The Great Bulk Part 10: A New Perspective
Reflection
Everything sucked. Lombre forced us into a corner and we had no choice but to leave the Sand Continent for lands unknown. We were safe, but what was the cost? Roserade could be in danger, and there was nothing that we could've done that would've saved him. He sacrificed himself for our sakes, but it all still felt like a betrayal.
I looked at the mirror in our cabin. Even though a lot of time had passed, the face that was reflected still felt alien to me. I thought back to my brother and my friends, and cursed my circumstances. Back in my world, I had finally done what I set out to do. My brother was in college, free from our former household, and my friends managed to stay afloat. Life screwed us all over in some way, but by sticking together, we got through the worst of it.
Then, I got sucked into this world and dropped off in the middle of a desert. I was lucky I was even found. I should've told Asana the truth by now, but I just can't. She's far too rational of a person to believe the truth about me. If I told her that I had the soul of, to her understanding, an alien from an alternate dimension, she'd just call me crazy. I know I should try to find a way home, but honestly, I don't even know where to begin. Humans don't exist here.
Yet, I've enjoyed my time in this world. It's been fun. The best I can do for the moment is put on a brave face and have fun with the ride. I don't want to burden Assy with my worries, since she already has enough on her plate.
I left our room and travelled towards the sick bay, where she said she'd be. It was there that I witnessed a peculiar sight.
"I've decided to get treated for my shoulder," Asana said to a Clawitzer with a scary-looking shooting claw. Most of the crew just called him "Doc" – if he had a real name, he didn't want others knowing it. "I don't care about the side effects anymore," my partner continued. "I just want to be able to use my arm again."
Doc laughed at her bluntness. "I've lost track of how many times I've heard that line!" He responded, aiming his cannon arm at her. Asana braced herself as Doc shot her with an intense burst of pink energy. Its force was enough to slam her against the ship wall like a ragdoll! Doc fired a few more shots at her, but to his credit, whatever he did healed up that shoulder wound of hers.
"What the heck did he do to you?" I asked, revealing my presence to them both.
"Have you never seen a Heal Pulse before?" Doc replied. "It isn't my fault that my shots are stronger than most!"
"You could still hurt someone with that if you're not careful," I added. "We're lucky that didn't cause her to go straight through the wall."
"Luck? Boy, it's all skill!" Doc boasted, laughing at my reaction to the entire situation.
Asana rolled her eye at Doc and then looked in my direction, clearly not caring about the absurdity of what happened to her. "Do you need anything?" She asked.
I shrugged. "I just wanted to see how you were holding up," I told her. "I know what happened back on the Sand Continent rattled us pretty bad." I wanted to talk about Roserade; to get some sort of reassurance that he was alright, but I didn't want her to know about my worries. I was hoping she'd mention him herself, so it didn't look like my idea to talk about him.
Asana remained still for a few moments. I was unable to read her expression at all. "I know we're free from Lombre for a while, but I can't help but feel anxious," she responded. "He was very meticulous when it came to his plot with Roserade, and I'm afraid that when we meet again, we'll be caught entirely off-guard."
"What do you mean "when"?" I questioned. "Shouldn't you say "if"?"
"No, Makuhita. He already went to great lengths in his first attempt to murder us," she explained. "The second he learns of our destination, he'll go there and start hunting us down. The best this is going to give us is some time to train up. I'd wager that we'd get a few months at minimum."
"I only know a bit about him from what gossip's been floating around the ship, but if you're asking me, you should just worry about that guy when he's actually around," Doc butted in. "Worrying about "what-ifs" just makes you lose sleep at night."
"You should listen to him," I added. "Insomnia is no laughing matter."
Asana nodded at the both of us. "Noted. I'm going to get some air on the deck," she informed us. "You can come if you want, Makuhita." Asana and I left sick bay and got on deck. It felt as though we were on the smallest of islands, surrounded by nothing but a carpet of water. It filled me with a sense of awe, but Asana wasn't as comfortable with it as I was. I could see it in the way she fidgeted – it made sense, considering where she grew up. She was unused to vast bodies of water.
The Captain, a Golisopod, was on deck as well, surveying his ship. We've only really talked a few times, but I approached him anyway, figuring it'd be good to get to know him a bit better. Besides, I forgot where we were going. I should ask him while I have the chance.
"Hey, Captain, where are we exactly headed?" I asked.
"I thought I already told your friend," he responded. "We're going to Salzland in order to buy salt for trade. It's around the southeastern part of the Grass Continent's coast."
"Salt?" I replied, a bit confused by what Golisopod was saying.
"Yes," he affirmed. "It's essential in preserving food, and the bulk of the town's residents are of the Nacli evolutionary line. All three stages produce salt on their own, and because of that, they sell it cheaply. Each one produces a different type of salt, too, but Garganacl salt is the most valuable of them all. It's a potent medicine, and it's known to ward off Ghost-types."
"Healing salt? That's kinda weird," I replied. "Back where I came from, there was a saying – to "rub salt in the wound" meant to make a bad thing worse."
"I see," the Captain said. "How've the crew been treating you? I know Gurdurr's given you a bit of trouble, but it comes from a good place. He just cares about his crewmates, is all."
I shrugged. "Other than him, everything's been alright," I told him. "Thanks for letting us stay on-board. If there's any way we can repay you-"
"No payment is necessary," Golisopod interrupted. "I simply did what was right. I promise that you and your pather will both be safe here. If any danger did arise, I'd be the first to do something about it. A proper captain puts the safety of their crew and passengers before themselves."
"Assy would probably be surprised to hear that from you, but I'm not," I responded. "You can find good people in the most unassuming of places."
Golisopod chuckled. "I can tell you're not a native like her," he observed. "She was scared of falling overboard on her first day here, even though she refused to admit it! Sand Continent natives all either act like a light breeze will knock them overboard, or they come down with sea sickness."
"You're right on that!" I revealed. "I'm from the, uh..." I strained my mind to think of the lie I told Asana some time ago. Which Continent did I say I was from?
"I'm from the Mist Continent," I fibbed.
"You don't have to lie to me," Golisopod said, seeing through me completely. "If you don't want to say where you're from, just don't tell me. Our doctor is a rather private individual, and we don't discriminate against him for it."
"Well, thanks," I stated before letting out a yawn. I hadn't been getting enough sleep ever since I got on the boat, and I had no idea why.
"You sound like you need to take a rest," Golisopod said. "We'll arrive at our destination in a couple more days."
I nodded and retreated to my cabin. I drifted off into slumber, a few hours passing by...
During Makuhita's slumber, another old memory resurfaces...
Drew sat at the table, crying. He was looking at a collection of what would look like shredded papers to most. Yet, when they were whole, they were something more. They were a collection of drawings, the end result of the young boy's imagination running wild. It had all been rendered into nothing, hours of effort being torn to shreds. His older brother, Mark, entered the room and surveyed the scene, looking concerned for his sibling's well-being.
"What happened?" Mark asked, looking at the remnants of his brother's art on the table. "Wait a minute. Are those-"
Drew took in a deep breath, mustering what little nerve he had. "Y-yeah. Dad tore up my art. He said it was a waste of time."
Mark felt anger building up inside of him. His brother put his soul into his artwork, and their dad didn't even care! He had the urge to go and pour his booze down the drain again as an act of vengeance, but he knew such a thing was futile and wouldn't fix this. He took deep breaths, trying his best to control himself. He didn't want to flip out in front of Drew – it might set a bad example for him. "It isn't your fault that Dad's too blind to know talent when he sees it," Mark said reassuringly. "I think he's too insecure that he has no abilities beyond drinking and slaving away at crappy jobs. Just keep your drawings where he can't find them, and keep on practicing, okay? I know you'll be able to go places when we're all grown up. I mean, I can't even draw a circle right, meanwhile you're practically crapping out gold with every sketch!"
Drew snickered at Mark's self-depreciation, his mood improving just a bit. "You're right," he replied. "Dad never was the brightest. Remember
when I found that photo album of his? He still thinks you're the one who did it, although I don't know why you took the blame." He shuddered as he remembered the outcome of that night, remembering how it easily could've been him being punished in his older brother's stead. "He really went at you, didn't he?"
Mark nodded. "Yeah, he did," he confirmed. "I just don't like seeing you get hurt. I've always been able to take more of a beating than you, so it's better that I take your place. I can just walk it off, y'know?"
Drew sighed. "I understand, but you don't have to do it all the time," he said. "You have limits, too."
A couple hours later...
I woke up from my nap, feeling a bit better. It was a bit odd that I dreamed about my childhood, but it didn't phase me. There was no use moping over problems that've already been solved! I walked up to the deck and saw Asana looking into the water, seemingly concerned over something. "What's wrong?" I asked her.
"I can feel a strange Aura signature under the ship and it's been following us for multiple days," she replied. "It feels almost like one signature bleeding into a second one, and it doesn't make any sense!"
"I might have an idea," I responded. "Do you remember our time in Redkiln? You told me that the outlaw we were tracking then had some sort of way to muffle his Aura. Maybe it's two Pokemon, and one of them is using that method you spoke of?"
"Of course!" Asana blurted out. "They could be wearing a Sneak Scarf. I'll just have to focus on them, and the truth will be revealed." She grew silent for a few moments, her expression slowly becoming more fearful. "H-how did he get here?" Asana asked. "One of the two Pokemon under the vessel is Lombre! I'm going to go warn the Captain!" She ran off, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
I could hardly believe it myself, but Assy was never the type to lie to people. If she said Lombre found a way to continue his pursuit of us, I knew she was being truthful. I didn't know what he'd try. Did he really think he could fight off all of this ship's crew, just to get to us? I stood there, pondering for a few minutes before a green mass of energy shot up through the ship, bottom to top!
This was so crazy! I ran towards one of the lifeboats as everyone, Asana and the Captain included, scrambled on deck! More holes were shot into the ship as Assy got into the lifeboat I was in. "I can't believe it!" The Captain cried out. "That bastard's sinking my pride and joy! You all need to focus on getting out alive, I'll track down Lombre myself and buy everyone some time!" The Golisopod dived into the water as our lifeboat was deployed. Hopefully, it wouldn't be blown up as well.
Meanwhile, under the Scrambled Egg...
The Sinking
"We've been waiting for quite a while," Lydia complained. "We're low on food, and it's been a few days. What's your big plan, Lombre?"
"I've been thinking it over," I replied. "I could climb up and board the ship myself, but I doubt I'd be able to fight off a whole ship's worth of Pokemon at once. The only safe option would be to sink the ship myself. Since my targets are likely Sand Continent natives, they probably won't be able to swim, and even if they can, I can just shoot them while they're struggling in the water."
"W-wait, what?" Lydia stuttered out. "I don't think I understood you. Can you repeat that again?"
"I'm sinking this vessel," I reiterated. "It's the safest way to get rid of the two Pokemon I'm after."
The Araquanid remained silent for a few moments, taking in my words. Then, abruptly, it was shattered. "Are you out of your mind?" Lydia questioned. "Do you have any idea how dangerous your suggestion is? You'd be putting a ton of innocent Pokemon in jeopardy, and neither of us are good enough swimmers to make it all the way to land!"
"Do you understand why I'm doing this?" I asked. "The two bounty hunters I'm after are some of the most callous, inhumane individuals I've seen. They were behind the shake-up in the North. Everyone praises them as heroes, but I know the truth. They sacrificed dozens, if not hundreds of Pokemon just to get a single bounty. Some of the Pokemon on this ship might not make it, but by doing this act, I'll save countless more."
"If you hate them sacrificing others for your own gain, then why are you doing the exact same thing?" Lydia replied. "To me, it sounds like the only difference between them and you is that you feel the need to justify yourself. I'm not stupid, Lombre." She paused, formulating her next words carefully. "You claim this is about saving lives and justice, but I've heard enough from you while we've been here to know the truth. This is about revenge for Cacturne, and you're just dressing it up in morality to make yourself feel better."
She didn't understand a thing. It was a shame, considering I've known her for a long time, but I wouldn't let a single disagreement deter me. "Cacturne was the impetus for my mission, but it's about more than him," I responded. "It's about everyone Asana has screwed over. Besides, do you have any better ideas on how to do this? Do you think we can take on an entire ship's worth of Pokemon by ourselves?"
Lydia groaned, clearly irritated with me. "It's a waste of time arguing with you," she grumbled. "Do ahead and sink the stupid ship." I took this as my cue to leave her bubble, swimming out into the sea water surrounding us. I began to shoot holes into the ship with Energy Balls, trying to hold my breath as long as possible. I retreated back to where my ally should've been, but she was gone.
I should've known that she would abandon me. It was unfortunate, but I had no time to dwell upon it. I was forced to resurface for air, since she was the only source of fresh water around. Taking a few deep breaths, I prepared to dive back down, only to feel a presence at my back.
Ever since I started eating those cursed gummis, my senses have expanded to a supernatural degree. I intuitively knew my surroundings at all times, and if someone who was aiming to harm me was close, I could detect them, too. The range of this ability was quite short, but it has saved me before. I knew he was fast approaching, and I could feel the water around me being disrupted. I tried to dodge their initial charge, but they were too fast! I could feel them cut my side, and I turned around to see the culprit, a Golisopod.
"You'll pay for destroying my ship, you saboteur!" He yelled, attacking in a peculiar, X-shaped pattern with his arms. The hit caused me to flinch in pain, and then I knew what it was – an X-Scissor. Not only did this Pokemon have the mobility advantage, but he had the type advantage as well. I needed to think fast!
One way to neutralize the first of those two assets would be to create an artificial platform. I lost count of all the TMs I helped pilfer and used during my time with Cacturne, but I knew that an Ice-type move would be the easiest route. Creating a platform with Ice Beam would take too much time to set up, but I knew I had Blizzard. I lept out of the water and used it, the water around me freezing in an instant. Golisopod was fast enough to avoid its expanding area of effect, but it didn't matter, as I didn't intend to hit him at all.
I landed on my makeshift platform, waiting for Golisopod to surface. The second he did, I shot a few Bubble Beams at him. I didn't modify them to pierce the skin, as I didn't wish to kill this innocent Pokemon, but I was still surprised to see that the shots didn't even cause him to budge. His carapace must be especially hard! He finally emerged, struggling to keep his balance on the slippery ice while I tried to think of what else I could do.
I decided to fire an Energy Ball at them. The green mass of energy travelled towards Golisopod, impacting them and nearly causing them to fall over. Unfortunately, they kept their balance and advanced towards me, although I did see a few burns on them. It wasn't enough to do substantial damage, but it worked. Thankfully, they were far slower out of the water than in it, allowing me to dodge their claws with ease.
This battle was going to be a slog to complete, and to make matters worse, he could be holding me up just to make sure Asana got away. Since he knew I was the one who sank the ship, it must've meant that she both detected me and warned the crew! I looked into my bag, hoping I could find something to help me out against this threat.
There were a couple Blinker Seeds, a couple Eyedrop Seeds I packed in case I needed to snipe someone, my Mach Ribbon and Scope Lens, some Heal Seeds, some Orans, a Vile Seed I packed back on the Sand Continent as an emergency contingency plan, a Quick Seed, a few Sleep Seeds, and some Rainy Orbs. I could've used the Blinker Seeds to blind Golisopod and swim away, but he was too fast, and unlike me, the salty water of the sea was his natural home – he could breathe underwater for as long as he wanted. My best bet was to use a Sleep Seed, then unload everything I had upon him.
I threw one at him, only for it to be slashed out of the air by his claws. Golisopod seemed to be aware enough to counter any items I threw at him, but I knew of a way to negate that advantage of his.
I ducked under my opponent's claws as he swung at me, and then shot a Water Gun at his eyes, blinding him. I threw another Sleep Seed at him, and with no way for him to detect it, he couldn't counter it. As he dozed off, I distanced myself from him and began charging up one Energy Ball after another, bombaring him with all of the power I could unleash. Unfortunately, it barely hurt him. I only had one idea left, and if it didn't work, I'd be forced to truly harm him.
He woke up, and I shot an Ice Beam at him. It, much like most of my other attacks, hardly phased him. Golisopod aimed his claws at me, and from them, he shot out some form of projectile. I rolled out of the way of most of them, but a few managed to hit me. They stung like heck, and that was when I recognized them – they were Pin Missiles. Cacturne used that move a lot, usually aiming at the eyes of his opponents. He cared a lot about me, but I won't deny that he was a dirty fighter.
Golisopod charged towards me, and I lept right over his head in an attempt to dodge. However, he was quick enough to react to this, and slashed at me while I was in mid-air.
As I landed, I felt pain build up. I'd be a goner if I got hit a couple more times! I had to end this fast, and realistically, there were only two options. I could either use my Vile Seed, which was a vital resource that I only had one of, or resort to fighting lethally – my Bubble Beams could be modified to pierce through flesh, but that carried the risk of my opponent dying. I decided that spending a valuable resource would be preferrable to causing a fatality, and I began to shoot more Water Guns towards my opponent's eyes.
He blocked most of them with his claws, but he let one slip through, blinding him once again. I threw my Vile Seed at him from the side, as to throw him off even more, and it hit him perfectly. He began to sway unsteadily, most likely due to the nausea it induced, and I began to unload everything I had upon him. The first Energy Ball knocked him off of his feet. The second and third only added to his level of injury. He was badly hurt by this, but instead of running away as his kind usually did after such a beating, he merely got up and stared at me.
I could recognize the look in his eyes. It's the same look Cacturne had whenever he was faced with someone he perceived as a threat to him or myself. He wasn't one to revel in death, but he held no mercy for those who endangered our lives.
Golisopod broke through the icy platform I made, diving under the water. It was then that I thanked myself for consuming all those Gummis – I could feel him swimming right under me, and knowing he was going to try something, I lept out of the way. He emerged, breaking through more of the ice. The chunk I was on was barely large enough to support me now. Unfortunately, I slipped and fell into the water, where my opponent was at his strongest.
I felt a great deal of dread, floating in the water like a sitting Ducklett. Golisopod's sense of duty overcame his natural cowardice, and I was right where he wanted me! I didn't have the time to climb back onto what ice remained, and if I didn't do something, I'd be badly injured or worse! I only had one option left. I turned towards the direction where I could feel him approaching from, and as soon as he was close enough, I fired a single Bubble Beam at his skull. He was stopped in his tracks instantly, and his motionless body began to float up towards the surface.
I felt a wave of nausea and guilt envelop my being as I got back up onto the ice and struggled not to hurl. I just killed someone, and I hated that fact with every fiber of my being. I knew that if I didn't shoot him right then that I could've perished myself. I was aware that I was acting in self-defense, but it still felt wrong to me. He could've seen me as a threat to his crewmates, and only attacked me to protect them. Asana had more than enough time to fill his head with lies.
Now, I needed to figure out how to escape this situation and continue my pursuit. Team Yin-Yang were most likely alive, given how Golisopod said Asana warned everyone about me. If there were any spare lifeboats, they'd be the easiest way out of this situation. Thankfully, the ship was sinking rather slowly. It would've been a much faster process if I wasn't interrupted and was able to shoot more holes into it, but this was actually to my advantage.
I expelled roots from my hands – the same ones I used to perform Giga Drain with, and began to climb on board. As soon as I was on the deck, I took out my spyglass and looked around. The lifeboats weren't too far away, and on one of them, I saw my targets. They were within sniping distance. I could easily end their lives now, but I didn't know how much time I had left to secure my escape route. So, instead, I turned my attention to finding a lifeboat, and to my luck, there was one left.
I deployed it and I began to follow the others, making sure I was at a great distance from them. I still felt sick from what I had to do earlier, but I knew I just had to live with it. As soon as everyone got to land, I'd trail Asana and her partner until I could find a good vantage point. Then, ending their lives would be as simple as sniping them.
Landing
Meanwhile, on one of the lifeboats...
"Hey, Asana, thanks for the warning," Gurdurr said to me. "Even after I verified who you and Tubby were, I still distrusted you a bit. If it weren't for you and the Captain, I would've lost some of my friends."
I kept my composure, simply nodding at him. "Thank you," I replied. "We're lucky in many ways. We're pretty close to our original destination, and everyone else made it out okay. However, the Captain hasn't come back yet. Do you think he's alright?"
"He's a stubborn fighter when it comes to us or his ship," Gurdurr responded. "He treated the Scrambled Egg like it was his child. The only reason why the ship's Water-types didn't join him against the guy who sank it is because it'd go against his wishes."
"He understood what being a proper leader is," Makuhita butted in. "Being in command isn't a right, it's a duty. It was his duty to keep everyone organized and in shape, and to defend those under him. It's just like how a father's job is to protect and guide his children, or a king's task to keep his subjects safe and land afloat." I should've been surprised at Makuhita acting mature for once, but I knew this wasn't the first time this had happened. I could tell that Gurdurr was shocked, however. Then, as soon as my partner finished speaking, he dug into his bag and began to chow down on some food, ignorant to the wisdom he had laid upon us.
I tried to sense the Auras all around me in an attempt to see how the Captain was doing, but there were two things that concerned me. The first was that his Aura was completely gone – the ship was now at the furthermost edges of my Sensing range, and I should've been able to detect him. The second thing was that Lombre's was gone, too. There were only a few possibilities.
The first was that both of them had somehow moved away from the ship. The second was that they somehow achieved a mutual kill on each other, but the third was the most concerning:
The third scenario was that Golisopod was dead, and Lombre had somehow escaped the wreckage of the ship. I thought back to both when I detected him, and the time I apprehended Thievul. Both times, I had seen through their Sneak Scarves at relatively close range, but I doubt I could do so at longer distances. He could be hiding in any of the lifeboats. The only good news is that we were in a large group, which would disincentivize him from attacking us directly.
All I could do was keep up my guard, for everyone's sakes.
Some time later, in Salzland...
Well, we finally made it to Salzland. The buildings looked to be made for practicality instead of beauty. They were composed of sturdy brick, but oddly enough, the homes were higher than what I was used to seeing in most towns in this world. The doorways looked like they were made to fit giants! The locals were pretty understanding of what happened and were disappointed – they knew the Scrambled Egg and its crew well enough from the years they've traded with each other. Assy and I made our way to the local inn, which was staffed by a Pokemon that towered over me.
They were pretty blocky-looking. Their shoulders and the tips of their limbs were white, but the rest were shades of brown. I was in awe at the size of this dude! My focus was broken as they finally spoke.
"What can I help you two with?" They said, clearly having a girl's voice... Wait, this one's a chick? I wish I knew how to tell the difference!
"We wish to stay the night here," Asana said, slipping some Poke to her. "Also, we need to ask a few questions. We aren't exactly natives to the Grass Continent."
"Sure thing! What can I help you with?" They replied. I wracked my brain to try to remember their species. It was a Garga... something.
Oh, right. It's a Garganacl.
"Do you know of anywhere we can find work or find refuge?" Asana asked. "We were bounty hunters, but we were forced out of our homeland."
"So you're cut out to do explorer work, then?" The Garganacl replied. "I don't know about "refuge", but for work, your best bet would be the Wigglytuff Guild, but there's one tiny little problem with that..." She reached into a drawer and retrieved a map. She pointed one of her three "fingers" vaguely towards an area on the southeastern coast of what I assumed was the continent we landed on. "We're right here. The Guild is in Treasure Town, which is all the way over here." She pointed towards a location far to the northwest of where we were. "You'll have a lot of travelling ahead of you if you want to make it there."
Asana scowled at the map, seemingly frustrated by what she saw. "Damn it," she muttered. "We're going to have to halfway across the Grass Continent, just to escape Lombre's clutches? We've got our work cut out for us, Makuhita." She paused for a few moments, taking in the map's contents. "By the way, innkeeper, do you have a spare map?"
"Mhm!" The Gargnacl responded, handing Asana a map. "You two sound like you're in a lot of trouble. I do hope you make it out okay!"
"Thank you," I said. I wandered around the inn and found Doc sitting to himself, ruminating about something. I approached the Clawitzer and saw the sadness in his eyes. "What's wrong?" I asked.
He took a few seconds to register my presence, and once he did, he pointed his smaller claw away from me. "Begone," he muttered. "You and the girl have already caused enough trouble."
"What'd we do wrong?" I asked. "We weren't responsible
for the ship sinking-"
"It isn't about the ship!" Doc snapped at me. "The Captain was the one person I could put my trust in, and now he's probably dead because of you! Your partner said it herself when we landed – he's gone!"
"It wasn't just about us!" I protested. "He could've tried killing more than just Asana and I! The very reason Golisopod went to confront Lombre was to save everyone's lives."
"Yes, but if you two never joined us, he wouldn't have attacked the ship!" Doc exclaimed, anger radiating off of him. Do you have any idea how long I had sailed with the Captain? He took me in when I was a mere Clauncher, and..."
Doc simmered down, and began to cry. "You idiot," he began. "Why did you have to go on your own? I didn't join you because I knew you wouldn't want your own men in danger, and look where it got us! You're gone, and I've got no purpose left..."
I didn't know what to say. I had no idea he was that close with him. I felt kind of guilty, but then again, even Asana didn't expect Lombre to do something like this. If either of us had any sort of clue that this would happen, Doc and the Captain could've just dived down and messed him up.
As I went to bed that night, I was kept up by feelings of regret and anxiety. The former was irrational, but it still stung. How far was Lombre willing to go in order to get to us? How many will get hurt or worse, because we're not enough to stop him? It took a few hours before I finally fell asleep, and even then, the rest hardly rejuvenated me.