"Awright, start from the beginnin', kiddo."
"Okay... sniff." The small Togepi wearing a flower crown rubs his tearful eyes as he tries to stop himself from sobbing.
I lean against a tree as I wait for the kid to regain his composure. It didn't take me too long to get to the location marked on the request, which is a clearing near the entrance of some place called Grim Backwoods. Before me lies the thickest and most gnarled forest I've seen in my time in this world. Unlike the woodlands surrounding that infernal guild, the trees here are much taller and darker in color. They barely leave any space between them, and what little openings there are are filled to the brim with nasty-looking vines and thickets that all look like they're fighting each other for that remaining space.
"My sister Solace... sniff, left our tribe to try and go on adventures. She w-wanted to try and be just like the explorers we've always heard about sniff..." The kid looks like he's about to break down again, but he takes a deep breath to calm himself.
"Easy, yer doin' fine." I say with the softest tone I can muster. "Yer sis was a Togetic, ain't she?"
The Togepi nods. "sniff... She tried to get me to join her, b-but... I was sniff... too scared... I-I... tried... to tell her not to leave sniff... but she just flew off! I should've gone with her... w... waaaaaaaaahhh!"
A Togekiss sitting nearby gives me the stink eye. It's not my fault the waterworks never stop with this kid.
"Piyo, was it?" I kneel in front of the sobbing lad. "I'm assumin' the adults in yer tribe would've punished her if they found out she left?" He's crying too hard to say anything, but he gives me another nod. "You were just tryin' to look out for her. Don't beat yourself up too much, kiddo."
He keeps crying, and I move to try and pat his head. But the moment my hand gets closer, the nearby Togekiss ruffles his feathers, and some pebbles around him start to float in the air. I pull back before the oversized bird tries anything. This is what I get for trying to show compassion for once, stupid monsters.
The Togekiss eases up, and the bits of gravel around him fall back to the ground. He addresses me in a haughty tone, "From what little Piyo told me and my fellow members of our tribe, Solace reached a nearby settlement where she heard about young Pokemon who wandered into Grim Backwoods who never returned. We fear she may have... added to that number." The Togekiss's last comment makes Piyo's wails grow louder.
"Have ya' had any luck tryin' to find her yerselves?"
The bird shakes his head grimly. "This accursed place makes the feathers of me and my kin stand on their end. Even just being this close to it makes me feel drained. And to put it bluntly, we do not wish to risk losing any more of our clan members. We are all as close as family, to lose another would devastate us."
But not nearly close enough to try saving one of their lost kids? Despicable. This lass had the right idea getting the hell out of there, shame she might've bit off more than she could chew.
"Truth be told, we put in a request for someone from the Federation to help us. You certainly don't fit the bill of who we requested, especially with your... rather intense negative energy. But desperate times call for desperate measures, and I can tell your intentions seem... somewhat pure." His unsure tone makes it almost sound like he's trying to convince himself. "We can't afford to keep waiting, so please, try and rescue our beloved Solace. We can reward you handsomely."
I better get a damn good reward for this. "Good. No more wastin' time, I should be back within a day." I turn away and start towards the forest, only to feel something grab my leg.
Something small, and helpless. Memories flood my mind.
I echo something I've said in the past. "It'll be alright, kiddo."
Looking down, I expect to see Aled there. But it isn't him. Aled never cried this loudly, and usually my words were enough to soothe him.
There's nothing else I can do to help this lad other than getting his sister back. I shake him off of me and head towards a gap in the gnarled trees. Darkness creeps through the corners of my vision the moment I leave the safety of the clearing, but I can still hear Piyo's crying. I turn to give him one last look, only to see a wall of twisted tree trunks.
"No headin' back now... The hell have I gotten myself into...?" I sigh as I start fighting through the overgrown path before me, using my shells to chop the branches and vegetation vainly attempting to halt my progress.
The kid's cries still echo on the chilling wind, becoming more distorted the further I slice my way through these woods. Apart from the sounds of snapping twigs and vines, the forest is dead quiet. There's no chirping birds, or things rustling in the overgrowth like I'm used to hearing while exploring the backwoods around Capim Town.
Only a few, thin beams of light penetrate the thick canopy above me, showing up less and less the deeper I get. I'm an idiot for not packing a torch, or one of those light orbs. The woods grow darker, and I start to notice things. In the corners of my vision, the vines covering the trees seem to grow and follow me like slithering snakes.
Doing my best to ignore the idea that this overgrown hellhole might be alive, my attention goes back to the voice on the breeze. It had faded into the background, but now it's gotten louder. It's no longer the cries of a child, it now sounds like... laughter?
I stop carving a path to try and focus on where the voice is coming from. I quickly realize my mistake when the plants I was cutting moments ago lunge and entangle me! My arms get restrained by vines, and the laughs I heard get louder.
"Hahahah!" Two red orbs emerge from the darkness, and I hear an ethereal, child-like voice. "How do you like that?! Now you're going to be trapped here forever!" As the orbs get closer, I can see they're eyes that make up the face of a ghostly tree stump. The wooden head has two 'horns" and is atop a black, wisp-like body. On one of the horns grows a white flower bud. "We're going to have a new friend! Hooray!"
I stand dumbfounded as the ghost gleefully drifts around me. I was expecting something more intimidating. Regaining my bearings, I struggle against my bonds, and manage to free my arms as the vines break with a loud snap. Weirdly, some smaller vines remain attached to my body, but don't impede my movement at all.
The little spirit takes notice of me freeing myself, and lets out a defeated sigh. "Aww... I spent so long practicing my Forest's Curse..."
That's it? "Sorry kiddo, maybe next time practice some moves that actually hurt." I try to pull off some remaining foliage on my arm, only to feel a sudden stab of pain! "Ow! The hell?! Why did that feel like I was tearing off my own skin?!"
"Hahah! You dummy, that's because the plants are part of your skin now!" The ghost giggles, and I start considering how much firewood I could chop up from its head. "It'll wear off eventually. What are you even doing here, mister? Are you lost?"
"I'm lookin' for a Togetic. Have ya' happened to see one?"
"Nope! But I only got here recently, so maybe someone else has!"
Figures it wouldn't be that easy. "Then I'll be on my way-"
"Waitwaitwait!" The ghost waves its tiny arms as it tries to block my path. "You haven't even told me your name!"
"You haven't told me yours. You can just call me Dewott."
"Well, nice to meetcha mister Dewott! As for my name... The other Phantumps just call me loony. They're mean! But joke's on them, I turned it into a real name! I'm Lunette!"
I think loony is more apt. "So lemme get this straight, you and a bunch of other Phantumps live here in this dungeon?"
She nods. "Yep! I can show you them, follow me!" Before I can reply, the Phantump weaves through the trees and disappears into the darkness. I ready my shells as I rush after her, expecting the wild vegetation to impede me once again. However, the tall grass and other greenery part themselves, creating an easy path for me.
"Appreciate the late warm welcome..." I mutter under my breath as I sheathe my shells and continue on.
* * *
Before long I once again catch sight of the ghostly girl, and find her in a small clearing. A hole in the canopy allows some moonlight to shine through, bathing the area in a pale glow. Wait, moonlight? How long have I been lost in here?
"Look, everyone! We have a new visitor!" Phantump shouts. Stepping into the middle of the clearing, I notice that it's littered with all sorts of different kinds of rubbish. Chunks of wood, tattered bags, half-destroyed stuffed animals, discarded scarves... I even spot some rusted exploration team badges.
I sift through some of the junk with my feet, until I spot movement in the corners of my vision. The blocks of wood scattered around begin to reanimate, and form into Phantumps. More float out of nearby bushes, and they all start swirling around me, whispering to each other.
"A visitor..."
"He isn't one of us, how odd..."
"I hope he'll play with us!"
The annoying girl drifts over to me, looking pleased with herself. "It's rare whenever we get a new and unique face like yours! You will stay with us for a while, won't you?"
I shake my head. "No can do, kiddos." Various sighs and groans of disappointment can be heard from the spirits. "... But maybe I could be persuaded to stay for a while if ya' can help me with something." My words make all of the spirits quiet down and perk up, intently waiting for my request. "Have any of ya' seen a Togetic around here recently?"
The ghosts look around at each other, as if they're all expecting one of their own to know the answer. After a minute of no one speaking up, I let out a sigh of my own. "Figures."
From somewhere in the crowd of spirits I hear one shout "This guy is boring! Lets just play!", and all of the ghosts let out a cheer of agreement before scattering around. They begin chatting amongst themselves, chasing each other around, and throwing different discarded items at each other. One even practices summoning a fireball, which they launch at the one named Lunette.
"H-hey! You almost set my flower on fire!" She cries as she covers her head.
"Darn, I missed! Hahahah!" The bully Phanutmp jeered.
Looks like even in this world, kids are always brats. The girl tries to summon a fireball of her own by doing a circular motion with her hands, then thrusting them out while yelling a battle cry. But nothing comes out, so all of the other stumps just laugh at her. She lets out a dejected sigh as she retreats behind a nearby tree. Thankfully the other ghosts are already bored with her, so they don't continue their harassment.
I shouldn't really be wasting time, but I don't have any other leads at the moment. It can't hurt to try and get some more information out of the lass by getting friendly with her. I head over to her hiding spot, where she's curled herself up into a ball. I knock on the tree to get her attention, and she looks up at me with a start. "Oh, mister! Hello again!"
"Havin' trouble with bullies?" I chuckle.
"Yeah..." Lunette says while staring at her non-existent feet. "All of them seem to do moves better than me! I keep practicing every day to try and fight back, but no matter how hard I try, I just end up looking like an idiot! And then that makes them mess with me more!"
"Well, are ya' gonna let them keep doing that?"
"No, of course not! I'm going to keep trying, because I know one day I'll prove them wrong! Then I'll be the one laughing at them!" She declares while pumping her fist.
She has heart, I'll give her that. "Good. But what are ya' even tryin' to do? Shoot fire at them?"
"Yep." Lunette affirms. "I guess I just haven't trained enough to do it well... Oh, can you shoot fire, mister?!"
"Wrong element." I say while grabbing one of my shells, and activating its watery blade. The girl looks on in awe.
"Wow...! Can I have one of those?!" She lunges at me and tries to steal my other shell!
"H-hey! Hands off! They wouldn't even work for ya', anyway." That, and I don't trust her to not hurt herself with it.
"Awww..." She backs off with a sad pout. "What will I do then..."
Hold on, maybe she's actually on the right track about needing a weapon. I remember while spying on that guild once I saw some ghost using a wand and doing some really stupid looking movements with it. It made him look like a total fudge-packer, but it worked and let him shoot fire. I look around, and pick up a sturdy-looking branch off the grass. "Here, try usin' this."
"Huh?" She grabs the stick with both hands. "Okay, here goes... HIYAH!" She waves it around wildly and almost ends up hitting me with it!
"Watch it! Here..." I grab her arms. Her spectral body is cold to touch, like it's sapping the warmth from mine. I feel like if I gripped her too tightly, my hands would go right through her. Ignoring the unsettling sensations, I realize I have no idea what I'm trying to guide her to do. For my own shells, I just imagine them as swords. Maybe doing a similar thing will help her?
I move her arms so that she's waving the wand around in a circle. "Try and think about the tip of the wand bursting into flame."
She closes her eyes, and I let go of her so she can continue on her own. After about a dozen of rotations, and her face getting more and more scrunched up, a small, purple spark finally ignites at the end of the branch. Her eyes open, and her face lights up with one of the brightest grins I've ever seen. "I did it! I did it, mister! Thank you!"
"Heheh, that was all you, kiddo." Her happiness is infectious, and I can't help but feel proud of the girl. "Now, don't you have some bullies you need to rough up?"
My suggestion makes her beaming face turn nefarious. "Ooooh, they're going to get it!" Lunette flies towards the rest of the Phantumps, and screams at the ones that were terrorizing her earlier. "HEY, DUMMIES! WATCH THIS!"
Spinning her wand around, she once again summons a colored flame at the tip of it. Some of the Phantumps are stunned, while others don't seem impressed by the size. "Hah, you call that a Will-o-Wisp?!"
Undeterred, Lunette swishes her wand forward, and launches the orb of fire at one of her bullies. It slowly arcs through the air, before fizzling out anticlimactically before reaching its target. Once again, the other spirits laugh at her, and her would-be victim summons a fireball of his own, and tosses it at her like he's throwing a baseball.
My hand twitches to go for my shells, but I restrain myself. These bullies won't ever let up on this girl if I break in and save her. Plus, why should I ruin a good show?
Lunette panics and waves her branch around wildly to try and bat away the flame, which sticks to the end of the wand when it makes contact. This only makes the girl brandish it even more furiously, like she doesn't want it to burn up. More laughter erupts from the ghosts, but the girl's flailing calms down as she realizes that the flame isn't encroaching on the rest of the wand. Instead, it's staying at the tip just like her flame did. Now Lunette is the one who's laughing! "Thanks for the gift, but you can have it back!"
She does a full body twirl, and launches the fireball back at the bully! It grows in size as it flies through the air, and the boy lets out a high-pitched wail as he turns tail to try and escape it! But it tracks him like a homing missile, and when it lands it explodes with a flash of purple. The top of his stump catches fire, and he pats it down to try and put it out, much to the crowd's amusement.
"No faaaaairrrrr!" The boy whines. "I'm gonna tell the caretaker! You're going to get in troooouuubble!"
I stifle my own snickering as something the boy says catches my attention. "Caretaker? There's someone here to look after ya' kiddos?"
A different Phantump nods and speaks up. "He's a Scizor. He keeps us safe, gives us gifts, and even keeps our leaves trimmed so our heads stay smooth!" He runs his ethereal hands over his wooden head, seemingly satisfied with its lack of foliage. "Because of him, we rarely stray from our home here. Our caretaker tells us the rest of the forest is dangerous... But that doesn't stop SOME troublemakers from breaking the rules..." The Phantump glares at Lunette, who responds by sticking her tongue out.
Well, it's good these kids have someone to take care and look after them. Though, this place is odd, even for a dungeon. I haven't encountered a single feral here. Do these lads even really need protection? For as unnerving as this place is, it doesn't seem too dangerous. Hell, if anything the forest seems to accommodate for them. Something here isn't right...
I mull over my thoughts quietly, and the ghosts go back to playing, this time allowing Lunette to join them. One of the youngsters picks up a piece of dark red cloth and rolls it into a ball, trying to hit another spirit with it. But they miss their mark, and the balled-up cloth lands near me. I pick it up and unfurl it, revealing that the whole scarf is actually green, with a big crimson blotch in the middle.
What a weird design, I don't think I've ever seen any of those monsters wearing something with this shade of red. It almost looks like...
Dried blood.
A horrifying idea crosses my mind. My thoughts entertain it, and suddenly every unusual thing I've seen in this dungeon clicks into place.
There's no Togetic here to save. No other lost kids either.
Not anymore.
My hands tremble, and I fall to my knees under the weight of my sickening realization. I look up at the Phantumps, who are still innocently playing with each other. I hear some wondering when they'll get new friends, and another say that they've had a lot of new friends recently. What monster could do something like this...?
No, why am I acting shocked? I should've expected something like this. I've always known this world isn't safe. I can't let the few good ones I've met distract me from the fact that so many of these monsters are pure evil.
"Is something wrong?" The girl Phantump asks in a worried tone.
I take a deep breath to collect myself. I know what must be done. "I'm fine, just was takin' a bit of a breather. I want to ask somethin' of ya', can ya' take me to yer caretaker?"
"Of course! What do you want with him?"
"I just wanna ask him a few questions."
"Oh, maybe he's seen that Togetic you're looking for!" The girl responds cheerfully.
My fists clench. "... Yeah, maybe."
The Phantump beckons me and I follow. The rest of the ghosts pay us little mind as they continue to entertain themselves. My eyes drift across the forlorn and abandoned items strewn around the field. Mementos of past lives, past friendships, maybe even past families, all discarded like trash. Forgotten. Used as mere playthings by their previous owners, completely unaware...
Like before, the vegetation parts itself to allow us a path through the forest. No longer wanting to be alone with my thoughts, I try to start up a conversation with the girl. "So, how didja end up here?"
"I don't really know! It's the same for all of the Phantumps here. The caretaker tells us we just sprout out of the ground. Every once in a while, he'll come back with a new friend he just recently trimmed. Though, he never trimmed my stump..." She fiddles with the white flower growing on her head. "Guess my flower isn't pretty enough..."
"I think ya' look nice with it, kiddo. Would'a been a shame if it ya' lost it."
"Heheh, thanks mister!" She says bashfully. "However, I can't say the same about your outfit. Your headband is okay, but that tattered rag isn't cute at all! You need more color! And at least two flowers, maybe both behind your ears! Oooh, or maybe a flower crown!"
I snarl. "Hey, I'm tryin' to look intimidating, not like a fruitbowl!"
"You could still look like a hardened, tough adventurer with a stylish outfit! Maybe you could get a custom, regal cape fitted..."
An image of me standing on the edge of a cliffside, wearing a red, kingly cloak with a white fluffy trim billowing behind me in the wind intrudes into my mind. "Now that isn't soundin' too bad..."
"... with a lot of glitter that leaves a trail behind you!"
"Absolutely not! Pah, lots of fashion advice from someone who's currently all natural!"
The girl pouts. "Sometimes less is more."
Our small talk almost makes me forget the horrors that have happened here. These Pokemon, no, these kids may have all forgotten what happened to them, but I won't. So many lives, snuffed out before they had a chance to truly live. "Do ya' have any dreams, kiddo?"
My question catches her off guard, and makes her ponder. "Every once in a while... I feel this urge to explore. That's why I ran into you earlier! I want to see new things, and maybe even go on an adventure!"
"The world's a dangerous place, y'know. Ya' can't be off doin' that kinda stuff yerself. It would be smarter for ya' to stay in a safe place."
"Well, maybe I'm just not very smart!" She says while flipping herself upside-down. "What's life without fun? I just don't think I could live staying in the same ol' boring place all the time!"
Those words are truer than she knows. "Even if it meant leavin' everyone ya' know here behind?"
"Yep. I would be sure to visit when I could, but I'd make new friends! Plus, I think most of the other Phantumps here wouldn't miss me too much..."
"I wouldn't be so sure of that, kiddo. People don't realize what they have until they lose it."
"They probably wouldn't even realize I'm gone... oh, we're here!" The ghost points at a large stump in front of us, with an opening covered by a cloth curtain. "Our caretaker should be just inside there."
My heartbeat quickens. "Thanks, kiddo. Ya' should run along now, we're jus' gonna talk about borin' stuff. Nothin' that would interest you."
"Oh... okay..." The Phantump floats lower than she usually does, with a sullen look. "Um... Seeya later!" Her sad look disappears as quickly as it came as she flies back into the surrounding forest, out of view.
I'm just by myself now. The speed my heart is pumping blood through my veins makes me giddy. A simple piece of thin cloth is all that separates me from my target. It would be so easy to just slice right in and take this monster by surprise. I ready my shells, and take a step forward...
But I keep hearing a voice in the back of my mind. Why? Ugh, I'm being stupid, it's obvious why. These monsters are all just insane! If I ask for a reason, the monster will just lie to me. You can't give these freaks an inch.
... Damn, but I need to know what happened to that Togetic lass. Fuck! I bitterly sheathe my shells while trying not to let my mental curses become audible ones. Resigning myself to the fact I'll have to actually humor this demon, I collect myself and calmly part the entrance's curtains.
The inside of the stump is much like the rest of the forest, vines and moss growing out of every possible crack, fighting for territory. Sparse furniture is haphazardly sown about the room, mostly composed of small wooden crates, and a hammock. On the far side of the room is a staircase, which I assume leads up to the roof. What grabs my attention is what looks like a makeshift kitchen, with a counter covered with leaves, scales, berries, flowers, and all sorts of other items. Next to it sits a bubbling cauldron that wafts a sour smell.
No sign of the Scizor. Guess he's on the roof. Might as well get what I'm here for over with...
... What am I here for? To get revenge on a monster that killed a bunch of their own kind? Why does that concern me? Why am I spending so much time here when I could be searching for Aled?
This world won't matter once we're back home. Who cares if a murderer is running free? There's probably a hundred more I don't know about anyway. Not like stopping one will do much good.
But... Mother wanted me to do this for some reason. Pah, am I really going to trust her? She's dead! For all I know she's trying to make sure I stay here! Or she could've even just been a Pokemon pretending to be my mother!
Maybe I should just tip off that guild about this place. Get their numbers thinned a bit before I go and save Aled.
But... If Aled were to take a mission to explore here...
Footsteps above me knock me out of my thoughts. That monster is on the roof.
The doubt trying to break my determination washes away as I crack my knuckles as I head up the steps.
The forest's canopy is open above the top of the roof of the stump, filling the area with faint moonlight. The roof is empty, apart from a few boxes that look like the ones in the house. Near them, stands a tall, red, bipedal mantis-like monster. It has massive pincers for hands, which it currently uses to stack some of the boxes.
His back is turned. I could do it now.
No, I still need answers. And he doesn't deserve a quick death.
"Hey." I announce myself, and the Scizor calmly puts down the box he was organizing. He turns as if he were expecting me.
"Why, hello there!" The monster says with a toxically chipper voice. "So you've been the one that's been playing with my little friends. I hope the little rascals haven't been giving you too much trouble!"
The way he speaks disgusts me. Just from his tone, I can tell this demon feels no remorse for his vile crimes. "They were a pleasant bunch of kiddos. How did ya' know I was comin'?"
"This forest is special, you see?" Scizor's gaze turns to the trees surrounding us. "If you just learn to watch the leaves and the breeze, you can know the locations of everyone here, and when there's any new visitors such as yourself."
"Well, that's just grand. If ya' know so much, you can help me find someone then. A young little Togetic girl, who wandered into this forest seekin' the thrill of adventure. Seen anyone like that?"
Scizor rubs his chin with his claw, and stares into the night sky. "... I'm afraid not. It's possible one of the monsters of this dungeon got to her. I'm sorry."
"That's funny, because I haven't seen any wild monsters here. In fact, this whole place seems completely safe." I can't stop my voice from turning venomous. "I think there's only one true monster here, and it's you!"
I unsheathe one of my shells and point at him, which only makes him laugh. "Me, a monster? Why, I've done everything I can to protect my little ones! I keep them nice and safe from any outside threats, or anything that could influence them to leave the safety of home."
"And how, exactly, did these 'little ones' show up in this forest in the first place?!" I howl.
"I can't help it if a kid or two wanders in and succumbs to the elements, and adds to my flock." The Scizor says nonchalantly.
"Well, its next member will be you!" I charge, and do a double overhead slash. The monster deflects my attack with a swipe of his large claw, pushing me backwards.
"My my, so hasty!" He snarks. "You would leave all of my sweet little guys and gals without someone to take care of them?"
I ignore his drivel and jump into the air for a spinning kick, aimed right at his face. But he flaps his wings, and is able to sidestep out of harm's way. I then take a deep breath, and fire off a short beam of ice at him which lands dead-on his chest. His midsection ices up, and I use this opportunity to advance and close the distance.
But before I can get in a hit, he holds up one of his claws, and a small vial slides out from inside it. He then crushes it, causing a clear liquid to drip down his body. The frost that was covering him suddenly shatters, and his exoskeleton looks no worse for wear! "Lucky for my little family, I have no intention of dying. Ever."
Not wanting to let myself get distracted, I go for a horizontal slash, but the monster catches my shell with one of his claws. He draws me closer and lifts me into the air so our faces are inches from each other. "Do you know the leaves my children produce can cure nearly any illness? I take them as a reward for how much they love me."
Using my free hand, I throw a haymaker right at his head. It dents, but moments later it reforms as if it was never injured. "Funny how mixing in a few other ingredients can turn those leaves into a powerful healing agent. Why, I'm lucky one of my earlier visitors was a Gabite. I still have a good collection of scales just from him!" Using the claw that's grabbed onto my shell, he throws me into the air, and aims at me with his open claws, which glow with a grey shine that drains the color around them. A bright flash then envelops the entire area in pure white as two massive lasers hone in to shoot me out of the sky. I summon a blast of water at my feet to alter my aerial trajectory, making it so one beam misses, and the other only barely grazes my side.
"You're an energetic one. I think your leaves will be nice and hearty when you join my other children!" Scizor flies toward me when I land, and attempts to bash me with a headbutt. Unable to get my footing fast enough, I'm forced to use my shells as a shield to block the attack, which sends me sliding back. I keep myself firm and remain standing, even though I can feel splinters digging into my feet.
"Are these kids just seen as crops for you!?" I start a flurry of slashes, but none of them even make Scizor flinch. "You stole away their lives!"
Once again, this demon just laughs. "I haven't stolen anything. In fact, I've given them eternal life!" Every cut I land upon his metallic body heals up seconds later, driving me to attack with even more vigor. "You really don't get it, do you? With their leaves, I've made myself invincible! Immortal! And as their overseer, I will make sure my Phantumps live in eternal bliss, protected by me!"
This guy is completely insane! "Yer nothin' but a psychopath!"
"Tsk tsk tsk..." He starts a series of punches that I go on the defensive to deflect. "I think I'm anything but. I even ship out some of what I produce to help others. Phantump leaves aren't easy to come by."
"Hah! I bet you trade them for supplies to make the concoctions you need to keep yerself alive!" He doesn't respond to my comment, and instead his jabs begin to increase in speed, telling me I'm right.
His punches become impossible to follow, and I start blocking them based on instinct, but his speed overwhelms me. A few of his attacks sneak past my guard, each sending a wave of pain that washes over my entire body.
But I ignore it, and fight on. This monster needs to die. I give up using my shells and begin using my fists instead, and I start to keep up with his onslaught. Despite his strength, I can tell he isn't a seasoned fighter. His punches come out in predictable patterns, and I simply adapt so my fists always meet his claws. Our rapid game of bloody knuckles sounds like a machine gun going off, and soon my hands start to feel like they've been through a warzone.
Dammit, I'm going to break every bone in my hands at this rate. I knowingly eat a punch to my midsection to launch one of my own towards his abdomen, knocking him back enough for me to disengage and get some distance from him. He charges up lasers from his claws again, and I dodge. He goes in for more headbutts and melee attacks, and I evade while sneaking in hits that feel more and more futile. How long does this potion of his last?! He could have more of them hidden inside of his claws too!
Resentment and exasperation wrack through me. This coward, this animal isn't even a good fighter, and he's going to win purely because of the spoils of his horrid deeds. Have I really fallen so low? Fuck, why am I even here in the first place?! I've let myself care too much about this freak show of a world!
My exhaustion catches up with me, and a clean hit against my chest sends me rolling across the ground. I claw myself up, only to see Scizor standing above me, his claw ready to slam down against my head. "Goodnight."
But before he can finish me off, green vines grow around Scizor's arm. He looks at it curiously, giving me the opportunity to roll away and regain my bearings. I hear a familiar voice circle around me. "Dewott! Are you okay!?" Lunette cries out as she offers her head to help me stand up. "I heard fighting, and I was worried something happened..."
Scizor sighs as the vines continue to harmlessly encroach over his entire body. "You really try my patience, Lunette. You know you're not supposed to leave the safety of the clearing."
"Get out of here, girl!" I bat her away after I finally get back on my feet.
"I'm not leaving! I might not have any leaves to heal you with, but I'm not going to let you get beat up!" Lunette bravely floats between me and Scizor. "You'll have to defeat me if you want to hurt him!"
Stupid girl! She's already gotten killed by him once, now it's going to happen again! "Idiot! Leave me!"
"You should listen to him, Lunette." Scizor says while shaking his head. "Run along to your friends. You'll be getting a new one soon."
Lunette's worried gaze bounces between me and Scizor. "I... no, I said I'm not leaving, so I'm not leaving! I heard some of your conversation earlier! I didn't exactly understand all of it... but I understood enough to know you just wanna keep me trapped here forever! And I don't want that! All of my 'friends' here are jerks, and they're boring! I want to see what's outside of this forest! And-AH!"
The Phantump lets out a sharp scream as Scizor suddenly lunges at her, and I just barely shove her out of the way in time to block the attack with my shells. "If yer so determined to help me, then make yerself useful!" I bark at the girl as she regains her balance after my push sent her tumbling through the air.
"Okay!" With a swish of her wand, she attempts to summon up an attack, but is only able to summon a tiny flame that quickly fizzles out. "No! Sorry, I'll keep trying!"
I groan. Don't try to help someone if you can't even fight! Now I have to worry about keeping her alive too! Luckily, Scizor is paying no mind to Lunette's feeble attempts to perform any sort of attack. Unluckily, that means he's still completely focused on killing me. The vines snaking over his body don't impede his movement at all, and he once again continues trying to pummel me with speedy punches.
I'm too weak to keep blocking, so I attempt to dodge. But it isn't long before I get sloppy and he lands more blows against me, and I'm back to rolling across the ground. I hear Lunette cry out as Scizor's claws begin to glow, aimed directly at my battered body.
The adrenaline is wearing off. Every bruise aches more and more. But this can't be it. Why can't I lift myself off the ground? Why do my legs keep buckling?
Lunette continues flailing with her wand uselessly. Even if she did know how to fight, it's not like she could get past how quickly this monster heals himself.
Scizor's claws shine brighter.
There's gotta be some way out of this. I'm not leaving Aled alone in this world.
C'mon, think. Why didn't I win? Because I've been doing this fight all wrong. The moment he revealed he could heal anything I could throw at him, I should've changed my strategy. I need to end him with one, decisive attack. But it's too late for me to do anything like that. I hate playing by the rules of these monsters, but I don't think anything I can do is strong against this one. He looks like a bug, he felt like metal when I hit him, and his body is covered in vines now... So maybe fire would work?
Well, great job Dewey. You figured out his weakness is the exact opposite of the elements you can use. And that stupid girl is too weak to summon a fireball on her own.
Wait, on her own?
An idea pops into my head. It's incredibly risky and dumb, but it's all I got at this point. Using the last of my strength, I dig through my bag. Please tell me I packed one of these...
I feel the familiar pine-cone like texture I'm looking for, and lob the Blast Seed directly at Lunette!
She gasps, and instinctively hits the seed with her wand like it's a baseball. There's a bright flash, and she gets enveloped by a giant fiery explosion.
My heart sinks. I should've thought that one through a bit more.
Scizor stops charging his attack, baffled but amused at my actions. "Well, I suppose that saves me the trouble of disciplining her."
He starts to laugh, but it trails off as the massive explosion seems to continue hanging in mid-air, like it's a mini-sun. Lines of purple flames start to encroach around the fireball, as if they're containing it. Slowly it rises up, revealing that Lunette is balancing the sphere of fire on the tip of her wand. Her face is absolutely beaming.
Scizor takes a step back. "Lunette...? Y-you should drop that stick right now! Or else you'll b-be punished!"
Lunette looks at Scizor, then back at me. We shoot each other mutual proud, approving smirks. With zero hesitation, Lunette angles her wand so she's holding it like a rifle, and so the fireball is aimed at our foe.
"TAKE... THIS!" Lunette's battle cry makes the purple shackles containing the flame break. The blast resonates throughout the forest, sending out a thick fiery laser that completely devours Scizor. His scream reminds me of a live lobster being dropped into a boiling pot.
The beam is sustained for half a minute before it thins out. A completely charred beast is left in its wake, and Scizor's stiff body falls backwards with a pathetic thump. Lunette looks on in disbelief, before letting out a joyful cheer. "I did it! Did you see that!? Well, I suppose we did it since you helped a bit..."
She rubs the back of her head bashfully, before realizing I'm still lying on the ground. Floating over to me, she offers me her ghostly hand, and gets me back up on my feet. "Thanks, kiddo. Sorry ya' had to be dragged into all o' this."
We both look at the smoking remains. Lunette's voice becomes somber. "Is he...?"
As if to answer her question, a hoarse cough comes from Scizor's body. Lunette's expression turns fearful, but she doesn't cower away. Part of me is cursing the fact he somehow survived, while another part is glad I get to finish the deed myself.
"Lunette." I say firmly. "You should leave this to me."
The grave look in the spirit's eyes tells me she knows what I'm about to do. "Dew-"
"If you're about to tell me to let him live-"
She shakes her head fiercely. "No. I just wanted to ask him what I was before all of this."
Somehow, the Scizor manages to overhear our conversation despite his grievous injuries. "Hah... I'm sure... our guest has already... figured out who you are... by now..." He gasps out.
"She was a Togetic, wasn't she?" I spit at the monster as I limp over to his charred body.
"Mmm..." The Scizor grunts in response. Lunette looks at her ethereal body, and becomes lost in thought.
Every second I let this murderer continue to breathe is one I regret. I crack my knuckles and wind up a punch. The monster opens his eyes, and coughs. "Heh... you know... I'll just reincarnate if you kill me here... truly, I'll live forever, no matter what you do... heheheh..."
I laugh at his feeble attempt to try and break my resolve. "You really think that was gonna work on me? I already know these spirits lose all of their memories when they're 'born'. Nothing ya' did in this life will carry over. All of your knowledge on tryin' to live forever? Gone. If these ghosts have their own lifespans, then ya' will just hit it eventually too."
Scizor's snickering stops, and his eyes widen in fear. "... W-won't you... g-get in trouble with... th-the law if you-"
"Already an outlaw. Don't care."
"B-but... if you k-kill me... y-you'll be no d-different than-"
* * *
I drag what remains of the monster's body to the edge of the roof, then kick it off. The forest's roots and vines take hold of it the moment it hits the ground, and it becomes one with the forest. My fists ache, and I'm panting from how spent I am. I turn to find Lunette looking up at the night sky. If she judges me for what I did, she doesn't seem to let it show. "So... Do you think whoever he was sending our leaves to will show up?" She asks.
"I'm guessin' he probably has some kinda signal for 'em..." I say between deep, tired breaths. "I'll be tellin' someone from the Federation about this place, so you won't have to worry about getting any more 'friends'."
"Awww..." Lunette does an exaggerated pout. "I guess I'll just have to leave the forest to make new friends instead! Maybe I can become an explorer like you!"
Damn, this girl already died once. Is she trying to go for a record with how reckless she is? "You don't wanna become like me. But y'know, if ya' want, I wouldn't mind ya taggin' along. I could help keep ya' safe."
Lunette thinks for a moment, but then shakes her head. "I appreciate the offer mister, but I want to try and do things on my own. I want to be able to explore the world at my own pace."
"I really think it would be smarter if ya' joined up with me." I step closer to her. "We made a pretty nice team together."
"We did, but I'm sorry, the answer is still no."
She really is stupid. "C'mon. I have a lot of experience explorin', I wouldn't slow ya' down. No one would be able to harm ya' with me around."
"Quit being so pushy! I already told you no!"
What's with this nonsense?
I grab his arm so he won't get away.
"L-let me g-go!"
"You seriously think I'm going to let you go off, alone, in this absolute hellhole!?"
"I-I've made my d-decision! I-I don't want to go back h-home!"
"You're being insane! You won't survive one second around those monsters!"
"Y-you don't know th-that..."
"C'mon, kiddo. Back in the real world, you'd have everything-"
"N-no! Th-that's where I w-wouldn't survive! There's n-nothing for me there! B-but here, I-I... I'm n-not worthless! I c-can prove m-myself!"
"You were never worthless. When we're back home, I can help you-"
"I-I told you, I'm NOT going back! Goodbye!"
"ALED!"
* * *
"... Helllllo?" The girl waves her ghostly hand in front of my face. "Everything still working up there?"
"Huh? Oh..." I clear my throat.
"You just suddenly started staring off into space. You okay?" Lunette asks, concerned.
Not really. "I think I'm just a little tired, kiddo. So ya' really want to become an adventurer on yer own?" Lunette nods timidly, as if expecting me to rebuke her again. "... Well, at least let me give ya' some advice before you get yerself killed. Again."
Lunette's smile returns. "Heh, I'll try my best not to die! But I can't promise anything since I can't even remember my first death!"
Maybe that's for the best. "Now, when tryin' to decide on how much supplies you need for a mission..." I explain as much information I know about adventuring and surviving on my own to her, something I've unfortunately become far more experienced in as of late. She listens intently, and whenever I sneak in a brag about my past escapades, she always hones in on it and tries to get me to explain the whole story to her. Fight scenes in particular seem to be something she adores, as she'll try to mimic the moves I describe with her hands and wand. It's impossible to keep a straight face watching that.
To think that just minutes ago, I was completely enraged. But now I'm almost giggling like an idiot. What a world this is.
* * *
Rays of light from the morning sun shine past the trees at the forest's edge. Grim Backwoods no longer feels unsettling to me, and the sunbeams shining upon the lush vegetation bathes the area in a soothing green hue.
The trees themselves seem to part as Lunette and I finally leave the forest, where we're greeted by a dazzling sunrise. I must've been in there a full day. I should be falling over from exhaustion, but Lunette's boundless energy must have rubbed off on me. "This is it, kiddo. I can't exactly escort ya' to any towns, so you're on yer own from here."
Lunette is too enamored by the landscape before her to face me. "Woooow... So Capim is the closest town, right? I'll head there first! But ooooh... I kinda wanna explore those plains! No wait, there's a mountain over there, maybe it's full of dark, dingy caves! And according to the map you gave me, there should be a marsh nearby..."
"You don't have to see everything at once, y'know. Go get prepared in town first." I sigh. "... Ya' sure you don't wanna join me, kiddo?"
"I'm sure. I know it's a bit sad, but we'll see each other again, I know it!" Lunette smiles, and the white flower on her head suddenly blooms. "Oh!" She reaches up to the top of her stump, and delicately removes the flower. A small bud forms in its place. "Here, take this! That way you can have a piece of me even when we're apart!"
She holds out the flower to me, and I carefully grab it by its base, as not to ruin the petals. "Can't say I've ever cared much for stuff like this, but thanks, kiddo." I attach the flower to the front of my cloak, and Lunette giggles while looking pleased with herself. "Well, this is goodbye. Best o' luck on yer adventures, kiddo."
"Heh, thanks! I promise I'll have lotsa stories next time we meet!" She chirps. "I bet they'll be cooler than yours!"
"I'll hold 'ya to that. Cya!"
We wave each other off, and she floats off into the horizon, taking a path towards Capim Town.
I hope she'll be okay. Maybe I should've... Nah, if the lass wants to take risks, that's her choice. And it's not my problem if she gets in trouble again, so she better start being more careful. Time for me to think about how I'm going to continue my own little 'adventure'...
As if in response to my thoughts, I hear someone step on the grass behind me. I turn, and see that it's Mother. "So the brat really did bite it? A shame, you won't be getting any reward for this now." Her voice is as uncaring as ever. I feel silly for ever questioning that this was my mother.
"I'd say I got enough of a reward out of this." I look at the disheveled fur on my bruised hands, then at the pristine flower that now adorns my cloak.
Mother rolls her eyes, while adjusting her regal flowing scarf. "Covering that dingy, dismal rag of yours with flowers isn't going to make it any less repulsive."
Women always cared too much for fashion. "Mother, in that forest, I-"
"Killed someone?" She ignites the tip of her staff, and gazes into it. "While almost getting killed yourself, by the look of things. Pathetic you needed to be saved by a child, but a job done is a job done. Good to know that Blast Seed I slipped into your bag earlier came in handy."
"Wha-... How-"
"Yes yes, you have a million questions because apparently I raised you to be slow. I'll be telling the Togekiss Clan what happened, and seizing whatever is left of that supply of leaves."
"I don't care about that! What I want to ask-"
"Dewey, you know I'm a busy woman." A notepad floats out of her bag, and she ponders it as it flips through its pages. "We'll have time to catch up soon enough."
"But we can work together now! Become a team!"
"A Federation member, teamed up with an outlaw? Dewey, you need to understand the world of adults. I can't be seen with riff-raff like you, kehehehah!" With a flick of her finger, one of the papers from the notepad rips off, and flies in front of my face. "Here. Meet me at this location tomorrow, and I'll tell you all I've learnt while in this world."
I grab the paper and stuff it inside my robe. "Glad to see you still barely have any time for me."
"It's payback for you rarely returning my calls after I retired." Mother replied bluntly. She covers her mouth with her hand, and disappears in a flash of light before I can respond.
I'm left completely alone as the sun rises higher into the bright blue sky. It's a new day, and it's time for me to continue charting my own path once again. So much has happened that I don't even know how to process it all. Mother is here, and she'd rather focus on her own goals than help her son. Can't say that's odd for her, but everything she did back home ultimately was to protect our family, even if she could seem harsh. She has to know a way back home, I refuse to believe me and Aled are dead.
I helped out that ghost girl. First I helped Melody, and now I'm helping random kids. I'd start to think I'm growing soft, but I surprised myself with how far I went. I actually ended someone's life with my own two hands. I always thought that if I did this, it'd leave more of an impact on me. That it'd change me. But I'm back to continuing my journey like nothing happened, only that there's a new question on my mind.
How many more will fall until Aled is saved?
* * *