much time in the outside world equates to a day in the garden. Will Cleo and the others find that years have gone by after they spend a week around Xerneas?
Another thing that interests me is Reshiram showing up here. I absolutely wasn't expecting that, and it makes me wonder whether Zekrom is in the story as well. Though I'm willing to bet Zekrom's on Hydriegon's side if he exists since his whole deal is being drawn to those with strong ideals.
The information we learn from the fairy garden is a mixed bag for me. I know Hope and Faith say that they've been going around inviting pokemon over the garden's safety over time, but it looks to me they've not actually done that for centuries now if they're even remotely surprised the abbey is in ruins. To me it seems like Xerneas could've easily stepped up to Hydriegon ages ago and stopped him in his tracks to prevent all the senseless slaughter and suffering that had gone on over time, yet he chose not to intervene for whatever reason? I'm sure it'll be explained later, but as it is right now, I don't like Xerneas and the whole 'save only a few while everyone else suffers' line of objectivity at the moment.
In any case, this was a fun chapter to read and I hope to catch up to the current available chapters in the coming days.
This is one of the fics I expected to devote more time to during Blitz and never got the chance. Happy for the excuse to return this week! It has been a while since I've read any of this story, so please forgive me if I'm forgetting something that did, in fact, come up in previous chapters. I skimmed over my last review and the previous chapter but didn't reread in depth.
So in this chapter, we finally get to see the fabled New City and learn more about the mystery of Mischief. The underground city with its hidden entrance, winding tunnels, and marketplace was a neat set piece. I definitely think one of your strengths is pulling in that high fantasy vibe. Your setting feels like there could be wonder or danger around every corner, even in the market. I did have a few world-building questions. Like, how does the city run on the norms (especially sleep schedules) of the world above if they're underground? I also had to wonder at Cleo being so nonchalant about the forest fire--that could really threaten New City! Okay, so they're underground ... but if all the brambles hiding the entrance burn up ...?
I wish the previous city had a little more of an identity. I can't remember its name at all. When the entrance to New City came up, I was confused because I thought they'd already been to New City. That's likely in part from going so long between chapters, but even when I skimmed I couldn't find a name for the other city. I also think it would've helped to draw more contrasts between the mobile, impermanent city and the permanent-but-underground New City. Like, we got a mention of it when the other town appears, but maybe the scenes in the market and the store room could've emphasized impermanence more somehow, which would help drive home what makes New City special.
Spark continues to be a joy. (Spark sparks joy.) The repeating theme of her being singularly focused on food is working for me here--it's nice to get some levity among the mystery.
It's cool to see the weird potion from the first chapter coming up again. I honestly hadn't thought much of it. It might've been nice to see her react to it a little more here, to let that information digest. (She'd thought it might be pecha juice ... imagine if she'd drunk it, yikes!)
The lab-engineered pokerus is interesting--I wasn't expecting that--but it moves a little fast. I didn't remember what, if anything, we'd known about the Heretics in particular, so that didn't land as a shock for me. Instead I was like, "Okay, so that means ...?" It would definitely have more impact if I better understood what Cleo thinks the Heretics are like and what they do. I think slowing down the information to give the reader (and Cleo!) time to digest each piece would help it feel a little more credible. We go from knowing nothing to knowing a lot, to the extent that I was a little skeptical of how complete Tinker's knowledge was. It's possible you're trying to paint him as suspicious and too-good-to-be-true, but it read like authorial oversharing more than in-character oversharing. I'd either rein it in a little or add more notes of questioning how Tinker knows quite so much. Let him get defensive about it, or let Spark raise questions that Cleo dismisses.
(It miiiight also be worth putting a heads up on the chapter! It didn't bother me, but I can imagine some folks might be feeling sensitive to talk of viral mutations right now, even fictional ones.)
Regardless, it's interesting that Spark is noticing that, whether he's suss or just secretive, there's definitely something going on with Tinker. Cleo's got her head down and doesn't seem to notice. A good argument for teamwork: two heads are better than one.
This was a little unclear. I wasn't sure at first if this meant taking him anywhere or to New City specifically (but wasn't he already following them?)
This sounds like something you would say about someone you'd just or had only met once or twice, but it seems like they already know Tinker fairly well.
Now they were out in the open, Spark wasn’t willing to elaborate, but Cleo knew what she was getting at. If he turned hostile in New City, then so many pokemon would be at risk.
The double she is a little funky here. I also think a colon would be nice here, since these two ideas lead right into each other.
Suggestion: They were out in the open now, so Spark wasn't going to elaborate. But Cleo knew what her partner was getting at: if Mischief turned hostile in New City, then so many pokemon would be at risk.
Besides, Spark clearly hadn’t seen what Cleo had. That look of confusion on Mischief’s face, right before he lost consciousness. It was as if he was two different pokemon trapped in one body. One that was wild and reckless, and the other some lost and confused drifter.
A couple things here. Again, the choppiness of the sentences reads strangely to me and I think would flow more nicely with different punctuation.
Suggestion: Besides, Spark clearly hadn’t seen what Cleo had, that look of confusion on Mischief’s face right before he lost consciousness. It was as if he were two different pokemon trapped in one body: onea wild and reckless [noun/role, to make it parallel with the other half of the clause] and the other some lost and confused drifter.
There's a lot going on in this sentence, and it causes the focus of your sentence (sun hot, grass cool) to be lost under it all. Do we really need to know there are also rocks right now, for example?
Suggestion: Despite the high sun, the grass was still cool beneath her paws.
She couldn’t see them, but New City’s aquatic soldiers had already noticed the blaze. Two spouts of water reached over the canopy, fighting back the flames.
Something didn't quite match up for me between "she couldn't see them" and being able to see the spouts of water.
Suggestion: She couldn't make out any individual pokemon from where she stood, but two spouts of water reached over the canopy, fighting back the flames; New City had already sent a water team. Good.
This was oddly vague, both in the context of the rest of your prose, and because "the landscape" gives me no information. This could potentially be a good place to relocate some of the stuff about rocks I suggested cutting from another place, but what I'd really like to know are what landmarks she notices: how does she know they've arrived at the right bramble patch? You also don't need to let us know she's "taking it in" or use other filter phrases (she saw, she noticed) because anything you describe will be implied to be her observations.
Brambles scrambled over the Moorlands, their branches picked clean by the harvesters. All that remained were jagged leaves. Not so much as a single rotten razz berry lay on the grass.
Suggestion: Beyond them, the Silent Mountains stretched for miles, dark and craggy.
(You don't need to tell us that the mountains obscure what's behind them--that's what all mountains do! You also don't need to use two verbs to describe that the mountains exist and are big.)
I like this concept, but I found this hard to picture because you're over describing a little--small mound, huge disk, in the middle of it. What's the most important idea here? You've got a little trouble with deemphasizing the most important points of your sentences by overcrowding the sentence or with the order you've chosen. That's something to watch out for in the future/when you go back and edit.
Suggestion: But at the center of the brambles rose a mound of rocks. Set into the mound was a round door marked with the Guild crest.
“I don’t like being so close to your ears when they’re open, Cleo, you know that.” Spark shuddered. “What if I get caught in a crossfire or something?”
I was a little confused by this. At first I thought you meant that Spark was afraid of falling in?? Then I got that her psychic ... beams (?) come from her ears ... but then crossfire doesn't feel like the right word. It sounds like she's not worried about being hit when Cleo means to hit something else but that Cleo will forget she's there and send out a blast, which will of course hit Spark.
A few nods were cast in Cleo and Spark’s direction, which were swiftly followed by looks of confusion or curiosity towards the whimsicott bobbing before them. A fallen ally? Or a newcomer she’d been tasked to bring?
The passive voice isn't serving you here, and the questions at the end are a little head-hoppy.
Suggestion: A few pokemon acknowledged Cleo and Spark with nods--but then confusion and curiosity overtook their expressions as the whimsicott's bubble floated past them. Someone called out, "Cleo, what's--?" But she waved him off and kept moving.
I think these bits should come before the previous passage starting with "A few nods were cast in Cleo and Spark’s direction," since that's when the mood changes and Cleo's attention shifts. These outbursts have more to do with establishing what the market feels like.
I get what you mean, but this wording is a little contradictory.
Suggestion: The labyrinthine tunnels were tricky to navigate, even for frequent visitors like Cleo and Spark, but the markings over each entrance made finding their way easier.
Once again, I feel like we're emphasizing the wrong things here, and I'm feeling a little lost in the sauce rather than directed smoothly into the next beat.
Suggestion: A tunnel to the left lead to the home Cleo and Spark shared. As much as she longed to shut off her thoughts and sleep, they had other places to be. Ahead and to the right, tunnels branched toward venues all over New City: the training hall, the nursery, schools ... But they took the path that lead to Tinker's office.
(In the past, she’d often ignored it, each time receiving a berating from a disgruntled riolu who was desperately trying to hide his inventions beneath a pile of papers.)
After a brief pause, Tinker replied with a cheerful “Come in!”
The "he just shows up" isn't quite landing. If this is his office ... he's hardly "just showing up" is he? Especially if it sounds like Cleo has a history of visiting him here. I *am* puzzled how he beat them here, though. I'm not putting it together yet, but I do suspect you're trying to flag him as suss. I guess I'll have to wait to see what's going on with him before I can weight in on whether the delivery is working; I don't know enough yet to know where you're taking it.
You do this consistently throughout, but these interruptions should really be em dashes (—) or, if for some reason you can't get an em dash, then two hyphens (--) at least. One hyphen can't be used in this way. Hyphens are for combining compound words.
This is worded unclearly--sounds way too literal. It's not about whether or not he has the capacity for both but whether he can be trusted not to go aggro again.
Suggestion: "I don't think he's normally ... like that. I mean, he's annoying, but he never behaved that way while he was traveling with us."
"How can you be so sure that flash of violence wasn't the real him?"
I wasn't sure what he meant by "stay here." Like, in his office or in New City? I also wasn't sure what role he's expecting them to play. It doesn't seem like their skills are relevant to solving this, and it doesn't seem like they've been making responsible choices that would merit continued involvement. Is Tinker just wielding power over them and rubbing their noses in it?
It would seem that this form of pokerus isn’t contagious at all, actually, which makes me think that this isn’t a final result, and Mischief may be nothing more than a beta-test for this virus. If my theory is right, and going off the evidence I am ninety-five percent certain it is, then this pokerus is being created in a Heretic Laboratory somewhere. Most likely the one your friend has come from - this ‘Clean Place’.”
There's a lot happening in here! Lots of good information--and, oof, topical! In a few places, I wondered how exactly they got their information--it feels oddly complete (which made me feel like you, the author, telling us things rather than like a set of characters talking). Like, how do they know it's not contagious? Maybe no one else is experiencing symptoms yet is all.
Cleo lowered her head into her paws. Did Mischief even know he had pokerus, or was being tracked? Was his innocent act nothing more than a ruse? Urgh, how could she have been so foolish?
No… no one would have left a pokemon in his state in the open like that. He’d have been slaughtered.
I'm having trouble connecting "did he know/was he lying" and "no, he would've been slaughtered." It feels like you're trying to make a contradiction--he must not have known because no one would've left him like that on purpose--but it's patchy. The logic doesn't line up. 1) People who experiment on other people probably don't care if they've left someone to die; they're already showing a disregard for life. 2) By her own logic, doesn't his survival strengthen the argument that he did, in fact, know all along?
I think it would read more smoothly like this:
1: Cleo lowered her head into her paws. How could she have been so foolish? No one would have left a pokemon with no memories and no sense of self-preservation in the open like that--he’d have been slaughtered. So he must've known all along. It had been a ruse.
But she remembered the amicably blank look on Mischief's face and shook her head. It just just didn't make sense.
2: Cleo lowered her head into her paws. Did Mischief even know he had pokerus, or was being tracked? Was his innocent act nothing more than a ruse? It had to be: no one would have left a pokemon with no memories and no sense of self-preservation in the open like that. He’d have been slaughtered. Urgh, how could she have been so foolish?
But she remembered the amicably blank look on Mischief's face and shook her head. It just just didn't make sense.
I wanted a little more from this ending. As-is, things just kinda trail off here. It would be nice to see her come to some kind of resolution (she was going to get to the bottom of X, she was going to try to weasel her way out of dealing with Y)--something to suggest how this knowledge has changed her and what will be her trajectory next.
It's also been a while since we've seen our absol friend. (Harbinger?) I wonder what's going on with that ...
At any rate, hope these thoughts were helpful. Let me know if you have any follow-up questions. In the mean time, I'll see you around!
Hello, fellow Catnipper! I was pleased when I got paired up with your fic since I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve read of yours so far, and this didn’t disappoint. In some ways, this set up reminds me of System;Reboot, where a bounty hunter in a desolate world ruled by an oppressive force takes on a Pokemon whose memories have been wiped, but from the setting to the way it plays out, it still feels different and doesn’t detract from anything.
As usual, your characters are a delight to read about. Cleo and Spark have such good chemistry with one another, and I really got a kick out of Mischief once he comes into the picture. He’s delightfully airheaded while still adding another plot hook to the story. Cleo is an interesting protagonist, as there’s a part of her that’s become desensitised to the state of the war-torn world, but she also has enough empathy for others that she’s willing to be more merciful where others wouldn’t. Again, her interactions with Spark, who’s a good little sidekick, really endeared me to her character as well.
I’m also interested in Harbinger, who seems like he’s going to be one of the main antagonists here. I like that you play about with his predictions and how he’s feared because of his species, though I can’t quite tell yet whether his prediction was set in stone to begin with, if he planned to bring disaster to the village anyway, or if he only did it because he got burned by the Zangoose. Either way, I guess we’ll find out later.
So yeah, I don’t really have much to criticise so far. Your character interactions are on point as usual and you’ve introduced the basic plot and world while still leaving room for exploration, so I’m definitely hooked to read more.
full disclosure I was originally going to read nine or ten chapters of this to get a good idea of where it was going before stopping to review, but then before I knew it I was at the end of Part I and it was just so good I literally had to peel myself away from Chapter 21 so I could sleep on time. And then I woke up and finished it first thing in the morning. So… I guess I’m reviewing all of it now :V
I’ve had my eye on this one for a while, but wanted to wait until it was all done to read it! Although there is a certain irony in reading a story titled The End when it’s not yet finished I’m sorry I had to.
So far, I think you’ve pulled off a really unique aesthetic! It reminds me a bit of PMD: Silver Resistance (All-encompassing war, underground base of operations, tyrant enigma warlord with major character elite servants), although so far the only common factors I’ve seen here with PMD are oops all pokemon and The Guild, so I’m admittedly not sure if this is meant to be PMD or just a really deep pokecentric. It could go either way!
I also thought this fic did a surprisingly different spin on what war looks like. Technically you could argue that burning down a village and going into gorey detail is more indicative of fighting than poisoning a river, but I think things like the river incident and the Darkness/Outcasts/Heretics divide shows the more sickly and long-lasting aspects of war – how it changes people to do all these twisted things without even thinking, and separates everyone into self-drawn lines until that’s all anyone can think about anymore. You’ve done a very good job of making it believable that this kingdom is actually the devastated remains of a warzone, while still technically keeping things light enough that it could qualify as children’s fiction. (it may help that the brunt of the war and gorey stuff is over though, lol)
That said, it has surprised me how little Hydreigon has actually done within the barometers of the story. He's pretty much just sent some lackeys out and that's it. I get that he’d be more passive/background, since he’s basically won, but it feels like he’s more just a name that everyone mutters instead of an active driving presence. Maybe it could help to learn more about his goals? I genuinely do not know what he sees in the apparent wasteland he’s created, so he just doesn’t make sense to me. (This is an issue I have with most Evil Kings.) Maybe some direct involvement from him in future chapters would do some good?
That said, I think this fic’s real substance lies not with the world, but with the characters you’ve set out. Thinking on it, it surprises me how small-scale of a story this truly is. I can think of about… seven focal characters that have actually affected the plot drastically since it’s been set into motion (Cleo, Spark, Harlequin, Tinker, Harbinger, Enigma, Mischief), and it’s being told at a very personal level, instead of at a big scale battle/politics level. Which is probably what’s giving it a lot of its flair tbh.
It’s been a while since I’ve read characters like yours! I don’t quite have the word to describe it, but you do a really good job of taking adult concepts like war trauma and racism and simplifying them down to something a middle schooler can appreciate without too much introspection + keeping their banter light and fluffy enough to give the story some levity. Reminds me a bit of Eragon
Of those characters, I think my favorite has to be Harlequin. Both because I don’t think I’ve ever seen a nonbinary/androgenous character in PMD/Pokecentric before, but also because their character trajectory is the most drastic out of all of them – going from a smug, evil assassin to (presumably) a much more empathetic character. That, and I just love the ‘Bad Guy gets a reality check and slowly changes their views’ plot too much :V
The pronoun usage in the initial encounter between Harlequin and Cleo’s group kind of threw me at first – up until then, the narration had made it pretty clear they were a ‘they’, but then Cleo and Spark were referring to them as a ‘she’, which when combined with the prose comment about them having a higher-than-normal voice, made me think the story was just being outright straight about what they were. It wasn’t until Tinker started calling them ‘he’ that I realized they were just… assuming.
(Although, in fairness, I was going in with the knowledge that animals like cats and dogs can smell these kinds of things, so that may have influenced my reading a bit.)
It also kind of made me wonder why Harlequin never corrected any of them? Since I get the feel they chose the ambiguous pronouns for a reason. At least, I think they chose the pronouns. I feel like there wouldn’t have been as much song and dance about it if it was just for the lulz or something.
Harle is the standout (at least IMO), but that doesn’t mean the others don’t shine! In particular I love Cleo and Spark’s dynamic – you do such a great job of writing The Obnoxious One and The Thinker in a way that doesn’t come off as annoying. I’m taking notes
Mischief and Harbinger are the two characters I just really don’t have much to say about. Mischief is a cinnamon roll, but he’s so innocent he’s just kind of… there a lot of the time. Doesn’t get to do very much because the poor thing can barely keep up with the plot half the time :<
Harbinger is kind of a similar thing – he’s a really cool character as a premise, and we know he has beef with Harlequin, but outside of that he’s been used pretty much literally by the plot, receiving premonitions to help the people he wants to kill despite… well, wanting to kill them. I see the potential, but his storyline doesn’t interest me yet.
Tinker is one of those people who Always Know Best isn’t he ;-;
Initially I got betrayer vibes from him tbh (mostly because he knows… a lot of stuff that just happened to have common ground with the research in that Heretic lab). But after the altaria egg thing, I feel like his heart’s in the right place. Can’t see any particular motive for him to sell out or secretly be working with Hydreigon, but I do feel like either he or Grey were clued in on the Type??? project. Tinker just knows too much about Pokerus and Type??? to have come up with all the right conclusions independently, especially if Rio has been engineering Type??? artificially in his lab. And I could see it, given Rio’s eventual plans to take out Hydreigon.
also weird note for some reason the entire fic I kept parsing Tinker as shiny (and therefore bright yellow), but going back I can’t find any mention of that now?? Did I just imagine that or have I skipped it somehow
This was a mostly clean ride all the way through! There were some things that stood out a little flat/clunky to me.
I felt like a lot of the exposition was clunkily executed. I don’t think we needed so many info dumps on pokerus and Type??? and why Mischief can beat down dragons without getting a scratch; it just dragged on after a bit (especially when Tinker was the one explaining it all, and we got another explanation later on from Rio). I think some of this is present in the fairy garden too – I didn’t really much see the point of the move tutoring scene there.
I don’t know how I felt about the fairy garden, honestly. It’s less the existence of the place, and more that they seem to be Unquestionably Good, which doesn’t really feel right. I guess part of it is that Unquestionably Good is more boring than Unquestionably Evil (which is why Hydreigon is still menacing despite apparently not having a good bone in his body), but it also kind of felt like there was a class divide between the Fairies and the Dark/Dragon/Ghost types that got brushed under the table. The flashback portrays Yveltal as this unreasonable pokemon who just. Snaps one day and tries to coup d'etat. And he is definitely deluded by the point of that story (and the blood drinking probably didn’t help), but he wouldn’t have gotten to that point or gotten all his followers if there wasn’t an actual issue to be addressed: that the Fairies had unfair power over all the Ghosts/Dragons/Darks. It’s entirely possible that this story was told with the fairies’ narrative bias! If so, I’m super excited to see that probed in future chapters 👀. But IDK if I can be comfortable calling the fairies innocent in all this. Even if they weren’t actually doing anything to the other types, they were definitely cushy in their high seat and weren’t doing much to help or acknowledge it either. Bad feelings had to be stewing for years for stuff to get that drastic.
Overall, I think this a well-told character story with an epic background, and I’m excited to see more of it! Now I just need to wait until Part Three is done
Cleo the Meowstick, and Spark the Dedenne. The first chapter introduces them in quite the wonderful way, with Spark giving three Weavile a lesson they will never forget. I’ll say that I liked this introduction to the characters very much, it was entertaining and gave us a clear picture on how they thought. The recovery of this mysterious substance from the three Weavile makes me ask a lot of questions, a lot having to wonder if it isn’t just poison.
The worldbuilding so far is great, a world just after a war lost with apparently a power-vacuum of sorts springing up in lands south of wherever this war mainly was fought. With one side being a dragon and dark-type supremacy led by a Hydreigon. Great stuff so far.
The ending bit with Harbinger and the two Pawnard make me very worried for the future of that town.
Chapter 2:
Getting introduced to a would-be thief named Mischief who happens to be a Whimsicott was the last thing I expected to happen in the second chapter. Especially them being an amnestic of all things.
Though there wasn’t much happening in this chapter, I did enjoy the little character moments that are building up their personality for the reader.
Chapter 3:
Oh dear, oh dear...
The fight scene here was great, it flowed wonderfully and made sense. And damn, didn’t think Mischief would go mad. His attitude before compared to then is like night and day, quite the shocker. Also quite effective at getting the reader interested in what could happen next with him.
New City, the supposed last ditch attempt to escape Hydreigon’s reign for Outcasts. I wonder what’ll happen when they eventually get there, if ever. I wonder if Mischief has a past related to there… but I digress. So far I like how it's being built up, now I want to see it for myself.
Also wildfires springing up from the rementants of battles, quite the idea and makes a lot of sense. Let's see where that goes…
Chapter 4:
The situation involving Mischief has evolved. With Tinker bringing this information to light, pokerus, experimentation, and heretics… there is quite a bit to unpack here.
Situations change and here it has me very intrigued as to how it’ll turn out. As it turns out, I was wrong, the past of Mischief is seemingly tied to the Heretics. An experiment of unknown limits, used for unknown purposes related to this new strand of pokerus. So far it all plays out very well.
New City is underground, something I’m not surprised by but is a smart decision either way. Far from paradise, it definitely feels like the last ditch attempt by a battered and bruised force that was beaten almost to extinction.
Heretics, we know next to nothing about them other than that most of them apparently wanted to serve Hydreigon. But now I as a reader have to wonder what’ll be the revelation about them and what they’ve done or trying to accomplish. I’ll just have to sit tight.
Wonderful stuff so far.
Chapter 5:
It has come to my attention that nobody here is aware of the fairy typing. Now I see why dark and dragon-types were able to practically take over the world. The story thus far has been great, and if it's going to follow Tinker, Mischief, Cleo, and Spark, trying to find out what this “new” type is then I can’t wait to see more.
The characters were great here, each section of their dialogue was really well put together. It’s been great throughout the whole fic so far, and now the characters are pretty distinct to one another.
Chapter 6:
So the first bit is from the perspectives of the villains, introducing us the Hydreigon master of the dark/dragon/ghost side. And his lackeys, including a Honchkrow, a Banette, and various other Pokémon.
I get the sense that we’ll be getting to know them quite well…
As for the rest of it, the character to character moments between the main cast were all great. And now with a goal for them to accomplish with Mischief, it's time for action (and plot)...
Chapter 7:
Another chapter that starts from the perspective of the bad guys, neato. And it would seem this mysterious Harlequin has been tasked with the assasination of our three protagonists, we’ll see how this turns out. Consider me intrigued, and a little worried about the possible collateral damage.
But firstly, we have the Banette, Enigma, tasked with recovering information from the Heretics. I wonder if it has to do with Mischief…
And we find out that Harlequin is a Zorua… I was expecting maybe at least a fully evolved Pokémon. I wonder what tricks this Zorua has up his sleeves, other than illusions.
As for what happens with our plucky cast of good guys… a river that has mysteriously dried up. And it seems to be due to… oh dear… that ending certainly has me intrigued. I wonder if that Absol from the 1st chapter has anything to do with this.
Very great stuff so far…
Chapter 8:
Seviper venom from the rotting remains of the poor snakes that got dumped there messing up the entire water source is something I didn’t see coming. It is unknown how it happened for now, but I still suspect Harbinger from chapter 1 to be the Pokémon who did it.
Then we switch over to the Zorua and Banette as they get on a boat to get to their destination. The encounter here was pretty good, I got a good sense of who each character was like just by reading their dialogue.
After that is over with, we switch to the Honchkrow as they try to look for a cocoon that glows red. I’m guessing that it’s Yveltal. I wonder what’ll happen when they find it and what they need it for.
Chapter 9:
We start off with Mischief, Cleo, and Spark, “bending” the rules to look for potential victims of the poisoned river. I’d say it fits their character, from what I’ve seen so far anyway. Spark is sceptical of Mischief having what it takes and wants to send him back to Tinker. Again, it makes sense. It all fits as actions I can see being done by these characters. Good job here.
We then switch over to Skipper and Tinker as they find some survivors of the poisoning. Who so happen to be… Heretics… wonderful. While Tinker is a nice person and still doesn’t wish death upon them even after they had a complete 180 in how they were treating him… I personally hope they choke horribly on their next sip of water.
But it would seem I was correct to assume it was Harbinger from the first chapter, seeing as they all blamed an Absol.
Chapter 10:
Harlequin and Enigma are back, still on the boat. They’re “attacked” and they have to take the rest of the trip on-foot. Something is off alright…
And we find out exactly what it is. Harbinger is back, and is straight up hunting the two assassins down with his trusty duo of Pawnard. If I had to guess, it's going to turn out that this guy is actually more or less some kind of anti-hero. If that is the case… I cannot wait for the future.
And finally… Mischief wishes to join the Guild for real. But the moment is rudely interrupted by something hunting them. I doubt it's the two assassins sent by Hydreigon.
You’ve got me at the edge of my seat… lets see how it ends.
Chapter 11:
It would seem that they have escaped… for now anyway. Kinda anticlimactic, but maybe there is a reason for this that we’ll find out about later. Anyway, Mischief becomes a Probationary Guild Warrior and his reaction is kinda amusing.
They get a “new” mission, to find out what’s up with the Noivern body. Shame that they won’t find it… but maybe they’ll find something… or someone, else.
Oh dear, what is Harlequin doing separated from Enigma? Either way, they got blasted to hell and back by Mischief going ape-shit again. I can’t help but get a sense of forbidding for the future. I can’t help but think that the Zorua wanted to be caught.
Very good stuff.
My general thoughts on the whole thing:
Throughout the whole fic, you managed to hold my attention and keep me asking questions. Questions that I want answers to. Questions that make sense for the plot and help move it along at a logical pace. You do a great job here at that.
The characters here are quite distinct from one another. You do a good job at making each character different in their own ways and stand out from the rest of the cast. I felt each of them out and was able to distinguish them quite easily from some random side character. My favorite so far is Cleo, she’s level headed and tired, not wanting to worry about needless things. I can relate.
The worldbuilding I enjoyed a lot. A world on the brink of never ending darkness thanks to a malevolent Hydreigon ruler, kept barely afloat by the Guild and Outcasts still fighting the good fight. I get a sense of hopeful outcomes, but still brought low by the evil lurking everywhere. You do an amazing job here and I loved every second of it.
The plot... I am enjoying it so far. I cannot really comment on a wide scale because I assume some things that I found not the best may be answered in future chapters that I haven’t read yet, like the anticlimactic end to the supposed ambush in chapter 11. I will say I am enjoying it as a whole.
Barely a sound rose from the shadows cast by the trees as the setting sun stretched its dwindling rays through the canopy of the winding woods. Just the soft sound of crunching leaves and brittle twigs as Cleo trudged through the undergrowth, keeping her wits about her as any sensible meowstic should. Every confident step was soft and calculated to avoid drawing attention from the wood’s inhabitants, which were few and far between.
That is a very nice introduction! It's so atmospheric and pulls you right in. It sure makes you understand that things in that world are dangerous, whatever that danger is.
Cleo was no stranger to the Winding Woods, but as the sun rapidly disappeared over the horizon, it was beginning to look less and less familiar. Not to mention her night vision wasn’t exactly her strong suit. As night drew closer, dangers increased. Assassins or soldiers of the Darkness could be lurking anywhere in the shadows. She tapped her satchel, briefly considering drawing her map and deciding against it. There was no sense in risking a distraction, putting both her and Spark in danger. They just had to keep following the path, or what she could see of it beneath its thick coating of rusty, fallen leaves.
“Oh! Oh!” Spark covered her mouth with both paws, alarmed at the volume of her own voice.
The pair turned their heads left and right, ears swivelling back and forth. Silence.
Ah, a classic "never travel during the nighttime". This already adds a sense of urgency to the characters, and the mention of Darkness makes the entire thing even more ominous. And hey! No wonder the Darkness would be more dangerous at night, too.
The leaves rustled above them, and Cleo turned her eyes to the canopy, her relief cut short. She felt Spark sink back into her fur, and the dedenne let out a small groan. Branches bucked and swayed as three lithe figures scrambled across them, crimson eyes trained on the two Guild Warriors below.
“That’s great, Spark,” Cleo said, fighting a half-smile. “But your excitement seems to have attracted some unwanted guests.”
“Well, well, well.” One of the three weavile crouched in the branches above them and grinned down. “I spy… with my little eye… two sitting duckletts.”
“Outcasts, too, by the looks of things.” Another fixed his eyes on the sun-shaped badge pinned to Cleo’s satchel strap. “Pretty bold of you to be out in the woods during sunset, eh, kitty?”
Cleo released her bag strap to ball her paws into fists. It wasn’t unusual for assassins to poke jibes at their targets. But things could turn very nasty in the blink of an eye. Psychic energy hummed in her ears. An impulse.
Not sure how helpful it would be against a trio of Weavile, miss. Unless this worked like the PMD games and Dark-types just resist Psychic-types. Or could it be a simple natural reaction? 🤔
“You three have picked a bad day to start with us.” Spark shook her tiny fist. “I’ll have you know I’m hungry! And I’m not very nice when I’m hungry. So get down here so I can kick your feathery butts all the way back to the Shadow Lands!”
The first weavile blinked his large eyes in mock bewilderment. “Hear that, boys? The tiny little rat thinks she can kick our feathery butts!”
He rolled his head back and laughed, joined by the other two.
One of them smacked his knee repeatedly. “Big words from such a tiny rodent!” he wheezed.
“What did you just call me?” Spark dived off Cleo’s shoulder and rose up to her full five-inches of height. “Are you making fun of my size?!”
This only served to make the weavile laugh even harder. The boss pointed a sharp claw vaguely in her direction. His eyes streamed with tears and he had to grip the branch with his other paw before he fell clean from it.
“Please!” he squeaked. “You’re slaying me!”
Not the wisest of words. Cleo took a step back, not from the weavile, but because Spark was beginning to radiate static. Cleo knew what was coming next.
A blinding flash lit up the trees, wiping the smirks clean off the weavile troop’s faces. One by one, the weasel pokemon flopped from the canopy to land in a sprawl in the undergrowth. Their bodies sparked and jerked as electricity danced across their limbs.
Spark placed her paws on her hips and tapped her tiny foot. “Who’s laughing now?”
The meinfoo sighed and ran a paw down his muzzle. “It was only a matter of time.” He straightened, returning to his professional air. “Thank you. We’ll get on that right away.”
As they followed the Guild occupants down the corridor towards the sweet smells emanating from the kitchen, the small crowd parted and a riolu trotted towards them. Tinker, the Outcast Guild’s current leader.
“Cleo!” he said as a smile split his muzzle. “I was actually growing worried. You were expected two days ago.”
“We got caught up.” Cleo paused as the riolu stopped before her. “We actually need to talk to you.”
Okay, there is something unclear to me here: if Guildmaster Tinker is the current leader here, how come the Mienfoo didn't know about Cleo and Spark? I guess it could be because he is a new guard or something, but couldn't Cleo have said to have been at that Guild already and to know the Guildmaster? 🤔
Cleo let out a sigh. “That small town is fine for now. We chased off the jangmo-o.”
“Chased off?”
“A couple were apprehended there,” she explained. “But their Guild is small, you know that. Most of those dragons got away. Although not unscathed.”
“You let them get away?!”
“I was busy helping someone who got hit by a dragon rage,” Cleo explained. “They had no available medic, and they needed help!”
Tinker leant on his paw and tapped his claws on the table top. “The fact those dragons got away unsettles me, Cleo.”
“Then maybe it’s about time Windflower packed up and moved on. They’re too close to the Shadow Lands as it is.”
Tinker rubbed his muzzle and groaned. “That’s not an option I want to enforce on them. You were meant to kill-”
“My job is to look after pokemon who are threatened by the Darkness,” said Cleo. “I wasn’t going to let someone die by giving chase after a bunch of kids!”
“I appreciate that, Cleo,” said Tinker. “But someone else could have done it. Those dragons are a threat.”
“Those dragons are hatchlings.”
“Hydreigon trains hatchlings!”
“Yes, in the Shadow Lands!” Cleo snapped. “He doesn’t send a group of kids off to terrorise a village!” She sighed and dragged her claws through the fur between her ears. “At least having two jangmo-o in custody will hopefully give them much needed information. Whatever they can provide, anyway. At least they’re not terrorising them anymore.”
“If they come back, Cleo-”
“Then they have two of their own as ransom. I’m sure that will terrify those children more than being chased across the town by a pawful of Guild Warriors.”
Gosh! Some babies are trained like child soldiers or something? This sounds... brutal. And Tinker wanted Cleo to kill some children? His moral compass sure is aiming toward a dark area (no pun intended), but I guess war can do this to anyone.
“Ransom indeed.” Tinker lowered his paw to look at her. “I hardly think Hydreigon will care. If he demands that village wiped out, then it will be wiped out. Just like your home.”
A chill ran down Cleo’s spine and her fur stood on end along it, but she just stared back at the riolu silently. His right eye stared past her, and enough vehemence flared in her to probe him as to how he lost it in the first place. But she swiftly swallowed it down, and the look of surprise and regret that washed over his face made it a lot easier to do so.
“Most pokemon wouldn’t call it a war anymore, Tinker. They’d say it’s just the norm. A group of tiny dragons trying to burn down a food storage? They’re just hooligan kids trying to get away with something while claiming they have the authority because ‘their king said so’. Hydreigon hasn’t sent an army onto us in seasons.”
“That’s because we’re losing.”
Cleo fell silent. She rubbed her paw over her face and sank in her seat. Losing… hadn’t they already lost? The Outcasts, scattered across Estellis, struggling to survive in a world where dragon- and dark-type pokemon reigned, ruled over by a horrid pokemon who wanted nothing more than to wipe out every other type completely. No. It was no longer a war. Now it was just survival.
“Outcasts are being picked off day by day, you know that,” said Tinker. “Driven across Estellis while Hydreigon spreads his rule further and further south. I fear you’ve become hardened to this world, Cleo.” He let out a small sigh and his voice softened. “What happened to the meowstic who’d run blindly into an army of Hydreigon’s soldiers just to take out their leader for the sake of a bounty?”
Hm. But if they're losing, then wouldn't this be a reason to have those armies attack them more? You know, to finish them off at last? If this Hydreigon is as brutal as he is depicted, then he wouldn't have any reason to hold back when he's so close to victory.
“Your job was to protect Windflower.” Tinker leant against his desk. “And now you’re placing blame.”
“I did my job, Tinker. Those jangmo-o now have a lot to think about.”
Tinker pinched the bridge of his muzzle in two claws. “I’m beginning to think you and Spark may need to consider taking on an extra team member.”
Cleo trapped him in an amber glare. “This again? Tinker…”
“Don’t get me wrong, Spark’s a great ally.” Tinker picked up a small note on his desk and read it. “I’m going to guess she was the one who took out those three weavile in the woods?”
Cleo’s eyes widened. “You heard about that already? That’s why I-”
“Yes.” Tinker wagged the small note at her. “Word gets back to me quite quickly. Anyway, at least consider expanding your team? There are some recent Graduate Warriors who might have actually-”
“What?” She bared a canine. “Picked up my slack and gone after those jangmo-o?”
The zangoose flashed his canines. “Get out of here, you omen!”
Harbinger sighed inwardly. It was always the same.
He raised his head high. “I’m only here to warn you of a disaster.”
“Yeah, and you probably brought it yourself!” The zangoose flexed his claws, and the moonlight glinted off them. “I’m not afraid, absol. I’ll carve you up right here.”
It was always the same.
“Fine. Have it your way.” Harbinger turned to duck back beneath the mountain shrub.
A harbinger of disaster. That’s all they saw him as. Just like everyone else. If they were going to accuse him of disaster, then he’d make sure they received it.
Another smirk tugged at his lips, and he followed after the pawniard twins, bounding nimbly over the precarious rocks.
Well, talk about disproportionate retribution! Not sure whether he does that out of spite or because he likes to taunt his targets.
What would have happened if Zangoose said "Oh, thanks for the warning"? Would he have "spared" the village, then? Make sure the inhabitants survived? And what is his agency? Is he tasked by Hydreigon to eliminate the remaining villages one by one?
So many questions!
---
Now, for some general thoughts!
I admit that war stories aren't exactly my cup of tea, namely because I'm not much a fan of plots that are about huge loss of lives and genocides. As such, when I read that this was a war story and that there could have been blood, well... I was kinda nervous, not gonna lie. Though, you also mentioned that you would have made sure to keep the blood mentions implicit, so I decided to trust you on that.
Despite my initial preferences, I've got to admit that this chapter was very interesting. The personalities of the various characters stand out for sure, which Cleo preferring to avoid unnecessary extra violence if it can be helped and Tinker believing that at times the end justifies the means. And Spark, well... a tiny package of power! No, don't come to zap at me! It's a compliment!
Also, the worlbuilding is great and colorful, and I could see myself into that setting and hear (or not hear) the sounds around me. It takes some skills to pull that off, so kudos for accomplishing that!
I don't quite have any criticism at the moment. The chapter does what it sets itself to do.
This is al for now. Sorry for taking so long to review your story, and I shall see if I can R&R Chapter 2 fairly soon to compensate.
The noivern fell backwards, flailing his wings. His teeth snapped at Mischief, falling short. The dragon was pinned beneath the whimsicott’s frantic paws. Each one struck the dragon repeatedly as Mischief laughed like something gone wrong. He was oblivious to the wings beating at him, trying to dislodge him. He struck the dragon on the chest, nose, neck, head, ears. Bloody welts rose where his claws scraped, and deep bruises appeared beneath the dragon’s scales.
Cleo slipped past all of the vendors, keeping her focus on her task at paw. Spark couldn’t help but meander to the pastry stall, but when Cleo didn’t stop, she let out a groan of disappointment and followed her towards the tunnels leading off the market.
He nodded back towards it and gave her an unnerving smile. “It might be you next.”
Cleo sat bolt upright, sending her sheet cascading off her body. She could still hear that hysterical laughing, but it faded away into soft snores as the nest-room came into focus. Cleo’s breath came in fitful bursts, and she fought to steady them as she ran her paws over her damp face.
She lay back down on her hay with a flop, and her arm fell over her eyes. Nightmares… She should be used to those by now.
Yuuuuup, that was definitely creepy. I like that we're getting to see a more vulnerable side to Cleo, especially since it's implied it's not the first time she's had dreams of that nature, possibly inflicted by some sort of previous trauma.
Oh well. The company was welcome. Cleo stooped to scoop up the dedenne in her paws and set her on her shoulder. Spark snuggled into her fur, and almost instantly, soft snores could be heard from Cleo’s ruff. She rolled her eyes and strolled out into the corridor.
Awwwwww, I love the dynamic these two have together.
---
So, I really like the developments that have happened so far, and these chapters have hit a good balance between character building and action/exposition. The world continues to be interesting with all the desolation and the way society has fractured with these Outcasts and Heretics (I wonder if religion will tie into something deeper with the story), which of course, came to a head with the Noivern confrontation. Speaking of which...
Holy crap, Mischief. I really don't know what to expect from this character now, considering his outburst against the Noivern. I wasn't expecting the outcome to be so brutal, but dang. Anyway, I'm really interested to find out more about him, especially with the revelation that he's a living weapon infected by the Pokerus. To be honest, it gave me callbacks to System: Reboot with the living computer/macguffin that Macro takes in, to the point that I'm noticing similarities to some of the conflicts and the story beats here. It's not really a complaint, and here, it still feels like a part of its own story, but it's just something I've noticed.
Anyway, good read, I hope to get to more of these chapters soon.
Okay, so I've finally read chapter 24. There's not a whole lot to say about this chapter honestly speaking, but we did get to see the story move forward a bit.
This chapter gave us the reaction of Cleo and her group to the story told in the previous chapter. It's also revealed that Whimsicott are fairy types, though this isn't really new knowledge to us readers at this point. I am curious why it's never pointed out that Spark is also part fairy despite the chapter revealing Whimsicott and Mimikyu's fairy typings. Perhaps it's intended to be a plot point later? I'll just have to wait and see.
The revelation that Harlequin had been hanging onto an Absolite this whole time is genuinely surprising, though not much so in hindsight. I'd always expected their Mega stone to be a lucarionite or something, but it being an Absolite makes a lot of sense given Harbinger's special interest in Harle. We also got to see a bit more of the former's actions towards the end of the chapter, and the Absol continues to be a wild card and an ominous one at that.
With all these plot threads slowly converging, I'm pretty excited to see where the story goes from here. Kinda bummed that none of the main cast can Mega evolve, but this does make the stakes more interesting with Cleo, Spark and Mischief being barred from taking advantage of Mega evolution themselves. Though to be fair, Hydriegon can't Mega evolve either, so that levels the playing field? Probably not lol, but we'll have to wait and see.
Mischief's manic attack on the Noivern is truly creepy, and I enjoy the way that it starts out as this miraculous, heroic saving-the-day moment - he has this adorable bit about how Noivern's not being very nice and he's not going to let it hurt his friends
I was expecting more fear here, I think, with Mischief literally about to attack her after just having murdered a much bigger Pokémon - the narration feels like it has just a little more distance than I'd expect in that situation? Perhaps something to consider.
Ah, yes, you make a very good point. I'll reassess that. I've not re-written something with the depth I am doing here, and it took me a good number of chapters to really get the feel for it. So some of the older chapters are very close to the originals.
To me it seems like Xerneas could've easily stepped up to Hydriegon ages ago and stopped him in his tracks to prevent all the senseless slaughter and suffering that had gone on over time, yet he chose not to intervene for whatever reason? I'm sure it'll be explained later, but as it is right now, I don't like Xerneas and the whole 'save only a few while everyone else suffers' line of objectivity at the moment.
I wish the previous city had a little more of an identity. I can't remember its name at all. When the entrance to New City came up, I was confused because I thought they'd already been to New City.
Cleo is an interesting protagonist, as there’s a part of her that’s become desensitised to the state of the war-torn world, but she also has enough empathy for others that she’s willing to be more merciful where others wouldn’t. Again, her interactions with Spark, who’s a good little sidekick, really endeared me to her character as well.
full disclosure I was originally going to read nine or ten chapters of this to get a good idea of where it was going before stopping to review, but then before I knew it I was at the end of Part I and it was just so good I literally had to peel myself away from Chapter 21 so I could sleep on time. And then I woke up and finished it first thing in the morning. So… I guess I’m reviewing all of it now :V
It’s been a while since I’ve read characters like yours! I don’t quite have the word to describe it, but you do a really good job of taking adult concepts like war trauma and racism and simplifying them down to something a middle schooler can appreciate without too much introspection + keeping their banter light and fluffy enough to give the story some levity.
Thank you! This might be my oversensitivity to news topics and a preference for reading children and young adult literature. Either way, I'm glad you believe I've handled this well!
Of those characters, I think my favorite has to be Harlequin. Both because I don’t think I’ve ever seen a nonbinary/androgenous character in PMD/Pokecentric before, but also because their character trajectory is the most drastic out of all of them – going from a smug, evil assassin to (presumably) a much more empathetic character. That, and I just love the ‘Bad Guy gets a reality check and slowly changes their views’ plot too much :V
After some consideration while writing this, I can say it's canon that Estellis just doesn't have non-gender pronouns. So yes, the characters assume. Tinker's assumption, along with Enigma's, is partly down to zorua canonically being predominantly male.
In particular I love Cleo and Spark’s dynamic – you do such a great job of writing The Obnoxious One and The Thinker in a way that doesn’t come off as annoying.
also weird note for some reason the entire fic I kept parsing Tinker as shiny (and therefore bright yellow), but going back I can’t find any mention of that now?? Did I just imagine that or have I skipped it somehow
Tinker is definitely not shiny! He has a false eye. Harlequin is the 'shiny' one. (Although they're oddly coloured for a shiny, too, being very dark-furred with blue markings, and blue eyes instead of red.)
I felt like a lot of the exposition was clunkily executed. I don’t think we needed so many info dumps on pokerus and Type??? and why Mischief can beat down dragons without getting a scratch; it just dragged on after a bit (especially when Tinker was the one explaining it all, and we got another explanation later on from Rio). I think some of this is present in the fairy garden too – I didn’t really much see the point of the move tutoring scene there.
When I first wrote this, Gen 6 was very new. So it might be partly due to that. I do also tend to info-dump in real life too. I'll bare this in mind, thank you =D
The flashback portrays Yveltal as this unreasonable pokemon who just. Snaps one day and tries to coup d'etat. And he is definitely deluded by the point of that story (and the blood drinking probably didn’t help), but he wouldn’t have gotten to that point or gotten all his followers if there wasn’t an actual issue to be addressed: that the Fairies had unfair power over all the Ghosts/Dragons/Darks.
The story of Yveltal is a metaphor for Lucifer's Fall. Yveltal played on insecurities and sowed lies to turn pokemon against Xerneas, much like the world falling into sin due to Satan's lies to Eve.
Overall, I think this a well-told character story with an epic background, and I’m excited to see more of it! Now I just need to wait until Part Three is done
It has come to my attention that nobody here is aware of the fairy typing. Now I see why dark and dragon-types were able to practically take over the world. The story thus far has been great, and if it's going to follow Tinker, Mischief, Cleo, and Spark, trying to find out what this “new” type is then I can’t wait to see more.
Yup! This was a Gen 6 story, so the fairy-typing being new to the franchise was what drove that. So a lot of pokemon don't know it exists! I had fun with this, and I'm realising people now are finding it odd. But it makes for a great plot point.
The worldbuilding I enjoyed a lot. A world on the brink of never ending darkness thanks to a malevolent Hydreigon ruler, kept barely afloat by the Guild and Outcasts still fighting the good fight. I get a sense of hopeful outcomes, but still brought low by the evil lurking everywhere. You do an amazing job here and I loved every second of it.
Thank you! I feel I improved the worldbuilding with the re-write. I pulled a lot of the darker themes from later in the original to much earlier in the story. I think it's really added to it.
That is a very nice introduction! It's so atmospheric and pulls you right in. It sure makes you understand that things in that world are dangerous, whatever that danger is.
Aww thank you! I've found the introduction to be like marmite to readers. People either love it or they don't. I like to paint pictures with my writing style, so it makes me happy when people like this introduction =D
Each town/city has its own Guild, even temporary ones. Cleo and Spark were passing through, meeting Tinker on the way. He's not very on-the-ball with giving others the heads-up, and not everyone will know who works for him at first glance.
I admit that war stories aren't exactly my cup of tea, namely because I'm not much a fan of plots that are about huge loss of lives and genocides. As such, when I read that this was a war story and that there could have been blood, well... I was kinda nervous, not gonna lie. Though, you also mentioned that you would have made sure to keep the blood mentions implicit, so I decided to trust you on that.
I am pretty squeamish, so I hope the scenes will be okay for others who are. However, there are some scenes in later chapters that may disagree with you. I will make sure I add content warnings when they come up!
To be honest, it gave me callbacks to System: Reboot with the living computer/macguffin that Macro takes in, to the point that I'm noticing similarities to some of the conflicts and the story beats here. It's not really a complaint, and here, it still feels like a part of its own story, but it's just something I've noticed.
Given how fond I am of this story, the similar plots in Reboot were probably deliberate. I can't remember now. But yes, there are a lot of similarities thinking about it!
With all these plot threads slowly converging, I'm pretty excited to see where the story goes from here. Kinda bummed that none of the main cast can Mega evolve, but this does make the stakes more interesting with Cleo, Spark and Mischief being barred from taking advantage of Mega evolution themselves. Though to be fair, Hydriegon can't Mega evolve either, so that levels the playing field? Probably not lol, but we'll have to wait and see.
The rubble spread throughout the valley, barricading a river that whipped against it with frothy foam, seeking any exit it could find. The water was shallower on the other side, but it moved on with some vigour, dancing its way down the mountain path with triumph at a seemingly impossible feat.
The noibat swarm zipped back and forth, diving between gaps in the rocks to vanish into the depths below. Twilight was setting in, painting the sky a deep blue. The only sounds came from the beating of tens upon tens of wings, and the shrill squeaks as the small pokemon strove to remain in contact with each other.
Rumble observed it all from a perch he’d found a little way away. The broken limb of an ancient tree poked from amid a mound of soil and rocks. It was sturdy enough, and allowed the noivern a decent view of his swarm. Ordinarily he’d had avoided inspecting this location. It was just a pile of rocks from a recent landslide. But what had piqued his interest was the flag that poked from the centre of it. The Outcast Guild’s sun symbol fluttered back and forth from a crooked spire, a faint movement among a heap of desolation that Rumble at first had thought was some struggling pokemon. The Outcasts had long been an enemy of the Darkness. If there was going to be any clue towards the cocoon’s location, then Rumble wouldn’t put it past the Outcasts to know such information.
The noibat zipped in and out of the gaps, giving the former Guild headquarters special attention. They were small enough to get underground without disturbing the rocks. The former town was completely buried, yes, but there was a maze of passages beneath that allowed smaller pokemon access.
Rumble cast a glance over the mountain peaks. They weren’t void of snow. He’d been intent on checking them for any sign of the cocoon. If this location turned out to be fruitless, then they’d search the mountains for a few days and move on towards the Shadow Mountains like Echo had instructed. Rumble snorted through his nostrils and tucked his wings in at his sides, turning his attention back to his swarm. Echo… he couldn’t let that stuck-up noivern win. Rumble would find this cocoon first, and claim his rightful position as leader of the noibat swarm.
The shrill cries rose into a frantic squeal, and several noibat fluttered from beneath the rocks. A couple of them scrambled over the mound on all-fours, clawing at the debris. Something poked up from it that those still in the air shot down to grab in their claws, struggling to hoist it free from its stony prison.
Rumble abandoned his perch to investigate, drawing the attention of the smaller bats. They almost lost their grip on the object, and a squeak of protest came from beneath the rocks as it fell back on the unfortunate bat straining to lift it. Rumble stretched out his wing talons and grabbed it, dragging it from the rubble. A few stray rocks tumbled free, and a faint tremor spread through the landslide. Rumble immediately rose into the air with the object in his jaws, retreating further up the mountain. The swarm followed, fleeing the rubble from all available passages. They swirled like a cloud of navy and purple, screeching at one another to make a bid for freedom.
As Rumble landed in a sturdy tree further up the mountain, a deep groan came from the former settlement as the landslide settled once more, crushing what remained of the town. The noivern removed their find from his jaws and frowned down at it. A painting?
It depicted a similar image to the one in the book of hatchling stories the swarm had found in the Heretic settlement. But it had more detail to it. A red and black cocoon, trapped in a prison of light and ice. But what was more interesting was that it wasn’t sitting in a bed of snow. It was coated in ice, as if it had fallen into a lake or river which had then frozen over. Part of the cocoon was above the surface, jagged and black and capped with fresh snow. In the distance, a light radiated from a rainbow sphere.
“What do you think it means?” a noibat asked from beside him.
Rumble cast the smaller pokemon a look. “I’ve no idea. But… if this is a clue to it’s location, then it isn’t in a mountain, is it? There’s no bed of frozen water there.”
“What about a river?”
Rumble scoffed at that. “Have you ever seen any frozen rivers? They move much too fast for that, especially in the mountains.”
The noibat swarm had settled around him, hanging upside down from the branches. They shifted with unease as they all began to settle on the same scenario.
“We need to think colder then,” said one.
“And flatter,” suggested another.
Rumble muttered under his breath as he examined the painting. It wasn’t a map. It didn’t tell them where to look. There were no words. Yet the suggestion laid before him made his heart race.
“We’ll start behind the Shadow Mountains,” he said. “Then work our way north.”
“To the Ice Continent?” the noibat beside him squeaked.
“Yes,” said Rumble. “But we won’t go unprepared. I’m not willing to die for this. We’re gonna find a way to stay warm, and that’s that.”
He dropped the painting, and the frame shattered on the hard rocks below. Rumble kicked off the tree, unsettling his swarm, and together they rose into the air.
All but one.
One lone noibat took one last look at the painting and fled back towards the south, ready to relay the news to Echo.
...
Enigma reclined in a heavy branch with a clear view of an ancient tree. Its trunk was twisted and knotted, and at its base was a huge opening. The pokemon he’d followed had all gone through that opening, but it hadn’t gone smoothly at all. The dedenne had scampered on ahead with her eyes closed, shouting reassurance to the meowstic who had been frozen with wide-eyed panic. The mawile hadn’t been remotely fazed by whatever had spooked the pair. Instead she’d assisted Harlequin, who had struggled against their invisible prison while shouting and screaming. The mawile had also offered a reassuring paw to the meowstic, ushering her on ahead. One by one they’d all entered, and once again the forest had returned to its familiar silence.
Enigma yawned and rubbed a paw through his mane. It had been a while now, and none of them had come back out. What was it, some kind of hideout? Without them providing entertainment he was growing incredibly bored. But before following, he’d have to wait a little longer. Just a little longer. Then he’d warp towards the tree and take a peek inside. Perhaps catch them off guard and slaughter them all. Well… maybe not the mawile. He could take her back to Hydreigon and she could do any explaining. It was likely she’d been told everything by her friends, and Hydreigon would be very interested to meet a member of a species he’d claimed to have wiped out years ago.
A few beats passed and Enigma vanished from the branch to reappear just inside the nettles. He cast a glance around, straining his ears to be sure the area was free of guards. Satisfied, he turned his attention back on the tree. What kind of a hideout was this? It wasn’t exactly blending in. The tree was huge, possibly the largest one in the Moorlands Forest. He scoffed and stepped out of the nettles, staggering towards the tree.
A low chuckle rose in his throat as he fixed his eyes on that shadowy opening. He had them exactly where he wanted them.
A strange feeling washed over him, causing his heart to lurch. He slapped a paw to his chest and his crimson eyes widened, fixed on the tree. But he wasn’t seeing it anymore. The area almost seemed to widen, and he looked around at the bleak, empty landscape. A huge, silent forest with not a pokemon in sight.
An overwhelming feeling of despair grasped at him and he found himself sinking to the floor.
He was alone.
He looked around at the shadowy forest again. A lone breeze rustled the sparse canopy, nudging a few stray leaves to the floor.
Empty.
He had no one. No one to run to.
Unwanted… no purpose… empty.
Alone.
He just wanted to climb into a hole, curl up into a ball and never wake up. He pushed himself back to his feet and staggered forwards. Tears pricked his eyes and he screwed them shut. He stretched out a paw, meeting cold, unwelcoming bark.
What was the point?
He dragged himself inside the shadows, and that awful feeling vanished as quickly as it had come on. He opened his eyes again, suddenly aware his heart was racing. What on earth was that? Panting, he leant against something hard and cold. It definitely wasn’t part of the tree. He traced his claws over it and looked around to find a huge stone slab. It was round, and at one end had an engraving of the Outcast’s sun symbol. There wasn’t a single sign of those pokemon either. They couldn’t have vanished into thin air, so that slab must have been barring entry to some secret Outcast Guild base. If this was meant to be a secret hiding place, then there was no clearer blatant giveaway than that engraving. It was their symbol! Every single one of them wore it!
He let out a small, dry chuckle and lowered his density, slipping through the stone slab like a grey mist. He solidified on the other side, but not enough to allow himself to become visible to the naked eye. He froze, checking for any lurking guards. There were none. Just a stone staircase that descended into a smog of musty odours and damp air.
He carefully descended the stairs, each one becoming a slippery deathtrap the further he went. He soon found himself in a mildewy corridor dotted with doors. Movement and mutters came from beyond them, piquing Enigma’s curiosity. But he decided not to investigate. If whoever was behind those doors turned out to be hostile, he was in no fit state to put up a fight.
He trudged along as lightly as he could, his bell jingling erratically with each step. Noises came from beyond the doors he passed; pokemon stirring and pressing themselves up against the bars to peer out. Enigma didn’t give them a second thought. He had one goal. Find those pokemon and kill them.
After a few steps, a door ahead of him opened and he froze, letting out a sharp ring. He silently cursed it, but the voices that followed drowned it out. He stood stock still as a riolu left the room, followed by the meowstic and her friends. Including that whimsicott…
Enigma’s face contorted with rage and he bit back the urge to launch a surprise attack on the wretched pokemon. Doing so would make him visible, and he was wildly outnumbered. Ordinarily, the odds wouldn’t be against his favour, but he feared it wouldn’t take much to knock him down. He idly rubbed his ribs and inched closer to the wall, watching as the riolu stood aside to let the mawile leave the room.
“Don’t worry, Faith,” he told her. “She’ll be just fine, I assure you.”
“Oh I do hope so,” said the mawile. “She’s not a bad pokemon, you know. I just don’t understand why you’re keeping her locked up.”
“I already told you, she’s one of Hydreigon’s assassins. I don’t trust her. Zorua are known far and wide for their lies and trickery, and I’m not going to let her run riot around New City.”
New City? Enigma inclined his head on one side. He’d never heard of it.
“Now, if you’ll join me,” the riolu went on, “I wish to hear everything you’ve been through over a glass of cheri wine.”
The mawile clasped her paws together. “Oh, I’d love to!”
The riolu ushered them ahead of him, and the meowstic looked back.
“Didn’t you say you had something to show us?” she asked.
They vanished around the bend in the corridor and Enigma waited as their voices faded into the distance. He heard another door click shut, reducing their voices to mere mumbles.
Enigma looked back at the room they’d come from. It was just ahead of him, facing him square on. It might be locked, but it was no problem for him. Those pokemon had mentioned an assassin… a zorua. That meant Harlequin was beyond that door.
Enigma eyed his claws and smirked. This was being made much too easy for him.
He warped towards the door, pausing to glance down the tunnel the riolu had head in. He strained his ears for a moment. Silence. Satisfied, he slipped through the door and materialised on the other side. The room was empty, save for a small zorua curled up behind a set of thick, iron bars. Their blue eyes fixed on the door, widening at the sound of Enigma’s bell. He let himself solidify and paused by the bars, meeting the zorua’s gaze.
Harlequin didn’t move. They just stared back at him, ears pulled back slightly. The zorua curled their paws under them and their muzzle tensed. A look of fear crossed Harlequin’s face, but they didn’t make a move to fight. They just lay there, looking small and defenceless.
Foolishness. Was this seriously going to be this easy?
Enigma’s eyes picked out something beneath the zorua’s fur. That strange collar that restricted their movements. The thing that had distracted Enigma, causing him to let his guard down as he’d tried to remove it.
‘No! Get off him! Leave him alone!’
Enigma’s smirk fell.
He didn’t have any friends.
Friends and loved ones were a weakness. For someone with his reputation, they could be used against him. They were forbidden among Hydreigon’s armies.
Shadowy energy radiated around Enigma’s paws, and he began to adjust his density to slip through to the other side.
He didn’t need friends.
He didn’t need Harlequin.
He didn’t need anyone. Not anymore…
That unsettling, crippling feeling of loneliness washed over him again, and he leant forwards until his head was resting on the iron bars. He closed his eyes and grimaced.
He couldn’t do it.
It hurt.
The sheer thought made him feel physically sick.
“Enigma?”
His eyes snapped open and he found himself staring down at Harlequin. The zorua was standing closer to him, peering at him with an expression of intense concern.
Enigma chuckled and pushed himself back from the bars, masking his solemn demeanour with amusement. “Well… I suppose I should get you out.”
He moved over to the desk and tugged at one of the drawers.
“No use,” said Harlequin. “Tinker has the keys.”
“Tinker?” Enigma glanced back at Harlequin. “Is that the riolu?”
Harlequin nodded and sat down. “Don’t worry. They’ll let me out again soon.”
Enigma scoffed and turned back to Harlequin, leaning against the desk. “Sure, to be dragged around by that meowstic again?”
Harlequin avoided his gaze, instead eyeing the closed door. Something wasn’t right. Something about Harlequin was off… something Enigma couldn’t put his claw on.
“Have you just resigned yourself to your fate?” he asked.
The zorua sighed and pawed at the ground. “You shouldn’t be here. They’ll find you.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“Are you kidding?” Harlequin squeaked, snapping their head round to look at him. “If they find you here they’ll kill you!”
Enigma chuckled. “You underestimate me, Harle.” He paused and a small smirk appeared on his lips. “You’re acting like you don’t want me here.”
Harlequin shrugged. “You did come here to kill me. Right?”
“I don’t know. Life would be pretty dull without you.”
“Is that your way of apologising?”
“What for? Doing my job?”
Harlequin bristled slightly but glanced away.
“I didn’t want to kill you, Harle,” Enigma explained. “I had to.”
Harlequin spat air and narrowed a sapphire glare at him. “You ’had to’?”
Enigma spread his paws. “You’re a traitor.”
“And what makes me a traitor?”
“You’re fraternising with the enemy.”
“Fraternising? I’ve been captured!”
Enigma stared back at Harlequin, trying to spot any indication the zorua was telling the truth. Despite how well he thought he knew Harlequin, it was like he was staring at a completely different pokemon.
The banette shook his head slowly. “The bars are a nice touch, but that’s not what it looks like to me.”
Harlequin gave the bars a quick glance then sneered at Enigma. “Really?”
“I’ve been watching you,” Enigma explained. “I’ve seen you being friendly with them.”
Harlequin had nothing to say to that. Their mouth flapped open like a beached magikarp.
“That collar restricts your movement, right?” said Enigma. “Yet those pokemon that have allegedly ‘captured’ you have been close enough for you to attack. And you seem pretty content to sit here and wait for them to return like some lovelorn schoolboy.”
Harlequin huffed and flashed a canine. “I have to wait! I’ve not been left with much choice!” The zorua bashed a paw against the bars, making a muffled clang.
“You do have a choice,” said Enigma. “I could get rid of them for you.”
Harlequin was silent for a moment, trailing sapphire eyes over Enigma as they tried to read him. The zorua licked their lips and shuffled slightly.
“You’re not killing them.”
Enigma spine stiffened with surprise. Despite his suspicions, he’d not expected that. He didn’t think he’d ever seen Harlequin look so sincere.
Enigma kicked himself back from the desk and half-staggered towards the cell. “So you are a traitor?”
“I’d prefer to say I’ve had my eyes opened.” Harlequin watched him intently as he slipped through the bars, but all tension left their body. “You’re still injured?”
It was less a question than it was a mere observation, but Harlequin didn’t hide the concern in their voice. Enigma settled against the cold, damp wall and let out a sigh of relief. Somehow, the entire endeavour had been totally exhausting.
“I’ll live,” he muttered.
Harlequin inched closer to him. “Let me take a look.”
“I told you, I’m fine,” Enigma snarled.
Harlequin fell back, but the zorua didn’t take their eyes off him.
“You said you’ve ‘had your eyes opened’.” Enigma raised his claws as air-quotes. “What does that mean? You’re switching sides?”
Harlequin closed their eyes and trailed a claw through the dust. “The world is a mess, Enigma, can’t you see it?”
Enigma didn’t reply, waiting for Harlequin to elaborate.
After a beat of silence, Harlequin raised their head to look at him. “This Darkness we’re forced to work for… it’s evil! It’s feeding us lies, promising us a pure world, and forcing us to kill innocent pokemon just because they don’t fall into the right ‘type’ or share Hydreigon’s ideals. That’s what we’re hired to do, Enigma. We go out there and we slaughter anyone who doesn’t fit into this ‘ideal world’. It’s forced the world to split, three sides warring with each other. It’s not natural! We should be… happily living alongside each other. No one caring what type the other falls into. No division, and no blind fear because we don’t fit the right skin or follow that dragon’s commands.”
“You’re spouting nonsense,” Enigma grunted.
“That’s what I would have said, too,” said Harlequin. “But I’ve seen it with my own eyes.”
Enigma snorted but when he met Harlequin’s eyes he didn’t spot a hint of deceit.
“There are pokemon actually living like that,” said Harlequin. “I’ve been there.”
“I’d be more inclined to say you’ve dreamt the whole thing up.”
“I didn’t dream it, it’s real!” Harlequin sighed and shook their head. “It’s called the Fairy Garden. That’s where this new type has come from, the one that killed Boomer. It’s called the fairy-type, and comes from a pokemon named Xerneas.”
“Xerneas?” Enigma glanced to the side and scratched his mane. Where had he heard that name before?
“I’ve never seen a pokemon like him,” Harlequin went on. “His antlers radiate light, and the pokemon in the Fairy Garden revere him. He’s taught us to use the fairy-type so we can fight against the Darkness.”
“So you have switched sides?”
Harlequin traced a pattern in the dust with a claw. “I don’t know. None of us even knew this side existed until recently. But it’s hard. Knowing everything you’ve been force-fed for the past what… decade?… has been a lie? It’s all a little hard to swallow.”
Enigma sighed and rubbed his paws over his face. “Xerneas… where have I heard that name?”
Harlequin’s ears pricked up and they inclined their head on one side. “If you’ve heard it before, I hadn’t. Perhaps you’re misremembering?”
Enigma shrugged his shoulders, flinching with the effort.
“If you want to know more about it, you’re best off asking Faith,” said Harlequin. “If you’ve been watching me then I’m sure you’ll have seen her.”
“The mawile?”
Harlequin nodded slowly.
Enigma narrowed his eyes at the zorua. The mawile… she was a new addition to the mix. Perhaps she had something to do with Harlequin’s sudden change of heart? The zorua stared down at their paws, the vibrant blue contrasting with the dark floor.
“You know,” Enigma said slowly, “if it weren’t for your colouring, I’d believe I was talking to a completely different zorua.” He caught a sapphire glance. “It’s like I don’t know you at all anymore.”
Harlequin chuckled and met his eyes. “How much did you even know me in the first place?” At Enigma’s confused scowl, Harlequin added, “I thought I knew you pretty well, until you denied we were ever friends.”
Enigma stared back at the zorua, eyes narrowing.
“The thing is, Enigma, neither of us know the other well at all. Just like you never asked me where I came from, I never pressed you on it either. You were just one lone ghost I assumed was there against his will. I suppose that’s why I decided to stick around you, really.”
“You’re saying you took pity on me?” Enigma scoffed.
“Not at all. It was much easier to talk to someone who I felt on level ground with,” Harlequin explained. “I was only a hatchling, after all. I never wanted to stay in the Shadow Lands, not at first. The only thing keeping me there was you. You see, I always believed we were friends. That’s why I decided not to escape the night you broke.”
Enigma stiffened, digging his claws into the floor. Broken? Is that how Harlequin actually saw him?
“I never told you that, did I?” Harlequin went on. “I had every intention to flee the Shadow Lands. But I realised you needed someone, so I decided to offer that.”
Enigma rammed his fist into the floor. “I don’t need anyone!”
“Keep telling yourself that.” Harlequin’s ears drooped. “If you didn’t, you wouldn’t still be hanging around here. You’d have killed me and left already.”
Enigma dug his claws into the floor, raking up damp dust. Harlequin didn’t flinch, instead watching him with a blood-boiling mixture of caution and pity. Enigma let out a long breath and slumped, diverting his gaze to the room beyond the bars. Why had Harlequin felt the need to bring up that night? None of them had mentioned it since. Even after so many years, doing so was like rubbing salt in an open wound.
Something nagged in the back of Enigma’s mind, and as if out of the blue, an odd memory began to unfold. One he’d not visited in many years. One that lay beneath a bed in the barracks, buried under the dusty remains of a black cloak made of dusclops cloth.
He toyed with the hem of his scarf and shuffled against the wall, drawing Harlequin’s eye again.
“You said you met a pokemon named Xerneas?” Enigma glanced up at Harlequin. “I read that name in a book years ago.”
“I thought you didn’t know where you’d heard it?”
“Well, I’ve suddenly remembered,” grunted Enigma. “It was from a book I found in a library in the Shadow Lands, about a year after I’d arrived there. It was about a war between Xerneas and some other pokemon I can’t remember the name of. You described a peaceful world? That book had it. I’d always assumed it was a fantasy.”
Harlequin shook their head. “I’ve seen it myself.”
Enigma shrugged his shoulders. He still wasn’t sure he believed it.
“I didn’t know the Shadow Lands had a library?” said Harlequin.
“Not anymore they don’t. Hydreigon had it burned down shortly after he took over.”
Harlequin’s brow furrowed. “I thought he came into power more than seven hundred years ago? Come on, Enigma, you’re not that much older than I am.”
Enigma let out a dry, painful laugh and shifted into a more comfortable position. “I suppose I should tell you it’s not the same Hydreigon? The one we’ve been serving is his son.”
“What? I had no idea!”
“Well, you were probably still in your egg when he took over. He murdered his father and enacted a mass slaughter throughout his territory, wiping out everyone who knew. All who wouldn’t swear to secrecy were put to death, leaving his remaining loyal forces very thin in number.”
Harlequin stuttered for a moment. “Why would he do that?”
“He wanted more power,” Enigma explained. “His father was quite content to just control the Shadow Lands. But after he took the Shadow Mountains, his son began to press him to spread his reign. When his father refused, Hydreigon killed him then spread his terror throughout the Shadow Lands and into the Shadow Mountains. After he’d successfully exerted his dominance, all left alive took a vow of secrecy and no one has breathed a word of it since. Many outside the Shadow Lands, or those too young to remember, believe he’s the original ruler of Estellis, and is simply spreading his reign further south.”
“If no one is meant to know then why are you telling me all this?” Harlequin shook their head, aghast. “What are you thinking…? If he found out, he’d surely kill you?”
Enigma huffed and folded his arms. “You think I care?”
“I don’t get it.” Harlequin shook their head again, a look of disgust spreading across their face. “You just stayed there knowing all that? Working for him?”
“I had no choice.”
“No choice?!”
“No.” Enigma’s bluntness caused the sneer to fall right off Harlequin’s face. “I was just a shuppet when he took over. He ransacked the Shadow Mountains, wiping out every ghost-type from the face of it. That’s why there aren’t any left in the Shadow Lands other than me.” He jabbed a claw into his scarf. “The only reason I’m still alive is because my father pleaded with Hydreigon to take me on as an assassin in exchange for letting both me and my mother live. Hydreigon liked the idea of a sneaky ghost assassin, groomed from a young age to absorb his own ideals. So he took me in and killed both of my parents right in front of me.”
Harlequin’s shoulders slumped. “I’m sorry… I never knew.”
“No one did. I was raised an orphan in the barracks, like you. I suppose he thought I’d forget about it eventually.” Enigma caught Harlequin’s eye and smirked. “Haven’t you ever noticed I have no respect for the foul dragon? I don’t exactly address him as ‘lord’ like everyone else.”
“To be honest, I thought that was just you being… well, you.”
“Nope. It’s because I have no respect for someone who would mercilessly murder my parents.”
“Then why not just flee into the Border Woods like the rest of the outlaws?”
“Because my parents would have been devastated if he’d killed me! I wasn’t prepared to give him that satisfaction.”
Harlequin snorted. “What, so you just give him the satisfaction of owning you?”
“He doesn’t own me!”
Harlequin recoiled, almost falling back onto their tail.
Even Enigma was surprised at his own voice. He snapped his attention away from Harlequin and stared blankly through the bars. Why had he said all that? Had what Harlequin said really got to him that much? He flinched and sank down inside himself, hugging his arms around his chest. Everything Harlequin had said… the memory of that book… pokemon living peacefully with one another. He’d never had any of that. Any chance of that had been brutally snatched away from him. Beaten out of him until he’d turned numb.
“You don’t have to go back.”
Enigma hadn’t realised his eyes had closed. Harlequin stared down at their paws, marred with dust from the cell floor.
Enigma laughed bitterly. “If life with the Outcasts involves sitting in a damp cell for the rest of my life, then I’m sticking to leaping through trees.”
“So you’re remaining an assassin?”
“It’s all I know.” Enigma folded his arms behind his head and shuffled against the wall. “Now if you don’t mind, I’m going to get some rest.”
The cell fell into silence, save for the odd shuffle from Harlequin. After a while, Enigma heard the zorua moving around inside the cell, pacing restlessly. Something jabbed at his ribs, followed by a blinding pain. Enigma swung his arm around, swatting Harlequin across the ears. The zorua recoiled from him, violently shaking their head.
“What are you doing?” Enigma hissed.
“I was examining you,” said Harlequin. “You’re ribs are broken. You need to get them looked at.”
“They’ll heal,” Enigma grunted.
“Not properly!”
“Whatever.” Enigma lowered himself to the floor and rolled onto his back. “Rest is what I need, now leave me alone.”
“Come on, Enigma. You can see the nurse here, I’m sure she’ll help you. She’s a peace maker.”
“Peace maker?” Enigma spat. “Don’t make me laugh! Just quiet down so I can sleep, will you?”
Harlequin sighed. “Fine. But you’d better wake up before they come back, or you’ll be locked up as well.”
“I’d love to see someone try and lock up a ghost-type. We can just melt through walls.”
Harlequin didn’t reply. No retort. No joke.
Enigma cracked an eye open. Harlequin was sat a few feet away, pressed up against the bars watching the door.
“What are you doing? Keeping watch?” Enigma scoffed.
“Of course,” Harlequin hissed. “Just get some sleep. I’ll wake you up if I hear anything.”
Enigma tutted and closed his eyes. Sleep wasn’t something that came naturally to him, but he was so exhausted it wasn’t long until he was whisked off into a deep slumber.
Here for Catnip! It was DOUBLE CATNIP so I read TWO CHAPTERS
I remember this fic from way back when! It's got a really interesting, high fantasy setup (I feel like PMD is at its best when it embraces the furry fantasy bullshit) that's not typical for you from what I can tell but still really fun and you pull it off well. You also do good setting up intrigue with the worldbuilding and Harbinger and the amnesiac Mischief.
(By the way I love Mischief. And Spark. They were great in the first version and they're still great now.)
Hope to loop back to this soon! I wanna revisit it more.
I liked the opening scene of Chapter 25 with Tinker and the Marshtomp siblings. I think it's really wholesome seeing Tinker basically growing into his role as a dad for Starshine. Though I'm still worried what kind of life Starshine will end up leading, perhaps the kid will be able to grow up normally and be loyal to the outcasts or better yet: just be a kind natured pokemon in general. I'm curious to see what will become of that.
Cleo and Mischief's talk was genuinely sad if I'm being honest. After everything he's been through, I really can't blame him for never wanting to fight again and just stay behind In the safe haven they've found.
By the time ch26 rolls around, even Cleo and Spark are contemplating staying behind. Though Cleo still seems more willing to actually go out there and fight against Hydriegon's forces. I had hoped we'd get an explanation from Xerneas as to what his reasons were for letting Hydriegon have his way for this long. However, I found myself feeling a bit disappointed that most of this chapter was just an elongated training session.
I personally didn't really enjoy reading the training session much if I'm being honest. These kinds of scenes/episodes in media are often there to introduce readers to new mechanics, concepts and magic systems that they otherwise wouldn't know much about. Because this is pokemon, and everyone would've been familiar with fairy types and moves even at the time of this fics first version publishing, this training session doesn't feel like it's giving anything new and the only real significant development we had was very end of it with what happened with Mischief.
I wouldn't say I outright disliked chapter 26, but I honestly found myself skimming most of the training segment and wishing that it'd been shorter.
That aside though, I feel bad for Mischief at the end as I can imagine what he did to Reshiram back there pushed his trauma and anxiety buttons. I'll check out the next chapter sometime to see where this development leads to.
