Booker and Kiyo’s Halloween Adventure

A Clover Guild Story
By Ribombee-anon and Kiyo-anon

Chapter 1: The Halloween Party

The sun had set on the Clover Guild’s first Halloween. The entire guildhall had been decorated with simple paper spiderwebs, pumpkins, nondescript ghosts, and other Halloween symbols. A few jack-o’-lanterns of varying quality hugged the walls of the main lobby, including more than one soyjak-o’-lantern. Overall the decor was undeniably tacky, but it brought about a homey, nostalgic feel nonetheless. The lobby and the mess hall had the most decorations, and the bulk of festivities were taking place here. There were some Pokemon mingling in the main lobby, but most of the partygoers stuck to the mess hall, since that was where the food, drink, and candy had been put out. Countless Pokemon were eating, drinking, chatting, and enjoying themselves. An unmistakable aura of cheerful holiday energy enveloped the guildhall.

Contrasting the excitement, two costumed Pokemon sat quietly at a table in a corner of the mess hall. In a chair sat the cartographer Macom the Mareep, who wore a suit of futuristic armor made of gray construction paper. Atop the table sat Booker the Ribombee, his assistant. The little bug wore a custom outfit featuring a purple tunic and green cape (including a hole in the back for his wings to emerge), along with a large dome-shaped helm. It was painted green with orange markings, and had two holes on top to let his antennae stick through. He also wore a little belt with a miniature paintbrush tucked into it. Considering his tiny size, he had chosen to dress as a similarly diminutive character: Issun from the video game Okami. He had enjoyed the process of deciding on a costume and designing it by hand before giving the blueprints over to the town’s Araidos tailor.

However, he found it hard to hold on to that holiday cheer when the festivities started. The timid Booker had half a mind to stay away from the party entirely and enjoy Halloween in a more reserved manner, but his partner Sneasel convinced him to come along. The excitement of the party gradually proved too much for him, though, and he had sought refuge with his friend Macom at the edge of the room. And so the pair sat by themselves, distancing themselves from the crowd.

The sheep nabbed a round piece of hard candy, and looked upon the crowd with an almost wistful sigh. Given his stressful military background, he valued peace and good cheer. “It's an odd celebration, but a welcome one,” he said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much candy in my life.”

“Y-yeah,” Booker added, biting into a small truffle. It contained Aspear Berry ganache, so it both tasted wonderful and filled him with a pleasant warmth.

“Are you enjoying it?”

“I’m not so sure... I mean, H-Halloween is a fun holiday. I like sweets–especially in this new body. And I always enjoyed it when I was young. But this is... v-very different.”

“Is it? How so?”

“Well, there was, um, less drinking for sure.”

As if to prove the point, a drunken Ronnie walking nearby slipped and somehow flipped himself upside down. Totodile hobbled over, looking no less drunk than Ronnie was, and tried to right the heavy Pokemon. He met with little success, and soon abandoned the dopey camel to his inverted fate.

Macom chuckled, “Honestly, with all the candy and alcohol going around, it's a miracle we haven't suffered greater indignities. Still, there is something... nice about it. It's comforting to see our guildmates being this carefree, isn't it?”

Booker let out a sigh. “You’re right. Still, I’ve just... never been good with parties. I loved trick-or-treating as a kid, but I n-never went to any Halloween parties when I got older. This is all a b-bit much for me.”

“Why did you come here, then? If you’re not comfortable, we can go somewhere else.”

“Sneasel convinced me to come along with her. Besides, I admit it’s p-probably for the best if I don’t always hide away like a recluse.”

“True. Speaking of Sneasel, have you seen her lately?”

Booker perked up and looked at Macom. “N-no, actually. I saw her wander off a little while back. I assume she’s s-somewhere in the crowd, or in the lobby. Let me see if I can sense her...”

The Ribombee shut his eyes, breathed deeply, and reached out with his mind to scan the Auras around him. The sea of colors and textures was overwhelming. Even though he was intimately familiar with his partner’s Aura, he couldn’t see it among the crowd. He quickly shook his head and frowned, saying, “I can’t feel her.”

“Perhaps you should ask around. Maybe someone saw her. I could give you a ride, if you’d like.”

“G-good idea. But I don’t want to be a burden on you, so I’ll search by myself. Thanks, Macom.”

The sheep returned his focus to his candy, and the little bug steeled himself before setting off on his search. Though Booker still didn’t know how to fly yet (a fact he often lamented), he could use Fairy Wind to launch his lightweight form into the air, letting him get around more quickly and safely than walking on the floor. Jumping from table to table like a grasshopper, he asked his guildmates for help. Almost everyone was sitting with other people and chatting happily, which made it harder for Booker–he didn’t like to insert himself into their conversations and groups. Literally dropping in to interrupt their fun and force the spotlight onto himself made awkwardness wash over him. He apologized for the inconvenience each time, and stuttered his way through his inquiries: “S-sorry to interrupt, but... I was w-wondering if you’d seen Sneasel lately? I c-can’t find her... She’s dressed as a ninja...”

Some of his guildmates responded bluntly in the negative, and he couldn’t help but worry they were annoyed at his intrusive questioning. Others were in no position to be helpful, such as the transcendentally drunk Totodile, and Bean, who seemed to be out cold surrounded by a pile of sweets. Others responded with friendliness and understanding, particularly the handful that Booker had bonded with so far, such as Charm, Gus, and Kris. However, not one of them had seen his partner.

After awkwardly forcing himself into what felt like fifty conversations, Booker finally got a small lead after speaking with Torchic. The bird had a yellow vest wrapped around her body, hanging a bit loose for lack of arms to hang on. The rest of her team was elsewhere, either drinking, flirting, or chasing after Cyndaquil in a vain attempt to keep the fiery swinger out of trouble.

“Sneasel?” Torchic said dryly. “She was with Cassie earlier.”

Booker blinked. The name felt familiar.

Torchic seemed to understand the look, and continued, “Cassie, the Sandshrew. She's partnered with that white Vulpix, Kiyo, and the bird, Bean.”

“Oh, that's right!” Booker remembered Kiyo mentioning another partner in addition to Bean, back when the fox and bird were assigned to sweep the floors as an introduction to the guild. Booker and Cassie had never actually met, but a Sandshrew wouldn't be too hard to find. Hopefully.

Booker thanked Torchic. The bird nodded and pecked another bit of candy off her plate. “No problem. Hope you find her,” she replied.

Despite his efforts, Booker did not immediately locate the Sandshrew in question. Looking through the crowds reminded him a bit of a “Where's Waldo” drawing, except with movement and sounds enough to be overwhelming. Being the smallest in the room by far wasn't helping either. Fairy Wind provided a decent vantage point, but he grew exhausted as he jumped around the room constantly. Fortunately, one bright white Pokemon stood out in the crowd: Kiyo, who could be a link to his lead.

As Booker stood at the edge of one table, he saw the Alolan Vulpix walking past with an annoyed expression and his ears tilted back a bit. He was decked out for the holiday, just like the vast majority of the guild’s Pokemon. His white fur was painted with orange markings on his head and body, and the tips of his many tails were all black. He had trimmed the curly poof of hair that he usually had atop his head, and a large wooden pot lid was strapped to his back, with the handle removed and gray-green paint applied to mimic old bronze. On his shoulders and lower legs, paper cutouts bearing swirly black designs were attached with more straps, emulating the look of flowing wind-blown fur.

Booker gasped as soon as he saw the costume. He recognized it instantly. More surprisingly, it had a close connection to his own costume. He was unaware that Kiyo would be dressing as this character, so it was a pleasant surprise.

Booker hopped off the table and hurried over to Kiyo. The fox noticed the little bug approaching, and sat down, tilting his head with confusion. At first, Booker thought Kiyo might not recognize him, but as he came near, it became evident that Kiyo was simply perplexed by Booker’s costume.

“You’re Booker, right?” he said, more like a greeting than an actual question.

The Ribombee stopped in front of the Vulpix, tilting back his broad helm to look up at him. “Yes. H-hello, Kiyo. I wanted to ask you something, but first... n-nice costume.”

Kiyo looked down at himself. “Thanks, I guess. I honestly don’t know jack about this character. Elm told me about him–Amaterasu, I think he’s called. Some badass hero from a human story, who throws sunlight and bombs around, or something along those lines.”

He sighed and looked away slightly. “Cassie wasn’t gonna let me get away without making a costume, but this guy seemed cool enough. And we’re both white canines, apparently, so it worked out.”

Booker nodded, but he noticed something wrong with what Kiyo said. “Amaterasu is cool, yes, but... sh-she’s not a guy. She’s a girl.”

The room literally grew colder. Booker gulped, shuddered, and shrunk back. He felt the anger radiating off Kiyo like a cold wind, and the fox seemed to loom over him even more than usual.

“...What...?” he asked, staring through Booker with pupils that didn’t stop shrinking.

“I-I’m sorry,” Booker stammered out, “but I th-think Elm misled you... o-or maybe he misspoke! It could’ve b-been an accident on his part...”

Kiyo stood up suddenly, as tall as he could, and scanned the room with a scowl. “I am going to kill that ghost. I’m seriously dressed up as a girl!? Why does this shit always happen to me?!” He turned his furious gaze back towards Booker, who couldn’t help but stumble back a bit.

“I-I don’t know, Kiyo,” the Ribombee replied, waving his hands appeasingly. “P-please don’t be mad!”

Kiyo softened his expression with a sigh. “Well, I’m not mad at you, so you don’t have to worry. ...Uh, sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Booker sighed his own breath of relief. “I-it’s alright. Um... S-sorry you had to hear it like this...”

“It’s not your fault, though now there’s really nothing fun about this party,” Kiyo spat. He laid down and rested his chin on his paws to get his eye level closer to Booker’s. “What about you? Your outfit is... interesting.”

“I’m Issun–Amaterasu’s partner, actually.”

“Oh, really? That’s a coincidence. Lemme guess, Issun is a girl too?”

“No, h-he’s male.”

“What? No way. With that dress?”

“I-it’s not a dress,” Booker huffed, “it’s a tunic.”

Kiyo rolled his eyes. “Whatever you wanna tell yourself... Not that I’m in any position to judge.”

Booker noticed Kiyo’s ears pitifully flatten a little. He wanted to change the subject, and conveniently, he suddenly remembered what he wanted to ask the Vulpix.

“Kiyo,” he began, “h-have you seen Sneasel? She’s wearing a ninja costume–all black, with a sort of mask or hood on her head. Torchic said she was with Cassie recently, and Cassie’s your partner, so...”

“Nope,” Kiyo responded bluntly. “I haven't seen her. And now that you mention it...”

He glanced around the room for a moment with his ears perked up.

“I don’t know where Cassie got off to either. Ugh...” He groaned, and rubbed his forehead with a paw. “Cassie’s probably gotten into trouble. She downs drinks like a Ground-type but holds ‘em like a Bug-type. Uh, no offense.”

“Um... None taken,” Booker replied. He didn’t feel particularly insulted by that comment, since it was true–for him at least. He didn’t react very well to alcohol in this tiny body, so he could understand what Kiyo meant.

“Anyways...” Kiyo took a pause, looking studious for a moment, before his expression shifted into one of disappointment. “I guess that means I gotta go find her.”

Kiyo stood himself up, but Booker stammered, “W-wait! D-do you think she might still be with Sneasel?”

Kiyo shrugged. “Maybe? Lemme sniff ’em out.”

He tilted his snout up and sniffed at the air for a bit. Not long after, he snorted and shook his head. “There’s way too much going on here. I’ll try the lobby.”

Kiyo departed, leaving Booker behind. Not wanting to be abandoned in the busy mess hall, Booker gave chase. However, he had already run out of energy for Fairy Wind, so he had no choice but to follow on foot. The Ribombee ran after the white Vulpix, struggling to keep pace with the fox’s much longer strides–and desperately evading the careless feet of several drunken Pokemon that shook the floor all around him.

“W-wait for me, please!” Booker cried.

Kiyo’s ear twitched, and he glanced back to roll his eyes. “Can’t you fly? Or is that big-ass helmet weighing you down?”

Booker caught up to the fox and shook his head. “N-no, I... I can’t... Not yet...” the Ribombee admitted sadly, through breaths.

“Oh brother, another one of you humans missing your basic instincts. What’s the point of having wings if you can’t even use ‘em? I don’t know how you all survived outside the guild.” Kiyo scoffed, and lowered his tails towards Booker’s position. “Whatever. I’m not going to wait for you, so you’d better climb on.”

Booker caught his breath and nodded. “Th-thank you...”

It was obvious to Booker that Kiyo wanted him to climb up using his tails as a ramp, but the fluffy things were bunched up so haphazardly, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to push his way through. Still, he tried, and dove into the huge mass of fluff before him. To his surprise, he found the white fur to be astoundingly soft and silky, almost like a jungle of cottony clouds. Plus, the coolness radiating all around was eerily reminiscent of air conditioning back in the human world. The softness and gentle chill were amazingly comfortable. He could just lose himself in here, surrounded in cozy comfort...

...But if he did, Kiyo would be annoyed. Quickly enough, Booker reluctantly forged his way through the mess of fox fur and emerged at the base of the tails, right behind the replica reflector strapped to Kiyo’s back. The fox was staring back at him with big, blue, impatient eyes. Booker clambered onto the wooden disk, then sat patiently. Kiyo blinked, then turned away and started walking without a word.

The lobby was just as decorated as the mess hall, and similarly featured some tables and seats, but it was not as crowded. Despite this, it was loud. Noise easily drifted over from the mess hall, since the two rooms were directly connected with no door between them. The loud sounds bothered Kiyo’s sensitive ears, but his nose appreciated the smaller audience here.

“Any luck?” Booker asked.

“Yeah, I can tell Cassie was here,” said Kiyo as he sniffed around. “Pretty recently, too.”

“A-are you sure?”

He scoffed. “Of course I’m sure! She’s my partner. I couldn’t miss her smell if I wanted to.”

“Um... W-what about Sneasel? Can you tell if she came this way?”

“Not so much. I’ve only talked to her, what, once? Maybe twice? I dunno her scent.”

Booker put a hand to his chin. “W-well, she always keeps herself clean. It’s a holdover f-from her old hunting days, because hiding her presence was always important for that.”

“Not very helpful now, when we gotta track her down. There was definitely someone else here with Cassie, but it’s faint, and I’m not familiar enough to tell who.”

“I guess it might be Sneasel, b-based on what Torchic said...”

Kiyo turned his head around, looking at Booker upon his back. “Maybe, but we can’t be certain, unless you have a scarf, or a pillow, or something that’s definitely got Sneasel’s scent...” His voice tapered off, and he began curiously sniffing Booker himself. Timidly, Booker shrank away from the fox’s investigative nose.

Kiyo smirked. “There we go,” he said. “That’s definitely her scent. You’ve got it all over you.”

“Oh, th-that makes sense...” Booker couldn’t help but blush.

Kiyo, for what it’s worth, didn’t tease Booker for it. Instead, he simply followed the scent as it curled around the guild floor. The smell on Booker matched the one mingling with Cassie’s, so he knew their partners had been here together. The movement of the two was erratic and meandering, but they stuck together the whole time. Eventually, the path led Kiyo outside the Guild.

Stepping outside, the rancorous crowd was immediately dulled–still clearly audible, but far enough away that a night-time breeze running through the trees could be heard as well. Booker and Kiyo both found it much easier to breathe, having left the party. However, Booker shuddered as the chilly night air washed over them in a frigid tide. Being a cold-blooded Ribombee, he didn’t exactly enjoy low temperatures. He still felt some warmth from the Aspear Berry candies he’d eaten earlier, but he couldn’t resist grimacing and hunkering down in response to the cold air.

Kiyo sniffed the ground again and frowned. The direction of Cassie and Sneasel’s meandering route was cause for concern.

“They left the guildhall?” Kiyo said. “Where’d they go?”

“Maybe they just w-wanted some fresh air?” Booker suggested.

Kiyo groaned. “Just my luck. It could take all night trackin’ ‘em down... Though I guess that beats mucking about that ‘party’.”

Booker moved to the side of the replica reflector, peeking around Kiyo’s head and looking at the moonlit fields ahead. “So, y-you’re going to follow the trail until you find them... If it’s alright with you, c-can I come with you?”

Kiyo shrugged. “I don’t care, as long as you don’t get in the way,” he said, dispassionately. “Not like you weigh anything.”

Kiyo went northeast at a trot, careful not to go too fast and dislodge his passenger. He had experience carrying small Pokemon, since one of his partners was a Fletchling–twice Booker’s size, but still diminutive–who liked to ride along with him. It was easy enough to keep track of the scent as he padded down the path away from Capim Town.

* * *

Chapter 2: Night in the Fields

For Booker, being on Kiyo’s back was certainly not an unpleasant ride, but also not as enjoyable as his usual spot atop Sneasel’s head. Kiyo was much shorter than Sneasel, so the view wasn’t nearly as expansive, and his head (and particularly, his ears) blocked the view of what they were approaching. Booker wanted to get on the fox’s head so he could enjoy a better view, but Kiyo kept lowering his head to check on their partners’ trail, so he would have to remain seated on the replica reflector–admittedly a much more stable spot–for now.

The peaceful nighttime scenery, while chilly, was a welcome contrast to the party they’d both ditched. A celebratory feeling still radiated from the distant town and hung in the air, but it was muted and mixed with the calm of the wilderness beyond. A light breeze blew across the fields and rustled the tall grass. To the two travelers, it sounded like unseen creatures were lurking and creeping about–perhaps a foolish concern, but on Halloween night, anything spooky seemed possible. A yellow crescent moon peeked out from behind the clouds high above, watching Kiyo and Booker drift farther away from the Clover Guild and deeper into the lonely wilderness. The pair kept to the dirt path, wary of straying in the dark.

Booker sighed. “By the way... I’m sorry for making you come out here a-and look for them like this. You’re missing the party, all because I t-told you my partner was gone, and–”

Kiyo scoffed. “Don’t sweat it. Honestly, I’m happy to be out of that damn party. Way too many dipshits who can’t hold their alcohol stumbling around.” He glanced back, peering a single eye towards Booker without slowing his pace. “I’d guess you’d be happy to be outta there too, what with all the ‘stomping hazards’.”

“Th-that’s true,” Booker murmured with a shudder. “But, to be honest... o-on top of that, all the noise and activity is too much for me. I prefer things being quiet.”

Kiyo nodded in agreement, and turned back towards the road. “Oh yeah, absolutely. I’m no stranger to loud Pokemon, but all that ruckus was starting to give me a serious fucking headache.”

Booker looked up at Kiyo's ears, and felt sympathy. They were certainly large. “D-do loud sounds always give you a headache? Y-your ears seem... s-sensitive.”

“Eh... Not really. I mean... a little bit? Don't get me wrong, I don't want anyone shouting in my ear, but it's more so the crowd. It's like...” Kiyo paused for a bit, thinking it through. His ears went through a few expressive motions as he ruminated, which amused Booker. “It’s... hearing all the different details of each sound all at once. Especially when it's inane chit-chat I couldn't care less about. It was my brain that hurt first, not my ears, if that makes any sense.”

“I understand,” Booker replied. “I'm glad your ears don't hurt, at least. Um... It's okay for me to talk from this close, right?”

Kiyo rolled his eyes. “Obviously, it's fine. You don't bust Sneasel’s eardrums when you talk to her, right?”

“H-her ears are smaller, but n-no, s-she’s never said anything about that. ...I h-hope she isn't being stubborn for my sake...”

“Does she do that?”

“Y-yes, sometimes. She’s really strong, but... s-sometimes she overestimates herself...” Booker felt his unease build up again. He sighed, his voice wavering a bit. “I hope she’s okay.”

“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” said Kiyo.

Every so often, he would pause to lower his head and sniff the ground. The scent trail, though faint, clearly continued along this road.

“Where did they head off to...?” Kiyo grumbled. “Also, I’m smelling something else here, too. Different from our partners. Someone else was on the road tonight.”

“I have a b-bad feeling about this,” said Booker. “Sneasel was looking forward to the party, so... why would she leave so s-suddenly? Was she... k-kidnapped?”

The bug shuddered as fear ran through his mind, but Kiyo was unperturbed. “Don’t be ridiculous,” said the fox. “Didn’t you say she was strong?”

“Well... I did see her drinking a lot before I lost t-track of her at the party. She’s definitely less, um... c-competent when she’s drunk.”

That was something Sneasel had in common with Cassie, Kiyo realized. Still, it wasn’t likely they were kidnapped... Right? Both were plenty strong, but plenty drunk too. If there was ever a time for them to get into trouble, it’d be now.

Kiyo's brain shifted into gear. Was Cassie’s disappearance more than a coincidence? If so, who was the culprit? Sure, there were a number of old criminal contacts who might have beef, but not in the Capim area, and they didn't have bad enough blood to straight-up kidnap someone. Alternatively, a few rich scumbags would have plenty reason, but neither the know-how nor the drive to hunt them down. That, and they were nowhere near the Capim area. Even Ironjaw, assuming he was alive, wouldn't be looking for them here.

...Right?

Kiyo shook his head, not willing to let Booker’s fears infect him as well. Despite that, he walked a bit faster.

“Say,” he said, changing the subject directly, “How’d a little guy like you partner up with Sneasel anyway? You seem like polar opposites.”

Booker was glad to have a good topic to take his mind off the cold. “We are,” he said, “but we... found something to bond over.”

“Oh, really?” asked Kiyo, glancing over his shoulder.

Looking wistful, Booker explained, “I met her right after I... woke up in this world. It was in Oran Forest, th-the dungeon. She let me tag along with her. I was... s-scared and weak, but she didn’t hate me for it. She just encouraged me to get stronger. She... believed in me, thought I could become b-better than I was. And at the end of the dungeon, I did the same thing for her. She couldn’t defeat the last monster, and she b-beat herself up over it, because she was so... desperate to prove her own strength to herself. But I told her that she d-didn’t need to prove anything. She was already strong, and this one failure w-wouldn’t change anything.”

“So, you guys kinda prop each other up?”

“Basically. We’re so different, but w-we both care about becoming stronger, and we both want to help each other reach that goal. I, uh... still have a v-very long way to go before I can call myself strong, but I’m definitely better now than I was when I first met Sneasel. And... I couldn’t have made this much progress without her support.”

Kiyo raised a brow. How much progress had Booker actually made? The tiny flightless Ribombee certainly didn’t look like much, and his demeanor didn't inspire much confidence either. If he couldn’t fly, how could he fight? If anything, the bug seemed like he'd be a liability in the off chance they came upon strife.

Eh, Kiyo thought to himself, at least he's a small target. If he can hang onto me when we fight, he'll be fine... probably.

“So... that’s how Sneasel and I partnered up, and why we’re so... close,” Booker said. “I hope that answered your question, Kiyo.”

“Sure thing,” said the fox. He looked forward, but after a short silence, his ears twitched as Booker spoke up again.

“Um... if you don’t mind my asking, h-how did you and Cassie meet each other?”

Kiyo hummed a vaguely negatory sound. “Sorry to disappoint, but that's not a story I'll go and tell anyone.”

“O-oh...” Booker said, the disappointment clear in his voice. “S-sorry, I didn't mean to pry.”

“It's fine. Maybe another time,” Kiyo said, intending to never speak of it again.

The two continued down the path, without chatter for a time. It was eerily quiet. Scattered trees grew in number, and the terrain gradually shifted to a sparse forest, midway between plains and woodlands. They'd gone quite a distance from Capim Town, following a scent trail Booker couldn't see. It felt a bit like diving deeper and deeper underwater, and just like the deep sea, it was cold. Making things worse, the lingering warmth Booker had been enjoying from the candy was wearing off, replaced by the chill of the night and the cool aura Kiyo naturally exuded from his Ice-type body. Booker was starting to feel like he was in a refrigerator, and before long, he would move from there to the freezer. He did have a notably higher tolerance for low temperatures than most Bug-types, since he spent most of his time in contact with his Ice-type partner, but even he had his limit. Perhaps he should have brought his trusty Fire Stone shard with him, or asked a Fire-type friend like Charm or Cooper to accompany him. Riding an Ice-type like Kiyo into an autumn night with no source of heat was a bad idea.

Booker hugged his knees to his chest and instinctively began to vibrate his wings to generate some meager amount of warmth. It worked to a degree, but the incessant humming made Kiyo grimace and press his big ears down against his head.

“What’s with all the racket?” Kiyo asked.

“S-sorry,” Booker said. “I’m c-cold. Just... trying to warm up. I’ll try to be more quiet.”

Kiyo was adapted to cold environments, so he couldn’t care less about the chill of the night. He felt an urge to tell Booker to shut up, but when he glanced back at the little shivering bug on his back, he felt a twinge of pity–perhaps because, in a way, Booker reminded him of his other partner, Bean. He couldn’t bring himself to snap at his passenger, especially since there wasn’t anything to be done about it.

Besides, he had something else to worry about: a tiny bit of movement on the road up ahead had caught his eye. He came to a sudden standstill and squinted. It was hard to tell, but he could have sworn something dark was on the road ahead of them. In a flash, Kiyo darted into the tall grass beside the dirt path. Booker yelped at the quick movement and barely held on to the replica reflector. Kiyo crouched low and perked his ears up. Despite his bright white fur, the dense foliage and sparse light meant he could hide well.

“W-what’s going on?” Booker asked quietly.

“Something’s up ahead,” Kiyo whispered.

The Ribombee reluctantly stopped buzzing his wings. As Booker and Kiyo sat in silence, the Ribombee shut his eyes and concentrated. For a moment, he pushed aside his concerns about the cold, Sneasel’s safety, and whatever was lurking on the path ahead, and he reached out with his mind to detect his surroundings. With his third eye open, he picked up three Auras glowing in the distance, surrounded by total blackness.

“May I speak?” Booker whispered, so quietly that he was unsure if Kiyo could hear. But the fox’s huge ears weren’t just for show, and he nodded. Booker continued, “I sense three Pokemon. I... I’m not the best at reading Auras, b-but they seem weak. They are coming closer, but they p-probably won’t be a threat.”

The duo waited as the trio approached. Kiyo shut his eyes and strained his ears. He soon picked up voices. He tilted his head to the side.

“Huh. Sounds like they’re just kids,” said Kiyo.

“O-oh,” said Booker. “I was worried they might be the kidnappers...”

“You’re still obsessing over that dumb kidnapping theory?”

“W-well, it’s a scary thought, isn’t it?”

Kiyo looked back over his shoulder and frowned. “Not sure what’s scarier, that or having to deal with some snot-nosed brats. Let’s let them pass.”

An idea came to Booker’s mind, and he held up a hand. “Actually, w-wait... we should talk to them.”

Kiyo groaned, no longer concerned with stealth. “Ugh... Do we have to? Why waste time with that? We already have the scent trail, let's just follow it right to Cassie and Sneasel.”

“True, but... remember when you picked up those other scents on the road? If it’s from these kids, m-maybe they met Sneasel and Cassie. And if they did, we could ask them for extra details or clues. Also... I just want to learn more about how badly drunk they are, or if they’re h-hurt.”

“Eugh... fine,” Kiyo spat. “I guess it can’t hurt to get more info. Let’s not drag it out though. Dealing with normal morons is bad enough, prepubescent morons are basically torture.”

Kiyo’s attitude made Booker frown, but the fox didn’t notice. He had already looked forward again, preparing to confront the approaching Pokemon. As Kiyo waited for the right moment to step out into the open, his ears moved around. Booker watched them go, and a thought came to mind: if they were going to speak to these Pokemon, Booker wanted a better look at them. The Ribombee jumped off the wooden disk on Kiyo’s back, and with a boost from a little gust of wind, he alighted between Kiyo’s towering ears. The fox flinched as he felt the little bug land atop his head, but he didn’t say anything. Booker kneeled down and clutched Kiyo’s short fur to steady himself. Less than a minute later, they emerged from the tall grass.

Their hypothesis was proven correct: the shadowy figures on the road were indeed just children. Three small Pokemon were walking closer along the path, each holding cloth sacks that were presumably full of candy. There was a Spearow with gray paper glued to his wings and head as though he were a tiny Corviknight, a Purrloin wearing a massive paper box labeled “bank”, and a Salandit who had colored his scales orange and taped a cardboard flame to his tail.

“HEY BRATS!” Kiyo shouted at the three boys.

The children screamed in unison and stumbled back. Booker winced and stood up on Kiyo’s head, waving his arms.

“Wait!” Booker yelled. “It’s okay! We w-won’t hurt you! W-we just want to talk!”

The children settled down somewhat, but they still eyed the two strangers warily. The trio looked ready to flee at a moment’s notice, and Booker didn’t blame them after Kiyo’s introduction.

“What do you want?” asked the Spearow.

“We’re l-looking for our friends,” Booker explained. “Did you see any Pokemon c-coming this way?”

“Nope! Nothin’,” the Spearow said, while hopping in front of his friends and ruffling himself up to look larger.

The Salandit snickered. “Yeah, go look for those crazy ladies somewhere else.”

Booker and Kiyo both perked up.

“W-wait. Crazy ladies?” Booker said. “I never told you w-we were looking for ‘ladies’ specifically. I just asked if you saw ‘Pokemon’.”

The Spearow turned and slapped the Salandit with a feathery wing, to the giggling Purrloin’s amusement. “Great job, doofus. You said too much.”

Kiyo rolled his eyes. Even crooks gotta start somewhere, I guess, he thought to himself.

“So, you did see them?” Kiyo said aloud.

“If you mean that Sneasel and Sandshrew, yeah, we saw them. They’re your pals?”

“Something like that.” Kiyo replied. “There wasn’t anything unusual about ‘em, right?”

The Spearow kid shrugged. “I mean, they weren’t hurt or nothin’. But they were acting pretty crazy!”

“Yeah!” the Purrloin added, a grin on his face. “They said some FUNNY stuff! Ehehe!”

“Uh huh! They were kinda scary, though. I mean, they chased us all the way out here!” the Salandit said. The other two kids quit laughing instantly, and glared at the lizard. “W-what?”

“T-they were chasing you? W-why?” Booker asked, totally confused. Kiyo was confused too, and it took great focus and willpower not to tilt his head to the side and fling Booker off.

None of the three spoke, until the Spearow shouted, “‘Cuz they’re psychos! Th-they just enjoy chasing kids around!”

Kiyo sighed. “No they don’t. Tell the truth. Why did they chase you?”

“Um... b-because we challenged them to a race?” the Purrloin said. He sounded like he didn't even believe what he was saying.

“Really?” Booker murmured, a frown on his face. “You wanted to run a race... in the middle of the night, on Halloween, out in the wilderness... wearing that big b-boxy costume?”

Another beat of silence followed, until the Salandit whimpered with his head hung low. “They had some candy, and we tried stealin’ it from ‘em.”

Kiyo shook his head with a dramatic sigh. “Tsk tsk tsk. The truth comes out.”

“You r-really shouldn’t have done that–especially not on a holiday,” Booker scolded.

The Spearow rolled his eyes. “I know. Those ladies said the same thing when they caught us. Well, they also rambled about random stuff too, but trust me, they chewed us out enough already. And we already gave them all their candy back, so we’re even now, right?”

“I suppose... j-just as long as you don’t steal again.”

“We won’t,” said the Purrloin. Somehow, Booker and Kiyo both doubted him.

“So, what happened to our pals after you gave them back their loot?” asked Kiyo.

“Well, they chased us all the way to the edge of the woods,” said the Salandit. “We left them there, and I dunno what happened after that.”

The Purrloin put a paw to his chin. “Um, actually, I might know. I looked back after we left. I thought I saw them going into the forest? I can see pretty good in the dark, but I can’t be sure.”

“Wait, what?” Kiyo asked in disbelief. “They went deeper into the wilds? Why’d they do that?”

“I think they were lost,” the Purrloin said. “When we were walking away from them, they were mumbling and laughing a lot about how they didn’t remember which direction they came from.”

“I g-guess it’s easy to get lost out here at nighttime...” Booker said. He sat down cross-legged on Kiyo’s head, looking between the three troublemakers. They seemed too young to be so far away from town, especially this late at night. “A-are you boys lost too? We could walk you home.”

Before Kiyo had a chance to vehemently retract Booker’s offer, the boys all shook their heads.

“Pfft! Heck no!” the Spearow declared with confidence. “We don’t need no help! Especially not from any little girls like you!”

Booker gave a start. “I’m n-not a... l-little girl,” he stammered, an unusually irritated look on his face. “I’m older than you all, a-and I’m male!”

The Salandit laughed. “Really? Then what’s with that pretty dress you’re wearing?”

Kiyo snorted. “Told you it looked like a dress.”

Booker was nearly fuming. “I-it’s a t-tunic! This is Halloween after all. E-everyone’s wearing a c-costume!”

“Yeah, but not everyone is wearing a girly outfit like you,” said the Purrloin. “I mean, look at your friend there. She looks pretty cool, actually.”

The Purrloin gestured towards Kiyo, who instinctively looked behind him briefly, before turning back to glare at the children. “She?!” he repeated angrily.

Unfazed, the Spearow agreed with his feline friend. “Yeah, the tattoos are super cool. Way cooler than that wimpy tiny girl you’ve got on your head!”

Booker's frustration grew, and Kiyo’s tails flicked with both shame and pride. The fox was annoyed at how conflicted he felt from the boys’ accidental insults and intentional compliments.

“Well, you're half right,” Kiyo said sternly. “But you're also half stupid, maybe more. Neither of us are girls, and if you had a single brain between the three of you, that'd be obvious. Now say you're sorry to Booker here, or else I'll-”

“Or else what?” the Purrloin interrupted, sassily. “We don't have to listen to dainty ladies like you!”

Kiyo snarled. “Shut up!! I'll blow you little specks away like leaves in a fucking storm!”

Booker winced as he sensed the fiery wave of Kiyo’s emotion hit him. His Aura was full of anger, as expected, but something else was mixed in, something darker... Booker ignored it for now, and focused on trying to subdue his companion. Leaning over towards Kiyo’s ear, he meekly whispered, “K-Kiyo... y-you’re scaring them...”

Good idea! Kiyo thought to himself.

The Spearow, clearly the boldest of the bunch, hopped forward with his feathers puffed up. “Oh yeah?” he squeakily replied to Kiyo’s threat. “I'd like to see yo–”

“FOOLS!” Kiyo’s voice boomed, startling Booker so much that he almost tumbled off the fox’s head. Kiyo entered a fierce fighting stance, and his tails flared out, whipping as though there was a wind blowing. “THE WRATH OF AMTORSU AWAITS ALL WHO DEFY!”

The small bird shook, but did not falter. “N-no w-w-way-”

Kiyo unleashed a powerful Ice Beam up towards the treetops. Now Booker really did tumble off Kiyo’s head, landing back on his replica reflector. “YOUR SOULS ARE FORFEIT!” Kiyo roared at the top of his lungs. “THESE WOODS SHALL BE YOUR URN!”

“N-NO!” the Spearow shrieked, and took flight immediately towards the town. The other two yelped, and quickly scurried away, calling after their cowardly leader, scattering bits of candy in their wake.

Slowly, Kiyo’s fierce demeanor returned to its regular levels. He wore a satisfied grin.

“K-Kiyo... They were just k-kids...” Booker said, holding his head in his hands with secondhand shame.

“Tsk. So what? If the worst thing that happened to a kid on Halloween is getting the tar scared out of ‘em, that’s a good damn Halloween.”

Booker sighed. “...I g-guess. ...Also, the name is Amaterasu.”

“No, that’s a girl’s name,” Kiyo scoffed.

In their haste, the children had abandoned a few pieces of candy. Booker’s antennae twitched; one of the sweets smelled like Aspear Berries. That was just what he needed, as the cold of the night was getting to him. He convinced Kiyo to pause so he could dismount, grab the candy, and hop back up to the fox’s back. He removed the paper wrapper and nibbled on his prize, feeling heat and relief wash over him. Kiyo chose to ignore the rest of the candy, since he’d already eaten enough at the party.

Besides, he was still piping mad–in no mood for sweets. Scaring the boys had cheered him up somewhat, but he still didn’t enjoy that encounter. He hated dealing with children, and he hated when people pushed his buttons, so this encounter was the worst of both worlds.

Booker wasn’t faring much better. The Aspear candy, though pleasantly sweet and soothing, didn’t do much to improve how he felt deep down. Sitting cross-legged atop the disk on Kiyo’s back, he slouched and sighed. The kinds of things those young Pokemon said to him were nothing new–such was the curse of being a man trapped in the body of a Ribombee–but it always hurt to hear.

Kiyo’s ears tilted as he heard Booker’s disappointed exhale. “...Are you mad that I scared those kids?” he asked, sounding more accusatory than apologetic.

Booker gave a start and sat upright. “N-no, s-sorry. I was actually... th-thinking back to what they said. B-but I don’t want to complain or vent if it makes you, um... uncomfortable...”

Kiyo shrugged as he continued walking. “Don’t see how that could make me uncomfortable.”

“Okay, then,” Booker said. He took a deep breath, his heart still shaking in his tiny bee body. He set a tight fist on Kiyo’s Halloween prop and confessed, “It’s... It’s just... frustrating being called g-girly or weak so often.”

Kiyo flinched, as though Booker’s words had snapped him out of a slumber.

“I know I look f-frail and weak a-and soft,” Booker bemoaned, “even though I’ve trained so much. I... I c-can’t change what I look like, and people never take me seriously. I just... I just wish I was m-more... manly, I guess.”

The bee’s thoughts hit far closer to home than Kiyo imagined possible, though he’d never put it into words like that before. It was too annoying to think about–how what he’d imagined was a devious, creepy grin was instead seen by Cassie as a cute smile. Even worse was when his most practiced expression, an intimidating and unrestrained glare, was instead seen by his opponents as a ‘pout’. All his experience stealing and fighting meant nothing to his peers when his appearance was almost universally viewed as precious.

“That’s...” Kiyo started, realizing a moment too late what he was about to disclose, “...relatable.”

His last remark was spoken like an insult to himself. To Booker, the silence thereafter was telling.

“...I remember how you r-reacted when you learned you were dressed as a... female character,” Booker said quietly. “So, this is a sore spot for you too? I’m sorry...”

The fox sighed, sounding less confident than usual. “Yeah. It’s kind of the same for me, even though I’m extremely fucking strong. It’s like...”

He shook his head, debating how much information he should give Booker.

“It’s disrespectful!” he snarled scornfully, “It’s ignoring everything about you except what’s immediately obvious to any brainless moron going off surface-level details. In reality, I’m not cute at all. In battle, I am NOT fucking cute. The things I like are NOT fucking cute. Hell, the things I’ve GONE through are as far from cute as you can get, but nobody knows that. They don’t even care. It doesn’t matter who you are, if you have big fucking ears, you’re ‘cute’.”

Kiyo turned and spat onto the dirt. “Fuck that.”

Booker stared at the back of Kiyo’s head as they continued along the path. He opened his mouth and shut it again as he struggled to find any words to say. He didn’t know Kiyo very well, but he never would have guessed the white Vulpix had this kind of resentment and shame bottled up inside him... although this certainly explained the darkness Booker sensed in Kiyo’s Aura earlier. It was not mere anger, it was frustration and self-loathing–the same exact feelings that had weighed Booker down ever since he became a Pokemon over half a year ago. The bug and the fox were both torn up over the way others viewed them.

“I know e-exactly how frustrating that can be,” Booker murmured at last. “You try to show your true side, but nobody cares. Everyone just takes you at face value. And it h-hurts even more if the... facade everyone sees isn’t accurate to what you really are. Like you being c-cute and harmless, or me being... girly and weak...”

Kiyo didn’t respond, but Booker could feel the frustration still emanating from him. It started to affect Booker too. As a Ribombee, he could involuntarily echo the emotions he sensed if he wasn't careful. It was happening again: anger crept into his mind, encouraging him to lash out with vulgar rage like Kiyo had done. But he shoved it away. He cleared his head and tried to be positive. And when he did, his thoughts turned to that which made him happiest: Sneasel. He remembered how she always believed in him, even as early as their first day together. She looked past his tiny, frail exterior and saw that he had potential. That was why he treasured her and loved being her partner.

Maybe that was the silver lining to the struggles that he and Kiyo faced, if he could figure out how to word it...

“So many people just see what you are on the outside,” Booker said slowly, taking off his broad dome-shaped helm and tilting it in his hands. “It’s almost like... a costume you wear. But when someone takes the effort to look past it, and s-see what you’re really like... w-well, then you can be certain that person is a true friend, right?”

Cassie and Bean appeared in Kiyo’s mind instantly. More than friends, they were family. There wasn't a secret held amongst them, nor an unspoken gripe. There was nothing but trust and love. With them, Kiyo didn't feel undervalued, or demeaned, or disrespected. Instead, he felt okay with himself.

“Yeah,” said the fox, simply.

Booker felt a ray of warmth in the fiercely negative Aura around Kiyo. Something he said must have resonated with the fox enough to start dispelling his toxic feelings. It was a welcome change. The darkness Booker felt had been on the verge of suffocating.

Kiyo glanced back over his shoulder, locking eyes with Booker. “Don’t worry. We’ll meet up with our partners, and everything’s gonna be okay.”

His reassurance sounded like a non sequitur after the topic they had just been discussing, but Booker could see what led Kiyo to think about Cassie and Sneasel. The bug nodded and smiled.

“That’s right,” he said. “We can do it.”

* * *

Chapter 3: Ironwood

Not long after encountering the trio of kids, Kiyo and Booker reached a split in the dirt path. The scent trail went left, just as Booker feared. He knew where this road led.

They approached a dense and shadowy forest. Moonlight didn’t penetrate its canopy, making it a dark shapeless mass. It was unrecognizable, but Booker had been here before, and he had studied enough maps to know all landmarks in the Capim region, even in the dead of night.

“Ironwood Forest,” Booker murmured. “Or just Ironwood. It contains a dungeon too... a-and this path leads right to it. Th-this is where our partners are.”

Kiyo sniffed the ground one more time, hoping he would pick up no trace of Cassie or Sneasel. Unfortunately for him and his passenger, the scent trail was still there, and somewhat stronger now. They must have passed here recently, and/or lingered here for a while. That corroborated the story the boys told them earlier.

“Fantastic.” Kiyo grumbled sarcastically. “Just our luck they wandered into a dungeon. Well, there’s no point puttin’ it off.”

As they strode onward, Kiyo asked his passenger, “Ironwood, huh? Anything I should know going in?”

“Yes, actually–I’ve written about this place before, in some documents for the guild,” said Booker. “Ironwood Forest is n-not a difficult dungeon, but... like all dungeons, it can be dangerous. The enemies here are all Grass- and Bug-type, so b-be ready for status moves.”

The duo entered the shadows of the forest. The moonlight was quickly obscured by the forest canopy, and they were plunged into inky blackness. Booker buzzed his wings more, due to the increasing chill as well as the fear welling up within him. Kiyo looked over his shoulder and tried to give his companion the stink eye, but he couldn’t even see Booker on his own back, for the darkness was so complete. Kiyo looked ahead and kept walking. The cool dirt path under Kiyo’s paws, and the solid wooden disk on which Booker huddled, were the only things that proved the pair had not drifted into a void.

And then, moonlight. Kiyo and Booker gasped and blinked as their pitch-black surroundings were shattered by the return of the bright moon. In the blink of an eye, they had stepped into the dungeon, their surroundings transformed into the familiar sort of artificial-looking walled room that comprised most mystery dungeons. The walls here were created from impassably dense shrubs and trees. Up above, in a clear night sky, loomed the white full moon. It appeared several times larger than it should have been. Down at ground level, there was a stark contrast between the areas lit by its pale light and the deep shadows lurking among the foliage. There were obvious signs of damage on the trees. Scattered branches lay on the grassy ground, and one large tree had fallen across the middle of the current room, leaving behind a flat-topped stump at the edge.

Kiyo looked up as if he were about to howl at the moon, but instead, he yelled, “CASSIE! YOU OUT HERE?!?!”

Booker flinched at the loud shout.

“SNEASEL! HEEEEEEY!!!” Kiyo yelled.

There was no reply.

“I figured it wouldn’t be that easy,” Kiyo growled.

“It’s my understanding that d-dungeons can... distort the senses and hide tracks,” said Booker. “We can’t follow your nose here. It’s unfortunate, but... w-we’ll have to look around. A-are you a good fighter, Kiyo? That Ice Beam earlier was im-impressive.”

Kiyo smirked. “Hah! That was nothing. I’ll get us through this forest without breaking a sweat. There’s nothing to worry about in this dungeon except me.” He paused, then continued, “...And Cassie, but that’s an aside.”

Booker nodded, “Okay, if you’re sure. I can help fight too, with Fairy Wind, o-or protect you with Safeg–”

“I’m gonna stop you right there. The only thing I’m worried about is you stepping between my Ice Fang and whatever poor ferals we happen across.” Kiyo tilted his head. “...Is that what the dungeon Pokemon are called? Ferals?”

Booker was surprised that Kiyo was unfamiliar with the terminology, but he nodded and replied, “Y-yes. Feral is the common name for them.”

“Fine. Either way, you get my point. I can deal with feral Pokemon easy, but I’d really rather not deal with Sneasel chewing me out if we bring you home in an ice cube. So do us both a favor and stay out of my way. I’ll take care of the fighting.”

Booker was familiar with this arrangement. Sneasel always handled combat, but she allowed him to support her. In contrast, it seemed like Kiyo was uninterested in his help. This sort of confidence was also familiar to Booker, and not in a good way.

“J-just be careful, okay?” Booker pleaded. “I’ve seen firsthand what r-recklessness can do. Sneasel has the scars to prove it...”

Kiyo tilted his head slightly in response, but that was all.

“I’m sure you’ll do great fighting the ferals,” Booker continued, “b-but if you ever want backup, please don’t hesitate to ask. I’m more than happy to help.”

Kiyo rolled his eyes. “Sure thing,” he said, unconvinced that his doll-sized companion could be of much use. “You should stick yourself in my tails. You'll be safer in there, and less likely to get separated from me or targeted by the ferals.”

Booker frowned. Being told to hide away felt dismissive, but it was true that he'd have a hard time hanging onto the wooden disk on Kiyo's back, or the thin fur elsewhere on his body. That, and Kiyo's tails were so soft...

His mind made up, he turned and leaped from Kiyo's back into his dense cluster of tails once again. It was strange–as much as he disliked the cold, the chilliness of Kiyo’s tails didn’t bother him. The pleasantly soft texture enveloping him probably overrode any discomfort from the cold, and he also felt more secure in here than on Kiyo’s back. It reminded him of riding inside the pouches on Sneasel’s belt, only far more comfortable. He’d have to talk to Sneasel about getting her pouches lined with fur...

As he repositioned himself inside the forest of fluff, he called out, “Kiyo, c-can you still hear me?”

“Course I can,” Kiyo replied. “Loud and clear.”

“Okay,” Booker replied. He found a comfortable spot to hang on, and snuggled into the irresistibly soft fur. He suddenly remembered a certain unsettling piece of Pokemon lore, and froze. “Wait... D-don’t most Vulpix hate their tails being touched?”

Kiyo started walking, which Booker felt in the gentle sway of his tails. “I've always heard that,” Kiyo said, “but I've never understood it. Like... I don't want to be touched anywhere. My tails aren't special. They're just... tails. I think other foxes take a lot of pride in how their tails look and feel, but honestly, I could care less. I don't really take care of ‘em at all.”

There was pride in Kiyo's voice, as though it was cooler to disregard his own cleanliness. That was a surprise to Booker, who had found the tails in question to be borderline pristine. “Y-you don't brush your tails?”

Kiyo turned his head and blushed. Booker couldn't see it, but he was able to detect a subtle change in his emotions, and recognized it for what it was.

“...Cassie does.” Kiyo said.

“Oh,” Booker said, smiling to himself. “Th-that must be nice, having someone who can do that for you.”

Kiyo sighed. “Yes, it is.”

As the pair wandered through the dungeon, Booker closed his eyes (there was no point in leaving them open when his surroundings were nothing but fur) and reached out with his sixth sense. He began scanning for any Auras of feral Pokemon–or Sneasel and Cassie. He told Kiyo what he was doing, and the fox thanked him for keeping watch. Kiyo was similarly on the lookout, tilting his large ears like radar dishes. They found nothing for the first several rooms and corridors, but soon encountered a lone Oddish. Kiyo planted his feet and prepared to launch a blast of ice at it, while the monster ran at Kiyo, rustling its leaves and extending a pair of vines.

As soon as Booker sensed the unfamiliar Aura approaching, he called up his own energy and let it flood outwards. It formed a barrier over Kiyo, like a suit of armor made of faint multicolored light. Kiyo was startled by it, but it didn’t hurt him, so he ignored it and unleashed his attack, vaporizing the weak enemy. He smirked, but then glanced down at himself and saw the barrier flicker into nothing. He wagged his tails slightly to get Booker’s attention.

“What was that light?” he asked. “Did you do something?”

“Th-that was Reflect,” came Booker’s reply from within his tails. “I wanted to keep you safe.”

“Against an Oddish?” Kiyo growled. “Really? You think I’m that weak?”

“I-it was just an Oddish?” Booker stammered. “I can’t tell what species they are without looking... b-but now that you mention it, the Aura didn’t feel very strong. I’m sorry, Kiyo. I didn’t mean to insult you or anything. I just d-don’t like taking risks.”

Kiyo huffed and resumed walking.

“If you’d like,” Booker added, “I can avoid using moves unless you ask for it, o-or if there’s a strong enemy–or multiple enemies.”

“That’ll do,” said the fox. “If you can block something for me, that’s great, but don’t go wasting your energy using that barrier for every tiny scuffle.”

“Understood,” said Booker.

They continued on their way, fruitlessly calling for their partners and deftly battling more foes. As per their agreement, Booker held off on using his support moves for the most part. He didn’t enjoy riding along as a passenger without contributing anything, especially since there was a constant risk that Kiyo could be hurt. However, it quickly became clear that the white Vulpix was a fierce battler, and probably didn’t need his help. Even though Booker couldn’t watch, he felt Kiyo dodging and running with great agility, and he heard the blasts and hisses of strong icy moves, combined with various snarls and growls from Kiyo. He wished he could observe how his companion fought, but he didn’t dare poke his head out into the open and risk getting hit by a stray attack. He contented himself with listening to the sounds of battle and reading Auras. He could sense the ferals were all quite weak, but they seemed to be slowly growing stronger as they went deeper into Ironwood. Also, if they came in groups, they could pose a larger threat.

One time, Booker sensed two more foes approaching while Kiyo was focused on one enemy. Booker alerted Kiyo to the new ferals, and summoned both Reflect and Light Screen at the same time. Kiyo defeated all three enemies, but Booker’s barrier was a welcome bit of help, as it softened several blows that would have otherwise caused problems to the frail fox. Later, Kiyo was ambushed by an Ivysaur. As he dodged its swinging vines, it shook the pink bulb on its back and scattered a cloud of purple poisonous smoke.

“Poison, Booker!” Kiyo snapped.

Booker used Safeguard the instant he heard that word, wrapping Kiyo in a cloak of blue energy. The incoming powder was vaporized on contact, and Kiyo pressed the advantage and blew away the feral’s head with Ice Beam. It faded away, and Kiyo shook his tails to get Booker’s attention again. The little bug poked his head out from the fluff and adjusted his helm.

“Is everything okay?” Booker asked.

“Doing fine,” said Kiyo, catching his breath. “...Thanks for that. You’re not a half bad sidekick, you know.”

“T-thanks. You’re a really strong fighter, so I d-don’t need to do much.”

Booker felt the tails he inhabited sway around him briefly, side to side. Was that a wag? he asked himself. Do foxes wag their tails?

“Yeah, well, I’ve got plenty of experience,” Kiyo said with a genuine grin.

He didn’t elaborate, but it was a half truth. Most of the fox’s experience in combat was with real, intelligent Pokemon, who would leverage any advantage they had, and always seemed determined to win. Fighting dungeon apparitions was comparatively much easier, and honestly quite therapeutic... in a questionable way. For Booker, there was nothing therapeutic about these battles, but it was always interesting to accompany someone besides Sneasel into a dungeon.

Booker and Kiyo gradually grew more comfortable with each other’s company. Kiyo’s offenses and Booker’s defenses formed a strong combination, and they defeated whatever the dungeon threw at them. Nothing could keep them away from their partners.

Or so it seemed.

* * *

Chapter 4: Tsuchigumo

Kiyo walked into a room with somewhat more intimidating occupants than the rest of the dungeon. A tall tree stood in the center, with spiderwebs infesting the canopy. A large Ariados lurked among the webbing, and three Spinarak mindlessly patrolled the base of the tree in endless circles. Booker sensed the stronger Aura of the Ariados and peeked out of Kiyo’s tails to see what lay ahead.

“C-careful, Kiyo,” he whispered before ducking down again.

“I got it,” said the fox.

He snarled and let frigid mist pour from his jaws, preparing to launch Ice Beam to take out the Ariados first. The Spinarak trio noticed him readying his move and rushed over. One jumped at him, intercepting the move just as he launched it. The other two Spinarak kept coming, unfazed by the destruction of their counterpart. Booker used Reflect and Light Screen in tandem, which helped Kiyo withstand a tackle from one spider. The fox bit one of the spider’s legs and hurled it away, but as he did, he felt a stinging pain run through him. He looked over at the third Spinarak, whose horn was aglow. Kiyo growled and tried to use Ice Beam again–but nothing happened.

“What?!” Kiyo shouted. The Spinarak lunged at him, and he evaded it. He tried to back away from the two spiders, keeping an eye on them and the Ariados, which was still watching from above.

“What’s going on?” asked Booker.

“Can’t use Ice Beam,” Kiyo said.

“Did you r-run out of energy?”

“No, that spider did something. Its horn was all lit up.”

“Maybe it hit you with Disable? Spinarak c-can use that.”

Kiyo laughed coldly. “Well that’s fine by me! If that asshole shut off my Ice Beam, I’ll just get close and bite the hell out of ‘em.” He licked his lips with a smile. “Heads up, it’ll probably get bumpy.”

As Booker grabbed hold of the fur around him, Kiyo reshaped the mist streaming from his mouth, forming it into blades over his teeth. With Ice Fang at the ready, he charged at the two Spinarak. Kiyo knew it was more dangerous to fight up close, but deep down, he always felt a strange sort of glee whenever he got in his enemies’ faces like this. Something about the contact and impact was purely satisfying on an instinctual level. He snarled and chomped at the spiders, eager for a good fight.

He certainly got one. The Spinarak scuttled and dodged him with surprising deftness, and lashed out at him with a variety of moves. Sometimes, they used Poison Sting: their horns glowed purple, summoning needles of energy to fling at Kiyo. At other times, they called on Shadow Sneak: their shadows distorted and stretched out beyond their bodies before exploding in a burst of ghostly energy. And frequently, the two Spinarak spat globs of webbing at Kiyo. He always dodged these, but they remained on the ground and became like traps. He had trouble keeping track of them, and stepped in them at times, opening him up to more attacks until he broke free. Booker’s Reflect and Light Screen were instrumental in letting him withstand these attacks, but they still hurt.

Worst of all, the spiders were way faster than they should have been. Kiyo didn’t know why, but as he watched his foes, he noticed they occasionally glowed a faint purple hue. They could have been using a move to speed themselves up–Agility, maybe? Whatever the reason, it was making the fight more difficult than it should have been. Standing tall (or as tall as he could) Kiyo kept glancing between the two Spinarak scuttling around. They were circling him, fencing him in, while their boss continued to watch silently. Their speed was dangerous, and a two-versus-one would leave him in peril if his stamina ran out. Even with Booker’s protection, he couldn’t afford to lose a battle of attrition.

Kiyo had to do something. So suddenly that even he couldn’t process it, Kiyo lunged forward and clamped his jaws around one of the spiders. Following such an instinct with disregard was risky, but there was no way for the poor spider to anticipate it. After thrashing the arachnid around a bit, Kiyo tossed it aside. Frost covered its punctured carapace, and it weakly squirmed in the grass before fading into smoke.

The last Spinarak backed away, and Kiyo attempted to jump backwards from it, but found his forepaws firmly plastered in a spiderweb trap. He snarled and pulled back as hard as he could. His struggles intensified as he noticed something terrible: the giant Ariados had begun climbing down the tree and towards the duo with frightening speed.

Booker couldn’t see it, but he sensed it, and it made him shudder. “Kiyo, th-the Ariados is–”

“I know!” Kiyo shouted, pressing his hindlegs against the ground in an attempt to force his forepaws free.

Booker frantically used Reflect and Light Screen again, and even Safeguard for good measure, replenishing Kiyo’s defenses. It wasn’t enough. As the Ariados reached the ground, its sharp horn glowed brightly, and a beam of psychic energy shot out and slammed into Kiyo’s side. The devastating force of the impact ripped his paws free of the webbing, but also filled him with searing pain and sent him flying. He bounced and rolled to a stop on the ground. Halfway through his tumble, Booker was shaken out of his tails and sent sprawling a long distance away from Kiyo. He groaned and stood up, watching the fox stagger to his feet, a pained grimace on his face.

Booker cried out for Kiyo and ran towards him, but the ground shuddered, and he stopped and looked back. The Ariados was rushing towards them. The sight of a colossal spider approaching was enough to fill Booker with terror and freeze him in his tracks, but it seemed to be ignoring him and approaching Kiyo. The little bug felt a momentary sense of relief as the building-sized spider stomped past him, but it was replaced with guilt as he realized Kiyo was in deep trouble. Booker chased after the Ariados, desperate to help Kiyo, but then he sensed another presence behind him. He suddenly remembered the Ariados was not alone. Just as he feared, the lone remaining Spinarak was bearing down on him, staring at him and gnashing its mandibles. Booker’s heart raced as he stared at the huge feral, and he gulped and staggered back.

Meanwhile, Kiyo recovered from his fall and glanced between the Ariados and the now-vulnerable Booker, who seemed overwhelmed with fear. The fox flared his tails and snarled at the large spider, as though to intimidate, but the Ariados was not so easily frightened. There was no chance he could move towards Booker without being flanked by the monster before him, so he decided to take action immediately.

He feinted forwards, rushing towards the spider as though he would attack, but swiveling and jumping away at the last moment. The spider swiped with a talon where Kiyo would have been, but instead got brushed by a faceful of Kiyo’s tails, which moved like a cloud behind him. The maneuver was far from painful, if not a bit ticklish, but the brazen spider had lowered its defenses as a result of the distraction. Kiyo took advantage of this and began to circle it to prepare for a strike. Unfortunately, the Ariados seemed to have grown tired of waiting for Kiyo to blunder, and instead began lobbing balls of sticky web. Kiyo dodged, but couldn’t approach as urgently as he needed to.

As Kiyo began his struggle with the larger spider, Booker was still facing down the smaller one not far away. He wanted to stand firm, but he couldn’t resist cowering and shivering as the comparatively huge bug loomed above him. The enemy was so big, and he was so weak, and he was facing it alone... He would fail, and Kiyo would be defeated as well, and they would never reunite with their lost partners...

No. That couldn’t happen. After all this time, he knew better than to surrender at the first sign of danger. He couldn’t disappoint Sneasel–or Kiyo, for that matter. Booker hadn’t known the fox very well before tonight, but now he felt an undeniable bond with him. He had to do his part to battle these ferals so they could both complete their quest to find their friends. As he thought this, Booker felt his own Aura swirling within him. He let it flow into his arms and burst into life. Orbs of bright pink energy surrounded his hands, glowing with warmth and light. He could no longer just play support, and he could no longer afford to cower. It was time to fight.

The Spinarak’s mouthparts writhed, and it raised its front half higher to glare down at Booker. It spat out a glob of webbing as big as Booker was–but he struck back. He threw his hands forward, let out a cry, and unleashed a fierce gust laced with bright sparkling energy. His Fairy Wind rushed at the enemy and swept up the webbing, hurling it back at the feral’s face. It hissed and flailed its front legs, trying to wipe off the webs stuck to its head. Booker summoned another wind and blasted the Spinarak head-on. The Fairy-type energy mixed into the wind stung the bug harshly, making it scuttle back and hiss louder.

Booker’s heart was racing, and he couldn’t avoid shivering. But he refused to let his fear overtake him. He stared down the reeling enemy and sensed its Aura grow stronger. He tensed up in preparation for an attack. The Spinarak’s horn glowed, and it fired off a volley of Poison Sting missiles right at him. Booker hopped to the left, his sidestep boosted by a gust of wind. Just as he landed on the ground again, the Spinarak lunged with its mandibles open wide. Before it could clamp down on the little Ribombee, Booker summoned an updraft and rocketed upward. He buzzed his wings to hang in the air briefly, then rained down blast after blast of Fairy-type energy onto the foe from above. Its six legs gave out, and it squirmed weakly on the ground. Booker landed softly on its back, and the spider shakily tried to stand up.

Booker crouched slightly and let bright energy swirl around his hands again. “Just stay down,” he muttered.

The feral did the opposite. It abruptly reared up and shoved off the ground with its front legs. It was trying to fall onto its back, intent on crushing Booker beneath it. But as soon as the Spinarak lurched upward, the Ribombee leaped high again with a gust of wind. At the apex of his jump, he looked down on the spider and unleashed one final, concentrated gale at its underbelly. It let out a piercing screech, then its six legs curled up and it moved no more. Booker landed on all fours beside it, and looked back over his shoulder. Through a gossamer wing, he watched as the foe faded into smoke.

Booker sighed in relief. But then he remembered the other duel happening just to the side. He gasped, hopped to his feet, and looked over to see how Kiyo was holding up.

During Booker’s battle, Kiyo had continued his dance with the Ariados. The giant spider had claimed much of their surroundings with hazardous webbing, which made Kiyo resent the fact that he couldn’t simply shoot an Ice Beam. He also couldn’t use Blizzard, and that was a particularly frustrating thought. Blizzard was perhaps his strongest move, but it jeopardized his allies more than anything. He was certain Booker would turn into a Bookercicle if he used it. It was out of the question.

The same wasn’t true for Sheer Cold, however. As soon as Kiyo realized this, he formulated a plan. He moved forwards and baited out another attack from the Ariados, who acted as predicted, and followed the fox a bit further from his web traps. Then, at a safe distance, Kiyo poised himself for a lunge, positioning his hindlegs as though he’d jump straight towards the spider. The spider reared back in a defensive pose.

Kiyo launched himself forward, landing just before the Ariados, who flinched back expectantly, for an attack that did not come. Instead, a tiny glowing snowflake fluttered towards it, and nearly made contact with the spider’s carapace. Unfortunately, it noticed the incoming threat just in time, and it was simple to dodge to the side. Fortunately, Kiyo had expected this, and had already thrown himself in that direction, mouth agape.

Kiyo snarled, and chomped down on the spider's abdomen. It thrashed, and desperately tried to dislodge the fox, who hoped dearly his bite would freeze the spider in its tracks. For a moment, it seemed the spider’s limbs were beginning to slow down and freeze, but it didn’t last. The Ariados suddenly rolled itself up, and Kiyo had no choice but to jump off to avoid being bitten directly by the spider’s poisoned mandibles. Once again, he was standing at an impasse, unable to safely approach. Worst of all, it was unlikely his last trick would work again.

With a groan, Kiyo once again assumed his fighting stance, snarling at the massive Ariados. Things were beginning to feel hopeless, when suddenly, he heard a familiar voice crying out, and a vibrant stream of sparkling wind assaulted the spider from the rear.

Kiyo’s ears twitched. Was that Booker shouting? It had to be!

The despicable arachnid screeched out in pain, and turned to face the surprise attacker immediately. Kiyo looked in the same direction, and saw Booker standing alone, pink energy blazing around his hands. Booker had launched that attack–and more importantly, he was alive. Kiyo wasted no time feeling relieved, though. This was just the chance he needed to turn the fight around.

The fox rocketed at the spider once again. He gnawed right where he’d been chewing before, and planted his feet to pull the spider away from Booker. It struggled, attempting to charge forward with all its legs, but Kiyo leveraged his entire body and kept the beast from moving. All the while, Kiyo saw the magical wind strike the spider again and again. The struggling became weaker, and eventually, the spider went still. Releasing his grip, Kiyo backed off, and their opponent dissolved into smoke.

Kiyo padded up to Booker quickly, closely looking over the little adventurer from multiple angles. Booker flinched as the giant snout invaded his personal space, but he was happy to see Kiyo was alive and well.

“Shit, Booker, are you hurt?” Kiyo said, with concern in his voice.

“I’m okay.” Booker said. “I w-was scared for a moment, but I d-defeated the Spinarak. And I didn’t get hurt at all.”

Kiyo was surprised. “Not at all? Really?”

Booker crossed his arms. “Y-yes! I know I’m not the strongest, but I can hold my own. I’m not helpless! W-well, not completely helpless.”

Kiyo breathed a sigh of relief, and sat down on his haunches. “Fair enough. I guess I kinda underestimated you.” He looked away from Booker, unable to make eye contact, and continued, “I’ve gotta admit, I haven’t been taking you very seriously. You always stick so close to Sneasel, I didn’t think you could fight on your own.”

Kiyo looked back at the little Ribombee, and realized his hypocrisy. He had scorned Booker for helping in a fight, and sequestered him away in his tails, keeping him safely separated from combat. It was truly the exact thing Kiyo would have hated if someone had done it to him.

After meeting Booker’s patient gaze briefly, he mustered up the courage to speak. “Uh... sorry about all that. I’ve been acting pretty condescending, haven’t I?”

“It’s t-totally fine, Kiyo,” said Booker, smiling at his companion. “I don’t blame you. I mean, I d-definitely don’t look like much. I’m just glad I can fight well enough to help you. But now... I think it’s my turn to ask if you’re okay.”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Kiyo replied quickly.

Booker was not exactly satisfied with that response. With surprising sternness, he asked, “Are you sure you’re okay? You took a p-pretty serious hit from that Ariados. How badly are you hurt? D-do you need to take a rest?”

“It’ll take more than a dumb spider to bring me down,” said Kiyo, although in truth, he was still smarting from the psychic blast he took earlier–and Booker could sense it. The bug began to walk around the fox to check for damage. Fortunately, it seemed like Kiyo had no visible injuries, and any invisible injuries weren’t affecting him much.

“Satisfied?” asked Kiyo.

“I guess,” said Booker.

“Good. Now c’mon, mount up. Our partners are waiting.”

Booker nodded and continued around behind Kiyo. He waded into the fox’s tails and held onto the fluff as Kiyo stood up and started walking again. They both breathed a sigh of relief, and told themselves that they didn’t want to see any more spiders for a while yet.

Then Kiyo tripped. He faceplanted, cussed, and scrambled to his paws again.

“What happened?” Booker asked.

Kiyo looked back to see what he tripped over. In the moonlight, he could vaguely catch a glimpse of a taut and thin thread. It was stretched out a couple inches above the ground like a tripwire, and presumably anchored to the trees at opposite edges of the current dungeon room.

“Nothing, I just tripped over... spider silk?” Kiyo grumbled. “Guess it’s left over from those ferals. Whatever, not our problem.”

He was about to head for the nearest corridor when he heard Booker groan.

“What’s going on?” Kiyo asked.

In his tails, the Ribombee was grimacing. He felt something with his sixth sense, something large and chaotic, like a roiling storm of flame in the distance–and fast approaching.

“S-something’s coming,” he said. “It doesn’t feel good... It’s either one really b-big Pokemon, or a lot of them. It’s b-behind us!”

Kiyo whirled around and perked up his ears. There was a corridor on the opposite side of the room, hidden in shadow. Kiyo’s eyes narrowed. Then they went wide, and his heart skipped a beat, as a massive swarm of skittering, scuttling Spinarak poured into the room.

“Hang on, Booker!” Kiyo yelled. He turned and ran as fast as he could.

Booker used all three of his support moves, shielding himself and Kiyo. Only after this did he ask what was going on.

“We’re being chased by every spider on the damn continent!” Kiyo shouted.

Booker gasped. That strand of silk Kiyo tripped over must have been a trap, likely set by the Ariados, sending a signal to the lurking horde with its vibrations.

“K-keep running!” shouted Booker.

“What does it look like I’m doing!?” Kiyo shouted back.

“Look for the stairs–ferals c-can’t use stairs!”

The pair hadn’t yet located the stairs on this floor, so Kiyo was running blindly. Making matters worse, the Spinarak were attacking as they pursued him. An endless supply of poisonous needles came soaring after him like a barrage of tiny missiles. Most failed to hit him, either completely missing or being deflected by Booker’s shield. However, those that hit at just the right angle pierced through the barrier and stabbed into Kiyo’s body. Although Reflect slowed them down, they still hurt, and Kiyo felt himself growing nauseous and weak as the poison took hold. And there was another problem: Booker was behind him, right in the line of fire. His dense tails provided some armor for his little passenger, but he felt bad about keeping him in such a precarious spot.

They lost track of how long they fled, but Booker could always sense the terrifying jumble of Aura looming behind them, and every glance Kiyo took over his shoulder told him the same thing: the swarm was always close behind. Kiyo could keep pace with them, but not outrun them. And eventually, after a wrong turn, the duo found themselves in a room with no other exit.

Kiyo turned around to face the horde of spiders. They slowed down and spread out like a living, writhing carpet on the ground. They were hissing and crawling over each other, soulless eyes barely reflecting the moonlight, mandibles gnashing at the intruders to their dungeon. Kiyo backed up against the farthest wall, fanning out his tails instinctively and tilting his ears back against his head.

Booker felt Kiyo stop running and move his tails around. In the interest of safety, he still didn’t peek out of the shelter of the fluff, but he could assume the worst had come to pass: they were trapped. His heart was racing once again, even more than it had during the prior battle. He wanted to provide advice, but his mind was drawing a blank. He hated to feel helpless, useless... yet there was no denying that he was out of ideas.

“W-what do we d-do?” Booker asked, his voice quaking.

Kiyo’s ears tilted up slightly. Booker sounded terrified–on the verge of tears, even. Something about his companion’s panic made Kiyo’s heart ache. He had to do something–and fast, since the ocean of Spinarak was slowly coming closer.

“...I have a plan,” he said quietly. “But I don’t like it.”

“P-please tell me,” Booker replied.

“I can use Blizzard. It’s really strong, but...” He paused, as though contemplating it himself, “It’s going to freeze everyone else here. Every spider, and... you, too.”

In a fraction of a moment, Booker felt the weight of Kiyo’s words. The implication was clear, and the danger involved was undeniable.

The cold was terrifying to Booker. His new body made him feel every chill twicefold, at the very least. He’d been suffering through the cold night ever since leaving the guildhall, with only some Aspear Berry candies to warm his tiny body up. A mere cool breeze made him worry for his health, so facing a full-on blizzard willingly should have felt like a death march. It should have felt suicidal.

And yet... Booker was not terrified of Kiyo. He realized, in this split-second thought, that he had faith in his ice-type companion. And because of that, he wasn’t afraid to face Kiyo’s blizzard. Not one bit.

“Do it,” Booker said.

Kiyo was surprised by his confident reply. “Wait, really?”

“It’s the o-only option we have,” said Booker. “I’ll use my moves to protect myself, a-at least a little. So, don’t worry about hurting me...”

Booker gulped, forcing aside any remaining traces of uncertainty.

“I trust you, Kiyo.”

Kiyo froze.

He felt an unusual weight in his body. Trust, for Kiyo, was something most often acquired through illegitimate means. It was a trademark of his scams, playing a character to lower another person’s suspicion. It was earned, in a way, but with Booker, it was different. This was something he hadn’t allowed himself to feel with anyone besides Cassie and Bean, his partners. It was the start of a genuine friendship.

It was something he feared, for the sake of his criminal future, and yet, it felt somehow welcome.

“Look around my tails!” Kiyo shouted. “There’s a Nullify Bandanna tied around one of ‘em. Yank it off and brace yourself. I’ll hold off these six-legged assholes, but hurry!”

Booker immediately began scrambling around, practically swimming through Kiyo’s fluffy tails as he looked for the bandanna. As he did so, he also channeled his Aura, setting up his three defensive moves to protect Kiyo.

Meanwhile, Kiyo let out a howl and unleashed Ice Beam. The previous enemies’ Disable had worn off, so he could use his ranged attack again–which he did eagerly. He swept it across the swarm of Spinarak, and many fell, but others took their place and counterattacked with poisoned needles and chunks of webbing. Kiyo jumped, ran, slid, and dodged to the best of his ability, switching between attacking and evading at lightning speed. Spinarak kept breaking free of the swarm and rushing at Kiyo, and he viciously tore into them with Ice Fang, chomping right through their exoskeletons and ripping their bodies apart. He was quickly surrounded by the fading corpses of ferals, and the smoke of their decay filled the room.

He felt alive and invigorated–but over time, the spiders landed attacks on him with their horns, jaws, and Poison-type energy missiles. He slowed down as pain shot through him. Blue blood leaked from a growing number of cuts, contrasting the orange markings on his fur. If not for Booker’s barriers, he would have been dead by now. Even with his companion’s assistance, he knew he couldn’t take much more of this.

Just as he was about to give in, he heard Booker scream, “I did it!”

Kiyo could feel it–fresh strength, bitingly cold, flowed through him. The power of the Nullify Bandanna was gone, and his inherent ability was released. Ice-type energy overflowed from his body, washing over the room in a frigid wave. The smoke in the air was joined by icy mist, and snow and hail coalesced up above and rained down over the battlefield. As the Spinarak reeled and hissed in frustration and pain, Kiyo fanned his tails one more time and shut his eyes. He concentrated on the freezing energy within him, and willed it to emerge, blending with the snowstorm now raging around him. Snow and hail fell faster, the wind picked up, and the temperature plummeted as a raging blizzard engulfed the room. The entire swarm of feral Spinarak screeched in a horrific cacophony as they froze solid and crumbled into nothing.

In less than a minute, the horde of spiders was no more, and the storm died down. Kiyo panted with exertion and pain, and collapsed to the ground in a heap.

A lingering gentle snowfall was the only thing that remained of the overwhelming blizzard that just devastated the room. Kiyo looked at himself to check for injuries. The swarm had dealt him plenty of cuts and stab wounds, but nothing looked serious. However, all his costume props had been ruined by the storm: the paper cutouts on his legs were shredded, and most of the leather straps were broken, including the extra-wide one that held the disk to his back. The painted pot lid, representing Amaterasu’s powerful weapon, now lay unceremoniously on the ground nearby.

Kiyo’s ears went down as he realized what this meant: his scar was exposed.

It was a long, vicious blue gash in the white fur of his belly, a souvenir from a grand heist gone wrong. That wound marked him as a known criminal, and he couldn’t let anyone learn about it–especially not the members of the Clover Guild, since he was actively tricking them and planning to rob them someday. That was why he always wore his beige vest, and even though he changed out of it for Halloween, he still kept his injury obscured with the wide strap for his back-mounted prop.

But now, his costume was in tatters, his scar was exposed, and Booker... was quiet?

...Frighteningly quiet.

* * *

Chapter 5: Trust

“BOOKER!” Kiyo cried.

Kiyo had been distracted by his relief and exhaustion, and the problem of his scar. With all that on his mind, he had totally forgotten about his companion. He gently shook his tails and felt something slip out from the fur, then immediately spun around and looked down at a sorry sight. Booker was lying motionless, his fluff and exoskeleton covered in a thin layer of frost. His tiny arms were still wrapped around Kiyo’s Nullify Bandanna. His dome-shaped helm was gone, probably blown away by the wind and lost, and his tunic and cape were tattered.

“...Booker?” Kiyo whispered hesitantly.

Kiyo gently nudged Booker with his snout and brushed off some frost with a paw. He narrowed his eyes and stared intently at the Ribombee, trying to find signs of life. It was hard to tell, but Kiyo could have sworn he saw Booker’s chest moving. He was breathing, albeit almost imperceptibly. Kiyo lifted his head and let out a tiny sigh of relief. He hadn’t killed his companion, but he came close. Would Booker be okay without medical attention?

“Shit,” Kiyo whispered loudly. There he was, alone in a dungeon with no supplies whatsoever. Booker was practically frozen, and even if he was breathing, he needed help fast.

For just a split second, Kiyo realized he needed to cover his scar with something, but the bandanna wasn’t nearly long enough, and there was nothing else handy. Finding a way to conceal his wound should have been his top priority–in fact, he was jeopardizing his life, his well-being, and his freedom as long as he kept this identifying mark exposed. Yet, looking at Booker’s still body, and the pained expression literally frozen on his face, Kiyo realized all that didn’t compare.

He realized he cared about someone new, and that made him angry.

Muttering various expletives, Kiyo slipped the bandanna out from Booker’s grasp, and laid it out flat upon the ground. Then, with utmost care, he picked Booker up with his paws and placed him atop the cloth. He grabbed the four ends, twisted them slightly, then grabbed the bundle with his mouth and began searching for an exit, leaving behind the scraps of his costume and various non-medicinal items dropped by the crowd of feral spiders.

Careful not to displace his frozen ally by jostling the bandanna, he made a somewhat swift pace. With his mouth full of cloth, Kiyo simply imagined the swear words he’d be speaking. He scanned each room for healing items of any kind, and eventually found passage to the next floor of the dungeon. From there, feral Pokemon reappeared. Kiyo cursed his luck once again, and realized he couldn’t fight while carrying Booker. There was always the option to place Booker on the ground and pick him up again after the battle was over, but his gut told him that was a terrible idea. Instead, he laid low, measuring each step with his soft and silent paws as he slinked around the dungeon like a white shadow.

Kiyo’s heart jumped as he unexpectedly spotted an Aspear Berry, the well-known cure for freezing. He placed Booker down and unraveled his bandanna. The little costumed hero was still breathing (barely), but also still frosty and unconscious, and Kiyo realized the berry would be useless without a way to wake Booker up. With a snarl, Kiyo swept the berry up in his tails for later use, then wrapped Booker once again and resumed his trek.

He found himself on another floor, still without healing. Worries and fears about Booker rose to the front of his mind. Part of him wanted to check on the bug and make sure he was still alive, but that could be wasting precious time–and he had already lost track of how long he had been wandering. He began to grow desperate. Although he tried to continue creeping stealthily, the stress and urgency of Booker’s condition continued to mount, driving him to gradually speed up and even break into a run. Ferals noticed him, but he simply dodged their attacks and made no attempt to fight, focusing entirely on his desperate hunt for a Reviver Seed.

In a welcome miracle, he finally found one the moment he stepped through to another floor of the dungeon. Kiyo flew towards the seed like a missile, tails trailing behind like flags with how quickly he moved. Lowering Booker carefully, he nudged the seed beside his friend, and allowed it to activate.

Booker began to stir, and his eyes fluttered open. Kiyo, despite his best efforts, couldn’t stop a big smile from appearing on his face. He felt a massive weight lift off him as his little companion came back from the brink.

Booker looked up with half-shut eyes and opened his mouth slightly, as if to speak, but then gasped and shuddered. Kiyo suddenly remembered Booker was still suffering from the cold. He flicked his tails, throwing the Aspear Berry out into the open. He kicked it to Booker, then used a claw to cut off a little piece of it. Booker weakly sat up and grabbed the slice. He felt faint, and moved slowly at first, but as soon as he bit into the berry, he felt warmth flow through him. He gradually regained his usual energy, and after finishing the slice, he went to work on the rest of the berry. It worked like magic–after eating his fill, he felt a familiar and comforting heat within him that erased both the remaining effects of Kiyo’s blizzard and the ambient chill of the night.

Booker looked up at the Pokemon who had kept him safe, even on the verge of death, and smiled. “Th-thank you, Kiyo,” Booker said quietly.

“Yeah, don’t mention it,” Kiyo said, averting his eyes.

The reply was blunt, but Booker clearly sensed the warm, bright joy radiating from Kiyo. It made Booker smile even broader in turn. However, as he looked down at himself to check for injuries or signs of frost, he felt his heart sink. His costume was in ruins, with his helm gone forever and his cape and tunic ripped and torn. Kiyo’s costume had been ravaged as well: the props were no more, the only remaining parts being the orange markings on his body and the black paint on the tips of his tails. Even worse, the fox was covered in wounds.

“Y-you look really hurt...” Booker murmured.

“I’ve been through worse,” Kiyo replied. “Don’t worry about me. I’m just glad you pulled through.”

Once again, Booker was unconvinced by Kiyo’s insistence that he was fine. By now, Booker knew Kiyo was the kind of person to act tough and hide how much he was hurt. And as Booker looked closer, his fears were confirmed. He saw something on Kiyo’s belly, partially hidden behind his front legs. Booker stepped to the side for a better look, and Kiyo instinctively moved his tails to try to block the bug’s view, but he was too slow.

“O-oh my goodness!” Booker stammered, pointing up at Kiyo’s underside. “Kiyo, th-that looks bad!”

Booker had seen the scar. Kiyo knew this would happen, and he wasn’t looking forward to what came next.

“It’s fine,” Kiyo said.

“K-Kiyo, it’s huge! We need to get you healed! D-doesn’t it hurt you?”

“It’s not from tonight,” Kiyo said, with a long sigh. “It’s just a scar. See?”

The fox laid himself down on his side, without flinching in the slightest. Booker cautiously approached, and realized it was, indeed, not a fresh wound. It still looked like it had been a gruesome injury, though. Plus, Booker could feel trepidation in Kiyo’s Aura. Booker almost wanted to say nothing and just move on, but his concern for the fox and reasonable curiosity got the better of him.

“Kiyo... W-what happened?”

Kiyo looked down towards his scar, and closed his eyes for a moment. Then, he turned to Booker, with a serious gaze.

“I was stealing a treasure map from a pirate. He got me good.”

Booker gave a start. “...W-what? A pirate?”

“Yeah. The captain, wouldn’t you know it? He slashed me with a sword, and then, before it healed, cut me open again. With his claws.”

The bluntness and normalcy with which Kiyo spoke made Booker uncomfortable. Even worse, the distress rising out from Kiyo’s Aura practically confirmed his explanation was true–and also served to make the empathic Ribombee feel even worse.

“Kiyo...” Booker felt like he could cry just hearing about the brutality.

“Booker,” Kiyo continued after a long pause. “I want to tell you something, but... Uh... You said you trusted me. Is that still true? And I mean, seriously.”

“Of course!” Booker said without pause. “B-but what does that have to do with your scar?”

Kiyo looked away, but he spoke loud enough to hear. “Booker, I’m...”

It was hard to admit. He’d never admitted it before.

“Look, it doesn’t take a super genius to tell I’m not exactly a model citizen. I haven’t really been hiding that around here, but there’s more. I was stealing a treasure map, and I succeeded! Of course I fucking did, I’m great at stealing. And... I’ve stolen before too. That’s... That’s what I do.”

He sighed and turned his head back to Booker, looking angry at himself.

“I’m a thief, Booker. An outlaw.”

Booker stared up at the fox in surprise. He couldn’t believe it, and yet, it made perfect sense. Kiyo’s combat skills, his irate personality, his cageyness. Booker put the pieces together, and realized the implications of his new knowledge.

“K-Kiyo... Why t-tell me this?”

“Well,” Kiyo mumbled, pawing at the ground, “if you saw my scar, you’ve seen enough to recognize me on a wanted poster. I’d be fucked either way, but... I don’t think you’re going to turn me in. Or, at the very least, I can ask you to leave Bean and Cassie alone.”

Booker wasn’t sure what to say. The right thing to do would be to tell the police about Kiyo... right? People who broke the law and harmed others needed to be punished. Discouraging crime was necessary for a peaceful society. But at the same time, when Booker thought back to everything he and Kiyo had experienced together over the past couple hours, he couldn’t bring himself to condemn the wounded fox.

Booker had long believed that anyone could change for the better. Crime needed to be stopped, but criminals needed to be forgiven, because everyone deserved a second chance. Yes, Kiyo was an outlaw. He was wanted. He had hurt people–innocent people, no doubt–for his own gain. But the Kiyo that Booker saw before him now was not like that. Buried beneath the rude exterior and criminal history was a good heart. Booker was sure of it, based on what he had seen of Kiyo tonight. The fox had already taken those first steps to improving himself and becoming a better person, and that thought filled Booker with hope.

Booker felt tears welling up in his eyes. “K-Kiyo, I... I promise, I’ll k-keep your secret. You broke the law before, but... I believe you can change. Y-you’re a good person–I know you are!”

Kiyo’s heart sank. That was... not quite right. He didn’t think of himself as a good person, and he most certainly didn’t plan on changing. He loved being a thief. It felt justified, like getting back a world that completely misunderstood him. That’s some shitty teenage angst, he thought to himself, but it was true. Laying in the woods as he was, before the truly wonderful and innocent Booker, whom he had to admit he’d grown fond of, Kiyo realized how attached he was to his criminal lifestyle. How could he live without it? Was it worth living without? It would be a lie to say he was trying to change at all. He wasn’t. Not yet, anyways.

What would he say to Booker?

Thankfully, he didn’t need to say anything. As Booker blinked and dried his eyes, a sudden thought gave him pause. “...Um... I do h-have to ask, though... Have you s-stolen from us? Th-the guild, I mean.”

“Nope,” Kiyo said immediately. “Not that there’s anything worth stealing.”

“That’s good. B-but then, why did you join us? Are you t-turning over a new leaf?”

Kiyo glanced to the side, with a snide, apologetic grin. “...Maybe. We’ll see.”

Booker felt a bit unfulfilled by that vague reply. It was hard to get a read on the fox’s Aura at the time, not only because of his complicated feelings, but Booker’s intense emotions as well. Still, Booker felt hopeful. He was certain that Kiyo had a good side, and as long as Kiyo wasn’t discounting the idea of changing, that was good enough for now.

“Well, I hope you do t-turn your life around,” said Booker. “I believe you can. A-and, again... I trust you.”

“...Thanks,” The fox said. Then, he moved to stand, shaking himself off lightly. “Enough about... All that. Let’s get the hell outta here.”

He swept his tails towards Booker, inviting the bug onboard. Booker made his way up through the blissfully soft fur and onto Kiyo’s now-bare back. Rather than sitting here, Booker decided to get up onto Kiyo’s head so he could have a higher vantage point and see ahead more easily. Hopefully, the lack of nearby threats would continue, though if ferals attacked, it wouldn’t be too difficult to jump back into Kiyo’s tails for safety.

...What an odd thought... Booker realized.

With Booker in tow, Kiyo started on his way, searching for an exit to the mystery dungeon. The rooms seemed to be vacant, thankfully. After a period of suspenseful quiet, Kiyo spoke up.

“You asked how I met Cassie and Bean, right?”

Booker recalled the topic had come up on the road earlier. While he had gladly recounted the story of how he and Sneasel met, Kiyo had declined to explain how he met his two partners. Booker replied, “Um... Y-yes, but I thought you didn’t want–”

“Naw, it’s fine,” Kiyo interrupted. “It was a long time ago. I took a job on a bulletin board to clear out some dumbass cultists who invaded someone's farm. Dunno why they were there–something about that farm being important for their weird religion? That’s not important. Point is, they were all weird as shit, and I got overpowered and thrown into their creepy, homemade prison. Cassie and Bean were there too. We worked together to bust out, and we decided to stick together. That’s about it.”

Booker hadn’t expected that kind of backstory. A thief who clashed with pirates and cultists... Kiyo had led an interesting life so far. “Well, I’m g-glad you were able to escape. And you all made new friends in the end, so that’s nice. That sounds like a terrible cult, capturing people like that... What happened to them?”

“No clue. All I can say is I didn’t finish the job, so they’re probably still around.”

“That’s not good,” Booker murmured. “Hope they haven’t c-caused any more trouble.”

“Well, it’s not like we could’ve beaten them ourselves. It was best for us to just get the hell outta there. It was, like... twenty cultists, or somethin’. Like... You kiddin’ me?”

“O-oh.”

“Yeah. Sorry.”

“Oh, don’t apologize! It’s better to s-stay safe if you’re up against bad odds–like w-what we did when that swarm of spiders attacked.”

Kiyo nodded–gently enough to not make Booker fall off his head–and continued walking.

* * *

Chapter 6: Partners

Kiyo mentioned that he wanted to find something to cover up his scar, and Booker agreed that was a good idea. They both kept their eyes peeled for anything they could use, ideally one of the scarves that were known to mysteriously appear in dungeons sometimes. Though they had been unlucky with the tripwire and the spider swarm, their luck turned around, and they located a Power Band on the next floor. It was a long strip of orange fabric with a gray and yellow emblem embroidered into it, and it was long enough to wrap around Kiyo’s torso more than once and cover his wound. Best of all, it matched with his body paint, somewhat. Although Kiyo and Booker had no thumbs between them, they worked together and somehow managed to tie the orange band around his torso. It was firmly in place, and covered up his scar completely, to Kiyo’s relief.

Their search for their partners resumed. To pass the time, they chatted casually as they explored the dungeon, but they always remembered why they had come here. Kiyo occasionally yelled for Cassie, and Booker constantly reached out to detect their partners’ Auras. He never sensed them, but he did sense plenty of enemies, and always warned Kiyo so they could avoid them. Neither of them wanted a repeat of their encounter with the strong Ariados and its minions.

After proceeding through a few more floors, Booker abruptly gasped and stood up on Kiyo’s head. Kiyo automatically looked up, making Booker fall onto his back with a grunt.

“Sorry,” said Kiyo, leveling his head again. “What happened?”

Booker leaped back up onto Kiyo’s head, landing on his hands and knees. “I sense her!” he cried. “S-Sneasel! To the left! H-hurry!”

Kiyo didn’t hesitate. He dashed off, while Booker clung tightly to his short fur. But as Kiyo ran, he heard a horrifying sound: Cassie sobbing. He sped up, nearly shaking Booker off. In less than a minute, they emerged from a tight corridor and into an open room.

After a long, harrowing, painful search, they saw their beloved partners: Sneasel and Cassie. But the sight made their hearts freeze over.

Cassie, wearing a white shirt and blue skirt with gloves and a tiara, was sitting on the forest floor. Sneasel, wearing an all-black ninja costume, was in her arms–as motionless as a corpse.

For a moment, there was no sound except Cassie’s bawling. Then Booker screamed. Kiyo’s ears barely flinched from the high-pitched cry of horror and despair–he was too overwhelmed with shock, and he stood stock still with mouth agape. Booker scrambled off his petrified companion’s head, fell to the ground, and sprinted to his partner. He called out Sneasel’s name, tears pouring from eyes.

The sight was too horrible for words. He was too late. She was...

No, she can’t be! Booker thought, his mind racing as fast as lightning. She’s too strong to... to end up like this! But she was drunk, and she always fights worse when she’s like that! Did she mess up against a feral? Maybe... But I can’t believe that!

Booker stood before the body of his partner. Cassie had not noticed him, as she was still overcome with her own sadness. Booker stared at Sneasel, unable to believe what he was seeing. Was she really... gone? She didn’t look injured. Booker tried to read her Aura, but right now, he couldn’t concentrate well enough to get a good look. Even so, he caught a glimpse of it. As far as he could tell, it didn’t look–wait. He sensed her Aura. If she still had one, that meant–

“S-Sneasel!” Booker cried. “Y-you’re... a-alive? Are you r-really...?”

Kiyo finally recovered from his shock and dashed over. He sniffed at Sneasel and watched her intently, while Cassie’s crying slowly lessened. Kiyo picked up the unmistakable smell of alcohol on both girls, but he didn’t detect any signs of death–and he knew the scents of life and death well.

“Wait, what the fuck?” said Kiyo, bluntly. “She’s just sleeping.”

After a moment of shock and disbelief, Kiyo’s words fully struck Booker, confirming what he had hoped was the truth. Booker fell to his knees and put his head in his hands. “Th-thank God,” he whispered.

Kiyo looked at Cassie. She seemed to finally start paying attention to her surroundings, and her wet eyes grew wider.

“Ho-ho-hold up! I know you,” she said, slurring her words a little. “Kiyo! Yippee! Hi Kiyo! W-wauw-what a coincidence seein’ you here! Ehehehe! Are, are you’n Boober g-goin trick treating?”

“No, we’re looking for your drunk ass,” he replied. “Glad you didn’t get hurt. That forest was brutal.”

Cassie laughed and adjusted her hold on Sneasel, now hugging the larger Pokemon. “Yeah, I’m suuuper happy she’s fine. Really happy. S-she had me worried for a minute, though, hehe.”

“Is she hurt? You’re acting like something real bad happened.”

“Yeah, it was nuts! A plant popped outta the ground and attacked us! So rude! Like... WHAT?! It spat out this big cloud of powder or something, and Sneasel just keeled over. I kicked the plant somewhere–maybe you met it on the way here? I think it fucking died. Anyway, I figured Sneasel was a goner, cuz she was just lying there...”

Cassie sniffled and wiped her eyes, inadvertently letting Sneasel’s body slump unceremoniously to the ground. Sneasel didn’t stir, but she moaned slightly. Booker yelped and hurried over to check on his partner. Her costume had a couple rips and cuts in it, but there were no signs of major injury.

“C-careful, please,” Booker said to Cassie, without looking at her. But then he sensed a surge of emotion from her direction, and looked up to see Cassie staring at him with wide eyes.

“Um... H-hello,” Booker stammered, suddenly remembering he had never met Cassie face-to-face. “My name’s Booker. It’s n-nice to meet you.”

Cassie simply kept staring. Kiyo recognized the look in his partner’s eyes. Before he could warn Booker, the Sandshrew quickly reached down and snatched the Ribombee up in her gloved hands. He gasped and squirmed in her grip as she held him up to her face.

“You... are... so CUTE!” she screamed. She hugged Booker tightly against her chest, and his struggles only intensified.

“Cassie, you’re s-squishing me,” he yelped.

Kiyo rolled his eyes. He should have seen this coming. Cassie had always adored cute things, including cute Pokemon, to the point of obsession. She had gradually learned to control herself and not aggressively pet and hug every cute Pokemon she met, but apparently the drinks she had earlier tonight had removed those inhibitions.

“Don’t crush the little guy, Cassie,” said Kiyo flatly. “We’ve been through quite the goddamn ordeal tonight, and he was a big help. It’d suck if we struggled through all that only for you to break him at the end.”

Cassie pouted, but loosened her hold on Booker. She didn’t let him go, though–she just turned him around so he was facing away from her. Booker had mixed feelings. The big warm hug admittedly felt nice, especially when compared to the cold night air he’d been dealing with since leaving the guildhall. On the other hand, he was never a fan of feeling like a stuffed toy. He squirmed once more, but Cassie’s arms refused to budge. He sighed and tried to get comfortable. He wasn’t getting out of here anytime soon.

He and Cassie watched as Kiyo went over to Sneasel. He debated how to wake her for a moment, then settled on the easiest solution. He crouched down, put his snout close to Sneasel’s ear under her ninja hood, and screamed, “WAKE UP!”

Sneasel’s ear flicked, and her face twisted into a slight snarl. She began to stir, and at long last, she opened her eyes. She looked at the Pokemon around her, then pulled down the face mask of her costume and smiled.

“Heyyy,” she said. “That was a good nap. What’d I miss?”

Booker and Kiyo stared blankly at her. She looked around, and furrowed her brow.

“Whoa, wait, why am I in... a forest? Wow. Where are we?”

“I dunno,” said Cassie. “We got lost, I think.”

“We’re in Ironwood,” said Booker. “You two, uh... g-got drunk. And you wandered off, and Kiyo and I were worried, so we w-went looking for you.”

“Really?” said Sneasel. She laughed. “I don’t think I drank that much, but y’know, I do kinda feel pretty tipsy...”

Cassie laughed. “Me too. Maybe one day I’ll figure out my limit. It somewhere past... five hundred dinks.”

Kiyo tilted his head with an unamused expression. “Dinks?”

Sneasel continued, “I remember hanging out in the guildhall, and then you and I took a walk, Cass. But after that, it’s... kinda blurry. I think there were some little monsters on the road?”

“That’s one way to put it,” said Kiyo, thinking back to the trio of children. “Well, if you two gals are done drunking up the forest, let's get back to the guild. C’mon.”

Cassie stood up unsteadily, still holding Booker, and nodded at Sneasel. Sneasel stood up alongside her, and immediately began wobbling. She rested an arm on Cassie’s head, but Cassie wobbled about as much as Sneasel did, and they both toppled over. Somehow, Booker managed not to be squashed under them. As Cassie and Sneasel lay in a heap and tried to recover, Booker finally broke free of the Sandshrew’s hug and hurried over to Kiyo.

“Um... Is it okay i-if I go with you instead, Kiyo?” Booker asked. “Cassie’s hug was n-nice and warm, but I’m a little worried she’ll, you know... squash me by accident.”

Kiyo nodded. “Yeah, probably safer to stick with me,” he said.

Booker leaped up onto his head, and they began the long and tedious process of guiding their partners out of the forest. Cassie and Sneasel leaned on each other, trying to stay upright. They were unsteady and slow, and also talkative and easily distracted, but at least they were cooperative enough to stay close to Kiyo and Booker. Together, the four of them maneuvered past the ferals of the forest, occasionally pausing to let Kiyo blow one away with Ice Beam. They encountered little resistance, and successfully navigated the final couple floors.

Before long, they emerged from the forest and back to the outside world. The moon, back to its normal size now, welcomed them. They made their way along the dirt path back towards Capim Town, with Cassie and Sneasel drunkenly wobbling and chatting away about whatever topics drifted into their minds. At one point, they passed where Kiyo and Booker had met the trio of kids, and Booker was able to collect one last Aspear Berry candy to keep himself warm on the road back. Sneasel and Cassie eagerly gathered the rest and gobbled them up, acquiring a bit more energy to forge on through the fields.

“So, how was the trip for you guys?” Sneasel asked Kiyo and Booker, her mouth full of chocolate.

“It’s a long story,” said Kiyo.

“Don’t be shy, buddy–c’mon, tell us about it!” said Cassie.

“You do that, then we’ll tell you what happened with me and Cass here,” said Sneasel. “We had fun! Kinda. Maybe? I forgot a lotta what happened–did I already say that? Well, point is, we’re best buds now, me and her.”

She put an arm around the Sandshrew and pulled her close, which caused them both to topple to the ground again. As they picked themselves up, Sneasel continued talking as if nothing happened.

“How’s about you two?” she asked Booker and Kiyo. “You guys make any new buddies?”

Booker automatically glanced down at the fox he rode, and gently patted his head. Booker felt a hint of happiness creep into Kiyo’s Aura, and he smiled.

“Yes, actually,” said Booker. “W-we both did.”

* * *

Chapter 7: Back Home

It was past midnight when the quartet returned to the guildhall. Lights were still on inside the building, but barely anyone remained in the mess hall and lobby. The party had almost entirely wound down, and the guildhall was quiet once again. Candy discards, lost cups, fallen snacks, and other messes littered the entire first floor, resolutely left to sit until tomorrow.

Kiyo, Cassie, Booker, and Sneasel were all exhausted from their journey, and elated to return to the warm, softly lit lobby. As they stepped inside, they were greeted by a little Fletchling enthusiastically hopping around and waving his wings at them.

“Bean, my ol’ buddy, ol’ pal, how’re you doing?” Cassie asked him, still slurring her words.

He fluttered onto her shoulder and whispered his reply into her ear.

“Aww, you’ve been waiting for us? You’re a real sweetie. You too, Kiyo. C’mere!”

Cassie patted Bean’s head with one hand and Kiyo’s with the other. Kiyo ducked his head away–even though he liked it. He had his reputation to think of, and he didn’t want any guildmates seeing this.

Meanwhile, Sneasel slumped against a wall and let out a huge yawn. “Boy, I’m beat,” she mumbled.

As her eyelids drooped and her chin fell to her chest, Booker said, “Wait, Sneasel. Let’s g-get back to the dorm first. Don’t fall asleep yet–just one more minute, okay?”

Sneasel grumbled her reply and stood up. She shambled over to the spiral stairs at the center of the building and climbed up with help from Kiyo and Cassie–but mostly Kiyo, as Cassie was also on the verge of sleep. They nearly tumbled down the stairs more than once, and Kiyo was growling with frustration by the time they reached the top. Bean and Booker, being too small to help, kept their distance from the unstable trio. Booker asked if Bean could give him a lift, and the bird agreed. Booker climbed onto Bean’s back, and they flew up the stairs, reuniting with their partners in the lounge at the top. From there, they went to Team Brave’s dorm, and Sneasel immediately collapsed into her bed. Bean hovered over her, and Booker leaned to the side to look down at his partner.

“She held on just long enough,” Booker remarked.

“That looks real comfy,” Cassie said, longingly eying the round, cotton-stuffed mattress.

“She’ll feel bad when she wakes up,” Booker murmured. “But sh-she’s dealt with hangovers before. And the important thing is she’s back home, safe and–Cassie? W-wait, no!”

The Sandshrew had wobbled and fallen near Sneasel on the bed. “Cozy...” she murmured as she nestled into the soft mattress.

“Um, Cassie... wake up, please?” Booker said.

Kiyo groaned. “Great. Now she’s out, too. How am I supposed to drag her back to the inn?”

Booker looked down at the slumbering Sandshrew. He yawned in spite of himself and shrugged. “Kiyo... this might sound awkward, but... m-maybe she can sleep here, just for tonight? I’d be okay with it.”

Bean nodded and descended, landing near the bed. Booker dismounted and yawned again.

“You sure?” asked Kiyo.

“Yes. And if you’d like, um... you can stay here as well. Bean, too. Like a... sleepover, I guess?”

The suggestion did indeed sound awkward to Kiyo. He usually slept in a tight circle with his beloved partners, but he had never shared a bed with anyone aside from them. At the same time, he didn’t even want to think about how hard it would be to carry Cassie halfway across town to their rented room at the Blue Claw Inn. And Bean was already nodding to show agreement with Booker’s plan. Besides, it wasn’t like Booker was a stranger anymore–far from it. Maybe spending a night in Team Brave’s dorm wouldn’t be so bad.

“Alright, fine,” said Kiyo, feigning frustration. “But only ‘cuz I’m dead tired, and can’t be bothered to drag Cassie back home.”

There was a gap between Sneasel and Cassie. Kiyo sheepishly curled up in there and lay on his side with his legs sticking out. He rested his head on Cassie’s leg and spread his tails over her and Sneasel like a blanket. Bean fluttered into a comfy-looking squarish nook between Kiyo’s belly and his legs, then puffed himself up and tucked his head into his chest feathers. Another of Kiyo’s tails, as though moving of its own volition, curled itself toward the bird and wrapped him gently.

Kiyo glanced at Bean, who seemed pleased with the arrangement, and then Booker, who would fit nicely in the open spot to Bean’s side. Booker considered his options. While Sneasel was his beloved and unmistakable partner, she was certainly going to be grumpy when she woke up, and she was splayed out a bit awkwardly. Alternatively, a sleepover with his newly earned friend Kiyo would surely be a rarity–that, and the allure of his stupendously soft tails was hard to resist.

Booker nodded and climbed up onto Sneasel’s bed, then approached Kiyo. The fox moved his paws to let Booker into the circle formed from his body and legs, and Booker sat down and leaned back against Kiyo’s belly. One of Kiyo’s tails lowered down on him like a huge soft blanket. Instantly, Booker was struck by just how comfortable this all was. It was even better than the bowl of cotton balls he’d used as a bed ever since becoming a Ribombee, and he always thought that was the best bed ever. But it paled in comparison to the combination of Sneasel’s bed beneath him and Kiyo’s luxuriously soft fur around him. Plus, the coolness drifting off Kiyo and the warmth radiating from Bean combined to create the perfect temperature for sleeping.

Booker moved his arms into Kiyo’s tail, hugging a clump of fluff as he looked over at his new friend’s face. “Thank you s-so much for your help, Kiyo,” he whispered. “I definitely couldn’t have done this without you.”

Kiyo yawned massively, opening his jaw to its limit. “Don’t sweat it,” he said. “If anything, I should be thanking you. It would’ve taken me way longer to realize Cassie wandered off like a damn nomad if not for you.”

After a pause, Kiyo added, with a whisper, “And… thanks for trusting me.”

Booker smiled. “You’re welcome, Kiyo.”

He closed his eyes and relaxed into the fox’s fur. The weight of exhaustion grew heavy on the two. Between the loud party and the desperate hunt for their partners, it had been a terribly long and difficult night. But even as they struggled through pain and fear in the depths of Ironwood, their newfound camaraderie had only grown stronger. Their costumes had been reduced to shreds, but like the partners they had coincidentally dressed as, their resolve and trust never broke–and they came out of the experience with an invaluable treasure.

Booker and Kiyo allowed themselves to drift off into a peaceful and welcome slumber. This night had not gone the way they planned, but when they looked back on it, they both realized they were more than satisfied with the outcome of their first Halloween together.

---

Ribombee-anon’s homepage: https://rentry.org/RibombeeHomepage Kiyo-anon’s homepage: https://rentry.org/kiyoStation Clover Guild homepage: https://cloverguild.com