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Sunset Snuggle
Read on AO3
Summary: Britz and Sheena snuggle during a sunset.
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Sheena lays contentedly against Britz's chest, listening to the soft beating of his heart and eyes closed, while his fingers gently thread her baby blue hair.
A soft peck on her forehead jolts her awake, but only for a moment, and she sighs with a warm smile on her face, her chest rumbling with a deep purr.
As the sun sets, the young couple is just happy to have each other in the gathering dusk.
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Hunters of Ruination
Chapter 6: Spark Meadow [17 Pages]
Mayor Sparky takes Mila through Spark Meadow, a Mystery Dungeon located within Thunderclap Valley, where they can enlist help from the local trapmaker.
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~Thunderclap Valley~
“I appreciate what Brother Caenum wanted to do, but I wish he’d warn me before trying to spray me with Water Gun,” Mila complained, grimacing at the way her wet paws squelched against the earth.
Mayor Sparky chuckled sheepishly. “Yeah, sorry about him,” he replied. “He’s always been quite the neat freak.”
The two of them had departed from Trueno Village not too long ago, and were now walking along the dirt path leading into Thunderclap Valley. Mila, despite being a Grass-type, obviously hated having her fur soaked, but at least there wasn’t a single speck of dirt or grime left (Brother Caenum made sure of that).
Mila stopped to shake off more water droplets from her fur before heading over to catch up with the mayor, admiring the warmth of the sunlight on her fur as it filtered through the trees.
“So, Mr. Mayor,” she began.
“Please, just call me Mayor Sparky,” he insisted.
“Sorry. Anyway, Mayor Sparky, where exactly are we going?”
Mayor Sparky searched through the small pouch he was carrying to take out a sheet of paper. He then unfurled it to reveal a large map of the entire archipelago.
Mila craned her neck to see the map. “So that’s the Raidon Archipelago,” she whispered in awe. Upon closer inspection, she noticed that the islands converged to form some kind of dragon-like Pokémon. “It looks more like a continent to me, though,” she remarked.
“Ehehehe…well, it did go by another name a long time ago,” Mayor Sparky chuckled. “But that name’s been unfortunately lost to time. Folks these days just call it the Raidon Archipelago because it looks like a cross between Koraidon and Miraidon, like those statues you passed by.”
“I see,” Mila said, slowly nodding her head. She pointed to an area in the southeastern corner near where she guessed were the archipelago’s “haunches”. “And that’s Thunderclap Valley, isn’t it?”
“You got that right, miss!” The Dedenne then tapped with one digit to a part of the valley. “And our destination is a trapmaker who lives nearby. She’s a quirky sort, but very helpful in capturing stray ferals and releasing them back into the wild.” He then traced his finger to a yellow dot between Trueno Village and the trapmaker’s hut. “But first, we need to get through Spark Meadow.”
Mila nodded, barely paying attention to the mayor’s words. Her eyes were trained on another part of the map – a chain of islands that made up what she thought was the “tail” of the Raidon Archipelago. Four red X’s were scrawled all over some of the islands, nearly crossing out the yellow dots that marked those locations.
“Um, Mayor Sparky,” she asked, pointing to the X’s. “What’s with those four marks?”
Mayor Sparky glanced over at where Mila was pointing. His face immediately darkened. “That, my dear, is the Ruinous Shackles,” he warned. “It’s an area forbidden to everyone, even outlaws.”
“Why? What’s so dangerous about it?”
Mayor Sparky put a paw to his chin. “There’s an old legend that tells of four terrifying Pokémon who once nearly brought a terrible catastrophe to the archipelago, back when it was still known by its forgotten name,” he explained. “It took the effort of four sages to defeat those Pokémon and seal them away in four tombs. Everyone stays away from the Ruinous Shackles because of that legend, and not even the most hardened criminals would think to try and release one of those four Pokémon.”
A chill raced down Mila’s spine. Four Pokémon locked away in a forbidden place because they were deemed too dangerous…now that was definitely something she didn’t want to face.
“Still, there are some people who only pass it off as some kind of ghost story,” Mayor Sparky went on as he closed the map and stuffed it back into his pouch. “So that legend might not be real after all. Who knows?”
“L-let’s hope so,” Mila said with a shiver.
Mayor Sparky noticed the Sprigatito in a distressed state. Sighing to himself, he scampered over to her and gently patted her shoulder. “But let’s not dwell in on that,” he said. “Let’s focus on getting through Spark Meadow first.”
“O-okay,” Mila responded as the two began walking down the path again.
As her paws dragged through the dust, Mila couldn’t shake the thought of the Ruinous Shackles out of her mind. Four Pokémon were sealed away by some sages because they nearly destroyed the Raidon Archipelago. She couldn’t help but wonder who those Pokémon were…and why they almost did such a dastardly deed.
Eventually, the trees opened up, and soon Mila found herself standing in a massive stretch of grassland. Short, yellow grass tickled her pads in a way that was more welcoming than the hard, dusty path. She stretched her body, welcoming the warmth of the sun on her fur.
“Well, we’re almost there,” Mayor Sparky said. “Just a few more steps and we’ll have entered Spark Meadow.”
Mila looked ahead, noticing that there was a wooden sign, with the words “SPARK MEADOW” scrawled on it in black ink. An arrow connected to the sign pointed to a cluster of tall yellow grass that grew as far as the naked eye could see.
“Before we go in, I need to warn ya about something,” Mayor Sparky told her. “Spark Meadow is no ordinary place. In fact, this place is actually what we call a Mystery Dungeon.”
“Mystery…Dungeon?” Mila tilted her head in confusion. “What’s that?”
“Mystery Dungeons are these odd little pockets of distortions,” the Dedenne explained. “No matter how many times you enter one, the layout is never the same. Mystery Dungeons can appear anywhere at any time, from above ground to even underwater. There are also Pokémon who inhabit these Mystery Dungeons, but they ain’t real Pokémon – just constructs from these distortions. No one knows how long they’ve existed, but my guess is that they’ve been here since the dawn of time. ”
“I see,” Mila said. “I think I’ve got it.”
Mayor Sparky smiled as he put his paws on his hips. “Fortunately, Spark Meadow here’s a low-level dungeon,” he reassured her. “That should give ya an opportunity to get in a bit o’ training.”
Mila’s face became hot with embarrassment as she remembered her performance yesterday. Still, she was grateful that Mayor Sparky was going to help teach her how to fight effectively on her own. That should be something…right?
“Anyway,” said Mayor Sparky as he approached the entrance. “We should get goin’ now. Don’t wanna keep the trapmaker waitin’ now, do we.”
Mila shook her head. “No, sir!”
Mayor Sparky smiled as he turned and hopped into the cluster of grass. Mila took a deep breath as she approached the wall of grass. Well, she thought. Here goes nothing.
She then leaped into the grass, wondering what lay ahead of her…
* * *
~Spark Meadow, B1F~
As Mila pushed through the wall of tall grass, she was confronted with a strange sight.
All around her were walls upon walls of yellow grass, growing as if they were trying to reach the sky. The floor underneath her feet was also covered in yellow grass, but it was much shorter like what she had been standing on before. To her right and directly in front were two corridors that seemed to stretch on for infinity.
“Well, we’re here,” Mayor Sparky announced. “Welcome to Spark Meadow, little miss.” He nudged her with a tiny elbow. “How’s it feeling so far?”
“Uh…strange?” Truth be told, Mila was still perplexed by how a place like this could exist. Then again, Mystery Dungeons were pockets of distortions, so…maybe this wouldn’t be too bad?
Mayor Sparky shrugged. “Eh, that’s what a lot of folks say,” he said. “Don’t fret, though – you’ll eventually get used to it. Besides, once you’ve seen a Mystery Dungeon, you’ve seen ‘em all! At least, that’s what my pops would say.”
Silence passed between the two of them, save for the gentle summer breeze that rustled the tips of the yellow grass, almost kissing it. Then, Mila finally spoke: “So, all we have to do is go through Spark Meadow, and we’ll be on our way to the trapmaker’s place, right?”
“Ya catch on pretty quick there, Mila,” replied Mayor Sparky with a wink. “Though we’d best get a move on right away – don’t wanna get caught in it too long.”
“Why? What happens?”
But Mayor Sparky was already scampering ahead towards the corridor to the right. Mila sighed as she followed him. However, they didn’t get long before the rustling of grass stopped them in its tracks. Mayor Sparky instinctively held out a paw, his ears pricked as he became aware.
The rustling grew louder and louder, until a Pokémon popped out of the overgrowth. It looked like a small orange marmot, not much bigger than Mayor Sparky, with yellow electric sacs on its cheeks and a whiff of orange fur on top of its head. Its bulbous forepaws were cream-coloured, as were its tiny snout and its fluffy tail.
“Aww, it’s so cute,” Mila could help but coo at it. “What is it?”
“Oh, that’s just a little Pawmi,” replied Mayor Sparky. “They ain’t too much of a threat. Mostly, they just mind their own business an’ all.”
The moment he finished speaking, however, the Pawmi suddenly snapped its head to stare at the intruders. Mila noticed that its eyes were a rich brown colouring with a hint of icy blue – almost reminding her of the Shiny Scovillain she barely survived fighting yesterday. It slowly pressed its body to the ground before suddenly launching itself at them, its tiny claws unsheathed.
“Dagnabbit!” Mayor Sparky cursed under his breath as he leaped away. He winced slightly as the Pawmi’s Scratch attack barely chipped his antennae. Landing on his paws, he skidded to a stop just a few yards away before getting back up.
“This oughta teach ya,” he growled as he bared his bucktooth. The single fang began to glow white and elongated itself before the Dedenne threw himself at the Pawmi, puncturing it with a Super Fang. The Pawmi squealed in pain as the iron-hard enamel punctured the fur and flesh on its backside, drawing bright red blood in the process. Mayor Sparky then leaped off of it and spat out blood, still glaring at the injured Pawmi.
Mila winced at the damage the mayor had caused, wondering if battles such as these were violent…well, back in whatever world she came from.
The Pawmi must have realized that it was no match for Mayor Sparky, and thus decided to turn its attention to Mila instead. Standing up on its hind legs, it raised its forepaws to reveal bright yellow sacs hidden underneath. It then proceeded to clasp its forepaws and rub them together, generating electricity between them.
“Uh, Mayor Sparky?” Mila asked, feeling rather alarmed. “What’s it doing now?”
“Mila, get back!” Mayor Sparky warned her. “Unless you want the little feller to hit ya with a Thunder Shock!”
Mila leaped away right in the nick of time, just seconds before the Pawmi launched a weak bolt of electricity right where she’d been standing before. If she hadn’t asked Mayor Sparky, well…she might not have been hit terribly hard, but she certainly didn’t want to end up being paralyzed.
Before the Pawmi could take any further action, Mayor Sparky puffed out his cheeks as his antennae began to glow bright green. “Seed Bomb!” he shouted as he spat out a glowing green seed at the feral. The seed exploded upon impact, sending the Pawmi flying across the room. It then landed flat on its belly…
…and immediately vanished in a puff of purple smoke.
Mila’s jaw dropped to the floor. What even happened? Was the Pawmi dead, or was it just a trick of the imagination? After all, she certainly didn’t seem to have any recollection of wild Pokémon vanishing in puffs of smoke upon defeat.
She turned to Mayor Sparky for information, only for the Dedenne to approach her to give her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “S’alright, dear,” he told her. “This is a natural thing that happens to them dungeon ferals. Like I said, Mystery Dungeons are pockets of distortions…and the ferals here are nothing more than constructs of those distortions.”
“O-okay,” Mila said shakily. She still felt uneasy about the situation, but at least she had a better understanding of what the Mystery Dungeons were like.
“Now, let’s go see what that Pawmi was hiding behind this here corridor,” said Mayor Sparky. “Follow me!”
He led Mila down the narrow corridor and into another spacious room. Mila scanned the room for any more enemy Pokémon, only to find something round and blue just a few ways away. Approaching the object, she took a sniff and realized that it was an Oran Berry. She grabbed it in her mouth and trotted over to Mayor Sparky to show the item to him.
“Well, well,” the mayor said, looking rather impressed. “Looks like ya managed to find an Oran Berry. Nice going!” He retrieved the Oran Berry and put it into his pouch. “Those are super common finds, y’know. Hunter teams always make sure to pack a bunch of ‘em before headin’ out to a Mystery Dungeon.”
He looked around the room some more. “Well, it don’t look like there’s anything else, so we might as well do a bit o’ backtrackin’ and take the other corridor.” Once again, he led the way back to the first room, this time taking the corridor that was right in front.
This new corridor was much longer than the last, with more twists and turns, but it eventually opened up to another room. However, Mila didn’t have time to look around before a loud chirping suddenly assaulted her ears. She looked up, only to find a tiny bird Pokémon with grey and white feathers and a red head diving straight towards her. She quickly rolled to the right just as the bird soared past her, missing her by a whisker.
“Have a taste o’ my Nuzzle!” Mayor Sparky called out as he pounced on the bird. Electric sparks raced along his antennae as he began vigorously rubbing his cheeks against the bird’s backside. Seconds later, a burst of electricity enveloped the bird, short-circuiting all of its nerves. It swayed from side to side before collapsing on the ground, disappearing into a puff of purple smoke immediately afterwards.
Mayor Sparky let out a sigh of relief before turning to Mila with a concerned look on her face. “I’d be more careful around those Fletchling if I were you,” he told her. “With yer Grass typing, they’re a lot more trouble than they’re worth.”
Mila simply nodded in response, knowing that she didn’t need to be told twice. After all, being a Grass-type had its own advantages as well as disadvantages.
“Liiiil!”
Mila’s ear swivelled to the source of the new voice, drawing her attention to a small Pokémon approaching her. It looked like a light green bulb with stubby limbs, a dark green collar around its neck, and three large leaves growing atop its head. Just like the previous two ferals, its eyes had a bluish tint to them as it glared at the intruders.
“What about that Petilil?” Mila asked Mayor Sparky. “Is she more trouble than she’s worth?”
“Not at all,” replied the Dedenne. “I think you can take ‘er out just fine. Remember, all ya gotta do is concentrate.”
Mila nodded before turning to the Petilil with a determined look on her face. She took a deep breath as she began to concentrate. She thought about leaves dancing in the autumn breeze…plants and trees enduring fierce storms…flowers blooming to face the sunlight.
Her mane began to glow green as she felt energy gather in her body. She took another deep breath as she concentrated further and further…until she was ready.
“Take this! Leafage!” she yelled as she released a flurry of glowing green leaves at the Petilil. The Bulb Pokémon spun around, trying to keep her eyes trained on the leaves. However, they eventually slammed into her, cutting through the Petilil like she was nothing. The Leafage proved too much for her, and she soon collapsed into a puff of purple smoke.
Mila let out a sigh of relief, thankful that she had managed to pull off a Leafage without much difficulty this time.
A glint of gold caught her eye, drawing her attention to where the sun was shining. At first, she assumed it to be just a pile of yellow grass. Upon closer inspection, however, she noticed that it was not grass at all, but rather a pile of gold coins, all bearing the letter “P” engraved into it.
“Is that…money?” she asked.
“Not just any kind of money,” replied Mayor Sparky as he scooped up the coins and put them into a small money pouch. “That’s the Poké I’ve told ya about yesterday. Very useful for buying items at shops, among other things.”
Not too far away from where she’d found the Poké, Mila also noticed another oddity: a set of marble stairs cut into the grass, going down another level. She wondered where that led.
“Ah, there’s the stairs,” Mayor Sparky chirped as he scampered over to them. “These’ll take us to the next floor. C’mon!” He then jumped down the stairs, leaving Mila behind.
Mila looked down to where she saw the mayor disappear. She then took a deep breath and proceeded down the steps after him.
* * *
~Spark Meadow, B2F~
As Mila hopped off the last step, she was confronted with a peculiar sight. She had expected to be in some sort of underground area within the dungeon; instead, her surroundings were nearly identical to that of the previous floor. Same tall grass walls, same short grass underneath…it was much too odd for her.
The only thing different was that this room was a tad smaller. A few ways off, she noticed another Pawmi sleeping in a corner. However, there was also a small yellow spider-like Pokémon with blue claws munching away at an Oran Berry – a Joltik, if she recalled correctly.
Mayor Sparky took notice of the Joltik and let out a shudder. “Let’s just take what we can and leave before that Joltik notices us,” he said. “I ain’t a fan of them varmints one bit.”
Mila nodded as she ambled over to the other items nearby. There was a bright red Apple in the grass, and next to that was a small seed that looked like a pink, puffy cloud. She picked both of them up and brought them both to Mayor Sparky to examine.
“Well, well,” the Dedenne said as he retrieved the items. “Looks like we got ourselves a fresh new Apple. They’re usually ripe during the summer season.” He tossed the pink Seed up and down as he chuckled. “And that is a Sleep Seed. Anyone who eats that will soon find themselves dozin’ off to dreamland. Recommended for some tough battles.”
Stashing away the Apple and Sleep Seed in his pouch, Mayor Sparky led Mila down the long corridor into another small room. Another Fletchling nearly ambushed them, but Mayor Sparky took care of it. After Mila went over and retrieved the Oran Berry that the Fletchling had been guarding, the two of them proceeded down another set of stairs leading to the next floor.
* * *
~Spark Meadow, B3F~
Mila had barely cleared the second set of stairs, when she heard a sudden yelp. She whirled around and saw that another Joltik had quickly pounced on Mayor Sparky, pinning the rodent to the ground. Thinking quickly, she lunged forward and smacked it away with a headbutt. The Joltik sailed across the room and slammed against the wall, the force of the impact causing it to dissipate in a puff of purple smoke.
Mila helped the mayor up, who gave her a word of thanks. Unfortunately, the brief moment of respite didn’t last long before the two heard a screech. Mila looked up to find a Fletchling coming right at her, but did not have time to duck before she felt the bird’s sharp beak jab her shoulder.
Yowling in pain, she backed off, clutching her shoulder as the first trickle of blood began oozing from the cut.
“That hurt!” she hissed at the Fletchling, whose beak was now tipped with blood. Her blood. Not to mention it had this sort of boastful look in its otherwise soulless eyes.
While Mila was occupied with the Fletchling, Mayor Sparky had been taken off-guard by a Petilil that had just tackled him back to the ground. Thinking quickly, he darted around the Grass-type a few times before striking her in the back with a Nuzzle. Unfortunately, this only angered the Petilil, and she whirled around to attack Mayor Sparky with Absorb.
“Mayor Sparky!” Mila called out, feeling helpless. As much as she wanted to help him, there was still the Fletchling to worry about. If one Peck was enough to leave a gash, who knew what a second one would do?
Sure enough, the Fletchling’s beak began to glow white again, and it swooped down for another Peck. Before it could hit its mark, however, Mila suddenly felt her body move on her own as she sidestepped to dodge the attack. As it passed by, she bared her fangs and bit its wing as hard as she could.
A sickening sound like hollow bones being crunched against teeth filled her ears, and blood sprayed her vision. Still, she refused to let go despite the Fletchling’s pained screeches. She then flung the bird across the room, where it tumbled to a stop and vanished in a puff of purple smoke.
A pained squeak alerted her, and she whirled around just in time to see the Petilil collapse in a heap before immediately disappearing in another puff of purple smoke. Mayor Sparky was breathing heavily, clutching his arm while his tail-tip dug itself into the ground to try and keep himself steady.
“D-dang Petilil and their Absorb attacks,” he muttered as he reached into his pouch to retrieve an Oran Berry.
Mila walked over to him, wincing as she tried to put pressure on her injured leg. Noticing this, Mayor Sparky took out another Oran Berry and rolled it over to her. Mila smiled and gave him a word of thanks before eating her Oran Berry. Almost immediately, she felt the pain in her shoulder disappear as the gash quickly healed up, leaving behind only a barely-visible nick.
With the enemies cleared out, the two took the time to gather the items that were left behind. As Mila walked over to pick up a bright red Cheri Berry (which she knew had the power to heal paralysis), she recalled how she had quickly reacted to the Fletchling’s second Peck, as well as how she had retaliated.
Excited, she turned to Mayor Sparky, who had just finished stashing a spare Oran Berry in the pouch. “Hey, Mayor Sparky?” she said.
“Hm?” The Dedenne turned to face her. “What is it?”
“I think I might have just learned a new move,” Mila replied.
That seemed to grab Mayor Sparky’s interest. “Do tell,” he said. “We can talk as we walk down this ‘ere corridor.” He pointed to the mouth of a corridor not too far off to his left, and the two of them headed right down.
As they walked down the long, narrow corridor, Mayor Sparky looked over his shoulder at Mila. “So, Mila,” he said. “What kind of new move did ya learn this time?”
Mila took a deep breath as she explained to Sparky what had happened during her scuffle with the Fletchling. She recalled a feeling of frustration and anger that overcame her, like she wanted to physically injure the Fletchling and make it pay for pecking her shoulder like that. It was almost as if a sense of ill intent had come over her, and when the Fletching went for another attack, she quickly retaliated and returned the pain tenfold with just one bite to its wing.
“Hmm,” Mayor Sparky said with a grin. “If frustration and anger was all it took to bite that bird’s wing in half, then I say you did indeed learn a new move. Specifically, Bite!” He flicked his tail happily. “At least now ya got something to defend yerself with against the next Fletchling ya run into. Or another Flying-type, fer that matter.”
As they reached the end of the corridor, the two found themselves face-to-face with another Petilil, this time accompanied by a Joltik. This time, Mila took the initiative and quickly used her new Bite on the Joltik before it could react, causing the bug’s body to dissipate between her jaws. She then whirled around and hit the Petilil with Leafage, allowing Mayor Sparky to finish the job with Nuzzle.
With both enemies down, they then proceeded to collect two Oran Berries, some more Poké and another Sleep Seed before proceeding down the stairs to the next floor.
* * *
~Spark Meadow, B4F~
“Well, here we are,” Mayor Sparky announced as he hopped off the last step of the staircase. “The last floor of Spark Meadow. We’re almost there!”
Mila could only let out a sigh of relief. The whole trip had been really long, and her legs were starting to feel like jelly. But hearing that she was now at the final floor of the dungeon seemed to make the spring return to her steps.
The first thing she noticed was a sleeping Fletchling not too far off. Remembering the Pawmi from the previous two floors, she decided to sneak around it so as to avoid waking it up. Admiring her caution, Mayor Sparky led the way down a corridor to the left of the Fletchling. Soon, they had left the room unscathed.
As Mila followed Mayor Sparky down the corridor, she felt a nagging question burn in her mind. “Um, Mayor Sparky?” she began. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Anything you want, little miss,” replied the mayor. “I’m all ears.”
Mila thought it over carefully as she formulated her question. “What’s a hunter team,” she finally asked. “I keep hearing about you talking about them, but…what are they, really?”
Mayor Sparky nearly tripped over his own feet upon being asked this question. He quickly turned to face her, his eyes wide with surprise. “Wait, ya mean you don’t know?!” He rubbed a forepaw against his temple, feeling flabbergasted. “Man, you really weren’t bluffin’ when you said you didn’t remember anything.”
Mila tucked her head between her shoulders as her cheeks grew red with embarrassment.
Mayor Sparky let out a sigh, unsure how to explain the whole “hunter team” thing. “Well, to put it simply, hunter teams are units of two to three Pokémon who travel all across the Raidon Archipelago. They’re the ones who go into Mystery Dungeons for all sorts of jobs – be it rescuing Pokémon, tracking down outlaws, or even finding treasure. Most Pokémon stay away from Mystery Dungeons, but for a hunter team…Mystery Dungeons are their livelihood!”
Mila’s eyes lit up in awe. Pokémon who go into Mystery Dungeons for the thrill of it…now that was something she could definitely see herself doing.
Mayor Sparky flicked his tail. “That’s pretty much the gist o’ what I know,” he said. “I know there are some kids in the village who study up on them hunter teams. Why not give ‘em a visit sometime?”
Mila nodded. “Sure,” she replied, making a mental note to tell Jin once she returned to the Lightfang residence.
They kept walking until they reached another room containing the final set of stairs in Spark Meadow. There was also a Cheri Berry, with a sleeping Pawmi nearby. Upon closer inspection, however, Mila noticed that the Pawmi’s ears would occasionally twitch, while its eyes would crack open before closing shut again.
“This is gonna be rather tricky,” Mayor Sparky said, stroking his chin. “The Pawmi looks like it’s guarding that Cheri Berry, but it’s also dozin’ off.”
“Leave it to me, Mayor Sparky,” Mila said. “I’m sure I can nab the Cheri Berry without waking it up.”
Mayor Sparky let out a sigh. “Alright, but don’t get in over yer head, little miss.”
Mila nodded before crouching down, letting her feline instincts take over as she stealthily approached the Cheri Berry. She occasionally paused to take a glance at the sleeping Pawmi, anticipating any signs of its waking up, before returning her focus to the Cheri Berry. She did this a few times before finally snatching it up in her jaws.
She couldn’t believe it. She had actually retrieved an item without waking a sleeping feral! As much as she wanted to celebrate, however, she knew it would have to wait – there was still the sleeping Pawmi to worry about, after all.
Instead, she flicked her tail to send a silent signal to Mayor Sparky. The Dedenne nodded his head as he followed her lead. Together, they took one more look around before descending down the staircase that would lead them out of the Mystery Dungeon known as Spark Meadow.
* * *
~Thunderclap Valley, Leila’s Residence~
As Mila hopped off the last set of stairs, she noticed something strangely different. Instead of walls of yellow grass, she found herself standing in open air once more. Looking over her shoulder, she noticed the cluster of tall yellow grass behind her, swaying in the breeze…except now, she was on the other side of that cluster. Just ahead lay more fields of short, yellow grass, with a few trees to provide shade from the harsh sunlight that was now beating down on her and Mayor Sparky.
However, the sun was of little concern as Mayor Sparky stretched his tiny body. “Finally out,” he said. “Man, that run sure proved to be a bit more difficult than I remember.”
He turned to Mila with a smile on his face. “But hey, at least ya got some experience out of it,” he added. “And ya even learned a new move in the process.”
Mila smiled to herself, knowing that she had another move to use besides Leafage. She then raised her head and noticed something else in the distance: a gnarled old tree stump, a wooden thing that stood out among the spotty trees. Four wooden constructs jutted out from the sides of the stump, all of them mostly yellow with some blue. “Is that…?”
Mayor Sparky looked ahead and grinned. “That be it!” he announced. “The trapmaker’s place. C’mon!” He then scampered ahead, taking the lead once more as the two made an immediate beeline for the stump.
As they approached the stump, Mila was surprised to find that it was bigger up close. Just from looking at the entrance alone, she noticed a rounded lantern hanging over the doorway, with a crate of glowing blue rocks nearby – Chargestones, if her memory served correctly.
Mayor Sparky took a deep breath as he approached the door. “Now, before I knock on the door, I need to tell ya something,” he said. “The trapmaker…well, let’s just say, she can be quite eccentric at times. And also temperamental. But her heart’s in the right place, and she knows when to get things done, and done right.”
“OK…so, what should I do?”
Mayor Sparky gave her a reassuring wink. “Just be on yer best behavior, s’all.” He then turned to the door and knocked on it three times.
“Coming,” came a voice from inside. Mila heard a series of skittering. Then, the door began to open.
Standing right before the two at the entrance was a Pokémon that looked like a bright yellow tarantula with blue and purple accents on her underside. Her large four legs bore dark yellow stripes that zigzagged around, while her large eyes were green, with her four smaller ones being turquoise and finally blue. A pair of old-fashioned goggles were strapped around her forehead, while a blue scarf was wrapped around her thorax.
Mila’s jaw dropped. “Mayor Sparky,” she whispered. “You didn’t tell me the trapmaker was a Galvantula! Besides, did you say earlier you didn’t like Joltik?”
The Galvantula frowned a little at that remark. “Yeah, I’m a Galvantula,” she snarked. “So what? You got a problem with that, kid?”
“S-sorry,” Mila stammered, crouching down to the ground to make herself seem smaller. “It’s just…I didn’t know!”
The Galvantula let out a sigh. “Yeah, I get that a lot,” she said. “Everyone comes here hoping that I’ll be something different after running into all those Joltik in Spark Meadow, and then BOOM! They see I’m actually their evolved form. It’s…it’s really frustrating.”
She shook her head. “But enough about that,” she said, turning to Mayor Sparky as her expression brightened. “It’s been a while, Mayor Sparky. How have things been lately?”
“Pretty good, actually,” replied the mayor. “Things have definitely been looking up in Trueno Village after the last guy finally got the boot he deserved.”
That made the Galvantula snort with laughter. “That’s awesome to hear,” she chuckled. “Not gonna lie, that Electabuzz was every bit as useful as a braindead Slowpoke. All talk, and no action. I dunno why he ever became mayor to begin with. But I’m glad to hear that you took up the mantle. I always knew that if there was someone who had the potential to become mayor, it’d be you, Sparky.”
The Dedenne blushed as he rubbed the back of his head with one paw. “Aw, shucks,” he chuckled.
“But enough about that,” said the Galvantula. “What brings you and your friend here?”
“Ah, right.” Mayor Sparky cleared his throat as he gestured towards Mila. “This little lady here is Miss Mila Holt. And before ya say anythin’, no, she ain’t no spy from the Misty Woods…despite what that moron Niko would suggest.”
“Eh, figures,” the Galvantula said with a shrug. “I hope someone does something about that so-called ‘queen’ soon. No wonder the Sprigatito line is currently endangered on our islands.”
A chill ran down Mila’s spine. The Sprigatito line…was endangered? Because of their reputation being tarnished by one of their own, never mind one of their evolutions? All of a sudden, Niko’s suspicions were starting to make sense.
Thankfully, her worries were eased as the Galvantula changed the subject. “But enough about that,” she said. She then turned her gaze to Mila. “If you’re not from the Misty Woods, then where are you originally from? Where are your parents?”
Mila looked down at her forepaws. “I don’t know,” she replied. “I can’t remember anything about my past.”
Except for my name, and the knowledge that I used to be a human, she added silently to herself.
The Galvantula narrowed her primary eyes to little green slits, as if studying Mila. Then, she nodded. “Fair enough,” she said. “I’m sure your memory will come back in due time, though. Don’t worry.”
She then reached out with one of her pedipalps. “Well, it’s nice to meet you, Mila,” she said. “My name’s Leila Solas. I’m the local trapmaker, and I maintain close contact with Trueno Village.”
“Nice to meet you,” replied Mila as she shook Leila’s pedipalp.
Leila smiled as she retrieved her pedipalp before tucking herself inside. “Why don’t you two come inside, so we can have a little chat? I’ll see if I can make something for the two of you, especially after going through Spark Meadow. Just mind the webs, alright?”
“Thank you kindly, Leila,” said Mayor Sparky as he and Mila went inside. Once in, Mila noticed that the place was a lot bigger on the inside than it was outside. The whole interior was covered in spiderwebs that gave off electricity – on the floor, on the walls, and even on the ceilings and furniture! In one corner of the room was a strange gadget that resembled a box with a few buttons on it and a flat screen, powered by a single Chargestone swathed in electric webs. A metal pipe extended from the back of the box, snaking around a portion of the wall before jutting up through the roof. Several more devices were tucked away in another corner, none of which Mila could recognize.
“Over here, Mila,” Mayor Spark called, waving to her to take a seat at a wooden table sitting atop a round, yellow carpet. The table was covered with webs like everything else, along with a few scorch marks here and there. Several blue cushions surrounded the table, surprisingly none of which were covered in webs.
“Sorry about the mess back there,” Leila chuckled as she rummaged through the kitchenette. “But I do hope you can make yourselves as comfortable as you can.”
“It’s fine,” replied Mila. “As a matter of fact, I find it quite fitting, especially for someone like you.”
She could almost swear that she saw a faint blush appear on Leila’s cheeks, though that lasted for no longer than a second before turning to a Chargestone-powered machine that resembled a kettle. “So, what can I get you?”
“Eh, the usual,” Mayor Sparky answered.
“And you, Mila?”
Mila thought long and hard about what she’d like. “I’d like something sweet,” she said. “But nothing dry.”
Leila barked out a laugh. “Ha! Like I’d ever have any dry-flavoured Berries on hand. Sweet Berries, on the other hand, now that’s a good choice!” She skittered over to a crate that was chock-full of Berries. “Right now, I’ve got a whole bunch of Watmel Berries just sitting there. I can make a smoothie out of them, if you’d like.”
Mila’s eyes lit up at the mention of “smoothie” as her mouth watered a little. “Oh, yes, please!”
Leila smiled as she turned to Mayor Sparky. “Watmel smoothie alright with you, too, Sparks?”
“Eh, why not?”
“Alrighty, then!” Leila reached into a cupboard and whipped out two glasses. “Two Watmel smoothies, coming right up!” She then brought out one of the Watmel Berries and began chopping away at it, dicing it into little pieces before dunking them in the kettle-like object. She put in a few more ingredients before closing the kettle tightly shut and pressing a button.
A whirring sound soon filled the air as the Watmel Berry pieces were blended together before Leila stopped the machine and poured the resulting contents into the two glasses. Lastly, she took out two straws and plunked them in each glass before bringing out the smoothing to serve her guests.
“Here you are,” she announced. “Two Watmel smoothies, made from one of my latest gadgets. Bon appétit!”
Mila took a sip of the Watmel smoothie, and was instantly captivated by the flavours within. Sure, there was a hint of bitterness, similar to that of a lime, but it certainly complemented the sweet fruitiness that dominated much of the smoothie.
Mayor Sparky took a sip of his own smoothie and laid back with a sigh. “Just the thing I needed after a long trek through Spark Meadow,” he said.
Leila giggled. “That’s good to hear,” she replied. “If it helps, you could just go around that cluster of grass next time. That way, you won’t have to go past all those dungeon ferals.”
“Actually,” Mayor Sparky cut in. “That’s exactly what we came here to see ya for. Y’see, we got a bit of a feral problem in our hands recently.”
The Galvantula’s eyes widened. “You’re kidding,” she gasped.
“I kid you not. And on top o’ that, we also have a missing Pokémon case. Do ya happen to know of a kid named George Burrows Phanpy?”
Leila stood there, stiff as stone, as her pupils shrank. “No way,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “You’re not referring to Knox’s son, are you?”
Mayor Sparky nodded, his expression grave. “I’m afraid so,” he replied. He knew all too well what had happened to one of Trueno Village’s beloved citizens…the way his normally friendly expression suddenly changed within the blink of an eye…the way his appearance changed as the ruination took over, until all that was left was a corrupted Donphan who was barely himself anymore. That dark day was why Sparky had stepped up to run as the new mayor, and replace the previous mon who simply could not be bothered to do anything except cast poor old Knox out and let nature decide his fate.
Leila remained speechless as the yellow fur on her face became pale. After a moment, however, she composed herself. “… Tell me it wasn’t another bandit.”
“Not this time,” came the mayor’s answer as he reached into his pouch to take out another one of George’s missing posters. “Have a looksee at what we’re dealin’ with this time.”
Leila took the poster and examined it. “Let’s see…last seen in Thunderclap Valley…night he was kidnapped by a beast…trapped inside a Mystery Dungeon or not…” She lowered the poster, dread filling her eyes. “I… I don’t believe it…”
“Well, ya better believe it,” replied Mayor Sparky. “We’ve only had one eyewitness to the kidnapping, which is his ma. She claims that this supposed beast makes a hissin’ noise, has ominous blue eyes and sharp fangs, and can create holes.”
Makes a hissing noise, has ominous blue eyes and sharp fangs, and can create holes? Mila swore all those descriptions sounded familiar to her.
“But that’s impossible,” Leila pointed out. “Dungeon ferals never wander outside the Mystery Dungeons. The only plausible reason I can come up with for George’s kidnapping is…if…”
It dawned on her. “Actually, hold that thought,” she said. “I need to check up on something.” Quick as a flash, she skittered over to the device with the buttons and flat screen. Pulling the goggles over her eyes, she pressed a few of the buttons. Mila heard a few beeping noises coming from the device as the Galvantula made a series of inputs.
After a short moment, there was a faint ping from the device. “I knew it,” Leila said. “Come over here, quickly!”
Mila and Mayor Sparky rushed to her side. “Here,” Leila said, pointing to the screen. “Take a look at what’s on the Mystery Radar.” Mila took a closer look at the screen of the radar. She noticed that the screen was displaying a map that was exactly like the one Mayor Sparky had shown her, except it was zoomed in to show only Thunderclap Valley. Several dots covered the valley, most of them yellow, save for one lone dot which Mila guessed was Trueno Village.
“My stars,” Mayor Sparky breathed, eyes wide with horror.
“My thoughts exactly, my friend,” Leila replied, slowly nodding her head. “It seems like the ruination levels in Thunderclap Valley have been steadily increasing. The Mysteriosity we’re experiencing is getting worse.”
Mila was confused. Ruination levels? Mysteriosity? What did all of that mean? And more importantly…would all that explain why the Shiny Scovillain from earlier had blue eyes instead of the usual black?
“That’s exactly why we need yer help, Leila,” Mayor Sparky’s voice cut into her thoughts. “I brought Mila over because she sprung a trap that helped us capture a Scovillain yesterday. We thought, maybe you could take ‘er in and show her how to make some craftier traps to capture them ferals?”
Leila tore her eyes away from the radar and put a pedipalp to her chin in thought. “Hmm, well…” she said. She then smiled and nodded. “Sure. I’ve been itching to get out there for some time anyway. Besides, I’ve already mapped out a couple of blueprints for some new feral traps.”
Leila went over to the other corner and began digging away at the pile of gadgets. It took her a while, but she eventually found what she was looking for: a crate filled with scroll after scroll of paper. “There you are, my beauty,” she chirped as she dragged the crate towards her. “My blueprint box, all full of my ideas…both good, aaaaand embarrassingly bad.”
Mila stood up on her hind legs and peered into the crate. Sure enough, she noticed that some of the scrolls contained designs for several traps that looked like they could be of use.
“I’ve been studying up on the Mystery Dungeons for some time now,” said Leila. “And one thing that really stuck out to me were the traps. They might be annoying for hunter teams, but man are they fascinating for a scientist and inventor like me! Just looking at the mechanisms for each one, and how they function…ooh, it really gets the hemoglobin pumping!” Her abdomen rattled vigorously as she let out a girly squeal.
“I…I see,” Mila stammered, looking rather bewildered. “So, uh, when would you like to start?”
Leila’s grin expanded as she took out one of the blueprints. “Right now,” she answered. She unfurled the scroll to reveal the intricate design of a trap – one that displayed a pitfall trap exactly like the one Mila had created yesterday. However, this one seemed to be covered in electric webs that looked like they could trap and electrocute anyone foolish enough to come into contact with the threads.
“Mayor Sparky said the beast liked to create holes, didn’t he?” Leila said, narrowing her eyes. “Well then, let’s see how it feels when we give it a taste of its own medicine!”
Reflections in the Clouds
Read on AO3
Summary: Cayenne has been vanquished, the Vanargand is no more, and Hanna has been resurrected…but Kyle still feels the guilt in his heart over what he'd done. Luckily, he doesn't have to go through it alone.
[Takes place post-Fuga 2.]
---
It had been three days since the children of the Taranis had put an end to Cayenne's madness as well as the resurrected Vanargand's rampage, both lives completely obliterated by the golden light of the Soul Cannon. Three days since Hanna returned to the world of the living, resurrected by a miracle due to the sacrifice of the mysterious boy known as Jihl and the even more mysterious machine called the Belenos.
But though all was well, it did not come without cost. The battle had left a physical and mental strain on the well-being of the Taranis's crew, and each of them had to be admitted to the hospital to ensure that their health would not deteriorate any further. While most of them were discharged in just a few hours, others had to stay for a little while longer. The longest of them all being Hanna, who would occasionally undergo a series of blackouts. Those who were discharged vowed to stay until their friends were well enough again.
Among those who felt the worst of the mental strain was Kyle, whom the doctors had described as being a bit of a wreck. While he was overjoyed that Hanna had come back almost to the point of tears, there was another part of him that felt an immense sense of guilt for what had happened to her before.
And every time he'd tried to visit Hanna, he'd get vicious flashbacks of the moment of her first death, forcing him to back away before he'd even touched the doorknob leading into her room. Everyone else could sense that something was off about his sudden change in behaviour, especially with his love for Hanna being an open secret among the crew.
This is your fault, the voices in his head would tell him. You did this to her. She's gonna hate you for the rest of your life.
He was almost certain that, if he'd told everyone else, they would hate him for being responsible for Hanna's current condition. And even if they didn't, they would eventually.
So, it was on this particular evening that Kyle decided he couldn't sit around in the hospital. He'd snuck out before anyone else noticed and soon found himself wandering the streets of Pharaoh. It wasn't a fancy capital compared to Old Paresia, but it was still big and populous enough that the late president had declared it as such.
Kyle could visit Hanna once he was ready, and he was well enough to face her. For now, he needed some space to think, and some air to breathe after the whole ordeal the children of the Taranis had been through, himself included.
His wanderlust led him to Pharaoh's docks—a portion of the capital that had been badly damaged from the Vanargand's attack. Thankfully, the Gasco Army was quick to respond to the situation, and he could see many of the adults getting to work on making the reparations. It was nice to have some kind of community working together, he thought to himself.
Nearby the docks were a couple of benches, which had somehow been completely spared from the worst of the damage. Kyle approached one of them and gingerly sat down, testing his featherlight weight on it before settling down. He then turned his gaze out to the horizon, watching as the setting sun dipped further and further below, painting the sky in varying lovely hues of red and orange, pink and gold.
In the very center of Gasco's skyborne archipelago, Kyle could see the few remnants of the necropolis that was once Old Paresia suspended in the air. But he knew it wouldn't be too long before they also fell with the rest of the former capital.
He lowered his head and let out a saddened sigh. Paresia had been his home long before he moved to Petit Mona. He had been raised there since birth, and had many memories—good and bad, whole in some places…and fragmented in others. He'd hoped to return there one day, when he was old enough to live on his own.
And now, it was gone forever. He would never be able to come back there again.
"Kyle?"
Kyle's head snapped up, before he drew his attention to Wappa. The young Caninu girl was standing right beside him, her face filled with concern. The setting sun lit up her reddish-pink hair and brown fur, making it look like she was made of fire.
"Oh, hey Wappa," Kyle said. "What are you doing out here?"
"I could ask the same thing to you," Wappa quipped with a smirk. "But I'm sure your answer's the same as mine anyway."
"Hmph." Normally, Kyle would've been annoyed at Wappa's lack of respect for other people's personal space, including his own. He even would've made some kind of snappy comment. But now, he was just simply too exhausted, both physically and mentally. Anything he would've said immediately evaporated in his throat before he even had a chance to speak up.
Wappa folded her arms back behind her head, leaning to one side. "Soooo… mind if I sit with you?" she asked. "You look like you could use a bit of company."
"Oh, um… Yeah, sure." Kyle scooched over to one side, allowing Wappa to take a seat next to him.
For a moment, neither of them exchanged any words as they stared at the sunset together. It was a nice change compared to the constant metallic whirs and hums of the Taranis for the past few weeks or so.
Then, Kyle looked down at his feet, expression somber. "…She probably hates me for what I've done," he spoke up, the words spilling out without him meaning to.
Wappa blinked through her bangs. She turned her head to Kyle. "Who hates you?" she asked.
Kyle sighed. "Hanna," he answered. "I was just so desperate to get her back. I thought that, if I could save her, I could prove how much I mattered to her. I was even willing to ignore Malt's warning that something was off."
His voice cracked as tears began to fill his eyes. "We…we almost lost her because of me. Even after she came back, I… I just couldn't shake the feeling that if I…if I admitted to them that I was responsible…they would never want to talk to me again…they would hate me for what I've done…" He buried his face in his paws. "I put everyone in danger. I betrayed them. I've been nothing but a burden this whole time."
Wappa remained silent, watching as the Felineko boy wept, the wind carrying out his confession across the Cloud Sea. Seeing him in such a state made her heart ache. She hated it whenever one of her minions—no, her friends was down in the dumps.
She remembered how she'd tried to get him to open up to his feelings for Hanna, and how she'd tried to convince him that she could provide a shoulder for him to cry on. It was a big mistake on her end, one that resulted in him lashing out at her, telling her to leave him alone. Admittedly, she did mess up a little, but she thought she could at least learn more about what is was that he liked about Hanna, even if the answer was as simple as her kind heart.
But now, Kyle was openly admitting all of his guilt and sorrow, releasing all of his emotions at once. It was clear that he felt completely responsible for everything that happened, and was shouldering all of the blame for it. That wasn't something that someone his age should be able to handle, especially not alone.
"Kyle, listen," Wappa spoke up. Kyle looked at her, golden eyes laced with tiny red veins and wet with tears. "You didn't betray Hanna. You're still here, and so is she. Even though you feel the guilt and shame for what you did before, in the end, you ended up doing the right thing. Do you think she'd want you to tear yourself apart like this? Especially after everything we did to bring her back?"
Kyle looked away. "N-no…" he answered, his voice sounding strangled.
"Exactly," Wappa said with a nod.
Kyle's chest tightened even further as the scars hidden underneath his shirt began to sting. "I just… I just wanted to save her…" he whispered. "Just like how she saved me a year ago…"
A year ago, he had been mortally wounded, almost finding himself at death's door. A year ago, Hanna had nursed those wounds, bringing him back to life.
Wappa smiled as she reached over to gently rub a paw on his back. "And you did," she replied, her voice soft. "I bet she's happy to be able to see you again."
The tightness in Kyle's chest began to loosen up. Wappa went on. "You don't need to do anything special to matter. You already do. To Gasco, to the crew…and especially to Hanna. And maybe even Vanilla." Her voice went quiet on that last phrase, even though she was certain that he'd hear her anyway.
Kyle let out a breath, shaky and uneven, as more tears threatened to spill. "I…I don't deserve anyone's kindess after what I've done," he whispered.
Wappa shook her head. "No, it's because you learned from your mistake that you deserve more kindness," she said. "The important thing is that you realized what your actions led to, and that you were willing to make up for it. The road to healing ain't a linear one, but that's how it works."
Kyle's tail-tip twitched. "Do you…do you think the others would give me kindness…even if I admitted my mistake? Would they…would they forgive me?" Would Hanna or Malt forgive him?
Wappa shrugged. "Hey, I forgive you, and I have no doubt that they will, too. Don't gotta do it right away. You can tell them when you feel like you're ready. But the sooner you do, the better you will feel."
Kyle frowned as he looked down at the ground again, watching his feet dangle off the edge of the bench. Wappa moved her paw to his shoulder, smiling softly. "Like I said, if you ever need a shoulder to cry on, I'm here. That ain't gonna change."
As if in response, Kyle immediately turned and wrapped his arms around the Caninu girl, pulling her into a tearful embrace as he buried his face in her shoulder. Wappa stiffened, caught off-guard by this act. Then, she sighed to herself as she returned the embrace, gently patting his back. She silently vowed to stay with him until he was all better.
As Kyle continued to hug Wappa, letting out one shaky breath at a time, he felt the crushing weight of his grief and mistakes being lifted off of his chest. For the first time in what felt like forever, he felt like he could finally begin to take those long-awaited first steps on the long road to healing. Above him, the birds were flitting about, chanting their evening tunes as they soared towards the sunset stretching over the Cloud Sea…almost as if the world was forgiving him for his mistakes.
Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: 戦場のフーガ | Fuga: Melodies of Steel (Video Game) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Kyle Bavarois/Vanilla Muscat Characters: Kyle Bavarois, Vanilla Muscat, Aquila Muscat Additional Tags: oc fankids - Freeform, Original Child Character(s) - Freeform, Accidents, vases, Good Parenting, Kyle is a sweet dad, Healing, NOT compliant with Fuga 3's Secret Events Series: Part 6 of Critical Monarchy of the Sun and Moon - A Kyle/Vanilla Collection, Part 10 of dBCoatl's Fugaverse Summary: Sometimes, children break valuable things by accident. But that doesn't mean they should be scolded for it.
Just a little something I wanted to share and get off my chest.
Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: 戦場のフーガ | Fuga: Melodies of Steel (Video Game) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Kyle Bavarois/Vanilla Muscat Characters: Kyle Bavarois, Vanilla Muscat, Aquila Muscat, OC fankids, Original Child Character(s) Additional Tags: Fluff, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Late Night Questions, Kyle can't sleep Series: Part 5 of Critical Monarchy of the Sun and Moon - A Kyle/Vanilla Collection, Part 9 of dBCoatl's Fugaverse
Summary: Every night, Aquila would wake her parents up to ask questions about butterflies and moths. Tonight is no different.
--
Remember a while back when I came up with this idea? Yeah, I decided to turn that into a little one-shot.
PMD: Hunters of Calamity - Chapter 1
Summary: Twenty years later, a human named Mila awakens to find herself transformed into a Sprigatito. Moreso, she has somehow ended up in a strange place called Thunderclap Valley, a wild and electrifying savannah located on the southern isles of the Raidon Archipelago.
~~~
In this universe, you are given the choice to become one of the starters from the first nine generations, as well as the following Pokémon:
Pikachu
Vulpix
Meowth
Psyduck
Machop
Cubone
Eevee
Phanpy
Skitty
Shinx
Munchlax
Riolu
Axew
Rockruff
As someone who seems to be the jolly type, you would expect to become an Eevee or a Totodile…but as fate would have it, you end up as a Sprigatito instead.
Well…this should be interesting…
~~~
Episode 1: Human or Pokémon
Chapter 1: Awakening
~~~
Twenty years later, in a valley to the southeast...
~Thunderclap Valley~
The Gogoat took a deep breath, drinking in the scents of morning dew on the yellow grasses, and the crisp summer morning breeze. After all that rain last night, sunny weather with not a cloud in the sky was always a welcome sight.
She shook her thick, grassy pelt and flicked her ears, smiling to herself. Today was going to be a good day — she could sense it! And if she ran into a problem, she could just fight her way out of it without much issue.
The Gogoat took one more look over her shoulder at the dirt path behind her, watching at it wound and weaved its way down the small hill she'd come up. Then, she turned and headed deeper into the forest.
Several spots of sunlight filtered through the canopy of trees, lighting up the woods as she traveled along. Her ears flicked at the sounds of rustling foliage, staying alert for any ferals that might jump out and attack. But even if they did, she'd just give them a warning stomp to send them scurrying away.
Eventually, the tress opened up to reveal a vast savannah, with blades upon blades of yellow grass stretching as far as the eye could see. A few trees dotted the area here and there, but they were fairly sparse compared to the forest. One of the trees closest to her even had a small green rock seated next to it—
…Wait a minute.
The Gogoat squinted her eyes. A green rock next to the tree where she usually rested? Was she seeing things, or had she not gotten enough sleep last night? And why was it green instead of grey like all the other rocks in the savannah?
Slowly, carefully, she moved closer to the rock. As she did, her nose picked up an aromatic scent.
Upon closer inspection, she noticed that the "rock" was covered in darker shades of green…layers of moss, perhaps? But how would that even explain the rise and fall of the "rock's" chest? Maybe she really was seeing things.
A soft groan came from the "rock", causing the Gogoat to jump a little. She took a step back and watched in amazement as it suddenly came to life. It slowly began to rise, revealing four green legs and a fluffy tail with a darker tail-tip. Two dark green ears flicked upwards, and it paused to shake some dirt off of its leaf-like mane. It then turned around to reveal a face with a dark green mask-like marking.
That was when the Gogoat realized that this "rock" wasn't a rock at all—it was a Pokémon. Specifically a Sprigatito!
The Sprigatito let out a huge yawn and blinked open her eyes as she took in her surroundings.
"Hm?" she murmured. "Where is this place? I don't remember being in some kind of plains." She looked down at her paws, taking in the yellow grasses that tickled them. "Did I somehow end up back in Solaceon Town? Even though I should be training for my Gym battle?"
The Gogoat was confused by what this Sprigatito was talking about. Solaceon Town? Gym battle?
The Sprigatito raised her head, only to look down again at her paws. "Wait, what the—?!" She lifted a paw to inspect the pink paw pads underneath. "I don't remember having paws!"
The Gogoat bit her lower lip, unsure of what to think or say. All she could do was shuffle uncomfortably as the Sprigatito frantically checked herself, her blue eyes wide with terror.
"No, no, no," she whimpered. "This can't be happening… This can't be happening! I've actually turned into a Pokémon!"
She took another look at her surroundings, trying to find someone who could help. Finally, she noticed the Gogoat standing before her, still shuffling her front hooves.
"O-oh, hello there," she said, calming down. "Sorry, I didn't notice you were there. Then again, I certainly don't recall seeing any Skiddo or Gogoat in Sinnoh. You'd usually find them in the Kalos region, especially in Lumiose City."
"Uhhh… I don't know what those places are."
The Sprigatito's eyes widened with disbelief. She shuffled a few feet back. "Did…did you just talk to me?"
"I did," the Gogoat answered.
The Sprigatito looked down at the ground. "First I get turned into a Pokémon, and now a Pokémon — a Gogoat, specifically — is talking to me? What kind of messed up dream did I end up having this time?"
She smacked her head with one forepaw. "Guhhh, I knew I shouldn't have taken that second glass of Moomoo Milk before bedtime! Damn it all!"
The Gogoat was at a loss of words. On the one hoof, this Sprigatito was definitely a weird one, talking about places and things that were entirely foreign to her. In a way, it was almost like she was speaking in an entirely different language.
On the other hoof…as much as she was relieved that the Sprigatito was alright, the Gogoat couldn't afford to leave her be.
"Sorry, I don't know what you're going on about," she said. "And I've never even met a Sprigatito that wandered beyond the Misty Woods."
"Misty Woods?"
"One of the woodland areas. The Sprigatito line is more common there." Then again, she wasn't entirely sure if she should bring this strange Sprigatito there, especially considering the vicious Sprigatito clan that dwelled there.
The Sprigatito put a paw to her head. "This is all so confusing to me," she said. "Are you saying that I'm stuck here for the time being?"
"To put it lightly, yes."
"But this isn't right! And I know this sound crazy, but I'm not a Pokémon at all! I'm a human!"
The goat's eyes widened with shock as she took a step back. "A…a human?" she choked out.
Well, it certainly explained why this Sprigatito was saying all these weird places, but…
She shook her head. She had to stay calm and rational. That was what Volt always told her. Just take a few deep breaths, and stick with her inner peace.
Once she'd composed herself, she then approached the Sprigatito. "I'm sorry, little one," she said. "But there are no humans on the Raidon Archipelago. Only Pokémon."
"O-oh…" the Sprigatito's ears drooped in disappointment as the reality sank in. "Are they…are they all extinct, then?"
The Gogoat shook her head. "No," she answered. "My mother told me, that they left this world ages ago. All we know about them are from various myths and legends surrounding them." She shuffled her hooves. "But I think this conversation has gone on for long enough, don't you agree?"
The Sprigatito nodded slowly.
The Gogoat turned her head to the side, unintentionally allowing the sunlight to catch her ebony-black horns. Then, she turned back to the Sprigatito. "Well, Sprigatito," she said. "Why don't you come along with me?"
That seemed to snag the girl's interest. She looked up at the Gogoat, her blue eyes wide with interest. "Really?"
The Gogoat nodded. "I can't afford to leave a child behind, can I?" she explained. "Plus, I have a nephew who's about the same age as you. I think you two would get along great!"
Well, at least she hoped so. Jin was kinda picky when it came to friends, and most of the kids in Trueno Village usually teased him for his special interests. Of course, the friends he did have also shared those interests, to the point of forming a special club dedicated to them. Maybe if she convinced him to tell this Sprigatito about them…
The Gogoat huffed. It was worth a shot, she decided.
The Sprigatito looked thoughtful for a moment. Then, she slowly got to her paws, testing each one as she stood on it. After making sure she was standing up correctly, she turned to the Gogoat, a small smile forming on her face.
"Sure," she said. "I'd love to accompany you."
"Then, it's settled," the Gogoat replied with a smile. "Come along now, child. We don't have a lot of time, and I'd like to get back home before sunset."
The Sprigatito immediately darted ahead, stopping once she felt the sunlight hit her fur. She stretched all four of her limbs, welcoming the warmth.
The Gogoat couldn't help but let loose a chuckle. What a strange child, she thought to herself. But I know Jin will like her.
She was so preoccupied with the Sprigatito frolicking about in the yellow grass that she didn't notice a small, flat green creature lurking atop a tree branch above her. It carefully monitored the endearing scene for a moment, before noticing the satchel strapped to the Gogoat's back.
As the Gogoat began to step out of the shade of the tree, the green creature quickly hopped off the branch, landing successfully inside the satchel. Neither of the two Grass-types noticed their tiny hitchhiker as they began to walk alongside each other.
"By the way," the Gogoat said. "What's your name?"
The Sprigatito tilted her head. "My name…" She thought about it for a moment before recollection flashed in her eyes. "My name's Camila Holt. But you can just call me 'Mila'."
The Gogoat nodded. "Well, Mila, it's nice to meet you. As for me, you can just call me Leif."
Resonance
Read on AO3
Summary: It's the winter holidays and Malt has invited everyone over for a party. Kyle has taken it upon himself to bake something, and Vanilla has agreed to help him out.
As the cookies are being made, Vanilla and Kyle find an opportunity to reminisce about their current relationship, from how they got here to how they can officially take it a step further...
Healing Scarred Hearts - Part 1
Read on AO3
Summary: After their first difficult battle against Jihl and the Belenos, the children of the Exo-Taranis find time to rest and recuperate. But Vanilla refuses to rest, and is determined to make Jihl pay, no matter how many injuries she sustains!
[Takes place after Chapter 6 of Fuga 2; Kyle and Vanilla friendship/established relationship]
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The giggling noises of a little girl could be heard throughout the streets of the port town as the Exo-Taranis arrived. As soon as the giant tank had stopped, Mei had immediately hopped out and began running down to the marketplace.
“Don’t wander too far off, Mei,” came the voice of her older brother. Malt had just followed suit, looking out for the little pup. Though his voice carried out a warning, his expression seemed to show a smile – one that he hadn’t shown in quite a long while.
Mei spun around, her eyes twinkling with excitement and a little bit of mischief. “Don’t worry, Malt,” she called out. “I’ll be careful! I promise!”
“You better not break that promise, little lady!”
Right after he said that, Malt felt a cream-coloured paw on his shoulder, prompting him to turn around to face Kyle. The Felineko had a wry smirk on his face as he shook his head.
“Aw, don’t sweat it,” Kyle chuckled. “I’m pretty sure Mei gets the memo. Besides, she’s growing up pretty quickly – if there’s anyone who can hold her own, it’s definitely Mei.”
“I-I know,” Malt replied with a sigh. “It’s just…I worry for her every day, y’know?”
Kyle frowned as he slowly nodded. “Yeah. Especially given the recent events that happened.”
Both boys knew that it had been a difficult time for them, along with the rest of their crew. It was only a few days ago since Hanna had been seemingly killed during the teleportation accident when they (along with Mei, Socks, Boron, Chick, Hack, and Sheena) were trying to save her and Britz from the rogue Taranis and bring them aboard the Tarascus. They succeeded in saving Britz, but were unable to get Hanna back when Jihl fired the Belenos upon them, destroying the Tarascus and badly damaging the Taranis, along with disintegrating Hanna’s body.
Having been the closest to Hanna, Malt and Kyle were deeply scarred in different ways – Kyle was left heartbroken due to his crush on her, whereas Malt became a soulless shell of his former self. It had taken Wappa and Jin – the only two children who weren’t present during that time – to coax them out and remember the good memories they shared with the girl. It wasn’t an easy task, but eventually it worked.
Gone were the days of moping about, replaced by a rekindled fire of hope – a fire that only recently began to burn even brighter following the aftermath of the children’s first battle against Jihl and the Belenos. Right after the mysterious tank had left, they had heard a voice call to them on the Taranis’s communicator. There was definitely no mistaking it…Hanna was alive, and somewhere inside the Belenos!
“How’s Vanilla doing, by the way,” asked Malt.
During said battle, their newest recruit Vanilla had received the brunt of a particularly powerful blast from the Belenos. The result was a particularly nasty burn on her right shoulder – a wound that Kyle found incredibly difficult to patch up. Not physically, of course – he had some knowledge on basic first-aid, having read a few medical books alongside Hanna, after all – but emotionally, as he simply couldn’t bear seeing a lady like Vanilla in pain. There was also the fact that he had been practically looking away from her injured form while keeping his eyes shut, requiring her frustrated voice to guide him as he dressed her wounds.
“She’s doing fine,” he replied. “Though pretty damn stubborn. She keeps insisting that she can handle herself, despite me telling her to take it easy.”
Malt chuckled, though it sounded melancholic than anything. “She’s got a thick skull, that’s for sure,” he remarked.
The conversation was interrupted by a loud crash, followed by Mei’s surprised yelp. They turned their attention to the little Caninu sitting on the ground, rubbing her forehead in pain. Nearby, a tall yet stout Caninu man was scolding her, despite his face showing more worry than anger (though it didn’t help to console the little child). Broken wooden cages lay scattered around them, releasing several clucken that wasted no time in running amok, causing panic among the residents.
“I better go check on Mei, and help out with wrangling a few clucken,” said Malt as he began sprinting towards the commotion. “See you in a bit!”
Kyle grinned as he watched the older boy run off. It had been a good while since the last time he’d seen Malt return to his usual self.
Now, there was the matter of trying to get Vanilla to see reason. Like Malt had said before, the president’s daughter had one hell of a thick skull. If they were going to really get through to her, someone was going to have to be extra blunt with their words.
…That didn’t mean Kyle had to be heartless regarding her feelings, though. She had been through hell and back, after all. Probably more so than the rest of the Taranis kids combined.
His thoughts were interrupted by a brown-and-tan furry arm snaking itself around his neck, pulling him into a headlock.
“Wha—?”
Before he could utter so much as a complete syllable, a gloved fist rubbed itself roughly against the crown of his head, ruffling his carefully-brushed ginger hair.
“Ack! Jin, knock it off! I just finished brushing my hair this morning! Stop!”
The Caninu boy barked out a laughter as he released Kyle, giving him time to catch his breath. Still, he couldn’t help but ruffle Kyle’s hair a little more, much to his chagrin.
“C’mon, man,” Jin said, unable to contain himself. “You get way too wound up when you’re like that. Why not just loosen up a little every now and again?”
Kyle pouted as he got to work on combing his fingers through his hair, trying to get the loose strands back to where they were before. “In case you’ve forgotten, and God forbid you have forgotten, I’ve got an image to maintain! You of all people should know that I really hate it when my clothes get dirty, or my fur is messed up.”
“Yes, but don’t you think he also has a point?” Britz’s quieter voice spoke up behind Kyle as the younger Caninu strolled up behind him. “Besides, it’ll be a while before we can resume our pursuit of the Belenos. We should just take this opportunity to relax every now and again.”
Kyle looked thoughtful for a moment. Then, he sighed. “I suppose,” he said. “I mean, we haven’t really had a chance to just be ourselves.”
“Then, why don’t we just stroll around for a bit, just the three of us,” Jin suggested. “After all, it’s been a whole year since the last time we met, and I wanna get up to speed as soon as possible.” He smacked the Felineko in the back a little too hard, almost causing him to stumble forward.
“Eesh, you really missed the lot of us, eh,” Kyle huffed, rubbing at the spot where Jin had smacked him.
“Well, duh!”
“Where should we start first?” Britz asked. “I was thinking of the nearby textile shop to get some new threads and fabrics for Sheena. She said she had some ideas for a couple of new outfits she wanted to make.”
“As long as I don’t end up being her little guinea pig, it doesn’t matter what she makes.”
“I wouldn’t mind trying out whatever she makes, to be honest,” Kyle piped up. “And while we’re at it, I wouldn’t mind dropping by a clothing store to see what they’ve got.”
Jin chuckled. “Ever the guy with the fashion sense, eh,” he snorted.
“Well, I…”
The sound of someone hopping out of the Taranis interrupted him for the second time. All three boys turned around to find none other than Vanilla herself. A swathe of bandages covered her right shoulder as well as her waist, and she had on a spare shirt in place of her usual jacket and cravat. Despite putting on a neutral face, her pained grunts betrayed how she truly felt deep inside.
Jin frowned and crossed his arms. “Well, well,” he said, catching the girl’s attention. “Look who decided to join us.”
“Vanilla,” Kyle asked. “What are you doing out here? Aren’t you supposed to be resting in the dormitory?”
“I…” Vanilla’s eyes darted from side to side, unable to look at either one of them. She clutched her burned shoulder tightly. “I-I just…couldn’t stand being cooped up in here all the time. So, I thought I’d take a walk around. You know, just to get a little bit of cardio.” She gave a small smile. “No need to worry about me. I’ll be fine.”
Kyle didn’t need Sheena’s Nono abilities to know that the blue-grey Felineko was lying. His brow furrowed as his tail flicked, as it usually did whenever he got annoyed at something or someone. “Are you sure,” he asked again. “Because your tired expression says otherwise.” He gestured to his own eyes, indicating that, yes, he could tell that she was still exhausted. Her injured shoulder was sagging a little, her ears were slightly drooped, and she had noticeable bags underneath her eyes.
Vanilla hissed under her breath as soon as she realized that Kyle had seen right through her thinly-veiled lie. “Look, I can’t think while I’m laying still in the bunks,” she growled. “I need to be out here, and there’s just so much to process.”
“And you need to rest,” Kyle insisted. “Otherwise, you’ll never be able to fully recover!”
“You’re not my father, so don’t tell me what to do,” she spat. “If I want to rest, then I will rest! Until then, stay out of my way!”
Kyle flinched at the amount of venom that laced her voice, but held his ground nonetheless. “I’m not trying to be your dad, and I’m not ordering you around,” he said, keeping his voice calm and steady. “Besides, do you really think that he would have wanted you walking around with an injury like that? We may not be fighting in a war anymore, but we’re still out there fighting for our lives, and any one of us could perish within an eye’s blink!”
Normally, Kyle had been the one to make a sharp rebuttal like that, and there would have been some kind of discussion. It was strange having his role be the exact opposite. Maybe Hanna and Malt were rubbing off on him in more ways than he’d imagined?
Vanilla’s muzzle crinkled in disgust and anger as she squeezed her injured shoulder. “You don’t understand,” she muttered. “None of you do. Just…leave me alone. Please.” Before any of the boys could stop her, she turned on her heel and marched down the street, leaving them all on their own.
“Vanilla…” Kyle murmured, sadness crossing his visage.
Jin and Britz exchanged worried glances. It was rare for Kyle to be so down in the dumps like this. Perhaps there was something in him that actually cared for Vanilla a lot more than he’d prefer to let on?
“I want to respect her wishes,” Kyle said. “But I can’t just leave her be. Who knows what’s out there?”
Jin approached Kyle and put a paw on his shoulder. “Then go and catch up to her,” he said. “Don’t worry about us – we’ll be fine.”
Kyle still seemed hesitant.
“You’re right about not wanting to leave her be,” added Britz. “Besides, in her current state, she shouldn’t be wandering around at all. It’s best if she had someone close by to check on her.”
Kyle took the time to reflect upon this. Then, he took a deep breath to calm himself. “You know what, you’re right,” he said. “Even if she tells me to leave her alone, I’ll stick by her side until she’s ready to return.”
He turned to Jin and Britz with a small smile. “Thanks, guys,” he said. “I guess the clothes store will have to wait a bit.”
“Good grief,” Jin huffed as Kyle began dashing after Vanilla’s trail. “I was hoping to find an excuse to weasel my way outta that one!”
Britz chuckled. “Well, you never know,” he remarked. “Knowing Kyle and his fashion passion, there’s still a chance he might find us and drag us over. And he likely won’t stop until Malt finds us and says that it’s time to go.” That caused Jin to let out a disgruntled groan, which only made the Berman boy snicker a bit more. He hated it when Britz was right.
