The Great Bulk Part 8: A Detour
A Bizarre Client
The aftermath of Cacturne's arrest was rough for us. If we were thrust into the spotlight with the coup against the Shah, it only quintupled in intensity after Cacturne. We, as relative unknowns, not only helped capture the most infamous bandit in the Sand Continent, but also had him surrender to us willingly. It brought too many eyes on us. In order to escape any further attention, Makuhita and I shifted gears towards exploration, rescue team, and bodyguard work. It didn't pay nearly as much as bounty hunting did, but it did give us a reprieve from our newfound fame. However, one day, an unusual client requested our services.
A Clefairy stood before us, lugging along a large sack of Poke. “Fee, correct?” I asked. She nodded. “I heard you wished to hire us as bodyguards?”
Fee nodded. “Mhm! I'm trying to figure out what happened to my dad, and knowing how savage these lands can be, I need bodyguards to protect me while I travel! It's gonna be dangerous work, though, so that's why I'm hiring the two of you! You handled some of this Continent's nastiest customers, so my job should be a cinch.”
I sighed. “We didn't do it by ourselves, Fee,” I replied. “It was due to luck, and the friends and Pokemon we've inspired. If it weren't for them, we wouldn't be speaking to you right now.”
“Brute force isn't everything, silly,” Fee responded. “Sometimes, you got to use your brain! That's the name of the game in being an investigator. Now, do you wanna help me or not?”
“It's better than getting gutted like a fish,” Makuhita quipped. “Although, you don't have to pay us that much. How'd you even drag that bag all the way here? It isn't like you're a Fighting-type like we are.”
“I brought it here with patience and determination!” Fee beamed. “I insist that I pay you all the Poke here, though. You two are the best quality guards I can get, and it wouldn't feel fair of me to be stingy!”
“Fee, we've taken jobs like this for far less,” Makuhita informed her. “We're taking a break from bounty hunting to get away from the fame, and not to make bank. The only bad part about it is that the food budget has been cut.”
“Well, consider most of this a tip, then!” She pleaded. “Do whatever you want with the money! Go to a cafe, buy some new threads – the sky's the limit!”
Makuhita looked deep in thought for a few moments. “Well, when you put it that way, I guess I can accept it,” he said, taking the sack of Poke Fee handed over to him.
Later...
Fee and I began to look through her collected notes so far, while Makuhita sat down and took a nap nearby. Quickly, I was struck by the quality of her findings.
“Fee, why is there so much unnecessary information padding out your papers?” I asked. “You don't need to write down every tiny minutea of your interview subjects. A transcript of your interview and all important information condensed into a seperate file would be far more efficient than documenting every single twitch, eye movement, and tail posture they go through!”
“It's all important somehow, Asana!” She replied. “You can't get the full picture without noticing the tiny little details!”
“Yes, but even then, everything is so scattered!” I told her. “I don't understand how you can work like this, but I'm going to fix it here and now.” I walked up to Makuhita and slapped him across the face, waking him up from his slumber.
“Huh? What?” He groggily mumbled. “What's wrong, Assy?” He asked, prompting me to slap him once more.
“I need your help organizing Fee's notes,” I asked of him. “There's so much content to filter through, that I can't do it alone.”
“Assy, I hate paperwork!” My partner groaned. “I have an allergy to it! If you drag me anywhere near it, I'll break out in hives!”
“Makuhita, if you do not help me, I am going to rescind your food budget,” I threatened. “I need every pair of hands avaliable to assist me, and if you're not willing, you'll have to starve for a few days. I know you can last that long without food, due to all that blubber you packed on. You're even fatter than when I first met you, you glutton!”
“Assy, I wasn't always a fatass!” Makuhita exclaimed. “I used to be a muscled hunk until a Magnemite crashed into my head mid-flight! The resulting brain trauma and memory loss made me into what I am-”
“Are you seriously going to pull the concussion card on me again?” I questioned. “That might work with anyone else, but it doesn't work with me! Now, either help us out, or you're going on a diet!”
“Okay, fine. Chill out, Assy,” Makuhita muttered, making his way to the table Fee was at.
She looked at me, seeming concerned. “Why are you so harsh with him?” She asked. “Isn't he supposed to be your friend?”
“He is, and I'd trust him with my life,” I reassured Fee. “However, he can be stubborn sometimes, and that's when I have to take off the kid gloves.”
The three of us got to work copying pertinent information from Fee's notes and organizing it into a more efficient format. As we finally got to her mother's notes, Makuhita raised one in the air. “Hey, I think I found something!” He shouted. “There's a lead right here!”
The three of us gathered around and looked at his findings. “Fee. Your mom, Melody, helped capture this outlaw once a long time ago. Her name's Purugly, and I've actually seen her face on a few wanted posters. She's hiding out in a Mystery Dungeon known as “Molten Mire”. It's located within a cave that's sorta close to Secret Quarry. Given the name, we're probably gonna have to deal with a bunch of Fire types.”
“That sounds kind of dangerous,” Fee chimed in. “Are you sure we can do it?”
“Makuhita once got set on fire by one of the Twins of Terror. It hardly even phased him, and he kept on swinging,” I informed her. “You'd have to rip out his heart or cut off his head to truly kill him. Anything else will just get soaked up by his blubber.”
“Wow, really?” Fee asked. “I knew I made the right choice in hiring you two! Now, let's finish everything up and head off!” The three of us made quick work of the remaining evidence and notes she had collected. We stocked up on provisions, including plenty of Heal Seeds, and then headed off towards our destination.
The Conjurer
The three of us entered the cave through which the Molten Mire lied. We descended deeper and deeper into the bowels of the earth, until I felt all six of my senses swirl. A throbbing pain built up in my head as the air shifted, and we finally reached our destination.
The Dungeon was an extremely unnatural place. I remembered reading through a geography textbook at a library during one of my pitstops as a caravan guard, my surroundings reminding me of what I read on swamps. Such a biome did not naturally exist on the Sand Continent, but here, a twisted version of them lied.
The Molten Mire had lilypads, trees, and all sorts of flora, but normal plants would've gone up in flames in its environment. Instead, all the “greenery” in its territory was made of various types of rock, save for what few flowers and fruit laid strewn about, which were instead made of crystal. It had a sort of alien beauty to it, but the locale was clearly unnatural. Plants made of rock did not exist in the normal, unaltered world, but if I were to hazard a guess, they fed off of the heat and energy the magma produced. The three of us cautiously stuck to what land we could find, and began our trek deeper into the new world we found ourselves in.
Soon, a single figure in the distance dragged itself out of the magma pools surrounding us – a Typhlosion with eerie purple flames. From the look in its eyes, I could tell it was a feral, yet it seemed to possess a spark of intellect as well. It began to stare blankly into space as the flames wreathing it grew and spread out, taking the form of numerous Pokemon. Were these manifestations of one of its powers, or were they ghosts? There was no time to tell as the swarm rapidly approached us.
Fee hid behind a rocky tree as Makuhita and I set out to work, fighting off as many Pokemon as we could. Makuhita threw a rock at a Fletchinder, who demanifested on impact, before destroying a Boldore and a Graveler with his Arm Thrusts. Meanwhile, using my Psybeams, I defeated an Armaldo, an Archen, and a Tyrant. As we drew closer, the manifested Pokemon were stronger and more evolved, and by the time we had almost closed the distance, we were met with four final ghosts.
They were a Rhyperior, a Bastiodon, an Infernape, and a Magmortar. The Typhlosion behind them casted an arm forward, and the four spectres acted to their will. The Rhyperior and Infernape went on the aggressive, attacking the two of us, while the Magmortar hid behind the Bastiodon and began to rain magma down upon our positions.
It was nothing short but chaotic. I had to stretch Detect and my Sensing prowess to its utmost in order to predict when Magmortar would fire, all the while Rhyperior tried to harass me with powerful swings and Rock Blasts. It tried to charge towards me in a Drill Run, while I backflipped above it and fired twin Psybeams from my fingers into its back. As it began to turn around, I hit it with an Aura-empowered High Jump Kick, causing it to stagger back. However, due to its durability, it still stood.
I fired more and more Psybeams into it, my patience growing thin with the roadblock it and its master represented to the three of us.However, I still kept an eye on Magmortar, bracing myself to move whenever a twitch of Aura in its muscles appeared.
Meanwhile Rhyperior was getting more and more aggressive, its attacks growing stronger. It uprooted a gargantuan rocky tree from the ground and hurled it towards me in the oddest Rock Wrecker I had ever seen, but thanks to my footwork, I was able to evade it. While the spectre rested from its physical exertion, I launched into a High Jump Kick hard enough to send it flying, the ghost demanifesting as it soared through the air.
I turned and looked at how Makuhita was doing. By the way the Infernape he was facing was limping, he must've hit it with a Force Palm, allowing him to pin down what would've been a normally nimble fighter. He grabbed them by the arm and threw them to the ground, using Arm Thrusts on their head until they vanished as well, leaving only the Magmortar and Bastiodon.
The former's shelling became more intense, prompting me to grab Makuhita and run towards the duo. Bastiodon stood in Magmortar's way, but thinking fast, I threw Makuhita over them, allowing him to splash upon the latter with the full force of his weight! My partner began to harass them while I dealt with Bastiodon.
It was annoying, but straightforward. I simply attacked the lumbering reptile's faceshield with Brick Breaks and High Jump Kicks until it crumpled, revealing that Makuhita had finally dealt with his foe. I looked towards him, a thought coming to my mind. “How'd you avoid their shots?” I asked. “That annoying thing kept firing magma at me.”
My partner burst into laughter. “I didn't!” He replied. “I burnt through half the Orans I had just to survive him! Now, let's kick that summoner's ass!” I nodded as the two of us finally came face to face with the Typhlosion that caused us so much grief. It inhaled deeply, undoubtedly preparing to belch fire at us. However, with all the trouble it caused, I was frustrated. I fired one Psybeam through its head, and another where its heart should be. The shots penetrated through it, yet remarkably, it still stood. It shot out a Flamethrower from its mouth straight towards Makuhita, immolating him.
However, that wasn't enough to deter him. He charged straight towards the Typhlosion and attempted to use his Arm Thrusts, however, they all phased through it. “Wait a minute!” I shouted. “That enemy must be a Ghost-type! Your normal moves won't work on it!” He nodded, stepping back so that I may take the lead.
I began dodging Flamethrowers as I shot more penetrating Psybeams into my enemy. It should've died ten times over, yet it kept on attacking me, smoke billowing from the wounds I gave it. It then began to chant in a language I didn't know, the purple flames it exuded going outwards and enveloping me, forming spectral shackles. I tried my hardest to break free, but I was unable, allowing it to hit me with an Inferno, leaving me barely standing.
More flames began to travel towards me, while I put all of my energy into remaining standing. However, just before they hurt me, Makuhita threw a Blast Seed into the hole in the Typhlosion's head. It detonated, causing chunks of it to scatter into bloodless smoke. Soon after, its body fell down and began to dissipitate.
I thought to myself about the events that occurred. Were the Pokemon it summoned actual ghosts, or mere illusion? They possessed actual Auras, and knowing Aura is linked to the soul, that meant they were legitimate. However, that only caused more questions. Were they ghosts of Pokemon who used to live in the area before it became a Mystery Dungeon? Were they dead explorers? I began to ponder further upon these questions, only to be interrupted by a high-pitched squealing. I turned my head to look at the source, that was none other than Fee.
“That was so cool!” She yelled. “You were dancing around that big guy, Makky was able to take so much punishment, and the way you threw him at that Magmortar was awesome! It's no wonder you two are the best-”
“Do you realize what that feral was doing, Fee?” I asked her. She shook her head, looking confused. “It was attacking us with the spirits of departed Pokemon. The three of us could've wound up as that thing's puppets, too.”
“Oh, I get it,” she said, sounding deflated. “I hope they can rest easy now.”
I smiled slightly, Fee having brought a bit of light to an otherwise grim subject. “Yeah. They can finally move on. Now, let's get to the end of this dungeon and find our target.” The three of us continued walking through the Mystery Dungeon, encountering more enemies on the way down. They weren't only strong, but they possessed the same resilience that the Typhlosion did – it took everything we had to get to the end, and by the time Purugly was in sight, we were almost out of items.
We approached them, and began our attempts at negotiation...
A Quick Brawl
“Purugly, was it?” I asked. “We sought you out in order to ask some questions.”
My question was met with a harsh glare, as she walked closer towards me. “Yeah, right,” she replied. “Your type never comes here just to talk. You're always wanting to lock me behind bars again. I'm not gonna have it – either you and your company walk back the way they came, or else I'll run you all over!”
“We don't want to have to fight,” Makuhita chimed in. “All we want to do is ask you about an old ca-”
“Enough with your excuses!” Purugly yelled. “I'm not going to let kids like you push me around.” She began to sharpen her claws, eyeing my partner. “You're gonna make a good scratching post, fatty.”
She lunged towards Makuhita with an Aerial Ace, which he blocked with an arm. He responded with a series of Arm Thrusts, causing Purugly to stagger back. As she attempted to regain her balance, he hit her with a brand new combo he had learned recently – a Force Palm followed up by Smelling Salts, which caused her to yowl in pain.
Yet, she recovered and collided with my partner in a Body Slam, sending him flying back. As he laid on the ground, she began to attack him with Fury Swipes, wearing him down bit by bit. In order to distract her, I launched into a High Jump Kick and hit her head, causing her to turn her attention towards me.
She tried to attack with a few Slashes, but I weaved out of the way – she was strong, but she was predictable. Her frustration seemed to grow as she missed more and more, causing her to unexpectedly Body Slam me, knocking me down. She stomped on me as I laid prone, only for her entire body to be lifted upwards.
Makuhita tossed her into the air, letting her fall onto her back, and then attacked with a flying splash. His sheer body weight knocked the breath out of Purugly. Yet, speaking to her stubbornness, she swatted him away and tried to use the window that gave her to right herself.
It was an opportunity I wouldn't let her exploit. I gave her a single Brick Break to the head, which kept her down. “Have you had enough?” I questioned. “I told you that we were just here to talk. If we weren't, you would've been in legcuffs by now.”
Purugly rolled her eyes. “Screw it, fine,” she mumbled. “You better not ask anything stupid.”
Fee took this as her chance to walk up towards our outlaw, looking her over. “What do you know about Melody?” She asked.
Purugly's eyes widened in surprise. “I'm surprised anyone remembers that name,” she answered. “The woman turned me in to Magnezone years ago because she thought I was connected to some organized crime ring!”
“A crime ring, you say?” Fee pondered. “What do you know about them?”
“If I was actually involved, I'd tell you,” Purugly replied. “Do I look like the type of criminal tough enough to work as hired muscle? I got clobbered by a couple of kids; there's no way they'd let me be some mafia goon!”
Fee stared at Purugly, anger burning in her eyes. “As a matter of fact, you do look like that type of Pokemon!” She yelled. “Now quit being so evasive, and tell me the truth! What do you know about the conspiracy you're lying about not being a part of?”
“Are you deaf, brat?” Purugly spat. “I said I never worked for anyone but myself! You're acting awful brave for someone who decided to cower and watch her friends do all the work!”
“Just because I'm bad at fighting doesn't mean I'm worthless!” Fee protested. “Maybe you're the worthless one, holing up inside of this place and hiding away from everyone!”
“Can the both of you quiet down?” I requested. “Purugly isn't lying.”
“How do you know that?” Fee asked, breathing deeply in an attempt to calm herself.
“To make a long explanation short, I have an ability that can be used to detect most liars,” I said, trying to dumb down my explanation of Aura to her. “It's also how I knew those ghosts Makuhita and I fought were the real deal. I can detect a sort of energy living organisms give off, and when a Pokemon lies, I can usually feel a bit of hesitation in them. It wouldn't work on someone who's entirely comfortable with fibbing, like an experienced con artist, but Purugly does not match that background. She's just another thief getting by on her brute strength – you can't walk across the Sand Continent without tripping on at least one thug like that.”
“Oh, okay!” Fee said, not doubting me or thinking critically about my words for even a second. “Sorry for getting heated there, it just happens sometimes!” She turned back to Purugly, smiling. “If you weren't truly involved in the group you mentioned, do you know anyone who is, or has suspected ties to them?”
Purugly sighed, looking my way. “I take offense to you calling me a thug, but thanks for making the pipsqueak shut up. I've got sensitive hearing, and her shouting was threatening to make me deaf. Just for that little favor, I'll tell you about someone who might have what you're looking for.”
The feline grumbled, slowly shifting to a sitting position. “There's this Slowking who runs this fancy-ass restaurant that you got to get reservations for. It specializes in dishes using Slowpoke Tails. He might be a part of the group whose business Melody was poking her non-existent nose into, or he might be another false lead. Now, are the two of you going to drag me off to the authorities, or are you gonna leave me alone?”
“That's all we wanted from you!” Makuhita stated. “We're taking a break from bounty hunting anyway. Nabbing Cacturne brought Assy and I way too much fame. Now, how about the three of us leave and plot out the next course of action?”
Fee and I nodded, while Purugly stared at my partner wide-eyed. “You're fibbing!” She shouted. “There's no way a couple of dumb kids like you could've done that! The Thirsty Desert would've dried you out before you even set foot in his-”
Fee threw a newspaper at Purugly's feet. She began to read it and mutter to herself, while the three of us walked away, heading back towards the surface.
Later...
“Fee, what is this?” I asked, pointing to a segment of her notes regarding Purugly. “You didn't need to mention that she sat up before talking about Slowking, or the argument you two had! You could've condensed this all into just less than one page! Just say “Purugly claimed to be not a part of the organized crime group my mother was investigating, but said that a restaurant owner named Slowking might be”.”
“Asana, I need to write every last detail down!” Fee responded. “It's the only way to understand everything that's going on!”
My palm impacted my face as I shook my head, thoroughly vexed by my client's unorganized nature.
Tail's End
The three of us approached the restaurant Purugly mentioned: The End of Tails. It was a mildly humorous name, in spite of us being there on entirely serious business. However, when we made it there, the front door was blocked off by two bouncers – a Throh and a Sawk.
“Where are your reservations?” The Throh questioned, while the Sawk eyed us down.
“I, uh... I lost them!” Makuhita blurted out. “I'm such a klutz! This is just like the one time I lost my Stamina Band!” He continued to sputter, making an entirely unconvincing liar.
“No passes, no entry,” the Sawk stated.
“But I wanted to eat here very badly!” My partner protested. “It isn't my fault that I lose small items in my pockets on the daily! It's genetic!”
“That's such a stupid sob story,” The Throh replied. “If you always lose stuff in your pockets, you should've asked one of your friends to keep the reservations for you. It's always worked for me-”
The Sawk slapped his compatriot. “That Makuhita doesn't have any pockets, let alone clothes!” He scolded. “Our gis don't have any, either, so I don't know where you're getting this story from!”
“Your gi doesn't have any, but mine does!” Throh protested. “I had them added on after we started this gig!”
“Why in the world does it need pockets, anyhow?” Sawk grumbled, glaring at his coworker.
“Would you two quit arguing amongst yourselves for one minute?” I asked of them. “Makuhita and I are a famous bounty-hunting team, and the Clefairy behind us is our friend. We were supposed to be VIP guests, but my idiot of a partner lost them all! If you don't let us in, Slowking is going to be very mad at the two of you. You don't want to get in trouble, right?”
“Sawk, don't you remember what he told us?” Throh tried to remind him. “If we screw up or argue in front of customers one more time, it'll cost us our jobs! We better let them in!”
“Are you out of your mind?” Sawk questioned. “They're bluffing! Slowking said that bounty hunters don't get to eat here!”
“Well, he could've changed his mind suddenly!” Throh pleaded. “He can be a very generous Pokemon when he wants to be-”
Sawk slapped Throh again, glaring at him. “Don't let them in, you idiots! It's obviously a set-up-”
Throh grabbed Sawk and tossed him to the ground, growling at him. “I'm not going to get in trouble again!” Throh protested. “You're going to cost us our jobs!”
Sawk got up and punched Throh in the nose. “I could say the same for you!” He responded. After a bit more arguing back and forth, the two bouncers began to outright assault each other, allowing the three of us to pass into the restaurant proper.
The place was opulently decorated, befitting its higher-end status. We quickly made our way towards the back of the establishment, where we found Slowking. “Customers aren't allowed back here,” he tried to warn us, before his eyes lingered on Makuhita and I. He began to sweat profusely, perhaps recognizing the two of us.
“I thought I told the bouncers out front to keep folks like you out!” Slowking shouted. “You're bad for business!”
“Oh, are we?” Fee asked. “Well, that's too bad! Now, I've got some pretty good sources saying you're part of an organized crime group, you better tell us what you know or things will get nasty!” It was a bluff, but a good one.
Slowking averted his eyes, the sweat dripping off of him only intensifying. “I don't know what you're talking about,” he said shakily. Even without reading his Aura, I could tell that he was lying. It was time to add some pressure of my own.
“Slowking, if you don't tell us everything you know, I will give Makuhita permission to eat as much of your food stock as he desires,” I threatened. “That Pokemon can clear out an entire kitchen if you let him.”
Slowking began to laugh nervously. “Yeah, right!” He stated dismissively. “There's no way one Pokemon can do that!”
I turned to my partner. “Did you hear that?” I addressed him. “He thinks your stomach isn't a black hole. Go prove him wrong.”
“On it!” Makuhita said cheerfully, charging into the kitchen and devouring anything and everything that was in sight. Slowking's expression shifted from doubt, to surprise, and then finally to horror as he saw all that he worked for being devoured by my companion.
“Okay, stop!” Slowking yelled. “I'll tell you everything if you get that little monster out of my kitchen!”
“He's talking!” I told my partner. “You can quit eating now!”
“Are you sure?” Makuhita asked, as he walked back towards us. “I'm not even full yet.”
“I'm positive,” I affirmed. “Now, Slowking. Tell us what you know.”
Our interrogation subject took deep, steady breaths, trying to steel his nerves. “I was never very high up on the totem pole,” he revealed. “They've got their tentacles buried into restaraunts, chefs, diners, and eateries across the world. A lot of folk owe debt to them, and when they couldn't pay up, I came to “collect their debts”. They never told much of anything to grunts like me – they gave an order, I followed it, and then I got paid. When I got too old to continue my duties, I set up The Tail's End and told them I couldn't assist them anymore. They decided to supply me with Slowpoke Tails as a sort of retirement package, as long as I don't speak up about them.” Slowking hung his head downwards, frowning. “I'm afraid you three might change that, though. It's funny, really. Back in my day, I would've used my telekinesis to bludgeon you against the ground, but now, I'm cowering before a bunch of wannabe detectives. I guess that's what happens when you grow old.”
“Do you know any coworkers I could track down?” Fee asked.
“There's one, but you'd have to go through a bit of travelling to find them,” Slowking explained. “They're on the Grass Continent. They were higher up than me, so they might have actual answers. Now, if you're done, could you leave? I know fully well that this place's days are numbered now, thanks to you.”
The three of us left without any further words.
Later...
The three of us relaxed, reclining against a rock. “So, Fee,” I began. “What do you exactly plan on doing, after we move on? I've never really been outside the Sand Continent in my life, so the prospect of travel is making me feel kind of anxious.”
“Oh, you two don't need to come with me!” Fee replied. “I can just find another team on the Grass Continent to help keep me safe! You two have done a stellar enough job – go take a break! You've definitely earned it!”
Makuhita looked upward as Fee and I conversed, his expression looking mildly concerned. “Is that smoke?” He muttered, getting up and looking behind our rock. Whatever he saw caused him to recoil in shock, unable to collect himself for several seconds. When he did, what he said was alarming. “Slowking's place is up in flames!” Makuhita shouted. “They're green, too!”
I lept up and looked towards where my partner was pointing. “It must be arson!” I concluded. “Slowking kept going on about how we ruined everything, and that fire looks unnatural! Makuhita, look for whoever set that fire! Fee and I will try and rescue any survivors of the blaze!” He nodded and sped off with surprising haste, all the while we headed back towards The Tail's End.
Arson
Makuhita searched for any signs of the arsonist, and quickly found a trail of footprints. Following it, he found a strange Marowak watching the blaze. It had a darker hide and a more gaunt appearance compared to its kin, setting it apart from them. It looked up to Makuhita as he approached, looking unbothered in the slightest. “I should've covered my tracks move,” the Marowak observed. “I know who you and your friends are, Makuhita. I've done my research. I know fully well what you and your partner are capable of, and I'll say only this – cease all inquiry into us, if you wish to continue living.”
The Marowak straightened their back, staring into Makuhita's eyes. “You two are good at what you do, but you can't take down an entire group through mere willpower and luck. If you truly care about your friends, you'll leave me alone, go back to them, and tell them to quit their folly while they still draw breath.”
Makuhita glared back at the Marowak, putting up his fists. “I don't take kindly to those who destroy other people's property or threaten my friends,” he replied. “Do you know how much work Slowking put into his joint?”
The Marowak nodded. “We are very well aware, but he knew the consequences for speaking out,” he informed. “As those who ply the seas would say - “Loose lips sink ships”. Now, are you going to leave, or am I going to have to bury you? Be a smart Pokemon, and don't pick the selfish choice.”
“Selfish?” Makuhita repeated. “If I were selfish, I wouldn't stand with my friends for what I fight for. I'm not afraid of you, or anyone else.”
The Marowak sighed. “I figured you'd do that,” he muttered. “Don't say I didn't warn you, although I suppose I should dignify an opponent of your caliber with my alias. They call me “Ash-Dancer”, due to my duties.”
Ash-Dancer rubbed the ends of his bone against his forehead, setting them alight with green flame. He charged forward and hit Makuhita with a Shadow Bone, causing him to flinch. As he swung for a second time, however, his opponent grabbed onto the weapon and after a brief struggle, pulled it away from him. He tossed the bone aside and attempted to use his Arm Thrusts, only for them to go through Ash-Dancer – he was another Ghost.
The Marowak's bone began to surround itself in ghastly energy and floated back into its wielder's hands. “That was a smart move, but I learned how to cover that weakness a long time ago,” Ash-Dancer complimented. He then attacked with another crushing Shadow Bone, causing Makuhita to stagger back again.
Due to the length of Ash-Dancer's weapon, Makuhita couldn't get close enough to attempt one of his signature grappling moves. This rendered him helpless against his opponent, who attacked him with Bone Rushes, battering and weakening him further. Yet, in spite of the pain he felt, Makuhita kept standing.
“Is this seriously all you're capable of?” Ash-Dancer taunted. “I thought you were a professional, but it seems you're all talk. You're nothing but more kindling that needs to be burned away.”
This set Makuhita off. Without even realizing what he was doing, he began to instinctively push Aura into his arms with sheer determination alone. He cocked back his fist as Ash-Dancer prepared to swing, and when they did, he punched his bone with as much force as he could muster. His Aura-empowered strike was enough to break the weapon into two. Ash-Dancer, to his credit, quickly shifted his stance and wielded one half of his bone in each hand, but now he lacked the reach that made him so dominant.
The Marowak swung the bone halves towards Makuhita, who blocked them with his limbs, flame beginning to spread to them. The embers ate away at not only his skin, but his psyche, yet he still endured. He grabbed Ash-Dancer and slammed him head-first into the ground, the force being enough to daze the Marowak, even though his bony helmet.
Attempting to grasp what he was doing, Makuhita pushed his Aura into his legs and body, and lept up into the air. He then slammed into Ash-Dancer with all of his weight, executing a splash that had so much force behind it, it caused his enemy to grunt in pain.
Scrambling upwards, Ash-Dancer glared at Makuhita. “I can't keep this up. You're lucky to have won, but make no mistake – you've only drawn further attention upon yourselves. You'll reap the repercussions of kicking the Beedrill's nest soon enough.” The Marowak then sped off, allowing Makuhita a chance to breathe.
He almost sat down due to his exhaustion, but hearing footsteps, he remained on-guard. Thankfully, the approaching Pokemon weren't enemies – it was Fee and Asana, the latter of whom was carrying a crying Slowking.
“Makuhita, what happened?” She asked. “You look like crap. I'm assuming you found our culprit?”
“Yep,” Makuhita responded. “He beat me pretty bad. Then, I felt weird. It was like I was pushing something from one part of my body, to another. Come to think of it... My Aura felt strange. I know you mock me due to how bad my Sensing is, but I could tell something was seriously off with it. It felt like it was jumping from-”
“Wait, what?” Asana questioned, looking shocked. “You managed Expression on your own? It took me years to do that, Makuhita! You must be lying to me!”
“When have I ever lied to you?” Makuhita replied, smirking. “Maybe it's what I'm good at. You're good at detecting stuff from far away, and I'm good with this... “Expression” mumbo-jumbo.”
Asana groaned, looking slightly envious. “Whatever the case may be, we need to double our training efforts at once, and see if you can reproduce that.”
“I don't get a bit of what you're saying!” Fee mirthfully exclaimed. “I'm just glad you're alright, if I'm being honest! What'd your opponent look like?”
“It was some weird Marowak,” Makuhita mumbled. “It could use fire. The flames were green, like what happened at the restaurant.”
“Alright,” Fee responded. “Let's focus on getting Slowking somewhere safe, and you patched up.”
The four then made their way towards the nearest settlement, the events of the night having created more questions than answers.
Epilogue
“Y'know, I think I learned a thing or two from you,” Fee began. “Makuhita never gives up, no matter how injured he was, and as for you, Asana, your work ethic is unbelievable! I think I know what I need to do now – I need to become a much better investigator if I'm ever gonna find out what happened to my dad.”
“Well, thanks for the compliments, but you weren't entirely useless,” I responded. “It was your records, as messy as they may be, that revealed the path to us in the first place.”
“I know, but you handled it all a lot better than me!” Fee clarified. “I lost my cool, all the while you were the one asking questions and pressuring everyone. If I want to be the very best at my craft, I need to get better at it! I'm sure you two understand, right?
Makuhita and I nodded. “Just be sure to not get yourself hurt, okay?” My partner asked of Fee. “It's a very dangerous world out there.”
She smiled at him. “I'll try my best to be careful, but you've gotta court trouble in order to find out the truth!” She replied, pulling him into a hug. “I hope I get to see the two of you again!”
After a few more farewells, Fee departed. I felt happy that I guided her the way I did, but at the same time, I felt an instinctual sense of dread, as if something terrible were to happen soon. I didn't know how our misfortune would manifest, but it paid to be on-guard.