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Chapter 9 Broadening horizons
With the Elderâs verdict, we got moving in order to meet with Madame and, surely enough, as soon as I turned around, I noticed a small bird on the floor looking up at me. A Murkrow.
âThe Madame wants to meetchaâ, he said with a creaky voice. âYâall. Lady, Tales, Ange. Bring the kit. Elder stays, mâkay?â
Having said so, he promptly turned his back on us and started walking forward. The three of us then followed his lead. News flied fast inside the mafiaâs base, it had always been like that. My safest bet on why thatâs so, is that Madameâs loyal underlings acted as her eyes and ears at all times.
âItâs been some time, Kurook.â
âYaya. Ya didnât change one bit tho.â
âYou, on the other hand, look even more sleep deprived than before, if thatâs even possible.â
âTisâ my charmâ, he didnât stutter nor stopp to look behind whenever he talked, dutifully guiding us to his leader.
Kurook may be small, but his serious attitude never changed; I felt like trying to get info on the subject from him wouldnât work, so I patiently kept walking. He guided us through a series of corridors that seemed to lead upwards, staggering by what seemed to be a very rustic and simple elevator operated by a lever.
Hopping on the lever, he nodded, silently telling us to go in. Once everyone was inside, we heard a voice coming from a worn out computer speaker. It seemed to have been snatched away from the humanâs recycling waste.
âWhere to?â
âYâknow, diamonds are a girlâs best friends.â
âGot ya, pal. Up we go!â, with that, the elevator started moving under the sound of what sounded like dozens of pairs of wings flapping coming from the speaker.
Once it stopped, what we had before us were curtains; long and silky, their purple fabric shimmering at the wall torchesâ lights.
âAsking for permission!â, Kurook announced.
âPermission granted~â, said a low and flamboyant voice in return. I knew very well whose voice that was, couldnât ever forget how she sounded. Passing by the curtains, there she was.
Madame Crow. The elegant, refined and cunning Honchkrow that stood high as the mafiaâs founder and unshakeable boss. She stood on her usual armchair, her piercing gaze aiming at the three of us. Her roomâs floor was decorated with shiny and colorful stones.
âMy, oh, my~â, she chanted, opening her wings in a salutation. Kurook hovered over his usual spot at her side, accompanied by another Murkrow. âWhat an interesting loot we have today! You never fail to amuse me, little Ange. So, what did the Purrloin bit this time?â
She spoke in a peculiar manner that would seem arrogant and nearly intimidating, but knowing her personally had proven Madame Crow wasnât all that wicked at heart. I wasnât afraid.
âHow much do you know?â, I asked firmly.
âEnough, Iâd sayâ, Madame Crow outlined the pearls on her necklace with her wing tips. âSo what do you say, dear Ange, we talk about the Fairy World and this little, - if you allow me to put it this way - delta kit of yours? Iâd tell you to grab a seat, but I will be brief, promise. Time is precious right now; and time is money.â
âI wonder what you mean by delta, Madame.â
âItâs a nomenclature I adopted in my recent studies, but eh; Letâs start from the beginning instead, shall we? Merley, grab me the records.â
The other Murkrow standing beside her took flight and was soon back with a scroll well-secured between her claws, dropping it by Madameâs feet; scroll which the Honchkrow began nimbly fumbling with, using her claws to open it.
âLetâs make a fast forward, or so to speak; I wasnât eavesdropping all the way on you talking about the Fairy World. Iâve known about it for quite some timeâ, she said, looking at the scrolls contents, which seemed to be a research record with lots of text and drawn pictures. âTherefore, I wonât be talking about it in depth now.â
The day was running by with so many plot twists on who knew what that, by this time, I didnât even become surprised she knew. What I wondered was what she could possibly have to add to this whole situation.
âWhat I have to addâ, Madame Crow said, as if she had read my mind âis, simply offering you some aid, and asking for a favor in return.â
âYes, Iâm listening.â
She was actually nice at heart, but I didnât expect it to come for free. Lady Noir and Tales didnât take part in our conversation at all, but their attention remained on their leader. If she had called them as well, they probably would play some part in this.
âAs youâre all well aware, Iâm a scholar at heartâ, she started, pacing around on top of the open scroll. âIâve been researching on life and its several ways of coming into being on our world. However, with the sudden appearance of PokĂ©mon from another universe in the Alola region, my research took flight.â
Madame Crow held the now open scroll, rapidly skimming over its text while explaining us her findings on said research.
âThese PokĂ©mon, nicknamed Ultra Beasts by the humans, are something entirely new to our world. Science has proven they indeed come from another universe by the use of gaps in our dimensionâs structure. This made me start believing our universe isnât the only one, that what we have is a multiverse. Are you following until now?â
I nodded, looking briefly at Lady and Tales to see them having the same reaction. Madame Crow whispered a âgoodâ under her breath, and went ahead with her explanations.
âThis made me go into further research and its results made me believe that not only there are other kinds of life forms, itâs also very likely there are universes where everything is the same as we know, but in a new form. Take the alolan PokĂ©mon as example.  And just like the so called Ultra Beasts, these unknown forms may sometime end up in another universe which is not theirs. However, due to these life forms uncanny resemblance to ours regardless being so different, Iâve decided to nickname them delta PokĂ©mon.â
She gestured my way, as if wanting to see the child. I showed her the basket where she was resting, while Madame nodded, seemingly musing to herself in her thoughts.
âItâs only rumors, but Iâve heard about a very distant region on which scientists started tweaking the PokĂ©monâs DNA to get them new forms. The same PokĂ©mon, with a new appearance and even typingâ, she went on, attentively analyzing the child. âWhatever scientific failure regarding DNA proves such canât be done according to natureâs laws. Assuming these scientists succeeded, means delta PokĂ©mon are compatible with natureâs own process of creation.
That is⊠they are possible of naturally coming into being. This spreads much ahead on what I can explain you children right now, and there are controversies to what Iâm saying; but this child could either be from another universe, and somehow fell into ours; or theyâre one of these anomalies, one of what Iâve called delta, that somehow was born as such here in our world.â
âIt all ties to creation itself. While I was researching about the multiverse theory, I found out about several worlds that arenât exactly located in another dimension, but are worlds that coexist with ours regardless being unreachable. Akin to these, I found out about the fairy world.â
I wasnât very knowledgeable on this kind of subject, but⊠was she possibly referring to legendary PokĂ©mon? The only one I was aware of was Giratina, who lived in a distorted dimension since they were banned by Arceus themselves⊠I had heard about Cresselia and Darkrai having a realm located inside othersâ dreams, but those were only rumors.
âAs itâs vital to my research, I want to know more it. However, Iâm not allowed into there, as you already know~â, she winked. âSo, I know you â Ange and Lady Noir - are going to try and rescue the kit before their mismatching energy perishes on your world. All I ask of you is you take Kurook and Merley with you.â
The two Murkrow stepped front, waiting on our remarks for such decision. Lady Noir and Tales still kept silent, waiting on Madame Crowâs orders relative to our bargainâs result.
âIâm aware theyâre not fairies, but with the great number of looming ghosts in that world, I believe theyâre able of helping with their dark typing. Iâd go myself, but they can aid you much better than I. You see, both Kurook and Merley here have remarkable memory, and their best asset is acting as living maps.â
âWe donât have much of directions though. What Tales could see was pretty vague in my opinionâŠâ
âIf we have him to describe what heâs seen while reading the kitâs aura, theyâll be able of taking in the info and guide you precisely to the location youâre looking for. Itâs been their job for ages, and Iâve never been disappointed in them so far.â
I looked at the Lucario, who seemed to somehow feel me staring; he nodded solemnly.
âI can see how that would help usâ, I said, taking care of hiding the dormant child under my cape again. âBut, how does that favor you, Madame?â
âAs I stated before, I want to know more about this world. Letâs say theyâll be acting as my own eyes when in there~â, she winked at me. âSo, what do you say?â
âSure. I have no reason to distrust you, Madame. But please, when â if â we do come back, donât put this information to use in a reckless way.â
âNo worries, Angie. I know better than thatâ, Madame Crow said vehemently, her piercing gaze making her serious tone justice. âVery well, then. Come over here, Tales. Please explain them what you saw and spare no details, no matter how minor they are.â
âYes, Madameâ, the Lucario nodded, kneeling down to talk to the two Murkrow who now looked intently at him.
âYouâve been really quiet so far, Noir, my dear. I suppose you already know by now where your voyage needs to get started to earn you a shortcut, yes?â
âIâve been thinkingâ, she replied, serious. âUsing Kurook and Merley as our compass, our travel becomes way faster. However, Iâm afraid itâs not fast enough if we donât enter the Fairy World by the location whichâs the closest possible to the one the kit landed at.â
âSouthern Island, if Iâm not mistaken?â
âYes. I know of someone who can help, but Iâm not sure if-â
Before she could finish her sentence, a familiar voice echoed inside our minds. I felt my mind connected to Lady Noirâs and someone elseâs⊠Serenity?
âIâm aware of what youâve been trying to do and my time to step forward is near. This is supposed to be my duty, ladies, not yours. Since youâve already gone this far, please allow me to take the lead now. Letâs reunite at Angeâs house as soon as possible.â
Assuming by how no one seemed to react to this message, it was safe to confirm only the three of us had listened to it. Madame Crow, however, picked up on the situation somehow. She smirked.
âBy the looks on your face, I suppose you have an answer now~â
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