Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Guiding Light (T)

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Firebrand

Posts: 194

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Guiding Light (T) Aug 7, 2018 23:54:35 GMT

Post by Firebrand on Aug 7, 2018 23:54:35 GMT

You've mentioned that as the story goes on, it's going to get a lot darker, and this is definitely where that really hits home. The fight against Bewear is the hardest and most brutal one yet by an order of magnitude, and you don't shy away from just how monstrously strong the beast-boosted Bewear is. Even in other fights (like against the Nihil-Parasect, for example, or against Team Fang), even though Shane and Co. were in danger, there was still a sense that this was still a fairly idealistic setting and that the heroes would pull through in the end, and even have time for a little in-fight banter. There's no space for that in this battle, and the reader really gets a sense of Shane's desperation as the fight wears on.

I don't recall if Espy and Umbry have been so blatant about their plans before this, or if this is the first time they really lay it out for Shane (or Tessa). I like the idea of the Prism Virus being used as an anti-legendary measure like Null was originally designed for. The more I thought about it, the more it makes sense that the average pokemon living in this world probably wouldn't appreciate a legendary coming down and destroying their home and everything in a hundred mile radius just because they were having a bad day. I suppose I'm used to the mainline canon where people have managed to live in harmony with these literal gods for so long that even when they do show up, which is not terribly often, it's chalked up to a bizarre anomaly and a convenient 11 year old is soon on the scene to straighten things out. But in a setting where all legendaries are absolutely sentient and have been known to go berserk, the threat of a local god levelling everything you know is probably at the forefront of most forward-thinking 'mons' minds. I'm still in Shane's camp here that Necroz-Lunala is messing with Espy and Umbry's heads, but at leas their motivations actually make a certain amount of sense. Interesting that they need Tessa's scarf though. I know it's sort of special, but we haven't seen any special properties that it has yet (have we?).

I won't dwell too long on the fight between Shane and Co. and Bewear, but suffice to say it was very well choreographed, and you did a good job of continually raising the stakes as the fight dragged on. Even when Shane figured out a way to actually do some damage to Bewear, it wasn't long before it turned the tables again, and Shane spent the whole time wrong-footed, which I think is good for this point in the story. Like I mentioned in a review a few weeks ago, I get the sense that now Shane and Tessa have a good handle on their moves and their powers, so the stakes are going to have to go up to reflect their increased proficiency, and they went up hard here. Even with Shane's better tactical sense and increased proficiency with his ice and psychic powers, there wasn't a whole lot he could do to Bewear, so I'm naturally curious how he's going to push himself to come back from this.

I do sort of wonder how potent Comfey's healing is, since it seemed like Shane sustained some heavy spinal damage. Is this going to leave a lasting scar and impact his performance further on, or will Comfey patch him up basically good as new? I thought it was a bit of a missed opportunity for Shane to have a flashback to the accident that brought him here, especially since it's implied he had some serious physical trauma then too.

Null was clawing at his helmet a lot in this fight, and it appears that he has a built in UB sensor. I know we're told in SM/USUM that Null/Silvally were designed to combat the UBs, but we don't actually see a lot of that happening, so it's good to see that concept being put more into use here. But more on the subject of the helmet thing, it got me wondering how evolution works in this setting. I recall in the original games and Explorers evolution couldn't be accessed until post-game, and only then by going to specific locations. I'm not sure if it changed in subsequent games, and even if it did, it's clear that Horizon plays by different rules. Braviary did mention in his special episode that he and his teammates evolved not long after the events with Prisma, but he didn't go into a lot of detail as to how that worked. I guess with Null evolving it's probably easier, since all that really entails is him smashing his mask. I wondered if his growing bond with Tessa (and Shane to an extent) was helping to serve as a catalyst for his evolution or if it was just his beast sense driving him a little crazy. I do think that Tessa will probably be the driving force behind that though. I guess I'm more interested in seeing how evolution works with Shane and Tessa. If they do evolve, it won't be for a long time yet, and Tessa needs to work some things out with Shane before she can get the friendship-based evolution she needs.

The more we see of Lycanroc, the more I think he becomes morally gray. I still trust Shane's intuition that there's more to him than the guild is seeing, and I don't think he's a good guy necessarily. It's still entirely possible that he is the leader of Team Fang. But I also think that he genuinely does want to put a stop to Espy and Umbry, though whether out of a sense of loyalty to his home or for some other ulterior motives, I don't know. What I do think I can say for sure is that the guild has a definite blind spot when it comes to Lycanroc, likely because of the previous Guildmaster, and that will probably prove just as dangerous as Shane's blind spot regarding Espy and Umbry. As a less serious note, thanks to Lycanroc's thick Australian accent, I always picture him as wearing a Crocodile Dundee-style hat.

When Shane is recovering back at the guild, I noticed you were switching povs quite a bit between Shane, Tessa and (I think briefly?) Null. I've had writing professors who are adamantly against "head hopping", and while I'm not as stringently against it as they were/are, I don't think we were given enough time to settle into Tessa's pov before switching back to Shane, and vice versa. I can see why you were switching povs, because some moments in the infirmary were definitely had more of an impact from a particular protagonist, but jumping around like that can make the reader (or at least me, specifically) feel a little removed from the story. I noticed it happening before, especially in the Team Captivate chapters, but it was less of an issue there since the girls tend to act as a unit anyway.

THE HALVARSAGA

THE AMAZING HAWLUCHA MAN

Ambyssin

Definitely a winter

Posts: 110

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Guiding Light (T) Aug 12, 2018 17:12:54 GMT

Post by Ambyssin on Aug 12, 2018 17:12:54 GMT

SPOILER: Click to show

{eldestoyster (click here!)}

Aug 5, 2018 21:28:50 GMT girl-like-substance said:

First up, the general shape of this episode. Looking back on it with the benefit of hindsight, there's a lot I really like about how you've put it together. We're back in the halcyon days when all that was going on was that Umbreon and Espeon were infecting random pedestrians with the Prism Virus while laughing maniacally.

"My how things have changed," certainly comes to mind, I suppose, though this episode starts to show early signs that conflicts were getting a lot crazier, now that I think about it. *nervous laugh*

(Speaking of which, I never noticed before how Espeon lost her evil laugh after switching sides. Or maybe she still laughs like that, it's just that she hasn't had anything to laugh at recently.)

She did lose the laugh, as her infected self is channeling some slasher elements.

Like, the whole thing with Lycanroc is absolutely great. Obviously I know how this whole thing shakes out, but at this point, based on all the evidence we have so far, you genuinely don't know whether Shane's suspicions are justified. Because although he really does seem a little unpleasant, you as a reader don't want to agree with Shane, knowing that his desire to see a story from the video games he loves is so strong (you can tell he's thinking of like Skuntank and Team Skull here) that it's definitely clouding his judgement. And he's so obnoxious about it that you want him to be wrong, too. It's just that Lycanroc is a little too chummy and snide, so that you can't help but think that maybe there's something to Shane's suspicions after all. Even if you don't want it to be true.

I will admit that initially I kind of struggled to grapple with that dynamic and I think some of the tweaks I made here and there helped a bit. Like, originally there was no mention of Midnight Lycanrocs being tempermental and picking fights for stupid, petty reasons, so that was slotted in there to make things more ambiguous.

And you place this arc so well in the context of the broader narrative, too. Like, this is where Shane starts to really get that this isn't one of his games – he says as much in the fight against Ultra Bewear, that this is a real battle with real stakes rather than the simplified cartoon nonsense he's familiar with, and then you begin to build on it with that section at the end of the most recent chapter where Shane is left alone with his thoughts and the realisation that this isn't working out the way he thought it would. The drama with Lycanroc, as a product of the tension between Shane's ideas about the world and the reality of it, is in exactly the right place to have maximum impact, especially in light of how that plot thread ends. Excellent work.

Thank you, kindly. I'm still a bit worried that this happens too "late" into the story to make an impact, but I haven't gotten any complaints about that, yet. ^^;

Another detail I really like is the way that you take pains to point out that pokémon don't know what viruses are, since their medical technology basically equates to magic that they don't have to understand in order to use; it hints that this contagion has its origins outside this world, which obviously is in fact the case. I don't think I noticed that the first time round, but then, I didn't have any reason to suspect that, so you know. It's just a nice little hint of things to come.

Glad you caught it the second time around. Both parts of the phrase "Prism Virus" are supposed to clue into what's going on. The "virus" part being a little less obvious, since there's only this part where the subject is discussed and it's in an already-heavy chapter, so it could easily be lost in translation. The "Prism" part was intended to be glaringly obvious to anyone who sees it... except, as you know, it's actually a bait and switch for something else entirely.

And then there's the thing with Metagross punishing the whole of Team Radiance for one member's transgression, which you almost bury in the rest of the drama; the story moves on so quickly from Metagross' decision to the argument between Shane and Tessa and then into Shane's depressive spiral at the end that it's easy to get caught up in the flow and not think about the injustice – and basic assholery – of Metagross' style of leadership.

Yes, I'd like to think that, given what you will learn about him and exactly why he made this decision, it makes a bit more sense. I... think I worded that vaguely enough in case someone looks at this. :V

Anyway! This has been a very pleasant trip down memory lane. I look forward to catching up with the latest chapters in the next couple of days!

Thanks for the nitpick points... and the review too, of course! ^^

SPOILER: Click to show

{Firebrand (click here!)}

Aug 7, 2018 23:54:35 GMT Firebrand said:

Glad to hear it! Originally I got some flack for this battle having some cartoony moments in it that lessened its intensity, so during revisions I scrubbed them out entirely. Looks like the changes worked. ^^

Even in other fights (like against the Nihil-Parasect, for example, or against Team Fang), even though Shane and Co. were in danger, there was still a sense that this was still a fairly idealistic setting and that the heroes would pull through in the end, and even have time for a little in-fight banter. There's no space for that in this battle, and the reader really gets a sense of Shane's desperation as the fight wears on.

Perfect, as that's what I was going for. Even though, y'know, it kinda sucks for the characters in-universe. :V

I don't recall if Espy and Umbry have been so blatant about their plans before this, or if this is the first time they really lay it out for Shane (or Tessa). I like the idea of the Prism Virus being used as an anti-legendary measure like Null was originally designed for.

This is the first time they're really spelling it out, yes. The motive will be explored in a bit more detail down the road.

The more I thought about it, the more it makes sense that the average pokemon living in this world probably wouldn't appreciate a legendary coming down and destroying their home and everything in a hundred mile radius just because they were having a bad day. I suppose I'm used to the mainline canon where people have managed to live in harmony with these literal gods for so long that even when they do show up, which is not terribly often, it's chalked up to a bizarre anomaly and a convenient 11 year old is soon on the scene to straighten things out. But in a setting where all legendaries are absolutely sentient and have been known to go berserk, the threat of a local god levelling everything you know is probably at the forefront of most forward-thinking 'mons' minds.

Correct. This is the same world that's nearly been destroyed four times over... with three of those times being related to the gods. In other words, they suck at their jobs. The Halloween special's events might not be canon, but it existed to show off that gods act like spoiled little children.

I'm still in Shane's camp here that Necroz-Lunala is messing with Espy and Umbry's heads, but at leas their motivations actually make a certain amount of sense. Interesting that they need Tessa's scarf though. I know it's sort of special, but we haven't seen any special properties that it has yet (have we?).

They don't need the scarf, but it's getting in their way. In the first chapter, Tessa was wearing it when Espeon tried to infect her... and the infection didn't work. The fact that the scarf is rainbow is significant, for what it's worth.

I won't dwell too long on the fight between Shane and Co. and Bewear, but suffice to say it was very well choreographed, and you did a good job of continually raising the stakes as the fight dragged on. Even when Shane figured out a way to actually do some damage to Bewear, it wasn't long before it turned the tables again, and Shane spent the whole time wrong-footed, which I think is good for this point in the story. Like I mentioned in a review a few weeks ago, I get the sense that now Shane and Tessa have a good handle on their moves and their powers, so the stakes are going to have to go up to reflect their increased proficiency, and they went up hard here. Even with Shane's better tactical sense and increased proficiency with his ice and psychic powers, there wasn't a whole lot he could do to Bewear, so I'm naturally curious how he's going to push himself to come back from this.

You're right with the stakes in this scenario. Without spoiling too much, Shane's in for quite the struggle for the next several episodes.If this chapter made anything clear, he'll need others who are willing to work cooperatively with him to even stand a chance.

I do sort of wonder how potent Comfey's healing is, since it seemed like Shane sustained some heavy spinal damage. Is this going to leave a lasting scar and impact his performance further on, or will Comfey patch him up basically good as new? I thought it was a bit of a missed opportunity for Shane to have a flashback to the accident that brought him here, especially since it's implied he had some serious physical trauma then too.

Funny you mention flashing back. Hold that thought until next week! *nervous laugh*

Null was clawing at his helmet a lot in this fight, and it appears that he has a built in UB sensor. I know we're told in SM/USUM that Null/Silvally were designed to combat the UBs, but we don't actually see a lot of that happening, so it's good to see that concept being put more into use here. But more on the subject of the helmet thing, it got me wondering how evolution works in this setting. I recall in the original games and Explorers evolution couldn't be accessed until post-game, and only then by going to specific locations. I'm not sure if it changed in subsequent games, and even if it did, it's clear that Horizon plays by different rules.

Evolution methods are going to be touched upon later, but I am not following the way the actual PMD games work... because it's really ridiculous. That also applies to the canon continents from said games.

The more we see of Lycanroc, the more I think he becomes morally gray. I still trust Shane's intuition that there's more to him than the guild is seeing, and I don't think he's a good guy necessarily. It's still entirely possible that he is the leader of Team Fang. But I also think that he genuinely does want to put a stop to Espy and Umbry, though whether out of a sense of loyalty to his home or for some other ulterior motives, I don't know. What I do think I can say for sure is that the guild has a definite blind spot when it comes to Lycanroc, likely because of the previous Guildmaster, and that will probably prove just as dangerous as Shane's blind spot regarding Espy and Umbry. As a less serious note, thanks to Lycanroc's thick Australian accent, I always picture him as wearing a Crocodile Dundee-style hat.

That is a great mental image. XD But, yes, you're right about the blind spot. It's supposed to rub you the wrong way. I know it sounds like a cop out, but your uneasiness is what I was going for. :V

When Shane is recovering back at the guild, I noticed you were switching povs quite a bit between Shane, Tessa and (I think briefly?) Null. I've had writing professors who are adamantly against "head hopping", and while I'm not as stringently against it as they were/are, I don't think we were given enough time to settle into Tessa's pov before switching back to Shane, and vice versa. I can see why you were switching povs, because some moments in the infirmary were definitely had more of an impact from a particular protagonist, but jumping around like that can make the reader (or at least me, specifically) feel a little removed from the story. I noticed it happening before, especially in the Team Captivate chapters, but it was less of an issue there since the girls tend to act as a unit anyway.

Aww, nuts. *snaps fingers* Yeah, I see where you're coming from. Admittedly, since the games let you see everyone's thoughts, I just ran with that not really taking the time to think about how that'd translate into prose. It doesn't translate well, clearly. I think part of it is that, at the behest of feedback from others, I added some thoughts on Tessa's end to better see her perspective, since some people were confused why she was upset with Shane. I don't think I do something this bad again. Thanks again for reviewing! ^^

This is another short bonus. These are all scenes that I wanted to put in the episode proper, but couldn't fit them into the chapters. Rather than deleting them, I made a bonus out of them. So, if it feels a bit scattered, that's why. Regardless, hope you enjoy! ^^

XxX

Bonus: Stargazing

~Celestial Island~

"That should just about do it for the Horizon Continent."

Atop a sparkling, multicolored rock sat a large white lion. He shut his eyes and arced his neck back, turning his face toward the mosaic of stars twinkling above him. His neck joints popped satisfyingly, prompting him to flop down onto his stomach.

"Sunrise in the Grass Continent won't be for a little while. I think I've earned myself a nice break until then," he declared, yawning. He rested his head against his forepaws and started to drift off to sleep. But a strange sensation tickled his mind's eye and he stuck his head back up. He lumbered to his feet and jumped off the rock, landing atop luminescent, multicolored grass.

"Lunala, is that you?" he called, plodding forward. He passed several more rocks and trees, all of which gave off the same wide spectrum of colors as the rock he previously lounged on.

"I wasn't calling you, Solgaleo," a soft, female voice muttered. "Go back to sleeping or eating or whatever you were doing."

Solgaleo turned to his right and squeezed past a set of palm trees. He found himself near the edge of the floating island, looking out toward the endless purple expanse beneath it. But his gaze quickly shifted to Lunala, who lay on her stomach. Her head rested against a small rock, and she was lazily moving a pebble around with the digits on her wing.

"I'm on break," Solgaleo said. "Besides, you seem a bit upset."

"What gave that away?" Lunala snorted.

"Your aura, actually," Solgaleo replied matter-of-factly.

"I thought we agreed to keep our aura sights off on the island," Lunala growled.

"Sorry, I was dozing off. Couldn't really help it," Solgaleo said. He walked up to Lunala and lay down next to her. "So, what's on your mind? Aside from that rock, of course."

Lunala rolled her eyes. "It's not your problem."

"Maybe not. But that doesn't mean I can't lend an ear or two, right?" Solgaleo offered, giving his counterpart a big grin.

"Believe me, you're the last Pokémon that can help me right now," Lunala said. She turned her head over to look away from Solgaleo, only to suddenly jump as the lion popped into existence on her right. "Hey, knock it off! We promised Ho-Oh only to teleport for work-related reasons."

"But it is work-related," Solgaleo exclaimed. "My partner's feeling blue and I've got to cheer her up so she can keep doing an awesome job." He gave her another big grin.

"I already told you, you can't help me," Lunala huffed.

"Then tell me who can help you, so I can reach out to them," Solgaleo said.

"Nobody," Lunala hissed, squeezing her eyes shut. "I just want to be alone right now."

"Suit yourself."

The ground shook under Lunala's belly. She poked an eye open to see that Solgaleo had rolled onto his back and was now staring up at the sky. "The stars are really pretty right now, wouldn't you say?" he hummed.

"I'm ignoring you," Lunala grumbled. She turned so her head toward her left once again.

"Where do you suppose all these stars came from, huh?" Solgaleo continued. "Like, they couldn't have just poofed into existence when Arceus shaped the universe."

"Well, they're in space. Palkia probably made them," Lunala figured.

"Maybe. But what kind of purpose do you think they serve? Because I doubt Palkia would waste a ton of energy creating all these stars just to make the sky look pretty. The moon already does a great job of that."

"You're not fooling anyone with that flattery routine," Lunala scoffed.

"I'm serious, though," Solgaleo said. "The way you shine moonlight down from the heavens is breathtaking! It always makes looking at the stars such a treat. Look! That cluster over there kinda looks like a Pyukumuku, don't you think?"

"I think you're just saying that," Lunala dismissed.

Solgaleo frowned. "Why would you think something like that?"

Lunala finally picked her head up. "Because nobody cares about nighttime!" she blurted out, only to realize what she had said and promptly look away, face bright red.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Don't play dumb with me," Lunala growled. "Just look at the Pokémon down there. Everyone's so lively and awake when you bring them daylight. They go about their lives… laughing and playing with friends... helping each other through Mystery Dungeons." She drew her lips back in a snarl. "But nighttime? Nobody likes nighttime. Kids hate it because their parents send them off to bed. Townsfolk hate it because that's when strange things pop up from Mystery Dungeons and attack. Wild Pokémon in Horizon despise it because that's when their homes may get changed around on them. And when do most outlaws like to carry out their crimes? That's right… at night!"

"O-Oh…" Solgaleo muttered. "I didn't think…"

"Of course you didn't," Lunala cut in. "I told you that you couldn't help me out. You don't understand what it's like to be so unappreciated just for doing your job." Her head sank to the ground. "Why couldn't Ho-Oh have told me what it would be like? I'd have chosen to be a Solgaleo and made you evolve into a Lunala."

Sweat drops formed on Solgaleo's head. "I, uh, I don't think it works like that."

Lunala shot him a look that said it could work that way if she wanted it to.

"Well, um, I'm sorry you feel that way," Solgaleo said. "But I think you're wrong."

Lunala rolled her eyes. "I don't want to hear it, buster," she harrumphed. "Everyone loooooves the sunlight guy."

Solgaleo shook his head. "You're exaggerating, Lunala. Sure, it's true that a lot more happens on the surface during the day. But," he glanced up toward the sky, "I can't do anything nearly this impressive with sunlight. It's too bright." He scooted closer to his partner. "I know you think everyone's singing my praises, but the fact of the matter is no one's ever going to marvel at the sun. It would blind them."

"Sure, Pokémon like blue skies, but they also like majestic, starry vistas," Solgaleo continued. "The way you blanket the continents in moonlight, and let them gaze upon the stars, it's magnificent. It shows the Pokémon down there how grand the world really is. It's not something that I can do. Heck, I'll never do it."

He glanced at Lunala, whose lip quivered. "I… I don't really believe that," she muttered.

"Let's consider it from another angle, then," Solgaleo proposed. He traced a paw through the dirt, drawing out a couple of Pikachu. "Yeah, it's true that Pokémon sleep through the night." He waved his paw across his drawings' faces. "But that sleep is important. It's just as critical for all of them as eating or breathing. If they didn't get sleep, they wouldn't be able to recover their energy."

He drew frowning faces on the Pikachu. "Then they wouldn't have the strength needed to get up and go about living their lives." He picked his foreleg up and swept it across the edge of the island. "Now, imagine that happening on a global scale. The world would grind to a halt. And, before long, there wouldn't even be any Pokémon left for us to give day and night to."

Lunala pursed her lips. "I hadn't considered that," she whispered, looking downward.

"But, thanks to you, the Pokémon down on the surface have a chance to sleep. To recover all their strength," Solgaleo continued, erasing the frowny faces on the Pikachu and replacing them with smiles. "And they wake up the next morning and go about contributing to a lively, thriving world." He turned to Lunala and gave him a grin. "So, yeah. If you ask me, Pokémon owe you quite a bit."

"Okay, I get it," Lunala said, giving a melancholy chuckle. "You can climb off your precious pedestal now."

"Are you feeling any better?" Solgaleo asked.

"Yeah, I guess so," Lunala muttered. "I'm sorry. I don't really know what got into me."

Solgaleo leaned over and nestled his partner's neck. Lunala pushed him away, fighting off a blush. "It sounds to me like you're going a bit stir crazy up here. When was the last time you went down to the surface, anyway?"

"I… I don't remember," Lunala admitted.

"Then take a day or two to go explore," Solgaleo insisted, giving her head a playful shove. "Just put some excess energy into the moondial before you go. That way, you're covered."

"Are you sure about this? I wouldn't want you to be up here all alone," Lunala worried. Solgaleo turned and gave her a lick on her cheek. Lunala immediately turned away, fighting to hide a blush. "S-Stop it. You know I hate it when you do that," she griped.

"Sorry, you had a little smudge," Solgaleo lied. "And I'll be fine. Maybe I'll invite Cresselia over for a bit. She said she could do with some time off from Team Poképals."

"Okay." Lunala took a deep breath. "Then I'm going to leave just as soon as you raise the sun for the Grass Continent."

"Great! Have fun," Solgaleo said. Lunala nodded and slowly rolled onto her back.

"You're right. The stars do look beautiful right now."

XxX

~Azure Cape~

About 160,000 feet below Solgaleo's and Lunala's conversation, a different pair of Pokémon sat underneath the starry sky. A small campfire flickered about between them, and above it hovered a pair of marshmallows.

"Careful, Tessa. You're putting yours too close to the fire. You want to make it golden-brown or it won't taste good."

Tessa stuck her arms up above her head. The stick holding her marshmallow followed. But her arms started shaking as soon as she did this. "G-Gallian, this kinda hurts," she squeaked. "How long do I have to do this for?"

"Just keep it up for ten more seconds," Gallian said. His own roasting stick sat in his mouth, muffling his voice slightly. "Almost there… almost there… okay!" He yanked his head back and pivoted his body. He spread the marshmallow against a graham cracker with a piece of chocolate sitting atop it. Tessa watched him and then tried to mimic his actions, only to end up with marshmallow smeared across her paws.

Gallian placed a second graham cracker atop the marshmallow and smirked. "Heh." He rubbed the bridge of his snout with a forepaw. "A perfect s'more, as per usual."

"Um, Gallian? Did I do this right?"

Gallian looked over his shoulder to see his sister's paws were a mess of melted marshmallow and chocolate. Some of it had splattered onto her lap.

"Err… not quite," Gallian muttered, holding back a laugh as Tessa tried to fling the goop off her fur.

"Aww, it's all sticky!" she whined. "This is never gonna come out of my fur. Mom's going to make me take a bath now, isn't she?"

"Throw some sand on it. That oughta help it rub out," Gallian proposed. Tessa threw her paws into the sand and started furiously rubbing the granules across her lap. Gallian fought off snickers at her antics.

"Hey. Don't laugh at me, Gallian. I'm gonna tell Mom on you, and then she won't let you join the guild tomorrow," Tessa threatened. Gallian rolled his eyes and got up. He walked around the fire and took up a spot lying down next to Tessa.

"Here, why don't I make a s'more for you, okay?" he offered. Tessa passed him her roasting stick and the bag of marshmallows. Gallian speared one of the marshmallows and turned his head to hold it over the fire.

"Gallian? C… can I ask you a question?"

She noticed him smirk despite the stick in his mouth. "That's technically a question, you know."

"R-Right," Tessa squeaked and looked away. "Sorry."

"Relax, I'm only yanking your tail," Gallian chuckled. "What is it?"

"Are you, y'know, nervous… about tomorrow?" Tessa asked. She gripped her ears and pulled them against her head. "Ohhhh, that was a stupid question, wasn't it? You've been doing all that training with Dad. I'm sure you'll be fi–"

"Yeah, I'm nervous."

Tessa's muzzle stiffened at this. "O-Oh. I'm sorry. I–"

"It's fine, Tessa," Gallian dismissed. "I'm just a bit worried about what this entrance test is going to be like. Dad made it sound pretty serious." He twisted his head to adjust the angle of the marshmallow. "Then again, Dad teases us quite a bit. So, he might be pulling a fast one on me."

"Doesn't Dad try to pull pranks on some of the guild members? Remember how Serperior showed up to our Winter Solstice party painted bright pink?" Tessa recalled.

"Oh yeah, that was a riot," Gallian said. His expression immediately fell, however. "It's just, even if I get through the entrance bit no problem, I'm just worried about how other Pokémon are gonna treat me."

Tessa's eyes widened. "But you're awesome, Gallian. You're the best big brother ever!"

Gallian smirked. "Aw, thanks, squirt," he chirped.

"Hey! I'm not that much shorter than you," Tessa pouted, crossing her arms and scowling.

"You're still the shortest in the family," Gallian teased.

"Only until I evolve. Then I'll be calling you 'shorty,'" Tessa declared, putting her hands on her hips matter-of-factly.

Gallian pulled his head away from the fire and finished assembling Tessa's s'more. "Y'know, I could just eat this myself if you're going to tease me."

Tessa's eyes widened in horror. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please don't eat it," she begged, batting her eyelids at him. Gallian smirked and slid the s'more over to his sister. Tessa eagerly grabbed it and swallowed the whole thing in one bite.

"Jeez. I see you got Dad's bottomless appetite," Gallian mused. "But Mom'll kill me if I give you too much sugar. So, I think we should call it there."

Tessa jutted out her lower lip. "Aww, c'mon. Can't I have another?"

Gallian shook his head.

"Pweeeeeeeeeeeeease?" Tessa begged, leaning over and brushing her head against Gallian.

"Well… when you put it that way…"

Gallian grabbed the marshmallow bag and slid it back into his satchel.

"… no."

Tessa fell off the log, landing on her back. "Aww, you're no fair!" she whined, crossing her arms over her chest. Gallian smirked and slid off the log, laying down next to his sister.

"I'd rather be unfair than a victim of Mom's nagging," Gallian said. He then leaned over and whispered, "She didn't say anything about what you can't eat for breakfast, though."

Tessa's expression brightened at this. She rolled over and gave her brother a hug. "See? No one in the guild's gonna hate you. You're the best big brother ever!"

"Ha ha… I hope they see it that way," Gallian said. "Well, except for the brother part. That'd just be weird."

"Right," Tessa said. She craned her head up to the sky. "Um, Gallian?"

"Yeah?"

"You're, um, you're going to come home and visit, right?"

"C'mon, Tessa. What kind of question is that? Our house is right near the Observatory," Gallian replied.

"I… I know. But sometimes when Mom and Dad get super busy, it can be weeks before we see them again," Tessa muttered, fidgeting with her paws. "I mean, I love getting to play with Eevee, but… I really miss them when they're gone." She glanced at her brother. "And now you're going to be off adventuring just like them." Her eyes watered. "What if you guys all forget about me?"

"Pssssshaw! That's never gonna happen," Gallian said, playfully shoving Tessa. "And I'll tell you why. Because, we're meant to take the guild by storm… together!"

Tessa's ears twitch at this. "Huh?"

"Come on, don't play coy with me," Gallian said, nudging his sister again. "Dad took over running the guild from Grandpa Lycanroc, right? So, that means one day… we're going to run the guild when he gets too old!" Tessa's eyes widened in acknowledgement at this.

"But, but I don't know when I'm going to be strong enough to join the guild," she said. "You'll probably be an amazing explorer by then. You're not going to want to waste your time with your little sister."

"I can wait."

Tessa blinked in surprise. "Huh?"

"You're my little sis, Tessa," Gallian said. "If it helps you out, I'll hold up moving up the ranks. I'll stay an apprentice until you join. That way, you've got a familiar face to show you the ropes when you're ready to join." He tilted his head and gave her a wink.

"B-But… Mom says I'm not doing very well in my aura training. What if it, y'know, takes a bit of time?"

"Then I'll wait," Gallian said matter-of-factly. "Or better yet, I can help train you! Maybe we don't know the same moves, but I can help you with speed and evasion. Those are my specialties, after all!" He gave her a confident smirk. "I know it's hard to see right now, but the two of us? We're gonna be the best Guildmasters the Horizon Guild's ever seen! I'm talking Wigglytuff-levels of amazing! I'll bet we'll impress everyone so much, they'll let us go overseas and meet the world-saving heroes from all the stories!"

"You... you mean like Team Poképals? And Team Go-Getters?" Tessa gasped, her eyes sparkling.

"Not just them. Teams Paradise and Gaia, too," Gallian said, beaming. "We'll meet them all. And they'll be super-impressed with us. I'm sure of it!

Tessa smiled at this. "Okay! I'll train super-duper hard, then!"

"That's great. But why don't you wait until tomorrow to start that?" Gallian said, yawning. "Let's just rest for now. I've got a big day ahead of me, after all."

Tessa nodded. She snuggled up to her brother and rested her head on his chest. "Hey, can you point shapes out to me in the stars?" she asked.

"Of course," Gallian replied. "Let me just see what I can find…"

XxX

~Celestial Island, Present Day~

"Aww, phooey!"

Espeon kicked up a clump of clammy, gray grass, sending it tumbling over the abyss and into a spiraling, red-and-black void.

"My beautiful Bewear got thrashed, Umbry," she huffed. "I can't believe that little fuzzball lucked out again."

Umbreon glared at her. "We should've taken care of him ourselves."

"C'mon, you have to admit using Bewear was a good idea! How could I have known that the masked weirdo would show up to bail the human out?" Espeon huffed.

"Well, well, well, looks like you have yet another failure to add to your growing list, Espeon."

"Eep!"

Espeon's fur stood on end and she jumped back, arching her back like a frightened kitten. "G-Go away, Lunala! We didn't ask for your creepy hide to butt in."

A swarm of shadows pooled out from a dead, gray tree lying in the grass. A pair of bright, sky-blue wings spread apart from them.

"And I don't like wasting my time bringing messages to you. But Mistress Zero… heeheeheehee… she is looking for you. She is quite upset with this new development. I don't blame her."

The color drained out of Espeon's face. Her ears and tail fell against her body. "T-Tell her she's gonna have to leave a message, then," she whimpered.

Lunala tilted his crescent-moon head. "Do it yourself. I'm tired. Every move I make wastes more and more of what little light I have." He tilted his head skyward. "What are you still doing here? Go away!" he barked, his red eyes flashing ominously.

Espeon's tail shot between her legs. She hastily fled into a Magnagate. Umbreon shuddered and followed along after her.

"Heeheehee. The stars," he muttered, looking up to the sky. The swirling vortex of dark energy over his head parted, offering him a small glimpse out outer space. "So beautiful. So full of light. My light. The light that was stolen from me... by these contemptable gods."

The black armor on Lunala's forehead sparkled. A glowing red eye appeared on its brimmed. It flashed brightly and the vortex again swallowed up the sky.

"Each and every one of you stars... I'll put you back where you belong... inside of me!"

Avatar by Jordy (https://toonirl.tumblr.com/), personal commission.

Ambyssin

Definitely a winter

Posts: 110

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Guiding Light (T) Aug 12, 2018 17:15:41 GMT

Post by Ambyssin on Aug 12, 2018 17:15:41 GMT

Chapter 23: Baring Your Fangs

Null staggered along the Observatory's northern hallway, his head slowly bobbing up and down. He had just about made it to the main assembly area when something fuzzy brushed against the scales and chitin on his foreleg. Null flinched, groaning hoarsely.

"Oh, Null. I'm so sorry!" Tessa squeaked. "Are… are you hurt? Nobody even thought to let Comfey take a look at you. Here, I'll bring you back."

Null exhaled forcefully and tapped the base of his helmet against his chest. "… I'm fine."

"You don't seem fine."

"… just more headaches. I'm used to them," Null muttered. He brushed the corner of his helmet against his right shoulder, huffing loudly. "… if anything… I should ask… how you're doing."

"M-Me?" Tessa fidgeted with her scarf. "I'm… I'm fine. Really!"

"… you don't seem fine. Is it… the human again?"

Tessa flinched and looked away. "It's not something you need to concern yourself with." She placed a paw against his foreleg and her aura feelers stiffened. She fixed her gaze on the side of Null's helmet. "What were you thinking going after Vulpix like that? From the sound of things, that Bewear could've really hurt you!"

"… everything was fine," Null rasped. "… our guildmates… had already weakened her. She was… completely focused on the human. I snuck up on her easily…" He shook his head again, huffing quietly. "I tried… to tell someone. Couldn't find the Guildmaster… or Braviary…"

That was a lie, of course, but it completely fooled Tessa, since it prompted her to bite her lip. "So, you thought the best alternative was to run after them? Ooh, do you have any idea how lucky you are? If… if something would've happened to you, I…"

Null turned away from her. "… please. We don't… know each other well. You don't need… to be nice to me… out of courtesy. You can just… ignore me… like everyone else."

Tessa winced at this. 'But I don't want to ignore you,' she thought. "Will you at least answer one thing for me?"

"… haven't I answered enough?" Null grumbled. "… I'm tired." Tessa looked at him with pleading, puppy-dog eyes. "… tch. Fine."

"Why did you go rescue Vulpix?" Tessa asked. "He's done nothing but make fun of you. Nobody would've blamed you if you didn't do anything."

Null looked down at the ground. "… I don't know."

Tessa frowned. "What do you mean you don't know? Surely you were thinking something."

Null hissed and shook his head about, striking the nearby wall. Tessa took a cautious step back. Null turned his cold, gray eyes on her, making her heart race. "… I just don't know… okay? I saw him… the human… he ran off. And then…" He touched a claw to his helmet. "… there were voices. Hundreds of them… yelling at me. 'Follow him!' they screamed."

Null leaned his helmet against the wall. "They got so loud… I couldn't block them out. Eventually… I just went to the forest… without even thinking. That's when… I saw the Bewear… and leaped into action…"

Tessa glanced one of her aura feelers out of the corner of her eyes. It twitched, as if acknowledging Null's statement. "I… I don't understand," she muttered.

"… you don't have to. It's not your problem…"

Tessa frowned. "But if there's a problem, you shouldn't have to face it alone. We're guild mates! I even offered to let you be my teammate."

"… and I already said... I'm not committing to that. Look at me. I'm not… the type of Pokémon… a sweet little girl… should be around," Null muttered. "Assuming I even am a Pokémon to begin with. No one… has any idea what I'm supposed to be. Not Magearna… not Braviary. The Guildmaster says… he can't even read my mind. They just… called me Null… because they literally couldn't think of anything…"

"I'm sorry," Tessa whispered.

"… why? You didn't… do anything wrong…" Null wheezed.

"Even still, I'm not going to turn my back on you based on appearances," Tessa said. "Look at Vulpix. He thinks Lycanroc's a bad guy because of the way he acts. I don't want to stoop to that level. I want to help you. Because you've been helping me cope with my stress. It's only fair."

Null let out a long sigh. "… you really… want to know… what's wrong?" Tessa nodded. "These voices… they're always popping up. I can't… block them out. This… this thing…" He rattled his helmet. "… it hurts. It always hurts. I can feel it… weighing on my head… weighing on my shoulders…"

He staggered forward. "But sometimes… the headaches get bad. My head… it starts to pound. Then I hear them. Voices… echoing around… in my head. Too many… to make out… what they're really saying." He shook his helmet about again. "I can… kinda make them be quiet… when I do this. But it… barely helps."

"Have you gone to see Comfey about it?"

"… what do you think?" Null growled. Tessa shrank back, fidgeting nervously again. "… sorry. That was… uncalled for…" He exhaled loudly. "I couldn't… feel anything… that Comfey did. Magearna thinks… this helmet… is the problem. Says it... emits its own aura. One that masks… everything around it. She said the aura… is unnatural…"

Tessa brought a paw up to rub one of her aura feelers. 'Is that why these guys can't stop twitching around you?' she thought.

"But I can't... break it," he growled. "I've tried… but that just makes the headaches worse…" He coughed three times.

"Are you okay?" Tessa worried. "That doesn't sound good."

"I just... need rest," Null wheezed. He walked toward the residential quarters. "… please don't follow me…" he muttered.

"Wait." Tessa ran up to Null's side. "Listen, um, Vulpix is kind of out of commission for a bit. Would you, y'know, be willing to do some assignments tomorrow… together?"

Null turned to look at Tessa with his heavyset eyes. "… I'll sleep on it…" And then he walked away.

Tessa sighed. Her shoulders slumped. 'Some week this is turning into,' she thought. 'Vulpix's totally gone off the deep end and he's going to drag me down with him.' Tessa winced. 'It's the aura training fiasco all over again. The longer this goes on... the worse it's making me feel.' She glanced down the empty hallway. 'I know I haven't known him long, but if I could just get Null to agree to partner with me... maybe I could stay here. Maybe I wouldn't feel like I've been backed up into a corner. I really want to be Null's friend... otherwise, I just see myself getting the cold shoulder from everyone here. Assuming I don't go back to Sunrise Village. Either way, I'll be alone again.'

A shudder ran down her spine. 'Mom, what would you think of all this if you were here? Would you offer me a shoulder to lean on? Or would you tell me this is all my fault? That I wasn't focused or disciplined enough... and I deserve all this crap Vulpix is putting me through?"

She bit her lip. 'Ooooh… I've been so wrapped up letting Vulpix drag me places. I'm not any closer to figuring anything out where Mom went. I mean, sure, she's keeping a Pokémon safe. But if what Vulpix said about viruses is true, can she really do it on her own?' Shivering, Tessa brought her paws up to her shoulders. 'If Mom's out there alone, then the Prism Virus could get her. Just like it might've gotten to Gallian. I can't lose her like that… right?'

The slow beating of wings snapped Tessa out of her thoughts. She turned around and a lightbulb went off in her head. "Oh, Volcarona!" she called. "Are you heading to the veterans' quarters?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Comfey wants me to rest up," Volcarona replied. "Why, do you need something?"

"Um… I don't suppose I could come downstairs with you and see my mom's room, could I?" Tessa requested.

"Am I going have to watch you if you do?" Volcarona asked.

"It's, uh, part of the rules isn't it?"

"… eh, I guess it can't hurt too much," Volcarona sighed. "But I'm just warning you… I may conk out on you." She turned and flew toward the stairs. Tessa followed after her, descending into the dimly-lit veterans' quarters. The dark blue hallways gave way to the occasional opening leading into a room. Volcarona rounded the corner and flew over toward a glowing orb. She hovered next to it while Tessa proceeded in through the doorway.

The last time Tessa went in her mom's room was when she asked to speak to Milotic in private. She didn't pay any mind to the room's condition. This time, however, she stiffened upon entering. 'This doesn't look right,' she thought. 'This place is totally torn up! Papers… books… everything's strewn about so carelessly. It's not like Mom at all.' She took a cautious step forward, over a book that lay face down on the floor. 'Milotic said nobody has touched her room since she left. Could Mom really have left it like this?'

Her brow furrowed. 'Hang on. Gallian did show up here a few days ago. Maybe he did this? No, Serperior said Gallian hadn't done anything.' She shuffled forward, stopping at a pile of papers scattered across a rainbow carpet. Tessa knelt down and picked the papers up, only to frown. Most of them had doodles drawn on them.

'Are these… feathers?' she wondered, flipping through the pages. As she did, the doodles steadily transformed from feathers, to a large, bright-red bird with a golden outline. Tessa squinted. 'There's some stuff written here? 'Rainbow Wing… summon her… use the scarf…' Huh?'

She flipped to the last drawing, which just consisted of massive amounts of black scribbling with the words "Save him," and "It's not too late. Get the ash," repeatedly scrawled on the page. Tessa reflexively brought a paw toward her scarf. Images flashed through her mind, showcasing the numerous times she had seen one of her parents wearing the scarf back when it was in one piece. Tessa frowned and dropped the papers back to the floor. She wandered over toward the desk. The light was much darker in this part of the room.

"Um, hey, Volcarona? Think you could detach that luminous orb and bring it over here?"

"Zzznnrkk… hrrrkkk… huh?" Volcarona sputtered, jolting to attention. "Oh. Sure." She detached the orb and flew it over to Tessa, who accepted it and placed it on the corner of the desk. A frown immediately returned to her face. The first thing she noticed was giant blotches of spilled ink. The stains had dried up, so her attempts to rub them away proved futile. She lifted the orb up and hovered it over the desk.

A cursory examination revealed a map of the Horizon Continent. Her gaze went toward the top-left corner and settled on a large X. Tessa noted the phrase "temple?" scrawled underneath it. Before she could question the sight, she spotted an identical mark at the bottom of the map. 'I wonder what these are for?' she thought.

Her gaze drifted toward the right side of her mom's desk, where more papers lay strewn about. It was another set of doodles. This time, however, Tessa couldn't tell what they depicted. She lifted one of them up and rotated it. All she could see was a thick blue circle, with some bits of white in the center. She immediately recalled the bedtime stories her dad told her about magic portals. A deep pang of sadness tugged at her heart from the thought, prompting her to set the drawing down.

Tessa flipped through the pages. The same doodle was sprawled out repeatedly. Only each subsequent drawing had more jagged lines. The "eye" in the center became steadily more difficult to discern. Eventually, Tessa discovered rough patches in the pages, as if someone had scratched at them with nails or claws. At this point, large red splotches showed up in the drawings.

'Did Mom start bashing her pen against the paper?' Tessa wondered. 'And what are these lines around her drawing?' She squinted, trying to follow the different connections between the lines. 'It kind of looks like the Unown language Dad showed me pictures of… but it's not the same. There are no eyes.'

Tessa reached the bottom of the drawings and froze. She found herself looking at a picture that Magearna had taken. 'I remember this. This is after Gallian got promoted to apprentice rank,' she recalled.

Gallian sat dead center in the picture, a silver guild badge nestled in his chest plume. A slightly-younger Tessa hugged his side. Their mother stood behind them, a slight smile tugging at her lips. And next to her was Incineroar. The rainbow scarf around his neck sparkled in the picture, as did the platinum guild badge pinned to it. He gave a thumb's up toward Tessa.

… or at least, that's what she imagined he was doing. Because his right arm was obscured by a massive blot of red ink, just like some of the doodles she held in her hand. She and Gallian had similar red spots covering parts of their bodies. And a trio of claw marks ran across the picture.

Tessa grit her teeth. 'But if Gallian didn't do this, then…' She pressed the photo to her chest. 'Mom. What's happened to you? I can't even imagine what you're dealing with right now.'

"… I think you oughta get a move on there, pardner."

Tessa stiffened at the sound of Braviary's voice. It was much graver than his usual tone. He walked into Prisma's room, examining the papers and books scattered about the floor.

"Ain't no good coming from poking around here, hoss," he said. "Nothing but memories left, I reckon."

Tessa winced and looked down at the floor. 'Hadn't Vulpix said something about finding Braviary suspicious? No, don't think like that. He's totally nuts. He thinks half the guild's out to get him.'

"I just… I just want to know what happened to Mom," Tessa muttered. "I miss her… I want her to be here with me." She looked up at Braviary. "Did you see her when she left?" He nodded slowly. "Did she tell you anything? Anything at all?"

"Tessa…"

"Don't call me that!" Tessa snapped, before throwing her paws over her mouth. "Oh… s-sorry… I didn't…"

"Look, I don't think it's best for you to dwell on the subject," Braviary said. "Lucario was mighty steamed about something the night she left. I reckon it was the angriest I ever done saw her since the day the two of us met."

'What… Mom was angry? But, she seemed so relaxed when she brought me to Sylveon's house,' Tessa thought. 'That doesn't make any sense…'

"And she done said something about going away fer awhile and not to bother looking fer her," Braviary said, scratching his head. "I don't exactly remember the specifics."

Tessa frowned. 'But Mom told me she was doing a quick assignment!' She pursed her muzzle. 'I mean, that turned out to be a lie. But why would she say something different to Braviary? Or… is Braviary lying to me right now?'

Braviary tried to give Tessa a reassuring smile, but all it did was make her fur stand on end. "Why don't ya head on back upstairs? It's been a heck of a week. Ya need yer rest, pardner." He gestured toward the doorway. Tessa slumped over in defeat and trudged out, passing by a sleeping Volcarona. She ascended the stairs and returned to the main level.

Tessa paused in the middle of the assembly area. 'That's odd.' She glanced toward the wing leading to the dining area and found light streaming out of it. Tessa walked over to the east hallway. As she did, her aura feelers twitched, followed by her ears.

"… I mean, can you believe that little runt? He gets clobbered by a crazed wild Pokémon and he's got the stones to blame me! If all humans are like him, then they're a bunch of dills."

'That sounds like Lycanroc! But who's he talking to?' Tessa crept forward until she approached the cusp of the wall of light spilling out from the dining area.

"Kweh heh heh! That sure sounds like the Snowy we know, don't it?"

"Yeah, the guy's nothing but a grade-A loser. If it weren't for that prissy Riolu following him around he'd be lying at the bottom of Clayback River right about now."

Tessa's aura feelers shot up. 'Team Fang? What are they doing in here? Oh, gods, did Lycanroc let them in? Was Shane actually telling the truth?' Her eyes narrowed. 'And what did Jangmo-o just call me?'

"Hey now, don't be hating on the poor sheila like that, mate," Lycanroc said. "After all, she must've pissed off the Tapus pretty badly to get shackled to a guy like Snowy. I feel bad for her."

"Seriously?" Sneasel scoffed. "I didn't have you pegged as a softie."

"I ain't soft, mate," Lycanroc growled. "I'm letting you two dipsticks take all these berries, ain't I? That's sticking my neck out a ways considering Snowy's got a vendetta against me."

"And we totally appreciate it, dude. We haven't had a decent meal in ages," Jangmo-o chirped. "These berries are berrytacular!"

Smack!

"What have I told you about making up words like that?" Sneasel hissed. "It ain't cute and it makes you look like a wimp."

"S-Sorry, Sneasel," Jangmo-o muttered.

Tessa grit her teeth. 'He let them in so they could steal our food? But why would he do that? No one in the guild thinks he's bad except for Vulpix. Does this mean he was actually right?'

"You mates are a riot," Lycanroc said. "Like I said before, I don't really care. You can trash the place, for what it's worth. Serves these dumb blokes right for letting a cur like Snowy walk around like he owns the place. I don't want our continent going down the drain, but I ain't working with that mangy Vulpix. Espeon and Umbreon can tear this place apart. I'll just lay low and be the top dog in whatever's left of the world."

"Kweh heh heh heh! I like your thinking. You oughta join up with us. We'd make a great team," Sneasel cackled.

Tessa started to turn around. 'I'd better find Braviary again… quickly!'

"Forget it, mate. I work alone. Where do you think the whole 'lone Lycanroc' expression comes from, anyway?" Lycanroc scoffed. "I'm gonna knock Snowy down a peg for spitting on my pride, and then go after the rest of those lousy enabling guild 'mons. Starting with the creep in the helmet."

Tessa froze with one of her paws resting on the wall.

"There's a Shelmet in this guild?" Jangmo-o gasped.

"No, no, no," Lycanroc said. "There's this... this thing that walks around with a giant stone helmet over its face. I mean… I don't blame it. If some god had hit me with an ugly stick that bad, I'd want to hide my face from everyone, too. But I ain't got a clue what kind of Pokémon it is. I just know it makes a Muk look like an attractive mate!"

"Kweh heh heh heh! Sounds like one sorry 'mon," Sneasel cackled. "You oughta let us take a crack at it. We could use a bit of a morale boost."

"Ha! My pleasure, mates. Why not make a little sport out of it?" Lycanroc said. "First one to knock that ugly bitzer's lights out gets first cracks at Snowy."

Tessa had balled her paws into fists, gnashing her teeth. 'Grrr… how dare those jerks!'

"Riolu, are you okay?"

Tessa ignored Steenee's tired mumbling and stomped forward, her eyes burning. "Hey!" she barked, raising up her fists. "What do you crooks think you're doing!"

"Meep!" Jangmo-o dropped the berry sitting in his mouth. "S-Sneasel… it's Miss Prissy-Pants!"

Lycanroc held up a paw. "Easy there, sheila. Ain't looking for no trouble here. I found these two passed out from exhaustion. Figured they could do with a little food, that's all. Ain't that what you guild 'mons are all about... helping folks out and all that jazz?"

"Don't lie to me. If you really found them passed out, you should've brought them to Officer Magnezone. Because they're a couple of outlaws!" Tessa spat. "And I heard what you said about us! I can't believe you'd act like this after we let you in here out of the goodness of– agggggh!"

Tessa yelped in pain as a series of rocks pelted her body, knocking her to the ground. Lycanroc's crimson eyes glowed and he shook out his mane. "You've got things backwards there, sheila. I wanted to try and do good by you folks. But your dumb friend Snowy went and drove a stake right through my pride. And I never forget a slight... no matter how small! Anyone who crosses me gets roughed up! That's how I roll!"

He glanced over his shoulder at Team Fang. "Good news, mates. I think I'm taking you up on your offer. How's about we christen the occasion by kicking the daylights out of this sheila here?"

"Kweh heh heh! Why that sounds positively wonderful," Sneasel cackled. He rubbed his claws together and they hardened into steel. Just as he was about to run Tessa down, however, a stream of glistening, multicolored leaves funneled out from the hallway. Sneasel threw his claws up and slashed them to ribbons.

"Eh? So, you brought backup," Sneasel growled. "Figures you don't have the spine to stand up to us on your own."

Steenee appeared and helped Tessa out from the rock pile. "Are you okay, Riolu?"

"Fine, but we've gotta stop these guys," she growled. "They raided our food supply."

Lycanroc rolled his eyes. "Please. You mates don't need all them berries. And dills like Snowy don't deserve 'em." He planted his paws on the ground and scooped them upward. More rocks appeared in front of him and arced toward Tessa. Steenee stepped forward and whipped the petals on her head around, sending out another volley of glowing leaves. The leaves sliced through the rocks effortlessly.

But Senasel and Jangmo-o took advantage of the opening Lycanroc made. Jangmo-o charged down Steenee while Sneasel disappeared into the shadows. Tessa hollered seconds later, as Sneasel barreled into her from behind. Steenee turned around in surprise, only to end up on the ground next to Tessa, the result of Jangmo-o swinging his glowing-blue tail around and clobbering her in the gut.

"Owww! Unnngh," Steenee groaned.

"Heh, how do ya like them apples? We've picked up a few new tricks since our last scrap, runt," Sneasel cackled.

"Yeah?" Tessa's eyes narrowed and she rolled to her feet. She charged down Sneasel, raising a glowing fist. "Well, you're not the only one, tough guy," she barked, whirling her arm around…

… only for Lycanroc to step in at the last moment and take the blow right in his plume of chest fur. He stumbled back with a grunt, only to flash Tessa a fang-filled grin. Both of his paws glowed brightly and he brought them crashing down onto the top of Tessa's skull. A loud gasp of air escaped her. Tessa crumpled to the ground, gripping her head in agony.

"Sorry, didn't quite catch that? Was that supposed to hurt or something?" Lycanroc taunted, rubbing his chest plume with a paw.

"C-Counter?" Tessa whimpered, stars fluttering around her vision and a harsh ringing filling her ears. "But how–?"

"What can I say? I'm a 'mon of many talents!" Lycanroc said with a laugh. He looked over to see Steenee steering Jangmo-o away with a stream of razor-sharp leaves.

But she didn't stay up for long. Sneasel positioned himself behind Steenee and unleashed a gust of frigid wind. Steenee squealed in pain and stumbled forward. Jangmo-o skidded to a halt. His tail brimmed with blue dragon energy and he once again brought it around, socking Steenee in the side. This knocked her into a nearby stack of crates. They collapsed on top of her. Jangmo-o waited for a second, but the pile didn't stir. He turned to Lycanroc, a grin plastered on his face.

"Nice try, sheilas, but you're outnumbered and outmuscled," Lycanroc sneered. He turned, hocked up a large loogie, and spat it onto Tessa's back. "C'mon, mates. Let's blow this lame little outfit."

"… hey!"

Team Fang turned around and Lycanroc's smirk widened at the sight of a Vulpix standing in front of them on shaky legs. "I was wondering when you were gonna show, Snowy."

"Kweh heh heh heh! You don't look so good, Snowy," Sneasel cackled.

"Yeah, look at his eyes, boss. They're all red and puffy!" Jangmo-o teased. "Is widdle cwybaby Vuwpix sad we hurt his special fwiend?"

Shane drew his lips back into a snarl. "I was right! You are a thug," he said, but his voice cracked while making the accusation. Shane looked right down at the ground, his face going red with embarrassment.

"V… Vulpix!"

Shane spotted Tessa crumpled up on the ground. "Don't be an idiot! Go get help!" she begged.

Lycanroc snarled and whirled around, flinging up several more rocks to bury Tessa. She rolled to her right, wincing as the room spun about. The rocks struck the ground next to her and shattered harmlessly.

"Run, Vulpix!" Tessa shouted. She staggered to her feet, trying her best not to hurl, and lunged at the bewildered Lycanroc. Blue energy encased her paw and she smacked him right in the chest, knocking him back into Sneasel.

"Rrrrrrrgh! Don't let him run off!" Lycanroc roared, falling to the ground. Tessa quickly backed off, fearing another Counter. She glanced at the knocked-over crates and her heart soared at the sight of some oran berries. Tessa scampered toward the crates, scooped up two oran berries, and downed one. Her vertigo quickly subsided and her strength returned to her.

"Help! Help! Thieves in the guild!"

Shane sounded off like a squeaky claxon. Seconds later, a howl of pain sounded. Tessa's eyes widened.

"Yeah. How does that feel, loser?" Jangmo-o's voice resonated through the hall. Tessa tried to run in Shane's direction but Sneasel's form blurred into her from the shadows, knocking her to the floor.

"Oh no you don't," he hissed, icy air gathering around his face. "Consider this payback for those swimming lessons at Clayback Riv– mmmrrrrrrrrrrgh!"

Sneasel's eyes bulged out as Tessa forcefully clamped his mouth shut. He was forced to swallow the ice that he had gathered up. His eyes watered from the frigid air constricting his larynx. Tessa's right paw flared up with blue energy and she backhanded Sneasel across the face.

"Idiot!" Lycanroc snarled, flinging a rock barrage at Tessa. "Taunt after you've gotten your licks in! That's battling 101, mate!"

Panicking, Tessa curled up in a ball around her other oran berry. The rocks peppered her back, drawing a pained squeal. She ate her other oran berry and immediately got to her feet. Lycanroc brought up his fists, ready to face her down. Tessa took a step forward, only to disappear in a blur of motion. Lycanroc swung his paws in her direction, but ended up only hitting air.

"What the–?" He swung his head back and forth, only for his eyes to widen. "Oy!" He lunged at Sneasel and hurled him to his feet. "She bailed on us with Quick Attack! Don't just stand there… get her!" He shoved Sneasel forward and lumbered after him.

No sooner did Sneasel and Lycanroc reach the end of the hallway then a resounding clang echo throughout it. Lycanroc found himself tumbling back down the hallway. He ended up sprawled out on the floor.

Sneasel looked up, his jaw hanging open. "Wh... what are you supposed to be?"

"… Null."

A masked, metal-coated head slammed into Sneasel. Sneasel careened backwards. His momentum came to an abrupt stop when he crashed into Lycanroc. Null turned around slightly. Togedemaru and Trapinch had Jangmo-o pinned to the ground. The former was sitting atop him, digging her spikes into his scales.

"Owie! Owie! Stop! Uncle! Uncle! I give in!" Jangmo-o squealed, his eyes tearing up.

"Yeah, Togedemaru's got some personal space issues," Trapinch muttered. "Good luck getting her off you."

"Ahem?" Togedemaru's cheeks sparked with electricity. Jangmo-o yelped as the current ran down his body. "You want to come here and say that to my face?"

"Please don't! Please don't! I can't take any more of this," Jangmo-o whimpered, only to squawk like a bird as Togedemaru nuzzled him with her spikes again.

"Quiet, you crook," she hissed. "Hey, human. Any luck getting the Guildmaster?"

"I'm trying!" Shane whimpered. "Wake up! Wake up! Can't you tell we're under attack out here?!"

Null turned back around to see a barrage of frost-coated rocks flying right at him. He narrowed his eyes and again hardened his helmet into steel. He ran forward, bursting through a few of the rocks. But he couldn't keep up his charge. The metal dissolved off his mask and the remaining rocks struck his head and torso. Null staggered backward, hissing in pain.

"You made a big mistake taking us on two-on-one, ugly!" Sneasel spat. "Only thing those beady eyes of yours are gonna see are stars. Kweh heh heh!"

Tessa jumped out from behind Null, her paws brimming with bright blue energy. "You leave him alone!" she roared, speeding down the hall. Lycanroc stepped forward, a grin appearing on his face, and braced himself. But Tessa suddenly banked toward the side, leaving Lycanroc staring down Null's frost-coated helmet.

Null conjured up air around his right foreleg and shot an air spear at Lycanroc. While it didn't really hurt him, it made his attempts to Counter dissipate. This allowed Tessa to strike Lycanroc's chest with an open palm, knocking him back into Sneasel. The two ended up atop one another. Tessa and Null ran forward, the former's paws alighting blue once again. Lycanroc groaned and picked his head up, only to blanch in the face of the charging duo.

Lycanroc reached back and grabbed hold of Sneasel. "Huh? H-Hey… what d'ya think you're doing? Put me dooooooooooooooown!"

Sneasel found himself sailing through the air, limbs flailing about in all directions.

Tessa screeched to a halt, falling on her rear. The base of her tail struck the floor, sending a jolt of pain up her spine that made her eyes water. Sneasel beaned her in the head, knocking her flat on her back. He continued his trajectory forward, but Null was ready for him. Null raised a glowing foreleg up and batted Sneasel aside with his claws. Sneasel smacked into the wall and slid to the floor on his belly.

"Kweeeeeeegh… pr-pretty birdies…" he muttered, drool seeping out of his mouth.

"Rrrrrgggh, you two are a couple of useless blokes," Lycanroc growled, glaring at Sneasel. "Doesn't matter. I can take you one-on-one, freak. You ain't so tough!"

That is sufficientary, Null. I can take things from here.

With a wheeze, Null stepped to the side, revealing Magearna. She had one arm pointed at Sneasel and the other at Lycanroc.

"Oy, yer the science sheila, ain't ya? Ha… I'd just like to see ya try getting yer licks in on m–"

Two beams shot forward. One of swirling metallic gray that struck Sneasel in his gut, knocking him out. The other being a steady stream of ice that washed across Lycanroc's body, freezing him solid where he stood. Tessa staggered to her feet, fighting to hide a smirk at the sight of Lycanroc's widened eyes darting about in his icy prison. Null walked over to Sneasel and pinned his down with a foreleg.

"Did you just use Flash Cannon and Ice Beam at the same time?" Tessa gasped.

Correct, Magearna replied. Awhile back I ran a diagnosticary on my processors. I found out that I could overclock my motherboard to one hundred and fifty percent efficacy, allowing for dualmentary attack implementifying.

"In laymon's terms, she reprogrammed herself to use two attacks at once," Togedemaru mused, shoving Jangmo-o's equally-frozen form into the hallway.

You know, it sounds one hundred percent more scientific the way I say it, Magearna grumbled.

Shane staggered into the room. His face was so flushed, one could mistake it for that of a fire-type Vulpix. "Couldn't… get the Guildmaster… up," he muttered. Tessa frowned at him. "What? I did what you guys wanted me to do this time. It's not my fault the Guildmaster could sleep through the end of the world."

Negative. Fact: I am an automaton. Fact: I do not sleep, I recharge my circuits.

Heavy, metallic footsteps echoed off the stone floor. The arranged guild members all backed up against the walls. Metagross walked forward, flanked by a trio of floating magnets.

"Officer Magnezone?" Trapinch gasped. "Wait… Guildmaster, did you already know this was happening?"

KZZRRT… Metagross brought to my attention that the guild was being robbed, Magnezone announced. I take it these are the perpetrators? He pointed to the immobilized trio of Team Fang.

"Yes, sir. I found them raiding our pantry. Who knows how many berries they ate," Tessa exclaimed.

Very well. Magnezone turned to two Magneton deputies. Break the ice and immobilize the culprits with Thunder Wave, please.

"Um, is that really such a good id–?" Shane started to ask, only to watch the ice around Lycanroc and Jangmo-o shatter. Seconds later, electricity crackled across their bodies, rendering them stiff as boards. Magnezone and his deputies then hefted Team Fang into the air using their electromagnetism.

"What the–? Lemme go!" Lycanroc snarled, his body twitching from the paralysis. "This is all Snowy's fault! He's the bad egg here!"

That is a distortion of the facts, Metagross declared, stomping over to Team Fang.

"Hey, don't make me out to be the bad guy here. You guys were caught red-handed," Shane growled. His statement came out as a hoarse squeak, eliciting giggles from Togedemaru and Trapinch.

Fact: after I stopped the human's argument with Lycanroc, I sensed a change in his thought patterns, Metagross announced. Fact: careful analysis led me to conclude Lycanroc would bring trouble into the guild. Fact: Lycanroc intended to foist the blame onto the human and get him expelled from the guild. Fact: Midnight Lycanrocs are confrontational in nature. Fact: they hold irrational grudges. Metagross glanced at Shane. Fact: the human drew Lycanroc's ire with his comments.

Shane tensed up. "Wait… what?"

Warning: do not interrupt my explanation, Metagross growled, eyes flashing blue. Shane whimpered loudly, tails drooping. Fact: I established a mental link with Lycanroc's mind to spy on him. Fact: I discovered him meeting with these outlaws in Aeon Town. Fact: they discussed raiding our food stock. Conclusion: inform the authorities and use the opportunity to test you apprentices.

"Wait, this whole thing was a set up?" Togedemaru gasped.

"What?! You told us this place was easy pickings!" Sneasel snarled, trying to work through his paralysis and glare at Lycanroc.

"I… I didn't… but that don't make a lick of sense!" Lycanroc growled.

Hypothesis: there will become a time when you apprentices have to face difficult odds without a true leader present. Conclusion: use the outlaws as a test run of your abilities to work as a team under pressure, Metagross elaborated. Either you would subdue the outlaws or Magnezone would arrive with backup to defeat them. Based on the results, I calculate my plan was a success.

"And what would have happened if we ran into problems and Magenzone couldn't get here fast enough, huh?" Togedemaru asked.

Fact: the berries that Team Fang ate had rotted. Fact: they should begin to experience symptoms of food poisoning in thirty seconds.

Jangmo-o's eyes widened. "You're kidding! Those berries tasted perfectly scrumptious."

"That's… because… the Guildmaster… had me use Sweet Scent… on them…"

Everyone turned and watched Steenee stagger back into the hallway, gripping her side in pain.

"You were in on this?" Tessa gasped. "But look at how banged up you got!"

"Heh… I was supposed to… discover everything… and wake you guys. But… you kinda beat me to the punch there," Steenee explained, chuckling weakly.

"Owwwwwiiiieeee!" Jangmo-o suddenly groaned. "Sneasel... my tummy… it don't feel too good."

"Rrrrggghh… sh-shut up… Jangmo-o," Sneasel moaned. "Nobody… cares…"

Lycanroc's face turned pale. "This… this is an outrage. Do you hear me!"

Save it for your fellow inmates, criminals, Magnezone stated. Let's move out, troops. He turned and carried off Team Fang. Lycanroc locked eyes with Shane.

"I hope you're happy, Snowy! You got what you wanted. Whoop-de-doo," he snarled. "Savor it for now. Because I swear… I'm gonna break out of yer stupid jail. And then… I won't rest until I've strung you up by your fat, ugly tails!"

Lycanroc managed to fight through the paralysis and spit right on Shane's face. Shane hissed and rubbed his face against his shoulder.

"You ain't no hero, Snowy! Ya got that?" Lycanroc shouted as Magnezone's squad carried him toward the stairs. "Yer just a stupid kid with a big ol' mouth! Yer gonna get what's coming to ya, Snowy! No one crosses me and gets away with it! Do you hear me? No one!"

Enough talking, prisoner.

A spark of electricity flashed along the stairwell, followed by a loud howl from Lycanroc. An awkward silence fell over the guild members.

"Well… uh… I guess we oughta clean things up a bit?" Trapinch suggested.

"Can't it wait until morning?" Togedemaru groaned, yawning.. "I need my beauty sleep! And I'm a bit mad at the Guildmaster, quite frankly."

I had my reasons for acting as I did. Order: I will handle the cleanup of this wing. You are to all return to bed, Metagross said. And you, human, should expect a tongue-lashing from Comfey for leaving your bed.

"Oh, he's going to get more than a tongue-lashing…"

Shane's tails jolted stiff and he looked up to see a very unamused Comfey floating in front of him. "What did I tell you? Twenty four hour bed rest at a minimum! And here you are, running into a battle when your spine isn't even fully healed." Her eyes narrowed at the sight of fresh bruises on Shane's back. "And you got hit in the back again!"

She shook her head. A psychic force hefted a yelping Shane into the air. "Well, you'd best start crossing your digits and praying you didn't do any permanent damage," Comfey declared.

"Wait!" Shane pleaded. He froze in midair. "I just… I just want to know one thing." He turned to look at Tessa and Metagross. "Was… was Lycanroc telling the truth?"

Tessa's snout stiffened. She shut her eyes and nodded. "Yes, Vulpix. He really wanted to help us with this Prism Virus situation… until you insulted him. I told you that Lycanrocs can hold grudges, but I guess you weren't listening... as usual. Your big mouth turned him against us. So, congrats. You were right in the end. I hope you're happy."

Fact: in insisting that Lycanroc was an outlaw you created a self-fulfilling prophecy, Metagross stated. Fact: I will address this with you in your disciplinary session once you have properly healed. He turned his back to Shane. Assuming you can even be healed at all.

Comfey levitated Shane out of the room. His whines grew progressively softer until no one could hear them. Following Shane's exit, the rest of the guild members started to make their ways back to their lodgings.

"… that was… pretty harsh back there…"

Tessa froze in the middle of the assembly area and glanced back and Null. "Don't tell me you're actually defending him. He's been a total jerk to you!" she said.

Null looked down. "… yeah. I just… don't think… he means bad. He's just… frightened of me. Just like… he was frightened… of Lycanroc."

Tessa bit her lip. "But… he sure didn't sound frightened. He sounded… more like a know-it-all. And he doesn't have a reason to be scared of you. You're a nice Pokémon! You're…"

"… Riolu… I appreciate it. But… look at me…" Null walked forward, giving Tessa full view of his patchwork hide, emphasizing the mosaic of fur and scales. "… I don't… give off… a very inviting… first impression."

"So? Mom always told me not to judge another Pokémon by its looks… or even its aura," Tessa said.

"… okay…" Null muttered. "But Shane… wasn't raised that way. He… certainly wasn't raised… as a Pokémon." Tessa stiffened and her gaze fell to the ground. "He's just reacting… to the sight… of something… bigger and scarier… than him."

"If… you want him to change… you need to provide him… with a good example… of what he should do," Null continued. "… be his… role model… or something…"

Tessa bit her lip. "For Vulpix? I…" She shook her head. "Sorry… no. That's asking too much of me. I can't be a role model."

Null sighed. "… tell you what. Why don't… we talk it over more… during some assignments… tomorrow?"

Tessa's expression brightened up. "You mean it?"

"… you could do… with a good distraction. G'night," Null said. He shuffled toward his room, wheezing loudly.

Tessa ran forward and embraced Null's right hind leg. He cringed from the contact. "Thanks, Null," Tessa whispered.

"… whatever…" Null muttered, and then walked back toward his room.

Tessa yawned and retreated to her room. She flopped down on her pillow and rolled onto her back. Her muscles began to ache. Tessa's eyelids fluttered closed. Her head lolled to the right. She glanced a portion of the full moon shining through a crack in her window.

'Wait… since when does the moon glow purple?'

XxX

SPOILER: Click to show

{Boss Description & Trivia (click here!)}Pesky, Petty Crooks, Team Fang
Lycanroc has lent his strength to Team Fang, making a pair of annoying thieves into a giant headache for poor Team Radiance. Though Sneasel and Jangmo-o pride themselves on their abilities, the fact is that they have a very short list of successful crimes under their belt. The list is so small, they haven't even been acknowledged as legitimate outlaws... well, until now.

If you're thinking to yourself that this episode felt familiar, you're right! This whole episode was an inversion of, coincidentally enough, chapter 6 from the Explorers games, where a band of outlaws called Team Skull (no relation to Alola) join the guild and pull the wool over the guildmaster's eyes. They generally make life miserable for the hero and partner, but your guild mates step in to pick things up.

In this story, I flipped it upside down. Lycanroc was not a criminal. Shane drove him to act out, instead. And instead of the guild rallying to Shane's side, his behavior turns pretty much everyone against him. Hope you got a kick out of this bait and switch maneuver.

Avatar by Jordy (https://toonirl.tumblr.com/), personal commission.

Firebrand

Posts: 194

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Guiding Light (T) Aug 14, 2018 22:59:44 GMT

Post by Firebrand on Aug 14, 2018 22:59:44 GMT

Well, this didn't turn out like I thought it would.

I'm glad that Sneasel and Jangmo'o made a return, because I think they make a good yardstick for Team Radiance's progress. This is really tangible proof that at least in terms of power level, Tessa has come a long way since the early chapters where she was introduced. If it wasn't for all the confusion, and Lycanroc backing up Team Fang, I think she would have been able to handle those two on her own. She definitely was much more effective than their first few encounters.

And Lycanroc definitely came as a twist! You really deliberately played up the Team Skull/Skuntank parallels, and I definitely fell into the same line of thinking as Shane as far as Lycanroc was concerned. I really did think that Lycanroc was involved with Team Fang from the get go, but apparently not! This really just drives home the point further that this isn't one of Shane's video games, and that things in Horizon aren't quite so black and white. I'm definitely going to have to keep this in mind going forward so I don't get fooled like Shane did again ^^;

I hope this isn't the last we see of Lycanroc though, he's definitely an interesting guy, and now that we've seen the whole picture, I can definitely appreciate him wanting to protect his home, even if it does put him at odds with our heroes.

As far as Metagross's plan goes... that's definitely an odd gambit. I guess I can see the logic in it, especially the fallback plan of giving the bad guys food poisoning, but it does seem a little risky. Then again, when you've got a supercomputer for a brain (or is it just four brains? I forget) then I guess when the narrative works out exactly like he plans you have a little more leeway to just say "Nope, he really is that smart and can predict this stuff, because he has four supercomputers for a brain or something."

As far as the bonus goes, it was pretty cute, but I also think it gives us some interesting information re: Solgaleo and Lunala. Obviously when Lunala took her sabbatical she got infected/possessed by Necrozma. I noticed the pronouns she was referred to by changed, and wasn't sure if that was deliberate. If so, it pretty clearly cements the fact that Lunala is not the same 'mon anymore. But I think more interestingly is that Solgaleo sounds different in the flashbacks too. The Solgaleo we see here is a really sweet, good-natured guy, and that's in sharp contrast to the acerbic and pushy voice we hear in Shane's dreams. I don't think you've given us any reason to doubt that the dream-voice isn't actually Solgaleo, so I wonder what happened to him in the intervening few years to change him from the 'mon we see here to the one Shane encounters in his dreams.

THE HALVARSAGA

THE AMAZING HAWLUCHA MAN

Ambyssin

Definitely a winter

Posts: 110

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Guiding Light (T) Aug 17, 2018 0:22:06 GMT

Post by Ambyssin on Aug 17, 2018 0:22:06 GMT

SPOILER: Click to show

{Firebrand (click here!)}

Aug 14, 2018 22:59:44 GMT Firebrand said:

Well, this didn't turn out like I thought it would.

Pretty much sums up my thoughts on this story... and I'm the one writing it. :V

I'm glad that Sneasel and Jangmo'o made a return, because I think they make a good yardstick for Team Radiance's progress. This is really tangible proof that at least in terms of power level, Tessa has come a long way since the early chapters where she was introduced. If it wasn't for all the confusion, and Lycanroc backing up Team Fang, I think she would have been able to handle those two on her own. She definitely was much more effective than their first few encounters.

You're absolutely right. Though, for their parts, Sneasel and Jangmo-o were packing a couple of new moves of their own that they put to good use.

And Lycanroc definitely came as a twist! You really deliberately played up the Team Skull/Skuntank parallels, and I definitely fell into the same line of thinking as Shane as far as Lycanroc was concerned. I really did think that Lycanroc was involved with Team Fang from the get go, but apparently not! This really just drives home the point further that this isn't one of Shane's video games, and that things in Horizon aren't quite so black and white. I'm definitely going to have to keep this in mind going forward so I don't get fooled like Shane did again ^^;

Don't feel bad. You're not the only one and this is exactly what I was going for. So mission accomplished! And if it makes you feel any better, this chapter has a moment that'll let you do an "I was right" dance.

I hope this isn't the last we see of Lycanroc though, he's definitely an interesting guy, and now that we've seen the whole picture, I can definitely appreciate him wanting to protect his home, even if it does put him at odds with our heroes.

Bear in mind the comments made about holding grudges, though. Lycanroc may have wanted to help Horizon, but as you saw he happily through that aside for the sake of personal pride, so he'd be very keen on paying Shane and Tessa back for his humiliation.

As far as Metagross's plan goes... that's definitely an odd gambit. I guess I can see the logic in it, especially the fallback plan of giving the bad guys food poisoning, but it does seem a little risky. Then again, when you've got a supercomputer for a brain (or is it just four brains? I forget) then I guess when the narrative works out exactly like he plans you have a little more leeway to just say "Nope, he really is that smart and can predict this stuff, because he has four supercomputers for a brain or something."

Don't try to overthink it, here. It was supposed to come off as rather odd. Perhaps, down the road, you'll look back at this moment in a bit of a different light.

As far as the bonus goes, it was pretty cute, but I also think it gives us some interesting information re: Solgaleo and Lunala. Obviously when Lunala took her sabbatical she got infected/possessed by Necrozma. I noticed the pronouns she was referred to by changed, and wasn't sure if that was deliberate. If so, it pretty clearly cements the fact that Lunala is not the same 'mon anymore.

Well, the other guess would be that there are actually two Lunalas running around. :V

But I think more interestingly is that Solgaleo sounds different in the flashbacks too. The Solgaleo we see here is a really sweet, good-natured guy, and that's in sharp contrast to the acerbic and pushy voice we hear in Shane's dreams. I don't think you've given us any reason to doubt that the dream-voice isn't actually Solgaleo, so I wonder what happened to him in the intervening few years to change him from the 'mon we see here to the one Shane encounters in his dreams.

Hmm... well, that's one way of thinking about it. If I were you, I'd compare the voice in Shane's dreams to all the ones you hear in that bonus. I do admit that font styling was intentional. Thanks again for reviewing! ^^

XxX

Chapter 24: Rocky Road to Recovery

Tessa poked at the grass with a digit. "… and then, even though he almost got himself killed, Vulpix flew off the handle at Lycanroc. That set Lycanroc off, Mom. Next time I ran into him, he had let these outlaws called Team Fang into the guild. I heard them badmouthing us and when I tried to stop them, they attacked me!"

From her position beside her daughter on the clifftop, Prisma scowled. "Well, I'm sorry you had to go through that, Tessa. But I did warn you, didn't I? Vulpix is nothing but bad news."

"I know, Mom," Tessa sighed. "It's just… you always taught me never to turn my back on someone." She looked up at her mom. "That, as an aura Pokémon, I need to try my best to help others."

Prisma rolled her eyes. "Well, it's nice to see at least something I taught you sank in," she declared stoically. "But you're forgetting my very first lesson: your own safety comes first. You're still young, Tessa... an woefully inexperienced. If you keeping sticking your neck out like that, something bad will happen."

"You mean… like what happened to Dad?" Tessa muttered. Her eyes widened and she threw her paws up over her muzzle. "I… I'm sorry, Mom," she squeaked.

Prisma's eyes flickered dark red and she balled her right paw into a fist. "It's fine, Tessa." She took a deep breath. "I know I'm not in Horizon right now, but that's no excuse to develop a reckless streak." She leaned over and rubbed Tessa's head with her snout. "You're my pup. I have an obligation to look out for you."

Tessa nodded slowly. "Uh-huh. I'm just… not really sure what to do about all of this."

"That's a decision you ultimately have to make on your own. All I can tell you is what I know from the Pokémon I'm helping," Prisma said.

Tessa pursed her lips and took a deep breath. "Mom… are you protecting Lunala?"

If Tessa had managed to catch Prisma off guard, she didn't show it. "What would give you that idea?" Prisma asked.

"A few things that happened today, actually," Tessa admitted. "When Vulpix called Lycanroc a crook, he said that he's having visions in his dreams where Solgaleo speaks to him."

Prisma clenched her jaw. "He… he said that?" She glanced around the area for a few seconds, drawing a concerned look from Tessa. Prisma's calm demeanor then returned. "I suppose that's actually a good thing. It must mean that Solgaleo is safe as well."

"From the Prism Virus?" Tessa asked. "That's what you're protecting Lunala from, isn't it?"

"Prism Virus? Where did you hear that?" Prisma asked, her brow furrowed.

"From an Espeon and Umbreon that are causing trouble in Horizon," Tessa replied. "I've met them a few times, actually. They keep trying to take my scarf. They say it's so they can 'infect me.'" She looked down and fidgeted with the scarf. "Vulpix says that a virus is a deadly sickness from the human world."

Prisma turned away from her daughter. "Tessa, don't listen to that. For all you know, he could've been lying to you."

Tessa shook her head. "I don't think he was. I felt ripples of his aura, Mom," Tessa said, rubbing her aura feelers. "I'm getting a bit better at it, actually." Prisma raised a skeptical eyebrow at this. "He seems very worried and agitated about this," Tessa continued.

Prisma's gaze sharpened. "What else did Vulpix tell you?"

"Solgaleo warned him that an unknown force is trying to upset the balance between day and night," Tessa said. "It might be this Prism Virus thing that Espeon and Umbreon are trying to spread. That's what got Vulpix very mad at Lycanroc. He thinks that someone's controlling Espeon and Umbreon." She picked at some grass on the clifftop. "He… he said Solgaleo told him Gallian is behind all of this."

Prisma tensed up. "And you honestly believe him? You really think Gallian is capable of something like that? Are you even listening to yourself right now?" she scoffed.

Tessa whined softly. "Mom. Gallian might be infected." She looked over, but saw no surprise on her mother's face. "I ran into him recently. He looked a bit like the other infected Pokémon I've seen."

"I... I see," Prisma whispered. "It seems... that things have gone quite downhill since I left." She rubbed the bridge of her snout. "Nevertheless, I'm afraid there's nothing I can do about it."

"Because you have to protect Lunala, right?" Tessa squeaked.

Prisma stiffened again. "Well… um…."

"Mom, we also got a call from the Expedition Society," Tessa said. "They think there's something wrong with the weather. And they said the moon's been full for an unusually long time." She poked at the grass again. "I noticed it too. The moon went from quarter-full to completely full too quickly. And just before I fell asleep, I saw it glowing purple." She leaned over to rest her head on her mother's shoulder. "It's because of Lunala that you're gone, isn't it?"

Prisma gave a defeated sigh. "You ought to give yourself more credit," she said. "I'm surprised you were able to pick up on that. Clearly, your father rubbed off on you more than you think."

Tessa's face flushed at this. "It's nothing," she mumbled.

"In any event, you're right," Prisma said. "I was called away to help tend to Lunala. She managed to reach out to me through a dream. Pretty much like what I'm doing now. When I found her, she said that some sort of otherworldly creature had attacked Celestial Island, ranting and raving about 'taking back the light that's rightfully mine.' She and Solgaleo had to flee, but ended up getting separated in the ensuing chaos. The escape left her on the verge of death. She's been in the process of recovering ever since. While she does, I'm supposed to keep her safe."

"So, you've really been hiding with her for seven months?" Tessa asked. "That's… a very long time."

Prisma's brow furrowed. "I know. That's because she's having difficulty recovering. Lunala thinks something is feeding off the cosmic energy she keeps trying to gather." Prisma crossed her arms. "But I haven't been able to sense anything with my aura sight. Perhaps it's the Prism Virus? I wouldn't exactly know how to sense energy that's not of this world."

"What's going to happen to Lunala, then?" Tessa asked.

"Well, none of us are giving up yet. Especially not Lunala," Prisma said. "We're trying to figure out a way to stop the Prism Virus from siphoning Lunala's energy. If we can at least stall it, Lunala might be able to return to full strength."

"And what about Solgaleo?"

Prisma shrugged. "No idea. If Vulpix is telling the truth, he probably knows what happened to Solgaleo. But…" Her eyes narrowed. "As I said before, I think it's in your best interest to avoid him."

"Yeah," Tessa whispered.

"I mean, look at what's happened, Tessa. He keeps running into the Prism Virus. For all we know, it could've been the force that brought Vulpix here from the human world," Prisma pointed out. "I know that your father and I have dealt with more than our fair shares of trouble, but I need you to promise me you'll try to stay clear of this."

"But," Tessa poked her index digits together, "Null told me I should try being a role model for Vulpix."

"Null?"

"He's, um, a friend I made," Tessa mumbled, earning a confused look from Prisma. "He joined the guild after you left. It's, uh, kind of tricky to explain."

"Well, if he's your friend, couldn't you just team up with him instead of Vulpix?" Prisma proposed. "I'm just trying to keep an eye out for you."

Tessa squeaked as her mother leaned over and embraced her. "I… I'll try, mom." She gave a yawn and lay down on Prisma's lap. It wasn't long before her eyelids closed and the dream melted away around her.

XxX

~Aeon Observatory~

Tessa arced her back as she walked out toward the main assembly area. It cricked several times, causing her to flinch. "Oof. Boy, am I sore." She froze and looked around. "Huh, where is everyone? Isn't it assembly time?"

"Braviary cancelled it after all the hullabaloo yesterday," Togedemaru answered. Tessa turned toward the northern hallway, where Togedemaru sat on top of a large box. "And yes," Togedemaru said, "he specifically used the word, 'hullabaloo.' And now Magearna won't stop talking about it." She hopped off the box and rolled toward Tessa. "Word around the Observatory is you and Null were thinking of taking on assignments today."

"And, what, you want in or something?" Tessa asked.

"You're darn tootin' I do!" Togedemaru declared. She froze upon completion of that sentence. "Oh, for pity's sake." She smacked her forehead. "Now Braviary's got me talking like a wastelander, too."

"Tessa! Tessa! Tessa! Tessa!"

Tessa turned around in time for a speeding brown ball to barrel into her, knocking her to the ground. When the stars faded from her vision, she found Eevee's beaming face staring down at her. A wicker basket dangled from his snout.

"Hiya, Eevee," Tessa mumbled. She sat up and rubbed the back of her head. "I see you're… getting pretty quick on your feet. Where's the fire?"

"Did someone say fire?" an excited voice barked from the infirmary wing.

"Hey! I told you to stay in bed, Growlithe. Don't make me immobilize you," Comfey's exasperated voice called.

Trapinch scrambled down the stairs, looking about in a panic. "Oh, there you are. You can't just go running down into the guild like that, you know." He walked over toward Eevee and Tessa. "Are you okay, Riolu?"

"Peachy," Tessa muttered. "Eevee was just telling me what brings him to the guild this morning."

"Itch a speciuhl dewivewy," Eevee chirped, his basket muffling his speech. He set it down and took the cloth off the top of it. "We're a little late, but Mommy and I wanted to give you something to congratulate you on one month in the guild. Ta-daaaaah!"

Tessa leaned over to look at the basket. She found a set of smiley-faces staring back at her. "They're cookies!" Eevee squeed. "Mommy baked them… and I did the razz berry frosting. Aren't they great?"

Togedemaru looked at the basket. Drool dripped down her mouth. "I'll say! And they smell amazing." She walked toward the basket.

"Hey! Hey!" Eevee stepped in the way and swished his tail in Togedemaru's face. "They're for Tessa. If you want some, buy them from the Kecleon Shop. Mommy just brought some over."

Togedemaru's eyes widened. "She did?" She pivoted to Tessa. "Don't go leaving for any missions without me. I'll be back lickety split!" She curled into a ball and rolled off toward the stairs, yelling, "Dang it, there I go again! Get out of my head, Braviary!"

Tessa shook her head and picked up the basket. "Well, thank you very much for these, Eevee. I'm sure I'll enjoy them after a busy day of exploring."

Eevee pouted. "Aww, you're not gonna eat them now?"

"Sorry, Eevee. Mom may not be here, but I still promised her no sweets in the morning," Tessa said. "Now, go on. Tell Sylveon I said hi."

"Okay!" Eevee chirped and sped back off up the stairs.

"Hey, wait. I'm supposed to escort you out!" Trapinch groaned, and then scurried off after Eevee.

"… he a friend… of yours?"

Tessa's fur bristled and she spun around. "N-Null!" she squeaked. "Morning. You… you really shouldn't sneak up on folks like that."

Null shook his helmet about. "… can't you… sense auras?"

"Not when I'm not paying attention," Tessa said. "But that's neither here nor there. Are you okay with Togedemaru joining us today?"

Null stretched his neck out. "… I'd rather… she didn't. She talks… too fast…" He finally managed to focus his gaze on Tessa. "But you were... being rhetorical… right?"

Tessa raised her paws innocently. "You got me there. Let me just drop these cookies off at my room and we can take a look at the mission board, okay?"

"… sure."

XxX

Shane grimaced, his face scrunching up in pain. Whimpering, he tried to stretch out his lower legs, but they spasmed uselessly. The curtain in front of his bed swished open. Unable to lift his head, Shane could barely glance Comfey floating in front of him.

"Goodness, you're an absolute mess," Comfey gasped. Shane's fur was disheveled, his tails edges' were frayed, the tuft of fur on his head was knotted up, his eyes were bloodshot, and the welt across his back had blackened. Sweat had pooled around his body overnight, leaving a damp stain across the bedsheet.

Shane paid Comfey no mind. With a groan, his head twitched against his pillow. Comfey spotted the flushing under Shane's eyelids and frowned. She floated over toward him and gently placed a hand on his head. Startled, Shane barked loudly. Comfey quickly pulled her hand back.

"Yup, your forehead's on fire," she said, waving her hand about to cool it off. "You're running a terrible fever." She gave Shane a disapproving look. "I told you not to run around after I put Synthesis bulbs on your back. Instead of going to heal your back, they went to uninjured parts of your body and made you sick." She let out a long sigh. "Which I means I can't try using more Synthesis bulbs on your back. This just complicated things considerably. What do you have to say for yourself, mister?"

Shane didn't respond. In fact, he didn't even meet her stern gaze. He stared blankly at the wall. With a whimper, Shane tried to stretch a foreleg, only for it to tremble.

"Can you hear me?" Comfey asked. She leaned in toward Shane, but froze at the sound of Shane weakly gasping for air.

"Help… me…"

"Vulpix, are you alright?"

Shane met her gaze with a dazed look in his bloodshot eyes. "Car… crushing… me…" he wheezed. "Hurts… everything huuuuuuurts…"

Comfey frowned. "What's a 'ca-hurr?' Oh, dear. I think the fever's made you delirious."

"So… much… pain…" Shane whimpered. A shiver ran along his body. He again tried stretching out a foreleg but it twitched unresponsively. Shane started to hyperventilate.

Worry flashed across Comfey's face. "Hey, human, calm down. I can't heal you if you're acting like this," she said. She floated over by Shane's face and waved an arm in front of it. Shane continued grimacing in pain.

"Um, is Vulpix gonna be okay?"

Comfey looked behind her and noticed Araquanid standing in the center of the infirmary, looking about in confused. "I'll be with you in a minute," Comfey said, before mumbling under her breath, "… or five." She exhaled and released a small cloud of pink gas that encased Shane's body. His breathing progressively slowed and his widened eyes narrowed. Comfey again floated in front of him and noted his pinprick pupils darting about the room.

"Wh… wha–?" he blinked several times. "Where… how did…?"

"Vulpix? It's Comfey. You're in the infirmary, remember?" she said, waving her hand in front of his face for good measure.

Shane's breathing continued to slow and his eyes fluttered shut. "Oh, right," he rasped. "I must've had a nightmare or something. Is it morning already?"

"Yes, and it looks like you have a fever," Comfey exclaimed. "I'm going to have to take care of that before I can even attempt to fix your back. Assuming I can fix it at this stage."

"… what does it matter? If I got a fever… I deserve it. Just leave me here and go deal with everyone else," Shane muttered. He tried to roll over in his bed, only to hiss in pain as his back seized up.

Comfey's cheeks puffed up. "Oh no you don't, mister." She gave him an unamused look. "You're in my infirmary and that makes you my patient. My treatments aren't going to be effective with that kind of attitude. So, take your self-pity and stuff it into whatever clump of brain you pulled it out of."

"It's not self-pity if it's true," Shane said. "Didn't you hear them last night? All of this is my fault."

"I see," Comfey said. Her body glowed with a soft blue aura and, next thing Shane knew, there was a Stufful floating next to Comfey.

"Uwaaaaagh! I don't want to see that little guy," Shane hollered, trying to bury his face in his pillow but finding himself unable to move. "He thinks I killed his mom."

"What, this?" Comfey looked at the Stufful. "This is a doll I made. He's Mr. Bluey. When you're feeling sad, you hug him and then you feel a little better." She set the toy down next to Shane, who eyed it with a look of disbelief.

"How's that supposed to make me feel better?" Shane said.

"Well, it would help if you could actually hug it," Comfey admitted. Shane gave her a scathing look. "But, as it stands, it's a reasonable distraction for me to do… this!"

A flash of light blinded Shane. He needed a good minute to get his vision back in order. When he did, he found Comfey floating in front of him. "Just what was that all about?" he groaned.

"I needed to discombobulate you a little bit so I could apply my special fever cream to your forehead," Comfey said.

"Magearna taught you that word, didn't she?" Shane groaned.

"Actually, it was Metagross, but that's beside the point," Comfey chuckled. "Now, I'll need you to lie perfectly still for the next few hours while the cream takes effect. Not that you can really move, from what it looks like. Oh, you might feel faint and the cream may cause some chills. But you're an ice-type, so it won't be that bad compared to when I use it on normal Pokémon. However, there is the matter of cooling you off."

"Cooling me off?" Shane parroted. He repeatedly flexed his brow, now aware of the cream's presence in his fur.

"Yes. Your body temperature is supposed to be pretty low, after all," Comfey said. "Look at all the sweat you're generating. Odds are you're teetering dangerously close to getting dehydrated. And that's very bad for an ice-type. In my medical opinion, the best way to get you back to normal would be an ice bath."

Shane's eyes widened. "What? You can't make me do that. I chickened out of three polar plunges back in the human world, you know."

"It's either that or you stay bedridden for gods only know how long," Comfey said. She turned and floated over toward Araquanid, leaving Shane lying there with a dumfounded expression.

XxX

~Clayback River~

Tessa shuffled backward, her left leg dipping into a pile of clay. "That's a lot of Wingulls," she said.

In front of her, a flock of Wingulls hovered around a pile of golden coins, repeatedly squawking, "Our treasure! Finders keepers!"

Null grimaced. "… I don't… have any… effective way… to hit them…"

Togedemaru stepped forward and puffed out her chest. "Then isn't it a good thing you've got me here? Behold… my brilliant strategic plan." She pivoted to glance at Tessa. "You learned Thunder Punch, right? Quick, sock me right in the back and launch me toward those Wingull."

"Are you nuts?" Tessa said. "Better yet, did Vulpix put you up to this?"

"Pfbt, please. There's a difference between science and stupidity. It's just hard to tell when you're not trained to appreciate said differences," Togedemaru scoffed.

Sweat drops ran down Tessa's head. 'I think that was supposed to be an insult.' Nevertheless, she stepped forward, allowing electricity to encase her fist. When her foot was free of the sticky mud puddle, she lunged at Togedemaru. She swung her fist in an upward arc. In contacted Togedemaru's back. Much to her surprise, the electricity rushed inside Togedemaru's body. The force of the punch shot her into the air.

"Now, time to light this flock up," Togedemaru declared. "Behold, my patent-pending Super Ultra Hyper Lightning Rod-Boosted Discharge Attack! Hyaaaaaaaaah!" Electricity crackled around her cheeks and, seconds later, a swarm of lightning bolts rained down on the Wingull flock.

The Wingulls gave squawks of pain and spasmed about in the air. Togedemaru cut off the attack and landed in front of the coin pile. The Wingulls fell to the ground, forming a sparking heap of comically-charred, unconscious bodies. "Ta-daaaaaaaaaaaaah!" she declared, turning back to her guild mates. "Now, let's grab these coins for Nosepass, so we can get going."

Tessa gave Null a confused look. "Did you see what was scientific about that attack?" she asked.

Null shook his head.

"… tch. Amateurs. I used Lightning Rod to raise the intensity of my attack. Combining that with the angle at which the Discharge struck the Wingulls ensured it was a one-hit KO on all of them. It's a matter of basic physics, duh," Togedemaru explained.

"Oh, okay, that makes it much clearer," Tessa said, her voice filled to the brim with sarcasm. "Give me a second to shift some things around in my pouch so I can fit all these coins."

"Mind the clay pile in front of you," Togedemaru warned. "It can't support your–"

Fwump!

"Auuuuugh!"

"–weight." Togedemaru facepalmed. Null looked beside him and noticed that Tessa had somehow disappeared. He started looking around in confusion. "Stick your left foreleg down, buddy," Togedemaru said. Null did as instructed and felt something grabbing his insectoid exoskeleton. He hoisted his foreleg up, flinging a mud-covered Tessa toward Togedemaru's feet.

Tessa squirmed about. "Ugggh… this is totally disgusting!"

"Are you kidding? It's absolutely hilarious," Togedemaru mused. "The only way it'd be funnier is if it was Vulpix there instead!"

XxX

~Aeon Observatory~

"Wahchooo!"

Shane sneezed, spitting out a mouthful of water that Comfey had tried giving him. "Good gracious. What was that all about?" she gasped.

"Dunno," Shane mumbled. "I've just got this strange feeling someone's making fun of me right now."

XxX

~Clayback River~

"Look at it this way, there are tons of minerals in that silt. When you wash this stuff off, your coat's gonna have a healthy sheen that oughta make Solgaleo blush," Togedemaru chuckled.

"Gee, that makes it so much better," Tessa groaned. She tried brushing silt off her torso, but it just ended up clinging to her paws. "And my pouch is totally ruined, too."

"You can always clean it off back at the guild," Togedemaru said. "I'll just use mine."

"Wait, you've had it the whole time? Then what was the point of making me walk over here?" Tessa seethed.

"It just slipped my mind, that's all," Togedemaru giggled.

Tessa fell backwards in disbelief, landing in the same pile of muddy clay with an unceremonious splash. Null's shoulders sagged and he stepped back to dig Tessa out of the silt once again. She wore an annoyed expression. "I so did not need this happening today," she griped.

"Are you okay?" Null muttered.

"Do I look okay?" Tessa growled, thrashing about and flinging clay onto Null's helmet and body.

Null huffed and released his grip on Tessa. "You wanna… talk about it… or something?"

"There's nothing to say," Tessa sighed. "It's obvious. The powers that be are telling me I can't ditch Vulpix, even though I want to. I'm just going to be stuck with him forever!"

"Hmm? So that's… still bothering you?" Null asked.

"Yes," Tessa said. "I… well… that is…" She poked her muddy digits together. "I'd really rather not say."

"Oooooooooh, but saying that just makes me all the more curious," Togedemaru said, appearing by Tessa's side.

"This doesn't concern you," Tessa huffed.

"Well, maybe I can help you work through your issues from a scientific angle," Togedemaru offered, though her eager grin didn't sell her sincerity.

Tessa slumped over. "No point in hiding it, I guess. You know how yesterday Vulpix said he's been communicating with Solgaleo in his dreams?"

Togedemaru nodded. "Wait, are you saying you actually believe the guy?"

"Yes," Tessa said. "Because the same thing is happening to me."

Null stiffened. "… you're sure?"

Tessa nodded. "I wanted to tell you earlier, Null. But, well, a part of me just thought I was just crazy. Look at how everyone reacted to hearing Vulpix say he's had visions in his dreams. I figured you guys would just laugh at me." Her shoulders sagged. "But it's really happening. Honest. The thing is, I'm not seeing Solgaleo. I'm seeing my mom."

"… you mean Lucario?"

"Wait? Lucario's talking to you? What's going on? Is she okay? Where did she take off to?" Togedemaru asked. Tessa shrank back at her rapid-fire question assault.

"It's… complicated. I don't really feel like explaining it," Tessa said. "The biggest part is that she keeps telling me to leave Vulpix. She said Vulpix will keep attracting trouble and if I stay on his team, I'm just going to get dragged into it. And after everything's that's happened lately, I just don't think I can handle it. Plus, it's my mom. I… I'm always supposed to listen to her, right?"

"You're just now realizing Vulpix is a troublemaker?" Togedemaru scoffed. "Please, I could've told you that day one."

"… you're just… upset… at him… and holding a grudge…" Null muttered.

"Of course I am. He called me a Pikachu!" Togedemaru spat. "Stupid, skinny, overrated little posers..."

Tessa ignored her. "It's just, y'know, I remember what we talked about last night, Null," Tessa said. "About me trying to be a role model and stuff. But I can't just go against my mom's wishes like that. Besides, I can't explore on my own." Her aura feelers drooped. "I'm just not good enough. I'll never be as good as Mom."

"Just ditch Vulpix, then," Togedemaru scoffed. "You and him obviously don't mesh. He'll understand."

Null stepped in front of Togedemaru. "I just… want you to be happy. That's what… friends want… right?"

Tessa smiled, though no one could tell with the mud dripping down her snout. "So, would you be okay if we teamed up, Null?"

"… if it's for you… I can live with it…" Null said, letting out a few rasping coughs.

XxX

~Aeon Observatory~

Shane hovered in midair, barking up a storm. His legs dangled under him unresponsively. "No, please don't make me do this! I don't wanna!" he whined. "It's gonna be painful!"

"For the last time, you're an ice-type. This'll be fine," Comfey sighed. "Now, on the count of three. One… two…"

"W-Wait, wait, wait, wait!" Shane hollered. "I, uh, got Trapinch to sneak me a berry five minutes ago. You can't put me in the ice bath, because I have to wait thirty minutes after a meal to swim."

Comfey gave him an unamused look. "You didn't get any berries. You've spit up everything I've tried feeding you today. That's why we're doing this. You're so dehydrated you won't take in food or fluids. This is for your own good. Stop trying to wriggle out of it." This only made Shane bark even louder. "Oh, for pity's sake. I can't even use Sweet Scent on you right now. I'll need to resort to something else." She tapped her chin. "I think I've got an idea."

She floated back toward her desk and started rummaging through it. "Hey, Vulpix. I've got a picture of Espeon and Umbreon right here. Lycanroc said you've got a crush on one of them, right?"

"What? No! He's lying. I don't have a crush on any–" Shane started, only to freeze at the sight of an old tabloid magazine. A blush overtook his face.

"Pefect," Comfey said. She released her psychic grip on Shane, dropping him into the ice bath with a holler. Frigid water splashed in all directions. Comfey floated up toward the edge and peered down. A circle of bubbles formed in the center of the bath.

"Don't you think that's a bit mean of you?" Dragonair wondered, slithering away from one of the infirmary beds.

"It was the best thing I could think of in the moment," Comfey said. "Unfortunately, it looks like it didn't shock his legs into working again." Dragonair shook her head and slithered out of the room while Comfey levitated Shane out of the ice bath. His head trembled and his teeth chattered. "Oh, don't be so melodramatic," Comfey dismissed. "You're perfectly fine."

"N-N-N-N-No I'm n-n-n-not. I'm f-f-f-f-f-freezing!" Shane squealed. Water streamed down his soggy fur, splatting against the surface of the bath. "G-G-G-G-Gimme a t-t-t-t-towel."

"Hmm, I'm not really sure how to explain that one," Comfey said.

It is entirely possible that Vulpix's human brain is overriding the instinctual desires his species has for colder body temperatertures, Magearna exclaimed. She walked into the room with a towel draped over one of her arms. I soaked this towel in cheri berry as you requestified. She set the towel down and exited the room.

"Excellent," Comfey said. She set her trembling patient down at the edge of the large water trough. "Don't worry Vulpix, this ought to help get some sensation back into your legs."

"Fffffffffforget that. I just… want a b… b… blanket," Shane stammered. "And a parka, a space heater, my Pikachu onesie… and a bathtub full of chicken noodle soup!"

XxX

Metagross lay in the middle of his office, eyes closed.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Metagross' eyes opened and he hoisted his body off the ground. Enter, he stated. The metal door slid open, allowing Braviary and Tessa to walk in.

"Err, Guildmaster. Riolu here has something–"

Stop.

Metagross' eyes flashed blue. Tessa's aura feelers stood on end. She had no doubt the Guildmaster had opted to read her mind instead of hear her out. Fact: you are requesting Team Radiance's termination. Fact: you wish to form a new team with Null. Request: one moment while I consider this proposal.

Tessa didn't have the chance to respond, as Metagross immediately closed his eyes. One second later, they opened back up. Proposal considered, Metagross announced. Fact: the timing of this request directly coincides with the human's delinquent behavior. Fact: terminating your team would absolve you of any consequences you would face as his teammate. Hypothesis: guild members will view this as a means to escape discipline in the future.

Tessa's face scrunched up. 'Oh, great. He's going to shoot me down.'

Fact: this issue is causing you significant distress, Metagross stated, prompting Tessa to grit her teeth. Conclusion: I will accept your proposal–

"You will? Oh, thank you, Guildmaster!"

Order: let me finish, Metagross warned, glaring at Tessa. She scooted closer to Braviary. I will accept your proposal and dissolve Team Radiance… provided you make it through my disciplinary assignment successfully.

Tessa stiffened. "Huh?"

Fact: I will explain when the human reports for disciplinary action following his recovery, Metagross said. He turned away from his door. … assuming he recovers at all. Order: you are dismissed.

"But…"

Dismissed, Metagross stated. Braviary then shooed Tessa out of the office.

"Well, I'm sorry to hear things ain't going well with yer pardner," Braviary said. "I don't suppose there's something I could do fer y'all, is there?"

Tessa shook her head. "I'm sorry, Braviary. My mind's made up on this matter. In fact, I'm going to go tell him right now."

"If you're going to see Vulpix, then I'm afraid you won't be having much of a conversation," Comfey said, floating by the duo with a pair of berries. "The ice bath and cheri berry combination didn't work. I'm afraid I had no other options but to administer a special serum to try and reverse the damage to his spine. I had to put him into a very deep sleep for his own safety. He won't be waking up until its effects wear off."

Braviary gave her shocked look. "Shoot. Was it really that bad?"

"All my attempts to correct the damage in his spine have failed so far," Comfey reported. "This is my last-resort option. I have to keep him asleep, otherwise I risk putting him in a tremendous deal of pain. I wish it hadn't come to this. Vulpix was too out of it to even consent. I just assumed he'd want the treatment..."

"What if this thing don't work?" Braviary asked.

"Then I fear he'll never walk again."

Tessa bit her lower lip. "Um, in that case, can you have someone tell me when he's awake? I need to talk to him," she whispered.

"It could very well be a week before he's up, Riolu. Maybe even more than one week," Comfey warned. "But, I'm sure I can arrange that." She floated away.

Tessa adjusted her scarf. "Well, I'm going off to bed. Sorry, Braviary." She walked off toward the living quarters.

Braviary sighed. "G'night, Riolu." He looked back at the door to the Guildmaster's office. "I sure hope you know what yer doing in there, Mets. Them two basically need a miracle right now."

XxX

~Mellath Bog~

"Tch! How disgusting!"

A pair of sky-blue wings spread apart. Their owner doubled over in a fit of coughing. Espeon turned around, only to flinch and look away from the sight. "We didn't ask you to come, you know. Why didn't you just stay back at Celestial Island?"

Behind her, Lunala rubbed his mouth with a black, crystallized arm. Said arm then spasmed, smacking against his chest. "You told me you were going to infect a dungeon. How could I not miss the opportunity to suck the life out of this worthless swamp's inhabitants? I'm hungry... I want more light." His mouth twitched, and then opened wide. His tongue lolled out to the side. "Even dank, murky light is better than nothing. Even if it tastes like moldy cheese lathered in Garbodor sheddings. It sends the pain away... and that's good enough."

Espeon put a paw up to her muzzle, and then forcibly swallowed the load of bile she stopped herself from spitting up. "Yeah, thanks for that wonderful mental image, buddy."

"What is the point in this, anyway? This is hardly the type of place you're going to get Tapu Fini to come to. Heeheeheehee… it's as depressing as your boyfriend over there," Lunala mused. His jaw tightened. "You two think you're so clever, don't you? You think you won Mistress Zero over by putting your heads together... but you won't fool me that easily. Your relationship is a farce. It's coming apart at the seems. In fact, I think it'll be your undoing. I mean... I'm not surprised. Umbreon just can't seem to put up with you anymore, can he? Look at him. He has an attitude that only the most devout sister could love." His arms twitched and he pulled them against his chest.

"Shut it, batface!" Espeon hissed, the diamond on her forehead sparking. She turned around, only to see her colleague had vanished.

"Oh, did I strike a nerve? Good. Because the two of you disgust me. Just as much as this swamp. You are using my light... power you never deserved. Mistress Zero is wasting my core's energy on you fools," Lunala whispered. From the shadows, he enveloped Espeon with his wings. She stood there, petrified, as his black arms twitched erratically against her fur.

"K-Knock it off, Lunala! You're not funny!" she shrieked, leaping forward and spinning around to face him.

"Really? Because I think I'm hilarious. You're just thin-skinned," Lunala crooned. "Perhaps your precious Umbry is rubbing off on you more than you'd care to admit." He paused, and then a grin spread across his lips. "Then again, he's always rubbed off on you, hasn't he?" Lunala added. "See what I did there... with the double entendre? I told you I'm hilarious!"

A flicker of yellow light caught Lunala's attention. His head pivoted and his red eyes flickered with interest. "Oh-ho! What have we here?" He disappeared into the shadows. Espeon raised a confused eyebrow.

Seconds later, a terrified pair of screams echoed through the swampland. Espeon jumped up onto a tree branch and spotted Lunala floating over a murky pond. He clutched two Lanturns in his metallic limbs. "Finally... some wildlife. A pair of Lanturns whose spirits I can devour. Look at these light balls… bobbing off of their heads. It's not much, but every little drop of light fills that gaping hole in my spirit. I'm so tired of feeling empty. That's why I want your life forces inside of me." He flapped the captive fish up and down, making their antennae bounce around.

"Put them down. Umbry and I call the infection shots, not you."

A red eye appeared inside the black, triangular armor on Lunala's forehead. "Oh? Are you telling me I can't take their light for myself? They live in this Mystery Dungeon. A Mystery Dungeon filled with stardust. Filled with light that was stripped from me. Their life energy is mine. I want this pain gone. I want my full spirit back." He hoisted the Lanturns up so they were at eye level with him. "Are you going to stop me, Espeon? Because I don't care how much Mistress Zero likes you. If you don't let me take their light, then I'm going to rip that tail off your round little behind and strangle you with it!"

Espeon's eyes widened in horror. She stepped back, looking away from Lunala and saying nothing.

"Silence. Good. I'm glad you know where you stand."

"L-Let us go!" one of the Lanturn shrieked. Bright green energy gathered at the tip of her antennae.

But before any attack could fire, the red eye atop Lunala's forehead brightened. Both Lanturn abruptly stopped screaming and seized up in Lunala's arms. Espeon wore a neutral expression as the colors spilled off the Lanturns' bodies. They swirled around Lunala's head before flying into his open mouth. His entire body convulsed, causing him to drop the two colorless Lanturns. They struck the ground and, in an instant, black crystals covered every square inch of their lifeless bodies. Lunala's three red eyes flashed and the crystals shattered. Their remnants dissolved into fine black mist.

"It wasn't much, but at least it took some of the edge off," Lunala said. Espeon turned away, only to jump backwards and give a startled yelp as Lunala teleported right in front of her. "You and Umbreon, on the other hand? You would be quite filling! Your spirits are strong. And they are filled to the brim with Z-Power from my core. The fact that you haven't felled the human yet is a testament to how you have stolen what belongs to me."

He leaned in and saliva dripped onto the ground in front of Espeon. "I want your spirit. I want Umbreon's, too," he said. "Oh yes… I imagine your life energy must taste so sweet... like cotton candy! But Mistress Zero would rather give power that isn't hers to worthless mortals like you. Which is why I can't wait for you two to crash and burn. I'll swoop in and take my light back. And you can spend eternity with your precious Umbry."

Espeon shrank backwards, tail shooting between her legs. "U-Umbry!" she shouted. "You need to hurry up... now!"

Umbreon jumped up onto a nearby rock. "It's finished. All we need to do is wait for the crystals to corrupt the dungeon. That ought to drive Tapu Fini out of hiding." Espeon joined her partner on his perch and looked out across the swamp. Ahead of her, a cluster of black crystals sent out shockwaves of dark energy. As they raced across the swamp, they transformed the murky water into bubbling, fluorescent-purple ooze.

Lunala teleported over to the slime and examined it. He yanked his head back seconds before a particularly large bubble burst. "What an absolute waste! All of this Z-Power getting poured into twisting this landscape, when it should all be working toward giving me back my real body!" He floated up and glared at Umbreon.

Umbreon's brow furrowed. "Take it up with Mistress Zero. She approved our changes to this dungeon. We're leaving. The less time we have to spend around you, the better." Espeon produced an Entercard and opened up a Magnagate behind her. She and Umbreon trotted inside the portal, which then shut behind them.

Lunala wrapped his wings around his torso. "Yes, go ahead. Walk away," he taunted. "Just like the gods. Just like everyone who called themselves a friend. I cannot wait for you to fail once more. Heeheeheehee. Yes, and then I'll take your spirits. Because all light in this world belongs to me… to Necrozma!"

His red eyes flashed and a blue portal opened up in front of him. Necrozma unfurled his wings and flew off into it.

End of Episode 6

XxX

Yes, there you have it: official confirmation we are dealing with Dawn Wings Necrozma. I had started this story before we received confirmation that the version mascots for USUM were Necrozma forms... so I was initially proceeding with plans to use an infected Lunala. She would've spoken with a heavy Slavic accent, to further the vampire parallels. And then the confirmation was made and I changed my story outline to adjust for Dawn Wings Necrozma.

Avatar by Jordy (https://toonirl.tumblr.com/), personal commission.

Firebrand

Posts: 194

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Guiding Light (T) Aug 22, 2018 0:33:23 GMT

Post by Firebrand on Aug 22, 2018 0:33:23 GMT

So that's another episode in the books, huh?

I think a running theme for this entire episode is subverted expectations. I could tell from the start that there were plenty of things happening in this world that Shane and Tessa weren't privy to, but I always kind of assumed that those things would be pretty much part and parcel with the Mystery Dungeon games I played back in the day, and obviously Shane thought so too. Like, human gets brought into this world by a powerful/legendary pokemon to fix something wrong, the stakes ramp up higher, a few plot twists and telegraphed betrayals later and then the day is saved. But this fic has done a great job of taking those genre trappings (I assume they're genre trappings since they appear in all the PMD games that I know of and obviously fic writers will be adopting from that) and turning them on their head.

Lycanroc in the last chapter notwithstanding, I think this chapter pulled the curtain back a little bit that not everything is as it seems on the Horizon continent (and the world as a whole). In Tessa's dream vision, Prisma is being really cagey about what she's actually doing over on the other continent, and she's mostly just letting Tessa fill in the blanks. I guess it's possible that Prisma is being completely above-board about protecting Lunala, but I don't think that's the case. You did mention that there may be more than one Lunala out there, and the one that's been co-opted by Necrozma isn't the one we saw in the Stargazing extra, but I don't think it's as simple a matter as Prisma is making it seem. There's also the connection between Prisma's name and the Prism Virus, which is too close to be a coincidence. This episode has really shone a light on the cast's blind spots, focusing mostly on Shane, but it's fitting that at the end here we focus in on Tessa's as well. At least she has the presence of mind not to blindly trust her mother, but there's still a lot of things we don't know the answers to.

I'm also starting to think that if there's two Lunala, maybe there are two Solgaleo. I'm not convinced Prisma is exactly one of the good guys, but I'm also not sure she's a bad guy either (unless she's the one pulling the strings behind Dawn Wings Necrozma, Espy and Umbry... but I don't think that's the case). Her warning Tessa away from Shane may be actual genuine concern for her daughter, because the forces that brought Shane into this world may not be completely above board either. Like I mentioned in the last paragraph, for me this chapter offered a quick glimpse behind the curtain at the machinations going on backstage. The factions that had been established up to this point are starting to get turned on their head, and outside of Shane, Tessa, and Null, I'm really not sure who to trust. It seems like a lot of the characters in the know are playing their cards really close to their chest, and I don't want to get duped again. From here on out, I'll probably be second-guessing every good guy and scrutinizing every angle for all the bad guys. ^^;

You mentioned in your author's note that you had originally started writing this before the USUM pre-release material confirmed all the Necrozma stuff. I'm a little hazy with the timeline of how this fic developed, tbh, because I only started reading it once it got ported over here. Did you go back and rewrite some things to make it fit into the USUM information better? Because as things stand, they dovetailed remarkably well with the lore the actual canon gave us, so I was happy to go along assuming that most of the Prism Virus stuff just grew out of the established USUM Necrozma information. So I guess I'm just wondering how much of all this did you predict and get right, and how much was tweaked retroactively to fit in better?

THE HALVARSAGA

THE AMAZING HAWLUCHA MAN

Ambyssin

Definitely a winter

Posts: 110

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Guiding Light (T) Aug 23, 2018 23:29:49 GMT

Post by Ambyssin on Aug 23, 2018 23:29:49 GMT

SPOILER: Click to show

{Firebrand}

Aug 22, 2018 0:33:23 GMT Firebrand said:

I think a running theme for this entire episode is subverted expectations. I could tell from the start that there were plenty of things happening in this world that Shane and Tessa weren't privy to, but I always kind of assumed that those things would be pretty much part and parcel with the Mystery Dungeon games I played back in the day, and obviously Shane thought so too. Like, human gets brought into this world by a powerful/legendary pokemon to fix something wrong, the stakes ramp up higher, a few plot twists and telegraphed betrayals later and then the day is saved.

It's funny, because when I started writing this I did intend to poke fun at conventional story elements from PMD. I'm... really not sure at what point this started to morph into a deconstruction fic. I think I just tripped, stumbled around for awhile, and now here we are! *nervous laugh*

But this fic has done a great job of taking those genre trappings (I assume they're genre trappings since they appear in all the PMD games that I know of and obviously fic writers will be adopting from that) and turning them on their head.

I didn't have a particularly good frame of reference when I started writing this. I had read one PMD web-comic (Victory Fire, which is 10/10 would recommend) and one story: Defenders of Warmth. Some of my ideas were inspired by that fic, which focused on Gen V 'mons (prior to Gates to Infinity being a thing) and took place in an original region that was separated from the settings of the PMD games by an ocean. I kinda decided to do a similar thing, but focus on Gen VII 'mons.

Lycanroc in the last chapter notwithstanding, I think this chapter pulled the curtain back a little bit that not everything is as it seems on the Horizon continent (and the world as a whole). In Tessa's dream vision, Prisma is being really cagey about what she's actually doing over on the other continent, and she's mostly just letting Tessa fill in the blanks. I guess it's possible that Prisma is being completely above-board about protecting Lunala, but I don't think that's the case.

Okay, that's good to hear. I revised the scene a bit to make it more... ambiguous. I think the original version was a bit out of character from what I had in mind. Looks like the changes did their job.

There's also the connection between Prisma's name and the Prism Virus, which is too close to be a coincidence.

You are, to my knowledge, only the second person to bring this up in a review at this stage of the story. All other reviews immediately leaped on the Necrozma train and never got off it. So, interesting to see.

This episode has really shone a light on the cast's blind spots, focusing mostly on Shane, but it's fitting that at the end here we focus in on Tessa's as well. At least she has the presence of mind not to blindly trust her mother, but there's still a lot of things we don't know the answers to.

Correct! And the picture is only going to get foggier from here.

I'm also starting to think that if there's two Lunala, maybe there are two Solgaleo. I'm not convinced Prisma is exactly one of the good guys, but I'm also not sure she's a bad guy either (unless she's the one pulling the strings behind Dawn Wings Necrozma, Espy and Umbry... but I don't think that's the case). Her warning Tessa away from Shane may be actual genuine concern for her daughter, because the forces that brought Shane into this world may not be completely above board either.

I'd say those are some good thoughts you're thinking.

Like I mentioned in the last paragraph, for me this chapter offered a quick glimpse behind the curtain at the machinations going on backstage. The factions that had been established up to this point are starting to get turned on their head, and outside of Shane, Tessa, and Null, I'm really not sure who to trust. It seems like a lot of the characters in the know are playing their cards really close to their chest, and I don't want to get duped again. From here on out, I'll probably be second-guessing every good guy and scrutinizing every angle for all the bad guys. ^^;

(insert Mr. Burns "Excellent" here) Just as planned!

You mentioned in your author's note that you had originally started writing this before the USUM pre-release material confirmed all the Necrozma stuff. I'm a little hazy with the timeline of how this fic developed, tbh, because I only started reading it once it got ported over here. Did you go back and rewrite some things to make it fit into the USUM information better? Because as things stand, they dovetailed remarkably well with the lore the actual canon gave us, so I was happy to go along assuming that most of the Prism Virus stuff just grew out of the established USUM Necrozma information. So I guess I'm just wondering how much of all this did you predict and get right, and how much was tweaked retroactively to fit in better?

To start with, the opening to Episode 4, which first truly showcases Necrozma, was not in the original published version. I added it in on revision because, starting with Special Episode 1, each episode was getting a "cold opening." I thought it made sense, therefore, to go back and add one in that showcased a bit of the Prism Virus at work. So, originally, Necrozma didn't appear until the Stargazing bonus, which I think I posted sometime in November, after we already knew Necrozma had multiple forms.

With that said, my original outline for this story had Necrozma as a "sealed evil in a can," so to speak, that would not be appearing until the ending. Instead, a brainwashed Lunala would be driving the plot forward. The plan was to have her behave similar to Antasma, another bat RPG villain, right down to the Slavic accent. However, after initial feedback to the early chapters prompted a major overhaul in the story's direction toward something less purely comical/parody in tone, Necrozma was shifted to have a more centralized role. But since I still didn't know if Dawn Wings was a form or not, I avoided writing either of them in. Luckily, we got the trailers, and I made the adjustments to my story outline to account for them being Necrozma forms. Hopefully that makes sense. Thanks again for reviewing! ^^

Here we have the start of what is, subject-matter wise, probably the darkest episode in the entire story. This is where the content advisories will really come into play. Hopefully you all enjoy, but I put a lot of work into this one and it initially was very well-received.

XxX

~Dewdrop Woods~

"I'm sorry, Captain. I was unable to locate the source of the ultra aura traces you sensed."

Sticky emerged from behind a set of trees. A gray visor sat over his eyes, but it quickly dematerialized by dissolving into purple streams that faded into the harness on his chest.

"… tch. So, this was a waste of time, then?" Gallian growled, seated atop an overturned rock. He rolled onto his back and let his head droop down. He had an upside-down view of the blue-pawed dog Sticky addressed. "I thought Houndooms were supposed to be clever."

Sticky's eyes widened. "F-Forgive him, Captain Luxeira. He–"

The Houndoom raised a blue forepaw. "It's fine, Sticky," she said, adjusting her white, full-body jumpsuit as she got to her feet. "Truthfully, I didn't have a lot of hope, given how weak the signals were. It looks like we were too slow on the draw."

"Yeah… you seem to have a rather nasty habit of that," Gallian sneered.

"Well, perhaps if the terrestrial with the self-professed 'disaster sense' could offer up a little more support, this wouldn't be happening," Luxeira countered, her expression unreadable behind her helmeted visor. "Our partnership was born out of circumstance, but I seem to recall you saying that you 'owed us big time.' Perhaps it's time to you started living up to that promise. Or are the inhabitants of this world the type to renege on their vows so easily?"

"… tch. My disaster sense doesn't give specifics, Captain," Gallian growled. "And it's not going to work unless I'm close to the disaster, literally or figuratively speaking."

"Easy now, you two," Sticky coaxed, floating in between them. "There's no need for petty squabbles. We are here for reconnaissance work, after all. And, even without a source for the ultra aura, it's pretty evident that something transpired in this… this…" He tapped his forehead. "Oh, what do you terrestrials call this location, again?"

"A Mystery Dungeon?" Gallian said.

"Yes, yes. Quite an odd designation. I do not see any apparatuses associated with highly-fortified terrestrial prisons," Sticky mused. "But that's beside the point. What could have torn the landscape asunder like this?"

Gallian sat back up on his rock and rubbed his temples. "First off, enough with the big words. You sound like an uptight stiff. Second, I've got a hunch as to what's responsible."

"Oh? Do tell, rookie," Luxeira ordered.

"It was probably a Bewear," Gallian said, "or five."

Sticky titled his head in confusion. "Captain, are you familiar with that Pokémon? I am afraid I have not encountered it in the past."

"They're really big. And strong. Like, they can snap trees in half just by hugging them. It's the only Pokémon I can think of capable of doing something like this that lives around here," Gallian explained. "I guess the group that did this ran off."

Luxeira got to her feet. "Then it would appear it's time for us to move o–" She froze. Gallian tensed up, digging his claws into the rock. Luxeira's visor flashed. "Sticky! Get a load of this. I'm picking up substantial ultra aura readings."

Sticky pressed the jewel at the center of his harness. His visor rematerialized over his eyes. He placed a stubby hand on his temple and frowned. "I concur, Captain. Off to the southwest. A noticeable surge… and it doesn't appear to be subsiding, either."

"Rookie, what lies to the southwest of this dungeon?" Luxeira asked.

"Uh… that'd be Tethys Tunnel. It leads to an underground swamp," Gallian exclaimed.

"Alright. Sticky, I want you to do some careful observation on this 'Tethys Tunnel' and report back to me posthaste," Luxeira ordered.

Gallian's eyes flashed purple. "No way. Nuh-uh. You're not letting him get anywhere near that place."

"Because, let me guess, 'disaster awaits us if he does?'" Luxeira scoffed.

Gallian glared daggers at her. "Yeah. Pretty much," he seethed.

"Rookie, Team Paradox's first and foremost responsibility is to investigate anomalies that we suspect have ties to Ultra Space," Luxeira declared. "Even without a home, we're not about to abandon that principle."

Gallian pointed his scythe toward Luxeira. "Yeah, and how much have you accomplished here, honestly? Lemme answer that… nothing. Pinhead's not going to Tethys Tunnel, period."

Luxeira stormed over to Gallian's location and grabbed his scythe. The energy forming on it quickly dissipated. "I am your captain. And, as such, I'm ordering my subordinate to investigate Tethys Tunnel."

Gallian's forehead diamond sparked. "Then I'm going with him. Things probably won't end as badly if I'm around."

"Absolutely not," Luxeira said. "Your violent temperament will not do Sticky any good."

"But he's going to run into trouble. I'm sure of it," Gallian hissed.

"Then he will do his best to remove himself from that situation," Luxeira declared, giving Sticky a nod.

"Seriously?" Gallian gave her an exasperated look. "I went to a lot of trouble to get you two TM's so that you could actually defend yourselves out in these Mystery Dungeons. And you're telling me that you're just going to let that go to waste?"

Luxeira flicked her tail. "All members of an Ultra Recon Squad surveillance unit are expected to adhere to a strict nonaggression policy. We observe, but we don't attack unless there are no other options."

"Yeah, fat lot of good that policy did your home, huh?" Gallian muttered under his breath.

"What was that?" Luxeira growled.

"Nothing," Gallian dismissed, turning his snout skyward. "You want to find Tethys Tunnel? Fine. Follow me." Gallian turned and led Luxeira and Sticky back along the forest trail.

XxX

Episode 7: The Great Divide

Chapter 25: Fading Radiance

XxX

"Fooooooooooooooooooooool!"

So loud was Solgaleo's roar that it made the tiny dreamscape island quake. Shane tumbled down the sand and landed in the orange water with an unceremonious splash. Only, to his horror, he realized what soaked him was far more viscous than water. It was more like orange slime. When he managed to trudge back onto the beach, he resembled a normal, fire-type Vulpix.

"I explicitly gave you one direction. Do not disclose our conversations!" Solgaleo bellowed. "And now you've gone and done just that. Do you have brain damage? Because it's not like my instructions were hard to follow."

Shane writhed about, trying to clear some of the ooze off his body, but to little avail. "I… I didn't have a choice. I was backed into a corner there. And besides, I needed to prove a point. It helped out, didn't it?"

"What sort of answer is that? You are the worst chosen one ever!" Solgaleo shouted. "Proving a point is far less important than saving the world, don't you think?"

Shane flinched at this.

"Well? What do you have to say for yourself, human?"

Shane drew his lips back into a snarl. "I get it okay. Tessa, Null, the rest of the guild, and now you, too. You all hate me. Think I'm some sort of screw up, don't you? Well, why'd you bring me here, then? Why did you think that I'd actually be the one who could save your sorry butts, huh? You've given me no sense of direction, extremely cryptic clues, and not a single power boost to help me. How do you expect me to do this when nobody wants to help?"

"Siiiiiiillllleeeeeeennnnce!"

Shane jumped. He glared off toward the horizon, where a sun-shaped silhouette sat. "Well, which is it? You want an explanation or you want me to keep my mouth shut? I'm getting very mixed messages here, bub."

"I do not have the strength to bring forth another human," Solgaleo declared.

"And why not?" Shane huffed. "You didn't answer my first question, either. Why me, huh? What makes me special?"

"I said… silence! If I'm to be stuck with you, I need to make the best of a bad situation."

"Gee, thanks for the ringing endorsement," Shane sneered. "Real words of encouragement from a Pokémon that's supposedly worshiped around these parts. You're supposed to be making me feel better. Picking me up in my moment of need! Instead, you're just putting me down."

"Idiot! I am not here to give you belly rubs and tell you that you're the very best like no one ever was," Solgaleo roared. "This isn't some happy-go-lucky fairy tale where everyone holds hands and skips around in circles belting out songs about friendship and joy. This is a real, dangerous situation. Lives are on the line!"

"Yes, I think that's been made abundantly clear to me at this point," Shane said. "So, what am I supposed to do now?"

"Isn't it obvious? Rally your stupid friend, Riolu, and go after Absol like I told you to!" Solgaleo ordered. "And this time, no more excuses."

"Yeah, uh, and just how do you expect me to do that, big guy? According to Comfey, I broke my spine," Shane admitted.

"So? You are a Pokémon. You should heal up quickly," Solgaleo said.

"Look, I don't exactly know how healing works here. But where I come from, a broken spine is not something you just bounce back from and resume going about your business like nothing happened," Shane elaborated. "Heck, the whole reason I'm asleep right now is that Comfey's trying to use a serum to get my legs working. And if it fails… I don't think I'm ever going to walk again."

His head and ears drooped. "Besides, it's not like Tessa's going to be all that cooperative with me. She totally hates me now. She'd rather run around doing missions with Null. And that guy's the walking definition of creepy." He looked out toward horizon. "So, again, are you sure you've got the right guy? Tessa told me Null just randomly appeared with no memory several months back. And he's much stronger than me. Maybe he's the human you actually brought here? And I'm… just a mistake."

"Null? I know of no Nulls!" Solgaleo responded. "You are the human I summoned. Quit acting like a crybaby and get to work!"

Before Shane could offer a rebuttal, his entire field of vision went white.

XxX

~Aeon Observatory~

Shane's eyes shot open. He blinked rapidly, trying to adjust to the lack of light. 'Great. Not only did that go terribly, I woke up in the middle of the night,' he groaned. 'Things just keep getting better and better in Shane's horrible new reality.' He rubbed his head against his pillow and cringed at the feeling of moisture. 'Looks like I've got night sweats, too,' he sighed.

He squeezed his eyes shut, desperately hoping he could will himself back to sleep. Unfortunately, his brain didn't get the memo, so he continued to lie there, staring up at the ceiling. 'Maybe this is some form of punishment?' he thought. 'Like, I spent all that time playing Pokémon games and doing things online related to Pokémon when I could've, I don't know, volunteered in the community, or whatever. And now, as some sort of twisted karmic retribution, I'm trapped here in what should be a dream come true, only everything's trying to kill me and I haven't made a single friend.'

Shane shuddered. 'No, I can't think like that. I'm not a bad person. I might not be perfect, but that's why the phrase "I'm only human" exists in the first place, right? There are way more malicious folks out there. I need to keep my head up.'

He looked down at his hind legs and tails. 'Come on,' he thought. 'Come on, Shane. You can do this. Move those legs… move them. Come on… come on…' His brow furrowed, he grit his teeth, and held his breath as he tried to bend his knees. Much to his surprise, he saw his legs move ever so slightly toward his thighs.

His expression brightened immediately. 'Did Comfey's treatment work? Can I use these legs again?' With a forceful breath in, he flicked his foreleg back and hit one of his hind legs. The leg in question tensed up from the contact. 'I actually felt that!' he cheered. 'Oh, thank god, it worked. I'm healed!' He let himself fall back against his pillow, panting from exhaustion. Somehow, that brief bit of exertion had managed to drain him of his energy. He quickly fell back asleep.

Several hours later, light funneled in through the curtain, causing Shane to wake up. He stretched out his neck and, with considerable effort, managed to sit himself up. 'Maybe this means I can finally get out of bed without being levitated around,' he hoped.

"U-Um, h-hello? A-Are you a-awake in there, Mr. Vulpix?"

Mimikyu's squeaky voice came from the other side of the curtain. "Come in," Shane said. A ghostly hand drew back the curtain and Mimikyu zigzagged into the room. "What do you want?" Shane asked.

"O-oh… n-no…" Mimkyu looked down. "Are you not supposed to have visitors? I didn't get that memo. Please don't rat me out!"

"Relax, it's fine," Shane dismissed. "Did someone send you over here?"

Mimikyu shook his head. "No. I just, y'know, wanted to see how you were holding up." The little eye slots in his disguise started tearing up. "You've been asleep for a week now and–"

Shane's eyes widened. "A week?!" he gawked.

"Agh! Sorry! S-Sorry! I thought... y'know... someone had already told you," Mimikyu mumbled. "Comfey was supposed to break that news. Oooooh, she's going to be so mad at me."

Shane sat there in stunned silence. Mimikyu stared at him, and then looked down dejectedly. Just as it looked like he was about to leave, Shane snapped out of his stupor. "Wait. You clearly came here for something. What did you want?" he asked.

"R-Right. Sorry. Anyway, you've been asleep all this time, and I don't think a single Pokémon has come to visit you. I thought that maybe you'd appreciate a little company… but then I saw you move behind the curtain. So, I figured you must be awake. Aha ha… ha…" The head of his disguise flopped over, obscuring his eyes.

Shane frowned. "Yeah, I'm not exactly the most popular guild member right now. Thanks for the reminder."

Mimikyu's disguise stiffened. "O-Oh no! Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel bad! I was only trying to cheer you up." He scuttled toward the bed. "For what it's worth, I thought Lycanroc was very scary too."

"Uh, thanks, I guess," Shane muttered, but in the back of his mind, he thought, 'Great. It's like I'm back in my high school cafeteria. No one's letting me sit with them, so I have to slink over to that one table where the kid with hideous braces always sits.'

"Um…" Mimikyu shifted about, sensing the awkward silence. "I, uh, thought you might be hungry. So, I brought you a treat." His spectral arm appeared from underneath his disguise, carrying a small plate. "It's a 'Get Well Soon' Muffin. I made it myself!"

Shane looked at the "muffin," which actually appeared to be several brown lumps held together by a red paste. "I know it doesn't look that good," Mimikyu admitted, "but Steenee tried one and liked it." He set the plate down next to Shane's head.

'Yeah, but how much Sweet Scent did she douse it in?' Shane wondered. 'Well, I am hungry. May as well eat this.' He picked up the muffin and took a tiny, cautious bite of the largest lump. His eyebrows raised. "Huh, you're right. It's not bad." He scarfed the rest of the muffin down.

"I could get some more from the cafeteria if you want," Mimikyu offered. He looked down dejectedly. "Nobody else ate any."

Shane felt a pang of guilt. Clearly, he wasn't the only one failing to fit in. "You know what, that sounds good. Why don't you grab me three or four?"

The head of Mimikyu's disguise perked up. "Okay!" He turned to leave, only to see Comfey floating in front of him. Mimikyu tensed up. "Err, hi Miss Comfey. I, um, was just visiting Mr. Vulpix. Hope you don't, y'know, mind."

"It's quite alright, Mimikyu. But I'll need you to run along. Vulpix and I have work to do," Comfey said. Mimikyu saluted the healer with his shadowy arm and scurried back down the hall.

"Well, so much for breakfast," Shane muttered.

"I don't want you gorging yourself on carbs, mister," Comfey chided. "Not when we need to start rehabilitating those legs of yours."

Shane raised a brow. "Eh? How did you know I can feel my legs again?"

Comfey smiled. "Because you just told me."

Shane flopped back against his pillow. "Looks like I walked right into that one." An unseen force grabbed hold of him and lifted him off the bed. Shane's paws make contact with the floor. Comfey released her psychic grip and Shane collapsed onto his belly. "Ooooooooogh," he groaned. "Warn me before you do that."

"Sorry. In any case, we should get started. I find that most limbed Pokémon need a lot of time to get up and walking again. But since you're a human, maybe things will be different for you," Comfey said.

What followed was several hours of strenuous work for Shane. The net result being that he could shakily get to his feet. However, as he tried to shuffle forward, his hind paws slipped out from under him. Comfey grabbed him with her telekinesis before he could wipe out, and then give him a gentle nudge along. Still, his frustration was clearly mounting.

"Okay… I officially take back… every time I ever… laughed at those cheesy rehab scenes… in inspirational movies." he wheezed.

"Let me get you some water. You're sweating enough to fill up the town fountain," Comfey mused.

Shane dropped to his stomach, sides heaving. "Isn't there a better way… to do this?"

Comfey frowned. "This is the way I always rehabilitate my patients," she exclaimed. "I suppose if you're that desperate there's one other thing I could attempt. But the last Pokémon I tried this on lost all the fur on her legs."

Shane craned his neck back and brushed his sweaty coat with his snout. "Look… I'm desperate here. I'll try anything."

Comfey sighed. "Fine. If it's really bothering you that much, I suppose I can let you try my special healing potion." She floated over to a cabinet and pushed it aside with her telekinesis, revealing a safe. "It's actually a liquid soap. You pour it into a bath and soak yourself in it. It's supposed to seep through your skin and repair damage to any bones and muscles, but, as you heard, it's had mixed results."

"Wait, how am I supposed to use it, then?" Shane wondered. "There are only showers in the lodging area."

The safe opened, revealing a small, corked bottle filled with fizzy pink liquid. Comfey levitated it onto her desk. "We have baths in the veterans' quarters. I'll have to go ask the Guildmaster if it's okay for you to use one. Wait here." Comfey left the infirmary. When she disappeared from Shane's view, he heard her say, "Oh, hi, Riolu. Do you need something?"

"I'm good Comfey. I just need to speak to Vulpix."

Shane's ears folded against his head. 'It's Tessa. And she doesn't sound very happy.' He buried his head in his forelegs, so he couldn't see her enter the room. Much to his surprise, he didn't hear her say anything. Instead, Tessa draped a piece of paper over Shane's back. His head shot up with a startled yip. He craned his neck around and managed to grab the paper with his snout.

"What'd ya do that for?" Shane whimpered. "And what's this?"

Tessa crossed her arms. "It's a teammate dissolution notice. I'm done putting up with you."

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Shane expected something like this could happen. But the shock of hearing her say it overwhelmed him anyway. All he could do was repeat in his head over and over one single thought.

'She really does hate me.'

The silenced lingered, with Shane staring blankly at the piece of paper. He kept opening and closing his mouth repeatedly, but only succeeded in letting out short rasps. "Well? Say something, already," Tessa growled, tapping a foot on the ground.

Shane looked Tessa in the eye. "Why?" he croaked.

"You know exactly why. You're an insufferable jerk," Tessa explained. "I don't want to be around you anymore."

A whine escaped Shane's muzzle. His mind raced to try and form up something to say that could change her mind, even though the look in her eyes said she would never budge on this issue. "Please," he croaked. "I… I see now that I screwed up… badly. Just give me another chance. I'm begging you. You have no idea how awful this whole affair has been. I can honestly say this is the worst I've ever felt in my whole life. Both the Pokémon and human parts. Please don't make it any worse."

"Don't pull that crap with me. I've given you several chances," Tessa growled. "I'm sick of the constant danger. I'm sick of getting looked down on because I teamed up with you. And I especially don't want the Prism Virus chasing me around when it's really after you." Shane winced with each and every gripe Tessa rifled off. She turned away from him. "The Guildmaster's making us stay together for whatever punishment you got us. After that, I'm creating a new team with Null. I'll never have to deal with you again."

Shane's brow furrowed. "You're really just going to leave me like that? What am I supposed to do, then? I… I can't handle the Prism Virus by myself. It's a danger to everyone, including you."

"Haven't you been calling yourself a chosen one? Well, now you've got your chance to prove it," Tessa responded stoically. "Or, better yet, why not let the experienced Pokémon take over and stay on the sidelines for once? You'd be doing us all a favor." She turned and stormed out of the room.

"… that's it then," Shane whispered. "I'm all alone." He bowed his head solemnly.

'This isn't fair. I'm just trying to help everyone. Why can't Tessa see that?' he thought. 'Why doesn't she appreciate it? She should be defending me, not joining everyone else in getting mad at me. I'm doing the best I can here.' His muzzle stiffened. 'She really doesn't expect me to just sit and wait while the Prism Virus runs amok, does she? How can she even think that? She's just as wrapped up in this as I am!'

Before he could feel any sorrier for himself, a psychic force grabbed him and levitated him out of the room. He floated beside Comfey as she guided him to the stairs. "So, good news. I got you permission to use a bath in the veterans' quarters." The bottle of soap also floated next to Shane. "I just need to mix this into the water and have you stay in there for, let's say, an hour or so."

"An hour?" Shane sputtered. "I'll shrivel up!"

"The serum needs time to seep in through your skin," Comfey said. Shane noticed that they had passed the dimly-lit veterans' rooms and descended to an even-darker sublevel in the Observatory. Only a pair of small, orange Luminous Orbs provided light in the hallway. "Apologies with how dark it is down here," Comfey continued. "I've found that the lower lighting helps make the baths more relaxing. I can turn them up if you'd like."

"It's fine," Shane whispered. Comfey levitated him through one of the doors, revealing a small, purple, circular room shrouded in steam. He hovered in the doorway while Comfey proceeded to pour the bottle's contents into the water. Within seconds, mountains of lavender soap bubbles formed up.

"Alright, off you go," Comfey exclaimed, lowering Shane toward the pool.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Shane gasped, limbs flailing about. "You're not actually about to just plop me in here and watch me bathe, are you?"

Comfey raised an eyebrow. "What's the problem? Even if the fur covering your sensitive areas gets brushed aside, they'll be under water. I won't be able to see anything sultry and I need to make sure nothing happens to you."

Shane's face scrunched up. "Look, I don't know how Pokémon do things, but humans bathe alone. So, leave me be."

Comfey gave Shane an unamused look. "Oh, for pity's sake. You're the most difficult patient I've had in all my time here." She turned toward the doorway and her eyes flashed. Shane watched a blur whiz past his face and land in the bath.

"A rubber Ducklett? I'm not a little kid, you know."

"It's got a two-way communicator in it, so I can check in on you," Comfey explained. "I'm not about to float in that hallway for an hour."

"Fine. Whatever. I'll call you if I need you," Shane said. He watched Comfey float out of the room. The second the door shut behind her, the levitation ceased. Shane fell into the bath, splattering water around the rim. Luckily, he landed in the shallower part and easily surfaced, spitting up soapy water. "That wasn't very kind or caring," he muttered.

Shane managed to pull himself up to the rim of the bath. He rested his back against the wall and allowed the shallow floor to support his legs. Gradually, he slid down under the surface. Shane used his forepaws to pull some of the soap piles over toward him, washing away the grime and sweat in his fur from last week's events.

"Well, now what, Shane?" he sighed. "You finally have an inkling of an idea about what's going wrong with this world, only now the enemies are too tough for you to beat. Your partner's being unreasonable. The Guildmaster and Braviary think you're incompetent and now you're gonna get seriously punished. How do we fix this, huh?"

"There's only one thing you can do in this situation."

Shane blinked a few times and looked to his right. Above his shoulder floated a black shadow with a wisp of white smoke coming out of its head. Shane blinked several times. "This... this is just a trick, right?"

"... hmph, I do not waste my time with idle tricks," the specter sneered, crossing his arms.

Shane reached up and pulled his ears against his forehead. "Oh god... this is it... I'm totally losing my mind, here! And I didn't even have the common sense to hallucinate something really evil like Giratina or Yveltal!"

"Hrmph. I'm positively insulted!" the specter said, shaking his head. "You know that I've done far worse than either of those two rubes."

"Okay... fair point, Darkrai," Shane said, sighing. "Given the world I'm in, you're the perfect candidate to drive me crazy."

"Glad to see my reputation precedes me," Darkrai chuckled. "Then, I suppose we can cut to the chase."

"Hold up. Isn't there supposed to be another figment of my imagination here? Doesn't my conscience get a say in this?"

"Bah! The way I see it, you're so inept your conscience doesn't even want to try and sway you," Darkrai scoffed.

"That's not true!"

A flash of pink encased Shane's left shoulder. From it appeared a blue, swan-like creature. "Gee… a Cresselia. How predictable," Shane deadpanned. He glanced at Cresselia. "By the way, you owe me, like, a thousand Reviver Seeds. Dumb, stupid escort mission… I wasted hours saving your sorry butt."

"You do realize I'm a figment of your imagination, right?" Cresselia squeaked.

"If that's the case, what took you so long?" Shane sneered.

"This jerk Dark Voided me," Cresselia growled.

Darkrai shrugged. "You made it all too easy."

"Right. Yeah, that makes perfect sense. Except for the part where it doesn't," Shane hissed. "Well, thanks, but you both wasted a trip. I'm trying to do some thinking for myself. So, unless you two plan on offering up some much-needed advice, buzz off!"

"Oh, I've got advice," Darkrai declared. "It's quite simple. Ditch these inconsiderate bullies and join the winning side."

"You mean… I should let the Prism Virus get me?"

"Yes. More specifically, that Espeon you have your eyes on," Darkrai mused. "Or, is it the Umbreon? I'm inside your brain and frankly even I'm not sure what to make of it."

Shane's face went beet red. "S… stop assuming things!" he hissed.

Darkrai flicked a hand dismissively. "Whatever. The point is, they're hunting you down. Why not simply join them voluntarily? Y'know, get with the more powerful side? If you haven't been able to beat their flunkies, I hardly think you stand a chance against Espeon and Umbreon."

"Don't listen to him!" Cresselia cried. "I know things may seem bad, but the night is always darkest just before dawn. And, if you've really hit rock bottom, there's nowhere to go but up."

"Seriously?" Shane said, cocking an eyebrow. "Motivational taglines? That's your best defense?"

Cresselia looked down. "They sounded good when I was rehearsing them in front of my mirror."

Shane didn't even want to try and imagine how that would work.

"You see?" Darkrai let out a laugh. "Your conscience can't even put up a reasonable counterargument. And that's because I'm right." He floated up next to Shane and flicked his snout. "You tried doing the whole hero routine. Look where it got you. You've been humiliated, thoroughly beaten, and then repeatedly kicked while you were down."

"The vaunted 'partner' who's supposed to turn into your best friend prefers the company of a freak of nature that doesn't even qualify as a real Pokémon. That's how bad at this you are." Darkrai began sarcastically slow-clapping. "I must give you kudos. What you managed to do on your own ranks up there with some of the best nightmares I've ever made."

Shane scowled. "That's not me. This whole place is a nightmare and I just got plopped into it without any say in the matter. I'm trying to do the best I can here, but I'm not getting any help."

"That's exactly why you have to fight on!" Cresselia declared. "Solgaleo brought you here. Tell me, how many hundreds of millions of humans could he have picked from? He clearly sees something in you. Sure, it's something that none of us are aware of at the moment, but with a little time and some focus, I'm sure you could become stronger and turn the tide of this situation."

"Aha ha ha ha ha! Don't be ridiculous! Him?" Darkrai gestured at Shane. "Give me a break! It's obvious Solgaleo went cross-eyed and brought him here by mistake." He leaned against Shane's snout. "I mean, did you really expect to accomplish anything here? The only reason you got through any of the games back home is because you cheated!"

Shane's annoyance disappeared and he sank down on the ledge. "Well, yeah. Because they're long… and tedious… and boring… and they're really dang hard, okay! I don't want to spend, like, ten hours grinding up because I can't beat one stupid boss. That's obnoxious."

Darkrai chuckled once more. "Exactly. There are no cheat codes or Action Replays here to bail you out. If you want to get stronger then you have to do it the old-fashioned way. And are you really up to that? Especially when you have no one to turn to for help?"

Shane started opening his mouth but Darkrai held up a hand. "Let me answer that. No, you're not. Which is why you will join this Prism Virus. You can get all the strength and power you'd ever want as a Pokémon with no effort required whatsoever." He crossed his arms. "Not to mention the added perks. Like getting to show up all these guild Pokémon who've made fun of you from day one. And, of course, the company of the lovely Esp–"

Shane flicked Darkrai away with a forepaw. "How many times do I have to say it? I don't feel anything about anyone here and if I do it's this stupid Vulpix body and its stupider Vulpix instincts!" He slapped the surface of the water with a forepaw.

"... hmph. How utterly childish," Darkrai sneered. "If you were working with the Prism Virus, you'd have no need for petulant tantrums."

"Shane," Cresselia whispered, "I know it might sound tempting, but it won't end the way you want it to. You've seen what's happened to all the infected Pokémon you've encountered."

"But none of them joined willingly," Darkrai countered.

"And who's to say he wouldn't just meet with the same fate if he joined willingly, huh?" Cresselia huffed. "Shane, you're hurting. I get that. It's stopping you from thinking straight. Please, realize that you have everything to lose and nothing to gain from listening to Darkrai. Think of what you'll be turning your back on. A way back home… your family…"

"Things he's barely even given a passing thought to since he arrived," Darkrai scoffed. "For all Shane knows, the Prism Virus could give him a way back home instantly."

"Yeah, but it would be as someone his family would never recognize," Cresselia countered. "You said it yourself earlier. You are not an inherently evil person. Don't give into dark temptations simply because things aren't going your way right now. That just means it's time to make a change. Just get through Metagross' punishment and you can start fresh. Maybe try making a new team with Mimikyu? He seems to like you."

Darkrai visibly fought to hold back his laughter. Cresselia glared at him. "Look, you said you wanted to be a hero and save this world, right? Well, that means you have to take the bad with the good. But the victory will be all the more satisfying if you struggle and work for it. I guarantee it," she proclaimed.

Shane lowered his head. "Enough, alright?" he sighed. "I just… I guess I'll see what this punishment is, and go from there."

Darkrai's lone visible eye flashed ominously. "Fine. But when you go out there and get yourself killed, don't say I didn't warn you." He then vanished in a swirl of black shadows. Likewise, Cresselia disappeared in a flash of pink light. Shane let out a yawn and felt himself drifting off to sleep…

"Vulpix, do you copy? It's Comfey. You've been in there for ninety minutes already! Is there a problem?"

"Guuzack… sssnrggt… huhwha–?" Shane rapidly blinked his eyes and looked over at the rubber Ducklett. He grabbed it and found the little speaker on one of its wings. "I'm okay. Must've dozed off." He tossed the toy out of the tub and, without really thinking about it, climbed out. Shane stood on all fours and shook about to try and dry himself.

"Man, where do they keep towels around here?" he muttered, walking about the room. Shane eventually found one in the corner. No sooner did he grab it with his snout then he realized something. "H-Hey! I'm walking!" he gasped. Shane sprinted over toward the rubber Ducklett. "That didn't hurt either," he chirped. "Comfey, I think your serum worked! No more pain or tingling. I'm walking just fine."

"Glad to hear it. Head on up to the infirmary, then. I should be able to discharge you after a quick check up," Comfey declared. Shane ran for the door and bounded up the steps, overjoyed to finally be over his horrible injury. He made it up to the veterans' quarters when he noticed a shadow passing through the hallway. Shane skidded to a stop and peered out from the staircase.

"I just can't help but feel sorry for her, y'know?"

'That sounds like Serperior,' Shane realized. He glanced around the hallway and then cautiously crept forward, following the sounds of conversation.

"What makes you say that?" Milotic's voice carried over to Shane.

"She got played by that human. I don't know what Vulpix did to convince her to work with him, but she's clearly miserable," Serperior scoffed.

"I must concur. The entire time she's been here, she hasn't seemed like her usual, perky self," Dragonair muttered. "But do you think that's Vulpix's fault?"

"Yes," Serperior replied. Shane's stance slouched. "And all of this is happening with her hatch day tomorrow, to boot."

Shane stiffened. 'Wait. They actually do birthdays here?' It was admittedly an aspect of Pokémon that Shane had never considered. 'And Tessa's is tomorrow? But why wouldn't she say anything?'

"Maybe you're better off not bringing that up," Milotic suggested. Shane found himself slowly creeping even closer to Team Captivate's room. "She hasn't exactly advertised it to the guild, you know."

"Can you blame her? Her teammate's an attention whore and in the span of a year her entire family's disappeared on her," Serperior said. "She's probably too heartbroken, since none of them will be here."

Shane's ears flattened against his head. 'But Tessa told me her parents were exploring in the Grass Continent. Did she lie to me? Why would she do that?'

"Maybe we should throw her a surprise party. Y'know, to cheer her up?" Serperior proposed.

"Normally, I'd agree with you, but I think it's equally likely we could just end up making her really sad," Dragonair exclaimed. "Plus, she has to do that disciplinary assignment from the Guildmaster. I'll bet he made it so that it will run through her hatch day."

"We could always do a belated party, then," Serperior said.

"I just think it's too much of a headache at this point," Milotic sighed. "She clearly doesn't want anyone acknowledging it, so I say we respect her wishes. Even if we don't agree with them."

Shane found himself shuffling backwards. 'I don't believe this,' he thought. 'No wonder Tessa's furious with me.' He lowered his head guiltily. 'Why couldn't she have just told me what was going on?' He glanced over his shoulder and noticed that, in the process of sneaking around, he had ended up in front of another room. His eyes widened at the site of a large map of the Horizon Continent.

'This is Tessa's mom's room,' he realized. Shane took a step inside and examined the map in greater detail. Charcoal and ink markings dotted the map. Upon closer examination, Shane realized that most of the markings centered around continent's northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwestern corners. 'That's odd,' he thought. 'It seems like Tessa's mom was looking really hard for something. A treasure, perhaps?'

He crept into the room and started looking around. There were papers everywhere. 'Tessa must have got her tidiness from her dad, because this place is a total pigsty.' His forepaw struck a piece of paper. A crinkling noise filled up the room and Shane immediately tensed up.

"Well now. Yer looking mighty fit fer someone who'd been put to sleep to get his legs working again."

Shane slowly turned around and looked into Braviary's eyes. His fierce gaze was fixed directly on Shane, making Shane's heart race. "Uh… uh…" He looked around rapidly. "Whoa! How did I end up here? I guess that special healing soap Comfey gave me must've made me space out."

"Nice try, son," Braviary harrumphed. "But we both know that's a lie. This is the second time I've done caught you wandering these halls unsupervised. And that's on top of the trouble yer already in, to boot. What d'ya gotta say fer yerself, pardner?"

Shane had meekly lowered to the floor. "I'm… sorry?" he squeaked.

"Save it fer the Guildmaster," Braviary exclaimed. "Since yer clearly feelin' better, I think it's high time you and yer pardner had yer disciplinary hearing."

Shane's eyes widened. "N-No, wait! Please! Comfey said I'm supposed to get checked out by her first." Braviary unfurled his wings, causing Shane to yelp. Braviary darted over to Shane and plucked him off the ground with his talons. He then flew out of the room, making for the stairs.

"Haunter! I know yer hiding 'round here. Make yerself useful and go wrassle up Riolu fer me," Braviary ordered. Shane looked to his right and saw a pair of eyes materialize in the wall.

"Aww, but it was just getting to the good part!" Haunter whined. His eyes vanished into the wall.

Shane shut his eyes tight. 'Is it just me, or did Braviary find me awfully quickly given I wasn't making any noise? And he seems really steamed about this.' His snout stiffened. 'Is there something about Tessa's mom he doesn't want me figuring out?' He briefly looked up at Braviary, only to squeak and look back down as Braviary met his gaze with an annoyed look.

'No, Shane. You can't make the same mistake you did with Lycanroc,' he thought. 'He's mad because you broke the rules when you're already in trouble.' He gulped. 'Which I'm sure is going to make Tessa even angrier.'

Shane yipped as Braviary dropped him to the ground. He scrambled to his feet, doing his best to avoid Braviary's gaze. Braviary gave three sharp raps on Metagross' metal door with his beak. He then shoved Shane forward as the door opened.

"Well, go on. Guildmaster's waiting fer ya."

Shane peered into the dimly lit room and felt his tails droop between his legs.

XxX

Time for more trivia! So, Gallian's debut was published just a couple of days after the USUM trailer revealed Poipole (then UB-Adhesive). I managed to shoehorn him into the story with little turnaround time. Originally, Gallian was operating solo. During initial outline changes, he got a Kartana partner, which I swapped out for Poipole. When the Ultra Recon Squad was revealed, I thought to myself that the concept was just too perfect as an Ultra Space equivalent to the PMD world's rescue/exploration teams. So, outline revisions were made again, with Team Paradox stepping into the "rival team" slot that had been conveniently vacated by Team Fang. A "shoo out the clowns" scenario, if you would.

Last Edit: Aug 23, 2018 23:30:15 GMT by Ambyssin

Avatar by Jordy (https://toonirl.tumblr.com/), personal commission.

girl-like-substance

the seal will bite you if you give him half a chance

Posts: 527
Pronouns: xe/xem

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Guiding Light (T) Aug 25, 2018 22:44:43 GMT

Post by girl-like-substance on Aug 25, 2018 22:44:43 GMT

The darkest episode, you say? How could I resist! :V Let's dive back into this thing.

What I really like about this part is how Tessa finally takes a stand. Like okay, I know how things pan out in the end, but honestly, based on all the available evidence she has right now? Shane is not a good person for her to hang out with. Maybe he has his own stuff going on, maybe he has his reasons to act as he does, but that does not excuse the fact that he acts this way, and it's not Tessa's responsibility to help Shane get over himself. He's borderline abusive at times – especially in moments like that great one after the conversation with Tessa where he's like it's not fair, I'm trying to help, why doesn't she appreciate that[/quote], which is this wonderful representation of a guy being absolutely awful in a really poisonous way. It's just good to see Tessa recognise what's wrong and take measures to address it, you know? She doesn't need this in her life right now. Or ever, really.

And that ties into this broader thing about Guiding Light, which is that every time I as a reader start going well hang on, I'm not comfortable with this, I read on another chapter or two and find that I was absolutely right to be uncomfortable with it, that the story is doing this thing in a really self-aware kind of way. Which is nice, you know? I often run into fiction that presents problematic stuff in an uncomplicatedly positive (or, less commonly, negative) light, without recognising that it's either (a) giving its endorsement to something that probably shouldn't be endorsed or (b) reducing a complex situation to something pointlessly simple. So I guess what I'm saying is, it's nice to be catered to in that way with Guiding Light. Because when people act badly in this story, there is fallout, and at the same time the root causes of those bad actions get interrogated: you avoid the twin pitfalls of valourising ethically questionable actions and overly simplistic moralising. Tessa reacts to Shane's bad behaviour, but also you can kind of see why Shane ends up acting that way, and although the reader is tempted to just condemn him, I think they are also challenged to understand him.

Particularly as, like, this is where he starts trying to change. I love how absolutely terrible he is at it, too. Like, even after he comes to the decision, he's completely failing at being a better person here, but he's trying, and we're asked to temper our exasperation at his continued inadequacies with an understanding that nobody can turn around a bad life just like that. It takes him like thirty chapters to do it properly, and even after that point he keeps falling short.

So you know, for an unashamedly cartoonish action/adventure story, Guiding Light handles the messy ethics of character drama pretty bloody well, y'know? And I think this episode shows this side of the story at its best.

This is also why the Cresselia/Darkrai thing doesn't sit so well with me: sure, it's a dramatisation of Shane's inner turmoil, and you're trying to avoid having a stretch of narrative that's just about Shane thinking to himself (although I don't think that having that would necessarily be a bad thing) – but it's a somewhat less than successful fusion of the cartoonish style of the action sequences with the more nuanced style of the character interactions, I think. Normally, you keep these two aspects of the story separate, but here they rub really awkwardly against each other, and it's a little grating to read.

Anyway, yeah. That aside, I like this a lot. And I didn't even see any typos! In lieu of the nitpick report, here are a few things that particularly tickled me:

a strict nonaggression policy

Man, they are bad at following this, huh. Like, almost every time they pop up, there's a fight. Kind of a Star Trek sorta situation, where they're forbidden to do the thing and yet literally every single time they end up doing the thing. A lot of the time it's Gallian dragging them into fights, but you know. Get into one illegal battle, that's an accident, get into three or four illegal battles, that's a definite tendency.

they're long… and tedious… and boring… and they're really dang hard, okay!

You're not wrong, Shane. It's not even the good kind of hard, where you're like okay, I see why I died, I can correct this by taking this fight again and calculating a better strategy. It's the kind of hard where the game is like oh, didn't you grind in that dungeon? Screw you and the horse you rode in on. Honestly, they're overlong badly-paced grindfests, and I say that as someone who's played them all except Gates and really enjoyed every single one. :V

If you were working with the Prism Virus, you'd have no need for petulant tantrums.

Oh man, Darkrai, I've got some bad news for you. The bad guys are just as petulant and ridiculous as the good guys here. Literally the only responsible adults on the entire Horizon continent are minor side characters who have an alarming tendency to die.

GHOST TOWN | GO HOME
& assorted one-shots

Ambyssin

Definitely a winter

Posts: 110

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Guiding Light (T) Aug 30, 2018 0:50:11 GMT

Post by Ambyssin on Aug 30, 2018 0:50:11 GMT

SPOILER: Click to show

{eldestoyster (click here!)}

Aug 25, 2018 22:44:43 GMT girl-like-substance said:

What I really like about this part is how Tessa finally takes a stand. Like okay, I know how things pan out in the end, but honestly, based on all the available evidence she has right now? Shane is not a good person for her to hang out with. Maybe he has his own stuff going on, maybe he has his reasons to act as he does, but that does not excuse the fact that he acts this way, and it's not Tessa's responsibility to help Shane get over himself.

I guess I can take that to mean I didn't run the status quo too far that people got annoyed and gave up? *nervous laugh*

He's borderline abusive at times – especially in moments like that great one after the conversation with Tessa where he's like it's not fair, I'm trying to help, why doesn't she appreciate that, which is this wonderful representation of a guy being absolutely awful in a really poisonous way. It's just good to see Tessa recognise what's wrong and take measures to address it, you know? She doesn't need this in her life right now. Or ever, really.

Not going to lie, but it was earlier reread feedback from you that inspired a certain character who shall remain nameless to call Shane out on that behavior in Episode 10. Like, I hadn't intended for Shane to come across this way, initially. But the early feedback reacted positively to his jerkish tendencies and led to me accentuating them. I guess time will tell if that was the right decision. XP

And that ties into this broader thing about Guiding Light, which is that every time I as a reader start going well hang on, I'm not comfortable with this, I read on another chapter or two and find that I was absolutely right to be uncomfortable with it, that the story is doing this thing in a really self-aware kind of way. Which is nice, you know? I often run into fiction that presents problematic stuff in an uncomplicatedly positive (or, less commonly, negative) light, without recognising that it's either (a) giving its endorsement to something that probably shouldn't be endorsed or (b) reducing a complex situation to something pointlessly simple. So I guess what I'm saying is, it's nice to be catered to in that way with Guiding Light.

Well, gee, that's nice of you to say. Part of me feels like there were happy accidents in that department that allowed everything to work out this way. My outline wasn't that thorough as to plan for some of this. It just... happened. ^^;

Because when people act badly in this story, there is fallout, and at the same time the root causes of those bad actions get interrogated: you avoid the twin pitfalls of valourising ethically questionable actions and overly simplistic moralising. Tessa reacts to Shane's bad behaviour, but also you can kind of see why Shane ends up acting that way, and although the reader is tempted to just condemn him, I think they are also challenged to understand him.

Fallout and consequences are big themes I tried to carry through the story, both on the smaller scale with Team Radiance and the larger scale with the PMD world in general and the notion that everything "ended happily" and the status quo was resumed after four separate near-apocalyptic scenarios.

Particularly as, like, this is where he starts trying to change. I love how absolutely terrible he is at it, too. Like, even after he comes to the decision, he's completely failing at being a better person here, but he's trying, and we're asked to temper our exasperation at his continued inadequacies with an understanding that nobody can turn around a bad life just like that. It takes him like thirty chapters to do it properly, and even after that point he keeps falling short.

I suppose part of it is that I drew a lot from my personal life in creating Shane's flaws. In some respects, they're not the types of things that can be completely solved... especially in a world that doesn't have modern medicine or licensed psychologists.

So you know, for an unashamedly cartoonish action/adventure story, Guiding Light handles the messy ethics of character drama pretty bloody well, y'know? And I think this episode shows this side of the story at its best.

Well, thank you kindly.

This is also why the Cresselia/Darkrai thing doesn't sit so well with me: sure, it's a dramatisation of Shane's inner turmoil, and you're trying to avoid having a stretch of narrative that's just about Shane thinking to himself (although I don't think that having that would necessarily be a bad thing) – but it's a somewhat less than successful fusion of the cartoonish style of the action sequences with the more nuanced style of the character interactions, I think. Normally, you keep these two aspects of the story separate, but here they rub really awkwardly against each other, and it's a little grating to read.

Drat! Perhaps it was a bad time for that kind of levity. Maybe in the far future I'll consider changing it.

Nobody ever said they were actually good at their jobs. In fact, they are faaaaar from good.

The PMD games live up to the "Enjoy the Story, Skip the Game," trope. I'm more likely to turn to a collection of cutscenes on YouTube than I am to boot up a fresh save in the game, that's for sure.

Unashamedly true. But given what's bubbling underneath the Prism Virus' surface, I think it's a bit understandable. Anyway, thanks again for reviewing!

This here is last year's Christmas special. Unlike the Halloween bonus, the events in this part are quite important so do not skip it or you're going to be in the dark about some major details. Enjoy!

XxX

Bonus: Snowfall

~?~

"Looks like you're down to your last dude, Nicky."

A young boy leaned forward, looking over the screen of his Game Boy Color. He flashed a smile at his friend, who lay on the floor, looking at his own device.

"Heeheehee... don't think you've won yet, Shane. This one's my best guy," Nicky declared, pushing brown hair out of his eyes. "You ready for this? Go, Lugia!"

Shane watched the colored pixels flash across his screen. "Ha, big whoop! My Dragonite can totally deal with th–"

"Eat this... Psychic!" Nicky squealed, jostling his Game Boy in excitement. In the process, the Pikachu plushy in his lap dropped to the floor. Shane's enthusiastic expression quickly vanished as he watched Dragonite's sprite fall off of his screen.

"No way. You were faster than me?" Shane gasped.

"Now you're down to your last dude, Shane," Nicky taunted.

Shane's grin reappeared. "Ah, but I saved the best for last, too. Go, Ho-Oh!" The other Legendary bird popped up on his Game Boy's screen. He eagerly went to select a move to use. "Alright, it's time for me to win the bat–"

"Heeheeheehee! Nice try, but it won't help. Hydro Pump to the face, dude," Nicky said with a victorious laugh.

"What? It gets Hydro Pump?" Shane gasped. He watched the HP of his Ho-Oh trickle down to zero and Ho-Oh's sprite vanished from the screen. "No way. You totally cheated!"

"Of course Lugia gets Hydro Pump," Nicky scoffed. He grabbed his stuffed Pikachu and dusted off the rainbow ribbon pinned to its chest. "Don't you remember the Lugia movie? It lives underwater, dude." He disconnected the Link Cable tethering their Game Boys. "Better luck next time."

Shane hung his head in defeat. "Ugh, fiiiiine."

Ding-Dong!

"Nicholas, your mother's here!"

Nicky frowned. "Aww man. Already?"

"You can come back tomorrow, can't you?" Shane asked.

Nicky shook his head. "No. Tomorrow I'm going on a trip."

"Oh." Shane slowly got to his feet. "But we can play more when you get back, right?"

"Totally!" Nicky promised. The two of them ran down the staircase, where a pair of women stood by the door. One had on a black, puffy winter jacket.

"Nicholas, what do you say to Shane and his mom?" Nicky's mom asked, rubbing fog off her glasses.

"Right." He turned back to Shane. "Thanks for letting me come over."

"And?"

Nicky gave his mom a confused look. She rolled her eyes and said, "And Merry Christmas to you both."

"Oh, right! Merry Christmas, Shane. Merry Christmas, Mrs. Shane's Mom!" Nicky chirped, causing the two women to giggle.

"Okay. Let's get going before the snow gets really bad on the roads," Nicky's mom exclaimed. The two exited the house. Shane ran up to the window beside the door and gave Nicky a wave goodbye.

"I'll see you soon, dude!" he called as the car pulled out of the driveway.

XxX

~14 Years Later~

A young man removed the white coat he was wearing and draped it over his right arm. He paused at a corner and poked his head around the wall. "Dr. Sinclair?" he called.

"I know what I said, Rory, and I'm sorry. I got held up at work. I'm waiting on some labs for a patient."

He spotted a woman seated in front of a computer with her back to him. She had a cell phone pressed against her right ear, while her left hand twirled a lock of blonde hair. "Prisma?" he said, knocking on the wall.

"Hang on, Rory," Prisma sighed and pulled the phone away. She spun around in her office chair. "What are you still doing here, Sanders? I thought I told you to go drop by the holiday party before it closes down."

Sanders laughed nervously. "Aha ha… right. I was planning on doing that, but the Ardsley kids' parents yanked me aside and started asking me questions about his procedure tomorrow. Before I knew it…"

"Sanders, Sanders, Sanders," Prisma sighed, shaking her head. "How many times do I have to tell you? Do not indulge helicopter parents. You'll never be able to shake them off. Give them brief answers and tell them you'll check in on their kid shortly. Then get your butt out of that room." She lifted her phone up. "Now, is there anything else? I'm a bit busy here."

"I, uh, just wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas. You're, um, not stuck working this year, are you?" Sanders asked.

"Ha! Good one, Sanders," Prisma laughed. "That's what we've got you residents for."

Sanders eyes widened. "B-But I thought I had Christmas off," he muttered.

Prisma rolled her eyes. "You do. Learn to take a joke, Sanders. It'll go a long way in this field. Now, get a move on before I change my mind and make you do blood draws with the nurses."

"R-Right," Sanders muttered. "Merry Christmas, boss."

"And a happy new year," Prisma replied, waving her subordinate off. She spun back around in her chair and took her hand of the phone's speaker. "Sorry about that, sweetie. One of the kids had a question." A pause followed. "Yes, I was talking about a resident. You know how Sanders gets sometimes. Poor guy's too polite for his own good."

A notification popped up on Prisma's computer. "Oh… oh!" She leaned in toward the screen and started moving the mouse around. "Looks like I shouldn't be out too much longer, Rory. I just got the test results I needed. I'm going to wrap things up with my patient. With any luck, I'll be home in an hour."

She went silent and nodded slowly. "I'm aware it's already after sundown. Can't she just wait until I'm home?" Prisma sighed and rubbed her temples. "Okay, tell you what. She can open one of her birthday presents now. But she'll need to wait until I'm home to open the rest. And don't let the kids get at the cake yet, either."

Another pause followed. "Love you too, sweetie. I'll be home before you know it." She ended the call and tucked the phone into the pocket of her white coat. Prisma took a deep breath and clasped her hands together. "Come on, baby. Prisma needs a Christmas miracle here." She pulled up a page of lab results and immediately started scanning them. Her eyes lit up. "Oh, thank heavens. This is fantastic!"

Prisma typed into the keyboard and the printer beside her whirred to life. The lab values printed out and she grabbed the page. Prisma fast-walked down the hallway, approaching a bedroom in the corner. She stopped at the door and gave a knock. "Evening, Mr. and Mrs. Miller," she greeted. Then she turned toward the bed, where a young girl lay heavily wrapped in blankets. "And hello to you too, Izzy. How are we feeling tonight, huh?"

"Kinda tired," Izzy mumbled. She pulled the stuffed Lapras doll in her arms up against her face.

"She just woke up from a nap," Mrs. Miller explained. "We know that the floor's holiday movie night is happening soon." She shot her husband a concerned look. "But you said you weren't sure if she'd be allowed to leave the room and go."

"Well, I have some good news for you all, then," Prisma exclaimed, passing the page she printed to the Millers. "Her white count's showing marked improvements. No inflammatory markers, either."

Mr. Miller examined the page in confusion. "What does that mean, doctor?"

"It looks like the bone marrow transplant is taking," Prisma elaborated. "She's responding well to it. No signs of rejection in her labs." She stepped to the side, allowing a nurse to enter the room. "So, I'm happy to say that she's got my permission to take part in the floor's Christmas activities." Her smile widened. "And that includes movie night, of course."

Izzy sat up at this. "Really?" she squeaked. "Can Cissy come with me, too?" She held up the Lapras doll.

Prisma nodded. "I think that would be okay," she exclaimed. Izzy cheered and hugged the plush while the nurse helped her out of the bed and into a wheelchair. Prisma gave her a wave as the nurse wheeled her toward the exit. "You have a Merry Christmas, okay Izzy? I'll be back soon to check up on you."

"Okay. Merry Christmas, Dr. Prisma," Izzy bid her farewell.

Prisma waited until the wheelchair was out of view, and then turned to her parents and said, "You'll want to sanitize and wash that doll tonight. Her immune system's improving, but it's far from perfect."

"Of course, doctor," Mr. Miller said. "We can't thank you enough for all your help." He wrapped an arm around his wife's shoulders. "We were so worried she was going to be cooped up in this room for all of Christmas."

"It's my pleasure. I'm here to help," Prisma replied. "Now, I should let you know that I'll be out of the hospital on vacation with my family next week." She pulled out a business card from the chest pocket of her coat. "My partner, Dr. Bezdow, will be covering my patients, along with my residents. I'm sure you both remember Dr. Sanders."

"The mousy fellow, right?" Mrs. Miller asked.

Prisma fought back a laugh at that. "Yes, well he'll be off for Christmas, but he's here the rest of the month. I've given him special instructions to keep an eye on Izzy. So, don't you worry. She's in great hands." She winked at the Millers. "I'm afraid I must get going, now. It's my daughter's birthday, you see, and I'm already in hot water with my husband for staying here too late."

The Millers chuckled at this. "Well, don't let us hold you up any further," Mr. Miller declared. "Merry Christmas, Dr. Sinclair."

"Same to you both," Prisma replied. She turned and departed the room, taking off her white coat in the process. She made a quick stop at her office to shut down her computer, and then snaked her way through the hospital to get to her white SUV. As she pulled out from the parking garage she frowned at the sight of snowflakes cascading down in front of her car's headlights.

"Ah, crud," she muttered. She reached down and switched the radio on.

"… that'll conclude the traffic report. For the weather, here's meteorologist Chuck Donohue," a man's voice crackled through the speakers.

"Thanks, Mac. The words for the night are snowing and blowing, folks," Chuck exclaimed. "We've got a high-pressure system moving in from Lake Ontario. And jets of warm air to the south and southeast of us look to be slowing the storm system down. So, expect the snow to linger over the county from tonight, through tomorrow, and into Christmas Day. If your kids were hankering for a white Christmas, then they won't be disappointed."

Prisma sighed and switched the stations. She flipped on her high-beam lights and slowly drove through the deserted city. She remained focused on the road, only the music and whirring of her windshield wipers to keep her company. After thirty minutes of driving, she pulled up to a snow-covered driveway. She glanced out the window.

'I think I can make it,' she figured. 'C'mon, old girl. Let's put that horsepower of yours to good work.' She spun the wheel to the left and slammed down on the accelerator. Her truck surged forward, digging through the snow and shooting its way along her driveway. She pulled into an open garage door and shut it behind her.

Prisma managed to just make it through the door when a pair of eager voices sounded through the house.

"Mom!"

"Mommy!"

Prisma hastily dropped her bag onto the floor and opened her arms up to embrace her two kids. "Hi!" she chirped. "Aren't you two positively bursting with energy?" She looked up and noticed her husband walking forward, hands tucked into the pockets of his black jeans. "You didn't let them get at the cake, did you?"

"What kind of sorry soul do you take me for, huh?" Rory asked, rubbing the back of his bald head. "Kids, tell your mother we've been waiting for her to get dinner started."

"We've been waiting and we're sooooooo hungry," they declared in unison.

"Well, you won't have to be hungry any longer," Prisma declared. She took off her winter coat, hung it up, and proceeded into the kitchen. "Oh, wow. Smell that? Looks like someone's got her favorite dish waiting for her, huh?"

Prisma's daughter nodded enthusiastically and sprinted toward her seat at the table, black hair fluttering. The rest of the family joined her. Rory brought over a large strainer filled with spaghetti and offered up helpings to everyone. "Okay, dig in," he declared, setting down the strainer to take his seat. Both of the kids immediately reached for the jar of sauce.

"Hey. Let go, Gallian. I wanna use the sauce first!"

"And let you take all of it? Little sister, please," Gallian scoffed, shoving her smaller hand aside.

Prisma rolled her eyes and gently lifted her son's hand off the jar. "Come on, Gallian. It's Tessa's birthday. Let her have first dibs just this once, okay?"

Gallian sat back in his chair and scowled while Tessa accepted the jar with a delighted grin. "… tch. Have some pasta with your sauce," he heckled, blowing a tuft of brown hair out of his eyes.

"Hey now, tomato sauce can be good for you," Rory said, looking over toward Prisma. "Isn't that right, doc?"

"How the heck should I know? I'm not that kind of doctor," Prisma scoffed. "Last I checked, tomato sauce isn't causing cancer, so Tessa's free to have as much as she wants."

"Yeah, sure. Maybe you'll turn into a tomato if you keep eating that much," Gallian said, pouring sauce on his pasta. "Then I can tell everyone in school that my sister's taken being a vegetarian one step too far."

"Mom!" Tessa whined.

"Don't tease your sister, Gallian," Prisma scolded. "Especially with all the junky snacks you like to eat. Don't think I don't know that you're taking coins from the family coin jar to use on the vending machines at school, because I do."

"Meh." Gallian shrugged. "Dad shaysh I have a shuper metabolishm jusht like him."

"How many times do I have to tell you not to talk with your mouth full?" Prisma sighed.

Gallian slurped up the spaghetti dangling from his mouth. "I can eat whatever I want and I'll never get fat."

"I never said anything like that," Rory insisted, raising his hands innocently.

"Good. Because I'd hate to have to replace all the snacks in the pantry with vegetables," Prisma teased. Gallian's eyes widened and he promptly looked down at his dinner, pouting. "So, Tessa," she said, turning to her daughter, "I understand you got a bit overeager with opening your presents. What'd you get?"

Tessa's eyes sparkled. "Oh! Oh! Wait here, I'll go get it." She launched off her chair and sprinted out of the room.

"Nice airplane arms you've got there, ya dork," Gallian heckled.

"As I recall, you used to run like that when you were her age," Rory mused, stroking his goatee. Gallian looked away, blushing.

Tessa returned, brandishing a small game case in her right hand. "Here it is, here it is!" she chirped, slapping the case on the table. Prisma briefly glanced the bright-blue background on the cover art.

"Oh, yeah. This is the game you had asked for, right? It's not as new, so your father and I weren't sure if we'd be able to find it." Prisma said. Tessa nodded enthusiastically

"Yup! I'm gonna play as the Oshawott, cause he's the cutest," Tessa squealed, picking the case up and hugging it.

Gallian rolled his eyes. "Oh, brother. We both know you're going to give up at the first boss and come running to me, begging me to beat it for you."

"I will not," Tessa huffed. "My friend Stacey told me this one's much easier than the last one."

"How would you know? I seem to recall I played through that entire game for you," Gallian scoffed. "And it would've been so much easier if you'd just let me do the personality quiz. Vulpix and Riolu are a terrible combination."

"Hey! I like Riolu," Tessa said, her cheeks puffing up. "And Vulpix."

"Gallian, what did I tell you? Quit teasing your sister," Prisma scolded. "My, how easily you seem to have forgotten that you used to always come to your father and I for help with your games."

"Here, here," Rory agreed, raising his glass. "Who could forget trying to solo Blue with an overleveled Pikachu?"

Gallian's face flushed and he started poking dejectedly at his spaghetti. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, why don't you?" he grumbled.

"Besides, I seem to recall you enjoy playing games with your sister," Prisma declared.

Gallian shoved a forkful of spaghetti into his mouth. "I guess. Just don't tell the other moms in your parent group or whatever."

"Deal," Prisma promised, winking. They finished off dinner and then proceeded into the living room, where the rest of Tessa's presents sat. She gleefully tore through the wrapping paper. The first box contained a new dress, courtesy of her parents. Then there were assorted posters for her bedroom and some DVDs.

"… heh. Saving mine for last, I see," Gallian declared. "You better like it. I spent good allowance money on it."

"Allowance money that we gave you," Rory muttered under his breath, before Prisma elbowed him in the gut.

Tessa raised an eyebrow. "This is just a package," she said, staring at a brown postal box.

"Relax, sis. Take a look inside," Gallian said, nodding at the present.

Tessa carefully used scissors to cut along the tape and spread the box open. A big grin appeared on her face and she dipped her arms into the box. She pulled out two stuffed toys: an Absol and a Vulpix. "Aww, they're so cuuuuuuuuute!" she squealed in delight, wrapping the plushies up in a big hug. "Thanks, Gallian!"

"No problem, sis," Gallian said, before leaning in and whispering, "and if you liked those, just wait until Christmas." A broad grin appeared on Tessa's face and she looked down at the toys.

"Wow, I can't wait," she chirped. "I got you something really good, too. But Mom said I can't spoil the surprise." She stepped back, tightening her grip on her toys. "Come on, you two. We've got a game to start playing."

"Hey now, what about cleaning up all this wrapping–"

"Thanks for the presents," Tessa called as she ran past her parents and toward the stairs. Gallian chuckled and slowly followed along after her.

"–paper?" Rory leaned over and sighed.

"Easy there, honey. This barely qualifies as a mess. I'll just throw this stuff in the kitchen garbage," Prisma declared. She hastily cleaned all the wrapping paper and brought it toward the large garbage bin in the kitchen. "Hey, Rory, did you get the mail today? I don't see it here."

"Ah, nuts," Rory said, snapping his fingers. "I knew I was forgetting something. Do you want me to head out and grab it?"

"No, no, it's fine. I'm still dressed. I'll just throw on my boots and jacket and go get it," Prisma exclaimed. She geared up for the cold and then proceeded out her house's back door. A blast of cold air awaited her and she quickly pulled up her coat hood. Snow was still falling down. Her first steps saw her sinking into the white, powdery ground. The snow reached halfway up her lower legs.

"Hoo boy. I sure hope the plows can make it here overnight," she said, rubbing her gloved hands together. Slowly, she stomped forward, making her way through snowstorm. She pulled a flashlight out from her pocket and shined it ahead of her. It unveiled the mailbox, barely sticking out from the snowdrift pile that had gathered around it. Prisma reached it and opened it up, taking out its contents. She tucked the mail under her arm and started returning toward her house.

Prisma had made it halfway up her driveway when she brought a hand up to her temple. 'Unngggh… w-what–?' Her vision flickered and she blinked rapidly. 'Where's that ringing coming from?' She cupped her free hand over her ear, but the ringing only grew louder. Her vision flickered once again, before everything went white.

"R-Rory!" Prisma shouted. She tried to reach her hand into pocket and grab her phone, but her arm stiffened. Her other arm followed suit. The mail fell to the ground. "Rory!" she shouted even louder. "Help! Call 9-1-1! I think I'm having a–"

She felt the ground disappear beneath her legs. The air rushed out of her lungs and she immediately lost consciousness.

XxX

~Aeon Observatory~

"… Lucario? Hey, Lucario? You feeling alright, pardner?"

Prisma snapped to attention, blinking her eyes rapidly. "B-Braviary!" she gasped, a blush coming on. "What are you doing in my room?"

"Yer room? Hoss, yer in the hallway in the veterans' quarters." He stepped back and lifted a wing to showcase the hallway.

"O-Oh…" Prisma fidgeted with the bandanna around her neck. "Whoops, silly me." She laughed nervously. "I must've gotten, y'know, taken in by the snow." Prisma glanced out the window, watching snow gently drift down onto the ground. Braviary stepped up next to her.

"Ain't nothing special about this, really," Braviary thought aloud. "You've seen yer fair share of snowstorms hitting Aeon Town, ain't ya?"

"Of course I have," Prisma replied hastily. "But... I dunno. I guess it's just nice to see it falling again."

Braviary gave her a skeptical look. "Uh-huh. How long ya planning on staring, exactly? It's almost sundown, you know."

Prisma's aura feelers stood on end. "I-It is?" she squeaked.

"Course it is. Ol' Incineroar's been counting the minutes. You know how much he looks forward to his Winter Solstice party. Feller wouldn't stop yapping about it all day," Braviary said with a laugh. "He took off to get the kids an hour ago. I reckoned you were already home."

"Oh gods, I forgot about the party," Prisma groaned, smacking her face with a paw.

"Well then, I'd shake a tailfeather if I was you," Braviary chuckled, turning to walk toward the staircase. "Yer family's waiting for ya, after all." He hovered in the stairway and waved a wing at her. "Happy Winter Solstice, Lucario."

Prisma raised her paw and slowly waved it. As soon as he was gone, she turned back toward the window. Her grip on her bandanna tightened. "My family's… waiting for me," she whispered.

Her paw slowly slid underneath the bandanna and pulled out a small piece of paper. She unfolded it and stared at a photo of her, Rory, and their human kids in front of a large fountain. Everyone wore big, enthusiastic smiles. Her free paw clenched into a fist and she grit her teeth.

"My… family…"

Her eyes watered and red energy crackled across her fist.

Avatar by Jordy (https://toonirl.tumblr.com/), personal commission.

Ambyssin

Definitely a winter

Posts: 110

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Guiding Light (T) Sept 3, 2018 1:37:36 GMT

Post by Ambyssin on Sept 3, 2018 1:37:36 GMT

Chapter 26: A Sticky Situation

Shane slinked into Guildmaster Metagross' office. He barely made it through the door when Metagross locked eyes with him. Shane abruptly stopped. His gaze fell to the ground and stayed there until he heard the sound of footsteps. He looked up and confirmed that Tessa had entered the room.

"So, you're all healed up, huh?" she said, her tone completely neutral.

"Y-Yeah," Shane said.

Order: attention on me, human, Metagross bellowed, causing Shane to jolt upright and stare straight ahead. Fact: I have considered your transgressions. Observation: You continue to display a disregard for your fellow Pokémon, sometimes due to ignorance but mostly out of selfishness.

Tessa nodded in agreement, while Shane winced and looked straight down.

Conclusion: your punishment must make clear that exploring is something to be taken seriously, Metagross exclaimed.

"Then why do I have to be here? I've understood that from the get-go," Tessa growled.

Order: no comments or questions until I have finished, Metagross replied. Fact: you've made no attempts to reach out to anyone to help you and your partner settle your differences. Fact: you cannot go through life picking and choosing the Pokémon you work with. Conclusion: this punishment will also force you to work cooperatively with the human.

Tessa's face blanched. "But… that's," she meekly whispered before her gaze fell to the floor. Shane glanced her out of the corner of his eyes and she immediately glared back.

Fact: your punishment is an exploration assignment, Metagross said, to the duo's surprise. Fact: you will guide Oranguru to Sunflower Meadows.

"An escort mission? Are you kidding me?" Shane groaned.

Silence, Metagross thundered, sending Team Radiance shrinking back. Tessa gave Shane a scathing look. Fact: this is not up for negotiation. Fact: if you fail this assignment, you will both be expelled.

Now it was Tessa's turn to interrupt. "Wait, what? Why? That's not fair!" she protested.

Fact: your continued behavior is having a negative effect on other members. Fact: my responsibility is to run the guild and keep it in order. Conclusion: caustic individuals must be removed, Metagross explained. Counteroffer: if you succeed this assignment, you will both obtain apprentice rank.

"So, our places here are dependent on escorting some random Pokémon? That's just great," Shane said. He turned to Tessa and said, "We're going to Dhelmise Depot and dropping off every single item we've got. I don't want this Oranguru fellow dipping into our stock. And, trust me, he will. These things always go badly."

Fact: Oranguru will provide his own supplies. Fact: this is no mere random Pokémon. He is a close acquaintance. I will tolerate no slander of his character, Metagross said. Order: you two are to be on your best behavior. Fact: if you act out, I will know and you will fail the assignment.

Shane's jaw slackened. Likewise, the color seemed to drain from Tessa's whole body. "So, uh, how are we supposed to find this Oranguru guy? Is he in Aeon Town?" Shane asked.

Negative, Metagross responded. Order: you will meet him in Moonrise Marsh. Fact: it is a subterranean swampland at the end of Tethys Tunnel.

"But, that's a Mystery Dungeon, isn't it?" Tessa asked, having pulled out her Wonder Map. "Couldn't we just go straight to the Marsh?"

"Didn't you hear him? It's underground. So, unless the Sharpedo have learned how to dig tunnels outside the water, we have to go through it," Shane said, frowning.

"Okay, I get it. You don't have to be a jerk about it," Tessa growled.

Shane's brow furrowed. "I wouldn't expect you to understand. You've never done an escort mission. They always suck."

"And you would know this... how?" Tessa asked, her tone growing angrier. "Oh, let me guess, it's another one of those stupid game things you've mentioned countless ti–"

CLANG!

I demand order, Metagross declared, his eyes glowing blue. Shane and Tessa reflexively curled up into balls. This is precisely the kind of negative behavior that has put the two of you in this situation. Reconcile your differences or I can guarantee that you will fail this assignment.

A shiver rad down Shane's spine. 'Okay, is it just me or is this guy a lot scarier when he starts speaking like a normal person?'

Metagross turned away from them. Order: proceed to Moonrise Marsh. Meet up with Oranguru. Escort him to Sunflower Meadows by traversing Mellath Bog.

"Are you kidding me? We have to go through two dungeons in succession? How is that possibly fair?" Shane said, stamping a forepaw down. "If we run into any Prism Virus Pokémon, we're so unbelievably screwed." He narrowed his eyes at Metagross. "I'll bet you're setting us up for failure! Tell me, did you come up with this or is this all Braviary's idea?"

Warning: continued combative backtalk will result in your immediate expulsion, Metagross replied.

"Oh, no, by all means, keep flapping your gums," Tessa sneered. "You could make this a lot easier for both of us."

Shane lifted his head up and his left eye twitched. "Yeah, you'd like that wouldn't you?" he muttered.

Metagross' door opened up behind them. Exit. I have finished conferring instructions. Oranguru is waiting. He pointed a hind leg toward the door and Team Radiance walked out. They both refused to meet each other's gazes.

"So, uh, are we going to Dhelmise Depot?" Shane finally asked.

"Yeah, we're definitely going there," Tessa responded. She turned around and clutched the straps of the item pouch. "But it's so that I can deposit my items so that you don't use them up in these dungeons!"

Shane narrowed his eyes at Tessa. "Hey, we're still a team for this. That means those items belong to both of us!"

"But you're the irresponsible one who's going to get hurt and burn through our reserve," Tessa said, leaning in toward him. "So, I want to put as much stuff away as possible so I still have a decent inventory to use once this stupid mission is done and the team's dissolved."

Shane drew back his lips and bared his fangs. "Where did this nasty attitude of yours come from? I already said I'm sorry! You're making me out to be some sort of villain. I'm not out to blow this mission, you know."

Tessa raised her fists and they crackled with electricity. "That's because the only reason we're in this do-or-die situation is because of you! I'm stuck doing this ridiculously difficult mission with a reckless jerk because he managed to delude himself into thinking a random stranger was pure evil. No amount of 'I'm sorry's' can make up for that!"

"I've learned my lesson!" Shane snarled back. "I feel terrible, okay? And you're just making it worse. So, can we please just put this issue aside already?"

"I will not just put it aside," Tessa barked. "Because every time you've apologized and said you were going to try and do better, you've lied. If you want me to shut up, then listen to what I have to say for once. Otherwise, you can bet your sorry ass that I'll keep reminding you of all the boneheaded decisions you've made up to this point."

Shane's left eye twitched. "That's totally uncalled for!" he protested. "Besides, weren't you the one who said you at least appreciated some of my 'boneheaded decisions,' because they pushed you into doing things you weren't comfortable with?"

"I only said that because I thought you were turning over a new leaf. But in the short time since then you've somehow managed to become worse than when we first met," Tessa replied. "You stressed me out to the point where I can't think straight!"

"How do you think I feel? I've been in a coma the past week with a deathly fever and a broken spine. Or did you just happen to forget that?" Shane hissed.

"Oh, you want pity? Too bad! It's your stupidity that got you hurt," Tessa countered. "And if it wasn't for Null, that Bewear probably would've killed you. Have you even thanked him for saving your life yet? Let me answer that. No, you haven't. Because you only think of one person and that's yourself!"

"Do you have idea how childish you're sounding right now?" Shane sneered.

"No, you're the one sounding childish!" Tessa fired back.

A loud thump and harsh hissing noise abruptly jolted the duo out of their argument. They looked over toward the south hallway and spotted Null staggering about. He thrashed his head from side to side, groaning loudly.

"Whoa, whoa, take it easy, Null," Trapinch called, running over to him. "Is your head hurting again? Maybe you should go see Comfey?"

Trapinch was forced to duck back as Null whirled around and bashed his head against the wall several times. "Wow. I can't believe that's what you want to ditch me for," Shane scoffed. Null turned around to face Shane, who stiffened. He stared right at Shane, letting out heavy, echoing wheezes. Null stomped toward him, continuing to shake his head about.

"Null!" Tessa shouted, walking into his path. "Are you okay? You don't look so good."

Much to Shane's surprise, Null stopped dead in his tracks. His tired, gray eyes blinked repeatedly. "… sorry about that," he wheezed.

Tessa leaned in close and whispered, "The voices again?"

"… yeah," Null replied. "They're… getting worse…"

"Why don't you come with us, then?" Tessa suggested. "I think we could really use the extra help for this one."

"What? No, no, no, no! You are not dragging that thing along with us!" Shane cut in. "Did you see the way he was looking at me? Besides, we could get in trouble for that. You were the one yelling at me for making bad decisions. What do you call what you're doing right now, huh?"

Tessa turned and glared at him. "Bettering our odds. You said you just wanted to get this mission done with minimal conversation? Null's a perfect way to do that. I can talk to him and ignore you the entire time. And did it ever occur to you that he's giving you nasty looks because you're being mean to him?"

Shane looked down and pawed at the ground. "But the Guildmaster," he whispered.

"Didn't say we couldn't bring Null with us," Tessa said. "The way I see it, it's perfectly fine."

Shane snorted out clouds of frosty air. "He better stay as far away from me as possible."

XxX

~Tethys Tunnel~

Team Radiance proceeded into the cavernous dungeon in silence. It didn't take them very long to lose all light from the surface. The tunnel alternated between flat areas and downward slopes taking them deeper underground. As the sunlight faded, patches of green Luminous Moss appeared along the floor, walls, and ceiling of the cavern. The moss overlay rocks littered with clammy, gray plants.

"This is so strange," Tessa whispered. "Null, do you see these purple threads running through the walls? It almost looks like there's some kind of liquid flowing through them."

Shane glanced at the opposite wall and noticed purple fluid with twinges of red rushing through a network of crystalline veins embedded in the wall. "You're the most knowledgeable about Horizon, Tessa. Can't you explain what these things are?" Tessa ignored him. "Hey, I asked you a question," Shane growled.

"No, you didn't," Tessa said flatly. "I'm Riolu."

Shane gritted his teeth. "Fine. Riolu, do you know what these things are?"

"Nope," Tessa responded, making a vein bulge out of Shane's head. "I don't remember hearing about anything like this. My dad always said Tethys Tunnel was boring. Just a lot of gray inside it. So, these bits must be a recent addition."

"Brilliant deduction there, professor," Shane sarcastically declared. "And not in the slightest bit help– gah!"

Shane suddenly found himself sinking. He looked down and saw that his legs had been sucked up by the ground. "What the–? Hey! Help! I'm sinking!"

His teammates looked over at him. Tessa rolled her eyes. "Ha, ha, very funny. C'mon Vulpix, you're holding us up."

"No, I'm serious here," Shane grunted. He struggled about, but that only made him sink deeper, to the point where his belly brushed against the dirt.

"… is that… quicksand?" Null wondered.

"In a cave? I find that hard to believe," Tessa said. "But I guess we've got to help him out. Stop struggling, Vulpix. You'll just make yourself sink faster."

"Then get me out of here!" Shane hollered. Null stepped forward and stuck his foreleg out. "And just what am I supposed to do with that, huh?" Shane growled.

"… bite down on my leg. I'll pull you… to safety," Null offered. Shane looked skeptically at Null's talons, but also felt the quicksand steadily rising along his torso. He clamped his jaw on one of Null's talons. Null's exoskeleton-coated claw tasted horrible, to the point where Shane thought he was going to hurl. Null gave a hearty tug and his massive weight and foreleg strength resulted in Shane getting flung out of the quicksand pit.

Shane landed in a heap in front of Tessa. His entire lower body was covered in coarse sand. "Huh, guess it really is quicksand," Tessa said. "But what would quicksand pits be doing in a cave like this? There isn't even supposed to be sand here."

"How should I know?" Shane growled, trying to brush sand off his coat to little avail. "Maybe your stupid Tapu thingies can magically teleport quicksand into dungeons to screw with innocent Pokémon?"

Smack!

Shane quickly found himself sprawled out on his belly, with Tessa standing over him. "You do not badmouth the Tapus!" she barked. "They're the continent's protectors. That makes them noble, not stupid. Understand?"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever, Mom," Shane muttered, glaring at Tessa as he got back up. "The fact remains that there's quicksand in a place where there shouldn't be and we can't explain it. I guess we can just ignore it for now and tell Braviary when we're done."

"You do that if it bothers you so much," Tessa growled and stomped forward in the cavern.

Null stepped beside Shane and cleared his throat. This made Shane jump. "Cripes! Don't sneak up on me like that. You're already frightening enough as it is."

"… Lycanroc said something… about seeing weird stuff… in the environment," Null muttered. "Espeon and Umbreon… planted strange crystals… in the ground. And they… messed with the environment. Perhaps that's what... we're seeing here?"

Shane's muzzle stiffened. "But they're not the bad guys!" Null looked right at him. "I… I mean…" Shane winced and slumped down in defeat.

"Hey! Are you guys coming or what?" Tessa asked from farther down the cave. Her teammates looked away from one another and proceeded forward in silence. Their trek then grew a bit more cumbersome. After the first patch, the team encountered several quicksand areas scattered around the tunnel floor. To make matters worse, the Luminous Moss faded, leaving the mysterious crystal veins as the dungeon's only light source.

This was also when the team encountered traps and wild Pokémon. It was nothing they couldn't handle, but the quicksand pits limited their maneuverability considerably. Not helping things at all was Shane's insistence on staying in the back of the group, for fear of walking into another quicksand pit.

"Quit being such a baby and get up here! I need your help with these wild Pokémon," Tessa ordered.

"No way! There are Tirtuoga over there. And I have no intention of getting smacked around with rocks," Shane whined. "You have the fighting-type moves, you do something."

"Then can you at least take care of the Wimpods? They're only Wimpods, for pity's sake," Tessa growled. A frosty gale rushed past her, nearly causing her to fall into a quicksand pit on her right. "Hey, watch where you're aiming!"

"I thought you wanted my help," Shane taunted.

"Move it along," Null growled. "Neither of you are doing us any favors."

They continued through the tunnel, dipping into their supply of apples and each taking an oran berry to refresh themselves. "Ungh, how much further do we have to go? The air's musty down here," Shane said.

"If you don't like it, take the Escape Orb," Tessa said. "I'll happily report your disappearance to the Guildmaster when we return."

Shane gnashed his teeth together. "Are you going to just take a dig at me every time I open my mouth? Because that's beyond obnoxious!"

"You brought it on yourself," Tessa said, her voice caustic. "It's not fun when people say things that make you feel bad, huh?"

Shane frowned. "If you're trying to tell me that this is how Lycanroc felt, then you're doing a lousy job of it. You're only making yourself look like a spoiled puppy throwing a temper tantr– oomph!"

He walked into Null's hindleg and staggered backward, muttering angrily under his breath. Null turned back to give him a disapproving look. "… perhaps it's best… if you keep quiet…"

"Ha!" Tessa taunted.

"… that goes for you too," Null growled, eliciting a frown. He walked beside Tessa and whispered, "… I thought I had told you… that the best way to get him to change… is to be a good role model. He's right… you're acting foolish."

"That went right out the window the second his stupidity got me in a situation where I could get kicked out of the guild," Tessa said, and then walked forward. Null hung his head, sighing. He trudged forward after his teammate, while Shane followed him, boring visual holes into the ground.

As they walked down another incline, Tessa's aura feelers twitched. "Hold up," she whispered, "I think someone else is here."

"Well, yeah, we've seen tons of wild Pokémon," Shane scoffed.

"No, I mean someone a bit stronger."

"This is preposterous. I'm getting the same signal everywhere. There's no way for me to localize this energy pattern with so much interference."

Shane frowned. "That's one strange voice," he said. "But he doesn't sound all that threatening. Let's just move along and ignore whoever he is."

"Maybe we ought to wait and see if he leaves?" Tessa proposed.

"Oh no, I'm not sitting around in this musty cave," Shane growled. He walked forward, hip-checking Tessa in the process. "If you're not going to lead anymore, then move aside." He descended down the rest of the incline and entered a flattened area.

Bwoop! Bwoop! Bwoop!

A beeping alarm made Shane tense up. He turned to the right side of the room and found Sticky floating by the wall. "And just what are you supposed to be?" Shane asked. "If you're a Pokémon in distress, then I can help. But you've got to shut off that awful alarm. You'll wake up all the wild Pokémon here!"

"My sincerest apologies."

Sticky turned around to face Shane. "I am referred to as Sticky, however I understand the inhabitants here refer to one another by species name. So, my species designation is Poipole."

Shane cocked his head in confusion. "Your species name is just a color? What a joke!" He then noticed the alarm was coming from the harness on Sticky's chest. "Hey!" Shane narrowed his eyes at Sticky. "That's just like the thing Gallian had on. What's going on here? Are you working for the Prism Virus?"

That statement drew not only a panicked expression from Sticky, but footsteps from behind Shane. His teammates hastily caught up to him. "You know Gallian? Where is he? Please tell us," Tessa called out.

"Drat," Sticky muttered, fidgeting his nubby hands. "This is precisely the type of predicament Gallian warned the captain about. He will undoubtedly be incensed at this development." Sticky raised up his arms. "Attention, terrestrials. I am doing routine reconnaissance of this subterranean habitat. I mean you no harm. Please, continue about your business."

"Fat chance of that," Shane growled. "If you're in league with Gallian, then you're working for the Prism Virus and that makes you the enemy."

"Prism Virus?" Sticky gasped. He looked away from Shane and whispered, "It must be further encroaching on these terrestrials." He cleared his throat. "I am afraid that such a term does not register any…" His voice trailed off as he turned to face Null. Sticky's jaw dropped.

"Hey, don't ignore me," Shane said. "Riolu, what's this stupid Pokémon's deal?"

"Pokémon?" Tessa cocked an eyebrow. "I've never seen a Pokémon like that before."

Shane's brows raised. "So, what, is it an alien then? Oh, that's just great. The Prism Virus is an alien virus. Because this wasn't messed up enough, already." He snorted out frost. "Well, I'm not about to let this jerk get away."

"Get away? You should be the ones attempting evacuation!" Sticky yelped, hovering back from the group. "Do you not realize you are in the company of a dangerous monstrosity?"

Null's muscles tightened up and he let loose a low growl. Tessa stood in front of him and thrust her arms to the side. "You leave Null alone! He's part of our team."

Sticky's eyes widened. "I am afraid that that is an unacceptable response, terrestrial," he declared. "This failed experiment is a threat to those of us with ultra auras. Though my team adheres to our Ultra Recon Squad's nonaggression policy, I'm sure my captain would overlook it in this instance. Your friend must be immediately neutralized. Please surrender him to me."

Null's head fell toward the ground. "… experiment?" he rasped.

"So, he is a total freak, then? I knew it!" Shane scoffed. He shook his head at Tessa. "And you actually want to be his friend. You're really something, you know that?"

"I am quite surprised that this experiment has not already attempted to eviscerate you," Sticky said, looking directly at Shane. "Your presence triggered my scanner. You display a perplexingly substantial ultra aura for one of such minuscule stature."

Shane's smirk faded to a look of confusion. "Ultra… aura?" He looked at Tessa. "You're the aura reader. What's this freak talking about?"

"I don't know," Tessa said. "It just sounds like an ultra-powerful aura, to me."

"Gee, thanks, Brock. Never would've guessed that on my own," Shane deadpanned.

"What did you just call me?" Tessa growled.

"Ultra auras are energy signatures displayed by anyone who has been exposed to a particular type of radiation as a result of traversing Ultra Space," Sticky explained.

"Okay, that's it. I know when I'm being messed with, and I've had enough of it," Shane said, eyes narrowing in anger. "I was willing to give you the benefit of the doubt because you also thought Null's a freak show, but you're clearly just as obnoxious as Gallian is."

"Your hostility is unnecessary," Sticky said. "Simply surrender the experiment and I will leave you both in peace."

"I'm not about to let you take Null," Tessa responded.

"Very well. Though my combat skills are lacking, it behooves me to utilize force. Gallian said I should be able to do an adequate job defending myself," Sticky exclaimed. He raised his nubby arms, and blobs of purple toxins formed up in them.

"Oh, come on! Another poison-type? I'm getting sick of this nonsense. Literally and figuratively," Shane hissed. He released the icy energy gathering in his mouth, trying to bathe Sticky in it. Sticky easily hovered over it and launched the poisonous globules downward. One of them smacked Shane directly in the face, causing him to stagger back with an agonized howl. Tessa jumped out of the way out of the second one.

Null gathered air around his foreleg and sent a wind blade up in Sticky's direction. Sticky once again skirted the attack, gathering more poisonous sludge in the sacs on his head. "Riolu," Shane said, coughing, "gimme a pecha berry. This jerk's slinging Toxics around!"

Purple splotches now coated Shane's fur. Tessa glowered at Shane. "I just knew you were gonna end up dipping into my item reserves," she said. Null appeared by her side and flicked a foreleg skyward, shooting an air blade in Sticky's direction. Sticky held his ground and allowed the attack to strike. He fought through the pain and pointed his head in Shane's direction.

"… look out… human!" Null called. Shane looked over his shoulder in time to see streams of purple ooze raining down on him from Sticky's location. He dove forward, sliding across the cave floor on his belly.

"Pity, I missed," Sticky declared stoically. "I should not have tried withstanding that attack. It clearly impacted my aim."

"Pecha berry, now!" Shane ordered, glaring at Tessa. "If I get Venoshocked while I'm poisoned, we're gonna start dipping into our Reviver Seed supply."

Tessa rolled her eyes and produced the berry in question. Sticky's eyes gleamed at the sight of the fruit and he pressed the central gemstone on his harness.

Click!

Just as Tessa tossed the pecha berry to Shane, she stepped on a glass tile, breaking it. She looked up and watched the berry expand outward, taking on the form of a bulky Carracosta. It completely flattened Shane, who could only squeal in fright at the turn of events.

"What the... he turned the berry into a Carracosta? How?" Tessa said, recoiling in shock. Null looked up in time to see Sticky pressing the gem on his harness again. Null looked around the room and noticed several flashes of purple on the ground. Glass tiles appeared for a split second, before vanishing. When Sticky finished, Null thrust a foreleg forward to shoot air blades at him. Sticky descended toward the ground and gathered more toxic blobs in his nubby hands.

"Nrrrgggh! Somebody… help… me!" Shane wheezed, thrashing about beneath Carracosta. The newly-summoned enemy seemed to get over its momentary confusion and stand up. It turned around, formed a rock between its flippers, and shot it into Shane from point-blank range. Shane howled in pain as the attack buried him underground.

"Riolu… go help… Vulpix," Null ordered from across the cave. He and Tessa managed to jump back from the toxic blobs that Sticky threw at them.

"Me? Why do I have to help him? He's the one who escalated things, as usual," Tessa growled.

"Just do it!" Null roared, to Tessa's surprise. "I'm… the one… this guy's after. Don't… get yourself hurt… protecting me."

"But…"

Null shook his head about, hissing loudly. Tessa quickly got the message and ran in Shane's direction. Sticky anticipated this, however. The gemstone in his harness opened up and produced a small seed that he hurtled at Tessa. She wasn't prepared for the projectile, so it struck her in the head. Pink gas washed across her body. Tessa flopped onto her belly, snoring loudly.

Sticky nodded in satisfaction, only for his smile to disappear when he saw Null charging him down, claws glowing bright white. He quickly pointed his head at Null and blasted purple streams at him. Null managed to sidestep the attack. But in the process, he stepped on one of the glass tiles Sticky had summoned. Sickly-purple spikes popped up around him and dug into his foreleg. With a groan, Null staggered forward. Purple splotches appeared along his hide.

However, much to Sticky's surprise, the splotches immediately vanished and Null resumed his charge. He lunged at Sticky and swiped at him. Null's claws hammered Sticky into the ground. Null prepared to follow that attack up, but Sticky blasted him in the helmet with a stream of purple venom, forcing him backwards.

"So, you armed yourself with an anti-poison apparatus," Sticky said. He looked down and saw the looplet around Null's foreleg. "Ah, yes. The device you terrestrials use to bolster your abilities when exploring. I should have expected something like this."

"Heeeeeeey! Where's my pecha berry?" Shane whined, sprawling out on his belly to dodge a set of rocks Carracosta shot at him. "What's the hold up, Tessa?" He poked his head up and his eyes flashed pink. Psychic waves burst forth from Shane's body, knocking Carracosta onto its back. It landed directly on a purple tile, scattering toxic spikes all around it. Carracosta flailed its limbs about, desperately trying to right itself.

Shane staggered to his feet and scrambled over to Tessa, doing his best to skirt the purple tiles Sticky had scattered. Sticky spotted Shane and again opened the gemstone in his harness. But before he could grab the item he wanted, Null slammed into him, sending black energy through Sticky's torso. Sticky petered backward and pulled an oran berry out of his harness. He quickly ingested it, restoring some of his vitality.

Over at the other side of the cavern, Carracosta still struggled to right itself and now had poisonous blotches across its body. Shane repeatedly smacked Tessa's snout until her eyes fluttered open. "Hey! What's the big idea?" she hissed.

"You let yourself get put to sleep, doofus!" Shane snarled. "Give me my pecha berry, now. I feel like I could collapse any second."

Null realized Sticky could attempt to interrupt the item exchange again, so he charged Sticky down. Sticky's eyes widened and he quickly ascended. He gathered a ball of orange acid between his hands and chucked it down at Null, who evaded the attack. In the process, Null ran past Sticky, whose head tilted in confusion. Null's helmet then gained a metal sheen. He ran directly into the cave wall. The shockwave from his collision raced up above him.

Sticky yelped as shards of rock rained down on him from the ceiling, sending him crashing into the ground. Across the cave, Shane had managed to heal up, but Carracosta had righted itself. Furious, Carracosta surged forward on a jet of water. Tessa just barely managed to evade the attack but Shane was smacked in his side. The water drenched him and knocked him to his belly.

Tessa managed to get behind Carracosta. Her palm lit up with aura and she hammered Carracosta in its shell. Howling, Carracosta lumbered forward, giving a weary Shane the opportunity to engulf it in psychic waves. They exploded around Carracosta, upending itonce again. Unfortunately, Shane neglected to account for Tessa's positioning. Tessa yipped in fright and dove to the ground to dodge the falling Carracosta.

It struck the ground and disappeared in a puff of smoke. At the same time, Tessa hit one of the remaining glass tiles. Toxic spikes appeared all around her. They pricked her arms and legs, drawing a pained whimper. Sticky noticed the development and ascended to dodge a swipe of Null's talons. He pointed his head sideways and sent purple bursts racing toward Tessa.

Shane leaped out in front of her and blew out a large cloud of frost. He froze the poisonous streams solid and they dropped to the ground, where they shattered harmlessly. "You can thank me later," he said.

"Thank you?" Tessa hissed, scrambling to pull out a pecha berry. "This was all your fault! How could you not know I was behind Carracosta? Were you trying to crush me?"

"I didn't know, okay!" Shane barked. "Unlike a certain someone, who's really starting to twist my tails, I don't have awesome aura-sensing powers."

"It's called depth perception, loser!" Tessa snarled, shoving Shane's shoulders.

Shane's left eye twitched and he snorted ice tufts at Tessa. "Don't you dare shove me like that. I'm not the one you're supposed to be fighting," Shane growled.

"Well, I was hoping we wouldn't have to fight anyone. But you got that creepy purple guy all hot and bothered. Because you can't seem to open your mouth without making someone mad," Tessa hissed.

Shane glowered. "You certainly didn't help things! We don't need to protect Null. Didn't you hear the alien? He's some sort of failed experiment. In other words, a waste of our time and energy!"

Null skidded to a halt in front of them just as Shane finished that statement. He whirled on Shane, an enraged look in his eyes. "Oh, don't give me that," Shane said. "You know it's tr–"

A multicolored blast struck both Shane and Tessa, rendering them as stiff as statues. Null looked up in time to see a metal rod evaporate from Sticky's hands. "There, that ought to quiet you two down," Sticky said. "Now I do not need to split my focus anymore." Null didn't like this new development. He whipped a foreleg forward. An air blade raced toward Sticky, smacking him in the side.

Sticky hovered backward and produced another oran berry. He quickly devoured it and dusted himself off. "Even with your abilities inhibited, your strength is frightening," Sticky said. "Perhaps I can synthesize a trap to hinder you further?" The gemstone on his harness glowed and Sticky prepared to press it.

"… what do you mean… abilities inhibited?" Null wheezed. "And… why are… you calling me… a failed experiment?"

Sticky produced a glimmering tile and hurled it at Null. He wasn't expecting the projectile and it smacked his helmet, shattering on impact. A chilling sensation ran down Null's foreleg. He lifted it up, only to see his looplet had turned to stone. The emeras within it were drained of their colors. Null hissed angrily and charged down Sticky.

However, Sticky was much faster, and moved to his right. He gathered blobs of poison in his hands and tossed them right at Null, who managed to pivot and run toward the poison. Null's helmet turned to solid steel. He lowered his head and the toxins harmlessly splashed against his helmet. Sticky's face blanched and, seconds later, Null charged into him. This finally knocked the alien out of the air and down to the ground.

Null lumbered toward Sticky. "Do you… know who I am?" he panted. "Tell me… why do I… hear all these voices? Why can't… I make them… go away?"

Sticky rolled backward and resumed hovering. "Hmm, so your creators tampered with your memories, did they?" He rubbed his forehead. "Yet, your aggression levels have clearly spiked at the sight of me. Which means, on some subconscious level, you still acknowledge ultra auras."

Null roared in frustration and slung a line of air crescents at Sticky. Sticky turned and fired poisonous beams from the pins on his head. They struck the wind blades and resulted in a stalemate that splattered toxins in all directions. Null backpedalled, allowing Sticky to reach into his harness and produce a small seed. He hurled it at Null and a large explosion ensued, blasting Null across the cave.

This had the unintended side effect of causing Null to strike the petrified Tessa. She dropped to the ground, clutching her knee in pain. Sticky didn't notice this development and instead proceeded toward Null. "Well then, I believe we should wrap this up before you manage to do any significant damage," Sticky said.

Hearing that gave Tessa a second wind. Ignoring Shane, she rolled to her feet and sprinted forward, electricity gathering in her fists. She jumped onto a small rock and leaped at Sticky. He didn't realize his mistake until Tessa connected with his right temple. Sticky careened into a wall, leaving a sizable imprint, and slumped down toward the ground. Electric bolts crackled across his body, signifying Tessa paralyzed him.

Tessa ran over and helped Null to his feet. Null looked silently at Sticky. His gray eyes had glazed over. Tessa picked up on this and stomped over toward Sticky. "You do not threaten my friend like that," she said. "Now you can look forward to a nice, long talk with Officer Magnezone."

"I have… made a grave miscalculation," Sticky muttered. He shakily reached a hand toward his harness and produced an Escape Orb. Tessa's eyes widened and she lunged for Sticky. But her efforts were in vain. The second he pulled the orb out, a multicolored aura encased him, then he disappeared in flash of light. Tessa wound up striking the wall. She fell back on her rear, clutching her face in pain.

"Oww!" she whined. "Okay, that didn't go over very well, but at least we fended that little creep off, right?" She looked over at Null, expecting a response. Null continued to stare emptily ahead of him. "N-Null?" Tessa squeaked, getting to her feet. She approached him, reaching out a paw. "Are you okay? Do you need a healing item?"

Null suddenly banged the side of his head against the cave wall, keening despondently. He dropped to the ground, clawing at his helmet with his talons. "Make them stop! Make them stop!" he cried, jerking his head in different directions.

Tessa bit her lower lip and ran up to her friend. But before she could get up close, one of his forelegs swiped at her. She barely jumped back in time to dodge. "Null, you have to calm down. I can't help you when you're all riled up like this," Tessa said.

"N… no… get away," Null muttered.

"But you need help," Tessa pleaded.

"Get away!" Null roared. He lumbered to his feet and sprinted further into the tunnel. His loud stomps echoed through the cavern, until they gradually faded out. Tessa's eyes widened and she quickly tried to run after him, only for a muffled scream to cause her to skid to a halt.

"Oh… right… Vulpix," she whispered, looking back at Shane's motionless body. Tessa approached him and kicked him in the chest. Shane abruptly regained his movement, in time for the air to rush out of him. He dropped to his belly, eyes watering in pain.

"What… the… heck?" he snarled, breathing rapidly. "You were just going to leave me there!" he accused.

"No, I wasn't," Tessa insisted. 'As tempting as it sounds.'

"Don't lie to me! You were ready to book it after that freak," Shane spat. "And thanks for breaking me out of petrification when you were freed, by the way. You're a real class act. A wonderful teammate. I'm such a lucky Vulpix."

"We have bigger things to concern ourselves with, you selfish jerk," Tessa growled. "Null needs our help. That little alien totally spooked him."

"Really? Are you sure that isn't what Null's normally like?" Shane sneered. "Need I remind you that the alien is in league with your brother? If he thinks Null's a threat, then what do you imagine the big guy would do to us?"

Tessa crossed her arms defiantly. "You're thinking backwards to suit your own desires," she said. "If that alien is evil, and he's afraid of Null, then that means Null's on our side. Which means we should do everything in our power to help him."

Shane opened his mouth to respond, but couldn't think up a counterargument. He settled for snorting out tufts of frost and storming off into the next tunnel. Tessa followed him, grinning triumphantly. They proceeded down the darkest inclined path they had encountered yet.

"I don't see any sign of him," Shane growled. "And I don't hear anything eith– yaaaaaaaah!"

Shane suddenly slid away from Tessa. She took another step forward and found out the hard way that the dirt along the cave floor had given way to water, which swept Tessa up and carried her down the tunnel. All the while, she let out a scream matching Shane's.

XxX

SPOILER: Click to show

Paradox Navigator, Sticky
And who could this creature be? Did he really call himself "purple?" What kind of Pokémon names itself after a color, anyway? Well, despite his minuscule appearance, he has a couple of tricks up his nonexistent sleeves. Like the ability to create trap tiles on the ground! It's believed that this ability is shared between the aliens dwelling beyond this world.

Avatar by Jordy (https://toonirl.tumblr.com/), personal commission.

Ambyssin

Definitely a winter

Posts: 110

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Guiding Light (T) Sept 7, 2018 0:42:28 GMT

Post by Ambyssin on Sept 7, 2018 0:42:28 GMT

Chapter 27: Shattered Psyches

~Moonrise Marsh~

Shane and Tessa hollered in fright as they slid through what could only be described as a natural water slide. It zigzagged past several large rocks, before taking a sharp drop off a small ledge. They careened out of the tunnel and fell onto a very large, rubbery lily pad. They bounced about multiple times before coming to a stop.

"Urrrrrgh… my aching everything," Shane groaned.

Tessa slowly got to her feet. "I think we made it to the marsh," she announced, surveying her surroundings. Several floating wooden planks extended in different directions from the lily pad. They either led to other lily pads or some small wooden shacks sitting on large rafts made of bark. Above them, a dense fog obscured any signs of how far underground they were. Tessa could barely make out a few trees up ahead. Some had luminous orbs hanging from their branches.

Shane wobbled about on the lily pad. He looked around at the bubbling, dark-gray swamp water spreading out across the marsh and grimaced. "Blech. Looks like Pacifidlog got visited by a Garbodor horde." His snout wrinkled and he threw up a forepaw. "And everything smells moldy and mildew-ridden like my grandma's house." He glanced at the nearest tree. "It's gotta be these trees. Are those mold spores growing on them instead of leaves?"

"If I'm remembering correctly, it's a fungus that grows in damp environments," Tessa said. "But who cares about that? We have to find Null." She approached the edge of the lily pad and stared down into the swamp. "You don't think he sank down when he landed down here, do you?"

"Well, he's pretty dang heavy, so I wouldn't be surprised," Shane said. "Let's just find Oranguru first."

"Vulpix! We're not ditching our teammate like that," Tessa growled, glaring defiantly at Shane.

Shane rolled his eyes. "Glad to you see you've got so much concern for him but are willing to leave me petrified in the middle of a cave."

"I had a brain fart, okay?" Tessa harrumphed. "It happens."

"Please, we both know it was intentional," Shane scoffed. "Whatever. Look, from what you told me, Oranguru's a psychic-type, right? So, he could probably help us find Null. We're not going to get anywhere by ourselves. Especially with this fog."

"Okay then." Tessa stepped onto one of the planks, arms crossed. "Where should we look for Oranguru? Do tell."

Shane stepped off after her, shoving her to the side and nearly sending her into the swamp. "Isn't it obvious? Try knocking on all the shacks and see who answers," he said, ignoring the scowl Tessa gave him. Shane continued along the planks toward the closest dock. He approached the nearby house and rapped the door with his forepaw. "Hello, anyone home? We need some help."

The door opened up, revealing a shabby-looking fin. "Hiya, Relicanth," Shane greeted as the door opened a bit wider. "I'm with the Horizon Guild. My teammate and I are looking for Oranguru. Do you know where to find him?"

Relicanth yawned loudly. "His shack's in the center of the marsh." He shifted his position a bit, allowing Shane to notice a gaping hole in his house giving way to the swampy water beneath it. Relicanth backed into the swamp and disappeared underwater. Shane started to proceed forward, when he heard splashing behind him. He looked around and saw Relicanth was now bobbing in the water next to the dock.

"Go along those planks over there," Relicanth said, pointing a fin forward. "It's the second dock you encounter."

"Thanks," Shane chirped, before flashing Tessa a cocky grin.

"Don't mention it. But I oughta warn you, whatever you need Oranguru for, you're probably not going to get anything out of him," Relicanth said. "He rarely leaves his hut for anything. I swear, it's been months since I last saw him."

Tessa's jaw stiffened. 'That doesn't sound good. The Guildmaster wouldn't just send us for no reason, right?' Her brow furrowed. 'Unless this is a test of some sort. Oh gods, please let it not be a test.'

Relicanth disappeared into the swamp and Shane hopped onto the planks. "You coming or not?" he called, walking off into the fog. Tessa jogged forward to catch up with him, but had to slow down in order to avoid slipping off the planks. This was one of the few times she found herself wishing she had extra legs for greater traction.

After a few minutes, the duo arrived at the dock Relicanth directed them to. They found another small shack. This one had an odd structural combination of mud and wooden planks. In fact, the roof looked like it could fall right off the place. "Jeez, how could anyone stand to live here?" Tessa wondered.

"Different strokes for different folks, I guess," Shane said, drawing a confused look from Tessa. "It's a human expression." He walked up to the door and knocked on it. "Oranguru? It's Team Radiance. We're here to take you to Sunflower Meadows," he called.

Shane stepped back from the door, expecting it to swing open. Nothing happened, however. Shane knocked on the door a bit harder. "Yoo-hoo, Oranguru! Your friend at the Horizon Guild sent us. Come on and open the door," he declared, his tone growing a bit more impatient.

The door suddenly swung inward, causing Shane to fall through the doorway onto his side. "Oof!" he grunted. Shane grimaced from soggy wood brushing against his chest. He looked up and found himself staring at a big, white orangutan. He had a lot of gray patches in his fur, and heavy bags under his eyes. Oranguru appeared to be wearing a purple shawl over his shoulders, but on closer inspection Shane realized it was actually part of his fur.

"Hello," Oranguru whispered. "Please, come inside. You must be tired."

"Um, actually, sir, we were wondering if we could ask a favor of you," Tessa said as she stepped inside the hut. Shane had already walked over and sat down on a small, raggedy carpet. "See, our teammate–"

Steam rose up from the other side of the room. "I just finished boiling some sitrus and mago berry tea. Would you care for a taste?" Oranguru said.

"We really don't have the time to–"

"Sure, why not?" Shane chirped, giving Tessa the smarmiest grin he could muster. She glared at Shane in response.

"Ah, an excellent choice," Oranguru said. "My mate and I do so enjoy picking out berries from Mellath Bog. You would think that murky wetlands would be awful spots for berries. But, surprisingly, the trees there seem to produce these ripe, firm babies." Oranguru sighed and held up a swollen oran berry. Shane started drooling.

"Though, I must admit, my beloved mate and I haven't been up for venturing into the bog as of late," Oranguru continued, while Tessa tapped her foot on the ground impatiently. "Something seems off about the place. It's probably those doggone kids causing trouble with the wild Pokémon again. Why, back in my heyday, we would go about leaving treats for them in dungeon spaces. I even had a pen pal in Twilight Forest, if you can believe that."

Shane flashed his pearly whites at Tessa. "Having fun yet?"

"Stop sounding so smug," she seethed.

"Whoa, nice alliteration there, wordsmith. Bravo," Shane said, voice dripping with sarcasm. He turned away from her at the sound of footsteps. Oranguru approached them with a tray holding three clay bowls. He set the tray down on a log serving as a knee-high table.

"Oranguru, please, I just need to talk to you about my partner Nu–"

"Go on, try the tea," Oranguru suggested, pushing the tray toward Tessa.

"Yeah, come on, Riolu. We're this guy's guests after all. Wouldn't want to be impolite, would we?" Shane added. He leaned over and lapped up some tea, ignoring Tessa's exasperated expression. "Hmm, it's very sweet, but it's got a bit of a kick to it."

"Yes, yes, of course," Oranguru said, nodding slowly. "That was actually my lovely mate's idea." He raised up a hand and started pantomiming with it. "Just a single drop of tamato berry will make the tea invigorating," he said in a high-pitched voice. "Of course, the first time I tried it she had actually spiked the tea with quite a lot of tamato berry. I could barely feel my mouth for the next week." He shook his head. "Never did think of a way to pay her back for that little trick."

"That's all well and good, sir, but there's a matter that I could really use your help with," Tessa said, fidgeting nervously with her paws.

Oranguru slowly sat back in his wicker chair. "You seem rather tense, child. Go on, try the tea. It should help."

Tessa bit her lower lip. 'Good grief. Just how dense is this old fella?' she wondered. 'Easy now, Riolu. You're supposed to treat your elders with respect, remember? And you don't want to give Vulpix the satisfaction of seeing you annoyed.' She reached out grabbed the last remaining bowl from the tray. Tessa sat cross-legged on the floor and proceeded to drink the tea.

"It's pretty good," she said.

Oranguru smiled. "I'm sure that will make my darling mate quite happy," he said. "Now that we have partaken in some tea, please, tell me what troubles you, child."

Tessa's eyes lit up and it was now Shane's turn to look annoyed. "Oh, you don't need to worry about her. She's perfectly fine," Shane said.

"Actually, we're missing one of our teammates," Tessa said. "He ran off while we were still in Tethys Tunnel."

"Ah, yes." Oranguru stroked his beard. "Never a wise decision. Why, I remember the first time I was in Tethys Tunnel and made the foolhardy decision to run along part of the path. I hit the brook leading to Moonrise Marsh and tumbled right on down. Sprained my ankle pretty badly. But, oh, my wonderful mate nursed me back to health." He shook his head. "If only the Tapus didn't constantly rearrange the tunnel's layout. We wouldn't have problems with you youngsters having accidents."

"Right," Tessa mumbled. "Anyway, we think he's somewhere in the marsh but the fog outside is really thick. We're not sure how to look for him. So, we were wondering if maybe you could use your psychic abilities to sense his aura for us?"

Oranguru nodded slowly. "Well, it's been a little while since I've given the ol' brain a workout like that. Mostly I just do these old sliding box puzzles I bought from a traveling Greninja merchant. Now that is quite the tale–"

"And we would totally love to hear it once we're travelling through the bog," Tessa cut in. "But right now, we really need help finding our teammate."

Shane shook his head in disbelief. 'How could Guildmaster Metagross possibly be friends with this guy? He's the very embodiment of wasting time. Maybe he's gotten slow with old age?'

"Very well," Oranguru said. "So, what kind of Pokémon is your friend?"

Tessa's expression immediately blanched. A grin wove its way onto Shane's lips. "Um… err… well…" She poked her index digits together.

"We don't know because the guy's some sort of messed up experiment," Shane said, earning a frown from Tessa.

"You do not know?" Oranguru parroted. "Hmm, that is rather interesting. I vividly recall my youthful days when I encountered a Pokémon species for the first time. There was always this sense of mystery and intrigue. Let me tell you about the time I first encountered a Decidueye…"

"Maybe later," Tessa interjected. "Isn't there anything you can do to help us?"

Oranguru sipped more of his tea. "Well, do you know his typing?"

Tessa's gaze fell to the ground. "N… no," she squeaked.

"The guy's a total freak of nature," Shane said. "Canine body like mine. But his front two legs are like an insect's mixed with a bird's. He's got a fish's tail and this massive stone helmet covering his head and neck. Frankly, I'm not even sure he's a real Pokémon."

"Shut up, Vulpix. You're not helping," Tessa seethed.

"Now, now. No need for harsh words," Oranguru said, waving both hands. "We can solve this problem together. Why, my lovely mate and I are quite the problem solvers. Just the other day, we had an issue with the door falling off its hinges. They had rusted over, you see. So, we took some metal coils we had lying around and used them to anchor the door to the inside wall. Quite the solution, eh?"

"Would you be willing to help us search for our friend, then?" Tessa asked. "I know we're supposed to be helping you out, and you don't like to leave your home, but I'd really appreciate it."

"Well, I suppose it would get the old heart pumping a bit before we set out into the bog," Oranguru said, knees popping loudly as he got to his feet. "Chances are, if your friend just wandered through here without any sense of direction, he ended up on one of the small patches of wetlands we have here." He started shuffling toward the door. "They're a bit deeper into the marsh."

Tessa jumped to her feet. "Great! C'mon, Vulpix, we'd better get moving."

Shane huffed out some frost. "I said I'd take you to Oranguru so he could help. I didn't say anything about scouring this place in search of Null."

An exasperated expression overtook Tessa's face. "Seriously, Vulpix? We're supposed to be doing this as a team."

"Yeah, then take it up with Null. He's the one who ran off," Shane harrumphed. He then yipped in fright as a small psychic force brought him up to his feet.

"It is not polite to argue with a nice, young lady like Riolu, here," Oranguru chided. "Come along, child."

Shane scowled and trudged along after Tessa. "She's not my friend," he muttered. They exited onto the dock and it bobbed in the water, sending Tessa stumbling forwards.

"The wetlands are due north of my house," Oranguru said. "But there's also a patch to the northeast." He beckoned Team Radiance toward him, where two sets of floating logs led off in different directions. "How would you prefer to split this up?"

Shane stomped off toward the rightmost path. "I'll go this way," he said. "You two can go north."

"Oh no you don't," Tessa growled. "You should take Oranguru with you."

"Why? I can handle myself," Shane said, eyes narrowing.

"Because I don't trust you to actually look for Null," Tessa said, crossing her arms.

Shane rolled his eyes. "Well, bully for you. I'm still going by myself." He turned and walked away. Tessa quickly lost sight of him in the fog.

"It would seem you and your friend are at odds," Oranguru observed. "Did you consider talking out your differences? That's what always helped my mate and me when conversations got a bit heated."

"I'm pretty sure that's what led to our current situation," Tessa said, rubbing the bridge of her brow. "Come on, let's start looking for Null."

XxX

'Man, if I had a fire-type move like a real Vulpix, I could get this stupid fog out of the way,' Shane thought, cautiously proceeding along the path of floating planks. He could barely make out a small patch of light ahead of him, but the fog obscured his view. 'This is such a waste of time. Obviously Null doesn't want to be found. Why can't Tessa just take the hint and move on? What, has she got a crush on that thing?'

Shane shuddered at the thought. In the process, one of his hind paws came down on the edge of the wood and slipped backward. Shane slid onto his belly, yipping in surprise. His hind leg partially dropped into the swamp, causing him to grimace. "Ugh, gross!" he whined, hoisting himself back to his feet. He looked over and inspected the leg. A thin layer of gray slime covered his fur.

Groaning, Shane continued along the plank. The ball of light grew closer, until Shane could make out a luminous orb hanging from a large wooden stake that someone had planted in the ground. The orb illuminated a small island littered with crabby gray grass and patches of damp, equally-gray sod.

"How could anyone stand to live in such a dank, depressing place?" he wondered. "Actually, it's kind of the perfect place to go if you don't want to be bothered." His snout wrinkled. "If only it didn't smell like a pair of used bowling shoes." He approached the end of the dock and stepped off it. The ground squelched under his paws. Soft, sticky mud surrounded Shane's paws, making him grimace.

"Yo, Null! You out here?" Shane shouted, looking around. "C'mon, you big loon. Riolu's worried about you. Stop messing around. We've got Oranguru and we want to leave this place sooner rather than later." He swiveled his head about the wetlands. All he heard was swamp water lapping up against nearby wooden planks. His ears folded against his face. "Great. We're never going to get out of this stupid swamp at this rate. I should've taken Oranguru with me. Then I could've just ditched Riolu and finished this mission on my own."

He walked further into the wetlands. His gaze fell to the ground as he tried to stick to the patches of grass. Of course, they were just as soggy as the dirt. So, every one of Shane's steps created a splashing noise louder than the creaking of the docks. "Null! Where are you?" he shouted. "Man, this is useless. I'm going to shout myself hoarse at this rate."

A rasping, wheezing cough sounded. Shane jolted to attention. "Th… that you, Null?" he stammered. "Come on. Quit hiding and get out here already." Loud squelching footsteps sounded, and then a bulky outline appeared in the fog in front of Shane. "There you are. Jeez, what got you so riled up that you just took off like that?" Shane said, frowning. "Whatever, I don't care. Riolu's waiting for us. Let's go and try to meet up with her."

Shane got no response. Instead, the squelching noises got faster. The outline in the fog rapidly thickened. "Um, Null? You okay, dude?" Shane said, stepping back hesitantly.

A loud roar answered Shane, sending a shiver racing across his body. Shane had no time to process what was happening. Out of the fog appeared Null, helmet glowing with a metallic sheen. He charged headfirst into Shane, knocking him across the wetlands. Dirt and swamp water caked Shane's body.

"Agh! W-What the… Null?" Shane croaked, looking up. Null fixed his beady gray eyes on Shane and hissed angrily. Shane's eyes widened. "What is your problem? It's me… it's Shane!"

Null charged toward Shane. "You… beast!" he snarled. Shane scrambled to his left, squealing in fright. He dodged a swipe of Null's glowing talons. Null struck the ground instead, splattering dirty water against his chest.

"Oh, come on!" Shane hissed. "Who put you up to this, huh? Tessa? Braviary? Why does everyone have such a problem with me? I haven't done anything wrong this whole mission!" He opened his mouth and shot a blast of frosty air forward. It hit Null, who staggered backwards, hissing.

Null thrashed his head about, rattling his helmet in the process. "Beasts… must be… destroyed! Do it… do it! Destroy them!" Null shouted. Next thing Shane knew, a sharp blade of wind grazed his side. Shane gasped and hopped backward, wincing in pain. Null's helmet once again hardened into metal and he began charging Shane down.

"Stop it, you crazy freak!" Shane cried, turning and running away. His smaller stature easily allowed him to stay clear of Null. "Help! Help! I'm being attacked by a raving lunatic!" Shane screamed. But in looking back at Null, Shane misjudged his stride. His forepaw struck a patch of mud and slipped out from under him. Shane ended up sprawled out on his belly.

Shane's eyes widened in fear as Null shouted, "Get rid… of the beasts! That's why… we're here. It's what… we must do!" Shane turned around and shrieked as loud as he could. The sound waves missed Null, however. Null collided with Shane moments later. The force from the blow sent Shane reeling across the wetlands.

The ground slipped out from underneath the lower half of Shane's body. Shane started sliding into the water. He desperately tried to dig his forepaws into the wetlands to pull himself back up. But he failed to get a proper grip. In a matter of seconds, the remainder of his body slid into the water with a small splash.

His entire world went dark. Shane jammed his eyes shut and puffed out his cheeks, struggling to hold his breath. Slimy reeds suddenly brushed up against his backside. Shane couldn't help but gasp in surprise. Swamp water rushed into his mouth. Shane started to thrash about, utterly uncertain how to use his four limbs to propel himself up. This proved a poor decision. His struggling only succeeded in getting reeds ensnared between his tails.

Shane forced himself to swallow the swamp water and tucked his head into his chest. He felt himself sinking deeper into the swamp. 'I've only got one shot at this!' he thought. Shane tried to push the sensation of the slimy water and reeds out of his mind. He concentrated as hard as he could and then released a burst of psychic energy directly below him. The lack of traction underwater resulted in the attack rocketing Shane upwards.

He broke the surface of the water and took in a huge gulp of air. Unfortunately, he couldn't get close enough to the wetlands to pull himself ashore. 'Come on, Shane. Doggie paddle! Doggie paddle like your life depended on it… because it totally does!'

Shane started sweeping his legs forward and back. Much to his delight, the movement managed to propel him forward. However, he didn't make a lot of progress with the swamp reeds getting in the way. He craned his neck up and took in another deep breath.

A blade of air whizzed past him, slicing the tops off several reeds. Shane rapidly blinked swamp water from his vision. He could just make out Null's blurry outline positioned on the surface of the wetlands. Null paced back and forth, shaking his head and snorting. He quickly gathered more air around his foreleg and launched crescents right at Shane, who yelped and ducked underneath the surface. The wind blades grazed Shane's mane, taking locks of wet fur with them.

Shane resurfaced and immediately started swimming to his right. 'There's got to be some other patch of land I can climb onto. I have to get away from this guy!'

"What… are you waiting for? Get him!" Null snarled.

He threw his head to the left. "But… but he's my teammate. I don't… want to… hurt him."

Null then thrust his head back to the right. "He's… one of them. We exist… to eliminate them. He made fun… of us. This… should be child's play!"

Null groaned in frustration. More air gathered around his foreleg and he slung it toward Shane. Shane took in a big breath and submerged himself. All the while, he continued paddling forward. The surface of the water rippled from the explosive air. Shane's breath quickly escaped him as a stream of bubbles. He resurfaced, tilting his neck up to try and see in front of him.

Shane heard a loud hiss and the sound of creaking wooden planks. He didn't dare try to look at Null, for fear of leaving himself open to an attack. Null was clearly trying to follow him. Sure enough, another blade of air rushed past Shane, nicking the back of his neck.

'Gotta hurry… gotta hurry!' he thought. Shane's heart hammered in his chest and his legs ached from opposing the weight of his soaking-wet fur. He maneuvered himself into a set of reeds. Seconds later, several of the reeds behind him fell apart. A ripple spread through the water. Null roared loudly.

'Is he getting closer? Maybe I should turn around?' Shane thought. 'No… everything hurts. I can't keep this up much longer. I've got to get back on land… even if it's right where Null is.' He peered through the reeds, praying for some sign of approaching land. Shane's heart fluttered at the sight of a luminous orb dangling from the branch of a rotting tree. It illuminated another patch of wetlands.

'Oh, thank god! I'm almost there. I'm going to get through this,' Shane cheered. He took a deep breath and forced himself to paddle harder. A groan escaped his muzzle, nearly causing him to swallow a mouthful of swamp water.

"I don't… want to… keep chasing… him!" Shane heard Null yell. "Make this stop!" Null groaned.

Seconds later, Null shouted, "He's exhausted… this is our chance to strike." Shane redoubled his swimming efforts, and the edge of the wetlands soon came into view for him. He spotted what looked like a drier patch of land and steered himself toward it.

Shane glanced to his left and noticed that Null had slipped out of his view. He couldn't see any nearby floating planks, either. 'I should be in the clear,' Shane thought. He approached the wetlands and, with considerable effort, scissor-kicked with his hind legs. This drove him upward. Shane refused to take any chances. He opened his mouth wide and sank his fangs into the ground.

Grass and mud filled his mouth, making his eyes water as he tried to fight the urge to gag. But it provided him with the traction needed to hoist the lower half of his body out of the swamp. Shane released his grip and staggered forward, before collapsing on his side, panting heavily. Every muscle in his body burned.

"There… you are!"

Null's furious roar sent Shane racing to his feet. Shane looked to his left and spotted Null racing out of the fog. His helmet had turned to steel once again. Shane turned tail and ran in the opposite direction, ignoring the intense pain shooting through his legs.

"Tessa, get over here! I'm being attack by Null!" Shane cried. He tried to focus on where he was running, but the fog made it difficult to see a path forward. Shane's eyes widened and he had to skid to a halt as he realized he was approaching the edge of the wetlands.

'No, no, no! There's got to be a plank or a dock around here somewhere,' he thought, looking about in a panic. But the clanging of Null's metallic helmet grew steadily louder. Shane turned to cut to his left, but Null had already anticipated this. Shane found himself on a direct collision course with Null. He turned to his left and opened his mouth. But in his fatigued state, all he could manage to do was cough up a couple of clouds of frosty air.

Shane screamed in terror as Null's mask bashed against his head. The blow upended him, immediately knocking him out. His unconscious form slid back across the ground, picking up mud, until Shane's head and neck dangled over the surface of the swamp. Null raised a foreleg, gathering air between his talons.

"One more blow… and he's gone forever," Null muttered.

"Null! What are you doing?"

Null heard Tessa's cry too late. He thrust his foreleg forward and an air crescent rifled toward Shane.

"Null!"

The blast struck Shane and knocked him back into the swamp. Tessa sprinted toward Null, a look of confusion spread across her face. Null turned to face her just as she threw a small seed at him. Next thing he knew, a smoky-pink cloud enveloped him. Null wobbled about before collapsing onto his side, snoring loudly.

Tessa looked over to see Oranguru lifting Shane out of the swamp and lowering him onto the ground. He knelt down and placed a paw on Shane's side. It flashed pink, sending waves of psychic energy pulsating across Shane's body. Moments later, Shane coughed up a mouthful of swamp water.

"It seems we got here just in time," Oranguru said. "Yes, this is just like the close shaves my lovely mate and I ran into back when we lived near Glyphic Falls."

"Uunnnnnggh," Shane groaned. His eyes slowly creaked open. "W… what happened?" He looked up at Oranguru. "Are we… in Sunflower Meadows?" Shane sat up, blinking rapidly. "Wait..." His gaze fell on Null's slumbering form. Tessa knelt beside Null, rubbing his side with a paw.

"Are you serious?" Shane growled. "You're paying attention to him? That psycho just tried to kill me!"

Tessa flinched and looked up at him. "Vulpix, it's not his fault."

"Oh, of course. How silly of me," Shane said, narrowing his eyes at Tessa. "You're absolutely right. Null's perfectly fine. I just decided to go for a nice, refreshing dip in this nasty-ass swamp!"

"Actually, the swamp water really isn't that bad if you know where to swim," Oranguru mused.

"Shut it, gramps!" Shane barked. He whirled back on Tessa. "Alright, fess up! Someone put the two of you up to this, didn't they? Who wants me snuffed out? Braviary? The Guildmaster? Lycanroc?"

"You don't understand," Tessa said. "Null… he can't help it. He hears voices."

Shane bared his fangs. "Are you kidding me? That's your big explanation? Well, I'm not buying it. Pokémon aren't schizophrenics. The guy's just a dangerous freak!" He glared at Null. "For all we know, he could've picked up the Prism Virus!"

"He's not infected," Tessa said, stepping defensively in front of Null. "I know you don't like to think about other people's problems, but Null told me that when he gets his headaches he starts hearing a bunch of voices. The same thing happened with Bewear in Dewdrop Woods. The only reason he followed you was because these voices yelled at him until they overwhelmed him."

"Shut up!" Shane screeched, smacking the ground with a foreleg. He grinded his teeth together. "You don't get to defend him. Not after what he just did to me! He deserves to stay here and rot with these moldy trees. He's not a Pokémon… he's a freak of nature!"

"You shut up!" Tessa snarled, balling her paws into fists. "Maybe if you had taken the time to actually be nice to him, none of this would've happened." She looked back at Null. "I was talking to him after Lycanroc got arrested, you know. He said he doesn't blame you for the way you act around him. Why can't you just do the same thing?"

"Because I nearly drowned thanks to him!" Shane thundered, snorting out water droplets. "A little teasing will never measure up to that."

"And I nearly drowned because of you on our very first assignment!" Tessa shouted, her fists flashing blue.

Shane's left eye twitched and a vein bulged out of his forehead. "Are you saying this is my fault?"

Tessa crossed her arms. "Well, you certainly haven't done anything to help the situation."

Shane's left eye twitched again. "Alright, that tears it!" he bellowed. Shane sprinted toward Tessa, face contorted in rage. Tessa's eyes widened, but she backed up right into Null. A stream of slush washed in front of her. Tessa slipped and fell onto her belly. Seconds later, Shane barreled into her. The two canines tumbled across the ground. Their momentum carried them to a mud pit, which they fell into with a large splash.

Shane got the upper hand and pinned Tessa against the ground. Tessa thrashed about underneath him, but Shane had pressed his forepaws down on her arms, preventing her escape. "Let… me… go!" she screeched.

Shane responded by pushing Tessa's head into the mud with his neck. He leaned down and sank his fangs into her ear. The taste of iron filled up his mouth as Tessa wailed in pain. Shane let go of her ear and pushed harder against her.

"You don't get to tell me what to do anymore! I'm through listening to you!" he hissed, spitting a mouthful of blood onto Tessa's neck. Shane pulled his head back and smacked Tessa across the cheek. He opened his mouth wide and coated Tessa in chilled air from head to toe. Tessa cried out in frustration and struggled even harder. But her energy quickly faded as Shane's attack encased her in a thick layer of ice.

Once he was certain he'd frozen Tessa solid, Shane lumbered to his feet, howling angrily. For good measure, he doused the mud puddle surrounding Tessa in snowflakes, freezing it over. Shane walked over and scooped up Tessa's item pouch. "I'm taking this," he declared, "and I'm going to bring Oranguru to Sunflower Fields myself. When I'm done, you can bet I'm telling the Guildmaster all of this. And then the two of you will get kicked to the curb where you belong."

He reached into the pouch and produced a sparkling orb. "Here. Unlike your stupid friend, I'm actually generous. When you thaw out, you can use this to buzz off." He rolled the orb over to Null's sleeping form.

Shane turned and stomped over toward Oranguru. "C'mon, we're leaving."

"Are you sure about that? Don't you want to wait for your friends to recover?" Oranguru asked. "It is not wise to rush into Mellath Bog by your lonesome. I remember the first time I made that mistake…"

"Don't care," Shane said. He pointed his snout forward. "Get walking. Now!" Oranguru looked back at Tessa and Null. Shane shoved him with his snout. "I said get moving!"

Oranguru lumbered forward, sighing. Shane gave his former teammates one last scornful look before storming off after Oranguru, shaking bits of mud off his pelt.

Avatar by Jordy (https://toonirl.tumblr.com/), personal commission.

Ambyssin

Definitely a winter

Posts: 110

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Guiding Light (T) Sept 16, 2018 20:21:52 GMT

Post by Ambyssin on Sept 16, 2018 20:21:52 GMT

Chapter 28: Cut Down to Size

~Mellath Bog~

To Shane's pleasant surprise, a significant degree of the fog shrouding Moonrise Marsh disappeared when he entered the Mystery Dungeon. However, it didn't take long for Shane to wish for the fog's return. "I… really don't like the look of things here," he said, swiveling his head back and forth as he walked. The entire dungeon glowed purple, with the leaves serving as the source for the unnatural light. He turned to Oranguru. "Is this place radioactive or something?"

Oranguru raised a curious eyebrow. "I'm afraid I don't quite know what you mean."

Shane frowned. "Right, sorry. That's a human thing. Is this supposed to be a toxic swamp?" He stopped at the point where the path branched out in front of him, encircling a small lagoon. Unlike the marsh, this pond was filled to the brim with fluorescent purple liquid. It was even thicker than the swamp water. Shane gave a frightened squeak and quickly backpedaled as a large bubble formed in the lagoon and burst. Some of the fluid splashed ashore and dissolved, leaving darkened patches on the ground.

"This is definitely not how I remember this place looking," Oranguru said. "The dungeon used to have clear water. And it housed wild Pokémon like the Goodra and Lanturn families."

As if on cue, the pond's surface rippled. A fish lunged out of the water. At first glance, it looked unrecognizable underneath all the purple sludge. Its only distinguishing feature was an antenna that ended with a white, spike-covered ball of crackling electricity.

"Infeeeeeeeeect," the fish moaned. Shane wasted no time in sending a pink, telekinetic burst forward. It struck the sludge-covered monster, blowing it off the trail and into the woods. Shane heard a splattering sound and winced.

"The Prism Virus is here," he concluded. "And it's not just infecting Pokémon this time. It's polluting this entire Mystery Dungeon!"

"Would it not be wiser to wait for your friends to recover and join us, then?" Oranguru proposed.

A scowl crossed Shane face. 'No, I'm not chickening out here. I don't want Tessa's or Null's help.' He resumed walking down the path. "They're not my friends," he said. "Now, let's get moving before that mutated Lanturn wakes up."

Oranguru lumbered along after Shane. Both Pokémon took in their surroundings. The dark purple trees gnarled and twisted around each other. Some trees sported dozens of pointed spines. They pulsated with some sort of red and black liquid. Shane grimaced and fixed his attention to the pathway. But even that couldn't extinguish the unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach. The numerous cracks in the soil glowed the same shade of purple as the leaves and water.

"You can do this, Shane," he whispered to himself. "You're the human here, remember?"

"There's strength to be had in numbers, you know," Oranguru said. "Why, there was this one time where my lovely mate tried to venture into Rem Canyon on her own. A tribe of dragon-types captured her, for the wild Pokémon living there are not fond of us civilized folk. Naturally, my first inclination was to dash in after her. But it was your Guildmaster who advised I wait so he could gather the personnel necessary for a rescue mission. Ah, what a kind soul he was."

"Guildmaster? You mean Metagross? Is that how you know him?" Shane asked, eyes still fixed on the ground.

"Guildmaster Metagross?" Oranguru said, raising an eyebrow. "I think you are mistaken, child. He is the top explorer in the Horizon Guild, sure. But I'm talking about Incineroar!" Oranguru smiled. "Such a charismatic fellow. He could light the room up with his infectious smile. And not just because he was a fire-type. Ho ho ho!"

"You're clearly just doing this to bug me, aren't you?" Shane huffed in frustration. "I have no idea what an Incineroar is, but I know for a fact that Metagross is our Guildmaster. He's the one who sent us down here to help you."

Oranguru stopped in the middle of the trail. "That cannot be," he said. "I've been exchanging letters with Incineroar for the last few weeks. Perhaps Metagross simply conveyed the order on Incineroar's behalf?"

Shane's brow furrowed. "Look, you said yourself you haven't been out of the marsh in a while, dude. So, I don't know what to tell you. I'm still pretty new to the guild myself, but everyone there acknowledges Metagross as the Guildmaster. Maybe Incineroar stepped down and didn't tell you? It doesn't matter. Less talking, more walking."

He glanced over his shoulder and saw Oranguru standing there, frowning. "But he is such a close friend. My wonderful mate and I have gone on many excursions with Incineroar and his mate, Lucario." He scratched his head. This revelation caused Shane to stumble.

'Wait… so Tessa's dad is this Incineroar guy?' Shane gasped.

"Hmm… come to think of it… Riolu could've been their pup," Oranguru muttered. "I never met their children in person, you see, but Incineroar loved to talk about them. Oh, how I long for the good ol' days when my aura-sensing abilities were up to snuff."

"For god's sake." Shane puffed out a cloud of mist. "Look, sir, there's clearly been some sort of miscommunication here. Tessa told me herself that her mom and dad have been in the Grass Continent for quite a while. And neither of them will be returning to Horizon anytime soon. Let's put the issue to rest and get go–"

"But, there's no way we could have communicated so frequently if he's in the Grass Continent," Oranguru said. "This is quite perplexing."

"No, it doesn't matter," Shane growled. "Look, we're wasting time standing here and talking. You want to see your 'lovely, wonderful, fabulous mate,' right? Then we should be booking it through this bog. So, come on, already!"

Oranguru stretched out his neck. "Yes, I shouldn't keep my darling mate waiting, should I? Sorry, these old bones can't move as fast as I'd like them to." He arced his back and then proceeded forward.

Shane bit his lower lip. 'This is getting weird. Why would Metagross deceive this old geezer? He's not exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer.' He started walking after Oranguru. 'And what about that Incineroar business? I guess Metagross is just acting as Guildmaster in his absence, then? But how could Tessa not think to mention her father is the actual Guildmaster. That's a pretty big detail to leave me in the dark about this whole time.'

Shane scowled and shook his head. 'No. You know what? I'll bet she did that on purpose. If her dad's the actual Guildmaster, then exploring really is in her blood. So, the only reason she's acting like this is because she hates me and wants to be rid of me!' A glare crossed his face. 'I'll bet she's probably not in any danger of getting expelled. Metagross wouldn't want to upset 'Daddy's Little Girl,' after all.'

He gnashed his fangs together. 'Well, we'll just see about that. When I get back to the Observatory and show Metagross that Tessa's willing to defend a would-be killer, there's no way he'll let her stay. And with any luck, Null will get the boot too.'

XxX

~Moonrise Marsh~

Null's eyes slowly opened. Groaning, he struggled to stand up against the weight of his helmet. "What… happened?" he muttered, finally righting himself. Null surveyed the foggy wetlands. All he spotted was the luminous orb hanging from its tree and a small patch of blue ground giving off a fine mist.

"We fell unconscious!" Null found himself shouting. "The beast escaped us again."

Null jerked his head to his right. "No… shut up. That… that wasn't a beast. That was… a teammate." He clawed at his helmet. "I… attacked Shane."

Null stiffened. "Of course we did. He has an ultra aura. That makes him a beast. All beasts must be destroyed."

He walked over toward the tree, continuing to shake his head. "I don't… know what you mean. He's just… a little Vulpix," Null growled.

Again, his head jolted straight up. "We will not stand for this. Prove that purple beast wrong. Destroy Vulpix! Show him this infernal contraption can't contain us! Show that we are not some failed experiment!"

Null stiffened. He turned and banged his helmet against the tree, making a considerable dent in the rotting wood. His head throbbed in pain, but he also felt the hissing voices retreat from his mind. Null sighed in relief and sat down in front of the tree. He figured his best course of action was to find Tessa.

He got back to his feet and proceeded forward, approaching the blue mound in the wetlands. As Null got closer, his eyes widened at the sight of Tessa lying on her belly, encased in a thick sheet of ice. "What happened here?" he wondered. Null raised a foreleg and chipped away at the ice. He continued digging until he exposed Tessa. A layer of brown, hardened mud caked her entire body. Patches of ice clung to the mud. Null reached in and yanked Tessa out of the frozen mud pit.

Tessa didn't stir. Null cautiously placed a foreleg on her chest and felt it slowly rise up. That drew a relieved sigh, until Null noticed the item bag was missing. He did a quick scan of the wetlands, but saw no sign of it. Null hung his head. He then lay down next to Tessa and slowly curled his body up around her. Cold, slimy mud brushed against Null's fur and scales. He willed his discomfort away and tucked Tessa up against his shoulder.

Null continued lying there, trying to forget about his splitting headache. If he started shaking his head, he'd strike Tessa, and that would make things worse. Eventually, he felt Tessa stirring. Null slowly uncurled, allowing Tessa to wake up and roll onto her knees.

"I… am going… to kill him!" she seethed, digging her digits into the sod.

"What happened to you?" Null asked, drawing Tessa's attention. Her eyes blazed with anger.

"Vulpix totally lost it and attacked me," Tessa spat. "I was just trying to come over and help you out, but Vulpix flipped out, charged me down, and knocked me into the mud. He pinned me to the ground and then froze me solid!" She lumbered to her feet. "Before I passed out, I heard him say he was taking our hard-earned items and ditching us to take Oranguru to Sunflower Meadows." She stepped forward and grabbed the brim of Null's helmet. "He's going to try and get us kicked out of the guild. And all because he wouldn't just stop and listen to me for a minute!"

"… no. It's… it's my fault," Null rasped. "After battling that… little guy… in the tunnel… the voices… they burrowed into my mind. They were screaming at me. I couldn't... make them stop. So... I ran off. I thought… if I hid somewhere… they would go away." He lowered his head. "But… they got so loud… my head was hurting so much. Before I knew it… I was attacking Vulpix. I couldn't… control myself."

"Don't you blame yourself," Tessa scolded. "You couldn't help it. It was just like what happened with Bewear, right?"

Null nodded. "… yes. I… the voices…" He clawed at his helmet. "I… started speaking… what they were saying. I… was shouting… that Vulpix needed... to be destroyed."

"And I tried to explain your problem to Vulpix. But he refused to listen. And that's when he got mad and attacked me!" Tessa growled. "C'mon, we need to go after him."

"Are you sure… that's a good idea?" Null muttered. "What if… I lose control… and attack him… again?"

Tessa placed a paw on Null's shoulder. "I'll be there to help keep you calm. I'm not going to let anything happen to you." She gazed off into the fog. "And I'm not about to roll over and let Vulpix get away with this. We can get a fresh start, the two of us. All we need to do is catch up to him. I think if he's dealing with both of us, he'll keep quiet and listen."

She walked off toward the fog. Null jerked his head to the right and jostled his helmet around. "… okay. I trust you. Please… please make sure... I don't snap again."

Tessa approached Null's side and the two of them ventured off toward the marsh's exit.

XxX

~Mellath Bog~

Shane forcefully exhaled, sending frosty air spilling out in front of him. The icy attack splashed up against a wall of thorny, pulsating, red vines. To his utter horror, his attack harmlessly bounced off the foliage. Worse, the red glow strengthened and the vines pulsated faster. Shane slumped over, panting heavily.

"It's… it's no good. I can't break through them," he said.

"You should take some time and think about how to approach this from another angle," Oranguru suggested. "A clear mind can tackle the toughest of obstacles, you know."

Shane's left eye twitched. "In case you haven't noticed, we don't exactly have the time to dawdle here!" he growled. "This place is crawling with infected Pokémon. And these vines are definitely growing out onto the path."

A thorny-red vine launched out from one of the purple trees. With a startled bark, Shane sprawled out on his belly. The vine shot past him and dug into the existing wall of plant life. Small roots emerged from the new vine and wrapped around the wall. It wasn't long before red and black liquid started pumping through the new roots.

Shane rolled out from underneath the vine, his legs trembling. He stuck his snout in the item pouch and brought an apple out. Shane hastily devoured it. "See what I mean? We can't stick around here. This place is crawling with the Prism Virus."

"Prism Virus?" Oranguru parroted. "What in heaven's name is that?"

"It's… complicated," Shane muttered. "The quick version is it's an evil force turning Pokémon into sick, twisted monsters. Which is exactly what we'll become if we stay in one spot too long." He turned back toward the vine wall. "So, are you going to give me a hand with this thing or not?"

"I'm afraid I don't think my hands would do much good with that thing, child," Oranguru muttered. "My lovely mate, on the other hand, had quite the iron grip about her."

"I didn't mean literally! How stupid are you, huh?" Shane hissed. "Can't you use your psychic powers to boost up my Frost Breath? We might be able to get through that way."

"I'm not sure how much help I'll be," Oranguru said. "I don't quite have that spring in my step nowadays."

"Well, we're not getting through here if we can't bust this down," Shane said. He sucked in a deep breath and spewed a large gust of frost. As his cloud of frozen air struck the vines, a pink glow overtook it. This amplified the blast of cold and, to Shane's delight, froze the vines solid. Shane spun around and kicked the base of the wall with his hind legs. A large crack weaved its way through the frozen wall, and it came tumbling down.

"Finally! Now, let's get going," Shane ordered, proceeding forward. 'This is it. We've gotta be getting close now. And not a moment too soon. This swamp is absolutely terri–'

Shane abruptly stopped, squeaking in surprise. "W-What the–? What is this place?"

Oranguru lumbered up beside Shane and started stroking his beard. The duo found themselves looking at a rounded area similar to the lagoon near the bog's entrance. However, there was no body of water. Instead, a basin sat in the center of the clearing. Pitch-black crystals peppered the basin floor. Each one crackled with ominous red energy. Similarly, crystal roots extended out from the basin, heading into the forest.

"Is this what's corrupting the Mystery Dungeon?" Shane gasped. "What are these things?"

"I couldn't say," Oranguru muttered. "Look closely. The light is distorting over there. I daresay this is not natural."

Shane gave Oranguru a look of disbelief. 'Gee, you think?' he sneered. Shane cautiously took a step toward the basin. As he did, his eyes fell toward its center. There, a pointed black stone jutted out from the ground. Shane followed it upward, until he spotted a red, winged heart insignia burned into the top of the stone. The heart had horns poking out of its top and a piercing eye in its center.

'This is no crystal. It's a monolith!' he realized. 'Someone had to have put this here. Don't tell me Espeon and Umbreon did this.' He took a deep breath. "Well… this doesn't concern us. Let's keep going."

Shane walked around the basin, only to freeze mid-step when the ground started trembling. He scrambled backward, yipping loudly. Seconds later, a pink, drill-like structure popped out from the spot Shane had been standing in.

"It's carving time! Kekekeke!"

Shane's heart leaped up into his throat as he watched the newcomer unfurl her limbs. "An… an infected Scyther?" Shane gulped.

"What are you talking about, child? That is definitely a Lurantis," Oranguru corrected him. "And here I thought my eyesight was getting lousy."

"Lurantis? Like, a praying mantis?" Shane said. "Because, where I'm from, they don't have four giant pink swords for arms. And they're not that big!" His tails shot between his legs. "Dear god, why is it so big?"

Oranguru stroked his beard. "Well, Moonrise Marsh is led by Totem Lurantis. If you're with the guild, surely you know how Totem Pokémon work, yes?" Shane was not in the mood to give Oranguru an honest answer. Oranguru dismissed Shane's silence and offered Lurantis a friendly wave. "Lurantis, how are you doing? I noticed you did not drop by for tea, yesterday. Were you busy here in Mellath Bog?"

In response to this, Lurantis pointed her upper arms skyward and shot a ball of red light above her. Shane's tails jolted stiff and he prepared to book it, only to notice the fireball had stopped and was now hovering above them. It bathed the clearing in orange light.

Shane's eyes widened in realization. "Wait… Sunny Day? So, it's grass-type, then. Perfect!" He sucked in a breath and blew out a steady stream of frost.

"Kekeke… I'm going to slice you up like a loaf of moldy white bread!" Lurantis cackled. Her four arm-blades flared to life with vibrant green energy. She swung her lower limbs forward to absorb Shane's attack. Shane ceased his attack and sprinted backward. But Lurantis swung her upper limbs forward, causing two massive beams of light to pummel Shane into the ground.

"Agggh! Wha… what did she just hit me with?" Shane hollered.

"Solar Blade," Oranguru said. "It has been quite some time since I've seen that attack in action. And using Sunny Day to remove the charge-up time? Quite the strategy. Why, if my lovely mate were here, I'm sure she'd be complementing Lurantis… despite her aggression."

"Nnnrrgh… you're not helping!" Shane hissed through gritted teeth. He lumbered back to his feet. "Give me a little backup, here," he ordered.

"I'm afraid I'm not much for fighting these days," Oranguru said, shrugging. "Ah, if only you'd seen me in my youth."

Lurantis raised her upper right arm. Shane's eyes widened at the sight of a target reticle appearing on the ground and slowly approaching him. "News flash, you old geezer. This thing's trying to kill us! I don't care if you're old, just help me out!" he yelped and sprinted away from the targeting reticle. It instead maneuvered toward Oranguru. The second the reticle contacted Oranguru's body, it turned red. Lurantis' eyes gleamed and her raised arm shot forward like a pointed rocket.

Oranguru barely managed to form a sparkling blue shield around him, blocking the attack. Lurantis whipped her limb backward, causing her arm to retract. "Your shields will fall, you worthless scum. Kekeke!"

"Hmm," Oranguru hummed, stroking his beard, "why would Lurantis be able to use Smart Strike? That doesn't sound quite right. What is going on here?"

Shane quickly shot a gust of icy air forward while Lurantis continued to focus on Oranguru. It successfully struck her right side, sending her stumbling backwards with a hiss. Her attention immediately diverted to Shane. He took off, glancing into the item pouch. "C'mon, c'mon. There's gotta be something in here I can use to deal with he– meeeep!"

Shane skidded to halt and a giant blade of green light slammed down in front of him, missing his snout by inches. He looked up and saw a second green blade careening down toward him. Shane gritted his teeth and leaped over the Solar Blade that had missed him. He just barely managed to clear the beam of light and land safely on the other side.

"Hey, old man! Now's your chance!" Shane yelled. He opened his mouth and spewed a large cloud of frost in Lurantis' direction. Lurantis stuck her limbs out. To Shane's utter horror, her arms started spinning around her body while her head and legs remained stationary. Her spinning blades easily parted his attack. But they proved to be useless against a sudden blast of psychic energy that erupted behind her.

Lurantis gasped and abruptly stopped her spinning. "Rrrr… why won't you let me slice you up?" She stomped her feet about angrily and raised her upper limbs. Two targeting icons started moving toward either side of her. Shane immediately stuck his snout into the item pouch.

'I've just gotta think about what I want, right?' he figured. 'C'mon… stun seed, where are you? I know Tessa's bound to have at least one after that Parasect business.'

Something sharp contacted Shane's tongue. He hoisted his snout out of the pouch, only to realize the targeting reticle was about to lock onto him. He sprinted to his left and spat the stun seed forward. Lurantis saw this coming, however, and raised up one of her lower limbs. Green energy crackled across it and she sliced the seed at a diagonal angle. Lurantis' cursors contacted both Shane and Oranguru and she launched her upper arms forward.

Shane was astonished by the speed of the attack and had no means to evade it. Lurantis' metallic blade smacked him on the side of his head, making his entire world go white. 'No… not again! I can't have this happen again!' He staggered forward in a daze, desperately snapping at air while he tried to get into the item pouch.

"Kekeke! First, I'll slice off your silky little tails. Then I'll skin the fur off your hide and knit it into a beautiful vest," Lurantis giggled, withdrawing her limbs. Shane's vision returned to him and he plucked an oran berry from the item pouch. At the same time, another small blast of psychic energy struck Lurantis. She stumbled to her left. "Oh, you want to be infected first?" she said, looking up at Oranguru. "Your fur isn't silky soft, but I can still slash it up real nice."

All four arms flared up with giant green blades. Lurantis slammed her lower arms together, looking to squish Oranguru. Her upper limbs spun around, attempting to clothesline Shane. He yelped and dropped to his belly, the solar-powered energy grazing his hair. Shane looked over in Oranguru's direction, only for his eyes to widen.

Oranguru stood clear of Lurantis' arms, perched atop Null's mud-soaked back. Panting heavily, Null sat down to let Oranguru climb off. Tessa sprinted out from behind Null, paws glowing bright blue, and smacked Lurantis' lower arms. Lurantis recoiled and withdrew her limbs.

"What are you doing here?" Shane growled.

"Saving your ugly hide, that's what," Tessa sneered. "Actually, scratch that, we're here for Oranguru. You're just collateral, as far as I'm concerned."

"I had everything under control here," Shane hissed. "I gave you that Escape Orb. Why didn't you just use it?"

Lurantis shook the stars from her vision. "Newcomers? Fantastic! I'll paint the soil into a beautiful mosaic of fur and blood. Kekekeke!" She stuck out her four arms and four reticles appeared along the ground. Null stepped forward and hurled an air blade at Lurantis. It struck her chest and promptly knocked her into the basin. The reticles immediately evaporated.

"Because they only work inside Mystery Dungeons, dipstick. And in case you forgot, Moonrise Marsh isn't a dungeon," Tessa growled. "Once again, you acted impulsively and look at all the trouble it managed to cause. Bravo!"

"Me? What about your hideous friend over there?" Shane snarled. "He tried to kill me. And you were justifying it! What is wrong with you?"

"Hey! Focus!" Null roared, turning to face the basin. Lurantis had managed to stumble out of it. She glared at Null.

Tessa and Shane stared each other down. "… fine. I'll deal with you later," Tessa said.

"Likewise!" Shane snarled, turning away from her to face Lurantis.

"Mind if I cut in?" Lurantis shouted. Her arm-blades suddenly lit up with vibrant blue energy. She leaped forward and slammed her upper two limbs downward. Tessa quickly sprinted to her right, avoiding the attack. Shane was not as fortunate, however. Lurantis' arm struck his side. Shane hollered as the blow sent him reeling. He careened back and slammed against a tree. Shane slumped down to the ground, his eyes shutting.

"Okay. Anybody know what attack that was?" Tessa asked. Lurantis left no time for an answer, though. She thrust her lower limbs toward Null and Oranguru. The latter managed to form up a blue shield and deflect the attack, though he dropped to one knee from the effort. Null could not move fast enough and got speared in the chest. Like Shane, a powerful force sent him rolling back across the ground, skidding to a stop by the edge of the clearing. He struggled to get back to his feet.

"I've certainly never seen anything like it," Oranguru said. "Ah, the wonder of seeing a move in action for the first time. If only my lovely mate were here to see this."

Shane staggered over toward Tessa, flanks heaving. "Sacred… Sword. It knows… Sacred Sword," he wheezed.

Tessa raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me? Did you just make that attack name up or something?"

"No. It's one of those things I know because of my 'stupid human game stuff.' Not so stupid now, is it?" Shane said, voice filled with spite.

"Considering you still got hit by the attack, yeah, it is," Tessa replied.

"Huh? But my slashes should've left you for dead. How can you still be standing?" Lurantis gasped, stomping about in a fit.

"Reviver Seeds," Shane replied.

"My Reviver Seeds!" Tessa corrected. "That you stole from me, by the way."

"Hey, it'd still have gotten used on me even if you were holding the pouch. So, back off!" Shane barked. Their bickering was abruptly halted as an elongated green energy blade flattened Tessa from above. Shane had enough time to look up and whimper before he too was pounded by a blade of green energy.

"Rrrrgh… this is… all your fault!" Tessa yelled, her right eye now swollen shut. "If you hadn't stormed off, we wouldn't be in this situation."

"No, it's your fault for following me!" Shane countered, rolling back to his feet and shooting out a frosty gust.

Lurantis cackled and spun in place. Her arm-blades effortlessly diverted the attack. Likewise, the crescents of air Null shot forward were easily dispelled, leaving him hissing in anger. "You think you have all the answers for my attacks, don't you?" Lurantis growled. "Well, if I can't slice you into ribbons, I can at least tear the ground to shreds and swallow you up in the process!" She hefted her upper arms above her head and pointed her lower arms down.

"Kekekeke! Take this… Prism Drill Breaker!"

Lurantis started spinning, transforming into a giant, pointed metallic top. Team Radiance could only look on in confusion as Lurantis tunneled her way underground, disappearing from view. They immediately felt the ground rumble.

"Tell me she's just using Dig," Shane whined, tails drooping between his legs.

Cracks appeared in the ground, with plumes of dirt shooting up between them. Seconds later, Null roared in pain. Shane and Tessa looked up in time to see Null flying through the air, limbs flailing. He crashed into a nearby purple-leafed tree. Null fell to the ground, landing in an unmoving heap.

The ground shook once again. A sharp tip of gray metal poked out in front of Shane and Tessa. Their eyes widened. "It's not Dig! It's not Dig!" Shane yelped, scrambling away from Lurantis. Tessa booked it in the other direction. Lurantis disappeared underground once again.

"How curious," Oranguru muttered. "That's a surprisingly long time for a Pokémon to stay underground."

"Yo, old-timer, look out! She's heading right for you!" Shane barked.

Oranguru looked down, where a small fissure was zigzagging toward him. He took a few cautious steps backward and raised a glowing hand. A portion of the ground in front of him exploded, showering dirt in all directions. But there was no sign of Lurantis where his attack had struck.

"How's this for an impression? Back Slash!"

Oranguru looked over his shoulder to see Lurantis leap out from underground, two green blades raised above her head, ready to nail Oranguru in the head. Oranguru formed up a shield, but it immediately shattered when the first blade struck. Lurantis swung the second one toward Oranguru and he braced himself.

Only it didn't make contact. Instead, Lurantis was the one giving an agonized cry. Oranguru opened his eyes and spotted Lurantis lying on the ground a few feet away. Null lay on top of her, pinning her on her stomach with his superior weight. He proceeded to strike her in the back repeatedly with a set of glowing talons.

"Agh! Agh! Get off! You're hurting me!" Lurantis whined.

"Shut up… beast!" Null hissed, then struck her even harder with his claws. The black crystals coating her back splintered. Lurantis appeared to stop struggling after that strike. Null didn't take notice of this, however. He raised his claws to hit her again.

"Enough, Null! You got her! She's down!" Tessa hollered, sprinting over toward her teammate. Null froze in the midst of his attack. He blinked a few times and looked at his glowing talons. Null groaned and shook out his head.

"See, what did I tell you? The guy's dangerous," Shane growled. While Tessa tended to Null, Shane went toward Oranguru.

"My, my," Oranguru muttered, leaning over and panting heavily. "That certainly… got the ol' ticker started. Haven't had a workout like that… in several years."

"Whatever, I'll give you an oran berry in a second," Shane whispered. "For now, let's ditch those two creeps and get a move on."

"Really? After they kindly rushed in to help us? That's certainly not very noble," Oranguru said.

"I told you I had everything under control," Shane growled. "Now, get a move on!" He pushed his head against Oranguru's backside. Oranguru stumbled forward. Shane spotted the other end of the clearing. "I think I see some light trickling through the fog. That must be the exit to this place," he said. "C'mon, we're almost there."

"Hey! Just where do you think you're going?"

Shane looked over to see Tessa charging him down. Null trudged along behind her, still looking a bit dazed. "I wasn't going anywhere," Shane lied. "Just tending to Oranguru's injuries, that's all."

"Fat chance. You were trying to run off again!" Tessa accused. "I can't believe you. And after Null and I saved you from Totem Lurantis. You disgust me!"

"I don't recall asking for your help," Shane spat. "And I made it pretty clear back in the marsh that I'm not spending another second with you and your freaky-deaky boyfriend over there."

Tessa glared at him. "Then why don't you use an Escape Orb? Null and I can finish this on our own!"

"Because I need to keep Metagross pleased. Unlike you, Miss 'My dad's actually the real Guildmaster, but I'm not going to tell my partner because I'm a gigantic tool who plays everyone around her to get sympathy,'" Shane bellowed. The fight immediately drained from Tessa's eyes. Her limbs locked up and her gaze fell toward the ground.

"Yeah, that's right. I know all about your dad. Surprised? You can thank our travelling companion." Shane jerked his head in Oranguru's direction. "You think Incineroar would be proud of what you're doing? Defending a psychopath?"

Tessa's paws balled up into fists and she started shaking. "Sh… shut up," she muttered.

"Oh, have I struck a nerve?" Shane sneered. "Good. Because that's exactly how I feel! I don't know how the daughter of a Lucario and a Guildmaster could end up with such a warped sense of right and wrong. You don't deserve aura powers! You deserve to remain stuck a sad little Riolu for the rest of your life!"

Tessa's face contorted in anger, but Shane continued, "Hey, here's a thought. Maybe your parents didn't leave because they felt like exploring the Grass Continent. I'll bet they never actually loved you. And they went away because they were tired of putting up with your bull!"

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" Tessa shrieked. She charged toward Shane, fists glowing bright blue. Shane's eyes crackled with pink, psychic energy. But before either could launch an attack, the ground in front of them gave way. Both Pokémon could only gasp in fright as a large gray drill emerged from the ground.

"Kekekeke! Surprise! Heeeeeere's Lurantis!"

Lurantis spread her four limbs out and blue energy blades encased her arms. She launched her left arms at Tessa and her right arms at Shane. At such close range, there was nothing either canine could do to stop the attack. The blades struck them both, shooting them back in opposite directions.

Shane crashed into a set of thorny, corrupted vines. Lurantis raised her arms triumphantly. "And now for the finishing touches!" she yelled. Lurantis approached the unconscious Shane. The black diamond encasing her chest crackled with red energy. It formed into the shape of a winged heart. "Kekekeke! Enjoy your new life as an Ultra Beast, kiddo," Lurantis bellowed.

She thrust her chest forward and a spiraling beam of black-and-red energy shot out. Lurantis grinned as she watched it fly toward the edge of the clearing. But at the last second, Oranguru suddenly jumped in the beam's path. He had formed up another blue shield. It absorbed the beam and promptly shattered. Oranguru tensed up and dropped to his knees.

"Okay, that's fine. You know what they say: the more the merrier," Lurantis declared. She started charging up more energy in the black diamond, but a furious roar drew her attention. Lurantis didn't even have the time to turn around before Null's metal-coated helmet speared her in the back. The crystals draped over her shoulder blades shattered on impact. Lurantis crumpled to the ground.

She looked down to see the color fading from her legs. "No… no! I can't get cut down! I'm supposed to infect! Mistress Zero, please don't take my spirit! I can still fight! I can still–"

Lurantis looked over at Oranguru and raised a trembling arm. However, it immediately dropped back to her side, as the rest of the crystals on her body shattered. The remaining color drained off her body, leaving her a gray lump in the middle of the clearing.

Null stepped backward and exhaled deeply. "… it's over."

Shane stumbled out of the vines' remains. The thorns had taken off patches of his fur, and there were pink splotches in the fur that remained. "This is officially the work week of my life… ever," he said. He stuck his snout into the item pouch and emerged with an oran berry that he hastily downed. The pink spots disappeared from his fur. "You okay, old-timer?"

He looked at Oranguru, who remained down on one knee, breathing slowly. "Okay, I'm-a take that as a no." He walked forward, using his snout to pluck another berry from his bag. "Here, this ought to get your strength back up." But to his surprise, Oranguru raised a hand. He descended into a raucous coughing fit and brought his other hand to his chest. "Take the berry, for god's sake. You clearly need it."

"I'm afraid… I must decline… your generosity," Oranguru grunted.

Shane's muzzle stiffened. "Why, because you have your own items?"

Oranguru looked over at Null, who was walking toward Shane with an unconscious Tessa draped across his back. "If I could… just get your help… big fella," he muttered. Null pointed a talon at himself, prompting Oranguru to nod. Null shuffled forward. Oranguru used Null's shoulder to stand up. He leaned heavily against Null, who flinched from the sudden weight on his shoulder.

"It shouldn't be very far to Sunflower Meadows," Oranguru declared. "But I'm going to need a little support, iff that's okay with you."

"… I guess so," Null muttered.

"You know, that wouldn't be an issue if you just took the dang oran berry," Shane said.

Oranguru shook his head. "I'm afraid you'd just be wasting it on me."

'Well, yeah, duh. But I'd rather waste a berry than fail this mission after all this trouble,' Shane thought. 'Why's this geezer suddenly being so stubborn?'

He noticed Oranguru and Null slowly trekking forward. Shane sighed and walked off after them. As he passed Null, he noticed Tessa starting to stir. Shane quickened his pace to avoid dealing with her.

XxX

~Sunflower Meadows~

Team Radiance emerged from the exit of Mellath Bog and shielded their eyes. "Cripes, is it sunrise? We really spent all night heading through that horrible swamp?" Shane groaned.

Tessa yawned, then leered at Shane. "Well, we could've gotten a good night sleep if someone hadn't thought it'd be a good idea to try and ditch his teammates to sneak off with our client," she said.

Shane's muzzle scrunched up. "I'm sorry. I don't make it a habit to stick around Pokémon that want to tear me limb from limb!" he barked, shooting Null a nasty look. Null turned his head away shamefully.

"It wasn't his fault, Vulpix. He really can't control his actions when his headaches get too intense," Tessa said. "If you actually took the time to talk to him instead of bullying him, you'd have known that! But, no, it's much easier to make fun of him... and to put down a scared little Riolu."

"There you go, begging for sympathy again," Shane scoffed. "I've seen through your routine, Tessa. How many favors did it win with you with your folks, huh?"

"You take that back right now or I'll–"

"… please… be quiet…" Null hissed, shaking his head.

Shane turned away. "Okay, well, here we are. Plenty of sunflowers," Shane huffed. He looked at Oranguru. "So, where's this mate of yours that you're meeting? There aren't exactly any hiding spots here. Don't tell me she wound up ditching."

Oranguru lapsed into a coughing fit before pointing a shaky arm in front of him. "There," he wheezed. "On the edge of the shoreline."

"But there's nobody over there!" Shane growled. "You're totally delirious, aren't you? Just let me give you a berry." Null helped Oranguru limp forward. Shane rolled his eyes and trotted along after them. "I swear, if this was all just some stupid ploy by Braviary to try and get us killed," he muttered, only for his voice to trail off as he approached the shoreline. His brow furrowed.

"What… what is this?" Tessa squeaked. Oranguru pushed away from Null and stumbled forward. He sat down in front of a small array of colored beads that encircled a large, plump, green berry.

"This is it," Oranguru whispered.

Shane's eyes widened. "Wait… your mate's… she's…"

"Already passed on to the spirit realm," Oranguru whispered. He reached a shaky arm out and placed it on the berry. "Passimian and I, we loved each other so very much. I was a staff member at the Horizon Guild when I met her. At the time, I was helping Guildmaster Incineroar and his assistant, Leafeon, make an important delivery."

"Guildmaster… Incineroar?" Tessa whispered, shrinking back. Her gaze fell toward the ground. Shane huffed and rolled his eyes.

"Yes, your father was the one to introduce us," Oranguru said. "That's just the kind of Pokémon he is, always putting other's feelings ahead of his own. Words can't express how grateful I am that he introduced me to Passimian." He gently rolled the berry back and forth across the sand. "He agreed to let me depart the guild to start a new life with her. Together, we took in all the sights Horizon had to offer. But this place…" His voice trailed off as he descended into another coughing fit.

Null stepped forward, but Oranguru raised a hand. "I'm alright," he insisted, taking a deep breath. "We always considered Sunflower Meadows special. Most Pokémon stay away, because they do not feel the trek is worth it. Nevertheless, we made the journey. And it proved to be a very special trip."

Oranguru reached into his fur and produced a yellow, crescent-shaped feather that dangled from a star. "Somehow, we had managed to run into a kind-hearted soul. I'm not sure why, but she looked the two of us over and gave each of us a feather. She said to think of them as symbols of our love. Ones that will dispel the darkest of thoughts and dreams."

'That's a Lunar Wing,' Shane realized. 'Big whoop. What does that matter?' He stole a glance over at Tessa and noticed her clasping her shoulders with her paws and shivering. He vaguely thought he saw her mouthing something. 'And what's she being so melodramatic over, huh?'

"We ended up retiring to Moonrise Marsh so we could come here frequently," Oranguru continued, setting the Lunar Wing down. "One morning, however, I woke up and found that Passimian was terribly sick. I tried to offer her medicinal berries, but she refused. 'Take me to Sunflower Meadows,' she said. 'I'd like to watch the sunset there one last time.'"

Oranguru took a deep breath. "I must apologize to for deceiving you all."

"What do you mean?" Shane asked.

"When I made the escort request with the guild, I left out the part about this being a one-way trip," Oranguru said. He hunched over, breaking into another coughing fit. Shane quickly stepped forward.

"What are you talking about, old-timer? You seemed just fine up until that battle," Shane said.

"I wanted a team to escort me here… so that I could join my beloved Passimian in the next life," Oranguru said.

"No!"

Shane looked over his shoulder and saw Tessa running toward them, wild-eyed. "You can't… you can't do that!"

"I've been on my own for a couple of years now," Oranguru wheezed. "And I have grown so very, very tired. I'm afraid that it's simply my time to go."

Tessa's eyes teared up. "Puh-Please… can't you just wait another day? Or wait until we leave, at least?" Shane gave his teammate a look of disbelief.

"I understand that this is a lot to take in," Oranguru said. "I had expected that Incineroar would send a veteran team… not his own daughter."

Tessa stumbled back. "My dad… sending a team?" she squeaked, aura feelers twitching.

"Yes, he's the one I made the request to, after all," Oranguru said. Tessa sank down to her knees, staring at the dirt. Oranguru started coughing again. "I fear… that my time here is up. But, there's one thing I'd like to do before I leave." He looked over at Null and beckoned him forward.

"… what do you... want me for?" Null asked.

Oranguru held up the Lunar Wing. "Please, keep this safe for me."

Null's beady, gray eyes widened. "… but why me?"

"I don't need to be psychic to sense that you all are deeply troubled," Oranguru said. "I believe this can help you three find peace of mind." He reached over and stuck the feather into the sling binding Null's head crest. Oranguru patted Null's helmet. "Thank you all for your help," he said. "It was nice to meet you three."

He turned and stole a glance at Tessa, who was now sitting with her head buried in her thighs. "Give my regards to your parents, Riolu," he said.

A golden glow overtook Oranguru's body. Shane and Null quickly backpedaled into the field of sunflowers. The light became so intense, they had to look away. A brilliant, golden flash spread across the meadow. When the light faded, all that remained were the string of beads and the berry.

Shane's muzzle twitched. "I guess that's it, then," he whispered. He took a step forward, only for his forelegs to unexpectedly give out, bringing him to his knees. His breath rushed out of him and his vision grew blurry.

'No… something's wrong,' he thought. He tensed up, whining loudly. 'I'm… I'm…'

He tilted his head toward the sky and bellowed, "Help me!"

XxX

SPOILER: Click to show

Four-Bladed Menace, Ultra Totem Lurantis
She slices! She dices! And she carves up a mean tossed salad, to boot! This once-friendly Totem of Moonrise Marsh has seen her blades sharpened by the power of the Prism Virus. With two extra scythes at her sides, she can use a slew of new techniques to punish her foes. Why can she wield attacks she can't normally learn? Is this the Prism Virus' doing? Has something alien taken hold of her soul?

Avatar by Jordy (https://toonirl.tumblr.com/), personal commission.

Firebrand

Posts: 194

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Guiding Light (T) Sept 19, 2018 21:46:18 GMT

Post by Firebrand on Sept 19, 2018 21:46:18 GMT

So, I'm all caught up, though because I read the past three chapters (and bonus) over the span of a few weeks while I was travelling, I don't really have specific notes for each chapter. That said, this episode so far has been a pretty wild emotional roller coaster, and despite the intense interpersonal drama between Shane and Tessa, it's also been no slouch on the action either.

It's pretty hard to root for either of our heroes in this episode, if I'm completely honest. As readers, we have the benefit of seeing inside Shane and Tessa's heads and thought processes, and seeing them fairly objectively. Shane has been a complete dick to people, but he's also been right a few times and has had the universe set against him pretty much since he woke up on the beach. It's understandable that his temper is finally going to fray when, despite his best efforts, everything keeps hitting the fan. It stands to reason that he was brought to Horizon for a reason, and he's had a lot of roadblocks thrown in his way even on the occasions when he has genuinely been trying to do the right thing. He's also been a dick to Null since the start, despite the big guy saving him plenty of times and never really showing any kind of acrimony towards him until the voices in his head take over. Granted, I can sympathize with Shane not wanting to hear "the voices made me do it" from the guy who was just trying to murder him, but it doesn't excuse his past conduct.

And Tessa has been pretty harsh with Shane recently, and it's easy to see why her position is sympathetic. Shane keeps dragging her into things, assuming she'll be the supportive and pliant partner we're used to in the PMD games. But she has agency of her own that Shane pretty consistently disregards. But especially in these last few chapters, she's giving Shane as good as she gets, and even if she can justify it to herself, it's easy to see why Shane would get fed up and lash out at her. And her dropping Shane for Null, while it does make sense, would seem like a big betrayal to Shane.

So when Shane and Tessa finally snap on each other, and Shane freezes Tessa in place before striking out on his own, it's easy to see how they've both got valid gripes with each other, and both of them have taken them too far. It's for the best that Null is there to round out Team Radiance, such as it still exists, because they really wouldn't get very far without him to break up their fights (and finish their fights with wild pokemon. He's definitely turning into a crutch character.)

The fight with Lurantis was definitely intense, as all of the Prism-infected fights are. This one isn't quite as desperate as the Bewear fight (which is pretty hard to top, admittedly), but anyone who's played SM knows how much of a terror Totem Lurantis can be if you aren't prepared (and Team Radiance definitely isn't), but mixing that up with a Kartana's diverse and powerful movepool is certainly intimidating. Lurantis also drops some interesting tidbits in the fight. She's the first infected pokemon we've seen that still retains some form of speech, even if her brain does seem pretty addled. She also mentions that she's capable of turning more pokemon in UB-hybrids, which hasn't been in the repertoire of the other infected mons we've seen up until this point. It may be something to do with her Totem status, or just Mistress Zero stepping up her game, but I thought that was pretty interesting.

This most recent chapter also showed us the first "on-screen" death we've seen. Interesting that dying here doesn't seem to leave behind a body. I figure that has something to do with the magic built into the setting?

The bonus also gives us some interesting info regarding Prisma. I'd already figured she came from the human world, but the red aura around her hands seems to suggest that she's been involved with the Prism Virus for a while. It also struck me as odd that she still had the photo of her human family. It doesn't seem like any other human turned pokemon brought anything from the human world with them, but I guess it's also not totally impossible...

Last Edit: Sept 19, 2018 21:49:13 GMT by Firebrand

THE HALVARSAGA

THE AMAZING HAWLUCHA MAN

Ambyssin

Definitely a winter

Posts: 110

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Guiding Light (T) Sept 21, 2018 0:33:56 GMT

Post by Ambyssin on Sept 21, 2018 0:33:56 GMT

SPOILER: Click to show

{Firebrand (click here!)}

Sept 19, 2018 21:46:18 GMT Firebrand said:

That said, this episode so far has been a pretty wild emotional roller coaster, and despite the intense interpersonal drama between Shane and Tessa, it's also been no slouch on the action either.

Glad to hear it. That's what I was going for. ^^

It's pretty hard to root for either of our heroes in this episode, if I'm completely honest.

I'll admit that was intentional. It's not called "The Great Divide" for nothing. As in... you're divided over who (if anyone) you're actually rooting for.

As readers, we have the benefit of seeing inside Shane and Tessa's heads and thought processes, and seeing them fairly objectively. Shane has been a complete dick to people, but he's also been right a few times and has had the universe set against him pretty much since he woke up on the beach. It's understandable that his temper is finally going to fray when, despite his best efforts, everything keeps hitting the fan. It stands to reason that he was brought to Horizon for a reason, and he's had a lot of roadblocks thrown in his way even on the occasions when he has genuinely been trying to do the right thing.

That was the idea I had. The thing about Shane, and others like him, is that when things to pan out according to "plan" it becomes greatly distressing, to the point of lashing out at others... if that makes sense.

He's also been a dick to Null since the start, despite the big guy saving him plenty of times and never really showing any kind of acrimony towards him until the voices in his head take over. Granted, I can sympathize with Shane not wanting to hear "the voices made me do it" from the guy who was just trying to murder him, but it doesn't excuse his past conduct.

You're absolutely right. Perhaps we can see them start to have a more functional relationship?

And Tessa has been pretty harsh with Shane recently, and it's easy to see why her position is sympathetic. Shane keeps dragging her into things, assuming she'll be the supportive and pliant partner we're used to in the PMD games. But she has agency of her own that Shane pretty consistently disregards. But especially in these last few chapters, she's giving Shane as good as she gets, and even if she can justify it to herself, it's easy to see why Shane would get fed up and lash out at her. And her dropping Shane for Null, while it does make sense, would seem like a big betrayal to Shane.

You're totally on the nose with this analysis! :V

So when Shane and Tessa finally snap on each other, and Shane freezes Tessa in place before striking out on his own, it's easy to see how they've both got valid gripes with each other, and both of them have taken them too far. It's for the best that Null is there to round out Team Radiance, such as it still exists, because they really wouldn't get very far without him to break up their fights (and finish their fights with wild pokemon. He's definitely turning into a crutch character.)

Don't worry, I promise they'll start getting a bit better in the battling department next episode. Though, there was one line Shane hadn't crossed prior to freezing Tessa and that was bringing up Tessa's family. A line which he then crossed in the very next chapter. And we're about to see the repercussions of that.

The fight with Lurantis was definitely intense, as all of the Prism-infected fights are. This one isn't quite as desperate as the Bewear fight (which is pretty hard to top, admittedly), but anyone who's played SM knows how much of a terror Totem Lurantis can be if you aren't prepared (and Team Radiance definitely isn't), but mixing that up with a Kartana's diverse and powerful movepool is certainly intimidating. Lurantis also drops some interesting tidbits in the fight. She's the first infected pokemon we've seen that still retains some form of speech, even if her brain does seem pretty addled. She also mentions that she's capable of turning more pokemon in UB-hybrids, which hasn't been in the repertoire of the other infected mons we've seen up until this point. It may be something to do with her Totem status, or just Mistress Zero stepping up her game, but I thought that was pretty interesting.

Actually every other infected 'mon we've seen has been capable of it. Parasect got the closest to infecting Team Radiance, while Bewear was just going to kill Shane. But, yes, Totem Lurantis had plenty to say... including a few references that I couldn't help myself with. XD

This most recent chapter also showed us the first "on-screen" death we've seen. Interesting that dying here doesn't seem to leave behind a body. I figure that has something to do with the magic built into the setting?

Correct. The fact that he vanished into light is significant, considering a certain villain you're now familiar with.

The bonus also gives us some interesting info regarding Prisma. I'd already figured she came from the human world, but the red aura around her hands seems to suggest that she's been involved with the Prism Virus for a while. It also struck me as odd that she still had the photo of her human family. It doesn't seem like any other human turned pokemon brought anything from the human world with them, but I guess it's also not totally impossible...

That's an interesting thought. Yes, the picture survived the voyage somehow. I'm surprised you didn't notice that she clearly had her memories in that last scene... which would contradict what you've seen of her as a Riolu/Lucario. Curious, isn't it? Anyway, thanks for reviewing! ^^

Content advisory: this chapter contains heavy themes of depression and suicide

XxX

Chapter 29: Bitter Realizations

Null was at a complete loss for what to do. Both of his teammates were unresponsive. Tessa sat curled up in a ball, rubbing her paws against the ground. Shane had collapsed on his side, breathing heavily. Null took a step forward, only to freeze as Shane's widened eyes met his. They frantically darted around in his skull. Shane stuck a forepaw out.

"P-Please… sir," he croaked. "Help… I need help!"

Null shuffled backward, shutting his eyes. "No, wait, don't go!" Shane hollered. "Call the police! Call EMS! There's been... an accident. I'm being crushed! Please, sir… my car…" Shane's forepaw fell to the ground, along with his head. His chest rose and fell rapidly.

Something stirred in in the back of Null's mind. Null reached a foreleg up and clawed at the base of his helmet, groaning.

He's vulnerable. We can take him out!

Null staggered backwards, shaking his head rapidly.

Don't ignore us. We know you want to. It's what we were created for!

Null stumbled forward, wheezing. As he did, however, a strange tingling sensation bristled his head crest. It faded quickly, only to be replaced by warmth spreading throughout his body. The whispers in Null's mind receded. He blinked several times and his gaze fell toward Shane once again. Null lumbered forward until he towered over Shane. He raised a foreleg, only to pause as Shane gasped for air and brushed a foreleg through the dirt.

Null closed his eyes and gently lowered his limb. He nudged Shane with a talon. "… hey… wake up," he muttered. "You're… having a bad dream… I think…"

Shane groaned. Null carefully stepped over him and found the item pouch. He stuck a foreleg into it and managed to pull out an oran berry. He rolled it in Shane's direction. At first, Shane didn't acknowledge the berry. Null bent over and pressed the fruit up to Shane's lips. A bit of drool trickled down Shane's snout.

"Hrm… what… what happened?" Shane groaned, blinking slowly. His blurry vision cleared up and he found himself looking directly at Null's helmet. With a holler, he pushed himself back across the beach. "Get away from me, you monster!" he shouted, scrambling to his feet. "I don't want you anywhere near me ever again, you understand?"

Null looked down at the berry in his talons. "I was just… trying to give you this," he whispered. He kicked the berry over to Shane and slowly walked backward, looking away guiltily.

Shane looked skeptically at the fruit. "And how do I know this hasn't been spiked with poison or something?" he said, leaning over and sniffing it.

"… I only… wanted to help," Null said. "You and Riolu… you both… slipped into shock… after Oranguru disappeared…" He looked over in Tessa's direction, confirming that she was still curled up in a tiny blue ball. Her body trembled, bits of dirt and sand trickling down her fur.

Shane reluctantly nibbled at the berry. "I don't know what her problem is," he said. "But what are we supposed to do now?" He looked back, cringing at his damp, muddy coat with numerous patches of fur missing. "We all look miserable. And after your little stunt back in the marsh, we're pretty much guaranteed to fail this mission." He narrowed his eyes at Null. "So, nice going, big guy. You sure helped a ton."

He glanced back at Tessa and shook his head. "I told her not to bring you along. She's got her friend Eevee's house to go back to. But what about me? Once we're kicked out, I'll have nowhere to live!" Shane's lips curled up into a snarl. "And Tessa called me the selfish one."

A series of metallic clangs caused Shane to abruptly jolt to attention. He turned around and his tails fell between his legs at the sight of Metagross approaching them. "Guh-Guildmaster?" Shane whimpered. "What are you doing here?"

Fact: there is a shortcut to Sunflower Meadows located in Tethys Tunnel. Fact: I did not tell you about it because you cannot reach it once you get to Moonrise Marsh.

Metagross' reply struck Shane as rather odd, but he didn't feel like questioning him. He looked at his damp, scratched-up, mud-caked fur and whined. "Guildmaster, please. This… this isn't what it looks li–"

Silence, Metagross said. Shane shrank down toward the ground. Null stepped back, rubbing his helmet against his shoulder. Metagross looked at Shane and his eyes flashed blue. Fact: your team encountered significant hardships during this mission. Fact: there were multiple points where you even attempted to abandon your teammates.

Shane winced. "I… I can explain…"

Unnecessary. I have read your mind already, Metagross scoffed. Your callous disregard for your teammates created a hostile environment and nearly resulted in your death.

"That wasn't my fault!" Shane blurted out, but Metagross' glare quickly silenced him. He buried his head underneath a patch of sunflowers. "Go on then," he said, soil muffling his voice. "Kick us out already. That's what you're here for, isn't it?"

Metagross turned away from Shane and Null. By all accounts, I should remove you three from the guild. But I will not.

"Really?" Null gasped, beady eyes widening.

Affirmative, Metagross replied.

Shane's head poked up, muzzle agape in shock. "But you said that if we act out–"

Fact: I was referring to acting out toward Oranguru. Fact: analysis of your memories leads me to conclude that Oranguru was treated… adequately. Fact: you successfully brought him to Sunflower Meadows, per instruction. Conclusion: your team passes the assignment... by the skin of your teeth.

"You're kidding," Null rasped, legs tensing.

Shane's eyes narrowed. "I… I don't understand," he whispered. "We did horrendously."

Correct.

"And you lied to us!" Shane said, getting to his feet and baring his fangs. "You never said anything about taking Oranguru here to die! What kind of sick, twisted punishment was this?"

Metagross' eyes flashed blue again. You will be silent or I will change my mind and expel you, Metagross said. Fact: careful analysis led me to conclude that, regardless the assignment given, you and Riolu would argue to the point of creating a schism in your ranks. I realized that the only way to put an end to your caustic behavior would be to give you both an assignment that would ultimately shock you to your cores.

Shane's jaw dropped. "But that's… that's…"

Metagross stomped a foreleg on the ground, crushing several sunflowers. I run the Horizon Guild. I must work for the greater good. I do not care what sort of reputation I garner... only that I run a well-functioning institution. Your team was not well-functioning. Now that you properly realize the gravity of exploring in Horizon, I expect you to cease your reckless behavior and nonproductive squabbles.

"How… how could you?"

Behind Metagross, Tessa had somehow snapped out of her stupor. She was on her feet, paws balled into fists. Her arms and aura feelers shook with anger. "You knew… you knew about all of this! And you didn't tell us. Why?" she said.

Metagross eyes glowed blue once again. I made it very clear when giving this assignment. The purpose was to show you both that exploration is something to be taken seriously. That lives can hang in the balance.

Tessa's eyes snapped shut. "You could have at least told us what Oranguru wanted! Maybe then we wouldn't have been at each other's throats the whole time," she said. "And… and…" Her gaze fell to the ground. "You pretended to be my dad! That's…"

I had my reasons, Metagross said, facial expression unreadable. Oranguru had always confided in Incineroar. I wanted to have this mission available in case your teamwork failed to improve, which is what happened. Therefore, I had to forge your father's handwriting to correspond with Oranguru. Yes, I resorted to deceitful methods, but I deemed it necessary for the greater good.

The blue glow in his eyes faded. Order: this discussion is over. Fact: your new badges and equipment will be conferred to you upon return to the guild. He produced an Escape Orb, which wrapped the foursome up in bright, multicolored light.

XxX

~Aeon Observatory~

Team Radiance stood in silence, watching Metagross open the Observatory's entrance. Fact: we will proceed to my office in order to finalize the team dissolution.

Shane looked down at the dirt. 'If we really succeeded, then why does this feel like such a crushing defeat?' He glanced at his teammates. Tessa stood facing away from him, arms wrapped around her chest. Null was completely spacing out. 'Oh… right, because I'm going to have to try and sleep tonight, knowing that right down the hall is a guy who wants me dead! And my ex-teammate is practically willing to help him.'

He looked up toward the sky. 'What were you thinking bringing me here, Solgaleo? This is all your fault! My human life may not have been anything special, but at least I could feel safe going to sleep.'

Metagross looked back at them. Order: proceed inside. You are wasting my time, he said.

Tessa shuffled away from the group. "I… I'm sorry… I can't," she whimpered. "I need… I need to be alone for a while." She abruptly turned around and took off running down the hill.

"Tessa? Oh, come on, you can't be serious right now. I'm exhausted! Let's just get this over with," Shane said, approaching the top of the hill. He spotted Tessa running down toward Aeon Town's central fountain. "For god's sake, I just want to go to sleep and forget all of this already! Get back here!"

He gritted his teeth as he broke into a run. His lungs screamed in protest and his legs burned with every step. "Tessa!" he wheezed. "Tessa, stop!" Ahead of him, the tip of Tessa's blue tail dipped into a side street. Shane tucked in his head in the hopes of increasing his speed. He glimpsed Tessa going around a corner and ran after her. "Cut it out, Tessa. You're being childish," he shouted in between gasping breaths.

Shane rounded the corner and found himself looking at a few houses arrayed out on either side of the little street. A brown house had its red, wooden door wide open. Shane slowly approached it, trying to catch his breath. "Tessa," he said, "Enough is enough. Suck it up, and get back to the Observatory so we can dissolve the team."

He heard no response. Instead, whimpers echoed from inside the house. "Seriously? You're crying? Quit being such a baby," Shane hissed. He stepped through the doorway, only to freeze up. Immediately, Shane's nostrils twitched from all the dust in the air. It took every ounce of his willpower not to sneeze. Despite the lack of light in the house, the living room was clearly lined with a thick layer of dust. It covered up every piece of furniture and every item in the house.

More whimpers sounded from a back room in the house. Shane cautiously made his way forward, passing a long, knee-high table covered in dirt. He reached a doorway flanked by a dust-covered bookshelf on its right side and a rusty metal stand holding a broken luminous orb. Shane proceeded through the open door, entering a circular room that, lacking windows, was even darker than the living room. He blinked rapidly, struggling to adjust to the complete lack of light.

"Tessa?" Shane called. "Get up. We're going back to the Observatory."

"… get out."

Shane's muzzle stiffened. "Quit it, Tessa. This is getting ridiculous," he said, stomping a forepaw on the floor. "I already feel miserable enough. So, can you stop acting like such a brat and do this team breakup thing so I can get on with my life?"

"I said get out!"

Shane's eyes widened and he jumped to his right. A picture frame whizzed past him and struck the wall next to the door. Glass shattered all around Shane. The picture frame fell to the floor. Shane looked up and spotted Tessa's outline. After a few seconds, she came into focus standing next to a dust-covered bed. She stared at the ground, arms shaking, and aura feelers pulsating wildly. Shane shuffled over toward the broken frame and looked down at it.

There, in the bits of broken glass, sat a photo. He immediately recognized a younger Tessa and Gallian. Tessa sat on her brother's back; both had smiles on their faces. Behind them stood a Lucario. Her expression was relatively stoic, though she had the faintest hint of a smile. Next to her was a Pokémon that Shane assumed was Incineroar, given his cat-like appearance. Incinceroar's arm lay draped over Lucario's shoulder. Shane quickly realized Incineroar wore the same rainbow scarf he and Tessa each had halves of.

His brow furrowed. "This is about your parents, isn't it?" Shane muttered. "Yeah, Metagross shouldn't have pretended to be your dad, but it's in the past now. Don't drag me down even further because you've got such a big problem with this."

Tessa looked up. Shane's anger continued to build when he saw the devastated look in her eyes. "You… you don't understand," she squeaked. "I… I never wanted to watch a Pokémon die right in front of me. This wasn't what I signed up for. I can't deal with this!"

"And I don't care," Shane said, snorting out snowflakes. "Suck it up and move o–"

Tessa walked toward him, her eyes tearing up. "I can't just do that!" she shouted. "Why… why did he bring up my dad?"

Shane rolled his eyes. "How should I know? Look, why don't you just have Comfey help you?"

"She can't help me! Nobody can just help me," Tessa said, getting right up in Shane's face. "Because… because…"

Shane shuffled back against the wall. "What, is it because you're the Guildmaster's daughter or something? Does 'Daddy's Little Girl' get some sort of special treatment?"

"No! I'm not the Guildmaster's daughter! And I never will be…" Her lips trembled. "Because my dad's dead… and it's all my fault!"

Her voice cracked at that last statement and she burst into tears. Shane gasped as Tessa shoved him against the wall. The air rushed out of him, causing him to drop to a seated position with his tails pinned under his hips. Tessa fell forward, burying her face against the side of his neck.

Shane's flinched from the contact, his anger abating in an instant. Two statements bubbled up from his recent memory.

You know, you're not the only one with problems. Err… I mean, your whole 'stuck in another world and another body,' dilemma is pretty big. But it's not like all the Pokémon you've met lead perfect lives. We have issues too.

If you really intend to do right by Riolu as her partner, then you need to start respecting her boundaries. She's been through a lot. More than you can possibly know.

'Oh my god… this is what they meant, isn't it? This is why Tessa's family is such a bitter subject for her,' Shane realized, Tessa's sobs making his ears fall flat against his head. Guilt bubbled up inside him. 'And I totally snapped and told her that her parents left because they didn't love her!' His eyes widened in horror. 'What have I done?'

"I don't… I don't know what to say," he whispered, but Tessa didn't hear him. She continued to cry, sliding down from his neck to his shoulder. Shane looked around the room, desperately hoping for some sort of way to get out of this situation. He found Null standing in the bedroom's doorway, his gray eyes looking even more heavyset than usual. Null bowed his head down and slipped back from the doorway.

Shane awkwardly reached a forepaw out and tried to pet Tessa on the back. "Uh, there, there. Everything's… going to be okay?" he squeaked, though his statement was laden with uncertainty. "Do you, um, want to talk about it or something?"

A shove indicated that no, Tessa didn't want to talk about it. Pain shot through Shane's tails, but he remained seated as Tessa bawled her eyes out. 'Why is all of this happening? There isn't supposed to be this level of heartbreak until the end of these things,' Shane thought. 'Tessa… I'll bet she's been thinking about her dad from the very beginning. And I dragged her along through all of this.' He shut his eyes. 'I really am a pathetic excuse for a hero. Everything I've done has just hurt the Pokémon around me…'

Tessa's cries quieted into soft, shudder-filled whimpers. She slumped to the ground and buried her face in her arms. "It happened just about a year ago," she said, voice muffled. Shane didn't relax a single muscle in his body. He clamped his muzzle shut as Tessa took in a deep breath and continued, "I had been playing outside with Eevee, despite Sylveon telling us not to. We got caught in a big storm. Sylveon brought us inside… but I caught a terrible cold."

"Mom had started to take care of me, when Dad showed up, saying he needed to go to Glyphic Falls," Tessa said. She managed to push herself into a seated position but her head remained bowed somberly. "He said it was crucial guild business. Mom tried to go with him for support, but he refused. He told her it was more important that she take care of me." Tessa rubbed her eyes. "Mom tried to convince him otherwise. She suggested bringing me to the Observatory and leaving me with Comfey. But Dad…"

Tessa grabbed her mud-soaked rainbow scarf and tossed it to the ground. "… he said he couldn't have her do that. He knew that she'd just end up worrying about me if she came to Glyphic Falls. And he didn't want to stress her out... because he loves her too much to do something like that."

"So, he gave us both a kiss, and walked out," Tessa said. "And… and…" Her eyes teared up again. "That was it. That was the last time I got to see him. I couldn't even get out of bed to give him a hug or anything!" She dug her paws into her thighs.

"What happened?" Shane whispered.

"I don't know," Tessa said, her voice cracking again. "The next day, Braviary showed up, looking grimmer than I've ever seen him look. He told us that there had been an accident." Tessa shook like a leaf. She grabbed her muddy scarf off the floor. "He said this scarf was all that he and Metagross found when they went to look for Dad."

Tessa turned away from Shane. "Gallian, Mom, and I were all at home when this happened. I've tried so hard to forget how they reacted. They were always so calm... so level-headed. But when they heard the news…" More tears ran down her face and Tessa gritted her teeth. "They were so upset. Mom… Mom lost it." Her gaze drifted over to the bedroom doorway. Tessa rubbed tears from her eyes. "That table you walked past? Mom broke it when she heard about Dad. She… she broke a lot of things."

"And what about you?" Shane asked.

Tessa brought her knees up toward her head. "I was scared!" she hiccuped. "Scared, and confused, and tired. Mom was so angry. I sensed her aura for just a second," she shuddered, "and I blacked out."

Shane tried to get up and move toward Tessa, but she shoved him away. She turned away from him. "It's my fault! All my fault! If I hadn't gotten sick… if I'd listened to Sylveon and stayed indoors that day… then Mom could've gone with Dad. And he'd still be here! Everything would be fine!" She wiped snot from her snout.

"Nobody gets sick on purpose, you know," he said, tails curling against his belly.

"Mom blamed me. I know she did," Tessa said, grabbing a fistful of fur in each paw. "I could feel the anger in her aura after Dad died." She released her fur and used her scarf to dry her eyes. "She stopped training me after that... and she barely came home from the guild. Sometimes she'd remember to bring me to Sylveon. But other times…" Her voice trailed off and she shook her head.

"I tried to make it up to her. I tried to train on my own. To show her what I taught myself when she did visit me. I told her that I loved her." She lowered the scarf and her ears drooped. "She would tell me that she loved me back... but it always sounded like she was lying."

Shane bit his lower lip. 'This is just too much. She's gotta be exaggerating. She just has to be!' He looked Tessa over, but everything about her body language screamed sincerity.

"And then, almost eight months ago, Mom up and left," Tessa continued. Shane thought back to the times he'd caught Tessa going into her mother's room. Then, he remembered his attempt to look inside it, only for Braviary to catch him and take him away. "She told me she was doing a quick assignment for the guild... and that she'd be back soon."

"But she hasn't returned," Shane said. Tessa shook her head.

"A couple of weeks later, Gallian left. That's when he threatened me, saying he'd strike me down if I set foot in the guild," Tessa said. Tears welled up in her eyes again. "I… I've been alone for so long now." She fell to her side, curling up into a ball. "I'm not even sure why I keep waking up in the mornings, anymore."

Shane's head pounded. His view of Tessa momentarily faded out, replaced instead with a page from a newspaper, showing a smiling, brown-haired boy with freckles peppered across his face. A stabbing pain gripped Shane's chest. "Tessa, no. You can't… I had no idea," Shane whispered, eyes darting about the room.

"Don't call me that!" Tessa shouted, causing Shane to jump back. She looked up at him with tearful eyes. "You want to know why I don't want Pokémon calling me Tessa anymore? It's the same reason I refuse to call you anything but Vulpix. Every time I hear 'Tessa' I think of Mom and Dad and Gallian! It's because of my family that everyone called me Tessa instead of Riolu. And I don't want to be reminded of them... because the only thing that comes to mind is the memory of Braviary showing up and telling us that Dad had died!"

Tessa dug her paws into the floor. "Not like it matters. All I can think about when I'm in the Observatory is Dad dying and all the bad things that happened afterward. I've had enough. I can't..." She looked over at the remnants of the picture frame. "I don't want to do any of this anymore." Tessa staggered to her feet, swaying uneasily from side to side. Slowly, she approached the glass fragments littered on the ground.

"Tessa, I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry," Shane said. "If you had just told me–"

Tessa whirled on him. "You really think I was going to tell a total stranger that I'm frightened of guild work because my dad died?" she said, her face a mess of tears and snot. Shane flinched and turned away. "Mom was right," Tessa muttered. "I should've gotten as far away from you as possible."

Shane's head pounded once again. "What? But I thought you said you don't know where your mom is?"

Tessa stuck her right foot out, poking the remnants of the picture frame with her toe. "I don't. But she's… reached out to me. Through my dreams," Tessa said. "Yeah, I didn't want to say anything. Especially with how everyone reacted to you saying Solgaleo was giving you dream visions. But it's true. Mom told me that she's trying to protect Lunala… my guess is from the Prism Virus."

"She wanted me to ditch you. She said that if I stuck with you, I'd surely keep running into danger," Tessa continued. "But I was stupid. I hoped – I don't know why, but I hoped – that maybe you could make me feel better. That you could make me feel like I actually matter to other Pokémon." She shut her eyes. "But you did the exact opposite. I don't feel better. Instead, I left the only two Pokémon I get along with reasonably well. The closest thing I have to a friend now is Null."

"I never intended for any of this to happen," Shane whimpered.

Tessa knelt down, putting her paws on the floor. "I don't care. Mom told me that she doesn't want me to look for her. She would rather leave me alone to defend Lunala, when there are plenty of Pokémon up to the task," Tessa said with a sniffle. "And, thanks to you, I now realize why. It's because she doesn't love me... and I'll bet she never loved me."

Shane's throat went dry. "I… no… I was just…" He struggled to form a coherent sentence.

"No," Tessa cut in, her voice bitter. "Thank you, human. You finally made me realize just how worthless I am. I know exactly where I belong: nowhere."

Shane stood up and his tails jolted into the air. "That's not true! You're… ah…" He bit his lower lip. "C'mon, surely there's something I can do to help? Just say the world. I'll get you whatever you need. Anything! Just… just stop talking like that!"

"I don't have anything else to say to you. I never want to see you again," Tessa whispered. She reached a trembling paw toward the largest glass shard on the floor.

"No!" Shane cried, opening his mouth and spewing a gust of chilled air. Tessa fell to the ground, throwing her paws over her face and howling in frustration. Shane turned toward the glass shards, focusing his cold air on them until he had frozen them solid. He then sent out a small psychic ripple, turning the frozen shards to dust.

Tessa sat up, her gaze fixed on where the broken glass previously lay. "You... you..." She rubbed her fists against the floor.

"Please," Shane whispered, legs trembling. "Please let me help you."

"No," Tessa said, lowering her head. "You want to help? Then just… go away." She lay down on the ground, gripping her stomach with her right paw. "I'm not going back to the Observatory. In fact, I'm not going anywhere. I'm just going to stay here. I'm already starving, so I imagine it won't take long for my spirit to start ebbing away. Just a few hours... and it'll all be over."

"Riolu, don't–"

"What are you complaining about?" she snarled. "You're going to get what you wanted. I'll be out of your life." She took in a shuddering breath. "I'll be out of everyone's lives."

Shane's vision flickered. The newspaper picture flashed through his mind, and then his eyes teared up. "No... Tessa, I can't leave you here like this," Shane said.

"Fine," Tessa said, rolling over so her back was to Shane, "then you can watch as the hunger saps every last bit of my strength."

Shane's ears drooped. "But–"

"Goodbye, Vulpix," Tessa said, cupping her paws over her ears and pressing them against her head.

Shane opened his mouth to offer a retort, but nothing came to mind. His ears twitched and his heart skipped a beat at the sound of a raspy cough. He looked over his shoulder and again saw Null in the doorway. Null backed out of the doorway upon glimpsing Shane's frightful expression. Shane looked back at Tessa and, after a moment of hesitation, followed Null out of the bedroom, shutting the door behind him.

"How much of that did you hear?" Shane asked.

"… everything," Null said.

"Then you know what you need to do," Shane said, stepping away from the door. Null's head cocked in confusion. "Tessa's hurting badly. She needs…" He shuddered. "She needs a friend right now. And… that's not me. I don't think it'll ever be me. She needs you."

Null blinked. "… what can I… possibly do… for her?"

"Just be there with her. You don't have to say anything. But lay down next to her. Maybe rub her back or something. Go in there and don't leave as long as she's awake. Make sure she doesn't do anything rash. You're her best friend. You have to do this," Shane said.

Null nodded slowly and then lumbered toward the door. He pushed it open and slipped inside the bedroom, leaving Shane alone. The second the door closed, Shane collapsed onto his belly. His whole body ached and he felt a huge, crushing weight against his forehead. He tried to lift up his head, but the whole room spun. He lay on the ground, trembling; face buried in the dirt. The colors of the spinning room faded. The brown of the house's floor gave way to bright, flashing, red-and-blue lights. Black shadows moved across his field of view.

I've got a pulse, but his airway's collapsed. We have to intubate. Where's that paramedic?

'No…'

Sir, sir! Are you okay? Can you hear me?

'Please… help me!'

No pupillary response. He's got fluid in his lungs.

'I don't want to die!'

We've got him boarded up. Start the EKG and let's get him to the ER. You there! Page trauma. He needs surgery ASAP.

The sound of a door closing jolted Shane from his stupor. He sat up, breath coming in ragged gasps. He looked over at Null, who stood frozen in front of the doorway. "Wh-What are you… what are you doing out here? What happened to Tessa? H-How long was I out?"

"… not long," Null rasped. "Riolu… cried herself to sleep," he reported. He sat in front of the door like a grotesque gargoyle. Shane staggered to his feet, his head hung shamefully. "Are you… leaving?"

"I don't know," Shane whispered. "I just… I'm so confused. Everything's gone so horribly, horrendously wrong!" He blinked a few times. "Wait, why am I even saying this to you? What do you care?"

"… what happened… back in Moonrise Marsh… I didn't want that," Null said. "I don't… want to hurt you. And I don't… want to hate you."

Shane's lips quivered. "Well, it's a bit late for apologizing, isn't it?" He sat down opposite Null. "Maybe you're right. Maybe I do need to be taken out. I've done nothing but screw up since I got here. You'd all be better off without me."

"… I don't… think that's true," Null said. "I think… you're trying to make the best… of a difficult situation. I can… sympathize with that…"

Shane's eyes teared up. "Can you? Look at what I've done to Tessa. I broke her spirit. I… I made her–" He cut himself off, shaking his head in disgust. "All this time, she's really just been depressed because she lost her family. It's probably why she was so hesitant to go to the guild! So, what did I do? Pressure her and pressure her until she cracked and went to the very place she shouldn't have set foot in in the first place!"

He smacked a paw on the ground. "All this time… all this time she's been trying to put on a brave face. And I just brushed aside the signs that something was wrong because I didn't want to believe it. I didn't want to believe that things were different here than in my games." He began crying. "I've been thinking like a selfish human since the moment I woke up, when… when I should've been thinking like a Pokémon."

He flopped onto his belly, burying his head under his forepaws. "Metagross was right. There are real lives at stake. And here I am thinking I can just waltz along and have everything be fine!" He looked up at Null with tearful eyes. "I never even beat the games fair and square, you know. I always resorted to cheating because I got too frustrated, but that's not possible here."

Shane smacked his head against his forelegs. "Everything I've done so far has had consequences. And they're not the kind I can simply erase by hitting a power switch and forgetting that they ever happened. I can't preserve a happy scenario in a stream of data, because this is all real!" he sobbed. "The damage is done. I'm… I'm… I'm not a hero. I'm just… a screw up."

Null slowly exhaled. "… you do realize… it sounds like… you're making Riolu's struggles… all about you… right?"

In response to this, Shane got up, walked over to the table, and bashed his head against it. "Yes, because I'm dumb!"

BANG!

"Stupid!"

BANG!

A welt popped up on Shane's head, which he lowered shamefully. "You're absolutely right. You want to know the worst part of all of this?" Shane whispered, causing Null to lean forward. "Today's Tessa's birthday… sorry, 'hatch day.' This is supposed to be a happy day for her. And I managed to go and turn it into the worst day of her life."

"I think… you're overreacting… just a smidge," Null said.

"I'm not," Shane whimpered. "I know this all sounds selfish, but this is really my fault. If I hadn't flown off the handle at Lycanroc... if I'd just trusted all of you instead of thinking I knew better… then I wouldn't have gotten in trouble. And then Tessa wouldn't have gotten in trouble. We'd have never gotten sent on this awful mission that put us at each other's throats and ended with Tessa having to watch a Pokémon die right in front of her… and one year after her dad died, to boot!"

Shane stepped back from the table. "I can't even blame Metagross. It's not like he was controlling how I acted."

Null slowly sat up and walked over toward Shane. He sighted heavily. "… when you put it that way… I guess it is your fault. But… it's not like you were the only one… acting badly on that mission. I think we all… did and said things… that we feel horribly about…"

Shane rubbed his snout with a forepaw. "Are you trying to compare us, here? There's no comparison to make. I deserve all the vitriol Tessa gave me. I…"

He flinched as Null sat beside him. Shane looked away, whimpering. Null muttered, "I'm saying… I understand… how awful you feel. But… I think… that's exactly why… you need someone to lean on for support… just as much as Riolu does."

Shane blinked tears out of his eyes. "Well, forget it. I'm not worth your trouble. Tessa's your friend, not me. Right now, she needs your undivided attention."

"… but I'd like you to be…"

Shane froze. "Huh?"

"… I want… to be your friend. I know… we haven't had… a very good relationship," Null muttered. "I'm sorry… for staring at you... back in the sentry station. It was never… my intent… to scare you. But clearly… that's what happened."

Shane turned away even further. "A bit late to be asking for that, considering what happened, don't you think?"

"… I really wish… I could make it up to you," Null wheezed. "Which is exactly why… I refuse to turn my back on you." He poked a foreleg at the ground. "And… from what it sounds like… you're not ready... to give up... on Riolu."

Shane winced, his ears folding against his face. "I just… I have to do something to help her. It's my fault all of this happened. I need to make things right. But," he sighed and shook his head, "I can't think of anything. Every attempt I see myself making is just going to make her even more upset."

"Is there really nothing… you can do?" Null wondered.

Shane squeezed his eyes shut and scrunched up his snout. "I… I," he whispered. His eyes suddenly shot wide open. "I've got an idea," he said, getting to his feet. "If it's Tessa's hatch day, then we should throw her a party."

Null stared blankly at Shane. "Like… a surprise party?"

"Ideally, yes," Shane said. "She said that she's depressed because she feels alone, right? Well, this is the guild's chance to show her that, just because her family's not in the picture, doesn't mean she's alone. Not as long as she has them."

"But… she didn't mention… her hatch day… to anyone," Null pointed out. "I'm not even sure... how you found out."

"I heard Team Captivate talking about it," Shane said. He dried out his eyes. "They wanted to do something for her, but were too hesitant." He looked out the window. "If I leave right now, I think I can still make morning assembly. And if I can get everyone on board, we might have a chance at getting something set up by tonight."

"Do you… have a plan?"

"No… not really. I'm sort of winging it here," Shane whispered. "Like, Tessa's friends with Sylveon... and she's a baker. She could make treats. And we could have her work with Steenee and anyone in the guild who feels like helping to make food." Shane started pacing back and forth. "Then, we can get supplies from the Kecleon Shop and a couple of other places in town. I'm sure folks had some gift ideas in mind for Tessa, too." His brow furrowed. "Maybe with a little bit of begging and pleading, Crabrawler will let us borrow the Sky Jukebox from his Café?" He took a deep breath. "No, no, I can't get ahead of myself. First, I have to concentrate on getting everyone in the guild to help. It's the only way I can make this work."

"Is there anything… I can do?" Null asked.

Shane nodded. "You need to keep Tessa busy," he said. "She's gonna wake up. She's really fragile right now. And I don't want her coming to the guild and seeing what we're doing. If anything, you're the best Pokémon to try and lift her spirits. Maybe try taking her out to Azure Cape or Sunrise Village? That should at least help her clear her mind."

"I'm not… really good… at making small talk," Null said, tapping a claw on the floor.

Shane frowned. "I need you to do this. Don't let her back in Aeon Town until after sundown, got it? Even if you have to carry her away while she's still sleeping." He paused. "Okay, maybe don't do that one. But still, I…" He took a deep breath. "I trust you to do this."

Null's eyes widened. He nodded his head slowly. "I'll do my best," he said.

"Great. Then I'd better get running. There's a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it. And we need this to work," Shane said. He trotted over toward the door and out onto the street. Null watched him disappear around a corner.

"Good luck," Null whispered. "For Riolu's sake, I'm rooting for you."

Last Edit: Sept 21, 2018 0:34:34 GMT by Ambyssin

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girl-like-substance

the seal will bite you if you give him half a chance

Posts: 527
Pronouns: xe/xem

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Guiding Light (T) Sept 21, 2018 22:50:38 GMT

Post by girl-like-substance on Sept 21, 2018 22:50:38 GMT

Well, here we are again, at this big old crossroads. I have to say, I rather like this bit; I was kind of waiting for this chapter to get posted here so I had a chance to revisit it. So much comes to a head here, you know? A bunch of stuff ends, and a bunch of stuff begins. And yet the stuff that ends bleeds through to what comes next, and what comes next has its roots in what ends. It's all very cool.

Like this is where Metagross really starts to go off the rails, and sure, he went off the rails a long time ago, but this is where he starts to really show it. So little of his reasoning makes sense here, you know? He wanted them to learn that lives can hang on an expedition, so instead of sending them on a mission to save someone (which conveys this message), he sent them to unwittingly assist an old man's suicide (which really doesn't). It's such a good bit, where all those clues you've been planting about how unreasonable and outright mean Metagross can float to the surface like scum on water. I love it.

And then after that, you've got Shane doing what he does best: taking one look at a bad situation and immediately deciding he can make it worse. It's just that this time, 'worse' is 'suicidal', and though Tessa is rather melodramatic about it – that line about hunger sapping the last of her strength is, uh, undeniably pretty teenage – we're definitely pushed to take one side of the eponymous great divide over the other. I like that, as a resolution to the episode; everyone's been pushing apart from each other so hard and for so long that something had to give, and that that something turned out to be Shane's intransigence is both a relief as a reader and an effective way of folding all this stuff into the change that we all knew had to come at some point.

Obviously there's still some more to come, but like, this is the chapter where all the interesting stuff is, really, so this is the one I wanted to comment on. Anyway, while I'm here, the link to chapter 23 is a bit broken in your table of contents. And finally:

Metagross stomped a foreleg on the ground, crushing several sunflowers.

Ah, Symbolism^TM. (Sorry, this sounds like mockery but it really isn't, it works well and I liked how it made me smile with its bluntness.)

GHOST TOWN | GO HOME
& assorted one-shots

Ambyssin

Definitely a winter

Posts: 110

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Guiding Light (T) Sept 27, 2018 23:57:22 GMT

Post by Ambyssin on Sept 27, 2018 23:57:22 GMT

SPOILER: Click to show

{eldestoyster}

Sept 21, 2018 22:50:38 GMT girl-like-substance said:

Glad to hear it. I guess I can call my self some sort of fic gardener, then? XD

Like this is where Metagross really starts to go off the rails, and sure, he went off the rails a long time ago, but this is where he starts to really show it. So little of his reasoning makes sense here, you know? He wanted them to learn that lives can hang on an expedition, so instead of sending them on a mission to save someone (which conveys this message), he sent them to unwittingly assist an old man's suicide (which really doesn't). It's such a good bit, where all those clues you've been planting about how unreasonable and outright mean Metagross can float to the surface like scum on water. I love it.

I agree. Looking back on it, it is one of those things that, initially, seems headscratching, but coming back to it with hindsight makes the scene play out differently. There are still some first-time readers who are just saying, "What the hell kind of logic is that, huh?" And naturally I can't say anything on the subject.

And then after that, you've got Shane doing what he does best: taking one look at a bad situation and immediately deciding he can make it worse. It's just that this time, 'worse' is 'suicidal', and though Tessa is rather melodramatic about it – that line about hunger sapping the last of her strength is, uh, undeniably pretty teenage – we're definitely pushed to take one side of the eponymous great divide over the other.

That about sums it up and I fully admit Tessa's line is melodramatic. I was going for that young/angsty sort of feel to it when I revised the scene. The stuff with the broken glass wasn't in the original version, after all.

I like that, as a resolution to the episode; everyone's been pushing apart from each other so hard and for so long that something had to give, and that that something turned out to be Shane's intransigence is both a relief as a reader and an effective way of folding all this stuff into the change that we all knew had to come at some point.

Thanks. I do think I probably took a bit too long to get to this point and it's something I'm going to continue to berate myself over until the cows come home, but I'm glad at least the change has gotten positive reception.

Anyway, while I'm here, the link to chapter 23 is a bit broken in your table of contents.

So it is! Thanks for the heads up. Should be fixed, now.

Ah, Symbolism^TM. (Sorry, this sounds like mockery but it really isn't, it works well and I liked how it made me smile with its bluntness.)

So symbolic the author didn't even intend for it to come off that way! *nervous laugh* Thanks for reviewing! ^^

Chapter 30: A Real Team Effort

~Aeon Observatory~

"I don't really have all that much to tell y'all this morning," Braviary said. "Just a bit of a recommendation. Try to keep yer workloads light today. I've given Comfey a bit of a break–"

"Because Vulpix ran her ragged wit' his dumb injuries!" Yungoos cut in. "I ain't never seen her looking so tired."

Braviary rolled his eyes. "We don't need to be discussing no specifics, pardner. Point is, she's got the day off. So, I don't want any of y'all getting banged up out there, understood?"

The crowd of assembled guild members muttered their approval. "Good." Braviary nodded. "Now, anyone out there got something they need to say?" Silence followed. "Alright then. Yer dis–"

"Wait! Please wait!"

All eyes in the room turned toward the staircase, where Shane stood, panting heavily. "My goodness!" Bruxish said as Shane stumbled down the stairs. "What happened to you, dahling?"

"Yeah, you look like you got swallowed up by a Muk, chewed on, and then puked back up," Trapinch observed.

"Never mind that," Shane said. "I need everyone's help, like, right now!"

No sooner did he say that than Yungoos moved to block him off. "Youse need our help? After the stunt ya pulled last week? Buzz off! Helping you is a virtual death sentence, bub. And youse still owe me a berry sorbet, anyway. So, I doubly ain't helping."

"But… but this isn't about me. It's Tessa!" Shane said.

"And why should we believe you, huh?" Growlithe asked, limping to Yungoos' side. "As I recall, when I offered to help, I ended up charging into battle against a mutant Bewear with no plan of attack. All because you had no Escape Orbs to bail us out. And what did I get for that decision? A broken leg, that's what." He stuck his snout up in the air. "You've burned up your good will, buddy."

"This is serious, you guys," Shane insisted. "Tessa… she's hurt… really bad. I screwed up, okay. And now I need to make things right!"

"Oh, what a surprise. It's your fault, huh?" Serperior scoffed. "And you're saying you want to fix it, but the reality is we'd just do the work and you'd try to take the credit. I'm sensing a pattern here. One that I really don't like. Whatever you did, you can figure out a fix for yourself." She turned to her teammates. "C'mon girls, we're leaving."

"Will you all just shut up and let me speak for two seconds?" Shane barked, his eyes snapping shut. "I get it, okay. I'm very, very bad at this. I've made dozens of mistakes and it's gotten a lot of you hurt. I'm sorry. Really, truly, honestly sorry! And… and I wouldn't be coming to you guys if I wasn't absolutely, one hundred percent sure that I need your help. But I do!"

"Your mouth's moving, kid, but all I hear is 'blah, blah, blah.' How many times have you said the same things to Riolu, huh?" Serperior asked. "Talk is cheap. If you're really sorry, then prove it."

Shane teared up. "Tessa… she's super depressed because of me," he said. "I know, it's terrible. I don't need you guys beating me up over it. I just need some help to make her happy again. Please…" He looked up at the group with watery eyes. "I can't do this by myself."

Yungoos' brow furrowed. "Don't bother, rookie. Turning on da waterworks ain't changing my mind. Youse ain't trustworthy no more, see?"

Shane glanced Trapinch backing toward the southern hallway out the corner of his eye. "Um, yeah. No offense, Vulpix, but how do we know this isn't going to end like your other ideas?" he said.

Shane's ears folded against his head. "You don't understand," he whispered. "She's holed up in her house. And she refuses to leave."

"Finally realized you're bad company, huh? Took her long enough," Togedemaru heckled.

"That's not it!" Shane said. "She's… she's…" He squeezed his eyes shut and turned away from the group. "She's refusing to move. I think she's trying to starve herself to death."

A flurry of shocked looks followed. Shane poked one eye open, just in time to notice the surprise disappear from his guild mates' faces. Under the combined weight of a dozen glares, he shrank back toward the wall.

"Do you have any idea how stupid you sound right now?" Serperior growled. "Gods, it's the 'Lycanroc is evil' routine all over again. I can't believe you're willing to lie like that just because you can't make things work with your partner."

"Um… guys? Maybe we should hear him out?" Mimikyu mumbled, trying to push his way past Togedemaru.

"I'm not lying!" Shane shouted, his voice cracking. He hung his head. "It's true, okay. I did this to her. Our mission went so badly, I flew off the handle and told her that her parents never loved her."

A tailfin blindsided Shane, leaving an imprint against his muddy fur. Milotic's tail coiled around his body and hoisted him into air. Shane squeaked as Milotic pulled him up to meet her at eye level. Her normally soft eyes were filled with rage. "How could you do something so insensitive?" she barked, thrashing him about in midair. "I ought to blast you with a point blank Hydro Pump for that!"

"Put him down, Milotic," Mimikyu cried. But he was drowned out by Yungoos' and Togedemaru's shouts of encouragement.

Shane jammed his eyes shut and looked away from Milotic, expecting a sudden wave of pain.

"All y'all, be quiet!"

Shane lifted his head up and his ears twitched at the sound of shuffling. Braviary pushed Yungoos and Growlithe aside. He walked up to Milotic, with Mimikyu trailing behind him. "I'm disappointed in y'all. I sure as heck know I didn't train y'all to act like this. And if the Guildmaster were out here, he wouldn't stand for this malarkey."

"But Braviary, you and Metagross hate him too, don't ya?" Togedemaru said.

"Personal thoughts ain't important right now," Braviary said, waving her off. "What is important is that everyone gets to say their piece." He looked down at Mimikyu. "Go on, now. Speak up, pardner."

Mimikyu nodded slowly and took a deep breath. "Guys, I think we should help Vulpix out. He sounds sincere to me." Several guild members turned to look at Mimikyu. "I know you say you don't want to work with him, but he's already said that this isn't about him. It's about… uh…" His disguise head lolled off to one side. "Wait, who's Tessa again?"

"Riolu," Shane said.

"Right!" Mimikyu's fake head bobbed back and forth. He turned toward the other guild members. "Look, maybe the crying was a bit much, but Vulpix actually put his pride beside him to come to you guys and beg for your help. I may not technically be an official explorer, but that seems like a pretty big thing for him to do."

Mimikyu pivoted back and forth. "I know that I'm willing to trust him this one time. So, are you guys really going to stand here and tell me you'll let Riolu stay depressed simply because you're determined to hold grudges against Vulpix? That… um… doesn't really seem in line with your guys' philosophy." He shuffled back toward Shane and Milotic, stealing nervous looks at the guild members.

"Well, he ain't exactly wrong," Braviary said. Milotic looked over at her teammates. Serperior clearly looked unconvinced, but Dragonair nodded slowly, prompting Milotic to release her grip on Shane. He dropped to the floor, looking up at Milotic nervously.

"So, just to clarify, Riolu's feeling miserable... and choosing not to eat because of it?" Milotic said. Shane nodded. "And you want to try to do something to fix it?"

"Well, I'd at least like to try and make her feel better," Shane said. "See, the problem is, Tessa– sorry, Riolu feels unwanted and alone. Namely, because none of her family's around anymore." Dragonair's eyes narrowed, causing Shane's to panic. "Those were her words. Not mine. I swear! She dold me about her tad– I… I mean told me about her dad." He looked away and rubbed the back of his neck. "The point is that I thought, maybe if we all pitched in and worked together, we could show her that there is somewhere that she's wanted. Namely, right here in the guild."

Braviary flew over to Shane and landed in front of him. "Well, what did ya have in mind, hoss?"

"Um…" Shane pawed at the ground. "Today's actually Riolu's hatch day."

Murmurs rose up from the group. "Hey! How did you come to find that out? Because I strongly doubt she'd tell you that," Serperior said with a suspicious glare.

Shane winced. "I overheard your team talking about it," he admitted. He squirmed about uncomfortably as Braviary gave him a stern look. "And I heard it because…" He took a deep breath. "I heard it because I was sneaking around the veterans' quarters by myself." He slid down onto his belly, trying to avoid Serperior's scathing look.

"Seriously? You were spying on us?" she hissed. "You little perv! What else did you hear, huh? And what did you see?" She shot her vines at Shane, but Braviary batted them away with a wing.

"It's alright, y'all," Braivary said, holding up a wing, "I've already handled his little eavesdropping problem. So, what's Riolu's hatch day got to do with yer plan, pardner?"

"I want to throw her a surprise party," Shane said. "Tonight."

"Haaaa ha ha ha ha!" Yungoos broke out in laughter, only to abruptly stop. "Wait, youse actually serious? Get outta here! Ain't no way we can get a whole entire party set up in a day. We're explorers, not magicians. Do youse see Hoopa around here? No. It'd take da whole day just to get da supplies for a halfway-decent party." He shook his head. "I shoulda known you'd be t'inking crazy."

"You're right. Anyone would have trouble setting up a party in one day… if they worked alone," Shane said, "But if everyone chips in, I think we can get it done." He looked up at Braviary. "I, um, don't exactly have a concrete plan–"

"Gee, there's a big surprise," Togedemaru said sarcastically, only for Braviary to give her a disapproving look.

He gave Shane a nod to continue. "Err, yeah. Anyway, I was thinking some of us could go into Aeon Town and buy supplies to get this place set up. And, um, maybe some gifts along with the supplies?"

"And what about food?" Growlithe asked.

"Well, I was kind of hoping you would fly me over to Sunrise Village, Braviary," Shane said. "We could ask Sylveon and Eevee if they wanted to help prepare stuff for Riolu. I'm sure they'd say yes."

"And they're more than welcome to come here and use our kitchen!" Steenee said, waving a wooden spoon. "I'm assuming you'd like my help too?" Shane nodded. "And will anyone else want to prepare treats?"

"Oh! Oh! I will… I will!" Mimikyu said, waving a raggedy arm about excitedly. "Err… if that's okay with everyone, I mean…"

"I'd be happy to have you aboard," Steenee said, causing Mimikyu to perk up.

"I was also thinking we could rent out the Sky Jukebox from Crabrawler's Café," Shane said. "Crabrawler still owes me a favor for finding his missing recipe. I'm sure he'd be willing to help. But what I don't know about is how we'll move it all the way up to the Observatory."

"What about Null? He seems perfect for a heavy lifting job," Milotic said.

"Sorry. I've got him keeping Riolu busy," Shane said, frowning. "Trust me, he's in the best position to do that." He looked at Braviary pleadingly. "Do you think maybe the Guildmaster would be willing to levitate it up here?"

Before Braviary got a chance to answer, metallic footsteps jolted everyone to attention. Fact: I am capable of moving the jukebox. Offer: I will move it, provided I am told when the Jukebox is secured.

A metal door slammed shut and relief washed over Shane. "Okay… okay. I think we can do this. It might be tough, but we've gotta try," he said.

"And I think youse is crazy," Yungoos said. "But, fine. If it's for Riolu, I guess I'll give it a shot."

"I like parties! Especially ones with cake. You can put candles on them!" Growlithe said. "So, as long as I get to pick the candles, I'm in."

"Well, we were thinking of trying to do something," Milotic said. "I suppose we could help out as well."

"I'm more than happy to help with the set-up, daaaaahlings. I'm sure my levitation could be veeeeery helpful," Bruxish chimed in.

Braviary nodded. "And I'm ready to fly you over at a moment's notice. Just say the word."

A smile crossed Shane's muzzle. "Great. Let's get to work!"

XxX

~Sunrise Village, Sylveon's House~

"You don't exactly look like you're in any condition to be planning a party, Vulpix."

Sylveon's ribbons moved back along a table, grabbing some uneaten berries and placing them into a basket. "Covered in mud. Patches of fur missing. And your eyes are bloodshot." She shook her head. "Are you having trouble sleeping? Because I know a really nice Hypno who could help with that."

"I'm fine," Shane insisted, quickly biting down on his tongue to hold back a yawn. "We could really use your help setting things up for Riolu. You're an amazing baker. I'm sure she'd absolutely love it if you made her a cake."

Sylveon's brow furrowed. "Normally, I wouldn't think twice about it. But the other week, Riolu made it pretty clear she doesn't want to do anything for her hatch day." She looked over and noticed Eevee's head poking up over the counter. He was trying to reach for the basket. Sylveon extended a ribbon and pushed him back onto the floor with a stern look. "I'm sorry. I'm just not comfortable with going behind her back like that. She's really sensitive about that sort of thing."

"Please, you've gotta help me," Shane said. "Look, she's an absolute wreck right now because she's thinking about her dad–"

Sylveon frowned. "She told you about Incineroar."

Shane looked down guiltily. "It, uh, it might've come up in conversation." He shook his head. "Look, the point is, she needs us to show her that she's not alone and that there are people who care about her. This was the best thing I could think of. So, please… would you lend a paw here?" He turned to the dirty item pouch still slung across his torso. "I don't have money on me right now, but I could easily get some from Dhelmise Depot on the way back to the Observatory."

"There's no need for that," Sylveon said. "Are you really telling the truth, though? Is Riolu depressed?"

"It's worse than that. She had me leave her as a sobbing mess," Shane said, pawing at the ground dejectedly. "I know I haven't been very good to her. So, I'd just like one chance to make things right…"

"Very well," Sylveon said. "But I have one condition."

"What is it?"

"You need to adjust your thinking," Sylveon said. Shane watched her pluck Eevee off the ground in her ribbons. "Wanting to make up for how you treated Tessa is great. But, saying this is about how you treat her is self-centered. And frankly, you've come across as rather selfish since I've met you." Shane flinched. "So, if you talk to anyone else about this, I want you telling them that you're doing this to lift Tessa's spirits. Nothing more and nothing less," Sylveon said.

"I… I can do that," Shane said, once again trying to fight off a yawn.

"Great." A smile appeared on Sylveon's face. One of her free ribbons shot toward a cabinet and pulled out a piece of paper. "Truthfully, Eevee and I were thinking of dropping something off at the Observatory for her. I've got a perfect recipe in mind. Though, I imagine I'll have to use a lot more ingredients to make the cake big enough for everyone." She grabbed a scrap of paper off the counter and looked at it. "Yeah, I'd say if I multiply everything by twenty, the cake should be large enough.

Eevee's eyes sparkled. "Does that mean there's gonna be twenty times the batter left over in the bowl for me?"

"Sorry, Eevee, it doesn't work that way. Besides, the bowl I'll be using is so big, you'd fall inside it if you tried to lick the batter," Sylveon said, giggling. Eevee's slumped over in his mother's ribbons. "Well, I think we'd better get going."

"Braviary's waiting right outside," Shane said, leading Sylveon out of the house.

XxX

~Aeon Town~

Serperior and Milotic moved down a store aisle in tandem. "What color ribbons do you suppose Riri would like?" Milotic asked. "I was thinking blue, but maybe that's too obvious?"

"She wears a rainbow scarf," Serperior said. "If anything, that's our best option." She turned toward the front of the store. "Yo, Kecleon! Got any rainbow ribbon in stock?"

Kecleon appeared at the end of the aisle, broom in hand. "Hmm, I'd have to check in the back. I don't get party supplies delivered all that often. Give me one second." He disappeared behind some shelves.

"So, you think Vulpix is being sincere this time?" Serperior asked.

"I'd like to give him the benefit of the doubt," Milotic said. "Still, there's a part of me that feels uneasy about all of this. You saw how he looked. What do you suppose happened to him on that mission? And do you think Riri had a similar experience?"

"I'm guessing she probably did," Serperior said. "And, not going to lie, I don't trust him to throw a good party. I feel like he's just doing this more for himself than for Riri. So that he can turn around and say that he's amazing because he planned such a great party, or some nonsense like that. You can bet I'll be keeping an eye on him. If he steps out of line…" Her voice trailed off and she whipped one of her vines out against the air. A loud crack sounded through the store.

Milotic nodded. "That does sound like him. Want me to Hydro Pump him if he tries a stunt like that?"

"Only if I get to Dragon Pulse him, too," Serperior said with a laugh.

"Good news, ladies!" Kecleon called. "I found some rainbow ribbons in storage. Come have a look!"

XxX

~Dhelmise Depot~

"Hiya, Dhelmise. I need to grab my Super Special Surprise Sparklers out of storage, please," Growlithe announced. He dropped his explorer's badge onto the front desk, where Dhelmise collected it up using a lump of seaweed.

"What exactly do these sparklers look like?" Dhelmise asked.

"They're a big pile of multicolored sticks!" Growlithe said, tail wagging.

"Okay. I'll be back shortly." Dhelmise turned and disappeared into another room.

"Seriously? Super Special Surprise Sparklers? What are those?" Araquanid said.

"My special brand of fireworks. I made them myself," Growlithe said, only for a gray tail to smack him in the back of the head. "Err, I mean, Togedemaru made them. But I provided tactical support!"

"He sat around eating spicy peppers," Togedemaru scoffed. "Nearly lit my tail on fire, too."

"Hey, I can't plan when I get indigestion," Growlithe quipped.

"Is it safe to use fireworks in the Observatory, though?" Araquanid said.

"Of course. At least, with ones this small, we should be fine," Growlithe said. "Now, my 'Big Bad Mamma Jammas,' on the other hand… they'd probably blow the Observatory up." He looked around the building. "And maybe half of Aeon Town, too."

Araquanid looked at Togedemaru. "Do I even want to know?" he asked

"No. You don't," she deadpanned. "Why are you even helping, anyway? You don't know who Vulpix and Riolu are. And trust me, there are much better ways to spend your time than helping out this stupid human."

Arauqanid shrugged. "He seemed like an okay guy from what I could tell. Well-meaning, if not a bit careless. Besides, parties are fun. And I joined the guild to help others. That includes my guild mates." He narrowed his eyes at her. "If you're so angry at this guy, why are you helping, then? Seems like this kind of thing isn't up your alley."

Togedemaru looked a bit flustered. "Well… that's… I…" She scratched at her head and looked away. "It's just because, in the unlikely event he's actually telling the truth, I don't want to be known as the girl who turned her back on a Pokémon at the end of its rope. Know what I'm saying?"

"So, you have a guilty conscience," Araquanid said. "Did you fail to act in a situation like this before?"

"What? No! I just–" She sighed and lowered her head. "Let's just say that, before I came here, I knew what it was like to not fit in."

"Oh? Care to elaborate?" Araquanid said.

"What do you want, a sob story?" Togedemaru said. "Look, I came from Circadian Coast. My parents expected me to be a performer like the Totem and his daughter and when I told them I wasn't interested, they decided to ignore me 'until I started thinking straight.'" She poked her nubby arms together. "One day I caught a glimpse of Team Captivate in action... and, next think you know, I'm packing my bags and sneaking off to Aeon Town in the dead of night."

"So, yeah, I think I know a thing or two about what it's like to not feel welcome somewhere," she said, shrugging.

Araquanid nodded. "There's no shame in that, you know. Sounds like you really do have a good reason to help."

"Whatever," Togedemaru said. "Just don't tell Vulpix I said that. Wouldn't want to inflate that head of his any bigger."

"Here are your things, Growlithe," Dhelmise said, and dropped a pile of sparklers onto the desk. It was such a large pile that some of the sticks rolled onto the floor in front of Growlithe.

Araquanid's eyes widened. "Duh-doesn't that seem a bit excessive to you?"

"Excessive? Hardly!" Growlithe said. "If anything, this isn't enough."

XxX

~Crabrawler's Café~

Shane slumped over. "You're… you're kidding me!"

"Fraid not, lad," Crabrawler said. "The thing's been on the fritz since yesterday. And my old man never showed me how to fix it. I'm sure a mechanic could be here to fix it in, say, a week or so."

Shane crouched over, pulling at his ears with his forepaws. "I don't have that kind of time!" He started coughing.

"Are you okay, Vulpix? You look weary," Crabrawler said. "And that's to say nothing of your appearance. You're lucky I don't throw you out for tracking mud in here."

"I'm fine!" Shane insisted. "Look, what if I brought Magearna over? She's a top-notch mechanic. Maybe she can fix it."

Crabrawler shrugged. "Can't hurt, I suppose." Shane nodded and ran out of the café, wincing as he went. Crabrawler sighed and shook his head. "Poor lad is going to make himself sick running to and fro like that."

Shane staggered back into the café about five minutes later, Magearna walking along behind him. Good morrow, Crabrawler. I trust business is boominating as usual.

Crabrawler nodded, only for Shane to shove Magearna. "Listen, we don't have time for small talk, okay? Go take a look at the Sky Jukebox and see if you can fix it." Magearna gave him a blank look, to which he groaned. "… please?"

Of course. Please, give me some room. Magearna approached the jukebox. Her arms retracted into her body, and out popped a glowing rod and a screwdriver. She knelt down and started looking inside the base of the machine.

"Well, see anything?" Shane asked.

Yes. There a few loose bolts and a severed wire that I must repair, Magearna said. I suggest you go and get the Guildmaster. That way, he can move the jukebox when I'm done.

"You… you want me to go back now?" Shane said, lapsing into another coughing fit.

In the interest of preservating time, yes, Magearna replied.

He groaned and stumbled out the door.

XxX

~Azure Cape~

"… we're here…"

Tessa slowly slid off Null's back, landing in the sand. She stumbled forward before dropping down onto her knees. "Why did you take me here? I want to go back home."

"… I think… you need some fresh air," Null said. "We could both use it… after all that time… underground…" He sat down next to Tessa. The two of them stared at the ocean in silence, watching sparkling waves lap up against the shore. This continued for several minutes, though Null interrupted the silence with the occasional jostling of his mask. Beside him, Tessa slowly rotated so she was sitting as well. Eventually, she scooted over and came to rest her head against Null's hip.

"… how are you feeling?"

Tessa rubbed her snout. "Horrible. And you?"

"… horrible," Null said, "but what else is new?"

"I know that you didn't mean to attack Vulpix in the marsh," Tessa said. "I wish I could've been there to calm you down, so that things didn't escalate."

"… it's okay," Null said. "We've already… talked about it." Tessa looked up at him in concern. "It's not something… you need to bother yourself with. You should… focus on yourself right now. And how you're feeling…"

"But you're hurting… like really, physically hurting. I think that trumps anything I'm feeling," Tessa said, frown deepening.

"Don't worry… about me. I've… been in pain… since I woke up… at the guild. I'll probably… be in pain… forever," Null said, sliding down onto his belly. Warm sand brushed against his fur and scales. Grunting, he rubbed the bottom of his helmet in the sand.

"Did you, like, feel anything weird when, y'know, you were attacking Vulpix?" Tessa asked.

"Just… headaches… searing, splitting headaches," Null said.

"Do you think, maybe, something's contributing to your pain? Like, say, hunger?" Tessa said. Null looked right at her. "Err, you know what, that was a stupid question." She rubbed the back of her head. "But, um, I have been curious about that since I've met you. Aren't you, like, starving? You can't eat anything with that helmet on, can you?"

Null shook his head. "I don't know. What does hunger feel like exactly?"

Tessa's eyes widened. "Are you joking? What kind of question is that? You get pain in your stomach... and sometimes your mouth starts to drool."

"My… my mouth," Null wheezed. "I don't…" His voice trailed off and he clawed at his helmet. "Nnngh… my head…" He shook his head around. "What if… what if I'm off base? What if… this helmet can't come off… because it's actually my face?" He lay his head down on his forelegs. "You heard… that purple guy. He called me… a failed experiment."

"If that's really true… then Shane is right. I'm not a Pokémon… I'm just a freak…"

Tessa put her paw on Null's side. "I don't believe that. For one thing, when you shake your head, your mask rattles around. There's got to be a face under there."

"Then… why can't I feel it?"

Tessa tensed up. "What do you mean?"

"The only things I can feel up here… are headaches. This helmet… just feels… really heavy… on my neck... and shoulders," Null said. "Other than that… nothing. If I really… have a face… under here… I have no idea… what it looks like. I can't… remember anything… about having a face. Why do you think… it's so hard… for me to speak? I can't… feel my own mouth... assuming it exists…"

Tessa rubbed his side. "I'm sorry, Null," she said, sighing. "Trust me, if I could trade situations with you, I would." Null looked at her and narrowed his eyes. "If I had to give up my memories so that you could get yours back… I'd do it in a heartbeat."

Null coughed loudly. "… this is… about your family… isn't it?" he said. Tessa looked away. "Riolu… you shouldn't… bottle this stuff up. It's just going… to make you… feel even worse."

Tessa's aura feelers drooped. "You… you heard what I told Vulpix," she said.

"I'm sorry… for eavesdropping," Null said. "I just… wanted to help you… feel better."

"I don't want to talk about this," Tessa muttered.

"You've already… talked quite a bit about it," Null said. "Surely there are… still a few things… you'd like to say… right?"

Tessa crossed her arms against her chest and turned away from him. "No. I said I'm not talking about it. And I mean it. My mind's already made up."

"… then I won't... make you talk," Null said.

"Good. Then I'm going back home," Tessa growled, getting to her feet. But Null's hind leg shot out behind him, forcing Tessa back down onto the sand. She gave her friend a look of disbelief. "You're really going to try and stop me? I'm not even doing anything! I just want to lie down in the dark… alone."

Null shook his head. "I'm sorry… I'm not letting you walk off." He turned to look at her. "I saw you... reach for that glass. I can't just… brush that aside…"

"Why not? Vulpix obviously did," Tessa said.

"He got… pulled away… for something important," Null said. "Believe me… he's just as concerned… about what he saw… as I am."

"He is?" Tessa whispered, flinching.

"Yeah. And I imagine... that's pretty hard for him... given what happened in the marsh," Null said, nodding.

Tessa stiffened, grabbing sand with her paws. "What do you mean by that?" she whispered.

"Well... it's hard... to put it... into words," Null rasped. "Things just... got out of control... down there. But... the thing is... even if I didn't mean... to attack Vulpix... I still did. He nearly drowned... because of me. Because... of those voices. And... from what it sounds like... you brushed that all aside..."

"What are you talking about?" Tessa said, aura feelers shooting up. "I managed to stop you, didn't I? That's all that matters, right?"

"Not to Vulpix," Null said with a heavy sigh. "He has to live... with the memory of what happened to him... of this big, scary monster... trying to rip him to shreds... compounded by his other teammate... trying to make it seem... like it was his fault." Null shook his head. "I can't blame Vulpix... for lashing out... like he did. If I were in his place... I'd have done the same thing."

Tessa couldn't believe she was hearing this. She blinked tears out of her eyes. "But... but what about the stuff he said to me?" she squeaked.

"Don't get me wrong... it was uncalled for," Null said. "But... by that point... everything had spiraled... out of control. We all got... swept up... by our own emotions... that we just... fell apart... at the seams. The stress... that Totem Lurantis added... certainly didn't help. If she wasn't there... if that purple guy wasn't there..." Null shifted about uncomfortably. "So many things... went wrong down there. Honestly... I'm not sure why... the Guildmaster did this."

Null looked at Tessa, who sat there, head bowed silently. It was true. She was sure of it. Everything Null said made too much sense. Her desire to win Null's friendship was so strong that she was willing to look past Shane's near-death experience at Null's talons just to make him happy. The realization made her chest tighten.

"You're right," Tessa whispered. "I... uh..." She put her paws on her shoulders and shivered. "Maybe it's a good thing my family's gone." Tessa slouched over. "I guess... I really should just disappear, then. I'd be doing everyone a favor. Even if I could muster the courage to go back to the guild, I can't face Vulpix. Not after what you just told me."

Null nudged Tessa with his helmet, but she pushed him away. "Riolu," Null whispered. "I think... you understand... what I was saying... right?"

"Yeah," Tessa said. "It's why I should stay away from the guild... forever."

"I can't... make that decision for you," Null said. "But what I can tell you... is that... understanding where things went wrong... is a good first step... to making amends."

Tessa refused to meet his gaze. Null figured he couldn't press the issue any further. He lay his head in the sand and took in a deep breath. His ribcage pressed against Tessa's side. Several minutes of silence followed. All the while, Tessa fidgeted with her paws and stole glances at Null. She knew what he said made sense, but there was a mental block in the way. Her gaze wandered off to the water, where she watched small waves roll up against the sand.

"When I was little, there was nothing I wanted more than to join the guild," Tessa whispered. "Dad always brought guild members over to visit. They looked so happy and were always super friendly to me." She repeatedly traced a circle in the sand with a digit. "Gallian and I always talked about how we were going to become Guildmasters… together." Tessa rubbed the bridge of her snout. "When he joined the guild, he'd come home so excited and full of energy. It was the happiest I'd ever seen him."

"And then it all came crashing down last year," she continued, her voice shaking. "After Dad died, I figured that joining the guild was the only way to get Mom and Gallian to pay attention to me again." She lowered her head. "But without anyone to train me, I didn't really make any progress. And, to make matters worse, I couldn't work up the courage to go toward the guild. I'd just think about the morning that Braviary showed up... and the rampage that Mom went on when she learned Dad died."

"I don't blame you… for having trouble. Something like that… has gotta be tough to live with," Null said.

Tessa nodded. "But it just got worse from there. Everyone I'd grown close to dropped out of my life," she explained. "The guild members stopped visiting. Then Mom left, with Gallian following shortly after. Sylveon and Eevee were all I had left." She rubbed her shoulder against her eyes, blinking away tears. "But, what was I supposed to do? Sylveon had her job to worry about and Eevee had other friends in Sunrise Village. He tried inviting me to come with him, but…" Her voice trailed off.

"You didn't go with him?" Null said.

"I tried… once," Tessa squeaked. "But his friends wanted to do practice battles. And I… I wasn't very good at battling. So, they laughed at me... and I ran back to Sylveon's house," Tessa said.

"What happened next?" Null asked.

Tessa's ears and aura feelers drooped. "Every day, I'd walk to Aeon Town. Every day, I'd get a bit closer to the Observatory. Then I'd think of all the bad things that happened since Dad died. And I'd run off. Sometimes I'd go to my parents' house and sometimes I'd come out here."

Null curled his body up so he could face Tessa. She dragged her knees up toward her head and stuck her face in her lap, desperately trying to avoid making eye contact. "And then Vulpix showed up," she said. "Right off the bat, he confused me." She shook her head. "I should've put my foot down. I should've told him to go get help somewhere else."

"But you didn't," Null said.

"Right. And look where it got me," Tessa said, flopping onto her belly. "Look where it got us. I feel so... small. Small and undeserving of any support."

"Riolu... I know that stuff I brought up... was harsh... but I did it... because I still care about you," Null said. "If you hadn't… joined the guild… with Vulpix… we wouldn't have met…"

Tessa winced. "I…" She bit her lip. "I would've worked up the courage to join… somehow."

"If that's… really true… then why did you partner up with Vulpix?" Null asked. "There has to be a reason."

"Because I owed him for getting my scarf back," Tessa said, gently nudging the rainbow scarf with her right paw.

Null looked at her skeptically. "No... there's more to it..."

Tessa's aura feelers stiffened. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said.

"If that was… the only reason... you wouldn't have… stayed partnered with him… as long as you did," Null said.

Tessa dug her paws into the sand. "Th… that's… I… don't… um…"

"It's okay… just take your time," Null said.

"I believed him, okay!" Tessa shouted, then stuck her face into the sand. Null leaned forward and gently nudged her back up. Tessa hastily turned her head, refusing to make eye contact. "Despite some of the stuff I said to him, deep down – really deep down – I wanted him to be right. I wanted him to be this special chosen one. Because then I could be special by extension... just like my idols."

Tears welled up in her eyes. "I'm so stupid. I let myself get taken in by the idea of becoming a world-famous hero. I can't believe I was dumb enough to think that I could have stories made about me." She rubbed her eyes with an arm. "I told myself to put up with Vulpix because the reward would be love and admiration. From the guild… from the townsfolk… heck, from the whole world. Everyone knows about Team Poképals, Team Gaia, and the others." She hung her head shamefully. "And I let Vulpix convince me that I could be just as famous as them if I stuck with him."

"It's not your fault," Null said. "That stuff… does sound tempting. Especially if... you're feeling lonely."

Tessa shoved Null's hip. "You're just saying that to make me feel better," she muttered dejectedly. "Vulpix was right. And that's exactly why I can never face him. I am a sad, sorry little Riolu who uses sob stories to get people's attention. I don't deserve anyone's love. All Vulpix and I managed to do was bring out each other's bad sides... until everything exploded." She turned away from Null. "That's why I can't go back. That's why I'm just done with all of this. It feels like I'll only be able to do more harm than good from now on. And besides, I don't matter to anyone. I just…"

She stuck her head back into the sand, letting out a muffled cry of, "I just want to see my dad again."

"You matter to me."

Tessa poked her head up, sand cascading down her face. "Null, you don't have to say that to make me feel better."

"I mean it," he said, scooting toward her. "You're the first person… who's made me feel like... something other than a burden. Everyone else… keeps their distance. But you… you want to talk to me." He pressed his mask against the tip of her snout. "I… I have fun… being with you. When you're around… the pain… it doesn't feel as bad. It feels like… I can handle it…"

"Null," Tessa whispered, her eyes sparkling.

"Please don't leave me," he begged. "We can… help each other… together. Starting with... making sure... you and Vulpix are square." He shuffled backward, his gaze falling toward the ground.

"Okay." Tessa took in a deep breath. "If it's for you… I guess I can try to do that." Her ears twitched at the sound of a relieved sigh. The sand around her shifted as Null lumbered to his feet. "H-Hey, where are you going?" she squeaked.

"… to the ocean," Null rasped. "I'm… sick of all… this muck on me. I'd like… to clean it up…"

"But the ocean's salt water! It'll make you all sticky," Tessa said.

"… better than… being covered in mud," Null said, trudging toward the water. Tessa sat up and watched him wade into the ocean. As he lay down, a wave rushed across his body. The water swept the grime out from his fur and scales. He dipped his mask down, letting water splash across it.

Tessa got to her feet and slowly walked forward. She stood at the edge of shore, wincing as cold ocean spray tickled the soles of her feet. Tessa cautiously inched closer to Null. Each successive wave went a little further up her leg, removing the mud in the process. A sense of relief washed over her, like the waves were carrying her sorrows away with the filth her body had accumulated underground.

Then, suddenly, an unexpectedly large wave struck her. Tessa yipped in fright. She stumbled about and fell into the water, flopping around like a beached Magikarp. Tessa got back to her feet, coughing and sputtering. "Wha-What the–?" She brought her paws up to rub her eyes, only to hiss and blink rapidly. "Ow! Ow! Salt… in my eyes!" she whimpered.

Finally, her blurry vision faded. She noticed Null had shifted so he lay parallel to the shoreline. "Did… did you just splash me?" she said

Null looked right at her. "What? Of course not."

"Don't lie to me. There's no way a wave that big would just come up out of the blue like that," Tessa said. "Okay, maybe a wild Pokémon could do it, but they don't tend to get this close to the shore."

"Hmm. Well… I suppose… I could've done… something like this…"

A rush of wind grazed Tessa's sides before another wave drenched her, knocking her onto her back. Null let out a low, rumbling laugh while Tessa scrambled to her feet. "Hey! You totally soaked me, you… you…"

"… hey… at least you're cleaner now," Null said.

"Oh yeah? Well, let's see how much you like it!" Tessa said. Her right paw glowed bright blue and she slammed her palm into the water. She gave a confident smirk, but it faded when her splash failed to make it to Null. He retaliated by sweeping glowing talons across the surface of the water. Tessa tried to avoid the wave, but the silt on the ocean floor weighed her down. The wave swept her up and pulled her under the surface again.

Null lumbered to his feet, water dripping off his underbelly. Tessa popped back up, trying to shake the water off her fur. "You're not going to get away from me!" she declared, charging after her teammate. Or, rather, she would've, if the silt didn't trip her up and make her stumble. She fall forward, disappearing under the surface with a tiny splash. Null's laugh rumbled through the air

"… you okay, Riolu?" he asked, when he noticed she hadn't resurfaced. He was then taken completely by surprise, as Tessa lunged out of the water from beside him.

"Now I've got you!" she hollered, throwing all of her weight into an attempt to tackle Null. To Tessa's shock, she struck his side, unceremoniously bounced off of it, and fall back into the ocean. Null blinked and shook his head.

"… yeah… that's not… going to work," he said. Seconds later, he felt something yank one of his forelegs forward. Null hopped around, before slowly collapsing into the water like a falling tree. Tessa resurfaced, spitting out a mouthful of saltwater.

"Ha! See? I told you I had you," Tessa boasted, watching Null get back up and shake out his body and tail. The two stared at each other in silence, before breaking down laughing. They went back ashore, and resumed laying under the sun. When Tessa felt completely dry, she stood up and arced her back.

"So, it's getting kind of late," she said. "We should probably get going."

Null looked up toward the sky. "I think… we should go to the Observatory…"

Tessa's smile vanished. "I'd rather not go back there. At least… not right now."

"… I know. It's just… there's something there… that I want you to see," Null said. "We don't have to… stay long."

Tessa sighed. "Okay." She nestled up against Null's side. "But don't leave me alone, understand?"

"… I wouldn't think of it."

Last Edit: Oct 18, 2018 19:18:10 GMT by Ambyssin

Avatar by Jordy (https://toonirl.tumblr.com/), personal commission.

Firebrand

Posts: 194

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Guiding Light (T) Sept 28, 2018 15:08:43 GMT

Post by Firebrand on Sept 28, 2018 15:08:43 GMT

Chapter 29 was pretty heavy, and it finally lays out all of Tessa's backstory for the reader. The mention of Incineroar going missing at Glyphic Falls caught my attention, because iirc that's where the Guild found Null, right? I don't think the timeline of that was ever explicitly laid out, but I doubt those two things are completely unrelated. But hearing about how Prisma went downhill after Incineroar vanished (I won't say died because it sounds like they never found a body, and in cases like this, I know better than to assume...) was pretty rough. especially because the next chapter says that the other guild members stopped coming by. So without any kind of support, except for Sylveon, Tessa is left to her own devices, and it's really no wonder that she starts the story so timid and reserved.

Like eldestoyster pointed out, her attempts to starve herself, or to go for the broken mirror, are both a little melodramatic, but considering Tessa is probably about analogous to a mid-teens person, that kind of melodrama is expected, and it fits her characterization. It doesn't really detract from the scene, especially since she and Shane are airing all of their dirty laundry with each other at this point, so of course tensions are high and passions are flaring.

I really liked Shane and Null sitting down and having a man-to-man ('mon-to-'mon?) talk, and Null very gently calling out Shane's treatment of him. Shane's one-sided feud with the guy can only go on for so long before it starts to get stale, so I'm hoping that this allows their character interactions to blossom as the fic continues. So far you've been really good about not letting the characters fall into ruts and letting them grow as circumstances demand, so I have faith that we'll see Shane and Null's relationship (and really the whole Radiance dynamic) continue to grow.

Chapter 30 is a good catharsis after how dark the rest of this episode has been. I'm always a sucker for these breather moments when the stakes lower enough for the cast to come together. It also reminds me that I really like Braviary. Even though he and Shane have been at odds for a while, Braviary's always come across as a reasonable authority figure that just wants the guild to keep running smoothly and for people to get along and follow the rules. Even in his flashback moments with Prisma and MIB, he's seemed like a pretty even-tempered guy who just wants to help his friends, even if he doesn't always know how best to do so. It's clear that Metagross has some kind of agenda, but I'm reasonably certain that Braviary isn't in on it, and he's just trying to handle the day-to-day management of the guild without any inclination of the shadowy dealings behind the scenes.

Actually on the topic of Metagross, it did seem a little weird to me that he was quick to lend a hand moving the jukebox in Chapter 30 after his freakout in the previous chapter. I get the sense that the next big adversary Radiance is going to face down is the Guildmaster, if only to confront him about the secrets he's keeping. I don't really remember Metang in the MIB episode too well, but I don't think there were any signs of Metang having the same kind of weird outbursts that Metagross had in the sunflower field (or Rufflet was too oblivious, which is a distinct possibility), but something is definitely not right with the guildmaster. Four supercomputer brains doesn't really help when your programming goes buggy, I guess.

THE HALVARSAGA

THE AMAZING HAWLUCHA MAN

Ambyssin

Definitely a winter

Posts: 110

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Guiding Light (T) Oct 11, 2018 18:33:47 GMT

Post by Ambyssin on Oct 11, 2018 18:33:47 GMT

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}{Firebrand (click here!)}

Sept 28, 2018 15:08:43 GMT Firebrand said:

I seem to recall mentioning initially that Null had been around the guild for several months. You're not the only person who thinks tis way, though.

But hearing about how Prisma went downhill after Incineroar vanished (I won't say died because it sounds like they never found a body, and in cases like this, I know better than to assume...) was pretty rough. especially because the next chapter says that the other guild members stopped coming by. So without any kind of support, except for Sylveon, Tessa is left to her own devices, and it's really no wonder that she starts the story so timid and reserved.

You're right on the nose as far as Tessa's concerned. The progressive isolation let to repetitive, negative self-talk that made her who she is at the start.

Glad to hear it. I know it's melodramatic, but I thought it was appropriate given she's basically the PMD equivalent of an adolescent... despite still being a baby Pokémon.

Yes, I'm glad to be essentially done with the one-sided arguments. Hopefully I can live up to your expectations as far as the character dynamics go.

Chapter 30 is a good catharsis after how dark the rest of this episode has been. I'm always a sucker for these breather moments when the stakes lower enough for the cast to come together.

And I'm apparently a sucker for writing these, as I seem to fly through drafting stuff like this much faster than the more action-heavy chapters. ^^;

It also reminds me that I really like Braviary. Even though he and Shane have been at odds for a while, Braviary's always come across as a reasonable authority figure that just wants the guild to keep running smoothly and for people to get along and follow the rules. Even in his flashback moments with Prisma and MIB, he's seemed like a pretty even-tempered guy who just wants to help his friends, even if he doesn't always know how best to do so. It's clear that Metagross has some kind of agenda, but I'm reasonably certain that Braviary isn't in on it, and he's just trying to handle the day-to-day management of the guild without any inclination of the shadowy dealings behind the scenes.

I would say that's an accurate assessment of Braviary, with the added caveat that he does have a bit of a stubborn streak... which I think you picked up during the last episode.

I can't comment all that much on this, only to see that the lack of any signs of Metang having any weird outbursts is 100% intentional. If you're questioning Metagross' decision making, then I'm doing my job right. Thanks again for reviewing and sorry for the late response. ^^

Content advisory: themes of depression and suicide.

XxX

Chapter 31: Turning a Corner

"Nicky. Dude, what are you doing calling me? You know I start my shift in, like, five minutes."

"Can't you just clock in a bit late, Shane? This is important. I really need to talk to you."

"Sorry, buddy, no can do. Boss has been breathing down my neck all week."

"You're a part time employee, man. What could possibly be so important that you can't take a moment for your best friend?"

"Ugh, fine. Whatever. You wanna talk? Then, go on. If something bad happens to me, it's on your head."

"… you know what? Never mind. Forget it. It's not important."

"No, no. I already said I'd clock in late. Don't be shy. Tell me what's wrong."

"… it's nothing. I'm just… overthinking things again."

"Is this about what happened at school this morning? Dirk got detention, you know. I'll bet his mom will pay to fix up your 3DS. Or get you a new one. I think the SD card's fine, so–"

"That's not what I–"

"Not what, Nicky? You're confusing me, here."

"Forget it. It's fine, Shane. Just go to work."

"You sure?"

"I'm not looking to be a bother."

"Uh, okay then."

"And Shane? Just in case I don't see you this weekend… happy birthday."

"Huh? I thought you said you were coming over!"

"Yeah… something popped up. I'll try to make it. But… no promises. I'm heading to drop your gift off right now, actually."

"Nicky? Dude... you're scaring me."

"Don't worry about it. I'm fine. Take care… Shane."

"Nicky, wait!"

The line went dead.

XxX

~Aeon Observatory~

"Vulpix? Oy, for crying out loud," Yungoos said, waving a paw in front of Shane's face. He grabbed one of Shane's ears and shouted, "Yo, human!"

With a holler, Shane snapped to attention. He stumbled forward, rubbing the ear that Yungoos had just yelled into. "Ow! What the heck was that for?" he said.

"Youse was spacing out on us," Yungoos scoffed. "Ain't youse finished with… whatever it is youse is doing? It's getting ta be late in da afternoon."

"Right," Shane said. "Lemme go check in on the food." He turned and made for the dining area, shaking his head. Shane knew he couldn't afford to draw comparisons at a time like this. After all, he had an opportunity to do the right thing this time, but that chance would slip away if he lost focus. He paused in front of the dining table and sniffed the air. A fragrant, fruity aroma wafted in from the kitchen. Shane followed it, pausing in the doorway to gawk at the giant cake sitting on a cart. Chocolate frosting lined every square inch of it.

"Wow," Shane said, mouth watering.

"Well, what do you think?" Steenee asked, walking over with a wooden spoon resting on her shoulder. She wiped her chocolate-covered hands on her apron. "Not bad, huh?"

"It's twice as big as you," Shane said. "Are we sure we can get it through the doorway?"

"Absolutely!" Mimikyu said, scuttling over with a tray of Solrock and Lunatone-shaped cookies balanced on his head. Like Steenee's apron, flour and frosting peppered his costume. "Sylveon measured the door just to be safe. She's going to use her ribbons to help the cake stay balanced. Oh… uh… sorry… you must be here because you need something. Forgive my rambling."

"It's okay," Shane said. "I just wanted to check and see how the food was coming along. It's getting pretty late and I'm starting to think Riolu will be here soon."

Sylveon maneuvered a couple of plates onto a different cart. "In that case, would you mind bringing these treats out for me? That way I can tend to the cake."

"Not a problem," Shane said. As he walked over toward the cart, he noticed the giant metal mixing bowl on the table vibrate. It spun around slightly, before falling onto its side. Eevee tumbled out onto the floor, covered in chocolaty batter from head to tail. He looked up at Shane and wagged his tail excitedly.

"You need to plan more parties in the future!" Eevee said. "That way I can go swimming in Mommy's cooking!"

"Eevee, did you seriously jump into that bowl while my back was turned?" Sylveon said, shaking her head. "Great, now we'll need to get you cleaned up."

"Actually, I think it's an improvement," Shane quipped, smirking as he watched Eevee turning to lick batter off his shoulder.

Sylveon lightly rapped the back of Shane's head with a ribbon. "Don't encourage him," she scolded. Shane rolled his eyes and pushed the dining cart out of the kitchen, heading toward the assembly area. His legs ached and the back of his mind begged him to lie down and go to sleep, but Shane willed those thoughts away. He could rest after the party, for better or worse.

Shane arrived in the assembly area. His guild mates gathered several tables together to hold the buffet. They even managed to fit a single, purple and gold tablecloth over everything. Shane's ears twitched at the murmurs of faint conversations taking place behind him.

"Um, can someone help me put this food on the table?" Shane asked. He turned around and found himself looking at the bevy of ribbons and balloons scattered about the room in decoration. He blinked a few times, but soon felt his vision growing fuzzy.

'That's… weird. Why does this feel so familiar?' he thought. He squeezed his eyes shut and opened them back up. However, the room remained blurry. And it grew even blurrier, until his everything went completely white.

XxX

Shane was moving. He wasn't sure how. He wasn't sure why. But he was walking forward. His field of vision bobbed up and down with each step he took. His gait was much heavier than he had grown used to as a Vulpix, furthering his confusion. Blue walls lay on each side of the hallway he was walking through. Shane passed marble pillars and wondered why he was seeing them when he was supposed to be in the Observatory. The soft carpet under his paws also struck him as out of place. Before Shane could try to begin piecing together what had just happened, someone spoke.

"Remind me why I need to keep my eyes closed again?"

Shane looked to his left, identifying the crescent moon-shaped bat gliding beside him as the source of the unfamiliar voice. He felt his mouth start to move, but the voice that emerged wasn't his.

"I already told you, Lunala. It's a surprise!"

Upon hearing the name, Shane immediately tried to ask a question. He was talking to Solgaleo's partner, after all, and the Pokémon that Tessa's mom was supposedly protecting. He figured if he could get her some answers, that would surely make her feel better. However, his mouth refused to budge. In fact, Shane's body wasn't listening to him at all. He kept walking down the hallway, passing more marble pillars.

The only thought that came to Shane's mind was that he was having a dream vision. He began to panic, wondering if he had passed out before the party could start.

"That's not helping your case here, you know. Your surprises are almost always of the unpleasant variety," Lunala said.

Shane looked ahead, spotting bright colors at the end of the hallway. He stepped into the light, but was unprepared for the sight in front of him: Legendary Pokémon filling up the entire circular room, most positioned around a circular table with a half-orange, half-blue cake.

Shane involuntarily nodded and the assembled chorus of Legends belted out, "Surprise!"

Lunala's eyes shot open and her jaw dropped. "What the–? What are you all doing here?"

"Why, we're here to celebrate, of course!"

"Luh-Lady Ho-Oh? Is that you?" Lunala gasped, bowing her head. "Forgive my rudeness."

A glistening rainbow aura drew Shane's attention. He looked to his right and watched Ho-Oh walk up to him. She smiled at him. "Of course it's me," she said. "And no need to be so stiff, Lunala. Today's the fiftieth anniversary of the day you two were made from the ashes of your predecessors, after all."

"And I thought it would be fun to throw a party," Shane said, though his voice was still much deeper than he was used to. "C'mon, I thought it'd be fun. Look at everyone who came out to celebrate with us."

"Ho-Oh informed me that there would be merrymaking! If I find that I was lied to, I shall smite someone in retribution!" Zekrom shouted, slamming an arm on the table.

Reshiram stepped beside him and flicked the tip of his snout with a talon. "Do us all a favor, Turbine Butt, and give that big mouth of yours a rest, will ya?" she said.

"… hmph. My mouth is not big… it is perfectly proportioned for my well-toned physique," Zekrom said, putting his hands on his hips. "You're just jealous beca– mfgrh!"

Reshiram grabbed Zekrom's muzzle and clamped it shut.

"Get a cave, you two!" a voice heckled from the background. Reshiram's face went bright red.

"So, what do you think?" Shane asked. "Up for a little fun with some friends?"

Lunala chuckled. "Of course I am. Just because I'm dedicated to my job doesn't mean I'm unwilling to cut loose for a few hours. Who do you take me for, Dialga?"

The room burst into laughter at this.

XxX

Water splashed across Shane's face, forcibly jolting him back to reality. He doubled over in a coughing fit.

"Are you suuuuure you're okay, dahling?" Bruxish asked.

"He's obviously not," Serperior scoffed. "Look at the bags under his eyes. He's sleep deprived. I'll bet he's hallucinating." She rubbed her forehead with her tail tip. "Great. We've spent all day taking orders from this doofus."

"I'm… fine," Shane wheezed, shaking water off his face. "I just… um… zoned out for a second."

"Yeah. A really long second," Yungoos said.

Before Shane could say anything else, Trapinch scrambled down the stairs to the main level. "They're coming! They're coming!" Trapinch hunched over, struggling to catch his breath. "Why did I have to be to the lookout guy again?"

"Cuz youse didn't volunteer to do somet'ing else quick enough," Yungoos said.

"Alright then. I guess that means it's showtime," Shane said, silently wondering if the guild had really done enough or if this plan would fall flat. "Can we cut out the Luminous Orbs for a little while?"

Metagross' eyes flashed blue and he dimmed the orbs scattered around the room. Shane shoved his way past his guild mates, making his way toward the eastern hallway to help Sylveon deal with the cake. The other guild members stood around, waiting in silence.

"Did Vulpix tell anyone what we should to when Riolu shows up?" Togedemaru asked.

"That would be a no," Serperior said. "Guess we should just wait until we see some shadows on the stairs and say surprise."

It took a few more minutes, but they eventually heard footsteps above them. "That's really strange." The group immediately recognized Tessa's voice. "I can't believe no one's around to let us in."

"… maybe… they all went somewhere?" Null said. "In any case… let's head downstairs…"

The guild members heard footsteps that gradually grew louder. "Hey, who killed all the lights?" Tessa asked.

The Luminous Orbs flared to life, followed by everyone shouting, "Surprise!"

A yipping Tessa jumped backward, aura feelers shooting straight up. "What are you all doing?" she asked.

"Happy hatch day, Riolu!" the guild members declared. Several sets of streamers and balloons suddenly fell down from the ceiling, while Tessa looked about in shock.

"Th… this is… a surprise party? But, I didn't tell anyone today was my hatch day," Tessa squeaked. Sure, there were guild members who probably knew, but she told Team Captivate she didn't want them doing anything.

"We know," Growlithe barked. He marched forward with several of his special fireworks sticking out from a harness on his back. "But we were able to find out and thought it would be fun to throw you a party. Check out the cake. It's bigger than me!"

Behind him, Shane, Steenee, and Sylveon, wheeled out a rather large cake. Shane stayed hidden behind the dining cart and, as soon as it came to a stop, bolted for the east hallway before Tessa could see him. Though he wanted to see Tessa's reaction, he also didn't want to risk her seeing him and getting upset.

Tessa looked up at the towering dessert. "Is that–?"

"Molten chocolate cake with a nanab berry glaze in the center. Your favorite," Sylveon said. A ribbon extended forward, holding a slice of cake with a candle sticking out of it. "We all got together and decided that, just because your family's not around, doesn't mean we can't pitch in to help you have a fun hatch day."

"Yeah!" Eevee chirped, still covered in cake batter. "You're such a good friend. Which is why I wanted to help, too." He stepped to the side to show the plate full of Solrock and Lunatone cookies. "I made these with Mimikyu! And I got you a gift, too."

"Go on," Sylveon said. "You ought to make a wish."

Tessa gingerly took the plate from Sylveon's ribbon and stared at the piece of cake. "R-Right… okay… h-here goes nothing." She shut her eyes tight, blew the candle out, and opened them back up. Though she had thought of a wish, she was confident it stood no chance of coming true.

"Great!" Growlithe said. "Now we can get the festivities started!" A round of cheers followed as Sylveon and Braviary went about cutting up the cake. Steenee and Mimikyu made rounds to set out the other dishes that they had prepared. Shane brought the remaining food items from the kitchen, disappearing back into the east hallway each time. Steenee tried to offer him some cake, but he refused. His stomach growled in protest, but Shane ignored it. This was Tessa's moment and he had to do everything to keep it that way, even if that meant not partaking in the festivities.

While everyone ate, they traded talks of recent assignments and took part in a few card and board games that Team Specter had managed to gather. Naturally, since the ghosts had gotten a hold of them, it didn't take very long for some folks to realize that Haunter was attempting to cheat. He tried to play the accusation cool, but Misdreavus quickly ratted him out, prompting him to call everyone a bunch of spoilsports and go sulk inside of a nearby balloon.

Despite all the conversations taking place, each guild member went to great length to keep Tessa included. At first, she dismissed it as them playing along with whoever's idea the party was. But, the more she talked, the more those thoughts went away. Eventually, Tessa found herself laughing along with her fellow apprentices as Growlithe recounted the time he burnt one of Braviary's treasured keepsakes to cinders.

As the games winded down, Tessa rejoined Null. "I… I just can't believe this is all happening," she whispered.

"… see? It's just like… I told you… at the beach. More folks care about you… than you think," Null said.

Tessa looked up at him. "You took me to the beach so this could all get set up, didn't you?"

"… guilty," Null said. "But… it was important. Besides… it worked… didn't it? You seem to be… in better spirits…"

"I… I guess so. This is all just a lot to take in," Tessa said.

"… I think… you deserve it," Null said, nudging her with his mask.. "C'mon… just try to relax… and enjoy yourself…"

"Augh! Haunter, seriously?"

Tessa looked over her shoulder. Shane staggered back from the buffet table, a plate firmly pressed against his face. "Sorry, Vulpix. I guess that cake just slipped through my fingers," Haunter said. "But look on the bright side. You're… much sweeter now! Mwee hee hee hee!"

Hold on. I will procurtain a towel for you, Magearna said, then walked out of the room.

"Huh. Why hasn't Vulpix cleaned himself up from the mission? He looks horrendous," Tessa said.

"I think he mentioned… the shower not working… or something," Null said. "I wouldn't… bring it up with him. You know how he gets… about his fur…"

"Yes. It's one of the few things he does that's actually entertaining," Tessa said, chuckling.

Null sighed. "How about… you open some gifts?" He jerked his head to the side, where Tessa spotted several wrapped objects sitting in a small pile.

"Those are all for me?" she gasped.

"Pretty sure… yeah…"

Tessa got up and made her way toward the presents. Her guild mates noticed this and followed her. A gift unwrapping session followed. Tessa received a few practical items, like a new looplet to replace the one she had gotten when she joined the guild. She also got stereotypical gifts, like a red bow to wear on her head. Then, there were the strange gifts, like the tube of novelty fur dye Serperior gave her. It was promptly tested, when Serperior used a vine to smear the gel across Tessa's tail, turning it a bright, gaudy shade of yellow.

Finally, Sylveon stepped forward, holding a small box. "Here's the last gift," she said, nudging the box toward Tessa. "It's not from me, but apparently someone's got cold feet, so I'm giving it to you in their place."

Tessa took the lid off the box. "It's a locket," she whispered. Tessa reached inside and delicately pulled the jewelry out, clasping the sun-shaped pendant in a paw.

"Go on. Open up the pendant," Sylveon said. Tessa looked at her in confusion. Sylveon nodded.

Tessa slowly opened the trinket, only for her breath to rush out of her. There, looking back at her, was a small, sky-blue gemstone. Her paws trembled. She recognized this! "Dad... he kept a gem just like this in the house," she said. "Where did you get this? How did you do this?"

That is the same gem your father owned. I used my patented Geartronic Gemstone Shrinkifier to resize it, Magearna explained.

"Youse totally just made that up, didn't ya?" Yungoos said.

Of course not. I inventified it ten years ago, Magearna insisted, crossing her arms.

Tessa stared wide-eyed at the open locket. Sylveon frowned. "Do you not like it?"

"What? Nuh-No! Of course I do," Tessa said. "It's… it's beautiful." To think someone had actually gone and worked with Magearna to craft a memento of her dad that she could always carry with her.

Sylveon nodded. "Good to hear. I'm sure the Pokémon that made it for you would be happy to tell you more about it," she said, shooting a look over at Shane. He froze in the midst of loading plates onto one of the dinner carts.

"What are you looking at me for?" Shane said. "Talk to Null. He was beside himself with worry over the idea you wouldn't like it. He did choose it for you."

Tessa looked at Null. His helmet hid his widening eyes. "You made this?" she said.

"Yeah," Shane said. "He wanted to get you the perfect gift to cap off this party. It was his idea, after all."

The side conversations taking place abruptly stopped and all eyes fell on Shane. A few guild members turned and exchanged surprised whispers with one another. Shane resumed pushing the dinner cart toward the east hallway, but Steenee snatched it away from him and pointed toward his teammate. Shane hung his head and trudged back across the room. Null briefly looked at Shane before Tessa walked up to him.

"I… I don't know what to say," Tessa whispered. "This is really kind of you. Did you plan all of this out while I was sleeping?"

"Yup. He barged right into morning assembly and told us that we should all come together to throw you a surprise party," Shane explained. "It's all thanks to him."

Tessa smiled at Null. "You didn't need to go to all this trouble just for me."

"But you had a good time, right?" Shane asked.

"Absolutely," Tessa said.

"And are you feeling better than you did this morning?" Shane said. Tessa vigorously nodded. "That's… that's good to hear." He stepped back, relief flooding through him. "Well, uh, I'm sure you want to get back to the festivities. So, uh, I'm just going to go outside… get a little fresh air. Don't mind me." Shane turned and made his way toward the stairs. The sounds of laughter gradually faded as he reached the Observatory's entrance. Shane walked outside, craning his neck up to look at the star-filled, twilight sky.

His idea had worked. The guild lifted Tessa's spirits and he was able to keep his involvement in the idea hidden from Tessa. 'Nicky... this is what I should have done for you,' Shane thought, tilting his head down and taking in a shuddering breath. Like at Tessa's house in the morning, a newspaper page flashed through his mind.

Westhill High School teen dies in apparent suicide.

'I turned Nicky away when he needed my help the most,' Shane thought, eyes watering. 'And I almost made an even worse mistake with Tessa.' He thanked the stars that the guild was able to pull Tessa back from the brink. The article was replaced with a mental image of Tessa smiling at Null. 'Seeing her happy like that... I think it's the best thing to happen since I got here. Probably the only good thing that's happened, too,' Shane figured.

He took another shuddering breath. 'I'm sorry, Nicky. And I'm sorry, Tessa. It's a good thing you're dissolving the team. I don't deserve to have friends.'

Feathers draped across Shane's back and he involuntarily flinched. He looked up and saw Braviary's blurred outline beside him. Shane quickly rubbed a foreleg across his eyes. "I was… I just wanted to get some air. That bog did a number on my sinuses," he said.

Braviary dropped a small metal object at Shane's feet. Shane looked down and saw a silver badge sparkling in the moonlight. He knew it was an apprentice badge. Shane had coveted it since he'd gotten into the guild. Yet, he couldn't even smile at the sight of it.

"Son, I wanted ya to know how proud I am of what you did back there," Braviary said. "That was mighty big of you. So, on behalf of the guild, congrats on reaching apprentice rank."

Shane frowned. "How can you be proud of me? After what happened on our mission, I wouldn't be surprised if no one in the guild wants to speak to me again." He looked away from Braviary. "I'm sure Metagross must've told you what happened."

"I got a terse summary beamed into my noggin," Braviary said, causing Shane to wilt like a flower. "This ain't about that. It's about what you did today. It was generous and selfless. And you didn't even use the opportunity to try and make yerself look good. I admit, I had my doubts about how sincere you were with this gesture. But it looks to me like you did it out of the kindness of yer heart, and not as a means to an end."

"I wouldn't have needed to do this if I hadn't screwed things up so badly to start with," Shane said. "I wanted to make things better for her, so she could happily start over with Null." He remembered Sylveon's instructions to him from earlier and bit his lower lip. "Err, scratch that. We did this together, to help Riolu see that the guild can be a second family for her."

"I'm glad to hear that. I mean... look at yerself, hoss," Braviary said. "Yer positively filthy... and exhausted in ways most of them folks in there couldn't begin to imagine." As if to emphasize this, Shane descended into another coughing fit, spitting up a mouthful of sticky green phlegm. Braviary cringed. "Err, anyway... not once this whole day did I hear you complaining about how you look or how you feel. Considering how you'd been acting before, that's a mighty impressive attitude adjustment."

Shane's ears folded against his face. "I don't need sympathy right now, okay. I'm just spending some time out here… alone. After all, I'm going to need to get used to that from now on. So, I might as well get started."

Braviary withdrew his wing. "Son, I may not have saved the world or nothing, but I do know one thing. You don't gotta be called a hero to do the right thing, but heroes are remembered as the folks that do the right things fer the right reasons. Sure, getting rewards fer completing missions is great. And, yeah, maybe it'd be nice to have stories passed on about yer days in the guild. But that shouldn't be yer motivating factor to go out and help others."

He pointed a wing at his chest. "Nah, that's gotta come from the heart." Shane looked away again, so Braviary stepped into his field of vision. "Listen. Folks like us make our livelihoods helping other Pokémon. And we do it because it makes us feel good to see them happy. Ain't that what yer thinking about Riolu right now?"

Shane nodded.

"Then, sounds to me like yer finally thinking like one of us," Braviary said. "I can't say what things were like fer you back home. But out here, we all face a lot of challenges. Especially with Mystery Dungeons constantly popping up and changing around. That's why we need to work together."

"I understand," Shane whispered. "No more walking around, acting like I own the place. I need to take this stuff seriously. Because bad things happen to good Pokémon when I don't."

Braviary nodded approvingly. "Just keep those thoughts in mind, and you'll do great from here on out. I can feel it in my bones." He looked back toward the Observatory. "So, ready to go back inside yet?"

"Almost. I just need a few more minutes to myself," Shane said.

"Alright, but it's getting late. And we should really try to clean up before heading off to sleep," Braviary said. He walked back into the building, leaving Shane to look out at the stars.

'Do the right things for the right reasons, huh?' Shane thought. By that logic, Shane figured that he shouldn't try to stop the Prism Virus because a voice in his dreams called him a chosen one. Instead, he needed to stop it so that Pokémon can continue living peaceful lives. 'And so that families like Tessa's aren't torn apart.'

There was one problem, though. How was he going to fight the Prism Virus without any partners? The Bewear incident proved he wasn't strong enough to beat an infected Pokémon along, even with all the training in the world. 'So, what do I do now?' he thought, shoulders sagging.

The question continued to linger in Shane's mind as he returned inside and went about helping his fellow guild mates clean up. He was particularly adamant that Tessa and Null not get involved, as he continued sticking to his story that all of this was Null's idea. When Braviary was satisfied with the cleaning job and dismissed him, Shane staggered back to the housing wing.

Each step became slower, making Shane's legs tremble. His eyelids grew heavy and muscles burned, threatening to give out from exhaustion. A thick fog overtook Shane's mind. When he stumbled into his team's bedroom, he tensed up. "Hmm? When… when did I get in here?" he asked, yawning. His gaze fell to his pillow in the middle of the room. Never had a single cushion looked so inviting to him as it did in that very moment. "Maybe Tessa wouldn't mind… if I just slept here one more night," he mumbled, walking toward the pillow.

"… hey."

The soft whisper roused Shane from his half-asleep stupor. He rapidly shook his head, trying to fight back the urge to pass out. Tessa stood in the doorway, her newly-received locket sitting on her neck, over her scarf. "Oh, uh, hi," Shane said. "I was just, y'know, checking to see if I left anything in here. Since, um, I guess I'm supposed to switch rooms with Null or something?" He scratched his head. "What room does that guy even sleep in, anyway?"

Tessa rubbed her shoulder. "I know," she said.

"Huh?"

"I know that this whole thing was your idea," Tessa said. "Null told me the truth."

"Uh, I don't… I have no idea what you're talking about," Shane said, shuffling back. "Must be the berry juice. I told Serperior not to spike it with anything."

"You do realize Null can't eat or drink, right? Now, stop lying," Tessa said. "You made this locket for me, didn't you?"

"Well, honestly, Magearna did the bulk of the work. So, if you want to get technical–"

"Why wouldn't you want to take credit for any of this?" Tessa said. "This… all of this clearly took a lot out of you."

Shane poked the ground with a forepaw. She was right, but any desire for Shane to say that was dampened by what Sylveon had told him. "Because this wasn't about me. This was about you. You said that you're alone... and that nobody cares about you. It's not true. Everyone in the guild… they pitched in to make this happen. Because you are loved," Shane said. "I stayed out of it because I didn't want to ruin everyone's hard work."

"Vulpix," Tessa whispered, clasping her newly-obtained locket.

He hung his head. "If you had known that I was the one overseeing all of this, it might've made you more upset. So, I decided to give the credit to Null. After all, he's your best friend. And if you two want to start a team together, I figured the least I could do is try to start the two of you off on the right foot."

"Vulpix," Tessa said, a bit more forcefully.

He walked toward the door, avoiding Tessa's gaze. "I know this is probably a meaningless gesture, but I want you to know how sorry I am. For everything. From the moment I met you, I've been a real jerk. Because I thought that I somehow knew better than you, an actual Pokémon who's lived here her whole life." Shane's stance slouched. "If I had known the truth, I'd have never pushed you to come here."

"Vulpix, that's enough," Tessa said, putting a paw on his shoulder. Shane jolted stiff in surprise. Had he said something wrong? Was he about to put all his hard work to waste by sticking a paw in his mouth?

"Um... is there a problem?" Shane whispered.

"You can stop talking, Vulpix," Tessa said. "I can see how sorry you are... and I appreciate it. But the truth is that I owe you an apology just as much as you thought you owed me one."

Shane finally turned and looked Tessa in the eyes. She wanted... to apologize? That didn't make any sense!

"But... I attacked you," Shane said, looking down guiltily. "I froze you in a mud puddle and, if that wasn't awful enough, I said your dad didn't love you."

"I know," Tessa said. "But it's not like I was much better. I shoved a teammate dissolution notice into your face after you woke up from a coma. Then, I spent the start of the mission demeaning you until I completely overlooked the fact that Null attacked you."

Shane stiffened. Where was this coming from? Did Braviary pull Tessa aside? Because Shane couldn't imagine Metagross talking with her about this. And he had told Null to cheer Tessa up at the beach, so there was no way he could've brought this up. Unless that was what Tessa had meant when she said Null told her the truth.

"Um... Null said he had talked with you about what happened," Tessa said, poking her index digits together. "I don't exactly know what you said but... well... as bad as I was feeling this morning, I can't even imagine what must've been going through your head in Moonrise Marsh." Her ears and aura feelers drooped. "I'll bet you were terrified. And I... I blamed that attack on you."

So, it was Null, then. Shane's tails curled up. The memories of the attack had lingered in his mind. Heck, he was thinking about them when he was outside. Despite that, he wasn't sure he was really prepared to talk about it.

"Y... yeah," Shane said, tracing a forepaw along the ground. "I... well..."

He couldn't help himself. Tears welled up in his eyes.

"Ri... Riolu... I was so scared," he squeaked, brushing snot against his shoulder. "I'm still scared, though I'm sure the Lunar Wing will help him. I just..." His voice trailed off and he shook his head. "I'd never felt so... so powerless! The reeds dragging me under the swamp... the weight of my fur... struggling just to be able to breathe. I... I..." Shudders racked his body. "When I saw you there... going to him... comforting him... and blaming me, I snapped. I just... I'd never felt so angry before. I wanted to hurt you... I wanted you to know exactly what I felt like. It... it was..."

"Instinct?" Tessa said, lowering her head shamefully.

"Yes," Shane said, ears drooping. "I... freezing you in the mud was so satisfying in the moment and I hate myself for thinking that... but it's true. After that... I don't even know. Seeing you pop up in Mellath Bog stirred those same feelings. I was... I let my hatred just take the wheel and drive things out of control."

Without warning, a teary-eyed Tessa stepped forward and embraced Shane. "I did, too," she whispered, brushing her head against his neck. Shane flinched from the contact, tails shooting upward. "I'm sorry," Tessa squeaked. "After Lycanroc, I wanted nothing to do with you and I took those feelings to the extreme. I was so desperate to get Null to like me that I made a terrible mistake down in Moonrise Marsh. Even if we weren't on good terms... you didn't deserve that. I just... I'm so sorry."

"I guess... we both screwed up big time, huh?" Shane said, lowering his head.

"You know what's really stupid? Null told me... I should try to be a role model for you," Tessa said, laughing bitterly. "If I really wanted to earn his friendship, that's what I should've done. But instead I went and did the exact opposite. And look where it got us." She broke off the embrace and stepped back sighing.

"Yeah," Shane said. Now he was sure all the good vibes from the party had been undone. Yet, a part of him was happy that he was able to get this all off his chest. Tessa even apologized to him, which he wasn't expecting at all.

"Really... I don't think I deserved this big party. Least of all... one spearheaded by you," Tessa said, rubbing her shoulder. "But, well, we can't exactly turn back time and take it all away."

Shane nodded, unsure where Tessa was going with this.

"I guess that just means... that I'm going to have to find a way to make it up to you," Tessa said, extending a paw toward Shane. He looked at Tessa's paw like it was a lethal weapon.

"Wait," Shane said. "But what about the team dissolution?"

"Give me the form and you'll see," Tessa said, flexing her digits. Shane gave her a blank look but ultimately obliged. Tessa grabbed the paper out of his mouth and tore it in half. Then she tore those halves into fourths and the fourths into eights. She continued ripping away until the form was a handful of paper scraps. Then she tossed them behind her nonchalantly.

"I… I don't understand," Shane said. "Are you saying, you want us to stay together? Even after yesterday?"

"Yes," Tessa said. "Assuming, of course, you still want me as your teammate. After all that's happened, I honestly wouldn't blame you if you just asked Metagross to draw up a new form." She fidgeted with her locket. "I really do mean it when I say that the party you threw was amazing. I wish I could put into words what it means to me, but I don't think I can. And I want to find a way to pay you back for it... partner."

Shane blinked in surprise. He was stunned. With the way the conversation was going, he couldn't have predicted such a turnaround. Did he still want Tessa as his teammate, though? After all, it wasn't like they had really had any fun together. Still, maybe this was the opportunity he needed to start off fresh? If he could take Braviary's words to heart, maybe Tessa could be the friend he sorely needed in his life. There was just one small matter he had to clear up.

"Well, I can think of one way you could pay me back." He reached his forepaw up and clasped the tip of Tessa's chin. "Please, promise me you won't ever go to such a dark place again."

Tessa blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Starving yourself," Shane said. "Or doing anything else to hurt yourself, for that matter. Promise me that, whatever happens to us, you won't ever try something like that."

His paw trembled against her chin. "I… well… yeah, okay. I promise," Tessa said.

"Good," Shane said, relieved. He backed away from her, ears folding against his head. "I don't want you to feel miserable anymore. I know you've lost your family, so to speak. I've lost people who are important to me, too. So, yeah, I know what it feels like to think that there's no one you can turn to." Another blush overtook his face. "… but maybe it doesn't have to be that way?"

Tessa nodded in understanding. Shane continued, "I know this will sound crazy, but do you think we could maybe start over? I'm not saying we need to be best friends or anything. But, at the very least, I'd like to leave the past where it is... and be a partner that you can depend on. It might not be perfect." He looked down. "Odds are, I'm going to screw up again, so I'll need you to call me out on it, like what Null did for you. Otherwise, I'll never learn. But... I'm going to try my best to be a better Pokémon."

"And I'm going to try my best to be better, too," Tessa said. She extended a paw toward Shane. "Through darkest night, and brightest day."

"Team Radiance always finds a way," Shane said, bumping her paw with his. "Partners?"

"Partners," she replied. And the two moved forward to embrace once again, only for Shane to hold up a forepaw.

"Wait a second," he said. "Yo, big guy!" He turned toward the doorway. "I know you're out there. Don't just stand there... come in."

Tessa's aura feelers stood up as Null's helmeted head appeared in the doorway. "… I didn't… want to interrupt," he rasped.

"You're part of this team too, right?" Shane said. Null shook his head. "Okay, yeah, I mean your name's not on the contract or anything. But it might as well be. After all, you're a lonely misfit with a spotty past, just like the two of us. The way I see it, you're more than qualified to join the team… officially."

Null blinked. "You… you really mean it?" he croaked. "Even after... what happened?"

"Yeah," Shane said. "I know things between us are... rocky. But I think the only way that'll change is if we work together." He poked the ground with a forepaw. "Besides… it's not a group hug unless everyone participates."

Null's gray eyes widened. "… are you sure… about that?"

"I'd just go along with it. You know how stubborn he can be," Tessa mused.

"Very true, very true," Shane agreed, playing along. "It's a wonder I didn't end up a rock-type when I came here." Tessa fought to hid a giggle. Null plodded into the room and leaned over. This allowed both Tessa and Shane to contact the sides of his helmet as they embraced.

A click sounded.

"Awwwww, isn't that just the cutest, Serpy?"

Shane and Tessa stiffened and backed away from each other. "Milotic! We're having a private moment here," Tessa hissed.

"I know, and it's positively adorable!" Milotic said.

And I got it on camera! Magearna said. This is definitely going in my 'Album O' Splendiferous Guild Moments.'

Shane's face reddened. "Wait, what?"

"Mwee hee hee! Look, little Snowball's blushing," Haunter cackled, appearing out of the wall alongside Drifloon and Misdreavus. They flew out of the room, laughing amongst themselves.

"Seriously, you guys? Way to kill the moment!" Shane said.

"Relax, Vulpix. We're happy for your guys," Milotic said, smiling. "But we'll leave you alone. It's time we got some shut eye anyway." She turned and departed into the hallway, but not before Shane heard her say, "Hey, Magearna, make sure to make me a copy of that photo, okay?"

"Forget it. I'm too tired to stay mad at them. I need sleep… badly," Shane said, yawning.

"You also need, like, four showers," Tessa said.

"Oddly specific number choice, there. But it's on the agenda for tomorrow. I think we could all use a real day off, don't you?" Shane said.

"I think this is the first time we're in agreement on something," Tessa said. "Guess we're getting off to a good start already."

They both approached their cushions and Shane immediately passed out. Tessa looked back toward the doorway, where Null lingered. "You're free to join us, you know."

"… right. Lemme just… go grab my pillow," Null said. He backed into the hallway. When the light struck his mask, Tessa saw something that made her aura feelers stand on end.

'Null's helmet… there's a crack in it!'

XxX

~Great Canyon, Hill of the Ancients~

A golden fox approached the canyon's summit and fanned out her tails. She could just barely make out a silhouette against the rising sun. "Xatu? It's Ninetales. I got your summons. What did you want to ask me?"

Ninetales paused her ascent, expecting to hear Xatu's voice echo through her mind. But nothing happened. She continued walking up, keeping her gaze fixed ahead of her. "Xatu, can you hear me?" She reached the top of the canyon and approached Xatu's side. She found him staring directly out at the sun.

Sighing, Ninetales gently shoved Xatu.

… hmm? Oh, Ninetales. How nice to see you. What brings you to Great Canyon?

"You summoned me here. Or did you forget again?" Ninetales said.

Did I? Xatu blinked slowly. Oh… yes… I believe this is the time I foresaw you arriving. My apologies. I'm afraid my mind was elsewhere.

"Yes, yes, I've heard it all before," Ninetales said. "Well, I'm here. You said you had something you wanted to ask me? Something that needed me to be here in person?"

… I see. Excuse me… I must recall what it is I summoned you here for, Xatu said. Ninetales rolled her eyes. Ah! Yes… a glimpse into the past has allowed me to remember what I wanted to ask. Tell me, Ninetales, have you been commiserating with the spirits in the Tree of Life as of late?

"Of course I have," Ninetales scoffed. "Don't tell me that's why you wanted me here?"

… I foresaw such an attitude, Xatu said, earning another eye roll. No, what I wanted to know is if any of the spirits have ever mentioned something called the 'Lightless Black.'

"Lightless Black?" Ninetales said. "Can't say I've ever heard of it. What's the significance?"

I am unsure, Xatu said. But, lately, my glimpses into the future have turned up nothing.

Ninetales' eyes widened. "Are your powers fading?"

No. Rather, at a certain point, I simply cannot see anything. There is only darkness, Xatu said. I probed this subject further to try and craft some form of explanation. What I got instead was a premonition. And, frankly, I do not know what to make of it. So, I thought it best to consult you. Would you permit me to share my vision?

"By all means, go ahead," Ninetales said.

Very well, Xatu said. He spread his wings out and his eyes glowed bright blue. Ninetales shut her eyes and soon found a series of words spreading out across her mind's eye.

A faller rises.
And a Lightless Black blots out the sun.
Wings of dawn blanket the horizon,
The Devourer of Light has his fun.
Zero will strike. Gods will fall.
And Mystery Dungeons shall number none.

Ninetales blinked and staggered backward. "That... well... I'm a bit confused. Frankly, it sounded like a bunch of contradictions. How does something rise up when it falls? And dawn leading to 'devouring of light?' That doesn't make sense. Dawn leads to daytime... and daytime is flooded with light." Her brow furrowed. "Am I to understand that you think something is going to happen to our gods?"

I am sorry. Like you, I am unable to discern meaning from this vision, Xatu said. I apologize for bringing you all the way out here. Would you prefer it if I teleport you back to Mt. Freeze?

She nodded and placed a paw on his wing. The two disappeared in a burst of blue light.

XxX

~Celestial Island~

Groaning, Necrozma rubbed an arm across his armored eyes. He glided past black cubes floating in limbo until he reached a cloud of black static flickering in and out of existence. A single red eye stared back at him, along with an eye-shaped purple gem sitting in the middle of a Nemes headdress.

"I was in the middle of a nap, Zero," Necrozma grumbled. "What do you want?" The red eye narrowed at him. "Oh... right... sorry about that. Let's try again. What do you want... Mistress?"

"An Ultra Wormohle to Aurora Vale," a garbled, heavily-distorted voice responded. As Zero spoke, the cloud of static pulsated faster.

"Do I look like a ferry service to you?" Necrozma said, third eye flashing. "Each wormhole you make me summon wastes more of my precious light. If you're not going to give me my core back, then you can walk!"

A glimmer of rainbow energy pulsated from Zero's right side. Necrozma floated backward, arms twitching. "Nrgh... fine," he said. "But I want a little something in return!"

"What did you have in mind?" Zero asked.

"Musharna. Give me her Beast Ball," Necrozma said, licking his lips. "I have need of her... abilities."

"Fine," Zero said. Black shadows swirled in front of Zero, producing a black and red ball with a checkerboard pattern running across it. "Now, the Ultra Wormhole, please."

Necrozma opened his wings and pointed his right arm forward. An Ultra Wormhole opened up behind Zero. "Have fun. Oh... and if it's not too much trouble, bring me back a souvenir or two. Like some delicious light! Heeheeheehee!" Necrozma said, levitating the Beast Ball toward him as Zero walked into the Ultra Wormhole. It remained open, despite Zero disappearing.

"Wakey, wakey, Musharna," Necrozma said, opening the ball up. Musharna appeared in a stream of red light. She lay on the ground, wheezing. Necrozma picked her up in his claws. "Oh, come now, you're perfectly fine," Necrozma said. He squeezed Musharna, who shrieked in fright as pink mist funneled out of her blowhole. Necrozma dropped her to the ground, eyes flashing blue. The mist swirled into a spiral.

"Heeheeheehee! Perfect!" Necrozma declared. He clapped his hands together and the mist formed up into a Lucario with a white diamond on her forehead and a fang sticking out of her mouth. "Let's see if I can drive in the wedge that will pry the intrepid heroes apart for good!" Necrozma said.

He pointed to the Ultra Wormhole and the Lucario diligently walked into it.

End of Episode 7

XxX

And there you have it. I know it took awhile – possibly even a bit too long – to get here, but we've reached the point where Team Radiance has finally stopped fighting among themselves. Which means we can turn our attention toward the actual overarching threat in this story. Don't think this means everything is going to be sunshine and rainbows though. As I hope next episode will show, we're far from done shaking things up. Look forward to it!

Last Edit: Oct 18, 2018 19:23:32 GMT by Ambyssin

Avatar by Jordy (https://toonirl.tumblr.com/), personal commission.

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Posts: 272

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Guiding Light (T) Oct 17, 2018 1:07:58 GMT

Post by admin on Oct 17, 2018 1:07:58 GMT

Welp! Caught up at last! Aaaaaand … I feel like I need to sit down and talk about something serious first. I’m not sure if this is really a point of criticism or if it’s entirely intentional, but it’s very true that a lot of the characters’ moralities in Guiding Light are uncomfortable and gray. It’s also very true that most of its characters are very much intentionally self-righteous, often to the point of doing actual damage to each other. In fact, I was about to go on about how Shane especially was guilty of this, given the entire Lycanroc episode.

But I think I need to talk about Null first.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I like Null. And I like him because he and Mimikyu are pretty much the only two guild members who aren’t complete dicks. In fact, it was Null who summed things up pretty well by saying all of Team Radiance did acted badly during the Oranguru mission. Because, yeah, y’all did. I mean, without a doubt, Shane’s backsliding during the Lycanroc episode (meaning, I kinda felt like he was stabilizing and maturing before he got on Lycanroc’s case, only to double back and accuse Lycanroc of shit based practically only on the fact that he used a really specific nickname) was definitely intentionally irrational and overall a dick move. And the fact that this attitude continued on through to the latest episode, when Shane went on about how Null was a monster even before getting attacked, was likewise not the mark of a hero. And likewise, Tessa was acting pretty immaturely too, intentionally provoking Shane left and right with her frosty attitude and accusations that Shane would act irresponsibly with her items/on the mission and all. (I mean, she wasn’t exactly wrong, but still.) And then there’s Null, but…

That’s the main thing. I can’t blame Null, and I’m really not. Tessa’s argument that he couldn’t help himself was pretty sound because, clearly, he had some Jekyll and Hyde shiz going on there. Plus, there’s a difference between being conscious of your actions/using mental health (which I kinda see a slight metaphor for here, but maybe that’s the English major in me talking) as an excuse to knowingly hurt other people and being literally incapable of controlling yourself. Yes, Null could see Shane for who he was (i.e., a team member), but, you know, it’s sort of difficult to stop yourself when a completely different thoughtform vying for control over your actions just up and does something.

So yeah. Null, sweetie, you did nothing wrong. Except, you know, nearly kill Shane (and also technically murder someone’s mother right in front of them in the Bewear episode), but I mean at least you acknowledge that was not very cool.

Nah, my beef is with everyone else in the guild.

Here’s the thing. It’s okay to want to defend a friend when they’re lashing out. That definitely makes you a decent person. But when someone tells you that your friend nearly killed them (and they look beat up enough for that to be true), and your first reaction is to make that person feel bad for even pointing it out or for vocalizing a desire to not be around your friend anymore, that slides riiiiiiight into victim blaming and makes you a dick. Like, it doesn’t even matter whether or not the accuser in this case is telling the truth or whether or not you like them; you’re still kinda defending physical assault and attempted murder, especially if you’re not really making an effort to figure out what happened or where those accusations came from. That’s … several different levels of not okay.

Now, Tessa, I can understand why she’d do it. I kinda felt for her when she decided to dissolve Team Radiance, sure. She seemed like a very reasonable pokémon right then, and honestly, after Shane provoked Lycanroc into sabotaging the guild, I couldn’t blame her for considering that the straw that broke the camerupt’s back. But I lost sympathy for her when she decided to throw Null’s advice completely out the window and just be a complete fuggin’ jerk about it. Like, who struts into an infirmary, throws an object at someone’s damaged spine, and goes, “By the way, fuck you”? Apparently Tessa. So I really wasn’t surprised when she spent the entirety of the Oranguru episode being just as bad as Shane, culminating in that moment where she completely ignores Shane when he tells her about nearly dying at the hands of Null.

But it’s like … no one thinks about that little point when Shane brings it up? Braviary just kinda ignores it? Metagross doesn’t want to hear it? There’s a guild member who has literally just viciously attacked their own teammate, and everyone’s okay with this and considers the teammate’s attitude to be a higher priority?

Well. Okay then.

And that’s kinda what made the party thereafter a little iffy for me, to be honest. It starts off with the guild going on about how much Shane sucks, and it’s followed up with a long sequence of events in which Shane is pushed to learn a lesson, grow up, and seek redemption. And normally, that would be a really good arc, yeah, and Braviary’s message at the end of it (about how being a hero is about doing selfless deeds, not seeking glory) is a really good one that Shane absolutely needs to hear.

But … for once, he was a little bit right in this episode, and there’s not really that much that hints anyone else acknowledges the ways they’ve been wrong in this episode. (Again, except for Null, but that’s because Null is literally the only sane one here.) Like, for example, Tessa. What Shane said about how her parents must not have loved her is really pushed to the forefront, even more so than the way she reacted to his statement that, you know, he nearly died. The story pushes Tessa into a Heroic BSOD (again, punishing Shane but not really Tessa), and it’s only after Shane does something to cheer Tessa up (i.e., Shane experiencing character growth while Tessa doesn’t apologize for her actions) that they come to some semblance of an agreement and friendship again. (And as an added bonus, it’s only after Shane does this selfless act and grows as a character—not Tessa, whose only challenge here seems to be forgiving him—that the guild in the form of Team Captivate start to accept Shane as one of their own.) Granted, this is also only chapter 30 out of 80. Maybe down the line, that lopsided sense of closure will be addressed, or Tessa’s flaws will be drawn out and finally examined. But as it stands, it just feels like the story was a little slanted against Shane.

And all of this is kinda long-winded. Maaaaaybe it’s a touch personal because I’ve been in similar situations to Shane (although I don’t believe I’ve ever gone out of my way to hurt literally everyone I know, not to mention I’d like to think I never thought of myself as God’s gift to ~~man~~pokémonkind), but I think the point is … I’m not sure what to make of it, honestly. I know there’s a lot of plot going on here, and I’m certainly intrigued by it, but it’s just the character growth that really stuck out the most.

I will say this, though. Shane is definitely no angel. Like, ho dang, those flashbacks? He was clearly just as much of a dick as Tessa was. So honestly, yeah, I won’t argue that Shane absolutely flippin’ needed this lesson on how to be selfless, and absolutely, it’s nice to see him shaping up into a decent human being. I mean, forreal, the way he acted in those flashbacks? Not particularly surprising. As in, yeah, I can kinda see how the same guy who would whine about getting mud on his tails and then brag about being the chosen human in basically the same conversation would also be the same dude who blew off his clearly desperate friend. So to see him settle down and do something nice not for the glory but because someone he knew (who he didn’t even really care for all that much!) was hurting that badly was like watching a kid grow up. That was definitely satisfying, and I’m really excited to see if this growth will stick and, if so, where he’ll go from here.

(In other words, I have no problem with Shane’s character growth in episode 7. In fact, I loved it. It’s just the fact that the episode treated Shane like he’s the only one who had to grow up that’s the iffy part. Well, that and how it treated him like that.)

And, to be honest, in the same vein, I do like the path Null’s growth is taking too. It’s far slower, sure, but it needs to be because unlike Shane’s extremely destructive behavior, Null’s is only self-destructive. And what’s more, I don’t think he’s entirely conscious of it, either. Null is ultimately selfless and humble, but his main problem is that these traits, plus a general aversion to company, a freaky appearance, and not being much of a talker is a great equation for becoming a massive doormat, which he kinda is in that he lets people call him a freak with very little reaction. In turn, it’s kinda clear he’s internalized some of this, and long story short, Null’s main problem is just that he doesn’t think much of himself and considers “I’m a monster” to be an objective fact. So it’s going to take a lot of introspection and a lot of coaxing on the parts of the mon around him until he finally grows into a stable, self-assured being. It is troubling (intentionally, this time) that there’s the not-quite-resolved issue that is his backstory and reason for creation, and I do fear for him and how he’ll react when he comes face-to-face with why he exists. But at the same time, I also feel like, in light of how Shane grew up and how careful you are with Null (given how subtly you laid down his personality and, essentially, the real him in that scene in Azure Cape), Null’s growth will be just as satisfying as Shane’s was here. I mean, it’s already started, with the whole “gearing up for a friendship evolution” bit going on in the form of his cracked helmet.

Which, of course, leaves Tessa. And I know. She was suicidal in episode 7, and she was practically abandoned by her family. But hot damn, do I hope she gets some kind of character growth that’s a liiiiiitle more overt. I don’t know. Like I said, I kinda see Tessa as hella self-righteous. I kinda felt like that for a while, but it definitely was highlighted here. So I just hope that the fact that she decided the entire team should put what happened in the escort mission behind them doesn’t mean we’ll revisit her later.

Tl;dr, these were pretty intense episodes in terms of drama, definitely, and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens with Shane, Null, and just a bit of Tessa in the future. I just … am also conflicted about it, ngl. D:

Ambyssin

Definitely a winter

Posts: 110

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Guiding Light (T) Oct 18, 2018 19:35:19 GMT

Post by Ambyssin on Oct 18, 2018 19:35:19 GMT

SPOILER: Click to show

So, I know we pretty much talked a bit on Discord about it but, yeah, that was my bad. That angle didn't pop up or occur to me or whatever you want to call it. I've gone back and redone those scenes to address the stuff you brought up and I'll be sure to make other appropriate changes to certain later chapters. As far as the other stuff goes... yeah, Null is a very curious case and I'm ~~hoping~~praying you enjoy what I've got in store down the road. I admit I put him in for species bias but the fact that he turned into a bit of a runaway fan favorite has made me super-paranoid when it comes to writing him... even in my current drafting.

As for the rest of the guild, the callousness and ignoring of Shane was pretty much intentional, as bad as it is for me to say that in light of what you brought up. The point really was to show that, under Metagross' helm, anyway, the guild's not the bundle of quirky, cheerful characters we see in PMD2 (or Super if you count the Expedition Society). Braviary has already displayed a history of shortsighted behavior. In the first special episode he was willing to brush off Prisma's poor treatment at the hands of Feraligatr because she rubbed him the wrong way. This is just another extension of that. And Metagross... well, I would think the events of the episode speak for themselves. I'm going to stay silent, because it should start to make sense in a couple of chapters.

Time to start a new episode. Enjoy!

XxX

Tessa plodded forward and found her mother sitting on a small rock atop a violet cliff face. She walked up and sat down beside her. Prisma's aura feelers twitched and she opened her eyes. "I just thought I'd check up on you," she began. "When last we spoke, it seemed like you had hit a bit of a rough patch. Have things gotten any better?"

Tessa rubbed the back of her head. How much was she prepared to tell Prisma? "It's, um, all a bit confusing, to be honest," she said.

Prisma crossed one leg over the other. "Well, maybe I can help you make sense of it."

"No, that's not necessary. Everything's fine, I guess. I just had to go on a very difficult mission, that's all," Tessa said, concerned because she had brought her thoughts on Prisma up to her teammates. "I… well… my team ended up taking a Pokémon to Sunflower Meadows... so that he could die."

Prisma's eyes widened. "What?" She turned around and plucked a squeaking Tessa off the ground. "Dear god... you didn't actually see this Pokémon die, did you?"

Tessa nodded solemnly and Prisma's muzzle went agape.

"Why would you agree to something like that?" she barked, practically shaking Tessa in the process. "Oh, you must be feeling miserable!"

"We didn't exactly know all the details of the mission, Mom," Tessa said, struggling in Prisma's iron grip. She had seen that familiar spark of anger in Prisma's eyes. "It was a disciplinary assignment. I would've gotten kicked out of the guild if I didn't do it. My team only learned the truth when we got to Sunflower Meadows."

Growling, Prisma dropped Tessa to the ground. Pitch-black energy crackled across Prisma's clenched fists. Tessa's aura feelers shot up in alarm, her fears proven true. "This is… an outrage!" Prisma seethed. "How could Braviary and Metagross do that to you? They know full well what we've been through."

Prisma's eyes narrowed. "No… wait… this was probably intentional," she whispered. "The more things change... the more they stay the same."

Tessa's aura feelers throbbed. She was right. Her mom was displaying the same anger she showed following Incineroar's death. Tessa hesitated to press on the issue, but this was her dream space. She should be safe, right?

"Did you say something, Mom?" Tessa asked.

Prisma's eyes widened, but she quickly regained a neutral expression. "Metagross has a history of employing backwards logic," she said. "If he's treating you badly, I think you ought to quit."

Tessa's brows raised. Did Prisma say she was proud Tessa had made it to the guild in a previous conversation? Why did she jump to that idea so quickly?

"I can't quit, Mom," Tessa said.

"Why not?" Prisma asked.

"It's… um… it's complicated," Tessa said.

Prisma frowned. "Well, try me. I'm here now. Let me see what I can do to help."

Prisma reached a paw over to Tessa, but she scooted away. She rubbed her shoulder. "Mom," she whispered, taking a deep breath. "You blame me for Dad's death, don't you?"

Shock flashed across Prisma's face, but she hastily furrowed her brow and resumed her stern expression. "Sweetie, I would never do anything like that. You're my daughter. Whatever would give you such a ridiculous idea?"

Tessa didn't believe her. She grabbed one of her aura feelers and rubbed it. "You always told me that aura never lies." She looked up at Prisma. "Before you left, I sensed a spark in your aura. Something that wasn't there before Dad died." Her gaze fell to the ground. "It's okay, Mom. You can tell me the truth. If I hadn't gotten sick, Dad would still be here."

"Don't say that," Prisma barked. Tessa stiffened, worried Prisma might lash out. "You can't blame yourself for getting sick. If you want to blame anyone… blame Zapdos."

"Zapdos?" Tessa gasped. "But he's a Legend. What does he have to do with this?"

Prisma's expression darkened. "After your father's death, I spoke with Magearna. That day, the forecast in Sunrise Village called for clear skies." She clenched her fists, grabbing pawfuls of fur. "Zapdos decided to make an unexpected flyover. And he brought a thunderstorm with him." She turned back to Tessa. "You're innocent in this. It's Zapdos' fault. Zapdos… and… and…"

Red aura crackled across Prisma's paws. It disappeared when she took a deep breath. "Sorry for startling you, Tessa. It's just... you know I'm under a lot of stress right now."

"… yeah. Protecting Lunala must be pretty important," Tessa whispered, unsatisfied by Prisma's response to her concerns.

"How about we just drop this subject?" Prisma said. "It sounds like you've been through an ordeal. I'm not here to try and make that worse. I could calm your mind, instead, if you'd let me."

"I'm okay, Mom," Tessa said. "My teammates helped me get through it."

Prisma raised an eyebrow. "You mean the human? What could he have possibly done?"

"He got the entire guild to throw me a hatch day party," Tessa said. "Thanks for remembering, by the way. I'd have liked at least a letter or something."

Prisma's eyes narrowed. "I don't know where this sudden attitude of yours cropped up from, but I suggest you adjust your tone. I made it crystal clear I can't do anything to give away where I'm hiding," she said. "I'm sorry, Tessa, and I wish there was another way, but…"

"It's okay… Mom," Tessa growled, trying to keep her temper in check. "You keep working on Lunala. In the meantime, Vulpix and I are going to do what we can to help the Pokémon in Horizon deal with the Prism Virus." Her aura feelers tensed. Anger flashed in Prisma's eyes again. Tessa was sure of it. Something had to be wrong with her mother.

"Very well," Prisma said. She got to her feet and approached the edge of the cliff. "Then I'm afraid this is where we have to part ways."

Tessa frowned. "You mean no more dream communication?" Her mother nodded. "Why? I haven't done anything wrong."

"I already told you, Tessa. That human will keep attracting trouble. And I cannot risk the Prism Virus stealing your dreams and using them to find out where I am," Prisma said. "Besides, I should be getting back to Lunala anyway." She stuck one leg out over the cliff.

Tessa dashed toward her. "Wait, you're really going to leave me? Just like that? What about Gallian? What about–"

Prisma turned to give her daughter one last look before pushing her other leg off the cliff's edge. Tessa watched her mom plummet into a purple void. Then her whole field of vision went pitch black.

XxX

Episode 8: Viral Infection

Chapter 32: A Frosty Reception

XxX

~Aurora Vale~

Frightened chittering echoed through the foliage scattered around the deepest recesses of a sprawling valley. Several bushes burst apart and dozens of rocky, meteor-like spheres floated away at a frenetic pace. Close behind them, blistering cold air swept across the valley floor. The air entrapped the trees and bushes, stripping them of their leaves and instantly freezing their bare remnants. A slick layer of sparkling white ice spread out across the ground. Some of the frost descended on a pair of nearby streams. The rushing water came to a stop and, in a matter of seconds, the streams were nothing but lines of splintering ice sheets.

"Uhuu huu huu! Isn't it grand, Umbry? In just a few hours, we'll take this dreary little dungeon and turn it into the most amazing ice-skating rink in the world. Great Glacier won't even hold a candle to our pristine, wintry paradise!"

In the center of the area, Espeon pranced around a cluster of onyx crystals. They pulsated with tendrils of crimson energy, sending waves of cold air across the valley and thickening the glacial frost that covered the ground.

"… hmph. Personally, I can't wait to demolish Great Glacier. It's a sickening place, just like Glacier Palace," Umbreon sneered. "Why did we have to coat this place in ice anyway? Couldn't we have just poisoned it like we did with Mellath Bog?"

"Of course not. We've got to be original!" Espeon said, swishing her hips. "Doing the same old thing every time is hardly fun. Where's the excitement? Where's the panache? We want all these Pokémon to be mystified in their last moments before the Prism Virus changes their lives forever." Umbreon rolled his eyes. "Also, you know Zero told us the best way to alter these Mystery Dungeons is to go by basic type effectiveness. Ground resists poison, but ice beats ground. So, I turned this dusty old valley into a winter wonderland," Espeon said, smirking.

Umbreon glared at her. "Well, then these stupid crystals need to hurry up. I'm tired of waiting around for Tapu Lele to show up. And I hate the cold. Just like I hate that frosty Vulpix that slipped through our paws back in Dewdrop Woods. In fact, just being here makes me think of him. And that makes my blood boil."

"Aww, don't say that, Umbry. It just makes our little game all the more fun," Espeon said. "Besides, if your blood's boiling, you should be perfectly warm."

"… no, Espeon. Your partner has the right idea."

The joyous smile on Espeon's face immediately vanished. She stopped dead in her tracks and shrank down onto her belly, ears and tail folding against her body. Likewise, Umbreon's angry expression simmered down, replaced by a frown. Behind the cluster of crystals, purple sparks materialized out of thin air. They spiraled around, until they formed a portal with white, checkerboard lines running through it. The sounds of ice crunching echoed through the valley.

A golden metal staff struck the ground in front of the Eeveelutions. They both flinched. "Huh-Hi… Zero," Espeon squeaked. "You… um… you didn't tell us you'd be dropping by!"

A black, crystal-coated foot stepped down on Espeon's left forepaw. Her tail shot into the air and crumpled up as pain raced across her body. "Get up," Zero ordered. Next thing Espeon knew, metal claws dug into her back. Zero hoisted her to her feet and shoved her away. Espeon stumbled to the side, keeping her weight off her left limb.

"Um… a little advance notice would've been really appreciated," Espeon said. "We haven't finished setting things up here, so–"

Zero pointed her staff forward. The black octahedron sitting atop it started glowing red. Espeon hopped backwards, turning her gaze away from the scepter. "I don't recall ever needing to inform you of my actions," Zero said, straightening out the strip of red, Egyptian-styled cloth dangling from her waist. She gazed at the winged heart stitched into its center. "I wanted to check in on your progress." Zero swung her staff in front of her and gazed into the gem. The red energy's crackling intensified. "It seems the infected Lurantis in Mellath Bog was disposed of."

"What?" Umbreon gasped. "But we just infected her the other day. Who could've–?" He abruptly cut himself off and his eyes narrowed. "Don't tell me, it was Vulpix and Riolu again?"

Zero placed her right paw on her black, crystalline mask and nudged it up. Espeon focused on Zero's left eye – her lone eye – and then looked away, biting her lower lip.

"… hmph. It's good to see at least one of you has a decent head on their shoulders," Zero said, brushing snowflakes off the red spike protruding from the star insignia on her gem-encrusted chest. "With Lurantis done in, we've lost our best shot at subduing Tapu Fini. Not that it really matters, since it seems she never had the Dawn Hourglass to start with. That said, I'm not taking any chances this time around. Which is why I've come to speed things up a bit here."

"That's very proactive of you," Espeon said, grinning awkwardly.

"Silence," Zero hissed. Her eye flashed dark blue. "I would not need to be doing this if you two had done as I'd ordered and taken care of the human." She raised her left hand and black sparks crackled around it. "The Prism Virus has no use for disobedient Pokémon."

The color drained from Espeon's face. "Now, now, there's no need for that," she squealed, her voice cracking. "As you can see, everything's going swimmingly here. Look, we've even got the wild Miniors fleeing in terror. See?" She jerked her head upward, looking at a Minior pair floating off toward the sky.

Zero pivoted to follow Espeon's gaze. A sudden gust of wind ruffled the black fur around her rear and the four, waist-length dreadlocks sticking out of her head. With an annoyed growl, Zero raised her staff and the red energy swelled to fill the entire octahedron.

"Infect," she said. A red waveform beam raced forward. The Miniors turned around and screamed in fright as the beam swallowed them up. Zero lowered her staff and looked up. A pair of black, jagged crystal lattices with glowing red cores now floated where the Miniors previously were.

"There. Much more appropriate, wouldn't you say?" Zero said. The infected Miniors floated down toward them, dark energy crackling around their edges. "Let's see, Minior is hardly a threatening name. Henceforth, you are Necrospheres." Zero waved the Necrospheres off and turned to look at Espeon and Umbreon. "No objections, I trust?"

"Of course not! Of course not! Wonderful names for such lovely little additions to our growing family. Uhuu huu… huu…" Espeon's tail curled up against her flank. Umbreon remained silent.

"Good. Then let's dispense with the idle chatter and cut to business," Zero said. She raised her scepter high and slammed it into the ground. Espeon and Umbreon jumped in surprise and scrambled back. From the center of the crystal cluster, a black monolith jutted out of the ice. A red, winged-heart insignia appeared atop the monolith, matching the one stitched into Zero's robes and Nemes headdress. Ice streamed out in all directions, quickening the pace of the valley's freezing. Umbreon looked over his shoulder to find more Miniors transforming into Necrospheres.

Zero adjusted her mask. "Now then, I do think it's time our dear friend Tapu Lele joined us, don't you?" she said, turned to look over toward the end of the valley.

"Um… what do you want us to do?" Espeon asked.

Zero walked to the other side of the crystal cluster. "You're going to be a distraction. Get behind the crystals. I'll order you to use Shadow Ball and Dark Pulse when I think the time is right. Until then, don't move a muscle. Don't even so much as speak. I'll keep our VIP entertained." She finished circling around the crystals and stood at attention. In the thick, wintry fog brought on by the ice, Zero spotted a round outline growing steadily larger.

"Come to me, Land Spirit, so that my Prism Virus can cleanse this world of your worthless filth," she said. Tapu Lele appeared from the fog, a look of anger etched in her face.

"Like, what's with the chilly reception?" she said, looking around. "Is this your doing?"

Zero bowed mockingly. "I'm ever-so-humbled that you took notice."

"This is, like, totally uncalled for!" Tapu Lele barked. "You return this land to the way it's supposed to be. Or better yet, scamper off before I blow you to smithereens and use your hollowed-out body as a raft to float along the stream that's supposed to be here."

"Tempting offer," Zero mused. "But, if I may issue a rebuttal…" She held up her free arm and snapped her crystalline digits.

"Eh?" Tapu Lele's eyes widened at the sight of the Eeveelutions lunging out from behind the monolith. Espeon had a ball of spectral energy gathering in her forehead diamond, while Umbreon's red rings pulsated with black and purple bolts. They fired their attacks toward each of Tapu Lele's sides.

"Like, I'm going to turn you creeps into carpeting for my temple," Tapu Lele said, summoning pink barriers to effortlessly deflect the attacks. They ricocheted into nearby ice walls, exploding and showering the area in frosty shards.

"I'm going to, like, sooooo thoroughly enjoy this," Tapu Lele cackled, vines of white energy stretching out toward the ground. Before she could generate her attack, however, a beam of silvery metal struck her and sent her spiraling backward. Zero raised her left hand and clenched her fist. A strange, distorted red wave raced forward, turning everything it spread across bright red. As it passed over Espeon and Umbreon, they froze in place, flickering like broken television screens. The wave struck Tapu Lele, slowing her down to a crawl.

Static encased Zero's free paw. On either side of Tapu Lele, towers of red cubes formed up from the ground. Another red wave then raced forward, returning the area to its normal, icy-blue coloration. The towers toppled over, swallowing Tapu Lele up and drowning out her screams. Zero walked toward the downed Land Spirit, readying her staff.

"What the–?" Zero gasped. She tapped her staff on the ground and the cubes evaporated into pixelated streams. All that remained of Tapu Lele was a splattered puddle of pink slime. "A Ditto?" Zero snarled.

"Uhuu huu huu! Well, isn't that a surprise. Looks like Tapu Lele's a craftier critter than we thought, huh?" Espeon said. Zero abruptly turned around and held up her left paw. Several spiked cubes floated ominously around it, pointing at Espeon. "Meep!" Espeon ducked for cover behind the monolith. The cubes dissipated and Zero turned back around, nudging up her helmet.

"It seems the rumors of her deceptive nature are true after all," Zero said. "It's no matter. She can only delay the inevitable for so long. My Legend-free world will become reality."

"Does this mean we can leave now?" Umbreon growled. "I've grown sick of the cold."

"On the contrary," Zero said. "That just means it's time for you two to get this place ready for our guests of honor." She turned around and walked over to Umbreon.

"Seriously? Look, the bait didn't work," Umbreon said, ears twitching angrily. "Tapu Lele's onto us. If you want to destroy all the gods then I suggest we go for more vulnerable o–"

"Shut your mouth," Zero hissed, backhanding Umbreon. Espeon shrank back as her partner crumple to the ground. "I have made it expressly clear why we're focusing on the Land Spirits. One of them holds the Dawn Hourglass – Tapu Lele, it would seem – and it's the key to perfecting the Ultra Entercards. Then, I can beam into any spot in any Mystery Dungeon I choose. No spells, magic barriers, or manipulated ley lines will stand in my way. With this power, each and every Legend will fall before the might of the Prism Virus."

Zero knelt down. She dug the metal claws protruding from her paw into Umbreon's chest and hefted him into the air. His breath rushed out of him and his fur frazzled. "Now listen closely," Zero said. "You two will go to Sunrise Village and kidnap two residents: Sylveon and Eevee. That should bait the sniveling coward, Riolu, and her human leech out from their stupid guild. Have them come here and then dispose of them."

"Uhuu huu huu huu! Sounds like fun," Espeon said, wagging her tail. "How about we find us a snuggly Sandslash and give him a dose of Celesteela? No, wait! Wait! We should totally do–"

Zero slammed her staff against the ice. Her right arm phased out of existence, leaving distorted air in its place. "You're mishearing me, Espeon," she seethed, her arm returning. "I told you to dispose of them. No more infected Pokémon. No more of your pathetic, so-called games. Take care of this mess yourselves."

Espeon's ears drooped. "Y-You want us to battle them? But… but if we lose, then…"

"The Prism Virus consumes your life energy and gives it to me," Zero said. Espeon's tail fell between her legs. "Wipe that sniveling look off your face, Espeon. Or should I simply take your spirit here and now? Such spinelessness will not do any good."

Zero dropped Umbreon onto the ice and stepped back. She brushed fur off her paw and then lifted it up, allowing dark energy to swirl around it. A black ball with red, web-like lines appeared in it. She pointed the ball at Umbreon and he immediately looked away, panic flashing across his face.

"You are both my Pokémon," Zero said. "I captured you fair and square. You are my property. And I have trained you to wield powers you never would have discovered on your own. If you cannot win a simple battle against the opposition, then you will be discarded. I am trying to ensure this world has a prosperous future. At this point, setbacks are unacceptable."

Espeon bowed, fixing her gaze on the ground. "Yes, Mistress Zero, of course. We won't fail you this time."

Zero pressed a paw to her mask. "… hmph. Actions speak louder than words." She swung her staff around and looked into the octahedron. It started glowing. "Necky!"

A moment passed, followed by a loud, garbled, "What? What is it? I'm trying to finish setting up my room!"

"Return me to Celestial Island," Zero ordered.

"Hang on! If I open another Ultra Wormhole, I'll be too tired to levitate this stuff around."

"I'm sorry. Did it sound like I was asking you?" Zero snarled.

"Ugh, fine. Now I'm going to recruit some Ultra Beasts to do it for me. Hope you're happy."

Purple energy ripples gathered behind Zero and a portal identical to the one she arrived in opened up. Zero stepped toward it and vanished in the blink of an eye. Espeon and Umbreon looked away as a dazzling white light swallowed up the portal.

"Well, you heard her, Espy. To Sunrise Village we go," Umbreon said.

XxX

~Aeon Observatory~

"… you really don't… need to waste your cash… on me…"

Team Radiance sat in front of Bruxish's pond while their fellow apprentice went about assembling his special cauldron.

"Well, I guess we don't have to," Shane said. "But it wouldn't hurt to spice up your move set, would it? Seriously, have you even learned a single new move since you got here?"

Null shook his head. "I figured… that the helmet… or the headaches… were just going to stop that from happening."

"Ah." Shane's brow furrowed. Null had a good point. "But the helmet's got a crack in it. So, maybe that's going to change?"

"That's rather optimistic of you," Tessa said. "A bit surprising with how you've acted the rest of the week. This doesn't mean the old Shane's back, does it?"

Shane shook his head. "No. I... um... want to try and start being positive and, y'know, actually meaning it. I figured something like this is a good place to start." He blinked and then looked over at Tessa. "Hey, you actually called me Shane."

"We're starting things over, right?" Tessa said. "May as well call you by what you want to be called, even if I don't quite get it." Shane's tails thumped against the floor. "So, Bruxish, how would this work exactly?" Tessa asked.

"Oh, it's veeeeeeeeery easy, dahlings," Bruxish said. "I can use my scalding cauldron to glimpse a Pokémon's spiritual energy. From there, I can use the old thinker to determine both your ability and some of the moves you can learn." He tapped his forehead.

Null looked down at his forelegs. "Um… did I mention… that none of the other psychics… have been able to read my aura?"

"Yes, I'm well aware of that snafu," Bruxish said. "Not to speak ill of the Guildmaster, but he likely only tried to sense your aura. And that's a bit too basic. Your spiritual energy incorporates more than your aura. It's the essence of your being, dahling. This cauldron can drag that out for me to see thanks to a few haaaaaandy spells I learned growing up. It hasn't failed yet."

Bruxish looked down into the boiling cauldron and rubbed his fins together. "Okay then. Let's get started, shall we?" He lifted his fins upward and his eyes glowed a deep, navy blue. The water in the cauldron bubbled faster. Shane and Tessa craned their necks to see over the top.

"Hey, the water's not changing color," Shane said. "Isn't it supposed to be changing color?"

Bruxish lowered his hands and looked down into the cauldron. "This is odd," he said. "I've never seen this happen before. Different colors show up to relate to the different types of moves a Pokémon can learn. But Vulpix is right. Null has a venerable absence of color. It symbolizes absolutely nothing."

"You mean… I can't learn anything else?" Null rasped.

"I wouldn't necessarily say that, dahling," Bruxish said. He closed his eyes and pressed his fins against his face. "Nnnngh." He opened his eyes and shook his head. "Goodness gracious. It seems like there's quite literally a block on your life force. Something is jamming my ability to read it." His levitation faltered momentarily. "Urgh. Did the Guildmaster mention experiencing any disorientation when trying to read your mind, dahling?"

"Uh… I don't know," Null said.

"Huh. Well, that just deepens this mystery," Shane said. He looked at Null, but stayed quiet because he wasn't sure how to properly express sympathy over Null's situation.

Tessa scooted over beside Null and rubbed his back. "It's okay, buddy. Maybe we can try some TM's on you later?" she said.

"… I suppose," Null said with a heavy sigh. Shane nodded. He was glad Tessa was around. She knew how to get through Null.

"Well, as long as we're here, how about you take a gander at me?" Shane said, scooting toward the cauldron. "For one thing, I'd really appreciate knowing what the heck my ability is. Or what it could be, for that matter."

"Oh, well of course. Just stand still for me, dahling," Bruxish said. Shane stood in front of the cauldron, looking up at Bruxish as he went about activating the cauldron. Shane sucked in his gut as droplets of boiling water scattered around the cauldron, narrowly missing his fur.

"This can't be right," Bruxish said, opening his eyes. "Perhaps the cauldron is on the fritz?"

Worry overtook Shane's face. That was the last thing he had wanted to hear. "Is something wrong?"

Bruxish floated upward. "Magearna! Oh, dahling, could you come here? It seems my cauldron is acting up."

It is? But I just did a diagnostic on it yesterday and it was fine, Magearna said, before disappearing into the north hallway, leaving Shane wondering how anyone could run a diagnostic on an oversized cooking instrument.

Bruxish's brow furrowed. "Hmm, well if that's the case, I suppose I just have to take these findings at face value. Even if they don't make sense."

"Not to be rude here, but I really don't like the sound of that," Shane said. What sort of bad hand was fate dealing him now?

"Sorry to spook you, dahling. It's nothing life-threatening or anything," Bruxish said. "But according to my cauldron, your ability is Clear Body. And that doesn't make a lick of sense."

Shane blinked. That didn't sound like anything to make a fuss over. "What's wrong with Clear Body? Regice has Clear Body and they're an ice-type too," he said.

"I'm sorry, dahling. But Vulpix in Horizon are meant to have Snow Cloak, with a select few knowing Snow Warning. Your ability is more like an impossibility!" Bruxish said, shaking his head.

Null and Tessa looked over at him. Shane wore a confused expression on his face. Why would he have a unique ability? Did it tie into how he ended up in the Pokémon world?

"Don't look at me. Maybe Solgaleo did it to me?" Shane said, shrugging. "I strongly doubt I had anything to do with it. I don't even remember how I ended up here in the first place." He looked over at Bruxish. "Is there anything else off about what your cauldron's saying?"

"Yes," Bruxish said. "I saw traces of fire-type energy in your life force. Actually, it was more than just traces. It seems like you should, theoretically, be able to learn multiple fire-type moves. But, again, that's totally implausible."

"Maybe the fact that he's actually human prevents your cauldron from working properly?" Tessa said, scratching her chin. "I mean, sure, Shane has the body of a Vulpix, but his spirit should still be the same one he had as a human, right?"

Shane nodded. "Yeah. That's gotta be it. Remember, I only knew of fire-type Vulpixes as a human. So, maybe those memories are corrupting your magic cauldron," he said, thinking that had to be the right explanation.

"It's certainly poooooooossible," Bruxish said. "But I can't say for certain."

Shane sighed and slumped over. "It's okay. Thanks for the help, anyway." He turned and walked over to Null.

"Huh," Tessa said, raised an eyebrow.

"What? Is there something on my face?" Shane asked, briefly going cross-eyed.

"No. It's just… I'm surprised. I figured you'd be dancing around the place singing your own praises. I mean, you have a unique ability. Doesn't that make you special, just like you wanted?" she said.

Shane blinked a few times. "Oh," he said, looking down. "Well… I mean… you said it yourself. Fresh start and all that jazz. Even if I did think this was cool–"

Null groaned loudly and shook his head.

Shane realized his unintentional pun and cringed. "My bad," he said. "As I was saying, even if I thought that was good news, I wasn't about to make a scene over it. I'm trying not to be like that anymore."

Tessa frowned. "So, wait. Are you upset about your ability, then?"

He shook his head. "I'm not upset. Just confused, that's all," he said, choosing his words carefully. "At the very least, it's better than what I'm supposed to have. Snow Cloak's only helpful if it's snowing out, which means I'd need to learn Hail. And I don't want to do that for the exact same reason why I wouldn't want Snow Warning." He pawed at the ground. "It would hurt you and Null."

"Actually, I think Magearna has some kind of device that can keep us explorers safe in inclement weather. But I appreciate the concern," Tessa said, chuckling as Shane faceplanted into the floor. If only he had known that earlier. So much for trying to make a sweet gesture.

"Well, at least now I can't have my strength or endurance lowered by other Pokémon's moves," Shane said, getting back to his feet. "But, whatever, not much to do about that if we just stand around and talk. How about we take on a couple of simple missions? I can't believe I'm saying this, but after the last week I'd kill for just a normal day on the job."

Tessa nodded approvingly. "I agree. Lead the way. Maybe if the morning goes well, we can take on a higher-paying job," she said.

"Ah, Team Radiance! Where's Magearna?"

Trapinch sprinted out of the southern hallway, a panicked look on his face. "Whoa, where's the fire, dude?" Shane said.

"It's the Pokénector. Something's wrong with the Pokénector! I need Magearna to look at it ASAP. Is she in her workshop?" Trapinch said, anxiously trotting in place.

"Chill out. She just went back to it," Shane said. "Why don't you just call her out–"

"Thanks for the heads up!" Trapinch said, dashing off toward the northern hallway.

"… aaaaaaaaand he's gone," Shane said with a sigh.

"You don't suppose we should stick around and see what the problem is, do you?" Tessa asked.

"Nah, we should be fi–" Shane started, only to cut himself off and instead say, "that was a rhetorical question, wasn't it?"

Tessa smiled at him. "Yes. But hey, you're picking up on my tone of voice much better."

Shane didn't have the opportunity to mull over that complement because Trapinch reappeared in the hallway, with Magearna following along. I strongly doubt the Pokénector would just up and break on us. It's been perfectly functionalible since I upgraded it last month.

"You've just gotta have a look at this," Trapinch said, heading for the southern hallway. "I can't even explain it. Part of the globe just blacked out."

Blacked out? Magearna said. That's not possachievable. Show me.

Despite Shane's silent begging not to get involved, Team Radiance followed their fellow guild members down the southern hallway to the sentry station. They all assembled around the Pokénector, giving Trapinch and Magearna enough room to stand by the portion mapping out the Horizon Continent.

"Wait," Null said. "Look… there are two black spots." He turned to Tessa. "Isn't that one… toward the northern part of the continent… where we were the other day?"

Tessa pulled out the team's Wonder Map and unfolded it. Her eyes widened. "Ah!" she gasped. "The Wonder Map… it's…"

Shane walked over toward her. "What, did you rip it or something?"

"It has black spots in the same places," Tessa said, showing it to her teammates.

"Yeah, those parts are totally blacked out. Like someone spilled ink on them," Shane said. "But why would it do something like that?"

Simple. Your Wonder Maps are synchronisified to the Pokénector, thanks to some handy spellcasting on my part, Magearna explained. I have developed the Pokénector to map out the changes to the landscape that the Tapus create. And that, in turns, updates everyone's Wonder Maps. She turned back to the Pokénector. But this is like nothing I've ever seen before.

Shane's jaw stiffened. Magearna's explanation didn't sit well with him. Magical maps that could change on a whim? The thought made his fur prickle.

"This all sounds dubious," Shane said. "So, if that northern area is Moonrise Marsh and Mellath Bog, then what's that place in the southwest?"

Aurora Vale, Magearna said.

Tessa's aura feelers tensed up. "I… I know that place," she whispered. "It's supposed to be the most beautiful Mystery Dungeon in all of Horizon, because you can always see an aurora in the sky above it." Her gaze fell toward the ground. "Dad had always promised that, once I joined the guild, he'd take me there and we could explore it together."

Thinking back to yesterday morning, Shane looked over at Tessa in concern. "Hey, are you going to be okay?" he asked.

"It's… it's fine," she said, taking a deep breath. Tessa looked over at Magearna. "Do you think this means something's wrong with Aurora Vale? Maybe the Tapus are doing something to it?"

I can only launch a speculation algorithm on the matter, Magearna said. But I doubt that will assistify us much.

"… maybe… it's been infected," Null muttered ominously. Shane shot Null a worried look. "Think about it. When we were in Mellath Bog… the whole place had been corrupted… by strange energy…"

As much as Shane wanted to issue a retort, he couldn't escape the sinking feeling that Null was right.

Is that a fact? Magearna said. Hmm. Well, I suppose the way to definitatively know would be to investigate Aurora Vale. She looked at Team Radiance. I don't suppose you three would be willing to go? It sounds like you have experiasity with such situations.

Shane and Tessa exchanged nervous looks. It was all they needed to tell each other they didn't want a repeat of their time underground. "I, uh, don't know, Magearna," Shane stammered. "We're still shaken up from Mellath Bog. I'm not sure if we're the best ones for the job. What about Team Specter or Team Captivate?"

They're both out, Magearna replied. It wouldn't be long. In fact, I'm not even requesticating that you go into the Dungeon. Just glimpse over it and ring me up on the Gear-Com to tell me what you see.

"Well, I guess that's okay," Tessa said. "But, we're still going to stock up on supplies, just in case." Behind her, Shane and Null both nodded their support.

That is fine. Just get going as soon as you can. My worry levels have surged to 47.3%, and I fear my ability to repairate the Pokénector will decrease if my worry levels keep rising, Magearna said.

"Right." Tessa walked toward the hallway and her teammates followed her along. "So, um, are we going to head out right now?"

"I guess so," Shane said. "Do you even know where we're going?"

"Yeah," Tessa said. "There's a small community near Aurora Vale. It's called Borea Heights, I think. With any luck, we won't need to venture past there."

They headed upstairs to the guild's entrance. But as they proceeded toward the door, it suddenly slid open. In flew a yellow bug with a white face, white hips, and a black scarf slung around her body. She promptly collapsed onto the ground, groaning loudly.

Shane cocked his head. "Huh?"

Tessa's aura feelers twitched. "T... Totem Ribombee? What happened to you? You look terrible," she said.

"Totem?" Shane looked down at the bug and thought of his encounter with Lurantis. His tails shot between his legs. "Is... is she the leader of Aeon Town, then? And did she just get infected?"

"No, she's the Totem of Sunrise Village," Tessa explained, kneeling down beside Ribombee. "Hey, can you hear me? Can you tell me what happened?"

Totem Ribombee's eyes fluttered open and she grimaced. "Sunrise Village… attacked. Sylveon's house… destroyed. She and Eevee are… gone."

Her eyes rolled back in her head and she lost consciousness.

Tessa looked up at Shane with a panic-stricken expression. "We've gotta go to Sunrise Village right away!" she said.

XxX

And thus, we are officially introduced to our primary antagonist: Zero. Design wise she is based off Dark Enerjak, from Sonic Universe. As you can see, she is molded more in the archetype of Darkrai/Bittercold/Dark Matter. Her name's also a nod to Dark Matter (Kirby fans will know what I mean).

Avatar by Jordy (https://toonirl.tumblr.com/), personal commission.