returnerofthewrites

[returnerofthewrites]

Rambling Deltarune Character Analysis Thing

There’s three running themes throughout Deltarune that continuously pop up in regards to Kris, Susie, and Noelle’s families and lives in Hometown: struggling to deal with things outside their control, unintentional neglect, and bottling their emotions up. Susie and Noelle outright say that the Dark World just seems a lot better than their lives in the Light World, and I think a lot of it comes down to the fact that they’re more in-control of their lives there.

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Kris, for instance, is struggling to deal with Asriel being at college and the fact that their parents are divorced. There’s not much they can do about either of those things - Asriel is his own person and has to live his own life, and Toriel and Asgore’s relationship is something they have to fix on their own, with Kris sadly caught in the middle. Kris doesn’t talk to anyone about those issues, though, and I think that’s because they realize that there’s nothing they can do about them (or so they think, at least - never underestimate the power of a good heart-to-heart!).

On top of this, their barren bedside highlights their unintentional neglect. Growing up, they clearly had hobbies and things they liked to do (pranks, piano, games), but in recent times it seems like they simply have no interests whatsoever.

And even though it’s clearly not good, Toriel either doesn’t notice it, willingly overlooks it, or has no idea how to help Kris deal with it. I think it’s a mix of overlooking and having no idea how to help, because if the library’s Guide To Raising Humans (For Monsters) book is any indication, she clearly struggled with learning how to take care of a younger Kris.

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Noelle, however, is struggling to deal with whatever happened to Dess, as well as her dad’s sickness. Dess’ death/disappearance/etc clearly left the Holiday family broken, and my gut tells me that whatever happened, there was very little anyone could do about it. Rudy’s illness is just breaking the family even further - the Holidays have gotten a really raw deal.

Then, both of those combine to form Noelle’s unintentional neglect. Noelle seems afraid of, or at least unhappy with, her Mom. She’s strict and seems to be very controlling of Noelle’s life, hobbies and schedule, meaning Noelle has next to no agency. And I think a lot of this can be traced back to the incident with Dess - Noelle is now the only child Mom’s got left, and since Dess was out of the family’s control, Mom is desperately trying to make sure Noelle is the absolute best so she can succeed in life, and won’t end up as another Lost Girl. (rimshot)

And yet, despite all this, Noelle actually has plenty of agency, because her Mom is the mayor. She likely has to work long hours managing Hometown, and with Rudy in the hospital, she’s likely working even harder as a way of bottling her emotions up. This leaves Noelle all on her own most of the time, meaning Noelle really has nobody she can turn to for help.

Which results, of course, in Noelle putting on a brave face and bottling her fears and worries up as well. Her dad is the only one she really opens up to in that regard - she’s grown distant from Kris, and Berdly is... uh, probably not an ideal person to vent to, lmao

(for extra sadness, Noelle also ends up with control issues in the Snowgrave route - just like her mom has control issues with her. :,,,u )

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And then we get to Susie, whose life we’ve only gotten hints about so far. This is obviously going to be all intuition and speculation, but hear me out here.

Often, I see most people rolling with the idea that Susie’s violent behavior and bad attitude stem from an abusive home life. And on the surface, yeah, that does make some sense.

But the thing is, Susie isn’t actually all that violent. She talks the talk, but when it comes to actually walking the walk, she doesn’t bother. The most violent she ever gets, as far as I can tell, is when she bashes Kris into the lockers at the very beginning of the game. She doesn’t eat Kris’ face, MK outright says they’ve “never actually seen her beat anyone up”, and all she does at the bunker in Ch2 is intimidate MK and Snowy a bit. She doesn’t even kick them - she clearly aims for the bunker door.

She’s not trying to be violent, she’s trying to be intimidating. She is/was pushing people away for some undisclosed reason.

And sure, she’s aggressive in the Dark World, but she also clearly doesn’t give a shit about anything there up until her confrontation with Lancer - the first character who actually manages to crack her shell. Which leads to the second point:

Susie has an incredibly strong protective instinct. We see this with Lancer, who she bonds with, spares, helps, and immediately jumps into action when the King starts being a dickhead. We see this when, upon seeing Lancer getting “sick”, she immediately cuts the bullshit, gives Lancer a piggyback ride, and asks Ralsei to heal him.

This instinct extends to Kris (and Ralsei) by the end of Ch1, which we see post-Spamton NEO and post-freezing Berdly (”hey Kris, you okay?/hey Kris, you look kinda [hurt/sad/distraught]”).

And, of course, she has this same instinct with Noelle - the moment Noelle gets kidnapped, Susie is “kinda” worried about her. Susie went out of her way not to pick on Noelle due to a single act of kindness. Her brash attitude softens even further during the chat in Noelle’s room and on the ferris wheel - she might “not know what the hell to do, uh, here”, but all it takes is one little bit of small talk for the chemistry to get the ball rolling.

In other words, when it comes to people or things she does care about, she has a strong sense of responsibility, and a strong sense of empathy. Ironically, even though her title is Dark Knight, she’s more of a straight-up Paladin once you go beneath her mask.

...

So what this means is that Susie cares very, very deeply about certain people or things, but also behaves in such a way to push people away and bottle that emotion up. So what does this mean?

Well, this is entirely my own interpretation (and surprise surprise, I thought about this while trying to expand on her home life in a fanfic I’m working on), but to me, Susie seems like a character who, at least for a few years now, has been forced to take on some big responsibilities for her household, at least on some level. And the reason, whatever it may be, was most likely something out of her control.

That said, I don’t think it’s a physical abuse situation. Susie is a bit of an enigma, since nobody knows much about her home or family life, but what we don’t know does give us some clues:

She still has a reason to go back home. She already has a habit of eating all sorts of crazy stuff, and her attitude is very take-no-shit. If she was being abused in any way, she wouldn’t lose much if she decided to leave home.

But she’s probably not homeless, either. If she was a high-school student on the streets, we would definitely know that by now. It’s too big of a thing to have missed in the span of 10-15 hours of game.

She also probably doesn’t have any siblings. If she was in a shitty home life, going back for the sake of siblings would make sense... but if she had siblings, we definitely would have heard about it by now too, in 10-15 game hours.

Thus, if she has no siblings and isn’t homeless, she’s probably responsible for where and who she lives with. But whoever Susie lives with, she can’t go to them for help, guidance, or emotional support. They probably can’t even provide that for her - Susie is the one providing that for them.

Granted, since Susie is more than willing to stay with Kris and Toriel overnight, her guardian probably can take care of themselves for at least a short period of time. But regardless, it seems likely that she’s the one having to take care of them most of the time.

(And that’s on top of the fact that, wherever she lives, she probably doesn’t even have her own room! That line hit me like a truck when I first saw it, honestly)

As such, Susie’s had to build up this tough exterior, this self-sufficient attitude, but with no emotional outlet, I think she views her problems and her household responsibilities as hers and hers alone.

Thus, her bully behavior is more about pushing people away so she can deal with her problems by herself. Even around friends, like Kris and Ralsei, she still has shades of this (trying to downplay her injury in the Trash Zone, for instance).

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Anyway, that’s my rambling analysis. :V

Honestly, I think the fact that there’s so much depth to these situations is part of why I’ve enjoyed playing Deltarune Ch2 and writing fics for it so much. There’s a lot going on and a lot of it really resonates with me (maybe it’s relatable, maybe that’s just the empath in me. Probably both :y ). It makes me really excited to see what Toby and co. will come up with next, hah!

[returnerofthewrites]

Confidant (Deltarune)

"Why are you wearing... my watch? Wh... when did you..."

Outwardly, Kris was a perfect blank.

Inwardly, they were desperately trying to scream, even as two – and only two – thoughts sprang into their mind.

Either to answer Noelle with "in your dream", or to stay silent.

As always, neither one was what Kris wanted to do. They'd never wanted to do any of this in the first place. But unfortunately, they'd lost control of themselves to... it. They didn't know what it wanted, they didn't know why it was doing this, they didn't even know who, or what, it was.

Yesterday, they hadn't been entirely sure about it. They'd spent most of the day with Susie, and Ralsei, and Lancer, in the Dark World, wandering through the forest and running into all sorts of beings that were neither human nor monster. Even though they were under its control, the adventure had been enjoyable through and through. The adventure had even helped them forget about how unsettling it was to them, if only for the day. And if there were any moments where it could have done something... something bad, then it had decided not to bother.

Today, Kris hadn't been so lucky. And neither had Noelle.

In the back of their own mind, Kris felt the memories flit past them, one after another, each one making them feel sick to their stomach.

Dragging Noelle in the wrong direction and immediately going after every Darkner they saw, leaving a trail of frozen people in their wake. Hearing the unfamiliar voice of it come out of their mouth, first to say that they'd ride the ferris wheel with Noelle, and then insisting on that Noelle should ride the ferris wheel with them. Listening to Noelle's thoughts, her reflections on how the two of them had grown up together, because of its influence. Telling Noelle to... 'get'... the snowglobe ring. Forcing Noelle to keep moving forward, even when her back was up against a barrier of crackling lightning.

Listening to her internal monologue as she tried to reassure herself that everything was fine.

Hearing her trepidation as it made her memory falter, while soothing her with the idea of getting stronger at the same time.

Watching her freeze Berdly solid, and shuffle away in a daze.

Each one made Kris more and more angry, until all they felt was an incredible, impossible kind of rage. Their reminiscence felt less like going down memory lane, and more like reliving the ordeal all over again. And even now, when the reindeer was teetering on a razor's edge, it was ready to break her.

That – that last realization – suddenly caused a surge of strength to well up within them.

It was the same strength that they'd felt the day before, when they'd thrown themselves in front of an attack intended for Susie. They were so furious with King, so frightened of losing their newfound friend, that somehow they'd managed to force it down and take control again. That was Kris, not it, making that move when it mattered most.

And so, they came back to Noelle, standing there in the hospital hallway, staring at them with an expression of pure anxiety.

Mentally gritting their teeth, Kris concentrated as hard as they could, trying their best to ignore the replies that it had put forth. They knew that they weren't exactly the best person in Hometown, seen as a prankster at best and a creep at worst, but it was going too far this time.

They felt their fingers twitch. Then, their wrists.

Yes... yes...! They were doing it! They were taking control!

A heavy shudder ran down their spine, and slowly, but surely, they brought their arms up. Then, with trembling hands, they reached for the wristwatch they were wearing. It was a bit of a struggle to take the damn thing off, but after fiddling with the clasp a bit, it finally came loose. They cupped it with both palms as if it was the most fragile thing in the world, and as they reached out to Noelle, a quiet, haggard voice escaped their throat.

"That... wasn't... me..."

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"That... wasn't... me..."

Noelle could have sworn her eyes were bulging out of her head at this point. Kris had suddenly appeared, somehow read her mind, and stared her down with that blank expression they always seemed to have now. And then, they had started shivering, raised their arms, and unlatched her watch. And now, they were offering said watch back to her, trembling so much that it looked like they wanted to cry.

And that voice...!

Her ears had twitched at the sound, so soft, so tired, so recognizably Kris. It was kind of a weird thing to think about, or at least it sounded kind of weird in her head, but that was definitely Kris' voice. It wasn't... it wasn't that voice. The one that they had in... in her dream. Yeah, in her dream.

But...

She stared at her watch, which rattled ever-so-slightly in Kris' shaky hands. Was this some kind of prank? Kris was certainly the prankster type, she knew that just as much as anyone – or maybe even better than anyone. But the way they held the watch out to her, the way they were carrying themselves, the way they had spoken...

The way they had said that... that it wasn't them...

Noelle took a nervous breath, then realized that her hands were clenched tightly to her checker-pattern sweater. Letting go of it, she exhaled... then hesitantly reached out, inching towards her watch...

...and then, she quickly snatched it out of Kris' grasp, moving so fast and so sharply that it made the human's arms plummet down to their sides. Holding her watch close to her chest, she stepped back, her hooves clacking against the hospital flooring. For a moment, everything went silent, and she waited for the inevitable jumpscare to pop out at her.

...but nothing happened.

As the world gradually came back into focus, Noelle shook her head, which helped pull her back to her senses. A few locks of her hair shook loose and fell down in front of her eyes, but she didn't even bother to comb them back into place. Her gaze was firmly fixed on Kris, who was just standing in front of her, still trembling heavily.

"I..."

Their hands twitched again, and then they curled their fingers into tight fists, digging their nails into their palms. Just seeing it made Noelle tense up. They weren't... they weren't going to... to hurt her, were they...!?

"I'm... sorry..."

Noelle let out a silent gasp, but she never even got a chance to ask what they meant: the human turned away from her, then staggered forward, one step at a time. All she could do was stare at them as they passed by... and even with their bangs covering their face, she still saw the tears running down the human's cheeks.

Step. Step. Step. It was like Kris was a zombie, from one of those trashy horror movies that she and Dess had watched, back when she was younger.

They pushed through the doors leading into the lobby, and then they were gone.

Noelle kept staring, her mind racing as she tried to understand what had just happened. She still had her watch in her hands; its plain metal links usually felt cool and soothing on her fur, but right now, it just felt horribly cold. Horribly, icy cold.

None of it made any sense. How in the world had Kris gotten ahold of her watch? Why had they been acting so weird all day? What were they apologizing for?

...why did they feel the need to tell her that it wasn't them?

Unless...

No. No, that was impossible. It was just a dream. Kris might have been acting strange, but Susie didn't have a tail, Berdly was... Berdly had probably woken up and left the library by now. Nothing was wrong. It was just a dream.

Yeah, it was just a dream... a bad dream. A nightmare.

...but why-?

"Hey, Kris! Let's beat it already."

Noelle jumped in shock as the doors to her dad's hospital room abruptly burst open, and Susie abruptly stomped her way back into the hall. The purple lizard let out a long yawn, stretching her arms up above her head in the meantime.

"Man, he kept telling me about Noelle, like..." Susie started to say – Noelle felt herself blush – but once she finished stretching, she trailed off. "Uh... Kris? The hell'd you go?"

The following silence was short, but tremendously awkward. Susie folded her arms and took a quick look around, while Noelle finally reached up to fix her hair.

"Uh... Noelle, you see where Kris went?" Eventually, Susie glanced towards her, looking more than a little confused. "I mean, you had to, right? They came out before me, so..."

The question was an innocent one, but it made Noelle freeze up all the same, her mind moving so fast that all her thoughts just went poof. Her mouth was still hanging open, but try as she might, she just couldn't find the words. Instead, she just mumbled quietly. "I... u-um... th-they, um... I think... they, u-um, they... weren't... f-feeling well?"

One of Susie's eyebrows quirked upward. Noelle couldn't tell if she was skeptical of her answer, or if she was still just confused. Probably both.

Eventually, Susie shrugged and stuffed her hands into the pockets of her jacket. "Huh. Guess I'd better catch up with 'em, then."

And with that, she marched down the hallway and shoved her way back into the hospital lobby, scuffing her sneakers against the floor. Noelle watched as the other girl left, feeling her eyes flick down to check the back of Susie's jeans. And it... it didn't look like Susie had a tail.

On some level, Noelle wasn't surprised with how she had reacted. That was just kind of how she worked when Susie was around – stammering, blushing, feeling butterflies in her stomach. In any other context, stealing a peek at Susie's rear would have made Noelle melt into a blob of embarrassment. But after everything that had happened today, the lack of a tail just sent her mind into overdrive again.

Susie hadn't had a tail. So it was just a dream. It had to be a dream. Right?

Sure, the Kris in her dream had commanded her with a terrifying voice, one that she heard even when Kris themselves was 'knocked out'. Sure, Kris was somehow wearing her watch. But it was just a weird prank, right? They must have woken up, taken her watch and put it on themselves, and then gone back to sleep.

No, wait, Kris had apologized, and told her that it wasn't them. But... that just meant that it was someone else pulling a prank on her, right? They'd pulled a prank on her and Kris both. Maybe Berdly? Or maybe someone else wandered into the computer lab and decided to mess with them?

Kris wasn't talking about that... that voice. They couldn't be talking about that. It was just a bad dream. A bizarre dream that somehow had Kris, Susie, and Berdly all in it too, but still just a dream or something. All she needed was a proper, good night's sleep, and then maybe tomorrow she could ask one of them about it.

Right?

...right...?

Noelle blinked, and found herself gazing straight at the double-doors leading to the lobby. They were still wobbling back and forth from the momentum of being pushed open. Even from this distance, she could still hear the squeaky sound of rubbery shoes on smooth flooring.

She felt an impulse, and without thinking, she latched onto it.

"Susie!" She called out, breaking into a jog to chase after the purple lizard. She forced her way through the double-doors and dashed across the empty lobby, not even noticing the receptionist's cry of annoyance. Her book-bag bounced against her side, her hair shook over her shoulder in waves. "Susie! Wait up, Susie-!"

Her hooves thudded against the entrance mat, causing the hospital's front doors to slide open in response, and she ran outside, feeling the sun and the wind and the fresh air rush over her-

WHAM!

-and then she crashed into something tall.

Noelle stumbled backwards with a yelp, feeling the ground slip out from under her. She spread her arms and opened her hands, instinctively trying to regain her balance... but it was already too late to stop herself from toppling over. A moment later, she landed hard on the sidewalk, hearing a loud thump and then a tinny clatter.

"O-Oww..." A painful buzz coursed through the reindeer's senses, from the tips of her hooves to the top of her antlers. It didn't actually hurt, really, but the impact was enough to clear her head.

And with a clear head, she quickly realized that she had, in fact, just crashed into someone.

"O-Oh! Oh no, I-I'm sorry-!" Her eyes shot open again, and she sat up straight, craning her neck to look at whoever was in front of her. "I didn't m-mean to, I was just..."

Noelle felt her breath catch in her throat. Somehow, in the span of that split-second, she forgot who she'd been chasing after.

Susie had twisted around in surprise, her knees and elbows bent and her back hunched. Her wild, messy hair cascaded down her head and shoulders, and the late afternoon light helped to draw out its dark purple color. Her sharp-yet-pretty yellow eyes stood out starkly from the rest of her, and Noelle couldn't help but lose herself in them. Her heart beat a little faster.

Then Susie spoke up, her voice low, rough, and shiver-inducing. "Something wrong?"

"O-Oh!" Noelle's fur bristled, and she hastily pulled herself back together, dusting herself off and double-checking her book-bag. "I-I'm so sorry, Susie-! I didn't mean to-"

"Hey, you dropped this," Susie cut her off, briefly kneeling down to pick something up from the pavement. She looked at it, furrowed her brows, and then held it out to her. "Looks like it... uh, broke."

Slowly, Noelle stood back up, smoothing her sweater and skirt out before looking over at Susie again. Then, she blinked. And then, she let out a quiet sigh. Of course she dropped her wristwatch.

"Th-Thanks..." She said, taking the watch back for the second time that day. Holding it by its clasp, she turned it all around, studying the metal for any dings or scratches. It didn't look like anything was wrong, though... so she moved to put her watch back on.

Then, when she checked the face of the clock itself, she paused. Not only was the clock stuck at half-past-twelve, but the once-pristine glass now had a thin crack, running straight through it. It was so small that it was almost unnoticeable... but it was there.

The corners of her mouth drooped into a weak frown. Accidentally breaking her heirloom watch was depressing all on its own, but after the bad dream, it just seemed like a comically-bad omen. Come on, universe, this afternoon had been rough enough already!

"...sorry." A grunt from Susie pulled her attention away, and she looked up just in time to see the purple lizard take a step down the sidewalk, away from the hospital.

Susie. Leaving. Bad dream. Bad omen.

The impulse happened again.

"Wait!" She blurted out, taking a step forward herself and hastily grabbing the sleeve of Susie's jacket. "S-Susie-!"

Susie stopped in her tracks, looking over her shoulder with an expression that seemed to be both confused and annoyed. Noelle could feel the rational part of her brain crumpling at the very sight, as if her chances with the other girl had just nosedived.

"Susie... please." But this wasn't her acting rationally – this was pure impulse. "Can... um, c-can we...?"

Susie stared at her. Noelle's cheeks flushed so strongly that she could have sworn they were on fire. Her face must have been incredibly red.

"Can we... t-talk?"

Even as the words left her mouth, Noelle felt her tension drain away, only for a sudden wave of self-consciousness to bowl her over instead. She had just grabbed her crush's jacket! She had just asked her to talk! What was she doing? What was she thinking!?

"Uh." Susie turned around to face her, tugging her sleeve loose along the way. She didn't seem... annoyed anymore, at least. That was a good sign, right? "Yeah... I guess. What's up?"

Noelle stared at her. Then, she heard a distant cough, and her eyes flicked around the street. Two monsters were going for a stroll down the other side of the road. There was another monster turning the corner. And another talking on their phone. And another. And another.

You should use them to get stronger.

"N-No, I mean..." She said, hastily trying to drive that awful voice out of her head. No... she couldn't talk about this here. This was too important. "Can we t-talk... just the two of us?"

Susie stared back at her. Noelle swallowed dryly, steeling herself for a 'no'.

"Alright, fine," Susie muttered, averting her gaze and ducking her head a little, as if she was the one feeling self-conscious. Her confusion and annoyance were gone, replaced by an awkward, and very cute, half-smile. "Your dad... said you like going to the lake. That work for you?"

Noelle blinked. That wasn't a 'no'. In fact, it sounded like a very definite 'yes'.

"Y-yeah..." She replied, gently nodding her head. "Let's... try that."

Thanks, dad...

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Through some miracle, the lake was completely deserted today. Even that nice couple, the huge rabbit and dragon monsters, were nowhere to be seen. Noelle was almost glad about it, even though she felt bad for thinking like that. And since nobody else was around, the noise of Hometown had faded out into the pleasant sounds of nature. Water burbled and lapped at the edge of the lake; a fresh breeze blew through the trees; fallen leaves made a satisfying crunch underfoot. After spending so long in that weird dream city, it felt like exactly what she needed.

Susie had been the one to take the lead during their walk to the lake, which suited Noelle just fine. The purple lizard's presence helped to keep the nosier neighbors away, and while some people did glance at Noelle as they passed her by, at most they just gave her a nod hello.

She tried her best not to look at them, or just nodded back without making eye contact. Because somewhere in the deepest, darkest recesses of her mind, she could still hear that terrifying voice, telling her that they were enemies to defeat, issuing one command after another.

Sure, it had been a nightmare, but that was all it was. Even though... even though the more she thought about it that way... the less that excuse seemed to help.

Proceed. IceShock. Proceed. IceShock. Proceed. SnowGrave.

SnowGrave.

SnowGra-

"Hey, Noelle, we're here," Susie's voice snapped Noelle out of her trance, and the reindeer raised her head, watching as Susie marched over to the picnic tables. She sat down at the last one, on the bench facing the lake, and Noelle slowly trotted over and sat down next to her.

Her tail twitched when she realized that Susie was there. Right there. Right next to her.

A hot blush flared onto her cheeks again, and she felt the butterflies in her stomach come to life. It actually helped her forget about the bad dream, at least for a moment – here she was, sitting with her crush, all by themselves. Just one day ago, she'd been asking Kris about what Susie was like. And now, here she was, right there with her. Where in the world had she found the strength?

You've gotten stronger.

She sucked in a breath, trying as hard as she could to plug her mental ears.

"Uhh... Noelle?" Susie cocked her head, waving a hand in front of the reindeer's face. "Earth to Noelle? You there?"

"H-Huh!?" Noelle gasped, then shuddered, letting the other girl's voice wash away her lingering terror. As she came back to reality, she gazed into Susie's face... then sighed and looked down at her lap instead. That's right... this was about more than just some silly crush. "I... yeah... s-sorry, I'm here. I'm... I'm here."

Susie, to her credit, was completely unconvinced. "The hell's up with you, Noelle? You've been acting weird ever since we... uh, ever since we left the library. You sure you're doing okay?"

Of course you are. You've gotten stronger.

Noelle slowly curled her fingers tight, dragging her knuckles against the fabric of her skirt. She had to get that voice out of her head. She just had to. And with Berdly... sleeping, and Kris behaving the way they were, there was only one person she could turn to now. "...no. I'm not."

There was a pause. Susie uncrossed her legs, sat up straighter, and narrowed her eyes.

"Is that... why you wanted to talk?" She asked.

There was another pause. The wind whistled past them, ruffling their hair and casting ripples all along the surface of the lake. It was quiet. And soothing. And nice.

"Susie... b-back at the library..." Noelle began, slowly turning her gaze towards the water. "That was... that really was just a dream... right?"

Seconds passed. Then half a minute. Then a whole minute.

"U-Uh... yeah? I guess?" Susie eventually replied, shaking her head and making an exaggerated shrug with both hands. "Yeah, of course it was just a dream. Just a weird dream and... now it's all done. Nothing to worry about, right?"

Noelle stole a quick glance at her, hoping to see genuine confusion in the purple lizard's eyes.

Instead, she saw what looked like... knowing. Or even understanding. As if she knew exactly the dream she was talking about.

No... no, it couldn't be. It couldn't possibly be... could it...?"

"Susie..." Noelle scooted around to look directly at her. "Please... please tell me the truth. I want to... I-I need to know. "

Susie's eyes bugged out, almost cartoonishly. A few more seconds passed. Then another minute. Noelle didn't – couldn't – tear her gaze away from the other girl. She was surprised her vision didn't end up glazing over.

At least... at least Susie would tell her the truth. She would say yes, it was just a bad dream, and that terrifying voice that kept popping into her head would fizzle into nothingness. All those commands and all those blurred battles would fade, just another bad dream that she could forget about after a good night's sleep.

Susie would tell her it was just a bad dream, even if... even if it meant that Susie somehow knew what happened in her dream.

"I dunno."

Noelle frowned. What?

What kind of answer was that!? What did that even mean!?

"What does that even mean!?" Noelle said, raising her voice as she spoke her mind. Susie jolted in surprise, seemingly taken aback by the reindeer's sudden outburst.

"I dunno!" Susie shot back, shaking her head and throwing her hands towards the sky. "I wasn't sure about it either until Kris and I went to the Dark World again today, and even then I dunno! I dunno if it's a dream, 'cause I remember everything really well, but I don't think people are supposed to... like, remember their dreams that well! And it felt real walking around that big city, and it felt real during that weird roller coaster, and it felt real when I was eating that cotton candy with Ralsei, and-"

The city. The roller coaster. That Asriel look-alike. She knew. She really knew.

How could she know? The only way she could know about all of that was if...

No. No, it couldn't be. It just couldn't be. No.

"-and there was that crazy Queen lady who actually turned out to be kinda okay in the end-"

Queen. She knew about Queen.

No. No, no, no. No. It couldn't be. It was impossible.

"-but I dunno where the hell Berdly went off to, I guess he realized how annoying he is and just left us alone-"

No. No no no. No no no no no

"-and it felt real when we were talking to each other in the mansion, even though you were acting really weird back there, too-"

no no no no no no

Slowly, without even realizing it, Noelle tuned Susie's voice out. She turned back around to sit normally, but raised her hands ever-so-slightly and stared into them. And suddenly, all of the terrifying sensations flooded through her all at once.

no no nO NO NO NO

The frigid chill around her fingers as she readied another IceShock. The awful stabbing pains of the thorn ring that Kris... that it, told her to wear. The people they had run into throughout the city. The cries of terror cut off partway, their frozen bodies contorted in horror or pain, over and over and over.

NO NO NO NO NO NO

The horrible, booming voice that had dominated her every thought. The commands, echoing in her mind again, louder and louder. The voice that seemed to come from Kris... the voice that came even when they were unconscious.

IceShock. IceShock. Get it. Get it. Get it. IceShock. IceShock. Proceed. Proceed. Proceed. IceShock. IceShock. IceShock. IceShock.

SnowGrave.

She felt her eyes widen, wider than she had ever felt them get in her life. Somehow, she sensed her pupils shrinking into pinpricks.

SnowGrave.

NO

SnowGrave.

PLEASE

SnowGrave.

STOP

SnowGrave.

"Noelle...?"

Noelle shrieked as someone's hand clapped down on her shoulder. Or at least, shrieking was what she had wanted to do. Instead, it came out as more of a breathless, gasping whimper.

"It..." She thought aloud. "It w-was real...?"

The person next to her said something, but it didn't even register. She was so tensed up that her fur was standing on end. The lake, the bench, the trees, it was almost like they weren't even there.

"They... w-w-were..." She stuttered. "They were r-real...?"

In her mind's eye, all those blurry events played out, one after another, culminating in the blurriest of them all – except this time, it was crystal-clear. Berdly, angrily brandishing his laser halberd at Kris. Her own voice, distant and weak, yelling at him to run away.

And then... SnowGrave.

"Noelle! Dammit, Noelle, what the hell's gotten into you? Snap out of it!"

She gasped again when she heard Susie's voice cleave through the memories, and she raised her head. The purple lizard was staring at her, her eyes wide and filled with an uncharacteristic unease. She had never, ever seen her like that before.

It didn't make her feel any better.

"I-I..." She murmured. "I really did all of that...?"

"What?" Susie asked, giving her an awkward shake. "What are you talking about?"

"I..." She whispered. "I r-really froze them...?"

Susie's eyes bugged out again. "What...!?"

Noelle almost didn't hear herself speak. Her blood felt like it had stopped flowing in her veins, and her stomach was churning, writhing, turning over itself in horror and self-loathing. "I really... really k-killed them...?"

Susie's jaw dropped open, and she stopped shaking her.

It's only natural.

Noelle realized she was trembling. That her lips were quivering. That her palms were pressed up against her temples. That she had tears clinging to the corners of her eyes.

It hadn't been a dream. It had been real. Really real.

She'd killed them. All of them.

Even Berdly.

"I..." She took a shallow, shaky breath, and gazed into Susie's eyes. "I-I...!"

Susie gazed back at her. She probably had no idea what to say. And Noelle couldn't blame her.

You were just getting stronger.

Noelle scrunched her face up, and with a wracking, heaving sob, she buried her face into Susie's chest and cried her heart out.

-------------------------------------------

Susie had no idea what to say. Or do, for that matter.

After half-explaining-half-rambling about the Dark World and how it was maybe or probably or definitely real... of all the ways she'd expected Noelle to react, saying she'd frozen people to death and bursting into tears wasn't one of them.

As the reindeer sobbed into her shirt, Susie realized that her body had gone rigid, arms raised in surprise and back arched in discomfort. One part of her wanted to comfort the other girl somehow, but another part of her was still reeling at the abrupt confession.

What the hell happened?

After she and Ralsei had split off from Kris, they'd spent most of their time wandering aimlessly around town. Sure, they had... gotten a little distracted around that carnival, but the two of them hadn't spent all that long there! And then they'd randomly stumbled onto Queen's mansion, and Kris ran into them immediately after that.

Susie paused. They'd reunited with Kris... a wide-eyed – that should have been the first red flag, in hindsight – and distraught Kris.

They'd calmed down quickly enough, thanks to her and Ralsei's bit of banter, but when they had gone into the mansion itself and taken a look around, things had been strangely empty. But then, when she went into Noelle's room in the mansion...

Down below, Noelle hiccuped, then kept crying. She could feel the reindeer shuddering.

When she'd gone into Noelle's room in the mansion, she'd immediately realized something was up. Something wasn't wrong, necessarily, but something was still up. Though now, she was a lot more sure that something had been wrong.

She'd been sitting on her bed, staring out at the moon, with a glassy-eyed stare and a very small frown. Her voice had been quiet and distant, almost like she didn't even know where she was. All of her earlier confusion and hesitation had vanished, but she wasn't happy, or excited, or surprised, or startled, either. Hell, she didn't even stammer once, even though the reindeer normally couldn't even walk up to her without tripping over her words.

Noelle had just stared at the moon, and nothing Susie said seemed to totally get through to her. She'd even brought up her tail by accident, and Noelle had definitely remembered that part after waking up, much to her chagrin.

Eventually, the reindeer had turned to look at her with that glassy-eyed stare, and asked whether anything was real or not.

Susie couldn't help but shake her head, feeling her hair flop down over her face. She'd ended up going with her gut, and told Noelle that everything was just a dream. And that seemed to help her perk right up... or kind of perk up, anyway. She was still super-detached, but she was at least smiling instead of looking sad.

Had she already done... whatever the hell she did? Was that why she'd been so out-of-it?

Hell, for that matter, why in the world had she frozen anyone to death anyway!?

She wasn't exactly friends with Noelle, sure, but she knew the girl well enough. She was like... like one of those memes online about the cinnamon rolls. She was sweet to her core, probably wouldn't even hurt a fly if it hadn't hurt her first somehow. Susie still remembered when she first started classes, and Noelle had let her borrow a pencil. The reindeer had been so... happy to do it, smiled so brightly at her, that the image was still burned into her mind, even though it had been years since then.

Remembering that now, when that same reindeer was busy bawling her goddamn eyes out, just made it all the more shocking. And uncomfortable.

"U-Uhh... Noelle...?" Susie said, a little quieter and a little softer than she would have liked.

Noelle only responded with another whimper. Then, she let go of her head and flung her arms around Susie's sides instead. Susie felt her muscles tense up again at the sudden hug, but she relaxed just as suddenly, sighing and stiffly patting the reindeer's back.

Really, the worst part was that she'd actually been pretty damn excited that she wanted to talk... or sort of, anyway. She'd outright told Kris that she wished Noelle didn't have to forget their adventure, and the reindeer had still been acting a little off, even after waking up in the library.

She knew none of the adults would ever believe them, but Noelle and Berdly had ended up tumbling in the Dark World by complete accident. The idea that she'd have more people to talk to about it, without having to worry about them being skeptical, was... well, it was exciting. Especially since one of those people was Noelle. She'd been happy about it. Susie wasn't sure why, exactly, but still.

Now, though, she was thinking it might have been better if she'd kept her damn mouth shut.

While Noelle continued to cry into her chest, Susie raised her head and glanced around the lake for a moment. Thankfully, they were still the only ones around. Somehow, she had the feeling that she'd get blamed if anyone saw the reindeer breaking down like this.

"Noelle," She spoke up again, carefully grabbing Noelle's shoulders and giving her yet another shake. "Hey, Noelle!"

"I-I... I k-killed so many o-o-of them...!" Noelle whispered, her voice still shaking and cracking from her sobs. "I-It said... I was g-g-getting strong-g-ger...!"

Susie winced. It? What was it supposed to mean?

"Who said that!?" Susie growled. Was it Queen? She did kidnap Noelle, after all, so having her do evil shit wasn't that far-fetched.

But no, that didn't make any sense. If Queen had sent Noelle out to kill people, then why did she not fight her, Kris, and Ralsei at her mansion? As soon as Ralsei had told her about that Roaring thing, Queen had given up without any more fuss. And the way she'd talked about Noelle then... it seemed like she really did care about what Noelle wanted. Or something.

But if it hadn't been Queen, then who the hell was it?

"Noelle!" She said sharply, gripping the reindeer's shoulders tight and practically tearing her out of their hug.

Noelle made a gasp-y, hiccup-y noise, and stared up at her with wobbly eyes. Her freckled cheeks were now streaked with tears, leaving the fur damp and matted. The rest of her face was pale and sick-looking, and her usually-neat blonde hair was so frazzled and frizzy that, with some tousling, Susie swore that it would have looked just like her own hair.

She looked like a total mess. Maybe shaking her hadn't been a good idea. Too late now, though.

"Noelle!" Susie held onto the other girl's shoulders as firmly as she could, instinctively baring her fangs. "Who's it? Who did this to you? What the hell happened to you!?"

Noelle kept staring at her, almost like she was staring straight through her. Her expression was so... so something, that Susie was having trouble describing it in her head. She knew she'd heard some expression somewhere that was like this. Upset? Afraid? Panicked? Shocked-?

Wait, that was it! Noelle looked... shell-shocked. Yeah, that was the word. Like she'd just seen a ghost, or she'd just had a really bad fight, or... something. The details were still kind of fuzzy, but Susie had a feeling in her gut that shell-shocked was right.

"I-I... it... b-but..." Noelle started stammering again. Even her voice was hoarse. "S-Susie... I..."

"Noelle." Susie leaned forward to lock eyes with the reindeer. "Please, tell me what happened."

'Please' rarely came out of her mouth, albeit mostly so she could keep up her reputation. If that wasn't enough to get through to Noelle, then she was out of ideas.

Noelle stared at her for a couple seconds... and then something in her eyes... changed. The same sort of change that Susie had seen just outside the hospital, when she'd asked if they could talk.

"O-Oh... o-okay..." Noelle gulped loudly, like she'd literally had a frog in her throat. Once she'd done that, though – Susie watched the reindeer take a big, deep breath through her sniffle-y nose. "I'll... okay. Okay, Susie... I-I'll tell you."

And so, Noelle told her everything.

-------------------------------------------

The reindeer went from the very beginning, when she'd fallen into the Dark World, all the way to when she visited the hospital. She was so nervous that sometimes her emotions would overwhelm her, and she'd have to take a break to cry all over again.

Usually into Susie's shirt. Again.

Susie didn't really mind, though. Not anymore.

She was too busy trying to process all the stuff Noelle had told her.

"What... the hell..." She muttered under her breath. Understatement of the century, right there.

So when they'd all gotten separated, Kris and Noelle had met up again. Then, for some dumbass reason, Kris had taken her all over the city, picking fights with every Darkner they could find. But then, instead of actually fighting the Darkners, Kris had just told Noelle to freeze 'em to death. And then told her to steal a ring from some dude, and then nearly pushed her into an electric fence, and then made her wear a ring that cut into her skin, and then...

...and then... she'd frozen Berdly.

"God... dammit," She muttered again. The bird might have been annoying, but not... that much.

"S-So... that's why I... I wanted to talk to you. A-And not Kris," Noelle said, sniffling a little bit. She had stopped crying again, and had returned to her spot on the bench. "D-Does that... make sense?"

Except Noelle also thought it wasn't actually Kris telling her to do those things, which was the thing that confused her the most.

Susie knew what she was talking about, at least on some level. She'd heard Kris' voice boom in her head during yesterday's adventure, and during most of today's, too. They made the plans in battles, they spoke up louder in order to tell her and Ralsei what to do. She'd assumed that was all it was.

But it hadn't sounded like... like that, at all, to her. It hadn't acted like that at all to her. But with Noelle's story rolling around in her head, when she tried thinking about it again...

If it was just Kris' voice, then why were her memories of it always so fuzzy? Why did she only remember doing what she was told, and not who told her in the first place? And if it actually wasn't Kris' voice after all...

...then whose voice was it?

"Y-Yeah... yeah, I get it, Noelle," Susie said, frowning deeply. After everything that Noelle had explained, today's little adventure in the Dark World didn't make her feel very happy anymore. "I mean, I don't get it, but I do get it. It sounds really stupid, I know, but-"

"No... it doesn't s-sound stupid to me at all. I-It's... that's how I feel, too." Noelle cut her off her with a shake of her head.

Susie was dumbfounded. Noelle had interrupted her – actually interrupted her mid-sentence. She'd never seen Noelle interrupt anyone before. It was actually pretty cool, to see her so assertive, but it... it never should have been like this. “Uh... okay. Then it isn't stupid. Cool. Good to know.”

Neither of them were sure what to say next, so they both turned and peered out at the lake again. The water had gotten darker, and the trees, and the sky, too. There had been so much on Noelle's mind that they'd apparently spent the entire evening there. Susie raised her head, feeling her bangs swoop out of her eyes. She could see a few stars, even. Damn, had it really been that long?

"I... I just d-don't know what to do now," Noelle whispered, bringing her hands up to wipe away her latest round of tears.

Susie leaned back against the picnic table. "Like, right now? Or, uh, in general?"

Noelle let out a short, quiet chuckle at that. After seeing her cry so much, hearing her laugh was the most heartwarming thing in the world. Still, though... the reindeer wasn't smiling. "B-Both, I guess. Mom'll be mad if I'm not home soon, but I... I don't think I can go home, either. She'll notice I've been crying, b-but she wouldn't believe me if I told her about it. And... even if I said it was just a bad dream, sh-she'd know I was lying."

God... that's right, her mom was the mayor. Susie sneered, turning away from the benches so Noelle wouldn't think it was directed at her. She didn't dislike Noelle's mom, but it was obvious that the reindeer liked her dad a lot more. And all this crap had messed her up so badly that there was no way she'd be able to play it cool.

Her sneer morphed into an angry grimace, and she balled her hands into fists. This shit sucked. It really, really sucked. Why'd this weird, not-Kris thing have to pull this crap today?

"But I can't really stay at someone else's house, either," Noelle continued, looking despondently at the lake. "Usually I'd stay with Catti, but I already bothered her yesterday... and I can't stay at Kris' house, s-since... I don't know if... if I'd feel safe there. A-And I can't ask Berdly because he's... h-he's...!"

She started crying again, without the shakes and sobs she'd had before. It was a quiet cry. She looked exhausted.

A moment later, an idea suddenly came to mind, and as soon as it did, Susie felt a faint warmth rise onto her face. It felt weird – not bad, just weird – and immediately she was second-guessing it. She didn't have much to offer, so it'd be stupid to ask anyway. But Noelle was probably screwed whether she went home or not. But-

"Well... you, uh, wanna hang out at my place for a while?" She asked without thinking, crossing her legs to sit as casually as possible.

Noelle whipped her head around, her eyes widening to the size of dinner plates. A second later, the reindeer's cheeks had turned beet-red, and she had suddenly gone back to her usual stuttering. "Wh-What!? Y-You mean... s-stay the night at... y-y-your house!?"

A cough escaped Susie's throat, and she glanced away, sheepishly scratching at the back of her head. Not a house, exactly, but... "I mean... you don't have to if you don't want to, y'know?"

For some reason, she thought she could hear a 'thump-thump, thump-thump' sound drifting over from the other girl's seat. Almost like a...

Nah, maybe not. She was probably just imagining things.

"I-I'd... I-I'd love to!" Noelle replied, and for once, she was actually smiling. But then her smile faded, just as quickly as it had appeared. "But..."

Welp, there it was. At least that was one expectation that turned out to be right.

"Sorry," Susie muttered, folding her arms. "Dumb idea anyway. Shouldn't have asked."

"N-No-! I-I mean it, Susie, I'd really love to stay at your place," Noelle stammered, hesitantly reaching a hand out – then clasping both of her hands to her sweater. "I j-just... don't want to get you in any trouble."

One of Susie's eyebrows quirked upward. "...it's no big deal. I get into trouble a lot anyway."

Noelle shook her head again, sending stray teardrops down onto the dirt below. "I didn't mean it like that. It's just... when Queen was asking me to help her, she mentioned that you guys are heroes. Or... not-heroes. But you're part of some big thing, I mean! You, and Kris, and that guy who looks like Azzy, too. And I... I-I just... hurt a lot of people there instead."

Another breeze swept past the two of them, and slowly, bugs started to wake up and chirp like they always did at night. Susie frowned at the last bit, but nodded at the reindeer, wordlessly urging her to continue.

"So, what happens if I stay with you and get you in trouble? What if mom gets mad at you and I can't calm her down, or what if I make your parents angry and they don't want me hanging around with you? Or what if... what if Berdley's r-really... dead... and they think one of us did it?" Noelle's thoughts practically flooded forth. "If I get you in trouble, you... might not be able to do hero stuff, right?"

The question hung heavy in the air. Which made things tense and awkward, but it was also good to Susie, since it meant she had a moment to-

"A-And... if you aren't around..." Noelle spoke up again, her voice soft and warbling. She sounded nervous... but hopeful, too. "I-I can't talk to Kris about this. But... I'd really like to talk with you like this again."

This time, the conversation trailed off long enough for the sounds of nature to come alive again. Noelle gradually looked down at her lap, idly picking at her skirt with her fingers. Susie just took the opportunity to mull everything over.

"You... you really thought a lot about this, huh?" She eventually said, with genuine surprise.

Noelle stole a half-glance at her, then nodded in agreement. Susie paused again, then sighed.

She wasn't good at this sort of thing, or at least she didn't think so. But she couldn't really think about what Kris would do, since... well. Aside from the obvious, they would probably be trying to eat a handful of grass or something weird like that.

Besides... compared to the 'chat' they'd had in the Dark World, talking to Noelle like this seemed like something she'd like to do again, too.

"Y'know... after Queen dropped that cage on you and took you away, I was pretty worried," Susie said, uncrossing her legs and leaning forward. She could feel her mouth twitching upward, bit by bit, as she looked at the stars reflecting on the lake.

Noelle actually turned to look at her this time, shyly reaching up and looping a few stray locks of hair behind her ears. And – there was that weird sound again, 'thump-thump, thump-thump'. Maybe she wasn't imagining it after all.

Though something about it... this time, hearing it made Susie want to smile even more.

"And I know Queen's the one who pushed that whole 'peon' crap on you, but since you said you made a truce with Kris before, it... kinda sucks that Ralsei and I didn't run into you earlier. Before... all the other crap happened." She shook her head, letting her arms rest atop her knees.

'Thump-thump, thump-thump'.

"Heh..." Susie closed her eyes for a moment, then gave the other girl a big, toothy grin. "I guess it's nice to know you're worried about me too."

Noelle looked back at her with a flustered expression, trying – and failing – to hide the blush on her cheeks. She was still crying, but it was really slow, and this time it seemed more... happy. "Susie..."

From somewhere across town, a loud gong suddenly echoed through the air. It soon turned into a familiar bell chime, which was then followed by another gong, once... twice... thrice... whatever the term was for four times. After that, Susie stopped counting.

"Oh god... is it really that late?" Noelle's gaze was suddenly all over the place: first scanning all around the park, then looking over her clothes, then making sure she still had her book-bag.

Susie tried to maintain her grin, but she couldn't keep the disappointment out of her voice. "...I guess you better get home, huh?"

She dug her sneakers into the dirt, ready to stand up – but then she felt Noelle's hand rest on top of hers. The touch was enough to make Susie stop and stay seated.

"N-No... please," Noelle said quietly. "C-Can you... stay with me? Just a little longer?"

Susie stared into the reindeer's eyes, big and round and bloodshot from all the crying she'd been doing.

A moment later, she relaxed and went back to leaning against the picnic table.

"Yeah..." Susie replied. Her face felt faintly warm again. "Sure. No problem."

Noelle smiled – a real, genuine, grateful smile – before settling into the bench and craning her neck to look up. Susie realized that she was still smiling herself, too.

Seconds gradually turned to minutes. The tranquility of the lake slowly defused the tension that was lingering in the air. It was actually... kinda nice.

"I wish..." Noelle whispered. "I wish I knew how I could fix this."

There was a brief pause.

"It's not your fault." Susie furrowed her brows at the sheer conviction she was feeling. It was like when she was protecting Lancer... but it almost felt like it was even stronger. "We'll go back to the Dark World tomorrow and find a way to fix everything. We'll unfreeze those people in the city, and get Berdly back, and try to figure out whatever the hell's up with Kris, too."

They'd find a way to fix it. They had to find a way to fix it.

There had to be a way. Right?

Noelle said nothing for a moment. Then, out of the corner of her vision, Susie saw her scoot a little closer. The reindeer's wristwatch clinked, ever-so-slightly, from the motion.

"Th-Thank you..."

And with that, the two of them looked to the sky, watching as the moon slowly rose above the horizon.

[returnerofthewrites]

Alani Days: Ch3

"Oh, come on, you've gotta be kidding me! Another one!?"

Skylar glanced over his shoulder at the shout, his freckled cheeks rising into a grin when he saw a lavender, fish-patterned egg slowly rise out of the ocean, snugly hooked onto a fishing line. Twisting around a bit, he watched as the squirrel sitting to his left wrenched the thing off and shook her head, her unibrow furrowing in frustration.

"Hey, look on the bright side, Hazel," He replied, still grinning even as he gestured around in a lazy circle. "Maybe if we catch eight in a row, we'll get an extra life!"

"Aw, shut up," Hazel shot back, though a grin slowly curled onto her face as well. Reaching out, she gave the human a friendly thump on his shoulder before lazily throwing the freshly-caught egg over her shoulder. "I dunno what the heck CJ was thinking, holding a tourney right before Bunny Day."

"He's trying to challenge us, mush!" Turning to their right, both squirrel and human looked over at the red-furred cat who had spoken up, his wiry tail twitching with excitement. He eventually looked back at them with a smile, yellow eyes gleaming with vim and vigor. "It's like, if we can catch a really big fish even with all these eggs around, then it'll be extra-satisfying! Like running ten miles instead of five and then having a double-size protein shake!"

"I think you're the only one who'd call that extra-satisfying, Rudy," Hazel muttered, wiping her paw on her jacket and rolling her eyes good-naturedly.

Skylar chuckled as the pair continued to bicker, reaching up to run a hand through his hair as he looked around. A thin layer of clouds covered the sky, but the afternoon sun was still bright enough that it could shine straight through, dappling the ocean with faint sparkles. He, Rudy, and Hazel had headed straight for the pier as soon as the fishing tourney started, bringing along only a water-filled cooler and a portable radio for company. The latter cheered them on with a peppy blast of K.K. Bubblegum, while the former contained exactly one horse mackerel and four – well, five now – candy eggs.

Well, at least things could only get better from here!

Bending his knees, Skylar slowly got up, his sneakers scuffing against the wooden boards as he took a couple steps towards the end of the pier. Tightening his grip on his fishing rod, he carefully took the line in his other hand, letting the bobber roll around against his palm. A warm, tropical breeze blew across Alani's eastern coast, and he took a deep breath of the salty air, the hem of his aloha shirt waving all the while. Then, he reared back and swung his fishing rod forward, its hook glinting in the sunlight as it flew through the air and landed, with a plunk, into the sea.

To his surprise, the bobber only bounced around for a minute or two before he felt a slight tug on the line, and he smiled, a look of concentration crossing onto his face.

"Guys? I think I actually got something..." He said – only to gasp when something yanked hard, making him lurch forward. He awkwardly stumbled even closer to the water, digging his heels in to try and keep from falling over. "W-Woah-!?"

Skylar's sudden yelp was enough to shake Rudy and Hazel out of their friendly banter, and they looked towards him, then scrambled to their footpaws when they saw him wobble forward again. Both of them flung their arms around the human and did their best to drag him backwards, straining heavily against the strength of the unseen fish.

"Hang on, uni-wow!" Hazel cried out, digging her paws harder into Skylar's shirt and taking a baby step backwards, her ears wiggling in suspense.

"Yeah, we gotcha!" Rudy shouted in turn, his head hunched into his parka. "Pull, Skylar, pull!"

With his friends' help, Skylar finally found his balance again, and he shifted his weight to make it easier for everyone to move. He lowered his fishing rod just a bit, eyes narrowing as he waited for the perfect moment... and that perfect moment came just a second later, when he felt the line relax. With a heave, he hoisted the rod aloft, tugging with all of his might-

SPLASH!

-and together, the three of them tumbled backwards onto the pier, the water seemingly bursting as their prize leaped out of the sea.

--------------------------

Alani Island – Mid April

--------------------------

If there was one thing Isabelle could appreciate about working for Nook, it was his insistence on making sure they took care of themselves.

The morning after K.K.'s concert – first concert, she gleefully corrected herself – the tanuki had called her and Skylar together to discuss how he wanted to develop Alani in the future. While it mostly came down to focusing more on landscaping and pathing, he did take a moment to make some properly scheduled lunch breaks with her, so they wouldn't have a repeat of her forgetting to eat.

"Comin' at'cha with another quick update, chat! Nothing new so far, so mister Lopez still has the lead with a big ol' red snapper! But I got a good feeling someone's gonna come by soon to 'snap' the first place spot right up, though! Nyuk nyuk!"

Of course, even though she knew the fishing tourney was going on today, she hadn't expected to get roped into a conversation about 'seasports' and 'stream snipers' with CJ in the middle of her precious BLT sandwich.

"S-So, um..." Bringing said sandwich up to her muzzle, Isabelle took a small bite and hummed, her tail wagging as a wave of faint humidity washed over her fur. Gazing up at the overcast sky, she ran her free paw down her aloha shirt, smoothing the leafy pink fabric out somewhat. "How's Chip, CJ? It's been a long time since I saw either of you two."

"Aw, he's been doin' good! Thanks, missus Isabelle," CJ replied with a buck-toothed smile, tucking his Nookphone back into his fishing vest as he spoke. "I haven't seen him in a while either, since me and Flick struck out on our own after New Years. Last I called him, though, dad's still eatin' everything that he catches! Nyuk nyuk!"

Isabelle giggled at that, then looked out towards the coast and took another bite of her lunch, her gaze wandering all around the mostly-empty plaza. With everyone else out looking for fish, things were uncharacteristically quiet, and the shih-tzu took a moment to bask in the relative calm, feeling the stress of the morning's paperwork drain out of her. Veiled light warmed the bricks under her footpaws, the sun flag Skylar had designed fluttered atop the flagpole, and she felt a soothing breeze bluster past, ruffling her droopy ears and sending a jingle through her bell-hairband.

"Speaking of that, though, I didn't expect to run into you out here, missus Isabelle!" She perked up somewhat when she heard her name, turning back to look at CJ. With his hat and sunglasses on and his fishing rod confidently held over his shoulder, the youthful beaver looked like he wanted to join in the fun, and was barely holding himself back. "I thought you were still back in Greenoak!"

For a split-second, her face blanched. Then, she took a deep breath, had another nibble of her sandwich, and shook her head. The more she found herself talking about this, the easier she was feeling it get. "W-Well, Nook called me about coming to help him with building Alani up, so I took him up on his offer! I thought it was time for a change of pace, y'know?"

"Yeaaah, I know that feel!" CJ nodded, the lure on his fishing rod rattling. "I was hoping to do something like that with the fishing tourneys this month, but, uh... then all the eggs happened."

CJ's voice turned a bit sour as he finished his remark, and Isabelle half-smiled, half-winced, her bangs falling down her forehead when she nodded in understanding. "Mmhm. We've, um... heard some of the other towns and islands have been a little upset about that."

A loud, distant yell suddenly broke out to the east, and both animals glanced towards the noise with a jolt of surprise, ears flicking and tails twitching. A low whistle slipped through CJ's teeth, and he grinned excitedly, stepping over to the other side of the tourney tent and leaning forward to get a better look. Isabelle did the same, hastily munching through the rest of her sandwich before stepping around the beaver... and then her face lit up, a bright smile curling onto her muzzle.

There, crossing the bridge, was Skylar, Rudy, and Hazel, triumphantly laughing and pumping their fists, and carting a hard-plastic cooler along behind them. Skylar pulled by its front handle, while Rudy and Hazel pushed it from behind, water splashing and sloshing out of it every so often. Isabelle cocked her head at that last part, only for her to perk up when she saw the tailfin of something very big hanging out of its makeshift tank.

In fact, it almost looked like it was even bigger than the cooler was in the first place...!

"Ohh-hoho man, chat's gonna go crazy-!" CJ laughed to himself, pulling up the camera on his phone and aiming it at the trio as they strode towards the plaza. Isabelle brushed her paws clean of any lingering crumbs, then shook her head, smiling as the group's cheerful chatter got clearer and clearer.

"...still can't believe that it just pounced you like that-" Hazel's tomboyish voice was the first to reach her ears, the squirrel's short red hair looking rather damp and matted.

"Yeah, if it nearly pulled you over, I dunno what it would've done if it grabbed my rod instead, mush!" Rudy's voice drifted by next, wiggling unpleasantly for a moment before digging his footpaws in and pushing the cooler along. "I should up my workout routines!"

"I'm just happy you guys were there to help out!" Skylar twisted around to look back at his two friends, and as they all reached the edge of the plaza, Isabelle paused when she saw the human's rather disheveled appearance. His curly hair and puffed cheeks were as wild as ever, but there was a huge, wet splotch all over the front of his blue-pineapple shirt, and even going down to his khaki pants. And, as they got closer, her twitching nose picked up the... distinct, scents of saltwater and ocean fish. She felt more than a little lucky that she'd just finished her lunch.

"Hey, you guys! Looks like you got something snap-worthy in there!" CJ called out to the trio, his flat tail thwapping against his shorts as he closed the gap, taking photos all along the way.

"You bet!" Skylar replied, turning back and flashing the beaver a bright smile. His eyes flicked towards Isabelle immediately afterward, and he waved excitedly at her, his expression lighting up. "Oh! Hey, Isabelle! How's things going today?"

"I'm doing great! I'm on my lunch break right now... looks like you've been busy, though!" The shih-tzu nodded in response, her fluffy tail wagging back and forth as she stepped up next to CJ. Inside the cooler, their prize catch flopped around still, its tail going from one side to the other.

"Eh, not really! We found, like, five eggs before catching this thing!" Skylar laughed, thumbing towards the cooler as he spoke.

"Yeah, and if you don't help us lift it outta here, it'll jump on your face again, uni-wow!" Hazel chimed in. Rudy grunted in agreement, his paws clenched tight around the fish's flapping tailfin.

The squirrel's remark prompted Skylar to grin sheepishly and twist back around, and Isabelle bit back a giggle as she watched the trio struggle to hoist their catch out of the cooler. With more than a little work, Skylar, Hazel, and Rudy all lifted the fish up into the air... and Isabelle's jaw dropped open, her eyes going wide. Even CJ was impressed, slowly lowering his Nookphone and letting out another whistle at the sight of the hefty, vividly-blue, sword-nosed fish, still wobbling and wiggling against the trio's grasp.

"Hokey smokes, talk about a haul! Never would've expected someone to land a marlin with all these eggs around, though! Nyuk nyuk!" The beaver shook his head, reaching up and scratching at the tuft of hair that poked past his sunglasses. "Which one've you guys caught it?"

"It nearly caught us! If Rudy and Hazel hadn't helped, it probably would have pulled me and my fishing rod out for a swim!" Skylar answered as casually as could be, still grinning even as he gestured towards the water.

Isabelle recoiled slightly at Skylar's words – it was a little hard to believe he was smiling about nearly getting pulled out to sea! – but smiled when she saw him, Rudy and Hazel share a mutual laugh, hair ruffling, tail swishing, and ears twitching. She found herself quickly swept up in their excitement, her own fluffy tail wagging back and forth as she watched them carry the swordfish over to the tourney tent. As they did, CJ stepped around and lifted his own, larger cooler off the table and set it down onto the ground for the trio to lower their catch into.

"Now let's see here... so it was on your line, right?" CJ asked, giving Skylar a quick nudge with his tail to get his attention.

"Huh? Well, yeah, but technically all of us caught it-" Skylar started to say, shaking his head at the beaver. Before he could finish speaking, however, Hazel gave him a light shove of her own, and he twisted around to look at the red-haired squirrel.

"Oh no, you ain't being modest this time!" She shook her head right back at him, brushing her paws over her jacket as she spoke. "Yeah, Rudy and I helped hold you back, but you're the one who had hooked it in the first place, uni-wow!"

"Yeah, hahaha! And you've got a big ol' wet spot on your clothes to prove it!" Rudy added with a cheery laugh.

"Alright, alright..." Skylar relented, locks of his wild and curly hair falling down his face as he turned back towards CJ, a sheepishly-grateful expression on his face. "Well, I guess I caught it!"

CJ whistled again and offered the human a fist, which Skylar gladly bumped with his own, and together, the group transferred the swordfish from one cooler to the other, water splashing out onto the bricks as it continued to flail around. Droplets spattered everywhere, some catching the wind and going far across the plaza, only to quickly be wicked away by the warmth of the sun.

Isabelle smiled inwardly as she watched the scene unfold, and once the marlin had been put into CJ's cooler, she carefully stepped up to take another look, folding her arms around her aloha shirt. The plastic tub was big enough that the fish seemed to be relaxing – though not large enough to lay flat in – and as she watched as it took deep breaths through its gills, life slowly returning to its glassy eyes.

She turned her head, however, when Skylar let out a grunt next to her, and she watched as he grasped and squeezed at his own shirt, trying in vain to wring out the wet patches in the blue-pineapple fabric. The corners of her muzzle wiggled upward at the awkward smile on his face, and she giggled to herself, her droopy ears rippling ever-so-slightly.

"Cool! Now let's check this baby out-" The shih-tzu glanced back at CJ when he thought aloud, pulling a tangled tape-measure out from a box under the table and unfurling it. "Maaaaan, though, what a lunker! Too bad I couldn't have recorded you guys catching it! Nyuk nyuk!"

"You sure keeping it in there will be alright? I think it's big enough that you'd need to get a tank from the museum, hahaha!" Rudy laughed again, idly tapping his footpaws on the ground.

All of a sudden, Skylar froze, even as CJ, Rudy and Hazel all continued to chat. Isabelle cocked her head in concern, blinking when the human's expression slowly morphed into a thoughtful stare.

"Hang on a sec," He said quietly, dropping his arms back to his sides and drying his hands on his jeans. As he spoke, he stood up a bit straighter and gazed out towards the eastern side of the island, looking at something seemingly far away. "Have, uh... have any of us ever caught a marlin before?"

The others stopped talking and glanced over, confused looks adorning their faces. Isabelle did the same, clasping her paws to her skirt as a strange sense of anticipation came to life somewhere in the back of her mind. There was a brief moment of silence as everyone followed Skylar's gaze out towards the east... and then Hazel sucked in a short breath when she realized what the human meant, her bushy tail swatting from side to side.

"Aw, Skylar, no! You aren't seriously thinkin' what I think you're thinkin', uni-wow?" She asked as half of her unibrow quirked upward. When Skylar didn't reply, she planted her paws on her hips and leaned in. "Dude! With this thing, you've got the tourney in the bag!"

Rudy quickly picked up on whatever Hazel were insinuating, padding over to Skylar and giving him a quick pat on the back, his tail waving up and down. "Yeah, mush! Besides, if you bring it over to him now, he'll talk your ear off and you won't have as much time to fish with us!"

"Guys, c'mon! You know we promised Blathers that if we found anything new, we'd bring it to the museum so they could exhibit it," Skylar replied, his blue eyes furrowing as he turned fully towards his two friends, combing a hand through his messy hair.

Understanding washed over Isabelle, and she took a couple of steps back from the tourney tent, unsure of whether to say something or not. Her fluffy tail slowed to a stop and hung still, and her eyes flicked from Skylar, to Hazel and Rudy, and back again. CJ, on the other hand, went back to measuring the marlin, his enthusiasm only mildly dampened as he tugged the tape-measure taut from the tailfin to its sword-nose.

"Guys, if the marlin wins the tourney, Blathers is gonna find out about it anyway, and then he'll just be upset with all three of us." Skylar continued when his friends didn't reply, scratching at the back of his neck. "Besides, I already don't feel good about saying I caught it, since I wouldn't have caught it at all without you guys there to help out. So go on and keep fishing without me, alright? If I don't make it back until late, I can always try again during the next fishing tourney!"

There was a pregnant pause, tension hanging heavy in the air, the silence only broken by the whistling of the wind as it swept across the plaza again.

Then, after a few long seconds, Hazel let out a sigh, shoulders slumping and ears drooping.

"Fine..." The squirrel said, jabbing her paw towards Skylar afterward. "But you owe us another round of fishing, and soon, uni-wow!"

"You want us to leave the cooler with you, mush?" Rudy said, his voice having gotten a little bit quieter. Reaching up, the cat rubbed at one of his ears, smoothing out his reddish coat of fur as the wind ruffled it.

"Thanks, you guys..." Skylar smiled, then gestured at them to leave with a wave of his hands. "And nah, you guys'll need it if you catch anything big! You better get going, though! If you're worried about wasting time, then the sooner you get back to the pier, the better!"

"He's right, y'know!" CJ added, tossing the tape-measure onto the table before reaching into the cooler and lifting the marlin out, leaning back when it started to wriggle and writhe again. "The tourney finishes at 6 in the evening, so you've still got lots of daylight left! As long as you catch something and bring it back, the fans'll be happy as manilla clams, nyuk nyuk!"

Isabelle simply watched in silence as the group slowly went their separate ways, with Rudy and Hazel grabbing their cooler and wheeling it back the way they came, while CJ carefully passed the blue marlin back to Skylar. Skylar let out an awkward grunt – the weight of the feisty fish seemed to be a bit much for him alone – then glanced towards her, his freckled cheeks dimpling as he flashed her a cheery smile. Slowly, but surely, the human set off down the west road, his dirty sneakers scraping against the cobblestones.

The confrontation – as much as it could be called that, anyway – between him and his friends had lasted barely a minute or two, but the shih-tzu had found herself rooted to the spot the entire time. She'd seen some similar debacles happen back in Greenoak, but that was when she was helping manage the holidays spent outside the town hall, and they were so few and far between that seeing one play out right in front of her had caught her mostly off-guard. Not to mention, back then they hadn't happened in the middle of her lunch break.

As the wind kicked up, ruffling her bun of hair and jingling her bell-hairband, Isabelle found herself staring at the human's back as he awkwardly trundled away, visibly struggling to carry the hefty fish in his arms. It reminded her of the day they'd met, when he'd carted that giant bag of camping stuff out of Resident Services... except this time, the thought really made her want to go and help him out.

...though, actually... turning towards the Resident Services building, she looked up at the clock. She had the better part of an hour left, and she technically hadn't gotten to see the museum yet...

"Um... CJ?" Tearing her eyes away, she glanced over at CJ, who was fiddling with his fishing vest. "I'm still on my break, but if Mr. Nook comes looking for me, could you let him know I'm visiting Blathers?"

"Eh? Oh, sure thing, missus Isabelle!" CJ replied, his sunglasses slipping down the bridge of his muzzle as he nodded at her.

She smiled and nodded in return, then kicked into an easy jog, her pawpads tapping against the cobblestone trail as she ran after Skylar. He'd barely gotten past the first couple houses, and a flutter ran through her nerves as she got closer and closer.

"Skylar! Wait, Skylar!" Isabelle called out to the human, reaching a paw up and waving to get his attention. He perked up at the sound, then turned towards her, still smiling despite the curious glint in his eyes. Slowing to a stop, she paused to catch her breath... and then, once she had, she sidled up to him and grabbed the marlin's tailfin, the corners of her muzzle curling higher. "Want some help?"

Skylar beamed.

--------------------------

By the time they arrived at the museum, the marlin had settled down somewhat – which turned out to be very good thing, since Blathers let out a startlingly-loud hoot the moment he saw them carry it inside. He came back to his senses soon after, however, and pointed them towards the lobby's bathroom before taking the heavy fish off of their hands. Inwardly, Isabelle thanked her lucky stars that she hadn't picked up any sort of clingy, fishy smell, and once she and Skylar had cleaned themselves up a bit, they headed past a fish-shaped plaque and into the marine exhibit hall...

"Wow..." Isabelle breathed out in awe, her droopy ears sliding back and forth over her shoulders as she gazed this way and that, her fluffy tail swishing hard enough that she could feel the air wooshing past it. "This is amazing!"

The cold, formal tilework of the lobby had given way to smooth hardwood floors and smoother glass tanks: some were square, others were round, but each one was meticulously decorated with plants and logs to mimic Alani's rivers and ponds. Granted, most of the tanks were still empty, but the sight of them alone was enough to send a wave of excitement through the shih-tzu, and the few fish that were in tanks was enough to keep that excitement going. Instinctively, her footpaws took her from one placard to another, her eyes scanning over the names listed here and there. Sturgeon; crucian carp, dace, yellow perch; cherry salmon and char...

A light touch on her shoulder pulled her out of her trance, and she whirled around, her droopy ears swinging wide enough from the motion that they nearly smacked into Skylar. The human recoiled, taking a quick step back, and a bashful blush quickly flared onto Isabelle's cheeks.

"S-Sorry, Skylar!" She said, giving him an apologetic smile before reaching a paw up to silence her clinking bell-hairband. "I guess I got a little distracted..."

"Aw, no worries! The museum's just kinda like that," Skylar replied with an easygoing grin, his hands tucked casually in his pockets. "Is this your first time here? That's the same reaction I had once it was finally built and everything."

"Mmhm! I've been meaning to come visit, but there's been so much work to do still that I hadn't gotten around to it yet." As her embarrassment passed, Isabelle let out a sigh before looking around the room again, going from a large, empty tank to a modestly-sized koi pool built into the floor. Everything looked so simple, yet fancy... it was still a lot to take in. "Blathers did a wonderful job, didn't he?"

"Yeah!" Skylar nodded, leaning sideways and tapping his fingers against the railing as he stole a quick peek into the pool as well. "This place is way cooler than any museum I ever went to as a kid! It's always a lot of fun coming here to drop new stuff off, like today."

Isabelle giggled softly, stepping up next to him and watching the colorfully-spotted fish glide through the water. It was hard to argue the point, even though she didn't have much of a reference to go by – she didn't exactly have much time to visit the museum back in Greenoak, either, what with all the mayoral work she had to deal with. She made a mental note to thank Nook again for setting up a proper schedule for their lunch breaks... it was nice to actually get to look around, for once.

"So... did you, and Hazel and Rudy donate all the fish in here?" She thought aloud, turning and giving Skylar a curious glance. He blinked, then looked up at her and nodded, and she noticed that he had another slight sunburn on his face and freckled cheeks.

"Huh? Oh, uh... yeah, mostly! Every so often we'll go out hunting for bugs, or taking a fishing trip or whatever. Once Blathers arrived, we promised to bring him any new stuff we found while we were out and about." Near the end of his explanation, Skylar grinned sheepishly and brought a hand up to scratch the back of his neck. "I was always more of a surfer kid growing up, but I guess now that I'm older I can see the appeal!"

Isabelle did a double-take, her droopy ears twitching in surprise even as the human laughed to himself. "You know how to surf?"

"Yeah!" Skylar nodded again, his bright blue eyes gleaming at the mere mention. "I was never into the competitive side of it, but I picked up surfing when I was, like, seven! I haven't done any since last summer, though... maybe I should ask Timmy and Tommy to try and stock a surfboard."

"Huh... I never would have guessed," Isabelle admitted, a sheepish smile of her own crossing onto her muzzle. Reaching up, she fluffed her ears and combed her bangs a bit, letting out another soft giggle afterward. "You're full of surprises, you know that?"

"Well, I'll take that as a compliment!" He replied with another chuckle, one that echoed quietly off of the walls.

Isabelle's smile widened at the sound of the human's easygoing laughter, and as he slowly eased away from the railing, she stood up as well, following alongside him as they wandered further into the room. Heading around the large, empty tank, they soon found themselves in another short hallway, the bright lights gradually getting dimmer and dimmer. A slight chill ran through her footpaws when wood became tile once again, and slowly, but surely, they closed in on the next room...

The shih-tzu felt her eyes widen to the size of saucers as they emerged into the deep-sea exhibit, the sight of the massive, octagonal tank in the middle of the room taking her breath away. The lights of the freshwater exhibit had been replaced with deep, dark blues, and a whole school of littler fish swam through the water, occasionally intruded on by a couple mackerel or a few large tuna. Before she knew it, she had skipped past the rope barriers and made her way up to the tank, her bell-hairband jingling all the way over.

Pressing her paws up against the glass, she felt a wave of both excitement and amazement flood through her nerves. It was hard not to feel like a puppy again, considering the sheer scope of the tank in the room, and so she gave the swirling anchovies her undivided attention, watching as the mackerel and tuna both darted in and out of the group. Somehow, her tail started to wag even harder, to the point that she could feel her skirt shifting, ever-so-slightly, from the motion.

"Cool, huh?" Skylar said, and she glanced over her shoulder at him as he strolled over, slowing to a stop just next to her. He flashed her a friendly smile before focusing back on the fish in the tank, all too happy to watch them swim about. "This one's my favorite out of all the fish exhibits, heheheh."

"Mmhm... ocean fish are my favorite too," Isabelle hummed in agreement, her nose twitching as her breath blew against the glass and rebounded past her muzzle. "They remind me of when my brother and I would go to the beach, back when we were kids."

"Aww! You grew up by the beach, too?" Skylar's head whipped right back around to look at her again, his expression lighting up. It was very hard not to giggle at his sudden spike in enthusiasm.

"Well, we didn't live nearby, but we'd go sometimes in the summer. Digby would always build sandcastles, and I'd go swimming and look for shells to bring home..." She replied, thinking all the way back to when she was young, feeling the sun on her fur and the sand on her paws in her mind's eye. She let out a soft sigh, her gaze wandering up to the anchovies again...

...and then she gasped, softly, when a long, swordlike nose poked out from the group.

With a graceful motion, the marlin made its grand debut, its blue scales glinting faintly in the light as it propelled itself down through the water. Pushing past the smaller fish – which scattered away from it in response – it dove deeper, until it got close to the sandy, rocky base of the tank. Once it got to the bottom, it righted itself and slowed down... giving its stunned, wide-eyed audience a perfect view of it as it passed them by. Isabelle and Skylar turned their heads as the hefty fish went from one side of the tank to the other... and then it turned upwards and pushed into a swift swim again.

"Wow..." After a moment, Isabelle found her voice again, her paws still pressed right up against the glass.

"Yeah..." Skylar agreed, his enthusiasm having been swept away by a wave of pure amazement.

And without another word, they continued to watch the deep-sea fish, the conversation trailing into a comfortable silence.

[returnerofthewrites]

Alani Days: Ch2

"Alright... think that's all I've got in me tonight. Thanks, everyone. Alani's a pretty cool place."

With one last strum of his guitar, K.K. Slider hopped down from his seat and carefully slung the instrument over his shoulder, his white fur ruffling as a late-evening breeze swept throughout the plaza. Isabelle felt her droopy ears twitch when a multitude of cheers rent the air, from Anabelle's enthusiastic squeals to Rudy and Hazel's repeated hollers, and her muzzle curled into a beaming smile as everybody began to clap, herself included. As K.K wandered over to Tom Nook – who was practically glowing as he shook the musician's paw – she took a deep breath, her fluffy tail swishing behind her.

"Isabelle! Hey, Isabelle!" Above the clamor, however, she heard someone call her name, and she cocked her head, then perked up when she saw a brown-haired human sidle out from the crowd, his clothes wrinkled and expression bright.

"Hi, Skylar!" The shih-tzu said excitedly, still clapping even as Alani's sole human resident strolled over to her. He looked just as pumped as she was, but given how much he had helped get K.K to hold a show here in the first place, she wasn't surprised. "How're you doing?"

"Great! Never thought I'd actually see a K.K. concert live!" Skylar replied, combing a hand through his windswept hair as he slowed to a stop next to her, grinning hard enough to leave dimples in his freckled cheeks. Isabelle giggled at his remark – briefly flashing back to K.K. moonlighting as a DJ back in Club LOL – only to snap back to reality when he continued. "How about you?"

"M-Me?" She stuttered, finally dropping her arms back down to her sides when she felt a jolt of exhaustion shoot through them. When Skylar nodded, she smiled gratefully, tapping her footpaws to the beat in her head. "I'm doing great! I'm glad that K.K.'s concert went so well... spending all day working on the paperwork and prep was worth it!"

Skylar's mouth drooped slightly at that, and his eyebrows quirked up in concern. "Wait... it took all day for you and Nook to get things ready?"

This time Isabelle was the one who nodded... but when she saw Skylar's bright blue eyes widen, her cheeks went faintly pink, and she hastily raised her paws to try and reassure him. "O-Oh! You don't need to worry about me, though. I've done this sort of thing before-!"

Unfortunately, her backtrack was interrupted by a very loud, and very obvious, rumble from her stomach. She froze, slowly glancing down at her aloha shirt, then raising her head back up to check on Skylar... who had certainly, definitely, absolutely heard it, judging from how he had brought a hand up to keep himself from chuckling.

"U-U-Um..." Isabelle stammered, feeling her face grow warmer and warmer. "Though I... guess I might have forgotten to have lunch?"

Skylar gave her a sympathetic look... then snapped his fingers, his expression lighting up like a lightbulb had just gone off in his head. "Hey, do you want to come over to my place, then? I could heat up some leftovers and we could catch up a bit. Nook wouldn't want you working on an empty stomach anyway, right?"

Isabelle paused, brushing her droopy ears back behind her shoulders as Skylar's suggestion sank in. It was a tempting offer, not in the least because of the growing realization that she was, in fact, very, very hungry. But... she looked back towards the plaza, watching as Nook and K.K. continued to discuss something, the latter gesturing around the place with a wave of his paw, while the former had somehow scrounged a scrap of paper and was feverishly writing on it. Then, she turned back towards Skylar, who grinned and tilted his head, patiently waiting for her answer.

Then, her stomach rumbled again, and she smiled bashfully, clasping her paws behind her back. "I should let him know first, but... sure!"

--------------------------

Alani Island – Early April

--------------------------

"Here we go..." Skylar murmured under his breath, scooping a ladle of curry out of the pot and onto a plate, the thick stew smothering a bed of steaming rice. "Sorry it took a little while to warm this up, but I'm, uh, not exactly rocking a microwave at the moment, eheh."

"That's okay!" Isabelle replied, licking her lips as she watched the human pick up her plate, walk across the room and over to the table, and set it down right next to her glass of water. "There isn't one over in Resident Services either, so..."

A savory scent wafted up past her nose, making it twitch in anticipation, but she restrained her urge to dig right in, instead taking another look around Skylar's house as he went back to serve himself. The room was cozy, if sparsely decorated. In one corner, there was the fridge, stove, and sink that made up the kitchenette. In another, there was a sofa, coffee table, and, oddly enough, a Nintendo Switch that was playing soft, jazzy music. And then, of course, there was the dining table she had seated herself at, a green-checkered tablecloth draped over its dark wooden surface.

That last one made her smile, and she ran her paw over the soft fabric, tracing over the squares with her pawpads. The color was earthier, meant more to match the furniture, but it reminded her of her old work outfit all the same.

"Hey, you don't need to wait for me! You sounded hungry, so go ahead, I don't mind."

Skylar's sudden remark pulled Isabelle out of her thoughts, her face flushing slightly when she noticed him looking over his shoulder at her. She nodded, then picked up her fork and jabbed it into the curry, scooping up a decent amount of rice, meat and vegetables and popping it into her mouth.

"Mmmm...!" She perked up almost immediately, an approving hum rumbling in the back of her throat as the mixture of sweet, spicy and umami rushed over her tongue. The sheer flavor packed into it was exactly what she needed, and she smacked her lips a couple of times before gulping the bite down, a shudder of relief running all the way from her head to her tail.

"Heh, sounds like you approve!" Looking up from her food, Isabelle smiled as Skylar sat down across from her, an equally-generous portion of curry sitting on his plate. "You must have had a ton of paperwork for you to be that hungry."

A couple strands of her bangs fell down her forehead, and she reached up to brush the blonde locks back into place, her bell-hairband jingling from the motion. "Don't worry! I told you, it's nothing I haven't done before."

"You mean the tons of paperwork? Or the forgetting to have lunch?" Skylar replied, giving her a warm grin that softened the otherwise-pointed question.

"Well, u-um..." She said, unable to keep the awkwardness out of her voice as a shy smile curled onto her muzzle. Was she really that easy to read? "Both?"

His grin widened, though his bright blue eyes gleamed with visible friendliness, and he picked up his fork, playfully wagging it at her plate before digging into his own portion of curry. "Well then, I get to be extra glad I invited you over tonight. Sounds like you really needed a break!"

As Skylar started to eat, Isabelle followed his lead, taking another bite of food and humming in response. The hearty meal was already helping to settle her rumbly tummy, which in turn helped her to relax, and she leaned back in her chair, idly tapping her footpaws against the floorboards. Still chewing, the shih-tzu's eyes wandered over to the window, and she peered at the cherry blossoms as they swayed against the sunset, pale pink silhouetted by brilliant orange.

"It is kinda nice to get out of Resident Services every once in a while." Gulping the curry down, she thought aloud, watching as the wind shook a few stray petals off of the flowering branches.

"To be honest, that's the other reason I invited you over," Skylar replied, and she cocked her head, one of her ears grazing against the collar of her shirt. The human scratched at the back of his neck before continuing, his expression a tad sheepish. "It's already been a couple weeks since you got here, but I feel like I haven't talked to you at all outside of work, y'know?"

Isabelle blinked, them smiled in realization. It was a fair point, given how much they needed to do to get K.K. to visit the island, but the thought that he really wanted to get to know her was enough to make her tail wag. And wag it did, swishing hard enough that it bumped against the sides of her seat. "I guess we have been pretty busy with Project K, huh?"

"Yeah, that's the Nookster for you-" Skylar brought his fork up to take another bite, then paused halfway, his eyes furtively flicking towards her. "Uh, though, don't tell him I call him that."

The urge to burst into laughter quickly surged through her nerves, and so she busied herself with her dinner, allowing only a slight giggle to slip out of her mouth. "Your secret's safe with me!"

"Thanks." He grinned in return, sitting back and running a hand down his shirt, smoothing out a few wrinkles that lingered on the the blue-pineapple pattern. "So, how's things been for you so far? The deserted island life treating you okay?"

Isabelle nodded, chewing through a particularly carrot-y mouthful of curry before taking a swig of water and swallowing. "Mmhm, it's been great! I was kind of nervous when I heard I'd be moving so far from the mainland, but now I'm really enjoying myself."

"Yeaaah, I was pretty antsy when I was on the way to the airport." Skylar tilted his head as he spoke, his expression one of obvious curiosity. "Where're you from, by the way?"

His first remark made Isabelle's face fall, if only a little, as the thought of her own dreary trip to the airport briefly flitted through her mind. She curled her paw a little tighter around her fork and took another bite of food, and that, along with Skylar's next question, helped her bounce back. "Oh, I'm from Greenoak! Four or five years ago, my brother Digby and I moved there for work. Mr. Nook was a real-estate agent there at the time, that's how I first met him."

"Oh, cool!" Skylar said, nodding in understanding as he listened to her explanation, smearing a glob of rice through his curry all the while. "I didn't realize you'd worked for him before."

"Huh? Oh no, I was..." Isabelle hastily corrected herself – and then trailed off when a prickle of nostalgia suddenly flared up deep within her, the same nostalgia she'd felt when she was reminiscing on her first day.

Her fluffy tail slowed to a stop, hanging limply through the gap in her chair, and she set her fork down on her plate with a gentle clink, staring at the tablecloth afterward. On the one paw, it was hard not to feel frustrated with how anxious she felt. She had brought up Greenoak without a care in the world, and yet the mere mention of her old job was enough to make her get all hesitant. And yet, on the other paw...

--------------------------

"Are you sure about this, sis?" Digby said, his arms folded against his red suitcoat as he looked over from the other side of the room. He sported a slight smile on his muzzle, but between his stiff pose and the lack of wag to his tail, it was plainly obvious how worried he was. "I know things in Greenoak haven't been the best for you recently, but moving all the way to an island in the middle of nowhere? I thought that Nook was crazy when he first called about it!"

"Digby..." Isabelle looked back at her brother, gently resting a paw on the handle of her suitcase and smiling as best she could. "I know you had to pull some strings so I could help you out with the camp expansions, and I really do appreciate it. But... you know that sort of thing wasn't what I wanted to do with my life. It just isn't the same as..."

She trailed off, unable to maintain eye contact when the thought of the town hall drifted through her head. Sure, Goldie had really stepped up to the task, and everyone else had pitched in to help keep the town as well and thriving as it ever was. It was just... taking a deep breath, she let out a shuddering sigh, trying her absolute hardest to keep her composure.

"It's just not the same." She repeated, her bell-hairband ringing as she raised her head back up. "Besides, maybe... maybe putting some distance between me and Greenoak will be a good thing."

There was a brief pause, her statement hanging heavily in the air. Isabelle gazed at Digby, who bored right back into her with an intent look on his muzzle. She'd seen him use this stare when he was working with particularly picky clients, but now that she was on the receiving end, she had to admit, it was kind of intimidating. It wasn't what she ever expected to think about her twin brother.

"Isabelle..." When Digby finally spoke, he let his shoulders slump, a note of resignation in his voice. Slowly, he padded over to her... and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a tight hug. "I knew after we got that last letter that things were going to be tough on you, but I... I guess I didn't think you'd actually decide to leave."

Isabelle relaxed, letting go of her luggage and returning her brother's hug, feeling their droopy ears brush together. She could feel Digby shaking, ever-so-slightly, and she gave him a light pat on his back to try and help him keep his chin up. "It's not like I'm gonna be gone forever, you know. You have my phone number, and once I get there, I can text you the address if you want to send some mail."

This time Digby was the one who sighed, and her tail wagged a couple times when she felt him pat her back in return. "I know, I know. Just... take care of yourself out there, okay, Isabelle?"

She nodded, and eventually her brother pulled away, hastily wiping his face on his sleeve for a moment. When he let his arm fall, he looked back at her with a sad smile, one that she matched in turn. "C'mon, baby brother. You've got work to get to, and I've got a plane to catch."

--------------------------

Well... on the other paw, she had taken Nook up on his offer for a reason.

"Isabelle?" Once again, Skylar's voice pulled her out of her thoughts, and she raised her head to look at him, her droopy ears slipping in front of her shoulders. "You okay?"

Her nerves fluttered when she saw the concerned look on his face, his curly brown hair framing his face in a way that only accentuated his freckles and bright blue eyes. Combined with the soft music drifting over from the other side of the room, and the fragrant scent of reheated curry, she suddenly felt at ease. It was hard to tell if it was because she actually had some food in her belly, or if it was because of Skylar's earnestness, or if it was because of how nice it felt to have a home-cooked meal for the first time in two whole weeks.

Then she realized that she had been sitting there in silence for at least a full minute. Maybe even longer. It was a bit hard to tell.

"O-Oops-!" Isabelle jolted in her seat, quickly bringing her paws up to cheeks in a vain attempt to hide the blush that was rising onto them for the umpteenth time that evening. "S-Sorry, Skylar! I was just... um, thinking."

She winced as soon as the words left her mouth; it was the truth, but it didn't sound convincing in the slightest. If Skylar wasn't convinced, though, he didn't let it show, instead smiling reassuringly at her. Inwardly, she thanked him for being so polite, despite the scatterbrained turn their talk had taken.

"I..." She began, taking a deep breath before scooping up some more rice and sauce, trying her best to smile back at Skylar as she did. To her surprise, it wasn't nearly as hard as she expected it to be, and soon a small, genuine smile had curled onto her muzzle. "I, um, wasn't part of Nook Inc. back then. I actually worked with Greenoak's mayor, as his secretary."

"Wait, really?" Skylar quickly looked up at her, surprise written all over his face. It was enough to make her giggle again, and soon he started chuckling as well, her droopy ears twitching at the sound. "Woah. What was that like?"

"Busy." She leaned back against her chair, the answer coming without a second thought. "I was doing the same sort of thing I do here, handling the quality-of-life of the town and that sort of thing, but I was also in charge of the stuff that Nook has you help him with. Getting land ready to build bridges or new buildings, putting down plots for new houses, signing ordinances or drafting up other public works projects... I helped the mayor with all of that stuff."

"Huh... no wonder you said you've done so much paperwork before," Skylar said thoughtfully, picking up his glass of water and taking a long swig.

"Well, that wasn't just because of the job! When I started, the mayor was an old tortoise. He had been mayor for years, and nobody'd ever really stepped up to replace him," Isabelle explained, reaching up to adjust her bun of blonde hair even as she spoke. "Then a couple months in, he decided it was time to retire, and I had to help train a brand-new mayor who was as new to the job as I was!"

"Wh-What!?" Skylar sputtered into his drink, coughing a couple times before wiping his face on his sleeve, giving Isabelle an incredulous look. "No way! So he just packed his bags and went off to who-knows-where...? Talk about a raw deal!"

Something about the genuine reactions Skylar was having made Isabelle smile, the corners of her muzzle higher and higher. Maybe all she needed was someone new to tell the story to? In the back of her mind, she realized her nervousness was mostly gone, replaced by the happiest memories she had of her old hometown. Glancing out the window, she let her chin rest on her paw again, watching as the sun slowly dipped below the horizon.

"It wasn't that bad, really. If anything, it was the best thing that could have happened to the town at the time," The shih-tzu thought aloud, unable to keep a wistful tone from entering her voice. "I think that's part of why I got used to living and working here so quickly, too... It's nice to be doing something familiar again, after how monotonous the past year or so was..."

"Huh?" Skylar grunted, and she looked at him out of the corner of her eyes – then blinked when she noticed how confused he looked. "What do you mean?"

For the briefest of moments, Isabelle re-ran everything she'd said in her head, from moving to Greenoak to her secretary days to just this past year-

"U-Um! I-It's nothing, no big deal!" She replied, practically shoving the thought of the past year out of her head as she sat up a bit straighter in her chair, her bell-hairband jingling in the meantime. Her mind raced as she tried to think of something else to say, and she gazed up and down at a still-confused Skylar, then blurted out the first thing that came to her. "How about you, though!"

He cocked his head, locks of his curly hair falling down his forehead, and Isabelle took a deep breath, then sighed awkwardly, feeling her brief bout of antsiness fizzle out. Once she had relaxed, she took her water with both paws and sipped at it, tongue lapping against the glass.

"I mean... how about you, Skylar?" She said, her own curiosity quickly mounting as she smiled at the human sitting across from her. Pressing her footpaws against the floorboards, she scooted her seat forward a bit and picked her fork up again. "Where are you from?"

"Ohh. Well, my life isn't as exciting as yours sounded." Skylar grinned sheepishly and shrugged, but continued all the same. "Had a bit of a rough patch after finishing high school, so I ended up working in retail for a few years. Eventually went and got my degree, and then I saw an ad for Nook Inc. and the whole deserted island deal. And, well, now I'm here!"

"Oh! Congratulations, Skylar!" Isabelle exclaimed, giving him a bright, approving smile before turning her attention to the remaining curry on her plate. "What were you majoring in?"

"Uh... liberal arts," He replied, a hint of awkwardness slipping into his otherwise-casual voice, as if he was admitting something he shouldn't. "Not to fulfill a stereotype or anything, but even before I went back, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. Don't get me wrong, I learned a lot, and my classmates were nice, but..."

When his voice went quiet, Isabelle looked up at him... and felt her eyebrows rise a little bit. He was looking out the window, like she had been doing moments earlier, and a strangely distant look had crossed onto his face. Even his bright blue eyes seemed to be a little duller than usual. For the first time since she'd met him, she could sense a nervousness slipping through his otherwise-cheery exterior, and along with the soft music still playing from his Switch, the atmosphere of the house had gone gloomy.

"I guess that's why your design for Alani's flag was so good, huh?" She said, speaking as gently as she could, trying her best to cheer him up. After all, he'd rolled with her sudden change in subject. It was only fair.

Thankfully, the remark did just that, energy visibly returning to Skylar's face as he glanced over at her. Slowly, but surely, he grinned his usual easygoing grin and leaned back in his chair. "Yeah, that's probably part of it, eheh."

Isabelle giggled to herself, the tension in the room quickly dissipating, and she idly tapped her footpaws together, ready and willing to engage her curiosity again. "So, what made you want to fly out here? Moving out on your own right after college seems like a bit of a jump!"

"Better than trying to scrape by back in the city!" Skylar shot back with a shake of his head, and then he folded his arms against his shirt, crossed his legs, and looked up at the ceiling. "But I... dunno, I guess. I was just watching a video on YouTube, saw the ad at the end, and I just had a gut feeling that it was what I needed to do. An impulse somewhere deep down, y'know?"

The shih-tzu scraped the last of her curry off of her plate, a satisfied hum rumbling in the back of her throat as she popped the lingering rice and sauce into her mouth and gulped it down. She set her fork down afterward, cocking her head as she replied. "You just decided to move to this deserted island on a whim? Weren't your parents worried?"

"I prefer to call it 'following my heart'. That's probably why they let me go!" Skylar replied with a chuckle, reaching up and gesturing around the room with a wave of his hand. "Besides, it's been great so far. The island's getting more and more built up, I've got a house, and I've made a lot of friends along the way. Like you!"

A smile quickly spread across Isabelle's muzzle, a bubbly sense of happiness flooding through her at Skylar's compliment. She knew he considered her a friend as soon as she met him, but there was something nice about hearing him say it out loud. "Skylar... thank you. I'm glad we're friends, too!"

Skylar beamed right back at her, dimples forming in his cheeks once again – and then a muffled chime played, a repetitive beeping that made them both bounce in their seats in surprise. Skylar glanced down at his pants, leaning from side to side as he tried to figure out where the sound was coming from, and Isabelle's eyes widened in realization when she felt something vibrating in her pocket.

"A-Ah-!" She gasped, reaching into her skirt and digging her Nookphone out, feeling the hard plastic case rattle against her pawpads. Poking the green call button, she brought the device up to an ear and looked out the window at the sky, which was now dark and filled with countless stars. "Hello? Mr. Nook?"

"Isabelle?" Out of the speaker came the familiar voice of Tom Nook, along with the distant sound of a printer, and the even-more-distant sound of the coffee maker. "Sorry to interrupt, but could you come back to Resident Services soon? There's a lot of work left to do and it's getting late, yes yes!"

"Of course, Mr. Nook!" She replied with a nod, running a paw down her stomach as she spoke, feeling more than satisfied with her meal. "We just finished eating, so I'll be right over!"

"Good! It seems that K.K.'s taken quite the interest in our little island, oho!" Nook chortled, and with a click, he ended the call.

Letting her arm drop back to her side, she tucked her phone away again, looking back at Skylar with an apologetic smile. The human shrugged knowingly, scooting back and swinging his legs around to stand up.

"Sorry, Skylar," She said, daintily getting up from the table and smoothing out her aloha shirt and skirt, her footpaws padding softly against the floor. "Time for me to get back to work."

"No worries! I didn't realize how late it was anyway, I bet the Nookster's all in a lather," He said with a smile, reaching out to gather up the dirty dishes. Isabelle bashfully fluffed her ear all the while, a bit embarrassed that he was going to have to clean up after her.

As Skylar stepped over to the sink, Isabelle took one more look around, her gaze going from the table, to the little living nook, back to the human who lived in it all. Closing her eyes, she inhaled... and exhaled... trying to get herself back in the mindset for work. After a second or two, she ambled towards the door, fluffy tail still swishing back and forth.

"Oh, and, uh, Isabelle?" She stopped in her tracks when Skylar said her name, and she glanced expectantly at him. He set the plates and forks into the sink before looking over at her with a smile, his expression bright. "Thanks for coming over!"

She stood up a bit taller and smiled back, her bun of blonde hair shaking and her bell-hairband jingling as she bowed her head in thanks. "Thank you for having me over, Skylar. G'night!"

--------------------------

The town hall was abuzz with activity. Isabelle darted here and there, her bell-hairband stuck in a constant state of ringing as she ran through her various duties, mentally checking them off one by one.

Watering the sunflowers? Check. Making sure that all the paperwork and files around the office were neat and tidy? Check. Putting any stray books back in their proper spots in the bookcase? Check. Sending a quick email to the construction company about those new wind turbines? Check. So much to do, so little time... and yet somehow, before she even realized it, she was almost finished with each and every task!

"Phew..." The shih-tzu panted heavily, stretching her arms up above her head and catching her breath. Her fluffy tail betrayed how much energy she still had left in her, however, waving from side to side as she took a look around. "Just a little bit more and I'll be aaaaall done...!"

The sound of squeaking hinges made her ears twitch, and she sprang to attention, hastily giving herself a once-over to get herself ready to greet whoever stepped through the door. Smoothing out her bun of blonde hair and brushing her paws over her green-gingham vest, she turned her gaze towards the front of the building, perking up at the familiar clicking of formal shoes...

"Good morn... ing... M-Mayor?" A distinctly human shape stood in the doorframe, though their details were masked by the bright glare of the sun as it shined directly into Isabelle's eyes. She winced, ducking her head to try and shield herself – and then felt her heart plummet into the pit of her stomach when the shadowy figure turned away from her-

-and then the town hall exploded.

Isabelle's voice caught in her throat as the floor was suddenly ripped out from under her, a long platform bursting through the floorboards and crashing straight through the roof with a bang. She and the mayor-like phantom were both carried away, the houses becoming pinpricks as they got higher and higher above the town. Soon enough, they were up among the clouds, thin and wispy, and the shih-tzu shivered as a chill went down her spine.

"Mayor?" She finally managed to gasp out, her vision starting to blur as the high-altitude wind whipped at her face, and she watched as, of all things, a smaller platform floated right along past her head. The figure was still wreathed in shadow, despite the fact that they were in broad daylight, and as the platform got close, he suddenly jumped up and onto it, as if in low-gravity. "Wait! Mayor-!?"

Digging her footpaws in, Isabelle tried to push herself to jump on with him, her heart pounding in her chest, but all she did was tumble forward, falling flat on her face with a pained thud. There was a strange, uncomfortable heaviness surrounding her, blanketing her, weighing her down, and a puppy-like whine slipped out of her muzzle when the mayor shook his head disapprovingly.

"Mayor, wait! Wait for me!" She cried out. Or at least she tried to, because when she opened her mouth again, nothing came out. And yet, the words echoed all around her, even as the platform with the mayor on it began moving further and further away. Feebly, she tried to reach a paw out to him, only to claw at the platform she was trapped on instead. "Please...!"

And then, all of a sudden, she was falling, both the mayor's and her platforms disappearing just as quickly as they'd come. The silhouette of the mayor went with it, and all Isabelle could do was stare at the earth as she dropped towards it, watching as Greenoak rapidly approached – and then Greenoak suddenly wasn't Greenoak at all, but the sea – and Isabelle scrunched her eyes shut, bracing herself for impact-

-and then her eyes shot open.

Groaning softly, Isabelle lay still for a while, staring into the darkness as her vision adjusted to the lack of light. The shock of the nightmare wore off fast, replaced by an uncomfortable bleariness that prompted her to roll over, bend her knees, and curl up into a small ball, the covers brushing against her frizzy coat of yellow fur. Nuzzling into her pillow, she felt a deep tiredness course through her nerves, a tiredness that made everything blur together. As soon as her eyelids slowly fluttered closed, the shih-tzu felt her mind drifting, what was real and what wasn't melding together.

A second later, she made it back to sleep, and when she woke up the next morning, she had the strangest feeling that she'd had a dream of some kind. But for the life of her, she couldn't remember it at all.

[returnerofthewrites]

Alani Days: Ch1

A warm glow filled the Resident Services building as the early-morning light streamed in through the window, sunbeams landing on the messy countertop and illuminating trace amounts of dust that floated around the room. Up on the wall, a round clock ticked... tocked... ticked... tocked, just loud enough to rise above the whirring of the ceiling fan that hung in the corner. Faint wisps of steam wafted up from right underneath the fan, getting swept up into the circulation and blown all over, filling the air with the smell of freshly-made mocha.

"Hmm..." Stepping away from the coffee machine, a yellow-furred shih-tzu hummed to herself, gripping the styrofoam cup with both paws as she slowly, carefully, padded over to the counter. Setting her drink down, she idly wiped her pawpads down her shirt, brushing invisible wrinkles out of the pink, Nook Inc.-patterned fabric. "Today's the big day..."

As she thought aloud to herself, she raised her head and took yet another look around the room, the bells on her hairband jingling from the motion. She had already been here for half an hour, and had also already looked around at least four times – but until she was called for the morning announcement, she had nothing to do, and so she tried to familiarize herself with her newly-constructed workplace. As her eyes wandered from wall to wall, window to window, ATM to recycling bin, the clock continued to tick... tock... ticked... tock...

"Hrmph-!" The incessant noise prompted the shih-tzu to cross her arms against her chest, the corners of her muzzle tightening into a slight pout. "Mr. Nook, what's taking you so long?"

Mr. Nook couldn't possibly have heard her, of course, but as soon as she voiced the complaint, she inhaled sharply and tensed up, her attention immediately turning to the front doors at the other end of the office. A second passed, then two, and when nobody came inside to get her, she let out a sigh of dismay. Why was she so... so... nervous?

"C'mon," She said under her breath, grabbing her coffee cup and bringing it to her lips, the pungent scent wafting past her nose and jolting her senses awake. She paused for a moment, then took a deep swig, her fluffy tail starting to wag as the chocolate flavor ran over her tongue, creamy and mild. Coffee probably wasn't the best cure for the jitters, but for the moment, it was working wonders. "It's a little public speaking. You've done it plenty of times before."

But... she took another sip of mocha before walking back over to the coffee machine and wiping her mouth on a napkin, moving almost on instinct. Looking up at the sunlit window again, she paused, clasping her paws together on her skirt. But it had been quite... quite a long time since she had done any sort of public speaking like this.

A faint prickle of nostalgia drifted through the shih-tzu's mind, and she took a deep breath, then sighed again, feeling the tension in her body fizzle out somewhat. When she'd gotten the call from Mr. Nook, she knew the job was going to be similar, but now that she was mere minutes away from having to introduce herself, it was starting to hit her all at once. Memories of her old home began bubbling up within her, from the old town hall to that big, dark swivel-chair, and the figure sitting in it-

"Isabelle?"

She perked up, a ripple running down her droopy ears at the sound of her own name. Hastily tossing her napkin in the trash, she spun around to look where the voice had come from, then relaxed a bit: it was a brown-furred tanuki, clad in a white-green Nook Inc. aloha shirt and pale shorts.

"It's time!" He continued, one paw still on the door handle even as he eased inside and gestured at her to follow. "C'mon, chop chop!"

"Of course, Mr. Nook!" Isabelle replied without hesitation, her footpaws padding against the tile floor as she stepped around the counter. "Let's go!"

--------------------------

Alani Island – Late March

--------------------------

"Phew..." Isabelle felt her shoulders slump as she made her way back into the Resident Services building, turning and looking outside as she held the door open for her boss. "It's been a long time since I did anything like that."

"Oho, I think you did very well!" Tom Nook, CEO of Nook Inc., chortled as he followed along with her, his bushy tail swishing back and forth. Once they were both fully inside, Isabelle closed the door, even as the tanuki continued to speak. "I invited you to Alani for a reason, after all. You have my full confidence that you'll handle the morning announcements with aplomb."

A light blush flared onto the shih-tzu's cheeks at that – the only she'd done so far was introduce herself, and yet Nook was heaping such high praise onto her already. Standing up straighter, she placed her paws on her hips and smiled proudly. "Thank you, sir! I'll do my best!"

"Good!" Nook replied, and together they both headed back behind the counter, taking their places at their respective stations. Isabelle reached up to adjust her bun of blonde hair in the meantime, bell-hairband still ringing. "Now that we've built the Resident Services into a proper building, I think things are going to start growing much faster around here. Our residents have already made things nice and cozy in some places, but soon, hoho..."

The tanuki trailed off, clapping his paws together and chuckling to himself, and Isabelle gave him a look before peering at the island map on her side of the counter. It was certainly a large patch of land, with coastlines all around and a two-pronged river that cut through it, circling around an island in the center before exiting to the west and south. A bridge had been marked down on the latter, and she realized that the whole southern segment was dotted with a handful of houses.

"Um... Mr. Nook?" She said, a couple loose locks of her hair drooping down her forehead. She reached up to brush them back into place, only for her droopy ears to slip over her shoulders instead. "I only flew in last night, so I didn't get a chance to look around the island yet. How many people do you have living here already?"

"Hm? Oh, yes yes, of course!" Nook perked up at her question, his rounded ears wiggling as he sheepishly scratched the back of his neck. "Well, not counting you and I, Timmy, Tommy and dear old Blathers over at the museum... we have six residents here on Alani so far! Hazel, Rudy, Anabelle, Skye, Cranston, and Skylar, who we decided should be the representative for the island. Five animals and one human in total!"

Isabelle nodded through most of Nook's explanation, idly running a finger from house to house on the map... and then she froze when he finished speaking, his last few works completely derailing her train of thought. "One... human?"

"Yes indeed! We started a little small, of course, but that's one of the-" Nook paused, then spoke up again after a second or so, his business-like tone gaining a note of thoughtfulness. "Ahh, that's right! It is sort of similar to how things were back in Greenoak, isn't it?"

"Y-Yeah..." Tearing her eyes away from the map, Isabelle instead turned her attention to her cup of coffee, which still sat, forgotten, at the edge of the counter. Grabbing it, she gave it a gentle swirl and took a sip, wrinkling her nose afterward. Darn... it had already gone lukewarm. "I mean, yes, Mr. Nook. I was, um, thinking about it earlier."

Nook nodded and walked over to her, then sidled past to use the coffee machine, the buttons beeping as he started to reheat what was left in the pot. Letting the timer run down, he turned towards her and placed a paw on her shoulder, giving her a reassuring smile. "Well, hopefully it won't be nearly as much work as back then. I won't have you pulling any all-nighters here, I can assure you, oho!"

Isabelle looked back at Nook, then brought a paw up to stifle a giggle, her fluffy tail starting to wag again as she mulled the joke over in her head. From anyone else, it probably would have been a bit insulting, but she could see him thinking back to his own time in the quiet little country town.

Before she got a chance to reply, however, the doors suddenly swung open again, the brand-new hinges moving without a single squeak to clue them in. Their ears twitched in realization when a couple of slow, plodding footsteps rang through the air, and both taunki and shih-tzu spun on their heels, ready to greet whoever had come in-

-and Isabelle perked up in surprise when she saw the human standing in the middle of the room.

He was tall – a little taller than her, it seemed like – with damp, mostly-combed hair and thick, trimmed eyebrows, their dark brown color standing out against his fair complexion. Patches of freckles decorated his cheeks, and his bright blue eyes wandered all around the room, overflowing with obvious curiosity. Clad in a blue-pineapple aloha shirt, khaki jeans, and black sneakers, he looked so casual that it was enough to put her at ease, her muzzle curling into a small smile.

"Man... talk about a major upgrade," He said, his easygoing voice yanking Isabelle out of her trance. She shook her head a bit, her bell-hairband jingling merrily from the motion... which caught the human's attention almost immediately. He glanced towards her, then grinned, his expression lighting as soon as he saw her. "Oh, yeah! So you're the one taking over the morning stuff? Miss Isabelle?"

His cheer was infectious, and she felt her earlier nervousness drain away, replaced with a wave of excitement at meeting someone new. Smiling wider, she nodded in affirmation, brushing her droopy ears back behind her shoulders. "Please, just call me Isabelle! You must be Skylar, right? We were just talking about you!"

"That's right! Good morning, Skylar!" Nook eased his way past Isabelle again, waving a quick greeting at their visitor. Skylar waved at him in return, ambling over to one of the chairs and leaning up against the metal frame. "Getting an early start today, are you?"

"Naaah, I don't really know what I wanna do today. When I heard we had someone new here, I came right over. Nice to meet you, Isabelle!" Skylar replied, giving Isabelle another quick glance.

"It's nice to meet you too!" She smiled bashfully – the idea that he visited just to say hello made her tail wiggle in happiness. Before the thought could distract her, though, she pulled herself together, giving the island map a quick tap. "If you have any questions about the quality-of-life here on Alani, I'll be here to help!"

"Nice!" Skylar said, shooting her a thumbs-up... then furrowing his brows. "Though, uh... what do you mean by quality-of-life, exactly?"

"Oh!" Isabelle blinked, then stepped up to the counter and ran a paw over its wooden surface. "I deal with anything related to the island and everyone living here. Things like how much people enjoy it here, or whether someone's been causing trouble... w-well, hopefully not that! And I'm also responsible for Alani's town-tune and flag, things like that-"

"Flag?" Skylar repeated, perking up at the word and giving Isabelle his full, rapt attention. She tried her best not to start giggling again – he practically looked like a puppy at the dinner table. Nook, in the meantime, had gone back over to his side of the counter, and was currently busy gathering things from the supply shelf.

"Mmhm! Most towns and islands have their own little signature flag. We've got one set up near the airport, and another one's standing right outside here." She explained, looking out the window again and pointing upward. She couldn't see the flag from inside, of course, but Skylar didn't need to know. "I think Mr. Nook's been using his company logo as the flag so far, but if you want to come up with a new design, we could look into switching it out!"

An almost-inaudible 'huh...' left Skylar's mouth as she finished, and he slowly raised his head, his still-damp hair glinting slightly from the sunlight shining in. His expression had gone from excited to curious to brainstorming in the span of half a minute, and Isabelle tilted her head as she watched him think. Was he going to say anything else...?

"Er-hem!" A brief cough from Nook made the both of them jump, and they turned towards the taunki, who coughed into his paw a second time to finish clearing his throat. His other paw rested atop a backpack that was nearly half his height, packed full enough that its pockets were pulled taut. "Sorry to interrupt, but Skylar, if you would do me a favor...?"

"Oh! Uh, sure, yeah, what do you need, Mr. Nook?" Skylar nodded, slipping his hands into his pockets and pushing away from the chair.

"Well, with the Resident Services building complete, I'd like to start working towards making the island attractive for even more visitors. So I'd like you to take this and set up a campsite somewhere for people to stay in-!" With a grunt and a heave, Nook hoisted the bag up and onto the counter, wiping his brow as the camping supplies within clunked and jostled around. Isabelle reached out, ready to help out, but Skylar moved faster, striding over and tugging the camping bag around.

"More visitors?" He exclaimed as he slid his hands through the straps, confusion evident in his voice. "Are you talking folks like Mabel, or Blathers? Or are you wanting even more people to move in here? It took a little time to scope out good plots for the others the last few weeks."

"That's something I'd like to discuss with you later, actually. I've got plans for where this island could go from here... but they can wait until you've found a good spot for the campsite, hohoho!" Nook stepped back, his bushy brown tail swishing around.

Isabelle found herself staring at Skylar as he carefully scooted forward, the hefty backpack scrunching as he tried to hoist it fully over his shoulders. After a few seconds of pulling, he eventually managed to step away from the counter, knees bending sharply from the extra weight. "Welp, you guys can count on me! I'll be back once I've got this all set up, then."

And with that, Skylar began trundling away, his sneakers squeaking against the tile floor as he slowly made his way across the room. Isabelle watched as he marched over to the door, a weird mix of both concern and amusement welling up within her – the bundle of supplies was so tall that it went past his head, and his marching was so awkward that she couldn't help but laugh inwardly at it. With a yank, Skylar pushed the double-doors open, waving goodbye as he stepped outside... and then, he shut the doors behind him. A tick-tocking, fan-whirring calm filled the Resident Services building once again, and Nook and Isabelle both stared at the doors for a few seconds longer.

"Well, now you've met our island representative." Isabelle jumped again when Nook spoke up, and she reached up to silence her bell-hairband before it could ring, her droopy ears bunching up on top of her shoulders. "What do you think?"

"He seemed..." Isabelle paused, briefly thinking back her earlier nervousness, then rolling their while conversation around in her mind, start to finish, front to back. Then, she smiled, her whole body feeling relaxed and ready for the day. "He seemed really nice, actually!"

"Good! I was sure you two would be fast friends. You're both such hard workers, after all, hm?" Nook gave her an approving smile, his eyes closing as he clapped his paws together again.

"Thank you, Mr. Nook..." Isabelle said bashfully, glancing over at the stack of files that was left on her desk... then quickly tried to straighten herself up, though her wagging tail betrayed her lingering excitement. "So, what do we need to do next?"

--------------------------

A strong, high-altitude wind blustered through the cedar trees, a pair of sparrows gliding on the currents and swooping down to the higher branches and boughs, chirping and tweeting to themselves as they settled onto their perch. For a few quiet moments, they sat still, fluffing their feathers and cuddling up together.

THUNK! CLUNK! THUD!

A series of loud noises made the birds squawk in surprise, and they beat their wings as hard as they could to escape whatever was making the awful racket. As they hopped into the air and flew away, there was another heavy thump, followed by a rustle as the top of a makeshift ladder peeked just above the edge of the cliffside.

Slowly, but surely, a pair of hands reached up to grab the highest rung, and with a grunt, Skylar pulled himself up, the massive camping bag still shifting on his back. As he stepped into the grass, he turned around and started to bend over – then thought better of it, getting on his knees before collecting the ladder. And after pulling the tool up, he set it aside and let himself crumple into a splayed heap, his breathing heavy as he took a chance to rest.

"Haah... whoof... phew," Skylar inhaled and exhaled, his chest heaving as he lay in the dirt, still feeling the sheer weight of the backpack against his shoulders. "Alright... time to see what the Nookster stuffed into this thing..."

Sitting back up, he wiggled his arms free and let the bag flop over. Crawling around to the other side of it, he grasped at one of the zippers and tugged it open, his focus already starting to wander even as he worked. Looking up, he gazed into the sky, his movements slowing as he watched the puffy white clouds drift along. The mid-morning sun shined brilliantly, its warmth offset by the fresh spring breeze, and down below, Skylar could see the island slowly coming to life, the hilltop providing a phenomenal view of the entire southern coastline.

"Man, I knew this would be a good spot, but..." He said to himself, letting go of the bundle and scanning from one end of the beach to the other, then raising his head to look skyward once again. His brows furrowed in thought... and then he grinned wide enough to leave dimples in his cheeks. "Wait a minute, that's a good idea!"

Scooting backwards, he kicked his legs up onto the camping bag and dug his Nookphone out of his pocket, his fingers darting across the screen.

--------------------------

"Ahuhuh, well, alrighty! Seeya later, sweatband!"

"Have a good evening, Cranston! It was nice meeting you!" Isabelle piped up, waving goodbye to the white-feathered ostrich as he lazily trotted towards the exit, a smile on her muzzle and a spring in her step.

He chuckled and waved once more before pulling the double-doors open and stepping outside, and the shih-tzu felt her heart swell happily when she caught a glimpse of the horizon, tinted orange by the setting sun. It was hard to believe that it was almost the end of the day already – she had spent more time chatting with her new neighbors than doing any paperwork. Even Nook, discussing with her about 'Project K' in-between visiting residents, felt more like a pleasant chat than anything else. It was kind of refreshing, coming back to this sort of thing after so long...

"Well, that's the last of the residents, oho!" Nook's laugh pulled her out of her thoughts, and she looked over at the taunki, clasping her paws together on her skirt. He was busy arranging a hefty stack of files, and as he continued, she padded over to her desk, bell-hairband jingling. "I think you left quite a good impression on everyone, if I say so myself!"

"I hope so... everyone seemed really happy that I was here," Isabelle replied, sinking down into her swivel-chair and leaning back, her fluffy tail waving all the while. As soon as she sat down, a wave of tiredness suddenly swept through her, and she tried and failed to hold back a yawn. "Haaaw... o-oop! Excuse me, Mr. Nook."

"It's fine, Isabelle. Between flying in just yesterday and meeting everyone, you've been quite the busy bee!" Nook shook his head reassuringly... then dropped his voice somewhat, though not enough to keep her from hearing him. "Though I must say, I'm surprised Skylar hasn't come back yet..."

She cocked her head at the remark, one of her droopy ears rubbing up against the collar of her aloha shirt as her thoughts turned to the brown-haired human. She'd been so distracted with meeting all the other animals that she'd completely forgotten Nook had asked him to set up the campsite. "Do you think he got lost?"

"Certainly not! Skylar knows this island like the back of his paw... er, hand." Nook shook his head again, raising one of his paws for emphasis, then letting it drop when he corrected himself. "When Blathers showed him how to make a stepladder and a vaulting pole, he spent the next day exploring, up in the hills and around the coast. Nobody saw him until he wandered back into town that night!"

"R-Really?" Isabelle felt her eyes widen a fraction.

"Hohoho, yes! You should have seen what he looked like when he stumbled into our tent." The taunki chortled, sitting down in his own swivel-chair as he started to reminisce. "It was like he had-"

Without warning, the doors were pushed open yet again, a sharp gust of air blowing in from the outside. Nook stopped mid-sentence, mouth still hanging open, and Isabelle felt her ears twitch when a triumphant voice cut through the relative silence.

"I got it!" In walked Skylar, the doors swinging shut as he brandished his Nookphone up above his head.

Isabelle turned to look at him, then recoiled slightly in her seat. The human was smiling brightly at the both of them, but he looked... well, there was no polite way to put it: he looked like a mess. As he stepped up to her side of the counter, she found herself staring, giving him a quick once-over. His aloha shirt was wrinkled, while his jeans had been dappled with grass stains and his sneakers were caked with dirt. His formerly-combed hair had been thoroughly windswept, leaving its natural curls tangled. And... was the redness on his ears and face a sunburn?

"Sorry I'm so late, you guys." Blissfully ignorant of her inner musing, Skylar tugged one of the chairs out and eased into it, letting out a sigh of relief as he set his phone down onto the island map. "I got a really good idea for a flag design while I was out exploring, so I drew that up before getting all of the camp stuff squared away."

"Well, you came back at a good time, hm? We were just talking about you!" Nook replied with a knowing smile, glancing over at Isabelle before hopping up from his chair and walking over.

"Heh, that's what you said this morning, Mr. Nook." Skylar grinned right back at him, combing his fingers through his messy hair in the meantime.

Isabelle blinked, then giggled softly and nodded – Skylar might have cut the conversation short, but she felt like she knew what Nook would have said all the same. Still, her curiosity had been piqued, and she brushed her droopy ears behind her shoulders again before speaking up. "So where did you go, Skylar? You've been gone all day!"

"I went climbing the hills up north!" Skylar answered, casually dropping his hands into his lap.

"Wh-What!?" Isabelle blurted out. She might not have been on-island long, but she'd gotten a good look at the miniature mountains from the plane. There was no way he'd gone all the way up there while carrying that huge bag. Right? "With all that stuff Mr. Nook had you bring with!?"

"Sure! I mean, I guess it was a little tough, but I did okay!" A dumbfounded expression quickly crossed onto her muzzle at his still-casual answer. Even her tail had stopped wagging from sheer, utter amazement. Skylar seemed to notice, flashing her another friendly grin. "As soon as you guys brought up the campsite, I knew that's where it oughta go. You get the best views of the island from up there, so it's the best place for visitors to get a first impression!"

"Ahh, that's good to hear!" Both human and shih-tzu turned towards Nook when he interjected, watching as he pulled a pencil and pad-of-paper from his shirt pocket. "Speaking of, I'd like to discuss that a little more with you, while you're here..."

"Oh, sure thing, Mr. Nook!" Skylar sat up a bit straighter, quickly scooting his chair over to the center of the counter.

As the two of them began chatting about Project K, Isabelle found herself staring at the human again, letting her paws drop back to her sides when she realized she'd clasped them, unconsciously, to her chest. The initial shock wore off soon after, and she took a deep breath, then let it out slow, smiling when a refreshing blast of air blustered over her blonde hair and yellow fur, courtesy of the ceiling fan still whirring in the corner.

It was easy to see why Nook had made him the island's representative, with how friendly he was, and yet he'd pushed himself to an almost-comical extent just to make sure any visitors would get the best experience they could. She hadn't been sure what to expect from Alani's residents – albeit now that she'd met all of them, they were a motley, close-knit crew – but Skylar had somehow managed to surprise her three times in one day. And his friendliness was a nice change of pace from the monotony of the past year or so. It really did remind her... of...

Her smile faded, ever-so-slightly, as memories of her old home bubbled up again.

Shaking the thought from her mind, she glanced around the room again, slowly going from one evening-lit window to the other, and she blinked when she spotted the phone that sat atop her station, a twitch going through her tail. That's right! Skylar said he'd come up with a flag idea, didn't he? Rolling her swivel-chair over, she gingerly scooped the phone up with both paws and pressed the power button, tapping her footpaws on the floor as it powered on...

A quiet gasp escaped her muzzle. The pattern-making app had loaded automatically, displaying a stylized, orange sun in front of a cloud in the sky. Its points flared out, the cardinal directions going a bit longer than the diagonals, and the warm color contrasted beautifully with the paler background. She glanced out the window again, peering at the gorgeous evening sky with renewed vigor, then raised the phone aloft, lining it up with the glass panes. In her mind's eye, she imagined the picture waving on the flagpole, a warm sun that would shine down on the island no matter the weather.

"This is perfect!" Isabelle exclaimed, her tail wagging back and forth as let her paws fall back into her lap. The clock ticked, tocked, ticked, tocked... and then she realized that both Nook and Skylar had stopped talking. Feeling her cheeks turn pink, she slowly turned her chair around.

Yup, they were staring at her. She was definitely blushing now.

"U-Um... sorry!" She stuttered out, her hair – and ears – drooping low as she bowed her head. "I just remembered you said you came up with a design for the flag, and-"

"Y-You... really think it's perfect?" When Skylar stammered in return, however, she raised her head, relaxing somewhat when she saw the sheepish expression on his face.

"Yes! I think it really captures the spirit of living on an island like this!" She replied, smiling as she grabbed his Nookphone and passed it over to Nook himself, her bell-hairband jingling merrily from the motion. "Here, Mr. Nook, you should look at this too! I really think we should use it for our island's official flag!"

The tanuki tilted his head as he took the device, his bushy tail swinging from side to side. Then, when he saw the pattern, he turned towards Skylar with a surprised look. "Well well! You came up with this all on your own?"

"Well, I thought about it while I was unpacking all the camp stuff, since I was up on the hill and everything," Skylar said, reaching up to scratch the back of his neck as he spoke, his aloha shirt getting even more wrinkly as a result.

Isabelle couldn't help but giggle inwardly at his modesty, running her paws over her own shirt in the meantime. After how laid-back and friendly he'd been the rest of the day, it was endearing, almost cute, even. Getting up from her chair, she padded up next to Nook, giving Skylar a cheery smile. "Well, I think you did a great job! I imagined it up on the flagpole, and it looked just right!"

"Yes yes, I like it, too!" Nook agreed, passing the phone back over to her and coughing into his fist to clear his throat. "Er-hem... Isabelle, could you give the Ables a call and let them know we've got a flag we'd like them to work on? Just check the pattern-designer on your own phone, there's a way to share the design and you can send it to them that way."

"Of course! I'll do that right now." Isabelle nodded, reaching into her skirt pocket and drawing her Nookphone out, her pawpads brushing smooth over its brand-new, unblemished surface. Before she could even move a muscle, though, there was a rustle of motion, followed by a hand that grasped at her sleeve. The shih-tzu looked up, her droopy ears grazing against Skylar's wrist.

"Er... thanks, Isabelle." Gradually, he smiled – not just a grin, but a full, earnest smile that went from ear to ear. "I'm really glad you liked it so much."

For a moment, she stared into Skylar's bright blue eyes, framed by his messy brown bangs, and she felt her nerves flutter slightly when he let go of her shirt. Then, she puffed her chest out and nodded right back at him, his gratefulness sending a wave of appreciation through her. "You're welcome!"

And with that, she sidled past the coffee machine and over to the door just past it, pulling up the list of contacts on her phone along the way. Behind her, she heard Skylar and Nook start chatting again, and she softly giggled to herself, taking another look at the stylized sun on the former's phone, and also scrolling down her own phone until she spotted 'Mabel'. As she slipped into the back room, she tapped the name, waiting for barely a second before another voice piped up on the other end.

"Isabelle? Is that you?"

"Mmhm! I'm here with Tom Nook, on this new island he's building up!" She raised her voice a bit, to make sure she was heard loud and clear. "Someone just brought us a pattern that we'd like to get made into a flag..."

[returnerofthewrites]

Writing Exercise: Date

“Phew... I'm glad I made it in time,” I muttered under my breath, tightening my grip on the small, ribbon-bound box tucked under my arm, and I stepped into the library, letting out a sigh of relief as I escaped the cloudy, sticky weather. Early evening sunlight streamed in from the glass-paned ceiling, shining against the floorboards, and I basked in the cool air conditioning, the loose ends of my checkered shirt fluttering gently. After a couple seconds of stretching, I glanced around the empty lobby, a strange silence having fallen over the room. “I guess all the Alola U students are back home already, huh...?”

“Um, sir?” I blinked when an unfamiliar voice rang out, and I twisted around, relaxing when I saw a well-dressed Lillipup lady walking over, looking more than a little frazzled as she fiddled with the scrunchie in her bun of headfur. “It's almost five o'clock, and we'll be closing up for the day soon. Did you need help finding something?”

“Er, yeah, my wife,” I remarked, reaching around with my free hand to grab the box I was carrying, light glinting off of my pawspike – and the present's shiny, pink wrapping paper – as I showed it to the pale-furred puppy. “I'd have waited outside, but right now it's kind of hot and terrible out and I didn't want Rose's present to melt on me.”

“Oh!” The normal type Pokemon's face lit up, and she relaxed, the tiredness in her face disappearing as she offered me a hand; I gladly took it, giving her a firm handshake and a grin as she spoke up again. “You must be Bill, then! I'm head librarian Belle, it's nice to finally meet you! Rose's told everyone a lot about you.”

“Ahh, the boss, huh? Nice to meet you too,” I said, glancing around the lobby again afterward, my aura tassels sliding over my shoulders as I looked this way and that, a warm glow filling the library as the sun started to set. “Where is she, anyway? She said her shift ended at closing time, so if you want I can go get her and we'll be out of your hair.”

“She was scheduled in the young adult's section today.” Belle pointed over towards the room at the opposite end of the lobby, and I narrowed my eyes, just barely able to make out the words 'young adult' on the sign hanging from the doorway. I turned around fully, idly scratching at my blunted chestspike while the Lillipup continued. “Knowing her, she's probably finished her closing duties and clocking out already, though!”

“Heh, then I really did make it in time,” I replied, tucking the wrapped box into my checkered shirt and giving the head librarian a quick wave goodbye. “Sorry to cut things short, but thank you for the help, miss Belle. And have a happy Valentines!”

“That's okay, Bill, I should get back to work anyway. Have a great day!” She waved back at me as she replied, and I nodded before striding forward, making a beeline for the bookcases.

The young adult section was just as quiet as the lobby had been, and I couldn't help but take in my surroundings, gazing all around the long, cozy room. The empty desks were free of clutter, chairs pushed in and lamps turned off, while the spinning racks and standing shelves had all been neatly organized, with colorful signs posted just high enough to avoid brushing against my head. I briefly scanned over one of said signs, smiling when I noticed the fresh strips of tape placed on the corners, and I ran my thumb over them, pressing them down a bit harder against the wooden bookcase.

“She must really like working here,” I muttered to myself, taking a step back and leaning sideways, slowly walking through the room and peeking between every bookcase in search of my partner.

My ears flicked when I heard a series of footsteps pitter-patter their way down the hall, followed by a soft hum, and I ambled down to the end of the section in search of the source of the noise. I slowed down when I spotted the cream-furred fox standing behind the check-out counter, her nine fluffy tails waving up and down as she typed away at a computer, most likely clocking out for the day. My heart swelled within my chest as I gazed at my partner, and after taking one last peek at the box under my arm, I sidled up behind her as quietly as I could.

“Sounds like someone had a good day today,” I quipped airily, the corners of my mouth curling into a sheepish grin when the Ninetales perked up, her hoodie's hood swishing around as she spun on her heels. Her ruby red eyes widened to the size of saucers when she realized it was me, her expression going from confusion to delight.

“Bill!” Rose exclaimed, pressing her palms into the counter and leaning in close to nuzzle me. Her nose bumped cold and wet against mine, and I gave the fire type Pokemon a quick kiss before she pulled away, combing at her headfur as she cocking her head in curiosity. “What are you doing in here? You know it's closing time, right?”

“Yeah, I figured I'd give you a ride home.” I gestured back the way I came with a wave of my free hand, even as Rose went back to typing on the computer. Soon enough, she finished clocking out, and she grabbed a strip of paper from under the counter before giving me a grateful look. I smiled right back, flashing her a thumbs-up. “Better than letting you walk all the way right now, anyway. I parked pretty close, so we won't have to be outside for long.”

“Mmf, is it that bad outside?” The Ninetales asked, turning to look out one of the nearby windows when I nodded. She slowly walked out from behind the counter, her footpaws padding softly against the floorboards, and I drew her present out from my shirt while she wasn't looking, hiding it behind my back. The Ninetales smiled cheerfully as she walked up to me, swaying her hips along the way. “This is a nice surprise, though. Thank you for coming to pick me up!”

“You're welcome,” I replied without missing a beat, giving the cream-furred fox a quick peck on the cheek before holding her present out to her, my tail wagging from side to side as I waited for her reaction. “Heheh, here, I got you this, too. Happy Valentines, Rose.”

“O-Oh!” Rose sucked in a breath when she saw the present, her cheeks flushing as pink as the wrapping paper. She tentatively reached out, then grabbed the box, running a palm down the packaging before looking back at me with a bashful look. “Oh gosh, Bill... is this what I think it is?”

“Why don't you open it up and find out?” I grinned, leaning back against a nearby desk and winking at my partner, my aura tassels bumping against my shoulders.

The cream-furred fox laughed softly at that, holding her present up and giving it a gentle shake, tilting her head as she listened to the muffled rustling that came from within. Slowly, she pulled the ribbon off, bundling it up and setting it aside before tearing the wrapping paper away... and her smile widened when she saw the stylized Ho-oh label on the box. “You actually found a place that sells honmei-choco?”

“Not just honmei-choco... chesto-choco,” I replied, lightly tapping my knuckles against the edge of the box, pulling away when I realized I was accidentally poking my pawspike against it too. Rose licked her lips, brushing the ribbon and crumpled paper into the trash before lifting the lid up. She breathed in deeply when she saw the chesto berries inside, their tough, blue skin having been dunked in deep, dark chocolate. “Little place called Minako Confections. Kind of funny, actually, it's just on the first floor of the mall and we just never found it before.”

“Huh... it must be a nice place if they have something as fancy as these. You'll have to show me sometime,” Rose thought aloud, nudging at the chocolates a couple times before closing the box back up, holding it close to her chest as she turned back to me. “Though I'm surprised you didn't get anything for yourself. I guess that means I can go and get you something next month for Soul Day, hehehe.”

“If it wasn't so gross out, I'd say we should go the Unovan route and just stop there on the way home,” I said, smoothing a few wrinkles out of my checkered shirt before glancing towards the other end of the room, staring out at the library grounds and the streets of Hau'oli City that lay just beyond them. Taking a step forward, I began strolling for the doorway, and Rose did the same, following right beside me. “They were advertising Heart Day all over the store, though. I know we've been living here for a while now, but it's still a little weird to see.”

“Feeling a little homesick?” My partner wrapped an arm over my shoulders, pulling me close as we walked out of the section, her warm voice echoing throughout the empty lobby.

“Less homesickness, more nostalgia.” I shook my head, my aura tassels bumping and jostling against each other from the motion. “Who knows? Maybe we can invite your parents over for a vacation sometime and see what they think of Alola life, hah!”

“Knowing mum, she'd want to take the island challenge during her stay!” Rose sighed in response, a few of her nine fluffy tails grazing against the back of my jeans as we headed for the exit. The fire type Pokemon hummed again, and I could see her thinking in the corner of my vision, even as I pushed the library doors open. “Mmm... it has been a while since we last talked to them, though. Remind me to call them over the weeken-”

She abruptly stopped speaking when we stepped outside, and my mouth curled into a half-grin, half-grimace as a wave of humidity bowled us over, her fur – and mine, for that matter – frizzing up from the unpleasant heat. As Rose peered up at the cloudy skyline, I looked around the parking lot, eventually spotting the car next to a wild, harness-clad Tauros that was greedily lapping at a freshly-filled water bowl, its rider nowhere to be seen. Beckoning my partner to follow along, I quickly made my way over, slipping my hand into my pocket and fumbling for my keys.

“Arceus...” Rose murmured, grabbing at the sleeves of her hoodie and panting somewhat as I unlocked the car, and she hastily got in the passenger seat, a few locks of her headfur falling in front of her face. “Has it really been this bad all day?”

“You better believe it,” I replied, finally yanking my keys out as I jogged around to the driver's side, closing the door and slipping the main key into the ignition. With a twist of my wrist, the engine thrummed to life, and Rose and I both hooked our belts and relaxed as a blast of air rushed out of the vents.

“What a shame... I hope the trade winds come back to blow all this away soon,” The cream-furred fox said, leaning slightly against the window as I backed out of my parking space. The neighboring Tauros turned its head and stared at us, water dripping from its snout, and I gave it a friendly wave before switching gears and heading for the road. Rose sat up a little straighter, opening up her box of chesto berries again and picking one out, turning it over in her hand. “Um, do you mind if I...?”

“Pff, dig in, Rose. You're not the first one to eat in this car.” As I turned out onto the main street and pressed my footpaw against the gas pedal, Rose did just that, crunching into the chocolate-coated side with gusto. Her nine fluffy tails wiggled against her seat, as if they had a mind of their own, and I couldn't help but chuckle, taking a quick look at the library in the rear-view mirror. “So what now? Last I heard from Cyan and Erin, they're off on a date today. You up for something like that too?”

“Hmm... I'm... not sure, actually,” Rose pondered mid-chew for a few moments, peering out at the sidewalks as we drove through the city, well-trimmed trees lining the sidewalks and building after building rising high above them. Storm clouds drifted through the sky, which was slowly going from blue to orange as the sun descended behind the western mountain range. After a few seconds, the Ninetales spoke up again. “Did you have something in mind?”

“...nah, not really.” It took me a few moments of mulling the question over before I could answer, smiling sheepishly at my partner, eliciting a soft laugh from her for my trouble.

“Why don't we just spend tonight at home, then? We can pick up dinner on the way back to the apartment, and maybe we could put a movie on and relax...?” Rose trailed off, popping another chocolate-covered chesto berry into her mouth before reaching over, running her fingers through my aura tassels and combing upward. A pleasant tingle ran through my nerves when I felt her gently scratch behind my ears, which flicked and twitched at her touch, and my muzzle curled into a confident smile.

“Heh, that sounds good to me,” I replied with a chuckle, hitting the brake and peering around both sides of the street in search of a restaurant, trying my best to focus on driving even as my partner continued to pet me. “Love you, Rose.”

“I love you too, Bill.” Rose nodded, leaning even closer and giving my cheek a soft – and slightly wet – kiss, her ruby red eyes sparkling happily all the while. “Happy Valentines.”

[returnerofthewrites]

Thoughts on Sonic Mania

This review/essay assumes that the reader has kept up with the social media releases in regards to the game, such as the reveals of Flying Battery and Stardust Speedway, the videos on the Special and Bonus Stages, gameplay videos of some zones released by Youtube accounts, and so on. However, it will not have any spoilers about zones, mechanics or things beyond this.

Everyone out there who’s already put out a review or video or whatnot on Sonic Mania has already started off by going into Sonic’s history, ups and downs and so on, so I won’t bore you with that. Everyone already knows about Classic Sonic, Sonic Adventure, Sonic 06 and Boom. There’s more interesting (and relevant) ways to do an intro for this anyway, and the 06/Boom stuff doesn’t bear repeating.

What does bear repeating, then? The fact that Sonic Mania is a very, very good game.

I’ve been a Sonic fan all of my life, starting with renting VHS tapes of both cartoons (AoStH and SatAM, not Underground) from the local Blockbuster, then eventually ending up with the PC versions of Schoolhouse and CD, and I’m willing to admit that, up until very recently, I was never particularly good at the games. As a child I always got stuck around Collision Chaos, and as I grew up and found out about emulation, I never exactly beat any of them, but it didn’t matter to me, because frankly, moving so fast, shooting through loops and the general feeling of momentum was so much fun.

The whole videogame news website meme of “Sonic was never good” thus understandably grates on me. The Sonic social media construct and everything else cracking jokes about his less-than-stellar outings and so on was cute at first, but it quickly gained that poisonous ironic tinge to it, like Sonic would never be able to step back out of the shadow of its own mistakes. Like when you see people on here or Twitter or whatever call themselves “furry trash” or “(X fandom) trash” or so on. Stop doing that. Don’t settle for acting like mediocrity.

Sonic Mania is the opposite of all of that. It feels like the freshest, most interesting, but most importantly, most earnest Sonic game in a long, long time. It was obvious to most people when the game was revealed that the game was going to be something special, and I think the hype for it only grew as time went on, even in the hearts of anyone who managed to be skeptical at first. There were no jokes, no self-deprecating wisecracks or memes, none of that. They simply stood up, head held high, and showed off gameplay after gameplay.

This game is exactly the game that Sonic has needed, now more than ever. This year in general has been great for games (between Breath of the Wild, Nier, Persona, and many other upcoming games like Mario Odyssey and the like), and Sonic Mania is another excellent chip to add to the pile. The sheer amount of passion and love for Sonic as a franchise that the developers (Taxman, Stealth, Tee Lopes and the rest of the Sonic 2 HD crew, and so on) have is palpable, and more importantly, it’s wonderful.

I have experience with Taxman’s work through the excellent Sonic CD port from back in 2011, so when I booted up the game and started a save file as Sonic and Tails, I felt right at home. Controls, as expected, feel very natural, and the physics and momentum are virtually unchanged from the CD port, which itself was already about as accurate as you could possibly get to the originals. I have the Switch version, which meant that I was primarily using the left buttons to play rather than the control stick, and while I would have preferred a normal d-pad, it worked just fine anyway.

There’s something to be said about how easy it was to pick up the game and slip into a groove. I had gone in intending to look at the same the way I had when I streamed Sonic 3 and Knuckles a while back (my first time completing that game, no less), looking at the level design and seeing how the game itself worked. Instead, I ended up getting completely sucked into each and every level I played, and I was completely enamored with the game as a result. While I could see the machine and its cogs all working together, I needed a couple days to cool off and some more time to play it after the initial rush to get my thoughts in order.

I suppose that, more than anything, is what speaks the most to the sheer quality of the game. The levels consist of a mixture of:

Recreated zones from older games, oftentimes with new mechanics or mechanics pilfered and repurposed from other games in the series

And entirely new zones like Studiopolis and Mirage Saloon, with their own unique gimmicks, setpieces and visual themes

And while it’s very easy to organize those things like that, the game itself is far more than the sum of those parts. Mania’s levels absolutely ooze with love and attention to detail, so much so that it took at least two full playthroughs for me to pick up on everything (and knowing me there’s probably more stuff I missed). The game feels like a best-of game, where it takes many of the fan-favorite or memorable things from all four of the classics (1, 2, 3&K, and CD) and mashes them together in order to get the most out of them.

Chemical Plant is probably one of the easiest examples to point to, and it’s just the second level. The second act’s arguably “major” gimmick is the chemical pools that can be altered into bouncy gel (both light blue and green), but it’s not the only gimmick the stage has on offer; there’s also sticky platforms that move on rails, pink bubbles that lift you from one area to another, as well as the classic pipes from the first act and the original zone.

That’s four different small mechanics, and I can happily say that all of them are integrated into the level design in very sensible yet surprising ways. The levels aren’t massive, but there’s still plenty to explore, and thankfully exploration isn’t quite limited to only Tails thanks to the addition of a carry ability you get when playing with Sonic and Tails.

Thankfully, the exploration never feels like it becomes the main focus (partly since the Special Stage rings are the only major thing to find, and partly because the game has a save system), and there were times during my initial playthrough where I was trying to explore but accidentally stumbled into a high-speed place, only to decide to just roll with it (hah) and see what I could find in the next section of the level I ended up in. It speaks to the heart and soul of Sonic as a game and as a character, and it’s a very, very happy feeling.

The game’s difficulty is also worth noting, mostly since it’s probably the smoothest difficulty curve I’ve ever seen in a Sonic game. I’m rather curious to hear how the developers picked the old zones to remaster that they did, since it often feels like they were chosen not just for their memorability and mechanics, but also for where they showed up in their original games. Zones like Green Hill and Chemical Plant are obvious choices; some of the ones that show up later on, when the game starts getting harder and nearing its finale, are not quite so expected, and personally are very welcome surprises.

This also goes for the bosses, which often feel like they were designed more to be interesting and engaging rather than simply difficult. None of them are all that complicated per-say, but around the end of the first third of the game, things start to become much more challenging, and by the final act everything reaches its peak.

That said, I never got a game over and actually ended my first run with my lives in the double-digits, despite having a few deaths in earlier zones and dying a few times to the final boss. I attribute this to the quality of the level design more than anything else, though. Bottomless pits are beautifully rare (aside from a couple sequences in Flying Battery, naturally), and all of my deaths were due to my own recklessness rather than unintentional crushes, spikes or enemy placement.

And best of all, the Special Stages aren’t annoying. In fact, I’d say they’re probably the best in the series, taking the best elements of the previous games’ Special Stages and mashing them together. They get tough, but still quite fair, and are rather exhilarating. The Blue Sphere bonus stages are quite nice as well, though I do kind of prefer the 3&K ones which get you shields and extra rings and lives. Mania’s bonus stages only give you a medal if you win, which counts across all saves towards unlockables, like the sound test and other, more gameplay-related specialties (which, unfortunately, can only be used in the No Save mode).

Also, have I mentioned the presentation? I talked plenty about the attention to detail in the gameplay, but the graphics! The music! Sonic Mania has catapulted itself into my top pixelart-y games ever. It is to 2D Sonic what Symphony of the Night is to Castlevania: rich, colorful, smoothly animated, and full of vibrant details and lots of foreground and background elements that are just as much fun to sniff out and spot as actual secrets in the levels. Seeing all of the goofy EGG TV things in Studiopolis, or spotting the ever-recurring Eggman face logo in various zones (stylized, of course, in the look of classic Robotnik’s face), had me smiling the whole way through.

The music, much like the rest of the game (as I keep repeating) feels like a mixture of the good of everything that came before it, and it’s often the highlight thanks to how the old zones, new zones, and their remixes/music respectively shake up the genres and moods. It’s very similar to Sonic CD’s soundtrack in that regard; the final zone’s music gave me a similar sense of foreboding that Metallic Madness’ US track did, and there’s the obvious, funkier comparisons to draw between something like Stardust Speedway and Studiopolis. And classic tunes remixed, like Chemical Plant and Flying Battery, amp things up nicely.

If there’s one aspect that I do feel like nitpicking, though, it’s the stage transitions. The game has an intro cutscene and does transitions between the acts and zones quite a bit during the first half of the game, but after a certain point things slowly start to go more of the Sonic 2 route of just going from zone to zone, with little tying them together aside from being in older classic titles. Like I said, though, it’s a nitpick, and certainly not enough to really put a damper on how good the game is.

On the whole, Sonic Mania feels like an absolutely triumphant thing, not just for Sonic fans but anyone who loves videogames. It really is like a bolt from the blue (heh), coming at just the right time to remind everyone, fans, non-fans and newbies alike, of just why Sonic was such a massive hit in the first place. By the time I finished my first run, I immediately had the urge to play it again, and the only thing that stopped me was the fact that I really needed to go to bed and get to work early the next day.

As for right now, though? I think I’m off to play through another zone or two of my current Tails run. Gotta speed!

[returnerofthewrites]

Drenched! Soaking Spelunking Through the Bluff!

"Are y'sure that this is th'place, Bill?" Cyan thought aloud, peering all around as we strode towards the Drenched Bluff, the damp, mossy dirt squishing and squelching messily underfoot, the sounds of trickling water drifting through the otherwise-silent air. I glanced over my shoulder at the Samurott, my gaze briefly lingering on the sun as it gradually peeked above the eastern mountain range, its fiery light spreading throughout the teal-tinged sky. The water type lightly smacked his fan-shaped tail against the ground, leaving a slight indent in between his pawprints. "But why would th'Chronicler want t'meet us here? This place's jus' a couple hours from home!"

"Heh, when I had the Dimensional Scream, someone else asked the same question," I replied with a shake of my head, reaching back to brush my aura tassels back behind my shoulders afterward. My ears twitched when I heard Rose stifle a laugh, and I turned to look at my partner, narrowly seeing her duck her head into her blue scarf. My tail wagged, and I tugged on the straps of our treasure bag, giving our Exploration Team badge a quick polish with a paw. "But yeah, the voice said the Chronicler was going to be hiding out here in the Drenched Bluff... for, uh, for some reason."

"Well that's just silly!" Erin exclaimed matter-of-factly, her whiskers twitching as she shook her head. The Mienshao hastily tied her fur sleeves up, then pulled a smooth stone from her fanny-pack, slipping it into her makeshift sling to test the weight. She paused for a moment mid-whirl, then giggled quietly under her breath. "Heehee, or maybe it's just so super-duper important that letting any other Pokemon find out about it wouldn't be good!"

"That sounds more likely to me..." Rose trailed off, lightly pawing at a moss-covered rock as she spoke, her nine fluffy tails waving up and down in the air as she pawed lightly at the soft lichen. A faint, damp breeze sweep down from the top of the bluff and bluster over us, and I looked over at the Ninetales when she trotted over to me, a slightly-anxious expression on her muzzle. "Nobody knows who they are exactly, after all, even though they've written books and everything. I hope that we're not putting them in any danger..."

"I'm sure it'll be fine, Rose," I said, reaching out to give her a reassuring pat, and she let out a low sigh, smiling gratefully at me before focusing back on the path leading into the bluff itself, winding up and around past tunnels and outcrops. Peering around the area again, I folded my arms and idly tapped my pawspikes against my torsofur. "We've been here plenty of times anyway, so it shouldn't take that long to sniff him out, wherever he is."

"Mmm, that's true." Rose padded forward, her ponytail of headfur slipping over her side in the breeze, and she craned her neck to look skyward, the very top of the hill coming into view slowly, but surely, as morning came. She took a deep breath to calm herself, then smiled a bit more warmly, turning around to look at Cyan, Erin and I. "Yeah... yeah, we can do it. Is everyone ready, then?"

"I've been ready!" Cyan grunted, balling his front paws into fists and rolling his eyes, eliciting a giggle from Erin in the process. "Now let's quit gabbin' an' get goin'!"

The water type stomped forward, pushing past us and heading towards one of the trails, and I strolled up to my partner even as they both headed onward. We both shared a determined nod before following after our two younger teammates, breaking into a brisk jog to catch up with them, trickles of water coming down from high above us.

Drenched! Soaking Spelunking Through the Bluff!

I hunched forward, ducking underneath a few rocks jutting out from the walls as we made our way up the trail, moss and tiny flowers caked between the cobbled stones. An hour had already passed since we first entered into the mystery dungeon, but the waterlogged hillside seemed to blend together, small paths leading to small clearings with more small paths leading away again. A couple of gray, misty clouds had rolled in as we walked, blocking the sun and thankfully keeping the weather from getting too hot. Cyan and Erin splashed around a couple steps ahead, the latter scooping stones and other things up from the damp ground and slipping them into her belt pouch.

"Finding anything interesting, Erin?" I called out, reaching up to rub at our Exploration Team badge as I spoke, and the Mienshao swiveled around on her heels, nearly losing her balance as she started to walk backwards.

"Not really!" She cheerfully replied, lifting her paws and holding a couple of water-smoothed pebbles up above her head, waving them back and forth a few times before tucking them into her tied fur sleeves. She gave the stones a quick spin to test their weight, nodding afterward. "No orbs or seeds or anything, it's all rocks."

"Just be careful and watch where you're stepping, okay?" Rose chimed in, cocking her head slightly as she looked towards the younger Pokemon, gesturing at her to turn back around with a shake of her muzzle. Erin smiled and nodded earnestly, then spun back around, her tail and whiskers swishing through the air as she jogged ahead to hunt for more stuff.

Turning my head, I glanced at the Ninetales out of the corner of my eyes, watching her walk slowly and daintily behind me, being cautious to move from one patch of moss to another in order to keep her footing. Slowing my pace somewhat, I waited until my partner had caught up with me, scanning around the Drenched Bluff in the meantime. The sunlight waxed for a moment as the clouds drifted away, only to darken again not a second later; I glanced up when a quiet screech caught my ear, chuckling under my breath when I spied a few wild Wingull circling about.

"So, uh..." I started lamely, bringing my arms back behind my head, aura tassels bumping and slipping out between my pawspikes as I glanced at my partner. "Mind if I ask something?"

"Mmm?" Rose perked up, then smiled and nodded at me, her tails swishing back and forth, their orange tips brushing up against my side. The cream-furred fox relaxed a little bit, cocking her head in curiosity as she replied. "Bill, you know you don't need to ask that, hehe. What is it?"

"The Chronicler," I answered without missing a beat, taking a deep breath of the misty morning air and sighing, briefly checking on Cyan and Erin – the former crabbing at the latter about something as she scampered about – before continuing. "What all do you know about him?"

"Oh!" Rose's face brightened in understanding, her expression turning thoughtful as she mulled the question over, digging her paws into a couple clumps of grass and soil as the path started to slope higher. I crouched lower and bent my knees as I pushed against the rising hill, my ears flicking as I heard Rose dig her paws in, her tiny claws scraping against the rocks. "Well, I already told you most of what I know. They study ancient ruins, and they've written some books about their research. They know a lot about humans in particular, though nobody knows exactly how they found everything out."

"Huh," I grunted, my tail wagging back and forth as a shadow suddenly passed over us, a large chunk of slate jutting out from the side of the bluff above us. I looked up at it, furrowing my brow when I spotted a crumbling hole just underneath the slab, a miniature, underground brook flowing from the gap and cascading down the mountain in a sparkling waterfall. "He's clever enough, planning on me having a Dimensional Scream to figure out where we are, at least. First time anyone's tried that to get our attention, huh?"

"Yeah... though it still spooked me when you just up and fainted like that." A bashful blush flared onto the Ninetales' cheeks, and she bowed her head. I chuckled at that, bringing a paw over to tousle her headfur, and she leaned into my touch, looking forwards as the slope finally evened back out. "It's been so long since you last had a Dimensional Scream at all, I'm amazed that the Chronicler even thought to try and contact us that way. They must have been planning this for a while..."

"Either that or he's desperate to keep all this a secret," I replied, looking over the edge of the cliff at the ground below, the trail having risen just above the low-hanging mists. Water swirled its way down the outcrops, and feral Pokemon gathered around the ponds that formed at the very bottom of the mountain. "Last time we tried to keep something a secret that badly, it, uh... it nearly didn't end well."

"Mmm, that's true," Rose hummed under her breath, but she smiled shortly afterward, a couple of her tails swishing sideways and curling around mine. "But things turned out okay in the end, right?"

"Whooaah-!"

We both jumped at the sound of a yelp, followed by a loud, crashing splash, and Rose and I looked up in concern, then broke into a jog, water slowly splashing around our legs as the path through the gorge descended into a flowing, ankle-deep creek. It didn't take long before Cyan and Erin came back into view, and I winced internally when I spotted the Mienshao laying flat in the puddles, a pained expression on her snout. Rose gasped quietly, then pushed past me, slowing to a stop at the fighting type's side and scooping one of her arms up onto her back.

"Oh no, Erin...!" My partner cooed comfortingly, nudging the pink mink with her backside as she and Cyan helped her get back up off of the ground. Erin whimpered under her breath, but shook her head a few times to snap herself out of her stupor, staring down at her now-sopping-wet front afterward. "Are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah, I think so!" The younger explorer replied hastily, cocking her head a bit as she watched the water drip from her fur and get caught up in the stream. I walked up behind them, giving Erin a firm pat on her shoulder as she shimmied a few times, giving herself a quick once-over. It didn't take long for her to regain her usual cheer, her mouth curling into a bubble smile as she stomped around in circles. "The water feels a lot stronger here than it did before so I guess it must have tripped me up, heeheehee!"

"Y'sure you're goin' t'be alright?" Cyan grumbled, letting go of his friend and letting his front paws drop back into the drink, his gaze wandering as he looked over the crevice trail leading further into the bluff. "Hmph, maybe you'd be better off stayin' on my back if th'current keeps getting' stronger an' stronger!"

"But then I'll have to get off anytime I want to pick up a-" Erin halted mid-sentence, her tail twitching this way and that as she looked around the area. Not a second later, she started to skip away, her damp fur sleeves and her whiskers bouncing as she splashed her way through the shallow puddles. "Ooh, look look look, over here!"

"Erin, wait-!" I yelled at the Mienshao, but she simply turned around and beckoned us to come with her; I shook my head, unable to keep myself from chuckling, and the three of us gave chase, sunlight glittering against chunks of rock as the pink mink ducked her head into a modest gap that had been carved out of the hillside. She paused and waited for us before going any further, though, rocking back and forth on her heels as Cyan, Rose and I caught up to her.

"See?" She said triumphantly, wiggling her paws at the ground. I turned where she pointed, folding my arms as I looked at the audibly-burbling brook that flowed around us. "I betcha this'll take us somewhere, right?"

"Hmm..." I scratched at my chin, then dipped one of my paws into the water, feeling the current whip and swirl around my wrist as it rushed out of the tunnel. Taking a deep breath, I concentrated, feeling energy flow down my arm as I focused my aura, a small sphere forming in the palm of my paw. It gave off a faint light that reflected off of the rocks, and I glanced at Rose as she stepped up to me. "The flow's pretty darn strong, so this tunnel probably goes right through to the deepest part of the dungeon, or at least it'll bring us in the right direction. What do you think, Rose?"

"It's worth a shot," The fire type replied with a short nod, nosing at her blue scarf to press it flat against her scruff of neckfur. "Let's go and see where it leads!"

I nodded in turn, sidling up against the wall and gesturing at her to lead the way. With a smile, she blew a few strands of her headfur out of her face, bent her legs low, and started to shuffle forward, her tails curling tightly against her back as if to avoid the water at all costs. Erin energetically hopped in place a couple times, then went after her, the two of them quickly crawling out of sight. I glanced at Cyan, who grunted and pointed forward, and I nodded, crouching down and heading after our teammates, keeping one paw pressed firmly against the wall as I held the aura sphere aloft.

"Sheesh, this is a tight fit," I muttered to myself, feeling the tips of my ears graze against the stones as I waddled along, glancing over my shoulder to make sure that I hadn't left Cyan behind. The Samurott, thankfully, was squirming close behind me, laying completely flat on his belly as he struggled to drag himself along, his hiking pack scraping on the ceiling of the tunnel. Despite myself, I grinned, reaching my free paw out towards him. "Need some help?"

"Bah, jus' keep movin'!" The blue-furred sea lion rolled his eyes, giving me a dismissive wave before going back to crawling, scrabbling at the ground and pulling forward. My grin widened at that, and I turned back around, holding my aura sphere out and moseying onward, hearing Rose and Erin's paws padding through the water all the while.

"Hmm..." Rose hummed in thought. "How long do you think we've been in here?"

I glanced over at the cream-furred fox as she spoke, my ears flicking as we waded through the cave system, her eyes shining slightly in the dim light. The tunnel had opened up, if only just slightly, rising up higher and higher and carrying white, foamy froth down from wherever the brook was flowing from. Sunbeams streamed in from tiny gaps in the ceiling, illuminating the thicker clumps of moss growing over the submerged rocks, and I dug my pawpads into the soft plants as they squished underneath our footpaws. Cyan and Erin kept hot on our heels, the former's shell helmet occasionally scraping against the ceiling and making us jump.

"Not sure," I replied, trying to stand up somewhat, only for my ears to fold over against my head as I bumped right into the top of the tunnel; grunting and rubbing my scalp, I crouched back down, feeling a slight ache throb through my thighs. "Seems like it's been a while, though, so we're probably getting close to the top."

"I don't remember the Drenched Bluff being so big..." The Ninetales said, her tails still curled up tightly to keep them from getting wet. I reached out and gave them a quick fluff, chuckling when they twitched in approval. "I know we're going upward, but it feels like this tunnel just keeps going."

"Well, we usually don't take the underground route, either," I remarked, brushing my aura tassels back behind my shoulders, then tugging on the straps of the treasure bag as I felt it weigh against my back. Rose tilted her head from side to side, nodding in agreement afterward, starting to raise her legs out of the creek as it started to deepen. "Who knows, maybe this is actually a shortcut-"

Before I could finish my sentence, I felt my footpaw thud against something smooth and prickly – much smoother and pricklier than the grainy rocks and moss – and I froze right in my tracks. A nervous twinge ran through my veins as the thing dislodged from the ground and loudly scratched against the rocks, my partner giving a start and snapping her head towards me.

"Huh?" I peered over my shoulder at Cyan when he barked out a grunt, his voice echoing around the passage as he reached for his seamitars. "What th'heck was that?"

"I think I hit something." I waved circles with one paw and gestured into the darkness with the other, the aura sphere's gentle light shining down on the bluish rocks below us. Cyan held the handle of his blade a little bit longer before relaxing, Erin rocking back and forth on her heels in the meantime. "Didn't feel like a rock, but I think it was clinging on and I knocked it loose. Anyone want to check and see what it was?"

"Ooh!" Erin chirped, bending over a bit and reaching into the water with gusto. When she hopped back up, she was holding a small, wild Pokemon with both paws, her tied fur sleeves swishing around as it wriggled and writhed against her grasp. I turned around and brought my aura sphere over, the light reflecting against the creature's silvery shell, with a purple front, tail, and two thin antennae dangling from its forehead. "Is this it?"

"Yep..." I quirked an eyebrow upward as I leaned over to stare at the weird little Pokemon; it stared right back at me with frightened yellow eyes, his stubby legs audibly, and nervously, clattering inside of its shell. "A Wimpod... I guess it must have been sleeping down here, probably thought nobody was going to bother it so deep underground."

"C'mon, Erin, put the poor thing back down," Rose added, trotting up to my side and gazing worriedly at the unfortunate Pokemon, giving it a comforting smile. It stared blankly at her, even as she continued. "Can't you see how scared it is? If we let it be, it'll probably leave us alone, too."

"Aww, okay..." Erin gave the small and quite spooked Pokemon a quick pat before easing it back down into the water, giggling under her breath as it let out a series of awkward, hopeful chirps. "There you go, little guy!"

The moment she loosened her grip on the Wimpod, it bolted right into the current, crashing face-first into my knees before rushing past me and disappearing into the darkness up ahead. Its tiny legs sloshed about, loud enough to be heard even after it had vanished from sight, and I narrowed my eyes, trying to catch any last glimpses of it as it skittered away. Smiling confidently, I glanced back at my teammates, shaking my head in the direction the wild Pokemon had fled to with a quick shake of my head.

"Well, that's a good sign," I said, giving the ceiling a quick tap with my pawspikes before crawling further into the tunnel again, trying to pick up the pace as I listened to the Wimpod's splashing. "Let's keep moving and tail it, it'll probably lead us right to the exit!"

The four of us quickly formed up, listening to the echoing splashes as we waded up the gentle slope, the light from my aura sphere flickering against the dark, wet stones. My ears twitched when a rush of air swept between them, and I glanced towards the ceiling, which was starting to open up more and more the further up we went. Nudging Rose, I jabbed an elbow skyward to point it out, and she looked, then nodded, a sparkle of realization playing in her eyes. Standing up bit by bit, the both of us led the charge, sharing a mutual sigh of relief when the cave widened enough for us to stop crawling.

Soon enough, a tiny pinprick of light appeared in the distance, the splashing of the Wimpod drowned out by our own movements, and we sped up just a little bit more, Erin cheerfully humming to herself as she hopped between Rose and I. Cyan gave her tail a quick tug to keep her from running off, and I chuckled... then blinked when I caught a glint of light out of the corner of my vision. Slowing down for just a moment, I turned to check on the thing, sucking in a breath at the sight of another sleeping Wimpod.

"Woah, hang on, look..." I dropped my voice to a whisper, or at least as much of one as I could, considering the noise we were making. As we passed the wild Pokemon by, I pointed my free paw at it, only to spot another one, and then another one, clinging to the walls of the tunnel. As we drew nearer to the sunlight, the more of the shelled bugs we saw.

"More o'these things?" Cyan said gruffly, supplies shaking and clunking in his hiking pack, and he hunched forward, his eyes flicking this way and that as he, too, noticed the feral, nesting Pokemon. I narrowed my eyes, the sunlight growing blindingly bright as we neared the end of the tunnel, and Rose, Cyan, and Erin ducked their heads or looked away, all of us making a mad dash for the outside. "But if they're all stickin' 'round here, then th'tunnel mus' lead right into-"

I let out a loud, sputtering yelp when the ground suddenly disappeared out from under us, feeling myself tip right over from the momentum, my eyes going wide and then scrunching shut from the sun glaring down on the water's surface. Rose squealed in surprise as well when she bumped into me, followed by Cyan and Erin both barreling into our backs and sending all of us into the drink.

Plunging into the depths of the pool – my aura dissipating as I lost my concentration – I simply floundered for a few moments, nerves tensing up as I went completely under. The others flailed about all around me, kicking and splashing, and I opened my eyes just a crack, staring blearily at the deep, clear blueness. Reaching out with both arms, I pushed into a breaststroke, swimming a short ways away before turning and kicking higher, my chest growing tight from the exertion.

A sharp gasp escaped my throat the moment I surfaced, a jolt running through my muscles as they relaxed, and I wheezed, content to do nothing but tread water as I caught my breath. Rubbing trickles of water from my face, I surveyed the clearing, nodding to myself when I noticed Rose doggy paddling over to me, her now-soaking tails dragging along behind her.

"Bill!" She called to me, trying in vain to blow a few damp strands of her headfur out of her eyes, and I leisurely swam over to close the gap, our heads gently and affectionately bumping together. The cream-furred fox was breathing hard, but smiling, glancing this way and that as she looked around the pool. "Phew... are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay," I replied, giving the Ninetales a quick, tender nuzzle before brushing her ponytail back behind her ears, earning a grateful chuckle for the trouble. Peering past my partner, I smiled and waved to our two younger teammates, watching Cyan glide smoothly over to us while Erin clambered up onto his hiking pack. As we grouped back up, I looked around the pool again, a circle of solid rock rising just an inch or two above the calm, sun-warmed water, with the rest of the bluff surrounding us on all sides. "Wet, but okay. So where'd we end up?"

"Looks like some kind o'basin, or somethin'," Cyan answered, adjusting the fit of his shell helmet somewhat before thumbing towards the stone barrier. He threw Erin a half-glare when she reached out and tugged on the ends of his mustache, but shook his head and pointed outward at a small path leading up towards the peak. "Looks like we can get out o'here that way, though!"

The four of us nodded and swam for the ledge, pulling ourselves up... and then sliding down a rounded hill, tumbling into a heap onto the lower ground.

"Blaugh-" I spat out a mouthful of grit, wincing as my blunted chestspike skidded against the cobblestone, feeling my backpack bump against the back of my head as I finally came to a stop. Blinking a couple times, I glanced up at the mountaintops, then back down to the ground. Then, I groaned. "Oh, great...!"

Flowing bowls of water stuck out from the walls of the Drenched Bluff, streams and rivers surging over the edges and splashing down onto the ground, and high up above us, the misty clouds had at last disappeared, letting the sun shine brilliantly down onto the mystery dungeon. A pleasant, tranquil noise settled over the secluded pools, the sound of the water and distant, chirping birds melding together in quiet harmony. And spread across the lowest point of the canyon were numerous napping Wimpod, basking in the heat, one of them even laying just a hair's length from my muzzle.

"Ergh..." I heard Cyan grunt, and I hastily scrambled to get back onto my footpaws, easing myself away from the sleeping bug type before turning towards Rose and Erin and helping them up as well. The Samurott made an irritated growl when he noticed the silver shells littering the area. "Oh, y'gotta be kiddin' me! We're in a nest o'th'blasted things?"

"Shh, Cyan...!" Rose whispered pointedly, nudging the sea lion to get his attention, and she ducked her head into her sopping blue scarf for a second, shaking her paw to get him to quiet down. The Samurott let out a sigh, but relented, leaning low a bit and glancing around suspiciously, while Erin hopped on top of him again. "Keep your voices down... you might wake them up."

"Maybe if we ask nicely, they'll tell us where the Chronicler is, huh?" I quipped airily, spreading my arms and huddling the team together, and I stole a quick glimpse of the trail leading out of the canyon. Erin pulled a sling stone from her belt pouch and put it in one of her sleeves. It nearly slid off of her wet fur, and the pink mink pulled a silly face, putting the rock away before looking back at me. "Just take it slow and follow my lead. As long as we don't get too close to them, we should be alright."

Carefully, we began to sneak our way through the Wimpod nest, moving almost at a snail's pace as we stepped over, around, and in-between clusters of the wild Pokemon, leaving a trail of wet pawprints in our wake. Loose rocks and clumps of mud wiggled and crumbled under our weight, scattering about as we moved through the area, and I glanced towards one of the lower, nearby basins, a few rocks jutting up from the depths. Climbing up onto its ledge and stepping over a couple dozing Wimpod, I furrowed my brow when I spied an open patch of ground, bouncing on my tiptoes a bit before springing into the air.

I nearly lost my balance when I landed, sliding a short ways ahead on the damp cobblestone, swinging my arms in circles as I teetered and tottered. Then I felt a damp, but soft, coat of fur graze against my tailbone, propping me up and keeping me from falling over yet again. I sighed in relief and leaned forward, tracing a line with my eyes as my partner walked around to face me.

"Thanks, Rose." I smiled at the Ninetales, then looked back at our two other teammates. Erin jumped off of her friend's back, scampering cheerfully across the ledge before bounding over to Rose and I, leaving Cyan to stand and shoot an annoyed stare at the masses of sleeping bug types. I gave the younger explorer a quick wave as he scratched his chin in thought. "Can you make it, Cyan?"

"Yeah, yeah, don' get all wound up!" Cyan replied in a half-yell, half-mutter, stomping over to the basin, hopping up, and diving in with a loud. Waves rippled outward from the water type, flowing over the tiny, rocky islands poking up into the air and spattering into the cliffside.

I flinched at the noise, aura tassels slipping in front of my shoulders as I scanned around, making sure that none of the Wimpod had been shaken out of their slumber. My partner followed suit, stepping to Erin's side and turning around, checking back the way we had come. Thankfully, none of the little buggers seemed to stir at all, contentedly sleeping the afternoon away, and after a few tense seconds, I relaxed, letting go of a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. Scratching my head, I grinned sheepishly at the Ninetales before looking back at Cyan.

An icy dread spread through my nerves when I saw one of the ridged rocks inside of the basin start to move, cutting through the surf like a blade through a berry and making a beeline for the Samurott. That was when I noticed the familiar, metallic sheen covering the silvery plates, and I inhaled sharply. Throwing caution to the wind, I raised my voice and yelled. "Behind you!"

Cyan turned his head and glared when he saw the wild Pokemon sneaking up on him, raising his hips and preparing to lash out with the bladed end of his tail. Before the creature could get close enough to strike, however, it burst out of the pool with a mighty leap, cresting high into the air and growled out an ear-splitting cry. The nest of Wimpod reacted almost instantly, shaking themselves awake and scuttling every which way, fleeing into the various water basins and squeaking in fear as they went.

"Scatter!" I blurted out, crouching low and taking a dive to get out of the feral Pokemon's way, Rose and Erin quickly rushing away as they, too, ran for cover. I slid across the damp rocks, feeling droplets pitter-patter down onto my tail and legs as our angry foe flew over us, and I hastily rolled onto my back, eyes narrowing.

The armored creature landed right in front of the trail leading out of the canyon, hunched over with its biggest arms spread wide; two other pairs were held close to its purple underbelly, protecting it from harm. Its silver shell gleamed had some visible wear and tear, but still gleamed menacingly in the sun. I glanced at Cyan for a moment as the water type get back out of the pool, drawing both of his seamitars and snorting.

Turning back, I took a defensive stance, digging my footpaws into the ground and bringing my arms up. Erin skipped a short distance away, trying to wring and wave her fur sleeves dry, while Rose shot our foe a determined glare from the opposite flank, energy flowing from the ground and the water and forming into a glowing, green ball between her jaws.

The Golisopod stared us down for a moment... and then it dashed forward with an angry snarl.

I swiftly stepped to the side, grimacing when the wild Pokemon slammed its fist into the ground where I had stood, bits of rock splintering into the air. Focusing my aura, I readied a metal claw and jabbed out, chipping away at its armor. The bug type chittered, rearing an arm back, but its eyes flicked elsewhere when it heard Cyan stampeding forward, his seamitars raised high. Jabbing a leg out instead, it swiveled in a circle; I barely had enough time to hop over its foot as swung around to deflect the incoming slash.

Both of the scallop blades clattered off of the Golisopod's wrist, the Samurott stepping back and readying another strike, and the wild Pokemon hissed, slamming its other set of claws into Cyan's face. The Samurott growled as he tried to get his balance back, teeth clenched in a defiant snarl; I ducked underneath the bug type's other arms and swung out with a couple more punches, taking a deep breath when I saw a few scales chip off of its sides. Its claws grazed against my ears, and I quickly zipped backwards, narrowly avoiding its grab.

An explosion of green, natural energy crashed into our foe's back, causing the feral creature to stagger somewhat, the energy leaving a heavy mark on its armor, and undoubtedly a bruise underneath it, too. I grinned and looked at Rose, her nine tails flared out dangerously as she ran towards us, embers spilling onto the ground as she readied a flamethrower next-

WHAM! The Golisopod rammed its knee into my midriff, winding me hard and knocking me away. The metal claws sprouting from my pawspikes dissipated instantly, and I felt myself fly backwards, the wet, rocky ground scraping against my fur before I finally skidded to a stop. "Ugh...!"

I stared, dazed, as the silver-shelled Pokemon roared furiously, spreading its multiple arms wide, then whirling back around and spewing a gout of water from its mandibles, faint wisps of steam rising from the liquid. Rose blanched, losing her concentration with a gasp as the wave of water crashed into her. Cyan, on the other hand, just ducked, letting out a cocky laugh as the scalding stream flowed over his helmet.

"Bah! Nice try, y'overgrown shrimp!" The sea lion roared, dragging the tip of his seamitars against the rocks before stomping forward and bringing them right into the wild Pokemon's exposed underside with a weighty smash. "I'll thrash y'til you're black an' blue!"

The Golisopod hissed in pain and stumbled a couple steps away from the Samurott, clutching its smaller arms close to its wounded stomach. Shaking myself back to my senses, I hopped back onto my footpaws, running towards Rose as our foe spewed out another torrent of scalding water. Scooping my arms underneath my stunned partner, I hefted her up – wincing as an ache pulsed through my bruised belly – and quickly got out of the water's way, letting Cyan hold his own in the meantime.

"Hey, you okay?" I asked hurriedly, setting the cream-furred fox down and kneeling at her side, quickly checking her over to make sure she wasn't too hurt. She didn't reply at first, simply and I brushed the flats of my pawspikes down her sides, hoping the cool metal would help take the edge off of any pain. "C'mon, Rose, speak to me."

"Y-Yeah... yeah, I'm okay," Rose finally stuttered after a second, flinching when I touched a spot on her hing leg, and I jerked my paw away, both of us standing up and turning to look at the wild Golisopod again. It held Cyan in a bladelock, the Samurott's seamitars trembling against the bug type's armored claws as they pushed and shoved each other. "What should we do...?"

When I opened my mouth to answer, a rock suddenly shot into view, thumping hard against the creature's silver shell. It blinked, briefly peeking to the side to see what was going on, only to let out an awkward cry when another pebble struck one of its eyes. I twisted around, grinning when I saw Erin whirling another stone around, her fur sleeves looking quite dry, if also more than a little ruffled.

"Take that, you big jerk!" The Mienshao cried, stomping on the ground a couple times, her tail and whiskers twitching as she ran over to us, waving her free arm all the while. "Now now now, go!"

The distraction was all Cyan needed, and the younger Pokemon let out a growl as he slammed his seamitars right between the creature's antennae. It crowed in pain, shards of its armor scattering about as it reached up to massage its face; Rose and I looked at each other, and when I nodded, she smiled knowingly. Stepping back, I brought my arms back, my aura swirling between my paws as I focused hard, while my partner bowed low, her throat rumbling as she stoked her inner fire.

"Cyan! Out of the way!" I shouted to my teammate as I felt my aura tassels hover up into the air. The water type snapped his head towards us, seamitars held up and ready for anything, but when he noticed our stances, he spun around with a thump, quickly marching a few paces away.

Just a couple seconds more, and I felt a instinctive twitch run through my nerves, the swirling blue energy getting blindingly bright in the corner of my vision. Rose shook for a moment, her nine damp tails lightly nudging against me, and I nodded as she let out a determined yell. "Now!"

I reared back and flung the aura sphere with all my might, while my partner stood up tall and proud as she let loose a massive plume of fire. The two attacks bumped and collided with each other, circling around each other until they seemed to meld together, forming a massive, rolling fireball.

The Golisopod had no time to get out of the way, only realizing what was happening when it was already too late: the blaze crashed right into the bug type's stomach and erupted with a loud bang, sending the wild Pokemon hurtling across the canyon. It let out a short screech as it crashed into the wall of a lower basin, flipping over the ledge and crumpling into the water in an unconscious heap.

After a few seconds, I exhaled, my shoulders slumping and my aura tassels flopping back down atop the treasure bag, the adrenaline of battle slowly starting to drain away. Rose leaned against my side, our fur brushing together as we relaxed, and Cyan and Erin grouped back up with us not long after, the Mienshao rooting through her belt pouch as she ran up to us. "Are you okay, Bill, Rose, Cyan? Here, lemme get some oran medicine out really fast-"

"Hold up now," I replied with a shake of my head, stopping the fighting type right in her tracks. As Cyan sheathed his seamitars, I pointed over to the trail leading out of the canyon, the others turning that way as well. "Let's get out of here first, huh?"

And with that, I started to stagger forward, one arm held around Rose's back as I led the way.

The four of us shared an enormous sigh of utter relief when, at last, we crested the hill leading up and away from the Wimpod nest, spotting a smaller, cozier clearing just a short ways away. Small oaks grew out from the cliffside, their roots and trunks slanting through the dirt as they formed a natural canopy. The now late-afternoon sunlight filtered through the leaves, forming a mottled pattern on the ground, and I sighed, dragging my footpaws as I plodded underneath one of the trees and sat down against the wall.

"Ahh... hoo..." I took a deep breath, feeling Rose ease down and rest her head on my lap, and I smiled gratefully at Erin when I saw the pink mink tug her belt pouch around her waist again, opening it up and pulling out a vial of deep blue liquid. "I'll take that medicine now, Erin, thanks. What an exhausting trip."

"If you could get my hind leg, too, Erin, that would be great," Rose chimed in, flopping onto her side and looking up at the blanket of branches above us. I opened my mouth as Erin poured in a small dose of the oran concoction, shuddering happily as I gulped it down, and our younger teammate moved on to my partner afterward. "Whew... it's just been one thing after another today. I hope we haven't gone too far inside..."

"Aww, I bet that everything'll be just fine!" Erin said cheerfully, pressing a bandage against the mouth of the bottle and quickly turning it up and down, staining the gauze with the processed berry juice. Cyan scratched at his short mustache a little bit, then strode over and sat down, plucking his shell helmet off and lightly spraying it with a water gun. "You'll see, we'll take a rest and perk right up and find 'em in no time flat! After all, that's what explorers do!"

As if on cue, a low, menacing growl rang out from somewhere in the distance, accompanied by a sudden rush of wind blustering down from the very top of the bluff, the higher boughs shaking and rustling from the breeze. "GARURURURURUHHHHH..."

Cyan tensed up, then grabbed his helmet by the horn at the front, brandishing it like a club as he roared out, making his exhaustion evident. "For Arceus' sake, what now!?"

The growling faded away at that, a quiet settling over the clearing again... and then someone new yelled back in response, sounding unnaturally rough, though unmistakably male. My ears flicked at the noise, and I sat up a bit, an eyebrow quirking upward as I listened intently, curling my paws into fists. "Hey! Did I hear you say you're an exploration team?"

"Yeah!" Erin piped up, hopping up and down as she called out in turn, jamming both paws into her belted pouch when she realized it was still open, making sure that nothing had accidentally flown out. Quickly closing her medicine bag back up, she climbed onto Cyan's back and stood up on her tiptoes, looking around the mossy, rocky valley. The Samurott narrowed his eyes halfway and shot her an unamused stare. She didn't notice. "We're one of the best exploration teams ever!"

"You are, huh?" The unseen Pokemon replied, voice layered thick with skepticism. "Well, quit whatever you're doing and get lost! This is my territory now!"

"Oh yeah? An' who decided that?" Cyan barked back defiantly, slipping his shell helmet back over his stubby ears and slapping his tail against the ground. "'Sides, we've taken down outlaws an' been all 'round th'Southern Continent! So unless you're lookin' for a fight, how 'bout y'bug off!"

The conversation trailed off for a few seconds, but then the other voice spoke up again, this time scoffing quite clearly. "Hmph! Those are some big claims. But I bet you're in no position to go running your mouth if you were taking a rest!"

Cyan and Erin both opened their mouths to reply, then slowly closed them back up again when the truth of the remark sank in. Instead, Rose was the one to reply this time, slowly rolling around and standing back up, trotting a couple steps away before calling out firmly. I couldn't help but crack a smile as she spoke, my heart skipping a beat at her declaration. "We're Team Returners, the ones who saved the world five years ago! We're here searching for someone who wants to meet with us, so if you let us rest, we'll be out of your way shortly, I promise!"

Silence reigned, the wind whistling through the clearing, a faint, peachy glow shining down from the sky as the late afternoon gave way to evening. Rose stood resolute, her matted ponytail of headfur falling down the side of her neck, and I rolled onto my footpaws, dusting myself off, then giving our Exploration Team badge a quick shine.

"You're..." My eyes widened as the hidden Pokemon paused – the deep, rough accent was gone, replaced by a smoother, more natural sound that I recognized. "You're Team Returners?"

"Yeah," I said, bringing my arms up to my muzzle as I called out. "And you are?"

The sound of footsteps echoed down from one of the trails, and soon enough, a blue-plated Pokemon hiked his way down from one of the other trails, pushing his way through the shrubbery and into the little opening. Red-and-white feathers fringed his upper body, his eyes poked out from the sides of his head, and he idly tapped one of his claws on a large messenger bag slung around his neck. I grinned, folding my arms against my blunted chestspike as I nodded at him – he certainly looked like who we were looking for.

"So you really did find me..." He breathed out, briefly looking at Cyan and Erin before locking onto Rose and I, his expression a mixture of joy, nervousness and sheer wonderment. "Well, er... hello there, Team Returners. My name is Armaldo, and I am the Chronicler."

[returnerofthewrites]

Prairie! On the Hunt for a Letter!

"Are you sure about this plan of yours?"

The orange glow of a single torch flickered against the sheets of canvas as a dry, dusty wind swept down the walls of the ruins, sending tiny swirls of dust across the ground, rustling the thick clumps of grass sprouting up around their legs. The moon hung high in the late night sky, occasionally peeking through the gaps in the tent, beams of silvery light shining down onto the quiet camp. Slowly, deliberately, a claw tapped against a wooden table, its owner staring at the pair of Pokemon that stood in front of him. He glanced from one to the other, going from gray fur to bright feathers and back.

"Yes," The blue-plated Pokemon replied, his voice a low rumble as he spoke, eventually letting said claw drop back to his torso as he mulled over his thoughts. The Zoroark in front of him drummed her claws against her forearm, and he let out a weary sigh, easing himself down onto the soft soil and settling in before he continued. "I know it's not perfect, but it's the best I can come up with, especially under the circumstances."

"If you say so, sweetheart," The dark type replied, shaking her head and shrugging casually, licking at the star-shaped marks at the corners of her mouth. She swept her messy mop of headfur with a flick of her paw, twisting around and glancing out at the moonlit ruins dotting the area behind them. "But I still don't see why you won't just go to Treasure Town and ask them outright. I'm not messing around at all for once when I said we know them. You know that, right?"

"No, no, I trust you, I promise," The other Pokemon said hastily, sitting up a little bit straighter to emphasize his point. Then, he sighed again, the featherlike frills on his neck folding flat somewhat. "It isn't like that, and I'm sure you know that. I just..."

He trailed off, glancing all around the tent at the various bits and bobs strewn about the place as he tried to find the right words; dried berries hung from the ceiling on strings, books and scrolls were piled high in one corner, and a small box of charcoal sticks and other supplies rested nearby. He spent so long contemplating that when the yellow-plumed bird next to the Zoroark trotted forward and spoke, he jolted in surprise.

"Sir, I understand you want to keep the place a secret right now, so I'm not worried about that," The Archeops began, the burning torch flickering against the necklace of gemstones around his neck, and he gestured idly towards the wide wall of the tent, craning his neck to stare right into the other Pokemon's eyes. "But what about... you know? You've been avoiding the topic all day."

"I haven't said anything about it yet, no. But..." The blue-plated Pokemon took a deep breath, silently thanking the bird for changing the topic. He briefly shook his head, then stood up and walked around the table, scooping a small satchel up from underneath and walking over to the books and things. "I'm just going to have to deal with it in the morning."

"Alright, sounds good," The Archeops replied, turning to look at his Zoroark partner, who smiled slyly and eased her way to the side, her icy eyes lingering on the older archaeologist's tail. He looked back at him as well, watching him pluck a few of the dried provisions from the rafters, then blinked in realization when the arthropod began to scribble a quick note on a bare sheet of parchment. "Wait a minute, are you leaving right now!?"

"The sooner I leave, the sooner I can set up a meeting. I should be able to make it by sunrise, and I have a contact nearby who can play courier." The Pokemon rolled up the scroll with a nudge of his clawtip and shoved it into his bag. Standing up to his full height, he paused for a moment to peer around his homely little tent... and then walked over to a small patch of dried grass, daintily picking something up and tucking it into a smaller, padded pocket. Tossing the leather strap over his tall neck, he tugged the bag tight against his side and turned towards the pair of Pokemon. "And Star? Vale?"

"Yes, sir?" They both replied, Vale standing neatly at attention, while Star folded her arms and leaned back on the heels of her footpaws.

The blue-plated Pokemon smiled, reassured, and took his first steps out of the camp. "Take care of the place for me. I'll be back soon."

Prairie! On the Hunt for a Letter!

"Bill? Hey... Bill, hey, wake up!"

I jolted at the sound of a warm, soothing voice, blearily winking my eyes open, then shutting them with a wince as the late morning sun poured into my vision. Rolling over on the dry bale of hay, I splayed my arms and legs out, aura tassels slipping wide above my shoulders as I stared at the ceiling... and then a cream-furred muzzle hopped up into view, cocking her head and smiling at me.

"Hehe..." The Ninetales chuckled to herself, ducking into her blue scarf to stifle her laughter, her ruby red eyes sparkling with mirth. Slowly, I pushed myself up into a sit, my tail wagging against the dried grass as I stretched myself out and looked around the little inn room, the other bed of hay looking as empty as could be. Turning back to my partner, I felt the corners of my mouth twitch upward, and I leaned in to affectionately tousle her ponytail of headfur. "Good morning, sleepyhead!"

"G'morning yourself, Rose," I replied with a grin, pulling her in and snuggling her close, and she hummed happily, stretching her hind legs a bit as she nuzzled against my blunted chestspike. My ears twitched as the muffled sounds of hustling and bustling drifted up from the lower floor of the building, and I brought my paws up to wipe the crusts of sleep from my face. "Haaw, what time is it? Are Cyan and Erin already up?"

"It's just a couple hours before noon." Rose nodded, stepping back to let me swing my legs around and hop off the bed, wiggling my pawpads against the floorboards. Grabbing our treasure bag and polishing our Exploration Team badge, I watched the Ninetales as she padded her way towards the doorway, gesturing at me with a shake of her head. "Cyan and Erin are already eating, but I had them save some while I came to get you. C'mon!"

With a smile, I headed out the doorway, staying hot on the fire type's heels as we headed down the stairway, the old, oak planks creaking underfoot. Crossing through the lobby and into a hall, we walked side by side, the sounds of cheerful chatter and clinking dishes getting louder and louder until we finally entered the next room.

Beams of sunlight streamed into the eatery through glassy windows, illuminating motes of dust that swirled around in the air, and a pleasant mixture of mouthwatering scents wafted all around from the nearby kitchen. Only a handful of Pokemon sat at the few tables set up in the room, some of them gobbling up their food, others burning incense or simply napping in their chairs. My gaze traveled across the room, from left to right, and finally fell onto a Samurott and Mienshao sitting in a small nook, the former waving a massive paw at us.

"Hey, Bill, Rose!" The blue-furred sea lion barked loudly – startling a few of the sleeping folks out of their stupors – and he reached across the table and patted one of the four chairs, snatching up a small loaf of nut-studded bread afterward. "Get th'heck over here, it's getting' cold!"

Rose and I did just that, quickly striding over to the table, and I stared at the spread of food that lay atop the table: a basket of bread and muffins with nuts and dried orans pressed into them, a platter of flaky turnovers that oozed with both gooey pecha nectar and sweet cream, and a large bottle of fresh, cold milk. My partner climbed up onto her seat and lapped at a steaming mug of tea with gusto, and I casually eased into a chair of my own, picking up my plate and serving myself a turnover.

"Jeez, you guys really got a lot of breakfast today, didn't you?" I remarked, lightly patting at the pastry to keep it from scalding my paws. Erin giggled to herself at that, fidgeting in her seat and waving her fur sleeves around, their ends tied in a loop to her wrists as usual.

"Of course, Bill, heeheehee!" The wiry pink mink leaned forward, crumbs flying from her mouth as she replied. "We've been working so much doing all the jobs that mister Nidoking's wanted us to help him with that Rose thought it'd be okay to treat ourselves!"

"Mmhm," Rose added in affirmation, drying her lips on her scarf, her tails fanning out against the back of the chair. She shot Erin a brief, mild look – prompting the Mienshao to finish swallowing her mouthful of muffin – before turning towards me and continuing. "It's our first real day off, so I was thinking that we could spend some time relaxing here in Tiny Town before we head back home to Treasure Town."

"That's good an' all, but we still need t'talk 'bout what we actually want t'do!" Cyan said, folding his arms and tapping a hind paw impatiently on the ground, his horned helmet gleaming in the sunlight coming in from outside. Reaching out, he plucked another loaf of nutbread from the basket, tearing a hunk off with a mighty chomp. "I dunno 'bout you guys, but I figured I'd see if th'chefs here needed any helpin' hands in th'-"

"Cyaaaan!" My eyes flicked towards Erin, who playfully punched the water type's shoulder. He let his neck droop a bit, his brow furrowing in mock-annoyance. The Mienshao wiggled back and forth on her seat, with a muffin in one paw and a glass of milk in the other, her whiskers bouncing around as she chewed away. "It's a day off of work! You're supposed to take days off to rest and relax, not doing more work, silly!"

"An' what exactly do y'want me t'do, then?" The Samurott grumbled, taking a swig of his drink before dropping his chin down into his palms, lightly scratching at his bushy mustache as he grumped, more to himself than anything else. "Sit an' soak in th'hot spring th'whole day 'til I look like an ol' wrinkly grandpa?"

"Yup!" I bit my lip, trying my hardest not to snort at the fighting type's near-immediate answer. My tail swished back and forth happily as I continued to munch on my turnover, smiling to myself as the younger Pokemon nudged Cyan again. "Maybe if you spend enough time in the water you'll look like that old Shaymin elder from a couple months ago! Heeheehee, remember him?"

"I'd be worried if either of you forgot, to be honest," I quipped airily, leaning back in my seat and glancing between the pair of explorers, vivid thoughts of leafy huts and fragrant flowers filling my mind. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my partner raise her head as well, a curious expression on her face as she waited for me to finish speaking. "But I think I agree with Erin, you ought to just take some time to do nothing and relax, Cyan. Even workaholics need to take breaks, heheheh."

"I think the hot spring sounds like a good idea." We all turned to glance at the Ninetales, who was lightly tapping her paws on the edge of the table, and she looked around at all of us as well, a note of thoughtfulness in her voice. I closed my eyes and basked in the coziness of the cafe, the sounds of clinking and chewing, munching and moving, filling my ears. "We can just spend an hour or two in there, and then we can leave and do something else. Does that sound good?"

"Psst."

My ear flicked at the quiet, secretive hiss, and after a second or two, I opened my eyelids just a crack, stealing a quick glimpse of Erin – the pink mink was pouring herself one more glass of milk, playfully comparing her milk mustache to Cyan's own bushy 'stache. Chuckling inwardly, I dozed off again contentedly, resting my head on the back of the chair, my aura tassels dangling over the end of it.

"Psst. 'Ey. You! Lucario!"

This time the hiss was accompanied by a sharp, tiny claw, repeatedly poking at the back of my shoulder. That got my attention.

Sitting up a little bit straighter, I took a deep breath and twisted around, glancing over my shoulder into the rest of the cafe. A few more Pokemon had wandered in, either from the inn or from outside, settling down at the tables and cheerfully gossping the morning away. I narrowed my eyes as I scanned over the small crowd, explorers and locals alike... and then abruptly received a jab at my side for the trouble.

"Agh-!" I yelped, gritting my teeth, tensing up, and ducking away as a slight ache rolled through my nerves. I could hear Cyan and Erin scooting around the table in confusion, and I glanced over at Rose, who had already hopped down from her chair and was looking low towards the floor. Following her gaze, I stared down at a scruffy-looking mongoose, tracing a line down the yellow stripe that ran all the way from his head to his tail. The Gumshoos stood up tall – or at least, as tall as he could manage, anyway – and impatiently tapped a footpaw. "Huh? Er, hi there."

"'Ey," The rough-accented Pokemon grunted in reply, his eyes shiftily flicking this way and that as he leaned in close, glancing at my partner, then back at me. Behind us, Cyan and Erin shuffled around, the latter peeking over my shoulder while the former craned his neck to stare down the newcomer. "Are youse... Bill 'n Rose? Team Returnuhs?"

I blinked, then smiled confidently, bringing an arm around and tugging on the strap of my backpack, light glinting off of the blue stone embedded in the middle of our Exploration Team badge as I flashed it at the other Pokemon. "That's us. What's the deal? Something wrong?"

"Phew...! Nah, nah, ain't nothin' wrong, 'cept fuh how much of a pain in my tail it's been to track youse all down!" He grouched back at us, looking around one more time before scuttling his way over to Rose's chair. Rose whirled around, opening her mouth in protest, but it was too late; the normal type had seated himself, leaning back and stretching his stubby hindlegs out. "I've been lookin' for youse all day yestuhday, y'know!"

"We were busy workin', that's why!" Cyan shot back, eyeing the mongoose warily, lightly slapping his fan-shaped tail against the floor. "Elder Nidoking's had us runnin' 'round for th'past week doin' all sorts o'odd jobs. An' what's it t'you, anyway, huh?"

"Cyan, please!" Rose raised her voice a tad, whipping her head around and giving the Samurott a firm stare. The younger Pokemon grumbled for a moment, then walked back over to his spot at the table, sitting down to fiddle with his hiking pack. Satisfied, the cream-furred fox turned her eyes to the wily Gumshoos, taking a step forward and bringing a paw up to her scarf. "Yes, sir, we're Team Returners, all four of us. We didn't know that anyone was looking for us... is something the matter?"

"Ain't no danger, if that's what yuh mean," The other Pokemon promptly answered, patting his belly a couple times. Rose cocked her head expectantly, and I leaned back against my own chair, folding my arms against my blunted chestspike. "I'm here to delivuh a message, from the Chronicluh."

"The... the Chronicler!?" Rose's expression morphed into confusion, then into a delighted smile. Her nine fluffy tails began to wave up and down at a quick pace, and she took a couple more steps up to the Gumshoos, briefly glancing at the rest of us as she spoke. "You mean the historian!?"

"Er... Rose? Who's the Chronicler again?" I asked, furrowing my brow as I tried my hardest to think of who the two of them were talking about. Nothing in particular sprang to mind, however, and all I could do was smile sheepishly when Rose turned to look at me, her excitement evident.

"Bill..." The Ninetales muttered, blowing a couple strands of her headfur out of her eyes, then shaking her head as she explained. "The Chronicler's a respected archaeologist! Nobody knows who they are, but they're a specialist in ancient Pokemon and human history and ruins, and they've written a number of books about it, too!"

I stared blankly for a few moments... and then recoiled when my partner's words registered in full, my eyes going as wide as saucers. Human history...? The tension running through my muscles drained away, but the initial shock remained for a little while longer. "I didn't realize that there were Pokemon who went out studying that stuff."

"I hadn't realized I'd never told you about them..." Rose thought aloud, her tails briefly curling and uncurling as she padded over to me. I lightly tousled her headfur, and she leaned into my touch with a sigh. "I guess after we became explorers, I never got the chance to show you all of their books."

"Wow!" We both jolted when Erin piped up, wearing an enormous, ear-to-ear smile as she hopped up and down where she stood, unable to contain her enthusiasm. Cyan glanced over at his friend, unable to hide his own interest in the topic. "That's so cool!"

"Huh! You don't know 'em like I do..." The Gumshoos remarked, shaking his head and sighing as he reached for a turnover, only to balk when Cyan sent him a fierce glare. Pouting unhappily, the other Pokemon twisted around and then wagged his paws, shushing us. "Anyway, shaddup! I'm supposed to be here delivuhing a message, but you ain't even letting me get to the bad news!"

"Bad news?" I said, shaking the thoughts of human historians from my mind and tilting my head a bit, a twitch running down my spine. My tail wagged once, thumping against the chair, and I narrowed my eyes. "What kind of bad news?"

"Ehh... well, yuh see..." He hemmed and hawed a little bit, tapping his claws together before finally mustering up the courage to tell us. "The Chronicluh met up with me and gave me a lettuh fuh youse guys, but while I was cuttin' through the prairie, I... lost it."

"Y'what!?" Cyan twisted his head around and loudly blurted out, and I stole a nervous glance at a couple of the other Pokemon hanging about in the cafe, a couple of them turning to stare at the commotion. Cyan kept griping, even as I made a wave to calm the other breakfasters down. "An' how in th'name o'th'Abyss did y'manage t'lose it, huh?"

"Shaddup, shaddup...!" The scruffy mongoose hastily hunched over, rapidly waving his paws to try and make the Samurott quiet down – thankful for the change in attitude, I followed his lead, patting Cyan's shoulder before gesturing at the rest of the room. The blue-furred sea lion peered around a bit, then grumbled in understanding, a slightly-embarrassed look crossing his features. Erin smiled sweetly and gave the tip of his mustache a tug. "Look, I was tryin' tuh get here fast so I could find youse, but I ran into a bunch of wild Pokemon out in the Lush Prairie and had to ditch all my stuff..."

"...and you need us to head out there and look for the letter ourselves," I finished his sentence for him, earning a stout nod for the trouble, and I tapped a footpaw idly against the floorboards. "So where'd you leave it?"

"Huh! You're quicker on the draw than I figured." The Gumshoos scooted back into Rose's chair, scratching the side of his head in thought. Rose and I both glanced at each other, sharing a mutual dumbfounded look at the old Pokemon's attitude, but quickly focused back on him when he slapped his legs. "They were chasin' me and I passed by this little pond and some trees, and I stashed my bag in a big ol' hollow stump. Sorry for the trouble, but that's all I can help you with. Now, time fuh a nap..."

As the suddenly – suspiciously – sleepy Gumshoos dozed off in his seat, I dusted myself off and turned to Cyan, watching as he shouldered his hiking pack with a quick heave. Erin clambered up on top of the leather bag, laying flat and rooting through her fanny pack, and I turned to Rose, who cocked her head and smiled at me. I grinned cheekily, shrugging and shaking my head.

"Well," I chuckled. "There goes our day off."

I furrowed my brow as the four of us hiked up one of the gentle hills, bringing my paw up to shield my eyes from the sun and gazing at the open fields spreading out before us, Rose following close by and scanning across the landscape. Dry, footpaw-high grass, ranging from light green to almost yellow, covered the rolling meadow, with the occasional tree or shrub sprouting up from the thin brush. Taking a deep breath, I found myself panting as an oppressively hot summer breeze rolled across the land, the afternoon sun beating down mercilessly.

My ears flicked at the sound of stomping footsteps, and not a moment later, Cyan marched past Rose and I. He drew one of his seamitars and stabbed it into the dirt as he surveyed the area, staring at the mishmash of trees, near and far, that grew on the horizon. Erin rolled onto her belly as she looked around too, and for a few minutes, the four of us stood, admiring the beauty of the Lush Prairie.

"Y'don't really believe that weirdo, do you?" The Samurott broke his silence, letting go of his sword for a moment and patting at his shell helmet, pulling it a little more snugly atop his head. "I'll bet'cha seeds t'scarves that this's jus' a lousy trap!"

"Cyan, why would he make up a story about the Chronicler of all Pokemon if it was just a trap? And say that they were looking for Team Returners in particular?" Rose replied, gently pawing at the ground as she spoke, drawing lines in the loam with her claws. She peered skyward with thoughtful eyes, her tails hanging still behind her. "It's too specific to be a trap, I think. The Chronicler really does want to see us..."

"Besides, there's no outlaw stupid enough to try and pull a dumb stunt like that on us, of all teams," I noted dryly, planting my paws firmly on my hips and winking at my partner, who chuckled and stuck her tongue out at me in return. Letting myself relax, I began to walk again, leading the way into the fertile fields. "So this Chronicler guy's a historian, Rose? What else do you know about 'em?"

"Not very much, aside from what's already common knowledge..." Rose kept pace with me, her ponytail of headfur swishing this way and that in the hot wind. She pulled a face briefly when a few locks slapped their way into her eyes, and she nudged her nose in a vain attempt to shoo the stray strands away. "Ngh-! They're a historian who's written a number of books on human history, culture, that sort of thing. They've also studied ancient Pokemon cultures, too... you remember how I can read footprint runes, right? I learned that from reading one of the Chronicler's books when I was little."

"Hmph! So he mus' be a pretty big deal, then!" Cyan remarked, tapping the flat end of his seamitar against his shoulder as he brought up the rear. "Wonder if th'guild back home's got any of those books too!"

"They might." Rose turned to look over her shoulder at the younger Pokemon. "Most folks aren't really that interested in their work, but for explorers and other historians, they've really pushed the study of humans forward a lot."

"Then what are we waiting for, huh?" Erin abruptly chimed in, planting her footpaws right into Cyan's hiking pack and leapfrogging over the sea lion's head. She bounced a couple times in the grass, her whiskers spreading wide as she smiled hugely, playfully spinning her fur sleeves around all the while. "C'mooooon, we're not gonna find that pond that mister Gumshoos mentioned if we just walk the whole way! Let's... ooh, why don't we play tag? You're it, Cyan!"

Before any of us could react, the crafty Mienshao booped her friend's little pink nose with a brush of her paw, then dashed off into the Lush Prairie, heading for the closest tree. Rose and I both blinked lamely and watched the pink mink go, but quickly shook ourselves back to our senses when Cyan let out an irritated growl and waved his seamitar around in the air.

"Erin!" He yelled at the fighting type. "What do y'think you're doin'? Get back here!"

I felt a grin wiggle its way onto my muzzle, and I skipped forward, sidling past Cyan and giving him a playful shrug, my aura tassels sliding around atop the treasure bag. "Sorry, Cyan. Sounds like you're it!"

I tried desperately to hold in a laugh as I circled around and kicked off into a run, hearing Rose laugh and Cyan let out a befuddled "ehh!?" before both of them charged after me.

The wind gusted loudly past my ears as I chased after Erin, who jumped this way and that in a zig-zag pattern, her fanny pack bumping against her hips with each leap. I inhaled deeply through my nose, then exhaled through my mouth, and focused on the field ahead, eyeing the tall, gnarled oak tree. My partner put on a burst of speed to narrowly avoid a swipe of the Samurott's heavy paw, and soon we were both running together, both of us struggling to keep just out of Cyan's reach; the water type was nearly as quick on the draw, hunched forward and running full-pelt with a competitive smirk.

A flock of wild Starly perked up from the grass, then chirped in dismay and fluttered into the air as the four of us blazed a trail across the field, small shed-feathers drifting through the air as they flew away. I watched one of the gray birds go, sunlight glinting off of my pawspikes as I jogged... and then I barked out a yelp when a small, concentrated gush of water shot through the corner of my vision, just barely going over my head and drenching the ground ahead of us. Glancing over my shoulder, I looked at Cyan, who was sucking in another deep breath, preparing for another water gun.

"So you're going to play like that, huh?" I called out, grinning cheekily when Erin reached the tree, looked around, and then took off in another direction; Rose looked at me, then nodded in concentration, tilting slightly to the side and zooming after the Mienshao. I dug a footpaw into the grass and bounded away from the Samurott, focusing my aura around my paws until a blue, swirling ball of energy formed in my palm. "Well, then try this on for size!"

Before the water type could reply, I lashed forward, flinging the aura sphere at him with all my might before kicking off in the opposite direction that Erin and Rose had gone. Cyan narrowed his eyes when he saw me running, drawing his seamitars and holding them out defensively. I glanced back just in time to watch the aura sphere collide with the blades, the Samurott skidding backwards a couple of inches from the impact.

"What th'-!" Cyan exclaimed; my ears flicked when I heard him start to stomp forward, his footsteps rumbling against the dirt as he pounded after me, letting out a competitive battlecry along the way. "Bill, get back here!"

I did no such thing, inhaling sharply through my nose and letting my instincts take over, glancing around every so often in search of the pond. Spotting a cluster of brush a short ways away, I turned somewhat and made a break for them, glancing around this way and that in case I passed any sign of water or rocks. I wove through the prairie, ducking and dodging my teammate's attacks, panting heavily as the heat from the sun baked into my fur. The treasure bag bounced and jostled against my back with each step I took, and I reached back, trying to paw at one of the side pockets for my canteen – only to freeze when I felt the air around my pawspike whistle.

"Where do y'think you're goin'!?" I whirled around, eyes going wide when I saw the Samurott looming over me, and I pounced backwards, nearly crashing into the bushes. Toppling over, I shuffled my way into the overgrowth, rolling sideways to try and stay hidden. Unable to keep a grin off of my face, I narrowed my eyes and lay still, waiting and watching as Cyan stared at the rustling shrubbery, having lost track of where I'd vanished. He grunted, then began to hack away at the plants with a few rough swings of his swords. "Y'aren't goin' t'hide in there for long!"

Resisting the urge to reply, I held my breath, waiting until he was swinging away from me... and then I pushed against the ground, leaping high into the air above the blue-furred sea lion's head. He quickly snapped his head up to look at me, but I squished my footpaws together and stuck the landing on the back of his shell helmet, narrowly avoiding impaling my pawpads on one of the spikes.

"Hiding for long wasn't my plan," I replied, chuckling as I walked off of the younger Pokemon's head and down onto his hiking pack, sitting down and taking a deep, wheezy breath. He let out a snort, then sheathed his seamitars and shook his head glancing over his shoulder at me. I barely paid him any heed, snatching a canteen from my bag and downing as much as I could from the little leather bottle. "Mmph... hmm. Besides, don't tell Erin I said this, but tag kind of gets boring fast anyway."

"I swear, y'nearly get as bad as she does sometimes!" The water type grouched, albeit good-naturedly, offering me a half-smile before slapping his tail against the ground. Walking backwards a bit, he turned to stare back the way we came, the grass having been trampled from our chase. "Hmph... an' where th'heck did she go, anyway? She ran off an' never came back."

"That's because I led you in the complete opposite direction, hahahah!" I chuckled, patting the explorer's neck before sitting up a bit straighter and peering around the area. The plains spread out far and wide, with the mountain range rising up on one side and a smaller, rocky outcrop poking up above the hills back the way we had came. Cyan looked around with me, dusting his front paws off before stroking his mustache in thought. "Since Rose went after Erin, I figured we'd look for the pond a bit on our own. I definitely don't see anything like it around here, though..."

"Well then, let's jus' keep moseyin' an' get it done," Cyan replied, marching past the brush and looking around for a suitable pace to investigate.

The brush continued to grow taller and taller the deeper we got into the fields, until it almost reached the tops of the Samurott's legs, and sunflowers grew above the greenery, rising high and proud into the air, fringed by small blooms of purple that peeked out from the lush foliage. Turning around on my teammate's hiking pack, I glanced around, not seeing anything in particular that marked the pond we searched for. Another round of hot winds blew over us, ruffling my torsofur, but I cocked my head to listen when the faint sound of rustling, shaking grass caught my ear.

"Hang on," I said, dropping my voice low and tapping the back of Cyan's helmet. He slowed to a stop, turning to look at me with furrowed brows. "Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?" He barked, immediately bringing a paw up, ready to draw a blade at a moment's notice.

I hunched my neck forward somewhat, half-annoyed and half-amused at his loud reply, and scanned over the wild grass to see if anyone was following us. A tense silence settled over the two of us, staying completely still and looking this way and that, ready for anything...

"Ohhhh, there you two are!" I swiveled around and stared as Erin's head abruptly poked up from a patch of the brush, bits of grass and tiny sticklers clinging to her whiskers as she waded her way over to us. Cyan perked up, making a half-circle to face the Mienshao, and I swung my legs around and hopped off of the water type's back, landing softly in the shrubbery as I waved at the other fighting type. "You two got really really far from us, wow!"

"No kidding." I grinned slightly, folding my arms against my blunted chestspike and nodding, letting myself relax as the younger Pokemon approached us. "Is Rose following you? Or did you two find the pond?"

"We found it, we found it!" Erin replied excitedly, swinging her fur sleeves around and gesturing us to come along. "Rose said she'd stay there and she told me to find you and show you the way. Before it gets dark, c'mon, let's gooo!"

"Alright," I said, glancing at Cyan, then back at Erin, a confident smile on my muzzle. "Lead the way!"

By the time we reached the pond, the sun was setting, the calm water tinted a fiery orange as it reflected the evening sky, the Drenched Bluff coming into view on the horizon as Cyan, Erin and I wandered down one last hill. A large, telltale tree rose up from the dirt, with a few old stumps dotted around it, and I quickly jogged over to my partner when I spotted her sitting a few steps away. Slowing to a stop, I gave the cream-furred fox an affectionate pat, eliciting a grateful hum from her in response.

"So this is the place...?" I thought aloud as I gazed across the pleasant clearing, the wind and heat no longer as blistering now that the sun was drooping out of sight, and Rose nodded, standing up and stretching herself out a bit, then trotting over to the large standing stone. I glanced at Cyan and Erin, who were heading right for the pond to get a few drinks of water, then walked alongside the Ninetales, who was nosing at the bark of a particularly dead tree. "It's certainly pretty, huh? We'll have to remember later if we ever want to go picnicking or something, heh."

"Yeah... that would be really nice, hehe," Rose said wistfully, but she shook off the thought and gave me a nudge afterward, poking her nose towards the stump. "Here, Bill, do you think you could reach in here for me? I climbed up earlier and saw mister Gumshoos' bag inside, but I can't quite get it out on my own."

"You got it." Cricking my neck, I heaved myself on top of the trunk, leaning over to peer inside of the hollowed-out log. Sure enough, even in the fading light, I spied a worn satchel tucked away in a small hole in the dirt. Laying flat on the wood, I stretched my arms out as far as I could... and sighed in relief when I managed to swat at the satchel's strap, grabbing ahold of it and scrambling my way back down to the dirt. "Hoo! There we go, okay."

Rose smiled in anticipation, taking a step back as I set the bag down in front of us, her nine fluffy tails waving up and down all the while. Peeling the leather flap open, I reached into the bag, brushing past a couple of berries, then some coins and – ahh, there it was! Wrapping my paw around the rolled-up parchment, I drew it out, starting to pant again from the heat as a slight ache rolled through my mind.

"What's it say?" My partner trotted over to me, unable to contain her eager curiosity as I unfurled the scroll, squatting down and laying it out flat for both of us to see. Reaching up, I scratched idly at the back of my neck, my pawspike bumping against my aura tassels. Clearing my throat with a quick cough, I began to read:

"To Team Returners... if my hopes hold out, and it is truly you that is reading this message, then thank you for believing Gumshoos' story. I know he can seem unreliable at times." Rose and I shared a mutual glance at that, but I returned my focus to the letter shortly afterward. "I will keep things brief. I am in the middle of an investigation of an ancient human ruin. My two associates have told me they know you, and recommended that I ask for your help with a problem. With luck, we should be able to meet each other soon, and I can fully explain what I need your help with. If you are Team Returners, then you will know where to find me. From, the Chronicler."

I frowned, the aching in my head getting a bit worse as I read over the small, rather scrabbled print, sliding the letter and Gumshoos' satchel over to Rose in the meantime. Reaching up, I rubbed at my temples, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath.

"Hmm..." My partner hummed thoughtfully, reading over the letter a second time. "We'll know where to find him...? What do you think he means, Bill?"

I turned my head to answer her, and then the world went dark.

Then, suddenly, a flash of light – and the sound of voices.

"That's all you're gonna write?"

"Yeah, that's all."

"But that doesn't make sense! How're they gonna find you if you don't tell 'em to meet you at the Drenched Bluff?"

"Heh... it has to do with one of the Pokemon who's part of Team Returners. I told you he's a human who was turned into a Pokemon, right?"

"Yeah, but... how's that help them know where to go? Couldn't we have just gone to Treasure Town and told them?"

"N-No, I... don't think that'd be a good idea... but anyway, aside from being an explorer, one of the leaders of Team Returners has a special ability. And, with a little luck, just sending them this letter will be enough. Now c'mon, junior, it's time you got to bed."

"Aww... alright. Can I keep the fire going? It's kind of cold in here tonight."

"Sure thing, junior, as long as it's not burning too bright. I'll be back soon."

Suddenly, there was another flash of light, and...

"Bill... Bill, wake up!"

My eyes shot wide open as an instinctive jolt ran through my nerves, shaking me out of my unconscious trance, and I gazed up towards the darkening sky; Rose, Cyan and Erin all stared down at me, concern etched deeply on their features. As I sat up, my partner gently nuzzled me, while the two younger Pokemon took a couple steps back and sighed in relief, Cyan slapping his tail against the ground in the meantime.

"What happened, Bill?" Erin piped up; I tried not to wince at how loudly she spoke, despite my headache rapidly fading away. "Did'ja get dehydrated or something? As soon as you fainted, we ran right over!"

"No, it..." I shook my head, mulling over what I'd heard in the vision, heart beating quicker in realization. I glanced at Rose and shook my head in wonder. "It was a Dimensional Scream, and this Chronicler guy wanted me to have one so we'd learn where to meet him."

"What...!?" The Ninetales breathed in, her expression turning utterly shocked, and she quickly sat down next to me and leaned in, planting a paw on my lap as she snuggled close, her blue scarf tickling at my shoulder. Her tails curled and uncurled nervously, and I reached up to wrap a reassuring arm around her. "That's... oh my goodness. H-How long has it been since you had one, Bill? And why would he do that instead of just telling us?"

"Wait, y'mean those weird dream things y'got back when th'two o'you were apprentices still?" Cyan asked, reaching into his helmet to scratch behind his stubby ears, then pulling his hiking pack off of his back and letting it flop to the ground with a heavy thud. Erin sat down next to his bag, rooting through some of its pockets as the Samurott began to make camp, scraping bark from the stumps to serve as firewood. "What'd y'see?"

"I didn't see anything, but I heard his voice," I replied with a shake of my head, aura tassels bumping against the treasure bag, and I slowly slid the straps off of my shoulders, calming down and settling in for the night. Rose smiled softly at me, then walked over to the growing pile of tinder that our teammate was making, crouching low and readying herself to spit embers. "He didn't want to go into town for some reason, but..."

I glanced up, my gaze turning towards the gray, craggy outcrop off on the horizon, tiny streams glittering in the fading light. "But I know where he is."

[returnerofthewrites]

Writing Exercise: Rito

A chilly wind blew over the rocky pillars, the trees and shrubs rustling as the gale swept across the small bridge and blustered all around the little town. Late morning sunlight filtered down through a thin layer of clouds, glittering against the metal-coated shrine, its blue glow standing out against the soothing, orange sky. With a faint hum, an elevator rose up from the depths of the earth, coming to a stop within the tiny structure, and a young man stepped out into the open air, raising a brown-sleeved arm up to shield his eyes from the glare.

“Hmm...” Link hummed under his breath, brushing his messy bangs away when they drooped in front of his face, and he turned to stare at another one of the towering stone slabs, the smooth, rounded towers rising up from the earth far below. A faint shiver ran down his spine when the wind picked up strength, and he gave himself a quick once-over, pulling his simple green tunic tighter around his torso and reflexively tugging on the yellowed brim of his hat. He shook his head – after the windmills inside of the shrine itself, he'd hoped that the weather would have calmed down somewhat. “What next...?”

The Hylian stretched out somewhat as he took a step forward, hopping down to the grass and strolling towards the small viewing platform nearby, his eyes tracing across the landscape as he peered out at the snowy mountains off on the horizon. Flocks of wild birds hovered low, close to the water surrounding the Rito Village before swooping higher, and another, familiar orange glow shined below a pair of tattered flags, the telltale sign of yet another Sheikah trial waiting for him. Glancing at his hip, the young man pulled an ornately-carved stone slate from his belt, peering at the screen and aiming it right at the distant structure.

“If only they could all be so easy to find,” He muttered, narrowing his eyes for a moment as he tapped a small button on the side of the slate, placing a bright, red pin where the shrine stood. Bringing his arms down again, he peered at his map for a second or two, nodding to himself and returning the mechanical wonder to his side afterward. “I guess I'll have to go looking around there sooner or later, so it's as good a place to start as any-”

“Hey, mister!”

Link jolted, a twitch running through his pointed ears when he heard a young, chirpy voice call out to him, accompanied by something tugging on the Master Sword's scabbard. He twisted around in search of the source of the voice... and his tension drained away when he saw a small, lavender birdgirl standing behind him, her wide eyes brimming with curiosity. His mouth curled upwards into a goofy, awkward smile at the sight, and he turned around fully, resting his hands on his hips and tapping the toes of his boots against the floorboards.

“Er... hello,” The young Hylian replied, offering the Rito child a friendly wave. She cocked her head in response, looking more past the hero rather than at him, and he found himself tilting his head as well. “What? What is it?”

“You've got a funny hat, mister!” The tiny bird replied without hesitation, jumping up and down where she stood and wrapping a wing around the back of her head. “I've never met a Hylian with a hat like yours before! Are you trying to look like a Rito?”

“H-Huh?” Link stuttered out, blinking in surprise at the blunt remark, and he turned his head slightly, reaching up and patting the floppy end of his hat as it whipped about in the wind. He glanced back at the child as she patted her round mop of hair, and then he couldn't help but chuckle, smiling a bit wider as the realization dawned on him. “Ahh, heheh, I see what you mean now. No, this is... just a hat I found a while ago, somewhere far from here.”

He couldn't help but feel somewhat wistful, thinking of the impulse he'd felt from the Sheikah Slate just before he left the Great Plateau for the first time. A story for another day, perhaps.

“Awww...” The bird cooed in mild disappointment, but she perked right back up a split-second later, hopping from side to side and looking all around at him, eyeing the bits and bobs of gear strapped to his back. Link brushed his hands over the bottom of his tunic, then bent over and dusted off his legs, the chilly mountain air still nipping at his exposed skin. “Then what are you doing here, mister? You've got a really cool sword, too! Are you a traveler?”

“Kheel?” Link paused just before he was about to answer, furrowing his brow slightly and peering around the viewing platform, and the bird girl – Kheel, apparently – spun around, her lavender plumage waving this way and that as she stumbled backwards. Link watched as she went, then peered towards the rest of the village, taking a step back and watching as a taller, green-feathered birdwoman strode her way over to the two of them. “Kheel, please, you mustn't run so far ahead of me! And you know better than to bother strangers!”

“Aww, but mom!” Kheel grumbled, but her mother shook her head, the ring-shaped bangles hanging from her temples catching the light.

“No buts! You know how much trouble I have looking after all of you!” Kheel looked down at her talons for a few moments as her mother continued, and then she stomped in a circle and flopped down onto the planks, resting her chin in her wings in a frump. Her mother trotted up the steps and onto the platform, and Link raised his head to look up at her when she walked over to him, dropping her voice to a softer, though no less tired, tone. “My apologies, sir. My name is Amali... I hope that Kheel hasn't bothered you at all.”

“It's not a problem, ma'am, I promise,” Link quickly answered, cheerfully waving his hands at the corset-clad Rito to reassure her that everything was okay. The tall bird eyed him for a moment, then let out a sigh and nodded as well, walking over to her child and sitting down next to her. Link paused to look at the pair – the mother leaning sideways and pulling her child up onto her lap – and then he slowly ambled over to them as well. Reaching back, he lifted the Master Sword, his shield, and his bow all off of his back, setting them down onto the platform before sitting down and stretching out. “To be honest, it was nice to have someone else start the conversation for a change.”

“He's a traveler, mom!” Kheel said, wiggling back and forth on her mother's lap as she gestured towards the Hylian. Amali let her wing rest on her child's shoulders, trying her best to calm her down, even as she followed the girl's gaze over towards the hero. Link blinked, then reached back to sheepishly scratch underneath his hat, chuckling awkwardly as he ran his fingers through a nonexistent itch in his hair. “He's like mister Teba!”

“A traveler, hm? Yes, you do seem so...” Amali thought aloud, her tailfeathers twitching as she gave the Hylian a studious once-over; Link simply nodded in reply, idly taking the Master Sword in his hands and letting the legendary blade rest in his lap, twiddling his thumbs atop its scabbard. The green-plumed Rito sighed when she caught sight of the blade, her hair waving in the wind as she shook her head. “I don't suppose you really are here to risk your life against that beast, mister traveler?”

“Er. Well, I guess you could say it's something... like that...” Link trailed off when a massive shadow fell over them, and he found himself craning his neck to look skyward, frowning somewhat as he watched the massive mechanical bird drift in front of the sun. An ominous red glow pulsed from its numerous moving parts, and the wind seemed to pick up strength as it flew over the platform, fanblades whirring. Amali's head turned towards the Divine Beast as well, her cheeks creasing as she, too, gained a frown. “I was told to speak with the elder last night when I arrived, but I thought it better to go to the inn and rest until morning.”

“Mmm... I should warn you against doing something so foolish, but I can tell you plan to try regardless of what anyone says, don't you?” Amali replied, a faint, dry sparkle playing in her eyes as she spoke. Link let his chin drop at that, staring thoughtfully at his boots, and the birdwoman let out a quiet, melancholy laugh. “I'm sorry... now I'm the one who's being rude. Between Harth's wing being wounded and Teba vanishing, the village has been struggling for some time now.”

“Yeah! Ever since it showed up, it keeps trying everyone out of the sky!” Kheel piped up, fidgeting grumpily as she looked up and pulled a face at the circling machine. Link's eyebrows quirked upward as the child balled her wings into fists, Amali flinching in the meantime. “Notts has been having trouble singing, Cree's been all mopey and sad, and mom and my sisters and I can't go to Warbler's Nest to practicing singing... nrrrgh, that Divine Beast Vah Medoh is a big jerk!”

“Kheel!” Amali exclaimed, her expression shocked. “Watch your language!”

Link hummed under his breath, mulling over the Rito's words even as Kheel half-heartedly apologized for her outburst. Despite how pleasant the innkeeper and the guards had been last night, and the lovely countryside surrounding the place, he had easily picked up on the frustration that had been simmering throughout the village. To hear much of it laid bare, and by such a young girl, no less, made him ball his own hands up in irritation. The struggles of the Zora, especially those who remembered him, had left him reeling, and the cheerful Gorons had helped to bolster his determination, but...

“What a mess.” Amali and Kheel both stopped squabbling with each other when he spoke, watching as he set the Master Sword aside, curled his knees up, and shot Vah Medoh a steely stare. He kept a hand close to the pommel of the holy blade, an uneasy feeling setting in the longer he saw the flying beast circle around Rito Village.

“Um... mister? Are you okay?” The lavender bird said softly, rolling onto her knees and clambering off of her mother's lap, nudging the stone slab on the Hylian's hip, trying to get his attention. The push jolted Link out of his trance, and he glanced at the young girl, a small blush of embarrassment staining his cheeks. Kheel smiled... then hopped up into the air when a noise emanated from the Sheikah Slate, her feathery fingers brushing over one of its buttons. “Whuh!? What was that?”

“Eheh, it was just something of mine,” Link hastily replied, pulling the slate from his belt and swiping his fingers over its screen, his nerves twitching in satisfaction at the sight of the numerous blue specks that littered the display. Leaning sideways, he scooted a bit closer to the pair of Rito, holding the map out for them to see. “Here... I don't know how interesting it is, but if you want, you can see all the parts of Hyrule I've been to.”

“Oh wow, that's so cool!” Kheel chirped happily, bouncing backwards a little bit as she stared eagerly at the Sheikah Slate's screen. Amali reached a wing out, scooping her child back up into her arms, but she, too, was clearly interested, her eyes taking on a curious – almost hopeful – glimmer the moment the man had offered the map to them. Kheel struggled to contain her excitement, wiggling around on her mother's lap as she voiced her wonder. “Woaaah... so you've really been to all of these places? You've seen a lot of Hyrule!”

“Yeah, but not all of it. Not yet.” Link smiled distantly, pushing the thought of Vah Medoh out of his mind for a time, wistfully thinking back over his journey. His long-past awakening on the Great Plateau, taming Catherine and riding out to Kakariko and Hateno, exploring the land and hunting down the ancient shrines... navigating the Lost Woods and spending some days with the Koroks, then taking the Master Sword and freeing Mipha and Daruk... “I can't rest until I've gone everywhere, and trained as much as I can.”

“Why's that? What'cha training for, mister?” Kheel cocked her head left, then right, peering up from the map and staring right into the adventurer's face, her shoulders raised in anticipation.

“I...” Link paused to think for a moment, then continued, speaking carefully. “There's someone very important to me out there, and they need my help. They've been waiting for me for a long time.”

“Aw...” The young bird mumbled, slumping forward a little bit, then turning her gaze from Link to Amali; the green-plumed Rito didn't even notice, looking at Link with a sympathetic expression. “Mom and my sisters and I are waiting for someone, too.”

“Yes...” Amali added, and Link perked up somewhat at her voice, which had grown soft, and ever-so-slightly sad. He curled his legs a bit tighter and wrapped his arms around them, trying his best to stave off the wind as it blustered over the high platform, the trees and bushes rustling loudly all the while. “Someone special to us has been out traveling for a long time now. I... wonder sometimes if they will ever come back home.”

“I hope he'll come home soon...” Kheel said, smiling hopefully and looking down towards the bridges leading away from the village, the trail winding its way south, leading deep into the craggy hillside. “Maybe he'll come back when Vah Medoh stops attacking everyone! Then we can all go to Warbler's Nest and sing to his songs, right, mom?”

Link leaned forward a bit, looping one of his long sideburns back in front of his pointy ears when the breeze blustered his hair about, narrowing his eyes as he processed Kheel's remark... and then, after a couple of seconds, he understood.

Tugging on the yellow brim of his hat, he let a confident smile spread out across his features, slowly getting up, returning the Sheikah Slate to his hip, and giving Amali a pat on her shoulder. The bird woman tensed up somewhat, her long, floppy-hat-esqe hair whipping as she whirled around to stare at the young man.

“I should probably go meet with the elder now, but...” Link briefly stole a peak at the stables, far below them. “He's doing just fine, and I'm sure he'll be back soon. I promise.”

Amali stared in silence... then smiled happily, reaching up and running the tips of her feathery fingers over the Hylian's hand. “What's your name again? I don't think you ever mentioned it.”

“Link.” He replied, without hesitation. “My name is Link.”

“Thank you, Link.” Amali replied, Kheel hopping off her lap and trotting around the flight platform, the shrine glowing a soothing blue all the while.

[returnerofthewrites]

Alola ke Ola: Beginning

(Mild NSFW warning - no lewd, just some nude, similar to that vent oneshot I did last year.)

“Thank you, sir, everything should be mailed to you by next week. And next... mister Bill?”

My ears flicked, the call of my name rising above the muffled sound of the rain pouring down outside, and I slowly looked up from my seat, peering around the room, spotting a middle-aged Persian lady staring right at me from behind the front desk. I turned to glance at my partner when I felt her pat my shoulder, and the Ninetales and I shared a brief smile before I got up and walked over, wiggling my footpaws against the smooth, cold floor. Other Pokemon wandered around in the back rooms, dressed up in suits, carrying stacks of paper, quietly chattering into their phones. I half-grinned as I saw them zip every which way – the folks of city hall were as busy as ever.

“That's me,” I said sheepishly, nodding a silent greeting at the gray-furred feline as I stepped up to the desk, a faint nervousness starting to tingle through me; I idly scratched at my jeans, the fresh-washed denim suddenly feeling a little uncomfortable. “Has all the paperwork gone through?”

“Yes, it has!” She smiled slightly at me, then plucked a pen out from a nearby mug, sliding it and a small card across the wooden paneling. Her round face seemed to get even rounder as she let out a chuckle, whiskers shaking from the motion. “Hohoho, don't worry, dear, everything's fine. Just sign here, please.”

I looked down at it, then smiled wide, quickly taking the offered pen and hunching forward somewhat. I gave the license a once-over, scanning across my photo, the company logo and all the information I had filled out already, before spotting an empty line at the bottom; with a quick flick of my wrists, I jotted down my name, trying to write as carefully as I could despite my nerves. “Good?”

“Yup!” The Persian replied, shooting me a toothy smile as she leaned back, and I let go of a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding, pulling my wallet out and slipping the now-official card inside with trembling hands. “You're now an officially-licensed Ryder!”

I nodded confidently at the cat – then furrowed my brow a bit when her words sank in, reaching over and drumming my fingers against the countertop. “You make that pun to everyone?”

“Maybe,” The Persian replied jokingly, her tail flicking towards a nearby Machamp as he sidled behind her, and she turned and winked at the fighting type before looking back at me. Slipping the pen back into the pocket of her dress, she grabbed a clipboard and flipped through a couple of pages. “You can start providing rides starting tomorrow, so we hope to see you getting out there as much as you can, okay, sir? Now, next up is...”

I didn't even hear her as she called out for the next Pokemon in line, the loose ends of my checkered shirt flapping audibly as I practically spun on my heels, looking back at my partner. The cream-furred fox smiled warmly at me, brushing a few wrinkles out of her hoodie and skirt as she stood up, and she slowly walked over, her expression brightening more and more at my good mood.

“Ready to go, Bill?” The Ninetales asked, a sparkle playing in her ruby red eyes.

“Yeah, Rose,” I replied, tucking my wallet back into my pocket and glancing out towards the doors, chuckling awkwardly when I heard the falling rain thump onto the roof. “Time to head home.”

Alola ke Ola! Ho'omaka!

“Finally, we're home!” I said wheezily, carefully pushing the door open as I stepped into the apartment, a blast of cool, air-conditioned air hitting me head-on, cooling the countless droplets that clung to my fur. I shook my head and chuckled, practically ripping my checkered shirt off as I strode down the hall, past the mini-kitchen, until I reached the main room. The lights above flickered on, helping to illuminate the otherwise-dreary surroundings, and I glanced over my shoulder at my partner, tossing my shirt onto the nearby table. “I guess a little storm can't stop this good mood, huh?”

“I'd be a little bit worried if it did!” Rose replied, stepping away from the lightswitch and ambling up to my side, her footpaws softly padding against the tile floor. I rolled my eyes and reached out to affectionately tousle her headfur, and she leaned into my touch, beaming sweetly.

“Hoo... it feels good to get that finished.” I let my arms drop back to my sides, a couple of my aura tassels slipping in front of my shoulders as I shook my head. “Honestly, I'm excited. Compared to working at the Pokemart back in New Bark, this is a big step up, huh?”

The Ninetales hummed an 'mmhm' in response, leaning in and giving me a gentle lick on the cheek, and then she stepped over to the window-wall, bringing a hand up to the glass and gazing out at Hau'oli City. Gray clouds blanketed the sky, the sun barely visible behind them, and numerous, colorful umbrellas milled down the sidewalks, Pokemon going here and there as the rain poured down. Despite the weather, a few swimmers – and even surfers – were still visible against the foam-filled ocean, locals and tourists alike testing their mettle against the waves.

“So, what now?” I spoke up after a few minutes had passed, leaning back and wiping at my ruffled torsofur. Light glinted against my pawspikes and blunted chestspike both, and I folded my arms, taking a deep breath and letting myself relax. “Did you have anything else going on, Rose?”

“Mm-mm,” The cream-furred fox shook her head, her ponytail of headfur waving, and she looked at me out of the corner of her eyes, smiling coyly before reaching down and tugging at the hem of her hoodie. My tail wagged once as she slowly started to disrobe, rising up onto her tiptoes and stretching out, and I started fiddling with my jeans not long after. “We could talk about how the job's going to work, if you want, but otherwise I think I just want to take it easy today. After all... you got the job, so we should celebrate, right? Maybe order a pizza?”

“That works for me,” I replied with a grin, undoing the button and letting my pants drop to my ankles, shivering slightly as a draft breezed past my sheath and ballsack. I couldn't help but smile wider when Rose fully tugged her hoodie off – her ample breasts dropping out with a slight bounce – and I took a step forward, leaning against a chair as I watched her strip. “Hopefully I won't need to look for another job for a while, unless they can find some way to make paperwork processing exciting.”

“Aww, I'm sure they did the best they could...” Rose said gently, folding her hoodie up and setting it aside. My eyes lingered longingly on her curves, and a pleasant twitch ran through my nerves when the fire type dropped her skirt, giving me a quick peek at her lacy, orange panties before her tails waved down to hide her rear. She turned around afterward, her muzzle curling into a soft smile as she walked up and closed the distance. “Besides, it sounds like it'd be a lot of fun! I bet you'll get to see all sorts of neat stuff, driving Pokemon around the island.”

“Hah, true,” I wrapped my arms around the cream-furred fox and drew her into a hug, her body heat washing over me like a hot bath; she let out a happy sigh before snuggling in close, smushing her bust into my chest and lightly swaying back and forth. We stood there for a couple seconds, and then I scooted over to the chair, pulling Rose along with as I sat down. “Still, I bet it'll be even better for finding places that all four of us can visit together. At least, if I end up driving for anyone outside of Hau'oli, anyway.”

“Oh, hush, I'm sure you will!” My partner gingerly swatted at an aura tassel, shifting sideways to settle onto my lap, her nine fluffy tails curling over the armrest and brushing against the floor. She leaned over to rest her head, and I nuzzled into her scruff of neckfur, her sidelocks tickling against my nose. “I really am happy for you, Bill... I'm happy for all of us. We got through moving to Melemele, and now you, me, Cyan and Erin have jobs, so we really are getting back to normal, aren't we?”

I peered across the table at the far wall and looked around the apartment, going from our hanging plant to the pencil mug sitting on my writing desk, then to the kitchen nook back the way we came in. My ears flicked as Rose trailed off, the sound of the rain filling the room again. “Yeah. Yeah, we are. And it feels good!”

“Hehehe...” All my muscles seemed to relax at once when the Ninetales snuggled up with me again, giggling under her breath. I eased even deeper into the chair's cushions, unable to keep one leg from twitching as I felt the lace of Rose's undies rub up on my leg. “Maybe we can both try to work on that, huh? I'm sure there's plenty of local guidebooks at the library I could check out...”

“How've things been over there, anyway?” I asked, shifting away a bit to look at my partner, and she cocked her head in curiosity, bringing her hand up to brush her bangs out from in front of her face. Scooting to the side, I leaned against the other armrest, managing to leave just enough room for the Ninetales to sit next to me. “With all the stuff I've been dealing with, I haven't gotten to hear much about how your work's going.”

“Well... it's been really good so far,” Rose said, scratching a bit at her scruff of neckfur, and I snaked my arms around her midriff, sliding them up to her underboob and giving her tits a bounce; they jiggled slightly, feeling heavy against my wrists. She smiled playfully and stuck her tongue out at me, reaching down and tracing a couple fingers over the blue stripe on my thigh in return. “It's way bigger than New Bark or Humilau's libraries ever were... mmm, it's kind of crazy to think about. But all of my coworkers have been really friendly, and it's been really relaxing to work the desk, too.”

“That's a shocker,” I quipped airily. When she gave me a confused look in return, I shrugged. “What? Don't think I forgot how much you seemed to hate checking things in and out for everyone back in Humilau.”

“Hey...” The cream-furred fox murmured, letting out a slight huff, her tails slowly curling up to her back, then uncurling down to the floor again. “That's just because nobody ever really came to the Humilau library, and they wouldn't let me help reshelf stuff when I was working the counter. Everyone here in Hau'oli seems a lot more relaxed, though... not just with the library, either, but in general, you know?”

“Yeah, I get what you mean.” I nodded. “I mean, I was stuck having to wait a week before I could even get a job interview set up, and the guy who interviewed me just told me to let him know. That always seemed rare back in Unova, hah!”

“Mmhm, exactly.” Looking back at Rose, I shrugged a second time, prompting her to scritch the fur around my blunted chestspike. I grinned cheekily, bouncing her breasts a little bit more before scooting her closer to me, and she leaned in, pressing her muzzle against my cheek. “I think it's a really, really nice change of pace... I loved Unova, and I'm sure Cyan and Erin'll miss it, but aside from a few things, Alola seems like it's a lot more easygoing.”

“At least the ocean's still the same, heheheheh.” I glanced out the window-wall again at the city, the rain having died down somewhat. Some of the clouds had broken up, blue sky visible through the gaps, and a few strong sunbeams shined through, glowing yellow against the gray – there were even a handful of parasailers visible amidst the gloom. My tail wagged at the sight, audibly swishing back and forth. Parasailing... Cyan had mentioned that before, the other day. “Actually, I'm surprised that Cyan and Erin are getting on as well as they are. They seemed to take to moving a lot better than we did.”

“They didn't have a whole lot to bring with them, remember?” Rose remarked, glancing towards the ceiling, her ruby red eyes glazing over in thought as she looked up at the ceiling lights. “It's just like how we were when we moved from Johto to Unova. Besides, you saw how excited they were! Even Cyan, and he's usually too frumpy to show it! If they were nervous, that made them forget about it.”

I raised a hand and gestured at nothing, licking my lips as I mulled the comment over... and then I lost my train of thought when a couple sharp knocks echoed in from down the little entry hall. My ears twitched at the noise – one of them flicking right into my partner's headfur – and we both sat up a little bit straighter. Rose tilted her head slightly, trying to listen harder for the sound, and she slipped down off of my lap, taking a few steps away from the table when a second series of knocks rang out through the apartment.

“Hey, Bill, Rose!” A rough, youthful voice called out from the door, his words tinged with a heavy accent. He paused for a split second, then spoke up again, knocking a third time. “Y'there? Erin thought she saw th'two o'you comin' back from city hall, so she wanted t'come by an' check in!”

“Speaking of...” My muzzle curled upwards, and I slowly got up from the chair, walking up next to my partner and placing a hand on her shoulder. She glanced at me, then smiled, combing her fingers through her headfur. “Think I should go and put on some underwear?”

“I think he might be a little embarrassed either way,” She giggled in response, a faint blush rising onto her face, visible even through her fur. She leaned in and pressed her lips onto mine for a moment, then ambled towards the door, her tails wagging from side to side as she turned the corner and vanished behind the wall. “At least we can tell them the good news, though!”

Shaking my head, I turned around and waltzed over to our dresser, pulling open a drawer and quickly grabbing a pair of boxerbriefs. I hastily leaned against the edge of the bed and pulled them on, letting out a mild sigh as the tight fabric wrapped around my crotch. Then, I briefly gave myself a brush-down with my palms, feeling the chilly apartment air sink in as the warmth from Rose's inner fire faded away. My tail thumped a couple times against the bedsheets as I heard the door open.

“Bwah-! R-Rose, wh-what th'hell!?” There was a startled yelp, followed by someone else laughing merrily, and my grin grew even wider.

“Heeheeheehee! C'moooon, Cyan, don't get so antsy! It's okay!” Dusting my hands off, I gave my pawspikes a couple of idle taps before heading back towards the little hallway, slowing to a stop just a few short steps behind Rose as she opened the door a little wider to let our two friends in. The first one to make it in was a lithe Mienshao girl, clad in a sleeveless shirt and shorts, bouncing up and down as she ran right into Rose and wrapped her into a tight hug. “Hi Bill, hi Rose! How're you two doing today, huh, huh?”

“Heh, we're just fine, Erin.” I walked over to the two girls, reaching out and flicking one of Erin's ears with a finger. The pink mink pulled away from Rose and smiled widely at me – then perked up when Cyan stomped into the apartment, ducking his head somewhat so his horned helmet wouldn't leave a notch in the doorframe. The Samurott crossed his arms against his black tank top, trying very hard not to look flustered despite the cherry-red blush on his face, and I kicked back, leaning against the wall. “Seems like you're doing alright too, huh? You both finish your shifts for today?”

“I didn't have one!” Erin piped up, cutting Cyan off before he could speak, and she quickly zipped past Rose and I, scuttling into the main room, her tail and fur sleeves – the latter tied around her wrists as usual – flapping all along the way.

“D-Do th'two o'you have t'be hangin' 'round in nothin' but your damn skivvies...?” The blue-furred sea lion murmured under his breath, giving us a half-hearted glare, and I stretched an arm out, lightly clapping him on his back as he moseyed forward. Rose smiled gently at the younger Pokemon, giving him a pat on his helmet before wiping down the fur on her neck and breasts; Cyan tried his best to avoid looking at my partner's bare chest, managing to get a grin out of me in the process. “A-And I'm doin' good! I had a shift in th'mornin', so I'm all done, yeah!”

“Good! Now, go ahead and make yourselves cozy, okay? Bill and I have some news for the both of you,” Rose said, taking my hand in hers as we followed after Cyan, and she waved her other hand towards the chair opposite the one we had been sitting in just a few minutes earlier.

“Ooh, is it about the job? Did you get the job, Bill!?” Erin happily asked, bounding over from near the living room nook and grabbing my shoulders, giving me a bit of a shake in her excitement. Cyan brusquely pulled the seat out from the table, his cargo pants wrinkling as he 'fwump'-ed right down onto the cushion; Erin happily hopped into her friend's lap, eliciting a gasp, then a huff, out of the winded water type. “C'mon, tell us! You got it, didn't you!”

“Yeah, out with it,” Cyan added, somehow managing to forget his embarrassment as he looked between Rose and I, his fan-shaped tail thankfully slipping through the hole in the chair. He scrunched his nose for the briefest of moments when he took his helmet off, his stubby ears poking up into the air as he set the armor down onto the floor. “Y'said that y'were plannin' t'go t'city hall today, right? How'd it go?”

“It went decently enough...” I deliberately trailed off, and Rose smiled softly, then slowly plopped down into the other chair, her tails spilling out underneath the armrests as she loosened up; I walked up behind the chair and leaned against the back, casually tapping my footpaws against the floor. After a moment, I chuckled, shooting Cyan and Erin a wink. “Heh, yeah, I got the job. Even signed the license and everything.”

Erin nearly leaped out of the seat, pumping her fists happily, dimples forming in her cheeks as a huge smile wound its way onto her face. Her whiskers twitched as she fidgeted around, and even Cyan let out a small snicker, tapping his hands against the empty, shell-plated scabbards on his arms, even as he scooted sideways a little to give his friend a little extra wiggle room.

“Aaaaaaaah! That's really really great!” The Mienshao cheered, scooting around so much that she nearly slipped off the edge of the seat. “When do you start? Do they have you assigned anywhere? Show me your license! I wanna seeee!”

“So y'actually managed t'land somethin'?” Cyan leaned forward, resting one arm atop the table and stroking his mustache with the other. I walked over to my pants in the meantime, fishing my wallet out from the pocket and pulling out the newly-minted card, and I tossed it over to Erin, who snatched it out of the air and looked it over. “For Arceus' sake, it's 'bout damn time! Good t'hear they hired you after all! They took long enough t'decide, bah!”

“I think city hall might have a tiny more on their plates than your usual personal trainer does,” I snarked back, sitting down with Rose and crossing my legs. The Ninetales giggled softly at the remark, her ponytail of headfur swinging as she shook her head, and she leaned into me, her breasts shifting ever-so-slightly against my chest. “And it isn't set up like that, Erin, I just have to turn the app on and wait for someone to text and ask me for a ride. I'm going to have to figure out a schedule and all that on my own.”

“That's so cool, though!” Erin said brightly, rocking back and forth on her backside as she stretched her hands out, holding my Ryde license under the light. After a few more moments, she slid it back over to me, fluffing her fur sleeves and glancing out the window-wall afterward. Just a second later, the younger Pokemon looked back at me, excitement welling up again. “Oh oh oh, what if you get Pokemon going on their island challenges? I bet you'll have more chances to come and visit me at the center, heeheehee!”

“Yeah, that is somethin', now that y'mention it!” Cyan chimed in. I glanced at Rose when she slowly got up from the chair – her nine fluffy tails swishing as she walked over to the mini-kitchen – then looked back at the Samurott as he snapped his fingers impatiently. “There've been a few new folks over at th'gym th'past couple o'weeks, an' they said they're stayin' here in Hau'oli until they can head over to th'other side o'th'island for their trial. Maybe you can ask 'em 'bout what it's like, if you end up goin' into Kekona City...”

“Hey!” Erin replied, letting out a mild, playful huff as she put her hands on her hips. “You should be the one to do that if you're so interested in the island challenge, you big grumpy gus!”

“An' what's that supposed t'mean, eh?” Cyan shot back, giving the pink mink an annoyed look.

I briefly peered outside as the Samurott and Mienshao crabbed at each other; the storm had mostly stopped, but the gray, dreary clouds remained, hanging still above the apartment grounds. I leaned to the side, peering past some of the buildings at Ten Carat Hill, the top of the peak hidden behind the lingering mist. If nothing else, I didn't envy whoever had to drive out there today.

Then again, if the front stopped and sat here for a few days, it might be me after all.

The sound of clinking glass and a running faucet caught my attention, and I shook myself out of my trance, turning my head towards Rose as she slowly walked back over to the table with a few glasses of water held in her arms. The nine-tailed fox smiled warmly at the two younger Pokemon, setting the drinks down and wiping her hands on her panties, the cream-colored fur around them getting ruffled somewhat from the moisture.

“It'll be the last big change for all of us, but...” She wondered aloud, reaching up and shyly scratching behind her ears afterward. I smiled, grasping her other hand and giving her a comforting squeeze, and she chuckled to herself. “Hehe, it means that we'll be back to normal, right? Well, mostly normal, anyway.”

“Yeah, yeah...” Cyan replied; Erin looked at him and gestured at one of the water glasses, then took it for herself when the sea lion shook his head. The fighting type quickly downed it all in just a couple gulps. “So what're you two plannin' t'do now? If y'don't start 'til tomorrow, does that mean you've got nothin' goin' on?”

“Eh?” I grunted, grinning and reaching back to scratch at my aura tassels as the Samurott's comment sank in. Rose slowly walked back over to our chair and folded her arms on top of it, and my tail wagged a couple times when I felt my partner's breasts squish my ears down a little bit. I stole a quick glance at the Ninetales, who was gazing quietly out at the city, before replying. “Er, Rose and I were probably going to take it easy and celebrate for dinner, but yeah, we're free this afternoon. What's the deal?”

“Celebrate for dinner? What, y'mean order a cheap pizza or somethin' like that? Bah!” Cyan barked, rolling his eyes dismissively and shuffling around in the seat, smacking his fanned tail against the woven wicker. I sheepishly sighed and nestled my head a little more comfortably underneath Rose's bust, opting not to tell the Samurott that he was exactly right. “How's 'bout you two come on next door later in th'evening! I've got a recipe I've been wantin' t'test out anyway, so it's a good excuse!”

Erin gasped at that, then tittered cheerfully, hopping up off of the chair and rocking back and forth on her heels, only to look back at her friend when he tugged on her tail like a leash. She blew a raspberry at him, then looked back at Rose and I; my partner chuckled at their antics. “Oooh, yeah, that'd be lots of fun! Please, Bill? Rose? It's been such a long time since we had a big family meal together, too...”

“Yeah, now that y'mention it, when was th'last time th'two o'you came over?” I sat up a little straighter, briefly looking up at the ceiling in thought at the question. The water type kicked the heels of his boots against the tiles a couple times, cracking a toothy smirk and snorting. “Heh, I guess that's another excuse t'have y'both over. Does seven o'clock work for you?”

“I don't know,” I said, glancing up at Rose, nudging her with the flats of my pawspikes to get her attention. “What do you think? It would be a lot better than what we were thinking before.”

“Mmm...” Rose tilted her head from side to side, ponytail slipping over her shoulders as she mulled the offer over. The fire type peered down her nose at me for a moment, then smiled in agreement, her tails waving up and down as she continued. “That sounds great, Cyan. Bill and I were just thinking of doing something... um, simple, before, but it really would be great to have a proper get-together... Erin's right, it's been too long.”

“That settles it, then!” I reached my arms out, rapping my knuckles on the table as I grabbed the other glass of water and took a sip. Licking my lips, I grinned cheekily at the Samurott and Mienshao sitting across from us, shaking my head towards the kitchen nook of the apartment. “I'm already looking forward to it, hahahah!”

“Woo hoooooo! Ooh, this is gonna be so much fun, heeheehee,” Erin cheered, spryly bouncing off of the chair and skipping down the hall, waving her arms at Rose and I as she vanished down the hallway, her small pink tail wiggling all along the way. “I'm gonna go preheat the oven, okay, Cyan? Seeya later, Bill, Rose!”

“Hang on, Erin-!” Cyan blurted out, his eyes going wide as the pink mink fled out the door, and he quickly got up, dusting himself off and shaking his head irritably. Light glinted off of the shell plates on his arms and shins, and he snatched up his helmet, set it back atop his head, and let out a gruff grumble. He took a couple steps forward, boots scuffing against the tiles, then turned back towards us. “Ah, Arceus dammit, not again. See y'in th'evening, alright? Sheesh, Erin, will y'wait up-!?”

I hopped up and slid my way away from the table, giving the two younger Pokemon a short wave as they departed, tapping the tips of my footpaws on the floor; the tiles sent a chill through my pawpads, and I briefly shivered, folding my arms against my blunted chestspike to keep warm. My ears flicked as the door creaked open, then swung shut, and I turned to look at Rose... only to balk when I found her standing mere inches away from me, our noses nearly touching. The Ninetales looped her tails around my back, gazing kindly at me, and she let her head droop, resting her chin on my shoulder.

“Hehehe...” She giggled under her breath, letting her hands wander down to my hips, and I sighed pleasantly when I felt her slip her hands down towards underpants, the waistband bending over her knuckles. Licking my lips again, I nuzzled my partner's cheek, her headfur tickling my nose. “Mmm. To be honest, a home-cooked meal does sound like a fun way to celebrate. We all deserve to have a little down-time, after all!”

“What if I tried making something?” I said, muzzle curling into a joking smile, and she hunched forward, poking at one of my aura tassels in response. Letting my fingers rest on the small of her back, I pulled the fire type in close – her bare breasts squishing into my torsofur – and laughed, a tingle of arousal running down my spine. “I take it that's a no?”

“Maybe if it was breakfast for dinner,” Rose replied, pulling her head back and deliberately wiggling her boobs against the fur around my blunted chestspike, fluffing the sensitive spots to tease me. My tail swished back and forth from the sensation, and I trailed my fingertips all over her back, eliciting a shaky coo from the cream-furred fox. “Besides, you're the one who's supposed to be celebrating! You of all Pokemon should be taking it easy tonight.”

“Eh, that's true.” I shook my head, looking towards the window-wall when the pitter-pattering of the rain began to pick up strength again, water spattering against the glass and trailing down the side of the apartment building. Rose's tails tickled against my sides, and I nudged them with my hip, chuckling. “Heh, still, that means we're free for a good few hours... anything you want to do?”

The Ninetales smiled coyly, her ruby red eyes shining in the light as she brought a hand up and curled a few locks of her headfur between her thumb and forefinger. “How about a movie?”

[returnerofthewrites]

Writing Exercise: Date

The soft twang of an ukulele rang out through the cafe, mixing with the sounds of clinking utensils and idle chatter; air whirred out from above, sending delicious scents wafting across the room and out the door. Glancing out the window, I peered out at the rest of the mall, idly tapping my footpaws to the beat of the music as I watched Pokemon after Pokemon wander by, cheerfully making their way wherever. My ear flicked when a soft hum drifted past, and I turned to look across the table at my partner, my muzzle curling into a cheeky grin when I saw the end of a fork sticking right out of her mouth.

“Enjoying your Valentines breakfast so far, Rose?” I quipped, curling my fingers around my mug of Tapu Cocoa, blowing on it a couple times before taking a sip, tensing up for a split-second when the scalding-hot liquid singed my lips. The cream-furred fox smiled warmly at me in response, her nine fluffy tails waving against the chair, and she gulped down her bite of pancakes before letting out a sigh, looking as relaxed as could be. “I guess I'll take that as a yes.”

“Mmhm,” Rose finally replied, setting her fork back in her bowl, and she gingerly wiped her lips on her hoodie's sleeve, blowing at a few strands of her headfur that drooped in front of her face afterward. “I'm glad we finally decided to come try this place. It's too bad we were too late to try any specials, but at least we found something to split, hehe.”

“Getting here early probably helped,” I shrugged, picking up my own fork and spearing a couple of Bluk berries, rolling them around in the copious amount of syrup before chomping down. My mouth instantly began to water at the sheer sweetness, and I grunted, then swallowed, before speaking back up again. “Mmrf- sorry. But yeah, Cyan's told me about how fast this place can get. Definitely a nice day to come though, huh?”

���Yeah...” Rose trailed off, looking outside, and I followed her gaze, the two of us contentedly watching the various passerby. The Ninetales leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands and gently bouncing in her seat, her ponytail shaking from side to side all the while. Sunlight filtered down from high above the roofs of the various shops and stalls, glinting against the paved stone floor, and I took a deep breath in... and out... folding my arms against my blunted chestspike and stretching out. “I hope he and Erin are having a good day too, though. I wonder why they didn't want to come with us?”

“I don't know, it'd probably be less romantic to have them commenting on how sappy it is for us to be sharing a plate of pancakes like this.” I grinned again, and Rose rolled her eyes, playfully sticking her tongue out at me. A chuckle escaped my throat, and I shook my head, my aura tassels sliding against my shirt and shoulders. “Besides, Erin's got something fun in mind for the two of them anyway, unless she changed her plans at the last minute.”

“Oh?” My partner cocked her head, ruby red eyes shining curiously. “How do you know that?”

I blinked, then reached my hands behind my head, casually crossing my legs and acting nonchalant. Turning my gaze outside, I slowly answered her question. “Erin swung by the apartment the other day, asking for help figuring out a gift for Cyan. I think you were working that day, so she was gone when you got back.”

“Aww...!” The cream-furred fox beamed at that, cutting herself another slice of breakfast as she spoke up. “What did you end up telling her to get?”

The corners of my mouth twitched higher upward. “Boxers.”

Rose paused – her forkful of pancakes mere inches away from being devoured – and then leaned forward, her eyes going wide and her tails waving up and down as she shot me a knowing look. “Bill!”

“Hey hey, c'mon!” I couldn't help but chuckle as the Ninetales stared incredulously at me, and I raised my hands up, the folds of my shirt flapping slightly as I glanced around the cafe; thankfully, nobody seemed to be looking at us. Admittedly, Rose's outburst was probably too quite to draw much notice anyway. Hah! “She asked me to think of something that could help her drop a hint. Cyan's so shy about the subject that I figured it'd be easiest if she just got right to the point, hahahah.”

“Boxers are just going to get him all embarrassed, though...” She replied, giggling under her breath herself before finally chowing down, and we both shared the last few bites of our meal before continuing the conversation, forks clinking and jaws chewing. I smiled and affectionately poked at Rose's footpaws with my own, taking a few sips of my hot chocolate and exhaling pleasantly as we finished the pancakes off.

“I thought of that,” I said, tapping my pawspikes together a couple times, glancing through the window again when a few wild Pikipek swooped down onto a table outside, quickly nipping it clean of crumbs before getting swatted away by a nearby waiter. “So I told her to try getting some plain old weights, or maybe restock the spices or something, too. He'd probably appreciate either one, right?”

“Mmm, that's true. Still, as long as they have a good time, I'll be happy.” The fire type Pokemon nodded thoughtfully, leaning back and patting her belly, running her fingers over the fabric of her hoodie. I was about to reach for the empty pancake plate, ready to lap up the rest of the syrup, only for another passing server to snatch it up, giving us both a hasty, beleaguered smile before leaving a check in its place. The Ninetales sighed happily as I grabbed it, drawing my wallet out of my jeans' pocket as I tallied up the bill. “Though now... I wonder what else you have planned for today, hehe! Oh, and leave a good tip, will you?”

“Heh, way ahead of you.” I pulled out an extra couple of bills, slipping them inside of the check and setting it aside. Pushing my chair out, I stood up, reaching out and helping my partner out of her own chair, and we looked around the little cafe, drinking in the cozy atmosphere for a moment longer. Then we strolled out into the open air, a fresh breeze and warm sunlight washing over us. “Want to look around a bit?”

“Mmhm,” Rose nodded, curling an arm around mine and lightly resting her head against my shoulder for a moment. “I'd like that.”

The two of us stepped out into the modest crowd, padding against the paved stone floor as we weaved our way between this fellow and that, glancing around at the numerous stores and little stalls dotted all around the center of the mall. Parents wandered around, their tails swishing or ears flicking as they held their childrens' hands tightly, and plenty of other Pokemon ambled in all directions, carrying bags, holding bottles or simply chatting with each other. An Alolan Raichu floated along, riding atop her tail with a couple bags looped over her shoulder, and an Alakazam jogged after him, waving his spoons to try and get her attention.

Soon enough, Rose and I had crossed through the heart of the mall and ridden an escalator down to the end of the complex, walking past a couple of fancier restaurants. Just a moment later, my partner broke away from me, padding past a burbling fountain and jogging up to a railing, gazing out into the distance with a smile on her face. My heart skipped a beat as she hopped onto her tiptoes, leaning over to look out at the marina, sailboats and motorboats and plenty of other boats jostling and bumping against each other from the tide, and I walked up to the Ninetales, wrapping an arm around her back.

“We could go and look around there, if you wanted,” I remarked, lightly giving her a bump with my hip before looking out at the boats as well. The wind picked up strength, whistling and blustering in my ears, and I curled my other arm around my midriff, keeping the folds of my shirt from flapping in the breeze. Rose didn't respond, and I turned towards her, drumming my fingers against her hoodie. She kept staring out towards the high masts and the sparkling sea, her eyes lost on the far horizon. “What's on your mind?”

“Just thinking,” Rose muttered, her voice soft, and she curled up with me, holding me close in a loving hug. Her inner fire flared up, sending her body heat washing over me like a warm bath, and a couple of her tails curled around my own. “I know we came to visit a couple times before we moved, but... it's crazy just how huge Melemele is, isn't it? There's so many parts of the island that we haven't been to yet, but now I'm looking out at the sea and it feels... really small. Does that make sense?”

“I get what you mean.” I nodded my way into the Ninetales' headfur, nuzzling and tousling it with my nose. The fire type Pokemon gave one of my aura tassels a tug in return, and she chuckled, lightly swaying back and forth. “It is still an island, after all. I bet we could probably drive around the whole thing in a day if we tried.”

“Hehehe...” Rose glanced towards the ocean again, and I followed, my gaze trailing away from the marina and onto the beach park sitting right next door. “I guess once the paperwork goes through and you get a call back, you might be making round-trips like that all the time, huh?”

“Maybe maybe,” I winked, letting go of her and putting my hands on my hips, light glinting off of my pawspikes. The Ninetales reached out and playfully ruffled the fur around my blunted chestspike before bringing her hands back to her chest, fiddling with the laces of her hoodie's hood. Slowly, she took a couple steps back, smiling as she watched the palm trees shake in the wind; my nose twitched when I smelled the scent of salt, carried along from the water. “So what next? The marina or beach park sound good, or were you thinking of something else? I'm up for whatever.”

“Could we...” She began, and she drew in close again, a shy, faintly-blushing expression rising onto her face. “Could we maybe go out and walk to the end of the peninsula? You know, where the benches are set up and everything.”

I blinked, then smiled in understanding, leaning in to give her a quick peck on the cheek. Her ruby red eyes fluttered shut in happiness, a warm laugh escaping her throat.“Sure. C'mon, let's go.”

Bending an elbow, I offered the cream-furred fox a hand, and she gingerly took it in her grasp, walking alongside me as we hopped down the stairs to the sidewalk. Making our way to the nearest stoplight, we paused for a moment as a few cars – and a few Tauros riders, to my surprise – went by, hooves and tires stomping and screeching against the road. Once the coast was clear, Rose and I briskly crossed to the other side, scrunching up our faces somewhat as the wind gusted into our faces.

“Well, it'll be a good day for the surfers!” I quipped above the noise, briefly squeezing Rose's hand, and she nodded in agreement, her tails waving up and down and brushing against my back. It didn't take long for the sun-heated concrete to give way to soft, grassy loam, and Rose let go of me, her curves and ponytail bouncing as she skipped ahead with a spring in her step. I cracked a grin, reaching back and scratching at my aura tassels before kicking off into a jog, quickly catching up to the fire type Pokemon.

Palm fronds cast long, leafy shadows down onto the dirt as the sun hung high in the sky, and I picked up my pace, narrowly speeding past my partner as I spotted a bathroom building sitting at the end of the park trail. The ocean glittered in the light, foamy waves crashing their way onto the beach, and I took a deep gulp of air, slowing to a stop once I reached a bench, my partner padding up to me soon afterward.

“Phew!” I grunted, bending over and resting my palms on my knees, panting heavily as I tried to catch my breath. My tail swung side to side, heart pounding from the exertion, and Rose promptly sidled her way over to the bench and sat down, her nine fluffy tails fanning out, too big to fit through the wooden planks. I eased my way down next to her, leaning forward and letting my arms flop into my lap. “Good run.”

“I thought Erin was the only one who liked to make things into a race,” My partner replied, playfully sticking her tongue out.

“Maybe it's a fighting type thing,” I joked, bringing a hand up and carefully tousling her headfur. “Then again, aren't you the one who started it?”

“Hehehe... it's nice to be a little carefree for once,” Rose thought aloud, leaning back and folding her legs, twiddling her fingers atop her skirt. The Ninetales glanced from left to right, looking around the park and out towards the water; groups of swimmers floated along in a barred-off lagoon, while a few fisherfolk were sitting right on top of the rocky barrier, their lines cast off into the open sea. Rose fidgeted a little, and I glanced over, watching as she rubbed at her sleeves. “Mmph, I'm still not used to how warm it is, either, even though it's still February. No wonder everyone's swimming instead of sunbathing.”

She scooted sideways to snuggle up, her ponytail tickling my aura tassels. I drooped my head against hers as well, a peacefulness settling over us. The wind started to slow down after a few minutes longer, the chill from the gales and the shade from the palm trees helping to keep things cool, and we sat in silence, contentedly Pokemon-watching. A few flocks of wild Wingull crowed out merrily, swooping down to the beach and roosting in the damp, shallow mud. Seconds later, they jolted to life when a couple of Oricorio dashed right through them, laughing and cheering, with surfboards tucked under their wings.

My ear flicked against Rose's head when I heard a soft purr escape my partner's throat, and I turned my head, her own ears twitching as I nosed at them. I felt my tail start to wag when she giggled and wrapped an arm around my shoulders, leaning further into me.

“Happy?” I asked, lowering my voice to a whisper as I snuggled up to the Ninetales. My heart skipping a beat when she turned towards me, giving my muzzle a gentle, loving lick. Pulling her in close, I exhaled pleasantly, letting my eyes droop shut.

“Mmhm,” The cream-furred fox replied, curling her knees and shifting onto her side. “I love you, Bill.”

I pulled her into a hug, letting her nuzzle into the crook of my neck, her tails wiggling against our backs. “Love you, too.”

And so we sat there at the end of the beach park, wind blowing and sun shining, the sound of the waves drifting through the air.

[returnerofthewrites]

Spirit

A terrible caw ripped through the air, followed by the heavy beating of wings as the dark fiend reared back, its head waving shakily through the air as it bellowed out, pelting its assailants with gust after gust of wind. Shadows filled the night sky, blotting out even the stars, and the creature attempted to take off, only to receive another arrow through its shoulder in return. It cried out in pain, and it clacked its beak a couple times as it stared down the trio of heroes in front of it, the Rotten stripes on its feathers beginning to glow.

“Behind me!” One of the warriors, a thickly-built wolf clad in scalemail, dug her footpaws into the dirt, hunching low behind her massive tower shield and beckoning at her companions to follow along. Her eyes were narrowed to slits in concentration, but a note of fear danced audibly in her voice as she yelled. “Behind me, now!”

The other two wolves hastily dove for cover, their ears flattening against their skulls when the Bane let loose with a blast of hellish fire, plumes of smoke billowing forth from the monster's maw and spreading through the meadow. Thane scooted backwards when the horrid breath nearly grazed his tail, bumping into River's back along the way; he turned to look at the brown-furred wolf, who let out a short, frustrated grunt as she twisted around to try and look at their foe.

“Damn it... Rot take it!” She uncharacteristically swore, drawing an arrow and notching it with a white-knuckle grip. Thane reached a paw out to try and comfort the ranger, but relented when she stood up, picking himself up as well and dusting his blue battle armor off. “We're so close to the palace... if we can't kill this monster, we'll never make it to the meeting place in time.”

“It's almost dead, though,” The young swordswolf replied hopefully, stabbing his rune-covered longsword into the dirt to clean the blood from its blade. His rucksack shook against his shoulders, and he shrugged a couple times to adjust its fit, tensing up when he saw the Bane's breath finally dissipate. “The sun might be rising soon, but I know we can do it! We have to!”

“Thane, River!” The pair glanced at their protector, who briefly peeked over the top of her shield at the black raven. The warrior and the ranger both hunkered down and peeked out from the sides, readying themselves for anything. “It's exhausted itself with that attack. If we can deal it one last good blow to its neck, we can bring it down!”

“Thanks, Magna.” Thane smiled confidently, throwing his friends a thumbs-up. River and Magna both nodded in reply, the former drawing her bowstring tight. “Let's go!”

The trio dashed forward, Magna taking point while the others kept to her flanks, charging towards the weakened Bane with a determined battlecry. River picked up speed, then leapt into the air, closing one eye as she took aim... and then fired, quickly swiping another shaft from her quiver and launching it as well.

The missiles struck true, slamming into the creature's neck at full force, one of them even managing to pierce straight through its bony, ragged skin. The momentum firmly pinned the raven to the ground, its head slamming into the grass with a hard thud, and it let out a muted squawk of surprise. Magna went next, bounding forward with heavy footsteps and slamming the butt of her shield into its head, and she smiled grimly when she heard a resounding crunch, spotting cracks in the Bane's beak.

“All yours, Thane!” She yelled, her bushy tail wagging back and forth as adrenaline pulsed through her nerves.

Thane gripped his sword tighter and kicked off into a run, loping towards their foe as fast as he could, and once he was only a few strides away, he pounced, curling his knees and thrusting his sword downwards for a finishing blow. The blade seemed to shine for a fleeting moment, casting a light that pierced through the monster's dark aura – and then it pierced through the monster itself, cleaving right through its bones with a sickening snap. The silver-furred wolf booted the creature in its eyes before jumping off of its head, taking a couple hops away and breathing hard. The black, Rot-lined raven lay limp amidst the trees...

...and then stirred.

The three wolves' eyes went as wide as saucers, and they brandished their weapons, slowly inching backwards as the bleeding fiend slowly propped itself up with its wings. It pushed up to its full height and raised its head, vibrant, violet blood dripping from its numerous wounds, and it gazed dazedly down at the ground, malice and hatred festering in its eyes. It reared back and roared, a shrill, desperate cry escaping from its throat and echoing through the trees and beyond.

Then the monster crumpled, its body turning into smoke as it hit the ground. Soon enough, there was nothing left but dust, swirling away in the summer breeze.

A tense silence reigned through the Redhorn Meadow, but it was broken before long by the dawn chorus chirping and fluttering through the air, and the heroes quickly relaxed, slumping their shoulders and sighing in relief.

“We did it...” Thane murmured under his breath, walking over to the others as he panted, and with a tired heave he raised his blade into the air, excitement welling up within him. “We did it!”

Magna chuckled to herself at the swordswolf's enthusiasm, leaning her shield against her side and stretching her arms out afterward. River gently padded up behind the protector, peering up at the sky as the stars began to wink back into view, a faint, faint glow starting to appear on the horizon.

“Just barely,” The leather-armored canine hummed to herself, her ears and tail twitching as she glanced eastward, her amber eyes set on the grand stone gate of the palace sitting not too far away. “We're almost there. Come on, follow m-”

Before she could finish, a familiar, thunderous screech sounded out in the distance, echoing across the land fast and loud, and the trio spun on their heels, their expressions morphing into shock as they searched for the source of the noise. Thane stepped back into a defensive stance, tucking his elbows close to his armor, while River crouched down, leaned forward and narrowed her eyes. After a second, she gasped, tension jolting through everyone as her jaw dropped open in shock.

Far away, silhouetted against the dawn's early light, another dark figure seethed out and up above the forests, followed by another a short ways away, then another, all of them shrieking out a cacophony of noise in reply to the dead Bane's call. Magna bared her fangs, frowning fiercely as she watched the trio of newly-awoken monsters swoop high into the night sky, no doubt heading straight for them. “So the blasted thing had the last laugh after all, eh?”

“No!” Thane growled, reflexively sheathing his sword and swinging his rucksack around, opening the flap and staring at the four shining stones that lay within. A pleasant shiver ran down his spine at the soothing sight, but he quickly peeked back up at his companions, who were standing side by side. “No, come on! We have to get to the palace and purify the king before they get here!”

“Thane, quit talking and move your tail!” Magna replied without missing a beat, the firmness of her words prompting the young prince to flinch. The rising sun shined against her fur, and she glanced over her shoulder, nodding curtly. River did the same, gesturing towards the palace with a flick of her arrow; Thane stared into the ranger's eyes, her expression staying unreadable even as Magna continued to speak. “You're the one who agreed to meet with Sana at the palace. Go! We can hold the other Banes off so they don't wreck the place while you're in there!”

The swordswolf knelt in place for a few moments, looking from his friends to the palace and back again, torn between the two. Then, he nodded in turn, closing his bag and slipping it back over his shoulders, a confident smile returning to his muzzle. “I... alright. River, Magna-”

“Go!” River yelled, jabbing the end of her bow towards the great castle standing behind them.

Thane jumped up to his footpaws, giving the pair a salute before turning tail and making a mad dash for the palace gates, kicking up clumps of dirt in his wake.

Magna's smiled small as she watched the warrior depart, turning her head back towards the dawn, drumming her fingers on the handle of her tower shield. She trained her eyes on the black birds, their shapes getting bigger and bigger as they drew nearer and nearer. “Banes at the capital and bounties on our heads. Did you ever think things would turn out like this?”

The ghost of a smile appeared on River's face. “If we survive, I owe you a bubble tea.”

“Hah!” Magna barked out a laugh. “Now there's something really worth fighting for!”

A slow gale blustered over the castle walls, rustling the dew-coated grass and softly shaking the numerous lion-emblazoned flags, a tranquil peace falling over the west gardens. Pine trees rose up between the smooth stone pathways and massive, flowering shrubs dotted the grass patches in-between, wafting pleasant scents all around the palace grounds. Water burbled up from the aqueduct, spurting high before cascading back down, the droplets pitter-pattering back into the fountain again. And in front of it all, the grand Armellian Royal Palace stood tall and unwavering.

As the night sky gradually brightened, a lone figure peeked out from behind one of the short stone walls, her tiny footpaws barely making a sound in the grass as she slunk her way across the path, stopping next to the fountain. She rocked back and forth a couple times, her long white ears swinging along with, before hopping up, seating herself on the edge of the bowl. The rabbit brought an arm up afterward to stifle an oncoming yawn, exhaling into her curled fist instead.

“My my... sneaking into the royal palace in the dead of night!” She whispered to herself, her heart pounding in her chest, and she lightly ran her paw down to her chest, her chain hauberk clinking underneath her ornate yellow dress. The noble's round cottontail wiggled as she tried to calm herself down, and she leaned to her side, drawing a parasol from her side and opening it up, giving it a few twirls in excitement. “Imagine the looks on Barnaby and Elyssia's faces if they saw me, haha! Oh...”

She sat there for a couple moments longer, contentedly enjoying the ambiance of the gardens, before getting up and turning around, gazing at the palace's rounded domes and tall towers with curious eyes. Carefully ambling around the fountain's bowl, she swayed her way towards the castle with a spring in her step, her adventurer's pack bumping and jostling against her waist with each stride. The wind blew through the grounds, stronger this time, her parasol's tassel fluttering in the breeze.

However, she slowed to a stop when her floppy ears picking up a faint sound coming up from behind her. The noble cocked her head in confusion – one paw sliding down to the very end of her parasol – but a jolt ran through her when a series of horrid shrieks rang out, destroying the serene atmosphere effortlessly. She whirled around, trying to see where the monstrous noises had come from.

“By the Wyld, what was-!?” The lagomorph exclaimed, hunching over and flicking her thumb down, her hidden blade sliding just an inch out from its scabbard. She bit her lip, nose twitching anxiously, but when she spotted someone rapidly running up towards the palace gates, her expression went from confusion to anger in an instant. “You!”

With an elegant flourish, she drew her sword, stepping back and holding the rest of her parasol out in front of her as she watched the armored warrior jog into the gardens. Thane skidded to a stop when he heard her yell, his eyes widening when he saw her, and he jumped back, holding his own runed longsword out at the ready. “A-Amber!”

“Stay back, traitor!” She declared, and the swordswolf furrowed his brow, panting hard to try and catch his breath; she glared daggers at the canine, ducking her head ever-so-slightly when beams of sunlight started to pour over the ramparts. “What kind of fool are you, Thane? Showing your mug here, of all places?”

“What? What are you talking about?” Thane replied, visibly confused. He briefly let his guard down, easing forward with an arm outstretched, and she took her chance, dashing forward and going for a lunging strike; the warrior hastily jumped sideways, her blade narrowly grazing his armor. With a swing, he brandished his blade, a newfound focus dawning on him as he looked across the fountain at the lagomorph. “Amber, what are you doing!? I have to get to the king!”

“Come to deliver your head to him himself, have you? And to think I thought you pleasant when we met some days ago!” She shot back, tracing a circle in front of her with her cane-sword before standing tall, holding the weapon straight forward and striking a fencing posture. The current of the water fountain sprayed away all the while, its calm bubbling drowned out by the arguing pair. “I suppose it wouldn't be the first time an outlaw felt remorseful, would it? Hmph!”

“Outlaw? This is about that bounty that was put out on me!?” Thane said, staring incredulously at Amber as she stepped forward and swiped at him. He easily deflected the blow, but soon found himself on the defensive as the rabbit picked up speed, finding himself parrying strike after strike and struggling to keep up. He hissed reflexively when he felt her sword clatter against the side of his cuirass, gritting his teeth as he blocked a diagonal slash that came a split-second later, sparks flying from the clashing metal. “Those guards were ordered to kill us! Mercurio barely made it out alive, and he had to put bounties on our heads to save his own!”

“Wh-What?” Amber's cultured tone gained an unbecoming stutter, and she paused, if only for a second, to turn and look at the palace. However, she hastily spun back around afterward, taking another swing at the warrior, this time much more awkwardly. “But why... would they attack Mercurio? Hasn't he been playing advisor to the king himself?”

The swordswolf blocked her blow easily, then pressed forward with a shove, pushing the white rabbit off-balance and staying a few paces away, ready for anything else she might throw at him. A serious expression crossed his features. “He knows too much. He was helping us to try and summon the Whiteshadow, trying to help us get the last Spirit Stone.”

“Whiteshadow!?” The noble parroted, her cottontail twitching, her mouth agape and her arms dropping to her sides, the dawn's light shining against her white fur and yellow dress. “But it... it only shows itself to those who've been-”

“Infected.” Thane finished. Amber gasped at the sorrow filling the wolf's eyes. “I know.”

“Mercurio... what have you done...?” She said softly, her head falling as the full weight of Thane's words hit her, and she closed her parasol up, slipping her cane-sword back into its scabbard. She covered her mouth with her free paw, her jaws quivering. “Thane, I'm sorry for my words earlier.”

The gardens fell silent again as the two heroes stood together, the fountain flowing and the wind breezing through the pines; the sky was gradually getting brighter and brighter, the darkness and stars giving way to a brilliant, cloudless blue. Amber glanced down at her footpaws for a few long, winding minutes, mulling over her friend's words... but looked up suddenly when she heard the clinking of his armor, realization hitting as he began to walk past her.

“But then... wait a moment!” She yelled, eliciting a surprised yelp from the canine, and she reached out and grabbed his wrist, giving it a quick tug to hold him back. He turned around and glanced back at her, his tail wagging a couple times. “But if you asking Whiteshadow for a Spirit Stone, then... what are you doing here, really, Thane?”

“I'm here to see the king.” He glanced up at the towers, then back down to the rabbit, tilting sideways and letting his rucksack slide down his arm. The rabbit's heart fluttered when she saw the telltale blueish, greenish light shining from within the leather bag, and she gazed up into his face, watching as his mouth curled into a confident smile. “It's time to put an end to all this.”

“Then you really mean to...” Amber started to say, but she stopped when her ears twitched again, another thudding sound drifting past. She narrowed her eyes slightly – Thane cocked his head in confusion at her reaction – and then pushed past the silver-furred wolf, staring down the path leading to the palace proper. The thudding noises got stronger and stronger, and both heroes peered right down when they felt a rumbling shaking the very ground beneath them. “What in Wyld's name...?”

The palace doors abruptly swung open, the heavy slabs of wood scraping against the floorstones as they were pulled apart. A veritable ocean of goodbeasts began to flood out from within the building, some of them wearing royal armor or carrying their halberds, yelling, howling, screaming as they ran. Thane and Amber both took a step back, their armor clinking quietly against the edge of the fountain as they gawked at the countless knights exiting the castle. Their combined footsteps – not to mention their screams of terror – drowned out all other sounds.

“Run! Run! C'mon, this way, the gates are this way!”

“Horace was right! Horace was right, I tell you! Rot take the king!”

“Oh Wyld... oh, by the Wyld, what have I done!? What have we all done!?”

Amber flinched when the first of the fleeing guards closed in, but then the sea seemed to part ways, going around of the fountain before joining together just in time to scatter through the west gate. The rabbit stared in utter disbelief, trying to make sense of the chaos playing out in front of her.

“Hang on... hang on!” She turned to look at Thane as he spoke up, raising his voice above the din, and he scanned over the crowd, eventually grabbing one fleeing dog by the shoulder, pulling him aside and holding him firm by his pauldrons. The doberman let out a shuddering breath, his eyes wide with fear and his legs trembling as he nervously peered this way and that. Amber stepped forward and took his paw in hers, giving it a comforting squeeze as the swordswolf beside her continued to speak. “Hey, hey, it's okay, don't worry. We're not going to hurt you, I promise.”

“You... wait, you're-” The knight muttered, glancing from the wolf to the rabbit and back again. His face soon lit up when he recognized the two of them, and he slumped forward, all his muscles relaxing at once as he leaned against Thane. The warrior grunted from the added weight, reaching an arm across the dog's shoulders. “Oh, oh thank goodness... thank goodness...! I... I still can't believe it... I'm shaking...!”

“You're safe now, soldier,” Amber said quietly, nodding at the guard as he caught his breath, and the white rabbit twisted around to reach into her adventurer's kit, drawing out a small, hollow gourd and offering it to the canines. Thane took the expertly-carved canteen and pressed it into the doberman's chest; said doberman looked down at it, then threw his head back, downing the entire bottle of water in a single gulp. Smacking his lips afterward, he sighed raggedly, passing the emptied drink back to its owner. “Now please, what's all this about? Why are you all deserting your posts?”

“It's... oh, by the Wyld, it was horrible...” The guard's relief evaporated just as soon as it had come, replaced once again by quivering anxiety. “The king... we, we were there overseeing his new advisor's counsel, and he just... he just...”

“What?” Thane said, his voice laden thick with worry. “What happened?”

“He just, just went insane! He condemned her to death! The other guard tried to protect her but the king cleaved him in two! I barely made it out alive to tell everyone else!” The doberman finished, the words blurting out as he resisted the overwhelming urge to panic. “Morale has been low for a while, what with the storms, the portals at the stone circles, and then that screech just earlier, but this was, this was the last straw. We, we can't stay here and protect the king any longer. Not like this!”

Amber stepped back, as did Thane, and she turned to look at the wolf, the two of them sharing a mutual, grim look at the news. The thought nearly made her retch, and her stomach twisted itself into knots as she stared mournfully up at the castle. The guard continued to blather on, his eyes glazing over as his nerves got the better of him.

“Wyld be damned, I can't stay here any longer... I can't, I can't stay here!” He stammered, and he suddenly snapped up to his full height, staring straight at the gates leading out to the meadow.

“Hold on!” Thane said sharply, making the dog jolt back to his jittery self. “Can you still fight?” “Fight!?” The guard replied frantically, yelling right into the wolf's muzzle, his fur bristling underneath his suit of gilded armor. “Fight what!? The king?”

“No! Listen,” The wolf said firmly, looking over his shoulder and gesturing towards the west gate with a wave of his arm, the sun finally starting to peek over the outer walls. Amber followed his gaze, then turned and hopped up onto the fountain's bowl again, watching as the rest of the palace's staff began to escape into the grounds, maids, chefs and others all fleeing after the guards. “My friends, they're out there in the meadow, fighting off Banes to keep them from reaching the capital! The rest of your friends might run into them, but you need to help them out, they can't handle all of them alone!”

“B-Banes!?” The doberman gasped, instinctively reaching for the haft of his halberd at the very word, and he glanced towards the meadow again. Thane gave him a confident clap on his shoulder, and he quickly stood at attention, saluting the wolf. “E-Er, y-yes! Yes sir! I'll... I'll go rally the rest of the guard and help your friends, then!”

“Go, go!” Thane smiled and nodded, gesturing towards the gates again, and the guard nodded back before sallying forth, his armor clanking loudly as he rushed through the archway and out into the wild. The wolf rested a palm on the pommel of his sword as he watched him go, and then turned to Amber; the rabbit blinked, then looked down at the silver-furred wolf, still balancing precariously on the fountain. “Amber, can you head to the capital and warn them about the Banes and the king?”

“Uh? Oh! Hahaha, of course!” The rabbit replied, idly twirling her closed parasol in her paws, and she jumped down to the path again, giving the warrior a stalwart fistpump before swinging her adventurer's kit around her hips, digging inside and drawing out a hooked rope. Thane's eyes widened for a split-second, and then he grinned as the other hero gave the grapple a couple short swings. “I'll just get out of here the same way I got in! Elyssia helped fortify the defenses just the other day, I'm sure she and Barnaby can get Lion's Pride ready in short order!”

“Thank you, Amber,” Thane said, shooting the noble a grateful smile, and he turned resolutely towards the palace, taking a step, then another, moving into an easy jog as he pushed his way through the crowd. Before long, he was running, sprinting his way into the palace – and then he vanished into the darkness, his tail wagging back and forth all along the way.

Amber stood there for a little longer, smiling as she watched the swordswolf go, and then she glanced towards the opposite wall, inching back a bit before striding forward and bounding above the heads of the escaping innocents. Hopping over the greenery, the shrubs rustling as she brushed past, she ran up to the rampart, staring at the small, crumbling spot near the very top. With practiced ease, she launched her grappling hook over the wall, clambered her way over, and dropped out of sight.

“Criminals! Stop right there, in the name of the king!”

Two bears, one short and one tall, panted heavily, their legs aching as they dashed their way through the Mistgrove Woods, silvery moonbeams filtering through the higher boughs and dispelling the faint fog that lingered among the countless trees. The pair stomped their way through the grass – the smaller one occasionally glancing back, then having his head turned forward again by his companion – while a cadre of armored beasts kept hot on their heels. Small stones jutted up from the dirt, decorated with pebbles all around their bases, their old and weathered engravings pointing eastward, directing the fleeing travelers in the direction of the royal palace.

“Sana?” The young ursine whispered in a hushed, frightened tone, holding his club close to his chest, the wood sending wrinkles over his green shirt. His tiny, round ears wiggled as he looked up at the brown bear next to him, giving her paw a squeeze as she practically dragged him along, clutching her cloak and leather sash with a white-knuckle grip. “They really want to kill us, don't they?”

Sana looked back at the small, pale-furred bear, unable to keep the pity from welling up within her at the look of nervousness plastered on his snout. The druidess tucked her free arm in, holding her staff tightly under her elbow, and she took a deep, shaky breath in... and out... focusing her mind, leaning forward as she ran, feeling the Wyld all around her. Up ahead, she could finally spy the palace walls, the brick and mortar standing out against the shaded thicket.

“Not today, child,” She replied steely, ducking underneath a few low-hanging branches, and soon enough, the bears stampeded out of the forest, wincing slightly as the early morning sunlight glared into their eyes. Sana slowed her pace somewhat, awkwardly reaching around and taking hold of her staff, and the carved dragon heads at its head began to glow. “Now, Ghor, hold on to me!”

Skidding to a stop, she felt Ghor's small paws cling tightly to her side, his claws digging into her fur. The armored guards behind them growled angrily, and with a sharp gasp, the brown bear pointed the druidic stick skyward. “Attimo!”

A sphere of green energy burst forth from the Wyldfire Staff, soaring rapidly through the air and spreading out into the shape of an ethereal eagle, and the spell swooped high above their heads. Soon enough, though, it reached the apex of its climb, slowing to a stop... and then turning downwards, arching over the parapet, the Wyld magic audibly starting to spark and fizz-

ZZAP!

-and then, after a sudden flash of light, Sana and Ghor both found themselves hovering weightlessly a short distance above a sprawling hedge maze, the Armellian royal palace rising up immediately after it. Ghor gasped, then wiggled his footpaws when he realized he was floating, and Sana glanced back, her eyes narrowing when she spotted the forest, just barely visible over the walls.

“We made it...” She breathed, wrapping an arm around her friend when she felt the slow-fall magic begin to wane, and her ears quivered when she heard a yelp of dismay, as well as the clashing of steel and a low snarl. She looked away, brow knit in thought, but she quickly shook herself out of her pondering when she felt the air starting to whistle faster, her cloak fluttering as she and Ghor both tumbled down into the middle of the hedge maze. The pair rolled on their backs for a few moments, and then picked themselves up, brushing dust from their clothes and checking themselves over. “We made it.”

“We really made it...?” Ghor murmured, tugging on his rope belt a couple times before glancing around the well-trimmed shrubbery. His eyes sparkled faintly with curiosity, and he turned towards Sana, dragging his club behind him as he lumbered over to his guardian. “Sana, are you okay? It seemed like you used up a lot of your magic. Is this really the palace?”

Sana peered up at the walls still, listening to the sounds of battle raging back out at the edges of the forest, unsure of what was happening beyond the castle – but the rest of Ghor's words made her start in realization, and she quickly turned towards the young ursine, speaking urgently. “We're almost there. This must be part of the gardens, so... there might still be guards about. Stay close to me. We will be okay, I promise.”

Ghor nodded in response, tugging on the end of his hood, and Sana peered around the part of the hedge maze they had ended up in, trying her hardest to make things out despite the dwindling darkness. They were in the middle of a straight path, the trail leading both backward and forward, with nary a flower nor a pawprint to help her figure out which way was the right way to go. Reaching out, she tucked the holy staff under her arm again and gently brushed her palm against the side of the bushes, and after taking one last look at the parapets, she began to move, cautiously beckoning the younger bear to follow along.

The pair slowly made their way through the winding maze, turning at each gap they found in the wall, the sky getting brighter and brighter as they went along. A loud yell rang out as they rounded a corner, prompting both bears to huddle down, the sounds of battle still clamoring all the while; Sana closed her eyes and mouthed a silent prayer to the Wyld, reaching her other arm around Ghor's shoulders and leading him along. He hunched forward, then scooted out of her grasp, walking side-by-side with her instead.

Soon enough, even more screams – these ones undeniably screams of fear and terror – joined in from the direction of the palace, gentle tremors rumbling through the dirt.

“By the Wyld...” Sana whispered under her breath, swallowing dryly. “Have the guards finally realized the king has been taken by the Rot?”

As if to answer her question, the bushes suddenly rustled – and clanked, and the two bears stopped right in their tracks, a wave of tension coursing through them. The quiet sound of clanking armor drifted in on the wind, rising above the sound of the shaking branches and distant screams. Sana took a few steps, slowly and cautiously, stealing a glimpse of the palace towers as she traced their way through the maze.

Then, a halberd moving in the other direction poked its way over the top of the shrubbery.

Ghor gasped, and Sana whirled around, hastily scuttling over to the young ursine and covering his mouth; the halberd abruptly stopped, then vanished from sight, heavy steps ringing out from the opposite side of the bushes. “Found them!”

“No...!” The brown bear whispered, staring wide-eyed at Ghor as she spoke, her voice barely audible. “Run!”

They broke into a mad scramble, sprinting hard through the maze as they fled from the pursuing knight, Ghor clutching his club to his chest as he followed after Sana. The older bear's cloak billowed out behind her as she led the way, swinging her arms and kicking up bits of grass and loam along the way, breathing hard as blood began to pump in her ears. They rounded a corner, then another corner, pelting their way through the twisting paths, rounding another corner, another straightaway, another corne-

“Gotcha!” Sana stumbled when a glint of gold played in her vision, and she froze in place, digging her heels in when she saw another guard standing right in front of them; behind him, she could see the hedge maze's exit, and the palace beyond. Ghor bumped right into her a split-second later, flopping backwards and landing on his tail. The guard breathed hard, looking rather roughed up and tired, and he lowered his head slightly, letting out a huff of triumph. “Hmph, I have them! Cut them off from the other side!”

“Understood!” Sana twisted around, her heart sinking in a panic when she heard another knight shout out in response, and then she glanced back at the guard blocking their way, letting her staff roll into her paw and gripping it tightly. The golden-armored dog took a step back, ready to jab his halberd forward at a moment's notice.

“You...” The druidess began, hardening her expression. With a wave of her cloak, she raised her staff towards the guard, taking a defensive stance similar to his own. Ghor's eyes widened at the sight, his jaw dropping open, and he slowly pushed himself onto his footpaws again, bringing his free paw up to his mouth in trepidation. “You may arrest me, but only if you promise to leave this child unharmed.”

“You have conspired with the wolf outlaws with intent to murder the king,” The guard spoke slowly, and flatly. “The penalty for even thinking of attempting such is death. No exceptions.”

“Then I will not go peacefully,” Sana replied, and Ghor watched as the brown bear knit her brow in concentration, his eyes going from his guardian to the dragon heads at the end of her staff, which faintly glowed as she channeled her magic.

The knight exhaled in frustration... then thrust forward with the end of his halberd, growling and swinging it upwards afterward. Sana quickly sidled out of the way, hissing as the blade whooshed through the air, then swung her staff wide, motes of energy trailing from the end of the stick. The armored dog easily dodged the simple attack, then struck again, slipping his paws higher up his halberd and moving faster.

Ghor watched in horror as the two traded blows, glancing back and forth, his nerves frazzling more and more when he spotted another halberd briefly peek out a short distance away. The bear took a deep gulp of air and licked his lips, his throat suddenly feeling quite dry. He shuddered when Sana narrowly avoided a piercing jab from the royal knight – and then he shook his head, feeling himself glare with newfound energy as he reached out, thinking back to the lessons that he had learned.

Almost instantly, he felt a familiar energy pump through his veins, and a soothing, guiding instinct quickly pulsed took over, washing over his light coat of fur and sending a chill down his spine. His footpaws felt like roots, his arms like branches, and he could feel the grass, the bushes, the leaves... all living, all healthy, all happy. Despite being so different from the forest, the surrounding greenery was so similar... so strong... determination welled up in the young bear, and he curled his paws up when his body turned to bark, no longer afraid of the eerie sensation.

Sana grunted as she blocked a heavy vertical slash with her staff, gasping for breath as her muscles ached, various bruises dotting her body; the knight pushed strongly against her, scooting her further and further back, her heels digging deeply into the dirt. She gave a weak shove in return, trying her hardest to force the guard off-balance, but all he did was lash at her side with the butt of his halberd – she gasped in pain as she tried to jump away, but lost her footing and toppled onto her backside.

“Gh-aah-!” She groaned in pain, reaching around to rub at the fast-forming bruise, but her breath caught in her throat when light glinted in the corner of her vision. The guard stomped forward, raising his weapon for a killing blow. “Y-You...!”

“You are under arrest, traitor.” The guard swung downwards, and Sana scrunched her eyes shut, bracing herself.

“NO!”

The druidess' ears twitched as she heard a mighty thunk sound out... and then she realized she felt no pain. Slowly, slowly, she opened her eyes... and let out an exhale, her breath coming back to her, when she saw the small, tree-like being standing over her, blocking the guard's attack with his club.

“Sana-!” A bark-skinned Ghor creaked out, turning ever-so-slightly and staring at her with a pair of green, glowing eyes, and the brown bear scooted away a little, dusting herself off and starting to pick herself up. Giving her leather sash a tug, she opened one of her medicinal satchels up, breathing shakily when a pang ached through her bruised ribs. “Get out of here! Go meet mister Thane at the palace! I can hold them off for you!”

“B-But Ghor...!” The older ursine replied, looking at the bear-turned-tree with wide, shocked eyes. “I can't... these are royal knights, you might...”

“I know I might die!” He finished for her, and he swung his club upwards, practically heaving the guard into the air. The armored dog hit the wall of bushes and fell down to the ground with a clunk. Ghor turned around and gazed right into his companion's eyes, and Sana couldn't help but stare back, seeing the overwhelming willpower emanating from the simple bear's expressionless face. “But if you don't save the king, then lots more goodbeasts will die! I left with you to get stronger, but you've been protecting me no matter where we go... this time, I wanna protect you!”

Sana leaned against the Wyldfire Staff, one paw still rooting around for a poultice, and then she smiled gently, pride swelling in her heart as she reached out and gave the tree-bear a pat on his shoulder. “I... thank you, Ghor. Please... stay safe.”

The young ursine watched as his guardian hurried her way out of the hedge maze, nudging her cloak behind her back as she pulled out a small wyld weed and chewing on its flowers. As soon as her footpaws had touched down on the smooth, stone-brick path, he flicked a paw upward, thorny vines erupting from the soil, locking him – and the guards – inside of the gardens. Mere moments later, there was a sharp gasp, and Ghor stomped around, gulping inwardly when he saw another guard running up from behind. He raised his club and gave it few a warning swings to stave the armored dog off.

“Brun...” He thought to himself, shivering as magic pulsed through his bark-coated fur, bouncing sideways to dodge the knight as he charged forward, halberd held at the ready. “Do you think that I did the right thing?”

Somewhere, far off in the distant forests, a meditating, scar-covered bear flashed a rare smile.

Thane dashed into the palace, carefully slipping his way through the thinning crowd of castle workers, heavy breathing and screams of fright echoing across the great hall. The silver-furred canine slowed to a stop in the middle of the foyer, scanning from side to side in search of his friend, his tail wagging all the while. A massive, forked staircase rose up from the left and right walls, small lamps hanging from the walls and a grand brazier set in the middle of the room, spilling firelight all across the floor. The swordswolf breathed in at the majestic sight... but Sana was nowhere to be seen.

“Sana...?” He muttered, then took a deep breath, drawing his longsword and raising it high above his head to try and get his friend's attention. A few seconds passed, but still nothing happened, and he raised his voice, dread starting to pool in the pit of his stomach. Had she not made it? Had all their efforts...? “Sana! Where are you!?”

“Thane!” The warrior swiveled on his heels, the last of the beasts filtering out through the palace's east entrance, and he sighed in relief when he saw the druidess ambling towards him from the other door, her green cloak billowing out behind her. A few flower petals, colored a radiant blue, were visible in her mouth, and he quickly loped towards the brown bear, lowering his blade and reaching around with his free arm to give his close friend a hug. “You're okay... thank goodness.”

“I could say the same thing about you! I was worried you hadn't made it, hahaha!” Thane laughed, inhaling sharply when he felt the bear embrace him with both paws, then chuckling, just a little bit quieter. His tail swished back and forth with renewed energy, and after a little while he stepped back, eyes drifting towards the different stick that she was leaning against. Three dragon heads had been whittled from the top of the wood, and they shined softly with an enchantment all their own. “So that's... the staff that we needed to perform the ritual?”

“I wish I could have gotten here sooner, but I was, ah... delayed. And, yes,” She replied tiredly, grinding the flower between her teeth a few times – its restorative juices helping soothe her wounds – before briefly glancing at the west end of the foyer, sunlight streaming in from outside. The swordswolf blinked when he saw her slowly stand up a little straighter, and she let out a refreshed exhale soon afterward, wiping the lingering petals from her lips. “It took much longer to find it than I would have expected, but this is the Wyldfire Staff. Do you have the Spirit Stones?”

“Of course,” The canine nodded, swinging his rucksack around and holding it out towards Sana. She daintily opened the bag up. Its contents glowed a fierce, ethereal blue, even managing to out-shine the lanterns hanging nearby, and the druidess quickly closed the bag shut again, taking a deep breath in... and out... to calm herself. Thane slipped his pack back on afterward, twisting around and peering at the ceiling with a furrowed brow. “I met a guard on the way here. He said the king's gone completely mad, nearly killed him and his advisor. Everyone else that was here has deserted their post.”

“Truly...?” Sana replied, an uneasy look crossing her features, and she followed her companion's gaze upward, tightening her grip on the staff. “I hope we are not too late to-”

Before she even finished speaking, the lanterns abruptly flickered, an unnatural shade falling over the great hall; even the blazing brazier seemed to falter, its bright flames visibly shrinking. The wolf and the bear both tensed up, their fur bristling as the room darkened.

A strange glob dripped from above, and they looked up again. A pair of purple eyes stared back.

“The king,” Sana's voice was barely audible. “We have to get to the king. Now!”

The two dashed forward, Thane cutting one of the lanterns from the wall and snatching it up as he passed, and Sana twisted around, swinging the Wyldfire Staff to keep the shadow of the Bane at bay. Pounding up one of the staircases, the room darkened more and more, shadows creeping up from the ground like choking vines. The sound of spells echoed through the hall as they ran up to the second floor, swirling portals and demonic grumbles, and they glanced around at the pawful of doors. One was marked with a stylized lion's head, and Thane ran over and booted it open, gesturing at Sana to keep up.

Corridor after corridor went by like a blur, paintings and bricks shaken ajar from the walls, doors left hanging open by everyone who had evacuated, sunlight slowly getting blotted out by the hellish magic at work in the castle. Blood pumping and hearts pounding, both heroes sprinted through the passages, their lantern shaking and jostling in the wolf's paw. The brown bear glanced behind her for nary a moment, yelping when she saw a half-formed Bane try to lash out at her, but Thane swung around, smashing the lamp into the raven's beak and sending it back into the wall with a clatter.

“These things-” She thought aloud, focusing as best she could and firing off a blast of energy from her free paw, the verdant green magic cutting through the encroaching evil like a hot knife through butter. Pulling her cloak taut, she picked up her pace, staying close to her friend's side. “I think they're still in the middle of being summoned! If we can reach the king before he finishes whatever dark rite he's performing, we can still stop him!”

“We still need to find him first!” Thane barked in reply, a determined expression on his muzzle. He slowed to a stop when they reached another large room, full of long tables decorated with vases of flowers and rolled up tablecloths, shelves of fine dishes standing high in the corners. Three other doors, going in each direction, lay before them, and the swordswolf turned around hurriedly, staring past Sana at the inky blackness coating the castle interior. “Do you think you could try casting a spell to figure out which way to go?”

“I can try!” Sana said with a nod, lumbering a few more steps into the room and closing her eyes, raising her staff and her other paw into the air and concentrating hard. She hummed, chanting arcane words under her breath. Brandishing his blade, Thane furrowed his brow as she worked, stepping past the bear when another few half-formed monsters poked their heads out, two from a wall and another from the ceiling. The sight made the canine shudder, and he lashed out with sword and lamp both, metal clattering against the monsters – and then his ears twitched when he heard his friend call out, yelling a final, strange word. “Chiaro!”

He twisted to look over his shoulder, then turned around fully, watching as a small bubble of magic formed atop the Wyldfire Staff, then floating up into the air. The warrior ran over when he saw Sana slump, but she shook her head towards the spell, which shook, then morphed into an eagle. The magical bird flapped its wings a couple times, then swooped through the northern door, leaving a trail of light on the floor below it. The druidess gently smiled, then grabbed Thane's paw – his tail wagging once – and started to run again, leading the way.

“Follow me!” She cried. Thane opted not to point out that she was practically dragging him along, moving so fast that it was almost hard to keep up with her. The pair burst through a doorway, running past a nearby kitchen and down a much shorter hallway, then rounding a corner, cutting their way through beaks and wings all the while. A screech rang out from somewhere deep inside the castle, and suddenly, the darkness swelled again, even stronger than before, accompanied by small patches of Rot here and there, somehow forming on the-

“There!” Thane suddenly jabbed a paw forward, wiggling out of Sana's grip and speeding up. Sana jogged after him, her eyes widening when she saw what he was pointing at: another room, dead ahead of them, the trail of light aiming right for it. They ran inside, narrowly avoiding crashing into the small benches set up for waiting beasts, and the wolf turned towards a frame built into the central wall. A grand tapestry, displaying the four great clans paying tribute to the king, hung above the heavy doors. The eagle hit said doors, then dissipated into light; there was no doubt about it. “This must be-”

“The throne room, yes,” Sana murmured, pausing for a moment and grasping her friend's shoulder. He hastily scuttled to a stop, forming wrinkles in the soft carpet underneath them, and looked back at the druidess in confusion. She took a deep breath before continuing, though it did little to help calm her nerves. “Thane. Are you ready?”

A brief silence hung heavy in the air, a raven's caw echoing from far below. Then, the silver-furred canine nodded, a fresh wave of determination coursing through him. Running a paw over his longsword, he gazed at the runes etched into its blade, a fire burning in his golden eyes. Out of the corner of his vision, he saw the shadows start to creep in. “Let's end this.”

Both wolf and bear turned towards the entrance to the throne room, standing side by side as they marched forward and threw their weight against the massive wooden planks, splinters scattering all across the floor as they forced the doors open. Their hinges creaked loud enough to make Thane's ears flop down against his skull to dull the noise, and Sana ducked her head, pulling her cloak tight and pushing as hard as she could.

Finally, they broke their way through, nearly collapsing as they staggered inside, the claws on their footpaws scraping against the checkered tile flooring. A light, unnatural buzz rippled down Thane and Sana's spines, like some kind of spell, and they both glanced back into the waiting room, the hellish corruption engulfing the room... but it seemed to avoid the door to the throne room like the plague.

A short sigh of relief escaped the two heroes' throats, and they peered forward, gazing all around the massive, ruined, empty chamber. Scuffs and cracks riddled the tile floor, and numerous holes had been smashed in the stained-glass windows that dotted the high walls, gusts of wind blowing into the room alongside the colorfully-tinted early morning sunlight. At the opposite end of the room hung two simple red banners, each emblazoned with a lion's head, and in-between them sat... Thane sucked in a breath, and Sana gripped the Wyldfire Staff tight in her paw.

There, in-between the banners, sat a large lion, resting his arms lazily atop his throne, an enormous sword clutched in one of his paws. His royal breastplate gleamed in the sun, his underrobe and fur-lined cape ruffled in the breeze, and a once-resplendent crown poked up from atop his messy, unkempt mane. His eyes were closed, but his jaws were moving ever-so-slightly and an unearthly violet glow surrounded his free paw, lines of Rot visibly snaking their way up and around his limbs.

There sat the Mad King of Armello.

“Sana,” Thane spoke seriously, prompting the ursine to glance over, and he hastily slipped his rucksack off, thrusting it out to her. The four Spirit Stones within bumped against each other, their magical light helping to soothe her nerves, and she gladly took the bag, looping the leather straps close around her arm. The wolf turned to her and nodded firmly, brandishing his weapon with a flick of his paw. “Do whatever you need to prepare the ritual. I'll keep him busy for as long as I can. We can do it!”

“I may be able to cast a few spells to aid you, but it might be difficult,” Sana replied, nodding at the wolf in return, and she looked away, her mouth twitching downwards as a pained expression slowly drooped onto her snout. “I can feel the Rot radiating... may the Wyld preserve us both, Thane.”

He bowed his head and repeated her prayer, shooting her a half-smile and a thumbs-up afterward. Then he glared at the king, throwing his sword's scabbard aside before kicking off against the ground. The warrior couldn't help but growl as he rushed towards the center of the throne room, blade held firmly in one paw, eyes set on the lion ahead.

“Your Majesty!” The shout echoed around the room, bouncing off the walls and ringing in the heroes' ears.

The feline stirred, slowly but surely raising his head, a dazed, clouded look in his face as he peered at the armored wolf bolting towards him, a cloaked bear holding a staff following after him. Thane watched the king blink once, then twice, curling a paw tighter around his greatsword, its tip grinding against the ground. Hopping down from his chair, he scowled, baring his fangs as he stomped forward, his minky cape spilling over the throne and spreading out behind him.

“Hrm... hrf...!” The king grumbled and groaned, and then he rose up to his full height, looking stately despite his disheveled appearance. “So the clan pets have come to play hero, have they?”

“Your Majesty,” Thane said again, slowly coming to a stop at the base of the steps leading up to the throne; a few steps away, just to the side of the chair, the swordswolf noticed a red puddle, gleaming dangerously in the sunlight. His stomach turned when his eyes trailed over the two halves of the guard that rested in the middle of the blood, and he grit his teeth, biting back a wave of nausea at the horrific sight. Scrunching his eyes shut for a brief moment, he looked back at the king, defiantly jabbing his longsword towards him. “We're here to stop you!”

“Hrrhehehehahah... you're already too late. The Underworm shall come this night!” He sneered in reply. The lion cocked his head slightly, mane spilling over his shoulders as he narrowed his eyes to slits, glowering at the young wolf standing in front of him, sword drawn and mind set. He gripped his own greatsword tight, raising it up and then slamming it into the ground, a discordant crash ringing through the room. “You are nothing more than an insolent child, mutt! Armello will always be MINE!”

Before Thane could even react, the king lunged for him, leaping from the top of the steps and swinging a trunk-like arm around to try and land a heavy punch. The warrior's instincts kicked in, and he dodged backwards, then gasped and jumped even further away when the lion moved into a whirling strike, greatsword just narrowly grazing against the canine's cuirass. Its blade still left a noticeable gash in the middle of the metal plating.

Thane quickly regained his footing, gripping his longsword with both paws and pouncing towards the king, swinging upwards. A clang sounded out as the blade hit the feline's breastplate, and the warrior flinched, shrinking back a bit; the king snarled and moved to counter, bending an elbow and swinging sideways. Thane hastily parried the blow, the greatsword glancing off of his own weapon... and then he sucked in a breath, eyes widening, when his foe followed up with a much wider slash.

The hit collided with the swordswolf's armor again, the sheer force behind the blow sending him skidding across the tile. He grit his teeth, a sudden ache pulsing through his back from the impact, and his ears flattening from the deafening noise. After a second, he narrowly opened his eyes, staring at the lion slowly walking towards him, barely even fazed. Out of the corner of his vision, the wolf saw Sana sidling up against the wall, holding a Spirit Stone to her staff and chanting urgently.

“Sire,” Thane muttered, picking himself up and readying his blade, bouncing gently on the tips of his footpaws. The king stopped when he saw the wolf rise, bending his knees and staring, his eyes glowing a vibrant violet color. Stripes of Rot curled and weaved their way through his foe's fur, and Thane couldn't help but grimace, rubbing at the gash in his armor. “How could you let this happen?”

The feline didn't offer an answer, instead waiting for a couple more moments. Then, he pushed off the ground, gripping one end of his blade's crossguard and launching forward into a heavy stab. The wolf hastily sidestepped out of the way, however, taking a quick jab at his foe's ankles in return. The king stumbled, letting out a growl of pain as he hunched over, and Thane smiled grimly, slipping behind the king and landing a couple slashes on his back, cutting through his fur-lined coat with ease. Bringing his arms up, he tightened his grip, putting his weight into a downward slash that was aimed right for the lion's head.

The king lashed an arm out, grabbing the runed longsword by its blade, holding it back with a single paw.

Thane winced, barely stopping himself from knocking his head, and he looked up at his monarch with a nervous glare, gritting his teeth nervously as he struggled to free his weapon from the lion's grasp. Said lion chuckled, blood beginning to trickle down from his palm as the sword dug deep, and he looked over his shoulder, a sneering, devilish smile on his muzzle.

“Nhhehah... you really think something like that is enough to kill ME!?” Thane's jaw dropped when he suddenly felt his footpaws leave the floor, and he futilely kicked out at the king, earning a roar in the face for his trouble. The wolf scrunched his face up, narrowly holding on as the feline stood up, reared back, and flung him away like a stick, sending him flying through the air.

Bracing himself instinctively, the warrior's heart pounded in his chest as he hurtled across the throne room; pain still stabbed through his nerves when he slammed headfirst into the ground, his limbs briefly going limp as he tossed and tumbled about. Abruptly, Thane bumped to a stop against something much softer than tile flooring, and he groaned, dizziness clouding his mind as he weakly looked up at a fuzzy brown figure. She crouched down and gingerly rubbed at his head in the meantime, and soon enough, his vision cleared, looking up at Sana, and the Spirit Stone floating just above her. “Agh... d-dammit-”

“Shh, Thane, hang on...!” Sana whispered almost-inaudibly, anxiously rooting through her medical satchels, a few bandages spilling out as she yanked a small vial of red liquid out. Uncorking the bottle, she jammed it in front of the wolf's lips, propping his head up with the end of the Wyldfire Staff as she looked up at the king, who was jogging towards them. “Quickly, he's coming...!”

“You really thought you could usurp my throne, fools!?” The lion snapped, holding his wounded paw against his midriff, dragging his greatsword on the floor, and he stomped up the steps, swiveling on his heels to cleave the pair of heroes in two. “The penalty for high treason is death!”

“No... no!” Sana cried, her mind racing as Thane gulped down the bottle of wyldsap, and she scooted to the side, thrusting her paws towards the king with all her might, a desperate scream escaping from her throat as colorful sunlight glared off of her foe's blade. “Scudo!”

The Wyldfire Staff shined fiercely, as if to combat the corruption standing mere inches away from it, and magic suddenly erupted from the three dragon heads, a green-glowing bubble shimmering to life around the wolf and bear. The king's sword smashed against the magical shield – and stopped.

The king bellowed incoherently, furrowing his brow as he grappled with his own weapon, gripping its handle with all his strength as he tried in vain to cut through the barrier. Sana stared, completely dumbfounded, for a second or two, arcane energy flowing from her paws and into the shield, but she quickly peered down at her friend when she heard him grumble and shift on her lap.

“Ugh... S-Sana?” Thane mumbled, blinking a few times, and then his senses seemed to jolt back to life all at once; he hastily sat up, scrambling for his sword and glancing around... then flinching when he saw the king standing so close to them. “Wh-what the-!?”

“Thane, I can't hold much longer-!” The druidess inhaled heavily when the king stepped back and slashed again, this time directly down onto them; without the shield, it would have split her skull outright, and the thought sent a shudder down the wolf's spine. Thane scooted off of his friend's lap, squatting low and holding his sword at his side. “Please-!”

“You...” Thane said, a surge of adrenaline pumping through his veins, and he gripped his longsword tight, digging his footpaws into the floor and summoning all of his strength as he stabbed right for the lion emblem in the center of the feline's breastplate. The warrior let out a battlecry when the tip of his blade stuck through the barrier, some of its magic lingering on the runes, and smashed right into the center of the king's armor. “Don't you dare hurt my friend!”

Not a split-second later, the longsword pierced through the breastplate with a sharp crunch, the sheer momentum of the thrust making Thane stand up as it jabbed through the golden metal, and the lion's eyes widened, his mindless malice morphing into abject shock and pain. The king staggered backwards, his tangled mane shaking over his shoulders and down his chest, and Thane took a deep gulp of air, ignoring his aching bruises and sharp pains as he raised his sword again.

“Sana, go!” He barked, tail wagging as he stood tall in front of her, and the brown bear picked herself up, looking inside her friend's rucksack, one final Spirit Stone glowing faintly within. “You can do it! We can do it!”

Thane kicked off, not even hearing his friend reply as he dashed towards the king; the lion shook himself back to reality just in time to spot the silver-furred canine, and he brought his bleeding paw up to the hole in his armor. Dragging his greatsword up off of the floor, he awkwardly swiped sideways, taking a shaky step to try and keep his balance.

Raising his elbows, Thane held his sword ahead to deflect the blow, and he took a defensive stance when their weapons met, sparks flying off the clashing metal. Both the warrior and the king stared each other down, corrupted violet eyes meeting earnest golden ones... and then Thane lashed out with a footpaw, landing a swift boot to the lion's unstable leg.

“Gyarrgh-!” The king howled in surprise, nearly falling over as he yanked his arm away from the wolf, and Thane followed up his kick with a hefty swing, the flat of his blade smacking loudly against his foe's throat. The lion wobbled backwards into the center of the throne room, stabbing his greatsword into the floor to keep himself upright. His chest heaved in pain, his breathing going ragged, blood smearing down his breastplate as he let his gouged paw drop back to his side. “Rrgh... ghuheh...”

Thane gripped his sword tight, ready for anything, but he gasped when he saw a few more lines of red down from the king's underrobe, his chest wound leaking within his golden armor. Unearthly sounds echoed in from the rest of the castle, screeches, caws and screams setting the wolf on edge, and he briefly rubbed at his own chest, his fur stinging behind the gash in his armor.

“Sacro, Wyld, Pietre-” The wolf's ears twitched, and he glanced over at his companion, the brown bear standing near the wall again, chanting loudly – the four Spirit Stones rose higher and higher into the air, glowing brighter and brighter. The king finally seemed to notice the lights, twisting this way and that when he saw the stones, a feral, gurgling growl escaping his maw as bursts of magic erupted from the Wyldfire Staff, flying up and shattering the ceiling. “Purifi, Anima, Spirito!”

Bolts of lightning struck forth from the heavens, landing on the Spirit Stones; the four points on the floor shined brightly, and with a glittering flourish, a swirling, elegant pattern began to draw itself atop the checkered tiles. The symbol of a great tree started to take form, with the king standing right in the middle. More lightning came down, striking here and there as the ritual continued, and Thane stumbled a couple steps away, eventually ducking his head and flattening his ears when a gargantuan bolt struck the king dead-on. Crashes echoed throughout the chamber, and only the king's howl of agony managed to rise above the noise.

For a while, there was nothing. Seconds turned to minutes. The final thunderclap lingered, bouncing off the walls and ringing through the gaps in the windows.

Then, after what seemed like ages, Thane squinted his eyes open, bringing his arms down and looking out into the throne room again.

The ritual had utterly demolished the ceiling, chunks of rock having shattered across the floor, and the Spirit Stones lay amidst the rubble. They no longer glowed with power, now looking just as dull and gray as any other common stone. Sana sat near the wall, covering herself with her green cloak, and the king knelt low in the middle of the room, his breathing getting more and more uneven. “I...”

Thane opened his mouth to speak, but paused when the lion turned and looked right at him. The wolf's heart skipped a beat when he noticed the king's eyes: blue, cloudy, and free of the Rot.

“I'm...” The lion murmured with the last of his strength, crumpling over and passing away.

Everything was ruined.

Screams of terror filled the air as flames rose up towards the clouds, licking over houses and spreading across the small village, fleeing figures hazily silhouetted against the blaze as they scrambled to escape. Golden-armored knights chased after the various goodbeasts, halberds drawn and heads bowed, and a flock of ravens swooped across the overcast sky, crowing and cawing as they went. Those who hadn't managed to escape simply cried out, for the guards, for a hero, to the Wyld itself for help, unable to do anything but sit and pray as the fire ate away at the houses, bit by bit.

Mercurio stared in quiet disbelief at the chaos ravaging the town, watching everything move in slow-motion, every scream, every flash of light and crackling pop sending a searing ache through his forehead. His small red mantle fluttered in the wind as a gale blew in, and he tugged on his rose-shaped brooch around his dressy clothes, inhaling hrashly when a stabbing pain tore through his arm.

“What...?” Drawing his paw out, he hastily yanked his glove off, staring at the dark purple stripes that wove their way through his fur. Something twisted in the pit of his stomach – but when he looked back up at the blazing town, it was gone, having been replaced by complete and utter darkness. The rogue narrowed his eyes, reflexively reaching for his hip as he peered into the abyss... and then a pair of hellish pupils opened up in front of him. “Wh-What in the world-!?”

“It was you...” A cacophony of voices spoke, some young, some old, some so distorted that it was difficult to tell. Mercurio hobbled backwards in fright, letting out an uncharacteristic squeak, and he drew a hidden dagger from his belt, holding the knife out towards the strange creature. “You did this... you did this!”

“What!? No!” The rat yelled back, breath hitching as confusion started to well up within him; he frowned deeply when the creature's eyes began to move, slowly circling around him, more and more eyes opening and staring him down all the while. “All I wanted was to help Thane investigate the king's illness! The soldiers were... searching... for...”

“You...!” Came another hiss, and he spun around to face the voice that spoke up behind him, only to be met by more eyes, their violet glow not even able to illuminate the empty void. ”You!”

The shadowy Banes all cried out at once, repeating themselves over and over as they stared at the rat, unblinking and unfettered. Mercurio trembled, whipping his head – and his dagger – this way and that, baring his fangs at the unsettling monsters, even as they did nothing but crow at him.

“No!” He yelled, yanking his Rot-infested paw back under his mantle, pouncing forward and taking a swipe. All he managed to cut was thin air, as the Banes seemed to move along with him. The rat's footpaws shook, and a crushing weight slowly began to beat down on him, forcing him to his knees in panic. “No! It wasn't me... no-!”

Mercurio's eyes shot open, and he lay still, gasping for breath as he stared up at the ceiling. Gentle candlelight flickered on the blurry, wooden planks, and the faint scents of fresh bread and hot rot wine wafted into the room from elsewhere. Taking gulp after gulp of air, he then sighed in relief, hysteria quickly evaporating as realization hit him. Lightly grasping at the worn bedsheets – he wasn't wearing his gloves, he noticed – the rat groaned, groggily blinking a few times to try and clear his vision. “It... it was just a dream...”

“So the scoundrel wakes after all,” An old, gravelly voice replied, rising above the muffled sounds of the rest of the tavern. “All the signs told me that you were done for. I'm surprised you made it... hehehe.”

The short, raspy chuckle set the rogue right back on edge, and he slowly glanced around the room, narrowing his eyes when he saw an older, sore-riddled rat standing at a desk a few paces away. He was clad in a red mask and dark robe, holding a long torchstaff in one paw and jingling a couple bony baubles with his other paw. As Mercurio slowly sat up, the mangy rat turned to look at him, flashing him an unsettling smile; the rogue bit the inside of his cheek as he stared into the mask's eyes, unable to tell whether his savior was friendly or faking.

“Who are you? And where am I?” The red-cloaked rogue carefully, subtly reached for his the sabre on his hip – only to grasp at nothing instead. His nose twitched for a split-second, and the masked rat laughed at the sight, looping his bangles back around his neck.

“Just an old priest passing through Blueberry, that's all...” The seer answered cryptically, glancing away for a moment and bringing a paw up to his snout, clearing his throat before calling out. “Er-hem, whirlwind, come. Your friend is awake!”

“Eh...?” Mercurio quirked a brow at the odd nickname... and then his mouth curled into a lopsided smile when a third, hooded rat stepped out of the shadows, pulling her assassin's garb tighter as she ambled over to him, the frown on her face deepening with every step. The rogue licked his dry lips and put on his most honeyed voice, hoping inwardly that it would hide his awkwardness. “Zosha. I never took you for the type to watch over me while I slept.”

“I was the one making sure nobody came hunting for a former traitor to the crown,” She snapped back without missing a beat, her tail snaking from side to side as she stared him down, and she knit her brows, drawing one of her blades and giving it a few idle twirls. “Thank Sargon for his bedside manner if you really wish to. Without him, you wouldn't have survived through the past few nights.”

“Truly? Hrm...” The rogue cocked his head thoughtfully, looking down at the veins of Rot that lined his palm, gently tracing a claw down his arm. The wound from the King's blood pact had long since healed, but a scar still remained. “Wait, a former traitor? The Mad King actually pardoned me?”

“The Mad King? The Mad King is dead, hahahaa!” The aging rodent suddenly exclaimed, prompting Mercurio to recoil in shock, his eyes going as wide as saucers. Sargon cackled to himself for a few seconds, then calmed himself down, slamming the bottom of his torch against the floorboards a couple times. “He has passed on to the Great Forest, to beyond the Veil. No longer shall Armello wither under his tyranny.”

“Whaaat?” The rogue hastily hopped out of his bed, thumping down onto the tavern floor, gritting his teeth when an ache rippled up his legs. He teetered for a brief moment, then dug his heels in, looking back and forth between the other two rats as he spoke up. The king was dead...? He no longer had to deal with his insane proclamations? “Then... Thane did it!?”

“A great battle took place at the royal palace just last morning. Apparently, a couple of well-meaning heroes cleansed His Majesty of the Rot, so he could die in peace. Others mounted a great battle against a number of Banes,” Zosha explained, glancing out the room's single, solitary window. Mercurio followed her gaze, slowly walking over to the glass pane and peering outside. A heavy mist was rolling into the quaint village, the moon slowly rising above the thatch-roof house, its soft, tranquil light doing little to lift the fog. Far, far away, the palace was out there, somewhere. “Already, a great power vacuum begins to form... the Night Mother will certainly keep me busy.”

“Always with your Night Mother business...” Mercurio couldn't help but chuckle, turning back around to face the assassin, but he hastily shied away when she pretended to flick her knife at him, a sharp smirk plastered on her snout. Shrugging, the rogue tugged on his rose-shaped brooch, shooting Zosha a disarming wink and a wiggle of his whiskers. “I suppose that means I'm no longer the royal advisor now, am I?”

She snorted indignantly in response. “For someone who nearly shook himself to death in the forest a few nights ago, you're acting chipper.”

“Yes, well, the lion's share of my problems are behind me now,” The rogue replied – Zosha wrinkled her nose when the joke sank in – and he peered down at his infected hand for a second or two, watching as the dark stripes wriggled their way across his wrist, as if they had a mind of their own. He nodded firmly, then glanced over at the desk, striding over and snatching his equipment up, hooking his sabre to his belt and pulling on his gloves. “Besides, now I have a new job to start working on.”

“You want to cure yourself, then?” The female rodent correctly guessed, and she put her paws on her hips, one of her eyebrows quirking upward. “Mercurio, the king up and died after he was purified. What makes you think you can survive it?”

“Hehe... I have something he didn't.” The red-cloaked rat curled his fists tight. Turning around, he nodded at both Zosha and Sargon, feeling a determined warmth spread through his chest. “Spirit.”

[returnerofthewrites]

Prologue: Storm

A harsh wind howled through the forest, the high, leafy boughs audibly shuddering as rain pelted down, a massive blanket of clouds covering the sky and blotting out the moon; bolts of lightning struck against the northern mountain, followed along by deafening crashes of thunder. A lone figure winced as light flashed into her eyes, and she ducked underneath a nearby tree, huddling up and staring at the wall of rock rising up a few steps away. Something hard suddenly thudded hard between the Pokemon's ears, and she gasped, tensing up at the pain... and then she scowled irritably, watching a stray apricorn roll off of her head and tumble onto the wet dirt with a plop.

“Dammit... dammit dammit dammit,” The Pokemon swore loudly, wrapping her arms around her torso and shivering, raindrops dripping down onto her clothes, soaking into the long black fabric. Her round tail flicked when she felt a chill run down her spine, and she growled, glancing around the clearing. “Everyone else's gone off and I'm the one stuck waiting! Where did that idiot go!?”

“S-Sshshshhh! Keep your voice down!” A hissing whisper caught her attention, and she whirled back around to look at the cliffside again. A new silhouette was stumbling towards her, leaving a trail of muddy prints as he exited the hidden cavern. He shrugged his shoulders a couple times to adjust his posture, a strange lump resting limply on his back. “Sorry I didn't get here faster, I needed to pick this thing up. Boss's orders.”

“Tch... fine. If it's really that important, then fine,” The girl replied with a grumble, reaching out and practically yanking the other Pokemon under the cover of the apricorn tree, nearly causing him to trip and fall over from the motion. She eyed the load on his back with a pointed gaze, shaking her head. “Doesn't seem like anything special. Never even seen it around the place before. What even is it?”

“It's... I dunno, it's something, something real dangerous-like.” The young man fidgeted, reaching up with a free hand to adjust his hat, wiping raindrops off of the buttons running down his shirt afterward. “Boss told me that we need to bring it back up to town as soon as possible, he's dressed it up to keep it from being suspicious so we should be fine.”

A sharp thunderclap abruptly boomed out through the forest, prompting both Pokemon to jump in surprise, and they stood still for a few moments, stress pulsing through their nerves. They calmed down just as suddenly as they'd been shaken, and the girl furrowed her brow in frustration, stomping across the way and beckoning her teammate to follow.

“Well, c'mon then! This storm's just getting worse and worse,” She barked, stomping out of the trees and heading towards a small ridge; her friend hastily plodded along behind her, panting heavily and shrugging every so often, trying to adjust the weight of his burden. Sliding down the hill, the pair quickly marched away from the cave, ducking their heads as they were bombarded by the rain. “Those stupid agents, they ruined everything!And we had a real good thing going here, too!”

She trailed off afterward, the air thick both from tension and from the rain, and the pair silently marched through the forest, the trees beginning to thin out more and more the further they went. The strong gusts swirled past them, carrying water down with them as they roared past both of the travelers' ears, soaking the two of them all the way to the bone. They bumbled through the darkness for what seemed like ages, aided only by the occasional bolt of lightning that illuminated the gray, gloomy clouds, and soon enough, the sound of rushing water began to pick up.

The thicket thinned more and more, giving way to another grassy hill; another lightning flash revealed a rickety old bridge staked at the edge of the path, crossing over a raging, burbling river. The mossy planks creaked and swayed from the storm, and the girl glanced around, then waved an arm at her teammate again to keep him from getting lost, her footpaws slipping against the rain-slick wood. “Okay, we're almost in the clear. If we can just make it to that dark tunnel, we'll be fine!”

Another thunderclap boomed through the air, deafening her into stopping in her tracks, and she dug her heels in as the bridge shook underneath her. The other Pokemon groaned tiredly behind her, and she slowly turned around, narrowing her eyes to slits, trying to find her teammate amidst the shadows as he mumbled to himself. “Man... if I'd know that stuff like this was part of the job, I...”

“Oh, shut up and come on!” She growled back at him, grinding her fangs together in frustration. “Hurry! You said they might be chasing us right now!”

“Nrrf,” He grunted in reply, stepping hastily onto the bridge, trying his best to keep his footing despite the wind. Turning back, the other Pokemon stomped her way forward again, huddling up to shield herself from the assaulting rain. The wooden bridge creaked again, this time much louder-

CRACK!

“Whuaaah-!” The girl's eyes shot wide open when she heard the scream, and she whirled around, wincing when yet another lightning bolt split the sky apart – her nerves, already on edge, burst into sheer panic when she saw her teammate drop like a rock, the plank he was walking on shattering to pieces under the pressure of the storm and footsteps. He lashed his arms forward, just barely managing to cling to the next part of the bridge. “H-Heeeeelp!”

“No!” She dashed forward, sprinting back the way she came and diving for his hands, the planks bouncing precariously when she landed, and she grabbed onto her teammate's wrists, grunting from the weight. He jolted in shock, breathing heavily as he slipped further and further through the hole in the bridge. “Dammit, hold on-”

Her face smacked hard against the wood when he slid even further down, and she let go. There was a rush of air, then a rolling, foaming splash... and then all that could be heard was thunder.

Wild Pidgey swooped through the forest, chirping merrily as they flew through the trees, dewdrops lingering on the green, waxy leaves; the birds quickly joined together into a small flock, flapping hard and soaring above the outskirts of New Bark Town. The sky was tinted a faint blue, the storm front before having blown past the cozy city, and rays of the early morning sun filtered down through the branches, casting a gentle glow through the windows and along the various houses. A few passerby Pokemon milled about on the sidewalk, chatting with each other and happily basking in the tranquil atmosphere.

The pleasant silence was briefly broken by the sound of a door opening – a quiet squeak sounding out from the hinges – and a cream-furred fox slowly stepped out of her apartment, scrunching her footpaws against the stubbled paneling. Light glanced off of her clothes, and she took a deep breath and sighed, idly wiping her hands down her hoodie and skirt, her nine fluffy tails waving up and down in the air. Stepping fully out of her room, she gingerly shut her door, turning around afterward and leaning against the railing, a smile on her muzzle and a sparkle in her eyes.

“Rose? Oh my gosh, good morning, Rose!”

The Ninetales jumped slightly at the yell, and she glanced to the side, relaxing somewhat when she saw the energetic Sunflora that was jogging towards her, her sundress swishing around her ankles and a bag of groceries tucked under one arm. The grass type Pokemon wore a goofy smile on her face as she dashed up to her friend, slowing to a stop and catching her breath once she had closed the distance. Rose giggled softly, reaching out and patting the other girl's shoulder. “Hello, Flo! You're up early this morning...  how are you doing today?”

“I'm doing really well! I'm glad I caught you, actually...” The sunflower replied, pumping her leafy fists in excitement and leaning forward. Rose took a small step back in turn, cocking her head in curiosity, her ponytail shaking ever-so-slightly in the gentle breeze. Flo trailed off for a few seconds, and then she covered her mouth, letting out a gasp of embarrassment. “Oh my gosh, wait, you don't have work today, do you?”

“Oh? Oh, no, I don't!” Rose replied after a moment, shaking her head and nervously blowing a few strands of her headfur out of her face. “Hehe, someone else is helping out at the library over the weekend, so I don't work for the next few days. Why? Is something wrong?”

“Nope! I just wasn't sure if I was keeping you,” Flo said cheerfully; Rose's smile twitched a little wider as she tried not to laugh at the grass type Pokemon's earnestness. The Sunflora stretched out a little bit – practically drinking in the sunlight shining down on her – before continuing. “But I just got a call on my way home from my errands, and I'm gonna be taking a trip to Goldenrod City soon! So I wanted to come and ask if you wanted to tag along!”

“H-Huh? Wait... y-you what?” The Ninetales stuttered, her eyes widening as the other Pokemon's question sank in. Her tails slowly started to curl and uncurl, and she fiddled with the hem of her hoodie, bowing her head just a tad. “You really want us to go together?”

“Of course, Rose!” Came the Sunflora's response, and the grass type Pokemon beamed, reaching an arm across the fox's shoulders and pulling her in close, gesturing out towards the apartment grounds with a shake of her other hand. The wind whistled through the trees, and Rose stared out at the city below, taking a deep breath of the warm breeze. “As soon as I got the call I thought of you! Ever since Biff finally left to start on his League Challenge, you've been even more restless than you usually are. You want to get out of town and go someplace, I can tell!”

As Flo continued to chatter away, the cream-furred fox next to her bit the inside of her cheek, her mind starting to race as she tried to keep up with her friend. A brief twitch ran through her nerves as she mulled the idea over, picturing the big city in her mind's eye, the outskirts of New Bark taking on a more modern shine... not to mention having far more passerby. The ghost of a smile curled its way onto her muzzle, and she hummed thoughtfully under her breath. “Mmm, that does sound like it'd be fun...”

“Oh my gosh, of course it'd be fun! You've never taken the Magnet Train, have you? We could do that, and then we could go to the department store, play Voltorb Flip, visit the communications tower... I'd still have the work I need to do, but,” Flo rambled for a little bit longer, then suddenly snapped back to attention, giving the Ninetales' arm a short tug. “We could book a room at the Pokemon Center for tomorrow night and-”

“W-Wait, tomorrow!?” Rose exclaimed, her fur bristling, and she scooted her way out of the Sunflora's grasp, her tails still curling and uncurling as if they had a mind of their own. She stared at Flo for a second, her jaw hanging open, and then shook herself back to her senses, still anxiously fiddling with her clothes as panic started to well up within her. “F-Flo! But that's way too sudden...! I'd, I'd still need to prepare, and pack my things and let work know...”

“Aww, but c'mon! You don't need to pack that much, and you could come back here on your own!” The sunflower quickly stepped back, reaching out to try and calm the cream-furred fox down. “It's not like we have to leave right now, either, you'll have plenty of time to get ready!”

“But that's still too sudden... I...” Rose lost her train of thought as her anxiety rapidly reached a fever pitch, and she trembled heavily, shaking her head 'no' before kicking off the ground. “I'm sorry!”

Flo didn't even get a chance to speak up as the Ninetales dashed past her, footpaws thumping against the balcony as she ran for the stairwell. The grass type Pokemon slumped her shoulders in defeat, dragging her heels as she peered over the railing, watching as her nervous friend ran down the sidewalk, eventually vanishing from sight. “Oh, Rose... what am I going to do with you...?”

Rose's heart pounded in her chest as she sprinted through the forest, her tails swishing audibly through the air as she ran, tarmac roads giving way to dirt trails as she pushed deeper and deeper into the woods outside New Bark Town. Adrenaline coursed through her veins as she scrambled through the thicket, but eventually, she burst into a small glade at the very edge of town, the northern river pooling into a small lake that spread wide in front of her. A heavy exhale escaped her throat, gaze lost on the hills on the far horizon... and then she crumpled to her knees, ducking her head as a wave of sheer embarrassment came crashing over her.

“Mmph... why did I do that?” She groaned to herself, scooting backwards a little bit and sitting on a nearby tree root that jutted out from the soil, reaching up to rub at her forehead. She pushed the sides of her headfur back, drawing circles around her temples, trying to will away the slight pain in her forehead. A chilly gust abruptly swept in from the water, and she huddled up somewhat, tugging her hoodie tighter and breathing deeply to stoke her inner fire. “I really need to apologize to Flo for doing this again.”

The cream-furred fox turned her eyes skyward, watching a few stray Spearow that fluttered through the clouds, and she dug her footpaws into the loamy dirt as she felt her nerves slowly start to settle. A couple stray leaves drifted down onto her chest and knees, and she gently swatted them away, leaning back and listening to the pleasantly-babbling brook. She stared wistfully at the distant trees and patches of greenery that blanketed the Johto-Kanto border, letting out a soft sigh.

“I knew coming here would help calm me down,” She thought aloud, reaching for a twig resting near her skirt and idly drawing a couple lines in the ground. Her tails gently spread out across the dew-covered grass, getting ruffled slightly by the wind. “I know you want to help me start traveling, Flo, but I don't know if I'm ready yet. Or if I'll ever be ready...”

She peered off even further into the distance, the scent of nature wafting past her nose, and she couldn't help but let her imagination run off, picturing a campsite set up a few steps away, and the fire type Pokemon fully relaxed, letting herself smile gently again. Her ears flicked when a soft grumble drifted in on the wind, and she smiled wider, letting the sounds of the wild-yet-docile Pokemon surround her.

Her ears flicked again when a second grumble followed, and then she sat up a little straighter, cocking her head in confusion. Carefully, the Ninetales gazed around the clearing, slowly scanning across the lake... and then she gasped in shock, her eyes going as wide as saucers and her hands shooting right up to her muzzle.

A blue-and-black, tasseled jackal lay unconscious on the river's shore, his fur and clothes utterly drenched, his chest rising and falling and a pained expression on his face.

[returnerofthewrites]

Now you and I are on completely different sides here. I hate gen 5 yet adore gen 4 with Pt as my favorite of the whole series. The level design was fantastic imo with a centralized map dotted with unique towns, and the routes were pleasing to explore with the early game forest being a labyrinth that also, along with other partner sections, focused on enhancing the double battle feature introduced in generation three. The pokes were intuitive with the worst being an Ent, rather than ice cream.

I think it’s a matter of complexity vs simplicity, in some sense. I’m late to answer this too (very late, and I apologize for that), but in the time since you sent the ask in I’ve had debates with some of my friends and acquaintances and in general the consensus I’ve found is that the reason most of them prefer Gen 4 is more because they don’t like how straightforward (and, to them, simple) Gen 5 is. I’m not sure if that’s true for you, of course, but that’s what I tend to see.

That said, let me try and explain what I mean with my major points on why I dislike Gen 4 (or Sinnoh, really, rather).

Keep reading

[returnerofthewrites]

Writing Exercise: Hallowed

Just need to breathe and focus.

Bright, golden sunbeams fell down onto Dune, shining through windows, gleaming against golden arches, slipping between the branches of trees and warming the cobblestone far below. Puffs of dust rolled across the city streets when the last gasps of a cool night wind blew in from on high, ruffling the flaps of the empty merchant tents set up here and there, and the signs hanging from both the Fighters and Mages Guilds squeaked as they swung back and forth. The grass, sprouting in clumps from the reddish-brown soil, greedily basked in the early morning light, a pleasant tranquility reigning over the sleeping city. Even the few guards were having trouble keeping themselves from nodding off.

A series of light footsteps soon interrupted the silence, and a single Khajiit walked out into the middle of the guild district, clad in corseted shirt and aproned kilt, her boots softly scraping on the ground, and one of her hands tightly wrapped around a katana. Slowing to a stop some paces away from the well, the beastwoman turned around and peered skyward, letting her eyes flutter shut for a brief moment. The waning breeze sent a few locks of her brown hair down into her face, and she paused, running fingers across her stripes on her fur to brush the loose bangs back into place. Stepping back, brandishing her weapon, she took a stance.

Just need to breathe and focus.

The tan-furred cat raised her arms above her head, taking a deep gulp of the dry savanna air. She held still for a moment. Then, after a twitch of her tail, she slid forward and struck at the open air, bringing her sword down in a fast, solid chop, her left footpaw quickly following after her right. Easing back into position, she raised her arms, then chopped again, and again, and again, streaks of light faintly glinting off of the rubedite blade.

The Khajiit's ears flicked as a couple birds fluttered above her head – chirping merrily as they perched and nested in a nearby tree – and she inhaled as she returned to her forward stance. Holding the katana high, she then struck again, this time lunging forward and swinging the back upwards in a strong arc. The corners of her muzzle twitched when she heard the air whistling past the Akaviri blade, and she straightened herself up, loosely arching her wrists and curling her fingers close to the hilt.

Just need to breathe and focus.

It was something that Merric told her, back when she had first joined the Fighters Guild.

Making another chop, then a slash, the female cat whirled around, using the weight of the pommel to help keep her balanced as she swung the sword in a spinning strike, her long brown hair swishing over her neck. A spark of magic rippled through her fingers, and she narrowed her gaze as the sensation of Stend- S'rendarr's light surrounded her, motes of gold drifting off of her blade even after she had evened out.

“You really are skilled, you know,” A smooth, soft, feminine voice spoke up, and the beastwoman leaped into the air in surprise, nearly dropping her katana as she swiveled on her heels. Her heartbeat slowed just as suddenly as it spiked, and she let out a sigh of relief at the sight of the gray-robed, Mane-wearing cat standing near the well, leaning slightly on her staff for support. “The guild should be proud to have someone like you working with them, Hallowed.”

“Shazah- I mean, Mane Shazah...” Sahraaji replied, hastily correcting herself as she slipped her weapon behind her belt, and she walked over to the other Khajiit, dropping to one knee and bowing down, her long hair slipping down her neck and tucking her fur. “I- I mean, this one didn't realize that you were watching.”

Shazah smiled warmly, bending over and lightly patting her friend's shoulder, gesturing at her to rise; the fighter did just that, sweeping dust off of her kilt along the way. “Please, Shazah would prefer if you called her by name alone, without her title. It's just us out here, after all. It seems we both woke up bright and early this morning.”

“Yes... I was just limbering up and preparing for the day,” Sahraaji replied, nodding at the mage before walking over to the edge of the well and sitting down. Shazah's smile grew wider at that, and she slowly sidled over and hopped up next to her friend, resting her staff lightly on her lap. “It's been quite a while since I last did any of those exercises. Helping out here in Dune has kept this one quite busy.”

“We're all glad for your aid, Sahraaji. Every single one of us,” The gray-robed Khajiit said gently, a note of firmness playing in her otherwise smooth voice, and she reached over to her friend, resting a palm on top of her own. Sahraaji blinked, then bowed her head slightly, twisting her wrist a little and curling her fingers around the mage's offered hand. “You've made so many things possible over the past few days.”

“Please, Shazah... you flatter this one.” The fighter cat shook her head, turning and looking towards the empty market tents a short distance away, a pang of embarrassment flitting through her nerves. “Sahraaji has mostly helped to clean up the last of the Daedra. Without you to organize everyone and give them the motivation to continue, things would be much messier around here, no?”

“Well, that may be true, yes...” Shazah started, shyly looking away in the opposite direction. Her tail, on the other hand, waved and nudged against her friend's, curling ever-so-slightly around. “But without you there to help Shazah, Hallowed, she would never have become the Mane, no?”

Humming at the use of her title, Sahraaji scooted back a little onto the stone and wood, a hand still curled tightly around the other Khajiit's. Shazah glanced back at the cat, an uneasy mix of nervousness and puzzlement emblazoned on her face, and she shifted an inch or two closer to the cat, a tremble of tension running down her spine.

“You're leaving today, aren't you?”

Sahraaji froze where she sat, craning her neck to stare at the slowly-brightening sky, and she inhaled deeply, eventually letting out a low, heavy sigh as she watched a small fleet of clouds roll in on the higher winds. Her ears drooped somewhat as she racked her brain for a reply, but when she felt Shazah tighten her grip on her hand, she turned to look at the mage; she wore a sad, understanding smile on her face. Another breeze, this one much warmer, blew through the city, ruffling their fur somewhat, making the well's basket drift slightly from side to side.

Just need to breathe and focus.

The fighter inhaled, exhaled, and then finally nodded. “Was it that obvious?”

“Mmm... you're restless, just like how...” Shazah drifted off, and she let go of Sahraaji's hand, resting her arms in her lap and fiddling with her staff, a melancholy falling over her. The other cat tilted her head slightly, curling her fist the tiniest bit, the sensation of the beastwoman's fingers still lingering. “Like how Khali was. And even though you've helped us, you've still been here the past few days. Shazah knew you were going to leave Dune sooner or later.”

“I see... Sahraaji is-” The Khajiit looked down at her aproned kilt, lightly kicking the heels of her boots against the stones of the well, dark, vivid dreams replaying over and over in her mind; sights and sounds and smells, all familiar, yet all wrong. She closed her eyes, picturing the Green Lady cradling the Silvenar's body, the figure of Urcelmo, numerous wounds covering his body... and then a ghostly Khajiiti figure, and a mocking voice... “Sahraaji is sorry. About Khali, and Tharn...”

An uncomfortable, awkward silence ensued. Sahraaji swallowed – even though her throat remained dry – and after a couple seconds, she summed up her courage and turned her head to look at the Khajiit sitting beside her. Shazah's head was bowed, and her face scrunched, the Mane's braids drooping down, grazing her epaulets. The fighter couldn't tell if her friend's expression was out of sorrow or prayer, and as her heart skipped a beat, she hastily averted her gaze, peering at the windows and watching as tired silhouettes began to walk around inside the nearby houses.

“Khali was always proud of you, you know,” Shazah suddenly said, and Sahraaji whipped her head back down to stare at the mage, the words striking a chord deep within her. The gray-robed Khajiit opened her eyes and looked back at the fighter, tears clearly shimmering in the morning glow. “After we met at Fort Grimwatch, she often talked about the battles you two got into when fighting the Dro-m'athra, and while we were on our way to Moonmont, we told each other about how concerned you got for us during our trials. You cared so deeply, for our people, for Khali... and for Shazah.”

“Sahraaji has lost people close to her, too.” The fighter reached out and placed a hand on the mage's shoulder, scooting closer and looking her right in the eye. “I just... I'm glad you're still here.”

“S-Shazah is glad you share her feelings,” Shazah stuttered slightly at the intensity of her friend's stare, and she bowed her head, humming as her mind slowly drifted onto the sight of her sister, corrupted and dark, in the Two Moons Path. She tensed up, grasping her staff tight, claws lightly grazing against the gray fabric of her robe. “Between Dune's reconstruction and my duties as Mane, this one has only been able to mourn privately...”

“Khali is on Khenarthi's path, now, yes?” The gray-robed Khajiit perked up, glancing over at Sahraaji when she spoke. Sahraaji's expression turned sheepish, and she leaned her katana against the side of the well before gesturing lamely towards the open sky. “My mother used to say that when someone died, back when I was a child. Sahraaji thought you would appreciate it.”

“I...” The Mane trailed off, taking a deep, shaky breath to calm herself. “Yes. Thank you, Hallowed.”

She leaned over and sadly rested her head on the fighter's arm – her headdress' braids slid sideways and gathered together, the tips of the gathered fur tickling her shoulder – and she sighed, letting her eyes flutter shut, doing her best to keep herself from starting to cry. Sahraaji just sat there, palms clasped on her aproned kilt, and she stole a furtive glance around the district, the well's awning protecting them from the sunlight pouring in from above the buildings. Slowly, but surely, she embraced the other cat, a wave of gentle affection coursing through her, and they sat in silence for a while longer, listening as Dune began to wake up.

“Where will you go from here, Hallowed?” After what felt like minutes, Shazah finally found her voice, briefly pushing thoughts of her sister aside as she turned to glance at the fighter beside her. “What are your plans?”

The striped Khajiit glanced back at her friend, a warm smile slowly gracing her features as she broke the hug, sitting up a little straighter and patting around her apron's pockets, finally pulling a map out from one of them. The mage peered over Sahraaji's shoulder in the meantime, following her finger as she poked a dot labeled 'Dune' and moved downward. “Sahraaji is heading south, to S'ren-ja. Mother said that it's where I was born... where we lived before the flu came, I mean.”

“South to S'ren-ja...” Shazah parroted, thinking back to days gone past, turning her gaze upwards to look at the higher boughs of the trees, branches swaying in the wind, leaves occasionally drifting down onto the cobblestones below. The Mane's nose twitched slightly as a faintly pleasant scent blew in on the breeze, and she relaxed a little, lightly kicking her footpaws at the grass. “This one passed through when she was coming to Dune from Moonmont.”

“Mmm...” Sahraaji hummed to herself. “It's strange to think about. This one was so young when we left that she doesn't remember anything about it from when she was a child.”

“It was quiet there, but nice enough, though Shazah did not stay long,” Shazah murmured. “She thinks you will like it there.”

Another silence fell over the two, this one much more comfortable, and easy; a few birds began to chirp, and the dawn chorus sang sweetly as they fluttered from tree to tree.

A creak of wood caught Shazah's attention, and she glanced behind her at the Mages Guild, a pair of arms retreating in from an opened window. The Mane sighed, sliding off the edge of the well and getting to her footpaws, tapping the end of her staff against the ground a couple times to get her companion's attention. “Well... this one should probably be getting back to her duties. You have things to be doing as well, yes?”

Sahraaji peered at the gray-robed Khajiit, then at the stairs leading out of the guild district, watching as a pair of guards changed places. Reluctantly, the warrior cat nodded in agreement, the back of her kilt scuffing against the stone bricks as she hopped to the ground as well. “Yes... this one travels light, but she still needs to pack.”

Shazah took a couple steps away, feeling the wind whistle through her braided headdress, her robe ruffling in the breeze. “Sahraaji... we will never forget you or how you helped us here. Please... don't forget about us either, no matter how far you travel. Not the Paths, not Khali, not-”

“Of course.” The fighter interrupted. “I promise.”

The mage paused, then smiled brightly, her cheeks dimpling as she turned around and strode away. Sahraaji twisted around to watch her leave, the guards bowing respectfully as she trotted up the stairs and turned out of sight. Her ears twitched as she heard a door open and shut, a handful of townsfolk beginning to pop up here and there around the district. Grabbing her katana, the long-haired cat reached into her apron's pocket, drew her hand back out, and uncurled her fingers, the sparkle in her eyes dulling ever-so-slightly as she stared.

In her palm sat two rings – one emblazoned with the symbol of the Aldmeri queen, and the other set with the familiar signet of the High King.

A pained expression wormed its way onto the Khajiit's face, and she clasped both rings to her chest, bowing her head in a silent prayer, visibly shuddering as a veritable flood of memories played through her mind. Instinctively, she inhaled deeply through her nose.

Just need to breathe and focus.

A moment later, she exhaled. Returning the treasures to her pocket, Sahraaji shook her head and marched towards the Fighters Guild.

[returnerofthewrites]

Passing the Torch: Analysis of the Aldmeri Dominion

Spoiler warning for the Dominion storyline, some spoilers for the Covenant storyline, as well as the main story of ESO.

When I first used the Light of Meridia and found myself sitting in a tower on Khenarthi’s Roost, so long ago, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. The storyline throughout the lands of the Covenant had been fantastic, but the Dominion and Covenant were different in many ways, and even the obvious reasons held a lot of weight to them.

The last thing I had expected was for the storyline to essentially be Oblivion 2. And I mean that in a good way.

See, the thing about the Daggerfal Covenant is that it’s probably the easiest place for people to “get started”. It’s a traditional European fantasy setting (Hammerfell includes some nice variety and introduces us to some Redguard culture, but overall it’s mostly High Rock), and the storylines are very traditional European fantasy stories that are mostly separated from each other. You are, indeed, the great hero who saves the day, and the emphasis is squarely placed on your shoulders in terms of importance. King Emeric might be the leader you’re working under, but you yourself are the “main” protagonist, far and away. And all in all, it feels good to play. Rivenspire is still arguably my favorite area in the entire game thus far.

The Aldmeri Dominion, on the other hand, is a lot more interconnected, both in its explicit elements (the end of the tutorial island kickstarts the end of Greenshade and overarching events in Malabal Tor) and more subtle themes (like love, loss, and giving oneself up for the sake of something greater). You do take the lead and play the hero a number of times, but unlike the Covenant, it rarely feels like you’re truly the great protagonist, despite being given the occasional important title. You’re far more of a supporter, helping the main characters who’re needing to take up the mantle and lead their people.

I feel the need to clarify, full-disclosure, that I originally started playing the AD Veteran area back at launch (you know, April/May 2014), then got tired halfway through Greenshade and only finished up the rest of it this past month or so. So I’ll admit that Khenarthi’s Roost, Auridon and Grahtwood are somewhat fuzzy in memory.

That said, in many ways I think taking such a long break from the game helped to hone my thoughts on it. In fact, I only noticed the first of the story’s undertones when I tried to remember where I had last left off (helping the Wilderking) and then remembering what had gone on in the past couple of zones (particularly Naemon’s death and the murder of the Silvenar).

In fact, the arc involving the Wilderking is probably the most concise example of all the major themes of the storyline, so let’s go over that.

The reason you go into Greenshade to seek out the Wilderking is to warn him of an assassination attempt planned on him by the Veiled Heritance. As it turns out, the Wilderking isn’t so much a person as it is a god that normal people “mantle”, and it’s almost his time to pass on anyway. The next person to take up the crown is actually one of the elves sent to assassinate him, Aranias. Meeting with a Spinner, you learn about Aranias’ past, about how she could manipulate nature but had trouble controlling it, and how her parents felt uncomfortable on her own nature-shaped island and eventually brought the Veiled Heritance in to “tutor” her.

However, the Spinner uses their storytelling magic to “insert” you into the story as a childhood friend, there to help Aranias through the tough parts of her life. While this doesn’t actually change what happened in reality, the magic also manipulates Aranias’ memories, helping her gain the courage needed to defy the Heritance and take her place as the new Wilderqueen.

As an aside, there’s an off-the-cuff you can do that tells the story of Ostion, a young boy with the same kind of powers, who accidentally killed his “best friend” named Sumeril when trying to command the Valenwood to move and shape. It was “resurrecting” Sumeril that finally allowed Ostion to become the Wilderking - though only Sumeril was able to tell the story, since Ostion lost his memories as a result of the mantling.

And Aranias, despite how afraid she is of losing her memories, even the fake ones with you in them, takes up the crown for the sake of the Valenwood.

This kind of situation, of love and giving up yourself for the greater good, is repeated in many different ways throughout the AD story arcs, and even in the backstory. It comes up in ways both for good and for ill, with both the protagonists and often the antagonists of each area, tying them together as a greater whole.

Ayrenn gives up her life of carefree adventuring for the sake of taking the crown and forming the Dominion, even though it results in the defection and death (and undeath, of the latter) of Estre and Naemon, close members of her family she so desperately wanted to trust and include. Indaenir eventually is forced to sacrifice himself to heal and purify the Heart of Valenwood, but then is chosen by the Heart to become the next Silvenar, giving up his very name to become a spiritual leader.

Gwaering, upon learning of her destiny as the Green Lady, cuts all romantic ties with her childhood sweetheart Ulthorn, prompting him to turn to Hircine in order to get her back. Shazah and Khali, orphan sisters who are both in line to become the next leader of Elsweyr, have to give one of themselves up to contain the Dark Mane - and when Javad Tharn eventually corrupts the one holding the Dark Mane back, you two are forced to kill them in order to complete the Two Moons Path.

The reason this all comes off so strongly and with such an impact is because of the consistency across the regions, as well as the recurring characters. You meet Vicereeve Pelidil in Khenarthi’s Roost, and he, alongside Estre and Naemon, shows up in Auridon (and in Grahtwood alongside Naemon as well). Naemon goes from a disgruntled married elf to an embittered brother to a lich. Indaenir shows up in three very important quest arcs all around Valenwood before joining you for the finale. Shazah and Khali can be met at the end of Greenshade, and are properly introduced near the start of Reaper’s March.

The Covenant had recurring characters as well (it’s one of the major things that the game as a whole gets right with its writing), but since the focus there was still mainly on you, and since the stories were more separated, it felt a touch less strong (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing for the Covenant, mind you; it did what it set out to do and was great for it).

With the Dominion, you are essentially the supporting right hand for a number of heroes. It’s the Martin Septim situation all over again, except repeated, over and over, big and small, and the faction is all the more memorable for it. You are a hero in many cases, but you are not the hero, the leader. You’re just an everyday person, helping the old, fallen leaders pass the torch to a new generation of leaders, who will lead their provinces to a new tomorrow.

On top of all this, the stories are just... well-told. They’re interesting, and for the most part are paced well, with much of the non-required content helping to keep things from feeling rushed, or providing a good bit of extra comic relief or closure (with Vulkwasten and Treehenge in particular offering a good bit of each, respectively).

The worldbuilding is thick and much appreciated, too. We’ve heard plenty about Valenwood in in-game books, and we’ve heard things about Elsweyr and the Mane and the Summerset Isles, but the last time we ever got to explore those places was in Arena, which... was a long time ago, to say the least. Sure, that goes for Daggerfall and Hammerfell too, but at least those are archetypal fantasy settings by design. The Altmer, Bosmer and Khajiit are all much different, so getting the chance to see at least some of it come to life is wonderful. It’s one of the best strengths that ESO has as a game compared to the previous entries in the series.

Unfortunately, that ties into the only real problem I have with the Dominion, something that ties into both gameplay and story and is an unfortunate side effect that I’m not sure they really could have avoided:

There’s just too much Valenwood.

That’s not to say I don’t like Valenwood - in fact, it’s beautiful! It’s got a ton of great characters, interesting places and fun quests. But even just this past month, doing the second half of Greenshade and then Malabal Tor back to back got exhausting. I can’t imagine what it would be like to stick with it for the entire time and do Grahtwood to Greenshade to Malabal Tor, back to back to back. While they do have their visual differences in some areas (particularly Malabal’s coastline), by and large it all felt very samey after a while, which reduced my enjoyment of the faction as a whole, if only by a little bit.

(And yes, I do know that One Tamriel means that we can do it in any order now, but the story - among many other core things - was clearly not designed around going out of order.)

On the one hand, I feel like if they had simply put Reaper’s March in the middle, and then finished it off with Greenshade and Malabal Tor, it would have been more interesting. Reaper’s March is easily the strongest area of all in AD, probably my second-favorite area story- and exploration-wise after Rivenspire, and Rivenspire was also in the middle of the Covenant, so I think the March wouldn’t have lost much impact by having it happen earlier. It would have helped inject the (much-needed) visual and tonal variety earlier, rather than letting the jungle overstay its welcome.

On the other hand, Reaper’s March being where it is helps to end the entire faction on a powerful note, rather than giving us its best early on and having the last couple stories just be good rather than great. It also feels a bit more well-timed at the end, when the new Silvenar and Green Lady have been married (rather than the old ones being dead and no new ones having been found yet), allowing for the entire faction story arc to have come full circle. The fact that it comes at the end also lends itself a strange sense of “relief” after having spent so long in Valenwood proper.

Perhaps that last bit isn’t exactly a pro or a con. I don’t know.

Either way, it’s been interesting to mull this over the past few days, going over the details of the story again in my head, comparing it to my initial experience with the Covenant and whatnot. I’ve said this before, on my main blog, but after how... ah, iffy (to put it nicely) Skyrim was, writing included, it’s nice to be able to actually analyze an Elder Scrolls story like this.

I don’t know if I’ll start the Pact storyline yet, partly because I start work again soon and also because Sun and Moon come out next month, but we’ll see. Either way, I’m glad I experienced the Aldmeri Dominion. I knew that all the factions had their own ups and downs, but I never expected to feel so.... torn between the two of them. It’s difficult to feel strongly connected to any of the three after having seen the perspectives of two of them. I’m glad I made Sahraaji (in-character) not fond of the whole war, because there’s no way I’d ever be able to RP someone who could go full-throttle for one of them. Hah!

But I digress. It’s been fun, Aldmeri. I’m sure I’ll be back to your lands many more times.