Stronger

It looks like the end for me. Wooper's been knocked out, all my items are gone, and the Cryogonal is bearing down on me. And yet, I can see the sun shining down on me, a sign that things aren't hopeless after all. Energy fills my body as I channel my focus into my hands, blasting my nightmarish foe away with a beam of light! “Yes, hahaha, YES!”
I revel in my victory, the treasure trove mine for the taking. Just as I'm about to stuff my bag full of gold, the scene melts away into nothingness, my mind growing foggy.

I pick my head up, looking around. I'm back in my room at the guild. It was all just my recurring nightmare. Only...this time, I finally fought back! I breathe a sigh of relief upon the realization, the enemy in my dreams finally vanquished. Maybe I'll finally stop having that nightmare now.
My guild room looks a lot different than it did a week ago. Thanks to that mission I went on for the guild, I found the greatest of all treasures, an absolutely gigantic, not to mention luxurious, blanket! This thing's almost big enough to cover the entire room, and as soft as can be. Wooper lies at the other end of the blanket, still in a deep sleep. Perfect, more time to enjoy my comfy bed. After all, the guild's future is secured now, so it's only right to treat myself to some more sleeping in.

Later on, Wooper and I are walking around town, grabbing some supplies for the guild. While we're in the market, I can't help but overhear a couple of townsfolk speaking among each other.

“...Yeah, can't believe that place is activated again...”
“...I know someone who went there and...”
“...Oh! So he managed to evolve...”

Wooper practically exploded with excitement, turning to me with stars in his eyes. “Chespin! Did you hear that?! C'mon, we gotta ask them, we gotta!!”
A little surprised at his reaction, I approached the Pokemon I overheard, a Minccino and Pikachu. Clearing my throat, I say, “Hey, I couldn't help but overhear all that stuff about evolving.”
The Pikachu turns his head towards me. “Hey, you...You're from...the Clover Guild.” His mouth turns to a slight frown.
I let out a sigh, even after all this time some of the Pokemon in town don't think too highly of us. “Relax, Wooper and I just want to know what's going on with that evolution stuff you were talking about.”
The Minccino seems more receptive towards us. “Oh, that? The spring inside Mystifying Forest finally reawakened! It's been years since it's last done that.”
“Wait...It reactivates and deactivates?” Continuing, I say, “How long was it around for last time?”
Minccino nods, saying, “Just a week or so! After that, it might be even more years before someone can go evol-”
Wooper nudges me with his tail, unable to stand still. “CHESPIN! C'MON C'MON, WE GOTTA CHECK IT OUT!” The look on his face says it all, he wants this more than anything! Unable to say no, I nod, following Wooper out of town as he runs off. The guild's supplies can wait.

Wooper's enthusiasm doesn't settle down even a little as we begin the trek to Mystifying Forest. “Can you believe it, Chespin?! Imagine how the rest of the guild will look at us when we come back all big and strong! Bad guys won't have a chance against us! I'll be just like the legendary hero from those stories!!!”
“I'm not sure how I feel about it, Wooper. I mean, I'm only just getting used to this body now, and-”
Wooper cuts me off, saying, “It'll be fiiiiine! Besides, just think about how much more we can accomplish! Now, let's hurry before the spring deactivates!!” Seeing Wooper skipping across the plains forces a smile onto my face. I have to admit, his pep talk has me curious about evolving now.

After a short walk, we finally arrive to Mystifying Forest. The light dims as we venture deeper, the dense canopy drenching the paths in shade. Along the way, we pass by a cave marked with red paintings on the exterior. The sight makes me wonder how the outlaw Smeargle's doing with his 'community service.' The last time I saw him, he was being bossed around in the guild's kitchen by Ronnie again.
Continuing deeper, I can't help but wonder why we're finding no enemies. Could it be that other Pokemon that came here to evolve managed to beat them all before us? Shrugging the thought off, I continue on until I see a strange light at the far end of the path.
“Chespin, Chespin, that must be it!!” Before I can respond, Wooper rushes towards the light. Feeling a little nervous, I follow right behind.

The spring is bathed in a magical light, the water sparkling brightly. Trees and plants around it were a vibrant shade of green, as though they had taken on some of the spring's energy. In the center of it all, the air itself seems to shimmer with power. Even at the edge of the spring, I can feel a strange force making my body tingle. Putting a hand to my chest, I can feel my heart race at the sight of it all.

“Do ye seek a new form?" An ethereal voice echoes throughout the scene, causing me to jump from surprise!
Wooper leaps up and down, unable to contain his excitement. “Yes! Yep! You betcha! Totally! Absolutely! Chespin, it's the really real deal, for real!!!”
“Then...step into the center of the spring.”
Wooper looks back at me, the biggest smile I've ever seen on his face. “See ya on the other side!” He wades into the spring, the water much shallower than it appears.
Upon stepping into the center, a bright flash of light envelopes Wooper! Instantly I begin to feel very uneasy about this all, what if this was all a trap?!

My fears are quickly put to rest as the light finally fades. In the center of the spring stands Wooper...no, Quagsire now! He walks out of the spring, his new form towering over me!
Looking down at his new arms, he says “Mmm, just like one of the heroes from those old stories now, hmm?” His voice sounds lower-pitched now, the tone not unlike someone having just woken up.
“Woope-I mean, Quagsire! You're so tall now!” Still hesitant about this all, I ask, “So, how did it feel? It didn't...hurt, did it?”
“Mmm, nope. Not a bit. Going to take the plunge as well, hmm?” That's strange, his enthusiasm, his excitement...Where is it? He's gone from 100 to 0 in no time at all...Maybe he just needs to get used to things?
I hesitate for a moment. I'm still a little apprehensive, but I find myself thinking on the enemies I've fought in this world. At times it was terrifying, but the sensation of winning, the thrill of blowing away someone like that Cyrogonal with nothing but my own powers...It all makes me feel more alive than ever. It's a rush of adrenaline unlike any I've ever felt as a human. I want more of that, I want Quagsire and I to be stronger!

Not wanting to be left behind, I wordlessly step into the water. Calling this a 'spring' is being generous, it's more like a very large puddle than anything. Taking a deep breath, I step into the shimmering center. A bright flash of light engulfs me, my body going completely numb! I try not to panic as I ride it out, letting out a sigh of relief as sensation returns to my limbs. But...now I feel really heavy.
Before I can think on it further, the voice of the spring speaks again. “You may take yet another form. Step back into the light if you wish to do so.” Well, no sense not going all the way! The flash returns, as does the numbness.
After my second trip through the light, I feel far heavier than before. At the same time, a strange power fills my entire body. Looking down, I can see my reflection in the water. An enormous shell covers my back, my body is a lighter color, and even my face looks far different! Looking up, I can't help but take notice at just how much taller I am now. Quagsire was nearly triple my size mere minutes ago, but now I was looking down at him.

As I walk out of the spring, my movements feel sluggish and awkward. I'm definitely not used to walking around like this. Quagsire looks up at me, saying “Mmm, you're certainly much bigger now.”
“Outlaws and evildoers of the land, beware. We two heroes will be there to put an end to their villai-” I cover my mouth, stunned by my words. Not only did that not sound anything like what I'd ever consider saying, but my voice was much rougher sounding than it was just a few minutes ago! Clearing my throat, I say, “Let us return to the guild. Our brothers-in-arms will surely be surprised.” I cringe at my own words, why am I talking like this?

We begin our walk out of the forest. Quagsire moves much slower than before, as do I. These new legs of mine were all kinds of strange to move around with, and I find myself frequently bumping my new shell against nearby branches and shrubs. Looking at my arms again, I spot my bag, the strap tightly wrapped around it. By the look of things, I'd be surprised if I could even grab anything out of it anymore. One thing's for sure, it's going to take a lot of readjusting to get used to how different everything is now.

Passing by the outlaw's old cave, I can't help but realize this is the second time I've been here in an unfamiliar body. It's strange, at the time it was terrifying but now it feels...almost nostalgic in a way. Before I can reminisce any further, I hear a nearby bush rustle. I turn my head just as a Scraggy leaps out at us!
“Yo! You travelers better cough up...the...dough...?” Not even coming up to my waist anymore, he looks up at me, the telltale look of regret appearing on his face. Alright, this'll be a good chance to test out this new body.
I grab the lightweight Scraggy in my hands, holding him as he struggles against my grasp. Staring into his eyes, I say, “How, pray tell, will you stand against us on your lonesome?” I wince at my words, I'm not even trying to say this stuff, it's coming out on its own!
“P-put me down, yo! It ain't cool to go beatin' on someone my size!” The Scraggy squirms around even more.
As much as I wanted to test my strength out, he was right. “There is no honor in defeating such a weak opponent. Very well, I shall release thee!” Rolling my eyes at my lame manner of speaking, I dump him into the nearby pond.

Quagsire looks at me, his face hard to read now. “Not a smart one, hmm?”
“Petty crooks such as he would be wise to choose thine battl-” I shake my head, no no no, I have to force myself to stop talking like this! Clearing my throat, I say, “...Tell me about it. What moron tries to jump someone five times his size?” This is so weird, I have to actively try to not speak like I'm from the medieval era!
Quagsire puts a hand to his chin, saying, “Mmm, you speak a little strangely, Chespin. Or should I say, Chesnaught, hmm?”
“One such as myse-I mean, I can't help it, it just happens!” Shaking my head once more, I say, “Let's just get back to the guild.”

All eyes are on Quagsire and I as we enter the guild hall. I feel like a giant as I walk among the other guild members, many of them not even coming up to my knees. Were it not for my now-tight scarf and badge, they might not even recognize me. As we make our way through the halls, I overhear the others making comments on us.

“Woah, Team Cozy evolved!”
“Look at that huge shell!”
“They're gigantic!”
“Another cruel reminder of how short I really am...”

It feels a little awkward having everybody talk about us like this. Maybe it's just something I'll have to get used to.

I spot Sneasel and Booker exiting the dining hall, both looking a little startled upon seeing me. Sneasel composes herself first, saying, “Look at that, Team Cozy's went and evolved. Glad to see someone taking an interest in getting stronger.”
Unable to stop myself, I say, “I, leader of Team Cozy, challenge thee to battle! Find yourself an ally, and meet us in glorious combat.”
Sneasel visibly suppresses a chuckle as I internally curse myself for my unwilling choice of words. “Now that's more like it! I'll meet you out in the field, 'k?”

I eagerly make for the field just outside of town, Quagsire following close behind. “Hmm, you sure are eager to fight now.”
“And you're not, Quagsire? You said it yourself, you're just like one of the heroes from those stories now! I'm surprised you're not bursting with excitement, actually.”
A slight frown crosses Quagsire's face. “I suppose I...don't feel it like I used to? I feel more...relaxed, hmm? It's...a different feeling.”
Concern begins filling my mind as I listen to my partner's words. It's like he's completely changed, like he's...not the same Pokemon. Getting a strange idea, I say, “Hey...You remember that time we got the Frisms? Who did we fight?”
Quagsire nods. “Mmm, a Cryogonal you protected me from. Twice as of our last mission, mmmhmm!”
His response doesn't make me feel any better. This is definitely my partner, and yet...this is my partner. That enthusiasm, that excitement, that...unrelenting, infectious joy I always saw from him, what happened to it all?

I'm not given much chance to dwell on it before Sneasel comes running, an Absol with a broken horn following behind. Sneasel climbs up a nearby tree, setting Booker down on a branch before leaping back down.
I take my spot alongside Quagsire. “Our opponents have arrived on the battlefield! Fight valiantly, and ma-I mean, are you two ready to do this?” This 'chivalrous' speech is starting to annoy me.
Sneasel sets a small bag down near the tree before taking her place next to the Absol. “Kris here'll be my teammate for the fight, alright? Booker'll be the judge. The side with the last one standing is the winner, sound good? Afterwards we can use the stuff in that bag to help each other out.”
I let my vines out as I say, “So be it. We have fought bravely against dragons as well as the very embodiment of evil. Fight with all of your might!”
Quagsire nods, following with an “Mmmhmm!”
“It's gonna take more than you guys getting bigger to win against us.” Kris takes his place next to Sneasel.
“Aaaaaannd...GO!” Booker's small voice announces the beginning of the fight!

Instinctively, I move to pick Quagsire up in my vines...but his new body is far too difficult to grip like this! Oh no, that was one of my main battle strategies! Before I can make another move, I see Kris bearing down on me, his broken horn glowing with energy!
I put my hands up to defend myself from his attack. To my surprise, my hands form into the shape of a shield! Kris's attack clinks harmlessly off of my hands as he lets out a small shout of surprise. Looking at my hands, I see the reason why. My shield is covered in thorns! Confidence fills me as I yell out “You cannot stand against a royal knight's defenses!”

Sneasel dodges Quagsire's Water Gun as she closes the distance between the two. Shooting my vines towards her, I try to fling myself head-first into her...but only manage to reel her into me! In the heat of the moment, I completely forgot just how much heavier I am now! Unable to react in time, she slams directly into my head!
My grip loosening, Sneasel leaps backward, rubbing her shoulder. “You don't have quills on your head anymore, headbutting a foe won't do as much anymore. Flinging yourself the way you used to won't work either.” Before I can react, she shoots several Ice Shards directly at me! The sharp attack digs into my chest, causing me to let out a loud cry of pain. Even in this armored form, an attack hitting there still hurts!
I look up just in time to see Sneasel get hit by Quagsire's second Water Gun, but now Kris is charging forward, his broken horn glowing a shimmering purple. I try to dodge out of the way, but I'm too big and heavy now! His attack hits home as I let out another yell, my mind going a little foggy.
Jumping back, Kris yells some mid-battle advice to me. “You can't dodge the way you are. Focus on defense instead of evasion!”
Come ON, think! Nothing's working out well at all. All I can really do is...wait, the vines still work well! ”Quagsire, get ready!”

Quagsire nods towards me as I wrap my vines around Kris, holding him in place. I watch as Quagsire tries to leap up in the air, but only manages to move awkwardly before slapping his tail on the ground. The earth erupts with energy underneath Kris, but it doesn't seem nearly as strong as it used to.
I hear Quagsire yell “Chesnaught, look out!” Turning my head, I see Sneasel closing in rapidly. Remembering Kris's advice, I fall to the ground, hiding underneath my new shell. Her shards jab into the shell, stinging a little but nowhere near as much as before.

Getting back up, I realize I don't have much time left. I need to go on the offensive, but how? Solarbeam takes too long, only my vines seem to do much of anything, and...wait, that's it!
Grappling Sneasel with my vines, I yank her towards me, shouting, “GET OVER HERE!” Once she's within range, I throw an uppercut! Direct hit! Sneasel goes flying backwards, falling to the ground. No doubt about it, she's down for the count! A powerful rush of adrenaline courses through me, it feels incredible to be able to punch out an opponent after reeling them in!
“S-Sneasel!” Booker sounds greatly concerned, having just watched his partner get knocked out.
“I have vanquished one of our foes, Quagsi-”
I don't get the rest of the words out before Kris slashes his horn at me once again, the attack stealing the last of my energy. As my vision fades, I wonder if Quagsire can keep up the fight.

I awaken shortly afterwards, the pleasant taste of a Reviver Seed filling my mouth. Getting up, I watch as Quagsire feeds Sneasel one as well. Feeling a little apprehensive, I ask, “So...who won?”
Quagsire frowns a little. “Mmm...Once you went down, I wasn't able to hit Kris at all, and I was forced to forfeit.” I can sense a hint of concern in his voice as he continues with “I'm not used to fighting like this. I've spent my whole life training as a Wooper. Almost none of it helps me anymore, hmm.”
The pit in my stomach continues to grow. Not only was Quagsire acting completely differently now, even his unusual fighting skills are gone?!
Sneasel wakes back up, collecting Booker from the tree. Even though it was a fair fight, I still feel really bad for knocking her out.
The worry on Booker's face is clear. “Sneasel! You're not hurt too badly, are you?”
“Nah, I'll be fine.” Sneasel shrugs, continuing with, “Sometimes you get knocked out while training, nothin' wrong with that.”
Speaking up, I say, “You're not mad about that fight, are you? Something about fighting the way I did doesn't feel right.”
Sneasel shakes her head. “Nah, all's fair in a fight. It's on me for not dodging those vines.” Dusting herself off, she says, “You've got some real power behind those arms now, and that shell looks like it can stand up to anything. But it's at the cost of your old mobility. Keep that in mind and you'll go far.”
Kris nods, saying, “Wasn't too bad for your first battle in those new bodies! Good match.”
Even though I find myself disagreeing, I say, “Yeah, good match. Let's get back to the guild, it's getting late.”

I don't feel very good with myself as the five of us walk back to the guild. It wasn't the fact that Quagsire and I lost, it was everything else to do with our evolution. Quagsire's enthusiasm seems completely absent, I keep saying a bunch of stupid things against my will, and neither of us are anywhere close to as agile as we used to be. I'm a lot stronger now, but I can't shake the feeling that we've made a mistake.
Once back at the guild, we all grab dinner. The two of us have to sit at a higher table off in the corner, the usual small table being much too short for us to sit at anymore. I catch the other guild members glancing over at us, still unable to ignore our new forms. I begin to eat, but my plate seems ridiculously tiny now.
Getting up, I walk over to Beast. He looks up at me and says, “Hey, you've evolved. Neat. Sorry there's no more food, I hadn't expected that there'd be any evolving guild members today.”
“But...” I let out a frustrated sigh. “...Nevermind.” This was getting worse by the minute.

I motion for Quagsire to follow me as I leave the dining hall. At least I can sleep off the lousy day I've had now. Opening my room's door, I walk in...and my shell hits against the doorway. Confused, I try turning to my side to get inside, but I'm still blocked. No, this can't be happening, I'm too big to even enter my own room?! At least I can grab my blanket, right? Reaching through the doorway with my vines, I grab up the enormous blanket, holding it close.

I can't feel its softness anymore. My armored body is blocking it out.

I drop the blanket to the floor, horrified. “No...NO!” Heads poke out of the other rooms to see what's going on, but I don't care. “Quagsire, I think we've made a huge mistake with evolving!” I feel sick to my stomach, everything's falling apart!
Quagsire tilts his head, concern on his face. “Hmm, this hasn't been as amazing as I had been lead to believe. We'll just have to make the best of things.”
Beginning to lose my composure, I yell, “Make the best of things? I can't even sleep in my own bed anymore, what do I do?!”
“The garden should work for now, hmm?”
Setting the blanket back in my room, I let out a defeated sigh as I walk outside. This is awful, but what choice do I have?

Outside, the sun begins to set. Darkness creeps over the garden as I glumly make my way towards my usual sunbathing spot. Unable to lie on my back or side anymore, I sprawl myself out on the grass, laying on my stomach. At least I had made this spot large enough for me to lay in, even now.
“Hmm...The pond may be a little small, but it should make do for now.” Quagsire slips into the pond, floating on his back. “Good night, Chesnaught. Perhaps tomorrow will go better, mmm?”
“I hope so, this isn't going anything at all like I thought it would.” I shift around, trying to get comfortable. “Good night...”
Today hadn't gone well at all. I find myself wishing this was all just a bad dream, but I know it's not. I didn't think I'd feel this bad about it all and yet, outside of battling, everything else has actively gotten worse! I can punch stuff harder and shield better, but it's not like that makes up for everything else! What's worse is the fact that this is permanent! Why did I decide to do this?! My mind is filled with regret as I feel sleep overtake me.

“Psst, wake up! I got some info I think you'll want to hear.”
I stir awake, the quiet voice waking me up. I look at myself as the events of yesterday come flooding back to me. Yep, still a Chesnaught. Sighing in disappointment, I stand up, looking down at a gray Meowth. “Oh, it's you. What do you want, Kaiji?”
Kaiji gives me a smug look, making a dismissive hand gesture to his side. “Not much for warm welcomes, are you?”
“Yeah yeah, I had an awful day yesterday.” Recalling what he woke me up with, I ask, “What info are you talking about?”
Kaiji lets out a soft chuckle, saying, “What if I told you that there was a way for you and your friend to undo your evoluti-”
My eyes go wide as I hear him. Grabbing him in my hands, I say “What? Are you serious!? ...No, you're just messing with me, aren't you? Are you lying?”
Kaiji's cool demeanor doesn't fade away, even as I hold him in my grasp. “Nah, I save my lies for my customers. Guild members are different. Put me down and I'll tell you what I know.”
I set him down gently. Heart racing, I eagerly ask, “How do you do it? I gotta know!”

Kaiji paces around the garden as he speaks. “You know about Orbs by now, but what if I told you there's a pretty rare Orb out there that actually devolves a target for you?”
My heart races at his info. “Wait, really? Do you have them?! What are you waiting for? Give them to u-”
“Nope. See, I don't have any use for those things. Can't let my customers have things that dangerous, you know?”
I feel my heart sink. “But...Then why did you tell me? Just to get my hopes up?”
“Y'know, for a big tough knight you sure don't act the part.” With a sly look on his face, Kaiji continues with, “Anyways, I've heard they can be found in a place called the Hall of Magic over on the Sand Continent.”
I feel my blood run cold at that knowledge. “All the way over there?! How do you expect us the cross the ocean? We're too big to fly on someone's back now!”
“Could always ride on a Lapras over there. Oh, before I forget...” Kaiji hands me a paper with a crude drawing on it. “This is what you're lookin' for. Find a few orbs with those designs on 'em, use them on each other and just like that you should be back to your old selves.”
I take a close look at the paper.

Alright, that's easy enough to remember. By the time I look up, Kaiji had already left. Couldn't he at least have said goodbye?
I walk over to the pond, Quagsire poking his head out of the water. Feeling excited, I say, “Quagsire, there might be a way to return to normal!”
Quagsire climbs out of the pond, looking at his hands. “You did seem happier before evolving...” He pauses for a moment before nodding. “Mmm, what are we waiting for? I said I'd go with you anywhere, hmm?”
I let out a sigh of relief. Even if his attitude is completely different now, he's still my teammate. One that'll stick by me no matter what! Feeling even more eager, I say, “Very well then! Let us find an aquatic steed to ferry us to a faraway land so that we may rid ourselves of this curse!” Great, there it goes again. It's like it only happens when I'm feeling good. Before leaving the garden, I chow down on a bunch of fresh berries. At least this beats paying a ton for something to eat in town. Before leaving the guild entirely, I grab a larger bag, stuffing it with food and drink.

The two of us find ourselves at the town docks. Shipment crates meant for the area's stores are stacked up high against a wall. Small, crude boats adorn the water, as do several Lapras. Not wanting to waste any time, I flag one of them down.
The Lapras swims up next to us. “Good morning, dears. Where are you two headed?” Her voice is soft and gentle.
No sense beating around the bush. “The two of us must get to the Hall of Magic, over on the Sand Continent. How long will that take us?”
A hint of concern crosses her face. “Oh my, that is quite a far swim. If we leave right now, we might be able to arrive sometime after sundown. Are you sure about this? It is in a rather cold place, after all.”
Her news makes me feel a little worried, but I suppress it, this is too important! “We will brave stormy oceans, snowy landscapes, and dangerous dungeons if it means we will succeed in our quest!”
“Oh dear, it must be a very special quest for you to speak of it like that!” Lapras swims closer to the dock. “Both of you, climb onto my back and I'll handle the rest.”

And that's how Quagsire and I spent the entire day. Riding on the back of a Lapras, watching as we ride past nothing, nothing, and more nothing. It feels like the most boring road trip of all time. No radio, no book, nothing at all to take my mind off how long our trip is taking. At least back in the human world, I usually had something to do while traveling long distances like this. Unable to stand it anymore, I commit the gravest road trip sin of all.
“Are we there yet?”
Lapras glances back at me, a knowing look in her eye. “We'll get there when we get there.” Looking up at the sky, she follows with, “We're most of the way there. Feel free to take a nap if you like.”
I let out a small sigh. Maybe Quagsire at least has some interesting stories to tell? “Hey, Quagsi-” Turning to face him, I find that he's already asleep. Well, no sense staying awake for all the nothing going on right now.

“We're here.”
Lapras's voice wakes me up, as does the chill in the air. Opening my eyes, I spot the sun setting on the horizon. Looking around, I spot a snowy landscape, with flickering lights coming from the direction of a cave inside a nearby hillside. “Is that the Hall of Magic?”
“Yes, dears. Go inside, and once you are finished with your 'quest', come back and I'll ferry you home.”
Quagsire and I hop off of Lapras, the cold snow sending a dull, chilling pain up my legs. Not wanting to stand out here for longer than I have to, I motion for Quagsire to follow me as I run towards the cave.

Once inside, I feel myself quickly begin to warm back up. Strange glowing orbs illuminate the interior, and a strange power fills the cave. For a brief moment, I find myself thinking that they're lightbulbs, but they aren't hooked up to anything.
“Hmm...Remember, we can't fight the way we used to.”
Quagsire's right. “Alright, here's what we'll do if we have to fight someone strong, hmm...” We spend a few moments going over strategies, finally going over one that I hope will work. “Ready?” With a nod, I lead the way into the dungeon.

Spoinks, Goletts, and Litwicks are our primary foes as we descend deeper. Quagsire does most of the heavy lifting, his aim with Water Gun improving as time goes on. I make short work of the infrequent Magnemite with well-placed punches. I use myself to defend Quagsire, my shell tanking even Fire and Psychic attacks. Despite this, I find myself reaching for the Oran Berries before long, my durability having its limits.
We reach the deepest part of the Hall of Magic, an enormous room filled with elaborate paintings and symbols all over the walls. Crystals float in the air, filling the room with light. Piles of Orbs of all kinds and colors rest underneath the crystals. Could these crystals be how Orbs are made? “Okay Quagsire, keep an eye out for those orbs!”
“Mmmhmm!”
Just as we begin to approach a pile, we hear a shout.

“GET AWAY FROM MY PRECIOUS ORBS!”
I whip my head around to face the voice. A Delphox stares at us from the far end of the room, hatred in her eyes. “Why are you here?!”
I hold an arm to my side in front of Quagsire. “There are a few Orbs that we must obtain, no matter what it takes! You can keep everything else, it's just a couple rare ones we need!”
The Delphox's glare eases up. “Is that so? No other reason?”
Quagsire nods. “Nope, that's all.”
“Well then, since you two don't appear to be common thieves...” Delphox reaches into her sleeve. A flash of fire accompanies the wand she pulls out, the tip catching alight. “How about you EARN those orbs? If you can defeat a master magician such as myself, you may take whatever orbs you like.”
I prepare myself for battle. “We have traveled from a faraway land to seek our treasure. No foe, no matter how great, will stand in the way of our triumph!”

The Delphox twirls her wand, a stream of magical energy shooting straight for Quagsire! I slam my fists together, forming a thorny shield that absorbs the attack!
“Quagsire, put that wand out!”
Quagsire shoots Water Gun after Water Gun at the Delphox. She leaps to the side, dodging attack after attack, but with just one misstep, her wand is doused in water!
I do a little fist pump from excitement. “You will perform no more witchcraft while we are around!”

Delphox pulls out a second wand from her other sleeve. “Plenty more where that came from.” With a spin of the wand, she sends a jet of fire directly for me!
I try to create a shield again, but she's quicker on the draw. I let out a loud cry of pain as the flames blast into my chest, hitting my weak spot!
“How's my magic taste?” Delphox lets out a smug laugh, following with, “Shouldn't have gotten so cocky now, wouldn't you s-”
Her taunts are cut off by the ground beneath her erupting with energy! The wand flies from her hand as she falls.
“Chesnaught, now!”

Nodding, I shoot my vines towards Delphox. “COME HERE!” As she's being reeled in towards me, I yell out a taunt of my own. “I've got a magic trick of my own, witch! I cast FIST!” With that last word, I throw an uppercut, sending her flying into the air. On her way down, a powerful Water Gun slams into her, the force knocking her into a nearby pillar!
“Ugh...Lucky shot...” The Delphox tries to stand up, but slumps to the floor, knocked out.
“Hmm, we did it, Chesnaught.”
I nod, feeling good about myself for the first time since evolving. “To the victors go the spoils! Search for the orbs we came for so that we may return home.”

We sift through the massive piles of Orbs. Petrify, Revive All, and Escape Orbs are the most common ones. There must be thousands of orbs here! Not only that, but the orbs are absolutely tiny in my hands now. It's going to take us all night to find the right orbs when I have to closely inspect each of them.
Just when I'm about to lose hope, I hear Quagsire call out for me. “Hmm, found them.”
My pulse quickens at the news. I hurry over to where Quagsire is standing. Right there, in the middle of the half-empty pile, are a dozen or so red orbs with the correct symbol on them.
“They're real, Quagsire!" I take a few deep breaths to calm myself. “Okay...Grab one and throw it on the ground.”
Quagsire tilts his head slightly. “Hmm, you're sure you won't regret this? There's no telling when you'll be able to evolve again.”
I shake my head. “We're Team Cozy, remember? Comfiness over all else! I can't live up to that name if I'm too large to even sleep in a bed, let alone feel my soft blankets! Besides, we've never needed to be evolved to fight off our enemies in the past, right?”
Quagsire nods. “I have to say though, it was cool seeing you pull enemies towards yourself to punch them. I still prefer the hmm, slingshot Headbutt you do otherwise.”
He holds the Devolve Orb in his hand, looking it over. With another nod, he slams it to the floor.

My whole body goes numb as a red flash of light completely envelopes me! It feels almost exactly like things did at the spring we evolved at, but the numbing sensation feels even stronger. Once the light fades, I look down at my body. I'm really fat now. Not wanting to stick around in this form, I yell, “Quick, do it again!” Quagsire obliges, the whole process repeating itself. Afterwards, I look at myself once again. Brown arms and body, short legs, much smaller than before. I let out a sigh of relief. It worked, I'm back to normal! Or at least, as close to normal as I can be in this world. No doubt about it, I definitely prefer being a Chespin.

I grab a Devolve Orb as well, looking into its shiny red surface. Is this the right thing to do? “Quagsire, do you...want this? You're like the Quagsire that helped that human in those stories right now, you'd lose those arms too.”
Quagsire thinks for a few moments, a hand to his chin. “Hmm...mmm...” He nods, following with, “I can be like him without being evolved. I was better at fighting before this. I also felt...happier before, hmm?”
Even with his approval, I find myself hesitating. “But...you seemed so happy to evolve, I don't know...”
Quagsire reaches his hands down to mine. He pushes my hands together, crushing the Devolve Orb between them! I step back in surprise as Quagsire takes his trip through the red light as well.

The light fading, I open my eyes to see Wooper standing before me. “It's fine, Chespin, honest! After all, you look happier already!”
I can't hide my smile as I hear his words. “W-Wooper, you're back!” I pull him into a tight hug, feeling myself tear up a little. I was so scared that things would never go back to the way they used to, but now...I feel so relieved! “I missed that cheerfulness of yours so much!”
“So did I!”
Pulling away from him, I grab a few other orbs, sticking them into my now-massive bag. “Come on Wooper, let's go home!”

Lapras seems surprised when we return to her, and sounds even more confused when we tell her that our 'quest' was to devolve. Wooper and I sleep on the way back to Capim Town, the sun rising over the horizon as we finally return to the docks.
Glad to be back on dry land, we make our way back to the guild. Along the way, I overhear some villagers talking about how the spring in Mystifying Forest has deactivated, its light having gone out.
“Guess we ain't evolving again anytime soon, Wooper. No going back now.”
“Who needs that kinda thing anyways? Besides, it's better this way!”

We pass by a few fellow guild members, all of whom seem surprised to see us. I spot Booker and Sneasel near the garden, the former sitting atop a flower.
Sneasel does a double take upon seeing us. “What happened to you two? Your evolutions are gone?”
I shake my head. “I wasn't happy like that, so Wooper and I went on a little journey. We found some rare orbs that helped undo it.”
Sneasel scoffs at my comment. “Choosing to become weaker? I can't imagine why anybody would do that.”
“Raw power isn't everything in a battle. Being able to dodge and move around quickly can often be far more important.” Continuing, I say, “And we're Team Cozy! How can you be cozy when you're stuck wearing a shell so gigantic you can't even sleep in a bed?”
Wooper nods, shouting, “Yeah! We'll become stronger the way we are now, just watch!”
Sneasel shrugs. “Keep up the training, in that case. I'll be back here later.”

Sneasel leaves the garden, leaving Booker behind. I go to ask him a question, but find that he's fast asleep atop the flower. Glad to see the other guild members are enjoying this place. Heading back to my favorite sunbathing spot, I lie back and watch the clouds roll by, the troubles of the previous couple days a mere memory.
My strength as a Chesnaught had come at the cost of so many things. Sleeping in my own bed, entering my own room, feeling out of place in the guild, even lying on my back as I am now was impossible. My best friend had also lost his cheerfulness, which only made everything worse.
It was an interesting experience for sure, but there's no chance I'm ever going to do that again! After all, I'm happier this way.