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asimplearchivist · 3 months

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𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓝𝓮𝔁𝓽 𝓖𝓮𝓷𝓮𝓻𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷

𝐂𝐇. 𝐕𝐈 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐏𝐎𝐈𝐒𝐎𝐍, 𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐂𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍. 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐕 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓.

[𝓪𝓼𝓲𝓶𝓹𝓵𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓬𝓱𝓲𝓿𝓲𝓼𝓽'𝓼 𝓶𝓪𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓵𝓲𝓼𝓽] [ 𝐏𝐎𝐊𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐍 𝐌𝐘𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐘 𝐃𝐔𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐎𝐍 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓 ] [ AO3 | SPOTIFY | PINTEREST ] summary ✨ ⤏ eliana gets a special case of whiplash. the future isn't what she remembered. pairing(s) ✨ [tba] word count ✨ 3.6k a/n ✨ [header credit] | [divider credit] ⤏ this is another filler chapter, and there might be a couple more while I slowly hedge eliana and dusknoir together without her throwing a tantrum. gotta take it slow, y'know? ✨ MASTERPOST ✨ ✨ PREVIOUS CHAPTER �� ✨ ⤏ NEXT CHAPTER [TBA] ✨

Eliana woke out of habit rather than by the sounds of Lu shifting in his bed or by the warm morning sunlight streaming in through the bluff’s gaping maw. The lack of windows in the guest room didn’t allow any indication of the time, and she couldn’t hear any of the local bird Pokémon from so far down, but her body was accustomed to rising with Lu (since he was, unfortunately for her night-Noctowl tendencies an early-bird). She cracked her eyes open to look for him, frowning. When her groggy mind processed the cozy burrow, she remembered that she was by herself.

That’s right. She was in the future. Her true home, she supposed idly, stretching her limbs and arching her crackling spine with a gaping yawn. How could she have forgotten?

Her eyelids and legs felt unbearably heavy as she padded silently across the mat to drink from the basin in hopes it would rouse herself better. The fire in the hearth had burned down to coals at some point during the night, so the air was a bit chilly. It was almost unbearably quiet, save the trickle of the water and the rasp of her own breathing.

Eliana sat back on her haunches to wash her face. Although she never would’ve imagined it as a human, grooming was unexplainably soothing. She’d found the concept alien, at first, even without her memories, upon first being transformed into an Eevee. Lu had long-sufferingly shown her the highlights since she hadn’t been born with the innate knowledge of how to keep herself clean—because they lived on the coast and traveled almost every day, they often had sand or dust work its way into their pelts. It became a nightly routine soon after they became apprentices, and Lu often helped her—once she had gotten the hang of it, she’d returned the favor. It was a comfort she couldn’t describe, having him close and knowing she was safest even when he fussed at her for fidgeting.

She missed showering, sure, even if she could visit the hot springs outside of Treasure Town—and she still thought it a bit strange to have someone else tongue-bathe her (and Lu would likely remain the only person whom she would allow to perform such a personal, if slightly embarrassing, task upon her)…but, in some ways, maintaining her pelt was far easier than having to futz around with soaps or the plethora of products that had comprised her hair and skin care regimine—a lot cheaper, too.

Once finished, a cursory glance at her reflection in the glassy surface of the basin showed that she’d managed to smooth down her fur to look halfway presentable. The leafs adorning her forehead and framing the ends of her ears had wilted just slightly during the night, which wasn’t unusual. Perhaps not even having ambient moonlight available to photosynthesize made it a tad worse, but it wasn’t anything that wouldn’t rectify itself after a bit of time outside.

Eliana left her things where Lu had placed them, uncertain of whether she’d need them. The Treasure Bag was ill-suited for her to carry, regardless, since Lu usually had with his better stature. She nudged the door open and picked her way through the narrow corridor, brushing past the vines that grew from the eeks of sunlight that spilled in from the grate at the Guild’s entrance. She passed the open doorway that led to the Guild’s library and paused, peering into its darkened depths. Even without the sconces lit, she knew where the bookshelves were, as well as the massive table against the wall that served as a desk.

“…You needn’t stay so late for my sake, you know. I am more predisposed to remain awake during the night than you are.”

“Yeah, but then who would keep you company? Lu certainly can’t handle being up past his bedtime, but I have a hard time falling asleep most of the time. He says I’m allergic to it.”

A low chuckle, resounding like distant thunder. A glowing glance towards the slumbering pup curled up in the crook of a bulky, cradling arm. “Certainly…but he is working hard, just as you are. I greatly appreciate your assistance. Your attention to detail makes seeking out answers regarding the Time Gears’ potential locations far easier than it would be if I were researching alone.” A pause. “And…your company makes the process far less tedious.”

“I’m glad that my excessive ramblings can be of service.”

“I dislike working in silence, anyway—I find that I prefer companionship over solitude. But it is refreshing to hear knowledge over that which I am unfamiliar, so, please…do not stop on account of anyone in the past telling you to refrain from it.”

“So my musings on the hypothetical reasons for the utilization of Unown runes as apposed to Footprint runes in the texts weren’t boring you?”

“Quite the opposite, actually—I was enthralled.”

“Would you like for me to continue?”

“Please do.”

Eliana’s tail lashed sharply against the side of the wall, accidentally slicing one of the leaves off of the vine and sending it fluttering to the ground. The fur lining her spine rose as she went stiff, lowering her head with a scoff and shook it sharply to dislodge the lingering, insistent memory (even if it still brought undeniable senses of comfort, affection, and assuredness from stolen moments before everything fell apart, despite her best efforts to suppress any recollections from that time—and no, the irony did not escape her).

She climbed up the steep incline to the next floor up, ears perking forward as the familiar sound of the daily address filtered in through the mouth of the tunnel.

“…One! Don’t shirk work! Two! Run away and pay! Three! Smiles go for miles!”

“Okay, Pokémon! Get to work!”

“Hoo—”

“Hold on for a moment, everyone—there’s one more matter I’d like to discuss before the lot of you get started for the day.”

The crowd of curious eyes rounded as Lu spoke up from behind Chatot. The music note Pokémon hopped aside with an enthusiastic flutter of his wings to allow him to stand before them directly.

“As I’m certain you’ve all overheard from the commotion yesterday,” Lu began, glancing towards the warren from which Eliana had tentatively emerged, “we have a very special visitor who will be staying with us until further notice. I want each one of you to treat her with as much respect and charity as you would myself or anyone else in the Guild, seeing as she’s a graduate herself—as well as my old exploration team leader.”

A soft gasp preluded the swell of interested murmurs, and Eliana’s fur prickled as their collective gaze locked onto her. At Lu’s beckoning, she apprehensively picked her way across the scuffed floor and stood, reticent, at his side.

“Eliana is one of our brightest pupils—as well as a remarkably successful graduate—just like the Guildmaster, and she’s spread the pride of the Guild’s name far and wide!” Chatot boasted, plumage fluffing out along his chest as he rocked from side to side.

“Please,” she said, ears twisting back, “I consider myself adequate at best. I just try to complete my job to the best of my ability.”

Lu cleared his throat to smother a knowing chuckle. “Nevertheless, the stories of your accomplishments precede you, so please forgive their enthusiasm. These are all of our apprentices: Kirlia and Togetic of Team Serenity, Magby and Elekid of Team Spark, Vibrava and Shelgon of Team Freefall, and Eevee and Shinx of Team Hailstorm.”

Her eyes passed over the group with intrigue, lingering on her near kinsman in the same spot where she used to stand behind Lu every morning—except that the younger girl was a shiny Pokémon, which greatly surprised Eliana because she couldn’t recall ever seeing any before. All of their eyes were shining with varying degrees of awe or fascination.

“It’s a pleasure to meet all of you,” Eliana offered, flashing her teeth in a smile. “You seem like very pleasant Pokémon to be around, and promising explorers to boot with all that boundless energy. Make sure to always work really hard, and you’ll accomplish anything you set your minds to.”

“Can we get your autograph?” Magby piped up.

Elekid nodded enthusiastically. “I wasn’t expecting you to look so much younger than the Guildmaster.”

“Oh, don’t be a nuisance, boys!” Chatot scolded, feathers ruffling. “How embarrassing!”

“It’s not every day that we get to meet a world-famous explorer, though,” murmured Shelgon bashfully, tucking her face further within her carapace. Vibrava rested atop her back, patting her shell with his feet reassuringly.

“A real-life celebrity!” breathed Kirlia, her hands clasped together as her eyes sparkled. “And it’s the great Eliana, to boot! I never would have thought I’d get to see one up close!”

Eliana cast a wry smile towards Chatot, even while her stomach sank as inexplicable discomfort—a sort of deja vu thankfully unrelated to the Dimensional Scream—coiled cold and curdled there. “I don’t mind at all. I don’t think I’ve done anything noteworthy to garner that much attention, but…if anyone wants advice, I can try my best to be helpful.”

“Guildmaster Lucario said that you’re just as knowledgeable as Mister Dusknoir from Team Sunrise, and that you all worked together before!” remarked Eevee, her tail wagging fiercely with the effort it took to remain still. “Is that true?”

“…Oh.” Eliana glanced at Lu, watching his expression tighten with an apology plainly written in his eyes. “I…don’t know if I would say that, but…I have studied for quite some time. And I am…familiar with him, yes, but…I, uh…I know Grovyle far better.”

“I’ve heard a lot of stories about you all saving the world,” added Shinx excitedly, “can you tell us what it was like? Did you two really fight Dialga all by yourselves as first-forms?”

“And did Mister Grovyle and Mister Dusknoir really used to hate each other?” inquired Togetic. “They get along so well, even if they bicker a whole lot!”

“Miss Celebi told me once that you were the one that decided to fix the planet’s paralysis—how did you know that there was something wrong to start with if it was all you’d ever known?” pointed out Vibrava, evidently trying to be respectful despite the somewhat invasive nature of his question.

Eliana swallowed roughly, her skin prickling beneath her fur as she fought the sudden urge to flee. She hadn’t exactly anticipated getting interrogated by a bunch of children, even if they only meant well. (It didn’t help that she realized, in that moment, why she was feeling deja vu so strongly.)

“I don’t even know how you lot know half of those things,” Lu spoke up, projecting his voice over their cacophony and effectively silencing them, “but any questions regarding our career can be directed towards me. If you want general advice, I am certain that Eliana would be more than happy to entertain you. Please respect her decision if she elects not to answer any personal questions you may have for her, however—is that understood?”

“Yes, sir!” they chorused. Most of them had the decency to appear contrite for letting their curiosity get the better of them.

“Good. Now—” Lu gave them a shooing gesture. “—get to work!”

“Hooray!”

Eliana shrank back into Lu’s flank as Chatot flapped his wings at them to get their attention so he could divvy out their duties for the day. Lu placed a paw between her shoulder blades and stepped back out of earshot, closer to the door of his office.

“I am sorry, El,” he murmured, frowning. “I didn’t have enough time to warn them before you arrived. I didn’t mean for them to overwhelm you—they’re a little blunt at times and I may have shared some stories about you in the past.”

Eliana sat and patted his hip. “It’s alright, Lu. I’m just not used to being…looked up to like that, I guess. Or being considered old.” She tilted her head with a small smirk in an attempt to disguise her lingering discomfort—even if he could see right through her, she could at least pretend for her own sake. “Am I really that famous?”

Lu gave her a flat look. “Never mind the fact that you played a key hand in shaping their world as they know it, hmm?”

“I may have dabbled in it, sure.” She glanced towards the group as Chatot dismissed them and they all filed for the stairwell, chattering amongst themselves all the while. “They seem like good kids.”

“Some of the best. I’m rather fond of them.” He chuckled. “They remind me of the good old days.”

“What exactly do they know about…you know,” Eliana queried, looking back up to him. “They seem to hold…Team Sunrise in high regard.”

“The three of them arrived before most of them were old enough to conduct their own business, and they moved into town once they established themselves as an exploration team. I offered them the bluff to stay in since I had moved back into the Guild—for good, this time—and hated to see the space go to waste. The children grew up around them. And, since those three don’t seem to know how to rest, they’ve done something for most of them personally by now. They’ve gotten quite popular with the rest of the townspeople.” Lu hesitated, then folded his arms over his chest as his mouth pursed. “Particularly Dusknoir.”

Eliana gritted her teeth, but tried to speak clearly so that she might sound halfway sincere. She wasn’t certain how she felt about Lu forfeiting the home that they’d made their own for so many years, but…c’est la vie, she supposed. At least it gave Grovyle and Celebi somewhere to shield their heads. “Why is that?”

Lu’s brow rose and she knew that he’d picked up on that, too. “He’s developed a soft spot for children, and he nurtures them when he can—even if it’s just in passing since he keeps himself so busy. I think he and the others have even ended up babysitting a couple of times when the kids’ parents have been in dire straits. He’s a menace when it comes to giving them candy while their parents aren’t looking—or so I’ve heard.”

Eliana frowned. “Does no one remember…?”

“Those that were around during that time do, of course, but many of them have retired and traveled elsewhere or have experienced Dusknoir’s change of heart firsthand and have allowed bygones to be bygones since his past actions didn’t particularly have a direct impact on them.” Upon Eliana’s grunt of disbelief, Lu huffed wryly. “I know. The planet’s paralysis would have effected everyone, but…they didn’t fully realize that since they didn’t see it like we did. He’s redeemed himself in everyone’s eyes by now—and it certainly helps that most of them only know the new him. He’s respected, and I’d venture to say that it’s well-earned.”

“That’s…good,” she offered lamely. She’d have to see it to believe it—and, even then, she suspected that it would be extremely difficult to accept it still. “Good for him.”

Lu studied her for a moment in that unsettlingly soul-searching way that never failed to make Eliana fidget. He was an open book to her, certainly, and couldn’t lie to save his life—but that was a two-way street when he could literally read her emotions (in color).

“Let me show you around town,” he said finally, carefully neutral in his invitation. “I’m sure you’d like to see how everything’s changed.”

Eliana let out a tight breath and tried to give him a smile. “Lead the way, Guildmaster.”

Fortunately, the fame-induced kerfuffle for the day seemed to have been done, as no one bothered either of them while Lu gave her a tour of the ever-growing Treasure Town.

More tents dotted the available spaces, crowded amongst the biggest trees for shelter against the capricious whims of coastal weather. Like she had already seen, Toxicroak and Chimecho had moved their businesses to the corners adjacent to the steppe that led up to the Guild. Lu told her that Spinda had expanded the café to accommodate the increased clientele, and the traveling bazaar had set up permanent shops within it, as well. Some of the familiar faces around town had changed—gotten older, evolved, gotten jobs or joined teams or made their own—and it was the slowest sort of whiplash she’d ever experienced.

The Keckleon brothers had moved elsewhere, so they’d placed their twin nieces there instead. Kangaskhan’s child was significantly older; Xatu had an apprentice, Natu, who would replace him; Marowak had his son Cubone helping out with the Dojo; the Elekid who was Lu’s apprentice was Electivire’s grandson; Chansey had evolved into Blissey and had a Happiny assistant, and Duskull had evolved into Dusclops.

…That was a bit of a readjustment. The teller had greeted her as warmly and as ominously as ever, but the sight of his hands had put Eliana a bit on edge. Despite his pleasure in informing her that her account had accrued quite a bit of interest in her absence, she’d only been able to offer him a thin smile and quiet thanks in return.

Lu stayed close, keeping his voice low. They didn’t move past the town square, and even though she actively tried to avoid the thought while they conversed with some passers by, she glanced along the path that led towards the bluff.

“They’ll likely be gone for a day or two,” Lu told her as the Ursaring couple bade them good day and moved on with a giggling Teddiursa in tow between them. “They told me they’re going north of Amp Plains to the ravines there. The terrain will slow their progress.”

Eliana frowned. Dusknoir would have no trouble, given his inborn ability to levitate, plus Celebi’s ability to fly (although she would have to rest at some point) would help her, but Grovyle wasn’t necessarily built for that. He could climb trees all day long, sure, but mountains? He’d surely get tired, and quickly at that.

“They’ll be fine,” Lu told her, no doubt sensing her worry. “They’re professionals at this by now, and they work well together…when they don’t bicker, anyway, but I think that’s mostly for show. Or maybe Celebi finds it funny, so she starts arguments to sit back and watch. I haven’t really figured that out yet.” Lu placed a palm between her shoulder blades and turns to guide her back towards the Guild. “They’re a tight-knit team, and they’ve never come back empty-handed. You don’t have to fret about them.”

“That’s…good to know,” Eliana responded quietly, following his lead. Her tail and ears drooped slightly in spite of herself. “I’m…glad they’re so proficient at this.”

“You ought to be proud of them.” Lu flashed her a grin—or at least his closest approximation to one, since he’d never seen one. It was always a little too toothy, but Eliana found it sweet and arguably more sincere than the carefully maintained smiles others used. “I know I am. They stay just as busy as we used to.”

Used to. You don’t have to fret over them. Eliana swallowed and tried to return the gesture, as superfluous as it was. “Is there anything I can help you with back at the Guild?”

Lu blinked, expression tightening at her change in tone, but he dropped the subject. “Quite a bit, actually. Those kids keep Chatot and me on our toes all the time, so some of the general maintenance slips away from us. Let’s eat some lunch and I’ll go over it in more detail.”

The list contained mostly monotonous work. The tunnel needed to be weeded (to which she could attest). Although the stands for Chimecho and Toxicroak’s businesses had been taken down and replaced with furniture, they needed to order some rugs from Keckleons’ to keep the dust down. The library’s collection needed to be recategorised.

“I know it all seems a bit silly, and I hate to ask you to do things so tedious,” Lu began, rubbing the back of his neck while his claws worried the skin of a pecha berry in his free paw, “but I don’t really have anyone else I can ask since the graduates are generally preoccupied with their own jobs—”

“Lu, it’s fine,” Eliana told him gently, digging through the basket to find a pinap—her favorite, after Spinda had introduced her to their tangy, sweet flavor in a smoothie once shortly after their expedition. “You know I enjoy mindless chores. It gets my brain to stop running all the time. Gives me the chance to catch back up.”

He relaxed, watched her for a long moment, then let out a soft chuckle and shook his had. “I do know. It’s still just…a readjustment. I sure could’ve used your help through all of this, but…I’m sure glad to have you back now.” He smiled again, ears twisting back. “I hope you slept all right.”

She hadn’t, but that wouldn’t change anything. “Yeah. The bed was very comfortable.”

“Good. I had some down added in so you might be a little warmer down there.” Lu leaned back where he sat, finally biting into the weeping berry. “I have some things I need to do after this, so are you okay for me to leave for a while?”

“Yeah.” Eliana bit the inside of her cheek as she failed to find a pinap in the heap. She settled for a sitrus; it wasn’t quite the same, but it would do. “I’ll be fine holding down the fort.”

#fisara's codices #fanfiction #pokemon #pmd #pmd2 #pmd 2 #pmd explorers #pmd explorers of sky #pokemon mystery dungeon #pokemon mystery dungeon explorers #pokemon mystery dungeon explorers of sky #explorers of sky #leafeon #lucario #ao3: in the morning light

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