I awaken early in the morning, the light of dawn shining through my bedroom window. Wooper is snoozing next to me as usual, and the bed feels as comfy as ever. Yawning, I stretch out my arms, climbing out of bed. The movement wakes Wooper up, and it isn't long before he's standing up as well. “G'morning, Arthur!” He's got that big ol' smile on his face again, a look that never fails to cheer me up.
“Morning, Wooper! Looks like another beautiful day outside. What're we gonna do today? Relax in the garden? Head into town for some sweets? Got any ideas?”
“Oh, I got one! How about going over to that one lake? We could pack some food and spend the day there snacking and swimming!”
“Great idea, Wooper!” I fetch my bag, slinging it around my shoulder. “Let's grab some breakfast and begin packing.”
After breakfast, we start towards the storeroom before being interrupted by a familiar voice. “Team Cozy! Good to see you.”
I turn my head, spotting a Quagsire and Gastrodon near the guild's entrance. “Team Marsh? Wooper and I were just getting ready to take a little day trip. What're you doing here?”
The two approach us, Berry beginning to speak. “Mmm, we've heard tales of a special treasure far away, and are going on a little expedition. One that'll be longer than the one we all took to Mt. Thunder, hmm?”
“Really?! That's awesome!” Wooper sounds thrilled at the prospect.
“Are you sure about this?” I look down at my bag. “I mean, we just had a long trip not too long ago.”
Squishy takes over speaking this time, saying, “Oh, you don't need to worry about it, Chespin. The treasure is deep within a dungeon in the sea.”
A sea dungeon? “So uh, how am I gonna go with?”
Berry gives me a concerned look. “Hmm, how do I put this...You aren't. Or rather, you can't come with because you can't breathe underwater. We're here to take Wooper with us.”
I hear a small thud as my bag slides off my shoulders, hitting the ground. “B-but...Wooper and I are a team...We've done e-everything together since I found him! We haven't been apart for even a couple hours after we met! He's...always at my side!”
My reaction catches Squishy off-guard. “Worry not, Chespin, it'll only be for a week.”
The former good mood I had before is completely shattered, the plans for the day ruined. Now I feel nothing but worry and fear. “But what if something happens to you guys? What if Wooper doesn't come back?! Isn't there some kind of berry I can eat that'll let me breathe underwater? Some seed or orb, anything!?”
Berry shakes her head. “Hmm, nothing like that exists, sorry Chespin.”
Wooper nudges me. “We'll be okay, Chespin. You've seen how strong my parents are, remember?”
“B-b-but...” I look around frantically, trying desperately to think up a way to talk them out of it.
Wooper steps in front of me, a look of concern on his face. Lowering his voice, he says, “It's a dungeon in the ocean, Arthur. Our enemies are going to be a bunch of fish. Water heals us, remember? We can't possibly fail.”
I lower my voice as well, whispering. “But...what do I do?! I'm so used to doing everything with you that...”
“It'll be fine, promise! Besides, you can get to know all the other guildmates even better! ...Just trust us on this. I've never let you down, have I?” Seeing me shake my head, Wooper continues with, “I'll be sure to bring back some treasure just for you, okay?”
I let out a long sigh, relenting. There's no way I'm going to win this one. “Okay...Just, please, be as careful as possible.”
“Ah, but of course, Chespin! A family of explorers is a force to be reckoned with, after all!” Squishy motions towards the exit. “Let us be off! We have much swimming to do!”
I give Wooper a tight hug before setting him down. I watch wordlessly as my best friend leaves the guild with his parents. Once they're out of sight, I reach down to grab my bag, still expecting to see Wooper next to me. But he isn't. It's only at that moment that the true gravity of the situation slams into me like a ton of bricks.
I'm alone.
A Week Without Wooper
Day 1:
Day 1:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EXItBeo288
Even if he's with his parents... losing Wooper is my biggest fear! He's the reason I've been able to fight past my anxieties and go on adventures. He's the heavy hitter in our team, an unending source of cheer, and my best friend! I know him better than anybody I've ever known in my life, he's somebody I can trust with anything and everything. But now that he's gone for awhile, what am I supposed to do?! I clench my eyes shut as I try to think of something, tears beginning to form. I guess I'll just... go back to bed.
I try not to look anybody else in the eyes as I make the agonizingly long walk back to my room. I feel incredibly exposed and vulnerable without my trusted partner at my side, and I find myself tightly clutching my bag against my chest.
Finally in front of my room, I look up as I reach for the doorknob. Before I can open the door, I hear a gasp from nearby. Whipping my head towards the noise, I spot a very worried Toge.
“U-Umm... a-are y-you okay Che-Chespin?” He fiddles with his hands, a look of concern on his face. “W-where's Wo-Wooper?”
Trying not to look directly at him, I stare at the ground. “Wooper's gone... he w-”
Toge cuts me off with a loud, terrified gasp. “G-gone?! What happened to him, why didn't you save him?!”
His sudden outburst causes me to yell back at him. “I COULDN'T stop him! His parents came and took him on a... treasure hunt. In some place called Miracle Sea. Where I can't breathe. So I couldn't go...”
Toge's face shifts to one of horror as he realizes he just shouted at me. “I-I u-u-umm... d-didn't kn-know... s-s-sorry...”
I let out a sigh. “It's fine, honest...But what am I going to do? Apart from an hour or two a couple times, Wooper's NEVER left my side since I first woke up in this world. He's the second half of the team, and he always helps cheer me up. Without him... there's no Team Cozy.”
Toge's lower lip begins to tremble upon hearing this. “N-no Team C-cozy...? B-but... th-that can't b-be true!”
Before I can respond, Toge runs off, his hands covering his face as he quietly sobs.
Entering my room, I crawl back into bed, feeling incredibly lonely. Without Wooper, the only thing I have to hug while falling asleep is his pillow. Why did his parents have to show up? Why couldn't they have heard about treasure in a forest or something?! I let out a frustrated groan as I stare out the window, trying to fall back asleep as my thoughts only serve to make me feel sadder.
I'm finally snapped out of my gloom by a knock at my door some time later.
“What?!” I yell, frustrated.
“Ch-chespin, o-open the door!”
I'd know that stutter anywhere. Still laying in bed, I reach a vine over to turn the doorknob. Throwing the door open, I let out a gasp at what I see.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LV0oUK1HUnw
Toge stands there wearing a light-blue cloak over his body, with three horizontal dark-blue lines crudely drawn across the front. I can also spot a light-blue “tail” hastily sewn onto the back. Over his head, he wears a bag sloppily painted light blue, with eye holes poked out and a large smile drawn over the front of it. Sticks poke out the sides of the bag, completing the ensemble.
I do a double-take, not believing what stands before me. Getting to my feet, I say, “You... made a Wooper costume?”
“Y-yeah, haha... J-just trying to ch-cheer you up.” Toge tries to walk forward, bumping against the doorway. I-I was th-thinking... m-maybe I could be y-your p-p-partner for a b-bit?”
Even through my gloom, I can't help but crack a smile at the homemade Wooper costume. “heh... Great costume, Toge. You seriously went through all that effort to try and make me feel better?”
“Y-you r-really like it? I-it was hard to make it l-look good on s-such sho-short notice.”
I nod. “It's kinda funny, actually. But uh, maybe don't wear that when we head out, alright? We might get some weird looks if you go out dressed like another guild member.”
“A-aww...” Toge takes the bag off of his head. “S-so um... wh-what were you and W-wooper going to d-do?”
I glance over at my bag. “We were going to spend a day at the lake. It was one of the first places I visited with him. I had even packed some food for the trip.”
“M-m-maybe we could g-go there a-anyways?”
It's not a bad idea, but there's still one thought in the back of my mind. “Uhh... What about that psychopath you used to call a partner? What if he found us?”
Toge stares down at the floor. “I-I know Dewott... A-after his last a-appearance... and how s-so many fought h-him, he's l-likely too w-wary of showing b-back up for a little b-bit. W-we'll be okay, but p-pack an O-Orb just in c-case.”
“Gotcha.” Reaching into a nearby drawer, I grab a Petrify Orb. “Alright, time to head for the lake.” Deciding to indulge him, I say, “Ready to head out... 'partner?'”
“Y-yes!”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1xut3w4Rm8
Toge and I head out across the fields as I lead the way to the lake. He flies alongside me, looking around nervously. I keep looking to my other side, half-expecting to see Wooper, but of course, nothing.
To my surprise, Toge is the first to break the silence. "S-s-so u-umm... c-can you t-tell me ab-about how you met W-W-Wooper?"
I look up at the sky as I recall my first day. “When I first woke up here, I was near a pond, so I went to go take a look at myself. Wooper emerged from the pond right then and there. He pretty much forced me to take him along, actually.”
“S-so how d-did you two b-become so cl-close?”
I rub the back of my head. “Well... It just kinda happened. At first it was me aiming him like a gun, then I'd help him eat, we'd share a few drinks, and eventually it turned into me protecting him from harm by using my own body as a shield. Then there was a... turning point of sorts.”
Toge lets out a small gasp. “A t-turning p-point?”
I nod. “You remember a little while back where we were in each other's bodies? Well, the guy that did that to us was an outlaw once. When we tried to catch him, he swapped us as a way to escape.” I let out a long sigh. “Those were some of the most stressful days of my life. Then that night I tried to sleep and it was too cold, a-and...” I let out a loud cough, too embarrassed to say any more about it. “A-Anyways, you know what happened. We've done basically everything together since we've met.”
Surprisingly, Toge doesn't respond. I look to my side, finding him to be lost in thought, and...is he drooling?! I tap him on the shoulder with a vine, saying, “You alright?”
“W-wha?!” Toge looks around quickly, startled. “O-Oh! U-U-Uh... S-Sorry... I-I g-got caught u-up in y-your st-story..."
Something about that seemed a little unusual, but I'll let it slide. “Do you have any other questions?”
“D-did you have o-other friends before w-Wooper?”
“In my old life, sort of.” I cringe a little, thinking on my past. “I don't like thinking about that, though. They weren't very good friends. I can trust Wooper with my life, but... I couldn't even trust them enough to show up.”
“I-I can relate... S-so Wooper's the b-best friend you've e-ever had?”
“You bet! I'd be crazy to think otherwise. But... he's not here now...”
Toge's voice takes on a more serious tone upon hearing my sadness returning. “I-I know I'm no replacement for W-Wooper... b-but I'm still your friend! A-A lot of us at the guild are... I know you can make it through this w-week, Chespin!"
I let out a long sigh. “Thanks for trying to cheer me up again. I just... have to try not to dwell on it for now, right?”
“R-right!” Toge flies upwards, putting his hand on his forehead as he gazes out across the field. “Th-the lake is coming up!”
“Finally!”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTU-jTmWr-k
The two of us pick up the pace, not stopping until we're at the lake. Light shimmers off of the water's surface, flowers bloom along the shores, and the only sounds are that of the water lapping against the shoreline. Eager to rest my legs, I set my bag down near a tree, picking a spot in the grass to lie in. The sunlight washes away the mild soreness from walking for so long, forcing a sigh of relief out of me as my green spots begin to glow from the sun's energy.
I hear a small gasp from nearby, followed by a “Th-that's cool... w-what's it feel like?”
Turning my head, I see Toge looking at me. Running one of my hands over my quills, I say, “Oh, if only you knew how great this is. Wipes out soreness and pain of any kind, wakes me up, makes me feel happier... It's a real pick-me-up in every sense of the word!”
“K-kinda like my joy dust, then?”
“Sorta, only the sunlight heals as well.”
Standing back up, I stretch out my arms and vines. “Alright, time for a little swim.” Turning to Toge again, I ask, “You remember that thing we did that one time? Can you throw me into the lake?”
“A-are you sure?!”
“Yeah, I'm sure. Relax, I can swim.”
“O-Okay...”
Toge grabs hold of my hands, lifting me upwards. I feel the wind pick up a little as we ascend, Toge's wings flapping faster and faster. Once we're up high enough, Toge asks me if I'm ready. I nod, and he throws me down at the water! I curl up in midair, plunging into the water with a big splash!
The water ends up being colder than I had anticipated, causing me to freeze up as I sink deeper into the water! Shivering a little, I swim back up to the surface, taking in a deep breath as I spit out some water. “Ugh, colder than I thought...”
Toge gently flies downward, dipping into the water nearby. “I-it's not that cold.” I see him shiver a little.
I tread water for a little while, growing accustomed to the temperature. I start to swim slowly, the water feeling pleasant as I do so. Getting a little curious, I wonder if swimming with my vines is any easier. I let out my vines, beginning to do breaststrokes and backstrokes with them. It doesn't feel any faster than simply paddling with my hands, but it certainly seems a bit more manageable. Toge floats nearby, looking up at the sky. Rolling over in the water, I do the same as I watch the clouds pass on by, thinking on the situation.
Toge's friendly and all, but he's not as cheerful as Wooper is. He genuinely seems to enjoy my company, which is nice, but watching Wooper jet around in the water, swimming circles around me, leaping into the air and doing flips, holding onto him as he ferries me around at high speeds... That's half the fun of going for swims! I can't help but feel guilty for wishing that he was my current company instead. When Wooper comes back, maybe Toge can come along for swims as well?
Toge swims alongside me. “W-what's wrong, Chespin? I-is it Wooper?”
“He's so much fun to watch on swimming trips, I can't help but think about it. You should come with us for another one sometime.”
“Th-that'd be nice...”
The two of us spend roughly an hour swimming and splashing around in the lake. I try to dive down and touch the bottom a few times, but never end up making it. From time to time, I catch glimpses of real happiness underneath Toge's normal timidness, something I rarely see back at the guild. It still feels a little awkward having someone look up to me so much, but it's not a bad feeling.
Eventually, I start to grow hungry, and we climb out of the lake to dry off in the sun. Once we're dry, I begin to dig out the food I packed earlier. Sandwiches, cookies, and assorted berries are there, as well as some bottled berry juice. As we eat, Toge is the first to speak.
“I-it's really pretty out here...”
“You got that right. If the guild didn't pan out, I'd have tried to get a little house built out here, a place for me and... Wooper...” Finishing my sandwich, I reach for the cookies. I take a bite, but the taste catches me offguard. “These aren't chocolate chips, they're RAISINS! Oh, come on!”
“I-I like oatmeal raisin, though...” Toge bites into his cookie, gasping at the taste. “Th-these aren't raisins, they're chocolate ch-chips!”
“Are you serious?!” I rummage through the bag once again, taking a closer look at the cookies. They all look identical at first glance, the slight rumples on the surface the only sign of oatmeal raisin. “Great, we've got chocolate chip cookies and mimics for dessert.”
“Th-they're not that bad, h-honest. M-maybe you like them now and don't know it, Chespin?”
Shrugging, I take another bite of the ruse cookie, focusing on the taste. Now that I know what it truly is, it's... actually not that bad?? “That's weird, I HATED these stupid things as a human, and yet... Maybe that old woman's got a few tricks up her sleeve.”
“Sh-she seems good at b-baking...”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7vxyduwKz0
The food finished, I dig out the best part of the picnic. “Ever have a Gummi drink? Got a few sodas here.”
Toge shakes his head. “N-no... I-I usually stick to normal j-juice.”
I hand him a bottle filled with a light-blue liquid. “Here you go, this seems like it'll be up your alley.”
“Th-thanks.” The two of us pop the corks off our respective bottles, clink them together, and take a sip. Toge gasps at the flavor. “I-It tastes like really fizzy cotton c-candy?!” Taking another drink, he says “This is r-really sweet... I-I don't think I've had anything this s-sweet since I've b-been here.”
“It's pretty good, ain't it? I was thrilled when I saw this stuff for the first time.”
“M-Maybe I should get a few bottles for the st-storeroom.”
We continue sipping on the sodas. After a minute of this, Toge turns to me, his expression shifted to one of comfort. “You know, Chespin, you're a really good friend. I wish I had a friend like you when I was still human. If I did, I'd actually have a reason to want to go back.”
“Hey, thanks, that's...” Wait a minute, he didn't stutter? That's the first time I've ever heard him speak without stuttering, outside of one of his trademark rants that is. Is he that comfortable around me? Is it the drink? Deciding not to draw attention to it, I say, “Yeah, my friends before all this were pretty lame. Most of you guys at the guild are pretty cool.”
“Yep, but Team Cozy's the besht of the bunch in my eyesh.” He's slurring his words already?
“Glad to have a fan, in that case.”
“Yesh, true blue Cozy fan riiight here, betterrr believe it... Hey, waitta minute, are 'dese drinks alcoholic?”
...Yep, it's the drink taking away his stutter. “Oh uh, forgot to mention that little bit. Whoops!” He hasn't even drank half of his bottle! Talk about a lightweight.
“Youshe betta know I's ain't old enuff ta drink, Cheshpin.” Despite this, Toge takes a big sip of his drink instantly afterwards.
“Ah, relax, as far as I know there ain't a legal drinking age in this world. Besides, ain't like I had to show an ID to pick these up.”
Finishing the bottle, Toge stands up, stumbling from side to side. “Jusht another crime... ta add to da lisht...” Losing his balance completely, he falls forward, lightly landing on the grass.
Finishing the last sip I had left, I say, “Uhh... Toge? You alright?” I walk over to him, turning him over. He's passed out drunk. “I can't believe this, really? From a single bottle? Guess I gotta carry you now.” Sighing, I wrap my vines around him, lifting him up as hard as I can... and end up almost flinging him into the air as a result! He's way lighter than I had expected! Least it'll make carrying him back easy. With Toge in tow, I grab my bag and begin the walk back to the guild.
The silence on the walk back is deafening. Worry creeps back into my mind like a weed as I realize that I'm out in the wide open, carrying someone who passed out. I've never even been outside of town on my own, but being in this situation somehow feels worse than being purely alone! What if someone comes to try and rob us? What if Dewott is lurking about and catches us like this?!
I can't handle being all alone. Toge's gotta wake up! Shaking him in my vines a little, I say, “Umm... rise and shine?” Nope, nothing.
Screw this, I might have something stored away that'll help. Looking in my bag, I spot a green and white seed with a yellow spot at the end of it. Perfect! Lowering Toge to the ground, I open his mouth and drop the seed into it. Seconds later, he stirs awake, and I let out a sigh of relief.
“Ugh... h-head h-hurts a l-lot... d-did I hit my h-head again?”
I let out a nervous laugh. “No, but... how do I put this? You had a gummi drink and I kind of forgot to tell you they were alcoholic?”
“I-I g-got d-d-drunk?!” Toge covers his face with his hands, looking away from me.
“If it makes you feel better, it happened to me the first time I got ahold of some Gummi drinks. Didn't even realize until Wooper started giggling at what I was saying.”
“I-I'm s-sorry Chespin... I p-probably looked like a c-complete moron... Agh...” Toge clutches his head, shaking.
“Must be a hangover, but that seed I fed you is supposed to cure them. Maybe it's different because you were asleep?” I look through the bag for another seed, but find none. “Think you can tough it out until we return to the guild?”
“M-mhmm...” Toge mumbles, his voice sounding pained.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iskv6DyiSXs
I begin jogging back to Capim, still carrying Toge in my vines. I don't want to be caught out in the middle of nowhere after dark, especially without Wooper's glowing ability. Toge is light enough to not slow me down too much, and we manage to get back to the guild by sunset. The other guild members give us strange looks as I run to the storeroom, digging out a Heal Seed for Toge. He eats it, letting out a long sigh of relief as I set him down.
“Phew... T-today was nice, even despite... y-you know.”
“It sure beat my plan of laying in bed all day, that's for sure. So uh... Now what?”
Toge fidgets with his hands. “H-have you ever seen the sunset from a-atop the guild? It's really n-nice.”
I shrug. “Nope, but I'm up for it.”
“G-good!”
Once back outside, Toge flies me up to the roof of the guild, where we sit and watch the sun set over the ocean. The ocean... “Wooper and his family are somewhere out there... Are they okay?”
“I-I'm sure they're f-fine, Chespin! H-his parents must be very powerful if th-they even outrank Team B-Buckler...”
“I think it's because Wooper's parents hunted down outlaws for a long time? You know... If Wooper's father met someone who actually did save the world, he'd be floored. Then he'd want to see their power firsthand.”
Toge gasps. “H-he'd fight them?!”
I let out a tiny laugh. “Absolutely. Seeing him in action is something else, but he doesn't seem to go all out unless he knows someone hurt...Wooper.”
“Oh! S-so Wooper MUST be pretty safe, e-even out on his adventure right now!”
I look back over the ocean, a hint of sadness in my voice. “Maybe you're right...The things I saw his parents do to that stupid filthy CHILLER Abomasnow could probably be considered war crimes back in the old world.”
“W-what'd they do to that... ch-ch-chiller?”
I hold back a tiny chuckle upon hearing Toge say my made-up slur. “Well, I probably shouldn't say, because it was pretty heavy. Just know that it absolutely destroyed that CHILLER'S spirit, and he had it coming.”
“O-oh my! U-umm...” Toge flies up from his spot, hovering nearby. “Y-you probably don't have to worry about Wooper i-in that case.”
“I know, but... I miss him already.”
The orange skies slowly blend into a purplish-pink color as the sun sets over the water, followed by a dark lavender. Darkness falls as night arrives, and I can see tiny lights come on throughout the town. Toge flies me back off the roof, and we head back inside.
Once inside, I cringe at the sight of one specific guild member. Cyndaquil. He eyes the two of us up, a grin coming across his face.
“Ooh, Wooper's gone for not even a day and you've already got a new boyfriend? Is it gonna be my turn next?” A blush forms on his face.
Upon hearing what he said about Wooper and I, I snap.
Without even thinking about it, I shoot my vines towards Cyndaquil, holding him in the air as I squeeze my vines around him, with one thought on my mind. Choking him unconscious.
“We're NOTHING like that! How DARE you say such vile things about Wooper and I! Oh, but I bet you still want 'your turn' despite that, huh?? Well, here it is, you filthy BURNOUT!” I squeeze the vines tighter, hoping to try teaching him a lesson. “NEVER say anything of that sort about Wooper EVER again, got it?!”
“A-aaack... what's my... s-safeword...” I hear Cyndaquil struggling to breathe in my grasp.
Figures, this degenerate is going to be a degenerate until the very end. “Your safeword is 'I'll never talk about Wooper like that again.' Well? Are you gonna say it?”
“A-are you... still... fair game?”
I launch Cyndaquil into a wall as hard as I can, the impact rattling a nearby shelf hard enough to send a couple books falling to the floor. “Disgusting half-black creature, get out of my sight.” Cyndaquil lies on the floor, dazed and gasping for air.
Retracting my vines, I shudder. “Ugh... I feel dirty just laying my vines on him.”
The look on Toge's face shifts to one of excitement. "Cyndaquil had it coming, only a TRUE patrician could understand the purity of Team Cozy's perfect friendship!" Uh oh, he's ranting again. “Why, there's absolutely NOTHING wrong wi-”
Cutting him off before he can go any further, I yell, “ANYWAYS, Toge, I'm going to bed.” I begin walking towards my room.
Toge follows alongside me. “O-oh right, s-so um... m-maybe I could c-come? Y-you know, s-since Wooper isn't a-arou-”
“No.” Looking around, I whisper to him, saying, “It's awkward enough having you know about that, but doing what you're implying?”
“Y-yeah... I-I was only k-kidding a-after all, h-haha...” Toge says, letting out a very nervous laugh.
Getting to my room, I climb into my bed. “If you want to help out, can you help me fall asleep some other way?”
Toge lets out a loud, long yawn. “Y-yeah... does that help? The y-yawn, I mean.”
I can't hold back a yawn myself. “I actually feel... really sleepy now?”
“Th-then it worked! U-umm... goodnight Chespin.” Toge closes the door behind him, and I'm left alone in my room.
Even with Toge's help, I don't fall asleep right away. I feel really uncomfortable without Wooper nearby, and I try to make up for it by hugging his pillow, but...it's not the same. The only sounds in the room are my own thoughts as I look out at the starry sky.
I can't help but wonder, Is Wooper having trouble sleeping without his normal bed of cotton and blankets? Is he worrying about me as well? I hope everything will be okay for him.
As I drift off to sleep, I think back to the things Cyndaquil said, and what I did in retaliation. One thought rings out stronger than the rest.
I hope I sent him to the infirmary.
Day 2:
“What?! You CAN'T be serious!!”
I find myself stood before the guildmaster, who just moments ago gave me an unthinkable task for today. “Surely there has to be someone else that can do this, literally ANYBODY else but me!”
“The outlaw is a dangerous one and everybody else is on their own jobs for the day. Team Misfits will surely need your help, kyukyu~” He twirls a wand around, as if to rub it in. “Besides, you should be able to easily take on that Marshtomp and bring them to justice~”
“But...They're the dregs of the guild! The ones that give us a bad rap! The reason the feds were so antagonistic towards us! The ones with that SICKO Cyndaquil!”
“Well, that's the way the cookie crumbles. Speaking of which, looks like they're here~!” I turn around, my heart sinking at the sight I see before me. A Phanpy with a Torchic walk up to me, accompanied by a Totodile drinking something out of a bottle as well as that degenerate from last night with a bandage around his head. This group is such a downgrade from Wooper that it borders on parody. I look back at the guildmaster, but he's already gone.
The Phanpy looks me over. “You're the one that put him in the infirmary?”
"I don't know what he thought would happen," the Torchic says bluntly. At least these two seem somewhat sane.
Cyndaquil looks at me, without a hint of shame or remorse on his face. “You know, I thought if I was ever going to go to the hospital for asphyxiation that it would be self-inflicted.” Totodile merely stands nearby, drinking from one of his many bottles.
“... You've got the right idea, Totodile. What do you have?” I ask, eager for anything that'll numb the pain of being around Cyndaquil.
“Whiskey, vodka, scotch, that kinda stuff!” Totodile holds a bottle out towards me. “Want some?”
“Too strong for me.” Shaking my head, I run to my room, grabbing a couple Gummi drinks. I walk back to the others, taking a long sip from one of the bottles. “... Let's just get this over with. Where's this outlaw hiding so I can hurry up and feed him a Solarbeam? I got things I'd rather be doing like NOT hanging out with Cyndaquil.”
“Hey, I'm not that bad! You could come to my room where I could show you my s-OUCH!”
Phanpy had smacked Cyndaquil in the back of the head with his trunk. “Keep it to yourself before he puts you in the hospital again.”
“Okay, okay, sheesh... did you have to hit my bruise?” Cyndaquil rubs the back of his head, wincing in pain.
Torchic looks at me, rolling her eyes. For a moment, we share a silent moment of understanding. Opening her beak to speak, she says, “The outlaw is holed up somewhere on Mt. Bristle. It's a couple of hours away, but if we leave now we might be able to get back without having to set up camp.”
I nod. “Alright, let's get moving then.” I finish off my drink, stuffing the empty bottle back in my bag.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Musoke_ZTg
The five of us begin the trek across the plains towards Mt. Bristle. The drink from earlier does its work, washing away my (merited) fear of being stuck on the same team as Cyndaquil. Though I only had one drink, Totodile seems to already be working on his second drink, showing no signs of stopping.
“Do you always drink this much?” I ask.
“You betcha! Makes trips a lot more fun!” Totodile shows me another bottle from his bag. “You sure you don't want one?”
“More like makes trips with Cyndaquil more tolerable... I'll stick with the Gummi drinks.”
“Please don't get completely wasted until after we bring the outlaw in, Totodile.” Torchic says.
I let out a small sigh. “So apart from burning forests down, how good are you guys at fighting?”
“I'm a lover, not a fighter,” Cyndaquil says. “But if we have to fight, I know how to use items.”
“Torchic rides on my back and shoots fire at foes, while I charge the enemy head on,” Phanpy says.
“I can shoot water at them, and there was also that time I smashed a bottle over someone's head!” Totodile says, jingling his bag of bottles.
While none of them sound even remotely as capable as Wooper, I find myself liking how Totodile thinks. “I smashed a bottle over a chiller's head once myself. Score one for the good guys.”
Torchic gives me a curious look. “... Chiller? Oh, right, you're the guy that really hates ice.”
“You don't know the half of it,” I grumble. “At least this mission doesn't involve one as an outlaw. Anyways, I've got vines, Solarbeams, and sharp quills.”
“Then we should be able to make short work of the outlaw with your help,” Phanpy says. “Speaking of which, we're almost there.”
I pick my head up, the base of the mountain only a few minutes away now. The sight of Mt. Bristle fills me with anxiety, not because of what we might find on it or how the outlaw will fight, but because of how my current 'team' may fight.
The five of us begin our ascent up the small mountainside. The crag and rocks form paths and 'rooms' as we work our way higher. I let my vines out, keeping them at the ready in case I need to grab or throw some dungeonmon. The four give my vines curious glances, but don't comment further on things, returning their focus to the dungeon. It isn't much longer before we find our first foes, two Starly.
Morbidly curious, I say, “Let's see how you guys fight.” Phanpy nods, charging the Starly on the left. The bird flies out of range, but Torchic keeps shooting small fireballs, eventually scoring a hit. The Starly falls out of the air, landing before me. I kneel down to punch it in the face, my fist crackling with electricity as the foe poofs into dust. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot Totodile getting smacked by his enemy's wings as he tries to reach into his bag.
“Need a little he-”
I'm cut off by the sound of shattering glass as Totodile smashes an empty bottle over the Starly's head, the opponent dissolving into nothingness. “All good here!”
“Not bad,” I say. “From what I've heard of you guys I was expecting a lot worse.”
“Gee, thanks.” the Torchic replies, annoyed.
Realizing what I said, I respond with, “I-I didn't mean it like that!”
“We've done harder missions than this,” Phanpy says.
Totodile pulls out another bottle, taking a long sip from it. “C'mon, Chespin! Lighten up, live a little!”
“It's okay, Chespin. Maybe after this I could give you tips on talking to chicks,” Cyndaquil says.
I clench my fist, letting it spark again. Though I'm extremely tempted to hit him, I know it'd just make the mission more annoying if we had to lug around a knocked out teammate. Taking a deep breath, I say, “... We had better keep climbing.”
As we progress, we take on more Starly, as well as some Spinarak and Machops. Further on, we spot a room with several orbs and some cash scattered across the floor. I shoot out my vines, pulling the others back before they can enter it. “Look out, that room's a trap!”
“We know,” Phanpy says. “But the orbs look helpful, and the enemies we've fought seem weak enough.”
“And the cash'll let me get more drinks!” Totodile says, taking a swig.
“Besides, there's no other way forward,” Cyndaquil says in a rare showing of sanity.
“I hope you guys know what you're doing...” I say, retracting my vines and bracing for the inevitable.
The instant we enter the room, roughly a dozen enemies leap out from behind the rocks, surrounding us. To my left, Phanpy charges a Machop head on as Torchic shoots tiny fires at the Spinarak nearby. Totodile shoots water at a couple of Geodude while Cyndaquil hides in the back and throws rocks at a few other foes. As I pull in a Starly of my own to slam my electrified fist into, I find myself thinking that maybe they aren't that bad at dungeon dives after all.
I hear a thud nearby, along with an “Oof!” Looking over, I notice that Phanpy had tripped over a hidden trap, sending Torchic flying. Both of the others run over to help, getting themselves surrounded even more. Well, that thought didn't last long.
“What are you guys DOING?!” I yell as I smack a Geodude with my vines.
I hear somebody yell “Screw this!” as I see a blue light shine from the cluster of Pokemon. A bluish light surrounds the dungeonmons, causing them to vanish mere seconds later! Just like that, all the foes are gone, Cyndaquil standing there with a shattered orb before him.
“Surprised you even know how to use those things... That looked more like you warped them away than beat them.” I say. I reach a vine over to some of the cash lying on the ground, pocketing it for myself. It's only fair that I get some small cut of what we find.
“Hey, a win's a win.” Cyndaquil says, pocketing an orb with a picture of a sunny sky on it. The others grab up the rest of the loot as well, and we continue onward.
Near the summit, we spot a campfire with a strange Pokemon near it. They have several fins along their bluish body, and pointy orange gills on the sides of its head. I can also see a black scarf tied around its neck, as well as a blue-orange bracelet around its right arm. Hoping to get the drop on them, I hold my hands skyward, focusing my attention on the sun. My body begins to glow a bright green... and the light alerts the outlaw! I try to shoot a beam at them, but they leap out of the way just in time. I curse to myself, this could have been over just like that!
“Ah, another gang of do-gooders trying to get me? Well...” The outlaw grabs their bag, slinging it around themselves. “Come and get me! You've got no chance against Marshtomp the Malicious!”
The villain fires a jet of water at us, the attack barely missing as all five of us leap out of the way. Trying to keep my voice low, I say, “Distract him so I can get a good hit on him! Do anything it takes!”
Phanpy nods, charging them head on, zigzagging as he closes the distance. Totodile runs just behind him, while Cyndaquil hides behind a rock and takes potshots with more rocks. I remain stood in place, charging up energy for a second shot. All I need is one good hit...
Phanpy narrowly dodges one final blast of water, slamming into the Marshtomp head-on! The impact is so forceful it causes an explosion! My jaw drops upon seeing this, and I yell out “Phanpy's that strong?!”
I hear Cyndaquil's voice from nearby. “He's never done anything close to that before, something ain't right here.”
As the dust clears, I spot Torchic and Phanpy scattered across the ground. Marshtomp stands there with a smirk across his face, barely harmed. “Ahaha! First time seeing an Explosive Band, huh?” The outlaw holds his hands out, waving towards himself. “C'mon, just TRY to make contact with me! Take your best shot, if you dare.”
“Take my best shot?” I yell. “Alright, FINE!” With a shout, I unleash a beam of energy directly at him! I hear a faint gasp just before the beam hits home, kicking up a cloud of dust as it collides with the foe. Exhaling, I say, “Alright, that should be all we gotta... do...”
The outlaw still stands, somehow seeming even less harmed than before! He raises an arm up, his bracelet shimmering in the sunlight. “Thanks to this bad boy, all your little attack did was heal me. I have no weakness! You should all just give up and go home, you don't have a chance against me!”
“of all the rotten luck... We gotta get that bracelet off of him!” I yell. “Keep him busy!”
As fire, water, and rocks fly through the air, I look in my bag for something that'll help. Heal Seed, no... Pecha Berry, no... Quick Seed... yes! Stuffing it into my mouth, I feel energy flow into my limbs. I circle around the Marshtomp, who is too busy trying to keep up with the barrage of small fireballs, rocks, and empty beer bottles to keep track of me creeping closer. Hiding behind a nearby rock, I snake my vines out towards the outlaw... who turns around just as they reach him! Thinking fast, I restrain his left arm with one vine, while stealing the bracelet from the other arm with my other vine! I rush to pocket the item, the effects of the seed beginning to wear off.
“I-Hey! Give that back! I stole that fair and square, you can't just go stealing it from m-OW!” One of Cyndaquil's rocks finally meets its mark, bonking him in the head.
The bad guy's concentration momentarily broken, Torchic and Totodile unleash their attacks into them! Noticing an opening, I leap out from my hiding spot, giving it all I've got with my vines! As I begin to beat our foe into a corner, I see his scarf begin to glow orange! I quickly turn around and run, but end up blown forward by the explosion! I tumble across the rocky ground, wincing as I stand back up, legs wobbly. My 'armor' seems to have helped, but it looks like the other three fighters got caught in the blast. Torchic lies on the ground, while Phanpy and Totodile seem to be having trouble standing.
“Now I've got you guys!” The outlaw laughs, following with, “Now, to take out that annoying moron with the vines!” He inhales, and just as I manage to stand fully upright, he shoots something truly horrifying. An icy beam of energy.
“NOOOOOOOOOO!” I cry out in pain and horror as the beam hits home. But this time is worse than all the others. I try to move, but I can't. Everything is agony. I'm frozen in a block of ice, and all I can do now is watch. Is this how I'm going to die? Fear dominates my mind as I think back to Wooper. What'll he do if he comes back to the guild and I'm gone?
I... I can't let that happen, I have to try and endure! All I can do for now is watch as the outlaw digs out an Oran Berry from his bag, eating it. He fires a blast of water at Phanpy, slamming him against a wall. Out of the corner of my mind I can spot Cyndaquil creeping closer, using me as cover... or at least I hope that's what he's doing. I see him reach into his bag, pulling out the orb he picked up early... Wait! That's a Sunny Orb!
Cyndaquil smashes the orb on the ground, causing bright sunlight to stream into the arena. Even though my icy jail, the light shines onto me, and I focus my entire being on the light. My body begins to glow green once more... will this really work? Cyndaquil throws more rocks at the villain, but he finally takes a direct blast of water! He tries to stand back up, but falls.
“Ahaha! Five of you couldn't even take on one outlaw?” The Marshtomp heads for Cyndaquil's bag. “Pathetic. Just means more loot for me. He begins rummaging through, looking for valuables.
The green glow is all-encompassing now, the crook is in front of me and distracted, this is my chance! I focus all of my energy into my hands, warming them up. Finally, my beam of light is unleashed, shattering the block of ice entirely! I hear a faint “Oh n-” from the bad guy as my beam hits home, the attack sending him flying into a rocky outcropping hard enough to shake the arena! I gasp for breath as warmth slowly returns to my body, the agonizing pain subsiding as I stuff my face with Oran Berries.
The others manage to pick themselves back up, but the outlaw looks like he's down for the count. I throw berries to the others to help them, and the five of us surround the crook.
“Looks like we've won,” Phanpy says.
I want to celebrate, but deep down, I'm enraged. This enemy FROZE me! My hands begin to shake as I look at the downed foe. Stealing his exploding scarf, I say, “Oh, really? Let's make SURE!” I punctuate my comment by kicking the Marshtomp in the stomach, eliciting a low groan of pain from them. “How do you like that, huh? This'll teach you to freeze me!”
“Relax, Chespin, we won!” Totodile puts his hand on my shoulder. “You know, drinks usually help warm me up when I'm cold. Want a sip?”
I open my mouth to say no, but I hesitate. “... Screw it, why not.” I swipe the booze from Totodile's hand, chugging the small remainder of it down. I cringe at the horribly bitter taste, but it does make me feel a little warmer.
“Alright, Chespin!” A smile crosses Totodile's face. “We oughta go drinking some night!”
“Maybe that wouldn't be a bad idea...” Holding the bottle in my hand, I get an idea. “Hey Totodile, wanna see something cool?”
“Totally!”
Gripping the bottle in a vine, I stretch it up higher and higher into the air... before slamming the bottle over the Marshtomp's head. “Take that, you good-for-nothing thieving CHILLER.”
“... Chiller?” Torchic gives me a strange look. “He wasn't even an ice type.”
“He was every bit as bad as one. He got what he deserved.”
“We had better get this guy back to the cops,” Phanpy says.
We make the trek back to Capim, the still KO'd outlaw riding atop Phanpy. Along the way, I realize something. I only broke out of the ice because of that Sunny Orb. The one that... Cyndaquil used. It just had to be him, didn't it?
I take a deep breath, bracing myself. “... Hey, Cyndaquil? Uh... Thanks for using that Sunny Orb. I'd probably still be frozen if you hadn't done that.”
“You're welcome. It also helped us beat the bad guy.”
“Yeah... Thanks for that, too.”
“So, now that I've helped you out, maybe you could return the favor and come pick up chicks with me later tonight? You could learn the tools of the trade from a master pickup artist.” Cyndaquil gives me a little smirk. “Or we could just have a lad's night out, just the two of us.”
“I think I'd rather remain encased in ice,” I say bluntly. “You seriously can't resist taking any chance you get, can you?”
“You miss 100% of the shots you don't take, Chespin.”
I roll my eyes. “From the sound of things it seems like you miss 100% of the shots you DO take.”
“You should learn to live a little, Chespin. Come join Team Onlyphans on a night on the town sometime.”
His team name catches me completely off-guard. I stifle a chuckle at Cyndaquil's made up name, saying, “I thought you guys were Team Misfits?”
“I like my name better,” Cyndaquil says with a smile.
I glance over at Torchic, who says, “It's a good thing he doesn't get to decide those things.”
The five of us dump the outlaw off at the sheriff's office, a Druddigon there handing us our cash reward Taking it back to the guild's dining hall, Phanpy splits it into 5 sections, sliding one towards me. “Couldn't have done it without you today, Chespin.”
“Thanks.” I pocket the coins, wondering what I'll buy with them. “Well, today has been... interesting. But a team like this is a little too... big for what I usually work with. It's usually just me and... Wooper... He's off with his parents on some expedition.”
Torchic takes note of my tone of voice, saying, “I know you're probably worried about him, but if a team like ours can manage to tackle outlaws and missions, then Wooper will be fine.”
“I hope you're right, can't stop worrying...” Letting out a yawn, I say, “I had better get to bed now, good night.”
The others wave me off, Cyndaquil surprisingly not slipping one final comment in, much to my relief.
Day 3:
Day 3:
The next morning, I find myself wandering the guild halls aimlessly, trying to think of something to do today. Without Wooper around, my motivation is completely shot. Try as I might, I can't think of anything to do today. Bored and lonely, I make my way towards the dining hall to at least get something to eat, but along the way, I spot something... bizarre.
I spot what looks like a robotic duck. It is colored blue and magenta, and looks ahead with glowing white eyes, hovering directly towards me.
Feeling a little uneasy, I wave my hand in front of its eyes. “Umm... hello? Are you... alive? Are you a guild member?”
Its eyes flash twice, and what sounds like a text-to-speech voice responds to me with “MODEL NAME: PORYGON2. THIS UNIT IS AN AUTOMATON UNDER THE OWNERSHIP OF (Smith).”
What in the world?! This thing's an outright robot! Trying not to think about how this thing exists here, I ask it “Uh huh... What can you... do?”
“MAIN PURPOSE: TO ASSIST EXPLORATION TEAMS BY PROVIDING INFORMATION ON DUNGEONS.”
Still not sure what to make of this, I ask, “What information do you give?”
“1: DUNGEON LENGTH. 2: WEATHER PATTERNS. 3: DANGEROUS POKEMON. 4: RECOMMENDED TEAM COMPOSITION.”
“So you're like some kind of strategy guide?” A little curious as to what Wooper's getting himself into, I offer this question. “Give me everything you've got on a place called Miracle Sea.”
A crude, digital picture of an hourglass appears on both of the robot's eyes, rotating as it loads the information. “LOADING QUERY... SEARCHING... RESULTS FOUND.”
“Really? What do you have?!” I shout, a little too eager to know.
“MIRACLE SEA. LENGTH: 23 SECTIONS. AQUATIC NATURE REQUIRES BREATHING UNDERWATER TO ACCESS. WEATHER PATTERNS: UNDERWATER. VISIBILITY: MODERATE TO POOR DEPENDING ON DEPTH. DANGEROUS POKEMON INCLUDE; LANTURN, OCTILLERY, DARKRAI, CRADILY. RECOMME-”
I cut the machine off. “Wait, WHAT?! You're telling me there's a Darkrai under the ocean?” Forget Team Marsh and Wooper, I'd be surprised if the entire guild at once could stand up to something like that! “Quick, tell me more about Darkrai!”
“DARKRAI: EXTREMELY RARE AND DANGEROUS. LOCATIONS: VARIOUS DUNGEONS. ATTACKS BY PUTTING FOES TO SLEEP AND CAUSING NIGHTMARES. SEEMS TO REQUIRE BRINGING A SPECIFIC TREASURE WITH TO DRAW IT OUT OF HIDING. MAY BE SEEKING TO STEAL HIGHLY VALUABLE OBJECTS.”
“Specific treasure?! What specific treasure?!” I'm starting to panic right now, Wooper and his parents could be headed into a trap!”
“SOURCES INDICATE THAT ^%#$$#@^ IS THE CORRECT ITEM.”
“... What?! Your voice glitched up!” Then a thought comes to mind. “... Wait a second, how recent is your info?”
“LAST UPDATE ON MIRACLE SEA LOGS: 14936 DAYS AGO.”
I let out an uneasy sigh of relief, Darkrai might not even be alive anymore. “Great, a machine with absurdly out of date info. Thanks for giving me a heart attack you hunk of-”
I'm interrupted by something big and purple skittering up to me. As I turn to face it, I see a large scorpion-like creature, wearing a yellow polka dotted bow on its head. The sight of such a large bug makes me jump a little before my mind registers him as a guild member. He narrows his eyes ever so slightly at my reaction. “I heard yelling, what's up with you?”
Was I really shouting all of that? “Ahh... This thing was feeding me all kinds of insane info that might not even be relevant anymore.”
“Oh. Some of it is probably useful, but we pretty much hauled it out of a junkyard.”
“Uh huh...” Still on edge and with nothing else in mind, I ask “So... What're you up to today?”
“Furret and I a-”
The Skorupi is cut off by a Furret rushing down the hall towards us. She wears a pink scarf around her neck, along with a red polka dot bow on her head. Skidding to a half next to him, she unleashes a torrent of words upon me.
“Oh hey, I remember you! You're Chespin, right? Well if you don't remember us, I'm Furret and that's my little buddy, and we're Team MLG! Hey, where's your little Wooper buddy? You two are always together, kinda like us! What do you think of his adorable little bow? I picked it out just for him! Doesn't it just perfectly suit his cu-”
My current unease makes me snap a little. “Okay, I get it, slow down!!” Once she finally pipes down, I say, “What are you two up to today?”
Furret recoils at my outburst, saying “Oh, sorry... I was gonna take my little buddy along shopping today. Oh, wanna come with us? I could pick you out an accessory too!”
Despite her overbearing attitude, something about her cheerfulness reminds me of Wooper. Maybe I could get my fix by tagging along with the two of them today? “I got nothing better to do, why not?”
“Great! Now let's just... Wait! I forgot my bag! C'mon, follow me!”
Smith and I follow Furret to her team's room. Opening the door, she says “Aaaand here's our room!” As she scrounges around a set of drawers for her bag, I see something that makes my eyes go wide. Right there, in the middle of the room, are their beds, or rather... 'beds.' It's just hay on the floor. The mere sight of it sickens me to my very core.
“... What is that?” I say, pointing to the 'beds'. “What the HELL is THAT?!”
“Those are our beds, silly!” Furret beams.
Her complete obliviousness to the severity of the situation makes me snap. Clenching my fist, I shout, “Beds? BEDS?! Those are NOT BEDS! That is a PILE OF HAY ON THE FLOOR! It is absolutely VILE! There are NO PILLOWS, there are NO BLANKETS, there is NOTHING SOFT TO LAY ON! How on EARTH do you two even manage to fall asleep at night? What will you do when it gets cold at night, SHIVER yourselves to sleep?! Cover yourselves with your NO BLANKETS? Oh, and what about when you wake up with back pain because you're sleeping on top of a thin layer of hay on a hard floor?! Why even HAVE a room in that case?! You may as well just sleep outside, but oh wait, grass is WAY softer than HAY!”
Furret interrupts me, saying “But I've always slept on hay, my little buddy even used to sleep on d-”
I cut her off, continuing my rant. “What is WRONG with you?! This is NOT how you sleep! Do you even know why Wooper and I are called Team Cozy?! It's not because we sleep on GARBAGE AND FILTH like you, it's because our goal, our NOBLE CAUSE, is to put an absolute end to the HELL AND MISERY that are hay beds, bringing about naps and sleeps of ABSOLUTELY ASSURED COZINESS! I didn't nearly die to a gigantic hornet and a filthy CHILLER for a team in the guild to sleep like THIS! Wait right here, I will put an end to this NIGHTMARE!”
Steaming, I run for the storeroom, fired up and ready to rid those two of their decidedly uncozy 'bed.' Picking up two pillows, I lift up a large bag of cotton with one vine, grabbing a couple of blankets with another vine. As I'm about to leave, I see Toge sorting some items up above me. Looking down at me, he says, “Ch-Chespin, y-you sh-should ch-... I-I mean, calm d-down!”
“I can't calm down, there's a guild room still using HAY! Can you BELIEVE these lunatics?!”
Without waiting for a response, I rush back towards Smith and Furret's room. Dumping everything on the floor, I swing my vines at the hay 'beds', destroying them. “Now that that TRASH is gone, time for you two to learn the TRUE meaning of coziness.”
I pour out the bag of cotton in the center of the room, spreading it out in two piles, one a bit larger than the other. I then toss the pillows and blankets onto them, saying, “Go on, try it! Lay down on it and WEEP at all the wasted time you've spent trying to sleep on a hay '''''BED'''''.”
Smith casts a glance at me, but skitters over towards the new bed, slumping down in the cotton as he pulls the blankets over himself. “This is... wow.”
Furret follows suit, crawling into the other bed. “Hey, this really is a lot better! I could take a little snooze right now, even!”
“You see?! My hatred for hay was stronger than my fear of going on my first missions, and THIS was the ultimate payoff for that. And...” I stop for a second, realizing how much I've been yelling the past several minutes. Did I really go off like that? Toge's rants must be rubbing off on me! Letting out a nervous laugh, I say, “... Like I said, a good night's sleep is one of the most important things you can get.”
Furret climbs out of her newly made bed. Grabbing her bag, she says, “Thanks for the new bed! C'mon, let's go shopping!”
The three of us head into the market. At nearly every stall we stop at, Furret begins to chatter about wanting to buy anything that's not nailed down, with Smith reigning her in each time she's about to make an impulse purchase. Throughout most of the day, I get the familiar feeling of being a child being dragged around town to every store by my parents... Come to think of it, why am I doing this? Maybe I should head back to the guild's garden and watch some clouds instead.
Before I can make good on that thought, Furret nudges me, pointing to a small building. “Ooh, you'll like this place Chespin. They got all kinds of scarves, bows, ribbons, and bandannas on sale there!” Without waiting for a response from me, she grabs me by the hand and leads me into the shop, with Smith following close behind.
The inside of the store has walls and racks covered in scarves, hats, ribbons, bows, and all manner of accessories. Furret scurries towards the far end of the interior rummaging through a rack while Smith stands near me, looking around. Even from here, I can hear Furret's comments. “Ooh, this one's cute! This bow's adorable, too! Ain't this scarf nifty, little buddy?”
I cast a glance over at Smith. “Does she always do this when you go shopping?”
“Yep.”
I half-heartedly look through a nearby display for a good scarf. Most of what I see is a little too flashy or flowery for my tastes. As I look, I find myself wishing Wooper was around for this sort of thing. We could get something we both like in that case. Is he looking for something I like right now while adventuring? Should I try to pick something up for him as well?
I'm snapped out of my thinking by an unfamiliar voice coming from above me. “Hello, are you searching for anything in particular?” Jumping a little, I look up, seeing a horrifying sight. Right there, above me, is the largest spider I have ever seen in my life! It's gigantic, seeming to be nearly triple my size! Letting out a scream, I turn and run for the door.
“Chespin, wait! That's the shopkeeper!” Furret dashes towards me, trying to stop me.
“Th-the shopkeeper?!” I take a shaky breath, looking back at the spider. It's an Ariados, and they aren't chasing after me. But... just the sight of a spider that big makes me skin crawl, friendly as it may be. “... Fine, sorry.” Why couldn't it have been something that wasn't a giant spider? Letting out a nervous laugh, I say, “Ahaha... you startled me, that's all. I'm uh, looking for some kind of... accessory? Something that ain't a scarf.”
“Oh, I've got just the thing.” The shopkeeper retreats into the ceiling on a string of silk. After only a moment, they return with a red hat. It looks a lot like the kind I'd see truckers wear back in the old world. “Try this on!”
Giving a shrug, I put the hat on, feeling it press down on my leafy quills. I look in the mirror, frowning a bit at the sight. I take the hat off, handing it back to the Ariados as I shake my head. “It's not BAD, but... It doesn't suit me. Besides, I need the quills out, it's more comfortable.”
“No hats, got it.” Without another word, they ascend once more, returning with a yellow and white headband. “Try this on, it's a Weather Band. It'll shelter you from any bad weather you come across.”
Tying it around my head, I check the mirror again. “This is better, but I don't think it's what I want. Won't this stop me from feeling the sun, too?”
“That's a dealbreaker, isn't it...” The Ariados ponders for a moment, before saying, “I got it!” Returning once again, they say “I'm certain you'll enjoy this one” as they place a light blue and purple cape in my hands.
I turn the cape over, examining the design and feeling the material. It feels very soft, almost like a comfy blanket. The pattern reminds me of a lake, and the colors remind me of... Wooper. Frowning a little, I tie it around my neck, looking in the mirror. Part of me feels a little awkward at the idea of walking around wearing a cape, but at the same time, I feel a childlike desire to want to do just that.
The Ariados notices my frown, saying, “Do you not like it?”
I shake my head. “No, I like it, but... It reminds me of my best friend. I wonder how he's doing, so far from home. Until recently, he's been at my side nearly every moment of the past several months. He's with some very skilled explorers currently, and even then, I can't help but worry constantly for his safety...” I let out a sad sigh before picking my head back up. “I'll take this with me, but... Do you have one of these with a forest-like design on it?”
“Certainly! Let me fetch it for you and I'll get you taken care of.”
A bit later, Ariados returns with the requested cape, with a design that reminds me of, well, myself. It is green and brown, and almost seems to depict a forest clearing. Handing over my money, I stuff the second cape in my bag. Looking around the store one more time, I see Furret excitedly rummaging through some more displays, with Smith standing idly by. He gives me a look of defeat, saying, “You can go, but I'm sure I'll be stuck here for another hour or two.” Nodding, I wave him goodbye as I head outside.
I wander around the treetops and bridges of Capim Town as the sun begins to set, not knowing what else to do. The feeling of my new cape billowing behind me feels kind of cool, but my mind wanders back to Wooper. Even if it's possible to get by without him around, there's still a void left by his absence. Furret's a bit too overbearing and ditzy to be a good substitute, and I don't think anybody in the guild would be as good at fighting as him. Nobody except... that team with the Torchic and Squirtle? I've heard some interesting things about them, actually. Maybe I could tag along with them for a day? As the sky grows darker, I turn around, heading back towards the guild.
I walk down the darkening guild halls, yawning a little. Most of the others seem to already be in their rooms, and I can hear their chattering from behind the various doors. As I round a corner, I freeze up at what I see in the shadows. A silhouette with a big head, no arms... branched gills poking out of the sides of their head?? I know that look anywhere!
“Wooper?! Wooper!” Letting out a sigh of relief, I shoot my vines out at him, pulling him into a big hug! “You're finally back! I was so worried about you!” Setting him down, I continue with, “So, did you find any... treasure...?” Hang on a second... As my eyes adjust to the darkness, I see something off about Wooper.
Pink splotches cover his entire body, and he wears a purple and yellow scarf. Now that I think about it, Wooper would have come looking for me if he came back early. “...Who are you?!” I ask, feeling myself deflate.
“I'm one of the new guild members, and my name is Cheesecake! I'm part of Team Gumbo!”
“...Oh.” He's cheerful, but... This isn't Wooper, it's just A Wooper! “I'm Chespin... Sorry, you looked like my partner at first glance.”
He seems to notice my disappointment for a split second, but moves right past it, saying, “I do?! There's another Wooper here? That's awesome!”
“It would be awesome... But he's away for awhile, so I'm just a one-man team.”
“Oh, but still, that's cool! I can't wait to meet him!” This guy's so cheerful, are all Wooper this way?
“Um... It's nice to meet you, I guess, but don't tell anybody about what I did earlier, okay?”
Cheesecake nods, saying, “Don't got a reason to do that!”
I lay in bed for what feels like an eternity, looking out at the starlit sky. Just under halfway through the week now. The things I've heard about Miracle Sea today scare me, but even if that's true... Team Marsh have whole decades of experience. Even if they couldn't fight against a Darkrai, they'd surely be able to use their resources to escape, right? Besides, how's a Darkrai going to breathe underwater, anyways? That old hunk of junk must be wrong with talk like that!
At least, I hope...
Day 4:
I head for the mission boards, looking for a way to kill time when I spot a Torchic and Squirtle chattering over which assignment to take. Hey, that's the team that's supposed to be super accomplished, isn't it? I approach the two, greeting them. “Morning, what are you two up to?”
The Squirtle happily greets me. “G'morning Chespin! Cooper and I were just about to head out on a little rescue.”
“Someone's son went to a canyon to gather stones and hasn't come back,” the Torchic says matter-of-factly. “Seems like a routine rescue to me.”
“How many of those have you guys gone on?”
“Hundreds!” the Squirtle exclaims.
“We've done our fair share of them, like Testa said. How about you?”
Feeling pretty outclassed, I say, “Ahh... Ten? Twenty?”
“Hey, you'll get there!” Testa picks her head up, seeming to get an idea. “Say, wanna come with us today? You can get a bit more experience in that way.”
I nod. “I was about to ask about that, actually. Lead the way.”
I follow alongside Team Buckler as the three of us leave Capim Town. Before we get into the dungeon, I've got to know something about this Squirtle. “You uh, don't have any attacks involving ice, do you Testa?”
“You know it! Check it out!” Testa fires off an Ice Beam towards a nearby rock. I clench my fists, trying to keep myself calm. She notices this, and says “Something wrong?”
“N-no, it's just um... Ice stuff still unnerves me.” Looking away, I say, “I used to react a lot worse to that sort of thing.”
“Oh, I'm sorry! Did something happen?”
“Well...” I take a deep breath. “My first mission involved Wooper and I getting attacked by a ton of icy enemies. Even though I tried to protect him, that stupid, rotten, filthy degenerate CHILLER Cryogonal knocked him out and I didn't know how to fight yet. It was a miracle I got out of that alive. You'd hate ice too if it happened to you.”
Testa wears a look of concern on her face. “If you don't mind talking about it... What was it like for you?”
“The guild didn't always have those nice cotton beds. I had to hunt down a rare treasure to secure the cotton to get those. A treasure protected by that FIEND. I found myself leaping in front of Wooper to protect him, but it hurt... a LOT. It was thanks to a bunch of Blast Seeds that I was able to melt that thing into nothingness.” Shaking my head, I say, “Just my luck they can just reform and cause trouble again.”
“Cryogonal certainly tried to cause trouble for us! Luckily Cooper was able to slice them in half with a beam of fire and shatter that snowflake!”
I let out a chuckle. “Let me tell you, when you guys told me about that fight, I knew I'd like you guys. Anyways uh... that first fight is why I don't deal with ice very well. It even made me distrust a couple guildmates for awhile. I can't help it, trauma like that doesn't go away very easily...”
Cooper speaks up, saying, “I think I know how you feel. Ever since that incident with the townsfolk back home, I... don't really trust many others.”
“Yeah, I can't blame you there. To think they'd be dumb enough to believe stupid rumor.” Now that the ice is broken, I ask the two “So, how do you like it at the guild?”
Testa gladly responds, saying, “It's great! I'd always wondered what other humans were like ever since I met Cooper, and now I get to meet dozens of them!”
“They're still a little strange,” Cooper says. “But I think I'm starting to grow used to them.”
“I know they're a little... bizarre, but most of us are just humans stuck in a new world. We'd be weird to everybody no matter what we were like before all this. Besides, with guildmates like Wooper, I wouldn't wa-” I pause mid-sentence upon saying Wooper's name. “I wouldn't want to stay anywhere else...”
Testa sounds concerned at my sudden mood shift. “You miss him, don't you?”
I nod. “He's the other half of my team. I wasn't in this world five minutes before I found him.”
“Sounds a lot like how I met Cooper. What's your friend like?”
“You know those stories where a human comes to this world, teams up with a Pokemon, and together they save th-oh who am I kidding, you two LIVED that! The story about going to the sky to stop a meteor is Wooper's favorite story, you know.”
“Yeah, we did do that!” Testa says proudly.
“It wasn't that spectacular,” Cooper says. “Anybody could have done what we did.”
I continue, saying, “Anyways, Wooper grew up being told those stories by his father, so he's obsessed with humans. He practically forced me to take him along with me... not that I was going to say no to him. Told me he trained his whole life to team up with a former human to be “just like one of the heroes from those stories.” Imagine his face when later that same day, we met a bunch of other former humans.”
“He must have been so excited!” Testa exclaims.
“Yeah, imagine his reaction when he found out what you two did. The second we got back to our room, he practically exploded with joy! He went on and on for at least an hour, talking about how he couldn't believe he really met the “heroes from those stories.”” An awful idea comes to mind, and I can't help but speak on it. “What if he tries to ditch our team and join yours? I'm probably not that special anymore...”
Cooper shakes his head. “We're not that special to begin with, Chespin. Your friend doesn't sound like the sort to do something like that, either.”
“He can come with us on an adventure when he returns to the guild.” Testa pats me on the shoulder, saying “Both of you can tag along, I'm sure it'd be more fun that way!”
I let out a small sigh. “Yeah, you're right. This is the same friend I've spent nearly every waking minute alongside since I first woke up here. He wouldn't dream of leaving our team!”
“If what you say about him is true, he'd never turn his back on you!” Testa says, smiling. “Anyhow, it shouldn't be much longer until we're there.”
After climbing over a small hill, our target comes into view. Looking down, we see a deep canyon stretching into the distance, a river running through the center of it. The further away it gets from us, the more the greenery thins out, the far end completely devoid of plant life. The sight of something so deep and vast begins to mess with my mind simply due to the sheer size of it.
“This must be the Eroded Canyon,” Cooper says. “Watch your step, there's no telling how long you'd be tumbling for if you slipped.”
“I'll be right behind you guys,” I say. “I want to see how the two of you are in battle.”
Testa nods, saying, “Got it. With any luck, this mission'll be a breeze!”
The three of us begin our long walk into the depths of the canyon. It isn't long before a group of three Geodude rise up from the ground as we pass by them, having disguised themselves as normal boulders. Before I can react, Testa punches one of them hard enough to shatter them into nothing but dust, followed by spitting out a blast of water to take care of one more. The final one makes a swing for Cooper, but Testa leaps in front of him, using herself as a shield. Not wanting to feel useless, I grab the final foe with my vines, tossing them into the nearby river.
I'm struck by the way Testa protected Cooper. “Hey, that's something I do for Wooper!”
Cooper looks off to the side. “The two of us cover each other's weaknesses. You're smart to do the same thing. Either way, the enemies here seem pretty weak, so we shouldn't have to worry much.”
Deeper and deeper the canyon goes, the enemies becoming more and more frequent the deeper we travel. The next group of enemies we run across is a pack of Cacnea. This time, Cooper leaps around the arena, shooting Flamethrowers as he nimbly dodges the enemies shot seeds and needles. At one point, I spot him ducking under a stream of Bullet Seeds as he kicks his final assailant down. After the battle, he turns to the two of us, saying, “We should keep moving.”
“How did you dodge everything so easily?” I say, surprised at how nimble he is.
“Lots of training. Plus, their attacks had a lot of tells to them. That Cacnea always raised its arms before firing its attack.” Turning back towards the far end of the canyon, Cooper continues with, “Anyhow, we have someone to rescue. Keep an eye out, I get the feeling we'll be fighting someone awfully territorial near the end of this place.”
“What gives you that idea?” I asked.
“It's usually that way. Haven't a lot of your missions gone that way, Chespin?”
“... Actually, yeah, now that you mention it. Well, as long as there ain't a chiller at the end of this place, it'll probably be okay.”
Testa adjusts her bag, saying “That's the spirit, Chespin! Won't be long now.”
We go down the canyon's twists and turns, eventually coming upon a steep drop off, the nearby river flowing into a waterfall. Carefully stepping towards the edge, I look down. It's hard to judge just how deep things are, so I decide to check with my vines. Laying on the ledge, I send a vine down as far as I can reach it. I extend it, feeling it stretch further... further... until I manage to touch it onto the ground! Standing back up, I say, “I can get you both down there when you're ready. Are you guys okay with my vines grabbing you?”
“Not a problem!” Testa says confidently.
“Umm, as long as it's quick,” Cooper mutters.
Trying to reassure, I say, “Don't worry about it, I pick Wooper up with my vines all the time and I've never had a problem. Shout up to me when you think you're close enough.”
Grabbing Testa in my vines, I slowly lower her into the drop off, not stopping until I hear her shout “That'll do it!” up to me. Retracting my vines, I turn my attention towards Cooper. As my vines approach him, I spot a hint of nervousness cross his face.
“I-I dunno about this, Chespin...” I can tell how uneasy Cooper is about this.
“I do this for Wooper all the time, it'll be okay. Why, it was just a couple hours in this world that I was picking him up in my vines and aiming him at enemies! I've never lost my grip on him once.”
“Yeah, but... We're pretty high up, and...”
I speak in a softer voice, trying to calm his nerves. “Everything went fine when I lowered Testa down. Please, just trust me on this. Our client is counting on us to help them.”
Cooper takes a deep breath, steeling his nerves. “Make it quick.”
I gently lift him up, an unusual warmth filling my vines. Picking Cooper up feels more like picking up a mug of hot cocoa, and I find myself thinking about nice it'd be to have him around in a cold area. As I lower him down, I notice just how light he is, feeling nearly weightless in my grasp! On top of that, I feel him shudder a little, clearly afraid of the descent.
Thankfully, everything goes off without a hitch. Upon hearing Cooper tell me he's low enough, I stand back up, looking around for something to wrap my vines around, finding... nothing. All plant life had ceased long ago, this section of the canyon being utterly barren. Looking down at the others, I shout, “Uh, I didn't think this through, I can't find any way to get myself down there!”
Testa shouts up, saying, “When the two of us have to do this, I make a series of ice platforms!”
Ice?! “U-Uhh... that doesn't sound safe! What if I slip?!”
“I could make you an icy slide!”
Taking a peek over the edge, it looks like a pretty far slide down. My mind turns to how fast I'd be going as I reach the bottom of an icy slide. “There's no telling where I'd be sent tumbling once that'd over!” Hoping for other options, I shout “I just need something to wrap my vines around!”
“Oh, I got it!” A flash of blue accompanies Testa's words, causing me to let out a cry and back away as a blast of icy energy strikes the wall of the drop off. As I recompose myself and look back down, I spot an outcropping of ice right near the edge. It looks thick enough to grab onto, but that means... Oh, screw it.
I grapple onto the ice, a chill shooting up my vines. Enduring the coldness, I steel my nerves and leap off the side! My vines hold steady, keeping me from plummeting to the bottom. Safe from falling, I lower myself deeper and deeper until I finally touch the bottom. Letting out a sigh of relief, I retract my vines, wrapping them around Cooper in an attempt to warm them back up.
“Ch-Chespin, what are you doing?!” Cooper doesn't look happy with what I'm doing.
Pulling away from him, I say, “I'm sorry, the ice is just too cold for me, I needed to warm up! I hope that didn't weird you out too much.” Looking back up to where we came from, I say, “This woulda been easier if one of us could fly.”
“At least we're down here safe and sound, thanks Chespin!” Testa looks down the canyon. “Looks like the end of the canyon is coming up.
The nearby river flows into a nearby cave, twisting into the darkness and out of sight. Near the entrance, a cream-colored Meowth pokes its head around from a boulder. “A-are you here to rescue me?”
“That's right!” Testa announces. “What're you doing out here anyways? Actually, how'd you get down that cliff in the first place?”
“I was getting some precious rocks for my mom as a gift before someone grabbed me... He brought me down here as punishment for-”
A rough-sounding voice calls from within the cave. “Stealing my property.”
I gasp upon hearing the unknown voice. “Show yourself!”
A tall, multi-limbed rocky monster walks into the light. It glares at me, its head shaped like a hand. “Unless the three of you want to end up in the ground, you had better leave.”
“Not a chance,” Cooper states.
Testa raises a fist in the air. “We're Team Buckler, the shield that saves those in need! And if we gotta fight you to do that, then you bet we're gonna do that!”
“I knew you'd choose to fight.” The Barbaracle tosses up rocks in all four of his hands, tossing them directly at Testa!
She retreats into her shell, the rocks glancing right off. Testa blasts forth a jet of water, but the foe holds out his hands, withstanding the assault. “Cooper, you know what to do!”
I watch as Cooper leaps around the area, trying to get behind the enemy, but the Barbaracle meets his advance by throwing another series of rocks at Cooper... and me! Testa turns her back towards the enemy, guarding me from the attack as I watch Cooper jump back! “It's like he has eyes in the back of his head.”
Shooting my vines out, I wrap around our opponent, slingshotting myself into his face for a pointy Headbutt. He lets out a small grunt, the attack doing only a little to phase him. Before I can retreat, he grabs me in one of his hands! I curl up just in time to protect my chest and stomach as another hand slams into me, sending me tumbling across the ground. Dazed, I get back up, sore but still able to keep going. “Ugh... some punch he's got, watch out.”
Cooper inhales for a Flamethrower, but has to dodge out of the way as another series of rocks gets thrown at him. “It's no good, I can't get a good shot in with all those rocks he's chucking.” Out of the corner of my eye, I spot five jets of water flying towards him! Instinctively, I shoot my vines out, reeling Cooper out of harm's way. He looks around nervously in my grasp, saying “Wh-what are you doing?!”
“I do this for Wooper all the time, trust me! I'm going to move you around, and you just focus on shooting.” Cooper takes a deep breath, finally nodding in confirmation. Now that that's settled, I point him at Barbaracle, much like I would with Wooper. Testa guards me as I aim Cooper around, who finally manages to score a couple of hits! Singe marks cover the bad guy, but it doesn't look like he's anywhere near ready to go down! “Testa!” I shout, “Don't you have something in that bag that can make this easier?”
“Right!” She digs a hand into her bag, pulling out a stick with two curly spots on the end of it. Waving it at the enemy, a beam of light shoots out of it, slamming right into the crook! The effects are instantaneous, causing all of his limbs to move around in a sloppy and confused manner. He tries to throw more rocks, but they simply plunk right into the nearby river.
I pull Cooper up to my side, releasing him from my grasp. I raise my hands skyward and say, “Okay guys, get your attacks ready. We're gonna hit him with everything all at once!”
Testa nods, readying herself for the assault. Cooper's beak begins to steam up more and more, the heat radiating from his body getting hotter and hotter. The ball of light energy grows in size as I take in more sunlight. I spot the Barbaracle shake his head, coming back to his senses. Testa takes notice, using herself as a shield as more rocks impact her shell. My light energy, now fully charged, threatens to overwhelm me. “Testa... get ready... NOW!”
With a shout, I shoot forth a beam of energy. As if in sync, Cooper shoots a streak of fire, looking almost like a laser beam, and Testa blasts out a torrent of water! The attacks combine into one at their impact point, our foe's torso. He lets our a roar of pain as the combined assault proves too much for him, sending him flying backwards into the cave he came out of. The ground shakes slightly as I hear a dull THUD echo from within the cavern.
I lower my arms, catching my breath. “Hah... been awhile since I've done that. Everybody okay?” Cooper nods, steam pouring out of his beak.
“Pretty neat idea, Chespin! Looked pretty cool, too!” Testa walks over to where the Meowth was hiding, retrieving him. “You guys ready to get outta here?”
“I'd say so.” Reaching into my bag, I pull out an orb, smashing it on the ground. Blue light surrounds all four of us, and it isn't long before we find ourselves warped out of the canyon.
Back at the guild, a Persian places a bag of coins on the floor in front of us. “Thank you for rescuing my son, dearies.”
“All in a day's work!” Testa says. As the Persian walks out of the guild with her son, Testa places a handful of coins in my hand. “Here you go, Chespin! Couldn't have done it without you.”
I stuff the coins in my bag. “Thanks. Maybe someday we can do it again, but with Wooper coming along.” Turning to Cooper, I say, “Sorry about the vine thing, it's just that... Aiming Wooper is one of my main strategies, and you're uh... shaped a little like him. I hope I didn't weird you out too much.”
Cooper looks off to the side. “At least it worked. Startling as it was, it's an alright bit of teamwork.”
“So, what're you guys gonna do with the money?”
Testa pours the rest of the coins into her bag. “We're gonna stock up for the next mission! Can never be too prepared. How about you?”
“The same thing I spend all my spare cash on. Something sweet, like one of those Gummi drinks. Speaking of which, I should have a specially ordered drink coming in the mail soon. Keep an eye out for a package addressed to me, alright?”
“Got it!” With that, the two of them head into town, with me following behind as I make my way to the drink shop.
With a fresh drink in hand, I head back to my room, the taste of cherries and limes swishing around in my mouth. I sit near the window, looking up at the stars as I sip on the sweet, fizzy soda. I think back to my day with Team Buckler. If I ever wanted to get more serious about doing missions, they'd definitely be good to learn more from. But honestly, I prefer taking it easier. It's only because of Wooper that we do most of our jobs in the first place. At least I can use the earnings to feel a bit cozier.
Finishing my drink, I climb into bed, but my tail bumps into something! Throwing off the covers, I spot a bag inside my bed, with a letter on the outside of it. Holding it up to the moonlight, I begin to read it.
“I know you haven't been feeling that hot since Wooper's not around, so I made this. I hope it helps you get through the nights you've got left until he comes back. Stay strong, but more importantly, stay cozy!”
-Team Cozy's #1 Fan, Toge
Huh, that's unexpected, but nice. I grab the bag, reaching in and pulling the gift out.
I gasp at the sight of the plush. He actually made this?! Setting the bag and letter on the table, I give the plush a small hug. The gills are painted-over sticks stuck into the sides of the head, but the rest of it is nice and soft. I climb into bed again, turning over as I hug it close. Even if it's not the real deal... having something to hug while going to sleep is oddly comforting.
Day 5:
I wake up the next morning, still hugging the plush tightly. It feels warm and cozy, and part of me wants to sleep in... but I need to get some sunlight, so I force myself out of bed, making sure to grab my bag first. As I walk into the main lobby, I hear a faint voice come from the direction of the storeroom. “Psst, Chespin, c-come in here.” Curious, I follow the voice.
Inside the storeroom, Toge waits for me. Nervously fidgeting about, he says, “G-good morning, d-did you like the gift?”
Feeling a bit embarrassed, I look to the side. “Ahh... yes. I just hope the others don't find out about it.”
He lets out a sigh of relief, saying, “Oh, I'm so glad, b-but there's some b-bad news I have to tell you... th-that was the last of the cotton...”
I let out a loud gasp. “WHAT? We ran OUT?! But I... I got so much of it that one day! Are you telling me nobody ever restocked?”
“A-as far as I know, we only ever had the one sh-shipment.”
I clench my fist, feeling mad, but most of all, feeling fired up. “I can't believe this, does NOBODY ELSE at this madhouse know that a cozy home is one of the most important things one can have in life?! Oh, they'll splurge on stupid scarves or booze or berries to carry their incompetent ASSES through missions, but oh nooo, getting more cotton is just BENEATH THEM apparently!”
Toge chimes in with, “Yeah! What's wrong with everybody else? Team Cozy's the only team here that actually has their priorities straight! Not at all like those SLACKERS in Team Misfits, that fashion-obsessed Furret or our fruity-ass Guildmaster!”
“I'm the ONLY ONE here who knows what REALLY matters! I've worked so hard, fought so many damned CHILLERS to get what we've got, and for none of the other guild members to take action to keep our cotton stocks is an INSULT! A spit in my FACE, even! At least YOU used the cotton for a NOBLE purpose, but the others simply SQUANDER my precious gift of coziness!”
Toge pumps a fist in the air, shouting, “Exactly! Those PLEBIANS don't know who they're screwing with! If it wasn't for you, the guild would still be sleeping on thin piles of HAY and having NO GARDEN to relax in! What do the others have to show for their work, other than “Getting banned from the Blue Claw Inn yet AGAIN?! Degenerates, the lot of them!”
I slam my fist on a nearby table. “I would rather take a dirt nap than even entertain the notion of a new guild member sleeping on HAY! Wooper or not, I GUARANTEE we will have a resupply of cotton TONIGHT! Make some room, Toge, because later on, there's going to be MOUNTAINS of my glorious cotton in here tonight.” Toge salutes me as I spin around, kicking the door open as I run out.
As I rush out towards the exit of the guild, I spot Mindy slowly floating through the front door. I point at her, saying, “You! I've got a mission to do, and you are going to help me!”
Mindy looks around frantically, and upon realizing that nobody else is around, says, “B-b-but I can't fight!”
“You don't need to fight enemies, you need to fight discomfort alongside me!” Without another word, I grab her by the tail and rush out the door as she squirms and protests, shouting words I'm not even listening to as I run out of town and towards the land of cotton.
Eventually, however, I have to slow down to catch my breath, giving Mindy a chance to wiggle free. She begins to shout at me, clearly angry at forcefully being dragged out of town. “What on EARTH is your problem?! Can't a single one of you nutjobs just act normal?”
It only now occurs to me what I've just done. Feeling really guilty now, I say, “Uh, yeah, sorry about that... The guild is out of cotton, and I need help restocking.”
“Well, what's that got to do with me?”
“You can float, so you'll be able to help me haul the cotton back.”
Mindy glares at me before saying, “I'm going back to my room.”
As she turns around to float away, I yell, “No, wait, come back!” When she stops, I continue with, “... Look, I know you don't do missions and mostly keep to yourself, but I've got a sworn duty to make the guild as comfortable as possible. Cotton's one of the best ways to do that, and I won't be able to sleep at night knowing there could be a new member someday that would be forced to toss and turn on a thin pile of hay.”
Mindy ponders for a moment before saying, “At least out here nobody is staring at me.”
I let out a sigh of relief. “Phew, thank you! When we're done, I'll get you some kind of treat, alright?”
We begin to make the trek towards the Whimsicott village. The silence soon grows to be too awkward. “So uh... how do you like it at the guild, Mindy?”
“I wish I could go back home.” Her voice has a hint of sadness in it as she continues. “I never liked the spotlight, but it feels like all eyes are on me when I go into town.”
“I was never one for that stuff either, always preferred blending in. I can only imagine how irritating it's gotta be for you.” Hoping to turn the topic to something happier, I say, “So, what're you good at doing?”
Mindy lets out a sigh. “I can float, but that's about it. Took me ages to even manage that, was always so afraid I'd fall out of the air.”
“Hey, freely floating everywhere is good! I'm sure if you train more, you'll be able to accomplish a lot.”
“Yeah, so everybody keeps telling me.” Mindy shakes her head, continuing with, “This is the most I've spoken in a long time... I usually just hide away in my room. There's too many crazies at the guild!”
“I know they're... eccentric, but they aren't a bad lot. Except Cyndaquil, that is.”
“Seriously. Did you know he was hitting on me from Day 1?”
I let out a laugh. “He does that with everybody, but sometimes he gets put in his place. Just the other day, he said the wrong thing to me and I threw him into a wall. Shame it doesn't happen to him more.”
I hear a tiny chuckle from Mindy. “About time somebody fought back.” Mindy floats a bit higher, looking over the hill. “There's a village nearby, is that it?”
“Yep, that oughta be it!” I pick up the pace, thoughts of getting my cotton stocks replenished filling my mind.
As we enter the village, dozens upon dozens of Whimsicott can be seen everywhere we look. They work, chatter, hum, and wave at us as we make our way down the main road.
“This seems like a nice place,” Mindy says. “Everybody seems pretty friendly here, and nobody's staring at me.”
“Hopefully getting cotton is easier this time than the last.” I walk up to the biggest house, knocking on the door.
The voice of what I can only describe as a complete and total airhead calls out from the other side. “Like, c'mon in!” Cringing a little at her voice, I open the door, telling Mindy to wait outside.
Inside, mounds of cotton several times taller than me fill the corners of the room. The floor itself is coated in the stuff, and there are stacks of pillows and folded blankets adorning the tables and chairs within. Trying not to comment on how this village is holding out on everybody, I approach the head of the village. The Whimsicott looks at us, smiling. “Like, it's the Chespin from months ago!”
I nod. “I need to obtain another shipment of cotton for the Clover Guild.”
“Like, you know the deal by now, kid. Gotta see that cash first.”
I reach into my bag, pulling out one of my spare Frisms. “These Frisms are extremely rare, special and-”
The Whimsicott scoffs, cutting me off. “And they are so, like, totally last season. Those Frisms? Out of fashion.”
I feel my heart sink. “But...” No, I'm not going to give up! “There's got to be something I can do for it. As the Chief of Coziness for the Clover Guild, I'm not going home unless it's with a whole lotta cotton!”
“Like, you totally take your job seriously, don't you?” The Whimsicott thinks for a moment. “Hmm... There's this totally choice red ribbon I had once. Very fashionable, very in, very expensive. But it blew off my fluff and ended up somewhere in the Mellow Meadow to the west.”
“And you want me to find it?” At least there's probably no chillers in a sunny meadow.
“Like, if you get the ribbon, you get the cotton.”
I raise a fist up, determined. “You guys better get that cotton all bagged up for me, because that ribbon is as good as found.”
Exiting the house, I see Mindy looking at a nearby shop stall. She turns around upon hearing me shut the door. “So, where's the cotton?”
I shake my head. “Little miss valley girl lost her ribbon in a nearby meadow. We gotta go out and find it.”
Mindy lets out a small gasp. “B-but that means... what if we have to fight?”
“We'll be okay, trust me. Fighting for the first time was... strange for me. I was running off of instinct more than anything. Maybe it'll happen for you?”
Mindy grumbles a little. “Not exactly a reassuring thing to hear...”
“Well, even if you can't fight, you can at least fly up to look out for the ribbon.” I point off towards the west. “Ready?”
Mindy nods. “Keeping an eye out, I can do.” With that, the two of us head for the meadow.
On the walk towards our destination, the irony of the situation strikes me. The first time I went cotton hunting, I was the inexperienced one but this time, I'm the one that's gotta do all the heavy lifting if a fight happens. Mindy claims to be useless in battle, but I thought the same thing about myself once. Could she really learn how to defend herself if we ran into trouble?
Slow but sure, the meadow comes into view. Tall sunflowers, vibrant plant life, and greenery stretch out as far as the eye can see. Though the sights and smells of such a thing would normally make me grin in contentment, right now I'm just thinking about how this is standing between me and my treasure. “How're we supposed to find a ribbon in all of this?!” I complain.
I hear Mindy grumble to herself again. “Let's just get this over with.”
“Agreed. I'm getting that cotton, no matter what.” The two of us head on into the massive meadow.
Walking through feels like walking through a massive corn maze in the old world. Everything is so much taller than me, and I can't make out where anything is or where we're going. Before long, I can't even tell which direction we've come from, all I see are sunflowers! Is this another one of those 'dungeons' that are supposed to be everywhere?
“I'm starting to think this is a waste of effort,” Mindy says.
“It's like trying to find a needle in a haystack, and I HATE hay! This would be so much easier if we could just cut down all of these flowe-wait a minute!” Getting an idea, I raise my hands up, focusing on taking in as much sunlight as I can. Once I'm charged up, I shoot a beam of light into the meadow, carving out a path as it rushes through the sunflowers! “There we go! Would've been nice if I thought that up earlier.”
Mindy gasps at my display, shouting, “Y-you just shot a big laser! How'd you do that?!”
“It's a long story, but I'm sure you could learn how to do things like that someday. You just have to train more.”
“All of you guys learn this stuff so easily...”
Trying to reassure, I say, “Cheer up, you gotta learn to walk before you can run. Or float, in your case.”
“I gue-” Mindy is cut off by the sound of rustling within the flowers. “Wh-what was that?!”
A high-pitched voice cries out in sadness. “M-my sunflowers!” Looking around for the source of the voice, I spot a shorter sunflower walking towards us, an angry look on its... face? “You... you MONSTERS!”
I step in front of Mindy. “Get ready, it looks like a fight!”
“A-a fight? But...what do I do, what do I do?!”
Holding my arms in a defensive pose, I say, “Just... fight it, I don't know! Or at least hide behind me!”
The Sunflora inhales, spitting out a speedy stream of seeds directly at me. I turn around, using my armored back to endure the attack, the shots registering as nothing more than a small tapping sensation. “Okay, at least they seem weak, Mindy.”
Mindy cranes her head to look over me. “How's that not hurting y-OWWWWW!” Looking up, I see that our assailant had changed their aim, shooting Mindy right in the face! She curls up on the ground, clutching her face in pain. “That BITCH!” Floating up high, she shouts, “How about we see how you like it?!” She lets out a yell and dives towards the Sunflora, delivering a flying kick directly to their face! The impact of Mindy's attack takes me by surprise as our foe gets sent flying backwards, tumbling across the ground until they come to a rest in a heap of destroyed sunflowers.
Mindy lands nearby, looking down at herself. “H-how did I do that?”
“Your guess is as good as mine. I didn't know you had it in you! So... didn't that feel good?”
I catch a faint hint of a smile on Mindy's face. “Hey... it kind of did!”
“That's the spirit! But...” I turn my attention back to the Sunflora. “Wait a minute...” That Sunflora didn't get smashed into dust like other dungeonmons. They spoke, unlike normal dungeonmons. Are we... are we even in a dungeon? Did we just destroy someone's flowers and beat them up for being upset over it? I shake my head, trying to get those thoughts out of my head. I've got to focus on getting the cotton! “Mindy, can you float up and look around for the red ribbon?”
Mindy nods, rising up above the flowers. Shielding her eyes from the sunlight, she looks around the area before flying off. Moments later, she returns, carrying a big red ribbon. “Found it, I think. It was caught in a nearby tree
I grab the ribbon, stuffing it in my bag. “Phew, that's one less thing to worry about. Time to head back and collect my precious cotton!”
The Whimsicott grabs the ribbon from my hands, a big smile on her face. “Like, this is so totally tubular! I thought I'd never see this again!”
Relieved the mission was a success, I say, “Glad I could help, now about that cotton...”
“Like, the other villagers are gonna help you bring it back to the guild. Y'know, looking at you now, I didn't realize the Clover Guild had such cuties working there! How about staying here for awhile instead?”
I let out a loud cough, caught off-guard by her words. Is she hitting on me?! “Wh-what?! I can't do that, I've got work to do!”
“Oh well, but like, feel free to stop around again!”
Regaining my composure, I say, “Time to head home now. Coming, Mindy?”
Mindy looks at me, something on her mind. “Umm, can you wait for me a little? I want to ask her a couple questions.” Agreeing, I step outside.
A line of Whimsicott march towards the horizon, large bags of cotton in tow. As the breeze blows by, I'm reminded just how much quieter this village is than Capim. I hear muffled chatter from within the village head's house, and it isn't long before Mindy comes back out.
“There you are, ready to go?” I ask.
“Um...” Looking around nervously, Mindy fidgets about with her scarf. She takes her badge off, placing it in my hand. “I'm not going back.”
“You're leaving the guild?!”
Mindy nods, a hint of sadness on her face. “I never really fit in there anyways. I think I'll be happier here.”
I know she never felt like she belonged, but I didn't think a single day out on a mission would be enough to get her to quit! “Oh... Are you sure? Maybe you'll feel differently as you go on more missions and grow more confident?”
Mindy looks down at the ground. “I'd rather just go home, but... I don't know, the stories I hear about missions from everybody else scares me! I'm not cut out for that kind of life, and even if I was... the looks I get going into town really bother me.”
“Maybe you just need a partner of your own? I know I wouldn't have been able to do half of what I've done if I never met... Wooper.” I let out a sad sigh, when's this week going to be over? “Someone that'll stick by you through everything and always support you... Surely you'd feel more comfortable with that?”
Mindy kicks at the ground a little, fidgeting around. “Maybe one of these puffballs here will be like that for me? Either way, guild life is too hectic for me, sorry...”
“Well, I'm sure you'd be welcomed back if you ever changed your mind.”
Mindy nods towards the house she just left. “She said I could stay at her place. It looks like it's a better fit for me, so... Thanks for the help. Even if the guild didn't work out, I don't know what I'd have done if you didn't find me that day.”
I put her old badge in my bag. “I get it. You think you'll be cozier here. The way I see it, we've got to choose coziness over anything else.” I give her hand a little shake, saying, “Take care, and good luck with the training.” With that business settled, I begin to make the walk back home.
Walking through the field, I'm struck by the utter silence accompanying me. I look back to start some sort of conversation, but... there's nobody. No Wooper, no other guild members... nothing. I begin to feel really uneasy at my isolation, and begin to pick up the pace. It isn't long before I'm running for Capim, in a hurry to get back before I'm caught out here alone by someone that might want to start something.
Carried forward by my Mach Ribbon, I don't stop running until I get back to the guild. I run inside, rushing into the storeroom...and tripping on a massive pile of cotton bags. I gasp for breath, having just ran more than I've ever run in my life. I hear the soft flutter of wings approaching me from the doorway.
“Th-there's so much c-cotton, y-you're going to make everybody so cozy!”
“Hah... why... couldn't it have been that easy... the first time I got cotton...” I take a series of deep breaths, lying atop Mt. Cotton.
“I'm so glad... b-but... wh-what happened to Mindy? I s-saw you rush out with her.”
“She... quit the guild. Staying behind in that village...” I pull out her old badge, which Toge grabs.
“O-oh... I ho-hope she'll be happy there. I-I better put this cotton away.”
I feel my eyelids grow heavy. “Just let me... enjoy my... triumph...”
Day 6:
The next morning, I find myself back in my own room, covered in blankets. How did I get back here? Did Toge actually carry me back here? The thought of it makes me feel a bit awkward, but what's done is done. I'd better find something else to do today. Before I can manage to stand up, however, I hear a knock at the door.
“Chespin! You got a package waiting for you, sounds like you're holding out on me with the drinks!”
There's no doubt about it, that's Totodile. Wait a sec, a package? I completely forgot I ordered that! “Coming!” I quickly get out of bed, heading for the main hall.
I find a dark box laying near the mission board, with my name written on a label. Picking it up, I notice that it feels... wet. Opening it up, my heart drops at what I see. The special Gummi drinks I had ordered... they're shattered! The bottles broke during shipping, the liquid having seeped into the package! It's completely ruined!
I drop the box on the floor, my crushing disappointment giving way to anger, a new hate building within me. “Those... filthy... rotten... incompetent disgusting WINGERS! Of COURSE those DEGENERATES broke it! Just LOOK at them! Probably did it intentionally so they could slobber all over MY drinks!”
An unusual voice, with a thick southern accent, speaks up from nearby. “Hoot! Hope y'all ain't talkin' about me, hon!”
I look towards the voice, seeing a Delibird standing there. “No, it's not you, just... This package only had one option for shipping, and it certainly wasn't you!”
“Oh yeah, those other postmen're a real thorn in my side, y'know. Doin' shoddy work, getting' packages dirty, all sorts of nasty things. Them folks dang near have a monopoly all over the place, though.”
“You're telling me...” I look down at my ruined package. “My special order is worthless because of them! I was going to share these with Wooper when he got back, but now... Oooh, I'd love to get my hands on one of them, because then I'd...” I clench my fist, letting it spark with electricity as I punch my palm. “Right in their stupid face!”
The Delibird thinks for a moment before saying “Y'know, I'm beginnin' to like y'all. How's about coming with and help me out today?”
“What? Why?”
“I've got some of them there Gummi drinks hangin' 'round. Help me out and I'll let y'all have a couple bottles.”
I don't want to spend today delivering mail, but I need those drinks. “Double the amount of drinks and you've got a deal.”
“Normally I'd say no, but we've got a common enemy. Fair enough, I'd say.” The Delibird waves for me to follow her out the door. “By the way, name's Debby.”
“You can just call me Chespin.”
Once outside of the guild, Debby pulls a few boxes from her tail bag, handing them to me. Once I grab them in my vines, she says, “Alls we've gotta do is run these over to their recipients.”
I scratch the back of my head. “That's it? It doesn't look like you needed help carrying these.”
“Heck, I just like havin' some company 'round for the deliveries. 'sides, y'all look like y'all could do with some company yerself.” She looks over at me, following with, “I've been comin' 'round the guild for awhile, and y'all've looked pretty down ever since your little buddy went away.”
I gasp. “Y-you know about that?” Letting out a sad sigh, I say, “Wooper's who I've relied on ever since coming here, by my side pretty much all the time. He's the best friend I've ever had... really the only good friend I've had, actually. Even if most of the others at the guild are nice enough, they're... not exactly a replacement.”
“Shucks, I know how y'all feel. I get torn up when Kaz ain't 'round the post office. Y'all might know him as the Linoone that runs mail over sometime. Great guy, always a fun time racin' him to deliveries.”
“You mean the guy that's always running small deliveries to the guild? Never really got a chance to talk to him.”
“Oh, y'all've reminded me.” She reaches into her tail bag, pulling out a hat with the initials DD above the brim. Placing it on my head, she says, “If y'all're helpin' me today, best look the part.”
I move the hat around on my head, trying to find a comfortable spot for it to rest without disturbing my quills too much. Maybe a headband would work better than a hat, but I don't want to be rude. “Well, let's get these packages delivered.”
We spend the next hour or so walking around Capim Town. Most deliveries are as easy as placing the package on the customer's doorstep, while other stops involve awkward small talk with the residents. After I rejoin with Debby after one more dropoff, she says, “Y'all're doin' a fine job, Chesp. Ever do thi-” Debby cuts herself off, looking to her side. “Look over there, we got a porch pirate. Wanna take care of him?”
I follow her gaze, spotting a Scraggy creeping towards the package I had just set down. “Oh, it's this guy again? Hold on, I've got an idea.” Looking around, I spot a tree not far from the culprit. As the Scraggy's back is turned, I shoot my vines towards the tree. Reeling myself in, I let go, slingshotting myself forward as I land right behind the crook. I tap him on the back with a vine, saying,“Hey, remember me?”
The Scraggy jumps in shock, turning around. “Yo, I was just lookin' f-” The color seems to drain from his face when he spots my badge. “Y-you're supposed to be evolved!”
I shake my head. “Don't need it to stop you.” I wrap my vines around Scraggy, lifting him up. “I think you owe us an apology.”
“Us?”
I carry him over to Debby. “Got him, now what?”
Debby shakes her head. “Mail theft is a pretty serious crime, y'hear? Screws over both the customer and the mailmen as well. I best not be seein' you pokin' 'round other folks porches, otherwise...” Debby pulls a large giftwrapped box. “I'll be havin' to give you a little gift, and y'all're gonna be on the naughty list.”
Scraggy's eyes go wide as he struggles against my vines. “That ain't cool, yo!”
“Put him down, Chesp. I'm thinkin' we've made our point.”
I shrug, setting him down and retracting my vines. Scraggy wastes no time bolting away from the scene. That's a pretty strong reaction to being shown a present, what's so scary about a bad gift, anyways?
“Y'all're mighty proactive when it comes to stoppin' baddies, Chesp. Were y'all a cop as a human?”
I shake my head. “No, I-” Realizing what she said, I respond with, “Wait, how did you know about that?!”
Debby merely gives me a wink, saying, “Look who y'all live with at the guild.”
I readjust my hat. “Not really a well kept secret by now, is it?”
“Y'all're pretty good at deliveries as well, were y'all a mailman before?”
I shrug. “I had a paper route when I was still in school, but that's it. Besides, you're leading me around town. I wouldn't have any idea where to deliver this stuff otherwise.”
“Just one of those things y'all learn after enough time.” Debby points to a house down the road. “We're almost done today, but I have one special delivery to make for some folks who've been a real thorn in my side.” Pulling a present out of her bag, she says, “Wait here.”
I stand on the side of the road, watching as she sneaks around the side of the house. She flies up to the roof, climbing down the chimney. Who does she think she is, Santa? Looking up at the sky, I watch the clouds roll by as I wait., but it doesn't last long. Debby returns quickly, and says “Alright, y'all ready for your payment?”
I nod. “You bet I am, but... What's in those presents, anyways?” As if on cue, I hear a loud explosion from within the house she was just in! Stunned, I say, “Y-you BOMBED them?!”
“Aw heck, they're always fine afterwards. Just a little warnin' for those package thieves, you hear? So, y'all comin'?” Not wanting to ask about it further, I simply follow Debby.
Eventually we arrive at her post office, the sun low in the sky. Debby runs inside, coming back out with four bottles, dropping them in my hands. “And here y'all go! Four of them there drinks, just like y'all asked!”
I stow three of them in my bag, reading the label of the final bottle. “Spinda's Supremely Special Reserve. A magical medley of fruity flavors for the discerning Pokemon. Not for children.” Storing the bottle away, I say, “Thanks a bunch, Wooper'll really like these when he gets back.”
“Happy to help, and happy for y'all help!” Debby grabs the hat I've been wearing, and gives me a pat on the shoulder. “By the way, even if y'all ain't doin' too hot without y'all little buddy, it'll just make his return that much better. Ain’t too different from a smoke or a drink after a long day of work, but with friends the feelin’ is somethin’ y’all treasure for a long time after. Be sure to enjoy those drinks with him, you hear? Hoot! Maybe find a nice spot to sit down, just the two of y’all.”
I look into the bag, thinking about how the drinks will taste. “That sounds nice, I'll definitely be sure to do just that when he's back. He's supposed to come back tomorrow... Just hope everything's all good. Thanks for the kind words, and thanks again for the drinks.”
“Don't be a stranger, now! Y'all ever want to pick up extra work, the post office is always offerin'! Any enemy of them there pesky postmen is a friend of mine! Or wingers, as y'all called 'em.” With a tip of her hat, Debby flies off towards the coast, and I begin to make the walk back to the guild.
For someone that had never met me before, Debby was awfully kind. Her methods of dealing with crooks seem a bit unorthodox, but I can only imagine how much of an insult stealing packages can be towards her. She certainly seems like a more capable mailbird than those scumbags that broke my package earlier today.
One thing's for sure, I'm never using those other postmen again if I can help it.
Back in my room, the moon shines onto me as I lay in bed. I wonder if Wooper's adventure has been going well. He hasn't run into trouble, right? I yawn, sleepiness overtaking me as I think about it.
Just one more day...
Day 7:
After waking up, I look out the window, gazing out towards the sea. Today's the day Wooper's supposed to come back, but what do I do in the meantime? Maybe I can hang out with some of the other guildmates I've gotten to know better this past week? With few other options, I grab my bag and head for the storeroom.
Upon entering, I spot Toge floating in midair, slumped over. I open my mouth to speak, but stop as I take note of something unusual... He sleeps like this? The strangest part about the sight is that his wings are completely motionless, and yet he still floats. Deciding I can't just leave him like this, I look around the storeroom, spotting a spare blanket. I grab it with one vine, using the other to guide Toge down towards a nearby pile of cotton. Throwing the blanket over him, I set him down on the cotton.
“Gotta prioritize coziness, T-” I'm cut off once more by the sight of him slowly rising back up into the air. “Eh, close enough.”
Heading for the kitchen, I spot Beast prepping for this evening's dinner, with an annoyed-looking Numel being used as the stovetop as usual. Approaching the head chef, I say, “Hey uh, I've got nothing better to do today, do you want any help?”
Beast merely shakes his head. “Sorry Chespin, you know what they say about too many cooks.”
“Oh... You sure?”
“Positive. Fret not, you won't leave empty-handed.” Beast turns around, grabbing bread and a couple jars from a nearby cupboard as he gets to work. A minute later, he places a familiar-looking sandwich in my hands. “I'm unsure as to why most of you former humans swear by such a ludicrous combination of ingredients, but a chef must give others what they want.”
I take a look at my food, giving it a small bite. Peanut butter and jelly. Huh, how come I've never thought to seek this stuff out in this world? It seems like such a no-brainer, now that I think about it. Strangely enough, the peanut butter tastes better than any I remember tasting from my old life. “This'll work, thank you!”
“You're welcome. Now, I must get back to my cooking.”
I make short work of my tasty sandwich as I head for the mission boards, looking for someone to tag along with today. But there's nobody around. Usually there's a few guildmates milling about here, or someone dropping off mail, but right now there's nothing at all. Is this one of the rare days where everybody is on a mission? Letting out a sigh, I head outside for a walk.
I walk through Capim for awhile, wondering what to do with my time. Wooper would always have ideas, but without him around, I find myself merely staring at storefronts and the like. Looking up at the cloudless sky and feeling the warmth of the sun, I decide that today's a good day for a walk. I think for a moment before I quickly decide on a destination, and then head out of town.
Out on the vast plains, it quickly dawns on me just how long I'll be out of town. Alone. At the mercy of whatever I might come across. I look up at the sun, trying to suppress my worries by focusing on the sunlight. Reaching into my bag, I pull out the Blast Wand I had stowed away, the weapon reassuring me. Wooper might not be around, but I'm far from helpless the way I am now. If someone comes to stir up trouble, I won't make it easy for them! Feeling more confident, I walk over a small hill, the forest coming into view.
Entering the shade of the trees, I feel a soothing calm wash over me, the earthy smells of plant life and dirt bringing a small smile to my face. Walking down the path, I slow to a stop once a small pond comes into view. A wave of nostalgia slams into me as I sit down on the ground and take it all in.
This was where I first woke up in this world. It's been... almost half a year since then, I think? Half a year... I still remember the fear and confusion I felt, which only began to fade when I met Wooper in a pond. The very same pond in front of me. I still don't know why I'm in this world in the first place, but every day I'm grateful I met Wooper. On top of that, I'm even thankful for having become what I am now. If it weren't for everything that's happened, I'm certain my life would have kept going down its old, boring, uneventful path.
As I think, I get a dumb little idea. Looking up at a nearby tree, I use my vines to pull myself up into it, the climb to the top proving to be very easy. I look out over the canopy, a massive expanse of green stretching out towards the horizon. Why haven't I done this before? This view is great! Maybe someday I should get one of the other guild members that can fly to take me for a ride. I'm certain Wooper would have fun doing that, I should bring the idea up to him sometime. I sit on top of the tree for some time, soaking in the sights and sunlight as I relax.
Deciding I've had enough reminiscing and sightseeing for today, I climb down from the treetop, taking one last look back at Wooper's old pond before making the walk back to town. With any luck, he'll be back in town by the time I get back.
Walking through the plains once more, I hear a horrible screeching sound from above! Quickly looking up and pulling out my Blast Wand, I watch as a familiar foe of mine lands in front of me. Talonflame, this time wearing a blue ribbon with a blue and gold badge of sorts on it. With another cry, they speak. “Look who it is! Don't you know there's a toll for passage?”
Unlike all the other times, Wooper isn't here to help. But I'm not afraid like the first time I met this monster. “How many times do I have to teach you this lesson, fiend?”
“Haw haw! Don't make me laugh! You're all alone, and so small too. What can you possibly do to stop me from taking what I like?”
I wordlessly swing my Blast Wand, the fireball exploding on contact with the bird's face! Recoiling in pain, I don't give the Talonflame a chance to recover. Wrapping my vines around it, I launch myself into them. But instead of hitting them with a headbutt, I clench my fist, letting it spark up with electricity! I throw an electrical uppercut, sending my foe reeling in pain! Their hot body sends a stinging pain shooting up my vines, and I quickly retract them as I land back on the ground. “There's going to be a toll to pay alright, and today it's going to be you paying the price for wasting my damn time!”
The enemy clutches their face in pain, managing to regain their composure. “That's it! I'm not going easy on you anymore! Give up the goods now!” They open their beak, and upon seeing a red glow from within, I leap out of the way. A jet of flames shoot out, narrowly missing me. I feel my pulse quicken as I realize I have a very real chance of winning this all on my own! I gotta win this, not just because this guy keeps causing trouble, but because Wooper'll be amazed when I tell him!
Taunting my foe, I say, “You suck at fighting! Wooper's knocked you out twice, and unless you go and fly away right now, I'll be your third!” Furious, Talonflame yells incoherently, spewing fire in my general direction. Trying to close the distance, they swing their wings around, trying to smack me. Realizing that this petty crook is fighting sloppily out of anger, I grab them once more with my vines, reeling myself onto their back and riding them like a horse. It feels like I'm sitting on a radiator, and it hurts... But I've got to endure if this is gonna work!
Talonflame takes off into the skies, shaking and thrashing around to try and drop me to the ground. But the hold I have with my vines is too powerful, and I've got them just where I want 'em! Grabbing hold onto their back with my hands, I wrap my vines around the bird's neck, tightening my grip as hard as I can. Despite the burning sensations, I'm determined to put an end to this. As I strangle the flaming crook, I clench both my fists, electricity coursing through them. I repeatedly slam them down on their head, choked cries of pain coming from their beak.
Our flight grows wobbly as the bird grows weaker. Emboldened, I yell, “How do you like that, you stupid bird? All I wanted to do was enjoy the nice weather, but then YOU had to come along again. This is what you get for ruining my WALK!” Punctuating my words with one final, crackling punch, I feel them start pitching forward as they stop fighting against me. We're crashing! As we dive towards the ground, I brace for impact, curling up as best as I can. Slamming into the ground, I'm tossed off my enemy, tumbling across the grass. Once I finally come to a stop, I stand back up, dusting myself off as I catch my breath. Silently thanking my armored back, I walk over to the knocked out Talonflame, swiping the blue ribbon from around their neck. I'm sure someone at the guild will like it. “You sure are a master at choking, aren't you?”
A somewhat-familiar voice calls out across the plains. “Chespin! Are you alright?” Looking towards the source, I spot a yellow sheep-like creature running towards me.
That's... Macom, is it? A guild member I haven't spoken to much, but he doesn't seem like a bad guy, even if something about him is different from the rest. “Yeah, I'm fine, I just... beat the hell out of this thug. I...” That's when it dawns on me. “I did it... I DID it!” I took down a bad guy much larger than myself, all on my own! Not only that, but aside from some slightly stung vines, I didn't even get hurt doing it! The first time I fought this thing, I was so scared, but this time, I completely destroyed them! Were they really that bad at fighting, or have I improved that much?
“I heard you were out of sorts this past week, so I came looking for you. I saw that fight, good on you for keeping your cool and not panicking.” Macom's voice is gruff, yet considerate.
“This guy's been a thorn in my side from my very first day. The first fight Wooper and I were ever in together was against this petty thug. But I... I still can't believe I pulled it off on my own! Think about how Wooper'll feel when I... tell him.”
“Oh, yes, he is coming back today, isn't he?”
I nod. “Mhmm, but what if... What if he's late?”
“Has he ever been late for anything, Chespin?” Seeing me shake my head, he continues with, “Then he will be here today.” Looking over at the Talonflame on the ground, he says, “Hold on a moment, I've heard of someone with this description before. This is an outlaw. Did you come to bring them to justice all alone?”
“No, this idiot came to ME! This was supposed to be a nice, relaxing walk, and it would have stayed that way had I not had to beat them up.” Taking a look at the sorry sack of feathers, I say, “We might as well bring him in then. If I'm putting in work, there's not a chance I'm passing up a reward!”
Macom and I carry the unconscious bird back into town and into the sheriff's office. By the sound of things, Talonflame's main claim to fame was their poor skills and numerous botched mugging attempts, and had only recently become prolific enough to attract the attention of authorities. Grabbing the bag of reward money, I offer a share of it to Macom, but he simply refuses, telling me to split it between Wooper and I. Waving him goodbye, I head for the guild's garden. After all that action earlier, it'll be nice to unwind with a bit of sunbathing.
Just as I walk up to my special spot in the garden, I hear an odd thunking sound coming from around the back end of the guild. Curious, I go and investigate. Rounding the side of the building, I see a makeshift lean-to, with somebody laying under it. Approaching, I spot a bored-looking Tropius laying on a bed of cotton. I've only spoken to this guy once before, but he always looks pretty down. Don't most Tropius have three bananas on their neck? “Hey uh... how are you? I heard something from over here.”
Before turning to me, he unenthusiastically replies "Fine, I guess." As his gaze meets mine, he responds "Wait a minute, you're that Chespin! What brings you back here?"
“Uh...” Pulling out the ribbon from earlier, I say, “I remembered you were one of the only other guild members without a scarf of some sort. Want it? It's a Heal Ribbon, it'll help you out if you're tackling jobs.”
Tropius's eyes widen slightly. “Wait, you're just giving this to me? That's...” His eyes narrow as he stares at the ribbon. “Hold on, what's the catch here?”
I shake my head, holding it out. “No catch, seriously. Wooper and I already have our matching scarves, we don't need it. I swiped this thing from an outlaw I beat up earlier, figuring it was better if someone at the guild wore it instead.”
“That's... wait, I have no hands to put it on.” He lowers his head, looking somewhat disappointed.
“Not a problem, I can tie it on for you. Wooper's got no hands either, I do this for him all the time.”
“Well, alright.”
I step closer as Tropius picks his head up more. Even laying down, he towers over me. His neck is so high up that I have to tie the ribbon around his neck by using my vines. It's a bit awkward doing it this way, but before long I manage to get it fastened securely. “There you go! What do you think?”
Tropius stands up, curving his neck downward to look at his new accessory. A small smile crosses his face. “Thank you, Chespin.”
“Not a problem. After all, we all gotta look out for everybody else around here, right? I'll have to get you a proper guild badge later.” Looking around, I spot the sun beginning to set. The day's almost over, that can only mean one thing! “I'd stick around longer, but I gotta see if Wooper's back now. Remember to stay cozy, alright?”
At the docks, I take a seat on a nearby bench as I watch the sun slowly set over the ocean. Snacking on a berry from my bag, I watch the town Pokemon going about their evenings as I wait. The sky grows darker and darker until the sun vanishes completely. I see others lighting torches here and there to illuminate the town. But as the minutes keep passing, I feel my anxiety grow more and more. What if something happened? What if Wooper got hurt?! What if he's gone longer? My fears only grow as drowsiness overtakes me, my eyelids growing heavy.
“Arthur, wake up! C'mon, wake up!”
Opening my eyes, I find that I'm still at the docks, awoken by a very familiar voice. How long was I out for? Still half-asleep, I mumble “Just a few more minutes, Wooper...” I feel a jolt run through me as realization hits me. I quickly sit up, looking at the source of the voice. In front of me is the reassuring sight of my best friend, with a little bag slung around his neck. “Wait, Wooper?! You're back?”
“Yeah! Our adventure went great!”
I hop off the bench, grabbing Wooper with my vines as I reel him in for a hug! The stress and the worries of the past week are suddenly a distant memory. Wooper's back! Setting him down, I remember something. “You're back! But... Where are your parents?”
“They just went to an inn, they were pretty tired! By the way, how'd your week go?”
I rub the back of my head. “It was... eventful, but I'm just glad you're back safe. Some of this past week I wouldn't exactly want to repeat.” I shudder, remembering the day I got frozen. “But get this, remember that guy we fought the day we met? He tried to fight me earlier today.”
Wooper gasps. “That Talonflame?! How'd you get away from it?”
I raise my fist, letting it spark with electricity. “Like this! Also I may have used some... other methods of knocking that thug out.”
Wooper's smile grows. “You did that all on your own? That's amazing, you've really gotten a whole lot better at fighting!”
His words make me feel even better about myself. Placing a hand on his head, I say, “C'mon, Wooper, let's go home.”
On the way back to the guild, I tell Wooper about what I did this past week. Wooper's all too happy to tell me tales of underwater villages, sunken ruins, and underwater dungeons and caves. By the sound of things, him and his parents had little trouble with what enemies they came across. I let out a sigh of relief, my worries of his safety having been unnecessary.
Entering our room, I let out a yawn, setting down my bag. Reaching into a small cabinet, I pull out the special Gummi drinks I got from yesterday's little job. Using my vines to pop the cork off both bottles, I say, “I picked these out special, drink up!”
I reach a bottle over to Wooper, letting him take a long chug from it. “These are great! Way better than the plain ol' water I've had the past week.”
I take a series of small sips, savoring the sweet, fruity flavors. “There's more where that came from, but we should save those for later.” Taking note of the bag around his neck, I ask “What's in that bag, by the way?”
“Oh, right! It's a little gift I got! Go on, check it out!”
I reach into his bag, my hand closing around something cold. Pulling it out, I instantly recognize it. It's a Frism, only this one's frozen over. Curious, I breathe on it, trying to warm it up. As it thaws, the echoing sound of waves crashing into rocks fills the room. The sound instantly relaxes me, and I sit down on my bed as I listen. “Hey, this is pretty nice!”
Wooper gives me a big smile. “I knew you'd like it!”
The two of us chat some more as we finish out drinks. But by now, it's very late, and I'm feeling very sleepy, so I climb into bed, lifting up the blanket for Wooper. He crawls under the covers and I pull him into a hug, my eyelids grow heavier. I feel a smile creep onto my face, feeling cozier than I have all week. Despite that, a thought works its way into my mind.
Being around Wooper, sleeping like this, the way I worried so much about him this past week... I wasn't like this at all in my old life. I was never protective of anybody back then, but here it feels... almost instinctive. Am I overprotective of him because he's my best friend, or because of what I am now? Could it be that all Chespins have a sort of “protective” personality, and that's what makes me feel this way? I had never even thought of this possibility before now, but it'd explain why I started taking hits for him without even thinking about it. It'd even explain sleeping like this, I've got to protect him from the cold!
Still, even if it's part instinct influencing my personality... it's not really a bad thing, I don't think. As I drift off to sleep, there's something I know for certain.
I missed this...