The Great Bulk Part 12: Behind the Mask
Prologue: Pressure
"Mark, why do you keep hiding the truth from us?" Tom asked. "You and Drew always make excuses to not go home, and I'm not the only one who notices those odd bruises you two get sometimes."
"There's nothing to talk about there," Mark replied, a bit of agitation in his voice. "We're just clumsy and get hurt a bunch."
"There you go with that same excuse," the other boy said dismissively. "If I keep pushing the topic, you'll then say something along the lines of "let's talk about it later" and never follow up. I know there's something going on at your home, and you need to talk to someone about it. You're aware that you're not the only one in our group whose parents suck, so why hide it? You've done a lot for others, so let us do something for you for a change."
Mark clenched his fists, struggling to hold in his emotions. Why did people have to be so nosy? His dad was a terrible person, but his income was what kept a roof over his family's head. There was a good reason why everyone kept quiet about it!
"Everyone thinks of me as being unbreakable," Mark muttered. "If I'm a pillar, what would happen if people saw the cracks?"
"It takes more than one pillar to hold a place up," Tom countered. "You can't hold the entire world on your shoulders."
The conversation grew silent, drawing to an awkward close.
Cracked Facade
It took a couple days of travelling, but we had finally made it to our destination: Mama Lax Inn. It was the luckiest break we had so far! Assy and I could relax for a few hours, and this was the perfect place to figure out where to go next. If lots of people come in there, then there's surely a few who know where they're going and what they're doing.
I opened the door, and the smell of food was unmistakable. It took everything I had to not break into a sprint towards the counter, but mustering all of my willpower, I paced myself, walking behind Asana as she approached it. At the other end stood a Snorlax. I knew I was a pretty big guy, but she made me look like a small fry!
She looked down at the two of us, closely examining our features. Asana stared back, her one-eyed stare looking far more intense than it should. After a few moments of tense, awkward silence, the giant lady before us broke the ice.
"So, what brings you two to my inn?" She asked. "Judging by how worn down you look, you're travellers, right?"
"Yes," Asana responded bluntly. "We came in from the south. I'm Asana, and the one beside me is my partner, Makuhita."
"Well, I'm Ana," the Snorlax replied. "I own this place. Many explorers live and work around here, taking on jobs that're left behind by other groups."
"Explorers?" My partner inquired. "If they think their jobs are rough, they should try putting up with what we had to deal with. I bet most of them wouldn't make it past their first bounty."
"Actually," Ana began, "Some of them do chase down outlaws from tim-"
"I mean pursuing criminals on the Sand Continent," Assy interrupted. "We've come close to death more times than I can count. I bet all the Pokemon here are soft." I could tell she was more agitated than normal, just from the look in her gaze. I needed to defuse this, and fast!
I gestured towards my companion. "Hey, there's no need to be wound up," I informed her. "She isn't the one causing our problems, and besides, we shouldn't be burning any bridges with the position we're in. How about we just get some food with actual flavor to it and work things out from there?"
Asana remained silent for a few moments, gathering her thoughts. "I suppose you're right," she conceded. She looked at the inn's matron, bowing her head slightly. "I apologize for my conduct," my partner said. "I'd like some tea and something to snack on, if you wouldn't mind."
"It's not that big of a deal," Ana reassured her. "We all have our streaks of bad luck. Just try to relax, it's safe here."
"Yeah, Lombre would have to wade through a whole pack of folks just to break in here!" I added, trying to calm my partner down.
"Do you really think that would stop him?" Asana replied coldly. "He hates engaging Pokemon in groups, but he always finds a way to tip things in his favor. You're a fool to think we'd be safe anywhere."
"What could he even do here?" I asked. "He obviously wasn't confident enough to fight through a whole ship's worth of sailors, so why would he suddenly change his mind and try to storm this place?
"That incident is precisely why we can't let our guard down!" Assy said, snapping at my words. "If he was willing to sink an entire cargo ship, he'd definitely burn down a building just to flush us out!"
Ana looked more and more concerned as Asana evaluated the situation. When my partner was finally done talking, Ana paused for a few moments, seemingly considering her options. "That sounds like a very dangerous situation you've found yourselves in," she observed. "Since you mentioned boarding a ship, am I right in assuming that this character pursued you from the Sand Continent?
My companion nodded, looking a bit disgruntled as this fact was mentioned to her. "He didn't only do that, but he also somehow managed to cling onto the underside of the ship we fled on for multiple days without resurfacing or being seen," she added. "Even I don't know how he performed that feat. We can't get him off of us, and it's all because he possesses one thing ordinary criminals do not."
"What would that be?" Ana asked, not understanding what Assy was getting at. Frankly, I didn't, either!
"He has conviction," Asana uttered, her tone growing grim. "He believes he's fighting for justice, or at least, justice for his former partner. Those who think they're doing the right thing will always push themselves beyond what most other Pokemon would do, and that's why we'll have to leave after we've eaten. I can't predict what he'll do to you and your patrons if you are in his way."
"I was about to get to that," Ana responded. "Those who live and work under this roof aren't clawless. You two can spend the night here, if you wish. If he's hesitant to fight Pokemon in groups, warding him off would be as simple as assigning some of the teams here to keep guard once night falls."
"It isn't as simple as that!" My partner blurted out. "I don't want anyone else taking shots for us. It's happened twice, and I'm fairly certain both the Pokemon who tried were killed. I can't live the rest of my life hiding-"
"Assy, stop it," I interrupted. "We can focus on finding a way to stop him once we're somewhere safe. For now, I've got a solution, depending on how much money we've both got."
Asana checked her funds, looking puzzled as to why I inquired about them. "I've got about 3,000, and I think eating here will cost a few hundred," she informed me. "What in the world are you plotting?"
"Well, knowing my usual food bill, I'll have about three grand at best, two and a half at worst after I'm done chowing down," I began to explain. "If we pool our money together, we can simply offer the exploration teams here the job of guarding the place for the night. We'll explain the risks, and it'll be no different from any old explorer or bounty hunting job. People know it's dangerous work, but they understand the risks and do it anyway for one reason or another. It isn't the fault of the client if they get hurt on the job; they can't control how things play out."
My companion steadied her breathing as she attempted to cool her nerves. "It'll cripple us financially, but it's the only way to soothe my conscience," she uttered. She looked at the matron of the inn, her usual calmness having returned to her for a few brief moments. "Ana, we'll pay 1,000 for each exploration team who guards the exterior of your inn for the night, up to a maximum of four," Asana offered, dictating her terms to her. "Be sure to inform them of the risk of confronting Lombre directly: he can and most likely will use lethal force if they engage him. I know the pay isn't much, but at least one team should be interested, right? We could always pay more to less teams, if it comes down to it."
The Snorlax at the other end of the counter looked perplexed. "What do you mean, the pay isn't much?" She asked. "That's about what a higher-end job would pay. Even now, we don't get those every day. Everyone here would be chomping at the bit for a task where they might not have to do anything more than stand around!"
"I think you forgot something, Assy," I added. "I remember hearing this once or twice, but doesn't bounty hunter work back on the Sand Continent pay more than compared to other places? I slept through the whole explanation as to why when you tried to tell me the reason, but don't tell me our successes have blinded you to how much our work is worth!"
Asana rubbed her head, looking embarassed. "Oh, right the ETF operates on this continent," she replied. "They're probably taking so much from those who live here that our paltry payments sound like a fortune to them."
ETF... Where did I hear that acronym before? I tried to figure that mystery out, dredging through my muddled memories for at least a minute before Asana slapped me, snapping me out of my trance.
"Don't just stare off into space, you moron!" She scolded. "We need to get to a table! Do I have to carry you myself?"
"Nope!" I exclaimed as I hopped up from my seat, following my partner to our destination. Once we sat, I asked the question that was on my mind.
"What's an "ETF?"" I queried. "I think you used that term around me a couple times before, but I always forget about it."
Assy groaned, steadying herself before she was tempted to strike me again. "It's the Exploration Team Federation. Since we're in their territory now, you need to be aware of them, and this time, don't zone out!"
"The ETF are bunch of bureaucrats who run things related to exploration
and bounty hunting teams, and they're entrenched here on the Grass Continent," Asana told me, carefully watching me in case I decided to start dozing off again. "They've extended their reach to most parts of the globe, but they've had a terrible time back home. They are not trusted by most of the population there, and it is for many good reasons."
"Firstly, why are they even trying to expand their influence outside of their homeland?" My companion asked. "Why does a singular, distant organization want to meddle with another land's affairs? Do they want power? Influence? The more greedy Pokemon don't like the idea of being smothered with taxes, fines, and bureaucracy, but it's more than that. They've screwed up more times than anyone can count, and that's ignoring what happened to Adnan! There's a reason why many teams refuse to work with those sponsored by them!"
"Uh, who's Adnan?" I questioned.
"He was a famous bounty hunter. The story would take too long to explain," Assy responded. "Anyway, since you were too occupied to order your food, I told them to give you a giant stack of pancakes. I decided to play it safe."
I was astounded! I would've totally requested those, if I wasn't so busy thinking! "How did you know that's what I wanted?" I asked. "That's like, the perfect food for when you want to stuff your face and get your mind off of things!"
"After working with you for this long, I've noticed numerous little quirks of yours, even some that you yourself don't know of," Asana explained. "However, there's one that's been bugging me."
"I'm not lying to you, if that's what you're worrying about," I blatantly fibbed. She was most likely going to ask personal questions again, and I knew the perfect method to deal with those. I can just make up a bullshit story about how I lost my memory, and she'll get hung up on how blatantly fake it is and forget why she even started the conversation in the first place! It's worked a bajillion times, and she doesn't even notice why I'm bluffing!
"It's about your Aura," my partner began. "There's a certain part of it that is unique to a Pokemon's species. The best word I'd use to approximate it would be "texture" or something similar. You could bring in a Meditite that is completely the opposite of me in terms of temperament and personality, and the textures of our Auras would be the same. This is where yours is an anomaly. It is completely different compared to any Makuhita I've seen, thus implying that you are not what you appear to be in some manner. In fact, it's unlike any other I've encountered." She looked me in the eyes, sending a shiver down my spine. "Be serious with me for once and tell me the truth."
"I know you're hiding things from me," Asana said accusingly, trying to dig deeper into my psyche. "You've been acting bizarre from the moment I met you. You use idioms and sayings I don't understand. You refuse to tell me where you come from. Closing me off is counter-intuitive towards our survival. If we can't trust each other, then how do we expect to get out of our troubles alive?"
This was bad. There was no way to weasel my way out of this one, and there was nothing I could use to distract her. I held my breath, sweat dripping down my head as I struggled to find the right words to use.
"It'd be easier to believe any lies I cook up than to know the genuine truth about what I am," I deflected, trying to keep my courage in the face of my own partner's doubts and distrust. Even before I was taken to this world, I've faced many people head-on, but the feeling of having to fight against someone I cared for was an unique type of terror that was alien to me up until this point.
"I've been around you long enough to know that you'd just think I'm fibbing again if I bore my heart to you," I continued, attempting to justify myself. "It'd be simpler to leave the mysteries surrounding me unanswered, and to just treat me as the dodgy foreigner who can never keep a straight story about himself. Why don't we just forget about all this and enjoy ourselves when our food comes? We probably won't get a chance to relax like this again any time soon."
Asana glared at me, causing me to flinch. "What do you mean by "what I am?"" She asked, her reply feeling like a dagger pointed towards my throat. If I made one wrong move, I'd be done.
It wasn't my fault that I slipped up and used "what" instead of "who"! Assy was stressing me out! I fidgeted, trying to steady myself and not wilt under pressure. "If you were in the position I'm in, you'd be cagey, too!" I exclaimed. "How about you try spending a day in my shoes, instead of asking questions you aren't prepared for the answers to?"
"Do you really think I'm not ready?" My partner said, her tone scolding and harsh. "You're treating me like I'm fresh out of the egg! Why is it that you trust me with my life, but you can't trust me with the truth about yourself? Are you running from something? Are you ashamed of your past actions?"
In all honesty, that assessment was wrong, but I still was speechless. I couldn't keep up this argument forever, but just as Assy was about to start talking again, I was saved by the bell.
Our food arrived. Oddly enough, I wasn't even feeling hungry anymore, but I ate anyway. It was better to stuff my face than to succumb to her uncomfortable line of questioning.
The Sign
I knew I screwed up. I was too forceful and accusatory in my questioning, and it perturbed Makuhita up to the point where he was eating far slower than he normally would have. Yet, even then, there was a single, important lead that he gave me:
He slipped up and confirmed that he wasn't what he looked to be. There could be a number of possibilities.
The most immediate theory was he could be a ghost or a Ghost-type possessing a Pokemon, but a scenario like that lasting for months was very unlikely.
To further investigate this first hypothesis, I checked his Aura again, scrutinizing its every last detail. Since Aura stems from the soul, there might be two distinct Aura signatures if spectral activity was involved. Perhaps the host's would be muffled if their body was being controlled forcefully, but these were all merely theories without a shred of experience to back them up.
My partner only possesed a single signature, most likely ruling out the possession theory, save for one grisly possibility: what if he was a corpse being puppeted? I immediately knew that was false, since he never decayed, nor was he cold to the touch. Thus, the most immediate possibilities were struck out.
My mind was clouded with thoughts as I tried to brainstorm a solution to the puzzle I was presented. I was so preoccupied, that I wasn't even drinking my tea! After minutes of sorting through the chaff of my conscious mind, I came across one last idea:
What if Makuhita wasn't a Pokemon at all? It was the most outlandish idea of them all, yet it made the most sense. It was in the way he acted, and the terms he used. One might dismiss the reason as him not being from the Sand Continent at first, but there was a tiny, subtle aspect to his vocabulary that propped up my theory.
I don't remember him using the term "Pokemon" to refer to individuals even once, both in the singular and plural. He always used terms like "person", "people", "guys", and so on. It carried the implication that we were all alien and foreign to him in some way.
It threw me for a loop, making my head spin in a way that felt overwhelming. If my partner wasn't a Pokemon, then what was he? I was finally beginning to understand what he meant by his earlier warnings. They intially sounded like desperate pleas for me to stop digging, but now, I knew that it really would be simpler to blind myself to the truth.
I couldn't abide by his request. I refused to take the easiest path, both out of principle and concern for him. If he truly was one of a kind in an unknown realm, then that means he had no one to relate or turn to. Even for someone as chipper as he usually was, it would be a great burden for anyone to bear. He felt more like family to me than those who shared blood with me, and it pained me to know that he thought he couldn't trust me to shoulder whatever pain he was enduring.
The concept of a being that wasn't a Pokemon felt familiar, but I couldn't quite remember where I heard something like that before. Maybe it was in a story I heard or read a long time ago?
At least my path forward was clear for the moment. I took a sip of my tea, and to my misfortune, it went cold. Not wanting to waste it, I continued to drink it, all the while slowly eating away at a food item I had never seen before. It was flaky and the shape of it was odd, bearing resemblance to a crescent moon. I'd have to ask what this was called after we were done eating.
Time passed, and soon, our meal was done. Yet, just as we were about to get up, a figure burst through the front doors of the inn. My tired mind registered their two most notable attributes first, being their height and their green color. I froze for a moment, instinctually thinking it was Lombre, but then my brain finally caught up to my eyes, revealing that it was a Sceptile instead. He look worn down and fatigued, and I could tell by the look in his eyes that he was by no means unused to hardship.
Trailing behind him was a Shinx that, in a surreal twist, was practically his opposite. They were young and wide-eyed, soaking in everything around them like a sponge. She had a lot of energy to them, even though she looked like she was put through the same wringer as her partner was.
The Sceptile turned around, looking down at his companion. "Sara, could you tell Nonna to fix my usual? I'm going to fall over if I don't find somewhere to sit."
"Got it!" The Shinx exclaimed, running off towards her destination. Meanwhile, the other newcomer sat at our table, staring intensely at the both of us for a few moments. Was he appraising us, judging us, or doing something else all together?
"You two look like crap," the Sceptile muttered. "Did you two run a marathon to get here?"
"It's worse than that," I replied. "We were chased here."
"How far?" He asked.
"We came from the Sand Continent," I said. "We crashed at Salzland."
"You ran all the way here?" the Sceptile asked. "It isn't often I see Pokemon with luck that's as rotten as mine."
He let that statement hang in the air for a few moments, giving me plenty of time to absorb the implications of it.
"I'm Jung," he stated, introducing himself. "The Shinx that was with me is Sara. She should be coming back any minute now."
"I'm Asana, and the idiot with me is Makuhita," I told him. "He's a handful sometimes, but he's reliable."
"I could say about the same," my partner chimed in, his response less enthusiastic than it normally would've been. "It's just part of learning to live with people, though."
At this moment, I could hear the sound of footsteps, someone fast approaching. I looked towards the source, and it was our guest's companion.
"Everything's ready!" Sara exclaimed, as she sat down with us. She looked us over for a few moments, humming to herself. "You guys look tough! What brings you here?" She asked.
"Have Asana explain it," Makuhita mumbled. Where was his energy; his verve? Did our argument really shake him up that badly?
"Alright," I replied. I gave the two Pokemon at our table a concise explanation of what brought us here. I wasn't as animated or descriptive as my companion would've been, but I think I communicated what they needed to know well enough.
As I finished, I noted the sheer difference between the two's reactions. Sara was nervous, meanwhile Jung's reaction was unique. Most Pokemon would panic, be anxious, or prepare to fight back, but his response was most similar to outlaws I've seen who knew they were about to suffer through a beatdown. It was a look that said "suffering is inevitable for me", and he looked braced to take it all. It seemed instinctual and ingrained, supporting his assertion that he wasn't the most fortunate of individuals. Just how often did misfortune strike?
"You've got to be kidding me," the Sceptile complained. "Your personal stalker is deranged enough to burn down the inn? I don't feel like getting burnt to a crisp, so there better be a plan to make sure he doesn't come within a mile of here."
"There is a plan," I told him, trying to calm him down. "I'm paying the exploration teams here to keep guard for the night. The reward is one grand per team, and up to a maximum of four groups can sign up."
Jung almost stared through me after I said that. I could feel the skepticism and the scrutiny he was putting us under. "How exactly are you able to afford that while you're on the run?" He asked. "That's a lot of money to be carrying around casually."
"Bounty hunting on the Sand Continent is lucrative like that," I stated. "It's extremely dangerous work, and a lot of Pokemon aren't cut out for it. The droves of foreigners who tried and failed to start careers there can testify to that fact."
"Oh, I see!" The Sceptile stated. "It isn't every day free money comes walking through the door-"
"Don't get ahead of yourself," I said scoldingly. "I can tell you're eager to earn your paycheck, but Lombre is more dangerous than he looks. He isn't the strongest, but he's extremely cunning and adaptable. There's a dozen ways sentry duty could go wrong. He could lure you away and pick you off, or he could just shoot at you from a distance. His Bubble Beams can pierce through flesh; it'd be trivial for him to end the lives of anyone who lowers their guard."
The Sceptile remained silent, looking deep in thought. "Of course there's a catch," he mused. He looked down towards Sara for a moment, giving her a stern look. "I'm taking the job, but you're going to be staying inside. This is too dangerous for you."
"You take me on all your other jobs, though!" She protested. "I don't wanna leave you alone! What if you get hurt?"
"This criminal is more violent than the ones we usually get," Jung told Sara. "You're too young to throw your life away against someone who won't hesitate to gun you down. Plus, I'm more equipped to handle this than you are. Even if I had to fight him, I'd be fast enough to dodge whatever he's throwing out."
"I wouldn't be so sure about that," I warned him. "Lombre used to be a sniper, and he's got nerves of steel."
"Sniping is different from shooting at close range," Jung noted. "If I'm close, he won't have nearly as much time to aim. Tell me, how long has he been a problem?"
"In terms of violent crime, he's only been active for a bit over a year," I said.
"I see. I've got a plan," he replied. "I'll alert everyone to keep an eye out for him, in case he attempts to shoot at us from long range. If he does, most of the Pokemon standing guard will retreat inside, while one or two of us feign doing the same. It'll either be me doing so alone, or me and..."
Jung trailed off, groaning to himself. I could detect a brief spike of hostility in his Aura as he breathed in deeply. "It'll be me and Gaston's lackey, since she's the only other individual here that immediately comes to mind when stealth is involved."
"Who're you talking about?" I asked.
"All you need to know is that Gaston's a prick, and his sidekick has an ego that's large enough to blot out the sun," he informed me. "As I was saying, if Lombre approaches, those of us who remained outside will jump him. The vantage point will probably be from the roof."
"I doubt he'd fall for such a basic trick," I told him. "That'd be the first place he looks."
"Even if he does, I've got years of experience over him," Jung countered. "I won't go down easily."
"Just don't get too cocky," I admonished him. "He'll take advantage of that."
He simply nodded, finishing off our conversation. Meanwhile, Sara's eyes lingered on Makuhita. "Hey, big guy, are you okay?" She asked. "You don't look like you're doing too well."
"I'm alright," my partner responded, trying his best to make it sound like nothing was wrong with him. "We're just going through some rough times right now." He stared at the young Shinx, and following his gaze, I spotted something very conspicuous.
On her scarf was a strange badge. It vaguely resembled a clover, but it had four leaves instead of three. The concept sounded familiar, and thinking back, I remembered my time in Redkiln. Espathra had spoken of something just like this in the future she saw for the two of us.
I pointed towards the badge, focusing my gaze upon it. "What is that thing?" I asked. "Aren't clovers supposed to have only three leaves?"
"Usually, they do," my partner responded. "However, at least where I come from, they rarely have four or more. It's supposed to be a sign of good luck."
"Oh, do you like my badge?" Sara asked. "The explorers who work here all have it. It means we're affiliated with the Clover Guild!"
"Wait, "Clover Guild"?" Makuhita replied. "We're headed to the Wigglytuff one, which is supposed to be in some place called Treasure Town. Just how many of these kinds of places are there?"
"They crop up when there's a need for them," I informed him. "Although, where is this place you're talking about, little one?"
The Shinx paused, struggling to remember the answer.
"They're in Capim Town," Jung told us, mercifully sparing his partner from any potential embarassment. "The odd thing about it is that Capim and Treasure Town are only a couple of days away from each other if you're on the road. I don't get why the Clover guys started their own thing so close to such an established name, but it seems to be working out fine for them."
This was interesting. He implied that the Clover Guild was the younger of the two entities, which begged the question as to why Espathra's vision pointed towards it. A "four-leaf mark" isn't exactly a common occurence, at least where I came from.
I looked at my partner, thinking about how to best phrase my words. "I think we should change our destination for Capim," I told him.
"How come?" Makuhita questioned. "Jung makes it sound like the Wigglytuff Guild is older, which means they've probably got more experience and resources. We can't afford to gamble in the condition we're in, and you told me yourself that I should stop being so reckless after the time I nearly got shivved to death."
"Yes, but we'd more likely to be accepted by the other guild," I countered. "If they're making connections as far away as here, then that means they're looking to expand. There's also a second reason, but you'd probably call me crazy if I said it to your face." That was a sentiment I felt truthfully about, but I wanted to speak out about what Espathra said for a reason. It wasn't just about following her advice: I figured that by trusting Makuhita with such a bizarre topic, he'd become less wary about sharing the truth about himself with me.
"Oh, really?" He asked. "Lay it on me."
"I don't think you'd remember much of Redkiln because of what Espathra put you through, but she read our futures while we were there," I reminded him. "Most of it has come to pass, but there's one final thing she told me:
"Once you find the four-leaf mark, you will know you have made it to safety," I repeated. "That badge is so conspicuous in shape that I can't ignore it."
My partner shook his head. "What makes you think it'll come true?" He replied. "We found the damned mark, yet Lombre's still hovering over our heads, and that isn't even including what I just told you: we can't afford to make risky decisions like this. We should stick with the folks that're established and know what they're doing."
Jung tapped his fingers on the table, watching the two of us debate. "I don't want to butt in, but there's a bit of a hole in your plan," he chimed in. "The Wigglytuff Guild has a pretty high bar for entry. You most likely won't be able to get in."
Makuhita frowned, taking in the Sceptile's dose of harsh realism. "I get your point, but I'm still standing by what I say," he said, reaffirming his decision. "However, since the two guilds are so close, we can do Capim as a back-up plan."
"That sounds reasonable enough," I responded. "So, with that out of the way, what should we do until night falls?"
"That's a pretty simple question to answer," my partner told me. "I can tell these two about what we got up to back in the Sand Continent. I know the little one will certainly enjoy it."
Sara nodded vigorously, beaming with excitement at Makuhita's offer. "Yes, please!" She exclaimed. The amount of energy she had now almost felt overwhelming, but I did my best to tolerate it. She was young, and it was best for her to enjoy these years of her life while she could.
Makuhita began to narrate a few stories from what seemed like distant, better days to me now, the time seeming to melt away. Mercifully, we both slept well that night.
Aces and Eights
Multiple decades ago...
A Gallade towered over Lombre, who was shaking lightly. Burning eyes bored into his very soul, almost forcing him into place through sheer willpower alone. "Did you really think you could cheat my friends at poker and get away with it?" The Gallade accused. "I've heard whispers all about you from them. How many rackets have you set up at this point, you conniving little thief?"
It only looked as though Lombre was mildly perturbed, but behind the false face he wore, he was terrified. He took pride in his ability to swindle others, but this time, he flew too close to the sun. In truth, he played fairly against this Pokemon's fellow gang members, but the man before him wasn't particularly known for being cool-headed.
"Why would I take the risk of cheating against those with ties to organized crime?" He said quietly, trying to defuse the situation. "That is too large of a risk for me to take. The reason why I won was simple: they were used to a conventional battlefield, but not the arena of the mind. Poker is a game of psychology, Gallade. To truly thrive in that world, one must cultivate a perfect mask that must be worn at all times. It takes years for most Pokemon to craft one."
Gallade raised an arm-blade, growing only more agitated from Lombre's retort. "Do you really think I'll believe that crappy little excuse?" He asked, his breathing picking up in rate. "Why would I ever trust the word of an honorless slimeball like you? I'll cut you to ribbons and make an example out of you, wretch!"
He swung his natural weapon, aiming towards Lombre's head, but luckily, the latter blocked the hit with his left arm. The attack left a huge gash travelling down, forever serving as a reminder of what he was about to go through.
Even though Lombre wasn't a fighter himself, he reacted quickly, reaching into a pocket and retrieving a handful of Blast Seed powder. He threw it towards his would-be assailant's eyes and blinded him, using the window of opportunity it provided him to barge out of the building he was in and escape.
He ran, praying that he could shake Gallade off of his trail. He thought of who or where he could go to.
His family? No, that'd put all of them in danger. The man after him had many friends. They could make their lives miserable.
His friends? That wouldn't work. He knew he couldn't hide behind them again, because it'd just get them hurt. His mind drifted towards one natural conclusion:
He had to gain as much distance as he could from those that threatened him. He decided to take a gamble and went towards the docks, thankful that his home was a port town. If he could stow away on a boat, he could get miles away from them with minimal effort on his part. He'd have to hide, but luckily for him, that was something he was good at!
He made it to his destination, and to his dismay, there was only a single cargo ship at the moment. Mercifully, there weren't any eyes guarding it at the moment, so climbing on-board was trivial for him. Luck had smiled on him today!
At least, that's what he thought back then.
What he didn't know was that the boat was on a course for the Sand Continent. He'd soon find himself in a foriegn land, forced to fend for himself. To everyone else, it looked as though he had vanished into thin air.
Roadblock
I looked through my spyglass at the building Asana was staying in. It was most likely an inn of some sort, and judging by all of the Pokemon surrounding it, she alerted them to my presence. Even if I was in good enough condition to fight her, I still wouldn't be able to fight through an entire building's worth of individuals. She was either overly paranoid, or rattled from me sinking the ship she was on. Regardless of what the truth was, it was clear that she felt vulnerable. There should've been a sense of satisfaction, but in truth, my heart was devoid of emotions on the matter. She wasn't gone yet, so why bother celebrating now?
Out of the many Pokemon guarding the inn, three of them attracted my attention. The first was a Sceptile. He didn't look too remarkable on the surface, but there was a sharpness to his eyes. If everyone outside were explorers, that told me something about this person: he was either confident enough to work alone, or his allies were inside the building. Either way, he was more dangerous than he looked if he was willing to eschew a partner.
The other two were a Garchomp and a Leafeon standing watch together. The former had quite a bit of brawn to them, while the other had a lot of confidence to them. Was it because they were experienced, or was it because their bravado was misplaced? From my position, I couldn't tell the difference.
The rest weren't of too much note. I doubted that any of the guards would leave their posts to pursue me, so I retreated further into the woods surrounding the back of the inn. I found myself a nice, tall tree to climb up. With a good vantage point and the leaves serving as good camoflauge, I dozed off.
My sleep was brief and dreadful. I exclusively had nightmares, some of them pertaining to how I was forced to leave my home. My family probably thought I was dead, and frankly, I couldn't help but agree with them. I've murdered those who've done no wrong, even though I acted in self-defense. The only reason why I powered through these feelings of guilt was for Cacturne's sake. Once I completed my task, I'd have nothing more to fight for and I could finally get what I deserved.
I heard something and jolted awake. I was too high up to feel the presence of any hostiles on the ground, but from experience, I knew someone was approaching me. I looked down and saw a Leafeon taking aim at me. She fired a bundle of razor-sharp leaves up towards my location, forcing me to leap to a different spot on my resting place! I adeptly climbed down, taking a few hits on the way, and it was when I was on the forest floor that I fully recognized who had pursued me:
It was that Leafeon from earlier; one of the three dangerous ones! If I wasn't a light sleeper, she would have succeeded in her ambush, but no one knew me as well as I knew myself. Before one is to know one's enemies, they must know themselves.
"So, did that wake you up?" She taunted. "I honestly don't get why everyone's so worked up about you, Mr. Mid-Life Crisis!"
My opponent charged towards me, finally revealing her character: she had the confidence of a fool, and not a veteran. If Asana told her anything about me, she should've known this was one of the worst mistakes to make. I simply lined up my aim and shot a thin column of ice into her face, stopping her in her tracks.
"Why did you even bother to ambush me?" I asked. "I don't have the time to deal with imbeciles like you. You aren't my enemy, so can you please just go away?"
"Why would I miss out on an opportunity like you?" The Leafeon replied, as soon as she recovered. "I'm already going to get a lot of money from guarding the inn, and whatever payout I get from capturing you will only make things even better!"
That woman was so full of herself. Why did I have to be saddled with fighting an obnoxious individual like her? I fired a couple more shots at her, but this time, she was nimble enough on her feet to evade them. She lunged towards me, clearly aiming to bite me, but I decided to punish her again.
I side-stepped out of the way of her attack, roots beginning to grow from one of my hands. It was a unique way of manifesting Giga Drain which came with a simple, useful benefit: I used it to grab her and throw her to the ground, then firing a couple more Ice Beams into her as she struggled to react.
I was ready to throw her again, but a razor-sharp leaf came into existence,
cutting her free. She scrambled up and made some distance between the two of us, and it was then that I noticed something odd:
Her body language and the look in her eyes had changed. She practically exuded arrogance before, but now, she seemed far more cautious. She was actually bothering to keep an eye on my movements.
She changed her approach to attacking me as well. Instead of fighting in close range, she was now firing leaves towards me. From the aura around them, I could tell precisely what move she was utilizing.
She was using Magical Leaf. That attack is known for homing in on opponents, which meant that she was most likely trying to whittle me down gradually for now. I wasn't a particularly sturdy opponent, so I knew I could succumb to death by a thousand cuts. She was too alert to get any free shots on, either, so I had to come up with a decent plan if I were to prevail.
I quickly came up with an idea that wasn't perfect, but could easily give me a cheap shot or two. I fired another Ice Beam at the Leafeon, predicting the trajectory she'd travel in when she dodged. Once she landed, I activated a trap:
The grass around her feet began to grow and contort, taking a shape that'd force her to trip. Grass Knot wasn't exactly a hard-hitting move, but it was good for taking others off-guard. Yet, to my surprise, she saw what was forming and moved out of its way. Why didn't she take me seriously from the beginning?
If traps didn't work, I only had one solution left: I needed to fight recklessly. I charged closer towards my opponent, braving the attacks she dealt out. Once I was close enough, the air around me became deathly cold as I utilized Blizzard to freeze her projectiles, making them fall to the ground like puppets without strings.
Once I was close enough, I lashed out at her with my roots. She dodged them, knowing what they were now, but there was a single fact that she was ignorant of.
I could control each root as if it were an extension of myself. The whip-like implements suddenly changed course and grabbed the Leafeon by one of her torso, giving me the chance I needed!
I fired more beams into her. She was visibly gritting her teeth due to the pain I was putting her through. She cut herself free again, but this time, she looked heavily worn down. It was sheer willpower that was keeping her standing at this point.
"Damn it, you really are no joke," the Leafeon muttered. "You keep adapting to everything I throw at you, so I figure it's about time to quit playing around. I'm going to give you a single chance: either surrender now and come into my custody, or I'll use my ultimate attack on you. You won't survive it."
I scanned my foe for any indication that she was lying. I've spent most of my life deceiving others, so there was hardly anything that could get past me: any changes in facial features or body language would out her threat as a bluff, but to my surprise, there were none. Either she was entirely confident in her gambit, certain that her hypothetical lie would hold up to scrutiny, or somehow had a mask as flawless as mine. Considering her prior behavior, I doubted the last scenario.
"I can't do that," I responded. "Even if I didn't have my mission to complete, Cacturne would be disappointed in me if he knew I threw in the towel early."
The Leafeon snickered, clearly amused at my firm, yet defiant declaration. "Hey, it's your funeral we're talking about, not mine!" She exclaimed, as an orangeish-red glow began to surround her. It began to grow in intensity, much like a second sun, and I thought about my options. It would be risky to try and evade an attack whose nature I was unaware with, but it seemed like the only option for me. It was when I was about ready to commit to that path that I noticed the tiniest of details in her behavior.
She wasn't moving an inch. She was just standing there, charging up her technique. Just like before, the best option was to charge through the trials she presented to me. I fired an Ice Beam straight at her, but she remained standing. I shot another, and she flinched, although she still wouldn't fall. It wa when I fired my third that the energy surrounding her split off, forming a large ball of heat and energy.
It promptly flew up into the sky, avoiding me all together. That was no offensive maneuver: it was Sunny Day. It was a bizarre choice to use for a last stand.
My opponent collapsed to the ground, finally unable to bear any more abuse. I walked up to her and prepared to restrain her, but there was something that gave me pause: she was grinning at me. It felt as though she was finding humor at a joke that I was unaware of, which brought something to my attention.
Why would she use that move as her last resort? It couldn't damage me any, and I highly doubt a Pokemon like her used fire in any way, shape or form. I looked up at the construct, and it was then that I realized what she was doing:
It was large, shining, and attention-grabbing. It wasn't a way to bolster her own power! It was a signal!
A single bead of sweat ran down my forehead, all the while that Leafeon was cackling like a witch. "Oh, so you finally get it?" She asked. "You're screwed! I might be defeated, but you're gonna be cooked alive, and there isn't a thing you can do about it!"
I breathed heavily, mentally preparing myself to fight another opponent. I was already tired from my prior travels, and using Blizzard like I did earlier took a lot out of me. I could probably only use it safely one more time. If she really was working with that Garchomp, I couldn't afford to stay around.
Conveniently, the Leafeon fell unconscious. My escape would be trivial at this point. I turned to leave, but before I could, I felt someone behind me. I moved out of the way, a bladed leaf grazing my arm! I turned around, and to my surprise, she was still going!
Many of her injuries appeared to have vanished. Given her typing, I supposed that she had used Synthesis to recover from her wounds. It normally didn't work well at night, but if the move she used prior was a substitute for the sun, it could've covered that weakness.
"Do you really think I'd keel over so easy?" The Leafeon taunted. "Gee, you really are dumb!" I began to make a break for it, but to my surprise, every path I attempted to use was blocked off by leaves hovering in the air! What had gotten into her? She went from not putting any thought into her fighting to using Magical Leaf just to deny me any avenue of escape! Was she actually learning as she continued to engage me?
"There's no way out!" She boasted. "You can't run or hide from what my partner will do to you! I've all but won, and there's nothing you can do about it!"
This couldn't stand. I decided to deploy one of the nastiest cards I had, just to get her to quit. I summoned up a large amount of water and threw it at her. She laughed at me as it drew near, not even bothering to move away from it. She probably thought it was a normal attack, but since she foolishly let her guard down around me, my trap was set:
An artificial whirlpool was formed, and my adversary was trapped within it. However, that was only the first step. The second part was where it became downright cruel.
Razor Leaf was a strange move for my kind to know. I always used it for cutting wood back on the Mist Continent, and my dad always claimed I inherited it from my mother. I didn't know what the truth was, and I didn't care. A tool was a tool. I fired said projectiles multiple times into the Whirlpool I had created, dozens of miniature, flying arboreal blades now cutting that Leafeon up from within it. The pain was enough to break the concentration she needed to wall me off, and I used that chance to finally get away. She couldn't chase me because of what I had done, and thus, I was free for another night.
It was a shame that she was so arrogant. She had a lot of potential, but her own ego held her back. However, her problems were not my own. I had some rest I needed to catch up on.
Travelling Onwards
My sleep was actually pleasant for once. Maybe it was because they didn't skimp out on the beds? They were made of a material I couldn't quite place, but it wasn't the usual Sand Continent staple of hay stuffed into a linen sheet. It was a good combination that stopped the itching hay alone would cause, but even then, I always forgot how rough sleeping on those things was.
Assy had already awakened, just like always. She had the uncanny ability to rise right at dawn. Maybe she was cranky because she couldn't get enough sleep? I left the room we were staying in, and I came across something unusual!
There was a Leafeon sitting at one of the tables, and she was clearly hurt! She had a ton of cuts everywhere. I had to make sure she was okay! I walked on over to her and the Garchomp she was sitting with.
"Are you okay?" I asked. "Did Lombre attack you?"
"What does it look like?" The Leafeon responded, sounding annoyed.
"He didn't attack her," her partner clarified. "Laura attacked him. She thought she could get some free bonus money from capturing him, and she got in over her head yet again."
"I almost had him, Gaston!" Laura protested. "I had him boxed in and everything! Maybe if you weren't so slow
on your feet, we could've beat him together!"
"You should've never tried that stunt in the first place!" Gaston scolded. "The plan was that you and Jung would attack him only if he approached the building! I'm getting tired of bailing your ass out! The next time you pull something like this off, I'm leaving you to fend for yourself!"
He turned to me, his gaze looking cold and predatory. "You should get a move on, fat man," Gaston told me. "That Meditite with the scar is waiting for you outside."
I nodded and left the duo to their own devices. I walked out the front door and saw Assy standing guard, our map in her hand. "Are we ready to depart?"
"Yeah," I replied. "Where are we going off to next?"
"That depends," my companion responded. "Are you willing to take a more dangerous route in order to save time?"
"I'd normally be against it, but that might just deter Lombre enough to get him off our backs," I stated. "He must've went through the Worn Woods like us, and he fought one of the guards, so he's probably in bad shape. What kind of dangers are we facing?"
"Some know-it-all Piplup told me about a Mystery Dungeon that cuts through much of the local mountain range called the Wyrm's Lair," she informed me. "There's this bizarre Steelix that lurks in its depths whose hide cannot be penetrated by any known means. It is very aggressive, and chases any Pokemon that enters the area until they either succumb to it or leave. It's normally regarded as a death trap, but due to my ability to sense Aura from long distances, we'll probably be able to make it through."
"You've got it all planned out and everything? Damn, I wouldn't want to cross you," I complimented. "He won't know what hit him!"
Asana sighed, shaking her head in disagreement at my sentiment. "I have a feeling he'll find a way through regardless, but the more hurdles he has to climb, the more likely we'll be to survive any sort of confrontation with him," she said. "Let's go."
"Gotcha!" I exclaimed. With that, the two of us began to walk towards our next destination. We might've burned through much of our cash, but we had some decent luck for a change. We got a good night's sleep, and nobody even died! Yet, there was one thing that concerned me:
Asana was on to me. She knew there was something off about me, but I couldn't tell her the truth. Even if she did believe me, what would she think of me if she knew I wasn't from this world? Would she hate me for lying? Would it damage her trust in me even more? She didn't need to burden myself with my problems, anyway.
As always, I bottled these feelings up while following her into new adventures, places, and dangers. Maybe if we walked far enough, I could find another home.
Epilogue: Stolen Freedom
Mark reclined against the chair, smiling proudly. "I can't believe you're graduating tomorrow, Drew," he said. "Remember how much I struggled in school? You always had to help me out with homework, even though I was a couple of years ahead of you. It makes me wish I was born a brainiac like you."
Drew snickered at his big brother's envy. "Well, I wish I had half the guts you have, but that's besides the point," he replied. "You know what this means for us, right?"
Mark nodded. "It means the freedom to choose our lives for ourselves," he remarked. "All our old problems are gonna be behind us."
"Yep!" Drew exclaimed, giving his brother a thumbs up. "You won't have to work those crappy odd jobs, either, since you won't need to stay here anymore. Have you thought about what you want your future to be like?" He asked.
Mark thought to himself for a few seconds, struggling to form a proper reply. "To be honest, I dunno," he muttered. "All I ever wanted was a world where you, me, and our friends could thrive, and I think I've gotten my wish."
Drew nodded. "So you aren't picky?" He asked. "You have the luxury of choosing whatever path you want to travel, then. How about we get some sleep, though? I don't want the two of us to be brain-dead."
"It's gonna be hard to rest, but that's a pretty good idea," Mark told his brother. "Have a good night, man."
The two of them went to bed, and that was the last time they ever seen each other.
Mark was woken up by the feeling of intense heat and light swarming his body. Strangely enough, he no longer felt his bed or his blanket. Instead, he felt as though he had fallen asleep on the beach.
He got up, the sun beating down on his body, and he saw his surroundings: he was in the middle of a sea of sand, the occasional cactus dotting the scenery. For whatever reason, he had woken up in a desert, and that wasn't even the weirdest part! He was definitely shorter, and he felt as though he were being weighed down by something. He looked down, and saw what the problem was.
He used to have a muscular physique he was proud of, gained from working out at the gym. However, that was now gone. In its place was lots of fat, covered by yellow skin. Mark was concerned about his sudden weight gain, but other than that, this was clearly a dream. He'd simply have to wait for it to end!
He wandered for days, until he was too weak from thirst to move. As he cooked in the sun and waited to die, he realized something:
He would never wake up, as he wasn't sleeping.